Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	work_n	work_v	writer_n	25	3	7.7865	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67922	Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.; Actes and monuments	Foxe, John, 1516-1587.	1583 (1583)	STC 11225; ESTC S122167	3,006,471	816

woulde geue so impudent an attempt to the blinding and deceiuing of all posterityes inserting for grounded truthes and holy decrees such loude lyes and detestable doctrine what may be thought of the rabble of the rest of writers in those dayes what attemptes hope of gayne might cause them to worke By whom and such like is to be feared the fasifying of diuers other good workes now extant in those perillous tymes writteÌ„ Thus when the Bishops had once wrested this autoritie out of the Emperours handes they then so fortified armed theÌ„selues and their dominion that although afterwardes Fredericke the first graundfather vnto this good Emperor Fredericke the second as also Ludouicus Boius and Henricus Lucelburgensis as men most studious and carefull for the dignities of the Empire vnfeined louers and maintainers of the vtilitie of the commoÌ„ weale and most desirous of the preseruatioÌ„ and prosperity of the Church did all their indeuors with singular wisedome strength as much as in them lay to recouer agayne from the byshop of Rome this the authoritie of the Imperiall iurisdiction lost most cruelly wickedly abusing the same to the destruction both of the Empyre vndoyng of the coÌ„mon wealth and vtter subuersion of the Churche of God yet coulde they not be able to bryng the same to passe in those darck and shadowed tymes of peruerse doctrine and errours of the people and most miserable seruitude of ciuile Magistrates The same and like priuilege also in the election of theyr bishops Prelates and disposing of Ecclesiasticall offices as the Emperour of Rome had euery Prince and king in theyr seuerall dominions had the like For by the decree of the Councell of Tolerane which in the 25. canon and 63. distinction is mentioned the authoritie of creating and chusing byshops and Prelates in Hispane was in the power of the king of Hispane The like also by the Histories of Clodoueus Carolus Magnus Ludouicus nonus Philippus Augustus Philippus pulcher Carolus 5. Carolus 6. Carolus 7. Kinges of Fraunce is apparaunt and well knowne that all these kinges had the chiefe charge and gouernement of the French Church and not the byshops of Rome And by our English historyes also as you heard it is manifest that the authoritie of chusing ecclesiasticall ministers and byshops was alwayes in the kings of EnglaÌ„d till the raygne of king Henry the 1. who by the labour and procurement of Anselmus Archb. of Cant. was depriued and put from the same Also the Princes of Germany and electors of the Emperor till the tyme of Henry the 5. had all euery Prince seuerally in his owne dition and Prouince the same iurisdiction and prerogatiue to geue dispose ecclesiasticall functions to their Prelates at theyr pleasure and after that it appertayned to the people and prelats together And how in the raigne of Fridericke the Prelates gate vnto themselues alone this Immunitie Ioannes Auentinus in his 7. booke of the Annales of the Boiores doth describe Also it is probable that the kinges of Sicilia had the same facultie in geuing and disposing their Ecclesiasticall promotions and charge of churches Andreas de Istmia ad 1. constit Neap. nu 12. And that because Fridericke defended him against the tyranny of the bishop of Rome therfore as Fazellus sayth he was excommunicated of Honorius But that Platina and Blondus allege other causes wherfore he was excommunicate of Honorius I am not ignorant Howbeit he that will compare theyr writings with others that write more indifferently betweene Honorius and hym shall easily finde that they more sought the fauor of the Romayn bishops then to write a veritie But now agayne to the history of Fridericke Nicholaus Cisnerus affirmeth that whilest Friderike the Emperour was in Sicilia hys wife Constantia dyed at Catrana or Catana In the meane time the Christians which was a great nauy sayled into Egipt and tooke the citie Heliopolis commonly called Damatia and long ago named Pelucinum beyng in good hope to haue dryuen Sultanus the SowdaÌ„ out of Egipt had a great marueilous ouerthrow by the conueiyng of the water of the floude Nilus which then ouerflowed into their Campe were sayne to accord an vnprofitable truce with the Sowldane for certayne yeares and to deliuer the citty agayne and so departing out of Egipt were faine to come to Acone and Cyrus to the no small detriment and losse of the Christian army Wherupon king Iohn surnamed Brennus being king of Ierusalem arriued in Italy and prayde ayd of the Emperor agaynst his enemies in whoÌ„ he had great hope to finde remedy of the euils and calamities before declared and from thence he went to Rome to the Pope declaring vnto him the great discomfite and ouerthrow past as also the present peril and callamitie that they were in desiring also hys ayd therin By whose meanes as Cisnerus sayth the Emperour was reconciled agayne to the Pope and made friendes together to whome also king Iohn gaue Ioell his daughter in maryage which came of the daughter of Conradus King of Ierusalem and Marques of Mounte Ferrat with whome he had for dowry the inheritaunce of the kingdome of Ierusalem as right heyre thereunto by her mother By whome also he atter obteyned the kingdome of Naples and Sicill and promised that with as much expedient speede as he might he would prepare a power for the recouery agayne of Ierusalem and be there himselfe in proper person whiche thinge to doe for that vppon diuers occasions he deferred whereof some thinke one some an other Honorius vnto whome he was lately reconciled purposed to haue made agaynst hym some great and secrete attempt had hee not bene by death before preuented vppon whome were made these Uerses O pater Honori multorum nate dolori Est tibi decori viuere vade mori After whom succeeded Gregorius the 9. as great an enemy to Frederike as was Honorius whiche Gregory came of the race whom the Emperor as before ye heard condemned of Treason which they wrought against him This Gregory was scarcely setled in hys Papacy when that he threatned hym that greatly with excommunication vnlesse he woulde prepare hymselfe into Asia according to hys promise as ye heard before to king Iohn And what the cause was why the Pope so hastened the iourney of Frederike into Asia you shall heare hereafter In effect he could not wel bring that to passe which in his mischieuous minde he had deuised vnlesse the Emperour were farther from him Notwithstanding Fredericke it shoulde seeme smelling a ratte or mistrusting somewhat as well he might alledged diuers causes and lets as lately and truely he dyd to Honorius Fazellus a Sicilian writer sayth that the special cause of the Emperors stay was for the oathe of truce and peace during certayne yeares whiche was made betweene the Saracens and Christians as you heard which tyme was not yet expired The same

declared as it hath bene in times past the which also is done by a maruelous dispensation that through one onely thing both Gods loue iustice should be fulfilled For a while the power of miracles being taken away the holy church appereth the more abiect and forsaken and the reward of good men doth cease which reuereÌ„ced the same for the hope of heaueÌ„ly riches not for any present signes And that the minds of euill men agaynst the same might that sooner be knowne which neglect to folow the inuisible thinges which the church doth promise whiles they be led with visible signes Forsomuch then as the humility of the faithfull is as it were destitute of the multitude and appering of signes by the terrible working of Gods secret dispensation wherby mercy is geueÌ„ vnto the good and iust wrath heaped vpoÌ„ the euill For so much then it is truely said that before this Liuiathan shall playnely and manifestly come pouerty shall go before his face for before that time the riches of miracles shal be taken away from the faythfull Then shall that auncient enemy shew himselfe agaynst them by open wonders That as he is extolled through signes wonders so shall he the more manly be vanquished of the faythfull without any signes or miracles Also in his 16. booke vpon this word which the blessed man Iob sayde who shall reprehend his way before him or who shall cast in his teeth what he hath done whilest he did speake of the body of all euill he sodenly connected his speach vnto the head of all the wicked for he did see that toward the end of the world Sathan should enter into man whom the scripture calleth Antechrist he shal be extolled with such pride he shall rule with such power he shal be exalted with such signes wonders vnder the pretence of holmes that his doing can not be coÌ„trolled of meÌ„ for somuch as his signes tokens are ioined with power terror with a certain shew of holynes Wherfore he saith who shall controll his wayes before him what man is he that dare once rebuke or check him whose looke or countenaunce is he afeard of But notwithstanding not onely Enoc Elias the which are brought as ample for his exprobation but also all the elect do argue reproue his way whiles that they do contemne and by the force and power of their minde resist his malice But for somuch as this thing is not done by their owne power or strength but by Gods helpe and grace therfore is it very well sayd who shall argue or reproue his waies before him who but onely God By whose help the elect are ayded and made able to resist And a little after vpon the same booke of Iob Gregory saith in so much as holy men do withstaÌ„d his iniquity It is not they theÌ„selues which do so rebuke his wayes but it is he thorowe whose helpe they are strengthened Also in his second booke he sayth now the holy Church doth not regarde but despise the signes and miracles of the heretikes if they do any for so much as the Church doth sufficiently vnderstand that it is no kind of holynes for why the prose of holines is not to make signes or woÌ„ders but to loue euery man as him selfe to thinke truely of the very true God to thinke better of thy neighbor then of thy selfe for trew vertue holynes coÌ„sisteth in loue and not in shewing of miracles This the veretie declareth saying hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one an other but he saith not that hereby meÌ„ shal know that ye are my disciples because ye worke miracles but contrary wise if ye loue one an other declaring plainly therby that it is not miracles but the mere charitie loue of God which maketh vs the seruants of God Wherefore the chiefe testimony of being Gods disciple is to haue the gift of brotherly loue This thorow out doth S. Gregory write and often times in other places he speaketh verye much of miracles howe that they shall cease amongst the iust and abound amongst the wicked Also Chrisostome in his lv Homily sayth thus it is a common an indifferent woorke betwene the ministers of God the ministers of the deuil to cast out deuils but to confesse the trueth and to worke righteousnes is the onely worke of the saints and holy men therefore whomsoeuer thou doest see casting out of deuils if he haue not the confessioÌ„ of the trueth in his mouth neyther righteousnes in his hands he is not a man of God but if thou doest see a man openly confessing declaring the truthe and doing iustice although he do not cast out no deuils yet he is the man of God And it followeth let vs know that like as at the coÌ„ming of Christ before him the Prophets and with him thapostles wrought miracles thorow the holy ghost for such as the thing is which is sturred such sent sauor wil proceede froÌ„ the same He writeth also vpon the beginning of Mathew The whole world did maruel woÌ„der at three things that Christ rose againe after his deth that flesh ascendeth into heaueÌ„ that he did conuert the whole world by his xi apostles There is iiii causes which wrought the same That is to say the contempt of riches or money The dispising of pomp and glory The seperation of theÌ„selues from all worldly occupation and busines and the pacient suffering of tormentes Thus much writeth Chisostome also saint Isydore in his first booke and xxv cha De summo bono writeth thus like as in the apostles the maruelous effect power of works was much more coÌ„mendable then the vertue of their signes euen so now in the Church is it much more better to liue wel theÌ„ to worke any signes or miracles And the cause why that the church of God doth not at this present worke miracles as it did in the time of the Apostles is this That it was necessary at that time that the worlde should beleue miracles and nowe at this present euery faithful beleuer ought to shine with good workes for to this end were signes miracles then outwardly wrought that their sayth thereby might be inwardly strengthned and stablished for what soeuer faithfull man he be that seketh to worke miracles he seeketh vaine glory to be praysed of meÌ„ for it is written miracles are signes and tokens vnto the infidels misbeleuers and not vnto the faythfull Thus muche wryteth Isidore Item Saint Augustine in his Booke of coÌ„fession sayth thus there is no greater miracle amongst meÌ„ theÌ„ to loue our enemies By these wordes of these holy men a man may easely gather that both in our dayes and in the time to come the disciples of Antichrist both do shall more florish and shewe theÌ„selues by strannge signes miracles theÌ„ the disciples of Christ according to

saluation contrary to the working of the holy spirite of God And thus the Church of Rome pretending onely the name of Christ and of his Religion is so farre altered from the truth of that which it pretendeth that vnder the name of Christ it persecuteth both Christ his Religion working more harme to the Church of Christ then euer did the open tirants and persecuting Emperours among the heathen not much vnlike herein to the olde Sinagoge of the Scribes and Phareseis who vnder the name of God crucified the sonne of God and vnder pretence of the law fought against the Gospell and vnder the title of Abrahams children persecuted the childreÌ„ of Abraham And as they bragging so highly of the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lorde did in deede destroye the true Temple of the Lord right so these pretensed Catholikes in these dayes after they haue raysed vppe a Catholike Churche of their owne and haue armed the same with lawes and haue gathered vnto them a power of Priestes Prelates Abbats Priors of religious men of Cardinals and also of secular Princes to take their part now vnder the name of the Catholicke Church they persecute the true Catholike church and coloring their procedings still with In nomine Domini most cruelly they put to death which die pro nomine Domini condemning them for heretikes schismatikes and rebles not which deny any part of the creede which they themselues professe nor such whome they can conuince by any Scripture but onely such which will not ioyne wyth their errours and heresies contrary to the honour of God and truth of his worde And lest any should thinke this that we here protest against the corrupt errours manifold deformities of this latter Church of Rome to proceede of any raucor or affection rather then grounded of necessary causes and demoÌ„strations euident my purpose is by the Lordes leaue to take herein some litle paine that as I haue collected a litle before the summe coÌ„tents of S. Paules doctrine where with the old Church of Rome was first seasoned and acquainted so now as in a like summary table to discrye the particular braunches and contents of the Popes doctrine now set foorth to the intent that all true Christian readers comparing the one with the other may discern what great alteration there is betwene the church of Rome that now is and the church of Rome that then was planted by the Apostles in the primitiue time And to the ende to open to the simple reader some waye whereby he may the better iudge in such matters of doctrine not be deceaued in discerning truth from errour first we wil propound certeine principles or general positions as infallible rules or truthes of the Scripture wherby al other doctrines opinions of men being tried and examined as in the touchstone may the more easely be iudged whether they be true or coÌ„trary whether they make agaynst the scripture or no. Â¶ Certeine Principles or generall verities grounded vpon the truth of Gods word Â¶ The first principle 1. AS sinne and death came originally by the disobedience of one to all men of his generation by nature so righteousnes and life come originally by the obedience of one to all men regenerated of him by faith Baptisme Rom. 5. Â¶ The 2. Principle 2. The promise of God was freely giuen to our first parentes without their deseruing that the seede of a woman should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. Â¶ The 3. Principles 3. Promise was giuen freely to Abraham before he deserued any thing that in his seede all nations should be blessed Gen. 12. Â¶ The 4. Principle 4. To the worde of God neither must wee adde nor take from it Deut. 4. Â¶ The 5. Principle 5. He that doth the workes of the law shall liue therein Leuit. 18. Gal. 3. Â¶ The 6. Principle 6. Accursed is he which abideth not in euery thing that is written in the booke of the law Deut. 27. Gal. 3. Â¶ The 7. Principle 7. God onely is to be worshipped Deut. 6. Luc. 4. Â¶ The 8. Principle 8. All our righteousnes is like a defiled cloth of a woman Esay 64. Â¶ The 9. Principle 9. In all my holy hill they shall not kill nor slay saith the Lord. Esay 11.65 Â¶ The 10. Principle 10. God loueth mercy and obedience more then sacrifice Osee. 6.1 Reg. 15. Â¶ The 11. Principle 11. The lawe worketh anger condemneth and openeth sinne Rom. 3. Â¶ The 12. Principle 12. The end of the law is Christ to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Rom. 10. Â¶ The 13. Principle 13. Whosoeuer beleeueth and is Baptised shall be saued Mat. vlt. Â¶ The 14. Principle 14. A man is iustified by faith without workes freely by grace not of our selues Gal. 2. Ephes. 2. Â¶ The 15. Principle 15. There is no remission of sinnes without bloud Heb. 9 Â¶ The 16. Principle 16. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. Â¶ The 17. Principle 17. One Mediatour betweene God man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2. he is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sinnes 1. Iohn 2. Â¶ The 18. Principle 18. Who soeuer seeketh in the law to be iustified is fallen from grace Â¶ The 19. Principle 19. In Christ be all the promises of God Est Amen 2. Cor. 1. Â¶ The 20. Principle 20. Let euery soule be subiect to superiour powers gyuyng to Caesar that which is Cesars to God that which is Gods Rom. 13. These principles and infallible rules of the Scripture as no man can denie so if they be granted the doctrine theÌ„ of the Popes Church must needes be found not to be Catholike but rather full of errours and heresies as in the sequele folowing remaineth more expressely and particularly by the grace of Christ to be conuinced Â¶ Here foloweth a Summary collection of the errours heresies and absurdities conteyned in the popes doctrine contrary to the rules of Gods vvord and the first institution of the Church of Rome Of Faith and Iustification FIrst as touching the onely meanes and instrumentall cause of our iustificatioÌ„ wherby the merits of Christes PassioÌ„ be applied to vs made ours ye heard before how S. Paule onely ascrybeth the same to faith as appeareth by all his letters especially to the Romanes Where he excluding al kind of works ascribeth al our saluation iustification righteousnes reconciliation and peace with god onely to faith in Christ. Contrary to which doctrine the Pope and his church hath set vp diuers and sondry other meanes of their owne deuising whereby the merites of Christes passion they saye are applyed to vs and made ours to the putting away of sinnes and for our iustification as hope charitie sacrifice of the Masse auricular confession satisfacion merits of Saintes and holy orders the

