Saincts whilest a most pleasant refreshing did issue from euery part and member of the body vnto the seate place of the hart and from thence did ebbe and flow to and fro vnto all the partes againe This Saunders continued in prison a whole yeare and 3. moneths In all which space he sent diuers letters to diuers men as one to Cranmer Ridley and Latimer and other to his wife and also to others M. Saunders in prison a yeare and 3. monthes certifying them both of the publike calamitie of the time and also of his priuate afflictions and of sondry his conflictes with his aduersaries As in writing to his friend he speaketh of Weston conferring with him in prison whereof you shall heare anone by the leaue of the Lorde as followeth in the story In the meane time the Chauncellor after this little talke with M. Saunders as is aforesaid sent him to the prison of the Marshalsey c. For the Caiphas Winchester I meane did nothing but bayte him with some of his currish eloquence and so committed him to the prison of the Marshalsey where he was kept prisoner one whole yeare and a quarter But of his cause and estate thou shalt nowe see what Laurence Saunders himselfe did write ¶ A parcell of a Letter of Laurence Saunders sent to the Byshop of Winchester as an aunswere to certayne thyngs wherewith he had before charged hym TOuching the cause of my imprisonment A fragmeâ—â— of M. Sauâ—â—ders letter I doubt whether I haue broken any law or proclamation In my doctrine I did not forasmuch as at that time it was permitted by the proclamation to vse according to our consciences such seruice as was then established He meane the proclaâ—mation of which meâ—â—tion is 〈◊〉 before Satis peceâ—â—uit qui reâ—â—stere non potâ—it My doctrine was then agreeable vnto my conscience and the seruice then vsed The Act which I did he meaneth publike teaching of Gods word in his owne parish called Alhallowes in Breadstreete in the Citie of London was such as being indifferently weyed sounded to no breaking of the proclamation or at the least no wilfull breaking of it forasmuch as I caused no bell to be roong neyther occupyed I any place in the Pulpit after the order of Sermons or Lectures But be it that I did breake the Proclamation this long time of continuance in prison may be thought to be more then a sufficient punishment for such a fault Touching the charging of me with my Religion I say wyth S. Paule This I confesse Act. 24. that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my forefathers beleeuing all thyngs which are written in the lawe and the Prophets and haue hope towards God c. And herein study I â—o haue alway a cleare conscience towardes God and towards men A good tâ—â—stimony oâ— good conscience so that God I call to witnesse I haue a conscience And this my conscience is not grounded vpon vayne fantasie but vpon the infallible veritie of Gods word with the witnessing of his chosen Church agreeable vnto the same It is an easie thing for them which take Christ for theyr true Pastor and be the very sheepe of his pasture to discerne the voice of their true shepheard from the voyce of wolues hyrelings and straungers for as much as Christ sayeth Iohn 10 My sheepe heare my voice yea and thereby they shall haue the gift to know the right voice of the true shepeheard and so to follow him and to auoyde the contrary as he also sayeth The sheepe follow the shepheard for they knowe his voyce A straunger will they not follow but will flie from him for they knowe not the voice of a stranger Such inward inspiration doth the holy Ghost put into the children of God being in deede taught of God but otherwise vnable to vnderstand the true way of their saluation Math. 7. And albeit that the Wolfe as Christ saith commeth in sheepes clothing yet he sayth by their fruites yee shall knowe them How the Wolfe is known 〈◊〉 the true shephearâ— For there be certayne fruites whereby the Wolfe is bewrayed notwithstanding that otherwise in sondry sortes of deuoute holines in outwarde shew he seemeth neuer so simple a sheepe That the Romish religion is rauening woluish it is apparant in 3. principall points First it robbeth God of his due and only honour Secondly it taketh away the true comfort of coÌ„science The incoâ—â—uenience the Româ—â— religion 〈◊〉 3. poyntes in obscuring or rather burying of Christ and his office of saluation Thirdly it spoyleth God of his true worship and seruice in spirit and truth appointed in his prescript commaundementes and driueth men vnto that inconuenience against the which Christ with the Prophet Esay doth speake sharply This people honoureth me with their lips but their hart is far from me Esay 26. Math. 25. They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrine and precepts of men And in another place ye cast aside the commaundemente of God to mayntayne your owne traditions Wherefore I in conscience weying the Romish Religion and by indifferent discussing thereof finding the foundation vnstedfast and the building thereupon but vayne and on the other side hauing my conscience framed after a right and vncorrupt religion ratified and fully established by the word of God and the consent of his true Church I neyther may nor do entend by Gods gracious assistance to be pulled one iot from the same no though an Angell out of heauen should preach another Gospell then that which I haue receyued of the Lord. And although that for lacke either of such deepe knowledge and profound iudgement or of so expedite vttering of that I do know and iudge as is required in an excellent clarke I shall not be able sufficiently to aunswere for the conuincing of the gaine-sayer yet neuerthelesse this my protestation shall be of me premised that for the respect of the grounds and causes before considered albeit I cannot * Explicitâ—â—ides is 〈◊〉 a man haâ— to aunsweâ— to euery poynt of 〈◊〉 â—ayth by sufficient 〈◊〉 ground anâ— learning explicita fide as they call it conceiue all that is to be conceiued neither can discusse all that is to be discussed nor can effectually expresse all that is to be expressed in the discourse of the doctrine of this most true religion whereunto to I am professed Yet do I bind my selfe as by my humble simplicity so by my fidem * implicitam that is by faith in generalty as they call it to wrap my beliefe in the credit of the same that no authority of that romish religion repugnant thereunto shall by any meanes remoue me from the same though it may hap that our aduersaries will labour to beguile vs with entising wordes and seeke to spoyle vs through Philosophy and deceitfull vanity after the traditions of men and after the ordinances of the world and
this life Rom â— are not to bee compared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you You knowe the way to heauen is not the wide way of the worlde Math. â— whiche windeth to the deuill but it is a strayte waye which fewe walke in For fewe liue Godlye in Christ Iesu 2. Tim â— 2. Cor. â— Math. â— fewe regarde the lyfe to come fewe remember the daye of iudgement few remember howe Christ will denye them before his father that do deny him here few consider that Christ will be ashamed of them in the last day whiche are ashamed of his truth and true seruice few cast their accountes what wil be layed to theyr charge in the day of vengeance few regard the condemnation of theyr owne consciences in doing that which inwardly they disalow few loue god better then theyr goodes But I trust yet you are of this fewe my dearely beloued I trust you be of that little flocke which shall enherite the kingdome of heaueÌ„ I trust you are the mourners and lamenters 〈◊〉 10. which shal be comforted with comfort whyche neuer shall be taken from you if you nowe repent your former euilles if nowe you striue agaynst the euilles that are in you if now you continue to call vpon God if nowe you defile not your bodyes with any Idolatrous seruice 〈◊〉 4. vsed in the Antichristian Churches if you molest not the good spirite of God which is geuen you as a gage of eternall redemption a counseller and Mayster to lead you into all trueth whiche good spirite I beseeche the Father of mercye to geue to vs all for his deare sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome I commend you all and to the worde of his grace Actes 10. which is able to helpe you all and saue you all that beleue it folow it and serue GOD therafter And of this I would ye were all certayne that all the heares of your heads are numbred Math. 10. Math. spanâ— 1. Psalm 1â—4 Psalm 31. Pet. 5. so that not one of them shall perishe neither shall any man or deuill be able to attempt any thing much lesse to do any thing to you or any of you before your heauenly father which loueth you most tenderly shall geue them leaue and when he hath geuen them leaue they shall go no further then he will nor keepe you in trouble any longer then he will Therefore cast on him all your care for he is carefull for you Onely study to please hym and to keepe your consciences cleane your bodyes pure from the Idolatrous seruice whiche nowe euery where is vsed and GOD will maruellouslye and mercifully defend and comfort you which thing he doe for his holy names sake in Christ our Lord. Amen * To his dearely beloued in Christ Erkinalde Rawlins and his wife GOd our deare and moste mercyfull Father thorough Christ be with you my good Brother and Sister as with his children for euer and in all thinges so guide you with his holy spirite the leader of his people as may bee to his glory and your owne euerlasting ioy and comfort in him Amen Because I haue oftentimes receiued from either of you comfort corporall for the which I beseeche the Lorde as to make me thankefull so to recompence you both now eternally I can not but goe about Lord help hereto for thy mercyes sake to write some thing for your comfort spiritually My dearely beloued looke not vppon these dayes and the afflictions of the same here with vs 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 godly 〈◊〉 ioyfull the 〈…〉 simplye as they seeme vnto you that is as dismall dayes and dayes of Gods vengeaunce but rather as lucky dayes and dayes of Gods fatherlye kindenesse towardes you and suche as you be that is toward such as repent theyr sinnes and euill life paste and earnestly purpose to amende walking not after the will of the world and most part of men for the preseruation of theyr pelfe whiche will they nill they they shall leaue sooner or later and to whome or howe it shall be vsed they know not In deede to suche as walke in theyr wickednesse and winde on with the worlde this tyme is a tyme of wrath and vengeaunce and theyr beginning of sorrowe is but nowe because they contemne the Phisicke of theyr father whiche by this purging