shew you your selues to be so sad heauy in mynde as appeareth to me by your outward gestures and countenaunces I would wish you and I require you to be as mery as I am laying therewith hys hand vpon hys brest for afore God I am not sad nor heauy but mery and of good comfort and am right glad ioyfull of this my trouble which is for gods cause and it greueth me nothyng at all But the great matter that grieueth me pierceth my hart is for that this Hooper and such other vile heretikes and beastes be suffered and licenced to preache at Paules crosse in other places within my Diocesse Cure most detestably preaching and railing at the blessed Sacrament of the aultar denying the veritie and presence of Christs true body and bloud to be there so infecteth and betrayeth my flocke But I say it is there in very deede in that opinion I will lyue and dye and am ready to suffer death for the same Wherfore ye being christen men I do require you and also charge and commaunde you in the name of God and on his behalfe as ye wyll aunswere hym for the contrary that ye goe to the Mayor of London and to hys brethren the Aldermen praying and also requiryng them earnestly in Gods name and myne and for myne owne discharge on that behalfe that from hencefoorth Here Boners 〈…〉 when any such detestable and abhominable preachers and especially those which hold opinion against the blessed Sacrament of the aultar do come to preach vnto them they forth with depart out of their presence and doe not heare them least that they taryeng with such Preachers should not onely hurt themselues in receiuyng theyr poysoned doctrine but also geue a visage to the incouragemeÌ„t of others which thereby mought take an occasion to thinke and beleeue that theyr erroneous and damnable doctrine is true and good and this eftsoones I require and commaunde you to doe And then turnyng hymselfe about and beholdyng two of the Archbishops Gentlemen which in the same place kept the Chamber dore where the Commissioners were in consultation and perceiuing that they had heard all his talke he spake vnto them also and sayd And Syrs Boners 〈…〉 to two of the Archbâ—â—shops geâ—â—tlemen ye be my Lorde of Caunterburies Gentlemen I knowe ye very well and therefore I also require and charge you in Gods behalfe and in hys name that ye doe the lyke for your partes in places where ye shall chaunce to see and heare such corrupt and erroneous Preachers and also aduertise my Lord your maister of the same and of these my sayinges that I haue nowe spoken here before you as ye are Christian men and shall aunswere before God for the contrary With this the Commissioners called for the Bishop agayne Who did read vnto them an instrument conteining a prouocation to the king which he made in manner and forme here followyng The first appellation intimated by Edmund Boner Bishop of London IN the name of God Amen It shall appeare to all men by this publike instrument that the yeare of our Lord Boner appealeth to the king because he could not to the popâ—â— 1549. the xx day of September the third yeare of the raigne of our most high and renowmed Prince Edward the sixt by the grace of GOD King of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth and in earth the supreme head of the Church of England and Ireland in a chamber within the Pallace of the sayde Bishop situated in London and in the presence of me the Notary publicke and of the witnesses hereafter named the foresayd Bishop did personally appeare and there did shew forth in writing a certaine Protestation and Appellation the tenor wherof ensueth In the name of God Amen I Edmund Byshop of London say alleadge and propound before you beyng a publike Notary and these credible witnesses here present that although I the foresayd Edmund haue attayned the Bishoprike aforesayd by the beneuolence of the famous Prince of memory King Henry the eight and was lawfully elected and translated to the same wyth his rites and appurtenaunces haue of long time possessed peaceably and quietly the same and presently doe possesse beyng taken as Bishop and lawfull possessour of the sayd bishopricke and am lawfully called taken and reputed notoriously and publikely and moreouer doe keepe residence and hospitalitie on the same accordyng to the order state person and dignitie and as the reuenewes of the same would permit and haue exercised and done all thynges appertainyng to my pastorall office as the lawes doe require as hereafter I trust by Gods grace to doe and obserue a man of good name and fame neyther suspended excommunicate nor interdicted neyther conuict of any notable crime or fact alwayes obeying readily the commaundement of the Church and other my superiours in all lawfull causes neuerthelesse fearing vpon certayne probable causes lykely coniectures threatnyngs and assertions of certayne iniurious men my enemies or at the least such as little fauour me that great dammage may come to me hereafter about the premisses or part of them and least any man by any authoritie commaundement denunciation inquisition office or at the request of any person or persons may attempt preiudice or hurt to me or my said dignitie either by my excommunication interdiction sequestration spoyling vexing and perturbyng by any maner of meanes doe appeale to the most hygh and mighty Prince our soueraigne Lord Edw. the 6. by the grace of God king of England France c. in these my writings do prouoke appeale to his regal maiesty I do also require the Apostles so much as in this case they are to be required the first secoÌ„d third tyme earnestly more earnestly and most earnestly of all that there may be geuen to me the protection tuition and defence of my foresayd most dreade soueraigne Lord for the safegard of me my dignitie title Apostles a terme oâ— Canon 〈◊〉 signifie as much 〈◊〉 letters reuerential◠〈◊〉 and possession in the premisses and to all that will cleaue to me in this behalfe I doe also protest that I will be contented to correct reforme and amend this my present protestation and to the same to adde to take away and to bryng the same into the best forme and state that may be deuised by the counsaile of learned men or as the case shall require and the same to intimate accordyng to tyme and place and the order of the law Anno 1559. and still shall require Vpon all the which premisses the foresayd Edmund B. of London did require the Notary publike here vnder written to make vnto hym and the witnesses hereafter named one two or more copies of this protestation These thynges were done the yeare day and tyme aboue-written there beyng present Gilbert Bourne Bacheler of Diuinitie Iohn Harpesfield and Robert Colen Maisters of Arte Iohn Wakelyng and Richard Rogers learned
proceded he to the answering of the foresaid articles but in such crafty and obstinate maner as before he had ben accustomed and as at large to them that be desirous to vnderstand the processe thereof in the first booke of the Actes and monuments of the Church aforesayd may appeare But briefly to conclude such exceptions he vsed against the witnesses produced against him and he himself produced such a number of witnesses in hys defence and vsed so many delaies and cauillations that in the end the commissioners seeing his stubbernesse proceeded to the sentence definitiue against him as heere vnder followeth ¶ Sentence definitiue agaynst Stephen Gardiner B. of Winchester IN the name of God Amen By authority of a commission by the high and mighty prince our moste gracious soueraigne Lord Edward the 6. by the grace of God king of England France and Ireland defendour of the faith The finall sentence 〈◊〉 the depriâ—uation of the Bishâ—â— of Winchâ—â—ster and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head the tenour whereof hereafter ensueth Edward the sixt c. Wee Thomas by the sufferaunce of God Archbishop of Canterburye primate of all Englande and Metropolitane wyth the right reuerende fathers in God Nicholas Bishop of London Thomas Byshop of Ely and Henry Byshop of Lincolne Syr William Peter Knight one of our said soueraigne Lordes two principall secretaries Sir Iames Hales knight one of our sayd soueraigne Lordes Iustices of his common plees Griffith Leison and Iohn Oliuer Doctors of the Ciuill lawe Richard Goodrike Iohn Gosnold Esquiers delegates and Iudges assigned appointed rightfully lawfully proceeding according to the forme tenor of y e said commission for the hearing examinatioÌ„ debating finall determination of y e causes and matters in the said commisson mentioned and conteined and vpon the contentes of the same and certeine articles obiected of office against you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester as more plainely and fully is mencioned and declared in the said commission and articles all which we repute take here for to be expressed after sondry iudiciall assemblies examinations debatings of the said cause matters with all incidents emergents circumstances to the same or any of them belonging and the same also beeing by vs ofte heard seene and well vnderstanded and with good and mature examination and deliberation debated coÌ„sidered and fully wayed and pondred obseruing all such order and other things as by the lawes equitie and the said commission ought or needed heerein to be obserued in the presence of you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester do proceede to the geuing of our finall iudgement and sentence diffinitiue in this maner following For asmuch as by the actes inacted exhibites and allegations purposed deduced alleaged by sufficient proofes with your owne confession in the causes aforesaid had and made we do euidently finde and perceiue that you Steuen Bishop of Winchester haue not only transgressed the commaundements mencioned in the same Wynchester fouÌ„d to be a transgressor but also haue of loÌ„g time notwithstanding many admonitions and commandements geuen vnto you to the contrary remained a person much grudging speaking and repugning against the godly reformations of abuses in religion set foorth by the kings highnes authoritie within this his realme and forasmuch as we do also finde you a notable open and contemptuous disobeyer of sondry godly and iust commandements geuen vnto you by our sayd soueraigne Lorde and by his authoritie in diuers great and weighty causes touching and coÌ„cerning his princely office the state and common quietnes of this his Realme and for asmuch as you haue and yet do contemptuously refuse to recognise your notorious negligences misbehauiours contempts and disobedieÌ„ces remaining still after a great number of seuerall admonitions alwaies more and more indurate incorrigible and without all hope of amendement coÌ„trary both to your oth sworne obedience promise and also your bouÌ„den duety of allegiance and for the great sclaunder and offence of the people arise in many partes of the Realme through your wilfull doings sayings and preachings contrary to the common order of the Realme and for sondry other great causes by the actes exhibites your owne confession and proofes of this processe more fully appearing considering withall that nothing effectually hath ben on your behalfe alleaged purposed and proued ne by any other meanes appeareth whiche doth or may empayre or take away the proofes made against you vpon the sayde matters and other the premisses Therefore we Thomas Archbyshop of Caunterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitane Iudge delegate aforesayd calling God before our eyes with expresse consent and assent of Nicholas B. of London Tho. bishop of Ely Henry B. of Lincolne sir Wil. Peter Knight Sir Iames Hales Knight Griffith Leison and Ioh. Oliuer doctors of the ciuill law Rich. Goodricke and Iohn Gosnold Esquires Iudges and Colleagues with vs in the matters aforesaid and with the counsaile of diuers learned men in the lawes with whome we haue conferred in and vpon the premisses SteueÌ„ Gardiner Bish. of Winchester depriueâ— of his Bishopricke do iudge and determine you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester to be depriued and remooued from the Bishopricke of Winchester and from all the rightes authoritie emoluments commodities and other apurtenaunces to the sayde Byshoprike in any wise belonging whatsoeuer they be and by these presentes we doe depriue and remoue you from your sayd Bishopricke and all rites other commodities aforesaide and further pronounce declare the sayd Byshopricke of Winchester to all effectes and purposes to be voyde by this our sentence definitiue which we geue pronounce and declare in these writings This sentence diffinitiue being geuen the sayd Byshop of Winchester vnder his former protestatioÌ„s dissented froÌ„ the geuing and reading thereof and froÌ„ the same as vniust of no efficacy or effect in law and in that that the same conteineth excessiue punishmeÌ„t and for other causes expressed in his appellation aforesayd did then and there apud Acta immediately after the pronouncing of the seÌ„tence by word of mouth appeale to the kinges Royall maiestie first secondly and thirdly instantly more instantly SteueÌ„ Gardiner appealeth from the Sentence to the king most instantly asked apostles or letters dimissorials to be geuen and granted vnto him And also vnder protestation not to recede from the sayd appellation asked a copy of the sayd seÌ„tence the Iudges declaring that they would first knowe the kinges pleasure and his counsell therin vpon the reading and geuing of which sentence the promoters willed Will. Say and Thomas Aâ—gall to make a publicke Instrument and the witnesses then and there present to beare testimony thereunto c. And thus haue ye the whole discourse and processe of Steuen Gardiner late bishop of Winchester vnto whome the Papisticall cleargy doth so much leane as to a mighty Atlas an vpholder of their ruinous Religion The end of
