Papistes who will needes be both accusers and also â—â—dges in their owne opinions and causes and be not iudges your selues of your owne phantasticall opinions and vayne expositions for in such high causes ye may lightly erre And although you be permitted to reade holy scripture and to haue the worde of God in your mother tongue you must vnderstand that it is licenced you so to do onely to informe your owne conscience and to instruct your children and family and not to dispute and make scripture a rayling and a taunting stocke agaynst priestes and preachers as many light persons do I am very sory to know and heare how vnreuerently that most precious iewel the word of God is disputed rymed How are they 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Gods word when none 〈…〉 to â—ead it vnder the degree of a Gâ—nâ—leman song iangled in euery Alehouse and Tauerne contrary to the true meaning and doctrine of the same And yet I am euen as muche sory â— Hierom wisheth the Scriptures not onely to be read of all men but also to be song of women at their rockes of plowmen at the plow of 〈◊〉 at their loome c. that the readers of the same folow it in doing so faintly coldly For of this I am sure that charity was neuer so faynt amongest you vertuous * Godly liuing though it encrease not with the Gospel so much as we wisheâ— yet the defecte thereof is not to bee imputed to the Gospel And if we well coÌ„pare tyme with time we shall find by vewing the bookes of the old Warmot questes of 〈◊〉 and baâ—des and wicked liuers 〈◊〉 presented to one nowe besides 〈◊〉 the common stues godly liuing was neuer less vsed nor god himselfe amongest Christians was neuer lesse reuerenced honored or serued Therfore as I sayde before be in charitye one with an other like brother and brother Loue dread and serue God to the which I as your supreme head and soueraigne Lord exhort and require you and then I doubt not but that loue and league that I spake of in the beginning shall neuer be dissolued or broken betwene vs. And as touching the lawes which be now made and concluded I exhort you the makers to be as diligent in putting them in execution as you were in making furthering the same or els your labour shall be in vayne your coÌ„mon wealth nothing relieued Notes vpon the foresayd exhortation The kinges Oration expeÌ„ded with notes vpon the same PRinces which exhort to concorde and charitie doe well but Princes which seeke out the causes of discord reforme the same do much better The papist and protestant Hereticke and Pharisee the old Mumpsimus and the newe Sumpsimus be teâ—mes of variance and dissention and be I graunt Symtomata of a sore wound in the commoÌ„ wealth but he that will amend this wound must first beginne to search out the causes and to purge the occasion thereof otherwise to cure the sore outwardlye whiche inwardlye doth fester and ranckle still it is but vayne The roote and ground of al this greeuance riseth here of the prelates and clergy of Rome seeking as it seemeth altogether after riches pompe honour of this world to mayntayn y e same vnder pretence of religion doe in verye deed subuert religioÌ„ vnder y e title of the church they bring into the churche manifest errours absurdities intollerable who pretending to be fathers of the churche if they transgressed but in maners and lightnes of life or neglygence of gouernement they might be borne withall for peace concords sake and here modesty ciuillitie quietnes vnitie charitie might haue place amongst modest natures But now they obscure the glory of the sonne of God which in no case ought to be suffered they extinct the light grace of the Gospell they clogge mens consciences they set vp Idolatry mayntayn Idols they bring in false inuocation they restrayne lawfull matrimonye whereby groweth filthy pollution adultery and whoredome in the Church vnspeakable they corrupt the sacramentes they wrast the scripture as worldly purposes they kill and persecute Gods people Briefly theyr doctrine is damnable theyr lawes be impious their doinges are detestable And yet after all this they crept craftely into the hartes of princes vnder the title of the Church coulor of concord making kinges and princes beleue that all be heretickes and schismatickes which will not be subiect to their ordinary power Now almighty God who is a ielous God not suffering the glory of his sonne to be defaced nor his truth to be troden vnder foot stirreth vp againe the harts of his people to vnderstaÌ„d his truth to defend his cause WhervpoÌ„ of those two partes as two mighty flintes thus smiting together coÌ„meth out the sparcle of this diuisioÌ„ which by no wise can be quenched but that one part must nedes yeld geue ouer There is no neutrality nor mediatioÌ„ of peace nor exhortation to agremeÌ„t that will serue betwene these two contrary doctrines but either the Popes errors must geue place to Gods word or els the veritye of God must geue place vnto them Wherefore as the good intent and plausible Oration of the king in this behalf was not to be discommended in exhorting his subiectes to charity so had he much more deserued commendation if he hadde sought the right way to worke charity to helpe innocency amongst his subiects by taking away the impious law of the 6. articls the mother of all diuision and manslaughter For what is this to the purpose to exhort in wordes neuer so much to charity and in deed to geue a knife to the murtherers hand to run vpon his naked brother which neither in conscience can leaue his cause nor yet hath power to defend himselfe As by experience here foloweth to be seene what charity ensued after this exhortation of the king to charity by the racking and burning of good Anne Askew with 3. other poore subiectes of the king within halfe a yeare after whereof shortly you shall heare more declared When these Chauntries and colledges thus by Acte of ParliameÌ„t wert geuen into the kings hands as is aboue remembred which was about the moneth of DeceÌ„ber an 1545. the next Lent following D. Crome preaching in the Mercers chappel among other reasons and persuatioÌ„s to rouse the people from the vayn opinion of Purgatory inferred this grounding vpon the sayd act of parliameÌ„t that if Trentals and Chauntry masses could auayle the soules in Purgatory then did the Parliament not wel in geuing away Monasteryes Colledges chauÌ„tries which serued principally to that purpose But if the parliament did wel as no maÌ„ could deny in dissoluing them D. Cromes Dilemma agaynst priuate masses and bestowing the same vpon the king then is it a playne case that such Chauntries and priuate masses do nothing conferre to relieue them in Purgatory This dilemma of D. Crome no doubt was insoluble D.
whole body of the scripture Neither can any make this an heresie The Papistes of the principles of diuinitye make heresie but they must make S. Paule an hereticke and shew themselues ennemies to the promises of grace and to the crosse of Christ. 2. The law maketh vs to heare God because we be borne vnder the power of the Deuill 2. article Fol. 59. 3. It is impossible for vs to consent to the will of God Fol. 59. 3. article The place of Tyndall from whence these Articles be wrasted is in the wicked Mammon as followeth Whych place I beseeche thee indifferente to reade and then to iudge Herein is no thing conteyned but that which is rightly consonant vnto the Scripture In the faith which we haue in Christ in Gods promises finde we mercy life fauour peace In the law we finde death damnation and wrath moreouer the curse and vengeance of God vpon vs. And it that is to say the law is called of Paul the ministratioÌ„ of death and damnation In the lawe wee are prooued to be the ennemies of God and that we hate hym For howe can we be at peace wyth God and loue hym seeing we are coÌ„ceiued and borne vnder the power of the Deuill and are his possession kingdome hys captiues and bondmen and led at hys will and he holdeth our hearts so that it is impossible for vs to consent to the will of God Muche more is it impossible for a man to fulfill the lawe of hys owne strength and power seeing that we are by birth and nature the heires of the eternall damnation c. 4. The lawe requireth impossible things of vs Fol. 59. Read the place 4. article The law when it commaundeth y t thou shalt not lust geueth thee not power so to do but daumeth thee because thou canst not so doe What hereâ—sy is in the wordes 2. Cor. 3. If thou wilt therefore be at peace with God and loue hym then must thou turne to the promises and to the gospel which is called of Paul the ministration of righteousnesse and of the spirite 5. The spirit of God turneth vs our nature that we do good as naturally as a tree doth bring fourth fruit Fol. 65. 5. article The place is this the spirite of God accompanyeth fayth and bringeth with her light wherwith a man beholdeth himself in the law of God and seeth his miserable boÌ„dage captiuitie and humbleth himselfe This place speaking of the 〈◊〉 effecteâ— fayth conteyneth noâ—thing but which is mayntaynâ—â—ble by the Scripture abhorreth himselfe She bringeth Gods promises of all good thynges in Christ God worketh with his word in his worde And as hys word is preached fayth rooteth her selfe in y e harts of the elect and as fayth entreth and the worde of God is beleued the power of God looseth the hart from the captiuitie bondage vnder sinne and knitteth coupleth hym to God to the will of God altereth hym changeth him cleane fashioneth and forgeth hym a new geueth him power to loue and to do that which before was impossible for him either to loue or doe and turneth him into a new nature so that he loueth that which before hee hated hateth that which he before loued and is cleane altered and changed and contrary disposed and is knitt and coupled fast to gods will and naturally bringeth fourth good workes y t is to say that which God commandeth to do not things of his owne imagination and that doth hee of his owne accord as a tree bringeth forth fruit of his owne accord c. 6. Workes doe onely declare to thee that thou art iustified Fol. 65. If Tindall say 6. article that workes doe onely declare our iustification he doth not thereby destroy good works but onely sheweth the right vse and office of good workes to be noted to merite our iustificatioÌ„ but rather to testify a liuely fayth which onely iustifieth vs The article is playn by the scripture and S. Paule 7. Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauen fol. 69. Reade the place Al good workes must be done freely w t a single eye without respect of any thing 7. article so that no profit be sought thereby That commaundeth Christ where hee sayth Free haue you receaued free geue agayne For look as Christ with all his workes did not Math. 10. He meaneth in his diuinitye but iâ— his humanitye he deserued heauen by his workes not onely for himselfe 〈◊〉 for vs all deserue heauen for that was his already but did vs seruice therewith neyther looked for nor sought his owne profite but ours and the honour of god his father onely euen so we withal our workes may not seeke our owne profite neither in thys world nor in heauen but must and ought freely to worke to honour God withall and without all maner of respect seeke our neighbours profite and do him seruice c. 8. Labouring by good workes to come to heauen thou shamest Christes bloud Fol. 9. Read the place 8. article If thou wouldest obteine heauen with the merites and deseruings of thine owne works so doest thou wrong yea and shamest the bloud of Christ and vnto thee Christ is dead in vaine Now is the true beleuer heire of God by christes deseruings To say that heauen is gotten by our deseruings is a Popishe heresie contrary to the Scriptures yea and in Christ was predestinate and ordained vnto eternall life before the worlde began And when the Gospell is preached vnto vs we beleue the mercy of God and in beleuing we receiue the spirit of God which is the earnest of eternall life and we are in eternal life already and feele already in our harts y e sweetnes thereof and are ouercome with the kindnes of God Christ and therefore loue the will of God and of loue are ready to woorke freely and not to obtaine that whyche is geuen vs freely and whereof we are heyres already c. 9. Saintes in heauen can not helpe vs thither fol. 69. Whether saintes can helpe vs vnto heauen see y e scripture 9. article and marke wel the office of the sonne of God our only Sauiour and redeemer and thou shalt not nede to seeke any further 10. To builde a Churche in the honour of our Ladye or anye other Saincte is in vaine they cannot helpe thee 10. article they be not thy friends fol. 71. Read the place of Tind What buildest thou Churches foundest Abbeys Chauntreis Colledges in the honour of Saintes to my mother S. Peter Paule The place â—â—nexed and Saintes that be deade to make of them thy friendes They neede it not yea they be not thy friends Thy friends are thy poore neighbours which neede thy help and succour TheÌ„ make thy friendes with the vnrighteous Mammon that they may testifie of thy fayth and that thou mayest
subiects of an euil zeale for lucre and couetousnes of vile gayne Her highnes therefore straitly chargeth and commaundeth all and euery of her sayde subiectes of whatsoeuer state condition or degree they be that none of them presume from hencefoorth to preach or by way of readyng in Churches or other publike or priuate places except in schooles of the Uniuersitie to interprete or teach any scriptures or any maner poynts of doctrine concerning religion neither also to print any bookes matter ballade ryme Enterlude processe or treatise nor to play any Enterlude except they haue her graces speciall licence in writyng for the same vpon payne to incurre her highnesse indignation and displeasure And her highnes also further chargeth and commaundeth all and euery her sayd subiectes that none of them of their owne authoritie do presume to punish or to ryse against any offender in the causes abouesayde or any other offender in words or deeds in the late rebellion committed or done by the Duke of Northumberland or his complices or to cease any of their goods or violently to vse anye such offender by strikyng or imprisonyng or threatenyng the same but wholy to referre the punishment of all suche offenders vnto her highnes and publike authority wherof her maiestie myndeth to see due punishment accordyng to the order of her highnes lawes Anno 1553. Neuertheles as her highnesse myndeth not hereby to restraine and discourage any of her louyng subiectes to geue from tyme to time true information against any such offenders in the causes abouesayd vnto her grace or her Counsaile for the punishment of euery such offender according to the effect of her highnes lawes prouided in that part so her sayde highnes exhorteth and straitly chargeth her sayd subiects to obserue her commaundement pleasure in euery part aforesayd as they will auoyd her highnes sayd indignation and most grieuous displeasure The seueritie and rigor whereof as her highnes shall bee most sory to haue cause to put the same in execution so doth she vtterly determine not to permit such vnlawfull and rebellious doyngs of her subiects wherof may ensue the daunger of her royall estate to remayne vnpunished but to see her sayd lawes touching these points to be throughly executed which extremities she trusteth all her sayd louyng subiects will foresee dread and auoyde accordingly her sayd highnes straightly charging and commaundyng all Mayors Shiriffes Iustices of Peace Bailiffes Constables and all other publike Officers and Ministers diligently to see to the obseruyng and executyng of her sayde commaundementes and pleasure and to apprehende all such as shall wilfully offend in this part committyng the same to the next Gaole there to remayne without bayle or maineprise till vpon certificate made to her highnes or her priuy Counsaile of their names and doyngs and vpoÌ„ examination had of their offences some further order shall be taken for their punishment to the example of others according to the effect and tenour of the lawes aforesayd Yeuen at our Manor of Richmond the 18. day of August in the 1. yeare of our most prosperous raigne M. Bourne preaching at Paules Crosse. M. Bournes Sermon at Paules crosse August 13. ABout this tyme or not long before Boner B. of London beyng restored appoynted M. Bourne a Canon of Paules to preach at the Crosse who afterward was B. of Bathe he takyng occasion of the Gospell of the day to speake somewhat largely in iustifieng of Boner beyng theÌ„ present No maruell if Boner were so foule fallen away in such a vyle dungeon in the Marshalsey which Boner sayd he vpon the same text in that place that day foure yeares had preached before and was vppon the same most cruelly and vniustly cast into y e most vile Dungeon of the Marshalsey and there kept duryng the tyme of King Edward Hys wordes sounded so euill in the eares of the hearers that they could not keep silence but began to murmure and to stirre in such sort that the Mayor and Aldermen with other estates theÌ„ present feared much an vprore But the truth is that one hurled a dagger at the preacher but who it was it could not then be prooued albeit afterward it was knowen In fine the sturre was such that the Preacher pluckt in hys head and durst no more appeare in that place The matter of hys Sermon tended muche to the derogation and disprayse of King Edward M. Iohn Bradford appeaseth the people which thyng the people in no case could abyde Then M. Bradford at the request of the Preachers brother and other then beyng in the pul pit stoode foorth and spake so myâ—â—ely Christianly and effectuously that with fewe woordes he appeased all and afterward he and M. Rogers conducted the Preacher betwixt them from the Pulpit to the Grammar schole doore where they left him safe as further in the story of Maister Bradford is declared But shortly after they were both rewarded with long imprisonment and last of all with fire in Smithfield By reason of this tumult at Paules Crosse an order was taken by the Lordes of the Counsaile with the Mayor and Aldermen of London Bradford and Rogers garded the preacher that they calling the next day followyng a common counsaile of the Citie should therby charge euery housholder to cause their children apprentises and other seruaunts to keep their owne parish Churches vpon the holydays and not to suffer them to attempt any thyng to the violatyng of the common peace Willyng them also to signify the sayd assembly the Queenes determination vttered vnto them by her highnes the 12. of August in the Tower Which was that albeit her graces coÌ„science is stayed in matters of religion yet she graciously ment not to compell or strayne other mens conscience otherwyse then God shal as she trusted put in their harts a perswasion of the truth that she is in thorough the openyng of hys word vnto them by godly vertuous learned preachers c. Also it was then ordered that euery Alderman in hys Ward should foorthwith send for the Curates of euery parish within their liberties and to warne them not only to forbeare to preach themselues but also not to suffer any other to preach or make any open or solemne readyng of scripture in their churches vnles the sayd preachers were seuerally licensed by the Queene After this Sermon at Paules Crosse aforenamed the next day after it followed that the Queenes Gard was at the crosse with their weapons to gard the Preacher And when men withdrew themselues from the Sermon order was taken by the Mayor that the Ancients of all companies should be present least the preacher should be discouraged by hys small Auditorie August 1553. The 5. of August 5. of Auâ— an 1553. an 1553. was one William Rutler committed by the Counsaile to the Marshalsey for vtteryng certayne wordes agaynst Maister Bourne Preacher for hys Sermon at Paules Crosse on Sonday last before The 16. of August
behaue her selfe in the time of her wydowhoode THe grace of God and the comfort of his holy spirite be with you and all them that vnfaynedly loue hys holy Gospell Amen I thanke you deare sister for your most louing remembrance and although I can not recompence the same yet do I wish with all my hart that God would do it requiring you not to forget your duty towards God in these perilous dayes in the whiche the Lorde will trie vs. I trust you do encrease by reading of y e scriptures the knowledge you haue of God and that you diligently apply your selfe to folow the same for the knowledge helpeth not except the life be according thereunto Further I do hartily pray you to consider the state of your wydowhoode and if God shall put in your minde to change it remember the saying of Saint Paule 1. Corinth 7. 1 Cor. â— It is lawfull for the wydow or mayden to marry to whome they list so it be in the Lord that is to saye to suche a one as is of Christes Religion Dearely beloued in Christ remember these words for you shall fynde thereby great ioy and comfort if you chaunge your state Whereof I wyll when I haue better leysure as now I haue none at all further aduertise you In the meane time I commend you to God and the guiding of his good spirit who stablish and confirme you in all well doing and keepe you blamelesse to the day of the Lorde watch and pray for this day is at hand Yours assured in Christ Iohn Hooper ¶ To all my deare breethren my relieuers and helpers in the Citie of London THe grace of God be with you Amen I haue receaued froÌ„ you dearely beloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ by the hands of my seruaunt William Downton An other letter of M. Hooper to his frienâ—es in London your liberalitie for the which I do most hartely thanke you and I prayse God hyghly in you for you who hath mooued your hartes to shewe this kyndnes towardes me praying him to preserue you from all famine scarcitie and lacke of the truth of his worde whiche is the liuely foode of youre soules as you preserue my body from hunger other necessities which should happen vnto me were it not cared for by y e beneuolence and charitie of godly people Such as haue taken all worldly goodes and lands from me spoiled me of all that I had haue imprisoned my body and appointed no one halfe peny to feede or relieue me withal but I do forgeue them and pray for them dayly in my poore prayer vnto God The christian charitie of M. Hooper to his enemies and from my hart I wishe their saluation and quietly patiently beare their iniuries wishing no farther extremitie to be vsed towards vs. Yet if it seeme contrary best vnto our heauenly father I haue made my reckening fully resolued my selfe to suffer the vttermost that they are able to do against me M. Hooper 〈◊〉 resolued to suffer yea death it selfe by the aide of Christ Iesu who died the most vile death of y e crosse for vs wretches miserable sinners But of this I am assured y t the wicked world w t all his force power shal not touch one of y e heares of your heads without leaue liceÌ„ce of our heauenly father whose wil be done in all things If he will life life be it if he will death death be it Onely we pray that our willes may be subiect vnto his will then although both we all the world see none other thing but death yet if he thinke life best we shal not die no although the sword be drawen out ouer our heades as Abraham thought to kill his sonne Isaac yet when God perceaued that Abraham had surrendred his will to Gods will and was content to kill his sonne God then saued his sonne Dearely beloued if we be contented to obey Gods will and for his commandements sake to surrender our goods and our selues to be at his pleasure Gods will 〈◊〉 be obeyâ—â— in all â—â—inges it maketh no matter whether we keepe goodes and lyfe or lose them Nothyng can hurt vs that is taken from vs for Gods cause nor nothing can at length do â—s good that is preserued contrary vnto Gods commaundement Let vs wholy suffer God to vse vs and ours after his holy wisedome and beware we neither vse nor gouern our selues contrary to his will by our own wisedome for if we do our wisedome will at length proue foolishnes It is kept to no good purpose y t we keepe contrary vnto his commandements It can by no meanes be taken from vs that he would should tary w t vs. He is no good Christian that ruleth himselfe his as worldly meanes serueth for he y t so doth shall haue as many changes as chaÌ„ceth in the world To day with y e world he shall like and prayse the truth of God Difference betweene the true christian and the worldling to morow as the world will so will he like and prayse the falshood of man to day with Christ and to morow with Antichrist Wherefore deare brethren as touching your behauiour towards God vse both your inward spirites and your outward bodyes your inward and your outward man I say not after the meanes of men but after y e infallible word of god Refraine from euill in both and glorifie your heauenly father in both For if ye thinke ye can inwardly in the hart serue him Both the inward man and outward man must concurre in the honour of God and yet outwardly serue with the world in externall seruice y e thing that is not God ye deceaue your selues for both the body and the soule must together concurre in the honour of God as S. Paule plainly teacheth 1. Cor. 6. For if an honest wife be bound to geue both hart and body to fayth and seruice in mariage and if an honest wiues fayth in the hart cannot stand with an whorishe or defiled body outwardly muche lesse can the true fayth of a Christian in the true seruice of Christianitie stand with the bodely seruice of externall Idolatry for the mistery of mariage is not so honorable betweene man and wife as it is betweene Christ euery christian man as S. Paule saith Therefore deare brethren pray to the heauenly father that as he spared not the soule nor the body of his dearely beloued sonne but applyed both of them with extreame payne to work our saluation both of body and soule so he will geue vs al grace to apply our bodyes and soules to be seruauntes vnto him for doubtles he requireth as wel the one as the other and cannot be miscontented with the one and well pleased with the other Either he hateth both or loueth both he deuideth not his loue to one and his hatred to the other Let not vs therfore good brethren deuide
in their owne sapience which is playne foolishnes amongest the wise indeede that is amongest such as haue heard Gods worde and doe followe it for they onely are counted wise of the wisedome of God our Sauiour In deede if I should simply consider my life with that whiche it ought to haue bene He confesseth his sinnes before God and as God in his lawe requireth then could I not but cry as I do Iustus es domine omnia iudicia tua vera i. Righteous art thou O Lord and all thy iudgemēts are true For I haue much greeued thee and transgressed thy holy preceptes not onely before my professing the Gospell but sithen also yea euen sithen my comming into prison I do not excuse but accuse my selfe before God and al his Church that I haue greeuously offended my Lord God I haue not loued his Gospell as I should haue done I haue sought my selfe and not simply and onely his glory and my brethrens commoditie I haue bene to vnthankefull secure carnall hipocriticall vayneglorious c. All which my euils the Lord of mercy pardon me for his Christes sake as I hope and certaynly beleeue he hath done for his great mercy in Christ oure redeemer But when I consider the cause of my condemnation I cannot but lament that I doe no more reioyce then I doe For it is Gods veritie and trueth The Papistes condemne not Bradford but Christ. So that the condemnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply but rather a condemnation of Christ and his trueth Bradford is nothing els but an instrument in whome Christe and his doctrine is condemned And therefore my dearely beloued reioyce reioyce and geue thankes with me and for me that euer God did vouchsafe so great a benefite to our countrey as to choose the most vnworthye I meane my selfe to be one in whome it would please him to suffer any kinde of affliction muche more this violent kinde of death whiche I perceiue is prepared for me with you for his sake All glory and prayse be geuen vnto God our father for his great exceeding mercy towardes me through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen But perchaunce you will saye vnto me what is the cause for the whiche you are condemned we heare say that ye denye all presence of Christ in his holy Supper and so make it a bare signe and common bread and nothyng els My dearly beloued what is sayde of me and what will be I cannot tell It is tolde me that Pendleton is gone doune to Preach with you not as he once recanted for you all knowe hee hath preached contrary to that hee was wont to preach afore I came amongest you but to recant that which he hath recanted D. Pendleton recanted first in K. Edwardes tyme and now agayne in Q. Maryes tyme. Howe hee will speake of me and report before I come when I am come and when I am burned I muche passe not for he that is so vncertayne and wil speake so often agaynst him selfe I can not thinke hee will speake well of me except it make for hys purpose and profite but of this inough The causes why M. Bradford was cōdemned In deede the chiefe thing which I am condemned for as an hereticke is because I deny in the sacrament of the aultar whiche is not Christes supper but a playne peruerting of it being vsed as the papistes now vse it to be a reall naturall and corporall presence of Christes bodye and bloud vnder the formes and accidences of bread and wine Transubstantiation the deuills darling and daughter of Antichrist that is because I deny transubstantiation whiche is the dearling of the Deuill and daughter and heyre to Antichristes religion whereby the Masse is mayntayned Christes supper peruerted his sacrifice and Crosse imperfited hys Priesthood destroyed the ministery taken away repentaunce repelled and all true godlynes abandoned In the supper of our Lord or sacrament of Christes body and bloud I confesse and beleeue that there is a true and very presence of whole Christ God and man to the fayth of the receiuer but not of the stander by and looker on as there is a verye true presence of bread and wine to the sences of him that is partaker thereof This fayth this doctrine whiche consenteth with the worde of God and with the true testimony of Christes Church whiche the Popishe Churche doth persecute will I not forsake and therefore am I condemned as an hereticke and shall be burned But my dearely beloued this trueth whiche I haue taught and you haue receiued I beleued and do beleue and therein geue my life I hope in God shall neuer be burned bound nor ouercome but shall triumphe haue victorye and be at libertye maugre the head of all Gods aduersaries For there is no counsayle agaynst the Lord nor no deuise of man can be able to defeate the veritie in anye other then suche as be children of vnbeliefe whiche haue no loue to the truth and therefore are geuen vp to beleue lyes Frō which plague the Lord of mercies deliuer you and all the realme my deare harts in the Lord I humblie beseeche his mercy Amen M. Bradfordes farewell to the countrey of Lankeshire And to the ende you might be deliuered from thys plague right deare to me in the Lorde I shall for my fare well with you for euer in this present lyfe hartely desire you all in the bowels and bloud of our most mercifull Sauiour Iesus Christ to attend vnto these things which I now shall shortly write vnto you out of the holy scriptures of the Lord. You knowe an heauy plague or rather plagues of God is fallen vpon vs Gods manifold plagues vpon England in Q. Maryes dayes in takyng away our good Kyng Gods true Religion Gods true Prophetes and Ministers c. And setting ouer vs such as seeke not the Lorde after knowledge whose endeuours GOD prospereth wonderfully to the tryall of many that his people may bothe better knowe themselues The cause of Gods plagues is our iniquities and not knowing the tyme of Gods visitation and be knowen Nowe the cause hereof is our iniquities and greeuous sinnes We did not know the tyme of our visitation we were vnthankefull vnto God we contemned the Gospell carnally abused it to serue our hipocrisie our vaynglory our viciousnes auarice idlenes securitie c. Long did y e Lord linger and tary to haue shewed mercy vppon vs but we were euer longer the worse Therefore most iustly hath God dealt with vs and dealeth with vs yea yet we may see that his iustice is tempered with much mercy whereto let vs attribute that we are not vtterly consumed For if the Lord should deale with vs after our desertes alas howe coulde we abide it In his anger therfore seeyng hee doeth remember his mercye vndeserued yea vndesired on our behalfe let vs take occasion the more speedily to goe out to meete him not with force
Gospellers begin now for the feare of afflictions to relent yea to turn to their vomite agayne thereby declaryng that though they goe from amongst vs yet were they neuer of vs for els they would haue stil taried with vs and neyther for gayne nor losse haue left vs either in word or deed As for their hart which vndoubtedly is double and therfore in danger to Gods curse we haue as much with vs as the Papists haue with them Backsliding of Gospellers and more too by their own iudgement For they playing wily beguile theÌ„seâ—ues thinke it enough inwardly to fauour the truth though outwardly they curry fauour What though with my body say they I doe this or that God knoweth my hart is whole with hym Ah brother if thy hart be whole with God why doest not thou confesse declare thy selfe accordingly by word and fact Either that which thou sayest thou beleeuest in thy heart is good or no. If it be good why art thou ashamed of it If it be euill why doest thou keepe it in thy hart Is not God able to defend thee Mistrusters of God Paul 33. aduenturyng thy selfe for hys cause Or will hee not defend hys worshippers Doth not the Scripture say that the eyes of the Lorde are on them that feare hym and trust in his mercy And whereto Forsooth to deliuer their soules from death and to feed them in the tyme of hunger If this be true as it is most true why are we afraid of death as though God could not comfort or deliuer vs or would not contrary to his promise Why are we afrayd of the losse of our goods as though God would leaue them that feare hym destitute of all good thyngs and so do agaynst his most ample promises Ah faith faith how few feele thee now a daye Luke 18. Lacke of fayth Full truâ—ly sayd Christ that hee should scarsly finde fayth when he came on earth For if men beleued theâ—e promises they would neuer do any thyng outwardly which inwardly they disallow No example of men how many soeuer they bee or how learned soeuer they be can preuaile in this behalfe for the paterne which wee must follow is Christ himselfe and not the more company or custome His word is the lanterne to lighten our steppes Psal. 118. and not learned men Company and custome are to be considered accordyng to the thyng they allow Learning to be followed so farre as it concurreth with Gods word Learned men are to be listened to and followed according to Gods lore and law for els the more part goeth to the deuill As custome causeth error and blindnes so learnyng if it be not accordyng to the light of Gods word is poison and learned men most pernicious The Deuill is called Daemon for his cunnyng and the children of this world are much wyser then the children of light in their generation and I knowe the Deuill and his dearlyngs haue alwayes for the most part Luke 16. more helpes in this lyfe then Christes Church and her children They the deuill and his Synagogue I meane haue custome multitude vnitie antiquitie learnyng power riches honour The Sinagogue of the deuill more furnished with wordly helpes then the Church of Christ. dignity promotions plenty as alwayes they haue had and shal haue coÌ„monly and for the most part vntill Christes commyng muche more then the true church hath presently heretofore hath had or hereafter shall haue For her glory riches and honour is not here her triall crosse and warrefare is here And therefore my deare hartes in the Lord consider these thyngs accordingly Consider what you be not worldlyngs What we be Where we be Amongest whoÌ„ we be but Gods children Consider where you be not at home but in a strange countrey Consider among whom ye are conuersant euen in the middest of your enemies and of a wicked generation and then I trust you will not much muse at affliction Which you cannot be without beyng as you be Gods children Affliction no straunge thing amongest Godâ— children in a strange country and in the middest of your enemies except you would leaue your captaine Christ and follow Sathan for the mucke of this mould rest and quietnes which he may promise you you in deed thinke you shall receiue it by doyng as hee would haue you to do my sweete hartes hee is not able to pay that he promiseth Peace and warre come from God riches and pouertie welth wo. The Deuil hath no power but by Gods permission If then God permit hym a little on your goods body or lyfe I pray you tell me what can much hurt you as Peter sayth you beyng followers of godlines 1. Pet. 3. Thinke you that God will not remember you in his tyme as most shall be to your comfort Can a woman forget the chyld of her wombe And if she should Esay 49. yet will not I forget thee sayth the Lord. Looke vpon Abraham in hys exile misery looke vpon Iacob Ioseph Moses Dauid the Prophets Examples of Patriarchâ—s and Prophets afflicted in this world Apostles and all the godly from the beginning and my good brethren is not God the same God Is he a chaungeling You haue heard of the pacience of Iob sayth S Iames and you haue seene the end how that God is mercifull pacient and long suffering euen so I say vnto you that you shall find accordingly if so be you be pacient that is if so be you feare hym Iacob 5. set his word before you serue him thereafter and if he lay his crosse on you you beare it with pacience the which you shall do when you consider it not according to the present sense but accordyng to the end Heb. 12. 2. Cor. 4. Therfore I hartily besech you out of my bonds which I suffer for your sake pray you myne owne sweete harts in the Lord that you would cleaue in hart and humble obedience to the doctrine taught you by me and many other my brethren For wee haue taught you no fables nor tales of men or our owne fantasies but the very word of GOD which we are ready with our lyues God so inhabling vs as we trust he will to confirme and by the sheading of our blouds in all patience and humble obedience to the superior powers to testifie and seale vp as well that you might be more certaine of the doctrine as that you myght be ready to confesse the same before this wicked world knowyng that if we confesse Christ and his truth before men hee will confesse vs before his father in heauen if so be we bee ashamed hereof for losse of lyfe friends or goods he wil be ashamed of vs before his father and his holy Angels in heauen He exhorteth to come from the Masse Therfore take heede for the Lordes sake take heed take heed and defile not your bodies or soules with this Romish and Antichristian
examination and aunsweres before the Suffragan came not then to my hands I thought here in this place to bestow them rather then they should vtterly bee suppressed And first what his answer was by writyng to the said Suffragan after his apprehension you shal heare by the tenor of hys owne wordes as follow 〈◊〉 The copy of 〈◊〉 Newâ—â—ns words 〈◊〉 writing 〈◊〉 Doctour â—â—ornton IT may please you to vnderstand that for the space of all the tyme of kyng Edwards raigne we were diligently instructed with continuall Sermons made by suche men whose fayth wisedome learning vertuous liuyng was commended vnto all men vnder the kyngs hand seale and vnder the hands of the whole Counsaile These men taught diligently a long tyme perswadyng vs by the allegations of Gods worde that there was no Transubstantiation nor corporall presence in the sacrament Their doctrine was not beleeued of vs sodainly but by their coÌ„tinuall preachyng and also by our continuall prayer vnto God that we might neuer bee deceiued but if it were true that God would encline our heartes vnto it and if it were not true that we myght neuer beleeue it We waied that they laboured with Gods worde and wee asked the aduise of our friends neyther could we finde that they preached false doctrine We considered also as wee dyd learne that the Kyngs grace and hys Counsaile and the most part of the whole Realme beleeued as they taught because no man preached the contrarye Also wee knowe that the Preachers were commaunded by the Kyng and lawes of the Realme to preach vnto vs such doctrine as was to the authority of Gods worde agreeable and no other And by their diligent settyng foorth of it by the kings commaundement and the whole consent of the whole Counsaile and by the authoritie of the Parliament wee embrased it and receyued it as a verye infallible truth taught vnto vs for the space of seuen yeares Wherefore vntill such tyme as our consciences are otherwyse taught and instructed by Gods worde we cannot with safegard of our consciences take it as many suppose at this tyme. And we trust in God that the Queenes mercifull hyghnesse neither yet her most honourable Counsaile will in a matter of fayth vse compulsion nor violence because fayth is the gift of God and commeth not of man neither of mans laws neither at suche tyme as men require it but at such tyme as God geueth it ¶ The examination and answers of Iohn Newman Martyr before D. Thornton and others FIrst one of the Doctors or one of the Bench The examination and answeres of Iohn Newman either the Archdeacon or Fauced or some other whose name I. Newman doth not expres beginneth asking in this wise Doctor How say ye to this This is my body which is geuen for you New It is a figuratiue speach one thing spoken another ment as Christ sayth I am a vine I am am a dore I am a stone c. Is he therfore a material stone a vine or a dore Doct. This is no figuratiue speech For he sayth This is my body which is geuen for you and so sayth he not of the stone vyne or doore but that is a figuratiue speech New Christ saith this cup is the newe Testament in my bloud If ye wil haue it so ment then let them take eat the cup. This cup is thâ— new TestameÌ„t is a figuratiue speach Doct. Nay that is not so ment for it is a common phrase of speech among our selues we say to our friend drynke a cup of drinke yet we ment he should drinke the drinke in the cup. New Why if we will haue the one so vnderstand ye must so vnderstand the other Doct. Nay it is a common vse of speech to say drinke a cup of ale or beere And therfore it is no figuratiue speech New The often vsing of a thyng doth not make that thing otherwise then it is What is a figuratiue speach but wheresoeuer one thyng is spoken and an other ment it is a figuratiue speech Doct. Well we will not stand here about How say ye by the reall presence Is not Christs naturall body there that was borne of the Uirgin Mary New No I do not so beleeue neyther can I so beleue for the soule of man doth not feed vpon natural things as the body doth Doct. Why how then doth he feed New I thinke the soule of man doth feed as the angels in heauen whose feedyng is only the pleasure ioy felicity delectation that they haue of God and so the soule of maÌ„ doth feed and eat through fayth the body of Christ. Collins Yea but if the body doe not feede vppon naturall thyngs the soule cannot continue with the body Collins reasoneth with Newman therfore the body must needs feed vpon naturall things that both may lyue together New I grant it to be true but yet the soule doth lyue otherwise then the body which doth perish therfore naturall thyngs do but feede the body onely I pray you what did Iudas receiue at the Supper Coll. Marry Iudas did receyue the very body of Christ but it was to hys damnation New Why was the deuill entred into hym before TheÌ„ he had both the deuill and Christ in hym at one tyme. Coll. Nay the deuil did enter into hym afterward New Yea and before to what doe ye thinke Whether Iudas receaued the body of Christ or no Had he but one deuill Nay I thinke he had rather a legion of deuils at the latter end Coll. Well put case it be so what say you to that New Mary if Christ and the deuil were both in Iudas at once I pray you how did they two agree together Coll. We grant they were both in Iudas at that tyme for Christ may be where the deuill is if he will but the deuill cannot be where Christ is except it please Christ. New Christ wil not be in an vncleane person that hath the deuill Thorn Why will ye not beleue that Christ was in hel and ye will grant that the deuill is there D. Thornton reasoneth with Iohn Newman and so might he be in Iudas and if it pleased hym New Christ would not suffer Mary Magdalene to touch hym which sought hym at hys graue and did loue hym entirely much lesse he will suffer an vngodly man to receyue hym into his vncleane body Thorn Yes seing God may do all things he may do what he list and be where he will And doth not the Psalm say he is in hell and in all places Why should wee then doubt of his beyng there New Though his Godhead be in all places yet that is not sufficient to prooue that his humanitie is in all places Thornt No do you not beleue that God is omnipotent may do all thyngs New I do beleue that God is almighty may do all that he will do Thornt Nay but and if he be omnipotent The
