came in an other ship to Hamborough William Tindall lost his bookes copies by shipwracke M. Couerdale a helper of M. Tindall in the translation of the testament where at his appoyntment M. Couerdale taried for him and helped hym in the translating of the whole 5. bookes of Moises from Easter till Decemb. in the house of a worshipfull widowe Maistres Margaret van Emmerson Anno 1529. a greate sweating sicknesse being the same time in the Towne So hauing dispatched his businesse at Hamborough he returned afterward to Antwerpe againe Thus as Sathan is and euer hath bene an ennemy to all godly endeuors and chiefly to the promoting furtherance of Gods word as by this many other experimeÌ„ts may be sene so his ministers and members following the like qualitie of their maister be not altogether idle for their partes as also by the Popes Chapleins and Gods ennemies and by their cruell handling of the sayde M. Tindall the same time both here in England and in FlaÌ„ders may well appeare When Gods will was that the newe Testament in the common tongue should come abroad Tindall the translator therof added to the latter ende a certain Epistle wherin hee desired them that were learned to amende if oughte were found amisse Wherfore if any such default had bene deseruing correction it had bene the parte of courtesie and gentlenesse for men of knowledge and iudgement to haue shewed their learning therein and to haue redressed y t was to be amended But the spiritual fathers then of the clergy being not willing to haue that booke to prosper cryed out vpon it bearing men in hand that there were a thousande heresies in it that it was not to be corrected but vtterly to be suppressed Some said it was not possible to translate the Scripture into Englishe The practise of popishe prelates to keepe the Scripture from the people some that it was not lawfull for the lay people to haue it in their mother tongue some y t it woulde make them all heretickes And to the intent to induce the temporall rulers also vnto theyr purpose they made more matter said that it would make the people to rebel and rise against the king All this Tindall himselfe in his own prologue before the first booke of Moses declareth and addeth further shewing what great paines was taken in examining that translation comparing it wyth their owne imaginations and termes that with lesse labor hee supposeth they might haue translated them selues a great part of the Bible Shewing moreouer that they scaÌ„ned and examined euery title and poynt in the said translation in such sorte and so narrowly that there was not one i. therein but if it lacked a pricke ouer his heade they did note it and numbered it vnto the ignoraunt people for an heresie So great was then the froward deuises of y e English Clergy who should haue ben the guides of light vnto the people to driue the people from the texte knowledge of the scripture which neither they would translate themselues nor yet abide it to be translated of others The causes why the popes clergy could not abide the Scripture in the common tounge to the intent as Tindall sayeth that the woorde being kept still in darknesse they might sitte in the consciences of the people through vaine superstition false doctrine to satisfie theyr lustes their ambition and vnsaciable couetousnesse and to exalte theyr owne honour aboue King and Emperour yea and aboue God him selfe Haec ille The Bishops and Prelates of the realme thus as ye haue hard incensed and inflamed in their minds although hauing no cause against the olde and newe Testament of the Lorde newly translated by Tindall The popishe prelates procured not onely the condemnation of M. Tindalâ— bookes but also burned both them and the testament calling it Doctriâ—â— peregrinam straunge doctrine and conspiring together w t all their heads and counsails how to repeale the same neuer rested before they had brought the king at last to their consent By reason wherof a proclamatioÌ„ in al hast was deuised and set forth vnder publike authoritie but no iust reason shewed that the testament of Tindals translation with other workes mo both of his and of other wryters were inhibited and abandoned as ye hearde before page 1018. Which was about the yere of our Lorde 1527. And yet not contented heerewith they proceeded further howe to entangle him in their nettes and to bereft him of his life Which howe they brought to passe nowe it remaineth to be declared In the registers of London it appeareth manifest Priuy conspâ—â—â—cyon of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—shops 〈…〉 Tindall how that the Bishops sir Tho. More hauing any poore man vnder Coram to be examined before them namely such as had bene at Antwerpe most studiously would searche and examine all things belonging to Tindall where and with whom he hosted where aboutes stood the house what was his stature in what apparell he went what resorte he had c. All which things when they had diligently learned as may appeare by the examination of Simon Smith and others then began they to worke their feares as you shall heare by the relation of his owne host William Tindall being in the towne of Antwerp The order and maner of taking of Tindal testified by Poyntâ— his host had ben lodged about one whole yere in the house of Thomas Pointz an EnglishmaÌ„ who kept there an house of english Marchauntes About which time came thither one out of England whose name was Henry Philips his father being customer of Poole a comely felow like as he had bene a Gentleman hauing a seruaunt with him but wherfore he came or for what purpose he was sent thither no man could tell Maister Tindall diuers times was desired forth to diner and supper amongst marchants The frendship of Tindal shewed to Philips his betrayer by y e meanes wherof this Henry Philips became acquaynted with him so that within short space M. Tindall had a great confidence in him and brought him to his lodging to the house of Tho. Pointz and had him also with him once or twise to dinner supper and further entred such frendship with him that through his procurement he lay in the same house of the sayd Pointz To whom he shewed moreouer his bookes and other secrets of his study so litle did Tindall then mistrust this Traytor But Pointz hauing no great confidence in the fellowe asked Mayster Tindall howe hee came acquaynted wyth this Philips Maister Tindall aunswered that he was an honest man handsomely learned and very comfortable Then Pointz perceiuing that he bare such fauor to hym sayd no more thinking that hee was broughte acquaynted with him by some frend of his The sayd Phillippes beyng in the Towne iij. or iiij dayes vppon a tyme desired Pointz to walke with him foorth of the Towne to shewe him the commodities therof and in walking together w
studye and desire whereof Christ commaundeth all his continually to be intentiue they imagine a new kynd of godlinesse I know not what by the meditation whereof they are more perfect then all other But it is a most pestilent errour which all godlye men ought to abhorre to fayne any other rule of perfection then that common rule deliuered vnto the whole vniuersall Churche which we suppose to be sufficiently approoued in the refutation of the article before passed Now I also passe ouer with silence the great blasphemy whereby they compare their monasticall confession vnto Baptisme I also hold my peace that they do dissipate and deuide the Communion of the Church when as they doe seperate themselues from the lawfull societie and fellowship of the faythfull and clayme vnto themselues a peculiar ministery and priuate administration of the Sacraments but as Saint Augustine witnesseth it was so far of that the Monkes in tymes past had any seueral church or administration of the Sacramentes with others and were a part and portion of the common people Albeit that they dwelt asunder But if that a man may touch the manner of these our Monks what shall I call the cloysters in these our dais otherwise then brothell houses swine sties and dennes of discord Besides that I will passe ouer their faires and markets which in these latter dayes they do make of their reliques of Martyrs to build vp Sodome agayne Wherfore I conclude that this their kynde of lyfe whiche they clayme vnto themselues is vtterly wicked and naughte the which is not established or grounded vppon any certayne callyng of God neyther allowed by him wherefore I may be bold to say that it is vnlawfull because their cōscience hath nothing wherby to sustaine it selfe before god and whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne And furthermore so long as they do entangle bynde themselues with so many and so peruerse and wicked kynd of worshippyng as the Monkery now a days doth contayne in it I may well say that they are not consecrated vnto God but vnto the diuell For why was it lawfull for the Prophets to say that Israelites did offer theyr children vnto wicked spirites and not vnto God onely for this cause that they did corrupt and violate the true worshippyng of God with prophane ceremonies Is it not lawfull then to speake the lyke of our Monkes which together with their cowles haue put on a thousand snares of most wicked superstitions Let euery man now waigh and consider with himselfe if I haue done wickedly to wishe such religions as is this our Monkery to be vtterly extinguished and rooted out Moreouer all christian princes should rightly and truely do their office if as in tymes past Iosias pulled downe and ouerthrew the high places which hys elders the kings of Iuda had builded so they woulde abolishe and dryue away these kynde of Monkes It is plainly manifest by lawfull prooues that the said Iohn Borthwike had and presently hath diuers bookes suspected of heresie condemned as wel by the papall as also Regall and ordinary authoritie and prohibited by the lawe that is to say specially the newe Testament commonly printed in Englishe Oecolampadius Melancton and diuers treatises of Erasmus and other condemned heretickes also a Booke intituled vnio dissidentium the which conteyneth most manifest and great erroures and hereticall assumptions and hath red and studied the same as well openly as priuately and hath presented and communicated them vnto others and also hath instructed and taught many Christians in the same to the ende and purpose to diuert and turne them away from the true christian and catholike fayth Borthwike O good God who can suffer so great a blasphemye with what a filthy cankered stomacke doe these Romishe swine note the new testament of heresie who would not iudge it a most venemous tongue which dare pronounce or vtter such contumelious wordes agaynst the holy Gospell of our Sauiour Christ Truely as the Iewes which put Christ to death of all other murderers euen so these men how so euer they doe pronounce me an Archheretike do fill vp the measure of all other heretikes I wyll not say blasphemies how then shall these serpentes and stocke of Uipers escape and flye the iudgement of euerlastyng fire I do not greatly stand or stay that they doe suspect Oecolampadius Melancthon or Erasmus neither am I so mad to plead their cause who as they are men of singuler learnyng and eloquence so doe their writings manifestly declare how falsly and wickedly these Sicophants impute this crime slaunder of heresie vnto them It is manifest that the sayd Iohn Borthwike was so obstinate in all the foresayde errour and heresies and so maintained and taught them with such an indurate heart and mynd that he would not by no meanes be persuaded from them by his friends and diuers other persons which did dearly loue and fauour hym but chose rather obstinatly to perseuere in his sayd errours Borthwike I am willingly contented to be reduced to the Catholike faith but if that Sathan rayse vp any stormes or tempest agaynst that those I do some thyng resist wherefore they most shamefully lye which doe otherwyse iest or talke of me for I know not by what reason they call them my friendes which so greatly laboured to conuert me neither will more esteeme them then the Madianites whiche in tymes past called the children of Israell to doe sacrifice vnto their Idols And furthermore I desire the most highe and mighty God that he will neuer suffer me to swarue or turne away from this so holy godly and christian obstinacie and stubburnnesse The man is blest that hath set his whole hope and confidence vpon the Lorde and hath not regarded or looked vpon the proud or those which follow after lies ¶ The sentence of condemnation agaynst Sir Iohn Borthwike Knight by the Cardinall Byshops and Abbots in Scotland An. 1540. OF all which the premisses and many other errours by hym holden spoken published affirmed preached taught the common fame and report is that the sayd Sir Iohn Borthwike is holden reputed and accounted of very many is an heretike and principall heretike whiche holdeth euill opinion of the catholike fayth Wherfore we Dauid by the title of S. Steuen in moūt Celio Prelate and Cardinall of the holy church of Rome Archbishop of S. Andrews primate of the whole kingdō of Scotland borne Legate of the Apostolike Sea sittyng after the manner of Iudges in our tribunall seate the most holye Gospels of God beyng layed before vs that our iudgement myght proceede from the face of God and our eyes might behold and looke vpon equitie and iustice hauing only God the veritie and truth of the Catholike faith before our eyes his holye name being first of all called vpon hauing as is beforesayde hereuppon holden a counsel of wise men as well deuines as lawyers wee pronounce declare decree determine and geue sentence that the said
the Bishop and his Chapleines laughed and sayd Iesu Iesu what a stubbernesse and arrogantnesse is this and this was in his Chamber where he laye Then sayde the Bishop to me go ye downe and drinke for it is fasting day it is Midsommer euen but I thinke ye loue neither fasting nor praying Haukes I will neuer deny fasting neither praying so that it be done as it ought to be done Fasting praying no man denyeth and without hipocrisy or vayne glory Boner I lyke you the better for that and so wee lefte for that night The next day the Bishop went to London For Fecknam was made Deane that day I taried still at FulhaÌ„ Then did the Bishops meÌ„ desire me to come to Masse but I did vtterly refuse it answering theÌ„ as I did theyr mayster Boner returneth from London That night the Bishop came home to Fulham agayn * Talke betwene Harpsfield and Thomas Haukes THen vpon the Monday Morning very earely the Byshop dyd call for me Talke betweene Thomas Haukes and Harpsfield There was with him Harpsfield Archdeacon of London to whom the Bishop sayd this is the man that I told you of who would not haue his child Christened nor will haue any ceremonies Harps Christ vsed ceremonies Did he not take clay from the ground and tooke spettle made the blind man to see Haukes I wotte well that but Christ did neuer vse it in Baptisme If ye will needes haue it put it to the vse that Christ put it vnto But Chrâ—â—â— neuer 〈◊〉 any ordiâ—nance 〈◊〉 custome of that 〈◊〉 The staâ—â— children 〈◊〉 with Baptismâ— Harps I admit your child die vnchristened what a heauy case stand you in Haukes I admit that if it do what then Harps Mary then are ye damned and your child both Hauk Iudge you no farther theÌ„ ye may by the scriptures Harps Do ye not know that your childe is borne in originall sinne Haukes Yes that I do Harps How is originall sinne washed away Haukes By true fayth and beliefe in Christ Iesus Harps How can your childe being an infant beleue Haukes The deliueraunce of it from sinne standeth in the fayth of his parentes Harps How proue you that Haukes By S. Paule in the 7. and the first to the Corinthians saying The vnbeleuing manne is sanctified by the beleuing woman The beleâ—uing 〈◊〉 sanctifie 〈◊〉 childe and the vnbeleuing woman is sanctified by the beleuing man or els were your children vncleane Harps I will proue that they whom thou puttest thy trust in will be agaynst thee in this opinion Haukes Who be those Harps Your great learned men in Oxford Haukes If they do it by the Scriptures I will beleue theÌ„ Boner Recant recant do ye not know that Christ sayd except ye be Baptised ye can not be saued Haukes Doth Christianity stand in outward ceremonyes or no Christiaâ— standeth 〈◊〉 in outwaâ—â— ceremoniâ—â— Boner Partly it doth what say you to that Haukes I say as S. Peter sayth Not the washing of water purgeth the filthinesse of the flesh but a good conscience consenting vnto God Harps Beware of pride brother beware of pride Haukes It is written Pride serueth not for men nor yet for the sonnes of men Sirach 10 Boner Let vs make an end here How say you to y e Masse Syrha Boner coâ—â—meth in 〈◊〉 with his 〈◊〉 Masse Masse prâ—â—â—â—table for nothing Haukes I say it is detestable abhominable and profitable for nothing Boner What nothing profitable in it what say you to the Epistle and Gospell Haukes It is good if it be vsed as Christ left it to be vsed Boner Well I am glad that ye somewhat recaÌ„t recant all recant all Haukes I haue recanted nothing nor will do Bonor How say you to Confiteor Haukes I say it is abhominable detestable Confiteâ— in the 〈◊〉 a thyng â—â—â—â—testable ye and a blasphemy agaynst God and his sonne Christ to call vpoÌ„ any to trust to any or to pray to any saue only to Christ Iesus Boner To trust to any we bid you not but to call vppon theÌ„ and to pray to them we bid you Boners similitudâ— to proue praying 〈◊〉 Saintes We oughâ— not to beâ—leeue in Saintes Ergo we ought noâ— to call vpâ—â— them Praying the dead Do ye not know wheÌ„ ye come into the Courte ye can not speake with the king Queene vnlesse ye call to some of the priuy chaÌ„ber that are next to the king and Queene Haukes They that list receiue your doctrine You teach me that I should not beleue nor trust in any but to cal on theÌ„ and S. Paule sayth How should I call vpon him on whome I beleue not Boner Wyll you haue no body to pray for you when you be dead Haukes No surelye excepte you canne prooue it by the Scriptures Then the Bishoppe pointed vnto Harpsfield and sayd vnto me Is it not wel done to desire this man to pray for me Haukes Yes surely so long as we liue prayer is auaylable of the righteous man but this mans prayers you beyng dead profiteth nothing at all Boner Will ye graunt the prayer of the righteous man to preuayle Haukes I graunt it doth for the liuing but not for the dead Boner Not for the dead Haukes No forsooth for Dauid sayth No man can deliuer his brother from death nor make agreement vnto God for him Psal. 49. for it cost more to redeeme theyr soules so that ye must let that alone for euer Also Ezechiell sayth Though Noe Daniell or Iob dwelt amongest them Ezech. 1â— yet can they in theyr righteousnesse exceede no farther then themselues Then the Bishop said to Harpsfield Syr ye see this man hath no need of our Ladye neither of any of the blessed Sayntes Well I will trouble you no longer I did call you Boner 〈◊〉 he can noâ— ouercomâ— by doctriâ—â— goeth 〈◊〉 to oppreâ—â— by authoritie hoping that you shoulde doe some good on him but it will not be And he said to me Syr it is tyme to begin with you we will rid you awaye and then we shall haue one hereticke lesse Harps What bookes haue you Haukes The new Testament Salomons bookes and the Psalter Harps Will you read any other bookes Haukes Yea if you will geue me suche bookes as I will require Harps What bookes will you require Haukes Latimers bookes my Lorde of Caunterburyes booke Bradfords Sermons Ridleyes bookes Boner Away away he will haue no bookes but suche as mayntayne his heresies and so they departed for Harpsfield was booted to ride vnto Oxforde and I went to the Porters lodge agayne ¶ The next dayes talke The next dayes talke This Byshâ—pâ— name waâ— Byrd Bishop â—ome tyme of Chester and Sufferaigne before of Couentrie of whom read before B. Boner reproued for his anger THe next day came thither an old Byshoppe who had a pearl in his eye and he brought with him to my Lord a dish of apples a
beyng taken wythin the precinct and limites of the Citie of Zuricke coÌ„trary to lawe and order Finally after much discoursing wherein they in a long letter declared their diligence and fidelitie at all times in keeping their league and maintaining the libertie and dignitie of their country as touching the cause of religion if that were all the matter of their offence they offered themselues willing to heare and more glad to amende if anye could prooue any errour in them by the Scripture Otherwise if none so could or would proue wherin they did erre by the worde of God they coulde not they sayd alter any thing in the state of that Religion wherein their consciences were already staide by the woorde of God and setled what soeuer pearill or daunger should happen to them for the same Although here was no cause why these Pages or Cantons which were so confederate together in the league of peace What loue and hatred doth among men should disagree among themselues yet heerein may we see the course and trade of the worlde that when difference of religioÌ„ beginneth a litle to breake the knot of amitie by and by how friends be turned to foes what suspitions do rise what quarels and grudge do folow howe nothing there liketh men but euery thing is taken to y e worst part smal â—otes are made mountaines vertues made vices and one vice made a thousand and all for lacke only of a litle good wil betwixt party party For as loue charity commonly among men either couereth or seeth not the faultes of their frendes so hatred and disdaine taking all things to blame can finde nothyng in their foes that they can like And thus did it happen betweene these good men of Zuricke and these other Suitzers aboue named These letters of the Tigurines to the other Cantons were written vpon the occasion of theyr apprehending the preacher Ioan. Oxlinus aboue named the 4. day of Ianuary Anno 1525. and in the moneth of Aprill next following The Masse with all his ceremoâ—eâ— put downe in Zuricke the maiestrates and Senate of the sayd Citie of Zuricke commanded the Masse with all his ceremonies and appurtenaunce therto belonging to be put downe as wel wythin the City as without throughout all their iurisdiction and in steade thereof was placed the Lordes Supper the reading of the Prophets prayer and preaching A law in Zurick made against adulterers Also a lawe was made against whoredome and adulterie and iudges ordained to heare the causes of matrimony Anno. 1525. Ex Comment Sled lib. 4. All this while the Gospel was not as yet receiued in any other Page of Heluetia but only in Zuricke Disputation at BadeÌ„ in Heluetia Wherfore y e other 12. pages or townes appoynted among themselues concerning a meting or a disputation to be had at Baden Where were present amoÌ„g other diuines Ioannes Faber Eckius Murnerus aboue mentioned The bishops also of Lucerna Basill Curiake Lausanna sent thither theyr legates The conclusions there propounded were these That the true body and bloud of Christ Theames or propositions propounded in the disputation at Baden is in the Sacrament That the masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and deade That the blessed virgine and other saintes are to be inuocated as mediatours and intercessours That Images ought not to be abolished That there is a purgatorie Which conclusions or assertions Eckius tooke vppon him stoutly to defend Eckius defeÌ„ded Against him reasoned Oecolampadius who was then chiefe preacher at Basill wyth certaine other moe Zuinglius at that time was not there present but by wrytinge confuted the doctrine of Eckius Oecolampadius against Eckius· declaring withall the causes of hys absence whych were for that he durst not for feare of his lyfe committe himselfe to the handes of the Lucernates Urani Suitij Unterualdij and Tugiani his enemies and that hee refused not to dispute but the place onely of the disputation Zuinglius excuseth himself for not comming to the disputation excusing moreouer y t he was not permitted of the Senate to come neuertheles if they would assigne the place of disputation either at Zuricke or at Berna or at Sangallum thether he woulde not refuse to come Briefly the conclusion of the disputation was this that all should remaine in that Religion which hetherto they had kept and should follow the authoritie of the Councell neither should admit any other newe doctrine within theyr dominions c Thys was in the moneth of Iune the sayd yeare aboue mentioned As the time proceded and dissention about religion encreased it folowed the next yere after The disputation at Berne An. 1527. in the moÌ„th of December that the Senate people of Berne whose power amongst al the Suitzers chieflye excelleth considering how neither they could haue the Actes of the disputation of Baden communicated vnto them and that the variance about religion still more more encreased Disputation at Berne in Heluetia assigned an other disputation within their owne Citie and sending forth wrytings therof called vnto the same al the bishops bordering nere about them as the Bishops of Constance Basill Sedune Lausanna warning them bothe to come themselues and to bring their diuines wyth them or else to lose all such possessions which they had lying within the boundes of theyr precinct After this they appoynted oute certeine Ecclesiasticall persons of their iurisdiction to dispute prescribing and determining the whole disputation to be decided only by the authority of the old and new TestameÌ„t Godly lawes of a disputation To all that would come thether they grauÌ„ted safeconduict Also they appoynted that all things there should be done modestly without iniurie and brauling woordes and that euery one shoulde haue leaue to speake his minde freely and with such deliberation that euery mans saying might be receiued by the notarye penned with this prouiso made before that what soeuer there shoulde be agreed vpon the same should be ratified and obserued through al their dominions and to the intent meÌ„ might come thether better prepared before they propounded in publike wryting 10. conclusions in the sayde disputation to be defended of their ministers by the scriptures which ministers wer Franciscus Colbus and Bertholdus Hallerus The theames or conclusions were these 1. That the true Church whereof Christ is the head riseth out of gods word Theames to be disputed and persisteth in the same and heareth the voice of no other 2. That the same Church maketh no lawes without the worde of God 3. That traditions ordeined in the name of the Church doe not binde but so farre foorth as they be consonante to Gods worde 4. That Christ only hath made satisfactioÌ„ for the sinnes of the world and therefore if any man say that there is any other way of saluation or meane to putte away sinne the same denieth Christ. 5. That the body bloude of Christe
countrey adding moreouer vnto hys sayings of their owne heades more then euer he spake and so accused him secretely to the Chauncelour and other of the Bishops Officers It followed not long after this that there was a sitting of the bishops Chancellour appoynted Tindall called before the Bishops Chauncellour and warning was giuen to the priests to appeare amongest whom M. Tindall was also warned to be there And whether hee had any misdoubte by their threatnings or knowledge geuen hym that they woulde lay some thyngs to hys charge it is vncertaine but certaine this is as hee hym selfe declared that he doubted their priuie accusations so y t he by the way in going thetherwards cried in his mind hartily to God to geue him strength fast to stande in the truth of his word Then when the time came of his appearance before the Chancellour he threatned him greuously reuiling and rating him as though he had ben a dog laide to his charge many thinges Tindal could not haue his accusers brought out whereof no accuser yet coulde be broughte foorth as commonly their maner is not to bring foorth the accuser notwithstanding that the Priests of the countrey the same time were there present And thus M. Tindal after those examinatioÌ„s escaping out of their hands departed home and returned to his maister againe There dwelt not farre off a certaine Doctour that hadde bene an olde Chauncellour before to a Byshop One good olde Doctor amongst mâ—ny nought who had bene of olde familiar acquaintance with M. Tyndall and also fauoured him well Unto whome M. Tyndall went and opened his minde vpon diuers questions of the scripture The Pope Antichrist for to him he durst be bold to disclose his heart Unto whom the Doctor sayd doe you not knowe that the Pope is very Antichrist whome the Scripture speaketh of But beware what you say for if you shall be perceiued to be of that opinion it will cost you your life and sayd moreouer I haue bene an officer of his But I haue geuen it vp and defie him and all his workes It was not long after but M. Tindal happened to be in the companie of a certaine diuine recounted for a lerned man and in commoning and disputing with him he droue him to that issue The blasphemy of a blind doctour The popes lawe preferred before Gods lawe that the sayde great Doctor burst out into these blasphemous wordes and sayde wee were better to be without Gods lawe then the Popes M. Tyndall hearing thys ful of godly zeale and not bearing that blasphemous sayâ—ng replied againe sayde I deâ—ie the Pope and all his lawes and further added that iâ— God spared hym life ere many yeares he would cause a boy that driueth the plough to know more of the Scripture then he did After this the grudge of the priests increasing still more and more against Tyndall they neuer ceased barking and rating at him and laide many sore thinges to hys charge saying that he was an hereticke in Sophistry an hereticke in Logicke an hereticke in Diuinitie and sayde moreouer to him that he bare himselfe bolde of the Gentlemen there in that country but notwithstanding shortly he should be otherwise talked withal To whom M. Tyndall answearing againe thus said that he was contented they shoulde bring him into any countrey in all England geuing hym x. li a yere to liue with and binding him to no more but to teache children and to preache To be short M. Tyndal being so molested and vexed in the countrey by the Priests was constrained to leaue that country and to seke an other place Tindall departeth from M. Welche and so comming to M. Welche he desired him of hys good will that hee myght depart from him saying on this wise to him Syr I perceiue I shall not be suffered to tary long heere in this countrey neither shall you be able though you woulde to keepe me out of the hands of the spiritualtie also what displeasure might grow therby to you by keeping me God knoweth for the which I shoulde be right sorie So that in fine M. Tindall with the good will of his maister Tindall coÌ„meth to London departed eftsoones came vp to London and there preached a while according as he had done in the country before and specially about the towne of Bristowe and also in the sayde towne in the common place called S. Austines Greene. At length he bethinking him selfe of Cutbert Tonstall then Byshop of London and especially for the great commendation of Erasmus An oration of Isocrates translated out of Greeke into Englishe by W. Tindall who in his annotations so extolleth him for his learning thus cast with himselfe that if hee might attaine vnto his seruice hee were a happy man And so comming to Syr Henry Gilford the kings controller and bringing with him an Oration of Isocrates which he had then traÌ„slated out of Greke into English he desired him to speake to the sayde B. of London for him Which he also did and willed him moreouer to wryte an Epistle to the Byshop and to go him self with him Tindall sueth to bishop Tonstall to be his Chaplaine Which he did likewise and deliuered his Epistle to a seruaunte of his named William Hebilthwaite a man of his olde acquaintaunce But God who secretely disposeth the course of things saw that was not the best for Tyndals purpose nor for the profite of hys Churche and therefore gaue him to finde little fauor in the Bishops sight Tonstal refuseth M. Tindall The answer of whom was thys that hys house was full he had mo then he could wel finde and aduised him to seeke in London abroade where hee saide hee coulde lacke no seruice c. and so remained hee in London the space almoste of a yeare beholding and marking wyth him selfe the course of the world and especially the demeanour of the preachers howe they boasted them selues and set vp their authoritie and kingdome beholding also the pompe of the Prelates wyth other thynges moe whiche greatly misliked him In so muche that he vnderstoode not onely there to be no rowme in the Bishops house for hym to translate the new Testament but also that there was no place to do it in al England And therfore finding no place for his purpose within the realme Tindall departeth 〈◊〉 Germany and hauing some ayde and prouision by Gods prouidence ministred vnto hym by Humphrey Mummoth aboue recited as you may see before pag. 1076. and certain other good men hee tooke hys leaue of the realme departed into Germanie Where the good man being inflamed with a tender care and zeale of his countrey refused no trauell nor diligence howe by all meanes possible to reduce his brethren and couÌ„treymen of England to y e same tast and vnderstanding of Gods holy word and veritie which the Lord had endued him withal Whereupon he considering in his minde and partely
