conuicted of certayne articles and conclusions being erroneous schismaticall and hereticall preached by him at diuers places and times before a multitude of faythfull christian people And the same Articles and conclusions did he by force of lawe reuoke and abiure some as hereticall and some as erroneous and false Aduouching and beleuing them for such as that from thenceforth he would neuer preach teach or affirme openly or priuily any of the same conclusions And if by preching or aduouching he shoulde presume to doe the contrary that then he shoulde be subiect to the seuerity of the Canons accordingly as he did take a corporall oth iudicially vpon the holy Gospels 2. Also the conclusions which by the same William were first openly taught and preached and afterward abiured reuoked as is aforesaid are contained before in the processe of the B. of Lincolne euen as they be there written worde by worde And for the cases and articles they were consequently exhibited by the forenamed faithfull christian people against the said William Swinderby together with the conclusions before sayd hereafter written of which cases and articles the tenour hereof ensuâ—th 3. Item the sayd William contrary to the former reuocation abiuratioÌ„ not conuerting to repentance but peruerted from ill to worse and geuen vp to a reprobate sense came into your diocesse where he running about in sondry places hath presumed to preach or rather to peruert and to teach of his own rashneâ— many heretical erroneous blasphemous and other slaunderous things contrary and repugnant to the sacred Canons and the determination of the holy Catholike Church What those things were at what place and what time it shall hereafter more particularly be declared Item the same William notwithstanding your commaundementes and admonitions sealed with your seale to all the Curates of your diocesse directed contayning amongst other thinges that no person of what state degree or condition soeuer he were shold presume to preach or to teach or els expound the holy scripture to the people either in hallowed or prophane places within your diocesse with out sufficient authoritie by any maner of pretence that could be sought as in the same your letters monitorie of inhibition the tenor wherof hereafter ensueth is more largely conteined which letters the same William did receiue into his handes did read them word by word in the towne of Monemouth of your diocesse in the yeare of our Lord .1390 so that these your letters and the contentes thereof came to true and vndoubted knowledge of the same William yet notwithstanding hath the same William presumed in diuers places and times to preach within the same your diocesse after and agaynst your commaundement aforesayd The tenour of the same letters before mentioned followeth and is this IOhn by the sufferance of God Bishop of Hereford to the deane and Chapter of our Church of Hereford and to all and singuler Abbots Priors Prouostes Deanes rurall Parsons and Vicares of Monasteries Priores Churches Colledges and Parishes and to other hauing cure of soules within the Citty and diocesse of Herford and to all and euery other being within the same Citty and diocesse Greeting grace and blessing Forasmuch as the golden laurell of teaching doctorall is not from aboue indifferently euery mans gift neyther is the office of preaching graunted saue to such as are called and especially by the Church admitted therunto we doe admonishe and require you all and singuler Clerkes aforesayd and do straightly enioyne you all in the vertue of holy obedience that you nor any of you do admitte any man to preach or to teach the Catholique fayth sauing such as the same office of preaching shall by the authoritie Apostolicall or els your Byshop be specially committed vnto but that as much as in you shall lye you doe by worde and deede labour to let those that woulde attempte the contrary And you Lordes Ladyes Knightes Barons Esquires and all and singular persons of what estate degree preheminence or condition soeuer ye be remayning within the city and diocesse of Herford we doe beseech and exhort in our lord that following the wordes of our sauiour you beware of the leauen of the Phariseis Item according to the saying of the Apostle be not ye caryed away with diuers and straunge doctrines and that in the meane while as sayth the Apostle you be not remoued from the sense of the holy auncient fathers least that any man by any meanes shold seduce you but you agreeing together in one minde see that you honor God with one mouth But if any man to whom that thing is not specially as is aforesayd committed shall attempte to instructe or in this your life to directe you into the Catholicke faith do ye denye to geue them audience and refuse you to be present at their assembles and shun ye theyr teachinges because they be wicked and peruerse And as for vs we will not omitte to proceede according to the sacred Canons and preceptes of the holye fathers agaynst such as doe the contrary Dated at London in the house of our habitation vnder our seale the last day saue one of December in the yeare of our Lorde 1389. and of our consecration the first 5. Item the same William in his preaching to the people on Monday being the first of August in the yeare of our Lord 1390. in the parishe of Whitney of your diocesse dyd hold and affirme That no Prelate of the world of what estate preheminence or degree so euer he were of hauing cure charge of soule he being in deadly sinne hearing the confession of any vnder his hand in geuing him absolutioÌ„ doth nothing As who neither doth lose him froÌ„ his sinne nor in correcting or excoÌ„municating him for his demerites doth bind him by his sentence except yâ— prelate shall be free himself from deadly sinne as S. Peter was to whom our Lord gaue power to binde and lose 6. Item yâ— same William in many places said affirmed in the presence of many faythfull christen people that after the sacramentall wordes vttered by the priest hauing the purpose to consecrate there is not made the very bodye of Christ in the sacrament of the aulter 7. Item that accidencies cannot be in the sacrament of the aulter without a subiect and that there remayneth materiall bread there to such as be partakers communicant wyth the body of Christ in the same sacrament 8. Item that a priest being in deadly sin cannot be able by the strength of the sacramentall words to make the body of Christ or bring to perfection any other sacrament of the Church neither yet to minister it to the members of the Church 9. Item that all priestes are of like power in all things notwithstanding that some of them in this worldâ— are of higher and greater honour degree or preheminence 10. Item that onely contrition putteth away sinne if so be that a man shal be duely contrite
6. Item that euery Priest may absolue euery sinner being contrite and is bound to preach the Gospell vnto the people notwithstanding the prohibition of the Bishops pag. 467. 7. Item that a priest receiuing by bargaine any thing of yearely annuity is in so doing a schismaticke and excommunicate pag. 467. 8. Item he doth assuredly beleeue as he auoucheth that euery priest being in deadly sinne if he dispose himselfe to make the body of Christ doth rather commit idolatry theÌ„ make Christes body pag. 467. 9. Item that no priest doth enter into any house but to handle ill the wife the daughter or the mayd and therfore c. pag. 467. 10. Item that the child is not rightly baptised if the priest c. ibid. 11. Item that no maner of person if he liue agaynst Gods law c. ibid. 12. Item the same William agaynst the thinges premised and his reuocation and abiuration not to his hart coÌ„uerting but from euill to worse peruerting did turne aside into our dioces where running to and fro in diuers places hath of his owne rash head presumed to preach or rather to peruert c. 467. 13. Item after that we had heard diuers rumors slaunders of very many we directed diuers monitions and coÌ„maundementes comminatorye to be sent abroade by our Commissaries to sundry places of our dioces that no person of what estate degree or condition so euer he were of should presume to preach or to teach the sacred scripture to the people in places holy or prophane within our dioces c. page 466. 14. Item that the same sort of monitions inhibitions and precepts confirmed by our seale came to the true vndouted knowledge of the sayd William 15. Item the same William vnmindefull of his owne saluation hath sithens agaynst those monitions inhibitioÌ„s and preceptes and that which is more abhominable to be spoken in contempt of the high Bishops dignity to the slauÌ„der offence of many people presumed in diuers places of our sayd dioces to preach or rather to peruert to teach the forementioned other heretical erroneous and schismaticall deuises 16 Item the same William in preaching to the people on monday to wit the first of August in the yere of our Lord 1390. in the Church of Whitney in our dioces held and affirmed that no Prelate of the world of what state prehemineÌ„ce or degree soeuer he were of hauing cure of soule being in deadly sinne c. pag. 466. 17. Item the same William in many places sayd affirmed in the presence of many faythfull â—hristian people after the sacramentall words vttered by the priest hauing the intent to consecrate there is not made the very bodye of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist pag. 466. 18. Item that accidences cannot be in the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter without theyr subiect that there remayneth materiall bread Concomitanter with the body of Christ in the sacrament Vide supra pag. 466. 19. Item that a priest being in deadly sinne cannot by the power of the sacrameÌ„tall words make the body of Christ c. pag. 466. 20. Item that all priests are of like power in all poynts notwithstanding that some of them are in this worlde of higher dignity degree or preheminence pag. 466. 21. Item that contrition onely putteth away sinne if a man shall be duely contrite and that all vocall confession and exercise is superfluous and not requisite of necessitye to saluation Ibidem 22. Item that inferior Curates haue not theyr power of binding and loosing mediatly from the pope or bishop but immediately of Christ. c. pag. 466. 23. Item that the pope cannot graunt such kind of annuall pardons because there shall not be so many yeares to the day of iudgement as is conteyned in the popes buls or pardons Whereby it followeth that pardons are not so much worth as they are noysed and praysed to be Ibid. 24. Item that it is not in the Popes power to graunt to any penitent body forgeuenes of the paine or of the trespasse pag. 466. 25 Item that one geuing his almes to any bodye which as he iudgeth hath no neede thereof doth sinne in so geeuyng it pag. 466. 26 Item that it standes not in the power of any prelate of what priuate religion soeuer he bee to geue by letters benefites of their order Neither do such kind of benefits geuen profit them to whom they be geuen for the saluatioÌ„ of soules Vide supra pag. 466. 27 Item that the same William vnmindfull of his owne saluation hath many times and often resorted to a certain desert wood called Derwalswood of our dioces and there in a certayne vnhallowed Chappell nay a prophane cottage hath presumed of his owne propre rashnesse to celebrate c. pag. 466. 28 Item the same William hath also presumed to do the like thinges in a certayne prophane chappel situate in the parke of Newton nigh to the towne of Leyntwardyn in the same our dioces pag. 466. ¶ Which thinges being done the same faithful Christen people and specially sir Walter Pride the penitentiarie of our Cathedrall Church of Hereforde personally appearing before vs sittyng in our iudgement seate in the parish Church of Whiteborne of our diocesse brought forth and exhibited two publique instruments against the same Walter Brute in the case of cursed heresie aforsaid of which instrumentes here followeth the tenours and Articles in this sort In the name of God Amen Be it euidently knoweÌ„ to all persoÌ„s by this preseÌ„t publike instrumeÌ„t the in the yeare froÌ„ the incarnatioÌ„ after the course and coÌ„putation of the church of England 1391. the indiction xv of the pontifical office of our most holy father and Lord in Christ Lord Boniface the ix by Gods Wisedome Pope the second yeare the xv day of the month of October in the dwelling house of the worshipful maÌ„ maister Iohn Godemoston Chanon of the Cathedral Church of Hereford in the presence of me the publique Notary vnder written and of witnesses subscribed Walter Brute lay man learned of Hereford dioces personally appearing sayde auouched and stifly maintayned that the sayde Bishop of Hereforde and his assistaunces which were with him the third day of the foresayde month of October the yeare of our Lord aforesayd in the Church of Hereford did naughtely wickedly peruersly and vniustly condemne the aunsweres of sir William Swinderby Chaplaine geuen by the same sir William to the same Lord byshop in wryting and also the articles ministred by the same sir William And furthermore he sayd held and aduouched that the same conclusions geuen by the same sir WilliaÌ„ euen as they were geuen are true and Catholike Item as touching the matters obiected agaynst hym by them that stoode by concerning the sacrament of the aulter he sayd that after the sacramentall words there doth remaine very bread and the substance therof after the coÌ„secration of the body of Christ and
Sacramentally or memorially to be his body And this seemeth vnto me most nearest to agree to the meaning of Christ forasmuch as he said do this in the remembraunce of me Then for as much as in the supper it is manifest that Christ gaue vnto his Disciples the bread of his body which he brake to that intent to eat with theyr mouthes in which bread he gaue himselfe also vnto them as one in whō they should beleue as to be the food of the soule and by that fayth they should beleue him to be theyr sauior which tooke his body wherein also he would it to be manifest that he woulde redeeme them from death So was the bread eaten with the Disciples mouthes that he being the true breade of the soule might be in spirite receiued and eaten spiritually by theyr fayth which beleued in him The bread which in the disciples mouthes was chewed from the mouth passed to the stomacke For as Christ saith whatsoeuer cōmeth to the mouth goeth into the belly from thence into the priuy Mathew chap. 15. But that true and very bread of the soule was eaten of the spirite of the Disciples and by fayth entred theyr minds and abode in their intralles through loue And so the bread broken semeth vnto me to be really the meat of the body the bread which it was before but Sacramentally to be the body of Christ as Paule 1. Cor. 10. The breade which we breake is it not the participation of the body of the Lord So the bread which we breake is the participation of the Lordes body And it is manifest that the heauēly bread is not broken neither yet is subiect to such breaking Therfore Paul calleth the materiall bread which is broken the body of Christ which the faythfull are partakers of The breade therfore chaungeth not his essence but is bread really and is the body of Christ sacramentally Euen as Christ is the very vine abiding really and figuratiuely the vine So the temple of Ierusalem was really the materiall temple figuratiuely it was the body of Christ Because he sayde destroy you this temple and in three dayes I will repayre the same agayne And this spake he of the temple of his body whereas others vnderstood it to be the materiall temple as appeared by theyr answere For sayd they 47. yeres hath this temple bene in building and wilt thou build it vp in three dayes Euen so may the consecrated bread be really bread as it was before and yet figuratiuely the body of Christ. And if therfore Christ would this bread to be only sacramentally his body and would not haue the same bread really to be transubstantiated into his body so ordeined his Priestes to make this Sacrament as a memoriall of his passion Thē do the Priestes greuously offend which besech Christ in their holy Masse that the bread which lyeth vpon the aultar may be made really the body of Christ if he woulde not haue the same to be but a Sacrament of his body And then both be they greatly deceiued themselues and also do greatly deceiue others But whether the bread be really transubstantiated into the body of Christ or is onely the body of Christ sacramentally No doubt but that the people are maruellously deceiued For the people beleue that they see the body of Christ nay rather Christ himselfe betwene the handes of the Priestes for so is the common othe they sweare By him whō I saw this day betwene the priestes hands And the people beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but at Easter or els when they lie vpon theyr death bed and receiue with their bodely mouth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. But the body of Christ admitte the bread be transubstantiated really into the body is in the Sacrament indiuisibiliter that is not able to be deuided and so immensurabiliter that is not able to be measured Ergo inuisibiliter that is not able to be sene To beleue therfore that he may be sene corporally in the Sacrament is erroneous And forasmuch as the body of Christ is the souls food and not the food of the body in this world for that whosoeuer beleueth doth eat spiritually and really at any time when he so beleueth It is manifest that they doe greatlye erre which beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but when they eat with theyr teeth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. And although it should be to the great honor of priests that the bread really were chaūged into the body of christ by the vertue of the Sacramentall words pronounced yet if Christ would not haue it to be so then they desiring to do this contrary to the will of Christ and informing the people that is to be done so contrary to the will of Christ are in great peril most daūgerously seducing both themselues and the people And then although that hereby they get a litle worldly and transitory honour for a short time It is to be feared least perpetual shame finally shall follow and insue vpon the same For Christ sayth euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low Let them therfore take heed least they extolling themselues for this Sacrament aboue the company of Angels which neuer sinned for the errour which they be in for euermore be placed with the sinnefull angels vnder the earth Let euery man therfore think lowly of himself in what state or degree soeuer he be neither let him presume to doe that which he is not able to do Neither desire to haue that thing done which God would not haue done I greatlye maruell at those which were the makers of the Canons how variably contrary one to another they write of this Sacrament of the body of Christ. In the last part of the decrees where this matter is touched not only in the text but also in the proces of the matter diuers do diuersly write and one contrary to another For in the chapter that thus beginneth Prima inquit haeresis it is thus written You shall not eate this bodye which you see nor shall drinke this bloud which they shall shed which shall crucify me I will commend vnto you a certayne Sacrament spiritually vnderstood that quickneth you for the flesh profiteth you nothing at all And in the end of the same chapter it is thus written Till the world shall haue an end the Lords place is in heauen yet notwithstanding the verity of the Lord is here abiding with vs. For the body wherwith he rose ought to be in one place but his verity is in euerye place diffused spread abroad And in the chapter folowing which thus beginneth Omnia quaecunque voluit c. it is written Although the figure of the bread wine seeme to be nothing yet notwithstanding they must after y◠wordes of consecration be beleued to be none other thing then the very
as is sayde in the North came the Earle of Northumberland Lord Henry Percy and Henry his son the Earle of Westmerland Lord Radulph Neuile and other Lordes moe to a great number so that the multitude rose to 60000. able souldiours Who first making towarde the Castle of Bristow tooke the foresayd Busshey Grene Scroupe and Bagot of whom three incontinent were beheaded Bagot escaped away and fled away to Ireland The king in this meane while lying about Wales destitute and desolate without comfort or counsayle who neither durst come to London neyther would any man come to him and perceauing moreouer the commons that were vp in such a great power agaynst hym would rather dye then geue ouer that they had begunne for feare of themselues Seing therforeno other remedy called to him L.T. Percye Earle of Worcester and stewarde of hys household willing him with other of hys family to prouide for themselues in tyme. Who then openly in the hall brake his white rod before them all commaunding euerye man to shift for himselfe Although Fabian and some other say that he did this of hys owne accord contrary to his allegeance The king compassed on euery side with miseryes shifted from place to place the Duke still following him tyll at length being at the Castle of Conewey the king desired to talk with Tho. Arundell archb and the Earle of Northūberland To whom he declared that he woulde resigne vp hys crowne in condition that an honourable liuing might be for hym prouided and life promised to 8. persons such as he would name Which being graunted and ratified but not performed he came to the Castle of Flint where after talke had with the Duke of Lācaster he was brought the same night by the Duke and his armye to Chester And from thence was conueyed secretly into the Tower there to be kept till the next parliament By the way as he came neare to London diuers euil desposed men of the city being warned thereof gathered themselues thinking to haue slayne hym for the great cruelty he had vsed before toward the Citty But by the pollicies of the Mayor and rulers of the Cittie the madnes of the people was stayd Not long after followed the Duke and also began the parliament In which Parliament the Earle of Northumberland with many other Earles and Lords were sent to the king in the Tower to take of him a full resignation according to hys former promise and so they did This done diuers accusations and articles were layd and engrossed agaynst the sayd King to the number of 33. some say 38. which for the matter not greatly materiall in them contayned I ouerpasse And that next yeare after was had to Pomferr Castle and there famished to death King Henry the fourth ANd thus King Richard by common assent being deposed from his rightfull crowne The Duke of Lancaster was led by Thomas Arundell the Archbishop to the feat royall who there standing vp and crossed himselfe on the forehead and the brest spake in wordes as followeth ¶ In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster clayme the Realme of England and the crowne with all the appurtenaunces as I that am descended by right lyne of the bloud comming from that good Lord King Henry the 3. And thorough the right that God of his grace hath sent to me with the helpe of my kinne and of my frendes to recouer the same which was in poynt to be vndone for default of good gouernance and due iustice c. ¶ After which wordes the Archbishop asking the assent of the people being ioyfull of theyr new king took the Duke by the hād placed him in the kingly throne which was an 1399 and shortly after by the foresayd Archbishop he was crowned also for king of England Ex Chron. De Alban The next yeare after followed a Parliament holden at Westminster in which Parliament one will Sautre a good man and a faythfull priest inflamed with zeeale of true Religion required he might be heard for the commoditie of the whole realme But the matter being smelt before by the Byshops they obtayned that the matter should be referred to the conuocation Where the sayd William Sautre being brought before the Byshops and Notaries thereunto appointed the conuocation was differred to the Saterday next ensuing When Saterday was come that is to say the 12. day of February Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterbury in the presence of his Counsayle prouinciall being assembled in the sayd Chapter house agaynst one fyr William Sautre otherwise called Chatris Chaplayne personally then and there appearing by the commaundement of the foresayd archbishop of Caunterbury obiected that the sayd sir William before the Byshop of Norwiche had once renounced and abiured diuers and sondry conclusions heretical and erroneous and that after such abiuration made he publiquely and priuily helde taught preached the same conclusions or els such like disagreeing to the catholique fayth and to the great perill and pernitious example of others And after this he caused such like conclusions holden and preached as is sayd by the sayd Syr William without renunciation then and there to be read vnto the sayd Archbishop by maister Robert Haull Chācellor vnto the sayd byshop in a certayne scrole written in tenour of wordes as followeth Syr William Chatris otherwise called Sautre parish Priest of the Churche S. Scithe the Uirgine in London publiquely and priuily doth holde these conclusions vnder written ¶ In Primis he sayth that he will not worship the crosse on which Christ suffered but onely Christ that suffred vppon the Crosse. 2. Item that he would sooner worship a temporal king then the foresayd wodden crosse 3. Item that he would rather worship the bodyes of the Saintes then the very crosse of Christ on which he hong if it were before him 4. Item that he woulde rather worship a man truely contrite then the crosse of Christ. 5. Item that he is bound rather to worship a man that is predestinate then an aungell of God 6. Item that if any man would visite the monumentes of Peter and Paule or go on Pilgrimage to the Toumbe of S. Thomas or els any whether els for the obtayning of any temporall benefite he is not bounde to keepe hys vowe but that he may distribute the expences of his vowe vpon the almes of the poore 7. Item that euery priest and Deacon is more bound to preach the word of God then to say the canonical houres 8. Item that after the pronouncing of the Sacramental wordes of the body of Christ the bread remayneth of the same nature that it was before neyther doth it cease to be bread To which conclusions or articles being thus read the Archbish. of Caunterb required the same Syr William to aunswere And then the sayd William asked a copy of such articles or conclusions and a competent space to answere vnto the same Whereupon the
sayd Archb. commaunded a copy of such articles or conclusions to be deliuered then and thereunto the sayd syr William assigning the Thursday then next ensiting to him to deliberate and make aunswere in When Thursday the sayd day of apparance was come Maister Nicholas Rishton auditour of the causes and busines belonging to the sayd archbishop then beyng in the Parliament house at Westminster otherwise let cōtinued the sayd conuocation with all matters rising depending and appartinent thereunto by commaundement of the sayd Byshop vntill the next morrow at eight of the clocke When the morow came being Friday The foresaid sir William Sautre in the chapter house before the sayd bishop and hys counsayle prouinciall then and there assembled making his personall appearaunce exhibited a certayne scrole contayning the aunsweres vnto certayne articles or conclusions geuen vnto him as is aforesaid by the said Bishop and sayd that vnto the foresayd Archbyshop he deliuered the same as his answere in that behalfe vnder the tenour of such wordes as follow I William Sautre priest vnworthy say and aunswere that I will not nor intend not to worship the crosse wheron Christ was crucified but onely Christ that suffered vpon the crosse so vnderstanding me that I will not worship the materiall crosse for the grosse corporall matter yet notwithstanding I will worship the same as a signe token and memoriall of the passion of Christ Adoratione vicaria And that I will rather worship a temporall Kyng then the foresayd wooden crosse as the materiall substance of the same And that I will rather worship the bodyes of Saintes then the very crosse of Christ whereon he hong with this addition that if the very same Crosse were afore me as touching the materiall substaunce And also that I will rather worship a man truely confessed and penitent then the crosse on which Christ hong as touching the materiall substaunce And that also I am bound and will rather worship him whom I know to be predestinate truly confessed and contrite then an angell of God for that the one is a man of the same nature with the humanitie of Christ and so is not a blessed aungell Notwithstanding I will worship both of them according as the will of God is I should Also that if any man hath made a vow to visite the shrines of the Apostles Peter and Paule or to goe on pilgrimage vnto S. Thomas tombe or anye whither els to obtayne any temporall benefite or commoditie he is not bound simply to keepe his vow vpon the necessitye of saluation But that he may geue the expences of his vowe in almes amongst the poore by the prudent counsayle of his superiour as I suppose And also I say that euery Deacon and Priest is more bound to preach the word of God then to say the canonicall houres according to the primitiue order of the church Also touching the interrogation of the sacrament of the aulter I say that after the pronouncing of the sacramentall wordes of the body of Christ there reaseth to be very bread simply but remaineth bread holy true and the bread of life ynd I beleue the sayd sacrament to be the very body of Christ after the pronouncing of the sacramentall wordes When all these aunsweres were throughly by Maister Robert Hall directly and publikely there read the foresaid Archb. of Cant. inquired of the sayd sir William whither he had abiured the foresayd herefies and errors obiected agaynst him as before is sayd before the Byshop of Norwich or not or els had reuoked and renounced the sayd or such like conclusions or articles or not To which he aunswered and affirmed that he had not And then consequētly all other articles conclusions and aunsweres aboue writen immediately omitted the sayd Archbishop examined the same sir W. Sautre especially vpon the sacrament of the aulter First whether in the sacrament of the aulter after the pronouncing of the sacramentall wordes remayneth very materiall bread or not Unto which interrogation the same sir W. somewhat waueringly sayd and answered that he knew not that Notwithstanding he sayd that there was very bread because it was the bread of life whiche came downe from heauen After that the sayd Archbishop demaunded of hym whither in the sacrament after the sacramentall woordes rightly pronounced of the Priest the same bread remayneth which did before the wordes pronounced or not And to this question the foresayde William aunswered in like maner as before saying that there was bread holy true and the bread of life c. After that the foresayd Archb. asked him whether the same naturall bread before consecration by the sacramentall woordes of the priest rightly pronounced be transubstantiated from the nature of bread into the very bodye of Christ or not Whereunto sir William sayd that he knewe not what that matter ment And then the sayde Archbish. assigned vnto the said sir William tyme to deliberate and more fully to make hys aunswere till the next day and continued this conuocation then and there till the morow Which morrow to wit the 19. day of February being come the foresayd Archbish. of Cant. in the sayd chapter house of S. Paule in London before hys counsayle prouincial then and there assembled specially asked and examined the same sir William Sautre there personally present vpon the sacramēt of the aulter as before And the same Sir William agayne in like maner as before aunswered After this amongst other thinges the sayd Byshop demaunded of the same William if the same materiall bread beyng vpon the aulter after the sacramentall words being of the priest rightly pronounced is transubstantiated into the very body of Christ or not And the sayd sir William sayd he vnderstoode not what he ment Then the sayd archbishop demaunded whether that materiall bread being round and white prepared and disposed for the sacrament of the body of Christ vpon the aulter wanting nothing that is meete and requisite thereunto by the vertue of the sacramentall wordes being of the priest rightly pronounced be altered and chaunged into the very body of Christ and ceaseth any more to be materiall and very bread or not Then the sayd syr William deredingly aunswering sayd he could not tell Then consequently the sayd Archbishop demaunded whether he would stand to the determination of the holye Church or not which affirmeth that in the Sacrament of the aulter after the wordes of consecration being rightly pronounced of the Priest the same bread whiche before in nature was bread ceaseth any more to be bread To this interrogation the sayd sir William sayd that he woulde stand to the determination of the church where such determination was not contrary to the will of God This done he demaunded of him agayne what hys iudgement was concerning the Sacrament of the aulter who sayd and affirmed that after the wordes of consecration by the priest duely pronounced remayned very bread and the same bread which was before the
assents together Which done he exhorted the Archbishop that for so much as his garrison had bene now long in armour and from home he would therefore discharge the needeles multitude of his souldiers and dismisse them home to their worke and busines and they would together drinke and ioyne hands in the sight of the whole company Thus they shaking hands together the Archbishop sendeth away his souldyers in peace not knowing himselfe to be circumuented before he was immediately arested by the handes of the foresayde Earle of Westmerland and shortly after the king comming with his power to Yorke was there beheaded the monday in Whiâ—sonweeke and with him also Lord Thomas Moubray Marshall with diuers other moreouer of yâ— citie of Yorke which had taken their parts After whose slaughter the King proceedeth farther to persecute the Earle of Northumberland Lord Thomas Bardolph Who then did flie to Barwicke From thence they reincoued to Wales At length within two yeares after fighting against the kyngs part were slayne in the field an 1408. In the which yeare diuers other also in the Northparts for fauouring the foresaid Lords were likewise condemned by the kyng and put to death Among whome the Abbot of Hales for the like treason was hanged The kyng after the sheddyng of so much bloud seeyng himselfe so hardly beloued of his subiects thought to kepe in yet with the Clergy with the Bishop of Rome seeking alwaies his chiefest stay at their hands And therfore was compelled in all things to serue their humour as did appeare as well in condemning William Sawtre before as also in other which coÌ„sequeÌ„tly we haue now to intreat of In the number of whom commeth now by yâ— course of time to write of one Iohn Badby a Tailor and a lay man who by the crueltie of Thomas Arundel Archbishop and other Prelates was brought to his condemnation in this kings reigne an 1409. according as by their owne registers appeareth followeth by this narration to be seene ¶ Iohn Badby Artificer IN the yeare of our Lord. 1409. on Sonday beyng the first day of March in the afternoone The excommunication following of one Iohn Badby Taylour beyng a lay man was made in a certaine house or haull within the precinct of the preaching friers in LondoÌ„ in an vtter cloister vpon the crime of heresie other articles repugnant to the determinatioÌ„ of the erroneous church of Rome before Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury and other his assistants as yâ— Archbishop of Yorke of London of Winchester of Oxford of Norwich of Salisbury of Bath of Bangor Et meneuensis Episcopi and also Edmond Duke of Yorke Thomas Bewford the Chauncelour of England Lord de Roos the clerke of the rolles a great number of other Lords both spirituall and temporall being then at the selfesame time present Maister Morgan read the articles of his opinions to the hearers according as it is contemed in the instrument read by the foresayd M. Morgan the tenour whereof followeth and in effect is such In the name of God Amen Be it manifest to all men by this present publike instrument that in the yeare after the incarnation of our Lord according to yâ— course and coÌ„putation of the Church of England otherwise in the yere 1409. in the second indictioÌ„ in the third yeare of the Popedome of the most holy father in Christ Lord Lord Gregory xi by that diuine permission Pope the secoÌ„d day of Ianuary in the Chappell Caruariae of S. Thomas Martyr high vnto the Cathedrall Church of Worcester being situate in the said Dioces in the presence of me the publicke Notary and of the witnesses vnder written the foresayd Iohn Badby a lay man of the sayd Dioces of Worcester appearing personally before the reuerend father in Christ and Lord Lord Thomas by the grace of God Byshop of Worcester sitting in the said Chappell for chiefe Iudge was detected of and vpon the crime of heresie being heretically taught openly maintayned by the foresayd Iohn Badby That is that the Sacrament of the body of Christ consecrated by the Priest vpon the aulter is not the true body of Christ by the vertue of the wordes of the Sacrament But that after the Sacramentall words spoken by the Priest to make the body of Christ the materiall bread doth remaine vpon the aulter as in the beginning neither is it turned into the very body of Christ after the Sacramental words spoken of the Priest Which Iohn Badby being examined and diligently demanded by the foresaid reuereÌ„d father coÌ„cerning the premisses in the end did answere that it was impossible that any Priest should make the body of Christ that he beleued firmely that no Priest could make the body of Chrst by such words Sacramentally spoken in such sort And also he said expressely that he would neuer while he liued beleue that any Priest could make the body of Christ sacramentally vnlesse that first he saw manifestlie the like body of Christ to be handled in the hands of the priest vpon the aulter in his corporall forme And furthermore he sayd that Iohn Rakier of Bristoll had so much power authoritie to make the like body of Christ as any priest had Moreouer he said that wheÌ„ Christ sat at supper with his disciples he had not his body in his hand to the intent to distribute it to his disciples and he said expresly that he did not this thing And also he spake many other words teaching fortifieng the heresie in the same place both greeuous and also out of order and horrible to the eares of the hearers sounding against the Catholike faith Upon which occasion the same reuerend father admonished and requested the said Iohn Badby oftentimes and very instantlie to charity for so much as he would willinglie that he should haue forsaken such heresie and opinion holden taught and mainteined by him in such sort against the Sacrament to renounce and vtterly abiure them and to beleeue other things which the holy mother the Church doth beleeue And he informed the said Iohn on that behalfe both gentlie and also laudably Yet the said Iohn Badby although he were admonished and requested both often and instantlie by the said reuerend father said and answered expresselie that he would neuer beleeue otherwise then before he had said taught and answered Wherevpon the foresaid reuerend father Bishop of Worcester seeing vnderstanding and perceiuing the foresaid Iohn Badby to maintaine and fortifie the said beresie being stubborne and proceeding in the same stubbornes pronounced the said Iohn to be before this time conuicted of such an heresie and that he hath bin and is an hereticke and in the end declared it in these words In the name of God Amen We Thomas Bishop of Worcester do accuse thee Iohn Badby being a lay man of our Dioces of and vpon the crime of heresie before vs sitting for cheese iudge being oftentimes confessed
citation sent by messenger by letters or edict not admitting proofe by witnesses and sentēce definitiue to be we do ordeine will and declare for the easier punishment of the offēders in the premisses and for the better reformation of the church deuided and hurt that all such as are diffamed openly knowne or vehemētly suspected in any of the cases aforesayd or in anye article of the catholicke fayth sounding contrary to good manners by authoritie of the ordinary of the place or other superior be cited personally to appeare cyther by letters publique messenger being sworne or by edicte openly set at that place where the sayd offender commonly remayneth or in hys parish Church if he hath any certayne dwelling house Otherwise in y◠Cathedrall church of the place where he was borne and in the parish churche of the same place where he so preached and taught And afterwardes certificate beyng geuen that the citation was formally executed agaynst the party cited being absent and neglecting hys appearannce it shal be proceeded agaynst him fully and playnly without sound or shew of iudgement and without admitting proofe by witnesses and other canonicall probations And also after lawful informatiō had the sayd ordinary al delayes set apert shall signifie declare and punishe the sayd offender according to the quallitie of his offence and in forme aforesayd and further shall doe according to iustice the absence of the offender notwithstanding Geuen at Oxford ¶ Who would haue thought by these lawes and constitutions so substantially founded so circumspectly prouided so dilligently executed but that the name and memory of this persecuted sort should vtterly haue bene rooted vp neuer could haue stand And yet such be the works of th◠lord passing all mēs admiratiō all this notwithstanding so far was it of that the number and courage of these good men was vanquished that rather they multiplied dayly encreased For so I finde in Registers recorded that these foresayd persons whome the king and the Catholique fathers did so greatly deteste for heretickes were in diuers countries of this realme dispersed and increased especially at London in Lincolnshire in Northfolk in Herefordshyre in Shreusbury in Callice and diuers other quarters mo with whom the Archb. of Caunterbury Thomas Arundell the same time had much ado as by hys own registers doth appeare Albeit some there were that dyd shrinke many did reuolt and renounce for daunger of the law Among whom was Iohn Puruey whiche recanted at Paules Crosse of whom more foloweth the Lord willing to be said in the yeare 1421. Also Iohn Edward priest of the dioces of Lincolne who reuoked in the greene yard at Norwich Richard Herbert and Emmot Willy of Lōdon also Iohn Becket who recanted at London Item Iohn Seynons of Lincolneshyre who was caused to reuoke at Caunterbury The articles of whom which commonly they did hold and which they were constrayned to abiure most specially were these as follow Their Articles First that the office of the holy Crosse ordayned by the whole Church celebrated doth contayne idolatry Item they sayd and affirmed that all they which doe reuerence and worship the signe of the crosse do commit idolatry and are reputed as Idolaters Item they sayd and affirmed that the true fleshe and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ is not in the sacrament of the aulter after the words spoken by the priest truely pronounced Item they sayd and affirmed the sacrament of the aultar to be sacramentall bread not hauing life but onely instituted for a memoriall of Christes passion Item they sayd and affirmed that the body of Christe which is taken on the aulter is a figure of that body of christ as long as we see the bread and wyne Item they sayd and affirmed that the decree of the prelates and clergie in the prouince of Caunterbury in theyr last conuocation with the consent of the king and the nobles in the last Parliament agaynst him that was brent lately in the citty of London was not sufficient to chaunge the purpose of the sayd Iohn when the substance of materiall bread is euen as before in the sacrament of the aultar it was no change being made in the nature of bread * Item that any lay man may preach the Gospel in euery place and may teach it by his owne authoritie without the licence of his Ordinary Itē that it is sinne to geue any thing to the preaching friers to the Minorites to the Augustines to the Carmelites Item that we ought not to offer at the funerals of the dead Item that the confession of sins to the people is vnneedefull Item that euery good man though he be vnlearned is a priest Item that the infant though he dye vnbaptised shal be saued Item that neither the pope nor the prelate neither any ordinary can compell any man to sweare by anye creature of God or by the bible booke Item that as well the Bishop the simple man the priest and the lay man be of like authoritie as lōg as they liue well Item that no man is bound to geue bodily reuerence to any prelate ¶ William Thorpe THus much briefly being signified by the way touching these which haue bene forced in time of this king to open abiuration Next commeth to our handes the worthy history of maister William Thorpe a warriour valiaunt vnder the triumphant banner of Christ with the processe of his examinations before the foresayd Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterb written by the sayd Thorpe and storyed by his owne pen at the request of hys frendes as by hys own words in the processe here of may appeare In whole examination whiche seemeth first to begin an 1407. thou shalt haue good reader both to learne and to merueile To learne in that thou shalt beare truth discoursed and discussed with the contrary reasons of the aduersary dissolued To marueile for that thou shalt beholde here in this man the merueilous force and strength of the Lordes might spirite and grace working and fighting in his souldiors also speaking in theyr mouthes according to the word of hys promise Luke xxi To the rest of the story we haue neither added nor diminished but as we haue receiued it copied out corrected by maister Williā Tindall who had his own handwriting so we haue here sent it and set it out abroad Althoughe for the more credite of the matter I rather wished it in his own naturall speach wherein it was first written Notwithstanding to put away all doubt and scrouple herein this I thought before to premonishe and testifie to the Reader touching the certaintie hereof that they be yet aliue whiche haue seene the selfe same copy in his own old English resembling y◠true antiquitie both of the speach and of the time The name of whom as for recorde of the same to auouche is M. Whithead who as he hath seene the true ancient copy in the hādes of George Constantine so hath he
stand to the very death Other aunswere woulde he not geue that day wherwith the Bishops and Prelates were in a maner amased and wonderfully disquieted At the last the archbishop councelled agayne with hys other Bishops and Doctours and in the end therof declared vnto him what the holy Church of Rome following the saying of S. Augustine S. Hicrome S. Ambrose and of other holy Doctours had determined in these matters no maner of mention once made of Christ. Whiche determination sayth he ought all Christen men both to beleue and to follow Then sayd the Lord Cobham vnto him that he would gladly both beleue and obserue whatsoeuer holy church of Christes institution â—ad determined or yet whatsoeuer God had willed him either to beleue or to do But that the pope of Rome with his Cardinals Archbishops bishops and other prelates of that Churche had lawfull power to determine such matter as stoode not with his worde throughly that would he not he sayd at the time affirme With this that archbish had him to take good aduisement til the monday next following which was the 25. day of September and then iustly to aunswere specially vnto thys poynt whether there remayned materiall breade in the sacrament of the aulter after the wordes of consecration or not He promised him also to send vnto hym in writing those matters clearely determined that he might then be the more perfect in his answere making And all this was nought els but to blinde the multitude with somewhat The next day following according to his promise the Archbishop sent vnto hym into the Tower this foolishe and blasphemous writing made by him and by hys vnlearned Clergy * The determination of the Archbyshop and Clergy THe faith and determination of the holy Church touching the blisfull sacrament of the aultar is this that after the Sacramentall wordes be once spoken by a Priest in hys Masse the material bread that was before bread is turned into Christes very body And the materiall wine that was before wine is turned into Christes very bloud And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aulter from thenceforth no materiall bread nor materiall wine which were there before the Sacramentall wordes were spoken Now beleue ye this article Holy church hath determined that euery Christen man liuing here bodely vpon the erth ought to be shriuen to a priest ordeined by the Church if he may come to him Now feele ye this article Christ ordayned S. Peter the Apoistle to be his vicare here in earth whose sea is the holy churche of Rome And he graunted that the same power which he gaue vnto Peter should succeed to all Peters successours which we call now Popes of Rome By whose power in Churches particuler be ordayned Prelates as Archbishops Byshops Parsons Curates and other degrees more Unto whom Christen men ought to obey after the laws of the church of Rome This is the determination of holy Church Howe feele ye this article Holy churche hath determined that it is meritorious to a christen man to go on pilgrimage to holy places And there specially to worship holy reliques and Images of Saintes Apostles and Martyrs Confessours all other Saintes besides approued by the church of Rome Howe feele ye this article And as the Lorde Cobham had reade ouer this most wretched writing he maruailed greatly of their mad ignorance But that he considered agayne that God had geuen them ouer for their vnbeliefes sake into most deepe errors blindnes of soule Agayne he perceiued hereby that their vttermost mallice was purposed agaynst him howsoeuer he should answere And therefore he put hys life into the handes of God desiring hys onely spirite to assiste hym in his next answere When the sayd xxv day of September was come whiche was also the Monday before Michaelmas in the sayd yeare of our Lord 1413. Thomas Arundell the Archbishop of Caunterbury commaunded his indiciall seate to be remoued from that chapter house of Paules to the Dominicke Friers within Ludgate at LondoÌ„ And as he was there set with Richard Byshop of London HeÌ„nry the Byshop of Winchester and Bennet the Byshop of Bangor He called in vnto him his counsell his officers with diuers other Doctours and Fryers of whome these are the names here following maister Henry ware the Officiall of Caunterbury Phillip Morgan Doctour of both lawes Howell Kiffin Doctor of the Canon lawe Iohn Kempe Doctor of the Canon lawe WilliaÌ„ Carleton Doctour of the Canon law Iohn WitnaÌ„ of the new College in Oxford Iohn Wighthead Doctor in Oxford also Rob. WoÌ„bewel Vicare of S. Laurence in the Iewry Thomas Palmer the Warden of Minors Robert Chamberlayne Prior of the Dominickes Richard Dodington Prior of the Augustines Thomas Walden Priour of the Carmelites all Doctours of Diuinitie Iohn Stephens also and Iames Cole both Notaryes appoynted there purposely to write all that shoulde be eyther sayd or done All these with a great sorte more of Priestes Monkes Chanons Friers Parishe Clerkes belryngers Pardoners disdayned him with innumerable mockes scornes reconing him to be an horrible hereticke and a man accussed afore God Anone the Archbishop called for a masse booke caused all those Prelates and Doctors to sweare there vpon that euery man should faythfully doe his office and duety that day And that neyther for fauour nor feare loue nor hate of the one party nor the other any thing should there be witnessed spoken or done but according to the truth as they wold answer before God all the world at the day of dome Then were the two foresayd Notaryes sworne also to wryte and to witnesse the processe that there shoulde be vttered on both parties and to say their mindes if they otherwise knew before they should register it And al this dissimulation was but to colour their mischiefes before the ignoraunt multitude Consider herein gentle reader what this wicked generation is and how far wide from the iust feare of God for as they were then so are they yet to this day After that came forth before them Syr Robert Morley Knight and lieftenant of the Tower and he brought with him yâ— good Lorde CobhaÌ„ there leauing him among them as a Lambe among wolues to his examination and aunswere * An other examination of the Lorde Cobham THen saide the archbishop vnto him Lord Cobham ye be aduised I am sure of the wordes processe which we had vnto you vpon Saterday last past in the chapterhouse of Paules which processe were nowe to long to be rehearsed agayne I said vnto you then that ye were accursed for your contumacie disobedience to holy Church thinking that ye should with meekenes haue desired your absolution Then spake the Lord Cobham with a chearful countenaunce and sayde God sayde by his holy Prophet Maledicam benedictionibus vestris whiche is as much
