an Aultar set vppe in the bodye of the Churche for celebration of the communion and caused the sayd Aultar to be taken away and a table to be set in the middle of the Churche the Byshop after the same commaunded the Uicar of Carmarthen to set the table without the chauncell agayne for the ministration of the communion Item he being often in Carmarthen and other places in the chauncell at y e time of holy communion not onely caryed there hym selfe neyther cōmunicating nor ministring bareheaded and vncoyffid reuerently kneelyng but also permitteth the people there to continue the chauncell and quire full kneeling and knockyng their breastes Whiche manner is yet vsed in all the dyocesse without any reformation or gaynesay of hym or any of his officers Item whereas superstious praying vppon beades is not onely vngodly but reprooued in the Kynges Maiesties iniunctions the sayde Byshopppe meeting many with beades in their handes neuer rebuked anye of them Item the sayde Byshopye beyng in the Pulpyt and seeyng corses there within the Churche wyth a great number of lightes vppon them neuer spake against any of them Item where as thordinaunce will that no children be baptised but vppon the Sondaye or holy day onely cause of necessitie excepted he hauyng two children himselfe borne wythout daunger caused one of them to be baptised vppon the worke day And by hys example wythout anye contradiction or motion of reformation it is vsed as it hath bene accustomed in all the dyocesse commonly contrary vnto the booke of ordinaunce in that behalfe ¶ Couetousnes Item from his first comming into the dyocesse hee hath hadde and yet hathe hys onelye studye laboure and practise to suruey landes and to looke for mines c. neglecting his owne bounden duety to applye his booke and preaching Item he keepeth no maner hospitalitie but hath hys seruaunts table in one parlour with him least any stranger shoulde approche hys seruauntes being at theyr meate Item he is commonly talking not of any godlynes but of worldlye matters as baking brewing enclosing plowing mining of milstones discharging of tenaunts and suche like not onely at his table but also most commonly at other places Item he hath warned diuers tenauntes out of theyr landes whiche they and theyr elders haue enioyed for their rentes these hundred yeares and more and occupyed with tillage whiche he sayth he will enclose and beyng sued to of poore men because of quietnes he answered the crowes shall eate the corne rather then ye shal haue any profite thereof Item when the Uicars Chorall of S. Dauids for reliefe of their hospitalitie had an Iland of hys called the bishops Isle for xl s. rent he hath set it to a chapleyn of his for v.li. by yeare And wher at the sute of the sayd Uicars it was graunted by the bishop in the whole chapiter that the Uicares should haue it for yeares at xl s. rent and pay xx.li. entrie he now couetously and agaynst his promyse openly made denyeth the same except the Uicars would geue l.li. Item he caused the Curate of S. Dauids to warne their tenauntes out of theyr sayde landes in the pulpit to the great offence of the people which were wont to haue Gods word preached there and so they sayd to the Curate at that tyme. Item to the plowing of a pasture not aboue x. dayes worke in Lent An. 1549. he had 32. ploughes in one day and those ploughes the priest bad in the Church contrary to the statute of Gomortha in that behalfe prouided and to the euill example of gentlemen in that country Item where the kinges maiesties of godly remembraunce Henry theight appointed at Brekenock a scholemaister vssher Reader of diuinitie a Minister certain scholers and for the mayntenaunce thereof appoynted lx and xij.li. of the pensions and reuenues of Brekenocke the Bishop finding it so furnished hath neither Reader nor Minister there couetously conuerting their stipends to his owne vse Item the Bish. was twise in one day presented in the great court holden in the towne of Carmarthen for enclosing and couetous encroching of the kinges hye way Item he couetously occupyeth purchasing of landes bying of cattell marchaundise and other thinges beyng indetted a notable summe to the kinges Maiestie as may by his accomptes in the courte of tenthes and first fruites appeare Item wheras one Lewis Iohn Thomas boole putting from hym hys lawfull wedded wife vppon Christmas euen last past without banes had mariage solemnizate with a concubine of hys in a Churche within 3. myles of the Byshoppes abode at that time The Bishop since knowing the premisses hath not onely of a couetous mind entred familiaritye with the sayde Lewis and bought a peece of land of him but also euer since hath for to haue hys landes good chepe left both the parties and priest vnpunished vsing hym to familiarly that whereas a Somner cited the parties to appeare among other criminals for the same facte the Byshoppe commaunded the sayde Somner to lette hym alone and so they all remaine vnpunished Item where as the whole Chapiter of Saint Dauids as it was thought was in assured amitie wyth the Byshoppe they all being his Officers or Chaplaines he procured them to be unpleaded wyth Wryt of Quo warranto in the kings Bench keeping the Wryt with hym secretely at the least three monethes not deliuering it but onely tenne dayes before the day of their apparance the parties beyng seuen dayes iourney distant from London Item he is a wilfull wrong doer and troubler of men in theyr rightes entring vppon their lawfull possessions stirring thereby much contention and so notably knowen to the offence of the countrey Wilfull negligence ITem whereas the Byshop aforesayde was appoynted in August An. 1547. and consecrated in September following hee neuer came into the Diocesse himselfe nor sent or appoynted any Officer there before the moneth of April An. 1548. to the great disorder of the kings Maiesties subiects lacke of reformation and ministration of iustice Item during his visitation the sayde Bishop did not endeuor himselfe to see reformation but roade surueying of landes appoynting vaine enclosures and suche other things Which are no parte of the office to him committed nor yet conuenient namely at that time Item the visitation finished he neither appoynted his Officers to examine the cleargie of the places of Scripture to them appoynted to be studied in the same visitation nor hath hitherto effectually gone about any godly reformation according to the ordinaunces of this realme Item the Byshoppe since his comming to the diocesse neuer ministred the Communion sauing onely at two times that he ordred certaine Deacons but in euery thing but that he other whiles preacheth excepted ordreth himselfe like no minister nor man of his vocation Item he hath so alienated himselfe from studie that he preacheth vndiscretely discrediting the office not only vntruely reporting the Scriptures but also preaching the ten commaundements in one place in declaration of the
craftely crept into this your realme an other sorte not of impotent but of strong puisant and counterfeit holy and idle beggars and vagabondes which since the tyme of theyr first entry by all the craft and wylines of Sathan are now encreased vnder your sight not onely into a great number but also into a kingdome These are not the herdes but y e rauinous wolues going in herdes clothing deuouring the flock Byshops Strong valiant 〈◊〉 idle beâ—â—gars Abbots Priours Deacons Archdeacons Suffragaâ—es Priestes Monkes Canons Friers Pardoners Somners And who is able to number this idle rauenous sort which setting all labour aside haue begged so importunatly that they haue gotten into theyr hands more theÌ„ the third part of all your Realme The goodlyest Lordships manors landes and territories are theirs Besides thys they haue the x. part of all the corne medow pasture grasse wood coltes calues lambes pigs geese and chickins Ouer and besides the x. part of euery seruauntes wages More then the third part of the realme in the spiritual mens hands the x. part of wolle milke hony waxe cheese and butter yea they looke so narowly vpon theyr profites that the poore wiues must be countable to them for euery x. egge or els she getteth not her rightes at Easter and shal be taken as an hereticke Hereto haue they theyr foure offering dayes What money pull they in by probates of Testaments priuy tithes and by mens offrings to theyr pilgrimages and at theyr first Masses Euery man and childe that is buried must pay somewhat for Masses and Diriges to be song for him or els they will accuse theyr frendes and executors of heresy What money get they by mortuaries by hearing of confessions and yet they will keepe thereof no counsell by halowing of Churches altars superaltars Chappels and belles by cursing of men and absoluing them agayne for mony what a multitude of money gather the Pardoners in a yeare How much mony get the Somners by extortion in a yeare by asciting the people to the Commissaries Court and afterward releasing the apparaunâ—es for money Finally the infinite number of begging Friers what get they in a yeare * Peraduenture the common count of the pâ—â—â—shes of England among men and in sayd 〈◊〉 the olde time so went And albeit the 〈◊〉 do not amouÌ„t now to the same rate of 〈◊〉 yet neuerthelesse the number no doubt is great and therefore the quartarage of the Friers canâ—not be litle but riseth to a great penny throâ—â—â— the Realme Whereupon the scope of this 〈◊〉 reason soundeth to good purpose For 〈◊〉 he hit not perfectely on the iust summes 〈◊〉 cannot be denyed but the Fryers had very 〈◊〉 and much more then they deserued 〈◊〉 neyther caÌ„ it be denyed but the more they 〈◊〉 the lesse redouÌ„ded to the impotent needs â—â—â—â—gars in deede And what reason is it that 〈◊〉 beggars which may worke yet will 〈…〉 should reape any peece of the crop 〈…〉 no burden of the haruest but 〈…〉 serue to noyse necessary in the 〈◊〉 wealth Here if it please your grace to marke you shall see a thing far out of ioynt There are wythin your realme of England 52000. Parishe Churches And this standing that there be but x. housholdes in euery Parishe yet are there v.c. M. xx M. househoulds And of euery of these householdes hath euery of the fiue orders of Friers a peny a quarter for euery order that is for all the fiue orders fiue pence a quarter for euery house that is for all y e fiue orders 20. d. a yeare of euery house Summa * Admitte the Summa totalis came not to so 〈…〉 came to more then the Friers deserâ—â—â— which coulde well worke would not 〈…〉 begge needed not wherof read 〈◊〉 the storye of Armachanus v. C. and xx M. quarters of Angelles that is 260000. halfe Angels Summa 130000. Angelles Summa totalis 430333. pouÌ„des 6. s. 8. d. sterling Wherof not 400. yeares passed they had not one peny * Oh greuous c. these words sayth M. More 〈…〉 themselues did heare eueÌ„ into Purgatoâ—â— Belyke M. More himselfe stoode behinde 〈◊〉 doore the same time or els howe 〈…〉 tell that the soules did heare hym Oh grieuous paynfull exaction thus yearely to be payde from the which the people of your noble Predecessours the Kinges of the aunciente Britaines euer stoode free And this will they haue or els they will procure him that will not geue it to them to be taken as an hereticke What Tyranne euer oppressed the people lyke this cruell and vengeable generation what subiectes shall bee able to helpe theyr Prince that be after this fashion yearely poled What good Christen people caÌ„ be able to succour vs poore lepers blynde sore and lame that bee thus yearely oppressed Is it any meruayle that your people so complaine of pouerty Is it any meruaile that the taxes fiftenes and subsidies that your grace most teÌ„derly of great coÌ„passion hath taken among your people to defend them from the threatned ruine of theyr common wealth haue bene so slouthfully yea paynefully leuied seeing almost the vttermost peny that mought haue bene leuied hath bene gathered before yearely by this erronious insatiable generation Neither the Danes nor the Saxons in the time of the auncient Britons should euer haue bene able to haue brought theyr armies from so far hether into your land to haue conquered it if they had had at that time such a sort of idle glottons to finde at home He meaneth all this onely of idle Fryers The noble king Arthur had neuer bene able to haue caried his army to the foote of the mountaynes to resiste the comming downe of Lucius the Emperour if such yearely exactions had bene taken of his people The Greeks had neuer bene able to haue so long continued at the siege of Troy if they had had at home such an idle sort of cormorantes to finde The auncient Romaines had neuer bene able to haue put all the whole world vnder theyr obeysaunce if their people had bene thus yearely oppressed The Turke now in your time should neuer bene able to get so much ground of christendome if he had in his Empyre such a sort of Locustes to deuoure his substaunce Lay then these summes to the foresayd third part of the possessions of the realme that ye may see whether it draw nigh vnto the halfe of the whole substance of the Realme or not so shal ye finde that it draweth farre aboue An vnequal diuision that the Fryers should haue â—â—lfe with the mâ—â—ltitude they being 〈…〉 hundreth 〈◊〉 of the number Now let vs then compare the number of this vnkinde idle sort vnto the number of the lay people we shall see whether it be indifferently shifted or not that they should haue halfe CoÌ„pare them to the number of men so are they not the hundreth person Compare them to men womeÌ„
receiued vnles he be of a contrary nature to any man that euer was yet of y t sort not only be in maner discharged of his obedienâ— and become the bishop of Romes true liege man but also shall presume of his Cardinalshyp to be your fellow and to haue the rule as well as you Then shall the Bishop of Rome creepe into your owne very bosome know al your secretes and at last vnlesse you wil be yoked Inconuenience that commeth by Cardinalls and serue their pleasure in all points your grace is like to smart for it The thing perchance in the beginning shal seeme to your grace very honorable and pleasant but wisdom would to beware of the taile which is very black and bytter His maiesties father and Grandfather to your grace had a Cardinal whereof he was weary and neuer admitted other after his decease knowing y e importable pride of them In like maner also his highnes by the experience of one hath vtterly determined to auoid al the sort So wel his grace hath knowen experienced their mischief yoke and thraldome that thereby is layd vpon princes By reason wherof as his highnes is the more able by his owne experience to informe your grace so of good will meere propeÌ„sitie of hart caused partly by nature and kinne partly by coniunction and vicinitie of dominions adioining so neare together he is no lesse ready to forewarn your grace before wishing that God will so worke in your princely hart and noble stomake that his maiesties monition frendly warning as it proceedeth from a sincere affection and tender care of his part vnto his nephewe so it maye preuaile and take place in your mind that your grace wisely in weighing with your self what supreme right princes haue and ought to haue vpon their Churches and landes where they gouern what litle cause the bishop of Rome hath therto to procede by vniust censures against theÌ„ your grace may therin not only stand to the iust defence of your deare vncle but also may endeuor to folow his steps therin to take his counsel whiche he doubteth not but shal redound not onely to your graces honour to the benefite weale profit of your realm subiects but especially to y e glory of almighty God and aduancement of his true religion And thus haue I expounded to your grace the summe of my errand and message from the kings maiestie your vncle who as he would be glad to be aduertised by answere of your graces purpose mind and intention in this behalf so for my part according to my charge and duetie I shall be prest and ready with al diligence to giue mine attendaÌ„ce vpon your pleasure for the same accordingly * The summe and effecte of the kinges message sent to the French kyng in defence of his proceedinges THe king considering the present state of his marriage which was not yet well digested ner accepted in the Courtes of other Princes The kinges message to the French king and also hauing intelligence of the straight amitie intended by the marriages betweene y e Emperor and the French king and also or the Popes inclination to pleasure the Emperour and further vnderstaÌ„dyng of the order and meaning of the French kings counsell not greatly fauouring his purposes sent therfore vnto Fraunce for his ambassadour Edw. Foxe doct of Diuinitie his Chaplaine and CouÌ„sailour with instructions and admonitions how to frame and attemper himself in those the kinges affaires The contentes of which his instructions came to this effecte That the saide Edwaad Foxe first declaring to the French king the most affectuous commendations made on the kinges behalfe with declaration of the kings most entire and hartie good wil to vnderstand of his prosperitie the good successe of his affaires which his maiestie no lesse desired then his owne and also after the kings letters being deliuered to him and to other personages of his Counsaile then Three causes to be declared in the kinges â—efence after his accesse made vnto the king shuld vtter and insinuate vnto the king his maisters mind intent in these thre special pointes folowing The first was to declare the iustnes of the kings cause concerning the late marriage with queene Anne diuorcement of the king from his brothers wife The second to signifie and expresse the iniuries done by the Pope as afterward shall be declared The third was to winne and allure to the kings deuotion the Chauncelour of Fraunce And as touching the declaration of the iustnes of the kinges cause first he taking with him certayne bookes printed conteyning the determinations of vniuersities in that behalfe with reasons and authorities confirming the same should distribute the sayd bookes to the Bishop of S. Line to other bishops to Monsieur de Langez other of the kinges counsel moe and to proue after the best fashion to obtaine their approbations of the same bookes with dexteritie to assay whether he could induce theÌ„ of the Uniuersitie of Paris and other learned men to send forth this booke with their authorities and approbations That done theÌ„ he being acquainted with al those points articles of the kinges cause in communication and conference as the case required shoulde not onely make answere to such things as should be obiected but also furnish mainteine the iustnes of that opinion with his learning in such sort as he could best inuent and cogitate As touching the second part which conteined the iniuries done by y e pope against the king the sayd ambassador in that behalfe being a man no lesse acquainted The Popes iniuryes donne to the king of England then also wel beaten and ripe in the manifold misbehauiours of the Pope from the beginning of the cause shuld declare expresse to the French king how iniuriously the sayde Pope had demeaned himself toward the kinges highnes first in sending a commission decreâ—al and then coÌ„maunding it to be burnt as also in promising by schedule of his own haÌ„d not to cal the cause out of England The Pope inconstant in his deedes coÌ„trarye to himselfe and moreouer approuing first y e iustnes of the kings cause yet notwithstanding afterward went from the same and did contrary Touching all which iniuries receiued at the Popes hand although the king had great cause iustly to complain yet other iniuries there were beside these wherewith the kyng most especially was moued The one was for calling and cyting the kings highnes to appeare at Rome The Pope calleth and citeth the K. to Rome The other was for reiecting the person of the kynges trustie subiect and Chaplayne maister Kerne his ambassadour from making such allegations Two speciall iniuries of the pope against the king as to the king in that case apperteined besyde sundry other no smal greues and inconueniences which here might be shewed and alleged But in these two especial iniuries the kyng thought hym selfe most chiefly
THE seconde Volume OF THE ECCLEsiasticall Historie conteining the ACTS AND MONVMENTS of Martyrs with a Generall discourse of these latter Persecutions horrible troubles and tumultes stirred vp by Romish Prelates in the Church with diuers other things incident especially to this Realme of Englande and Scotland is partly also to all other forreine nations appertaining from the time of Kâ—ng HENRY the VIII to Queene ELIZABETH our gracious Ladie nowe raigning Newly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 IOHN FOXE 15â—â— AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldergate Cum 〈…〉 ⧠Here folovveth the second Volume AND THE VII BOOKE BEGINNING WITH THE REIGNE OF KING HENRYE THE EIGHT Anno. 1509. AS touching the ciuil state and administration of the Common wealth and likewise of the state of the Churche vnder the raign of king Henry 7. how he entred first in possession of y e crowne how the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were in hym conioyned through marriage with Elizabeth the eldest daughter to King Edwarde 4. by the prudent counsail of Iohn Morton then Bishop of Ely Notes summarely collected and repeated of things done in the tyme of K. Henry the seueÌ„th after Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinall howe long the sayd King reigned and what persecution was in his time for lacke of searche and knowledge of Gods word both in the diocesse of Lincolne vnder bishop Smith who was erector of the house of Brasen nose in Oxforde as also in the diocesse of Couentrie and other places moe and further what punishment and alteration God commonly sendeth vpon cities and realmes publique for neglecting the safety of his flocke sufficiently in the former booke hath bene alredy specified Wherin many things more amply might haue ben added incideÌ„t in the raigne of this Prince which we haue for breuitie pretermitted For hee that studieth to comprehend in story all things which the common course vse of life may offer to the wryter may sooner finde matter to occupye himselfe then to profite other Otherwise I myght haue inferred mention of the seditions tumult of Perkin Werbecke wyth his retinue Anno 1494. also of Blackheath field by the Blacke smith An. 1496. Perkin Werbeck which fained himself to be K. Edwards sonne I myght also haue recited the glorious commendation of Georgius Lilius in his Latine Chronicle testifying of King Henrie 7. howe hee sent three solemne Oratours to Pope Iulius 2. to yeelde his obedience to the sea of Rome An. 1506. and likewise howe Pope Alexander 9. Pius 3. and Iulius 2. sent to the sayde king Henry 7. three sundrie famous Ambassadours whith tree swordes and three cappes of maintenance Blacke heathe fielde electing and admitting hym to be the chiefe defendor of the faith The commendation of which facte howe glorious it is in the eyes of Georgius Lilius and Fabian that I leaue to them This I suppose that when Kyng Henry sent to Pope Iulius three Orators wyth obedience if he had sent him thre thousand harquebuziers to furnish his fielde against the French king fighting at Rauenna hee had pleased pope Iulius much better If Georgius Lilius had bene disposed to illustrate his story with notes this had bene more worthy the noting Ex Masseo lib. 20. howe Ludouike 12. French king calling his Parliament moued this question against Pope Iulius whether a Pope might inuade any Prince by warlike force wythout cause and whether the prince might withdraw hys obedience from that Pope or not And it was concluded in the same Parliament wyth the king against the Pope Also it was concluded the same time which was in the raigne of this king Henry 7 that the * Pragmatica sanctio was a practising or a determination of a certaine parliament in Fraunce against the Bishop of Rome in defeÌ„ce of certaine matters of religion concluded in the couÌ„cel of Basill Pragmatical sanction should be receiued in ful force and effect through all the realme of Fraunce And for so muche as wee are fallen into the mention of Georgius Lilius this in hym is to be found not vnworthy noting howe after the burning of Thomas Norice aboue mentioned pag. 775. at the citie of Norwich that the same yeare followed such a fire in Norwich that the whole Citie well neare was therewith consumed Ex Geor. Lilio Like as also after the burning of the foresayde good aged father in Smithfield A note of Gods plagues folowing the burning of his people the same yeare which was 1500. we reade in the Chronicle of Fabian a great plague to fall vppon the Citie of London to the great destruction of the inhabitantes therof Wherein agayne is to be noted as is aforesayd that according to the state of the church the disposition of the common wealth commonly is guided eyther to be wyth aduersitie afflicted or els in prosperitie to flourish But after these notes of King Henry 7. nowe to the storie of king Henry 8. This king Henry 7. finishing his course in the yeare abouesayd which was 1509. had by Elizabeth hys wife aboue named The children ofspring of king Henry .7 foure men children and of women children as many Of whome 3. onely suruiued to wit prince Henry Lady Margarete and Lady Mary Of whome King Henry the eight after hys father succeded Lady Margaret was marryed to Iames the fourth king of Scottes Lady Margaret maried to king Iames 4. of Scotland Lady Margaret maried to the K. of Castile Prince Arthur maried to Lady Katherine daughter to the Spanishe king The death of Prince Arthur K. Henry marieth Lady Katherine his brothers wyfe Ladie Mary was affied to Charles king of Castile Not long before the death of king Henry prince Arthur his elder sonne had espoused Lady Katherine daughter to Ferdinandus being of the age of 15. yeares and shee about the age of 17. and shortly after hys mariage wythin 5. monethes departed at Ludlowe and was buried at Worcester After whose decease the succession of the Crowne fell next to king Henry the 8. being of the age of 18. yeres who entred hys raigne the yeare of our Lorde 1509. and shortly after maried with the foresayde Katherine his late brother Prince Arthurs wife to the end that her dowry being great shoulde not be transported out of the lande In the which his marriage being more politique then Scripture like he was dispensed wyth by pope Iulius at the request of Ferdinandus her father The raigne of this king continued with great noblenes and fame Blind dispeÌ„satioÌ„s of the Pope the space of 38. yeres During whose time and raigne was greate alteration of things as well to the ciuile state of the Realme as especially to the state Ecclesiasticall and matters of the Church appertaining For by him was exiled and abolyshed out of the Realme the vsurped power of the Byshop of Rome Idolatrye and superstition somewhat repressed Images and pilgrimages defared Abbeys and monasteries pulled downe Sectes of religion
