palace of Canterbury After the death of Langton fell strife betwixt the King and the Monks of Canterburie for the election of their Archbishop the Monkes choose one of their owne societie named Walter Heuesham the King preferred Richard Chauncellour of Lincolne and articulated against the other that hée was the sonne of a Felon conuicted and hanged also that hée had lyen with a Nunne and had children by her c. The matter beyng presented before the Pope and like to go hard on the Kings part the Kings proctors promised and graunted in his name The tenth of al the goods of England and Scotland to be geuen to the Pope to be giuen to the Pope the tenth part of all the goods of the Realme of England and Scotland moueable to sustaine his warres agaynst the Emperour so that hée would encline fauourably to the Kings suit whereat the Pope boyling as saith Parisiensis with vnmeasurable desire of subduing his enemy the Emperour and cherished with so great promises graunted vnto them This was doone An. 1229. These things thus finished at Rome the Pope sendeth his owne chaplain Stephen legate into England to require the tithes of all moueable goods of England Ireland and Wales which were promised vnto him Wherevpon the king called a Councell at Westminster to common of the matter where in fine notwithstāding the dislike of the most part yet for feare of curse and of interdiction the summe was gathered so that the Prelates hauing no other remedy The prelates driuen to sell there chalices and copes were driuen to sell their chalices cruets copes iewels and other Church plate and some to lay to morgage such things as they had some also to borrow vpon vsury to make the mony which was required Moreouer the said Stephen as saith Parisiensis brought with him into England for the same purpose Vsurers brought into England by the Popes Legate bankers and vsurers who lending out their monie vpon great interest did vnreasonably pinch the English people which Merchant vsurers were then called Caursini and such exactions were then vpon the poore Englishmen that not only their present goods were valued and taxed The corne growing against the next haruest tithes to pay the Pope but also the corne yet growing against the next haruest was tithed c. Onely the Earle of Chester named Radulphus stood stoutly against the pope suffering none within his dominion either lay men or clarks to yéeld any tēths to the Popes proctors Parisiensis pag. 74. This yéere 1229. was finished the New church of Couentrie by Alexander bishop of the same citie and partly by the helpe of the king which Church Richard his predecessor bishop of Couentry had begon The French men againe about this time assayled Raymundus Earle of Tholouse The Earle of Tholouse assailed againe but preuailed not the Earle hauing in the conflict taken 500. and many slaine of their seruitours to the number of two thousand were taken with their armour Yet thrise the same Summer did they assault the godly Earle and were put to flight and discomfited Parisiensis pag. 96. Richard Archb. of Canterbury beyng now confirmed in his seat came to the king complaining of Hubert lord chiefe Iustice for withholding the Castle and towne of Tumbridge from him with the appertenance thereto belōging other lands of the Earle of Clare lately deceassed which lands pertained to the right of that sea and to the Church of Canterbury for the which the said Earle his auncestors were bound to doe homage to him and his predecessors and therefore required the kéeping of the foresaid castle with the demeanes to be restored vnto him The king misliking the demand answered not to the appetite of the Archb. wherby he was so moued that he brast forth into excommunication of al such as held those possessions or tooke their part the K. onely excepted which done he prosecuteth his matter before the Pope The K. hearing thereof sendeth vp M. Roger Contelu with certain other against the Archb. The Archb. among other the articles complaineth to the Pope of certaine Bishops his suffragans who neglecting their pastoral functiō did sitte on checker matters belonging to the king and exercised sessions and iudgements of blood Bishops set on checker matters exercised sessions and iudgements The pope neglecteth the K. and satisfieth the Archb. he complained also of beneficed parsons and Clearks within orders for hauing many benefices ioyned with the cure of soules and that they also taking example of Bishops did intermeddle in secular matters and in iudgements of Lay men The Pope neglecteth the kings allegations fauoureth altogether the Archbishop and sent him away satisfied in his requests who in his returning homward within 3. daies of his setting forth died in the house of the gray Friers at Saint Gemmes Parisiensis After the death of Richard the monkes did choose Randulph Neuell Randulph Neuell Bishop of Chester and the Kings Chauncellour a man faithful vpright and constant The King approued of the election and onely the Popes confirmation was wanting Wherevpon the monks addressed thē to Rome to haue the popes liking and first requiring help for the expences of the iourney of the new Archbish hee denied the same he should séeme in any sort ambitiously to séeke after it A good bishop and holding vp his handes to heauen thus prayed O Lorde God if I shall be thought woorthy to bée called although indéed vnworthy to the seat and office of this Church so be it as thou hast disposed But if otherwise in this troublesom office of Chauncery and this my inferiour ministery whervnto I haue béene assigned I shall séeme more necessary for this thy kingdom people I refuse not my labour thy will be done The monkes notwithstanding procéeded on their iourney shewed the matter to the pope the popes holinesse inquired of the qualities of the man of Simon Langthon brother of Stephen Langthon Archbish before mentioned who did so depraue Radulph Neuell to the Pope that hée charged the monkes to procéed to a new election who agréed vpon Iohn their prior to be Metropolitane but he no other fault being found notwithstanding he had bin examined in 3. daies together of the Cardinals was repulsed for that he was too aged though he were able to take a iourney to Rome and home againe Anno 1231. the exactions of the pope were so grieuous in the land that it was deuised of some of the nobles that certaine letters vnder the pretensed colour of the kings authority should be sent abroad commanding that such corne and graine other reuenewes as were taken vp for the Pope should be staied forth cōming by a certain day in the said letters appointed These letters wer thought to procéed chiefly from Hubert L. chief iustice Hubert Lord chiefe Iustice of England who then next vnder the K ruled the most affaires of the realme This done they sent these letters by
the meane time the Christiās with a great many sailed into Egypt took the Citie Heliopolis commonly called Damatia long ago named Pelusinū being in good hope to haue driuē Sultanus the Soldan out of Egypt had a great and marueylous ouerthrow by the conueying of the water of Nylus which then ouerflowed into their Campe and were faine to accorde an vnprofitable truce with the Soldan for certaine yeres and to deliuer the Citie againe Whereupon king Iohn surnamed Brennius King of Ierusalem arriued in Italie and desired helpe of Emperor against his enemies And from thence he went to Rome to the Pope declaring vnto him their calamitie and present perill desiring ayde therein By whose meanes the Emperour as saith Cisnerus was reconciled with the Pope and made friends The Emp. reconciled with the pope To whom also king Iohn gaue Ioell his daughter in mariage which came of the daughter of Conradus king of Ierusalem as right heyre therevnto by her mother by whom also he obtained the kingdomes of Naples and Sicill and promised he would in his owne person with all spéede assay to recouer the kingdome of Ierusalem Honorius that lately was reconciled vnto him Honorius dieth purposed to haue made against him some great and secret attempt but was by death preuented After whom succéeded Gregory the 9. as great an enimy to Fredericke as Honorius Pope Gregory the 9. which Gregory came of the race of him whom the Emperour had condemned of treason The Pope threatneth the Emperour wrought against himselfe This Gregorie was scarcely setled in his papacie when that hee threatned him with excommunication vnlesse he would prepare himselfe into Asia according to his promise vnto king Iohn which was onely the Emperour being absent that he might bring some purposes against him to passe Fazellus a Sicilian writer saith that the chiefest cause of the Emperors stay was for the oath of truce and peace during certaine yeres which was made betwixt the Saracens christians that yet was not expired When K. Iohns daughter of Hierusalem was brought to Rome and the Emperor and the Pope reconciled together to celebrate the marriage The Pope offended with the Emp. for not kissing his foot but his knee Gregorie as the manner was offered his right foote to the Emperor to kisse who stouped not so low but scarce kissed the vpper part of his knée and would not kisse his foote whereat the Pope was greatly offended and purposed to reuenge it as occasion shoulde serue Afterwarde the Emperor prepared himselfe to the iourney against the Saracens and recouerie of Ierusalem but was stayed by sicknes all other things being in a readines Who after he had recouered himselfe procéeded in his iourney and when hee came to the straights of Peloponesus and Creta His disease grew vpon him againe and sodainlie he fell sicke whereof the Pope hearing thundered against him excommunications and curses laying most foule false crimes to his charge In so much that the Emperour was fayne to purge himselfe by his letters vnto the Christian Princes especially of Germanie and the Nobles of the Empire his Ambassadors not being suffered to approach the P. presence But now being recouered of his sicknes he prouided all things necessarie for the warre and came to Ioppa and so vsed the matter that the Saracens graunted his demaunds right profitable for the Christian Common-wealth and a peace was concluded for tenne yeares and confirmed by solemne oath on both sides The iourny against the Sara the forme and condition of which peace was thus First that Frederick should bee crowned K. of Ierusalem Secondly that all the landes and possessions which were situate betwixt Ierusalem The P. false accusation of the Emperor and Ptolemaida and the greatest part of Palestina the Cities of Tirus and Sidon which were in Siria and all other territories which Baldwinus the fourth at any time had and occupied there should be deliuered vnto him onely certaine Castles reserued Thirdly that he might fortifie and builde what Fortresses and Castles he thought good Cities and townes in all Siria and Palestina Fourthly that all Prisoners in Saracens hands should be fréelie set at libertie and againe that the Saracens might haue leaue without armour to come into the Temple where the Sepulchre of the Lorde is to pray and that they should keepe still Cratum and the kings mount These things obteined Frederick desireth the Pope The Emperor craueth the P. fauour that for as much as he had now accomplished his promise neither was there any cause why he should now be offended with him that he might be reconciled and obteyne his fauour In the meane season the Emperor with all his armie marcheth to Ierusalem where vpon Easter day anno 1259. hee was crowned king Onely the Patriarch of Cypres and Oliue the Master or Captaine of the temple repining thereat The Emperor crowned K. of Ierusalem The P practiseth against the Emperor whiles he warreth with the Saracens In the time of the Emperors being in Asia the Pope practiseth against him at home And first caused the Souldiers which the Emperor sent for out of Germanie to the mainteyning of the holye warres to bée stayed passing through Italie and caused them to be spoiled of all such prouision as they had and sent letters into Asia to the Patriarch of Ierusalem and Souldiers that kept the Temple and Hospitall inciting them to rebell against the Emperour And furthermore disswaded the Princes of the Saracens that they should make no league with Frederike neither deliuer vp vnto him the Crowne The P practiseth with the Saracens and Kingdome of Ierusalem Which letters fell into the hands of the Emperour Besides these practises he also excited his father in law Iohn Brennius and the French king to inuade his Dominions which ioyntly they did Thus while the Pope practised in the dominions of Frederike he receiued the letters of his good successe in Asia which greatly vexed his holines so farre of was he from reioysing therat Wherby it may appeare that his desire was to haue the Emperor take that dangerous iourney there to miscarie and perishe But the Pope that hee might haue some pretence blamed the Emperour for that he had suffered the Saracens although without armour and weapon to enter vnto the Sepulchre of Christ A quarrel to the Emperor and had left for them a lodging néere vnto the place The Pope also caused a rumor to be spread of the death of the Emperor to the end he might allure vnto him the fidelitie of those cities in the kingdome of Naples which yet kept their alleagance vnto Frederike of whom they shoulde now hope for no longer refuge The Emp. returneth and winneth towns from the pope in Italy The Emperour now vnderstanding what stirre the P. kept in his Dominions returned with such power successe that he winneth in Italie as many townes as the Pope had euen
Oskitellus hauing his sea in the Cathedrall Church there of S. Peter after he had first assaied the Canons and priests by faire meanes to become monkes and not preuailing néere to the same Church of S. Peter in the Churchyard he builded another Church of our Lady which when he had replenished with monks there he continually frequented and so the people left the other Church naked Wherevpon the priests did eyther become monks or depart from the place So did Ethelwold driue out the Canons and priests from the new monasterie in Winchester afterward called Hida and placed his monks The cause was pretēded for that they were thought slacke and negligent in their Church seruice and set in Vicars in their stéed Then the K. gaue to the same Vicars the land which belonged before to the Prebendaries who also not long after shewed them selues as negligent as the other Wherefore king Edgar by the consent of Pope Iohn voyded cléerelie the Priestes and ordeyned there Monkes Which Monkes did greatly differ and doe at this day disagrée with the auncient Monkes of olde time that were Lay men onely The new mōks differ from the olde who were lay men and were forbidden by the Councell of Chalcedon in any sorte to deale with matters of the Church and were such as by the Tyranny of Persecution were either constrained to hide themselues in solitarie places or els of their owne voluntarie deuotion withdrewe themselues from company hauing nothing proper of their owne or all things common with other Afterward Bonifacius the fourth made a decrée Anno 606. that Monkes might vse the office of preachyng of baptizing and hearing confession and assoiling them of their sinnes and in processe of time they so incroched vpon the office of ministers that at length priestes were discharged out of their cathedrall Churches and Monkes placed in their roomes King Edgar a mainteiner of learning King Edgar was a great mainteiner of religion and learning To auoid excessiue drinking by the example of the Danes which dwelt in diuerse places of the realme he ordained certaine cups with pinnes or nailes set in them adding thereto a law that what person did drinke past that mark at one draught should forfeite a certaine pennie the halfe part whereof should fall to the accuser the other to the ruler of the towne where the offence was done He was a noble Prince wise and victorious but fauoured the monkish superstition ouermuch and is reported by some to haue builded so many monasteries for them as there are Sundaies in the yéere or as Edmer reporteth 48. 48. monasteries builded by K. Edgar Notwithstanding he was much giuen to adulterie and fornication and vsed among others Egelfleda or Elfleda called the white daughter of Duke Odorere of whom he begate Edward in bastardie for the which he was enioyned by Dunstan seuen yeres penance and kept back from his Coronation so long till the one and thirtie yere of his age anno 974 although he began his Raigne at sixtéene His penance appoynted by Dunstane The K. enioyned penance by Dunstan was that he should weare on his head no crowne for the space of seuen yeares that he should fast twise in the wéeke that he should distribute the tribute left him by his ancesters liberally vnto the poore that he should build a Monasterie of Nuns at Shaftsburie Moreouer he should expell Clarkes of euill life meaning such Priestes as had wiues and children out of Churches and places couents of Monkes c. He raigned sixtéene yeeres was crowned onely thrée yeeres He adopted to succéede him Edward that was borne of the harlot Among other lawes of this king he ordained that the Sunday should be solemnized from Saturday at nine of the clocke till Munday morning The Saboth to be solemnised from Saturday nine of the clocke till Munday morning By reason of the displacing of the Priestes before there arose a great contention after Edgars death one part standing with them so that they called also the crowne in question another part fauouring Edward Great strife betwixt priests and monkes the other Egfride the lawfull sonne in which sturre Dunstan Archbishop of Canterburie and Oswald of Yorke with diuerse other Bishops Dukes and Lordes assembled a Councell where Dunstan comming with his crosse in his hand and bringing Edward with him so perswaded the Lordes that Edward was receiued king whom Dunstan hoped would become a patron of Monkery and aduaunce that estate but it fell out contrary to his expectation For shortly after the coronation Duke Alferus of Mercia droue out the Monkes from the Cathedrall Churches and restored the Priestes with their wiues In the end vpon this controuersie was holden a Councell of Bishops and other of the Clergie first at Winchester where the greater part of nobles commons iudged the Priests to haue great wrong and sought by all meanes to redresse it anno 977. Yet notwithstanding the strife ceased not in so much that a new assembly of clergy men other was appointed afterward in a place called the stréete of Calue where the Councell was kept on an vpper loft where diuerse cōplaints were made against Dunstan but he preuailed notwithstanding Not long after about the fourth yéere he was slaine with a dagger drinking on horsebacke by the procurement of the mother of Egelred whom he came to visite his brother her sonne Egelred He was buried not beyng knowne who he was at the towne of Warham thrée yéeres after was taken vp by Duke Alfere and with honor was remooued to the Minster of Shaftsbury there bestowed in the place called Edwardstow This Edward they hold for a martyr and say that the Quéene in repentance of her fact builded after two nunneries one at Amesbury by Salisbury the other at Werewell where she kept her selfe in continuall repentance all the dayes of her life Him succéeded Egelredus his brother Pope Iohn the thirtinth of whom Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury receiued his pall is noted to be monstrously vitious A monsterous vitious pope he was an whoremaster adulterous incestuous libidinous a gamester an extorcioner periured a fighter a murtherer cruell and tyrannous of his Cardinals some he put out their eies from some he cut out their tounges some their fingers some their noses c. In a generall councell before Otho the first Emperour of the Germanes these obiections were articulate against him first that he neuer said his seruice that in saying his Masse he did not communicate that he ordained Deacons in a stable that hée committed incest with two of his sisters that playing at dice he called for the Diuell to help that for mony he made boies bishops that he defloured virgins and straungers that of the palace of Laterane he made a stewes that he lay with Stephana his fathers concubine likewise with Ramera and with Anna and her néece that he put out the eies of bishop Benedict that he caused houses to
from his cursed lawes 5 Against vowes of perpetual chastitie 6 That priests ought to preach the Gospell fréelie 7 That Innocentius 3. with 600. bishops and 1000. other prelats which set down in a councel transub and reall presence were fooles blockheads heretikes c. in so doing and therefore no man ought to obey their constitutions except they be grounded vpon the Scriptures or vpon some reason which can not be impugned Besides these Richard Lauingam collected other articles out of the bookes of Puruey as against the chapter of penaunce and committing of sinnes Omnis vtriusque sexus Item that Innocētius the third was the head of Antichrist against the Sacrament of Orders And if there were no Pope yet all the bishops might gouerne the Church by common consent as once they did before Once they did before c. such worldly pride crept in among the Bishops c. As touching the authoritie of the keyes no man ought to estéeme Sathan whom men call the Pope and his vniust censures more then the hissing of a serpent or the blast of Lucifer Concerning the Sacrament of matrimony that gossipry ought to be no let The P. curse the blast of Lucifer That no vow ought to be made but in such things as a man may and ought lawfully to performe Touching the possessions of the Church he declareth that the king and the Lords and commons may without any charge at all kéepe 15. garrisons find 15000. souldiers hauing sufficient lands and reuenues to liue vppon out of the temporalties gotten into the hands of the Cleargy How the temporalties of the cleargy shoulde be bestowed fayned religious men which neither do that which belongeth to the office of Curats to do nor yet to secular lords And moreouer the king may haue 20000 pound to come fréely euerie yere to his cofers and aboue also may finde and sustaine fiftéen Colledges more and 15000. Priestes and Clarkes with sufficient liuing and an hundred hospitals for the sick and euery house to haue one hundred markes in landes and all this to be taken out of the tēporalties of the clergy wtout any charge to the realme c. That the law of Siluester the P. which is declared in 2. q. 5. ca. praesul cap. Nullam is contrarie to the law of Christ and either Testament And that those decretals of accusations cap. quando qual which do prohibit any clarks to be brought before a secular iudge to receiue iudgement doo containe blasphemy heresie and error and brings great gaines to Antichrists cofers That punishment of adultery belongeth to secular persons and furthermore hée maketh an exhortation to the Princes to iudge the Church of Rome which hée calleth the great and cursed strumpet of whom S. Iohn writeth Apocalips 17. Touching the lawes determinations of the popes church the Christians ought to repeale such of them as are against the word of God and that the Canon lawes are full of heresies This was written of him anno 1396. which séemeth to be before his recanttatiō at Saltwood before Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury Nowe all this time the schisme continued betwixt the popes and so endured til the Councell of Constance which was in whole the space of 29. yéeres the original whereof began at Vrbanus the fift who dying ann 1389. next folowed Boniface 9. Boniface 9. impudent in selling of pardōo who sate 14. yéeres he in selling his pardons was so impudent that hee brought the keies of S. Peter as saith Platina in contempt After him succéeded Innocentius 7 and sate two yéeres who béeing dead the Cardinals consulted together and séeing the inconuenience that grew of the schisme minded to prouide some remedie for the same and tooke order being assembled in their conclaue for the election of a new Pope and promised among themselues with a solemn vow made to God Marie the blessed virgin to Peter and Paul and all the companie of holy Saints that if any of them within the Colledge or without the same should be called to that high place of the Apostolicall preheminence he should effectuallie renounce the iurisdiction and title of his Popedome if or whensoeuer Order against the schisme the contrarie Pope for the time being woulde in like manner renounce his place and title and his Cardinals in like manner condiscended to the cardinals of Rome So that these two Colledges of Cardinals agréeing together that one chiefe B. might be chosen and taken out of thē both to be made the true pope Prouided moreouer that none should séeke absolution or releasement from the said vow and bond once passed among them Vnto all which things euery one subscribed with his hand and so they procéeded and chose Gregory 12. who in the same day of his election Pope Gregory the 12. in the presence of all the Cardinals confirmed the vow subscribing the same with his hand in forme as followeth And I Gregory this day being the last of Nouember anno 1407. chosen and elected Bishop of Rome doo vow promise and confirme all the premises c. This being doone shortly after he was crowned being of the age of 80. yéeres Pope Gregory 12. periured but the holy Father periured himselfe and therefore diuerse did forsake him and sent to Kings and Princes of other lands for their assistance to appease the Schisme and amongst the rest Cardinall Bituriensis was sent to the King of England who publishing diuers conclusions which remaine in the registers of Thomas Arundel disputeth that the pope ought to be subiect to the Lawes and Counsels by whose motion the King directeth his letters vnto Gregory the Pope Anno 1409. perswading him to performe his oth and to giue ouer for the quiet of the Church and the quieting of the Schisme vnder pretence whereof hée shewed that 200000. 200000. Christians slaine in a popish quarrell Christians had béene slaine and that of late thirtie thousand thorough the dissention about the Bishopricke of Leodium betwéene two set vp the one by the authoritie of the one Pope and the other by the authoritie of the other and further moued him to giue ouer as the naturall mother did her sonne before Salomon The king writeth to the Pope rather then it should be parted deuided according as the harlot would it should be He wrote also to the colledge of Cardinals requiring them that if according to their desire and request Gregory would at the Councell of Pise giue ouer his Popedome they would take order for the state of the Church This being done an 1409. the yéere next folowing 1410. The Cardinals of both popes Gregorius and Benedictus by common aduise assembled at Pise and chose a new pope Alexander the 5. Pope Alexander 5. Three popes together But to this election neither Pope Gregorius nor Benedictus did agrée whereby there were thrée Popes together in the Romish Church This Pope scarcesly had warmed his triple crowne