to say as I shall cursse where you blesse The archbishop made then as though he had continued forth his tale and not hearde him saying Sir at that tyme I gently profered to haue assoyled you if ye woulde haue asked it And yet I doe the same if ye will humbly desire it in due forme and maner as holy church hath ordayned Then said the Lord Cobham May forsooth will I not for I neuer yet trespassed agaynst you and therefore I will not do it And with that he kneeled downe on the pauement holding vp his handes to wardes heauen and sayd I shriue me here vnto thee my eternall liuing God that in my frayle youth I offended thee Lord most greuously in pride wrath and gluttony in couetousnes and in lechery Many men haue I hurt in mine anger and done many other horrible sinnes good Lorde I aske thee mercye And therewith weepingly he stoode vp agayne and sayde with a mighty voyce Loe good people loe For the breaking of Gods law and his great commaundementes they neuer yet cursed me But for their owne lawes and traditions most cruelly doe they handle both me and other mē And therfore both they and theyr lawes by the promise of God shall vtterly be destroyed At this the archbishop and his companye were not a litle blemished Nothwithstanding he tooke stomack vnto him agayne after certayne words had in excuse of their tyranny and examined the Lord Cobham of his Christen beleue Whereunto the Lord Cobham made this godly aunswere I beleue sayth he fully and faithfully the vniuersall lawes of God I beleue that all is true whiche is conteyned in the holy sacred scriptures of the Bible Finally I beleue all that my Lord God would I shoulde beleue Then demaunded the Archbishop an answere of that Bill whiche he and the Clergie had sent him into the Tower the day afore in maner of a determination of the Churche concerning the foure Articles whereof he was accused specially for the Sacrament of the aulter howe he beleeued therein Whereunto the Lord Cobham sayd that with that bill he had nothing to doe But this was his beliefe he sayd concerning the sacrament That his Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ sitting at his last supper with his most deare disciples the night before he should suffer tooke bread in his hand And geuing thanks to his eternall father blessed it brake it and so gaue it vnto them saying Take it vnto you and eat therof all this is my body whiche shall be betrayed for you Doe this hereafter in my remembraunce This doe I throughly beleue sayth he for this sayth am I taught of the Gospell in Mathewe in Marke and in Luke and also in the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians chap. 11. Then asked the Archbishop if he beleeued that it were bread after the consecration or sacramentall words spoken ouer it The Lord Cobham said I beleue that in the sacramēt of the aulter is Christes very body in forme of bread the same that was borne of that virgin Mary done on the crosse dead and buryed and that the third day arose from death to life which now is glorified in heauen Then sayd one of the Doctors of the law After the sacramentall wordes be vttered there remayneth no bread but onely the body of Christ. The Lorde Cobham sayd then to one Maister Iohn whitehead You sayd once vnto me in the castell of Couling that the sacred host was not Christes body But I held then against you and proued that therin was his body though the seculars and Friers could not therein agree but held ech one against other in that opinion These wer my wordes then if ye remember it Then shouted a sorte of them together and cryed wyth great noyse We say all that it is Gods body And diuers of them asked him in great anger whether it were materiall bread after the consecration or not Then looked the L. Cobham earnestly vpon the archbishop and said I beleue surely that it is Christes body in forme of bread Syr beleue not you thus And the archbishop sayd yes mary do I Then asked him the Doctors whether it were onely Christes bodye after the consecration of a Priest and no body or not And he sayd vnto them it is both Christes body and bread I shall proue it as thus For like as Christ dwelling here vpon that earth had in him both Godhead manhood and had the inuisible Godhead couered vnder that manhode which was onely visible and seene in him So in the sacrament of the aultar is Christes very bodye and bread also as I beleue the bread is the thinge that we see wyth our eies the body of Christ which is his flesh his bloud is there vnder hyd and not seene but in fayth And moreouer to proue that it is both Christes bodie and also bread after the consecration it is by playne wordes expressed by one of your owne Doctours writing agayne Eutiches whiche faith Like as the selfe same Sacraments do passe by the operation of the holy Ghost into a Diuine nature and yet notwithstanding keepe the propertie still of their former nature so that principall mistery declareth to remayne one true and perfect Christ. c. Then smiled they eache one vpon other that the people shoulde iudge him taken in a great heresie And with a great brag diuers of them sayd It is a foule heresie Then asked the Archbishop what bread it was And the Doctors also inquired of him whether it were materiall or not The Lorde Cobham said vnto thē The scriptures maketh no mention of this worde materiall and therfore my faith hath nothing to doe therwith But this I say and beleue that it is Christes body and bread For Christ sayd in the vi of Iohns Gospell Ego sum panis viuus qui de coelo descendi I which came downe from heauen am the liuing and not the dead bread Therfore I say now agayne as I sayd afore as our Lord Iesus Christ is very God and very man so in the most blessed sacrament of the aulter is Christes very body and bread Then sayd they all with one voyce It is an heresie One of the Byshops stoode vp by and by and sayd What it is an heresie manifest to say that it is bread after the Sacramentall wordes be once spoken but Christes body onely The Lord Cobham sayd S. Paule the Apostle was I am sure as wise as you be now and more gladly learned And he called it bread writing to the Corinthians The bread that we breake sayth he is it not the partakyng of the body of Christ Lo he called it bread and not Christes body but a meane whereby we receaue Christs body Then sayd they agayne Paule must be otherwise vnderstand For it is sure on heresie to say that it is bread after the consecration but onely Christes
since that time we read of very few But in deede since that same time one hath put down an other one hath poysoned an other one hath cursed an other and one hath slayne an other and done much more mischiefe besides as all the Chronicles telleth And let all men consider well this that Christ was meeke and mercifull The pope is proude and a tyraunt Christ was poore and forgaue The pope is riche and a malicious manslear as hys dayly actes doe proue hym Rome is the very neast of Antichrist and out of that neast commeth all the disciples of him Of whome Prelates Priestes and Monkes are the body and these pud Friers are the tayle which couereth his most filthy part Then said the Prior of the Fryers Augustines Alacke sir why do you say so That is vncharitably spoken And the Lord Cobham said Not onely is it my saying but also the Prophet Esayes long afore my time The prophet saith he which preacheth lyes is the tayle behind For as you Fryers and monkes be like Phariseis deuided in your outward apparell and vsages to make ye deuision among the people And thus you with such other are the very naturall members of Antichrist Then said he vnto them all Christ saith in his Gosspell Woe vnto you Scribes and Phariseis Hipocrites For ye close vp the kingdome of heauen before men Neyther enter ye in your selues nor yet suffer any other that wold enter into it But ye stop vp the wayes therūto with your owne traditions and therfore are ye the housholde of Antechrist ye will not permit Gods veritie to haue passage nor yet to be taught of his true ministers fearing to haue your wickednes reproued But by suche flatterers as vphold you in your mischiefes ye suffer the common people most miserably to be seduced Then sayd the archbishop By our Lady syr there shal none such preach within my dioces and God will nor yet in my iurisdiction if I may know it as either maketh diuision or yet dissention among the poore commons The Lord Cobham sayd Both Christ and hys Apostles were accused of sedition making yet were they moste peaceable men Both Daniell and Christ prophecied that such a troublous tyme shoulde come as hath not bene yet since the worldes beginning And this prophecy is partlye fulfilled in your dayes and doinges For manye haue yee slayne already and more wil ye ssay hereafter if God fulfil not his promise Christ sayth also if those dayes of yours were not shortened scarsly shold any flesh be saued Therfore looke for it iustly for God will shorten youre dayes Moreouer though Priestes and deacons for preaching of Gods word and for ministring the sacraments with prouision for the poore be grounded on Gods lawe yet haue these other sectes no maner of ground hereof so farre as I haue read Then a Doctor of lawe called maister Iohn Kempe plucked out of his bosome a copy of the bil which they had afore sent him into the tower by the Archbishops counsel thinking thereby to make shorter worke with hym For they were so amased with his aunsweres not all vnlike to them whiche disputed with Stephen that they knewe not well how to occupy the time their wits and sophistry as God would so fayled them that day My Lord Cobham sayth this Doctor we must briefly know your minde concerning these foure poyntes here following The rest of them is this And then he read vpō the bill The fayth and determination of holy churche touching the blessed sacrament of the aulter is this That after the sacramentall wordes be once spoken of a Priest in his masse the materiall bread that was before bread is turned to Christes very body And the materiall wine is turned into Christes bloud And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aulter from thenceforth no material bread nor materiall wine which were there before the sacramentall wordes were spoken Sir beleue ye not this The Lord Cobham said This is normy beliefe But my fayth is as I sayd to you afore that in the worshipfull sacrament of the aulter is Christes very body in forme of bread Then sayd the archbishop sir Iohn ye must say otherwise The Lord Cobham said Nay that I shall not if God be vpon my side as I trust he is but that there is Christs body in forme of bread as the common beliefe is Then read the doctour againe The second poynt is this Holy Church hath determined that euery Christen mā liuyng here bodely vpō earth ought to be shriuen of a priest ordeined by the church if he may come to him syr what say you to this The Lord Cobham aunswered and said A diseased or sore wounded man hath need to haue a sure wise Chirurgian and a true knowing both the ground and the daunger of the same Most necessary were it therefore to be first shriuen vnto God which onely knoweth our diseases and can helpe vs. I deny not in this the going to a priest if he be a man of good life and learning For the lawes of God are to be required of the priest which is godly learned But if he be an idiote or a man of vicious liuing that is my curate I ought rather to flee from him then to seeke vnto him For sooner might I catch euill of him that is nought then any goodnes towardes my soules health Then read the doctour agayne The third poynt is this Christ ordayned S. Peter the Apostle to be his vicare here in earth whose sea is the church of Rome And he graunted that the same power whiche he gaue vnto Peter should succeede to all Peters successours which we call now popes of Rome By whose special power in churches particular be ordayned Prelates archbishops parsons Curates and other degrees more Vnto whom Christen men ought to obey after the lawes of the Church of Rome This is the determination of holye Church Sir beleue ye not this To this he answered and sayd He that followeth Peter most nighest in pure liuing is next vnto him in succession But your Lordly order esteemeth not greatly the lowly behauiour of poore Peter whatsoeuer ye prate of him Neither care ye greatly for the humble manners of them that succeeded him till the time of Siluester whiche for the more part were martirs as I told you afore Ye can let all their good conditions go by you and not hurt your selues with them at all All the world knoweth this well inough by you and yet ye can make boast of Peter With that one of the other doctors asked him thē what do ye say of the Pope The Lord Cobham answered As I said before He you together maketh whole the great Antichrist Of whō he is the great head you bishops priests prelates monks are the body and the begging friers are the tayle for they couer the filthines of you both with
to haue suffered but only all this persecution to rest onely in the exilement of bishops or guides of the flock Of other suffrings or executions we do not read for the terrible pestilence following immediatly kept the barbarous heatheÌ„ otherwise occupied Unto this tyme of Gallus rather then to the tyme of Decius I referre the banishment of Cyprian who was then bishop of Carthage Of the which banishment he himselfe testifieth in diuers of his epistles declaryng the cause therof to rise vpon a commotion or sedition among the people out of the which he withdrew himselfe lest the sedition should grow greater Notwâ—thstaÌ„ding the sayd Cyprian though beyng absent yet had no lesse care of his flocke and of the whole church then if he had bene present with them And therfore neuer ceased in his Epistles continually to exhort and call vpon them to be constant in their profession and pacient in theyr afflictions Amongst diuers other whom he doth comfort in his banishmeÌ„t although he was in that case to be comforted himselfe writing to certayne that were condemned to minyng for metals whose names were Nemesianus Felix Lucius with other bishops Priests and Deacons declareth vnto them how it is no shame but a glory not to be feared but to be reioyced at to suffer banishment or other paynes for Christ. And confirming them in the same or rather commending them signifieth how worthily they do shew themselues to be as valiant captaines of vertue prouoking both by the confessions of their mouth and by the suffring of their body the hartes of the brethren to Christian Martyrdome whose example was and is a great confirmation to many both maydes and children to follow the like As for punishment and sufferyng it is sayth he a thing not execrable to a Christian. For a Christian mans brest whose hope doth wholy consist in the tree dreadeth neyther batte nor club woundes and skarres of the body be ornaments to a Christian man such as bring no shame nor dishonestie to the partie but rather preferreth and freeth him with the Lord. And although in the mines where the mettals be digged there be no beds for Christian mens bodies to take their rest yet they haue their rest in Christ. And though their wearie bones lye vpon the cold ground yet it is no payne to lye with Christ. Their feete haue bene fettered with bandes and chaynes but happily he is bound of man whome the Lord Christ doth loose happily doth he lye tyed in the stockes whose feete therby are made swifter to runne to heauen Neither can any man tye a Christian so fast but he runneth so much the faster for his garland of life They haue no garmentes to saue them from colde but he that putteth on Christ is sufficiently coated Doth bread lacke to their hungry bodies But man liueth not onely by bread but by euery worde proceedyng from the mouth of God Your deformitie sayth he shall be turned to honour your mourning to ioy your payne to pleasure and felicitie infinite And if this doe grieue you that ye cannot now employ your sacrifices and oblations after your wonted maner yet your sacrifice daily ceaseth not which is a contrite and humble hart as when you offer vp daily your bodies a liuely and a glorious sacrifice vnto the Lorde which is the sacrifice that pleaseth God And though your trauaile be great yet is the rewarde greâ—ter which is most certaine to follow For God beholding and looking downe vpon them that confesse his name in their willyng mynd approoueth them in their striuyng helpeth them in their victory crowneth them rewarding that in vs which he hath performed and crowning that which he hath in vs perfected With these and such like comfortable wordes he doth animate his brethren admonishing them that they are now in a ioyfull iourney hasting apace to the mansions of the Martyrs there to enioy after this darknes a stable light and brightnes greater then all their passions according to the Apostles saying These sufferings of this present tyme be nothing like comparable to the brightnesse of the glory that shall be reuealed in vs c. And after the like wordes of sweete comfort and consolation writing to Seagrius and Rogatianus which were in prison and bondes for the testimony of truth doth encourage them to continue stedfast and patient in the way wherein they haue begun to runne for that they haue the Lord with them their helper and defender who promiseth to bee with vs to the worldes ende and therfore willeth them to set before their eyes in their death immortalitie in their payne euerlasting glory of the which it is written Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saintes Item although before men they suffred torments yet their hope is full of immortalitie and beyng vexed in small things they shall be well requited in great matters For the Lord hath tried them as gold in the fire And writeth moreouer admonishing them that it is so appoynted from the beginnyng of the world that righteousnes here should suffer in secular conflicts for so iust Abell was slayne in the beginnyng of the world and after him all iust and good men the Prophets also and the Apostles sent of the Lord himselfe vnto whome all the Lorde first gaue an example in himselfe teachyng that there is no comming to his kingdome but by that way which he entred himselfe saying by these wordes he that loueth his lyfe in this worlde shall loose it c. And agayne feare ye not them that slay the body but haue no power to slay the soule And S. Paule likewise admonishing all them whosoeuer couete to be pertakers of the promises of the Lord to follow the Lord sayth if we suffer together with him we shall raigne togeâ—her c. Furthermore as the same Cyprian doth encourage here the holy Martyrs which were in captiuitie to persist so likewyse writing to the Priestes and Deacons which were free exhorteth them to be seruiceable and obsequious with al care and loue to cherish and embrase theÌ„ that were in bondes Cypria Lib. 3. Ep. 6. wherby may appeare the feruent zeale care of this good-Byshop toward the Church of Christ although beyng now in exile in the time of this Emperour Gallus In the same time and vnder the said Gallus reignyng with his sonne Volusianus was also Lucius bishop of Rome sent to banyshment who next succeeded after Cornelius in that byshopricke about the yeare of our Lorde 256. Albeit in this banishment he did not long continue but returned againe home to his Church as by the Epistle of S. Cyprian Lib 3. Epist. 1. maye appeare As to all other Bishops of Rome in those primitiue daies certaine decretall Epystles with seuerall ordinaunces be ascribed bearing theyr names and titles as hath bene afore declared so also hath Lucius one Epistle fathered vpon him in the which Epistle he writing
Urbane according to the tenor and forme of a certaine Epistle of his wherin among many other thinges in the same Epistle conteined these wordes he wryteth to Pope Paschalis the third yere after his banishment after the death of Urbane and a little before the death of the king To the Lord and reuerend father Paschalis high bishop Anselme seruant of the Churche of Cant. offereth due subiection from his heart and prayers if they can stand in any stede Ex Epist. 36. Paulò post initium I See in Englād many euils whose correction belongeth to me and which I could neither amend nor suffer without mine owne fault The king desireth of me that vnder the name of right I shuld consent to his pleasures which were against the lawe and wil of God For he woulde not haue the Pope receaued nor appealed vnto in Englande without his commaundement neither that I should send a letter vnto him or receaue any from him or that I shuld obey his decrees He suffered not a Councell to be kept in his realme now these 13. yeares since he was king In all these things and such like if I asked any counsaile all my suffragane Byshops of his realme denied to geue me any counsaile but according to the kinges pleasure After that I sawe these and such other thinges that are done against the will and lawe of God I asked license of him to goe to Rome vnto the sea Apostolicall that I might there take counsaile for my soule and the office committed to me The king sayd that I offended agaynst hym for the onely asking of license And propounded to me that eyther I should make hym amendes for the same as a trespasse assuring hym neuer to aske this license any more to appeale to the pope at anye tyme hereafter or els that I shoulde quickly depart out of hys land Wherefore chosen rather to goe out of the land◠then to agree to so wicked a thing I came to Rome as ye know and declared the whole matter to the Lord Pope The king by and by as soone as I went out of England inuaded the whole Archbishoprike and turned it to hys owne vse taxing the monkes onely with bare moate drinke and clothe The king being warned and desired of the Lord Pope to amend this he contēned the same and yet continueth in his purpose still And now is the third yere since I came thus out of Englande and more Some men not vnderstanding demaund why I did not excommunicate the king But the wiser sort and such as haue vnderstanding counsayle me that I doe no this thing because it belongeth not to me both to complayne and to punish To conclude I was forewarned by my frendes that are vnder the king that my excommunication if it should be done would be laughed to scorne and despised c. By these here aboue prefixed appeareth how Anselme the Archbishop comming to Rome made hys complaynt to the Pope Urbane of the king and how the Pope writing to the king in the behalfe of Anselme hys letters and commaundementes were despised And now to our story In the meane tyme while the popes letters were sent to the king Anselme was byd to wayte about the Pope to looke for an aunswere backe Who perceauing at length how little the king reputed the popes letters began to be weary of hys office desiring the pope that he might be discharged thereof But the Pope in no case woulde thereto consent chargying hym vpon hys obedience that where soeuer he went he shoulde beare with him the name and honour of the Archbishop of Cant. Whereunto Anselmus agayne sayd hys obedience he neyther durst nor woulde refuse as who for Gods cause was ready to suffer what soeuer should happen yea though it were death itselfe as he thought no lesse would follow thereof But what shold we think sayth he is there to be done where not onely iustice taketh no place but is vtterly oppressed and where as my suffraganes not onely doe not helpe for dread the righteous cause but also for fauour do impugne the same Well sayth the Pope as touching these matters we shal sufficiently prouide for at the next Councell at Baron where as I will you the same tyme and place to be present When the tyme of the Councell was come Anselme among other was called for Who first sitting in an vtter side of the Byshops afterward was placed at the right foote of the Pope with these wordes Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam Wherupon the same place after hym was appoynted to the successours of the sea of Cant. in euery general Councel by the decree of Urbane to sit at the right foote of the pope In this Councell great sturre and much reasoning there was agaynst the Grecians concerning the matter and order of proceeding of the holy Ghost Where is to be noted that the Greeke Church hath of long tyme dissented from the Latine church in many and sondry poyntes to the number of xx or almost xxi◠Articles as I haue them collected out of the Register of the Church of Hereford Whereof lyke as occasion hereafter may serue God willing for a further more ample tractation to be made so here by the waye partly I meane to touch some The first is Wherein the Greeke Church differeth from the Latine THe first article wherein the Greeke Churche altereth from the Latine or Romish Church is this Quòd sunt extra obedientiam Romanae ecclesiae pro eo quòd ecclesia Constantinopolitana non est subiecta sed ei aequalis 1. Dicunt Dominum Apostolicum non habere maiorem potestatem q̄ iiii Patriarc hae Et quicquid sit praeter scientiam eorum per Papam vel sine eorum approbatione nullius est valoris c. In Englishe First they are not vnder the obedience of the Churche of Rome because that the Church of Constantinople is not subiect but equall to the same 2. They hold that the Bishop of the Apostolicke Sea of Rome hath greater power then the 4. Patriarches And whatsoeuer the Pope doth beside their knowledge or without their approbation it is of no valor 3. Item they say whatsoeuer hath bene done or concluded since the second generall Councell is of no full authoritie because from that time they recount the Latines to be in errour and to be excluded out of the holy Church 4. Item Dicunt Eucharistiam consecratam per Romanam Ecclessam non esse verum corpus Christ 1. They hold the Eucharist consecrated by the Churche of Rome not to be the very body of Christ. Also where the Romish Churche doth cosecrate in vnleauened bread they cōsecrate in bread leauened 5. Item they say that the Romish church doth erre in the wordes of Baptisme for saying I baptise thee when they should say let this creature of God be baptised c. 6. They hold moreouer to
both by an old chronicle called Chronica gestorum as also by auncient Origen vpon the third booke of Moses bringing in his wordes which be these prouing that this sacramental bread ought not to be reserued Quicunque hunc panem coenae Christi secunda vel tertia die sumpserit non benedicitur anima eius sed inquinabitur Propterea Gabaonitae quia antiquos panes portaueruÌ„t ad filios Israel oportuit eos ligna ac aquam portare c. That is whosoeuer receiueth this bread of the Supper of Christ vpon the second or iii. day after his soule shall not be blessed but polluted Therfore the Babaonites because they brought olde bread to the children of Israel it was enioyned them to cary wood and water c. D. Austen of whom meÌ„tion is made before disputing agaynst them about this matter of the holy Eucharist vrgeth them with this interrogation whether it be the same Christ present in the Sacrament which is present at the right hand of the father If it be not the same Christ how is it true in the Scripture Vna fides vnus Dominus nostet Iesus Christus One fayth one Lord Iesus Christ If it be the same Christ theÌ„ how is he not to be honored and worshipped here as well as there To this the Ualdenses aunswere againe and graunt that Christ is one and the same with his naturall body in the sacrament which he is at the right hand of his Father but not after the same existence of his body For yâ— existence of his body in heauen is not personall and locall to be apprehended by the fayth and spirit of men In the sacrameÌ„t the existence of his body is not personall or locall to be appreheÌ„ded or receiued of our bodies after a personal or corporall maner but after a sacrameÌ„tal maner that is where our bodies receiue the signe our spirit the thing insignified Moreouer in heauen the existence of his body is dimensiue and complete with the full proportion and quaÌ„tity of the same body where with he asceÌ„ded here the existeÌ„ce of his complete body with the full proportion measure stature thereof doth not neither can stand in the sacrameÌ„t Briefly the existence of his body in heauen is naturall not sacramentall that is to be sene and not remembred here it is sacramentall not naturall that is to be remembred not to be sene That aunswere being made to the captious propositioÌ„ of D. Augustine The Ualdenses retorting the like interrogation to him againe demaund of him to answere them in the like obiection whether it be all on christ substaÌ„tially naturally which sitteth in heauen which is vnder the formes of bread and wine and in the receiuers of the Sacrament If he graunt to be Then they did him say seing Christ is as well in the sacrament as in heauen as well in the receiuer as in the sacrament all one Christ in substance nature why then is not the same Christ as well in the brest of the receiuer to be worshipped as vnder the formes of bread and wine in the sacrameÌ„t seing he is there after a more perfect maner in man then in the sacrament for in the sacrament he is but for a tâ—â—e and not for the sacraments sake but for the mans cause In man he is not for the sacraments cause but for his owne and that not for a season but for euer as it is written Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum that is he that eateth this breade shall liue for euer c. Moreouer and besides seing traÌ„substantiation is the going of one substance into an other they question againe with him whether the formes of bread and wine remayning the substauÌ„ce thereof be chauÌ„ged into the whole person of our Lord Christ Iesus that is both into his body soule and diuinitye or not into the whole Christ If he graunt the whole Then say they that is impossible concerning the diuinity both to nature and to our fayth that any creature can be chauÌ„ged into the creator If he say the bread is chaunged into the body and soule of Christ not to his diuinity then he seperateth the natures in Christ. If he say into the body alone and not the soule then he separateth the natures of the true manhood c. And so cannot be the same Christ that was betrayed for vs for that he had both body soule To conclude to what part soeuer he would aunswere this doctrine of transubstantiation cannot be defended without great incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce of al sides Ouer and besides Eneas Syluius writing of theyr doctrine and assertions perchaunce as he fouÌ„d them perchaunce making worse of them then they taught or ment reporteth them after this maner which I thought here to set out as it is in the Latin ROmanum praesulem reliquis episcopis parem esse Inter sacerdotes nullum discrimen Praes byterum non dignitatem fed vitae meritum efficere potiorem In English The byshop of Rome to be equall with other bishops Amongst priestes to be no difference of degree No Priest to be reputed for any dignity of his order but for the worthinesse of his life The soules of men departed either to enter into paine euerlasting or euerlasting ioy No fire of Purgatory to be found To pray for the dead to be vaynâ— and a thing onely found out for the lucre of Priestes The images of God as of the Trinity and of saintes to be abolished The halowing of water palmes to be a mere ridicle The religion of begging Fryars to be found out by the deuill That priestes should not incroch riches in this world but rather follow pouerty being content with their tythes and mens deuotion The preaching of the word to be free to all men called thereunto That no deadly sinne is to be tollerate for whatsoeuer respect of a greater commodity to insuâ— therupon The coÌ„firmation which bishops exercise with oyle and extreme vnction are not to be counted amongst the sacraments of the Churche Auriculare confession to be but a toy to suffice for euery man to confesse himselfe in his chamber to God Baptisme ought to be ministred ouely with pure water without any mixture of halowed oyle The temple of the Lord to be the wide world The maiesty of God not to be restrayned more within the walles of temples monastaries and chappelles so that his grace is rather to be found in one place then in an other Priestes apparell ornaments of the high aulter vestimentes corporaces chalices patines and other Churche plate to serue in no stead For the difference and respect of the very place to make no matter where the priest doth consecrate or doth minister to them which do require To be sufficient to vse onely the sacramentall words without all other superfluous ceremonies The suffrages of saintes reigning with Christ in heauen to be craued in vayne being not
in the Prologue of his Sermons And Hiereme in the 95. distinct Ecce ego And Augustine vpon this place Homo quidam peregrinus A certayne traueller ☞ The fourth conclusion toucheth the Sacrament of the aultar and is this That wholy I beleue that the Sacramēt of the aultar made by vertue of heauenly words is bread and Christes body so as Christ himselfe sayth in the Gospell and as S. Paule sayth and as Doctors in the common law haue determined To this sentence Iohn 6. Moses hath not geuē you bread from heauen but my father will geue you bread from heauen He is the true bread that came downe from heauen and geueth life vnto the world My father geueth vnto you bread in deed the very true bread of God is that which came downe from heauen and geueth life vnto the world I am the bread of life The bread which I wil geue is my flesh And in the Canon of the Masse Panem sanctum vitae aeternae the holy bread of life And Corinth the 10. cap. and first Epistle The bread which we breake is it not the communicating of the body of the Lord Let a man proue himselfe and so eat of that bread c. And Canon De consecratione distinction 2. Under the authority of Hilarius the Pope Corpus Christi quod sumitur de altari c. And Augustine in the foresayd distinctiō That which is sene is bread c. That which fayth requireth is bread and is the body of Christ. And in the foresayd distinction cap. Omnia quaecunque c. By these two sentēces it is manifestly declared that that bread this bee not two but one bread and one flesh Note the woordes for that he sayth the breade and fleshe And the author De diuinis officijs and also Augustine in his booke De remedijs poenitentiae why preparest thou thy teeth c. And Ambrose De Sacramentis de consecratione distinct 2. Reuera mirabile est c. This meat which you receiue this bread of one which descended from heauen doth minister the substaunce of eternall life and whosoeuer shall eate the same shall not dye euerlastingly and is the body of Christ. Note how he sayth and is the body of Christ. ☞ The 5. article telleth of forgeuenesse of sinnes is this That very contrition withouten charity and grace do away all sinnes before done of that man that is verely contrite and all true confession made by mouth outward to a wise Priest and a good profiteth much to a man and it is needfull and helping that men shew theyr life to such trusting fully to Gods mercy that he forgeueth the sinne And herto I say that there bene 2. remissiōs of sinnes one that longeth onely to God And that remission is the clensing of the soule from sinne And the other remission a certifying that one man certifieth an other that his sinnes bene forgeuen of God if he be sory with all his hart for thē and is in full wil to leaue them for euer and this maner of forgeuenes longeth to Priests Of the first maner of forgiuenesse Dauid sayth And I sayd I will confesse my vnrighteousnes vnto the Lord thou forgauest me my misdeed And Zachary sayth And thou O childe shalt be called the Prophet of the highest c. To geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of theyr sinnes by the bowels of Gods mercy And Iohn Baptist. Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Iohn the Euangelist sayth in his Epistle If we confesse our sinnes he is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our sinnes and clense vs from al our iniquity And it foloweth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ and he it is that is the propitiatiō for our sinnes And of the other remissiō of sinnes Christ speaketh in the Gospell and sayth Whose sinnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuen And mans forgeuenes auayleth litle but zif God forgeue our sinnes through his grace ☞ The 6. conclusion teacheth indulgences and pardons that the Pope graunteth in his Buls and men callen it an absolution A poena a culpa Of this maner of speach I cannot finde in the Gospel ne in no place of holy write ne I haue not read that Chryst vsed this maner of remission ne none of his Apostles But as me semeth if the pope had such a power sithē the paines after a mās death bene much greater thē any bodily paines of the world me thinketh he should of charity keep mē out of such paynes and then men needed not to finde so many vicious Priests after theyr life to bring theyr soules out of Purgatory An other thing me thinketh that sithe the popes power ne may not keep vs in this world fro bodely paynes as from cold from hunger from dread frō sorow and other such paynes how should his power help vs frō spirituall paynes when we bene dead But for that no mā commeth after his death to tell vs the sooth in what payne they bene men mow tell thereof what him lust S. Iohn sayth in his Apocalips that he sawe vnder the aultar the soules of them which were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they had And they did cry with a loud voice saying how long Lord holy and true doest not thou reuenge our bloud of them which dwel on the earth And white stoles were geuē to euery of thē to rest a while till the number of theyr felow seruaunts brethren should be fulfilled which also remayned to be slayne as they were c. Here semeth it that these soules were not assoiled a poena that is from payne for theyr desire is not fulfillen And they were bidden abide a while and that is a payne And if Martyrs were not assoyled from payne it is hard for any mā to to say that he assoyleth other mē a poena Also good mēs soules haue not but spirituall blisse and they want bodely blysse vntill their resurrection in the day of dome And after they desiren to haue that blysse and abiden it and that is paine to them And I cānot see that y◠Pope hath power to bring him from this paine But it any man can shew me that he hath such a power graunted in the troth of holy write I will gladly leefen it ☞ The vii point speaketh of the Pope and is this Sith it is onely due to God as I haue syd before to geue to graunt plener remissiō from paine and from blame that whatsoeuer he bee Pope or other that presūptuously mistaketh vpon him the power that onely is due to God in that in as much as in him is he maketh him selfe euen with Christ blasphemeth God as Lucifer did when he sayd Ascendam ero similis altissimo That is I will ascend
that looke for him to their saluation For the lawe hauing a shadowe of good thinges to come can neuer by the Image it selfe of thinges which euery yeare without ceasing they offer by such sacrifices make those perfect that come therunto for otherwise that offering should haue ceased Because that such worshippers being once cleansed from theyr sinnes should haue no more conscience of sinne But in these commemoratioÌ„ is made euery yere of sinne for it is impossible that by the bloud of Goates and Calues sinnes should be purged and taken away Therfore comming into the world he sayd Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not haue but a body hast thou geuen me peace offeringes for sinne haue not pleased thee Then sayd I behold I come In the volume of the booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O God Saying as aboue because thou wouldest haue no sacrifices nor burnt offeringes for sinne neyther doest thou take pleasure in those things that are offered according to the law Then sayd I behold I come that I may doe thy will O God He taketh away the first to stablishe that which followeth In which will we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once for all And euery priest is ready dayly ministring and oftentimes affering like sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes But this Iesus offering one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euermore on the right hand of God expecting the time tyll his enemies be made his footstoole For by his owne onely oblation hath he consummated for euermore those that are sanctified All these places haue I recited which Paule writeth for the better vnderstanding and declaration of those thinges I meane to speak By all which it appeareth manifestly how the Priesthood of Christ differeth from the legall priesthood of Aaron and by the same also appeareth how the same differeth from all other priesthood Christian that immitateth Christ. For the properties of the priesthood of Christ aboue recited are founde in no other Priest but in Christ alone Of the third priesthood that is the Christian priesthood Christ by expresse wordes speaketh but litle to make any difference betwene the priests and the rest of the people neither yet doth vse this name of Sacerdos or praesbiter in the Gospell But some he calleth disciples some apostels whom he sent to baptise to preach in his name to do miracles He calleth them the salt of the earth in which the name of wisedome is ment and he calleth them the light of the world by which good liuing is signified For he sayth So let your light so shine before meÌ„ that they may see your good workes and glorify your father which is in heauen And Paule speaking of the Priestes to Timothe and Titus seemeth not to mee to make any diuersity betwixt the Priestes and the other people but in that he woulde haue them to surmount other in knowledge and perfection of life But the fourth priesthood is the Romaine priesthood brought in by the Church of Rome which Churche maketh a distinction betwene the clergy and the lay people after that the clergy is deuided into sundry degrees as appeareth in the decretals This distinction of the clergy from the laitye with the consure of clerkes began in the time of * Anacletus as it doth appeare in the Chronicles The degrees of the clergy were afterward inuedted distincted by their offices and there was no ascentioÌ„ to the degree of the priesthood but by inferior orders and degrees But in the primitiue churche it was not so for immediately after tht conuersion of some of theÌ„ to the fayth baptisme receiued they were priests bishops made as appeareth by Ananias whom Marcus made of a taylor or shomaker to be a bishop And of many others it was in like case done according to the traditions of the church of Rome Priests are ordeined to offer sacrifices to make supplication and prayers and to blesse sanctify The oblation of the priesthood onely to Priestes as they say is congruent whose duties are vpon the aultar to offer for the sinnes of the people the Lords body which is coÌ„secrated of bread Of which saying I haue great maruell considering S. Paule his wordes to the Hebrues before recited If Christ offering for our sinnes one oblation for euermore sitteth on the right hand of God and wyth that one oblation hath coÌ„suÌ„mated for euermore those that are sanctified If Christ euermore sitteth on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs what neede he to leaue here any sacrifice for our sinnes of the Priestes to be dayly offered I do not finde in the scriptures of God nor of his Apostles that the body of Christ ought to be made a sacrifice for sinne but onely as a Sacrament and commemoration of the sacrifice passed whiche Christ offered vpon the aultar of the crosse for our sinnes For it is an absurditye to say that Christ is now euery day really offered as a sacrifice vpon the aultar by the Priestes for then the Priestes should really crucify him vpoÌ„ the aultar which is a thing of no Christian to be beleeued But euen as in his supper his body his bloud he deliuered to his Disciples in memorial of his body that should be crucified on the morrow for our sinnes So after his asceÌ„tion did his Apostles vse the same when they brake bread in euery house for a SacrameÌ„t and not for a sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this meanes were they put in remembraunce of the great loue of Christ who so entirelye loued vs that willinglye he suffered the death for vs for the remission of our sinnes And thus did they offer theÌ„selues to God by loue being ready to suffer death for the confession of his name and for the sauing health of theyr brethren fulfilling the new commaundement of Christ which sayd vnto them A new coÌ„mauÌ„dement do I geue vnto you that you loue one another as I haue loued you But wheÌ„ loue began to waxe cold or rather to be frosen for cold thorow the anguish anxiety of persecution for the name of Christ then Priests did vse the flesh and bloud of Christ in â—â—tad of a sacrifice And because many of them feared death some of them fled into solitarye places not daring to geue themselues a sacrifice by death vnto God through the confession of his name sauing health of theyr brethreÌ„ Some other worshipped Idols fearing death as did also the chiefe Bishop of Rome and many other mo in diuers places of the world And thus it came to passe as that which was ordeined and instituted for a memoriall of the one onely sacrifice was altered for want of loue into the realitye of the sacrifice it selfe ¶ After these thinges thus discussed he inferreth consequently vpon the same an other briefe tractation of women
