Les illustrarions de gaulles Les illustrations de gaulles Whosoeuer please may there read it as it standeth within 6. leaues afore the end of the same how the author with deepe sorrow lamenteth the ordinance that decreed first priests to liue vnmaried shewing that amply the miseries that haue ensued in France therby imputing it vnto Calixt the pope of whom he maketh a doleful mention in Meter wherof the first I yet remember And it is thus O sancte Calixte totus mundus odit te c. O holy Calixte al the world hateth thee Which followeth in writing to all that lust to behold therin But what nede I to make longer treatise hereof for so much as you do dayly both heare and see what soule abhomination ariseth in euery corner of this pitious law made of men y t would presume to be wiser then God Men will be wiser then God thinking as we euer do that eyther he would not or els for lack of wisdom he could not shew vs a sufficient law or way to direct our lyfe and conuersation to come to the ioy and resting place of him promised and so of vs longed and looked for Wherby we both be farre vnreasonable in so deeming of him after our vnwise wit and he much dishonoured The which I beseech him to helpe Amen Answere to the 5. Article ¶ Unto the v. where ye do aske whether I beleeue that whatsoeuer it done of man whether it be good or ill commeth of necessity that is as you construe to wit whether man hath free will so that he may deserue ioy or paine I say as I sayd at the beginning that vnto the first parte of your riddle I neyther can ne wil giue any diffinitiue answer forsomuch as it surmounteth my capacitie trusting that God shall sende hereafter Free will to deserue ioy or payne other that shall be of better learning and wit then I for to endite it As coÌ„cerning the second part wheras you do interpret that is to say whether man haue free will or no so that he may deserue ioy or payne as for our deseruing specially of ioy I thinke it very slender or none euen when we do the very commandementes and law of God and that am I taught by our sauiour in s. Luke where he sayth thus Which of you quod he hauing a seruaunt that hath eared your land or fed your beastes wil say vnto him when he commeth home out of the field go thy way quickly sit down to thy meat and rather will not say vnto him make ready my supper seruing me therat vntill I haue made an end thereof and afterwarde take thy selfe meate and drinke Thinke you that he is bound to thanke his seruaunt which thus shall doe his commaundement I trowe sayth he nay Euen so you sayth he when you haue done all thinges to you commaunded say yet you be vnprofitable seruaunts haue done that which you were bound to do In which words you may clearly see that he would not haue vs greatly esteeme our merites when we haue done that is commaunded by God Merite◠〈◊〉 to be esteemed but rather reckoning our selues to be but seruants vnprofitable to God for so much as he hath no neede of our wel doing for his own aduancement but onely that he loueth to see vs doe well for our owne behoufe and moreouer that when we haue done his bidding we ought not so to magnify neither our selfe ne our owne free will but laud him with a meeke heart thorowe whose benefite we haue done if at any time we doe it his lyking and pleasure not regarding our merite but his grace and benefite Wherby onely is done all that in any wise is to him acceptable And thus if we ought not to attend our merites in doing the commandement of God Obseruing of Gods workes worketh in vs no meriâ—â—â— Ergo much less the obseruing of mennes traditions much lesse should we looke for merite for obseruing of our owne inuentions or traditions of men vnto which there is no benefite in all Scripture which Paul calleth y e word of truth and of faith promised But here may be obiected against me that the rewarde is promised in many places to them that do obserue y e preceptes of God That I affirm to be very sooth Notwithstanding such reward shall neuer be atteyned of vs except by the grace and benefite of him which worketh all things in all creatures And this affirmeth well S. Augustine S. Ambrose Fulgentius with other as you may see euery where in their workes Vnio dissidentium and specially in the treatise called Vnio dissidentium wherein he entreateth de gratia meritis And of S. Augustine I remember ij or iij. right notable sentences concerning the same Rewarde how it is promysed to workes August libe Confessioâ— One is in the 9. booke of hys Confessions in this fourme Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Quia verè non exquiris delicta vehementer fiducialiter speramus aliquem locum apud te inuenire indulgentiae Quisquis autem tibi enumerat vera merita sua quid tibi enumerat nisi munera tua O si cognoscerent se omnes qui gloriatur in Domino gloriaretur Woe be to the life of men be they neuer so holy it thou shalt examine them setting thy mercy aside Because thou doest not exactly examine the faultes of men therefore we haue a vehement hope and trust to find some place of mercy with thee And whosoeuer recounteth vnto thee his merites what other thing doth he recount but thy benefits O would God all men would see and knowe themselues and that he which glorieth would glorie in the Lord. Againe in the first booke he sayth thus vnto God Nunquid inops es gaudes lucris Nunquid auarus vsuras exigis Superogatur tibi vt debeas quis habet quicquam non tuuÌ„ Conf. lib. 1. Reddis debita nulli debens donas debita nihil perdens Doth any man giue that he oweth not vnto thee that thou shouldest be in his debte and hath any man ought that is not thine Thou rendrest debt and yet owest to no man Thou forgiuest debte and yet losest nothing And therefore his vsuall prayer was this Domine da quod iubes iube quod vis Lord giue that thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt Also in the booke called Manuale Augustini or De contemplatione Christi he sayth in this wise Tota spes mea est in morte Domini Mors eius meritum meum refugium meum salus vita resurrectio mea Meritum meum miseratio Domini Non sum meriti inops quamdiu ille miserationum Dominus non defuerit Et si misericordiae Domini multae multus ego sum in meritis All my hope is in the Lordes death His death is my merite my refuge my health and my
he doth communicate to vs hys owne nature Ex exâ—â—â—plari 〈◊〉 Cranmer descriptoâ— and so is Christ made one with vs carnally and corporally because he tooke our nature of the Uirgine Mary And Hillary doth not onely say that Christ is naturally in vs but that we also are naturally in him and in the father that is that we are partakers of their nature which is eternitie or euerlastingnes For as the worde receiuing our nature did ioyne it vnto himselfe in vnitie of person and did coÌ„municate vnto that our nature the nature of his eternitie Naturallâ— expoundâ—â— that is 〈◊〉 bodyes to participatâ— the naturâ— propertâ— of Christ holy iâ—â—mortall bâ—â—dy that like as he being the euerlasting word of the Father had euerlasting life of the Father euen so he gaue the same nature to hys flesh Likewise also did he communicate with vs the same nature of eternitie which he and the father haue and that we should be one with them not onely in wil loue but that we should be also partakers of y e nature of euerlasting life West Hilary where he saith Christ coÌ„municated to vs his nature he meaneth y t not by his natiuity but by y e sacrament Cranmer He hath communicated to vs his flesh by hys natiuitie West We haue communicated to him * Then 〈◊〉 Christ a sinfull flesh our flesh when he was borne Cran. Nay he communicated to vs his flesh wheÌ„ he was borne and that I will shew you out of Cyrill vppon this place Et homo factus est West Ergo Christ being borne gaue vs his flesh Cran. In his natiuity he made vs * That is made vs partakers the propeâ—â—ties life iâ—â—nocencye resurrectioâ— of his bodâ— D Chadâ—â— agayne dâ—â—â—puteth Hillar 8. 〈◊〉 Trinitate partakers of his flesh West Write Sirs Cran. Yea write Ched This place of Hilary is so dark that you were compelled to falsifie it in your booke because you coulde not draw it to confirme your purpose If Christ haue taken verily the flesh of our body and the man that was verely borne of the Virgin Mary is Christ and also wee receaue vnder the true mistery the fleshe of his body by meanes wherof we shal be one for the father is in Christ and Christ in vs how shall that be called the vnitie of will when the naturall propertie brought to passe by the Sacrament is the Sacrament of vnitie we must not speake in the sence of man or of the worlde in matters concerning God neither must wee peruersly wrast anye straunge or wicked sence out of the wholesome meaning of the holy scripture through impudent and vile contentioÌ„ Let vs read those thinges that are written and let vs vnderstand those thinges that wee read and then wee shall performe the duetie of perfect fayth For as touching that naturall and true being of Christ in vs except wee learne of him wee speake foolishly and vngodly that thing that we doe speake For he sayth My flesh is meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him As touching the veritie of his fleshe and bloud there is left no place of doubt for now both by the testimonie of the Lord and also by our fayth it is verily flesh and verily bloud Here you haue falsified Hillary Thus 〈◊〉 was their talke in Englishe Seing M Cranmeâ— had twyâ—â— veré 〈◊〉 once verâ— they had cause to 〈◊〉 greeued 〈◊〉 that they were 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 a knot in rushe for you haue set verò sub mysterio for verè sub mysterio we receiue truly vnder a mystery Hillary thrise reporteth verè sub mysterio and you interprete it twise verè sub mysterio but the third tyme you haue verò for verè Cran. Assuredly I am not guilty of any deceite herein It may be that the copy which I followed had Sub vero mysterio i. vnder a true mysterye although touching y e sense it differeth little God I call to witnesse I haue alway hated falsifieng and if you had laisure and lust to heare false citations I could recite vnto you vj. hundred West Here shall be shewed you two copies of Hilary the one printed at Basill the other at Paris Cran. I suppose that D. Smiths bookes hath vero Weston Here is Doctour Smith let him aunswere for hymselfe M. Smith M. Doctor what say you for your selfe speake if you know it ¶ Here Doctor Smith eyther for the truth in hys booke alledged or els astonied with Doctor Westons hasty calling stayd to answer For he onely put of his cappe and kept silence West But your owne booke printed by Wolfe your owne Printer hath vero Cran. That Booke is taken from me which easily myght haue ended this controuersie I am sure the booke of Decrees hath vero Cole Now you admit the booke of Decrees when it maketh for you Cran. Touching the sence of the matter there is little difference The chaunge of one letter for an other is but a small matter West Noâ—s Pastor as you know signifieth a Byshop and Pistor signifieth a Baker But Pastor shal be Pistor a Bishop shall be a Baker by this your chaunge of one letter If verè and vero doe nothing chaunge the sence Cran. Let it be so that in Pistor and Pastor one letter maketh some difference Yet let Pistor be either a Baker or maker of bread ye see here the change of a letter and yet no great difference to be in the sence Young This disputation is taken in hand that the truth myght appeare I perceiue that I must goe an other waye to worke then I had thought It is a common saying againste hym that denyeth principles we must not dispute Therfore that we may agree of the principles I demaund whether there be any other body of Christ then his instrumentall body Cran. There is no naturall body of Christe but his organicall body Young Againe I demande whether sence reason ought to geue place to faith Cran. They ought Yong. Thirdly whether Christ be true in all his wordes Cran. Yea he is most true and trueth it selfe Yong. Fourthly whether Christ at his supper mineded to doe that which he spake or no Cran. Dicendo dixit non fecit dicendo sed fecit Discipulis Sacramentum That is In saying he spake but in sayinge hee made not but made the sacrament to his disciples Yong. Answer according to the truthe whether did Christ that as God and man 〈◊〉 Yonges â—â—ophisticall 〈◊〉 whych he spake when he sayde This is my body Cran. This is a sophistical cauillation go plainly to work There is some deceite in these questions You seeke subtlenesse leaue your craftie fetches Young I demaunde whether Christe by these woordes wrought any thing or no Cran. He did institute the Sacrament Yong. But answere whether did he worke any thing Cran. He did worke in instituting the
was compelled to abiure All these aboue named in one key of doctrine religion did hold concord together agaynst whō were obiected 5. or 6. especiall matters to witte Consent of doctrine for speaking agaynst worshipping of saynts agaynst pilgrimage agaynst inuocatiō of the blessed virgin agaynst the sacramēt of the Lords body for hauing scripture bookes in English which bookes especially I finde to be named as these the booke of the 4. Euangelistes a booke of the Epistles of Paule and Peter the Epistle of S. Iames a booke of the Apocalips and of Antichrist of the 10. Commaundementes and Wickeliffes wicker with such other like ¶ Iohn Stilman Martyr IT would aske a long tractation tedious to recite in order the greate multitude and number of good men women Anno. 1518. beside these aboue rehearsed which in those dayes recanted and abiured about the beginning of king Henryes raigne and before Iohn Stilman Martyr Wickliffes Wicket among whō yet notwithstanding some there were whom the Lord reduced againe made strong in the profession of his truth and constant vnto death of which number one was Iohn Stilman by name who about the xxiiij day of Sept in the yeare of our Lord. 1518. was apprehended and brought before Richard Fitziames then B. of Lond. at his manor of Fulham and by him was there examined and charged that notwithstanding his former recantation oth and abiuration made about xi yeres then past before Edmund Byshop of Salisbury as well for speaking against y e worshipping praying and offering vnto Images as also for denying the carnal and corporal presence in y e sacrament of Christes memoriall yet sithens that time he had fallen into the same opinions againe and so into the daunger of relapse and further he had highly commended and praysed Iohn Wickliffe affirming that he was a saint in heauen and that hys booke called y e Wicket Ex Regist. Fitziames Lond. was good and holy Soone after hys examination he was sent from thence vnto the Lollardes tower at London and the xxij day of October then next ensuing was brought openly into the consistory at Paules and was there iudicially examined by Thom. Hed the byshops vicare generall vpon the contentes of these articles followyng 1. First I obiect vnto you that you haue confessed before my Lord of London and me D. Hed his vicar generall that about xx yeares past one Steuen Moone of the Dioces of Winchest Articles laid agaynst Ioh. Stilman With whom you abode 6. or 7. yeares after did teach you to beleeue that the going on pilgrimage and worshipping of images as the Lady of Walsingham and others were not to be vsed * Yeares of Antiquitie to be noted A godly Martyr Richarde Smart burned at Salisbury ann 1503. Wickliffes Wicket And also that afterwards one Richard Smart who was burned at Salisbury about 14. or 15. yeares past did read vnto you Wickliffes Wicket and likewise instructed you to beleeue that the sacrament of the altar was not the body of Christ all whiche thinges you haue erroneously beleued 2. Item you haue diuers times read the said book called Wickleffes Wicket and one other booke of the x. Commaundementes which the sayd Richard Smart did geue you and at the tyme of your first apprehensiō you did hide thē in an old oke and did not reuele them vnto the bishop of Salisbury before whom you were abiured of heresie about xi yeares since where you promised by oth vpon the Euangelistes euer after to beleue and hold as the Christē fayth taught and preached and neuer to offend agayne in the sayd heresies or any other vpon payne of relapse And further you there promised to performe all such penaunce as the sayd Bishop of Salisbury did enioyne you who thē enioyned you vpon the like payne not to depart his Dioces without hys speciall licence 3. Item it is euident that you be relapsed aswel by your own confession as also by your deedes in that about two yeares after your abiuration you went into the sayd place where you had hidden your books and then taking them away with you you departed the foresayd dioces without the licence of the Bishop and brought them with you to London where nowe being tached and taken with them vpon great suspicion of heresie you are brought vnto the Bishop of London By reason of whiche your demeanor you haue shewed by your impenitent and dissembled conuersation from your errours and also your vnfaithful abiuration and disobedience vnto the authoritie of our mother holy Church in that you performed not the penance in whiche behalfe you be voluntarily periured and also relapsed in that you departed the sayd dioces wythout licence 4. Item you be not onely as afore is sayd impenitent disobedient voluntarily periured relapsed by this your foresayd hereticall demeanor but also sithens your last attachment vpon suspicion of heresie you haue maliciously spoken erroneous and damnable wordes affirming before my Lord of London your Ordinary and me iudicially sitting at Fulham that you were sorye y t euer you did abiure your said opinions and had not suffered then manfully for them for they were and be good and true and therfore you will now abide by them to die for it And furthermore you haue spoken against our holy father the pope and hys authoritie damnably saying that he is Antichrist and not the true successor of Peter or Christes vicar on earth and that his pardons and indulgences which he graunteth in y e sacrament of penaunce are nought and that you will none of thē And likewise y t the colledge of Cardinals be limmes of the sayd Antichrist and that all other inferiour prelates and Priestes are the sinagogue of Sathan Wickliffes Wicket And moreouer you sayd that the doctors of the Churche haue subuerted the truth of holy Scripture expounding it after their own mindes and therfore theyr workes be nought and they in hell but that wickleffe is a Sainct in heauen and that the booke called his Wicket is good for therein he sheweth the truth Also you did wish that there were xx thousand of your opinion against vs Scribes and Pharisies to see what you would doe for the defēce of your fayth Al which heresies you did afterwardes erroneously affirme before y e Archbishop of Caunterbury and then said that you would abide by thē to dye for it notwithstanding his earnest perswasions to the contrary and therefore for these premisses you be euidently relapsed and ought to be committed vnto the secular power ¶ The burning of Iohn Stilman ¶ Thomas Man Martyr NExt to Iohn Stilman aboue mentioned followeth in this blessed order of Martyrs the persecution and cōdemnation of Thomas Man Tho. Man Martyr Who the 29. day of Marche in the yeare of our Lord. 1518. was burned in Smithfield This Tho. Man had likewise bene apprehended for y e profession of Christes Gospell about 6. yeares before the 14. day