fast of xl dayes was obserued long before Telesphorus by these wordes that followe In the dayes sayd he either of Lente or in the time of other lawfull fastinges he that abstaineth not as well from the eating meate as also from the mixture of bodies doth incurre in so doing not onely pollution but also coÌ„mitteth offence which must be washed away with the teares of repentaunce Agayne Apollonius affirmeth that Montanus the heretike was the first deuiser and brynger in of these lawes of fasting into the Churche which before was vsed to be free Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 18. but especially by Socrates wryter of the Ecclesiasticali story who lyued after the daies of Theodosius maye bee argued that this vij wekes fast is falsely imputed to Telesphorus For Socrates in his first booke speaking of this time hath these wordes Romani namque tres ante Pascha septimanas praeter Sabbatum Dominicam continuas ieiuuant that is the Romanes saith he doe fast three weekes continually before Easter beside the Sabbaoth and the Sonday And moreouer speaking of the diuers and sundry fastings of Lent in sundry and diuers Churches he addeth these words And because that no man can bring forth any commaundement written of this matter it is therefore apparant that the Apostles left this kind of fast free to euery mans will and iudgement least anye should be constrayned by feare and necessitie to doe that which is good c. With this of Socrates agreeth also the wordes of Sozomenus liuing much about yâ— same time in his seuenth voke where he thus writeth The whole fast of Lent saith he some comprehend in sixe weekes as doe the Illyrians and the west churches with al Libia Egipt Palestina some in vij weekes as at CoÌ„stantinople the parties bordering to Phoenicia other some in three weekes next before the day of Easter some againe in ij weekes c. By the whiche it may be collected that Telesph neuer ordained any such fast of vij wekes whiche otherwise neither woulde haue ben neglected in Rome in the west churches neither againe woulde haue bene vnremembred of these auncient Ecclesiasticall writers if any such thing had bene The like is to be thought also of the rest not onely of his constitutions but also of the other auntient Byshops Martyrs which followed after him as of Higinus an 142. who succeding him dying also a Martyr as Volateranus Lib. 22. declareth is saide or rather fained to bring in the creame one Godfather and Godmother in Baptisme to ordayne the dedication of Churches when as in his time so far it was of that anye solemne Churches were standing in Rome that vnneth the Christians could safely conuent in their own houses Likewise they distincting the orders of Metropolitanes Byshops and other degres sauour nothing lesse then of that tyme. After Higynus followed Pius who as Platina reporteth was so precisely deuout aboute the holye misteries of the Lords Table that if any one croome therof did fall downe to the grounde he ordained that the Priest shoulde doe penaunce xl daies If any fell vpoÌ„ the Superalter he should doe penaunce iij. daies if vpon the linen Corporas cloth iiij daies if vpon any other linnen cloth ix daies And if any drop of the bloude saith he should chaunce be spilled wheresoeuer it fell it should be licked vp if it were possible if not the place should be washed or pared so being washed or pared should be burned and layd in the vestry All which toies may seeme to a wise man more vaine and trifling then to fauour of those pure and straight times of those holy Martyrs This Pius as is reported was much conuersaunt with Hermes called otherwise Pastor Damasus saith he was his brother but how is that like that Hermes being the disciple of Paule or one of the lx disciples could be the brother of this Pius Of this Hermes of the reuelations the foresaid Pius in his Epistle decretall if it be not forged maketh mentioÌ„ declaring that vnto him appeared the aungel of God in the habite of a shepherde commaunding him that Easter day should be celebrated of al men vpoÌ„ no other day but vpon a sonday whereupon saith the Epistle Pius the Byshop by his authoritie Apostolicall decreed and commaunded the same to be obserued of al men Then succeeded Anicetus Soter and Eleutharius about the yeare of our Lord. 180. This Eleutherius at the request of Lucius king of Britanes sent to him Damianus and Fugatius by whom the king was conuerted to Christes saith and baptised about the yeare of our Lorde 179. Nauclerus Lib. Chro. Gen. 6. saith it was an 156. Henr. de Erfodia saith it was 169. in the xix yeare of Verus the Emperour some say it was in the vj. yeare of Commodus which shoulde be about the yeare of our Lorde 185. Timotheus in his storye thinketh that Eleutherius came himself but that is not like And as there is a variaunce among the writers for the count of yeres So doth there rise a question among some whether Eleutherius was the first that brought the faith from Rome into this lande or not Nicephorus Lib. 2. cap. 4. saith that SymoÌ„ Zelotes came into Britaine Some other alledge out of Gildas de victoria Aurel Ambrosi that Ioseph of Aramathie after the dispersion of the Iewes was sent to Philip the Apostle from Fraunce to Britaine about the yeare of our Lord 63. and here remained in this land al his time and so with his fellowes laide the first foundation of christian fayth among the Britaine people Whereupon other preachers and teachers coÌ„ming afterwarde confirmed the same increased it more And therefore doth Petrus Cluniacensis call the Scotishmen so doth count them as more auntient Christians For the confirmation hereof might be alledged the testimonie of Origene of Tertulian and the wordes also of the letter of Eleutherius whiche importe no lesse but that the faith of Christ was here in Englande among the Britaine people before Eleutherius time before the king was coÌ„uerted but hereof more shal be spokeÌ„ hereafter Christ willing when after the tractation of these .x. persecutioÌ„s we shal enter the matter of our English stories About this time of Commodus aforementioned among diuers other learned men and famous teachers whoÌ„ God stirred vp at that time as he doth at all other times rayse vp some in his church to confound the persecutors by learning and writing as the Martirs to confirme the truth with their bloud was Serapion Byshop of Antioche Egesippus a writer of the Ecclesiasticall historye from Christes Passion to his time as witnesseth Hierome Eusebius Lib. 4. cap. 8. 22. which bookes of his be not nowe remayning And those that be remaining which be 5. de excidio Hierosol be not mentioned neither of Hierome nor of Eusebius Miltiades which also wrote his Apology in defence of christian Religion

In the which functioÌ„ he ministred the terme of xvj yeares Eusebius Lib. 6. cap. 35. Of this Heraclas writeth also Origene himselfe that he although beyng Priest yet ceased not to read ouer and peruse the bookes of the Gentils to the intent he might the better out of their owne bookes confute their errour c. After Heraclas succeeded Dionysius Alexandrinus in the bishoprike of Alexandria like as he succeded him in the schole before Which Dionysius also writeth of the same Heraclas vnto Philemon a Priest of Rome thus saying Hunc ego canonem typum a beato Heracla Papa nostro accepi c. that is This Canon and type I receaued of blessed Heraclas our Pope c. This Heraclas was no Martyr which dyed 3. yeares before Decius about the yeare of our Lord 250. After whom succeeded next in the same seat of Alexandria Dionysius Alexandrinus who also suffered much vnder the tiranny of Decius as hereafter shal be shewed Christ willing when we come to the tyme of Valerian Nicephorus in his fift booke and other which write of this persecutioÌ„ vnder Decius declare the horriblenes therof to be so great and so innumerable Martyrs to suffer in the same that he sayth it is as easie to number the sandes of the sea as to recite the perticular names of them whoÌ„ this persecution did deuour In the which persecutioÌ„ the chiefest doers and tormenters vnder the Emperour appeare in the history of Vincentius to be these Optimus the vnder Consull Secundianus Verianus and Marcellianus c. Although therfore it be hard here to inferre all and singular persons in order that dyed in this persecution yet such as remayne most notable in stories I will briefly touche by the grace of him for whose cause they suffred In the former tractation of the fift persecution mentioÌ„ was made before of Alexander bishop of Hierusalem and of his troubles suffred vnder Seuerus and how afterward by the miracle of God he was appointed bishop of Hierusalem where he continued a very aged man aboue the terme of 40 yeares gouernour of that Church til the tune of the first yeare of Decius At what tyme he being brought from Hierusalem to Cesarea into the iudgement place after a constant and euident confession of his fayth made before the Iudge was committed vnto prison and there finished his lyre as testifieth Dionysius Alexandrinus in the sixâ— booke of Eusebius After whome succeeded in that seate Mezabanes the xxxvj Bishop of that Citie after Iames the Apostle Mention was made also before of Asclepiades Bishop of Antioch who succeeded after Serapion and in the persecution of Seuerus did likewise perseuer a constant confessor and as Vincentius testifieth in his xj booke suffered Martyrdome at last vnder this Decius But this computation of Vincentius can in no wise agree with the truth of tyme for as much as by probable writers as Zonaras Nicephorus and other the sayd Asclepiades after Serapion entred the bishops seate of Antioch an 214. and sate vij yeares before the tyme of Gordianus After whom succeeded Philetus an 221. gouerning the function xij yeares And after him Zebinus followed an 232. and so after him Babylas which Babylas if he dyed in this persecution of Decius then could not Asclepiades also suffer in the same tyme who dyed so long before him as is declared Of this Babylas bishop of Antioche Eusebus and Zonaras record that vnder Decius he dyed in prison as did Alexander bishop of Hierusalem aboue rehearsed We read in a certaine treatise of Chrysostome intituled Contra Gentiles a notable and a long history of one Babylas a martyr who about these times was put to death for resistyng a certaine Emperour not suffring him to enter into the temple of the Christians after a cruell murder coÌ„mitted the story of which murder is this There was a certaine Emperour who vpon conclusioÌ„ of peace made with a certain nation had receiued for hostage or suretie of peace the sonne of the king beyng of yong and tender age with conditions vpon the same that neither he should be molested of them nor that they should euer be vexed of him Upon this the kings sonne was deliuered not without great care and feare of the father vnto the Emperour whom the cruell Emperor contrary to promise caused in short tyme without all iust cause to be slayne This fact so horrible beyng committed the tyrant with all hast would enter into the temple of the christians Where Babylas beyng bishop or minister withstoode him that he should not into the place approch The Emperour therewith not a litle incensed in great rage commaunded him forthwith to be laid in prison with as many irons as he could beare from theÌ„ce shortly after to be brought forth to death and execution Babylas going constantly and boldly to his Martyrdome desired after his death to be buried with his irons and bands so he was The story proceedeth moreouer and saith that in continuaunce of tyme in the raigne of Constantinus Gallus then made the ouersear of the East partes caused his body to be translated into the suburbes of Antioch called Daphnes where was a temple of Apollo famous with diuelish Oracles answers geuen by that Idole or by the deuill rather in that place In the which temple after the bringing of the body of Babylas the idole ceased to geue any more Oracles saying that for the body of Babylas he could geue no moe answers but complaining that that place was woont to bee consecrated vnto him but now it was full of dead mens bodies And thus the Oracles there ceased for that tyme till the comming of Iulianus who inquiring out the cause why the Oracles ceased caused the bones of the holy Martyr to be remooued agayne from thence by the christians whom he then called Galileans They commyng in a great multitude both men maydens and children to the tombe of Babylas transported his bones according to the commaundement of the emperour singing by the way as they went the verse of the Psalme in wordes as followeth Confounded be all that worship Images and all that glory in Idoles c. which comming to the Emperours â—ares set him in great rage against the Christians stirring vp persecution against them Albeit Zonaras declareth the cause something otherwise saying that so soone as the body of him and other Martyrs were remooued away incontineÌ„t the temple of the Idole with the Image in the night was consumed with fire For the which cause sayth Zonaras Iulian stirred vp with anger persecuted the Christians as shall be shewed Christ willyng in his order and place hereafter And thus much of Babylas which whether it was the same Babylas Bishop then of Antioche or an other of the same name it appeareth not by Chrysostome which neither maketh mention of the Emperours name nor of the place where this Babylas was bishop Agayne the stopping out of the