B. of Ascalon to appeare at Rome About which tyme Thomas Caietanus Cardinall y e popes Legate was then lieger at the Cittie of Augusta who before had beene sent downe in commission with certayne mandates from Pope Leo The vniuersitie of Wittenberge writeth to the Pope for Luther vnto that Citty The vniuersitie of Wittenberg vnderstanding of Luthers citation eftsoones directed vp their letters with their publique seale to y e pope in Luthers behalfe Also an other letter they sent to Carolus Miltitius the popes chamberlayne beyng a Germayne borne Furthermore good Fridericke ceased not for his part to sollicitate the matter with his letters earnest suit with Cardinall Caietanus that the cause of Luther might be freed from Rome and remooued to Augusta in the hearing of the Cardinall Caietanus at y e suyt of the Duke wrote vnto the Pope from whome he receaued this answer again the 23. of the foresayd month of August The Popes charge to his Legate against M. Luther that he had cited Luther to appeare personally before him at Rome by Hieronimus Bishop of Ascalon Auditour of the chamber whiche byshop dilligently had done that was commaunded hym but Luther abusing and contemning the gentlenes offered did refuse not onely to come but also became more bold and stubborne continuing or rather increasing in his former heresie as by hys writing did appeare Wherfore he wold that the Cardinal should cite and call vp the sayd Luther to appeare at the city of Augusta before him adioyning withall the ayd of the princes of Germany of the Emperour if neede required so that when the sayd Luther shoulde appeare he shoulde lay hand vpon him commit him to sate custody and after he should be brought vp to Rome and if he perceaued him to come to any knowledge or amendment of hys faulte he should release him and restore hym to the church again or els he shuld be interdict with al other his adherents abetters mayntainers of what soeuer estate or coÌ„dition they were whether they were Dukes Marqueses Earles Barons c. Against all which persons and degrees he willed hym to extende the same curse and malediction onely the person of the Emperour excepted interdicting by the censure of the church all such landes Lordships Townes tenementes villages as should minister any harbour to the sayd Luther were not obedient vnto the sea of Rome Contrariwise to all such as shewed themselues obedient he should promise full remission of all theyr sinnes Likewise the pope directeth other letters also the same tyme to Duke Friderick complayning with many grieuous wordes agaynst Luther The Cardinall thus being charged with iniunctions from Rome according to his commission sendeth with all speede for Luther to appeare at Augusta before hym Luther obedient to the Sea of Rome About the beginning of October Martin Luther yealding his obedience to the Church of Rome came to Augusta at the Cardinals sending at the charges of the noble Prince Electour and also hys letters of commendation where he remayned 3. dayes before he came to his speache for so it was prouided by his frendes that he shoulde not enter talke with the Cardinall before a sufficient warrant or safe conduct was obtained of the Emperour Maximilian Which being obteyned eftsoones he entred Luther appeareth before Cardinall Caâ—eâ—anus offeringe himselfe to the speach of the Cardinal and was there receyued of the cardinall very gently who according to y e popes commandement propounded vnto Martin Luther three thinges or as Sleaden sayth but 2. to witte 1. That he should repent and reuoke hys erroures 2. That he shoulde promise from that tyme forward to refrayne from the same 3. That he shoulde refrayne from all thinges that myght by any meanes trouble the Church When Martin Luther required to be informed wherin he had erred Three thinges put to Luther by the Pope the Legate brought forth the extrauagants of Clement which beginneth Vnigenitus c. because that he contrary to that Canon had held taught in his 58. proposition that the merites of Christ are not the treasure of indulgences or pardons Secondly the cardinall contrary to the seuenth proposition of Luther affirmed that fayth is not necessary to him that receaueth the sacrament Furthermore an other day in the presence of 4. of the Emperours Counsaile hauing there a Notary and witnesses present Luther protested for himselfe and personally in this maner following In primis I Martine Luther a Fryer Augustine protest that I do reuerence and followe the Church of Rome in all my sayinges and doings present past and to come Protestation of M. Luther before the Cardinall And if any thing haue bene or shal be said by me to the contrary I count it and will that it be counted and taken as though it had neuer beene spoken But because the Cardinall hath required at the commaundement of the Pope three thinges of me to be obserued 1 That I should returne againe to the knowledge of my selfe 2 That I should beware of falling into the same agayne here after 3 That I shoulde promise to abstayne from all thinges which might disquiet the church of God I protest here this day that whatsoeuer I haue sayde seemeth vnto me to be sound true and Catholicke Yet for the further profe therof I doe offer my selfe personally eyther here or elswhere publikely to geue a reason of my sayinges And if this please not the Legate The aunswere of Luther with his propositions to the Cardinal I am ready also in writing to aunswere hys obiections if he haue anye agaynst me And touching these thinges to heare the sentence and iudgement of the Uniuersities of the Empyre Basill Friburge and Louane Hereof when they had receiued an answere in writing they departed After thys Luther by and by prepareth an aunswere to the Legate teaching that the merites of Christ are not committed vnto men that the popes voyce is to be heard when he speaketh agreably to the Scriptures that y e pope may erre that he ought to be reprehended Act. 15. Moreouer he shewed that in the matter of fayth not onely y e generall councell but also euery faythfull christian is aboue the Pope if he leaue to better authoritie and reason that the Extrauagant containeth vntruthes that it is an infallible veritie that none is iust that it is necessary for hym that commeth to the receiuing of the sacrament to beleue that fayth in the absolution and remission of sinnes is necessary that he ought not nor might not decline from the veritie of the Scripture that he sought nothing but the light of the truth Proteus was a monster noted in Poetes which could chaunge him selfe into al formes likenes c. But the Cardinall would heare no scriptures he disputed without scriptures deuised gloses and expositions of his owne head and by distinctions wherewith the Diuinitie of the Thomistes is full like a very Proteus he
into theyr handes wherefore it is manifest it can not be of Christ Christ submitted himselfe vnder temporall gouerment The cause touched why the Popes clergy will 〈◊〉 let the 〈◊〉 Testamâ—â—â— goe abâ—â—â—d the mother tonguâ— for he gaue more to the temporall kingdome he himselfe payd tribute to Cesar he tooke nothing froÌ„ him but taught that the high powers should be alwaies obeied yea he himself although he were most free Lord of al innoceÌ„t was obedient vnto y e high powers vnto death This is the great skabbe why they will not let y e new testameÌ„t go abroad in your mother toung least men should espye that they by theyr cloked hypocrisy do translate thus fast your kingdome into their haÌ„des that they are not obedient vnto your high power that they are cruell vncleane vnmercifull and hâ—pocrites that they seeke not the honor of Christ but theyr owne that remission of sinnes are not geuen by the Popes Pardon but by Christ for the sure fayth and trust that we haue in him Here may your grace well perceiue that except you suffer their hipocrisy to be disclosed all is like to runne into theyr handes and as long as it is couered so long shal it seme to euery man to be a great impiety not to geue them * For this I am sure your grace thinketh as the truth is I am as good a man as my Father why may I not as well geue them as much as my father did And of this minde I am sure are all the Lordes knightes squires gentlemeÌ„ yeomen in England yea and vntill it be disclosed all your people will think that your statute of Mortmaine was neuer made with no good coÌ„science seing that it taketh away the liberty of your people in that they may not as lawfully buy their soules out of Purgatory by geuing to the spiritualty as theyr predecessors did in times past Wherfore if you will eschew the ruine of your crowne dignity let theyr hipocrisy be vttred that shal be more speedefull in this matter then all the lawes that may bee made be they neuer so strong For to make a law for to punish any offender except it were more for to geue other meÌ„ an ensample to beware how they commit such like offence what should it auayle Of Doctour Alen the Cardinalls Chauncellour read before pag. 986. Of this Doct. Horsey the biâ—h of Londons Chauncellour read before pag. 807. Did not Doct. Alen most presumptiously now in your time agaynst al his allegiance all that euer he could to pull froÌ„ you the knowledge of such plees as belong vnto your high Courtes vnto an other Court in derogation of your crown and dignity Did not also D. Horsey and his complices most heinously as al the world knoweth murder in prison that honest Marchaunt Rich. Hunne for that he sued your writ of Premunire agaynst a priest that wrongfully held him in plee in a spiritual court for a matter whereof the knowledge belonged vnto your high Courtes And what punishment was there done that any man may take example of to beware of like offence Truely none but that the one payd 500. pound as it is sayd to the building of your chamber when that paymeÌ„t was once passed the Captaynes of his kingdome because he fought so manfully agaynst your crowne and dignity haue heaped to him benefice vpon benefice so that he is rewarded 10. tymes that is 10. times as much as he had in 〈◊〉 before not as he payde to the king And althoughe these murtherers of Hunâ—e were not recompensed with 10. times or withe 4. tymes as much which More denieth yet can he neuer be able to denie the substance of the story that is that Hunne by these was broughte to hys death that they being put to their fines wer afterward sufficiently recompeÌ„sed with benefices vpon benefices x. times as much The other as it is sayd payd 600. pound for him hys complices which for because that he had like wise fought so manfully against your crown and dignity was immediately as he had obteyned your most gracious pardon promoted by the captaynes of his kingdome wyth benefice vpon benefice to the value of foure times as much Who can take example of punishment to beware of suche like offence Who is he of their kingdome that will not rather take courage to commit like offence seing the promotions that fell to these men for theyr so offending so weake and blunt is your sword to strike at one of the offenders of this crooked and peruerse generation And this is by the reason that the chiefe instrument of your law Vnconuenient 〈…〉 spirituall man to be Lord Chauncellour yea y e chiefe of your Councell and he which hath your sword in his hand to whom also all the other instrumentes are obedient is alwayes a spirituall man which hath euer such an inordinate loue vnto his own kingdome that he will maintayne that though all the teÌ„porall kingdomes and common wealthes of the world should therefore vtterly be vndone Here leue we out the greatest matter of all least that we declaring such an horrible caren of euill agaynst the ministers of iniquity should seeme to declare the one onely fault or rather the ignorance of our best beloued minister of righteousnes which is to be hid till he may be learned by these small enormities that we haue spoken of to know it playnly himselfe But what remedy to releue vs your poore sicke lame and sore bedemen To make many hospitals for the reliefe of the poore people Nay truely The moe the worse for euer the fat of the whole fouÌ„dation hangeth on the Priestes beardes Diuers of your noble Predecessours kinges of this realme haue geuen landes to Monasteries to geue a certeine summe of mony yearely to the poore people wherof for the auncienty of the time they geue neuer one peny They haue likewise geuen to them to haue a certayne of masses sayd dayly for them wherof they say neuer one If y e Abbot of Westminster shold sing euery day as many masses for his founders as he is bound to do by his foundatioÌ„ a thousand Monkes were to few Wherefore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall sayle to releeue vs all your poore bedemen then take froÌ„ theÌ„ all these thinges Set these sturdy loubies abroad in the world to gette theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get theyr liuing with theyr labor in the sweat of their faces according to the commaundement of God Gen. 1. to geue other idle people by theyr example occasion to go to labor Tye these holy idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euery market Towne 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to the 〈◊〉 by putting out 〈◊〉 Frâ—ers and 〈◊〉 till they fall to labour that they by theyr importunate begging take not away the almes y t y e good christeÌ„ people wold geue vnto vs
receiued and made thys answere againe to them as followeth The kings answere to the rebels FIrst we begin and make answere to the fourth and sixt articles The kinges aunswere to the rebels because vpon them dependeth much of the rest Concerning choosing of Counsailours I neuer haue red heard nor knowen that Princes Counsailours and Prelates should be appoynted by rude and ignorant common people nor that they were persons meete or of habilitie to discerne and choose meete and sufficient Counsailours for a Prince How presumptuous then are ye the rude coÌ„mons of one shire and that one the most base of y e whole realme and of the least experience to finde fault with your Prince for the electing of his Counsailours and Prelates and to take vpon you contrary to Gods lawe and mans lawes to rule your Prince whom ye are bouÌ„d by al law to obey and serue with both your liues landes and goodes and for no worldly cause to withstand As to the suppression of religious houses Monasteries we wil that ye and al our subiects should wel know For suppression of religious houses that this is graunted vs by all the nobles spirituall temporall of thys realme and by al the commons in the same by Acte of Parlament and not set foorth by any Counsailour or Counsailours vpon their mere wil and fantasy as ye full falsely would perswade our realme to beleeue And where ye alleage that the seruice of God is muche diminished the trueth thereof is contrary for there bee no houses suppressed where God was well serued but where most vice mischiefe and abomination of liuing was vsed and that doth well appeare by their owne confessions subscribed wyth their owne handes in the time of their visitations and yet we suffred a great many of them more then we needed by the Acte to stand wherin In these visitations of religious houses horrible it is to read what wickednes and abomination was there founde and regystred by the vysitors if they amend not their liuing we feare we haue more to aunswere for then for the suppression of all the rest And as for the hospitalitie for the reliefe of the poore we wonder ye be not ashamed to affirme that they haue bene a great reliefe of poore people when a great many or the most parte hath not past foure or fiue religious persons in them diuers but one which spent the substaunce of the goodes of their houses in nourishing of vice and abhominable liuing Nowe what vnkindnes and vnnaturalitie may we impute to you and all our subiects that be of that minde which hadde leuer suche an vnthriftie sorte of vicious persons shoulde enioye suche possessions profites and emoluments as grow of the sayd houses to the maintenance of their vnthriftie life then we your naturall Prince soueraigne Lorde and King whych doth hath spent more in your defences of our owne then sixe times they be woorth As touching the acte of vses we maruaile what madnes is in your braine The acte of vses or vpon what ground ye wold take authority vpon you to cause vs to breake those lawes and statutes which by all the noble Knightes and Gentlemen of this Realme whom the same chiefly touched hath bene graunted and assented too seeing in no maner of things it toucheth you the base commons of our realme Also the groundes of all those vses were false and neuer admitted by law but vsurped vpon the prince contrary to all equitie and iustice as it hath bene openly both disputed declared by all the well learned meÌ„ in the Realm of Englande in Westminster Hall whereby yee may well perceiue howe madde and vnreasonable your demaundes be both in that and in the rest and howe vnmeete it is for vs dishonorable to graunt or assent vnto and lesse mete and decent for you in such a rebellious sort to demande the same of your Prince As touching the fifteene which yee demaunde of vs to be released thinke yee that we be so faint hearted The acte of fiftene that perforce ye of one shire were ye a great many mo could compell vs with your insurrections such rebellious demeanour to remitte the same or thinke yee that any man will or may take you to be true subiects that first make shewe a louing graunt and then perforce would compel your soueraigne Lord and King to release the same The time of paiment whereof is not yet come yea and seeing the same will not counteruaile the tenth peny of the charges whych we haue and daily do susteine for your tuition safegarde make you sure by your occasioÌ„s of these your ingratitudes vnnaturalnes and vnkindnes to vs now administred ye geue vs cause which hath alwayes bene asmuche dedicate to your wealth as euer was King not so muche to set our study for y e setting forward of the same seing how vnkindly and vntruly ye deale now wyth vs wythout any cause or occasion And doubt yee not though you haue no grace nor naturalnes in you to consider your duetie of allegiaÌ„ce to your king soueraigne Lord the rest of our Realm we doubt not hath we and they shall so looke on thys cause y t we trust it shal be to your confusion if according to your former letters you submit not your selues As touching the first frutes we let you to witte it is a thing graunted vs by Acte of Parlament also The acte of first fruites for the supportation of part of the great and excessiue charges which we support beare for the maintenaunce of your wealthes and other our subiects and we haue knowen also that yee our commons haue much complained in times passed that the most part of our goodes landes and possessions of the Realme were in the spirituall mens handes and yet bearing vs in hande that yee be as louing subiectes to vs as may be yee can not finde in your hearts that your Prince and soueraigne Lord should haue any part therof and yet it is nothing preiudiciall vnto you our commons but doe rebel and vnlawfully rise against your Prince contrary to the dueâ—y of allegiaunce Gods commaundement Syrs remember your follies and traiterous demeanours and shame not your natiue country of England nor offend no more so greuously your vndoubted king natural prince which alwayes hathe shewed him selfe most louinge vnto you and remember your duetie of allegiance and that yee are bound to obey vs your king both by Gods commandement and lawe of nature Wherfore we charge you eftsoones vppon the foresayde bondes and paines that yee wythdrawe your selues to your owne houses euery manne and no more to assemble contrary to our lawes and your allegiaunces and to cause the prouokers of you to thys mischiefe to â—e deliuered to our Lieutenaunts handes or ours and you your selues to submitte you to suche condigne punishment as wee and our nobles shal thinke you worthy for doubt you not els
