theyr Pardons which causeth many a man to sinne in trust of them For as for those malefactours which I nowe rehearsed you shall not finde one amongest a hundreth but that he wil cry out both of these bookes and also of them that haue them yea will be glad to spend the good whiche he hath wrongfullye gotten vpon Fagots to burne both the bookes and them that haue them And as touching these men that were latelye punished for these bookes there is no man I heare say that can lay any word or deede agaynst them that shoulde sound to the breaking of any of your graces lawes this onely except if it be yours and not rather theyrs And be it so that there be some that haue these bookes that bee euill vnruely and selfe willed persons not regarding Gods lawes nor maÌ„s yet these bookes be not the cause therof no more then was the bodily presence of Christ and his wordes the cause that Iudas fell but theyr owne froward mind and carnal wit which shoulde be amended by the vertuous example of lyuing of their Curates by the true expositioÌ„ of the scripture If the lay people had suche Curates that would thus doe theyr office these bookes nor the Deuill himselfe coulde not hurte them nor make them to goe out of frame so that the lacke of good Curates is the destruction and cause of al mischiefe Neyther doe I write these thinges because that I will either excuse these menne lately punished or to affirme al to be true writteÌ„ in these books which I haue not all read but to shew that there can not such inconuenience folow of them and specially of the scripture as they would make men beleue should folow And though it bee so that your Grace maye by other bookes and namely by the Scripture it selfe know perceiue the hipocrite Wolues clad in sheepes clothing yet I thinke my selfe bounde in conscience to vtter vnto your grace such thinges as God put in mind to write And this I do God so iudge me not for hate of any person or persons liuing nor for that that I thinke the word of GOD should go forth without persecution if your Grace hadde commaunded that euery man within your Realme should haue it in his mothers tongue For the Gospell must needes haue persecution vnto the time that it bee preached throughout all the world which is the last signe that Christe shewed to his Disciples that should come before the daye of iudgement so that if your grace had once commaunded that the scripture shoulde be put forth the deuill would set forth some wyle or other to persecute the trueth But my purpose is for the loue that I haue to God principally the glory of his name which is only known by his word and for the true allegiaunce that I owe vnto your Grace and not to hide in the grounde of my hart the talent geuen me of God but to chaffer it forth to other that it may encrease to the pleasure of God to exhort your grace to auoid and beware of these mischieuous flatterers and their abhominable wayes and counsels And take heed whose counsels your grace doth take in this matter for there be some that for feare of losing of their worldly worship and honor will not leaue theyr opinion which rashly and that to please menne withall by whome they had great promotion they tooke vpon them to defend by writing so that now they thinke that all theyr felicity which they put in this life should be mard and their wisedome not so greatlye regarded if that whiche they haue so slaunderously oppressed should be now put forth and allowed But alas let these men remember S. Paul how feruent he was agaynst the truth and that of a good zeale before he was called he thought no shame to suffer punishment great persecutions for that which he before despised called heresy And I am sure that theyr liuing is not more perfect then S. Paules was as concerning the outward workes of the law before he was conuerted Also the king and Prophete Dauid was not ashamed to forsake his good intent in building of the Temple after that the Prophet Nathan had shewed him that it was not the pleasure of god that he should build any house for him and notwithstanding that Nathan had before allowed praysed the purpose of Dauid yet he was not ashamed to reuoke and eat his words againe when he knew that they were not according to Gods will and pleasure Wherefore they be sore drowned in worldly wisedome that thinke it agaynst theyr worship to knowledge theyr ignoraunce whom I pray to God that your grace may esâ—ye and take heede of theyr worldly wisedome whiche is foolishnes before God that you may do that that God coÌ„maundeth and not that seemeth good in your owne sighte without the word of God that your grace may be founde acceptable in his sight and one of the meÌ„bers of his church and according to the office that he hath called your Grace vnto you may be found a faythfull minister of his giftes and not a defender of his fayth for hee will not haue it defended by man or mans power but by his wordes onely by the whiche he hath euermore defended it and that by a way farre aboue mans power or reason as all the stories of the Bible maketh mention Wherefore gracious king remember your selfe haue pity vpon your soule and thinke that the daye is euen at hand when you shall geue accountes of your office and of the bloud that hath bene shedde with your sworde In the which day that your grace may stand stedfastly and be not ashamed but to be cleare and readye in your reckoning to haue as they say your Quites est sealed with the bloude of our Sauiour Christ whiche onely serueth at that day is my dayly prayer to him that suffered death for our sinnes which also prayeth to his father for grace for vs continually To whom be all honour and prayse for euer AmeÌ„ The spirit of God preserue your Grace Anno Domini 1530. 1. die Decembris In this Letter of Mayster Latimer to the king aboue prefixed many thinges we haue to consider First his good conscience to God his good will to the king the duety of a right Pastour vnto trueth his tender care to the common wealth and especially to the Church of Christ. Further we haue to consider the abuse of Princes courtes how kinges many times be abused with flatterers and wicked couÌ„sellers aboute them and especially wee maye note the subtle practises of prelates in abusing the name and authority of kinges to set forth theyr owne malignaunt proceedinges We may see moreouer and rather maruell at in the sayde letter the great boldnes and diuine stoutnes in this man who as yet being no Bishop so freely and playnely without all feare of death aduentring his owne life to
that loueth goodnesse sober mynded righteous holy and temperate Now followeth together these vertues One that loueth goodnesse sober mynded righteous holye and temperate As concernyng these qualities the trade of hys lyfe before ioyned with hys benigne and gentle disposition do testify that he could not be voyde of these good vertues raignyng in hym which was so aboundantly adorned wyth the other which aboue we haue declared ¶ To cleaue fast vnto the true worde of doctrine that he may be able to exhort with wholesome learnyng and to improoue that say agaynst it Then concludeth S. Paule with the most excellent vertue of all other to be wished in a Prelate of the church For if this constancy be not in hym to this ende that is To cleaue fast vnto the true worde of doctrine that he may bee able to exhort with wholesome learning and to improoue that say agaynst it If he be voyde I say of these gyfts graces he is worthy of no commendation but shall seeme an Idoll and a deceyuer of the world Neyther shall he deserue the name of a Byshop if eyther for dread or meed affection or fauor he do at any tyme or in any point swarue from the truth As in this behalfe the worthy constancy of this sayd Archbishop neuer for the most part shronke for no maner of storme but was so many wayes tried that neyther fauour of hys Prince nor feare of the indignation of the same nor any other worldly respect coulde alienate or change hys purpose grounded vpon that infallible doctrine of the Gospell Notwithstandyng hys constant defence of Gods truth was euer ioyned with such meekenes toward the kyng that he neuer tooke occasion of offence agaynst hym At the tyme of settyng forth the sixe Articles mention was made before in the story of kyng Henry the viij how aduenturously this Archbishop Tho. Cranmer did oppose hymselfe standyng as it were post alone agaynst the whole Parliament disputyng and replying three dayes together agaynst the sayd Articles In so much that the kyng when neyther he could mislike his reasons and yet would needes haue these Articles to passe required hym to absent hymselfe for the tyme out of the chamber whyle the Acte should passe so he did how the K. afterward sent all the Lordes of the Parliament vnto the Archb. to Lambeth to cheare his mynd agayne that he might not be discouraged all whiche appeareth aboue expressed And this was done during yet the state time of the L. Cromwels authority And now that it may appeare likewise that after the decay of the L. Cromwel yet his constācy in Christes cause did not decay you shal hear what folowed after For after the apprehension of the L. Cromwell when the aduersaries of the Gospell thought all thynges sure now on their side it was so appointed amongest thē that x. or xij bishops and other learned men ioyned together in commission came to the said Archb. of Cant. for the establishing of certaine Articles of our Religion which the Papists then thought to win to their purpose agaynst the sayd Archb. For hauyng now the L. Cromwell fast and sure they thought all had bene safe and sure for euer as in deed to all mens reasonable consideration that tyme appeared so dangerous that there was no maner hope that religion reformed should any one weeke longer stande such account was then made of the kyngs vntowardnesse thereunto In so much that of all those Commissioners there was not one lefte to stay on the Archbishops part but he alone agaynst them all stood in defence of the truth and those that he most trusted to namely B. Heath and B. Skip left hym in the playne field who then so turned against hym that they tooke vpon them to perswade hym to their purpose and hauyng hym downe from the rest of the Commissioners into his garden at Lambheth there by all maner of effectuall perswasions entreated hym to leaue of his ouermuch constancie and to encline vnto the kings entent who was fully set to haue it otherwise then he then had penned or ment to haue set abroad Whē those two his familiars with one or two others his friendes had vsed all their eloquence and pollicie he little regardyng their inconstancy and remisnesse in Gods cause or quarell sayd vnto them right notably You make much adoe to haue me come to your purpose alledgyng that it is the Kinges pleasure to haue the Articles in that sort you haue deuised them to proceed and now that you do perceiue his highnes by sinister information to be bent that way you thinke it a conuenient thing to apply vnto his highnes mynd You be my friends both especially the one of you I did put to his Maiestie as of trust Beware I say what you do There is but one truth in our Articles to be concluded vpon which if you do hide from his highnes by consenting vnto a contrary doctrine and then after in processe of tyme when the truth cannot be hidden from hym his highnes shall perceiue how that you haue delt colourably with hym I know hys graces nature so well quoth the Archbishop that he will neuer after trust and credite you or put any good confidence in you And as you are both my friends so therefore I wyll you to beware thereof in time and discharge your consciences in maintenaunce of the truth But all this woulde not serue for they still swarued and in the end by dischargyng of his conscience and declaryng the truth vnto the king God so wrought with the king that his highnesse ioyned with hym agaynst the rest so that the booke of articles passing on his side he wan the Gole from them all contrary to all their expectations when many wagers would haue bene laid in London that he should haue ben layd vp with Cromwell at that tyme in the tower for his stiffe standyng to his tackle After that day there could neither Counsellor bishop or papist win hym out of the kings fauour Notwithstanding not long after that certayne of the Counsaile whose names neede not to be repeated by the entisement and prouocation of his auncient enemye the Byshoppe of Winchester and other of the same secte attempted the Kyng agaynst him declaring plainely that the Realme was so enfected with heresies and heretickes that it was daungerous for his highnesse farther to permit it vnreformed least peraduenture by long suffering such contention should arise ensue in the realme among his subiectes that thereby might spring horrible commotions and vprores like as in some partes of Germanie it did not long agoe The enormitie whereof they coulde not impute to any so much as to the Archbishop of Canterbury who by his owne preaching and his Chapleins had defiled the whole realme full of diuers pernicious heresies The Kyng woulde needes knowe his accusers They aunswered that forasmuch as he was a Counceller no man durst take vpon him
As concerning the cause for the whiche she should dye she had no cause to confesse that but rather geue vnto God most humble prayse that he did make her worthy to suffer deathe for his worde And as concerning that absolution that they were able to geue vnto her being authorised by the pope she did defie the same euen from the bottome of her hart The which thing when the priests heard they said to the Sheriffe Well to morow her stoutnes will be proued and tryed For although perhaps shee hath now some friendes that whisper her in her eares to morow will we see who dare be so hardy as to come neare her and so they went theyr wayes with anger that theyr confession and absolution was nought set by All that night she was wonderfully chearefull mery with a certaine grauitie in so much that the maiestie of the spirit of God did manifestly appeare in her who did expel the feare of deathe out of her heart spending the tyme in prayer reading talking with them that were purposely come vnto her for to comfort her with the word of God About three of the clocke in the morning Satan who neuer sleepeth especially when death is at hand began to stirre himselfe busily shooting at her that fierye darte the whiche he is wont to doe agaynst all that are at defiaunce with him questioning with her how shee coulde tell that she was chosen to eternal life and that Christ dyed for her I graunt that he dyed but that he dyed for thee howe canst thou tell with this suggestion when shee was troubled they that were about her did councell her to follow the example of Paule Galathians 2. where he sayth Which hath loued me and geuen hymselfe for me Also that her vocation and calling to the knowledge of Gods word was a manifest token of Gods loue towards her especially that same holy spirite of God working in her hart that loue and desire towardes God to please him and to bee iustified by him through Christ c. By these and like perswasions especially by the comfortable promises of Christ brought out of the scripture Satan was put to flight and she conforted in Christ. About eight of the clocke maister Sheriffe came to her into her chamber saying these wordes Maistres Lewes I am come to bring you tidings of the Queenes pleasure the whiche is that you shall liue no longer but one houre in this world therefore prepare your selfe therunto 〈◊〉 stādeth you in hand At which wordes being so grosely vttered and so sodaynly by such an officer as he was she was somewhat abashed Wherefore one of her friendes and acquayntaunce standing by sayde these words Maistresse Lewes you haue great cause to prayse GOD who wyll vouchsafe so speedily to take you out of this worlde and make you worthy to be a witnesse to his truth to beare record vnto Christ that he is the onely sauiour After the which words spoken thus she sayde maister Sheriffe your message is welcome to me and I thanke my God that he will make me worthye to aduenture my life in his quarrell And thus maister Sheriffe departed and within the space of one houre he came agayn cum gladiis fustibus and when he came vp into the chamber one of her friendes desired him to geue him leaue to goe with her to the stake to comfort her the whiche the Sheriffe graunted at that time but afterwardes he was sore troubled for the same when she was dead Nowe when shee was brought throughe the towne with a number of bill menne a great multitude of people being present she being led by two of her frends whiche were M. Michaell Reniger and M. Augustine Bernher she was brought to the place of execution and because the place was farre off and the throng of the people great and she not acquaynted with the fresh ayre being so long in prison one of her frendes sent a messenger to the Sheriffes house for some drinke and after she had prayed three seuerall times in the whiche prayer she desired God most instantly to abolish the idolatrous Masse and to delyuer this realme from Papistry at the end of the whiche prayers the most parte of the people cryed Amen yea euen the Sheriffe that stoode harde by her readye to cast her in the fire for not allowing the Masse at this her prayers sayde with the rest of the people Amen when she had thus prayed she tooke the cup into her handes saying I drynke to all them that vnfaynedly loue the Gospell of Iesus Christ and wish for the abolishment of Papistry When she had dronken they that were her frends dranke also After that a great number specially the women of the towne dyd drynke wyth her which afterward were put to open penaunce in the Churche by the cruel Papistes for drinking with her When she was tyed to the stake with the chayne shee shewed such a cheerefulnes that it passed mans reason beyng so well coloured in her face and being so patient that the most part of them that had honest hartes did lament and euen with teares bewayle the tyranny of the Papistes When the fire was sette vppon her she neither struggled nor sturred but onely lifted vp her handes towardes heauen being dead very speedely for the vnder Sheriffes at the request of her friendes had prouided such stuffe by the whiche shee was sodenly dispatched out of this miserable worlde This amongest other thinges may not bee forgotten that the Papistes had appoynted some to rayle vppon her openly and to reuile her both as shee went to the place of Execution and also when she came at the stake Amongest others there was an olde Prieste whiche hadde a payre of writing tables to note bothe the names of the women that dranke of her cuppe as before you heard and also described her friendes by their apparell for presentlye hee could not learne their names and afterwardes enquyred for their names and so immediately after processe was sente out for them bothe to Couentrye and other places but God whose prouidence sleepeth not did defende them from the handes of these cruell tyrauntes Unto the whiche God with the sonne and the holy Ghost bee honour and glory for euer Amen * The Martyrdome of Rafe Allerton Iames Austo Margery Awstoo and Richard Roth burned at Islington IN searching out the certayne number of the faythfull Martyrs of God that suffered within the tyme raygne of Queene Mary I finde that about the 17. day of September wer burned at Islingtō nigh vnto London these 4. constant professours of christ Rafe Allerton Iames Awstoo Margery Austoo his wife and Richard Roth. Amongest the which it first appeareth that this Rafe Allerton was more then a yeare before his condemnation apprehended and brought before the Lorde Darcy of Chich. and was there accused aswell for that he woulde not consent and come vnto the
obseruing of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to the word of God And that the Church or congregation whiche is garnished with these markes is in very deede that heauenly Hierusalem whiche consisteth of those that be borne from aboue This is the Mother of vs all And by Gods grace I will liue and dye the childe of this Church Forth of this I graunt there is no saluation and I suppose the residue of the places obiected are rightly to be vnderstanded of this Church onelye In times past sayth Chrysostome there were many wayes to know the Church of Christ that is to say by good lyfe by myracles by chastity by doctrine by ministring the sacramentes But from that time that heresies did take hold of the Church it is onely knowne by the Scriptures whiche is the true church They haue all thinges in outwarde shew which the true Church hath in truth They haue tēples like vnto ours And in the end concluded Wherefore onely by the scriptures do we know which is the true church To that whiche they say the Masse is the Sacrament of vnity I aunswere The bread which we breake according to the institution of the Lord is the Sacrament of the vnity of Christes mistical body For we being many are one bread and one body forasmuch as we al are partakers of one bread But in the Masse the Lordes institution is not obserued for we be not all partakers of one breade but one deuoureth all c. So that as it is vsed it may seeme a Sacrament of singularitye and of a certayne speciall priuiledge for one sect of people wherby they may be discerned from the rest rather then a sacrament of vnity wherin our knitting together in one is represented Yea what felowship hath Christ with Antichrist Therfore is it not lawefull to beare the yoake with Papistes Come forth from among them separate your selues frō them sayth the Lorde It is ane thing to be the Church in deed another thing to counterfayt the church Would god it were well knowne what is the forsaking of the church In the kinges dayes that dead is who was the church of Englande The king and his fautors or Massemongers in corners If the king and the fautors of his procedings why be not we now the church abiding in the same procedinges If clanculary Massemongers mighte bee of the Church and yet contrary to the kinges proceedings why may not we as well be of the church contrarying the queenes procedinges Not all that be couered with the title of the church are the church in deed Separate thy selfe from thē that are such sayth S. Paule from whom The text hath before If any man folow other doctrine c. he is pint vp and knoweth nothing c. Weigh the whole text that yee may perceiue what is the fruit of contēcious disputatiōs But wherfore are such men sayd to know nothing when they know so many thinges You know the olde verses Hoc est nescire sine Christo plurima scire Si Christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis That is This is to be ignorant to know many thinges without Christ. If thou knowest Christ well thou know est enough though thou know no more Therfore would S Paule knowe nothing but Iesus Christ crucified c. As many as are Papistes and Massemongers they may well be said to know nothing For they know not Christ forasmuch as in theyr massing they take much away from the benefite and merite of Christ. That Christ which you haue described vnto me is inuisible but Christes Churche is visible and knowne For els why would Christ haue sayd Dic Ecclesiae Tell it vnto the church For he had commaunded in vaine to go vnto the church if a man cannot tell which it is The Church which I haue described is visible it hath members which may be sene and also I haue afore declared by what markes tokens it may be knowne But if either our eies are so dazeled that we cannot see or that sathan hath brought such darckenes into the world that it is hard to discerne the true church that is not the fault of the church but either of our blindenesse or of Sathans darknes But yet in this most deep darkenes there is one most cleare candle which of it selfe alone is able to put away all darkenes· Thy word is a candle vnto my feet and a lyght vnto my steppes The church of Christ is a catholick or vniuersall churche dispersed throughout the whole world this church is the great house of God in this are good men euill mingled together goates and sheepe corne and chaffe it is the net which gathereth all kind of fishes this church cannot erre because Christ hath promised it his spirit which shall lead it into all truth and that the gates of hel shal not preuayle agaynst it that he will be with it vnto the end of the world whatsoeuer it shall loose or binde vpon earth shall be ratified in heauen c. This church is the piller and stay of the truth this is it for the which S. Augustine sayth he beleeueth the Gospell But this vniuersall Church aloweth the masse because the more part of the same aloweth it Therfore c. I graunt that the name of the Churche is taken after three diuers maners in the scriptures Some tyme for the whole multitude of them which professe the name of christ o◠the which they are also named christians But as sainct Paule sayth of the Iewe not euerye one is a Iewe that is a Iewe outwardly c. Neither yet all that be of Israell are counted the seede euen so not euerye one which is a christian outwardly is a Christian in deede For if any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his Therefore that Church whiche is his body and of whiche Christ is the head standeth onely of lyuing stones and true Christians not onely outwardly in name and title but inwardly in hart and in truth But forasmuch as this churche which is the second taking of the church as touchyng the outward fellowship is contayned within the great house hath with the same outward societye of the sacramentes and ministery of the worde manye thinges are spoken of that vniuersall Churche whiche saynct Austen calleth the mingled Churche whiche cānot truely be vnderstanded but onely of that pure part of the Churche So that the rule of Ticonius concerning the mingled Churche may here well take place where there is attributed vnto the whole Churche that whiche cannot agree vnto the same but by reason of the one parte thereof that is eyther for the multitude of good men which is the very true Churche in deede or for the multitude of euill men whiche is the malignant Church and sinagogue of Sathan And is also the third taking of the Churche of the whiche although there be seldomer mention