be replenished with all kinde of filth dong and hogs and vile beasts therin to be sayd as wel in the chambers as other houses of office And in theyr owne chamber where they did lye there was a Sow laid with her yong pigs And when she knew that this palace was thus deformed being a certain space out of the town she besought the king to visite the said pallace And when she had brought him therunto she said to him I pray you my Lord behold now this house where are now the rich tappets and clothes of gold silke and other rich apparel that we left here this other day And where be the delicacies pleasant seruitors and costly dishes that you and I lately were serued with Be not all these passed gone My Lord saith she in like maner shall we vanish away as sodainly as you see these worldly things bene passed And our bodies which now be delicately kept shal fal and turne into the filth of the earth Wherefore haue in mynde my wordes that before tyme to you I haue often shewed told and busie you to purchase that palace that euer shal endure in ioy without transmutation By meane of these wordes and other the Queene turned so the kings mynd that shortly after he resigned the gouernance of his kingdom vnto Ethelardus his nephew for the loue of Christ tooke vpon him the habite of a poore man And setting apart all the pompe pride of this wicked world associated himself in the felowship of poore men and traualled to Rome with great deuotion when he had bene king of Westsaxons as before is sayd 37. yeares After whose departing the foresaid Ethelburga his wife went vnto Barking 7. miles from London where in the Nunry of Barking before of Erkenwald founded she continued ended the rest of her life when she had bene Abbes of the place a certaine time The said Malmesbery in his story also testifieth that this Iue was the first king that granted a peny of euery fire house through his dominion to be paid vnto the Court of Rome which afterward was called Romescot or Peter pence long after was paid in many places of England This Iue like as for his time he was worthy and valiaunt in his actes so was he the first of the Saxon kings that I read of which set forth any lawes to his country the rehersall of which lawes to the number of 80. odde were not vnprofitable here to be inserted together with other lawes of the Westsaxon kings after him before the tyme of William Conquerour in case it were not for the length prolixitie of this present volume And thus much concerning the raigne of king Iue king of Westsaxons by the way Now to repaire againe to the course of NorthuÌ„berland kings something intermitted Next vnto the foresaid Osricus folowed Celulfus whom he had adopted brother to KeÌ„red aboue specified This Celulfus as he was himselfe learned so were in his tyme diuers learned meÌ„ then florishing in England among whoÌ„ was Beda who vnto the same king Celulfus offred his story intituled Anglorum Historia not onely to be ratified by his authoritie but also to be amended as Malmesburiensis writeth by his knowledge and learnyng And for as much as I haue here entred into the mention of Bede a man of worthy and venerable memory because of the certifiyng of the truth of that man and for that I see all writers as touching his life do not agree some saying that he was no Englishman borne I thought so much to report of him as I finde by his owne words testified of himselfe in the latter end of his ecclesiastical history of England offred to the said Celulfus aboue mentioned the wordes of whom be these Thus much by the helpe of God I Bede the seruant of Christ and Priest of the Monastery of Peter and Paule at wire haue compiled and digested concerning the Britain history And so the same Bede proceding further in his narration declareth that he being borne in the territorie of the sayd Monastery beyng of the age of vij yeares was committed of his parents and friends to the tuition and education of Benedict of whom aboue relation is made and of Celfride Abbots of the foresaid Monastery In the which place or Monastery he continuyng from that tyme forth all his lyfe long gaue hymselfe and all his whole study to the meditating of holy scripture Whatsoeuer tyme or laisure he had froÌ„ his daily seruice in the church that he spent either in learning or in teaching or writing somthing About xix yeares of his age he was made Deacon the xxx yeare of his age he was made priest From the which time to the age of 59. yeares he occupied himself in interpreting the workes of the auncient fathers for his owne vse and the necessitie of others and in writing of treatises which came in all to the number of 37. volumes which he digested into 78. bookes Some say that he went to Rome either there to defend his bookes to be consonant to catholike doctrine either els if they should be found faulty to amend correct the same as he should thereto be commaunded Albeit the reporter of this his life dare not certainly affirme that euer he was at Rome but that he was inuited and called thether to come both it is manifest in stories and also this Epistle of Pope Sergius doth sufficiently prooue declarnig moreouer in what price and estimation Bede was accepted as wel in the court of Rome as in other places besides The Epistle of Sergius sent to Celfride thus proceedeth in tenor and forme as followeth in Latin The Epistle of Pope Sergius sent to Celfride Abbot of Wire Abbey requiring Bede to be sent vp to him to Rome for the same of his worthy learning SErgius Episcopus seruus seruorsi Dei Celfrido religioso Abbati Sal. Quibus modis ac verbis clementiam Dei nostri atque inenarrabilem prouidentiam possumus ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ dignas gratiarum actiones pro immensis eius circa nos beneficijs persoluere qui in tenebris in vmbra mortis positos ad lumen scientia perducit Et infra Benedictionis gratlam quam nobis per praesentem portatorem tua deuota misir religio libâ—i hilari animo ficuti ab ea directa est nos suscepisse cognosce Oportunis igitur ac dignis amplectandae tuae sollicitudinis petitionibus arctissima deuotione satisfacientes hortamur Deo dilectam religiositatis tuae bonitatem vt quia exortis quibusdam Ecclesiasticarum causarum capitulis non sine examinatione longius innotescendis opus nobis sunt ad conferendum artes literaturae sicut decet Deo deuotum auxiliatorem sanctae matris vniuersalis Ecclesiae obedientem deuotionem huic nostrae exhortationi non desistas accommodare sed absque vlla immoratione religiosum Dei famulum Bedam venerabilem Monasterij

and Antoninus who in playne termes likewyse report the same Nowe hauing sayd the foundation for the truth and ground of this matter let vs come to examine how truely our latter writers do say which write that Editha and not Edward was the child for whom Dunstane enioined to the king 7. yeares penaunce and also how truely they report Edward to be a lawfull heyre and Elflede to bee a lawfull wyfe to king Edgar For first touching Editha this is confessed by the sayd writers themselues that she was of good yeares at what tyme Edgar her father was enioyned his penaunce After the which seuen yeares of his penaunce expyred he lyued at the most but in yeares and a halfe Which seuen yeares and 3. yeares and a halfe make in all but x. yeres a halfe But now the said authors themselues do graunt that she was made Abbas by her father he beyng then alyue And how can this then stand with her Legend which sayth that she was not lesse then 15. yeares of age By which account it must needes fall out that she could not be so little as v. yeres old before the birth of that chyld for whom the kyng did penaunce And thus much touching Editha Now in like maner to consider of the tyme of Edward First this by all writers is graunted that he was slayne in the 15. yeare of his age Which yeares do well agree to that chyld which king Edgar begate in bastardy for the which he did hys penance For the more euidence whereof let vs come to the supputation of yeares in this sort First the penaunce of the king after the byrth of this child lasted 7. yeres Then the king after the same lyued 3. yeres a halfe After whose death Edward raigned other 3. yeres and a half which in all make the full summe of 14. yeres About the count of which age the said Edward goyng on his 15. yeres by their owne reckoning was slaine And thus haue ye by manifest demonstration prooued by the right casting of the yeres after their owne graunt rekoning that Editha daughter of Wlfride in no case can be the child which was borne after Edward for whom the king was enioyned penance but that Edward rather was borne after Editha and was the childe for whom the penance was enioined contrary to the opinion commoÌ„ly receiued in the church which for ignorance of the story hath hetherto holden Edward to be an holy Martyr and right heyre vnto the crowne Which error and opinion how it first sprang and by whom albeit it pertaine not to my story to discusse yet were it no hard matter to coniecture First after that Dunstane and Oswolde wyth other Bishops Abbots and certayne Lordes Dukes of that faction for the maintenaunce of Monkery had aduaunced Edward to be king against Queene Alfrith mother of Ethelred Alferus duke of Mercia and certaine other Nobles which held with the contrary side of the Priestes agaynst the Monkes In processe of tyme the monkes that came after to write stories perceiuing Dunstane to be reputed in the Church of Rome for an holy Saint and the sayd king Edward for an holy Martyr and partly also to bolster vp their owne religion of Monkery so muche as they could to the intent therfore they would saue the credite both of Dunstane and of the kyng and especially bearing fauour to their owne religion and partly that the reputation of the church of Rome should not be disteined by opening the truth of this matter either did not see or would not confesse herein what they knew but rather thought best to blanch the story and colourably to hide the simple truth therof making the people falsly beleue that Elfleda the mother of Edward was wife to king Edgar and Edward to be lawfully borne and also that Editha was born after Edward to be the child for which the king was enioyned penance All which is false and coÌ„trary both to the order of tyme aboue declared and also to the plaine words of Malmesbury which speaking of king Edgars last concubine sayth in plaine wordes Dilexit vnicÃ¨ integram lecto vni deferens sidem quoad legitimam vxorem accepit Elfthride filiam Ordgari That is he had a concubine whom he loued entirely keping true faith of his bed to her alone vntil the tyme he maried for his lawfull wife Elfride the daughter of duke Ordgare c. Wherby we haue to vnderstand that whatsoeuer concubine this was which Malmesbury speaketh off certaine it is that Edgar liued in whoredome till tyme he maried his lawfull wyfe Furthermore and finally to conclude beside these arguments and allegations aboue recited let this also be perpended how the said Dunstan with his complices after the killing of king Edward leauing the right heyre of the crowne which was Ethelred went about as Capgraue and their owne Legend coÌ„fesseth to set vp Editha the other bastarde to possesse the crowne but that she more wise then her brother Edward refused the same Wherby what is to be thought of the doyngs of Dunstane and what should be the cause why hee preferred both Edward and Editha to the crowne rather then the lawfull heyre I leaue to all indifferent Readers therof to iudge After that Dunstane and his fellowes had thus set vp Edward for their king they were now where they would be supposing all to be sure on their side and that they had established the kingdom of Monkery for euer through the helpe of the young king and the Duke of Eastangles and certaine other nobles whom they had drawn to their part Howbeit this matter passed not so wel with them as they hoped For shortly after the coronation of this yong king Alferus duke of Mercia who folowed much the deedes of the Queene with other great men stoutly standing on the contrary side droue out the Monkes from the Cathedrall churches which king Edgar before had set in and restored agayne the Priests as Ranulphus sayth with their concubines but in the historie of the Librarie of Iornall I find it plainly expressed with their wiues The wordes of the very author be these Alferus princeps Merciorum caeterique plures eiectis monachis de magnis monasterijs quos rex Edgarus nuper instituerat clericos cum vxoribus reduxerunt That is Alterus duke of Mercia with other great men mo droue out the Monkes from the great monasteries whom king Edgar had there set in before restored againe the priests with their wyues Wherby it doth euidently appeare that priests in those dayes were maried and had their lawfull wiues The like before that in king Inas tyme is plaine that Bishops then had wiues and children as appeareth by the words of the lawe then set forth extant in the history of the said Iornalensis which be these Si quis filiolum alterius occidat vel patrinum sit simile cognationi

Aquitania and afterward a Frier This Hadrianus walking with his cardinals abroad to a place called Anagnia or Arignanum as Volateran calleth it chaunced to be choked with a flie getting into his throte and so was strangled who in the latter tyme of his papacie was woont to say that there is no more miserable kynd of lyfe in the earth then to bee a Pope and to come to the papacie by bloud that is said he not to succeed Peter but rather Romulus who to raigne alone did slay his brother Although this Adrian was bad enough yet came the next much worse one Alexander the 3. of that name Who yet was not elected alone for beside him the Emperor with 9. Cardinals albeit Sabellicus saith but with 3. did set vp another Pope named Victor the 4. Betwene these two Popes rose a soule schisme and great discord and long coÌ„tinued In so much that the Emperour being required to take vp the matter sent for them both to appeare before him that in hearing them both he might iudge theyr cause the better Victor came but Alexander disdaming that his matter should come in controuersie refused to appeare Whereupon the Emperour with a full consent of his Bishops and clergy about him assigned and ratified the election of Victor to stand and so brought him into the Citie there to be receiued placed Alexander flying into FraÌ„ce accused them both sending his letters to all christendom against them as men to be auoided and cast out of all christian company Also to get him frendes at Rome by flattery and mony got on his side the greatest part of the Citie both to the fauouring of him and to the setting vp of such Consuls as were for his purpose After this Alexander comming from France to Sicile and froÌ„ thence to Rome was there receiued with much fauour thorough the helpe of Phillip the French king The Emperour hearing this rebellion and conspiracie in Rome remooued with great power into Italy where he had destroyed diuers great cities Comming at length to Rome he required the Citizens that the cause betwixt the two Popes might bee decided and that he which had the best right might be takeÌ„ If they would so do he would restore agayne that which he tooke from them before Alexander mistrusting his part and doubtyng the willes of the Citizens hauing shippes ready prepared for hym from William Duke of Apulia fetcht a course about to Venice To declare here the difference in histories betweene Blondus Sabellicus and the Venetian chronicles with other writers concerning the order of this matter I will ouerpasse In this most do agree that the Pope beyng at Venice and required to be sent of the Venetians to the Emperour they would not send him Wherupon Fridericus the Emperour sent thither his sonne Otho with men and ships well apointed charging him not to atteÌ„pt any thing before his comming The yong man more hardy then circumspect ioyning with the Venetians was ouercome so taken was brought into the city Hereby the Pope toke no small occasion to worke his feates The father to helpe the captiuitie and miserye of hys sonne was compelled to submit hymselfe to the Pope and to intreat for peace So the Emperour commyng to Venice at S. Markes Church where the bishop was there to take hys absolution was bidde to kneele downe at the Popes feete Pope Alexander treading on the necke of Fredericke the Emperour Here as I note in diuers writers a great diuersitie and varietie touching the order of this matter of whome some say that the Emperour campt in Palestina before he came to Venice some say after so I meruell to see in Volaterane so great a fauourer of the pope such a contradiction who in his 22. book saith the Otto the Emperours sonne was taken in this conflict which was the cause of the peace betweene his father and the pope And in his 23. booke agayne saith that the Emperour himselfe was taken prisoner in the same battayle so afterward peace concluded tooke his iorney to Alia Palestina This P. in the time of his papacie whiche continued 21. yeares kept sundry councels both at Turo at Lateran where he confirmed the wicked proceedings of Hildebrand and other his predecessors As to binde all orders of the clergy to the vowe of chastitie which were not greatly to be reprehended if they would define chastitie aright For who so liueth not a chaste lyfe sayth he is no fit person to be a minister But herein lyeth an error full of much blindnes and also peril to thinke that matrimony immaculate as S. Paul calleth it is not chastitie but onely a single life that they esteeme to be a chaste life Now forasmuch as our english pope holy martyr called Thomas Becket happened also in the same tyme of this pope Alexander let vs somewhat also story of him so far as the matter shall seeme worthy of knowledge and to stand with truth To the end that the truth thereof being sifted from all flattery and lyes of such popishe writers as paynt out his story men may the better iudge both of hym what he was and also of hys cause The life and history of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury IF the cause make a Martyr as is sayd I see not why we should esteeme Tho. Becket to dye a martyr more then any other whome the Princes sword doth here temporally punish for their temporall desertes To dye for the Church I graunt is a glorious matter But the Church as it is a spirituall and not a temporal Church so it standeth vpon causes spirituall and vpon an heauenly foundation as vpon sayth religion true doctrine sincere discipline obedience to Gods coÌ„mandements And not vpoÌ„ things pertaining to this world as possessions liberties exemptions priuileges dignities patrimonies and superiorities If these be geuen to the Churche I pray God churchmen may vse them wel but if they be not geuen the church cannot clayme theÌ„ or if they be takeÌ„ away that stadeth in the princes power To contend to Princes for the same it is no matter in my minde materiall to make a martyr but rather a rebellion agaynst them to whom we owe subiection Therfore as I suppose Tho. Becket to be far froÌ„ the cause and title of a Martyr neyther can he be excused from a playne rebell against his prince so yet would I haue wished agayne the lawe rather publikely to haue found out his fault then the swords of men not biddeÌ„ not sent to haue smitten him hauing no speciall commandement neyther of the prince nor of the lawe so to doe For though the indignation of the Prince as the wise Prince sayth is death yet it is not for euery priuate persoÌ„ straghtwayes to reuenge the secret indignation of his Prince except he be publikely authorised thereunto And thus had bene as I suppose the better way the lawes first to haue executed