also was put to death for incontinency with Tho. Culpeper The same yéere in the moneth of August 1541 sixe were executed at Tiborne for the matter of supremacie Sixe put to death for the supremacie The Prior of Dancaster Giles Horne a monke of the Charterhouse of London Thomas Epsame a monke of Westminster who was the last in king Henries daies that ware a monks wéede the fourth one Philpot the fift one Carew the sixt was a Frier The king after the death of his first wife now more and more he missed his olde Counsellour Cromwell The king misseth Cromwell and partly smelling the waies of Winchester beganne a little to set his foote in the cause of religion and now the want of Cromwell did more mightely knit his affection to Cranmer whō he alwaies before loued wel And in the same yéere the moneth of October after the execution of this Quéene the king vnderstanding some abuses yet to remaine vnreformed namely about pilgrimages and idolatrie c. directed his letters to the Archb. of Canterburie for spéedy redresse of the same this was Anno 1542. The yeere 1543. 1543. Whitemeates permitted in Lent in the moneth of Februarie followed another Proclamation giuen out by the Kinges authoritie whereby whitemeates were permitted to be eaten in Lent Anno 1544. Anthony Parson priest Henrie Filmer Iohn Marbeck were sent from London to Windsor by the Sheriffes men the Saterday before S. Iames day and laid fast in the towne gaole Robert Testwood who had kept his bed was brought out of his house vpon crowches and laide with them Robert Bennet was the fourth apprehended with them and being sicke of the pestilence and a great sore running vpon him he was left behind in the Bishop of Londons gaole whereby he escaped the fire Now these being brought to Windsor there was a session specially procured to be holden the Thursday after which was S. Agnes day Against which sessions by the counsell of Doctour London and Simons a cruell Persecutour were all the Farmers belonging to the Colledge of Windsor warned to appeare to be the iurers The Iudges were these Doctor Capon bishop of Salisbury sir William Essex knight sir Thomas Bridges knight sir Humfrey Foster knight Franckelen Deane of Windsore and Fachell of Readyng Robert Ockam occupied the clarke of peaces roume who called Anthony Parson and read his indictement whiche was preachyng agaynst the reall presence Thomas Testwood whom they alleadged against that hée mocked the Priest at the lifting c. Next Filmer whome his owne brother accused for the matter of the reall presence there being none but his owne brother to witnes against him whom Doctor London flattered and entertayned in his owne house to that ende Lastly Iohn Marbecke béeyng called was charged to haue resembled the lifting vp of the Sacrament to the setting vp of Ieroboams calues and for speaking agaynst the Masse In which Articles they were founde guiltye by the Quest one Hyde dwelling beside Abington in a Lordeshippe belonging to the Colledge of Windsor spake in the mouth of the rest Then the Iudges beholding the prisoners a good while some with waterie eyes made curtesie who shoulde giue iudgement which when Fachell that was the lowest in the benche perceyued if no man will doe it then will I said Fachell and so gaue iudgement So were they had away who with comforting one another prepared themselues to die the next day All the night till dead sléepe tooke them they continued still calling on the name of the Lord and praying for their persecutors On the next morowe which was Friday as the prisoners were all preparing themselues to suffer the Bishop of Sarum and others had sent a letter by one of the Sherifes Gentlemen called master Frost to the bishop of Winchester the Court being then at Oking in the fauour of Marbecke Marbecke pardoned at the sight of which letter the Bishop straight way went to the king and obtained his pardon which was to the end he might betray others On the Saturday morning the other thrée were had to suffer and all thrée beyng bound to the post a certaine yong man of Filmers acquaintance brought him a pot of drinke asking him if he would drinke Yea quoth Filmer I thanke you and so they encouraging themselues drancke one to another Filmer reioycing in the Lord said be merie my brethren and lift vp your hearts to God for after this sharpe breakefast I trust we shall haue a good dinner in the kingdome of Christ our Lord and redéemer Filmer Testwood Porson burned at which wordes Testwood lifting vp his hands and eies to heauen desired the Lord aboue to receiue his spirite And Anthonie Parson pulling the strawe vnto him laide a good deale thereof vpon the toppe of his head saying This is Gods hatte nowe am I dressed like a true souldier of Christ by whose merites only I trust this day to enter into his ioy Notable martyrs and so they yéelded vp their soules vnto the Lord with such patience as it was marueilous to the beholders The meaning of Gardiner was after this to haue dealt with great personages had not the Lord preuented his cruell practises On the Munday after the men were burnt it was determined by the Bishoppe of Salisburie that Robert Ockam should go to the Bishop of Winchester with the whole processe done at the Sessions the thursday before And also had writings of those that were priuilie endicted whereof one of the Quéenes men named Fulke hauing knowledge gat to the Court before and tolde Sir Thomas Cardine and other of the priuie Chamber how all the matter stoode Whereupon Ockam was laide for passing the stréetes by the Earle of Bedfordes lodging was pulled in by the sleeue and kept secrete at my Lorde priuie Seales till certaine of the priuie Counsel had perused all his writings Among which they found certaine of the priuie Chamber endicted with other the kings Officers and their wiues That is to say Sir Thomas Cardine Sir Philip Hobbie with both their Ladies Master Edmund Harmon Master Th. Weldowe with Snowball and his wife All these they had endicted by the force of the vi articles as ayders helpers and mainteyners of Anthonie Parson And besides them they had endicted of heresie a great number mo of the kings true and faithfull Subiectes Whereof the kings Maiestie being certified gaue vnto them his gratious pardon The king pardoneth And so had Benet a discharge withall and being certified of the sheriffe and Sir Humfrey Foster of the death of the poore men at Windsor the king turning from them to depart sayde Alas poore Innocents And after this withdrew his fauour from Winchester caused Doctor London Winchester cast out of fauour and Simons the Lawier and a fierce persecutor of them to be apprehended and brought before the Counsell and examined vpon their oath of alleigeance who for denying their wicked fact were found periured and were
him would take them in his owne hand hold them stil burning vpon his bodie whereat the people wondred not a litle Thus he continued almost the space of halfe a mile till he came before S. Peters where the place of execution was When he came to the place of execution they had made a deuise to burne him by péecemeale Which he suffered with such constancie and chéerefulnesse that when they offered him a crosse he put it away with his hand saying they were euill men to trouble him with such paltrie when hée was preparing him selfe to God whom he beheld in maiestie and mercie readie to receiue him into his eternall rest They séeing him in that constant mind left him commended him to the deuil whom they said he serued thinking he had béene possessed This is faithfully aduouched by I. Yong that thē serued M.D. Morton at Rome who seing his martirdome when he came home to his house in presence of M. Smith his sonne Maister Creede and Iohn Yong his man spake as followeth Surely this fellow was marueylous obstinate hée nothing regarded the good counsell which was giuen vnto him nor shrancke all the way when the torches were thrust at his naked body beside in the place of execution hée did not faint nor crye one iote in the fire albeit they tormented him very cruelly and burned him by degrées yet all this he did but smile at Doubtles but that the worde of God cannot bée but true else wée might iudge this fellow to be of God for who could haue suffered so much paine as he did But truely I beléeue the Diuell was in him Anno 1572. 1572. The Admiral of France the two and twentieth day of August the Admirall of Fraunce comming from the Counsell table by the way was strikē with a pistol charged with 3. pellets in both his armes and at a Watchwoorde giuen was afterward slaine foorthright and murtherers appointed the whole cittie through to masacre the poore Protestants men women old yoong to the number of 10000. in thrée daies The masacre of Paris although the rage endured longer In which number was slaine Petrus Ramus Petrus Ramus the restorer of all liberall artes especially the greatest M. of Logike and the perfectest practiser of the same that euer liued before him Also Lambinus Plateanus Lomenus Chapesius with others suffered this barbarous and more then beastly crueltie which did not containe it self onely within Paris walles but extended it selfe to other partes of Fraunce especially to Orleans Tholouse Roane In which cities it is almost incredible what crueltie was shewed in numbers destroied so that within the space of one moneth 30000. 30000. martyrs in Frāce of religious and christian Protestants are numbred to be slaine This murther did so reioyce the Pope that he with his Cardinals went a procession with their gunshot and sang Te Deum and in honor of that act commaunded a Iubelie with great indulgence Likewise in France the 18. of the same moneth the king commaunded processions bonfires and ringings singings giuing thankes to God for so worthy a victory vpon S. Bartholomewes day against the innocent protestants The same yéere about the 4. of Decēber he began to lay siege to Rochell Rochell besieged a towne belonging to the Protestants which endured 7 moneths In which when the poore began to lacke corne victuall there was sent to them euery day in the riuer by the hand of the Lord a great multitude of fish Gods prouidence called Surdons which the poore people did vse in stéede of bread Which fish the same day that the siege brake vp about the 10. of Iune departed and came no more At this siege were slaine of the kings captains 132. of the which the chiefest was Duke D'Aumale In the end an agréement pacificatory was concluded containing 25. articles in which also were contained certain other cities protestants Which the 10. of Iune Anno 1572. was solemnly proclaimed at Rochel The yéere following died the cardinall of Louā a pestilēt Achitophel against the children of God Charles of France the 9. the bloodiest Tyrant that euer the earth bare the 25. of May being fiue and twentie yéeres of age His disease was such that his blood gushing out by diuers partes of his body he tossing in his bedde and casting out many horrible blasphemies lying vpon pillowes with his héeles vpward and head downwarde voyded so much bloud at his mouth that in fewe houres after he died The Tyrant dieth FINIS A Table of all the principall matters conteyned in this Booke TIberius Nero pag. 1. Christ eadem Caius Caligula eadem Caius Nero eadem Peter and Paule eadem Titus pag. 2 Vespasian eadem Iewes destroyed eadem Stephen eadem Iames eadem Herod eadem Nicanor eadem Simon eadem Parmenas eadem Thomas eadem Simon Zelotes eadem Iudas eadem Augarus eadem Simon eadem Traianus eadem Bartholomeus pag. 3 Andrew eadem Egeas eadem Matthew eadem Hircanus eadem Matthias eadem Phillip and his Daughters eadem Iames eadem Other eadem The Iewes eadem Nero Domit. pag. 4 Peter eadem Simon Magus eadem Peters wife eadem Paule eadem Domician eadem Nephewes of Iuda eadem Simeon pag. 5 Iustus eadem Iohn eadem Flauia eadem The 2. persecution eadem Euaristus eadem Alexander eadem Hermes eadem Euentus pag. 6 Theodulus eadem Hermes eadem Albina eadem Quirinus eadem The third persecution ead Nerua eadem Traianus eadem Plinius secundus eadem Plinies letter for mitigation of the persecution ead The Emperours aunswere pag. 7 Simeon eadem Attalus eadem Phocas eadem Sulpitius eadem Seruilianus eadem Emphrosina eadem Theodora eadem Salma eadem Seraphia eadem Nereus eadem Achilleus eadem Sagaris eadem Ignatius pag 8 Polycarpus eadem Magnesia eadem Publius eadem Hadrian eadem Euentius eadem Theodorus eadem Hermes eadem Quirinus eadem Zenon eadem Achaicus eadem Eustachius eadem Faustinus eadem Iobita eadem Caelocerius eadem Iustus pag. 9 Pastor eadem Sympronissa and her seuen children eadem Sophia and her two children pag. 10 Quadratus eadem Aristides eadem Serenus eadem Persecution asswaged in Asia eadem Antonius Pius eadem Persecution ceaseth ead Ma. Antoninus pag. 11 Verus eadem Lucius eadem Germanicus eadem Polycarpus eadem Irenarchus pag. 12 Herodes eadem Nicetes eadem Metrodorus pag. 13 Pionius eadem Carpus eadem Papylus eadem Agathonica eadem Felicitas with her seuē children eadem Iustinus eadem Lucius pag. 14 Concordus eadem Symmetrius eadem Vetius eadem Sanctus eadem Maturus eadem Attalus eadem Blandina pag. 15 Bibledes eadem Photinus eadem Alexander eadem Pontius eadem Melito pag. 16 Claudius Apollinaris ead Quadratus eadem Aristides eadem Athenagoras eadem Persecution staied eadem Miracle eadem Commodus eadem Martia eadem Apollonius eadem Vincentius pag. 17. Eusebius eadem Iulius eadem Peregrinus eadem Xistus eadem Telesphorus eadem Hyginus eadem Pius
him with patience Likewise suffered Menas an Egyptian souldier after that in like sort with Gordius hée had declared himselfe to be a Christian in the citie of Cotis where after diuerse torments by the commaundement of Pirrhus the President he suffered the losse of his head Basilius mentioneth of 40. martyrs 40 martyrs in a Sermon which were gentlemen yoong all that professed themselues christians and went boldly vnto the Marshall declared vnto him their names wherat he was first astonied not preuailing with flattering words faire promises deuised a new torment and caused them to stand all night in the winter in a great pond which was in the midst of the citie and lay full vpon the cold Northwind In the morning they were found starke and stiffe yet hauing breath were brought to the fire to be burned Now one of them more liuely then the rest was pitied of the tormentors who said to his mother standing by that they would saue him aliue but shée with her owne handes brought him to the pile of wood where the rest lay A notable mother admonishing him to accomplish the blessed iourney he had taken in hand The like story reporteth Nicephorus of fortie martyrs Fortie martyrs that were maried men which were killed in a ponde at Sebestia a towne of Armenia In this persecution suffered also Cyrus Cyrus a Physition borne in Alexandria who flying into Egipt in the persecution of Dioclesianus and Maximinianus led a solitary life in Arabia vnto him resorted one Ioannes Ioannes borne in the citie of Edessa beyond Euphrates leauing his souldiers life which before time he had exercised Now these twaine hearing of the inprisonment of Athanasia with her thrée daughters Theoctiste Theodota and Eudoxa at the persecution of Canope a citie in Egipt came to confirme them at which time Sirianus was the chiefe Captaine and Lieftenant of Egipt who was very cruell especially against women and maydens whereof they being accused and in no sort yéelding to doo sacrifice were put to death by the sword with Athanasia and her thrée daughters Athanasia and her three daughters Sebastian Sebastian beyng borne in that part of France which is called Gallia Narbonensis was Lieftenant generall of the vauward of Dioclesian the Emperour and encouraged many martyrs of Christ by his exhortations whereof beyng accused to the Emperour was commaunded to bée brought into the opē field where of his owne souldiers he was shot through with innumerable arrowes and after his body was throwne into a Iakes With him suffered others as Nicostratus with Zoe his wife Tranquillinus with Martia his wife Traglianus Claudius Castor Tiburtius Castullus Marcus and Marcellinus with other moe Barlan Barlan a noble man mentioned in a sermon of Basilius hauing abode all torments was laid vpon the altar where they vsed to offer vp sacrifice and fire and frankincense put into his right hand wherin he had yet some strength thinking he would haue scattered the incense vpon the altar and haue sacrificed but the flame eate round about his hand and the the same endured as though it had bin couered with hot embers he saying the Psalme Blessed is the Lord my God who teacheth my hands to fight c. Vnder Dioclesian Maximinian suffered Agricola Agricola and Vitalis his seruant Vitalis Vitalis died in extremity of torments Agricola was fastned to the crosse and so died But most lamentable was the martyrdome of Vincentius a Spaniard Vincentius lamentable martyrdome who suffered martirdom at Valence vnder Darianus the President of whom he was so racked that all the ioynts of his body cracked then was his body indented with many deadly wounds and thirdly his flesh was torne with yron combes sharply fyled and that the tormentors should be the more egar they were also scourged Tormentors scourged This done they laid his body vpon a grate of yron and hauing opened it with hookes they seared it with fiery plates sprinckling the same with hotte salt And last of all they drew him into a dungeon sprinckled with sharpshelles and locked his feet in the stockes At Alexandria Philoromus hauing great possessions forsooke all for Christ and was beaded and could not be moued with respect of friends wife or children Also Procopius Procopius in Palestine after his conuersion brake his siluer images and gaue them to the poore and after most grieuous torments had his head smitten off hauing first his body dismembred both of hands and feete In like manner suffered Gregorius a young man of Cappadocia besides a number of others as Sergius and Bacchius c. Panthaleon Panthaleon a Phisition in Nicomedia Theodorus in the citie of Amasia in Hellespontus Gerion with 318. fellow martirs 318. martyrs which suffered about Colon. Hermogenes President of Athens being conuerted by the constancie and patience of one Menas and Eugraphus Item Samonas Gurias and Abilus Hieron also with certaine his confessors vnder Maximinus Indes and Dominas at Nicomedia with 2000. martyrs 2000. martirs Enelasius and Maximinius whom Fausta the virgin conuerted in her torments Also Thirsus Lucius Callinicus Apollonius Philemon Asilas Leonides with Arrianus president of Thebaide Cyprian Bishop of Antioch before his profession being a filthy magician suffred with Iustina a virgin Item Glicerius at Nicomedia Felix a minister Fortunatus Achilleus deacons in the citie of Valent Arthemius of Rome Ciriacus deacon to Marcellus the Bishop Caryophorus Priest at Thuscia with Abundus his deacon Item Claudius Cyrinus Antonius which suffered with the Bishop Marcellinus Cucusatus in the citie Barcimona Felix Bishop of Apulia with Audactus and Ianuarius his priests Fortunatus and Septimus his readers who suffered in the citie Venusia vnder Dioclesian Cassianus Cassianus was stabbed in of his schollers with bodkins or yron pennes wherewith they did vse to write Now the constancie of the womē Constancy of women was also marueilous especially of a virgin named Eulalia Eulalia of the towne of Emerita in Portugal who beeing shut vp of her Christian Parents that for desire of martirdome feared least shée should be cause of her own death brake out in the night came before the Gouernor of the town of Emerita being distant frō the village where she was kept confessed her selfe to be a Christiā reproued the cruelty of the iudge the vanity of Maximinius the worshipped Idols throwed the idols down which shée was brought to worship scattered the incense Wherfore after many vain perswasiōs she had one ioynt of her body pulled from an other and her flesh and sides scratched with talents of wilde beastes to the bones shée in the meane time reioysing and praysing God They seared her brests with torches which when they had caught her hayre which hanged downe to her féete couered her shame shée swallowed the flame opening her mouth and so died Like was the constancy of Agnes of Rome of
decrée against marriage remained still Pope Paschalis Pope Paschalis entered his papacie the same yéere that king Henry began his reigne an 1100. and being brought into Laterane vpon a white palfray a scepter was brought him The Popes ornaments and a girdle put about him hauing seuen keies with seuen seales hanging therevpon in token of his seuenfold power Popes seuenfold power according to the seuenfold grace of the holy Ghost of binding loosing shutting opening sealing resigning and iudging c. This Pope did depose all those Prelates that the Emperour set vp also banished Albertus Theodoricus Maginulphus they striued the same time for the papacie and made an army against Guybert whom the Emperour had made Pope who being put to flight not long after died About the same time Anno 1101. the Bishop of Florence began to preach to teach Antichrist then to be borne and to be manifest That Antichrist was borne Married priests condēned for Nicolaitans as Sabellicus testifieth wherevpon Paschalis assembling a councel put to silence the said bishop and condemned his bookes In this Councell at Trecas married priests were condemned for Nicolaitans This Paschalis renewed the excommunication of Hildebrand against the Emperour and set vp his sonne Emperour against him caused the archbishop of Mentz of Collen and of Wormes at Hilgeshen to depriue the Emperour The Emp. deposed by the Pope and to take from him all the ornaments of his Empyre wherevpon the Emperour beyng left desolate he pronounced Let God see and iudge Let God see and iudge Thus they left him and went and confirmed his sonne and caused him to driue out his Father who then beyng chased of his owne sonne hauing but nine persons about him did flie by the Dukedome of Lymbrough Where the Duke beyng then a hunting and hearing of him followed after him The Emperour looking for nothing but present death for he had displaced the same Duke before out of his dukedome submitted himselfe and craued pardon the Duke pitying his case receiued him to fauour and into his castle And gathering together his men of war brought him to Collen where he was well receiued His sonne hearing of this besieged the citie but the father by night escaping fled to Leodium where he assembled a power and pitched a field desiring his friends The pope setteth the Emperors sonne against him that if he got the victory they would spare his sonne In fine the Father had the victory and the sonne was put to flight but shortly after they renewed battel againe and the sonne got the field and the father taken who being vtterly dispossessed of his kingdom was brought to that state that comming to Spire he was faine to craue of the Bishop there to whom he had done much good before to haue a prebend in the Church The Emperor craueth to be aprehend of a Church but could not obtaine it and for that he had some skil of his book he desired to serue in our Ladies quire yet hée could not obtain so much at his hands who sware by our lady he should haue none there Thus he came to Leodiū there for sorow died after that he had raigned 50. yéeres whose body Paschalis after his funerall caused to be taken vp again and to be brought to Shires The Emp dieth for sorow where it remained fiue yéeres vnburied After the decease of Henricus the 4 his sonne Henricus the 5. raigned 20. yéeres who comming to Rome to be crowned of the Pope could not obtaine it No Emperour to haue to doe with the elect of the Pope The Emp. had been slaine at Rome before it were by him fully ratified that no Emperor should haue any thing to doe with the election of the B of Rome or with other bishopricks and such a stirre there was at Rome that the Emperor if he had not defended himselfe with his owne handes he had béene slayne yet gotte hée the victorie and tooke the Pope and leadeth him out of the Citie where he indenteth with him vppon diuers conditions The pope faine to agree to the Emperour both of his coronation and recouering againe his title in election of the Pope and other Bishops Wherevnto the Pope assented and agréed to all so the Emperour being crowned of Paschalis returned againe to Rome The pope breaketh couenant But so soone as the Emperour was returned into Germany the Pope forthwith calling a synod reuoked al that hée had granted to before excomunicated Henricus the Emperour whereof he hearing being in France and there hauing married Mathild daughter to K. Henry returned with a power and putteth the pope to flight and placeth another in his stéede The Germans rebell In the which time the States of Germany rebelled in so much that it grew to a foughten field ann 1115. Wherfore the Emp. séeing no end of troubles was faine in the end to giue ouer all his right in Churchmatters The Emp. giueth ouer to the Pope In the time of this Paschalis liued Bernardus called Abbas Clarauallensis ann 1118. of whom sprang the Bernardine monkes Bernardine monkes After the death of Paschalis succéeded Gelasius Gelasius chosen by the Cardinall without the consent of the Emperour whervpon grew great great variance in Rome and at length another pope was set vp by the Emperor called Gregorie the 8 Gregorie 8. and Gelasius driuen away into Fraunce and there died After whom came Calixtus Calixtus the 2 chosen by a fewe Cardinals without the consent of the Emperour who comming vp to Rome to inioy his seat first did excommunicat the Emperour Hee then hauing diuers conflicts with his fellow pope Gregorius at length draue him out of Rome At which time by this occasion great cōtrouersie was betwixt the emperors the popes court for the preeminence but in cōclusion The Emp. fain to yeeld the Emp. was faine to condiscend to the vnreasonable conditions of the pope first to ratifie his election notwithstanding the other pope was aliue whom the Emperour set vp and that in matters of the popes election and inuesture of the Bishops hee should resigne his right Which being graunted A shamefull vsage of a pope the Pope maketh out after his fellow pope and taketh him at Sutrium and set him vppon a Camell his face towardes the Camels tayle and the tayle held in his hand in stéede of a bridle and so brought him to Rome thorough the stréetes and afterward hauing shorne him thrust him into a monastery This Pope did first establish the papall decrées against the Emperour he brought in the foure quarter fastes cal-called Imber daies Imber daies and brought in the order of monks called Premonstratensis Premonstratensis also was hot against priests wiues After the death of Anselme who deceased An. 1109. After he had béene in the sea 16. yéeres the church of Canterburie stood void 5. yéeres Canterbury 5.