Taylor excusing himselfe at that present for other busines willed him to write his minde and to come againe at more leisure Lambert was contented and so departed Who wythin a while after when hee had written hys minde came againe vnto him The summe of his arguments were ten whych he comprehended in wryting approuing the truthe of the cause partly by the Scriptures and partly by good reason and by the Doctours The whyche arguments Lambertes argumentes although they came not all vnto our handes yet such menne as were present at those affairs reported thē to be of great force and authoritie And of a few which were borne away in memorie the firste reason was thys gathered vppon Christes wordes where it is sayde in the Gospell Thys cuppe is the newe Testament And if sayeth he these wordes do not chaunge neyther the Cup The wordes of consecration chaunge not the cup Ergo neyther do the wordes chaunge the bread corporallye into th◠body One bodye can not fill many places at once naturally neither the wine corporally into the newe Testament by like reason it is not agreeable that the woordes spoken of the bread should turne the bread corporally into the body of Christ. An other reason was thys that it is not agreeable vnto a natural body to be in two places or more at one time wherfore it must followe of necessity that either Christ had not a naturall body or els truely according to the common nature of a body it cānot be present in two places at once and much lesse in many that is to say in heauen in earth on the right hand of hys father and in the Sacrament Moreouer a naturall body can not be wythoute hys forme and shape conditions and accidents like as the accidents and cōditions also can not be without their subiect or substaunce Then for somuch as in the sacrament there is no qualitie quantitie or condition of the body of Christ and finally no apparaunce at all of fleshe The formes can not be without the subiect who doeth not plainely perceiue that there is no transubstantiate body of hys in the sacrament And to reason by the contrary al the proper conditions signes and accidents whatsoeuer they be pertaining vnto bread we do see to be present in the sacrament which can not be there wythout the subiect therfore we must of necessitie confesse the bread to be there Hee added also many other allegations oute of the Doctoures But to be short this Taylor the preacher whome I spake of before willing and desiring as is supposed of a good minde to satisfie Lambert in this matter amongest other whome he tooke to counsayle he also conferred with doct Barnes Which Barnes D. Barnes although he did otherwise fauor the Gospell and was an earnest preacher notwithstanding seemed not greatly to fauour this cause fearing peraduenture that it woulde breede some let or hinderaunce among the people to the preaching of the Gospell whiche was now in a good forwardnes if suche sacramentaries should be suffered He perswaded Taylor by and by to put vp the matter to Thomas Cranmer Bishop of Caunterbury And hereby may we see it truely verified which Wil. Tyndall before writing to Iohn Frith did note in Doct. Barnes saieng that D. Barnes will be whote against you c. pag. 154. Upon these originals Lamberts quarell first beganne and was brought vnto this point that through the sinister doing of many it began of a priuate talke to be a publicke and common matter For hee was sent for by the archbishop and brought into the open court and forced to defend his cause openly for the archbishop had not yet sauoured y e doctrine of the Sacrament Thomas Cranmer Archb. of Canterbury fauoured not yet the Sacrament whereof afterward hee was an earnest professour In that disputation it is sayd that Lābart did appeale from the Bishoppes to the kinges Maiestie But how soeuer the matter was the rumour of that disputation was by and by spread throughout the whole Court I told you before how that king Henry for two yeres past shewing the part of an hard husband had beheaded Queene Anne his wife Which deede did not onely greatly displease the Germaine Princes who for that onely cause had broken of the league with him an 1536. but also many other good men in England Moreouer how that within a while after Abbayes began to be subuerted and all theyr goodes to be confiscate and geuen abroad For which causes but especially for the late abolishing of the bishop of Rome the commons had conceiued a very euill opinion of him in so much as the sediciouse sorte rebelled agaynst him At that time Stephen Gardiner then Bishop of Winchester Steuen Gardiner byshop of Winchester was in authoritie amongst the kings Counsellers who as he was of a cruell nature so was hee no lesse of a subtile and crafty witte euer gapyng for some occasion how to let and hinder the Gospell albeit a long time hee was not so greatly esteemed with the king that hee coulde much preuayle to atchieue his conceaued purpose But at length vpon this matter aduising himselfe he thought he had apt occasion and oportunitie to accomplish hys desire The pernicious councell of the Bishop of winchester Neither did he forslacke the occasion ministred but wente straight vnto the kinge priuely admonishing him wyth faire flattering words geuing him most pernitious counsell declaring howe great hatred and suspition was raised vpon him almost in all places First for abolishing the Bishop of Romes authority then for subuersion of the monasteries and also for that the diuorcement of Queene Katherine was yet fresh in mens mindes and nowe the time serued if hee woulde take it easely to remedy all these matters and pacifie the myndes of them whiche were offended with him if onely in thys matter of Iohn Lambert he woulde manifest vnto y e people how stoutly he wold resist hereticks and by this new rumor he should bring to passe not onely to extinguish all other former rumors and as it were with one nail to driue out an other but also should discharge himselfe of all suspition in that he nowe began to be reported to be a fauourer of newe sectes and opinions The nobles and Byshops assembled to Lābertes disputation The king geuing eare more willingly then prudently or godly to this Cyrene immediately receiued the wicked counsaile of the Bishop and by and by sent out a generall Commission commanding all the nobles and Bishops of thys Realme to come with all speede to London to assiste the king against heretickes and heresies whych the kynge himselfe would sit in iudgement vpon These preparations made a day was set for Lambert where a great assembly of the nobles was gathered from all partes of the realme not without much wōder and expectation in this so straunge a case All the seates and places were full of men round about the
thereof Chrisost. in Psa. 30. hom 1. Item in the tyme of Chrysostome it appeareth there was no such assoyling at the Priests hands by these wordes where he sayeth I require thee not that thou shouldest coÌ„fesse thy sinnes to thy fellowe seruaunt Tell them vnto God who careth for them Chrysost. in hom de penit confessione Item the sayde Chrysostome in an other place wryting vpon repentance and confession Let the examination of thy sinnes and thy iudgement sayth he be secrete and close without witnesse Let God onely see and heare thy confession c. De penit dist 1· Petrus in Glosa Item in the time of Ambrose De poenit Dist. 1. Petrus the glose of the Popes owne decrees recordeth That the institution of Baptisme was not then begonne which nowe in oure dayes is in vse Item it is truely sayd therfore of the Glose in another place where he testifieth That this institution of penance began rather of some tradition of the vniuersall church De penit Dist. 5 in principio then of any authoritie of the new Testament or of the olde c. The lyke also testifieth Erasm. wryting vpon Hierome in these wordes Apparet tempore Hieronymi nondum institutam fuisse c. That is It appeareth that in the time of Hierome this secrete confession of sinnes was not yet ordained Erasm. in Schol. in Epitaphâ—um fabiolae whiche the church afterwarde did institute holesomely if our Priests and lay men woulde vse it rightly But heerein diuines not considering aduisedly what the olde doctours do say are much deceiued That which they say of general and open confession they wrast by and by to this priuie and secrete kinde of confession which is farre diuers and of an other sort c. The like testimony may also be taken of Gracian himselfe who speaking of confession vsed then in hys tyme leaueth the matter in doubtfull suspense neither pronouncinge on the one side nor on the other but referreth y e matter to the free iudgement of the Readers which the acte of these six Articles here enioyneth as necessary vnder paine of death Briefly in fewe woordes to searche out and notifie the very certaine time when this Article of eare confession first crept into the Church what antiquitie it hath in following the Iudgement of Ioannes Scotus and of Antoninus it may be well supposed that the institution thereof tooke his first origine by Pope Innocent the thirde in hys Councell of Laterane An. 1215. For so we reade in Ioannes Scotus Lib. 4. Sent. Dist. 17. Artic. 3. Praecipua autem specificatio huius praecepti inuenitur in illo cap. Extra de poenit remiss Omnis vtriusque sexus c. And after in the same Article it followeth Nam ex prima institutione Ecclesiae non videntur fuisse Distincti proprij sacerdotes Quando enim Apostoli hinc inde ibant praedicando verbum Dei c. By the which wordes it appeareth that there was no institution of any suche confession specified before the constitution of Innocentius the thirde But more plainly the same may appeare by the wordes of Antoninus in 3. parte Histor. Whyche be these Innocentius tertius in Concilio generali praedicto circa Sacramenta confessionis communionis sic statuit Omnis vtriusque sexus fidelis postquam ad annum discretionis peruenerit omnia peccata sua solus saltem semel in anno confiteatur proprio sacerdoti iniunctam sibi poenitentiam proprijs viribus studeat adimplere alioquâ— viuens ab ingressu Ecclesiae arceatur moriens Christiana careat sepultura Vnde hoc salutare statutum frequenter in Ecclesijs publicetur ne quisquam ignorantiae coecitate velamen excusationis assumat c. That is to say Pope Innocent the 3. in hys generall Councell aforesayde touching the Sacraments of confession and the communion made this constitution as followeth That euery faithfull person both man woman after they come to the yeares of discretion shall confesse all their sinnes by themselues alone at least once a yeare to their owne ordinarie priest and shall endeuour to fulfil by their owne strength their penance to them enioyned Or els who so doth not shall neither haue entraunce into the Churche being aliue nor being dead shall enioy Christian buriall Wherefore rhis wholesome constitution we wil to be published often in the Churches least any manne throughe the blindenesse of ignoraunce maye make to them selues a cloke of excuse c. And thus much hetherto we haue alledged by occasion incident of these sixe Articles for some part of confutation of the same referring the reader for the rest to the more exquisite tractation of Diuines whyche professedlye wryte vpon those matters In the meane time for asmuche as there is extante in Latin a certaine learned Epistle of Philippe Melancthon wrytten to king Henrye againste these vj. wicked Articles aboue specified I thought not to defraud the reader of the fruit therof for his better vnderstanding and instruction The tenour and effect of hys Epistle translated into English thus followeth The Copie of Melancthons Epistle sent to king Henry against the cruel Acte of the vj. Articles MOste famous and noble Prince there were certayne Emperours of Rome as Adrianus Pius and afterward the two brethren Uerus and Marcus which did receiue gently the Apologies and defences of the ChristiaÌ„s whych so preuailed with those moderate Princes that they swaged theyr wrath againstâ— the Christians and obtained mitigation of theyr cruell Decrees Euen so for asmuch as there is a Decrâ—e set foorth of late in your Realme agaynst that doctrine whyche we professe both godly and necessary for the Churche I beseeche your moste honourable Maiestie fauorably both to read consider this our complaint especially seeing I haue not onely for our owne cause but much rather for the common sauegarde of the Churche directed this my wryting vnto you For seyng those heathen Princes did bothe admitte and allowe the defences of the Christians howe much more is it beseeming for a king of Christian profession and such a one as is occupied in y e studies of holy histories to heare the complaints and admonitions of the godly in the Churche And so muche the more willingly I wryte vnto you for that you haue so fauorably heeretofore receiued my letters w t a singular declaration of your * * beneuoleÌ„ce towardes me This also giueth me some hope that you wil not vnwillingly read these things for asmuch as I see that the very phrase manner of wryting doth playnly declare not your selfe but onely the byshops to be the authors of those articles and decrees there set forth Albeit through theyr wily and subtile sophistications they haue induced you as it happened to manye other worthy princes besides you to condescend and assent vnto theÌ„ as the rulers perswaded Darius beyng otherwise a wise and a
thereof Peter and Paul wherof the one of thē dareth not freely vtter or speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by hymselfe for the obedience of the Gentiles The other exhorteth that if any man speake he should speake the praises of God but I condemne those lawes which the bishops of Rome haue made accordyng to their owne will and mynde and say that they are spirituall pertainyng vnto the soule and necessarie vnto euerlastyng lyfe For so much as the writyngs of the Apostles doe euidently declare that there was no authoritie knowen amongest them to make or ordayne any ordinaunces or lawes Furthermore the Scriptures do manifestly shewe the same how oftentimes euen by the Lordes owne mouth this foresayd authoritie is taken from the Ministers of the Church so that no excuse for them remayneth but that they be playne rebelles agaynst the worde of GOD how many so euer doe presume or take vppon them to appoint or set any new lawes vpon the people of GOD whiche thyng is more manifest and euident then the lyght it selfe in many places of the Scripture For in the 23. chapter of Iosue it is written you shall obserue and doe all that is written in the lawe of Moyses neyther shall you swarue from that eyther to the ryght hande eyther to the lefte hand But that which is written in the twelfth chapter of Deuteronomium ought to mooue them somewhat the more Whatsoeuer I commaund sayth the Lorde that you shall obserue and doe thereunto you shall adde nothing neyther shall you take any thyng from it The lyke he had sayd before in the fourth chapter of the same booke And agayne Moyses in the xxx chapiter of the same booke doth witnesse that he dyd put foorth lyfe and blessing vnto Israell when as he gaue them that lawe which he had receiued of the Lord. How can they then excuse themselues of periury which ordaine new lawes to liue by But let vs proceede further and see what authoritie the Priestes of Leuies stocke had to make lawes I doe not denye but that God in the xvij chapter of Deuteronomie ordayned vnder a great penaltie that the authoritie of the Priestes should not be contemned but had in reuerence But in the ij of Malachie He also declareth vnder what condition they are to be heard where as he sayth he hath made a couenaunt with Leuy that the law of truth should be in hys mouth and by and by after he added the lips of the Priest shall keepe and maintayne wisedome and the law they shall require at hys mouth which is the messenger of the Lord of hostes Therefore it is fitte and necessary that if a Priest will be heard that he doe shew himselfe the messenger of God that is to say faythfully to report and declare the commaundements which he hath receiued of the Lorde For where as Malachie speaketh of hearyng of them he putteth this specially that they doe aunswere accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde Therefore lyke as the Leuiticall Priestes did breake theyr couenaunt made with GOD if they do teache any other lawe then that which they had receyued of hym So likewyse these men muste eyther acknowledge themselues to be couenant breakers or els they may not bynde the consciences of men with no new lawe Furthermore what power the Prophetes had vniuersally it is very liuely described in Ezechiel in his xxxiij chapter Thou sonne of man sayth the Lord I haue made thee a guide vnto the house of Israel thou shalt heare the word out of myne owne mouth Ezechiel cap. 55. and declare it vnto them from me He then which is commaunded to heare of the mouth of the Lord is he not forbidden to rehearse or speake any thing of hymselfe For what other thyng is it to speake from the Lord but so to speake that he may boldly affirme and say that it is not his word but the word of the Lorde which he speaketh Further God by his Prophet Ieremy calleth it chaffe what so euer doth not proceede from hymselfe Wherefore none of the Prophetes haue opened theyr mouthes at any tyme to speake but beyng premonished before by the worde of GOD. Whereupon it happeneth that these wordes are so often pronounced by them The worde of the Lord The charge or burden of the Lord The vision of the Lord Thus sayth the Lord The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Now that we may also confirme that which is before spoken by the examples of the Apostles that they haue taught nothyng but that whiche they haue learned of the Lorde the law which Christ prescribed vnto them when as he endowed them with the dignitie and honour of the Apostleship is somewhat more profoundly to be repeated In the last chapiter of Mathew he commandeth them to go foorth and teach not such thyngs as they themselues did rashly inuent or deuise but those things which he had commaunded them Furthermore Paule in the second to the Collossians denieth that he hath any dominion or rule ouer the fayth of the Corinthians albeit he was ordayned by the Lorde to be their Apostle If you require and desire a further reason of the moderation of Saint Paule read the tenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romaines where as he teacheth That fayth commeth by hearyng it commeth not by the dreames of the Bishop of Rome or by any other Bishop but onely by the worde of God neyther ought any man to thinke it straunge that neyther Christ restrayned hys Apostles by the lawe that they should not teache any thyng but that which they had learned of the mouthe of the Lord. He set the same law vppon himselfe because it should not be lawfull for any man to refuse it My doctrine sayth Christ is not myne but hys which sent me my fathers he which hath bene the onely and eternall counseller of the father which also is ordayned by the Father the Lord and Maister ouer all for so much yet as he doth the office and part of a Minister he doth by hys example prescribe vnto all Ministers what rule and order they ought to followe in teachyng wherfore the power of the Church is not such that it may at hys owne wyll and discretion teach new doctrines eyther as they terme it frame new Articles of fayth either establish new laws but is subiect vnto the worde of the Lorde and as it were included in the same But now let vs beholde what defence they do bryng for their constitutions The Apostles say they and the Elders of the Primitiue Church established a decree besides the commandement of Christ wherby they did commaunde all people to abstayne from all things offered vnto Idols suffocation and bloud The Church subiect to the word of God Reasons wherewith they defēd their constitutions If that were lawfull for them so to doe why is it not lawfull for their successour as often as necessitie shall require to imitate
there is no mans hart but that consideryng the ingratitude of this world this belly cheere wherein you euen take me by the nose c. his eyes would tumble out great gushes of teares The Lord be praysed which worketh so in you for it is with me as with them of whō you complain In deed it may be so again but oh it is very vnlikely for my enmies are becom old are made by custom more then familiar for they are as it were conuerted into nature in mee Yet I am not grieued therefore although I cannot perswade my selfe that God will helpe mee O Lord be merciful vnto me for thy Christes sake This day I receiued the Lordes supper but how I haue welcomed him this night which I haue spent in lasciuiousnesse in wantonnes and in prodigalitie obeying my flesh and belly doth so declare that what to say or write any more I know not sleepe doth aggrauate myne eyes and to pray I am altogether vnapt All this is come through the occasion of makyng this bringer a Supper in my chamber the Lord pardon me I trust no more to be so far ouerseen But this I write not that the anger of god which I haue deserued so feareth me thou knowest it O Lord. But of this perchance too much For Gods sake praye for mee good Father Traues and write vnto mee as you maye by your weakenesse your letters do me good By this which I haue now writen you may consider more touche me therefore home in your letters and the Lord I trust shall and wil reward you If God lend me lyfe of which I am most vnworthy I will more trouble you with my letters thē I haue done but beare with me I do it not of any euill will the Lorde I take to iudge there is none whose company and talke I more desire then yours I speake it before God Prooue my Mothers mynd how she can beare it if when I shall come downe I shal shew my selfe an other man outwardly but alas fainedly then before I haue done Marrie when my commyng will be I know not In deede two thyngs mooue me sore the one for my mothers cause concernyng her better instruction if the Lord would thereto vse me his instrument the other is to talke with you and eftsoones to trouble you as I haue hetherto euer done but alwayes to my profite For Gods sake pray for me for I had neuer so much neede This Sonday at night followyng S. Andrewes day at Pembroke hall The most miserable hard harted vnthankfull sinner Iohn Bradford ¶ An other letter of M. Bradford to Sir Thomas Hall and Father Traues of Blakeley THe grace of God our most mercifull father kepe your mynd and soule in Christ Iesu who alone is our full sufficient Sauior for in hym we be complete being made through his death and one onely oblation made and offered by himselfe vppon the crosse the children of God fellow heyres with hym of the celestiall kingdome which is the free gift of God and commeth not of merites but of the meere grace of God geuen to none that putteth any maner of hope or trust in any other thyng visible or inuisible then in that oblation of sweete sauour which Christ himselfe did offer vpon good Friday as we call it which oblation is alway recent and new in the sight of God the father and maketh intercession for vs vs I mean which thinke that onely sacrifice then offered to be sufficient as it is hath bene and euer shall be for all the faythfull by the which sacrifice if we beleeue we haue free pardon of all our sinnes To him therfore which was both the offerer offering be all honour and prayse with the father and the holy ghost blessed for euer Amen Sir Thomas the occasion of this my long silence myne old friend Iohn Traues shal declare vnto you vpō the knowledge whereof I doubt not of your pardon I haue sent vnto you an English and a Latine Testament both in one print and volume the which though it be not so beautifull without as I could haue sent you yet no lesse beautifull within and more I thinke for your profite and better for your eyes your eyes I meane of the body For vndoubtedly it giueth light vnto the soule if she bee not dead Whereof take this for an argument a true proofe If your soule be not delited in it if your soule do not hunger for it I meane not the booke but the doctrine in the booke surely your soule is sore sicke for as the body abhorring meate is not well euen so must the soule bee for other meat hath she none Christ whom you must beleeue afore all men affirmeth this to bee true in the 4. of Math. Not onely in bread but in euery worde of God the soule doth lyue Marke well he sayth not one or two words as an Epistle or a Gospell but he sayth euery worde Take heed beleue Christ better then any man be he neuer so holy For he that is of God Ioh. 8. heareth the worde of God Will you haue a more plaine badge whether you are the elect child of God or no then this text Christ saith He that is of God heareth the worde of God but other word of God haue we none then in the Canon of the Bible and all things written therin are written for our learnyng sayth Paule whereby he prooueth seyng that it is a learnyng yea our lerning that we must learne it Therfore woe bee to all them which either perswade men that there is other doctrine of like authoritie or that disswade men from embrasing this word this word of God or that thinke this word especially the new Testament is not aboue all other to be loued to be red to be chewed This is the precious stone which in the Gospel Christ saith When a man hath found he selleth all that euer he hath and buyeth it Marke now how necessary and precious Christ maketh that which great learned men nay deuils but no mē thinke not necessary God helpe them Christ bade his Disciples sell their coates and buy a sword which is none other thyng then the word of God for so S. Paule calleth it the sword of the spirit Nay say our great learned men I lye they haue said so now they are ashamed fetch fire and burne it This I say Sir Thomas to the intent no vngodly hypocrite should perswade you or disswade you from reding the holy word of God the gospell of Iesus Christ. Follow you S. Paules lesson Attend readyng and the worde of God dwell in you How much plentifully sayth he and to what end To feede the flocke of Christ euen as much as in you is sayth Peter not once a yeare or once a quarter as a Strawbery but so much as in you is This worde of God trieth all doctrine for we ought to haue our conscience charged with nothyng as touching religion except
people in diuers places haue not cesed hitherto to preach and yet daily do that all they which hold or affirme the sayd glorious virgine to haue bene conceiued without originall sinne be heretiques and they which celebrate the seruice of the sayde her conception or do heare the sermons of them which do so affirme doe sinne grieuously also not contented herewith doe wryte and set foorth bookes moreouer mainteining their assertions to the great offence and ruine of godly mindes We therfore to preuent and wythstand such presumptuous and peruers assertions which haue risen and more heereafter may arise by suche opinions and preachings aforesaid in the mindes of the faithfull by the authority Apostolical do condemne and reproue the same and by the motion knowledge and authority aforesayd decree and ordeyne that the preachers of Gods word and all other persones of what state degree order or condition soeuer they be which shall presume to dare affirme or preach to the people these foresayde opinions and assertions to be true or shall reade holde or maintaine any suche bookes for true hauing before intelligence hereof shal incurre thereby the sentence of excommunication from whyche they shall not be absolued otherwise then by the bishop of Rome except onely in the time of death Thys Bull being dated the yere of our Lord. 1483. gaue no litle heart and encouragement to the gray Friers Franciscanes which defended the pure conception of the holy virgin against the blacke Dominicke friers with theyr confederates holding the contrary side By the vigour of which Bull the Gray order had got such a conquest of the Blacke garde of the Dominikes that the sayd Dominikes were compelled at length for a perpetuall memoriall of the triumph both to geue to the glorious virgine euery night an Antheme in praise of her Conception and also to subscribe vnto their doctrine In which doctrine these wyth diuers other poyntes bee conteined 1 That blessed Mary the virgine suffered the griefes and aduersities of this life Ex lod Clitoueo de puricate coÌ„ceptionis Lib. 2. not for any necessity inflicted for punishment of Originall sinne but onely because she would conforme her selfe to the imitation of Christ. 2 That the sayde virgin as she was not obliged to anye punishmente due for sinne Filthy absurdities in the Popes doctrine as neither was Christe her sonne so she had no neede of remission of sinnes but in steed thereof had the diuine preseruation of Gods helpe keeping her from all sinne which grace only she needed and also had it 3 Item that where the body of the virgin Mary was subiect to death and died this is to be vnderstand to come not for any penaltie due for sinne but either for imitation and coÌ„formitie vnto Christ How the virgin Mary was subiect to death after the friers opinions or els for the natural constitution of her body being elemental as were y e bodies of our first parents who if they had not tasted of the forbidden fruit should haue bene preserued from death not by nature but by grace strength of other fruits and meates in Paradise Which meates because Mary had not but did eate our coÌ„mon meates therfore she died and not for any necessitie of Originall sinne Clitouaeus lib. â— cap. 2. 4 The vniuersall proposition of S. Paule which sayth that the Scripture hath concluded all men vnder sinne is to be vnderstand thus as speaking of all them which be not exempted by the speciall priuiledge of God as is the blessed virgin Mary 5 If iustification be taken for reconciliation of him that was vnrighteous before and now is made righteous theÌ„ the blessed virgin is to be taken not for iustified by Christ but iust from her beginning by preseruation 6 If a sauiour be taken for him which saueth men fallen into perdition condemnation so is not Christ sauior of Mary but is her saueour only in this respect for susteining her from not falling into condemnation c. 7 Neither did the virgine Mary geue thankes to God nor ought so to doe for expiation of her sinnes but for her conseruation from case of sinning Good stuffe 8 Neither did she pray to God at any time for remission of her sinnes but onely for remission of other mens sinnes she praied many times and counted their sinnes for hers 9 If the blessed virgine had deceassed before the Passion of her sonne God would haue reposed her soule not in the place among the Patriarkes or among the iust but in the same most pleasaunt place of Paradise where Adam and Eue was before they transgressed These were the doting dreames and phantasies of the Franciscans of other papists commonly then holden in the schooles wrytten in their bookes preached in theyr sermons taught in churches * The gray friers had made a picture of Ioachim Anna kissing by the which kisse Anna waâ— conceiued with Mary Ex Rob. Lycid Minorita and set foorth in pictures So that the people was taught nothing els almost in the pulpits all this while but how the virgine Mary was coÌ„câ—iued immaculate and holy wythout Originall sinne and how they ought to call to her for helpe whome they wyth special termes do cal the way of mercy the mother of grace the louer of pietie the comforter of mankind the continuall intercessour for the saluation of the faithfull and an aduocate to the king her sonne which neuer ceasseth c. Verba Papae Sixti in Decret And althoughe the greatest number of the scholedoctours were of the contrary faction as Peter Lombardus Thom. Aquine Bernandus Bonauentura and other yet these new papists shifted of their obiections with friuolous distinctioÌ„s and blinde euasions as thus Petrus Lombardus Idolatry to the blessed virgin they sayd is not receiued nor holdeÌ„ in the schooles as touching thys article but is reiected Clitoueus lib. 2. cap. 15. Bernardus in Epist ad Lugdunens although hee seemeth to deny the conception of the blessed virgin to be voyd of Originall sinne Obiections popishly soluted saying that she could not be holy when shee was not and liued not to this they answere that all be it she was yet in essence not yet shee was holy in her conception and before her conception in the diuine presence of God which had chosen preelected her before the worlds to be the mother of the Lord. Againe where Bernard doeth argue that she was not without original sinne conceiued because she was not coÌ„ceiued by the holy Ghost to this they aunswere That the holy Ghost may worke two wayes in conception eyther without company of man and so was Christ only conceiued or els with company and help of man and thus was the blessed virgin conceiued Clit. lib. 2. cap. 14. Bonauentura say they was an holy father but hee spake then after the custome and maner of his time when as the solemnitie and puritie of this conception was not yet decreed nor receiued by