Chaucer Gower commended for their studious exercise although it seemeth that Gower was a great deale his ancient both notably learned as the barbarous rudenes of that tyme did geue both great friends together and both in like kinde of study together occupyed so endeuoring themselues and employing their tyme that they excelling many other in study and exercise o◠good letters did passe forth their liues here right worshipfully godly to the worthye fame and commendation of theyr name Chaucers workes be all printed in one volume and therfore knowne to all men This I meruaile to see the idle lyfe of the priestes and clergye men of that tyme seeing these lay persons shewed themselues in these kinde of liberall studyes so industrious fruitfully occupyed but muche more I maruell to consider thys Chaucer a right Wickleuian how y t the bishops condemning and abolishing al maner of Englishe bookes and treatises whiche might bring y e people to anye light of knowledge did yet authorise the workes of Chaucer to remaine still to be occupyed Chaucers bokes Who no doubt saw in Religion as much almost as euen we do now vttereth in hys works no lesse and seemeth to be a right Wicleuian or els was neuer any and that all his workes almost if they be throughly aduised will testifie albeit it be done in mirth couertly especially y e latter end of hys thyrd booke of y e Testament of loue for there purely he toucheth the highest matter that is the communion Wherin except a man be altogether blind he may espy him at the full Although in the same book as in all other he vseth to do vnder shadows couertly as vnder a visour he suborneth trueth in suche sort Men brought to truth by reading Chaucers workes as both priuilye she may profite the godly minded and yet not be espyed of the crafty aduersary And therefore the bishops belike taking his woorkes but for iestes and toyes in condemning other bookes yet permitted his bookes to be read So it pleased God to blind then the eyes of them for y e more commoditie of his people to the intent that through the reading of his treatises some fruit might redound therof to his Church as no doubt it dyd to many As also I am partly enformed of certayne whiche knew the parties which to them reported y t by reading of Chaucers works The ploughmans tale in Chaucer they were brought to the true knowledge of religion And not vnlike to be true For to omitte other partes of his volume whereof some are more fabulous then other what tale can be more playnly tolde then the tale of the ploughman or what finger can poynt out more directly the Pope with his prelates to be Antichrist then doth the poore Pellican reasoning agaynst the greedy Griffon Under which Hypotyposis or Poesie who is so blind that seeth not by the Pellican the doctrine of Christ and of the Lollardes to be defended against the Church of Rome Or who is so impudent y t can deny that to be true which the Pellicā there affirmeth in describing the presumptuous pryde of that pretensed Church Agayne what egge can be more lyke or fig vnto an other then the wordes properties and conditiōs of that rauening griphe resembleth the true Image that s the nature and quallities of that which we call y e church of Rome in euery poynt degree and therefore no great meruaile if that narratiō was exempted out of the copies of Chaucers workes whiche notwithstanding now is restored agayne and is extant for euery man to reade that is disposed This Geffrey Chaucer being borne as is thought in Oxfordshyre and dwelling in Woodstocke lyeth buryed in the Church of the minster of S. Peter at Westminster in an I le on the southside of the sayd Church not far from the dore leading to the Cloister and vpon his graue stone first were written these two old verses Galfridus Chaucer vates fama poesis Maternae hac sacra sum tumulatus humo Afterward about the yeare of our Lord. 1556. one M. Brickham bestowing more cost vpon his tombe did adde thereunto these verses following Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olim Galfridus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras Domini si tempora mortis Ecee nota subsunt quae tibi cuncta notent 25. Octob. Anno. 1400. * Here beginneth the reformation of the church of Christ in the tyme of Martine Luther ALthough it can not be sufficiently expressed with toūg or pen of man The corruption of the Church described into what miserable ruine desolation the church of Christ was brought in those latter dayes yet partly by the reading of these storyes aforepast some intelligence may be geuen to them whiche haue iudgement to marke or eyes to see in what blindnes and darckenes the world was drowned during the space of these 400. yeares heretofore and more By the viewing and considering of which times and histories thou mayst vnderstand gentle reader how the religion of Christ which onely consisteth in spirit and veritie was wholy turned into outward obseruations ceremonies and idolatry So many Sainctes we had so many gods so many monasteries so many pilgrimages As many churches as many reliques forged teyned we had Agayne so many reliques so many lyeng miracles wee beleued In stede of the onely liuing Lorde we worshipped dead stocks and stones In place of Christ immortall we adored mortall bread In stead of his bloud we worshipped the bloud of duckes How the people wer led so that the priestes were fed no care was taken In stead of Gods word mans worde was set vp In stead of Christes testament the Popes testament that is the Canon lawe in stead of Paule the mayster of sentence tooke place and almost full possession The law of God was litle read the vse and end therof was lesse knowne And as the ende of the lawe was vnknowne so the difference betweene the Gospell and the lawe was not vnderstanded y e benefite of Christ not considered the effect of faith not expended Through the ignoraunce wherof it cannot be told what infinite erroures sectes and religious crept into the church ouerwhelming the world as with a floud of ignoraunce and seduction And no maruell for where the foundation is not well layd what building can stand and prosper The foundation of all our Christianitie is onely this The promise of God The foundation of Christian religion in the bloud of Christ hys sonne geuing and promising life vnto all that beleeue in him Geuing sayth the Scripture vnto vs and not barganing or indenting with vs And that freely sayth the Scripture for Christes sake Rom 6. and not condicionally for our merites sake Rom. 4. Furthermore freely sayth the scripture by grace that the promise might be firme and sure and not by the workes that we doe Rom. 4. which are alwaies
martyrdome where no kinde of crueltie was sacking which the innocent Martyrs of Christ Iesus were wont to be put vnto Ex Henr. Pantal. hist Gallic The names of his persecutours in the story be not expressed Stephen Polliot Martyr Stephen Polliot At Paris An. 1546. Stephen Polliot comming out of Normandy where he was borne vnto Meaux taryed not there long but was compelled to flye went to a town called Fera where hee was appreheÌ„ded and brought to Paris and there cast into a foule and darcke prison In whiche prison he was kept in bands and fetters a loÌ„g space where he saw almost nolight At length being called for before the Senate and his sentence geuen to haue his tongue cut out and to be burned aliue his satchell of bookes hangyng about his necke O Lord sayd he is the world in blindnes and darckenes still For he thought being in prison so long that the world had ben altered from his olde darckenes to better knowledge At laste the worthye Martyr of Iesus Christ hauyng his bookes about his necke was put into the fire where he with much pacience ended this transitory lyfe Ex Henr. Pantal. The high Senate of Paris Iohn Englishe An. 1547. He was executed burned at Sens in Burgundy Ioh. Englishe martyr being condemned by the hygh Courte of Paris for confessing y e true word of God Ex Crisp. Adrian  Michaell Michelote a Taylour An. 1547. This Taylour beyng apprehended for y e gospels sake Michaell Michelot martyr was iudged first if hee woulde turne to be beheaded and if hee woulde not turne then to be burned aliue Who beyng asked whether of these two he woulde chuse aunswered that hee trusted that hee which hath geuen him grace not to denye the truth woulde also geue him pacience to abide the fire He was burned at Werden by Turney Two false brethren Leonardus de Prato An. 1547. This Leonard goyng from Dyion to Bar Leonardus de Prato martyr a towne in Burgundy with two false brethren and talkyng with them about religion was bewrayed of theÌ„ and afterward burned  Iohn Taffingnon Vij Martyrs Ioan his wife Symon Mareschall Ioan his wife W. Michant Iames Boulerau Iames Bretany An. 1547. Al these 7. beyng of the Cittie of Langres for the word and truth of Christ Iesus were committed to the fire wherein they dyed w t much strength comfort But especially Ioanne which was Simons wife being reserued to the last place because she was y e yongest confirmed her husband and al the other with words of singular consolation declaring to her husband that they shoulde the same daye be maryed to the Lorde Iesus to liue with him for euer Ex. Pantal. Crisp. alijs The Senate of paris Mischaell Maâ—eschall Ioh. Cam. Great Iohn Camus Iohn Serarphin An. 1547. These also the same yeare and about the same tyme for the lyke confession of Christes Gospell wer condemned by the Senate of Paris in the same Cittye also with the like cruelty were burned Ex Pantal. Crisp. The host of Octouien at Lyons Gabriell of Saconnex Presenteur Octonien Blondell a Marchaunt of precious stones At paris An. 1548. This Octouien as he was a great occupyer in al fayres countryes of Fraunce Octouien martyr and well knowne both in Court els where so was he a singular honest man of great integritie and also a fauourer of Gods word Who beyng at his hostes house in Lyons rebuked the filthy talk and superstitious behauiour whiche there he heard saw Wherfore the host bearing to him a grudge chanced to haue certayne talke with Gabriell of Sacconex Presenteur concerning the riches and a sumptuous coller set with riche iewels of this Octouien Thus these two coÌ„sulting together dyd suborne a certayn person to borowe of hym a certayne summe of crownes Which because Octouien refused to lend the other caused hym to be apprehended for heresie thinking thereby to make atachment of hys goodes But such order as was taken by Blondels friendes that they were frustrate of their purpose Then Blondell being examined of hys fayth gaue a playne and ful confession of that doctrine which he had learned for the whiche he was committed to prison where he dyd much good to the prisoners there For some y t were in debt he payd theyr creditors and loosed them out To some he gaue meate to other rayment Faith ioyned with good workes At length thorough the importune perswasions of his parents and frendes he gaue ouer and chaunged hys confession Notwithstanding the Presenteur not leauyng so appealed hym vp to y e high court of Paris There Otouien beyng asked agayne touching hys fayth which of hys two confessions he woulde stick to he being before admonished of his fal and of the offence geuen thereby to the faithfull said he would liue dye in his first confession which he defeÌ„ded to be consonaÌ„t to the verity of Gods word Which done he was coÌ„demned to be burned and so hast was made to his execution least his frendes in the court might come betweene and saue his life Ex Ioan. Crisp. Lib. 6.  Hubert Cheriet Martyre Hubert Cheriet alias Burre a yong man a Taylour At Dyion An. 1549. Hubert beyng a young man of the age of xix yeares was burned for the Gospell at DyioÌ„ who neyther by any terroures of death nor allurementes of hys parentes coulde be otherwyse perswaded but constantly to remayne in the truth vnto death Ibid. peter Lisetus president of the Counsaile of paris and other Sorbonistes M. Florent Venote Florent Venote martyr priest At paris An. 1549. This Florent remayned in prison in Paris 4. yeares and 9 hours During which tyme there was no torment which he did not abide and ouercome Among al other kindes of torments he was put in a narrowe prisoÌ„ or brake so strait that he coulde neyther stand nor lye whiche they call the hoase or boote ad Nectar Hippocratis because it is strait beneath and wyder aboue like to the instrument where with Apocatheries are wont to make their hipocras In this he remayneth 7. weekes where the tormentors affirme that no thiefe nor murderer coulde euer endure xv dayes but was in daunger of lyfe or madnes At last when there was a great shew in Paris at the kings comming into the Citty and diuers other Martyrs in sondry places of the Cittye were put to death he hauing hys tongue cut off was brought to see the execution of them all and last of all in y e place of Maulbert was put in the fire and burned the ix of Iuly at after noone Ex Ioan Crisp.  Anne Audebert an Apothecaryes wife and wydow At Orleance An. 1549. She going to Geneua was taken brought to Paris Anne Audebert martyr and by the Counsayle there iudged to bee burned at Orleance WheÌ„ y e rope was put about her shee called it her wedding girdle wherwith she
hys speach And so these two after they had confirmed manye in Gods truth gaue their lyfe for Christes Gospell Ibidem Ioan. Andreas Promoter Tho. Sanpaulinus martyr Peter Liset President of the Counsel of Paris Mailardus Doctor Sorbonius Aubertus Consiliarius Thomas Sanpaulinus At Paris An. 1551. This Thomas a yong man of the age of 18. yeares commyng from Geneua to Paris rebuked there a maÌ„ for swearing For the which cause he being suspected for a Lutheran was followed and watched whether he went and was taken and broughte before the Counsaile of Paris and put in prisoÌ„ where he was racked and miserably tormented to the inteÌ„t he should eyther chaunge his opinion or confes other of hys profession Hys tormentes and rackinges were so sore through the setting on of Maillard and other Sorbonistes that the sight therof made Aubertus one of the counsayle a cruell and vehement enemy against y e Gospel to turne hys back and weepe The youÌ„g man when he had made the tormenters weary with racking and yet woulde vtter none at last was had to Maulbert place in Paris to be burned Where he being in the fire was pluckt vp agayn vpon y e gybbet and asked whether he would turne To whome he sayd that he was in hys way toward God and therfore desired them to let him go Thus this glorious martir remayning inexpugnable glorified the Lord with constant confession of his truth Ibid.  Mauricius Secenat In Prouince An. 1551. He first hauing interrogations put to hym by the Lieuetenaunt of that place Mauryce Senenat martyr made hys aunsweres thereunto so as no great aduantage could be taken thereof But he being greatly compuncted and troubled in hys conscience for dissembling with the truth and called afterward before the Lorde chiefe Iudge aunswered so directly that he was condemned for y e same and burned in Prouince Ex eodeÌ„ A Cittizen of Vzez Ioannes Putte or de Puteo surnamed Medicus At Vzez in Prouince An. 1551. This Medicus beyng a Carpenter and vnlettered Ioannes de Puteo martyr had a controuersie about a certaine pitte withe a Citizene of the towne of Uzez where he dwelled He to cast thys Medicus in the lawe from the pitte accused him of heresie bringing for his witnesses those labourers whome Meddicus had hyred to work in his vineyard wherfore he being examined of the Sacrament of y e Lords Supper was condemned and burned At Uzez in Prouince Ex eodem The gouernour of Lyons The Official of the Archdeacon of Lyons Claudius Monerius At Lyons An. 1551. This man being well instructed in y e knowledge of Gods worde for the whiche he was also driuen from Auernia came to Lyons Claudius Monerius martyr and there taught children He hearing of y e Lord Presidents comming to the citie went to geue warning to a certain familiar friend of hys and so conducted him out of y t town In returning agayne to comforte the mans wife and children he was taken in hys house and so he confessing that which he knew to be true and standing to that whiche he confessed after muche affliction in prison and doungeons was condemned and burned at Lyons He was noted to be so gentle and milde of conditions and constant withall and also learned that certayne of the Iudges coulde not forbeare weeping at his death The sayd Monerius being in Prison wrote certeine letters but one specially very comfortable to all the faythful which the Lorde willing in y e ende of these histories shal be inserted He wrote also y e questioÌ„s interrogatories of y e Official w t his aunsweres likewise to the same which summarily we haue here contracted as followeth Officiall What beleue you of the Sacrament The Sacrâ—ment is the bodye of Christ in the bread or no The Martyr I worship Iesus Christ in heauen sitting at the right hand of God the Father Officiall What say you by purgatory The Martyr Forsomuch as there is no place of mercy after thys life therefore no neede there is of any purgation but necessary it is that wee be purged before wee passe hence Officiall Supremacie Of the Pope what thinke you The Martyr I say he is a Bishop as other Bishops are if he be a true folower of S. Peter Officiall Vowes What say you of vowes The Martyr No man can vow to God so much but the lawe requireth much more then he can vow Officiall Praying to Saintes Are not Sayntes to be inuocated The Martyr They can not pray without fayth and therfore it is in vayne to call vnto them And againe God hath appoynted his Aungels about vs to minister in our necessities Officiall Is it not good to salute the blessed virgine wyth Aue Maria The Martyr When she was on this earth she had then need of the Aungels greeting for then she had need of saluation as well as other but now she is so blessed that no more blessing can be wished vnto her Officiall Images Are not Images to be had The Martyr For that the nature of man is so prone to Idolatry euer occupyed and fixed in those thinges whych lye before his eies rather then vpon those which are not seene Images therefore are not to be sette before Christians You know nothing is to be adored but that which is not seene with eies that is God alone which is a spirit and him we must worship onely in spirit and truth Officiall What say you by the canonicall or ordinary houres for prayer The Martyr To houres and times prayer ought not to be tied But when so euer Gods spirit doth mooue vs or when any necessity driueth vs theÌ„ ought we to pray Then the Officiall asked what he thought of holy oyle salt with such other like To whome the Martyr aunswered that all these thinges were a meere * Maranatha is an Hebrue word mentioned 1. Cor. l 6. and signifieth curse or malediction to the losse of all that a man hath and thereof commeth Matanismas vid. Nic. Lyr. Renate Poyet martyr Maranismus that is sauoured of the law of MaranoruÌ„ and of the superstition of the Iewes  Renate Poyet At Salmure in Fraunce An. 1552. Renate Poyet the sonne of William Poiet which was Chauncellour of Fraunce for the true and syncere profession of the word of GOD constantly suffered Martyrdome and was burned in the Citty of Salmure an 1552. Ex Crisp.  Iohn Ioyer and his seruant a young man Ioh. Ioyer with his seruaunt martyrs At Tholouse An. 1552. These twoe comming from Geneua to theyr Countrey with certayne bookes were appreheÌ„ded by y e way and at length hadde to Thoulouse Where the mayster was first condemned The seruaunt beyng young was not so prompt to aunswere them but sent them to his mayster saying that he should answer them When they were brought to the stake the yong man first going vp began to weep The mayster fearyng least he would geue ouer ranne to