this fourme ignoraunce sayth the Lawe marke it well I beseeche you al is the mother of all errours Ignorance mother of errour Which ought to be eschewed especially of Priests that among the people of God haue taken vpon theÌ„ the office of preaching priests are commaunded to reade holy Scriptures as sayth Paul the Apostle to Timothe Giue heede to reading exhortation 1. Tim. 4. and teaching and continue alwayes in the same Let priests therefore knowe holy Scripture and let all their labour be in preaching and teaching and let them edifie all men both in knowledge of fayth and in discipline of good workes Dist. 38. These be the wordes of the lawe in the Decrees Dist. 38. Where you see howe the Lawe lamenteth ignorance in al persons for it is the original of al errours God send vs therfore the knowledge of his true gospel Priestes to geue theÌ„selues rather to study theÌ„ to saying of mattens It biddeth that ignorance should be vtterly eschewed and principally of priestes whose labour and diligence shoulde be bestowed al in reading of scripture preaching the same bringing in for the same purpose the saying of the Apostle which willeth in like manner Moreouer it requireth that priests should giue al their study to edifie other in faith and vertuous liuing What priests ought to study Whereof I do gather both by the saying of the Prophet that willeth vs to be studyous in the Law of God day and night and by the saying of the Apostle whiche woulde haue Timothe to be occupied euer in reading and teaching and by the report of your owne Lawe which saith likewise that a priest ought to bestow al his labor in reading preaching So that a priest set thus truely to studye that hee may stablishe himselfe in the fayth of Christes doctrine intending after to helpe other with true preaching oâ— the same or doing other like deedes of charity assigned in the law of god shall not offend deadly if so spending his time he omitteth to say Mattens which is an ordinaunce of men Neuertheles concerning the huge multitude of such as be now made priestes by negligent admission of Bishops and their own presumption Negligence of Byshops in making priestes noted that labour to be made priests before they be any Clerkes and ere euer they knowe what is the very office of a priest do not feare to take vpon them if they may attayne therto to be a curate they recke not of how many so they may get a good lumpe of mony neuer minding after that the study of Scripture aâ—ter they are come to Dominus vobiscum for such I doe think long mattens to be needfull to restrayne them from other enormities that they should else runne in Of whiche you may be weary to see the experience thereof dayly arising Yea and if such woulde be content to admit it I woulde euery one mattens were as long to them as fiue except they could be stow theyr time better In the 26. where you doe aske whether I beleeue that the heades or rulers by necessity of saluation are bounde to geue vnto the people To the 26. article holy scripture in their mother language I say y t I think they are bound to see that the people may truely know holy Scripture I do not knowe how that may be done so well Scrypture in the vulgare tongue as by geuing it to them truly translated in the mother tongue that they may haue it by theÌ„ at al times to passe y e time godly when soeuer they haue leysure thereto like as they haue in Fraunce vnder y e French kings priuelege The French Byble translated into the French tongue with the kinges priuâ—ledge aboue 50. yeares before Lambertes time also with the priuiledge of the Emperour and so do I knowe that they haue had it these 50. yeres and 4. in Fraunce at the least and it was translated at the request of a king called I trowe Lewes as appeareth by the priueledge put in the beginning of the book In like manner haue they it in Flanders printed with y e priueledge of the Emperour In almayne also and Italy I suppose through all nations of ChristendoÌ„e Likewise hath it bene in England The Psalter translated by the king of England into the Saxon tongue Reade before pag. 145. S. Guthlakes Psalter as you may finde in the Englishe story called Polychronicon There it is shewed how wheÌ„ y e Saxons did inhabite the land the K. at that tyme which was a Saxon did himselfe translate the Psalter into the language that then was generally vsed Yea I haue seene a booke at Crowland Abbey whiche is kept there for a relique the booke is called S. Guthlakes Psalter and I ween verily it is a copy of the same that the king did translate for it is neither English Latine Greeke Hebrue nor Dutch but somewhat sounding to our English and as I haue perceiued sith the time I was last there being at Antwerpe the Saxon tongue doth sound likewise after ours and it is to ours partly agreable In the same story of Polychronicon is also shewed Bede translated the Gospell of S. Iohn into Englishe howe that S. Bede did translate the Gospell of Iohn into Englishe and the author of the same booke promised that he would translate into English all the Bible yea and perhaps hee did so but I wot not howe it commeth to passe all suche thinges be kept away They may not come to light for there are some walking priuily in darckenes that will not haue theyr doyngs knowen It is no lye that is spoken in the Gospel of Iohn Omnis qui male agit odit lucem All that doth noughtily Ioh. 3. hateth the light and will not haue theyr doynges knowne And therefore they keepe downe the light strongly for that opened and generally knowne The causes why the Scripture is not suffered to come to lighte all wrongfull conueyance should anone be disclosed and reprooued yea and all men shuld see anone whether those that hold agaynst vnrighteousnes being therfore sometime horribly infamed sclandered named heretickes and schismatickes were in deede as they be called or no. Yea moreouer I did once see a booke of the new Testament Diuers such testamentes are yet to be seene in diuers places of a longe continuance whiche was not vnwritten by my estimation thys C. yeares and in my minde right well translated after the example of that which is read in the church in Latine But he that shewed it me sayd he durst not be knowne to haue it by him for manye had bene punished aforetime for keeping of such and were conuict therefore of heresie Moreouer I was at Paules Crosse when the newe TestameÌ„t imprinted of late beyond the sea Errours found in the translated testameÌ„t where none was Malice neuer saith well was first forefended truely my hart lamented greatly to heare a
kindes The sacrament in both kindes excluded is not necessary ad salutem by the law of God to all persons and that it is to be beleued not doubted of but that in the flesh vnder forme of bread is the very bloud with the bloud vnder forme of wine is the very flesh as well aparte as they were both together The 3. Article Thirdly that priestes after the order of priesthoode receiued as afore may not mary by the law of God The 4. Article Fourthly that the vowes of chastity or widowhead Aduisedly that is made aboue the age of 21. yeares priestes onely excepted by maÌ„ or woman made to God aduisedly ought to be obserued by the law of God and that it exempteth them from other libertyes of christen people which without that they might enioy The 5. Article Fiftly that it is meete and necessary that priuate Masses be continued and admitted in this english Church and congregation as whereby good ChristeÌ„ people By these benefites of priuate masses is ment the helping of soules in Purgatory ordering themselues accordingly do receiue both godly goodly consolations and benefites And it is agreable also to Gods law The 6. Article Sixtly that auricular confession is expedient and necessary to be retayned and continued The 6. Article vsed and frequented in the Church of God After thâ—se Articles were thus concluded and coÌ„sented vpon the Prelates of the Realme craftely perceiuing that such a foule violent act could not take place or preuayle vnlesse straight and bloudy penalties were set vpon them they caused through theyr acustomed practise to be ordeyned and enacted by the king and the Lordes spiritual and temporall and the commons in the sayd Parliament as foloweth The penalties vpon the 6 Articles That if any person or persons within this Realme of England or any other the kings dominions The penaltyes vpon the 6. articles after the xij day of Iuly next comming by word writing imprinting ciphring or any otherwise shuld publish preach teach say affirme declare dispute argue or holde any opinion that in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar vnder forme of bread and wine after the consecration therof there is not preseÌ„t really Transubstantiation the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ conceiued of the virgin Mary or that after the sayd consecration there remayneth any substaunce of bread or wine or any other substance but the substaÌ„ce of Christ god and maÌ„ or after the time abouesayd publish preach teach say affirme declare dispute argue or hold opinion that in y e flesh vnderforme of bread is not the very bloud of christ or that with the bloud of Christ vnder the forme of wine is not the very flesh of Christ aswell aparte as though they were both together or by any of y e meanes abouesayd or otherwise preach teach declare or affirme the said sacrament to be of other substance then is abouesayd or by any meane contemne depraue or despise the sayd blessed sacrament that then euery such person so offeÌ„ding their ayders comforters counsellers consenters and abâ—eters therein being therof conuicted in forme vnder written by the authority abouesayd should be deemed and adiudged heretickes Suffering without any abiuration and euery of such offence should be adiudged manifest heresy that euery such offender and offenders should therfore haue suffer iudgemeÌ„t execution payn paynes of death by way of burning without any abiuratioÌ„ benefite of the cleargy or Sanctuary to be therfore permitted had allowed admitted or suffered Losse of goodes and also should therfore forfeit and loose to the kinges highnesse his ayres and successors all his or theyr honors manors castles landes tenementes rentes reuersions seruices possessions all other his or theyr hereditaments goods and cattell Opinion against the Sacrament of the aultar made treason termes and freeholdes whatsoeuer they were which any such offence or offeÌ„ces committed or done or at any time after as in any cases of high treason The penalty of the last v. Articles And as touching the other v. articles folowing the penalty deuised for them was this The penalties of the last 5. articles That euery such person or persons which do preach teach obstinately affirme vphold mainteine or defend after the 12. day of Iuly the sayd yeare any thing contrary to the same or if any being in orders or after a vow aduisedly made did mary or make mariage or contract matrimony in so doing should be adiudged as felones and lose both life and forfeit goodes as in case of felony without any benefite of the clergye or priuiledge of the Church or of Sanctuary c. Item that euery such person or persons which after y e day aforesayd by word writing printing cyphring or otherwise did publish declare or holde opinion contrary to the 5. articles aboue expressed being for any such offeÌ„ce duely conuict or attainted for the first time besides the forfayt of all his goodes and cattell and possessions what so euer should suffer imprisonment of his body at the kings pleasure for the second time being accused presented therof conuict should suffer as in case aforesayd of felony Item if any within order of pristhood before the time of the sayd Parliament had maryed or contracted Matrimony or vowed widowhead the sayd matrimony should stand vtterly voyd and be dissolued Item that the same daunger that belonged to priestes marying theyr wiues shuld also redound to the womeÌ„ maryed vnto the Priestes Inquisition vpoÌ„ the 6. articles Furthermore for the more effectuall execution of the premises it was enacted by the sayd Parliament that full authority of Inquisition of all such heresyes fellonies and contemptes should be committed and directed down into euery shyre to certayn persons specially therunto appointed of the which persons three at least prouided alwayes the Archbishop or bishop or his Chauncellor or his Commissarie to be one should sitte foure times at least in the yeare A bloudy inquisition hauing full power to take information accusation by the depositions of any two lawfull persons at the least as well as by the othes of xij men to examine and inquire of all and singuler the heresyes fellonyes and contempts aboue remeÌ„bred hauing also as ample power to make proces agaynst euery person or persons indited presented or accused before them also to heare determine the foresayd heresyes fellonyes contempts and other offences as well as if the mater had bene presented before the Iustices of peace in their Sessions And also that the saide Iustices in theyr Sessions euery Steward or vndersteward or his Deputy in theyr law daies should haue power by y e othes of xij lawfull men to enquire likewise of all singular the heresyes fellonyes contemptes and other offences and to heare and determine the same to all effectes of this present Acte c. Prouided withall that no person nor persons therupoÌ„
may easily be coniectured what these practisers haue likewyse done in the rest Thirdly by one Italian tricke of Polydore Uirgill in our daies An ItaliaÌ„ tricke of Polydore Virgill to burne his bookes which he had gotten into his handes the properties and doinges of all other Italian papists of elder time may partly be coniectured For so I am informed by such as precisely will affirme it to be true y t when Polydore being licensed by the king to viewe and searche all Libraries had once accomplished his storye by the help of such books as he had compiled out of Libraries in y e end when he had taken out what he would like a true factor for y e popes own tooth he piled his bookes together set them al on a light fire For what cause he so did I can not certaynly pronounce but who so considereth well his religion may shrewdly suspect him For a probatioÌ„ wherof this may serue for a sufficient tryall that whereas of all other writers of historyes that haue bene in EnglaÌ„d as of Fabian Lanquer Rastall More Leland Balle Halle such other some of their bookes which they then occupyed yet remayn in hands to be seene Onely of suche books as Polydore vsed and which past his handes what Englishe man is he that hath seene or can shewe me one Whereby it may wel be thought the foresaid information to be true As also by this one Italian tricke of Polydore may other Italians likewise be suspected in making away such Latin books within this land as made not for their purpose But for somuch as those Latine bookes be nâ—w abolished and can not be had let vs returne to our Saxon tongue agayne and see what this Saxon sermon of Elfricus translation doth say for transubstantiation The copy whereof here ensueth ¶ A Sermon translated out of Latin into the Saxon tongue by Aelfricus against Transubstantiation An. 996. In die Sanctae Pascae ¶ The Alphabet of the Saxon tongue ¶ a. b. c. d. d. e. f. f. È g. h. i. l. m. n. o. p. r. r. s. s. t. t u. Æ¿. w. x. y. y. z. z. Abbreuiations AE Ae. Þ. Th. Þ. Th. S. S. Æ¿. W. and. ð. th þ. th This Sermon was vsuall to be read in the Church here in England in the Saxons time An. 366. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same in English A Sermon on Easter day MEn beloued it hathe bene often sayde vnto you about our Sauiours resurrection A Sermon 〈◊〉 Saxon 〈◊〉 into transâ—â—â—ed into Englishe howe hee on this present day after his suffering mightely rose from deathe Nowe will we open vnto you through Gods grace of the holye housell which ye should nowe go vnto and instruct your vnderstanding about this mysterie both after the olde couenaunt and also after the newe that no doubting maye trouble you about thys liuely foode The almightye God bad Moses hys Captaine in the Lande of Egypt to commaund the people of Israel to take to euery family a lamb of one yere old the night they departed out of the countrey to the land of promise and to offer that lambe to God and after to cutte it and to make the ✚ ✚ This signe of the crosse is beside the text but here we must beare with the ignorance of that time Exod. 12. signe of the Crosse wyth the lambes bloud vpon the side postes and the vpper post of theyr doore and afterwarde to eate the Lambes flesh rosted and vnleauened bread with wilde lettisse God sayeth vnto Moyses Eate of the Lambe nothing rawe nor sodden in water but rosted at the fire Eate the heade the feete and the inwardes and lette nothing of it be left vntill the morning if anye thing therof remaine that shall you burne with fire Eate it in this wise Girde your loynes and doe your shoes on your feete haue you staues in your handes and eate it in haste The tyme is the Lordes Passeouer And there was slaine on that night in euery house through oute Pharaos raigne the firste borne childe and Gods people of Israel were deliuered froÌ„ that sodaine death through the Lambes offering his bloudes marking Then sayde God vnto Moyses Keepe this day in your remembraunce and holde it a great feaste in your kindredes wyth a perpetuall obseruation and eate vnleauened breade alwayes seuen dayes at this feaste Exod. 14. After thys deede God led the people of Israel ouer the red Sea with drye foote drowned therein Pharao and all his army together with theyr possessions and fedde afterward the Israelites 40. yeares wyth heauenly foode Exod. 17. and gaue them water out of the hard rocke vntill they came to the promised land Parte of thys storie we haue treated off in an other place partly we shall nowe declare to witte that which belongeth to the holye housell Christen men may not nowe keepe that olde lawe bodely but it behooueth them to knowe what it Ghostlye signifieth That innocent Lambe which the old Israelites did then kil had signification after Ghostly vnderstanding of Christes suffering who vnguiltie shedde his holy bloud for our redemption Hereof sing Gods seruaunts at euery * * This Masse was not theÌ„ 〈◊〉 to these 〈◊〉 Popishe 〈◊〉 blasphemous masâ—es 〈◊〉 Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vppon vs. Those Israelites were deliuered from that sodaine deathe and from Pharaos bondage by the lambes offeryng which signified Christes suffering through which we be deliuered from euerlasting death and from the deuils cruell raigne if we rightly beleue in the true redemer of the whole world Christ the Sauiour That Lambe was offered in the euening and our sauiour suffered in the sixt age of this world This age of this corruptible worlde is reckened vnto the euening They marked with the lambes bloud vppon the doores and the vpper postes * * This Hebrewe letter Thau was not marked for the signe of the crosse but for the word â—orat that 〈◊〉 the law of God the first letter for the whole world Ezech. 9. Thau that is the signe of the crosse and wer so defended from the Angels that killed the Egyptians first borne childe And wee * * That oneâ—y crosse is it wherewith we are marked that S. Paule speaketh of Ephe 2. Christ reconciled both to God 〈◊〉 one body through 〈◊〉 crosse ought to marke our foreheades and our bodies with the token of Christes roode y t we may be also deliuered from destruction when we shal be marked both on forehead and also in heart with the bloude of oure Lordes suffering Those Israelites dyd eate the lambes flesh at their Easter time when they were deliuered and we receiue ghostly Christes body
drynke his bloude when we receiue with true beliefe that holye housell That time they kept with them at Easter 7. daies with great worship when they were deliuered from Pharao and went from that land So also Christen men keepe Christes resurrection at the time of Easter these 7. dayes because throughe his suffering and rising we be deliuered and be made cleane by going to this holy housel as Christ sayeth in hys Gospell Verely verely I say vnto you ye haue no life in you excepte yee eate my flesh and drinke my bloud He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloude â—ohn 6. abideth in mee and I in him and hath that euerlasting life and I shall raise him vp in the last day I am the liuely bread that came downe from heauen not so as your forefathers did eate that heauenly breade in the wildernesse and afterwarde died Hee that eateth this breade liueth for euer Hee blessed breade before his suffering and deuided it to hys Disciples thus sayinge Eate of thys breade it is my body and doe this in my remembraunce Also hee blessed wyne in one cuppe â—ath 26. 〈◊〉 22. â—arkke 14. Cor. 11. and sayd Drinke ye all of this This is my bloude that is shedde for manye in forgeuenesse of sinnes The Apostles did as Christ commanded that is they blessed breade and wine to housel againe afterward in his remembrance Euen so also their successours and all priestes by Christes commaundement do blesse bread and wine to housel in his name wyth the Apostolicke blessing Nowe menne haue often searched and doe yet often * * Note how Christes words were taken by signification before BereÌ„garius time search how bread that is gathered of corne and through fires heate baked may be turned to Christes body or howe wine that is pressed out of many grapes is turned through one blessing to y e Lords bloud Now say we to such men that some thinges be spoken of Christ by * * A necessary distinction signification and some be thinges certayne True this is and certayne that Christ was borne of a mayd and suffered death of his owne accord and was buryed and on this day rose from death He is sayde to be bread by signification and a Lambe a Lyon a mountayne He is called bread because he is our life and angels lyfe He is sayd to be a Lambe for his innocencie a Lyon for strength wherewith he ouercame the strong deuil But Christ is not so notwithstanding after true nature neither bread nor a lambe nor a lyon Why is then the holy house called Christes body or his bloud if it be not truely that it is called Why is the housell called christs body when it is not so truely Truely the bread and the wine which in the supper by the priest is hallowed shewe one thing without to humaine vnderstanding and an other thing within to beleuing mindes Without they be seene bread and wine both in figure in taste they be truely after theyr hallowing Christes body and his bloud through ghostly mistery An heathen childe is christened yet hee altereth not his shape without though he be chaunged within He is brought to y e fontstone sinfull through Adams disobedience howbeit he is washed froÌ„ all sinne within though he hath not chaÌ„ged his shape without * * The water in baptisme and bread wine in the Lordes supper compared Euen so the holy font water that is called the welspring of life is like in shape to other waters and is subiect to corruption but y e holy ghostes might commeth to the corruptible water through the priests blessing and it may after wash the body and soule from al sin through ghostly might Behold now we see two things in this one creature after true nature y t water is corruptible moysture and after ghostly mistery hath wholsom vertue So also iâ— we behold the holy housell after bodily vnderstanding then we see that it is a creature corruptible and mutable If we knowledge therein ghostly might theÌ„ vnderstand we that life is therein and that it geueth immortalitie to theÌ„ that eate it with beliefe Muche is betwixt the inuisible might of the holy housel and the visible shape of proper nature It is * * No transubstantiation naturally corruptible bread and corruptible wine is by might of Gods word truely christes body and bloud not so notwithstaÌ„ding bodily but ghostly Much is betwixt the * * Difference betwixt Christs naturall body and the Sacrament thereof body of Christ which he suffered in and the body that is hallowed to housel The body truly that Christ suffered in was borne of the flesh of Marie w t bloude and with bone with skin and with sinewes in humaine lims with a reasonable soule liuing and his ghostly body which we call the housel * * 1. Difference is gathered of many cornes without bloud and bone without limme w tout soule * * Not the body that suffered is in the housell and therefore nothing is to be vnderstand therein bodely but all is ghostly to be vnderstande Whatsoeuer is in that housel which geueth substaunce of life that is of the ghostly might and inuisible doing Therefore is that holy housell called a mysterie because there is one thing in it seene and an other thing vnderstanded That which is there * * 2. Difference seene hath bodely shape and that we do there vnderstande hath ghostly might Certainely Christes body whyche suffered death and rose from death neuer * * 3. Difference dieth hencefoorth but is eternal and vnpassible That housel is temporal not eternal Math. 15. * * 4. Difference corruptible and dealed into sundrye partes chewed betweene teeth and sent into the belly howbeit neuerthelesse after ghostly myght it is all in euery parte Many receiue that holy body and yet notwithstandinge it is so all in euery part after ghostly mysterie Though some chewe the lesse yet is there no more might notwithstaÌ„ding in the more parte then in the lesse because it is whole in all men after the inuisible might This mysterie is a * * 5. Difference pledge and a figure Christes body is truth it selfe Thys pledge we doe kepe mystically vntill that we be come to the truth it selfe and then is this pledge ended Truely it is so as we before haue sayde Christes body and his bloude not bodily but ghostly But now here the Apostles words about this misterie Paul the Apostle speaketh of the old Israelites thus writing in his epistle to faithful men Al our forefathers were baptised in the cloud and in the sea 1. Cor. 10. and all they did eate the same ghostly meat dranke the same ghostly drinke They drank truly of the stone that followed them and that stone was Christ Neither was that * * Note this exposition which is now a dayes thought newe Iohn 4.