part agaynst his accusers that he at that time was rid out of trouble William Tyndall in hys booke aunswering that M. More addeth moreouer and testifieth that the Byshop of London would haue made the said Colet Deane of Paules an hereticke for translating the Pater noster in Englishe had not the Byshop of Caunterbury holpen the Deane But yet the malice of Fitziames the Byshop so ceased not who being thus repulsed by the Archbishop practised by an other trayne how to accuse hym vnto the king The occasion thus fel. It happened the same time that the king was in preparation of warre agaynst Fraunce Whereupon the Byshop with his coadiutors taking occasion vpon certaine wordes of Colet wherein he seemed to preferre peace before any kinde of warre Iniqua pax iustissimo bello praeferenda were it neuer so iust accused him therefore in their sermons and also before the Kyng Furthermore it so befell the same time y t vpon good friday D. Colet preaching before the king entreated of the victory of Christ exhorting all Christians to fight vnder y e standard of Christ against the deuill adding moreouer what an hard thing it was to fight vnder Christes banner and that all they which vpon priuate hatred or ambition tooke weapon against their enemy one christian to slay an other suche did not fight vnder the banner of Christ but rather of Satan therefore concluding his matter he exhorted that Christian men in theyr warres would followe Christ their Prince captayn in fighting against their enemies rather then the example of Iulius or Alexander c. The king hearing Colet thus to speake and fearing lest by hys words the hartes of his souldiours might be withdrawne from his warres which hee had then in hande Colet called before the kyng tooke hym aside and talked with him in secret conference in his garden walking Bish. Fitziames Bricot and StaÌ„dish who were his enemies thought now none other but that Collet must needs be committed to y e Tower wayted for his comming out But the king with great gentlenes intertayning D. Colet and bidding him familiarly to put on his cap in long curteous talk had with him in the garden much commended him for his learning integritie of lyfe agreeing with him in all poyntes D. Colet commended of the king but that onely he required him for that the rude souldiours shuld not rashly mistake that which he had said more playnly to explane hys words and minde in that behalfe which after he dyd and so after long communication and great promisâ—s the king dismissed Colet with these wordes saying let euery man haue his Doctour as him liketh this shall be my Doctour and so departed Wherby none of his aduersaries durst euer trouble him after that time The foundation of the schoole of Paules Among many other memorable actes left behind him he erected a worthy foundation of the schoole of Paules I pray God the fruites of the schoole may answere y e foundation for the cherishing vp of youth in good letters prouiding a sufficient stipende as well for the maister as for the Husher whome he willed rather to be appoynted out of the number of maryed men then of single priestes with their suspected chastitie The first moderator of this schoole was Guliel Lilius Gulielm Lilius Ex epist. Eras. ad Iod. Ionam Guliel Grocinus Guliel Latimerus The iudgemeÌ„t of Greocinus vpon Hierachia ecclesiast Dionisii Areopag a man no lesse notable for hys learnyng then was Colet for his foundation Ex. Epist. Erasm. ad Iodoc Ionam This Colet died the yeare of our Lord 1519. Not long before the death of this Colet and Lily lyued Gulielmus Grocinus and Gulielmus Latimerus both English men also and famously learned This Grocinus as he began to read in his opeÌ„ lecture in y e church of S. Paul the booke of Dyonisius Areopagita commonly called Hierarchia Ecclesiastica for the reading of the holy scriptures in Paules was not in vre in the first entry of his preface he cryed out with great vehemency agaynst them who soeuer they were whiche eyther denyed or stoode in doubt of the authoritie of that booke in the number of whome hee noted Laurence Valla diuers other of like approued iudgement and learning But afterward the same Grocine when he had continued a few weekes in hys reading thereof and did consider further in him he vtterly altered and recanted his former sentence protesting openly that the forenamed booke to his iudgement was neuer written by that authour whom we reade in the actes of the Apostles to be called Dyonisius Areopagita Ex. Eras. ad Parisiens Dionisius Areopag The tractation of these two couples aboue rehearsed doe occasion me to adioyne also the remembraunce of an other couple of like learned men The names of whom not vnworthy to be remembred were Thomas Linacre and Richard Pace which two followed much vpon the tyme of Colet Thomas Linacre Richarde Pace and of Wil. Lily But of Richard Pace whiche was Deane next after the foresayd Iohn Colet more conuenient place shall serue vs hereafter to speake comming to the story of Cardinall Wolsey Moreouer to these two I thought it not out of season to couple also some mention of Geffrey Chaucer and Iohn Gower Geffrey Chaucer Iohn Gower Which although being much discrepant froÌ„ these in course of yeres yet may seeme not vnworthy to be matched with these forenamed persons in commendation of their study and learning Albeit concerning the full certainty of the tyme and death of these two we cannot find yet it appeareth in the prologe of Gowers work intituled confessio Amantis that he finished it in the 16. yeare of K. Rich. the second And in the end of the viij booke of hys sayde treatise he declareth that he was both sicke and old when he wrote it wherby it may appeare that he liued not long after Notwithstanding by certayne verses of the sayde maister Gower placed in y e latter end of Chaucers works both in Latine and Englishe it may seeme that he was aliue at the beginning of the raigne of king Henry the iiij and also by a booke which he wrote to the same K. Henry By his sepulture within a Chappell of the Churche of S. Mary Oueries The bookes 〈◊〉 Iohn Gower whiche was then a monastery where he his wife lye buried it appeareth by hys cheyn his garlaÌ„d of Laurell that he was both a knight and florishing than in poetry In the which place of his sepulture were made in hys grauestone 3. books the first bearing the tytle Speculum meditantis The second Vox Clamantis The thyrd CoÌ„fessio amantis Besides these diuers Chronicles and other workes moe he compiled Likewise as touching the tyme of Chaucer by hys owne works in the end of hys first booke of Troylus and Crâ—scide it is manifest that he and Gower were bothe of one tyme
them their office The aunswere of Luther to the place of S. Iohn Pasce Oues meas doeth teache what is to feede and what he ought to be that feedeth After thys Eckius came to the authoritie of the Councell of Constance alleging this amongst other articles De necessitate salutis est credere Rom. pontificem Occumenicum esse That is that it standeth vpon necessitie of our saluation to beleeue the Bishop of Rome to bee supreme heade of the Churche The authoritie of the councell of Constance alleging moreouer that in the same Councell was debated and discussed that the general Councel could not erre Whereunto Martin Luther againe did answere discreetly saying that al the articles which Iohn Hus dyd holde in that Councell were not condemned for hereticall with much other matter more Againe of what authoritie that Councel of Constance is to be estemed that he leaft to other mens iudgemeÌ„ts This is most certain said he that no Councell hath such authoritie to make newe articles of faith Here M. Luther began to be cryed out of by Eckius and his complices for diminishing y e authority of generall Councels Although in deede he meane nothing lesse but euer labored to confirme the authority of the same yet was he called hereticke schismaticke and one of the Bohemes faction with many other termes moe of reprochful contumely Eckius then graunted the authoritie of the Apostles to be equal yet not to folow therby the authoritie of all Byshops therefore to be equall For betwene Apostleship and ministerie sayd he there is great difference To conclude Eckius in no case coulde abide that anye creature shoulde decline from any worde or sentence of the Popes decrees or the coÌ„stitutions of the forefathers To this againe Luther answeared grounding him selfe vpon the place ad Gal. 2. where S. Paule speaking of the principall Apostles Gala. 2. sayeth And of them which seemed to be great what they were before it maketh no matter to mee for God accepteth no mans person neuerthelesse they that were of some reputation dyd auayle nothing at all c. Eckius to this said that as touching the authoritie of the Apostles Here is good doctrine of Eckius I trowe they were all chosen of Christ but were ordeyned Bishops of Saint Peter And whereas Luther brought in the constitution of the decree which sayeth Ne Romanus pontifex vniuersalis Episcopus nominetur c. Yea let not the Bishop also of Rome bee called vniuersal Bishop c. To this Eckius aunsweared on this sort that the Bishop of Rome ought not to be called vniuersal Bishop yet he may be called sayd he Byshop of the vniuersall church And thus much touching the question of the Popes supremacie From this matter they entred nexte to Purgatorie wherein Eckius kept no order The question of Purgatorie For wheÌ„ they should haue disputed what power the Pope hath in Purgatorie Eckius turneth the scope of the question and prooueth that there is Purgatorie allegeth for him the place of Machab Luther leaning vpon the iudgement of Hierom affirmeth the booke of Machabees not to be Canonical 2. Mach. 12. Eckius againe replyeth the booke of Machabees to be of no lesse authoritie then the Gospels Also he alleged the place 1. Corinth 3. 1. Corint 3. Hee shall bee saued yet so as it were by fyre Moreouer he inferred the place of Math. 5. Agree thou with thine aduersary while thou art in the way with him Math. 5. least he commit thee into prison from whence thou shalt not escape tyll thou hast payed the vttermost farthing Psal. 65. c. To this he added also the place of the Psalmes We haue passed through the fire and water The question of Indulgences c. Howe these places be wrasted to purgatory let the reader discerne and iudge Then was inferred the question of indulgences wherof Eckius seemed to make but a toy a matter of nothing and so passed it ouer The question of Penaunce At last they came to the question of penance touching which matter the reasons of Eckius digressed much from the purpose which went about to proue that there be some maner of paynes of satisfaction whiche thing Luther dyd neuer deny But that for euery particuler offence such particuler penaunce is exacted of Gods iustice vpon the repeÌ„tant sinner as is in mans power to remitte or lâ—lease as pleaseth him such penance neither Luther nor anye other true Christian did admit And thus haue ye the chiefe effect of this disputation betweene Luther and Eckius at Lypsia When Vldericus Zuinglius came to Tigurie Which was in the month of Iuly an 151â— About the beginning of the same yeare 151â— Uldericke Zuinglius came first to Zuricke and there began to teach Who in the 16. article in his booke of articles recordeth that Luther and both at one time one not knowing nor hearing of an other began to write against the popes pardons and indulgences Albeit if the time be rightly counted I suppose we shall finde that Luther began a yeare or two before Zuinglius Luther and Zuinglus began both at one tyme to write against the Pope Notwithstanding this doth Sledan testifie that in this present yeare when Sampson a Franciscan came with the popes pardons to Zurick Uldericke Zuinglius did withstand him and declared hys chaffer and pardons to be but a vayne seducing of the people to inueagle away their money Ex Sled Lib. 1. The next yeare ensuing Luthers bookes condemned at Louen and Colen Pope Leos Bull against Luther which was 1250. the Fryers and Doctours of Louane and also of Colen condemned y e bookes of Luther as hereticall Agaynst whom Luther agayne effectuously defended himselfe and charged them with obstinate violence and malicious impiety After this within fewe dayes flasheth out from Rome the thunderbolt of pope Leo against the said Luther notwithstanding he so humbly and obediently before had reuerenced both the person of the pope and agnised the authoritie of his see and also had dedicated vnto him Lutherus de libertate Christiana and bookes intituled De Christiana libertate that is of Christian libertye In which booke these two poyntes principally hee discusseth and prooueth 1 That a Christen man is free and Lorde of all thinges and subiect to none 2 That a Christen man is a dilligent vnderling and seruaunt of all men and to euery man subiect Moreouer in the same yeare he set out a defence of all his articles which the popes Bull had before condemned An other book also he wrote to the nobilitie of Germanie Lutherus ad Nobilitatem Germaniae Three wall or bulwarkes of the papistes in the which booke he impugneth and shaketh y e three principall walles of the papistes the first whereof is this 1 Where as y e papistes say that no temporal or prophane magistrate hath any power vpon the spiritualtie but
all meanes do prouide how to stop the course of the word and because they see themselues too weake to bring theyr purpose about they flie to the ayde of Kings and Princes For the necessary remedie whereof if they shall thinke good to ioyne their consent there shall nothing be lacking in their behalfe what they are able eyther in counsayle or goodes to do in the matter declaring moreouer that this should haue bene seene too long before Which being so they praied and desired them to accept in good parte and diligently to expend this that they did write As for theyr owne parte they required nothing else more then peace both betweene them and all men Neither was it euer their intent to stirre any thing that should be preiudiciall against their league and bande agreed vpon betweene them But in this cause which concerneth their eternall saluation they can do no otherwise but as they haue done vnlesse their errour by learning might be proued and declared vnto them Wherefore as they did before so now they desire againe that if they thinke this their doctrine to be repugnant to the holy Scripture The Tygurines will be iudged by the scriptures they will gently shew and teach them their errour and that before the end of the moneth of May next ensuing for so long they will abide wayting for an aunswere as wel from them as from the Bishop of Constance and also from the Uniuersitie of Basill And thus much conteineth the aunswere of the Tigurines vnto the letter of their other colleagues of Heluetia In the meane time as this passed on and the moneth of May aboue mentioned was now come The B. of Constance aunswereth the Tygurines by wryting the Byshop of Constance with the aduise of his Councell about him did aunswere the Tigurines as he was requested of them to do in a certaine booke first written and afterward printed wherin he declareth what Images and pictures those were which the prophane Iewes and Gentiles in the old time did adore and what Images be these which the Churche hath from time to time receaued and admitted and what difference there is betweene those Idols of the Iewes Gentiles and these Images of the Christians A Popishe distinction betweene the Images of the Gentiles and Images of of the Christians Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 4. The conclusion hereof was this that where as the Scripture speaketh against Images and willeth them not to be suffered that is to be vnderstand of such Images and Idols as the Iewes and Idolatrous Gentiles did vse yet neuerthelesse such Images pictures which the Church hath receaued are to be vsed and reteined From this he entreth next into the discourse of the Masse where he proueth by diuers and sondry testimonies both of the Popes Canons and Councels the Masse to be a sacrifice and oblation This booke being thus compiled and wrytten hee sent it vnto the senate of Zuricke about the beginning of Iune willing and exhorting them by no manner of meanes The booke of the Byshop of Constance written to the Senate of Zuricke in defence of the Masse and Images The aunwere of the Tigurines to the Byshops booke to suffer their images or the masse to be abrogated and shortly after he published the said booke in Print sent it to the Priests and Canons of the Minster of Zuricke requiring them to folow the custome of the Church receaued and not to suffer themselues otherwise to be persuaded by any mā The Senate againe answering to the Bishops booke about the middle of August did write vnto him first declaring that they had read ouer ouer againe his booke with all diligence The which booke for somuch as the Byshop had diuulged abroad in printe they were therof right glad because the whole world thereby might iudge betwene thē the better After thys they explaned vnto hym the iudgement and doctrine of their ministers and preachers and finally by the authoritie testimonies of the Scripture conuinced his opinion and prooued the doctrine of his booke to be false But before they sent their answer to him about the 13. day of Iune they commanded al the images as wel within the Citie as throughe their dominion to be taken downe and burned quietly and without any tumult Images abolished within all the dominiō of Zuricke A few monethes after an order was taken in the sayde Citie of Zuricke betweene the Canons of the churche and citie for disposing the landes and possessions of the Colledge It would grow to a long discourse to comprehend all things by order of circumstance Certaine Pages or townes of the Suitzers complayne against the Tigurines that happened amōg the Heluetians vpō this new alteration of religion but briefly to contract and to runne ouer the chief specialties of the matter heere is first to be noted that of the Heluetians which were confederate together in 13. Pages chiefly sixe there were which most disdained and maligned thys religion of the Tigurines to witte Lucernates Urani Suitenses Unterualdij Tugiani Friburgenses These in no case could be recōciled False matter of accusation laide against the Tigurines by the other Pages The rest shewed thēselues more fauourable But the other which were their ennemies conceiued great grudge raised many sclaunderous reportes and false rumours against them and laide diuers thinges to their charge as first for refusing to ioyn theyr consent to the publique league of the other Pages with Frances the french king then for dissenting from them in religion and thirdly for refusing to stand to the Popish decree made the yeare before at Ratisborne by Ferdinandus and other bishops aboue mentioned pag. 838. They layd moreouer to their accusation for aiding the Uualsutenses theyr neyghbors against Ferdinandus their Prince which was false Also for ioyning league secretly with other Cities wythout their knowledge which was likewise false Item that they should intende some secrete conspiracie against them and inuade them with warre which was as vntrue as the rest What slaūnderous tongues can doe Many other quarels besides they pretended againste the Tigurines which were all false and cauilling sclaunders as that they should teach and preache that Mary the mother of Christ had mo sonnes that Iames the younger the Apostle did die for vs and not Christe hymselfe Against these and such other vntruthes being meere matters of cauillation and sclaunder The Tigurines aunswer againe to the complaint of the Pages the Tigurines did fully and amply purge and acquite themselues by wryting and did expostulate vehemently with them not onely for these false and wrongfull suspitions of theyr partes vndeserued but also for other manifolde iniuries receiued and borne at theyr handes among which other wrongs and iniuries thys was one that the Burghmaster of Turegia had apprehended a certaine preacher Iohn Oxlinus a preacher apprehended for religion named Ioannes Oxlinus and led him home as prisoner vnto his house
pleasure I must disburse money to pay for thē or els I cannot haue them so I will assure you to haue euery booke of them that is printed vnsolde The Bishop thinking he had God by the toe sayd do your diligence gētle Maister Packington get thē for me I wil pay whatsoeuer they cost Augustine Packington the Byshop of Londons marchaunt for I entend to burne destroy them all at Paules Crosse. This Augustine Packington went vnto William Tyndall and declared the whole matter and so vppon compact made betweene them the Bishop of London had the bookes Packington had the thankes Tindall had the money After this Tindall corrected the same new Testaments agayn and caused them to be newly imprinted so that they came thicke and threefolde ouer into England When the Bishop perceaued that hee sent for Packington and sayde to him how commeth this y t there are so many new Testamentes abroad you promised me that you would buy them all Then aunswered Packington surely I bought all that was to be had but I perceiue the haue printed more since I see it will neuer be better so long as they haue letters and stamps wherfore you were best to buy the stamps too so you shal be sure At whiche aunswere the Bishop smiled and so the matter ended In short space after it fortuned y t George Constantine was apprehended by syr Thomas More George Constantine which was then Chauncellour of England suspected of certayne heresies during the time that hee was in the custodye of M. More After diuers communications amongest other thinges M. More asked of hym saying Cōstantine I would haue thee playne with me in one thing that I will aske and I promise thee I will shew thee fauour in all other thyngs wherof thou art accused There is beyond the Sea Tyndall Ioye and a great meany of you I knowe they can not liue w tout helpe There are some that help and succour them with money and thou beyng one of them haddest thy part therof and therfore knowest from whence it came I pray thee tell me who be they that helpe them thus My Lord quoth Constantine I will tell you truely it is the Bishop of London that hath holpen vs for he hath bestowed among vs a great deale of mony vppon new Testamentes to burne them and that hath bene and yet is our only succour and comfort Now by my truth quoth More I thinke euen the same for so much I told the Bishop before he went about it Of this Georg Constantine moreouer it is reported by Syr Tho. More that he being taken and in holde Out of Mores preface agaynst Tyndall seemed wel content to renounce hys former doctrine not onely to disclose certayne other of hys fellowes but also studyed deuised how those books which he himselfe and other of his fellowes had brought and shipped might come to the Bishops hands to be burned and shewed to the foresayd Syr Tho. More Chauncellour the shipmans name that had them and the markes of the fardels George Constantine a discloser of his fellowes by the whiche the bookes afterward were taken burned Besides this hee is reported also to haue disclosed diuers of his companiōs of whome some were abiured after some had abiured before as Rich. Necton who was committed to Newgate vpon the same and is thought there to haue dyed in prison or els had not escaped theyr handes but should haue suffered burning if the reporte of M. More be to be credited More in hys preface agaynst Tindall Notwithstanding the same Constantine afterward by the helpe of some of hys frendes George Constantine a troubler of Ferrat Bishop of S. Dauids escaped out of prison ouer the seas and after that in the time of king Edward was one of them that troubled the good Bishop of S. Dauids which after in Queene Maryes tyme was Burned But of Constantine enough Mention was made in the leafe before pag. 1040. how the Byshops had procured of the king a proclamation to be set forth in the yeare of our Lorde 990. for the abolishing of diuers bookes aforenamed and also for y e withstanding of al such as taught or preached any thing agaynst the dignitie and ordinaunces of the Church of Rome Upon this proclamation insued great persecution and trouble against y e poore innocēt flock of Christ as here following you may see with the sayd proclamation also prefixed before y e same the tenour whereof is this * A proclamation for resisting and withstanding of most damnable heresies sowen within this realme by the disciples of Luther and other heretikes peruerters of Christes religion THe king our soueraigne Lord of his most vertuous and gratious disposition This proclamation was made throughout all England the yeare of our Lorde 1519. and the 21. yeare of K. Henry 8. considering that this noble realme of England hath of long tyme continued in the true Catholicke fayth of Christes religion and that his noble progenitours kinges of thys hys sayd realme haue before thys tyme made and enacted many deuout lawes statutes and ordinaunces for the mayntenaunce and defence of the sayde fayth agaynst the malicious and wicked sectes of heretickes and Lollardes who by peruersion of holye Scripture do induce the erroneous opinions sow sedition amōg Christen people and finally disturbe the peace and tranquillitie of Christē realmes as late happened in some parties of Germany where by the procurement and sedition of Martin Luther and other heretickes wer slayn an infinite number of Christen people cōsidering also that as well by the corruption malice of indiscrete preachers sautors of the sayd erroneous sects as by certayn hereticall and blasphemous bookes lately made and priuily sent into this realme by the disciples fautors adherents of the sayd Martin Luther other heretickes the kings subiects are like to be corrupted vnlesse his highnes as the defēsor of the faith do put to his most gracious helpe authoritie royal to the due speedy reformation thereof his highnes therfore lyke a most gracious Prince of his blessed vertuous disposition for the incomparable zeale which he hath to Christes religion faith for the singular loue affection that he beareth to all his good subiects of this his realme specially to the saluation of their soules according to his office duetye in that behalfe willeth and intendeth to prouide with all cōuenient expedition that this his noble realme may be preserued frō the said pestiferous cursed seditious errours And for as much as his highnes is credibly informed that some of the said errours be already sowen spread within this his realme partly by the corruption of indiscreete preachers partlye by erroneous bookes compiled printed written as well in the English tongue as in latine other languages repleat with most venemous heresies blasphemies slaunders intollerable to the cleane eares of any good
foorth his fruite so did it appeare by thys man Antichristians are those which are against Christ. For he daily seeing the glorye of God to be so blasphemed idolatrous religion so embraced and maintained that most false vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome so extolled was so greeued in conscience and troubled in his spirite that he could not be quiet till he did vtter his minde therein Wherefore dealing priuately with certaine of his frendes he did plainely open and disclose howe blasphemously and abhominably God was dishonoured his worde contemned and hys people whom he so dearely bought were by blinde guides caried headlong to euerlasting damnation and therefore hee coulde no longer endure but muste needes and would vtter theyr abhominations and for his owne parte for the testimonie of his conscience and for the defence of Gods true religion The godly zeale of Tho. Benet would yeelde hymself moste patiently as neare as God woulde geue him grace to die and to shedde hys bloude therein alleaging that his death shoulde be more profitable to the Churche of God and for the edifying of his people then his life shuld be To whose perswasions when hys friendes had yeelded they promysed to pray to God for hym that hee myght be strong in the cause and continue a faithfull souldiour to the ende Which done he gaue order for the bestowing of such bookes as he had and very shortlye after in the moneth of October hee wrote his minde in certaine scrolles of Paper whyche in secreate maner he set vp vpon the doores of the Cathedrall churche of the Citie in which was wrytten The Pope is Antichrist and we ought to worshippe God onely The Pope is Antichrist and no Saintes These bils being found there was no smal adde and no litle search made for the inquiry of the heretike that should set vp these bils Benet setteth vp billes against the Pope and the Maior his officers were not so busie to make searches to find this heretike but the bishop and all his doctors were as hote as coales enkindled as though they had bene stong w t a sort of waspes Wherefore to kepe y e people in their former blindnes order was taken that the doctors should in hast vp to the pulpit euery day and confute this heresie Neuerthelesse this Thom. Benet keping his own doings in secret went the sonday folowing to the cathedral church to the Sermon and by chaunce sate downe by 2. men which were the busiest in al the city in seking searching for this heretike and they beholding this Benet sayd the one to the other Surely thys fellowe by all likelyhoode is the heretike that hath set vp the billes and it is good to examine him Benet almost tak◠in the church Neuertheles whē they had wel behelde him and saw the quiet and sober behauiour of the man his attentiuenes to the preacher his godlinesse in the Church being alwayes occupied in hys Booke which was a Testament in the Latine tongue were astonied and had no power to speake vnto him The storyes a little vary touching the taking of Benet but departed left hym reading in his booke As touching this poynte of Benets behauior in the Church I finde the reportes of some other a litle to vary and yet not much contrary one to the other For in receiuing the letters and wrytings of a certain minister whych at the same time was present at the doynge hereof in Exeter thus I finde moreouer added concerning the behauiour of this Thomas Benet in the Church At that time sayth he as I remember doct Moreman Crispin Caseley wyth suche other bare the swinge there Beside these were there also preachers there Doctors friers in Exeter one Doctour Bascauild an vnlerned doctor God knoweth and one D. Dauid as wel learned as he both Gray friers and doctor I know not who a Blacke frier not much inferiour vnto them Gregory Bassed Fryer of Exeter Moreouer there was one Bacheler of Diuinitie a Gray frier named Gregory Bassed in deede learned more then they all but as blinde and superstitious as he whych was most Whych Gregorie not long before was reuolted from the way of righteousnes to the way of Beliall for in Bristowe sayth the author he lay in prison long almost famished for hauing a booke of M. Luther called his questions which he a long time priuily had studied for teaching of youth a certaine Cathechisme To be shorte the braines of the Canons and Priests the officers and commons of that Citie were very earnestly busied howe or by what meanes suche an enormious heretique whyche had pricked vp those billes might be espied and knowen but it was long first At last the Priestes founde out a toye to curse him what soeuer he were with booke bel and candle which curse at that day seemed most fearefull and terrible The maner of the curse was after this sort One of the Priestes apparelled all in white ascended vp into the pulpit The priestes curse they cannot tell whom The other rabblement wyth certaine of the two orders of Friers and certaine superstitious Monks of S. Nicholas house standing round about and the Crosse as the custome was being holdē vp with holy candles of waxe fixed to the same he began his sermon w t this Theame of Iosue Est blasphemia in Castris There is blasphemie in the armie and so made a long protestation but not so long as tedious and superstitious and so concluded that that foule and abominable heretike which had put vp such blasphemous billes was for that his blasphemie damnably accursed and besought God our Lady S. Peter Patrone of that church with all the holy companie of martyrs confessors and virgines that it might be knowen what hereticke had put vp such blasphemous billes that Gods people might auoide the vengeance The maner of the cursing of the sayd Benet was maruelous to beholde for as muche as at that time there was fewe or none The manner of the popes blacke curse with booke bell and candle vnlesse a Sherman or two whose houses I well remember were searched for billes at that time and for bookes that knew any thing of Gods matters or how God doeth blesse theyr curses in such cases Then sayde the Prelate by the authoritie of God the father almighty and of the blessed virgin Mary of S. Peter and Paule and of the holy Saints we excommunicate we vtterly curse and banne commit and deliuer to the deuill of hell him or her what soeuer he or shee be that haue in spite of God and of S. Peter whose church this is in spite of all holy saintes and in spite of our most holy father the Pope Gods vicare heere in earth Here is colde charitye and in spite of the reuerend father in God Iohn our Diocesane and the worshipfull Canons Maisters and Priestes and Clarkes which serue God daily in this Cathedrall Church