denied so doo I now for this present keepe secret in silence Ex Regist. Rich Fitziames as well for breuities sake as also somewhat to colour hide the shameles practises of that lieng generation But to our purpose THe chiefest obiection against Ioanne Baker was that she would not only her selfe not reuerence y e Crucifixe Ioanne Baker but had also perswaded a frend of hers lieng at the point of death not to put any trust or cōfidēce in the Crucifixe but in God which is in heauen who only worketh all the myracles that be done and not the dead Images that be but stockes and stones Agaynst worshipping of the crucifixe or crosse Testimonie for the Lady yong Mart. and therefore she was sory that euer she had gone so often on Pilgrimage to S. Sauiour and other Idols Also that she did hold opinion that the Pope had no power to geue pardons that Lady Yong who was not long before that time burned died a true martyr of God and therefore she wished of God that she her selfe might do no worse then the said Lady Yong had done VNto William Pottyer besides diuers other false and slanderous articles as that he should denie the benefite and effect of Christes passion it was also alleged that he should affirme William Pottier False slaunder of the aduersaries that there were sixe Gods The first three was the holy Trinitie the father the sonne and the holy Ghost The fourth was a priests concubine beeing kept in his chamber The fift was the Deuill And the sixt that thing that a man setteth his mind most vpon The first part of this Article he vtterly denied confessing most firmely and truely the blessed Trinitie to be only one God in one vnitie of Deitie Answere as to the other three he answered that a Priest delighting in his concubine made her as his God Likewise a wicked person persisting in his sinne without repentaunce made the Deuill his God And lastly he graunted that hee once hearing of certaine men whiche by the singing and chattering of birdes would seeke to knowe what things were to come eyther to themselues or others sayd that those men esteemed their birds as Gods and otherwise he spake not AMongst the manifold and seuerall articles obiected against Thomas Goodred T. Godred Tho. Walker Tho. Forge c. Thomas Walker Thomas Forge Alyce Forge his wife Iohn Forge their sonne Iohn Caluerton Iohn Woodrofe Richard Woolman and Roger Hilliar As that they should speake against Pilgrimages praieng vnto Saints and such like this principally was propounded that they all denied the carnall and corporall presence of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the altar Agaynst transubstantiation and corporall presence and further had concealed and consented vnto their teachers and instructers of that doctrine and had not according vnto y e lawes of the Church accused and presented them vnto the Bishop or Ordinary Also great and heinous displeasure was conceiued against Richard Wolman for that he tearmed the Church of Paules a house of theeues affirming that Priests and other Ecclesiasticall persons there were not liberall geuers vnto the poore as they ought but rather takers away from them what they could get Likewise as Thomas Austye Ioanne Austye hys wife Tho. Austy Ioan Austy c. Thomas Graunt Iohn Garters Christofer Rauins Dionise Rauins his sister Thomas Uincent Lewes Iohn Ioan Iohn his wife Iohn Webbe were of one felowship and profession of faith with diuers of y e last before recited so were they also almost all apprehended about one time chiefly burdened with one opinion of the Sacrament Which declareth euidently Agaynst transubstantiatiō corporall presence that notwithstandyng the darke ignoraunce of those corrupted tymes yet God did euer in mercy opē the eyes of some to behold the manifest truth euen in those thinges wherof the Papistes make now greatest vaunt and bragge of longest continuaunce Furthermore many of them were charged to haue spoken agaynst Pilgrimages to haue read and vse certaine English bookes repugnyng the fayth of the Romish Church as the foure Euangelistes Wickleffes Wicket a booke of the x. commaundementes of almightie God the Reuelation of S. Iohn the Epistles of Paule Iames with other like which those holy ones could neuer abide good cause why for as darkenes could neuer agree with light no more cā ignoraunce the mainteiner of that kingdome with the true knowledge of Christ and his Gospel It was further particularly obiected agaynst Ioanne Iohn the wife of Lewes Iohn Agaynst holy dayes that besides the premisses she learned and mainteined that God commaunded no holy dayes to bee kept but onely the Sabboth day and therefore she would keepe none but it nor no fastyng dayes affirmyng that to fast from sinne was the true fast Moreouer that she had despised the Pope his Pardons Against pilgrimage and adoration of images and Pilgrimages In somuch that when any poore body asked his almes of her in the worship of the Lady of Walsingham she would straight aunswere in contempt of the Pilgrimage the Lady of Walsingham helpe thee And if she gaue any thyng vnto him she would then say Take this in the worshyp of our Lady in heauen and let the other goe Which declareth that for lacke of better instructiō and knowledge she yet ignorauntly attributed too much honour to the true Saintes of God departed though otherwise she did abhorre the idolatrous worshippyng of the dead Images By which example as also by many others for shortnesse sake at this present omitted I haue iust occasion to cōdemne the wilfull subtiltie of those that in this bright shinyng light of Gods truth would yet vnder colour of godly remembraunce still mainteyne the hauyng of Images in the Church craftely excusing their idolatrous kneelyng and praying vnto them by affirming that they neuer worshypped the dead Images but the thynges that the Images did represent But if that were their onely doctrine and cause of hauyng of them why thē would their predecessours so cruelly compell these poore simple people thus openly in their recantations to abiure and renoke their speakyng agaynst the grosse adoration of the outward Images onely and not against the thing represented which many of them as appeareth partly by this exāple in their ignoraunt implicitie confessed might be worshipped Howbeit God be thanked who euer in his mercy continue it their coulourable and hypocriticall excuses can not now take such place in the hartes of the elect of God as they haue done heretofore especially seyng the word of God doth so manifestly forbid as wel the worshyppyng of them as also the makyng or hauing of them for order of Religion IT was alledged against Williā Couper and Alice Couper his wife that they had spoken against Pilgrimages William Couper and his wife worshyppyng of Images but chiefly the woman who hauyng her childe on a tyme hurt by fallyng
misery ye make in all regions N ow your fraudes be almost at their latter cast O f God sore to be reuenged at the last ¶ P oore people to oppresse ye haue no shame Q uaking for feare of your double tyranny R ightfull iustice ye haue put out of frame S eeking the lust of your God the belly T herefore I dare you boldly certifie V ery little though ye be thereof a gast Y et God will be reuenged at the last By these and such like sayinges whiche may be collected innumerable it may soone be seen what harts iudgements the people had in those dayes of the Romish Clergy Which thing no doubt was of God as a secret prophecie that shortly religion shoulde be restored according as it came to passe about thys present tyme whē Doct. Martin Luther first began to write Laurentius Valla. Picus Mirādula Erasmus Roterodamus M. Luther The article of our free iustification beateth downe all errours after that Picus Mirandula and Laurentius Ualla last of all Erasmus Roterodamus had somewhat broken the way before hadd shaken the monkes houses But Luther gaue the stroke pluckt downe the foundation all by opening one vayne long hid before wherein lyeth the touchstone of all trueth doctrine as the onely principall origine of our saluation which is our free iustifying by faith onely in christ y e sonne of God The laborious trauailes and the whole processe the constant preachings of this worthy mā because they be sufficiētly declared in the history of Iohannes Sleidanus I shall the lesse neede to stand long thereupon but onely to runne ouer some principall matter of his life actes as they are briefly collected by Phillip Melanthon ¶ The history of D. Martine Luther with his lyfe and doctrine described MArtine Luther after he was growne in yeares The history of M. Luther with his life doctrine described being borne at Isleben in Saxonie an 1483. was set to the Uniuersity first of Magdeburg thē of Erford In this Uniuersitie of Erforde there was a certayne aged man in the Couēt of the Agustines who is thought to be Weselus aboue mentioned wyth whom Luther beyng then of the same order a fryer Augustine had conference vppon diuers thinges especially touching the Article of remission of sinnes the whiche Article the sayd aged father opened vnto Luther after this sorte declaring that wee must not generally beleue onely forgeunes of sinnes to be or to belong to Peter to Paule to Dauid or suche good men alone but that Gods expresse commaundements is that euery man should beleue particularly hys sinnes to be forgeuen him in Christ and further sayd that thys interpretation was confirmed by the testimonies of S. Barnerd and shewed him the place An excellent declaration of S. Bernard touching fayth in the Sermon of the Annunciation where it is thus set forth But adde thou that thou beleuest this that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee This is the testimony that the holy Ghost giueth thee in thy heart saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee For this is the opinion of the Apostle that man is freely iustified by fayth By these wordes Luther was not onely strengthened but was also instructed of the full meaning of S. Paule who repeateth so many tymes this sentence We are iustified by fayth And hauing read the expositions of many vppon this place he then perceiued as well by the purpose of the old man as by the comfort he receiued in his spirit the vanitie of those interpretations which he had read before of the scholemen And so reading by litle and litle with cōferring the sayinges and examples of the Prophetes Apostles and continuall inuocation of God and excitatiō of fayth by force of prayer hee perceiued y e doctrine more euidently Then began he to read Saint Augustines bookes where he founde many comfortable sentēces among other in the exposition of the Psalmes and specially in the booke of the Spirite and Letter The profite of S. Augustines bookes which confirmed this doctrine of fayth and consolation in hys hart not a little And yet he layd not aside the Sentenciaries as Gabriell and Cameracensis Also he read the bookes of Occam whose subtilty he preferred aboue Thomas Aquine Scotus He read also and reuolued Gersō but aboue al the rest he perused all ouer S. Augustines workes with attentiue cogitation And thus continued he his study at Erford y e space of 4. yeares in the Couent of the Augustines About this tyme one Staupicius a famous mā The institution of the Vniuersitie at Wittenberge Staupitius who ministring his helpe to further the erection of an Uniuersitie in Wittenberg and endeuouring to haue schooles of Diuinitie founded in this new Uniuersitie when he had cōsidered the spirite towardnes of Luther he called him from Erford to place him in Wittenberg in y e yeare .1508 and of his age xxvi There his towardnes appeared in y e ordinary exercise both of hys disputations in the schooles preaching in churches where as manye wise and learned mē attentiuely heard Luther namely D. Mellerstad This Mellerstad would oftentimes say that Luther was of suche a marueilous spirit and so ingenious The iudgement of Doct. Mellerstad vpon M. Luther that he gaue apparant signifcation that he would introduce a more compendious easie and familier maner of teaching and altar and abolishe the order that then was vsed There first he expounded the Logick and Philosophy of Aristotle in the meane while Luther sent to Rome intermitted no whit his study in Theolagy Three yeares after he went to Rome about certayn contentions of the Monkes and returning the same yeare he was a graded Doctour Fridericke Duke of Saxonie Luther commensed doctour at the expenses of Elector Fredericke Duke of Saxonie according to the solemn maner of scholes for he had heard him preach well vnderstanded the quickenes of his spirite dilligently considered the vehemency of hys wordes and had in singular admiration those profound matters whiche in hys Sermons he ripely and exactly explaned This degree Stanpicius against his will enforced vpon him saying merely vnto him that God had many thinges to bring to passe in hys Church by him And though these wordes were spoken merely yet it came so to passe anone after as many predictions or presages proue true before a chaunge Doct. M. Luther beginneth to read the Epistle to the Romains After this he began to expound the Epistle to the Romayns consequently the Psalmes where he shewed the difference betwixt the lawe and the Gospell He also confounded the errour that raigned then in schooles and Sermons teaching that men may merite remission of sinnes by their proper works and that they be iust before God by outward discipline as the Phariseis taught Luther dilligently reduced the mindes of men to the sonne of God As Iohn Baptist demonstrated the lambe of God that
other cause but onely for the true confession of Iesus Christ This good Pastour considering with him selfe the lawes and doctrine of the church of Rome to swarue from the truth of Christ especially in restraining mariage to the end that he would not defile himselfe wyth fornication he maryed a mayd of his such a one as feared God by whom afterward he had many fayre children About this time the people of the countrey had raysed a great commotion A commotion of the Boures who in theyr rage went vnto monasteries and priestes houses as if they had taken in hand some pilgrimage and spared nothing that they could find to eat That which they could not eat they eyther cast vnderfeet or caryed it away with them One company of this rustical sort lodged themselues in the house of this good Priest for they made no difference betwene the good the bad These roysters tooke from him all that they could finde leauyng nothing behinde them in so much as they tooke away the very hose from his legges for all that he could doe albeit that he gently entreated them shewing that it was theft a hanging matter that they did yet they continued styll in theyr madnes like beastes As they were departing out of the house the good priest could not refrain himselfe from weeping saying vnto thē I tell you before these your vnordinate dooynges will redound to some great mischiefe to your selfe For what madnes is this what meaneth this rage and tumult wherein you keepe no order or equity neither haue any respect betwene frend and foe Who thus styrreth you vp what coūsell do you folow or to what end do you this Like theues you spoyle what so euer you can lay handes vpon And thinke you not but these thinges which you now rob rauen and steale you shal be compelled hereafter to restore agayn to your great detrimēt What sedition did euer come to good end Crueltie sedition neuer commeth to good ende You pretend the Gospell and haue no peace of the Gospell either in your mouthes or in your hartes These excesses sayd he ye neuer learned of me which euer haue taught you the true word of God This your Gospel sayth he is rather the Gospell of the deuill then of God which vexeth al the world with violence and wrong spoyling and robbing without regard The Gospel teacheth no rebellion The true Gospel of Iesus Christ teacheth you to do good vnto all men to auoyde dissentiōs and periury This I say vnto you that in these your doinges you offend God and prouoke his iust vengeance to plague you which will neuer suffer these euilles to escape vnpunished You finde written in the Gospell That which thou wouldest not shoulde be done to thee do not to other You offend also all the nobilitye and your lawfull magistrates whom you are sworne and bound vnto It is no small matter I tel you to rayse vp sedition to styrre vp other and to disturbe the state of the common wealth and when this tumult shall be ceased what then shall your noble men do shal they not rifle you as fast of your goodes make themselues rich and then shall one of you betray an other These with such other words he stood preaching vnto them almost naked but al this would not preuayle with those men who after all these gentle admonitions and fayre wordes departed out of his house geuing him foule language and calling him olde Dotarde Amongest all other one more wicked then the residue sayde vnto hym in this maner O mayster Curate we haue bene long deceyued by your selling of masses by fearing vs with Purgatory by your Diriges and Trentals and so haue we bene spoyled wherfore we do nothing now but requyre agayn the mony which you robbed vs of and so mocking scorning him they departed After that this sedition of the Pesantes was partly appeased theyr armour being layd away and they taken vnto grace after that also diuers of the principals of that conspiracy were taken here and there in the villagyes and executed this good pastor fearing no such thing for the true and sincere preaching of the Gospell whereat many tooke great indignation was taken in the night by certayn souldiers which bound him hand and foote with a great rope before his wife and children and so set him vpon a horse Religion the cause onely why good men be troubled of the wicked and ledde him away to Friburge What grieuous sighes teares sorrowe and lamentation was there It would haue mooued any hart were it as hard as a Flynt to a dolefull compassion especially to see the barbarous and despightfull rebukes tauntes and extreme cruelty shewed by these proude Popishe Souldiours agaynst the innocent Priest Such beastly Tyrauntes the world is neuer without Such Godly ministers we haue had but a few The people hearing this pitifull noyse and lamentatiō in the night came runing out not the men but onely the women whom the souldiers willed to go home again and that theyr men should come forth and keepe the towne but theyr men durst not appear Then from Friburge shortly after they conueyed him to Ensissheim After they had long kept this man in prison and that he had endured most terrible tormēts as well by the priuy members as in other partes they iudged him to death If you will know y e cause what they had to lay to his charge it was onely this y t he had maryed a wife secretely in hys owne house with a few witnesses Crueltie without cause Other crimes they had none to obiect agaynst him neither that he was a seditious and wicked man or that he had cōmitted any other offence albeit they had gathered diuers wicked persons out of sūdry places to picke out of hys Sermons the order and maner of his behauiour When he was led vnto the place of execution he aunswered gentlye and quietly vnto all them that came to comfort hym But there were diuers Monkes and Priestes which troubled hym very sore with theyr foolish babling as he was striuing in hys spirite agaynst the horrour of death and making hys prayer vnto almightye GOD seeking nothing els but to turne him away from his harty and earnest contemplation But he desired them that they woulde holde theyr peace saying that he had already confessed his sinnes vnto the Lord Iesus nothing at all doubting but that he had receiued absolution and forgeuenesse of them all And I sayd he shall this day be an acceptable sacrifice vnto my Sauiour Iesus Christ for I haue done no suche thing wherefore I am now condemned whiche might displease my Lorde God who in this behalfe hath geuen me a good and quiet conscience Nowe therefore let them which thyrst for innocent bloud and shed the same diligently aduise themselues what they do and that they offend euen hym vnto whom it perteineth truely to iudge the hartes of men for it is
was condemned wyth Gillotus to be burned Ex Crisp.  Godfridus Hamelle At Dornic An. 1252. Thys Godfryde a Taylor was taken condemned at Dornic or Tournay When they had condemned him by the name of an hereticke Nay sayd he not an hereticke but a seruaunt of Iesus Christ vnprofitable When the hangmaÌ„ went about to strangle him to diminish his punishment he refused it saying that he woulde abide the sentence that the Iudges had geueÌ„ Ex eod ☞ Besides these Germaynes aboue specified a great number there was both in the higher lower countryes of Germanye which were secretly drowned or buryed or otherwise in prison made away whose names although they be not knowne to vs yet they are registred in the booke of life Furthermore in the Dutch booke of Adrian diuers other be numbred in the Catalogue of these Germane Martyrs which likewise suffered in diuers places of the lower country the names of certayn wherof be these At Bergis or Berghen in Hennegow were burnt Iohn Malo Damian Witroke Weldrewe Calier Iohn Porceau Iulian van den Swerde Adrian Lopphen Bawdwyne in the yeare of our Lord. 1555. Iohn Malo Diuers of the lower countrieâ— martyreâ— Damian Witrocke Weldrew Calier buried quicke Iohn Porceau At Aste suffered also one Iulian. an 1541. and Adrian LoppheÌ„ an 1555. Ex 〈◊〉 hist. Adriano At Bruxels an 1559. one Bawdwyne beheaded An other called Gilleken Tielman buxnt an 1541. Adde moreouer to the same Catalogue of Duch Martyrs burnt and consumed in the lower countryes vnder the Emperours dominion the names of these folowing W. Swolle burnt at Mechlin an 1529. Nico. Paul at Gaunt beheaded Robert Orguier and Ioanne his wife with Baudicon and Martin Orguier their children which suffered at Lisle an 1556. M. Nicholas burnt at Mons. Iames Fosseau at Mons. Corniels Uolcart at Brugis an 1553. Hubert the Printer and Philippe Iopner at Brugis an 1553. A woman buryed wyth thornes vnder her Peter le Roux at Brugis an 1552 At Mechlin suffered Frances and Nicholas Thijs ij brethren an 1555. At Antwerpe were burnt Adrian a Painter and Henry a Taylor an 155. Also Cornelys Halewyne Locksmith Herman Ianson the same yeare M. Iohn Champ. Scholemayster an 1557. with a number of other besides whiche in the sayd booke are to be seene and read ¶ An. 1525. we read also in the French history of a certayne Monk who because he forsooke his abhominable order and was maryed was burnt at Prage The Priestes of Erford A Preacher poysoned at Erford In the Collections of Henry Pantalion we reade also of a certaine godly preacher to be poysoned for preaching the woorde of trueth by the Priestes of Erford Ex Elegia cuiusdam viri Docti in Pantal. And here ceasing with these persecutions in Germany A preacher at Erdphord poysoned we will now Christ willing proceed further to the Frenche Martyrs comprehending in a lyke Table the names and causes of such as in that kingdome suffered for the word of God and cause of righteousnes as in this briefe Summary consequentlye hereunder ensueth ¶ An other Table of them which suffered in Fraunce for the like witnesse of the Gospell * The French Martyrâ— Persecuters Martyrs The Causes Doctour Martiall of Paris Iames Pauane scholemaister At Paris An. 1524. THis Iames fyrste being taken by the Byshop of Melden Iames Pauane Martyr or Meaux was compelled to recant by Doctor Martiall Afterwarde returning agayne to his confession he was burnt at Paris 1525. Ex. Ioan. Crisp.  Dionisius de Rieux At Melda or Meaux An. 1528. Dionysius de Rieux Martyr This Denys was one of theÌ„ which were first burne at Melda for sayinge that the Masse is a playne denyall of the death and Passion of Christ. He was alwayes wont to haue in his mouth the woordes of Christ This Denys hauing a wodden crosse put into his handes by the Friers with hys teeth cast it into the ryuer which made the Fryers mad He that denyeth mee before men hym wyll I denye before my Father and to muse vpon the same earnestlyâ— He was burnt with a slow fire and dyd abyde muche torment Ex Crisp. alijs  Ioannes Cadurcus Martyr Ioannes de Cadurco Bacheler of the Ciuill law An. 1533. This Iohn first for makyng a Sermon or exhortation to his couÌ„treymen of Lunosin in Fraunce vpon Alhallow daye and after sitting at a feast where it was propouÌ„ded that euerye one shoulde bryng foorth some sentence for that he brought forth thys Christe reygne in our hartes and dyd prosecute the same by the Scryptures in muche length of words was thereupon accused taken and disgraded and after burned At this degradation one of the black Friers of Paris preached taking for his theame the wordes of S. Paule 1. Tim. 4. The spirite speaketh that in the latter dayes menne shall departe from fayth geuing heed to lying spirites and doctrine of error c. And in handling that place either be could not or woulde not proceed further in the text Cadurcus cryed out to him to proceede and read further The Frier stood dombe and coulde not speake a word Then Cadurcus taking the text did prosecute the same as foloweth Teaching false doctrine in hypocrisy hauing theyr conscience marked with a hoate yron forbidding to mary and to eat meates created of God to bee eaten with thankesgeuing c. Ex Ioan. Crispi. Promoâ—â—â—â— of Paris 5. Martyrs burned Batthelmew MyleÌ„ a lame creple Iohn Burges Marchaunt The receiuer of Names Henry Poille of Coâ—beron Cantella a Scholemistres Stephen de la Forge Marchaunt An. 1533. These fine here specified for certayne Billes cast abroad and set vppe soundyng agaynst the abhomination of the Masse and other superstitious absurdityes of the Pope were condemned and burned in the City of Paris Henry of Couberon had hys tongue bored through and wyth an yron wyer tyed fast to one of hys cheekes Who lykewise with the other was burned as is aforesayde Ex Ioanne Crisp.  Alexander Canus priest otherwise called Laurentius Crucens At Paris An. 1534. For the sincere doctrine and confession of Christes true religion Alexander Canus Martyr hee was burned in Paris hauing but small fire and abydde muche torment Ex Henr. Pantal. The Gray Friers in Paris Doctour Clerke a Sorbonist Iohn Poynter a Surgeon At Paris An. 1533. Thys Surgeon beyng detected and accused by the Fryers Iohn Poyntet Martyr and suche as he had cured before of the Frenche pockes In Fraunce the maner was that the Martyrs comming by any Image as they went to burning and would not worship the same had their tongues cut out was first condemned to be straÌ„gled and then burned but afterwarde because he would not do homage to a certayne Idole at the commaundemente of a Fryer that came to confesse hym his sentence was turned to haue hys toung cutte of and so to bee burned Ex Crisp. A certayne Knight of Rhodes Vncle to
French church set vp in Meaux For theyr minister they chose Peter Clerke First they beginning with 20. or 30 did grow in short time to 3. or 4. hundreth Wherupon the matter being knowne to the Senate of Paris the chamber was besette where they were and they taken Of whom 62. men and weomen were boūd brought to Paris singing psalmes especially y e psal 79. To these it was chiefly obiected that they beeing laye men would minister the sacrament of the body bloud of the Lord. Of these 62.14 chiefly did stand fast which were condemned and rackt to confesse moe of theyr fellowes but they vttered none the rest wer scourged and banished the country These 14. were sent to sondrye Monasteries to be conuerted but y t woulde not be Then they beyng sent in a cart to Melda or Meaux to be burned by the waye three myles from Paris a certayne Weauer called Couberon by chaunce meeting them cryed to them a loud bidding them be of good cheare and to cleane fast to the Lord Who also was taken and bounde with them in the cart Cōming to the place of execution which was before Mangins house it was told them that they which would be confessed shuld not haue their tongues cut out Ex Lud. the other shuld Of whom vii there were whiche to saue theyr tongues confessed other vii would not Of the first was Stephen Mangin who hauing his tongue first cut notwithstanding spake so that he might be vnderstande saying thrise The Lordes name be blessed As they were in burning Rab. Lib. 6. Note how God maketh these aduersaries with their owne song to praise the sacrifice of these holie Martyrs against theyr willes the people sunge psalmes The priests seing that would also sing their songes * O Salutaris hostia id est O wholesome sacrifice is a song which the Papists vse in prayse of the sacrifice of their Masse O Salutaris hostia and Salue regina while the sacrifice of these holy martyrs were finished Their wiues being compelled to see their husbandes in tormentes were after put in prison from whence they being promised to be let go if they would say that theyr husbands were damned refused so to say Iohn Andre bookseller promotour Doctours Sorbonists M. Nicolas Clerici Doctour of Diuinitie Doctour Iohn Picard Doctour Nicolas Maillaird Peter Chapot At Paris An. 1546. Peter Chapot first was a correcter to a Printer in Paris After he had bene at Geneua to do good to the Church of Christ lyke a good man he came with bookes of holye scripture into France and dispersed them abroad vnto the faythfull Which great zeale of his caused hym to be apprehended of I. Andre which was the common Promotor to Liset the President to the Sorbonistes This good Chapot being taken and brought before the Commissaries rendered promptly accompt of hys faith vnto whom he exhibited a supplication or writing wherein hee learnedly informed y e Iudges to do their office vprightly Then were iii. Doctours of Sorbone assigned Nicholas Clerici Iohn Picard and Nicholas Maillard to dispute w t hym Who when they could finde no aduantage but rather shame at hys hands they waxed angry with the Iudges for letting them dispute with hereticks This done the Iudges consulting together vpon hys condemnation could not agree so that Chapot as it seemed might haue escaped had not a wicked person the reporter of the proces sought wrought his condemnation whiche condemnation was at length concluded thus that he shoulde be burned quicke onely the cuttynng of hys tongue was pardoned The Doctour appoynted to be at his execution was Mallaird wyth whome he was greatly encombred For this Fryer called vppon hym still not to speake to the people but hee desired hym that he might pray Then he bad hym praye to oure Lady confesse her to be his Aduocate He confessed y t she was a blessed Uirgine recited the Lords prayer and the Creed and was about to speake of y e Masse but Maillard woulde not let hym making hast to hys execution said vnles he would say Aue Maria he should be burnt quicke Then Chapot prayed O Iesu sonne of Dauid haue mercy vppon me Maillard then bad hym say Iesus Maria and so hee should be strangled Chapot agayn excused that he was so weake he could not speake Say sayd Maillard Iesus Maria or els thou shalt be burned quicke As Chapot was thus striuing with the Fryer sodeinly as it happened Iesus Maria To geue neuer so litle to the aduersaries is a great matter escaped out of hys mouth But he by and by repressing hymselfe O god sayde he what haue I done Pardon mee O Lorde to thee onely haue I sinned Then Maillard commaunded the corde to be pluckt about hys necke to strangle hym notwithstanding yet he felt somthing the fire After all thynges done Maillard all full of anger went to the counsayle house The cutting of tongues howe and by whom it came in France called La chamber Ardante declaring what an vprore had there almost happened amongst the people saying that he would complayne vpon the Iudges for suffering those heretickes to haue theyr tongues Whereupon immediately a decree was made that all which were to be burned vnles they recanted at the fire shoulde haue theyr tongues cut of Whiche lawe dilligently afterwarde was obserued Ex Ioan. Crisp. Lib. 6. M. Peter Liset Presidēt of the counsayle of Paris Saintinus Niuet At Paris An. 1546. After the burning of those 14. whose names bee described before this Saintinus which was a lame criple with hys wife remoued out of Meaux to Moutbeliard wher when he had continued a while in safe liberty of religion and saw hymselfe there to doe no good but to bee a burden to the Church cast in his mind to returne home to Meaux agayn so did Where at last as hee was selling certayn small wares in y e fayre hee was there knowne and apprehended Whereof whē information was geuen hee being examined at the first confessed all and more thē they were willing to heare In the tyme of this Inquisition as they were examining hym of certayn points of Religion and asked him whither he would stand to that he sayd or not he gaue this aunswere agayne worthye to be registred in all mens hartes saying And I aske you agayne Lorde Iudges dare you be so bold to deny that is so playn and manifest by the open wordes of the Scripture So little regard had he to saue hys owne lyfe that he desired the Iudges both at Meaux and at Paris for Gods sake that they would rather take care of their owne liues and soules and to consider howe muche innocēt bloud they spilled dayly in fighting against Christ Iesus and his Gospell At last being brought to Paris through the meanes of M. Peter Liset a great persecutour for that they of Meaux thoulde take by hym no incouragement there he was deteyned and suffered hys
when hee knew that he had flatly renounced Christ and hys worde he sayde vnto hym O vnhappy and more then miserable Philbert prophecieth is it possible for you to be so folish as for sauing of a few dayes which you haue to liue by the course of nature so to start awaye and to denye y e truth Know you therfore that although you haue by your foolishnes auoyded y e corporall fire yet your life shal be neuer the longer for you shall dye before me and God shal not geue you the grace that it shal be for hys cause and you shal be an example to al Apostates The marueilous iudgement of God against Apostates He had no sooner ended hys talke but the priest goyng out of prison was slayne by two gentlemen which had a quarrell to him Wherof when M. Philbert had heard he affirmed that he knewe of no such thing before but spake as pleased God to guyd hys tongue Wherupon immediately he made an exhortation of the prouidence of God which by the occason hereof moued the hartes of many and conuerted them vnto God At last the foresayd Philbert after hys condemnation was had to the place of his martyrdome before the palace and as he was exhorting the people to the intent hys wordes shoulde not be heard the trumpets blew without ceasing Trumpets blowen to stoppe the hearing of Philbert And so being fastened to y e post this holy martyr praying exhortyng the people was strangled and hys bodye wyth fire consumed on palme sunday euen Ex Gal. hist. Crisp. lib. 6. Ripet a Secretary Anthony Eschaux Baily The kinges Procurator Micholas Startorius At Ost by Piedmont An. 1557. Nicolaus Startorius of the age of 26. yeres borne in Piedmont came to the partes of Chamberye in Lent Nicolas Startorius martyr where a certayn warden of the Fryers in the towne of Oste had preched on good friday vpon the passion The reporte of which Sermon being recited to this Sartorius by one that heard him Sartorius reprehended the errour and blasphemyes thereof whiche were agaynst the holye scriptures Shortly after the party that told hym went to a Secretarye named Ripet who couertly came to entrap Nicholas demaunding him of the Friers Sermon And did not our Preacher sayd he preach well No sayde Nicholas but he lyed falsely Ripet entring further w t him demaunded And do not you beleue the body of the Lord to be in the hoste to whom Nicholas then aunswered agayne that to be agaynst our Creed which sayth that he ascended vp and sitteth c. Incontinent Ripet went to the Frier and his companions to cause him to be apprehended The frendes of Nicolas perceiuing the daunger willed him to auoyde and saue himselfe and also accompanyed him out of the town about the space of three leagues Then was great pursute made after him to al quarters who at length was taken at the towne of S. Remy at the foot of the mountaine of great S. Bernard where he was examined before Anthony Eschaux Bailife of the towne and other iustices before whom he aunswered with great boldnesse for hys fayth Then they brought him to the racke when the Sergeant refused to draw the corde the Bayliffe himselfe the Receiuer with a Canon did rack him with theyr owne handes Notwithstanding that the Lordes of Berne wrote for him to the towne of Ost requiring to haue theyr owne subiect deliuered vnto them they hastened the execution and pronounced sentence that he should be burned Which sentence he receiued with such constancy that neither the kinges receiuer nor all the other enemies coulde diuert him from the truth of the Gospell which he manfully mainteined while any spirit remayned in his bodye Ex Ioan. Crisp lib. 6. The accusers be not named in the story A broderer of Tours Martyr George Tardif George Tardif Martyr with one of Tours a Broderer Nicholas a Shomaker of Ienuile At Tours An. 1558. At Ienuile An. 1558. The Printer of the story of the french martyrs named Crispine among othermoe maketh also memoriall of George Tardif a Broderer of Tours and Nicholas of Ienuile declaring that all these three together were in prison and afterward were disseuered to suffer in sundry places one from the other of whome first George Tardife was executed in Sens. The Broderer of Tours as hee was comming with 5. or 6. other out of a woode beyng at prayer was taken and thereupon examined Before hee shoulde bee examined he desired the Iudges that hee myght praye Which being graunted after his prayer made wherein he prayed for the Iudges for the king and all estates for the necessity of all Christes Sayntes he aunswered for himselfe with such grace and modestye that the hartes of many were broken vnto the sheddyng of teares seeking as it seemed nothing els but hys deliueraunce Notwithstanding he at last was sent vnto Tours and there was crowned with martyrdome The third which was Nicolas being but young of yeares and newly come from Geneua Nicolas of Ienuile Martyr to his coūtrey for certayne money by meanes of a Lady there dwelling was caused to be apprehended When he was condemned and set in the cart his Father comming with a staffe would haue beaten him but the officers not suffering it would haue stroken the olde man The sonne crying to the Officers desired them to let his father alone saying that his father had power ouer him to doe with him what he would and so going to the place where he should suffer hauyng a balle of yron put in his mouth he was brought at length to the fire in the towne of Ienuile where he paciently tooke his death and Martyrdome an 1558. Ex Typogra Crisp. Lib. 6. The Priestes of the College of plessis The doctors of Sorbone Doctor Democrates Cenalis Bishop of Auranches Martine the kinges Attorney The Cardinall of Lorrane Maillardus Henry the secōd frēch king The congregation of Paris persecuted to the number of three or foure hundreth At Paris An. 1558. AN. 1558. Sept. 4. a company of the faythfull to the nūber of 3. or 4. hundred wer together conuented at Paris in a certē house hauing before it y e college of Plessis in the strete of S. Iames behinde it A terrible persecution at Paris against the Cōgregation the college of Sorbone Who ther assembled in the beginning of the night to the intent to communicate togeather the Lordes supper but incontinēt that was discouered by certeyne Priestes of Plessis who gathering together suche as were of that faction came to beset the house and made an outcrye that the watch mighte come and take them so that in short time almost all the city of Paris was vp in armor thinking some conspiracy to haue bene in y e city Who then following the noyse perceiuing that they were Lutheranes a greate part of thē were in extreme rage furiouslye seeking to haue theyr bloud and
or wrong and they answered no for the most part of them were such men The Popes churchmen worse then the olde Pharisies Then sayd the Lord Beauieu euen so is it with the bishops and priests which I haue spoken of for they are suche kinde of men or rather worse and I so abhorre their filthy and abhominable life that I dare not speake the one halfe of that which I know and therfore in speaking the truth to coole the babling of a harlot I do them no iniurie Then monsieur de Senas an auncient counsailor sayd let vs leaue of this contentious talke for we are here asseÌ„bled come together to make good chere And afterwarde he said monsieur de Beauieu for the loue and amity which I beare vnto you I will aduertise you of 3. things which if you will do you shall finde great ease therein The first is that you neither by worde nor deede aide or assist those which you heare to be Lutheranes Secondly y t you do not entermeddle openly to reproue ladies and gentlewomen for their pastime and pleasures Thirdly that you doe neuer speake against the life and liuing of * ChurchmeÌ„ be they neuer so euill must not be spoken against 1. Par. 16. Priests howe wicked so euer it be according to this saying Do not touch mine annoynted To whom monsieur Beauieu answered as touching y e first poynt I know no Lutherans neither what is meant by this word Lutheranisme except you do call them Lutherans which professe the doctrine of the gospel Neither yet will I euer allowe any Arrest which shall be geuen out to death against men whose cause hath not bene heard especially against women and yong infantes and I am assured that there is no Court of parliament in all Fraunce which will approoue or allowe any such arrest And where as you say that I shuld not meddle to reproue ladies or geÌ„tlewomen if I knewe any kinswoman of mine which would abandone her selfe vnto a priest or clerke How priests harlots should be handled yea albeit he were a cardinal or bishop I would not do her so much honor as to rebuke her therfore but at the least I would cutte of her nose And as touching priestes as I am contented not to meddle with their busines so likewise I will not that they meddle with mine heereafter or come from henceforth w tin my house For as many as I shall finde or take there I wil set their crownes so nere their sholders that they shal nede no more to weare any hoodes about their necks The like also said the President Chassanee Then the byshop of Aix his sweete heart Well spokeÌ„ and like an harlot which had begon the quarell said I shal not be in quiet except I speake yet one word more vnto monsieur Beauieu Do you think sayd she vnto hym that all the Cardinals Byshops Abbots Priestes and all those holy religious men which goe oftentimes to gentlemens houses and haunte the Castels and palaces of Princes and noblemen that they go thither to commit wickednesse Also you must not thinke euil of al those ladies and gentlewemen that go to Bishops houses of deuotion and for to reueale those whome they know to be Lutherans as it was commaunded in the pulpitte vppon payne of Excommunication If so be you will maintaine those wordes I will not cease to accuse you of crime and also of Treason both to God and to man for heere be those in this companie which shall make you geue an accompt thereof Shee had not so soone ended her talke but Monsieur Beauieu sayde vnto her auaunte O Herodias As Heropias wrought the death of Iohn Baptist â—o this strâ—â—peâ— seeke the death of the Meâ—â—â—dolians two strumpet well compared togeather thou filthy and impudent harlot is it thy part to open thy mouth to talke in this coÌ„pany Doest thou well vnderstaÌ„d and knowe what treason to God and man meaneth Iâ—hn Baptist so this strumpet seeke the death of the Merindoliâ—â—â— two stâ—umpet will compared togeather Is it not sufficient for thee to be as thou arte but thou must sollicite other to shed innocent bloude With these words the Gentlewoman was somewhat amased All men thought that this talke had bene at an end and euery man began to inuent some mery communication that the former matter should be no more talked of At the last the gentlewoman aduising her self and thinking that she was to much iniured to be sayd that she weÌ„t about to shed the innocent bloud she brake of al their talk and with a loud voice sayde Monsieur Beauieu if I were a man God seÌ„deth a 〈…〉 shorte 〈◊〉 as I am a woman I would offer you the combate to prooue that I am no such manner of woman as you say I am that I desire to shed innocent bloud Do you call the bloude of these wicked men of Merindoll innocent bloud True it is that I desire and offer with my whole power that these naughty packes of Merindol such like as they are shoulde be slaine and destroyed from the greatest euen vnto the least The cruell hart of an harlot And for to see the beginning of thys worke I haue emploied all my credite and all my frends and do not spare neither body nor goods to worke the ruine destruction of these people and to rase out and to deface their memorie from amongest men Doe you then Monsieur Beauieu call the slaughter of these Lutherans the effusion of innocent bloude And say you what you will I wil not refraine for no man liuing to goe either by day eyther by night vnto the houses of Bishops in all * The visor oâ— honestye on a harlots face honesty and honor for the deuotion which I beare vnto our holy * Like mother like daughter mother the church and also I wil receiue into my house all religious men to coÌ„sult and deuise the meanes how to put these Lutherans to death But as Monsieur Beauieu tooke no more regarde vnto her talke so likewise al that were at the table dispraised her and were weary of her prating Then there was a certaine younge gentleman whych merely iesting said vnto her GentlewomaÌ„ it must nedes be that these poore people vnto whome you doe wish thys cruell death OderuÌ„t me gratis Iohn 15. haue done you some great displeasure Then sayd she I may well take an othe that I neuer knewe one of those wretched people neither that I wot of euer sawe any of them And I had rather to meete 10. deuils then one of those naughty knaues for theyr opinions are so detestable that happy and blessed are they which neuer heard tell of them And I was not then wrll aduised at what time by curiositie I seeing the Bishop of Aix so muche troubled and angry that he could not eate nor drinke did desire him and constraine him to tell me the cause thereof Then hee
