the wise man sayth were taken out of the Churches straightly forbidden that none shoulde any where eyther bow downe to them or worshippe them but now alas Gods holy word is blotted and rased out of Churches stockes and stones are set vp in the place thereof God cōmaundeth his word so to be ordered that it might be had in continual remēbraunce at all times and in euery place and on the other side he forbadde Images and Idols so to be either made or set in any place where any should bowe or worship them but now alas that which God cōmaūded is not passed vpon and that which he forbiddeth is maysterfully maynteined by falshoode and craft and wickedly vpholden Of late all ministers that were admitted to the publick office and ministery of Gods holy woorde in theyr admission made a solemne profession before the Congregation that they should teach the people nothing as doctrine necessarye to atteyne eternall saluation but that whiche is Gods owne holy woorde or maye be thereof grounded without any doubt whereby vanished and melted away of themselues many vaine yea wicked traditions of man as waxe before the fire but now at one brunt they are reuiued and are in full hope also to returne agayne in as great strength as euer they haue bene And howe can any man looke for any other thing but when you haue receyued the head you must also receiue the whole body withal or els how can the head abide The head vnder Sathā of al mischiefe is Antichrist his brood the same is he whiche is the Babilonicall Beast The beast is he whereupon the Whore sitteth The whore is that City sayeth Iohn in playne woordes whiche hath Empyre ouer the kinges of the earth This Whore hath a golden cuppe of abhominations in her hande whereof shee maketh to drinke the kinges of the earth of the wine of this harlot hath all nations dronke yea and kings of the earth haue line by this Whore Marchauntes of the earth by vertue of her pleasaunt marchaundise haue bene made rich Now what Citie is there in all the whole worlde that when Iohn wrote ruled ouer the kinges of the earth or what Citty can be read of in any time that of the Cittye it selfe chalenged the Empyre ouer the kinges of the earth but onely the City of Rome and that since the vsurpation of that Sea hath growne to her full strength And is it not read that the olde and auncient writers vnderstand Peters former Epistle to be writtē at Rome and it to be called of him in the same Epistle in playne termes Babilon by the abhominations therof I vnderstand all the whole trade of the Romish religion vnder the name and title of Christ which is contrary to the onely rule of all true religion that is Gods worde What worde of God hath that Deuillish drabbe for the maintenaunce of her manifolde abhominations and to set to sell such marchaundise wher with alas the madnesse of man the wicked Harlot hath bewitched almost the whole wold Did not Peter the very true Apostle of Christ of whom this stincking Strumpet beareth her selfe so highe but falselye and without all iust cause did not he I say geue all the world warning of her pelfe and trash of her false Doctours and Apostles for this Whore and Beast will be called Dominus Apostolicus who so euer say nay after this maner in his latter Epistle There was among the people in times past false Prophetes as shall bee there amonge you in time to come false Teachers which shall priuily bring in pestilent sectes euen denying the Lord which hath bought them and redemed them procuring to themselues swift damnation and many shall folow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth shall be rayled vpon through couetousnesse by counterfait tales or sermons they shal sayth Peter make marcdaundise vpon you c. And doeth not Iohn likewise in his Reuelation after he hath reckoned vp a great rablement of this whores misticall marchaundise at the last as though he would knitte vp all in plaine wordes without any miste at all setting out the whoores marchaundise reckon vp among the rest and concludeth saying Et animas hominū that is to say and the soules of mē to Wherupō I pray you els rose this true prouerb in Latine omnia Romae venalia All thinges for money are sette to sale at Rome was not that a worthye commendation of Christes Uicare in earth that was written of our holy father one of the Alexanders a Bishoppe of Rome thus I weene in Latin Veneit Alexander cruces altaria Christum Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius ☞ These two verses in latin I haue read thus of one translated into English rime Alexander our holy father the Pope of Rome selleth for money both right and dome And all kind of holines the holy father doth not sticke to set to sell ready money for to get And eke Christ himselfe he dare be bolde to chop and chaunge for siluer and gold And why should any thinke this to be sore For what doth he sell but that he bought before I graunt these verses to be light gere and the verse is but rude but alas suche conditions were more wicked leud then any wit could expresse If these had bene but the faultes of one or a few in number they had bene lesse pernicious and might haue bene taken for personall crimes not to be imputed vnto that Sea but now alas the matter is more then euident to all that haue godly vnderstanding that these crimes be grounded vpon lawes be established by custome and set forth by all kinde of wicked doctrine falshood and craft and therfore now are not to be estemed for any one mans or a few mens personall crimes but are now by lawes custome and doctrine incorporated into that wicked Sea and maketh in deede the body of the Beast whereupon the abhominable whore doth sit But you would knowe which be those Marchaundise which I sayd this whore setteth forth to sell for the whiche all her false Prophets with all theyr iuggelinges and crafty gloses cannot bring one iote of Gods worde Surely surely they be not onely all these abhominatiōs which are come into the Church of Englande alreadye whereof I haue spoken somewhat before but also an innumerable rablement of abhominations and wicked abuses whyche now must nedes folow as popish pardons pilgrimages romishe purgatory romish masses Placebo Derige with trentals and Scala coeli dispensations and immunities frō all godly discipline lawes and good order pluralities vnions and tot quottes with a thousande moe Nowe shall come in the flattering friers and the false pardoners and play theyr olde pranckes and knauery as they were wont to do Now you shall haue but of the Sea of Rome onely and that for mony canonizing of such Sayntes as haue stand stout in the popes cause