redresse reforme order correct restraine and amend all suche errours abuses offences contemptes enormities whatsoeuer they be which by any maner of spirituall authoritie or iurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of almighty God the encrease of vertue in Christes religiō and for the conseruation of y e peace vnitie and tranquility of this realme any vsage custome forreine lawes forreine authoritie prescription or any thing or things to the contrary heereof notwithstanding The Kings Proclamation for the abolishing of the vsurped power of the Pope The kinges proclamatiō against the Pope TRustie and welbeloued we greete you well and where as not onely vpon good and iust and vertuous groundes and respects edified vpon the lawes of holy Scripture by due consultation deliberation aduisement and consent as well of all other our nobles and commons temporall as also spirituall assembled in our high Court of Parliament and by authoritie of the same we haue by good and wholesome lawes and statutes made for thys purpose extirped abolished separated and secluded out of this our Realme the abuses of the Byshop of Rome his authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vsurped as well vpon vs and our Realme as vpon all other Kings and Princes and their Realmes lyke as they themselues haue confessed and affirmed but also for as much as our sayde Nobles and Commons both spirituall and temporall assembled in our high Court of Parliament The stile of supreame head annexed to the crowne of England haue vpon good lawfull and vertuous groundes and for the publicke weale of this our Realme by one whole assent graunted annexed knit and vnited to the Crowne Imperiall of the same the title dignitie and style of supreme head or gouernour in earth immediately vnder God of the Church of England as we be and vndoubtedly haue hetherto bene which title and style both the Byshops and Cleargie of this our Realme haue not only in conuocation assembled consented recognised and approoued lawfully and iustly to apperteyne vnto vs but also by word othe profession and writing vnder their signes and seales haue confessed ratified corroborated and confirmed the same vtterly renouncing all other othes and obedience to any other foreyne Potentates and all foreine iurisdictions and powers as well of the sayd Byshop of Rome as of all other whatsoeuer they be as by their sayd professions and writings corroborated with the subscription of their names and apension of their seales more playnely appeareth We let you witte that calling to our remembrance the power charge and commission geuen vnto vs of Almighty God and vpon a vehement loue and affection toward our louing and faithfull subiectes perceiuing right well what greate rest quietnes and tranquilitie of conscience and manyfold other commodities might insurge and arise vnto them if that the sayde Byshops and other of the Cleargy of this our Realme should set foorth declare and preach to them the true and sincere worde of God and without all maner colour dissimulation and hypocrisie manifest and publish the great and innumerable enormities and abuses which the sayde Byshop of Rome as well in the title and style as also in authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vnlawfully and vniustly hath vsurped vpon vs and our progenitours and also other Christen Princes haue therefore adressed our letters vnto the Byshop of the dioces straightly charging and commaunding him in the same that not onely he in his owne proper person shall declare teach and preach vnto the people forthwith vpon the receat of our sayd letters vnto him directed euery Sonday and other high feastes through the yeare the true meere and sincere word of God and that the same title stile and iurisdiction of supreme head apperteineth only to our Crowne and dignitie Royall likewise as the sayd Byshop and all other the Byshops of our Realme haue by othe affirmed and confirmed by subscription of their names and setting to their seales but also geue warning monition and charge to al maner Abbots Priours Deanes Archdeacons Prouosts Parsons Vicares Curates and all other Ecclesiasticall persons within his sayd diocesse as well to teache preach publish and declare in all maner Churches our foresayde iust title style and iurisdiction euery Sonday and high feast thorough the yeare and further to monish and commaund all other Scholemaysters within his sayd diocesse to instruct and teach the same vnto the children committed vnto them as also to cause all maner prayers orizons rubrickes Canons of Masse bookes and all other bookes in the Churches wherein the sayde Byshop of Rome is named or his presumptuous and proud pompe and authoritie preferred vtterly to be abolished eradicate and rased out and his name and memory to be neuer more except to hys contumely and reproch remembred but perpetually suppressed and obscured and finally to desist and leaue out all such Articles as be in the generall sentence The Popes name and memorye abolished which is vsually accustomed to be read four times in the yeare and do tende to the glory and aduancemēt of the Bishop of Rome his name title and iurisdiction Whereupon we esteeming and reputing you to be of such singular and vehement zeale and affection toward the glory of Almighty God and of so faythfull louing and obedient harte towards vs as ye will not only do and accomplish with all power wisedome diligence and labour whatsoeuer should or might be to the preferment and setting forwarde of Gods worde but also practise studie and endeuour your selfe with all your pollicie wit power and good will to amplifie defend and mayntayne all such interest right title stile iurisdiction and authoritie as is in any wise apertaining vnto vs our dignity prerogatiue crowne imperiall of this our Realme haue thought good expediēt not only to signifie vnto you by these our letters the particularities of the charge monition and commaundement geuen by vs vnto the sayd Byshop as before is specified but also to require and straightly charge and commaund you vpon payne of your allegeance and as ye shall auoyde our high indignation and displeasure at your vttermost perill laieng apart all vayne affections respects or other carnall considerations and setting onely before your eyes the mirror of truth the glory of God the dignitie of your soueraigne Lord and King and the great concord and vnitie and inestimable profite and vtilitie that shal by the due execution of the premisses insue to your selfe and all other faithfull and louing subiectes ye make or cause to be made diligent searche and waite and especially in euery place of youre shirewicke whether the said Bishop do truly sincerely and without all maner cloke colour or dissimulation execute and accomplishe our will and commaundement as is aforesaid And in case ye shall heare perceiue and approuably vnderstand and know that the said Bishop or any other ecclesiasticall person within his dioces do omit and
for a coÌ„clusion vndoubted do affirme approue pronounce that y e Byshop of Rome hath no more state authoritie and iurisdiction geuen him of God in the scriptures ouer this Realme of EnglaÌ„d The byshop of Rome hath no more state in England then hath any other foreine byshop then any other externe Byshop hath And in testimony and credence of this our aunswere and affirmation we haue caused our common seale to be put to these our foresaid letters accordingly At Cambridge in our Regent house an Domi. 1534. ¶ Steph. Wint. De Vera Obedientia YOu haue heard before of Stephen Gardiner of Lee of Tonstal of Stokesley how of their voluntary mind they made their profession to the king euery one seuerally Steph. Wint. against the mariage of the king with his brothers wife in his booke De vera obedientia taking and accepting a corporall othe vtterly and for euer to renounce and reiect the vsurped superioritie of the Byshop of Rome Now for a further testimonie and declaration of their iudgementes and opinions whiche then they were of following the force both of truth and of time then present ye shall heare ouer and beside their othes what the foresayd Byshops in their owne Bookes Prologues and Sermons do write and publishe abroade in Printe touching the sayd cause of the Popes supremacie And first God willing to begin with Stephen Gardiners booke De vera Obedientia we will briefly note out a few of his owne words wherein with great Scriptures and good deliberation he not onely confuteth the Popes vsurped authority Steph. Wint. De vera obedientia but also proueth the Mariage betwene the King and Queene Katherine his brothers wife not to be good nor lawfull in these words Of the which morall preceptes in the old law to speake of some for to rehearse al it needeth not the Leuiticall precepts touching forbidden incestuous mariages Steph. Wint De vera obedientia as farre as they concerne chast and pure wedlocke wherin the Originall of mans increase coÌ„sisteth are alwaies to be reputed of such sorte that although they were first giuen to the Iewes yet because they apperteine to the law of nature expound the same more plainely vnto vs therfore they belong as well to all maner of people of the whole world for euermore In which doubtles both the voyce of nature Gods Commaundement agreeing in one haue forbidden that which is contrary and diuers from the one and from the other And amongest these sith there is commaundement that a man shall not mary his brothers wife what could the Kings excellent Maiestie do otherwise then he did by the whole consent of the people and iudgemeÌ„t of his Churche that is to be diuorced from vnlawfull mariage Ste. Wint. against the kinges mariage with his brothers wife and vse lawful and permitted copulation and obeieng as meete it was conformably vnto the commandement cast off her whome neither law nor right permitted hym to retayne and take him to chaste and lawfull mariage wherein although the sentence of Gods worde whereunto all things ought to stoupe might haue suffised yet his Maiestie was content to haue the assisting consents of the most notable graue men and the censures of the most famous Uniuersities of the whole world and al to the entent that men shoulde see he did that both that he might doe and ought to do vprightly seeing the best learned and most worthy men haue subscribed vnto it shewing therein such obedience as Gods word requireth of euery good godly man so as it may be said that both he obeyed God and obeyed him truly Of which obedience forasmuch as I am purposed to speake I could not passe this thing ouer with silence whereof occasion so commodiously was offered me to speake ¶ Winchesters reasons against the Popes supremacie Moreouer Ste. Wint. a Lutherane in his booke De vera obedientia the sayde Gardiner in the forenamed booke De vera obedientia what constancy he pretendeth what arguments he inferreth how earnestly and pithely he dsputeth on the Kings side against the vsurped state of the Bishop of Romes authoritie by the wordes of his booke it may appeare whereof a breefe collection heere followeth IN the processe of his foresayd booke he alledging the old distinction of the Papistes The sword of the Church how farre it extendeth wherein they geue to the Prince the regiment of things temporall and to the church of things spiritual comparing the one to the greater light the other to the lesser light he confuteth and derideth the same distinction declaring the sword of the Church to extend no farther then to teaching and excommunication and referreth all preheminence to the sword of the Prince alleadging for this the Psal. 2. And now you Kings be wise Psal. 2. and be learned you that iudge the earth c. Also the example of Salomon who being a King 2. Par. 28. according to his fathers appointment ordeined the offices of the Priests in their ministeries Exoâ— â—2 1. Râ—â— â—â— 1. Mâ—â—h â—â— Math. 16. and Leuites in their order that they mighte geue thankes and minister before the Priests after the order of euery day and porters in their diuisions gate by gate And speaking more of the sayd Salomon he saith For so commaunded the man of God neither did the Priestes nor Leuites omitte any thing of all that he had commaunded c. Beside this he alleageth also the example of King Ezechias 2. Paralip 28. He alledgeth moreouer the example and facte of Iustinian whiche made lawes touching the faith Byshops Clerkes heretickes and such other Aaron saith he obeyed Moses Salomon gaue sentence vpon Abiathar the high Priest Alexander the King in the first of Machabees writeth thus to Ionathas Now haue we made thee this day the high Priest of thy people c. So did Demetrius to Simon Then comming to the wordes of Christ spoken to Peter Math. 16. vpon which words the Pope pretendeth to builde all his authoritie to thys he aunswereth that if Christ by those wordes had limited vnto Peter any suche speciall state or preheminence aboue all princes then were it not true that is written Caepit Iesus docere facere for asmuch as the words of Christ should then be contrary to his owne factes and example who in all his life neuer vsurped either to himself any such domination aboue Princes shewing himselfe rather subiect vnto Princes nor yet did euer permit in his Apostles any such example of ambition to be seene but rather rebuked them for seeking any maner of maioritie amongst them And where he reasoneth of the Kings style and title being called the King of England and of Fraunce defendour of the faith The â—inges stile and title approued by Stâ— Wint. Lord of Ireland supreme head in earth of the Church of Englande immediately vnder Christ c. thus he addeth his mind censure saieng
receiued vnles he be of a contrary nature to any man that euer was yet of y t sort not only be in maner discharged of his obedienâ— and become the bishop of Romes true liege man but also shall presume of his Cardinalshyp to be your fellow and to haue the rule as well as you Then shall the Bishop of Rome creepe into your owne very bosome know al your secretes and at last vnlesse you wil be yoked Inconuenience that commeth by Cardinalls and serue their pleasure in all points your grace is like to smart for it The thing perchance in the beginning shal seeme to your grace very honorable and pleasant but wisdom would to beware of the taile which is very black and bytter His maiesties father and Grandfather to your grace had a Cardinal whereof he was weary and neuer admitted other after his decease knowing y e importable pride of them In like maner also his highnes by the experience of one hath vtterly determined to auoid al the sort So wel his grace hath knowen experienced their mischief yoke and thraldome that thereby is layd vpon princes By reason wherof as his highnes is the more able by his owne experience to informe your grace so of good will meere propeÌ„sitie of hart caused partly by nature and kinne partly by coniunction and vicinitie of dominions adioining so neare together he is no lesse ready to forewarn your grace before wishing that God will so worke in your princely hart and noble stomake that his maiesties monition frendly warning as it proceedeth from a sincere affection and tender care of his part vnto his nephewe so it maye preuaile and take place in your mind that your grace wisely in weighing with your self what supreme right princes haue and ought to haue vpon their Churches and landes where they gouern what litle cause the bishop of Rome hath therto to procede by vniust censures against theÌ„ your grace may therin not only stand to the iust defence of your deare vncle but also may endeuor to folow his steps therin to take his counsel whiche he doubteth not but shal redound not onely to your graces honour to the benefite weale profit of your realm subiects but especially to y e glory of almighty God and aduancement of his true religion And thus haue I expounded to your grace the summe of my errand and message from the kings maiestie your vncle who as he would be glad to be aduertised by answere of your graces purpose mind and intention in this behalf so for my part according to my charge and duetie I shall be prest and ready with al diligence to giue mine attendaÌ„ce vpon your pleasure for the same accordingly * The summe and effecte of the kinges message sent to the French kyng in defence of his proceedinges THe king considering the present state of his marriage which was not yet well digested ner accepted in the Courtes of other Princes The kinges message to the French king and also hauing intelligence of the straight amitie intended by the marriages betweene y e Emperor and the French king and also or the Popes inclination to pleasure the Emperour and further vnderstaÌ„dyng of the order and meaning of the French kings counsell not greatly fauouring his purposes sent therfore vnto Fraunce for his ambassadour Edw. Foxe doct of Diuinitie his Chaplaine and CouÌ„sailour with instructions and admonitions how to frame and attemper himself in those the kinges affaires The contentes of which his instructions came to this effecte That the saide Edwaad Foxe first declaring to the French king the most affectuous commendations made on the kinges behalfe with declaration of the kings most entire and hartie good wil to vnderstand of his prosperitie the good successe of his affaires which his maiestie no lesse desired then his owne and also after the kings letters being deliuered to him and to other personages of his Counsaile then Three causes to be declared in the kinges â—efence after his accesse made vnto the king shuld vtter and insinuate vnto the king his maisters mind intent in these thre special pointes folowing The first was to declare the iustnes of the kings cause concerning the late marriage with queene Anne diuorcement of the king from his brothers wife The second to signifie and expresse the iniuries done by the Pope as afterward shall be declared The third was to winne and allure to the kings deuotion the Chauncelour of Fraunce And as touching the declaration of the iustnes of the kinges cause first he taking with him certayne bookes printed conteyning the determinations of vniuersities in that behalfe with reasons and authorities confirming the same should distribute the sayd bookes to the Bishop of S. Line to other bishops to Monsieur de Langez other of the kinges counsel moe and to proue after the best fashion to obtaine their approbations of the same bookes with dexteritie to assay whether he could induce theÌ„ of the Uniuersitie of Paris and other learned men to send forth this booke with their authorities and approbations That done theÌ„ he being acquainted with al those points articles of the kinges cause in communication and conference as the case required shoulde not onely make answere to such things as should be obiected but also furnish mainteine the iustnes of that opinion with his learning in such sort as he could best inuent and cogitate As touching the second part which conteined the iniuries done by y e pope against the king the sayd ambassador in that behalfe being a man no lesse acquainted The Popes iniuryes donne to the king of England then also wel beaten and ripe in the manifold misbehauiours of the Pope from the beginning of the cause shuld declare expresse to the French king how iniuriously the sayde Pope had demeaned himself toward the kinges highnes first in sending a commission decreâ—al and then coÌ„maunding it to be burnt as also in promising by schedule of his own haÌ„d not to cal the cause out of England The Pope inconstant in his deedes coÌ„trarye to himselfe and moreouer approuing first y e iustnes of the kings cause yet notwithstanding afterward went from the same and did contrary Touching all which iniuries receiued at the Popes hand although the king had great cause iustly to complain yet other iniuries there were beside these wherewith the kyng most especially was moued The one was for calling and cyting the kings highnes to appeare at Rome The Pope calleth and citeth the K. to Rome The other was for reiecting the person of the kynges trustie subiect and Chaplayne maister Kerne his ambassadour from making such allegations Two speciall iniuries of the pope against the king as to the king in that case apperteined besyde sundry other no smal greues and inconueniences which here might be shewed and alleged But in these two especial iniuries the kyng thought hym selfe most chiefly
Of Purgatorye thus saieng thereof that because y e booke of Machabes aloweth praieng for soules departed hee therefore disproueth not that so laudable a custome so long continued in the Church But because there is no certeyne place named nor kynde of paynes expressed in Scripture he therefore thinketh necessarie suche abuses clearely to be put away which vnder the name of Purgatory haue bene aduaunced as to make men beleeue that by the Bishop of Romes pardons or by Masses sayd at Scala coeli or other where in any place or before any Image soules mighte clearely bee deliuered out of Purgatory and from the paynes thereof to be sent straight to heauen and such other like abuses c. And these were the contents of that booke of articles deuised and passed by the Kings authority a little before the stirre of Lincolneshire and Yorkeshire Wherin although there were many and great imperfections and vntruthes not to bee permitted in any true reformed Churche yet notwithstanding the king and his counsaile to beare with the weakelings whiche were newely weyned from their mothers milke of Rome Milke for newe wainlinges thought it might serue somwhat for the time in steade of a little beginning till better might come And so consequently not long after these Articles thus set forward Iniunctions for abrogatyon certeine holydayes certeyne other Iniunctions were also geuen out about the same yeare 1536. whereby a number of holy daies were abrogated and especially such as fel in the haruest time the keping of which redounded greatly to y e hinderaunce of gathering in their corne hay fruite and other such like necessarie commodities The copie and tenour of which Iniunctions I haue also hereunto annexed as vnder foloweth ¶ The Kings Iniunctions FOrasmuch as the number of holy dayes is so excessiuely growen Iniunctions by the king and yet daily more and more by mens deuotion yea rather superstition was like further to encrease that the same was and should be not onely preiudiciall to the common weale by reason that it is occasion as well of much slouth and idlenes the very nursse of theeues vagabunds and of diuers other vnthriftines and inconueniences as of decay of good misteries Artes profitable necessary for the common wealth losse of mans foode many times being cleane destroied through the superstitious obseruance of the said holydaies in not taking the oportunity of good serene weather offered vpon the same in time of haruest but also pernicious to the soules of many men which being entised by the licencious vacation libertie of those holydaies do vpon the same commonly vse and practise more excesse riot and superfluitie then vpon any other dayes And sith the Sabboth day was vsed and ordeined but for mans vse and therefore ought to geue place to the necessitie and behoofe of the same whensoeuer that shall occurre much rather any other holyday institute by man It is therefore by the Kings highnes authoritie as supreme head in earth of the Church of England with the common assent and consent of the Prelates and Cleargie of this his Realme in conuocation lawfully assembled and congregated amongst other things decreed ordeyned and established First that the feast of dedication of Churches shall in all places through out this Realme Feastes of dedication to be kept al vpon one day be celebrate and kept on the first Sonday of the moneth of October for euer and vpon none other day Item that the feast of the patron of euerye Churche within this Realme called commonly the Churche holy-day Church holydayes forbidden shall not froÌ„ hencefoorth be kept or obserued as a holy day as heretofore hath bene vsed but that it shal be lawful to all singular persons resident or dwelling within thys Realme to go to their worke occupation or mistery the same truely to exercise and occupy vpon the sayde feast as vpon any other worke day except the saide feast of Church holy day bee suche as must bee else vniuersally obserued and kept as a holyday by this ordinance following Also that all those feastes or holydayes which shall happen to fall or occurre either in the haruest tyme whiche is to be counted from the first daye of Iuly Holydayes in the haruest time put downe vnto the xxix day of September or else in the tearme time at Westminster shall not be kept or obserued froÌ„ hencefoorth as holydaies but that it may be lawfull for euery man to go to his work or occupation vpon the same as vppon any other worke day except alwaies the feastes of the Apostles of the blessed Uirgin and of Saint George and also such feastes as wherein the Kings highnes Iudges at Westminster doe not vse to sit in Iudgement All whiche shall be kept holy and solemne of euery man as in time past haue bene accustomed Prouided alwaies that it may be lawfull vnto all Priestes and Clerkes as well secular as regular in the foresaid holydaies now abrogate to sing or say their accustomed seruice for those holydayes in their Churches so as they do not the same solemnely nor do ring to the same after the maner vsed in high holydayes ne do commaund or indict the same to be kept or obserued as holydayes Finally that the feastes of the Natiuitie of our Lord of Easter day of the Natiuitie of S. Iohn the Baptist 4. offering dayes and of S. Michaell the Archaungell shall be from hencefoorth counted accepted and taken for the four generall offering dayes And for further declaration of the premisses be it knoweÌ„ that Easter tearme beginneth alwayes the xviij day after Easter day reckening Easter day for one Easter terme and endeth the Monday next folowing the Ascension day Trinitie terme beginneth alwaies the Wednesday next after the Octaues of Trinitie Sonday Trinitye terme and endeth the xj or xij day of Iuly Michaelmas terme beginneth the ix or x. day of October and endeth the xxviij or xxix day of Nouember Michaelâ—â—â— terme Hilary terme beginneth the xxiij or xxiiij day of Ianuary and endeth the xij or xiij day of February Hilary terme In Easter terme vpon the Ascension daye in Trinitie terme vppon the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist in Michaelmas terme vpon Alhalow day in Hilary Terme vpon Candlemas day the kings Iudges at Westminster do not vse to sit in iudgement nor vpon any Sonday After these Articles and Iniunctions thus giuen out by the King his Counsaile theÌ„ folowed moreouer as time serued other Iniunctions moe concerning Images reliques and blind miracles and for abrogating of Pilgremages deuised by superstition and mainteined for luker sake also for the Pater noster Creede and Gods Commandements and the Bible to be had in English with diuers other points moe necessary for Religion The wordes of which Iniunctions heere also ensue * Other Iniunctions geuen by the authoritie of the Kings highnes to the Cleargy of this his Realme IN the name of God Amen
ful of softnes and lenitie lowlines and humilitie patience and temperancie voyde of all wilfulnes tiranny yea it should cause them not to preuent 1. Thess. 5. but easily to followe the counsaile and doctrine of Christes Apostles holy saintes that be their interpretours Christians bidden to try spirites 1. Iohn 4. As S. Paul which writing vnto the Thessalonians would them all to proue al things and to retaine or hold that only which is good in refraining froÌ„ all that hath semblance of euil And Saint Iohn would haue Christian people 1. Iohn 1. to try the spirite of them that shoulde speake whether they were of God or no. Also he writing in another Epistle vnto a noble woman and vnto her children sayth If any person shall come vnto you bringing with them the doctrine that is not of Christ receiue hym not into your house ne make him any cheare So that in this he would haue women to knowe the doctrine of Christ and to loue that refusing to giue credence vnto forraine teaching not sauouring the same In the 1. Epistle also to the Corinthians S. Paule writing in general to all the inhabitants of that city saith Brethren 1. Cor. 14. be you not children in wit and vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnes be you children In wit I would haue you perfite and why Uerily for none other cause but that we should as he writeth vnto the Hebrues haue discretion to iudge the good from ill and the ill from the good and so to be like men differing from beasts Psal· 32. according to y e saying of the prophet See that ye be not like vnto an horse or a mule which lacke vnderstanding And we should pray with him in another Psalme O Lord teach me the way that I should walke in Psal. 143. for I lift vp my soule vnto thee Saint Chrysostome according vnto this in a certaine of hys Commentaries vpon Mathew Chrisost. in opere imperfecto the booke is called Opus imperfectum writeth after this fashion so neare as my remembrance doth serue and certaine I am that I shall not misreport him and that I will be tried when soeuer it shall please you to bring the booke The priestes that were Pharises in the time sayth he of Christe made an ordinance that who so euer shoulde knowledge Iesus to be Christe should be accursed and excommunicate If then the Pharises or Priestes that now do occupy their rowmes should make a like ordinance because they would not haue Christes doctrine to be professed for hindring of their lucre should we therefore giue in all poyntes credence vnto them and leaue of to seeke after the knowledge of Christes doctrine Nay truely Why quoth he shal we not be excused herein by ignoraunce Authority of rulers wil not discharge our ignorance leeing we be forefended by the rulers to haue knowledge He aunswereth no verily for if saith he when thou desirest to buy cloth thou wilt not be content to see one merchaunts ware but go from the first to the second from the second to the third and so further to knowe where is the best cloth and best cheape thou vsing such careful diligence for a temporal profite art well worthy great reproche that wilt be more remisse and negligent for thy soule health Seeke therfore about from one Doctor or teacher vnto an other that thou mayest know who doth most duely and truely teache Christ and him follow accordâ—ng to the saying of the Apostle Prooue all and holde the good 1. Thess. 5. and as it is sayde in the Gospell that thou maist know Qui funt probati nummularij qui non That is to wit Math. â—5 know who be true or lawful chaungers or coyners Chris. Ibid. and who be not He also addeth another similitude or parable When thou goest quoth he a iourney not knowing perfitely the way thou wilt lest thou should fayle of the right way enquire of one man and after of an other and if thou shouldest chaunce to go somewhat wyde yet thou wilt not so leaue of the iourney vndone but make inquisition againe to come where thou wouldest rest So likewise sayth he ought wee to seeke about intentiuely for the wealth of our soule Qui sunt probi clauigeri qui non that is to saye who are the right key bearers and who not meaning thereby the key bearers Christes apostles and bearers of his testimony or message Which saying although it were written of no autenticall authour howbeit it is written euen of him whome I shewed you in the sayde worke but vttered of one that were in little estimation euery indifferent person hauing wit and reason would assent I doubt not that it is full true The same author also in an Epistle which you shall find in a work called Psegmata Chrysostomi Psegmata Chrisost. sheweth as I remember how certain men deemed ill of him for because he did study Origenes workes which afore was condemned for an heretick Lawfull to 〈◊〉 and try 〈◊〉 bookes but he maketh an Apologie to the same shewing that Christian men ought not to be reprehended for so doing In whiche Apologie he bringeth for his defence Hierome the saying of Paul aboue rehearsed Proue all thinges c. Likewise did S. Hierome I wote not well in what place of his works but you shal find it in a treatise called vnio dissidentium where he entreateth De maÌ„datis hominû When it was obiected agiynst him that he retained by him the workes of Eusebius of Origine studying vpon theÌ„ he bringeth for him that it was so lawfull the sayde place of the Apostle making therwith an aunswere worthye to be greatly noted The same is also reported in the booke called Ecclesiastica historia or els Historia Tripartita I wote not now precisely whether So that these and other moe authorities of the scripture and semblable ensamples of holy interpretours shall proue that I and other may safely no good law inhibiting vnles constitutions Pharisaical read and search the woorkes not onely of Luther but also of all other be they neuer so ill or good namely seeing I am a Priest whoÌ„ the bish of Norwich ought not to haue admitted into orders vnles he had seene me to haue had iudgement to discerne good from ill neither ought any of you to geue orders to any such in whom you do not finde like habilitie for to iudge the light from darckenes and the trueth from falshood and therefore if for this you would punish me I cannot see but you shall condemne your selues iudgyng rather of sensuall pleasure then of equitie which in men of your order were a great shame and much vncomely ¶ Unto your third demaund wherto you do aske whether I was constitute a Priest and in what dioces Answere to the third article Lambeâ—t made priest in Norwich and of what Bishop I say that I was made Priest in Norwich