religion set vp amongest vs agayne but come away come away as the Angell crieth from amongst them in their idolatrous seruice Apoca. 18. lest you be partakers of their iniquitie Harken to your preachers as the Thessalonians did to Paule that is conferre their sayings with the scriptures if they sound not thereafter the morning light shall not shyne vpon them Esay 8. Vse much and hearty prayer for the spirite of wisedome knowledge humblenes meekenes sobrietie and repentaunce which we haue great need of because our sinnes haue thus prouoked the Lordes anger against vs but let vs beare his anger and acknowledge our faultes with bitter teares and sorowfull sighes and doubtles he will be mercifull to vs after his wonted mercy The which thyng he vouchsafe to do for his holy names sake in Christ Iesu our Lord to whome with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory prayse and euerlastyng thankes from this tyme forth for euermore Amen Out of prison by yours in the Lord to commaund Iohn Bradford ¶ A letter to M. George Eaton ALmighty God our heauenly Father recompence aboundantly into your bosome my dearely beloued here and eternally A letter aâ— M. Bradford to M. George Eaton the good which froÌ„ him by you I haue continually receiued sithen my comming into prison Otherwyse can I neuer be able to requite your louing kindnesse here then by praying for you and after this lyfe by witnessing your fayth declared to me by your fruits wheÌ„ we shall come and appeare together before the throne of our Sauiour Iesus Christ whether I thanke God I am euen now a goyng euer looking when officers wyll come satisfie the precept of the Prelates wherof though I can not complayne because I haue iustly deserued an hundreth thousand deaths at gods hands by reason of my sinnes yet I may and must reioyce because the Prâ—lates do not persecute in me myne iniquities but Christ Iesus his veritie so that they persecute not me they hate not me but they persecute Christ they hate Christ. And because they can do hym no hurt for he sitteth in heauen The Prelates persecute and hate the Martirs not for their iniquities but for hatred of Christ of his veritye in them and laugheth them and their deuises to scorne as one day they shall feele therfore they turne their rage vpoÌ„ his poore sheepe as Herode their father did vpon the infants Math. 2. Great cause therefore haue I to reioyce that my dere Sauiour Christ wil vouchsafe amongst many to chuse me to be a vessel of grace to suffer in me which haue deserued so often iustly to suffer for my sinnes that I might be most assured I shall be a vessell of honour in whom he will be glorified Therfore my right deare brother in the Lord reioice with me geue thankes for me and cease not to pray that God for his mercies sake would make perfect the good he hath begun in me And as for the doctrine which I haue professed and preached I do confesse vnto you in writing as to the whole world I shortly shall by gods grace in suffering Iohn Bradford geueth testimony of his doctrine that it is the very true doctrine of Iesus Christ of his Church of his Prophets Apostles and all good men so that if an Angell should come from heauen and preach otherwise the same were accursed Therefore wauer not deare hart in the Lord but be confirmed in it and as your vocation requireth wheÌ„ God so will confesse it though it be perillous so to do The end shall euidently shew an other maner of pleasure for so doyng then tong can tell Bee diligent in prayer and watch therein Use reuerent readyng of Gods worde Set the shortnesse of this tyme before your eyes and let not the eternitie that is to come depart out of your memory Practise in doing that you learne by reading and hearing Decline from euill and pursue good Remember them that be in bondes especially for the Lordes cause as members of your body and fellow heires of grace Forget not the afflictions of Syon and the oppression of Ierusalem and God our Father shall geue you hys continuall blessyng thorough Christ our Lorde who guide vs as hys deare children for euer Amen And thus I take my Vale and farewell with you deare brother for euer in this present lyfe till wee shall meete in eternall blisse whether our good God and Father bryng vs shortly Amen God blesse all your babes for euer Amen Out of pryson this viij of February Your afflicted brother for the Lordes cause Iohn Bradford ¶ An other Letter to Maistresse Anne Warcuppe ALmighty God our heauenly father for his Christes sake encrease in vs fayth An 〈◊〉 letter Mistreâ— Anne 〈◊〉 by which we may more more see what glory and honour is reposed and safely kept in heauen for all theÌ„ that beleeue with the hart and confesse Christ his truth wyth the mouth Amen My dearely beloued I remember that once heretofore I wrote vnto you a Vale or a farewell vpon coniecture but now I write my farewel to you in this lyfe in deed vpon certaine knowledge My staffe standeth at the dore I continually looke for the shiriffe to come for me and I thanke God I am ready for him Now goe I to practise that which I haue preached Now am I climing vp the hill it wil cause me to puffe and blow before I come to the cliffe The hill is steepe and high my breath is short and my strength is feeble pray therfore to the Lord for me that as I haue now thorough his goodnes euen almost come to the toppe I may by his grace be strengthened not to rest till I come where I should bee Oh louing Lord put out thy hand and drawe me vnto thee for no man commeth but he whoÌ„ the father draweth See my derely beloued Gods louing mercy he knoweth my short breath great weakenes As he sent for Helias in a firy chariot so sendeth he for me for by fire my drosse must be purified that I may bee fine gold in his sight Oh vnthankfull wretch that I am Lord do thou forgeue me myne vnthankfulnes In deed I confesse right deare to me in the Lord that my sinnes haue deserued hell fire much more then this fire But loe so louyng is my Lord God 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—serued 〈◊〉 death of his to a gloâ—â—â—ous testiâ—â—â—niall of his truth that he conuerteth the remedy for my sins the punishment for my transgressions into a testimoniall of his truth and a testification of his veritie which the Prelates do persecute in me not my sinnes therfore they persecute not me but Christ in me which I doubt not will take my part vnto the very end Amen Oh that I had so open an hart as could so receiue as I should do this great benefite and vnspeakeable dignitie which God my father offreth to me Now
tuum Pasce gregem tuum vt cum venerit Dominus The wordes of Tho. Bilney to Doct. Warner inueniat te sic facientem That is Feede your flocke feede your flocke that when the Lord commeth he may finde you so doing and farewell good M. Doctour and pray for me and so he departed without any answere sobbing and weeping And while he thus stood vpon the ledge at the stake certayne Friers Doctours and Priors of theyr houses beyng there present as they were vncharitably and malitiously present at his examination and degradation The Fryers 〈◊〉 Bilny 〈◊〉 for them c. came to him and sayd O M. Bilney the people be perswaded that we be the causers of your death and that we haue procured the same and thereupon it is like that they will withdraw theyr charitable almes from vs al except you declare your charity towards vs and discharge vs of the matter Whervpon the sayd Tho. Bilney spake with a loud voyce to the people and sayd I pray you good people be neuer y e worse to these men for my sake as though they should be the authors of my death It was not they and so he ended Then the officers put reed and Fagots about hys body and set fire on the reed which made a very great flame which sparcled and deformed the visour of his face he holding vp his handes and knocking vpon his brest crying sometimes Iesus sometimes Credo Which flame was blowne away froÌ„ him by the violence of the winde which was that day 2. or 3. dayes before notable great in which it was sayd that the fieldes were maruellously plagued by the losse of corne and so for a litle pause The pacient death Martyrdome of M. Bilney he stoode without flame the flame departing recoursing thrise ere the wood tooke strength to be the sharper to consume him and theÌ„ he gaue vp the ghost and his body being withered â—owed downeward vpon the chayne TheÌ„ one of the officers with his halbard smite out the staple in the stake behinde him suffered his body to fall into the bottome of the fire laying wood on it and so he was consumed Thus haue ye good readers the true history Martyrdome of this good man that is Saint Bilney of blessed Saint Bilney as M. Latimer doth call him without any recaÌ„tation testified and ratified by the authority abouesayd By the which authority and party being there present yet aliue it is furthermore constantly affirmed that Bilney not only did neuer recant but also that he neuer had any such bill or script or scrolle in his hand to read either softly or apertly as M. More per licentiaÌ„ Poeticam would beare vs downe M. Moâ—â—s false report refuted Wherfore euen as ye see M. More deale in this so ye may trust him in the residue of his other tales if ye will ¶ Mayster Stafford of Cambridge AS the death of this Godly Bilney did much good in Northfolke where he was burnt so his diligeÌ„t trauel M. Bilney the cheife 〈…〉 Apostle of Cambridge in teaching and exhorting other and example of life correspondent to his doctrine left no small fruite behinde him in Cambridge beyng a great meanes of framing that Uniuersity drawing diuers vnto Christ. By reason of whoÌ„ and partly also of an other called M. Stafford the word of God begaÌ„ there most luckely to spread and many toward wittes to florish In the company of whom was M. Latimer D. Barnes D. Thistell of Penbroke hall M. Fooke of Benet Colledge and M. Soude of the same Colledge D. Warner aboue mentioned with diuers other moe This M. Stafford was then the publicke reader of the Diuinity lecture in that Uniuersity Who as he was an earnest professour of Christes Gospell so was he as diligeÌ„t a folower of that which he professed as by this exaÌ„ple here folowing may appeare For as the plague was then sore in Cambridge The notable zeale of M. Stafforde in sauing a damnable Priest and amongest other a certaine Priest called Syr Henry Coniurer lay sore sicke of the sayd plague M. Stafford hearyng therof and seing the horrible daunger that his soule was in was so moued in conscience to helpe the dauÌ„gerous case of the Priest that he neglecting his owne bodely death to recouer the other from eternall damnatioÌ„ came vnto him exhorted and so labored him that he would not leaue him before he had conuerted him and saw his coniuring books burned before his face Which being done maister Stafford went home and immediatly sickened shortly after most christianly deceased Ex fideli testimonio D. Ridlei Edmund Episcoporum Lond. Concerning which M. Stafford this moreouer is to be noted how that M. Latimer being yet a feruent and a zealous Papist M. Latimer asketh M. Stafford forgeuenes standing in the Schooles when M. Stafford read bad the Scholers not to heare him and also preaching agaynst him exhorted the people not to beleue hym and yet the sayd Latimer confessed himselfe that he gaue thankes to God that he asked him forgeuenesse before hee departed And thus much by the way of good M. Stafford who for his constant and godly aduenture in such a cause may seeme not vnworthy to goe with blessed Bilney in the fellowship of holy and blessed Martyrs ¶ The story of M. Symon Fish BEfore the time of M. Bilney and the fall of the Cardinall M Symon Fishe author of the booke called the supplication of Beggars I should haue placed the story of SimoÌ„ Fish with the booke called the Supplication of Beggars declaring how and by what meanes it came to the kynges hand and what effect therof folowed after in the reformation of many thinges especially of the Clergy But the missing of a few yeares in this matter breaketh no great square in our story though it be now entred here which shold haue come in sixe yeares before The maner and circumstaunce of the matter is this After that the light of the gospell working mightely in Germany began to spread his beames here also in England great styrre alteration folowed in the harts of many so that colored hipocrisy and false doctrine paynted holynes began to be espyed more and more by the reading of Gods word The authority of the Bishop of Rome and y e glory of his Cardinals was not so high but such as had fresh wits sparcled with Gods grace began to espy Christ from Antichrist that is true sincerity from counterfait religion In the number of whom was the sayd M. Simon Fish a gentleman of Brayes Inne It happened the first yeare that this Gentleman came to LondoÌ„ to dwel which was about the yeare of our Lord 1525. that there was a certayne play or interlude made by one M. Roo of the same Inne gentlemaÌ„ in which play partly was matter agaynst the Cardinall Wolsey And where none durst take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to play that part which