pretermittyng nothing that may defeÌ„d the law of his realme The which if your most renowmed king of Scotland will follow he shal purchase to himself eternal glory Further as touchyng the condigne coÌ„mendation due for your part most reuereÌ„d Byshop in this behalfe it shall not be the least part of your prayse that these heresies haue bene extinct sometimes in ScotlaÌ„d you being Primate of ScotlaÌ„d and principal authour therof Albeit that they also which haue assisted you are not to be defrauded of their deserued prayse as the reuereÌ„d Byshop of Glasgow of whose erudition we haue here geueÌ„ vs partly to vnderstand and also the Reuerend Byshop of Aberden a stoute defender of the fayth together with the rest of the Prelates Abbottes Priours and professors of holy Scripture Let your Reuerend Fatherhood take this little testificate of our duety toward you in good part whom we wishe long and happely well to fare in Christ. From Louane An. 1528. Aprill 21. By the Maisters and professours of Theologie in the Vniuersitie of Louane yours to commaunde ¶ In this Epistle of the Louanian Doctours I shall not neede geÌ„tle Reader to note vnto thee what a pernitious thyng in a coÌ„mon wealth is blynd ignoraunce wheÌ„ it â—alleth into cruell hartes Which may well be compared to a sword put in the handes of one that is both blynd and mad For as the blynd man hauyng no sense to see iudge knoweth not whom he striketh so the madde man beyng cruell furious hath no coÌ„passion in sparyng any Wherupon it happeneth many tymes with these men as it dyd with the blynd furious Phariseis that as they hauing the sword of authoritie in their haÌ„des in stede of malefactours and false Prophetes slue the true Prophetes of God and at last crucified the kyng of glory so these Catholicke Louanians and folowers of their Messias of Rome take in their handes the sworde of iurisdiction who neither seyng what to spare nor caring whom they smite vnder the stile and pretense of heretickes murther and blaspheme without mercy the true Preachers of the Gospell and the holy annoynted of the Lord. But to returne to the matter agayne of M. HameltoÌ„ here is moreouer to be obserued as a note worthy of memory that in the yeare of the Lord. 1564. in y t which yeare this present history was collected in Scotland there were certaine faythfull men of credite theÌ„ aliue who beyng present the same tyme when M. Patrike Hamelton was in the fire A maruelous exaÌ„ple of Gods iust punishment vpon the accuser persecuter of M. Hamelton heard him to cite appeale the blacke Frier called CaÌ„pbel that accused him to appeare before the high God as general iudge of all meÌ„ to aunswere to the innoceÌ„cy of his death and whether his accusation was iust or not betwene that a certaine day of the next moneth which he there named Moreouer by the same witnes it is testified that y e sayd Frier died immediately before y e sayd day came without remorse of conscience that he had persecuted the InnoceÌ„t By the example wherof diuers of the people the same tyme much mused and firmely beleued the doctrine of the foresayd M. Hamelton to be good and iust Hereunto I thought good to adioyne a certaine godly and profitable treatise of the sayd M. Patrike Hamelton A treatise of M. Patricke Hamelton called Patricks places written first by him in Latine and afterward traÌ„slated by Iohn Frith into English which he names Patriks Places not vnprofitable in my mynde to be sene and read of all men for the pure and comfortable doctrine conteyned in the same as not onely by the Treatise it selfe may appeare but also by the Preface of the sayd Iohn Frith prefixed before which also I thought not inconuenient to insert with the same as here foloweth ¶ A brief treatise of M. Patrike Hamelton called Patrikes Places translated into Englishe by Iohn Frith with the Epistle of the sayd Frith prefixed before the same as followeth * Iohn Frith vnto the Christian Reader BLessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ whiche in these last dayes and perillous tymes hath stirred vp in all couÌ„treys witnesses vnto his sonne to testifye the truth vnto the vnfaythfull The preface of I. Fâ—ith before Patricks places to saue at the least some from the snares of Antichrist which leade to perdition as ye may heere perceaue by that excellent and well learned yong man Patrike Hamelton borne in Scotland of a noble progeny who to testifie the truth sought all meanes and tooke vpon him Priesthode euen as Paule circumcised Timothy to winne the weake Iewes that he might be admitted to preache the pure worde of God Notwithstanding as soone as the Chamberleyne and other Byshops of Scotlande had perceaued that the light began to shine whiche disclosed theyr falsehood that they conueyed in darkenes they layd handes on him and because he would not deny his Sauiour Christ at theyr instance they burnt him to ashes Neuerthelesse God of his bounteous mercy to publish to the whole worlde what a man these monsters haue murthered hath reserued a little treatise made by this Patrike Patricks places which if ye list ye may call Patrickes Places For it treateth exactly of certayne common places which knowen yee haue the pith of all Diuinitie This treatise haue I turned into the English tong to the profit of my nation to whome I beseech God to geue light that they may espye the deceitfull pathes of perdition and returne to the right way which leadeth to life euerlasting Amen ¶ The doctrine of the Lawe What the Lawe is THE Lawe is a doctrine that biddeth good and forbiddeth euill as the Commaundements do specifie heere following The ten Commaundements of God A diuisioÌ„ of the CoÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts Exod. 20. 1. Thou shalt worship but one God 2. Thou shalt make thee no Image to worship it 3. Thou shalt not sweare by his name in vayne 4. Hold the Sabboth day holy 5. Honour thy father and thy mother 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit aduoutry 8. Thou shalt not steale 9. Thou shalt not beare false witnes 10. Thou shalt not desire ought that belongeth to thy neighbour All these Commaundements are briefly comprised in these two heere vnder ensuing Loue thy Lord God with all thine hart with all thy soule and with all thy mynde The loue of God The loue of our neighbour Math. 22. This is the first and great commaundement The second is like vnto this that is loue thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two commaundements hangeth all the Lawe and the Prophetes Certayne generall propositions prooued by the Scripture ¶ The first proposition The first proposition Probation 1. Iohn 4. ¶ He that loueth God loueth his neighbour This proposition is proued 1. Iohn 4. If a man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a lyer He that loueth not hys
mindes to make them put theyr fayth in our Lady and in other saynts and not in God alone to whom be honor and glory for euer Brusierd But that I beleue and knowe that God and all his Sayntes will take euerlasting reuengement vppon thee I woulde surely with these nayles of myne be thy death for this horrible and enorme iniury agaynst the precious bloud of Christ. God sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue And thou blasphemest him as though he should lay priuy snares of death for vs secretly that we shoulde not espye them Whiche if it were true we might well say then with Hugh de saynt Uictore in this maner If it be an error it is of thee O God that we be deceiued for these be confirmed with such signes and wonders which can not be done but by thee But I am assured it is vntrue and hereticall and therfore I will leaue this matter and will talke with you concerning the merites of Sayntes For once I remember in a certayne Sermon of yours you said that no Saint though his suffering were neuer so great and his life most pure deserued anye thing for vs with God either by his death or life which is contrary to S. Austen Bilney Christ sayth one thing Saynt Augusten another whether of these two shoulde we beleue For Christ willing to deliuer vs out of this darck dungeon of ignorance gaue forth a certayne parable of ten virgins of which fiue were fooles and fiue were wise By the fiue foolish virgins wanting the oyle of good workes he meant vs all sinners By the wise Uirgins he meant the companye of all holy Sayntes * God leadeth not into errour but hath left hys scriptures to lead vs into truth Math. 25. Saintes haue not merites sufficient for themselues much lesse to spare to others Now let vs heare what the fiue wise Uirgynes aunswered to the fiue foolish crauing oyle of them No say they least peraduenture wee haue not sufficient for vs and for you Get you rather to them that sell and buye of them to serue your turne Wherfore if they had not oyle sufficient for them selues and also for the other where then be the merites of Sayntes wherewith they can deserue both for themselues and for vs Certes I cannot see Brusierd You wrast the Scripture from the right vnderstanding to a reprobate sense that I am scarse able to hold mine eyes froÌ„ teares hearing with mine eares these wordes of you Fare ye well ¶ The Submission of M. Thomas Bilney THe fourth day of DeceÌ„ber the bishop of London with the other bishops his assistauntes Bilney conuented againe bâ—fore the Byshop of London assembled againe in the chapter house of Westminster whether also M. Bilney was brought and was exhorted admonished to abiure and recant who aunswered that he would stand to his coÌ„science Then the Bishop of London with the other Byshops Ex officio did publish the depositions of the witnesses with his Articles and aunsweres commaunding that they should be read That done the Byshop exhorted hym agayne to deliberate with himselfe whether he woulde returne to the Church and renouÌ„ce his opinions or no and badde him to depart into a voyd place and there to deliberate with himselfe Which done the Bishoppe asked him agayne if he would returne Who aunswered Fiat iusticia iudicium in nomine domini Bilney denyeth to recant 〈…〉 and being diuers times admonished to abiure he would make no other answere but Fiat iustitia c. And haec est dies quam fecit Dominus exultemus laetemur in ea Then the Byshop after deliberation putting off his cap sayd In nomine patris filij spiritus sancti Amen Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici eius and making a crosse on his forehead and his brest by the counsell of the other Bishops he gaue sentence against M. Bilney being there present in this maner I by the consent and counsell of my brethren here present do pronounce thee Thomas Bilney who hast bene accused of diuers Articles to be conuict of heresy and for the rest of the sentence we take deliberation till to morow The 5. day of December the Byshops assembled there agayne before whom Bilney was brought whom the byshop asked if he would returne to the vnity of the Church and reuoke his heresies which he had preached Wherunto Bilney aunswered that he would not be a slaunder to the Gospell Bilney conuented againe befâ—re the Bâ—shop Biâ—â—ey reâ—â—iseth againe to 〈◊〉 trusting that he was not seperate froÌ„ the Churh and that if the multitude of witnesses might be credited he might haue 30. men of honest life on his part agaynst one to the contrary brought in agaynst him which wytnesses the Byshoppe sayd came to late for after publication they could not be receiued by the law Then Bilney alleadging the story of Susan and Daniel the Bishop of London still exhorted him to returne to the vnity of the Church and to abiure his heresies Lyke Byshops lyke lawes and permitted him to goe into some secret place there to consult with his frendes till one of the clocke at after noone of the same day At afternoone the bishop of London agayne asked him whether he would returne to the church and acknowledge his heresies Bilney conuented the 3. tyme. Bilney aunswered that he trusted he was not seperate from the Church and required time and place to bring in witnesses which was refused Then the Byshop once agayne required of him whether he woulde turne to the Catholicke Church Whereunto he aunswered Bilneys witnesses refused that if they could teach and proue sufficiently that he was coÌ„uict he would yelde and submit himselfe and desired agayne to haue time and space to bring in agayne his refused witnesses and other answere he would geue none Then the Byshop put M. Bilney aside and tooke couÌ„sel with his felowes and afterward calling in M. Bilney asked him agayne whether he would abiure but he would make no other aunswere then before Then the Byshoppe with the consent of the rest did decree and determine that it was not lawfull to heare a petition which was agaynst the law and enquiring agayne whether he would abiure he aunswered plainely no and desired to haue time to consult with his frendes in whom his trust was Bilney denyeth the third time to recant and beynge once agayne asked whether he would returne and instanly desired thereunto or els the sentence must be read he required the Bishop to geue him licence to deliberate wyth himselfe vntill the next morow whether he might abiure the heresies wherwith he was defamed or no. The Bishop graunted him that he should haue a litle time to deliberate with M. Dancaster but Bilney required space till the next morow to consult with M. Farmar and Mayster Dancaster But the Bishop would not graunt him his request Dancaster conferreth
brought before them After certeyne Articles being repeated vnto him the Byshoppe of London brought out before him a certeine booke called the wicked Mammon asking him whether the booke was of the same impression and making as was his booke that he had sold to others Who answered and sayd it was the same Whervpon the bishop of London asked him agayn whether the booke conteined the same errors or no. Who aunswered agayne saying I pray God that the condemnation of the Gospell and translation of the Testament be not to your shame and that ye be not in perill for it for the coÌ„demnatioÌ„ of it and of the other is all one Further he said that he had studyed holy Scripture by the space of these 17. yeares and as he may see the spottes of his face through the glasse so in reading the new Testament he knoweth the faultes of his soule Further he was examined vpon certeine points and articles extracted out of the sayd booke of the wicked Mammon as foloweth Artiâ—les 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 His opinion of Antichrist Antichrist no outward thiâ—g but a spirituall thing FIrst that Antechrist is not an outward thing that is to say a man that should sodenly appere with wonders as your forefathers talked of him but Antechrist is a spirituall thing Whereunto he answered and sayd that he findeth no fault in it Agayne it was demaunded of him touchyng the article whether fayth onely iustifieth a man To thys he sayd that if he should looke to deserue heauen by works he should do wickedly for workes folow fayth and Christ redemed vs all with the merites of his passion That the deuil holdeth our harts so hard that it is impossible for vs to consent to Gods law To that he answered that he findeth no fault in it No man iustified by merites That the law of God suffereth no merites neither any man to be iustified in the sight of God To that he aunswered that it is playne enough considering what the law is and he sayth that he findeth no ill in it The lawe reqâ—ireth thiâ—ges vnpossible That the law of God requireth of vs thinges impossible To that he answered that the law of God doth commaund that thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy neyghbors as thy selfe which neuer man could doe and in that he doth finde no fault in his conscience That as the good tree bringeth forth fruite No lawe to the iust man so there is no law put to him that beleueth is iustified throgh faith To that he aunswered and sayd he findeth no ill in it All good workes must be done without respect of any thing or any profite to be had thereof To that he aunswered it is truth Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauen To that he aunswered that the text is true as it lyeth and findeth no fault in it The Saintes be frendes how to whom Peter and Paule and Saynts that be dead are not our frendes but theyr frendes whom they did helpe when they were aliue To that he sayd he findeth no ill in it Almes deserueth no reward of God To that he answered that the text of the booke is true The deuill not cast out by mans merites The deuill is not cast out by merits of fasting or prayer To that he answered thinking it good enough We can not loue except we see some benefite and kindnes as long as we liue vnder the law of God only The lawe worketh not in vs the loue of god where we see but sinne and damnation and the wrath of God vp on vs yea where we were damned afore we were borne We caÌ„not loue God nor can not but hate him as a tyrant vnrighteous vniust and flee from him as did Cain Man by nature is condemned To that he answereth and thinketh it good playne enough We are damned by nature as a tode is a tode by nature and a Serpent is a Serpent by nature To that he answered it to be true as it is in the booke Item as concerning the article of fasting He meaneth by communicatiâ—n not by vendicâ—tion and yet this pointe seemeth to be falsely gathered To that hee answered and sayd the booke declareth it selfe Euery one man is a Lord of whatsoeuer another man hath To that he answered what lawe canne be better then that for it is playnely ment there Loue in Christ putteth no difference betwixte one and another To that he aunswered and sayde it is playne enough of it selfe As concerning the preaching of the word of God and washing of dishes there is no difference as coÌ„cerning saluation and as touchinge the pleasing of God To that hee aunswered saying it is a playne text and as for pleasing of God it is all one That the Iewes of good intent and zeale put Christ to death To that he aunswered that it is true For if they had knowen the lord of glory they would not haue crucyfied him and the text is playne enough The sectes of S. Fraunces S. Dominicke and others be damnable To that he answered and sayd S. Paule repugneth agaynst them Loe here is no scripture broug to reueale these opynions but onely authoritye to oppresse them Which articles being so abiected answere made vnto them by Iohn Tewkesbery the sayd Bishop of London asked him whether hee woulde continue in his heresyes and errors aboue rehearsed or renouÌ„ce and forsake them Who answered thus I pray you reforme your selfe and if there be any error in the booke let it be reformed I thinke the booke be good enough Further the Bishop exhorted him to recant his errors To the which the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery aunswered as is aboue written to witte I pray you reforme your selfe and if there be any error in the booke let it be reformed I thinke it be good enough Which thing being done the bishop appoynted him to determine better with himselfe agaynst the morow in the presence of M. Iohn Cox Uicar generall to the Archbishop of Caunterbury M. Balfride Warton Rouland Philips Wiliam Philow and Robert Ridley professors of diuinity The 13. day of Aprill An other appearaÌ„ce of Iohn Tewkesbery in the yeare of our Lorde abouesayde in the Chappel within the Pallace of LondoÌ„ before Cutbert bishop of LondoÌ„ with his assistance Nicolas byshop of Elye c. Tewkesbery agayne appeared and was examined vpon the articles drawen out of the book called the wicked Mammon as foloweth First Christ is thine and all his deedes be thy deedes Christ is in thee and thou so knit in him inseperably neyther canst thou be damned except Christ be damned wyth thee neither caÌ„st thou be saued except Christ be saued with thee To this he answered that he found no fault in it Item we desire one an other to pray for vs. That done We are not saued by other mens prayers we must put our neighbour in remembraunce of his duty and that we