certaine souldiers thereto appointed who did execute the contents accordingly so that the Italians throughout the land were spoiled their corne fruites bestowed on the poor commons of the land Italians spoyled throughout the land This comming to the knowledge of Roger B. of London he with the assistance of other bishops procéedeth to excommunication against them and such as had forged the kings letters Yet for al that the same yéere about Easter next following all the Barnes in Englande that were in the handes of any Romane or Italian were likewise wasted who for feare were fayne to hide themselues in monasteries and celles The Authors and workers of this feat were foure score armed souldiers of whom the principall Captaine was one naming himselfe William Withers William Withers surnamed Twynge The Pope hearing of this sendeth his letters to the king vpon the same threatning him with excommunication to search out the doers of the fact to punish them accordingly likewise he sent the same charge to Peter bishop of Winchester and to the Abbot of Saint Edmunds to inquire in the South partes to the bishop of Durham and the Archb. of Yorke and to Master Iohn Chanon of Yorke a Romane to inquire in the North partes for the said malefactors So that earnest inquisition being made diuers were found fauourers and diuers euen of the cleargy but the chiefe author was supposed to be Hugo de Burge L. chiefe iustice who both with the kings letters his own fortified the doers therof that no man durst interrupt them Moreouer in the same society was R. Twinge who of his owne voluntary accord came to the king and protested himselfe to be the Author of the fact because that by the sentence of the B. of Rome and fraudulent circumuention of the Italians he was bereaued of the patronage of his benefices hauing no more to giue but that one Then the king and other executors of the Popes commandement counselled him to offer himselfe to the pope to be absolued and there to make declaration of his cause The king also wrote letters in the behalfe of his Souldiers requiring fauourable audience At the request whereof P. Gregorie both released him of the sentēce and restored him to his Patronage But the grudge against Hubert did not so ende for the Bishops conspired against him and first commeth Peter B. of Winchester to the K. with gréeuous complaints and so preuayled with him that he caused the Lord Hubert to be put from his office and procured Steeuen Segraue to be placed in his roome And afterward the K. was more more kindled against him and called him to account for old matters whereof he had the hand of the king to shew for his discharge which notwithstanding was not accepted the bishop of Winchester replying that the charter of king Iohn had no force after his death but that ye may now said hée be called to reckoning of this king for the same The iniuries also damages wrought against the clarks of Rome and the Italians and the Popes Legates were obiected against him with diuerse other crimes concerning the estate c. Wherevnto he was required to answere by order of law Hubert then seing himselfe in such a straight refused to answere presently but required respite because the matters were waighty which the king obiected vnto him which was graunted til the 14. day of September but in the meane time L. Hubert destitute on euery side fearing the king he fled from London to the priory of Merton and was destitute on euery side sauing onely that Lucas Archb. of Dublin with instant praiers teares laboured to the king for him When the day was come that Hubert must appeare kéeping amōgst the monks of Merton he durst not shewe himselfe whereat the King being offended directed his letters in all hast to the mayor of London commaunding him to muster and take vp all that could beare harnesse in London and by force of armes to bring him Hubert either quicke or dead out of Merton which was accomplished The Londoners hate Hubert And on the next morow the Londiners who hated Hubert issued out with twenty thousand men and set forward toward the Abbey of Merton where Hubert was prostrate before the Altar commending himselfe to God In the meane season while the Citizens were on their iournie it was suggested to the king by Radolph Bishop of Chichester and Lord Chancellour that it was dangerous to raise vp the rude multitude for feare of sedition Moreouer what shal be said quoth he among the Frenchmen other Nations but thus iestingly and in mockerie see what a kinde birde is this young king of England that séeketh to deuoure his olde Nurse vnder whose winges he hath béene brought vp in his youth With which words the king being moued sent in all hast after the armie willing them to retire One of the Messengers for he sent two made great spéede and shewed the kings pleasure in good time the other desiring the destruction of Hubert lingred in his way and notwithstanding he rode but a soft pace fel of his horse that by chance stumbled and brake his neck After this the Archb. of Dublin with great suite intreated and obteyned of the K. to graunt Hubert respite till the xij of Ianuary to prouide him of his answere Whereupon Hubert taking some confidence and as it were comming to himselfe tooke his iourney to S. Edmondsburie where his wife was and passing through Essex inned at a certayne Towne belonging to the B. of Norwich Whereof when the king was certified fearing least he should make some commotion in the Realme sendeth in hastie anger after him Sir Godfrey Crancombe knight with 300. men commanding them vnder paine of hanging that they shoulde bring him to the Tower of London Which commandemēt was accomplished in hast Hubert hauing intelligence of their comming rose out of his bed naked as he was ran to the Chappell néere to the Inne where he was and there with one hand holdeth the crosse and with the other the sacrament of the Lordes bodie Godfrey entering the Chappell with his armed Souldiers and taking the Crosse and Sacrament out of his hands L. Hubert brought to Tower bound him fast with Fetters and Giues vnder the horse bellie and brought him to the Tower Whereat the king hauing tarryed vp watching for him greatly reioyced and went merrilye to his bed The next morrow following Roger Bishoppe of London had knowledge after what sort he was taken out of the Chappel He commeth to the King blaming him boldly for violating the peace of holy Church and protested that vnlesse the partie were losed againe and sent to the Chappell from whence he was taken he would enter into sentence of Excommunication against the déede doers L. Hubert sent back againe Whereupon the king sendeth him back againe to the Chappel by the same Souldiers that brought him out before and geueth charge
detested the execrable simony of the Court of Rome hee made his repaire home againe to his countrie vnconfirmed declaring to the whole nobilitie of that land how the case stood Wherevpon all the Church of the Grecians hearing this at the same time departed vtterly from the Church of Rome Insomuch that the Archbish of Constantinople comming afterward to the Councel of Lions declared there openly that whereas he had before time aboue thirtie Bishoprickes and Suffraganes now he had not thrée Adding moreouer that all the Grecians and certaine other with Antioch the whole Empire of Romania euen to the gates almost of Constantinople were gone from the obediēce of the church of Rome Paris f. 112. f. 186. By occasion of which separation in the yere 1237. Germanus 1237 Germanus Archb. and Patriarke of Constantinople wrote vnto Gregorie the ninth desiring him to study séeke meanes of vnitie and that he would not refuse to méete him in the midwaye to debate of the matter that vnitie might bee recouered But the Pope refused and shortlye after sent foorth his preaching Friers to moue all Christians to take the signe of the Crosse and to fight against the Grecians The signe of the crosse to fight against the Grecians euen as it were against the Turkes and Saracens In so much that in the I le of Ciprus many good men and martyrs were slaine for the same as by letters of the said Germanus doeth appeare who wrote to the Pope and Cardinals to reforme themselues which was so taken of the Pope that shortly after he prepared to send men of war signed with the crosse to fight against the Grecians Whereupon the Archb. of Antioch with the foresaid Germanus solemnlie excommunicated the Pope The pope excommunicated Intollerable exactions of the pope The exactions of the Pope were so intollerable in the land that king Henrie the third wrote to Pope Innocent the fourth for releasement in most humble and gentle māner anno 1244. the 28. yere of the kings reigne Yet it booted not for the Pope was not ashamed to take of Dauid Prince of North-wales fiue hundred markes a yeare to set him against the King of England and exempted him from all his fealtie and obedience which he had sworne In the yeare one thousande two hundred fourtie fiue Prince of Wales set against the king of England the whole Nobility of the Realm by generall consent with the kings knowledge caused all partes of the Sea side to be layde that no Messenger with the Popes letters Bulles from Rome should be permitted to enter the realm Wherupon No messenger permitted to or fro Rome some were taken at Douer there stayed Notwithstanding when complaint thereof was brought to the king by Martinus the Popes Legate there was no remedie but the K. must néedes cause the letters to be restored againe and executed to the full effect Then the king vpon aduise caused a view to be taken through euerie Shire in Englād to what summe the whole reuenewes of the Romans and Italians amounted to which by the popes authoritie went went out of England The whole summe whereof was foūd yerely to be 60000. 60000. marks yerely to Rome markes To which summe the whole reuenewes of the crowne did not amount The Nobles then vnderstanding the miserable oppression of the Realme being assembled together at Dunstable for certaine causes sent one Fulco in the name of the whole Nobilitie vnto Martinus that he should with spéede departe the land The P. Legate departeth England except he would be cut all to péeres Which message the Legat shewed to the king and demaunded if his consent were thereto and finding small comfort tooke his leaue and departed an 1245. After this followed immediatly a generall Councell at Lions Councel at Lions to the which the estate and Lords of the Realme with consent of the Communaltie sent two billes the one containing a generall Supplication to the Pope and Councell the other with the articles of such gréeuances as they desired to haue redressed The Supplication was sent by Sir Roger Bigotte knight and William de Powick Esquire and Henrie de la Mare with other knights and Gentlemen After that it was there opened read P. Innocent first kéeping silence differred to answere thereto making hast to procéed to his detestable sentence of excommunicatiō curse Emp. Fred. cursed by the Pope against the good Emperor Fred. Which curse being done the Pope tolde them flatly they should not haue their requestes fulfilled and incontinent during the same councell he caused euery B. of England to put to his hand and seale to the obligation made by the king Iohn for the Popes tribute threatning moreouer that if hée had once brought downe the Emperour Fredericke he would bridle the insolent pride of England well enough In the beginning of the next yéere following An. 1246. Pope Innocent came to Cluniake Pope perswadeth warre against England where he perswaded the French king Lewes to make warre against the king of England whereto the French king would not agrée but shortly after concluded with him longer truce Ouer and beside all other exactions the Pope sending downe his letters from the sea Apostolike charged the prelates to find him some ten some fiue some fiftéene able men well furnished with horse and harneis for one whole yéere to fight in the Popes warres The Popes warres and least the king should haue knowledge hereof it was enioined them vnder paine of excommunication that they should reueale it to none but to kéepe it secrete onely to themselues Pope Innocent now intending to subdue the Gréeke church sent the prouinciall of the Grayfriers with other associates of the same order into England with his precepts authenticall that all goods gotten by vsury should be attached for his warre against the Gréekes Warre against the Greekes and that all those should be absolued from all their sinnes that would take on them the crosse to fight against the Grecians c. with other articles tending to the Popes profite The same yéere 1246. The Pope commaunded the Prelates of England that all beneficed men in the realme of England which were resident vpō their benefices should yéeld the third part of their goods and they which were not resident should giue the one halfe of their goods for the space of thrée yéeres together which summe beyng estéemed together was found to amount to 60000. l. 60000. pounds exacted by the Pope The executiō of this commission was cōmitted to the B. of London but as consultation was had about the matter at Paules the King sendeth straight charge that they should not consent thereto Parisiensis fol. 207. And afterward An. 1247. about February the king called a parlement and directeth Embassadours with letters and also to make manifest the grieuances of the land vnto the court of Rome The grieuāces of England whereto the Pope maketh a
the councell of Philip the French king confirmed and prosecuted the censures that Iohn his predecessor had published against Lewes the Emperor and depriued him both of his Emperiall Crowne Dukedome of Bauaria Emperor depriued that he stode excommunicate till time that variance fell betwixt this P. Benedict and the French K. Wherfore to haue some friēds to flie to he began to pretend fauor and absolution And not long after died After whom folowed Clement vi a man most furious and cruell Variance betwixt the P. and french K. This Clement vi renuing againe the former excommunications of his predecessors caused his letters to be set vp on Church dores wherein he threatened and denounced most terrible thunderboltes against the Emperor except within thrée dayes he would renounce the Emperiall possession of the crowne and resigning vp his Empire into his handes would submitte himselfe his children and all his goods to the will and pleasure of the B. with promise that he would not receaue any part thereof but vpon his good grace as his will should be to referre it ouer And besides the Pope sendeth to the Emperor a certain forme of a bill conteyned in writing The Emp. must resigne all to the P. with certain conditions that hee commaunded to be geuen to the handes of the Emperor Which he gently receiued and not onelie with his seale confirmed it The frintharted pope but also sweareth to obserue all the conditions thereof Which the Pope hearing greatly marueyled at it but was nothing mollified The Princes and Electors séeing the bill with the articles and conditions desired the Emperor that hee woulde stande to the defence of the Emperiall Dignitie as hee had begun promising their assistance and ayde And thereupon were letters sent to the Pope desiring him to abstaine from such manner of articles against the State and Maiestie of the Empire Vpon this the Pope vpon Maundie Thursday blustereth out most black curses against him Black curses against the Emperor and also reneweth all the former Processes as both against an Heretike and a Schismatike Commandinge moreouer all the Princes Electors to procéede in chusing a newe Emperour Which the Archbishop of Mentz refused to doe Archbishop of Mentz depriued and therefore was by the Pope depriued of all his dignities The Archbishop of Colen took eight thousand markes and the Duke of Saxonie two thousand and were corrupted by Iohn King of Bohem and elected Charles his sonne to be Emperour whom Pope Clement in his Consistorie did approoue but hee was repulsed at Aquisgraue where they were wont to be crowned This Charles with the French King and the King of Boheme Warre with the king of England by the setting on of the Pope made warre against the King of England but were all by him put to flight The Emperor geueth ouer to the P. Lodowicke notwithstanding the States of Germanie assembled at Spires promised to stick vnto him remembring his oath made before to the Popes Bull willingly gaue ouer his Emperiall dignitie and went to Bulgaria The Em. poysoned Where shortly after through the practise of Clement as Hieronimus Martius doeth wryte he was poysoned The Princes then hearing of his death assembled themselues to make a newe election who refusing Charles Gunterus de monte nigro chosen Emp. elected for Emperour Gunterus de Monte nigro who shortlie afterwarde falling sicke at Frankford by one of his Phisitions Seruauntes was also poysoned whom Charles had hired to worke that feat and not dying thereof for auoiding bloudshed thorough councell of the Germans hée gaue ouer his Empire to Charles who to haue his sonne set vp after him Charles chosen Emperour graunted to the Princes electors of Germany all the publicke taxes and tributes of the Empire This pope Clement first reduced the yéere of Iubile to euery fiftie yéere The Iubile euery 50. yeere From Auinion to Rome which first was kept but euery hundreth yéere and so he beyng absent at Auinion which hée purchased with his mony to the sea of Rome caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. In the which yéere were numbred of Peregrines going in and comming out to the number of 50000. Praemostr 50000. Pilgrims The Bull of Pope Clement geuen out for this present yeare of Iubile procéedeth in these woordes as followeth What person or persons soeuer for deuotion sake shall take their peregrination to the holy Cittie The forme of the Bull of Iubile the same day when he setteth forth out of his howse he may choose vnto him selfe what confessor or confessors either in the way or where else he lusteth vnto the which confessors wee graunt by our authority full power to absolue all cases papall as fully as if we were in our proper person there present Item wee graunt that whosoeuer being truly confessed shall chaunce by the way to dye The pope commandeth the angels he shall be quite and and absolued of all his sinnes Moreouer we commande the Angels of Paradise to take his soule out of his bodie being absolued and to carrie it into Paradise c. And in another Bull we will saith he that no paine of hell shal touch him graunting moreouer to all and singular person and persons which are signed with the holy-Crosse power and authoritie to deliuer and release thrée or foure Soules whom they list them selues out of the paines of Purgatorie c. This Clement as saith Auesb. tooke vpon him so prodigallie in his popedome that he gaue vnto the Cardinals of Rome bishoprickes and benefices which then were vacant in England and began to geue them new titles for the same liuings which he gaue them in Englād wherwith the K. was offended vndid all the prouisions of the pope within his realme commaunding vnder paine of imprisonment and life Against prouisions from Rome no man to be so hardy as to bring in any such prouisions of the Pope and vnder the same punishment charged the two Cardinals to void the realme Anno 1343. And in the same yéere all the tenths as well of the Templars Tenths to the King as also of other spirituall men were giuen and payd to the king through the whole realme King Edward the second builded two houses in Oxford for good letters Oriall Colledge and Saynt Marie hall Oriall colledge and S. Mary hall Anno 1326. the townes men of Berry spoiled the Abbey of treasure inestimable and almost burnt vp the whole house The Abby of Bury spoyled by the townes men and in one wéeke burnt vp 22. mannors belonging to the same carriyng away goodes to the valure of 9220. pounds fiue shillings and eleuen pence besides other inestimable treasure While the Abbot all this space was at London at the Parlement For which fact thirtie tartes full of townes men were carried to Norwich of whom ninetéene were there hanged and diuers conuict were put in prison The whole
or learning his name was Richard Fitzrafe Richard Fitzrafe he was brought vp in the vniuersitie of Oxford vnder Iohn Badenthorp Iohn Badenthorp who was a great enemy to begging Friers whose steps also the scholer following began to doo the like and being called vp to London made seuen or eight Sermons wherein hée propounded nine Conclusions against the Friers 9. Conclusions against the Friers for the which hée was by the Friers cited vp before Pope Innocent the sixt before whom he valiantly defended himselfe and continued constant therein vntill his dying day his sufferings and deliuerances were maruellous great The controuersie for the Friers helde very long in the church they had of popes some mainteiners A long controuersie of the Friers Their fauourers some aduersaries Mainteiners Honorius 3. Gregory 9 Alexander 4. Clemens 4. Boniface 8. Clemens 5. Against them Innocētius 3. Innocentius 4. Martinus 4 Benedictus 11. The learned men that disputed against the Friers Their assistants were these which either were condemned by the Popes or caused to recant Guilielmus de sancto amore Bernardus super capitulum Omnis vtriusque sexus Godfridus de fontibus Henricus de Gandauo Guilielmus de Landuno Iohannes Monachus Cardini Iohannes de Poliaco who was caused by the Pope to recant at Paris Armachanus who wrote a Booke Defensorium Curatotorum Defensorium Curatorum and for his defense of Curates against the Fryers hée was banished besides other vexations seuen or eight yéeres and died in the same banished at Auinion of whose death a certaine Cardinall hearing openly protested that the same day a mighty piller of Christes Church was fallen Against this Armachanus Armachanus a mighty pillar of Gods church wrote diuers Friers After the death of Pope Innocent was Pope Vrban 5. who by the fathers side was an Englishman he mainteyned and kindled greate warres in Italie sending Egidius his Cardinall and Legate and after him Ardiminus a Burgundian his Legate and Abbot with a great puisance and much money against sundry cities in Italie by whose meanes Cities and townes which before had broken from the pope were oppressed Also Bernabes Galeaceus princes of Millaine vanquished by whose example others béeing feared submitted themselues to the church of Rome How Rome commeth by her patrimony and thus came that wicked Church by her great possessions which her patrones would néedes father vpon Constantine the godly Emperour In the time of this Pope and in the second yéere of his raigne about the beginning of the yéere 1364. vppon the euen of the natiuitie of the Lord the fourth Sunday of Aduent one Nicholaus Orem Nicholaus Orem preached a Sermon before the Pope and his Cardinalles in which he rebuked the Prelats priestes of his time and threatneth their destruction not to be far off by certain signes taken from their corrupt life c. His Text was out of the sixe and fifty of Esaie My sauing health is neere at hand to come and my righteousnes to be reuealed Iesuits begin In the fift yéere of Pope Vrban began first the order of Iesuites Vnto this time which was about the yeare 1367. the offices here in England as the L. Chancelour L. Treasurer and of the priuy seale were wont to be in the handes of the Cleargy Offices remoued from the Cleargie to the Laity but about this yéere through the motion of the Lordes in the Parlement and partly for hatred of the Cleargie all those offices were remooued to the Lords temporall The P. remoueth from France to Rome againe After the death of Vrban succéeded Gregorie the eleuēth who among his other actes first reduced agayne the papacie out of Fraunce vnto Rome which had nowe beene from thence the space of seuentie yeres being therto mooued as Sabellicus recordeth by a Bishoppe who being blamed by the Pope for long absence from his charge answered and why are you so long absent from the place where your Church doth lye Wherevpon the pope sought all meanes after that to remoue his Court out of Fraunce into Rome This Pope Gregorie 9 in a certaine Bull of his sent to the Archb. of Prage maketh mention of one named Melitzing a Bohemian Melitzing a Bohemian and saith in the same that he should teach Anno 1366. that Antichrist was alreadie come and that the same Melitzing had certayne congregations following him and in the same congregations certaine harlots who being conuerted frō their wickednes were brought to a godly life which harlots hee vsed to prefer before al the holie religious virgins wherefore he commaunded the Archb. to excommunicate and persecute the said Melitzing which hée did and also imprisoned him King Edward the third holding a Parlement in the third yéere of this Pope sent his Embassadours to him desiring him that hée from thencefoorth would abstaine from his reseruations of benefices vsed in the court of England and that spirituall men within this Realme promoted vnto Bishoprickes might fréely enioy their elections within the Realme and be confirmed by their Metropolitane according to the auncient custome of the land whereto the Pope sent an answere but when it is not recorded sauing that the yeare following Anno 1374. there was a tractation at Bruges vppon certaine of the said articles betwixt the King and the Pope which did hang two yéeres in suspence so at the length it was thus agréed betwixt them that the Pope should no more vse these reseruations of Benefices in Englande The P. should no more vse reseruations of benefices in England and likewise the King shoulde no more giue Benefices vppon the Writte Quare impedit c. But nothing was touched concerning the fréedomes of elections confirmed by the Metropolitanes As touching these reseruations prouisions and collations with the elections of Archbishops Bishops beneficed men c. wherewith the Pope vexed the lande the king in the fiue and twentie yere of his reigne enacted according to the Statute made in the thirtie yeare of the reigne of his Grandfather king Edward the first against the like pillage and rauening but not put in practise reuiued it and inlarged the same adding moreouer thereunto other straight and sharpe penalties against such as offended in any parte of the same And in the Parlements holden the 27. and 28. yeares of his reigne it was decreed that whosoeuer for any cause of controuersie in law either Spirituall or Temporall whether they were personall or reall Premunire to make appeale to Rome for any cause should appeale or consent to any appeale to be made to the sea of Rome should incur the daunger of a Premunire About this time beyng the yéere of our Lord 1370. liued holy Brigit whom the Church of Rome hath not onely canonized for a Saint Holy Brigit a great rebuker of the popish clergy but also for a prophetesse yet in her bookes of Reuelations she was a great rebuker