children then are they not the foure hundreth person in nuÌ„ber One part therefore in foure hundreth partes deuyded were to much for them except they did labor What an vnequall burtheÌ„ is it that they haue halfe with the multitude and are not the foure hundreth person of theyr number What toung is able to tell that euer there was any commoÌ„ wealth so sore oppressed since the world first began And what doth all this greedy sort of sturdy idle holy theeues with these yearely exactions that they take of the people Truly nothing but exempt themselues from the obedience of your grace Nothing but traslate all rule power Lordship authority obedience and dignity from your grace vnto theÌ„ Nothing but that al your subiectes should fall into disobedience and rebellion against your grace and be vnder theÌ„ as they did vnto your noble predecessor king Iohn which for because that he would haue punished certayne traytors that had conspired with the French kyng The rule of 〈◊〉 empaâ—red by the Popes Clergye to haue deposed him from his crowne and dignity among the which a Clerke called Stephen whom afterward agaynst the kinges will the Pope made Bishop of Caunterbury was one interdited his land For the which matter your most noble realm wroÌ„gfully alas for shame hath stand tributary not vnto any kinde of temporal prince but vnto a cruell deuilish bloudsupper dronkeÌ„ in the bloud of the Sayntes and Martyrs of Christ euer since Here were an holy sort of Prelates that thus cruelly could punish such a righteous king al his realme and succession for doing right Here were a charitable sort of holy men that could thus interdite a whole Realme plucke away the obedience of the people from their naturall liege Lord and king for none other cause but for his righteousnes Here were a blessed sort not of meeke heardes but of bloudsuppers that could set the French king vpon such a righteous Prince to cause him to lose his crown and dignity to make effusioÌ„ of the bloud of his people vnles this good and blessed king of great compassion K. Iohn submitted himselfâ— vnto the Pope read before more fearing lamenting the shedding of the bloud of his people then the losse of his crowne and dignity agaynst all right and conscience had submitted himselfe vnto them O case most horrible that euer so noble a king realme and succession should thus be made to stoupe to such a sort of bloudsuppers Where was his sword power crowne dignity become wherby he might haue done iustice in this matter where was their obedience become that shoulde haue ben subiect vnder his high power in this matter Yea where was the obedience of all his subiectes become that for maintenance of the coÌ„mon wealth should haue holpen him manfully to haue resisted these bloudsuppers to y e sheding of theyr bloud was it not altogether by theyr policy translated from this good king vnto them Yea and what do they more Truly nothing If this be not true in the whole I would the greatest part were not suche but apply themselues by all the sleights they may to haue to do with euery mans wife euery mans daughter and euery mans mayde that cukoldry and baudry should reigne ouer al among your subiectes that no man should know his owne childe that theyr bastards might inherite the possessions of euery man to put the right begotten children cleare beside their inheritance in subuersion of all estates and godly order These be they that by their absteining from Mariage do let the generation of the people whereby all the Realme at length if it should be continued shal be made desert and inhabitable These be they that haue made an 100000. idle Whores in your realme 100000 idle whores made in England by the Popes Clergye which would haue gotten their liuing honestly in the sweat of their faces had not their superfluous riches illected them to vncleane lust and idlenes These be they that corrupt the whole generatioÌ„ of mankind in your Realme that catche the pockes of one woman and beare them to another that be burnt with one woman beare it to another that catch the lepry of one woman beare it to another Yea some one of them shall boast among his felowes that he hath medled with an C. women These be they y t when they haue once drawne mens wiues to such incontinency speÌ„d away theyr husbands goodes make the women to runne away from theyr husbandes yea run away themselues both with wife and goods bringing both man wife and children to idlenes theft and beggery Yea who is able to nuÌ„ber the great and broad bottomles Occeane Sea full of euils that this mischieuous and sinfull generation may lawfully bring vpon vs vnpunished Where is your sworde power crowne and dignitye become that shoulde punish by punishment of death euen as other men are punished the felonyes rapes murthers and treasons coÌ„mitted by this sinnefull generatioÌ„ Where is theyr obedience become that should be vnder your high power in this matter It is not altogether translated and exempt from your grace vnto them Yes cruely * The realme of England is diminished decaied by the nuÌ„ber of 200000 persons at least or els replenished with so many whores whoremaisters by restraining of mariage froÌ„ priesteâ— Monkes Friers NuÌ„nes Colleges Hospitalles BeadmeÌ„ such like orders within the realm of England The increase of which nuÌ„ber might be recouered and the realme more peopled and also Gods Commaundements better kepte if these vowes of bondage were broken matrimony permitted free to all men What an infinite nuÌ„ber of people might haue bene increased to haue peopled the Realme if this sort of folke had bene maryed like other men What breach of matrimony is there brought in by them such truly as was neuer since the world began among the whole multitude of the HeatheÌ„ Who is she that will set her handes to worke to get 3. d. a day and may haue at least 20. d. a day to sleepe an houre wyth a Frier a Monke or a Priest What is he that would labor for a groat a day and may haue at least 12. d. a day to be baude to a Priest a Monke or a Frier What a sort are there of them that mary Priests soueraigne Ladyes but to cloake the Priestes incontinency and that they may haue a liuing of the Priestes theÌ„selues for theyr labor Priestes and Doues make foule houses How many M. doth such lubricity bring to beggery thefte and idlenes which should haue kept their good name haue set themselues to worke had not beene this excessiue treasure of the spiritualitye what honest man dare take any man or woman into his seruice that hath beene at such a schoole with a spiritual man Oh the greeuous shypwracke of the common wealth The Popes clergy a shipwracke to all common wealthes which in auncient tyme before the comming of these rauenous
into theyr handes wherefore it is manifest it can not be of Christ Christ submitted himselfe vnder temporall gouerment The cause touched why the Popes clergy will 〈◊〉 let the 〈◊〉 Testamâ—â—â— goe abâ—â—â—d the mother tonguâ— for he gaue more to the temporall kingdome he himselfe payd tribute to Cesar he tooke nothing froÌ„ him but taught that the high powers should be alwaies obeied yea he himself although he were most free Lord of al innoceÌ„t was obedient vnto y e high powers vnto death This is the great skabbe why they will not let y e new testameÌ„t go abroad in your mother toung least men should espye that they by theyr cloked hypocrisy do translate thus fast your kingdome into their haÌ„des that they are not obedient vnto your high power that they are cruell vncleane vnmercifull and hâ—pocrites that they seeke not the honor of Christ but theyr owne that remission of sinnes are not geuen by the Popes Pardon but by Christ for the sure fayth and trust that we haue in him Here may your grace well perceiue that except you suffer their hipocrisy to be disclosed all is like to runne into theyr handes and as long as it is couered so long shal it seme to euery man to be a great impiety not to geue them * For this I am sure your grace thinketh as the truth is I am as good a man as my Father why may I not as well geue them as much as my father did And of this minde I am sure are all the Lordes knightes squires gentlemeÌ„ yeomen in England yea and vntill it be disclosed all your people will think that your statute of Mortmaine was neuer made with no good coÌ„science seing that it taketh away the liberty of your people in that they may not as lawfully buy their soules out of Purgatory by geuing to the spiritualty as theyr predecessors did in times past Wherfore if you will eschew the ruine of your crowne dignity let theyr hipocrisy be vttred that shal be more speedefull in this matter then all the lawes that may bee made be they neuer so strong For to make a law for to punish any offender except it were more for to geue other meÌ„ an ensample to beware how they commit such like offence what should it auayle Of Doctour Alen the Cardinalls Chauncellour read before pag. 986. Of this Doct. Horsey the biâ—h of Londons Chauncellour read before pag. 807. Did not Doct. Alen most presumptiously now in your time agaynst al his allegiance all that euer he could to pull froÌ„ you the knowledge of such plees as belong vnto your high Courtes vnto an other Court in derogation of your crown and dignity Did not also D. Horsey and his complices most heinously as al the world knoweth murder in prison that honest Marchaunt Rich. Hunne for that he sued your writ of Premunire agaynst a priest that wrongfully held him in plee in a spiritual court for a matter whereof the knowledge belonged vnto your high Courtes And what punishment was there done that any man may take example of to beware of like offence Truely none but that the one payd 500. pound as it is sayd to the building of your chamber when that paymeÌ„t was once passed the Captaynes of his kingdome because he fought so manfully agaynst your crowne and dignity haue heaped to him benefice vpon benefice so that he is rewarded 10. tymes that is 10. times as much as he had in 〈◊〉 before not as he payde to the king And althoughe these murtherers of Hunâ—e were not recompensed with 10. times or withe 4. tymes as much which More denieth yet can he neuer be able to denie the substance of the story that is that Hunne by these was broughte to hys death that they being put to their fines wer afterward sufficiently recompeÌ„sed with benefices vpon benefices x. times as much The other as it is sayd payd 600. pound for him hys complices which for because that he had like wise fought so manfully against your crown and dignity was immediately as he had obteyned your most gracious pardon promoted by the captaynes of his kingdome wyth benefice vpon benefice to the value of foure times as much Who can take example of punishment to beware of suche like offence Who is he of their kingdome that will not rather take courage to commit like offence seing the promotions that fell to these men for theyr so offending so weake and blunt is your sword to strike at one of the offenders of this crooked and peruerse generation And this is by the reason that the chiefe instrument of your law Vnconuenient 〈…〉 spirituall man to be Lord Chauncellour yea y e chiefe of your Councell and he which hath your sword in his hand to whom also all the other instrumentes are obedient is alwayes a spirituall man which hath euer such an inordinate loue vnto his own kingdome that he will maintayne that though all the teÌ„porall kingdomes and common wealthes of the world should therefore vtterly be vndone Here leue we out the greatest matter of all least that we declaring such an horrible caren of euill agaynst the ministers of iniquity should seeme to declare the one onely fault or rather the ignorance of our best beloued minister of righteousnes which is to be hid till he may be learned by these small enormities that we haue spoken of to know it playnly himselfe But what remedy to releue vs your poore sicke lame and sore bedemen To make many hospitals for the reliefe of the poore people Nay truely The moe the worse for euer the fat of the whole fouÌ„dation hangeth on the Priestes beardes Diuers of your noble Predecessours kinges of this realme haue geuen landes to Monasteries to geue a certeine summe of mony yearely to the poore people wherof for the auncienty of the time they geue neuer one peny They haue likewise geuen to them to haue a certayne of masses sayd dayly for them wherof they say neuer one If y e Abbot of Westminster shold sing euery day as many masses for his founders as he is bound to do by his foundatioÌ„ a thousand Monkes were to few Wherefore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall sayle to releeue vs all your poore bedemen then take froÌ„ theÌ„ all these thinges Set these sturdy loubies abroad in the world to gette theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get theyr liuing with theyr labor in the sweat of their faces according to the commaundement of God Gen. 1. to geue other idle people by theyr example occasion to go to labor Tye these holy idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euery market Towne 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to the 〈◊〉 by putting out 〈◊〉 Frâ—ers and 〈◊〉 till they fall to labour that they by theyr importunate begging take not away the almes y t y e good christeÌ„ people wold geue vnto vs