which also wyll not further the glory of GOD. And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desire of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly myserie if I shoulde not beare you a good hart in God againe me thinke I were to blame Sir howe nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this worlde is at hand I can not tell the Lordes wyll be fulfilled how sone soeuer it shall come I knowe the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt Iudge and be countable to him of all my former lyfe And although the hope of his mercies is my shootanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that who soeuer wittingly neglecteth regardeth not to cleare his conscience he can not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercy Conscience therefore moueth me considering you were one of my familie and one of my houshold of whom then I thinke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house which in deede ought to haue bene an example of godlynes to all the rest of my cure not only of good life but also in promotyng of Gods worde to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryall doth seperate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is God knoweth which the wind doth not blow away this conscience I say doth moue me to feare lest the lightnesse of my familie shall be layde to my charge for lacke of more earnest and diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be God which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my hart before my departyng hence This conscience dooth mooue me also now to require both you and my friende Doctor Haruy to remember your promises made to me in tymes past of the pure settyng foorth and preachyng of Gods worde and his truth These promises although you shall not neede to feare to be charged with them of me hereafter before the worlde yet looke for none other I exhort you as my friendes but to be charged with them at Gods hand This conscience and the loue that I beare vnto you byddeth me now say vnto you both in Gods name feare GOD and loue not the world for GOD is able to caste both body and soule into hell fyre When his wrath shall sodaynely be kindled blessed are all they that put their trust in hym And the saying of sainct Iohn is true All that is in the world as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of lyfe is not of the father but of the worlde and the worlde passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the wyll of God abydeth for euer If this gyfte of grace whiche vndoubtedly is necessarily required vnto eternall saluation were truely and vnfainedly graffed and firmely stablished in mens hartes they would not be so light so sodenly to shrinke from the maintenance and confession of the truth as is now alas seene so manifestly of so many in these dayes But here peraduenture you woulde knowe of me what is the truth Syr Gods woorde is the truth as sainct Iohn sayth and that euen the same that was heretofore For albeit man doth vary and change as the Moone yet Gods worde is stable abydeth one for euermore and of Christ it is truely sayd Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer When I was in office all that were esteemed learned in Gods word agreed this to be a truth in Gods word written that the common prayer of the Churche should be had in the common tongue You know I haue conferred with many and I ensure you I neuer founde man so farre as I do remember neither old nor new gospeller nor papist of what iudgement soeuer he was in this thing to be of a contrary opinion If then it were a truth of Gods word thinke you that the alteration of the world can make it an vntruth If it can not why then do so many men shrynke from the confession maintenance of this truth receyued once of vs all For what is it I pray you els to confesse or deny Christe in this worlde but to mainteyne the truth taught in Gods word or for any worldly respect to shrink from the same This one thing haue I brought for an ensample other thinges be in like case which now particulerly I neede not to rehearse For he that wil forsake wittingly either for feare or gayne of the world any one open truth of Gods word if he be constrained he wyl assuredly forsake God and al his truth rather then he wyl endaunger hym selfe to loose or to leaue that he loueth better in deede then he doth God and the truth of his word I like very well your plaine speaking wherein you say I must eyther agree or dye and I thinke that you meane of the bodyly death which is common both to good and bad Sir I knowe I must dye whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could neuer escape this death which is so common to all and also incurre the gylt of death and eternall damnation Lord graunt that I may vtterly abhorre and detest this damnable agreement so long as I lyue And because I dare say you wrote of friendshyp vnto me this short earnest aduertisement and I thynke veryly wishing me to lyue and not to dye therefore bearyng you in my hart no lesse loue in GOD then you doe me in the worlde I say vnto you in the worde of the Lord and that I say to you I say to all my friendes and louers in God that if you do not confesse maintayne to your power knowledge that which is grounded vpon Gods worde but will eyther for feare or gayne of the worlde shrinke and play the Apostata in deede you shall dye the death you know what I meane And I beseeche you all my true frendes louers in God remember what I say for this may be the last time peraduenture that euer I shall write vnto you From Bocardo in Oxford the .viij. day of Aprill 1555. M. Grindal now Archbishop of Canterbury being in the tyme of exile in the citie of Frankford wrote to D. Ridley thē prisoner a certaine Epistle wherin first he lamenteth his captiuitie exhorting him withall to be constant Secondly he certifieth him of the state of the English exiles being dispersed in Germany and of the singuler prouidence of God in stirring vp the fauour of the Magistrates and rulers there towardes them Thirdly he writeth to know his minde and will concerning the printing of his booke agaynst Transubstantiation and of certayne other treatises and his disputations Wherunto Bishop Ridley answereth agayne in order as foloweth ¶ The aunsweare of