he that beleueth the Gospel beleueth God To beleue the Gospel is this That Christ is the Sauiour of the world Iohn 4. Christ is our Sauiour Luke 2. Christ bought vs with his bloud Heb. 13. 1. Pet. 1. Apo. 5 Christ washed vs with his bloud Apoc. 1. Christ offered himselfe for vs. Heb. 9. Christ bare our sinnes on his owne backe c. 1. Pet. 2. The 17. proposition The 17. proposition He that beleueth not the Gospel beleueth not God Argument Fe. He that beleueth not Gods word beleueth not God himselfe Maior ri The Gospel is Gods worde o. Ergo he that beleueth not the Gospel beleueth not God him selfe Minor Conclus and consequently he that beeleueth not those things aboue wrytten and such other beleueth not God The 18. proposition The 18. proposition He that beleueth the Gospel shal be safe Go ye into all the worlde and preache the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but he that beleueth not shal be condemned Mark 16. A comparison betwene faith and incredulitie A comparison betweene Fayth and Incredulity FAith is the roote of all good Incredulitie is the roote of all euill Faith maketh God and man good frendes Incredulitie maketh them foes Faith bringeth God and man together Incredulitie sundereth them All that faith doth pleaseth God All that Incredulitie doth displeaseth God Faith onely maketh a man good and rightuous Incredulitie onely maketh him vniust and euill Faith maketh a man a member of Christ. Incredulitie maketh him a member of the deuill Feith maketh a man the inheritour of heauen Incredulitie maketh him inheritour of hell Faith maketh a man the seruaunt of God Incredulitie maketh him the seruaunt of the deuill Faith sheweth vs God to be a swete father Incredulitie sheweth him a terrible iudge Faith holdeth stiffe by the word of God Incredulitie wauereth here and there Faith counteth and holdeth God to be true Incredulitie holdeth him false and a lier Faith knoweth God Incredulitie knoweth him not Faith loueth both God and his neighbour Incredulitie loueth neither of them Faith onely saueth vs. Incredulitie onely condemneth vs. Faith extolleth God and his deedes Incredulitie extolleth her selfe and her owne deedes Of hope HOpe is a trusty looking after the thing that is promised vs to come as we hope after the euerlasting ioy which Christ hath promised vnto all that beleue in him We should put our hope and trust in God a lonely and in no other thing What hope is IT is good to trust in God and not in man Psal. 118. He that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prou. 28. It is good to trust in God and not in princes Psal. 118. They shall be like vnto the Images whych they make and all that trust in them Psal. 115. He that trusteth in his owne thoughtes doth vngodly Prou. 12. Cursed be he that trusteth in man Ier. 17. Bid y e rich men of thys world that they trust not in their vnstable richesse but that they trust in the liuyng God 1. Tim. 6. It is hard for them that trust in mony to enter into the kingdome of heauen Luke 18. Moreouer we should trust in him onely that may helpe vs God onely may helpe vs therefore we should trust in him onely Well are they that trust in God and woe to them that trust not in him Psal. 2. Ier. 17. Well is that man that trusteth in God for God shall be his trust Psal. 14. Eccles. 34. He y t trusteth in him shal vnderstand the verity Sap. 3. They shall all reioyce that trust in thee they shall euer be glad and thou wilt defend them Psal. 5. Of Charitie CHaritie is the loue of thy neighbor The rule of charity is this Doe as thou wouldest be done to The rule of Charitye for Christe holdeth al alike the rich the poore the frend and the foe the thankfull and vnthankfull the kinseman and stranger A comparison betwene Faith Hope and Charitie FAith commeth of the worde of God A difference betweene Faith Hope charitye Hope commeth of faith and Charitie springeth of them both Faith beleeueth the word Hope trusteth after it that is promised by the word Charity doth good vnto her neyghbor thorow the loue that it hath to God and gladnes that is wythin her selfe Faith looketh to God and hys worde Hope looketh vnto his gift and reward Charity looketh on her neighbours profite Faith receaueth God Hope receaueth hys rewarde Charitie loueth her neighbour with a glad heart and that without any respect of reward Faith pertaineth to God onely Hope to hys rewarde and Charitie to her neighbour The doctrine of workes No maner of workes make vs rightwise WE beleeue that a man shal be iustified without workes What good workes doe Rom. 3. No man is iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christe and we beleeue in Iesu Christe that we may be iustified by the faith of Christe and not by the deedes of the lawe For if righteousnesse come by the lawe then died Christ in vaine Gal. 2. That no man is iustified by the lawe is manifest for a rightwise man liueth by his faith but y e law is not of faith Moreouer sith Christ the maker of heauen earth Act. 17. and al that is therein behoued to die for vs we are compelled to graunt that we were so farre drowned sunken in sin Workes doe not make vs righteous that neither our deedes nor al the treasures that euer God made or myght make coulde haue holpen vs out of them therfore no dedes no Workes may make vs rightwise No workes make vs vnrightwise IF any euell workes make vs vnrighteous then the contrary workes should make vs rightwise Argumentū a contrario sensu But it is prooued that no woorkes can make vs rightwise therefore no workes maketh vs vnrightwise Workes maketh vs neither good nor euill IT is proued that woorkes neither maketh vs rightwise nor vnrightwise Workes make vs neither good nor euill before God therfore no works make vs either good or euill For rightwise and good are one thing vnrightwise and euil likewise one Good workes make not a good man nor euill workes an euill man but a good man bringeth foorth good workes and an euill man euill workes Good fruite maketh not the tree good nor euill fruite the tree euill but a good tree beareth good frute and an euill tree euil frute A good man can not doe euill workes nor an euill man good workes for a good tree can not beare euill fruite The goodnes of the tree goeth before his fruite nor an euill tree good frute A man is good ere he do good workes and euill ere hee do euil works for the tree is good ere it beare good frute and euil ere it beare euil frute Euery man and the workes of man are eyther good or euill
Rochester came vnto the Byshop of Norwiches house whereas likewise Ex officio they did sweare certayne witnesses against mayster Thomas Arthur in lyke sorte as they had done before agaynst mayster Bilney and so proceeded to the examination of mayster Arthur whiche being ended vpon certayne interrogatories the Byshop of London warned hym by vertue of hys othe Wâ—rke they neuer so secretly yet Gâ—d bringeth their practises to light at length that he should not reueale his examinations nor his answeres nor any parte or parcell thereof The seconde day of December the Bishops assembled agayne in the same place and sware more witnesse agaynst Mayster Bilney That done they called for Mayster Arthur vnto whose charge they layde these Articles folowing ¶ Articles agaynst Thomas Arthur Artiâ—les against Thomas Arthur 1 IN primis that he exhorted the people in his prayers to pray specially for those that now be in prison which Article he denyed 2 That he sayde though men be restrayned to preache now adayes which is agaynst Gods lawes yet I may preache First by the authoritie of my Lord Cardinall for I haue his licence Secondly by the authoritie of the Uniuersitie Thirdly by the Pope Fourthly by the authoritie of God where he sayeth Euntes in mundum praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae By whyche authoritie euerye man may preach Authoritye to preache and there is neyther Byshop nor Ordinary nor yet the Pope that may make any lawe to let any man to preach the Gospell This Article he confessed that he spake 3 When he spake of Lawes he brought a similitude of Crosses set vp againste the walles of London that men should not pisse there When there was but one Crosse or a fewe more men did reuerence them and pissed not there but when there was in euery corner a Crosse set then men of necessitie were compelled to pisse vpon the Crosses So in lyke manner when there was but a fewe holy and deuoute lawes in the Churche then men were afrayde to offend them Afterwarde they made many lawes for their aduantage The multitude of lawes make lawes to be câ—ntemned and such as were pecuniall those they do obserue and such as are not pecuniall those they call Palea and regard them not and so now adayes there are so many lawes that whether a man do ill or well he shall be taken in the lawe He confessed that he spake the very same or the like words Palea in the Popes decrees The preaching of the Gospell is to be left for no persecution 4 He said Good people if I should suffer persecution for the preaching of the Gospel of God yet there is 7000. more that would preach y e Gospell of God as I do now Therfore good people good people whiche wordes be often rehearsed as it were lamenting thinke not that if these tyrants and persecuters put a man to death the preaching of the Gospell therefore is to be forsaken This Article he confessed that he spake in like words and sense sauing that he made no mention of tyrants 5 That euery man yea euery lay man is a priest He confessed that he spake such wordes declaring in hys Sermon that euery Christian man is a Priest offering vp the sacrifice of prayer and if they dyd murmure agaynste the order of Priesthoode they dyd murmure agaynst themselues 6 That men should praye to no Saintes in heauen but onely to God and they should vse no other Mediatour for them but Christ Iesu our redeemer only This Article he denyed 7 He preached that they shoulde worship no Images of Saintes Aaginst Images whiche were nothing but stockes and stones This he also denied 8 He did preache vpon Whitsonday last within the Uniuersitie of Cambridge such or like wordes and sentences That a Bachelor of Diuinitie admitted of the Uniuersitie or any other person hauing or knowing the Gospell of God shoulde go foorth and preache in euery place and let for no man of what estate or degree soeuer he were and if any Byshop did accurse them for so doing their curses should turne to the harme of themselues He confessed this Which aunsweres thus made and acknowledged the sayd M. Arthur did reuoke and condemne the sayd Articles agaynst him ministred Arthur submitteth himselfe and submitted him selfe to the punishment and iudgement of the Church The thyrd day of December the Byshop of London with the other Byshops assemblyng in the place aforesayd after that Bilney had denyed vtterly to returne to the Church of Rome the Byshop of London in discharge of his coÌ„science as he sayd least he should hide any thyng that had come to his hands he did really exhibite vnto the Notaries in the presence of the sayd Maister Bilney 5. letters of Bylney to the Bysh. of London certaine letters to witte fiue letters or Epistles with one Schedule in one of the Epistles conteyning his Articles and aunsweres folded therein and an other Epistle folded in maner of a booke with sixe leaues which all and euery one he commaunded to be written out and registred and the originals to be deliuered to him agayne This was done in the presence of Maister Bilney desiring a Copie of them and he bounde the Notaries with an othe for the safe keepyng of the Copies and true Registryng of the same Whiche Articles and aunsweres with three of the same Epistles with certaine depositions deposed by the foresayd witnesse Ex Regist Londinensi here followe truely drawen out partly of his owne hand writyng and partly out of the Register * Interrogatories whereupon Maister Thomas Arthur and Maister Bilney were accused and examined 1 WHether they did beleue with their hartes that the Assertions of Luther Interrogatories against Bilney Arthur which are impugned by the Byshop of Rochester were iustly and godly condemned and that Luther with his adherentes was a wicked and detestable hereticke 2. Whether they did beleue that the generall CouÌ„cels and Ecclesiasticall Constitutions once receiued and not abrogat agayn ought to be obserued of all men Constitutions euen for conscience sake and not onely for feare 3. Whether they did beleue that the Popes lawes were profitable and necessary to the preferrement of godlynesse not repugnaunt to the holy Scriptures neither by any meanes to be abrogate but to be reuerenced of all men 4. Whether they did beleue that the Catholicke Churche may erre in the fayth or no The Church and whether they thinke that Catholicke Church to be a sensible Church which may be demonstrate and poynted out as it were with a finger or that it is onely a spirituall Church intelligible knowen onely vnto God 5. Whether they thinke that the Images of Saintes are Christenly set in the Churches Images and ought to be worshypped of all true Christians 6. Whether that a man may beleue without hurt to his fayth or note of heresie the soules of Peter and Paule Whether
thy selfe to be the seruaunt of the sheepe and not theyr Lorde for I haue not geuen the sheepe for the shepheard but the shepheard for the sheepe He that sitteth downe is greater then he that doth minister and serue vnto hym Whiche thinge was well knowen of hym which truely sayde Wee are your seruauntes for Christes cause But for what purpose haue I geuen thee vnto y e house of Israell That thou shouldest onely minister the Sacramentes consecrate wood stoones churchyardes this I take God to witnesse with great sighes and grones I write vnto you Pastouâ—s seruauntes to the congregation for Christes cause and not maisters pouring out before you the griefe of my hart No truely What then First followeth the office of the byshop Thou shalt heare the word of God out of my mouth This is but a short lesson but suche as all the world cannot comprehende without they bee inwardly taught of GOD. And what els meaneth this The true office of pastors well described out of Ezechiell Out of my mouth thou shalt heare the word but that thou shalt be taught of God Therfore as many as are not taught of God althoughe they be neuer so well exercised in the Scriptures by manns helpe yet are they not watchmen geuen by God and muche â—â—ue they which do not vnderstand and know the Scriptures And therfore such as these be least they should keep silence and say nothing are alwayes harping vpon the traditioÌ„s and doctrines of men that is lyes for hee that speaketh of himselfe speaketh lyes Of this it is written 1. Tim. 1. They would be doctours of the lawe not vnderstandyng what they speake neyther of whome they speake Such of necessitie they must all be who speake that with theyr mouth which they doe not beleue because they are not inwardly taught of God neither are perswaded in their harts that it is true and therefore they are to be accompted as sheepe although they boaâ—â—e themselues to be shepheardes But contrariwise touchyng the true and learned Pastors geuen by God it may be truly said we speake that which we know 1 Iohn 1. The propertie of true pastors and that whiche we haue seene euen with the infallible eyes of our fayth we doe witnesse and these are neyther deceyued neither do deceiue Moreouer the deceiuers proceede to worse and worse erring themselues and bringing others also to errour and because they are of the worlde the worlde doth willingly heare them 1. Iohn 4. They are of the worlde saith S. Iohn and therefore they speake those thinges whiche are of the worlde and the world geueth eare vnto them Behold reuerent father this is the touchstone of oure daily preaching Hath not the world geuen eare vnto theÌ„ now a long tyme with great pleasure and delite But the flesh could neuer suffer y e preaching of the crosse nor yet the wisedome of the flesh which is enemy vnto God neyther is subiect vnto hys law nor cannot be And why then are they accused to be heretickes and Schismatickes A true note of sincere doctrine whiche will not seek to please men but onely to theyr edifying beyng mindfull of that place of Scripture God hath dispearsed the bones of them whiche please men saying vnto them speake vnto vs pleasaunt thinges But nowe setting these matters passe wee will come vnto the second poynt Esay 30. wherein you aske how a man should preach better Forsooth if wee had heard of him whoÌ„ the father spake saying This is my dearly beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare hym An information to preachers to preach rightly Who also speaking of hymself said it was meete that Christ should suffer and rise agayne the third daye from death and that in his name repentaunce and remission of sinnes should be preached vnto all people What other thing is that theÌ„ the same which the other Euangelists do write Goe ye into the whole world preach the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is Baptised Math. 28. shal be saued What can be more pleasaunt sweete or acceptable vnto afflicted consciences being almost in despayre then this most ioyfull tidinges But here whether Christ haue bene a long time heard I know not for that I haue not heard all the preachers of England and if I heard them yet till it was within thys yeare or two I could not sufficiently iudge of them But this I dare be bolde to affirme that as manye as I haue heard of late preach I speake eueÌ„ of the most famous they haue preached suche repentaunce that if I had heard suche preachers of repentaunce in tymes past I shoulde vtterly haue bene in despayre The preaching after the popes church is all to beate downe and not to lyft vp And to speak of one of these famous men not vttering hys name after he had sharpely inueyed against vyce wherein he pleased euery godly man for so much as it could not be sufficiently cryed out vpon hee concluded behold sayd he thou hast lyen rotten in thyne own lustes by the space of these 60. yeares euen as a beast in hys own doung and wilt thou presume in one yeare to go forward toward beauen and that in thyne age asmuch as thou wentest backwardes from heauen towardes hell 60. yeares Is not this thinke you a goodly argument Is this the preaching of repentaunce in the name of Iesus By this one you may see what all the rest are or rather to tread downe Christ with Antichristes doctrine for what other thing did he speake in effect theÌ„ that Christ dyed in vayne for thee He will not be thy Iesus or sauior thou must make satisfaction for thy selfe or els thou shalt perish eternally Then doth S. Iohn lye which sayth Beholde the Lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And in other place Marke the maner of the common preaching of the papistes 1. Iohn 1. His bloud hath cleansed vs from all our sins And agayne He is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world Besides an infinit nuÌ„ber of other places What other thing is this then that which was spoken by the holy Ghost by the mouth of Peter saying There shall be false teachers that shall deny the Lord Iesus which hath redemed them And what followeth vppon such doctrine of Deuils speaking lyes thorough hipocrisie a conscience dispayring and without all hope and so geueÌ„ ouer vnto al wicked lustes 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 popes 〈…〉 according to the saying oâ— S. Paule After that they be come to this poynt that they sorow no more they geue theÌ„selues ouer vnto wantonnes to commit all kinde of filthines euen with a greedy desire For seeing that it is impossible for them to make satisfaction to GOD either they murmure agaynst God or els they doe not beleue hym to be so cruell as they do preach and declare him to be The want of paper wyll not suffer
tuum Pasce gregem tuum vt cum venerit Dominus The wordes of Tho. Bilney to Doct. Warner inueniat te sic facientem That is Feede your flocke feede your flocke that when the Lord commeth he may finde you so doing and farewell good M. Doctour and pray for me and so he departed without any answere sobbing and weeping And while he thus stood vpon the ledge at the stake certayne Friers Doctours and Priors of theyr houses beyng there present as they were vncharitably and malitiously present at his examination and degradation The Fryers 〈◊〉 Bilny 〈◊〉 for them c. came to him and sayd O M. Bilney the people be perswaded that we be the causers of your death and that we haue procured the same and thereupon it is like that they will withdraw theyr charitable almes from vs al except you declare your charity towards vs and discharge vs of the matter Whervpon the sayd Tho. Bilney spake with a loud voyce to the people and sayd I pray you good people be neuer y e worse to these men for my sake as though they should be the authors of my death It was not they and so he ended Then the officers put reed and Fagots about hys body and set fire on the reed which made a very great flame which sparcled and deformed the visour of his face he holding vp his handes and knocking vpon his brest crying sometimes Iesus sometimes Credo Which flame was blowne away froÌ„ him by the violence of the winde which was that day 2. or 3. dayes before notable great in which it was sayd that the fieldes were maruellously plagued by the losse of corne and so for a litle pause The pacient death Martyrdome of M. Bilney he stoode without flame the flame departing recoursing thrise ere the wood tooke strength to be the sharper to consume him and theÌ„ he gaue vp the ghost and his body being withered â—owed downeward vpon the chayne TheÌ„ one of the officers with his halbard smite out the staple in the stake behinde him suffered his body to fall into the bottome of the fire laying wood on it and so he was consumed Thus haue ye good readers the true history Martyrdome of this good man that is Saint Bilney of blessed Saint Bilney as M. Latimer doth call him without any recaÌ„tation testified and ratified by the authority abouesayd By the which authority and party being there present yet aliue it is furthermore constantly affirmed that Bilney not only did neuer recant but also that he neuer had any such bill or script or scrolle in his hand to read either softly or apertly as M. More per licentiaÌ„ Poeticam would beare vs downe M. Moâ—â—s false report refuted Wherfore euen as ye see M. More deale in this so ye may trust him in the residue of his other tales if ye will ¶ Mayster Stafford of Cambridge AS the death of this Godly Bilney did much good in Northfolke where he was burnt so his diligeÌ„t trauel M. Bilney the cheife 〈…〉 Apostle of Cambridge in teaching and exhorting other and example of life correspondent to his doctrine left no small fruite behinde him in Cambridge beyng a great meanes of framing that Uniuersity drawing diuers vnto Christ. By reason of whoÌ„ and partly also of an other called M. Stafford the word of God begaÌ„ there most luckely to spread and many toward wittes to florish In the company of whom was M. Latimer D. Barnes D. Thistell of Penbroke hall M. Fooke of Benet Colledge and M. Soude of the same Colledge D. Warner aboue mentioned with diuers other moe This M. Stafford was then the publicke reader of the Diuinity lecture in that Uniuersity Who as he was an earnest professour of Christes Gospell so was he as diligeÌ„t a folower of that which he professed as by this exaÌ„ple here folowing may appeare For as the plague was then sore in Cambridge The notable zeale of M. Stafforde in sauing a damnable Priest and amongest other a certaine Priest called Syr Henry Coniurer lay sore sicke of the sayd plague M. Stafford hearyng therof and seing the horrible daunger that his soule was in was so moued in conscience to helpe the dauÌ„gerous case of the Priest that he neglecting his owne bodely death to recouer the other from eternall damnatioÌ„ came vnto him exhorted and so labored him that he would not leaue him before he had conuerted him and saw his coniuring books burned before his face Which being done maister Stafford went home and immediatly sickened shortly after most christianly deceased Ex fideli testimonio D. Ridlei Edmund Episcoporum Lond. Concerning which M. Stafford this moreouer is to be noted how that M. Latimer being yet a feruent and a zealous Papist M. Latimer asketh M. Stafford forgeuenes standing in the Schooles when M. Stafford read bad the Scholers not to heare him and also preaching agaynst him exhorted the people not to beleue hym and yet the sayd Latimer confessed himselfe that he gaue thankes to God that he asked him forgeuenesse before hee departed And thus much by the way of good M. Stafford who for his constant and godly aduenture in such a cause may seeme not vnworthy to goe with blessed Bilney in the fellowship of holy and blessed Martyrs ¶ The story of M. Symon Fish BEfore the time of M. Bilney and the fall of the Cardinall M Symon Fishe author of the booke called the supplication of Beggars I should haue placed the story of SimoÌ„ Fish with the booke called the Supplication of Beggars declaring how and by what meanes it came to the kynges hand and what effect therof folowed after in the reformation of many thinges especially of the Clergy But the missing of a few yeares in this matter breaketh no great square in our story though it be now entred here which shold haue come in sixe yeares before The maner and circumstaunce of the matter is this After that the light of the gospell working mightely in Germany began to spread his beames here also in England great styrre alteration folowed in the harts of many so that colored hipocrisy and false doctrine paynted holynes began to be espyed more and more by the reading of Gods word The authority of the Bishop of Rome and y e glory of his Cardinals was not so high but such as had fresh wits sparcled with Gods grace began to espy Christ from Antichrist that is true sincerity from counterfait religion In the number of whom was the sayd M. Simon Fish a gentleman of Brayes Inne It happened the first yeare that this Gentleman came to LondoÌ„ to dwel which was about the yeare of our Lord 1525. that there was a certayne play or interlude made by one M. Roo of the same Inne gentlemaÌ„ in which play partly was matter agaynst the Cardinall Wolsey And where none durst take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to play that part which
soone as he came vnto him Frith by and by began in the Latine tongue to bewaile his captiuitie The Schoolemaister by and by beinge ouercome wyth his eloquence did not onely take pitie and compassion vppon him but also began to loue and embrace such an excellent witte and disposition vnlooked for especially in such a state miserie Afterward they conferring more together vpon many things as touching the Uniuersities scholes and tongues fell from the Latine into the Greeke Wherin Frith dyd so inflame the loue of that Schoolemaister towardes him that he brought him into a marueilous admiration especiallye when the Schoolemaister hearde him so promptly by hart rehearse Homers verses out of his first booke of Illiades Whereuppon the Shoolemaister weÌ„t with all speede vnto the Magistrates greeuously complaining of the iniurie which they did shew vnto so excellent and innocent a young man Thus Frith through the helpe of the schoolemaster was freely dimitted out of the stockes Iohn Frith through the helpe of the Schoolemaister was deliuered out of the stockes set at libertie without punishment Albeit this his safetie continued not loÌ„g thorow the great hatred and deadly pursuit of sir Tho. More who at that time being Chauncelour of Englande persecuted him both by land and sea besetting all the waies and hauens yea promising great rewardes if any maÌ„ could bring him any newes or tydings of him Thus Frith beinge on euerye part beset with toubles not knowing whiche way to turne hym Syr Tho. More a deadly persecuter of Iohn Fryth seeketh for some place to hyde him in Thus fleeting from one place to an other and often chaunging both his garmentes and place yet coulde he be in safetie in no place no not long amongst his frindes so that at the last being trayterouslye taken as ye shall after heare hee was sent vnto the Tower of London wheras he had many conflicts with the bishops but specially in writyng with Syr Thomas Moore The occasioÌ„ of Frythes writing agaynst More The first occasion of his writyng was this Uppon a tyme hee had communicatioÌ„ with a certaine olde familiar freende of his touching the SacrameÌ„t of the body bloud of Christ. The whole effecte of which disputation consisted specially in these foure poyntes 1 FIrst that the matter of the sacrament is no necessarye article of fayth vnder payne of damnation 2. Secondly that for somuch as Christes naturall bodye in like condition hath all properties of our bodye sinne onely except it it cannot be neyther is it agreable vnto reason that he should be in two places or moe at once contrarye to the nature of oure bodye 3. Moreouer it shall not seeme meete or necessarye that wee should in this place vnderstand Christes words according to the literall sense but rather accordyng to the order and phrase of speache comparing phrase wyth phrase accordyng to the Analogie of the Scripture 4. Last of all how that it ought to be receaued accordyng to the true and right institution of Christ albeit that the order which at thys tyme is crept into the Church and is vsed now a dayes by the Priestes do neuer so much differ from it And for somuche as the treatise of this disputation seemed somewhat loÌ„g The occasioÌ„ of Frythes writyng vppon the Sacrament his frend desired hym that such things as he had reasoned vpon he would briefly committe vnto writing and geue vnto hym for the helpe of his memory Frith albeit he was vnwilling and not ignoraunt howe daungerous a thing it was to enter into suche a contentious matter at y e last notwithstanding he being ouercome by the intreaty of hys frend rather followed hys wil then looked to his owne safegard There was at that tyme in London a Taylor named William Holt which fayning a great frendshyp towarde this party William Holte a Iudas instantly required of him to geue him licence to read ouer that same writing of Frithes whiche when hee vnaduisedly dyd the other by and by caryed it vnto More being theÌ„ Chauncellour which thing afterward was occasion of great trouble and also of death vnto y e said Frith Syr Tho. More ChauÌ„celâ—r For More hauing gotten a copy of this booke not onely of this Sicophant but also two other copies whiche at the same time in a maner were sent hym by other promoters he whetted his wittes and called his spirites together as much as he might meaning to refute his opinioÌ„ by a contrary booke This in a maner was the whole summe of the reasons of Frithes booke First to declare the Popes beliefe of the Sacrament to be no necessary article of our faith that is to say that it is no article of our fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnation The summe 〈◊〉 â—rythe 〈◊〉 of the Sacrament that the Sacrament should be the naturall body of Chryst. Whych he thus prooueth For many so beleue yet in so beleuing the Sacrament to bee y e naturall bodye are not thereby saued but receyue it to their damnation Agayne in beleuyng the Sacrament to bee the naturall body yet that naturall presence of his body in the bread is not that which saueth vs The not beleuâ—â—â— the coâ—poâ—all 〈◊〉 of Christ in the Sacraments is no damnation but his presence in our harts by fayth And likewise the not beleuing of his bodyly presence in the Sacrament is not the thynge that shall damne vs but the absence of him out of our hart through vnbeliefe And if it be obiected y t it is necessary to beleue gods worde vnder payne of damnation to that he aunswereth that the woorde taken in the right sense as Christ meant mayntayneth no such bodyly presence as the Popes churche dothe teache but rather a Sacramentall presence And that saith he may be further confirmed thus ¶ Argument None of the olde fathers before Chrystes incarnation were bound vnder paine of damnatioÌ„ to beleue this point Ce All we be saued by the same fayth that the olde fathers were la. Ergo none of vs are bounde to beleue this point vnder paâ—â—e of damnation â—ent The first parte sayth he is euydent of it selfe For howe coulde they beleue that which they neuer hearde nor sawe The seconde part sayth he appeareth plainly by sainct Augustine August ad Dardanum writinge ad Dardanum and also by an hundreth places more Neither is there any thing that he doth more often inculcate theÌ„ this that the same fayth y t saued our Fathers saueth vs also And therfore vppon the truth of these two parts thus proued must the coÌ„clusion saith he nedes folowe ¶ An other Argument None of y t olde fathers before Christes incarnation did eate Christ corporally in their signes but only mistically spiritually and were saued Al we do eate Christ euen as they did and are saued as they were Ergo none of vs do eate Christe corporally but mystycally and spiritually in our signes
redresse reforme order correct restraine and amend all suche errours abuses offences contemptes enormities whatsoeuer they be which by any maner of spirituall authoritie or iurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of almighty God the encrease of vertue in Christes religiō and for the conseruation of y e peace vnitie and tranquility of this realme any vsage custome forreine lawes forreine authoritie prescription or any thing or things to the contrary heereof notwithstanding The Kings Proclamation for the abolishing of the vsurped power of the Pope The kinges proclamatiō against the Pope TRustie and welbeloued we greete you well and where as not onely vpon good and iust and vertuous groundes and respects edified vpon the lawes of holy Scripture by due consultation deliberation aduisement and consent as well of all other our nobles and commons temporall as also spirituall assembled in our high Court of Parliament and by authoritie of the same we haue by good and wholesome lawes and statutes made for thys purpose extirped abolished separated and secluded out of this our Realme the abuses of the Byshop of Rome his authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vsurped as well vpon vs and our Realme as vpon all other Kings and Princes and their Realmes lyke as they themselues haue confessed and affirmed but also for as much as our sayde Nobles and Commons both spirituall and temporall assembled in our high Court of Parliament The stile of supreame head annexed to the crowne of England haue vpon good lawfull and vertuous groundes and for the publicke weale of this our Realme by one whole assent graunted annexed knit and vnited to the Crowne Imperiall of the same the title dignitie and style of supreme head or gouernour in earth immediately vnder God of the Church of England as we be and vndoubtedly haue hetherto bene which title and style both the Byshops and Cleargie of this our Realme haue not only in conuocation assembled consented recognised and approoued lawfully and iustly to apperteyne vnto vs but also by word othe profession and writing vnder their signes and seales haue confessed ratified corroborated and confirmed the same vtterly renouncing all other othes and obedience to any other foreyne Potentates and all foreine iurisdictions and powers as well of the sayd Byshop of Rome as of all other whatsoeuer they be as by their sayd professions and writings corroborated with the subscription of their names and apension of their seales more playnely appeareth We let you witte that calling to our remembrance the power charge and commission geuen vnto vs of Almighty God and vpon a vehement loue and affection toward our louing and faithfull subiectes perceiuing right well what greate rest quietnes and tranquilitie of conscience and manyfold other commodities might insurge and arise vnto them if that the sayde Byshops and other of the Cleargy of this our Realme should set foorth declare and preach to them the true and sincere worde of God and without all maner colour dissimulation and hypocrisie manifest and publish the great and innumerable enormities and abuses which the sayde Byshop of Rome as well in the title and style as also in authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vnlawfully and vniustly hath vsurped vpon vs and our progenitours and also other Christen Princes haue therefore adressed our letters vnto the Byshop of the dioces straightly charging and commaunding him in the same that not onely he in his owne proper person shall declare teach and preach vnto the people forthwith vpon the receat of our sayd letters vnto him directed euery Sonday and other high feastes through the yeare the true meere and sincere word of God and that the same title stile and iurisdiction of supreme head apperteineth only to our Crowne and dignitie Royall likewise as the sayd Byshop and all other the Byshops of our Realme haue by othe affirmed and confirmed by subscription of their names and setting to their seales but also geue warning monition and charge to al maner Abbots Priours Deanes Archdeacons Prouosts Parsons Vicares Curates and all other Ecclesiasticall persons within his sayd diocesse as well to teache preach publish and declare in all maner Churches our foresayde iust title style and iurisdiction euery Sonday and high feast thorough the yeare and further to monish and commaund all other Scholemaysters within his sayd diocesse to instruct and teach the same vnto the children committed vnto them as also to cause all maner prayers orizons rubrickes Canons of Masse bookes and all other bookes in the Churches wherein the sayde Byshop of Rome is named or his presumptuous and proud pompe and authoritie preferred vtterly to be abolished eradicate and rased out and his name and memory to be neuer more except to hys contumely and reproch remembred but perpetually suppressed and obscured and finally to desist and leaue out all such Articles as be in the generall sentence The Popes name and memorye abolished which is vsually accustomed to be read four times in the yeare and do tende to the glory and aduancemēt of the Bishop of Rome his name title and iurisdiction Whereupon we esteeming and reputing you to be of such singular and vehement zeale and affection toward the glory of Almighty God and of so faythfull louing and obedient harte towards vs as ye will not only do and accomplish with all power wisedome diligence and labour whatsoeuer should or might be to the preferment and setting forwarde of Gods worde but also practise studie and endeuour your selfe with all your pollicie wit power and good will to amplifie defend and mayntayne all such interest right title stile iurisdiction and authoritie as is in any wise apertaining vnto vs our dignity prerogatiue crowne imperiall of this our Realme haue thought good expediēt not only to signifie vnto you by these our letters the particularities of the charge monition and commaundement geuen by vs vnto the sayd Byshop as before is specified but also to require and straightly charge and commaund you vpon payne of your allegeance and as ye shall auoyde our high indignation and displeasure at your vttermost perill laieng apart all vayne affections respects or other carnall considerations and setting onely before your eyes the mirror of truth the glory of God the dignitie of your soueraigne Lord and King and the great concord and vnitie and inestimable profite and vtilitie that shal by the due execution of the premisses insue to your selfe and all other faithfull and louing subiectes ye make or cause to be made diligent searche and waite and especially in euery place of youre shirewicke whether the said Bishop do truly sincerely and without all maner cloke colour or dissimulation execute and accomplishe our will and commaundement as is aforesaid And in case ye shall heare perceiue and approuably vnderstand and know that the said Bishop or any other ecclesiasticall person within his dioces do omit and
his word will be aboue theyr gouernours in refusing to obey them Secondly beside this rebellious disobedience in these Bishops of Rome not sufferable The pride of the Pope described theyr pride moreouer so farre exceedeth all measure that they will haue theyr princes to whoÌ„ they owe subiection prostrate vpon y e ground to adore them by godly honor vpon the earth and to kysse theyr feet as if they were God where as they be but wretched men and yet they looke that theyr princes should do it vnto them and also all other christen men owing them no subiection should do the same And who be these I pray you that men may knowe them Surely sayth he the Bishoppes of Rome be these whom I do meane Who following the pride of Lucifer theyr father make themselues fellowes to God and do exalâ— theyr seate aboue the starres of God and do ascend aboue the cloudes and will be like to almighty God The starres of God be ment the aungels of heauen for as stars doe shew vnto vs in part the light of heauen so do Aungelles sent vnto men shew the heauenly light of the grace of God to those to whom they be sent And the cloudes signified in the olde Testament the Prophettes and in the new doe signify the Apostles and Preachers of the woord of God For as the cloudes do conceiue and gather in the skye moysture The Pope 〈◊〉 aboue the cloudes and the 〈◊〉 of heauen which they after poure downe vpon the ground to make it thereby more fruitfull so the Prophets in the olde Testament and the Apostles and Preachers in the newe do poure into our eares the moysture of theyr heauenly doctrine of the word of God to make therewith by grace our soules beinge scere and drye to bring foorth fruit of the spirite Thus doe all auncient expositours and amongest them Saynt Augustine interpret to be ment in Scripture starres and cloudes in the exposition of the 45. Psalme But S. Iohn the Euangelist writeth in the 19. chapter of the Apocalips Apoc. 19.22 in the 22. also that wheÌ„ he would haue fallen downe at the Aungels foote that did shew him those visions there written to haue adored him with godly worship the Aungell sayd vnto him See thou do not so for I am the seruaunt of God as thou art Geue adoration and Godly worship to God and not to me Here it appeareth that the Bishops of Rome suffering all men prostrate before them to kisse theyr feet yea the same Princes The Pope exalted aboue Angels to whom they owe subiection do clime vp aboue the starres and Aungels too offering their feet to be kissed with shoes and all For so I saw my selfe being present 34. yeares ago wheÌ„ Iulius theÌ„ Bishop of Rome stood on his feet and one of his chamberlaynes held vp his skyrâ— because it stood not as he thought with his dignity that he should do it himselfe that his shoo might appeare whiles a noble man of great age did prostrate himselfe vpon the ground and kissed his shoo which he stately suffered to be done as of duety Where me think I saw Cornelius the Centurion Captayn of the Italians â—and spoken of in the tenth Chapiter of the Actes submitting himselfe to Peter and much honoring him but I saw not Peter there to take him vp and to bidde him rise saying I am a man as thou art as Saynt Peter did say to Cornelius The Pope climeth aboue the Apostles so that the Bishops of Rome admittting such adoration due vnto God doe clime aboue the heauenlye cloudes that is to say aboue the Apostles sent into the world by Christ to water the earthly and carnal hartes of men by theyr heauenly doctrine of the word of God Thus Bishop Tonstall hauing described the passing pride of the Pope surmounting like Lucifer aboue Byshops Apostles Aungelles and starres of heauen proceeding then further to the latter ende of his Sermon commeth to speake of his rage and malice most furious and pestilent The Pope stirreth vp warre agaynst England in that he being iustly put from his kingdome here to wreake his spitefull malice styrreth vppe warre against vs bloweth y e horn of mischief in geuing our land for a spoyle and pray to all whosoeuer at his setting on will come and inuade vs. The treason of Cardinal Poole But let vs heare his owne wordes preaching to the king and all Englishmen touchyng both the popes malice and the treason of Cardinall Poole Now sayth he because he can no longer in this realm wrongfully vse his vsurped power in all thinges as he was wont to do and sucke out of this Realme by auarice insatiable innumerable summes of money yearely to the great exhausting of the same he therefore moued and repleat with furious ire and pestilent malice goeth about to styrre all Christen nations that will geue eares to hys deuillish enchauntmentes to moue warre agaynst this realme of England geuing it in pray to all those that by hys instigation will inuade it And here expounding these foresayd wordes to geue in pray he declareth what great mischiefe they conteyne and willeth euery true Englisheman well to marke the same First to make this realme sayth he a pray to all veÌ„turers The Pope geueth England away for a pray all spoylers all snappehaunses all forlornehopes all cormorantes all rauenors of the world that will inuade this Realme is to say thou possessioner of any landes of thys Realme of what degree soeuer thou be from the highest to the lowest shalt be slayne and destroyed and thy lands taken from thee by those that will haue all for themselues thou mayest be sure to be slayne for they will not suffer thee nor none of thy progeny to liue to make any claime afterwarde or to be reuenged for that were theyr vnsurety Thy wife shal be abused before thy face thy daughter lykewise defloured before thee thy children slayne before thine eyes thy house spoyled thy cattell driuâ—n away sold before thy visage thy plate thy mony by force taken froÌ„ thee all thy goodes wherin thou hast any delight or hast gathered for thy children rauened broken and diâ—tributed â—n thy presence that euery rauenour may haue his share Thou Marchaunt art sure to be slaine for thou hast either money or ware or both which they search for Thou Byshoppe or priest whatsoeuer thou be shalt neuer escape because thou wouldest not take the Bishop of Romes part and rebell agaynst God and thy Prince as he doth If thou shalt fiâ—e and escape for a season whatsoeuer thou be thou shalt see and heare of so much misery and abhomination that thou shalt iudge them happy that be dead before for sure it is thou shalt not finally escape For to take the whol realme in pray is to kill the whole people and to take the place for themselues as they will do if they can And the Bishop of Rome now
