quiet and to be contented with my death which I am most willing to suffer and let vs now ioyne in praier vnto the Lord for the preseruation of the Kings Maiestie vnto whome hitherto I haue alwaies shewed my selfe a most faithfull and true subiecte I haue alwayes bene most diligent about his Maiestie in his affayres both at home and abroade and no lesse diligent in seeking the common commoditie of the whole Realme At whyche words all the people cried out and said it was most true Then the Duke proceeding said Unto whose Maiestie I wish continuall health with all felicitie all prosperous successe Whereunto the people againe cryed out Amen Moreouer I do wishe vnto all his Counsaylours the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule in all things vprightly with iustice Unto whome I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient as it is your bounden duety vnder the payne of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation and safegarde of the Kings Maiestie Moreouer for so much as heeretofore I haue had oftentimes affaires with diuers men The confession of the Duke of Somerset hard it is to please euery man therfore if there be any that hath ben offended iniuried by me I most humbly require aske him forgeuenes but especially almighty God whome throughout all my life I haue most greeuously offended and all other whatsoeuer they be that haue offended me I do with my whole hart forgeue them Now I once againe require you dearly beloued in the Lord that you wil keepe your selues quiete and still least through your tumult you might trouble me For albeit the spirite be willing and ready the flesh is fraile and wauering and through your quietnesse I shall be much more quieter The Duke â—f Someâ—set 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of Ieâ—â—â— Christ. Moreouer I desire you all to beare me witnes that I dye heere in the fayth of Iesus Christ desiring you to helpe me with your prayers that I may perseuere constant in the same vnto my liues end After this hee turning himselfe agayne aboute like a meeke lambe â— Coxe 〈◊〉 ghostly 〈◊〉 kneeled down vpon his knees Then doctor Coxe which was there present to counsell and aduertise him deliuered a certaine scroll into his hand wherin was conteined a briefe confession vnto God Which being read he stoode vp againe vpon his feete without any trouble of mind as it appeared and first bad the Sheriffes farewel then the Lieutenant of the Tower and other taking them all by the handes which were vpon the scaffold with hym Then he gaue the Hangman certaine money Which done he put off his gowne and kneeling downe againe in the straw vntied his shyrt strings After that the hangman comming vnto him turned downe his coller round about his necke and al other things which did let or hinder him Then lifting vp his eyes to heauen where his only hope remained and couering his face with his owne handkercher he layd himselfe downe along shewing no maner of token of trouble or feare neyther did his countenaunce chaunge but that before his eyes were couered there began to appeare a red colour in the middest of his cheekes Thus this most meeke and gentle Duke lying along and looking for the stroke because his doublet couered his necke he was coÌ„maunded to rise vp and put it off and then laying himselfe downe againe vpon the blocke The godly 〈◊〉 of the Duke of Soâ—erset and calling thrise vpon the name of Iesus saying Lord Iesu saue mee as he was the thyrd tyme repeating the same euen as the name of Iesu was in vttering in a moment he was bereft both of head life slept in the Lord Iesus being taken away from all the daungers and euils of this life and resting now in the peace of God in the preferment of whose truth and Gospell he alwaies shewed himselfe an excellent instrument and member and therefore hath receyued the reward of his labours Thus gentle Reader thou hast the true history of this worthy and noble Duke and if any man report it otherwise let it be counted as a lye As touching the maners disposition life and conuersation of the said Duke and the Kings vncle what shall we neede to speake when as he can not be sufficiently commeÌ„ded according to the dignitie of his vertues There was alwaies in him great humanitie and suche meekenes and gentlenes as is rare to be found in so high estate He was prone and ready to geue care vnto the coÌ„plaints and supplicatioÌ„s of the poore The vertues of the Duke of Somerset declared no lesse attentiue vnto the affaires of the coÌ„mon wealth Which if he had liued together wyth king Edward was like to do much good in reforming many misorders within this realme He was vtterly ignoraÌ„t of al craft and deceit and as farre void of all pride and ambition as he was froÌ„ doing of iniury being indeede vtterly voyd of both He was of a gentle dispositioÌ„ not coueting to be reuenged more apt ready to be deceiued then to deceiue His auncient loue zeale of the Gospell of religion he brought with him to the state of this his dignitie The proofe whereof sufficiently was seene in his constant standing to gods truth and zealous defence therof The zealous standing of the Duke of Somerset in defence of the truth against the Bishops at Winsore against the Bishops of Chichester Norwich Lincolne London and others moe in the Consultation had at Windsore the first yeare of the kinges raigne Briefly considering the nature and vertues of this Duke I may as seemeth not vnaptly compare and resemble him vnto Duke Humfrey the good Duke of Glocester Who likewise being vncle vnto king Henry 6. and Protector of the Realme as this was also to king Edw. the 6. yet he wanted not his enemies and priuy enueyers especially Henry Beauford Cardinal Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellour of England A comparison betweene Duke Humfrey Vncle to K. Henry 6. and the Duke of Somerset Vncle to K. Edward 6. who at that time disdayning and enuying the rule and authoritie of thys Duke procured much trouble agaynst him and great deuision in the whole realme in so muche that all the Shops within the Cittie of London were shutte in for feare of the fauourers of these two great personages For ech part had assembled no small number of people For pacifying wherof the Archbishop of Caunterbury and the Duke of Quimber called the Prince of Portugale rode eight times in one day betwene the two aduersaries Such were then the troubles of these tumultuous diuision within the realme betweene these two Touching the trouble of the Duke of Glocester read before pag. 67â— as is before expressed pag. 679. not much vnlike to y e troublesome discord betwixt parties in this Protectors dayes And as in their afflictions and troubles these two Dukes seemed not