who in hys 4. booke wryting of Transubstatiation in what time and by whose authority it was first establieshd hath these words which also are before mentioned pag. 257. These woordes of the Scripture might be expounded more easily and more plainly wythout transubstantiatioÌ„ but the Church did chuse thys sence whych is harder being thereto mooued as seemeth chiefly because men shoulde holde of the Sacraments the same whyche the Churche of Rome doth holde c. And further in the same place the sayde Duns expounding himselfe what hee meaneth by the churche of Rome maketh there expresse mention of the sayde Innocentius the 3. and of thys Councell of Laterane c. And furthermore to the entent that such as be indifferent seekers of the trueth may be more amplie satisfied in this behalfe that this transubstantion is of no antiquitie but of a late inuention I wil also adioyne to this testimonie of Iohan. Scotus Erasm. lib. Annot in 1. Cor. cap. 7. the iudgement and verdite of Erasm. lib. Annot. where he wryteth in these wordes In Synaxi transubstantiationeÌ„ serò definiuit Ecclesia Diu satis erat credere siue sub pane consecrato siue quocunque modo adesse verum corpus Christi Serò c. That is In the sacrament of the communion the church coÌ„cluded transubstantiatioÌ„ but of late dayes Long before that it was sufficient to beleue the true body of Christ to be present eyther vnder bread or els by some maner c. The second Article As touching the seconde Article which debarreth from the lay people the one halfe of the Sacramente The second article of both kindes vnderstanding that vnder one kind both partes are fully contained for so much as the world wel knoweth that thys Article is but young inuented decreed and coÌ„cluded no longer since then at the Councel of Constance not past 200. yeres agoe I shal not nede to make any long standing vpon that matter Read afore pag. 611. especially for that sufficient hath bene â—aid thâ—rof before in our long discourse of the Bohemians story pag. 611. First lette vs see the reasons and obiections of the aduersaries in restraining the Laitie from the one kynde of this Sacrament The reasons and obiections of the Papistes against both kindes The vse say they hath bene so of longe continuaunce in the Churche Whereunto we aunsweare that they haue no euident nor authentike example of anye auncient custome in the church which they can produce in that behalfe Item where they alledge the place of S. Luke where Christ was known in breaking of bread Luke 24. c. citing moreouer many other places of Scripture wherein mention is made of breaking of bread to aunswer therunto although wee doe not vtterly repugne but that some of those places may be vnderstanded of the Sacrament yet that beynge graunted it followeth not therefore that one parte of the Sacrament was only ministred to the people without the other when as by the common vse of speach vnder the naming of one part the whole action is meant Neither doth it followe because that breade was broken among the brethren therefore the cuppe was not distributed vnto them For so we finde by the words of S. Paule that y e vse of the Corrinthians was to communicate not onely in breaking of bread but in participating the cuppe also The cup sayeth he which we participate 1. Cor. 10. c. Also after the Apostles in the tyme of Cyprian of Hierome of Gelasius and other successiuely after them it is euident y t both the kindes were frequented in the Churche First Cyprian in diuers places declareth that the sacrameÌ„t of the bloud was also distributed Cypria lib. 1. Epist. 2. De laicis Martyribus Scriberis How do we sayth he prouoke them to stand in the confession of Christ to the sheding of their bloud if we deny vnto them the bloud of Christ when they prepare themselues to the conflict The wordes of Hierome are plaine Priestes sayth he whiche minister the Eucharist Hieronimus in Sophon cap. 3. and deuide the bloude vnro the people In historia tripartita it was sayde to y e Emperour Theodosius In Histor tripart lib. 9. how will you reciue the body of the Lord with such bloudy handes or the cup of hys precious bloud with that mouth which haue spilled so much innocent bloud In the Canon of Gelasius and in the Popes own decrees De consecrat these words we read We vnderstand that there be some whych receauing onely the portion of the Lordes bodye doe abstaine from the cuppe of hys sacrate bloud to whom we enioyne that either they receaue the whole Sacrament in both the kinds or els that they receaue neither The Councell of Constance a sacrilegious Councell for the diuiding of that whole one Sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge c. So that thys decree of Pope Gelasius being contradictorie to the councell of Constance it must follow that either y e pope did erre or els the councell of Constance must needes be a sacrilegious Councel as no doubt it was The like testimonie also appeareth in the Councell of Toletane The forbidding of both kindes of the SacrameÌ„t hath no ground of auncient custome No custome may derogate from the Lordes expresse commauÌ„dement The Lordes testament ought not to be altered â—or any respecte that the laitie did then communicate in bothe kindes besides diuers other olde presideÌ„ts remaining yet in the churches both of Germanie and also of Fraunce declaring likewise the same And thus it standeth certain and demonstrable by manifolde probations how farre this newfound custome differeth from all antiquitie and prescription of vse and time Againe although the custome therof were neuer so auncient yet no custome may be of that strength to gainstand or countermaunde the open and expresse commaundement of God which sayeth to all men Bibite ex hoc omnes Drincke yee all of this c. Againe seeing the cup is called the bloude of the newe testament who is hee that dare or can alter the Testament of the Lorde when none may be so hardy to alter the Testament of a man being once approoued or ratified Further as concerning those places of Scripture before alledged De fractione panis that is of breaking of bread wherupon they thinke themselues so sure that the Sacrament was then ministred but in one kinde To aunswere thereunto first we say it may be doubted whether all those places in Scripture De fractione panis In fractione panis are to be referred to the Sacrament Secondly the same beyng geuen vnto them yet can they not inferre thereby because one parte is mentioned that the full Sacrament therefore was not ministred The common maner of the Hebrue phrase is vnder breaking of bread to signifye generally the whole feaste or supper as in the Prophete Esay these woordes Frange esurienti panem tuum doe signifie as
her and them but onely her husband who laboured for theyr liuings Unto whom the Maior aunswered what come ye to me You are taken vp with the Kinges Counsell I supposed that you had come to desire me that your husbande shoulde not stand vpon the Pillary in Cheapeside on Monday nexte with the one halfe of the pyg on his one shoulder and the other halfe on the other Also the Maior sayd vnto her that he could not deliuer him without the consent of the rest of his brethren the Aldermen Wherefore he bade her the next day folowing which was Sonday to reâ—ort vnto Paules to Saint Dunstones Chappell and when he had spoken with his brethren he woulde then tell her more Other answere could she get none at that time Wherfore she weÌ„t vnto M. Wilkenson then being Sheriffe of London desiring him to be good vnto her and that she might haue her poore husband out of prison Unto whom M. Wilkenson answered O woman Christ hath layd a piece of his crosse vpon thy necke The gentle 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 of London to the poore woman to proue whether thou wilt helpe hym to beare it or no saying moreouer to her that if the Lord maior had sent him to his Counter as he sent him to his brothers he should not haue taryed there an houre and so coÌ„maunded her to come the next day vnto him to dinner and he would do y e best for her he could So the next day came this woman resorted again to M. WilkensoÌ„s according as he bad her who also had biddeÌ„ diuers gestes vnto whoÌ„ he spake in her behalfe But as they were set at dinner and she also sitting at the table wheÌ„ she saw the hote fish come in she felt downe in a swound so that for the space of two houres the could keepe no life in her Wherefore they sent her home to her house in Pater noster row and then they sent for the Midwife supposing that she would haue bene deliuered incontinent of her childe that she went with but after that she came somewhat agayn to herselfe where she lay sicke and kept her bed the space of xv weekes after being not able to helpe her selfe but as she was helped of others during the time of xv weekes Now to shew further what became of this Pig wherof we haue spoken so much it was carryed into Finsburye field by the Bishop of Londons Sumner That God ordeyneth to be eaten superstition buryeth at his maisters commaundement and there buried The Monday folowing being the fourth day after that this prisoner aforesayd was apprehended the Maior of London with the residue of his brethren being at Guild hall sent for the prisoner aforenamed and demaunded sureties of him for his forth coÌ„ming what so euer hereafter should or might be layd vnto his charge Thomas Frebarne deliuered out of prisoÌ„ Tho. Frebarne discharged out of his house by M. Garter his Landlorde but for lacke of such suretyes as they required vpon his owne band which was a Recognisaunce of twenty pound he was deliuered out of theyr handes But shortly after that he was deliuered out of this his trouble mayster Garter of whome we haue spoken before beyng his landlord warned him out of his house so that in foure yeares after he could not get an other but was constrayned to be within other good folkes to his great hindrance and vndoing Hard it were and almost out of number to rehearse the names and stories of all them which felt the gentle helpe of this good man in some case or other Where might be remembred the notable deliueraunce of one Gray a Smyth of Bishops Starford Gray a Smith accused of 〈◊〉 â—eliueâ—ed by the Lord Cromwell who being accused for denying y e sacrameÌ„t of the aulter to be our Sauior was sent vp for the same to LondoÌ„ and there should haue bene condemned to be burnt but that by the meanes of the L. Cromwell he was sent home agayne and deliuered One other example though it be somewhat long with the circuÌ„stances and all I will declare how be helped the Secretary that theÌ„ was to Doctor Cranmer Archbishop of Caunterbury whiche Secretary is yet aliue and can beare present record of the same ¶ How the Lord Cromwell helped Cranmers Secretary MEntion was made before how king Henry in y e yeare of his reigne 21. caused the 6. Articles to passe much agaynst the mind and contrary to the conseÌ„t of the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas CraÌ„mer The Archb. Cranmer disputed 3. dayes in the Parliament against the 6. Aâ—ticles who had disputed three daies against the same in the Parliament house with great reasons and authorities Which Articles after they were graunted and past by the ParliameÌ„t the king for the singuler fauor which he euer bare to Cranmer and reuerence to his learning being desirous to know what he had sayd and obiected in the ParliameÌ„t agaynst these Articles or what could be alleged by learning agaynst the same required a note of the Archbishop of his doings what he had sayd and opposed in the Parliament touchâ—â—g that matter And this word was sent to him from the king by Cromwell and other Lordes of the Parliament whom the king then sent to dine with him at Lambeth somewhat to comfort agayne his greued mind and troubled spirits as hath bene aboue recited pag 1136. Wherupon when his dinner was finished the next day after the Archbishop collecting both his argumeÌ„ts authorities of scriptures and Doctors together caused his Secretary to write a fayre booke therof for the king after this order First the Scriptures were alleadged then the Doctors thirdly folowed the Arguments deducted from those authorities This booke was written in his Secretaryes Chamber Where in a by Chamber lay the Archbishops Almosiner When this booke was fayre writteÌ„ The name of this Secretary was M. Rafe Morice being yet aliuâ— and whiles the Secretary was gone to deliuer the same vnto y e Archbishop his maister who was as it then chaunced rydde to Croydon returning backe to his chamber found hys doore shut and the key caryed away to London by the Almosiner At this season also chauÌ„ced the father of the sayd Secretary to come to the Citty by whose occasion it so â—ell out that he must nedes go to London The booke he could not lay into his chamber neither durst he commit it to any other person to keepe being straitly charged in any coÌ„ditioÌ„ of the Archbishop his maister to be circumspect thereof so that he determined to go to his father and to keep the book about him And so thâ—usting the booke vnder his girdle he went ouer vnto Westminster bridge with a sculler where he entred into a whirry that went to London wherein were 4. of the Garde who ment to land at Paules wharfe and to passe by the kinges highnesse who then was in hys Barge with a great number of Barges and boates about him then baiting of
Iohn Gostwike From whence they neuer came out till they came to theyr death as hereafter Christ willing shall more appeare And thus hetherto concerning the hystorye of Barnes Nowe let vs likewise consider the storye and doinges of Thomas Garet The story of Tho. Garret or Garrerd and of his trouble in Oxford testified and recorded by Antony Dalaber who was there present the same tyme. ABout the yere of our Lord 1526. Maister Garret Curate of Hony Lane in London came vnto Oxford and brought with him sondry bookes in Latin Tho. Garret brought bookes to Oxford treating of the Scripture with the first parte of Vnio dissidentium Tindals first translation of the new Testament in English the which bookes he sold to diuers scholers in Oxford After he had ben there a while and had dispatched those bookes Garret sought for at London newes came from London that hee was searched for through al London to be apprehended and taken as an heretike and to be imprisoned for selling of those hereticall bookes as they termed them because they spake agaynste the vsurped authority and erroneous doctrine of the B. of Rome and his no lesse impure and filthy Synagoge For it was not vnknowen to Cardinall Wolsey and to the B. of London and to other of that vngodly generation that M. Garret had a great number of those bookes and that he was gone to Oxford to make sale of them there to suche as he knew to be the louers of the Gospel A pâ—ioâ— searc◠〈◊〉 Oxfoâ—◠〈◊〉 Garret Wherefore they determined forthwith to make a priuie searche through all Oxford to apprehende and imprison hym and to burne all and euery hys foresayd bookes and him to if they coulde so burning hote was their charitie But yet at that time one of the foresayde Proctours M. Cole 〈◊〉 Magdalene Colledge 〈◊〉 Oxfordâ— called M. Cole of Magdalene colledge who after was crosse bearer vnto Cardinal Wolsey was wel acquainted with M. Garret and therefore he gaue secret warning vnto a frende or two of M. Garret of this priuie search and willed therefore that he shuld forthwith as secretly as he could depart out of Oxford for if he were taken in the same search no remedy but he shoulde be forthwith sent vp vnto the Cardinall and so should be coÌ„mitted vnto the Tower The Christmas before that time I Antonye Dalaber then Scholer of Alborne Hall Anthony Dalaber scholer of Alborne Hall 〈…〉 who had bookes of maister Garrets had bene in my countrey in Dorsetshire at Stalbridge where I had a brother Person of that Parish who was verye desirous to haue a Curate out of Oxforde and willed me in any wise to gette him one there if I coulde Thys iust occasion offered it was thoughte good amonge the brethren for so did wee not onely call one an other but were in deede one to an other that maister Garret chaunging hys name should be sent foorth wyth my letters into Dorcetshire vnto my brother to serue him there for a time vntill hee myghte secreately from thence conueye hymselfe some whether ouer the Sea According hereunto I wrote my letters in all haste possible vnto my brother for maister Garret to be hys Curate but not declaring what hee was in dede for my brother was a rancke papist Brother agaynst Brother and after was the most mortall ennemie that euer I had for the Gospels sake So the wedensday in the morning before Shroftyde M. Garret departed out of Oxforde toward Dorsetshyre with his letters for his new seruice How farre he went by what occasion he so soone returned I know not But the Friday next Garret 〈◊〉 in the priuy search in the night time he came agayne to Rodleyes house where he lay before and so after midnight in the priuy search whiche was then made for him hee was apprehended and taken there in his bed by y e 2. Proctours and on the saterday in y e morning was deliuered vnto one D. Cotisford M of Lincolne Colledge then being Comissary of the vniuersitie who kept hym as prisoner in hys owne chamber There was great ioy and reioysing amoÌ„g all the papistes for his apprehension and specially wyth Doctor London Warden of the new Colledge and Doctour Higdon Deane of Frideswides two Archpapistes Who immediately sent theyr letters in post hast vnto the Cardinall to enforme him of y e appreheÌ„sion of this notable Hereticke for the whiche theyr doyng they were well assured to haue great thankes But of all this sodayne hurly burley was I vtterly ignoraunt so that I knewe neither of maister Garrets so sodayne returne neyther that hee was so taken vntill that afterward he came vnto my chaÌ„ber being then in Glocester Colledge as a man amased as soone as he saw me he sayd he was vndone for he was taken Thus he spake vnaduisedly in the presence of a young man that came with him When the yong man was departed I asked him what hee was and what acquayntaunce he had with hym He sayd he knew hym not but he had bene to seeke a Monke of his acquayntaunce in that Colledge who was not in his chamber and thereupon desired that his seruaunt not knowing my chamber for that I was newly remoued thether to bring him to me and so forth declared how he was returned and taken that night in the priuy search as ye haue heard and that nowe when the Commissary al his company were gone to Euensong and had locked him alone in his chamber The myracuâ—â—us deliueâ—â—nce of Garret out of the Comâ—â—â—aryes chamber he hearing no body stirring in the Colledge put backe the bar of the locke with his finger and so came straight vnto Glocester Colledge to speake with that monke if he had bene within who had also bought bookes of him Then sayd I vnto him Alas M. Garret by this your vncircumspect comming vnto me and speaking so before this young man you haue disclosed your selfe and vtterly vndone me I asked him why he went not vnto my brother wyth my letters accordingly Hee sayde after that hee was gone a dayes iourney and a halfe he was so fearefull that his heart would no other but that he must needes returne againe vnto Oxford and so came againe on Fridayâ— at night and then was takeÌ„ as ye heard before But nowe wyth deepe sighes and plentie of teares hee prayed mee to helpe to conuey him away and so he cast of his hoode hys gowne wherein he came vnto me and desired me to geue him a coate with sleeues if I had any and tolde me that he wold go into Wales and thence conuey himself into Germany if he might TheÌ„ I put on him a sleued coat of mine He woulde also haue had an other maner of cap of me but I had none but priestlike such as his owne was Then kneeled we both downe together on our knees and lifting vp our hearts and hands to God our heauenly father
offend and be thereof in forme aforesayd lawfully coÌ„uicted then he shuld for the same 3. offence suffer imprisonment during his life If any such person or persons aforesaid so offending had not any benefice or spiritual promotion y t then he shoulde for his first offence suffer imprisonment by the space of vi monthes without bayle or maynprise and for his second offence imprisonment during hys life Which request or rather actuall agreement of y e lordes and commons of the Parliament beyng once vnderstoode of the kyng was also soone ratified and confirmed by hys regall consent and authoritie and therupon the sayd booke of common prayer was presently imprinted and commaÌ„ded to be exercised throughout the whole Realme and dominions thereof accordyng to the tenure and effect of the sayd Statute Moreouer in the same Session of the sayd ParliameÌ„t it was enacted and established by the authoritie thereof that for as much as great horrible and not to be rehearsed inconueniences had from tyme to tyme risen amongst the priests ministers and other officers of the clergy through their compelled chastitie Lawes and 〈…〉 againâ—t 〈…〉 and by such lawes as prohibited them the godly and lawfull vse of mariage that therefore all and euery law and lawes positiue canons constitutions and ordinances theretofore made by the authoritie of man onely which did prohibite or forbid mariage to any ecclesiasticall or spirituall person or persones of what estate condition or degree so euer they were or by what name or names they were called which by gods law may lawfully marry in all and euery article braunche and sentence concernyng onely the prohibition for the mariage of the persons aforesayd should be vtterly voyd and of none effect And that all maner of forfaitures paynes penalties crimes or actions Mariage of Priestes â—et â—ree which were in the sayd lawes conteyned and of the same dyd follow concernyng the prohibition for the mariage of the sayd Ecclesiastical persons shuld be thencefoorth also clearely and vtterly voyde frustrate and of none effect By occasion whereof it was thenceafter ryght lawfull for any Ecclesiasticall person not hauyng the gift of chastitie most godly to liue in the pure and holy estate of matrimony according to the lawes worde of God But if the first Iniunctions statutes and decrees of the Prince were of many but slenderly regarded with muche lesse good affection were these especially the booke of common praier of diuers now receiued yea and that of some of them Edmund Boner B. of London which had alwayes before in outward shew willingly allowed the former doings as appereth most plainly amongst others by Boner the B. of London Who although by his former letters other mandates he seemed hitherto to fauour all the kings proceedings yet did he at that present notwithstanding both the first statute for the stablishing of the Communion and the abolishyng of all priuate masses and also this Statute of the ratifieng and confirming of the booke of Common prayer still suffer suÌ„dry idolatrous priuate masses of peculiar names as the Apostles masse the Lady masse and such lyke to be dailye solemnly sung within certaine perticular chappels of hys cathedral church of Paules cloking them with the names of the apostles communion and our Ladies communion not once findyng any fault therewith vntill such tyme as the Lordes of the Counsaile hauyng intelligence thereof were fayne by their letters to commaund hym to looke better thereunto And then beyng therewith somewhat pricked forwards perhaps by feare he was content to direct hys letters vnto the Deane and Chapter of his cathedrall church of Paules thereby requesting them forthwith to take such order therein as the tenure of the Counsailes sayd letters therwithall sent vnto them did import Which both two letters I haue for the more credite here followyng inserted ¶ A Letter directed from the Kings Counsaile to Edmund Boner B. of London for abrogating of priuate Masses namely the Apostles Masse within the church of S. Paule vsed vnder the name of the Apostles Communion 〈◊〉 other 〈…〉 progating priuate Masses AFter harty commendations Hauing very credible notice that within that your cathedral church there be as yet the Apostles masse and our Ladies masse and other masses of such peculiar name vnder the defence nomination of our Ladies communion and the Apostles communion vsed in priuate chappels and other remote places of the same and not in the Chauncell The Apoâ—â—les 〈…〉 Paul contrary vnto the kings maiesties proceedings the same beyng for the misuse displeasing to God for the place of Paules in example not tollerable for the fondnes of the name a scorne to the reuerence of the communion of the Lords body and bloud we for the augmentation of gods glory and honour and the consonance of his maiesties lawes and the auoyding of murmure haue thought good to will command you that from henceforth no such masses in this manner be in your church any longer vsed but that the holy blessed communion according to the acte of Parliament be ministred at the high aultar of the church and in no other places of the same only at such tyme as your high masses were wont to be vsed except some number of people desire for their necessary businesse to haue a communion in the mornyng and yet the same to bee executed in the Chauncell at the high aulter as it is appoynted in the booke of the publike seruice without cautele or digression from the common order And herein you shal not onlye satisfie our expectation of your conformitie in all lawfull things but also auoyd the murmure of sundry that be therwith iustly offended And so we bid your Lordship hartely farewell From Richmond the 24. of Iune an 1549. Your louing friendes E. Somerset W. Saint Iohn Ed. Montague R. Rich. Chan. Fra. Shrewsbury W. Cecill ¶ To my right worshipfull friendes and most louyng good brethren M. Deane of Paules with all the Canons Residentaries Prebendaries Subdeanes and Ministers of the same and euery of them with speede RIght worshipfull with most harty commendations So it is this Wensday the xxvi of Iune goyng to dynner Boners letter to the Deane and Chapter of Paules I receaued letters from the kynges Counsell by a Pursiuaunt and the same I doe send now herewith vnto you to the intent you may peruse them well and proceede accordyngly praying you in case all be not present yet those that be now resident and supplying the places may in their absence call the company together of the Church and make declaratioÌ„ hereof vnto them Thus committyng you to God right well to fare Written with speede this xxvi of Iune at one of the clocke Your louyng brother Ed. London Ouer and besides all this the Lord Protectour wyth the residue of the kings priuie and learned Counsel assemblyng together in the Starre chamber about the same mater that is for the aduancement and setting forward of the kings so godly
abuses we haue thought good to geue you these Iniunctions following 1 First ye shall preach at Paules Crosse in London Certayne priuat Articles inioyned to Boneâ— by the Counsaile Boner admonished to preach euery quaâ—ter at Paules Crosse. in proper person the Sonday after the date hereof iij. weeks and in the same Sermon declare and set forth the Articles hereunto annexed and ye shall preach hereafter once euery quarter of the yere there exhorting in your Sermon the people to obedience prayer and godly liuyng and ye shall be present at euery sermon hereafter made at Paules Crosse if sickenesse or some other reasonable cause doe not let you 2 Secondly you your selfe in person shall from hencefoorth euery day which heeetofore was accounted in this Church of England principall feast or Maius duplex and at all such tymes as the Bishops of London your predecessours were woont to celebrate and sing high masse now celebrate and execute the Communion at the hygh aultare in Paules for the better example of all other except sickenes do let 3 Thirdly ye shall your selfe according to your duetie the office of a bishop cal before you all such as do not come vnto and frequent the Common prayer and seruice in the Church or do not come vnto gods boord and receyue the Communion at the lest once a yeare or whosoeuer do frequent or go vnto any other rite or seruice then is appointed by our booke either of Mattins Euensong or masse in any church Chappell or other priuate places within your Dioces and ye shall see all such offenders conuented before you and punished accordyng vnto the Ecclesiasticall lawes with seuere and strait punishment therfore Lykewise ye shall see one onely order vsed in your Diocesse according to our sayd booke and none other 4 Fourthly ye shall both by your selfe and all your officers vnder you search out conuent before you more diligently then heretofore ye haue done as appertaineth to your office all adulterers and see the same punished according to the ecclesiastical lawes and to the authority geuen you in that behalfe 5 We haue heard also complaintes that the Churche of Paules and other Churches of London are of late more neglected as wel in reparation of the glasse as other buildings and ordinaunces of the same then they were heretofore woont and that diuers and many persons in the citie of malice denyeth the payment of their due tith to their Curates wherby the Curates are both iniured and made not so well able and in maner discouraged to do theyr dueties The which thyng also our will and commaundement is ye shall diligently looke vnto and see redressed as appertaineth 6 And forasmuch as al these complaints be made as most done committed in London Boner Bishop of LondoÌ„ commaunded to keepe his owne house to the intent you may looke more earnestly better and more diligently to the reformation of them our pleasure is that you shal abide and keepe residence in your house there as in the citie sea and principall place of your Dioces and none other where for a certaine tyme vntill you shal be otherwise licensed by vs. And thus hauing brought B. Boner home to his own house there to leaue hym a while to take his ease in hys owne lodging til we returne to him againe we wil in the meane tyme make a little intercourse into Cornewall and Deuonshire to discourse some part of the disordered and disloyall doings of those men against their so meeke and excellent a prince The rebels in Cornewall and Deuonshyre hauing no cause ministred therunto yea hauyng cause rather to yeld prayse and thanks to the lord for such a quiet and peaceable prince in his mercy geueÌ„ vnto them But such is the condition of vnquiet natures that they cannot skill of peace And where due discretioÌ„ lacketh there lewd disposed persons cannot tel when they be wel againe some be so crooked and so peruersly geuen that the more curteously they be intreated the worse they are and when by honest diligence they lift not to get their liuyng by publike disturbance of common weales they thinke to thriue And so seemed it to fare with this seditious people of Cornewall and Deuonshire who hauyng so good and vertuous a kyng that if they should haue sought hym as Diogenes they say did seeke for a man with a candle a meeker and better soueraigne they could not haue found a crueller they well deserued yet were they not with him contented but contrary to al order reason nature and loialtie aduaunced themselues in a rebellious conspiracie against hym and agaynst his proceedings through the pernitious instigation first as it seemeth of certaine popish priestes who grudgyng and disdainyng agaynst the Iniunctions and godly order of reformation set forward by the king Popishe priestes first stirrers of this rebellion and specially mourning to see their olde popishe Church of Rome to decay ceased not by all sinister subtile meanes first vnder Gods name and the kings vnder coulour of religion to perswade the people then to gather sides and to assemble in companies to gather Captaines All wickednes first beginneth vnder faire pretenses and at last to brast out in ranke rebellion Neither lacked there amongst the lay sort some as seditiously disposed as they to mischiefe and madnesse as well Gentlemen as other Of whom the chiefe Gentlemen Captains were Humfrey Arundell Esquire gouernour of the Mount Iames Rosogan Iohn Rosogan Iohn Payne Thomas Underhil Captaines of the rebelles in Deuonshyre Iohn Soleman William Segar Of priests which were principall stirrers and some of them gouernours of the Camps and after executed were to the number of 8. whose names were Rob. Bochim Iohn Tompson Roger Barret Priestes rebelles and traytors against the king Iohn Wolcoke Wil. Asa Iames Mourton Iohn Barow Rich. Benet besides a multitude of other popish priests which to the same faction were adioyned The number of the whole rebellion speakyng with y e lest mounted litle lesse then to the summe of ten thousand stout traitors These hearing first of the commotions which began about the same tyme in other parts to broyle as in Oxfordshire Diuers Commotions in K. Edwardes tyme suppressed Yorkeshire and especially in Northfolke Suffolk began to take therin some courage hoping that they shold haue well fortified the same with quarell But afterward perceiuyng how the mischieuous mutterings and enterprises of their conspiracie did sodenly fayle eyther beyng preueÌ„ted by tyme or repressed by power or that their cause beyng but onely about pluckyng down of enclosures and enlarging of commons was deuided from theirs so that eyther they would not or could not ioyne their ayde together then began they againe to quayle and their courage to debate Notwithstanding for so much as they had gone so far that they thought there was no shrinking back they fell to new deuises and inuentions for the best furtherance of