Isaac and Iacob Peter and Paule and all the heauenly company of the Aungels in heauen through Iesus Christ our Lord. As yet there was neuer learned man nor anye scholer or other that visited vs since we came into Bocardo which nowe in Oxforde may be called a Colledge of Quondams For as ye know wee be no fewer then three and I dare say euery one wel contented with his portion which I do reckē to be our heauenly fathers fatherly good and gracious gift Thus fare you well We shal by Gods grace one day meete together and be merry The day assuredly approcheth apace The Lorde graunt that it maye shortly come For before that daye come I feare me the world will waxe worse and worse But then all our enemies shal be ouerthrowne and troden vnder foote righteousnes and truth then shall haue the victory and beare the bell away whereof the Lorde graunt vs to be partakers and al that loueth truely the truth We al pray you as ye can to cause all our commendations to be made to all such as ye know did visite vs and you when we were in the Tower with their frendly remembraunces and benefites Maistresse Wilkenson and maistresse Warcup haue not forgottē vs but euer since we came to Bocardo with their charitable and frendly beneuolence haue comforted vs not that els we did lacke for God be blessed he euer hitherto hath prouided sufficiently for vs but that is a great comfort and an occasion for vs to blesse God when we see that he maketh them so frendly to tender vs whom some of vs were neuer familiarly acquaynted withall Yours in Christ Nich Ridley ¶ Letter of mayster Ridley sent to a Cosin of his GOds holy spirite be with you now and euer Amen When I call to remembraunce beloued Cosin the state of those that for feare of trouble eyther for losse of goods wil do in the sight of the world those thinges that they know and are assured are contrary to the wyll of God I can do no lesse but lamēt theyr case being assured the end thereof will be so pittifull without speedy repentaunce that I tremble and feare to haue it in remembraunce I would to God it lay vpon some earthly burden so that freedome of conscience might be geuen vnto them I wrote as God knoweth not of presumption but onely lamenting the state of those whome I thought now in this dangerous time should haue geuen both you and me comfortable instructions But alas in steade thereof we haue instructions to folow I lament me to rehearse it superstitious Idolatrye Yea and that woorst of all is they wil seeke to proue it by the Scriptures The Lord for his mercy turne their hartes Amen Commend me c. Yours Nicholas Ridley ¶ To Mayster Bradford BRother Bradford I wishe you and your company in Christ yea and al the holy brotherhood that now with you in diuers prisons suffereth and beareth paciētly christes crosse for the mayntenance of his Gospell grace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. Sir considering the state of this chiualrie and warfare wherin I doubt not but we be set to fight vnder Christes banner and his crosse agaynst our ghostly enemy the deuill and the old serpent Satan me thinke I perceiue 2. things to be hys most perilous and moste daungerous engynes whiche he hath to impugne Christes veritie hys gospell and hys fayth and the same two also to be the most massy postes and most mightye pillers whereby hee mayntayneth and vpholdeth his Satanical sinagogue These two sir are they in my iudgement the one his false doctrine idolatrical vse of the Lordes supper and the other that wicked and abhominable vsurpation of the premacy of the See of Rome By these two Satan seemeth to me principally to mayntayne and vphold hys kingdome by these two he driueth downe mightily alas I feare me the third parte of the stars in heauen These two poysonfull rotten posts he hath so paynted ouer with such a pretense and colour of Religion of vnitie in Christes Churche of the Catholicke fayth and such like that the wily serpent is able to deceiue if it were possible euen the elect of God Wherfore Iohn sayd not without great cause If any know not Satans subtleties and the profundities thereof I will wishe him no other burden to be laden withall Syr because these be hys principall and mayne postes whereupon standeth all his falsehoode crafte and trechery therfore according to the poore power that God hath geuen me I haue bended mine artillary to shoote at the same I knowe it to be but little God knoweth that I can doe and of my shotte I knowe they passe not Yet I will not God willing cease to doe the best that I can to shake those cankered and rotten postes The Lorde graunt me good successe to the glory of hys name and the furtherance of Christes Gospell I haue now already I thanke God for this present tyme spent a good parte of my ponder in these scriblinges wherof this bearer shal geue you knowledge Good brother Bradford let the wicked surmise and say what they list know you for a certaintie by GODS grace without all doubt that in Christes Gospelles cause agaynst and vpon the foresayd Gods enemies I am fully determined to liue and dye Fare well deare brother and I beseeche you and al the rest of our brethren to haue good remembraunce of the condemned heretiques as they call them of Oxford in your prayers The bearer shall certifie you of our state Farewell in the Lorde From Bocardo Yours in Christ Nicholas Ridley * An other letter of Mayster Ridley vnto Mayster Bradforde and other his prison fellowes An. 1555. DEarely beloued I wish you grace mercy and peace According to your minde I haue runne ouer all your papers and what I haue done which is but small therein may appeare In two places I haue put in two loose leaues I had muche adoe to read that was written in your great leaues and I weene some where I haue altered some words because I could not read perfectly that which was written Sir what shall best be done with these thinges now ye must consider for if they come in sight at this time vndoubtedly they must to the fire with theyr father and as for any safegard that your custody can be vnto them I am sure you looke not for it For as you haue bene partner of the worke so I am sure you looke for none other but to haue and receiue like wages and to drynke of the same cup. Blessed be God that hath geuen you liberty in the meane season that you may vse your penne to hys glory and the comforte as I heare say of many I blesse God dayly in you and all your whole company to whom I beseeche you commend me hartily Nowe I loue my country man in deed
heart as I graunt I haue fealt sometimes before O good brother blessed be God in thee and blessed be the time that euer I knewe thee Farewell farewell Your brother in Christ Nicholas Ridley Brother farewell To the brethren remaining in captiuitie of the flesh and dispearsed abroad in sundry prisones but knit together in vnity of spirit and holy Religion in the bowels of the Lorde Iesu. GRace peace mercye be multiplied among you What worthy thankes can we render vnto the Lorde for you my brethren namely for the great coÌ„solation which through you we haue receiued in the Lorde who notwithstanding the rage of Sathan that goeth about by all maner of subtill meanes to beguile the worlde and also buâ—lâ— laboreth to restore and set vp his kingdome againe that of late began to decay and fall to ruine ye remaine yet stil 〈◊〉 as men surely grounded vpon a strong rocke And nowe albeit that sathan by his souldiors and wicked ministers daily as we heare draweth numbers vnto hym so that it is sayd of him that he plucketh euen the very starres out of heauen whiles hee driueth into some men thâ— feare of death and losse of all their goods and sheweth and offereth to other some the pleasaunt baites of the worlde namelye richesse wealth and all kinde of delightes and pleasures faire houses great reuenues â—at benefices and what not and all to the intent they should fall downe worship not the Lorde but the Dragon the olde Serpent whych is the deuil that great beast and his image and should be inâ—iced to commit fornication with the strompet of Babilon together wyth the kings of the earth wyth the lesser beast and with the false Prophetes and so to reioyce and be pleasant wyth her and to be drunken wyth the wine of her fornication yet blessed be God the Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe which hath geuen vnto you a manly courage and hath so strengthened you in the inwarde man by the power of his spirite that you can contemne as well all the terrours as also the vaine flatteringe allurementes of the worlde esteeming them as vanities mere trifles things of nought Who hath also wroughte planted and surely stablished in your hearts so stedfast a fayth and loue of the Lorde Iesus Christe ioyned with such constancie that by no engines of Antichriste be they neuer so terrible or plausible yee will suffer any other Iesus or any other Christ to be forced vpon you besides him whom the Prophetâ— haue spoken of before the Apostles haue preached the holy Martyrs of God haue coÌ„fessed and testified with the effusion of their bloud In thys Faith stand ye fast my brethren and suffer not your selues to be brought vnder the yoke of bondage and superstition any more For ye know brethren howe that our sauiour warned his beforehand that such shoulde come as would poynt vnto the world an other Christ and woulde set him out wyth so many fals myracles and with such deceiueable and subtill practises that euen the very electe if it were possible should be therby deceiued such strong delusion to come did our Sauiour geue warning of before But continue ye faithful and constant and be of good comfort remember that our graund captaine hath ouercome the world for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world and the Lorde promiseth vnto vs that for the elects sake the daies of wickednes shall be shortned In the meane season abide ye endure with patience as ye haue begun endure I say and reserue your selues vnto better times as one of the heathen Poetes said cease not to shew yourselues valiant Soldiours of the Lorde and helpe to maintaine the trauelling faith of the Gospell Yee haue neede of patience that after ye haue done the wil of God ye may receiue the promises For yet a very litle while and he that shall come will come and wil not tarie and the iust shall liue by faith but if anye withdrawe him selfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him sayth the Lorde But we are not they which doe withdrawe oure selues vnto damnation but beleeue vnto the saluation of the soule Let vs not suffer these woordes of Christ to fall out of our hearts by any manner of terrours or threatnings of the worlde Feare not them which kil the body the rest ye know For I wryte not vnto you as to menne which are ignoraunt of the truth but which know the truthe and to this ende onely that we agreeing together in one faith may take comfort one of an other and be the more confirmed and strengthened thereby We neuer had a better or more iust cause either to contemne our life or shed our bloud we can not take in hande the defence of a more certaine cleare and manifest truthe For it is not any ceremonie for the which we contend but it toucheth the very substance of our whole Religion yea euen Christ him selfe Shall we either can we receiue and acknowledge any other Christe in steade of hym who is alone the euerlasting sonne of the euerlasting Father and is the brightnesse of the glory and liuely image of the substaunce of the Father in whome onely dwelleth corporally the fulnesse of the Godhead who is the onely waye the truth and the life Let such wickednesse my brethren lette such horrible wickednesse be farre from vs. For althoughe there be that are called Gods whether in heauen either in earth as there be many Gods and many Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whome are al things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and wee by him but euery man hath not knowledge This is life eternal sayth S. Iohn that they know thee to be the onely true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ. If any therfore would force vpon vs any other GOD besides him whom Paule and the Apostles haue taughte let vs not heare him but let vs flee froÌ„ him and hold him accursed Brethren ye are not ignorant of the deepe and profouÌ„d subtleties of Satan for he will not cease to raunge about you seking by all meanes possible whom he may deuour but play ye the men and be of good comfort in the Lorde And albeit your enemies and the aduersaries of the truth armed with all worldly force and power that may be doe set vppon you yet be not ye faynt harted nor shrinke not therfore but trust vnto your Captayne Christ trust vnto the spirit of truth trust to the truth of your cause which as it may by the malice of satan be darckened so can it neuer be cleane put out For we haue high prayse be geuen to God therfore most playnely euidently and clearely on our side all the Prophets all the Apostles and vndoubtedly all the auncient Ecclesiastical writers which haue writtan vntill
which also wyll not further the glory of GOD. And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desire of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly myserie if I shoulde not beare you a good hart in God againe me thinke I were to blame Sir howe nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this worlde is at hand I can not tell the Lordes wyll be fulfilled how sone soeuer it shall come I knowe the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt Iudge and be countable to him of all my former lyfe And although the hope of his mercies is my shootanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that who soeuer wittingly neglecteth regardeth not to cleare his conscience he can not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercy Conscience therefore moueth me considering you were one of my familie and one of my houshold of whom then I thinke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house which in deede ought to haue bene an example of godlynes to all the rest of my cure not only of good life but also in promotyng of Gods worde to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryall doth seperate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is God knoweth which the wind doth not blow away this conscience I say doth moue me to feare lest the lightnesse of my familie shall be layde to my charge for lacke of more earnest and diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be God which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my hart before my departyng hence This conscience dooth mooue me also now to require both you and my friende Doctor Haruy to remember your promises made to me in tymes past of the pure settyng foorth and preachyng of Gods worde and his truth These promises although you shall not neede to feare to be charged with them of me hereafter before the worlde yet looke for none other I exhort you as my friendes but to be charged with them at Gods hand This conscience and the loue that I beare vnto you byddeth me now say vnto you both in Gods name feare GOD and loue not the world for GOD is able to caste both body and soule into hell fyre When his wrath shall sodaynely be kindled blessed are all they that put their trust in hym And the saying of sainct Iohn is true All that is in the world as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of lyfe is not of the father but of the worlde and the worlde passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the wyll of God abydeth for euer If this gyfte of grace whiche vndoubtedly is necessarily required vnto eternall saluation were truely and vnfainedly graffed and firmely stablished in mens hartes they would not be so light so sodenly to shrinke from the maintenance and confession of the truth as is now alas seene so manifestly of so many in these dayes But here peraduenture you woulde knowe of me what is the truth Syr Gods woorde is the truth as sainct Iohn sayth and that euen the same that was heretofore For albeit man doth vary and change as the Moone yet Gods worde is stable abydeth one for euermore and of Christ it is truely sayd Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer When I was in office all that were esteemed learned in Gods word agreed this to be a truth in Gods word written that the common prayer of the Churche should be had in the common tongue You know I haue conferred with many and I ensure you I neuer founde man so farre as I do remember neither old nor new gospeller nor papist of what iudgement soeuer he was in this thing to be of a contrary opinion If then it were a truth of Gods word thinke you that the alteration of the world can make it an vntruth If it can not why then do so many men shrynke from the confession maintenance of this truth receyued once of vs all For what is it I pray you els to confesse or deny Christe in this worlde but to mainteyne the truth taught in Gods word or for any worldly respect to shrink from the same This one thing haue I brought for an ensample other thinges be in like case which now particulerly I neede not to rehearse For he that wil forsake wittingly either for feare or gayne of the world any one open truth of Gods word if he be constrained he wyl assuredly forsake God and al his truth rather then he wyl endaunger hym selfe to loose or to leaue that he loueth better in deede then he doth God and the truth of his word I like very well your plaine speaking wherein you say I must eyther agree or dye and I thinke that you meane of the bodyly death which is common both to good and bad Sir I knowe I must dye whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could neuer escape this death which is so common to all and also incurre the gylt of death and eternall damnation Lord graunt that I may vtterly abhorre and detest this damnable agreement so long as I lyue And because I dare say you wrote of friendshyp vnto me this short earnest aduertisement and I thynke veryly wishing me to lyue and not to dye therefore bearyng you in my hart no lesse loue in GOD then you doe me in the worlde I say vnto you in the worde of the Lord and that I say to you I say to all my friendes and louers in God that if you do not confesse maintayne to your power knowledge that which is grounded vpon Gods worde but will eyther for feare or gayne of the worlde shrinke and play the Apostata in deede you shall dye the death you know what I meane And I beseeche you all my true frendes louers in God remember what I say for this may be the last time peraduenture that euer I shall write vnto you From Bocardo in Oxford the .viij. day of Aprill 1555. M. Grindal now Archbishop of Canterbury being in the tyme of exile in the citie of Frankford wrote to D. Ridley thē prisoner a certaine Epistle wherin first he lamenteth his captiuitie exhorting him withall to be constant Secondly he certifieth him of the state of the English exiles being dispersed in Germany and of the singuler prouidence of God in stirring vp the fauour of the Magistrates and rulers there towardes them Thirdly he writeth to know his minde and will concerning the printing of his booke agaynst Transubstantiation and of certayne other treatises and his disputations Wherunto Bishop Ridley answereth agayne in order as foloweth ¶ The aunsweare of
Doctor Ridley to the letter abouesayd BLessed be God our heaueÌ„ly father which enclined your hart to haue such a desire to write vnto me blessed be he againe which hath heard your request hath brought your letters safe vnto my handes and ouer all this I blesse him through our Lorde Iesus Christe for the great comfort I haue receiued by the same of the knowledge of your state and of other our dearely beloued brethren and countreymen in those parties beyond the sea Dearely beloued brother Grindall I say to you and all the rest of our brethren in Christe with you reioyce in the Lord and as ye loue me and the other my reuerend fathers and concaptiues whiche vndoubtedly are Gloria Christi lament not our state but I beseech you and them all to geue to our heauenly Father for his endlesse mercies and vnspeakeable benefits euen in the myddest of all our troubles geuen vnto vs most harty thankes For knowe ye that as the weight of his crosse hath increased vpoÌ„ vs so he hath not nor doth not cease to multiply his mercies to strengthen vs and I trust yea by his grace I doubt nothing but he will so do for Christe our Maisters sake euen to the end To heare that you and our other brethren doo finde in your exile fauour and grace with the Magistrates Ministers and Citizens at Tigury at Frankford and other where it doth greatly comfort I dare say all here that do in deede loue Christe and his true woorde I ensure you it warmed my hart to heare you by chaunce to name some as Scory and Coxe c. Oh that it had come in your mynde to haue sayd somewhat also of Cheeke of Turner of Leauer of Sampson of Chambers but I trust in God they be all well And sir seeyng you say that there be in those parties with you of studentes and Ministers so good a number nowe therefore care ye not for vs otherwyse then to wish that Gods glory may be set forth by vs. For whensoeuer God shall call vs home as we looke dayly for none other but when it shal please God to say come you blessed be God are enough through his ayde to light and set vp againe the lanterne of his worde in Englande As concerning the copies ye say ye haue with you I wonder how euer they did and could find the way to come to you My disputation except he haue that whiche I gathered my selfe after the disputation done I can not thynke ye haue it truly If ye haue that then ye haue therwithall the whole maner after the which I was vsed in the disputation As for the treatise in English Contra transubstantiationem vix possum adduci vt credam operaepretium fore vt in latinum transferatur Caeterum quicquid sit nullo modo velim vt quicquam quocunque modo meo nomine ederetur donec quid de nobis dominus constituerit fieri vobis prius certo constiterit and thus much vnto your letters Now although I suppose ye know a good parte of our state here for we are forth commyng euen as when ye departed c. You shall vnderstande that I was in the Towar about the space of two monethes close prisoner and aâ—ter that had graunted to me without my labour the liberty of the Tower and so continued about halfe a yeare and then because I refused to allow the Masse with my presence I was shut vp in close prison agayne The last Lent saue one it chaunsed by reason of the tumult styrred vp in Kent there was so many prisoners in the Tower that my Lord of Canterbury M. Latimer Maister Bradford and I were put altogether in one prison where we remayned still almost to the nexte Easter and then we three Canterbury Latimer and I were sodenly sent a litle before Easter to Oxford and were suffered to haue nothing with vs but that we caried vpon vs. About the Whitsontide followyng was our disputations at Oxford after the which was all taken from vs as pen and inke c. Our owne seruauntes were taken from vs before and euery one had put to hym a straunge man and we eche one appoynted to be kept in seuerall places as we are vnto this day Blessed be God we three at the writing hereof were in good health and in God of good cheare We haue looked long agoe to haue bene dispatched for we were all three on one day within a day or two of our disputations of D. Weston being the head Commissioner condemned for heretikes and since that tyme we remayne as we were of hym left The Lordes will be fulfilled in vs as I do not doubt but by his grace it shal be to his glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise the Lord hitherto hath preserued aboue all our expectation our deare brother and in Christes cause a strong Champion Iohn Bradford He is likewyse condemned and is already deliuered to the secular power and writtes as we haue heard say geuen out for his execution and called in agayne Thus the Lord so long as his blessed pleasure is preserueth whom he listeth notwithstanding the wonderfull raging of the world Many as we heare say haue suffered valiauntly confessyng Christes truth and nothyng yeeldyng to the aduersary yea not for the feare or paynes of death The names of them whiche I knewe and haue nowe suffered are these Farrar the Bishop of S. Dauides Hooper the Bishop of Worcester Rogers tuus olim comprebendarius D. Tailour of Hadley M. Sanders and one Tomkins a weauer and now this last day M. Cardmaker with an other were burnt in Smithfielde at London and many other in Essex and Kent whose names are written in the booke of lyfe whom yet I do not know West your olde companion and sometyme myne officer alas hath relented as I haue heard but the Lorde hath shortned his dayes for anone he dyed and is gon Grimbolde was caught by the heele and caste into the Marshalsey but now is at liberty againe but I feare me he escaped not without some becking and bowyng alas of his knee vnto Baall My deare friende Thomas Ridley of the Bulhead in Cheape which was to me the most faythfull friende that I had in my trouble is departed also vnto God My brother Shipside that hath maried my sister hath ben almost halfe a yeare in prison for deliuering as he was accused of certayne thynges I wene from mee but now thankes be to God he is at libertie agayne but so that the Bishop hath taken from him his Parke Of all vs three concaptiues at Oxford I am kept most strait and with least libertie Vel quia viro in cuius aedibus ego custodior vxor dominatur licet modo sit Prefectus ciuitatis mulier vetula morosa superstiosiss quae etiam hoc sibi laudi ducit quod me dicatur arctissime cautissime
custodire vir autem ipse Irischius nomine mitis satis est oiÌ„bus â—xori vero plusquam obsequentiss Licet vxorem vti nosti nunquam habuerim tamen ex hac quotidiana consuetudine quem cum istis coniugibus habeo videor mihi nonnihil posse intelligere quam graue malum intolerabile iugum sit cum mala muliere in coniugio collâ—cari Recte ergo sapiens dixit vxor bona donum Dei iterum mulieris bonae beatus vir Vel haec inquam causa est vel quia á magnis magistratibus nescio quas ob causas illud est vt ita fieret ipsis mandatum idque illi si quando de mea nimia seruitute apud eos conqueror sedulo saepe rursus mihi inculcant At Cambridge as I heare say Omnes studiorum statutorum reformationes nuper factae nunc sunt denuo deformatae delete omnia sunt in pristinum chaos in antiquum papismum reducta omnes collegiorum prefecti qui synceritati Euangelij fauebant vel qui coniugati erant loco motiâ— sunt alij Papisticae factionis in eorum loca surrogati quod de socijs collegiorum qui noluerunt flectere genu Baal factum esse audio Nec mirum nam illud passim factum est in vniuerso regno Angliae in omnibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Decanis Prebendarijs Sacerdotibus Ecclesiarum in toto clâ—â—o and to tell you muche naughty matter in fewe woordes Papismus apud nos vbique in pleno suo antiquo robore regnat The Lord be mercyfull and for Christes sake pardon vs our olde vnkyndnesse and vnthankefulnesse for when he powred vppon vs the gyftes of his manifolde graces and fauoure alas we did not serue him nor render vnto hym thankes according to the same We pastors manye of vs were to colde and bare to much alas with the wicked worlde our Magistrates did abuse to their owne worldly gayne both Gods Gospell and the ministers of the same The people in many places was wayward and vnkynde Thus of euery side and of euery sorte we haue prouoked Gods anger and wrath to fall vppon vs but blessed myght he be that hath not suffered his to continue in those wayes which so wholly haue displeased his secrete Maiestie but hath awaked them by the fatherly correction of his owne sonnes crosse vnto his glorie and our endlesse saluation through Iesus Christe our Lorde My dayly prayer is as God doth know and by gods grace shall be so long as I lyue in this worlde for you my deare brethren that are fled out of your owne Counâ—â—y because you will rather forsake all worldly thynges 〈◊〉 the truth of Gods worde It is euen the same that I 〈◊〉 to make to GOD for all those Churches abroad through the worlde which haue forsaken the kyngdome of Antichrist and professed openly the puritie of the Gospell of Iesus Christ that is that God our eternall father for our Sauiour Christes sake will dayly encrease in you the gracious gifte of his heauenly spirite to the true settyng forth of his glory and of his Gospell and make you to agree brotherly in the truth of the same that there arise no rote of bitternesse among you that may infect that good seede which God hath sowen in your hartes already and finally that your lyfe may be so pure and so honest accordyng to the rule of Gods worde and according to that vocation whereunto we are called by the Gospell of Christ our Sauiour that the honesty and purity of the same may prouoke all that shall see or knowe it to the loue of your doctrine and to loue you for your honesty and vertues sake and so both in brotherly vnity of your true doctrine and also in the Godly vertue of your honest lyfe to glorifie our father which is in heauen Ex nostratibus magni aliquot magistratus Cancellarius Wint. Comes Arundellus Dominus Pachetus iam legatione funguntur vna cum Cardinali Polo in partibus transmarinis ad componendam vt aiunt pacem inter imperatorem regem nostrum Francorum regem Post illorum magistratuum nostrorum reditum partum reginae quem iam quotidie expectamus iam aliquandiu expectauimus quemque Deus pro sui nominis gloria dignetur bene illi fortunare nos tunc statim nihil aliud quam nostrae confessionis de hoste nostro antiquo triúmphales in domino coronas expectamus Omnium vestrûm precibus me humillime ex toto corde commendo In primis tuis o chariss in Christo frater delectiss Grindalle chariss fratrum vnicè mihi in domino delectorum Checi Coxi Turneri Leueri Sampsonis Chamberi omnium fratrum nostrorum conterraneorum qui apud vos degunt deligunt dominum nostrum Iesum Christum in veritate Commendo etiam vobis reuerendiss patres concaptiuos meos in domino Thomam Cranmerum iam veri magni pastoris Archipresulis nomine digniss veteranum illum Christi nostrae gentis Anglicanae verum Apostolum Hugonem Latimerum Condona mihi frater harum prolixitatem non enim post hac credo charissime frater meis literis iam amplius aliquando turbaberis Oxonij N. R. ¶ To Augustine Bernher BRother Augustine I blesse God with all my hart in his maninifolde mercifull gyftes geuen vnto our deare breathren in Christ especially to our brother Rogers whom it pleased to set forth fyrst no doubt but of his gracious goodnes and fatherly fauour towardes hym And likewyse blessed be God in the rest as Hoper Saunders and Taylour whom it hath pleased the Lord likewyse to set in the forefront of the battayle agaynst his aduersaries and hath endued them all so farre as I can heare to stand in the confession of his truth and to be content in his cause and for his Gospels sake to lose their lyfe And euermore and without ende blessed be euen the same our heauenly father for our deare and entirely beloued brother Bradford whom nowe the Lorde I perceiue calleth for for I weene he will no longer vouchsafe him to abide among the adulterous and wicked generation of this worlde I do not doubt but that he for those giftes of grace whiche the Lorde hath bestowed on hym plenteously hath holpen those which are gon before in their iourney that is hath animated and encouraged them to keepe the hygh way sic currere vti tandem acciperent praemium The Lord be his comfort whereof I do not doubt and I thanke God hartely that euer I was acquainted with him and that euer I had such a one in my house And yet agayne I blesse GOD in our deare brother and of this tyme Protomartyr Rogers that he was also one of my calling to be a Prebendary Preacher of London And now because Grindall is gone the Lorde I doubt not hath and knoweth wherein