Masses What man in all the primitiue Churche more then 4. hundreth yeares after the Apostles time did euer so say or thinke at what tyme there were no suche priuate Masses vsed Priuate Masses But afterwarde in the processe of the Article folowe other blinde sophistications to make the people beleeue that they should receiue by them diuine consolations and benefites And why doe they not plainely declare what consolations and benefites those be By application of masses is ment when the passiâ— and merites of Christ is applied to any by the vertue of the Masse The Bishops here do name no application and merite for they knowe that they can not be defended Yet they dally wyth glosing wordes whereby they may winde out and escape if any should improue their application And yet notwithstanding they would haue this their application to be vnderstanded and beleeued of the people They woulde haue this Idolatrous perswasion confirmed to witte that thys sacrifice doth merite vnto others remission A poena culpa release of all calamities and also gaine luker in common trafficke and to conclude whatsoeuer els the carefull heart of man doth desire The lyke Sophistication they vse also where they say that Priests mariage is against the law of God They are not ignoraunt what S. Paule sayth Priestes mariage 1. Tim. 3. A Bishop oughte to be the husband of one wife and therefore they know right well that Mariage is permitted to Priestes by the law of God But because nowe they say they haue made a vowe they goe craftely to worke and doe not say that priests for their vowes sake can not marrie but plainely geue out the Article after this sorte that Mariage of Priestes is vtterly against the lawe of God Againe what impudencie and tyranny do they shew moreouer when they compell mariages to be dissolued and command those to be put to death whych will not put away their wiues and renounce theyr matrimony Wher as the vow of Priests if it had any force at all should extend no further but onely to put them from the ministerie if they would mary And this no doubt is the true meaning of the Councels and Canons O cursed Byshops Winchester cuâ—â—â—ning in the arte of iugling called deceptio visus O impudent and wicked Winchester who vnder these colourable fetches thincketh to deceiue the eyes of Christ and the iudgements of all the godly in the whole worlde These things haue I wrytten that you may vnderstand the crafty sleights and so iudge of the purpose and pollicie of these Byshops The worde of God ought simply to be handled without all sophistryâ— For if they woulde simply and hartely search for the truth they would not vse these craftie collusions and deceitfull iugglings This Sophistication as it is in all other affaires pernitious and odious so aboue al things most specially it is to be auoyded in matters of Religion wherein it is a heynous impiety to corrupt or peruert the pure word of God And heereof the Deuill whiche is called Diabolus specially taketh his name because he wrasteth the word of God out of mennes hearts by such false iuggling and sophistical cauillations And why do not these Bishops as well plainely vtter and confesse that they will abide no reformation of doctrine and Religion in the Church for that it shall make against their dignitie pompe pleasure Why do not their adherents also and such as take their part plainly say that they will retaine still thys present state of the Churche for their owne profite tranquilitie and maintenaunce Thus to confesse The cloked hipocrisie of false Papistes were true and plaine dealing Now whiles they pretende hypocritically a false zeale and loue to the truth and sincere Religion they come in w t their blinde sophistications wherwith they couer their errours for their Articles set forth in thys act be erroneous false impious how glorious soeuer they seme outwardly Wherfore it were to be wished that these bishops would remember Gods terrible threatning in the prophet Esay Wo to you sayeth he which make wicked lawes Esa 10. Esa. 5. What wil you doe in the day of visitation and calamitie to come c. Woe vnto you that call euill good c. Now to come more nere to the matter which we haue in hande this cannot be denied but that long and horrible darkenes hath bene in the church of Christ. Mans traditions counted for Gods seruice Mens traditions not onely haue bene a yoke to good mens consciences but also which is much worse they haue bene reputed for Gods holy seruice to the great disworship of God There were vowes thyngs bequeathed to churches diuersitie of garments choice of meats long babling prayers pardoÌ„s image worship manifest idolatry committed to saints the true worship of God and true good workes not knowen Briefly little difference there was betwixte the Christian and heathen religion as stil is yet at Rome to this present day to be sene The true doctrine of repentance of * remission of sinnes whych commeth by the faith of Christ of iustification of faith of the difference betweene the lawe and the gospell of the right vse of the SacrameÌ„ts was hid and vnknowen The keyes were abused to the maintenance of the Popes vsurped tyrannie Ceremonies of mens inuention were much preferred before ciuile obedience and dueties done in the common wealth Unto these errours moreouer was ioyned a corrupte life The filthy life of the Clergy for lackee of mariage full of all lecherous and filthy lustes by reason of the law forbidding Priestes to marrie Out of thys miserable darknes God something hath begon to deliuer his church through the restoring againe of true doctrine For so wee must needes acknowledge that these so great and long festred errors haue not ben disclosed and brought to light by the industry of man This restoring of the Gospell is onely of God and not of man but thys light of the Gospel is onely the gift of God who nowe againe hath appeared vnto the Church For so doth the holy Ghost prophecie before how in the later times the godly should sustaine sore perillous conflicts with antichrist foreshewing that he should come enuironed with a mighty and strong army of Bishoppes hypocrites and Princes that he should fighte agaynste the truth and slay the godly And that now all these things are so come to passe it is most euident and caÌ„ not be denied The tirannie of the byshop of Rome hath partly brought in errors into y e church partly hath confirmed them nowe maintaineth the same with force and violence as Daniel well foreshewed And muche we reioyced to see you deuided froÌ„ him By the 6. Articles all errours and traditions are maintayned hoping and trusting well that the Church of England would now florish But your Byshops be not deuided from the Romish Antichrist his Idolatrie errours and vices they