before you which in all my sayinges and doynges I entend to haue for repeated rehearsed agayn to all lawfull effectes and purposes for my honest and necessary defence with protestation also of the nullity and iniquity of your processe I had made in this behalfe and likewise of the generality incerteynety obscurity contrariety repugnaunce variety insufficience and inuadility of the thinges alleadged and deduced before you He meaneth the B of Cant. agaynst me aswell in the commission and denounciation in diuers partes as also touching the Articles and Interrogatoryes so ministred vnto me Lamenting not a litttle that one of my vocation at the malicious denounciation of vyle hereticall and detestable persons should be vsed after this strauÌ„ge sort hauing done the best I coulde to declare myne obedience vnto the Kynges most excellent Maiesty for the repressing and discouragyng of Rebellion and Rebellious Persons and for the aduauncement of the veritye of Christes true body and his presence in the most blessed sacrament of the Aultar for which onely the malicious denounciatours with theyr complices haue studyed to molest and trouble me Albeit coulourably they woulde be seene to pretend other causes especially the good and tranquility of this Realme which our Lord GOD knoweth they care nothing for but contrarywise doe lette and impeache the same corrupting and infecting with theyr poysoned false doctrine teaching the Kings Subiects in this Realme to the great perill and daunger thereof manye wayes After his long Periode well blowen vp with much wast winde of words at length he beginneth to aunswere to the articles before obiected doe aunswere vnto certayne pretensed Articles and Interogatoryes ministred by you in deede vnto me the sayde Byshoppe the xiij daye of September 1540. as foloweth To the first Article beginning thus Fyrst it is reported c. and ending thus to obserue and follow the same I doe say and for aunswere doe refere me vnto my former answers heretofore y t is to wit y e sayd xiij day of September made and exhibited by me before you vnto the sayde pretensed denounciation touching this matter alleadging with all that a Reporte of thinges doth not absolutely proue nor necessary inferre thinges to be in verye deede true after such a sort fashion maner and forme as sometimes they be reported and rehearsed To the second beginning thus Item whether that you Aunswere to the 2. article c. and ending thus as they were put vnto you I doe aunswere and saye that this Article doth depend on the first Article next before which after such sort fashion maner and forme as it is deduced was iustly by me in my aunswere made vnto the same denyed and I therefore now not bounden by the law eftsoones to make other aunswere thereunto To the thyrd being an Interrogatory and beginning thus Aunswere to thâ— 3. article Item whether c. And ending thus ye did preach I doe aunswere and say that I beganne to write a piece of my Sermon and being soone weary thereof I did leaue off and did make onely certayne notes of my sayd sermon and put the same notes in writing of myne owne hand without helpe or Counsell of anye other and the same notes did shewe vnto my Chaplaynes Mayster Gylbert bourne and Mayster Iohn Harpsfielde both before and also since my sayd Sermon onely desiring them to put me in remembraunce of my sayde notes and processe to bee made thereupon and also to searche out for me the names of such kinges as were in theyr minority when they began to raigne To the fourth Article beginning thus Item that ye haue not declared c. Aunswere to the 4. article And ending thus as it is in your Article I doe aunswere and say that this Article doth dedepend vpon the first and seconde Articles here before denyed deduced in suche sort maner and forme as is expressed in the same and moreouer I saye that already aunswere is made hereunto by me in my former aunsweres made to the sayd pretensed denunciation To the fifth article beginning thus Item that ye haue not c. And ending thus declared it I doe aunswere and say To the article that this Article also doth depende vpon the first and second Articles and that aunswere is made thereunto by me already in my former aunsweres made vnto the sayd pretensed denounciation and moreouer I doe say that for the better aduauncement and setting forth of the kings Maiestyes royall power and authority euen in his mynority and for the dew obedience of his Maiestyes Subiectes vnto his highnesse euen during the sayd minoritye I had collected together aswell out of historyes as also out of the Scripture of the olde Testament the names of diuers kinges being in minority who notwithstandyng theyr sayd minority faythfully dewly and reuerenâ—â—y obeyed honoured serued taken and reputed for very true and lawfull kinges as Henry the third being but nine yeares olde wheÌ„ he entred to reigne and gouerne as king Edward the thyrd being but thirtene yeares of age Richard the second being but eleuen yeares of age Henrye the sixt being not fully one yeare of age Edward the 〈◊〉 being but eleuen yeare olde Henry the eight being about eightene yeare olde and so all these Kinges being in theyr minority as the Kinges Maiesty that now is and yet hauing authority and power regall as apperteyneth and in the olde Testament Osias and Achaz were verye true kynges in theyr minority being but sixtene yeares of age Salomon and Manasses being but xij yeares of age Iosias and Ioachim being but eight yeares of age and I â—as being but eight yeares olde all which thinges I say I had collected in notes communicating the same with my sayde two Chapleynes and praying them to put mee in remeÌ„braunce if in numbring of them or in setting forth my other notes at the tyme of my Sermon I did faile Boner 〈…〉 or haue defaulte of memory in any wise and all these thinges I would haue specially set forth in my sayde Sermon if they had come to my memory as in deede they did not partlye for disturbaunce of my memory not accustomed to preache in that place partly also by reason of a certeyne writing that was sent to me from the Kinges Maiestyes priuye Counsel being of good length to declare to the people touching the victory agaynst the rebels specially in Norfolk Deuonshyre and Cornewall confounding my memorye in things which before I had set in good order and partly also for the falling away of my booke in the time of my said Sermon in which were conteined diuers of my sayd notes touching the Kinges Maiestyes minority as is aforesayd hauing yet neuerthelesse otherwise in generality and speciality perswaded the people to obedience vnto the kinges sayd Maiesty whose minority to them and all other is notoriously and manifestly knowne and hys Maiesty sauing of these late Rebelles faythfully truely and reuerently obeyed of all the rest of his
did declare vnto you for better admonition amendment of you that ye should haue from the kinges Maiesty by his aduise and the rest of the priuy Counsell certayne Articles and Iniunctions to obserue and folow geuen you in writing 4. Item that there and then the sayd Lord Protectour commaunded Sir Thomas Smith Knight Secretary to the Kinges Maiesty to read a certayne proper booke of Iniunctions and Articles vnto you the sayd Secretarye standing at the Counsell tables end and you standing by and hearing the same 5. Item that the sayde Lord Protectour there and then willed to be reformed certayne thinges in the sayd booke of IniuÌ„ctions as where ye wer appoynted to preach sooner at your request it was appoynted vnto you to preache the Sonday three weekes after the date of the sayd writing 6. Item that in the sayd Articles the Lord Protectours Grace found fault because an Article or commaundement vnto you set forth and declared of the Kynges Maiestyes authority now in his yong age of his lawes and statutes in the same tyme was omitted and therefore either immediatly before you came into the Counsell Chamber or you being present and standing by commaunded the sayde Secretary Smith to put it in writing and annexe it to the rest of the Articles 7. Item that the sayd Secretary Smith then and there did immediately vpon commaundement write into the sayd booke or paper wherein the rest of the Articles were written the sayd article videlicet you shall also set forth in your sermon that the authority of our royall power is as truth it is of no lesse authority and force in this our yong age then was of any of our Predecessors though the same were much elder as may appeare by example of Iosias other young kinges in the scripture and therefore all our subiectes to be no lesse bounde to the obedience of our preceptes lawes and statutes then if we were of 30. or 4â— yeares of age 8. Item that the Lord Protectour did so deliuer you the booke or paper willing first the sayd Secretary Smyth to amend all thinges as he had appoynted 9. Item that ye then and there did promise to the Lorde Protectors grace that ye would obserue fulâ—ill all in the sayd Iniunctions and articles conteined 10. Item that all thinges in the sayde booke put in and mentioned by the sayd Secretary Smith and the same so read vnto you by him you first agreing that all that was by him so written was by the L. Protectors appoyntmeÌ„t the sayd book was so deliuered vnto you then and there by the sayd Secretary Smith in the Councell Chamber 11. Item that you haue the sayd booke in your possession or els know where it is the true copy whereof in effect is annexed to these articles 12. Item that ye were commauÌ„ded in the sayd Iniunctions to preach the Sonday three weekes after the deliuery therof at Paules there to entreat vpon certayn articles as is specified in the sayd booke of Iniunctions and specially the sayd article beginning Ye shall also set forth ending 30. or 40. yeares of age 13. Item that for the accomplishment of part of the sayde Iniunctions commaundement you did preach the fyrst day of September last past at Paules Crosse. 14. Item that at the sayd sermon contrary to your Iniunctions ye omitted left out y e sayde article beginning Ye shall also set forth in your sermon c. and ending 30. or 40. yeares of age 15. Ye shall also aunswere whether ye thinke and beleue that the kinges Maiesties subiectes be bound to obey as well the lawes statutes proclamations and other ordinaunces made now in this young age of the kinges maiesty as the lawes statutes proclamations ordinaunces made by his highnes Progenitors These Articles being thus ministred to the sayd Byshop of London the next day being Thursday and the 19. of September the afore named Commissioners sat in the Archbishops chamber of presence at Lambeth attendyng the coÌ„ming of the B. of London Before whoÌ„ there appeared Rob. Iohnson the Bishops Register and there did declare vnto the Commissioners that the bishop his maister could not at that time personally appeare before theÌ„ without great daunger of his bodily health because that he feared to fall into a feuer by reasoÌ„ of a cold that he had takeÌ„ by to much ouerwatching himselfe the last night before wherby he was compelled to keepe his bed neuerthelesse if hee could without daunger of his bodely health Boner 〈◊〉 feare of 〈◊〉 feuer 〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉 or durst 〈◊〉 appeare he would appeare before them the same day at after noone This excuse the Iudges were coÌ„teÌ„t to take it in good part Yet said M. Secretary Smyth that if he were sicke in deede the excuse was reasonable and to be allowed but quoth he I promise you my Lord hath so dallied with vs vsed hitherto such delayes that we may mistrust that this is but a fayned excuse howbeit vpon your faythfull declaratioÌ„ we are content to tary vntil one of the clocke at afternoone and so they did willing M. Iohnson to signify then vnto them whether the Bishop could appeare or not At whiche houre Robert Iohnson and Richard Rogers gentleman of the Bishops chamber appeared agayn before the Commissioners Boner pâ—â—â—tendetâ—â—â—gayne 〈◊〉 feuer declaring that for the causes afore alledged their maister could not appeare at that tyme nether Wherupon M. Secretary Smith sayd vnto them my Lord of LondoÌ„ your maister hath vsed vs very homely and sought delayes hitherto and now perhaps perceiuing these last Articles to touch the quicke and therefore loth to come to his answere he fayneth himselfe sicke Boners â—â—â—cuse of 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 taken 〈…〉 But because he shall not so deceiue vs any more we wyll send the Knight Marshall vnto him willing him if he be sycke in deed to let him alone for that is a reasonable excuse but if he be not sicke then to bring him forth with vnto vs for I promise you he shall not vse vs as he hath done we will not take it at his handes and therefore M. Iohnson sayd he you do the part of a trusty seruant as becommeth you but it is also your part to shewe my Lord of his stubborne hart and disobedience which doth him more harme theÌ„ be is aware of What thinketh he to stand with a king in his own Realmes Is this the part of a subiect nay A goo◠〈◊〉 sent to 〈◊〉 by Sâ—â—cretary Smyth I wene we shall haue a new Tho. Becket Let him take heede for if he play these parts he may fortune to be made shorter by the head He may appeale if he thinke good but whyther to the Byshop of Rome So he may helpe hymselfe forwards I say he can not appeale but to the same king who hath made vs his Iudges and to the Bench of his counsaile and how they will take this matter when they heare of it
be greatly weake bring your selfe in dauÌ„ger of one part when parties be therwith one to scourge the other Wheras in coÌ„cord they â—e both yours in an honest reuereÌ„t louely feare to do theyr duty which I doubt not your wisedoÌ„e can consider And coÌ„sider also how noisome any other outward encoÌ„ber might be in the time of y e minority of our soueraign Lord. I told y e Emperors couÌ„sell that our late souereign Lord did much for the Emperor to enter war with him put his realme in his old dayes in y e adueÌ„ture of fortune whether he should enioy it or no for y t is the nature of war And sometime the coÌ„teÌ„ned abiect haue had y e vpper hand And wheÌ„ ye administer y e realme for another it were a maruelous question of him y t shall enioy y e realme to say what ment you in the time of administratioÌ„ to adueÌ„ture my realme why tooke ye not rather for the time of my minoritye any peace whatsoeuer it were which is better theÌ„ y e best waâ— as some meÌ„ haue writteÌ„ I know you haue authority sufficient wisdome pleÌ„ty yet being entred to write I forget for y e time what ye be coÌ„men 〈◊〉 you as I were talking at Brusels with you Wynchester agaynst the expedition into Scotland deuising of the worlde at large And if I were sworne to say what I thinke in the state of the world I would for a time let scots be scots with dispayre to haue theÌ„ vnlesse it were by coÌ„quest which shall be a godly enterprise for our yong maister wheÌ„ he coÌ„meth to age And in y e meane time prepare him mony for it see y e realme in an order which hath need of it And for a stay if the Emperor would offer the king of Romains daughter as he did do w t him in our maisters minority Winchester here meaneth a fetch if he could haue brought it about as he dyd w t vs in his Wherby all this hath chauÌ„ced vnto him And by this allians your estimation shal encrease our souereign Lordes surety not a little increase be augmented For of Fraunce it must be takeÌ„ for a rule They be so wantoÌ„ they cannot do well leÌ„ger theÌ„ they see how they may be scourged if they do not Here is all the wit that I haue which I offer vnto you vpon this occasion of writing shall pray God to put in your mind y t shal be for the best as I trust he will in y e meane time to extinct this barbarous coÌ„teÌ„tion at home which can serue onely to do hurt no good I had fashioned a letter to master Ridley which I seÌ„d vnto your grace and encomber you with these malencoly writinges engendred of this fondnes which be not worth y e reading And so it may like you to vse theÌ„ for hauing heard that ye haue sayd vnto me and otherwise heard and seene what you do I shall go occupy my wit in other matters now such as haue fonde enterprises shall see that I letted not theyr follyes which they called Gods worde Winchesters letters against Ridley Gods word is folly to Winchester but to them that be wise in the Lord it is the Wisedome of the Lord to saluation ¶ This place here eyther seemeth to lacke something or eâ—s Winchester to lackesome of his wits But for hys time the king our souereigne Lord that dead is and after his time you much to your honor and reputation * Winchester wrangleth agaynst Dales bookes howsoeuer any shal be here not contented which miscontentation hath bene so fond in some as they haue burst out and wished that they might without breach of his lawes kill me which is to me a tokeÌ„ of a maruelous fury which hath bene cause why I am glad both to depart hence and to depart the sooner pray to God to order all thinges for the best With preseruatioÌ„ of our soueraigne L. and encrease of your graces honor At my house in Sothworke the last of February Your Graces humble beadman S. W. An other letter of S.W. AFter my humble commeÌ„dations to your grace it may like the same to vnderstand I haue sene of late 2. books set forth in english by Bale very pernitious seditious and slaunderous And albeit that your grace needeth not mine aduertisement in y e matter yet I am so bolde to trouble your Grace with my letters for mine owne commodity wherwith to satisfy mine own conscience to write say as becommeth me in such matters which I desire your grace to take in good part For it greueth me not a little to see so soone after my late soueraigne Lord and maisters death a booke spread abroad more to his dishonor if a princes honor may be by vile inferior subiectes impeached then professed enemies haue imagined to note a womaÌ„ to haue suffered vnder him as a martyr the woman therewith to be by Bales owne elucidation as he calleth it so set foorth painted as she appeareth to be is boasted to be a sacrameÌ„tary by the lawes worthy as she suffered the paynes of death such like things haue by stealth in our late soueraign Lords dayes gone abroad as they do now And as I am woÌ„t in such cases to speak I keep my woÌ„t to write to your grace now in whose hands I know the estate of y e realme to be foretime in gouernment to whoÌ„ for respectes of old acquayntaunce I wish al felicity In these matters of religion I haue bene long exercised and haue thankes be to God liued so long as I haue sene them throughly tryed and besides that I haue learned in written bookes of Authority I haue perceiued by bookes written without authority as by M. Bale Ioye and other and specially as Bale vseth nowe that Scripture doth by abuse seruice to the right hand and the left at once in so much as at one time Bale prayseth Luther * Luther and Anne Askew why not as well Saintes both in heauen though they varied in one small poynt here as well as you Smith both the Popes friendes though ye vary as ye sayde your selfe in diuers and setteth his death forth in English with commendation as of a Saynt whych Luther whatsoeuer he was otherwise stoutly affirmed the presence really of Christes naturall body in the Sacrament of the aultar And yet Bale the noble clerk would haue Anne Askew blasphemously denying the presence of Christes naturall bodye to be taken for a Saynte also So as Bales Saynctes may vary in heauen if they chaunce not by the way which might suffice to disproue the mans creditte if thwarting talke were not more desired of many then the trueth in deede which trueth was supposed to haue bene both in writing and exercise well established long before our late Lordes death And Bale his adherentes in their madnes playnely reproued condemned I
that all menne are bound to keepe the lent in the forme receiued but this I reckon that no christen man may contemne the forme receiued being suche a deuoute and profitable immitation of Christe to celebrate his faste and in that time suche as haue bene in the rest of the yeare worldlye to prepare themselues to come as they should come to the feast of Easter wherof S. Chrisostome speaketh expressely And for auoyding contempt a licence truely obteyned of the superiour serueth And so I hearde the kinges Maiesty our Soueraigne Lord declare when your grace was present And therfore he himselfe was very scrupulous in graunting of licences and to declare that himselfe contemned not the fast he was at charge to haue as your Grace knoweth the lent diet dayly prepared as it had bene for himselfe and the like hereof I heare say your Grace hath ordered for the kinges Maiestye that now is which agreeth not with certaine preaching in this matter ne the rimes set abroade Lent is among Christen men a godly feast to exercise men to forbeare and in England both godly and polliticke such as without confusion we can not forbeare as the experience shall shew if it be euer attempted which God forbid And yet lent is buried in rime and Steuen Stockefishe bequeathed not to me though my name be noted wherwith for mine owne part I cannot be angry for that is mitigated by theyr fondnes But I woulde desire of God to haue the strength of thys realme encreased with report of concord How well you remembred this leâ—â—on of anger in Queene Maryes time let others iudge which doth queÌ„ch many vayne deuices and imaginations And if all men be lyers as it is now to my vnderstanding straungely published me thinke Bale and such new men as be new liers should be most abhorred and detested so much the more daungerous as they be newe That whiche in Italye and Fraunce is a matter of combate is now found to be appropriate to all men God graunt the trueth to be desired of all menne truely But as one asked when he sawe an olde Philosopher dispute with an other what they talked on And it was aunswered how the olde man was discussing what was vertue it was replied if the old man yet dispute of vertue when will he vse it So it may be sayd in our religion If we be yet searching for it when shal we begin to put it in executioÌ„ I would make an end of my letters and cannot wherein I account my selfe faulty And though I may erre as euery man may yet I lye not for I say as I think for as much as I haue sayd and further think your grace hath no trouble troublesome but this matter of religion vnseasonably brought into the defamation of our late soueraigne Lordes actes doinges lawes I beseech your grace take my meaning and wordes in good part pardon my boldnes which groweth of the familiaritye I haue heretofore had with your grace which I cannot forget And thus enforcing my selfe to an end shall pray to almighty God to preserue your grace in much felicity wyth encrease of honor and the atchieuing of your hartes desire At Winchester the 21. of May. Your Graces humble beadman S.W. ¶ The Letter of the L. Protector answering to Winchester YOur letters dated the 21. day of May as concerning 2. bookes new set forth by one Bale and certayne sermoÌ„s preached here were with conuenient speede deliuered vnto vs. And like as in your letters to Edw. Uaughan of Portesmouth so in those to vs we perceiue that you haue a vigilant and diligeÌ„t eye and very fearefull of innouatioÌ„ which as it cannot be blamed proceeding of one which is desirous of quiet good order and continuance of the godly state of this realme So we do maruell that so soone so far of and so playnely you canne heare tell and say of so many thinges done here which in deed we being here and attendant vpoÌ„ the same cannot yet be aduertised of The world neuer was so quiet or so vnite but that priuily or openlye those iij. which you write of Printers players and Preachers woulde sette forth somewhat of theyr owne heades which the Maiestrates were vnwares of And the whiche already be banished and hath forsaken the realme as suffering the last punishmeÌ„t be boldest to set forth theyr mind And dare vse their extreme liceÌ„ce or liberty of speaking as out of the handes or rule of correction either because they be gone or because they be hidde There hath foolishe and naughty rimes and bookes bene made and set forth of the which as it appeareth you haue sene more then we and yet to our knowledge to many be brought but yet after our minde it is to sore and to cruelly done to lay al those to our charge and to aske as it were account of vs of them all In the most exact cruelty and tiranny of the Bishop of Rome yet Pasquill as we here say writeth his mind and many times agaynst the Bishops tyranny and some time toucheth other great princes which thing for the most part he doth safely not that the Bishop alloweth Pasquils rimes and verses specially agaynst himselfe but because he cannot punish the authour whom either he knoweth not or hath not In the late kings daies of famous memory who was both a learned wise and polliticke Prince a diligeÌ„t executor of his lawes And when your Lordshippe was most diligent in the same yet as your Lordship it selfe writeth and it is to manifest to be vnknowne there were that wrote such leud rimes and plaies as you speake of some agaynst the kinges proceedinges who were yet vnpunished because they were vnknowne or vngotten And wheÌ„ we do wey the matter we do very much maruel why that about iack of lentes leud balad and certayne as it was reported vnto vs Godly sermons whiche be euill in your letters ioyned together you be so earnest When agaynst D. Smithes booke being a man learned in the doctors scripture which made so playne agaynst the kinges highnesse authority And for the furtherance of the Bishops of Romes vsurped power your Lorship neither wrote nor sayd nothing And as it appeared you be so angry with his retractation which frankly w tout feare dread coÌ„pulsion or imprisonmeÌ„t onely with learning truth ouercommed he came vnto that you cannot abide his beginning although hauing the very woordes of scripture Except peraduenture you thinke that the saying of Dauid omnis homo mendax cannot be enterpreted euery man is a lier which how soeuer your Lordship taketh it at pleasure it appeared vnto vs then of him taken but godly to declare the infirmitye of man and the trueth of God and his word And we are not able to reason so clerkly with you yet we haue heard of the subtle difference of lying and telling of a lye or as it is in latin called mentiri and mendacium discere
Vowes 〈◊〉 going 〈◊〉 pilgrimaâ—â— 2 Item that any person may lawfully marrie without any dispensation from the B. of Rome or any other manne with any persone whome it is not prohibited to contracte matrimonie by the lawe Leuiticall 3 Item that the vowing and going of pilgrimage to Images or to the bones and reliques of any Sainctes hath ben superstitiously vsed and cause of much wickednes and idolatrie and therfore iustly abolished by the said late king of famous memorie and the Images and reliques so abused haue ben of great and godly consideratioÌ„s defaced and destroyed 4 Item that the counterfaiting of S. Nicholas S. Clement S. Katherine Gaddinâ—â—â—bout 〈◊〉 S. Nichoâ—â—â— c. Scriptureâ— be in thâ— vulgare tongue and S. Edmond by children heeretofore brought into the church was a meere mockerye foolishnesse and therefore iustly abolished and taken away 5 Item it is conuenient and godly that y e scripture of the olde Testament and new that is the whole Bible be had in English and published to be read of euery man that who soeuer doth repel dehort me from the reading therof doth euell and damnably 6 Item that the sayd late king of iust ground and reason did receiue into hys handes the authoritie and disposition of chauntries and such liuings as were geueÌ„ for the maintenaunce of priuate masses and did well change diuers of them to other vses 7 Also the kings maiestie that now is by the aduise consent of the Parliament did vpon iuste ground and reason Chauntâ—â— Masses 〈◊〉 put dowâ— suppresse abolish and take away the sayd chauntryes and suche other liuings as were vsed and occupied for maintenaunce of priuate Masses and Masses satisfactorye for the soules of theÌ„ which are dead or finding of obites lights or other like things The 〈◊〉 full of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaunges to the Câ—â—â—munion the Masse that was wonte to be sayde of priestes was full of abuses and had very fewe thinges of Christes institution besides the Epistle Gospell Lordes prayer and the wordes of the Lords supper the rest for the more part were inueÌ„ted and deuised by bishops of Rome and by other men of the same sort and therfore iustly taken away by the statutes and lawes of this realme and the coÌ„munion which is placed in the stead thereof is very godly and agreeable to the Scriptures 8 Item that it is most conuenient and fit and according to the first institution that all Christen men should receiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in both the kindes Anno 1550. that is in bread and wine 9 And the masse wherein the Priest doth onely receiue and the other doe but looke on is but the inuention of man and the ordinance of the bishop of Romes churche nor agreeable to Scripture 10 Item that vpon good and godly coÌ„siderations it is ordred in the said boke and order that the Sacrament should not be lifted vp and shewed to the people to be adored but to be w t godly deuotion receiued as it was first instituted 11 Item that it is well politikely and godly done that the kings maiestie by Act of Parlament hath commanded all images which haue stande in Churches or Chappels to be clerely abolished dâ—faced least hereafter at any time they should geue occasion of Idolatrie or be abused as many of them heretofore haue bene with pilgrimages and such Idolatrous worshipping 12 And also that for like godly and good considerations by the same authoritie of Parliament all Masse bokes Cowchers Grailes and other bokes of the seruice in latin heretofore vsed should be abolished and defaced as wel for certaine superstitions in them contained as also to auoid dissention and y t the saide seruice in the church should be thorow the whole realme in one vniform conformitie and no occasion through those olde bookes to the contrary 13 That bishops priests and deacons haue no commaundement of the law of God either to vow chastitie or to abstaine continually from mariage Vowel chaâ—â—ity of Priestes hath no coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God 14 Item that al canons coÌ„stitutions lawes positiue and ordinances of man which doe prohibite or forbid mariage to any bishoppe priest or deacon be iustly and vpon godly grounds and coÌ„siderations taken away and abolished by authority of Parlament 15 The Homilies lately commanded and set foorth by the kings maiestye to be red in the congregation of England are godly and wholesome Homelies â—o be read in â—he church and doe teache such doctrine as ought to be embraced of all men 16 The boke set forth by the kings maiesty by authority of Parliament containing the forme maner of making and consecrating of archbishops The kinges booke of order bishops priests and deacons is godly in no poynt contrary to the wholesom doctrine of the gospel therfore ought to be receiued and approued of all the faithfull members of the church of England and namely the ministers of Gods worde by them commended to the people 17 That the orders of Subdeacon Benet and Colet and suche others as were commonly called Minores ordines Orders of Subdeacon Benet Colet needâ—es in the Church Doctrine of our saluatioÌ„ sufficiently contayned 〈◊〉 the scripture Paraphrases of Erasmus be not necessarye by the woorde of God to be reckened in the church and be iustly left out in the sayd booke of orders 18 That the holy Scriptures containe sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal saluatioÌ„ through faith in Iesus Christ and that nothing is to be taught as required of necessity to eternal saluation but that which may be concluded and prooued by the holy Scriptures 19 That vpon good and godly considerations it was and is commaunded by the kings maiesties Iniunctions that the Paraphrases of Erasmus in English shoulde be set vp in some conuenient place in euery parish Churche of thys realme where as the parishioners may most commodiously resort to read the same 20 And because these Articles aforesaid do containe onely such matters as be already published and openly set forthe by the kings maiesties authority by the aduise of his highnesse Counsaile for many great and godly considerations and amongst others for the common tranquillity and vnity of the realme Wynchester required to â—ubscribe to these articles his maiesties pleasure by the aduise aforesayd is that you the B. of Winchester shall not only affirm these Articles wyth subscription of your hande but also declare and professe your selfe well contented willing and ready to publish and preach the same at such times and places and before suche audience as to his Maiestie from time to time shal seeme conuenient and requisite vpon the pain of incurring suche penalties and punishmentes as for not doing the same maye by his Maiesties lawes be inflicted vpon you These Articles were sent the 15. of Iuly The bishop of Winchester receiuing and perusing these Articles
hys hearyng A subtile pollecy of such torments as were in preparyng for heretikes or for what other cause God knoweth y t he sought to rid himselfe out of this life by wounding himselfe wyth a knife and afterward was contented to say as they willed him wherupon he was discharged but after that hee neuer rested till he had drowned himselfe in a riuer halfe a myle from his house in Kent Of whom more is to be seen when you come to his story During the time of this parliament the Clergie lykewyse after their woonted maner A conuocation begonne had a Conuocation with a disputation also appoynted by the Queenes commaundement at Paules Churche in London the same tyme which was about the 18. of October In the which Conuocation first M. Iohn Harpesfield Bacheler of Diuinitie made a sermon ad Clerum the 16. of October After the sermon done it was assigned by the bishops that they of the Clergye house for auoyding confusion of woordes should chuse them a Prolocutor To the which roome and office by common assent was named Doc. Weston Deane of Westminster and presented to the Bishops with an Oration of M. Pie Deane of Chichester Orations of M. Pye and M. Wimsley of Doct. Wesâ—on of B. Boner in the conuocation house and also of Maister Wymbisley Archdeacon of London Which D. Weston beyng chosen and brought vnto the bishops made his gratulatory Oration to the house with the answer agayne of B. Boner After these things thus sped in the conuocation house they proceeded next to the Disputation appoynted as is abouesayd by the Queenes Commaundement about the matter of the sacrament Which disputation continued sixe dayes Wherein D. Weston was chiefe on the Popes part who behaued himselfe outragiously in tauntyng and checking In conclusion such as disputed on the contrary part were driuen some to flee some to deny some to die thogh to the most mens iudgements that heard the disputation they had the vpper hand as here may appeare by y e report of the sayd disputation the copy whereof we thought here to annexe as followeth The true report of the disputation had and begun in the Conuocation house at London the 18 of October Anno. 1553. WHere as dyuers and vncertayne rumoures bee spread abroad of the Disputation had in the Conuocation house A disputation of Religion in Paules Church in London the 18. of October to the entent that all men may know the certaintie of all things therein done and sayd as much as the memory of him that was present thereat can beare away hee hath thought good at request throughly to describe what was sayd therein on both parties of the matters argued and had in question and of the enteraunce thereof ¶ Acte of the first day FIrst vpon Wednesday beyng the 18. of October October 18. at after noone M. Weston the Prolocutor certified the house that it was the Queenes pleasure D. Weston Prolocutor agaynst the booke of Catechisme set forth in king Edwardes time that the company of the same house beyng learned men assembled should debate of matters of Religion and constitute lawes therof which her grace and the Parliament would ratifie And for that sayd he there is a booke of late set forth called the Catechisme which he shewed forth bearing the name of this honorable Synode yet put forth without your consents as I haue learned beyng a booke very pestiferous and ful of heresies and likewyse a booke of Common prayer very abominable as it pleased hym to terme it I thought it therfore best first to beginne with the articles of the Catechisme concernyng the sacrament of the aultar to confirm the naturall presence of Christ in the same and also transubstantiation Wherfore sayd he it shall be lawfull on Friday next ensuyng for all men freely to speake their conscience in these matters that all doubts may be remooued and they fully satisfied therein ¶ Acte of the second day The Friday commyng beyng the 20. of October wheÌ„ men had thought they should haue entred Disputation of the questions proposed October 20. Two billes exhibited in the Conuocation house by the prolocutor the Prolocutor exhibited two seueral bils vnto the house the one for the naturall presence of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar the other concernyng the Catechisme that it was not of that houses agrement set forth and that they did not agree therunto requiryng all them to subscribe to the same as he hymselfe had done Wherunto the whole house did immediately assent except sixe which were the Deane of Rochester M Phillips M. Haddon M. Philpot. M. Cheyney M. Elmar and one other refused to subscribe to the billes the Deane of Exceter the Archdeacon of Winchester the Archdeacon of Hertford the Archdeacon of Stow and one other And while the rest were about to subscribe these two articles Iohn Philpot stood vp and spake first concernyng the Article of the Catechisme that he thought they were deceiued in the title of the Catechisme in that it beareth the tytle of the Synode of London last before this although many of them which then were present were neuer made priuye thereof in settyng it forth The booke of the Catechisme defended by M. Iohn Philpot. for that this house had granted the authoritie to make ecclesiasticall lawes vnto certayne persons to be appoynted by the kings maiestie what so euer ecclesiasticall lawes they or the most part of them dyd set forth according to a statute in that behalfe prouided it might be well sayd to bee done in the Synode of London although such as be of this house now had no notice therof before the promulgation And in this poynt he thought the setter foorth therof nothyng to haue slaundered y e house as they by their subscription went about to perswade the world since they had our Synodall authoritie vnto them committed to make such spirituall lawes as they thought conuenient and necessary And moreouer he sayd as concernyng the article of the naturall presence in the sacrameÌ„t that it was against reason and order of learnyng and also very preiudiciall to the truth that men should be mooued to subscribe before the matte were throughly examined and discussed But when he saw that allegation might take no place Agaynst the article of naturall presence being as a maÌ„ astonied at the multitude of so many learned men as there were of purpose gathered together to maintayne olde traditions more then the truth of Gods holy word he made his request vnto the Prolocutor that where as there were so many auncient learned men present on that side M. Philpots request to the Prolocutor as in y e realme the like againe were not to be found in such number that on the other side of them that had not subscribed were not past v. or vj. both in age and learnyng far inferior vnto them therfore that equalitie might bee had in this