they be sure ye know what followeth If they say they be vnsure wheÌ„ shall you be sure that hath so doubtful teachers and vnsure And you your selues whether are you certayne or vncertayne that Christ is your sauiour and so foorth of other articles that yee be bounden to beleeue or whether be ye sure or vnsure that ciuile ordinaunces be the good workes of God and that you doe God seruice in doyng of them if ye do them for good intent if ye be vncertayne take heede hee be your sure friend that heareth you say so and then with what conscience do you doubt Cum quicquid non est ex fide peccatum sit But contrary say you alonely God knoweth certayne truth and ye haue it but per speculum in enigmate and there haue bene qui zelum Dei habuerunt sed non secundum scientiam and to call thys or that truth it requireth a deepe knowledge consideryng that to you vnlearned that you take for truth may be otherwise not hauing sensus exercitatos as Paule sayth ad discernendum bonum malum as yee reason agaynst me and so you do best to knowe surely nothynge for truth at all but to wander meekely hether and thether omni vento doctrinae c. Our knowledge here you say is but per speculum in enigmate What then Ergo it is not certayn and sure I deny your argument by your leaue yea if it be by fayth as ye say it is muche sure quia certitudo fidei est maxima certitudo as Duns and other schole Doctours saye that there is a great discrepaunce betweene certayne knowledge and cleare knowledge for that may be of thinges absent that appeare not this requireth the presence of the obiect I meane of the thinge knowne so that I certainely and surely know the thing whiche I perfectly beleeue though I doe not clearely and euidently knowe it I know your schole subtleties as well as you whiche 〈◊〉 as though enigmaticall knowledge that is to saye darcke and obscure knowledge might not be certayn and sure knowledge because it is not cleare manifest and euident knowledge and yet there hath bene they say qui zelum Dei habuerunt sed non secundum scientiam which haue had a zeale but not after knowledge Truth it is there hath bene suche and yet be to manye to the great hinderaunce of Christes glorye whiche nothing dothe more obscure then an hote zeale accompanyed with great authoritie without right iudgement There haue bene also Qui scientiam habuerunt absque zelo Dei qui viuitatem Dei in iniustitia detinentes plagis vapulabunt multis dum voluntatem Domini cognoscentes nihil minus quà m faciunt I meane not among Turkes and Saracens that bee vnchristened but of them that be christined and there haue bene also that haue lost scientiam Dei id est spiritualem diuini verbi sensum quam prius habuerunt i. The spirituall knowledge of Gods word whiche they had before because they haue not ensued after it nor promoted the same but rather with theyr mother wits haue impugned the wisedome of the father and hindered the knowledge thereof whiche therefore hath bene taken away from them vt iustificetur Christus in sermonibus suis vincat cum iudicatur threatning Math. 13. Ei vero qui non habet etiam quod habet id est quod videtur habere auferetur ab eo cum abuti habito vel non bene vti sit non habere nec non sit verum illud quoue non habitaturam videlicet sapientiam in corpore peccatis subdito qui adhuc si carnaliter sapiant plus satis at stat sententia nemâ—â—e carnalem Philosophicam scripturarum intelligentiam non esse sapientiam Dei quae à sapientibus absconditur paruulis reuelatur And if to call this or that truth requireth a deepe and profound knowledge then eyther euery man hath a deepe and profound knowledge or els no man can call this or that truth it behoueth euery Preacher to haue so deepe and profound knowledge that he may call this or that truth which this or that hee taketh in hand to preache for the truth and yet hee may be ignoraunt and vncertayne in many thinges both this and that as Apollo was but which thinges whether this or that he will not attempt to preach for the truth And as for my self I trust in God I maye haue sensus exercitatos well enough ad discernendum bonum malum Sensus exercised to discerne good and euill in those thinges which wythout deep and profound knowledge in many thinges I preache not yea there be manye thinges in scripture in whiche I cannot certaynely discerne bonum malum I meane verum falsum not with al the exercise that I haue in scripture nor yet with helpe of all interpreters that I haue to content my selfe and other in all scrupulosity that may arise but in such I am wont to wade no farther into the streame then that I may eyther go ouer or els returne backe agayne hauing euer respect not to the ostentation of my little wit but to the edification of them that heare me as far forth as I can neyther passing myne owne nor yet theyr capacitie And such manner of argumentes might well serue the Deuill contra pusillanimes to occasion them to wander and wauer in the faythe and to be vncertayne in thinges in whiche they ought to be certayne or els it may appeare to make and serue agaynst such preachers which wil define great subtleties high matters in the Pulpit whiche no man can be certayne and sure of by Gods worde to be truth ne sensus quidem habens ad discernendum bonum malum exercitatissimos as whether if Adam had not sinned we should haue had Stockefishe out of Iseland howe many Larkes for a peny if euery Starre in the element were a flickering Hobby how many yeres a man shall lye in Purgatory for one sinne if he buy not plenty of the oile that runneth ouer our lampes to slake the sinne withall and so forget hel whiche cannot be slaked to prouide for Purgatory Such argumentation I say might appeare to make well agaynst such Preachers not agaynst me which simply and playnly vtter true fayth and fruites of the same whiche bee the good woorkes of God quae preparauit deus vt in eis ambularemus i. which he hath prepared for vs to walke in euery man to do the thing that perteineth to his office and duety in his degree and calling as the word of God appointeth which thing a man may do with sobernesse hauing sensus ad discernendum bonum malum vel mediocriter exercitatos For it is but foolishe humilitye willingly to continue alwayes infantulus in Christo in infirmitate i. an infant still in Christ and in infirmity in reproofe of which it was sayd 〈◊〉 estis opus habentes lacte non solido
my neighbour c. How so good Mayster N Wherein Or how will you proue it to be true and when So you sayd that he had abused you and geuen you wrong information but the contrary is found true by good testimony of Mayster Chamber whiche heard aswell as you what my neighbour sayd and hath testified the same both to you and agaynst you full like himselfe Maister N. to forge and feine which argueth an ill cause that is one thing but to proue what a man doth say that is an other thyng As though you were priuiledged to outface poore men beare them in hand what you list as may seeme to make some mayntenaunce for your naughty cause Trust me Mayster N. I was but a very litle acquaynted with my neighbor when this matter begā but now I haue found him so conformable to honesty vpright in his dealinges and so true in his talke that I esteme him better then I do some other whom I haue perceiued and founde otherwayes For I will flatter no man nor yet claw his backe in hys folly but esteeme all menne as I finde them allowing what is good and disalowing what is bad In omnibus hominibus siue amicis siue inimicis iuxta praeceptum Paulinum à filijs huius seculi in precio non habitum Sitis odio inquit prosequentes quod malum est adhaerentes autem ei quod bonum est Neque bonum malum nec malum bonum in gratiam hominum affirmemus vnquam id quod filij huius seculi vulgo faciunt vt est videre vbique And nowe what maner of man doe you make me Mayster N. when you note me to bee so muche abused by so ignoraunt a man so simple so playne and so farre without all wrinckles Haue I liued so long in this tottering worlde and haue I bene so many wayes turmoyled and tossed vp and downe and so muche as it were seasoned with the powder of so many experiences to and fro to bee nowe so farre bewitched and alienated from my wyttes as thoughe I coulde not discerne cheese from chalke trueth from falsehoode but that euery sely soule and base witted man might easely abuse me to what enterprise he listed at his pleasure Well I say not nay but I may bee abused But why doe you not tell we howe your brother abused me promising before me and many moe that he woulde stand to your awardship and nowe doth denye it Why do you not tell me how those two false faythlesse wretches abused me promising also to abide your awarde and doth it not Yea why do you not tell me how you your selfe haue abused me promising me to redresse the iniury and wrong that your brother hath done to my neighbour and haue not fulfilled your promise These notable abuses bee nothing with you but onely you muste needes burthen me with my neighbours abusing me whiche is none at all as farreforth as euer I coulde perceiue so GOD helpe mee in my need For if he had abused me as you and other haue done I should be soone at a point with him for any thing further doing for him c. Item Syr you sayde further that I shall neuer bee able to proue that either your brother or the two tenauntes agreed to stand to your award c. No Syr Mayster N. you say belike as you would haue it to be or as your brother with his adherentes haue persuaded you to think it to be so inducing you to do their request to your owne shame and rebuke if you perseuer in the same beside the perill of your soule for consenting at least wa◠to the mainteinance by falshood of your brothers iniquity For in that you would your awardship should take none effect you shew your selfe nothing inclinable to the redresse of your brothers vnright dealing with an honest poore man which hath bene readye at your request to doe you pleasure with his thinges or els hee had neuer come into this wrangle for his owne goodes with your brother Ah Mayster N. what maner of man do you shew your selfe to be or what maner of conscience do you shew your selfe to haue For first as touching your brother you know right well that Sir Thomas Cokin with a Letter of his owne hand writing hath witnessed vnto your brothers agreement which letter he sent to me vnsealed and I shewed the same to my neighbour and other mo ere I sealed it and perchaunce haue a copye of the same yet to shewe With what conscience then can you say that I shall neuer be able to prooue it Shall not three men vpon theyr othes make a sufficient proofe trow you vel ipso dicente Domino in ore duorum vel trium c. Yea you thinke it true I dare saye in your conscience if you haue any conscience though I were in my graue and so vnable to proue any thing And as for the two tenauntes they bee as they be and I trust to see them handled according as they be for there be three men yet aliue that dare sweare vpon a booke that they both did agree But what should we looke for at such mens handes when you your selfe play the part you do Verum viuit adhuc Deus qui videt omnia iudicat iustè c. Item Syr you sayd yet further that the Iustices of peace in the countrey thinke you verye vnnaturall in taking part with me before your brother c. Ah Mayster N. what a sentence is this to come out of your mouth For partaking is one thing and ministring of iustice is an other thing and a worthy minister of iustice will bee no Partaker but one indifferent betweene party and partye And did I require you to take my parte I praye you No I required you to minister iustice betweene your brother and mine neighbour without anye partaking with either other But what maner of Iustices bee they I praye you whiche would so fayne haue you to take parte naturally with your Brother when you ought and shoulde reforme and amende your brother as you your selfe know no man better What Iustices no Iuggelers you might more worthely call such as they be then Iustices Be they those Iustices whiche call you vnnaturall for that you will not take your brothers part agaynst all right conscience whom you had picked out appoynted to haue the final hearing and determining of my neighbours cause after your substantiall and fine award making Verely I thinke no lesse Forsooth he is much beholding to you I also for his sake Is that the wholesome coūsell that you haue to geue your poore neighbours in theyr need In deed you shew your selfe a worthy Iuggler Oh I would haue sayd a Iusticier among other of your iuggling and partaking Iustices Deum bonum what is this worlde Mary Syr my neighbour had sponne a fayre thred if your partaking Iustices through your good counsell had had
for the whiche causes I to rebuke the vnreuerent behauiour of certayne euill disposed persones preached as reuerently of that matter as I mighte declaring what estimation and reuerence ought to be geuen to it what daunger ensued the mishandling therof affirming in that sacramente to be truely and verely the bodye and bloude of Christe effectuously by grace and spirite whiche wordes the vnlearned vnderstanding not supposed that I had ment of the grosse and carnall being which the Romishe decrees set forth that a body hauing lyfe and motion shoulde be in deede vnder the shapes of breade and wyne With that the Bishoppe of Lincolne somewhat interrupting him sayde Lincol. Well M. Ridley thus you wrest places to your owne pleasure for where as saynct Austen saythe that the whole Christian worlde is subiecte to the sea of Rome without any limittation and vseth these wordes In transmarinis longè remotis terris onely to expresse the latytude of the dominion of the Sea of Rome willyng therby to declare that all the world yea countryes farre distaunt from Rome yet neuertheles are subiecte to that Sea yet you woulde wrast it and leaue it onely to Europe I am sure ye will not deny but that totus mundus is more then Europe Ridley In deede my Lorde if saynct Austen had sayde simpliciter totus mundus not added in transmarinis it had bene without limitation but in that he sayd totus mundus in transmarinis partibus all the Countryes beyond the seas he himselfe doth limitte the vniuersall proposition declaring how farre he ment by totus mundus The Byshop not staying for this aunswere dyd proceede saying Lincolne Well if I woulde staye vppon this place I coulde brynge many moe places of the Fathers for the confirmation thereof but we haue certayne instructions accordinge to the whiche we muste proceede and came not hyther to dispute the mater with you but onely to take youre aunsweres to certayne Artycles and vsed this in the waye of exhortation in the whiche you interrupted mee wherefore I wyll retourne thither againe Ye must consider that the Churche of Chryste lyeth not hidden but is a Citty in the mountayn and a candle on the Candlesticke Ponder with your selfe that the Churche of Christ is catholica catholicke whiche is deducted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is per omnia so that Christes Church is vniuersallye spreadde throughout the world not contayned in the allegation of places not comprehended in the circuite of Englande not contayned in the compasse of Germany and Saxonie as youre Churche is Wherefore maister Ridley for Gods loue be ye not singular acknowledge with all the realme the truth it shall not bee as you alledge preiudiciall to the crowne for the king and Queene their maiesties haue renounced that vsurped power taken of their predecessours and iustly haue renounced it For I am sure you know that there are two powers the one declared by the sword the other by the Keyes The sword is geuen to kings and rulers of coūtryes the Keyes were deliuered by Christe to Peter and of him lefte to all the successoures As touchynge oure goodes possessions and lyues wee wyth you acknowledge vs Subiectes to the king and Queene who hath the temporall sworde but as concerning matters of Religion as touching Gods quarrell and his word we acknowledge an other head and as the king and the Queene their highnes do in all worldly affayres iustly challenge the prerogatiue and primacie so in spirituall and Ecclesiasticall matters they acknowledge themselues not to bee heades and rulers but members of Christes bodye Why therefore shoulde ye sticke at that matter the whiche theyr maiesties haue forsaken and yelded Wherefore mayster Ridley you shall not onely not doe iniurye to the Crowne and bee preiudiciall to theyr maiesties honour in acknowledgyng with all Christendome the Popes holynesse to be supreme head of Chrystes Churche here militaunt in earthe but doe a thynge most delectable in theyr sight and most desired of theyr highnesse Thus if you will doe reuoking together all youre erroures acknowledging with the residue of the realme the common and the publicke faulte you shal doe that all men most hartily desire you shall bryng quyetnesse to your conscience and health to your soule then shall we with great ioy by the authoritie committed to vs from the Cardinalles grace receyue you into the church agayne acknowledgyng you to be no longer a rotten but a liuely member of the same but if you shall still bee singular if you shall stil and obstinately perseuer in your erroures stubbernely mayntayning your former heresies then we must agaynst our will according to our commission separate you from vs and cut you of from the church least the rottennesse of one part in processe of tyme putrify and corrupte the whole bodye then must wee confesse and publish you to be none of ours thē must we yeald you vp to the temporall iudges of whome excepte it otherwise please the kinge and Queenes highnesse you muste receaue punishment by the lawes of this Realme due for heretickes Wherfore mayster Ridley consider your state remember your former degrees spare your body especially consider your soule which Christ so dearely bought with hys precious bloud doe not you rashly cast away that which was precious in Gods sight enforce not vs to doe al that we may doe which is onely to publish you to be none of vs to cut you of from the Churche for we doe not nor can not condemne you to dye as most vntruely hath bene reported of vs but that is the temporall Iudges office we onely declare you to be none of the Churche and then must you according to the tenour of them and pleasure of the Rulers abide theyr determination so that wee after that we haue geuen you vpp to the temporall Rulers haue no further to do with you But I trust Mayster Ridley wee shall not haue occasion to doe that wee may I trust you will suffer vs to reste in that poynte of our commission whiche we most hartilye desire that is vppon recantation and repentaunce to receaue you to reconcile you and agayne to adioyne you to the vnitie of the Churche Then M. Ridley with often interruption at lengthe spake Ridley My Lord I acknowledge an vnspotted church of christ in the which no man can erre without the whiche no man can be saued the whiche is spread throughout all the worlde that is the congregation of the faythfull neyther doe I alligate or binde the same to any one place as you sayd but confesse the same to be spreadde throughout all the worlde and whereas Christes Sacramentes are duely ministred his Gospell truely preached and followed there doth Christes Churche shyne as a Cittye vppon an hill and as a Candle in the Candlesticke but rather it is such as you that woulde haue the Churche of Christ bound to a place which
appoint the same to Rome that there and no where els is the foundation of Christes churche But I am fully perswaded that Christes church is euery where founded in euery place where his Gospell is truly receaued effectually followed And in that the churche of God is in doubte I vse here in the wise counsayle of Vyncentinus Lyranensis whō I am sure you will allow who geuing preceptes howe the catholicke churche maye be in all schismes and heresies knowne writeth in thys maner When sayth he one parte is corrupted with heresyes then preferre the whole worlde before that one part but if the greatest parte bee infected then preferre antyquitie In like sort now when I perceaue the greatest parte of Christianitie to be infected with the poyson of the sea of Rome I repayre to the vsage of the primitiue church which I finde cleane contrary to the Popes decrees as in that the Priest receaueth alone that it is made vnlawfull to to the Laitye to receaue in both kindes and such lyke Wherefore it requireth that I preferre the antiquitie of the primatiue church before the nouelty of the Romysh church Lincol. Mayster Ridley these faults which you charge the Sea of Rome withall are in deede no faultes For first it was neuer forbid the Laitie but that they myghte if they demaunded receaue vnder bothe kyndes You know also that Chryst after hys resurrection at what tyme he went wyth hys Apostles to Galile opened hym selfe by breaking of bread You know that saynct Paule after hys longe sayling towardes Rome brake breade and that the Apostles came together in breakyng of bread whiche declareth that it is not vnlawfull to minister the Sacrament vnder the forme of breade onely and yet the churche hadde iust occasion to decree that the laytye shoulde receaue in one kinde onely thereby to take away an opinion of the vnlearned that Chryst was not wholy both flesh and bloud vnder the forme of bread Therfore to take away theyr opinion and to establishe better the peoples faythe the holy Ghost in the churche thoughte good to decree that the Laitie woulde receaue onelye in one kynde and it is no newes for the Church vppon iust consideration to alter rites and ceremonies For you read in the Actes of the Apostles that saynct Paule writyng to certayne of the Gentiles whiche had receaued the Gospel biddeth them to abstayne a suffogato sanguine from thynges stifled and from bloud so that this seemeth to bee an expresse commaundement yet who will saye but that it is lawfull to eate bloudings how is it lawfull but by theyr permission of the Church Ridly My Lord such thinges as saynct Paule enioyned to the Gentiles for a sufferaunce by a little and little to win the Iewes to Christ were onely commandementes of tyme and respected not the successours but Chrystes commaundement do this that is that which he dyd in remembraunce which was not to minister in one kind onely was not a commaundement for a tyme but to perseuer to the worldes end But the Bishop of Lincolne not attending to this answere without any stay proceeded in his Oration So that the Churche seemeth to haue authoritie by the holy Ghost whome Christ sayd he woulde send after hys ascension whiche should teache the Apostles all truthe to haue power and iurisdiction to alter suche poyntes of the Scripture euer reseruing the foundation but wee came not as I sayd before in this sort to reason the matter wyth you but haue certayne instructions ministred vnto vs according to the tenour of the whiche wee must proceede proposing certayne articles vnto the which we require your aunswere directly eyther affirmatiuely eyther negatiuely to euery of them eyther denying them either graunting them without farther disputations or reasoning for we haue already stretched our instructions in that wee suffered you to debate and reason the matter in such sort as wee haue done the whiche articles you shall heare now and to morrow at eyght of the clocke in saynct Maryes Churche we will require and take youre aunsweres and then according to the same proceede if you require a copy of them you shall haue it pen inke and paper also all such bookes as you shall demaunde if they be to be gotten in the Uniuersitie The Articles IN dei nomine Amen Nos Iohannes Lincolne Iacobus Glocest Iohannes Bristol Episcopi per reuerendis dominum Reginaldum miseratione diuina S. Mariae in Cosmedin c. 1 We doe obiecte to the Nic. Ridley and to thee Hughe Latimer ioyntly and seuerally first that thou Nicholas Ridley in this high Uniuersitie of Oxford Anno. 1554. in the monthes of Aprill May Iune Iulye or in some one or moe of thē hast affirmed and openly defended maintayned and in many other tymes and places besides that the true and naturall body of Christe after the consecration of the priest is not really present in the sacrament of the altar 2. Item that in the yeare and monthes aforesayde thou hast publickely affirmed and defended that in the Sacrament of the altar remayneth still the substaunce of breade and wine 3. Item that in the sayde yeare and monthes thou hast openly affirmed and obstinately mayntayned that in the Masse is no propiciatory Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead 4. Item that in the yeare place and monthes aforesayd these thy foresayd assertions solemnly haue bene condemned by the scholasticall censure of this schoole as hereticall and contrarye to the Catholicke fayth by the worshipful M. Doctor Weston Prolocutour then of the conuocation house as also by other learned men of bothe the Uniuersities 5. Item that all and singular the premisses be true notorious famous and openly knowne by publicke fame as well to them neare hand as also to them in distaunt places farre of Examination vppon the sayd Articles ALl these articles I thought good here to place together that as often as hereafter rehearsall shall be of any of them the reader may haue recourse hether and peruse the same and not to trouble the storye with seuerall repeticions thereof Lincolne After these Articles were read the Bishoppes tooke counsayle togethers At the last the Bishop of Lincolne sayde these are the very same Articles whiche you in open disputation here in the Uniuersitie did mayntayn and defend What say you vnto the first I praye you aunswere affirmatiuely or negatiuely Ridly Why my Lorde I supposed your gentlenes had bene such that you would haue geuen me space vntyll to morow that vpon good aduisement I might bring a determinate aunswere Lincoln Yea M. Ridley I meane not that youre aunsweres nowe shall be preiudiciall to your aunsweres to morow I will take your aunsweres at this tyme and yet notwithstāding it shal be lawfull to you to adde diminish alter and chaunge of these answeres to morow what you will Ridly In deede in like maner at our laste disputations I hadde many thinges promised and fewe performed It was sayde