them And thus much concerning Fulco Not long after this it befell that a certaine noble personage Lord of Lemonice in litle Britaine Widomarus by name found a great substance of treasure both of golde and siluer hid in the ground wherof a great part he sent to king Richard as chiefe Lorde and Prince ouer the whole countrey Which the king refused saying he would either haue all or none for that he was the principall chiefetaine ouer the land But the finder woulde not condescende to that Wherefore the king laide siege to a Castell of hys called Galuz thinking the treasure to lie there But the keepers and warders of the Castel seeing themselues not sufficient to withstand the king offered to him the castell desiring to depart with life and armour To this the king woulde in no wise graunt but bid them to reenter the castell againe and to defende it in all the forceable wise they coulde It so befell that as the King with the Duke of Brabant went about the castel vewing the places therof a souldiour wythin named Bertandus Cordoun stroke the king with an arrow in the arme whereupon the yron remaining and festering in the wound the king within 9. daies after died who because he was not content with the halfe of the treasure that another man founde lost all his own treasure that he had The king being thus wounded caused the man that stroke him to be brought vnto him and asked the cause of him why he so wounded him Who answered againe as the storie sayeth that he thought to kill rather then to be killed And what punishment soeuer he should susteine he was coÌ„tent so that he might kil him which had before killed his father and brethren The king hearing his words frely forgaue him and caused an hundreth shillings to be geueÌ„ him Albeit as the story addeth after the death of the king the duke of BrabaÌ„ce after great torments caused hym to be haÌ„ged Ex historia Regis Richardi 2. cui initium De patre istius Bruti c. The storie of Gisburne sayeth that the killer of king Richarde comming to the French king thinking to haue a great rewarde was commanded to be drawen a sonder with horse and his quarters to be hanged vp An other story affirmeth and Gisburn partly doth testifie the same that a litle before the death of K. Richarde 3. Abbotes of the order Cistercian came to him to whome he was confessed And when he sawe them somewhat stay at his absolution had these wordes that he did willingly commit his body to the earth to be eaten of wormes and his soule to the fire of Purgatory there to be tormented til the iudgement in the hope of God his mercy Ex Iornalens Gisburn alijs About the raigne of this king the sayd Iornalensis maketh mention of Roger archbish of Yorke which put out of his Churche the Monkes and placed for them seculare Priests saying that he woulde rather with Ecclesiasticall benefices to be geuen to wanton Priests then to abhominable Monkes that Thurstinus did sinne neuer worse in al his life then in building that house for monks c. Another story I haue which sayth that this was the Byshop not of Yorke but of Couentrie The king not long after departed without issue and Iohn his brother reigned after him in whome although some vices may worthely be repreheÌ„ded especially for his incontinent and too much licentious life yet was he farre from that deseruing for the which he hath bene so il reported of diuers wryters who being led more with affection of Poperie then with true iudgement and due consideration depraued his doings more then the sincere trueth of the historie will beare them Concerning which historie after so many wryters we thought also to bestowe a little labour although in this matter we can not be so long as I would and as the matter requireth Kyng Iohn AFter the death of king Richarde called Coeur de Lyon reigned his brother Iohn Earle of Morton Afterward the Archbyshop put the crowne on his head and sware him to defend the churche and to maintaine the same in her good lawes and to destroy the euil And except he thought not in his minde to do this the Archb. charged him not to presume to take on him this dignitie And on Saint Iohn Baptists day next following king Iohn failed into Normandy came to Roan where he was royally receiued and truce concluded betweene him the French king for a time And thether came to him the Earle of Flaunders and all other Lords of Fraunce that were of K. Richards band and frendship and were sworne vnto him Not long after this Philip the French king made Arthur Knight and tooke his homage for Normandie Britaine and al other his possessions beyond the sea and promised him helpe against K. Iohn After this King Iohn and the French king talked together wyth theyr Lordes about one houres space And the Frenche King asked so much land for himself and knight Arthur that king Iohn would graunt him none and so departed in wrath The same yeare a legate came into Fraunce and commaunded the King in paine of interdiction to deliuer one Peter out of prison that was elect to a Bishoppricke and thereupon he was deliuered And after that the Legate came into England commaunded K. Iohn vnder paine of interdiction to deliuer the Archb. which he had kept as prisoner 2. yeares which the King denied to do till he had payd him 6000. markes Because he tooke him in harnes in a field against him and sware him vpon his deliuerance that he should neuer weare harnesse against any Christen man This time diuorce was made betweene K. Iohn and his wife daughter of the Earle of Glocester because they were in the iii. degree of kinred And after by the counsell of the French king King Iohn wedded Isabel daughter of the Earle of Anguilla and then Arthur of Britaine did homage to king Iohn for Britaine and other At this time fell strife betwene K. Iohn and Geoffrey the Archbishop of Yorke for diuers causes first because he would not suffer and permit the Sheriffe of Yorke in such affaires as he had to do for the King within his Diocesse Secondly because hee did also excommunicate the sayde sheriffe Thirdly because he would not saile with him into Normandie to make the mariage betwene Lewes the French kings sonne and his niece c. After this in the yeare of our Lorde 1202. Phillip the French king in a communication betwene K. Iohn and him required that the saide K. Iohn should depart with all his landes in Normandy and Pictauia which he had beyond the sea vnto Arthur his nephew and that incontinent or els he would warre against him and so did For when king Iohn denied that request the next day folowing the French king with the sayde Arthur

sundry couÌ„tries As in the countrey of Sucuia about the time of this Emperour an 1240. or neare vpon the same where were many preachers meÌ„tioned in the Chronicle of UrspergeÌ„sis and also in Crantzius Lib. 8. cap. 16. 18. which preached freelye against the Pope These Preachers as Crantzius sayth ringing the Belles and calling the Barons in Hallis of Sueuia there preached that the Pope was an hereticke that his Bishops and Prelats were simoniacke and heretickes And that the inferiour Priestes and Prelates had no authority to binde and loose but were all seducers IteÌ„ that no Pope Bishop or Priest could restrayne meÌ„ from their duety of seruing and worshipping of God And therfore such cities or couÌ„tries as were then vnder the Popes curse might notwithstanding lawfully resort to the receyuing of Sacraments as well as before Item that Friers Dominicke and Franciscane did subuert the church with their preaching And as the indulgence of the Pope his Popelings was of no regard so that remissioÌ„ which they did preach vnto them they preached it not from the Pope but as from the Lord. And thus much I thought here to recite whereby it may appeare how the resisting of the Popes vsurped power and corrupt doctrine is no newe thing in these dayes in the Church of Christ. c. And not long after these aforesayd rose vp Arnoldus De noua villa a Spanyard and a man famously learned a great writer an 1250. Whom the Pope with his spiritualty condemned among hereticks for holding and writing agaynst the corrupt errors of the popish Church His teaching was that SathaÌ„ had seduced all the world from the truth of Christ Iesus Item that the sayth which then Christen men were commonly taught was such a fayth as the deuils had meaning belike as we now'affirme that the papistes do teach onely the horicall fayth which is the fayth Historiae non fiduciae IteÌ„ that Christen people meaning belike for the most part are led by the pope vnto hel Item that all cloysters are voyd of charity and damned And that they all doe falsify the doctrine of Christ. Item that the Diuines do euill in mixting Philosophy with d iuinity Item that Masses are not to be celebrated And that they ought not to sacrifice for the dead Certaine other opinions there be which the slaundrous sects of Monks and Friers do attribute vnto him but as they are wont in al other to do rather vpon enuious taking then of any iust cause geuen And as this Arnoldus was condeÌ„ned so also the same time Ioannes Semeca the glose writer of the Popes decrees and Prouost of Halberstate was excoÌ„municated depriued of his Prouostship for resisting Pope Clement the fourth gathering certain exactions in Germany And therfore he appealed from the Pope to a generall councel and had many great fauorers on his side till at last both the Pope and he dyed Consequently in this order and number foloweth the worthy and valiaunt champion of Christ aduersarye of Antichrist Guilielmus de S. Amore a maister of Paris and chiefe ruler then of that Uniuersity This Guilielmus in his time had no small a do writing agaynst the Fryers their hipocrisy But especially against the begging friers both condemning their whole order and also accusing theÌ„ as those that did disturbe trouble al the churches of Christ by their preaching in churches agaynst the will of the ordinaries and pastors by their hearing of confessions and executing the charges of Curates and pastors in theyr Churches All the testimonyes of Scripture that make agaynst Antichrist he applyeth them against the Clergy of Prelates and the Popes spiritualtye The same Gulielmus is thought to be the author of the booke which is attributed to the schole of Paris and intituled De periculis Ecclesiae Where he proueth by 39. arguments that Friers be false Apostles Moreouer he doth well expound this saying of Christ if thou wilt be perfect go and sell away all thou hast and come follow me declaring there pouerty to be inioyned vs of Christ non actualem sed habitualem not in such sort as standeth in outward action when no need requireth but in inward affection of hart when neede shall require As though the meaning precept of our Lord were not that we should cast away actually al the we haue but that when the confession of the name of God the glory of christ shall so require that then we be ready to leaue reliquish what things soeuer for the sake of him c. As when he requireth in vs after like phrase the hatred of father mother and of our own liues he biddeth vs not to dihonor father or mother much lesse to hate theÌ„ but that theÌ„ when case shall require we set all thinges behinde the loue of Christ. Many oth er worthy workes he compiled wherin albeit he vttered nothing but what was truth yet notwithstanding he was by Antichrist his rable condemned for an heritick exiled his bookes burnt Whose hereticall argumeÌ„tes as they called them that thou mayst better iudge therof here vnder I thought good to place Agaynst false Prophets with signes to know them by in these his wordes do follow For because these seducers sayth he name theÌ„selues to be Apostles and that they are sent of God to preach to absolue dispeÌ„se with the soules of men by meanes of their ministery Read the saying of the Apostle in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the xi chap. For such Apostles are subtle and cratty workemen disguising themselues to be like the Apostles of Christ Therfore we mean to shew some certaine infallible tokeÌ„s and probable by the whic false Apostles may be discerned from the true preachers and Apostles of Christ. The 1. signe or marke is that such as be true preachers do not enter into simple womens houses ladeÌ„ with sinne and take them as it were captiue as many of the false preachers do as in the second Epistle of S. Paule to Timothy the 3. chapter is manifest saying Of those sortes are they which enter into womens houses c. Therfore those preachers which come into womens houses to the intent they may take theÌ„ captiue be not true preachers but false Apostles The 2. signe and token is that those that be true preachers do not deceiue simple men with painted and flattering wordes whereby they preferre their owne trash and traditions as all false Prophets do as in the last Chapter to the Romaines appeareth saying By their pleasaunt sugred talk and by their blessing and crossing they deceiue and beguile the hartes of innocent men and women Glo. with gay glorious words they extoll set forth their traditions wherby they deceiue simple meÌ„ Uery greatly doe they deceiue the soules of simple men which cause them to enter into theyr sect which they terme Religion And they which before led a noughty

maisters that they desiren more maistrie for their own worship than for profit of the people For when they be maisters they ne preachen not so oft as they did before And gif they preachen commonlich it is before riche men there as they mowen beare worship and also profite of their preaching But before poore men they preachen but seldem when they ben maisters and so by theyr woorkes wee may seene that they ben false glosers And Lord me thinketh that who so wole keepen thine hestes him needeth no gloses but thilke that clepen them selfe Christen men and lyuen agaynst thy teaching and thine hestes needelich they mote glose thine hestes after their liuing other els men shulden openlich yknow their hipocrisie and their falshod But Lord thou sayst that there ys nothing yhid that shall not be shewed some time And Lord yblessed more thou be For somewhat thou shewest vs now of our mischiefes that wee bene fallen in through the wisedomes of maysters that haue by sleightes ylad vs away from thee and thy teaching that thou that were thy maister of heauen taught vs for loue when thou were here some time to heale of our soules withouten error or heresie But maisters of worldes wisedome and their founder haue ydamned it for heresie and for errour O Lord me thinketh it is a great pride thus to reproue thy wisedome and thy teaching And Lord me thinketh that this Nabugodonosor king of Babilon that thus hath reproued thy teaching and thine hestes and commandeth on all wyse to kepen his hests maken thy people hearen him as a God on earth and maketh theÌ„ his thrales and his seruauntes But Lord we lewd men knowen no God but thee we with thine help and thy grace forsaken Nabugodonosor and his lawes For he is in his proud estate wole haue all men vnder him and he nele be vnder no man He ondoth thy lawes that thou ordeynest to ben kept and maketh his owne lawes as him liketh and so he maketh him king aboue all other kinges of the earth and maketh men to worshippen him as a God and thy great sacrifice he hath ydone away O Lord here is thy commaundement of meekenes mischiflich to broke And thy blessed commaundement of poorenes is also to broken and yhid from thy people Lord Zacharie thy prophet sayth that thou that shouldest be our king shouldest bene a poore man and so thou were for thou saydest thy selfe Foxes haue dens and birdes of heauen nestes and mans sonne hath not where to legge his head on And thou saydest yblessed ben poore men in spirite for thy kingdome of heauen is therein And woe to riche men for they han theyr comfort in this world And thou bad thy disciples to ben ware of all couetise for thou saydest in the abouÌ„dance of a mans hauing ne is not his lyfelode And so thou teachest that thilke that han more then them needeth to theyr liuing lyuen in couetise Also thou sayst but gif a man forsake all things that he oweth he ne may not bene thy disciple Lord thou sayest also that thy worde that is sowne in riche mens hartes bringeth forth no fruite for riches and the busines of this world maken it withouten fruit O Lord here bene many blessed teachinges to teach men to bene poore and loue porenes But Lord harme is poore men and poorenes ben yhated and ryche men ben yloued and honoured And gif a man be a poore man men holden him a man without grace and if a man desireth poorenes men holden him but a foole And if a man be a rich man men clepen him a gratious man and thilke that ben busy in getting of riches ben yhold wyse men and ready but Lord these rich men sayen that it is both leful and needefull to them to gather riches together For they ne gathereth it for themselfe but for other men that ben needy and Lord their woorkes shewen the truth For if a poore needy man woulde borowen of theyr riches he nele leane him none of his good but gif he mow be seker to haue it againe by a certayne day But Lord thou bede that a man should send and not hoping yelding againe of him that he lendeth to and thy father of heauen wol quite him his mede And gif a pore aske a rich man any good the rich man will geue him but a little and yet it shall be little worth And Lord me thinketh that here is little loue and charitie both to God and to our brethren For Lord thou teachest in thy Gospell that what men doe to thy seruauntes they done to thee A Lord gif a poore man axe good for thy loue men geueth him a little of the wurst For these rich men ordeinen both bread and ale for Gods men of the wurst that they haue O Lord sith all good that men hath commeth of thee how dare any man geue thee of the wurst and kepe to himselfe the best How may suche men say that they gatheren riches for others need as well as himselfe sith their workes ben contratrary to their words And that is no great truth And be ye seker these goods that rich meÌ„ han they ben gods goods ytake to your keeping to loke how he wolen be setten them to the worshipping of God And Lord thou sayest in the Gospell that who so is true in litle he is true in that thing that is more And who that is false in a litle thing who wole taken him toward things of a greater value And therfore be ye ware that han gods goods to keep Spend ye thilke truelich to the worship of God least ye leesen the blysse of heauen for the vntrue despending of Gods goods in this world O Lord these rich men seggen that they done much for thy loue For many poore labourers ben yfound by them that shoulden fare febelich ne were not they and their readines Forsooth me thinketh that poore labourers geueth to these rich men more then they geuen them agaynward For the poore men mote gone to his labour in cold and in heate in wete and dry and spend hys flesh and his bloud in the richmens works vpon Gods gound to finde the rich man in ease and in liking and in good fare of meate of drink and of clothing Here is a great gift of the poore man for he geueth his owne body But what geueth the richman hym agayneward Certes feeble meat and feeble drinke and feeble clothing What euer they seggen suche be their workes and here is little loue And whosoeuer looketh well about all the worlde fareth as we seggeÌ„ And all meÌ„ studieth on euery side how they may wexe rich men And euerich man almost is ashamed to ben holden a poore man And Lord I trow for thou were a poore man men token litle regarde to thee and to thy teaching But Lord thou came to geue vs a new testament of loue therefore