of the pope and of his filthie clergie calling him a murtherer of soules a spiller The Pope compared and a piler of the flocke of Christ more abhominable then the Iewes more cruell then Iudas more vniust then Pilate worse then Lucifer himselfe she prophecieth that the sea of Rome shall be throwne downe into the déepe like a milstone c. And that the Cleargy haue turned the ten commandements into two words Da pecuniam The x commādemēts turned into 2. words da pecuniam that is giue money About the same time also 1379. liued Catherina Senensis Katherina Senensis which hauing the spirite of prophecie much cōplained of the church of Rome prophecied before of the great schisme which then followed in the Church of Rome and endured al the councel of Constance the space of 39 of yeres and declared also before of the reformation of religion that nowe is Mathias Parisiensis of Antichrist Also about the yéere 1370. liued Mathias Parisiensis a Bohemian who wrote a large booke of Antichrist and prooueth him alreadie come and noteth the Pope to be the same besides other abuses in the Romish Church against which he doeth inueigh Shortly after anno 1384. liued Iohannes Mountziger I. Mountziger Rector of the Vniuersitie of Vlme who preached against the worshipping of the Sacrament and was resisted by the Friers till the Senate and Councel of the Citie was faine to take vp the matter betwixt them About this time liued Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica Nilus Archb. of Thess and wrote a large worke against the Roman Church and layeth the fault of the Schisme betwixt the East and West Church vpon the Pope and very copiouslie reprooueth manie pointes of Poperie as his Supremacie c. About the yere 1371. liued Henricus de Iota H de Iota whome Gerson doth much commend and also his companion Henricus de Hassia H. de Hassia who in a certaine Epistle which he writeth to the Bishoppe of Normacia Iacobus Cartusiensis doth greatly accuse the Spirituall men of euery order yea and the most holiest of all the Pope himselfe of many and great vices He citeth also out of the prophecie of Hildegardis The deuils bellie full of the Popes voluptuousnes these wordes Therefore doeth the deuill himselfe speake vnto you Priestes daintie bankets and feastes wherein is all voluptuousnesse doe I finde among these men In so much that mine Eyes mine Eares my bellie and my veynes are euen filled with the froath of them and so foorth About the yere 1390. there were buried at Bringa 36. Citizens of Maguntia for the doctrine of Waldenses as Brushius affirmeth and Masseus recordeth of diuers 36. burned for the trueth 140. suffered for refusing the decretals to the number of an hundred and fourtie which in the Prouince of Narbone chose rather to suffer whatsoeuer gréeuous punishment by fire then to receue the decretals of the Romish Church contrarie to the vpright trueth of the Gospell Also foure and twentie suffered at Paris 24 suffer at Paris in the yere of our Lord 1210. And in the same author is testified that in the yere there were 400. vnder the name of heretikes and fourescore beheaded Prince Armericus hanged and the ladie of Castile stoned to death In the seuentéene yere of Edw. the third the Commons found great fault at prouisiōs comming from Rome wherby Strangers were dishabled within this land to enioy ecclesiasticall dignities and shewed how the Pope had graunted in most couert wise to two new Cardinals and namely to Cardinall Peragoth aboue one thousande markes of yearelie taxes They therefore required the king and Nobles to finde some remedie for that they neuer coulde nor woulde leaue those oppressions c. or els to helpe them to expel the popes authoritie by force Whereupon the king Lords and commons sent for the acte made at Carlil an 35. of the reigne of king Edward the first vpon like complaint thereby forbidding that any thing should be attempted or brought into the realme that should tend to the blemishing of the kinges prerogatiue or preiudice of the Lords The Act of prouision made or Commons And so at this time the statute called The act of Prouision was made by common cōsent which generally forbiddeth the bringing in of bulles or any such trinkets from the Court of Rome or vsing allowing or enioying of any such bill processe instrument c. The penaltie of which statute was as folowed in the next Parlement anno regni 18. the transgressors thereof to lie in perpetuall prison or to be forbidden the land and that all Iustices of Assise Gaole deliuerie or Oier and determiner may determine the same required withall that the same act and prouision should continue for euer And notwithstanding the bishops were neither named nor expressed with the other Lords of the Parlement yet it stood in full force notwithstanding In which Parlement were also diuers points enacted touching presentments of Ecclesiasticall dignities An act to continue for euer Decrees against the oppression of the Pope and Benefices Also in the Parlements the 20. 25. 38. 40. 50. 51. of the kings reigne were enacted decrées against the oppression of the Pope and his filthie and rauenous Cleargie besides diuers other against them Moreouer in the booke of the actes and rolles of the king it appeareth that he sent Iohn VVickliffe Reader at that time of the Diuinitie Lecture in Oxforde with certaine other Lordes and Ambassadors to treate a marriage betwéene his Daughter and Leonell Sonne vnto king Edward whereby is to be noted the good will which the King bare to Wickliffe and what small regard he had of the sea of Rome This Wickliffe liued in the raigne of King Edward the third in the yéere of our Lord one thousand thrée hundred thée score and eleuen and then withstood greatly the popes procéedings and the Popish clergy Hée was a man very well learned as testifieth of him Walden his most bitter and cruell enemy who in a certaine Epistle written to Pope Martin the fifth saith that hée was wonderfully astonished at this his most strong arguments with the places of authoritie that hée had gathered and the vehemencie and force of his reasons c. In Wickliffes time In VVickliffes time the worlde was in worst case was the worlde in most desperate state and in greatest blindnesse and ignoraunce both of the power of the Gospell and all other good learning and the Churche of Rome most cruell and voyde of all good gift and grace of GOD and religion turned to superstition Wickliffe first of matters of religion began with the Idolatrie committed in the Sacrament VVickliffe against images which he did not so soone attempt but the whole glut of monkes and begging Friers made against him and after them Simon Sudburie Archbishop of Canterbury tooke the matter in hand and for the same cause depriued Wickliffe of his benefice at
Oxford notwithstanding he well supported Iohn of Gaunt Lord H. Percie fauourers of VVic and friended of the King and other as Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Henrie Percie by whom he bare out the malice of the friers till the yere of our Lord one thousand thrée hundred seuentie seuen The opinions for which he was depriued in Oxforde The opinions of VVic were these That the Pope had no more power to excommunicate any man than an other and that to absolue is as much in any Priestes power as in his That when Ecclesiasticall persons doe sinne habitualiter continuing in the same still the Temporall powers may and likewise ought to take away from them that which hath béene before bestowed vpon them c. He touched also the matter of the sacrament prouing that in the same the accidents did not remaine without the substaunce both by the Scriptures and ancient Doctours About the yéere 1376. the Bishops still vrging and stirring vp their Archbishop Simon Sudbury which before had depriued him and afterward prohibited him not to stirre any more in those kind of matters had obtained by processe and order of citation to haue him brought before them wherevpon both place and time for him to appeare after their vsuall forme was to him assigned The Duke hauing intelligence that Wickliffe his Client should come before the bishops fearing that he being but one should be too weak against such a multitude calleth vnto him out of the orders of Friers foure Batchelers of diuinity out of euery order one to ioyne them with Wickliffe for the more surety Whē the day was come for Wickliffe to appeare which was Thursday the 19. of February Iohn Wickliffe accompanied with the Friers Wickliffe brought before the Bishops and with them also the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Piercey Lord marshall of England the said Lord Piercey going before him to make roome and way where Wickliffe shoulde come such was the throng of the multitude in Paules Church which was the place appointed that the Lordes for all the puissaunce of the high Marshall scarce could with great difficultie gette way thorough In so much that the Bishop of London Wil. Courtney sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire séeing the stirre that the Lord Marshall kept in the Church among the people speaking to the Lorde Piercie said that if hee had knowen what masteries he would haue kept in the church he would haue stopped him for comming in there Whereupon grewe words At last after much wrastling they preased thorow and came to our Ladies Chappell where the Duke and barons were sitting together with the Archbishops and other Bishops before whom stood Iohn Wickliffe to know what should be laid against him To whom first spake the Lord Percie bidding him sit downe saying Wickliffe bid sit downe hée had many things to answere vnto and therefore had need of some soft seate But the Bishop of Lincolne cast into a fumish heat sayd he should not sit there neither said he was it according to law c. wherevpon grewe great heat of speach among them The Duke also taking part with the Lord Percie From braule to threates rebuked the Bishop who went so farre beyond the Duke in rayling that the Duke as the Author saith was ashamed because hée could not ouerpasse the Bishop in brawling and therefore fell to plaine threatning wherevpon the contention grew so great that the councell broken vp with scolding and brauling for that day was dissolued before nine of the clocke About this time a proude bishop of Norwich was wounded and sore hurt A prowde B. wounded with his traine dispersed at the towne of Lennam for that he presumed to take vpon him to cōmaund a mace or tipstaffe belonging to the chiefe gouernour of the towne to be carried before him Anno 1377. In the moneth of Iune 21. day died Edward 3. that after he had raigned 51. yéeres who of all the kings of the realme vnto king Henry the 8. K. Edward dieth the greatest brideler of the pope was the greatest brideler of the Popes vsurped power whereby Iohn Wickliffe was maintained with ayd sufficient Richard the second succéeded his father beyng but eleuen yéeres of age and in the same yéere of his Fathers decease was crowned at Westminster anno 1371. Wickliffe notwithstanding he were forbidden by the bishops continued yet with his fellowes going barefoot and in long friers gownes Wickliffe goeth barefoote preaching Articles out of Wickliffes preachings as their manner was preaching diligently to the people out of whose Sermons chiefly these articles were collected That the Eucharist is the body of Christ but figurately That Rome is not the head of churches and that Peter had no more giuen vnto him then other apostles That the pope had no more the keies then any other within the order of priesthood that the Lords temporall may take away the temporalities of the clergy offending habitualiter are bound vnder paine of damnation to take them away frō any Church so offending That the gospell is the onely sufficient rule of life That neither the Pope nor any other prelate of the church ought to haue prisons wherein to punish transgressors c. Which were collected with diuerse more by the Bishops and sent to Pope Gregory at Rome where the Articles beyng perused and read Wickliffes articles condēned for hereticall were condemned by 23. Cardinals to be hereticall An. 1378. pope Gregory sendeth his Bull by the hands of one M. Edmund Stafford directed vnto the vniuersitie of Oxford rebuking them sharply imperiously like a pope for suffering so long the doctrine of Wickleffe to take roote which Bull when it came to be exhibited to their hands The Popes bull against Wickliffe the Proctors and Maisters of the vniuersitie ioyning together in consultation stood long in doubt deliberating with themselues whether to receiue the Popes Bull with honour or to reiect it with shame Beside this Bull sent to the Vniuersitie of Oxford pope Gregory directed moreouer his letters the same time to the Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Sudbury and to the Bishop of London William Courtney with the conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe therein enclosed commaunding them by vertue of those his letters apostolicall and straightly inioyning them to cause the sayd Iohn Wickliffe to be apprehended and cast into prison and that the King and the Nobles should be admonished The Pope diligent against Wickliffe not to geue any credit to the doctrine of Wickliffe c. Besides this Bull to the Archbishop of Canterburie and the Bishop of London he wrote two other letters concerning the same matter to the same Bishops dearing the same date of day and yéere in the seuēth yéere of his papacie 11. Kalend. Iunij Moreouer besides all these buls letters he directeth an other Epistle bearing the same date vnto king Richard the 2. touching the same matter The articles included in the
c. But this being done in the forenoone the 15. day of March on the afternoone the kings writ was not farre off hée was brought into Smithfield and there being put in an emptye barrell was bounde with yron barres fast to a stake and dry wood put to him and so burned At which time Courtney Chauncellour of Oxford preached and informed him of the faith of holy church the Prince the K. eldest sonne being also present When the tunne was put ouer his head and fire put to he cried mercy belike vpon the Lord whereat the Prince commanded to take away the tunne and to quench the fire promising him pardon if he would recant and a yerely stipende out of the kings treasurie Which when he denied and refused to recant hee commanded the tunne to be put ouer him againe and fire put to and so was he consumed The Cleargie still persecuted the faithfull and moued the king at the parlement which yet continued to enact the Statute Ex officio The Statute Ex officio which hée yéelded vnto and to fortifie the same the Archbishop made also a constitution against the professors of the truth and such was the straitnesse in those times that although many did constantly abide yet some did shrincke backe among whom was one Iohn Puruey that recāted at Paules crosse Diuers shrinke backe Iohn Edward priest who reuoked at the Gréene yard at Norwich Richard Herbert and Emmot Willy of London also Iohn Becke at London Iohn Seynons of Lincolnshire who was caused to reuoke at Canterbury The articles which commonly they did hold were these First that the office of the holy crosse did conteine méere idolatry Articles and that the crosse woorshippers are méere Idolaters that there is not the bodily presence in the sacrament That the Eucharist was instituted for a memoriall onely That the same Sacrament is a figure of his bodie That euery Priest ought to preach without license of his ordinary That it is sinne to giue any thing to the preaching Friers That we ought not to offer at the burials of the dead That confession of sins to the priest is vnnecessary That the infant although he die vnbaptized is saued That neither the Pope nor any whosoeuer can compell any man to sweare by any creature of God or by the Bible That no man is bound to giue any bodily reuerēce to any prelats c. Anno 1407. was William Thorpe W. Thorpe examined of articles before the Archbishop Thomas Arundell which William set foorth his examination written with his owne hand He was called and examined the Sunday next after Lammas hauing béene before imprisoned in the Castle of Saltwood He was burthened to haue preached in Shrewesburie in Saint Chads Church 1 That the Sacrament of the Altar was materiall bread Articles 2 That Images are in no wise to be worshipped 3 that men should not goe on Pilgrimages 4 That Priestes haue no title to tithes 5 That it is not lawfull to sweare in any wise Which articles he denied that euer he taught yet being examined of them particularly he first declaring that euery Priest hath power to preach and ought so to doe answered to the first that Transubstantiation was inuented by Fryer Thomas Aquinas Transubstantiation inuented by Tho. Aquinas since the deuill was let loose To the second that as in the Church of the Iewes it was not lawfull nor put in practise to make the image of the Trinitie or of any of the Saints or Prophets so neither in the time of the Gospell And so to the rest hee holdeth and aduoucheth against the Romish Church sauing concerning the matter of swearing He saide he preached that it was not lawfull to sweare by creatures and so not by a booke and alledged Chrisostome for that purpose who blameth them greatly that bringe forth a booke to sweare by Against swearing on a booke Besides these articles it was also obiected to him what he thought of auricular confession which he auswered to bée vnnecessarie but onely a contrite and penitent heart vnto God And if any man féele the burthē of his sinnes gréeuous and his conscience disquieted then were it not amisse to resort to a good priest and if he fayled that a man might lawfullie take councell and comfort at a Lay mans hand The discourse was long betwixt the archb and him and very excellently and couragiously did Thorp maintaine the trueth against the archbishop Who among many arguments of no waight alledged the examples of P. Rampington who now persecuted the brethren although he had before professed the truth the B. of Hereford and Puruey c. that had relapsed from the trueth which they once mainteyned but nothing could discourage or alter the constant hart of the godly mā Which the Archb. perceiuing after many threatnings A constant confessor of the trueth and contumelious words he called a Clearke and rounded him in the eare who went forth and straightway fette the Constable of Saltwood Castle whom the Archb. commanded to carrie William away who led him into a foule and filthie prison where notwithstanding he felt the exceding comfort of Gods spirit most plentifullie Besides his examination written with his own hand there is also extant a treatise vnder the title of his wil conteining a complaint against vitious priests their pride plesure of this life neglecting of their dueties c. What became of him is not in stories specified but it is most likely being committed to most straight prison he was closely made away or died by sicknes T. Walden writeth thus of I. Puruey before mentioned in his secōd tome I. Puruey saith he was the librarie of the lollards I. Puruey the librarie of the Lollards and glosser vpon Wic He said that the worshipping of Abraham was but a salutatiō And tom 3. he saith This I. Puruey with Herford a doctor of diuinity were gréeuouslie tormented and punished in the castle of Saltwood and at last recanted at Paules crosse in London T. Arundel then being Archb. of Cant. Afterward againe he was imprisoned vnder H. Chicheslie archb of Cāt. 1421. The works of this man which he wrote were gathered by R. Lauingam his aduersarie First as touching the sacrament of the last supper the sacrament of penance the sacrament of orders the power of the keyes the preaching of the gospell of marriages of vowes of possessions of correcting of the Clergie of the decrées of the church of the state of the P. and Cleargie of all these generallie he left diuers monuments grauelie and exactly written Articles tecanted The articles which he taught and afterward was forced to recant at Paules crosse were these 1 No transubstantiation 2 No auricular confession 3 Euery godly Lay man is a priest vnto God 4 That the wicked prelats haue not the keyes and that the cursing of the Pope should doe good and no hurt for that they which are so cursed are dismissed and fréed
at the castle of Cowling about the wednesday before the Natiuitie of our lady in September he commaunded letters citatory to be set vpon the great gates of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester but thrée miles from thence charging him to appéere personally before him at Ledes the eleuenth day of the same moneth and yéere all hinderances set aside these beyng pulled downe new letters were set vp on the Natiuitie day of our Lady which also were rent downe and consumed Then forasmuch as he did not appeare at the day appointed at Ledes where he sate in his consistory as cruell as euer was Caiaphas with his court of hypocrites about him he iudged him denounced him and condemned him of most deep contumacy And afterward it being reported vnto him that he laughed and scorned his censure without iust proof therof he excommunicated him and commaunded him to be cited afresh to appeare before him the saturday before the feast of Mathew threatning that if hee did not then appeare before him he would more extremely handle him compelled the lay power by most terrible curses to assist him against that seditious apostata schismatike heretike the troubler of the publike peace that enimy of the realme and great aduersary of the holy Church for all these hatefull names did he giue him The Lord Oldcastell hearing this The L. Cobhā maketh a draught of the confession of his faith and perceiuing in what danger he stood tooke pen and paper in hand and made a draught of the confession of his faith and sealed it with his owne hand which confession was nothing els but the Apostles Creede with a briefe declaration vppon the same In which he answered the 4. chiefest articles that the Archb. laide against him and that done he tooke the copy with him and went therwith to the king trusting to find mercy with him and offered it to him who woulde in no case receiue it but cōmanded it to be deliuered vnto those that should be his iudges Then he desired in the K. presence that an hundred knights esquiers might be suffered to come as vpon his purgation which he knew wold cléere him of al heresies Moreouer he offered himselfe after the law of armes to fight for life or death with any man liuing Christian or heathen in the quarel of his faith the kings maiesty and the Lordes of his Councel excepted and furthermore protested that he would obey al maner of lawes agréeable to the word of God Yet notwithstanding all this the K. suffered him to be summoned personally in his own priuy chamber Then said the Lord Cobham to the king that hée had appealed from the Archb. to the Pope of Rome and therefore he ought in no case said he to be my iudge hauing his appeale there readie written he shewed it with all reuerence to the king whereat the king was much more displeased and saide vnto him The L. Cobhā arrested at the kings commādement that he should not pursue his appeale and so was hée there arrested at the kings commandement and ledde forth to the tower of London to kéepe his day as was then said which the Archbishop had appointed him before in the kings chamber Now the day of examination being come which was the 23. of September the saterday before the feast of S. Mathew Tho. Arundell the Archb. sitting in Caiphas roome in the Chapter house of Paules with Richard Clifford Bish of London and Henry Bullinbrook Bishop of Winchester Sir Robert Morley knight and Lieutenant of the tower brought personally before him the said L. Cobhā and there left him for the time vnto whom the Archb. after that hée had exhibited vnto them the confession of his faith which they did not altogether mislike required his beliefe on the Sacrament of the Altar whether there bée a transubstantiating or not Whether as concerning the Sacrament of penance euery man be necessarily bound to confesse himselfe to a Priest ordained by the Churche but he would answere no otherwise then he had exhibited in his bill The L. Cobham answereth which was that he beléeued al the Sacraments that euer God ordained in his Church he beléeued the blessed Sacrament of the altar to bée Christs bodie in forme of bread That it is necessarie for euery man to do penance for sinne with true confession due satisfactiō as Gods law teacheth That who so doth the worship to dead images that is due to god he doth therin commit the sin of Mahumetry That euery mā is a pilgrime in this world he that knoweth the holy commandements of God kéepeth them shal be saued althogh he neuer in his life go on pilgrimage as men doe to Rome to Canterbury c. None other answere could they get of him which troubled them greatly and the archb bad him take deliberation till the Munday next following which was the 25. of September and then iustly to answere especially whether there remained materiall bread in the Sacrament of the Altar after the words of consecration or not and promised to send him the matters cléerely determined which the next day he did euen a blasphemous and foolish writing made by him and his vnlearned clergie Now when the 25. of September was come which was the Munday before Michaelmas Anno 1413. The archb commanded his iudiciall seat to be remoued from the chapterhouse of Paules to the Dominicke friers within Ludgate in London with diuers Bish Doct. Friers monks priests chanons parish clearks belringers pardoners which rabble al disdained the L. Cobham with innumerable mocks and scornes reckoning him to be an horrible heretike The L. Cobham mocked of knaues and a man accursed afore God and after the day spending in reasoning to fro of the sacrament of the altar of shriuing of the authoritie of the Pope of pilgrimages and worshipping of Images because hée did not beléeue in these pointes as the holy Romish Church did teach the Archbishop stood vp The L Cobham condēned and read a byll of condemnation against him after which bill read the L. Cobham said with a most chéerful countenance Though you iudge my body which is but a wretched thing yet am I certaine and sure that ye can doe no harme to my soule no more than Satan could doe to the soule of Iob. And as concerning these articles I wil stand to them to the very death by the grace of my eternal god And after a short instructiō to the people he fell there vpon his knées holding vp his hands and eyes to heauen praied for his enemies O lord God eternal I beséech thée for thy great mercies A worthie martir to forgeue my pursuers if it be thy blessed wil. And then he was deliuered to sir R. Morley and so led againe to the tower This being done the B. and priestes fayned an abiuration in the name of the L. Cob. to the end to bleare the eies of the vnlearned
he ought not to obey for any commandement of power to the contrarie because it is a worke not of indifferency but of expresse commandement The next article was almost one with this That the ecclesiasticall censures are antichristiā which Husse denied to be vttred in that form That there ought no interditement or curse to be appointed vnto the people And these were the articles both alleadged out of his booke of the Church and by himselfe auouched before them Besides these there were other articles brought against him among which were 19. that brought him into prison That Paul according to present iustice was a blasphemer but the childe of God by predestination That Christ more loueth a predestinate man being sinful then a reprobate in what grace soeuer he be for the time That al sinful according to presēt iustice are not faithful That the words of Christ touching binding and losing except they bee well vnderstood bring much feare or much presumption That the binding and loosing by God is simply and plainly the principall That priests doe onely heap vp those things out of the scriptures which serue for their bellies That the Popes power when he doth wickedly is not to be feared That an euil Pope is not the successor of Peter but of Iudas That the Pope is the beast spoken of in the Apocalipse This he denied to haue béen vttered by him That it is lawfull to preach notwithstanding the Popes inhibition That the Popes commandement béeing not agréeable to the Gospel is not to be obeyed That the Cleargy and Laitie may iudge of the works of prelats That God himselfe doth suspend euery wicked priest from his ministery That the Cleargie supplanteth the Laye people c. To these Articles aboue mentioned were other also annexed which the Parisiens had set downe against him to the number of 19. The chiefe author wherof was one Gerson Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Paris wherevnto hée had no time to answere Now when the foresaid articles were read with their testimonies the cardinal of Cambray with the rest exhorted Ioh. Husse to submit himself to the councel to suffer patiently that they would determine which was that he shold confesse himselfe to haue erred in the articles promise by oath neither to teach nor mainteine them moreouer openly recant all of them To this the Emp. moued him also with the rest to whom he answered that whatsoeuer were repugnāt to the scriptures being so proued vnto him he would recāt renounce otherwise durst he not do against his conscience after much debating Husse will not recant many false accusations Iohn Husse was caried to prison again Ioh. de Clum following cōforting him who after he was carried away the Emp. mightily inueyed against him The Emperor against Husse incited the Councel against him and his scholer Hierom of Prage to all seuerity as also against his friends and fauourers and so they departed out of the cloister and brake vp the assembly for that time The day before his condemnation which was the sixt of Iuly the Emperour Sigismund sent vnto him foure Bishops with M. Vincelat de Duba and Iohn de Clum to vnderstand of him what he would doo and when he was brought out to them and his minde demaunded he deliuered his resolution that he was ready to be reformed if it could be prooued by the scriptures that he had erred Which the Bishops counted an arrogant answere and commaunded him to be carried to prison againe The next day the Emperour with all the spirituall and temporall Lords held a generall Session in the head church of the city of Constance in which Iohn Husse was disgraded condemned deliuered to the ciuil power Husse disgraded condemned and deliuered to the seculars When Ioh. Husse was brought thither he fell downe vpon his knees prayed a long time In the meane while the B. of Lundy went vp and made a sermon when his sermon was ended the Procurer of the Councell rising vp named Henricus de Pyro required that the processe of the cause of Iohn Husse might be continued so procéed vnto the definitiue sentence then they alleadged other articles against him And last of all that he should say there should be a fourth person in the diuinitie whereto Iohn Husse saide O miserable and wretched man which am forced and compelled to feare such blasphemie slander Afterward the article was read how he appealed to Christ and that by name was called hereticall Whereunto Iohn Husse answered O Lord Iesu Christ whose word is openly condemned in this Councell vnto thée againe I make my appeale who H. appealeth to Christ when thou wast euill intreated of thine enemies diddest make thine appeale vnto God thy father committing thy cause to a most iust Iudge that by thy example we also being oppressed with manifold wrōgs iniuries should flie vnto thée Last of al was read the article touching the contempt of his excommunicatiō wherto after he had yelded a reasonable lawful answere one of the iudges read the definitiue sentence against him When the sentence and iudgement against him was ended Husse prayeth for his enemies is derided knéeling downe vpon his knées he said O Lord Iesu Christ forgiue mine enemies by whom thou knowest that I am falsly accused and that they haue vsed false witnesse and slanders against mée forgiue them I say for thy great mercies sake This his praier the greater part especially of the Priests derided At the last the 7. bishops disgraded him euery one taking a péece from him when they came to the rasing of his shauen crowne before the Bishops would go in hand with it there fell a great contentiō among them with what instrument it should be done with a razor or a paire of shieres The courage of Husse In the meane season Iohn Husse turning toward the Emperour said I maruel much that they being all of like cruell mind Cruelty of the bishops against Husse and stomake yet they cannot agrée of their kind of crueltie Notwithstanding at the last they agreed to cut of the skin of his head with a paire of shieres which being done they caused to be made a certaine crowne of paper almost a cubite high in the which were painted 3. ougly diuels of a wonderfull ougly shape and this title set ouer their heads Heresiarcha The which when he saw he saide My Lord Iesu Christ for my sake did weare a crown of thorns why should not I then for his sake againe weare this light crowne be it neuer so ignominious Truely I will doe it and that willingly When it was set vpon his head the Bishops said now we committe thy soule to the deuill But I said Ioh. Husse lifting his eyes toward the heauens doe committe my spirite vnto thy handes O Lord Iesu Christ to thée I commēd my soule which thou hast redéemed So after hee was committed to