lamentable and dolerous genealogie of mortall and deadly sinnes did chalenge that place by title of heritage and this conclusion is generall and approued by experieÌ„ce custome and maner as ye shall after heare The second conclusion that our vsuall Priesthode which tooke his originall at Rome fained to be a power higher then aungels is not that Priesthoode which Christ orâ—cyned vnto his disciples This coÌ„clusion is thus proued forso much as the Romish priesthod is done with signes and pontificall rites and ceremonies and benedictions of no force effect neither hauing any ground in scripture for so much as the Bishops ordinall and the new Testament do nothing at all agree neither do we see that the holy Ghost both geue any good gift through any such signs or ceremonies because that he together with all noble good giftes cannot coÌ„sist and be in any person wyth deadly sinne The corolary or effect of this conclusion is that it is a lamentable and dolorous mockerye vnto wise men to see the Byshops mocke play with the holy Ghost in the geuing of their orders because they geue crowns for their characters and markes in stede of white hartes this caracter is the marke of Antichrist brought into the holy Church to cloke and colour their idlenesse The third conclusion that the law of chastity enioyned vnto priesthode the which was first ordeined to the preiudice of women induceth Sodomy into the church but we doe excuse vs by the Bible because the suspect decree doeth say that we should not name it Both reason experience proueth this coÌ„clusion Reason thus forsomuch as the delicate feeding and fare of the Clergy will haue either a naturall purgation or some worse Experience thus for somuch as the secrete triall and proofe or suche men is yâ— they do delite in women And whensoeuer thou doest prooue or see such a man marke him well for he is one of the number The corolarie of this conclusion is that these priuate religions with the beginners therof ought most chiefly to be disanulled as the original of the sinne and offence But God of hys might doth of priuie sinnes send open vengeance The fourth conclusion that most harmeth the innocent people is this that the fained miracle of the Sacrament of bread inducoth al men except it be a very few vnto idolatry For somuch as they thinke that the body whych shall neuer bee oute of heauen is by the vertue of the Priestes wordes essentially included in the little breade the which they doe shewe vnto the people But woulde to God they would beleeue that which the Euangelicall Doctour teacheth vs in his Trialoge Quòd panis altaris est accidentaliter Corpus Christi i. that the breade of the aulter is the body of Christ accidentally for so muche as wee suppose that by that meanes euery faithful man and woman in the law of God may make the Sacrament of that bread without any such miracle The corolarie of this conclusion is that albeit the body of Christ be endowed with the eternal ioy the seruice of Corpus Christi made by Frier Thomas is not true but painted ful of false miracles neither is it any maruell for so much as frier Thomas at that time taking part with the Pope would haue made a myracle of a hens egge and we knowe it very well that euery lie openly preached and taught both turne to the rebuke opprobry of him whych is alwayes true without any lacke The 5. conclusion is this that the exorcisme halowings consecrations and blessings ouer the Wine Bread Waxe Water Dyle Salte Incence the Aulter stone and about the Churche walles ouer the Westiment Chalice Miter Crosse and Pilgrimstaues are the very practises of Nigromancy rather then of sacred diuinity This conclusion is thus prooued because that by suche exorcismes the creatures are honored to be of more force power then by their own proper nature for we do not see any alteration or chaunge in any creature so exorcised except it be by false faith which is the principall poynt of deuilish art The cocolarie of this is that if the booke of exorcisation or coniuring of holy water which is sprinkled in the Church were altogether faithfull and true we thinke certainly that holy water vsed in the Churche were the best medicine for all kinde of sicknesse and sores Cuius contrarium experimur i. the contrary wherof daily experience doth teach vs. The sixt conclusion which mainteineth much pride is that a king and Bishop both in one person a Prelate and iustice in temporall causes a Curate an Officer in worldly office doth make euery kingdome out of good order This conclusion is manifest because the temporalty and the spirituality are two parts of the holy vniuersal Church and therfore he which addicteth himself to the one part let hym not intermeddle wyth the other Quia nemo potest duobus Dominis seruire wherfore to be called Amphroditae whyche are men of both kindes or Ambidextri which is such as can play with both handes were good names for suche men of double estates The Corolary of thys conclusion is that therupon we the procuratours of God in this case doe sue vnto the Parliament that it may be enacted that all suche as be of the clergie as well of the highest degree as of the lowest shuld be fully excused and occupy themselues with their owne cure and charge and not wyth others The seuenth conclusion that wee mightely affirme is that spirituall prayers made in the church for the soules of the deade preferring any one man by name more then an other is a false foundation of almes whereuppon all the houses of almes in England are falsly founded This conclusion is prooued by two reasons The one is that a meritorious praier of any force or effect ought to be a worke proceeding from meere charity and perfect charity accepteth no person because thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self Wherby it appeareth that the benefit of any temporall gift bestowed geuen vnto priestes and houses of almes is the principall cause of any speciall prayers the which is not farre different from sunonie The other reason is that euery speciall prayer made for men condemned to eternall punishment is very displeasant before God And albeit it be doubtful yet is it very likely vnto the faithfull Christian people that the founders of euery suche house of almes for their wicked endowing of the same are for the most part passed by the broad way The corolary is that euery praier offorce and effect proceeding of perfect charitie woulde comprehend generally all such whom God wold haue saued and to liue The marchaundise of special praiers now vsed for the dead maketh mendicant possessioners other hierling priestes which otherwise were strong enough to worke to serue the whole realme And maintaineth the same in idlenesse to the great
and conuicted of and vpon that that thou hast taught and openly affirmed as hetherto thou doest teach boldly affirme and defend that the Sacrament of the body of Christ consecrated vpon the aulter by the Priest is not the true body of Christ But after the Sacramental words to make the body of Christ by vertue of the said Sacramentall words pronounced to haue bin in the crime of heresie and we do pronounce thee both to haue bene and to be an heretike and do declare it finallie by these writings These things were done accordingly as is aboue written and are recited in the yeare indiction popedome moneth day and place aforesaid being present the same time Iohn Malune Prior of the Cathedrall Church of Worcester Iohn Dudle Mōke and Iohn Haule the supprior of the said Church Thomas Penings of the order of the Carmelites Thomas Fekenham of the order of the preaching Friers William Pomfret of the order of the Minorites being professors and maisters in diuinitie William Hailes Gualter of London Iohn Swippedew beeing publique Notaries and William Beuchampe and Thomas Gerbris being Knights Richard wish of Tredington Thomas Wil be of Dentbury Iohn Weston of Yewley being parsons of Churches and Thomas Baleinges the maister of Saint Wolstone in Worcester and also Henry Haggely Iohn Penerell Thomas Trogmorton and William Wasseborne Esquiers of the Dioces of Worcester and Norwich and many other worshipfull and honest men being witnesses and called speciallye to the things aforesaid And I Iohn Chew Clerke of the Dioces of Bath and Welles and by the authoritie apostolicall publique Notarie of the said Bishop haue in testimonie of the premisses put my hand seale to the examination interrogatiō monition and aunswere of the same Iohn Badby and to his obstinacie also to the procedings of al and singular other doings as is aforesaid which against him before the sayd bishop were handled done in the yeare indiction popedome moneth day and place aforesaid which with the forenamed witnesses was personally present and y◠same euen as I heard them and saw them to be done being occupied with other matters caused them to be written and published and into this publique forme haue compiled the same I the foresayd Notary am also priuie vnto the words and examinations interlined betweene seauen or eight lines of y◠beginning of this instrument which lines I also the foresaide Notary doe approoue and make good And I Walter London Clerke of the Dioces of Worcester and by the authoritie Apostolicall publique Notarie to all and singular the foresaid things as afore by the foresaid Notary is recited in the yeare indiction popedome moneth day and place aforesaid were handled and done being with other the fore recited witnesses personally present and to all euery of the same as I saw heard them to be done being thereunto faithfully desired and required In testimony of the premisses haue signed subscribed according to the accustomed maner Haec ex Reg. Cant. And when the articles in the foresaid instrument contained were by the Archbishop of Canterbury publiquely and vulgarly read and approued he publiquely cōfessed affirmed that he had both said and mainteined the same And then the Archbishop to conuince the cōstant purpose of the said Iohn Badby commanded the same articles againe to be read often instructing him both by words and examples informing and exhorting him that thereby he might be brought the sooner to the Religion that he was of And furthermore the said Archbyshop sayd and affirmed there openly to the same Iohn that he would if he would liue according to the doctrine of Christ gage his soule for him at the iudgement day And after that againe he caused those articles in the said instrument expressed to be read by the foresaid Phillip Morgan the said Archbyshop himselfe expounded the same in English as before wherunto Iohn Badby aunswered As touching the first article concerning the body of Christ he expresly sayd that after the consecration at the aulter there remaineth materiall bread the same bread which was before notwithstāding said he it is a signe or sacrament of the liuing God Also wen the second article was expounded vnto him that it is impossible for anie Priest c. To this article he answered and said that it could not sinke into his minde that the words are to be taken as they litterallie lie vnles he should denie the incarnation of Christ. Also being examined of the third Article concerning Iacke Raker he said That if Iacke Raker were a man of good liuing and did loue and feare God that he hath as much power so to do as hath the Priest and said further that he hath heard it spoken of some doctors of diuinitie that if he should receiue any such consecrated bread he were worthy to be damned were damned in so doing Furthermore he sayd that he would beleue the omnipotent God in trusitie and said moreouer that if euery hoste being consecrated at the aulter were the Lords body that then there be 20000. gods in England But he beleeued he said in one God omnipotent which thing the foresaid Archb. of Cant. denied not And when the other conclusion was expounded That Christ sitting with his Disciples at supper c. To this he answered and said that he would greatly maruell that if anie man had a loafe of bread and should breake the same and giue to euery man a mouthfull that the same loafe should afterwards be whole When all these things were thus finished and that all the said conclusions were often red in the vulgar tong the foresaid Archb. demaunded of him whether he would renounce and forsake his opiniōs and such like conclusions or not and adhere to the doctrine of Christ and Catholike faith He answered that according to that he had sayd before he would adhere and stand to those words which before he had made answere vnto Then the Archb. oftentimes required the said Iohn in the bowels of Iesu Christ that he would forsake those opinions and conclusions and that hencefoorth he would cleane to the christian faith which thing to do in the audience of all the lords and others that were present he expresly denied and refused After all this when the foresayd Archbishop of Cant. the Bishop of London had consulted together to what safe keping the said Iohn Badby vntill the wednesdaie next might be committed It was cōcluded that he shold be put in a certaine chamber or safe house within the Mansion of the Frier preachers and so he was and then the Archbishop of Caunterbury sayd that he himselfe would kepe the key therof in the meane time And when the foresayd wednesday was expired being the 15. day of March and that the foresayd Archbishop of Canterbury with hys fellow brethren and Suffraganes were assembled in the Church of S. Paule in London The Archbish. of Canterbury taking the Episcopall seate
grace to perform his purpose the same vow or othe is vnreasonable and vndiscreet neither can any Prelate compell him to keep the same except he will do contrary vnto Gods ordinaunce But he ought to commit him vnto the gouernance of the holy ghost of his owne conscience for so much as euery man which will not fulfill his vow or othe can not do it for that cause 6. Whosoeuer taketh vpon him the office of priesthood although he haue not the charge of soules cōmitted vnto him according to the custome of the Churche Not onely they may but ought to preach the Gospel frely vnto the people otherwise he is a thief excommunicated of God and of the holy Church 7. That Innocentius the third Pope and 600. bishops and a thousand other Prelates with all the rest of the clergy which together with the same Pope agreed and determined that in the sacrament of the aultar after the couersion of the bread and wine into the body bloud of Christ that the acesdentes of the sayd bread and wine do remayne there without any proper subiect of the same the whiche also ordeyned that all Christians ought to confesse theyr sinnes once a yeare vnto a proper priest to receiue the reuerent Sacrament at Easter made certaine other lawes at the same time All they sayth he in so doing were fooles and Blockeheades Heretickes Blasphemers and Seducers of Christian people Wherfore we ought not to beleue their determinations or of their successours neither ought we to obey theyr lawes or ordinances except they be plainly grounded vpon the holy Scripture or vpon some reasō which can not be impugned ¶ Other Articles drawne out of Purueyes bookes more at large by Ry. Lauingham AS touching the Sacramēt of thanks geuing he sayth That that chap. of repentance and remission Omnis vtriusque sexus wherin it is ordeined that euery faithfull mā ought once euery yeare at the least that is to say at Easter to receiue the Sacrament of Eucharist is a beastly thing hereticall and blasphemous Item that Innocenius the 3. Pope was the head of Antichrist who after the letting loose of Sathan inuented a new article of our sayth and a certayn fayned verity touching the Sacrament of the aultar That is to say that the Sacramēt of the aultar is an accidēt without a substance or els an heape of accidences without a substaunce But Christ and his Apostles doe teach manifestly that the Sacrament of the aultar is bread and the body of Christ together after the maner that he spake And in that he calleth it bread he woulde haue the people to vnderstande as they ought with reason that it is very and substaunciall bread and no false nor sayned bread And although Innocētius that Antichrist doth allege that in the councell at Lions where this matter was decided were 600. Bishops with him and 1000. Prelates which were in one opiniō of this determination Al those notwithstanding he talleth fooles according to that saying of Eccl. Of footes there are an infinite number And so in like maner he calleth them false Christes false prophets of whom Christ speaketh the 24. of Mathew Many false Christes and false Prophets shall arise and deceiue many And therfore euery Christian man ought to beleue firmly that the sacrament of the aultar is very bread in deed and no false nor sayned bread And although it be very bread in deed yet notwithstāding it is the very body of Christ in the sort he spake and called it his body and so it is very bread and the very body of Christ. And as Christ concerning hys humanity was both visible and passible and by his Diuinity was inuisible and unpassible So likewise this sacrament in that it is very bread may be sene with the corporal eie and may also abide corruption But although a man may see that Sacrament yet notwithstanding cannot the body of Christ in that Sacrament be seene with the corporall eye although it be the body of Christ in that maner he spake it For that notwithstanding the body of Christ is now incorruptible in heauē So the Sacrament of the cup is very wine the very bloud of Christ according as hys maner of speaking was Also Innocentius 3 with a great multitude of his secular Clerkes made a certayne new determination that the Sacrament of the aultar is an accidence without a substance whereas neither Iesus Christ nor any of his Apostles taught this sayth but openly and manifestly to the contrary neither yet the holy Doctours for the space of a thousand yeares more taught this faith openly Therefore when Antichrist or any of his shauelinges doth aske of thee that art a simple Christian whether that this Sacrament be the very body of Christ or not affirme thou it manifestly so to be And if he aske of thee whether it be materiall bread or what other bread els say thou that it is such bread as Christ vnderstood and ment by his proper word and such bread as the holy ghost ment in S. Paule when he called that to be very breade whiche he brake and wade thou no further herin If he aske thee how this bread is the body of Christ Say thou as Christ vnderstoode the same to be his body which is both omnipotent and true in whom is no vntrueth Say thou also as the holy Doctors do say that the terrestriall matter or substaunce may be conuerted into Christ as the Pagan or infidell may bee Baptised and herby spiritually to be conuerted and to be a member of Christ and so after a certayne maner to become Christ and yet the same man to remayne still in his proper nature For so doth S. Augustine graunt that a sinner forsaking his sinne and being made one spirite with God by fayth grace and charity may be cōuerted into God and to be after a maner God as both Dauid and S. Iohn do testifye and yet to be the same person in substaunce and nature and in soule and vertue to be altered chaūged But yet men of more knowledge and reasō may more plainely conuince the falsity of Antichrist both in this matter and in others by the gift of the holy Ghost working in thē Notwithstanding if those that be simple men will hūbly holde and keepe the manifest and apparaunt wordes of the holy scripture the playn sense and meaning of the holy ghost and proceed no farther but humbly to commit that vnto the spirite of God which passeth theyr vnderstanding Then may they safely offer themselues to death as true Martyrs of Iesus Christ. As touching the Sacrament of penaunce That chapter Omnis vtriusque sexus by which a certayne newe founde auricular confession was ordeined is full of hipocrisye heresy couetousnes pride blasphemy he sayth and reproueth the same chapter verbatim and that by the sentences of the same proces Also that the
first written in Greeke by Gregory the 3. and afterward translated out of Greeke into Latine by pope Zachary vide supra pag. 130. Likewise that worthy and Imperiall sermon iâ—â—tuâ—ed Eusebij pamphili Sermo ad Conuentum Sanctorum hath to thys day wrongfully borne the name of Eusebius Where as in very truth it was made by the good Emperour Constantinus himselfe in his owne heroicall stile in latine and afterward translated out of Latine into Greeke by Eusebius as he himselfe confesseth in hys worke De vita Constant. lib. 4. But as touching this sermon although the name be chaunged so godly and fruitful it is that it â—attereth not much vnder whose name it be read yet worthy to be read vnder the name of none so much as of the Emperor CoÌ„stantine himselfe who was the true author and owner therof Briefly except it be the bookes onely of the new Testament and of the olde what is almost in the popes church but either it is mingled or depraued or altered or corrupted either by some additions interlased or by some diminutioÌ„ mangled and gelded or by some glose adulterate or with manifest lies contaminate So that in theyr doctrine standeth little truth in theyr Legendes Portues masse-bookes lesse trueth in their miracles and Reliques least truth of all Neyther yet doe theyr sacramentes remayne cleare and voyd of manifest lyes and corruption And specially here commeth in the mayster bee whiche bringeth in much sweet hony into Popes hiues the maister lye I mean of all lyes where the P. leauing not one cromme of bread nor drop of wine in the reuerent communion vntruly and idolatrously taketh away all substaunce of bread from it turning the whole substaunce of bread into the substaunce of Christes owne body which substaunce of bread if the Pope take from the sacrament then muste he also take the breaking from it for breaking and the body of Christ can in no wise stand litterally together by the scripture Thus then as this is proued by the word of God to be a manifest lye so thinke not much good Reader hereat as though I passed the bondes of modestie in calling it the Archlye or maister lie of all lies Because vppon this one an infinite number of other lyes and erroures in the popes churche as handmaydes doe wayte and depend But forsomuch as I stand here not to charge other meÌ„ so muche as to defende my selfe ceasing therefore or rather differing for a time to stir this stinking pudle of these wilfull and intended lyes and vntruthes whiche in the Popes Religion and in papistes bookes be innumerable I will now returne to those vntruthes and impudent lies which M. Cope hath hunted out in my history of Actes Monuments first beginning with those vntruthes which he carpeth in the storye of the foresayde syr Iohn Oldcastle and syr Roger Acton Browne and the rest And first where he layeth to my charge that I cal them Martyrs whiche were traytors and seditious rebels agaynst the king and theyr Country to this I haue aunswered before sufficiently Now here then must the reader needes stay a little at M. Copes request to see my vanitie and impudencye yet more fully and amply repressed in refuting a certain place in my Latine story concerning the kinges statute made at Leiceister whiche place and wordes by him alledged be these pag. 1â—7 Quocirca Rex indicto Lecestriae concilio quòd fortâ—ssis Londini ob Cabhami fautores non erat tutum proposito edicto immanem denunciat poenam his quicunque deinceps hoc doctrinae genus sectarentur vsqueâ—deo in eos seuerus vt non modo haereticos sed perduelliones etiam haberi aâ— pâ—o inde gemino eos supplicio suspendio simul inceÌ„dio afficiendos statueriâ— c. Eâ— mox Adeo ille vires rationesque intendebat omnes aduersus Wicklenianos Wicleuiani ad temporis decebantur quicunque Scripturas Dei sua lingua lectirarent Vpon these wordes out of my foresayd Latine booke alledged maister Cope perswadeth himselfe to haue great aduauntage agaynst me to proue me a notorious lyer in three sondry pointes First in that whereas I say that the king did hold his parliament at Leicester adding thys by the way of Parenthesis quod fortassis Londini ob Cobhami fautores non erat tutum c. here he concludeth thereby simpliciter and precisely that the Lord Cobham and syr Roger Acton with his fellowes were traytors c. Whereby a man may soone shape a cauiller by the shadowe of mayster Cope For where as my Dialysis out of the texte speaketh doubtfully and vncertaynely by this word fortassis meaning in deede the king to be in feare of the Gospellers that he durst not hold his Parliament at London but went to Leiceister he argueth precisely therfore that the Lord Cobham sir Roger Acton and his fellowes went about to kil the king Secondly where I affirme that the king in that Parliament made a grieuous law agaynst al such did hold the doctrine of Wickliffe that they should be taken hereafter not for heretiques but also for fellons or rebels or traytors and therefore should sustayne a double punishement both to be hanged and also to be burned c. Here coÌ„meth in maister Momus with his Cope on his backe and prouing me to be a lyer denyeth playnly that the king made any suche statute vid. pag. 835. line 6. where hys wordes be these Atqui quod haeretici pro perduellionibus deinceps geminatas poenas suspeÌ„dij incendij luerent vt nugatur Foxus nullo modo illic traditur c. First here woulde bee asked of maister Cope what hee calleth patriae hostes et proditores if he call these traytours then let vs see whether they that followed the sect of wycliffe were made traytours heretiques by the kings law or not And first let vs heare what sayth Polydore Virgil his owne witnes in this behalfe whose words in his xxii booke pag. 441. be these Quare publice edixit vt si vspiam deinceps reperirentur qui eam sequerentur sectam patriae hostes haberentur quò sine omni lenitate seuerius ac ocyus de illis supplicium sumeretur c. That is wherefore it was by publique statute decreed that whosoeuer were founde hereafter to follow the sect of Wyckliffe should be accounted for traytors whereby without all lenitie they shoulde be punished more seuerely and quickly c. Thus haue you maister Cope the playne testimonie of Polydore with mee And because ye shall further see your selfe more impudent in carping then I am in deprauing of histories you shall vnderstand moreouer and heare what Thomas Walden one of your owne catholique brotherhode who was also himselfe aliue a doer in the same Parliament being the prouincial of the Carmelites saith in this matter writing to Pope Martin whose very wordes in Latine here follow written in
declare vnto them hys minde neyther would he by any meanes consent vnto those priuate iudges Wherupon the Presidents of the Councell thinking that the sayd M. Hierome woulde renue hys recantation before the sayd audieuce and confirme the same did graunt him open audieÌ„ce In the yeare of our Lord. 1416. the 25. day of May which was the Saterday before the Ascenâ—ion of our Lord the sayd M. Hierom was brought vnto open audience before the whole Councell to the great Cathedrall church of Constance whereas by the Commissioners of the Councell in the behalfe of hys foresayd enemies there was laid agaynst him of new C. and vii Articles to the intent that he should not scape the snare of death which they prouided and layd for him in so much as the iudges had before declared that by the saying of the witnesses it was already concluded in the same audience The day aforesayd from morning vntill noone he aunswered vnto more then 40. Articles most subtletie obiected agaynst him denying that he held or mayntayned any such articles as were either hurtfull or false affirming the those witnesses had deposed theÌ„ agaynst him falsly and slaunderously as his most cruel and mortall enemies In the same Session they had not yet proceeded vnto death because that the noone time drew so fast on that he could not answere vnto the Articles Wherfore for lacke of time sufficient to aunswere vnto the residue of the Articles there was an other time appoynted which was the third day after the foresaid Saterday before the Ascention of our Lord at whiche time againe early in the morning hee was brought vnto the sayde Cathedrall Church to answere vnto all the residue the Articles In all which articles as well those which he had aunswered vnto the Saterday before as in the residue he cleared himselfe very learnedly refelling his aduersaries who had no cause but onely of malice displeasure were set agaynst him did him great wrong in suche sort that they were themselues astonyed at his oration and refutation of their testimonies brought agaynst him and with shame enough were put to silence As when one of them had demanded of him what he thought by the sacrament of the aultar He answered before consecration sayd he it is bread wine after the consecration it is the true body and bloud of Christ adding withall moe wordes according to theyr catholicke fayth Then an other rising vp Hierome sayde he there goeth a great rumor of thee that thou shouldest hold bread to remain vpon the aultar To whom he pleasantly answered saying that he beleued bread to be at the Bakers At which wordes being spoken one of the Dominicke Friers fumishly tooke on and sayd what doest thou deny that no man doubteth of Whose peuishe sausines Hierome with these words did well represse holde thy peace said he thou monke thou hipocrite And thus the monke being nipped in the head sate downe dumme After whom started vp an other who with a loude voyce cryed out I sweare sayd he by my conscience that to be true that thou doest deny To whom sayd Hierome agayne speaking in latine Heus inquit sic iurare per conscientiam tutissima fallendi via est That is thus to sweare by your conscience is the next way to deceiue An other there was a spitefull and a bitter enemy of his whom he called by no other name then dogge or asse After he had thus refuted them one after an other that they could finde no crime against him neyther in this matter nor in anye other they were all driuen to keepe silence This done then were the witnesses called for who coÌ„ming in presence gaue testimony vnto the Articles before produced By reason wherof the innocent cause of Hierome was oppressed and began in the councell to be concluded Then Hierome rising vp begaÌ„ to speak forsomuch sayth he as you haue heard mine aduersaries so diligeÌ„tly hether to conuenient it is that you should also nowe heare me to speake for my selfe Whereupon with much difficultie at last audience was geueÌ„ in the Councell for hym to say his mind Which being granted he from morning to noon continuyng entreated of diuers and sondry matters with great learning and eloqueÌ„ce Who first beginning with his praier to God be sought him to geue him spirite habilitie and vtterance which might most tend to the profite saluation of his own soule And so entring into hys Oration I Know sayth he reuerend Lords that there haue bene many excelleÌ„t men which haue suffered much otherwise theÌ„ they haue deserued being oppressed with false witnesses condemned with wrong iudgementes And so beginning with Socrates he declared howe hee was vniustly condemned of hys countrimen neither woulde he escape when hee might taking from vs the feare of two thinges whiche seeme most bitter to men to wit of prisonment and death Then he inferred the captiuitie of Plato the banishment of Anaxagoras and the tormentes of Zeno. Moreouer he brought in the wrongfull condemnation of many gentiles as the banishment of Rupilius reciting also the vnworthy death of Boetius and of others whom Boetius himselfe doth write of From thence he came to the examples of the Hebrues and first began with Moyses the deliuerer of the people the law geuer how he was oftentimes slaundered of hys people as being a seducer and contemner of the people Ioseph also sayth he for enuy was sold of hys brethren and for false suspicion of whoredome was cast into bandes Besides these he reciteth Esayas Daniell and almost all the Prophetes who as contemners of god and seditious persons were oppressed with wrongfull condemnation FroÌ„ thence he proceeded to the iudgement of Susanna and of diuers other besides who being good and holy men yet were they vniustly cast away with wrongfull sentence At the length he came to Iohn Baptist and so in long processe he descended vnto our sauiour declaring how it was euident to all men by what false witnesses both he and Iohn Baptist were condemned Moreouer how Stephen was slayne by the Colledge of the priestes and how all the Apostles were condemned to death not as good men but as seditious styrrers vp of the people and contemners of the Gods and euil doers It is vniust sayth he vniustly to be condemned one priest of an other and yet he proued that the same hath so happened most vniustly in that Councell of Priestes These thinges did he discourse at large with marueilous eloqueÌ„ce and with singuler admiration of all that heard hym And forasmuch as all the whol summe of the cause dyd rest only in the witnesses by many reasons he proued that no credite was to be geuen vnto them especially seing they spake all thinges of no truth but onely of hatred malice enuy And so prosecuting the matter so liuely and expressely he opened vnto them the causes of their hatred
be done in priuate houses so that whosoeuer should atteÌ„pt the contrary should be depriued const 57. Moreouer coÌ„cernyng Clerkes leauyng their Churches const 58. Also concerning the order maner of funerals const 59. And that Byshops should not keepe froÌ„ their flocke const 67. The same IustiniaÌ„ grauÌ„ted to the Clergy of ConstaÌ„tinople the priuiledge of the secular court in cases onely ciuile and such as touched not the disturbauÌ„ce of the Byshop otherwise in all criminall causes he left them to the iudgemeÌ„t of the secular court const 83. He geueth also lawes decrees for breach of matrimonie const 117. in diuers other places And in his const 123. after the doctrine of S. Paule he commauÌ„deth all Byshops Priestes to sounde out their seruice to celebrate the misteries not after a secrete maner but with a loude voyce so as they might not onely be heard but also be vnderstand of the faythfull people what was sayd done Whereby it is to be gathered that diuine prayers and seruice then was in the vulgar toung And as the said Iustinian other Emperours in those dayes had the iurisdictioÌ„ and gouernement ouer spirituall matters persons the like examples also may be brought of other kyngs in other laÌ„des who had no lesse authoritie in their Realmes then Emperours had in their Empire As in FrauÌ„ce Clodoueus the first Christened kyng at Orleans caused a CouÌ„cell of 33. Byshops where .33 Canons were instituted coÌ„cernyng the gouernemeÌ„t of the Church within .200 yeares after Christ. Ex primo Tomo Concil Carolus Magnus beside his other lawes and edictes political called v. Synodes one at Mentz the second at Rome the third at Remes the fourth at Cabilone the fift at Arâ—late where sundry rites ordinauÌ„ces were geuen to the Clergy about .810 yeares after Christ. The same Carolus also decreed that onely the Canonicall bookes of Scripture should be read in the Church none other Which before also was decreed an 4.17 in the third generall Councel of Carthage Item he exhorteth and chargeth Byshops and Priests to preach the word with a godly iniuÌ„ction Episcopi verò vt siue per se siue per vicarios pabulum verbi diuini sedulò populis annuncient Quia vt ait beatus Gregorius Iram contra se occulti iudicis excitat Sacerdos si sine praedicationis sonitu incedit Et vt ipsi clerum sibi commissum in sobrietate castitate nutriant Superstitiones quas quibusdam in locis in exequijs mortuorum noÌ„nulli faciunt eradicent that is That bishops either by them selues or their deputies shall shew forth the foode of Gods word to the people with all diligeÌ„ce For as Gregory sayth the Priest procureth against him the wrath of the secret iudge which goeth without the sound of preaching And also that they bring vp their Clergy to theÌ„ coÌ„mitted in sobernes chastitie The superstitioÌ„ which in certaine places is vsed of some about the Funerals of the dead let them exterminate plucke vp by the rootes c. Moreouer instructing informyng the sayd Byshops Priestes in the office of preaching willeth theÌ„ not to suffer any to fayne or preach to the people any new doctrine of their owne inueÌ„tion not agreing to the word of God but that they them selues both will preach such thyngs as lead to eternall life and also that they set vp other to do the same ioyneth with all a godly exhortation Ideo dilectissimi toto corde praeparemus nos in scientia veritatis mox vt diuina donante gratia verbum Dei currat crescat multiplicetur in profectum Ecclesiae Dei sanctae salutem animaruÌ„ nostrarum laudem gloriam nominis Domini nostri Iesu Christi Pax praedicantibus gratia obedientibus gloria Domino nostro Iesu Christo Amen Furthermore the said Carolus in his constitutions diuideth the goodes geueÌ„ to the Church so that in the more welthy places two partes should go to the vse of the poore the third to the stipeÌ„d of the Clergy Otherwise in poorer places an equall diuisioÌ„ to be made betwene the pouertie the Clergy vnles the gift had some speciall exception Ex Ansegiso lib. 1. cap. 80. And in the same booke a little after cap. 83. the author declareth by the sayd Carolus to be decreed that no Ecclesiasticall person or persons froÌ„ thenceforth should presume to take of any person any such gift or donation wherby the childreÌ„ or kinsfolkes of the sayd Donor should be defeited of their inheritance duly to them belongyng Ludouicus Pius king of France after Emperor was sonne to the foresaid Charles who being ioined together with the said Charles his father in the Empire ordained also with his father sundry actes obseruaunces touchyng the gouernement of the Church as in the author before alledged may appeare As first that no entry should be made into the Church by Symony Agayne that Byshops should be ordained by the free electioÌ„ of the Clergie of the people without all respect of person or reward onely for the merite of life and gift of heauenly wisedome Also the sayd Kynges Emperours forbad that any free maÌ„ or Citizen should enter the professioÌ„ of Monkery without licence asked of the kyng before added a double cause wherfore First for that many not for meere deuotioÌ„ but for idlenes and auoyding the kynges warres do geue theÌ„ selues to ReligioÌ„ againe for that many be craftely circumueÌ„ted deluded by subtile couetous persons seekyng to get froÌ„ them that which they haue Lib. 1. cap. 114. ibidem IteÌ„ that no young childreÌ„ or boyes should be shaueÌ„ or enter any profession without the will of their PareÌ„tes And no young maydens should take the veale or profession of a Nunne before she came to sufficient discretion of yeres to discerne chuse what they will follow That none should be interred or buried theÌ„ce forth within the Church which also was decreed by Theodosius Valentinianus 40. yeares before them Item the sayd Carolus .22 yeares before this Emperour enacted that murderers such as were giltie of death by the law should haue no sanctuary by flying into the Church c. which also was decreed by IustiniaÌ„ .300 yeares before this Carolus Ex Nouel Iustinia Moreouer the foresayd Ludouicus Pius with his sonne Clothariê° or as some call him Lotharius ioyned with him among other Ecclesiasticall Sanctions ordained a godly law for laymen to coÌ„municate the Sacrament of the body bloud of the Lord in these wordes Vt si noÌ„ frequeÌ„tius vel ter laici homines communicent nisi fortè grauioribus quibusâ—am criminibus impediaÌ„tur That laymen do communicate at least thrise if not ofter except they be let percase by some more haynous greuous offences Anseg lib. 2. cap. 43. Item they enacted that no goodes of the Church should be alienated vnder the payne Leoninae
heard Peter preache Christ receaued straightway the holy Ghost Peter himselfe confessed and for his confession hadde the keyes of heauen Math. 16. Zacheus receaued the person of Christ into his house and withal receaued saluation both to him and his whole houshold Luc. 19 What a sinner was Mary which had no lesse in her then vij deuils yet because she set her hart and affectiō vpon that person many sinnes were forgiuen her Luc. 7. The right hand theefe how farre was he from all works of the law yet by faith entred he iustified into Paradise the same day with christ Luc. 23. In like maner although the poore Publicane came to the Church with lesse holines after the law yet went he home to his house more iustified then the Pharisie with all his workes and all by reason of fayth Luc. 18 The parable of the prodigal sonne which was lost yet reuiued agayne Also of the lost groat and of the lost sheepe which went astray and was found againe what do these declare but that which is lost by the lawe to be recouered by faith and grace And how oft doe we reade in the Gospels Thy faith hath saued thee c. Iesus seing their beliefe c. He that beleueth in me I will raise him vp in the last day c. Beleue also in me c. He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life c. Without me ye can do nothing c. He that is in me c. He that looueth me c. He that heareth me c. He that abideth in me c. He that receaueth me c. Onles ye eate my flesh and drinke my bloud c. That they may receaue remission of sinnes by their faith in me c. Act. 26. To him al the Prophets giue witnes to haue remission of sinnes whosoeuer beleeueth in his name c. Act. 10. He that beleeueth is baptised Mat. vlt. He that beleueth in me shall do the works that I do greater then these c. And likewise in the writings of S. Paule how often doe we heare the name of Christ almost in euery thirde or fourth line where hee still repeateth In Christo Iesu per Christum Iesum Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum c. Qui credunt in ipso c. Omnes qui credunt in eo c. Credentes illo in eum credentes illi in nomen eius in nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi c. Beleue saith S Paule to the Iaylor in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole house c. Actes 16. Thus then thou seest as the passion of Christ is onely the efficient or personall cause immediate of our saluation so is faith onely the instrumentall or meane cause that maketh the merits of Christ to vs auaileable For as the Passion of Christ serueth to none but such as do beleue so neither doth faith as it is onely a bare qualitie or action in mans minde it self iustifie vnles it be directed to the body of Christ crucified as to his obiect of whom it receueth all his vertue And therfore these ij must alwayes ioyntly concurre together faith and Christ Iesus crucified As for example when the children of Israel were byd of Moses to looke vp to the brasen Serpent neither could the Serpent haue helped them except they had looked vp nor yet their looking vpward haue profited them vnles they had directed their eyes vpon the said Serpent as the only obiect set vp to the same purpose for them to behold So our faith in like case directed to the bodye of Iesus our Sauiour is onely the meanes wherby Christes merits are applied vnto vs and we now iustified before God according to the doctrine of S. Paule who in expresse wordes defining to vs what this faith is and how it iustifieth sayth If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue with thy hart that God raised him from death thou shalt be saued c. Rom 10. Besides this what action or qualitie soeuer is in man either hope charitie or any other kinde of faith and beleeuing be it neuer so true except it apprehend this obiect which is the body of Christ the sonne of God it serueth not to iustification And that is the cause why we adde this particle Onely to faith and say that faith Onely in Christ iustifieth vs to exclude all other actions qualyties giftes or works of man from that cause of iustifying for so much as there is no other knowledge nor gift giuen of God to man be it neuer so excellent that can stand before the iudgement of God to iustification or wherevnto any promise of saluation is annexed but onely this faith lookyng vp to the brasen Serpent that is to the body of Christ Iesus for vs crucified As for example when the Turke sayth that he beleeueth in one liuyng God that made heauen earth his beliefe therin is true yet it iustifieth him not because it lacketh the right obiect which is Christ. So when the Iewe saith that he beleeueth in one God maker of heauen and earth and beleeueth also the same God to be omnipotent merciful iust and true of promise and that he hath elected the seede of Abraham true it is that he beleeueth and yet all this serueth him not because Christ the sonne of God is not ioyned to all And though the said Iew should be neuer so deuout in his prayers or charitable in almose or precise in keeping the law beleeued neuer so stedfastly that he is elect to be saued yet he is neuer the neerer to saluation for all this so long as his faith is not grounded vpon y◠head cornerstone which is the person and body of Christ Iesus the true Sauiour After like sort it may be sayd of the Papist when he saith that he is Baptised and beleeueth in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God and also confesseth Iesus Christ to be the sonne of God which died for our sinnes and rose againe for our righteousnes c. his beleife therin is true indede would saue him if he did stay his saluation in this faith and vpon Christ his Sauiour Onely according to the promise and grace of God and go no farther But that he doth not for neither doth he admit Christ onely to be his perfect Sauiour without the helpe of the patrons heades aduocates and mediatours nor yet permitteth his faith in Christ Onely to be the meanes of his iustification but setteth vp other by meanes as hope charitie sacrifice of the Masse confession penaunce satisfaction merites and pardons supposing thereby to worke his iustification before God contrary to the word of promise to the Gospell of grace to the doctrine of S. Paule whereof we shall see more the Lord willing hereafter And thus much of the
Philadelphia suffered Martyrdome at Smyrna which Policarpus specially aboue the rest is had in memory so that hee in all places among the Gentiles is most famous And this was the ende of this worthy disciple of the Apostles Whose hystory the brethren of the congregation at Smyrna haue wrytten in this their Epistle as is aboue recited Iraeneus in his 3. booke against heresies the 3 chap. and Eusaebius in his 4. booke and 14. chap. of his Ecclesiasticall history reporteth this worthy saying of Poticarpus This Policarpus sayth hee meeting at a certeine time Martion the heretick who said vnto him doest thou not know me made answere I know that thou art the first begotten of Sathan So great feare what euil might ensue therof had the Disciples of the Apostles that they would not speake to them whom they knew to be the deprauers of the verytie euen as Paule saith The hereticke after the first and second admonition shonne and auoyd Knowing that he which is such one is peruerse or frowarde and damneth himselfe This most holy confessour and Martyr of Christ Policarpus suffered death in the fourth persecution after Nero when Marcus Antonius and Lucius Aurelius Commodus raigned an Dom. 167. as Vrsperg affirmeth an 170. as Eusebius witnesseth in his Chronicles the 7. before the Calendes of Februarie Of Germanicus mention is made aboue in the storye of Policarpus of whome writeth Eusebius Lib. 4. cap. 15. notyng him to be a younge man and most constantly to perseuere in the profession of Christes doctrine whom wheÌ„ the Proconsul went about to perswade to remember his age and to fauor him selfe being in the floure of his age he woulde nor be allured but constaÌ„tly and boldly and of his owne accorde incited and prouoked the wild beast to come vpon him and to deuour him to be deliuerd more spedely out of this wretched life Haec Eusebius an 170. Thus haue you heard out of the Epistle of the brethren of Smyrna the whole order and liâ—e of Policarpus wherby it may appeare that he was a very aged maÌ„ who had serued Christ lxxxvj yeares since the first knowledge of him and serued also in the ministery about the space of 70. yeares This Policarpus was the schooler and hearer of Iohn the Euangelist and was placed by the sayde Iohn in Smyrna Of him also Ignatius maketh mention in his Epistle which he wrote in his iourney to Rome going toward his martyrdome and commended to him the gouernement of hys Church at Antioch whereby it appeareth that Policarpus then was in yâ— ministery Likewise Iraeneus writeth of the sayd Policarpus after this maner He alwaies taught sayd he those things which he learned of the Apostles leauing them to the Church and are onely true Wherevnto also at the Churches that be in Asia and all they which succeeded after Policarpus to this day beareth witnes And the same Irenaeus witnesseth also that the sayd Policarpus wrote an Epistle to the Phillipians which whether it be the same that is now extant and read in the name of Policarpus it is doubted of some notwithstanding in the sayd Epistle diuers things are founde very holesome and Apostolicke as where he teacheth of Christ of iudgement and of the resurrection Also he writeth of faith very worthily thus declaryng that by grace we are saued and not by works but in the will of God by Iesus Christ. In Eusebius we reade in like maner a part of an Epistle written by Irenaeus to Florinus wherin is declared how that the said Irenaeus being yet yong was with Policarpus in Asia at what time he saw well remembred what Policarpus did and the place where he sat teaching his whoâ—e order of life and proportion of his body with the sermons wordes which he said to the people And furthermore he perfectly remembred howe that the saide Policarpus often times reported vnto him those thinges which hee learned and heard them speake of the Lord his dooinges power and doctrine who heard the worde of life with their owne eares all which were more consonant and agreable to the holy Scripture Thus with much more hath Irenaeus concerning Policarpus Hierome also writing of the same Policarpus hath howe he was in great estimation throughout all Asia for that he was scholer to the Apostles and to them which did see and were conuersant with Christ himselfe whereby it is to be coniectured his authority to be much not onely with them of his owne Church but wyth all other Churches about him Ouer and besides it is witnessed by the sayd Irenaeus that Policarpus came to Rome in the time of Anicetus Byshop of Rome about the yere of our Lord. 157. in yâ— raigne of Antoninus Pius whose cause of his comming thether appeareth to be about the controuersie of Easterday wherin the Asians and the Romanes somthing disagreed amonge theÌ„selues And therfore the said Policarpus in the behalfe of the brethren and Church of Asia tooke his long iourneye thether to come and conferre with Anicetus Wherof wryteth also Nicephorus Lib. 4. declaring that Policarpus and Anicetus something varied in opinions and iudgement about that mater And that notwithstanding yet both freÌ„dly communicated either with the other insomuch that Anicetus in his Church gaue place to Policarpus to minister the Communion and Sacrament of the Lordes Supper for honour sake which may be a notable testimony now to vs that the doctrine concerning the free vse and liberty of ceremonies was at that time retained in the church without any offence of stomacke or breach of Christian peace in the Church This Policarpus as is aboue mentioned suffered his Martyrdome euen in his owne Church at Smyrna where he had laboured so many yeares in planting of the Gospel of Christ which was about the yeare of our Lorde 170. as Eusebius rekoneth in his Chronicle and in the 7. yeare of Antoninus Verus his raigne wherby it appeareth that Socrates in Historia tripartita was much deceaued saying that Policarpus suffered in the time of Gordianus In this fourth persecution beside Policarpus and other mentioned before we read also in Eusebius of diuers other who at the same time likewise did suffer at Smyrna Ouer and besides in the said persecution suffered moreouer Metrodorus a ministrr who was giuen to the fier so consumed An other was worthy Pionius which after much boldnes of speeche with his Apologies exhibited his sermons made to the people in the defence of christian sayth and after much reheuyng and comforting of such as were in prisons and otherwise discoÌ„forted at last was put to cruell torments and afflictions then giuen likewise to the fire so finished his blessed martyrdome After these also suffered Carpus Papylus and Agathonyca a woman who after their most constaunt and worthye confessions were put to death at Pergamopolis in Asia witnessing Eusebius Lib. 4 cap 7.