thus Non sit nobis religio humanorum operum cultus Lactantius Origines contra Câ—â—sum Goldesmithes and Caruers needles 〈◊〉 common wealth meliores enim sunt ipsi artifices qui talia fabricantur quos tamen colere non debemus LactaÌ„tius also maketh strongly with the same I can not without the booke recite his saying for he teacheth largely of the same matter OrigeÌ„ also contra Celsum I trow will likewise testify where as I remember he concludeth saying that he would haue no Goldsmithes ne Grauers in a Communalty for they do but litle profite or none thereto And S. Gregory that was chiefe either inuentor that Images should be set in churches or els mainteiner therof woulde not as I haue read I trow it is in an Epistle which he writeth ad Seruum haue them worshipped And as concerning the exciting of mens memory I would suppose that it Christes doctrine were so shewed and opened that people might clearely vnderstand it and that is the principall office of prelats and curates to do by diligent teaching thereof I thinke veryly we should haue litle need of any other Images then that should by wholsome doctrine be shewed vnto vs by word of mouth writing Quoniam nihil tam efficax ad comonefaciendum discipulos quam viua vox Nothing is so effectuall to excite the remembraunce of disciples as the liuely voyce of good teachers as it is testified both by common report and also by the sentence of learned men So that I suppose if this liuely doctrine of God had afore time bene apertly diligently opened vnto the people as curates ought to haue done we should haue suche proâ—ite thereby that we should not need to contend for setting vp or taking downe of other dumme stockes lifeles stones â—he worde 〈◊〉 doctrine 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 vs in reâ—embrance 〈◊〉 not Images carued or made by men And if prelates would begin to set vp Christes word which alas for pity is not looked vpon but rather troden downe despised so that many are not ashamed to say I will haue no more learning in Christes law then my predecessors for they that magnifye it must be sore punished and taken for hereticks with such other greeuous wordes if this doctrine were yet set vp in Churches I say and truely opened that all men myght haue theyr iudgement therby reformed and made cleare I thinke we shoulde not greatly neede the profite that commeth by Images made of men to excite our remembrauÌ„ce to liue Christerily For that word which came from the brest of Christ him selfe and was writteÌ„ of other that wrote and spake by the suggestion of his spirite the holy ghost The true Image of god in his worde and his workes sheweth full perfectly his blessed will which is the true and certayne Image of his mind and deuise If this therfore were diligently inculcate I thinke we should be transformed anewe according to the minde of Paule which writing to the Colossians Colloss 3 sayth thus See that you lye not one to an other after that now you haue put of the olde man with his woorkes and haue put vpon you the new man which is transformed and renouate after the knowledge and image of him that made vs. Yea thus should we all be docti à Deo taught of God as is sayde in Iohn and all should know God both small and great Iohn 6. according to the promise recited in the Hebrues yea thus should we be restored to goodnesse Heb. 8. that we should haue the Image of God â—arned in our hartes full expressely For euery man is transformed into the fashion of vertuous thinges that he is accustomed to read and heare 〈◊〉 a man 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 fashioâ—â—â— And therfore it were a greate grace if we might haue the worde of God diligently and often spoken and song vnto vs in such wise that the people might vnderstand it Yea then should it come to passe that craftes meÌ„ should sing spirituall psalmes sitting at theyr worke and the husbandman at his plough as wisheth S. Hierome Yea this holy Image of Christ I meane his blessed doctrine doth appoynt vs also to coÌ„sider the works made by the hand of God The best Image of god is hys word such as no man can make like wherby as sayth S. Paule writing to the Romanes The inuisi ble power and diuinity of God is knowne and sene by the creation oâ— the world of such as will consider his workes that are therin by him made 〈◊〉 1. Looke in the Psalmes Laudate Dominum de Coelis Coeli enarrant c. Prayse ye the Lord from heaueÌ„ The heauens declare the glory of God Psal. 149. with other And these two Images Gods workes and his doctrine hath ere any Images made by men were set vppe in Churches well and sufficiently instructed the primitiue church Psal. 19. and should yet instruct vs well Gods workes and his word be the right Images of God if they were well considered so that we shoulde not neede so sore to contend for setting vp of other made by men Wherby I haue perceiued much harme to arise and no great profite nor the scripture maketh not for them but rather contrary As concerning which matter I woulde your Lordshyppe woulde please to reade the Epistle of Baruche once agayne writing of the same matter Unto the xix where you aske whether I beleue that prayers of men liuing do profite soules departed beyng in Purgatory Aâ—swere to 〈◊〉 1â— artiâ—â—â— I made answere in the xiij article Unto the xx where you doe aske whether men merite and deserue both by theyr fasting and also by other deedes of deuotion â—â—swere to 〈…〉 I haue shewed what I do think therof in the fift demaund In the xxi where you do aske whether I do beleue that men prohibited of bishops to preach â—â—swere to 〈…〉 artyâ—â—â— as suspect of heresy ought to cease from preaching teaching vntill they haue purged themselues of suspition afore an higher Iudge I say that men may be wrongfully suspected of heresy Truth takeÌ„ mâ—ny tymes for heresie and heresy for truth either because they neuer thought to beleue such errors as men by false suspition do deeme them to fauor or els when men as well of high estate as of low by sinister iudgemeÌ„t may thinke that to be error which is the very truth And of this speaketh Esay Esâ—y 5. Whether men prohibited ought to cease from preaching Wo be to them quoth he that calleth the light darckenes and the darckenes light the truth falsehood and falsehood truth as the Byshops and the Priestes with theyr Oratour Tertullus called Paule saying thus before a Iudge called Felix vnto whose Court they brought hym to be condemned to death We haue quoth they gotteÌ„ here a pestilent felow Actes 24. a sower of sedition or discord among all the Iewes of the worlde
Counsell to the intent to haue it punished without fauor euen with the extremity of the law Item that none of the kings subiects shall reason dispute or argue vpon the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter vpon paine of losing theyr liues No man to dispute of the Sacrament goodes and cattels without all fauor onely these excepted that be learned in Diuinitye they to haue theyr liberty in theyr scholes and appoynted places accustomed for such matters Item that holy bread and holy water procession kneling Holy bread and holy water with other rites of the Church established and creeping on good Friday to the crosse and Easter day setting vp of lights before the Corpus Christi bearing of candles on Candlemas day Purification of women deliuered of child offering of Crisomes keeping of the foure offering dayes paying theyr tithes and such like ceremonyes must be obserued kept till it shall please the king to chaunge or abrogate any of them This article was made for that the people was not quieted and conteÌ„ted many of them with the ceremonies then vsed Finally all those Priestes that be maryed and openly knowne to haue theyr wiues Maryed priestes punished or that hereafter do inteÌ„d to marry shall be depriued of all Spirituall promotion from doyng any duety of a Priest and shall haue no manner of office dignity cure priuiledge profit or commodity in any thing appertaining to the Clergy but from thence forth shal be taken Difference to be taught betwene things commauÌ„ded of God and ceremonyes vncommaunded had and reputed as lay persons to all purposes and intentes and those that shall after thys proclamation marry shall runne in his graces indignatoÌ„ and suffer punishment and imprisonment at his graces will pleasure Item he chargeth all Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deacons Prouostes Parsons Uicars Curates other Ministers and euery of them in their own persons within their cures diligently to preach teach open and set forth to the people the glory of God trueth of his word and also considering the abuses superstitions that haue crept into the hartes and stomackes of many by reason of their fond ceremonies he chargeth them vpon payn of imprisonment at his graces pleasure Thomas Becket noted of stubbernesse not onely to preach and teach the word of God accordingly but also sincerely and purely declaring the difference betwene things commauÌ„ded by God and the â—ites and ceremonies in theyr church then vsed least the people therby might grow into further superstition Item for as much as it appeareth now clearely that Thomas Becket sometime Archbishop of Caunterbury stubbernely withstanding the wholesome lawes established agaynst the enormityes of the Clergy by the kynges highnesse noble Progenitour King Henry the second for the common wealth rest and tranquility of thys Realme of his froward minde fledde the Realme into FrauÌ„ce and to the Bishop of Rome maynteyner of those enormityes to procure the abrogation of the sayd Lawes whereby arose much trouble in this sayd Realme and that his death which they vntruely called Martyrdome happened vpon a rescue by him made and that as it is written he gaue opprobrious wordes to the Gentlemen which then counselled him to leaue hys stubbernenesse and to auoyde the commotion of the people risen vppe for that rescue and he not onely called the one of them bawde but also tooke Tracie by the bosome and violently shook hym and plucked hym in such maner that he had almoste ouerthrowne him to the pauement of the church so that vpon this fray one of theyr companye perceiuing the same strake him and so in the thronge Becket was slayne and further that his canonization was made onely by the Byshop of Rome because he had bene a champion to mayntayne his vsurped authority and a bearer of the iniquitye of the Clergy For these and for other great and vrgent causes long to recite the kinges Maiesty by the aduise of hys Counsell hath thought expedient to declare to hys louyng subiectes that notwithstanding the sayd canonization Tho. 〈◊〉 a rebell rather then a Sainct there appeareth nothing in his life and exterior conuersation wherby he should be called a Saynt but rather estemed to haue bene a rebell and traytor to his Prince Therefore his grace straytly chargeth and commaundeth that from henceforth the sayd Thomas Becket shall not be esteemed named reputed and called a Saynt but Bishop Becket and that his Images and Pictures thorow the whole Realme shal be pluckt downe and auoyded out of all Churches Chappels and other places and that from henceforth the dayes vsed to be festiuall in his name shall not be obserued nor the seruice office Antiphons Collectes prayers in his name read The canonization of Tho. Becâ—â—â— rased but rased put out of all the bookes that all their festiuall dayes already abrogated shal be in no wise solemnized but his graces ordinaunces and iniunctions therupon obserued to the inteÌ„t his graces louing subiectes shal be no longer blindly ledde abused to commit Idolatry as they haue done in tymes passed vpoÌ„ payne of his maiestyes indignation imprisoÌ„ment at his graces pleasure Finally his grace straightly chargeth and commaundeth that his subiects do keep and obserue all and singuler his iniunctions made by his maiesty vpon the payn therin conteined Here foloweth how religion began to goe backeward TO many which be yet aliue can testify these thinges it is not vnknowne how variable the state of ReligioÌ„ stood in these daies The variable changeâ— and mutations of religion in king Henryes dayes how hardly and with what difficulty it came forth what chaunces and chaunges it suffered Euen as y e king was ruled and gaue â—are sometime to one some time to an other so one while it went forward at an other season as much backeward agayne and sometime cleaâ— altered changed for a season according as they could preuayle which were about the king So long as Queene Anne liued the Gospell had indifferent successe After that she by sinister instigation of some about the king was made away the cause of the gospell began again to incline but that the Lord then stirred vp y e Lord Cromwell oportunely to helpe in that behalfe Who no doubt did much auayle for the encrease of Gods true Religion much more had brought to perfection The course of the Gospell interrupted by malicious enemyes if the pestilent aduersaryes maligning the prosperous glory of the Gospel by coÌ„trary practising had not craftily vndermined him and supplanted his vertuous procedings By the meanes of which aduersaries it came to passe after the taking away of the sayd Cromwel that the state of Religion more and more decayed during all the residue of the raygne of king Henry Among these aduersaries aboue mentioned y e chief captain was Steuen Gardiner bishop of Wint. who with his confederats and adherentes disdayning at the state of the L. Cromwel and at the
stone then from which the water ran bodily Christe but it signified Christe that calleth thus to all beleuing and faithful men Who soeuer thirsteth let hym come to mee and drinke and from his bowelles shall flowe liuely water This he sayd of the holy Ghost whych they receiued who beleeued on him The Apostle Paul sayth that the Israelites did eate the same ghostly meat dranke the same ghostly drinke because that heauenly meate that fed them 40. yeares and that water which from the stone did flowe had signification of Christes body and hys bloud that now be offred daily in Gods Church It was the same which we now offer not bodely but ghostly We said vnto you ere while that Christ halowed bread and wine to housell before his suffering Math. 26. Luke 22. Marke 14. and sayde Thys is my body and my bloud Yet he had not then suffered but so notwithstanding he * * Now we eate that body which was eaten before he was borne by faith turned through inuisible mighte the bread to his owne bodye and that wine to his bloud as he before did in the wildernes before that he was borne to be a man when he * * Here is no transubstantiation turned y e heauenly meate to his flesh and the flowing water from that stone to his owne bloud Uery many did eate of that * * Mantua heauenly meat in the wildernes and drinke the ghostly drinke and were neuerthelesse dead as Christ sayd And Christ meant not y e death whych none can escape but that euerlasting death which some of that folke deserued for theyr vnbelief Moyses and Aaron and many other of that people which pleased God did eate that heauenly bread and they died not y ◠euerlasting death though they died the common death They sawe that the heauenly meate was visible and corruptible they ghostly vnderstood by that visible thing and ghostly receiued it The Sauiour sayeth Iohn 6. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life And he bad them not eate that body wherewith hee was enclosed nor to drinke that bloude which he shed for vs * * What body the faithful do now eate but he meant with those wordes that holy housell which ghostly is his body and his bloud and hee that tasteth it with beleeuing heart hathe that eternall life In the olde lawe faithfull men offred to God diuers Sacrifices that had * * A signification before Christ. foresignification of Christes bodye which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauēly father hath since * * A sacrifice in Christes tyme. offered to sacrifice Certainly this housell which we do now halow at Gods alter is a * * A remēbraūce of Christ. Math. 26. Hebr. 10. remembrance of Christes body which he offered for vs and of hys bloud whych he shed for vs So he himselfe commaunded Doe thys in my remembraunce Once suffered Christe by hym selfe but yet neuerthelesse hys suffering is daily renued at thys supper through mysterie of the holy housell Therefore we ought to consider diligently howe that this holy housell is both Christes bodye and the bodye of all * * The housell is also the body of al faithfull men faithfull menne after ghostly mysterie As wise Augustine sayeth of it If ye wil vnderstand of Christes body here the Apostle Paule thus speaking Yee truely be Christes body and his members Nowe is your mysterie sette on Gods table and ye receiue youre mysterie which mysterie ye your selues be Be that which ye see on the altare and receiue that which yee your selues be Againe the Apostle Paule sayeth by it We manye be one bread and one bodye Understande nowe and reioyce many be one bread and one body in Christ. He is our heade and we be his limmes and the bread is not of one corne but of many nor the wine of one grape but of many So also we all shoulde haue one vnitie in our Lorde as it is wrytten of the faithfull armie how that they were in so great an vnitie as though al of them were one soule and one heart Christe hallowed on hys table the mysterie of oure peace and of our vnitie He which receiueth that mysterie of vnitie keepeth not the bonde of true peace receiueth no mysterie for himselfe but a witnesse against himselfe It is very good for Christen men that they goe often to howsell if they bring with them to the alter vngiltines and innocēcy of hart if they be not oppressed with sinne To an euil man it turneth to no good but to destruction if hee receyue vnworthely that holy housell Holy * * No scripture inforceth the mixture of water with the wine bookes commaund that water be mingled to that wine which shall be for housell because the water signifieth the people the * * The wine signifieth Christes bloud wine Christes bloud and therefore shall neither the one wythout the other be offered at the holy masse that Christ may be wyth vs and we with Christ the head with the limmes and the limmes with the head Wee woulde before haue intreated of the Lambe whyche the olde Israelites offered at theyr Easter time but that we desired first to declare vnto you of this mysterie and after how we should receiue it That signifying lambe was offered at the Easter And the Apostle Paule sayeth in the Epistle of this present day that Christ is our Easter who was offred for vs and on this day rose from death The Israelites did eate the Lambes fleshe as God commaunded with vnleauened bread and wilde lettisse * * How we should come to the holy communion so wee shoulde receiue that holy housell of Christes body and bloud without the leauen of sinne and iniquitie As leauen turneth the creatures from their nature so doth sinne also chaunge the nature of manne from innocencie to vncleannesse The Apostle hath taught howe we shoulde feast not in the leauen of the euilnesse but in the sweete doughe of puritie and truth The herbe which they should eate with the vnleauened bread is called lettisse and is bitter in taste So we should with bitternesse of vnfained repentaunce purifie oure minde Exod. 12. if wee will eate Christes bodye Those Israelites were not woonte to eate rawe fleshe and therefore God badde them to eate it neyther raw nor sodden in water but rosted with fire He shal receiue the body of God rawe that shal thinke without reason that Christ was onely manlike vnto vs and was not God And he that will after mans wisedome search y e mystery of Christs incarnation doth like vnto him that doth seeth lambes fleshe in water because that water in this same place signifieth mans vnderstanding but we should vnderstand that all the mistery of Christes humanitie was ordered by the power of the holy Ghost and then eate we his body rosted with fire because the holy
Masses What man in all the primitiue Churche more then 4. hundreth yeares after the Apostles time did euer so say or thinke at what tyme there were no suche priuate Masses vsed Priuate Masses But afterwarde in the processe of the Article folowe other blinde sophistications to make the people beleeue that they should receiue by them diuine consolations and benefites And why doe they not plainely declare what consolations and benefites those be By application of masses is ment when the passiâ— and merites of Christ is applied to any by the vertue of the Masse The Bishops here do name no application and merite for they knowe that they can not be defended Yet they dally wyth glosing wordes whereby they may winde out and escape if any should improue their application And yet notwithstanding they would haue this their application to be vnderstanded and beleeued of the people They woulde haue this Idolatrous perswasion confirmed to witte that thys sacrifice doth merite vnto others remission A poena culpa release of all calamities and also gaine luker in common trafficke and to conclude whatsoeuer els the carefull heart of man doth desire The lyke Sophistication they vse also where they say that Priests mariage is against the law of God They are not ignoraunt what S. Paule sayth Priestes mariage 1. Tim. 3. A Bishop oughte to be the husband of one wife and therefore they know right well that Mariage is permitted to Priestes by the law of God But because nowe they say they haue made a vowe they goe craftely to worke and doe not say that priests for their vowes sake can not marrie but plainely geue out the Article after this sorte that Mariage of Priestes is vtterly against the lawe of God Againe what impudencie and tyranny do they shew moreouer when they compell mariages to be dissolued and command those to be put to death whych will not put away their wiues and renounce theyr matrimony Wher as the vow of Priests if it had any force at all should extend no further but onely to put them from the ministerie if they would mary And this no doubt is the true meaning of the Councels and Canons O cursed Byshops Winchester cuâ—â—â—ning in the arte of iugling called deceptio visus O impudent and wicked Winchester who vnder these colourable fetches thincketh to deceiue the eyes of Christ and the iudgements of all the godly in the whole worlde These things haue I wrytten that you may vnderstand the crafty sleights and so iudge of the purpose and pollicie of these Byshops The worde of God ought simply to be handled without all sophistryâ— For if they woulde simply and hartely search for the truth they would not vse these craftie collusions and deceitfull iugglings This Sophistication as it is in all other affaires pernitious and odious so aboue al things most specially it is to be auoyded in matters of Religion wherein it is a heynous impiety to corrupt or peruert the pure word of God And heereof the Deuill whiche is called Diabolus specially taketh his name because he wrasteth the word of God out of mennes hearts by such false iuggling and sophistical cauillations And why do not these Bishops as well plainely vtter and confesse that they will abide no reformation of doctrine and Religion in the Church for that it shall make against their dignitie pompe pleasure Why do not their adherents also and such as take their part plainly say that they will retaine still thys present state of the Churche for their owne profite tranquilitie and maintenaunce Thus to confesse The cloked hipocrisie of false Papistes were true and plaine dealing Now whiles they pretende hypocritically a false zeale and loue to the truth and sincere Religion they come in w t their blinde sophistications wherwith they couer their errours for their Articles set forth in thys act be erroneous false impious how glorious soeuer they seme outwardly Wherfore it were to be wished that these bishops would remember Gods terrible threatning in the prophet Esay Wo to you sayeth he which make wicked lawes Esa 10. Esa. 5. What wil you doe in the day of visitation and calamitie to come c. Woe vnto you that call euill good c. Now to come more nere to the matter which we haue in hande this cannot be denied but that long and horrible darkenes hath bene in the church of Christ. Mans traditions counted for Gods seruice Mens traditions not onely haue bene a yoke to good mens consciences but also which is much worse they haue bene reputed for Gods holy seruice to the great disworship of God There were vowes thyngs bequeathed to churches diuersitie of garments choice of meats long babling prayers pardoÌ„s image worship manifest idolatry committed to saints the true worship of God and true good workes not knowen Briefly little difference there was betwixte the Christian and heathen religion as stil is yet at Rome to this present day to be sene The true doctrine of repentance of * remission of sinnes whych commeth by the faith of Christ of iustification of faith of the difference betweene the lawe and the gospell of the right vse of the SacrameÌ„ts was hid and vnknowen The keyes were abused to the maintenance of the Popes vsurped tyrannie Ceremonies of mens inuention were much preferred before ciuile obedience and dueties done in the common wealth Unto these errours moreouer was ioyned a corrupte life The filthy life of the Clergy for lackee of mariage full of all lecherous and filthy lustes by reason of the law forbidding Priestes to marrie Out of thys miserable darknes God something hath begon to deliuer his church through the restoring againe of true doctrine For so wee must needes acknowledge that these so great and long festred errors haue not ben disclosed and brought to light by the industry of man This restoring of the Gospell is onely of God and not of man but thys light of the Gospel is onely the gift of God who nowe againe hath appeared vnto the Church For so doth the holy Ghost prophecie before how in the later times the godly should sustaine sore perillous conflicts with antichrist foreshewing that he should come enuironed with a mighty and strong army of Bishoppes hypocrites and Princes that he should fighte agaynste the truth and slay the godly And that now all these things are so come to passe it is most euident and caÌ„ not be denied The tirannie of the byshop of Rome hath partly brought in errors into y e church partly hath confirmed them nowe maintaineth the same with force and violence as Daniel well foreshewed And muche we reioyced to see you deuided froÌ„ him By the 6. Articles all errours and traditions are maintayned hoping and trusting well that the Church of England would now florish But your Byshops be not deuided from the Romish Antichrist his Idolatrie errours and vices they
outward ceremony And so Paule by that saying confuteth this opinion Ex opere operato that the Sacramentes should make men righteous iust before God for y e very outward work without faith of them that receiue them And after this manner doth Paule speake vnto the Ephesians Eph. 5. that Christ doth sanctify his church through the bath of water in the word of life And for as much as he ioyneth the word vnto the ceremony and declareth the vertue and power of the word of God Sacramentes onely to be gathered out of the word of God that it bringeth with it life he doth manifestly teach that the word of God is the principall thing and euen as it were the very substaunce body of the Sacrament and the outward ceremony to be nothing els then a token of that liuely inflamation whych we receiue through fayth in the word and promise Saint Paule also in ministring the sacrament of the Lordes supper doth manifestly adde the woordes of Christ He tooke bread sayth he and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and sayd take ye this and eate ye this for it is my body Item Do ye this in my remembrance The institution of Christ ought not to be altered 1. Cor. 11. Beside this he teacheth euidently y e onely Christ and none but he had power to institute a sacrament that neither the Apostles nor the Church hath any authority to alter or to adde any thing vnto his ordynaunce whereas he saith For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you c. To what purpose shoulde he go about to mooue the people to beleue him and to winne theyr hartes with this protestation if it had bene lawefull for him to haue made any sacramentes or to haue altered the forme and maner of ministring this sacrameÌ„t as some men both wickedly and shamelesly do affirme that the Apostles did alter the forme of Baptisme When he had spoken thus much The aunswere of the Bishop of London agaynst Alesius the B. of LondoÌ„ dyd interrupt him and sayd Let vs grauÌ„t that the sacraments may be gathered out of the word of God yet are you farre deceiued if ye think that there is none other word of God but that which euery sowter and cobler doe reade in theyr mother tongue And if ye thinke that nothing pertayneth vnto the Christian fayth but that onely that is written in the Bible then erre ye playnely with the Lutherans Iohn 21. 2. Thess. 2. For S. Iohn sayth that Iesus did many thinges which be not written And S. Paul commaundeth the Thess. to obserue and keep certeine vnwritten traditions ceremonies Actes 16. Vnwritten verities and traditions of fathers in equall force with Gods written word 2. Thes. 2. Moreouer he himselfe did preach not the scripture onely but euen also the traditions of the Elders Act. xvj Finally we haue receiued many things of the Doctors Councels by times which although they be not written in the Bible yet for as much as the olde Doctors of the Churche do make mention of them we ought to graunt that we receiued them of the Apostles and that they be of like authority with the Scripture and finally that they may worthily be called the word of God vnwritten Now when the right noble Lord Cromwell The vnwritten word of God Stokesly laughed to scorne the Archbishop with the other Bishops which did defend the pure doctrine of the gospel heard this they smiled a litle one vpoÌ„ another forasmuch as they saw him flee euen in y e very beginning of the disputation vnto his old rusty sophistry and vnwritten verities Then Alesius would haue proceded further with the Bishop to haue confuted this blasphemous lye but the Lord Cromwell bade him be coÌ„tent for the time began to go away and it was xij of the clock and thus he made an end w t his protestation Right reuerend mayster Bishop you deny that our christen fayth and religion doth leane only vpoÌ„ the word of God which is written in the Bible which thing if I can proue and declare then you will graunt me that there be no sacramentes but those that haue the manifest word of God to confirme theÌ„ Unto this he did consent and then immediatly that assemble was dissolued for that day The next day when the Bishops were set agayne the Archbishop of Canterbury sending his Archdeacon commaunded Alesius to abstayne from disputation wherupon he wrote his minde and deliuered it vnto Cromwell who afterward shewed the same vnto the Bishops Thus through the industry of Cromwell the colloquies were brought to this end that albeit religioÌ„ could not wholy be reformed yet at that time there was some reformation had throughout all England How desirous and studious this good Cromwel was in y e cause of Christs religioÌ„ The publicke care of Cromwell for the commoÌ„ wealth exaÌ„ples need not to be broght His whole life was nothing els but a continuall care and trauell how to aduaunce and further the right knowledge of the Gospell and reforme the house of God As by so many Proclamations aboue specified by his meanes set forth may well appeare wherein first he caused the people to be instructed in the Lordes Prayer and Creede in English then procured the Scripture also to be read and set forth in the same language for euery English man to vnderstand after that to rescue the vulgar people from damnable Idolatry caused certaine of the most grossest pilgrimages to be destroyed And further for the more commodity of the poore sort which get their liuing with their dayly labor worke of their handes he prouided that diuers idle holidayes were diminished Item he procured for theÌ„ liberty to eate egges and whitmeat in Lent Furthermore by him it was also prouided for y e better instruction of the people that beneficedâ—meÌ„ should be resident in their Cures and parishes there to teach and to keepe Hospitality with many other thinges els most fruitfully redressed for the reformation of Religion and behoofe of Christes Church as by the ProclamatioÌ„s Read afore pag. 1069.1070.1071.1072 c. Iniunctions and necessary articles of Christian doctrine aboue specified set forth in the kings name by his meanes may more aboundauntly appeare pag. 1069.1070 c. Now to adioyne withall his priuate benefites in helping diuers good men and women at sundry times out of troubles and great distresses it would require a long discourse Briefly his whole life was ful of such examples being a man to that intent ordeined of God as his deedes well proued to do many men good and especially such as were in daunger of persecutioÌ„ for religions sake Amongst other infinite stories one or two examples shall suffice for a testimony of his worthy doinges ¶ How Cromwell holpe a poore woman with childe out of great trouble longing for a piece of meat in time of Lent Persecuters Persecuted The
knowe These wordes of Fachel as euery man sayd were the cause of Marbeckes casting that day Then went the Iury vp to the chamber ouer the place where the iudges sate and in the meane time went all the Knights and gentlemen abroade Manbecke cast by the Iurye sauing the Byshop Syr William Essex and Fachell which three sate still vpon the Benche till all was done The knightes gentlemē refuse to be at their condemnation And when the Iurie hadde bene togethers aboue in the chamber about the space of a quarter of an houre vp goeth Symons of hys owne brayne vnto them and taried there a prety while and came down againe After that came one of the Iury downe to the byshop and talked wyth hym and the other twaine a good while whereby manye coniectured that the Iurie coulde not agree of Marbecke But whether it were so or no it was not long after his going vp again ere that they came downe to geue their verdit Hyde a Farmer of Windsore Colledge a persecuter And being required according to the forme of the law to say their minds one called Hyde dwelling beside Abyngton in a lordshyp belonging to the Colledge of Wyndsore speaking in the mouthe of the rest sayd they were all giltie Then the Iudges beholding the prisoners a good while some wyth watery eyes made curtesie who should geue iudgement Fachel requiring the byshop to doe it he sayde he might not the other also being required said they wold not Then said Fachel it must be done one must do it Fachell geueth iudgement agaynst them and if no man will then will I. And so Fachell being lowest of al the bench gaue iudgement Then Marbeck being y e last vpon whom sentence was geuen cried to the bish saying Ah my Lorde you tolde me otherwise when I was before you and the other two bishops You said then that I was in better case then any of my fellowes and is your sayinge come to this Ah my L. you haue deceiued me Then the B. casting vp his hand sayd he could not do withall Person Testwood Filmer and Marbecke condemned for heretickes Now the prisoners being condemned and had away prepared themselues to die on the morow comforting one an other in the deathe and passion of theyr maister Christe who had ledde the way before them trusting that the same lord which had made them worthy to suffer so farre for hys sake would not nowe withdraw his strength from them but geue them stedfast faith power to ouercome those firie torments and of his free mercy and goodnes wythout theyr desertes for hys promise sake receiue theyr soules Thus lay they all the night long til very dead sleepe tooke them calling to God for hys aide and strength and praying for their persecuters whiche of blinde zeale and ignoraunce had done they wist not what that God of hys mercifull goodnes would forgeue them The godly prayers of the condemned Martirs almost all the night and turne theyr hearts to the loue and knowledge of his blessed and holy worde Yea such heauenly talke was among them that night that the hearers watching the prison without wherof the Shiriffe hymselfe was one with diuers gentlemen moe were constrained to shed out plēty of teares as they themselues confessed On the next morow which was Friday as the prysoners were all preparing themselues to go to suffer worde was brought them that they should not dye that day The cause was this The Byshop of Sarum and they among them had sent a letter by one of the Shiriffes Gentlemen A letter sent by certayne of the Commissioners to Gardyner for Marbecke called M. Frost to the bishop of Winchester the Court being then at Oking in the fauour of Marbecke At the sight of whych letter the bishop straight way went to the kyng and obtained hys pardon Which being graunted he caused a warrante to be made out of hande for the sheriffes discharge deliuering the same to the messenger who with speede returned wyth great ioy for the loue he bare to the partie bringing good newes to the towne Marbeckes pardon obteyned of Marbeckes pardon wherat many reioysed Of this pardon were diuers coniectures made Some said it was by the sute of the good Shriffe syr William Barington and syr Humffray Foster with other Gentlemen moe that fauoured Marbeck to the B. of Sarum and the other Commissioners that the letter was sent Some sayde againe that it came of the Byshop of Sarum and Fachels first motion Diuers iudgementes why Marbecke was pardoned being pricked in conscience for that they had so slēderly cast him away Other thought againe that it was a policie purposed afore by the Byshop of Winchester of Sarum and of D. London because they would seeme to be mercifull Which coniecture rose vppon thys occasion There was one Sadocke dwellynge in the towne which was greate with D. London and Symons and he shoulde say 4. dayes before the sessions began that the prisoners should be all cast and condemned but Marbecke should haue hys pardon Other there were that thought the foresayde Byshops with D. London had done it for this purpose that he now hauing his life would rather vtter such mē as they would haue him to do then to come in like daunger again Which coniecture rose vpon thys Symons meeting wyth Marbeckes wife said thus vnto her your husband may thanke God good frendes my Lord of Winchester is good Lord vnto him which hath got his pardon But shall I tel you quoth he Marbecke reserued to vtter others his pardon wil be to none effect except he tell the truth of things to my Lord other of the counsel when he shal be demaunded for vnto that purpose onely is he reserued Alas sir quoth she what can he tel Well womā quoth Symons I tell thee plaine if he doe not so neuer looke to haue thy husband out of prisone and so departed from her The like meaning did M. Arche make to Marbecke him selfe on the saterday in y e morning that the men shoulde be brent when he came to cōfesse them I haue nothing quoth he to saye vnto you Marbecke at this time but heereafter you must be cōtent to do as shal be enioyned you meaning he should be forced to do some vnlawful thing or els to lie in perpetuall prisone The pestilent intent of the Bishops And thys was moste likely to haue beene attempted if they hadde proceeded in their purpose whose intent was to haue gone thorow the whole realme in the lyke sorte as they had begonne at Wyndsore as the Byshop of Sarum confessed openly and sayde that he trusted ere Christmasse daye following to visite and cleanse a good part thereof But moste commonly God sendeth a shrewed Cowe short hornes or else manye a thousande in England had smarted On saterday in the morning that the prisoners shoulde go to execution came into the
prison two of the Canons of the Colledge the one called Doctour Blithe and the other maister Arche whych two were sent to be their confessors master Arche asked them if they would be confest and they sayde yea Then hee demaunded if they would receyue the Sacramente Yea sayde they wyth all our heartes I am glad quoth Arche to heare you say so but the law is quoth he that it may not be ministred to none that are coÌ„demned of heresie But it is inough for you that ye do desire it And so had them vp to the Hall to heare theyr confessions because the prison was full of people Doctor Blyth tooke Anthony Person to him to confesse and mayster Arche the other two But how soeuer the matter went between the Doctour Anthony he taryed not long w t him but came downe agayne saying he woulde no more of his doctrine Do you call him Doct. Blith quoth Anthony He may be called Doct. Blind for his learning as farre as I see And soone after the other two came downe also TheÌ„ Anthony seeing much people in the prison began to say y e Lords prayer whereof he made a maruelous godly declaration wherein hee continued til the Officers came to set them away and so made an end And taking theyr leaue of Marbecke their prison fellow they praysed God for his delyueraunce wishing to hym the increase of godlynes vertue and last of all besought him hartily to helpe them with hys prayer vnto God to make them strong in theyr afflictions and so kissing him one after an other departed Now as the prisoners passed thorough the people in y e streetes they desired all the faythfull people to praye for them to stand fast in the truth of the gospell not to be moued at theyr afflictions for it was the happyest thinge that euer came to them And euer as Doctour Blithe and Arche who rod on each side the prisoners woulde perswade them to turne to their mother holy Churche away would Anthony cry away with your Romishe doctryne and all your trompery for we will no more of it When Filmer was come to his brothers dore he stayed and called for his brother but he coulde not be seene for Doctour London had kept him out of sight that day for the nonce And when hee had called for him three or foure times and saw he came not he sayd and will he not come Then God forgeue him and make him a good man And so going forth they came to the place of execution where Anthony Person with a cheerefull countenaunce embraced y e post in his armes and kissing it sayd Nowe welcome myne owne sweete wife for this day shalt thou and I be maried together in the loue and peace of God And being all three bound to the post a certaine young man of Filmers acquayntaunce brought him a pot of drinke asking if he woulde drinke Yea quoth Filmer I thanke you And nowe my brother quoth he I shall desire you in the name of the liuing Lord to stand fast in y e truth of the gospell of Iesus Christe whyche you haue receaued and so taking the pot at hys hande asked hys brother Anthony if he would drinke Yea brother Filmer quoth he I pledge you in the Lord. And when he had dronke he gaue the pot to Anthonye Anthony likewise gaue it to Testwoode Of which drinking their aduersaries made a iesting stocke reportyng abrode that they were all dronke wist not what they said when as they were none otherwise dronke then as the Apostles were when the people sayd they were full of newe wyne as theyr deedes declared For when Anthonye and Testwoode had both dronken geuen the pot from them Filmer reioysing in the Lord sayd Be mery my brethren lift vp your hearts vnto God for after this sharp breakfast I trust we shall haue a good dinner in the kingdom of Christ our Lord and redeemer At the which words Testwood lifting vp his handes and eyes to heauen desired the Lorde aboue to receiue his spirite And Anthony Persone pulling the straw vnto him laid a good deale thereof vpon the top of hys head saying Thys is Gods hatte now am I dressed like a true souldiour of Christ by whose merites onely I trust this day to enter into his ioye And so yelded they vp their soules to the father of heauen in the faythe of his deare sonne Iesus Christe w t suche humilitie and stedfastnesse that many which saw their patient suffering confessed that they coulde haue founde in their heartes at that present to haue died with them How all their conspiracies were knowen YE haue hearde before of one Robert Bennet howe hee was at the first apprehended wyth the other foure persons aforesayd and committed to the B. of Londons pryson and aboute the tyme hee shoulde haue gone to Wyndsore fell sicke of the pestilence by meane whereof he remained still in prison This Bennet Symons ye shall vnderstaÌ„d were the greatest familiars and coÌ„pany kepers y t were in all Windsore neuer lightly swarued the one froÌ„ the other sauing in matters of religioÌ„ wherin they could neuer agree For Bennet the one Lawyer was an earnest Gospeller Simons the other Lawyer a cankered papist but in al other worldly matters they cleaued together like burres Thys Bennet had spoken certayne woordes agaynst theyr little rounde God for the whych hee was as farre in as the best and had suffered death wyth the other if he had gone to Windsore when they went R. Ocâ—am 〈◊〉 vp by the biâ—hop of Salisbury and by otherâ— to Gardiner with letters And now that the mater was al done and finished it was determined by the bishop of Salisburye that Robert Ockam on the Mondaye after the men were burnte shoulde goe to the Byshop of Winchester wyth the whole processe done at the Sessions the Thursday before Then Symons at Bennets wiues request procured of the byshop of Salisbury his fauourable letter to the byshop of Winchester for Bennets deliuerance Which letter Bennets wife for asmuche as her owne man was not at home which should haue gone with the letter desired Robert Ockam to deliuer it to y e Bishop to bring her word againe who sayde hee woulde So foorth went Ockam toward the bishop of Winchester with his budget ful of wrytings to declare and open all thyngs vnto hym that were done at Wyndsore Sessions The conspiracie of the 〈…〉 disclosed Many good men and certayne of the 〈◊〉 chamber indited by the Byshops but all theyr wicked intentes as God wold haue it were soone cut off and their doings disclosed For one of the Queenes menne named Fulke which had lien at Windsore all the time of the busines and had got knowledge what a number were priuily indited and of Ockams going to the bishop of Winchester gate to the Court before Ockam and told sir