wherfore he was depriued were these That the Pope had no more power to excommunicate any man then hath an other That if it be geueÌ„ by any persoÌ„ to the pope to excoÌ„municate yet to absolue the same is as much in the power of an other priest as in hys He affirmed moreouer that neyther the king nor any temporall Lord could geue any perpetuity to the church or to any ecclesiasticall person for that when such ecclesiasticall do sinne habitualiter continuing in the same still the temporal powers ought and may meritoriously take away from them that before hath bene bestowed vpon theÌ„ And that he proued to haue bene practised before here in England by WilliaÌ„ Rufus which thing sayd he if he did lawfully why may not the same also be practised now if he did it vnlawfully then both the church erre sayth he doth vnlawfully in praying for him But of his assertions more shall follow Christ willing hereafter The story which ascribeth to him these assertions being taken out as I take it of that monastery of S. Albons addeth withall that in his teaching and preaching he was very eloquent but a dissembler saith he and an hipocrite Why he surmiseth him to be an hypocrite the cause was this First because he resorted much to the orders of the begging Friers frequenting and extolling the perfection of their pouerty Secondly because he and his felowes vsually accustomed in their preaching to go baretoote and in simple russet gownes By this I suppose may sufficiently appeare to the indifferent the nature and condition of Wickliffe how far it was froÌ„ the ambitioÌ„ pride which in the slaundrous pen of Polydore Virgil reporting in his 19. book of him that because he was not preferred to higher honors and dignities of the church conceiuing therfore indignation agaynst the clergy became theyr mortall enemy How true this was he onely knoweth best that rightly shall iudge both yâ— one and the other In the meane time by other circuÌ„staunces partes of his life we may also partly coÌ„iecture what is to be thoght of that maÌ„ But howsoeuer it was in him either true or false yet it had bene Polidors part either not so intemperatly to haue abused his pen or at least to haue shewed some greater authority and ground of that his report For to follow nothing els but flying fame so rashlye to defame a man whose life he knoweth not is not the part of a faythful story writer But to returne from wheÌ„ce we digressed Beside these his opinions and assertions aboue recited with other mo which are hereafter to be brought in order He began also then something nearely to touch the matter of the Sacrament prouing that in the sayd Sacrament the accidences of bread remayned not without the subiect or substaunce both by the holy Scriptures and also by the authoritye of the doctors but specially by such as were most auncieÌ„t As for the latter writers that is to say such as haue written vpon that argumeÌ„t vnder the thousand yeres since Christes time he vtterly refused saying that after these yeares Sathan was losed set at liberty And that since that time the life of man hath bene most subiect and in danger of errors the simple and playne truth to appeare and consist in the Scriptures wherunto all humam traditions whatsoeuer they be must be referred and specially such as are set forth published now of late yeares This was the cause why he refused the latter writers of decretals leaning only to the Scriptures auncient doctors most stoutly affirming out of them that in the SacrameÌ„t of the body which is celebrate with bread the accideÌ„ce not to be present with out the substaunce That is to say that the body of Chryst is not present without the breade as the common sorte of Priestes in those daies did dreame As for his arguments what they were we wyll shortly at more oportunity by Gods grace declare them in an other place But herein the trueth as the Poet speaketh very truely had gotten Iohn Wickeliffe great displeasure and hatred at many mens handes and specially of the Monkes and richest sort of Priestes Albeit through the fauor and supportation of the duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Percy he persisted hitherto in some meane quiet against their woluish violence eruelty Till at last about the yeare of our Lord. 1376. the Byshops still vrging and inciting their Archbishop Symon Sudberye who before had depriued him and afterward prohibited him also not to stirre any more in those sorts of matters had obteined by processe and order of citation to haue him brought before them Whereunto both place and time for him to appeare after theyr vsuall forme was to him assigned The Duke hauing intelligence that Wickliffe his client should come before the Bishops fearing that he being but one was to weake agaynst such a multitude calleth to him out of the orders of Friers foure Bachelers of Diuinity out of euery order one to ioyne them with Wickliffe also for more surety When the day was come assigned to the said Wickliffe to appeare whiche day was Thursday the 19. of February Iohn Wickliffe accompanied with the foure Friers aforesayd and with them also the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Percy Lord Marshal of England the said Lord Percy also going before them to make rowme and way wherewith wickliffe should come Thus wickliffe through the prouidence of god being sufficiently garded was comming to the place where the Bishops sate whome by the way they animated and exhorted not to feare nor shrink a whit at the company of the bishops there present who were all vnlearned said they in respect of him For so proceede that wordes of my foresaid author whom I follow in this narration neither that he shold dread the concourse of the people whom they would themselues assiste and defend in such sort as he should take no harme With these wordes and with the assistaunce of the nobles wickliffe in hart encouraged approcheth to that church of S. Paule in London where a mayne prease of people was gathered to heare what shold be sayd done Such was there the frequencie and throng of the multitude that the Lordes for all the puissance of the high Marshall vnneth with great difficulty could get way through In so much that the bishop of London whose name was William Courtney seeing the stir that the Lord Marshal kept in the Church among the people speaking to that Lord Perry sayd that if he had knowne before what maistries he would haue kept in the church he would haue stopped hym out from comming there At which wordes of the Byshop the Duke disdayning not a little aunswered to the Byshop agayne and sayd that he woulde keepe such maisterie there though he sayd nay At last after much wrastling they pierced through and came to our Ladies chappell Where the Dukes and Barons were

vnto conscience doth edefy vnto eternall damnation As it is said as touching the restitutioÌ„ of the spoyled goods Chap. Literas porro But to omit the hearing of the word of God for feare of excommunicatioÌ„ of men is a thing which is done against conscience Therefore to omit the hearing of the worde of God for excoÌ„munication doth edefy vnto eternal damnatioÌ„ And therfore coÌ„sequeÌ„tly ought not to be done for feare of any excommunication Wherfore a woman being iudged vnto a man whom she knoweth to be within the degrees of coÌ„sanguinity which Gods law hath prohibited ought not to obey that iudgement least that she offend against God but meekly patiently to sustain the excommunication as it appereth in the chapter before alledged So likewise all true christians ought rather then to offend agaynst God meekly to suffer the excoÌ„munication of men theÌ„ to omit the hearing of the word of God To this purpose also serueth that which is spoken in the 11. quest 3. He that feareth the omnipoteÌ„t God will not presume by any meanes to do any thing contrary vnto the gospell or apostles either contrary vnto the Prophetes or the institutions of yâ— holy fathers By these premises the 2. part o. this article is manifest that all such as do omit the hearing of the word of God for feare of excommunication of men they are already excommunicated And forsomuch as all christians being of lawfull age not repenting at the end shal be counted in a maner as traitors of Christ in the day of iudgement because that they were vnfaythfull seruauntes of Christ. Therefore they which through feare omit the preaching hearing the word of God for the excommunication of men shall be counted as trayers of Christ and shall render account therof vnto the Lord whereupon Chrisostome touching both those sorts in the 41 Homely shewing how the Lord woulde haue some to be teachers and other some to be disciples sayth thus For vnto those which he would haue to be teachers he speaketh thus by his Prophet Esay Ye priestes speak in the harts of the people for if the priestes do not manifest all the truth vnto the people they shall reÌ„der accouÌ„t therof at the day of iudgemeÌ„t And likewise if the people do not learne the truth they shal also geue an account at the day of iudgemeÌ„t It is also made more euideÌ„t by him vpoÌ„ the tenth of Mathew Do not feare them which kill the body least that through the feare of death you do not frely speak that which you haue heard neither boldly preach that vnto all meÌ„ which you alone haue heard in your eares So that hereby alone it is euideÌ„t that not onely he is a betrayer of the truth which transgressing the truth doth openly speak lyes in the stead of truth But he also which doth not freely pronounce or doth not freely defend the truth which he ought boldly to defeÌ„d is also a traytor vnto the truth For like as the Priest is a debter to preach the truth which he hath heard of the Lord eueÌ„ so the lay man is bound to defend the truth which he hath heard of the minister approued by the scriptures which if he do not then is he a traytor vnto the truth For stedfast beliefe with the hart preuayleth vnto righteousnes the confession which is made with the mouth helpeth vnto saluation Thus much writeth Chrisostome Who together with the people meekely bearing the excommunication of the Bishops freely preached truth and the people heard him and so by hys word and his workes he freely taught the truth least he should be a Traytor vnto the truth consequently be counted as a Traytour vnto our Lord Iesu Christ in the day of iudgement And thus the third part of the Article aforesayde is manifest Â¶ The defension of the xv Article of Iohn Wickliffe by Iohn Husse IT is lawfull for any Deacon or Priest to preach the worde of God without the authority of the Apostolicke Sea or of his Catholickes Fir I vnderstand here by the authority of the Apostolicke Sea properly his speciall consent authorising And likewise I vnderstand by authority of the Bishop a speciall consent of the Bishop authorising the sayde Deacon or Priest to preach Now as touching the truth of this Article I thus argue like as after matrimony once complete the man and wife may lawfully without any speciall liceÌ„ce of the Pope or Bishop procreate carnall children So likewise Deacons or Priestes by the motion of God through the Gospell of Iesu Christ may lawfully without any speciall licence either of the Pope or Bishoppe generate spirituall children Ergo this Article is true and the antecedent is thus proued For as it is an acceptable worke vnto God for man and wife without the speciall licence of the Pope or Bishop to generate carnall children so it is acceptable vnto him that Deacons or Priests by the motion of God through the Gospel of Iesu Christ should lawfully generate spirituall children without the speciall licence of the Pope or of any other Byshop Ergo the assumptio is true But if any man wil deny this similitude let him shew the diuersitye Yea seing it is worse not to receiue or to choake the seed of Gods word then the carnall seed So contrarywise is it better to receiue and sow abroad that seed of the word of God whereby children might be raysed vp vnto God then to receiue or geue such seede whereby carnall children may be gotten Whereupon our Sauiour in the 10. of Mathew sayth thus whosoeuer doth not receiue you neither heareth your wordes wype of the duste from your feete verelye I say vnto you that in the daye of iudgement it shal be more better vnto the Lande of Sodome and Gomer then to that City Also a Deacon or Priest being sturred by the spirite of Iesus Christ may preache the word of God without the speciall licence of the Pope or Bishop Ergo it is lawful for him so to do The consequent is thus manifest for so much as the spirite of God mooâ—ing the Deacon or Priest vnto the preaching of the Gospell is of greater force then anye prohibition of Pope or Bishop inuented by man Ergo according vnto the rule of the Apostles they ought infallibly to be obedieÌ„t vnto the spirit of Christ which doth so moue them therunto and rather to obey God then man Actes 5. Also by like reason as Heldad and Medad vpon whom the spirit of God did rest did lawfully prophecy without requiring any licence at Moyses handes as it is written Numery 11. by the same reason may the meeek minister of Christ vpon whom the spirite of God doth rest without the requiring any licence either of the Pope or Bishoppe may lawfully preache the worde of God vnto the people And would to God in this behalfe all Prelats had the spirite of Moyses for it is sayd Numeri 11. That when as

preach no lyes nor vayne iests or other things not authorised but only the law of Christ the minds of the holy doctors And he that doth so preach necessity occationing or mouing him therunto in case there be no Pope or Bishop or in case possible to withstand the preaching of heretickes or false preachers he in so doing doth not vsurpe the office of preaching and in suche case there is no doubt but he is sent of God and this doth also answere vnto that which is consequently sayd that if any man will peradueÌ„ture craftely answere that such preachers are inuisibly seÌ„t of God although not visibly of meÌ„ when as that inuisible seÌ„ding of God is much more better theÌ„ the visible sending of men A man may reasonably answere therunto that forsomuch as that interuall seÌ„ding is secret it is not sufficient for a man onely to say that he is sent of God forsomuch as euery hereticke may so say but he ought to proue the same his inuisible calling by the working of some miracle or by some speciall testimony of the scripture Here it is to be noted according to S. Augustine in his 65. booke of quest vnto Orosius that there is 4. kindes of sending The first is from God onely whereof we read in Moises other which were inspired by God And this kinde sending loseth from the daunger of the statute so that he whom the spirit of God hath enspired this prelate geuing thankes may proceed vnto a better life WherupoÌ„ Pope Urbane sayd 19. quest 2. There be sayd he 2. lawes the one publick the other priuate The publick law is that which is confirmed in writing by the holy fathers such as is the canon law which is only geuen for transgressions As for example it is decreed in the canons that none of the clergy shall go froÌ„ one bishoprick vnto an other without the letters commendatory of his bishop the which was ordeined onely for offeÌ„ders that no infamed persons should be receiued of any bishop For they were wont when they could not celebrate or do their office vnder their owne Bishopricke to go vnto another which now is forbidden by the lawes and precepts The priuate law is that which by the instruction of the holy Ghost is written in the hart as the Apostle speaketh of many which haue the law of God written in their hartes And in an other place Forsomuch as the Gentiles haue not the law of God but naturally doe those thinges which are of the law they are lawes vnto theÌ„selues And afterward he sayth the priuate law is much more worthy then the publicke law For the spirit of god is a law And they which are moued by the spirit of God are led by the law of God And who is he that can worthely resist agaynst the holy Ghost Whosoeuer therfore is led by the spirit of God albeit his bishop do say him nay let him go freely by our authority for the law is not appointed for the iust man for where as the spirit of God is there is liberty and if ye be led by the spirite of God ye are not vnder the law Beholde here it is affirmed that the sending by God through inspiration is not bound vnder the bondage of the law for that law is more worthye then the publicke law Secondly that the law is made for transgressors offenders and not for the iust Thirdly that whosoeuer is ledd by the spirite of God although his Bishop stand agaynst him he may proceed vnto a better life Wherby it is euideÌ„t that a deacon or priest disposed to preach and being led by the spirit of God he may freely preach the gospell of christ without the spiritual licence of his bishop It is euideÌ„t for somuch as it is good that a deacon or priest do liue well preach fruitfully Ergo he may proceede from idlenes vnto the labor office of preaching and so vnto a better life But where as it is sayde afore that for so much as the inward sending or calling is secret therfore it is not sufficient for a man barely to affirme onely the he is sent of god when as euery heretick may so say but it is necessary that he do confirme proue his inuisible sending by the working of some miracle or by some speciall testimony of the scripture Here is to be noted that there are 2. kindes of preachers some true preachers of our sauior Christ other seducers of Antechrist The first sort following the mayster Christ teach the people in truth The other sort being of a corrupt minde and reprobate touching faith resist against the verity And through couetousnes by their fained words do make marchandise of the people And these meÌ„ do geue shal geue miracles as our sauior saith Math. 24. There shall arise false Christs and false prophets the which shall shew great signes and wonders in so much that euen the elect theÌ„selues if it were by any meanes possible shoulde be brought into error And the apostle in â—he 2. to the Thes. 2. as touching their head Antechrist writeth thus whose comming shal be according to the operation of sathan with al power and signes false miracles seducing vnto iniquity those which do perish because they haue not receiued the charity and loue of truth that they might be saued Therfore will the Lord send vpon them the operation of error that they shall geue credit vnto lies That all such as haue not belued the truth but consent vnto wickednes should be iudged Behold how expressely our Sauior by himself and by his Apostle doth teach vs how the disciples of Antechrist with theyr head should shine through their great signes and woÌ„ders But the true disciples of Christ shall not so do in the time of Antechrist For as S. Isidor sayth in his first book 22. De summo bono Before that Antechrist shall appeare all vertues and signes shall cease from the Church that he may the boldlier persecute the same as an abiect For this profit shall all miracles and signes cease vnder Antechrist that thereby the patience of the holy meÌ„ might be known and the lightnes of the reprobate which are offeÌ„ded may be opened also that the cruelty of the persecuters shuld be made more scare Thus writeth S. Isidor S. Gregory in his 24. booke of Morals sayth For why by a terrible examination of Gods secret dispeÌ„satioÌ„ shall all signes of vertue or power be takeÌ„ away from the holy church before that the Leuiathan appeare in yâ— most wicked and damnable man whose shape he doth take vpon him For prophecy is hidden the gift of healing is takeÌ„ away the vertue of loÌ„g abstineÌ„ce is deminished the words of doctrine is put to silence and the wonderfull workes of miracles are extinguished which things nothing can vtterly take away but onely the dispensation of God But this dispeÌ„satioÌ„ is not so openly manifoldly