Ghost as he did by the bread thys is my body Then mayster Ridley recited saynct Austen whiche conferred both the sacramentes the one with the other but the Byshoppe of Lincolne notwithstanding therevpon recited the third article and required a directe aunswere To whom Ridley sayd Rid. Chryst as saynct Paule wryteth made one perfecte sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole worlde neyther can anye man reiterate that sacrifice of his and yet is the Communion an acceptable sacrifice to God of prayse and thanksgeuing but to say that thereby sinnes are taken away whiche wholy and perfectly was done by Christes passion of the whiche the Communion is onely a memory that is a great derogation of the merites of Chrystes passion for the sacrament was instituted that wee receyuing it and thereby recognising and remembryng hys Passion shoulde be partakers of the merites of the same For otherwise doth this sacrament take vpon it the office of Christes Passion whereby it might follow that Christe dyed in vayne ¶ The Notaryes penned this hys aunswere to be affirmatiuely Then sayd the Byshop of Lincolne Lin. In deede as you alledge out of Sayncte Paule Christ made one perfecte oblation for all the whole world that is that bloudy sacrifice vpon the crosse yet neuerthelesse he hath lefte this sacrifice but not bloudy in the remembraunce of that by the whiche sinnes are forgeuen the whiche is no derogation of Christes Passion ¶ Then recited the Byshop of Lincolne the fourth article To the which M. Ridley aunswered Rid. That in some part the fourth was true in some parte false true in that those hys assertions were condemned as heresies although vniustly false in that it was sayde they were condemned scientia scholastica in that the disputations were in suche sorte ordered that it was farre from any schole acte ¶ This aunswere penned of the Notaryes the Byshop of Lincolne rehearsed the fift Article To the whiche he aunswered Rid. That the premisses were in suche sorte true as in these his aunsweres he had declared Whether that al men spake euill of them he knew not in that hee came not so much abroad to heare what euery man reported ¶ This aunswere also written of the Notaryes the bishop of Lincolne sayde Lin. To morow at eyght of the clocke you shall appeare before vs in S. Maryes Churche and then because wee cannot well agree vpon your aunswere to the first article for it was long before hee was vnderstoode if it wyll please you to wryte youre aunswere you shall haue penne inke and paper bookes suche as you shall require but if you wryte any thing sauing your aunswers to these Articles wee will not receaue it so hee charging the Maior with him declaryng also to the Maior that he shoulde suffer hym to haue penne and inke dimissed M. Ridley and sent for Master Latimer who being brought to the Diuinitie Schole there taryed tyll they called for hym ¶ Maister Latimer appeareth before the Commissioners NOw after M. Ridley was committed to the Maior then the Bishop of Lincolne commaunded the Bailyffes to bring in the other prisoner who eftsoones as he was placed sayd to the Lordes Lati. My Lordes if I appeare agayne I pray you not to sende for mee vntyll you bee ready For I am an olde man and it is great hurt to myne olde age to tary so long gazyng vpon the colde walles Then the Byshop of Lincolne sayd Linc. M. Latimer I am sory you are brought so soone although it is the Bailyffes fault and not myne but it shall be amended Then Master Latimer bowed his knee downe to the ground holdyng his Hat in his hand hauing a kerchefe on his hed and vpon it a night cap or two and a great cap such as Townes men vse with two broad flaps to butten vnder the chin wearyng an olde thred bare Bristowe fryse gowne gyrded to his body with a peny leather gyrdell at the which hanged by a long string of leather his Testament and his spectacles without case depending about his necke vpon his brest After this the Byshop of Lincolne began on this maner Linc. M. Latimer you shall vnderstande that I and my Lordes here haue a Commission from my Lord Cardinall Poles Grace Legate a latere to this Realme of England from our moste reuerent father in God the Popes holynesse to examyne you vpon certayne opinions and assertions of yours whiche you as well here openly in disputations in the yeare of our Lorde 1554. as at sundry and diuers other tymes dyd affyrme mayntayne and obstinately defende In the whiche Commission be especially two poyntes the one whiche we muste desire you is that if you shall nowe recant reuoke and disanull these your errours and togeather with all this Realme yea all the worlde confesse the trueth we vppon due repentance of your part should receiue you reconcile you acknowledge you no longer a strayed sheepe but adioyne you agayne to the vnitie of Christes Church from the which you in the time of schisme fell So that it is no new place to the which I exhort you I desire you but to returne thyther from whence you went Consider M. Latimer that without the vnitie of the Church is no saluation and in the Church can be no erroures Therefore what shoulde stay you to confesse that whiche all the Realme confesseth to forsake that whiche the Kyng and Queene their Maiesties haue renounced and all the Realme recanted it was a common errour and it is nowe of all confessed it shall be no more shame to you then it was to vs all Consider M. Latimer that within these .xx. yeares this Realme also with all the worlde confesseth one Church acknowledged in Christes Church an head and by what meanes and for what occasion it cut of it self from the rest of Christianitie it renounced that whiche in all tymes and ages was confessed it is well knowen and might be now declared vppon what good foundation the sea of Rome was forsaken saue that wee must spare them that are dead to whom the rehearsall woulde be opprobrious it is no vsurped power as it hath bene termed but founded vppon Peter by Christe a lure foundation a perfect builder as by diuers places as well of the auncient fathers as the expresse worde of God may be proued With that M. Latimer which before leaned his head to his hand began somewhat to remoue his cap and kerchef from his eares The Byshoppe proceeded saying for Christe spake expresly to Peter saying pasce oues meas rege oues meas the whiche worde doth not onely declare a certayne rulyng of Christes flocke but includeth also a certayne preeminence and gouernment and therefore is the king called Rex à regendo so that in saying rege Christe declared a power whiche he gaue to Peter whiche iurisdiction and power Peter by hand deliuered to Clement and so in all ages hath
Article and required an aunswere and M. Ridley referred him to his aunswere in wryting exhybited now and also before at the time of disputation and like aunsweres were taken to all the residue of the Articles These aunsweres in maner rehearsed taken and penned of the Notaries the Byshop of Glocester began an exhortation to moue M. Ridley to turne Glo. If you would once empty your stomacke captiuate your senses subdue your reason and to gether with vs consider what a feeble ground of your religion you haue I doe not doubt but you might easely be perduced to acknowledge one Churche with vs to confesse one fayth with vs and to beleue one religion with vs. For what a weake and feeble stay in religion is this I pray you Latimer leaneth to Cranmer Cranmer to Ridley Ridley to the singularitie of his owne witte so that if you ouerthrowe the singularitie of Ridleyes wit then must needes the Religion of Cranmer and Latimer fall also You remember well M. Ridley that the Prophet speaketh most truely saying vae vae wo wo be to them which are singular and wise in their owne conceytes But you wyll saye here it is true that the Prophete sayth but how know you that I am wyse in myne owne conceyte Yes Maister Ridley you refuse the determination of the Catholike Churche you muste needes bee singular and wyse in your owne conceyte for you bryng Scripture for the probation of your assertions and wee also bryng Scriptures you vnderstande them in one sense and wee in an other Howe wyll ye knowe the trueth herein If you stande to your owne interpretation then you are singular in your owne conceyte but if you say you wyll followe the myndes of the Doctors and auncient Fathers semblably you vnderstande them in one meanyng and wee take them in another howe wyll ye knowe the trueth herein If you stande to your owne iudgement then are you singular in your owne conceyte then can you not auoyde the vae and woe which the Prophete speaketh of Wherfore if you haue no stay but the Catholike church in matters of controuersie except you wyll rest vpon the singularitie and wysedome of your owne brayne if the Prophet most truely sayth vae vae wo wo be to them that are wyse in their owne conceite then for Gods loue M. Ridley stand not singular be not you wyse in your owne conceite please not your selfe ouermuch Howe were the Arrians the Manicheis the FutichiaÌ„s with other diuers Heretickes which haue bene in the Church how I pray you were they suppressed and conuinced by reasonyng in disputations No truly the Arrians had mo places of Scriptures for the confirmation of their heresie then the Catholickes for the defence of the trueth Howe then were they conuinced onely by the termination of the Church And in deede except we do constitute the Churche our foundation stay and iudge we can haue no ende of controuersies no ende of disputations For in that we all bryng Scriptures and Doctors for the probation of our assertions who shoulde be Iudge of this our controuersie If we our selues then be we singular and wise in our owne conceites then can not we auoyde the woe that the Prophet speaketh of It remayneth therefore that we submitte our selues to the determination and arbitrement of the Churche with whom God promised to remayne to the worldes ende to whom he promised to sende the holy Ghost which shoulde teache it the trueth Wherefore M. Ridley if you will auoyd the wo that the prophet speaketh of be not you wyse in your iudgement if you wyll not be wyse and singular in your owne iudgement captiuate your owne vnderstanding subdue your reason and submit your selfe to the determination of the Church This is briefly the summe of the Oration of the Byshop of Glocester by the which he endeuored in many mo woordes amplyfiyng and enlargyng the matter eloquently with sundry poyntes of Rethoricke to moue affections to perswade Maister Ridley to recant and forsake his Religion To whom M. Ridley aunswered in few wordes that he sayd most truly with the Prophet wo be to him which is wyse in his owe conceite but that he acknowledged no suche singularitie in hym ne knewe any cause why he shoulde attribute so muche to him selfe And where as he sayde Maister Cranmer leaned to hym that was moste vntrue in that he was but a young Scholer in comparison of Maister Cranmer for at what tyme he was a young Scholer then Maister Cranmer a Doctor so that he conâ—essed that M. Cranmer might haue ben his Scholemaister these many yeares It seemed that he woulde haue spoken more but the Bishop of Glocester interrupted hym saying Glo. Why M. Ridley it is your owne confession for M. Latimer at the time of his disputations confessed his learnyng to lye in M. Cranmers bookes and M. Cranmer also sayd that it was your doyng Linc. Likewyse the Byshoppe of Lincolne with many woordes and gentle holding his Cappe in hand desyred him to turne But M. Ridley made an absolute aunswere that he was fully perswaded the Religion whiche he defended to be grounded vpon Gods worde and therefore without great offence towardes God great peryll and damage of his soule he coulde not forsake his Maister and Lorde God but desired the Byshop to performe his graunt in that his Lordshyp sayde the day before that he shoulde haue licence to shewe his cause why he coulde not with a salfe conscience admitte the authoritye of the Pope but the Byshop of Lincolne sayde that where as then he had demaunded licence to speake three woordes he was contented then that he shoulde speake .xl. and that graunt he would performe Then stepped forth D. Weston which sate by and sayd why my Lord he hath spoken foure hundred already M. Ridley confessed he had but they were not of his prescribed number neither of that matter The Bishop of Lincolne bad him take his licence but he shoulde speake but .xl. and he would tell them vpon his fingers and eftsoones M. Ridley began to speake but before he had ended halfe a sentence the Doctours sittyng by cryed and sayd that his number was out and with that he was put to silence After this the Bishop of Lincolne which sat in the middes began to speake as foloweth Linc. Now I perceiue M. Ridley you will not permit ne suffer vs to stay in that point of our Commission which we most desired for I ensure you there is neuer a worde in our Commission more true then dolentes gementes For in deede I for my part I take God to witnesse am sory for you Whereunto M. Ridley aunswered Rid. I beleue it well my Lord for as much as one day it will be burdenous to your soule Linc. Nay not so M. Ridley but because I am sory to see suche stubbornesse in you that by no meanes you may be perswaded to acknowledge your errours and receiue
cannot although thou art not ashamed to call him thy maker make thee to escape the reuenging hand of the high and almighty God But be thou assured that the liuing Lord our Sauiour and redemâ—â— which sitteth on the right hand of his father in glorye he seeth all thy wicked wayes and crueltye done to his deare members and he will not forget his holy ones and his handes O thou Whorish Drabbe shalte thou neuer escape In stead of my farewell to thee now I say lye vpon thee lye vpon thee filthy Drabbe and all thy false Prophets Yet then O London I may not leaue thee thus Although thy Episcopall Sea now being ioyned in League with the seate of Sathan thus hath now both handled me and the Sayntes of God yet I doe not doubte but in that great City there be many priuy mourners which do daily mourne for that mischieâ—e the which neuer did nor shal coÌ„sent to that wickednes but do detest and abhorre it as the wayes of Sathan But these priuy mourners here I wyll passe by and bid them farewell with theyr felowes hereafter when the place and occasion shall more conuenientlye require Among the worshipfull of the citty and speacially which were in office the Maioralty yea in other Cittyes also whome to name nowe it shall not be necessary in the time of my ministery which was from the latter part of sir Rowland Dules yere vnto sir George Barnes yeare and a great part thereof I doe acknowledge that I founde no small humanity and gentlenes as me thought but to saye the truth that I do esteme aboue al other for true christian kindnes which is shewed in Gods cause and done for hys sake Wherfore O Dobbes Dobbes Alderman knight thou in thy yeare diddest winne my hart for euermore for that honorable acre that most blessed worke of God of the erection and setting vp of Christes holy Hospitalles and truely religious houses whiche by thee and through thee were begonne For thou like a man of God when the matter was mooued for the relief of Christes poore seely members to be holpen froÌ„ extreme misery hunger and famine thy hart I say was moued with pity as Christes high honourable officer in that cause thou calledst together thy brethren the Aldermen of the City before whom thou brakest the matter for the poore thou diddest plead theyr cause yea and not onely in thine owne person thou diddest sette fâ—rth Christes cause but to further the matter thou broughtest me into the Councell Chamber of the Citty before the Aldermen alone whome thou haddest assembled there together to heare me speake what I coulde say as an aduocate by office and duety in the poore mennes cause The Lorde wrought with thee and gaue thee the consent of thy Brethren whereby the matter was broughte to the common Counsell and so to the whole body of the City by whome with an vniforme consent it was committed to be drawn ordered and deuised by a certayne nuÌ„ber of the most witty CitizeÌ„s and politique endued also with godlynes with ready hartes to set forward such a noble acte as coulde bee chosen in all the whole City and they like true and faythfull Ministers both to theyr City theyr Mayster Christ so ordered deuised and brought forth the matter that thousands of sely poore meÌ„bers of Christ which els for extreme hunger and miserye shoulde haue famished and perished shal be relieued holpeÌ„ and brought vp and shal haue cause to blesse the Aldermen of that time the coÌ„mon Councell the whole body of the City but specially thee O Dobbes and those chosen men by whome this honorable worke of God was begon and wroughte and that so long throughout all ages as the godly worke shall endure which I pray almighty God may or euer vnto the worldes end Amen And thou O Syr George Barnes the trueth is to be confessed to Gods glory and to the good example of other thou wast in thy yeare not onely a furtherer and conâ—iâ—ner of that which before thee by thy predecessour was well begunne but also diddest labor so to haue perfited the work that it shoulde haue bene an absolute thing and a perfecte spectacle of true charity and Godlinesse vnto all Christendome Thyne endeuoure was to haue set vppe an house of occupations both that all kinde of pouerty being able to worke shoulde not haue lacked whereupon profitably they might haue bene occupied to their owne reliefe to the profite and commoditye of the common wealthe of the City and also to haue retired thither the poore Babes brought vp in the Hospitals when they had come to a certayne age and strength and also all those which in the hospitalles aforesayd had bene cured of theyr diseases And to haue brought this to passe thou obteynedst not withoute great diligence and labor both of thee of thy brethren of that Godly King Edwarde that Christian and pierlesse Princes hand his Princely place of Bridewell and what other thinges to the performaunce of the same and vnder what condition it is not vnknowne That this thine endeuor hath not had like successe the fault is not in thee but in the condition and state of the time which the Lorde of hys infinite mercy vouchsafe to ameÌ„d when it shall be his gracious will and pleasure Farewell now all ye Citizens that be of God of what state and condition so euer ye be Undoubtedly in London ye haue heard Gods word truely preached My hartes desire and dayly prayer shal be for you as for whome for my time I know to my Lord God I am countable that yee neuer swarue neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes from Gods holy word and yelde vnto Antichrist wherevpon must needes folow the extreame displeasure of God and the losse both of your bodies and soules into perpetuall damnation for euermore Nowe that I haue gone through the places where I haue dwelt anye space in the time of my pilgrimage here vpon earth remeÌ„bring that for the space of king Edwardes raygne whiche was for the time of mine office in the Seas of London and Rochester I was a member of the higher house of the Parliament therefore seing my God hath geuen me leisure and the remembrance therof I will bid my Lords of the temporalty farewell They shall haue no iust cause by Gods grace to take it that I entende to say in ill part As for the spirituall Prelacy that now is I haue nothing to say to them excepte I shoulde repeate agayne a great part of that I haue sayd before now already to the Sea of London To you therefore my Lordes of the temporalty wil I speake and this would I haue you first to vnderstande that when I wrote this I looked daylye when I shoulde bee called to the chaunge of this life and thoughte that this my writinge shoulde not come to your knowledge before the time of the
shrining of reliques from any kinde of wickednes if you will pay well for it cleare absolution a poena culpa with thousandes of yeares yea at euery poore Bishops hand and suffragan ye shall haue halowing of Churches Chappels aulters superaulters chalices and of all the whole housholde stuffe and adornamēt which shal be vsed in the church after the Romish guise for all these thinges must be estemed of such high price that they may not be done but by a consecrate bishop onely O Lorde all these thinges are suche as thy Apostles neuer knew As for coniuring they call it halowing but it is cōiuring in deede of water and salt of christening of belles and such like thinges what neede I to speake for euerye priest that can but read hath power they say not onely to do that but also hath suche power ouer Christes body as to make both God and man once at the least euery daye of a wafer cake After the rehearsall of the said abhominations and remembraunce of a number of many moe which the Lorde knoweth irketh me to thinke vpon and were to longe to describe when I consider on the other side the eternall word of God that abideth for euer and the vndefiled law of the Lord which turneth the soule from all wickednes and geueth wisedome vnto the innocent babes I meane that milk that is without all guile as Peter doth call it that good word of God that word of trueth whiche must be grauen within the hart and then is able to saue mens soules that wholesome seede not mortall but immortall of the eternal and euerliuing God wherby the man is borne a new and made the childe of God that seed of God wherby the man of God so being borne can not sinne as Iohn sayeth hee meaneth so long as that seede doth abide in him that holy scripture which hath not bene deuised by the wit of man but taught from heauen by the inspiratiō of the holy ghost which is profitable to teache to reprooue to correct to instruct and geue order in all righteousnesse that the man of God may be whole sound ready to performe euery good worke when I say I consider this holy and wholesome true word that teacheth vs truely our bounden duety towardes our Lorde God in euerye poynt what his blessed will and pleasure is what his infinite great goodnes and mercy is what he hath done for vs how he hath geuē hys owne onely dearely beloued sonne to death for our saluation and by him hath sent vs the Reuelation of his blessed will and pleasure what his eternall word willeth vs both to beleue and also to doe and hath for the same purpose inspired the holy Apostles with the holy ghost sent them abroad into all the world and also made them other disciples of Christ inspired by the same spirite to write leaue behinde them the same thinges that they taught which as they did proceed of the spirit of trueth so by the confession of all them that euer were endued with the spirite of God were sufficient to the obteining of eternall saluation and likewise when I consider that al that man doth professe in his regeneration when he is receiued into the holy catholicke church of Christ and is now to be accoūted for one of the liuely mēbers of Christes owne body all that is groūded vpon Gods holy word and standeth in the profession of that fayth obedience of those commaundements whiche are all conteined and comprised in Gods holy word furthermore when I consider whom our Sauiour Christ pronoūceth in his gospell to be blessed and to whom Moses geueth his benedictiōs in the law what wayes the law the Prophets the Psalmes and all holy Scriptures both newe and olde doth declare to be the wayes of the Lorde what is good for man to obteine and abide in Gods fauor which is that fayth that iustifieth before God and what is that charity that doth passe and excell all whiche be the properties of heauenly wisedome and whiche is that vndefiled religion that is allowed of GOD which thinges Christ himself called the weighty matters of the law what thing is that which is onely auayleable in Christ what knowledge is that that Paule esteemed so much that he counted himself onely to know what shall be the maner of the extreme iudgement of the latter day who shall iudge by what he shall iudge what shall be required at our handes at that fearefull day howe all thinges must be tried by the fire and that that onely shal stand for euer which Christes wordes shall allow which shal be the iudge of all flesh to geue sentēce vpon all flesh and euery liuing soule either of eternall damnation or of euerlasting saluation from which sentence there shall be no place to appeale no witte shal serue to delude nor no power to withstand or reuoke when I say I consider all these thinges and conferre to the same agayne and agayne all those wayes wherein standeth the substaunce of the romishe religion wherof I spake before it may be euident and easy to perceaue that these two wayes these two religions the one of Christ the other of the Romishe sea in these latter dayes be as farre distaunt the one from the other as light and darckenes good and euill righteousnes and vnrighteousnes Christ and Beliall He that is hard of beliefe let him note and weigh well with himselfe the places of holy Scriptures which be appoynted in the margent wherupon this talk is grounded by Gods grace he may receyue some light And vnto the contemner I haue nothing now to say but to rehearse the saying of the Prophet Esay which Paule spake to the Iewes in the end of the Actes of the Apostles After he hadde expounded vnto them the trueth of Gods word and declared vnto them Chryst out of the Lawe of Moses and the Prophetes from morning to night all the day long he sayd vnto them that would not beleue Well sayd he spake the holy Ghost vnto our fathers saying go vnto this people and tell them ye shall heare with your eares and not vnderstande and seeing you shall behold and not see the thing for the hart of this people is waxed grosse and dulle and wyth their eares they are hard of hearing and they haue shut together their eyes that they shoulde not see nor heare with theyr eares nor vnderstand with their hartes that they might returne and I should heale them sayth the Lord God All as Englande alas that this heauy plague of GOD shoulde fall vpon thee Alas my dearely beloued country what thing is it now that may doe thee good Undoubtedly thy plague is so great that it is vtterly vncurable but by the bottomlesse mercy and infinite power of almightye God Alas my deare country what hast thou done that thus hast prouoked the wrath of God and caused him to poure out his vengeaunce