the Secular power the Emperor commanded Ludouicus Duke of Bauaria that he should take Husse of the Bishops hands and deliuer him to those that shoulde doe the execution The place appointed for his execution was before the gate Gothebian betwéene the gardens and gates of the suburbes When Iohn Husse was come thether knéeling vpon his knées and lifting his eyes vp to heauen he prayed and said certaine Psalmes and specially the 51. and 31. psalmes and they which stoode by heard him oftentimes in his prayer with a merie countenance repeate this verse Vnto thy handes O Lord I commend my spirite c. Which thing when the Lay people behelde which stoode next vnto him they said what he hath done before we know not but now we sée and heare that hee prayeth very deuoutly and godly When as by the commandement of the tormentors hée was risen vp from the place of his prayer with a loud voice he said Lord Iesu Christ assist and helpe me that with a constant and patient minde by thy most gratious helpe I may beare and suffer this cruell and ignominious death whereunto I am condemned for the preaching of thy most precious word and holy Gospel So he was tied to a stake toward the West because said they he was not worthie to looke towarde the East The behauiour of Husse at his death and strawe and fagots being put to him Ludouicus Duke of Bauaria before fire was put vnto the wood with another with him the sonne of Clement came and exhorted him that he would yet be mindfull of his safetie and renounce his errors To whom he said what errors should I renoūce when as I know my selfe guiltie of none This was the principall ende and purpose of my doctrine that I might teach all men penance and remission of sinnes according to the veritie of the gospell of Christ and the exposition of holie Doctors Wherefore with a cherefull mind and courage I am here redy to suffer death When he had spoken these words they left him and hauing shaken hands they departed Then was the fire kindled and Iohn Husse began to sing with a loude voice Iesu Christ the sonne of the liuing God haue mercie vpon me and when he began to say the same the third time the wind droue the flame so vpon his face that it choaked him yet notwithstanding he moued a while after by the space that a man might say almost thrée times the Lordes prayer The bodie being burned to ashes with great diligence they gathered them together and cast them into the riuer of Rhine They cast the ashes of Husse into the Rhine that not so much as any memorie or remnant of him might be left Cocleus in his second booke contra Hussitas thinketh that the author that writte this historie of I. Husse was called Iohannes Prizibram a Bohemian who after succéeding in the place of Iohn Husse at Prage at last is thought to haue relented vnto the Papistes And thus much concerning the death of I. Husse who was burned at Constance an 1415. about the moneth of Iulie Being in prison Treatises of H. in prison he wrote diuers treatises of the commandemēts of the Lord of prayer of mortal sinne of matrimonie of the knowledge and loue of God of thrée enemies of mankind the flesh the world and the deuill of repentance of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ of the sufficiencie of the law of God to rule the church c. He had also many prophetical visions An. 1415. April iiij M. Ierom of Prage gréeuously sorowing for the slanderous reproach and defamation of his coūtrey of Boheme also hearing tell of the manifest iniuries done vnto the man of worthie memorie I. Husse fréely and of his own accord came to Constance Ier. of Prage commeth to Constance there perceiuing that I. Husse was denied to be heard and that watch and ward was laide for him on euerie side hee departed to Iberlinge a Citie of the Empire vntil the next day which Citie was a mile from Constance From thence hee wrote his Letters to Sigismund king of Hungarie and his barons requyring him of safeconduct which being denied him the next day he wrote certain intimations which he sent to Constāce to be set vpon the gates of the citie of the churches monasteries and houses of Cardinals and other Nobles and prelates requiring that if any had ought to charge him with of Heresie they would repaire thether where he should be ready to satisfie them requiring also in the same safeconduct and frée accesse which when it would not be graunted the Nobles Lords Knights c. especially of Boheme present in Constance gaue vnto Maister Ierome their letters patentes confirmed with their seales for a witnesse and testimonie of the premisses wherewith Ierome returning againe into Boheme Treason against Ierome of Prage was by treason of his enemies taken in Hirssaw by the officers of Duke Iohn and was brought backe againe to the presence of the Duke In the meane time Palletz and de Causis such as were enemies to Iohn Husse required that Hierome might be cited before the Councel which was accordingly performed maister Hierome cited by reason of his intimation and the Duke brought him bound vnto Constance with a great and long chaine to whom after they had obiected certaine friuolous matters they deliuered him being bound vnto the officers of the citie of Constance to be caried to prison for that night where he was comforted of Peter the Notary and one Vitus Hierome carried to prison Peter the Notary Vitus Which being knowne when it drew towardes euening the Archb. of Rygen sent certaine of his seruants which ledde away Hierome being strongly bounde with chaines both by the handes and by the neck and kept him so for certaine houres When night drew on they caried him vnto a certaine tower of the citie in S. Paules Churchyard where they tying him fast vnto a great block and his féete in the stockes his hands also being made fast vpon them left him The block was so high that he could by no meanes sit there upon but that his head must hang downward where he lay none of his friendes knowing of his conueyāce away two daies ij nights reléeued only with bread water wherof M. Peter hauing knowledge by one of his kéepers desired that he might haue leaue to prouide him meat which was granted Within 11. daies after so hanging by the héeles he vsed so smal repast Ierom falleth sicke that he fell sore sicke euen vnto death whervpon he desired to haue a confessor which was hardly and with great importunitie graunted him Now he had béene in prison one yéere lacking but seuen daies After they had put Iohn Husse to death about the feast of the Natiuitie of Mary the virgin they brought foorth M. Ierom whom they had kept so long in chaines vnto the church of
poysoned and his cardinals about him After this Pope succéeded next Pius 3. P. Pius 3. Pope casteth away Peters keyes about the yere 1503. After whom came next Iulius 2. a man more abhominable then all his felowes who on a time when he wēt to warre cast the keies of S. Peter into Tibris saying that for as much as the keyes of Saint Peter woulde not serue him to his purpose he would take to himselfe the sworde of S. Paul Of this Pope Iulius it is certainly reported that partlie with his warres and partlie with his cursinges within the space of seuen yéeres 200000. Christians slaine by the Popes meanes as good as 200000. Christians were destroyed first he besieged Rauenna against the Venetians then Seruia Imola Fauentia Foroliuinum Bononia and other cities which he gat out of princes handes not without great bloudshed This Iulius tooke an oth when he was made Pope as Iohn Sleidan maketh mention that he would haue a coūcell within two yéeres which because he did not performe nine of his Cardinals departed from him and came to Millan and there appointed a councell at Poyse A councell at Poyse among whom the chiefe were Bernardinus Crucenis Guilielmus Prenestinus Franciscus Constantinus with diuerse others among them also were the procurators of the Emperour Maximilian and of Lodouike the French king So the Councell was appointed anno 1511. to begin in the kalēds of September They called this councel to accuse the Pope for certain crimes and to depose him whereof Iulius hearing giuetn out contrary commandemēt vnder great paine no man to obey them and calleth himself another councel against the next yéere to bee begun the 19. day of Aprill The French king vnderstanding Pope Iulius to ioyne with the Venetians and so to take their part against him conuented a Councell at Thurim in the moneth of Septēber In which Councell these questions were propounded 1 Whether it were lawfull for the Pope to moue warre against any Prince without a cause Questions against the P. 2. Whether any prince in defending himself might inuade his aduersarie and denie his obedience To which questions it was answered both to be lawfull and that the pragmatical function Pragamatical function was to be obserued throughout all France After this the king sent vnto Iulius the answere of this Councell requiring him either to agrée to peace or to appoynt a generall Councell where this matter might bee more fullie decided Pope curseth the french K. Iulius would neither of these but forthwith accursed Ludouike the french king and after much bloudshed P. dieth and mortall warre the pope died an 1513. Februarie 21. A note touching the miserable persecution slaughter and captiuitie of the Christians vnder the Turkes THe beastly tirannie of the Turkes Persecution vnder the Turke aboue al the rest incomparablie surmounteth all the afflictions and cruell slaughters that euer were in any age or read in any historie especiallie by the space of these latter 300. yeres Whose crueltie hath béene such that there is no place almost where they vanquished that they did not either slay all the inhabitants thereof or leade away the most part into such captiuitie that they continued not long aliue or els so liued that death had béene vnto them more tollerable And as in the time of the first pesecutions of the Roman Emperours the saying was that no man could steppe with his foote in Rome but should treade vpon a Martyr so it may be said that almost there is not a Towne Citie or village in all Asia Grecia and also in a great part of Europa and Affrica whose stréetes haue not flowed with bloud of the Christians whom the cruell Turkes haue murthered Of whom are to be séene in histories heapes of Souldiers slaine of men and women cut in péeces of children sticked vpon poles and stakes whom these detestable Turkes most spitefullie and that in the sight of their parents vse to gore to death Some they drag at horse tailes famish to death some they teare in péeces tying their armes and legges to foure horses other some they make markes to shoote at vpon some they trie their swordes how déepe they can cut and flash the aged and féeble they tread vnder their horses women with childe they rip their bodies and cast the infantes into the fire or otherwise destroy them In their promises there is no trueth After the Citizens of Croya had yeelded and were promised their liues yet were they destroyed that horrible In Mosia after thee king had geuen himselfe to the Turkes hand hauing promise of life Mahumet slue him with his owne handes The Princes of Rasia had both their eyes put out with basins redde hote set before them Theodosia otherwise called Caphum hauing had promise of safetie being surrendred was likewise destroyed At the yelding of Lesbos a number of young men and children were put vpon sharpe stakes and poles At the winning of Hidruntum a Citie in Apulia the olde were troden vnder horses matrones and virgins rauished women with childe cutte and rent in péeces The Archbishop of that Citie an aged man was cut in sunder with a woodden saw c. At the taking of Nigropontus otherwise called Calcides anno 1471. the Turke contrarie to his promise most cruellie caused all the youth of Italie to be pricked vpon sharpe stakes some to bee dashed vpon harde stones and other some to be cutte in sunder in the middest and other mo with other kindes of death to be consumed In so much that all the stréetes of Chalcides did flowe with the bloud of them that were slaine At the winning of Constantinople the Turke neuer rose from dinner but he caused euery day for his disport thrée hundred Christian Captiues of the nobles of that Citie to be slain before his face So in Methone after his Captaine Omardo had sent vnto him at Constantinople 500. prisoners of the Christians he commanded them all to be cut and deuided in the middle and so being slayn to be throwen out into the fieldes Omares hauing likewise slaine all the Townesmen In Seruia the Prince of the Countrey being sent for vnder faire pretence of wordes and promises to come and speake with the Turke after he was come of his owne gentlenesse was apprehended and had his skinne fleane off and so was put to death His Brother and Sister brought to Constantinople in a triumph and all the Nobles of his Country as Faber addeth had their eyes put out and this was the manner of their cruelties towarde those they put to death Other some he carieth into miserable captiuitie for the Turke neuer cōmeth into Europe to war against the christiās but there followeth after his army a great number of brokers and merchants such as buy men and children and sell them againe bringing with them long chaines in the them againe bringing with them long chaines in the which they linke them by fiftie or
together in league for maintenance of the trueth for which cause certaine of the ministers and elders of the Church of Daulphin were sent to the valley of Lusern who arriuing there at euē at the village of Boly word was brought that such as would not go to masse shold be condēned to be burnt or sent to the gallies which whē they heard they exhorted one another saying let vs now make solemne protestatiō that wée wil vtterly forsake the false religion of the pope that we wil liue and die in the constant profession of Gods holy worde and trueth Let vs go tomorowe to the temple to heare the word of God and after this let vs cast downe all the Altars and Idols to the ground To this euerie man agréeed and in the very same houre in which they were appointed to answere the commandement they performed their agréement both at Bobie and at Villiers whether as they went they encountred a band of souldiers and put them to flight the 7. of Feb. In the meane time the L. of Trinitie after he had cōmitted diuers outrages being sore beaten of the Angrognians diuers of his men slain especially one of great authoritie in the D. court blewe a retrait descēded to Angroign and there the people being fled to the medow of Tower burnt 1000. houses made great spoyle Where although they oftentimes assayed to set fire on the two temples and the Ministers house yet could they not fire them Afterward the Lord of Trinitie burnt Rosa Rosa destroied and destroyed it with fire and sword But the Angroignians had afterwards such a hande of the aduersaries that they put them to flight with great slaughter There was one of 18. yeres of age and but small of stature which alone slue the Lord of Monteil Master of the Campe as it was tolde to the K. Another simple man threw downe Charles Truchet with the stroke of a stone and a young man leapt vpon him and slue him with his owne sword which was four fingers broade and claue his head in sunder This Truchet was one of the principall authors of this warre and their chiefe enemie The Angroignians pursued them more thā a mile and made great slaughter The 18. of Februarie the L. of Trinitie not satisfied with burning destroying the greatest part of townes cities endeuoured to burne and spoyle all the little Villages roūd about pertayning to the same where his were againe by a fewe discomfited through the power of God And when the enemies at any time rested them the Angroignians prayed to God which feared the enemies more then any thing els The 18. of March the L. of Trinitie with an armie of sixe or seuen thousand assayled them again with the gentlemen of the countrey but God gaue them victorie after they had cried 3. or 4 times help vs O Lord. The captain of this band was named Bastian of Vergil a man very experte in feates of warre He at the taking of his iorney threatned to doe great things that day his hostes hearing that said Mōsieur if our religion be better then theirs we shall haue the victorie els you shall not preuaile Shortly after the Captain was brought again into his Inne so wounded and so féeble that he was not like to liue then said his hostes vnto him Monsieur it is now wel séene that their religiō is better than ours After that being assayled againe they manfully defended themselues and had almost stricken the L. of Trinitie with an harquebush for the shot brake the wand which he bare in his hand who séeing his Soldiers in such great numbers slaine he wept bitterly The next day one of the principal captains of the armie surrendred his charge to the L. of Trinitie saying vnto him that he woulde neuer fight against this people any more and so departed In that combat there were but 2. of the Waldois slayn and 2. hurt Through the whole countrey of Piedmount euery man sayd God fighteth for them and the Souldiers themselues confessed God fighteth for his people they were so astonied that they could not strike Moreouer they said that this people neuer shot but they killed or hurt Some others said that the ministers by their prayers coniured or bewitched them that they could not fight And in trueth such was the successe of this people that only 14. of them were slaine in all these conflictes The 19. of March there was a hot skirmish at Angroign for 3. companies of souldiers went thither to burn al that remayned but they were manfully resisted so that they séeing the losse of their men retired After that the L. of Trin. endeuored by all falshood to destroy the poor people It fel out that the L. of Raconis seming to be sory for this war sent an honest man named Fran. Gilles to the medow of Tower to take aduise how hee might best further the agréement who hauing consulted with the ministers rulers and returning home was murthered by two of Angroigne which greatly greeued the Waldois who wrote to the Lord of Raconis excusing themselues and declaring how it gréeued them promising that they would execute vpon them such Iustice as was méet in such a case The L of Raconis writ vnto them againe requiring that the offenders might be deliuered vnto him whereunto they answered that vpon 3. conditions they should be deliuered 1. That they should not be cōpelled to doo any thing against their consciences Conditions as touching religion nothing should be spoken to thē but out of the word of God 2. That spedy iustice should be done on thē therafter this shold be no preiudice to the liberties priuiledges of Angroign 3. That the execution should be vpon the borders of Angroign for example this was accepted and the offenders deliuered which did redound greatly to the commendation of the Angroignians After that the L. of Trinity had greatly vexed them and yet could not preuaile the rulers of the Waldois requested earnestly the Lorde of Raconis to present a supplication Supplication to the Duches of Sauoy which they had made to the Duches of Sauoy wherein they declared the equity of their cause protesting al due obedience to the Duke their soueraign Lord if it might be proued by the word of god that they had held any error they would with humble submission receiue correction be reformed Hūbly beséeching her grace to appease the displeasure that the D. had conceaued against them by the vntrue surmises of their aduersaries and if in any thing they had offended they craued his most gratious pardō About this time the L. of Trinitie was in danger of death by sicknesse Soon after the supplication was deliuered the duches sent an answere to the Valdois by the L. of Raconis of hard conditiōs as that they should banish their ministers receiue the masse suffer no more preaching that the D. would at his pleasure
and vttered his diuerse argumentes where hée desired to be satisfied The matter was concerning the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Tailor desired him to deferre the matter till another tyme and to wryte his minde whiche hée did and at last it brake out to bée a publicke matter so that he was sent for by the Archbishop of Canturbury and was forced to defend his cause openly In that disputation it is said that Lambert did appeale from the Bishops to the king and the rumour of the disputation was spred to the court Now at this time Stephen Gardiner then bishop of Winchester A wicked persuasion was in authoritie among the kinges Counsellours and perswaded the kinge by the burning of Lambert to quiet the people who grudged at diuerse of his dooinges bothe touchyng his diuorce and pullinge downe the Popes pride and thereby to declare how stoutly he would resist Heretikes whereby the people might take some contentment So by these perswasions a day was set Lambert brought forth where besides he had the kings fierce countenance against him Lambert disputeth he had x. disputers against him frō xij of the clocke till v. at night among which were the archbishop Stephen Gardiner Tunstall B. of Durham Stokesley bishop of London In fine through Winchesters perswasion to gratifie the people the king himselfe condemned Lambert and commanded Cromwell the chiefe friend of the gospellers to read the sentēce The king condemneth Lambert Cromwell readeth the sentence against Lambert Cromwell craueth pardon of Lambert Vpon the day that was appointed for this holy martyr to suffer he was brought out of the prison at viij of the clocke in the morning vnto the house of the L. Cromwell so caried into his inner chamber where as it is reported of many Cromwell desired him of forgiuenes for that he had doone from thence he was brought into the hall and so into Smithfield where he suffered most terrible torments for after his legges were burned vp to the stumps that the wretched tormentors had withdrawē the fire from him so that but a small fire was left vnder him two that stood on each side of him with their halbards pitched him vpon their pikes as farre as the chaine would reach then he lifting vp such handes as he had and his fingers euer flaming with fier cried vnto the people in these wordes Lambert a worthy martyr None but Christ none but Christ and so beyng let downe againe from their Halbards he fell into the fire yéelded vp the ghost Lamberts treatice of the Sacrament During the time that he was in the Archbishops house he wrote a treatise to the king touching the Sacrament wherein he prooued that the bodie could be but in one place and that the Sacrament was a mysticall matter The same yéere 1538. Robert Packington Mercer brother of Austen aboue mentioned because he little fauoured the clergie being a man of courage and a burges of the parliament house for the Cittie and was thought to haue had some conference with the king to the disaduauntage of the clergie at fiue of the clocke in the morning as he was woont going from his house in Cheapside to prayers at a church called S. Thomas of Acres but nowe Mercers chappell he was slaine with a gun by an Italian Robert Packington slaine going to prayers whome D. Incent Deane of Paules had hired for lx crownes to doo that feat as he himselfe afterward on his death bed confessed The same yéere was Collins a mad man and his dogge burned Collins his dogge burned together because as the priest lifted his God so Collins in the Church at the same time lifted his dogge ouer his head his dogge was burnt also with him Likewise another mad man called Cowbridge Cowbridge was burned at Oxford the same yéere who what euer his madnesse was before yet in the middes of the flame he lifting vp his hand to heauen soberly and discréetly called vpon the name of the Lord Iesus and so departed About the same time and yéere Putdewe Putdewe was put to death for saying merily to a priest after he had drunke the wine he blessed the hungrie people with the emptie Chalice At the same time also was condēned W. Letton Williā Letton a moonke of Aye in the Countie of Suffolke was burned at Norwich for speaking against an idoll that was vsed to be carried in procession at Aye and for holding that the Sacrament ought to bée ministred in both kindes Somewhat before the burning of these men Nich. Peke Nicholas Peke was burned at Ipswich and when the firres were set on fire he was so scorched that he was as blacke as pitch Doctor Reading standing there before him with Doctor Heirre and Doctor Springwell hauing a long white wande in his hand did knocke him vpon the right shoulder and sayde Peke recant and beléeue in the Sacrament The notable courage of the martyr to whom Peke answeared I defie thée and it also and with greate violence hee spatte from him blood which came by reason the veynes brake in his bodie for extreme anguish Which when hée saide Doctor Reading graunted by the authoritie of the Bishoppe of Norwich fourtie dayes of pardon to so many as should cast a sticke to burne the heretike wherevpon Baron Curson Sir Iohn Audley knight and others were moued so to do and cutte downe boughes and threw them into the fire This yéere the king was againe required by the Emperour and other States to be a sender to the generall Counsell at Vincence For the Duke of Mantua woulde suffer none there The king againe refuseth the Counsell except the pope would with a sufficient armie gard this city The king again refused and sendeth his protestation in way of defence for himselfe to the Emperour and other Christian princes which he concludeth with this farewell Thus mighty Emperour fare yée most heartely wel and you Christian princes The kings farewell to the princes Anno Reg. the pillers and stay of Christendome fare ye heartily wel also you what people soeuer you are which doe desire that the Gospel and glory of God may flourish fare ye heartily well As Thomas Cromwell fauoured the Gospel so Stephan Gardiner B. of Winchester practised all he coulde against the same and wrought so with the king that the yéere 1539. seuere Iniunctions were set out by the kinges authoritie against English scripture bookes without examination against translations Search iniunctions without the authors name were put to it against sacramentaries that no man should dispute of the sacrament with the rest the canon of Becket rased c. and in fine so was he nusled by Winchester that Anno 1540. 1540. The king nusled by Winchester The whippe with vi strings The vi Articles He summoned a parlament to be holden at Westminster the xxviij of Aprill also a synode of