and because he shoulde not misdoubt anye fraude or iniurye herein he assured to him his warrant and promyse M. Luther accursed at Rome of the Pope M. Luther being thus prouided for his safeconduict by the Emperour after he had bene first accursed at Rome vpon Maundy Thursday by the popes censure shortly after Easter speedeth hys iourny toward the Emperour at Wormes Where the sayde Luther appearing before the Emperour and all the states of Germany how constantly he stoocke to the truth and defended hymselfe and aunswered his aduersaryes and what aduersaryes hee had here followeth in ful history with the actes and doings as there happened according as in our former edition partly was before described ¶ The actes and doynges of Martin Luther before the Emperour at the Citty of Wormes IN the yeare of our saluation .1521 about seuentene dayes after Easter Anno. 1521. Martin Luther entered into Wormes being sent for by the Emperour Charles the 5. of y e name c. who the first yeare of hys Empyre made an assemble of princes in the foresayd Cittie And whereas M. Luther had published three yeares before certayne propositions to be disputed in the towne of Wittenberge in Saxonie against the tyranny of the pope which notwithstanding were torne in peeces condemned and burned by y e papistes and yet by no manifest Scriptures nor probable reason conuinced the matter began to grow to a tumult vprore yet Luther mayntayned all this while openly his cause against y e clergy Luther is sent for to Wormes Wherupon it seemed good to certain y t Luther shoulde be called assigning vnto hym an Heraulde of armes with a letter of safe conduict by the Emperour and Princes Being sent for he came and was brought to the Knightes of the Rhodes place where he was lodged well entertayned and visited of many Erles Barons knightes of the order Gentlemen Priestes and the comminaltie who frequented his lodging til night To conclude he came contrary to the expectatioÌ„ of many as wel aduersaries as other For albeit he was seÌ„t for by the Emperours messenger and had letters of safeconduct yet for that a few dayes before his accesse his bookes were coÌ„demned by publique proclamations it was much doubted of by many y t he would not come and the rather for that his frendes deliberated together in a village nye hand called Oppenhime where Luther was first aduertised of these occurrentes many perswaded him not to aduenture him selfe to suche a present danger considering howe these begynninges answered not to the fayth of promise made Who wheÌ„ he had heard their whole perswasioÌ„ aduise he answered in this wise As touchyng mee Constancy in Luther since I am sent for I am resolued certainly determined to enter Wormes in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe yea although I knew there were so many deuils to resist me as there are tyles to couer the houses in Wormes The fourth daye after his repayre a Gentleman named Ulricke of Pappenhim Lieutenaunt generall of the men at armes of the empire was commanded by the emperour before dynner to repayre to Luther and inioyne hym at foure of the clocke in the after noone to appeare before the Emperial maiestie the Princes Electors Dukes and other estates of the Empire to vnderstande the cause of his sendyng for Wherunto he willingly agreed as hys duetie was And after iiij a clocke Ulricke Pappenhim and Casper Sturm the Emperors Heraulde who conducted M. Luther from Wittenberge to Wormes came for Luther and accompanied him through the garden of the knightes of the Rhodes place to the Earle Palatines pallace and least the people should molest him that throÌ„ged in he was led by secrete stayres to the place where he was appointed to haue audience Yet manye who perceyued the pretence violently rushed in and were resisted albeit in vaint many ascended the galleries because they desired to behold Luther Luther is brought before the Emperour Thus standing before the Emperour the Electours Dukes Earles and all the estates of the Empire assembled there he was first aduertised by Ulricke of Pappenhim to keepe silence vntil such time as he was required to speake Then Iohn Eckius aboue mentioned Iohn Eckius propoundeth against M. Luther who then was the Bishop of Triers general officiall with a loude and intelligible voyce first in Latine then in Dutche according to the Emperours commaundement saide proponed this sentence in maner as ensueth or like in effect Martyn Luther the sacred and inuincible Emperiall maiestie hath enioyntd by the consent of all the estates of the holye Empyre that thou shouldest be appealed before the throne of his maiestie to the ende I might demaunde of thee these twoo poyntes First whether thou confessest these bookes here for hee shewed a heape of Luthers bookes written in the Latine and Dutch tongues and which are in all places dispersed intituled with thy name be thine and thou doest affirme them to be thine or not Secondly whether thou wylt recant and reuoke them and al that is contayned in them or rather meanest to stand to that thou hast written Then before Luther prepared to aunswere Mayster Ierome Scurffus a Lawyer of Wittenberge Hierome Schâ—â—â—ie required that the tytles of the bookes should be read Forthwith the foresaid Eckius named certayne of the bookes and those principally whiche were imprinted at Basill among the whiche he nominated his Comentaries vpon the Psaltar his booke of good works his Commentary vpon y e Lords prayer and diuers other which were not contentions M. Luthers aunswere After this Luther answered thus in Latine in dutch Two things are proponed vnto me by the Emperial maiestie First whether I will auouche for mine all those books y t beare my name Secondly whether I will maintayne or reuoke any thing that hytherto I haue deuised published Whereunto I wil answere as breifly as I can In the first I can do none other then recognise those bookes to be mine Luther refuseth to reuoke his bookes which lastly were named certaynely I will neuer recant any clause therof In the second to declare whether I will wholy defend or call backe any thing coÌ„prised in them forasmuch as there be questioÌ„s of faith y e saluation of the soule this concerneth y e word of God which is the greatest most excellent matter that can be in heauen or earth the which we ought duely euermore to reuereÌ„ce this might be accouÌ„ted in me a rashnes of iudgemeÌ„t euen a most dangerous atteÌ„pt Iâ— I wold pronouÌ„ce any thing before I wer better aduised coÌ„sidering I might recite something lesse then the matter importeth and more then the truth requireth if I did not premeditate y e whiche I would speake The which two thinges well considered doth set before mine eyes this sentence of our Lord Iesus Christ wherin it is said Whosoeuer shall deny me before meÌ„ I