dignitie honour and estimation so necessary members sometime accounted so many godly vertues the study of so many yeares such excellent learnyng to be put into the fire and consumed in one moment Wel dead they are and the reward of this world they haue already What reward remayneth for them in heauen the day of the Lordes glory when he commeth with his saints shall shortly I trust declare Albeit I haue differred and put ouer many treatises letters exhortations belongyng to the story of the Martyrs vnto the latter appendix in the ende of this volume thinkyng also to haue done the lyke with these farewels exhortations followyng of D. Ridley yet for certain purposes moouing me thereunto and especially consideryng the fruitfull admonitions wholesome doctrine and necessary exhortations conteyned in the same I thought best here to bestow and consequently to adioyne the sayd tractations of that learned pastour with the lyfe and story of the authour Whereof the two first be in a manner of hys farewels the one to his kinsfolks and generally to all the faithfull of the number of Christes congregation the other more speciall to the prisoners and banished ChristiaÌ„s in the gospels cause the third containeth a fruitfull and a generall admonition to the citie of London and to all other with necessary precepts of christian office as by the tenour of them here followeth in order to be seene ¶ A treatise or a letter written by D. Ridley in steade of his last farewell to all hys true and faythfull friendes in God with a sharpe admonition withall vnto the Papistes AT the name of Iesus let euery knee bow both of thynges in heauen and thynges in earth and things vnder the earth and let euery tongue confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the Father Amen As a man mynding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commonly and naturally hath a desire to bidde his frendes farewell before his departure so lykewise now I looking daylye when I should be cauled to depart hence from you O all ye my dearely beloued brethren sisters in our Sauiour Christ that dwell here in this worlde hauing a lyke mynde towardes you all and blessed be God for such tyme and leasure whereof I right hartely thanke his heauenly goodnesse to byd you all my deare brethren sisters I saye in Christ that dwell vpon the earth after such maner as I can Farewell Farewell my deare brother George Shipside whom I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louyng in all sâ—ate and conditions and now in the tyme of my crosse ouer al other to me most frendly and stedfast and that which lyked me best ouer all other thynges in Gods cause euer hartye Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am glad to heare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse which is layd now blessed be God both on thy backe and myne in good part Thanke thou God that hath geuen thee a godly and louyng husband see thou honour hym and obey hym accordyng to Gods law Honour thy mother in law hys mother and loue all those that pertaine vnto him beyng redy to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy children I doubt not of thy husband but that hee which hath geuen him an hart to loue and feare God and in God them that pertaine vnto him shall also make hym friendly and beneficiall vnto thy children euen as if they had bene gotten of his owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Ridley of the Waltoun and you my gentle and louing sister Elizabeth whom besides the naturall league of amitie your tender loue which you were sayde euer to beare towardes mee aboue the rest of your brethren doth bynde mee to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this your louyng affection and to haue acquited it with deedes and not with wordes alone Your daughter Elizabeth I bid farewell whome I loue for the meeke and gentle spirite that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the sight of God Farewell my beloued sister of Unthanke with al your children nephewes and neeces Since the departing of my brother Hugh my mynd was to haue bene vnto them in stead of their father but the Lord God must and wyll bee their father if they will loue hym and feare hym and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewel my welbeloued and worshipful Cosins M. Nich. Ridley of Willimountswike and your wyfe and I thanke you for all your kindnes shewed both to me and also to all your owne kinsfolke and myne Good Cosine as God hath set you in our stocke and kindered not for any respect of your person but of hys aboundaunt grace and goodnesse to be as it were the belweather to order conduct the rest and hath also endued you with hys manifold gyfts of grace both heauenly and worldly aboue others so I pray you good Cosin as my trust and hope is in you continue and encrease in the maintenaunce of the truth honesty righteousnesse and all true godlinesse and to the vttermost of your power to withstand falshoode vntruth vnrighteousnesse and all vngodlinesses whiche is forbidden and condemned by the worde and Lawes of God Farewell my young Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was very short with mee My mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caught in that litle time a losse but I trust it shall bee recompensed as it shall please almighty God Farewel all my whole kinred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lord which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that according to my harts desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you to haue brought with me aboundance of Christes blessed Gospell according to the duetie of that office and ministerie whereunto among you I was chosen named and appointed by the mouth of that our late peerelesse Prince K. Edward and so also denounced openly in his Court by his priuy Counsaile I warne you all my welbeloued kinsfolke countrymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thinke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my lyfe and therefore I thanke my Lord God hartily for it that it hath pleased him to call me of his great mercy vnto this high honour to suffer death willingly for his sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he hath called the holy Prophetes and dearely beloued Apostles and his blessed chosen Martyrs For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death are Gods causes and the causes of the truth then I doubt that the Gospell which Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christ or that Paules Epistles are the very word of God And to haue a hart willyng to abide and stand in