vppon thee for thine owne desertes Canst thou be content to heare thy faults told thee Alas thou hast heard ofte and wouldest neuer amende England thy faultes of all degrees and sortes of men of Magistrates of the ministers and of the common people were neuer more playnely tolde since thou barest that name then thou diddest heare them of late euen before the Magistrates in king Edwardes dayes but thou heardest them onely and diddest amend neuer a whitte For euen of thy greatest Magistrates some the kinges highnesse then that innocente that godly harted pereles young Christian Prince excepted euermore vnkindely and vngently agaynst those that went about most busely and most wholesomely to cure their sore backes spurned pryuely and woulde not spare to speake euill of them euen vnto the Prince himselfe and yet woulde they towardes the same preachers outwardly beare a ioly countenance and a fayre face I haue heard that Cranmer and an other whome I will not name were both in high displeasure the one for shewing his conscience secretly but playnly and fullye in the Duke of Somersettes cause and bothe of late but specially Cranmer for repugning as they might against the late spoyle of the Churche goodes taken away onely by commaundement of the higher powers wythout any lawe or order of iustice and without anye request of consent of them to whome they did belong As for Latimer Leuer Bradforde and Knoxe their tongues were so sharpe they ripped in so deepe in theyr galled backes to haue purged them no doubte of that filthy matter that was festred in theyr hartes of insaciable couetousnesse of filthy carnalitie and voluptuousnesse of intollerable ambition and pride of vngodly lothsomnes to heare poore mens causes and to heare Gods word that these men of all other these Magistrates then could neuer abide Other there were very godly men and well learned that went aboute by the wholesome plasters of Gods worde how be it after a more softe maner of handling the matter but alas all sped in like For all that could be done of all handes theyr disease did not minishe but dayly dyd encrease which no doubte is no small occasion in that state of the heauy plague of God that is poured vppon Englande at thys daye As for the common sorte of other inferiour Magistrates as Iudges of the lawes Iustices of peace Sergeantes common lawyers it may be truely said of them as of the most part of the Clergy of Curates Uicares Parsones Prebendaryes Doctours of the law Archdeacons Deanes yea and I may say of Byshoppes also I feare me for the moste parte although I doubte not but GOD had and hath euer whome hee in euery state knew and knoweth to be hys but for the most part I say they were neuer perswaded in theyr hartes but from the teethe forwarde and for the kinges sake in the trueth of Gods word and yet all these did dissemble and bare a copy of a countenaunce as if they hath bene sound within And this dissimulation Sathan knew well inoughe and therefore desired and hath euer gone about that the highe Magistrates by anye manner of meanes myght bee deceaued in matters of religion for then hee beyng of councell with the dissimulation in the worldlye knewe well enough that he should bring to passe and rule al euen after his owne will Hipocrisie and dissimulation sainct Hierome doth call well a double wickednesse for neyther it loueth the trueth whiche is one great euill and also falsely it pretendeth to deceiue the simple for an other thing This hipocrisie and dissimulation with God in matters of Religion no doubte hath wholy also prouoked the anger of God And as for the common people although there were manye good where they were well and dilligently taught yet God knoweth a great number receaued Gods true word and high benefites with vnthankfull harts For it was great pity and a lamentable thing to haue seene in many places the people so lothsomly and so vnreligiouslye to come to the holy Communion and to receaue it accordingly and to the common prayers and other Diuine seruice which were according to the true vayne of Gods holye word in all poyntes so godly and wholesomely set foorth in comparison of that blynde zeale and vndiscreete deuotion whiche they had afore tymes to those things wherof they vnderstoode neuer one whiâ— nor could be edified by them any thing at all And agayne as for almes deedes which are taughte in Gods word whereby we are certain that God is pleased with them and dothe and will require suche at oure handes whiche are a part of true religion as Sayncte Iames sayth and suche as he sayth himselfe hee setteth more by then by sacrifice as to prouide for the fatherlesse infantes and orphanes for the lame aged and impotent poore needye folke and to make publicke prouision that the pouerty that might labour shoulde haue wherwith to labour vppon and so be kept from shameful beggerry stealing in these works I say how wayward wer many in comparison I meane of that great prodigality whereby in times past they spared not to spend vpon flattering Fryers false Pardoners painting and gilting of stockes and stones to be set vp and honored in Churches playnely agaynst Gods worde And yet because no place is to be defrauded of theyr iust commendation London I must confesse for such godly workes in sir Rich. Dobs knight then Lorde Maior hys yeare began maruelous well the Lord graunt the same may so likewise perseuer continue yea and encrease to the comforte and reliefe of the needy and helpelesse that was so godly begunne Amen All these thinges doe minister matter of more mournyng and bewayling the miserable state that nowe is for by this it may be perceaued how England hath deserued this iust plague of God And also it is greatly to be feared that those good thinges what soeuer they were that had theyr beginning in the tyme when Gods woorde was so freely preached nowe with the exile and banishemente of the same will depart agayne But to returne agayne to the consideration of thys miserable state of Christes Churche in Englande and to leaue farther and more exquisite searchyng of the causes thereof vnto Gods secrete and vnsearchable iudgements let vs see what is best now to be done for Chrystes little flocke This is one maxime and principle in Chrystes law He that denyeth Christ before men hym shall Chryst deny afore hys father and all hys Aungels of heauen And therefore euery one that looketh to haue by Chryst our sauiour euerlasting lyfe let him prepare hymselfe so that he deny not hys mayster Chryst or els he is but a cast away and a wretche how soeuer he be counted or taken here in the world Now then seing the doctrine of Antichrist is returned agayne into this Realme and the higher powers alas are so deceaued and bewitched that they are perswaded it to be truthe and Christes true
beene seene in any tyme that men that haue beene admitted to any ecclesiasticall administration shoulde marry We reade of married Priestes that is to say of married men chosen to bee Priestes and Ministers in the Churche And in Epiphanius we reade that some suche for necessitie were wincked at But that menne being Priestes all ready shoulde marrye was neuer yet seene in Christes Churche from the beginning of the Apostles tyme. I haue wrytten in it and studied for it and the verye same places that are therein alleadged to maintaine the marriage of Priestes being diligently read shall plainely confound them that maintaine to marrye youre Priestes or at the farthest wythin two lines after Thus haue I shewed my opinion in order proceedynge from the inferiours and in order proceedinge from the higher powers And thus I haue as I trust plainly declared my selfe without anye coueringe or counterfaitinge And I beseeche youre moste excellent Maiestie to esteeme and take me as I am and not to be sclaundered in mee for I haue tolde you the plaine truthe as it is and I haue opened my conscience vnto you I haue not played the Poste with you to carie truthe in my letters and lyes in my mouthe for I woulde not for all the worlde make a lye in this place but I haue disclosed the plaine truth as it lyeth in my minde And thus I commit your most excellent Maiestie and all your moste honourable Councellours with the rest of the deuout audience here present vnto God To whom be al honour lande and glory world without ende Thus hauing comprised the summe and chief purpose of his Sermon with other suche matter aboue Storyed wherein may appeare the double faced doings of this bishop in matters of Religion nowe for the more fortification of that which hath bene sayde if any shall deny this foresayd Sermone or any parte thereof to be true to confirme therefore the same wee will heere adioyne certaine briefe notes and specialties in maner of a summarie table collected as well oute of the testimonies and depositions of his owne frendes and seruauntes and other whyche were sworne truely to declare their knowledge in thys behalfe as also out of his owne wrytings and woorkes agreeing with the same In all which foresayd allegations it may remaine notorious and famous to all men howe in what poyntes and how farre the sayd Bishop of Winchester agreed with the reformation of religion receiued not onely in King Henries but also in King Edwardes dayes And because it will be long and a double labor to repeate all the woordes and testimoniall sayings of euerye witnes particularly the same being expressed sufficientlye in oure firste impression before it shall therefore suffice by quotations briefly to assigne the place to the reader where he may finde all those poyntes of reformation wherunto the sayd Bishop Gardiner fully agreed with the doctrine now receiued and first in withstanding the Popes supremacie as is heere vnder noted ¶ The Popes supremacie impugned by Byshop Gardiner FIrst as touching the confession iudgement of Steuen Gardiner againste the supremacie of the B. of Rome reade in hys booke De vera obedientia fol. 6. Item concerning the disputations and desensions of Bishop Gardiner at Louane against the Popes supremacie reade in our first impression pag. 802. also in this present Volume Item howe the sayde Byshop Gardiner in his Sermones and preachinges as where hee expoundeth the place Tu es Petrus nothing at all to make for the authoritie of the Romish Byshop maruelling howe the Pope coulde vsurpe so much to take vppe that place to builde vppon when Christe had taken it vp before to builde his Churche reade in the olde booke pag. 845. col 1. pag. 647. col 1. pag. 846. col 1. and the depositions of Doct. Redman pag. 853. col 1. Item howe the confession of Peter was the confession of all the Apostles like as the blessing geuē to Peter pertained as wel to all the Apostles as to Peter read ibidem pag 847. col 1. Item that the place Pasce oues meas was not special to Peter alone but generall to all the Apostles Also that the Greeke Churche did neuer receaue the sayde Bishop of Rome for their vniuersall heade reade in the same booke pag. 847. col 1. pag. 836. col 2. Item that the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome was not receiued of the most part of Christen Princes read the depositions of sir Thomas Smith pag. 827. col 2. Item howe the sayde Bishop Gardiner woulde not graunt that the sayde authoritie was receiued generally Ibidem pag. 827. col 2. Item that the Churche was builded vppon Christes faithe and not vpon Peter reade the depositions of Robert Willanton pag. 836. col 2. And thoughe Peter was called Princeps Apostolorum that was no thing els but like as it is in an inquest where the foreman or headman is not so called because he is best or chiefest of that companie but because he speaketh first Read in the depositions of M. Basset pag. 850. col 2. pag. 836. col 2. Item when the keyes were giuen they were giuen generally to all the Apostles Reade the depositions of Robert Wilianton pag. 836. col 2. Item how the sayd Bishop taketh away all suche Scriptures which are thought to serue for the Popes supremacie as Super hanc Petram Pasce oues meas Princeps Apostolorum c. prouing that they serue nothing for his authoritie reade likewise in the same booke in the depositions of M. Basset his owne seruant pag. 850. col 2. Item howe the sayde Bishop in his booke De vera obedientia did not onely wryte againste the Popes supremacie but also did defende the same at Louane pag. 802. And moreouer in hys Sermons did alledge and preach the same Pag. 774. col 2 and that also Uehemently page 850. col 2. Lin. 50. Pithely pag. 846. col 1. Lin 31. Earnestly pag. 143. col 1. Lin. 75. Uery earnestly pag. 843. col 1. Lin. 44. Uery forwardly pag. 827. col 2. Lin. 82. And not only did so vehemently pythely earnestly and forwardly preach him selfe agaynst the Popes supremacie but also did cause M. White then Scholemaster after Byshop of Wint. to make certayne verses extolling the kinges supremacie agaynst the vsurped power of the Pope encouraging also his scholers to do the like Read the depositions of Iohn White Scholemaister of Winchester pag. 845. col 2. Item how he for the space of .14 yeares together preached agaynst the Popes supremacie in diuers Sermons and especially in one Sermon before king Henry read the depositions of Iohn Potinger pag. 844. col 1. Lin. 1. ¶ Places noted wherein B. Gardiner impugned Ceremonies Monkery Images Chauntryes c. ITem for ceremonies and Images which were abused to be taken away by publicke authoritie he did well allow it as a child to haue his booke taken from him when he abused it or deliteth
Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. Mary in deed you M. Doctour put me in good remeÌ„braunce of the meaning of S. Paule in that place for Apotasia is properly a departing from the fayth and thereof commeth Apostata whiche properly signifieth one that departeth from his fayth and S. Paule in the same place after speaketh of the decay of the Empyre Cole Apostasia doth not onely signify a departing froÌ„ the fayth but also from the Empyre as I am able to shew Phil. I neuer read it so taken and when you shal be able to shew it as you say in woordes I will beleue it and not before Worcest I am sory that you shoulde be agaynst the Christen world Phil. The world commonly and such as be called Christians for the multitude hath hated the truth and bene enemies to the same Gloc. Why M. Philpot doe you thinke that the vniuersall church hath erred and you onely to be in the truth Phil. The church that you are of was neuer vniuersall for two parts of the world which is Asia Africa neuer consented to the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome as at this day they do not neither do folow his decrees Gloc. Yes in Florentines Councell they did agree Phil. It was sayde so by false report after they of Asia and Africa were gone home but it was not so in deed as the sequele of them all hitherto doth proue the contrary Gloc. I pray you by whom will you be iudged in matters of controuersy which happen dayly Phil. By the word of God For Christ sayth in S. Iohn The word that he spake shall be Iudge in the latter day Gloc. What if you take the word one way and I an other way who shall be iudge then Phil. The Primitiue Church Gloc. I know you meane the Doctors that wrote thereof Phil I meane verely so Gloc. What if you take the Doctors in one sense and I in an other who shal be iudge then Phil. Then let that be taken whiche is moste agreeable to Gods word Cole My Lordes why do you trouble your selues to answere him in this matter It is not the thing which is laid to his charge but his error of the sacrament and he to shift himselfe of that brought in another matter Phil. This is the matter M. Cole to the which I haue referred all other questions and desire to be satisfied Worc. It is wonder to see how he standeth with a few agaynst a great multitude Phil. We haue almost as many as you For we haue Asia Africa Germany Denmarke and a great part of France and dayly the number of the Gospel doth encrease so that I am credibly informed that for this Religion in the whiche I stande and for the whiche I am like to dye a greate multitude doth dayly come out of Fraunce through persecution that the Cityes of Germany bee scarse able to receiue them and therefore your Lordship may be sure the word of God will one day take place doe what you can to the contrary Worc. They were wel occupied to bring you such newes and you haue bene well kept to haue such resort vnto you Thou art the arrogantest felow stoutest fond felow that euer I knew Phil. I pray your Lordship to beare with my hasty speech for it is part of my corrupt nature to speake somewhat hastily but for all that I meane with humility to do my duty to your Lordship Boner M. Philpot my Lordes will troule you no further at this time but you shall goe from whence you came and haue such fauor as in the mean while I can shew you and vpon wednesday next you shal be called agayn to be heard what you can say for mainteinaunce of your error Phil. My Lorde my desire is to be satisfied of you in that I haue required and your Lordship shall finde me as I haue sayd Worc. We wish you as well as our selues Phil. I thinke the same my Lordes but I feare you are deceiued and haue a zeale of your selues not according to knowledge Worc. God send you more grace Phil. And also God encrease the same in you and opeÌ„ your eyes that you may see to mayneteyne his trueth and hys true Church Then the bishops rose vp consulted together caused a writing to be made in the which I think my bloud by theÌ„ was bought sold thereto they put to theyr handes and after this I was caried to my Colehouse agayne ¶ Thus endeth the fourth part of this tragedy God hasten the end therof to his glory Amen BEcause I haue begon to write vnto you of mine examinations before the Bishop other more to satisfy your desire then it is any thing woorthy to be written I haue thought it good to write vnto you also that whiche hath bene done of late that the same might come to light which they do in darcknes and priuy corners and that the world now and the posterity hereafter might knowe how vnorderly vniustly vnlearnedly these rauening wolues doe proceed agaynst the seely and faythfull flocke of Christ and condemne persecute the sincere doctrine of Christ in vs which they are not able by honest meanes to resist but only by tyranny and violence * The 5. examination of Iohn Philpot had before the Bishops of London Rochester Couentry S. Asses I trow and one other whose Seas I know not Doctor Story Curtop Doctor Sauerson Doctor Pendleton with diuers other Chaplaynes and Gentlemen of the Queenes Chamber and diuers other Gentlemen in the Gallery of my Lord of Londons Palace BOner M. Philpot come you hither I haue desyred my Lordes here and other learned meÌ„ to take some paines once agayne and to do you good because I do minde to sit in iudgement on you to morow as I am commauÌ„ded yet I would you should haue as much fauor as I caÌ„ shew you if you wil be any thing coÌ„formable Therfore play the wise man and be not singuler in your opinioÌ„ but be ruled by these learned men Phil. My Lord in that you say you will sit on me in iudgement to morrow I am glad thereof For I was promised by them which sent me vnto you that I should haue bene iudged the next day after but promise hath not bene kepte with me to my farther griefe I looke for none other but death at your hands and I am as ready to yeld my life in Christes cause as you be to require it Boner Lo what a wilfull man this is By my fayth it is but folly to reasoÌ„ with him neither with any of these heretickes I am sory that you wil be no more tractable that I am compelled to shew extremity agaynst you Phil. My Lord you need not to shew extremity against me vâ—les you list neither by the law as I haue sayd you haue any thing to do with me for that you are not mine Ordynary albeit I am contrary to
proue that which I haue sayd by good authoritie I will be content to be counted an hereticke and an ignoraunt person and further what you please Story Let vs heare what wise authoritie thou canst bring in Phil. It is the saying of Christe in S. Iohn Verbum quod locutus sum iudicabit in nouissimo die The word which I haue spoken sayth Christ shall iudge in the last day If the worde shal iudge in the last day much more it ought to iudge our doings now And I am sure I haue my iudge on my side who shall absolue and iustifie me in an other world How soeuer now it shall please you by authoritie vnrighteously to iudge of me and others sure I am in an other world to iudge you Story What you purpose to be a stincking Martyr to sit in iudgement with Christ at the last day to iudge the 12. tribes of Israell Phil. Yea sir I doubte not thereof hauing the promise of Christ If I dye for righteousnes sake which you haue begon to persecute in me Story I told you it is but vayne to argue with this hereticke he is drowned in his heresies without all learning Phil. Syr I haue brought you for that I haue sayd good authoritie out of Gods booke to the whiche you answere nothing but go about still to geue rayling iudgement aagaynst me without any cause Story I will come to you by and by When as the Iudge in Westminster hall geueth sentence doth the worde geue sentence or the Iudge tell me Phil. Ciuill matters be subiect to Ciuell men they haue authoritie by the worde to bee iudge of them But the word of God is not subiect to mans iudgemeÌ„t but ought to iudge all the wisedome thoughtes and doynges of men and therefore your comparison disproueth nothing that I haue sayd neither answereth any whit therto Story Wilt thou not allow the interpretation of the church vpon the scriptures Phil. Yes if it be according to the word of the true church and this I say to you as I haue sayd heretofore that if yee can proue the church of Rome wherof ye are to be the true Catholicke Church which I ought to follow I wil be as ready to yeld therto as long as it can be so proued as you may desire me Story What a fellow is this He will beleeue nothing but what he list himselfe Are we not in possessioÌ„ of the church Haue not our forefathers these many hundred yeares takeÌ„ this church for the catholicke church wherof we are now And if we had none other proofe but this it were sufficieÌ„t for prescription of time maketh a good title in the law Philpot. You doe well mayster Doctour to alledge prescription of many yeares for it is all that you haue to shew for your selues But you must vnderstand Ex diuinis nulla occurrit praescriptio that prescription hath no place in matters belonging to God as I am abâ—e to shewe by the testimony of many Doctours Story Well sir you are like to go after your fathers Latimer the Sophister and Ridley who had nothing to alledge for hymselfe but that hee had learned his heresie of Cranmer Where I came to him with a poore Bacheler of Arte he trembleÌ„d as though hee had had the palsey as these heretickes haue alwayes some token of feare whereby a man may know them as you may see this mans eies do tremble in his head But I dispatched them and I tell thee that there hath bene yet neuer a one burnte but I haue spoken with him haue bene a cause of his dispatch Phil. You haue the more to aunswere for Mayster Doctor as you shall feele in an other world how much soeuer you do now triumph of your proceedinges Story I tell thee I will neuer be confessed therof And because I cannot now tary to speake with my Lord I pray one of you tell my Lord that my comming was to signifie to his Lordship that he must out of hand rid this hereticke away And going away he sayd vnto me I certifie thee that thou mayst thanke none other man but me Phil. I thanke you therfore with all mine hart and God forgeue it you Story What doest thou thanke me if I had thee in my study halfe an houre I thinke I should make you sing an other song Phil. No maister Doctour I stand vpon to sure a ground to be ouerthrowne by you now And thus they departed al away from me one after an other vntil I was left al alone And afterwards with my keeper going to my Cole-house as I went I met with my Lord of London who spake vnto me geÌ„tly as he hath hetherto in words saying London Philpot if there be any pleasure I may shewe you in my house I pray you require it and you shall haue it Philpot. My Lord the pleasure that I will require of your Lordship is to hasten my iudgement which is committed vnto you so dispatche me forth of this miserable world vnto my eternall rest And for all this fayre speache I can not attain hetherto this fortnight space neither fire nor caÌ„dle neither yet good lodging But it is good for a man to be brought low in this world to be counted amongst the vilest that hee may in time of rewarde receiue exaltation glory Therfore praised be God that hath humbled me geuen me grace with gladnes to be content there withall Let all that loue the truth say Amen Thus endeth the fift Tragedy * The sixt examination of Iohn Philpot had before the right honourable Lordes Lorde Chamberlayne to the kinges Maiesty the Vicount Herford commonly called Lord Ferrers the Lord Rich the Lord S. Iohns the Lord Winsor the Lord Shandoys Sir Ioh. Bridges Lieutenant of the Tower and two other moe whose names I know not with the B. of London and Doctour Chadsey the sixt day of Nouember An. 1555. PHilpot Before that I was called afore the Lordes and whiles they were in sitting downe the Byshop of LoÌ„don came aside to me and whispered in myne eare willing me to vse my selfe before the Lordes of the queenes maiesties Councell prudently and to take heede what I sayd thus he pretendeth to geue me counsaile because he wished me to do well as I might now do if I list And after the Lordes other worshipfull gentlemen of the queenes Maiesties seruauntes were set my Lorde of London placed himselfe at the end of the table called me to hym by the Lords I was placed at the vpper end agaynst him where I kneeling downe the Lordes commaunded me to stande vp and after in this manner the Byshop began to speake London M. Philpot I haue heretofore both priuately my selfe and openly before the Lordes of the Clergy mo times then once caused you to bee talked withall to reforme you of your errours but I haue not found you yet so
haue pacience to beare and abide al your cruel intents against me notwythstanding I speake this earnestly being mooued thereto iustly to notifie your vniust and cruell dealing with men in corners without all due order of lawe After this at nighte I was conducted againe by three or foure into the Colehouse The ninth examination of M. Philpot before Boner and his Chaplaines IN the morning the nexte daye I was called downe betunes by my keper and brought againe into the Wardrobe where I remained vntil the Byshop had heard hys Masse and afterwarde he sent vp for me into his inwarde Parlour and there he called for a chaire to sit downe and brought his infamous Libell of his forged Articles in his hande and sate downe willing me to drawe neare vnto him and saide Lond. I am this day appoynted to tarry at home from the Parlament house to examine you and your fellowes vpon these Articles and you stande dalying with me and will neither answere to nor fro Ywis al your exceptions will not serue you Will it not be a faire honestie for you thinke ye that when thou commest afore my Lorde Maior and the Sheriffes other worshipful audience when I shall say before them all that I haue had thee these many times before me and before so many learned men and then thou couldest saye nothing for that thou standest in for all thy bragges of learning neither wouldest answere directly to any thing Phil. My Lord I haue told you my mind plaine enough but yet I do not intend to lose that priuiledge the law geueth me the which is free choise to aunswere where I am not bound and this priuiledge wil I cleaue vnto vntil I be compelled otherwise Lon. Well I perceiue you will playe the obstinate foole Lay thine appellation when thou commest in iudgement and answere in the meane while to these articles Phil. No my Lord by your leaue I wil not answeare to them vntill my lawfull appeale be tried Lon. Wel thou shalt heare them and with that he began to reade them Phil. I shranke backe into the windowe and looked on a booke and after he had read them ouer he said vnto me Lon. I haue read them ouer although it hath not pleased you to heare mee I marueile in good faith what thou meanest to be so wilful and stubborne seeing thou mayest doe wel enough if thou list It is but a singularitie Doest thou not see all the realme against thee Phil. My Lord I speake vnto you in the witnes of God before whom I stand that I am neither wedded vnto mine owne will neither stand vpon mine owne stubbernesse or singularitie but vpon my conscience instructed by Gods word and if your Lordship can shew better euidence then I haue for a good faith I will folowe the same Lon. What thou wilt not loe for all that Well all that is past shall be forgotten and be conformable vnto vs. Iwis thou mightest find as much fauour as thou wouldest desire Phil. Then I perceiuing that he fawned so muche vpon me thought it good to geue hym some comfort of relēting to the end I might openly geue him and his hypocriticall generation openly a further foyle perceiuing that they dare reason opēly with none but with such as be vnlearned and for lacke of knowledge not able to aunsweare or els with such as they haue a hope that for feare or loue of the worlde will recant I sayde My Lorde it is not vnknowen to you that I haue openlye in the audience of a great number stand to the maintenance of these opinions I am in by learning did offer to defende them therefore my Lord I would it might openly appeare to the world that I am wonne by learnyng or els what wyll they say but that eyther for feare or loue of the worlde I am without any ground turned from the truth and if I haue any kinde of learning openly shewed I shal be as conformable as you may require me Lond. Yea mary now ye speake somwhat like a reasonable man I wis you might haue had a great deale more fauour in my house and libertie then you haue had and you shall lacke nothing that is within my house call for it and you shall haue it And what is it that you woulde openly by learnyng somewhat be satisfied in tell me Phil. My Lord I haue openly sayd and do beleeue it also that your sacrifice of the Masse is no Sacrament Lond. What doe you deny the presence of Christe in the Sacrament Phil. No my Lorde I deny not the presence of Christ in the Sacrament but I haue denyed the Sacrament of the Alter as it is vsed in your Masse to be the true Sacrament of Christes institution And first it must be proued a sacrament ere there can be any kind of presence graunted Lond. Why do you deny the Masse to be a Sacrament I pray you what is a Sacrament Is it not a signe of a holy thyng as saint Austine doth define it Phil. Yes verily that it is Lond. Then I make this argument vnto you A Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing but the Masse is a signe of a holy thing Ergo it is a Sacrament Phil. You must adde this to your Maior or fyrst proposition as saint Austine doth meane that a Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing instituted of God and commaunded for otherwise it can be no Sacrament for all men can not make a Sacrament Lond. I graunt that and such a signe of a holy thyng is the Masse of Christes institution Phil. I deny that my Lord Lond. I will proue this by S. Austine by and by I will go shew you the booke you shall haue any booke I haue that you wyll demaund Hoe who is without there call me M. Doct. Chadsey M. Archdeacon M. Cosins and other Chapleynes hyther Here my Lorde Maister Doctour Chadsey in gone to Westminster and Maister Archdeacon was here euen nowe Lond. M. Cosins I pray you examine him vpon these Articles and write his aunswere he maketh to euery one of them I will go examine his felowes and sende you S. Austine by and by I finde this man more conformable then he was before Cosins I trust my Lord you shall finde him at length a good Catholicke man Mary here be a sight of heresies I dare say you will hold none of them neither stand in any of them How say you to the first Phil. M. Cosins I haue tolde my Lord already that I will aunswere to none of these articles he hath obiected against me but if you will with learning aunswere to that which is in question betweene my Lorde and me I wyll gladly heare and common with you Cosins No wyll you Why what is that then which is in question betweene my Lord and you Phil. Whether your Masse be a Sacrament or no Cosins What the Masse to bee a Sacrament who euer