ghost came in fyry lykenes to the Apostles in diuers tonges The Israelites should eate the lambs head and the feete and the purtenaunce and nothing therof must be leâ—te ouer night If any thing thereof were left they did burne that in the fire and they breake not the bones After Ghostly vnderstanding we doe eate the lambes head when wee take holde of Christes diuinitie in our beliefe Agayne when we take holde of his humanitie with loue then eate we the lambs feete because that Christe is the beginning and end God before all worlde and man in the end of this worlde What bee the lambes purtenaunce but Christes secrete precepts and these we eate when we receiue with the greedines the word of life There must nothing of the lambe be left vnto the mornig because that all Gods sayings are to bee searched with great carefulnesse so that all his precepts may be knowen in vnderstanding and deede in the nyght of this present life before that the last day of the vniuersall resurrection doe appeare If wee cannot searche out throughly all the mysterie of Christes incarnation then ought we to betake the rest vnto y e might of the holy ghost with true humilitie and not to search rashly of that deepe secretenes aboue the measure of our vnderstanding They did eate the Lambes flesh wyth theyr loynes girte In the loynes is the lust of the bodye and he whiche will receyue that housell shall couer or wrap in that concupiscence and take with chastitie that holy receite They were also shod What be shoes but of the hides of dead beasts We be truely shod if we match in our steppes and dedes the life of meÌ„ departed this life which please God with keeping of hys commandements They had staues in their handes when they did eate This staffe signifieth a carefulnes diligent ouerseeing And all they that best knowe and can shoulde take care of other men and stay them vp with theyr helpe It was inioyned to the eaters y t they should eat the lambe in haste for God abhoreth slouthfulnesse in his seruaunts and those hee loueth that seeke the ioye of euerlasting lyfe with quickenes and hast of minde It is written Prolong not to turne vnto God least the time passe away throughe thy slow tarrying The eaters mought not breake the laÌ„bs bones No more mought y e souldiers that did hang Christ breake his holy legges as they did of the two theeues that hanged on either side of him And the Lord rose from death sounde without all corruption and at the last iudgement they shall see him whom they did most cruelly wounde on the crosse This time is called in the Ebrue tongue Pasca in Latine Transitus and in English a Passeouer because that on this day the people of Israel passed from the land of Egypt ouer the red sea from bondage to the laÌ„d of promise So also did our Lorde at this time departe as sayeth Iohn the Euangeliste from thys world to hys heauenly father Euen so we ought to folow our head and to goe from the deuill to Christe from thys vnstable worlde to hys stable kingdome Howbeit we shoulde firste in this presente lyfe departe from vice to holy vertue from euill manners to good manners if we wil after this our lente life goe to that eternall life and after our resurrection to Christ. He bring vs to hys euerlastinge father who gaue hym to deathe for our sinnes To hym be honour and praise of well doynge world wythout ende Amen And thus I suppose it standeth cleare euidently prooued by course of al these ages afore recited from the time of Tertullian and Austen vnto the daies of this Elfricus aboue mencioned and after him that this newcome miracle of transubstantiation was not yet crept into the heades of men nor almost came in any question amongst learned meÌ„ nor was admitted for any doctrine in the Churche at least for any general doctrine of all men to be receiued til a M. yeare compleate after Christe that is till that Sathan began to be let at large Apoca. 20. For who euer heard in all the primitiue Churche or euer reade in the woorkes of the old ancient Doctors this question once to be asked or disputed whether any substance of bread and wine remained in the Lordes Supper Or what manne was euer so doltish to beleeue any suche thyng or euer called hereticke for not beleuing the same before the time of seduction that is before the 1000. yeares aforesayd were expired They that thinke 〈…〉 be otherwise then a new doctrine are ignorant of histâ—â—ieâ— and antiquity Wherefore they that stand so much vppon the antiquity of this Article as a doctrine which hath euer since Christes time bene receaued in the Church taught by the Apostles beleued of all Catholickes and confirmed by consent of all ages of Councels of natioÌ„s and people vnto this present day these I say either shewe them selues very ignoraunt in hystories and in all state of antiquitie or els most impudently they doe abuse the simple credulitie of the people To procede now farther in this discussion of antiquitie it followed that after the time of Elfricus aforesayde this matter of transubstantiation began firste to be talked off to come in question among a few superstitious monkes so that as blindnes and superstition began more and more to encrease Transubstantiation when it first came in question so the sayd grosse opinion still more and more both in number and authoritie preuailed in so muche that about the yeare of our Lord. 1060. the denying of transubstantiation began to be counted heresie And in thys number firste was one Berengarius a Frenche man Berengarius the first that euer was counted hereticke for denying traÌ„substantiation Vide Bulling De origine erroris Chronic Bibliandri Acta Concilij Romae habiti contra Berengarium and Archdeacon of Angeowe whyche of all Christen men which we read of was first called and counted an hereticke for denying of transubstantiation troubled for the same as ye shall heare This Berengarius liued in the time of Pope Leo 9. Uictor and Nicholas 2. which was about the yeare of our Lorde 1060. Albeit I doe finde our wryters heere in some discrepaunce For the most of them doe holde that he firste recanted vnder Pope Leo 9. in the Councel of Uercellense and afterwarde againe vnder Pope Nicholas 2. about the yeare 1062. as is to be gathered of Gratian De consecrat dist 2. Ego Berengarius where he sayth that Pope Nicholas did send about to Bishops and Archbyshops the Copie of his recantation Againe by the Actes of the Councell of Rome it there appeareth that the sayd Berengarius made this hys sayde last recantation vnder Pope Hildebrande called Gregory 7. But this difference of times is no great matter to stand vpon The truth of the story is this that when Berengarius had professed the truth of the
be these In Kent Raculfe Sandwich Rateburch Wodetun the Abbay of Limming with the lands and customes vnto the same monasterye belonging Saltwude c. Stocke and Denentun because they belonged of olde time to the Churche of S. Andrewe S. Andrewes Church in Rochester them he restored to the same Churche In Sutherey Murtelac the Abbay of S. Mary in London with the landes and houses which Liuingus Priest and his wife had in London All these Lanfrancke restored agayne for the health of his owne soule freely and without money Liuingus Priest maried man c. * A note for the legitimation of Priestes children ex termino Michael Anno 21. Henr. 7. fol. 39. page 2. NOte that in the xix yeare of this King in an Assise at Warwicke before Syr Guye Fairfax and Syr Iohn Vauisour it was found by Verdite M. 21. H. 7. that the father of the tenaunt had taken the order of Deacon and after married a wife and had issue the tenaunt dyed and the issue of the tenaunt did enter Vpon whome the pleyntife did enter as next heyre collaterall to the father of the tenaunt A Deacō taketh a wife hath issue dyeth the issue adiudged not Bastarde Vpon whome he did reenter c. and for difficultie the Iustices did adiourne the Assise And it was debated in the Escheker chamber If the tenaunt shall be a Bastard c. And heere by aduise it was adiudged that he shall not be bastard c. ¶ Frowicke chiefe Iustice sayd to me in the xix yeare of Henry the vij in the common place that he was of counsayle in this matter and that it was adiudged as before which Vauisour did graunt ¶ And Frowicke sayd that if a Priest marry a wife and hath issue and dyeth his issue shall inherite for that the espousals be not voyde but voydable ¶ Vauisour if a man take a Nunne to wife this espousall is voyde ☞ Note that in the latter Impression of Henry the vij yeares of the lawe this word Priest in this case aforesayd in some bookes is left out whether of purpose or by negligence I leaue it to the Reader to iudge * Another note for legitimation of Priestes children AD Curiam generalem D. Philippi D. Mariae Dei gratia c. xvj die Iulij Anno Reg. dict Regis Reginae primo tertio irrotulatur sic Praesentatum est per totum homagium quòd Symon Heynes * Clericus diu antè istam Curiam vid. per duos annos iam elapsos fuit sesitus secundum consuetudinem huius Manerij in dominio suo vt de feodo de in duabus acris terrae percellis de xxxv acris dimidij terrae nuper in tenura Ioannis Heynes Ac. de in vno tenemento vocat Bernardes nuper in tenura Ioannis Cotton Ac de in lvij Acris iij. rodis terrae pasturae siue plus siue minus prout iacent in campis de Myldenhall praedicta in diuersis pecijs vt patet in Curia hic tenta die Iouis proximo post festum Sancti Lucae Euangelistae An. regni Regis Henrici viij xxxviij Necnon de in xij acris terrae natiuae iacentibus in Townefield Twamelfield in diuersis pecijs Ac de in quatuor Acris dimidio terrae iacentibus in Myldenhall praedicta Ac de in quinque rodis terrae iacentibus in Halywelfield Qua propter praemissa idem Symon nuper habuit ex sursum redditione Willielmi Heynes prout pater in Curia hic tenta die Martis proximo post Dominicam in Albis Anno regni Regis Edwardi vj. primo Et sic sesitus idem Symon de omnibus supradictis praemissis inde obijt solus sesitus Et quòd Ioseph Heynes est filius haeres eius propinquior modo aetatis quinque annorum amplius Qui quidem Ioseph praesens hic in Curia in propria persona sua petit se admittie ad omnia supradicta praemissa tanquam ad ius haere ditatem suam Et D. Rex D. Regina ex gratia sua speciali per Clementum Heigham militem Senescallum suum concesserunt ei inde sesinam tenendam sibi haeredibus assignatis eius per virgam ad voluntatem dict D. Regis D. Reginae secundum consuetudinem huius Manerij per seruitia redditus inde debita c. Saluo iure c Et dat Domino Regi D. Reginae v. lib. de fine pro ingressu suo habendo fidelitas inde respectuatur quousque c. Et vlterius consideratum est per Curiam quòd dict Ioseph est infra aetatem vt praefertur Ideo determinatum est concessum est per consensum Curiae quòd Ioanna Heynes nuper vxor praedicti Simonis ac mater predicti Ioseph habebit custodiam eiusdem Ioseph quousque idem Ioseph peruenerit ad suam legitimam aetatem Concerning these vj. Articles passed in this Acte aforesayd in the 21. yeare of King Henry sufficiently hetherto hath bene declared first what these Articles were secondly by whom and from whom chiefly they proceded thirdly how erroneous pernicious repugnant and contrarious to true doctrine christian religion and the word of God to nature also it selfe all reason and honesty and finally to the auncient lawes customes and examples of our forcelders during the daies of a thousande yeares after Christe they were Fourthly yee haue heard also what vnreasonable and extreme penaltie was set vpon the same that a man may deeme these lawes to be written not wyth the inke of Steuen Gardiner but with the bloud of a Dragon or rather the clause of the Diuell The breach whereof was made no lesse then treason and felony and no lesse punishment assigned thereto then death Besides all this the wordes of the Acte were so curious and subtile that no man could speake wryte or cyphar against them without present daunger yea scarcely a man might speake any word of Christ and his Religion but he was in perill of these vj. Articles Ouer besides the Papistes began so finely to interprete the Act that they spared not to indite men for abusing their countenance behauiour in the Church So great was the power of darkenesse in those dayes And thus much concerning this Acte Besides these vj. Articles in this foresaide Acte concluded there was also another constitution annexed withall not without the aduise as may seeme of the Lord Cromwell which was this that Priestes and Ministers of the Church seing now they would needes thēselues be bound from all Matrimony should therefore by law likewise be bound to such honesty and continencie of life that carnally they should vse accustome no maner of woman maried or single by way of aduoutrie or fornication the breache whereof for the first tyme was to forfaite goodes to suffer imprisonment at the Kings pleasure and
Aidanus Ceadda king Ulferus Oswius Elfreda King Oswys daughter Kineburga Hilda Botulphus Edeldreda King Oswald Edgar Erkenewaldus Bishop Ethelwoldus Bishop of Winchester Osketellus Archbishop of Yorke Oswaldus Bishop of Worcester Leswinus Byshop of Dorcester Dunstane and diuers other The end and final cause why they were builded appeareth in stories to be The ende and cause of building religious houses pro remissione redemptione peccatorum pro remedio liberatione animae pro amore coelestis patriae in eleemosinam animae in remissionem criminum pro salute Regnorum pro salute requie animarum patrum matrum fratrum sororum nostrarum parentum omnium benefactorum in honorem gloriosae Virginis c. As may appeare in auncient histories in olde Charters and donations vnto religious houses and in the Chronicle of Ingulphus as also all other stories be full of the same So King Ethelstane for killing his brother Edwyne builded two Monasteries The damnable doctrine and institutions of religious sectes and orders Midleton and Michelneye for his soule page 152. Which doctrine and institution for so much as it tendeth and soundeth directly against the foundation of Christian religion against the TestameÌ„t of God the Gospel of Iesus Christ the freedome of our redemption and free iustification by fayth it is therfore to be condeÌ„ned as execrable and horrible as euil or worse then the life of the persons and not only worthy to be suppressed to the foundation but to be maruelled rather that God woulde suffer it to stand so long Gods conâ—â—nual plaâ—â—â—gaynst Moâ—â—steryeâ— Albeit Gods mighty vengeance and scourge hath not ceased from time to time to worke againste suche impious foundations from the time of theyr first setting vp For besides the inuasions of the Danes whiche may seeme to be stirred vp of God especially for the subuersion of Abbeyes let old hystories be searched what Monasterie almost in all this Realme was eyther leaft by the Danes or reedified agayne after the Danes but by some notorious casualty of fire sent by Gods hand it hath bene burnt vp First the Monasterie of Caunterbury called the house of S. Gregory was burnt an 1145. and afterward againe burnt an 1174. Ex hist. Geruasij The Abbey of Croyland also was twise burnt Ex hist. Ingulphi The Abbey of Peterborow twise set on fire an 1070. Ex Chron. Peterb The Abbey of S. Maries in Yorke burnt with the hospitall also The Abbey of Norwich burnt The Abbey of S. Edmunds Bury burnt and destroyed Ex Chron. S. Edmund The Abbey of Worcester burnt The Abbey of Glocester was also burnt The Abbey of Chichester burnt The Abbey of Glastenbury burnt The Abbey of S. Mary in Southwarke burnt The Church of the Abbey at Beuerley burnt The steeple of the Abbey of Euesham burnt These with many other monasteries mo Abbeyes burnt and 〈◊〉 within fire God brought downe to the ground so that few or none of all the Monasticall foundations in all England either before the Conquest escaped the hands of the Danes and Scottes or else after the Conquest escaped destruction of fire and that not without iusâ—â—â—use deserued The doctrin of the monkes worse then their liues for as the trade of their lyues was too too wretched and bestiall so the profession of theyr doctrine was intollerable fraught with all superstition full of much Idolatrie and vtterly contrary to the grace of the Gospell and doctrine of Christ. Furthermore the more these Abbeyes multiplyed and the longer they continued in time the more corruption still they drew vnto them And albeit we reade the name of Monkes to haue continued from the old auncient time yet notwithstanding the Monkes of those dayes were not like to the Monkes of our time nor their houses then like to our Abbeyes nowe So we reade of the Monkes of Bangor before the comming of Augustine but those Monkes got their liuing with toyle and labour of theyr hands and had no other lands nor lordships to liue vpoÌ„ 16. q. 1. Moâ—â—chus 16 q. 2. 〈◊〉 caus◠〈◊〉 Againe neither were they as Ministers then but as Laye men according as Hierome describeth the Monkes of his time sayeng Monachus non docentis sed plangentis habet officium And againe he sayeth Alia causa est Monachi alia Clerici Clerici oues pascunt Ego pascor That is A Monkes office is not to preache but to mourne The state of a Monke is one thing and the state of a Priest is another Priestes feede the flocke of Christ. I am fedde c. Also in the storie of Ingulphus Abbot of Croylande Ex 〈…〉 thus I finde an 1075. In Croylandiam primum installatus inueni tunc in isto Monasterio Croylandési Monachos numero 62. Quorum quatuor laici fratres erant praeter aliorum Monasteriorum Monachos nostri capituli conprofessos c. That is Lay 〈…〉 Being installed in the Abbey of Croyland I found there to the number of lxij Monkes Of which Monkes foure of them were laye breethren besides the Monkes of other Monasteries which were also professed to our Chapter c. The like matter also appeareth in the fourth Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon where it is prouided Ne Monachi se Ecclesiasticis negotijs immisceant c. Et Leo Epist. 62. Vetat Monachos laicos etsi scientiae nomine glorientur admitti ad officium docendi concionandi Whereof reade more page 154. Thus it appeareth about or before the time of Hierome that Monkes in the firste persecutions of the Primitiue Church were lay men and companies of Christians associating themselues together eyther for feare of persecution or for eschewing the company of heathen Gentiles Afterward in continuance of time when the Gentiles began to be called to Christianitie the monkes yet keeping theyr name growing in superstition woulde not ioyne with other Christians but keepe still their brotherhoodes diuiding themselues from other Christians and professing a kinde of life straunge and diuers from the common trade UpoÌ„ this diuersitie of life and profession folowed also like diuersitie of garments and attire differing from their other breethren After this moreouer came in the rule of S. Benedict enioyning to them a prescribed forme of goyng of wearing of watching sleeping rising praying of sileÌ„ce sole life and diet and all thinges almost differing from the vulgar sort of common Christians Whereby men seeing theyr austerity beganne to haue them in great admiration Monkes diuers from other in apparell And thus growing vp in opinion of hoâ—â—nes of lay men and laborers they came at length to be Clergy men and greatest doers of all other in Christes religion In so muche that at last there was none reputed almost for a religious man or perfect christian vnles he were a monk neither almost was any aduauÌ„ced to any dignity of the Church but either he was a monke or afterward he put on a
Christ refuseth the office of a ciuill iudge the which thing hee would not haue done if it had bene agreeable vnto his office or duety The like thyng also he did in the 8. chapter of Iohn When as he refused to geue iudgement vppon the woman taken in adulterye which was brought before hym Where as they doe alledge that Moyses did supply both offices at once An obiection made by the example of Moyses supplying both the offices aunswered vnto I aunswer that it was done by a rare miracle Furthermore that it continued but for a time vntill things were brought vnto a better state Besides that there was a certayne forme and rule prescribed him of the Lord then tooke he vpon hym the ciuill gouernaunce and the priesthood he was commaunded to resigne vnto hys brother that not w tout good cause for it is agaynst nature that one man should suffise both charges wherefore it was diligently foreseene and prouided for in all ages Neither was there any Bishop so long as any true face or shew of the Church did continue who once thought to vsurpe the right and title of the sword Whereupon in the tyme of Saint Ambrose this Prouerbe tooke his original that Emperours did rather wishe or desire the office of priesthood then Priests any Empire For it was all mens opinions at that tyme that sumptuous pallaces dyd pertayne vnto Emperoures and Churches vnto Priestes Saint Bernard also writeth many thyngs which are agreeable vnto this our opinion Palaces to Princes Churches perteyne to Priestes as is this his saying Peter could not geue that which he had not but he gaue vnto hys successours that which he had that is to say carefulnesse ouer the congregation for when as the Lord Maister sayth that he is not constitute or ordained Iudge betwene two the seruaunt or Disciple ought not to take it scornefully Peter could not geue that he had not Peter had no Lordly dominion Ergo Peter could not giue Lordly dominioÌ„ to his successors if that he may not iudge all men and lest that he might seme in that place to speake of the spiritual iudgement he straight way annexeth Therfore sayth he Your power and autoritie shall be in offence and transgression not in possessions For this purpose and not for the other haue you receyued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Why then do you inuade other mens bounds or borders The rest I will passe ouer for breuities cause The 7. Article Falsly and against the honour state and reuerence of the sacred maiestie of the kyng of Scottes The vii Article he hath said holden and affirmed that our most noble king of Scottes defender of the Christian fayth would appropriate vnto him selfe all the possessions landes and rentes of the Church geuen and graunted by his predecessors and also by himselfe and conuert them vnto hys owne priuate vse And for this ende and purpose as he hath many tymes written vnto him so hath he with his whole endeuour perswaded our sayd noble Lord and kyng therunto Borthwike It is no maruell though these mad dogges do so barke agaynst me whom they thinke to haue councelled y e kings Maiesty I would to God I had also throughly perswaded hym that he should take away from these vniust sacrilegious possessours the riches wherewithall they are fatted and engreased lyke Swyne For this is the nature of dogs that if any man go about to take away the boane out of their mouth by and by to snatche at hym and teare hym with theyr teeth It is out of all controuersie vnto such which haue any wit at all that such were very childish that is to say ignoraunt of all learnyng and iudgement which did so fat and feede with their possessioÌ„s these belly beastes For who would not iudge it more then childish A coÌ„parison betwene our belly Priestes and the Priestes of Baale to bestow the kyngs vitayles or meate vpon the bellies of the Prophets of Baal and Iesabell But all they which at this present do endue such filthy sinkes I wyll not call them deus of thieues with such reuenues they do follow the steps of Iesabell for what other thing do they when as daily they are bleating and bowyng before theyr Images burnyng of incense and fall flat downe before their altars but y t which in tymes past y e prophets of Baal dyd when as they transported the worship of God vnto an Idoll Wherefore if Daniel and Helias were spotted with heresie when they would haue destroyed the Priests of Baall I graunt that I also must be an hereticke But forsomuch as then he did nothyng but which was coÌ„maunded hym of the Lord that was able to kyll the Prophet which had allured the people to follow strange gods he could not truly and iustly be accused of heresie so neyther can my aduersaries spot me therewithall except peraduenture they will condemne in me that where as Elias delt more rigorously with the Prophetes of Baall for he cast them into the broke Kidron I required or desired no more but that the riches which was wickedly bestowed vpon them and theyr possessions might be taken froÌ„ them The 8. Article He willed and desired and oftentimes with his whole heart prayed that the church of Scotland might come and be brought to the same poynt and state and to lyke ruine as the church of England was already come vnto Borthwike If the church of Israel decayed when as in the tyme of Zorobabell Nâ—emias and other holy men it was released and set at libertie out of Babilon I graunt also that it was a ruine vnto the Englishmen to haue departed and gone away out of Babylon the mother of all whoredome vpon whose rotten and filthy paps and brests they haue a long tyme depended and hanged beyng made drunke with the wyne of her whoredome and vnshamefastnesse They had rather cause to geue me thankes which wyth so sincere and good a heart wished vnto them so happy a fall But these vnthankfull persones thought it not enough w t slaunder and reproch to teare me asunder but that now also as blynd rage and madnesse hath taken away all sinceritie and vprightnesse of mynde and iudgement to lye in wayte and lay snares for my lyfe The 9. Article He hath openly holden sayd and affirmed preached and taught that the lawes of the Church that is to say the sacred Canons approoued and allowed by the holy Catholike and Apostolike church to be of â—o force strength or effect alledging therfore and affirmyng that they are made and inuented contrary to the law of God Borthwike God forbid that I should say that those things which are approoued and allowed by the holy Catholike Church should be of no effect or valew For well I know that the holy Apostolicke church hath neuer allowed ordained or taught any thyng which she hath not learned of the Lord the apostles are witnesses
