the seuen Churchs of this citie and that all thy life time thou say daily fiue times Pater noster and fiue times the Aue Maria and for the space of fiue yeres thou say once a vveeke the Seuen penitentiall Psalmes together vvith the Litanies and Praiers following and once in the moneth the office of the deade called the Dirige And that foure times in the yere of the said fiue yeres thou faste and euery moneth confesse thy sinnes to a law full priest such as is allowed by his ordinarie by his counsel and coÌ„sent to receiue the B. SACRAMENT of the altar once euery moneth and in the feastes of the Natiuitie of our Lord of Easter Pentecost and the Assumption of the gloriouse and perpetual virgin Mary the mother of God And so vvee do hereby Say Iudge Enioine Decree and Declare Sending thee to the feete of our most holy Lord the POPES HOLINES for the forgiuenes of thy fructs taken absolution from the spot of Simony and for the inhabling thee to holy orders and other things vvhich are prohibited to Schismaticks Hereticks THOMAS ZOBBIVS COMMISSARIE GENERAL The aboue vvritten sentence vvas giuen avvarded and iudicially pronouÌ„ced by this vvriting by the aforenamed our reuerend father Thomas de Zobbiis of the order of the preachers Doctor of diuinitie Commissioner general of the Office of the holy Romane and vniuersal Inquisition sitting in the Iudgement seat at Rome in the Pallace of the said holy office in the Vatican of S. Peter vvas read published by me the Notarie at the commandement of the said reuerend father the Commissarie in the yere of the Natiuitie of our Sauiour 1579. in the seuenth indiction the viij day of the moneth of May in the time of the Bishoprick See of our soueraigne and most holy Father in Christ Gregorie by Gods prouidence the thirteenth of that name the said Iohn Nichols being present and vvith thanks giuing accepting the foresaid sentence vvho vvilling to obey the same and all the contentes thereof kneeling vpon his knees before the said reuerend Father Commissarie general of the holy office corporally touching vvith his haÌ„ds the holy scriptures did Abiure Accurse Detest al those errors schisme and the heresies vvhich he helde and beleeued in manner and forme as in the Abiuration hereafter follovving subscribed vvith his ovvne hand may appeere made at Rome in the pallace of the said holy office then and there being present as vvitnesses Benedictus de Solanis Peruzin and Petrus Bilaqua of the Dioces of Firmiano I Iohn Nichols the sonne of an other Iohn Nichols of the prouince of Vvales of the Dioces of Landaf in the Realme of England of the age of tvventy and fower yeres or there about kneeling on my knees before the reâ—erend Father Thomas Zobbius of the order of the Preachers Doctor of Diuinitie and Commissioner general of the office of the holy and vniuersal Inquisition of Rome touching personally the holy Gospels do sweare that I beleeue and vvil to my death beleeue that faith vvhich the holy CATHOLICK and APOSTOLICK ROMAN CHVRCH doth beleeue and teach But for so much as after the Sacraments of Baptisme and Confirmation rightly and Catholikely by me receiued and taken in my childhood I vvas brought vp and trained in pernitious schisme and sundry most impious heresies till I came to the age of twenty and one yeres and them did beleeue namely and specially That Pilgrimages to holy places Offring vp of candles such like were meere superstitious That praying vpon beads ought not to be vsed That the images of Saincts ought neither to be vvorshipped nor had That the Saincts in heauen ought not to be praied vnto nor that they haue any regard care or knowledge of the necessities of mortal men nor can pray for them That praiers ought to be made in the vulgar tong which the common people doo vnderstaÌ„d That Candles Ashes which are vsed to be put on the faithful vpon Ashwenesday all ornameÌ„ts and stuf of the Church and finally all Ceremonies ecclesiastical whatsoeuer ought quite to be taken avvay That it is lawful for Priests to marry and for all persones daily to eate flesh That the Bishop of Rome is not the head of the vniuersall Church of Christ That there is no Purgatorie after this life That man hath no freevvil is iustified by onely faith That the most blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is onely a signe of the death passion of our Lord but not his very body That no Masse ought to be vsed in the Church or was celebrated by the Apostles That there are onely tvvo Sacramentes to wite Baptisme and the Lords supper And these heresies haue I preached by the space of half a yere and after the rite and manner of hereticks haue receiued the order of Deaconship and Priesthood and obteined one Ecclesiasticall benefice by Simonie and an other of gift and receiued the fruicts thereof And for these causes was adiuged by this holy office a Schismatick and Heretick I therfore do from my hart Abhorre Detest and Abiure all schisme and heresies namely those aboue specified And sweare that neuer hereafter will I beleeue heresies or keepe company