them that immortally hate vs what coulde we wish them so euill but they haue deserued much worse We wish them this hurt alone that God send them a better minde God be thanked we haue made all their seditious ententes sooner to shew their great malice towardes vs then to do vs much hurt yet they haue well taught vs euermore to take good heede of our ennemyes Undoubtedly it were good going to Mantua and to leaue their whelpes amongst the lambes of our flocke When we be weary of our wealth wee will euen doe then as they would haue vs now do No no as long as we shal see his heart so good towardes vs we trust vppon hys warning we shall well prouide to withstand hys cruell malice No let him now spende his deceites when they can hurt none but such as would deceiue and are deceiued They haue by sundry waies made vs priuy howe much we be bound to them It went nigh their hearts to see the iudgement of Iulye of Clement the 7. of Paule the 3. nothing to be regarded w t vs. The Popes â—urâ—es not feared in England They be afraide if wee shoulde sustaine no hurt because wee iustly reiected their primacie that other Princes woulde begin to doe lykewyse and to shake of their shoulders the heauy burthens that they so long haue borne againste Scripture all right and reason They be sory to see the way stopped y t now their tiranny auarice and pride caÌ„ haue no passage into England which was wont to walk to triumph to tosse to trouble al men They can scarse suffer priuiledges that is to say licence to spoyle our Citizens geuen them by our forefathers and brought in by errorful custome to be taken froÌ„ them They thinke it vnlawful that we require things lawful of them that will be vnder no lawes They thinke wee doe them wrong The Popes trumpery dispatched out of England because we will not suffer them to do vs wrong any longer They see their marchandise to be banished to be forbidden They see that we will buy no longer chalke for cheese They see they haue lost a faire flese vengeable sorie that they can dispatch no more pardons dispensations tot quots with the rest of their baggage and tromperie England is no more a babe There is no man here but now he knoweth that they doe foolishly that giue golde for leade more weight of that then they receiue of this Golde geueÌ„ 〈◊〉 leade They passe not though Peter Paules faces be grauen in the lead to make fooles faine No we be sorie that they shoulde abuse holy Saints visages to the begiling of the world Surely except God take away our right wittes not only his authority shal be driueÌ„ out for euer God grauÌ„t but his name also shortly shall be forgotten in England Wee will from henceforth aske counsel of him and his when we lust to be deceiued when we couet to be in error when we desire to offend God trouth and honesty If a man may gesse the whole worke by the foundation The Popes 〈…〉 where deceits beginneth the worke can any other then deceits be builded vpoÌ„ thys foundation What can you looke for in thys Mantuan councel â—he Pope 〈◊〉 a fewe â—â—nges wel â—t many 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 better 〈◊〉 other then the oppression of truth true religion If there be any thing well done thinke as euery maÌ„ doth bishops of Rome to be accustomed to do a few things wel that many euill may the better be taken at theyr handes They when they lust can yeelde some part of theyr ryghte They are content that some of their decrees some of their errours abuses be reprehended but they are neuer more to be sâ—ared then when they shewe themselues most geÌ„tle For if they graunt a few they aske many if they leaue a litle they will be sure of a great deale Scarse a man he may know how to handle himself that he take no hurt at their hands yea when they blesse him which seldome doe good but for an intent to do euil Certainly come who so will to these shops of deceits to these taires of frauds we wil loose no parte of our right in comming at his call The pope ought to be called and not to call that ought to be called and not to fall We wil neither come at Mantua nor send thether for this matter c. And so the king proceeding in the sayde hys Protestation declareth moreouer how the Pope after he had summoned his Councell first to be kept at Mantua the 23. of May An. 1537. shortly after directed out an other Bull to prorogate the same Councell to the month of Nouember pretending for his excuse y t the Duke of Mantua woulde not suffer him to keepe any Councel there The Pope againe prorogeth his Councell vnles he maintained a number of warriors for defence of the town And therfore in his latter bull he prorogeth this assemble commaunding Patriarkes Archbishops Byshops Abbots and other of the spiritualtie by the vertue of obedience and vnder paine of cursing to be present but sheweth no place at all where he would be nor whether they shoulde come And in very deede no great matter though no place were named For as good couÌ„cel no where to be called as where it could not be And aswell no place serued him that intended no Councell as all places And to say truth much better no place to be named then to name suche as he purposed not to come too for so shoulde hee breake no promise which maketh none And so going forward in his oration toward the latter ende he thus inferreth by his wordes of Protestation saying No we will the Pope and his adherents to vnderstand that that we oft haue sayd and now say and euer will say Princes as theâ— gaue the Pope primacye 〈◊〉 they take 〈…〉 him agayne He nor his hath no authoritie no iurisdiction in England Wee giue him no more then hee hath that is neuer a deale That which he hath vsurped against Gods lawe extorted by violeÌ„ce we by good right take from him again But he his wil say we gaue them a primacie We heare them well We gaue it you in dede If you haue authority vpon vs as long as our coÌ„sent giueth it you and you euermore wil make your plee vpon our consent then let it haue euen an ende where it began we coÌ„sent no longer your authoritie must nedes be gone If we being deceiued by fals pretense of euil alledged scriptures gaue to you y t ye ought to haue refused why may we not our error nowe perceiued your deceite espied take it againe We princes wrote our selues to be inferours to popes As long as wee thought so we obeyed them as our superiors Now we write not as we did and therefore they haue no great cause to maruill if we hereafter doe not as we did both the lawes
and Articles these men gather out of their bookes for errours and heresies Secondly how wittingly and willingly they wrast peruert and miscōstrue their sayings and writings in such sense as the wryters neuer spake nor ment and all to bryng them into hatred of the worlde after they haue burned their bookes So did they before wyth Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Hus Hierome So did they with M. Luther Tindal Frithe Lambert Barnes Ioy Roy Seron Articles of Wickliffe and others falsified by the Papistes and briefly yet do stil wyth all the Protestants either peruerting their sayings otherwise then they meante or noting for heresies suche as are manifest principles grounds of our religion Or els falsly belying them or vntruely mistaking them eyther in mangling y e places or adding to their words as may serue for their most aduauntage to bring them out of credite w t Princes and all the people For the more euident probation and experience wherof thou shalt see here Christen reader as in a table laid before thine eyes the booke or cataloge of such errours blasphemies and heresies whiche the Catholicke Papistes in their own registers haue extracted out of their bokes whō in this other proclamatiōs they haue condemned Wher vnto moreouer we haue annexed y t very places also of the Authors out of which euery Article is gathered keepyng the same signature of verse and page whyche they in theyr registers doe send vs vnto So that with a little diligence thou maist now louing reader easely perceiue conferring the Articles and places together what trueth and fidelitie these bloudye Catholickes haue vsed towarde the children of God First in burning vp theyr bodies then in consuming and abolishing theyr bokes and afterward drawing out Articles such as they list thēselues out of their workes to make the people beleue what damnable heretickes they were as by these articles here vnder ensuing collected and contained in their owne registers may wel appeare In al which articles there is not one speaking of these wryters which here they haue condemned but either it is a perfect truth and a principle of Christen doctrine or els it is falsly gathered or peruersly recited or craftely handled maliciously mangled hauing either something cut frō it or some more added or els rackt out of his right place or wrasted to a wrōg meaning which the place geueth not or els whych some other place folowing doth better expound declare This false malitious dealing hath alwayes bene a common practise amongst Gods enemies from the beginning to falsifie wrast and depraue all thinges what soeuer maketh not to their faction affection be it neuer so true and iust So began they w t Steuen y e 1. martyr of Iesus Christ The wordes of S. Steuen falsely depraued Act. 6.7 and so haue they continued stil yet do to this present day Long it were to recite but more greuous to behold what spite and falshoode was vsed in the articles of y e Albingenses Waldenses Wickliffe Swinderby Brute Thorpe Armachanus syr Iohn Oldcastle Iohn Hus the Bohemians and such other Which thing if the bookes and places when these Articles were gathered againste them had bene suffered to remayne we might more playnely vnderstand In the meane season as touching these Articles here present for so much as the Bishops owne Registers haue offered them vnto vs and doe yet remaine with the selfe same bookes from whence they be excerpted I shall therefore desire thee frendly reader first to cōsider the Articles and laye them with the places which the Registers themselues doe assigne and then iudge thy selfe what is to bee thought thereof The Articles gathered out of the foresayd bookes wyth the Bishops decree prefixed before the same is as here vnder followeth A publike Instrument by the Byshops for the abolishing of the Scripture and other bookes to be 〈◊〉 English IN the name of God Amen Be it knowen to all and singulare true A writing of the Bishops agaynst Englishe books and faithfull people to whome these present letters testimoniall or this present publicke and authenticke instrument shall come to be seene reade hearde or vnderstande and whome this vnder wrytten shall or may teache or appertaine vnto in any maner of wise in time to come William by the sufferaunce of almightye God Archbishop of Caunterburie Primate of all the Realme of Englande sendeth greeting in our Lorde God euerlasting We signifie vnto you all and let you well wit and know by these presents that the king our soueraigne Lorde hearing of many bookes in the English tongue containing many detestable errours and damnable opinions printed in the parties beyond the Seas to be brought into diuers townes and sondrye parties of this his Realme of Englande and sowen abroade in the same to the great decay of our faith Catholicke and perillous corruption of hys people vnlesse speedy remedy were briefely prouided hys highnesse willinge euermore to employ all his studie and mynde in the high degree which almighty God hath called hym vnto to the wealth of his subiectes that they might liue not only in tranquillitie and peace but also be kept pure and cleane of all contagion and wrong opinions in Christes Religion considering also that he being defendour of the faith woulde be full loth to suffer such euill seede sowne amongst his people and so take roote that it might ouergrowe the corne of the Catholicke doctrine before spronge in the soules of hys subiectes for the repellinge of suche booke calling vnto him of his great goodnesse gratious dispositiō not onely certein of the chief prelates clerks of his realm but also of eache Vniuersitie a certaine number of the chiefe learned men proposed such of those bookes as his grace had readye to be read vnto them requiring to heare in that behalfe their aduise and iudgement of them Who both by great diligence and mature deliberation perusing ouer the sayde bookes founde in them manye errours and heresies both detestable and damnable being of such a sort that they were like briefly to corrupt a greate parte of his people if they mighte be suffered to remaine in theyr handes any space gathering also out of them many great errors and pestilent heresies and noting them in wryting to the intente to shewe for what cause they reputed the sayd bookes damnable of which hereafter out of eache booke gathered many do ensue albeit many more there be in the said bookes which bookes totally do swarue full of heresies and detestable opinions Heresies and errours collected by the Byshops out of the booke of Tyndall named the wicked Mammon with the places of the booke annexed to the same Heresies falsly gathered by the Papistes out of wicked Māmon oute of which euery Article is collected 1. FAith onely iustifieth Fol. 59. 1. Article This Article being a principle of the Scripture and the ground of our saluation is playne enoughe by S. Paule and the
22. article Christ sayde to Peter Feede my sheepe Iohn 21. And thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren Luke 22. And to his Apostles he sayd Goe ye into all the world and preache the Gospell This heresie is onely to the Pope but none at all to God c. Againe S. Paule 1. Corinth 1. sayth That Christ sent him not to baptise but to preache To what other office or function he sent the Pope let thē iudge which consider the Scriptures 23 If thou binde thy selfe to chastitie to obteyne that whyche Christ purchased for thee so surely art thou an Infidell fol. 175. 23 article Reade and conferre the place of Tindall which is thys Chastitie canst thou not geue to God further then God lendeth it thee The place annexed If thou canst not liue chaste thou art boūd to marry or to be damned c. For to what purpose thou bendest thy selfe must be seene If thou do it to obteyne thereby that which Christ hath purchased for thee so art thou an Infidell Chastitye and hast no parte with Christ. If thou wilt see more of this matter looke in Deuteronomy and there shalt thou finde it more largely intreated c. 24 He denieth rebuketh and damneth miracles fol. 176. 24. article The words in Tindals Obedience be these And when they crie miracles The place annexed Miracles how farre to be beleued miracles remember that God hathe made an euerlasting Testamente whiche is in Christes bloud against which we may receiue no miracles no neither the preaching of Paule himselfe if he come agayne by his owne teaching to the Galathians neither yet by the preaching of the Aungels of heauen c. The end of Gods miracles is good the end of these miracles is euill For the offerings which are the cause of the miracles do but minister and maintaine vice sinne and all abhomination and are geuen to them that haue too much so that for very aboundance they some out theyr owne shame and corrupt the whole world with the stinch of their filthines c. 25 He sayth that no man should serue God with good intent or zeale 25. article for it is playne Idolatry fol. 177. The place is this in the Obedience Remember Saule was cast away of God for euer for his good intente God requireth obedience vnto his word The place annexed Good intentes without Gods word God abhorreth and abhorreth all good intents and good zeales which are without Gods worde for they are nothing else but playne Idolatry and woorshipping of false Gods c. ¶ Heere followe other heresies and errours collected by the Byshops out of the booke called the Reuelation of Antichrist with the places of the booke out of the which they were gathered annexed to the same 1. TO binde a man perpetually to any vowe of Religion is without doubt an errour fol. 19. Articles out of the booke called the reuelation of Antichrist The place of the booke called the Reuelation whence this Article is gathered is this as foloweth Whiche the Fathers did neither make nor keepe he meaneth vowes but with the libertie of the spirite binding no man perpetually to them For if they did without doubt they erred according to mans fragilitie 2 To say the constitutions of Religion are good because holy men did ordeyne them 2. article as Augustine Benedict Fraunces Dominicke and such other and to folow such examples of Fathers is to leaue the fayth fol. 19. The place of the article is this But they obiect the statutes and ordinances are good Holy men did make them The place annexed as Augustine Benedict Bernard Fraunces Dominicke and such other To this I aunswer That is euen it that Christ and the Apostles did meane that these works shuld be like to those things which are taught in the Gospell for that they call counterfeiting of the doctrine and priuily bringing in of sectes and heresies because they take only of the fathers examples of workes and leaue the faith c. 3 All morall diuines haue a wicked conscience full of scrupulositie 2. Pet. 2. fol. 3. 3. article Morall diuines be they whose doctrine and hope of saluation consisteth in morall vertues rather then in christian faith apprehending the free promises of God in Christ. And they that be such can neuer be certified in conscience of their saluation but alwayes be full of feare and scrupulositie S. Paule therefore sayeth It is therefore of faith that it might come by grace and y e promise might be firme and sure to the whole seede Rom. 4. Rom. 4. 4 Morall vertues as iustice temperance strength chastitie described by naturall reason maketh a Synagogue ◠article and corrupteth Christes fayth fol. 64. The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelation is this So many he the Pope he meaneth corrupteth as he hath subdued and led vnder his lawes and imperie The place annexed And who is he in the world that is not subiect vnder him except they be infants or peraduenture some simple persons which are reserued by the inscrutable counsell and prouision of God O thou man of sinne O thou sonne of perdition O thou abhomination O thou corrupter O thou author of euill consciences O thou false maister of good consciences O thou enemie of faith and christen libertie who is able to rehearse yea or to comprehend in his mind the infinite waues of this monstrous * By this king he meaneth the king of 〈◊〉 which Daniell speaketh of 〈◊〉 the 8. chapter Kings euils If he had ordeined these his lawes in those workes of vertues that are commended in the ten precepts or else in such as the philosophers and naturall reason did describe as are iustice strength temperance chastitie mildnes truth goodnes and such other peraduenture they shoulde only haue made a Sinagoge or else haue ordeyned in the world a certaine ciuill iustice for through these also fayth should haue bene corrupted as it was amōgst the Iewes Howbeit nowe hee keepeth not himselfe within these boundes but runneth at riot and more at large raising infinite tempests of mischiefe entising and drawing vs to ceremonies and his owne fayned traditions and bindeth vs like asses and ignorant fooles yea and stockes vnto them c. 5 Christ tooke away all lawes and maketh vs free and at liberty and most of all he suppresseth all ceremonies fol. 65.63 5. article The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelation is this Christ taking away all lawes to make vs free The place annexed and at libertie did most of all suppresse and disanull the ceremonies which did consist in places persons garmēts meates dayes and such other so that their vse shoulde be to all men most free and indifferent c. What he meaneth by taking away all lawes he declareth a little before saieng he hath not deliuered vs from the law but from the power violence
adherents do pursue therefore the Pope Byshops and Cardinals and their adherents are Antichrists I weene our Sillogismus be well made fol. 9. The place annexed The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuela is this I will shew thee an euident reason that thou mayst know without doubting which is the very Antichrist and this argument may be grounded of their furious persecution which Paul doth confirme writing to the GalathiaÌ„s We deare brethren are the children oâ— promise as Isaac was not the sonnes of the bond woman as Ismaell but as he that was borne aâ—ter the flesh did persecute him that was borne after y e spirite euen so is it now Mark Paules reason By Isaac are signified the elect and by Ismaell the reprobate Isaac did not persecute Ismaell but contrarye Ismaell did persecute Isaac Now let vs make our reasoÌ„ Bar All they that do persecute are Ismaell be reprobates and Antichristes ba But all the popes Cardinals bishops Maior and theyr adherentes do persecute ra Therefore all the popes cardinals bishops Minor their adherents be Ismaell reprobates and Antichristes I weene our Sillogismus is well made and in the first figure Read the place and see how he proueth the partes of this argument more at large Conclusio 13 I thinke verily that so long as the successours of the Apostles were persecuted and martyred 13. article there were good Christen men and no longer fol. 10. The Bishops of Rome in the primitiue Churche were vnder persecution the space welneare of 300. yeares vnder y e which persecution as good as 30. of them and moe dyed martyrs Since that time haue succeeded 204. popes whiche haue liued in great wealth and aboundance amongest whom if the booke of Reuelation thinke that there is not 4. to be found good christen men I thinke no lesse but that he may so thinke without any heresie 14 It is impossible that the worde of the Crosse shoulde be without affliction and persecution fol. 10. 14. article S. Paule sayth 2. Tim. 3. who soeuer will liue vertuously in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution And how then caÌ„ this be true in Paule and in this man heresie 15 That the Apostles did curse euer anye man 15. article truely we can not read in scripture for Christ commaunded them to blesse those that cursed them fol. 11. Upon what good ground of the ReuelatioÌ„ this heresie is wroung out let the place be conferred The place annexed which is written in these wordes following They are as mercifull as the Woolfe is on his pray They were ordeyned to blesse men but they curse as the deuill were in them Paule sayth that he hath power to edifie and not to destroy 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 13. But I wot not of whom these bloudy beastes haue their authority which do so much reioyce in cursing destruction We reade how Paule did excoÌ„municate the Corinthian and y t for a great transgressioÌ„ to the entent that he might be ashamed of his iniquity 1. Cor. 5. and desired agayne the Corinthians to receaue hym with all charitie 2. Cor. 2. but that the Apostles did curse anye man truely we can not read in scripture for Christ commaunded them to blesse those that cursed them and to pray for those that persecuted them c. 16 By workes superstitions and ceremonies we decay from the faith which alone doth truely iustifie and make holy fol. 15. 