doctrine is hys fathers doctrine fol. 33. 5. He that sayth that the law of the Gospell ought onely to be holden in Christes church and is sufficient alone for it speaketh so far out of reason that he is not worthy to be reasoned withall fol. 37. 6. They that hold that the crosse of siluer or golde ought not to be worshipped with kissing of it bowyng kneeling to it are enemies to Christes true crosse take away the meanes that might set out the glory of Christes crosse fol. 49. 7. Neither Paule nor the crosse can be worshipped with godly honour fol. 61. 8. As Christ vsed clay for an instrument to heale the blind mans eyes withall hath saued diuers by fayth made it an instrument of saluation and as God hath ordained Timothy to be an instrument of saluation both to himselfe and for other so may the Pope ordaine holy water to bee an instrument of saluation both of body and soule to all them that are sprinkled with it fol. 64. 9. No man can commit Idolatry with his body alone in onely kissyng of an Image or Idol in only kneelyng to it can no Idolatry be committed fol. 52. 10. For as much as God vnderstandeth them that sing in Latin though they vnderstand not themselues their praier is acceptable before God fol. 76. 11. As a father may forbid certain of his children to marry so may a king in hys kingdom forbid certayne of hys subiects to marry that is to lay all the priests of his realme fol. 83. 12. He that would take away the Popes ceremonies out of the church should driue away all godlinesse and seemelines all religious and deuout behauiour out of the church fol. 94. Here hast thou good Reder this stout prelate of Winchest with all his properties doyngs qualities as in a certaine Anatomie proportioned out vnto thee whereby thou maiest boldly iudge and nothing erre in thy iudgement what is to be estemed of hym by his fruits as who neither was tene Protestant nor right papist neither cōstant in hys error nor yet stedfast in the truth neither frēd to the Pope yet a perfect enemy to Christ false in king Henries tyme a dissembler in K. Edwards tyme double periured and a murderer in Queene Maries tyme mutable and inconstāt in all tymes And finally where in his letters to the L. Protector and others vsually he vanteth so much of his late soueraign lord K. Henry the 8. of the great reputation that he was in with him read I beseech thee behold in the depositions of the L. Paget in the old booke pag. 806. col 1. also in the depositions of the Erle of Bedford pag. 824. and there ye shall see the king before his death both excepting hym out of his pardons quite strikyng hym out of his last wyll testament so detested abhorred hym as he did no english man more And where as the L. Paget beyng sent in message from the K. to the bishoppe by other words then the kings mynde and will was of his owne dexteritie gaue to hym good gracious words which in deed the kyng neither knew nor yet wer sent by hym the B. perswading himselfe otherwise of the kings fauor towards hym then it was in deed was therin far deceiued and brought into a fooles paradise wherof read both in the old booke before and also in this present volume To describe paint out the vnstable mutabilitie of this B. aforesaid albeit here need no more to be added besides that which is alredy declared yet notwithstanding seyng the matter is not long it shal not be out of the way to annexe withall vnto the premisses a piece of Drianders letter written to one Crispine phisition in Oxford sent from Antwerpe concerning the doyngs and behauiour of this B. of Winchester whose story we haue now in hand The copy of which Drianders letter written to the sayd Crispine hys friend beginneth thus ¶ Doctissimo viro Edmundo Crispino amico integerrimo Oxoniae ANte meam ex Lutetia profectionē dedi literas ad te per Anglum illum communem amicum nostrum c. ¶ The English wherof as much as to the present purpose appertaineth here followeth translated BEfore my departure from the Citie of Paris I wrote vnto you by our friend the Englishman c. Now you shal be contented onely with the narration of your B. of Winchester who as appertained to the embassadour of so noble a Prince came to Louane with a great brauerie and was there receiued at one Ieremies house and most honourably entertained where the facultie of Diuines for honor sake presented him wyne in the name of the whole Uniuersitie But our famous doctors and learned Maisters for that they would more deepely search and vnderstand the learnyng and excellency of the Prelate perused and scanned a certaine Oration made by hym and now extant intituled De vera obedientia in the which hys Oration he did impugne the supremacy of the B. of Rome and preferred his Lords and kyngs authoritie before the holy Apostolike sea as they terme it whiche beyng read and considered by them they did not onely repent them for geuyng hym such honour but also recanted that which they had done and did not so much honor him afore but now they were as earnest as spitefull agaynst hym Richard Lathomus interpreter of termes with the fauourers of that fraternitie and other champions of the fallyng church disputed with hym concernyng the Popes supremacy This B. stoutely defended his sayd Oration The Diuines contrary stifly maintained their opinion diuers tymes openly with exclamations called the sayde B. an excommunicate person and a schismatike to no litle reproch and infamy of the English nation The Byshop not long after mindyng to say masse in S. Peters church they did deny vnto hym as to an excommunicate person the Ornamentes and Uestimentes meete for the same wherewyth he beyng hyghly offended sodaynely hastned hys iourney from thence The Deane the next day after made an eloquent Oration wherein hee openly disgraced and defamed hym You haue heard now a true storye for oure Doctour was a beholder of the whole Tragedie c. And this now beyng sufficient for Gardiners story to leaue hym to his iudge to let him go we shall returne proceed by the grace leaue of the Lord as the course of these dolefull dayes shall lead vs to prosecute the residue of Christes Martyrs as now in order followeth ¶ The burnyng of Iohn Webbe gentleman George Roper and Gregory Parke at Caunterbury as followeth NExt after the death constant Martyrdom of the two most worthy champions standerdbearers of Christes army D. Nich. Ridley and M. Hugh Latymer of whom ye haue heard at large followed three other stoute and bold souldiours that is to say Iohn Web gentlemā George Roper and Gregory Parke This Iohn Web