with hereticks or read their books And do further swere that I wil denounce and declare vnto this holy court and to the inquisitors and ordinaries of the places in the vvhich I shal become al and singular persones whom I shal know either to be professed hereticks or suspected of heresie And swere also that I wil obserue and performe al the points of the penance enioyned me and in case I do not I subiect my self to al the paines and punishements due by the law to such offendors so help me God and these most holy Gospels I the foresaid Iohn Nicols haue Svvorne Abiured and Promised as before and in faith thereof this schedull written vvith an other hand I haue subscribed vvith mine owne At Rome in the Palace of the said holy office the viij day of the moneth of May Anno 1579. VVhich Abiuration being made the foresaid Reuerend Father Commissarie general did absolue the said Iohn Nicols there present and most humbly vpon his knees erauing the same and him discharged from the Excommunications Censures and Penalties by him incurred by reason and cause of the premises and him restored to the communion of the faithful to the participation of the Sacraments and to the vnitie and lap of our said holy mother the CATHOLICK CHVRCH And hath enioyned him for healthful penance as is expressed in the aboue written sentence recorded and authentiked as is before said in the presence of the aforenamed witnesses This copie vvas taken out of the first proper Original vvith vvhich vponcoÌ„fereÌ„ce made it agreeth c. In faith and vvitnes vvhereof I haue subscribed and sealed it vvith the seale of the said holy Office in such cases vsed At Rome in the Palace of the said holy Office the
scriptures to be authentical or not authentical by his owne priuate vnconstant and variable spirit and refuse the Iudgement of the Church and General Councel vvhich determineth such things by the spirit of truth promised by Christs expresse vvord and so cleerely testified in scriptures to abide vvith the same to th' end of the vvorld And in truth it vvas a note sure enough for me to confirme my self in my forefathers faith and to condemne in my conscience the contrary sect of the Protestants that I heard by men of full credit howsoeuer th' English sectaries vvrith and vvrangled in the matter of late to saue their honesties that one heretick as Luther by his spirit denieth some bookes that our Caluinists accept to be Gods word by the iudgement of their spirit and I savv it plainely by mine owne late experience of them that they receiue and condemne admit or repell euen as they thinke good for the vantage of the cause and as may best serue for the defence of their deuellish doctrine Wherein truly I say for the reuerend respect and honotable dealing with the diuine booke of Gods word not withstanding the aduersaries pretending al reuerence towards the scriptures and tedious vaunting talking and tossing of them the Catholicks yet do so farre passe them in Religious keeping preseruing interpreting translating alleaging al other vse of holy vvrit as the true owner and occuper of any thing passeth the theefe and vsurper I beleeue it and haue had experience of it in both sides and therefore I speake it For the second that is th' exposition of scriptures I knew it was the property of al hereticks to abuse wrest and vvring them to vvhatsoeuer them selues list and particularly to the priuate sence of euery secte maister ech one for his owne erronious doctrine and the condemnation of his fellowes I haue heard vvith mine owne eares and seene vvith mine owne eyes that the scriptures sound al for Luther and against the Sacramentaries in Germany and in England and some other places al the Bible is at Caluins and Bezas beck and soundeth vvhatsoeuer they say against not onely the Catholicks or Lutheranes but against their ovvne booke of common praier actes and iniunctions published by authoritie the Puritanes there hauing reconced aboue an hundreth and sortie errors in th' English seruice against the scriptures vvhich I noted in the time of my being in England especially in London and Cambridge aswel the writers Preachers Readers and Disputers as most other schollers and prentises be puritanes condemning by Gods word that same seruice administration vvhich them selues daily resort vnto For vvhich who soeuer shall reade the writings of M. Vvhittakers or the disputes of Fulke Charke Vvalker and such other Ministers lately had in the Tower they shal find my vvords and obseruation true and shall see many points of puritanisme decided by them by coulor of scriptures against their ovvne authorized seruice all those things set out by authoritie I neede not stand to tell you now the Lutheranes expound this notorious text Hoc est corpus meum so farre othervvise then the Zuinglians and Caluinists that they haue prooued these by Gods expresse vvord hereticks and these them for the reciproke plaine carnal men and Idolaters both th' one and th' other vvrithing the sacred words to their owne erronious and damnable sect against the proper