time and cleansing dayes would worke theyr weale whiche they will nor Clensing dayes and because they will not haue Gods blessing which both wayes he hath offered vnto them by prosperity and aduersity Gods 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 refused therefore it shall be kepte farre enough from them As when the sicke man will no kinde of Phisicke at the handes of the Phisition he is lefte alone and so the malady encreaseth and destroyeth him at the length To such men in deed these dayes are and should be dolefull dayes dayes of woe and weeping because theyr damnation draweth nigh But vnto such as be penitent and are desirous to liue after the Lordes wil among whom I do not onely count you but as far as a man may iudge I know ye are vnto such I say 〈…〉 receaâ—ed with 〈◊〉 this time is and should be comfortable For first now your father chastiseth you and me for our sinnes for the which if he would haue destroyed vs then woulde hee haue letten vs alone and left vs to our selues in nothyng to take to hart his fatherly visitation which here it pleaseth him to worke presently because else where he wyll not remember our transgressions as Paule writeth He chastiseth vs in this world least with the world we should perishe Therefore my deare hartes call to minde your sinnes to lament them God punisheth not twise for one thing and to aske mercye for them in hys sight and withall vndoubtedly beleue to obteyne pardon and assured forgeuenesse of the same for twise the Lord punisheth not for one thing So that I saye first wee haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because our father suffereth vs not to lye in Iesabels bed sleeping in our owne sinnes and security but as mindefull on vs doth correct vs as his children Whereby we may be certayne that we be no bastardes but children for he chastiseth euery childe whom he receiueth Difference betweene bastards and children So that they which are not partakers of his chastising or that contemne it declare themselues to be bastardes and not children as I know ye are which as ye are chastised so do ye take it to hart accordingly And therefore be glad my deare hartes and folkes knowing certaynelye euen by these visitatioÌ„s of the Lord that ye are his deare elect children whose faultes your father doth visite with the rodde of correction but his mercy will he neuer take away from vs. Amen Secondly ye haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because they are dayes of triall wherein not onely ye your selues but also the worlde shall
By this he would proue that Christe was then in heauen and in earth also naturally and bodily Shet This place and other must needes be vnderstand for the vnitie of persons in that Christe was God man and yet the matter must be referred to the Godhead or els ye must fall into great errour Commis That is not so for it was spoken of the manhoode of Christ for as much as he sayth the sonne of man whiche is in heauen Shet If yee will needes vnderstande it to be spoken of Christes manhoode The Coâ—â—missary brought 〈◊〉 an other 〈◊〉 conueniâ—â—â— then must ye fall into the error of the Anabaptistes which deny that Christ took fleshe of y e virgin Mary for if there be no bodye ascended vpp but that whiche came downe where is then his incarnation for then he brought his body downe with him Commis Loe how ye seeke an errour in me and yet see not how ye erre your selfe For it cannot be spoken of the Godhead except ye graunt that God is passible for God cannot come downe because he is not passible Shet If that were a good argumente that God could not come down because he is not passible then it might be said by the like argument that God coulde not sit and then heauen is not his seate and then say as some do that God hath no right hand for Christ to sit at Commis Then the Commissary affirmed playnly that it was true God hath no right hand in deede Shet Oh what a spoyle of Christes Religion will thys be that because we cannot tell howe God came downe therfore we shall say that he came not down at all and because we cannot tell what maner of hand he hathe to saye that he hath no hand at all and then he cannot reache the vtmost part of the sea O miserie at length it will come to passe that God cannot sit and then howe can heauen bee his seate and if heauen be not his seate then there is no heauen and then at length I doubt ye wil say there is no God or els no other God but such as the heathens Gods are which cannot goe nor feele Commis Why doth not the scripture saye that God is a spirite and what hand can a spirite haue Shet Truth it is God is a spirit and therfore is worshipped in spirit and truth and as he is a spirite so hath hee a spirituall power so hathe hee a spirituall seate a spirituall hand 〈◊〉 hand â—pirituall and a spirituall sword which we shall feele if we go this way to worke as we beginne Because wee knowe not what hand God hath therfore if we say he hath none then it may as well be sayd there is no Christ. Then the Commissary sayd hee woulde talke no more w t me so departed and also the Commissarye was compelled to graunt that Christes testament was broken and his institution was chaunged from that hee left it but hee sayd they had power so to doe * My first aunswearing after their law was stablished BEcause I know ye will desire to heare from mee some certaintie oâ— my estate â—â—luation the first â—â—â—minatiâ—â— of Sheâ—â—den â—fter law was 〈…〉 see the â—ommissioÌ„ I was called before the SuffragaÌ„ and seuen or eight of the chiefe priestes examined of certayne Articles and then I required to see theyr CoÌ„mission They shewed it to me and sayde There it is and the Kinge and Queenes letters also Then I desired to haue it read and so in readyng I perceaued that on some notable suspition hee might examine vppon two articles whether Chrystes reall presence were in the Sacrament and whether the churche of England be of Christes Catholicke Churche To that I aunsweared that I had bene a prisoner 3. quarters of a yeare and as I thought wrongfully reason would therefore that I should aunsweare to those thinges wherefore I was prisoner Suff. The Suffragan sayd his Commission was I must aunswere directly yea or nay Shet This Commission sayde I was not generall to examine whome he will but on iust suspicion Suff He sayd I was suspected and presented to hym Shet Then I required that the accusation might be shewed Suff. He sayd he was not bound to shew it but he commaunded me in the king and Queenes name to aunswer directly Shet And I as a subiect do require of you iustice for that I haue done I aske no fauour Suff. He sayde I was suspected Shet I bad him proue that suspicion or what cause he had to suspect Suff. Thou was cast into prison for that cause Shet That was a pretty suspicion because I had suffered imprisonment contrary to Gods law and the realme that therefore I must now for a mendes be examined of suspition without cause to hyde all the wrong done to me before For when I was cast into prison there was no law but I might speake as I did therefore in that poynte I could be no more suspect then you which preached y e same yourself not long before Suff. That was no matter to thee what I preached Shet Well yet in the king and Queenes name I must aunswere directly and therefore I require as a subiecte y t ye do not extend beyond your Commission but proue me suspect more then you your selfe Milles. Then sayd M. Milles I had written to my mother and he did see the letter wherin I perswaded my mother to my opinions Shet In that I did but my duetye to certifie her I was not prison for any euill And that was before the lawe also and therefore no more suspicion was in mee then was in them which taught the like Mill. Well yee are required here to aunswere directlye yea or no. Shet First then I require of you to proue this suspicion and thus we tossed to and fro At last the byshop sayde hee himselfe did suspect me I asked wherby Suff. Wâ—ll sayd he I my selfe did suspect thee and it is no matter wherby Shet But your Commission doth not serue you so to doe without iust suspicion Suff. Well yet did I suspect you Shet It is not meete for you to bee my accuser and my Iudge also for that was too much for one man And thus manye woordes were multiplied and they were muche greeued Milles. If you were a Christian man you would not be ashamed of your fayth being required Shet I am not ashamed in deede I thanke God Vpon this it appeareth the letters were written to the B. of Winchester by whom he was sente for after and examined if any man do come to me either to teache or to learne I would declare it but for asmuch as I perceaue you come neither to to teache nor to learne I holde it beste to aunswere you Milles. If you will not then will we certifie the kinges Councell Sheter I am therwith content that you shoulde certifie y t I had suffered thrâ—e quarters prison
Wicket the Gospell of Sainct Iohn the Epistles of Sainct Paule Iames and Peter in English an exposition of the Apocalips a booke of our Ladies mattens in english a booke of Salomon in english a booke called the pricke of conscience  Iohn Edmundes of Burford Taylor The crime againste Iohn Edmundes for hauing a certain english book of y e cōmandemēts The foresayd Robert Colyns being sworne vpon the Euangelists did detecte these persons Iohn Harrys The crime againste Iohn Harrys For communing with hym of the first Chapter of Sainct Iohns Gospel For speaking against Idolatry In the beginning was the word and the word was wyth God and God c. Also for communing of a Chapter in Mathew of the viij beatitudes  Thomas Hall Item for counsaylyng hym not to go on pilgrimage to Saincts because they were Idols  Rob. Lyuord William Lyuord Bruges Ioanne his wife Harrys his wife Rich. Colyns All these were detected for that they beeing together in Bruges house at Burford were reading together in the booke of the exposition of the Apocalyps and communed concerning the matter of opening the booke with seauen claspes c.  