should be any publike change in this Realme of Religion except by the consent of you and the whole Parliament wherein you may easily perceiue his profound wisedom great leue towards you Wherfore he desireth you in Christs name that leauing blindnes contentions you would discusse those things amongst you which pertaine to religion and the Church hauing onely respect vnto the Scriptures neither will he any longer suffer the Scriptures to be wrested by any one of you neither to be oppressed with the Popes Decrées or authoritie of the Doctors or Councels neither will he allow any Doctrine grounded onely vpon Antiquitie and Custome hauing no other foundation in Scriptures such as you call vnwritten verities you owe this duety chiefely to Christ and next of necessitie vnto the Church and yet you shall not be vnrewarded at the Kings hands if he perceÃue you do your duty as you ought in establishing concord in the Church The which to bring to passe the onely methode is to discusse all things according to the Canons of Gods word wherevnto the Kings Maiestie doth exhort you and hartily desire you the Bishops gaue thankes vnto the King for his zeale vnto the Church and his exhortation worthy so Christian a Prince Then Bonner Bishop of London the most earnest Champion for the Pope defended the vnwritten verities and maintained the seuen Sacraments of the Church and others resisted him Touching whose Arguments because there is no great matter in them I refer thee to the Booke at large where also thou maist sée the number of Idols in England to which in great deuotion they vse to goe on pilgrimage vnto At length he was apprehended and committed to the Tower and then hee was attainted by Parliament for heresie for supporting Barnes and Clarke hereticks and many others And by his authoritie and Letters rescued them and deliuered them out of prison and for evulgating a great number of Bookes containing heresie and caused Bookes to be translated into English comprising matter against the Sacrament of the Altar for commending the Bookes after and that he should speake words against the King which they would neuer suffer him to answere vnto which were not likely to be true in that the King so shortly after his death wished to haue his Cromwell aliue againe by reason of which Act of Parliament the Noble Lord Cromwell was oppressed with his enemies and condemned in the Tower He was beheaded vpon Tower Hill where he patiently suffered the stroke of the Axe by a Butcherly miser which very vngodlily performed the office The History of Thomas Barnes Thomas Garard and William Hierome Diuines WHen as Cromwell was dead Gardiner Bishop of Winchester being at liberty to exercise his cruelty it is to be wondred what troubles hee raised and least he should loose his occupation by delayes Hee first assaults Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard and William Hierome whom hee caused to be put to execution two daies after Cromwell and first of Barnes Doctor of Diuinitie There was sent downe a Sergeant at Armes to Cambridge who arresâ—â—d Doctor Barnes in the Conuocation house and they determined to make priuy search for Luthers Bookes and all the Germaines workes but they that were suspected had word therof and the Bookes were conuayed away before they came and he was brought to Cardinall Wolsey in Westminster At last he spake with the Cardinall in his Chaire of State knéeling on his knees Then said the Cardinall What Maister Doctor had you not scope sufficient in the Scriptures to teach the people but my golden showes my pollaxes my pillars my golden Cushions my crossee did so much offend you that you made vs Ridiculum caput amongst the people we were iollily that day laughed to scorne Uerily it was a Sermon more fitter to be preached on a Stage then in a Pulpit At last you said I wore a paire of red Gloues I should say bloudy Gloues that I should not bee cold in the middest of my Ceremonies Hee answered hee spake nothing but the truth according to the Scriptures and the old Doctors Then hee deliuered the Cardinall six shéetes of Paper to coroborate his saying He receiuing them said we perceiue you intend to stand to your Articles and shew your learning Yea said Barnes by Gods Grace and your Lordships fauour He answered such as you beare vs and the Catholick Church little fauour whether doe you thinke it more necessary that I should haue this royalty because I represent the Kings person in all High Courts of this Realme to the terror of all rebellions Treasons all the wicked members of this Common-wealth or to be as simple as you would haue vs to sell these things and giuâ— them to the poore which shortly would pisse it against the walles and pull his Maiestie from his dignitie