Christ to be now on earth but onely his diuine presence and touching his humanitie to bee in heauen we ought to confesse and beleeue the same But if we put a third presence of Christ that is corporally to bee present always in the sacrament of the aultar inuisibly according to your suppositions whereof S. Augustine maketh no mention at all in all his works you shal seeme to iudge that which S. Augustine did neuer comprehend Why quoth Watson S. Augustine in the place by me alledged maketh he not mention how S. Steuen beyng in this world saw Christ after his ascension It is true said Philpot but he saw Christ as the scripture telleth in the heauens beyng open standyng at the right hand of God the father Further to this Watson answered not Then the Prolocutor went about to furnish vp an answere to S. Augustine saying that he is not now in the world after that maner of bodily presence â— Weston but yet present for all that in his body To whom Philpot answered that the Prolocutor dyd grate much vpon this worde Secundum in S. Augustine Philpot replyeth to Weston which signifieth after the maner or in forme but he doth not answer to id quod which is that thyng or substance of Christ in the which Christ suffred arose and ascended into heauen in the which thing and substance he is in heauen and not on earth as S. Augustine in the place specified most clearely doth define To this nothing els beyng aunswered the Deane of Rochester proceeded in the maintenance of his argument The Deane of Rochester and read out of a booke of Annotations sundry authorities for the confirmation therof To the which Moreman who was appointed to answer him made no direct aunswer but bade him make an argument Moreman saying that maister Deane had recited many wordes of Doctors but he made not one argument Then said the Deane the authorities of the doctors by me rehersed be sufficient arguments to proue mine intent to the which my desire is to be answered of you But still Moreman cried make an argument to shift of the authoritie which he could not answer vnto After this y e Deane made this argument out of the institution of the sacrameÌ„t Do this in remembraunce of me and thus ye shall shew foorth the Lordes death vntill he come The sacrament is the remembrance of Christ Ergo Argument the sacrament is not very Christ for yet he is not come For these words Vntill he come do plainly signify the absence of Christes bodye Then the Prolocutor went about to shew that these wordes Vntill he come Weston answereth to the Argument Donec in Scripture M. Deanes questions did not import any absence of Christ on the earth by other places of scripture where Donec vntill was vsed in like sense but directly to the purpose he answered nothing In conclusioÌ„ the Deane fel to questioning with Moreman whether Christ did eate the Paschal lambe with hys disciples or no He answered Yea. Further he demanded whether he eate likewise the Sacrament with them as he did institute it Moreman aunswered Yea. Moreman affirmeth that Christ did eate his owne body Then he asked what he did eate and whether he eate his owne naturall body as they imagine it to be or no Which when Moreman had affirmed then said the Deane it is a great absurditie by you granted and so he sate downe Against this absurditie Philpot stood vp and argued Philpot. saying he could proue it by good reason deduced out of scripture that Christ eat not his owne natural body at the institution of the sacrament and the reason is this Ba Receiuing of Christes body hath a promise of remission of sinnes with it annexed Argument ro Christ eating the sacrament had no promise of remission of sinne co Ergo Christ in the Sacrament did not eate his owne body To this reason Moreman answered Moreman denieth the Sacramen to haue a promise of remission of sinnes annexed vnto it Philpot. deniyng the former part of the argumeÌ„t that the sacrament had a promise of remission of sinnes annexed vnto it Then Philpot shewed this to be the promise in the sacrament Which is geuen for you which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes But Moreman would not acknowledge that to be any promise so that he droue Philpot to the 6. of S. Iohn to vouch this saying with these words The bread which I will geue is my flesh which I will geue for the lyfe of the world Moreman aunswering nothing directly to this argument Harpesfield affirmeth that which his fellow denyed Harpsfield start vp to supply that which wanted in hys behalfe and thinking to haue answered Philpot confirmed more strongly his argumeÌ„t saying Ye mistake the promise which is annexed to the body of Christ in the Sacrament for it pertained not to Christ but to his Disciples to whom Christ said This is my body which is geuen for you and not for Christ hymselfe You haue sayd well for me quoth Philpot Philpot. for that is myne argument The promise of the body of Christ tooke no effect in Christ Ergo Christ eate not his owne body Then the prolocutor to shoulder out the matter sayd the argument was naught Weston also is contrary to Moreman For by the lyke argument he might go about to proue that Christ was not baptised because the remission of sinne which is annexed vnto Baptisme tooke no effect in Christ. To the which Philpot replied that like as Christ was baptised M. Philpots argument not soluted so he eate the sacrament but he tooke on hym Baptisme not that he had any neede thereof or that it tooke any effect in hym but as our maister to geue the church an example to folow him in the ministration of the sacrament and therby to exhibite vnto vs himselfe and not to geue himselfe to himselfe No more was said in this But afterward the Prolocutor demanded of Philpot whether he would argue against the naturall presence or no To whom he answered Yea if he would heare hys Argument without interruption and assigne one to aunswer him and not many which is a confusion to the OpponeÌ„t specially for him that was of an ill memory By this time y e night was come on wherfore the Prolocutor brake vp the disputatioÌ„ for that tyme and appointed Philpot to be the first that should begin the disputation the next day after The conuocatioÌ„ continued to the next day concernyng the presence of Christ in the sacrament ¶ The Acte of the fourth day M. Philpot not sâ—ffered by the Prolocutor to make his declaration ON the Wednesday the xxv of Octob. Ioh. Philpot as it was before appointed was redy to haue entred the disputation mynding first to haue made a certaine Oration and a true declaration in Latine of the matter of Christes presence which was
broughte in the Bishop of Rome and sette him in his olde authoritie beginneth to set vp abbeis againe hath made the mariage of priestes vnlawfull hath tourned the English seruice into Latine againe hath set vp the Masse againe w t like baggage and pulled downe the holy Communion and all this is done by consente of Parliament If the Acts of Parliament made in king Henries time in K. Edwards had theyr foundatioÌ„ vpon Gods word where vpon all positiue lawe ought to be grounded then these which are stablished in the Quenes time being cleane contrary to the others as they are not warranted by gods woorde so are they wicked and therfore to be both spoken and wrytten against of all menne as well of priuate as of publique persons If your Actes my Lord Chancellour which you haâ—e lately coyned I call them yours because ye only beare the swinge deuise and decree what yee list all other men are forced to followe be good and according to Gods woord then the former Actes were naught whych thing ye seeme to say in vtterly taking of them away and setting vp of the contrary if the former were nought why then did ye consent vnto them and confirme them to be good by your voluntarie and aduised wryting as it appeareth and will to the worldes ende in your Booke de vera Obedientia where you prooue the Queene a Bastard and the bishop of Rome to be an vsurper and to haue no authoritie in the Realme of Englande Yee must needes confesse that the moste parte of your Actes of Parliament in these latter dayes haue bene according to the fantasies of a fewe King Henry in his time established by Parliament in a manner what he listed and many thinges that might well haue bene amended In Kinge Edwardes dayes the Duke of Somersette and Northumberlande bare a great stroke in thyngs and did not all things syncerely Euen so since the Quene that nowe is came to the gouernement of the realme al things are ordered by your deuise and head and the whole Parliament house is ledde as you list by reason whereof they are compelled to condescende to thinges both contrarye to Gods manifest woorde and also contrary to theyr owne consciences so great is your crueltie For to bryng youre wicked purposes to passe and to establish your Antichristian kingdome whych I truste the Lorde wyth the breathe of hys mouthe will spedely blowe ouer yee haue called three Parliamentes in one yeare and an halfe that what you coulde not compasse by subtill perswasion ye might bring to passe by tyrannical threatning for if yee hadde not vsed cruell force in your doinges yee had neuer broughte to passe suche thinges as this daye yee haue to the vtter defacing and abolishing of Gods true religion and to the casting away and destruction of your naturall Countrey so much as in you lieth And as it is moste true that Actes of Parliament haue in these latter dayes bene ruled by the fantasies of a fewe and the whole Parliament house contrary to their minds was compelled to consent to such things as a few had conceiued So it muste needes be graunted that the Papistes at all times were moste readie to apply them selues to the present worlde and like menne pleasers to follow the fantasies of suche as were in authoritie and turne with the estate which way so euer it tourned Yea if the estate should chaunge ten times in one yeare they woulde euer be ready at hande to chaunge with it and so folowe the crie and rather vtterly to forsake God and be of no religion then that they would forgoe lust or liuing for God or for religion King Henrie by Parliamente accordinge to Goddes woorde putte downe the Pope the Clergie consented and all men openly by othe refused this vsurped supremacie knowing by Gods worde Christ to be head of the churchâ— and euery Kinge in hys Realme to haue vnder and nexte vnto Christe the chiefe Soueraigntie King Edward also by Parliament according to Gods woorde sette the marriage of Priestes at libertie abolished the Popish and idolatrous masse chaunged the Latin seruice and sette vp the holy Communion the whole Cleargie consented heereunto many of them set it foorth by then preaching and all they by practising confirmed the same Notwythstanding now when the state is altered and the lawes chaunged the Papisticall cleargie wyth other like worldlinges as menne neither fearing God neyther flying worldly shame neither yet regardinge their consciences othes or honestie like wauering weather Cockes tourn rouÌ„d about putting on harlots foreheades sing a newe song and crie wyth an impudent mouth Come a-againe come againe to the catholicke churche meaning the Antichristian church of Rome which is the Synagogue of Sathan and the very sincke of all superstition heresie and Idolatrie Of what force I pray you may a man think these Parliamentes to be which scantly can stand a yere in strength Or what credite is to be geuen to these law makers which are not ashamed to establish contrary lawes and to condempne that for euill which before the thing in it selfe and the circumstances remaining al one they affirmed and decreed to be good Truelye yee are so readye contrarye to all ryghte to chaunge and turne for the pleasure of manne that at the lengthe I feare GOD wyll vse you lyke chaungelings Anno 1554. Aprill and both tourne you foorth of his kingdom and out of your owne countrey Yee charge the Gospell preachers with the vndoyng of thys realme nay it is the turning papists whych haue not onely sette a sale theyr Countrey like Traitours but also troubled the simple people so that they canne not tell what they may beleeue For that which they affirmed and preached to be newe doctrine in King Edwardes dayes nowe they crie against it as it were moste abhominable heresye This fault I trust yee shall neuer finde at our hands Therefore to conclude that whiche I purposed for somuche as the Actes of Parliament of these latter times are one contrary to an other and those which yee nowe haue stablished in your time are contrary to Gods most manifest woorde as is the vsurped supremacie of the Byshoppe of Rome the Idolatrous Masse the Latine Seruice the prohibiting of lawfull marriage which Sainte Paul calleth the Doctrine of Deuilles wyth many suche other I say it is not onely lawfull for any priuate man which bringeth Gods woorde for hym and the authoritie of the primatiue and best Churche to speake and wryte against such vnlawfull lawes but it is hys duetie and he is bounde in very conscience to doe it Which thyng I haue prooued by diuers examples before and nowe will adde too but one other which is wrytten in the fifth of the Actes where it appeareth that the high Priestes the Elders Scribes and Pharisies decreed in their Councell and gaue the same coÌ„maundement to the Apostles that they should not preache in the name of Christe as yee haue also forbidden
hee would not preuent them but taryed still sayeng Once I did flee and tooke me to my feete but now because I am called to this place and vocation I am throughly perswaded to tary and to liue and dye with my sheepe And when at the day of his appearaunce which was the first of September he was come to London before he could come to the foresayd D. Heath and Boner hee was intercepted commaunded violently agaynst hys wyll to appeare before the Queene and her Counsaile M. Hoopeâ— refused to flye away to answer to certaine bonds and obligations wherein they sayd hee was bound vnto her And when he came before theÌ„ Winchester by and by receyued hym very opprobriously M. Hoopâ—â— commeth vp to Loâ—don and rayling and ratyng of hym accused him of Religion Hee agayne freely and boldly told his tale and purged hymselfe But in fine it came to this conclusion that by them he was commaunded to Ward it beyng declared vnto hym by his departure M. Hoopâ—â— charged to aunswere the Queâ—â— for bonds 〈◊〉 debt that the cause of his imprisonment was only for certaine summes of money for the which he was indebted to the Queene and not for religion This how false and vntrue it was shall hereafter in his place more plainly appeare The next yeare beyng 1554. the 19. of Marche M. Hopeâ— commaâ—â—â—ded to warde he was called agayne to appeare before Winchester and other the Queenes Commissioners where what for the Bishop and what for the vnruly multitude when he could not be permitted to plead his cause he was depriued of hys Bishoprikes Which how in what order it was done M. Hoopâ—â— depriued 〈◊〉 his Bishoprickâ—s here now followeth to be seene by the testimonie and report of one which being present at the doing committed the same to writyng ¶ A letter or report of a certaine godly man declaring the order of M. Hoopers depriuation from hys Bishoprike An. 1554. March 19. FOr so much as a rumor is spread abroad of the talk had at my L. Chuancellours A letter reportinâ— the orde◠〈◊〉 M. Hoopâ—â— depriuatiâ—â— betweene hym with other Commissioners there appoynted and M. Hooper cleane contrary to the veritie and truth thereof in deede and therfore to bee iudged rather to be risen of malice for the discrediting of the truth by false suggestions and euill reportes then otherwise I thought it my duetie bâ—yng present thereat my selfe in writyng to set forth the whole effect of the same partly that the veritie therof may be knowen to the doubtfull people and partly also to aduertise them how vncharitably M. Hooper was handled at their hands which with all humilitie vsed hymselfe towards them desiryng that with patience he might haue bene permitted to speake assuryng all men that where I stood in a mammeryng and doubt which of these two religions to haue credited eyther that set forth by the kings maiesty that dead is or els that now mainteyned by the Queens maiesty theyr vnreuerend behauiour towards M. Hooper doth mooue me the rather to credite hys doctrine then that which they with railyng and cruell words defended consideryng that Christ was so handled before And that this which I haue written here was the effect of theyr talke as I acknowledge it to bee true my selfe so I appeale to all the hearers consciences that there were present so they put affection away for the witnesse to the same ¶ The Bishops of Wint. of London of Duresme of Landaffe of Chichester sate as Commissioners Lord Chauncellour AT M. Hoopers commyng in the L. Chauncellour asked whether he was maried Hooper Yea my L. and will not be vnmaried tyll death vnmary me Duresme That is matter enough to depriue you Hooper That it is not my Lord except ye do agaynst the Law The matter concerning mariage was no more talked of then for a great space but as well the Commissioners as such as stood by began to make such outcries laughed and vsed such gesture as was vnseemely for the place and for such a matter The Bishop of Chichester D. Day called M. Hooper hypocrite with vehement wordes and scornefull countenance Bekonsall called him beast so did Smyth one of the clerkes of the Counsayle and diuers other that stoode by At length the Bishop of Winchester said that all men might liue chast that would and brought in this text Castrauerunt se propter regnum coelorum That is There he that haue gelded themselues for the kingdom of heauen Math. 19. M. Hooper sayd that text prooued not that all men could lyue chaste but such onely to whome it was geuen and read that which goeth before in the text But there was a clamour and cry Priest maâ—â—age not â—orbyd by â—he olde â—anon mocking and scorning with callyng hym beast that the text could not be examined Then M. Hooper sayd that it did appeare by the olde Canons that marriage was not forbidden vnto Priestes and named the Decrees But the Bishop of Winchester sent for another part namely the Clementines or the Extrauagants But M. Hooper said that booke was not it which he named Then cryed out the Bishop of Winchester and sayd You shall not haue any other vntill ye be iudged by this And then began such a noyse tumult and speakyng together of a great many that fauoured not the cause 〈◊〉 More 〈◊〉 shortly 〈◊〉 into 〈…〉 dyed of 〈◊〉 that nothyng was done ne spoken orderly nor charitably Afterwardes Iudge Morgan began to rayle at M. Hooper a long time with many opprobrious fowle words of hys doyng at Glocester in punishing of men said there was neuer such a tyrant as he was After that D. Day Bishop of Chichester said that the Councel of Ancyra which was before the Councell of Nice was against the marriage of Priests Then cryed out my L. Chancellor many with him that M. Hooper had neuer read the Councels Yes my Lord quoth M. Hooper and my L. of Chichester Doctor Day knoweth that the great Councell of Nice by the meanes of one Paphnutius decreed that no Minister should be separated from his wife But such clamours and cries were vsed that the Councel of Nice was not seene After this long brutish talke Tonstall Bishop of Duresme asked M. Hooper whether he beleeued the corporal presence in the sacrament And maister Hooper said plainly that there was none such neither did he beleue any such thyng Then would the Bish. of Duresme haue read out of a booke for his purpose belike what booke it was I cannot tell but there was such a noise and confuse talke on euery side that he dyd not read it Then asked Winchester of M. Hooper what authoritie mooued him not to beleue the corporall presence He said the authoritie of gods worde and alleged this text Quem oportet coelum suscipere vsque ad tempus restaurationis omnium i. Whom heaueÌ„ must hold vntill the latter
question for I am sure that booke stoppeth all their mouthes Then sayd I My Lord I thinke many things be farre wide from the truth of Gods word in that booke Then my Lord sayd Thou art a very varlet Math. 5. To that I aunswered that is as ill as Racha or Fatue Then my Lord sayd thou art an ignoraunt beetill brow To that I aunswered D. Taylour learned in diuinitie and also in the ciuill lawe Gardiners booke de vera obedientia I haue read ouer and ouer agayne the holy Scriptures and S. Augustines workes through S. Cyprian Eusebius Origine Gregory Nazianzen with diuers other bookes through once therefore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignoraunt Besydes these my Lorde I professed the Ciuill lawes as your Lordship did and I haue read ouer the Canon law also Then my Lord sayd with a corrupt iudgement thou readest all things Touching my profession it is Diuinitie in whiche I haue written diuers bookes Then I saide my Lord ye did write one booke De vera obedientia I would you had bene constant in that for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscience that I heard of but in that one booke Then my Lord sayd tut tut tut I wrote agaynst Bucer in Priestes Mariages but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art which hast bene maryed many yeares To that I aunswered I am maryed in deed and I haue hadde nine children in holy Matrimonye I thanke God and this I am sure of that your proceedinges now at this present in this Realme agaynst Priestes Mariages is the maintenance of the doctrine of deuils agaynst naturall lawe Ciuill lawe Canon law generall Counsels Canons of the Apostles auncient Doctours and Gods lawes Then spake my Lord of Duresme saying You haue professed the Ciuill law as you say Then you know that Iustinian writeth that Priestes shoulde at theyr taking of orders sweare that they were neuer maryed and he bringeth in to proue that Canones Apostolorum To that I aunswered that I did not remember any such lawe of Iustinian But I am sure that Iustinian Writeth in Titulo de indicta viduitate in Cod. that if one would bequeath to his wife in his TestameÌ„t a legacy vnder a conditioÌ„ that she shuld neuer mary agayne and take an othe of her accomplishing of the same yet she may mary agayne if he die notwithstanding the aforesayd coÌ„dition and othe taken and made agaynst Mariage and an othe is an other maner of obligation made to God then is a Papisticall vow made to man Moreouer in the Pandects it is conteined that if a man doth manumit his handmayde vnder a condition that shee shall neuer mary yet she may mary and her Patrone shall loose ius patronatus for his adding of the vnnaturall and vnlawfull condition agaynst Matrimony Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd thou sayst that Priestes may be maryed by Gods law How prouest thou that Scripture â—pprâ—ueth 〈◊〉 maâ—sages but â—he Pâ—pe 〈◊〉 be heard beâ—ore the Scripture Chrysost. â—alleth it an â—eresie to â—ay that a Priest may â—ot be maâ—yed I aunswered by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paul both to Timothy to Titus where he speaketh most euidentlye of the mariage of Priestes Deacons and Byshoppes And Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy sayth It is an heresye to say that a Bishop may not be maryed Then sayd my Lord Chauncellor thou lyest of Chrysostome But thou doest as all thy companions doe belye euer without shame both the Scriptures and the Doctors Diddest thou not also say that by the Canon lawe Priestes may be maried whiche is most vntrue and the contrary is most true I aunswered We read in the Decrees that the foure generall Councels Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesine and Chalcedone haue the same authority that the foure Euangelistes haue And we read in the same decrees which is one of the chiefe bookes of the Canon law that the Councell of Nicene by the meanes of one Paphnutius Canon law â—â—proueth Priests maâ—iages did allow Priestes bishops mariages Therfore by the best part of the Canon law Priestes may be maried Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd thou falsifiest the generall Councell For there is expresse mention in the sayde Decree that Priestes shoulde be diuorced from their wiues Winchester â—â—lyeth the â—ouncell whiche bee maried Then said I if those words be there as you say then am I content to lose this great head of mine Let the booke be fetched 〈◊〉 â—elpeth Winâ—â—ester 〈…〉 Then spake my Lord of Duresme Though they be not there yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia which Eusebius wrote out of which booke the Decree was taken To that sayd I it is not like that the Pope woulde leaue out any such sentence hauing such authority making so much for his purpose Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Gratian was but a patcher thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy purpose I answered my Lord I can not but maruell that you do call one of the chiefe Papistes that euer was but a patcher Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Nay I call thee a snatcher a patcher To make an end wilt thou not returne agayne with vs to the Catholicke Church and with that he rose And I sayd By Gods grace I will neuer departe from Christes Church Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison and my Lord Chauncellour sayde thou shalt haue iudgement within this weeke and so was I deliuered agayne vnto my keeper D. Taylour 〈◊〉 agayne 〈…〉 My Lord of Duresme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother I alledged S. Augustine that we ought to preferre Gods word before all men And thus muh was conteined in the foresayd letter of Doctor Taylour for that matter Besides this letter moreouer he directed an other writing in like maner to an other frend of his concerning the causes wherfore he was condemned whiche we thought likewise here to expresse as foloweth ¶ The copy of an other Letter to his frend touching his assertions of the Mariage of Priestes and other causes for the which he was condemned IT is heresy to defend any doctrine agaynst the holy scripture Therfore the Lord Chauncellour and Bishops coÌ„senting to his sentence agaynst me be heretickes For they haue geuen sentence agaynst the mariage of priests knowing that S. Paul to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly The B. of Wint. and his felloweâ— proued to be oâ—pen heretickes by Scripture 〈◊〉 by the true â—â—â—nition of hereâ—â— that Bishops Priestes Deacons may be maried knowing also that by S. Paules doctrine it is the doctrine of y e deuils to inhibite Matrimony And S. Paule willeth euery faythfull Minister to teach the people so least they be deceiued by the marked Marchauntes 1. Tim. 4. These Byshops are not ignoraunt that it is onely S. Paules counsell
his counsell that my life mother children brethren sisters and frendes with other delightes of life G. Marsh forsaketâ— kindred al togethâ—â— to sticke 〈◊〉 Christ. were as deare sweet vnto me as vnto any other man and that I would be as loth to lose them as an other would if I might hold them with good conscience and without the ignominy of Christ and seeing I could not doe that my trust was that God would strenthen me with his holy spirit to lose them all for his sake for I take my selfe sayd I for a sheepe appaynted to be slayne paciently to suffer what crosse so euer it shal please my merciful father to lay on me And so after I had desired them that if I were committed to prison my frendes might be suffered to relieue me they departed Mayster More afore this brought vnto me a booke of one Alphonsus a Spanish Frier Alphonsuâ— booke brought 〈◊〉 G. Marsh of all heresies wherwith the church of Rome which he called Christes true church had bene troubled since Christes time willing me to read and take Counsell of that booke appoynted me a place where this author did write agaynst them that say the lay people ought to receiue vnder both kindes This Authour I perceiued did vehementlye write agaynst Luther Melancthon PellicaÌ„ other Germaynes of this our time in all pointes defeÌ„ding y e blasphemous abuses and enormities of the Romish Church condeÌ„ning as detestable heresies whatsoeuer was written taught or beleued contrary to the same vsing for his stroÌ„gest and surest argumentes the consent agrement and determinatioÌ„ of the Romish Church So within a fewe dayes Mayster More came to me againe asking me how I liked the book I sayd the authour of the booke did in all poyntes beyng a Papist allow the rites and abuses of the Romish church Marshes iudgement of Alphoâ—sus booke and shewed him further that this author without authority and contrary both to the Scriptures olde Doctors did condemn for heresy the lay people receiuing of this sacrament vnder both kindes where as this Authour witnesseth his owne selfe that Christes church 900. yeares after Christ vsed the contrary So in conclusion he rebuketh me saying I was vnlearned erred from the Catholicke fayth stubburne and stoode altogether in mine owne conceite I aunswered for my learning I knowledge my selfe to know nothing but Iesus Christ euen him that was crucified and that my fayth was grounded vpon Gods holy word onely such as I doubted not pleased God and as I would stand in vntill the last day God assisting me and that I did not say or do any thing either of stubbernes selfe wilfulnes vayn glory or any other worldly purpose but with good conscience and in the feare of God and desired him to speake to my Lord and his Counsell that I might finde some geÌ„tlenes and mercy at theyr handes He made me but short answere Then I sayd I commit my cause vnto God who hath numbred the hayres of my head and appoynted the dayes of my life saying I am sure God which is a righteous Iudge would make inquisition for my bloude according as he hath promised Then he tooke his booke froÌ„ me and departed I continued still in Ward vntill Low sonday and after dinner my keeper Richard Scot came to mee into my chamber G. Marsh 〈◊〉 to Lancaster Castell and told me that two young men were come to cary me to Lancaster and so deliuered me vnto them a great company both of my Lordes seruauntes and others accompanying and bringing mee on the way vnto Rich. Addertons and somewhat further counselling and perswading like as is aforesayd To whome I made playne aunswere that in matters of faith I would geue place to no earthly creature So they comforted me and sayd y t they wer sory for me saying if I knew mine opinion to be good I did wel and so they departed willing my bringers to entreate me honestly My bringers by the way shewed me they were willed aduised to binde me and that they desired first to see me and after they had looked on me sitting at dinner they answered they would take charge of me beyng loose for they sayd I seemed to be an honest man The first night we were all night at Broughton and the second day we came to LaÌ„caster betimes at after noone and so they kept me all night with them of their geÌ„tlenes and on the morow deliuered me to y e Iaylor who brought me into the highest prison where I do remaine G. Marsh caused to â—old vp his handes at Lancaster amongest other malefactours After that the sayd George came to Lancaster Castle there being brought with other prisoners vnto the Sessions was made to hold vp his haÌ„ds w t other malefactors The Earle of Darby had this communication with him as here followeth Communication betweene George Marsh and the Earle of Darby Talke betweene G. Marsh and the Earle of Darby I Sayd vnto my Lord I had not dwelled in the countrey these three or foure yeares past and came home but lately to visite my mother children and other my friends and to haue departed out of the country before Easter theÌ„ next to haue gone out of the realme Wherfore I trusted seing nothing could be layd against me wherein I had offended agaynst the lawes of this realme his Lordship would not with captious questions examine me to bring my body into daunger of death to the great discomfort of my mother but suffer me to auoyd peaceably seeing I might haue fled out of the country and yet of mine owne will came to hys Lordship He sayd to his Counsell he had heard tell of me aboue at London and intended to make search for me and take me either in Lancashyre or aboue at London and asked me into what land I would haue gone The Earle of Darby chaâ—geth the calme of 〈◊〉 of heresie I aunswered I would haue gone either into Almain or els into Denmarke He sayd to his Counsell in Denmarke they vsed suche heresie as they haue done in England but as for Almayne hee sayde the Emperour had destroyed them So after such like woordes I sayde vnto him my trust was that his Lordship being of the honourable Counsell of the late king Edward consenting and agreeing to acts concerning fayth toward God and religion vnder great payne woulde not so soone after consent to put poore men to shamefull death as he had threatned me for embrasing the same with so good a conscience He aunswered that he with the Lord Windsor Lord Dacars The Earle of Darby L. 〈◊〉 and Lord Dacars in â— Edwards 〈◊〉 agreed 〈…〉 with one moe whose name I haue forgotten did not consent to those Actes and that the nay of them foure would be to be seene as long as y e ParliameÌ„t house stode Then my Lord did rehearse the euill luck of the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke with