that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke that he doth God great good seruice TheÌ„ suffered the Martirs of God such bitter persecution as is passing to be tolde Sathan still shooting at this marke to make them to vtter some blasphemy by all meanes possible Marueilous therefore was the rage both of the people Prince specially against one Sanctus which was Deacon of the congregation of Uienna and agaynst Maturus being but a litle before baptised but yet a worthy souldiour of Christ and also against Attalus being borne in Pergama which was the foundation and pyller of that congregation and also against Blandina by whome Christ sheweth that those things which the world esteemed vyle and abiect to be glorious in Gods sight for the very loue which in hart and deede they beare vnto him not in outward face onely For when all we were afrayd specially her mistres in flesh who also was her selfe one of the nuÌ„ber of the foresayd martirs least happely for the weakenes of body she woulde not stande strongly to her confession the foresaid Blandina was so replenished with strength boldnes that they which had the tormenting of her by course from morning to night for very werines gaue ouer fell downe were themselues ouercome confessing that they could do no more against her marueiled that yet she liued hauing her body so torne and rent And testified that any one of those torments alone without any moe had ben inough to haue plucke the life from her body But that blessed woman fighting this worthy battell became stroÌ„ger stronger as often as she spake these words I am a Christian neither haue we committed any euill it was to her a marueilous comfort and bolding to abide the torments Sanctus also another of the Martyrs who in the middest of his tormentes induring more paines then the nature of a man might away with also at what time the wicked supposed to haue heard him vtter some blasphemous words for the greatnes intollerablenes of his torments paines that he was in abode notwithstanding in such constancy of mind that neither he told them his name nor what countryman he was nor in what Citie brought vp neither whether he was a free man or a seruaunt but vnto euery question that was asked him he aunswered in the Latine toung I am a Christian and this was al that he confessed both of his name citie kinred and all other thinges in the place of execution neither yet could the Gentils get any more of him whereupon both the Gouernour tormentours were the more vehemently bent against him And when they had nothing to vexe him with all they clapped plates of Brasse red hote to the most tenderest parts of his body wherewith his body indede being schorched yet he neuer shronke for the matter but was bold and constant in his confession being strengthened and moystened with the fountaine of liuely water flowing out of Christs side Truely his body was a sufficient witnes what torments he suffered for it was all drawne together and most pitifully wounded and scoarched so that it had therwith lost the proper shape of a man in whose suffering Christ obtained inspeakeable glory for that he ouercame his aduersaâ—y and to the instruction of other declared that nothing els is terrible or ought to be feared where the loue of God is nor nothing greeuous wherein the glory of Christ is manifested And when those wicked men began after a certayne time againe to torment the Martyr hoped well to bring it to passe that either they should ouercome him in causing him to recant by reiâ—erating his torments now wheÌ„ his body was so sore swollen that he might not suffer a man to touch him with his hande or els that if hee died vnder their handes yet that thereby they should strike such feare into the harts of the rest to cause them to deny Christ. But they were not only disappointed here in but also contrary to the expectation of men his bodye was in the latter punishment torments soupled restored and toke the fyrst shape and vse of the members of the same so that the same his second torment was by the grace of Christ in steede of punishment a safe medecine Also Sathan now thinking to haue setteled himselfe in the hart of one Byblides being one of them which had denied Christ and thinking to haue caused her beyng a weake and feable woman in faith to haue damned her soule in blaspheming the name of God brought her to the place of execution inforcing to wrest some wicked thing out of the mouth of the Christians But she in midle of her torments returning to her selfe and waked as it were out of her dead slepe by that temporall paine called to her remembraunce the paynes of hell fire and against all mens expectations reuiled the tormentors saying How should we Christians eate young infants as ye reported of vs for whom it is not lawfull to eate the bloud of any beast Upon that so soone as she had confessed her selfe to bee a Christian she was Martyred with the rest Thus when Christ had ended those tyrannicall torments by the patience sufferaunce of our Saintes the diuell yet inuented other engynes and instruments For when the Christians were cast into prison they were shut vp in darke and ougly dongeons and were drawne by the feete in a racke or ingine made for that purpose euen vnto the fift hole And many other such punishmentes suffered they which the furious ministers stirred vp with deuilish furye are wont to put men vnto so that very manye of them were strangled killed in the prisons whom the Lorde in thys maner would haue to enioy euerlasting life set forth his glory And surely these good men were so pittifully tormented that and if they had had all the helpe medicines in the world it was thought impossible for them to lyue to be restored And thus they remaining in prison destitute of al humaine helpe were so strengthened of the Lord and both in body and minde confirmed that they comforted stirred vp the myndes of the rest the yonger sorâ—e of them whiche were latter apprehended put in prison whose bodies had not yet felt the lash of yâ— whip were not able to indure the sharpness of their imprisonment but died of the same The blessed Photinus who was a Deacon to the bishop of Lyons about 90. yeares old and a very feeble or weake man could scarsely draw breath for the imbecilitie of his body yet was he of a liuely courage spirit For the great desire he had of martyrdome when he was brought vnto the iudgement seate although his bodye was feeble and weake both because of his old age and also through sicknes yet was his soule or life preserued to this purpose that by the same Christ might triumph be glorified He being
loue his Religion become a christian for that is not written yet thus much he obtained that Antoninus writing to his Officers in Asia in the behalfe of the Christians required and coÌ„maunded them that those Christians which onely were founde giltie of any trespasse should suffer and such as were not conuicted should not therfore onely for the name be punished because they were called Christians By these it is apparant with what zeale and faith this Iustinus did striue against the persecutors which as he said could kill onely but could not hurt This Iustinus by the meanes and malice of Crescens the Philosopher as is before declared suffered Martyrdome vnder Marcus Antoninus Verus a little after that Polycarpus was martired in Asia as witnesseth Eusebius Lib. 4. Here is to be gathered how Epiphanius was deceiued in the time of his death saying that he suffered vnder Rusticus the president and Adrian the Emperour being of xxx yeares of age which indeede agreeth not neither with Eusebius nor Ierome nor Swide nor other moe which manifestly declare and testifie how he exhibited his Apology vnto Antoninus Pius which came after Adrian Thus hast thou good Reader the liâ—e of this learned blessed martir although partly touched before yet now more fully amply discoursed for the better commendatioÌ„ of his excellent notable vertues of whose small ende thus writeth Photius saying that he suffering for Christ died cheerefully with honor Thus haue ye heard the whole discourse of Iustinus and of the blessed Saints of Fraunce Vetius Zacharias Sanctus Maturus Attalus Blandina Alexander Alcibiades with other recorded and set foorth by the writing of certaine Christian brethren of the same Church place of Fraunce In the which foresaid writing of theirs moreouer appeareth the great meekenes and modest constancie of the said martirs described in these words such folowers were they of christ who when he was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equal with god being in the same glory with him that they not once nor twise but oft times suffered martyrdome taken againe from the beastes bearing wounds tearinges and skarres in their bodies yet neither woulde counte them selues Martirs neyther woulde they suffer vs so to cal theÌ„ but if any of vs either by word or letter woulde call them Martirs they did vehementlye rebuke them saying that the name of martirdome was to be gyuen to Christ the faithfull and true martir the first borne of the dead the captaine of life testifiyng moreouer that martirdome belongeth to such who by their martirdome were already passed out of this life and whom as christ by their worthy confession hath receiued vnto him selfe and hath sealed vp their Martirdome by their ende finished As for theÌ„ which were not yet consuÌ„mated they said they were not worthy the names of martirs but only were humble and worthy confessours desiring also their brethren with teares to praye without ceasing for their confirmation Thus they performing in deede that whiche belonged to true Martirs in resisting the heathen with much lybertie and great patience without all feare of man being replenished with the feare of God refused to be named of their brethren for martirs And after in the said writing it followeth more they humbled themselues vnder the mightye hand of God by which they were greatly exalted Then they rendred to all men a reason of their faith they accused no man they loosed all they bounde none And for them which so euill did intreate them they praied following the example of Stephen the perfect Martir which sayde O Lord impute not their sinne to them And after againe Neither did they proudly disdaine against them which fell but of such as they had they imparted to them that lacked bearing toward them a motherly affection shedding their plentifull teares for them to God the Father and prayed for their life and saluation and as God gaue it them they also did communicate to their neighbours And thus they as conquerers of all thynges departed to God They loued peace and leauing the same to vs they went to God neither leauyng any molestation to their mother nor sedition or trouble to their brethren but ioye peace concorde and loue to all Out of the same writyng moreouer concernyng these Martyrs of Fraunce afore mentioned is recorded also an other history not vnworthy to be noted taken out of the same booke of Eusebius cap. 3. Which history is this There was among these constaunt and blessed Martirs one Alcibiades as is aboue specified which Alcibiades euer vsed a very straight died receiuing for his foode and sustenaunce nothing els but only bread and water when this Alcibiades now â—eing cast into prison went about to accustome the same straightnes of diet after his vsual maner before it was reueiled by God to Attalus afore mentioned one of the said company being also the same time imprisoned after his first conflict vpon the scaffolde that Alcibiades did not well in that hee refused to vse and take the creatures of God also thereby ministred to other a pernicious occasion of offensiue example Whereupon Alcibiades being aduertised reformed began to take al thinges boldly and with giuing thankes whereby may appeare to all scrupulous consciences not only a wholesome instrucion of the holy Ghost but also here is to be noted how in those dayes they were not destytute of the grace of God but had the holy spirite of God to be their instructor Haec Euseb. The foresaide martirs of Fraunce also the same tyme commended Irenaeus newly then made minister with their letters vnto Eleutherus Bishop of Rome as witnesseth Euseb. in the x. thap of the same booke which Irenaeus fyrst was the hearer of Polycarpus then made minister as is sayde vnder these Martyrs And after their death made Byshop afterward of Lyons in Fraunce and succeded after Photinus Besides this Iustinus there was also the same time in Asia Claudius Apolinaris or Apolinarius Byshop of Hierapolis And also Melito Bishop of Sardis an eloquent learned man much commended of Tertullian who succeeding after the time of the apostles in the reigne of this Antoninus Verus exhibited vnto him learned and eloquent Apologies in defence of Christes Religion like as Quadratus and Aristides aboue mentioned did vnto the Emperour Hadrian whereby they mooued him somewhat to stay the rage of his persecution In like maner did this Apolinaris and Melito stirred vp by God aduenture to defende in writing the cause of the christians vnto this Antoninus Of this Melito Eusebius in his fourth booke making mention excerpeth certaine places of his Apologie in these wordes as followeth Nowe saith he which was neuer seene before the godly suffereth persecution by occasion of certaine Proclamations Edictes proclaimed throughout Asia for vilanous Sichophantes robbers spoylers of other mens goods grounding them selmes vpon those Proclamations and taking occasion of them robbe
Emperour out of the Church importeth as much as that Emperour to have bene a Christian. For otherwise if he had come in as an Heathen and as a persecutor it was not then the maner of christian bishops violently to withstand the Emperours or to stop them out Ouer beside the testimony of Eusebius Zonaras doth witnesse contrary in his vj. booke that this Babylas which was then Bishop of Antioch after Zebinus was not put to death by the tormentors but died in prison Wherfore it is not vnpossible but this Babylas and this Emperour which Chrysostome speaketh off may be an other Babylas then that which suffered vnder Decius Nicephorus in his v. booke maketh mention of an other Babylas beside this that suffered vnder Decius which was bishop of Nicomedia In the forenamed Citie of Antioche Vincentius Lib. 11. speaketh of 40. virgines Martyrs which suffered in this persecution of Decius In the country of Phrigia and in the toune of Lampsar the same Vincentius also speaketh of one Peter which there was apprehended and suffered bitter tormentes for Christes name vnder Optimus the Proconsul And in Troada likewise of other Martyrs that there suffered whose names were Andrew Paule Nicomachus and Dionisia a virgin Lib. 11 cap. 46. Also in Babylon sayth he diuers christian Confessours were found of Decius which were led away into Spayne there to be executed Lib. eodem cap. 43. In the countrey of Cappadocea at the Citie of Cesarea in like maner of the sayde author is testified of Germanus Theophilus Cesarius and Vitalis to suffer Martyrdom for Christ eodeÌ„ cap 52. And in the same Booke meÌ„tion also is made of Polychronius Byshop of Babylon cap. 89. And in Pamphilia of Nestor there Bishop that dyed Martyr cap. 52. At Perside in the Toune of Cardala Olympiades and Maximus In Tyrus also Anatolia Uirgin and Audax gaue theyr lyues likewyse to death for the testimonie of Christes name Eusebius moreouer in his sixt booke reciteth out of the Epistles of Dionysius Alexandrinus diuers that suffred diuersly at Alexandria the which places of Dionysius as they be cited in Eusebius I thought here good for the auncientnes of the author to insert and notifie in his own wordes and in our language as he wrote them to Fabius bishop of Antioch as followeth This persecution saith he began not with the proclamation set forth by the Emperor but began a whole yeare before by the occasion and meanes of a wicked person a Southsayer and a follower of wicked Artes who comming to our Citie here stirred vp the multitude of the Heathen agaynst vs and incited them to maintaine their own olde superstition and gentilitie of their countrey whereby they beyng set a gog and obtayning full power to prosecute their wicked purpose so thought no lesse declared all their pietie religioÌ„ to consist only in the idolatrous worship of deuils and in our destruction And first flying vpon a certaine priest of ours named Metra apprehended him brought him forth to make him speake after theyr wicked blasphemy which wheÌ„ he would not do they layd vpon him with slaues and clubs and with sharp reedes pricked his face and eyes and afterward bringing him out into the suburbes there they stoned him to death Then they tooke a faithfull woman called Quinta and brought her to the temple of their Idols to compell her to worship with them which wheÌ„ she refused to do and abhorred their Idols they bound her fecte and drew her through the whole streete of the citie vpon the hard stones so dashyng her against milstones scourging her with whippes brought her to the same place of the suburbes as they did the other before where she likewise ended her lyfe This done in a great outrage with a multitude running together they brust into houses of the religious godly christians spoiling sacking and carying away all that they could finde of any price The rest of things such as were of lesse value of wood they brought into the open market set them on fire In the meane time the brethren voyded aside withdrew themselues taking patiently and no lesse ioyfully the spoyling of their goods then did they of whome S. Paule doth testifie Neither do I know any of them all one only excepted apprehended of them which reuoltyng from his profession denied the Lord yet to this present day Among the rest that were taken there was a certayne virgin wel striken in yeres named Apollonia whome they brought forth dashing out all her teeth out of her iawes made a great fire before the citie threatning to cast her into the same vnlesse she would blaspheme with them and deny Christ. Whereat she staying a litle with herselfe as one that would take a pause sodenly leaped into the midst of the fire and there was burned There was one also Serapion whom they tooke in his owne house and after they had assayled him with sundrye kyndes of torments and had broken almost all the iointes of his body they cast him downe from an vpper lost so did he complete his Martirdom Thus was there no way neither priuie nor publike nor corner nor alley left for vs neither by day nor by night to escape al the people making an outcry against vs that vnlesse we vttred words of blasphemy we should be drawn to the fire burned And this outragious tumult endured a certaine space but at length as the Lord would the miserable wretches fell at dissentioÌ„ among themselues which turned the crueltie they exercised against vs vpon their own heads And so had we a litle breathyng tyme for a season while the fury of the Heathen people by this occasion aswaged Shortly then after this word was brought vnto vs of the state of the Empire which before was somthing fauorable to vs to be altered and changed agaynst vs putting vs in great feare And consequently vpon the same folowed the Edict of the Emperor so terrible cruell that according to the forewarning of the lord the elect if it had bene posâ—ibâ—e might haue bene therby subuerted Upon that Edict such feare came ouer vs al that many there were especially of the richer sort of whoÌ„ some for feare came ruÌ„ning some were led by the occasion of time some were drawne by their neighbours beyng cited by name to those vnpure and idolatrous sacrifices Other some came trembling shaking as men not which should do sacrifice but which should be sacrificed themselues the multitude laughyng them to scorne Some agayne came boldly to the aultars declaring themselues neuer to haue bene of that professioÌ„ of whom it is said that hardly they shal be saued Of the residue some followed one part some an other some ran away some were taken Of whome certaine continued to bands torments constant Other agayne after long imprisonment before they should come before the Iudge renounced their faith Some also
the eares of Decius the Emperour he sendeth for Cornelius asking him how he durst be so bolde to shew suche stubbernes that he neither caring for the Gods nor fearing the displeasure of his Princes durst agaynst the cōmon wealth geue and receiue letters from other To whom Cornelius answering agayne thus purged himselfe declaring to the Emperour that letters in deede he had written and receiued agayne concerning the prayses honoring of Christ of saluation of soules but nothing as touching any matter of the common wealth And it foloweth in the storye Then Decius moued with anger commaunded him to be beaten with plumbattes which is sayth Sabellicus a kinde of scourging and so to be brought to the temple of Mars either there to do sacrifice or to suffer the extremitye But he rather willing to dye then to committe such iniquity prepared himselfe to Martyredome beyng sure that he should dye And so commending the charge of the Churche vnto Stephanus his Archdeacon was brought to the way of Appius where he ended his life in faythfull Martyrdome Eusebius in one place sayth that he sat ij yeares in an other place sayth that he sat three yeares and so doth Marianus Scotu following also the diuersity of the sayd Eusebius Damasus geueth him onely two yeares In this foresayde persecution of Decius it seemeth by some writers also that Cyprian was banished but I suppose rather his banishment to be referred to the reigne of Gallus next Emperour after Decius whereof more shall be sayd Christ willing in this place hereafter In the mean time the sayd Cyprian in his second booke Epist. 5. 6. maketh mention of two that suffered either in the time of this Decius or much about the same time Of whom one was Aurelius a worthy and valiant yong man who was twise in tormentes for his confession which he neuer denied but manfully and boldely withstood the aduersary till he was banished and also after And therefore was commended of Cyprian to certayne brethren to haue him for their lectorer as in the forenamed Epistle of Cyprian appeareth The other was named Mappalicus who the day before he suffered declaring to the Proconsul in the midst of his tormentes saying Videbis cras agonem that is to morrow you shall see the running for a wager c. was brought forth according as he forespake to Martyrdome and there with no lesse constancie then patience did suffer And thus much of the tyrannie of this wicked Decius agaynst God his Saintes now to touch also the power of God his vengeance and punishment against him like as we see commonly a tempest that is vehement not long to continue so it happened with this tyrannical tormenter who raigning but two yeares as sayth Eusebius or three at most as writeth Orosius among the middle of the Barbarians with whom he did warre was there slayne with his sonne like as he had slayn Philippus and his sonne his predecessours before so was he with his sonne slayne by the righteous iudgement of God himselfe Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 1. Platin. Pomponius affirmeth that he warrying agaynst the Gotthians and beyng by them ouercome sest he should fall into their handes ranne into a whurlepyt where he was drouned and his body neuer found after Neither did the iust hand of God plague the Emperor onely but also reuenged as well the heathen Gentils and persecutors of hys word throughout all prouinces dominions of the Roman Monarchie amongst whom the lord immediatly after the death of Decius sent such a plage and pestilence lastyng for the space of x. yeares together that horrible it is to heare and almost incredible to beleue Of this plague or pestilence testifieth Dionysius to Hierax a bishop in Egypt Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 21.22 Where he declareth the mortalitie of this plague to bee so great in Alexandria where he was bishop that there was no house in the whole Citie free And although the greatnes of the plague touched also the Christians somwhat yet it scourged the heathen Idolaters much more beside that the order of their behauiour in the one and in the other was much diuers For as the foresayd Dionysius doth recorde the Christians through brotherly loue and pietie did not refuse one to visit and comfort an other and to minister to him what need required Notwithstanding it was to them great danger for diuers there were who in closing vp their eyes in washyng their bodies interryng them in the ground were next themselues which folowed them to their graues Yet all this stayed not them frō doyng their duetie and shewyng mercy one to another Where as the Gentils contrarily beyng extremely visited by the hand of God felt the plague but considered not the striker neyther yet considered they their neighbour but euery man shifting for himselfe neither cared one for an other but such as were infected some they would cast out of the doores halfe dead to be deuoured of dogges and wilde beasts some they let dye within theyr houses without all succour some they suffred to lye vnburied for that no mā durst come neare him And yet notwithstandyng for all their voyding and shiftyng the pestilence followed them whether soeuer they went miserably consumed them In so much that Dionysius bishop the same tyme of Alexandria thus reporteth of his owne City that such a great mortalitie was then among them that the sayd City of Alexandria had not in number of all together both old and yong as it was woont to contayn before of the old men onely from the age of 60. to 70. such as were found in tyme past commonly almost in that Citie Pomponius Laetus and other Latine writers also makyng mention of the sayd pestilitie declare how the beginnyng therof first came as they thinke out of Ethiope and from the hote countreys and so inuading and wastyng first the South partes from thence spread into the East so further running and increasing into all other quarters of the world especially wheresoeuer the Edicts of the Emperor went agaynst the Christians it followed after and consumed the most part of the inhabitauntes whereby manye places became desolate and voyde of all concourse and so continued the terme of x. yeares together This pestiferous mortalitie by the occasion whereof Cyprian tooke the ground to write hys booke De mortalitate began as is sayd immediately after the death of Decius the persecutor in the beginning of the raigne of Vibias Gallus and Volusianus hys sonne who succeeded through treason next vnto Decius about the yeare of our Lord. 255. and continued their raygne but two yeares This Gallus although the first beginning of the raygne was some thing quiet yet shortly after following the steps of Decius by whō rather he should haue taken better heed set forth Edictes in like maner for the persecution of Christians albeit in this Edict we finde no number of Martyrs
to note by the waye because this distinction is fathered vpon Cyprian which is false for this Cyprian was not in the time of Iulian not by 200. yeares and so likewise by the other Cyprian which died Martyr vnder Diocletian Of anye Cyprian besides these two we read not Neither is it credible that if there were any such Cyprian he would euer haue written of any such matter of the difference and mutuall nede of ChristiaÌ„ Emperours and Christen Popes When as that Emperour being an Apostata neither regarded Christ nor cared for any Pope About this tyme and vnder the same Emperour Valerianus suffered also Xistus or Sixtus the seconde of that name Byshop of Rome who being accused of his aduersaries to be a ChristiaÌ„ was brought with his vj. deacons to the place of execution where he with Nemesius other hys Deacons were beheaded and suffered Martyrdome Laurence in the same time being also Deacon folowed after complayning to Xistus as one being greued that he might not also suffer with him but to be secluded as the sonne froÌ„ the father To whom the Bishop aunswering againe declared that within thre daies he should folow after In the meane time hee willed him to go home and to distribute his treasures if he had any vnto the poore The iudge belike hearing mentioÌ„ to be made of treasures to be giuen to the poore and thinking that Laurence had great store of treasure in his custody coÌ„maunded him to bring the same vnto him according as the discourse of his storye here vnder written more fully may appeare Which history because it is set foorth more at large in Prudentius Ambrose and other writers and containeth in it mo things in it worthy to be noted of the Reader we haue therfore with the more dilygence here inserted the more ample description of the same to the further admiration of his patience and God his glory shewed in him Now then as order requireth let vs enter the story of that most constaunt and couragious Martir of Christ S. Laurence whose words and works deserue to be as freshe and greene in Christian harts as is the florishing Laurel tree This thirsty hart longing after the water of lyfe desirous to passe vnto it through the straight doore of bitter death when on a time he saw his vigilaunt Shephearde Xistus led as an harmles lambe of harmefull tyrauntes to his death cried out with open mouth and hart inuincible saying O deare father whether goest thou without the company of thy deare sonne Whether hastenest thou O reuerend Priest without thy Deacon Neuer wast thou wont to offer sacrifice without thy minister What cryme is there in me that offendeth thy fatherhod Hast thou proued me vnnaturall Now try swete father whether thou hast chosen a faithfull minister or not Deniest thou vnto him the fellowship of thy bloud to whom thou hast committed the destribution of the Lordes bloud See that thy iudgement be not misliked whilest thy fortitude is liked lauded The abasing of the scholer is the disgracing of the Maister What haue we not learned that worthy Maisters haue obtained most worthy same by the worthy actes of their Disciples and Scholers Finally Abraham sacryficed his onely begotten Isaac Stoned Stephen prepared the way to preaching Peâ—er euen so father declare thy manifold vertues by me thy sonne Offer thou him that proferreth him selfe Graunt that the body of thy scholer may be sacrificed whose mind with good letters thou hast beautefied These wordes with teares S. Laurence vttered not becauâ—e his master should suffer but for that he might not be suffered to tast of deaths cup which he thirsted aâ—ter Then Xistus to his sonne shaped this aunswere I forsake thee not O my sonne I giue thee to wit that a sharper conflict remaineth for thee A feeble and weak old man am I and therefore run the rase of a lighter easier death But lusty and young thou art and more lustely yea more gloriously shalt thou triumph ouer this tiraunt Thy time approcheth cease to wepe lament three daies after thou shalt follow me Decent is it that this space of time come betwene the Priest the Leuite It may not beseeme thee O sweete Pupill to triumphe vnder thy master least it be said he wanted an helper Why crauest thou to be pertaker with me in my passion I bequeath vnto thee the whole inheritaunce Why requirest thou to enioy my presence let weake scholers go before and the stroÌ„ger come after that those without maister may get the victory which haue no neede by maister to be gouerned So Helias left behynde him his beloued Heliseus I yeelde vp into thy handes the succession of my vertues Such was their contention not vnmeete for so godly a priest so zelous a minister striuing with themselues who shoulde first suffer for the name of Christ Iesu. In tragical histories we haue it mentioned that through ioy admiration people claped their handes wheÌ„ Pylades named himselfe Orestes Orestes as truth it was affirmed himselfe to bee Orestes Pylades wishing to die for Orestes Orestes not suffering Pylades to loose his life for his sake But neither of them might escape death for both these louers were gilty of bloud the one committing the facte the other consenting But this our Laurence the Martyr most constant was by no meanes enforced to make this profer sauing onely by his ardent zeale and feruent spirite who thirsting after the cup of Maytirdome had it shortly after filled to the hard brymme Now let vs draw neare to the fire of Martyred Laurence that our colde hartes may be warmed thereby The mercylesse tyraunt vnderstanding this vertuous Leuite not onely to be a minister of the Sacramentes but a distributer also of the Church riches whereof mention is made before in the wordes of Xistus promised to himselfe a double pray by the appresion of one silly soule First with the rake of Auarice to scrape to himselfe the treasuâ—e of poore Christians then with the firy forke of tyranny so to tosse and turmoyle them that they should waxe weary of their Christian profession With furious face and cruell countenaunce the greedy wolfe demaunded where this Deacon Laurence had bestowed the substaunce of the Church Who crauing three dayes respite promised to declare where the treasure might he had In the meane time he caused a good number of poore Christians to be congregated So when the day of his aunswere was come the persecutor straightly charged him to staÌ„d to hys promise Then valiant LaureÌ„ce stretching out his armes ouer the poore sayde These are the precious treasure of the church These are the treasure in deede in whom the faith of Christ raigneth in whome Iesus Christ hath his mansion place What more precious Iuels can Christ haue theÌ„ those in whoÌ„ he hath promised to dwel For so it is written I was hungry ye gaue me to eate I was thirsty and
ye gaue me to drinke I was harborles and ye lodged me And againe Looke what ye haue done to the least of these the same haue ye done to me What greater riches can christ our maister posses then the poore people in whoÌ„ he loueth to be sene Oh what toung is able to expresse the fury and madnes of the tirants hart Now he staÌ„ped he stared he raÌ„ped he fared as one out of his wit his eies like fier glowed his mouth like a bore fomed his teeth like an helhouÌ„d grinded Now not a reasonable man but a roaryng lion he might be called Kindle the fire he cried of wood make no spare Hath this vyllaine deluded the Emperour away with him away with him Whip him with scourges iercke him with rods buffet him with fistes braine him with clubs iesteth the traitour with the Emperour Pinche him with fyrie tonges gyrde him with burning plates bring out the strongest chaines and the fireforkes and the grated bedde of yron On the firewith it bind the rebell hande and foote when the bed is fire hot on with him rost him broyle him tosse him turne him On paine of our highe displeasure do euery man his office O ye tormentors The worde was no soner spoken but all was done After many cruell handlings this meeke lambe was layd I will not say on his firye bed of yron but on his soft bed of downe So mightily God wrought with his Martyr Laurence so miraculously God tempered his element the fire not a bed of consuming paine but a pallet of nourishing rest was it vnto Laurence Not Laurence but the Emperour might seeme to be tormented the one broiling in the fleshe the other burning in the hart When this tryumphant Martir had beene pressed downe with firepikes for a great space in the mightie spirite of God he spake to the vanquished tyraunt This side is now rosted inough turne vp O tyraunt great Assay whether rosted or raw thou thinkest the better meate O rare and vnaccustomed patience O faith inuincible that not onely not burnest but by meanes vnspeakable doest recreate refresh stablish strengthen those that are burned afflicted and troubled And why so mightilye comfortest thou the persecuted Because through thee they beleeue in gods promises infallible By thee this glorious Martir ouercommeth his torments vanquisheth this tyraunt confoundeth his enimies confirmeth the ChristiaÌ„s slepeth in peace raigneth in glory The God of might and mercy graunt vs grace by the life of Laurence to learne in Christ to liue and by his death to learne for Christ to dye Amen Such is the wisdome and prouidence of God that the bloud of his deare Saints like good seede neuer falleth in vaine to the grounde but it bringeth some increase so it pleased the Lord to worke at the Martirdome of this holy Laurence that by the constant confession of this worthy valiaunt Deacon a certaine souldiour of Rome beyng therwith compuncted and conuerted to the same faith desired forthwith to be Baptised of him for the which he being called for of the iudge was scourged and afterwarde beheaded Henr. de Erford Under the same Valerianus suffered also Dionysius byshop of Alexandria much affliction and banishment with certaine other brethren Of the which he writeth himselfe is alledged in the Ecclesiasticall story of Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 11. the wordes whereof tend to this effect Dionysius wyth three of his Deacons to wit Maximus Faustus and Cheremon also with a certaine brother of Rome came to Emilianus then President who there declared vnto them in circumstance of words how he had signified vnto them the clemencie of his Lords and Emperours who had graunted them pardon of life so that they would returne to them worship the Gods and keepers as he called them of their Emperie asking them what aunswere they would gyue him there vnto trusting as he saide that they woulde not shew themselues ingrateful to the clemency of them which so gently did exhort them To this Dionysius aunsweryng said Al men worship not al Gods but diuers men diuers gods so as euery one hath in himselfe a mind or phantasie to worship But we worship not many nor diuers Gods but onely that one God who is the creator of all things hath committed to our Lords Valerianus and Galienus the gouernmeÌ„t of their Empery making to him our prayers â—â—cessauntly for their prosperous health and continuance Then the President sayde And what hurt is it but that you may both worship your God what God soeuer he be and these our Gods also For you are coÌ„maunded worship such Gods as al men know to be gods Dionysius answered we worship none other but as we haue sayd Emilianus the President said I see you are ingratfull men and consider not the benignitie of the Emperous wherfore you shal remaine no longer in this City but shal be sent out to the parts of Libya vnto a towne called Cephro For that place by the commaundement of the Emperour I haue chosen for you Neither shal it be lawful for you to coÌ„uent your assemblies or to resort as ye are wont to your burial places And if any of you shal be found out of your places wherunto you are apointed at your peril be it And think not contrary but ye shal be watched well inough Depart therfore to the place as is coÌ„maunded you and it foloweth more in the said Dionysius speaking of himselfe And as for me sayth he although I was sicke yet hee vrged mee so straightly to depart that he would not giue me one dayes respite And how saith he writing to Germanus coulde I congregate or not congregate any assemblies And after a few lines it followeth And yet neyther am I altogether absent from the corporall societie of the Lordes flocke but I haue collected them togither which were in the Citye being absent as though I had bene present absent in body yet present in spirit And in the same Cephro a great congregation remayned with mee as well of those brethren which followed me out of the City as also of them which were remayning there out of Egypt And there the Lorde opened to me the doore of his word although at the first entraunce I was persecuted and stoned among them yet afterward a great number of them fel from their Idoles and were coÌ„uerted vnto the Lord. And so by vs the word was preached to them which before were infidels which ministery after that we had accomplished there the lord remoued vs to an other place For Aemilianus translated vs froÌ„ thence to more sharpe and straighter places of Libya commaunding vs to meete altogether at a city Mareota thinking there to separate vs seuerallye into sundrye villages or thinking rather to take and preuent vs by the way After we were come thether it was assigned to me saith Dionysius to go to Colluthion which place I neuer hearde of before which was the