theyr skinnes to be pluckt of for the Gospels sake Notwithstanding the Bishops afrayd belike of the nuÌ„ber to put so many at once to death sought meanes to deliuer them and so they did drawing out a very easy submission for them or rather suffring them to draw it out theÌ„selues notwithstanding diuers of theÌ„ afterward were takeÌ„ againe suffered as hereafter ye shall heare God willing declared Such as met them by the way coÌ„ming vp saw them in the fieldes scattering in such sort as that they might haue easily escaped away And when they entred into the townes their keepers called them againe into aray to go two two together hauing a band or line going betweene them they holding the same in theyr handes hauing another corde euery one about his arme as though they were tied And so were these fourteene men eight women caried vp to London the people by the way praying to God for them to geue them strength At the entring into London they were pinioned so came into the city as the Picture here shortly after folowing with their names also subscribed doth describe But first let vs declare concerning their taking and their attachers conteined in the Commissaryes letter written to Boner then the Indenture made betwene the commissioners and the popish coÌ„missary The letter of the Commissary is this ¶ The Letter of the Commissary called Iohn Kingston written to Bishop Boner AFter my duety done in receiuing and accoÌ„plishing your honorable and most louing letters dated the 7. of August Be it knowne vnto your Lordship that the 28. of August the Lorde of Oxenford Lord Darcy H. Tyril A. Brown W. Bendlowes E. Tyrill Ric. Weston Roger Apleton published their coÌ„missioÌ„ to selfe landes and tenements goodes of the fugitiues so that the owners should haue neither vse nor commodity thereof but by InueÌ„tory remaine in safe keeping vntill the cause were determined And also there was likewise proclaimed the queenes graces warrant for the restitution of the Church goods within Colchester the hundredes thereabout to the vse of Gods seruice And then were called the parishes particularly the hereticks partly coÌ„mitted to my examination And that diuers persons should certify me of theyr ornamentes of theyr Churches betwixt this and the Iustices next appearaunce which shal be on Michaelmas euen nexte And that parish which had presented at two seuerall times to haue all ornamentes with other thinges in good order were exonerated for euer til they were warned againe others to make theyr appearaunce from time to time And those names blotted in the Indenture were indited for treason fugitâ—ues or disobedients and were put foorth by M. Brownes commaundement And before the sealing my Lord Daâ—cy said vnto me apart and M. Bendlowes that I should haue sufficient time to send vnto your Lordship yea if need were the heretickes to remayne indurance till I had an answere from you yea to the Lord Legates graces Commissioners come into the Country And mayster Browne came into my Lord Darcyes house parlour belonging vnto M. Barnaby before my sayd Lord and all the Iustices and laid his hand of my shoulder with a smiling couÌ„tenaunce and desired me to make his harty commeÌ„dations vnto your good Lordship and asked me if I would and I said Yea with a good will Wherefore I was glad and thought that I should not haue bene charged with so sodeine carriage But after dinner the Iustices councelled with the Bayliffes and with the Gaolers and then after tooke me vnto them and made collation of the Indentures and sealed and then Mayster Browne commaunded me this after noone being the 30. of August to go and receyue my prisoners by and by And then I sayd it is an vnreasonable commaundemeÌ„t for that I haue attended of you here these three dayes and this Sonday early I haue sent home my men Wherefore I desire you to haue a conuenient time appoynted wherein I may know whether it will please my Lord my maister to sende his Commissioners hither or that I shall make carriage of them vnto his Lordship Then M. Browne We are certified that the Councell hath written vnto your mayster to make speed and to rid these prisoners out of hand therefore go receiue your prisoners in haste Then I Sir I shall receiue them within these tenne dayes Then M. Browne The limitation lyeth in vs and not in you wherfore get you hence Syr ye haue indited and deliuered me by this Indenture whose fayth or opinions I know not trusting that ye will grauÌ„t me a time to examine them least I should punish the Catholicks Well sayd Maister Browne for that cause ye shall haue time betwixt this and Wednesday And I say vnto you maister Bailiffes if he do not receiue them at your handes on Wednesday set open your doore and let them go Then I My Lord and maisters all I promise to discharge the towne and countrey of these heretickes within ten dayes Then my Lord Darcy sayd CoÌ„missary we do and must all agree in one Wherfore do you receiue them on or before Wednesday Then I My Lord the last I carryed I was goyng betwixte the Castell and Sayncte Katherines Chappell two howres and an halfe and in great preasse and daunger Wherefore thâ—s may be to desire your Lordship to geue in commaundement vnto my Mayster Sayer Bayliffe here present for to ayd me thorough his liberties not onely with men and weapons but that the Towne clarke may bee ready there with his booke to write the names of the most busie persons and this vpon three houres warning all whiche both my Lorde and M. Browne commaunded And the 31. of August William Goodwin of Muchbirch husbandman this brynger and Thomas Alsey of Copforde youre Lordships Apparitour of your Consistory in Colchester couenaÌ„ted with me that they shoulde hyre two other men at the leaste whereof one should be a Bowman to come to me the next day about two of the clocke at after noone so that I might recite this bargayne before M. Archdeacon and pay the money that is 46. shillinges 8. pence Wherefore they should then go foorth wyth me vnto Colchester on Wednesday before three of the clock in the morning receiue there at my hand within the Castell and Motehall fourteen men and eight women ready bound wyth giues and hempe and driue cary or lead and feede with meat drinke as heretickes ought to be found continually vnto suche time that the sayd William and Thomas shall cause the sayde 22. persones for to be deliuered vnto my Lord of Londons Officers and within the safe keeping of my sayd Lorde and then to bring vnto me againe the sayd Giues with a perfect token of or from my sayd Lord and then this couenant is voyde or els c. Maister Bendlowes sayde vnto mee in my Lorde of Oxenfordes Chamber at the kinges head after I had sayd Masse before the Lordes that on