accused indited or presented should be admitted to chaleÌ„ge any that shoulde be enpanelled for the triall of any matter or cause other theÌ„ for malice or enuy which chaleÌ„ge should forthwith be tryed in like maner as in cases of felony c. Prouided moreouer that euery person that shoulde be named Commissioner in this inquisition should first take a corporall oth the tenor of which oth here ensueth * The oth of the Commissioners The othe geuen to the Commissioners to enquire vppon true Christians YE shall swere that ye to your cunning witte and power shall truely and indifferently execute the authority to you geuen by the kinges Commission made for correction of heretickes other offenders mentioned in the same Commission without any fauor affection corruption dread or malice to be borne to any person or persons as God you helpe and all Sayntes And thus much briefly collected out of the act and Originals Stat. an 31. Reg Henr. 8. which more largely are to be sene in y e statute an 31 Reg. Henr. 8. concerning the sixe Articles which otherwyse for the bloudy cruelty thereof are called the whip with sixe stringes set forth after the death of Queene Anne and of good Iohn Lambert deuised by the cruelty of y e Bishops but specially of the Bishop of Wint. and at length also subscribed by K. Henry But herein as in many other parts moe the crafty pollicy of that Bishop appeared who like a lurking Serpent most slyly watching his time if he had not taken the king comming out vpon a soddayne there where it was I spare here to report as I heard it it was thought and affirmed by certaine which then were perteining to the king that Winchester had not obteined y e matter so easely to be subscribed as he did These sixe Articles aboue specified although they conteined manifest errours Truth in danger left desolate heresies and absurdities agaynst all Scripture and learning as all men hauing any iudgemeÌ„t in Gods word may plainly vnderstand yet such was the miserable aduersity of that time the power of darcknes that the simple cause of truth and of religion was vtterly left desolate and forsakeÌ„ of all frends For euery man seing the kinges minde so fully addict vpon polliticke respectes to haue these articles to passe forward few or none in all that Parliament would appeare Cranmer stood openly in the Parliament against the 6. articles which either could perceiue that was to be defended or durst defend that they vnderstood to be true saue onely Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who then being maryed as is supposed like a constant Patron of Gods cause tooke vpon him the earnest defence of the trueth oppressed in the ParliameÌ„t three dayes together disputing against those sixe wicked articles bringing forth suche allegations and authorities as might easely haue helped the cause nisi pars maior vicâ—sset vt saepe solet meliorem Who in the sayd disputation Cranmer willed to departe 〈◊〉 of the Parliament house for his consâ—â—ence Cranmer refused to goe out of the Parliament for matter against his conscience behaued himselfe with such humble modesty and with such obedience in words toward his Prince protesting the cause not to be his but the cause of almighty God that neither his enterprise was misliked of the king agayne his reasons and allegatioÌ„s were so strong that well they could not be refuted Wherfore the king who euer bare speciall fauour vnto him well liking his zealous defeÌ„ce onely willed him to depart out of the Parliament house into the Councell Chamber for a time for sauegarde of his conscience til the Acte should passe and be graunted which he notwithstanding with humble protestation refused to do After the Parliament was finished that matter concluded the king considering the constant zeale of the Archbishoppe in defence of his cause and partly also weighing y e many authorities reasons wherby he had substantially confirmed the same sent the Lord Cromwell which w tin few dayes after was apprehended the ij dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke and all the Lordes of the Parliament to dine with hym at Lambeth where they signified vnto him that it was the kinges pleasure that they all shoulde in his hignes behalfe cherish comfort animate hym Cranmer comforted againe by the king as one that for his trauell in that parliameÌ„t had declared him selfe both greatly learned and also a man descreet wyse and therfore they willed him not to be discouraged in any thing that was passed in that Parliament contrary to hys allegations He most humbly thanked first y e kinges highnes of his singuler good affection towardes him and them all for theyr paynes adding moreouer that he so hoped in God that hereafter his allegations and authorities should take place to the glory of god commodity of the realme Which allegations and authorities of his I wish were amongest vs extant to be seene and read no doubt but they would stand in time to come in great good stead for y e ouer throw of the wicked and pernicious Articles aforesayd Allegations agaynst the vi Articles IN the meane while for so much as the sayd hereticall articles are not so lightly to be passed ouer Allegationâ— agaynst the 6. articles wherby y e rude ignorant multitude hereafter may be deceiued in the false erroneous doctrine of them any more as they haue bene in times past for lack of right instructioÌ„ and experience of the auÌ„cient state course of times in our fore elders dayes I thought therefore the Lord therunto assisting so much as antiquity of stories may helpe to the restoring agayn of truth and doctrine decayed to annexe hereunto some allegations out of auncient recordes which may geue some light to the conuincing of these newfangled Articles and heresies aboue touched And first as touching the Article of transubstantiation wherin this Parliament doth enact that the Sacrament of the Altar is the very naturall body of Christ the selfe same which was borne of the virgin Mary and that in such sort as there remayneth no substance of bread wine after the Priestes consecration but only the body bloud of Christ vnder the outward formes of bread and wine First here is to be noted that this monstrous article of theyrs in that forme of words as in standeth was neuer obtruded receiued or holden either in the Greek Church or in the Latine Church vniuersally for a Catholicke that is for a generall opinion or article of doctrine before y e time of the Laterane Counsell at Rome vnder Pope Innocent the 3. an 1216. And for so much as it hath bene a common persuasioÌ„ amongest the most sort of people The article of transubstantiatioâ— that this article in y e forme of words as here standeth is hath bene euer since Christ his time a true Catholick generall doctrine commonly receiued and taught in the Church being