reuoke this thy wickednes Behold what pleasures thou maiest enioy by the honorable house thou camest of Thy fallen house and progenie followeth thee to death with lamentable teares the heauy nobility of thy kindred maketh dolfull lamētation for thee What meanest thou wilt thou kill thy self so younge a flower so neare these honorable mariages and great dowries that thou mayest enioy Doth not the glistering and golden pompe of the bried bed moue thee Doth not the reuerende pietie of thyne Auncitours pricke thee whom is it not but that this thy rashnes and weakenes sorroweth behold here the furniture ready prepared for thy terrible death Either shalt thou be beheaded with this sword or else with these wild beastes shalt thou be pulled in peeces or els thou being cast into the fiery flames shal be although lamentably bewailed of thy friends and kinsfolks consumed to ashes What great matter is it for thee I pray thee to escape al this If thou wilt but take put with thy fingers a little salt incense into the censers thou shalt be deliuered from al these punishmēts To this Eulalia made no aunswere but being in a great furye shee spitteth in the tirauntes face she throweth downe the Idoles and spurneth abroad with her feete the heape of incense prepared to the censers then without further delay the hangmen with both their strengthes tooke her puld one ioynte from an other and with the talantes of wilde beastes scotched her sides to the hard bodes she all this while singing and praysing God in this wise Beholde O Lord I will not forget thee what a pleasure is it for them O Christ that remember thy triumphant victoryes to attayne vnto these high dignities and still calleth vpon that holy name al stained and embrued with her owne bloude This sang she with a bold stomacke neither lamentyngly nor yet wepingly but being glad and mery abandonyng from her mind all heauines and griefe when as out of a warme fountain her mangled members with fresh bloud bathed her white and fayre skinne Then proceede they to the last and final torment which was not only the goring and wounding of her mangled body with the yron grat hurdle and terrible harrowing of her flesh but burned on euery side with flaming torches her tormented brests and sides her heare hanging about her shoulders in two parts deuided wherewith her shamefast chastitie and virginitie was couered reached downe to the ground but when the cracking flame fleeth about her face kindled by her heare and reacheth the crowne of her head thē she desiring swift death opened her mouth and swalowed the flame and so rested shee in peace The sayde Prudentius and Ado also Equilinus adde moreouer writinge of a white doue issuing out of her mouth at her departing and of the fire quenched about her body also of her body couered miraculously wyth snow with other things more wherof let euery reader vse hys owne iudgement As ye haue heard now the Christian life and constant death of Eulalia much worthy of praise commendation So no lesse commendation is worthely to be giuen to blessed Agnes that constant Damsell and martir of God who as she was in Rome of honorable parentes begotten so lyeth she there as honorably intombed buried Whiche Agnes for her vnspotted vndefiled virginitie deserueth no greater praise and commendation then for her willing death and martirdome Some writers make of her a long discourse more in my iudgement then necessary reciting diuers sundry straunge miracles by her done in the processe of her history which partly for tediousnes partly for the doubtfulnes of the author whome some father vpon Ambrose and partly for the straungenes and incredibilitie therof I omit being satisfied with that which Prudentius brefly writeth of her as foloweth Shee was sayth hee yong not mariageable when first she being dedicated to Christ boldly resisted the wicked Edictes of the Emperor least that through idolatry she might haue denied and forsaken the holy faith but yet first proued by diuers and sundry pollicies to induce her to the same as now with the flattering and intising words of the Iudge now with the threatnings of the storming executioner stoode notwythstanding stedfast in al couragious strength and willingly offered her body to hard painful torments not refusing as she sayd to suffer whatsoeuer it should be yea though it were death it selfe Then said the cruell tyraunt if to suffer paine torment be so easie a matter and lightly regarded of thee that thou accomptest thy life nothing woorth yet the shame of thy dedicated or vowed virginity is a thing more regarded I know and esteemed of thee Wherefore this is determined that vnles thou wilt make obeisaunce to the aultar of Minerua and aske forgiuenes of her for thy arrogancy thou shalt be sent or abandoned to the cōmon stewes or brothelhouse Agnes the virgine with more spirit and vehemency inneieth against both Minerua her verginitie the youth in sculs flocke and runne togither and craue that they may haue Agnes their ludibrious pray thē saith Agnes Christ is not so forgetfull of those that be hys that he wil suffer violently to be taken frō them their golden and pure chastitie neither wil he leaue them so destitute of helpe he is alwaies at hande and ready to fight for such as are shamfast and chast virgines neither suffereth he his giftes of holy integritie or chastitie to be polluted Thou shalt sayth shee willingly bathe thy sworde in my bloud if thou wilt but thou shalt not defile my body with filthy lust for any thing thou canst doe She had no sooner spoken these wordes but he commaunded that she should be set naked at the corner of some streete whiche place at that time such as were strumpets cōmonly vsed the greater part of the multitude both sorrowing and shaming to see so shameles a sight went their wayes some turninge their heades some hiding their faces But one amongst the rest with vncircumcised eies beholding the Damsell and that in such opprobrious wise behold a flame of fire lyke vnto a flash of lightning falleth vpō him striketh his eies out of his head wherupon he for dead falling to the groūd sprauleth in the chanel durt whose cōpanions taking him vp carrying him away bewayled him as a dead man But the virgin for this her miraculous deliuery from the danger and shame of that place singeth prayses vnto God and Christ. There be saith Prudentius that report how that shee beyng desired to pray vnto Christ for the partie that a litle before with fire frō heauen for hys incōtinency was stricken was restored by their prayer both vnto hys perfect health sight But blessed Agnes after that she had climed this her first griefe and step vnto the heauēly pallace forthwith began to clime an other for fury ingendring now the mortall
for virgins from Britaine to the number of xi M. who with Vrsula the Prince Dionets daughter being shypped ouer many perished in the sea some were taken of the infidels marching vppon the borders wyth whome because they wold not be polluted all were destroyed being miserably dispersed some one way some an other so that none escaped Thus poore Britayne being left naked and destitute on euery side as a maimed body wtout myght or strength was left open to hys enemyes not able to succour it selfe without helpe of forreine friendes To whome they were then constrained to flie especially to the Romains to whō the Britaynes sent this worde or message Aetio ter Consuli gemitus Britannorum Repellunt nos Barbari ad mare Repellit nos mare ad Barbaros Hinc oriuntur duo sunerum genera quia aut iugulamur aut submergimur But the Romains then began to forsake them whereby they were in nearer danger to be oppressed by Gwanus and Melga had not Gwetelinus the Archbyshop of London made ouer to lesser Britayne and obtayning theyr helpe had brought Constantinus the kings brother to rescue his countrey against the infidels Thys Constantinus was brother to Aldroenus king of litle Britayn and father to Constans Aurelius Ambrosius Vter who after raigned kings in Britayne Thus by the meanes of the good Archbyshop and Constantinus the state of the Religion and Realme of Britayne was in some meane quiet safetye during the time of the sayd Constantine and of the good Archbishop But as the Realme of Britayne almost from the beginning was neuer without ciuill warre at length came wicked Vortigerne who cruelly causing Constans his Prince to be murdred ambitiously inuaded the crowne who then fearing the other two brethren of Constans whych were Aurelius Vter being then in litle Britayne did send ouer for the aide of the Saxons being then infidels and not onely that but also maried with an infidell the daughter of Hengist called Rowen Whereupon the sayde Vortigerne not long after by the sayd Hengist and the Saxones was with like trayterie dispossessed of his kingdome the people of Britayne driuen out of their countrey after that the Saxons had slaine of their chiefe Nobles Barons at one meeting ioyning together subtiltie with crueltie to the number of CC.lxxi some stories say CCCC lx This wicked acte of the Saxones was done at Almisbury or at a place called Stonehenge by the monument of which stones there hanging it seemeth that the noble Britaynes there were buried This fabulous Storie of the Welshemen of brynging these stones from Ireland by Merlyn I passe ouer Some storyes record that they were slaine being bid to a banket other do say that it was done at a talke or assembly where the Saxons came with priuie kniues contrary to promise made with the which kniues they geuing a priuie watch-word in their Saxones speache neme your sexes slewe the Britaynes vnarmed and thus farre concerning the historie of the Britaynes As this great plague could not come to the Britaynes without Gods permissiō so Gildas sheweth in hys Chronicle the cause thereof wryting thus Quòd Britones propter auaritiam rapinā Principum propter iniquitatem iniustitiam Iudicum propter desidiam praedicationis Episcoporum propter luxuriam malos mores populi patriam perdidisse c. A description of England as it was deuided in the Saxones time into vij kingdomes The entring and raigning of the Saxons THis was the comming in first of the Angles or Saxones into this realme being yet vnchristened and infidels which was about the yeare of our Lord as William Malmesbury testifieth CCCC lxix the Captaines of whō were Hengistus and Horsus Although the sayd Hengist and Saxones at their first comming for all their subtile working and cruell attempt had no quiet setling in Britayne but were driuen out diuers times by the valiantnesse of Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Vter aboue mētioned who raigned after that among the Britaynes yet notwtstanding they were not so driuen out but that they returned againe and at length possessed all driuing the Britaynes such as remained into Cambria whych we call nowe Wales Hengistus as some Chronicles recorde reigned 43. yeares and died in Kent Galfridus in suo Britannico sayeth that he was taken in warre by Aurelius Ambrosius and beheaded at Coningesburgh after he had raigned xxxix yeare After the death of Hengist hys sonne Osca raigned xxiiij yeres leauing his sonne Octa to whose reigne with hys sonne Ymenricus hystories doe attribute liij yeares who also were slaine at length by Vter Pendragon Polichroni Lib. 5. cap. 4. The Saxones after they were setled in the possession of England distributed the Realme among themselues first in seuen partes euery part to haue his king that is The first to be the king of Kent The second to be king of Sussex and Southerye holding hys Palace at Cicester The thirde king was of Westsexe The fourth king of Essex The fift king was of the Eastangles that is of Cambridgeshire Northfolke and Southfolke The vj. king of Merceland or Mercia and in his kingdome were cōteined the Countesses of Lincolne Leycester Huntyngdon Northampton Orford Darby Warwike c. The vii king had all the countries beyond Humber and was called king of Northumberland Of these seuen kingdomes although they continued not long but at length ioyned all in one comming all into the possession subiection of the Westsaxons yet for the space they cōtinued which was with continuall trouble warres among themselues thys is the race and order of them as in this Table particularly followeth to be seene A Table describing the seuen kingdoms of the Saxons raigning here in England IN the tyme of Vortiger aboue mentioned began the raigne of the Saxons in this land the which comming out of 3. sortes of the Germaine people to witte the Saxons the Intes and Angles replenished the land of them called now Anglia Of whom first Hengistus raigned in Kent which countrey of Kent he had obtayned by Rowen his daughter of king Vortiger which was about the yeare of our Lord as some doe count 476. or as I finde in the computation of our English Tables 456. in some 463. After Hengist came in Octha with Eosa or Ysse his kinsman who afterward succeeded the sayd Hengist in Kent Not long after came in an other company of the Saxons with Elle their Captaine which planted themselues in Southsexe And after them agayne an other garrison of the Saxons with Cerdice their Captain which did occupy the West part of the land called by them Westsaxon And so likewise the other multitude of the Saxōs after them which as yet beyng vnchristened and Infidels deuided the whole land among themselues into vij kingdoms as in this Table followeth 456. ¶ The Kings of Kent with the yeares how long they raigned Kent Hengistus slaine 31   Eosa or Ysse 24
be replenished with all kinde of filth dong and hogs and vile beasts therin to be sayd as wel in the chambers as other houses of office And in theyr owne chamber where they did lye there was a Sow laid with her yong pigs And when she knew that this palace was thus deformed being a certain space out of the town she besought the king to visite the said pallace And when she had brought him therunto she said to him I pray you my Lord behold now this house where are now the rich tappets and clothes of gold silke and other rich apparel that we left here this other day And where be the delicacies pleasant seruitors and costly dishes that you and I lately were serued with Be not all these passed gone My Lord saith she in like maner shall we vanish away as sodainly as you see these worldly things bene passed And our bodies which now be delicately kept shal fal and turne into the filth of the earth Wherefore haue in mynde my wordes that before tyme to you I haue often shewed told and busie you to purchase that palace that euer shal endure in ioy without transmutation By meane of these wordes and other the Queene turned so the kings mynd that shortly after he resigned the gouernance of his kingdom vnto Ethelardus his nephew for the loue of Christ tooke vpon him the habite of a poore man And setting apart all the pompe pride of this wicked world associated himself in the felowship of poore men and traualled to Rome with great deuotion when he had bene king of Westsaxons as before is sayd 37. yeares After whose departing the foresaid Ethelburga his wife went vnto Barking 7. miles from London where in the Nunry of Barking before of Erkenwald founded she continued ended the rest of her life when she had bene Abbes of the place a certaine time The said Malmesbery in his story also testifieth that this Iue was the first king that granted a peny of euery fire house through his dominion to be paid vnto the Court of Rome which afterward was called Romescot or Peter pence long after was paid in many places of England This Iue like as for his time he was worthy and valiaunt in his actes so was he the first of the Saxon kings that I read of which set forth any lawes to his country the rehersall of which lawes to the number of 80. odde were not vnprofitable here to be inserted together with other lawes of the Westsaxon kings after him before the tyme of William Conquerour in case it were not for the length prolixitie of this present volume And thus much concerning the raigne of king Iue king of Westsaxons by the way Now to repaire againe to the course of NorthuÌ„berland kings something intermitted Next vnto the foresaid Osricus folowed Celulfus whom he had adopted brother to KeÌ„red aboue specified This Celulfus as he was himselfe learned so were in his tyme diuers learned meÌ„ then florishing in England among whoÌ„ was Beda who vnto the same king Celulfus offred his story intituled Anglorum Historia not onely to be ratified by his authoritie but also to be amended as Malmesburiensis writeth by his knowledge and learnyng And for as much as I haue here entred into the mention of Bede a man of worthy and venerable memory because of the certifiyng of the truth of that man and for that I see all writers as touching his life do not agree some saying that he was no Englishman borne I thought so much to report of him as I finde by his owne words testified of himselfe in the latter end of his ecclesiastical history of England offred to the said Celulfus aboue mentioned the wordes of whom be these Thus much by the helpe of God I Bede the seruant of Christ and Priest of the Monastery of Peter and Paule at wire haue compiled and digested concerning the Britain history And so the same Bede proceding further in his narration declareth that he being borne in the territorie of the sayd Monastery beyng of the age of vij yeares was committed of his parents and friends to the tuition and education of Benedict of whom aboue relation is made and of Celfride Abbots of the foresaid Monastery In the which place or Monastery he continuyng from that tyme forth all his lyfe long gaue hymselfe and all his whole study to the meditating of holy scripture Whatsoeuer tyme or laisure he had froÌ„ his daily seruice in the church that he spent either in learning or in teaching or writing somthing About xix yeares of his age he was made Deacon the xxx yeare of his age he was made priest From the which time to the age of 59. yeares he occupied himself in interpreting the workes of the auncient fathers for his owne vse and the necessitie of others and in writing of treatises which came in all to the number of 37. volumes which he digested into 78. bookes Some say that he went to Rome either there to defend his bookes to be consonant to catholike doctrine either els if they should be found faulty to amend correct the same as he should thereto be commaunded Albeit the reporter of this his life dare not certainly affirme that euer he was at Rome but that he was inuited and called thether to come both it is manifest in stories and also this Epistle of Pope Sergius doth sufficiently prooue declarnig moreouer in what price and estimation Bede was accepted as wel in the court of Rome as in other places besides The Epistle of Sergius sent to Celfride thus proceedeth in tenor and forme as followeth in Latin The Epistle of Pope Sergius sent to Celfride Abbot of Wire Abbey requiring Bede to be sent vp to him to Rome for the same of his worthy learning SErgius Episcopus seruus seruorsi Dei Celfrido religioso Abbati Sal. Quibus modis ac verbis clementiam Dei nostri atque inenarrabilem prouidentiam possumus 〈◊〉 dignas gratiarum actiones pro immensis eius circa nos beneficijs persoluere qui in tenebris in vmbra mortis positos ad lumen scientia perducit Et infra Benedictionis gratlam quam nobis per praesentem portatorem tua deuota misir religio libâ—i hilari animo ficuti ab ea directa est nos suscepisse cognosce Oportunis igitur ac dignis amplectandae tuae sollicitudinis petitionibus arctissima deuotione satisfacientes hortamur Deo dilectam religiositatis tuae bonitatem vt quia exortis quibusdam Ecclesiasticarum causarum capitulis non sine examinatione longius innotescendis opus nobis sunt ad conferendum artes literaturae sicut decet Deo deuotum auxiliatorem sanctae matris vniuersalis Ecclesiae obedientem deuotionem huic nostrae exhortationi non desistas accommodare sed absque vlla immoratione religiosum Dei famulum Bedam venerabilem Monasterij
doings of whom you as a beardles boy of smal knowledge haue not rightly conceiued who in dede despising Princes comandements haue deserued euerlasting reward Wherby is to be noted what difference is to be sent betweene the hose of Princes then and the hose of seruingmen now There is a certaine Chronicle in olde English meter which among other matters speaking of William Rufus declareth him to be so sumptuous excessiue in poinpous apparel that he being not contented with a paire of hose of a lowe price which was iii. shillings caused a paire to be bought of a marke whereupon his chamberlaine procuring a paire much worse then the other before sayd That they costenid a marke and vnneth he them so bought Ye belamy quoth the king these are well bought Appendix Historiae After the tune of this king William the name of kings ceased in the country of Wales among the Britaines since king Ris. who in the raigne of this king the yeare of oure Lorde 1093. was slaine in Wales Ex continuatione Roger. Houeden King Henry the first HEnry first of that name the third sonne of W. Conquerour succeeding his brother Rufus began his raigne in England the yere of our Lord 1100. who tor his knowledge science in the 7. liberal arts was surnamed Clerke or bewclerke In whome may wel appeare howe knowledge and learning doth greatly conduce to the gouernement and administration of any realme or country At the beginning he reformed the state and condition of the clergie released the grieuous paiments reduced againe king Edwards laws with emendation therof he reformed the old and vntrue measures made a measure after the length of his arme he greatly abhorred excesse of meats drinks many things misused before his time he reformed and vsed to vanquish more by counsaile then by sworde Suche persons as were nice and wanton he secluded from hys court This man as appeareth litle fauoured the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome Soone after he was King he maried Matilde or Maude daughter of Malcolin king of Scots and of Margaret his wife daughter of Edward the Dutlaw as is before specified being a profesied Nunne in Winchester whom notwithstanding wont the popes dispensation he maried by the consent of Anselme By the which Maude he receaued 2. sonnes William and Richard 2. daughters Maude Mary which Maude afterward was maried to Henry the v. Emperour c. In the second yere of his reigne Robert his elder brother Duke of NormaÌ„dy who being occupied in the Christen warres against the Turkes and being elect as yee heard king of Hierusalem hearing of the death of Rufus refused the kingdom therof For the which as is thought he neuer sped wel after Thus the saide Robert leauing of the Lordes busines and returning into Normandy made there his preparation and came ouer into England with a great hoste to chalenge the Crowne But by mediation of the Lordes it was agreed that Robert shoulde haue yearely during his life iij. M. markes as was likewise promised him before by R. Rufus his brother And whether of them ouer liued the other to be others heyre And thus Robert departed again vnto NormaÌ„dy to the great discontentation of his Lords there But in few yeares after the forenamed tribute of iij. M. Markes through the meanes of Queene Maude was released to the King his brother In proces of time variance falling betwene king Henry and the sayd Robert his brother at length Robert in his warre was taken prisonner and brought ouer into England was put into the Castel of Cardise in Wales where he continued as prisoner while he liued In this time as about the iij. yeare of this king the hospitall of S. Bartholomewe in Smithfield was founded by meanes of a minstrell belonging to the King named Rayer And after was finished by Richard Whittyngton Alderman and Maior of London This place of Smithfield was at that day a lay stowe of all ordure or filth the place where the felones other transgressors of the kings lawes were put to execution Diuers strait lawes were by this king prouided especially against theeues and felones that who so were taken in that fault no money should saue him from hanging Item that who so did counterfait false money shoulde haue both his eyes and nether partes of his body cut off Item in the same Councell was decreed an order for Priestes to be sequestred from their wiues whych before were not forbidden according as the wordes of mine author doe purporte whose wordes be these Anselmus prohibuit vxores sacerdotibus Anglorum ante non prohibitas Quod quibusdam mundissimum visum est quibusdam periculosum ne dutrimundicias viribus maiores appeterent in immundicias horribâ—les ad Christiani nominis summum dedecus inciderent c. Hen. Hunt Item it was then decreed that Monkes and Priests should beare no rule ouer lay persons Item it was then decreed concerning broydering of heare and wearing of garments Item that the secrete 〈◊〉 act betwene a yong lad and a yong maid should not stand with other things mo concerning the excommunication of Sodomites c. In the storie of William RuÌ„fus before was declared how Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury departing out of the realme went vnto the Pope who after the death of King William was sent for againe by the foresayde King Henrie and so returned againe and was at the Councell of the King at Westminster where the king in the presence of the Lordes as well temporall as spiritual ordeined and inuested 2. Bishops Roger Bishop of Salisburie Roger bishop of Hereford During which parliament or couÌ„cel of the king Anselmus in his conuocation deposed and displaced diuers Abbots and other Prelates from their roumes and dignitics eitherfor that they lawfully came not by them or vprightly did not administer the same After this councel and the other before set forth by Anselmus Herbert bishop of Norwich had much adoe with the priests of his diocesse For they would neither leaue their wiues nor yet geue ouer their benefices Whereupon hee wrote to Anselme the Archbishop for counsaile what was to be done therein Which Anselme required him as he did other mo the same time by wryting to perswade the people of Norfolke and Southfolke that as they professed Christianitie they shoulde subdue them as rebels against the church and vtterly to driue both them and their wiues out of the countrey placing Monkes in their rowmes as by the Epistles of the said Anselme doth appeare Whereof certaine parcels shall hereafter by the grace of Christ ensue for the better euidence of this and the other his actes aboue recited The like businesse also had Gerarde the Archbishop of Yorke in depriuing the priestes of his prouince from their wiues which thing with all his excommunications and thundrings he coulde hardly bring about Upon this ruffeling of
durst they were as ready to folow him as he to go before thē then began William de Longspath the worthy knight to speake desiring the Earle to geue care to those men of experience who had better knowledge of those coūtryes people then he had commending also their councell to be discrete wholesom so turning to the maister of the temple began with gentle words to mitigate him likewise The knight had not halfe ended his talke when the Earle taking his words out of his mouth began to fume sweare crying out of these cowardly english mē with tailes What a pure army sayd he should we haue here if these tailes tayled people were purged from it with other like wordes of great vilany and much disdayne whereunto the english Knight aunswering agayne well Earle Robert sayd he where soeuer you dare set your foot my step shall goc as farre as yours and as I beleue we go this day where you shall not dare to come neare the taile of my horse as in the euent it proued true Ibid. fol. 236. In this meane time the French king intending to aduannce forward his army thought best to send away such as were feeble and lacked armor to Damiata by boates The Soldan hearing thereof prepared a great number of boates to be caryed by wayne and carte to the water side which meeting them by the way drowned and destroyed by wildefire euery one so that of all that company of our christians of whom some were burned some slayne some drowned not one escaped aliue saue one onely Englishe man named Alexāder Giffard who although he was sore woūded in the chase in fiue places in his body yet escaped to the French cāpe bringing word to the king what was done And this was vpon the water Now vpō the land seing Earle Robert would needs set forward weening to get all the glory to himself before the comming of the hoste first they inuaded a little village or castle which was not farre of called Mansor The coūtrey Bores and paganes in the villages by seing the christians come ranne out with such a mayne cry and shout that it came to the Soldans hearing which was nearer then our men did thinke In the meane while the Christians inuading and entring into the munition incircumspectly were pelted and pashed with stones by thē which stood aboue whereby a great number of our men were lost and the armye sore maimed and almost in despayre Then immediately vpon the same cōmeth the Soldan with all hys mayne power who seeing the Christens army to be deuided and the brother seperated frō the brother had that which he long wished for and so inclosing them roūd about that none should escape had with them a cruell fight Then the Earle began to repent him of hys heady rashenes but it was to late who then seing William the English knight dowrely fighting in the chiefe brunt of the enemyes cryed vnto hym most cowardly to flye seeyng God sayd he doth fight agaynst vs. To whom the knight answering agayne God forbid sayth he that my fathers sonne should runne away from the face of a Saracen The Earle then turning his horse fled away thinking to auoid by the swiftnes of hys horse so taking the riuer of Thasnis oppressed with harnes was there sokē and drowned Thus the Earle beyng gone the French men began to dispayre and scatter Then William de Longaspatha bearing all the force of the enemies stood agaynst thē as long as he could wounding and slaying many a Saracen til at length hys horse being killed and hys legges maymed he could no longer stand who yet notwtstanding as he was downe mangled their feete and legges and did the Saracens much sorow till at last after many blowes woūds beyng stoned of the Saracens he yelded hys life After the death of him then the Saracens setting vppon the residue of the army whom they had compassed on euery side deuoured and destroyed them all in so much that scarse one man escaped aliue sauing two Templaries one Hospitular and one poore rascall souldiour which◠brought tydinges hereof to the king These thinges being knowne in the French campe to the king and his souldiours first of their drowning which were sent to Damiata then of the ruine and slaughter of the army with the kinges brother by the towne of Mansor there was no little sorrow and heauines on euery side with great feare and doubt in themselues what was best to doc At last when they sawe no remedye but they must stand manfully to reuenge the bloud of their brethren thē the kyng with hys host past ouer the floud of Nilus and comming to the place where the battayle had bene there they beheld theyr fellowes and brethren pitifully lying with theyr heads and hands cut of For the Saracens for the reward before promised by the Soldan or Sultan to them that could bring the head hand of any Christian had so mangled the Christians leauing theyr bodyes to the wilde beastes Thus as they were sorowing and lamenting the rufull case of their Christen fellowes sodenly appeareth the comming of the Sultan with a multitude of innumerable thousandes Agaynst whom the French men estsoones prepare themselues to encounter and so the battaile being strocken vp the armyes began to ioyne But alacke for pitie what could the Frenchmen here do their number first so maymed their hartes wounded already with feare and sorow their bodyes consumed with penury and famine their horses for feeblenes not able to serue them In conclusion the Frenchmen were ouerthrowne slaine and dispatched seing there was no flying happy was he that first coulde yeld hymselfe In which miserable conflict the king with his two brethren and a few that claue vnto him were taken captiues to the confusion of all Christen realmes and presented to the Soldan All the residue were purto the sword or els stoode in the mercy of the Saracens whether to be slayne or to remayne in wofull captiuitie And this was the end of that sorrowful battaile wher in almost all the nobilitie of Fraunce was slayne neyther was there one man welneare in all the multitude whiche escaped free but eyther was slayne or taken prisoner Furthermore they that were slayne or left halfe aliue had euery one hys head and hand cut off vppon the Soldans proclamation aboue mentioned The Sultan or Soldan after the taking of the French king fraudulently suborning an army of Saracens to that number of the French army with the armes and ensignes of them that were slayne made toward Damiata where the Duke of Burgundy with the French Queene Ddo the Popes Legate and other byshops and their garrisons were remaining supposing vnder the shew of Frēch men to be let in but the captaynes mistrusting theyr hasty commyng and misdoubting their visages not like to the French men shut the gates agaynst them and
Simon hys sonnes power not knowing of the ouerthrow whiche he had before gaue small credite thereunto till that the said Nicholas the better to view and descrie them went vp to the Abbey steple of Eusham where he might plainly discerne them all and their standerds For by this tyme they were mounted the hill which they laboured to attayne thinking to haue that vauntage when they shold geue theyr charge as they had purposed and had also aduanced agayn his own standerdes and pulled down Simons wherby they were the more easâ—yer descried and knowne Then he cryed aloud to the Earle Simon and said we are all but dead men For it is not your sonne as you suppose that commeth but it is Edward the kinges sonne that commeth from one parte and the Earle of Gloucester from an other part and Roger Mortimer from the third part Then said the Earle The Lorde be mercifull vnto our soules forasmuch as our bodyes and liues are now in their handes commaunding that euery man should make hymselfe redy to God and to fight out the field for that it was their willes to dye for their lawes and in a iust quarrell And such as woulde depart he gaue leaue to goe their wayes that they shoulde be no discomfiture to the rest Then came vnto him his eldest sonne Henry comforted him desiring him to haue no dispaire nor yet mistrust in the good successe of this victory with other such cheerfull wordes No my sonne sayth he I dispayre not but yet it is thy presumption and the pride of the rest of thy brethreÌ„ that haue brought me to this end ye see Notwithstanding yet I trust I shall dye to God and in a righteous quarrel After wordes of comfort geuen to all his host and the oration made as is the maner they all armed themselues The king also whom the Earle alwaies kept with him he armed in an armour of his owne And then deuiding theyr battailes they marched toward theyr enemies but before they ioyned the welchmen ran theyr waies and thinking to scape ouer the riuer of Dee were there some drowned some slayne Then when the battayles ioyned and came to handy strokes within short space many of the Erles part fell and were slayne And the king himselfe being stroken at cryed with a loud voyce to them saying kill me not I am Henry your king And with these the kinges wordes the Lord Adam Monhaut knewe him and saued him At whose voyce and cry came also prince Edward hys sonne and deliuered him to the garde and custody of certayne knightes In the meane season the Earle Simon was hard bestead and beaten downe and also slayne before Edward the prince came at hym Howbeit before he fell when as ye fought for his life HeÌ„ry his sonne other noble men on his part were about hym he brake out in these words vnto hys enemies saying what is there no mercy compassion with you who agayne answered what compassion should there be shewed to traytors Then sayd he the Lord be mercifull to our soules our bodyes are in your hands And as soone as these wordes were spoken they mangled hys body and deuided his members and cut of his head which head Roger Mortimer sent vnto his wife And not farre of from him also was slayne Henry his eldest sonne the lord Hugh Spencer the L. Radulphe Basset the Lord Thomas de Hestele the Lord William Maundeuile the Lord Iohn Bewchampe the Lord Guido Baillofer the Lord Roger Rowley and many other noble men besides with a great multitude of people the Lord knoweth howe many This battail was fought in the moneth of August continued from one of the clocke till it was night in the which was not so much as one man on the Earles part of any estimation fortitude and courage but in that battell lost his life more then the Lord Iohn who by the great grace of God escaped death Neither is this to be forgotteÌ„ that the same day being Tuesday at that instant houre when the battell began whiche was at one of the clocke at after noone there was such a darcknes ouer all such thunder and such tempest that the like before that time was neuer seene being very calme and fayre weather both immemediately before and after which seemed sayth myne author to geue a playne demonstration of that whiche afterward chaunced and followed After this great slaughter and ouerthrow there was a Parliament suÌ„moned at Winchester by the Earle of Gloucester and other of hys part Here by the is to be considered that the king although he was in the camp of the Erle of Leceister being then in custody and his sonne Edward with the Earle of Gloucester yet the king was in that side agaynst his will and therefore in the sayd Parliament the king was restored to his kingly dignitie which was before that tyme vnder the custody of the Barons But after the battaile was ended and done certaine of them that loued the Earle vpon an old ladder gathered vp suche partes of his body as remayned and couering the same with an old gowne brought it to Eusham where they putting the same in a faire linnen cloth buried it in the church But not loÌ„g after by such as thought not themselues sufficiently reuenged with his death to wreke them of the dead corpes took vp the same and threw it in an other place saying that he which was both accursed and a traytor was not worthy of Christen buriall The same yeare also died Walter Cantilupus Byshop of Winchester after whom succeeded Nicholas of Ely the kinges Chauncellor The same yeare the king perceiuing that vnlesse that Castle of Kenilworth were recouered and the boldnes of theÌ„ restrayned that kept the same many euils and inconueniences might ensue therupon to the preiudice of his kingdom for that the number increased euery day more more wasting and spoyling the country all about Therfore he gathered an army and came downe to warwick where he a while taryed expecting the meeting and assembling of hys Marqueses and Lordes with engines and other munition sautable Who when theyr bondes were furnished and mustred and al thinges ready the morow after Midsomer day he displayed hys banner began his vyage marching towardes Kenilworth besieged the same During which siege by the aduise and counsaile of the king the Popes Legate and other noble men 12. persons were chose which should haue the disposing of those thinges that pertayned to the state of the Realme of those that had lost their landes and inheritaunces who amongest other thinges made and established this one prouiso that was commoÌ„ly called Kenelworth decree That all those whieh hast lost their laÌ„des by attaynder although yet not attainted should fyne therfore at the kinges pleasure and take their lands of him agayn paying some three yeares some foure yeares some two yeares reueneues of the same according to the quallitie
The yeare of our Lorde 1307. and the last yeare of the king the foresayde king Edwarde in his iourney marching towarde Scotland in the North fel sicke of the flixe which increased so ferueÌ„tly vpon hym that he dispaired of life Wherfore calling before him his Earles and Barons caused them to be sworne that they should crowne his sonne Edward in such conuenient time after his death as they might kepe the land to his vse til he were crowned That done he called before him his sonne Edwarde informing and lessoning him wyth wholesome preceptes charged him also with diuers poynts vpon his blessing first that he should be couâ—teous gentle vpright in iudgement faire spoken to all men constant in deede and word familiar with the good and especially to the miserable to be merciful After this he gaue him also in charge not to be to hastie in taking his crowne before he had reuenged his fathers iniuries stoutly against the Scots but that he shuld remaine in those parties to take with him hys fathers bones being well boiled from the flesh and so inclosed in some fit vessel shoulde carie them with him til he conquered all the Scots saying that so long as he had his fathers bones with him none should ouercome him Moreouer he willed and required him to loue his brother Thomas and Edmund also to cherish tender his mother Margaret the Quene Ouer besides he straitly charged him vpon his blessing as he would auoide his curse that he should in no case cal to him againe or sende for Peter Gaueston whych Peter Gaueston the king before had banished the realme for his naughty and wicked familiarity with hys sonne Edward and for his seducing of him with sinister counsaile For the which cause he banished both Peter Gaueston vtterly out of the realme and also put the sayd Edwarde hys sonne in prison And therefore so straitly charged hys sonne in no wise to sende for this Gaueston or to haue him in any case about him And finally because he had coÌ„ceined in himselfe a vow to haue returned hys owne person to the holy land which for his manifold warres wyth the Scots he could not performe therefore he had prepared 32000. poundes of siluer for the sending of certaine souldiours with hys hart vnto the holy laÌ„d Which thing he required of hys sonne to see accomplished So that the foresayde money vnder hys curse malediction be not employed to other vses But these iniunctions and preceptes the disobedient sonne did nothing obserue or keepe after the decease of his father Who forsaking and leauing of the warre with the Scots wyth all speede hasted him to his coronation Also contrary to the minde of his nobles against the precept of hys father he sent for the foresayde Peter Gaueston prodigally bestowed vpon him al that treasure which his father had bequested to the holy land He was moreouer a proud despiser of his peeres nobles And therefore raigned infortunately as by the sequele of the story heere folowing by the grace of Christ shal be declared Thus king Edwarde first of that name leauing behinde him 3. sonnes Thomas and Edmund by his third wife and Edward by his first wife whome he had sufficiently thus with precepts instructed departed this mortall life An. 1307. after hee had raigned neare 39. yeres Of whom this Epitaph was wrytten Dum viguit rex valuit tua magna potestas Fraus latuit pax magna fuit regnauit honestas In the time and raigne of thys king many other things happened which here I omit to speake of as the long discorde and strife betweene the Prior of Cant. and the Prior of Douer which continued aboue 4. yeres together with much wrangling vnquietnes betweene them Likewyse an other lyke coÌ„tention growing betwene Iohn Romain Archb. of York and the Archb. of Cant. vpon the occasion that when Iohn Archb. of York after his consecration returned from the Pope and comming to Douer contrary to the inhibition of Cant. passed through the middle of Kent with his crosse borne vp although the story reporteth that he had the kings consent therunto An. 1286. Item betwene Thomas Bishop of Hereford Iohn Pecham Archb. of Cant. fell an other wrangling matter in the time of thys king Which Byshop of Hereforde appealing from the Archb. to the Pope went vp to Rome and in his iourney died Who with lesse cost might haue taryed at home 1282. King Edward the second EDwarde the second of that name and sonne of Edward the first borne as is aforesaid at Carnaruan in Wales after the departure of his father entred the gouernment of the lande An. 1307. But was crowned not before the yeare next folowing An. 1308. by reason of the absence of Rob. Winchelsey who was banished by king Edward the first Wherupon the king thys present yere wryteth to the pope for the restitution of the sayd Archb. for that by an auncient law of the realme the coronation of the king coulde not otherwise proceede without the Archb. of Cant. Which Edward as he was personable in body and outwarde shape so in conditions and euill disposition much deformed As vnstedfast of woorde and light to disclose secretes of great counsaile Also refusing the companie of hys Lords men of honoure hee much haunted among villaines and vile personnages Geuen moreouer to ouermuche drinking and such vices as thereuppon be woont to ensue And as of his owne nature he was to the sayd vices disposed so was hee much worse by the counsaile and familiarity of certaine euill disposed persones as first of Peter or Pierse Gaueston before touched Then after hym of the two Spensers and other whose wanton counsaile hee followyng gaue hymselfe to the appetite and pleasure of his body nothing ordering hys common weale by sadnesse discretion and iustice which thyng caused first great variance betweene hym and his nobles so that shortly hee became to them odible and in ende was depriued of his kingdome In the first yeare hee tooke to wife Isabel daughter of Phillippe king of Fraunce wyth whome the yeare after hee was crowned at Westminster by the bishop of Winchester for that Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury was yet in exile not returned home Notwithstanding the Barons and Lords made first their request to the king to put Peter Gaueston from hym or els they would not consent to his coronation Whereupon he was enforced to graunt them at the next parliament to haue their requests accomplished and so was crowned In the meane season the foresayd Peter or Pierse bearing himselfe of the kings fauour bolde continued triumphing and setting at light all other states and nobles of the Realme so that hee ruled both the King and the Realme and all things went as he woulde Neither had the king any delight els or kept company with any but with him with him onely he brake all his minde