Iohn Ledisdall or Edon of Hungerford Iohn Colyns of Burford Iohn Colyns and his wife of Asthall Iohn Clerke of Claufield The wife of Richard Colyns of Ginge  Thom. Colyns and his wife of Gynge This Thomas was charged for hauyng a booke of Paul Iames in English  William Colyns Robert Pope of Henred Hakker of Colmanstreete in London  Stacy brickmaker of Colmōstreete For hauing the booke of the Apocalypse  Tho Phillip Laurence Wharfar of London For readyng the Epistle of Sainct Peter in English in the house of Roberte Colyns at Asthall  Ioanne Colyns his owne sister of Asthall Thomas Colyns hys cousen of Asthall Maistres Bristow of London Iohn Colyns sonne of Richard Colyns of Gynge Ioanne Colyns daughter of Richard Colyns of Gynge Henry Stacy sonne of Stacy of Colmanstreete Thomas Steuenton of Charney in Barkeshyre Iohn Brabant in Stanlake Iohn Baker weauer of Wytney  Richard Colyns The wordes of Richarde Colyns were these That the Sacramente was not the true bodye of Christ in flesh and bloud but yet it ought to be reuerenced albeit not so as the true body of christ  Thom. Colins of Gynge hys owne naturall Father The crime agaynste Thomas Colins For that eight yeares past this Thomas Colins his Father had taught this Iohn his sonne in the presence of hys Mother the x. Commaundementes and namely that he should haue but one GOD and shoulde worshyp nothing but GOD alone The sonne accuseth the father and that to worship Sayntes and to go on pilgrimage was Idolatry Also that he should not worshippe the Sacrament of the aulter as God for that it was but a token of the Lordes bodye Which thing so muche discontented this Iohn Colyns that he sayd he would disclose his Fathers errours and make him to be burned but his Mother entreated him not so to doe  Rob. Colins of Asthall The crime against Rob. Colyns That this Robert readde to him in a certaine thick booke of Scripture in English Iohn Colins of Burford appeached to the Byshop these persons her named Iohn Edmundes and his wife The crime layd to Ioh. Edmundes For that hee readde to this Iohn the x. Commaūdementes tolde him that Iohn Baptiste sayd that one shoulde come after him whose buckle of his shoo he was not worthye to vndoe  Alice wife of Gunne of Wytney  Iohn Hakker and his sonne of London This Iohn Hakker of London comming to Burford brought a book speaking of the x. plagues of Pharao Also after that an other booke entreatyng of the seauen Sacramentes  Laurence Taylor of Shordich Thomas Philip of London Philip seruaunt of Richard Colins Waunsell fishmonger of the Vise Ioane Robert Burges wife Iohn Boyes and his brother a Monke of Burford Thomas Baker Father to Gunnes wife of Whatley Agnes daughter of Iohn Edmundes The Mother of Iohn Boyes of Sedbery Edward Red Scholemayster of Burford Robert Hichman of Lechelade  Elynor Hegges of Burford This Elynor was charged that she shold burne the Sacrament in an Ouen  Iohn Through of the Priory of Burford The Mother of Robert Burges wife Roger Dods of Burford by his othe was cōpelled to vtter these persons here named Syr Iohn Drury Vicare of Windrish in Worcetershyre The crime against this Syr Iohn Drury was for that when Roger Doddes came first to him to bee hys seruaunte hee sware him vppon a booke to keepe his counsels in all thinges and after that he shewed hym a certayne woman in his house whome hee sayde to bee hys wife counselling moreouer the sayd Roger Dods vpon an embring day to suppe with bread cheese sayinge that whiche goeth into a mannes body defileth not a mans soule but that whiche goeth out of the body defileth both body and soule Also that the sayde Uicare taught him the A.B. C. to the intent he shoulde haue vnderstanding in the Apocalips wherein he sayde that he shoulde perceiue all the falsehood of the world and all the trueth He said farthermore vnto him when he had bene at the Ladye of Worcester at the bloud of hayles which had cost him xviij pence that he had done as an ill husbande that had ploughed his lande and sowen it but nothing to the purpose For he hadde worshipped mans handye worke and cast away his money which had bene better geuen to the poore for he should worship but one God and no handye worke of man Item when the people would offer candles where hee was Uicare to Mary Magdalene he would take thē away say they were fooles y t brought them thether  Elizabeth More of Easthenred Robert Pope of Westhenred  Henry Miller or Tucke by Ware This Henrye dyd shew to Roger Dods a certain story of a woman in the Apocalips riding vpō a red beast The sayd Henry was twise abiured  Iohn Fyppe of Hychenden For reading vnto the said Roger Dods a certayne Gospell in English  W. Fyppe of Hychenden and Henry his sonne This William had exhorted Roger Dods that he should worship no Images nor commit no Idolatrye but worship one God and tolde the same Roger that it was good for a man to be mery wise meaning that he shold keepe close that was tolde him for els strait punishement woulde folow  Roger Parker of Hichenhen This Parker sayd to Iohn Fyppe for burning of his bookes that he was fowle to blame for they were worth a hūdreth markes To whom Iohn aunsweared that hee had rather burne his bookes then that hys bookes shoulde burne hym  The wife of Thomas Wydemore daughter of Roger House of Hychenden Olde Wydmores wife sister to Iohn Phip of Hychenden  Iohn Ledisdall of Hungerford For reading the Bible in Englishe For reading of the bible in Robert Burges ouse at
trust not in his holynesse To this he aunswered take ye it as ye will I will take it well enough Item Almes whom and how farre it profiteth now seest thou what almes meaneth and wherfore it serueth He that seeketh with his almes more then to be mercifull to be a neighbour to succour his brothers need to do his duty to his brother to geue his brother that he ought him the same is blind seeth not Christes bloud Here he answereth God to be serued and worshipped onely as he commaundeth otherwise not that he findeth no fault throughout all the booke but all the booke is good and it hath geuen him great comfort and light to his conscience Item that ye do nothing to please God but that he cōmaunded To that he answereth and thinketh it good by his truth Item so God is honored on all sides in that we coūt him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces And to worship him otherwise then so it is Idolatry To that he answered that it pleaseth him well The examination of these Articles being done the Bishop of London did exhort the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery to recant his errors abouesayde and after some other cōmunication had by the Bishop with him the sayd Bishop did exhort him again to recant his errors and appoynted him to determine with himselfe against the next Session what he would do Iohn Tewkesbery submitteth himselfe IN this next Session he submitted himselfe and abiured his opinions and was enioyned penaunce as foloweth which was the 8. of May. In primis that he should keepe well his abiuration vnder payne of relaps Secondly that the next Sonday folowing in Paules Church in the open procession he should cary a Fagot and stand at Paules Crosse with the same That the Wednesday folowing he should cary the same Fagot about Newgate market and Chepeside That on Friday after he should take the same fagot agayne at S. Peters church in Cornehill and cary it about the market of Ledenhall That he should haue 2. signes of Fagots embrothered one on his left sleue the other on his right sleue which he should weare all his life time vnles he were otherwise dispensed withall That on Whitsonday euē he should enter into the Monastery of S. Bartholomew in Smithfield and there to abide and not to come out vnles he were released by the bishop of London That he should not depart out of y e city or dioces of London without the speciall licence of the B. or his successors Which penance he entred into the 8 day of May. an 1229. And thus much concerning his first examinatiō which was in the yeare .1529 at what time he was inforced thorow infirmitye as is before expressed to retract and abiure his doctrine Tewkesbery returned againe to the truth Notwithstāding the same Iohn Tewkesbery afterward cōfirmed by the grace of God and moued by y e example of Bayfild aforesayd that was burned in smithfield did returne and constantly abide in the testimonye of the truth and suffered for the same Who recouering more grace better strength at the hand of the Lord two yeares after being apprehended agayne was brought before Syr Thomas More and the Bishop of Londō where certaine Articles were obiected to him the chiefe wherof we intēd briefly to recite for the matter is prolixe In primis that he confesseth that he was baptised and intendeth to keepe the Catholicke fayth Articles agayne obiected to Tewkesbery Secondly that he affirmeth that the abiuration othe subscription that he made before Cutbert late Byshop of London was done by compulsion Thirdlye that he had the bookes of the obedience of a Christian man and of the wicked Mammon in his custody and hath read them since his abiuration Fourthly that he affirmeth that he suffered the two fagots that were embrothered vpon his sleue to be taken frō him for that he deserued not to weare them Fiftly he sayth that fayth onely iustifieth which lacketh not charity Sixtly he sayth that Christ is a sufficient Mediator for vs therfore no prayer is to be made vnto any Sayntes Wherupon they layd vnto him this verse of the Antheme Salue Regina aduocata nostra c. To the which he aunswered that he knew no other Aduocate but Christ alone Seuenthly he affirmeth that there is no Purgatory after this life Christ is our Purgatorye but that Christ our Sauior is a sufficient purgation for vs. Eightly he affirmeth that the soules of the faythful departing this life rest with Christ. Ninthly he affirmeth y t a priest by receiuing of orders receiueth more grace if his fayth be increased or els not Tenthly and last of all he beleueth that the sacrament of the flesh bloud of Christ is not the very body of Christ in flesh bloud as it was borne of y e virgin Mary Whervpon the Byshops Chauncellor asked the sayd Tewkesbery if he could shew any cause why he should not be takē for an hereticke falling into his heresy agayne and receiue the punishment of an hereticke Wherunto he aunswered that he had wrong before and if he be condemned now he reckoneth that he hath wrong agayne Then the Chaūcellor caused the articles to be read opēly with the aunsweres vnto the same the which the sayde Tewkesbery confessed therupon the Bishop pronounced sentence agaynst him deliuered him vnto the Shyriffes of Londō for y e time being who were Rich. Greshā Edward Altam who burned him in Smithfield vpō S. Thomas euen being the 20. of Decēber in the yeare aforesayd the tenor of whose sentence pronounced agaynst hym by the Bishop doth here ensue word for word IN the name of God Amen The deseruinges and circūstances of a certein cause of hereticall prauity falling again thereunto by thee Iohn Tewkesbery of the Parish of S. Michaels in the Querne of the City of Londō of our iurisdiction appearing before vs sitting in iudgement being heard seene vnderstand fully discussed by vs Iohn by the sufferance of God bishop of Londō because we do find by inquisitions manifestly enough that thou didst abiure freely voluntarily before Cutbert late Bishop of Londō thy ordinary diuers sundry heresies errors damnable opinions contrary to y e determination of our mother holy church as well speciall as generall that since and beside thy foresaid abiuration thou art agayne fallen into y e same damnable heresies opiniōs errors which is greatly to be lamēted the same doest hold affirme beleue we therfore Iohn the Bishop aforesayd the name of God first being called vpon the same only God set before our eyes with the coūsell of learned men assisting vs in this behalfe with whō in this cause we haue cōmunicated of our definitiue sentence finall decree in this behalfe to be done do intēd to proceed do proceed in this maner Because as it is aforesayd we do finde thee