to be gouerned commanded and directed Whose womanly weakenesse naturall imperfection ought to be tollerated aided and borne wythal so that by his wisedome such things as be lacking in her ought to be supplied Sithens therefore that God hath appoynted suche a naturall difference betwene man and woman and your Maiestie beyng so excellent in giftes and ornaments of wisedom and I a seely pore woman so much inferiour in all respects of nature vnto you how then commeth it nowe to passe that your Maiestie in such diffuse causes of religion will seeme to require my iudgement Whyche when I haue vttered and sayd what I can yet must I and will I referre my iudgement in this and all other cases to your Maiesties wisedome as my onely anker supreme heade and gouerner heere in earth next vnder God to leane vnto Not so by Saint Marye quoth the King You are become a Doctor Kate to instruct vs as we take it and not to be instructed or directed by vs. If your Maiestie take it so quoth the Queene then hath your Maiestie very much mistaken me who haue euer bene of the opinion to thinke it very vnseemely preposterous for the woman to take vpon her the office of an instructer or teacher to her Lord and husband but rather to learne of her husband to be taught by him And where I haue with your Maiesties leaue heeretofore bene bolde to holde talke with your Maiestie wherein sometimes in opinions there hath seemed some difference I haue not done it so much to maintaine opinion as I did it rather to minister talke not onely to the ende that your Maiestie mighte with lesse griefe passe ouer this painefull time of your infirmitie beinge intentiue to oure talke and hoping that your Maiestie shoulde reape some ease thereby but also that I hearing your Maiesties learned discourse might receiue to my selfe some profite thereof Wherein I assure your Maiestie I haue not missed anye parte of my desire in that behalfe alwayes referring my selfe in all suche matters vnto your Maiestie as by ordinaunce of nature it is conuenient for me to doe And is it euen so sweete hart quoth the king And tended your arguments to no worse end Then perfect frendes we are now again Perfecte agreement betweene the K. and the Quene as euer at any time heretofore and as hee sate in hys chaire embracing her in his armes kissing her hee added thys saying That it did him more good at that time to heare those wordes of her owne mouthe then if hee had heard present newes of an hundreth thousand pounds in money fallen vnto him And wyth greate signes and tokens of marueilous ioy and liking with promises and assurances neuer againe in any sort more to mistake her entering into other very pleasaunt discourses wyth the Queene the Lords and Gentlemen standing by in the end being very farre on the night he gaue her leaue to departe Whome in her absence to the standers by he gaue as singulare and as affectuous commendations as before time to the Bish. and the chancelor who then were neither of them present he seemed to mislike of her Now then God be thanked the Kings mynde was cleane altered and he detested in his heart as afterwards he plainly shewed this Tragicall practise of those cruell Caiphases The K. abâ—oâ—â—ed the malicious workings of the bloudy Papistes who nothing vnderstanding of the kings wel reformed minde good disposition towarde the Queene were busily occupied about thinking prouiding for their next dayes labour which was the day determined to haue caryed the Queene to the Tower The day almost the houre appoynted being come the K. being disposed in the after noone to take the aire waited vppon wyth two Gentlemen onely of hys bed chamber went into the garden This purpose being 〈◊〉 that the Ladyes should be 〈◊〉 taken it was then appoynted that they with the Queene whether the Queene also came being sent for by the Kinge hymselfe the three Ladies aboue named alone waiting vppon her Wyth whom the king at that time disposed himself to be as pleasant as euer he was in all his life before When sodainly in the middest of theyr myrth the houre determined being come in commeth the Lord chauncellour into the garden with a 40. of the kings garde at his heeles should altogether be apprehended in maner as is here declared with purpose in deede to haue taken the Queene together with the 3. Ladies aforesaide whom they had before purposed to apprehende alone euen then vnto the tower Whome then the kyng sternly beholding breaking of his myrth with the Queene stepping a little a side called the Chauncellour vnto hym Who vppon hys knees spake certaine wordes vnto the king but what they were for that they were softly spoken and the King a good pretie distance from the Queene it is not well known The 〈…〉 Wâ—isley L Chauncellour but it is most certaine that the kings replying vnto hym was knaue for his aunswer yea arrant knaue beast and foole and with that the king commaÌ„ded hym presently to auant out of presence The L Chauncellour commaunded to auaunt out of the K. sight Wrisleis deuises Wynchesters platforme lye in the duste Which words although they were vttered somewhat lowe yet were they so vehemently whyspered out by the king that the Queene did easely with her Ladies aforesayd ouer heare them which had bene not a litle to her comforte iâ— shee had knowen at that time the whole cause of hys comming so perfectly as after shee knewe it Thus departed the L. ChaÌ„cellor out of the kings presence as he came with all his traine the whole mould of all hys deuise being vtterly broken The king after his departure immediatly returned to the Quene Whom she perceiuing to be very much chafed albeit comming towardes her he inforced himselfe to put on a mery countenance with as swete words as she could vtter endeuoured to quallify the king his displeasure with request vnto his maiestie in the behalfe of the L. Chauncelor whom he seemed to be offended with all saying for his excuse The Q. maketh excuse for her enemye that albeit she knew not what iust cause his maiesty had at that time to be offended with him yet shee thoughte that ignoraunce not will was the cause of his error and so besought hys maiestie if the cause were not very hainous at her humble suite to take it Ah poore soule quoth he thou little knowest how euill he deserueth this grace at thy hands Of my worde sweete heart he hath bene towardes thee an arrant knaue The Queene bâ— Gods meruelous blessing deliuered of al her aduersitye and so let him go To this the Queene in charitable maner replying in few wordes ended that talke hauing also by Gods onely blessing happely for that time and euer escaped the dangerous snares of her bloudy and cruell enemies for the Gospels sake The pestiferous
seate do as they teache but not as they do Thus confesse they that they are abhominable c. Heere followe other heresies and errours collected by the Byshops out of the booke named the obedience of a Christian man with the places of the booke annexed to the same 1. HE saieth we are bounde to make satisfaction to our neighbour but not to God fol. 132. Satisfaction is a full recompence or amends making to him whome we haue offended which recompence we are able to make one man to another and are bound so to do but to God no man can make any mends or recompence but onely Gods owne sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour For else if man could haue made satisfaction to God then had Christ died in vayne Gal. 2. Loe what heresie or errour is in this Article 2 He sayth that children ought not to marry without the consent of theyr parents fol. 120. The wordes of Tindall in the obedience be these Let the fathers and mothers marke howe they themselues were disposed at all ages and by experience of their owne infirmities helpe their children and keepe them from occasions Let them prouide marriages for them in season teaching them also to know that she is not his wife which the sonne taketh nor he her husband which the daughter taketh without the consent or good will of their Elders or them that haue authoritie ouer them If their friendes will not marry them then are they not too blame if they marry themselues Let not the fathers and mothers alwayes take the vttermost of their authoritie of their children but at all times suffer with them and beare theyr weakenes as Christ doth ours c. 3 He saith that vowes are against the ordinance of God fol. 109. They that say that this Article is an heresie Let them shew where these vowes in all the new testament be ordeyned by God â— article especially such vowes of single life and wilfull pouertie as by the canon law be obtruded to yong Priests and Nouices S. Paule playnely forfendeth anye widowes to be admitted vnder the age of threscore yeres Is not heere trow you a perilous heresie 4 He saith that a christian man may not resist a prince being Infidell and an Ethnike This taketh away free will fol. 113. 4. article S. Peter willeth vs to be subiect to our princes 1. Pet. 2. S. Paule also doth the like Rom. 13. Who was also hymselfe subiecte to the power of Nero and although euerye commaundement of Nero against God he did not follow yet he neuer made resistaunce against the authoritie and state of Nero as the Pope vseth to do against the state not only of Infidels but also of Christen Princes 5 Whatsoeuer is done before the spirit of God commeth and geueth vs light is damnable sinne This is against morall vertues fol. 113. 5. article What heresie Aristotle in his Ethikes can finde by thys article I can not tell sure I am that the word and spirite of God well considered can finde none but rather wyll pronounce the contrary to be a damnable heresie 6 He reproueth men that make holy Saints their Aduocates to God 6. article and there he sayth that Saints were not rewarded in heauen for their holy workes fol. 114. The words of Tindall be these They turne from Gods word and put their trust and confidence in the Sainct and his merites and make an aduocate or rather a God of the sainct The place aâ—â—exed c. They ascribe heauen to their imaginations and mad inuentions and receiue it not of the liberalitie of God by the merites and deseruing of Christ c. 7 God moued the harts of the Egiptians to hate the people Likewise he moued Kings c. fol. 118. 7. article The words in the obedience be these In the 107. Psalme thou readest He destroyed the Riuers and dried vp the springs of water The place annexed and turned the frutefull land into barrâ—nnes for the inhabitaunces thereof When the children of Israell had forgotten God in Egypt God moued the harts of the Egyptians to hate them and to subdue them with craft and wilines Psalme 105. In the second chapter of the first booke of the Kings God was angry with the people and moued Dauid to number them when Ioab and the other Lords wondered why he would haue them numbred and because they feared least some euill should follow disswaded the King yet it holpe not God so * God sometimes hardneth the harte of good Princes for the wickednes of the people The place annexed hardened his hart in his purpose to haue an occasion to sley the wicked people c. 8 Paule was of higher authority then Peter fol. 125. The words in the Obedience be these I suppose sayeth he speaking of Paule that I was not behinde the hygh Apostles meaning in preaching Iesus Christ and his Gospell and in ministring the spirit And in the same cha he proueth by the doctrine of Christ that he was greater then the high Apostles For Christ saith to be great in the kingdome of God is to do seruice and take payne for other Upon which rule Paule disputeth sayeng If they be the ministers of Christ I am more in labours more aboundant in stripes aboue measure in prison more plenteous in death oft c. If Paule preached Christ more then Peter and suffered more for his congregation then is hee greater then Peter by the testimonie of Christ c. 9. article The place annexed 9 A Priest ought to haue a wife for two causes fol. 133. The words of Tindall be these He must haue a wife for two causes One that it may thereby be knowne who is meete for the rowme he is vnapt for so chargeable an office Truth turned into heresie which had neuer houshold to rule An other cause is that chastitie is an exceeding seldome gift and vnchastitie exceeding perillous for that degree in as much as the people looke as well vnto the liuing as vnto the preaching and are hurt at once if the liuing disagree and fall from the faith and beleeue not the word c. 10 He condemneth auricular confession fol. 140. 10. article Of this reade aboue page 1166.1167 Read afore pag. 1166.1167 11 Euery man is a Priest and we neede no other Priest to bee a meane for vs vnto God fol. 144. 11. article The words in the obedience be these There is a worde called in Latin Sacerdos in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrue CohaÌ„ that is The place annexed a Minister an Officer a Sacrificer or a Priest as Aaron was a priest and sacrificed for the people and was a mediatour betweene God and them and in the English it should haue had some other name then Priest But Antichrist hath deceiued vs with vnknown and strange terms to bring vs into confusion and superstitious blindnes And made vs Kinges
man shall neuer sleepe but euer shall liue an immortall life The which life from day to day is renued in grace and augmeÌ„ted The faithfull soule shall neuer sleepe nor yet shal euer perish or haue an ende but euer immortall shall liue with Christ. To the which life all that beleue in him shal come and rest in eternall glory Amen When the Bishoppes wyth their complices had accused this innocent man in manner and fourme aforesayde incoÌ„tinently they condeÌ„ned him to be burnt as an heretik not hauing respect to hys godly answers and true reasons which he alleaged nor yet to their owne consciences thinking verelye that they shoulde doe to God good sacrifice conformable to the sayings of S. Iohn Iohn 16. They shal excommunicate you yea and the time shal come that he which killeth you shall thinke that he hath done to God good seruice The prayer of maister George O Immortall God how long shalt thou suffer the woodnes great crudelitie of the vngodly to exercise theyr fury vpon thy seruaunts which doe further thy woorde in this worlde The prayer of M. George Wyseharte for the congregatioÌ„ of God seeing they desire to be contrary y t is to choke and destroy thy true doctrine veritie by the whych thou hast shewed thy selfe vnto the world which was all drowned in blindnesse and misknowledge of thy name O Lord wee knowe surelye that thy true seruauntes must needes suffer for thy names sake persecution affliction and troubles in this present life whiche is but a shadowe as thou haste shewed to vs by thy Prophetes and Apostles But yet we desire thee hartily that thou conserue defende and helpe thy congregation which thou haste chosen before the beginning of the worlde and geue them thy grace to heare thy word and to be thy true seruaunts in thys present life Then by by they caused the common people to voide away whose desire was alwayes to heare that innocente man to speake Then the sonnes of darkenesse pronounced their sentence definitiue not hauing respecte to the iudgement of God When all this was done and sayde the Cardinall caused his warders to passe againe wyth the meeke Lambe into the Castle vntill suche time as the fire was made ready When he was come into the Castle then there came two Gray feendes frier Scot and his mate sayinge Sir yee must make your confession vnto vs. He aunswered and said I wil make no confession vnto you Go fetch me yoÌ„der man that preached this day and I will make my confession vnto him Then they sent for the Suppriour of the Abbey who came to him withall diligence But what he sayd in thys confession I can not shewe When the fire was made readie and the gallowes at the West part of the Castle neare to the Priorie the Lorde Cardinall dreading that master George should haue bene taken away by his friendes commaunded to bende all the Ordinance of the Castle right against that parte and commaunded al his gunners to be ready and stand beside their gunnes vnto such time as he were burned All this beyng done they bounde Maister Georges handes behinde hys backe and ledde hym foorth wyth their souldiors from the Castle to the place of their wicked execution As hee came forth of the Castle gate there met him certaine beggers asking his almes for Gods sake To whome he answered I want my handes wherwith I should geue you almes but the mercifull Lorde of his benignitie and aboundaunce of grace that feedeth all men vouchsafe to geue you necessaries both vnto your bodies and soules M. Wisehart prayeth for the relief of the poore Then afterwarde met him two false fiendes I shoulde say Fryers sayinge Master George pray to our Lady that she may be mediatrix for you to her sonne To whome he answeared meekely Cease tempt me not my brethren After thys hee was lead to the fire with a roape about his necke M. Wysehart aunswereth the Fryers tempting him and a chayne of yron about his middle When that he came to the fire he sate downe vpon hys knees and rose againe and thrise he sayd these woordes O thou Sauiour of the worlde haue mercy on mee Father of heauen I commend my spirit into thy holy hands When he had made this prayer he turned him to the people and sayde these wordes The wordes and exhortation of M. Wysehart at his death to the people I beseeche you Christian brethren and sisters that yee be not offended in the woorde of God for the affliction and torments whych ye see alreadye prepared for mee But I exhorte you that ye loue the worde of God and suffer paciently and wyth a comfortable heart for the woordes sake whych is your vndoubted saluation and euerlasting comforte Moreouer I pray you shewe my brethren and sisters whych haue hearde me ofte before that they cease not nor leaue of the worde of God which I taught vnto them after the grace geueÌ„ vnto me for no persecutioÌ„s or troubles in this world which lasteth not and shew vnto them that my doctrine was no wiues fables after the constitutions made by men And if I had taught mens doctrine I had gotten greate thankes by men But for the woordes sake and true Euangel which was geuen to me by the grace of God I suffer thys day by men not sorowfully The coâ—â—stant paâ—â—â—ence of 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent that I shoulde suffer this fire for Christes sake Consider and beholde my visage yee shall not see mee chaunge my colour Thys grim fire I feare not And so I pray you for to doe if that any persecution come vnto you for the wordes sake not to feare them that slay the bodye and afterwarde haue no power to slay the soule Some haue sayde of me that I taught that the soule of man should sleepe vntil y e last day But I know surely my faith is such that my soule shall suppe w t my sauiour Christe this night ere it be 6. houres for whom I suffer this Then he praied for them which accused hym saying M. Geoâ—â—â— Wyseharâ—â— prayeth hi◠〈◊〉 forgeâ— them I beseeche thee father of heauen to forgeue them that haue of any ignoraunce or els of any euill minde forged any lies vpon me I forgeue them wyth all my heart I beseeche Christ to forgeue them that haue condemned me to death thys day ignorantly And last of all he sayd to the people on thys manner I beseeche you brethren and sisters to exhorte your Prelates to the learning of the woorde of God M. 〈◊〉 Wysehaâ—â— propheâ—â— of the 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—â—dinall 〈◊〉 which 〈…〉 that they at the laste may be ashamed to doe euill and learne to do good And if they will not conuert themselues from their wicked error there shal hastly come vpon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschewe Many faithfull wordes
part of the Scripture to founde his purpose vpon yet came to the Pulpit the first of Nouember being the Feast of All hallowes an 1551. and tooke the text of the Gospell for that day read in their Masse written in the 5. of Mathew conteining these wordes Blessed are the poore in spirite for to them pertayneth the kingdome of heauen Math. 5. This feeble foundation being layde the Frier began to reason most impertinently The doctrine of the Papistes 〈◊〉 that the Pater noster may be 〈◊〉 to Saintes and why that the Lordes Prayer might be offered to Saints because euery petition therof appertaine to them For if we meete an old maÌ„ in y e streete sayd he we will say to him good day father and therefore much more may we call the Saints our fathers and because we graunt also that they be in heauen we may say to euery one of them Our father which art in heauen Father God hath made their names holy and therefore ought we as followers of God to holde their names holy and so we may say to any of the Saints Blaspheâ—â—us doctrine against the glory 〈◊〉 name of God A Fryerly glosing vpoÌ„ 〈◊〉 Pater â—oâ—ter Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name And for the same cause sayd the Frier as they are in the kingdome of heauen so that kingdome is theirs by possession and so praying for the kingdome of heauen we may say to them and euery one of them Thy kingdome come And except their will had bene the very will of God they had neuer come to that kingdome and therefore seeing their will is Gods will we may say to euery one of them Thy will be done But when the Frier came to the fourth petitioÌ„ touching our dayly bread he began to be astonished and ashamed so that he did sweate abundantly partly bicause his sophistry began to fayle him The Fryers sophistry 〈◊〉 fayled 〈◊〉 not findyng such a colour for that part as for the other which went before and partly because he spake against his owne knowledge and conscience and so was compelled to confesse that it was not in the Saintes power to giue vs our daily bread but that they shoulde pray to God for vs said he that we may obtaine our daily bread by their intercession and so glosed he the rest to the ende Not standing yet content with this detestable doctrine hee affirmed most blasphemously that S. Paules napkyn and S. Peters shadow did miracles and that the vertue of Eliseus cloke deuided the waters attributing nothing to the power of God with many other errours of the Papistes horrible to be heard Upon this folowed incontinent a daungerous schisme in the Church of Scotland for not onely the Cleargie but the whole people were deuided among themselues one defending the trueth and an other the Papistry in suche sort that there rose a Prouerbe To whome say you youre Pater noster A Scottishe prouerbe And although the Papists had the vpper hand as then whose words were almost holdeÌ„ for law so great was the blindnes of that age yet God so inspired y e harts of the common people that so many as could get the vnderstanding of the bare words of the Lords prayer in english which was then saide in Latin vtterly detested that opinioÌ„ holding that it should in no wise be said to Saints So that the craftes men and their seruauntes in theyr boothes when the Frier came exploded him with shame enough Fryer Pater noster driueÌ„ out of S. Andrewes crying Frier Pater noster Frier Pater noster who at the last being conuict in his owne conscience and ashamed of his former Sermon was compelled to leaue the Towne of S. Andrewes In the meane time of this brute there were two Pasquils set on the Abbay Churche the one in Latin beatyng these words Doctores nostri de Collegio Concludunt idem cum Lucifero Quod Sancti sunt similes altissimo Et se tuentur grauatorio De mandato Officialis Ad instantiam fiscalis Gâ—w â—eruey non varij In premissis connotarij M. Dauid â—aw and M. Thomas â—â—ruy 〈◊〉 procuâ—â—tors The other in English bearing these words Doctors of Theologie of fourescore of yeares And old iolâ—e Lupoys the bald gray Friers They would be called Rabbi and Magister noster And wot not to whome they say their Pater noster Shortly the Christians were so 〈◊〉 offended and the Papistes on the other side so proud and wilfull that necessary it was to eschew greater incoÌ„ueniences that y e Clergy at least should be assembled to dispute and conclude the whole matter that y e lay people might be put out of doubt Disputation in Scotland to whom they should say their Pater noster Pater noster to be sayd to God formaliter to Saintes materialiter Vltimatè to god non vltimatè to Sayntes Principaliter to God minus principaliter to Saintes Primariè to god secundariè to Saintes Strictè to God largè to Saintes Which being done and the Uniuersitie agreed whosoeuer had bene present might haue heard much subtile sophistry For some of the popish Doctours affirmed that it shoulde be sayd to God formaliter and to Sayntes materialiter Others vltimatè non vltimatè Others sayde it shoulde be said to God principaliter and to sayntes minus principaliter Others that it should be sayd to GOD primariè and to saintes secundariè Others that it would be sayd to GOD capiendo strictè to sayntes capiendo largè Whiche vayne distinctions being heard and considered by the people they y t were simple remayned in greater doubtfulnes theÌ„ they were in before so that a well aged man and seruaunt to y e Suppriour of S. Andrewes called y e Suppriours Thome being demaunded to whome hee sayde hys Pater noster he answered to God onely Then they asked agayne what should be sayd to the sayntes he answered geue them Aues and Credes inough in the deuils name for that may suffice them wel inough albeit they doe spoyle God of his right Others making their vauntes of the Doctours sayd that because Christ who made the Pater noster neuer came into the I le of Britaine so vnderstood not the English tonge therefore it was that the Doctors concluded it shoulde be sayd in Latine This perturbation and open sclaunder yet depending it was thought good to call a principal Councell to decide the matter Whiche being assembled at Edenbrough The aunswere of an olde man to whom they should say their Pater noster A doctorly reason why the Pater noster should be sayd in Latine The Councell of Edenbrough could not agree to whom they should say theyr Pater noster The Papistes mainteyne their cause with lyes and rayling when reason lacketh the Papistes being destitute of reason defended theyr partes with lyes alledging that the Uniuersitie of Paris had coÌ„cluded that the Lordes Prayer should be sayd to Saintes But
adulterers and fornicators 5. That he in the meane while shoulde be resident within his owne house Boner inioyned to preach at Paules Crosse. during the time while he should make his sermon at Paules aboue mentioned whiche was an 1549. In the whiche sermon certayne speciall poyntes were prefixed vnto him whereupon he should intreate whiche here in order follow and are these Speciall poyntes and articles to be intreated of of Boner Bishop of London in his Sermon 2. THat all such as rebell against their prince get vnto theÌ„ damnation and those y t resist the higher power resist the ordinaunces of God and he that dieth therfore in rebellion by the woorde of God is vtterly damned and so looseth bothe bodye and soule And therefore those Rebelles in Deuonshire and Cornewall in Northfolke or els where who taking vpon them to assemble a power force against their king and Prince against y e lawes and statutes of the Realme and goe about to subuerte the state and order of the commoÌ„ wealth not onely do deserue therfore death as traytors rebels but do accumulate to them selues eternal damnation euen to be in the burning fire of hell with Lucifer the father and first authour of pride disobedience and rebellion what pretence so euer they haue and what Masses or holye water so euer they pretende or goe about to make among themselues as Chore Dathan and Abiron for rebellion against Moses were swalowed downe aliue into hell although they pretended to sacrifice vnto God What thinges be necessary to be ioyned in all Gods seruice 2 Likewise in the order of the Churche and externe rites and ceremonies of diuine seruice for so muche as God requireth humility of heart innocencie of liuing knowledge of him charity and loue to our neighbours and obedience to hys woorde and to his Ministers and superioure powers these we must bring to all our prayers to all our seruice Externe rites ceremonyes how farre they serue this is the sacrifice that Christe requireth and these be those that make all thynges pleasaunt vnto God The externe rites and ceremonies be but exercises of our religion appointable by superior powers in chosing wherof we must obey the magistrates the whyche thinges also we do see euer hath bene and shal be as the time and place is diuers Ceremonyes made naught by disobedience and yet al hath pleased God so long as these before spoken inwarde things be there If any man shall vse the olde rites and thereby disobey the superior power the deuotion of his ceremonies is made nought by his disobedience so that which els so longe as y e lawe did so stand myghte be good by pride and disobedience nowe is made noughte as Saules sacrifice Chore Dathan and Abiron and Aarons 2. children were But who that ioyneth to deuotion obedience hee winneth the garland For else it is a zeale sed non secundum scientiam a wil desire zeale and deuotion Foolish deuotion but not after wisedome that is a foolishe deuotion which can require no thankes or praise And yet agayne where ye obey yee must haue deuotion for God requireth the heart more then the outward doings and therfore who that taketh the Communion or sayth or heareth the seruice appoynted by the kings maiestie The hart maketh true deuotion must bring deuotion and inward prayer with hym or els his praiers are but vaine lacking that whyche God requireth that is the heart and minde to pray to him 3 Further yee shal for example on sonday come seuenth night after the aforesayd date celebrate the Communion at Paules Church 4 Ye shal also set foorth in your sermon that our authoritie of royal power is as of truth it is of no lesse authoritie and force in this our yoÌ„g age then is or was of any of our predecessors though the same were much elder as may appeare by example of Iosias and other yong kings in scripture and therfore all our subiectes to be no lesse bound to the obedience of our preceptes lawes and statutes then if we were of 30. or 40. yeares of age The deliuery of these Iniunctions articles vnto the Byshop with the time of hys appoynted preaching was soone after knowen abroad amongst the citizens and other the CoÌ„mons within the citie of London Boners preaching much looked for of the people so that euery man expecteth y e time therof wishing to heare the same Whych being once come the B. according to the tenour of the IniunctioÌ„s publikely preached at the Crosse of Paules the 1. day of September Howbeit as hipocrisie neuer lurketh so secretely in the hearts of the wicked but that at one time or other God in hys moste righteous iudgemente maketh it open vnto the world so at this present was the long colored peruerse obstinacie and infestred hatred of this double faced dissembler against the kings godly procedings most plainely manifested by hys disobedient demeanor in thys his sermon The disobedient stubbernes of Boner in his Sermon at Paules Crosse. For where as he was only commanded to entreat vpon such speciall poynts as were mentioned in his articles he yet both besides the counsailes commaundement to the withdrawing of the mindes of the common people in as much as in him lay from the right and true vnderstaÌ„ding of the holy Sacrament ministred in the holy Communion then set foorth by the authoritye of the kinges maiestie according to the true sence of the holy scripture did speÌ„d most part of his sermon about the grosse carnall and papisticall presence of Christes body and bloud in the sacrament of the aultar and also contrary therunto did not onely slenderly touch the rest of his articles but of a rebellious and wilful carelesnes did vtterly leaue oute vnspoken the whole laste article concerning the as effectuall and as lawful authority of the kings highnes during his yong age as if he were 30. or 40. yeares old notwithstanding the same because it was the traiterous opinion of the popishe rebels was by special commaundement chiefly appoynted hym to entreat vppon This contemptuous disobedient dealing as it greatly offended most of the kings faithfull and louing subiects there present so did it muche mislike the mindes W. Latiâ—â—â— and Iohn Hoopeâ— against Boner and was farre from the good expectation as well of that faithful and godly preacher master Iohn Hooper afterwards bishop of Worcester Glocester and lastly a moste constant martyr for the Gospell of Christe as also of M. William Latimer Bacheler of Diuinitie and therefore they well weying the fulnes of the fact and their bounden alegeances vnto their Prince did therupon exhibite vnto the kings highnes vnder both their names a bill of complaint or denunciation against the sayd bishop in forme folowing The denuntiation of Iohn Hooper and William Latimer against Boner to the kings maiestie for leauing vndone the poyntes afore mentioned which he was charged to preache
had ben belied of euil men and misreported not to â—eare a true hart to his grace but a rebellious minde in denying his royall power in his minoritie where in deede he sayeth his grace should finde hym alwayes during life both in heart woorde and deede to do and acknowledge otherwise to be most willing to shew c. and to doe all other thinges for his grace as willingly as any other subiecte or as those that were his denouÌ„cers who hee thought were not sent of his grace but pretensed Commissioners c. Further he complained of his denuntiation by certain commissioners who sayde they were sent by his grace alleaging the same not to be lawful and of his long sharpe imprisonment that the commissioners obserued neyther law nor reasonable order but extremitie And wher he had made appeale to his grace and he coulde not haue it he desired to haue lawe to prosecute sue his appeale for his remedy that he coÌ„sidering his vocation might not be shut vp put from libertie which his meanest subiects haue Then he desired hys graces letters of Supersedeas against the commissioners and that the matter might be heard before the counsaile and then he doubted not but to be found a true faithfull man and heerein to haue wrong So in the ende hee concluded this prostrating him selfe euen to the very ground and humbly kissing his graces fete to be the thing onely which he humbly desired c. THis done the supplication perused the King eftsoone geueth in charge and commaundement Boners appellation to the king perused tryed and found by the Lawe vneffectuall and vnreasonable to certain men of honor and worship persons skilfull in the lawe as to Lorde Rich high Chancelor the L. treasurer the L. Marques Dorset the B. of Ely Lord Wentworth sir Anthony Wingfield sir W. Harbert knightes Doc. Nich. Wootton Ed. Mountague Lorde chiefe Iustice Sir Iohn Baker knight with Iudge Hales Ioh. Gosnold D. Oliuer and also Doctour Leyson that they scanning and perusing all such actes matters and muniments of the sayd Boner by him exhibited produced propounded and alleaged with al and singular his protestations recusations appellatioÌ„s should vpon mature consideration therof geue their directed answere vpon the same The sentence of Boners depriuation by the Peeres learned men of the realme found to be iust and lawfull whether the appellation of the said Boner were to be deferred vnto and whether the sentence defined against him stood by the law sufficient and effectual or not Who eftsoones after diligent discussion and considerate aduisement had of all singular the premisses gaue their resolute answere that the pretensed appellation of Edmund Boner aforesayde was nought and vnreasonable and in no wise to be deferred vnto and that the sentence by the Commissioners against him was rightly and iustly pronounced And this was the coÌ„clusion of Boners whole matter and depriuation for that time Thus then leauing doctor Boner a while in the Marshalsey with his keeper The first trouble of the L. Protector was about the moneth of Octob. an 1549. we will proceede the Lorde permitting further in the course of our storie as the order of yeres and time requireth And although the trouble of the Lord Protector falleth heere ioyntly with the depriuatioÌ„ of D. Boner yet because he was shortly again deliuered out of the same throughe the Lordes mightye woorking I will therefore delay the tractation thereof till the time of his seconde trouble whych was two yeares after and so in the meane time returning agâ—ine into our discourse inteÌ„d by the Lords leaue to collect and continue the matters begoÌ„ touching y e kings godly proceedings for reformatioÌ„ of religion in the foresaid yere of our lord concurring an 1549. And heere first a note woulde be made of Peter Martyr and of his learned trauels Disputation of Pete Martyr with Doct. Chedsey in Oxforde and disputation in the vniuersitie of Oxford the sayde present yeare with doct Chedsey other moe about the matter of the sacrament which was that the substance of breade and wine was not changed in the sacrament that the body and bloude of Christe was not carnally and bodily in the bread and wine but vnited to the same sacramentally In like maner some touch or mention here also would be made of the Ecclesiasticall lawes Ecclesiasticall lawes by Acte of Parlament to be compyled by 32. persons Statut. an 3. Edou 6. for the gathering and compiling wherof 32. persons were assigned by Act of parlament the sayde present yeare 1549. But because these bee rather matters of tractation then Hystoricall I meane God willing to deferre the further consideration thereof vnto the ende of the historie of this kinges dayes and so to passe forward to other matters in the meane while Bookes of Latine seruice called in and abolished IT followeth then in storie that certaine of the vulgare multitude Euill disposed people thinking to haue their latin seruice again after the apprehension of the L. Protectour hearing of the apprehension of the Lord Protectour and supposinge the alteration of publicke Seruice into Englishe and administration of the Sacramente and other rites lately appoynted in the Churche had beene the Acte chiefly or only of the sayd Lorde Protectour beganne vppon the same to noyse and brute abroad that they shuld nowe haue theyr olde Latine seruice wyth holy bread and holy water The kings commaundement to the Byshops and theyr other like superstitious ceremonies againe whereuppon the King wyth the body and state of the priuie Counsell then being directed oute his letters of request and straite commaundement to the Byshoppes in their diocesse to cause and warne the Deane and Prebendaries of their Cathedrall Churches all Persons vicares and Curates with the Churchwardens of euery Parishe wythin their Diocesse to bring in and deliuer vp all Antiphoners Missales Grailes Processionals Manuals Legendes Bookes of Latinâ— seruice called in Pies Portuases Iournals and Ordinals after the vse of Sarum Lincolne Yorke Bangor Herforde or any other priuate vse Anno 1549. and all other bookes of seruice the hauing wherof might be any let to y e seruice now set foorth in English charging also and commaunding all suche as should be found stubborne or disobedient in this behalf to be committed vnto warde And because the Kinge moreouer was aduertised that there was a slacknes and a frowardnes among the people refusing to pay towarde the finding of breade and wine for the holy Communion by reason wherof the Communion in many places was omitted the Bishops in like manner had geuen in charge to prouide for redresse therof Common bread vsed in the holy Communion to punish them which should refuse so to do Wherby it may appeare to vs now that no wafer cakes but common bread was then by the kinges appoyntment ordinarily receiued and vsed in Churches This was about the
offering hath he made perfect for euer those that are sanctified 〈◊〉 10. These scriptures do perswade me to beleeue that there is no other oblation of Christ albeit I am not ignoraunt there are many sacrifices but that which was once made vpon the crosse 〈…〉 offered 〈◊〉 once 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 Epist. 〈◊〉 August 〈…〉 coÌ„â—tanstum 〈◊〉 â—1 The testimonies of the auncient Fathers which confirme the same are out of Augustine ad Bonifac. Epist. 23. Agayne in his booke of 43. Questions in the 61. Question Also in his 20. booke agaynst Faustus the Manichie cha 21. And in the same booke agaynst the sayd Faustus cap. 28. thus he writeth Now the Christians keepe a memoriall of the sacrifice past with a holy oblation and participation of the body and bloud of Christ. Fulgentius in hys booke De Fide calleth the same oblation a Commemoration And these thynges are sufficient for this tyme for a scholasticall detâ—rmination of these matters Disputations of Martin Bucer OUer and beside these disputations aboue mentioned other disputations also were holden at Cambridge shortly after by Martin Bucer vppon these conclusions followyng Conclusions to be disputed 1. The Canonicall bookes of holy Scripture alone Conclusions disputed at CaÌ„bridge by Martin Bucer do sufficiently teach the regenerated all thinges necessarily belongyng vnto saluation 2. There is no Church in earth which erreth not as well in faith as in maners 3. We are so iustified freely of God that before our iustification it is sinne and prouoketh Gods wrath agaynst vs what so euer good worke we seeme to doe Then beyng iustified we do good workes In these three Propositions agaynst Bucer disputed M. Segewike Yong and Perne Disputers agaynst M. Bucer at Cambridge Which disputations because they are long here to be recited I mynde the Lord willyng to reserue them to some other conuenient place In the meane season because great controuersie hath bene and is yet amongst the learned and much effusion of Christen bloud about the wordes and meanyng of the Sacrament to the intent that the veritie thereof more openly may be explained and all doubtfull scruples discussed it shall not be out of place to adioyne to the former discourses of Peter Martyr and of Doctour Ridley aboue mentioned an other certayne learned treatise in fourme of a Dialogue as appertaynyng to the same Argument compiled as it seemeth out of the tractations of Peter Martyr and other Authours A learned Dialogue betweene Custome and Truth by a certayne learned and reuerend person of this Realme who vnder the persones of Custome and Veritie manifestly layeth before our eyes and teacheth all men not to measure Religion by Custome but to try Custome by truth and the word of God for els custome may soone deceyue but the worde of God abydeth for euer A fruitfull Dialogue declaring these wordes of Christ This is my body CVSTOME VERITIE CVstome I maruell much what madnes is cropen into those mens harts A Dialogue betwene Custome and Veritye which now a days are not ashamed so violently to tread downe the liuely worde of God yea and impudently to deny God hymselfe Veritie God forbid there should be any such In deede I remember that the Romish bishop was wont to haue the Bible for his footestoole so to tread downe Gods worde euermore when he stood at his Masse But thankes be to God he is now detected and hys abhominations be opened and blown throughout all the world And I heare of no moe that oppresseth Gods word Cust. No mo say you Yes doubtles there are an hundreth thousand moe and your parte it is Veritie to withstande them Veri As touching my part you know it agreeth not with my nature to stand with falsehood But what are they disclose them if you will haue them reprooued Custome What are you so great a stranger in these quarters Heare you not how that meÌ„ do daily speake against the Sacrament of the aulter denying it to be the real body of Christ Veritie In good sooth I haue bene a great whyle abroade and returned but of late into this countrey Wherfore you must pardon me if my aunswere be to seeke in such questions But goe foorth in your tale You haue bene longer here and are better acquainted then I. What say they more then this Cust. Then this why what can they possible say more Veri Yes there are many things worse then this for this seemeth in some part to be tollerable Cust. What me thinketh you dally with me Semeth it tolerable to deny the sacrament Veritie They deny it not so much as I can gather by your wordes Custome Nay then fare you wel I perceyue you wil take their part Veri I am not parciall but indifferent to all parties For I neuer go further then the truth Cust. I can scarsly beleue you But what is more true then Christ which is truth it self or who euer was so hardy before this tyme to charge Christ with a lye for sayeng these wordes Math. 26. This is my body The words are euident playne there is in them not so much as one obscure or darke letter there is no cause for any man to cauill And yet that notwithstanding where as Christ himselfe affirmed it to be his body Christs wordes The Euangelistes The old writers The Catholicke Church meÌ„ now a days are not abashed to say Christ lyed it is not his body The Euangelists agree all in one the old writers stand of our side the vniuersall and catholike church hath bene in this mynd these xv hundred yeare and more And shall we thinke that Christ hymselfe hys Euangelists all the whole Catholike church hath bene so long deceyued and the truth nowe at length begotten and borne in these dayes Veri You haue mooued a matter of great force and waight and whereto without many words I can make no ful answer Notwithstanding because you prouoke me thereto if you will geue me licence I will take part with them of whome you haue made false report The doctrine of the Papistes coÌ„monly standeth vpon false reporters for none of them euer reproued Christ of any lye But contrarywise they say that many men of late days not vnderstanding Christs words haue builded and set vp many fonde lyes vpon hys name Wherfore first I will declare the meaning of these words This is my body The sense of Hoc est corpus meum expounded and next in what sense the Church and the old fathers haue euermore taken them First therefore you shall vnderstand that Scripture is not so to be taken always as the letter soundeth but as the intent and purpose of the holy ghost was by whom the scripture was vttred For if you follow the bare wordes you will soone shake downe ouerthrow the greatest part of the christiaÌ„ fayth What is plainer then these words Pater maior me est My father is greater then I am