which say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of God but he that doth the will of the father And whosoeuer in the tyme of tryall is ashamed of me sayth Christ and of my wordes of him the sonne of man will be ashamed before his father After that wee haue built our selues into the true church of God it hath pleased him by geuing vs ouer into the hands of the wicked sinagoges to proue our building to haue it knowne as wel to the world as to our selues that we haue bene wise builders into the true church of God vpon the rock not on the sand therefore nowe the tempest is risen and the stormes doe mightily blow agaynst vs that wee might notwithstanding stand vpright and be firme in the Lord to his honor and glory and to our eternall felicitie There is no newe thing happened vnto vs for with such tāpests dangerous weathers the church of God hath continually bene exercised Nowe once agayne as the Prophet Aggeus telleth vs The Lord shaketh the earth that those might abide for euer which be not ouerthrowne Therefore my dearely beloued be stable and immoueble in the word of God and in the faythfull obseruation therof and let no man deceiue you with vayn words saying that you may keepe your faith to your selues and dissemble with Antichrist and so liue at rest and quietnes in the world as most men doe yelding to necessitie Thys is the wisedome of the fleshe but the wisedome of the fleshe is death and enmitie to God as our sauiour for ensāple aptly did declare in Peter who exhorted Christ not to goe to Ierusalem to celebrate the Passouer and there to be slayn but counselled him to looke better to himselfe Likewise the worlde woulde not haue vs to forsake it neither to associate our selues to the true churche which is the body of Christ whereof we are liuely members and to vse the sacramentes after Gods word with the danger of our liues But we must learne to answere the world as Christ did Peter and say Go behynd me Sathan thou fauourest not the thinges of God Shall I not drinke of the cup whiche the father geueth me For it is better to bee afflicted and to be slayne in the church of God then to be counted the sonne of the king and the sinagogue of false religion Death for righteousnes is not to be abhorred but rather to bee desired which assuredly bringeth with it the crowne of euerlasting glory These bloudy executioners do not persecute Christes martyrs but crowne them with euerlasting felicitie we were borne into this world to be witnesses vnto the truth both learned and vnlearned Now since the time is come that we must shew our fayth and declare whether we will be Gods seruauntes in righteousnes holines as we haue bene taught are boūd to follow or els with hipocrisie to serue vnrighteousnes let vs take good heed that we be found faithfull in the Lords couenaunt and true members of hys Churche in that which through knowledge we are engraffed from the whiche if we fall by transgression with the common sort of people it will more straightly be required of vs then many yet doe make accompt therof We cannot serue two maysters we may not halt on both sides and thinke to please God we must bee feruent in Gods cause or els hee will cast vs out from him For by the first commaundement wee are commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our mind with all our power and strength but they are manifest transgressours of this commaundement which with their heart mynde or bodely power doe communicate with a straunge religion contrary to the word of God in the papisticall Sinagogue which calleth it selfe the Church and is not As greatly do they offend God now which so doe as the Israelites did in tymes past by forsaking Ierusalē the true churche of God and by going to Bethell to serue God in a congregation of theyr owne setting vp and after theyr own imaginations and traditions for the which doyng God vtterly destroyed all Israell as all the Prophetes almost doe testifie This happened vnto them for our ensample that we might beware to haue any fellowship with any like congregation to our destruction God hath one Catholicke church dispersed throughout the world and therfore we are taught in our Creed to beleue one Catholicke Churche to haue communion therwith which catholicke churche is grounded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and of the Apostles and vpō none other as S. Paule witnesseth to the Ephesians Therfore whersoeuer we perceaue any people to worship God truly after the word there we may be certayne the churche of Christe to bee vnto the whiche we ought to associate oure selues to desire with the Prophet Dauid to prayse God in the middest of this churche But if we hehold through iniquitie of time segregations to be made with counterfayt religion otherwise then the word of God doth teach wee ought then if we be required to be companions therof to say agayne with Dauid I haue hated the Sinagogue of the malignant and will not sit with the wicked In the Apocalips the church of Ephesus is highly commended because she tried such as said they were Apostles and were not in deede therfore would not abide the company of them Further God commanded his people that they shuld not seek Bethel neither enter into Gilgal where idolatry was vsed by the mouth of his Prophet Amos. Also wee must consider that our bodyes be the tēple of God whosoeuer as S. Paule teacheth doth prophane the tēple of God him the Lord wil destroy May we thē take the tēple of Christ make it the mēber of an harlot All strange religion and Idolatry is counted whoredome with the Prophetes and that more detestable in the sight of God then the aduoutrous abuse of the bodye Therfore the Princes of the earthe in the reuelation of S. Iohn be sayd to go a whoring whē they are in loue with false religion and follow the same How then by any meanes may a christian man thinke it tollerable to be present at the popish priuate Masse which is the very prophanation of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and at other idolatrous worshippings and rites which be not after the word of God but rather to the derogation therof in setting mans traditions aboue Gods preceptes since God by his word iudgeth all straunge religion whiche is not according to his institutiō for whoredom aduoutry Some fondly think that the presence of the body is not materiall so that the hart doe not consent to theyr wicked doings But suche persons litle consider what S. Paule writeth to the Corinthians commaunding them to glorifie God as well in body as in soule Moreouer wee can doe no greater iniury to the true Church of Christ
then to seeme to haue forsaken her and disalow her by cleauing to her aduersary whereby it appeareth to others which be weake that we allow the same so contrary to the word do geue a great offence to the church of God and do outwardly sclaunder as much as menne may the truth of Christ. But woe be vnto hym by whom any such offence commeth Better it were for him to haue a milstone tyed about his necke and to bee caste into the bottome of the sea Such be traytors to the truth like vnto Iudas who with a kisse betrayed christ Our god is a gelous God and cannot be content that we should be of any other then of that vnspotted church whereof he is the hed onely and wherin he hath planted vs by baptisme Thys gelousy which God hath towards vs will cry for vengeance in the day of vengeance against al such as now haue so large consciences to do that which is contrary to Gods glory and the sinceritie of hys worde excepte they doe in time repent and cleaue vnseperable to the Gospel of christ how much soeuer at this present both men and women otherwise in theyr owne corrupt iudgement do flatter theÌ„selues God willeth vs to iudge vprightly and to allow follow that which is holy and acceptable in hys sight and to abstayne from all maner of euill and therfore Christ coÌ„maundeth vs in the Gospell to beware of the leauen of the Phariseis which is hipocrisie S. Paule to the Hebrues sayth if any man withdraw hymselfe from the fayth his soule shal haue no pleasure in hym therefore he sayth also That we are none suche as doe withdraw our selues into perdition but wee belong vnto sayth for the attaynment of life S. Iohn in the Apocalips telleth vs playnly that none of those who are written in the book of lyfe doe receaue the marke of the beast which is of the Papisticall Sinagogue eyther in theyr foreheades or els in theyr hands that is aparantly or obediently S. Paule to the Philippians affirmeth that wee may not haue any fellowship with the works of darkenes but in the middest of this wicked and froward generation we ought to shyne lyke lightes vpholding the word of truth Further hee sayth that wee may not touch anye vncleane thing Which signifieth that our outward conuersation in forreigne thinges ought to be pure and vndefiled as well as the inward that with a cleane spirite and rectified body we might serue God iustly in holines and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Finally in the 18. of the Apocalips God biddeth vs playnely to depart from this Babilonicall Synagogue not to be partakers of her trespasse S. Paule to the Thessalonians commaundeth vs in the name of the Lorde Iesus Chryst to withdraw our selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately and not according to the institution whych he had receaued of hym Ponder ye therfore well good brethren sisters these scriptures whiche be written for your crudition and reformation wherof one iot is not written in vayne which bee vtterlye agaynste all counterfait illusion to bee vsed of vs with the papysts in theyr phantastical religion and be aduersaryes to all them that haue so light coÌ„sciences in so doing and if they do not agree wyth thys aduersary I meane the word of God which is contrary to theyr atteÌ„pts he will as it is signified in the Gospell deliuer them to the Iudge which is Chryst and the Iudge will declare them to the executioner that is the deuill the deuil shal commit theÌ„ to the horrible prison of hell fire where is the portion of al hypocrites with sulphure and brimstone wyth waylyng gnashyng of teech world wythout ende But yet manye wyll say for theyr vayne excuse God is mercifull and hys mercy is ouer al. But the scripture teacheth vs that cursed is he that sinneth vpon hope of forgeuenes Truth it is that the mercy of God is aboue all his workes yet but vpon such as feare him for so is it written in the Psalmes The mercy of God is on theÌ„ that feare him and on such as put theyr trust in him Wher we may learn that they only put theyr trust in God that feare hym to feare God is to turne from euil and to do that is good So that such as do looke to be partakers of Gods mercy may not abide in that which is known to be manifest euil and detestable in the sight of god An other sort of persons doe make them a cloke for the rayne vnder the pretence of obedience to the Magistrates whome we ought to obey although they bee wicked But such must learne of Christ to geue to Caesar that is Cesars and to God that is due to God and with saint Peter to obey the hyher powers in the Lord albeit they bee euill if they commaund nothing contrary to Gods word otherwise we ought not to obey theyr commaundementes although we shoulde suffer death therefore as wee haue the Apostles for our example herein to follow who aunswered the magistrates as we ought to do in this case not obeying their wicked preceptes saying Iudge you whether it be more righteous that we should obey man rather then God Also Daniell chose rather to be cast into the denne of Lions to be deuoured theÌ„ to obey the kings wicked coÌ„mandements If the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch There is no excuse for the transgression of Gods worde whether a man do it voluntarily or at commaundement although great damnation is to theÌ„ by whom the offence commeth Some other there be that for an extreme refuge in their euil doings do ruÌ„ to gods predestinatioÌ„ electioÌ„ saying that if I be elected of god to saluation I shal be saued whatsoeuer I do But such be great tempters of GOD and abhominable blasphemers of GODS holy election and cast them selues downe from the pinacle of the temple in presumption that God may preserâ—â— them by his aungels through predestination Suche verily may recken themselues to be none of Gods elect children that will doe euill that good may ensue whose damnation is iust as S. Paule sayth Gods predestination and election ought to be with a simple eye coÌ„sidered to make vs more warely to walke in good godly coÌ„uersation according to Gods word not to set cocke in the hoope and put all on Gods backe to do wickedly at large for the elect childreÌ„ of God must walk in righteousnes holynes after that they be once called to true knowledge For so sayth S. Paule to the EphesiaÌ„s That God hath chosen vs before the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of the world were layd that we should be holy blameles in his sight Therfore S. Peter willeth vs through good workes to make our vocation electioÌ„ certaine to our selues which we know not but by the good workyng of
is a worker of that which is by nature for commonly such as be vngodly be vnnatural only louers of themselues as daily experience teacheth vs. The lyuing Lord which through the incorruptible sede of his worde hath begotten you to be my liege sister geue you grace so to growe in that generation that you may encrease to a perfect age in the Lord to be my sister with Christ for euer Looke therfore that you continue a faythfull sister as you are called and are godly entered not onely to me but to all the Church of Christ yea to Christ himselfe who voucheth you in this your vnfayned fayth worthy to bee his sister Consider this dignitie to surmount all the vayne dignities of the worlde let it accordingly preuayle more with you then all earthly delightes For therby you are called to an equall portion of the euerlasting inheritaunce of Christ if now in no wise you do shew your selfe an vnnaturall sister to him in forsaking him in trouble which I trust you will neuer for no kinde of worldly respect doe You are vnder daungerous temptations to be turned frō that naturall loue you owe vnto Christ and you shal be tryed with Gods people thorough a siue of great afflictiō for so Sathan desireth vs to be sifted that through feare of sharp troubles we might fall from the stablenes of our fayth and so be depriued of that honour ioy and reward which is prepared for such as continue faythfull brothers and sisters in the Lordes couenant to the ende Therfore the wise man in the booke of Ecclesiasticus biddeth them that come to the seruice of the Lorde To prepare them selues to suffer temptations Since then that for the glory of God and our faith we are called now to abide the brunt of them and that when our aduersary hath done all that he can yet wee may be stable and stand this Christ our first begotten brother loketh for at our handes and all our brethren and sisters in heauen desire to see our faith thorough afflictions to be perfecte that we might fulfil their number and the vniuersal church here militant reioyceth at our constancie whom al by the contrary we should make sorie to the daunger of the losse both of body and soule Feare not therfore what soeuer be threatned of the wicked world prepare your back and see it be ready to carye Christes crosse And if you see any vntowardnes in you as the flesh is continually repugnant to the will of God aske with faithfull praier that the good spirit of God may lead your sinful flesh whether it would not for if we will dwell in the flesh and folow the counsell therof we shall neuer doe the will of God neither worke that tendeth to our saluation You are at this present in the confines and borders of Babylon where you are in danger to drink of the whores cup vnles you be vigilant in praier Take hede the Serpent seduce you not frō the simplicitye of your faith as he did our first mother Eue. Let no worldly felowship make you partaker of iniquitie He that toucheth tarre can not but be defiled therby With such as be peruerse a mā shall sone be peruerted with the holy you shal be holy Therfore say continually with the Prophete Dauid Vnto the Saints that be on the earth al my wil is on them You haue bene sanctified and made pure thorough the truth take heede you be not vnholied and vndefiled lest the last be worse then the first I wryte not this because I stand in any doubt of your sincere continuance of the which I haue had so good experience but because the daies be euil and in the same it is the duety of euery one of vs to exhort an other I am bold to put you my good sister in remembrance of that which doth not a litle comfort me to remember in my troubles daily temptations Wherfore I doubt not you will take that in good part which commeth frō your brother both in spirit body who tendreth your saluation as earnestly as his owne that we might ioye together eternally with such ioy as the world shal neuer be able to take from vs. Thankes be vnto God you haue begon to run a good great time wel in the waies of the Lorde run out of the trace to the end which you haue begon then shall you receiue the crown of glory None shal be crouned but such as lawfully striueth Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euil with good the Lorde shall make you one of those faithfull virgines that shal follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth the which Christ graunt both you and me Amen Commend me to all them that loue me in the Lord vnfainedly God encrease our faith and geue vs neuer to be ashamed of his Gospell That same request which I haue made to my brother Thom. I make also to you desiring you by all meanes you can to accōplish my request that my sureties might be satisfied with that is mine owne to the contentation of my minde which can not be quiet vntill they be discharged therefore I pray you help to purchase quietnes that I might depart out of this worlde in peace My dissolution I looke for daily but the Lorde knoweth howe vnworthy I am of so high an honour as to die for the testimony of his truth Pray that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy as he hath don of long imprisonment for the which his name be praised for euer Pray and looke for the comming of the Lorde whose wrath is great ouer vs and I wil pray for you as long as I liue The 9. of Iuly in the kings Bench. Your owne louing brother as well in faith as in body Iohn Philpot. An other Letter of Iohn Philpot to certaine Godly brethren THe grace of God the Father and the peace of our sauiour Iesus Christ his eternall sonne and the consolation of the holy Ghost our comforter strengthen your hearts and cōfort your mindes that you maye reioyce and liue in the truthe of Christes Gospel to the ende Amen I doe much reioyce dearely beloued in the Lord to heare of your cōstant faith in the word of God which you haue so purely receiued which doe not with the wordlings decline frō the purity therof albeit ye suffer grief trouble therby for the which I praise God most hartely and the Lord of all strength who hath begon this good woorke in you make it perfite to the ende as I doubt not but he wil for the faithful zeale ye haue to his truth to his afflicted church Therfore that ye may the better stand and beare the brunte of many temptations which you are like to be assaulted withall in these wicked and stormie daies I thought it good as it is the duety of one christian man to exhort an other in the time of trouble
that haue died in the Lord from the beginning of the world Is not this more then an 100. fold Is not the peace of God which we in this world haue through faithfull imitation of Christ which the world can not take from vs x. M. fold more then those thinges that moste highly be esteemed in the worlde without the peace of God Al the peace of the world is no peace but mere anguish and a gnawing fury of hel As of late God hath set example before our eyes to teach vs how horrible an euill it is to forsake the peace of Christes truth which breedeth a worm in conscience that neuer shall rest O that we would way this with indifferent ballances Then shoulde we not be dismaied of this troublous time neyther sorrow after a worldly manner for the losse which we are now lyke to sustaine as the weake faithlesse persones do which loue theyr goods more then God and the things visible aboue those which be inuisible but rather would heartely reioyce and be thankful that it pleaseth God to call vs to be souldiours in his cause against the woorkes of hypocrisie and to make vs like vnto oure Sauiour Christ in suffering whereby we maye assure our selues of his eternall glory For blessed are they sayth Christ that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake And as S. Paule witnesseth to Timothe If we die with Christ we shall liue with Christ and if we deny him he will deny vs. O that wee woulde enter into the veile of Gods promises Then should we wyth S. Paule to the Phillippians reiect all and count all things but for drosse so that we may gaine Christ. God which is the lightener of all darkenesse and putter awaye of all blindnesse annoynte oure eyes with the true eyesalue that wee might beholde his glory and our eternall felicitie which is hidden with Christ and prepared for vs that doe abide in his Testament for blessed is that seruaunte that whome the maister when he commeth as Christ sayde doth finde faithfull Let vs therefore watch and pray one for an other that we yelde not in any poynt of our Religion to the Antichristian Synagogue and that we be not ouerthrowen of these temptations Stande therefore and be no cowardes in the cause of your saluation for his spirite that is in vs is stronger then he which in the worlde doth nowe rage against vs. Let vs not put out the spirit of God from vs by whose might we shall ouercome our ennemies and then death shall be as greate a gaine to vs as it was to the blessed Apostle S. Paule Why then doe ye mourne why do ye weepe why be ye so carefull as though God had forsaken you hee is neuer more present with vs then when we be in trouble if we doe not forsake hym We are in his handes and no bodye can doe vs anye iniurie or wrong without his good will and pleasure He hath commaunded hys aungels to kepe vs that we stomble not at a stone without his diuine prouidence The Deuill can not hurt anye of vs and muche lesse any of his ministers without the good will of our eternall father Therefore let vs be of good comfort and continuallye geue thankes vnto God for our estate what so euer it be for if we murmure against the same wee murmure against God who sendeth the same Which if we doe we kicke but against the pricke and prouoke more the wrath of God against vs which by pacient suffering otherwise would sooner be turned into our fauor through faithfull prayer I beseeche you with S. Paule to geue your bodies pure and holy sacrifices vnto God He hath geuen vs bodies to bestowe vnto his glory and not after our owne concupiscence If manye yeares God hathe suffered vs to vse oure bodies which bee his temples after the lust of the flesh in vaine delightes not according to his glory is it not our duetie in the latter end of our life the more willingly to yeelde vnto Gods glory our bodies with all that wee haue in demonstration of true repentaunce of that we haue euill spent before Cannot the ensample of the blessed man Iob horribly afflicted cause vs to say The Lord hathe geuen it the Lorde hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord Euen as it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to passe If we cast oure whole care likewise vpon God he will turne our misery into felity as well as he did to Iob. God tempteth vs now as he did our father Abraham commaunding him to slaye his sonne Isaac in sacrifice to him which Isaac by interpretation doth signifie mirth and ioy Who by his obedience preserued Isaac vnto long lyfe and offered in his stead a Ramme that was tied by the hornes in the brambles Semblably we all are commanded to sacrifice vnto God our Isaac which is our ioy and consolation the which if we be ready to do as Abraham was our ioy shall not pearish but liue and be encreased although our ramme be sacrificed for our Isaac which doth signifie that the pride and cōcupiscence of our flesh entangled thoroughe sinne with the cares of this stinginge world must be mortified for the preseruation and perfecte augmētation of our mirth ioy which is sealed vp for vs in Christ. And to withstande these present temptations wherewithall we are nowe encombred ye can not haue a better remedy then to set before our eyes howe our Sauiour Christ ouercame them in the desert and to follow his ensample that if the deuill hymselfe or any other by him willeth you to make stones bread that is to take suche a worldly wise way that yee may haue your faire houses landes and goodes to liue on still yee must say that man liueth not onely by bread but by euery woorde that procedeth out of the mouth of God Againe if the deuill counsailleth you to cast youre selues downe to the earth as to reuoke your sincere beliefe and Godly conuersation and to be conformable to the learned men of the world pretending that God will be wel enough content therewith yee must aunsweare that it is wrytten that a man shall not tempt his Lord God Further if the deuill offer you large promises of honoure dignitie and possessions so that yee will worshippe Idols in hys Synagogue ye must say goe behinde me Sathan for it is otherwise wrytten that a man must worship his Lorde God and serue him onely Finally if your mother brother sister wife childe kinsman or frend do seeke of you to do otherwaies then the word of God hath taught you ye must say with Christ that they are your mothers brothers sisters wiues children and kinsmen whiche doe the wil of God the father To the which wil the Lord for his mercy conforme vs all vnfainedly to the end Amen Your louing and faithful brother in Christ in captiuitie Iohn Philpot. An. 1555· To his friend and faithfull