receiued and made thys answere againe to them as followeth The kings answere to the rebels FIrst we begin and make answere to the fourth and sixt articles The kinges aunswere to the rebels because vpon them dependeth much of the rest Concerning choosing of Counsailours I neuer haue red heard nor knowen that Princes Counsailours and Prelates should be appoynted by rude and ignorant common people nor that they were persons meete or of habilitie to discerne and choose meete and sufficient Counsailours for a Prince How presumptuous then are ye the rude coÌ„mons of one shire and that one the most base of y e whole realme and of the least experience to finde fault with your Prince for the electing of his Counsailours and Prelates and to take vpon you contrary to Gods lawe and mans lawes to rule your Prince whom ye are bouÌ„d by al law to obey and serue with both your liues landes and goodes and for no worldly cause to withstand As to the suppression of religious houses Monasteries we wil that ye and al our subiects should wel know For suppression of religious houses that this is graunted vs by all the nobles spirituall temporall of thys realme and by al the commons in the same by Acte of Parlament and not set foorth by any Counsailour or Counsailours vpon their mere wil and fantasy as ye full falsely would perswade our realme to beleeue And where ye alleage that the seruice of God is muche diminished the trueth thereof is contrary for there bee no houses suppressed where God was well serued but where most vice mischiefe and abomination of liuing was vsed and that doth well appeare by their owne confessions subscribed wyth their owne handes in the time of their visitations and yet we suffred a great many of them more then we needed by the Acte to stand wherin In these visitations of religious houses horrible it is to read what wickednes and abomination was there founde and regystred by the vysitors if they amend not their liuing we feare we haue more to aunswere for then for the suppression of all the rest And as for the hospitalitie for the reliefe of the poore we wonder ye be not ashamed to affirme that they haue bene a great reliefe of poore people when a great many or the most parte hath not past foure or fiue religious persons in them diuers but one which spent the substaunce of the goodes of their houses in nourishing of vice and abhominable liuing Nowe what vnkindnes and vnnaturalitie may we impute to you and all our subiects that be of that minde which hadde leuer suche an vnthriftie sorte of vicious persons shoulde enioye suche possessions profites and emoluments as grow of the sayd houses to the maintenance of their vnthriftie life then we your naturall Prince soueraigne Lorde and King whych doth hath spent more in your defences of our owne then sixe times they be woorth As touching the acte of vses we maruaile what madnes is in your braine The acte of vses or vpon what ground ye wold take authority vpon you to cause vs to breake those lawes and statutes which by all the noble Knightes and Gentlemen of this Realme whom the same chiefly touched hath bene graunted and assented too seeing in no maner of things it toucheth you the base commons of our realme Also the groundes of all those vses were false and neuer admitted by law but vsurped vpon the prince contrary to all equitie and iustice as it hath bene openly both disputed declared by all the well learned meÌ„ in the Realm of Englande in Westminster Hall whereby yee may well perceiue howe madde and vnreasonable your demaundes be both in that and in the rest and howe vnmeete it is for vs dishonorable to graunt or assent vnto and lesse mete and decent for you in such a rebellious sort to demande the same of your Prince As touching the fifteene which yee demaunde of vs to be released thinke yee that we be so faint hearted The acte of fiftene that perforce ye of one shire were ye a great many mo could compell vs with your insurrections such rebellious demeanour to remitte the same or thinke yee that any man will or may take you to be true subiects that first make shewe a louing graunt and then perforce would compel your soueraigne Lord and King to release the same The time of paiment whereof is not yet come yea and seeing the same will not counteruaile the tenth peny of the charges whych we haue and daily do susteine for your tuition safegarde make you sure by your occasioÌ„s of these your ingratitudes vnnaturalnes and vnkindnes to vs now administred ye geue vs cause which hath alwayes bene asmuche dedicate to your wealth as euer was King not so muche to set our study for y e setting forward of the same seing how vnkindly and vntruly ye deale now wyth vs wythout any cause or occasion And doubt yee not though you haue no grace nor naturalnes in you to consider your duetie of allegiaÌ„ce to your king soueraigne Lord the rest of our Realm we doubt not hath we and they shall so looke on thys cause y t we trust it shal be to your confusion if according to your former letters you submit not your selues As touching the first frutes we let you to witte it is a thing graunted vs by Acte of Parlament also The acte of first fruites for the supportation of part of the great and excessiue charges which we support beare for the maintenaunce of your wealthes and other our subiects and we haue knowen also that yee our commons haue much complained in times passed that the most part of our goodes landes and possessions of the Realme were in the spirituall mens handes and yet bearing vs in hande that yee be as louing subiectes to vs as may be yee can not finde in your hearts that your Prince and soueraigne Lord should haue any part therof and yet it is nothing preiudiciall vnto you our commons but doe rebel and vnlawfully rise against your Prince contrary to the dueâ—y of allegiaunce Gods commaundement Syrs remember your follies and traiterous demeanours and shame not your natiue country of England nor offend no more so greuously your vndoubted king natural prince which alwayes hathe shewed him selfe most louinge vnto you and remember your duetie of allegiance and that yee are bound to obey vs your king both by Gods commandement and lawe of nature Wherfore we charge you eftsoones vppon the foresayde bondes and paines that yee wythdrawe your selues to your owne houses euery manne and no more to assemble contrary to our lawes and your allegiaunces and to cause the prouokers of you to thys mischiefe to â—e deliuered to our Lieutenaunts handes or ours and you your selues to submitte you to suche condigne punishment as wee and our nobles shal thinke you worthy for doubt you not els
be troubled nor disquieted for the matter neither am I to be counted heretike erroneous or offensiue so long as I shall not be prooued and plainly coÌ„uicted with simple and manifest wordes in what Article I am so iudged Neither do I here charge my Papists these blockheds that I will put them to their proofes but onely that they will shew me at least my errour that is that they wil shew me if they know what it is that they themselues do prattle of or haue any feelyng of their owne doyngs For so long as they assigne me no hereticall Article I am at free liberty to deny what Article so euer they lay vnto me to be heretical and say it is Catholike Agayne what a rudenes is it in this wicked doltishe Antichrist worthy to be laughed at where as these drummedaries do distinct hereticall Articles from those that be erroneous and the erroneous from offensiue The 〈◊〉 distinctioÌ„ 〈◊〉 the Papiâ—â— between◠〈◊〉 articles hâ—â—reticall eâ—â—roneous sclauÌ„deroâ—â— offeÌ„siuâ— Luke 9. and those agayne from slaunderous By the which subtle distinction of those grosseheaded dolts this we do gather that that article which is erroneous is not heretical and if it be not heretical what doth it then appertaine to these Ecclesiastical condemners which ought to condemne those things only which be hereticall For that which is not hereticall is catholike as Christ himselfe saith He that is not against vs is with vs. Yea I would wish that these iolly Sophisters would shew me in all the Church an Article that is erroneous and not heretical for if it be erroneous it differeth nothyng from hereticall but onely in stiffenesse of defendyng For all things be equally either true or false Hereticaâ— althogh affection in some one thing which is true or false may be greater or lesser Ye see therfore agayne how these men for all theyr braggyng Buls are not able to produce me one Article which is erroneous and not heretical Erroneouâ— and yet lyke wise brainsike men they will needs babble they know not themselues what condemning that which they finde erroneous and not hereticall which cannot stand eyther in matter or in words so that such as are the Articles such is the condemnation The lyke wisedome also they shew in affirmyng that to be Scandalous Scandaloâ—â— which is neither hereticall nor erroneous That Article I would fayne see eyther in my bookes or in the words and workes of any writer els from the beginnyng of the world to the latter end What made my papists then to excogitate these so prodigious monsters but onely their monstrous fury and madnesse Unlesse peraduenture they meane those Articles so to be Scandalous as commonly all true and Catholike Articles are wont to be For what is more scandalous then Ueritie Yea onely truth and veritie is scandalous to all proud and senselesse persons and is sayd of Christ 1. Cor. 1. We preach saith S. Paule Christe crucified a stumblynge stone to the Iewes and to the Gentiles foolishnesse And in Luke 2. 