the saying of our sauior Iesu Christ. There shall rise vp amongst you false prophets which shall worke straunge miracles SecoÌ„dly it is approued that they are greater strauÌ„ger miracles to confesse the truth to do iustice then to worke any other kind of miracle Thirdly it is gathered therby that what soeuer minister or deacon doth loue his enemies contemneth riches despiseth the glorye of the worlde and flyeth froÌ„ al worldly troubles meekely sustaineth suffreth most terrible and cruel threatnings and strokes for the gospel sake he worketh miracles hauing thereby a testimony and witnesse that he is the true disciple of Iesu Christ. And it is euident by the saying of our sauior Iesu Christ. Mathew V. Let your good workes so shine before men that they may see your good works glorify your father which is in heauen And likewise Iohn x. Trust vnto your good workes wherevpon Saint Gregory in his first booke of Dialoges wryteth thus the estimation of a true life consisteth in the vertue of his workes and not in the shewing of signes whereby it is fourthly concluded by that which is aforesaide that it is a more effectual testimony and witnes for a priest or a deacon that he is sent of God to confesse the truth and follow Christ in the aforesayde vertues then to cast out deuils or to do any other miracles As it is euideÌ„t by the saying of Chrisostome before alleged whomsoeuer thou doest see to cast out deuils if the coÌ„fession or acknowledging of the trueth be not in his mouth neither righteousnesse nor iustice in his handes he is not a man of God This is also confirmed by the wordes of Christ. Math. 7. Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue not we prophecyed in thy name haue not we cast out Deuils in thy name and haue not we also wrought many great wonders and miracles in thy name Then I will aunswere say vnto them forsomuch as I haue not knowne you any time depart froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquity as touching the second part Chrisostom saith If you see a maÌ„ confessing preaching the trueth working righteousnes although he do not cast out deuils he is a man of God Hereby it appeareth that euery deacoÌ„ priest or minister confessing the truth and working iustice hath a perfect sure testimony that he is sent of God that it is not necessary for him to approue this his sending by the working of any miracle in stead of working righteousnes neyther by any testimonial the which should plainely declare hint by name that he was sent of the Lord to preach The first part appeareth manifest by that which is alreadye spoken that all miracles in the time of Antichrist shal cease in the elect The second part is also euident for so much as none of the present preachers can shew by the scripture of that lawe of God that he is specially named therevnto And likewise do I also affirme say as touching all preachers which shal come hereafter that they are not named by name But let no man here obiect Enoc Elias which were auncient preachers prophecied by the holy spirit of God And it is apparent that like as it is not a cause sufficient to proue that this priest or deacon is sent of God to preache because he woorketh miracles so is it not a cause sufficient to proue that he is not sent of God to preach because he doth no miracles but to confesse the truth to worke righteousnes to contemne the world with the glory therof paciently to suffer rebukes is a sufficient testimony for any priest or deacon hauing knowledge of the lawe of God freely to preach the gospell of Iesus Christ. For so much as in such case he is sent of God this is the sending which the Apostles speaketh of in the x. Romains How should they preach without they be sent WherevpoÌ„ that glose of S. Augustine writeth thus These things serue to set forth gods grace declaring that all our goodnesse is preuented of grace For be sayth beleefe coÌ„meth of hearing hearinge commeth of preaching preaching by the sending of God so that altogether holly coÌ„meth out of the fountain of grace preaching truly coÌ„meth of sending This hath the glose how shal they then preach without they be sent of God And this is euideÌ„t that the first principall sending is froÌ„ God alone as it is proued by Moises The second sending is both from God maÌ„ as by the example of Iosue others which were sent both by God and the rulers to preach The third sending is from man alone the which is not founded in the lawe of God but in mens traditions which they rather esteeme The fourth sending which hath but the name onely is proper to them which of themselues vnworthely vsurpe the office of preaching as those false prophets of whoÌ„ god speaketh in that xxiii of Ieremy I did not send them they ran I spake not vnto them and they prophecied If they had continued in my counsels had declared my wordes vnto my people I would haue conuerted theÌ„ from their ruill waies wicked imaginatioÌ„s our sauior speaketh of these Prophettes in Mathew saying There shall arise false Prophets And peter his true vicar in his second Epistle and second chapter prophecying vnto the faithful beleuers in Christ speaketh thus of theÌ„ There were amoÌ„gst the people false Prophets as there shal be amongst you also maisters of lies thorow whom the truth shal be blasphemed and slaundered And that he might the better instruct the people to knowe them he addeth that they shall go about with fained wordes for couetousnes sake to make merchaundice of you Wherefore euery faithful man diligently waying these things in his minde may now easely perceiue how great a nomber of false Prophets there be thorowe whom the Christian truth is blasphemed And all couetous dealyng is exercised these are they which freely preach lies But the huÌ„ble true ministers of Christ wheresoeuer they do apneare by by they are persecuted whereby the prophecie of that Apostle is verified which is written in the second Epistle to Timothe the iij. All men sayth he which desire to liue godly shall suffer persecution but the euil men seducers shal prosper in their wickednes running dayly more more into al kinde of errours The wicked haue now so much preuailed that they do preache lies making heretikes of the faithfull christians neyther is there any man that dare prohibet them their lying so that they doe not preache agaynst the byces of the prelates Howe then can you say that Antichryst is not exalted aboue all that which is called God suppressing downe the members of Christ in his office fortefying and fostring his members in lying Therefore the trew and faithfull disciples of Christ ought to stand ready girt about their loynes and shewes vpon their feete

the infidelitie of their idolatrie to the fayth of Christ yet are they not conuerted to the perfection of the law of Christ And therefore did the Apostles in the primitiue Church lay no burthen vpon the Gentiles but that they shoulde abstaine from haynous thinges as from thynges offred to idols and from bloud and strangled and fornicatyon As touching this second comming speaketh Esay On that day the roote of Iesse which standeth for a signe or marke to the people to hym shall the heathen make theyr homage and supplication and hys sepulchre shall be glorious and in that daye shall it come to passe that the Lorde shall the second tyme put to his hande to possesse the remnant of hys people c. And he shall lift vp a token toward the nations and hee shall assemble the runnagate people of Israel that were fled and those that were dispersed of Iuda shall he gather together from the fower quarters of the earth And the zealous emulation of Ephraim shall be broken to peeces and the enemyes of Iuda shall come to nought Paule to the Thessalonians sayeth We beseeche you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst and of our gathering together before him that you be not soone remooued from your vnderstanding neyther that you bee put in feare as though the day of the Lorde were at hand neyther as it were by letter sent by vs neither by spirite nor yet by talke Let not any bodye by any meanes bring you out of the waye or seduce you For except there shall first come a departyng and that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition shal be disclosed whych maketh resistaunce and is aduaunced aboue all thing that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte in the temple of God shewing hymselfe as if he were God Do ye not remember that whilest I was as yet with you I tolde you of thys and nowe you knowe what keepeth hym backe that he may be vttered in hys due tyme For euen nowe doth he worke the mysterie of iniquitie onely that he which holdeth may holde styll vntill he be come to light and then shall that wicked one be disclosed whom the Lorde Iesus shall slaye wyth the breath of hys mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comminge euen hym whose comming is accordyng to the workyng of Sathan in all power with signes and lying wonders and in all deceipfull leading out of the truthe towardes those that do perysh because that they receiue not hartely the loue of truth that they might be saued Christ being demaunded of the Apostles what should be the token of his comming of the end of the worlde sayd vnto them There shall come many in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many Also he telleth them of many other signes of battayles famine pestilence and earthquakes But the geatest signe of all he teacheth to bee this When you shall see sayth he the abhomination of desolation staÌ„dyng in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand But Luke 21. in his Gospel speaketh more plainely hereof When you therefore shall see Ierusalem to be compassed about with an army then knowe ye that the desolation thereof shall drawe nigh And afterward it followeth And they shall fall by the face of the sword and shal be led away captiue to all nations and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foote of the heathen vntill the tymes of the nations bee fulfilled Now in Daniel thus it is writteÌ„ of this matter And after 72. weekes shal Christ be slain neyther shall that be his people that will deny him And as for the Citye and Sanctuarie shall a people wyth his captayne that will come with them destroy the sayde Citie and sanctuarie and hys ende shal be to be wasted vtterly till it be brought to naught and after the ende of the warre shall come the desolation appoynted In one weeke shall he confirme the couenant to many and wythin halfe a weeke shall the offering and sacrifice cease And in the temple shall there bee the abhomination of desolation and euen vnto the end shall the desolation continue And els wherâ—â—n Daniel thus it is written From the tyme that the continuall sacrifice shal be offered and that the abhomination shal be placed in desolation there shal be 1290. dayes Nowe if any man will beholde the Chronicles he shal finde that after the destruction of Ierusalem was accomplished and after the strong hand of the holy people was fully dispersed and after the placing of the abhominatyon that is to saye the Idoll of desolation of Ierusalem wythin the holy place where the temple of God was before there had passed 1290 dayes taking a day for a yere as commonly it is taken in the Prophets And the times of the heathen people are fulfilled after whose rytes and customes God suffered the holy Citie to be trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes For although the Christyan Church which is the holy Citie contynued in the fayth from the Ascension of Chryst euen till thys time yet hath it not obserued and kept the perfection of the fayth all this whole season For soone after the departure of the Apostles the fayth was kept wyth the obseruatyon of that rites of the Gentiles and not of the rites of Moses law nor of the lawe of the Gospell of Iesus Chryst Wherefore seing that this time of the errour of the Gentiles is fulfilled it is likely that Christ shall call the Gentiles from the rytes of their gentilitie to the perfection of the Gospell as hee called the Iewes froÌ„ the lawe of Moyses to the same perfection in his first comming that there may be one shepefolde of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder one shepeheard Seing therefore that Antichrist is knowen which hath seduced the nations then shall the elecâ— after that they haue forsaken the errours of their Gentilitie come through the light of Gods word to the perfection of the Gospel that same seducer shal be slayne with the sword of gods worde So that by these things it doth partly appeare vnto mee why that at this time rather then at an other time this matter of Antichrist is moued And why that this motioÌ„ is come to passe in this kingdome rather then in other kingdomes me thinkes there is good reason because that no nation of the GeÌ„tiles was so soone conuerted to Chryst as were the Brytons the inhabitauntes of this kingdome For to other places of the worlde there were sent preachers of the fayth who by the workyng of miracles and continuall preaching of the word of God and by greeuous passion and death of the bodye dyd conuert the people of those places But in this kingdome in the time of Lucius kyng of the Brytons and of Eleutherius Byshop of the Romaines did Lucius heare of the Romaines that were Infidels by the waye of rumors and tales of the

not Clemente named or that I may more truely speake ordeined of S. Peter to the Apostolike dignitie and to be bishop resigne his right that his dede might be taken of his successours for an example Also Pope Siricius gaue ouer his Popedome to be a comfort of the 11000. Virgins Therfore much more ought you if neede require geue ouer your Popedome that you might gather together the children of God which be scattered abroade For as it is thought a gloryous thing to defend the common right euen to bludshed so is it somtimes necessary for a man to wincke at his owne cause and to forsake it for a greater profite and by that meanes better to procure peace Shoulde not he be thought a deuill and Christes enemie of all men that woulde agree to an election made of him for the Apostolicall dignitie and Popedome if it should be to the destruction of Christians diuision of the church the offence and losse of al faithfull people If such mischiefs should be known to al the world by Goddes reuelation to come to passe by such receiuing of the Popedome and Apostolicall dignitie then by the like reason why shall he not be iudged of all men an Apostata and forsaker of hys faith which chuseth dignitie or rather worldly honour then the vnitie of the Churche Christ died that he might gather together the children of God which are scattered abroad but such an enemie of God and the Church wisheth his subiectes bodily to die in battaile and the more part of the worlde to pearish in soule rather then forsaking to be Pope to liue in a lower state although it were honourable If the feare of God the desire of the heauenly kingdoÌ„ the earnest loue of the vnitie of the church do moue your hart shew in dede that your workes may beare recorde to the truth Clement and Siricius most holy Popes not only are not reprooued but rather are reuerenced of all men because they gaue ouer their right for profitable causes for the same cause all the church of holy men shewe forth their praise Likewise your name should liue for euer and euer if ye would do the like for a necessary cause that is to say for the vnitie of Gods Churche Geue no heede to vnmeasurable cryings of them that say that the ryghte chusing of Popes is lost except ye defend your part manfully but be afraid least such stirrers vp of mischiefe looke for theyr owne commoditie or honour that is to say that vnder your wing they might be promoted to richesse and honour After this sort Achithophel was ioyned and Absolon in persecuting his owne father and false vsurping of hys kingdome Furthermore there shoulde be no ieopardie to that election because both parties sticke stifly to the old fashion of election and either of them couer the preheminence of the Romish Churche counsailing all Christians to obey them And although throughe their geuing ouer the fashion of chusing the Pope should be chaÌ„ged for a time it were to be borne rather then to suffer any longer this diuision in Gods church For that fashion in chusing is not so necessary required to the state of a Pope but the successour of the Apostle as necessary cause required might come in at the doore by an other fashion of chusing and that Canonicall inough And this we are taught manifestly by examples of the fathers for Peter the Apostle appoynted after him Clement and that not by false vsurping of power as we suppose And it was thought that that fashion of apoynting of Popes was lawfull vnto the time of Pope Hillary Which decreed that no Pope shuld apoynt hys successor Afterward the election of the Pope went by the cleargy and people of Rome and the Emperors counsaile agreeing therto as it appeareth in the election of the blessed Gregory But Martinus Pope with the consent of the holy Synode graunted Charles the power to chuse the Pope But of late Nycholas the 2 was the first whome Martine makes mention of in his councels to be chosen by the Cardinals But all the Bishops of Lumbardie for the most part wythstode this election and chose Cadulus to be Pope saying that the Pope ought not to be chosen but of the precincte of Italie Wherefore we thinke it not a safe way so earnestly to stick to the traditions of men in the fashion of chusing the Pope so oft to chaunge least we be thought to breake Goddes traditions concerning the vnitie of the church Yea rather it were better yet to ordaine a newe fashion of his election and meeter for hym as it hath beene afore But all things concerning the same election myght be kept safe if Gods honour were looked for afore youre owne and the peace of the Church were vprightly soughte for such a dishonouring shoulde be most honour vnto you and that geuing place shall be the getting of a greater dignitie the willing deposing of your honour shoulde obtaine you the entrie of euerlasting honour and shoulde procure the loue of the whole worlde toward you and you shoulde deserue to be exalted continually as Dauid was in humbling himselfe O howe monstrous a sight and how foule a monster is a mannes body disfigured wyth two heades So if it were possible the spouse of Christ shoulde be made so monstrous if shee were ruled wyth two such heades but that is not possible she is euer altogether faire in whome no spot is found therfore we must cast away that rotten member thruster in of hys second head We cannot suffer any longer so great a wickednesse in Gods house that we shoulde suffer Gods cote that wantes a feame by any meanes to be torne by the handes of two that violently draw it in sonder For if these two should be suffred to raigne together they woulde so betwixte them teare in pieces that litle coate of the Lord that scarse one piece woulde hange to another They passe the wickednesse of the souldiours that cursed Christ. For they willing to haue the coate remaine whole said Let vs not cut it but let vs cast lots for it whose it shal be But these 2. Popes suffring their right and title to be tried by no lot nor way although not in wordes yet in deedes they pronounce this sentence It shall neither be thine nor mine but let it be deuided for they chose rather as it apeareth to be Lords though it be but in a litle part and that to the coÌ„fusion of vnitie of the Church then in leuing that lording to seke for the peace of the church We do not affirme this but we shew almost the whole iudgemeÌ„t of the world of them being moued so thinke by likely coniectures We looked for amendement of thys intollerable câ—â—fusion by the space that these two inuentours of this mischiâ—â—liued But wee looked for peace and beholde trouble for neither in their lyues nor in their deaths they