nature and plaine sense vvhich the letter the circumstance the conference of places the auncient fathers Councels and the vvhole Church expresly setteth downe Vvith this I haue marked that the Sectaries of our countrey and al other places being singular vaine-glorious louers of them selues and cherisers of their ovvne fantasies seeke for nothing but nouelties and in th' exposition of scriptures to finde out that which neuer neither foole nor wiseman found out before them and al this vvith a ridiculous boast of euery mans seuerall spirit gifte and knowledge vvhich to me and others that see their liues and learning and partly know their intention is a straunge case Hovv soeuer it be their exposition so nevv so improbable so inconstant so various so farre differing from the commeÌ„taries of al the fathers passing al these men in al grace and knowlege from the general Councels that not by particular fansie of a few but by vniforme consent of the most learned in the vvorld haue by Gods vvord truly through th' assistance of the holy Ghost vnderstood defined these things to our hands this consideration I say of their vngodly behauiour towards the holy scriptures the glorious Doctors the vniuersall Church of al ages and nations of which by my late being among them I haue enformed my self better then euer I could haue doÌ„ne by reading of bokes or here say hath fortified my faith against them I trust in God during life But because I professe not in this breif satisfactioÌ„ to dispute of the matter or arrogate to my self any profound knowlege in these things I for this point say no more but this that if I had ben partly bent to heresie when I vvent into EnglaÌ„d as I was not I speake it as before God the more I had ben coÌ„uersant with the ProtestaÌ„ts yea with the learnedsts amoÌ„gst theÌ„ the soner should I haue ben reclaimed froÌ„ that heresie For in other things though I may bouldly saie they haue the gifts of the mind as plentifully as any nation yet in diuinitie specially in these controuersies they are so bewitched that through the common malady of heresie vvhich by Gods iust iudgement of sinne and for saking th' obedience of his Church is euer ioyned vvith pitifull darkenes of vnderstanding especially in such as brag most of the light that when they bring but Sophismes to proue their religion they both thinke and bouldly aduouch that they are demoÌ„strations But here they wil exclaime after their manner and say they bring places of scripture wil charge me that I cal the scriptures Sophismes No God forbid for that were blasphemie but I call the false and childish exposition or the place either by false translation or exposition wrested a Sophisme the vvhich may sone be espied of him that hath any iudgement or common sense especially if God hath lightened his vnderstanding by the doctrine of the Catholick Church Besides if I had fauored heresies this would haue reuoked me to see some of those that on this side the scas were both counted know to be void of all good gifts and qualities of the minde not capable of any science yet at their retorne home to be admitted to be publick preachers and their vvords being nothing but knowne forgeries blasphemous lyes to be compted â—s Oracles and conclusions deduced out of th'expresse vvord of the Lord as they speke in our countrey One saith very vvisely of Aristotle that he vsed hard and difficult termes in Philosophie to driue awaie from the reading of his bookes those that vvere simple and vnlearned lest saith he Omnia
my self to be an heretick that thereby I might procure his licence and so goe to my freends both without their danger mine owne The Bishop being a wily Fox straight waies commaunded me to signifie so much in publick audience and then he vvould graunt me my request then beganne the tragedie of my vvo miserie I began to excuse my self of fearefulnes to wepe before him that taught the Bishops sonnes and befote Iohn Dias the Bishops chaplen Then I thought vvith my self that if I should withstand the Bishop a thowsand worldly inconueniences should haue ensued thereof because I had said before I vvas as he vvas in religion these and other such like causes of my miserable outward defection did the Diuel put into my hed who although he had thought to haue throwne me downe for euer at that time yet I hope to giue him and al his the ouerthrow and neuer here after vvhile I liue to yeld to such like temptations for the performaunce vvhereof I beseech the blessed virgin Marie and al the holy company of heauen and al good Catholicks to pray for me I could name some vvitnesses of the great passions and in ward strife I had vvith my self vpon the first consideration of my pretended reuoult but that I dare not name them for putting the godly men in danger this onely I vvil ade therein that al the world may see I neuer vvas theirs in hart sith my first reconcilemeÌ„t to the Catholick Church First when I was in prison in the Gatehorrse I went euery daie to the dore of a Catholick which lay in the next rome to the chamber I lay in