a knotte so fast tyed and folded so many wayes that as the saying was whosoeuer could loose it should haue all Asia So Alexander comming to it when he could not loose it with his haÌ„ds he cutte it a â—uÌ„der with his sworde Gordian knotte would not be loosed at rome he was driueÌ„ against his wil as God would to play the noble Alexander himselfe and with the sword of his princely authority knapt the knot at one stroke clean a sunder loosing as it were with one solutioÌ„ infinite questions For where the Doctours and Canonistes had loÌ„g disputed and yet could neuer throughly discusse the largenes and fulnes of the popes two swordes both temporall and spirituall the king with one sword did so cut of bothe cleane out of England as ye shall see more anone But first the king like a prudent prince before he would come to the head of the sore thought best to pare away such rank fleshe and putrified places as were about it and therefore following his owne prouerbe like as one goyng about to cast downe an olde rotten wall will not beginne with the foundation first but with the stones that lye in the toppe so he to prepare his way better vnto the Pope The kinges proâ—â—uerbe Looke before first beganne with the Cardinall castinge him by the lawe of Premunire out of his goods possessions and so at leÌ„gth by poysoning himselfe he procured his owne death which was in the yeare 1530. Thys done shortly after about the the yeare 1532. the King to prouide by time agaynste mischiefes that might come from Rome gaue foorth eftsoones this proclamation as followeth THe kings highnes straightly chargeth and commandeth that no maner of person what estate degree A restraynte of the king that nothing should be purchased from Rome or condition so euer hee or they be of doe purchase or attempt to purchase from the Court of Rome or els where nor vse and put in executioÌ„ diuulge or publish any thing heretofore wâ—thin this yeare passed purchased or to be purchased heereafter containing matter preiudiciall to the highe authoritie iurisdiction and prerogatiue Royall of thys hys sayde realme or to theÌ„ lette hinderaunce or impeache ment of his graces noble and vertuous intended purposes in the premises vppon paine of incurring his highnes indignation and imprisonment and further punishment of their bodies for their so doing at his graces pleasure to the dreadful exâ—mple of all other After this was done the king then proceeding farther caused the rest of the spirituall Lordes to be called by proces into the kinges benche to make their appearaunce Ex Edw. Hallo for so much as the whole Clergie of Englande in supporting and maintaining the power Legatiue of the Cardinall The whole clergy of England in the Premunire by the reason thereof were all entangled likewise in the Premunire and therefore were called into the kings benche to aunswere But before the day of theyr appearaunce the Prelates together in theyr conuocation concluded among themselues an humble submission in wryting and offered the king for a subsidie or contribution that hee woulde be their good Lord and release them of the Premunire by Act of Parliament first to be gathered in the prouince of Caunterbury a C.M. poundes And in the Prouince of Yorke xviij hundreth and xl pound x. pence The whyche offer with much labour was accepted and their pardon promised The Clergy geueth to the king 11840 pound to be released from the Premunire In this submission the clergie called the kyng supreme head of the Churche of Englande whych thing they neuer confessed before wherupon many things folowed as after God willing ye shall heare But first forsomuch as we are in hand nowe wyth the matter we wil borow by the way a few words of the reader to speake of this clergie money of a 118840. pounds x. pence to be leuied to the king as is aboue touched For the leuying of which summe an order was taken amonge the prelates that euery B. in his Dioces should call before him all the Priestes Parsons Uicars amongst whome D. Stokesley B. of London a man then counted to be of some witte and learning but of litle discretion and humanitie which caused him to be out of the fauour of the common people called before him all the Priestes wythin the Citie of London whether they were Curates or Stipendaries the first day of Sept. being Friday in the Chapter house of S. Paule At which day the priests appeared and the Bishops policie was to haue onely 6. or 8. priestes together and by perswasions to haue caused them to graunt some portion toward the paiment of the foresaid hundreth M. pound But the number of the Priestes was so greate for they were 6. hundreth at the least and with them came many temporall men to heare the matter that the Bishop was disapoynted of his purpose For when the Byshops Officers called in certaine Priests by name into the chapter house The bishops policy with the Priests for payment of the kinges money wyth that a great number entred for they putte the Bishops Officers that kept the doore a side After this the Officers got the dore shut againe Then the Priestes without sayde we will not be kept wythout and our felowes be within we know not what the bishop will do with them The temporal men being present comforted and encouraged the priestes to enter so that by force they opened the doore and one strake the Bishops Officer ouer the face and entred the Chapter house and many teÌ„porall men with them and long it was ere any sileÌ„ce could be made At last wheÌ„ they were appeased the bishop stode vp and sayd Brethren I maruell not a litle why you be so heady and know not what shal be sayd to you therefore I pray you to keepe silence and to heare me paciently My frendes all you knowe well that we be men fraile of condition and no Aungels and by frailtie and lacke of wisedome wee haue misdemeaned oure selfe towarde the king our soueraigne Lord and his lawes The bishops perswasion to the priestes to helpe theÌ„ to pay there forfaite so that all we of the Cleargie were in the Premunire by reason whereof all our promotions landes goodes and cattels were to hym forfaite our bodies ready to be imprisoned yet his grace moued with pitie and compassion demaunded of vs what we could say why he should not extend his lawes vpoÌ„ vs. Then the Fathers of the Cleargye humbly besought hys grace of mercy To whom he aunswered that he was euer enclined to mercy Then for all our great offences we had litle penaunce For where he might by the rigour of hys law haue taken all our liuelode goods and cattels he was contented with one hundreth thousand pounds to be payd in 5. yeres And although that this summe be more then we may easely beare yet by the rigor of his lawes we
and to be as it were exempted from the daunger of the statute To which request diuers good reasons were made containing the discommodities that shoulde follow the graunt therof and meanes deuised rather to perswade you to obey receiue the generall and godly reformation of the whole realme then by a priuate fansie to preiudice a common order But yet vpon earnest desire and entreatie made in y e Emperours name thus much was graunted that for his sake and your owne also it should be suffered and winked at if you had the priuate masse vsed in your own closet for a season vntil you might be better enformed wherof was some hope hauing only with you a few of your owne chamber so that for all the rest of your housholde the seruice of the realme shoulde be vsed and none other further then thys the promise exceeded not And truely suche a matter it then seemed to some of vs as in dede it was that wel might the Emperour haue required of the kinges Maiestie a matter of more profit but of more weight or difficulty to be granted his maiestie coulde not After this graunt in woordes there was by the ambassadour now dead oftentimes desired some wryting as a testimonye of the same But y t was euer denyed not because we meant to breake the promise as it was made but because ther was a daily hope of your reformation Nowe to the second time you say the Emperors Ambassadours declaration made mention of a promise to you it might well so be But we thinke no otherwise then as it appeareth before wrytten If it were hys fault it was to declare more then he heard ours it may not be that denye not that we haue sayd As for the last time when you were with the kinges maiestie the same some of vs whome by these words your letter noteth doe wel remember that no other thing was graūted to you in this matter but as the first promise was made to the Emperour at whiche time you had too many arguments made to approoue the procedings of the kings Maiestie and to condemne the abuse of the masse to thinke that where the priuate masse was iudged vngodly there you should haue authority and ground to vse it About the same time the Ambassadoure made meanes to haue some testimonie of the promise vnder the great seale and that not hard to haue it but by a letter and that also was not onely denied but diuers good reasons y t he should think it denied with reason so to be contented with an aunswer It was told him in reducing that which was commonly called the Masse to the order of the primatiue church and the institution of Christe the kings maiesty his whole realme had their consciences well quieted against y t which if any thing should be willingly committed the same should be taken as an offence to God a very sinne against truth vnknowne Wherefore to licence by open acte such a dede in the conscience of the kings maiesty his realme were euē a sinne against God The most that might herein be borne was that the kings maiestie myght vppon hope of your gracious reconciliation suspende the execution of his law so that you would vse the licence as it was first graunted What soeuer the Ambassador hath sayd to others he had no other maner graunt from vs nor hauing it thus graunted could alledge any reason against it And where in your letter your grace noteth vs as breakers of the promise made to the Emperour it shal appeare who hath broken the promise whether we that haue suffered more then we licenced or you y t haue transgressed that was graunted Nowe therfore we pray your grace confer the doing of your chaplaines with euery poynte of the premisses and if the same cannot be excused then thinke also howe long the lawe hath bene spared If it pricke our consciences somewhat that so muche shoulde be vsed as by the promise you may claime how much more should it greeue vs to licence more then you can claime And yet coulde we be content to beare great burden to satisfy your grace if the burthen pressed not our consciences whereof we must say as the Apostle sayd Gloriatio nostra est haec testimonium conscientiae nostrae For the other parte of your graces letter by the which we see you misconstrue our good willes in wryting to you how soeuer the law had proceded against your Chaplaines our order in sending to you was to be liked and therein truely had we speciall regarde of your graces degree and estate And because the lawe of it selfe respecteth not persons we thought to geue respect to you first signifying to you what the law required before it should be executed that being warned your grace might either thincke no strangenes in the execution or for an example of obedience cause it to be executed your selfe Others we see perplexed w t sodainnes of matters your grace we woulde not haue vnwarned to thinke any thing done sodaine Truely we thought it more commendable for your grace to helpe the execution of a law then to helpe the offence of one condemned by lawe And in geuing you knowledge what the kings lawes required we looked for helpe in the execution by you the kings maiesties sister The greater personnage your grace is the nigher to the king so muche more ought your exāple to further lawes For which cause it hath bene called a good common wealth where the people obeyed the higher estates and they obeied the lawes As nature hathe ioyned your grace to the kings maiestie to loue him moste entirely so hath reason and lawe subdued you to obey him willingly The one and the other we doubt not but your grace remembreth and as they both be ioyned together in you his maiesties sister so we trust you wil not seuere thē for in deede your grace cannot loue him as your brother but you must obey his maiestie as his subiect Example of your obedience and reuerence of his maiesties lawes is in stead of a good preacher to a great number of his maiesties subiects who if they may see in you negligēce of his maiesty or his lawes wil not faile but folow on hardly and then their fault is not their own but yours by exāple And so may the kings maiesty whē he shal come to further iudgmēt impute y t falt of diuers euil people which thing God forbid to the sufferance of your graces doings And therfore we most earnestly frō the depth of our hearts desire it y t as nature hath set your grace nigh his Maiestie by bloud so your loue and zeale to his maiesty wil further his estate by obedience In the end of your letter ij thyngs be touched which we cā not pretermit the one is you seme to charge vs with permission of mē to breake lawes statutes We thinke in deede it is too true that laws and proclamations be broken daily the