He answered I think it necessarie to be sold and giuen to the poore for it is not comely for your calling and the King is not maintained by your pompe and pollaxes but by God which saith per me Reges regnant Then the Cardinall said to Doctor Gardiner and Maister Fox Loe Maister Doctors heere is the learned and wise man that you told me of Then they knéeled and desired his Grace to be good vnto them for hee would be reformable Then said he for your sakes and the Uniuersitie wee will be good vnto him Maister Doctorâ—dost thou not know that I am legatus de latere and that I am able to dispence with all matter in this Realme as much as the pope may Hee answered I know it Then hee bad him be ruled by him and I will doe all things for thy honesty and the honesty of the vniuersitie hee thanked him and said he would stick to the Scriptures according to his little Talent Then the Cardinall told him he should haue his learning tried and haue the Law and commanded him to the Tower But Gardiner and Fox became his sureties After he was twice brought before the Bishops and the Abbot of Westminster in the Chapter-house at Westminster Then he was put to haue the Councell of Gardiner and Fox and they perswaded him rather to abiure theâ— burne that he might doe more in time to come and with other perswasions mighty in the sight of reason and foolish flesh wherevpon he abiured and bore a faggot the Bishop of Rochester preaching at the abiuration of him and others stood vp and declared vnto the people how many daies of forgiuenes of sinnes they had for beeing at that Sermon yet he continued halfe a yéere after in prison and then he was committed to be frée prisoner in the Augustine Friers in London when these Caterpillers and bloudy beasts had vndermined him they complained on him again to my Lord Cardinall Then he was deliuered to the Friers of Northampton to bee burned Then Maister Horne heard that a writ should come shortly to burne him then hée councelled him to faine himselfe desperate and writ a Letter to the
Touching his inward or spirituall seat S. Paule 2. Thess. 2. 24. saith He sitteth as God in the Temple of God Antichrist signifieth an aduersary of Christ and if it had bin meant of the Turke or any other aduersary that did not professe Christianitie he might easily be seene without so many reuelations but hee is according to the description of a false Prophet Mat. 7. 15. a most grieuous Wolfe to Christs Lambs and yet so couered with a sheeps skin that it is impossible to know him without the spirit of God Outwardly he seemeth to be a good tree but his fruit is nothing but thornes and thistles to destroy Gods children Matth. 24. 24. Christ calleth them false Christs and false Prophets prophecying that they shall do such wonders that if it were possible they should deceiue the elect so thou seest the Antichrist which is prophecied of must be a professor of Christ as the Pope is which calleth himselfe the Catholique Church but he is the onely aduersary thereof as this book will teach thee by experience Touching the third point to know him by his doctrines 1. Tim. 4. 1 They shall depart from the faith and follow doctrines of diuels and speake lies through hypocrisie they shall haue their consciences seared with an hote iron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstain from meats and they teach the same superstitious doctrins that S. Paule warneth vs from Coloss. 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of an holy-day or a new Moone nor Sabboths nor make you forsake Christ the head in worshipping Angels neither let them burden you with traditions as touch not tast not handle not which things haue a shew of wisedome in that the professors be voluntary religious and humble their mindes and spare not their bodies nor haue their bodies in any estimation but all is nothing but to fulfill a fleshly religion and Iude in his twelfth verse compareth them to clouds which in a drieth seem to bring raine but doe not for though they make great promises of feeding of soules yet there is no true hope of remission of sins nor assurance of eternall happinesse in their doctrines And in 2. Pet. 2. 17. he calleth them Wells not with a little water but quite without water for although by name they professe the Trinity yet their doctrins of euery person of the Trinitie and of al other points of religion are contrary to wholsome doctrine they maintaine their doctrines though falsely vnder the names of the Scriptures the Catholique Church and the auncient fathers this is the golden cup that the Church of Antichrist holdeth in her hand Reuel 17. 