laded hys goods that they might attache them and chiefly to detract the tyme vntill the Alguisiel or Sergeant of the sayd Inquisition might come and apprehende the body of the sayd Nicholas Burton which they dyd incontinently Who then wel perceauyng that they were not able to burden nor charge him that he had written spoken or done any thyng there in that countrey against the Ecclesiasticall or Temporall lawes of the same Realme boldly asked them what they had to lay to his charge that they did so Arrest hym and bad them to declare the cause and he would aunswere them Notwithstanding they aunswered nothing but commaunded him with cruell threatnyng woordes to hold his peace and not to speake one word to them And so they caryed hym to the cruell and filthy common prison of the same Town of Cadix where he remayned in yrons 14. dayes amongst theeues All which time he so instructed the poore prisoners in the word of God according to the good talent which God had geuen hym in that behalfe and also in the Spanyshe tongue to vtter the same that in short space he hadde wel reclaymed sundrye of these superstitious and ignoraunt Spanyardes to embrace the word of God and to reiecte theyr popish traditions Which being knowne vnto the officers of the Inquisition they conueyed hym laden with yrons from thence to a citty called Siuill into a more cruell and straighter prison called Triana where the sayd fathers of the Inquisition proceeded agaynst him secretly according to theyr accustomable cruell tyranny that neuer after he could be suffered to write or to speake to anye of his nation so that to this day it is vnknowne who was hys accuser Afterward the the xx day of December in the foresayd yeare they brought the sayde Nicholas Burton with a great number of other prisoners for professing the true Christian Religion into the Cittye of Siuill to a place where the sayde Inquisitours sate in iudgement whiche they called the Awto with a Canuas coate wherupon diuers partes was paynted the figure of on huge Deuill tormenting a soule in a flame of fire on his head a coppyng tanke of the same worke ⧠The maner of the Popish Spaniardes in carying Nicholas Burton a blessed Martyr of Christ after most spitefull sort to the burning And immediately after the sayd sentences geuen they were all caryed from thence to the place of execution wyth out the citty where they most cruelly burned him for whose constant fayth God be praysed This Nicholas Burton by the way and in the flames of fire made so chearfull a countenaunce embracing death with all pacience and gladnesse that the tormentors and enemies which stoode by sayd that the Deuill hadde hys soule before he came to the fire and therefore they sayd his senses of feeling were past him It happened that after the Arrest of thys Nicholas Burton aforesayd immediately all the goodes and Marchaundise whiche he brought with him into Spayne by the way of trafficke were according to their common vsage seised and taken into the Sequester amonge the whiche they also rolled vp much that appertayned to an other English Marchaunt wherwith he was credited as Factour Wherof so soone as newes was brought to the Marchant aswell of the imprisonment of hys Factoure as of the Arrest made vppon his goodes hee sent his Atturney into Spayne with authoritie from hym to make clayme to his goods and to demaund them whose name was I. Fronton Citizen of Bristow When his Atturney was landed at Siuill and hadde shewed all hys Letters and writinges to the holye house requiring them that such goodes might be deliuered into his possession aunswere was made him that hee must sue by Bill and retayne an Aduocate but all was doubtlesse to delay him and they forsoothe of curtesie assigned hym one to frame his supplication for him and other such bils of petition as he had to exhibite into theyr holye Courte demaunding for eche Bill viii Rials albeit they stoode him in no more stead then if he had put vp none at al. And for the space of three or foure monthes this fellow missed not twise a day attending euery morning and afternoone at the Inquisitours Palace suing vnto them vppon hys knees for hys dispatche but specially to the Byshoppe of Tarraâ—on who was at that very time chiefe in the Inquisâ—tion at Siuill that he of hys absolute authoritie woulde commaund restitution to be made thereof but the bootie was so good and so great that it was very hard to come by it agayne At the length after hee had spent whole 4. monthes in sutes and requestes and also to no purpose hee receaued this aunswere from them that he must shewe better euidence and bring more sufficient certificates out of EnglaÌ„d for proofe of his matter then those whiche he had already presented to the Courte Whereupon the party forthwith posted to London and with all speede returned to Ciuill agayne with more ample and large letters testimonialles and certificates according to theyr request and exhibited them to the Court. Notwithstanding the Inquisitours still shifted hym off excusing themselues by lacke of leysure and for yâ— they were occupyed in greater and more weighty affayres and with suche aunsweres delayed hym other foure monthes after At the last when the party had wellnigh spent all hys money and therefore sued the more earnestly for hys dyspatch they referred the matter wholy to the Byshop Of whom when he repayred vnto him he had this aunswere that for himselfe he knew what he had to do howbeit hee was but one man and the determination of the matter appertayned vnto the other Commissioners as well as vnto him and thus by posting passing it from one to an other the party could obtayn no end of his sute Yet for his importunitie sake they were resolued to dispatche hym it was on this sort One of the Inquisitours called Gasco a man very well experienced in these practises willed the party to resort vnto hym after dinner The fellow being glad to heare these newes and supposing that his goodes should be restored vnto hym and that he was called in for that purpose to talk with the other that was in prison to conferre with him about theyr accomptes the rather through a little misunderstanding hearing the Inquisitour cast out a word that it shoulde be needeful for him to talk with the prisoner and being therupon more then halfe perswaded that at the lengthe they ment good fayth did so and repayred thether about the euening Immediately vppon his comming the Iayler was forthwith charged with him to shut hym vp close in such a certayne prison where they appoynted hym The party hoping at the first that he hadde bene called for about some other matter and seeing himselfe contrary to his expectation cast into a darcke dungeon perceyued at the length that the worlde went with hym farre otherwise then he supposed if would