so away for feare from the way of truth writeth her minde vnto him in a sharp and vehement letter which as it appeareth to proceede of an earnest and zealous hart so woulde God it might take such effect with him as to reduce him to repentaunce and to take better holde againe for the health and wealth of his owne soule The copie of the letter is thys as followeth ¶ Another letter of the Lady Iane to M. Harding late Chaplayne to the Duke of Suffolke her father and then fallen from the truth of Gods most holy worde SO oft as I call to mynde the dreadfull and fearefull saying of God That he which layeth holde vpon the plough and looketh backe Luke 9. A sharpe letter or exhortation of the â—ady Iane to M. Harding is not meete for the kingdome of heauen and on the other side the comfortable words of our Sauiour Christ to all those that forsaking themselues do folow him I can not but maruell at thee and lament thy case which seemedst somtime to be the liuely member of Christ but now the deformed impe of the deuil sometime the beutifull temple of God but now the stinking and filthy kenel of Sathan sometime the vnspotted spouse of Christ but now the vnshamefast paramour of Antichrist sometyme my faythfull brother but now a straunger and Apostata sometime a stoute Christen souldiour but now a cowardly runneaway Yea when I consider these things I can not but speake to thee and cry out vpon thee thou seede of Sathan and not of Iuda whome the deuill hath deceyued the world hath begiled and the desire of life subuerted and made thee of a Christian an Infidell wherefore hast thou taken the Testament of the Lord in thy mouth * This man a little before K. Edward dyed was heard openly in his 〈◊〉 in London to exhort the people with great vehemency after thys soâ—te that if trouble came they shoulde neuer shrinke from the true doctrine of the Gospell whiche they had receiued but should take it rather for a tryall sent of God to proue them whether they would abide by it or no All which to be true they can testify that heard him and be yet aliue who also foreseeing the plague to come were then muche confirmed by hys wordes Wherfore hast thou preached the law and the wil of God to others Wherefore hast thou instructed other to be strong in Christ when y u thy selfe doest now so shamefully shrinke and so horrible abuse the Testament and lawe of the Lord When thou thy selfe preachest not to steale yet most abhominably stealest not from men but from God and committing most haynous sacriledge robbest Christ thy Lorde of his right members thy bodye and soule and chosest rather to liue miserably with shame to the worlde then to dye and gloriously with honor to reigne with christ in whome euen in death is life Why doest thou now shew thy selfe most weake when in deede thou oughtest to bee most strong The strength of a forâ— is vnknowne before the assault but thou yeldest thy hold before anye battrie be made Oh wretched and vnhappy man what art thou but dust and ashes and wilt thou resist thy maker that fashioned thee and framed thee Wilt thou nowe forsake hym y t called thee from the custome gathering amoÌ„g y e Romish Antichristians to be an Ambassadour messenger of hys eternall worde Hee that first framed thee and since thy first creation and byrth preserued thee nourished and kept thee yea and inspired thee with the spirit of knowledge I cannot say of grace shall he not now possesse thee Darest thou deliuer vp thy selfe to an other Anno. 1554. being not thine owne but his How caÌ„st thou hauing knowledge or how darest thou neglect the law of the Lord and follow the vayn traditions of men Februarye and whereas thou hast bene a publicke professor of his name become now a defacer of his glorye Wilt thou refuse the true God and worship the inuention of man the golden calfe the whore of Babilon y e Romish Religion the abhominable Idoll the most wicked masse Wilt thou torment agayne rent and teare the most precious body of our Sauior Christ with thy bodily and fleshly teeth Wilt thou take vpon thee to offer vp anye sacrifice vnto God for our sinnes considering that Christ offered vp himselfe as Paule sayth vppon the crosse a liuely sacrifice once for all Can neither the punishment of the Israelites which for their Idolatry they so oft receaued nor the terrible threatninges of the Prophetes nor the curses of Gods owne mouth feare thee to honour anye other God then him Doest thou so regard him that spared not hys deare and onely sonne for thee so diminishing yea vtterly extinguishing his glory that thou wilt attribute the prayse and honour due vnto him to the Idols which haue mouthes and speak not eyes and see not eares and heare not which shall perish with them that made them What sayth the Prophet Baruc Baruch 6. where hee recited the Epistle of Ieremy written to the captiue Iewes Did hee not forwarne them that in Babilon they should see Gods of gold siluer wood stone borne vpon mens shoulders to cast a feare before the Heathen But be not ye afrayd of them sayth Ieremy nor doe as other doe But when you see other worship theÌ„ say you in your hartes it is thou O Lord that oughtest onely to be worshipped for as for those Gods the Carpenter framed them and polished them yea gilded be they and layde ouer with siluer and vayne thinges and cannot speake He sheweth moreouer the abuse of theyr deckings howe the Priestes tooke off their ornamentes and aparelled their women withall how one holdeth a scepter an other a sworde in his hand and yet can they iudge in no matter nor defend themselues much lesse anye other from either battell or murther nor yet from gnawing of wormes nor any other euill thing These such like wordes speaketh Ieremy vnto them whereby he proueth them to be but vayne thinges and no Gods And at last he concludeth thus Confounded be they that worship them They were warned by Ieremy and thou as Ieremye hast warned other and art warned thy selfe by many Scriptures in many places God sayth he is a ielous God which will haue all honour glory and worship geuen to him onely And Christ saith in the 4. of Luke to Sathan which tempted him euen to the same Sathan the same Belzebub the same deuill whiche hath preuayled agaynst thee Math. â— It is written saith he thou shalt honor the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue These and such like doe prohibite thee and all Christians to worship anye other God then whiche was before all worldes and layd the foundations both of heauen and earth and wilt thou honour a detestable Idol inuented by Romish Popes and the abhominable Colledge of craftye Cardinals Christ offered himselfe vp once for