16. article Note here good reader how peruersly corruply this article is drawne For where the place of this book which is written fol. 15. expresly speaketh of trusting to workes meaning that we should put no confidence in workes but onely in fayth in Christ Iesus False wrasting this article to make it appeare more infamous and hereticall leaueth out the false trust and speaketh simply as though workes should decay fayth Read the place which is written in these wordes folowing Daniell calleth not this word Peschaim any maner of sinne but those speciall and chiefe sinnes whiche resist and fight agaynst the truth and the fayth as at the trusting in workes superstitions and ceremonies by y e which we decay from the fayth c. 17 The abusion of the Masse with all his solemnityes with vigils yeare mindes foundations burials 17. article and all the busines that is done for the dead is but a face and a cloke of godlynes and deceiuing of the people as they were good workes rather for the dead then for the quicke fol. 24. True godlines consisteth in fayth that is in the true knowledge of the sonne of God whom he hath sent and in y e obseruation of Gods coÌ„maundements All their rites additions instituted by man are no part of true godlines And who so putteth trust and confidence therein as being thinges meritorious for the dead is deceiued Suche funerals S. Austen calleth rather refreshinges of the liuing then releuinges and helpes of the dead 18 To keep and obserue one day to fast an other to abstaine to forbeare such a meate vpon the fasting day to deserue heauen therby is a wicked face and cloke agaynst Paul fol. 29. 18. Article The trueth of this article is manifest enough to be voyd of all errour and heresie vnlesse it be heresie to beleue and hold w t the scripture s. Paule sayth Galat. 2. if heauen our righteousnes come by the law then Christ died in vayne Gal. 2. 19. article 19 The multiplication of holydayes of feastes of Corpus Christi of the visitation of our Lady c. is a wicked face and colour and in deede foolish vnprofitable and vayne fol 30. This Article likewise nedeth no declaration conteining in it a true and necessary complaint of suche superfluous holydayes of the Popes making Which as they bring with them much occasion of wickednes idlenes dronkennesse and vanitie so hauing also ioined vnto them opinion of religion and meritorious deuotion and Gods seruice they gender superstition nourish the people in the same 20 Keeping of virginitie and chastitie of religion is a diuelishe thing 20 article fol. 30. The place cited in the booke of the Reuelation of Antichrist A other place falsly depraued by the Papistes doth sufficiently open it selfe speaking and meaning onely of those Monkishe vowes whiche by the canonicall constitution of the Pope are violeÌ„tly forced vpon Priests and Monkes the coaction whereof S. Paule doth rightly call the doctrine of deuils And here note by y e way another tricke of a Popishe cauiller For where the wordes of the booke speake plainely of the chastitie of the religious fraudulently turning it to an vniuersalitie sayeth the chastitie of Religion whereby it might seeme to the simple reader more odious hereticall The words of the place be these Keeping of virginitie chastitie of the religious semeth to be a godly and a heauenly thing but it is a
adulterers and fornicators 5. That he in the meane while shoulde be resident within his owne house Boner inioyned to preach at Paules Crosse. during the time while he should make his sermon at Paules aboue mentioned whiche was an 1549. In the whiche sermon certayne speciall poyntes were prefixed vnto him whereupon he should intreate whiche here in order follow and are these Speciall poyntes and articles to be intreated of of Boner Bishop of London in his Sermon 2. THat all such as rebell against their prince get vnto theÌ„ damnation and those y t resist the higher power resist the ordinaunces of God and he that dieth therfore in rebellion by the woorde of God is vtterly damned and so looseth bothe bodye and soule And therefore those Rebelles in Deuonshire and Cornewall in Northfolke or els where who taking vpon them to assemble a power force against their king and Prince against y e lawes and statutes of the Realme and goe about to subuerte the state and order of the commoÌ„ wealth not onely do deserue therfore death as traytors rebels but do accumulate to them selues eternal damnation euen to be in the burning fire of hell with Lucifer the father and first authour of pride disobedience and rebellion what pretence so euer they haue and what Masses or holye water so euer they pretende or goe about to make among themselues as Chore Dathan and Abiron for rebellion against Moses were swalowed downe aliue into hell although they pretended to sacrifice vnto God What thinges be necessary to be ioyned in all Gods seruice 2 Likewise in the order of the Churche and externe rites and ceremonies of diuine seruice for so muche as God requireth humility of heart innocencie of liuing knowledge of him charity and loue to our neighbours and obedience to hys woorde and to his Ministers and superioure powers these we must bring to all our prayers to all our seruice Externe rites ceremonyes how farre they serue this is the sacrifice that Christe requireth and these be those that make all thynges pleasaunt vnto God The externe rites and ceremonies be but exercises of our religion appointable by superior powers in chosing wherof we must obey the magistrates the whyche thinges also we do see euer hath bene and shal be as the time and place is diuers Ceremonyes made naught by disobedience and yet al hath pleased God so long as these before spoken inwarde things be there If any man shall vse the olde rites and thereby disobey the superior power the deuotion of his ceremonies is made nought by his disobedience so that which els so longe as y e lawe did so stand myghte be good by pride and disobedience nowe is made noughte as Saules sacrifice Chore Dathan and Abiron and Aarons 2. children were But who that ioyneth to deuotion obedience hee winneth the garland For else it is a zeale sed non secundum scientiam a wil desire zeale and deuotion Foolish deuotion but not after wisedome that is a foolishe deuotion which can require no thankes or praise And yet agayne where ye obey yee must haue deuotion for God requireth the heart more then the outward doings and therfore who that taketh the Communion or sayth or heareth the seruice appoynted by the kings maiestie The hart maketh true deuotion must bring deuotion and inward prayer with hym or els his praiers are but vaine lacking that whyche God requireth that is the heart and minde to pray to him 3 Further yee shal for example on sonday come seuenth night after the aforesayd date celebrate the Communion at Paules Church 4 Ye shal also set foorth in your sermon that our authoritie of royal power is as of truth it is of no lesse authoritie and force in this our yoÌ„g age then is or was of any of our predecessors though the same were much elder as may appeare by example of Iosias and other yong kings in scripture and therfore all our subiectes to be no lesse bound to the obedience of our preceptes lawes and statutes then if we were of 30. or 40. yeares of age The deliuery of these Iniunctions articles vnto the Byshop with the time of hys appoynted preaching was soone after knowen abroad amongst the citizens and other the CoÌ„mons within the citie of London Boners preaching much looked for of the people so that euery man expecteth y e time therof wishing to heare the same Whych being once come the B. according to the tenour of the IniunctioÌ„s publikely preached at the Crosse of Paules the 1. day of September Howbeit as hipocrisie neuer lurketh so secretely in the hearts of the wicked but that at one time or other God in hys moste righteous iudgemente maketh it open vnto the world so at this present was the long colored peruerse obstinacie and infestred hatred of this double faced dissembler against the kings godly procedings most plainely manifested by hys disobedient demeanor in thys his sermon The disobedient stubbernes of Boner in his Sermon at Paules Crosse. For where as he was only commanded to entreat vpon such speciall poynts as were mentioned in his articles he yet both besides the counsailes commaundement to the withdrawing of the mindes of the common people in as much as in him lay from the right and true vnderstaÌ„ding of the holy Sacrament ministred in the holy Communion then set foorth by the authoritye of the kinges maiestie according to the true sence of the holy scripture did speÌ„d most part of his sermon about the grosse carnall and papisticall presence of Christes body and bloud in the sacrament of the aultar and also contrary therunto did not onely slenderly touch the rest of his articles but of a rebellious and wilful carelesnes did vtterly leaue oute vnspoken the whole laste article concerning the as effectuall and as lawful authority of the kings highnes during his yong age as if he were 30. or 40. yeares old notwithstanding the same because it was the traiterous opinion of the popishe rebels was by special commaundement chiefly appoynted hym to entreat vppon This contemptuous disobedient dealing as it greatly offended most of the kings faithfull and louing subiects there present so did it muche mislike the mindes W. Latiâ—â—â— and Iohn Hoopeâ— against Boner and was farre from the good expectation as well of that faithful and godly preacher master Iohn Hooper afterwards bishop of Worcester Glocester and lastly a moste constant martyr for the Gospell of Christe as also of M. William Latimer Bacheler of Diuinitie and therefore they well weying the fulnes of the fact and their bounden alegeances vnto their Prince did therupon exhibite vnto the kings highnes vnder both their names a bill of complaint or denunciation against the sayd bishop in forme folowing The denuntiation of Iohn Hooper and William Latimer against Boner to the kings maiestie for leauing vndone the poyntes afore mentioned which he was charged to preache
did declare vnto you for better admonition amendment of you that ye should haue from the kinges Maiesty by his aduise and the rest of the priuy Counsell certayne Articles and Iniunctions to obserue and folow geuen you in writing 4. Item that there and then the sayd Lord Protectour commaunded Sir Thomas Smith Knight Secretary to the Kinges Maiesty to read a certayne proper booke of Iniunctions and Articles vnto you the sayd Secretarye standing at the Counsell tables end and you standing by and hearing the same 5. Item that the sayde Lord Protectour there and then willed to be reformed certayne thinges in the sayd booke of IniuÌ„ctions as where ye wer appoynted to preach sooner at your request it was appoynted vnto you to preache the Sonday three weekes after the date of the sayd writing 6. Item that in the sayd Articles the Lord Protectours Grace found fault because an Article or commaundement vnto you set forth and declared of the Kynges Maiestyes authority now in his yong age of his lawes and statutes in the same tyme was omitted and therefore either immediatly before you came into the Counsell Chamber or you being present and standing by commaunded the sayde Secretary Smith to put it in writing and annexe it to the rest of the Articles 7. Item that the sayd Secretary Smith then and there did immediately vpon commaundement write into the sayd booke or paper wherein the rest of the Articles were written the sayd article videlicet you shall also set forth in your sermon that the authority of our royall power is as truth it is of no lesse authority and force in this our yong age then was of any of our Predecessors though the same were much elder as may appeare by example of Iosias other young kinges in the scripture and therefore all our subiectes to be no lesse bounde to the obedience of our preceptes lawes and statutes then if we were of 30. or 4â— yeares of age 8. Item that the Lord Protectour did so deliuer you the booke or paper willing first the sayd Secretary Smyth to amend all thinges as he had appoynted 9. Item that ye then and there did promise to the Lorde Protectors grace that ye would obserue fulâ—ill all in the sayd Iniunctions and articles conteined 10. Item that all thinges in the sayde booke put in and mentioned by the sayd Secretary Smith and the same so read vnto you by him you first agreing that all that was by him so written was by the L. Protectors appoyntmeÌ„t the sayd book was so deliuered vnto you then and there by the sayd Secretary Smith in the Councell Chamber 11. Item that you haue the sayd booke in your possession or els know where it is the true copy whereof in effect is annexed to these articles 12. Item that ye were commauÌ„ded in the sayd Iniunctions to preach the Sonday three weekes after the deliuery therof at Paules there to entreat vpon certayn articles as is specified in the sayd booke of Iniunctions and specially the sayd article beginning Ye shall also set forth ending 30. or 40. yeares of age 13. Item that for the accomplishment of part of the sayde Iniunctions commaundement you did preach the fyrst day of September last past at Paules Crosse. 14. Item that at the sayd sermon contrary to your Iniunctions ye omitted left out y e sayde article beginning Ye shall also set forth in your sermon c. and ending 30. or 40. yeares of age 15. Ye shall also aunswere whether ye thinke and beleue that the kinges Maiesties subiectes be bound to obey as well the lawes statutes proclamations and other ordinaunces made now in this young age of the kinges maiesty as the lawes statutes proclamations ordinaunces made by his highnes Progenitors These Articles being thus ministred to the sayd Byshop of London the next day being Thursday and the 19. of September the afore named Commissioners sat in the Archbishops chamber of presence at Lambeth attendyng the coÌ„ming of the B. of London Before whoÌ„ there appeared Rob. Iohnson the Bishops Register and there did declare vnto the Commissioners that the bishop his maister could not at that time personally appeare before theÌ„ without great daunger of his bodily health because that he feared to fall into a feuer by reasoÌ„ of a cold that he had takeÌ„ by to much ouerwatching himselfe the last night before wherby he was compelled to keepe his bed neuerthelesse if hee could without daunger of his bodely health Boner 〈◊〉 feare of 〈◊〉 feuer 〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉 or durst 〈◊〉 appeare he would appeare before them the same day at after noone This excuse the Iudges were coÌ„teÌ„t to take it in good part Yet said M. Secretary Smyth that if he were sicke in deede the excuse was reasonable and to be allowed but quoth he I promise you my Lord hath so dallied with vs vsed hitherto such delayes that we may mistrust that this is but a fayned excuse howbeit vpon your faythfull declaratioÌ„ we are content to tary vntil one of the clocke at afternoone and so they did willing M. Iohnson to signify then vnto them whether the Bishop could appeare or not At whiche houre Robert Iohnson and Richard Rogers gentleman of the Bishops chamber appeared agayn before the Commissioners Boner pâ—â—â—tendetâ—â—â—gayne 〈◊〉 feuer declaring that for the causes afore alledged their maister could not appeare at that tyme nether Wherupon M. Secretary Smith sayd vnto them my Lord of LondoÌ„ your maister hath vsed vs very homely and sought delayes hitherto and now perhaps perceiuing these last Articles to touch the quicke and therefore loth to come to his answere he fayneth himselfe sicke Boners â—â—â—cuse of 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 taken 〈…〉 But because he shall not so deceiue vs any more we wyll send the Knight Marshall vnto him willing him if he be sycke in deed to let him alone for that is a reasonable excuse but if he be not sicke then to bring him forth with vnto vs for I promise you he shall not vse vs as he hath done we will not take it at his handes and therefore M. Iohnson sayd he you do the part of a trusty seruant as becommeth you but it is also your part to shewe my Lord of his stubborne hart and disobedience which doth him more harme theÌ„ be is aware of What thinketh he to stand with a king in his own Realmes Is this the part of a subiect nay A goo◠〈◊〉 sent to 〈◊〉 by Sâ—â—cretary Smyth I wene we shall haue a new Tho. Becket Let him take heede for if he play these parts he may fortune to be made shorter by the head He may appeale if he thinke good but whyther to the Byshop of Rome So he may helpe hymselfe forwards I say he can not appeale but to the same king who hath made vs his Iudges and to the Bench of his counsaile and how they will take this matter when they heare of it
of any tractable reason in hym determined that the Archbishop with their whole consent should at that preâ—â—nt there openly read and publish their finall 〈◊〉 or Sentence definitiue agaynst hym Which he did pronouncing hym thereby to be cleane depriued from the Bishopricke of London and further as in the same appeareth in tenouâ— as followeth ¶ Sententia depriuationis â—ata contra Edmundum London Episcopum The coÌ„teÌ„ptuous talke of Boner IN Dei nomine Amen Nos Thomas miseratione diuina Cantuar Archiepiscopus totius Angliae Primas Metropolitanus Nicholaus eadem miseratione Roffensis Episcopus Thom. Smith Miles illustrissimi in Christo principis Domini nostri Domini Edwardi sexti Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hyberniae Regis fidei defensoris in terris Ecclesiae Anglicanae supremi capitis Secretariorum principalium alter Wilhelmus May Iuris ciuilis Doctor Ecclesiae cathedralis diui Paulâ— Decanus dicti illustrissimi principis domini nostri Regis ad infra scripta vna cum eximio viro Domino Wilhelmo Petro Milite â—iuidem serenissimae Regiae maiestatis etiam Secretariorum principalium altero commissarij siue iudices delegati cum ista clausa videlicet Deputamus vos quinque quatuor vel tres vestrum c. Rectè legittimè deputati contra te Edmundum permissione diuina London episcopum in causa causis in literis commissionalibus dictae serenissimae Regiae maiestatis express specificat rirè legitimè procedentes iudicialiter in quirentes auditis que per nos intellectis ac primo examine debit mature discussis meritis circumstantijs causae causarum inquisitionis huiusmodi seruatisque vlterius per nos de iure in hac parte seruandis in praesentia tui Episcopi antedicti iudicialiter coram nobis constituti ac protestantis de coactione de caeteris prout in vltima protestatione hodie per te facta continetur ad definitionem causae causarum huiusmodi prolationemque sententiae nostrae siue nostri finalis decreti super eisdem ferend sic duximus procedendum procedimus in hunc qui sequitur modum Quia tam per acta inactitata deducta proposira exhibita allegata probata parâ—ter confessata in causa causis huiusmodi facta habita gestâ— quam per confessionem tuam propriam factique notorietatem alia legitima documenta euidentem inuenimus compertum habemus te praefatum Episcopâ— London inter caetera pro meliori officij tui pastoralis administratione in mandatis habuisse vt de his qui duas aut tres vxores vt maritos in vnuÌ„ haberent aut qui externos non probatos Ecclessae riâ—us in hoc regno sequerentur quibus rebus tua Diocesis Londinens praecipue erat infamatum inquireres teque ea facere omnino neglexisse Item expresse tibi per Regiam Maiestatem praescriptum fuisse vt ipse Episcopus adesses concâ—oâ—â—bus ad crucem Pauli habitis tam vt eas honestares tua praesentia quam vt possis â—as accusare si qui male ibidem concionarentur te tamen contra non solum abijsse sed etiam scriptis litteris Maiorem London Aldermannos vt inde recederent admonuisse exhortatum fuisse Item inter alia quoque per Regiam Maiestatem tibi iniuncta in mandatis tibi datum fuisse quod articulum quendam statum reipubl tunc perniciosissima rebellione proditorum contra illum articulum sentientium grauissime perturbatae precipue concernend propterea supremum necessarium specialiter tibi iniunctum videlicet Ye shall also set foorth in your Sermon that our autoritie of our Royall power is as of truth it is of no lesse authoritie and force in this our younger age then is and was of any of our predecessoures though the same were much elder as may appeare by example of Iosias and other young Kinges in Scripture And therefore all our Subiectes to bee no lesse bounde to the obedience of our preceptes lawes and statutes then if we were xxx or xl yeares of age Apud crucem siue suggestum Diui Pauli London certo die tibi in ea parte praefixo limitato in publica tua concâ—one tunc ibidem populo recitares explicares teque modo forma premissa eundem articulum iuxta mandatum officij tui debitum recitare explicare minime curasse sed contumaciter inobedienter omisisse in maximum Regiae Maiestatis contemptum ac in eius regni praeiudicium non modicum necnon in subditorum suorum malum perniciosum exemplum contumatiamque inobedientiam multiplicem tam in hac nostra inquisitione quam alias perperrasse commisisse contraâ—isse Iâ— ciâ—â—o nos Thomas Cantuariens Archiepiscopus Primas â—etropolitanus indexque delegatus ante dictus Christi non 〈◊〉 primitus inuocato ac ipsum solum Dâ—â—â—oculis nostris pâ—â—ponentes de cum expresso consensu pariter assensu Collegarum nostrorum praedictorum vna nobiscum assidentium deque cum concilio Iurisperitorum cum quibus communicamus in hac parte Te Edmundum London Episcopum antedictum a tuo Episcopatu London vna cum suis iuribus pertinâ—ntibus commoditatibus â—eteris emolumentis quibuscunque deptiuandum prorsus amoâ—endum fore de iure debere pronunciamus decernimus declaramus pro vt per praesentes sic depriuamus amouemus per hanc nostram sententiam definitiâ—am siue hoc nostrum finale decâ—erum quâ—m siue quod ferimus promulgamus in his scriptis Which ended the B. immediately did therefrom appeale by word of mouth alledgyng that the same sentence there geueÌ„ against him was Lex nulla The tenor of whose words I thought hereto expresse accordyng as they were by him vttered in this wise as followeth I Edmund Byshop of London The worâ— of Boner appealing from the Sentence definitiue brought in and kepte heere as a prisoner agaynst my consent and wyll doe vnder my former protestation heretofore made and to the intent it may also appeare that I haue not beyng so here in this place consented not agreed to any thyng done agaynst me and in my preiudice alledge and say that this sentence geuen here agaynst me is Lex nulla and so farre foorth as it shall appeare to be Aliqua I doe say it is Iniqua and Iniusta and that therefore I doe from it as Iniqua and Iniusta appeale to the most excellent and noble king Edward the sixt by the grace of God Kyng of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth and of the Church of England and also of Ireland next and immediately vnder GOD here in earth supreme head and vnto hys Courte of Chancerie or Parliament as the lawes statutes and ordinaunces of this Realme wyll suffer and beare in this behalfe desiryng instauntly first Letters â—â—â—uerentiall demissoriâ—â— second and third accordyng to the lawes