Pope Leo with what heape of tragicall wordes and exclamations doth he fare and rage agaynst y e true seruant of God poore Luther for disturbing y e church of God when it is the Pope onely his fathers house that troubleth and long hath troubled the true Church of the Lord as by his doings all the world may see enough to much In the meane time read I besech thee with iudgement this impudent false slaunderous Bull of the Pope with the appeale also of Luther agayn from the sayd pope The copy wherof because they be rare to be gotten hath not bene hetherto commonly sene being before omitted I thought to coÌ„mit here to history as I had it out of certayn Registers the maner tenor wherof is this as foloweth A copy of the Bull of Pope Leo x. no lesse sclaunderous then barbarous agaynst Martin Luther and his doctrine Leo Papa .x. LEo Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam Exurge Domine iudica causam tuam The Bul of pope Leo agaynst M. Luther Memor esto impropriorum eorum quae ab insipientibus fiunt tota die Inclina aurem tuam ad preces nostras quoniam surrexerunt vulpes querentes demoliri veneam cuius tu torcular solus calcasti ascensurus ad patrem eius curam regimeÌ„ Que sequntur vide superiore aeditione Pag. 1459. administrationem Petro tanquam capiti tuo vicario eiusque successoribus instar triumphantis Ecclesiae commisisti c. ¶ The sayd sclaunderous and barbarous Bull of Pope Leo the x. agaynst Luther in English with the aunswere of Luther ioyned to the same LEo Byshop seruaunt of the seruauntes of God for a perpetual memory hereof Rise vp O Lord iudge thy cause Remember the rebukes wherewith we are scorned all the day loÌ„g of foolish rebukers Encline thy eare to our prayers The Popes Bull in Engliâ—he for Foxes are risen vp seeking to destroy thy vineyarde the vinepresse wherof thou onely hast trodeÌ„ and ascending vp to thy Father hast committed the charge and regiment therof vnto Peter as chiefe head and to thy Uicare and his successors The wilde Bore out of the woode seeketh to exterminate and roote vp thy Uineyard Rise vp Peter and for this thy pastorall charge committed to thee from aboue enteÌ„d to the cause of the holy Church of Rome the mother of all churches Note here and marke good reader how the Church of Rome holdeth by the bloud of S. Peter not by the bloud of Christ. and of our fayth which thou by the commaundement of God didst consecrate wyth thine owne bloud agaynst which as thou hast foretold vs false lyers haue risen vp bringing in sects of perdition to their owne spedy destruction Whose touÌ„g is like fire full of vnquietnes and replenished with deadly poysoÌ„ who hauing a wicked zeale and nourishing contentions in theyr harts do bragge and lye agaynst the verity Rise vp Paul also we pray thee which hast illuminate the same Church with thy doctrine and like martyrdome For now is sprong vp a new Porphecy who as they said Porphyry then vniustly did sclaunder the holy Apostles so semblably doth this man now sclaunder reuile rebuke byte and barcke agaynst the holy Byshops our predecessors not in beseeching them but in rebuking them And where he distrusteth his cause there he falleth to opprobrious checkes rebukes after the wonted vse of heretickes whose vttermost refuge is this as Hierome sayth y t wheÌ„ they see theyr cause go to wracke then like Serpentes they cast out theyr venime with theyr toung and when they see themselues neare to be ouercome they fall to rayling For though heresies as thou sayest must needes be for the exercise of the faythfull yet least these heresies should further encrease and these Foxes gather strength agaynst vs it is needfull that by thy meanes and helpe they be suppressed and extinguished at the beginning Finally let all the whole vniuersall Churche of Gods Saynts and Doctours rise vp whose true expounding of holy Scripture being reiected certayne persons whose hartes the father of lyes hath blinded and wise in theyr owne conceites as the maner of heretickes is do expouÌ„d the scriptures otherwise then the holy Ghost doth require folowing onely theyr owne sense of ambition and vayne-glory yea rather do wrast and adulterate the Scriptures so that as Hierome sayth now they make it not the gospel of Christ but of man or which is worse of the deuill Let all the holy church I say rise vp wiâ—h the blessed Apostles together make intercessioÌ„ to almighty God that the errors of all schismatickes being rooted stocked vp his holy Church may be conserued in peace and vnity For of late which for sorrow we can not expresse by credible information and also by publick fame it hath come to our eares yea we haue seene also read with our eyes diuers and sundry errors of which some haue bene condemned by counsels and constitutions of our predecessors containing expresly y e heresies of the Greekes of the Bohemians Respectiuely some agayn respectiuely either heretical or false or sclaunderous or offensiue to good eares or such as may seduce simple myndes newly to be raysed vp by certayne false pretensed Gospellers who by curious pride seeking worldly glory against the doctrine of the apostle would be more wise then becommeth them whose babling as S. Hierome calleth it without authority of the Scriptures should finde no credit vnlesse they should seme to coÌ„firme theyr false doctrine euen with testimonies of the scripture but yet falsely interpreted Which worketh vs so much the more grief for y t those heresies be sprong in y e noble nation of the Germaines vnto the which natioÌ„ we with our predecessors haue alwayes borne speciall fauor and affection For after the Empyre was first translated by the Church of Rome from the Greekes vnto the Germaines the said our predecessors and we haue alwayes had them as speciall fautors defenders of this our Church and they haue alwaies shewed themselues as most earnest suppressors of heresies as witnes wherof remaine yet those laudable coÌ„stitutions of the Germane Emperors set forth and confirmed by our predecessors for the liberty of the Church and for expulsing heretickes out of all Germany and that vnder greuous penalty and losse of al theyr goods and lands Which constitutioÌ„s if they were obserued this present day both we and they should now be free from thys disturbaunce The Germaines in olde tyme most addicted to popery aboue al other nations Furthermore the heresy of the Hussites Wicleuistes of Hierome of Prage being condeÌ„ned and punished in the CouÌ„cel of Constance doth witnes y e same Moreouer doth witnes the same so much bloud of y e Germanes spilt fighting agaynst the Bohemians To coÌ„clude the same also is confirmed witnessed by the learned true confutatioÌ„ reprobation and condeÌ„nation
the Moone were no Idoles for suche thinges there be as the Sunne and the Moone and they were in the Image then so represented as painting caruing doth represent them And the Image of Ninus and Cesar The 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 is false therforâ— Winchesters 〈◊〉 to be abâ—â—lished and as some writeth the Images of al the 12. chosen Gods as they called theÌ„ were the Images of once liuing men And it might be sayde that the Image of God the father hath no such eies nose lippes and a long gray beard with a furred robe nor neuer had as they kerue paint him to haue But if that be a false Image and an Idoll which is otherwise worshipped accepted then it ought to be as the brasen Serpent being a true Image and representation of Christ by abuse was made an Idoll it may be thought in times past and peraduenture howe at this time in some places the Images not onely of S. Iohn or S. Anne but of our Lady Christ be false Images and Idols representing to foolish blind ignorant mens harts and thoughtes that which was not in them and they ought not to be made forâ— The whiche were by you my Lord to haue bene remoued sooner and before that y e captayn there should haue need to haue done 〈◊〉 But if your Lordship be slacke in such matters he that remoueth false images and Idols abused doth not a thing worthy blame Christ called not the mony hauing Cesars Image in it an Idoll when it was vsed to lawfull vses and to pay the due tâ—ibute with all But when a man doth not vse those Images grauen in mony to do his neighbor good and the common wealth seruice S. Paule Christes disciple called that couetousnes and the seruing and bondage to Idols So that eueÌ„ in mony may be idolatry if we make to much of those Images whiche Christ here doth not reprehend There be some so ticklish and so feareful one wayes and so tender stomacked that they can abide no old abuses to be reformed but thinke euery reformatioÌ„ to be a capitall enterprise agaynst al Religion and good order as there be on the contrary side some to rash who hauing no consideration what is to be done headlong wil set vpoÌ„ euery thing The Magistrates duety is betwixte these so in a meane to sit and prouide that olde doting should not take further or deeper ruâ—t in the common wealth neyther auncient error ouercome the seene and tryed trueth nor long abuse for the age and space of time onely still be suffered and yet all these with quietnesse and gentlenesse and without all contention if it were possible to be reformed To the whyche your Lordship as a man to whom God hath geuen greate qualities of witte learning and persuasion coulde bring great helpe and furtherance if it were your pleasure with great thankes of men reward of God The which thing is our full desire and purpose and our harty dayly prayer to God that in the kinges Maiesties time whose Maiesties reigne God preserue al abuses with wisedom reformed Christes Religion with good and polliticke order of the commom wealth without any contention and strife among the kinges Subiectes might florish and daylye encrease And thys to youre Lordships letter sent to maister Uaughan of Portesmouth Winchester to the Lord Protector MAy it please your Grace to vnderstande that I haue noted some poyntes in my Lord of S. Dauids Sermon which I sende vnto you here with whereby to declare vnto you some part what I thinke for the whole I cannot expresse somewhat I shall encomber you with my â—abling but he hath encombred some freÌ„des more with his taâ—ling And alas my Lord this is a piteous case that hauing so muche businesse as ye haue these inward disorders should be added vnto theÌ„ to the courage of such as would this Realme any wayes euill For this is the thinge they would desire with hope therby to disorder this realme being now a time rather to repayre that needeth reparation theÌ„ to make any new buildings which they preteÌ„d Quiet tranquility vnity coÌ„cord shall mainteine estimatioÌ„ The conÌ„trary may animate the enemy to atteÌ„pt that was neuer thought on which God forbid There was neuer attemptate or alteration made in England but vpon coÌ„fort of discorde at home and woe be to them that mindeth it If my Lord of S. Dauides or such others haue theyr head coÌ„bred with any new platforme I would wish they were coÌ„mauÌ„ded betwene this and the kings maiesties full age to draw the plat diligently to hewe the stones dig the sand chop the chalke in the vnseasonable time of building and when the kings maiesty commeth to full age to present theyr labors to him and in the meane time not to disturbe the state of the realme whereof your Grace is Protectior but that you may in euery part of religion lawes landes and decrees which foure contein the state deliuer the same to our soueraygn Lord according to the trust you be put in whiche shall be much to your honor as all honest men wish and desire To which desired effect there can be nothyng so noysome coÌ„trarious as trouble disquiet Wherin your Grace shal be specially troubled as on whose shoulders al the weight lieth and what so euer shall happen amisse by the faultes of other shal be imputed to your Grace as doer therof or wanting foresight in time to withstand the same And albeit that you minde not to be faulty in either yet if the effecte be not to the Realme as were to be wished the prince and though he were of age should be excused and y e gouernors here the blame And this is y e infelicity of preheminence and authority and specially in this Realme as storyes make mention which should not discourage you for you neede feare nothing without if quiet be reserued at home and at home if the beginning be resisted the inteÌ„ded folly may easily bee interrupted But if my brother of S. Dauids may like a champion with his sword in his hand make enter for the rest the doore of licence opened there shal moâ— by folly thrust in with him theÌ„ your grace would wish Thus as I thinke I write homely to your grace Wyly Winchester vnder pretense of geuing sage councell craâ—tely goeth about to incense set the Lorde Protectour agaynst all good men and all Godly proceedinges because you were content I should write wherin I consider onely to haue all thinges well And because your grace is the Protector and the chiefe dirâ—etor of the realme to preseÌ„t vnto your wisedome what my folly is I haue bene oftentimes blamed for fearing ouermuch and yet I haue had an incling that they that so blamed me feared eueÌ„ as much as I. Being in the state that you be iâ— it shal be euer coÌ„meÌ„dable to foresee the worst In quiet ye be strong in trouble ye
at length and discussed with my Lord of Caunterbury the vnderstanding of gods commaundement to the Iewes 〈◊〉 euery â—hing were 〈◊〉 oracle by 〈◊〉 by that 〈◊〉 Henry 〈◊〉 then â—inchester 〈◊〉 here a 〈…〉 so as all the Clearkes in Christedome could not amend it And where as one had denyed the Image of the Trinitye to be had by reasons as be touched in your Graces letters I heard his highnesse aunswere to them at another time And when hee had himselfe specially commaunded diuers Images to be abolished yet as your Grace knoweth he both ordered and himselfe putte in execution the kneeling and creeping before the Image of the Crosse and established agreement in that truth through all this Realme whereby all argumentes to the contrary be assoyled at once I would wysh Images vsed as the booke by his highnesse sette forth doth prescribe and no otherwise I know your Grace only teÌ„pteth me with such reasons as other make vnto you and I am not fully at liberty although I am bolde enough and some will thinke to bolde to aunswere some thinges as I woulde to an other man mine equall being so much inferiour to your Grace as I am but me thinketh Saynte Paules solucion during the kinges Maiesties minoritye should serue all Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus We haue no such custome in the Church When our soueraign Lord commeth to his perfect age which God graunt I doubt not but God wil reueale that shal be necessary for the gouerning of his people in religion Wherefore then serue the Scripture for reaâ—mes to be ruled by if God neuâ—â— reueale any thing in a reâ—â—me but by the kinges owne person in his mans age And if any thing shal be done in the meane time as I thinke there shall not by your Graces direction he may when he commeth to age say in the rest as I heare say he sayd nowe of late concerning procession that in his fathers time men were wont to folow procession vpon which the kinges maiestyes saying the procession as I heard was well furnished afterwardes by your Graces Commaundement which speach hath put me in remembraunce that if the Bishops and other of the Clergy should agree to any alteration in religion to the condemnation of any thing set forth by his Father whereby his father might be noted to haue wanted knowledge or fauor to the truth what he would say I can not tell but he might vse a maruellous speach and for the excellency of his spirite it were like he would and hauing so iust a cause against Bishops as he might haue it were to be feared he would And when he had spoken theÌ„ he might by his lawes do more then any would gladly suffer of our sort at these dayes for as the allegatioÌ„ of his authority represented by your grace shal be then aunswered as youre Grace now writeth vnto me that y t your Grace onely desired truth according to Gods scripture and it may be â—heÌ„ sayd we Bishops when we haue our soueraigne Lord head in minority we fashion the matter as we lust then some young man that would haue a piece of the Bishops landes shall say the beastly Bishops haue alwayes done so and when they can no longer mayntayne one of theyr pleasures of rule and superioritye then they take another way and let that go and for the time they be here spend vp that they haue which eat you and drinke you what ye list we together with Edamus bibamus cras moriemur And if we shall alleadge for our defence the strength of Goddes trueth and the playnesse of scripture with the word of the Lord and many gay termes and say we were conuinced by scriptures such an excellent iudgement as the kinges maiesty is like to haue will neuer credite vs in it ne be abused by such a vayne answere And this is a worldly polliticke consideration and at home for the noyse abroade in the world will be more slaunderous then this is daungerous And touching the bishop of Rome the doing in this realme hitherto hath neuer done him so much displeasure as an alteration in religion during the kinges Maiestyes minority should serue for his purpose for he wanteth not wits to beate into other princes eares that where his authority is abolished there at euery chaunge of gouernors shal be change in Religion and y t hath bene amongst vs by a whole consent established shall by pretence of an other vnderstanding in scripture streight be brought in questioÌ„ Canterbury and Duresme carped of Wynchester for they will geue it no other name but a pretence howe stiffely so euer we will affirme otherwise and call it Gods worde and here it should much be noted that my Lorde of Caunterbury being the high Bishop of the Realme highly in fauour with his late Soueraigne Lord and my Lord of Duresme a manne of renowmed fame in learning and grauity both put by him in trust for theyr councell in the order of the Realme shoulde so soone forgette theyr olde knowledge in Scripture sette forth by the Kynges Maiesties book and aduise to enuey such matter of alteration All which thinges be I knowe well by your Grace and them considered And therefore it is to me incredible that euer any such thing should be in deede with effect whatsoeuer the lyghtnesse of talke shall spread abroade whyche your Grace hath by Proclamation well stayed But and ye had not and the world talked so fast as euer they did I assure your Grace I woulde neuer feare it as men feare thinges they like not vnlesse I saw it in execution for of this sort I am that in all thinges I thinke shoulde not be done in reason I feare them not wherewith to trouble mee otherwise then to take heede if I canne and to the head Gouernours as now to your Grace shewe my minde and such experience hath euery manne of me that hath commoned with me in any such matters And therfore albeit your Grace writeth wisely that ouermuch feare doth hurt and accelerateth sometime that was not intended yet it needes not to me for I haue learned that lesson already and would a great many moe had which in deede should be a great stay And thus I talke with your Grace homely with multiplication of speache not necessary as though I meant to sende you as great a packet as I receyued from you One thing necessary to aunsweare your Grace in touching your maruell howe I know sooner thinges from thence then your Grace doth there whiche ariseth not vppon any desire of knowledge on my behalfe for euill thinges be ouersoone knowne not vpoÌ„ any slacknes of your graces behalf there who is is noted very vigilaÌ„t as your graces charge requireth But thus it is euen as it was when I was in some little authoritye they that were the euill doers in such matters would hide them from me So now they haue handled it otherwise for as for