memory brother Germaine to our Lady mother is fallen vnto vs by playn and manifest law And for somuch that Lord Phillip de Valoys being the sonne of the Vncle of the foresayd king and so being farre from the crowne by a farther degree of consanguinitie through force and vsurpation hath intruded himselfe in the foresayd kingdome whilest we were yet in our Minoritie so contrary both to God and to iustice doth detayne and occupye the same And least we shoulde seeme to neglect our owne right and the gifte geuen vs of God or not to submit our will to Gods diuine ordinance We haue thought good to acknowledge the title of France and by supportation of the almighty king haue taken vppon vs the defence and regiment of the sayd kingdome Firmely purposing with our selues as euery good man ought to doe graciously to minister iustice to euery one according to the rites and laudable custome of the foresayd kingdome Also to renue the good lawes and customes whiche haue bene in the time of Ludouicke our progenitour adding to moreouer that which shall seeme expedient according to the condition and qualiitie of the time As by any chaunge of coyne or any other inordinate exactions we intend not to seeke our profites by your detrimentes when as the almighty bee praised therefore we abounde and haue inough And as concerning the affayres of the Realme our purpose is not to proceede rashely or by our owne will but by the discreete aduise and Counsell of the Pieres Prelates Nobles and other our faythfull subiects of the kingdome so farre forth as shall make for the honour of God the defence and aduauncement of the Church which in all fulnes of deuotion we doe reuerence and to the profite both publicke and priuate of all the subiectes thereof with full execution of iustice by the grace of God to be executed vpon al and singular persons being earnestly careful for the honour profite and tranquillitie of you all For as the Lorde knoweth nothing shall be more gratefull to vs then that by our carefull solicitude peace may be engendered specially betwixt vs and vniuersally among all Christen men so that by our concorde the force and strength of all Christen Princes may be ioyned together for the recouery of the holy land whiche our Sauiour and redemer hath dedicated with hys owne proper bloud whereunto we wil indeuour our selues through the grace of the holy ghost And for asmuch as we haue offered to the foresayd Lorde Phillip diuers friendly and reasonable conditions of peace whereunto he would neyther condescend neyther agree to any conformation yea rather moueth against vs vniust warre to the vtter subuersion of our state we are enforced of necessitie to the vttermost of our power for the defence both of vs and recouery of our right to defend our selues by force of battaile not seeking any slaughter of good and humble subiectes but desiring theyr safegarde and profite For the whiche cause all and singular such subiectes of the kingdome of Fraunce which shall submit themselues to vs as the true king of Fraunce within the feast of Easter next ensuing professing vnto vs theyr fealtie and doing to vs as to the Kyng of Fraunce by duety appertayneth so as our beloued subiectes of Flaunders haue done alredy or be ready to offer themselues so to do all such we willingly admit and receaue to our peace grace vnder our protection to be defended them to mayntayne as is conuenient from all molestation and disquietnes whatsoeuer in person or goodes hereafter to be inforced eyther by vs or by our officers vpon what soeuer occasion of rebellion afore passed And for as much as the premisses cannot easely be intimated to all and singular persons we haue prouided the same to be fixed vpon Church doores and other publicke places whereby the manifest notice thereof may come to all men to the comfort of you that be to vs deuout and to the true information of them whiche through sinister surmises of our enemies otherwise informed of vs. Dated at Gaunt the 8. day of February the yeare of our kingdome of Fraunce the first of England the 14. This done for that the winter then drew on neyther was there any hope as the time serued of farther doyng good the kyng thought best for a season to returne againe to Englande with his company geuing ouer the warres vntill the next spring and so did taking shipping and so ariued at Douer When he came to London it was declared vnto him of the great spoyle the Frenchmen had made at Southampton who answered agayne that within one yeare he doubted not the same to be well payd for recompenced And according to the same purpose of hys he lingered no time but calling a Parliament at Westminster with much grudge euill will of his subiects was for the mayntenance of hys warres graunted to him a great subsidie which was the 5. euery mans goodes and also the customes of his woolles 2. yeares before hand and the 9. these of euery mans corne At the spring the K. agayn prepared his army rigged hys nauy purposing to land in Flaūders But the Archb. of Canterb. then Lord Chauncellour hauing vnderstanding of the Frenche power vpon the Sea lying for the k. gaue him aduertisement there of willing him more stronglier to go or els not to venture But the king not crediting the Archbish. and being angry with him therefore sayd that he would go forward whereupon the bishop resigned the Chauncellorship remoued himselfe from his Counsayle then the k. consulting hereupon farther with the Lord Morley his Admirall and others hearing also the same of them furnished himselfe with stronger power and committed him to his ship and did so much that a few dayes before midsommer he was vpō the Sea with a great fleete Before the town of Sluse the french king to stop hys passage had layd ready a great nauy well neare to that number of 20. score sayle and had made the Christopher of England which before the French men took at Southamptō theyr Admirall betwixt which two nauies was a lōg and terrible fight But in the end the victory by Gods grace fell to the king of England in which fight he himselfe was personally So that of the number of thirtye thousand Frenchmē few or none were left escaped aliue and two hundreth sayle of shippes taken in one of the which were found 400. dead bodyes After this great slaughter of the Frenchmen of whom many for feare of the sword lept into the sea when no man durst bring tidinges thereof to the Frenche king They which were next about the king did subborne his foole to insinuate the vnderstanding thereof by subtiltie of couert words which was thus As the foresayd foole being in the kinges presence and was talking of many things among other talke he sodenly brast out being prompt by others into a vehement rayling of
priest haddeÌ„ their part of sacrifices and the first bygeten beastes and other things as the lawe telleth And Lorde S. Paul thy seruant sayth that the order of the priesthode of Aaron ceased in Christes comming and the lawe of that priesthode For Christ was end of sacrifices yoffered vpoÌ„ the crosse to the father of heauen to bring man out of sinne and become himself a priest of Melchisedeks order For he was both king priest without beginning and end and both the priesthoode of Aaron and also the law of that priesthode ben ychaunged in the comming of Christ. And S. Paul sayth it is reproued for it broghâ— no man to perfection For bloude of gotes ne of other beastes ne might done away sinne for to that Christ shad his bloud A Lord Iesu wether thou ordenest an order of priests to offreÌ„ in the auter thy flesh and thy bloude to bringen men out of sinne and also out of peine And whether thou geue them alonelych a power to eat thy flesh and thy bloud and wether none other man may eate thy flesh and thy bloud with outen leue of priestes Lord we beleeuen that thy flesh is verey meate and thy bloude verey drinke and who eateth thy flesh and drinketh thy bloud dwelleth in thee and thou in him and who that eateth this bread shall liue without end But Lord thine disciples sayd this is an hard worde but thou answerest them and seidest When yee seeth mans soone stiuen vp there hee was rather the spirite is that maketh you liue the wordes that yche haue spoken to you ben spirite life Lord yblessed more thou be for in this worde thou teachest vs that hee that kepeth thy wordes and doth after them eateth thy fleshe and drinketh thy bloude and hath an euerlasting life in thee And for we shoulden haue minde of thys liuing thou gauest vs the sacrament of thy flesh and bloud in forme of bred and wine at thy supper before that thou shouldest suffer thy death and tooke bread in thine hand and saidest take ye this and eate it for it is my body and thou tookest wine and blessedest it and sayde thys is the bloud of a new and an euerlasting testament that shall be shed for many men in forgeuenes of sinnes as oft as ye haue done doo ye this in minde of me A Lord thou ne bede not thine disciples makeÌ„ this a sacrifice to bring men out of paines gif a priest offred thy body in the alter but thou bede them go and fullen all the folke in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost in forgeuenes of their sinnes and teache ye them to keepe those thynges that ych haue coÌ„manded you And Lord thine disciples ne ordeined not priests principallich to make thy body in sacrament but for to teach the people and good husbandmen that well gouern their housholds both wiues children their meiny they ordeind to be priests to teachen other men the law of Christ both in worde in dede they liuedein as true Christen men euery day they eaten Christes body and drinken his bloude to the sustenance of liuing of theyr soules and otherwhiles they tooken the sacrament of his body in forme of bread and wine in mind of our Lord Iesu Christ. But all this is turned vpse downe for now who so will liuen as thou taughtest he shal ben holden a foole And gif he speake thy teaching he shal ben holden an heretick accursed Lord yhaue no lâ—nger wonder hereof for so they seiden to thee wheÌ„ thou wer here some time And therefore wee moten take in pacience theyr wordes of blasphemy as thou didest thy selfe or els we weren to blame And truelych Lord I trowe that if thou were nowe in the world and taughtest as thou diddest some time thou shuldest ben done to death For thy teaching is damned for heresy of wise men of the world and then moten they nedes ben heretickes that teachen thy lore and all they also that trauelen to liue thereafter And therfore Lord gif it be thy wil helpe thine vnkunning lewde seruaunts that wolen by their power and their kunning helpe to destroy sinne Leue Lorde sithe thou madest woman in helpe of man in a more fraile degree then man is to be gouerned by mans reason What perfection of charity is in these priests and in men of religion that haue forsaken spoushod that thou ordeinedst in Paradise betwixt man and woman for perfection to forsaken traueile and liuen in ease by other mens traueile For they mow not do bodilich workes for defouling of their handes with whom they touchen thy precious body in the aulter Leue Lorde gif good men forsaken the company of woman nedes they moten haue the gouernaile of man then moteÌ„ they ben ycoupled with shrewes and therfore thy spoushode that thou madest in clennes from sinne it is nowe ychaunged into liking of the flesh And Lord this is a great mischiefe vnto thy people And young priestes and men of religion for defaulte of wiues maken many women horen and drawen through their euell ensample many other men to sinne and the ease that they liuen in and their welfare is a great cause of this mischiefe And Lord me thinketh that these ben quaint orders of religion and none of thy sect that wolen taken horen whilke God forfendes and forsaken wiues that God ne forfendeth not And forsaKen trauail that God commaunds and geuen their selfe to idlenes that is the mother of all noughtines And Lorde Mary thy blessed mother and Ioseph touched oftentimes thy body and wroughten with their honds and liueden in as much clennes of soule as our priestes done nowe and touched thy body and thou touchedest them in their soules And Lorde our hope is that thou goen not out of a poore mans soule that traueileth for his liuelode with his handes For Lord our beliefe is that thine house is mans soul that thou madest after thine owne likenes But Lord God men maketh nowe great stonen houses full of glasen windowes and clepeth thilke thine houses and Churches And they setten in these houses Mawmets of stockes and stones and to fore them they knelen priuilich apert and maken their prayers and all this they sayen is thy woorship and a great herieng to thee A Lorde thou forbiddest sometime to make suche Mawmetes and who that had yworshipped such had be woorthy to be deeade Lorde in the Gospell thou sayst that true heriers of God ne herieth him not in that hil beside Samarie ne in Hierusalem neyther but true heriers of God herieth him in spirite and in trueth And Lord God what herying is it to bilden thee a church of dead stones and robben thy quicke Churches of their body liche lyueloode Lord God what heryeng is it to cloth mawmets of stockes and of stones in siluer and in golde and
except he doe looke for the duetie of recompence by the law of conscience Item all temporall goods bestowed vppon the clergie by the lay people vnder condition as the goodes of the churche are the almes of them which geue it it is prooued thus for so much as all those goods are the goods of the poore as it appeareth by many sayings of holy men and by the lawes But they were not the goods of the pore after they were mere seculer goodes but onely by the meane of the woorke of mercie wherby they were bestowed vpon the pore Ergo they were pure almes The cōsequent dependeth vpō the definitiō of pure almes Item all things changed to the vse and power of an other either by ciuil exchange or Euangelical is changed But the church goods are so changed by one of these ministries But the Euangelical exchange is not to be fained because it is not done neyther by bying or selling or any other ciuill exchange Therefore there doth not remaine but only a pure gift for hope of a heauenly reward the which is mercy and so pure almes And it semeth to followe consequently that all the Clergie receiuing such almes are not onely in respect of God as all other menne But in respect of men beggers For they wold not so instantly require those almes except they had neede of them neither ought we to be ashamed therof or to be proud beggers for so much as Christ touching his humanitie became a begger for vs because hee declared his need vnto his Father saying c. Item when any Kyng Prince Knight Citizen or anye other man doth geue vnto the clergy or to anye priest for his stipend he geueth the same vnto the Churche of God and to the priuate party as a perpetuall almes that he should attend to his vocation preaching praying and studying But this kinde of geuing doth not suffice to ground any seculer dominion amongst the clergye it followeth that the bare vse remayneth in them or the seculer vse without any seculer power The maior appeareth hereby forsomuch as otherwise almes should not be a worke of mercy Whereby it may also appeare that tenths are pure alms geuen to the church to the vse of the pore And hereupon the holy men doe say that tenthes are the tributes of the needy soules Whereupon S. Augustine in a sermon made vpon the restoring of tithes sayth The geuing of Tithes most deare brethren are the tributes of the poore soules therefore pay your tribute vnto the poore And by and by after he sayth therefore who desireth eyther to get any rewarde or to haue anye remission of sinnes by geuing of his tenthes let him study to geue almes euen of the ninth part so that what soeuer shall remayne more then a competent liuing and decent clothing that it be not reserued for riot but that it be layd vp in the heauenly treasure by geuing it in almes to the poore For what so euer God doth geue vnto vs more then we haue neede of he doth not geue it vs specially for our selues but doth send it vs to be bestowed vpon others by our handes if wee doe not geue it we inuade an other mans possessions Thus much wryteth S. Augustine and is repeted in the xvi question 1. Decime Also S. Ierome in an Epistle and it is put in the 16. question and 2. chap Quicquid What soeuer the clergy hath it is the goods of the poore Also S. Augustine in his 33. Epistle vnto Boniface and it is aleaged in the 1. question and 12. Also in the 23. question 7. If we doe possesse any thinge priuately the which doth suffise vs they are not oures but the goods of the poore whose stewardes we are except we doe challenge to ourselues a property by some damnable vsurpatiō The glose vpon that part of the 23. question 7. sayth The Prelates are but onely the stewardes of the church goodes and not Lordes thereof S. Ambrose also vpon this saying of the Gospell Luke the 16. Geue accompt of your bailiship or stewardship Hereby then doe we learne that they are not Lordes but rather stewardes and baliffes of other mens substaunce And S. Ierome writing to Nepotianus saieth howe can they be of the clergye which are commaunded to contemne and dispise their owne substaunce and to take away from a frend it is theft to deceiue the Churche it is sacriledge and to take awaye that which should be geuen vnto the poore ¶ The order and maner of taking vp the body of Iohn Wickliffe and burning his bones 41. yeares after his death And S. Bernard in his sermon vppon these wordes Symon Peter sayd vnto Iesus chap. 17 sayd Truely the goodes of the Church are the patrimony of the poore And whatsoeuer thyng the ministers and stewardes of the same not Lordes or possessours do take vnto themselues more then sufficient for a competent liuing the same is taken away from the poore by a sacrilegious crueltie And Eusebius in his treatise vpon the pilgrimage of S. Ierom writeth thus if thou doest possesse a garment or anye other thing more then extreme necessitie doth require and dost not help the needy thou art a theef a robber Wherfore dearly beloued children let vs be stewards of our temporallities and not possessors And Isidore in his treatise De summo Bono chap. 42. sayth Let the byshop know that he is the seruaunt of the people and not Lord ouer them Also in the 5. booke of decretals extra de donationibus sub authoritate Alexandri tertij Episcopi paristensis He sayth we beleue that it is not vnknowne vnto your brotherhoode that a Byshop and euery other Prelate is but a steward of the Churche goodes and not Lord thereof By these sayinges of these holy men it is euidently declared that not only tithes but also al other substaunce which the clergy hath by gift of worke of mercy are pure almes which after the necessitie of the clergy once satisfied ought to be transported vnto the poore Secondly it is declared how that the Clergye are not Lordes and possessours of those goods but ministers stewardes therof Thirdly it is shewed that if the Clergye doe abuse the same they are theeues robbers and sacrilegious persons and except they doe repent by the iust iudgement of God they are to be condempned ANd thus hetherto I may peraduenture seeme to haue made sufficient long resitall out of Ihon Dus but so notwithstanding that the commoditie of those thinges maye aboundantly recompence the prolixitie thereof Wherfore if I shall seeme vnto any man in the rehearsall of this disputation to haue passed very farre the boundes of the history let him thinke thus of me that at what tyme I tooke in hand to wryte of these Ecclesiasticall matters I could not omit these thinges whiche were so straightly ioyned with the cause of the Church Neither that I did make more accompt of the historye which I
had taken in hand then of the common vtilitie whereunto I had chiefe respect There were besides these certayne other articles Whereupon the sayde Iohn Dus had very wisely and learnedly disputed but these shal suffice vs for this present And for the residue we will passe them ouer to the intent we may the more spedely retourne whereas our story left declaring what cruelty they vsed not onely against the bookes and articles of Iohn Wickliffe but also in burning his body and bones commaunding them to be taken vp 41. yeares after he was buryed as appeareth by the decree of the sayde Synode the forme wherof we thought hereunto to annexe as followeth The decree of the Synode of Constance touching the taking vp of the body and bones of Iohn Wickliffe to be burned 41. yeares after he was buryed in his owne parish at Lutterworth FOrsomuch as by the authoritie of the sentence decree of the Councell of Rome and by the cōmaundement of the Church and the Apostolical see after due delayes being geuen they proceeded vnto the condemnatiō of the said I. Wickliffe and his memory hauing first made proclamation geuen cōmaundement to cal forth whosoeuer would defend the said Wickliffe or his memory if there were any such but there did none appeare which would either defēd him or his memory And moreouer witnesses being examined by Commissioners appoynted by Pope Iohn thys Councell vpon the impenitencie and finall obstinacie and stubburnes of the said Iohn Wickliffe reseruing that which is to be reserued as in such busines the order of the lawe requireth and his impenitencie and obstinacy euen vnto his end being sufficiently proued by euident signes and tokens and also by lawfull witnesses of credite was lawfully geuen thereunto Wherefore at the instaunce of the steward of the treasury proclamation being made to heare vnderstand the sentence agaynst this day the sacred Synode declareth determineth and geueth sentence that the said Iohn Wickliffe was a notorious obstinate hereticke and that he died in his heresie cursing and condemning both him and his memory This Sinode also decreeth and ordeineth that the body bones of the said Iohn Wickliffe if it might be decerned and knowne from the bodyes of other faithfull people to be taken out of the ground throwne away farre from the buriall of any church according vnto the canon lawes decrees Which determination and sentēce definitiue being red pronounced the lord president the foresaid presidentes of the 4. nations being demaunded asked whether it did please them or no They all answered and first Hostiensis the president and after him the other presidents of the nations that it pleased them very well and so they alowed and confirmed all the premisses c. ¶ What Heraclitus would not laugh or what Democritus would not weep to see these so sage reuerend Catos to occupy their heads to take vp a poore mans body so long dead and buryed before by the space of 41. yeares yet peraduenture were not able to finde his right bones but took vp some other body so of a catholick made an heretike Albeit herein Wickliffe had some cause to geue them thankes that they woulde at least spare him so long till he was dead and also to geue him so long respite after hys death 41. yeares to rest in his sepulchre before they vngraued him and turned him from earth to ashes which ashes also they took threw into the riuer And so was he resolued into 3. elements earth fire and water thinking therby vtterly to extinct and abolishe both the name and doctrine of Wickliffe for euer Not much vnlike to the example of the old Phariseis sepulcher knightes which when they had brought the Lord vnto the graue thought to make him sure neuer to rise againe But these and all other must knowe that as there is no coūsaile against the Lord so there is no keeping down of veritie but it wil spring and come out of dust and ashes as appeared right well in this man For though they digged vp his body burnt his bones drowned his ashes yet the word of God and truth of his doctrine with the fruit successe therof they could not burne which yet to this day for the most part of his articles do remaine Notwithstāding the transitory body and bones of the man was thus consumed and dispersed as by this picture here aboue set forth to thine eyes gentle reader may appeare These things thus finished and accomplished whiche pertayne to the story and time of Wickliffe let vs now by the supportation of the Lord proceede to entreate write of the rest which either in his time or after his time springing out of the same vniuersitie and raysed vp as ye wold say out of his ashes were pertakers of the same persecution Of whom speaketh Thomas Walden in his book De sacramentis sacramentalibus cap. 53. Where he saith that after Wickliffe many suffered most cruell death and many mo did forsake the realme In the number of whome was William Swinderby Walter Brute Iohn Puruey Richard White William Thorpe Raynold Pecock B. of S. Assaph and afterward of Chichester To this Catalogue also pertayneth mentioned in ancient writers Laurence Redman maister of Arte Dauid Sautre deuine Iohn Aschwarby vicar as they call him of S. Mary Church at Oxford William Iames an excellent yong man well learned Thomas Brightwell William Haulam a ciuilian Rafe Grenhurst Ioh. Scut and Phillip Norice which being excōmunicated by P. Eugenius the 4. in the yeare of our Lord 1446. appealed vnto a generall or oecumenicall Councell Peter Payne who flying from Oxford into Boheme did stoutly contend agaynst the Sophisters as touchyng both kindes of the sacrament of the last supper Who afterward among the rest of the Oratours was one of the 14. that was sent into the Councell at Basill whereas by the space of 3. daies he disputed vpon the 4. article which was as touching the ciuill dominion of the clergy an 1438. Also the Lorde Cobham c. with diuers others besides whose names are mencioned in the kinges writte sent to the Sheriffe of Northampton which writ of the king followith in this Teuor Rex vicecomiti Northamptoniae salutem c. For so much as Iohn Attyate of Cheping warden Iohn Warryner Ro. Brewoode c. be Recettours fautoures of heretickes and especially of one Iohn Woodward priest publiquely diffamed and condemned of heresy will not be iustified by the censures of the Churche as the reuerend father I. Bish. of Lincolne hath certified vs. we therefore willing to withstand all defenders and fautours of such heresies doe will and commaunde as well the forenamed as namely the foresaid Iohn Woodward to be apprehended straightly charging the same to be emprisoned by theyr bodyes or otherwise punished as shall seeme good to the Iustices vntill they and euery of them shall submit them selues to the
and that all auriculer and outward confessioÌ„ is superfluous and not requisite of necessitie to saluation 11. Item inferior Curates haue not their power of hynding and losing immediately from the pope or Bishop but immediately from Christ. And therfore neither can the pope nor bishop reuoke to themselues such kind of power wheÌ„ they see time and place at their lust and pleasure 12 Item that the pope cannot graunt such kinde of annuall yerely pardons because there shall not be so many yeares to the day of iudgement as are in the Popes bulles or pardons contayned Wherby it followeth that the pardoÌ„s are not of such like value as they speake of praysed to be 13. Item it is not in the popes power to graunt vnto any person penitent forgeuenes of the punishment or of the faulte 14. Item that person that geueth his almes to any whiche in his iudgement is not in necessitie doth sinne in so geuing it 15. Item that it stands not in the power of any Prelate of what religion soeuer he be of priuately to geue letters for the benefite of his order neither doth suche benefite graunted profite them to the saluation of their soule to whom they be graunted 16. Item that the same William vnmindeful of his own saluation hath many and oftentimes come into a certayn desert wood called Derualdwood of your diocesse there in a certain chappell not hallowed or rather in a prophane cottage hath in contempt of the keyes presumed of hys own rashnes to celebrate nay rather to prophanate 17. Item the same William hath also presumed to doe such thinges in a certayne prophane Chappell being situate in the park of Newton nigh to the town of Leintwarbin of the same your dioces VPon Friday being the last of the month of Iune in the yeare abouesayd about 6 of the clocke in the sayd parishe Churche of Bodenhone hath the sayd William Swinderby personally appeared before vs. And he willing to satisfie the terme to him assigned as before specified hath read out word by word before all the multitude of faythfull christian people many answeres made and placed by the same William in a certayne paper booke of the sheete folded into foure partes to the sayd Articles and the same answers for sufficient hath he really to vs exhibited aduouching them to be agreable to the lawe of Christ. Whiche thing beeing done the same William without any moe with him dyd departe from our presence because that we at the instaunce of certayne noble personages had promised to the same William free accesse that is to wit on that day for the exhibiting of those aunsweres and also free departing without prefixing of anye terme or without citation or els anye other offence or harme in bodye or in goodes ¶ As for the tenour of the same answers exhibited vnto theÌ„ by the same William as is before specified we haue here vnder annexed word for worde and in the same olde language vsed at that time when it was exhibited And followeth in these wordes The protestation of William Swinderby with hys aunsweres to the articles by the promotors layd agaynst him to the bishop of Herford taken out of the Registers in the same olde Englishe wherein he wrote it IN the name of God amen I William Swinderby priest vnworthy couenting and purposing wholy with all my hart to be a true christian man with open confessioÌ„ knowledging mine owne defaultes and vnwise deedes making openly this protestation cleping god to record here before our worshipfull Bishop Iohn through the sufferaunce of God Bish. of Herford with witnesse of all this people that it is not mine intent any thing to say or affirme to mayntain or to defend that is contrary to holy writte agaynst the beliefe of holy church or that should offend the holy determination of Christes Church or the true sentences of holy doctors And if I haue here before through mine vncunning bene vnordered or by euill counsaile bene deceiued or any thing sayd preached holden mayntayned or taught contrary to the law of God wholly and fully for that tyme for now and euer with ful will I reuoke it and withdraw it as euerich christen man should Praying and beseeching â—che christen man to whom this writing shal come to that gif I ought erre as God forbid that I do or euer erred in any poynt contrary to holy writ that it be had and holden of them as for thing nought sayd And all the trothes that I haue sayd according with the law of God that they mayntayne them and stand by them for life or death to Gods worship as a true Christen man shoulde submitting me meekely to the correction of our Byshop that here is or of any other christen man after Christes lawes and holy writ in will euer ready to be amended and with this protestation I say and aunswere to these conclusions and articles that here followen after the which bene put to me to aunswere to The first is this that I William of Swinderby pretending he sayth my selfe a priest was iudicially conuented of certain articles conclusions of error false schismatick heresie by me in diuers places tymes preached he sayth before multitudes of the true christen men the sâ—â—e articles and coÌ„clusions by need of law reuoked for sworn some as heresies and some as erroures and false suche I affirmed and veleued them to be And that none of them from that time forth I should preach teach or affirme openly or priuily ne that I should make no sermon to the people ne preache but by lawfull leaue asked and gotten And if I would presume in doing or affirming the contrary then to the seueritie of the lawe I should be buxom as by nede of the law I swore To this I say witnessing God that is in heauen to my wit and vnderstanding that I neuer preached helde ne taught these conclusions and articles the whiche falsely of Friers were put vpon me and of lecherous priestes to the Bishop of Lincolne For I was ordayned by processe yet sayd of theyr law by the byshop and his commissaryes so as I graunted them to bring my purgation of 13. priestes of good same And so I did with a letter 12. scales therby from the Mayor of Leycester and from true Burgeses and 30. men to witnes with me as the Duke of Lancaster knew and heard the Erle of Darby and other many great men that were that tyme in the towne that I neuer sayd them taught them ne preached them But when I should haue made my purgation there stooden forth fiue friers or moe that some of them neuer sawe me before ue heard me and three lecherous priestes openly knowne some liuing in their lechery xx yeare men sayden or more as by their childer was openly known Some of these they clepinden denounciations and some weren cleped comprobations that weren there falsely forsworne they suing busily and
priesthood if al I be vnworthy to the worship of God helpe of christen soules freely without gathering of her goods for my preaching If I erred in this I will be amended And sir touching your maundement that ye sendeÌ„ to me there was seÌ„t none And sir I made neuer yet disobedieÌ„ce vnto you ne to your ministers yef all I had me owes more to obeyche to God thou to you in that that ye bidden contrary to Christes bid ding And sir as ye sayne that I had no minde of my hele it is to lightly demet for God forbid but yef there lye hele more then in your bidding For God wâ—t for hele I did it of mine and of the people and that was in any minde But sir it semes me that ye charge not by euidence of the punishing so greatly the breaking of Gods hests as ye done of your own And sir if it be your wil in default that the people wanted you to teache hem and her curates did not by the desire of the people that weren hungry and thirsty after gods word ichone to beare vp others charge as gods law bids I preached not for disobedience to you but sir in fulfilling of the obedieÌ„ce that Gods law bids me do in excusing of my selfe to you of that ye blame me of in opeÌ„ shewing to holy Church with y p protestation that I first made I aunswere thus to the Articles that ye haue put to me The first is this that I William of Swinderby the Monday the first of August the yeare of our Lorde 1390. preaching to the people in the Church of Whitney of your Dioces held and affirmed as ye sayne that no Prelate of the world of what state or degree that he be hauing cure of soules being in deadly sinne and hearing confession of his suget does nought in assoyling him ne he assoiles him not of his sinne and also in amending his suget opeÌ„ly sinning and him for his desertes cursing his sentence byndes nor but if that Prelate be as cleane out of deadly sinne as was S. Peter to whom our Lord gaue power of binding and vnbinding I neuer thought this ne spake this ne heard it to the time that I saw it written in our booke and that will witnes the Lord of the towne that has the same sermon written and many gentiles and other that heardeÌ„ me that day But thus I said and thus I say with protestation put before that there is no man Pope ne bishop prelate ne Curate that bindes soothly verily and ghostly but in as much as his binding or vnbinding accordes with the keyes of heauen that God gaue to Peter And as S. Gregory saies that power han they only that hold together the ensample of the apostles with heere teaching Illi soli in hac carne positiligandi atque soluendi potestatem habent sicut sancti Apostoli qui eorum exempla simul cum doctrina tenent gg li. quarto sententiarum The second article that is put vpon me is this that I should haue sayd preached affirmed in many places before many true men of Christ that after the Sacramentall wordes sayd of the priest hauing entention of consecratioÌ„ That in the Sacrament of Gods body is not very Gods body This sayd I neuer God wote and true men that haue heard me The third article is this that our bishop puts vpoÌ„ me that I should haue sayd in many places and affirmed that accidents mow not be in the sacrament of the aultar without subiect and that material bread leues not therwith Gods body in the sacrament This conclusion I haue not holdeÌ„ ne taught ne preached for I haue not medled me of that matter my wit suffiseth not thereto But here I tell my beliefe with protestation put before that the Sacrament of the aultar made by vertue of heauenly wordes that Christ himselfe sayd in the Cene when he made this sacrament that it is bread christes bodye so as Christ himselfe sayes in the Gospell S. Paul sayes and as Doctors in the common law haue determined to this senteÌ„ce Math. 26. Mar. 14. Lu. 22. Pa. 1. Cor. 10. 11. de con distinct 2. panis de consecra dist 2. Corpus Iohn 6 verus panis The 4. article is this that our Bishop accuseth me of that I should haue preached about and sayd that a Priest being in deadly sinne may not by the strength of the Sacramentall words make gods body or none other Sacrament of the Churche either performe to minister them to members of the same Thus I neuer said thought it preached it ne taught it for well I wot the wickednesse of a Priest may appaire no very sacrament but the wickednes of the Priest appayres himselfen and all that boldnes example of his sinne causen the people to liuen the worse agaynst Gods law Vnde Greg. Et si sacerdos in peccatis fuerit totus populus ad peccandum conuertitur The 5. article is this that our bishop puts vnto me that all priestes ben of eueÌ„ power in all things not withstaÌ„ding that some of this world bene of higher dignity or more passing in highnes of degree Certes no man would say thus as I suppose no more did I ne neuer heard it that I wot of But this I say with protestation made before that what Priest liues most holily next following the law of God he is most louer of God and most profitable to the Church If men speakeÌ„ of world ly power and Lordships and worships with other vices that raignen therin what Priest that desires and has most hereof in what degree so he be he is most Antichrist of all the priestes that ben in earth Vnde Augustinus ad Valerium scribens ait Nihil est in hac vita maximè hoc tempore facilius leuius hominibus acceptabilius Episcopi praeÌ„sbiteri aut decani officijs sed si profunctoriè aut adulatoriè nihil apud Deum miserabilius aut tristius damnabilius The sixt Article is this that onely contrition does away sinne if a man be duely contrite and all outward coÌ„fession by word is superfluous and not requiret of need of health This conclusioÌ„ said I neuer that I know of But thus I say with protestation put before that veray contrition of hart that is neuer without charity and grace dos away al sinnes before done of that man that is verely contrite And all true confessioÌ„ made by mouth outward to a wise priest and a good profiteth much to man and it is needfull helping that men shew their life to such trusting full to gods mercy and that he forgeues thy sinne Vnde August de conse distict 4. Nemo tollit peccata mundi nisi solus Christus qui est agnus tollens peccata mundi The 7. article is this that I should say
willing to appropriate to them selues the ix partes remayning after tithes Wherfore seeing that neither Christ nor any of the Apostles commanded to pay tithes it is manifest and plaine neither by the lawe of Moses nor by Christes lawe Christen people are bounde to pay the tithes but by the tradition of men they are bounde By the premisses nowe it is plaine that Christ did not vndo the law but by grace did fulfil it Notwithstanding in the lawe many thynges were lawfull which in the time of grace are forbydden and many thynges were then vnlawfull which now are lawfull inough For nothing that is contrary to charitie is lawfull to a Christian. Let vs now heare what maner of commaundements Christ hath geuen vs in the Gospel without the obseruation of which commaundements charitie shal not perfectly be kept By which cōmandements Christ did not vndo the olde lawe but did fulfill it By the obseruation also of which commaundements he teacheth vs to passe and got beyond the righteousnes of the Scribes Pharises who most perfectly thought themselues to keepe the law This absolute and perfect righteousnes which we are bound to haue beyonde the rightuousnesse of the Pharisies and the Scribes he teacheth in Math. 5.6 and 7. chap. Whych being heard and compared to the traditiōs made and commaunded by the Romane prelates it shall plainly appere whether they be contrary or no. Christ therefore sayeth you haue heard that it was sayd to them of the olde time Thou shalt not kill For hee that killeth shall be guiltie of iudgemēt But I say vnto you that euery one that is angry with hys brother shall be in danger of iudgement In thys he doeth teach that we ought not to be angrie wyth our brethren not that he would vndoe this did comman thou shalt not kil but that the same should be the more perfectly obserued Againe he sayth You haue heard that it was sayd thou shalt loue thy frend and hate thyne enemy But I say vnto you Loue your enemies doe well to them that hate you pray for them that persecute slander you that you may be the children of your father which is in heauen Which maketh his sunne to arise vppon the good and the euill people and raineth vppon the iust and vniust For if you loue them which loue you what reward shall you haue Doe not the Publicanes thus And if you shall salute your brethren onely what great thing doe ye Do not the heathen thus also Be you therefore perfect as also your heauenly father is perfect Againe Christ sayeth you haue heard that it is said an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth but I say vnto you see that you resist not euill But if any man shall strike you vppon the right cheeke geue hym the other to And to hym that will striue with thee for thy coate in iudgement let hym haue thy cloke also And whosoeuer shall constraine thee one mile goe with him also two other He y◠asketh of thee geue him and hee that will borrowe of thee turne not thy selfe from him By these thinges it may plainely appeare howe that Christ the king of peace the Sauiour of mankynde who came to saue and not to destroy who gaue a law of charity to be obserued of his faithfull people hath taught vs not to be angry not to hate our enemies not to render euil for euill nor to resist euill For all these thinges doe softer and nourish peace charitie and do procede and come forth of charity when they be not kept charity is loosed peace is broken But the bishop of Rome approueth and alloweth warres and slaughters of mē in warre aswell against our enemies that is the infidels as also against the Christians for temporall goodes Nowe these things are quite contrary to Christes doctrine and to charity and to peace In the decrees 23. q. 1. cap. Paratus it is taught that the precepts of pacience must alwayes be retained in purpose of the heart so that pacience with beneuolence must be kept in the minde secrete But apparantly and manifestly that thing should be done which seemeth to doe good to those whom we ought to wish well vnto Wherein they geue to vnderstande that a Christian may freely defend hymselfe And for confirmation of thys saying they doe say That Christ whē he was stroken in the face of the hygh bishops seruaunt did not fulfill if we looke vpon the wordes hys owne commaundement because he gaue not to the smiter the other part but rather did forbid him that he should not do it to double his iniurie For he sayd if I haue spoken euill beare witnes of euill but if wel why doest thou strike me I do meruail of this saying for first if those commandements of pacience must be kept in secrete in the minde and seing the body doth worke at the motion of the mind and is and ought to be mooued and ruled by the same It must then nedes be that if pacience be in the mind it must appeare also outwardly in the body Secondly I meruail that it is said that Christ did not fulfill his owne precept of pacience For it is manifest that albeit he teaching alwayes as a good scholemaster those things which were fit for the saluation of soules speaking the wholesom word of instruction to the high bishops seruant smiting him vniustly did neither by word forbid an other stroke to be geuen on the other cheke neither did he defend himselfe bodely from striking on the same cheeke But speaking to him it is likely the hee gaue him the other cheek he meaneth that he turned not the other cheeke away For a man tourneth not away from him whome he speaketh to or whom he informeth but layeth open before him al his face Euen so do I beleue that Christ did that he might fulfill in very deede that which before hee had taught in word Neither yet did Christ by his word or by his deede shew any thing of defence or of bodely resistance Thirdly I meruail why wise men leauing the plaine manifest doctrine of Christ wherby he teacheth pacience do seeke corners of their imagining to the intent they may approoue fightings and warres Why marke they not after what manner Christ spake to Peter striking the hygh Byshoppes seruaunt saying Put vp thy sworde into the sheath for euery one that shall take the sword shall perish with the sworde But in an other case we must make resistance which case may be so righteous as it is for a mans Lorde maister being a most rightuous man and yet suffering iniurie of mischieuous persons Fourthly I maruel seing that we are bound of charity by the law of Christ to geue our liues for our brethren how they can allow such maner of dissentions resisting For when thy brother shall maliciously strike thee thou maist be sure that he is manifestly fallen from