some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympanie or some other like disease to thinke her selfe with child and was not What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell some thought she was with childe and that it did by some chaunce miscarie or els that she was bewitched but what was the truth therof the Lord knoweth to whome nothing is secrete One thing of mine owne hearing and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed There came to me whom I did both heare and see one Isabell Malt a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed who before witnes made this declaration vnto vs that she beyng deliuered of a maÌ„child vpoÌ„ Whitsonday in the mornyng whiche was the xi day of Iune an 1555. there came to her the Lord North and an other Lord to her vnknoweÌ„ dwellyng theÌ„ about old Fish streete demauÌ„dyng of her if she would part with her child and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child Whiche if she would her sonne they sayd should be well prouided for she should take no care for it with many fayre offers if she would part with the child After that came other womeÌ„ also of whoÌ„ one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker but she in no wise would let go her sonne who at y e writyng hereof being aliue called Timothe Malt was of the age of xiij yeares vpward Ex testimonio eiusdam puerperae Londinensis Thus much I say I heard of the woman her selfe What credite is to bee geuen to her relation I deale not withall but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader to beleue it they that list to them that list not I haue no further warrant to assure them The young Princes cradle Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed these Uerses were written both in Latin and English Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti Anglis incâ—lumem redde tuere rege The Child which thou to Mary O Lord of might hast send To Englandes ioy in health preserue Verses vpon the Cradle keepe and defend About this tyme there came ouer into England a certaine English booke geuing warnyng to English men of the Spanyardes and disclosing certaine close practises for recouery of Abbay landes which booke was called A warnyng for England Whereof ye shall vnderstand more God willyng when we come to the Spanish Inquisition So that by the occasion of this booke vppon the xiij day of this moneth came out a certaine Proclamation set forth in the name of the Kyng and Queene repealyng disanullyng all maner of bookes writteÌ„ or Printed whatsoeuer should touche any thyng the impayryng of the Popes dignitie whereby not onely much godly edification was hyndred but also great perill grew among the people The copy of which Proclamation here foloweth A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies there is ordained and prouided a great punishment not only for the authours makers and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of the holy Church likewise for their fautors supporters but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute which Acte or Statute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued Of this Acte or statute read before Pag. 507. was also openly proclaimed to the intent the subiectes of the realme vpon such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute and as yet neuerthelesse in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected and little regarded The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie A stiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum Christum eius Psal. 2. therefore c. straightly charge and commaunde that no persone or persones of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme any bookes wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned that is to saye anye booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth by or in the name of Martine Luther or any booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth by or in the name of Oecolampadius Zwinglius Iohn Caluine Pomerane Iohn Alasco Bullinger Bucer Melancthon Bernardinus Ochinus Good 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—hibited Erasmus Sarcerius Peter Martyr Hugh Latymer Robert Barnes otherwyse called Frier Barnes Iohn Bale otherwise called Frier Bale Iustus Ionas Iohn Hoper Myles Couerdal William Tyndal Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie William Turner Theodore Basill otherwise called Thomas Beacon Ihon Frith Roy and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle Agaynst Haâ—le◠〈◊〉 or anye of them in the Latine toung Dutch toung English toung Italian toung or French toung or any other like booke paper wryting or woorke made printed or sette foorthe by any other persone or persones containing false doctrine contrarie and against the Catholicke faith and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche And also that no person or persons presume to write What 〈◊〉 is here to kept 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 his sepulâ—chre and will he 〈◊〉 in spite oâ— his 〈◊〉 printe vtter sell reade or kepe anye or cause to bee wrytten printed vttered or kept anye of the sayde bookes papers woorkes or wrytings or any booke or bookes wrytten or printed in the Latine or English toung concerning the common seruice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme in the time of king Edwarde the sixth commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament for common prayer administration of the Sacramentes or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamation bring or deliuer or cause the sayde bookes wrytinges and woorkes and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse where suche bookes woorkes or wrytinges be or remaine or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries without fraud coulour or deceite at the sayde Ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case
first that you would defend the Religion then and therfore worthely were you prisoned Brad. Your grace did heare me answere my Lord Chauncellour to that poynt Bradford imprisoned for thaâ— for which he had the lawes on his side But put case I had bene so stout as they and your Grace make it were not the lawes of the Realme on my side then Wherefore vniustly was I prisoned onely that which my Lord Chauncellour propounded was my confession of Christes trueth agaynst Transubstantiation and of that whiche the wicked do receaue as I sayd Yorke You deny the presence Brad. I do not to the fayth of the worthy receiuers Yorke Why what is that to say other The presence of Christes body to the fayth of the worthy receauer then that Christ lyeth not on the aultar Brad. My Lord I beleue no such presence Chichest It seemeth that you haue not read Chrisostome for he proueth it Brad. Hetherto I haue bene kept well inough without bookes howbeit this I doe remember of Chrisostome Hiperbolicall phrase of Chrisostome that he sayth that Christ lyeth vpon the aultar as the Seraphines with their tongues touche our lippes with the coales of the aultar in heauen which is an hyperbolicall loquution of whiche you know Chrisostome is full Yorke It is euident that you are to farre gone but let vs come then to the Church out of the whiche ye are excommunicate Brad. I am not excommunicate out of Christes Churche my Lord Bradford excommunicated with the poore blind man Iohn 9. although they which seeme to be in the Church and of the Church haue excommunicated me as the poore blinde man was Iohn 9. I am sure Christ receiueth me Yorke You do deceiue your selfe Here after much talke of excommunication at length Bradford sayd Brad. Assuredly as I thinke you did well to departe from the Romish church so I thinke ye haue done wickedly to couple your selues to it againe for you can neuer prooue it which you call the mother church to be Christes Church Chichest Ah M. Bradford you were but a child when this matter began I was a yong man and then comming froÌ„ the Uniuersitie I went with the world but I tell you it was alwayes against my conscience Brad. I was but a child then howbeit as I tolde you I thinke you haue done euill The Pope proued to be Antichrist by Scripturâ— For ye are come haue broght others to that wicked man which sitteth in the Temple of God that is in the church for it cannot be vnderstand of Mahomet or any out of the Church but of such as beare rule in the Church Yorke See how you build your fayth vpon such places of Scripture as are most obscure to deceyue your selfe as though ye were in the Church where you are not Brad. Well my Lord though I might by fruites iudge of you and others yet will I not vtterly exclude you out of the church And if I were in your case I would not condemne him vtterly that is of my faith in the Sacrament knowyng as you know that at the least 800. yeares after Christ as my L. of Duresme writeth What B. Tonstall writeth of Transubstantiation it was free to beleue or not to beleeue transubstantiation Yorke This is a toy that you haue found out of your own braine as though a man not beleuing as the church doth that is transubstantiation were of the church Chichest He is an heretike and so none of the Church that doth hold any doctrine against the definitioÌ„ of the church as a man to hold against transubstantiatioÌ„ Cyprian was no heretike though he beleued rebaptising of them which were baptised of heretikes because hee helde it before the church had defined it whereas if he had holden it after Note how these Bishops themselues do graunt that the time was when transubstantiationâ— was not defined by the Church Tonstall sayth it was more then 800 yeares after Christ. theÌ„ had he bene an heretike Brad. Oh my Lord wil ye condemne to the deuill any man that beleeueth truely the xij Articles of the fayth wherein I â—ake the vnitie of Christes Church to consist although in some points he beleeue not the definition of that which ye call the Church I doubt not but that he which holdeth firmely the Articles of our beliefe though in other thyngs he dissent from your definitions yet he shal be saued Yorke Chichester Yea sayde both the Byshops this is your Diuinitie Brad. No it is Paules which sayth that if they holde the foundation Christ though they build vpon him straw and stubble yet they shall be saued Yorke Lord God how you delite to leane to so hard and darke places of the Scriptures Chic I will shewe you how that Luther did excommunicate Zuinglius for this matter and so he read a place of Luther making for his purpose Brad. My Lord what Luther writeth as you muche passe not M. Bradford hangeth not of Luther Zuinglius or Oecolampadius yet he accompteth them good men no more do I in this case My fayth is not builded on Luther Zuinglius or Oecolampadius is this poynt and in deede to tel you truely I neuer read any of their works in this matter As for them I do think assuredly that they were and are Gods Children and Sayntes with hym Yorke Well you are out of y e Communion of the Church Brad. I am not for it consisteth and is in fayth Yorke Loe how make you your Church inuisible for you would haue the Communion of it to consist in fayth Brad. For to haue Communion with the Churche needeth no visiblenes of it Communion of the Church consisteth in fayth and not in visible ceremonyes Disagreing in rites breaketh no agreement in fayth Ireneus for Communion consisteth as I sayd in faith and not in exterior ceremonies as appeareth both by Paule which would haue one fayth and by Irenaeus to Uictor for the obseruation of Easter saying that disagreeing of fastyng shoulde not breake the agreeyng of fayth Chichester The same place hath often euen wounded my conscience because we disseuered our selues from the Sea of Rome Bradford Well God forgeue you for you haue done euill to bryng England thether agayne Yorke Here my Lord of Yorke tooke a booke of paper of common places and read a peece of Saint Austen contra Epistolam Fundamenti Aug. contra Epiâ—â— fundament how that there were many thinges that did holde S. Augustine in the bosome of the Churche consent of people and nations authoritie confirmed wyth myracles Consent of people Authority confirmed with miracles nourished with hope encreased with charity established with antiquitye Succession of Priestes The name Catholicke nourished with hope encreased with charitie established with antiquitie besides this there holdeth me in the Church sayth S. Augustine the succession of priests from Peters seate vntill this present Bishop Last of all the very name of Catholicke doth
should see the Law whereby ye may compell me to aunswere Douer My Lord tooke the Scribes book and read the answere that I made to D. Faucets reason which I knewe not that they had written Bland My Lord I made you no such aunswere when ye asked me I take M. Collins and M. Glasier to witnes Then they brought forth a Decretall a booke of the bishop of Romes law to bind me to answere whiche my hart abhorred to looke vpon The effecte was that the Ordinarye had authority to examine The popes Kay and that they so examined must needes aunswere But I sayde that it meaned of suche as were iustly suspect as I was not And here we had muche communication For I charged them with vniust imprisonment which they could not auoyd M. Oxenden helpeth the Catholickes But M. Oxenden would haue helped them and said the Iustices put me in prison for a sermon sediously spokeÌ„ and for troubling a priest at masse Bland That is not true For after I had bene 10. weekes in prison I was bayled till I was cast in agayne and as the Iustice sayd for the disobeying mine Ordinary which I neuer did Collins Will ye be content to conferre with some It will be better for you nowe we offer it you because ye woulde not desire it Bland As I did not refuse before no more will I nowe But I did not perceyue before but that one mighte haue come without any leaue asking to conferre the scriptures and therfore I looked that D. Faucet would haue come to me without desiring M. Bland was tutor to Doct. Faucet if any commodity to me had bene in confereÌ„ce for though I was neuer able to do him good yet once I was his tutor Collins Aâ—e ye content to come to his Chamber at after noone Bland Syr I am a Prisoner and therefore it is meete that I obey These 3. belyke were Bland Shetterden and Middleton Miller a clothier excommunicate let go and come whyther you will and so departed At this tyme wee were three But they tooke an other to appeare before them the Tewesday seuennight after And when he came I knewe not what was done but that I heare they excoÌ„municated hym and let him go His name was Myller a Clothyer ¶ Here foloweth a certayne confutation of M. Bland agaynst false and manifest absurdities graunted by M. Mylles priest of Christes Church in Caunterbury MYlles The Popish fayth of the Sacrament We say that Christ is in or vnder the sacrameÌ„t really and corporally which are the formes of bread wyne and that there is his body conteined inuisibly and the qualities which we do see as whitenes and rouÌ„dnes be there without substance by Gods power as quantitye and weight be there also by inuisible measure Bland This is your owne Diuinity to make accidences the Sacrament and Christes reall body inuisibly conteyned in them and so to destroy the Sacrament And yet the Doctors saye * 1. The matter of the SacrameÌ„t is bread and wine Materia Sacramenti est panis vinum And GOD by his power woorkerh no myracles with Hoc est Corpus meum so to chaunge the substaunce of breade and wine into hys bodye and bloud in that hee maketh accidences to bee without theyr substaunce by inuisible measure I am ashamed to see you so destroy Christes Sacrament contrary to your owne Doctours and trifle so with Gods worke Mylles To Christe is geuen all power in heauen and in earth * If christ be able to be where he liste occupy no place why then is not he able to be aswell vnder the substance of bread as vnder the accidences of breade seeing he is omnipotent so that by his omnipotent power of his Godhead he may be and is where he listeth and is in the Sacramente really and corporally without occupying of place for a glorified body occupyeth on place Bland Marke your owne reason All power is geuen to Christ both in heauen and earth by the omnipotent power of his Godhead he may be where he list Ergo hee is in the sacrament really and corporally without occupying of place I denye your argument for it foloweth neyther of your Maior nor Minor And first I woulde learne of you * Christ 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 liste 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 in the Saâ—crament â—ut 〈◊〉 of place 〈◊〉 true and 〈◊〉 false howe you know that Christ listeth to be present at euerye Priestes list For if the Priest list not to say your Masse theÌ„ Christ listeth not to be there Agayne ye say all power is geuen vnto Christ both in heauen and in earth so that that is the cause by your reason that by the omnipoteÌ„t power of his Godhead he may be where he list and by that reason he had not the power of his Godhead till he had his humayne body and then he was not equall with the father in diuinity for all power was not geuen to Christe before the humanitye and the Godhead were knit together neither was he Filius Here is more daunger then ye are ware of if ye would stand to it with iust Iudges Milles. We eate Christes flesh and bloud spiritually when wee receiue it with fayth and charitye And wee also doe eate it corporally in the Sacrament ane the body that we so receiue hath life For the Godhead is annexed thereto Which although it be receiued with the body of Christ yet it is not inuisible after a grosse sort and the flesh of Christe that we receiue is liuely for it hath the spirite of God ioyned to it And if a man be drunken it is not by receiuinge of the bloud of Christe for it is contrary to the nature of Christes bloud Case being put that the 〈◊〉 king a great quantity in th◠〈◊〉 hee be made dronke 〈◊〉 these three is it that maketh dronke the nature of 〈◊〉 accidences onely of Wine 〈◊〉 the true substance of Wine 〈◊〉 reasonable man iudge If he be drunken it is by the qualities and quaÌ„tities without substance of bloud Bland I am glad that you are so muche agaynst all men to saye that Christes body is aliue in the Sacramente it may fortune to bring you to the truth in time to come Me thinke it is euill to keepe Christes body aliue in the Pixe or els must ye graunt that he is aliue in receiuing dead in the Pixe And ye say truth that it is * Christes bloud hath not thâ— qualitye to make a man 〈◊〉 Receauing of that in the 〈◊〉 can make a man dronke Ergo that in the 〈◊〉 not be the bloud of Christ. not the naturall receiuing of Christes bloud that maketh a man drunken Argument for it is the nature of wine that doth that which ye denye not And a more truth ye confesse then ye dyd thinke when ye sayd If a man be drunken it is by the qualities and quantities without the substaunce of bloud for
at length and discussed with my Lord of Caunterbury the vnderstanding of gods commaundement to the Iewes 〈◊〉 euery â—hing were 〈◊〉 oracle by 〈◊〉 by that 〈◊〉 Henry 〈◊〉 then â—inchester 〈◊〉 here a 〈…〉 so as all the Clearkes in Christedome could not amend it And where as one had denyed the Image of the Trinitye to be had by reasons as be touched in your Graces letters I heard his highnesse aunswere to them at another time And when hee had himselfe specially commaunded diuers Images to be abolished yet as your Grace knoweth he both ordered and himselfe putte in execution the kneeling and creeping before the Image of the Crosse and established agreement in that truth through all this Realme whereby all argumentes to the contrary be assoyled at once I would wysh Images vsed as the booke by his highnesse sette forth doth prescribe and no otherwise I know your Grace only teÌ„pteth me with such reasons as other make vnto you and I am not fully at liberty although I am bolde enough and some will thinke to bolde to aunswere some thinges as I woulde to an other man mine equall being so much inferiour to your Grace as I am but me thinketh Saynte Paules solucion during the kinges Maiesties minoritye should serue all Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus We haue no such custome in the Church When our soueraign Lord commeth to his perfect age which God graunt I doubt not but God wil reueale that shal be necessary for the gouerning of his people in religion Wherefore then serue the Scripture for reaâ—mes to be ruled by if God neuâ—â— reueale any thing in a reâ—â—me but by the kinges owne person in his mans age And if any thing shal be done in the meane time as I thinke there shall not by your Graces direction he may when he commeth to age say in the rest as I heare say he sayd nowe of late concerning procession that in his fathers time men were wont to folow procession vpon which the kinges maiestyes saying the procession as I heard was well furnished afterwardes by your Graces Commaundement which speach hath put me in remembraunce that if the Bishops and other of the Clergy should agree to any alteration in religion to the condemnation of any thing set forth by his Father whereby his father might be noted to haue wanted knowledge or fauor to the truth what he would say I can not tell but he might vse a maruellous speach and for the excellency of his spirite it were like he would and hauing so iust a cause against Bishops as he might haue it were to be feared he would And when he had spoken theÌ„ he might by his lawes do more then any would gladly suffer of our sort at these dayes for as the allegatioÌ„ of his authority represented by your grace shal be then aunswered as youre Grace now writeth vnto me that y t your Grace onely desired truth according to Gods scripture and it may be â—heÌ„ sayd we Bishops when we haue our soueraigne Lord head in minority we fashion the matter as we lust then some young man that would haue a piece of the Bishops landes shall say the beastly Bishops haue alwayes done so and when they can no longer mayntayne one of theyr pleasures of rule and superioritye then they take another way and let that go and for the time they be here spend vp that they haue which eat you and drinke you what ye list we together with Edamus bibamus cras moriemur And if we shall alleadge for our defence the strength of Goddes trueth and the playnesse of scripture with the word of the Lord and many gay termes and say we were conuinced by scriptures such an excellent iudgement as the kinges maiesty is like to haue will neuer credite vs in it ne be abused by such a vayne answere And this is a worldly polliticke consideration and at home for the noyse abroade in the world will be more slaunderous then this is daungerous And touching the bishop of Rome the doing in this realme hitherto hath neuer done him so much displeasure as an alteration in religion during the kinges Maiestyes minority should serue for his purpose for he wanteth not wits to beate into other princes eares that where his authority is abolished there at euery chaunge of gouernors shal be change in Religion and y t hath bene amongst vs by a whole consent established shall by pretence of an other vnderstanding in scripture streight be brought in questioÌ„ Canterbury and Duresme carped of Wynchester for they will geue it no other name but a pretence howe stiffely so euer we will affirme otherwise and call it Gods worde and here it should much be noted that my Lorde of Caunterbury being the high Bishop of the Realme highly in fauour with his late Soueraigne Lord and my Lord of Duresme a manne of renowmed fame in learning and grauity both put by him in trust for theyr councell in the order of the Realme shoulde so soone forgette theyr olde knowledge in Scripture sette forth by the Kynges Maiesties book and aduise to enuey such matter of alteration All which thinges be I knowe well by your Grace and them considered And therefore it is to me incredible that euer any such thing should be in deede with effect whatsoeuer the lyghtnesse of talke shall spread abroade whyche your Grace hath by Proclamation well stayed But and ye had not and the world talked so fast as euer they did I assure your Grace I woulde neuer feare it as men feare thinges they like not vnlesse I saw it in execution for of this sort I am that in all thinges I thinke shoulde not be done in reason I feare them not wherewith to trouble mee otherwise then to take heede if I canne and to the head Gouernours as now to your Grace shewe my minde and such experience hath euery manne of me that hath commoned with me in any such matters And therfore albeit your Grace writeth wisely that ouermuch feare doth hurt and accelerateth sometime that was not intended yet it needes not to me for I haue learned that lesson already and would a great many moe had which in deede should be a great stay And thus I talke with your Grace homely with multiplication of speache not necessary as though I meant to sende you as great a packet as I receyued from you One thing necessary to aunsweare your Grace in touching your maruell howe I know sooner thinges from thence then your Grace doth there whiche ariseth not vppon any desire of knowledge on my behalfe for euill thinges be ouersoone knowne not vpoÌ„ any slacknes of your graces behalf there who is is noted very vigilaÌ„t as your graces charge requireth But thus it is euen as it was when I was in some little authoritye they that were the euill doers in such matters would hide them from me So now they haue handled it otherwise for as for
Iacke of lentes Testament was openly sold in Winchester market before I wrot vnto your Grace of it And as for Bales booke called the Elucidiation of Anne Askewes Martyredome they were in these partes common some with leaues vnglewed where maister Paget was spoken of and some with leaues glued And I call them common because I saw at the least foure of them As for Bales booke touching the death of Luther wherein was the Duke Saxons prayer whereof I wrote was brought downe into this countrey by an honest Gentleman to whome it was as I remember hee tolde me geuen at London for newes and had it a good while ere I wrote to your Grace I had not then receiued the inhibition for preaching whereof men spake otherwise then they knewe D. Smyth reproued of Winchester And in the meane time Doctour Smith recanted with a Prieste of this Towne who to mine owne mouth boasted himselfe to be your Graces Chaplayne but I beleeued it not brought downe with speed made by meanes to haue it brought to my knowledge which I knew besides for they had by and by filled all the Countrey here aboutes of tales of me And when I saw Doctour Smithes recantation beginne with Omnis homo mendax so englished and suche a new humility as he would make all the Doctors of the Church Lyers with himselfe knowing what opinions were abroade it enforced me to write vnto your Grace for the ease of my conscience geuing this Iudgement of Smith that I neither liked his tractation of vnwritten verityes ner yet hys retractation and was gladde of my former Iudgement that I neuer had familiaritye with him I saw him not that I wotte these three yeares ne talked with him these seuen yeares as curious as I am noted in the common wealth And where as in his vnwritten verityes he was so mad to say Bishops in this Realme may make lawes I haue witnesse that I sayd at that worde we should bee then dawes and was by and by sory that euer he had writted of the Sacrament of the aultar which was not as it was noysed vntouched with that word all men be Liers which is a maruellous word as it soundeth in our toung when we say a man were better haue a thiefe in his house then a lyer And the deprauing of mans nature in that sort is not the setting out of the authority of the Scripture For albeit the authority of the Scripture dependeth not vpon man yet the ministration of y e letter which is writing and speaking is exercised and hath bene from the beginninge deliuered through mans hand and taught by mās mouth which men in the Scripture calleth holy men and that is contrary to lyers And therefore S Augustine in his book De mendacio sayth omnis homo mendax signifieth omnis homo peccans If Smyth had onely written of Bishops lawes and then sayd he had sauing your honor lyed loudly or to mittigate the matter sayd he had erred by ignorāce that had bene done truely and humbly for he that seeketh for much company in lying as he did hath small humility for he woulde hide himselfe by the nūber this muche as touching Smith of whō nor his booke till he was in trouble I neuer heard talking But to the matter I wrote of I haue told your Grace how I came to knowledge of thē very scarsely in time but in the thing ouer quickely neuer had any suche thought in my life as I denyed to your Grace to be worthely charged with thē by them I meane that may hereafter charge for I know no such yet in thys world and I neuer was in mine opinion so madde as to write to your Grace in that sort when all thinges be well I haue many causes to reioyce but where things were otherwise as I trust they shall not I haue nothing to doe to aske any accompt I trust I shall neuer forget my selfe so much I thanke God I am euen aswell learned to lyue in the place of obedience as I was in the place of directiō in our late soueraigne Lordes life And for my quietnes in this estate accompt my self to haue a great treasure of your Graces rule and authority and therfore will worship and and honor it otherwise then to vse such maner of presumption to aske any accompt And I know your Grace cannot stay these matters so sodenly and I esteeme it a great matter that thinges be stauld hitherto thus but if thinges had encreased as the rumours purported your Grace might haue bene encombred more in the execution of your good determination And why then did ye not follow the same your soueraigne Lord in abolishing the Pope in Queene Maryes tyme. Now thankes be to GOD your Grace goeth well about to stay it As for my selfe I know mine inward determination to doe as I may my duty to God and the world and haue no cause to complayne of the vniuersall Disposition of them in my Dioces I know but one way of quiet to keep and follow such lawes and orders in Religion as our late soueraigne Lorde lefte with vs which by his life as the Byshops and Clergye sayd was the very trueth and I neuer read yet or heard any thing why to swarue from it ne thinke it expedient to call any one thing in doubte during the Kinges Maiestyes minority whereby to empayre the strength of the accorde established whiche I write not mistrusting your Grace in the contrary but declaring my selfe and wishing the same minde to other about you as I trust they haue for which I shal◠pray to GOD who prospered out late Soueraigne Lord in that rebellion as we haue seene experience and by your Graces foresight and polliticke Gouernement shall send the like prosperity to our Soueraygne Lord that now is wherein I shall doe my parte as a Subiect most bounden many wayes thereunto I send vnto your Grace herewith my discussion of my Lord of S. Dauies Purgation wherein I walke somewhat more at libertye then writing to your Grace and yet I take my selfe liberty enough with a reuerent mind neuerthelesse to keepe me within my bondes whiche if I at any time exceede I trust your Grace will beare with me after your accustomed goodnesse for whose prosperitye I shall continually pray with encrease of honor At Winchester the 6. of Iune ¶ Certayne additions after these Leters aboue specified with notes and solutions aunswering to the same THus haue we set out to thee gentle and studious reader an extract of certayn letters af Byshop Gardiner not of all that he wrote but of suche as coulde come to our handes Neither of these also that we haue for any good stuffe or any great profit in thē conteined or that they dyd cleare him or his cause any thing for y e which he was most worthely condemned For if there did or might appeare any such thing in all his writinges that might cleare the ill