made this aunswer againe That first touching the Article of submission he woulde in no wise consent affirming as hee had done before that he had neuer offended the kings Maiestye in any such sorte as shoulde geue hym cause thus to submit himselfe praying earnestly to be brought vnto his trial wherin he refused the kings mercy and desired nothing So ye right 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 turned 〈◊〉 altar to 〈◊〉 but iustice And for the rest of the articles he aunswered that after he were past his triall in this firste poynt and were at libertie then it should appeare what he would do in them not being as he said reasonable that he should subscribe them in prisone Of this answer when the king and hys counsel had intelligence by the foresayde Maister of the horse Secretarie Peter the bishop of London and M. Goodricke who had bene wyth him it was agreed that he should be sent for before the whole counsel and peremptorily examined once againe whether he would stand at this poynt or no which if he did then to denouÌ„ce vnto him the sequestration of his benefice and consequently the intimation in case hee were not reformed within 3. monethes as in the daye of his appearance shall appeare The tenor and words of which sequestration with the Intimation followeth The wordes of the Sequestration with the Intimation to the Bishop of Winchester FOr asmuch as the kings maiestie our most gratious soueraigne Lord vnderstandeth The tenour of of the sequestration read to Winchester and it is also manifestly knowne and notorious vnto vs that the clemency long sufferaunce of his maiestie woorketh not in you y e good effect and humblenes and conformitie that is requisite in a good subiect and for that your first disobediences coÌ„teÌ„pts and other misbehauiours for the which you were by hys Maiesties authoritie iustly coÌ„mitted to warde haue â—ithes your said committing dayly more more increased in you in such sort as a great slaunder and offence is therof risen in many parts of the realme whereby also much slander dissention trouble vnquietnes is very like more to ensue if your foresaid offences being as they be openly knowne should passe vnpunished The causes why this sequestratioÌ„ was laid against Winchester we let you wit that hauing speciall and expresse Commission and commaundement from his Maiesty aswell for your contumacies and contempts so long coÌ„tinued and yet daily more increasing as also for the exchange of the slaunder offence of the people which by your sayd ill demeanours is risen and for that also the Church of Winchester may be in the meane time prouided of a good minister that may and will see all things done quietly executed according to lawes and common orders of this Realme Winchester sequestred from his Byshopricke for sondry other great and vrgent causes we do by these presentes sequester all the fruites reuenues landes and possessions of your Bishopricke of Winchester discerne deeme iudge the same to be committed to the seueral receite collection and custody of such person or persons as his Maiesty shall appoynt for that purpose And because your former disobediences and contemptes so loÌ„g coÌ„tinued so many times doubled renued and aggrauated do manifestly declare you to be a person without all hope of recouery plainly incorrigible we eftsoones admonish and require you to obay his maiesties said coÌ„maundement and that you do declare your selfe by subscription of youre hand both willing well conteÌ„ted to accept allow preach and teache to others the sayde articles and all suche other matters as be or shal be set forth by his maiesties authority of supreme head of this church of England on this side within the terme of 3. monthes whereof we appoynt one month for the first monition one month for the second monition and warning and one moneth for the third and peremptorie monition Within which time as you may yet declare your coÌ„formitie and shal haue paper Intimation geuâ— to Winchester pen and inke when you wil cal for them for that purpose so if you wilfully forbeare and refuse to declare your self obedient and conformable as is aforesayd we intimate vnto you that his maiestie who like a good gouernor desireth to keepe both his coÌ„mon wealth quiet and to purge the same of euill men especially ministers entendeth to proceede against you as an incorrigible person and vnmeet minister of this church to depriuation of your sayd bishopprike Neuertheles vpon diuers good considerations and specially in hope he might within his time be yet reconciled it was agreed that the sayd bishops house seruants should be maintained in their present estate vntill y e time that this Iniunction should expire the matter for the meane time to be kept secrete After this sequestration the sayde B. was commensed vnto Lambeth before the Archbishop of Cant. other the kings commissioners by vertue of the kings speciall letter sent vnto the sayde Commissioners to witte to the Archbyshop of Caunterburie Nicholas bishoppe of London The names of the Commissioners delegate in the cause of SteueÌ„ Gardineâ— Thomas bishop of Ely Henry bishop of Lincoln Secretarie Peter Syr Iames Hales knight Doctour Leyson Doctor Olyuer lawyers and Iohn Gosnold Esquire c. before them and by them to be examined by whome were obiected against him 19. special articles in order and forme heere following Articles and positions ministred ioyntly and seuerally obiected to the B. of Winchester IN primis that the kings Maiestie iustly and rightfully is and by the lawes of God ought to be the supreme head in earth of the Church of England and Ireland Articles ministred agaynst Winchester by the Commissioners and so is by the Clergie of this realme in their conuocation and by the Act of Parliament iustly and according to y e lawes of God recognised 2 Item that his maiestie as supreme head of y e saide churches hath full power and authoritie to make and set suche Lawes Iniunctions and ordinances for and concerning Religion anâ— orders in the said churches for the increase of vertue and repressing of all errours heresies and other enormities and abuses 3 Item that all and euery his graces subiectes are bound by the lawes of God to obey all his highnesse saide lawes Iniunctions and proceedings concerning religion orders in the sayd Churches Winchester sworne to the kinges supremacy 4 Item that you Steuen B. of Winchester haue sworne obedience to his Maiestie as supreme head of this Church of England and also of Ireland 5 Item that all and euery his graces subiects that disobey any of his sayde Maiesties lawes Iniunctions ordinances and proceedings already set forth published or hereafter to be set foorth published ought worthely to be punished according to his graces Ecclesiasticall lawes vsed within thys his realme Winchester after his oth fouÌ„d disobedient to the king and his proceedinges 6 Item that you
time of king Henry the thirde the same time the Barons as our Lordes do now demaunded aide of the Maior and citie of London and that in a rightfull cause for the common weale which was for y e execution of diuers good lawes against y e king which would not suffer those lawes to be put in execution and the citie did aide them it came to an open battel and the Lordes preuailed against y e king and tooke the king and sonne prisoners and vpon certaine conditions the Lordes restored the kinge and his sonne againe to their liberties among all other conditions thys was one that the king should not only graunt his pardon to the lordes but also to the citizens of London the which was graunted yea and the same was ratified by act of parlament But what folowed of it Was it forgotteÌ„ No surely nor forgeuen neither during the kings life The liberties of the citie were taken away straungers appoynted to be our heads and gouernours the Citizens geuen awaye body and goods and from one persecution to an other wer most miserably afflicted Such is it to enter into the wrath of a Prince as Salomon sayeth The wrath and indignation of a Prince is death Wherfore for as much as this aide is required of the kinges Maiestie 〈◊〉 wrath 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 whose voyce wee ought to hearken vnto for he is our high Shepehearde rather then vnto the Lordes and yet I woulde not wishe the Lordes to be clearely shaken off my counsell is that they wyth vs and we with them maye ioyne in sute and make our moste humble petition to the kings maiestie that it would please his highnes to heare such complaint against the gouernement of the Lorde Protectoure as maye be iustly alleaged and prooued and I doubte not but thys matter will be so pacified that neither shal the king nor yet the Lordes haue cause to seeke for further aide neither we to offende any of them both After this tale the Commons stayed and the Lorde Maior and his brethren for that time brake vppe till they had further communed wyth the Lordes To make short I lette passe what order by the Citie was taken 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 noted 〈◊〉 the City leuied 〈◊〉 men but they were not 〈◊〉 But the conclusion was that the Lordes vppon what occasion I knowe not sate the next daye in Counsaile in the Starre chamber from thence sente sir Philip Hobby wyth theyr letter of credence to the kings maiestie beseeching his maiestie to geue credit to that which the sayd sir Philip should declare vnto his maiestye in their names and y e king gaue him liberty to speake and most gently heard all that he had to say Who so haÌ„dled the matter declaring his message in the name of the Lords that in the end the Lord Protector was commaunded from the kings presence The Lord Protector committed to prison in Winsore castle The Lord Protector committed to the towâ—â— Articles obiected against the â—ord Protectour shortly was committed to warde in a tower within the castle of Windsore called Bewchamp Tower and soone after were stayed sir Tho. Smith maister Whalley master Fisher many other gentlemen that attended vpon the Lorde Protectour The same day the Lordes of the Counsaile resorted to the Kinge and the next day they brought from thence the Lorde Protector and the other that were there stayed and conueyed them through the Citie of London vnto the Tower and there left them Shortlye after the Lordes resorted vnto the Tower and there charged the Lorde Protectour with sundry articles as follow Articles obiected against the Lord Protectour 1 IN primis you tooke vppon you the office of Protectour and Gouernour vpon condition expressely and specially that you woulde doe nothinge in the kinges affaires publikely or priuately but by the assent of the late kinges executors 2 Also you contrary to the sayde condition of your owne authority did stay and let iustice and subuerted the lawes as wel by your letters as by your commaundements 3 Also you caused diuers persones being arested and imprisoned for treason murder manslaughter and felonie to be discharged and set at large against the kings lawes and statutes of this realme 4 Also you haue made and ordained Lieutenants for the kings armies other weighty affaires vnder your owne wryting and seale 5 Also you haue communed with the Ambassadours of other Realmes discoursing alone with them the waighty causes of this Realme 6 Also you haue sometime rebuked checked and taunted as well priuately as openly diuers of the kings moste honourable Counsailours for shewing declaring theyr aduises and opinions against your purposes in the kings waightye affaires sayinge sometimes to them that you neede not to open matters vnto them and would therfore be otherwise aduised and that you would if they were not agreeable to your opinyon put them oute and take other at your pleasure 7 Also you had and helde against the lawe in your owne house a Courte of Requestes and thereby did enforce diuers the kinges subiectes to answeare for their free holdes and goodes and determined the same to the subuersion of the same lawes 8 Also you being no Officer without the aduise of the Counsaile or the more part of them did dispose of the Offices of the kings gift for money and graunted leases and Wardes of the kings and gaue presentations to the kings benefices bishoprikes hauing no authority so to do And farther you did meddle with the selling of y e kings landes 9 Also you commaunded Multiplication and Alcumistry to be practised to abuse the kings coyne 10 Also you caused a proclamation to be made concerning enclosures wherby the common people haue made diuers insurrections leuied open warre and distreâ—ed spoyled diuers of the kings subiects which proclamation went foorth against the wil of the whole counsaile 11 Also you haue caused a commission with certaine articles thereunto annexed to be made our concerning enclosures of commons high wayes decaying of cottages and diuers other things geuing the Commissioners authority to heare and determine the same causes to the subuersion of the lawes and statutes of this realme whereby much sedition insurrection and rebellion haue risen and growen among the kings subiects 12 Also you haue suffered the rebels and traitours to assemble and to lie in campe and armor against the king his Nobles and gentlemen without any speedye subduing or repressing of them 13 Also you did comfort and encourage diuers of the sayde rebelles by geuing of them diuers summes oâ— your owne mony and by promising to diuers of them sees rewards and seruices 14 Also you in fauour of the sayde rebels did againste the lawes cause a Proclamation to be made y t none of the said rebels or traitors shuld be sued or vexed by any person for any their offences in the said rebellion to the clear subuersion of the same lawes 15 Also you haue
his comming and what were his desires and requestes In the which meane time the Court gate was kept shut vntill he had made an end of his Oration The tenour and wordes wherof here foloweth ¶ The tenour of Cardinall Pooles Oration made in the Parliament house â—â—rdinall â—â—oles O. 〈◊〉 in Parliament house MY Lordes all and you that are the Commons of thys present Parliament assembled which in effecte is nothing els but the state and body of the whole realm as the cause of my repayre hither hath bene most wisely grauely declared by my Lord Chancellor so before that I enter to the particularities of my Commission I haue somewhat touching my selfe and to geue most humble and harty thankes to the king and Queenes Maiesties and after them to you all which of a man exiled and banished from this CoÌ„mon wealth hath restored me to be a meÌ„ber of the lame of a man hauing no place neither here or els wher within this Realme haue admitted me in place where to speake and to be heard This I protest vnto you all that though I was exiled my natiue couÌ„try without iust cause as God knoweth yet the ingratitude could not pull from me the affection and desire that I had to profite doe you good If the offer of my seruice might haue bene receiued it was neuer to seek and where that could not be taken you neuer fayled of my prayer nor neuer shall But leauing the rehearsall thereof and comming more neare to the matter of my Commission I signify vnto you all that my principall trauell is for the restitution of thys noble realme to the auncient nobility and to declare vnto you that the Sea Apostolicke from whence I come hath a speciall More for the vauntage that was hoped by it then for any great loue respect to this realme aboue all other not without cause seing that God himselfe as it were by prouideÌ„ce hath geuen this realme prerogatiue of Nobility aboue other which to make more playne vnto you it is to be considered that this Iland first of all Ilandes receyued the light of Christes religion For as stories testifye England of all Ilandes receaued first the faith of Christ. it was prima prouinciarum quae amplexa est fidem Christi For the Britaines being first inhabitauntes of thys Realme notwithstanding the subiection of Emperours and heathen Princes did receiue Christes fayth from the Apostolicke Sea vniuersally and not in partes as other Countryes nor by one and one as Clockes increase theyr houres by distinction of times but altogether at once as it were in a moment But after that theyr ill merites or forgetfulnes of God had deserued expulsion and that StrauÌ„gers being Infidels had possessed this land yet God of his goodnes not leauing where he once loued so illuminated the hartes of the Saxons being Heathen menne that they forsooke the darckenes of heathen errors and embraced the light of Christes religion So that within small space idolatry and Heathen superstition was vtterly abandoned in this Iland This was a great prerogatiue of Nobilitye whereof though the benefite therof be to be ascribed to God yet the meane occasion of the same came froÌ„ the * That the fayth of the Britaine 's came first from Rome neyther doth it stand with the circuÌ„staunce of our storyes neyther if it so did yet that faith and doctrine of the Romanistes was not such then as it is now Read before Of this Offa read before Of Alcuinus read before church of Rome In the faith of which Church we haue euer since continued and consented with the rest of the world in vnity of religion And to shew further the feruent deuotion of the inhabitantes of this Iland towards the Church of Rome we read that diuers princes in the Saxons time w t great trauel expenses went personally to Rome as Offa Adulphus which thought it not enough to shew themselues obedient to the said Sea vnlesse that in theyr owne persons they had gone to that same place from whence they had receiued so great a grace and benefite In this time of Carolus Magnus who first founded the Uniuersity of Paris he sent into England for Alcuinus a great learned man which first broughte learning to that Uniuersity Wherby it seemeth that the greatest part of the world set the light of the religion from England Adrian the fourth being an EnglishmaÌ„ coÌ„uerted Norway from infidelity which Adrian afterwards vpoÌ„ great affection and loue that he bare to this Realme being hys natiue couÌ„try gaue to Henry the second king of England the righte and segniory of the dominion of Ireland which perteyned to the Sea of Rome I will not rehearse the manifolde benefites that thys Realme hath receiued froÌ„ the Apostolicke Sea nor how ready y e same hath bene to releiue vs in all our necessities Nay rather what riches and treasures the Sea of Rome hath suckt out of England it is incredible Nor I will not rehearse the manifold miseryes calamities that this realme hath suffered by swaruing from that vnity And euen as in this realme so in all other couÌ„tries which refusing the vnity of the Catholick sayth haue folowed fantastical doctrine the like plagues haue happened Let Asia and the Empyre of Greece be a spectacle vnto the world who by sweruing from the vnity of the Churche of Rome are brought into captiuity subiectioÌ„ of the Turk * The cause of their subiectoÌ„ to the Turke cannot be proued to come by swaruing from the vnitie of the church of Rome for they were neuer fully ioyned vnto it And as touching the subiection of Asia and Grecia to the Turkes read in the story of the Turkes before All stories be full of like examples And to come vnto the latter time looke vpon our neighbours of Germany who by swaruing from this vnity are miserably afflicted with diuersity of sectes and diuided in factions What shall I rehearse vnto you the tumultes effusioÌ„ of bloud y t hath happened there of late dayes Or trouble you with the rehearsall of those plagues that haue happened since this innouation of religion where you haue felt the bitternes and I haue heard the report Of all whiche matters I can say no more but such was the misery of the time And see how far forth this fury went For those that liue vnder the * And why theÌ„ do ye more cruell then the Turke persecute other for their conscience Turk may freely liue after theyr conscieÌ„ce and so was it not lawfull here If men examine well vpon what grounds these innouations began they shall wel finde that the rooâ— of this as of many other mischiefes was auarice and that the lust carnall affection of one man confounded al lawes both diuine and humaine And notwithstanding all these deuises and policies practised within this realme against y e church of Rome they needed not to haue lost you
much ado and a great number also to be sore afrayd Ye heard a little before the Councels letter sent to B. Boner signifiyng the good newes of Queene Mary to be not onely conceyued but also quicke with childe which was in the moneth of Nouember the xxviij day Of this child great talke began at this tyme to ryse in euery mans mouth with busy preparation and much ado especially amongst such as semed in England to cary Spanish hartes in English bodies In number of whom here is not to be forgotten nor defrauded of his condigne commendatioÌ„ for his woorthy affection toward his Prince and her issue one sir Rich. Southwel who being the same tyme in the parlament house when as the Lordes were occupied in other affaires matters of importance sodainly starting vp for fulnes of ioy brast out in these words folowing Tush my Maisters quoth he what talke ye of these matters I would haue you take some order for our yong maister that is now comming into the world apace The wordes of Sir Rich. Southwell â—n the Parliament house for his yong master lest he find vs vnprouided c. By the which words both of him and also by the foresaid letters of the counsaile and the common talke abroad it may appeare what an assured opinion was theÌ„ conceiued in mens heds of Queene Mary to be conceiued and quicke with child In so much that at the same tyme and in the same Parliament there was eftsoones a bill exhibited and an Act made vpon the same the words wherof for the more euidence I thought here to exemplificate as vnder followeth ¶ The wordes of the Acte ALbeit we the Lordes spirituall and temporal the commons in this present parliament assembled Ex sâ—at â—n 1. 2. Phil. Mar. cap. 10. haue firme hope confidence in the goodnes of almighty God that like as he hath hitherto miraculously preserued the Queenes maiesty from many great imminent perils and daungers euen so he will of his infinite goodnes geue her highnes strength the rather by our continuall prayers to passe well the danger of deliuerance of chylde The iudgement of the 〈…〉 in God 〈…〉 wherwith it hath pleased him to al our great comforts to blesse her Yet forasmuch as all things of this world be vncertaine and hauing before our eyes the dolorous experience of this inconstant gouernment during the tyme of the raigne of the late king Edward the 6. do plainly see the manifold inconueniences great dangers and perils that may ensue to this whole realme if foresight be not vsed to preuent all euill chances if they should happen For the eschewyng hereof we the Lordes spirituall temporall and the commons in this present Parliament assembled for and in consideration of a most speciall trust and confidence thot we haue and repose in the kings maiesty Order taken by Parliament for Q. Maries child for and coÌ„cerning the politike gouernment order and administration of this realm in the tyme of the yong yeres of the issue or issues of her maiesties body to bee borne if it should please God to call the Queenes highnes out of this present lyfe during the tender yeares of such issue or issues which God forbid according to such order and maner as hereafter in this present Acte his highnes most gracious pleasure is should be declared and set forth haue made our humble sute by the assent of the Queenes highnes that his maiestie would vouchsafe to accept and take vppon hym the rule order education and gouernment of the sayd issue or issues to bee borne as is aforesayd vpon which our sute beyng of his said maiestie most graciously accepted it hath pleased his highnesse not onely to declare that like as for the most part his maiesty verely trusteth that almighty God who hath hitherto preserued the Queenes maiesty to geue this realme so good an hope of certayne succession in the bloud royall of the same realme will assist her highnes with his graces and benedictions to see the fruite of her body well brought forrh Trust disapoynted lyue and able to gouerne whereof neither all this realme ne all the world besides should or coulde receiue more comfort then his maiesty should and would yet if such chaunce should happen hys maiesty at our humble desires is pleased and contented not onely to accept and take vpoÌ„ him the cure and charge of the education rule order and gouernmeÌ„t of such issues as of this most happy Mariage shall be borne betweene the Queenes highnes and him but also during the time of such gouernment would by all wayes and meanes study trauaile and employ hymselfe to aduance the weale both publike priuate of this realme and dominions thereunto belonging according to the sayd trust in his maiestye reposed with no lesse good will and affection then if his highnesse had bene naturally borne amongst vs. In consideration whereof be it enacted by the King and the Quenes most excellent maiesties by the assent of the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the authoritie of the same c. as it is to be seene in the Acte more at large ratified and confirmed at the same Parliament to the same entent and purpose ¶ Thus much out of the Acte and statute I thought to rehearse to the entent the Reader may vnderstand not so much how Parliaments may sometimes be deceiued as by this childe of Queene Mary may appeare as rather what cause we Englishmen haue to render most earnest thanks vnto almighty god who so mercifully against the opinion expectatioÌ„ and working of our aduersaries hath helped deliuered vs in this case which otherwise might haue opened such a window to the Spaniardes to haue entred and replenished this land that peradueÌ„ture by this tyme Englishmen should haue enioyed no great quiet in their owne countrey the Lord therefore make vs perpetually myndfull of his benefits Amen Thus we see then how man doth purpose but God disposeth as pleaseth him For all this great labour prouision and order taken in the Parliament house for their yoÌ„g maister long looked for commyng so surely into the world in the end appeared neither yong maister nor young maistresse that any man yet to this day can heare of Furthermore as the labour of the lay sort was herein deluded The Prayers of the Papistes of what litle effect they are with God so no lesse ridiculous it was to behold what litle effect the prayers of the Popes Churchmen had wyth almighty God who trauailed no lesse with their processions Masses and Collects for the happy deliueraunce of thys yong maister to come as here followeth to be seene ¶ A prayer made by D. Weston Deane of Westminster daily to be sayd for the Queenes deliueraunce O Most righteous Lord God which for the offence of the first woman hast threatened vnto all women a common sharpe A prayer for