vttermost of thy power thou hast allowed maintained and defended at sundrie times Item that thou hauing hearde knowen and vnderstanded all the premisses thus to be as is aforesayde haste not regarded al oâ— any part thereof but contrary to the same and euery part thereof hast attempted and done condemning transgressing and breaking that promise faith religion order and custome aforesayd and hast becommen and art an hereticke and misbeleeuer in the premisses denying the veritie of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar and obstinately affirming that the substance of materiall bread and wine are there remaining and that the substance of Christes body and bloud taken of the virginé Mary are not there in the sayd Sacrament really and truely being Item that all the premisses be true notorious famous and manifest and that vpon all the same there haue and be amongst the sad and good people of the Citie of London and Dioces of the same in great multitude commonly and publickely a common and publicke fame and opinion and also in all places where thou hast bene within the sayd Dioces of London ☞ These Articles being geuen to them in writing by the Byshop the next day folowing was assigned to them to geue vp and to exhibite their aunsweres vnto the same * The third dayes Session vpon the examination of M. Causton and M. Higbed Upon the which day being the first day of March the said Thomas Causton The third dayes Session and Thomas Higbed Gentlemen being brought before the Byshop in the Consistory there exhibited their aunsweres to the Articles aforesayd the tenour of which aunsweres here followeth ¶ The aunsweres of Thomas Causton and Thomas Higbed seuerally made to the foresaid Articles obiected as before TO the first they aunswere and confesse the same to be true The aunsweres of the Marâ—â—rs to the Articles To the second they answere and beleeue the same to be true To the third they aunswere and beleeue the same to be true To the fourth they aunswere and thinke the same to be true To the fift vnto this clause and so was it in very deede they aunswere and beleeue the same to be true And vnto that clause and so was it in very deede they aunswere negatiuely and beleeue that it was not in very deede To the sixt seuenth and eyght they aunswere and beleeue the same to be true To the ninth they aunswere and say that they thinke they haue a iust and lawfull cause and ground to swarue and go from the sayd fayth and Religion because they haue now read more of Scripture then either themselues or their Parents and kinsfolke Godfathers or Godmothers haue read or seene heeretofore in that behalfe To the tenth they aunswere say and beleeue that the sayd persons articulate haue bene named taken and counted for heretickes and so condemned for heretickes yet about three yeares past they were taken for good Christian persons And for somuch as these Respondents did neuer heare them preach coÌ„cerning the Sacrament of the aultar they say that they preached well in that they sayd and preached that Christ is not present really and truly in the sayd Sacrament TransubstantiatioÌ„ denyed but that there is remayning the substance of bread and wine To the eleuenth they aunswere and say that howsoeuer other folkes do repute and take the sayde persons articulate yet these Respondents them selues did neuer nor yet do so accompt and take them And further they say that in case the sayd persons articulate named in this article haue preached that in the Sacrament of the altar is very materiall wine and not the substance of Christes body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wyne then they preached well and truly and these respondents themselues do so beleeue To the twelfth they aunswere and say that where other folke haue dispraysed the sayd persons articulate and disalowed theyr opinions these Respondents for ought that they at any tyme haue heard did like and allow the sayd persons and theyr sayings To the thirteenth they aunswere and say that they haue not broken or condemned any promise made by their Godfathers and Godmothers for them at their baptisme and that they are no heretickes nor misbeleeuers in that they beleeue that there remayneth only bread and wine in the sacrament of the aultar and that Christes naturall body is not there but in heauen for they say that the scriptures so teach them To the foureteenth they answere and beleeue that the premisses before by them confessed be true notorious and manifest After these answeres exhibited and perused then the B. speaking vnto theÌ„ after this sort beginneth first as he did euer before with Thomas Causton Because ye shall not be sodenly trapped A copy of Catholicke 〈◊〉 shewed and that men shall not say that I go about to seke snares to put you away I haue hitherto respited you that you should way coÌ„sider with your self your state and coÌ„dition and that you should while ye haue time and space acknowledge the truth and returne to the vnity of the catholicke churche Then the bishop reading theyr former articles and aunsweres to the same asked them if they would recant which when they denyed they were againe dismissed and commaunded to appeare the wensday next after at two of the clocke at after noone there to receaue their definitiue sentence agaynst them Which thinge as it seemeth was yet differred ¶ An other examination of M. Causton and Maister Higbed THe next Friday being the eight day of March An other examination This Stempe is now Warden of the Colledge in Winchester M. Causton denyeth to recant the sayd Thomas CaustoÌ„ was first called to examinatioÌ„ before the bishop Fecknam and D. Stempe in his Pallace and there had read vnto hym his foresayd articles with hys answeres therunto after certain exhortations to recant his former profession to be conformable to the vnitie of their church they promised him so doing willingly to receaue him agayn therunto To whoÌ„ he answered you goe about to catch vs in snares ginnes But marke by what measure ye measure vs looke you to be measured with the same agayne at Gods hands The bishop still perswaded with him to recant To whom he answered no I wil not abiure Ye sayd that the bishops that were lately burned be Heretickes But I pray God make me suche an Hereticke as they were The bishop then leauing M. Causton calleth forth M. Higbed vsing with hym the like perswasioÌ„s that they did with the other But he answered I wil not abiure M. Higbed called forth denyeth to abiure For I haue bene of this minde and opinion that I am now these 16. yeares and doe what ye can ye shall doe no more then God will permitte you to doe and with what measure ye measure vs looke for the same agayne at Gods hands Then Fecknam asked him his opinion in the sacrameÌ„t of the altar To whom he answered