not to say This is my body when he gaue but a signe of his body Augustine vpon the thirde Psalme August 〈◊〉 Psal. 3. Christus adhibuit Iudam ad conuiuium in quo corporis sanguinis sui figuram discipulis suis commeÌ„dauit tradidit Christ receiued Iudas to the Supper in the which he commended and deliuered a figure of his body and bloud vnto hys Disciples Rabanus de institutione clericorum Quia panis corpus confirmat Rabanus institut Clericoâ—â— ideo ille corpus Christi congruenter nuncupatur Vinum autem quia sanguinem operatur in carne ideo ad sanguinem Christi refertur Because the breade strengtheneth the bodye therefore it is aptly called Christes body And likewise the wine because it encreaseth bloud in the flesh it doth resemble the bloud of Christ. Druthmarus Monachus in Mathaeum Druthmâ—â—â—rus in Matth. Vinum laetificat sanguinem auget ideo non inconuenienter per hoc sanguis Christi figuratur Wine maketh glad the heart and encreaseth bloud and therefore the bloude of Christ is not vnaptly signified thereby Irenaeus witnesseth plainly that in the Sacrament remaineth bread and wine by these woordes Quemadmodum terrenus panis percipiens vocationem Dei Irenaeus contra Vâ—â—lentinuâ— Lib. 3. iam non communis panis est sed Eucharistia ex duabus rebus constans terrena coelesti As the earthly breade receiuing the vocation of God is now no common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things the one earthly the other heauenly Heere he recordeth that there remaineth in the Sacrament an earthly nature which is either breade or nothing Gelasius wryting against Nestorius auoweth the same sayinge Gelasius In Eucharistia non definit substantia panis natura vini Etenim imago similitudo corporis saÌ„guinis Domini in actione mysteriorum celebratur i. In the Eucharist the substance of the bread and nature of the wine ceasseth not to be For the Image and similitude of the body and bloud of the Lorde is celebrated in the action of the mysteries Chrysostome in his 20. Homely vpon the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians preferreth a poore man before the Sacramente Chrisost. 〈◊〉 hom 20. epist. 2. ad Corinâ—â— and calleth hym the body of Christe rather then the other Whereof I maye gather this reason Bo The poore man is not the naturall and reall bodye of Christ. car Euery poore member of Christe is the body of Christe rather then the Sacrament Chrysost. do Ergo the Sacrament is not the naturall and reall body of Christ. His wordes are Hoc altare veneraris quoniam in eo proponitur corpus Christi Eum autem qui reipsa corpus est Christi afficis contumelia negligis pereuntem This aultare thou doest reuerence because the body of Christ therein is set before thee but him whiche is the body of Christe in deede thou doest spitefully intreate and doest neglect him readye to perish Chrysostome in the 11. Homely vppon Mathewe Quod si haec vasa sanctificata ad priuatos vsus est transferre periculosum in quibus non verum corpus Christi Chrisost. in Hom. sup 〈◊〉 sed mysterium corporis Christi continetur quanto magis vasa corporis nostri If it be so perillous a matter to translate these sanctified vessels vnto priuate vses in the which not the true body of Christ but a mysterie of the bodye of Christe is contained howe muche more then these vesselles of our bodye Athanasius vppon these woordes Athanasiâ—â— in verba â—â—uang 〈◊〉 dixerit veâ—bum in 〈◊〉 hominis Qui dixerit verbum contra filium hominis sayeth Ea quae Christus dicit non sunt carnalia sed spiritualia Quod enim â—omedentibus suffecisset corpus vt totius muÌ„di fieret alimonia Sed idâ—irco meminit Ascensionis filij hominis in coelum vt eos a corporali cogitatione auelleret The words that Christe heere speaketh be not carnall but spirituall For what bodye mighte haue suffised for all that shoulde eaâ—e to be a nourishment of the whole worlde But therefore hee maketh mention of the Ascension of the sonne of manne into Heauen August Marcelliâ—â— to the entenâ—e to plucke them awaye from that corporall cogitation Augustinus ad Marcellinum In illis carnalibus viâ—ctimis figuratio fuit carnis Christi quam pro peccatis nostris erat oblatuâ—us sanguinis quem erat effusurus In iâ—to autem Sacrificio gratiarum actio atque commemoratio est carnis Christi quam pro nobis obtulit sanguinis quem pro nobis effudit In iâ—lo ergo Sacrificio quid nobis sit donandum figuratè significatur in hoc autem sacrificio quid nobis donatum sit euidenter ostenditur In illis sacrificijs pâ—â—nunciabatur filius Dei occidendus in hoc pro impijs annunciatur occisus In those carnall oblations the flesh of Christ was figured which he should offer for our sinnes and the bloud which he should bestow for vs. But in this sacrifice is the giuing of thanks and memorial of the flesh of Christ which he hath offred for vs and of the bloud which he hath shedde for vs. In that sacrifice therfore is signified figuratiuely what should be giueÌ„ for vs in this sacrifice what is giuen to vs is euidently declared In those sacrifices the sonne of God was before preached to be slaine in thys sacrifice he is shewed to be slaine already for the wicked Origenes vpon Mat. expounding these words This is my body sayth Panis iste quem Christus corpus suum fatetur esse verbum est nutritorium animarum i. The bread which Christ confesseth to be hys body is a nutritiue worde of our soules Augustinus Nulli aliquatenus dubitandum vnumquemque fidelium corporis sanguinis Domini tunc esse participem quando in baptismate membrum efficitur Christi Sacramenti quippe illius participatione ac beneficio non priuabitur quando in se hoc inuenit quod SacramentuÌ„ significati No manne ought in any wise to doubt but that euery faithfull man is then partaker of the body and bloud of the Lord when in Baptisme he is made a member of Christ. For he shall not be depriued of the participation and benefite of that Sacrament when he findeth in himselfe that thing which the Sacrament doeth signifie Ambrosius Tanta est vis verbi vt panis vinum maneant quae sunt muteÌ„tur in aliud Such is the force strength of the worde that the bread and wine remaine the same as they were and yet are changed into an other thing For it is not any longer common breade Ambrosius but it is turned into a Sacrament Yet notwithstanding there remaineth bread and wine Tertullian wryting against an hereticke named Martion which taught that the creatures of God as flesh bread wine and such like were naught and vncleanly Non abiecit Deus creaturam suam sed ea
the which Philpot answered doe you recken heauen to be a prisone God graunt vs all to come to that prisone After this Harpsfield inferred that this word Oportet in S. Peter If Weston charge them for prisoning christ in heauen how may they charge the papistes for prisoning Christ in a boxe which signifieth in Englishe must did not import so much as I woulde inferre of necessitie as by other places of Scripture it may appeare as in the first to Tim. where Paule sayeth Oportet Episcopum esse vnius vxoris virum A bishop must be the husband of one wife Here quoth he Oportet doeth not import suche a necessitie but that hee that neuer was maried may be a Bishop To this Philpot saide againe that the places were not like whych he went about to compare and that in comparing of the Scriptures wee muste not consider the naked wordes M. Philpot. but the meaning rather of the Scriptures for y t in the place by him alleaged Oportet how it is taken diuersly in Scripture S. Paule doeth declare of what qualitie a Bishop ought to be But in the other S. Peter teacheth vs the place where Christ must necessarily be vntil the ende of the worlde which we ought to beleeue to be true And this comparison of this worde Oportet doeth no more aunswer mine argument then if I should say of you now being here Oportet te hic esse you must nedes be heere which importeth such necessity for the time that you can no otherwise be but here yet you would go about in words to auoide this necessitye with another Oportet in an other sense as this Oportet te esse viruÌ„ bonum you must be a good man where Oportet doeth not in very deede conclude any such necessity but that you may be an euill man Thus you may see that your answere is not sufficient as it were no answere to mine argument Then the Prolocutour brought in another Oportet to helpe this matter if it mighte be sayinge Weston what say you to this Oportet haereses esse must heresies needes be therefore because of thys word Oportet Philpot. Yea truely quoth Philpotte it cannot otherwise be if you will adde that which followeth immediatly vpon these woordes of Paul that is Vt qui electi sunt manifestentur that is That suche as be y e elect of God may be manifested and knowen Why quoth the Prolocutor the time hath bene that no heresies were Weston I knowe no suche time quoth Philpot. For since the time of Abell and Caine heresies haue bene and then began they Philpot. Then sayd the Prolocutor wil you nowe answer Morgan an argument or two I wil quoth Philpot if I may first be answered to my argument any thyng according to truth and learning Weston What quoth the Prolocutor you will neuer be answeared Howe I am answeared quoth Philpot Philpot. let all men that are here present iudge and specially such as be learned with what cauillations you haue dallied with me First to the auncient authority of Vigilius you haue answered nothing at all but only denying it to be scripture y t he sayth Secondly to the saying of S. Peter in the actes yee haue aunsweared thus demaunding of me whether I would keepe Christ in prison or no let men nowe iudge if this be a sufficient answere or no. Then stoode Morgane vp againe and asked Philpotte whether he would be ruled by the vniuersal church Morgan or no. Yes quoth he if it be the true Catholicke Church And sith you speake so much of the Churche Philpot. I would faine that you would declare what the church is The church quoth Morgan is diffused and dispearsed throughout the whole worlde Morgan That is a diffuse definition quod Philpot for I am yet as vncertaine as I was before what you meane by y e church Philpot. but I knowledge no church but that which is grounded and founded on Gods woord as S. Paul sayth Moreman Whether the Church was before the Scripture vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets and vpon the scriptures of God What quoth Moreman was the Scripture before the church yea quoth Philpot. But I will prooue nay quoth Moreman and I wil begin at Christes time The Church of Christ was before any scripture wrytten For Mathewe was the first that wrote the Gospell about a dosen yeares after Christ Ergo the church was before the scripture To whom Philpot answering denied this argument Which when Moreman could not prooue Philpot shewed that his argument was Elenchus or a fallace that is a deceiueable argument For he tooke the Scripture only to be that whych is wrytten by men in letters wheras in very deede Scripture consisteth not onely in letters but is that which is inspired in the hartes of good men by the holy Ghost all Prophecie vttered by the spirite of God was counted to be Scripture before it was wrytten in paper inke for that it was wrytten in the heartes and grauen in the mindes yea and inspired in the mouthes of good men and of Christes Apostles by the spirite of Christ As the salutation of the Angel was the scripture of Christe and the word of God before it was written At that Moreman cried fie fie wondring that the Scripture of God shoulde be counted scripture before it was wrytten and affirmed that he had no knowledge that said so Philpot. To whom Philpot answered that concerning knowledge in this behalfe for the triall of the truth about y e questions in controuersie he woulde wish hymselfe no worse matched then with Moreman At the which saying the Prolocutor was greuously offended saying that it was arrogantly spoken of hym Weston that woulde compare with suche a worshipfull learned man as Moreman was being himselfe a manne vnlearned Weston rayâ—eth against Phâ—â—â—pot to be madde 〈◊〉 yea a madde man meter to be sent to Bedlem then to be among such a sorte of learned and graue men as there were and a man that neuer woulde be answeared and one that troubled the whole house and therefore he did commaund him that he shoulde come no more into the house demaunding of the house whether they would agree thereuppon or no. To whome a great number aunsweraed yea Then sayde Philpot againe that he might thinke himselfe happye that was out of that companie After this Morgan rose vp and rounded the Prolocutor in the eare Philpot commauâ—â—ded to 〈◊〉 in a long gowne and a â—ippet or els to 〈◊〉 no more to the conuoâ—cation And then againe the Prolocutor spake to Philpot and said least you should slaunder the house say that we will not suffer you to declare youre minde we are content you shal come into the house as you haue done before so that you be apparelled wyth a long gowne a tippette as we be and that
not probably appeare to all the Nobilitie and Commons in the highe Court of Parliament that thys Marryage shall be for the high benefit coÌ„moditie of all the whole Realme then I wil abstaine from Mariage while I liue And now good Subiects plucke vp your hearts and like true men The promise of Queene Mary touching her Maryage stande fast against these rebels both our enemies and yours and feare them not for I assure you I feare them nothing at all And I will leaue with you my Lord Haward my Lord Treasoror who shal be assistants with the Mayor for your defence ¶ Here is to be noted that at the comming of Queene Mary to the Guild hall being bruted before that shee was comming w t harnessed men such a feare came among them that a number of the Londiners fearing least they shoulde be there intrapped put to death made out of the gate before her entring in Furthermore note that when shee had ended her Oration which she semed to haue perfectly conned without booke Winchester standing by her when the Oration was done with great admiration cried to y e people O how happy are we to whom God hath geuen such a wise and learned Prince c. Two dayes after whiche was the 3. of Februarie the L. Cobham was committed to the Tower February 3. M. Wyat in southwarke and M. Wyat entred into Southwarke Who for so muche as he coulde not enter y t way into London returning another way by Kingstone with his army came vp through the streetes to Ludgate and returning thence hee was resisted at Temple barre M. Wyat came to Ludgate and there yealded himself to Sir Clement Parson and so was brought by him to the Courte with hym the residue of his armye for before Sir George Harpar almost halfe of his men ran awaye from him at Kingstone bridge were also taken M. Wyat apprehended at Templebar and aboute an 100. killed and they that were taken were had to prisone and a great manye of them were hanged and he himselfe afterwarde executed at the Tower hill and then quartered whose heade after being set vp vpon Haihil M. Wyat executed was thence stolne away and great search made for the same Of which story ye shal here more the Lord willing heereafter The 12. day of February was beheaded the lady Iane to whom was sent M. Fecknam alias Howman from the Queene 2. dayes before her deathe February 12. to commune wyth her and to reduce her from the doctrine of Christe to Queene Maries religion The effect of which communication here followeth The communication had betweene the Ladie Iane and Fecknam FEcknam Madam I lament your heauy case and yet I doubt not Talke betweene the Lady Iane and Fecknam but that you beare out this sorow of youres wyth a constant and patient minde Iane. You are welcome vnto me sir if your comming be to geue Christian exhortation And as for my heauye case I thanke God I do so litle lament it that rather I accompt the same for a more manifest declaration of Gods fauor towarde me then euer he shewed me at any time before And therefore there is no cause why either you or other whych beare me good wil Lady Iane comfortably taketh her trouble should lament or be grieued wyth thys my case being a thing so profitable for my soule health Feck I am heere come to you at this present sent from the Queene and her counsaile to instructe you in the true doctrine of y e right faith although I haue so great confidence in you that I shall haue I trust little neede to trauaile wyth you much therein Iane. Forsooth I heartely thanke the Queenes highnesse which is not vnmindful of her humble subiect and I hope likewise that you no lesse will doe your duety therein both truely and faithfully according to that you were sent for Feck What is then required of a Christian Iane. That he should beleue in God the Father y e Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God Feck What is there nothing els to be required or looked for in a Christian but to beleeue in him Iane. Yes we must also loue him with all our heart with all our soule and with all our minde and our neighbor as our selfe Feck Why then faith iustifieth not nor saueth not Iane. Yes verely faith as Paule sayth only iustifieth Feck Why S. Paul sayeth If I haue all faith without loue it is nothing Iane. Faith onely iustifieth True it is for how caÌ„ I loue him whom I trust not or how can I trust him whome I loue not Faith and loue go both together and yet loue is comprehended in faith Feck How shall we loue our neighbour Iane. To loue our neighbor is to feede the hungry to cloth the naked and geue drinke to the thirsty and to doe to him as we would doe to our selues Feck Why then it is necessary vnto saluation to doe good workes also and it is not sufficient only to beleeue Iane. I denye that and I affirme that faith onely saueth Good 〈…〉 in a 〈…〉 they 〈◊〉 profite to saluatioâ— but it is meete for a Christian in token that hee followeth his Maister Christe to doe good workes yet may wee not say that they profit to our saluation For wheÌ„ we haue done all yet we be vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts and faith only in Christes bloud saueth vs. Feck How many Sacraments are there Iane. Two The one the Sacrament of Baptisme 2. Sacraâ—menteâ— and the other the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper Feck No there are seuen Iane. By what Scripture finde you that Feck Well we will talke of that heereafter The Sacâ—â—â—ment of Baptism what it â—â—â—â—nifieth But what is signified by your two Sacraments Iane. By the Sacramente of Baptisme I am washed wyth water and regenerated by the spirite and that washing is a token to mee that I am the childe of God The Sacrament of the Lordes Supper offered vnto mee The Sacâ—â—â—ment of 〈◊〉 Lordes 〈◊〉 what signifietâ— is a sure seale and testimonie that I am by the bloude of Christ which he shedde for me on the Crosse made partaker of the euerlasting kingdome Feck Why what doe you receiue in that Sacrament Doe you not receiue the very body and bloud of Christ Iane. No surely I doe not so beleeue I thinke that at the Supper I neyther receiue flesh nor bloude What 〈◊〉 receaue with thâ— sacrameâ—â— but bread and wine Which bread when it is broken and the wine when it is dronken putteth mee in remembraunce howe that for my sinnes the body of Christ was broken his bloudshed on the Crosse and with that breade and wine I receiue the benefites that come by the breaking of his body sheding of his bloud for our sinnes on the Crosse. Feck Why doeth not Christ speake these woordes Take eate this is my body
Smith But he did beare himselfe in his owne handes Ergo he did not beare a figure onely Rid. He didde beare himselfe but in a Sacrament and Austen afterward addeth quodam modo that is Sacramentally Smith Quodam modo You vnderstand not what Austen meant when hee sayd quodam modo For he ment that he did beare his very true body in that supper not in figure and forme of a body but in forme and figure of bread Ergo you are holden fast neither are ye able to escape out of his labirinth Doctor Weston repeated this place agayne in English Which done then Doct. Tresham thus began to speake moued as it seemed to M. Ridley wyth great zeale and desired that he might be in sted of Iohn Baptist in conuerting the hartes of the fathers and in reducing the sayde B. Ridley agayne to the mother church Now at the first not knowing the person he thought he had bene some good old man which had the zeale of God although not acording to knowledge and began to aunswere him with mansuetude and reuerence But afterwarde hee smelled a foxe vnder a sheepes clothing D. Tresham prayeth for conuerting Ridley GOd almightye graunt that it may be fulfilled in me that was spoken by the Prophet Malachy of Iohn Baptist which maye turne the hartes of the Fathers to the children and the hartes of the children to theyr fathers that you at length may be conuerted The wise man sayth Sonne honour thy father and reuerence thy mother But you dishonor your father in heauen and pollute your mother the holy church here on earth while ye sette not by her Rid These by wordes do pollute your schoole Tres. If there were an Arrian whiche had that subtle wit that you haue The decree of Lateraâ—e CouÌ„cell alleaged for transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ he might soone shift of the authority of the scriptures and fathers West Either dispute or els hold your peace I pray you Tres. I bring a place here out of the Councell of Laterane the which Counsell representing the vniuersall Churche wherein were congregated 300. Bishops 〈◊〉 Of thiâ— Councâ—â—â— read 〈◊〉 Metropolitans besides a great multitude of other decreed y e bread wine by the power of Gods word was traÌ„substaÌ„tiate into the body bloud of y e Lord. Therefore whosoeuer sayth contrary cannot be a childe of the church but an hereticke Rid. Good Syr I haue heard what you haue cited out of the Councell of Laterane and remember that there was a great multitude of Bishops and Metropolitanes as you sayde but yet you haue not numbred how many Abbots Priors and Friers were in that councell who were to the number of 800. One of the Scribes What One oâ— Scribes 〈…〉 B. Ridlâ—â— will you denye then the authority of that Counsell for the multitude of those Priors Rid. No syr not so much for that cause as for that especially because the doctrine of that Councell agreed not wyth the word of God as it may well appere by the actes of that Councell which was holdeÌ„ vnder Innocentius the third Of thi◠〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 a man if we beleue the historyes moste pernitious to the church and common wealth of Christ. Tres. What doe you not receiue the Councell of Lateran Whereupon he with certayne other cryed Scribite scribite Write write Rid. No syr I receiue not that Councell Scribite rescribite Write and write agayne B. Ridâ—â—â— reiecteâ— the Coâ—â—â—cell of terane 〈◊〉 Good 〈◊〉 do eate 〈◊〉 very truâ— body of 〈◊〉 Christ bâ— sacrameÌ„tâ—â—ly and spâ—â—ritually August 5. contra Donatist cap. 8. Tres. Euill men do eat the naturall body of Christ Ergo the true and naturall body of Christ is on the aultare Rid. Euill men do eate the very true and naturall bodye of Christ sacrameÌ„tally and no further as S. Augustine saith but good men do eat the very true body both sacramentally and spiritually by grace Tres. I proue the contrary by S. Austen Lib. 5. contra Donatistas Cap. 8. Sicut enim Iudas cui buccellulam Dominus tradidit non malum accipiendo sed malè accipiendo peccauit c. Like as Iudas to whome the Lorde gaue the morsell did offend not in taking a thing that was euill but in receiuing it after an euil maner c. And a litle after Quia aliquis non ad salutem manducat non ideo non est corpus i. Because some do not eate vnto saluation it foloweth not therefore that it is not his body Manducaâ— panem Dâ—â—mini â—â—â—nem Doâ—â—â—num 〈◊〉 Rid. It is the body to them that is the sacrament of the body and Iudas tooke the sacrament of the Lord to his condemnation Austen hath distincted these thinges well in an other place where he sayth Panem Domini panem Dominum Mali manducant panem Domini non panem dominum boni autem manducant panem Domini panem Dominum That is The bread of the Lord the bread the Lorde Euill men eate the breade of the Lord but not breade the Lorde But good men eate both the breade of the Lord and breade the Lord. West Paule sayth the body and you say the sacrament of the body This 〈◊〉 spoke in Englisheâ— Rid. Paule meaneth so in deed Wat. You vnderstand it euill concerning the signe for the Fathers say that euill men doe eat him which descended from heauen The olde Doctors vse many tymes thâ— Sacrameâ—â— for the 〈◊〉 of thâ— Sacrameâ—â— Theophiâ—lact alleaâ—ged Rid. They eate him indeede but sacramentally The Fathers vse many times the sacrament for the matter of the sacrament and al that same place maketh agaynst you and so here he cited the place West I bring Theophilacte which sayth that Iudas dyd taste the bodye of the Lord. Ostendit Dominus crudelitatem Iudae qui cum argueretur non intellexit gustauit carnem Domini c. id est The Lord did shewe the cruelty of Iudas whiche when he was rebuked did not vnderstand and tasted the Lordes flesh c. Rid. This phrase to Diuines is well knowne Aunsweâ—â— and vsed of the Doctors He tasted the flesh of the Lord Insensibiliter Insensibly that is the sacrament of the Lordes flesh West Chrysostome sayth that the same punishmeÌ„t remaineth to them whiche receiue the body of the Lorde vnworthily as to them which crucified him Chrisost alleaged Rid. That is because they defile the Lordes body for euill menne doe eate the body of Christ sacramentally Chrisost expoundâ—â— but good men eate both the sacrament and the matter of the Sacrament Wat. You reiecte the Councell of Laterane The Couâ—â—cell of 〈◊〉 alleaged because you say it agreeth not with Gods worde What say you then to the Councell of Nice The wordes of the Councell be these Ne humiliter spectemus propositum panem potum sed exaltata mente fideliter credamus iacere in illa sacra mensa agnum Dei tollentem
holdest hym So he sheweth that by sending our fayth we do hold Christ. Harpesfield In deed no man holdeth Christ vnlesse he beleeue in him but it is another thing to haue Christ mercyful and fauourable vnto vs and to haue him present in the Sacrament There s. Augustine speaketh of holding him by faith as he is fauourable vnto vs. West Nay he speaketh there how the Fathers had him in the fleshe and teacheth that we haue him not so in fleshe as they had him long tyme sayeng Your fathers dyd holde Christ present in the flesh do you hold him in your heart What wordes can be more plaine Further he sayth He is gone is not here he hath left vs and yet hath not forsaken vs. Hic est maiestate abijt carne He is here in maiestie and gone touching the fleshe Harps I doe vnderstand Augustine thus that Christ is here in his flesh to them that receiue him worthily to such as doe not worthily receiue him to them he is not present in the fleshe I iudge S. Augustine meaneth so We haue hym and haue hym not we haue him in receiuyng hym worthily otherwyse not West Nay Tenerâ— carnem est tenere corticem literae I wyll prosecute another argument Cyrill doth say By the maiestie of his diuinitie he is euer here but the presence of hys fleshe hath he taken away Harpsfield The sense of Cyrill is thus to be vnderstanded The most true fleshe of Christ is at the right hande of the Father Thus the Fathers taught and so they beleeued Thus sayd Cyrill Thus said Augustine and because this is the foundation of our fayth they did oftentymes teach it Therefore when they prooue this the body to bee in heauen they do not make agaynst the presence in the sacrament 〈…〉 how then doth the â—ame body remaine still vnlesse eyther ye make him to haue 2. boâ—yes or eis make 2. contradictoryes true in one proposition So vnlesse ye can plainly shew that the fathers do directly say he is not in the sacrament you make nothyng against me for I haue shewed why the Fathers so spake They did teach the great difference betwene the diuine nature and the humane nature as I haue before sayd Weston I will then prooue that he is not in the sacrament Uigilius against y e heretike Eutiches vpon these words Me autem non semper habebitis sayeth The sonne of God as touching his humanitie is gone from vs by his diuinitie hee remayneth with vs. And that same Uigilius in hys fourth booke sayeth Hee that is in the heauen is not in the earth speakyng of Christ. Harps I wyll shew you the reason of these wordes The hereticke Eutiches did beleeue that the diuine nature of Christ was fastned on the crosse and beleeued that Christ had no naturall body To this Uigilius sayd that the humane nature was taken vp and ascended which could not so haue done vnlesse he had had a body This he sayd not to take away the presence in the sacrament For what had he to referre this sentence to the Sacrament Hee neuer dyd so much as dreame of the Sacrament West Cyrill sayth Although he be absent from vs in body yet are we gouerned by his spirit Cyrillus The body of Christ is here to feede our bellyes but not to be liued withal Harps By these wordes he gaue vs a cheerefulnesse to aspire vpwards seeking therehence our helpe For as touching his conuersation he is not so in the Sacrament as one meet to be liued withall But let hym teach vs that he is not there to feed vs for after that sort he is there West You haue satisfied me with your answers in doyng the same learnedly and catholikely But now to an other argument * The argument holdeth a proportione Christ is now so absent from the earth by his body as he was absent from heauen when he liued here But when he did liue bodily on earth the same naturall body was out of heauen Ergo now whilest his naturall body is in heauen it is not in earth Harps I deny the Maior West Fulgentus ad Transimundum Regem libro secundo saith Secundum humanam substantiam absens erat coelo cum desceÌ„dit de coelo These are Fulgentius wordes touchyng hys humane substaunce He was absent from heauen when he descended from heauen and touching the same substance now he is in heauen he is not on the earth but concernyng the diuine nature he neuer forsooke neither heauen nor earth ¶ After these wordes not waityng Harpsfields aunswer he offered maister Cranmer to dispute who began in this wyse Cranmer I haue heard you right learnedly and eloquently entreat of the dignitie of the scriptures which I doe both commend haue maruelled thereat within my selfe But where as you referre the true sense iudgement of y e scriptures to the catholicke churche as iudge thereof you are much deceued specially for y t vnder the name of the church you appoynt such Iudges as haue corruptly iudged and contrary to the sense of the scriptures I wonder likewyse why you attribute so little to the diligent readyng of the scriptures and conferryng of places seyng the scriptures do so much commend the same as wel in diuers other places as also in those which you your selfe haue alredy alleged And as touching your opinion of these questioÌ„s The opinion of M. Harpsfield reproued referring the sence of the Scripture rather to the iudgemeÌ„t of the Church then to the diligent reading conferring of places it semeth to me neither to haue any grouÌ„d of the word of god nor of the Primitiue church And to say the truth y e scholemen haue spoken diuersly of them and do not agree therein among themselues Wherfore mynding here briefly to shew my iudgement also I must desire you first to aunswere me to a fewe questions which I shall demaund of you Which beyng done we shall the better proceed in our disputation Moreouer I must desire you to beare also with my rudenes in the Latin tonge which through long disuse is not now so prompt and ready with me as it hath bene And now all other things set apart I mynd chiefly to haue regard to the truth My first question is this How Christes body is in the sacrament accordyng to your mynde or determination Then answered a Doctor he is there as touching hys substance but not after the maner of his substance Christ present in the SacrameÌ„t in substance but not after the maner of substance Harpsfield He is there in such sort and manner as he may be eaten Cran. My next question is Whether he hath his quantitie qualities forme figure and such like properties Harpsfield Are these your questions sayd Maister Harpsfield I may likewise aske you when Christ passed thorough the virgines wombe an ruperit neâ—ne When they had thus a while contended there were diuers opinions in this matter All the doctors
to keepe his house which myght haue mooued hym thereunto He did see the recouery of religion in England for that present desperate he knew he could not want a liuyng in Germany and he coulde not forget his wyfe and x. children and to seeke means to succour them But all these things set apart after he was called to answer in Christes cause he would not depart but stoutly stood in defence of the same and for the triall of that truth was content to hazard his lyfe Thus he remayned in hys owne house as prisoner a long tyme till at the length through the vncharitable procurement of Boner Bishop of London who could not abyde such honest neighbours to dwell by him M. Rogers sent to Newgate he was remooued from his owne house to the prison called Newgate where he was lodged among theeues and murtherers for a great space during which tyme what businesse he had with the aduersaries of Christ all is not knowen neither yet any certaintie of his examinations further theÌ„ he hymselfe did leaue in writyng which God would not to be lost but to remayne for a perpetuall testimony in the cause of Gods truth as here followeth recorded and testified by his owne writyng ¶ The Examination and aunswere of John Rogers made to the L. Chancellor and to the rest of the Counsell the 22. of Ianuary Anno. 1555. The Lord Chauncellour FIrst the L. Chancellour said vnto me thus Sir Examination aunswere of M. Iohn Rogers ye haue heard of the state of the realme in which it standeth now Rogers No my Lord I haue bene kept in close prison and except there haue bene some generall thyng sayd at the table wheÌ„ I was at dinner or supper I haue heard nothing and there haue I heard nothing whereupon any speciall thing might be grounded L. Chan. Then sayd the L. Chancellor Generall thynges generall things mockingly Ye haue heard of my L. Cardinals commyng and that the Parliament hath receyued his blessing not one resisting vnto it but one man which did speake against it Such an vnitie and such a myracle hath not bene seene And all they of which there are eyght score in one house sayd one that was by whose name I know not haue with one assent and * Ful sore against theyr wills if they could otherwise haue chosen consent receyued pardon of their offences for the schisme that we haue had in England in refusing the holy father of Rome to be hed of the Catholike Church How say ye are ye content to vnite and knit yourselfe to the fayth of the catholike church with vs in the state in which it is now in England Wyll ye do that Rogers The Catholike Church I neuer did nor will dissenâ— from L. Chancel Nay but I speake of the state of the Catholike church in that wyse in which we stand now in England hauyng receaued the Pope to be supreme head Rog. No head of the Catholicke Church but Christ. I know none other head but Christ of his catholike church neither will I acknowledge the Bishop of Rome to haue any more authority then any other bishop hath by the word of God and by the doctrine of the olde and pure Catholike church 400. yeres after Christ. L. Chaun Why didst thou then acknowledge King Henry the 8. to be supreme head of the church if Christ be the onely head Rog. The supremacie of king Henry 8. how it is to be taken I neuer graunted hym to haue any supremacy in spirituall thyngs as are the forgeuenesse of sinnes geuing of the holy Ghost authoritie to be a Iudge aboue the worde of God L. Chan. Yea said he and Tonstall B. of Duresme and N. B. of Worcester Tonstall B. of Duresme N. Bishop of Worcester if thou hadst said so in his dayes and they nodded the hed at me with a laughter thou hadst not ben alyue now Rog. Which thing I denied and would haue told how hee was said and ment to be supreme head But they looked laughed one vpon another and made such a busines that I was coÌ„strayned to let it passe There lyeth also no great waight thereupon for all the world knoweth what the meanyng was The L. Chancellor also sayd to the L. Wil. Haward that there was no inconuenience therin to haue Christ to be supreme head The meaning why K. Henry was titled â—upreame head and the B. of Rome also and when I was ready to haue answered that there could not be two heds of one church and haue more plainly declared the vanity of that his reason the L. Chancellor said what saist thou make vs a direct answer whether thou wilt be one of this catholike church or not with vs in the state in which we are now Rog. My L. without faile I cannot beleeue that ye your selues do thinke in your harts that he is supreme head in forgeuing of sinne The Bishops contrary to theyr former doinges and wrytinges c. as is before sayd seyng you all the bishops of the realme haue now xx yeares long preached and some of you also written to the contrary and the Parliament hath so long agone condescended vnto it And there he interrupted me thus L. Chan. Tush that Parlament was with most great crueltie constrained to abolish and put away the primacie froÌ„ the bishops of Rome Rog. With crueltie Why then I perceyue that you take a wrong way with crueltie to perswade mens consciences For it should appeare by your doyngs now that the cruelty then vsed hath not perswaded your consciences How would you then haue our consciences perswaded wyth cruelty L. Chan. I talke to thee of no cruelty but that they were so often so cruelly called vpon in that Parlament to let the Act go forward yea and euen with force driuen thereunto where as in this parliament it was so vniformly receiued as is aforesayd Rog. Here my L. Paget told me more plainly what my L. Chauncellor ment Truth goeth not by number nor by the greater part Unto whom I answered My Lord what will ye conclude thereby that the first Parliament was of lesse authoritie because but few condescended vnto it and this last Parliament of great authoritye because more condescended vnto it It goeth not my Lord by the more or lesser part but by the wyser truer godlier part and I would haue sayd more but the L. Chauncellour interrupted me with his question willyng me once agayne to aunswer him For sayd he we haue mo to speake with theÌ„ thou 10. Prisoners out of Newâ—â—tâ— to be 〈◊〉 before 〈…〉 〈…〉 the 10. yelded which must come in after thee And so there were in deed ten persons moe out of Newgate besides two that were not called Of which ten one was a citizen of London which graunted vnto them and ix of the contrarye which all came to prison agayne and refused the cardinals blessing and the authoritie of his
hee for a lawe wee haue commission to proceede with them when they be dispatched let their frendes sue the lawe Nowe howe soone a man may haue such a commission at my Lord Chancelors hand you know It is as hard to be obtained as an enditement for Christ at Cayphas hande Besides that the Byshoppes hauing the Queene so vpon their sides may do all things both without the aduise and also the knowledge of the rest of the Lordes of the temporaltie who at this present haue found out the marke that the Bishops shote at and doubtles be not pleased with their doings I pray you helpe that our brother Sanders and the rest in the Marshalsey may vnderstande these things and sende me your answere betime Iudas non dormit nec scimus diem neque horam i. Iudas slepeth not neither know we the day nor the hour Dominus Iesus Christus suo sancto numine nos omnes consoletur adiuuet Amen i. The Lord Iesus Christ with his holy spirite comfort and strengthen vs all Amen May 6. 1554. Yours and with you vnto death in Christ I Hooper An exhortation to pacience sent to his godly wife Anne Hooper whereby all the true members of Christ may take comfort and courage to suffer trouble affliction for the profession of his holy Gospel OUr sauiour Iesus Christ dearely beloued my godly wife in s. Mathewes Gospell said to his disciples M. 18. that it was necessary sclaunders shoulde come and that they coulde not be auoided An effectuâ—â— letter of M Hooper sent to hys wife he perceiued as wel by the coÌ„dition of those that should pearish be lost for euer in the world to come as also by their affliction that should be saued For he sawe the greatest part of the people would contemne neglecte whatsoeuer true doctrine or godly wayes should be shewed vnto them or els receiue it vse it as they thought good to serue their pleasures without any profite to their soules at all not caring whether they liued as they were coÌ„manded by Gods word or not but would thinke it sufficient to be counted to haue the name of a Christian man wyth such workes and frutes of his profession and Christianitie as his fathers and elders after their custome maner esteeme and take to be good fruites and faithful works and wil not try them by the worde of God at all These men by the iust iudgement of God be deliuered vnto the crafte and subtiltie of the deuill Math. 14. that they may be kept by one sclaunderous stuÌ„bling blocke or other that they neuer come vnto Christ who came to saue those that were lost as yee may see howe God deliuereth wicked menne vp vnto their owne lustes to do one mischiefe after an other carelesse Rom. 1.1 1. Thes. 2. vntil they come into a reprobate minde that forgetteth it selfe and can not knowe what is expedient to be done or to be least vndone because they close their eyes and will not see the lyghte of Gods woorde offered vnto them and being thus blinded they preferre their owne vanities before the truth of Gods woorde Whereas such corrupt mindes be Errour taken for truth and persecution for Gods seruice there is also corrupt election and choyse of Gods honor so that the minde of man taketh falsehoode for truthe superstition for true religion death for life damnation for saluation hell for heauen and persecution of Christes members for Gods seruice and honour And as these men wilfully and voluntarily reiect the woorde of God euen so God most iustly deliuereth them into the blindnes of mind hardnes of heart that they can not vnderstand Iohn 8.9 nor yet consent to any thyng that God would haue preached and set foorth to his glory after his owne will and worde wherefore they hate it mortally of all things most detest Gods holy worde And as y e deuill hath entred into their hearts that they them selues can not nor will not come to Christ to be instructed by hys holy woord euen so can they not abide any other man to be a Christian man and to lead his life after the word of God but hate him persecute him robbe him imprisone hym yea and kil him whether he be man or womaÌ„ if God suffer it And so much are those wicked men blinded that they passe of no law whether it be Gods or mans but persecute such as neuer offended yea do euil to those that daily haue praied for them and wish them Gods grace In their Pharaonical and blind furie they haue no respect to nature No respect of nature with the persecuting aduersaries For the brother persecuteth the brother the father the sonne and most deare frends in diuelish sclaunder and offence are become most mortal ennemies And no marueile for when they haue chosen sundrye maisters the one the deuill the other God the one shall agree with the other as God and the deuell agree betweene them selues For this cause that the more parte of the worlde doth chuse to serue the deuill vnder cloaked hypocrisie of Gods title Christ sayd Math. â—8 It is expedient and necessary that sclanders should come and many meanes be deuised to keepe the litle babes of Christ from the heauenly father But Christ sayth Wo be vnto him by whome the offence commeth Yet is there no remedy man being of such corruption and hatred towardes God but that the euil shal be deceiued persecute the good and the good shall vnderstand the truth and suffer persecution for it vntill the worlds ende For as he that was borne after the flesh persecuted in times past him that was born after the spirite Geâ—e 4. Gâ—lat 4. euen so is it now Therefore for so much as we liue in this life amongst so many great pearils and daungers we must be wel assured by gods word how to beare them and how paciently to take them as they be sent to vs froÌ„ God We must also assure our selues that there is no other remedy for Christians in the time of trouble then Christ himself hath appoynted vs. Luke 2. In S. Luke he geueth vs thys commandement Ye shall possesse your liues in pacience sayeth he In the which words he geueth vs both commaundement what to doe and also great comfort and consolation in all troubles Hee sheweth also what is to be done and what is to be hoped for in troubles Patience in troubles onely the christian mans remedy Rom. 8. and when troubles happen he biddeth vs be pacient and in no case violently nor seditiously to resist our persecuters because God hath such care and charge of vs that he wil keepe in the mids of all troubles the very heares of our heade so that one of them shall not fall away without the wil and pleasure of our heauenly father Whether the haire therfore tarie in the head or fal from the head it is the wil of the
father And seeing he hath such care for the haires of our head howe much more doeth he care for our life it selfe Wherefore let Gods aduersaries do what they lust whether they take life or take it not they can do vs no hurt for their crueltye hath no further power then God permitteth them and that which commeth vnto vs by the will of our heauenly father can be no harme no losse neither destruction vnto vs but rather gain wealth and felicitie For all troubles and aduersitie that chaunce to such as be of God by the wil of the heauenly father can be none other but gaine and aduantage That the spirite of manne may feele these consolations the geuer of them the heauenly father must be prayed vnto for the merites of Christes passion for it is not the nature of man that can be contented Prayer necessary Iames 1. 1. Cor. 1.8 vntill it be regenerated and possessed with Gods spirit to beare paciently the troubles of the minde or of the body When the minde and heart of a man seeth of euery side sorow and heauines the worldly eye beholdeth nothing but suche things as be troublous wholely bent to robbe the poore of that hee hath and also to take from him hys life except the man weighe these brittle and vncertaine treasures that be taken from him with the riches of the life to come and this life of the body with the life in Christes precious bloud and so for the loue and certaintie of the heauenly ioyes contemne all thyngs present doubtles he shall neuer be able to beare the losse of goodes life or any other things of this world Therefore S. Paule geueth a very godly and necessary lesson to all men in this short and transitorie life and therin sheweth howe a man may best beare the iniquitie and troubles of this world If ye be risen againe with Christ sayth he seeke the things which are aboue Collos. â—â— A lesson how to beare trouble where Christ sitteth at the right hande of God the father Wherefore the Christian mans faith must be alwayes vppon the resurrection of Christe when he is in trouble and in that glorious resurrection he shall not onely see continuall and perpetuall ioy and consolation but also the victorie and triumph of all persecution trouble sinne death hell the deuil and al other tyrants and persecuters of Christ and of Christes people the teares and weepings of the faithfull dryed vppe theyr woundes healed their bodies made immortall in ioy their soules for euer praising the Lord and coniunction and societie euerlasting wyth the blessed company of Gods electes in perpetuall ioy But the woordes of S. Paule in that place if they be not marked shall doe little profite to the reader or hearer and geue him no pacience at all in this impacient and cruell world In this first part S. Paule commaundeth vs to thinke or set our affections on things that are aboue Two thinges commaunded by S. Paule writing to the Collossians The first is to see and know what thiâ—ges are aboue and what thinges are beneath and and to discerne rightly betwene them The second is to set our affection vpon them that are aboue and not vpon the other And this lesson is harder then the otheâ— When he biddeth vs seeke the thyngs that are aboue hee requireth that oure mindes neuer cease from prayer and studie in Gods word vntill we see knowe and vnderstande the vanities of thys worlde the shortnesse and miserie of thys life and the treasures of the worlde to come the immortalitie thereof and the ioyes of that life and so neuer cease seeking vntill suche time as we know certainly and be perswaded what a blessed man hee is that seeketh the one and finedeth it and careth not for the other though hee loose it and in seekynge to haue ryght iudgement betwene the life present and the life to come wee shall finde howe little the paines imprysonment sclaunders lies and death it selfe is in thys worlde in respect of the paines euerlasting the prisonne infernall and dungeon of hell the sentence of Gods iust iudgement and euerlasting death When a man hath by seeking the woorde of God found out what the things aboue be then must hee as S. Paule saith set his affections vpon them And this commaundement is more harde then the other For mans knowledge many times seeth the best and knoweth that there is a life to come better then thys life present as you maye see howe daily men and women can praise and commende yea and wishe for heauen and to be at rest there yet they sette not their affection vpon it they do more affect and loue in dede a trifle of nothing in this worlde that pleaseth their affection then the treasure of all treasures in heauen which their owne iudgement sayth is better then all worldly thinges Wherefore we must set our affections vpon the things that be aboue that is to say when any thing worse then heauen vppon the earth offereth it selfe to be ours if we wil geue our good willes to it and loue it in our heartes then ought we to see by the iudgement of Gods woorde whether we may haue the worlde without offence of God and suche thyngs as be for this worldly life wythout his displeasure If wee can not S. Paules commaundement must take place Set your affections on things that are aboue If the riches of thys world may not be gotten nor kept by Gods lawe neyther our liues be continued without the deniall of hys honour we must set our affection vpon the richesse and lyfe that is aboue and not vpon things that be on the earth Therfore this second commaundement of S. Paul requireth How thinges of this world may be possessed and how not that as our minds iudge heauenly things to be better then thyngs vpon the earth and the life to come better then the life present so we should chuse them before other preferre them and haue such affection to the best that in no case we set the worst before it as the most part of the world doth and hath done for they choose the best and approoue it and yet follow the worste But these thyngs my godly wife require rather cogitation meditation and praier then wordes or talke They be easie to be spoken of but not so easie to be vsed and practised Wherefore seeing they be Gods gyftes Scriptures woulde bee mused vpon rather then talked vpon and none of ours to haue as our owne when we would we must seke them at our heauenly fathers hand who seeth and is priuy how poore and wretched we be and how naked how spoiled and destitute of all his blessed giftes we be by reason of sinne He did commaund therefore his Disciples when he shewed them that they shoulde take paciently the state of thys present life full of troubles and persecution Math. 24. Luke 2. to praye that they myghte well