at length and discussed with my Lord of Caunterbury the vnderstanding of gods commaundement to the Iewes 〈◊〉 euery â—hing were 〈◊〉 oracle by 〈◊〉 by that 〈◊〉 Henry 〈◊〉 then â—inchester 〈◊〉 here a 〈…〉 so as all the Clearkes in Christedome could not amend it And where as one had denyed the Image of the Trinitye to be had by reasons as be touched in your Graces letters I heard his highnesse aunswere to them at another time And when hee had himselfe specially commaunded diuers Images to be abolished yet as your Grace knoweth he both ordered and himselfe putte in execution the kneeling and creeping before the Image of the Crosse and established agreement in that truth through all this Realme whereby all argumentes to the contrary be assoyled at once I would wysh Images vsed as the booke by his highnesse sette forth doth prescribe and no otherwise I know your Grace only teÌ„pteth me with such reasons as other make vnto you and I am not fully at liberty although I am bolde enough and some will thinke to bolde to aunswere some thinges as I woulde to an other man mine equall being so much inferiour to your Grace as I am but me thinketh Saynte Paules solucion during the kinges Maiesties minoritye should serue all Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus We haue no such custome in the Church When our soueraign Lord commeth to his perfect age which God graunt I doubt not but God wil reueale that shal be necessary for the gouerning of his people in religion Wherefore then serue the Scripture for reaâ—mes to be ruled by if God neuâ—â— reueale any thing in a reâ—â—me but by the kinges owne person in his mans age And if any thing shal be done in the meane time as I thinke there shall not by your Graces direction he may when he commeth to age say in the rest as I heare say he sayd nowe of late concerning procession that in his fathers time men were wont to folow procession vpon which the kinges maiestyes saying the procession as I heard was well furnished afterwardes by your Graces Commaundement which speach hath put me in remembraunce that if the Bishops and other of the Clergy should agree to any alteration in religion to the condemnation of any thing set forth by his Father whereby his father might be noted to haue wanted knowledge or fauor to the truth what he would say I can not tell but he might vse a maruellous speach and for the excellency of his spirite it were like he would and hauing so iust a cause against Bishops as he might haue it were to be feared he would And when he had spoken theÌ„ he might by his lawes do more then any would gladly suffer of our sort at these dayes for as the allegatioÌ„ of his authority represented by your grace shal be then aunswered as youre Grace now writeth vnto me that y t your Grace onely desired truth according to Gods scripture and it may be â—heÌ„ sayd we Bishops when we haue our soueraigne Lord head in minority we fashion the matter as we lust then some young man that would haue a piece of the Bishops landes shall say the beastly Bishops haue alwayes done so and when they can no longer mayntayne one of theyr pleasures of rule and superioritye then they take another way and let that go and for the time they be here spend vp that they haue which eat you and drinke you what ye list we together with Edamus bibamus cras moriemur And if we shall alleadge for our defence the strength of Goddes trueth and the playnesse of scripture with the word of the Lord and many gay termes and say we were conuinced by scriptures such an excellent iudgement as the kinges maiesty is like to haue will neuer credite vs in it ne be abused by such a vayne answere And this is a worldly polliticke consideration and at home for the noyse abroade in the world will be more slaunderous then this is daungerous And touching the bishop of Rome the doing in this realme hitherto hath neuer done him so much displeasure as an alteration in religion during the kinges Maiestyes minority should serue for his purpose for he wanteth not wits to beate into other princes eares that where his authority is abolished there at euery chaunge of gouernors shal be change in Religion and y t hath bene amongst vs by a whole consent established shall by pretence of an other vnderstanding in scripture streight be brought in questioÌ„ Canterbury and Duresme carped of Wynchester for they will geue it no other name but a pretence howe stiffely so euer we will affirme otherwise and call it Gods worde and here it should much be noted that my Lorde of Caunterbury being the high Bishop of the Realme highly in fauour with his late Soueraigne Lord and my Lord of Duresme a manne of renowmed fame in learning and grauity both put by him in trust for theyr councell in the order of the Realme shoulde so soone forgette theyr olde knowledge in Scripture sette forth by the Kynges Maiesties book and aduise to enuey such matter of alteration All which thinges be I knowe well by your Grace and them considered And therefore it is to me incredible that euer any such thing should be in deede with effect whatsoeuer the lyghtnesse of talke shall spread abroade whyche your Grace hath by Proclamation well stayed But and ye had not and the world talked so fast as euer they did I assure your Grace I woulde neuer feare it as men feare thinges they like not vnlesse I saw it in execution for of this sort I am that in all thinges I thinke shoulde not be done in reason I feare them not wherewith to trouble mee otherwise then to take heede if I canne and to the head Gouernours as now to your Grace shewe my minde and such experience hath euery manne of me that hath commoned with me in any such matters And therfore albeit your Grace writeth wisely that ouermuch feare doth hurt and accelerateth sometime that was not intended yet it needes not to me for I haue learned that lesson already and would a great many moe had which in deede should be a great stay And thus I talke with your Grace homely with multiplication of speache not necessary as though I meant to sende you as great a packet as I receyued from you One thing necessary to aunsweare your Grace in touching your maruell howe I know sooner thinges from thence then your Grace doth there whiche ariseth not vppon any desire of knowledge on my behalfe for euill thinges be ouersoone knowne not vpoÌ„ any slacknes of your graces behalf there who is is noted very vigilaÌ„t as your graces charge requireth But thus it is euen as it was when I was in some little authoritye they that were the euill doers in such matters would hide them from me So now they haue handled it otherwise for as for
places of the holy Scripture 7. Inconueniences come of the reall peesence Secondly it varieth from the articles of the faith Thirdly it destroyeth and taketh awaye the institution of the Lordes supper Fourthly it maketh precious thinges common to prophane and vngodly persones for it casteth that whyche is holy vnto dogs and pearles vnto swine Fiftly it forceth men to maintaine many moÌ„struous miracles without necessitie and authoritie of Gods worde Sixtly it geueth occasion to the heretickes which erred concerning the two natures in Christe to defend their heresies thereby Seuenthly it falsifieth the sayings of the godly fathers it falsifieth also the Catholike Faith of the Church whyche the Apostles taught the martyrs confirmed and the faithfull as one of the Fathers sayeth doe retaine and keepe vntill this day Wherefore the second parte of mine argument is true The probation of the antecedent or former part of this argument by the partes thereof THis carnall presence is contrary to the worde of God as appeareth The 7. inconueniences declared by partes Iohn 16. I tell you the trueth It is profitable to you that I goe away for if I goe not away the comfortour shall not come vnto you Actes 3. Whome the heauens must receaue vntill the time of restoring of all thinges which God hath-spoken The first inconuenience Math. 9. The children of the Bridegrom cannot mourne so long as the Bridegrome is with them But nowe is the time of mourning Iohn 16. But I will see you againe and your heartes shall reioyce The reall presence against the scripture Iohn 14. I will come againe and take you to my selfe Math. 24. If they shall say vnto you behold here is Christ or there is Christe beleeue them not for wheresoeuer the deade carcase is thither the Eagles will resort 2. The real presence agaynst the Articles of the fayth It varyeth from the articles of the faith He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the Father From whence and not from any other place sayeth S. Augustine he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the deade 3. It destroyeth the institution of the Lordes supper It destroyeth and taketh awaye the institution of the Lordes supper which was commaunded onely to be vsed and continued vntill the Lorde himselfe shoulde come If therefore he be nowe really present in the body of his flesh then must the supper cease For a remembraunce is not of a thing present but of a thing past and absent And there is a difference betwene remembraunce and presence and as one of the Fathers sayeth A figure is in vaine where the thing figured is present It maketh precious things common to prophane and vngodly persons constraineth men to confesse many absurdities 4. It prophaneth thinges holy and precious gendreth absurdities For it affirmeth that whoremongers and murtherers yea and as some of them hold opinion the wicked and faithles mise rattes dogs also may receiue the verye real and corporal body of the Lord wherin the fulnes of the spirite of light and grace dwelleth contrary to the manifest wordes of Christ in sixe places sentences of the sixt chap. of S. Iohn It confirmeth also and maintaineth that beastly kinde of crueltie of the Anthropophagi that is the deuourers of mans flesh for it is a more cruel thing to deuoure a quicke man Anthropophagi are a kinde of brutishe people that feed on mans flesh then to slay him Pie He requireth time to speake blasphemies Leaue your blasphemies Rid. I had little thought to haue hadde such reprochefull woordes at your handes West All is quiet Goe to the arguments M. Doctor Rid. I haue not many moe things to say West You vtter blasphemies with a most impudent face leaue off I say and get you to the argument Rid. It forceth men to maintaine many monstrous myracles wythout all necessitie and authoritie of Gods worde 5. It maintayneth monstrous myracles without â—â—â—cessitiâ— For at the comming of thys presence of the body and flesh of Christ they thrust away the substaunce of breade and affirme that the accidents remayne without any subiect and in the stead thereof they place Christes body wythout hys qualities and the true maner of a bodye And if the Sacrament be reserued so long vntill it mould wormes breede some say that the substance of bread miraculously returneth againe and some deny it All the 〈◊〉 that foloâ—â—eth 〈◊〉 read because the prolocutâ—â— made post hast to the argument By this deâ—uise of 〈◊〉 comitance the Papistâ— imagine 〈◊〉 much to receaued vnder 〈◊〉 kinde as both 6. It geueâ— occasion to heretickes 7. It falsifiâ—eth the saâ—â—inges of 〈◊〉 old doctor Other some affirme y t the real body of Christ goeth downe into y e stomacke of the receiuers doth there abide so long only as they shall continue to be good but another sort hold that the body of Christ is caried into heaueÌ„ so soone as the formes of bread be brused wyth the teeth O works of miracles Truely most truly I see that fulfilled in these men whereof S. Paule prophecied 2. Thess. 2. Because they haue not receiued the loue of the trueth that they might be saued God shall sende them strong delusions that they shoulde beleeue lies and be all damned which haue not beleeued the truth This grosse presence hath brought foorth that fonde phantasie of concomitaunce whereby is broken at this day and abrogated the commandement of the Lord for the distributing of the Lordes cuppe to the laitie It geueth occasion to heretickes to maintaine and defend their errours as to Martion which sayd that Christ had but a phantasticall bodye and to Eutiches which wickedly confounded the two natures in Christ. Finally it falsifieth the sayings of the godly fathers and the Catholicke faith of the church which Vigilius a Martyr and graue wryter sayeth was taught of the Apostles confirmed wyth the bloude of Martyrs and was continually maintained by the faithful vntil his tyme. By the sayings of the fathers I meane of Iustine Irenee Tertullian Origene Eusebius Emisene Athanasius Cyrill Epyphanius Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Vigilius Fulgentius Bertram and others most auncient fathers All those places as I am sure I haue read making for my purpose so am I well assumed that I coulde shewe the same if I myght haue the vse of mine owne bookes whiche I will take on me to doe euen vpon the pearill of my life and the losse of all that I maye lose in thys world But now my brethren thinke not because I disalow that presence which this first proposition maintaineth as a presence which I take to be forged phantasticall and besides the authoritie of Gods worde pernitiously broughte into the Church by the Romanistes that I therefore go about to take away the true presence of Christes body in his Supper rightly and duely ministred The true presence of Christes bâ—â—dy in the Supper
Queene Mary and her childe turned out of Latin into Englishe and ineuitable malediction and hast enioyned them that they should conceiue in sinne and beyng conceiued should be subiect to many and grieuous tormentes and finally be deliuered with the danger and ieopardy of their lyfe We beseech thee for thine exceeding great goodnes and bottomlesse mercy to mittigate the straightnes of that law Asswage thine anger for a while and cherish in the bosome of thy fauour and mercye our most gracious Queene Mary beyng now at the poynt of her deliuerance So helpe her that without danger of her lyfe she may ouercome the sorow and in due season bring forth a chyld in body beautifull and comely in mynd noble and valiant So that afterward she forgetting the trouble may with ioy laude prayse the bountifulnesse of thy mercy Anno 1554. Ianuary and together with vs praise and blesse both thee and thy holy name world withouten ende This Oh Lord we desire thee we beseeche thee and most hartily craue of thee Heare vs oh Lord and graunt vs our petition Let not the enemies of thy faith and of thy Church say Where is theyr God ¶ A solemne prayer made for king Phillip and Queene Maries childe that it may be a male chylde welfauoured and wittie c. A deuout prayer made by the Catholickes for Q Mary being great quicke with childe O Most mighty Lord God which regardest the prayer of the humble and despisest not their request bowe downe from thine high habitation of the heauens the eies of thy mercy vnto vs wretched sinners bowing y e knees of our hartes and with many and deepe sighes bewayling oure sinnes offences humbly with eyes intent hands displayed praying beseeching thee with the shield of thy protection to defend Mary thy seruant and our Queene who hath none other helper but thee and whom through thy grace thou hast willed to be conceiued with chyld and at the time of her trauaile graciously with the helpe of thy right hand deliuer her and from all danger with the child in her conceiued mercifully preserue It hath seemed good in thy sight mercifull Father by thy seruaunt Mary to worke these woÌ„ders that is to say in her hands to vanquish and ouerthrow the stout enemy to deliuer vs thy people out of the hands of * The Papistes call the Protestantes hereticks and enemies to the crosse of Christ euen as Achab called Elias the disturber of â—sraell when he was onely the disturber himselfe heretikes Infidels enemies to thee and to the crosse of thy beloued sonne Iesus Christ that of thy seruaunt thou mightest speake in farre countreys Therefore for these wonderfull workes which thou doest to thy seruaunts thou art magnified Lord God for euer and we thy people blesse thee the God of heauen which hast wrought vpon vs this great mercy and hast excluded from vs the heretike the enemy of truth the persecuter of thy church We know we know that we haue grieuously Lord sinned that we haue bene deceiued by vanitie and that we haue forsaken thee our God Our iniquities be multiplied on our head and our sinnes be increased vp to heauen and we our selues haue offended and our princes our priests for these our sinnes haue deserued an hypocrite to our prince our sinnes haue deserued a Tyrant to our Gouernour that should bryng our lyfe to bitternes We be not worthy to haue so gentle and mercifull a Queene so godly a ruler finally so vertuous a prince at the very beginning of whose raigne a new light as it were of Gods religion seemed to vs for to spring rise Q. Mary compared of the Papistes to Q. Iudith The Iews did blesse y e widow Iudith with one voice saying Thou art the glory of Ierusalem thou art the ioy of Israell thou art the honor of our people for that thou hast loued chastity and thou shalt be blessed for euer And we the English people with one agreeable consent do cry Make how forgetting his prayer he falleth to the praysing of Q Mary Thou Mary art the glory of England our ioy the honour of thy people for that thou hast embraced chastitie thine heart is strengthened for the hand of our Lord hath comforted thee and therfore thou shalt be blessed for euer But bow downe O most mercifull Father thine eare and open thine eyes and behold our affliction and our humble confession Thou knowest Lord that against Phillip not by humane but by thy ordinaunce our king and against thy seruaunt Mary by thy prouidence our Queene the restorers and maintainers of thy Testament of the faith most constaÌ„t defenders of thy church thou knowest I say that against these our two gouernors the enimies of thy holy * The TestameÌ„t setteth vp onely the glory of Christ. Testament of the Church thy spouse be most ranke Rebels and spitefull murmurers walking after their lustes whose mouth speaketh wordes of pride to the end they may set vp the kingdome of heretikes schismatikes By the power of their handes they would * If the chaunging of Gods promises destroying his inheritance stopping the mouthes of Gods people if contentions warres and schismes be tokens of heretickes who so great heretickes as the papists be chaunge thy promises and destroy thine inheritaunce and stop and shut vp the mouthes of them y t praise thee and extinguish the glory of thy catholike Church and aultar It is manifest and plaine how many contentioÌ„s how many conspiracies and seditions how great wars what tumults how many how great troublesome vexations how many heresies schismes for these be the most ready deuises and euident tokens of heretickes for our sinnes do hang ouer vs if thy seruant be taken from this life for we acknowledge that our Lord is omnipotent who hath pitched his dwellyng place in the midst of his people to y e intent to deliuer vs out of y e hands of our enemies Turne therfore thy countenance vnto vs shew vnto vs O Lord thy face Punish vs for our sinnes according to thy will pleasure onely now deliuer vs. We bowing the knees of our hart beseech thee that thou wilt not reserue vnto vs punishment for euer we shall prayse thee all the days of our life Heare our cry and the praier of thy people open to them the treasure of thy mercy thy gracious sauour the spring of liuely water Thou that hast begon make in the hand of the seruaunt a perfect worke Suffer not we pray thee the * Cry 〈◊〉 lowder 〈◊〉 Priest◠〈…〉 your God a sleepe The Lordâ— gaue a 〈◊〉 to Sâ—â—ra 〈◊〉 Eliâ—zabeth so did he noâ— to Q Maâ—â— faythlesse rebels to say of thy seruaunt and her Counsellours that they haue deuised matters which they cannot performe And graunt vnto thy seruant an happy and an easie trauail For it is not impossible to thy power nor indecent to thy