the light of perfection It was not said vnto them All people that shal take the sword shal perish with the sworde What if Iohn the Baptist disallowed corporal fightings and corporall warfare at such time as the souldiours asked him saying And what shall we do Who sayth to them See that you strike no man neither picke ye quarels against any and be yee contented with your wages Thys saying of Iohn alloweth not corporal warfare amongest Christians For Iohn was of the Priests of the olde Testament and vnder the law neyther to hym it appertayneth to follow the lawe but to warne the people to the perfect obseruation of the lawe For he being like wyse demaunded of the publicanes what they should doe sayde vnto them Doe no other thyng then is appoynted vnto you But Christ the author of the newe Testament and of greater perfection then waâ— the perfection of the old law which gaue newe things as it plainly appeareth by the Gospel So that Christians ought to receiue information of Christ not of Iohn For of Iohn also doth Christ speak Uerely I say vnto you there hath not risen amongest the children of women a greater then Iohn Baptist but hee that is lesse in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he In which saying Christ sheweth that those that be least in the kingdome of heauen in the tyme of grace are placed in greater perfection theÌ„ was Iohn which was one of them that were the elders he liued also in that time of the law in greater perfection And wheÌ„ as certain of Iohns disciples sayd vnto him maister he that was beyoÌ„d Iordan to whoÌ„ thou gauest witnesse beholde hee baptiseth and all people come vnto him Iohn answered and sayde A man cannot take any thing vppon him vnlesse it shall bee geuen him from aboue You your selues doe beare me recorde that I sayde I am not Christ but that I was sent before hym He that hath the bride is the bridegrome as for the bridegromes frende who standeth and heareth him reioyceth wyth greate ioy to heare the voyce of the bridegrome Thys therefore my ioy is fulfilled he must increase and I must bee diminished Hee that commeth from an hie is aboue all Hee that is of the earthe is earthy and speaketh of the earthe Hee that commeth from heauen is aboue all folkes that which hee hath seene and heard the same doth he witnesse and yet his witnessing doth no body receiue But he that receiueth his witnessing hath put to his Seale that God is true For he whome God hath sent speaketh the wordes of God By whych things it plainely appeareth that credence is to be geuen neither to Iohn nor yet to angell if he teach any thing that is not agreeable to Christes doctrine For Christ is aboue the Aungels because that God infinitely passeth them in wisdome Nowe if Moses the seruaunt of God a minister of the old testament was so much to be beleued that nothing could be added nor yet any thing diminished from the commandements that were geuen by hym for so Moses had sayd the thyng that I commaund thee that do thou onely to the Lorde neither adde thou any thing nor diminish How much more ought we not to adde nor to take away from the commandements geuen by God himselfe and also the sonne of God In the primitiue Churche because the Christians had seruent loue and charity they obserued these precepts as they were geueÌ„ but their feruent charitie afterward waxing luke warme they inuented gloses by drawing the commaundementes of God backe to their own deedes which they purposed to iustifie and mayntayn that is to say warres against the infidels But that they by warres should be conuerted to the fayth is a fact faithlesse inough because that by violence or vnwillingly no body can beleue in Christ nor be made a christian neither did he come to destroy them by battaile that beleued not in him for he said to his disciples you knowe not what spirite you are of The sonne of man came not to destroy mens liues but to saue them Then to graunt pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes to those that kill the infidels is to much an infidels fact seducing many people For what greater seducing can there be then to promise to a man forgeuenes of sinnes and afterwarde the ioye of heauen for setting himselfe against Christes commaundementes in the killing of the Infidels that would not be conuerted to the fayth where as Christ doth say not euery one that sayth to me Lord Lord shal enter into the gidgdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen this person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Now the will of the father is that we should beleue in his onely sonne Iesus Christ and that we would obey him by obseruing of those thinges which he himselfe hath commaunded Wherefore Christes preceptes of pacience must be fulfilled Warres fightinges and contentions must be left because they are contrary to charitie But peraduenture some man wil thus reason against Christ The saintes by whome God hath wrought myracles do allow warres as well against the faithfull people as also against the infidels And the holy kings were warriours for whose sakes also miracles haue bene shewed as well in theyr death as also in their life yea in the very time wherin they were a warfare Wherfore it semeth that their factes were good and lawfull For otherwise God would not haue done miracles for them To â—â—is agayne I say that we for no miracles must do contrary to the doctrine of Christ. For in it can there be no errour but in myracles there oftentimes chaunceth error as it is plaine as well by the old as by the new testament God forbid then that a Christian should for deceiuable miracles depart from the infallible doctrine of Christ. In Exodus the 7. chapter it is manifest howe that the wicked wise men of the Egiptians through the inchauntments of Egipt and certayne secret workinges threw theyr wands vpon the earth which were turned into Dragons eueÌ„ as Aaron before time in the prefeÌ„ce of Pharao threw his wand vpon the earth which by the power of God was turned into a serpent In the third of the kinges the 22. chap. Micheas did see the Lord sitting vpon his throne and all the hoste of heauen standing about him on the right hand and on the left And the Lord sayd who shall deceaue Achab the king of Israel that he may go vp and be slayn in Ramoth Gilaad And one sayd this way and an other otherwise now there went forth a spirit and stood before the Lord said I will deceiue him To whoÌ„ the Lord spake by what meanes And he sayd I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophetes And the Lord sayd thou shall deceiue him and preuaile go thy wayes forth and do euen so Thus also is it
all your vicious liuing praying to him euer deuoutly of charitable counsel and contynuance Hoping without dout that if ye coÌ„tinue thus busying you faythfully to know to kepe his biddings that he wil for he onely may forgeue you al your sinnes And this man said to me Though God forgeue men their sins yet it behoueth men to be assoyled of priests to do the penance that they enioyne them And I sayde to him Sir it is all one to assoyle men oâ— their sinnes to forgeue meÌ„ their sinnes Wherefore sined it pertayneth only to God to forgeue sinne It sufficeth in this case to counsel men women for to lâ—aue their sinne and to comfort them that busy them thus to do for to hope stedfastly in the mercy of God And agayne ward Priestes ought to tel sharply to customable sinners that if they wil not make an ende of their sinne but coÌ„tinue in diuers sinâ— while that they may sinne all such deserue payne without any en And herefore Priests should ouer busye them to liue wel and holyly and to teach the people 〈◊〉 truly the worde of God shewyng to all folke in open preaching and in priuy counseling that the lord God only forgeueth sinne And therefore those priests that take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to assoyle meÌ„ of their sinnes blaspheme God since that it perteineth onely to the Lord to assoile men of all their sinnes For no doubt a thousand yeare after yâ— Christ was man no Priest of Christ durst take vpon him to teach the people neither priuily nor apertly that they behoued nedes to come to be assayled of them as Priests now do But by authoritie of Christes word Priests bounde indurate customable synners to euerlasting paines which in no time of their lyuing would busy theÌ„ faithfully to knowe the biddinges of God nor to kepe theÌ„ And again al they that would occupy al their wits to hate to flye al occasion of sinne dreading ouer al thing to offend God and louing for to please him continually to these men women Priests shewed how the Lord assoyleth them of all their sinnes And thus Christ promised to confirme in heauen al the binding and loosing that priests by authoritie of his word binde men in sinne that are indurate therin or loose theÌ„ out of sinne here vpon earth that are verely repentaunt And this maÌ„ hearing these words said that he might well in conscience coÌ„sent to this sentence But he sayd Is it not nedefull to the lay people that can not thus do to go shrine them to priests And I said If a man feele himselfe so distroubled with any sinne yâ— he can not by his own witte auoide this synne without counsel of them that are herein wiser than he In such a case the counsell of a good Priest is full necessarye And if a good priest fayle as they do now coÌ„monly in such a case S. Augustine sayth that a man may lawfully common and take counsel of a vertuous secular maÌ„ But certain that maÌ„ or womaÌ„ is ouerladen and too beastly which cannot bring their owne sinnes into their minde busying them night and day for to hate to forsake al their sinnes doing a sigh for them after their cunning and power And sir full accordingly to this sentence vpoÌ„ MidlentoÌ„ SuÌ„day two yeare as I gesse now agone I hard a Monk of Feuersam that men called Morden preache at CauÌ„terbury at the crosse within Christ Church Abbey saying thus of coÌ„fession That as through the suggestioÌ„ of the feend without counsell of any other body of themselues many men women can imagine and find meanes ways inough to come to pride to theft to lechery and other diuers vices In contrary wise this Monke said Since the Lord God is more ready to forgiue sinne than the feend is or may be of power to moue any body to sinne than whosoeuer wil shame and sorow hartely for their sinnes knowledging them faithfully to God amending them after their power and cunning without counsell of any other body than of God and himselfe through the grace of God all such men and women may find sufficient meanes to come to Gods mercy and so to be cleane assoiled of all their sinnes This sentence I sayd sir to this man of yours and the selfe words as neere as I can gesse ¶ And the Archbishop said Holy Church approoueth not this learning ☞ And I said Sir holy Church of which Christ is head in heauen and in earth must needs approue this sentence For loe hereby all men women may if they will be sufficiently taught to know to keepe the commandements of God to hate to flie continually all occasion of sinne and to loue and to seeke vertues busily to beleue in God stably and to trust in his mercy stedfastly so to come to perfect charitie continue therin perseuerantly And more the Lord asketh not of any man here now in this life And certaine since Iesu Christ died vpon the crosse wilfully to make men free Men of the Church are to bold and to busie to make men thrall binding theÌ„ vnder the paine of endles curse as they say to do many obseruaunces and ordynaunces which neither the liuing nor teachyng of Chryst nor of his Apostles approueth And a Clerke said theÌ„ to me Thou shewest plainly here thy deceit which thou hast learned of them that trauell to sow people amoÌ„g the wheat But I couÌ„sel thee to go away cleane froÌ„ this learning submit thee lowly to my lorde and thou shall finde him yet to be gracious to ther. ¶ And as fast then an other Clerke said to me How wast thou so bold at Paules Crosse in London to stande there hard with thy upper boundeÌ„ about thine head and to reproue in his Sermon the worthy clerke Alkerton drawing away al that thou mightest yea the same day at afternoone thou meeting the worthy Doctour in Watlyng streete calledst him false flatterer and hipocrite ☞ And I said Sir I thinke certainely that there was no man nor womaÌ„ that hated verelye sinne loued vertues heauing the SermoÌ„ of the clerk at Oxford and also Alkersons Sermon but they sayd or might iustly say that Alkerton reproued that clerke vntruely and slaundered him wrongfully and vncharitably For no doubt If the liuing teaching of Christ chiefly and of his Apostles be true no body that loueth God and his law wil blame any senteÌ„ce that the clerke then preached there since by authoritie of Gods word by approued Saints Doctours by opeÌ„ reason this Clerke approued all thinges clearely that hee preached there ¶ And a Clerke of the Archbishops saide to me his Sermon was false and that he sheweth openlye since he dare not stand forth and defend his preaching that he theÌ„ preached there ☞ And I saide Sir I thinke that he purposeth to stande stedfastly thereby or els he scaundereth fouly himself
the people busied wyth such conditions wyt thou well that the firste sumnour warneth all the world that the day of reconing draweth towarde The second Sumnour that warneth all the world is elde or age of the world and hys feblenes and sheweth tokens fulfillyng But I know wel that we be nought suffisaunt to know the times other the whyles that the fader in trinitie hath put on hys owne power to shew certeinly the day yeere other houre of this dome sith this knowleche was hid fro the priuey Apostles of Christ and fro Christs manhode as to shew it to vs. Natheles we inough by authoritie of holy writ wyth reasons and expositions of Saints well and openly shew that thys day of wrath is nygh But yet least any man sey in hys hert as it is writen of solie baylies that they shall seien my Lord that is tarrieth to come to the dome and vppon hope hereof he taketh to smite seruauntes and hynen of God eate and drinke and make him dronk I shall shewe that this day is at the hond howe ny neuertheles can I not seie ne wole For if Poule sayd now for a thousand and three hundred yeer and passed moe we ben thilke into whome the endis of the worlde ben come much rather may we seie the same that been so much neere the end than he was Also S. Chrysostome sayth thou seest ouer all darkenesse and thou doutest that the day is go first on the valeyes is darknesse whan the day draweth downeward whan therefore thou seest the valeies I derked why doutest thou whether it be nigh euen but if thou see the sunne so lowe that derknesse is vpon the hilles thou wolt seie doutles that it is night Right so if thou see first in the seculers and the lewd christen men begynneth derknesses of sinnes and to haue the maistrie it is token that this world endeth But whan thou seest priests that ben put on the high toppe of spirituall dignities that shulden be as hilles abouen the commune people in perfit liuing that derknesse of sinnes hath taken them who douteth that the world nis at the end And also Abbot Ioochim in exposition of Ieremye seyeth Fro the yeare of our Lord 1200. all times beth suspect to me and we ben passed on thys suspecte time nigh 200. yeare Also mayden Hyldegare in the booke of her prophecie the third partie the xj vision the vij chapter meueth thys reason Ryght as on seauen dayes God made the world so in 7000. yeare the world shall passe And right as in the sixt day man was made and fourmed so in 6000. yeares he was brought ageine and reformed And as in the seauenth daye the world was full made and God left off hys working right so its the 7000. yeare the number of them that shullen be saued shall be fulfilled and rest shall be to Seintes full in bodye and soule If that it be so as it seemeth to followe of this maydens words that 7000. in passing of the world accordeth to seauen dayes in hys making it see what lacketh that these 7000. yeares ne beth fulfilled For if wee reken the number of yeeres fro the natiuitie of Christ to the yeares fro the beginning of the world to Christ and thou wolt folowe Austyne Bede and Orosie and most probable doctors treating of this matter are passed now almost sixe thousand and sixe hundred as it is open in a booke that is cleped Speculum iudiciale So it suweth that this last day is more than a halfe a go if we shulden geue credence to thys maydens reasun But if we shull lene to the Gospell than we shall finde in the Gospell of Mathew that the Disciples axiden of Christ three questions First what time the Citie of Ierusalem should be destroyed The second what token of hys comming to the doome And the third what signe of the endyng of the world And Christ gaue them no certayne tyme of these thinges when they shoulden fall but he gaue them tokens by which they myght know when they drew nighe and so as to the first question of the destruction of Ierusalem he sayd when the Romaines come to beseege that Citie then soone after she shall bee destroyed And as to the second and the thirde hee gaue manye tokens that is to say that Realme shall rise against Realme and people agaynst people and pestilences and earthquakinges the which we haue seene in our dayes But the last token that hee gaue was thys when yee seene the abhomination of elengnesse sayd of Daniel the Prophet standyng on the Sanctuary then who so readeth vnderstand Vpon which text thus argueth a Doctour in a booke that he maketh of the end of the world If the wordes of Daniel hauen autoritie as God sayth that they hauen it sufficeth of the number of the yeares of the ende of the world that Daniell hath written Now Daniell in the twelfth chapter speakyng of thys abhomination putteth betweene the ceasing of the busie sacrifice of the Iewes the whych fell when by Titus and Vespasianus Ierusalem was destroyed and the people of Iewes were disparkled into all the world And thys abhomination that Doctors sayne shall be in the great Antichristes dayes 1290. Nowe proueth thys Doctour that a daye must be taken for a yeare both by autoritie of holy writ in the same place and in other and also by reason So it seemeth to this clerke that the great Antichrist shoulde come in the 1400. yeare fro the birth of Christ the which nomber of yeares is now fulfilled not fully twelue yeares and a half lacking And this reason put not I as to shewe anie certayne tyme of hys commyng sithe I haue not that knowledge but to shewe that he is nye but how nygh I wot neuer But take we heede to the fourth part of the second vision of Saint Iohn put in the booke of Reuelations in the which vnder the opening of the seauen seales is declared the state of the Churche from the time of Christ into the end of the world The opening of the foure first seales shew the state of the Church fro the tyme of Christ to the tyme of Antichrist and his foregoers the whych is shewed in the opening of the other three seales The opening of the fyrst seale telleth the state of the Church in the tyme of the preaching of Christ and of hys Apostles For the first that is the Lyon gaue hys voyce that betokeneth the preachers of Christes resurrection and hys ascension For then yede out a whyte horse and he that sat vppon hym had a bow in hys hand and he yede out ouercomming to ouercome By thys whyte hors we vnderstand the cleane life and conuersation that these preachers haden and by the bowe their true teaching pricking sorow in mens hartes for their sinnes withouten flatteryng And they wenten out of Iewry that they comen of ouercommyng some of the Iewes
the crosse he sayd and affirmed that that only body of Christ which did hange vpon the crosse is to be worshipped For so much as that body alone was is y◠crosse which is to be worshipped And being demaunded what honor he would do vnto the Image of the crosse He aunswered by expresse wordes that he would only do it that honor that he would make it clean and lay it vp safe As touching the power and authority of the keyes the Archbishops Bishop and other prelates he sayde that the Pope is very Antichrist that is the head the Archbishops Bishops and other prelates to be his members and the Friers to be his tayle The whiche Pope Archbishops and bishops a man ought not to obey but so far forth as they be followers of Christ of Peter in their life maners conuersation and that he is the successor of Peter whiche is best and purest in life maners Furthermore the said sir Iohn spreading his handes wyth a loude voyce sayd thus to those whiche stoode about hym These men which iudge and would condemne me wil seduce you all themselues and wil lead you vnto hell therfore take heed of them When he had spoken those wordes we agayne as oftentimes before with lamentable countenaunce spake vnto the said sir Iohn exhorting him wyth as gentle wordes as we might that he would returne to that vnity of the church to beleue hold that which the church of Rome doth beleue hold Who expresly aunswered that he would not beleue or holde otherwise then he had before declared Wherefore we perceiuing as it appeared by hym that we coulde not preuayle at the last wyth bitternesse of hart we proceeded to the pronouncing of a definitiue sentence in this maner ¶ In the name of God Amen We Thom. by the permission of God Archb. and humble minister of the holy Church of Cant. primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke see in a certayne cause or matter of heresy vpon certeine articles wherupon sir Iohn Oldcastle knight Lord Cobham before vs in the last cōuocation of our Clergy of our prouince of Caunterbury holden in the Church of S. Paul in London after diligēt inquisition thervpon made was detected accused by our said prouince notoriously and openly defamed At the request of the whole Clergy aforesayd therupon made vnto vs in the said conuocatiō with all fauour possible that we might God we take to witnes lawfully proceding agaynst him following the footsteps and example of Christ which woulde not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be conuerted and liue we haue endeuoured by all wayes and meanes we might or could to reforme him and rather reduce him to the vnity of the church declaring vnto him what the holy vniuersall Church of Rome doth teach hold and determine in this behalfe And albeit that we founde him wandring astraye from the Catholicke fayth and so stubberne and stiffenecked that he would not confesse his error or cleare himselfe thereof to detest the same Notwithstanding we fauouring him with a fatherly affection and hartily wishing and desiring his preferuation prefixed him a certayne competent time to deliberate with himself and if he would to repent and reforme himselfe And last of all for so much as we perceiued him to be vnreasonable obseruing chiefly those thinges whiche by the lawe are required in this behalfe with great sorow and bitternes of hart we proceeded to the pronouncing of the definitiue sentence in this maner The name of Christ being called vpon setting him onely before our eyes For so much as by actes enacted signes exhibited euidences and diuers tokens besides sundry kinde of proofes we find the said Sir Iohn to be haue ben an heretick and a folower of heretickes in the fayth and obseruation of the sacred vniuersall Church of Rome and specially as touching the sacraments of the Eucharist and of penaunce And that as the sonne of iniquitye and darckenesse he hath so hardened his hart that he will not vnderstand the voyce of his shepheard neither will be allured with his monitions or conuerted with any fayre speech Hauing first of al searched and sought out and diligently considering the merites of the cause aforesayd and of the sayd Sir Iohn his desertes and faultes aggrauated through his damnable obstinacy Not willing that he that is wicked should become more wicked infect other with his contagion by the counsell and consent of the reuerent men of profound wisedome and discretion our brethren the Lordes Richard bishop of London Henry Byshop of Winchester and Benedict Bishop of Bangor and also of many other doctours of Deuinity the decretals and ciuill law and of many other religious and learned persons our assistantes we haue iudged declared sententiallye and definitiuely condemned the sayde Syr Iohn Oldecastle knight Lord Cobham being conuict in and vpon that most detestable guilt not willing penitently to returne vnto the vnity of the Church and in those things which the sacred vniuersall Church of Rome doth holde teach determine shew forth And specially as one erring in the articles aboue written leauing him from henceforth as an heretick vnto the secular iudgement Moreouer we haue excommunicated and by these writinges do pronounce and excommunicate him as an hereticke and all other which from henceforth in fauour of his errour shall receiue defend or geue him counsell or fauour or helpe him in this behalfe as fauourers defenders and receiuers of heretickes And to the intent that these premises may be knowne vnto all faythfull Christians we charge and commaund you that by your sentence definitiue you do cause the Curates which are vnder you with a loud and audible voyce in their Churches when as moste people is present in theyr mother tongue through all your Cittyes and dioces to publish and declare the sayd Sir Iohn Oldcastle as is before sayd to be by vs condemned as an hereticke schimaticke one erring in the articles aboue sayde and all other which from henceforth in fauour of his errours shall receiue or defend hym geuing him any counsell comfort or fauour in this behalfe to be excommunicate as receiuers fauorers and defenders of heretiks As is more effectually cōteined in the proces That by such meanes the erroneous opinions of the people which peraduenture hath otherwise conceiued the matter by those declarations of the trueth how the matter is may be cut of The which thing also we will and commaund to be written and signified by you word for word vnto all our fellow brethren that they all may manifest publish and declare throughout all theyr cittyes and dioces the maner and forme of this our proces and also the sentence by vs geuen and all other singular the contentes in the same And likewise cause it to be published by their Curates whiche are vnder them as touching the day of the receipt of these
Emperour nor king nor any mortall man but against the Lord hymselfe euen against your God of your owne making being therein as you say no substance of bread but the very personall body flesh bloud and bone of Christ himself which body notwythstanding the foresayd Pope Gregory the 7. tooke and cast with his owne hands into the burning fire because he would not aunswere him to a certaine doubt or demaund Benn Card. pag. 172. Southly if sir Iohn Oldcastle had taken the body of king Henrye the 5. and throwne him into the fire the facte being so notoriously certaine as thys is I would neuer haue bestowed any worde in hys defence And could thys and so many other hainous treasons passe throughe your fingers M. Cope and no other to sticke in your pen but the Lord Cobham Finally and simply to conclude wyth you M. Cope and not to flatter you what is the whole working the procedings actions practises of your religion or hath bene almost these 500. yeares but a certaine perpetuall kinde of treason to thrust downe your princes and magistrates to derogate from their right and iurisdiction and to aduance your owne maiesties and dominations as hath bene sufficiently aboue proued and laid before your faces in a parliament holden in Fraunce by the Lord Peter de Cugnerijs vide pag. 383. Wherefore if the assemble of these forenamed persons either within or wythout S. Giles field be such a great mote of treason in your eies first loke vpō the great blocks and milstones of your owne traytors at home and whē you haue well discussed the same then after poure out your wallet of your trifeling Dialogues or Trialogues if ye lift against vs and spare vs not Not that I so thincke thys to be a sufficient excuse to purge the treason of these men if your popish Calenders and legeands be found ful of traytours Multitudo enim peccatorum non parit errori patrocinium But thys I thincke that the same cause whyche made them to suffer as traitors hath made you also to rail against them for traitors that is mere hatred only against their Relygion rather then any true affection you haue to your princes and gouernors Who if they had bene as feruent in your Popery and had suffred so much for the holy father of Rome or for the liberties of the holy mother church of Rome I doubt not but they as holy children of Rome had bene rong into your Romish Calendare with a festum duplex or at least with a festum simplex of 9. lessons also with a vigil peraduenture before them Nowe because they were on the contrary profession enemies to your Magna Diana Ephesiorum you playe wyth them as the Ephesian caruers dyd wyth Saint Paule and worse Ye thrust them out as seditious rebels not only out of life and body but also can not abide them to haue any poore harbour in theyr owne friendes houses among our Actes and Monuments to be remembred In the whyche Actes and Monuments and if gentle maister Ireneus with hys fellow Critobulus in your clerkely Dialogues will not suffer them to be numbred for martyrs yet speake a good word for them M. Cope they may stande for testes or witnesse bearers of the trueth And thus muche for defence of them Now to the other part of his accusation wherein this Alanus Copus Anglus in hys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sixfolde Dialogues contēdeth and chaseth against my former edition to proue me in my history to be a lier forger impudent a misreporter of trueth a deprauer of stories a seducer of the worlde and what els not Whose virulent words and contumelious termes howe wel they become his popish persone I knowe not Certes for my part I neuer deserued thys at his handes wittingly that I do know Maister Cope is a man whome yet I neuer sawe and lesse offended nor euer heard of him before And if hee had not in the fronte of hys booke intituled himself to be an English man by his wryting I would haue iudged hym rather some wilde Irishman lately crept out of S. Patrikes Purgatory so wildely he wryteth so fumishly he fareth But I cease here and temper my selfe considering not what M. Cope deserueth to be sayd vnto nor howe far the pen here could run if it had his scope but cōsidering what the tractatiō rather of suche a serious cause requireth And therfore seriously to say vnto you M. Cope in thys matter wher you charge my history of Acts and Monuments so cruelly to be full of vntruthes false lies impudent forgeries deprauations fraudulent corruptions and fayned tables briefly and in one woord to answere you not as the Lacones answered to the letters of their aduersary wyth si but with osi would God M. Cope that in al the whole booke of Actes and Monumentes from the beginning to the latter end of the same were neuer a true storie but that all were false all were lies all were fables Would God the cruelty of your Catholikes had suffred all them to liue of whose death ye say now that I doe lie Although I deny not but in that booke of actes and monumentes containing such diuersity of matter some thing might ouerscape me yet haue I bestowed my poore diligence My intent was to profit all men to hurt none If you maister Cope or any other can better my rude doings and finde things out more finely or truely with al my hart I shall reioyce with you and the commō wealth taking profit by you In perfectiō of wryting of wit cunning dexterity finenes or other induments required in a perfect writer I contend neither with you nor any other I graunt that in a laboured story such as you seeme to require conteyning suche infinite varietie of matter as thys doth much more time would be required but such time as I had that I did bestow if not so laboriously as other could yet as diligently as I might But here partly I heare what you will say I shoulde haue taken more leysure and done it better I graunt and confesse my fault such is my vice I can not sitte all the day M. Cope fining and minsing my letters and coming my head and smoothing my selfe all the day at the glasse of Cicero Yet notwythstanding doing what I can and doing my good will me thinkes I should not be reprehended at least not so much be railed on at maister Copes hand Who if he be so pregnant in finding faulte with other mens labours which is an easy thing to do it were to be wished that hee had enterprised himselfe vppon the matter and so should haue proued what faults might haue bene found in him Not that I herein doe vtterly excuse my selfe yea rather am ready to accuse my selfe but yet notwythstanding thynke my selfe vngently dealt with all at Maister Copes hande Who being mine owne countreyman an English man as he sayeth also of the same
his Prologue to the sayd Martine in this wise Nec mora longa processit quin statutum publicum per omne regni concilium in publico emanauit edicto quod omnes Wicleuistae sicut dei proditores essent sic proditores regis proscriptis bonis censerentur et regni duplici poenae dandi incendio propter deum suspendio propter regem c. That is And it was not long after but a publicke law and statute came out by the common assent of the general parliameÌ„t of the whole Realme that al Wiclenistes as they were traytours to God so also should be counted traytors to the king and to the realme hauing their goods lost and confiscate vnto the king And therefore should suffer double punishment as to be burnt for God and to bee hanged for the king c. And thus haue you Maister Cope not onely my sentence but also the very wordes of my story confirmed by this author because ye shall not think me to speake so lightly or impudently without my booke And moreouer to confirme the said sentence of Tho. Walden it followeth also in an other place of the foresayde author Tomo 1. lib. 2. De doctrinali fidei Ecclesie Cathol Cap. 46. where he writeth in these wordes Et tamen iam cum regnare coepisset Illustris rex Henricus 5. qui adhuc agit in sceptris et de eoruÌ„ perfidia per catholicos bin doctos legem statui fecit vt vbique per regnum Wickliuista probatus vt reus puniretur de crimine lesae maiestatis c. That is And yet when the noble king Henry the v. who as yet doth liue and raigne began first to raigne began to set forth a law by his learned catholickes which were about him against the falsenes of these men so that whosoeuer was proued to be a Wickleuist through the whole Realme should be punished for a traytour c. What wordes can you haue M. Cope more playne then these or what authoritie can you require of more credite which liued in the same tyme and both did see and heare of the same thinges done who also writing to Pope Martine was by the sayd pope Martine allowed approued solemnly commended as appeareth by the popes Epistle to him wherin yâ— pope declareth how he caused his books Per solennes viros videri examinari That is by solemne persons to be seene and examined c. So that you must needes graunt either this to be true that Walden writeth or els that the Pope tanquam Papa in allowing his writings may erre and be deceaued Chuse ye mayster Cope of these two options whether you will take And if ye thinke this my assertion yet not sufficiently rescued with these authorities aboue sayd I will also here vnto adioyne the testimony of an other writer named Roger Walle who writing De Gestis Henric 5. and speaking of the sayd statute of this parliament some thing more plainly then the rest hath these wordes In hoc etiam Parliamento nobilitas regia hostes Christi sibi reputans proditores volens dare intelligere vniuersis quòd ipse absque cuiuscunque fluctuationis dubio quam diu auras hauriret vitales verus perfectus Christianae fidei aemulator existeret statuit decreuit vt quotquot Ipsius sectae quae dicitur Lollordorum inuenirentur aemuli fautores eo facto rei proditorij criminis in maiestatem regiam haberétur c. In English Also in this parliament the noble K. reputing Christes enemies to be traytors to himselfe to the intent that all men should know withall doubt that so loÌ„g as he liued he woulde be a true and perfect follower of Christen faith did enact decree that whosoeuer shoulde be found followers and mayntayners of this sect whiche is called the Lollards sect Ipso facto should be counted and reputed giltie of treason against the kings maistie c. By these hetherto alledged if M. Cope will not be satisfied yet let the reader indifferent iudge Vâ—rum in hac re magis nugatur Foxus an Copus calumniatur And yet moreouer to make the matter more certayne marke the clamation of the sayd Roger Walle added to the end of those words aboue recited whereby we haue to vnderstand more clearly both what were the proceedings of the king in the said Parliament also what was the blinde affection of moÌ„ks and Priestes at that time towarde their kinge and Prince which was then called princeps sacerdotum in condemning and destroying the poore Lollardes The wordes of the monke be these O verus amicus qui amico illa tam iniuriam sibi inferri coÌ„similiter arbitratur praeiudicium illi intentuÌ„ reputat esse suum ad eius onera conferenda auxiliationis humeros supponere non veretur c. That is O true frend who taketh and reckoneth that iniury no lesse done to him selfe which is done to his frend and that preiudice whiche is intended against him reputeth to bee as his owne And to beare together the burdens of his friend sticketh not to lay to his owne shoulders for the easing and helping of him c. How can it now be denied M. Cope in reading these authors and seeing theyr testimonies but that Lollardery in this Parliament was made both treason and heresie had therfore a double iudgement of punishment annexed to be hanged for for the one and to be burned for the other according as in my former Latin story I recorded and yet I trust I trifled not But you will say agayne as ye doe that there is no mention made for heresie to be made treason nor of anye double punishment to be inflicted for the same In the body of the statute I graunt there is no expresse mention in wordes of heresie to be made treason expresly signified in rigour of wordes but inclusiuely it is so inferred that it can not be denied For first where landes goodes and cattell of the sayd Lollardes were lost and forfeit to the kyng what doth this importe els but treason or felonie And where the Lorde Cobham for whose cause specially this statute seemed to be made did sustaine afterward both hanging and burning by the vigor of the same statute what is here contained but a double penalty Again wherin the beginning of the statute mention is made of rumors and congregations and after vpon the same followeth the seruices of the king whereunto the officers be first worne should first be preferred for libertie of holy Churche punishment of hereticks made before these dayes and not repealed vt supra pag. 000. what meaneth this but to make these congregations of the Lollardes to be forcible entres riotes great ridings vnlawful assembles affrayres of the people armour routes insurrections so sendeth them to the former statutes not repealed that is to the statute an 13. Henr. 4. chap. 7 Where the punishment is left to the discretion