lawes which doe threaten a greate ruine vnto Englande O that the Lorde woulde tourne his iust iudgements vppon the authours of the truce breaking betweene God and vs that they myghte be broughte lowe as Nabuchodonosor was that his people might be deliuered and his glorye exalted God graunte that that good lucke which you hope shortly to come vppon the house of God be a true prophecie and not a well wishing onely Ah Lorde take away thy heauie hande from vs and stretch it out vpon thine ennemies these hypocrites as thou hast begon that they may be confounded O let not the weake pearish for want of knowledge through our sinnes Although thou kill vs yet will we put our trust in thee Thus deare heart you teache me to pray with you in wryting God heare our praiers and geue vs the spirite of effectuall prayer to poure out our harts cōtinually together before God that we may find mercy both for our selues and for our afflicted brethren and sistern I can not but praise God in you for that pitifull heart that taketh other folkes calamities to heart as your owne Blessed be they that mourne for suche shall be comforted God wipe away all teares from your pitifull eies and sorrow frō your merciful heart that you may as doutles you shal do shortly reioyce with his elects for euer You haue so armed me to the Lordes battell both inwardly and outwardly that except I be a very coward I can not faint but ouercome by death You haue appointed me to so good and gracious a General of the field to so victorious a Captaine and to so fauorable a Marshall that if I should not goe on lustely there were no spectacle of heauenlye manhode in me I wil present your coate armour before my Captaine and in the same I trust by him to ouercome The Scarffe I desire as an outward signe to shew our enemies who see not our glorious ende neither what God worketh inwardly in vs thorough the blindnesse of their hearts that they persecute Christes crosse in vs whereby he hath sealed vp the truthe of his Gospell by his death vnto vs that we by our death if neede be myghte confirme the same and neuer be ashamed whatsoeuer torment we doe suffer for his names sake and our weake brethren seeing the same mighte be more encouraged to take vp Christes crosse and to followe him God geue vs grace to doe all thinges to his glory Amen c. The world wondreth how we can be mery in such extreeme misery but our God is omnipotent which tourneth misery into felicity Beleue me deare sister there is no such ioy in the worlde as the people of Christ haue vnder the crosse I speake by experience therfore beleue me and feare nothing that the world can do vnto you For when they imprison our bodies they sette our soules at liberty with God When they cast vs downe they lift vs vp yea when they kill vs then doe they bring vs to euerlasting life And what greater glorye can there be then to be at conformitie with Christ which afflictions do worke in vs. God open our eies to see more and more the glorye of God in the crosse of Iesus Christe and make vs woorthy partakers of the same Let vs reioyce in nothing with S. Paul but in the crosse of Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified vnto vs and wo to the worlde The crosse of Christ be our standard to fight vnder for euer Whiles I am thus talking with you of our common cōsolation I forget howe I trouble you with my rude and vnordinate tediousnesse but you must impute it to loue which can not quickely departe from them whome hee loueth but desireth to poure himselfe into their bosomes Therefore though your flesh woulde be offended as it might iustly be at such rudenesse yet your spirit will say nay which taketh all thing in good part that commeth of loue And now I am departing yet will I take my leaue ere I goe and woulde faine speake somewhat that might declare my sincere loue to you for euer farewell O elect vessell of the Lorde to the comfort of hys afflicted flocke farewell on earth whome in heauen I am sure I shall not forget Farewell vnder the crosse most ioyfully and vntil we meete alwaies remember what Christe sayeth Be of good cheare for I haue ouercome the world c. God poure his spirit abundantly vpon you mine owne deare bowels in Christ vntil you may come to see the God of all Gods with his electes in the euerlasting Syon I send to you the kisse of peace with the which I do most entirely take my leaue of you at this present It is necessary we depart hence or els we could not be glorified Your heart is heauy because I say I must depart from you It is the calling of the mercifull father wherewithal you are contēt and so am I. Be of good comfort holde out your buckler of faith for by the strength therof we shal shortly mete in eternal glory to the which Christ bring both vs Amen Amen The 10. of December 1555. Death why should I feare thee since thou canst not hurt me But rid me from miserie vnto eternall glorie Dead to the world and liuing to Christ your owne brother sealed vp in the veritie of the Gospel for euer Iohn Philpot. An other letter of M. Philpot wrytten to the same Lady being a great supporter of hym I Can not but most hartily geue God thāks for these hys gifts in you whose brightnes many beholding that are weake are muche encouraged to seeke God likewise to cleaue to him hauing the ensample of so faithful and constant a gentlewoman before their eyes If the Queene of the South shall rise with the men of Christes generation and condemne them for that she came from the end of the world to heare the wisedome of Salomon then shal your sincere and godly conuersation thus shining in this dangerous time of the trial of christes people being a womā of a right worshipfull estate and wealthy condition condemne in the latter day a great many of these faint harted gospellers which so soone be gone backe and turned from the truth at the voyce of a handmaiden seeing that neyther the feare of imprisonment neither the possessions of the world wherwtal you are sufficiently indued aboue a great many can separate you from the loue of the truthe which God hath reueled vnto you Wherby it appeareth that the seede of Gods word which was sown in you fel not neitheir in the high way neither amōg the thorns neither vpō the stones but vpon a good ground which is blessed of god and bringeth forth fruit with great affliction an 100. fold to the glory of God and the encrease of his church c. In consideration wherof S. Iames biddeth vs highly to reioyce when soeuer we fall into many temptations knowing that it is but the
present doe testifie that they neuer sawe in any chylde more teares then brast oute from hym at that time all the Sermone while but specially when he recited hys Prayer before the people It is marueilous what commiseration and pitye mooued all mennes hearts that behelde so heauie a countenaunce and suche aboundance of teares in an olde man of so reuerende dignitie Cole after he had ended his Sermon called backe the people that were ready to departe to prayers Brethren sayde he least any man should doubt of thys mans earnest conuersion and repentaunce you shall heare hym speake before you and therefore I pray you master Cranmer that you will now perfourme that you promised not long agoe namely that you woulde openly expresse the true and vndoubted profession of your faith that you may take away all suspition from men and that all men may vnderstand that you are a Catholicke in deede I wil doe it sayde the Archbyshop and wyth a good will who by and by rising vppe and putting of hys cappe beganne to speake thus vnto the people I desire you well beloued brethren in the Lorde that you will praye to God for mee to forgeeue me my sinnes whyche aboue all menne both in noumber and greatnesse I haue committed But among all the rest there is one offence which of all at thys time doth vexe and trouble me wherof in processe of my talk you shall heare more in hys proper place and then putting hys hande into hys bosome hee drewe foorth his Prayer which hee recited to the people in thys sense The Prayer of Doctour Cranmer Archbyshop GOod Christen people my dearly beloued brethren and sisters in Christ I beseech you most hartely to pray for me to almighty God that he wil forgeue me al my sinnes and offences which be many without number and great aboue measure But yet one thing grieueth my conscience more then all the rest whereof God willing I entende to speake more heereafter But howe great and howe many soeuer my sinnes be I beseeche you to pray God of hys mercy to pardon and forgeue them all And heere kneling downe he sayd O Father of heauen O sonne of God redeemer of the worlde O holy Ghoste three persones and one God haue mercye vppon me moste wretched caitife and miserable sinner I haue offended both againste heauen and earth more then my tounge can expresse Whether then may I goe or whether should I flie To heauen I may be ashamed to lifte vp mine eyes and in earth I finde no place of refuge or succour To thee therefore O Lorde doe I runne to thee doe I humble my selfe saying O Lorde my God my sinnes be great but yet haue mercye vppon me for thy great mercy The great mysterie that God became man was not wrought for little or fewe offences Thou diddest not geue thy sonne O heauenly father vnto death for smal sinnes onely but for all the greatest sinnes of the world so that the sinner returne to thee with his whole heart as I do here at this present Wherefore haue mercye on mee O God whose propertie is alwayes to haue mercy haue mercy vpon me O Lord for thy great mercy I craue nothing for mine owne merites but for thy names sake that it maye be hallowed thereby and for thy deare sonne Iesus Christes sake And nowe therefore Our father of heauen halowed be thy name c. And then he rising sayde Euery man good people desireth at that time of their death to geue some good exhortation that other maye remember the same before theyr death be the better thereby so I beseche God graunt me grace that I may speake some thyng at thys my departing whereby God may be glorified and you edified First it is an heauy case to see that so many folke be so much doted vpon the loue of this false world and so carefull for it that of the loue of God or the world to come they seeme to care very little or nothing Therefore this shal be my first exhortation that you sette not your mindes ouer much vpon thys glosing world but vpon God and vpon the world to come and to learne to know what this lesson meaneth whych s. Iohn teacheth that the loue of this world is hatred against God The seconde exhortation is that next vnder God you obey your King and Queene willingly and gladly without murmuring or grudging not for feare of them onely but much more for the feare of God knowing that they be Gods ministers appoynted by God to rule and gouerne you and therefore who soeuer resisteth them resisteth the ordinance of God The third exhortatiō is that you loue altogether lyke brethren and sisters For alasse pitie it is to see what contention and hatred one Christen man beareth to an other not taking cache other as brother and sister but rather as strangers and mortall ennemies But I pray you learne and beare well away this one lesson to doe good vnto all men asmuch as in you lieth and to hurt no man no more then you would hurt your owne naturall louing brother or sister For thys you maye be sure off that who soeuer hateth any person and goeth about maliciously to hinder or hurte hym surely and wythout all doubte God is not wyth that man although he thinke himself neuer so much in Gods fauour The fourth exhortation shall be to them that haue great substance riches of this world that they will well consider and weigh three sayinges of the Scripture One is of our Sauiour Christ him selfe who sayeth It is harde for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen A sore saying and yet spoken of hym that knoweth the truth The second is of S. Iohn whose saying is thys Hee that hath the substaunce of this worlde and seeth hys brother in necessitie and shutteth vp his mercy from him howe can he saye that hee loueth God The third is of S Iames who speaketh to the couetous riche man after thys maner Weepe you and howle for the miserie that shall come vpon you your riches do rotte your clothes be mothe eaten your golde and siluer doeth canker and rust and their rust shall beare witnesse against you and consume you like fire you gather a hoarde or treasure of Gods indignation against the last day Let them that be riche ponder well these three sentences for if they had occasion to shew their charitie they haue it now at this present the poore people being so many and victuals so deare And now for as much as I am come to the last end of my life whereupon hangeth al my life past and all my life to come either to liue with my maister Christe for euer in ioy or els to be in paine for euer with wicked Deuilles in hell I see before mine eyes presently either heauen ready to receiue me or els hell ready to swallow me vppe I shall
the sayde moste wholesom preceptes geuen vs of oure maister Christe and of hys Apostles and nowe in thys troublesome time wherein the Gospell is persecuted shewe our selues fearefull souldiours as it is manifestly declared in the Reuelation of S. Iohn where it is wrytten That the fearefull shall haue theyr parte wyth the vnbeleeuing and abhominable in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the seconde death Agayne it is wrytten in the same Booke for our warnyng Because thou art betwixt both and neither colde nor hote I wil spew thee out of my mouth Now therefore good christians these true testimonies of Gods liuely woord deepely considered and weighed let vs chiefly stand in awe of his most terrible iudgementes and be not as they that presumptuously tempt hym Lette him alwayes be our feare and dread He nowe chasteneth he nowe nourtereth vs for oure profite deliting in vs euen as a louing Father in his beloued childe to make vs perfecte and to haue vs to be partakers of his holynesse Hee nowe iudgeth vs not vtterly taking away hys euerlasting loue and mercy from vs as he doth from the malignant wicked that we should not be condemned with the wicked world but if we now refuse his moste louyng chastising and folow the worlde we must nedes haue our portion with the worlde Wide is the gate and broade is the way whych leadeth to destruction and many there be whych goe in thereat But straite is the gate and narowe is the waye that leadeth vnto life and fewe there bee that finde it O howe muche better is it to goe thys narrowe waye with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a time In consideration whereof let vs wythout any more slackinge and further delaies in thys greate warninge by Gods louing visitation submit our selues betime vnder hys mighty hand that he may exalte vs when the tyme is come And thus I wholely commit you to him and to the woorde of hys grace which is able to build further beseeching you most heartily to pray for me that I may be strong through the power of his might and stande perfect in all things being alwaies prepared and ready looking for the mercy of our Lorde vnto eternall rest and I will pray for you as I am most bounde So I trust he will graciously heare vs for hys promise sake made vnto all Faithfull in hys dearely beloued sonne Christe oure alone Sauioure whose grace be wyth your spirite most deare Christians for euer So be it By your Christian brother Iohn Hullier a prisoner of the Lorde Iohn Hullyer being of long time prisonner and nowe openly iudged to die for the testimony of the Lord Iesus wisheth hartely to the whole cōgregation of God the strength of his holy spirit to their euerlasting health both of body and soule I Nowe most deare Christians hauing the sweete comfort of Gods sauing health and being confirmed with hys free spirit be he only praised therefore am constrayned in my conscience thinkyng it my verye duetie to admonishe you as ye tender the saluation of your soules by al maner of meanes to separate youre selues from the companie of the Popes hirelings considering what is sayd in the Reuelation of S. Iohn by the Aungell of God touching all men The woordes be these If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drinke the wine of the wrathe of God whiche is powred into the cuppe of his wrathe and hee shall be punished with fire and brimstone before the holye Angels and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore Marke well heere good Christians who is this beast and worshippers that shal be partakers of that vnspeakeable torment This beast is none other but the carnal fleshly kingdome of Antichrist the Pope with his rabble of false Prophets and Ministers as it is most manifest which to maintaine theyr high titles worldly promotions and dignities do with much cruelty daily more and more setforth and establish theyr owne traditions decrees decretalles contrary to Gods holy ordinaunces statutes lawes and commaundements and wholy repugnante to his sincere and pure religion and true woorshipping Nowe what doe they els but worshyp this Beast and his Image who after they had once already escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet agayne tangled therin and ouercome vsing dissimulation vnfaithfully for feare of theyr displeasure doing one thing outwardly and thinking inwardly an other so hauing them in reuerence vnder a cloke and colour to whō they ought not so much as to say God speede and adioyning themselues to the malignant congregation whych they oughte to abhorre as a den of theeues and murtherers and as the Brothel house of moste blasphemous fornicators whose voyces beynge contrary to Christes voyce if they were of his flocke they would not knowe but would flee from them as he hymselfe being the good shepeheard of our soules doth full wel in his holy gospel testify Againe what do they els I pray you but receiue the Beastes marke in theyr forheads and in theyr handes whych doe beare a faire face and countenaunce outwardly in supporting them as other do being ashamed onely to confesse Christe and hys holy Gospell But thys fainednesse and dissimulation Christe and hys Gospel will in no wise allowe Of whome it is sayd Who soeuer shall be ashamed of mee and of my woordes in thys adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shal come in the glory of his father with his holy Angels Therefore sayeth almighty God by hys Prophet Malachie Curssed be the dissemblers Yee were once lyghtened and tasted of the heauenlye gifte and were become partakers of the holy Ghost and tasted of the word of God and of the power of the worlde to come And oure Sauiour Christ sayth No man that putteth hys hande to the ploughe and looketh backe is apte for the kingdome of GOD. Therefor S. Iohn the Apostle vseth this for a manyfest token that the backsliding from the true preachers of Gods woord declareth euidently that they be not of the number of them For sayeth he They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs no doubt they woulde haue continued wyth vs. Surely so long as we vse dissimulation and to play on both hādes we are not in the light For what soeuer is manifest the same is light as the elect vessell of God S. Paule witnesseth Wherfore good Christians for Gods most dear loue deceiue not your selues through your own wisedom and through the wisedome of the worlde which is foolishnesse before God but certifye and stay your owne conscience with the sure truth and faithfull woord of
first what he will say to his owne handy worke Ieffrey Ye say truth Tell me Palmer art thou he that wrote this faire volume Looke vpon it Palmer I wrote it in deede and gathered it out of the scripture Ieffrey Is this doggish rime yours also Looke Palmer I wrote this I deny not Ieffrey And what say you to these Latine verses entituled Epicidion c. Are they yours too Palmer Yea sir. Ieffrey Art thou not ashamed to affirme it It came of no good spirit that thou didst both raile at the dead slander a learned and Catholike man yet alyue Palmer If it be a slander he hath slandered hymselfe For I do but report hys owne writyng open the folly therin declared And I recken it no railyng to inuey agaynst Annas and Caiphas beyng dead Ieffrey Sayest thou so I will make thee recant it and wryng Peccaui out of your lying lyppes ere I haue done with thee Palmer But I know that although of my selfe I bee able to do nothyng yet if you and all myne enemies both bodily and ghostly should do your worst you shall not be able to bryng that to passe neither shall ye preuaile agaynst Gods mighty spirit by whom we vnderstand the truth and speake it boldly Ieffrey Ah are you ful of the spirit Are you inspired with the holy ghost Palmer Sir no man can beleeue but by the inspiration of the holy ghost Therfore If I were not a spirituall man and inspired with Gods holy spirite I were not a true christian Qui spiritum Christi non habet hic non est eius i. He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Ieffrey I perceyue you lacke no words Palmer Christ hath promised not onely to geue vs store of words necessary but with them such force of matter as the gates of hell shall not be able to confound or preuayle agaynst it Ieffrey Christ made such a promise to his Apostles I trow you will not compare with them Palmer With the holy Apostles I may not compare neyther haue I any affiaunce in myne owne wit or learnyng which I know is but small yet this promise I am certain pertaineth to all such as are appoynted to defende Gods truth against hys enemies in the tyme of their persecution for the same Ieffrey Then it pertaineth not to thee Palmer Yes I am right well assured that thorough hys grace it pertaineth at this present to me as it shal I dout not appeare if you geue me leaue to dispute wyth you before this audience in the defence of all that I haue there written Ieffrey Thou art but a beardlesse boy starte vp yesterday out of the schooles and darest thou presume to offer disputation or to encounter with a Doctor Palmer Remember M. Doctour Spiritus vbi vult spirat And agayne Ex ore infantium c. And in another place Abscondisti haec a sapientibus c. i. The spirit breatheth whē it pleaseth hym c. Out of the mouth of Infants c. And thou hast hidden these thyngs from the wyse c. God is not tyed to tyme wit learnyng place nor person And although your wit and learnyng be greater then myne yet your beliefe in the truth and zeale to defend the same is not greater then myne Register Sir if you suffer hym thus impudently to trifle with you he will neuer haue done Ieffrey Wel ye shal vnderstand that I haue it not in commission at this present to dispute with you neither were it meete that we should call againe into question such Articles as are already discussed and perfectly defined by our mother the holy Church whom we ought to beleue without why or wherefore as the Creede telleth vs. But the cause why ye be now called hither is that ye might be examined vpon such articles as are ministred against you such matter as is here conteined in your hand writyng that it may be seene whether you will stand to it or nay How say you to this Palmer By your holy church you meane the Sinagogue of Rome which is not vniuersall but a perticular Church of shauelyngs The catholike church I beleeue yet not for her owne sake but because she is holy that is to say a Church that groundeth her beliefe vpon the word of her spouse Christ. Ieffrey Leaue railing answer me directly to my questiō Will ye stand to your writing or will ye not Palmer If ye prooue any sentence therein comprised not to stand with Gods word I will presently recant it Ieffrey Thou impudent fellow haue I not told thee that I came not to dispute with thee but to examine thee Here the parson of Inglefield pointing to the pixe said What seest thou yonder Palmer A canapie of silke brodered with gold Person Yea but what is within it Palmer A piece of bread in a clout I trow Person Thou art as froward an heretike as euer I talked with all Here was much spoken of Confiteor and other partes of the Masse Person Do you not beleeue that they which receiue the holy Sacrament of the aultar do truly eate Christes natural body Palmer If the Sacrament of the Lordes supper bee ministred as Christ did ordaine it the faithfull receiuers do in deed spiritually and truely eate and drinke in it Christes very naturall body and bloud Person The faithfull receiuers ye cannot bleare our eies with such Sophistry Doe not all maner receiuers good bad faithfull and vnfaithfull receiue the very natural body in forme of bread Palmer No sir. Person How prooue you that Palmer By this place Qui manducat me viuet propter me i. He that eateth me shall lyue for me Person See that fond fellow whiles he taketh himselfe to be a Doctor of the law you shall see me prooue him a stark foolish dawe Do you not read likewise Quicunque inuocauerit nomen domini saluus erit id est Whosoeuer inuocateth the name of the Lord shall be saued Ergo Doe none but the godly call vppon hym therefore you must marke how S. Paul answereth you He sayth that the wicked do eate the true body to their condemnation As Palmer was bent to aunswere him at the full the Person interrupted hym crying still what sayest thou to S. Paule Palmer I say that S. Paule hath no such wordes Person See the impudent fellow denieth the playne text Qui edit bibit corpus Domini indignè reus erit Iudicij i. He that eateth and drinketh the body of the Lord vnworthily is guiltie of iudgement Palmer I beseech you lend me your booke Person Not so The Shiriffe I pray you lend hym your booke So the booke was geuen ouer to hym Palmer Your owne booke hath Qui manducat hunc panem c. i. He that eateth this bread Person But S. Hieromes translation hath Corpus Palmer Not so M. Parson and God bee praysed that I haue in the meane season shut
fire and there also with the sely mother most cruelly burnt In teÌ„der consideration whereof and for so much as this bloudy murther was not in due order of any law or in any maner according to iustice but of meere malicious hatred as the true copy of the whole procedinges in this matter by the sayd Deane and his accomplices here ready to be shewed to your honours will make very playne and manifest It may therefore please your good and gracious Lordships of the zeale that you beare to iustice and for our Lord Iesu Christes sake to haue due consideration in iustice of such horrible murther so cruelly committed as aforesayd according to the right demerite therof And that it may please your honourable Lordships to order decree also that all the goods of all the sayd parties by pretence aforesayd wrongfully taken as confiscate may be deliuered to your sayd poore beseecher to whom of right they do belong And your honors sayd Suppliant will dayly pray to God for your long preseruation to his glory and your euerlasting health This supplication being presented in maner aforesaid to the Queenes honourable Commissioners in the yeare 1562. such order therein was taken that the matter beyng returned agayne downe to the sayd country further to be examined the Deane therupon was committed to prison and dispossessed of all his liuinges So that in conclusion both he and all other partakers of that bloudy murther whether of conscience or feare of the law were driuen not long after to acknowledge theyr trespasse and to submitte themselues to the Queenes Pardon The tenour of whose seuerall submissioÌ„s as they are left in the Rolles I thought here to publish to the world for a memoriall of more truth of this story * The seuerall submission of certayne Garnesey men confessing theyr trespasse in the wrongfull condemnation of the three women aboue specified HElyer Gosseline of the Parish of Saynt Peter le porte in Garnesey Marchaunt Nicholas Carie the elder Iohn Marchant Peter Bonamie of the Parish of Saint Martin and Nicholas Martin Sonne of Iohn hauyng humbly submitted themselues to the Queenes most excellent Maiestye acknowledging theyr erroneous Iudgementes aswell agaynst Katherine Cawches and Guillemine and Perotine her two Daughters and the Infant of the sayd Perotine executed by fire for supposed heresy as also for the acquiting of Nicholas Normain a wilfull murtherer and other matters conteined in theyr seuerall Submissions praye the Queenes Maiestyes Pardon for the sayd crimes and others coÌ„mitted in theyr seuerall submissions Iohn Blondell the elder of the Parish of Saynt Sauiour within the Isle of Garnesey vppon lyke Submission and acknowledging of his offence prayth like grace and Pardon for his consent geuen to the execution of the sayd three women Richard de Uike of the Parish of saynt Peter le port Marchant prayeth like grace and pardon for his consent and Iudgement geuen for the acquitting of the sayd Norman according to his Supplication and Submission late presented by Peter Bonamie the same De Uike and Peter Pelley of the Parish of Saynt Peter le port Marchauntes The sayd Peter Pelley prayeth the benefite of the said Pardon to be extended vnto him according to his submismission in the sayd supplication Iaques Amy Clerke prayeth the benefite of the sayde pardon for his sentence with the Clergies against the said women according to his Submission Thomas Effart of the Parish of Saynt Peter le port humbly prayeth as procurour lawfully constituted by the Chapiter Bailiffe and Iurates that the same pardoÌ„ may extend to acquite all the inhabitantes of the sayd Isle of the arrerages c. ¶ The Copy of the Queenes pardon folowing vpon ther Submission as in forme here vnder ensueth REgina omnibus ad quos c. Salutem Sciatis quod nos de gratia nostra speciali ac ex certa scientia mero motu nostris pardonauimus remissimus relaxauimus ac pro nobis haeredibus successoribus nostris per praesentes pardonamus remittimus relaxamus Hillerio Gosselyne de Parochia sancti Petri in Portu infra insulam nostram de Garnesey Mercatori Iohanni Blundell de Parochia Sancti Saluatoris infra praedictam insulam de Garnesey seniori Marchant Nicolao Carie seniori de dicta Parochia sancti Petri in Portu infra eandem insulam de Garnesey Mercatori Ioanni Marchant de eisdem Parochia in insula Generoso Nicolao Martin filio Iohannis de dicta Parochia sancti Petri in Portu infra praedictam insulam de Garnesey Mercatori Richardo Deuike de dicta Parochia sancti Petri in Portu infra praedictam insulam de Garnesey Mercatori Petro Pelley de dicta Parochia sancti Petri in Portu infra praedictam insulam de Garnesey Mercatori Iacobo Amy de Parochia saÌ„cti Saluatoris infra dictam insulam de Garnesey Clerico eorum cuilibet coniuÌ„ctim diuisim seu quocunque alio nomine siue quibuscunque alijs nominibus cognominibus siue additionibus nominis vel cognominis officiorum artium vel locorum ijdem Hillerius Nic. Carie Iohannes Nicholaus Martin Iohannes Blundell Richardus Petrus Iacobus censeantur voceÌ„tur siue nuncupentur aut nuper censebantur vocabentur siue nuncupabantur aut quocunque alio nomine seu cognomine aut additione nomininis vel cognominis dignitatis officij artis aut lo ci aliqui eorundem Hillerij Nicolai Carie Iohannis Marchant Nicolai Martin Iohannis Blundel Richardi Petri Iacobi censeantur voceÌ„tur siue nuncupentur aut nuper censebantur vocabantur siue nuncupabantur omnia omnimoda murdra homicidia felonias felonicas intersectiones Katherinae Cauches Guilleminae Perotinae filiarum eiusdem Katherinae earum cuiusâ—â—bet ac accessarias earundem ac omnia singula felonias insultus verberationes vulnerationes combustiones transgressiones offensas riotas routas conuenticula illicita assemblationes congregationes insidiationes conspirationes accesâ—arias auxiliationes compercussiones procurationes abbettationes confortationes manutentiones concelamenta foresfacturas contemptus impetitiones negligentias alia malefacta quaecuÌ„que murdra homicidia felonicam interfectionem praedictaruÌ„ Kathetinae Guilleminae Perotinae seu alicuius earum tangen in aliquo seu concernen perpraefatos Hillerium Nicolaum Carie Iohannem Nicolaum Martin Iohannem Blundell Richardum Petrum Iacobum seu eorum aliquem vel aliquos ante praesentem diem qualitercunque fact habit commiss siue perpetrat ac omnes singulas fugam fugas quascunque per praefatos Hillarium Nicolaum Carie Iohannem Nicolaum Martin Iohannem Blundell Richardum Deuicke Petrum Pelley Iacobum Amy seu eorum aliquem siue aliquos ratione seu occasione murdra homicidia aut felon cam interfectionem praed fact siue habit adeo plene integrè ac in tam amplis modo forma prout si quilibet praedictorum Hillerij Gosseline Nicolai Carie Iohannis Marchant Nicholai Martin