please your honours I iudge that my Lordes here stay most on this poynt that they feare when they shall begin first and the other aunswere thereupon there shall be no time geuen to them to speake whiche my Lord misliketh L. Keeper Howe can it otherwise be in a talke appoynted in such assembly and audience thinke you that there can be continuall aunswering one another when shouldeâ—â— after that sort haue an end Lich. Couen It must bee so in a disputation to seeke out the trueth L. Keper But how say you my Lord Abbot are you of the mynde it shal be read Abbot Yea forsooth my lord I am very wel pleased with all Harpesfield being inquired his mind thought as the other did L. Keper My Lordes sith that ye are not willing but refuse to read your writing after the order taken wee wyll breake vp and departe and for that ye willl not that wee should heare you you may perhaps shortly heare of vs. THus haue we declared the order and maner of this coÌ„munication or conference at Westminster betweene these two parties wherin if any law or order were brokeÌ„ iudge good reader wher the fault was and consider with al what these Papistes be from whoÌ„ if ye take away their sword and authority from them you see all their cunning how soone it lyeth in the dust or els why would they not abide the triall of writing why would they or durst they not stande to the order agreed vpon Whether shoulde we say ignoraunce or stubbernes to be in them more or both together Who first being gently as is sayd and fauorably required to keep the order appointed they would not Then being secondly as appeared by the Lord Keepers words pressed more earnestly they neither regarding the authority c. of that place nor their owne reputation nor the credite of the cause vtterly refused that to doe And finally being agayne particularly euery of them aparte distinctly by name required to vnderstande theyr opinions therin they al sauing one which was the Abbot of Westminster hauing some more consideratioÌ„ of order and hys duety of obedience then the other vtterly and playnly denyed to haue theyr booke read some of them as more earnestly then other some so also some other more vndiscretly and vnreuerently then others Wherupon geuing such example of disorder stubbernes and selfe will as hath not bene seene and suffered in such an honorable assembly being of the two estates of this Realme the nobility and the commons beside the presence of the Queenes Maiestyes most honorable priuy counsell the same assembly was dis missed and the Godly and most Christian purpose of the Queenes Maiesty made frustrate And afterward for the contempt so notoriously made the Byshop of Wincester Lincolne hauing most obstinatly both disobeyed commoÌ„ authority and varyed manifestly from theyr owne order and specially Lincoln who shewed more folly then the other were condignely committed to the Tower of London and the rest sauing the Abbot of Westminster stoode bound to make dayly theyr personall appearaunce before the counsell and not to depart the Cittye of London and Westminster vntill further order were taken with theÌ„ for their disobedience and contempt Besides the former protestation or libell written and exhibited by the Protestantes concerning the first question there was also an other like writing of the fayde Protestantes made of the second question but not published which if it come to our hand we wil likewise impart vnto thee As these Byshops aboue named were committed to the Tower so Boner Bishop of London about the same time was commaunded to the Marshalsea whereas hee both in his blinde bloudy heresy and also in his deserued captiuity long remayned abiding the Queenes pleasure gods pleasure I beseech him so be wrought on that person that the Church of Christes flocke if they can take or looke for no goodnesse of that man to come yet they maye take of him and of other no more harme herafter theÌ„ they haue done alredy We al beseech thee this O Lord eternal per Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Aboute this time at the beginning of the flourishing reigne of Queene Elizabeth was a Parliament summoned and holden at Westminster wherin was much debating about matters touching religion and great study on both parties employed the one to reteine still the other to impugne the doctrine and faction which before in queene Maries time had bene established But especially here is to be noted that though ther lacked no industry on the papistes side to holde fast that which they most cruelly from time to time had studied by al meanes practised to come by Yet notwithstanding such was the prouidence of God at that time that for lacke of the other bishops whome the Lorde had taken away by death a little before the residue that there were left could doe the lesse and in very deede God be praysed therefore did nothing at all in effect Although yet notwithstanding there lacked in them neyther will nor labour to do what they could if their cruell abilitie there might haue serued But namely amongest all other not onely the industrious courage of Doctor Story but also his wordes in this Parliament are worthy to be knowne of posteritie who like a stout and furious champion of the popes side to declare himselfe howe lustie hee was what he had and would do in his maisters quarrell shamed not openly in the saide Parliament house to brast out into such impudent sort of words as was wonder to all good eares to heare and no lesse worthy of history The summe of which his shameles talke was vttered to this effect First beginning with himselfe hee declared that where as he was noted commonly abroad and much complayned of to haue bene a great doer and a â—eâ—ter forth of such religion orders and proceedinges as of hys late soueraigne that dead is Queene Mary were set forth in this Realme hee denied nothing the same protestyng moreouer that he therein had done nothing but that both his conscience did lead him thereunto and also his commission did as wel then commaund him as now also doth discharge hym for the same being no lesse ready now also to doe the like and more in case hee by this Queene were authorised likewise and commaunded thereunto Wherefore as I see sayth he nothing to be ashamed of so lesse I see to be sory for but rather sayd that he was sory for thys because he had done no more theÌ„ he did and that in executing those lawes they had not bene more vehement and seuere Wherein he sayd there was no default in him but in them whom he both ofte and earnestly had exhorted to the same being therefore not a little greeued with them for that they laboured onely about the young and little sprigges and twigges whyle they should haue stroken at the roote and cleane haue rooted it out c. And concerning his persecuting