God hath dealt vnto them and to the diuersitie of the gifts of the spirite geuen vnto them But let vs nowe consider y t if it be Gods good will and pleasure to geue hys owne beloued heart that is hys beloued church and the members therof into the handes of theyr ennemies to chasten trie prooue them and to bryng them to the true vnfained acknowledging of theyr owne naturall stubburnnesse disobedience towardes God and his commaundements as touching the loue of God and of their brethren or neighbours and their naturall inclination readinesse desire to loue creatures to seeke their owne lusts pleasures and things forbidden of God to obtaine a true and earnest repentaunce and sorowfulnesse therefore and to make them to sigh and crie for the forgeuenesse of the same and for the aide of the spirite daily to mortifie and kill the saide euill desires and lustes yea and often falling into grosse outwarde sinnes as did Dauid Peter Magdalen and other to arise againe also thereout with a mighty crying for mercy wyth many other causes lette vs also consider what he hereafter doeth with the said enemies into whose hands he hath geuen his tenderly beloued dearlings to be chastened and tried Forsothe wheras he but chasteneth his dearlings and crosseth them for a small while accordinge to his good pleasure as all fathers doe with their children Heb. 12. Prouerb 3. Gods iusticâ— vpon his enemies and persecuters He vtterly destroyeth yea and euerlastingly damneth the vnrepentant enemies Let Herode tell me what he wanne by killing Iames and persecuting Peter and Christes tender dearlings and beloued spouse and wife hys Churche Uerely God thought him not worthy to haue death ministred vnto him by meÌ„ or Angels or any worthy creatures but those small and yet most vile beastes lice and small wormes must consume and kill his beastly vile and tirannous body Pharao and Nabuchadonoser for all their pride and most mighty power must at the length let Gods dearlings go freely away out of their land yea out of their bandes and tirannie For when it could not be obtained at theyr handes that Gods congregation mighte haue true mercy ministred vnto them but the counterfaite mercye of these our dayes that is to saye extreeme crueltie and euen the very and that most horrible and cruel death God arose and awoke out of his sleepe and destroyed those ennemies of his flock with a mighty hand and a stretched out arme Pharao did wyth moste great and intollerable labors and burdens expresse and bring vnder the poore Israelits and yet did the Courtiers vndoubtedly noyse abroade that the king was mercifull vnto them to suffer them to liue in his land and to sette them aworke that they might gette them theyr liuings If he shoulde thruste them out of hys lande whether should they go like a sort of vagabunds and runagates This title name of mercy wold that tyaÌ„t haue and so did his flattering false Courtiers spreade hys vayne praise abroade Haue not wee the like examples nowe a dayes O that I had nowe time to wryte certaine thyngs pertaining to our Winchesters mercy Winchesteâ—â— mercy Howe mercifull hee hath bene to me and to my good brethren I will not speake of neither yet vnto the Duke of Suffolkes moste innocent daughter and to her as innocent husband For althoughe their fathers were faultie yet had their youth and lacke of experience deserued a pardon by all true merciful mennes iudgements O that I had time to painte out thys matter a right but there be many aliue that can doe it muche better when I am deade Pharao had hys plagues and hys moste flourishinge lande was by his counterfaite mercye whych was in deede righte crueltie and abhominable tyrannie vtterly destroyed And thinke yee that thys bloudy butcherly Byshoppe of Winchester and his moste bloudie brethren shall escape Or y e Englande shall for theyr offences and specially for the maintenaunce of theyr Idolatrie and wilful following of them not abide a great brunt Yes vndoubtedly If God looke not mercifully vpon England Ann. 1554. â—ebruaâ—y the seedes of vtter destruction are sowen in it already by these hypocriticall Tyrauntes and Antichristian Prelates Popishe Papistes and double Traytours to theyr naturall Countrey And yet they speake of mercy of blessing of the Catholicke Church of vnitie of power and strengthening of the Realme This double dissimulation will shew it selfe one day when the plague commeth which will vndoubtedly light vpon these crowneshorne capteines and that shortly whatsoeuer the godly and the poore Realme suffer in the meane while by Gods good sufferaunce and will Spite of Nabuchodonosors beard and maugre his heart the captiue thrall and miserable Iewes must come home agayne and haue their Citie and temple builded vp agayne by Zorobabell Esdras and Nehemias c. And the whole Kingdome of Babylon must go to ruine and be taken in of straunges the Persians and the Medes So shall the disperpled English flocke of Christ be brought againe into theyr former estate or to a better I trust in the Lorde God than it was in innocent Kyng Edwardes dayes and our bloudy Babylonicall Byshops and the whole crowneshorne companye brought to vtter shame rebuke ruyne decaye and destruction for God can not and vndoubtedly wyll not suffer for euer theyr abhominable lying false doctrine theyr hypocrisie bloudthrist whoredome idlenesse theyr pestilent lyfe pampored in all kynde of pleasure theyr thrasonicall boasting pryde theyr malicious enuious and poysoned stomackes which they beare towardes hys poore and miserable Christians Peter truely warneth that if iudgemente begynneth at the house of God what shall be the ende of them that beleeue not the Gospell If the righteous shall scant be saued where shall the vngodly and sinfull appeare Some shall haue theyr punishmente heere in thys worlde and in the worlde to come and they that doo escape in thys worlde shall not escape euerlastyng damnation Thys shall bee youre sauce O yee wicked Papistes make yee merry heere as long as yee may After that I. Rogers as yee haue heard had bene long straitly imprisoned Febr. 4. lodged in newgate amoÌ„gst theeues ofteÌ„ examined and very vncharitably intreated at leÌ„gth vniustly and most cruelly by wicked Winchester coÌ„demned the 4. of February M. Rogers warned to prepare to death in the yeare of our Lord 1555. beeyng Monday in the morning hee was warned sodenly by the kepers wife of newgate to prepare himself to the fire who then being sound a slepe scarse with much shogging could be awaked M. Rogers 〈◊〉 At length being raysed and waked and byd to make haste then saide he if it be so I neede not to tye my poyntes M. Rogers coulâ— not be 〈◊〉 of Boner to 〈◊〉 to his wife before his burning M. Rogers brought to Smithfield and so was had downe first to Boner to bee disgraded That done hee craued of Boner but one petition Boner asking what that
haue dedicate themselues vnto Christ in fayth to liue purely and chastly then let them so remayne without any fable and stronglye stedfastly abide the rewarde of virginitye But if they will not abide or els cannot abide then it is better to mary then for to fall into the fire of concupiscence And let theÌ„ geue to the brethren sisterne none occasion of sclaunder c. ¶ Saynt Augustine in his booke De bono coniugali ad Iulianum CErtayne men doe affirme those men to be aduouterers that doe marry August de Bono coniugali ad Iulianum after that they haue vowed chastity But I do affirme that those men do greuously sinne the whiche do separate them c. ¶ Ambrose 32. Quest. 1. Cap. Integritas The Pope his Byâ—hops commaundeth and counselleth not to mary yea to burne men for marying CHastitye of the bodye ought to bee desired of vs the whiche thing I do geue for a counsell and do not commaund it imperiously For Virginity is a thing that alonelye ought to be couÌ„selled but not to be commaunded it is rather a thing of voluntary will and not a precept ¶ A briefe recapitulation out of Doctour Taylours causes afore touched for the Reader more euidently to see how the Papistes do agaynst their own knowledge in forbiddinge Pristes Mariage THe Popes Clergy forbidding Ecclesiastical persons to mary do against their conscience knowledge as may well be proued by these causes hereunder folowing 1. First they know that Matrimony in the old testament De iure institutionis is indifferently permitted to all menne without any exception 2. Secondly they know that in the old Testament De facto both Priestes Leuites Prophets Patriarches and al other had theyr wiues 3. Thirdly they know that Matrimony was permitted instituted of God for two principall endes to wit for procreation and auoyding of sinne 4. Fourtly they know that in the old testameÌ„t God not onely instituted and permitted Matrimony to be free but also induceth appoynteth meÌ„ to mary and take wiues in these wordes It is not good for a man to be alone c. 5 Fiftly they know that in the new testament S. Paule permitteth the state of Matrimony free to all men hauing not the gift of continency and forbiddeth none 6. Sixtly they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paule not only permitteth but also expressely willeth chargeth men hauing not the gift to mary saying For auoyding fornication let euery man haue his wife c. 7. Seuenthly they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paul not onely permitteth and commauÌ„deth but also commendeth and prayseth the state of Matrimonye Hebr. 13. Calling it honorable and the bedcompany to be vndefiled c. 8. Eightly they know that in the new testament Christ himselfe not onely was not conceiued nor borne of the virgine before she was espoused in matrimonye but also that both he and his blessed mother did beutify and honour the state of matrimony with their presence yea in the same began his first miracle 9. Ninthly they know both by the old testament new that mariage is no impediment to walke in the obedieÌ„ce of Gods commandement for both Abraham caryed into the land of Canaan his old yea and barrayne wife the vertuous woman Sara with him also to Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid and other their mariage was no impedemeÌ„t to them to talk with God neither to other Leuites bishops and Priestes in the time both of the old testament of the new Agayne neither was it a let to Peter Philip other both to haue their wiues with them and also to supply the office of Apostleship 10. Tenthly they know both by the old testameÌ„t new y t sinnefull fornicatioÌ„ adultry depriueth man of Gods fauor graces of the holy Ghost which graces especially be requisite in men of the Church 11. Eleuenthly they know in theyr owne secret conscience by experience that neither they which enioyne this vow of chastity nor they which take it doe obserue the vowe of chastity Whereupon rise inconueniences more then can be expressed but the Lord aboue knoweth all besides the secret murders peraduenture of many a poore infant c. 12. Twelfthly they knowe by S. Cyprian Epist. 11. and S. Augustine Lib. De bono coniugali ad Iulianum that a vowe is no impediment sufficient to let Matrimony or to diuorce the same 13. Thirtenthly they know that Chrysostome affirmeth it to be an heresy to say that a byshop may not haue a wife 14. Fourtenthly they know that S. Ambrose 32. q. 1. Integritas will haue no commaundement but counsel onely to be geuen touching the obseruing of virginity 15. Fiftenthlye they knowe that before the time of Pope Hildebrand that is during that time of 1000. yeares after Christ mariage was neuer restrained by any forceable necessity of vow from men of the Church 16. Sixtenthly they know that S. Paul calleth it the doctrine of deuils to forbid meates and maryage which God hath left free with thankes geuing for necessity of man and woman After that Doct. Taylour thus with great spirite and courage had aunswered for himselfe and stoutly rebuked his aduersaries for breaking their oth made before to king Henry and to king Edwarde his sonne and for betraying the realme into the power of the Romain bishop they perceiuing that in no case he could be styrred to their wils and purpose that is to turne with them from Christ to Antichrist committed him therupon to prison againe where he endured till the last of Ianuary * D. Taylour the fourth tyme with M. Bradford and M. Saunders brought before Winchester and other Byshops VPon which day yeare aforesayd Gardineâ— Hopton Boner Capon Tonstall D. Tailour and M. Bradford and M. SauÌ„ders were agayne called to appeare before the byshop of Winchester the bishop of Norwich of London of Salisbury and of Duresme and ther were charged agayne with heresy schisme and therfore a determinate answere was required whether they woulde submit themselues to the Romayne byshop abiure there errors or els they would according to theyr lawes proceed to theyr condemnation When D. Taylour and his felowes M. Bradford and M. Saunders heard this they answered stoutly and boldly The conâ—â—cye of thâ— men that they would not depart froÌ„ the truth which they had preached in king Edwards dayes neither would they submit themselues to the romish Antichrist but they thanked God for so great mercy that he would cal them to be worthy to suffer for his word and truth When the Bishops saw them so boldly constanly and vnmoueably fixed in the truth Sentence death 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 they read y e senteÌ„ce of death vpon them which wheÌ„ they had heard they most ioyfully gaue God thankes and stoutly sayde vnto the Byshops We doubt not but God the righteous Iudge will require our bloud at your handes and
not to kneele nor knocke to the visible shew or externall shewe of the Sacrament And the queres of Carmarthen and other places there are not close at the sides so that the people may come in and forth at theyr pleasure Moreouer the Kinges ordinaunces doth not authorise him to rebuke the people for knocking on theyr brests in token of repentaunce of theyr sinnes nor for kneeling in token of submission to God for mercye in Christ. To the 22. he sayth that in time of rebellion in Deuon and Cornewall threatening to come into Wales he teaching the people the true fourme of prayer accordinge to Gods holy word and declaring the prayer vpon beades to be vayne and superstitious yet durste not for feare of tumulte forceably take from any man his beades without authority And touching the not reproouing of suche as hee shoulde meete wearing beades hee remembreth not that he hath so done vnlesse it were in the rebellion tyme at whiche time he durste not rebuke suche Offenders To the 23. he sayth that he beyng in the Pulpitte hys face towardes the people did not see the lightes if anye were set vp about the corpes behinde his backe till after that he came downe from the Pulpitte But he with George Constantine and the aforesayde Chauntour sittyng in the Church in Carmarthen to heare causes and seeing the Uicare with other Priestes with song and lights bringyng a corpes vppe to the Church called forthwyth the Uicare and Priestes and rebuked them in open court as cormorantes and Rauens flying about the dead carcase for lucre sake To the 24. he sayeth that he caused the one childe beyng borne with great perill of death to the Mother and it selfe lying for dead a certayne space after to be christened on the workyng day the other childe was Christened on the working day because both Father and Mother and al other people there were in perill of death by reason of the sodayne sweat which all men feared at that time And touching the rest of the accusatiō which is that by that example it is vsed after the olde accustomed fashion he knoweth no such thing ¶ To the tytle of Couetousnesse he sayth that hys doynges prooue the contrarye as his neighbours knoweth And to the 25. Article he vtterly denyeth To the 26. he sayth that his Hall at Aberguilly being ruinous he vseth for his Hall a greate Chamber adioyning for his selfe and his seruauntes and all manner of straungers and besides twenty persons in house daylye What other hospitality he keepeth honest neighbours can testify To the 27. he sayth that his talke is accordyng to his hearers that is to say reuerently and truely of fayth loue and honest lyfe according to the Scriptures to like Auditours and to other vnreuerent and rash Turmoylers of Scriptures and holye doctrine he doeth talke of honest worldly thinges with Godly intent and that he doeth not moste commonlye talke of suche thinges as are expressed in this Article but when hee hath honest occation so to doe The 28. he sayth is vntrue and that hee hath warned no manne out of theyr landes but where he is destitute of necessary prouision and woulde haue part of his owne demayne from certayne free holdes hauing it onelye from yeare to yeare of pleasure hee cannot obteyne it without brawlyng Wherefore he suffereth them to keepe it euen yet still agaynst right reason And touching the rest that he had rather the Crowes should eat it c. he neuer spake any such word To the 29. he sayth that whereas hys Predecessour Byshop Barloe did let to farme the Isle of Ramsay to one William Browne after whose handes this Defendaunt receiued it into his owne possession the Uicars of Saynt Dauids being dispossessed of it long before he letted it ouer to Stephen Greene for 40. shillings the groūd as it was before and three poundes more for seales connies and foules there he knoweth of no right y e Uicars Chorall had therein who did refuse when this defendant did diligently vpon reasonable conditions offer the same vnto them and this defendant made no promise vnto thē as is conteined in the Article To the 30. he sayth he knoweth not but that he aduertised his Bayliffe to warne the freeholdes and other hauing his demayne to rent during pleasure to leaue it at a lawfull day to this Defendantes necessary vse and dyd not cause the Curate to do as is conteined in the Article to his remembraunce To the 31. he sayth that he knoweth not what y e priest bad in the Churche nor howe many plowes there came vndesired of this Defendaunt But he knoweth certeinly that he desired no mans labour but for his mony To the 32. he sayth that he knoweth not any such appoyntment of Schooles and reuenewes there but he foūd there after the departyng of Byshop Barloe a Schoolemayster an Ussher being a Priest and 20. Scholers which he hath hitherto maynteined better then he founde it to his knowledge he did neuer conuert anye pennye therof to his owne vse albeit he might lawfully haue done the same The 33. he sayeth is all vntrue so farre as hee knoweth To the 34. Article he sayth he neuer purchased more then three percels whereof one was 2. shillinges 8. pence by yeare the second three shillinges foure pence and the third 26. shillinges 8. pence or there about by yeare the rest he denyeth To the 35. he sayeth that he neuer bought of Lewes Iohn Thomas his land good cheape but after forty yeres purchase not knowing at that time any suche thinge as is contayned in the article agaynst the sayd Lewes Iohn Neither badde he the Somner to lette him alone but as soone as he hearde any thing of it commaunded the Somner to cyte him and so he was cyted in this Defendantes house occasionyng him to breake his bargayne to the which Lewes this Defendaunt sayde these wordes If you would geue me your land with an house full of golde I cannot nor will not suffer you to keepe a Lemman Then the sayde Lewes affirming the latter woman to bee his wife and the firste vnknowne to this Defendaunt hee caused the sayde Lewes to bee called to the consistorye for tryall where it hangeth yet And also by lawfull processe excommunicated the firste Woman for that shee would not by any meanes appeare in the Court to claime or to confesse marryage with the sayde Lewes and so she standeth this day at the poynt of significauit To the 56. he sayth that whereas the Chauntour and R. M. with other Chanons there would not obey the Kynges Godlye Iniunctions concerning the fyndyng a Schoole for poore mennes Chyldren a Lectur of Diuinitye Sermons on the Sondayes repayring of their Church and Mansion houses decent order and ministration there but stubbornely counted themselues with the Chauntour to be a bodye politicke without regarde of the Byshoppe and his lawefull monitions beyng hymselfe named in theyr Shyre Statutes Decanus quasi Decanus