1. Cor. 1 Luke 2. He is set to be the fall and rising vp of many in Israell Wherefore where as my Papistes do distinguish scandalous Articles from hereticall and erroneous and forasmuch as that which is not hereticall or erroneous must needes be Catholicke and true it followeth thereof that these scandalous Articles be vnderstanded and condeÌ„ned of them for such as be very Catholike and sound O worthy commendation meâ—te for the Papists Marke here good Reader Offensiâ—â— the impietie of these blynde Bussards whether they roll themselues how they deride and mocke themselues how easily they are taken in theyr owne words how fond and foolish they are in their studies not only in not proouyng any error or slander in these Articles but also in goyng about only to expresse them how they cast out things impossible and most foolishly repugnant to themselues Where is then thou most presumptuous and shameles Bull thy doltish respectiue nowe become whether respectedst thou Uerily into the bottomles pit of impiety and thine owne brutish stoliditie The like also is to be sayd touching the Articles offensiue which must be neyther slaunderous neyther erroneous nor hereticall seyng they are distincted by such great Rabbines Who wyll not now maruell at the depe profound wisedome of these Papistes which could finde out that to be offensiue in the Church which is neyther false neyther hereticall nor slaunderous but true sound Catholike and edifieng and yet must that also be condemned And who would not now desire couet to be condemned also of such harebrained Idiotes who by their owne condemning do vtter themselues to approoue things damnable and to condemne things iustifiable that is whyche openly shew themselues to their owne great ignominy and shame to be more senseles then stockes rockes or blocks Goe ye nowe therefore O ye impious and brainelesse Papistes and if yee wil needes wryte shew your selues more sober for this Bull it appeareth was spued out in youre night feasts amongs other drabs and harlots or els hudled vp in the Caniculare dayes or mad midsomer Moone For neuer were there any dissardes that would shew them selues so madde Lette vs now retourne this dirt of Antichrist and cast it in hys owne teethe and of hys owne words let vs iudge hym and condemne him The popes 〈…〉 owne 〈◊〉 that heereafter hee maye learne to take better heede and be better aduised in his lyinge For as the Prouerbe sayth a lyer had neede to haue a good memorye If some Articles be offensiue and other hereticall and thou condemnest him whych is no hereticke and consequently a true Catholicke although hee be sixe hundreth times offensiue Doth not thy shamelesse mouth then condemne thy selfe not onely of heresie but of extreeme impietie blasphemye and treason against Gods holy trueth shewing thy selfe to be the manne in dede whych is the aduersarye and is extolled aboue all that which is called God or is worshipped Art not thou then the manne of sinne and the sonne of perdition â— Thes. 2. which denieth God hys redeamer and taketh away the loue of trueth to stablishe the settinge foorth of his errour for men to beleeue iniquitie as Paule foretolde For if the Article be not hereticall it can not be offensiue or slaunderous but onely to suche heretickes as Antichrist is and Sathanistes of all pietie See theeefore howe his shamelesse and moste foolish Bull whiles it condemneth in me one thinge to be hereticall and an other offensiue doeth manifestly declare the authours thereof to be true heretickes and the enemies of God in deede Prouerb 12 So that nowe it maye appeare that there is no knowledge nor counsell against the Lorde seeing blinde impietie is thus caughte in the woordes of hys owne mouth so truely it is sayd that he whiche casteth vpp a stone on highe it falleth downe againe vpon his owne pate And whych is chiefest of all
might y t the spirite of Christ and efficacye of our fayth can doe in these our writinges if ye shall persist so still in your fury we condemne you together with this Bull all the Decretall we geue you to Sathan to the destruction of flesh y t your spirite in the day of our Lord may be deliuered in the name whiche you persecute of Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen For our Lord Iesus Christ yet liueth and raygneth in whom I do nothing doubt who I firmly trust wil shortly come and slay with the spirite of his mouth and destroy with the brightnes of his comming this man of sinne and sonne of perditioÌ„ for asmuch as I cannot deny The Pope the true Antichrist if the pope be the author and doer of these mishapen and monstruous doinges but he is the true finall most wicked and that famous Antichrist that subuerteth the whole worlde by the operation of his delusions as we see it in all places fulfilled and accomplished But whether doth the burning zeale of charity cary me Neither am I as yet fully perswaded this to be the popes Bull but to proceede from his wicked Apostle Eckius who with his fathers Eccius fariously gaping at me like a gulfe would swallow me cleane vppe â—inging wyth the wicked thus Let vs swallow him vp quicke and whole like hell and like one descending downe into the pitte For little careth this furious maâ—braine Prouerb 1. howe the veritie of God be extinguished ye he would count that for a lucre so he might â—ill his malicious desire with the bloude 〈◊〉 his brother O miserable state of the Churche at this time worthy to be bewailed w t teares oâ— bloude But who heareth our gronings or who comforteth our weepings The furie of the Lorde seemeth to be inoxorable against vs. Ouer and besides what a ridiculous toye or pretie figment haue they inuented wherby belike to sport theÌ„selues with some merye matter amongest their earnest businesse wryting that besides other great frendshippe whych they haue shewed vnto me they haue also offered to support me with mony The Pope lyeth in his Bull where he saith that he offered money to Luther to come to Rome and to beare my charges with theyr liberality in my iourney to Rome Wil ye see what a charity is newly come vpon the Citie of Rome which after it hath pilled and polled the whole world of their money and hath consumed wasted the same by intolerable tyranny nowe coÌ„meth and to me onely offereth money But this impudent lye I know with whose hoÌ„mer it was coined Caietanus the Cardinall a man borne and formed to lie for the whetstone after his worshipfull Legacie depeached in Germanie comming home to Rome there he forged fained that he promised me mony wheras he being at Anspurge was there in such miserable penury so pinching in his house that it was thought he woulde haue famished his familye But thus it becommeth the Bull to be verè Bulla that is a thing of nought voide of all trueth and wit And so these great iudges condemners after all thys yet haue authority to commaund vs to beleeue them to say truth when they do nothing but lie and that they are good Catholickes when they be starke heretickes and that they are true Christians The Pope by the vertue of this vniuersall Quodcunque ligaueris can do all thinges wheÌ„ they play the very Antichrist and all by the vertue of this vniuersall Quodcunque ligaueris c. i. Whatsoeuer thing thou bindest c. So that where nothing is excepted they thinke they may do all things Who not only do lie most loudly and manifestly but also which passeth all impudencie do vaunt and commend their liberalitye before y e people to bring me more in hatred making men falsly to beleue that they offered frendship and money vnto me Whereas these tyrantes of Rome if they had had any trueth goodnesse or godlinesse in them shoulde haue taken some better hede in their doing and speaking so that no aduersarye might conceiue any suspition of euil against them But now if there were no other matter els to bring this Bull out of credite onely this grosse foolish lie were sufficient to declare how light vaine and false this Bul is What would Rome thinke yee offer money to mee And how then commeth thys which I knowe to be moste certaine that out of the banke as they call it two or three huÌ„dreth crownes were assigned in Germanye to be disposed and geuen to ruffians and catchpoles Men hyred by the Papistes to kill Luther to murder Luther for these be the reasons arguments whereby nowe fighteth raigneth and triumpheth the holy Apostolicke sea the mistres of faith mother of al churches y t which long since should haue bene prooued to be the very â—eate of Antichrist and manifold waies hereticall if shee had fought wyth the sword of the spirit which is the word of God whereof she her self is nothing ignorant therefore because she would not be brought to that issue thus shee fareth and taketh on like as she were madde in the Churche of Christ confounding and consuming all thinges wyth warres The Popes Church flyeth the tryall of the Scripture murthers bloudshed death and destruction and yet for all thys they must nedes be counted most holy fathers in God vicars of Christ and Pastors of his flocke But goe to that I may also dally with them a while let them yet send me the money they speake of for as touching their promise safeconduct because I will not ouercharge them that I gladly resigne to them againe seeing I haue no great nede therof so that y e moni may come to my haÌ„ds But heere I must require so muche as may suffice mee to wit that I may be furnished with fifty thousand footemen and ten thousande horsemen to conducte me safe to Rome and so for any other promise of safe conduct I wil not trouble them And this I requier because of the daunger that is in Rome What safe conducte M. Luther requireth of the Pope whych deuoureth vp her inhabitauntes neyther keepeth nor euer did keepe promise wyth any Where these most holy fathers do slay their beloued children in the charitie of God and brethren destroy their brethren to doe seruice to Christe as the manner is and stile of Rome In the meane time I will keepe my selfe free and saâ—â— from the Citation of this most reuerend Bull. O ye miserable varlets which are so coÌ„founded with the truth and with your own conscience that neither ye can lie handsomely neither dare ye speake the truth and yet neither ca ye so kepe your selues quiet to your perpetuall ignominie and confusion Furthermore here in this Bull is brought in a straunge fashion of stile not heard of before For where Augustine would haue sayd that he would not beleue the Gospel