can not forget your grace tolde me you woulde suffer no innouation and indeed if you deliuer this realme to the king at 8. yeares of age as the king his father whose soule God assoyle left it as I trust you shall the acte is so honourable and good as it were pity to trouble it with any innouation whyche were a charge to your grace more then needed beynge already burthened heauely And albeit in the commoÌ„ wealth euery man hath his part yet as God hath placed you the matter is vnder the kinges Maiestye chiefely yours and as it were yours alone ¶ If the 6. articles might haue continued stil al were quiet with Winchester how so euer it were els with the true church of Christ. ¶ Printers Players and Preachers trouble Winchester Euery man hath his eye directed vnto you both here abroad you shall shadow mens doinges if they be done which is one in commodity of high rule And for my part besides my duty to the kinges maiesty and the realme I would that your grace in whom since your gouernement I haue found much gentlenes and humanity had muche honor w t good successe as euer any had and pray to God that men would let your grace alone and suffer the realme in the time of your gouernement in quyet among our selues wherby to be the more able to resist forreigne trouble which your grace doth prudeÌ„tly forsee Certayne printers * Euery incerteinty is noysome I graunt But reformatioÌ„ of religion is not by by the cause of incerteinty in a common wealth nor maketh euery man to be a maister players preachers make a wondermeÌ„t as though we knew not yet how to be iustified nor what sacramentes we should haue And if the agreement in religion made in the time of our late soueraigne Lord be of no force in theyr iudgement what establishment coulde anye new agrement haue And euery incertenty is noysome to any realme And where euery man will be mayster there must nedes be vncertaynty And one thing is maruelous that at the same time is taught that all men be lyers at the selfe same time almost euery man woulde be beleued And amongst theÌ„ Bale when his vntruth appeareth euidently in setting forth the examination of Anne Askew whiche is vtterly misreported I beseeche your Grace to pardon my babling with you But I see my late soueraigne Lord and maister slaundred by such simple persons ¶ The realme is troubled by theÌ„ much lyke as the Prophet Hely was he that troubled the kingdome of Acheb ¶ Salt layd on a sore if it do vexe it the fault is not in the salt but in the fleshe which cannot abide it religioÌ„ assaulted the realme troubled and peaceable men disquieted with occasion geuen to enemies to poynt and say that after Wickliefes straunge teaching in the sacrameÌ„ts of Christes churche hath vexed other it is finally turned vnto vs to molest scourge vs for other fruite cannot Bales teaching haue ne the teaching of such other as goe about to trouble the agrement established here In which matter I dare not desire your grace specially to looke earnestlye vnto it leaste I should seme to note in you that becommeth me not And I know that your grace being otherwise occupied these thinges may creepe in as it hath bene heretofore sometime it may be heard for your grace to finde out or pull out y e root of this naughtines but yet I am so bolde to write of these of mine owne stomacke who haue euer vsed for discharge of my selfe to say and write in time and place as I thought might do good for reliefe of the matter remitting the rest to the disposition of GOD who hath wrought wonders in these matters since they were first moued and geuen me such knowledge and experieÌ„ce in them ¶ Wincâ—â—â—ster what he saith 〈◊〉 long as 〈◊〉 proueth 〈◊〉 it mattereâ— not whâ—â— he sayth as I ought to take them as they be for corruption and vntrueth I meane knowledge and experience of them that be chiefe styrrers so infect with vntruth as they cannot speak or report truly in common matters The pretence is of the spirit and al is for the flesh Women and meat with liberty of hand and tongue a dissolution and dissipation of all estates cleane contrarious to the place GOD hath called your Grace thereunto * A 〈◊〉 sight in 〈◊〉 sonne 〈…〉 Duke of Saxonâ—â—â— king ¶ True reâ—ligion of the opinâ—â—â— of these Germaâ—â—â— wil be 〈◊〉 not to disaâ—gree whâ—â— the Bysâ—â—â— of Wincheâ—ster shal 〈◊〉 be able to proue the contrary as yet he hath not done it hitherto For it tendeth all to confusion disorder which is the effect of vntrueth Bale hath set forth a prayer for the Duke I. of Saxe wherein the Duke remitteth to Gods iudgement to be shewed here in this world the iustnesse of his cause concerning religion and desireth GOD if hys cause be not good to order him to be taken and to be spoiled of his honor and possessions with many such gay wordes whereby to tempt God since which prayer the Duke is indeed taken as all the world sayth at the time of his taking as the account is made such straungenesse in the sonne as we saw it here as hath not bene sene They happened both together this we know and be both maruelous but whether the one were a token ordered to concurre with other God knoweth and manne cannot define Many common wealthes haue continued without the B. of Romes iurisdiction but without true religion and with such opinions as Germany maynteyned no estate hath coâ—â—â—â—ned in the circuit of the world to vs knowne since Christ câ—me For the Turkes and Tartarres gouernement is as it were a continuall warre and they vphold theyr rule with subduing of nobility by fyre and sworde * Germaâ—â— with 〈◊〉 religion 〈◊〉 doth starâ— notwithstanding Wynchestâ—â— and the Emperour did withstand theâ— what that they both could His argument Goâ— lawe hath rule of all Men wâ—â—meÌ„ say the vnderstanâ— Gods law Ergo men and wemâ—â— haue rule all Nego argument quia const 4. terminâ—â—â— His argument shouâ—â— thus procead Goâ— lawe hath rule of all Men and wemen 〈◊〉 they are Gods law Ergo such men wâ—â—men haue rule of alâ— thus is thâ— forme of the 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 matter 〈◊〉 Wyncheâ—â— a friend 〈◊〉 lent thou he loued fishe The actiâ—â— of Christ haue 〈◊〉 and â—ooâ— endes 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 to fâ—â—â—fill the 〈◊〉 Some peâ—â—â—liar to 〈◊〉 owne peâ—â—sone Some peâ—â—tayning 〈◊〉 publike ample Germanye with theyr new religion could neuer haue stand though the Emperor had let them alone for if it be perswaded the vnderstanding of Gods lawe to be at large in women and children wherby they may haue the rule of that and theÌ„ Gods law must be the rule of all is not hereby the rule of all brought into theyr handes These of some will be called witty reasons but they
of England and B. of Winchester Doct. Poynet beyng put out but also that Boner was restored to his bishoprike agayne The tâ—â—e preaching â—â—shop â—â—splaâ—ed and D. Ridley displaced IteÌ„ D. Day to the bishoprike of Chichester Iohn Scory beyng put out Item D. Tonstall to the bishoprike of Duresme Item D. Heath to the bishoprike of Worcester and Iohn Hooper committed to the Fleete Item D. Uesiâ— to Exceter and Miles Couerdale put out These things beyng marked and perceiued great heauinesse and discomfort grew more and more to all good mens hartes but contrary to the wicked great reioysing In which discord of minds and diuersitie of affections was now to be seene a miserable face of things in the whole commoÌ„ welth of England They that could dissemble tooke no great care how the matter went But such whose consciences were ioyned to truth perceiued already coales to bee kindled which after should be the destruction of many a true Christian man as in deed it came to passe In the meane while Queene Mary after these beginnings A Parliament Summoned remoouyng from y e Tower to Hampton Court caused a Parliament to bee suÌ„moned against the x. day of Octob. next ensuing wherof more is to be sayd hereafter Ye heard before how diuers Bishops were remooued and other placed in their roumes amongest whome was D. Ridley B. of London a worthy man both of fame and learnyng This D. Ridley in tyme of Queene Iane had made a Sermon at Paules crosse so commaunded by the Counsaile Bishop Ridley preacheth 〈◊〉 Queene Maryes 〈◊〉 declaryng there hys mynde to the people as touching the Lady Mary and disswading them alledging there the incommodities and inconuenieÌ„ces which might ryse by receiuyng her to be their Queene prophesieng as it were before that which after came to passe y t she would bryng in forraine power to raigne ouer them besides the subuertyng also of Christian Religion then already established shewyng moreouer that the same Mary beyng in hys Diocesse he accordyng to his duetie beyng then her Ordinary had trauailed much with her to reduce her to this Religion and notwithstandyng in all other poyntes of ciuilitie she shewed her selfe gentle and tractable yet in matters that concerned true fayth and doctrine she shewed her selfe so stiffe and obstinate that there was no other hope of her to be conceyued but to disturbe and ouerturne all that which with so great labours had bene confirmed and planted by her brother afore Shortly after this Sermon Queene Mary was proclaymed whereuppon hee speedily repairyng to Fremingham to salute the Queene had such colde welcome there that beyng dispoyled of all his dignities he was sent backe vpon a lame halting horse to the Tower After hym preached also Maister Rogers the next sonday M. Rogers preacheth entreatyng very learnedly vppon the Gospell of the same day This so done Queene Mary seyng all things yet not goyng so after her mynd as she desired deuiseth wyth her Counsaile to bring to passe that thyng by other meanes which as yet by open lawe she could not well accomplish directing forth an Inhibition by Proclamation that no man should preach or read openly in churches the word of God besides other thynges also in the same Proclamation Inhibited the copye whereof here followeth ¶ An inhibition of the Queene for preaching Printyng c. THe Queenes highnes well remembryng what great inconuenience and daungers haue growen to this her highnes Realme in tymes past August 18. thorough the diuersitie of opinions in questions of religion An inhibition of the Queene for preaching and printing and hearyng also that now of late sithence the beginnyng of her most gracious Raigne the same contentions be agayne much reuiued thorough certayne false and vntrue reportes and rumors spreade by some lyght and euyll disposed personnes hath thought good to doe to vnderstand to all her highnes most louyng subiectes her most gracious pleasure in manner followyng First Q. Mary beginneth to set forth her popish religion Religion here grounded vppon the Queenes will her Maiestie beyng presented by the onely goodnesse of God setled in her iust possession of the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme and other Dominions thereunto belongyng cannot now hide that religion which God and the world knoweth she hath euer professed from her infancie hitherto Which as her Maiestie is mynded to obserue and maintaine for her selfe by gods grace during her tyme so doth her highnesse much desire and would be glad the same were of all her subiectes quietly and charitably embraced And yet she doth signifie vnto all her maiesties louyng subiects that of her most gracious disposition clemency her highnesse myndeth not to compell any her sayde subiects thereunto vnto such tyme as further order by common assent may be taken therein forbiddyng neuertheles all her subiects of all degrees at their peryls to mooue seditions or stirre vnquietnes in her people by interpreting the Lawes of this Realme after their braynes and fantasies but quietly to continue for the tyme tyll as before is sayd further order may be taken and therfore willeth and straitly chargeth and commaundeth all her sayd good louyng subiects to lyue togethers in quiet sort and Christian charitie leauyng those new found diuelish termes of Papist or heretike and such lyke and applying their hole care study and trauaile to lyue in the feare of God exercising their conuersations in such charitable godly doyng as their lyues may in deed expresse that great hunger and thirst of Gods glory and holy worde Termeâ— of Papist and Hereticke forbidden which by rash talke wordes many haue pretended and in so doing they shal best please God and lyue without daungers of the lawes and maintaine the tranquillitie of the Realme Wherof as her highnes shall be most glad so if any man shall rashlye presume to make any assemblies of people or at any publike assemblies or otherwyse shall go about to stir the people to disorder or disquiet shee myndeth according to her dutie to see the same most surely reformed punished accordyng to her highnes lawes And furthermore forasmuch also as it is well knowen False surmise against true preachers Printers and players that sedition and false rumours haue bene nourished and maintayned in this Realme by the subtletie and malice of some euill disposed persons which take vpon them without sufficient authoritie to preach to interprete the word of God after their owne brayne in churches and other places both publike and priuate Here was the head of Winchester also by playing of Enterludes and printyng of false fond bookes ballades rymes and other lewd treatises in the English tongue concernyng doctrine in matters now in question and controuersie touchyng the high poyntes and mysteries of christen religion which bookes ballades rymes and treatises Preachyng Printyng Readyng and playing of Enterludes restrayned are chiefly by the Printers and Stationers set out to sale to her graces