your selfe borne in a blessed time that haue found this grace with God to be a vessell of honour to suffer with his Saints yea with his sonne My beloued God hath not done so with many The Apostle saith Not many noble 1. Cor. 1. not many riche not many wise in the world hath the Lord God chosen Oh then what cause haue you to reioyce that amongst the not many he hath chosen you to be one For that cause hath God placed you in your office that therefore ye might the more see his speciall dignation and loue towards you It had not bene so great a thyng for M. Hopkins to haue suffred as M. Hopkins as it is for M. Hopkins also to suffer as M. Shiriffe Oh happy day that you were made shiriffe by the which as God in this world would promote you to a more honourable degree so by suffering in this roome he hath exalted you in heauen and in the sight of his church children to a much more excellent glory When was it read that a shiriffe of a citie hath suffred for the Lordes sake Where read we of any Shiriffe that hath bene cast in prison for conscience to Godward How could God haue delt more louingly w t you then herein he hath done To the end of the worlde it shall be written for a memoriall to your prayse that Rich. Hopkins shiriffe of Couentry for conscience to do his office before God was cast in the Fleete and there kept prisoner a long tyme. Happy twise happy are you if herefore you may geue your life Neuer could you haue attayned to this promotion on this sort out of that office How do you preach now not onely to all men but specially to magistrates in this realme Who would euer haue thoght that you should haue bene the first magistrate that for christes sake should haue lost any thing R. Hopkins the first Magistrate that suffered for his conscience As I sayd before therfore I say againe that your state is happy Good brother before God I write the truth vnto you my conscience bearing me witnes that you are in a most happy state with the Lord and before his sight Be thankfull therefore reioyce in your trouble pray for pacience perseuere to the ende let pacieÌ„ce haue her perfect worke Iacob 1. If you want this wisedome and power aske it of God who will geue it to you in his good tyme. Hope still in him yea if he should slay you yet trust in hym wyth Iob and you shall perceiue that the ende will be to finde him mercyfull full of compassion for he will not breake promise with you which hitherto did neuer so with any He is with you in trouble he heareth you callyng vppon hym yea before you cal your desires are not only known but accepted through Christ. If now and then he hide hys face from you it is but to prouoke your appetite to make you the more to long for him This is most true He is a comming and will come he will not be long But if for a tyme he seeme to tary yet stand you still and you shall see the wonderfull workes of the Lord. Oh beloued wherefore should you be heauy Is not Christ Emanuell God with vs Shall you not find that as he is true in saying In the world you shall haue trouble 1. Cor. 1. so is he in saying In mee you shall haue comfort He doth not sweare only that trouble will come but with all he sweareth that comfort shall ensue And what comfort such a comfort as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the hart of man can conceiue Oh great comfort who shall haue this Forsooth they that suffer for the Lord. And are not you one of them Yea verily are you Then as I said happy happy and happy againe are you my dearely beloued in the Lord. You now suffer with the Lord surely you shall bee glorified with him Call vpon God therfore in your trouble and he will heare you yea deliuer you in such sort as most shall make both to his your glory also And in this calling I hartily pray you to pray for me your fellow in affliction Now we be both going in the high way to heauen for by many afflictioÌ„s must we enter in thether whether God bring vs for his mercies sake Amen Amen Your fellow in affliction Iohn Bradford ¶ To my good Sister Maistresse Elizabeth Browne GOod sister God our Father make perfect the good hee hath begun in you vnto the end A lette◠〈◊〉 M Bradâ—â—â—â— to Mistâ—â—â— Browâ—â— now 〈◊〉 Mistres Rushbrough I am afrayde to write vnto you because you so ouercharge your selfe at all tymes euen when so euer I doe but send to you commendations I would bee more bold on you then many others and therfore you might suspend so great tokens til I should write vnto you of my need which thyng doubtlesse I would do if it vrged me Deare sister I see your vnfained loue to me wardes in God and haue done of long time the which I do recompence with the like and will do by gods grace so long as I liue therefore I hope not to forget you but in my poore prayers to haue you in remembraunce as I hope you haue me 2. Tim. â— Otherwyse I can do you no seruice except it bee now and then by my writyng to let you from better exercise where yet the end of my writyng is to excite and stir vp your hart more earnestly to go on forwards in your well begon enterprise For you know none shal be crowned but such as striue lawfully none receiueth the gleue but those that runne to the appointed marke Heb. 10. None shall be saued but such as persist and continue to the very end Therfore deare Sister remember that we haue neede of patience that when we haue done the good will of God wee may receiue the promise Patience and perseueraunce bee the proper notes whereby Gods children are knowne from counterfaites They that perseuere not were alwayes but hypocrites Many make godly beginnings yea their progresse seemeth meruailous but yet after in the end they fayle These were neuer of vs sayâ—h S. Iohn for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued vnto the very end Go to now therfore myne own beloued in the Lord Wholsome lessons of lyfe as you haue well begun and well gone forward so well persist and happily end and then all is yours Though this be sharpe and sower yet it is not tedious or long Do all that euer you doe simply for God and as to God so shall neuer vnkyndnesse nor any other thyng make you to leaue of from well doyng so long as you may do well Accustome your selfe now to see God continually that he may be all in all vnto you In good thyngs behold his mercy and apply it vnto your selfe In euill thyngs