like yea to keepe our realmes from foreine princes from the malice of the Scots of French men of the B. of Rome Thus good subiectes our name is wrytten thus it is honored obeyed this maiestie it hath by Gods ordinance not by mans So y t of this your offence we can not write to much And yet doubt not but this is enough froÌ„ a prince to all reasonable people from a king to al kind harted and louing subiects from a puissant king of England to euery naturall English man Your pretences which you say moneth you to do thus wherwith ye seeke to excuse this disorder we assure you be either al false The 〈…〉 causes or so vaine that we doubt not but after ye shal hereby vnderstand the truth therof ye wil al with one noyse knowledge your selues ignorantly led by error seduced and if there be any that will not assure you the same be raÌ„ke traitors enemies of our crowne seditious people heretikes Papistes or suche as care not what cause they seeke to prouoke an insurrection so they may doe it nor in dede can waxe so rich with theyr own labors with peace as they can do with spoiles with warres with robberies such like yea with the spoile of your owne goodes wyth the liuing of your labors the sweat of your bodies the food of your owne housholdes wiues children Suche they be as for a time vse pleasant perswasions to you in the ende will cut your throtes for your owne goodes You be borne in hand that your children though necessity chance shal not be christened but vpon the holy dayes Howe false this is learne you of vs. Our booke whych we haue set foorth by the free consent of our Parliament 1. Baptisme in the English tongue teacheth you the coÌ„trary euen in the first leafe yea the first side of the first leafe of that parte whyche entreateth of Baptisme Good subiectes for to others we speake not looke and be not deceiued They whych haue put this false opinion into your eares they meane not the christening of children but the destructioÌ„ of you our Christened subiects Be this knowen vnto you our honor is so much y t we may not be found faulty of our word Proue it if by our lawes ye may not christeÌ„ your children vpon necessity euery day or houre in the weeke then might you be offended but seeing you may doe it howe can you beleeue them which teach you the contrary What thinke you they meane in the rest which moue you to breake your obedieÌ„ce against vs your king soueraigne vpon these so fals tales and perswasions in so euident a matter Therefore you all which wil knowledge vs your soueraigne Lorde which will heare the voyce of vs your naturall king may easily perceiue how ye be deceiued and how subtilly traitors and papistes wyth their falsehoode seeke to atchieue and brynge their purpose to passe with your helpe Euery traitor will be glad to dissemble his treason and feede it secretly euery papist his Poperie nourish it inwardly and in the ende make you our subiectes partakers of treason and poperie which in the beginning was pretended a common wealth and holinesse And howe are you seduced by them which put in your heades the blessed sacrament of Christes body shoulde not differ from other coÌ„mon bread If our lawes proclamations and statutes be all to the contrary why shall any priuate man perswade you against them We doe our selfe in our owne heart our counsaile in al their profession our lawes statutes in al purposes our good subiects in al theyr doings most highly esteme that sacrament vse the communion therof to our most comfort We make so much difference therof from other common bread that we think no profite of other bread but to maintaine our bodies But of this blessed bread we take very foode of our soules to euerlasting life How thinke you good subiects shal not we being your prince your Lord your king by Gods appoyntment wyth truthe more preuaile then certaine euill persons wyth open falsehoode Shall any seditious persone perswade you that the Sacrament is despised which is by our lawes by our selfe by our Counsaile by all our good subiectes esteemed vsed participated and daily receiued If euer yee were seduced if euer deceiued if euer traytours were beleued if euer papistes poysoned good subiects it is nowe It is not the Christening of children not the reuerence of the sacrament not the health of your soules y t they shoote at good subiectes It is sedition it is high treason it is your destruction they seeke howe craftily nowe pitiously how cuÌ„ningly soeuer they do it With one rule iudge ye the end which oâ— force must come of your purposes Almighty God forbiddeth vpon pain of euerlasting damnation disobedieÌ„ce to vs your king and in his place we rule in earth If we should be slowe would God erre If your offence be towardes God thinke you it pardoned without repentance Is Gods iudgement mutable Your paine is damnation your Iudge is incorruptible your faulte is most euident Likewise are yee euill enfourmed in diuers other Articles as for Confirmation of your children for the Masse for the maner of your seruice of Mattens and Euensonge Whatsoeuer is therein ordered hath ben long debated and consulted by many learned Bishops Doctours and other men of great learning in this realm concluded in nothing so much labor and time spente of late time nothing so fully ended As for the seruice in the English tongue hath manifest reasons for it And yet perchaunce seemeth to you a newe seruice and in deede is none other but the olde 3. Mattins and seruice in English The selfe same woordes in Englishe which were in Latine sauing a fewe things taken out so fonde that it hadde bene a shame to haue heard them in English as all they can iudge which list to reporte the truthe The difference is we meant godly that you our subiectes should vnderstande in English being our natural countrey tongue that which was heretofore spoken in Latine then seruing onely for them which vnderstoode Latine and nowe for all you whiche be borne English How can this with reason offend any reasonable man that he shall vnderstand what any other sayth so to consent with the speaker If the seruice in the Church was good in Latine it remaineth good in English for nothynge is altered but to speake wyth knowledge that was spoken with ignorance and to let you vnderstand what is said for you to the entent you maye further it with your owne deuotion An alteration to the better except knowledge be worse then ignoraÌ„ce So that who soeuer â—ath mooued you to mislike this order can geue you no reason AlteratioÌ„ of seruice from an vnknowen tongue to a knowen tongâ—â— nor answeare yours if ye vnderstoode it Wherefore you our subiectes remember wee speake to you being ordained
was had in estimation For the destruction of Images contayneth an enterprise to subuert religion and the state of the worlde with it and especially the nobilitie who by images set forth spread abroad to be read of al people their linage parentage with remembraunce of their state and actes and the Pursiuaunt carieth not on his brest the kinges names written in such letters as a few can spell but such as all can read be they neuer so rude being great knowne letters in Images of three Lyons and three floures deluce and other beastes holding those armes And he that caÌ„not read the Scripture written about the kings great Seale Winchesters reason The pursiuant caryeth about Saint George on horsebacke and the kinges picture Ergo Images must stand in Churches yet he can read S. George on horsebacke on the one side and the king sitting in his maiestie on the other side and readeth so much written in those images as if he be an honest man he will put of his cap and although if the Seale were broken by chaunce he woulde and might make a candell of it yet he woulde not be noted to haue broken the seale for that purpose or to call it a piece of waxe onely whilest it continueth whole And if by reuiling of stockes and stones in whiche matter Images be grauen the setting of the trueth to be read in them of all men shall be contemned how shall suche wryting continue in honour as is comprised in cloutes and pitch whereof and whereupon our bookes be made Bookes serue onely to be read and not to be kneeled vnto worshipped for so are they no bookes but are made Idols and are to be brokeÌ„ such as few can skill of and not the hundreth parte of the realme And if we a few that can read because we read in one sort of letters so priuiledged as they haue many reliefes shal pull away the books of the rest and would haue our letters onely in estimation and blinde all theÌ„ shall not they haue iust cause to mistrust what is ment And if the crosse be a trueth and if it be true that Christ suffered why may we not haue a writing thereof suche as all can read that is to say an Image If this opinion shoulde proceede when the kings maiestie hereafter should shew his person his liuely image the honour due by Gods law among such might continue but as for the kinges Standardes his banners his armes shoulde hardly continue in their due reuerence for feare of Lollardes Idolatry whiche they gather vpon scripture beastly not onely vntruely The scripture reprooueth false Images made of stockes and stones and so it doth false men made of flesh and bones When the Emperours mony was shewed to Christ wherin was the image of the Emperour Christ contemned not that Image calling it an Idoll nor noted not that mony to be against gods law because it had an image in it as thogh it were against the precept of God Thou shalt haue no grauen image but taught theÌ„ good ciuilitie in calling it the Emperors image bad theÌ„ vse the mony as it was ordered to be vsed in his right vse There is no scripture that reprooueth trueth and all Scripture reproueth falshoode False writinges false bookes false Images and false men all be nought to be contemned and despised as for paper inke parchment stones wood bones A.B. of the Chauncery hand and a. b. of the Secretary hand a letter of Germany fashion or of any other forme be all of one estimation and may be of man enclining to the Deuill vsed for falsehoode or applying to Gods gratious calling vsed to set foorth truth It is a terrible matter to thinke If euery Image representing a thing of truth may stand in place of worship then let Winchesters face stand in the Church also that this false opinion coâ—ceaued against Images should trouble any mans head and suche as I haue knowne vexed with that deuill as I haue knowne some be neuerthelesse wondrously obstinate in it and if they can finde one that can spell Latin to helpe foorth their madnes they be more obdurate then euer were the Iewes and slaunder whatsoeuer is sayd to them for their reliefe Of this sort I know them to be and therefore if I wist there were many of that sort with you I would not irritate them by preaching without fruite but labour for reformation to my Lorde Protectour But if you thought there might be other wayes vsed first to a good effect I would followe your aduise and proceeding with you and the Mayor wyth both your helpes to do that may lye in me to the redresse of the matter which I take to be such an enterprise against Christes Religion as there can not be a greater by man excogitate wyth the deuils instigation and at this time much hurtfull to the common estate as ye can of your wisedome consider Whome I hartily desire and pray to send me aunswere by thys bearer to these my letters to the intent I may vse my selfe in sending of a preacher thither or writing to my Lorde Protectour as the case shall require