holy fathers Church sauyng that one of these ix was not asked the question other wyse then thus whether hee would be an honest man as his father was before hym and aunswering yea he was so discharged by the friendship of my Lord William Haward as I haue vnderstanded He bade me tell hym what I would doe whether I would enter into one Church with the whole Realme as it is now or not No sayd I I will first see it prooued by the Scriptures Let me haue pen inke and bookes c. And I shall take vpon me plainly to set out the matter so that the contrary shall be prooued to be true let any man that wil conferre with me by writyng Steph Gardiner refused to haue the truth to be tryed by learning L. Chan. Nay that shall not be permitted thee Thou shalt neuer haue so much profered thee as thou hast now if thou refuse it and wilt not now condescend and agree to the catholike church Here are ij things Mercy and Iustice If thou refuse the Queenes mercy now then shalt thou haue Iustice ministred vnto thee Rog. I neuer offended nor was disobedieÌ„t vnto her grace The Bâ—â—shop◠〈…〉 stand bâ— theyr 〈…〉 yet wiâ—â— suffer 〈◊〉 men so doe and yet I will not refuse her mercy But if this shal be denied me to conferre by writing and to try out the truth then it is not wel but to far out of the way Ye your selues all the Bishops of the Realme brought me to the knowledge of the pretensed primacie of the Bishop of Rome when I was a yong man twenty yeares past and wil ye now without collation haue me to say and do the contrary I cannot be so perswaded L. Chan. If thou wilt not receiue the Bishop of Rome to be supreme head of the Catholike Church A fayrâ—â— tense to â—â—cuse yoâ—â— ignoraâ—â—â— then thou shalt neuer haue her mercy thou maist be sure And as touching conferring and triall I am forbidden by the Scriptures to vse any conferring and triall with thee For S. Paule teacheth me that I shall shun and eschew an heretike after one or two monitions knowing that such an one is ouerthrowen and is faulty in as much as he is condemned by his owne iudgement Rog. My L. I deny that I am an heretike prooue ye that first and then alledge the foresayd text But still the Lord Chancellor played on one string saying L. Chan. If thou wilt enter into one Church with vs c. tell vs that Gardineâ— wil 〈◊〉 to that 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 caÌ„not 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 or els thou shalt neuer haue so much proferred thee agayne as thou hast now Rog. I will fynd it first in the Scripture and see it tryed therby before I receiue hym to be supreme head Wor. Why do ye not know what is in your Creed Credo ecclesiam sanctam catholicam I beleeue the holy Catholike Church Rog. I fynde not the bishop of Rome there For Catholike signifieth not the Romish Church It signifieth the consent of all true teaching Churches of all tymes The Popâ— church pâ—â—â—ued not to be Catholicke and all ages But how should the Bishop of Romes Church bee one of them which teacheth so many doctrines y t are plainly and directly against the word of God Can that bishop be the true head of the Catholike Church that doth so that is not possible L. Chancellor Shew me one of them one one let me heare one Rog. I remembred my selfe that amongst so many I were best to shew one and sayd I will shew you one L. Chan. Let me heare that let me heare that Rog. The B. of Rome and hys Church say read and sing all that they do in their congregations in Latin Latin Seâ—â—uice which is directly and plainly against the first to the Corrinthians the 14. chapter L. Chan. I deny that I deny that that is against the word of God Let me see you prooue that how prooue ye that Rog. Thus I began to say the text from the beginning of the chap. Qui loquitur lingua Speaking a straungâ— tongue â—â—gaynst S. Paule c. to speake with tonge sayd I is to speake with a strange tong as Latine or Greeke c. and so to speake is not to speake vnto meÌ„ but to God But ye speak in Latin which is a strange tong wherfore ye speake not vnto men but vnto God * Imperfâ—â—â—tion meanyng God only at the most This he graunted that they speake not vnto men but vnto God L. Chan. Well then it is in vayne vnto men Rog. No not in vaine For one man speaketh in one tong and another in another tong and all well L. Chan. Nay I wil prooue then that he speaketh neyther to God nor to man but vnto the wynde Rog. I was willing to haue declared how and after what sort these two textes do agree for they must agree 1. Cor. 1â— To speak◠〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 To speakâ— both to 〈◊〉 and man To speakâ— neyther 〈◊〉 God not 〈◊〉 maÌ„ but 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 they be both the sayings of the holy Ghost spoken by the Apostle Paule as to witte to speake not to men but vnto God and to speake into the wynd and so to haue gone forward with the proofe of my matter begon but here arose a noyse and a confusion Then sayd the L. Chancellor L. Chan. To speake vnto God and not vnto God were vnpossible Rog. I will prooue them possible L. Haward No sayd my Lorde William Haward to my L. Chauncellour nowe will I beare you witnesse that hee is out of the way For he graunted first that they whiche speake in a straunge speach speake vnto God and now he sayth the contrary that they speake neither to God nor to man Rog. I haue not graunted or sayde turning me to my L. Haward as ye report I haue alledged the one text and now I am come to the other They must agree and I can make them to agree But as for you you vnderstand not the matter L. Haward I vnderstand so much that that is not possible This is a poynte of Sophistrie Secretary Bourne A 〈◊〉 Suaueâ— quoth Secretarye Bourne L. Chan. Then the Lord Chauncellor began to tell the L. Hawarde Anno 1555. â—ebruaâ—â— that when hee was in high Dutchlande they at Hale which had before prayed and vsed their seruice all in dutch began theÌ„ to turne part into latin part into dutch Worcest Yea and at Wittembergh to Rog. Yea but I could not be heard for the noise in an Uniuersitie were men for the most part vnderstande the Latine and yet not all in Latine And I would haue tolde the order haue gone forward both to haue answered my lord and to haue proued the thing that I had taken in hand but perceiuing their talking and noyse to be too noysome I was faine to thinke this in my heart suffering them in the meane while
hym once to stirre in the paynes of his burnyng he should then geue no credite to his doctrine And as hee sayd so he right well performed the same for so paciently he stoode that he neuer mooued but euen as he stoode holdyng vp his stumpes so still he continued till one Rich. Grauell with a staffe dashed hym vppon the head and so stroke hym downe ¶ Letters As touching the letters of M. Farrer we do not finde many that he did write And peradueÌ„ture in Queene Maries tyme his imprisonment was so strait that at no time it was permitted to hym to write Albeit in his other troubles in kyng Edwards tyme certayne letters he wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer and to the Erle of Warwike which letters although they might be well referred to the first edition of this story yet because in the sayd letters is conteyned briefly and in few lynes the whole discourse of hys vniust vexation at that tyme wrought by his aduersaries I thought good not to passe them ouer but to communicate them vnto the Reader for the better vnderstanding both of the innocencie of y â— blessed B. and of the crafty iniquitie of his conspired enemies as in the sayd letters here folowing to the indifferent reader may easily appeare ¶ The copy of a certaine letter of the Bishop of S. Dauids written belike to the L. Chancellor Doct. Goodrike Bishop of Ely MOst humbly sheweth vnto your honor your poore orator Rob. Bish. of S. Dauids that where as one Tho. Lee by the procurement of Tho. Yong Rowland Mericke beyng both Canons of S. Dauids and George Constantine Register to the sayd bishop hath exhibited vnto your honor agaynst him certaine articles in the which are mentioned many triflyng thyngs vnworthy to be declared in your honourable audience and also theyr pretensed weighty articles as they haue alledged there are vtterly vntrue for proofe whereof the sayd Thomas Lee hath had Commissions into the countrey therfore it may please your honour of your fauourable goodnesse to graunt vnto your said Oratour a like Commission for the examination of witnesses in defence of his truth and honesty against the aforenamed Thomas Lee George Constantine Tho. Yong Rowland Mericke and all other persons with their vniust articles attestations and sayings deposed agaynst hym And in tender consideration that your said Orator standeth bounden and sureties with hym in the summe of a thousand markes â— Farrar 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 to appeare in a â—atter of â—â—emunire to appeare before the kyngs Iustice in the Sessions at Carmarthen in Iuly next commyng to aunswer to a forged matter of Premunire by the procurement and counsaile of his forenamed aduersaries malitiously surmised agaynst hym to his vtter vndoyng and furthermore that your Orator beyng in debt to the kings maiesty by reason of the malitious vexation of his foresayd aduersaries cannot if he remaine here satisfie the same for where as there be rerages to a great summe as well of the kyngs money as of hys owne rentes he can receyue none thereof his aduersaries haue made such ill report to his discredite bearyng the people in hand that he shall come no more thither by reason of which bruite neyther hys owne tenaunts will pay their rentes and rerages nor the priests their rerages due to the Kings Maiestie as well for anno secundo and tertio as for quarto and quinto In consideration of all these thyngs it may please your honourable goodnes to licence your sayd Oratour to depart into the Dioces for these affaires and other he shall be ready at all tymes at your honourable commaundement and pleasure to repaire againe and euer to pray to the Lord Iesu for the perpetuall conseruation of your honor to his glory Besides this letter he wrote another likewise to y e said Lord who was as seemeth D. Goodricke L. Chancellor afore mentioned wherein he declareth the whole cause of his trouble how it rose against him by his aduersaries as here followeth ¶ Another letter written by the B. of S. Dauids to the L. Chancellor aforesayd RIght honourable and my very especiall good Lorde with humble seruice and hearty thankes to God An other letter of B. Farrar to the Lord Chauncellour and to you for your godly fauour towardes me at all times as right plainly appeareth by your fatherly letters most louingly admonishing me to incline vnto that which is very necessary as charitable concord and vnity This is further to beseeche your Lordship for the Lordes sake not to be grieued but benignly to heare and grauely to ponder that weighty matter which appearing to other but a light griefe to me is in very deede a right grieuous offence to Godward with no little hinderaunce of his holy worde and disturbaunce of the Kings godly proceedyngs and may be great occasion of much inobedience and disorder of good lyfe Wherfore I am straitly bounden for the true zeale that I ought to beare vnto the word of lyfe Christian religion the kings maiesties honor and the godly quiet state of his people not faintly to let fall the burthen of diligent redres to be sought at his maiesties hands by the godly wisdome of his most honourable and vpright Counsayle but with hearty affection to beare it vp agaynst those high mynded arrogant stubborne ambitious couetous Canons trusting in their biting tongues with crafty preuention and vtterly vntrue surmises to stop the lyght that theyr vngodly misdoyngs in darkenesse shal eyther not be seene or at the least may haue a coulourable appearaunce of right In so much that I do not a little meruayle at these qualities in Maister Chaunter the Canon and the Deane of Worcester whose vngentle and vntrue behauiour I haue not onely knowen but expertly prooued and sensibly felte in two of the first to my great losses whereof I make no complaint The vnkind dealing of George Constanâ—â—ne against â— Farrar But I wonder in my mynde and lament in my heart the strange alteration wilfull goyng backward of myne old faithful brother George ConstaÌ„tine the which knowyng them all three to haue bene in tymes past either obstinate enemies to the true bearers of the crosse of Christ or at the least priuy lurkers vnder pretence of fauour towards the Gospell to sting the poore followers therof seking but their own lucre and pleasure in all their doings would so earnestly cleaue vnto them in their wrong deeds as to betray me with his tong become vntrue of his promise and a bearer of filthy sinne for lucres sake euen yet stifly persisting in the same namely in thyngs manifestly knowen vnto many although he would deny it and that I might not be credited And as for their Premunire both George they at my first commyng 〈◊〉 Ferlee 〈…〉 to â— Farrar vngently deteinyng from M. Ferlee hys commission of the Chauncellorship would haue faced me down with the Premunire because it was written in myne owne name
it with our blouds For I thought this night that I had bene sent for because at a 11. of the clocke there was such rapping at the dore Then answered a mayd and sayd why theÌ„ I perceiue you were afrayd Brad. M. Bradford nothing afrayd of death Ye shall heare how fearefull I was For I considered that I had not slept and I thought to take a nap before I went and after I was a sleepe these men came into the next chamber and sang as it was tolde me and yet for all my fearefulnes I heard theÌ„ not therfore belike I was not afrayd that slept so fast Seru. Do you lacke any thing toward your necessity Brad. Nothing but your prayers I trust I haue them and you mine Seru. I saw a priest come to you to day in the morning Brad. Yea he brought me a letter from a Fryer and I am writing an answere Seru. Then we let you therefore the liuing God be wyth you Brad. And with you also and blesse you Seru. Amen sayd we and gaue him thankes departed M. Bradford had from the Counter to Newgate by night THus still in prison continued Bradford vntill the moneth of Iuly in such labors suffrings as he before alwayes had susteyned in prison But when the time of hys determined death was come he was sodeÌ„ly conueyed out of the Counter where he was prisoner in the night season to Newgate as afore is declared froÌ„ thence he was caried the next morning to Smithfield where he constantly abiding in the same truth of God which before he had confessed earnestly exhorting the people to repent to return to Christ sweetly comforting the godly yong springall of 19. or 20. yeares old which was burned with him chearefully he ended his paynefull life to liue with Christ. ¶ Iohn Leafe burnt with M. Bradford Iohn Leafe fellow Martyr with M. Bradford WIth whoÌ„ also was burnt one Iohn Leafe an appreÌ„tice to Humfrey Gawdy Tallow Chaundlor of the parish of Christs church in London of the age of 19. yeres and aboue borne at Kirkeby Moreside in the Countye of Yorke who vpoÌ„ the friday next before Palme sonday was coÌ„mitted to the Counter in Breadstreete Iohn Leafe of the parish of Christ church by the Alderman of that warde committed to prison by an Alderman of London who had rule charge of that warde or part of the City where the sayd Leafe did dwell After he coÌ„myng to examination before Boner gaue a firme Christian testimony of his doctrine profession answering to such articles as were obiected to him by the sayd Bishop First as touching his beliefe fayth in the sayd sacrament of the aultar Iohn Leafe examined before B. Boner The aunsweres of Iohn Leafe concerning his fayth in the Sacrament he answered that after y e words of consecration spoken by the priest ouer the bread wine there was not the very true naturall body bloud of Christ in substance and further did hold and beleue that the sayd sacrameÌ„t of the aultar as it is now called vsed beleued in this realme of EnglaÌ„d is idolatrous abhominable also sayd further that he beleued that after the words of coÌ„secration spoken by the Priest ouer the material bread and wine there is not the selfe same substance of Christes body bloud there coÌ„teined but bread wine as it was before and further sayd that he beleued that when the priest deliuereth the said material bread wine to the coÌ„municants he deliuereth but onely * Onely as touching the substance but not as concerning the effect thereof Auricular confession He meaneth after the Popish maner of remitting c. material bread and wyne and the communicants do receiue the same in remeÌ„brance of Christes death and passion and spiritually in fayth they receiue Christs body and bloud but not vnder the formes of bread and wine and also affirmed that he beleued auricular confession not to be necessary to be made vnto a priest for it is no poynt of soule health neither that the Priest hath anye authority geuen him by the Scripture to absolue and remit any sinne Upon these his answeres and testimony of his fayth he at that time being dismissed was bid the Monday next being the x. of Iune to appere again in the said place there and then to heare the sentence of his condemnatioÌ„ who so did At what time the foresayd Bishop propounding the sayd articles again to him as before assaying by al maner of wayes to reuoke him to his owne trade that is from truth to error notwithstanding all his perswasioÌ„s threates and promises found him the same man still so planted vpon the sure rocke of truth that no wordes nor deedes of men could remoue him Then the bishop after many wordes to and fro at last asked him if he had bene M. Rogers scholler Iohn Leaâ—e M. Rogeâ—â— scholler To whoÌ„ the foresayd Iohn Leafe answered agayne graunting him so to be and that he the same Iohn did beleue in the doctrine of the sayd Rogers and in the doctrine of Bishop Hooper Cardmaker and other of their opinion which of late were burned for the testimony of Christ and that he would dye in that doctrine that they dyed for And after other replications agayne of the Bishop mouing him to returne to the vnity of the Church he with a great courage of spirite answered agayne in these words My Lord quoth he you cal mine opinioÌ„ heresy it is the true light of the word of God and agayne repeating the same he professed that he would neuer forsake his stayed well grounded opinion while y e breath should be in his body Wherupon the Bishop being too weake eyther to refute his sentence or to remoue hys constancy proceeded consequently to read the Popish sentence of cruell condemnatioÌ„ Sentence read agaynst Iohn Leafe wherby this godly constant young man being coÌ„mitted to the secular power of the shiriffes there present was theÌ„ adiudged not long after suffered the same day with M. Bradford confirming w t hys death that which he had spoken and professed in his life It is reported of the said Iohn Leafe by one that was in the Counter the same time and saw the thing Iohn Leafe sealed the bill of his confessions with his bloud that after his examinations before the Bishop when two bils were sent vnto him in the CouÌ„ter in Bredstreet the one conteyning a recantation the other his confessions to knowe to which of them he would put to his hand first hearyng the Byll of recantation read vnto him because he coulde not read nor write hymselfe that he refused And when the other was read vnto him which he well liked of in stead of a pen he tooke a pinne and so pricking his hand sprinckled the bloud vpon the sayd bill willing the reader thereof to shew the Bishop that he had sealed the same