aduersary to reioyce In conclusion this Theologicall contentiō came to this end that the bishops hauyng the vpper hand M. Hooper was faine to agree to this condition that sometymes he should in hys Sermon shewe himselfe apparelled as the other Bishoppes were Wherefore appoynted to preach before the king as a new player in a strange apparel he commeth forth on the stage His vpper garment was a long scarlet Chymere downe to the foote and vnder that a white linnen Rochet that couered all his shoulders Upon his head he had a Geometriall that is a foure squared cap albeit that his head was round What cause of shame the straungenes hereof was that day to that good preacher euery mā may easily iudge But this priuate contumely and reproch in respect of the publike profite of the Church which he onely sought hee bare and suffered paciently And I would to God in lyke maner they which tooke vpon them the other part of that tragedy had yelded their priuate cause whatsoeuer it was to the publike concord and edifieng of the Church for no man in all the Citie was one haire the better for that hote contention I will name no body partly for that hys oppugners beyng afterwards ioyned in the most sure frendship with him in one for one cause suffred martyrdome and partly for that I commonly vse accordyng to my accustomed maner The crosse maketh peace to keep my pen from presumptuous iudging of any person yet I thought to note the thyng for this consideration to admonish the reader hereby how wholesome necessary the crosse of Christ is sometyme in the church of Christ as by the sequele hereof did afterward appeare For as in a ciuill gouernance common wealth nothyng is more occasion of warre then ouermuch peace so in the church and among churchmen as nothyng is more pernitious then too much quietnes so nothyng more ceaseth priuate contentions oftentymes rising amongst thē then the publike crosse of persecution Furthermore so I persuaded my selfe the same not to be vnexpedient to haue extant such examples of holy and blessed men For if it do not a little appertaine to our publike consolation and comfort when we read in the scriptures of the foule dissension betweene Paule and Barnabie of the fall of Peter and of Dauids murder and adultery why may or should it not be as well profitable for our posteritie to heare and know the fals of these godly Martyrs The falles and infirmityes of holy Saints and Martyrs lefte for our consolation whereby we may the lesse despayre in our infirmitie consideryng the same or greater infirmities to raign in the holy Saints of God both Prophets Apostles and Martyrs And this by the way thou hast heard good Reader hitherto the weakenes of these good men plainly and simply as the truth was declared vnto thee Note how discorde reconsiliation happeneth many times amongest good men to the ende theyr fall may minister occasion to vs eyther of eschewyng the lyke or els to take hart and comfort in the lyke fall frailenes of ours Now agayne on the other part it remayneth to record after the foresayd discord the godly reconciliations of these good men in tyme of persecution who afterward beyng in pryson for the truths sake reconciled them selues agayne with most godly agreement as appeareth by this letter sent by Bishop Ridley to the sayd Bishop of Glocester The copy whereof as it was written wyth hys owne hand in Latine hereafter followeth translated into English ¶ To my deare brother and reuerend fellow Elder in Christ Iohn Hooper grace and peace MY dearely beloued brother and fellow Elder A letter of reconsiliatiation sent by Doctour Ridley to Bishop Hooper whom I reuerence in the Lord pardon me I beseech you that hitherto since your captiuity and myne I haue not saluted you by my letters where as I doe in deed confesse I haue receiued from you such was your gentlenes two letters at sundry times but yet at such tyme as I could not be suffered to write vnto you agayne or if I might yet was I in doubt how my letters myght safely come vnto your hands But now my deare brother for as much as I vnderstand by your workes which I haue but superficially seene that we throughly agree and wholy consent together in those things which are the grounds and substantial points of our Religion agaynst the which the world so furiously rageth in these our dayes howsoeuer in tyme past in certaine by matters and circumstances of Religion your wisedome and my simplicitie I graunt hath a little iarred ech of vs followyng the abundance of hys owne sense and iudgement now I say be you assured 1. Cor. 10. B. Ridley and Bishop Hooper ioyne handes togither that euen with my whole heart God is my witnes in the bowels of Christ I loue you in the truth and for the truthes sake which abideth in vs and as I am perswaded shall by the grace of God abide in vs for euermore And because the world as I perceiue brother ceaseth not to play his pageant and busily conspireth agaynst Christ our Sauiour with all possible force and power Exalting high thyngs agaynst the knowledge of God let vs ioyne handes together in Christ and if we cannot ouerthrow yet to our power and as much as in vs lyeth let vs shake those high altitudes not with carnall but with spirituall weapons and with all brother let vs prepare our selues to the day of our dissolution by the which after the short tyme of this bodily affliction by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we shall triumph together wyth hym in eternall glory I pray you brother salute in my name your reuerend fellowe prisoner and venerable father D.C. by whome since the first day that I heard of hys most godly and fatherly constancie in confessing the truth of the gospell I haue conceyued great consolation and ioy in the Lord. For the integritie and vprightnes of that man his grauitie innocency all England I thinke hath known lōg ago Blessed be God therfore which in such abundāce of iniquitie and decay of all godlines hath geuen vnto vs in this reuerend old age such a witnesse for the truth of hys Gospell Miserable and hard harted is he whom the godlynes and constant confession of so worthy so graue and innocent a man wyll not mooue to acknowledge and confesse the truth of God I do not now brother require you to write any thing to me agayne for I stand much in feare lest your letters should be intercepted before they can come to my hands Neuertheles know you that it shall be to me great ioy to heare of your constancy fortitude in the Lordes quarell And albeit I haue not hitherto written vnto you yet haue I twise as I could sent vnto you my mynde touchyng the matter which in your letters you required to know Neyther can I yet brother be
he hath endued thy soule with the eie of knowledge and fayth God geue thee grace continually to pray vnto him that thou loose not that sight for then shouldest thou bee blynd both in body and soule After that another came to him whom he knew to be a very papist and a wicked man which appeared to be sory for M. Hoopers trouble saying Sir I am sory to see you thus To see me Why said he art thou sory To see you sayth the other in this case For I heare say ye are come hither to dye for the which I am sory Be sory for thy selfe man sayd M. Hooper and lament thine owne wickednes for I am well I thanke God and death to mee for Christes sake is welcome The same night he was committed by the Gard their Commission beyng then expired vnto the custodie of the Sheriffes of Gloucester The name of the one was Ienkins M. Hooper coÌ„mitted to the Shiriffes of Glocester the other Bond who with the Mayor Aldermen repaired to M. Hoopers lodgyng and at the first meetyng saluted hym and took hym by the hand Unto whom Hooper spake on this maner M. Mayor I geue most heartie thankes to you and to the rest of your brethren that you haue vouchsafed to take mee a prysoner and a condemned man by the hand wherby to my reioysing it is some deale apparant that your olde loue and friendshippe towardes me is not altogether extinguished and I trust also that all the thynges I haue taught you in tymes past The wordes of M. Hooper to the Mayor and the Shiriffes of Glocester are not vtterly forgotten when I was here by the godly K. that dead is appoynted to be your bishop and Pastor For the which most true and sincere doctrine because I wyll not now account it falsehood and heresie as many other men doe I am sent hither as I am sure you knowe by the Queenes commaundement to dye and am come where I taught it to confirme it with my bloude And now M. Shiriffes I vnderstand by these good men and my verye friends meanyng the Gard at whose handes I haue found so much fauour and gentlenesse by the way hitherward as a prisoner could resonably require for the which also I most hartily thanke them that I am committed to your custodie as vnto them that must see me brought to morrow to the place of execution My request therefore to you shall be onely that there may be a quicke fire shoâ—tlâ— to make an end and in the meane tyme I will be as obedient vnto you as your selues would wish If you thinke I do amisse in any thyng hold vp your finger and I haue done For I come not hether as one enforced or compelled to dye for it is well knowen I might haue had my lyfe w t worldly gayne but as one willing to offer and geue my lyfe for the truth rather then to consent to the wicked papisticall religion of the Bishop of Rome receiued and set forth by the maiestrates in England to Gods high displeasure and dishonor and I trust by Gods grace to morow to dye a faithfull seruaunt of God and a true obedient subiect to the Queene These and such lyke wordes in effect vsed M. Hooper to the Mayor Shiriffes and Aldermen whereat manye of them mourned and lamented Notwithstandyng the two Shiriffs went aside to consult and were determined to haue lodged him in the common gaole of the towne called Northgate if the Gard had not made earnest intercession for hym who declared at large how quietly mildlye and paciently he had behaued himselfe in the way addyng therto that any child might keepe him well enough that they themselues would rather take paines to watch with him then that he should be sent to the common prison So it was determined at the length he should still remaine in Rob. Ingrams house M. Hooâ—â—â— spendetâ— the nigâ—â— prayer and the shiriffes and the sergeants and other officers did appoynt to watch with him y t nyght themselues His desire was that he might goe to bed that night betimes saying that he had many things to remember and so did at fiue of the clocke and slepte one sleepe soundly and bestowed the rest of the night in prayer After he gate vp in the morning he desired that no man should be suffred to come into the chamber that he might be solitarie till the houre of execution About 8. of the clocke came sir Iohn Bridges L. ShaÌ„doys with a great band of men sir Anthony Kingston Syr Iohâ— Bridgeâ— Shandoâ— Syr 〈◊〉 Bridges Ant. Kiâ—â—â—ston Coâ—mission sir Edmund Bridges other Commissioners appoynted to see execution done At nine of the clocke M. Hooper was willed to prepare hymselfe to be in a readines for the time was at hand Immediately he was brought downe from his chamber by the shiriffes who were accompanied with bils glaues and weapons When he saw the multitude of weapons he spake to the Shiriffes on this wyse Maister Shiriffes sayd he I am no traytor neyther needed you to haue made such a businesse to bryng me to the place where I must suffer for if ye had wylled me I woulde haue gone alone to y e stake haue troubled none of you al. And afterward lookyng vppon the multitude of people which were assembled beyng by estimation to the number of seuen thousand for it was market day and manye also come to see his behauiour towards death hee spake vnto those that were about hym saying Alas why bee these people assembled and come together M. Hooâ—â—â— for Preaâ—ching 〈◊〉 doctrinâ—â— put to death Peraduenture they thinke to heare some thyng of me now as they haue in tymes past but alas speach is prohibited me Notwithstanding the cause of my death is well known vnto them When I was appointed here to bee their Pastor I preached vnto them true and sincere doctrine and that out of the worde of God Because I will not now accompt the same to be heresie and vntruth this kinde of death is prepared for me So he went forward led betwene the two Shiriffes as it were a Lambe to the place of slaughter in a gowne of his Hosts his hat vpon his hed a stasse in his hand to stay himself withall For the griefe of the Sciatica which he had taken in prison caused him something to halt M. Hooâ—â—â— forbiddâ—â— to speakâ— the peoâ—â—â— All the way being straitly charged not to speake he could not bee perceiued once to open his mouth but beholding the people all the way which mourned bitterly for him he would sometimes lift vp his eyes towards heauen His 〈…〉 to death looke very cherefully vpon such as he knew he was neuer known during the tyme of his beyng amongst them to looke with so chearefull and ruddish a countenaunce as he did at that present When he came to the place appoynted where hee should dye