wil not be vnpunished of God For to yâ— poynt of truth that these meÌ„ shewed out sometime they will not now stretch forth their lines But by example each one of them as theyr words and their works shew busy them through their fayning for to sclaunder and to pursue Christ in his members rather theÌ„ they will be pursued Â¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me These men the whiche thou speakest of now were fooles and heretickes wheÌ„ they were counted wise men of thee and other such losels But now they are wise men though thou and such other deme them vnwise Neuerthelesse I wist neuer none that right sayd that any while were enuenimed with your contagiousnes that is contaminated and spotted doctrine â˜ž And I sayd to the Archbishop Syr I thinke well that these meÌ„ such other are now wise as to this world But as theyr words sounded sometime and their works shewed outwardly it was like to moue me that they had earnest of the wisedome of God that they should haue deserued miâ—le grace of God to haue saued their owne soules many other mens if they had continued faythfully in wilfull pouerty in other simple vertuous liuing and specially if they had with these foresaid vertues continued in their busie fruitful sowing of Gods word as to many meÌ„s knowledge they occupyed them a season in all their wits ful busily to know the pleasaunt will of God trauelling all their members full busily for to do thereafter purely and chiefly to the praysing of the most holy name of god and for grace of edification and saluation of Christen people But woe worth false couetise and euill counsell and tyranny by which they and many men and womeÌ„ are led blindly into an euill end Â¶ Then the Archbishop sayde to me Thou and such other Losels of thy sect would shaue your heardes full neare for to haue a benefice For by Iesu I know none more couetous shrewes then ye are wheÌ„ that ye haue a benefice For loe I gaue to Iohn Puruay a benefice but a mile out of this Castle and I heard more complaints about his couetousnes for tithes and other misdoinges then I did of all men that were aduaunced within my dioces â˜ž And I sayde to the Archbishop Sir Puruay is neither with you now for the benefice that ye gaue him nor he holdeth faythfully with the learning that he taught and writ before time and thus he sheweth himselfe neither to be hot nor colde and therfore he and his felowes may sore droad that if they turne not hastily to the way that they haue forsaken peradueÌ„ture they be put out of the number of Christes chosen people Â¶ And the Archbishop sayde Though Puruay be now a false harlot I quite me to him But come he more for suche cause before me or we part I shall know with whom he holdeth But I say to thee which are these holy men and wise of whom thou hast taken thine information â˜ž And I sayd Syr Maister Iohn Wickliffe was holden of full many men the greatest clearke that they knew then liuing and therwith he was named a passing ruely man an innocent in his liuing and herefore great men communed oft with him and they loued so his learning that they writt it busily inforced them to rule themselues thereafter Therfore sir this foresayd learning of M. Iohn Wickliffe is yet holden of full many men and women the most agreable learning vnto the liuing and teaching of Christ of his Apostles and most opeÌ„ly shewing declaring how the church of Christ hath bene and yet should be ruled and gouerned Therfore so many men and women couet thys learning and purpose through Gods grace to coÌ„forme their liuing like to this learning of Wickliff M. Iohn Aston taught writ accordingly and full busily where and when and to whom that he might and he vsed it himselfe right perfectly vnto his liues end And also Philip of RaÌ„pington while he was a CanoÌ„ of Lecester Nicholas Hereford Dauy Gotray of Pakring Monke of Byland and a Maister of Diuinitye and Iohn Puruay and many other which were holden right wise men prudent taught and writ busily this foresayd learning coÌ„formed them thereto And with all these men I was oft right homely communed with them long time and oft and so before al other men I those willingly to be informed of them and by theÌ„ and specially of wickliffe himselfe as of the most vertuous and godly wise man that I heard of or knew And therfore of him specially and of these men I tooke the learning that I haue taught and purpose to liue thereafter if God wil to my liues end For though some of those meÌ„ be contrary to the learning that they taught before I wote well that their learning was true which they taught and therefore with the helpe of God I purpose to hold and to vse that learnyng which I heard of them while they fate on Moyses chayre specially while that they sat on yâ— chayre of Christ. But after that workes that they now do I will not doe with Gods helpe For they feyne and hide contrary that trueth which before they taught out playnely and truly For as I know well when some of those men haue bene blamed for their slaunderous doyng they graunt not that they haue taught a misse or erred before time but that they weâ—e constrayned by payne to leaue to tell out the soth thus they chuse now rather to blaspheme God then to suffer a while here persecution bodely for sothfastnesse that Christ shedde out his hart bloud for Â¶ And the Archbishop sayd That learning that thou callest truth and sothfastnes is open slaunder to holy church as it is proued of holy Church For albeit that Wickleffe your author was a great clerke and though that many meÌ„ held him a perfect liuer yet his doctrine is not approued of holy church but many sentences of his learning are damned as they well worthy are But as touching Philip of Rampington that was first Chanon and after Abbor of Leicester which is now Bishop of Lincolne I tell thee that the day is commeÌ„ for which he fast the euen For neither he holdeth nowe nor will holde the learning that hee taught when he was a Canon of Leicester For no byshop of this land pursueth nowe more sharpely them that holde thy way then he doth â˜ž And I sayd Sir full many men and women wondereth vpoÌ„ him and speaketh him mikle shame and holdeth him for a cursed enemy of the truth Â¶ And the Archbish. sayd to me Wherfore taryest thou me thus here with suche fables wilt thou shortly as I haue sayd to thee submit thee to me or no â˜ž And I sayd Sir I tell you at one word I dare not for the dread of God submit me to you after the tenour sentence tharye haue aboue rehearsed to me And

vitious this soueraygne herein is to blame but the subiect for his obedience deserueth meede of God For obedience pleaseth more to God than any sacrifice â˜ž And I sayd Samuell the Prophet sayd to Saule the wicked king that God was more pleased with that obedieÌ„ce of his commaundement then with any sacrifice of beastes But Dauid saieth and S. Paule and S. Gregory accordingly together that not onely they that do euill are worthy of death and damnation but also they that coÌ„sent to euill doers And sir the law of holy Church teacheth in the decrees that no seruant to his Lord nor childe to the father or mother nor wife to her husband nor monke to his Abbot ought to obey except in lefull things and lawfull Â¶ And the Archbishop said to me All these alledgings that thou bringest forth are not els but proude presumptuousnesse For hereby thou inforcest thee to proue that thou and such other are so iust that ye ought not to obey to Prelats And thus against the learnyng of S. Paule that teacheth you not to preach but if ye were sent of your owne authoritie ye will go forth and preach and do what ye lift â˜ž And I saide Syr presenteth not euery Priest the office of the Apostles or the office of the disciples of Christ And the Archbishop sayd yea And I sayde Syr as the x. chapt of Mathew and the last chapter of Marke witnesseth Christ sent his Apostles for to preach And the x. chapter of Luke witnesseth that Christ sent his two and seueÌ„ty disciples for to preach in euery place that Christ was to come to And S. Gregorie in the coÌ„mon law saith that euery man that goeth to priest hoode taketh vpon him the office of preaching For as hee sayth that Priest stirreth God to great wrath of whose mouth is not heard the voyce of preaching And as other more gloses vpon Ezechiell witnesse that the Prieste that preacheth not busilye to the people shall be partaker of their damnation that perish through his default And though the people be saued by other speciall grace of God then by the Priestes preaching yet the Priests in that they are ordeined to preach and preach not as before God they are manslears For as farre as in them is such Priests as preach not busily and truely sleyeth all the people ghostly in that they withholde from them the word of God that is life and sustenaunce of mens soules And Saynt Hydore sayd Priestes shall be damned for wickednesse of the people if they teach not them that are ignoraunt or blame not them that are sinners For all the worke or businesse of Priestes standeth in preaching and teaching that they edify all men as well by cunning of fayth as by discipline of workes that is vertuous teaching And as the Gospell witnesseth Christ sayd in his teaching I am borne comeÌ„ into this world to beare witnesse to the truth and he that is of the truth heareth my voyce Then Sir since by the word of Christ specially that is his voyce Priestes are commaunded to preache whatsoeuer priest that it be that hath not good wil and full purpose to doe thus and ableth not himselfe after his cunning and power to doe his office by the example of Christ and of hys Apostles whatsoeuer other thing that he doth displeaseth God For loe S. Gregory sayth that thing left that a man is bound chiefly to do whatsoeuer other thing that a man doth it is vnthankfull to the holy ghost and therfore sayth Lincolne The Priest that preacheth not the word of God though he be seene to haue none other defaulte he is Antichrist and Sathanas a night theefe and a day theefe a sleyer of foules and an aungel of light turned into darckenes Wherefore Syr these authorityes and other well considered I deme my selfe damnable if I either for pleasure or displeasure of any creature apply me not diligeÌ„tly to prech the word of God And in the same damnation I deeme all those Priestes which of good purpose and will enforce theÌ„ not busily to do thus also all them that haue purpose or will to let any Priest of this busines Â¶ And the Archbishop sayde to those 3. Clerkes that stoode before him Lo Syrs this is the maner and busines of this Losell and such other to picke out such sharpe sentences of holy Scripture and Doctours to mayntayne theyr sect lore agaynst the ordinaunce of holy Church And therefore Losell it is thou that couetest to haue agayne the Psalter that I made to be taken froÌ„ thee at Caunterbury to record sharpe verses agaynst vs. But thou shalt neuer haue that Psalter nor none other booke till that I know that thy hart thy mouth accordfully to be gouerned by holy Church â˜ž And I sayd Syr all my will and power is euer shal be I trust to God to be gouerned by holy Church Â¶ And the Archbishop asked me what was holy Church â˜ž And I sayd Syr I tolde you before what was holye Church But since ye aske me this demaund I call Christ and his Saintes holy Church Â¶ And the Archbishoppe sayd vnto me I wore well that Christ and his Saintes are holy Churche in heauen but what is holy Church in earth â˜ž And I sayd Syr though holy Churche be euery one in charity yet it hath two partes The first and pricipall part hath ouercomen perfectly all the wretchednesse of this life and raigneth ioyfully in heauen with Christ. And the other part is here yet in earth busily continually fighting day and night agaynst temptations of the fiend forsaking and hating the prosperity of this world dispising and withstaÌ„ding theyr fleshly lustes which onely are the pilgrimes of Christ wandring toward heauen by stedfast fayth grouÌ„ded hope and by perfect charity For these heauenly pilgrimes may not nor will not be letted of their good purpose by the reasoÌ„ of any doctors discording from holy scripture nor by the floudes of any tribulation temporall nor by the wind of any pride of boast or of manasing of any creature For they are all fast grounded vpon the sure stone Christ hearing his word and louing it exercising them faithfully and continually in all their wittes to do therafter And the Archbishop sayd to his Clerkes See ye not how his hart is indurate and how he is trauelled with the deuill occupying him thus busily to alledgr suth sentences to mayntaine his errours and heresies Certayne thus he would occupy vs here all day if we would suffer him One of the clerkes aunswered Sir he sayd right now that this certification that came to you from Shrewsbury is vntruely forged agaynst him Therefore sir appose you him nowe heare in all that points which are certified against him so we shall heare of his own mouth his answeres and witnesse them And the Archb. took the certification in his hand looked theron a while and then