the L. Graie Sir George Carew and Sir Richard Greenfield who purged the town of the slander although for a time they were in displeasure yet wtin a while after they came into greater fauor then before and were rewarded with xx l. a yéere a péece at the least Rockwood one of the fearcest persecutors fell into dispaire Rockwood a persecutor despaireth Gods iudgements and at the last breath cried he was vtterly damned for that he said malitiously he sought the death of such good men The Vndermarshall also another persecutor suddenly fell downe in the counsell chamber and neuer spake worde and the rest of the persecutors had the reuenging hand of God following after them Adam Damlip Adam Damlip taken againe who before escaped lay hid in the West-country teaching a schoole about a yéere or two by the miserable inquisition of the six articles was againe taken and brought vp to London where he was by St. Gardiner commanded to the Marshalsea there lay the space of other two yéeres where thinking he had béene forgotten he in the Latine tongue wrote an epistle to the B. of Winchester wherin he said he would write his obedience submission for said he I had rather die then here to remaine and not to be suffered to vse my talent to Gods glorie This he said to M. Marbecke then prisoner in the Marshalsea This epistle he deliuered to his kéeper about Saturday in the morning which was about the ij wéeke before Whitsontide desiring him to deliuer it at the court to the B. of Winchester which he did The B. made such quicke dispatch that the kéeper came home at night very late brought with him a precept for the executiō of Adam Damlip So vpon munday early in the morning the kéeper other of the knight Marshals men cōueied Adam vnto Calice vpon the Ascension euen there cōmitted him to the Maiors prison because they could not burthen him with any thing within a sufficient cōpasse of time to condemne him they laid to his charge he had receiued a French crowne of cardinall Poole at Rome where before his first comming to Calice he was requested to read thrée lectures a wéeke in Cardinall Pooles house therefore they condemned him and executed him for treason Adam Damlip put to death which death he most méekely and hartely tooke Iohn Butler and sir Daniell the curate before mentioned after ix moneths imprisonment were with much labour permitted to returne to Calice againe William Steuens aboue mentioned who had remained all this time in the Tower was condemned also of treason with his guest Adam Damlip pardoned by the king Adam Damlip had sometimes béene a great papist chaplaine to Fisher B. of Rochester after the death of his maister trauelled France Dutchland and Italie and came to Rome where he would not for the wickednes of the place abide to remaine though cardinall Poole offered him maintenance to read iij. lectures a wéeke in his house which he refused for receiuing onely a French crowne he was condemned and executed for treason he receiued it at the Cardinals hand to drinke and beare some charge of expence By the preaching of Adam Damlip in Calice among others there was a poore mā whose name is not yet certainly knowne who was conuerted to the truth therfore condemned by one Haruey there being cōmissarie whom this Haruey in time of his iudgement called Hereticke and said he should die a vile death the poore man aunswered againe and said that he was no hereticke but was in the faith of Christ and whereas thou saidest said he that I shall die a vile death thou thy self shalt die a viler death and that shortly And so it came to passe for within half a yéere after Haruey was hanged Gods iudgement drawne and quartered for treason in the same towne of Calice After the burning of this poore man there was also a certaine other schooler coūted to be a dutchman named Dodde who comming out of Germany was there taken with certaine Germane bookes about him being examined standing stoutly to the doctrine of the gospell he was burned A little before this time Will. Bolton alias Crosbowmaker for saying the Pope wanted Charitie if he could and would not release soules out of Purgatorye by Doctor Darlie parson of our Ladies Church in Calice then Commissarie for Archbishoppe Warham was made to beare a fagotte and lost his wages which was vi pence a day who complaining thereof to the king and declaring vnto his maiestie the cause sent him to Calice againe and after that gaue him viij pence a day As for the vi articles many good men were put to death so for the Popes supremacie diuerse suffered And about this time Larke a priest of Chelsey for the supremacie and Germine Gardiner néere kinseman to Stephen Gardiner and his secretarie for practising for the Pope against the King were put to death By an act of parlament holden An. 1544. 1544. The rigour of vi articles mitigated the rigour of the vi articles was asswaged a little at the first time it was permitted that they which offended against them might recant which if they refused to doe and offended againe they should beare a fagot and should be admitted to abiure if the third time they offended then they should sustaine punishment according to law Notwithstanding this Parlament had thus mittigated the rigor yet remained the poison and all manner of bookes bearing the name of Williām Tindall or what other booke soeuer contained any thing against the vi articles were debarred In this Parlament also it was permitted onely to noblemen and gentlemen Noblemen and Gentlemē permitted to reade the scripture to reade the scriptures to their edifying so they did it without discussing or vrging therevpon In this Parlament also it was permitted to the party detected to trye his cause by witnesses as many or more in number as the other which deposed against him Anno 1545. 1545. Sixe articles more qualified the vi articles were yet much more qualified by Act of Parlament whereby it was also decréed that the king should haue full power to appoint 32. persons to wit sixetéene of the Cleargie and sixetéene of the temporaltie to peruse and ouersée examine the Canons constitutions and ordinances of the canon law aswell prouinciall as synodall and so according to their discretions to establish an order of ecclesiastical lawes such as should be thought by the king most conuenient This yeere 1544. Iohn Heywood recanted the Popes supremacie and Iohn At h the trueth of the sacrament About the yeere 1546. 1546 Saxy hanged one Saixe a priest was hanged in the porters lodge of Stephen Gardiner not without the consent of the Bishop as it is supposed there was also a seruant in Colchester named Henrie burned for the testimony of the trueth Henry burned This yeere 1546. One Kerby Kerby was
burned in Ipswich for the testimony of the truth and the matter of the real presence at whose death the Lord Wentworth who gaue sentēce against him with others wept bitterly He was burnt the Saterday before Gang munday and at the same barre also was condemned one Roper Roper Clearke of Mendesham was burned at S. Edmundsbury the Gang munday after He suffred great pains tormēts in his burning for the wood was gréen so that he was choked with smoke and moreouer being set in a pitch barrell was therewith sore payned at length one standing by took a fagot stick and striking at the ring about his neck stroke him belike vpon the head so he sunke down and was dissolued The other Kerby being disswaded by maister Robert Wingfield A notable speech of the constant seruant of Christ that declared vnto him the painfulnes of the death said vnto him Ah Maister Wingfield be at my death and you shal say there standeth a Christian souldier in the fire At the later end of this yéere 1545. in the moneth of Nouember was granted vnto the king besides other subsidies of money al Colledges Chauntries Frée chappels hospitals Fraternities brotherhoods guildes perpetuities of stipendarie priests to be disposed at his pleasure The next Lent following D. Crome D. Crome recanteth made a dilemma against priuate masses but the Prelates did so handle the matter that on Easter next they made him to recant Anno 1546. About the moneth of Iune Anne Askewe Iohn Lacels gentleman of the Court Iohn Adams a Tailor Nicholas Belleman a priest of Shropshire were burned at one fire in Smithfield Anne Askew 1545. Anne Askewe in the moneth of March was first examined by C. Dare Inquisitor at sadlers hall touching the Sacrament of the Altar Masses confession the kings booke and afterward committed by him to be examined of a Priest who propounded also concerning the sacrament to whom she would make no answere neither vnto the Inquisitor touching that matter He enquired also concerning priuate Masses which shee said was idolatrous From thence they had her to my Lord Mayor who examined her as they had done before to whom she made such answere as she did to the quest before which was in some things directly in other some by question Againe because she said she would not cast Pearles among swine From thence the L. Mayor commanded her to ward without baile so she remained in the Counter xi daies and no friend admitted to speak with her sauing a priest was sent vnto her by the B. to examin her of his points of superstition The xxiii of March her Cosen master Britaine went to my Lord Mayor desiring of him shee might be bayled who said he would not do it without the consent of the Spiritual Officer Whereupon he went to the Chauncellour but the matter was so haynous that he durst not do it without the B. of London were made priuie to it So from him he went to Bonner who said to master Britaine that hee was well contented that she should come foorth to a communication and appointed her to appeare the next day at iij. of the clocke at after noone but sent for her at one of the clock and by flattering wordes endeuoured to perswade her to declare her whole minde without feare and promised her that no vauntage should be taken of any worde she should there speake but she would declare nothing Wherwith the bishop being offended charged her with words she should be reported to speake against the sacrament of the altar against the masse with other such like questions some true some false wherto she made such answere as was not to the B. contentmēt yet subtilly he drew out a circumstance as it were a recantation required her to subscribe to it which she saide shée would do so far foorth as the holy scripture doth agrée vnto Frō thence she was caried againe to prison vntil the next morow at which time she was cōmanded to appeare at the guild hal from whēce againe she was commited to prison neither could she yet be bayled Thē were her sureties cōmanded to come before thē the next morow in Paules church where with much a do they took a bond of them of recognisaunce for her foorth comming and so she was deliuered Anno. 1546. she was examined againe before the kings counsel at Gréen wich to whō she answered in many things parabolically Anne Askew answereth parabolically when the B. of Winchester bad her make a direct answere she said she would not sing a new song of the Lord in a strāge land The next day she was again brought before the Counsel and as before was questioned with touching the Sacrament of the altar to whom she boldly and roundly with some checke vnto the aduersaries made aunswere in such sort A. Askew answereth boldly and roundly as they could take no direct vauntage against her On the sunday after she fel sore sick desired to speake with M. Latimer which might not be permitted After that she was sent to Newgate in her extremitie of sicknes Anne Askew condemned from thence they brought her to the guild hall where she was condēned for the article of the real presēce in the sacramēt After her condemnation on Tuesday she was sent from Newgate to the signe of the Crowne where M. Riche the Bishop of London and N. Shaxton laboured to perswade her to recant by faire words but it would not preuaile then M. Rich sent her to the tower where she remained till 3. of the clock then came M. Rich one of the counsel charged her vpon her obedience to shew vnto them if she knew any man or woman of her Sect and asked of the Lady of Suffolke of Sussex of Hertforde my Lady Dennie and my Lady Fitzwilliams which she would not disclose nor any other Then they put her on the racke Anne Askew racked till she was nigh dead because she cōfessed no Ladies nor Gentlewomen to be of her opinion and thereon they kept her a long time and because shée lay still and did not crie my Lord Chancellour and Maister Rich tooke paines to racke hir with their owne handes till she was nigh dead then the Liefetenant caused her to be loosed from the racke which doone incontinently she souned Then they recouered her againe and after that she sat two long houres reasoning with the lord Chancellour vpon the bare floore who with flattering woordes perswaded her to leaue her opinion Then was she brought to an house and layd vpon a bed with painefull bones after which the lord Chancellour sent her word that if she would leaue her opinion she should want nothing if she would not she should to Newgate and thence to the fire To whom she sent word againe that she would rather die then breake her faith The king vnderstanding by the Liefetenaunt of her cruell racking The king displeased with
to be of Antichrist Secondly that he denied the realtie of the Sacrament And so committed him vnto the Sheriffes handes sending him and maister Hooper who with maister Cardemaker was examined at the same time to the Clinke there to remaine till night and from thence then to be remoued to Newgate After sentence giuen Maister Rogers required of Gardiner that his wife being a strāger might come and speake with him so long as he liued Which Gardiner Cruel Gardiner would not though she were a stranger had 11. children and one sucking on her whom her husband woulde haue comforted and counselled but Gardiner would not permit it In the morning the fourth of Februarie Anno 1555. being munday hée was warned sodainely by the kéepers wife to prepare himselfe to the fire Who beeing then sounde asléepe scarce with much shogging coulde bee awaked being bid to make hast then said he if it be so I shal not néede to tye my poyntes And so was he had downe first to Boner Boner would not suffer maister Rogers to talke one word with his wife before his death Maister Rogers the first martyr of Q. Maries dayes to be disgraded that done he craued of Boner he might talke a fewe wordes with his wife before his death This Boner would not suffer So was he brought into Smithfield by maister Chester and maister Woodrofe then Sheriffes of London and chéerefully ended his martirdome in the fire washing his handes in the flame as he was in burning His pardō was brought him at the stake if he would haue recanted but he vtterly refused it and was the first martyr of Quéene Maries daies The Sunday before he suffered he drunke to Master Hooper being then vnderneth him and bad them commend him vnto him and tell him there was neuer little fellow better would sticke to a man then he would to him thinking they should haue burned together In the prison he wrote a certaine prophecie of the ruine of the pope here in England A prophecie of the ruine of the pope in England and restauration of the Gospell againe which accordingly came to passe by the blessed raigne of Quéene Elizabeth In the moneth of February the viij day Anno 1555. Laurence Saunders Laurence Saunders a Gentleman of a worshipfull house was burned at Couentrie after he had béen prysoner a yéere and a half in the Marshalsea He was brought vp in Eaton from thence was chosen to go to Kings Colledge in Cambridge where he continued scholer in the Colledge 3. yeres and profited much From thence departing to his parents by their aduise hee minded to become a marchant and was bounde apprentice with Syr William Chester who afterward was Sheriffe of London The same yéere Saunders was burned at Couentrie his maister considering his towardnesse in learning and his great zeale in religion discharged him of his seruice as one méete for an other vse Wherevpon he returned to Cambridge againe where he profited greatly in the Gréeke and Hebrewe tongues and gaue himselfe whollie to the studie of Diuinitie and continued in the Vniuersitie till he had procéeded Master of Artes. And a long space after in the beginning of King Edwardes time hée was called to reade a Lecture at Fothringam in Diuinitie where he greatlie edified many Which being dissolued hée was placed in the Minster at Lichfielde to reade there From whence hée was called to a Benefice in Leicester shire called Church-lancton wherupon he kept residence And from thence he was called to Ashalowes in Breadstréete in London Where behauing himselfe according to his duetie he was accused by sir Iohn Mordant Counsellour to Quéene Mary vnto Boner and after examination being commanded to prison by the B. of Winchester he answered that he did giue God thanks who had giuen him at the last a resting place where hee might pray for the Bishops conuersion His constancie was such that he forbad his wife to sue for his deliuerie Laurence Saunders constancie And when other of his friends had by suite almost obtained it he discouraged them In prison he wrote diuers comfortable letters to his wife Sanders wrote diuers letters to Doctor Cranmer Ridley and Latimer prisoners for the like cause in Oxford to M. Ferrar B. of S. Dauies Taylor Bradford Philpot to mistres Lucie Harrington c. After hee was excommunicated and deliuered to the secular power he was brought by the Sheriffe of London to the counter in his parish in Bredstréet wherat he reioyced greatly The fourth day of February the Bishop of London did come to prison where he was to disgrade him which when he had done Laurence Saunders said I thanke God I am not of your Church The day following in the morning he was deliuered to certaine of the Quéenes gard to bee carried to Couentrie there to be burned The first night he lay at S. Albones where maister Grimoalde did speake with him a man of greater giftes then constancie after maister Saunders had giuen him a lesson méete for his lightnesse he tooke a cuppe into his hands asked him if he woulde pledge him of that cuppe of which hée woulde beginne to him vnto him to whom Grimoald shrugging saide of that cuppe in your hand I will pledge you Sweet sayings of Laurence Saunders but of that other which you meane I will not promise you Well saide maister Saunders my déere Lorde Iesus Christ hath begunne to mee of a more bitter cup then mine shal be and shall I not pledge my most swéete Sauiour Yes I hope After they were come to Couentrie the same night he was put into the common gaole among other prisoners where he spent all that night in prayer and in instructing others The next day which was the viij of Februarie he was had to the place of execution in the Parke without the Citie where comming to the stake he took it in his armes and kissed it saying welcome the Crosse of Christ welcome euerlasting life And being fastened to the stake and fire put to him full swéetly he slept in the Lord. Anno 1555. The ix of Februarie was B. Hooper burned at Glocester Hooper burned at Gloster for the testimonie of Iesus He had béene Graduate in the Vniuersitie of Oxforde in the time of the sixe Articles Winchester conferred with him 4. or 5. daies together and not preuayling with him dismissed him to his M. sir T. Arundel whose Steward he had béene when hee had forsaken Oxford for feare of the sixe Articles After the conference with Winchester he had intelligence of danger and being counselled to prouide for himself went ouer beyond the sea and being at Paris stayed not long till he was againe layd for So hee returned againe into England and was retayned of M. Sentlow After that he departed againe beyond seas through France into Germanie where he was wel acquainted with M. Bullinger at Zuricke there he married a wife a Burgonian and then applied very
nine of the clocke he was willed to prepare himselfe for the time was at hand At which time and when he came to the place of execution hée was neuer knowne during the time of his beyng amongst them Hooper goeth cheerefully to his death to looke with so chéerefull a countenaunce as he did at that present When hée came to the place where hée should die smiling he beheld the stake and preparation made for him he knéelyng downe made a prayer vpon the whole Créede for the space of halfe an houre Now after hée was somewhat entered into his prayer a boxe was brought and layd before him vpon a stoole with his pardon if he would turne Hooper refuseth pardon at the sight whereof he cried if you loue my soule away with it if you loue my soule away with it When his praiers were ended and hée stripped to his shirte hée went vp to the stake and had deliuered vnto him a pound of gun-powder whiche hée trussed close betwixt his legges and asmuch vnder each arme hole So réedes being set about him and cast vp he receiued two bundels of them in his owne hands embraced them and kissed them and put vnder ech arme one of them and shewed with his hande how the rest should be bestowed So fire being put to he endured iij. quarters of an houre at least in the fire before hée died it was so euill made and the wind did so stande In which paines he prayed so long as he could earnestly to the Lord Hooper a worthy martyr and the vse of tongue being taken away hée knocked so long on his brestes with his handes till one of his armes fell of and then with the other till his hand did cleaue fast to the iron vpon his brest Anno 1555. The ix of February Doctor Taylor Doctor Taylor martyr doctor of both the lawes was burned at Hadley the towne where he was Pastor The cause of his trouble was one Foster a petigentleman after the sort of a Lawier a kéeper of courts and one Iohn Clerke of Hadley because he resisted Iohn Auer parson of Aldam who would haue said Masse in Hadley church For this they complained of him to Stephen Gardiner who vpon complaint sent a letter to D. Taylor commaunding him within certaine daies to appeare before him Which D. Taylor coÌ„trary to the perswasions of his fréends did who so soone as D. Taylor appéered before him rayled vpon him when he could not preuaile any way to seduce him he commaunded him to prison saying haue this fellow hence and cary him to the Kings bench and charge the kéeper he be straightly kept so they carried him to prison where he lay prisoner almost two yéeres Within few daies after diuers other learned and godly men in sundrie countries of England were layd in pryson for religion All the prisons in England Christian schooles and Churches so that almost all the prysons in England were become right christian schooles and churches D. Taylor when he was come to the Kings bench there found M. Bradford who had great coÌ„fort one of another After that D. Taylor had lyen in prison a while he was cited to appeare in the arches at Bow-church there to answere c. so to be depriued who so handled the matter of his mariage by scriptures doctors lawes ciuill canon that the iudge could giue no senteÌ„ce to diuorse him but gaue sentence of depriuation because he was married After a yéere thrée quarters in which time they had gotten old tyrannous lawes put downe in K. Henry the 8. time of K. Edward to be restored againe about the 22. of Ianuary D. Tailor appéered againe before the coÌ„missioners where after perswasions and threats at Gardiners hands the rest he constantly holding the truth was had to prison againe where he endured close till the last of Ianuary Vpon which day he with M. Bradford and M. Saunders were again called to appéere before Winchester Norwich London Salisburie c. where charged with Heresie and Schisme they were required to giue determinate answere whether they would recant or no who shewing themselues bolde and constant in the cause of Christ receiued the sentence of condemnation with chéerefulnesse and thankesgiuing to God that they were counted worthy to suffer for his name So Doctor Taylor Taylor Bradford Saunders condemned beyng condemned was committed to the Clinke where hee was bestowed till towards night and then he was remoued to the Counter Where after he had lyen a seuenight Boner came to disgrade him at which disgrading wheÌ„ Boner would haue had him put on the Antichristian attire he would not himself do it but it was forced vpon him by others And when he was throughly furnished therwith he set his hands by his side M. Tayler is pleasant at antichrâ—â—â—â—â—â— attire walking vp and downe and saide how say you my Lorde Am I not a goodly foole how say you my maisters So the B. scraped his fingers thombs and crown of his head and when he should haue giuen him a stroke on his brest with his crosier staffe the B. Chaplen saide my Lord strike him not for he will sure strike againe Yea that will I qâ—â—â—â— Doctor Taylor the cause is Christes and I were no 〈◊〉 Christian if I wold not fight in my maisters quarrel S◠〈◊〉 Bishop being afraide laid his curse vpon him The foâ—â—â—â—â— day of February Doctor Taylors They strike out D. Tailors braines at the fire wife and his sonne supâ—â—â—â— with him in the Counter and the next day by two of the clocke in the morning the Sheriffe of London with his officers came to the Counter and so brought forth D. Taylor without any light leading him to the Wolsacke an Inne without Algate where he was straightway put in a chamber and kept with 4. yomen of the guard and the Sheriffes men Where Doctor Taylor fell downe on his knées gaue himselfe wholly to praier At the Wolsacke he remained til xi of the clocke at which time the Sheriffe of Essex was ready to receiue him And so they set him on horseback within the Inne the gates being shut At Burntwood they caused to be made for D. Taylor They maske D. Taylor that he might not be knowen a close hood with two holes for his eies and a slit for his mouth to breath at This they did that no man should know him nor he speake to any man which practise they vsed with others All the way he was very chéerefull and merrie to the great woondering of the companie At Chelmesford the Sheriffe of Suffolke mette him and tooke him to his charge and perswaded him to reuolt and dranke to him of the same condition So did the gard saying on this condition Maister Doct. we al drink to you When they had all drunk to him and the cup was come to him he staied a litle as one studying what answere he might giue at
the last he saide maister Sheriffe my maisters all I heartily thanke you for your goodwil I haue hearkened to your words and marked well your counsels and to be plaine with you I doe perceiue that I haue béene deceiued my selfe and am like to deceiue a great many in Hadley of their expectations With that word they all reioyced yea good maister Doctor quoth 〈◊〉 Sheriffe Gods blessing on your heart holde you there 〈◊〉 it is the comfortablest worde that wée hearde you 〈◊〉 yet what should you cast away your selfe in vain 〈◊〉 a wise mans part and I dare warrant you you shall 〈◊〉 fauour Thus they reioyced very much at the wordes and were â—â—â—â—y merry At the last good maister Doctor quoth the sheriffe what meane you by this that you thinke you haue â—â—ene deceiued your selfe c. Would you know my meaning plainely quoth he I will tell you I haue béene deceiued and as I thinke I shal deceiue a great manie I am as you sée a man that hath a very great carkas which I thought shoulde haue béene buried in Hadley Churchyarde if I had died in my bed as I well hoped I shoulde haue done But herein I sée I was deceiued and there are a great number of woormes in Hadley Churchyarde which should haue had iolly féeding vpon this carrion which they haue looked for manie a day The wormes deceiued by D. Taylors burning But nowe I know wée be deceyued I and they for this carkas must bée burnt to ashes and so shall they loose their baite and féeding When the Sheriffe and his companie heard him say so they were amazed maruelling at his constancie Departing thence and comming within two myles of Hadley hée desired to light of his Horse to make water which done he leapt and fetcht a friske or twaine D. Taylor of a marueylous courage as men commonly doe in daunsing Why M. Doctor quoth the sheriffe how do you now He answered well God be praised good M. sheriffe neuer better for now I know I am almost at home And at the last comming to Aldam Common the place assigned where he should suffer and vnderstanding it was the place he saide Thanked be God I am euen at home so lighted from his horse and with both his handes rent the hood from his head and profering to speake to the people who prayed for him and saluted him one or other thrust a tipstaffe into his mouth and would in no wise permitte him to speake For he was threatned and so were others that he should haue his tongue cutte out of his head except he would promise to kéepe silence at his death WheÌ„ he had praied he kissed the stake and set himselfe into a pitch barrell which they had set for him to stande in So praying They strike out D. Tailors braines at the fire and calling on the name of God he endured the torment til one Soice with an halbert strooke him on the head that the braynes fell out and the dead corps fell into the fire Within viij or ix dayes after S. Gardiner had geuen sentence against M. Hooper M. Rogers M. Saunders Doctor Taylor and Master Bradford being the viij of Februarie sixe other good men were brought before the bishoppes to be examined for their Religion Whose names were William Pigot Butcher St. Knight Barber Tho. Tomkins Weuer Thomas Hawkes Gentleman Iohn Lawrence Priest and William Hunter Prentice From which day Steeuen Gardiner Gardiner putteth of the butchering of the Saints to Boner would meddle no more in such kinde of condemnations but referred the whole doing thereof to Boner Bishoppe of London Who taking the matter in hande in the Consistorie of Paules the Lord Mayor and certaine Aldermen sitting with him the ix day of Februarie he read the sentence of condemnation against the sixe persons which were not executed before the moneth of March. Vpon the xiij day of Februarie Master Robert Farrar Bishop of saint Dauies was sent towardes saint Dauies there to be condemned and executed The xviij day of Februarie Quéene Marie after long delay made ful answere to the king of Denmarkes letters who had written two before to her in the behalfe of Miles Couerdale Miles Couerdale graunted to the King of Denmarke for his deliuerance whereunto she in the ende yelded The xix of Februarie there was a certaine intimation printed in the name of Boner where charge was geuen to euery man and woman within his Dioces to prepare them selues against Lent to receiue reconciliation sent from pope Iulius 3. by Poole his Cardinall and Legate de latere and so to be absolued Of the vj. before mentioned condemned by Boner Tho. Tomkins Thomas Tomkins Martyr was the first that suffered the xvj of March 1555. in Smithfield His dwelling was in Shordich in the Dioces of Lond. He was kept in prison by Boner halfe a yere and was of him most cruelly vsed beaten about the face and parte of his bearde pulled off by Boner Wherefore he caused him to be shauen pretending that then he woulde looke like a Catholike After that hauing with him M. Harpsfield M. Pendleton Doctor Chadsey M. Willerton and other standing by the Bishoppe tooke Tomkins by the fingers and helde his hande directly ouer the flame of a Taper hauing thrée or foure wéekes supposing by the payne thereof to terrifie him and cause him to leaue off the profession of the trueth In the which burning he neuer mooued till the veines shrunke They burne Tomkins hand with a Taper and the sinewes burst and the water did spirte in Master Harpsfieldes face In so much that Harpsfield mooued with pittie desired the Bishoppe to stay saying he had tryed him enough This burning was in the Bishops Hall at Fulham He was sundrie times examined The first time after he had béene imprisoned about halfe a yere the 8. of Februarie His Articles were touching the Sacrament of the Altar The next day he appeared againe at eight of the clocke before noone and againe the third tyme the same day at two of the clocke in the after noone where remayning constant in the doctrine of the Gospell the Bishop gaue sentence of death against him and so beyng deliuered to the Shiriffe of London was carried to Newgate where he remayned most ioyous and constant vntill the xvj of March next after Tomkins burned in Smithfield On which day in Smithfield he sealed vp his faith in the flaming fire The same yéere the xvj of March William Hunter of the age of ninetéene yéeres was martyred for the testimonie of the truth he being a prentise in London in the first yéere of Quéene Marie was commaunded at the Easter next followyng to receiue the Communion at a Masse by the Priest of the parish where he dwelt in Colman stréete in London which because he refused he was threatned to be brought before the B. of London Wherfore his master one Th. Taylor a silke maÌ„ fearing