likewyse so to haue but they found no neede thereof But Paul declareth in the 7. chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corin. that he that hath no power ouer his owne flesh may marrie For it is better to marrie then to burne Wherefore to auoyd fornication saieth he let euery man haue his wyfe Hee sayth Let euery man haue his wyfe and euery woman her husband By this place of scripture I vnderstād that bishops priestes may haue wyues because they are men rather then burne or to commit fornication But I thinke verily he that can abstaine hauing power of his owne wyll doth best but if he marrie he sinneth not So then hee debated the Scriptures with me dyuers wayes that a bishop nor a priest ought not to haue a wife but I prooued by diuers Scriptures both in the old Law in the new that women were at first made for the helpe of men the which was spoken generally to al men Wherfore said I euery man may haue a woman and sinne not in honest matrimony as well bishops Deacons as other men which you call priests if they be true Ministers of Iesus Christ of that order that Bishops Deacons were in Paules tyme. For Paul declareth to Tim. 1. and the 3. That a Bishop should be the husband of one wyfe how they should be honestly apparelled and how they should bring vp their children and likewise the Deacons This sayd I prooueth more plainly that both bishops Deacons had wyues in the Apostles tyme the which he could not deny But then he alleaged that no bishop nor Priest might take a wife after he had taken vpon him that office but if he had a wife before he tooke the office tryed meet for the purpose for his lyfe and for his learnyng hee mighte keepe his wyfe and bryng vp his children according to s. Paules meadyng to Timothie or els might they haue no wyues Then sayd I I thinke Paules meanyng in that place was that a man that hath had two wiues might not bee made a bishop nor a Deacon if he had neuer so much learnyng But that place maketh not that a bishop or a Deacō may not marry after they be made bishops and Deacons For I am sure that Paul was in the state of a bishop whē he sayd He had power to lead about a sister to wyfe as well as the other Apostles had Here Paul declareth that it was in his power to haue a wyfe after he had the office of a Bishop which was not in his power if he had bene forbidden of God Thus haue I shewed you my mind in this behalf both of Paul and also for the mariages of bishops and priests as I vnderstand the scriptures Howbeit it is a thing the which I haue litle to doe withall but as you required me to say my minde in that matter so I haue done Chich. Marye I am glad that you haue sayd as you haue done Many doe affirme boldly that Paul had a wife and yet can not prooue whether he had or had not by the scriptures but you haue said very wel I am glad that yee are contented to be ruled by Gods woord And if you will be contented likewise in other matters no dout you shall do well therefore gentle goodman Woodman be ruled God hath geuē you a good wit I protest before God I would you should do as well as mine owne soule and body and so would I dare say all the worshipfull men in the coūtrey as they haue reported to me Wood. Why my Lord I take God to recorde whome I trust to serue that I woulde be as glad to liue in rest and peace as any man in all the world if I might And I stand to learne am contented to be reformed of any thing that I hold if it can be prooued that it be not agreable to gods woorde And the truthe is so I haue talked with a dosen Priests at the least since I was deliuered out of prison of certaine matters and they haue not ben able to certify me in any thing that I haue asked them and therefore haue they complained on me to the Sheriffe and Iustices making tales and lies on me to tourne me to displeasure as muche as in them lieth I promise you there be as manye vnlearned Priests in your dioces as in any one dioces in England I thinke the more it is to be lamented Chich. I promise you I do much lament it my selfe for I heare say no lesse but it is true that you say I woulde I could remedy it but I can not but I wil doe the best that I can when I come into the countrey and I wil be glad to talke with you some other time when I am somewhat better at ease You see I am very tender nowe as I haue bene this halfe yeare and more Come to dinner our dinner is ready I caused not you to tarie for any great chere that you shall haue nor I would you should not thincke that I goe about to winne you with my meate But you be welcome with all my heart Come sit downe Wood. I thanked him and wēt to dinner and there dined with him a Marchant man one of the sheriffes men and I and no mo we had good chere God be praised therefore We had no talke of the scriptures all the dinner while but when dinner was done the bishop saide Chich. Now cal M. Stories man For the commissioners haue committed you to prison but I wil sende for you or euer it be long and I pray God I may doe you good I would be very glad of it Wood. If it please you to send for me I woulde be verye glad to talk with you for I like your talke wel And then if it please your Lordship to examine me vpon any particular matter I will shew you my minde therein by gods grace without dissimulation But I pray you let me haue nothing to doe wyth M. Storie for he is a man wythout reason me thinke Chich. Wel or euer you goe how say you to the vij Sacraments Let me heare what you say to them that I maye be the willinger to send for you againe Wood. I know not vij Sacraments Chich. Then what shall I talke with you Howe many doe you know Wood. I knowe but two one the sacrament of baptisme and the other the supper of the Lorde But if you can iustly prooue by Gods woord that there be more then two I stand to be reformed Chich. If I prooue not vij by Gods woord then beleue me not and so he bade me farewell Then the Sheriffes two men and one of doc Stories men caried me to doc Cookes house which doctor Cooke commaunded them to carie me to the Sheriffes prisone in Southwarke saying he shall be called before vs agayne shortly and all his fellowes and we shal dispatch
Roger Holland THe last examination of Roger Holland was when he with his fellow prisoners were brought into the consistorie there excommunicated all sauing Roger redy to haue their senteÌ„ce of iudgement geuen with many threatning words to feare them withall the Lord Strange syr Tho. Iarret M. Eagleston Esquier and diuers other of worship both of Cheshire Lankeshire that were Rog. Hollands kinsmeÌ„ and friends being there present which had beene earnest suters to the Bishop in hys fauour hoping of his safetie of life Nowe the Bishop hoping yet to winne him with his faire and flattering woordes began after this maner Boner Rog. I haue diuers times called thee before home to my house and haue conferred with thee and being not learned in the latine toung it doth appeare vnto me thou art of a good memorie of a very sensible talke but something ouerhastie which is a naturall disease to some men And surely they are not the worst natured men For I my selfe shall now and then be hastie but mine anger is soone past So Roger surely I haue a good opinion of you that you wil not with these lewd fellowes cast your selfe headlong from the church of your parents your frendes that are here very good catholikes as it is reported vnto me And as I meane thee good so Roger play the wisemans part and come home with the lost sonne and say I haue runne into the church of schismatikes and heretikes from the catholicke church of Rome and you shall I warrante you not only finde fauor at Gods hands but the Church that hath authoritie shall absolue you and put newe garments vppon you and kill the fatling to make thee good cheare withall That is in so doing as meate doth refresh and chearish the minde so shalt thou finde as much quietnesse of conscience in comming home to the church as dyd the hungry sonne that had ben fed afore with the hogs as you haue done with these heretikes that seuer them selues from the church I giue them a homely name but they be worse putting his hand to his cap for reuereÌ„ce sake then hogs For they know the church and will not followe it If I shoulde saye thus muche to a Turke hee woulde I thinke beleue me But Roger if I did not beare thee and thy friendes good will I woulde not haue sayde so muche as I haue done but I would haue let mine Ordinarie alone with you At these wordes his frendes that were there gaue the Bishop thankes for his good will and paines that he had taken in his and theyr behalfe Boner Wel Roger how say you nowe Do you not beleeue that after the Priest hath spoken the words of consecration there remaineth the body of Christ really corporally vnder the formes of bread and wine I meane that selfe same body that was borne of the virgine Mary that was crucified vpon the crosse that rose againe the third day Holland Your Lordship sayth the same body which was borne of the virgin Marie which was crucified vpon the Crosse which rose againe the third day but you leaue out which ascended into heauen and the Scripture sayeth he shall there remaine vntil he come to iudge the quicke and the deade Then he is not contained vnder the formes of bread and wine by Hoc est corpus meum c. Boner Roger I perceiue my paines and good will will not preuaile and if I shoulde argue with thee thou art so wilâ—ul as all thy fellowes be standing in thine owne singularitie foolish conceit that thou wouldest still talke to no purpose this 7. yere if thou mightest be suffered Aunswer whether thou wilt confesse the reall corporall presence of Christes body in the Sacrament or wilt not Holland My Lord although that God by his sufferaunce hath nere placed you to set forth his truth and glory in vs his faithful seruantes notwithstanding your meaning is farre from the zeale of Christ and for all your words you haue the same zeal that Annas and Caiphas had trusting to their authoritie traditions and ceremonies more then to the woorde of God Boner If I should suffer hym he would fall from reasoning to railing as a franticke heretike Lord Straunge Roger sayth the Lord Straunge I perceiue my Lorde woulde haue you to tell him whether you will submit your selfe vnto him or no. Boner Yea sayeth Boner and confesse this presence that I haue spoken of With this Roger turning him to the Lorde Strange and the rest of his kinsmen and frendes very chearefully kneled downe vpon his knees and said God by the mouth of his seruant S. Paul hath said Let euery soule submit him selfe vnto the higher powers and he that resisteth receiueth hys owne damnation and as you are â— Magistrate appoynted by the will of God so do I submit my selfe vnto you and to all such as are appoynted for Magistrates Boner That is well sayde I see you are no Anabaptist Howe saye you then to the presence of Chrâ—stes bodye and bloud in the Sacrament of the altare Holland I say and I beseeche you all to marke and beare witnes with me for so you shal doe before the iudgement seate of God what I speake for heere is the Conclusion And ye my deare frendes turning him to his kinsmen I pray you shew my father what I doe say that he may vnderstand I am a christian man I say and beleeue and am therein fully persuaded by the scriptures that the Sacrament of the Supper of oure Lorde ministred in the holye Communion according to Christes institution I beinge penitent sorie for my sinnes and minding to amend and lead a new life and so coÌ„ming worthely vnto Gods bord in perfect loue charity do there receiue by faith the body bloud of Christ. And though Christ in his humane person sitte at the right hand of his father yet by saith I say his death his passion his merites are mine and by faithe I dwell in him and he in me And as for the Masse transubstantiation the worshipping of the Sacrament they are meere impietie and horrible idolatrie Boner I thought so much sayth Boner suffering him to speake no more how he wold proue a very blasphemous hereticke as euer I heard Howe vnreuerently doeth hee speake of the blessed Masse and so read his bloudy senteÌ„ce of condemnation adiudging him to be burned All this while Roger was verye patient quiet and when he should depart he sayd my lord I besech you suffer me to speake 2. words The B. wold not hear him but bad him away Notwtstanding being requested by one of his frendes he sayd speake what hast thou to say Holland Euen now I told you that your authority was from God and by his sufferance and now I tel you God hath heard the praier of his seruaÌ„ts which hath ben powred forth with feares for his afflicted sainctes which daily you persecute as now you
not to alleadge for themselues any reason they assay to make odious to your maiesty the Lutherans as they call vs and say if their sayinges take place ye shall be faine to remaine a priuate person that there is neuer change of religion but there is also chaunge of princedome A thyng as false as when they accuse vs to be Sacramentaries and that we deny the authoritie of Magistrates vnder the shadow of certaine furious Anabaptists which Satan hath raysed in our tyme to darken the light of the Gospell For the histories of the Emperours which haue begun to receiue the Christian religion and that which is come to passe in our tyme shew the contrary Was there euer Prince more feared and obeyed then Constantine in receiuing the Christian Religion was hee therefore put from the Empire No he was thereby the more confirmed established in the same and also his posterity which ruled themselues by his prouidence But such as haue fallen away and folowed mens traditions God hath destroyed and theyr race is no more knowne in earth So much doth God detest them that forsake him And in our time the late kinges of England and Germanye were they coÌ„strayned in reprouing superstitions which the wickednes of the time had brought in to forsake their kingdomes princedomes Al men see the contrary and what honor fidelity and obedience the people in our time that haue receiued the reformation of the Gospell do vnder theyr princes and superiors Yea I may say that the princes knew not before what it was to be obeyed at that time when the rude and ignoraunt people receiued so readily the dispeÌ„sations of the Pope to dâ—iue out their owne kinges and naturall Lordes The true and onely remedy sir is that ye cause to be holden a holy and free Counsell where ye shouâ—d be chiefe and not the Pope his who ought but onely to defende their causes by the holy scriptures that in the meane while ye may seeke out meÌ„ not corrupted suspected nor partial whoÌ„ ye may charge to geue report faythfully vnto you of the true sence of the holy scriptures And this done after the example of the good kinges Iosaphath Ezechias Iosias ye shall take out of the Churche all Idolatry superstition abuse which is found directly contrary to the holy scriptures of the old and new testament by that meanes ye shall guid youâ— people in the true pure seruiâ—e of God not regarding in the meane time the cauilling pretenses of the papists which say that such questioÌ„s haue bene already answered at generall Counsels for it is knowne well enougâ— thaâ— no Counsell hath bene lawfull since the Popes haue 〈◊〉 the principality tyranny vpon mens soules but they haue made them serue to their couetousnes ambition and cruelâ—y 〈◊〉 the contrariety which is amoÌ„g those couÌ„sels maketh enough for their disproofe beside a hundred thousand other absurdities agâ—inâ—â— the word of God which be in them The true proofe for such matters is in the true holy Scriptures to the which no time nor age hath any prescription to be alledged agaynst theÌ„ foâ— by them we receiue the Counsels founded vpon the worde of God and also by the same we reiect that doctrine which is repugnant And if ye do thus Syr God will blesse your enterprise he will encrease confirme your raigne and Empyre and your posterity If otherwise destruction is at your gate and vnhappy are the people which shall dwell vnder your obedieÌ„ce There is no doubt but God will hardeÌ„ your hart as he did Phaâ—aos and take of the crowne from your head as he did to Ieroboam Nâ—dab Baza Achab and to many other kinges which haue folowed mâ—ns traditions agaynst the commaundemeÌ„t of God and geue it to your enemies to triumph ouer you and your children And if the Emperour Antonine the meek although he were a Pagan Idolater seing himselfe bewrapt with so many wars ceased the persecutioÌ„s which were in his time agaynst the christians and determined in the ende to heare their causes and reasons how muche more ought you that beare the name of moste Christian king to be carefull and diligent to cease 〈◊〉 persecutions agaynst the poore Christians seing they hâ—ue not tâ—oubled nor doe trouble in any wise the state of your kingdome your affayres considering also that the Iewes be suffeâ—ed through all Christendome although they be mortall enemies oâ— our Lorde Iesus Christ which we holde by common accorde and consent for our God Redeemer and Sauiour and that vntill you haue heard lawfully debated and vnderstand our reasons takeÌ„ of the holy Scriptures and that your Maiestye haue iudged if we bee worthy of such punishmentes For if we be not ouercome by the worde of God the fires the sworde nor the câ—â—â—â—lest tormentes shall make vs afrayd These be the exercises that God hath promised to his of the which he foretolde shoulde come in the laste times that they should not be troubled when such persecutions shall come vpon them Translated out of the French booke intituled Commentaries of the state of the Church and publicke weale c. pag. 7. ¶ The story and end of the french king WHosoeuer was the authour or authours of this letter aboue prefixed herein thou seest good Reader good counsell geuen to the king if he had the grace to receiue it and had folowed the same no doubt but Gods blessing working with him he had not onely set that Realme in a blessed staye from much disturbaunce but also had continued himselfe in all florishing felicity of princely honour and dignity For so doth the lord commonly blesse and aduaunce such kinges Princes as seeke hys honor and submit their wils to his obedience But coÌ„monly the fault of kinges and Potentates of this world is that being set about with Parasites either they seldom heare the truth told theÌ„ or if they do yet will they not lightly be put from theyr owne willes disdayning to be admonished by their inferiors be theyr counsell neuer so holsom godly Which thing many times turneth them to great plages calamitie as by plentiful exaÌ„ples of kings destroyed wouÌ„ded imprisoned deposed drowned poysoned c. may wel to theÌ„ that read histories appeare but especially in this preseÌ„t example of Henry French king the seconde of that name is in this our age notoriously to be considered Who bâ—ing well warned before as may seeme would not yet surcease his cruell persecution agaynst the Lordes people but rather was the more hardened in hart and inflamed against them in so muche that he sayd to Anne du Bourg one of the high Court of Parliament in Paris threatning hym that he would see him burne with his own eyes Further how his purpose was to extende his power and force likewise agaynst other places moe in persecutyng the Gospell of Christe and professours thereof to the vttermost of his abilitie I
did preuayle A practise of Prelates to conuey their owne proclamations vnder the kinges name and authoritye He meaneth of the Pope which went about to driue K. Henry out of his kingdome and that not without some adherentes nere about the king The cause of insurrections is falsly layed vpon English bookes but rather is to be lyed vpon the Popes pardoÌ„s Extortioners Bribers theeues be the greatest enemyes to the Gospell to be in Englishe The froward lyfe of the Gospellers is not to be layd to the Gospel Lacke of good Curates is the cause of all mischiefe in the Realme 〈…〉 to Gods word By Nathan we may learne not 〈…〉 to call 〈◊〉 our wâ—rdes when we 〈◊〉 Gods pleasure to 〈…〉 The Popes 〈◊〉 geuen to K. Henry Defender of the â—ayth no 〈◊〉 title for man The â—ayth of Christ is 〈…〉 by man 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 〈…〉 of M. Latimer to the 〈◊〉 to be coâ—â—idered The heauenly courage of M. Latimer in discharging his conscience The King well pleased with the playnnes of M. Latimer Example for Bishops and alâ— good Pastors to follow Warning to Iustices of peace A letter of M. Latimer to a certayne gentleman i. God turne â—â— to good I refuse no iudgement Let vs accuse one another that one of vs may amend an other in the name of the Lord. Let iustice proceede in iudgement i. I cannot chuse but much alow such diligence i. And then will I gladly geue place confessing my fault humbly as one conquered with iust reasons As may wel appeaâ—e by his letter sent to the King before i. To rebuke the world of sinne i. Which thing vndoubtedly is the peculiar office of the holy ghost in the church of God so that it be practised by lawfull Preachers i. vnlesse perhaps to rebuke sinne sharpely be now to lacke all charitye friendship and truth M. Latimer flattereth no man i. Among al meÌ„ eyther frendes or enemyes according to Paules precept not esteemed of the children of this world hate you sayth he that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good And let vs not at any tyme for the fauour of men call good euill and euill good as the children of this world are commonly wont to doe as it is euery where to be seene Bolstring of falsehood and iniquitie Brother ought not to beare with brother to beare down right and truth especially being a Iustice. i. The Lord himselfe saying in the mouth of two or three c. i. Corrupte tenantes i. But God is yet aliue which seeth all and iudgeth iustly Were not here a good sorâ—e of Iustices trow you Iustices turned to Iugglers Partaking Iustices i. O good God i. Of a double nature sound corrupte That was full of Iustice This vnlesse it be restored abideth alwayes vniust bringing forth the fruites of wickednes one after an other i. Of which sorte we haue fewer amongest vs then I would i. To vicinity of bloud 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 also be 〈◊〉 aâ—â—ording to the 〈…〉 of their 〈…〉 wealth which tâ—ouble vs when they 〈◊〉 to â—elpe vs 〈◊〉 this 〈…〉 Vexation 〈◊〉 vnderstanding 〈◊〉 good O â—ord that thou hâ—mâ—â—eâ— me 1. After this 〈◊〉 bind 〈◊〉 Asses with â—riâ—le and sâ—aâ—le 〈◊〉 they approch not 〈◊〉 vnto thee 〈◊〉 will not such 〈◊〉 cause â—â—yther wil communicate with other mens 〈…〉 deteâ—â—ble pride 〈…〉 â— What is to oppresse to defraud your brother in his 〈◊〉 â— The sinne is not forgeuen except the thing be restored agayne that iâ— taken away i. Of thinges gotteÌ„ by fraude guile deceite as of thinges gotten by open theft and robbery Godly threates of M. Latimer to saue the soule of his friend M. Latimers Newyeares gift sent to K. Henry B. Ridley and M. Latimer brought forth to examination October 1. M. White B. of Lincolne M. Brokes B. of Glocester the Popes deputies The last examination of M. Ridley and M. Latimer The effect of the Cardinalls Commission sent downe to Oxford D. Ridley and M. Latimer ascited to appeare the last of September B. Ridley putteth on his cap at hearing of the Popes name The wordes of the Bishop of Lincolne to D. Ridley for not putting of his cappe Answere of D Ridley to the B of Lincolne D. Ridley reuerenceth the person of the Cardinall but not his Legacye D. Ridley oâ—eth no reuerence to the pope D. White Bishop of Lincolne replyeth agayne Putting of caps at the naming of the Pope D. Ridley answereth The vsurped supremacye of Rome defied D. Ridleys cap pluckâ—â— of perforce * Though the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 yet the doctrine 〈◊〉 Rome is straunge * * The words of D. Ridley falsly repoâ—ted The Bishop of Lincolne perswadeth D. Ridley 〈◊〉 tâ— the Popes Church Answere 〈◊〉 D. â—idley to the B. of Lincoâ—â—e â— Pointes 〈◊〉 in the B. of Lincolnes Oration 2 The sea of Rome conâ—â—med by old Doctours 3. D. Ridley once of the same sea The church not builded vpon Peter The church builded vpon faithâ— not vpon any person The wordes of Christ to Peterâ— Math· 16. expounded Fayth is the foundation of the Church Lineall discent of the Bishop of Rome Why the Bishops of Râ—me haue bene more esteemed then the Bishops of other cities The prerogatiue that the Doctours geue to the sea of Rome and for what cause The sea of Rome so long as it continued in sound doctrine was worthy to be reuerenced The Bishop of Rome proued to be Antichrist The place of S. Austen aunswered 4. Patriarches in the Church in Austines tyme. Countreys beyond the sea subiect to Rome how and in what respect Rome may be mother of churches and yet no supreme head of Churches D. Ridley falsly charged to preach transubstantiation at Paules Crosse. D. Ridley mistaken in his Sermon Lincolne againe replyeth D. Ridley agaynâ—â—â—â—swereth 〈◊〉 the wordâ— of Austen Lincolne returneth agayne to his oration * And why then do you alligate it to the city of Româ— 2. Powers of the keyes and of the sword England how subiect to the King and how to the Pope B. Ridley exhorted to submitte himselfe to the Pope Feare of punishment set before him * But that office you your selues haue assigned vnto them Aâ—â—were to D. Ridley to Lincolne * He meaneth in which no generall errour can be â—â—nally The church 〈◊〉 to no 〈◊〉 〈…〉 doe 〈◊〉 the Church to â—â—certayne place and that onely 〈◊〉 Rome The 〈…〉 bind the Church to no one 〈…〉 what Church to 〈…〉 infected with the Church of 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 * Articles ioyntly and seuerally ministred to D. Ridley and M. Latymer by the Popes deputies B. Ridley examined vpon the Articles aforesayd The Catholicke promise fayre but they performe nothing The hie Priestes had not power to put Christ to death but they had power to commit him to Pilate neyther would they suffer him to abâ—solue Christ. D. WestoÌ„ shooteth his bolte The protestatioÌ„ of D. Ridley D. Ridley cannot be suffered to speake The reall