tell more of this then I can write Therfore deare mother receiue some admonition of one of thy poore children nowe goyng to be burned for the testimonye of Iesus Come agayne to Gods truth come out of Babilon confesse Christ and his true doctrine repent that whiche is past make amendes by declaryng thy repentaunce by the fruites Remember the readings and preachinges of Gods Prophet and true Preacher M Bucer Call to minde the threatninges of God nowe something seene by the children Leauer and others Let the exile of Leauer Pilkinton Grindall Haddon Horne Scorye Ponet c. something awake thee Let the imprisonmēt of thy deare sonnes Cranmer Ridley and Latimer moue thee Consider the Martyrdome of thy chickens Rogers Saunders Taylor And nowe cast not awaye the poore admonition of me goyng to be burned also and to receiue the like crowne of glorye with my fellowes Take to harte Gods calling by vs. Be not as Pharao was for then will it happen vnto thee as it did vnto hym What is that hardnes of hart And what then destructiō eternally both of body and soule Ah therefore good mother awake awake repent repent buskle thy selfe and make hast to turne to the Lord. For els it shal be more easie for Sodome and Gomorra in the daye of iudgement then for thee Oh harden not your hartes Oh stop not your eares to day in hearyng Gods voyce though it be by me a most vnworthy messenger Oh feare the Lord for his anger is begon to kindle Euen now the axe is layd to the roote of the tree You know I prophecied truely to you before the Sweate came what would come if you repēted not your carnall Gospelling And now I tel you before I depart hence that the eares of men will tingle to heare of the vengeaunce of God that will fall vpon you all both Towne and Vniuersitie if you repent not if you leaue not your Idolatrie if you turne not speedely to the Lord if you still be ashamed of Christes truth which you know Oh Perne repent Oh Thomson repent Oh you Doctors Bachelers Maisters repent Oh Maior Aldermen Towne dwellers repent repent repent that you may escape the nere vengeaunce of the Lord. Rent your hartes come apace calling on the Lord. Let vs all say Peccauimus we haue all sinned we haue done wickedly we haue not hearkned to thy voyce O Lord. Deale not with vs after our desertes but be mercifull to our iniquities for they are great Oh pardon our offenses In thine anger remember thy mercy Turne vs vnto thee O Lord God of hostes for the glory of thy names sake Spare vs and be mercifull vnto vs. Let not the wicked people say where is now their God Oh for thine owne sake for thy names sake deale mercifully with vs. Turne thy selfe vnto vs and vs vnto thee and we shall prayse thy name for euer If in this sort my dearely beloued in hart and mouth we come vnto our father prostrate our selues before the throne of his grace then surely surely we shall finde mercie Then shall the Lord loke merely vpon vs for his mercy sake in Christ then shall we heare him speake peace vnto his people God◠mercy 〈◊〉 to Cambridge if it repent For he is gracious mercifull of great pitie compassion he can not be chiding for euer his anger can not last long to the penitent Though we weepe in the morning yet at night we shall haue our sorow to cease For he is exorable and hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner he rather would our conuersion and turning Oh turne you now and conuert yet once agayne I humbly besech you and then the kingdome of heauen shall draw nigh The eye hath not seane the eare hath not heard nor the hart of man is able to conceiue the ioyes prepared for vs if we repent amende our liues and hartely turne to the Lord. But if we repent not but be as you were and goe on forwardes with the wicked following the fashion of the world the Lord will leade you on with wicked doers you shall perish in your wickednes your bloud will be vpon your owne heades your part shal be with hypocrites where shal be weepyng gnashyng of teeth ye shal be cast from the face of the Lord for euer and euer eternall shame sorrow wo and miserie shal be both in body and soule to you world without end Oh therefore right deare to me in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you amende amende your liues depart from euill do good follow peace and pursue it Come out from Babilon cast of the workes of darkenesse put on Christ confesse his truth be not ashamed of his Gospell prepare your selues to the Crosse drinke of Gods cup before it come to the dregges and then shall I with you and for you reioyce in the day of Iudgement which is at hand and therefore prepare your selues thereto I hartely beseche you And thus I take my vale in aeternum with you in this present life myne owne deare hartes in the Lord. The Lord of mercie be with vs all and geue vs a ioyfull and sure meetyng in his kyngdome Amen Amen Out of prison the 11. of Februarie Anno. 1555. Your owne in the Lorde for euer Iohn Bradford ¶ To Lankeshire and Cheshire TO all those that professe his name and true Religion of our sauiour Iesus Christ in Lankeshyre and Chesshyre An other letter of M. Bradford to Lankeshire Cheshire and specially to Manchester and specially abiding in Manchester and therabout Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lorde now not onely in boundes but also condemned for y e same true religion wisheth mercy and grace peace and increase of all godlines from God the father of all pitty through y e desertes of our Lord Iesus Christ by the working of the most mighty and liuely spirite the comforter for euer Amen I heard it reported credibly my dearely beloued in the Lord that my heauenly father hath thought it good to prouide that as I haue preached his true doctrine and Gospell amongest you by worde so I shall testifie confirme the same by deede That is I shall with you leaue my life whiche by hys prouidence I first receaued there for in Manchester was I borne for a seale to the doctrine I haue taught with you and amongest you so so that if from henceforth you wauer in the same you haue none excuse at all I know the enemies of Christ whiche exercise this crueltie vpon me I speake in respect of myne offence which is none to themwardes thinke by killing of me amongest you to affray you and others least they shoulde attempt to teach Christ truely or beleue his doctrine hereafter But I doubt not but my heauenly father will be my death more confirme you in his truth for euer And therefore I greatly reioyce to see sathan and his souldiours supplanted
of armes for we are not so able to withstand hym muche lesse to preuayle agaynst him but to beseeche hym to mercifull vnto vs and according to his wonted mercye to deale wyth vs. Rising with Dauid Let vs arise with Dauid and saye Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo c. i. Enter not into iudgement O Lorde with thy seruaunt for in thy sight no fleshe liuyng shal be iustified Let vs send Embassadours with the Senturion Suing with the Centurion and saye Lorde we are not worthye to come our selues vnto thee speake the word and we shall haue peace Let vs penitently with the Publicane loke downe on the earth Repenting with the Publican knocke our hard hartes to burst them and crye out Oh GOD be mercifull vnto vs wretched sinners Let vs with the lost Sonne returne and saye O Father we haue sinned agaynst heauen and earth Returâ— with thâ— lost 〈◊〉 and before thee we are vnworthy to be called thy children Let vs I say do on this sorte y t is hartily repent vs of our former euill lyfe vnthankfull gospelling past conuert and turne to God w t our whole hartes hoping in his great mercy thorough Christ and hartily calling vppon his holy name and then vndoubtedly we shall finde and feele otherwyse then yet we feele both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly we shall feele peace of conscience betweene God and vs whiche peace passeth all vnderstanding and outwardlye we shall feele muche mittigation of these miseries if not an vtter taking them away Therefore my dearely beloued in the Lorde I youre poorest brother now departing to the Lord Bradfoâ—â— vltimuâ— vale for my vale in aeternum for this present lyfe praye you beseeche you and euen from the verye bottome of my harte for all the mercies of God in Christ shewed vnto you most earnestly begge and craue of you out of prison as often out of your Pulpies I haue done that you wil repent you leaue your wicked and euill life be sorye for your offences and turne to the Lorde whose armes are wide open to receaue and embrace you whose stretched out hande to strike to death stayeth that he may shew mercy vpon you For he is the Lord of mercy and God of all comforte hee will not the death of a sinner but rather that yee shoulde returne conuert and amend He hath no pleasure in the destruction of men The day 〈◊〉 Gods 〈◊〉 at hand his long sufferyng draweth to repentaunce before the tyme of vengeance and the day of wrath which is at hand doth come Now is the axe layd to the roote of the tree vtterly to destroy the impenitente Wanton Gospell Proud Pâ—â—â—testantes False Câ—â—â—â—stians Nowe is the fire gone out before the face of the Lorde and who is able to quenche it Oh therefore repent you repent you It is enough to haue liued as we haue done It is inough to haue pleased the wanton Gospellers the proude Protestantes Hypocriticall and false Chrystians as alas wee haue done Now the Lorde speaketh to vs in mercy and grace Oh turne before hee speaketh in wrathe Yet is there mercye with the Lorde and plenteous redemption yet hee hath not forgotten to shewe mercye to them that call vppon him Oh then call vpon him while he may be found For hee is riche in mercy and plentifull to all them that call vpon hym So that hee that calleth on the name of the Lorde shal be saued If your sinnes be as redde as scarlet the Lord sayeth he will make them as white as snow He hath sworne and neuer will repent hym thereof that he will neuer remember our iniquities but as hee is good faithfull and true so will he be our God and wee shall be his people his law will he write in our hartes engraffe in our myndes and neuer will he haue in mynde our vnrighteousnesse Therefore my deare heartes in the Lorde turne you turne you to y e Lord your Father to the Lord your Sauiour to the Lord your comforter Oh why doe you stoppe your eares and harden your harts â—o day Bradford propheâ—â— of these plagues 〈◊〉 wheÌ„ you heare hys voyce by me your poorest brotâ—â—â— Oh forget not how that the Lord hath shewed hymselâ—â— true and me hys true preacher by bringyng to passe thâ—â—lagues which at my mouth you ofte heard before they came to passe specially when I entreated of Noes floud and when I preached of the 22. chapter of Saint Mathews Gospell on S. Steuens day the last tyme that I was with you And nowe by me the Lord sendeth you worde deare countrey men that if you will go on forwards in your impenitency carnalitie hypocrisie idolatry couetousnesse swearing gluttony dronkennesse whoredome c. Wherewith alas alas our countrey floweth if I say you will not turne and leaue of seyng me now burned amongst you to assure you on all sides how God seeketh you Destructâ—â—â— threatnâ—â— them 〈◊〉 repent and is sory to doe you hurt to plague you to destroy you to take vengeance vpon you oh your bloud wil be vpon your owne heades you haue bene warned and warned againe by me in preaching by me in burning As I sayd therefore I say agayne my deare harts and dearlings in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you cease from doyng euill study to do well Preceptes of lyfe away with idolatry flye the Romish God and seruice leaue of from swearing cut of carnalitie abandon auarice driue away dronkennesse flie from fornication and flattery murther and malice destroy deceiptfulnesse and cast away all the works of darkenes Put on pitie and godlines serue God after his word and not after custome vse your tongs to glorifie God by prayer thankesgeuing and confession of his truth c. be spirituall and by the spirit mortifie carnall affections be sober holy true louyng gentle mercyfull and then shall the Lordes wrath cease not for this our doyngs sake but for his mercies sake Goe to therefore good country men take this counsell of the Lorde by mee nowe sente vnto you as the Lordes counsell and not as mine that in the daye of iudgement I maye reioyce wyth you and for you the which thing I hartely desire and not to be a witnes agaynst you My bloud will crye for vengeaunce as agaynst the Papistes Gods enemies whome I beseech God if it be his will hartely to forgeue yea euen them which put me to death and are the causers therof for they know not what they do so will my bloud cry for vengeaunce agaynst you my dearely beloued in the Lord if ye repent not Bradfordes 〈◊〉 will agaynst 〈…〉 amend not and turne vnto the Lord. Turne vnto the Lord yet once more I hartely besech thee thou Manchester thou Ashton vnderline thou Bolton Bury Wigme Lierpoole Mottrine Stepport Winsley Eccles Priestwich Middleton Radcliefe and thou City of Westchester where I haue truely taught and
Christ haue lesse trow you which hath so bitterly dearely bought it If your husband could not admitte an excuse how your hart is his onely if he should haue taken your body in bed with another do you thinke that Christ will allow your body at Masse although your heart consent not to it â—sal 125. God esteemeth his children not onely of their hartes but of their pure hands and workes Reg 19. 〈…〉 and therefore in Helias tyme he counted none to be his seruants and people but such as had not bowed their knees to Baall as now he doth not in England accompt any other to be his derlings which know the truth in hart and deny it in theyr deeds as do our Masse Gospellers We ought to desire aboue all thyngs the sanctifieng of Gods holy name and the commyng of his kingdom and shall we then see his name blasphemed so horribly as it is at Masse by making it a sacrifice propitiatorie and setting forth a false Christ of the Priests and bakers makyng to be worshipped as GOD and say nothing The Iewes rent their clothes asunder in seeyng or hearing any thyng blasphemously done or spoken against God and shall we yet come to Church where Masse is and be mute Paule and Barnabas rent their clothes to see the people of Lycaonia to offer sacrifice vnto them and shall we see sacrifice and gods seruice done to an inanimate creature and be mumme What thing helpeth more or so much Antichrists kingdom as doth the Masse The Masse destroyeth pâ—eaching and the kingâ—om of Christ. And what destroyeth preachyng and the kyngdome of Christ vpon earth more then it doth And how can we then say Let thy kyngdome come and go to Masse How can we pray before God Thy will be done on earth when we will do our owne will and the will of our father or friendes How pray we Deliuer vs from euill which knowyng the Masse to be euill do come to it But what goe I about to light a candle in the Noone day that is to tell you that we may not go to Masse or to the congregation where it is except it be to reprooue it in that all men in so doyng do but dissemble both with God and man And is dissembling now to be allowed How loÌ„g will men yet halt on both knees saith God Halting sayeth Paule bringeth out of the way that is to say out of Christ which is the way so that he which is not in him shal wither away and be cast into hell fire For Christ will be ashamed of them before his father which be now ashamed of his truth before this wicked generation He diâ—suadeth her â—rom the Masse Therfore my good maistresse take good heed for it had bene better for you neuer to haue knowen the truth and there through to haue escaped from papisticall vncleanes then now to returne to it making eftsoones your meÌ„bers beyng members of righteousnesse members of vnrighteousnesse as you do if you do but goe to the Church where Masse is Be pure therefore and keepe your selfe from all filth of the spirit and of the flesh Abstaine not onely from all euil but from all appearance of euill And so the God of peace shall be with you the glory of God shall gouerne you the spirite of God shall sanctifie you and be with you for euer to keepe you from all euill and to comfort you in all your distresse and trouble which is but short if you consider the eternitie you shall enioy in glory and felicitie in the Lorde which vndoubtedly you shall not fayle but inherite for euer if so be you as the elect chylde of God put your trust in hys mercy call vpon hys name vnfainedly and yeld not ouer to the wicked world but sticke still agaynst it vnto the ende God for his holy names sake which is properly the God of the Widowes be your good and deare Father for euer and helpe you alwayes as I my selfe would bee holpen at hys handes in all thynges and especially in this hys owne cause Amen Amen Iohn Bradford ¶ To one by whome he had receyued much comfort and reliefe in his trouble and imprisonment THe mercy of God in Christ peculiar to hys children A letter of thankes to a good benâ—factour of his be euermore felt of you my derely beloued in the Lord Amen When I consider with my selfe the benefites whiche God hath shewed vnto me by your meanes if I had so good and thankfull a hart as I would I had I could not with dry eies geue him thanks for certainly they are very many and great And now beyng yet still the Lords prisoner I perceiue from him mo benefits by you For y e which I thinke my selfe so much bounde to you my good brother although you were but the instrument by whome God wrought and blessed me that I looke not to come out of your debt by any pleasure or seruice that I shall euer be able to do you in this lyfe I shall hartily praye vnto God therefore to requite you the good you haue done to me for hys sake for I know that which you haue done you haue done it simply in respect of God his word He therefore geue you daily more and more to be coÌ„firmed in his truth and word and so plentifully poure vpon you the riches of his holy spirit and heauenly treasures layd vp in store for you that your corporall and earthly riches may be vsed of you as Sacraments and significations thereof the more to desire the one that is the heauenly the lesse to esteeme the other that is the earthly For Sathans sollicitation is so to set before you the earthly that therein and therby you should not haue accesse to the consideration of the heauenly but as one bewitched should vtterly forget them altogether become a louer and worshipper of the earthlye Mammon and so to fall to couetousnes Châ—ist forsaken of many for the presâ—â—uing of worldly pelfe and a desire to be rich by that meanes to bring you into many noisome and hurtfull lustes as now a dayes I heare of many whiche haue vtterly forsaken God and all his heauenly riches for Antichrists pleasure and the preseruing of theyr worldly pelfe which they imagine to leaue to their posterity wherof they are vncertaine as they may be most certaine they leaue to them Gods wrath and vengeance in his tyme to be sent by visitation if they in tyme hartily repent not preuent not the same by earnest prayer Wherein my good brother if you be diligent harty and perseuere I am sure God will preserue you from euill and from yelding your selfe to do as the world now doth by allowyng in bodily fact in the Romish seruice that which the inward cogitation and mynd doth disallow But if you be cold in prayer and come into consideration of earthly present things simply then shall you fall into faithlesse