his fellowes which was the 9. of February Neuertheles his execution was prolonged The death of Haukes diffeâ—red Thomas Haukes brought downe to Essex by the Lord Rich. and he remained in prison till the 10. day of Iune Then was he committed to the handes and charge of the Lord Rich who being assisted with power sufficieÌ„t of y e worshipfull of the shyre had the foresayd Tho. Haukes downe into Essex with vi other fellow prisoners whose stories hereafter folow there to suffer martirdoÌ„e Haukes at Coxehall the other seuerally in other seuerall places Thomas Haukes by the way vsed much exhortation to his frendes and when soeuer oportunitie serued to talk with them he would familiarly admonish them A little before his death certayne there were of his familiar acquayntaunce and frendes Agreed betweene Thomas Haukes and his frendes to geue them a token in the fire whether the payne of burning were so greeuous as it seemeth or no. who frequenting hys company more familiarly which seemed not a little to be confirmed both by the example of his constancie by hys talke yet notwithstanding the same agayne being feared with the sharpenes of the punishment which he was going to priuely desired that in the middest of the flame hee would shewe them some token if he coulde whereby they might be more certayn whether the payne of such burning were so greate that a man might not therein keepe hys minde quiet and pacient Which thing he promised them to do and so secretly betwene them it was agreed that if the rage of the payne were tollerable and might be suffered then he should lift vp his handes aboue his head toward heauen before he gaue vp the ghost Thomas Haukes caryed to the place of execâ—tion Not long after when the houre was come Thomas Haukes was leade awaye to the place apoynted for the slaughter by the Lorde Rich his assistaunce who beyng now come vnto the stake there mildly patiently addressed himselfe to the fire Thomas Haukes standing at the stake reasoneth with the Lord Rich. hauing a straite chayne cast about his middle with no smal multitude of people on euery side compassing him about Unto whome after he had spoken many thinges but especially vnto the Lorde Rich reasoning with him of the innocent bloud of Sayntes at leÌ„gth after his feruent prayers first made and poured out vnto god the fire was set vnto him ¶ The Martirdome of Thomas Haukes in Essex at a Towne called Coxehall Anno. 1555. Iune 10. In the which when he continued long and when his speech was taken away by violence of the flame his skin also drawen together and his fingers consumed with the fire so that now all men thought certainely he had bene gone sodainely and contrary to all expectation the blessed seruaunt of GOD beyng myndefull of his promise afore made reached vp his hands burning on a light fier which was marueilous to behold ouer his head to y e liuing God and with great reioysing A token geuen in the fire that burning is not so intollerable a payne as it was thought as seemed strooke or clapped theÌ„ three tymes together At the sight whereof there followed such applause outcry of the people and especially of them which vnderstode the matter that y e like hath not coÌ„monly bene heard And so the blessed Martyr of Christ straight way sinckyng downe into the fire gaue vp his spirite An. 1555. Iune 10. And thus haue you playnely and expresly described vnto you the whole story The end and Martyrdome of Thomas Haukes at Coxhall as well of the lyfe as of the death of Thomas Haukes a most constant faythfull witnes of Christes holy Gospell ¶ Letters ¶ An Epistle to the Congregation by Thomas Haukes GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesust Christ A letter of Thomas Haukes to the congregation bee alway with you all my deare brethren and sisterne in the Lord Iesus Christ for euer and his holy Spirite conduct and leade you all in all your doynges that you may alwayes direct your deedes according to his holy word that when he shall appeare to reward euery man according to their woorkes ye may as obedient children be found watching ready to enter into his euerlasting kingdome with your lamps burning and when the Bridegrome shall shew himselfe ye neede not to be ashamed of this life that God hath lent you whiche is but traÌ„sitory vaine and like vnto a vapour that for a season appeareth and vanisheth away so soone passeth away all our terrestriall honour glory and felicitie For all fleshe sayth the Prophet is grasse and all his glory as the floure of the fielde which for a season sheweth her beautie and as soone as the Lord bloweth vpon it it withereth awaye and departeth For in this transitory and daungerous wildernes The manifolde daungers which a true Christian hath to passe tâ—orow in this world we are as Pilgrimes and straungers following the footesteps of Moses among many vnspeakeable daungers beholding nothing with our outward man but all vaine vanities and vexation of mind subiect to hunger colde nakednesse bondes sickenes losse labours banishment in daunger of that dreadfull dragon and his sinnefull seede to be deuoured tempted and tormented who ceaseth not behind euery bush to lay a baite when we walke awry to haue his pleasure vpoÌ„ vs casting abroad his apples in al places times and seasons to see if Adam will be allured and entised to leaue the liuing God his most holy Commaundements whereby hee is assured of euerlasting life promising the world at will to all that will fall downe in all ages for a messe of potage sel set at naught the euerlasting kingdome of heauen So frayle is flesh and bloud And in especiall Israell is most ready to walke awry when he is filled wyth al maner of riches as sayth the Prophet Therefore I am bolde in bondes as entirely desiring your euerlasting health felicitie to warne you and most hartely desire you to watch and pray for our estate is dangerous The higher in dignity the nearer to daunger and requireth continuall prayer For on the hygh mountaynes doth not grow most plenty of grasse neither are the highest trees farthest from daunger but seldome sure alwaies shaken of euery wind that bloweth Such a deceitfull thing saith our sauior is honor and riches y t without grace it choketh vp the good seede sowne on hys creatures blindeth so their seeing that they go gropyng at none day in darckenes it maketh a man thinck himselfe somewhat y t is nothing at all For though for our honour we esteeme our selues stand in our owne light Prouerb 11. Riches helpe not before God yet when we shall stand before the liuing God there shal be no respect of persons For riches helpeth not in the day of vengeance neither can we make the Lord partiall for money But
colligationes impietatis nostrae tolle fasciculos peccatorum nostrorum Miserere mei Domina sana infirmitatem meam tolle dolorem angustiam cordis mei Ne tradas me manibus inimicorum meorum in die mortis meae comforta animam meam Deduc me ad portum salutis spiritum meum redde factori meo Why are they so many O Lady that trouble mee In thy surye thou shalt persecute and destroy them Loose the bondes of our impietie Blasphemous Idolatrye and take away the burden of our sinnes Haue mercy vpon me O lady and heale my infirmitie Take away my sorow and the anguish of my heart Deliuer me not into the handes of mine enemies in the day of my death comfort my soule Bring me vnto the hauen of saluation and restore my spirit vnto my maker and creator Glory be to the. c. 4 Cum inuocaâ—em exaudisti me Domina è sublimi solio tuo mei dignata es recordari A rugientibus praeparatis ad escam de manibus quaerentium me liberabit gratia tua Quoniam benigna est misericordia pietas tua in omnes qui inuocant nomen sanctum tuum Benedicta sis Domina in aeternum maiestas tua in seculum Glorificate eum omnes gentes c. When I called to thee thou heardest me O my Lady and out of thy high throne thou didst vouchsafe to thinke vppon me False fayth From the roaring of them that prepare themselues to deuoure me out of the handes of such as seeke after my life thy grace shall deliuer me Because thy mercy and thy pitie are great towardes all them that call vppon thy holy name Blessed be thou O Lady for euer and thy maiestie for euer and euer Glorifie her all nations of the earth c. 5 Verba mea auribus percipe Domina c. Conuerte luctum nostrum in gaudium tribulationem nostram in iubilationem Corruant ante pedes nostros inimici nostri virtute tua eorum capita conterantur c. Heare my wordes O Lady c. Turne our mourning into gladnesse and our trouble into reioysing Let our enemies fall before our feete wich thy power dash theyr heaâ—s in peeces Derogation of the 〈◊〉 of Christ. 6 Domina ne in furore dei sinas corripi me neque in ira eius iudicari c. De porta infeâ—i de ventre abyssi tuis sanctis precibus libera nos Aperiantur nobis ianuae sempiternae vt enarremus in aeternum mirabilia tua Quia non mortui neque qui in inferno sunt laudabunt te domina sed qui tua gratia vitam aeternam obtinebunt O lady suffer me not to be rebuked in gods anger nor to be chastened in his heauie displeasure c. From y e gate and deepe pit of hel with thy holy prayers deliuer vs. Let the euerlasting gates be opened that we may shew foorth thy marueilous woorkes for euer Because the deade nor they that be in hell shall not praise thee O Ladie but they shall obtaine by thy grace life euerlasting 7 Domina mea in te speraui de inimicis meis libera me Domina Conclude ora Leonis labia persequentium constringe Non moreris propter nomen tuum facere nobis misericordiam tuam Splendor vultus tui fulgeat super nos vt seruetur conscientia nostra apud altissimum Si persequitur inimicus animam meam Domina Vayne trust adiutorio tuo comforter ne vibret gladiuÌ„ suum contra me O my Ladye in thee doe I put my trust deliuer mee from mine enemies o Lady Stoppe the mouth of the Lion and binde the lippes of the persecutors make no tarying for thy names sake to shew thy mercy vppon me Let the brightnes of thy countenance shine vpon vs Manifest â—â—dolatrye that our conscience may be saued before the most highest If the ennemy doe persecute my soule O Lady helpe me that he destroy me not 9 Confitebor tibi Domina in toto corde meo narrabo in populis laudem gloriam tuam c Inueniant gratiam per te inuentricem gratiae salutis Respirant ad indulgeÌ„tiam humiles poenitentes sana contritiones cordis eorum c. I wil geue thankes to thee O Lady with my * Thou 〈◊〉 loue the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 hart 〈◊〉 all thy strength power 〈◊〉 Deut. 6. whole heart and wil shewe forth amongst the nations thy praise and glory c. They shall finde grace through thee the sinder out of grace and saluation the humble and penytent grone for pardon and forgeuenesse heale thou the sores of their heart c. 11 In Domina confido c. Exquirite illam a inuentute vestra glorificabit vos c. Misericordia illius nostrorum auferat multitudinem peccatorum foecuÌ„ditatem nobis conferat meritorum c. In thee O lady do I put my trust c. Seeke her euen from your youth and shee shall glorify you c. Derogatiâ—â— of Christ passion Her mercy take from vs the multitude of our sinnes and geue vnto vs plenteousnesse of merites c. 12 Saluum me fac mater pulchrae dilectionis sons clemenciae c. Gyrum terrae sola circuis vt subuenias inuocantibus te c. Saue me O mother of Loue fountaine of mercy c. Thou thy selfe alone haste gone about the compasse of the earth to helpe them that call vpon thee c. 13 Vsquequo domina obliuisceris me non liberas me in dâ—e tribulationis vsquequo exaltabitur inimicus meus super me potentia virtutis tuae contere ipsum c. Magnificamus te gratiae inuentricem per quam saecula reparantur c. How long doest thou forget me O Lady and dost not deliuer me in the day of my trouble Howe long shal mine enemy triumph ouer me With thy mighty power destroy him c. We magnifie thee the finder the author of grace by whom the world is repaired c. 16 Conserua me domina quoniam speraui in te c. Benedicta sint vbera tua quibus * Milke 〈◊〉 king God lacte deifico saluatorem enutristi c. Preserue me O Lady for in thee haue I put my trust c. Blessed be thy breastes Yea rathâ—â— blessed bâ— they whoâ— heare thâ— woord oâ— God and keepe it which with thy deifying milke diddest nourish the Sauiour c. 18 Diligam te domina coeli terrae in gentibus nomen tuum inuocabo Confitemini illi tribulati corde roborabit vos contra inimicos vestros c. Religiosi omnes honorate illam quia ipsa est adiutrix vestra specialis aduocata Esto refrigerium nostrum gloriosa mater Christi quia tu es totius religionis mirabile firmamentum I will loue thee O Lady of heauen and earth I will call vppon thy name among the nations Confesse