accordingly And thus fare you hartely well From my house at Woluesay the third of May. 1547. Steph. Wint. ¶ A Letter of the Lord Protector aunswering to the letter aboue AFter harty commendations receauing of late two letters from your Lordship the one inclosed in a letter of Maister Uaughans to vs and directed to him the other directed straight vnto vs very wittely learnedly writteÌ„ whereby we do perceiue how earnest you are that no innouations should be had The whiche minde of yours as we do highly esteeme and allow proceeding from one that would quietnes so we woulde likewise wishe that you should take good heede that too much feare of innouation or disturbance do not cause both to be Many times in an hoste he that crieth enemies enemies when there be none causeth not only disturbance but sometimes a mutinie or rebellion to be made and hee that for feare of sickenes to come taketh vnaduisedly a purgation sometime maketh himselfe sicke in deede We perceaue by the sayde your letters that haynouser factes and words haue bene brought to your eares then there was cause why and those â—actes which were punishable be already by him redrest For the matter of Images an order was taken in y e late king of famous memory our soueraigne lords daies WheÌ„ the abused Images yet lurking in some places by negligence of them who should ere this time haue looked vnto y e same be now abolished For Images let not that be a matter of y e abolishing of all Images Though felons adulterers be punished all men be not slayne Though the Images which did adulterate gods glory be takeÌ„ away Distinction of Images we may not think by by all maner of Images to be destroyed Yet after our aduise better it were for a time to
heard that worthy learned man speak and confesse at the houre of his death as touching the controuersies of religion wherwith the spouse of Christ is in these our dayes most miserably troubled and tormented This Doct. Redman being continually by the space of xx yeares or somewhat more exercised in the reading of the holy scripture wiâ—h such industry â—abor modesty magnanimitiâ— and prayers to almighâ—y God tryed and wayed y e controuersies of religioÌ„ that in al his doings as he would not seeme to approue that was either false or superstitious so he would neuer improue that he thought to stand wyth the true worship of God Commendation of D. Redman And albeit in certayne poyntes and articles of his fayth he seemed to diuers whiche were altogether ignoraunt of that his singular grauitie eyther for soâ—tnes â—eare or lacke of stomacke to chaunge his mind and beliefe yet they to whom his former life and conuersation by familiar acquayntaunce with him was throughlye knowne with them also which were present at his departure may easely perceaue and vnderstand how in graue weighty matters not rashly and vnaduisedly but wyth constant iudgement and vnfayned conscience he descended into that maner of beliefe which at that time of his goyng out of this world he openly professed I geue your wisedome to vnderstand that when death drew neare he casting away all hope of recouery minded talked of no other thing as we which were preseÌ„t heard but of heaueÌ„ and heauenly matters of the latter day of our Sauiour Iesus Christ with whom most feruently he desired to be whose incredible loue towardes vs miserable sinners Exhortation of Doct. Redman to them that were about him most worthely and not without teares hee often times vsed to extol and speake of and vs which wer there present he earnestly moued and exhorted to prepare oure selues to Christ to loue one an other and to beware of this most wretched corrupt world And besides that he promised calling God to witnes thereunto to whom he trusted shortly to come if any woulde demaund any question that he would answere him what he thought in his iudgement to be the truth M. Alexander Nowell now Deane of Paules At what time there were present M. Alexander Nowell a man earnestly bent to the true worshipping of God and one that had alway singularly well loued y e said M. Redman to whome he spake on this wise Your excellent learning and purity of life I haue euer both highly fauoured and had in admiration and for no other cause God be my iudge I do aske these things of you which I shall propound but that I might learne knowe of you what is your opinion and beliefe touchynge those troblous controuersies which are in these our dayes and I shall receaue and approue your wordes as oracles sent from heauen To whom when doct Redman had geuen leaue to demaund what he would and had promised that he woulde faythfully and sincerely aunswere all affection set aside what he thought to be the truth M. Nowel said I would quoth he right gladly but that I feare by my talke and communication I shal be vnto you so feeble and nowe almost spent a trouble and griefe Then sayd Doct. RedmaÌ„ replying what shall I spare my carcas quoth he whiche hath so short a time here to remaine Go to go to sayd he propound what you will TheÌ„ M. Nowell put forth certayne questions in order which I will here declare wherunto the sayd doct Redman seuerally answered as hereafter followeth The first question that he asked of him was what hee thought of the bishop of Rome Unto whoÌ„ Doct. RedmaÌ„ answered that the Sea of Rome in these our latter dayes had much swarued from the true religioÌ„ and worshipping of God is with horrible vices stayned polluted The Sea of Rome a sincke of all sinne which I therfore quoth he pronounce to be the sincke of all euill and shortly wil come to vtter ruine by scourge of God except it do fall the sooner to repentance wherewith he briefly complayned of the filthy abuse of our Englishe Church Beeing then asked what his opinion was concerning purgatory Purgatory and what the Scholemen iudged therof he answered that the subtill reasons of the Scholemen concerning purgatory seemed to him to be no lesse vayne and friuolous then disagreeing from the truth adding thereunto that when we be rapt vp to the cloudes to meete Christ comming to iudgemeÌ„t with a great number of Angels in all glory and maiesty then euery one shall be purged with fire as it is written The fire shall go before hym and shall flame round about his enemies and the fire shall burne in his sight Psal. 97. 50. and round about him shall be a great tempest saying that diuers of the old writers approued this his sentence concerning purgatory When he was asked whether wicked and vngodly people in the holy communion did eate the body of Christ and drinke his bloud he aunswered that such kind of men dyd not eate Christes most blessed flesh but only tooke the SacrameÌ„t to their own damnation The wicked eat not the fleshe of Christ. saying that Christ would not gyue his most pure and holy flesh to be eaten of suche naughty and impure persons but would withdraw hymselfe from them And that quoth hee that is obiected by S. Augustine that Iudas receiued the selfesame thing whych Peter receiued that I thinke to be vnderstanded of the externall Sacrament And the like kynde of phrase of speaking sayde hee we may vse concerning the baptisme of Magus that Simon Magus receaued that which the Apostles did receaue In deede as concerning the Sacrament of the externall baptisme Simon Magus receaued that whiche the Apostles did but that internall grace wherewith the Apostles were endued and that holy spirit wherewith by baptisme they were enspired he lacked And so quoth he the wicked and forsaken people which rashly presume to come to the holy table of the Lorde do receiue the Sacrament and the selfesame which good and godly men receiue but the body of Christ they do not receiue for Christ doth not vouchsafe to deliuer it them And thus he sayd was his opinion and beliefe although he knewe others to be of a contrary iudgement Being then after this demaunded whether he thought Christes presence to be in the Sacrament or no he answered that Christ dyd geue offer to faythfull and Christian men How Christ is present in the Sacramedt his very reall body and bloud verely really vnder sacrameÌ„ts of bread wine in somuch that they which deuoutly come to bee partakers of that holy foode are by the benefite thereof vnited and made one with Christe in hys fleshe and body And therefore he sayde that Christ dyd distribute his body spiritually that he gaue it truly The Capernaites grosse errour of Christes bodyly presence in the SacrameÌ„t not so yet
hee for a lawe wee haue commission to proceede with them when they be dispatched let their frendes sue the lawe Nowe howe soone a man may haue such a commission at my Lord Chancelors hand you know It is as hard to be obtained as an enditement for Christ at Cayphas hande Besides that the Byshoppes hauing the Queene so vpon their sides may do all things both without the aduise and also the knowledge of the rest of the Lordes of the temporaltie who at this present haue found out the marke that the Bishops shote at and doubtles be not pleased with their doings I pray you helpe that our brother Sanders and the rest in the Marshalsey may vnderstande these things and sende me your answere betime Iudas non dormit nec scimus diem neque horam i. Iudas slepeth not neither know we the day nor the hour Dominus Iesus Christus suo sancto numine nos omnes consoletur adiuuet Amen i. The Lord Iesus Christ with his holy spirite comfort and strengthen vs all Amen May 6. 