Require you any plainer words doeth he not say it is his body Iane. I graunt hee sayeth so and so he sayth I am the vine I am the doore Rom. 4. but hee is neuer the more for that the dore not the vine Doth not S. Paul say He calleth things that are not as though they were God forbid that I should say that I eat the very naturall body and bloud of Christ for then eyther I should plucke away my redeÌ„ption either els there were two bodies or two Christes One body was tormeÌ„ted on the Crosse. And if they did eate an other body then had hee two bodies either els if his body were eaten than was it not broken vpon the Crosse or if it were broken vpon the Crosse it was not eaten of his Disciples Feck Why is it not possible that Christe by hys power coulde make his body both to be eaten and broken as to be borne of a woman wythout seede of man and as to walke vppon the sea hauing a body and other suche like myracles as he wrought by his power onely Iane. Yes verely Christ 〈◊〉 power to turne the bread into his body no argument to proue that he 〈◊〉 so if God would haue done at his Supper any myracle he myght haue done so but I say that then he minded no worke nor myracle but onely to breake his body and shed his bloud on the Crosse for our sinnes But I pray you to answere me to thys one question where was Christ when he sayd Take eate this is my body Was hee not at the table when he sayde so Hee was at that time alyue and suffered not till the next day What tooke he but bread What brake he but breade and what gaue hee but breade Looke what he tooke he brake and looke what hee brake he gaue and looke what he gaue they did eate and yet all this while he himselfe was aliue and at Supper before his disciples or else they were deceiued Feck You ground your faith vppon such authours as say and vnsay both with a breath and not vpon the Church Fecknaâ— goeth from the word 〈◊〉 the churcâ— to whom ye ought to geue credite Iane. No I grounde my faith on Gods woorde and not vpon the Churche For if the Churche be a good Churche Fayth to groundeâ— vppon the word and not vpon the church the faith of the Churche must be tried by Gods worde and not Goddes woorde by the Churche either yet my Faithe Shall I beleeue the Churche because of antiquitye or shal I geue credite to the Churche that taketh away from mee the halfe parte of the Lordes Supper and will not lette any man receiue it in both kindes A note 〈◊〉 the false 〈◊〉 Church Whych thing if they denie to vs then denie they to vs part of our saluation And I saye that it is an euill Churche and not the Spouse of Christ but the Spouse of the Deuill that altereth the Lordes Supper and both taketh from it and addeth to it To that Church say I God will adde plagues and from that Church will he take their parte out of the booke of life Doe they learne that of S. Paule when he ministred to the Corinthians in both kindes Shall I beleeue this Churche God forbid Feck That was done for a good intent of the Churche to auoide an heresie that sprong on it Gods 〈◊〉 not to be altered 〈◊〉 good â—â—tentes Iane. Why shal the church alter Gods wil ordinance for a good inteÌ„t How did king Saul The Lord God defend With these and such like persuasions he would haue had her leaue to the Church but it woulde not be There were many more things whereof they reasoned but these were the chiefest After this Fecknam tooke his leaue saying that he was sory for her For I am sure quoth he that we two shall neuer meete Iane. True it is sayd she that we shall neuer meete except God turne your hart The wordes 〈◊〉 spoken 〈◊〉 For I am assured vnlesse you repent and turne to God you are in an euill case and I pray God in the bowels of his mercy to send you his holy spirite for he hath geuen you his great gift of vtterance if it pleased him also to open the eyes of your hart ¶ A letter of the Lady Iane sent vnto her father FAther although it hath pleased God to hasten my death by you by whome my life should rather haue bene lengthened yet can I so patiently take it 〈◊〉 Ianes 〈◊〉 sent to her father as I yeeld God more harty thankes for shortening my wofull dayes then if all the world had bene geuen into my possession with life lengthened at my owne will And albeit I am well assured of your impacient dolours redoubled manyfold wayes both in bewayling your owne woe and especially as I heare my vnfortunate state yet my deare father if I may without offence reioyce in my owne mishaps me seemes in this I may accompt my selfe blessed that washing my handes with the innocencie of my fact my giltles bloud may cry before the Lord mercy to the innocent And yet though I must needes acknowledge that being constrayned and as you wot well inough continually assayed in taking vpon me I seemed to consent and therein greeuously offended the Queene and her lawes yet do I assuredly trust that this mine offence towards God is so much the lesse in that being in so royall estate as I was mine enforced honour being neuer with mine innocent hart And thus good father I haue opened vnto you the state wherein I presently stand Whose death at hand although to you perhaps it may seme right wofull to me there is nothing that can be more welcome then from this vale of miserie to aspire to that heauenly throne of all ioy and pleasure with Christ our Sauiour This Parenthesis includeth with a praier a priuy admonition to her father that he fall not from his religion In whose stedfast fayth if it may be lawfull for the daughter so to write to the Father the Lord that hetherto hath strengthened you so continue you that at the last we may meete in heauen with the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost At what time her father was florishing in freedome and prosperitie in the time of King Edward there belonged vnto him a certayne learned man student and Graduate of the Uniuersitie of Oxford Who then being Chaplayne to the sayd Duke and a sincere Preacher as he appeared of the Gospell according to the doctrine of that time set foorth and receiued shortly after that the state of Religion began to alter by Queene Mary altered also in his profession with the time and of a Protestant became a friend and defender of the Popes proceedings At whose sodayne mutation and inconstant mutabilitie February this Christian Lady being not a little agreeued and most of all lamenting the daungerous state of his soule in sliding