Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	faith_n	grace_n	repentance_n	2,335	5	7.5639	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45326	The life & death of that renowned John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state, in the reign of King Henry the 8th, with divers morall, historicall and political animadversions upon Cardinall Wolsey, Sir Thomas Moor, Martin Luther : with a full relation of Qu. Katharines divorce / carefully selected from severall ancient records by Tho. Baily ...	Hall, Richard, 1535 or 6-1604.; Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. Testamentum.; Bayly, Thomas, d. 1657?	1655 (1655)	Wing H424; ESTC R230	97,933	254

the deed interprets the true meaning of the abused places of Scripture explicates the true and wholsome meaning of the words pardons and indulgence ju●tifies the holy use thereof acquaints them with the great displeasure that might justly ensue at the hands both of Almighty and of the Kings if so wicked a fact should passe unpunished tells how great a discredit it would be to the University that never had such a spot upon her breast before and a● length moved the Author though unknown to ● world ● and conf●ssion of his sinne that he might be forgiven which if he would performe within a time prefixed he assured him in Gods name but if the contrary such remedy sh●uld proceed against him as is provided in such like cases in Gods holy Chu●ch by Christ himselfe viz. to be cut off●like rotten Members from the Body of Christs Church by the censure of Excommunication which not being performed at the time prefixed on the delinquents part he called another Convocation where there was a great Assembly and fearing the infection of others by the obstinacy of one he betook him to his last remedy and taking the Bill of Excommunication in his hand he began to read it but when the words began to sit heavy upon his tongue according to the weight of the sentence the fire of Love as if within some Limbeck or beneath a Baln●o Mariae kindling within his breast sent such a stream up into his minde ●s suddenly distilled into his eyes which like an overflowing● viol reverberates the stream back againe to the heart till the heart surcharged sends these purer spirits of compassion out at his mouth which could onely say that he could read no further Good God! into what compassion did the mildnesse of such a nature strike the beholders who were all of them by this time mollified into the same affection insomuch that they all left off without any further proceedings in the Excommunication for that time Neverthelesse a third day being appointed for the same purpose time having brought on the day there was a great multitude of people where the Chancellour with a heavy countenance declared how that no tidings could be heard either of the person or his Repentance wherefore now seeing there was no other remedy he thought it necessary and expedient to proceed and so arming himselfe with a severe gravity as well as he could he pronounced the terrible Sentence from the beginning to the end which being done with a kinde of passionate compassion he threw the Bill unto the ground and lifting up his eyes to Heaven sate downe and wept Which gesture and manner of behaviour both of his minde and body struck such a ●ea● into the hearts of all his hearers and spectators that many of them were af●aid the ground would have opened to have swallowed up the man but that they hop'd he was not there But did all these teares fall to the ground were none of them botled up whereby they might become the wine of Angells Certainly men may repent as well as weep by proxie Teares have their voices in the Parliament with God and the same God that washeth us so clean with the Laver of Regeneration by the Faiths of others may by the prerogative of his mercy call us for the rep●ntance sake of other men For So it appeared by this D●linquent who having not the grace as yet bestowed upon him of repentance so many repenting for him he became repentant For Not long after this miserable wretch it se●mes b●ing taken notice of by the alteration of his countenance and other changes in the disposition of his minde whether he was there in presence or had onely heard with what solemnity so terrible a Sentence was pronounced against him to be the man forsaking the U●ive●s●y his body carried his minde when it sound no sanctuary as he supposed with the superintended of Ely a man too much taken notice of to be too great a favourer of Luthers Doctrine Dr. Goodrich by name where no lesse the dismall manner of proceeding than the thing it self would never out of his minde where notwithstanding he became a domestique servant to the said Dr. Goodrich and had unfolded his mind unto them concerning the premises yet they never coul● perswade him otherwise but that he had most grievously offended Almighty God in that particular openly detesting the deed as a thing that was both unadvisedly and wickedly performed insomuch that his minde could never be at rest untill such time as with his own hands in the self-same place where the former sentence was written he had blotted out his sin and that together by fixing upon the place thi● other sentence which carried healing in every word Delicta juventutis mea ignorantias ne memineris Domine Remember not Lord my sinnes nor the ignorances of my youth subscribing thereunto his name Peter de Valence who was a Norman by birth from whence he came to Cambridge to be a Student and remained there till he had committed this fact whereupon he was absolved and became a Priest There is a great deale of difference in the consideration which Catholiques doe use when they pronounce this terrible sentence over that which the Lay-chancellours had with us when they excommunicated for every threepenny matter which was the reason that in the end the people made not a threepenny matter of their Excommunications Thus imploying his time so need●ully required in healing the sore Brest of such a Nurse it happened that in the year 1525. The Wilkinson Dr. in Divinity who wasthe second Ma●st●r of Queens Colledge departed this life whereby the Mastership of that Colledge became void and in regard that the Chancellour of the University had no house belonging to him as he was Chancellour the Fellowes of that Colledge with unanimous consent chose him to be their Master which he thankfully accepted of whereby he became the third Master of that house continuing there the space of three yeares and odde moneths CHAP. III. 1. The Recreation of Bishop Fisher. The erection of Colledges 2. The Lady Margaret dies and leaves him her Executor 3. The high E●comium which he bestowes upon her in his Funerall Sermon made at the solemnities of her interrement 4. His faithful● behaviour in so great a trust reposed in him 5. His great love unto that Colledge 6. The praise-worthinesse of the Vniversity of Cambridge THat this good man sojourned in those parts during the time he made it his recreation to overlook the work of Christ-Colledge which was then not fi●ished which the Lady Margaret had endowed wi● maintenance for one Master 12. Scho●lars Felowes and 47. Disciples for ever to be brought up as the words of her Will make mention in Learning Vertue and Cunning the which Colledge she onely lived to see finished and so took sanctuary in the holy of holies the celestiall Ierusalem after the dissolution of so faire a Temple of the holy Ghost as was