litle memorandum of the wordes or consultation of Queene Mary vsed to certayne of the Counsel the eight and twenty day of the sayd month of March touching the restoring agayne of the Abbey landes Who after she had called vnto her presence foure of her priuye Counsell the day and Moneth aforesayd the names of whiche Counsellers were these 1 William Lord Marques of Winchester high treasurer of England The naâ—â— of the Câ—â—â—â—sellers 〈◊〉 before Q. Maâ—â— 2 Syr Robert Rochester knight the queenes Controller 3 Syr William Peter knight Secretary 4 Syr Fraunces Inglefielde knighte Mayster of Wardes The sayde Queene Mary inferred these wordes the principall effecte and summe whereof here foloweth The effect of Q. Maryes 〈◊〉 touching Abbay landes 〈◊〉 restored You are here of our Counsell and we haue willed you to be called vnto vs to the entent ye might heare of me my conscience and the resolution of my mind coÌ„cerning the lands possessions as well of Monasteries as other Churches whatsoeuer being now presently in my possession Firste I doe consider that the sayd landes were taken awaye from the Churches aforesayde in time of schisme and that by vnlawfull meanes suche as are contrary both to the law of God and of the Church The Q. â—â—â—keth a coâ—â—science iâ— keeping Abbay landes For the which cause my conscience doeth not suffer mee to deteyne them and therefore I here expressely refuse eyther to clayme or to retayne the sayde landes for mine but with all my hart freely and willingly without all paction or condition here and before God I doe surrender and relinquishe the sayde landes and possessions or inheritaunces what so euer The Q. 〈◊〉 rendreth from herâ—self the pâ—â—session of Abbay landes and doe renounce the same with this minde and purpose that order and disposition thereof may be taken as shall seeme best liking to our most holy Lord the Pope or els his Legate the Lord Cardinall to the honour of God and wealth of this our Realme And albeit you may obiect to me agayne that considering the state of my kingdome the dignity thereof and my Crowne Imperiall can not be honorably mainteined and furnished without the possessions aforsayde yet notwythstanding I set more by the saluation of my soule then by x. kingdomes and therfore the sayd possessions I vtterly refuse here to hold after that sort and title and geue most harty thankes to almighty God which hath geuen me an husband likewise minded with no lesse good affection in thys behalfe then I am my selfe Wherefore I charge and commaund that my Chauncellour with whom I haue conferred my minde in thys matter before and you foure Promise restitutioâ— of Abbay â—andes to morow together do resort to the most reuerend Lord Legate and doe signify to him the premises in my name and geue your attendaunce vpon him for the more full declaration of the state of my kingdome and of the foresayd possessions accordinglye as you your selues do vnderstand the matter and can inform him in the same This Intimation being geuen by the Queene firste vnto the Counsellours and then comming to the Cardinals hand he drawing out a copy therof in Latine seÌ„t the same to the Pope which copy drawne into Latine comming afterwarde to my hand I haue thus translated into English as ye haue heard Furthermore here by the way is to be vnderstand that in the moneth before which was February and in the xix day of the sayd moneth the Bishop of Ely Ambassadours sent from England to Rome February 1â— with the Lorde Mountacute and seuen score horse were sent as ambassadours from the king and Queene vnto Rome For what cause in story it is not expressed but by coniecture it maye be wel supposed to be for the same cause of Abbey lands as by the sequele therof may probably appeare For it was not long after but the Pope did sette foorth in Print a Bull of Excommunication for all maner suche persons without exception as kept any of the Churche or Abbey landes by vertue of which Bull The Popes Bull for 〈◊〉 Abbay landes the Pope excommunicated as well all such as had any of the Churche or Abbey lands as also all such Princes Bishops noble men Iustices of peace and other in office who had not or did not forthwith put the same Bull in execution Albeit this execution God be thanked yet to this day was neuer put in practise Wherein agayne is to be obserued an other Catholick fetch not vnwoorthy perchaunce of marking For where this kinde of Catholickes by rigour and force may ouermayster they spare for no coste but laye on loade enough This well appeared Note the nature of the Papistes where they can ouercâ—me they are Lions where theâ— are ouermatched they play the Foxes still doeth appeare in burnyng the poore pacient christiaÌ„s whoÌ„ because they see to be destitute of power and strength to resiste them and contente wyth pacience to receiue what so euer is put vnto them there they play the Lions and make no end of burning and persecutinge But where they spye themselues to bee ouermatched or feare to receiue a foyle in presuming too farre there they keepe in and can stay the executioÌ„ of their lawes and Bulles be they neuer so Apostolicall tyll they spye their time coÌ„uenient for theyr purpose as in this case is euident for all the world to see Anno 1555. Aprill For notwithstanding that the Popes Bull commyng downe with full authority for restitution of Abbey landes did so thunder out most terrible excoÌ„munication not only agaynst them which deteined any such landes Here lacked good will in the Bishops but 〈◊〉 as yet did not 〈◊〉 them but also agaynste all other that did not see the Popes commaundement to be executed yet neyther Winchester nor any of all the Popes Clergye woulde greatlye styrre in that matter perceiuing the Nobility to be too strong for them to match withall and therefore were contented to let the case fall or at least to staye for a time while time might better serue them Yea and moreouer vnder a crafty pretense that the nobility and men of landes at the first commyng out of the Bull should not be exasperate too much against them they subtlely abused the Pulpites and dissembled with the people affirming that the sayde Popes late Bull sette forth in Print for restitution of Abbey landes was not meant for England but for other forreigne countries where in very deed the meaning of that Bull was onely for England no country els as both by this intimatioÌ„ of Queene Mary here mentioned and by many other coniectures and also by Maister Fecknams Ballet of Caueat emptor may appeare M. Fecknams ballet of Caueat Emptor Whereby it is easye for all men to vnderstand what the purpose of those men was to doe if tyme which they obserued might haue serued theyr deuotioÌ„ But to let this matter
looseth his life for the Gospels sake the same shal be sure to finde it eternally Do not ye knowe that the way to saluation is not the broade way which manye run in but the straight way which fewe now walke in Before persecution came men might partly haue stand in a doubt by the outward estate of the world with vs although by Gods woorde it was plaine whether was the high way king Edâ—â—rdâ— tyme 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉 be knoâ—en for there was as many that pretended the gospell as poperie but nowe the sunne is risen the winde bloweth so that the corne which hathe not taken fast roote can not nor will not abide and therefore easily yee may see the straight way by the smal number that passeth thorowe it Who will now aduenture their goods and life for Christes sake whiche yet gaue his life for our sakes Wee are now become Gergesites 〈◊〉 8. â—â—â—gesites 〈◊〉 more by 〈…〉 that would rather loose Christe then our Porkets A faithfull wife is neuer tried so to be but when shee reiecteth and withstandeth woers A faithfull Christian is then founde so to be when hys faith is assaulted If wee be not able I meane if wee will not forsake this world for Gods glory and Gospels sake trow ye that God will make vs able or geue vs a will to forsake it for natures sake Die ye must once and leaue al ye haue God knoweth how soone and when will ye or will ye not and seeing perforce ye must do this will ye not willingly now doe it for Gods sake If ye goe to Masse and do as the most part doeth then may ye liue at rest quietly but if ye deny to goe to it then shall ye goe to prison lose your goodes leaue your children comfortles yea lose your life also But my dearly beloued open the eyes of your faith see how short a thing this life is euen a very shadow and smoke Againe see how intollerable the punishment of hel fire is and that endles Last of all looke on the ioyes incompreheÌ„sible which God hath prepared for all them worlde without ende which loose eyther landes or goodes for his names sake And then doe ye reason thus If we goe to Masse the greatest enemie that Christe hath though for a little time we shall liue in quiet and leaue to our children that they may liue heereafter yet shall we displease God fall into his handes which is horrible to hypocrites and be in wonderful hazarde of falling from eternal ioy into eternal misery first of soul and then of body with the Deuil and all Idolaters Againe we shall wante peace of conscience which surmounteth all the riches of the world and for our children who knoweth whether God will visite our Idolatrie on them in this life yea our house and goods are in danger of loosing as our liues be through many casualties when God is angry with vs he can send alwaies when he will one meane or an other to take all from vs for our sinnes and to cast vs into care for our owne sakes which wil not come into some litle trouble for his sake On this sort reason with your selues and then doubtlesse God will worke otherwise with you and in you then ye are ware of Where nowe ye thinke your selues vnable to abide persecutioÌ„ be most assured if so be ye purpose not to forsake God that God will make you so able to beare his Crosse that therein you shall reioyce Faithful is God 1. Cor. 10. God will geue ability not 〈◊〉 to beare his Crosse but alâ—o to reioyce in bearing sayth Paul which wil not tempt you further then he wil make you able to beare yea hee will geue you an outscape in the Crosse which shal be to your comfort Thinke howe great a benefite it is if God will vouche you worthy thys honour to suffer losse of any thing for his sake He myghte iustly cast most greeuous plagues vpon you and yet now he will correct you with that rod wherby you shal be made like to his Christe that for euer ye may raigne wyth him Suffer your selues therfore now to be made like to Christ for els yee shall neuer be made like vnto him The Deuill woulde gladly haue you nowe to ouerthrowe that which godly ye haue of long time professed Oh howe woulde he triumph if he could winne his purpose Oh howe would the Papistes triumph against Gods gospell in you Oh howe would you confirme them in their wicked Poperie Oh how would the poore children of God be discomforted if now ye should go to masse and other idolatrous seruice and doe as the world doth Hath God deliuered you from y e Sweate to serue hym so Hath God myraculously restored you to healthe from your greeuous Agewes for suche a purpose Hath God geuen you such blessings in this world and good things al the daies of your life hitherto and nowe of equitie will ye not receiue at his hands and for his sake some euill God forbid I hope better of you Use prayer and cast your care vpon God commit your children into his hands geue to God your goods bodies and liues as he hath geuen them or rather sent them vnto you Say wyth Iob God hathe geuen and God hathe taken away hys name be praised for euer Caste your care vppon hym I saye for hee is carefull for you A great blessing of God to suffer for his sake and take it amongest the greatest blessings of God to suffer for his sake I trust he hath kept you hitherto to that ende And I beseeche thee O mercifull Father for Iesus Christes sake that thou wouldest be mercifull vnto vs comforte vs wyth thy grace and strengthen vs in thy trueth that in heart we may beleeue and in tongue boldly confesse thy Gospell to thy glorye and our eternall saluation Amen Pray for me and I by Gods grace will doe the same for you Iohn Bradford An admonition to certaine professours of the Gospell to beware they fall not from it in consenting to the Romish religion by the example of other halting and double faced Gospellers THe peace of Christe whiche is the true effecte of Gods Gospell beleued my dearly beloued be more and more plentifully perceiued of you An other letter or admonition of M. Bradford to certayne godly professors of Gods truth through the grace of our dere father by the mighty working of the holy spirite our comforter Amen Thoughe I haue many lettes presently to hinder mee from wryting vnto you yet being desired I could not but something signifie my ready good will in this behalfe so much as I may when I can not so much as I would You heare and see howe Sathan bestirreth hym raging as a roaring Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partly what stormes he hath raised vp to drowne the poore Boate of Christe I meane hys Churche You see howe terribly
Letter of Nicholas Shetterden to his mother O My good mother whom I loue with reuerence in the Lord 〈◊〉 his moâ—â—er an oâ—â—er letter 〈…〉 and according to my duety I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenes of al my misdedes towards you Oh my good mother in fewe wordes I wish you the same salutation which I hope my selfe to feele and partly tast of before this come to you to reade And in the resurrection I verely beleeue to haue it more perfectly in body and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye God graunt you to see my face with ioy but deare mother then beware of that greate Idolatrie and blasphemous Masse O lette not that be your God whiche mice and wormes can deuoure â—â—stimony 〈…〉 against 〈◊〉 Idâ—ll of 〈◊〉 Aultar Beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no God yea the fire that consumeth it and the moystenesse that causeth it to moulde and I take Christes Testament to witnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a meere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocents bloud and now that God hath shewed it vnto you be warned in time O geue ouer olde customes become new in y e truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God â—hat soeâ—er the 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 word â—ust needes 〈…〉 and let vs followe the counsell of his woorde Deare mother imbrace it with heartye affection reade it wyth obedience lette it be your pastime but yet caste of all carnall affections and loue of worldly things so shall we meete in ioy at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my friendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioy Amen From Westgate the 11. of Iuly 1555. Your childe wrytten with his hande and sealed with his bloude Nicholas Shetterden being appoynted to be slaine The copie of a letter wrytten to his wife I Wrote vnto you as one y t longed more to heare of your healthe â—n other â—etter of 〈…〉 wyâ—e then of all worldly treasure willing you to entreate Esau the elder brother by nature gently geuing to him his own yea and offer him one of the droues and say they be Iacobs and are sent for a present to my Lorde Esau but he wil not take it c. Now my beloued ye knowe the blessing of oure father is that the elder shall serue the younger wisedom our mother hath taught vs the same and I know ye do complaine of your seruaunt the flesh that he is rebellious diobedient and vntoward vnruely and crookedly ye thinke he doth his seruice but yet behold how shall ye plead your cause before an indifferent iudge for if it be true that his seruice be not according to hys duetie as it is many times found in seruaunts yet I say can you shewe your cause to no indifferent iudge but hee shall obiect against you that he is not kept like a seruant but he lacketh both meat and drinke and other necessaries meete and due for a seruaunt so shall ye take more shame of your own complaint then remedy or vantage against your seruant and it shal be a cloke for him to hide all his rebellion and vntoward seruice because ye haue misused him And therefore my sentence is that yee paciently beare with him in small faultes and amende your owne greate faultes as oppression crueltie and couetousnes requiring more then a seruaunt can do specially being tired wyth labour famined wyth hunger and lamed with stripes And these things amended if hee doe hys seruice negligently as no doubt sometime he wil yet then ye may boldly correct him with discretion sometime if he do not hys taske ye may make hym go to bed supperlesse but yet beate hym not with durable strokes neither withholde hys meate in due time and pinche him not by the belly continually but * * Corporis curam agite 〈◊〉 ad concupisceÌ„tiaâ— let him haue some thing to ioy in onely watch hym and keepe him from doing of harm Though he be but a stranger in the life that is in God yet be good to straungers for we are all straungers in darkenesse and captiues in sinne as well soule and spirite being in Egypt as now the flesh is yet vnbaptised with the terrible red Sea of deathe and remember that one lawe abideth for the stranger I meane one reward abideth both bodye and soule in the lande of euerlasting rest And therefore intreat him gently and deale with him iustly now The body of man is redemed as well as the soule for the time will come that the yoke of bondage shall be taken from his necke and he shall be a fellow heire with your yonger brother Circumcise him therefore but doe not misuse hym nor keepe him from hys owne but deale mercifully wyth the straunger that he may saye Oh of what vnderstanding heart is this people who hath God Or where is God so nigh as to these God make you wise and politike in hart victorious in fielde of this world to rule the nations with a rodde but kill not the Gabaonites wyth whome peace is taken but lette them drawe water and hew woode The Gabaonites though they be but strangers not to be pampared yet are they not to be cast out but geue them their meate and drinke due for labourers and be glad because your disease is so remedied for it is better and easier for a thirstie labouring man to drinke then for a dronken man to tell a sober tale Yea it is a token that yee haue earnestly followed your labour and not kepte companie with dronkardes and belly Gods and therefore be glad I say yea and glad againe for great is your rewarde in heauen yea blessed shall they be that in this your zeale shall meete you and withdrawe your hande from reuenging your selfe vppon that churlish Naball which thing I hope to doe nowe with these sweete reasons and frailes of Figges I being of one house with your seruaunt Naball I dare say to you that churlishnesse is hys name but reuenge not for the Lorde shal do it in his due time Farewell mine owne heart Yours in bondes at Westgate Nicholas Shetterden The next day after the condemnation of these foresayd which was the 26. day of Iulye were also condemned for the same Articles W. Coker W. Hopper of Cambroke Henry Laurence Richarde Wright of Ashforde W. Stere of Ashforde But because the execution of these Martyrs pertaineth not to thys moneth more shall be sayde the Lorde willing of them when we come to the moneth folowing of August Nicholas Hall and Christopher Waide Martyrs THe same moneth of Iuly next after the suffering of the Kentishmen aboue named Iuly 19. Nic. Hall and Christopher Wayde Martyrs followed the death Martyrdome of Nicholas Hall Brickelayer and Christopher Waid of Dartford which both were condemned by Maurice Bishoppe of
veritie and the will of God but the priuate gayne and commoditie of men They erre which thinke it lawfull for them to make lawes repugnaunt to the commauÌ„dement of God to the law of nature so that they be profitable to attaine wealth and riches Complaint of vniust lawes seruing to the â—â—ker of meÌ„ against the glory of God And of trouth froÌ„ my very hart I do mourne lament right noble Prince both for your sake also for the cause of Christes Church You pretende to impugne and gaynestaÌ„d the tyraÌ„ny of the Romish Byshop and truly do call him Antichrist as in deede he is in the meane tyme you defeÌ„d and maintaine those lawes of that Romish Antichrist which be the strength sinowes of all his power as priuate Masses single lyfe of Priestes other superstitions You threaten horrible punishmentes to good men and to the meÌ„bers of Christ you violently oppresse and beare down the veritie of the Gospell begynnyng to shyne in your Churches This is not to abolish Antichrist but to establish him I beseech you therfore for our Lord Iesus Christ that you file not your conscience in defendyng those Articles which your Byshops haue deuised and set forth touchyng priuate Masses Auricular confession vowes single life of Priestes prohibition of the one halfe of the Sacrament It is no light offeÌ„ce to establish Idolatry errours crueltie the filthy lustes of Antichrist If the Romane Byshop should now call a Councell what other Articles chiefly would he deuise and publish vnto the world but the very same which your Byshops haue here enacted Understand and consider I pray you the subtile traynes and deceites of the deuill The subtiltye of Sathan in abusing the power of Princes to maintaine his kingdome whiche is wont first to set vpon and assayle the chief gouernours And as he is the enemy of Christ from the begynnyng of the world so his chief purpose is by all craftie and subtile meanes to worke contumely agaynst Christ in sparsing abroad wicked opinions and setting vp Idolatry and also in pollutyng maÌ„kind with bloudy murthers and fleshly lustes in the workyng wherof he abuseth the policies and wittes of hypocrites also the power and strength of mighty Princes as stories of all tymes beare witnes what great kyngdomes Empires haue set themselues with all might maine agaynst the poore Church of Christ. And yet notwithstaÌ„ding God hath reserued some good Princes at all tymes out of the great multitude of such giants and hath brought them to his Church to embrace true doctrine and to defend his true worshyp Example of good Princes as AbrahaÌ„ taught Abimelech Ioseph the Egyptian kynges and after them came Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias excellyng in true godlynesse Daniell conuerted to the knowledge of God the kynges of Chaldea Persia. Also BritaÌ„ny brought forth vnto the world the godly Prince Constantine In this number I wishe you rather to be then amongest the enemyes of Christ defiled with Idolatry spotted with the bloud of the godly of whom God will take punishment as he doth many tymes forewarne and many examples do teach Yet agayne therefore I pray and beseeche you for our Lord Iesus Christ that you wil correct and mitigate this Decree of y e Byshops In which doyng you shall aduauÌ„ce the glory of Christ and prouide as well for the wealth of your owne soule as the sauegarde of your Churches Let the hartie desires of so many godly men through the whole worlde moue you so earnestly wishing that some good Kings woulde extend their authoritie to the true reformation of the Church of God to the abolishing of all Idolatrous worship and the furthering of the course of the Gospell Regarde also and consider I beseeche you those godly persons He meaneth ShaxtoÌ„ Latimer Cromer and others which are with you in bands for the Gospels sake being the true members of Christ. And if that cruell Decree be not altered the Byshops will neuer cease to rage agaynst the Churche of Christe without mercy or pitie For them the deuill vseth as instrumentes and ministers of his furie and malice agaynst Christ. The deuils instrumentes by whom he workâ—â—h These he stirreth vp to slay and kill the members of Christ. Whose wicked and cruell proceedings and subtile sophistications that you wil not prefer before our true and most righteous request all the godly most humbly hartily do pray beseech you Which if they shall obteyne no doubt but God shal recompence to you great rewards for your pietie and your excelleÌ„t vertue shal be renowmed both by penne and voyce of all the godly whiles the world standeth For Christ shall iudge all them that shall deserue either well or euill of his Church And whiles letters shal remaine the memoriall worthy of such noble deserts shall neuer dye or be forgotten with the posteritie to come And seing we seeke the glory of Christ and that our Churches are the Churches of Christ there shall neuer be wantyng such as both shall defend the righteous cause and magnifie with due commendation such as haue well deserued likewise shal condemne the vniust crueltie of the enemies Christ goeth about hungry thirstie naked prisoned complaining of the raging furie of the Bishops and of the wrongfull oppression and crueltie of dyuers Kyngs and Princes entreating that the members of his body be not rent in peeces but that true Churches may be defended his Gospell aduanced This request of Christ to heare to receiue and to embrace is the office of a godly Kyng and seruice most acceptable vnto God ☞ Intreating a little before page 1143. of certayne olde instrumentes for proofe of Priestes lawfull Marriage in times past I gaue a little touch of a certayne recorde taken out of an olde Martyrologe of the Church of Cant. touching Liuingus a priest and his wife in the time of Lanfrancke Wherein I touched also of certain lands and houses restored againe by the said Lanfrancke to the Church of S. Andrew Liuingus Priest and his wife Now for asmuch as the perfect note thereof is more fully come to my hands and partly considering the restoring of the sayde landes to be to Christes Churche in Canterbury and not S. Andrew in Rochester and also for that I haue founde some other presidentes approouing the lawfull Mariage of Priestes and legitimation of theyr children I thought good for the more full satisfying of the reader to enter the same as followeth * A note out of an old Martyrologe of Caunterbury OBijt Guillielmus Rex Anglorum c. Hic reddidit Ecclesiae Christi omnes ferè terras c. That is After the death of William King of England Ex Archiuis Eccles. Cant. the sayd Lanfrancke restored agayne to Christes Church in Canterbury all the landes whiche from auncient memory vnto these latter dayes haue bene taken away from the right of the sayd Church The names of which landes