the holy communion And I warne you that you enter into no tauernes with ghestes be not a cōmon cōpany keper For the more a preacher keepeth him frō the company of men the more he is regarded All be it deny not yet your helpe and diligence where soeuer you may profite other Against fleshlye lust preache continuallye all that euer you can For that is the raging beast which deuoureth men for whom the flesh of Christ did suffer Wherfore my heartily beloued I beseech you to flie fornication for where as a man woulde most profite and doe good there this vice vseth most to lurke In any case flie the company of yong women and beleeue not their deuotion For S. Austen sayth the more deuout she is the more procliue to wantonnesse and vnder the pretence of religion the snare and venome of fornication lurketh And this knowe my welbeloued that the conuersation with them subuerteth many whome the conuersation of this worlde coulde neuer blemish nor beguile Admit no womē into your house for what cause so euer it be and haue not much talke with them otherwise for auoiding of offence Finally howsoeuer you do feare God and keepe his precepts so shall you walke wisely and shall not pearish so shall you subdue the flesh contemne the world and ouercome the deuill so shall you put on God finde life and confirme other and shall crowne your selfe wyth the crowne of glory the which the iust iudge shall geue you Amen ¶ This letter of Iohn Hus conteineth a confession of the infirmitie of mans flesh Howe weake it is and repugnant against the spirite Wherein he also exhorteth to perseuere constantly in the truth HEalth be to you from Iesus Christ. c. My deare frend knowe that Palletz came to me to perswade me that I shuld not feare the shame of abiuration but to consider the good which thereof will come To whome I sayd that the shame of condemnation and burning is greater then to abiure and why shuld I feare then that shame But I pray you tel me plainly your minde Presuppose that such articles were laid to you which you knewe your selfe not to be true what would you do in that case Would you abiure Who aunswered The case is sore began to weepe Many other things wee spake which I did reprehende Michael de Causis was some times before the prison with the deputies And when I was wyth the deputies thus I heard him speake vnto the keepers Wee by the grace of God wil burne this hereticke shortly for whose cause I haue spent many Florenes But yet vnderstand that I wryte not this to the intent to reuenge mee of him for that I haue committed to God and pray to God for him with all my heart Yet I exhort you again to be circumspect about our letters for Michael hath taken suche order that none shall be suffered to come into the prisone no not yet the keepers wrues are permitted to come to me O holy God howe largely doth Antichrist extend his power and crueltie But I trust that hys power shall be shortned and his iniquitie shal be detected more more amongst the faithfull people Almighty God shal confirme the hearts of his faithful whom he hath chosen before the costitution of the world that they may receiue the eminall crowne of glory And let Antichrist rage as much as he wil yet he shal not preuaile against Christ which shal destroy him with the spirite of his mouth as the Apostle sayeth And 〈◊〉 shall the creature be deliuered out of seruitude or corruptions into the libertie of the glorye of the sonnes of God as sayeth the Apostle in the wordes following we also wythin oure selues doe grone waiting for the adoption of the sonnes of God the redemption of our body I am greatly comforted in those wordes of our Sauiour◠happy be you when men shall hate you and shall seperate you and shall rebuke you and shall cast out your name as execrable for the sonne of man Reioyce and be glad for beholde great is your rewarde in heauen Luke 6. O worthy yea O most worthy consolation which not to vnderstande but to practise in time of tribulation is a hard lesson This rule sainct Iames with the other Apostles did well vnderstand which saieth count it exceeding ioy my brethren when yee shall fall into diuers tentations knowing that the probation of your faith woorketh patience let patience haue her perfecte worke For certainely it is a great matter for a man to reioyce in trouble and to take it for ioy to be in diuers temptations A light matter it is to speake it and to expounde it but a great matter to fulfill it For why our most patient and most valiaunt champion him selfe knowing that hee shoulde rise againe the thirde day ouercomming his ennemies by his death and redeeming from damnation his electe after his last Supper was troubled in spirite and sayde My soule is heauie vnto death Of whom also the Gospell sayeth that hee began to feare to be sadde and heauie Who being then in an agonie was confirmed of the Aungell and his sweat was like the droppes of bloud falling vpon the ground And yet he notwithstanding being so troubled sayde to his disciples let not your hearts be troubled neither feare the crueltie of them that persecute you for you shall haue me with you alwaies that you may ouercome the tyranny of your persecutours Whereupon those his souldiours looking vppon the Prince and king of glory sustained great conflictes They passed throughe fire and water and were saued and receiued the crowne of the Lord God of the which S. Iames in his canonicall Epistle sayeth Blessed is the man that suffereth temptation for when he shall be proued he shall receaue the crowne of life which God hathe promised to them that loue him Of this crowne I trust stedfastly the Lord wil make mee partaker also with you which be the feruent sealers of the trueth and with all them which stedfastly and constantly doe loue the Lord Iesus Christ which suffred for vs leauing to vs example that we should follow his steppes It behooued him to suffer as hee sayeth and vs also it behooued to suffer that the members may suffer together with the head For he sayeth If any man will come after mee let him denie himselfe and take vp hys crosse and followe me O most mercyfull Christ draw vs weake creatures after thee for except thou shouldst draw vs we are not able to follow thee Geue vs a strong spirite that it may be ready and although the flesh be feeble yet let thy grace goe before vs goe with vs and follow vs for without thee we can do nothyng and much lesse enter into the cruell death for thy sake Geue vs that prompt and ready spirite a bold hart an vpright fayth a firme hope and perfect charitie that we may geue our lyues paciently and ioyfully for
faithfully do stand for righteousnes to whom the Lorde God shall geue in the kingdome of Boheme to knowe the truth For the following of which truth necessary it is that they returne againe into Boheme setting apart all vaine glory following not a mortall and miserable king but the king of glory which geueth eternall life O howe comfortable was the geuing of the hande of Lorde Iohn de Clum vnto me which was not ashamed to reache foorth his hand to me a wretche and such an abiecte hereticke lying in fetters of yron and cried out vpon all men Nowe peraduenture I shall not speake much hereafter with you Therfore salute in time as you shall see them all the faithfull of Boheme Palletz came to me into prisone His salutation in my vehement infirmitye was this before the Commissaries that there hath not risen a more perillous hereticke since Christ was borne then was Wickliffe and I. Also he sayd that al such as came to heare my talke were infected with this heresie to thinke that the substance of bread remained in the sacrament of the altare To whome I answered and sayd O maister what a grieuous salutation haue you geuen me and how greatly do you sinne Behold I shal die or peraduenture to morow shall be burnt And what rewarde shall be recompenced to you in Boheme for your labour This thing peraduenture I shoulde not haue wrytten least I might seeme to hate him I haue alwayes had this in my heart trust not in princes c. And againe cursed be the man whiche trusteth in man and maketh flesh to be his arme For Gods sake be you circumspecte how you stand and how you returne Carie no letters with you Directe your bookes not all by one but diuersly by diuers frendes Knowe this for certaine that I haue had great conflictes by dreames in such sort as I had much a doe to refraine from crying out For I dreamed of the Popes escape before he went And after the Lord Iohn had told me therof immediately in the night it was told me that the Pope shuld returne to you again And afterward also I dreamed of the apprehēding of maister Hierome although not in ful maner as it was done Al the prisonments whether and howe I am caryed were opened to mee before although not fully after the same fourme and circumstance Many serpents oftentimes appeared vnto me hauing heads also in their taile but none of them could bite me and many other things more These thinges I wryte not esteeming my selfe as a prophet or that I extoll my selfe but onely to signifie vnto you what temptations I had in body and also in mind and what great feare I had least I shoulde transgresse the commaundement of the Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe I remember with my selfe the wordes of maister Hierome which sayde that if I shoulde come to the Councell hee thoughte I shoulde neuer returne home againe In like maner there was a good and godly man a tailor which taking his leaue of me at Prage spake to me in these words God be wyth you said he for I thinke verely my deare and good maister Iohn that you shall not returne again to vs with your life The king not of Hungarie but of heauen rewarde you with all goodnes for the faithfull doctrine which I at your hands haue receiued c. ¶ And shortly after the writing hereof he sendeth also vnto them an other propheticall vision of his to be expoūded touching the reformation of the church written in his 44. Epistle the contentes whereof be these ¶ An other letter of Iohn Hus sent to the Lord Iohn de Clum I Pray you expound to me the dreame of thys nyght I sawe how that in my churche of Bethleem they came to rase and put out all the images of Christ and did put them out The next day after I arose and sawe many painters which painted and made more fairer Images many more then I had done before which Images I was very glad and ioyfull to behold And the painters wyth much people about them sayde let the bishops and priestes come now put vs out these pictures Which being done much people seemed to me in Bethleem to reioyce and I with them And I awaking therewith felt my selfe to laugh c. ¶ This vision Lorde Iohn de Clum and Iohn Hus himselfe in his booke of Epistles in the 45. Epist. semeth to expounde and applyeth these Images of Christ vnto the preaching of Christ and of his lyfe The which preachyng and doctrine of Christ though the Pope and his Cardinals should extinguish in him yet did he foresee declare that the time should come wherin the same doctrine shuld be reuyned againe by others so plenteously that the pope with al his power shuld not be able to preuaile against it Thus much as cōcerning this visiō of Iohn Hus. Wherunto doth wel accord the Prophesie of Hierome of Prage printed in the coyne called Moneta Hussi of the which coyn I haue my selfe one of the plates hauing this superscriptiō folowing printed about it Centum reuolutis annis Deo respondebitis mihi That is After a hundreth yeres come and gone you shal geue a count to God and to me Wherof God willyng more shal be sayd hereafter Furthermore in 48. Epist. the sayd I. Hus seemyng to speake with the like spirit of Prophecy hath these wordes folowing Sed spero quod quae dixi sub tecto praedicabuntur super tecta That is but I trust that those thinges which I haue spoken within the house hereafter shal be preached vpon the top of the house And because we are here in hand with the Prophesies of Iohn Hus it shall serue well in place here moreouer to recorde his wordes in a certayne treatise by hym written De Sacerdotum Monachorum carnalium Abhominatione wherein the sayd Iohn Hus speaking prophetically of the reformation of the Church hath these wordes following Ex istis vlterius aduerte incidentaliter quod Dei ecclesia nequit ad pristinam suam dignitatem reduci c. That is in english Moreouer hereupon note and marke by the way that the church of God cannot be reduced to his former dignitie or be reformed before all thinges first be made new The truth whereof is playne by the Temple of Salomon Like as the Clergie and Priests so also the people and laity Or els vnless all such as now be addict to auarice from the least to the most be first conuerted and reclaymed as wel the people as the clergy and Priests Albeit as my mind now geueth me I beleue rather the first that is that then shall rise a new people formed after the new man whiche is created after God Of the which people new Clerkes Priestes shall come and be taken whiche all shall hate couetousnes and glory of this life hasting to an heauenly cōuersation Notwithstanding all these
Windeham Tho Plowman Iohn Fellis Tho. Loue of Rokeland Rich Knobbing of Beckles Rich. Grace of Beckles Iohn Eldon of Beckles William Hardy Wil. Bate Iohn Weston Katherine Hobs. Iohn Daw. Rob. Grigs of Martham Wil. Calis Priest Tho. Pert. Priest Katherine Dauy. Iacob Bodhome Margaret his wife Iohn Manning of Marton Iohn Culling of Beemster Rich Fletcher of Beckles and Matild his wife Iohn Eldon of Beckles Rob. Canel Priest Nich. Drey Wil. Hardy of Mundham Iohn Poleyne These forenamed persons and souldiors of Christ being much beatē with the cares and troubles of those dayes although they were constrayned to relent and abiure that is to protest otherwise with their tonges then theyr harts did thinke partly through correction and partly through infirmity being as yet but new trayned Souldiours in Gods field yet for theyr good will they bare vnto the trueth although with theyr tongues they durst not expresse it we haue thought good that theyr names should not be suppressed as well for other sondry causes as especially for this either to stop the mouthes of malignant aduersaryes or to aunswere to theyr ignorance Who folowing rather blinde affection thē the true knowledge of times and antiquities for lacke of knowledge blame that they know not accusing the true doctrine of the worde of God for newelty and carping the teachers therof for new broched brethrē Who if they did as well foresee times passed as they be vnwilling to follow times now present they should vnderstand as well by these storyes as other before how this doctrine of the grace of God lacking no antiquity hath from time to time continually sought to burst out and in some places hath preuayled although in most places through tyrāny and the malice of men Christes procedinges haue bene suppressed and kept vnder from rising so muche as mans power and strength ioyned with craft and subtlery coulde labor to keepe downe the same as here by these good men of Northfolke and Southfolke may well appeare For if the knowledge and the good towardnesse of those good mē had had the like liberty of time with the helpe of like authority as we haue nowe and had not ben restrayned thorough the iniquity of time and tyranny of Prelates it had well appeared how olde this doctrine woulde haue bene which now they contemne and reiect for the newnes therof neither needed Boner to haue asked of Tho. Hawkes and such other where their Church was for xl yeares ago in as much as for xl yeares ago and more within the coūtry of Norfolke and Suffolke was then soūd such plenty of the same professiō like doctrine which we now professe And thus much for the nūber of the names of thesepersōs Now touching theyr Articles whiche they did mayneteine and defend first this is to be considered as I finde it in the registers such society and agrement of doctrine to be amongst them that almost in theyr assertions and articles there was no difference The doctrine of the one was the doctrine of all the other what theyr articles were partly it is shewed in the lease before and partly here followeth to be declared more at large Although it is to be thought concerning these Articles that many of them either were falsly obiected agaynst thē or not truely reported of the notaryes according as the cōmon maner is of these aduersaryes where the matter is good there to make heresy and of a litle occasion to styre vp great matter of slaunder as they did before by the articles of Iohn Wickliffe and Iohn Hus and others mo So in like maner it semeth they did in the Articles of these mē either mistaking that which they said or misunderstanding that which they ment especially in these two articles concerning baptisme and paying of tithes For where as they speaking agaynst the ceremonicall and superfluous traditions then vsed in baptisme as salt oile spittle taper light crisomes exorcising of the water with such other accoūted them as no materiall thing in the holy institution of Baptisme the notaryes slaunderously deprauing this theyr assertion to make it more odious to the eares of the people so gaue out the article as though they should holde that the sacrament of Baptisme vsed in the church by water is but a light matter and of small effect Agayne in speaking agaynst the Christening the midwiues vse in priuate houses agaynst the opinion of suche as thinke suche children to be damned which depart before they come to theyr Baptisme they are falsely reported as though they shoulde say that Christen people be sustiently baptised in the bloud of Christ and nedeth no water and that infants be sufficiently baptised if their parents be baptised before them Whiche thing is so contrary to the manifest worde that it is not to bee thoughte anye to bee so ignoraunt of the gospell that euer would or did affirme the same Moreouer they thought or sayd peraduenture that in certayne cases tithes might be witholden from wicked priestes sometime and be conferred to better vses to the be hoofe of the poore Therfore they are falsly slaundered as saying and affirming that no tithes were to be geuē to the ministers and curates of the churches And likewise for matrimony wherin they are reported to hold and affirme as though it consisted onely in the mutuall consent betwixt the man woman neding no other solemnizing in the publicke church and all because as it is like they denyed it to be a Sacramēt Other articles were obiected agaynst them as these which hereafter folow That auricular confessiō is not to be made vnto a priest but vnto God onely because no priest hath any power to absolue a sinner from his sinne Item that no Priest hath power to make the body of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar but that after the sacramentall words there remayneth pure materiall breade as before Item that euery true christian man is a priest to God Item that no man is bound vnder paine of damnatiō vnto Lent or any other dayes prohibited by the Church of Rome Item that the Pope is Antichrist and his Prelats the Disciples of Antichrist and the Pope hath no power to binde and loose vpon earth Item that it is lawfull for euery Christian to doe any bodely worke sinne onely except vpon holy dayes Item that it is lawfull for priestes to haue wiues Item that the excommunications and ecclesiastical cēsures geuen out by the Prelates are not to be regarded Item it is not lawfull to sweare in priuate cases Item that men ought not to go on pilgrimage Item that there is no honor to be geuē to the Images of the crucifixe of our Lady or any other saynt Item that the holy water halowed in the church by the priest is not holyer or of more vertue then other running or well water because the Lord blessed all waters in theyr first creation Item that the death of Thomas Becket was
make the Pope subiect vnto the Church for it is conuenient that the lesse perfect be subiect vnto the more perfect There be also many other testimonies reasons wherof we will now somewhat more entreate If authoritie be sought for sayth S. Hierome for I willingly occupie my selfe in his senteÌ„ces as in a most fertile field the world is greater then a Citie What then I pray you Hierome Is the Pope mighty because he is head of the Church of Rome His authoritie is great notwithstanding the vniuersall Church is greater which doth not onely coÌ„preheÌ„d one Citie but also the whole world Hereupon it followeth that if the Churche be the mother of all faithfull then she hath the Bishop of Rome for her sonne Otherwise as S. Augustine saith he can neuer haue God for his father which will not acknowledge the Church for his mother The which thing Anacletus vnderstandyng called the vniuersal Church his mother as the writers of the Canons do know And Calixtus sayth as a sonne he came to doe the will of his father so we do the will of our mother which is the Church Whereby it appeareth that how much the sonne is inferiour to the mother so much the Church is superiour or aboue the Bishop of Rome Also we haue sayd before that the Churche was the spouse of Christ the Pope we know to be a Vicare but no maÌ„ doth so ordaine a Vicar that he maketh his spouse subiect vnto him but that the spouse is alwayes thought to be of more authoritie then the Vicar for somuch as she is one body with her husbaÌ„d but the Vicar is not so Neither will I here passe ouer the wordes of S. Paule vnto the Romaines Let euery soule sayth he be subiect vnto the higher powers Neither doth he herein except the pope For albeit that he be aboue all other meÌ„ yet it seemeth necessary the he should be subiect to the Church Neither let him thinke himselfe hereby exeÌ„pt because it was said vnto Peter by Christ whatsoeuer thou bindest c. In this place as we wil hereafter declare he represeÌ„ted the person of the Church for we finde it spoken afterward vnto theÌ„ Quaecunque ligaueritis super terraÌ„ ligata eruÌ„t in coelis i. Whatsoeuer ye shal binde vpoÌ„ earth shall be also bounde in heaueÌ„ And furthermore if all power be geueÌ„ of Christ as the Apostle writeth vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s it is geuen for the edifiyng of the Church not for the destruction therof why then may not the Church correct the Pope if he abuse the keyes and bring all thinges vnto ruine Adde hereunto also an other argument A man in this life is lesser then the aungels for we read in Mathew of Iohn Baptist that he whiche is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he Notwithstanding Christ sayth in an other place that amongest the children of women there was not a greater then Iohn Baptist. But to proceede meÌ„ are forced by the exaÌ„pâ—e of Zacharias to geue credite vnto auÌ„gels least through their misbelief they be striken blind as he was What more The Bishop of Rome is a maÌ„ Ergo he is lesse then the aungels and is bound to geue credite to the aungels But the aungels learne of the Church and do reuereÌ„tly accorde vnto her doctrine as the Apostle writeth vnto the EphesiaÌ„s Ergo the pope is bouÌ„d to do the same who is lesse then the aungels and lesse then the Churche whose authoritye is suche that worthely it is compared by S. Augustine vnto the Sunne that lyke as the Sunne by his light doth surmount all other lightes so the church is aboue all other authority and power Wherupon S. Augustine writeth thus I would not beleue the Gospel saith he if the authority of the church did not more me thereunto the which is not in any place souÌ„d to be spoken of the bishop of Rome who representing the Church and being minister thereof is not to be thought greater or equall to hys Lorde and maister Notwythstanding the wordes of our Sauiour Christ do specially proue the Byshop of Rome to be subiect to the church as we will hereafter declare For he sending Peter to preach vnto the church sayd go and say vnto the Church To the confirmation of whole authoritye these wordes do also pertaine hee that heareth you heareth me The which wordes are not onely spoken vnto the Apostles but also vnto their succesaurs and vnto the whole Church Wherupon it foloweth that if the Pope do not harken geue eare vnto the Church he doeth not geue eare vnto Christ consequently he is to be counted as an Ethnicke Publicane For as S. Augustine affirmeth when as the Church doth excommunicate he which is so excommunicate is bounde in heauen and when the Church looseth he is loosed Likewise if he be an heretike which taketh away the supremacie of the Churche of Rome as the Decrees of the councel of Coustance doth determine how much more is he to be counted an hereticke which taketh away the authoritye from the uniuersall Church wherein the Church of Rome and all other are conteined Wherefore it is now euident that it is the opinion of al men before our daies if it may be called an opinion which is confirmed by graue authors the the Pope is subiecte vnto the vniuersall church But this is called into question whether he ought also to be iudged of the general Councel For there are some which whether it be for desire of vaine glory or that thorough their flattery they looke for some great reward haue begon to teach new and strange doctrines and to exempt the byshop of Rome from the iurisdiction of the generall Councel AmbitioÌ„ hath blinded them wherof not only this present Schisme but also all other Schismes euen vnto thys day haue had their originall For as in times past the gredy desire ambition of the papacy brought in that pesriferous beast which through Arrius then first crept into the church euen so they do specially norish and mainteine this present heresie whych are not ashamed to begge Of the which number some cry out say the workes of the subiects ought to be iudged by the Pope but the Pope to be reserued only vnto the iudgemeÌ„t of God Others said that no man ought to iudge the high and principall Seate and that it can not be iudged either by the Emperour either by the Clergy either by any king or people Other affirme that the Lord hath reserued vnto himselfe the depositions of the chiefe Bishop Others are not ashamed to affirme that the Byshop of Rome although hee cary soules in neuer so great number vnto hell yet hee is not subiect vnto any correction or rebuke And because these their words are easily resolued they runne straight waies vnto the Gospell and interprete the wordes of Christ not according to the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost
manhood or mercy in them but they make hauocke of all So the Citizens of Croia after they had yelded were all promised theyr liues were all destroyd and that horribly In Mysia after the king had geuen himselfe to the turkes hand hauing promise of life Mahumet the Turke slew him with his owne hands The Princes of Rasia had both theyr eies put out with â—asens redde hoate set before them Theodosia otherwise called Capha was also surreÌ„dered to the Turke hauing the like assuraunce of life and safety yet contrary to the league the Citizens were put to the sword and slaine At the winning and yelding of Leâ—bos what a number or young men and children were put vpon sharpe stakes and poles and so thrust thorough At the winning of the Citty of Buda what tyrannye was shewed and exercised agaynst the poore Christians whiche had yelded themselues and agaynst the two Dukes Christopher Bisserer and Ioannes Tranbinger coÌ„trary to the promise and handwriting of the Turke is to be sene in the story of Melchior Soiterus de Bello Pannonico The like also is to be read in the story of Bernardus de Breydenbach who writing of the taking of Hydrimtum a City in Apulia testifieth of the miserable slaughter of the young men there slayne of old men troden vnder the horse feet of matrons virgines rauished of women with child cut rent a pieces of the Priestes in the Churches slayne of the Archbishop of that Citty who being an aged man and holding the crosse in his hands was cut a sonder with a woodden saw c. The same Bernerdus also wryting of the ouerthrow of Nigropontus otherwise called Chalcides an 1471. describeth the like terrible slaughter whiche there was exercised where the Turke after hys promise geueÌ„ before to the coÌ„trary most cruelly caused all the youth of Italy to be pricked vpon sharp stakes some to be dashed against the hard stones other some to be cut in sonder in the middest and other mo with other kinds of forments to be put to death in so much that all the streetes and wayes of Chalcides did flowe with the bloud of them whiche were there slayn In which history the foresayd writer recordeth one memorable example of maydeÌ„ly chastity worthy of all Christians to be noted and commended The story is tolde of the Pretors daughter of that City who being the onely daughter of her father noted to be of an exceeding singuler beuty was saued out of the slaughter brought to Mahumet the turke to be his concubine But she denying to consent to his turkishe appetite and filthynes was commaunded therewith to be slayne and murthered and so died she a Martyr keping both her fayth and her body vndefiled vnto Christ Iesus her spouse Ibid. The like cruelty also was shewed vpon them whiche kept the Castle afterward yelding themselues vpoÌ„ hope of the turkes promise were slayne euery one What should I speake of the miserable slaughter of Methone the CitizeÌ„s therof dwelling in Peloponesus who seing no other remedy but needes to come into the Turkes hands set the barne on fire where they were gathered together meÌ„ women and children some women also with child voluÌ„tarily cast themselues into the Sea rather then they would sustayne the Turkes captiuity Vide pag. 734. Miserable it is to beholde long to recite incredible to beleue all the cruel parts and horrible slaughters wrought by these miscreantes agaynste the Christians through all places almost of the world both in Asia in Africa but especially in Europa Who is able to recite the innumerable societyes and companyes of the Grecians Martyred by the Turkes sword in Achaia Attica Thessalia Macedonia Epirus and all Peloponesus besides the Iland of Rhodes and other Ilandes and Cyclades adiaceÌ„t in the sea about numbred to 52. of the which also Pathmos was one wher S. Iohn being banished wrote his reuelations Where did euer the Turkes sette any foote but the bloud of Christians there without pitty or measure went to wracke what place or prouince is there almost thorow the world wher the turks either haue not perced or are not like shortly to enter In Thracia through all the coastes of Danubius in Bulgaria Dalmatia in Seruia Transiluania Bosna in Himgaria also in Austria what hauocke hath bene made by them of Christen mens bodies it will rue any Christen hart to remember At the siege of Moldauio at the winning of Buda of Pesta of Alba of Walpo Strigonium Sociosia Tathe Wizigradum Nouum Castellum in Dalmatia Belgradum Uaradinum Quinque ecclesie also at the battel of Uerna where Ladislaus king of Polonie with all his army almost through the rashnes of the Popes Cardinall were slayne at the winning moreouer of Xabiacchus Lyssus Dinastrum at the siege of Guntza and of the faythfull towne Scorad where the nuÌ„ber of the shotte agaynst theyr walles at the siege thereof were reckoned to 2539. likewise at the siege of Uienna where all the Christian captiues were brought before the whole army and slayne and diuers drawne in pieces with horses but especially at the winning of Constantinople aboue mentioned pag. 706. also at Croia Methone what beastly cruelty was shewed it is vnspeakeable For as in Constantinople Mahumer the dronken Turk neuer rose from diner but he caused euery daye for his disport 300. ChristiaÌ„ captiues of the nobles of that City to be slayn before his face So in Methone after that his captayn Omares had sent vnto him at Constantinople 500. prisoners of the Christians the cruell tyraunt commaunded them all to be cut and deuided in sonder by the middle so being slain to be throwne out into the fieldes Leonicus Chalcondyla writing of the same story addeth moreouer a prodigious narratioÌ„ if it be true of a brute Oxe whiche being in the fieldes and seing the carcases of the dead bodies so cut in two made there a loud noise after the lowing of his kind and nature afterward comming to the quarters of one of the dead bodyes lying in the field first tooke vp the one halfe then comming agayne tooke vp likewise the other halfe and so as he could ioyned theÌ„ both together Which being espyed of them which saw the doing of the brute Oxe and maruelling thereat and word being brought thereof to Mahumet he commaunded the quarters agayne to be brought where they were before to proue whether the beast would come agayne who fayled not as the author recordeth but in like sort as before taking the fragmentes of the dead corps layde them agayne together It foloweth more in the author howe that Mahumet being astonied at the straunge wonder of the Oxe commaunded the quarters of the christiaÌ„ mans body to be interred and the Oxe to be brought to his house and was much made of Some sayd it to be the body of a Uenetian some affirmed that he
number commonly are coūted to be tenne besides the persecutions first mooued by the Iewes in Hierusalem and other places against the Apostles In the which first S. Steuen the Deacon was put to death with diuers other moe in the same rage of tyme either slaine or cast into prisō At the doing wherof Saule the same tyme playd the doughtie Pharisie beyng not yet cōuerted to the fayth of Christ wherof the history is playne in the Actes of the Apostles set forth at large by S. Luke After the Martyrdome of this blessed Steuen suffered next Iames the holy Apostle of Christ and brother of Iohn Of which Iames mention is made in the Actes of the Apostles the xii chap. Where is declared how that not long after the stoning of Stephen king Herode stretched forth his hand to take and afflict certaine of the cōgregation among whome Iames was one whom he slew with the sword c. Of this Iames Eusebius also inferreth mention alleaging Clement thus writing a memorable story of him Thus Iames saith Clement when hee was brought to the tribunall seat he that brought him was the cause of his trouble seeing him to be condemned and that he should suffer death as he went to the execution he being mooued therewith in hart and conscience confessed himselfe also of his owne accord to be a Christian. And so were they both led foorth together where in the way he desired of Iames to forgiue him that he had done After that Iames had a little paused with him vpon the matter turning to him Peace sayth he be to thee brother and kissed him and both were beheaded together an 36. Dorotheus in his booke named Synopsis testifieth that Nicanor one of the vii Deacons with 2000. other which beleued in Christ suffred also the same day when as Steuen did suffer The faith Dorotheus witnesseth also of Simon an other of the Deacons Bishop afterward of Bostrum in Arabie there to be burned Parmenias also an other of the Deacons suffred Thomas preached to the Parthians Medes and Persians Also to the Germains Hiraconis Bactris Magis He suffred in Calamina a Citie of Iudea being slaine with a dart Simon Zelotes preached at Mauritania and in the Countrey of Affrike And in Britania hee was lykewise crucified Iudas brother of Iames called also Thaddeus and Lebeus preached to the Edessens and to all Mesopotamia He was slayne vnder Augarus king of the Edessens in Berito Simon called Cananeus which was brother to Iude aboue mentioned and to Iames the younger which all were the sonnes of Mary Cleopha and of Alpheus was Bishop of Hierusalem after Iames and was crucified in a Citie of Egypt in the tyme of Traianus Emperour as Dorotheus recordeth But Abdias writeth that hee with his brother Iude were both slayne by a tumult of the people in Suanyr a citie of Parsidis Marke the Euangelist and first Bishop of Alexandria preached the Gospell in Egypt and there drawen with ropes vnto the fire was burned and afterward buried in a place called there Bucolus vnder the raigne of Traianus Emperour Bartholomeus is sayd also to preach to the Indians and to haue conuerted the Gospell of S. Mathew into their tonge where he continued a great space doing many miracles At last in Albania a citie of greater Armenia after diuers persecutions he was beaten doune with staues then crucified and after being excoriate he was at length beheaded Ioan. De Monte Regali Of Andrew the Apostle and brother to Peter thus writeth Ierome in his booke De catalogo scriptorum Eccles. Andrew the brother of Peter in the tyme and raigne of Vespasianus as our aunceters haue reported did preach in the 80. yeare of our Lord Iesu Christ to the Scithians Sogdians to the Saxons and in a Citie which is called Augustia where the Ethiopians do now inhabite He was buried in Patris a citie of Achaia being crucified of Egeas the gouernour of the Edessians hitherto writeth Ierome Although in the number of yeares he semeth a little to misse for Vespasianus reached not to the yere 80. after Christ. But Bernard in his second Sermon and S. Cyprian in his booke De duplici Martyrio doe make mention of the confession and Martyrdome of this blessed Apostle wherof partly out of these partly out of other credible writers we haue collected after this maner that when as Andrew being conuersant in a Citie of Achaia called Patris through his diligent preaching had brought many to the faith of Christ Egeas the gouernour knowing this resorted thither to the intēt he might constraine as many as did beleeue Christ to bee God by the whole consent of the Senate to doe sacrifice vnto the Idols and so geue diuine honor vnto them Andrew thinking good at the beginning to resist the wicked counsaile and the doings of Egeas went vnto him saying in this effect vnto him that it behooued him which was Iudge of men first to know his Iudge which dwelleth in heauen and then to worship him being knowen and so in worshipping the true God to reuoke his mynd from false Gods and blynd Idols These wordes spake Andrew to the Consul But he greatly therwith discontented demaunded of him whether he was the same Andrew that did ouerthrow the Temple of the gods and perswaded men of that superstitious sect which the Romaines of late had commaunded to be abolished and reiected Andrew did plainely affirme that the Princes of the Romains did not vnderstand the truth that the sonne of God comming from heauen into the world for mans sake hath taught declared how these Idols whom they so honoured as Gods were not only not gods but also most cruell Deuils most enemies to mankind teaching the people nothing els but that wherwith God is offended and being offended turneth away and regardeth them not and so by the wicked seruice of the Deuill doe fall headlong into all wickednesse and after their departing nothing remaineth vnto them but their euill deedes But the Proconsul esteeming these thinges to bee as vayne especially seing the Iewes as he said had crucified Christ before therfore charged and commaunded Andrew not to teach and preach such thinges any more or if he did that he should be fastened to the crosse with all speede Andrew abiding in his former mynd very constāt answered thus concerning the punishment which he threatened he would not haue preached the honour and glory of the crosse if he had feared the death of the crosse Wherupon sentence of condemnation was pronounced that Andrew teaching and enterprising a new sect and taking away the religion of their gods ought to be crucified Andrew commyng to the place and seyng a farre of the crosse prepared did chaunge neither countenance nor colour as the imbecillitie of mortal men is woont to do neither did his bloud shrinke neither did he faile in his speech his body faynted not neither was
his mynd molested his vnderstanding did not fayle him as it is the maner of men to do but out of the aboundance of his hart his mouth did speake And feruent charitie did appeare in his words as kindled sparcles He said O crosse most welcome and long looked for with a willing mynde ioyfully and desirously I come to thee beyng the Scholer of him which did hang on thee Because I haue bene alwayes thy louer and haue coueted to embrace thee So beyng crucified he yelded vp the Ghost and fell on sleepe the day before the Calendes of December Mathew otherwise named Leui first of a Publicane made an Apostle wrote his gospell to the Iewes in the Hebrue tongue as recordeth Eusebius lib. 3.24.39 lib 5. cap. 8. cap. 10. Also Iraeneus lib 3. cap. 1. Item Hieronymus in Catalogo script Ecclesiast concerning the doings and decreementes of this blessed Apostle and Euangelist diuers things bee recorded by Iulius Africanus vnder the pretensed name of Abdias Also of Vincentius Perionius and others but in such sort as by the contents may greatly be suspected the matter not to lacke some craftie forgerie for the more establishment of latter decretals and Romish doctrine as touching merites consecration of Nunnes the superstitious prescription of Lent fast not onely in abstainyng from all fleshmeates but also from all matrimoniall copulatiō betwene man and wife during the said tyme of holy Lent Item the straight prohibition not to taste any bodily sustenance before the receiuing of the Lordes supper In ordaining of Masse and that no Nunne must marry after the vowe of her profession with such other like Ioan de Monte Regali testifieth of Mathias that after he had preached to the Iewes at length he was stoned beheaded Some other record that he died in Ethiopia Philippus the holy Apostle after he had much laboured among the barbarous nations in preaching the worde of saluation to them at length he suffered as the other Apostles did in Hierapolis a citie of Phrygia being there crucified and stoned to death where also he was buried his daughters also with him Isido * Of Iames the brother of the Lord thus we read in the story of Clement and Egesippus AFter that Festus had sent the Apostle Paul vnto Rome after his appellatiō made at Caesaria that the Iewes by the meanes thereof had lost their hope of performing their malicious vow against him conceiued they fel vpon Iames the brother of our Lord who was bishop at Ierusalem against whom they being bent with like malice brought him forth before them and required him to denye before all the people the faith of Christ. But he otherwise then they all looked for freely and with a greater constancie before all the multitude confessed Iesus to be the sonne of God our Sauiour and our Lord. Wherupon they not being able to abide the testimonie of this man any longer because he was thought to be the iustest among all for the highnes of deuine wisedome and godlinesse which in liuing he declared they killed him finding the more opportunitie to accomplish their mischiefe because the kingdom the same tyme was vacant For Festus being dead in Iewrie the administration of that prouince was destitute of a ruler and a deputie But after what maner Iames was killed the words of Clement do declare which writeth that he was cast doune from the pinacle of the temple and being smitten with the instrument of a Fuller was slain but Egesippus which liued in the tyme next after the Apostles describeth this cause diligently in his fift Commentarie after this maner as followeth Iames the brother of our Lord tooke in hand to gouern the Church after the Apostles beyng counted of all men from the tyme of our Lord to be a iust and perfect man Many and diuers other Iameses there were beside him but this was borne holy from his mothers wombe he dronke no wine nor any strong drinke neither did he cate any liuing creature the rasor neuer came vpon his head he was not annointed with oyle neither did he vse bathe to him onely was it lawfull to enter into the holy place neyther was he clothed with woollen cloth but with silke and he onely entred into the temple falling vpon his knees asking remission for the people so that his knees by ofte kneling lost the sence of feeling being benumined hardened like the knees of a Camell He was for worshipping God and crauing forgiuenes for the people called iust for the exceliencie of his iust life named Oblias which if you do interprete it is the sauegard and iustice of the people as the Prophets declare of him therefore when as many of the heretikes which were among the people asked him what maner of dore Iesus should be he aunswered that he was the Sauiour Wherof some do beleue him to be Iesus Christ but the aforesaid heretikes neither beleue the resurrection neither that any shall come which shal render vnto euery man according to his workes but as many as beleue they beleued for Iames cause When as many therefore of the Princes did beleue there was a tumult made of the Scribes Iewes and Phariseis saying it is daungerous least that all the people do looke for this Iesus as for Christ therfore they gathered themselues togither sayd vnto Iames We beseech thee restrain the people for they beleue in Iesus as though he were Christ. We pray thee perswade them all which come vnto the feast of the Passeouer of Iesus for we are all obedient vnto thee and all the people do testifie of thee that thou art iust neither that thou doest accept the person of any man therefore perswade the people that they be not deceiued in Iesus and all the people and we will obey thee therfore stand vpon the piller of the temple that thou mayest be seene from aboue and that thy wordes may be perceiued of all the people for to this passeouer all the tribes do come with all the countrey And thus the forenamed Scribes and Phariseis did set Iames vpon the battlements of the Church and they cried vnto him and sayd thou iust man whom all we ought to obey because this people is led after Iesus which is crucified tell what is the dore of Iesus crucified and he aunswered with a great voyce what do you aske me of Iesus the sonne of man seeyng that he sitteth on the right hand of God in heauen and shall come in the cloudes of the skie But whō many were persuaded of this they glorified God vpon the witnes of Iames and sayd Osanna in the highest to the sonne of Dauid Then the Scribes and the Phariseis sayd among themselues we haue done euill that we haue caused such a testimony of Iesus But let vs go vp and let vs take him that they being compelled with feare may deny that faith And they cried out saying O O this iust man also is seduced and