M. Browne was very angry tooke vp the Bible and turned the leaues and then flong it downe againe in such a fury M. Browne in a pelting chafe that William could not wel finde the place againe wherof they reasoned Then M. Browne saide thou naughty boye wilt thou not take thyngs as they are but expounde them as thou wilt doth not Christ call the bread his body plainely and thou wilt not beleeue that the breade is hys body after the consecration thou goest about to make Christ a lier But William Hunter aunswered I meane not so sir but rather more earnestly to searche what the minde of Christ is in that holy Institution How Christ called bread his body wherin he commendeth vnto vs the remembraunce of his death passion resurrection and comming againe saying This dâ—e in the remembraunce of mee And also though Christe call the breade hys body as he doeth also say that hee is a vine a doore c. yet is not his body turned into breade no more then he is turned into a doore or vine Wherefore Christ called the breade his body by a figure At that worde M. Browne sayde thou art a villaine in dede Wilt thou make Christ a lier yet stil and was in such a furie with William and so raged that William could not speake a woorde M Browne in a rage but hee crossed him and scoffed at euerye woorde Wherefore William seeing him in suche furie desired hym that he woulde either heare him quietly and suffer hym to aunsweare for himselfe M. Browne sendeth vp William Hunter to B. Boner or else send him away To the which maister Browne aunsweared in deede I will sende thee to morrowe to my Lorde of London and hee shall haue thee vnder examination and thus lefte of the talke and made a letter immediately and sente William Hunter with the Constable to Boner Bishop of London who receiued William After that hee had read the letter and the Constable returned home againe the Bishoppe caused William to bee brought into a chamber where he begaÌ„ to reason with him in this maner I vnderstaÌ„d William Hunter quoth he by M. Brownes letter how that you haue had certaine communication with the vicare of Wielde Boners wordes to W. Hunter about the blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aultar how that ye could not agree wherupon M. Browne sent for thee to bring thee to the Catholicke faith from the which he sayth that thou art gon Howbeit if thou wilt be ruled by me thou shalt haue no harme for any thing that thou hast said or done in this matter William aunsweared saying I am not fallen from the Catholicke faith of Christ I am sure but do beleue it and confesse it with all my heart Talke betweene W. Hunter and the Bish. about the Sacrament Why quoth the Byshop how sayest thou to the blessed Sacrament of the aultar wilt thou not recant thy saying which thou confessedst before maister Browne howe that Christes bodye is not in the Sacrament of the aultare the same that was borne of the virgine Marie To the which William answered saying my Lorde I vnderstande y t M. Browne hath certified you of the talke which he and I had together and thereby ye knowe what I saide to him the which I wil not recant by Gods helpe Then said the Bishop I thinke thou art ashamed to beare a fagot and recant openly but if thou wilt recante thy sayinges I will promise thee Boner fayre proâ—mise to W. Hunter that thou shalt not be putte to open shame but speake the worde here nowe betwene me and thee and I wil promise thee it shal go no further and thou shalt goe home againe without any hurt William answeared and sayd my Lord if you wil lette me alone and leaue me to my conscience I will goe to my father and dwell with him or els with my maister againe W. Hunâ—â—â— not sufferâ—â— to haue 〈◊〉 consciencâ— free and so if no body will disquiet nor trouble my conscience I will keepe my conscience to my selfe Then sayd the Byshop I am content so that thou wilt goe to the Church and receiue and be shriuen and so continue a good Catholicke Christian. No quoth William I will not do so for all the good in the world Then quoth the Byshop if you will not do so I will make you sure enough I warrant you Wel quoth William you can doe no more then God will permitte you W. Huntâ—â— denyeth tâ— recant Wel quoth the bishop wilt thou not recant in deede by no meanes No quoth WilliaÌ„ neuer while I liue God willing Then the Bishop this talke ended commaunded hys men to put William in the stockes in his gatehouse Boner coâ—â—maundeth W. Hunâ—â—â— to the stockes W. Huntâ—â— 2. dayes 〈◊〉 2. nightes the stockâ—â— with a 〈◊〉 of bread a cuppe of water Hunter agayne refuâ—seth to 〈◊〉 his fayth 〈◊〉 Christ. where he sate two daies and nights onely with a crust of browne bread and a cuppe of water At the two daies end the bishop came to him and finding the cup of water and the crust of bread stil by him vpon the stocks sayd to his men take hym oute of the stocks and let him breake his fast with you Then they lette hym forth of the stockes but would not suffer hym to eate wyth them but called him hereticke And he said he was as lothe to be in their companie as they were to be in his After breakefaste the Bishop sent for William and demaunded whether he woulde recante or no. But William made him aunsweare howe that he woulde neuer recante that which he had confessed before men as concerning hys faith in Christ. Then the B. sayd that he wys no Christian but denied the faith in which he was Baptised But W. aunsweared I was baptised in the faith of the holy Trinitie the which I will not goe from God assisting me with his grace Then the Bishop sent hym to the conuicte prisone W. Hunter â—ayd in the conuict priâ—son with aâ— many yroâ—â— as he could beare and commaunded the keeper to lay yrons on him as manye as he coulde beare and moreouer asked him how old he was and William sayd that he was 19. yeare olde Well sayd the Bishop you wil be burned ere you be 20. yere old if you will not yeld your selfe better then you haue done yet William aunsweared God strengthen me in his truth and then he parted Hunter allowed an halfe peny a day to liâ—â— on the Bishop allowing him a halfpenie a day to liue on in bread or drinke Thus he continued in prison 3. quarters of a yeare In the which time he had beene before the bishop 5. times besides the time when he was condemned in the Consistorie in Paules the 9. day of Februarie at the which time I hys brother Robert Hunter was present These fiue were â—omkins Pigot Knight Haukes Laurence when
Hunter led to the place of Matirdome The Shriffes sonne geueth comfortable wordes to W. Hunter and embraced him in his right arme saying William be not afraid of these men which are here present with bowes bils weapons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned To whom William aunswered I thanke God I am not afraide for I haue cast my coumpt what it wil cost me already Then the sheriffes sonne could speake no more to him for weeping Then William Hunter plucked vp his gowne stepped ouer the Parlour grounsel and went forward chearefully the sheriffes seruaunt taking him by the arme and I his brother by an other and thus going in the way met w t his father according to his dreame he spake to his sonne W. Hunters dreame verefied weeping and saying God be with thee sonne William and William sayd God be with you father be of a good comfort for I hope we shall meete againe when we shal be mery His father said I hope so William and so departed His wordes to his father So W. went to the place where the stake stoode euen according to hys dreame whereas all thinges were very vnready Then William tooke a wet broome fagot kneeled downe thereon and red the 51. Psalme till he came to these words the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirite a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Then sayd M. Tirrel of the Beaches called W. Tirel thou lyest sayd he thou readest false M. William Tyrell of the Beaches carpeth where he hath no cause for the wordes are an humble spirit But W. said the translation sayth a contrite heart Yea quoth M. Tirel the translation is fals ye translate bokes as ye list your selues like hereticks Wel quoth William there is no great difference in those words Then sayd the sheriffe heere is a letter from the Queene If thou wilt recant thou shalt liue if not thou shalt be burned No W. Hunter refuseth the Quenes pardon quoth W. I will not recante God willing Then W. roase and went to the stake and stoode vpright to it Then came one Richard Ponde a Bailiffe and made fast the chaine about William The burning of William Hunter Martyr Then sayde M. Browne here is not woode enough to burne a legge of him Then said William good people pray for me and make speede and dispatch quickly and pray for me while ye see me aliue good people and I praye for you likewise Now quoth M. Browne pray for thee A dogged saying of M. Browne I will pray no more for thee then I wil pray for a dogge To whom William aunsweared M. Browne now you haue that whych you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day howbeit I forgeue you Then sayde maister Browne I aske no forgeuenes of thee Wel sayd William if God forgeue you not I shall require my bloude at your handes Then sayd William Sonne of God shine vppon mee and immediately the sunne in the element shone oute of a darke cloude so full in his face that he was constrayned to looke an other way whereat the people mused because it was so darke a little time afore An externall shew of Chriâ—â—s â—auour vpon W. Hunter Williamâ— dreamâ— verified Then William tooke vppe a fagot of broome and embraced it in his armes Then this Priest which William dreamed of came to his brother Robert with a popish booke to carye to William that he might recant which booke his brother woulde not meddle withall Then William seeing the priest and perceiuing how he woulde haue shewed hym the booke sayd away Hunters wordes to a Popish Priest thou false prophet Beware of them good people come awaye from their abominatioÌ„s lest y t you be partakers of their plagues Then quoth the Priest looke howe thou burnest heere so shalt thou burne in hel William answered thou liest thou false prophet away thou false prophet away Then was there a Gentleman whiche sayde I praye God haue mercy vpon his soule The people sayd Amen Amen Immediatly fire was made Then William cast his Psalter right into his brothers hande Hunter comforted by his brother Robert who sayde William thinke on the holy Passion of Christ and be not afraid of death And William aunsweared I am not afraid Then lifte he vp his handes to heauen and sayd Lorde Lorde Lord receiue my spirit and casting downe hys head againe into the smothering smoke he yeelded vp his life for the truthe sealing it with hys bloud to the praise of God Nowe by and by after M. Browne commaunded one old Hunt to take his brother Robert Hunter lay him in the stockes till he returned from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the hill Rob. Hunter set â—n â—he stocks Rob. Hunter had before M. Browne the same day Which thing olde Hunt did Then maister Browne when Robert Hunter came before him asked if he would doe as his brother had done But Robert Hunter answered if I do as my brother hath done I shall haue as he hath had Mary quoth M. Browne thou mayest be sure of it Then M. Browne sayde I maruell that thy brother stoode so to hys tackling and moreouer asked Robert if Williams Maister of London were not at hys burnynge Rob. Hunter by Gods prouideÌ„ce deliuered But Roberte sayde that hee was not there but Mayster Browne bare hym in hande that his master was there and howe that he did see him there but Robert denied it Then master Browne commaunded the Constable and Robert Hunter to goe theyr wayes home and so had no further talke wyth them Here followeth the hystorie of master Higbed and master Causton two worthy Gentlemen of Essex which for the syncere confession of theyr faith vnder Boner B. of London were Martyred and burned in Essex An. 1555. Marche 26. ALthough the coÌ„demnation of maister Higbed and master Causton followed after the condemning of those other Martyrs Marke 26. The story of M. Higbed and M. Causton Martirs which were condemned with Tomkyns and Hunter aboue mentioned yet because the time of their execution was before the burning of the foresaid four martyrs for so muche as they suffered the same day that William Hunter did which was the 26. of Marche I thoughte therefore next after the storie of the sayde William Hunter folowing the order of time here to place the same This maister Higbed and maister Causton two worshipfull Gentlemen in the Countie of Essex the one at Hornden of the hill the other of the parishe of Thunderst being zealous and religious in the true seruice of God as they could not dissemble with the Lord their God nor flatter with the world so in time of blind superstition wretched idolatrie they could not long lie hidde and obscure in such a number of malignant aduersaries accusers and seruaunts of thys worlde
The 4. abuse Fourthly in that it is worshipped contrary to the commaundement saying Thou shalt worship nothing that is made with hands The 5. abuse Fiftly in that it is geuen in an vnknowne tongue whereby the people are ignoraunt of the right vse thereof how Christ died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification by whome we be set at peace with God and receaued to his fauour and mercy by his promise whereof this sacrament is a sure seale and witnes The 6. abuse Besides this it is hanged vp and shut in a boxe yea many times so long that wormes breedeth in it and so it putrifyeth whereby the rude people haue an occasion to speake vnreuerently thereof whiche otherwise woulde speake reuerently Thereof they that thus abuse it bring vp the sclaunder and not we whiche pray dayly to God to restore it to the right vse according to Christes institution Nowe concerning Christes wordes Thys is my body we deny theÌ„ not but we say that y e mind of Christ in them must be searched out by other open scriptures wherby we may come to the spirituall vnderstanding of them Christes wordes hoc est corpus meum not denyed but expounded The phrase of scripture expounded by other phrases whiche shall be most to the glory of God For as the holy Apostle sayth There is no scripture that hath any priuate interpretation Besides this the Scriptures are full of the like figuratiue speaches as for example Christ sayeth This cup is the new Testament in my bloud The rocke is Christ sayeth Saint Paule Who soeuer receyueth a child in my name sayth our saueour Iesus Christ receyueth me Which sentences must not be vnderstand after the letter lest we do erre as the Capernaites did which thought that Christes body should haue ben eaten with their teeth when he spake of the eating thereof Unto whome Christe sayd Such a fleshly eating of my body profiteth nothing it is the spirit sayeth our Saueour Iesus Christ that quickeneth the fleshe profyteth nothyng for my woordes are spirite and lyfe Thus wee see that Christes woordes must be vnderstanded spiritually and not literally The wordâ— of the sacraâ—ment oughâ— to be taken spiritually and not litterally Christ is to be eaten spiritually Therefore he y t commeth to this worthy supper of the Lord must not prepare his lawe but his hart neyther tooth nor belly but Beleeue sayth S. Augustine and thou hast eaten it so that we must bring with vs a spiritual hunger And as the Apostle saith Trie and examine our selues whether our conscience doo testifie vnto vs that we do truly beleeue in Christ according to the Scriptures whereof if we be truly certified being new borne from our old conuersation in hart minde will and deede then may we boldly with this mariage garment of faith come to the feast In consideration whereof we haue inuincible Scriptures as of Christ himselfe This do in the remembraunce of me And S. Paule As often saith he as ye eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall remember the Lords death vntill he come Heere is no chaunge but bread still The substaunce of bread not chaunged And Sainct Luke affirmeth the same Also Christ hath made a iust promise saying Me you shall not haue alwayes with you I leaue the world and go to my father for if I should not depart the comforter which I will send can not come vnto you So according to his promise he is ascended as the Euangelistes testifie Also Saint Peter sayth That heauen shall keepe him vntill the last day also Now as touching his omnipotent power we confesse and say with S. Augustine that Christ is both God and man In that he is God he is euery where Christs body but in one place 〈◊〉 once but in that he is man he is in heauen and can occupy but one place whereunto the Scriptures doth agree For his body was not in all places at once when he was heere for it was not in the graue when the women sought it as the Angell saith neither was it at Bethania where Lazarus died by Christes owne words saying I am glad I was not there And thus we conclude with the Scriptures that Christ is in his holy Supper sacramentally and spiritually in all them that worthily receiue it and corporally in heauen both God and man And further we make heere our protestation before God whome we call to record in this matter that this whiche we haue sayd is neither of stubbornnes nor wilfull mind as some iudge of vs but euen of very conscience Their protestation truely we trust grounded in Gods holy word For before wee tooke this matter in hand we besought God from the bottome of our hartes that we might do nothing contrary to his holy and blessed word And in that he hath thus shewed his power in our weakenes we can not woorthely prayse him vnto whome we geue harty thankes through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen When he had thus deliuered and read their confession the Bishop stil persisting sometime in faire promises somtime threatning to pronounce iudgemeÌ„t asked them whether they would stand to this their confession and other answeares To whome Causton said Yea M. Causton and M. Higbed constant to death in their confession we will stande to our answeares written with our hands and to our beliefe therein conteined After which answeare the Byshop began to pronounce sentence against him Then he said that it was much rashnes and without all loue and mercy to geue iudgement without answering to their confession by the truth of Gods word whereunto they submitted themselues most willingly And therefore I M. Causton appealeth to the Cardinall D. Smith ready to answere their confession but could not be suffered quoth Causton because I can not haue iustice at your hand but that ye will thus rashly condemne me doo appeale from you to my Lord Cardinall Then D. Smith sayde that he woulde answeare theyr confession But the Bishop not suffering him to speake willed Harpsfield to say his minde for the stay of the people Who taking their confession in his hand neither touched nor answered one sentence thereof Whiche done the Bishop pronounced sentence first against the said Thomas Causton and then calling Thomas Higbed caused his articles and answeres likewise to be read In the reading whereof Higbed sayd Ye speake blasphemie against Christes passion Ann. 1555. March and ye goe aboute to trap vs with your subtilties and snares And though my father and mother and other my kinsfolke did beleeue as you say Sentencâ— proounced agaynst M. Causton M. Higbed yet they were deceiued in so beleeuing And further where you say that my Lord named Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterbury and other specified in the said articles be heretikes I do wishe that I were such an hereticke as they were and be Then the Byshop asked him againe whether he would
from S. Dauids to Scotland Farrer That did I not Bourne You did Farrer That did I neuer but I went from Yorke into Scotland Bourne Ah so said I you went with Barlow Farrer That is true but neuer from S. Dauids Bourne You caried bookes out of Oxford to the Archb. of Yorke L. Lee Farrer That did I not Bourne You did Farrer I did not but I caried old bookes from s. Oswalds to the B. of Yorke Bourne You supplanted your maister Farrer That did I neuer in my lyfe Bourne By my faith you did Farrer Forsooth I did not neuer in my life but I did shield and saue my Maister from danger and that I obteined of King Henry the eight for my true seruice I thanke God therefore Bourne My L. said M. Bourne to my L. Chauncellor he hath an ill name in Wales as euer had any Farrer That is not so Whosoeuer sayth so they shall neuer be abâ—e to prooue it Bourne He hath deceyued the Queene in diuers summes or money Farrer That is vtterly vntrue I neuer deceiued king nor Queene of one peny in my life and you shall neuer be able to prooue that you say Winchest Thou art a false knaue Farrer Then Farrer stood vp vnbidden for all that whyle he kneeled and sayd No my Lord I am a true man I thanke God for it I was borne vnder King Henry the seuenth I serued King Henry the eight and K. Edward the sixt truely and haue serued the Queenes Maiestie that now is truely with my poore heart and word more I could not do and I was neuer false nor shall be by the grace of God Winch. How sayest thou wilt thou be reformable Farrer My L. if it like your honor I haue made an othe to God and to K. Henry the 8. and also to K. Edward and in that to the Queenes Maiestie the which I can neuer breake while I liue to dye for it Duresme You haue made another oth before Farrer No my Lord I neuer made another oth before Duresme You made a vow Farrer That did I not Winch You made a profession to lyue without a wyfe Farrer No my Lorde if it lyke your honour that did I neuer I made a profession to lyue chaste not without a wyfe Worcest You were sworne to him that was M. of your house Farrer That was I neuer Winchest Well you are a froward knaue we wil haue no more to do with you seing that you will not come we wil be short with you that you shall know within this seuennight Farrer I am as it pleaseth your honour to call me but I cannot breake my othe which your Lordship your selfe made before me and gaue in example the which confirmed my conscience Then I can neuer breake that othe whilest I lyue to dye for it Duresme Well sayeth he he standeth vpon his othe call an other My L. Chauncellor then did ring a little bell and M. Farrer said I pray God saue the King Queenes maiesties long to coÌ„tinue in honor to gods glory their comfortes and the comfort of the whole Realme and I pray God saue all your honors and so he departed After these examinations thus ended B. Farrer so remayned in prison vncondemned till the xiiij day as is aforesaid of February then was sent down into Wales there to receiue sentence of condemnation Who then vpoÌ„ the 26. of February in the Church of Carmarthen beyng brought by Griffith Leyson Esquire shirife of the Countie of Carmarthen was there personally presented before Henry Bish. of S. Dauids and Constantine the publike Notarie which Henry there and then discharged the said Shiriffe and receyued hym into his owne custodie further committing hym to the keping of Owen Iones and thereupon declared vnto the sayd M. Farrer the great mercy and clemency that the King and Queenes highnes pleasure was to be offered vnto him which he there dyd offer vnto the sayd M. Farrer that is to say that if hee would submit himselfe to the lawes of this Realme and conforme hymselfe to the vnitie of the vniuersall catholike church he should be receiued and pardoned and after that seeyng the sayd M. Farrer to geue no aunswer to the premisses the sayd B. ministred vnto hym these Articles followyng ¶ Articles deuised against B. Farrer 1 FIrst whether he beleeueth the mariage of priests to be lawfull by the lawes of God holy church or no 2 Item whether he beleeueth Articles obâ—ected agaynst B. Farrar that in the blessed Sacrament of the aultar after the wordes of consecration duely pronounced by the priest the very body bloud of Christ is really and substantially conteined without the substaÌ„ce of bread and wyne Unto the which articles the said B. required the sayd M. Farrer to answer vpon his allegeance The answere of B. Farrar To which he said he would aunswer when he sawe a lawfull commission and would make no further answer at that tyme. Whereupon the sayd B. taking no aduauntage vpon the same aunswer committed him to the sayde keeper to be kept in prison vntill a new monition and in the meane tyme to deliberate with himselfe for his further answer to the premisses ¶ Another examination of the Bish of S. Dauids before Henry Morgan the pretensed Bishop of S. Dauids George Constantine his Register and others the last of February Ann. 1555. THis day and place Morgan the pretensed Byshop of S. Dauids sittyng as Iudge An other examination of B. Farrar ministred vnto Bishop Farrer there personally present before hym certaine Articles and Interrogatories in writing which beyng openly read and ministred vnto hym the sayd B. Farrer refused to aunswere vntill he might see his lawfull Commission and authoritie Whereupon the foresayd pretensed Bishop of S. Dauids did pronounce him as Contumax and for the punishment of this his contumacie to be counted Pro confesso and so did pronounce him in writyng which beyng done he committed the sayd Bish. to the custody of Owen Ihones vntill Monday next beyng the 4. day of March then to be brought agayne into the same place betweene one and two Another appearance of the said B. Farrer before Morgan the pretensed Bishop of S. Dauids ITem the day and place appointed An other appearaunce of B. Farrar the said Bish. appearing agayne before the pretensed B. humbly submittyng hymselfe as ready to aunswer to the articles and positions aboue mentioned gently required the copy of the articles and a competent terme to be assigned vnto hym to answer for hymselfe which beyng graunted vnto hym Thursday next beyng assigned vnto hym betweene one and thre to answer precisely and fully so he was committed againe to custody as aboue Another appearance of the said Bishop ON Thursday as was appointed An other appearaunce of the sayd Bishop which was the 7. of March the said B. personally again appeared where he exhibited a certaine bill in writing
the bowels of Christe to helpe vs and all other our felow souldiors standing in like perillous place with your praiers to God for vs that we maye quite our selues like men in the Lord and geue some example of boldnes constancie mingled with pacience in the feare of God that yee and others our brethren thorough oure example may be so encouraged and strengthned to folow vs that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the world to followe you Amen Consider what I say the Lorde geue vs vnderstanding in all things 2. Tim. 2. 1. Cor. 7. 1 Iohn â— Coloss. 3. Brethren the time is short it remaineth that yee vse thys world as though ye vsed it not for the fashion of this worlde vanisheth away See that ye loue not the world neither the things that are in the world but set your affection on heauenly things where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Be â—eeke long suffering serue and edifie one other Doctrine 〈◊〉 good workes with the gift that God hath geuen you Beware of strange doctrine lay aside the old conuersation of greedy lustes and walke in a new life Beware of all vncleannes couetousnes foolish talking false doctrine dronkennes Reioyce be thankful towardes God submit your selues one to an other Cease from sinne spend no more time in vice be sober and apt to pray be pacient in trouble loue each other and let the glory of God and profite of your neighbor be the onely marke ye shoote at in all your doings Repent ye of the life that is past and take better heede to your doings hereafter And aboue all things cleaue yee fast to him who was deliuered to death for our sins rose againe for our iustification To whome with the father the holy ghost be al honor rule for euermore Amen Salute from me in Christe all others which loue vs in the faith and at your discretioÌ„ make them partakers of these letters and pray ye all for me and other in bondes for the Gospell that the same God which by his grace hathe called vs from wicked papistrie vnto true Christianitie and now of loue prooueth out patience by persecution wil of his mercy and fauour in the end gloriously deliuer vs either by death or by life to his glory AmeÌ„ At Lancaster the 30. of August 1554. By me an vnprofitable seruant of Christ George Marsh. To his welbeloued in Christ Ienkin Crampton Iames Leiuer Elice Fogge Rafe Bradshaw the wife of Richard Bradshaw Elice Crampton and to euery one of them be these deliuered from Lancaster G. Marsh. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the felowship of the holy Ghost be w t you al. Amen After salutations in Christ and harty thanks for your frendly tokens and your other remembraunces towards me beseeching God y t ye may encrease in faith feare loue and 〈◊〉 good gifts grow vp into a perfit man in Christe these be earnestly to exhort you yea to beseech you in the â—ender mercy of Christe that w t purpose of heart ye continually cleaue vnto the Lorde and that ye worship serue him in spirite in the gospel of his sonne For God wil not be worshipped after the commandements traditions of men neither yet by any other meanes appoynted prescribed and taught vs but by his holy word And though all men for the most parte defile them selues with the wicked traditions of men ordinances after y e world and not after Christ yet doe ye after the ensample of Tobie 〈◊〉 1. Daâ—â—ell 1. â— Math. 1. Daniel his 3. companions Matharhias and his 5. sonnes be at a poynt with your selues that ye wil not be defiled wyth y e vncleane meates of the heathen I do meane the filthinesse of Idolatrie and the very Heathenish ceremonyes of the Papistes but as true worshippers serue ye God in spirite and verity according to his sacred Scriptures Iohn 4. Iohn 5 1. Tymâ— 5. which I would wish and will you aboue all things continually and reuerently as both S. Paule and Christ commaund you to searche and read with the wholesome monitions of the same to teach exhort comfort edifie one an other Math. 24. and your brethren neighbours now in time of thys our miserable captiuitie and great famishment of soules for want of the foode of Gods worde And doubt not Math. 28. but that the merciful Lord who hath promised to be with vs euen vnto the worldes end and that whensoeuer 2. or 3. be gathered together in his name hee will be in the middest of them will assist you and teach you the right meanings of the sacred Scriptures will keepe you from all errors and lead you into all truth as he hath faithfully promised And though ye thinke your selues vnable to teach yet at the coÌ„maundement of Christ now in time of famine the hungry people being in wildernes farre froÌ„ any townes Iohn 1â—â— which if they be sent away fasting are sure to faint pearish by the way employ and bestow those fiue loaues and two fishes that ye haue vpon that hungrie multitude although ye thinke it nothing among so many And y t he increased the v. loaues and the ij fishes to feede v. M. men Math. â— besides women and children shall also augment his gifts in you not only to the edifying and winning of others in christ but also to an exceding great increase of your knowledge in God his holy word And feare not your aduersaries for either according to his accustomed maner God shal blind their eies that they shal not espie you Phil. 1. either get you fauour in their sight either els graciously deliuer you out of their handes by one meanes or other Obey with reuerence al your superiours vnlesse they commaund idolatrie or vngodlinesse Make prouision for your housholds chiefly that they be instructed and taught in the law of God Loue your wiues euen as your owne selues as Christ loued the congregatioÌ„ Loue your children but rate theÌ„ not lest they be of a desperate mind and bring them vp in the nurture information of the Lorde and teache them euen as the godly parents of Tobie the younger and Susanna did teach their children euen from their infancy to reuerence God according to his lawe to abstaine from sin prouiding y t in no wise they be brought vp in idlenes wantonnes seing y t ye recken your selues to be the children of God and looke for the life whych God shall geue to them that neuer tourne their beliefe from him See that ye euer feare God and keepe his commandements and though the plague of God chance vnto you yet remaine yee stedfast in the faith and feare of God and thanke him and serue hym in such holines and righteousnes as are acceptable before him all the dayes of your life Comfort
furtherance of the gospel and that you will be none of those forgetfull and hypocritish hearers Wayside hereâ—â— of the worde whereof some being but wayside hearers the deuil commeth and taketh away the woord out of their heartes least they shoulde beleeue and be saued but lette praier be made without ceassing by the congregation vnto God for them and no doubt God will to your consolation gloriously deliuer by one meanâ—s or other his oppressed Onely tary ye the Lords leisure be strong let your heart be of good comfort and waite yee still for the Lorde He tarieth not that will come looke for hym therefore and faint not and he will neuer faile you Yours George Marsh. A letter of a godly brother one Iames Bradshaw sent to George Marsh in prisone GRace and peace from God the father and the Lord Iesu Christ be with you alway A letter of Iames Bradshaw to George Marsh. Amen We had a letter from you which is a great coÌ„fort vnto vs to see you take the crosse so thankefully Trouble affliction doth prooue try instructe confirme strengthen the faith prouoke and stirre vp prayer driue and force vs to amendement of life What good affliction worketh in the godly to the feare of God to mekenes to patience to constancie to gentlenesse to sobernesse temperancie and to all maner of vertues and are the occasion of exceeding much good as wel transitorie as eternal in this world as in the world to come There is neither good nor bad godly nor vngodly but hee hathe one crosse or other And although some there be that can shift for a while and make prouision for theÌ„selues for a time by craft or subtilty and dissimulatioÌ„ or by some fashion in fellowship as they call it yet they bring them selues at length into the highest danger confusion and shame both in this world in the world to come And seing that all the troubles and aduersity in this world are a thousand times more light easy yea nothing in coÌ„parison of the eternal fire which is prepared and already kindled for the vnfaithfull and wicked enemies of God all faithfull and godly persons ought to beare and suffer their transitorye affliction and aduersitie the more patiently willingly and thankfully considering and remembring all the dearely beloued frendes of God which were wonderfully vexed plaged of their enemies Abraham of the Caldeis Lot of the Sodomites Isaac of Ismael Iacob of Esau Moses of his people Dauid of Saule and of his owne sonnes As for Iob Examplâ— of holy suffering â—â—â—fliction he had not a drop of bloud in hys body Iohn Baptist the holyest that euer was borne of a woman was without any law right or reason beheaded in prison as thoughe God had knowen nothing at all of hym We haue many thousand fellow martyrs and companions of our miserie and aduersitie in respecte of whose imprisonment racking chaines fire wilde beastes and other meanes wherwith they were tormented al that we suffer is but a blast of winde Therefore nowe who soeuer is ashamed of the crosse of Christ and agreued therewith the same is ashamed to haue Christ for his fellow companion and therefore shal the Lord Iesus Christ be ashamed of him againe at the latter day Thus I leaue for this time beseeching you to lette me haue your aduise because I do not outwardly speake that with my tong that I do thinke w t my heart Pray for me as I for you I beseeche the holy Ghost haue you in hys keeping alway Amen By your frend Iames Bradshaw A prayer of George Marsh which he vsed daily to say OH Lord Iesu Christ which art the onely phisition of wouÌ„ded consciences wee miserable sinners trusting in thy gratious goodnes doe briefly open to thee the euil tree of our heart with all the rootes boughes leaues and fruits withal the crookes A prayer oâ— G. Marsh Martyr knots and knoures all which thou knowest for thou throughly perceiuest as wel the inwarde lustes doubtings and denying thy prouideÌ„ce as these grosse outward sinnes which we commit inwardly and deadly Wherfore we beseeche thee according to the litle measure of our infirmitie althoughe we be farre vnable and vnapt to pray that thou wouldest mercifully circumcise our stonie hearts and for these old hearts create new within vs and replenish vs with a new spirite and water vs and moysten vs wyth the iuyce of heauenly grace and welles of spiritual waters wher by the inwarde venome and noysome iuyce of the flesh may be dried vp and custome of the olde man changed and our heart alwaies bringing forth thornes and briers to be burned with fire from hence foorth may beare spiritual fruites in righteousnes holinesse vnto life euerlasting Amen Beloued amonge other exercises I doe daily on my knees vse this confession of sinnes willing and exhorting you to do the same daily to acknowledge vnfainedly to God your vnbelief vnthaÌ„kfulnes disobedience against him This shal ye do if ye wil diligently consider and loke your selues first in the pure glasse of Gods commaundements and there see our outward filthines and vncleannes and so learne to vanquish the same that is to wit to fall in hearty displeasure against sinne therby be prouoked to long after Christ. For we truely are sinners but he is iust and the iustifier of all them that beleue on him We are poore 1. Cor. 1â— Math. 2â— but he is rich in mercy towarde all them that cal vpon him If we hunger and thirst for righteousnesse let vs resort vnto his table for he is a most liberall feast maker He wil set before vs his owne holy body which was geueÌ„ for vs to be our meat and hys precious bloud which was shed for vs and for many for the remission of sinnes to be our drinke He biddeth willeth calleth for geasts which hunger and thirst Come sayeth he all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh you coole and ease you Math. 1â—â— and you shall finde rest vnto your soules The life and historie of W. Flower who for striking of a priest was apprehended first hauing hys hande cut off and after martyred for his constant standing to the truth WIlliam Flower otherwise named Branch first coÌ„cerning his trade of life bringing vp he was born at Snowhil in the County of Cambridge W. Flower Martyr where he went to schoole certaine yeares and then came to the Abbey of Ely where after hee hadde remained a while hee was a professed Monke according to the order and rule of the same house wherein hee remained vsing and bearing the habite of a Monke and obseruing the rules and orders of the same house vntill he came to 21. yeres of age or thereabout and before hee came to that age and being a professed Monke hee was made a priest also in the same house and there did celebrate and singe Masse a good space
as ye haue ministred vnto the Saintes so shall ye receiue y e reward which I am fully persuaded assured shal be plenteously poured vppon you all for y e great goodnes shewed vnto the seruants of the liuing God And I most hartely beseeche almighty God to poure forth a plenteous reward vpon you for y e same that he wil assist you wyth his holy spirite in al your doings that ye may growe as you haue begon vnto such a perfection as may be to gods honour your owne saluation and the strengthning of the weake members of christ Gods elect alwayes beare the sclaunder in this worlde For though the world rage and blaspheme the elect of God ye knowe that it did so vnto Christ his Apostles and to all that were in the primitiue Church and shal be vnto the worldes end Therefore beleue in the light while ye haue it least it be taken away from you If you shall seeme to neglect the great mercy of God that hath bene opened vnto you and your harts coÌ„sented vnto it y t it is the very and onely truth pronouÌ„ced by Gods onely sonne Iesus Christ by the good will of our heauenly father Therfore I say in the bowels of my Lord Iesus Christ sticke fast vnto it let it neuer departe out of your harts and couersation that you with vs and we with you at the great day being one flocke as we haue one shepheard may rise to the life immortall through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour Amen ¶ Yours in him that liueth for euer Thomas Haukes Here followeth an other letter of Tho. Haukes sent to his wife after his condemnation being prisoner in Newgate the copy wherof is this ¶ The copy of Thomas Haukes letter to his wife GRace be with you and peace from God the father A letter of Tho. Haukâ—â— vnto his wyfe and from our Lord Iesus Christ which gaue himselfe for our sinnes to deliuer vs from this present euill worlde through the good will of God our father to whoÌ„ be praise for euer and euer Amen My deare Yokefellow in the Lord for as much as the Lord hath not onely called me to worke in his vineyarde but hath also fulfilled his good worke in me I trust to his glory to the comfort of al those y t looke for his comming I thought it my duety deare yokefellowe to write vnto you some lessons out of Gods booke and if you will direct your selfe therafter doubt not of it but God who refuseth none that will come to him with theyr whole hart will assist you with his holy spirit and direct you in al his wayes to his honour and glory who grauÌ„t it for his mercies sake Amen First I exhort you to feare God Lessons 〈◊〉 instruction to his wyâ—â— to serue and honor his holye name loue hym with all your hart soule and minde to beleue faithfully al his promises to lay sure hold vpon them that in al your troubles what so euer they are ye may runne straight to the great mercye of God and hee will bring you forth of them keepe you within hys wings then shall ye be sure that neither deuill flesh nor hell shall be able to hurt you But take heede If ye wil not keepe his holy preceptes and lawes and to the vttermost of your power cal for the help of God to walke in the same but will leaue them and runne to all abhominations with the wicked world doe as they do then be sure to haue your part with the wicked world in the burning lake that neuer shall bee quenched He exhorteth her to beware of Idolatry Therefore beware of Idolatrye whiche doth most of all stincke before the face of almighty God and was of al good men most detested from the beginning of the worlde For the which what kingdomes nations and realmes God hath punished with most terrible plagues w t fire Idolatry punished 〈◊〉 God brymstone hunger sword and pestilence c. to the vtter subuersion of them it is manifestly to be seene through the whole Byble Yea his owne peculiar people whome he had done so muche for when they fell from him and went serued other Gods contrary to his commaundement he vtterly destroyed and rooted them out from of the earth and as many as dyed in that damnable state not repenting their abhominable euill he threw them into y e pit of hell Again how he hath preserued those that abhorre superstition and Idolatry and that haue onely taken hold vpon God with their whole hart to serue him to loue him to feare him c. it is most manifestly to be seene euen froÌ„ the beginning out of what great daungers he hath euer deliuered them yea wheÌ„ al hope of deliueraÌ„ce was past as touchyng their expectation euen then in y e sight of all his enemies would he work his godly will and purpose to the vtter amazing and destructioÌ„ of all those that were his manifest enemies Further I exhort you in the bowels of Christ Exhortaâ—â—â—â— to prayer that you will exercise and be steadfast in prayer for prayer is y e onely meane to pearce the heauens to obtayne at the hand of God what soeuer we desire so y t it be asked in fayth Oh what notable thinges do we read in Scriptures that hath bene obtayned through feruent praier Praying to God not to creature We are commaunded to call vpon him for helpe ayde and succour in necessities troubles he hath promised to help vs. Again they that will not cal vpon him with thesr whole hart but vpon other dead creatures in whoÌ„ there is no help for there was none found worthy to open the booke but onely the Lambe Christ whiche was killed for our sinnes I saye who that wil refuse his help must euen by y e terrible iudgment of God come vtterly to confusion as it hath and is dayly manifest to be seene And whatsoeuer you desire of God in your prayer aske it for Iesus Christes sake To continue in prayer 〈◊〉 to pray in the name onely of Christ. for whom in whoÌ„ God hath promised to geue vs all things necessary And though that which ye aske come not by and by at y e first and second calling yet continue still knocking and hee will at the length open his trasures of mercye so that ye shal be sure to obtaine for he hath so promised if ye continue in faith hoping surely in him These former lessons w t all such instructioÌ„s as I haue told you by mouth I do wish that ye would most earnestly learne and then I doubt not but God who is the geuer of all grace wyll assist you in all your doings that ye may be found worthy of his kingdome which is prepared through Christ. 〈◊〉 for his 〈…〉 meaneth â— Clement 〈◊〉 who 〈…〉 his child Further where it hath pleased God to send vs childreÌ„ my desire is that they may