my words in this matter to any man living but to the King alone Now therefore my Lords quoth he seeing it pleased the Kings Majesty to send to me thus secretly under the pr●tence of plaine and true meaning to know my poore advice and opinion in these his weighty and great affaires which I most gladly w●● and ever will be willing to send him in meth●nks it is very hard in justice to heare the m●ssengers Accusation and to allow the same as a sufficie●● testimony against me in case f Treason ●o this the messenger made no direct answer but neither denying his words as false nor confessing them as true said that whatever he had said unto him on the K●●gs behalf he said no more than his Maj●ty commanded and said he if I had said to you in such sor● as you have d●clared I would gladly know what discharge this is to you in Law against his Majesty for so directly speaking against the Statute whereat some of the Judges taking quick hold one after another said that this message or promise from the King to him ne●ther could nor did by rigour of the Law discharge him but in 〈…〉 claring of his minde and conscience agai●●● the Supremacy yea though it were at the Kings own commandment or request he committed Treason by the Statute and nothing can discharge him from death but the Kings pardon This good Father perceiving the small account made of his words and the favourable credit given to his accuser might then easily ●inde in which doore the wind blew wherefore directing his speeches to the Lords his Judges he said yet I pray you my Lords consider that by all equ●ty justice worldly honesty and courteous dealing I cannot as the ●ase standeth be directly charged therewith as with Treason though I had spoken the words indeed the same being not spoken maliciously but in the way of advice and counsell when it was requested of me by the King himself and that favour the very words of the Statute do give me being made onely against such as shall maliciously gainsay the Kings Supremacy and none other wherefore although by r●gour of Law you may take occasion thus to condemn me yet I hope you cannot finde Law except you adde rigour to th●● law to cast me downe which herein I hope I have not deserved To which it was answered by some of the Judges that the word m●l●ciously is but a supe●●●●ous and void wo●d for if a man speak against the Kings Supremacy by any manner of meanes t●a● sp●ak●ng●● to be understood and taken in Law as 〈◊〉 My Lords said he if the Law be so understood then it is a hard exposition and as I take it contrary to the meaning of the● that made the Law But then l●t me demand this question whether a single testimony of one man may be admitted as sufficient to prove me guilty of treason for speaking these words or no and whether my answer Negatively may not be accepted against his Affirmative to my availe and benefit or no To that the Judges and Lawyers answered that being the Kings case it rested much in conscience and di●ecretion of the Jury and as they upon the evidence given before them shall finde it you are either to be acquitted or else by ju●gement to be condemned The Jury having heard all this s●●ple Evidence d●parted according to the order into a secret place there to agree upon the Verdict 〈◊〉 ●ore they w●nt from the place the case was so aggravated to them by my Lord 〈◊〉 making it so hainous and dang●rous a treason that they easily perceived what verdict they must returne others heap such danger upon their owne heads as none of them were willing to undergo some other of the Co●●●ssioners charged this most reverend man with obstinacy and s●●gula●ity alledging that he being but one man did presumptuously stand against that which was in the gre●t Cou●cell of Parliament ag●●d upon and finally was consented unto by al the B●sh●ps of this Realme saving hims●lfe alone But to that he answered that indeed he might well be accounted singular if he alone should stand in this matter as they said but having on his part the rest of the B●shops in Chr●ttendorme far surmounting the number of the Bishops of Engl. he said they could not justly account him singular And having on his part all the Catholicks and Bishops of the world from Christ's Ascention till now joyned with the whole consent of Christs univer●all Church I must needs said he account mine own part farre the surer and as for O●stin●cy which is likewise obje●●●● 〈◊〉 me I have no way to cleare my self thereof but my owne solemne word and promise to the contrary if ye please to beli●ve it or 〈◊〉 if that will not serve I am 〈…〉 the same by my oath Thus in effect he answered their obj●ctions though with many 〈◊〉 words both wisely and profound●y uttered and that with a mervailous couragious and rare constancy insomuch as many of his hearers yea some of his Judges lamented so grievously that their inward sorrow in all sides was expressed by the outward ●eares in their eyes to perceive such a famous and rever●nd man in danger to be condemned to cruell death upon so weak ●vidence given by such an accuser contrary to all faith and promise of the King himself But all pity mercy ●nd righ● being set aside ugour cruelty and malice took place for the twelve men being shor●ly returned from their consu●tation Verdict was given that he was 〈◊〉 of the ●reason which although they thus did upon the menacing threatning words of the Commissioners the Kings learned Councell yet was it no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ore against their conscience as some o● them would after report to their dying daies onely for safety of their goods and liv●s which they were we●l ●ssured to lose in case they had acquitted him After the Verdict thus given by the twelve m●n the Lord Chancellour commanding 〈◊〉 to be kept said unto the Prisoner in this ●ort My Lord of Roch●ster you have been here arraigned of high ●reason and putting your selfe to the triall of twelv●men you have pleaded not guilty an● 〈◊〉 notwithstanding have found you guilty in their 〈◊〉 wherefore if you have any more to say for your self you are now to be 〈…〉 Iudgement according to the 〈◊〉 and course of Law Then said this blessed Fa●her againe Truly my Lord if that which I have before spoken be not sufficient I have no more to say but onely to desire Almighty God to forgive them that have thus condemned me for I think they know not what they have done Then my L Chancellour framing himselfe to a solemnity in countenance proclaimed sentence of death upon him in manner and forme following You shall be led to the place from whence you came and from thence shall be drawn through the city to the place of execution at Tyborne where your body shall be hanged by the neck