Rhoane whereas the Protestants being at a Sermon without the City Wals vpon the kings edict the Catholiques in fury ranne vpon them comming home and slew of them aboue 40. at least many moe they wounded This example of Roane styrred vp the Papists in Dyepe to practise the like rage also agaynst the Christians there returning from the sermon whose slaughter had bene the greater had they not more wisely before bene prouided of weapon for theyr own defence at need All which happened about the same yeare aforesayd an 1570. but these with such like I briefly ouerslippe to enter now into the matter aboue promised that is briefly to entreat of the horrible and most barbarous massaker wroughte in Paris suche as I suppose was neuer heard of before in no ciuill dissention amoÌ„gest the very heathen In few wordes to touch the substaunce of the matter After long troubles in Fraunce the Catholique side foreseing no good to be done agaynst the Protestantes by open force began to deuise how by crafty meanes to entrap them And that by two maner of wayes The one by pretending a power to be sent into the lower countrey wherof the Amirall to be the Captayne not that the king so meant in deed but onely to vnderstand thereby what power and force the Amirall hadde vnder him who they were and what were theyr names The second was by a certeine mariage suborned betwene the Prince of Nauare and the kinges sister To this pretensed mariage it was deuised that all the chiefest Protestantes of Fraunce shoulde be inuited and meete in Paris Emong whome first they began with the Queene of Nauare Mother to the Prince that should mary the kings sister attempting by all meanes possible to obteine her consent thereunto She being then at Rochell and allured by many fayre wordes to repayre vnto the king consented at length to come and was receiued at Paris where she after much a do at length being wonne to the kinges minde and prouiding for the mariage shortly vpon the same fell sicke within fiue daies departed not without suspitioÌ„ as some sayd of poyson But her body being opened no signe of poyson could there be founde saue onely that a certayne Poticary made his brag that he had killed the Queene by certayne venemous odours and smelles by hym confected After this notwithstanding the mariage still goyng forward the Amirall Prince of Nauare Condee wyth diuers other chiefe states of the Protestantes induced by the kinges letters and many fayre promises at last were brought to Paris Where with great soleÌ„nity they were receiued but especially the Amirall To make the matter short The day of the mariage came which was the 18. of August an 1572. which mariage being celebrate and soleÌ„nised by the Cardinall of Borbone vpon an high stage set vp of purpose without the Churche walles the Prince of Nauare Condee came downe wayting for the kinges sister being then at Masse This done they resorted altogether to the Bishops Palace to dinner At euening they were had to a Palace in the middle of Paris to Supper Not long after this being the 22. of August the Amirall comming from the Counsell table by the way was stroken with a Pistolet charged with iij. pellets in both hys armes He being thus wounded and yet still remayning in Paris although the Uidam gaue him counsell to flye away it so fell out that certayne souldiors were appoynted in diuers places of the Citty to be ready at a watch-word at the commaundemeÌ„t of the Prince Upon which watchword geueÌ„ they burst out to the slaughter of the protestantes first beginning with the Amirall himselfe who being wounded with many sore woundes was cast oute of the window into the street where his head being first stroken of and imbalmed with spices to bee sent to the Pope the sauadge people raging agaynst him cut of hys armes and priuy members and so drawing him 3. dayes through the streetes of Paris they dragged him to the place of execution out of the City and there hanged him vp by his heeles to the greater shew and scorne of him After the Martyrdome of this good man the armed souldiours with rage and violence ranne vpon all other of the same profession slaying and killing all the Protestantes they knew or coulde finde within the Citty gates inclosed This bloudye slaughter continued the space of many dayes but especially the greatest slaughter was in the three first dayes in which were numbred to be slayne as the story writeth aboue x. thousand men and women old and young of all sorts and conditions The bodies of the dead were caryed in Cartes to be throwne in the Riuer so that not onely the Riuer was all steined therwith but also whole streames in certayn places of the City did runne with goare bloud of the slayne bodyes So greate was the outrage of that Heathenish persecution that not onely the Protestantes but also certayne whome they thought indifferent Papists they put to the sword in sted of Protestantes In the number of them that were slayne of the more learned sort was Petrus Ramus also Lambinus an other notorious learned man Plateanus Lomenius Chapesius with others And not onely within the walles of Paris this vprore was conteined but extended farther into other cities and quarters of the Realme especially Lyons Orliens Tholous and Roane In which cities it is almost incredible nor scarse euer heard of in any natioÌ„ what crueltye was shewed what numbers of good men were destroyed in so much that with in the space of one moneth xxx thousand at least of religious Protestantes are numbred to be slayne as is credibâ—ely reported and storyed in the coÌ„meÌ„taryes of them which testify purposely of the matter Furthermore here is to be noted that when the Pope first heard of this bloudy styrre he with his Cardinalles made such ioy at Rome with theyr procession with their gunshot and singing Te Deum that in honor of that festiuall acte a iubileâ— was commaunded by the Pope wyth great indulgence and much solemnity wherby thou hast here to discerne and iudge with what spirite and charity these Catholiques are moued to mainteine their religion withall which otherwise would fall to the ground with out all hope of recouery Likewise in Fraunce no lesse reioysing there was vpon the xxviij day of the sayd Moneth the king commaunding publique processions thorow the whole City to be made with bonefires ringing and singing where the king himselfe with the Queene his mother and his whole Court resorting together to the Church gaue thankes and land to GOD for that so worthy victory atchieued vpon S. Bartholomews day agaynst the Protestantes whome they thought to be vtterly ouerthrowne and vanquished in all that Realme for euer And in very deede to mans thinking might appeare no lesse after such a great destruction of the Protestantes hauing lost so many worthy and