I come to redemption so to iustification and so to election On thys sorte I am sure that warely and wisely a man maye walke in it easely by the light of Gods spirite in and by his woorde seeing this Faith not to be geuen to all men 2. Thes. 3. but to suche as are borne of God Predestinate before y e world was made after the purpose and good wil of God which wil we may not call into disputation but in trembling and feare submit our selues to it as to that whych can will none otherwise then that whych is holy righte and good howe farre soeuer otherwise it seeme to the iudgemeÌ„t of reason which must needes be beaten downe to be more careful for Gods glory then for mannes saluation whyche dependeth onely thereon as all Gods children full well see for they seeke not the glory whych commeth of men but the glory which commeth of God Ieremie 9. Ihon 5. They knowe God to be a God whych doeth on earthe not onely mercye but also iudgement which is hys Iustice and moste Iustice althoughe oure foolishe reason cannot see it And in thys knowledge they glory and reioice though others through vaine curiositie grudge murmure there againste Thus brieflye I haue sente you my minde and meaning concerning this matter Hereafter you shal haue I thinke your letter particularly answeared by M. Philpot as also if I haue time and so you require it I will doe Iohn Bradford Notes vpon the same Epistle and to the matter of election appertaining AS touching the doctrine of Election wherof thys letter of M. Bradforde Notes this 〈◊〉 added and manye other his letters moe doe much intreate three thinges must be considered 1 Firste what Gods election is and what is the cause thereof 2 Secondly howe Gods election proceedeth in woorking our saluation 3 Thirdly to whome Gods election pertaineth and howe a man may be certaine thereof Betweene Predestination and Election Differâ—â—â—â— betweenâ— predestination and Election thys difference there is Predestination is as well to the reprobate as to the Elect. Election onely pertaineth to them that be saued Predestination in that it respecteth the Reprobate is called Reprobation in that it respecteth the saued is called Election and is thus defined Predestination is the eternal decreement of God Definitioâ— of predâ—â—â—â—â—nation purposed before in him selfe what shall befall on all men eyther to saluation or damnation Election is the free mercy grace of God in his owne wil through faith in Christ his sonne Election defined chusing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him In thys definition of Election firste goeth before the mercy and grace of God as the causes therof whereby are excluded al woorkes of the lawe and merites of deseruing whether they goe before faith or come after So was Iacob chosen and Esau refused The 〈◊〉 of the deâ—â—â—nition examined Mercy and grace before either of them began to woorke c. Secondly in that thys mercy and grace of God in this definition is said to be free thereby is to be noted the proceeding and woorking of God not to be bounde to any ordinarie place or to any succession of chaire nor to state and dignitie of persone nor to worthinesse of bloude Free meâ—â—â— and grace c. but all goeth by the meere wil of his owne purpose as it is written Spiritus vbi vult spirat c. And thus was the outward race and stocke of Abraham after flesh refused whych seemed to haue the preeminence and an other seede after the spirite raised vp to Abraham of the stones that is of the Gentiles So was the outwarde Temple of Hierusalem and chaire of Moses whyche seemed to be of price forsaken and Gods chaire aduanced in other nations So was tall Saule refused and little Dauid accepted the riche the proude the wyse of this worlde reiected and the woorde of saluation daily opened to the poore and miserable abiects the hie mountaines caste vnder and the lowe valleys exalted c. Thirdly where it is added in his owne will by thys falleth downe the free will purpose of man The free mercy and grace of God in his owne will Rom. 9. with all hys actions counsels strength of nature according as it is written Non est volentis neque currentis sed miserentis Dei c. i. It is not in hym that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy So we see how Israel raÌ„ long yet got nothing The Gentiles vnneth begaÌ„ to set out and yet got the game So they which came at the first houre did labor more yet they which came last were rewarded with the first Math. 20. The working will of the Pharisie seemed better Math. 20. but yet the Lords will was rather to iustifie the Publicane Luke 18. Luke 18. The elder sonne had a better wil to tary by his father and so did in dede and yet y e fat Calfe was geuen to the yonger sonne that ran away Luk. 15. Wherby we haue to vnderstand Luke 15. howe the matter goeth not by the will of man but by the will of God as it pleaseth hym to accept according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Gods mercy in 〈◊〉 the elect 〈◊〉 includeth the condition 〈◊〉 fayth in Christ. The free mercy and grace of God in 〈◊〉 owne 〈◊〉 will tâ—â—rough 〈◊〉 in Chriâ—â— his sonâ—â— our Lorâ—â— Non ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex Deo nati sunt c. i. Which are borne not of the wil of the flesh nor yet of the wil of man but of God Furthermore as al then goeth by the will of God onely and not by the wil of man so againe here is to be noted that this wil of God neuer goeth with out faith in Christ Iesus his sonne And therefore fourthly is this clause added in the definition through faith in Christe his sonne Whych faith in Christ to vs ward maketh altogether For first it certifieth vs of Gods election As this Epistle of M. Bradforde doth wel expresse For whosoeuer wil be certaine of hys election in God let him first begin with his faith in Christ which if he finde in him to stande firme he may be sure and nothing doubt but that he is one of the number of Gods elect Secondly the said faith and nothing els is the onely coÌ„dition and meanes wherupon Gods mercy grace election vocation and al Gods promises to saluation do stay according to the woordes of S. Paule Si permanseritis in fide c. i. If ye abide in the faith Colos. 1. Thirdly this faith also is the immediate and nexte cause of oure Iustification simply wythout any other condition annexed For as the mercy of God his grace election vocation and other precedent causes doe saue and iustifie vs vppon condition if we beleue in Christ so this faith onely in Christe wythout condition
is the next and immediate cause which by Gods promise worketh our iustification according as it is wrytten Crede in Dominum Iesum saluus eris tu domus tua i. Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued thou and thy whole house Actes 16. And thus muche touching the definition of Election wyth the causes thereof declared Which you see nowe to be no merites nor woorkes of man whether they go before or come after faith but onely the meere mercy of God through faith For like as all they that be borne of Adam doe taste of his malediction though they tasted not his apple so al they that be borne of Christ which is by faith take part of the obedience of Christ although they neuer did that obedience them selues whyche was in hym Rom. 5. Nowe to the second consideration let vs see likewise how The second â—onsideration and in what order this election of God proceedeth in chusing and electing them which hee ordaineth to saluation which order is this In them that be chosen to life first Gods mercy and free grace bringeth foorth election Election worketh vocation or Gods holy calling which vocation thorowe hearing bringeth knowledge and faith of Christ Grace Election â—ocation Fayth â—uâ—â—ificatioÌ„ Glorification Mans free-will Blynd â—ortune Man wisedome Mans Learnâ—ng Maâ—s 〈◊〉 Worâ—es of the lawe excluded from the causes of our saluatioÌ„ in Chriâ—t Faith through promise obtaineth iustification Iustification thorow hope waiteth for glorification Election is before time Uocation and faith commeth in time Iustification and glorification is wythout ende Election depending vppon Gods free grace and will excludeth all mannes will blinde fortune chaunce and all peraduentures Uocation standing vpon Gods election excludeth all mans wisedome cunning learning intention power and presumption Faith in Christ proceding by y e gift of the holy Ghoste and freely iustifying man by Gods promise excludeth all other merites of men all condition of deseruing and all works of the law both Gods law and mans law with all other outward meanes what soeuer Iustification comming freely by Faith standeth sure by promise without doubt feare or wauering in this lyfe Glorification pertaining onely to the life to come by hope is looked for Grace and mercy preuenteth Election ordaineth Uocation prepareth and receiueth the word whereby commeth faith Faith iustifieth Iustification bringeth glory Election is the immediate and next cause of vocation Uocation which is the working of Gods spirit by the woord is the immediate and next cause of faith Faith is the immediate and next cause of iustification And this order and connexion of causes is diligeÌ„tly to be obserued Papistes 〈◊〉 and the doctrine 〈…〉 because of the Papistes which haue miserably confounded and inuerted this doctrine thus teaching that almighty God so farre foorth as he foreseeth mans merites before to come so doeth he dispense his election Dominus pro vt cuiusque merita fore praeuidet ita dispensat electionis gratiam And againe Nullis praecedentibus meritis Dominum rependere electionis gratiam futuris tamen concedere That is That the Lorde recompenseth the grace of election not to any merites preceeding but yet graunteth the same to the merites which follow after As though we had our election by our holinesse that followeth after not rather haue our holinesse by Gods election going before But we folowing the scripture say otherwise that the cause onely of Gods election Election is hys owne free mercy and the cause only of our iustification is our faith in Christ and nothing els As for example first concerning Election if the question be asked why was Abraham chosen and not Nachor Why was Iacob chosen not Esau Why was Moses elected and Pharao hardened Why Dauid accepted and Saule refused Why fewe be chosen and the moste forsaken It can not be answeared otherwise but thus because it was so the good will of God In like maner touching vocation and also faith if the question be asked why this vocation gifte of faith was geuen to Cornelius the Gentil and not to Tertullius the Iewe Whye to the poore to the babes and little ones of this world of whom Christ speaketh I thanke thee Father which haste hidde this from the wise c. Mathew 11. Whye to the vnwise Vocation bringeth fayth the simple abiectes and outcastes in thys worlde Of whome speaketh S. Paule 1. Cor. 1. Yee see your calling my brethren howe not many of you c. Why to the sinners and not to the iust Why the beggers by the hye wayes were called and the bidden gestes excluded We can goe to no other cause but to Gods purpose election and saye wyth Christe our Sauiour Quia pater sic complacitum est ante te i. Yea father for so it seemed good in thy sight Luke 18. And so for Iustification likewise if the question be asked why the Publicane was iustified Iustification by fayth onely and not the Pharisey Luke 18. Why Marie the sinner and not Symon the inuiter Luke 11. Why harlottes and Publicanes goe before the Scribes and Pharisees in the kingdom Mat. 21. Why the sonne of the free woman was receiued and the bond womans sonne being hys elder reiected Genes 21. Why Israel whych so long sought for righteousnes found it not and the Gentiles whych sought not for it found it Rom. 9. Wee haue no other cause heereof to render but to say wyth S. Paule because they soughte for it by woorkes of the Lawe and not by Faith which faith as it commeth not by mans will as the Papist falsly pretendeth but only by the election and free gift of God so it is only the immediate cause whereunto the promise of oure saluation is annexed according as we read And therefore of faith is the inheritaunce geuen as after grace that the promise might stande sure to euery seede Rom. 4. Item in the same chap. Faith beleeuing in him which iustifieth the wicked is imputed to righteousnesse And thus concerning the cause of our saluation yee see howe faith in Christ onely and immediately without any coÌ„dition doth iustifie vs How fayth and election are lincked together in the acte of Iustifiyng being so linked with Gods mercye and election that where so euer election goeth before there faith in Christ must needes folow after And againe whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesu through the vocation of God he must needes be partaker of Gods election Whereuppon resulteth nowe the thirde note or consideration whych is to consider whether a man in this life may be certaine of his election To answere to which question thys first is to be vnderstande The third consideration that although oure election and vocation simplye in deede be knowen to God onely in hym selfe à priore yet notwythstanding it may be knowen to euery particular faithfull man à posteriore Election knowen to God simply Election knowen to man by meanes that is