1554. Yours and with you vnto death in Christ I Hooper An exhortation to pacience sent to his godly wife Anne Hooper whereby all the true members of Christ may take comfort and courage to suffer trouble affliction for the profession of his holy Gospel OUr sauiour Iesus Christ dearely beloued my godly wife in s. Mathewes Gospell said to his disciples M. 18. that it was necessary sclaunders shoulde come and that they coulde not be auoided An effectuâ—â— letter of M Hooper sent to hys wife he perceiued as wel by the coÌ„dition of those that should pearish be lost for euer in the world to come as also by their affliction that should be saued For he sawe the greatest part of the people would contemne neglecte whatsoeuer true doctrine or godly wayes should be shewed vnto them or els receiue it vse it as they thought good to serue their pleasures without any profite to their soules at all not caring whether they liued as they were coÌ„manded by Gods word or not but would thinke it sufficient to be counted to haue the name of a Christian man wyth such workes and frutes of his profession and Christianitie as his fathers and elders after their custome maner esteeme and take to be good fruites and faithful works and wil not try them by the worde of God at all These men by the iust iudgement of God be deliuered vnto the crafte and subtiltie of the deuill Math. 14. that they may be kept by one sclaunderous stuÌ„bling blocke or other that they neuer come vnto Christ who came to saue those that were lost as yee may see howe God deliuereth wicked menne vp vnto their owne lustes to do one mischiefe after an other carelesse Rom. 1.1 1. Thes. 2. vntil they come into a reprobate minde that forgetteth it selfe and can not knowe what is expedient to be done or to be least vndone because they close their eyes and will not see the lyghte of Gods woorde offered vnto them and being thus blinded they preferre their owne vanities before the truth of Gods woorde Whereas such corrupt mindes be Errour taken for truth and persecution for Gods seruice there is also corrupt election and choyse of Gods honor so that the minde of man taketh falsehoode for truthe superstition for true religion death for life damnation for saluation hell for heauen and persecution of Christes members for Gods seruice and honour And as these men wilfully and voluntarily reiect the woorde of God euen so God most iustly deliuereth them into the blindnes of mind hardnes of heart that they can not vnderstand Iohn 8.9 nor yet consent to any thyng that God would haue preached and set foorth to his glory after his owne will and worde wherefore they hate it mortally of all things most detest Gods holy worde And as y e deuill hath entred into their hearts that they them selues can not nor will not come to Christ to be instructed by hys holy woord euen so can they not abide any other man to be a Christian man and to lead his life after the word of God but hate him persecute him robbe him imprisone hym yea and kil him whether he be man or womaÌ„ if God suffer it And so much are those wicked men blinded that they passe of no law whether it be Gods or mans but persecute such as neuer offended yea do euil to those that daily haue praied for them and wish them Gods grace In their Pharaonical and blind furie they haue no respect to nature No respect of nature with the persecuting aduersaries For the brother persecuteth the brother the father the sonne and most deare frends in diuelish sclaunder and offence are become most mortal ennemies And no marueile for when they haue chosen sundrye maisters the one the deuill the other God the one shall agree with the other as God and the deuell agree betweene them selues For this cause that the more parte of the worlde doth chuse to serue the deuill vnder cloaked hypocrisie of Gods title Christ sayd Math. â—8 It is expedient and necessary that sclanders should come and many meanes be deuised to keepe the litle babes of Christ from the heauenly father But Christ sayth Wo be vnto him by whome the offence commeth Yet is there no remedy man being of such corruption and hatred towardes God but that the euil shal be deceiued persecute the good and the good shall vnderstand the truth and suffer persecution for it vntill the worlds ende For as he that was borne after the flesh persecuted in times past him that was born after the spirite Geâ—e 4. Gâ—lat 4. euen so is it now Therefore for so much as we liue in this life amongst so many great pearils and daungers we must be wel assured by gods word how to beare them and how paciently to take them as they be sent to vs froÌ„ God We must also assure our selues that there is no other remedy for Christians in the time of trouble then Christ himself hath appoynted vs. Luke 2. In S. Luke he geueth vs thys commandement Ye shall possesse your liues in pacience sayeth he In the which words he geueth vs both commaundement what to doe and also great comfort and consolation in all troubles Hee sheweth also what is to be done and what is to be hoped for in troubles Patience in troubles onely the christian mans remedy Rom. 8. and when troubles happen he biddeth vs be pacient and in no case violently nor seditiously to resist our persecuters because God hath such care and charge of vs that he wil keepe in the mids of all troubles the very heares of our heade so that one of them shall not fall away without the wil and pleasure of our heauenly father Whether the haire therfore tarie in the head or fal from the head it is the wil of the
¶ To Mistres M. H a godly gentlewoman comfortyng her in that common heauinesse and godly sorrowe which the feelyng and sense of sinne worketh in Gods children I Humbly and hartily praye the euerlasting good God and Father of mercy An other ghostly letter of M. Bradford to Mistres M. H. to blesse and keepe your harte and minde in the knowledge and loue of his truthe and of his Christ through the inspiration and working of the holye spirite Amen Anno 1555. Iuly Although I haue no doubt but that you prosper and goe forwardes dayly in the way of godlinesse more and more drawing towardes perfection and haue no neede of anye thinge that I can write yet because my desire is that you might be more feruent and perseuer to the ende I coulde not but write something vnto you beseechinge you both often and diligently to call vnto your minde as a meane to stirre you hereunto yea as a thing which God most straitly requireth you to beleeue that you are beloued of God and that he is your deare father in through and for Christ and his deathes sake This loue and tender kindnes of God towardes vs in Christe is aboundantly herein declared and that he hath to y e Godly work of creation of this world made vs after his image redeemed vs being lost called vs into his Churche sealed vs with his marke and signe manuell of Baptisme kept and conserued vs all the dayes of our lyfe Gods benefites to be declared fed nourished defeÌ„ded and most fatherly chastised vs and now hath kindled in our hartes the sparcles of his â—eare fayth loue and knowledge of his Christ and truthe and therefore wee lament because we lament no more our vnthankfulnes our fraylnes our diffidence and wauering in thinges wherein we should be most certayne All these thinges wee shoulde vse as meanes to confirme our fayth of this that God is our God and father to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in Christ to this end I say we should vse the thinges before touched especially in that of all thinges GOD requireth thys faythe and fatherly perswasion of his fatherly goodnesse The chiefest seruice of God is to thinke well of his fatherly goodnes in Christ. as his chiefest seruice For before he aske anye thing of vs he sayth I am the Lorde thy God geuing himselfe and then all he hath to vs to be our owne And this he doth in respect of himselfe of his owne mercy and and truthe and not in respect of vs for then were grace no grace In consideration whereof when he sayth Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me thou shalt loue me with all thy harte c. though of duetie we are bound to accomplishe all that he requireth and are culpable and giltie if we doe not the same yet he requireth not these thinges further of vs then to make vs more in loue and more certayne of this his couenaunt that he is our Lord and GOD. In certayntye wherof as he hath geueÌ„ this whole world to serue to our neede and commoditie so hath he geuen his sonne Chryst Iesus and in Christe hymselfe to be a pledge and gage whereof the holy Ghost doth now and then geue vs some taste and sweete smell to our our eternall ioy Where feeling fayleth yet obedience is required Therefore as I sayde because God is your father in Christ and requireth of you straitly to beleue it geue your selfe to obedience although you doe it not with suche feelyng as you desire First must faithe goe before and then feeling will follow If our imperfection frayltie and many euils shoulde be occasions whereby Sathan woulde haue vs to doubte as muche as we canne let vs abhorre that suggestion Let no suggestion make vs doubte of Gods fauour in Christ. as of all others most pernicious for so in deede it is For when we stande in a doubte whether God be oure Father we cannot be thankefull to God we can not hartily pray or thinke anye thyng wee doe acceptable to God we can not loue our neighboures and geue ouer our selues to care for them and doe for them as we should do and therefore Sathan is most subtile hereaboutes knowing full well that if we doubt of Gods eternal mercies towardes vs through Christ we cannot please God or do any thing as we should do to man Continually casteth he into our memories our imperfectioÌ„ frayltie falles and offences that we should doubte of Gods mercie and fauour towardes vs. Therefore my good sister wee must not be sluggishe herein To stay vpon Gods promise to christs bloud but as Sathan laboureth to loosen our faythe so must we labour to fasten it by thinking on the promyses and couenaunte of God in Christes bloude namely that God is our God with all that euer hee hath whiche couenaunte dependeth and hangeth vppon Gods own goodnes mercy and trueth onely and not on our obedience or worthines in any poynt for then should we neuer be certayne In deede God requireth of vs obedience and worthines but not that thereby we might be his children and he our father Obedience geueth not to vs to 〈◊〉 Godschildren but Gods â—hildren geueth obedience but because he is our father and we his children through his owne goodnes in Christe therefore requireth he fayth and obedience Now if we want this obedience worthines which he requireth shuld we doubt whether he be our father Nay that were to make our obedience and worthines the cause and so to put Christ out of place for whose sake God is our father But rather because he is our father and we feel our selues to want such things as he requireth we shuld be styrred vp to a shamefastnes and blushing because we are not as we should be and thereupon should we take occasion to go to our father in prayer on this maner Deare father thou of thyne owne mercye in Iesus Chryst hast chosen me to be thy childe and therefore thou wouldest I should be brought into thy Churche and faythfull companye of thy children wherein thou hast kept me hetherto How a 〈◊〉 should 〈◊〉 wheÌ„ feelinâ— of Gods comfort lacketh thy name therfore be praysed Now I see my self to want fayth hope loue c. whiche thy children haue and thou requirest of me wherthrough the deuill would haue me to doubt yea vtterly to dispayre of thy fatherly goodnes fauour and mercy Therefore I come to thee as to my mercifull father through thy deare sonne Iesus Christ and pray thee to helpe me good Lorde helpe me and geue me fayth hope loue c. and graunt that thy holy spirite may be with me for euer and more and more to assure me that thou art my father that this mercifull couenaunt that thou madest with them respect of thy grace in Christ and for Christ and not in respecte of any my worthines is alwayes to me c. On this