euery man which would beholde and looke vpon the same the forme and tenour wherof here followeth and is such Â¶ The protestation of Iohn Hus. FOr so much as aboue all things I doe desire the honor of God the profite of the holy Churche and that I my selfe may be a faithfull member of our Lorde Iesu Christ which is the heade and husband of the holy Church whych hee hath redemed Therefore as heretofore oftentimes I haue done euen so now againe I make this protestation that I neuer obstinately sayd or heereafter will say any thing that shall be contrary vnto the truth and verity and moreouer that I haue alwayes holden do hold and firmely desire for to holde the very true and infallible trueth and veritie so that before that I would defende and maintaine any erroure contrary therunto I would rather chuse by the hope and help of the Lorde to suffer extreeme punishment euen vnto death yea and thorowe the helpe of God I am ready euen to offer this my miserable lyfe vnto death for the law of Christ the which I do beleue euery part and parcell thereof to be geuen and promulgate for the saluation of mankinde by the counsaile and determination of the most holy Trinitie and the saintes of God c. By the whiche his protestation and also other protestations by the sayde M. Iohn Hus being well obserued and noted it may be easily gathered and known that his whole intent and purpose was and is that hee neither would nor will haue spoken or written any thing in hys bookes treatises doctrines or publike sermones or els to haue affirmed any articles the whyche willingly and wittingly he did vnderstand or know to be either erroneous offensiue seditious hereticall or offending the godly eare All beit that these and suche like things are falsely imputed vnto hym by hys enemies But it hath alwayes bene his chiefe intent and purpose and so is that euery poynt conclusion or article contained in his bookes or articles to haue put and affirmed them to thys ende according to the truth of the Gospell the holy Doctors and wryters vppon the holy Scriptures and to that end and purpose as is before expressed in his protestations and if in any poynt he shoulde be founde to varie or goe astray or that he were not well vnderstanded of others by like information to be informed vnderstanded corrected and amended and that he wil by no meanes sustaine or defend any maner of article against the holy Churche of Rome or the Catholicke faith Wherefore most reuerende fathers the premisses notwythstanding his ennemies through the extreeme hatred whych they beare vnto him hath picked and taken out by piece meale certain articles out of the booke of M. Iohn Hus reiecting and not looking vppon the allegations and reasons neither hauing any relation vnto the distinction of their equiuocations haue compounded and made thereof certaine false and fained articles againste him to thys ende that all charitie and loue being sette aparte they might the better ouerthrow hym and bryng hym vnto death contrary vnto the safe conducte vppon good and iust occasion openly assigned and geuen vnto the sayde maister Iohn Hus by the most noble Prince the Lorde Sigismund king of the Romanes and of Hungarie for his iust defence against all the friuolous accusations and assaultes of the ennemies not onely of the sayd M. Iohn Hus but also of the famous kingdome of Boheme and for the quiete appeasing of all such tumultes and rumours rising and springing in the sayde kingdome of Boheme or else where the auoiding of which most perillous vprours the saide king of Romaines doth greatly desire and wish as the right heire and successour of the sayd kingdome Whereuppon the Barons and Nobles aforesayde most humbly desire and require the premisses being considered and respect had vnto the great infamie and slaunder which may happen by the premisses vnto the sayde kingdome and inhabitants thereof that you will put to your handes and take some order meane that maister Iohn Hus may be distinctly hearde by some famous men deuines already deputed or otherwise to be appoynted vpon all and singulare such articles as shall be laide vnto him to declare his owne minde and intent and also the minde of the doctours alleadged for his purpose with the manifolde distinctions and equiuocations in the which the drawers out of the most part of his articles haue also made equiuocations that so according vnto the disposition of witnesses of the which a great number of them are and haue a long time bene his mortall ennemies that at the friuolous instigation of his enemies when hee was miserably deteined prisoner that he should not be condemned vnheard For so muche as by the sayde declarations your fatherly reuerences might be the more better informed of the trueth hee hymselfe is ready alwaies to submit himselfe vnder the determination of thys most sacred councell For your reuerences by the craftie and fained perswasions of his ennemies are thus informed that M Iohn Hus hath bene vncurably obstinate by a long time in most perillous articles the which your reuerences may nowe plainely perceiue to be vntrue and for the more euidence heerein to be shewed there is presented vnto your reuerences an instrumente of publike recognition of the moste reuerend father in Christe the Lorde Nicholas Bishop of Nazareth and Inquisitour of heresies specially appoynted by the Apostolike sea in the dioces of Prage the which by your reuerences is more diligently to be hearkened vnto Wherefore it may please your fatherly reuerences to commaund the sayd M Iohn Hus neither conuicted nor condemned to be taken and brought out of his bondes and chaines in the which he is nowe most greeuously deteined and kept and to put him into the hands of some reuerend Lordes Byshops or commissioners appoynted or to be appoynted by this present councell That the sayd M. Iohn Husse may somewhat be releued and recouer againe his health and be the more diligently and commodiouslye examined by the Commissioners and for the more assurance the Barons and Nobles aforesayd of the kingdome of Boheme will prouide most sure and good sureties the which wil not breake their fidelity and faith for any thing in the worlde Which also shall promise in his behalfe that hee shall not flee or departe out of their handes vntill suche time as the matter be fully determined by the sayd Commissioners In the execution of the which promises wee haue determined to prouide and foresee vnto the fame and honour of the said kingdome of Boheme and also to the safeconducte of the moste worthy Prince the king of Romaines least that the enemies and detractours of the honoure and fame of the kingdome aforesayd might not a little slander and reproue the said Lordes pretending and shewing forth hereafter that they had made vnreasonable or vnlawfull requests for the withstaÌ„ding of which mischiefe we require your fatherly

and equitie is banished the Ecclesiasticall power is iniuried and the calamitie of this Schisme bringeth in all kinde of bondage swords and violence doth rule the laitie haue the dominion concord and vnitie are banished and all prescript rules of Religion vtterly contemned and set at naught Consider most gentle Lords how that during this most pestiferous Schisme how manie heresies haue appeared and shewed themselues how manie heretickes haue scaped vnpunished how manie Churches haue beene spoiled and pulled downe how manie Cities haue beene oppressed and regions brought to ruine what confusion hath there happened in the Cleargie What and how great destruction hath bene amongst the Christian people I pray you marke how the Church of God the spouse of Christ and the mother of all faithfull is contemned and despised For who doth reuerence the keies of the Church who feareth the censures or lawes or who is it that doth defend the liberties thereof But rather who is it that doth not offend the same or who doth not inuade it or else what is he that dare not violentlie lay hands vpon the patrimonie or heritage of Iesus Christ The goods of the Cleargie and of the poore and the reliefe of Pilgrimes and straungers gotten together by the bloud of our Sauiour and of manie Martyres are spoyled and taken awaie behold the abhomination of the desolation brought vpon the Church of God the destruction of the faith and the confusion of the Christian people to the ruine of the Lordes flocke or folde and all the whole companie of our most holy Sauiour and redeemer This losse is more great or greeuous then anie which could happen vnto the Martires of Christ and thys persecution much more cruell then the persecution of anie tyrants for they did but only punish the bodies but in this schsme and diuision the soules are tormented There the bloud of men was only shed but in this case the true faith is subuerted and ouerthrowne That persecution was saluation vnto many but this Schisme is destruction vnto all men When the tirants raged then the faith did increase but by this diuision it is vtterly decaied During their crueltie and madnes the primatiue Church increased but through this schisme it is confounded and ouerthrowne Tiraunts did ignorantly offende but in this schisme many do wittingly and willingly euen of obstinacie offend There came in heretikes vsers of Symonie and hypocrites to the great detriment and deceit of the Church vnder those tirants the merites of the iust were increased But during this Schisme mischiefe and wickednes are augmented for in this most cursed and execrable diuision truth was made an enimie vnto all Christians faith is not regarded loue and charitie hated hope is lost iustice ouerthrowne no kinde of courage or valiantnes but onely vnto mischiefe modestie and temperance cloked wisedome turned into deceit humilitie fained equitie and truth falsified pacience vtterly fled conscience small all wickednes intended deuotion counted folly gentlenes abiect and cast away religion despised obedience not regarded and all maner of life reprochfull and abhominable With how great and greeuous sorowes is the Church of God replenished filled whiles that tirants do oppresse it heretikes inuade it vsers of Symonie do spoile and rob it and schismatikes go about vtterly to subuert it O most miserable and wretched christian people whome now by the space of forty yeares with such indurate and continuall schisme they haue tormented and almost brought to ruine O the little barke and ship of Christ whiche hath so long time wandred and straied now in the middest of the whorlepooles and by and by sticketh fast in the rocks tossed too and fro with most greeuous and tempestuous stormes O miserable and wretched boate of Peter if the most holy father would suffer thee to sinke or drowne into what dangers and perils haue the wicked pirates brought thee amongst what rockes haue they placed thee O most godly and louing Christians what faithfull deuout man is there which beholding and seeing the great ruine and decay of the Church would not be prouoked vnto teares what good conscience is there that can refraine weeping because that contention and strife is powred vpon the ecclesiasticall rulers which haue made vs to erre in the way because they haue not founde or rather would not finde the way of vnitie and concord Whereupon so many heresies and so great confusion is sproong vp and growne in the flocke of Peter and the fold of our Lord. Many Princes Kings and Prelates haue greatly laboured and trauelled for the rooting out heereof but yet could they neuer bring to passe or finish that most holesome and necessary worke Wherefore most Christian King this most glorious and triumphant victory hath tarried only for thee the crowne and glorie therof shal be thine for euer and this most happy victory shall be continually celebrate to thy great honour and praise that thou hast restored againe the Church which was so spoiled thou hast remoued and put away all inueterate and ouergrowne Schismes and diuisions thou hast troden downe vsers of Symony rooted out all hereticks Doest thou not behold see how great perpetuall and famous renowne glory it wil be vnto thee For what can be more iust what more holy what more better what more to be desired or finally what can be more acceptable than to roote out this wicked and abhominable Schisme to restore the Church againe vnto hir auncient libertie to extinguish and put away all Simony and to condemne and destroy all errours and heresies from amongst the flocke of the faithfull Nothing truly can be better nothing more holy nothing more profitable for the whole worlde and finally nothing more acceptable vnto God For the performance of which most holy and godly worke thou wast elect and chosen of God thou wast first deputed and chosen in heauen before thou wast elect and chosen vpon earth Thou wast first appointed by the celestiall and heauenly Prince before the electours of the Empire did elect or choose thee and specially that by the Imperiall force and power thou shouldest condemne and destroy those errours and heresies which wee haue presently in hand to be condemned and subuerted To the performance of this most holy worke God hath giuen vnto thee the knowledge vnderstanding of his diuine truth and veritie power of princely maiestie and the iust iudgement of equitie and righteousnes as the most highest himselfe doth say I haue geuen thee vnderstaÌ„ding and wisedome to speake and vtter my words and haue set thee to rule ouer nations and kingdomes that thou shouldest helpe the people plucke down and destroy iniquitie by exercising of iustice thou shouldest I say destroy all errours and heresies and specially this obstinate heretike heere present through whose wickednes mischiefe many places of the world are infected with most pestilent and hereticall poison and by his meanes and occasion almost vtterly subuerted

of this displing was withawhite rodde thrise laid vpon the head of the penitenciary He meaneth the wicked byshops of that time whose curses God did blesse This proueth Sir I. Oldecastle to be no traytour The wordes of ha Register Iohn Goddesell of Dichingham Sir Hugh Pye Priest Image of the crosse not to be worshipped A letter of the king William Bishop of Norwich William BernhaÌ„ hys ChauÌ„celor A cataloge of good mÃ© and women troubled for suspition of heresie Bonermight see the church here in this age more then xl yeres before he was borne These men are falsely slaundered about Baptisme The papistes are but quarel pickers Articles * In case of necessitie vrgent they meane The death of Thomas Becket In this article is ment that the wicked be in the church but not of the Church W. White Martyre Anno. 1428. â—â— Waldeno * Eccle. 50. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ The Romiâ—â— church apâ—â— resembled to the cuâ—sed figâ—uce The bishops man smitâ—th him on the mouth exhorting the people Father Abraham Iohn Waddon priest martyrs and burned A letter of the bishop of Norwich The maner at the popes penaunce Iohn Beuerley * alias sustigated Iohn Skilley The penance of Iohn Skilley Margery Backster A woman brought in for witnes in the popes court The Bee will stinge Against Images The sacrament is not God Tho. Becket a traytour Thomas Becket slain not before the aulter but in his flying Father Abraham W. White I. Wadden Against the popes fasting dayes W. Whyte willing to speake at the stake was stroken on the mouth Agaynst auricular confession Against Image worship Iohn Piry Iohn BuÌ„gay Iohn Vsher. William Euerden W. Tailour of Ludney The wife daughter of Tho. Moone Rich. Fletcher Nicho. Belware A new testament then cost 4. markes and â—â— pence Tho. Grem â—â—r I. Clarke W. Bate W. Skiruing W Osberne Iohn Rene. Bawdwin Cooper Iohn Pert. Sir Hugh Pie Priest I. Perker A prophesi Ex Regist. Norw Iohn Burrell Lent fast fishe dayes Pilgrimage to the poore Masses for the dead vnprofitable Tho. Moone of Ludney William White Hugh Pye Thomas Pert. W. Callis priests persecuted Robert Grigges of Martham Articles Iohn Finch of Colchester Popishe penaÌ„ce Nicholas CanoÌ„ of Eye Anno. 1431. Depositions If the SacrameÌ„t be very fleshe then the priests eat fleshe on Friday Nicholas Canon turned his backe to the sacrament An other examination of Nicholas Canon Articles obiected The iudgement of the Prior and doctors vpon his articles An heresie to doubt whether the sacrament be the perfect body of Christ or no. Nicholas Canon declared an hereticke Penance enioyned to Nicholas Canon Tho. Bageley priest Martir Paule Craw martiâ— Ex Hector Boerâ—o Tho. Rhedonensis Martir Ex Antonin 3. parte host fol. 165. Tho. Rhedoneasis coÌ„meth into Italy The golden citie of Rome All thinges corrupt at Rome The wickednes pride that raigneth at Rome The corruptioÌ„ of Rome will admitte no reformation Pictie rewarded with persecutioÌ„ Heresie made where none â—s Popery armed with policie and defâ—nded with tirannie His articles Ex Antonin 3. part hist fol 165 W. Cardinalis Rhotomagensis his peâ—â—ecatâ—ur Tho. Rheâ—onensis brought before Pope Eugenius Thomas degraded Tho. RhedoneÌ„sis a French man burned at Rome Henry Grunfelder priest Henry Radtgeber priest Ioh. Draendorfe priest Pet. Thoraw Mat. Hager Martyrs Pope Eugenius 4. The Councell of Basil. Ex Aenea Syluio Ex Cocleo in Hist. Husut Et ex paralipom Abbat Vrsperg The death of P. Martin Pope Eugenius 4. Pope Eugenius seeketh to dissolue the councell of Basill Dissention betweene the councell of Basill and Pope Eugenius The prelats of the councell refused the Popes request The princes assembled at Mentz to make vnitie betweene the councell the pope Three opinion touching the Pope The Ambassadours returne froÌ„ Mentz The Popes heresie discussed The bishop of Millaine taketh Eugenius part for feare of a schisme Conclusions of the disputation Panormitane speaketh againe for the Pope Articles of faith deuided into 3. sortes Panormitane preferreth the iudgement of the Cardinals of Rome before all the world The pope pretendeth the vniting of the Greekes when he meaneth an other thing The pope no relaps but prolaps Iohn Segouius answereth to Panormitane The pope neglecting to doe good is a member not of christ but of the deuil Councels bouÌ„d to no positiue lawe Panormitaâ— appointeth the Pope Lord of the Church The Pope the clergy desire dominion contrary to the scriptures The French kinges Ambassadour The Byshop of Burgen The councel aboue the Pope The force of truth which appeared also in Eneas himselfe the writer hereof although afterwarde when he was pope he denied the same Note what it is a man to labour against hys knowledge The conclusions of the disputation The first coÌ„clusion A king is not of more authoritie then is his kingdome These kinde of flatterers came now in our daies What a king is The instituâ—â— of kings The pope ought to be subiect vnto the councell This place Tu es Petrus c. expounded Sinnes are the gates of hell Against the papittes opinion that the pope can not erre The interpretatioÌ„ of this place Oraui pro te Petre. is ment of the Church Bishops of Rome are heretiques He meaneth Siluester the secoÌ„d The church is without sinne the pope is a sinner The church one flesh with christ The Church is without spot or sinne is to be vnderstand not by nature but onely by imputation The church with out sinne how to be vnderstand The errour of those which say that onely the virgin Mary did perseuer constaÌ„t at the time of â—hristes passion The Church comprehendeth both the euill and good Math. 20. This saying of Ecclesiastes is not translated also serueth to other sense then is here ment Christ is the rocke wherupon the Church is builded He proueth by authoritie the pope to be vnder the couÌ„cell If the Church be the mother the Pope must be her sonne The church being the spouse the pope caÌ„ not be the head therof but he must also be the head of Christ forsomuch as Christ his spouse be both one The exposition of this place quodcunque ligaueris The church may depose the pope if he abuse the keyes The church and not the pope compared to the Sunne The pope if he do not harken to the church is an Ethnicke and Publicane It is to be feared least the church hath had many such Popes Whether the pope is to be iudged by the generall councell c These are the Canons and the schoole diuines and begging friers Diuersitie of iudgementes touching the B. of Rome How folishly the church of Rome doth wrast the the scriptures neglecting the expositions of the fathers Those thinges which were spokeÌ„ of the church serue also for the generall councell Peter representeth the double person Christ nameth the Church bâ—â— twise in the Gospell What the Church is The interpretatioÌ„ of this place dic ecclesiae The church taken for the

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