least he should come in danger for his sake required W. Hunter to depart from him which he did and came to Burntwood where his Father dwelt with whom he remained about the space of half a quarter of a yéere till being suspected for reading the vj. of Iohn in the chappell of Burntwood One Father Otwell a sumner and one Thomas Wood vicar of Southweild with whom also he disagréed in reasoning of points of the sacrament he was cōplained of by the vicar to iustice Browne but Hunter being afraid of the vicars threats fled Browne sent for Hūters father with the Constable threatned him punishment except he would bring vnto him his son The father to satisfie the expectation of Browne road ij or iij. daies iourneis in the high way William met with his Father who after he had with many teares declared what charge Browne had giuen him the sonne said he would go home with him to saue him harmeles whatsoeuer came of it The father cōpelled against the sonne So he was brought to iustice Browne who after he had reasoned with him out of the sixt of Iohn and could not peruert him made a letter immediatly and sent William Hunter with a Constable to the bishop of London who not able to alter Hunters minde neither by threates nor flatteries commaunded his men to put him in the stockes in his gatehouse where hée sat two dayes and nightes onely with a crust of brownebread and a cup of water After two daies the B. assaied him againe and finding him constant sent him to the conuict prison and commaundeth the kéeper to lay irons enough on him So hée continued in prison thrée quarters of a yéere in the whiche time hée had béene before the Bishop fiue times besides the time when he was condemned the ix day of February in the consistory of Paules with fiue other mo After sentence of condemnation of them all the Bishop called for William Hunter and perswaded with him saying if thou wilt yet recant I will make thée a frée man in the Citie and giue thée fortie pounds in good mony to set vp thine occupation withall or I will make thée Stewarde of my house and I will preferre thée c. Whereto after William had said he counted all wordly thinges but losse and dunge in respect of the loue of Christe with the rest hée was ledde to Newgate where they remayned aboute a moneth and afterwarde were sent downe William to Burntwood and the other to other places in the Countrie Now when William was come downe into the Countrie to Burntwood whiche was the Saturday before the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary that followed on the Munday after William remained till the Tuesday because they would not put him to death then for the holynes of the day In the meane time his father mother came and comforted him Hunters mother encourageth him to be constant and encouraged him his mother saying that shée was glad that euer shée was so happie to beare suche a sonne who coulde finde in his heart to loose his lyfe for Christes names sake Then William aunswered for my little payne whiche I shall suffer whiche is but short Christ hath promised me said he a crowne of ioy may you not be glad of that mother with other such words of ioy and comfort on both partes Thus passing away saterday Sunday and munday on Tuesday morning when it was morning the Sheriffe maister Brocket called on to set forward to the burning of William Hunter Whose sonne yet did imbrace and comfort William At the place of his martyrdom there was a Popish priest that endeuoured to peruert him at the stake and saide vnto him as thou burnest here so shalt thou burne in hell To whom William answered thou lyest false prophet away thou false prophet away His brother béeyng by saide vnto him William Hunters brother encourageth him thinke on the passion of Christ and bée not afrayde of death To whom hée aunswered I am not afrayde then lift hée vp his handes to heauen and saide Lorde Lorde Lorde receiue my spirite And casting downe his head againe into the smothering smoke hée yéelded vp his life for the trueth The eight of August Anno 1553. William Sarton William Sarton weauer of Bristow was brought before Dalbie Chancellour of Bristow and by him condemned for holding against the sacrament of the altar He was burned the 18. of September Anno 1556. At Bedaile a market towne in Yorkeshire were two men persecuted for the trueth of the Gospell in the latter dayes of Quéene Marie the one named Iohn Suell and the other Richarde Suell their imprisonment was so sore that their toes rotted off In the ende the one of them at length yeelded to heare masse and within thrée or foure dayes after his libertye hée drowned himselfe in a riuer running by Richmonde called Swaile the other endured to the ende béeyng condemned by Doctour Dakins Who after sentence giuen against the martyr came home to his house and neuer ioyed after but died Anno 1555. the xxvi of March Maister Higbed and Maister Canston Gentlemen of Essex were put to death for the testimonie of the Gospel the one at Hornden of the hill and the other at the parish of Thundrest Boner perceiuing these two Gentlemen to bée of woorshipfull estate least anie tumult shoulde thereby arise came downe himselfe accompanied with Fecknam and certaine other and laboured with faire promises and threatninges Which when they saw would not preuaile the B. carried them both with him to London and with them certaine other prisoners also which about the same time were in those quarters apprehended Not long after this these prisoners were committed to straight prison and there attempted sundry waies by the B. and his chaplains to reuoke their opinions At length when no perswasion would serue they were brought to open examination at the Consistory at Paules the 17. day of February Anno 1555. Where being demaunded whether they would recant and they denying so to do were assigned the next day to appeare againe the 18. of Februarie On which day among many other things the Bishop read vnto them seuerall Articles and gaue them respite till the next day to answere and so committed them to prison againe The articles did touch the reall presence and that the godly martyrs who were burned were heretikes with other to this effect These béeyng giuen them in writing the next daie was assigned to them to giue their answere Vpon which day béeyng the first of Marche they did exhibite their aunsweres contrarie to the determination of the Romish Churche and denying to recant they were againe dismissed and commaunded to appeare the Wednesday nexte after at twoo of the clocke at after noone there to receyue definitiue sentence The next Friday they were called for agayne and no hope being had of their recantation were againe dismissed to pryson and commaunded to appeare the nexte day in the consistorie of
and therefore hath not God graunted your desire But I am a poore simple man as you sée and God hath heard my complaint and I trust he will strengthen me in his owne cause When their prayer would not preuaile they aduised to say a masse to sée what that would worke In the meane time Rawlins be tooke him to prayer in a secrete place till such time as the Priest came to the sacring When Rawlins heard the sacring bell ring he rose out of his place and came to the quire dore and standing a while turned himselfe to the people speaking these wordes Good people if there be at the least but one brother among you the same one shall beare witnesse at the day of iudgement that I howe not to this Idoll meaning the host that the Priest helde ouer his head Masse being ended and Rawlins persisting constant the Bishoppe procéedeth to sentence and hauing condemned him dismisseth him to be carried againe to Cardiffe there to be put into the prison of the towne called Clockemacell a very dark lothsome and most vile prison where Rawlins passed the time in singing of Psalmes About thrée or foure wéekes after he hauing intelligence that his tyme of death drewe néere sendeth foorthwith to his wife and willeth her by the messenger that in any wise she should make readie Rawlins wedding garmēts and send vnto him his wedding garments meanyng a shirte which afterwarde hée was burned in Whiche was accomplished accordyng to his mynde Now apparelled in his wedding garments when the houre was come and he passed to his death in the way his poore wife and children stood wéeping and making lamentation which so pearced his heart that hee let fall teares from his eyes but soone after as though he had misliked his infirmitie beganne to be angry with himselfe insomuch that striking his brest with his hande hée vsed these wordes Ah flesh stayest thou me so wouldest thou faine preuaile Rawlins a worthy martyr Well I tell thée do what thou canst thou shalt not by Gods grace haue the victorie By this time hée came to the stake and going towards it he fell down vpon his knées and kissed the ground and in rising againe the earth a little sticking on his face he saide these words Earth vnto earth and dust vnto dust thou art my mother and to thée shall I returne Then went he cherefully and very ioyfully to the stake and set his backe close thereunto and when hée had stoode there a while he cast his eye vpon the Reporter of this History calling him vnto him and sayde I féele a great fighting betwixt the Fleshe and the Spirit and the Fleshe woulde very fayne haue his swinge and therefore I pray you when you séeme any thing tempted holde your finger vp to me and I trust I shall remember my selfe After the Smith had made him fast to the Stake according as hée had required him being afrayde of his infirmitie and the Officers began to laie wood to him with strawe and réede hée himselfe as farre as hée could reach would catcht the same and very chéerefully disposed it about his bodie When all thinges were readie then stept vp a Priest addressing himselfe to speake and to peruert the people Which when Rawlins Rawlins perceiued hée beckened with his hand to the people and said come hither good people and heare not a false prophet preach And then said vnto the preacher oh thou naughtie hypocrite doost thou presume to prooue thy false doctrine by Scripture Looke in the text what followeth did not Christ say doo this in remembrance of mée after which wordes the Priest beyng amazed held his peace Then some that stood by cried put too fire put to fire which being put to he bathed his handes so long in the flame till the sinewes shrunke and the fatte dropped away and once he did as it were wipe his face with one of them All this while which was somewhat long he cried with a loud voice O Lord receiue my soule vntill he could not open his mouth He was at the same time of his death about 60. yéeres of age About this time Anno 1555. the 28. of March Quéene Marie was fully resolued and declared so much to foure of her Counsell to restore the Abbey landes againe to the Church And the moneth before the 19. of Februarie the Bishoppe of Ely with the Lord Montague and viij score horse were sent as Ambassadors from the king Quéene vnto Rome very likely for the cause of Abbey landes as it appeareth by the sequele For it was not long after but the Pope did set foorth in print a Bull of excommunication for all manner such persons without exception that kept any of the Church landes The P. excommunicateth those that hold Abbey lands Pope Iulius the monster dyeth And also all such as did not put the same Bull in execution About the latter end of this Moneth Pope Iulius dyed a monster of nature who missing on a time his Porke and answere being made that his Phisition forbad it because of his goute bursting out into a rage he vttered these wordes bring me my porke flesh in the despight of God An other time missing his cold Peacocke Popes Peacocke most horribly blasphemyng God he brake into a rage Wherevpon when one of his cardinals sitting by labored to pacifie him what said Iulius the Pope if God was so angry for one apple that hée cast our first parents out of Paradice therefore A blasphemous Pope why may not I being his vicar be angry then for my Peacocke sithence a Peacocke is a greater matter then an apple Hée confirmed the idoll of Lauretane Vpon Shrouesunday which was about the iij. of March the same yéere a préest in Kent named Nightingall parson of Crondall besides Canturbury reioycing at the alteration of religion and reading to the people the popes Bull of pardon that was sent into England hée sayd hée thanked God that euer hée had liued to sée that daie adding moreouer that hée beléeued that by the vertue of that Bull hee was as cléere of sinne as the night that he was borne and immediatly vpon the same fell suddenly downe out of the Pulpit Gods iudgement and neuer stirred hand nor foot but so died Testified by Robert Austen of Cartham who both heard and saw the same and it is witnessed also of the whole country round about In the moneth of Aprill and the second day Iohn Awcocke died in pryson and was buried in the fieldes The first of Aprill Anno 1555. a letter was sent to the Shiriffe of Kent to apprehend Thomas Woodgate and William Maynard for preachyng secréetly and to send them vp to the Counsell The vij day of the same moneth was sent another letter to the said Shiriffe for the apprehension of one Hardwich who went about with a boy with him preaching from place to place The fiftenth of Aprill a letter was directed
martyrs and so also gaue himselfe to be bound to the stake most gladly The people séeing this so sodainly done contrary to their fearful expectation as men deliuered out of great doubt cried out for ioy with so great a showte as hath not lightly bin heard a greater saying God be praised The people encourage Cardmaker at his death the Lorde strengthen thée Cardmaker the Lord Iesus receiue thy spirit and this continued till the executioner put fire to them Which being done they both passed through the fire to their eternal rest The twelfth day a letter was sent to the Lord Treasurer to cause writtes to bee made to the Sheriffe of Sussex for the burning and executing of Dericke a Bruer at Lewes and other two one in Stainings and the other at Chichester The 23. of Iune a letter was sent to Boner to examine a report giuen to the Councel of 4. parishes within the Sooken of Essex that should still vse the English seruice and to punish the offenders if any such were With maister Cardmaker Iohn Warne vpon the same day and in the same company and for the same cause were also condemned Iohn Ardeley and Iohn Simson which was the 25. of May. They were both husbandmen in the parish of Wigborow in Essex and almost both of one age saue that Simson was of the age of 34. and the other of 30. Valiant martyr Ioh. Ardley Iohn Ardley being vrged by the B. to recant saide boldly vnto the B. with many other wordes of like constancie If euery haire of my head were a man I would suffer death in the faith that I am now in So the 25. of May they both receiued sentence of condemnation and were both in one day put to death in Essex the 10. of Iune Iohn Simson Iohn Simson martyr at Rotchford and Iohn Ardley at Rayley which they patiently endured for Christes sake About the same time one Iohn Tooly Iohn Tooly was executed as a fellon for rayling on a Spaniard at S. Iames. And at the gallowes hee defied the Pope and his indulgences and saide hée trusted onely on the merits of Christ with other words against the Pope For which after he had béene buried the mitered prelates caused him to be taken vp out of his graue after they had excommunicated him for want of appearance and committed him to the Sheriffe of London to be burned the 4. of Iune Thomas Hawks was one of the 6. men condemned in one day of Boner the 9 of February and put to death the tenth of Iune Hee was borne in Essex and by profession a Courtier and seruant to the Earle of Oxforde till God tooke King Edward out of this world He had borne to him a sonne whose baptisme he deferred to the thirde wéeke for that hée would not haue him baptised after the Papisticall manner For which cause the aduersaries laid hands on him and brought him to the Earle of Oxford The Earle sendeth him vp to London with letters to Boner With whom Boner after much communication and conference of his Chaplens with maister Hawkes hee remained at Fulham and the B. the next day departed to London and came home againe at night Vpon the munday morning very early the B. called for him agayne and there Harpesfield Archdeacon of London reasoned with maister Hawkes touching Baptisme and the masse c. But Hawkes remayned constant withstood him with mightie power of the Scriptures as also the B. himselfe Fecknam and Chadsey at foure sundrie times after The first day of Iuly the B. did call him himselfe from the Porters lodge and commanded him to prepare himselfe to prison and so was hee sent to bée kept close prisoner in the gate house where he remayned thirtéene daies and then sent Boner two men to know how he did and whether hée were the same man To whom he answered constantly for the trueth After which answere he heard no more of the bishop till the 3. of September on which day he was priuately examined againe of Boner and woulde haue had his hand to a bill of articles to whom when Hawkes had said it should neither come into his hand hart nor minde the bishop wrapt it vp and put it into his bosome and in a great anger went his way and tooke his horse and rode on visitation into Essex and Hawkes went to prison againe After these priuate conferences perswasions and long debatings M. Hawkes was cited to appeare in the B. consistorie the viij of February again the ix Where being exhorted by the B. with many faire wordes to returne againe to the bosome of the mother Church after that hée had said to the Bishop no my Lord that will I not for if I had an hundreth bodies I would suffer them all to be torne in pieces rather then I will abiure or recant at the last Boner readeth the sentence of death vpon him and so was hée dismissed to prison againe till the 10. of Iune Then was he committed to the handes of the Lorde Riche who being assisted had him into Essex to suffer martyrdome at Coxhall Certain of his friendes praied him to giue thē a signe whether the payne of burning was so great that a man might not there kéepe his patience in the fire which thing hee promised them to doe That if the payne were tollerable then hée woulde lift vp his handes aboue his head towards heauen before hée gaue vp the Ghost Which thing hée performed vnto them For after he had continued a long time in the fire and when his spéech was taken away by the violence of the flame his skinne also drawen together and his fingers consumed with the fire that now all men thought certainelye that hee had béene gone Haukes geueth a signe to his friendes then sodeinly he reached vp both his handes burning on a light fire ouer his head to the liuing God and so with great reioysing as it séemed did strike or clappe them thrée seuerall times together Haukes writte diuers comfortable epistles At which sight the people gaue a marueylous showte And so the blessed Martyr straightway sinking down into the fire gaue vp the ghost He wrote diuers comfortable Epistles The xxvj of Aprill Thomas Wattes of Byllirica in Essex a linen draper was apprehended and brought before the Lord Rich and other Commissioners at Chelmesford who after short communication had with him sent him vp to Boner who after foure appearances and much labouring of him to recant in the end pronounced sentence agaynst him and deliuered him to the Shiriffes of London by whom he was sent to Newgate where hée remained till the ninth of Iune or as some record till the xxij of Maie At which time he was carried to Chelmesford and there was brought to Scots house kéeping an In where they were at meat with Hawkes the rest that came downe to their burning They praied together both before and and after their meate
sherife Master Woodrooffe which so cruelly handled M. Bradforde Gods iudgement that his right side being stricken with a palsey hee so remayned till his dying day eyght yeres together Master Bradford wrote a whole volume of Letters Bradfordes Letters to sundrie persons out of prison And greatly strengthened and comforted many to the Citie of London to Cambridge into Lankesshire and Chesshire to the towne of Walden with a nūber other to priuate persons The next day after M. Bradford Iohn Leafe did suffer in Smithféeld Williā Munge préest died in pryson at Maidstone being there in bondes for religion like to haue suffered if he had liued Vpon the iij. of Iulie Anno 1555. died one Iames Treuisam in the parish of S. Margaret in Lothberie and was borne vpon a table without coffin or any thing else into Moore-féeld and there buried The same night the body was cast vp aboue the ground and his sheete taken from him and he left naked After this the owner of the field seeing him buried him again The dead body summoned to appeare to answere And a fortnight after the sumner came to his graue and summoned him to appeare at Paules before his ordinary to answere such thinge as should be laide against him The 13. of Iuly Iohn Bland parson of Adesham in Kent I. Frankesh Nicholas Sheterden and Humfrey Middleton were all foure burned together at Canterbury Foure martyrs in Canterbury for one cause whereof Frankesh and Bland were ministers and preachers He was twise before put in prison for the Gospell and by suite of friends deliuered but because he coulde not kéepe silence in his liberty but preach vnto the people he was the third time imprisoned The xiij or xiiij of Februarie he was sent to Canterburie gaole where he lay x. wéekes and then was bayled and bound to appeare at the next Sessions at Canterburie But the matter being exhibited to the Spirituall Court there it was heard So that the xviij of May he was examined by Harpsfielde and againe the xxi And from them tossed to the Sessions at Gréenewich the xviij and xix of Februarie And after much reasoning with the Commissarie and other of the Spirituall Court he was condemned the xxv day of Iune by the S. of Douer R. Thornton sometimes a Professor assisted by the Commissarie Robert Cellius and the archdeacon Nicholas Harpsfield The same day were the rest afore named condemned and suffered ioyfully together at Canturburie the xij of Iuly at two stakes al in one fire The same moneth of Iuly next after the suffering of the Kentishmen aboue named Nicholas Hall bricklayer and Christopher Wade Nicholas Hall Christopher Wade martyrs of Dartford suffered were condemned by Maurice B. of Rochester about the last day of the moneth of Iune Nicholas Hall was burned at Rochester about the xix of Iuly In which moneth of Iuly thrée other more were condēned by Maurice whose names were Ioane Breach widow Iohn Horpoll of Rochester and Margerie Polley Christopher Wade of Dartford in the Countie of Kent lynen draper was appointed to be burned at Dartford About x. of the clocke the Shiriffe bringeth Wade pinioned and by him one Margerie Polley Margerie Polley comforteth Wade of Tunbridge both singing a Psalme Which Margerie so soone as shée spied a great multitude gathered about the place where she should suffer wayting her comming she said vnto Wade very lowde and chéerefully you may reioyce Wade to sée such a company gathered to celebrate your mariage this day Wade cōming to the stake tooke it in his armes embracing it kissed it and being setled thereto his handes and eies lift vp to heauen He spake with a chéerefull and lowde voice the last verse of the 86. psalme Shew some good tokē vpon me O Lord Wades praier that they which hate me may sée it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast helped me comforted me Néere vnto the stake approched a Frier intēding some matter while Wade was a praying Whom when he spied he cried earnestly to the people to beware of the doctrine of the whore of Babylon with such vehemencie that the Frier withdrew himselfe without speaking any word Thē réeds being set about him he pulled embraced them in his armes alwaies with his hands making a hole against his face that his voice might be heard which they perceiuing that were his tormentors alwaies cast faggots at the same hole Which he notwithstanding stil as he could put off his face being hurt with the end of a faggot cast thereat Then fire being put to him he cried vnto God often Lord Iesus receiue my soule And beyng dead and altogether rosted his handes were held ouer his head as though he had béene staied with a prop. The 22. of Iuly was burned at Lewes within the countie of Sussex one Dyrick Caruer Dyrick Caruer Béerebrewer in the parish of Bright-hamstéed in the same countie the next day was also burned at Steining Iohn Lander Iohn Lander late of Godstone in the county of Surrie Which two mē with others about the end of the moneth of October were apprehended by Edw. Gage gentleman as they were at praier in the house of Dyrick by him were sent vp to London to the Counsell who after examinatiō sent them to Newgate there to attend the leisure of Boner From whence they were brought the viij of Iune next after into the B. chāber in his house at Londō Where being examined earnestly perswaded with and no hope to peruert thē after diuerse examinations they were condēned the x of Iune of the B. in his cōsistorie at Paules afterwards were conueyed to the places afore mentioned where they gaue their liues chéerfully and gladly for the testimonie of the truth Dyrick was a man blessed with tēporall riches which notwithstanding were no clog to him during his imprisonment although he was well stricken in yéeres as it were past the time of learning yet he so spent his time that being at his first apprehensiō vtterly ignorāt of any letter of the booke yet could he before his death read any printed English In his praier at the stake he vttered these words oh Lord my God thou hast writtē he that will not forsake wife childrē house and all that euer he hath take vp thy crosse follow thée is not worthy of thee Dyrick Caruers words at the stake but thou Lord knowest that I haue forsaken all to come vnto thée Lord haue mercy vpō me for vnto thée I commend my spirit my soule doth reioyce in thée These wordes were the last that hée spake till the fire was put vnto him And after the fire came to him he cried Lord haue mercy vpon me and so died At Chichester about the same moneth was burned one Tho. Iueson Tho. Iueson of Godstone in the county of Surrey Carpenter after perswasion in vaine to recant When he had said