weeping bitterly shevved him that I should do against my conscience from vvhich he merueilous charitably and comfortably dehorted me vvith great reasons and incouragement to be constant in confession of my faith but the Diuel his Ministers and mine infirmitie preuailed and I did that vvhich was required at my hands After I had done that which euer since hath ben a naile in my conscience in diuers places I vvas conuersant vvith the Catholicks and neuer vttered or hurt any nor vvould haue done for al the good in the vvorld the persons and places I could name but for their endangering When I vvas at Cambrige I counselled diuers to go ouer sea and persuaded them so that I had brought them ouer vvith me in deede if it had not ben for feare of their Tutors-Many youthes there be God be thanked for it vvel bent to vertu and the Catholick Religion I beseech God bring them thence Besides vvhen my chamber fellowes especially one Sir Hutton Doctor Hutton his nephevv vvould speke against F. Campion I haue defended him so farre that he called me often Papist and defendor of Traitors and threatened he vvould complaine of me to the Maister and the Seniors I haue spoken the same and hovv he vvas falsely accused c. in mine ovvne countrey to one being both vvell learned and very catholickly bent as vvee vvalked by the Seas side But some vvil obiect I kept company vvith Ioâ—â— Nichols a feruent heretick to vvhich Obiection I ansvvere confessing that I kept him company to much for if I had follovved him in al points he vvould haue brought both him self and me to euerlasting destruction for I am sure that neuer vvoman brought out such a horrible and ougley monster in manners as he is But if ye consider th' end vvherefore I vvas conuersant vvith him I hope ye vvill not thinke me to be much blame vvorthie First I vvent about to knovv his lying spirite and his detestable manners vvhich I am sure I knovv although to mine owne discredit as vvell as any but especially I vvent about to get him out of England from being the cause of shedding of Innocent blood the vvhich I thanke God I haue obteined haue procured his apprehension not for hatred or hurt of his person as God dooth knovv but for desire of sauing his soule and detections of his foule slauÌ„ders against the Church of God and her children I vvas neuer I thanke God most humbly of his malitious humor if I had ben I might haue vomited my poison against the Catholicks I might haue gone to the priuie counsel haue enstauled my self as many do I might haue receiued good conditions of liuing being offred I might haue staide at Cambrige at the cost of my parents vvhich are able to keepe me in the schooles of learning many commodious vvaies for vvorldly preferment I might haue follovved if I had invvardly liked of that foule heresie nether had I any neede to go into a straÌ„ge couÌ„trey vvhere I knevv I should liue poorely To be short vvhiles I was in England this last time I vvas neuer quiet in conscience because vvhatsoeuer I did I did it against the same Other reasons I could yeld but because I vvilbe short these shal suffice one thing doth comfort me no litle that many haue falne as grosely as I haue donne and aftervvards haue become most firme and constant It remaineth onely that for this publick sinne and scandal and al other offences I craue pardoÌ„ of God of the holy Church of Christ his Vicar here vpon earth Gregory the XIII of that name head of the said holy Church and al other that I gaue scandall to thereby And I request al good Catholicks to take me as their brother in Christ Iesu And I beseech al good Christians for Iesus Christ his sake to pray for me that I neuer become an heretick but that I may liue and die in the Catholick and Apostolick Church which is the Church of Rome and that after this life I may enioy the kingdom of heauen to the vvhich God bring vs for Iesus Christ his sake to vvhom vvith the Father the holy Ghost be al honor power and glory both now and for euer world without end Laus Deo ac deiparae virgini Mariae By me Laurence Caddey THE COPIE OF A LETTER vvritten by the said Laurence Caddey to his Patron and frend I Thinke my self happy most worthy Patron that your Fatherly affection towards me is not decreased but wonderfully and more then I could looke for augmented I now see that first of al you haue a great loue to my soule secondarily to your Countrey and to me your poore countrey-man a great thing it is to bestowe vpon me my habit but vvhat greater then to giue your vvord and besides a testimoniall most necessarie in these perillous times but you can do no other seing that the quallities of the trevv Church be in you eminentissimo quodam modo the vvhich most aboundantly dooth bestow not onely interna Charismata vpon those that peniteÌ„tly doo runne vnto her for soccour but also al exteriour graces necessary for them you therfore be no stepfather nor shee no stepmother but most louing and charitable nourishers both of the invvard and outward man of your penitent and contrite children As for the declaration of my