in the supper of Christ which the Sacramente of the aultar as the Papists call it and vse it doth vtterly ouerthrow is a true and very presēce of whole Christ God and man to the fayth of the receiuer but not to the stander by looker vpon as it is a true very presence of bread wine to the sences of men to beleue this I saye will not serue and therfore as an herericke I am condemned and shal be burned whereof I aske God hartily mercy that I do no more reioyce then I do hauing so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my deare Lorde God and Sauiour to suffer For albeit mo manifold sinnes euen sithen I came into prison haue deserued at the handes of God not onely this tēporal but also eternall fire in hell much more then my former sinful life which y e Lord pardō for his Christes sake as I knowe he of his mercy hath done neuer will lay mine iniquities to my charge to condēnation so great is his goodnes praised therfore be his holy name althogh I say my manifold and greeuous late sinnes haue deserued most iustly all the tyranny that mā or deuill can do vnto me and therfore I confesse that the Lorde is iust that his iudgements be true and deserued on my behalfe yet y e Bishoppes and Prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himselfe his worde his trueth and Religion And therfore I haue great cause yea most great cause to reioice that euer I was borne and hetherto kept of the Lord that by my death which is deserued for my sinnes it pleaseth y e heauenly father to glorifie his name to testifie hys truth to confirme his veritie to repugne his aduersaries Oh good God and mercifull father forgeue my great vnthākfulnes especially herein And you my dearely beloued for the Lord Iesu Christes sake I humbly and hartily in his bowels bloude do now for my last Vale and farewell in this present lyfe beseeche you and euerye of you that you will consider this worke of the Lord accordingly First by me to be admonished to beware of hipocrisie and carnall securitie professe not the Gospell with tongue and lippes onely but in hart veritie frame and fashion your liues accordingly beware Gods name be not euill spoken of and the Gospell lesse regarded by your conuersation God forgeue me that I haue not so hartily professed it as I shoulde haue done but haue sought much my selfe therein The Gospell is a new doctrine to the old man it is new wyne and therfore cannot be put in old bottels without more great hurt thē good wine to the bottels If we will talke with y e Lorde we must put of our shoes and carnall affections if wee will heare the voyce of the Lorde we must wash our garmentes and be holy if we will be Christes disciples wee must deny our selues take vp our crosse and follow Christ we cannot serue two maysters If we seeke Christs kingdome we must also seeke for the righteousnes thereof Christian profession requireth Christian conuersation To this petition Let thy kingdome come we must ioyne Thy will be done done on earth as it is in heauen If wee will not be doers of the worde but hearers of it onely we sore deceiue our selues If wee heare the gospell and loue it not we declare our selues to be but fooles and builders vpon the sand The Lordes spirite hateth fayning deceitfulnes the Lord abhorreth if we come to him wee must beware that we come not with a double hart for then may chance that God will aunswere vs according to the blocke which is in our heart and so we shall deceiue our selues and others To fayth see y t we couple a good conscience least wee make a shipwracke Fayth would be coupled euer with a good conscience To the Lord we must come with fear and reuerence If we will be gospellers we must be Christes if we be Christes we must crucifie our flesh with the lustes and concupiscences therof if we wil be vnder grace sinne must not beare rule in vs. We may not come to the Lord and draw nigh to him with our lips and leaue our hartes els where least the Lordes wrath waxe hot He exhorteth to repentance and he take from vs the good remayning In no case can y e kingdome of Christ approch to them that repent not Therfore my dearely beloued let vs repent and be hartily sory y t we haue so carnally so hipocritically so couetously so vaynegloriously professed the gospell For all these I confesse my selfe to the glory of God that he may couer mine offences in the day of iudgement Let the anger plagues of God most iustly fallen vpon vs be applyed to euery one of our desertes that from the bottome of our hartes euery of vs may say It is I Lord that haue sinned agaynst thee it is my hipocrisie my vaynglory my couetousnes vncleanes carnalitie securitie idlenes vnthankfulnes selfeloue Our sinnes prouoke persecutiō and such like which haue deserued the taking away of our good king of thy word and true religion of thy good ministers by exile prisonmēt and death it is my wickednes that causeth successe and increase of authoritie and peace to thine enemies Oh be mercifull be mercifull vnto vs. He exhorteth to pray how to pray with repentance Turne to vs agayne O Lorde of hostes turne vs vnto thee correct vs but not in thy furie least we be consumed in thyne anger chastice vs not in thy wrathful displeasure reproue vs not but in the middest of thine anger remember thy mercy For if thou marke what is done amisse who shall be able to abide it But with thee is mercifulnes that thou mightest be worshipped Oh then be mercifull vnto vs y t we might truely worship thee Helpe vs for the glorye of thy name be mercifull vnto our sinnes for they are great O heale vs and help vs for thine honor Let not the wicked people say where is their God c. On this sort my right dearely beloued let vs hartilye bewayle our sinnes repent vs of our former euil life hartily and earnestly purpose to amēd our lyues in all things continually watch in prayer diligently and reuerently attend heare and reade the holy scriptures labour after our vocation to amend our brethren Praying hearing reading the holy scriptures Let vs reproue the workes of darckenes Let vs flee frō al Idolatrye Let vs abhorre the Antichristiā and romish rotten seruice detest the popishe Masse abrenounce their Romishe God prepare our selues to the crosse be obedient to all that be in authoritie in all thinges that be not agaynst God and his word for then aunswere with the Apostles It is more meete to obey God then man Howbeit neuer for any thinge resiste Obedience to magistrates in all that is not agaynst Gods word
with Eue to the lying spirite which woulde haue you now to despayre no he goeth more craftilye to worke howbeit to that ende if you should geue eare vnto it which God forbid but to doubt and stand in a mammering and so shoulde you neuer truely loue God but serue him of a seruile feare least he shoulde cast you off for your vnworthines and vnthankefulnes as though your thankfulnes or worthines were anye causes with God why he hath chosen you or will finally keepe you Ah myne owne deare harte Christ onely Christ only and his mercy truth In him is the cause of your election This Christ this mercy All ouâ— election is 〈◊〉 and for Christ onlâ— this truth of God remayneth for euer is certayne for euer I saye for euer If an Aungel from heauen should tell you contrary accursed be he Your thankfulnes and worthines are fruites and effectes of your election they are no causes These fruites and effectes shal be so much more fruitfull and effectual by how much you wauer not Therefore my dearely beloued arise and remember from whence you are fallen Psalm 120 You haue a shepheard which neither slumbreth nor sleepeth No man nor deuill can pul you out of his handes Night and day he commaundeth his Aungels to keepe you Haue you forgotten what I read to you out of the Psalme Psalm 23. The Lorde is my shepheard I can want nothing Do you not know that god sparred Noe in the Arke on the out side so that hee coulde not get out Psalm 90. So hath he done to you my good sister so hath he done to you Ten thousande shall fall on youre right hande and twenty thousand on your left hand yet no euill shal touch you Say boldly therefore Psal. 125. Many a tyme from my youth vpp they haue fought agaynst me but they haue not preuayled no nor neuer shall preuayle for the Lord is round about hys people And who are the people of God but such as hope in him Happy are they that hope in the Lorde and you are one of those my deare heart Though feeling fayle yet hope holâ— fast for I am assured you haue hoped in the Lord I haue your woordes to shewe moste manifestly and I knowe they were written vnfaynedly I neede not to say that euen before God you haue simply confessed to me and y t oftentimes no lesse And once if you had this hope as you doubtlesse had it though now you seele it not yet shall you feele it agayne for the anger of the Lorde lasteth but a moment but his mercy lasteth for euer Tel me my deare heart who hath so weakned you The eye of fayth must looke vpoâ— nothing 〈◊〉 but onely 〈◊〉 Christ crâ—â—cified Surely not a perswasion which came from him that called you For why should ye wauer Why shoulde ye wauer and be so heauy harted Whome looke you on On youre selfe on your worthines on your thankfulnes on that whiche God requireth of you as fayth hope loue feare ioy c. TheÌ„ can you not but wauer in deed for what haue you as God requireth Beleue you hope you loue you c. as muche as ye shoulde doe No no nor neuer can in this life Ah my dearly beloued haue you so soone forgotten y t which euer should be had in memory namely that when you would shoulde be certayne and quiet in conscience then should your fayth burst throughout al things not onely that you haue in you or els are in heaueÌ„ earth or hell vntill it come to Christ crucified and the eternall sweete mercies and goodnes of God in Christ Here here is the resting place here is your Spouses bed creepe into it and in your armes of fayth embrace him bewayle your weakenes your vnworthines your diffideÌ„ce c. and you shall see he will turne to you What sayde I you shall â—eeâ— Nay I should haue sayd You shall feele hee will turne to you You know that Moses when he went to the mount to talke with God he entred into a darck cloude and Helias had his face couered when God passed by Both these deare frendes of God heard God but they sawe him not but you woulde be preferred before them See nowe my deare hart how couetous you are Ah bee thankefull bee thankefull But God be praysed youre couetousnesse is Moyses couetousnes Well with him you shal be satisfied But when Forsooth when he shall appeare Here is not the time of seeing but as it were in a glasse Isaac was deceiued because he was not content with hearing onely Psalm 16. Therfore to make an end of these many words wherwith I feare me I doe but trouble you from better exercises in asmuch as you are in deede the childe of God electe in Christ before the beginning of all times in as much as you are geueÌ„ to the custody of Christ as one of Gods most precious iewels in as much as Christ is faythfull hytherto hath all power so y t you shall neuer perish no onâ— heare of your head shall not be lost I beseeche you I pray you I desire you I craue at your hands with all my very heart I aske of you with hand penne tongue and minde in Christ through Christ for Christ for his name bloude mercies power and truthes sake my most entirely beloued sister that you admit no doubting of Gods final mercies towardes you howe so euer you feele your selfe but complaine to God and craue of him as of your tender and deare father al things and in that time which shal be most oportune you shall finde and feele farre aboue that your heart or the heart of any creature can conceiue to your eternall ioy Amen Amen Amen The good spirit of God alwaies kepe vs as hys deare children he comfort you as I desire to be comforted my dearely beloued for euermore Amen I breake vp thus abruptly because our common prayer time calleth me The peace of Christe dwell in both our hearts for euer Amen As for the reporte of W. Po. if it be as you heare you must prepare to beare it The 〈…〉 vpoÌ„ 〈…〉 It is wrytten on heauens doore Do wel and heare euil Be content therfore to heare what soeuer the enemie shall imagine to blot you withall Gods holy spirite alwaies comfort and keepe you Amen Amen This 8. of August by him that in the Lord desireth to you as well and as much felicitie as to his owne heart Iohn Bradford Heere followeth an other letter of hys wrytten to the good Lady Uane wherein he resolueth certaine questions which shee demaunded This Lady Uane was a speciall Nourse Commenâ—â—tion of 〈◊〉 â—ady â—ane and a great supporter to her power of the godly Saints which were imprisoned in Queene Maries time Unto whom diuers Letters I haue both of M. Philpot Carelesse Traherne Thomas Rose and of other moe wherein they render vnto her moste gratefull thankes
for her exceeding goodnes extended towarde them with theyr singulare commendation and testimonie also of her Christian zeale towarde Gods afflicted prisonners and to the veritie of his Gospell Shee departed of late at Holburne Anno 1568. whose ende was more like a sleepe then anye death â—ote how God comâ—only 〈…〉 helpers 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 so quietly and meekely shee deceased and departed hence in the Lord. Amongest other which wrote vnto her M. Bradforde also sent these letters to the said Lady the tenour whereof heere followeth To my good Lady Vane THe true sense and sweete feeling of Gods eternal mercies in Christe Iesus be euer more and more liuely wrought in your heart by the holy Ghost â— letter of Bâ—aâ—ford â—ritten to 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 Vane 〈…〉 he 〈…〉 Amen I moste heartily thanke you good Madame for your comfortable Letters and whereas you woulde be aduertised what were best to be done on your behalfe concerning your three questions the truth is that the questions are neuer wel seene nor answeared vntill the thing wherof they arise be well considered I meane vntill it be seene howe great an euill the thing is If it be once in deede in your heart perceiued vpon probable pithy places gathered out of Gods booke that there was neuer thing vppon the earthe so greate and so muche an aduersarie to Gods true Seruice to Christes Death Passion Priesthood Sacrifice and kingdome to the Ministerie of Gods woorde and sacraments to the church of God to repentance faith and all true godlines of life as that is whereof the questions arise as moste assuredly it is in deede then can not a Christian heart but so muche the more abhorre it and all thyngs that in any poynt might seeme to allowe it or any thing pertaining to y e same by how much it hath the name of Gods seruice Againe your Ladiship doth knowe that as all is to be discommended and auoided which is folowed or fled from in respecte of oure selues in respecte of auoiding Christes Crosse so the ende of all oure doings shoulde be to God-wards to his glory to our neighbours to edification and good example wherof none can be geuen in allowing any of the three questioÌ„s by you propounded But because this which I write nowe is briefe and needeth the more consideration or explication as I doubte not of the one in you so from me by Gods grace you shall receiue y e other shortly For I haue already wrytten a little booke of it whiche I will sende vnto you in the whiche you shall haue youre questions fully answeared and satisfied and therefore I omit to write any more hereaboutes presently beseeching God our good Father to guide you as his deare childe w t his spirite of wisedome power and comfort vnto eternall lyâ—e that you may be strong and reioyce in hym and wyth his Church to carie Christes crosse if hee shall so thinke it nede 1. Peter 1. Which is a thing to be desired wished and imbraced if wee looked on thinges after the iudgement of Gods word and tried them by that touchstone If you be accustomed to thinke on the breuitie vanitie and miserye of this life and on the eternitye truth and felicity of euerlasting life if you looke on things after their endes and not after their present appearance onely if you vse your selfe to set Gods presence power and mercy alwaies before your eies to see them as God by euery creature woulde you shoulde I doubt not but you shall finde suche strength and comforte in the Lorde as you shall not be shaken with all the power of Satan Gods mercye in Christ be with you and his good spirit guide you for euer Amen An other letter to the Lady Vane AS to mine owne soule I wishe to your Ladishippe An other letter of M. Bradford to the foresayd Lady Vane grace and mercy from God our deare father in Christe oure Lorde and Sauiour I thanke God that something he hath eased you and mitigated hys fatherly correction in vs both I woulde to God hee had done so muche in the behalfe of the griefe of the body to you as he hath done to mee For as for the soule I truste you feele that which I pray God increase in you I meane his fatherly loue and graunt that I may with you feele the same in suche degree as may please him I will not say as you feele least I should seeme to aske too much at one time God doeth often much more plentifully visite with the sense of his mercy them that humble them selues vnder his mighty hande and are sore exercised as you long haue bene then others whiche to the face of the worlde haue a more shewe and appearance Therefore I wish as I doe and that not onely for mine owne commoditie but also that I might occasion you to the consideration of the goodnesse of God whiche I by your letters doe well espâ—e whych is in deede the hye waye whereby as God encreaseth his giftes so sheweth he more liuely his saluation Psalme 50.107 I haue receiued Gods blessing from you the whiche I haue partly distributed vnto my three felowe prisonners Maister Farrar Maister Tailour Maister Philpot and the residue I will bestowe vppon foure poore soules whiche are imprisonned in the common Gayle for Religion also As for mine owne parte if I hadde neede I woulde haue serued my tourne also But because I hadde not nor I thanke God haue not I haue bene and wil be your Almner in such sorte as I haue already aduertised you God rewarde you and geue you to finde it spiritually and corporally Because otherwise I canne not talke with you therefore on thys sort as occasion and opportunitie will serue I am ready to shewe my good will and desire of youre helpe and furtheraunce in the Lorde to euerlasting life whereunto God bringe vs shortly for his mercies sake Amen Good Madame bee thankefull to God as I hope you be bee earnest in prayer continue in reading and hearing Gods worde and if Gods further Crosse come as therein God doeth serue hys prouidence for els it shall not come vnto you so be certaine the same shall turne to your eternall ioy and comfort Amen Iohn Bradford To my deare friendes and brethren R. and E. with their wiues and families THe comforte of Christe fealt commonly of his children in their Crosse for his sake An other letter of M. Bradford to 2. faythfull frends of his onâ— Royden and Elâ—ing the euerlasting God worke in both your heartes my good brethren and in the hearts of both your yokefelows especially of good Mary my good sister in the Lord. Amen If I had not somthing heard of the hazard which you are in for the Gospels sake if you continue the profession confession therof as I trust you do wil do and that vnto the ende God enabling you as hee will doubtlesse for hys mercies sake if you hope in him for
in that they make it so necessary a thyng and a worshippyng of God it cannot but be agaynst Christ and the freedome of hys Gospell and the same thyng teacheth vs that it is agaynst the commoditie of our brethren which eyther be weake eyther be strong eyther be ignorant either be obstinate If they be weake by your resortyng to it they be made more weake If they be strong you do what you can to infirme their strength If they be ignorant therein you helpe to keepe them by your facte If they bee obstinate your resortyng to it cannot but rocke them a sleepe in their obstinate errour of the necessitie of this rite and ceremony These causes recited doe shew you what I thinke in this but my thinkyng must no further bynd you then a mans thought should do except the same be grounded vpon Gods worde which byndeth in deede as I thinke they doe I doubt not but you waying these causes and especially two of the first and the last if you pray to God for his spirite to direct you and thereto aske the aduise of this my good brother and other godly learned men I doubt not I say but you should be guided to do that which is best in gods sight although in the sight of the world perhaps you should bee counted foolish and precise But bee at a poynt with your selues as the disciples of Christ which had forsaken themselues to follow not your will but Gods will as you daily pray in the Lordes prayer The crosse of Christ bee willyng to cary least you cary the crosse of the world the flesh or the deuill 4. Crosâ—â—â— whereof 〈◊〉 bringeth 〈◊〉 hell One of these 4. crosses you must cary Three of them bringeth to hell and therefore the more part goeth that way which is a broad way Only the fourth bringeth to heauen but few go that way as wel because the way is straite as also because few walke in it Howbeit Why thâ— more 〈◊〉 go that 〈◊〉 that lâ—â—â—deth to â—â—â—dition though it bee straite it is but short and the few are many if you consider the godly as the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Christ Iesus with all his gard and trayne Thinke not scorne to come after them which are gone before you and after them which now go before you in whose number I trust I am apointed to be one and I beseech you pray for me that God would vouch me worthy that honour Our sinnes deserue plagues prison and the losse of all that euer wee haue therefore if God remooue our sinnes out of sight and sende vs prison or losse of goods and liuyng for his names sake Oh how happy are we My deare hearts in the Lord consider this geare and bee assured that he which looseth any thyng for Christes sake the same in his posteritie shall finde it here and in heauen elsewhere As for vnablenes to aunswer for your fayth it shall be enough to will them to dispute with your teachers Faith standeth not in disputyng I thinke few if it came to disputing could defend the godhead of Christ and many other articles I speake it for the simple sorte Pray for me Lacke of paper maketh this end Commend me to my good brother R. B. and my good sister his wyfe I pray them to pray for me I trust by this bearer to heare how you do Iohn Bradford ¶ Another letter to N. and his wyfe GOds mercy in Christ I wish you to feele An other letter of Bradford a dearâ— friend 〈◊〉 his wyâ—â— my dere brother with my faithfull sister your wyfe now and for euer Amen Hauing this occasion I could not but write something as wel to put my selfe in remembrance of my duty to godwards for you both in thankefulnes and praier as to put you in remembrance of me and your duety towards God for me in praying for me for I dare not say in thankfulnes for me nor that I would haue you to geue no thaÌ„ks to God for his wonderfull great and sweete mercies towards me and vpon me in Christ his sonne but because I haue not deserued it at either of your hands For ye both know right wel at least my coÌ„science doth accuse me how that I haue not onely not exhorted taught you as both my vocation and your deserts required to walke worthy of that vocation which god hath made you worthy of and with treÌ„bling and feare to woorke out your saluation that is in the feare of God to geue your selues to great vigilaÌ„cie in praier for the encrease of faith and to a wary circumspection in all your conuersation not onely in works and woords but also in thoughts because God is a searcher of the heart and out of the heart it commeth that defileth vs in Gods sight I haue I say not onely not done thys but also haue geuen you example of negligence in praier watching fasting talking and doing so that woe to me for geuing suche offence Partly for this cause deare brother and sister God hath cast me heere that I might repent me and turne to him and that ye might also by this correction vpon me be more diligent to redresse these things and others if they in your conscience doe accuse you My dearly beloued heauy is Gods anger fallen vpon vs all doulefull is this day Nowe hath Antichrist all his power again Now is Christes gospel troden vnder fote Now is Gods people a derision and pray for the wicked Now is the greatest plague of al plagues fallen the want of Gods word and al these we haue yea I alone haue iustly deserued Oh that as I wryte I alone I could w t Dauid 1. Par. 21. and with Ionas in heart say so But I doe not I do not I see not howe greeuously I haue sinned howe great a misery is fallen for mine vnthankefulnes for Gods worde for mine hypocrisie in professing preaching hearing and speaking of Gods word for my not praying to God for the coÌ„tinuance of it for my not louing of it thoroughly as it requireth c. I will speake nothing of my manifest euils for they are knowen to you wel enough Deare brother and sister wyth me say yee the lyke for your owne partes and with me ioyne your hearts and let vs go to our heauenly father and for his Christes sake beseeche him to be mercifull vnto vs and to pardon vs Oh good father it is we that haue deserued the taking away of thy woorde it is we that haue deserued these thy iust plagues fallen vpon vs we haue done amisse we haue dealt vniustly wyth thy Gospell we haue procured thy wrathe and therfore iust art thou in punishing vs iust art thou in plaging vs for we are very miserable But good Lord and deare father of mercy whose iustice is such that thou wilt not punish the poore soules of thys realme which yet haue not thus sinned against thee as wee
help succor according to that the Lorde hath made you able and placed you where you are for the same purpose Your highnesse and honours ought to knowe that there is no innocencie in woordes or deedes where it is enoughe and suffiseth onely to accuse It behoueth Kinges Queenes and all that be in authoritie to knowe that in the administration of their kingdomes they are Gods Ministers It behoueth them to knowe Difference betweene kinges and Tyrantes that they are no Kinges but plaine Tyrannes which raigne not to thys ende that they may serue and set foorth Gods glory after true knowledge and therefore it is required of them that they woulde be wise and suffer them selues to be taughte to submit them selues to the Lords discipline and to kisse their Soueraigne least they pearish as all those Potentates with their principalities and dominions can not long prosper but pearish in deede if they and their kingdomes be not ruled with the Scepter of God that is wyth hys worde which who so honoureth not honoureth not God and they that honour not the Lorde the Lord will not honour them Good warning to Q. Mary but bring them into contempt and at the lengthe take hys owne cause whiche hee hath moste chieflye committed vnto them to care for into hys owne handes and so ouerthrowe them and set vp his trueth gloriously the people also pearishinge wyth the Princes where the worde of Prophecie is wanting muche more is suppressed as it is now in this Realme of Englande ouer which the eyes of the Lorde are sette to destroy it Princes made slaues to Antichrist your highnesse and al your honours if in time you looke not better to youre office and dueties herein and not suffer your selues to be slaues hangmen to Antichriste and his Prelates which haue broughte your highnesse and honours already to let Barrabas lose and to hange vp Christ as by the grace and helpe of God I shall make apparante if first it would please your excellent maiestie and al your honors to take to heart Gods doctrine which rather through the malice of the Pharisies I meane the Bishoppes and Prelates then youre consciences is oppressed and not for our contemptible and execrable state in the sight of the world to passe the lesse of it For it the doctrine I meane is higher and of more honour and Maiestie then all the whole worlde It standeth inuincible aboue all power 〈…〉 ordeyned 〈…〉 dominion ouer all being not our doctrine but the doctrine of the euerliuing God and of his Christ whom the father hath ordained king to haue dominion from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the endes of the worlde And truely so doth he and will he raigne that hee will shake all the whole earth with his yron and brasen power with his golden and siluerie brightnesse onely by the rod of hys mouth to shiâ—ers in such sorte as though they were pottes of claie according to that which the Prophetes doe wryte of the magnificence of hys kingdome And thus much for the thynge I meane the doctrine and your dueties to hearken to propagate and defend the same Christes Martirs falsely belyed of the prelates for heretickes and Schismatickes But nowe will our aduersaries mainely crie out againste vs because no man maye be admitted once to whist againste them that wee pretende falsely the doctrine and worde of God calling vs the most wicked contemners of it and heretikes Schismatikes traytours c. All which their sayings howe malicious and false they are though I might make report to that which is written by those men whose workes they haue condemned and all that retaine any of them publikely by proclamation yet here will I occasion your maiestie and honours by this my wryting to see that it is farre otherwise then they report of vs. God our father for his holy names sake direct my penne to be his instrument to put into your eyes eares and hearts that which most may make to hys glory to the sauegarde of your soules and bodies and preseruation of the whole Realme Amen Iohn Bradford To certaine his frendes N.S. and R.C. A letter of M. Bradford to certayne persons being at that tyme not throughly instructed in the doctrine of Gods election I Wish to you my good brethren the same grace of God in Christe which I wishe and pray the father of mercies to geue me for his holy names sake Amen Your letter thoughe I haue not read my selfe because I would not alienate my minde from conceiued things to wryte to others yet I haue hearde the summe of it that it is of Gods election wherein I will briefely wryte to you my faith and howe I thinke it good and meete for a Christian man to wade in it I beleeue that man made after the Image of God dyd fall from that blessed state to the condemnation of him selfe and all hys posteritie I beleue that Christ for man being thus fallen did oppose him selfe to the iustice of God a Mediatour paying the raunsome and price of redemption for Adame and his whole posteritie that refuse it not finally True fayth Exod. 14. I beleeue that all that beleue in Christ I speake of such as be of yeares of discretion are partakers of Christe and all hys merites I beleue that faith and to beleue in Christ I speake not nowe of Faith that men haue by reason of myracles Iohn 2.11 Actes 8. or by reason of earthly commoditie Mathew 13. custome and authoritie of men which is commonly seene the hearts of them that so beleue being not right and simple before God but I speake of that faith which in deede is the true faith * M.B. For the certainty of this fayth search your hartes 〈◊〉 you haue it prayse the Lord for 〈…〉 happy and 〈…〉 cannot 〈◊〉 pâ—â—ishe for 〈◊〉 hapâ—ines were not happines if it 〈…〉 WheÌ„ you 〈◊〉 the Lorde 〈…〉 his hand that you sâ—all not lye 〈◊〉 But if ye 〈◊〉 not this sâ—yth then know that prâ—destimation is to 〈…〉 matter for you to be disPuters of vntill you haue â—eene better sâ—holeâ—s in the school◠〈◊〉 of repentance iustificâ—â—ion which is thâ— Grammer schoole wherein we muâ—â— be conuersant and learned before we goe to thâ— vniuersitye of Gods most holy predestination and prouidence Of this matter he writeth more at large in the booke of letters of the Martyrs Fol. 391. the iustifying and regenerating faith I beleeue I say that this faith and beliefe in Christe is the woorke and gift of God geuen to none other then to those whych be the children of God that is to those whom God the Father before the beginning of the worlde hath predestinate in Christ vnto eternall life Thus doe I wade in Predestination in suche sorte as God hath paâ—ified and opened it Thoughe in God it be the firste yet to vs it is last opened And therefore I begin wyth creation from whence
hys resurrection and that he was risen before he was crucified and crucified before hys Baptisme and then they may as well say he was Baptised before his Byrth and borne before hee was conceiued and conceiued before he was promised that were euen right Antichrist to turne al things backward then say Oh ye must beleue for God is almighty he can do all things c. Truth it is that God is almighty in deede We are bound 〈◊〉 beleeue what 〈◊〉 hath expressely willed 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 able to dâ— and yet I may not beleeue thinges contrarye to hys word that Christes body was glorified before he dyed for Gods omnipotency doth not stand in thinges contrary to hys will but in performyng his will at his pleasure in tyme Neither doth he require of vs to iudge or beleue of his almighty power that he hath made the ende of the world to come before the beginning or yet the fruit to come before y e blossome yet is he neuertheles almightye But if peraduenture yee shall thinke with youre selfe Why they are learned He speaketh not aâ—gaynst the true vse of Logike it were maruell but they shoulde know what is the trueth as well as other whiche neuer kept no such study c. To that I answere that if they had studied Gods word the author of truth as they haue done Logicke and Duns with the Legend of lyes they shuld haue bene as expert in the truth as they be now in balde reasons But thus hath God fulfilled his promise y t suche should be deluded with lyes which would not beleue nor walke in his truth And agayne this is a good cause to make vs thynke surely that thys was the cause that God gaue them ouer at the first to erroure after the Apostles time by litle litle as they grewe in sinne For seeing wee had hys trueth now among vs a few yeares because we did not obey vnto it we see what a sodayne chaunge God hathe brought vpon vs for our sinnes sake And why shuld not we think that this and such lyke disobedience was the cause y t God tooke his word from all Christendome at the first and cast a darkenes vpon them that would not walke in his light Why God taketh 〈◊〉 worde 〈◊〉 realmeâ—â— For it is euident enough to see how lyke theyr doynges be to Christes and hys Apostles and that seene eyther wee must iudge Christes doings very slender and theirs good or els that in deede they be the very Antichristes whiche should come and turne all thinges out of frame Thus I haue bene bold to trouble you which I trust shall not bee altogether in vayne Pray for me as I doe for you Your brother Nicholas Shetterden prisoner for the truth in Westgate An other letter to hys brother GOd whiche is the geuer of all goodnes and that freely for hys loue to vs not onely without our desertes but contrary to the same graunt you my brother suche encrease of Godlye knowledge and loue vnto the vertues thereunto belonging An other letter of Nicholas Sheterden to his brother as may geue you such a tast in heauenly things that all treasures of earthly thinges may sauoure to you as in deede they are moste vayne and vncertayne so shall ye neuer take them for no better then they be Yea whether God take them from vs or geue them vnto vs we shall know our selues neither richer nor poorer before God But if we lay vp in our hartes the treasure of his word we shall not onely enriche our selues agaynst the tyme of neede but also arme oure selues agaynst the battell with weapons and harnes whiche is inuincible and clothe oure selues agaynst the maryage For beholde the Lorde hath called vs of long tyme to the feast and blowne the trumpet to prepare the battell Tyme of Gods 〈◊〉 to be receaued Let vs know the tyme of our visitation least the Lord sittyng on his mount bewayle our destruction which he desireth not but because he is iust to punishe such as continue in sinne euen as he is mercifull to forgeue the repentaunt that turne in tyme for so is God that cannot deny hymselfe Let vs therfore in this day while it is called to day heare his voyce and not harden your hartes by resistance of hys will least he sweare in hys wrath that we shall not enter into hys rest Let vs count that sufficient that wee haue spent the tyme past as S. Peter sayth after the will of the Gentiles in eatyng and drynking chamberyng and wantonnesse and in abhominable Idolatrye c. And nowe let vs assay a new lyfe and trade our members in vertue an other while least peraduenture wee might run past any returne in the contrary But if we now returne and laye hand of his worde in deede and veritie as wee haue long tyme done in talke and libertie then wil God heape vpon vs such certificate of conscience as shall kindle our consolation in hym so that all treasure shall be dounge Certificatâ—â—â— of conscienâ—â— to that excellent knowledge of our Sauiour Deare brother my harts desire and prayer to God is that we may together enioy the blisse of eternall inheritance by one spirituall regeneration and new byrth as we are ioyned by nature But alacke the way and meane thereunto hath bene much neglected of me I will not say of you for I had rather ye should accuse your selfe for no doubte the best of vs both hatâ—e not sought for wisedome in Gods worde as some in the worlde whom we knowe haue sought for money therefore they shall be our Iudges if we do not learne by them yea the very Emmet as Sâ—lomon saith doth teach vs to prouide for the time to come for â—hee prouideth in Sommer against Winter This is the best token I haue for you nowe which thoughe it be simple yet shal it declare partly my hearts desire to you ward which is euen as mine owne soule Let nothing dismay you for my cause but be ye sure I shall haue victorie in the truthe which truth is stronger then kings wine or women For as Zorobabel sayeth Wine is vnrighteous the king is vnrighteous women are vnrighteous yea al the children of men are vnrighteous but the truthe endureth and is alwaies strong and conquereth for euer without end Therfore this is to desire you all other my frends that wish me good to pray that God will alwaies keepe me in his truthe as he hath begonne which prayer if it be of such a minde as laboureth to depart from euill shall be to me the greatest pleasuâ—e vnder heauen For I desire nothing in comparison of Gods truthe I thanke him of his mercy which so hath wrought for I take it as a sure seale of the endlesse ioy which shall hereafter followe which God bring vs vnto when his will and pleasure is Amen From Canterburie By yours Nicholas Shetterden An other
vsed in the church of England The vse and Sacrifice of the Latin Masse denyed he beleueth that there is no sacrifice in the sayde Masse and that there is in it no saluation for a christian man except it should be said in the mother toung that he might vnderstand it and coÌ„cerning the ceremonies of the Church he sayth and beleeueth that they be not profitable to a Christian man Item Auricular confession and absolution of the Priest reiected being examined concerning auriculare confession he answeareth that he hath and doth beleeue that it is necessary to goe to a good Priest for good counsaile but the absolution of the Priest laying his hand vppon any mans head as is nowe vsed is nothing profitable to a Christian mans saluation And further he sayth that he hath not ben confessed nor receiued the sacrament of the aulter since the coronation of the Queene that now is Item concerning the faith religion now taught setfoorth beleeued in the church of England he answeareth and beleueth that the faith and doctrine nowe taught setfoorth and vsed in the sayd Church of Englande is not agreable to Gods word And furthermore he sayth The fayth of the Church of England in Quene Maryes tyme reproued that bishop Hooper Cardmaker Rogers other of their opinion which were of late burned were good christian men did preach the true doctrine of Christ as he beleeueth and sayth that they did shed theyr bloude in the same doctrine which was by the power of God as he sayth beleeueth And further being examined saith y t since the Quenes coronation he hath had the Bible and Psalter in English red in his house at Brighthamsted diuers times and likewise since hys comming into Newgate but the Keeper hearing thereof did take them awaye and sayeth also that about a twelue moneth now past he had the English procession sayd in his house with other English praiers Iueson Launder and Veisâ—e imprisoned for hearing the Gospell And further sayeth that Thomas Iueson Iohn Launder and William Ueisey being prisoners with hym in Newgate were taken with this examinat in his house at BrighthaÌ„sted as they were hearing of the gospel then read in English a litle before Alhollowne day last past and brought to the Court and being examined thereuppon by the Counsaile were committed by them to prison in Newgate The confession of Iohn Launder before Boner bishop of London IOhn Launder husbandman of the Parish of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey of the age of xxv yeres Iohn Launder his confession borne at Godstone aforesayde being examined doth confesse and say that about two dayes next before Allhollonâ—ide nowe last past this Examinate and one Diricke Caruer Thomas Iueson William Ueisie with diuers other persons to the number of twelue being all together in their prayers and saying the seruice in English set foorth in the time of King Edwarde the sixte in the house of the sayde Diricke situate at Brighthamsted in Sussex were apprehended by one maister Edwarde Gage and by him sent vppe hether to London to the Kinge and Queenes Counsaile and by them vpon his examination committed to Newgate where he with his said other felowes hath euer since remained in prison And further being examined he doeth confesse and say that the occasion of his comming to the sayde Brighthamsted The cause of the apprehensioÌ„ of Iohn Launder was vpon certaine busines there to be sped for his father and so being there and hearing that the saide Diricke was a man that did much fauour the Gospel this Examinate did resorte to his house and companye whome before that time hee did neuer see or know and by reason of that hys resorte hee was apprehended as before And further doth confesse and beleeue that there is heere in earth one whole and vniuersall Catholicke Churche whereof the members he dispersed through the world and doth beleue also that the same Church doeth set foorth and teache onely two Sacraments videlicet the Sacrament of Baptisme Two Sacramentes onely and the Sacrament of the Supper of our Lord. And who soeuer doth teach or vse any more Sacraments or yet any ceremonies he doth not beleeue that they be of the Catholicke Churche but doth abhorre them from the bottome of his heart And doth further say and beleue that all the seruice Ceremonyes abhorred sacrifices and ceremonies now vsed in thys Realme of England yea in all other partes of the world whych ben vsed after the same maner be erroneous and naught contrary to Christes institution and the determination of Christes Catholicke church whereof he beleeueth that he him selfe is a member Also hee doeth confesse and beleeue that in the Sacrament The reall presence of Christs body vnder the formes of bread and wine denyed nowe called the sacrament of the aultar there is not really and truly contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the very naturall body and bloude of Christe in substaunce but his beliefe and faith therein is as followeth Videlicet that when he doth receiue the material bread and wine he doeth receiue the same in a remembrance of Christes death and passion and so receiuing it he doth eate and drinke Christes body and bloude by faith and none other wayes as he beleeueth And moreouer he doth confesse say and beleue that the Masse now vsed in the Realme of Englande The Masse abhominable or els where in all Christendome is nought and abhominable and directly against Gods worde and his Catholicke Churche and that there is nothing sayd or vsed in it good or profitable For he saith that albeit the gloria in excelsis the Creede Sanctus Pater noster Agnus and other partes of the Masse bene of themselues good and profitable yet the same being vsed amongest other things that be naught and superfluous in the Masse the same good things do become nought also as he beleeueth Auricular confession not necessary Also he doth beleeue and confesse that Auriculare confession is not necessary to be made to any Priest or to anye other creature but euery persone oughte to acknowledge confesse hys sinnes onely to God and also that no person hath any authority to absolue any man froÌ„ his sinnes and also beleeueth that the right and true way according to the Scripture after a man hathe fallen from grace to sinne to arise to Christe againe is to be sorie for his offences to doe the same or the like no more and not to make any auricular confession of them to the priest either to take absolution for them at the Priests handes All whyche hys sayde opinions hee hathe beleeued by the space of these seuen or eight yeares past and in that time hath diuers and many times openly argued and defendeth the same as hee sayeth c. Articles obiected by Boner Bishop of London against Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder 1. FIrste I doe obiect against