of executiō Who considering the shortnes of time his saying was that although the day were neuer so long yet at the last it ringeth to euensong c. About ij of the clocke he was brought to the place called Romeland a gréene néere the west end of the abbey church After he had prayed at the stake he said with a chéerfull voice that although he had a sharp dinner yet he hoped to haue a ioyful supper in heauen While the reeds were set about him a priest came to perswade him to beléeue in the sacrament But Tankerfield cried vehemētly I defy the whore of Babilon fie on the abhominable idol Whereat the maior was sore offended and said though he had but one lode of fagots in the world he would geue them to the burning of him There was a certaine knight by that went vnto Tākerfielde and tooke him by the hand and said good brother be strong in Christ This he spake softly and Tankerfield said Oh sir I thanke you I am so I thank God Fire being put to him The patience of the martirs caused the people to say they had the deuil he embraced the flame and bathed his hands therin and so gaue vp his soule into the handes of Christ Whose patience was such that certaine superstitious olde women did say the deuill was in him and in all such Heretikes and therefore they could not almost féele any payne Robert Smith Robert Smith was brought to Newgate the fifth of Nouember in the first or second yere of the Q. by I. Mathew yoman of the gard by the commandement of the Counsell First he was seruant to sir Th. Smith prouost of Eaton frō whence he was preferred to a clerkship of x. l in Eaton Hée was much confirmed in the truth by the preachings readings of one M. Turner of Windsor and others Wherfore at the cōming in of Mary he was depriued of his clerkship and not long after their examinations wherein boldly and wisely he behaued himselfe in the cause of Christ he was condemned in the consistorie the xij of Iuly and from thence was had to Newgate with other of the brethren He wrote diuerse letters in prison to sundry fréends Hée suffered at Vxbridge the viij of August Being at the stake he comforted the people willing them to thinke well of his cause and not to doubt but his body dying in that quarrell should rise againe to life And said he I doubt not but God will shewe you some tooken therof At length he being well nigh halfe burnt and blacke with fire The martyr giueth a signe clustered together as in a lumpe like a blacke cole all men thinking him for dead suddainly rose vpright before the people lifting vp the stumpes of his armes and clapping the same together and so hanging ouer the fire slept in the Lord. About this time died Stephen Harwood Stephen Harwood at Stratford Thomas Fust Thomas Fust at Ware both for the testimonie of Iesus Also about the end of August William Haile Williā Haile was burned at Barnet and constantly suffered for the truth George King Thomas Lewes and Iohn Wade sickened in Lollardes tower died and were cast into the fieldes and buried in the night by the brethren So also William Andrew died in pryson who was brought to Newgate Anno 1555 by Ihon Motham Cōstable of Maulden in Essex The principall promoter of him was the Lord Rich. The xxxj of August suffered Robert Samuell preacher minister at Barfold in Suffolke his chéefe persecutor was M. Foster a iustice of Cobdock a litle from Ipswich where he caused M. Samuell to be apprehēded put in the goale of Ipswich frō whence being remoued to Norwich he fell into the cruell hands of the bishop Doctor Hopton Dunnings his chancellour who first caused him to be chained bolt vpright to a great post in such sort that standing onely on tiptoe hée was faine to stay vp the whole waight of his bodie besides he so pined him with hunger thirst his allowance being only two or thrée mouthfuls of bread and thrée sponefuls of water for his dayly sustenance that his body was so dried vp that he could not make one drop of vrine to relieue his thirst He had diuerse visions during the time of his imprisonment Samuell hath a vision which he for modesties sake concealed Sauing this one he declared that after he had béene pined iij. daies he fell in a sléepe or slumber one clad all in white séemed to stand before him which ministred vnto him comfort in these wordes Samuell Samuell be of good chéere and take a good hart vnto thée for after this day shalt thou neuer hunger nor thirst Which came so to passe accordingly As hée came to the fire a certaine mayde came vnto him and kissed him her name was Rose Nottingham Rose Nottingham Next after the suffering of Robert Samuell Robert Samuell about the beginning of September was burned Williā Allen W. Allen. in Walsingham laboring man At his suffering such was his credite among the Iustices by reason of his well tried conuersation among them that he was suffered to go vntied to his suffering and there with patience and constancie gaue witnes to the truth by shedding of his bloud The same yéere in the moneth of Septēber Roger Coo Roger Coo. of Melford in Suffolke a sheareman and an aged father after sundry conflicts with his aduersaries was committed to the fire at Yexford in the countie of Suffolke Hée was condemned the xij of August by the bishop of Norwich With the aforesaid was also condemned Thomas Cobbe Tho. Cobbe of Hauerhill butcher and was burned in the towne of Tetford in the moneth of September About the vj. of September Robert Catmer of Hith Robert Streater of Hith Anthony Burward of Calete George Brodbridge of Bromfield Iames Tutley of Brēchley were condemned by Thornton S. of Douer About the mids of Septemb Thomas Hayword Th. Hayword Iohn Gareway Ioh. Gareway suffered at the towne of Lichfield for the testimonie of the trueth About this time there was a godly gentleman M. Iohn Glouer M. Ioh. Glouer in the dioces of Lichfield and Couentry whom the B. by his letters charged the maior of Couentry to apprehend But so soon as he had receiued the letters he sent a priuie watchword to Iohn to escape and shift for himselfe who with his brother William was not so soon departed out of his house but that yet in the sight of them the Sheriffe and other searchers came in to take him But when Iohn could not be found one of the officers going into an vpper chamber foūd there Robert the other brother a maister of art in Cābridge lying sicke of a long disease which was by him incontinent brought before the sheriffe by whom he was committed to the gaole forthwith Not being called to his answere he was moued to
singing and reioycing To whom M. Philpot answered that they sang Psalmes and that hée trusted he would not be offended therewith since S. Paul saith If a man be of an vpright minde Mē of vpright mindes let him sing and we therefore said he to testify that wee are of an vpright mynd to God though we be in miserie do sing So he was had againe to the Colehouse where he had other sixe companions of the same affliction He was examined in all 14. seuerall times the fourth time in the Archdeacons house of London in the moneth of October before the Byshops of London Bath Worcester and Glocester with whom after dispute of the church of Rome and authoritie therof he was againe dismissed The Byshops rose vp and consulted together and caused a writing to be made whertoo they put their handes So he was againe carried to his Colehouse M. Philpot thought then they conspired his death The 5. examination was before the Byshops of London Rochester Couentrie saint Asses with another Doctor Storie Curtop Doctor Sauerson Doctor Pendleton with other Chaplens and gentlemen of the Quéenes Chamber and others in the Gallerie of the B. of Londons pallace Where Boner because he said hee minded on the morrow to sit in iudgement on him exhorted him to play the wise mans part and to conforme himselfe To whom Philpot answered he was glad iudgement was so nigh but refused Boner as not being his ordinarie After much dispute of the Romish church and reuilings of Doctor Storie against Maister Philpot he was had againe to the Colehouse the Byshop of London promising him fauour and that he had in his hands to do him good To whō Philpot answered my Lord the pleasure that I will require of you is to hasten my iudgment and so to dispatch me out of this miserable world vnto my eternall rest To hasten iudgement a pleasure to the Martyr The B. for all his faire promises performed no kinde of curtesie vnto him for a whole fortnight after he had neither fire nor candell nor good lodging The sixt examination was before the Lord Chāberlaine the vicont Hereford the L. Ritch the L.S. Iohns the Lord Windsore the L. Shandoys sir Iohn Brydges lieftenant of the Tower with the B of London and Doctor Chadsey The sixt of Nouember Anno 1555. Before whom he was reasoned with touching the Romish Church and of the Sacrament of the Altar The Lordes temporall being halfe amazed at that which they heard and not giuing M. Philpot an euill word The vij examination was had the xix of Nouember before the B of London and Rochester the Chauncellor of Litchfield and Doctor Chadsey The next morning Boner sent for maister Philpot to come to Masse A sharpe answere to Boners message To whose messenger he answered his stomacke was too weake to digest such raw meates of flesh blood and bone The next day the B. sent againe for him and ministred false articles against him and could bring no witnesse but would haue had his prison fellows sworne against him Which because they refused they were put in the stockes and also M. Philpot with them where they sate from morning till night The Sunday after at night betwixt 8. and 9. the Byshop came to the Colehouse himselfe and caused maister Philpot to be had into another place of imprisonment and there caused him to be searched but the searcher missed of his last examination which he had written yet tooke two Letters from him whiche were of no greate importaunce The viij examination was before the B. of London of Saint Dauis maister Mordant and others in the B. chappel where the B. would haue had him answered onely yea or nay to certaine Articles Which Philpot would not but made his appeale which the Bishop said he would stay in his owne handes So was he had againe to the colehouse The 9. time he was examined of the B. alone with his Chaplains the next day after in the Wardrope Where maister Philpot woulde not heare so much as Articles read against him refusing Boner as béeing not his ordinary At the last they fell to reason of the Sacrament of the altar and the masse the Bishop and diuers of his Chaplaines setting vpon maister Philpot. To whom hée gaue no place nor cause of triumph but sufficiently mainteined the trueth therein So for that time he was dismissed to his prison againe And the next day the tenth time was examined of the B his register and others and charged with the booke of Catechisme made in king Edwards daies and certain conclusions agréed vpon both in Oxford and Cambridge c. But M. Philpot refused him for ordinary would not answere but appealed to him that was in place of the Archbishopricke of Canterbury because he knew not of his imprisonment who was then Archbishop The 11. examination was on S. Andrewes day before the Bish of Duresme of Chichester of Bath of London the Prolocutor maister Christophorson Doctor Chadsey maister Morgan of Oxford maister Hussey of the Arches Doctor Weston Doctor Harpesfield maister Coosins maister Iohnson register to the B. of London these disputed against maister Philpot touching the true Church and of the Sacrament of the Altar and of the antiquity of the religion which maister Philpot professed Of which companie maister Morgan behaued himselfe aboue all the rest most insolently against him who asked maister Philpot howe hée knew that hée had the spirite of GOD scoffingly To whome Philpot aunswered by the faith of Christ which is in mée Ah by faith doe you so sayth Morgan I weene it bee the spirite of the buttery which your fellowes haue had which haue beene burned before you who were drunken the night before they went to their death and I weene went drunke vnto it To whome Maister Philpot aunswered It appeareth by your communication that you are better acquaynted with the spirite of the the butterie M. Philpots zeale against Morgan then with the spirite of God Wherefore I must needes tell thee thou paynted wall and Hypocrite In the name of the liuing GOD whose trueth I haue tolde thee that God shall raigne fire and brimstone vppon suche scorners of his worde and Blasphemers of his trueth as thou art Morgan What you rage nowe Philpot. Thy foolishe blasphemies haue compelled the spirite of God which is in mée to speake that which I haue saide vnto thee thou enemie of all righteousnesse By thine owne wordes doe I iudge thée thou blinde and blasphemous Doctour for as it is written By thy words thou shalt be iustified by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned I haue spoken on Gods behalfe and nowe haue I done with thée Morgan Why then I tell thée Philpot thou art an heretike and shalt bée burned for thine heresie and afterwarde goe to hell fire Philpot I tell thee thou hypocrite I passe not this for thy fire and fagot neyther I thanke GOD my Lorde stande in feare of the same my
they had heard the confession of his faith first they would not afterward haue suffered him to exhort the people About 9. of the clocke the L. Williams of Thame Syr Thomas Bridges Sir Iohn Browne c. came with their retaine and Cranmer was brought out of Bocardo vnto S. Maries Church where hee had his standing on a scaffold of a meane height there wayting til maister Cole made him ready to his sermon In which he declared causes why iustly the Quéene had determined his death for that he was a Traitor and an heretike c. And that it séemed méete according to the lawe of equality that as the death of the Duke of Northumberland made euen with Tho. Moore Law of equality so there should bée one that should make euen with Fisher of Rochester And because that Ridley Hooper and Farrar were not able to make euen with that man it séemed méete that Cranmer should be ioyned to them to fill vp this part of equality c. And then turning himselfe to the people bad them all beware of this mans example The latter part of his sermon he directed to the Archb. whom he encouraged and comforted and did promise in the name of al the priests that were present that immediatly after his death there should be Diriges masses and funerals executed for him in Oxford for his soules health Cranmer The pitiful case of Cranmer all this time stood heauy and more then twentye times the teares gushed out of his eyes and dropped in abundance all the time of Coles sermon Which beeing ended hee calleth backe the people béeing ready to depart to prayers and prayed Cranmer to expresse the vndoubted profession of his faith that he might take away all suspicion from men I wil do it said the Archb. and with a good wil. So hée first read a praier to the people which he pulled out of his bosome gaue them exhortation of contempt of the world of obedience of brotherly loue and aboue all thinges bewayled his recantation Cranmer bewaileth his recantation saying that when he came to the fire that hand which had subscribed therevnto should first burne And so defyed the Pope with his detestable doctrine c. The standers by that looked for other matter were all amazed at his wordes and the filthy priests prelates greatly deceiued who raged against him especially Cole so they pulled him downe from the stage and led him to the fire the Spanish Frier and the other railing on him in the way When he came to the place of execution hee not long tarying in his praiers Cranmer burneth first the hand wherewith he subscribed put of his apparell to his shirt prepared himselfe to the fire which being put vnto him and burning néere him he put his right hand in the flame which hée held so stedfast sauing that once with the same hand he wiped his face that all men might sée his hande burned before his bodie was touched which hée held immoueable all the time of his burning lifting his eyes vp to heauen and oftentimes repeating his vnwoorthy right hand and so long as his voyce woulde suffer him vsing oftentimes the wordes of Stephen Lord Iesus receiue my spirite Cranmer burned And in the greatnesse of the flame hée gaue vp the Ghost The wicked cannot discerne the spirits The Spaniard beholding this constancie of the Archbishop ran to the Lord Williams of Thame crying that Cranmer was vexed in minde and died in desperation And this was the ende of that woorthy seruaunt of GOD who suffered in the middest of Quéene Maries raigne and was almost the very middle man of all the martyrs of her daies Why Cranmer desired life It was thought he desired life to finish certaine woorkes and to reserue himselfe for better times for the vse of the Church About the same time that the Archbishop was burned at Oxforde suffered likewise in Ipswich twoo women the one named Agnes Potten the other called Ioan Trunchfield either in the same moneth of Marth or as some said in the end of Februarie the next before They suffered for the matter of the Sacrament and bare their martyrdome with great patience and godly courage After these women the same moneth suffered thrée men at one fire in Salesburie for the testimonie of the Gospell Their names were Iohn Spicer Iohn Spicer frée mason William Coberly Wil. Coberley Tayler Iohn Maundrell Iohn Maundrel husbandman Vppon a Sunday they beyng at the Parrish church called Keuell in Wiltshire and seeing the parrish in procession to follow and worship the Idoll there caryed aduised them to leaue the same and to turne to the liuing God namely speaking to one Robert Barkesdale headman of the parrish but hee tooke no regard to their woords After this the Vicar came into the pulpet who there being about to read his beadroll and to pray for the soules in purgatorie Iohn Maundrell speaking with an audible voice said that that was the popes pinfold the other two affirming the same Purgatorie the Popes Pinfold After which words by the commaundement of the priest they were had to the stockes where they remained till Seruice was done and then were brought before a Iustice of Peace and the next day were carryed to Salesburie and presented before Byshop Capon and William Ieffrey Chaunceller of the Dyoces by whom they were imprisoned and often examined priuatly At the last they were examined publicklie before them in the presence of the sheriffe of the Shire one M. Saint-Iohns and other popish priests in the Church of Fisherton-anger Where the Chauncellour obiected to them touching the Sacrament the Popes Supremacie Images c. To which when they answered frankly according to the trueth they were all there condemned an 1556 the xxiij of March And the foure and twentith day of the same moneth they were carried out of the gaole to a place betwixt Salisburie and Milton where they were committed to the fire Which they endured constantly witnessing the trueth Of which 3. Caberley had the painfullest death by reason of the standing of the winde which notwithstanding patiently he did endure About the 23. of Aprill Anno 1556. were burned in Smithfield at one fire vi at one fire in Smithfield vj constant Martyrs suffering for the testimonie of the truth viz. Robert Drakes Robert Drakes minister William Timmes Wil. Timmes Curate Richard Spurge Rich. Spurge Shereman Thomas Spurge Tho Spurge Fuller Iohn Cauell Iohn Cauell Weauer George Ambrose Geo. Ambrose Fuller all of Essex and so of the dyoces of London and were sent vp some by the L. Ritch and some by others at sundrie times vnto Stephē Gardiner B. of Winchester about the 22. of March Anno. 1555. who vppon smal examination sent some of them vnto the kings bench others vnto the marshalsea where they remained almost al the yéere vntill the Bishops death and had
Knode a shoemaker condemned of William Bynsley Bachelor of law Chancelor to the B. of Peterborow and deliuered to the sheriffe Sir Tho. Tresham whose officers burned him without the Northgate in the stone pits One Iohn Rote a Popish Priest Vicar of S. Giles in Northampton standing by did declare vnto him The martyr refuseth pardon that if hée would recant he had his pardon for him To whom he answered that he had his pardon by Iesus Christ This yéere the 12. of Sept. suffered Iohn Noyes Iohn Noyes of Laxfield in the same towne in the county of Suffolk Shoemaker He was apprehended by M. Tho. Louel Wolfren Dowsing and Nichol. Stonnard of the same towne and brought before the Iustices and the sheriffe who the next day cast him into Aye dungeon where he lay a certaine time then was caried to Norwich where the B. condemned him in the presence of his Chancelor D. Dunnings Sir William Woodhouse Sir Th. Woodhouse M. Geor. Heyden M. Spencer VVilliam Farrar Alderman of Norwich c. Being condemned he was sent againe to Aie prison and vpon the 21. of September about midnight was brought from thence to Laxfield to be burned where comming to the place of martyrdome he said the 50. Psalme with other praiers and being bound to the stake hee saide feare not them that can kill the body but feare him c. So the fire being kindled he with patience finished his course and gaue testimonie to the Gospel of God The 23. of September was Cecil Ormes Cecil Ormes burned at Norwich for the testimony of the trueth of Christ betwixt seuen and eight of the clock in the morning She was taken at the death of Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper for that she saide she woulde pledge them of the same cuppe that they dranke on The 23. of Iuly she was called before the Chauncelour sitting in iudgement with maister Bridges and others who offered her if shee woulde goe to Church and keepe her tongue and saie nothing agaynst them libertie Which she refused saying if shée should doe so GOD woulde surely plague her Therefore doe with mée saith she what yee will and saide if hée condemned her hée shoulde not bee so desirous of her sinfull fleshe as shée woulde by Gods grace bée content to giue it in so good a quarrell The constant martyr So hee pronounced his bloodie sentence against her and deliuered her to the sheriffes Thomas and Leonard Sotherton This Cecil Ormes had before recanted for which shee fell into great anguish of mind and had gotten a letter made to giue vnto the Chancellor to let him know she repented her recantation c. But before she exhibited her hil she was taken Being brought to the place of execution where Miller and Cooper were burned and the same stake shée layed her hande thereon Cecil Ormes at the stake and kissed it and saide Welcome the swéete crosse of Christ and so gaue her selfe vnto it After the tormentors had kindeled the fire to her she saide my soule doth magnifie the Lorde and my spirite reioyseth in God my Sauiour And quietly as she had béene in a slumber ended this mortall life In the dioces of Chichester many were condemned and martired for the witnesse bearing to the truth whose names were these Iohn Freeman of East Grinsted I. Foreman Iohn Warner I. Warner of Berne Christian Glouer C. Glouer of the Archdeaconrie of Lewes Thomas Athoth T. Athoth Priest Thomas Auington T. Auington of Ardinglie Dennis Burges D. Burges of Buxsted Tho. Rauensdale T. Rauensdale of Rie Iohn Milles I. Milles. of Hellinglesh Nicholas Holden N. Holden of Withiam Iohn Harte I. Hart. of Withiam Margery Morice M. Morice of Hethfield Anne Trie A. Trie of East-gréenstéed Iohn Oseward I. Osewars of woodmancote Iames Morice I. Morice of Hethfielde Thomas Dowgate T. Dowgate of East-gréenestéed and Iohn Ashdon I. Ashdon of Ketherfielde The greatest doer then against these martirs and sitters vpon their condemnation were these Christopherson the B. after Day Richard Briseley Doctor of Law and Chancellour of Chichester Robert Taylor Bachelour of Law his Deputie Tho. Backarde Ciuilian Anthonie Clarke Albane Langdale Bachelour of Diuinitie In the Moneth of Nouember was Thomas Spurdance T. Spurdance one of Quéene Maries seruants burned at Burie He was taken by two of his felowes Iohn Hammon otherwise called Barker and George Lawson both dwelling in Codnam in the Countie of Suffolke Who carried him to one Master Gosnall dwelling in Codnam and by him was sent to Burie Hee was first examined by the Bishoppes Chauncellour and then by the Bishoppe himselfe and by him condemned Being before the Bishoppe he was exhorted by a Gentleman that stoode by him to take a day and to aduise himselfe Vnto whom he made answere If I saue my life I shall lose it and if I lose my life for Christes sake I shall be sure to finde it in euerlasting life And if I shoulde take a day when the day commeth I must say then euen as I doe now except I will lie and that néedeth not The same yere the eightéene day of Nouember were these thrée burned in Smithfielde Iohn Hollingdale I. Hollingdale William Sparrowe W. Sparrow and Richard Gibson R. Gibson William Sparrowe had recanted before and afterwarde did greatly repent him for the same saying vnto Bishoppe Boner that it was the worst déede that euer he had done And said vnto him moreouer That which you call heresie quoth he is good and godlie and if euery haire of my head were a man I woulde burne them all saide hée rather then I would goe from the trueth Note As Boner ministred his Popish Articles vnto M. Gibson euen so likewise did he againe propounde other Articles vnto Boner Articles for articles As whether the Scriptures were sufficient to instruct to saluation From whom authoritie commeth and what it is Whether any but Christ is Lorde ouer faith By what markes Antichrist is to be knowen so forth to the number of nine In the ende Boner deliuered them to the Secular power and the eyghtéenth day of Nouember they chéerefullie witnessed the trueth in the flames of fire The xxij of Decēb. Iohn Rough Minister a Scotishmā Marg. Mearing M. Mearing were burned for the gospel in smithfield Iohn Rough I. Rough. had béene of the order of the black Friers xvi yeares and at the request of the Lorde Hāmleton Earle of Arran and gouernour of Scotlande the Archbishop caused the Prouinciall of that house hauing thereto authoritie to dispense with him for his habite hood and so he took him to be a Secular Priest to serue in his Chappell In whose seruice he remayned a whole yere In which time God did open his eyes to sée the trueth and was sent by the same Gouernour to preach in the fréedome
down vpon his knées hauing his booke by him reading singing psalms continually without ceassing for 3. daies and 3. nightes together refusing meate and other talke to the great wonder of many Then one Iohn Crowch his next neighbour went to the Constables Robert Marsham and Robert Lawes in the night to certifie them thereof For Berrie the Vicar of the Towne did commaund openly to watch for him and the Constables vnderstanding the same tooke him by breake of day The two and twenty of Aprill when Hudson sawe them come in he saide nowe mine houre is come welcome friendes welcome You bee they that shall leade me to life in Christ Note I thanke GOD therefore and the Lorde enable mée thereto for his mercies sake So they ledde him to Berry the Commissary who wrote vnto the Bishop letters against him and sent him to Norwich bound like a théefe whither hee went with ioy and singing chéere In prison he was a moneth where hee did continually reade and inuocate the name of God After they had all thrée béene chained to the stake Thomas Hudson immediatly commeth foorth from them vnder the chaine fell downe vpon his knées and praied vehemently vnto the Lord for comfort for he was at the very stake distressed thē rose he with great ioy as a man new chaunged from life to death and said now I thanke God I am strong passe not what man can doo vnto me Note so with his fellowes gaue testimony to the truth in the flames of fire Somewhat before this time was one mother Seaman mother to Wil. Seaman persecuted for the gospell being of the age of 66. and was glad to liue sometimes in groues in bushes c. After she was dead the Lord taking her away by sicknesse one M. Simonds the commissary dwelling at Thornden gaue commaundement she should not come in Christian buriall so she was buried in a pit vnder a moats side Likewise one mother Bennet of the towne of Wetherset after her departure this life was laide in a graue by the high way side The 26. of May suffered at Colchester William Harris W. Harris Rich. Day Rich. Day Christian Gorge Christ Gorge a wife whose husband had another wife burnt before this Christian whose name was Agnes Gorge that suffered with the 13. at Stratford the Bow After the death of Christian he maried an honest godly woman and in the end being taken with his wife with her he remayned in prison till the death of Q. Marie was deliuered by our most gratious Quéene Elizabeth A sharpe proclamation against godly bookes In the moneth of Iune came forth a Proclamation very sharpe against godly bookes by the king and Quéene On the backside of the town of Islingtō were assembled xl godlie persons men and women vertuouslie applying thēselues in prayer and reading the worde Wherof 22. were by Sir Roger Cholmeley and the Recorder sent prisoners to Newgate where they lay eight dayes before they came to examination Of these xxij thirteene were burned seuen in Smithfield and six at Brainford In prison two died in Whitson wéeke the names of whom were Mathew Withers and T. Taylor Seuen of them which remained escaped with their liues hardly without burning whose names were these Iohn Milles Thomas Hinshaw Robert Bayly wolpacker Robert Willers Hudleys Thomas Ceast haberdasher Roger Sandey The 7. that suffered were brought before Boner the 14. of Iune to make answere to such articles as should be obiected Which when they constātly did according to the truth of the Gospell they were by Boner condemned and the 17. day of Iune were sent againe to Newgate where they remained til the 27. day On which day they chéerfully suffered in Smithfield in the fire Their names were these Henrie Pond Henry Pond Raynold Eastland Rain Eastland Robert Southam Rob. Southam Mathew Richarby Mat. Richarby Iohn Floyd Iohn Floyd Iohn Holiday Iohn Holiday Roger Holland Rog. Holland This Holland was a merchant taylour in London sometimes apprentice with one maister Kempton at the blacke boy in Watlingstréet Hee was before his conuersion a Papist and a very lewd yong man and was brought to the knowledge of the trueth by the exhortation of a sober maide that was seruant in the same house whom afterward he did marry and liued vertuously together til such time as the cruell Papists made separation by fire The same day they suffered Proclamation was made that none should be so bolde to speake or talke any word vnto them A straight Proclamation or receiue any thing of them or to touch them vpon payne of imprisonment without eyther Baile or mainprise Notwithstanding the people cryed out desiring God to strengthen them and they likewise prayed for the people the restoring of the word of God R. Holland at the stake At length Roger embracing the stake and the Réedes said these wordes Lorde I most humbly thanke thy maiestie that thou hast called me from the state of death vnto the light of thy heauenly word and now vnto the felowship of thy Saintes that I may sing and say Holy holy holy Lord God of Hostes and Lord into thy hands I commit my spirit Lord blesse the people saue them from idolatrie And so with the rest of his felowes ended his life lauding and praysing God The fourtéenth day of Iuly suffered other sixe at Brainforde seuen miles from London Their names were these Robert Milles R. Milles. Steeuen Wight S. Wight a Tanner Steeuen Carton S. Carton Iohn Slade I. Slade Robert Denis R. Denis and William Pikes W. Pikes or Pikers They were condemned by the Bishops Chauncellour D. Darbishire in the presence of Sir Edward Hastinges and Sir Thomas Cornwalles and suffered ioyfully for the testimonie of Iesus Of the sixe of that companie which escaped burning two were scourged by Bishoppe Boner in his Garden Thomas Hinshawe about the age of ninetéene or twentie yeares being Apprentice and dwelling in Paules Churchyarde with one M. Puggeson and Iohn Milles a married man on whom he spent two roddes and on Hinshaw one Hinshaw was deliuered by reason he fell sicke of a burning ague Boner not thinking he would liue when he had béene a yere in prison In which space Quéene Marie died and hee shortly after recouered health Iohn Milles was a Capper a right faithfull seruant of God The cause why he was scourged was because when Boner asked him what time he crept to the crosse he answered not since he came to the yeres of discretion nor woulde not but rather bée torne in péeces with wilde horses Boner ofttimes speaking to Iohn Milles would say they call me bloudie Boner a vengeance on you all I would fain be rid of you but you haue a delight in burning but if I might haue my will I would sowe your mouthes and put you into sackes and drowne you On a day