4. but it is full of abominations and filthines of her fornications so if thou marke this booke it is easie to know Antichrist by the falsenesse and wickednesse of all his doctrines yet coloured ouer with glorious shewes of truth and wholsomnesse yea although thou haddest no other meanes to discerne him by Touching the fourth point of the conditions of Antichrist Iude in the eleuenth verse saith They follow the way of Caine all the persecutions of Gods children before times were but types and prophecies of the Papists in killing their brethren as Caine did because they please God better then they The abominable desolations of Nabuchadnezzar and of Titus and Vespasian of the materiall Temples were but prophecies of the Papists abominable desolations of Gods Saints For this cause Antichrist is called in the Reuelation a great redde Dragon a Serpent and a cruell Beast S. Iohn Reuel 17. 6. foresaw the Church of Antichrist drunken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus Christ. And although he had seen all the persecutions that were before or in his time yet he wondred at the bloud that he foresaw that the Papists should shed with a great maruaile Iude in his 12. verse saith They are cast away in the deceit of Baalams wages for as Baalam though he knew the Israelites to bee the blessed of God yet he would haue cursed them for lucre sake if God would haue suffered him so the Papists maintaine doctrines which they know to be false and commit all their murders of Gods children only to maintaine their Kitchin pleasures honour glorie riches and other worldly respects as it shall plainly appear vnto thee in this Booke In 2. Pet. 2. 14. Their eyes are full of adultery and they cannot cease to sinne beguiling vnstable soules This Booke will shew thee how inspeakeably wicked they are according to this prophecie they are spiritually called Sodom because in that case they exceede in wickednesse the Sodomites These and many other wicked conditions of theirs are plentifully prophecied of in the Scriptures and thou shalt see the true performances of the prophecies in this book w ch wicked conditions shall plainly shew the Pope to be Antichrist Touching the height of Antichrists Kingdome Reuel 17. 3. the Church of Antichrist is said to sit vpon a skarlet coloured beast ful of names of blasphemy which is the Pope who is a bloudy beast to Gods children takes all Gods names blasphemously to himself and vers 4. he his Church are arrayed with purple skarlet and deckt with gold precious stones pearls and how gloriously the Pope and his Church hath bin set forth how rich they haue bin according to this prophecy this book wil shew thee In 2. Thess. 2. 14 He sitteth as God in the Temple of God and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God C. Caesar Caligula the Emperor which vsed to sit in the Temples of the Idols to be honored as God caused his picture to be set vp to be worshipt in all Temples and in the Temple of Ierusalem yet was he not such an abominable Idol as the Pope maketh himselfe to be he is the Gaoler of Purgatory and thither comes as he saith all the soules of Christians except som few to whom for building some religious houses and for being otherwise a speciall maintainer of his kingdome hee giueth a speciall prerogatiue immediatly to go to heauen these soules his prisoners hee punisheth how and as long as he list and at his pleasure he throweth any of them into hell or sendeth any of them into heauen Of the reuenues of this Gaole hath all the Popes riches honour superioritie aboue Emperors and Kings proceeded he hath taken from Christ the honor of pardoning sins to himselfe God made man of clay but the Pope and all his shauelings can daily make God of a piece of bread In these and many other respects as this booke will teach thee doth the Pope exalt himself as God according to this prophecie and he exalts himselfe aboue all kings which are called Gods and at his pleasure with excommunications can cast them out of heauen and out of their kingdoms as himselfe saith he hath trode vpon Emperours made them kisse his feet hold his stirrups and leade his horse He
against the aduersary part as is before recited wherefore he was called to account before Gardner and examined by him and then hée was remoued to Bonner and other Commissioners with whom he had diuers conflicts as in his examinations hereafter following may appeare when he had lien a yeere and a halfe in the Marshalsey being twice examined but no point of Religion handled then hee was committed to the Bishop of Londons Cole-house where he found a married Priest of Essex named Thomas Whittle This Minister greatly lamented his owne infirmitie for that through imprisonment hee was constrained by writing to yeelde to the Bishop of London and was set at liberty and after felt such an hell in his conscience that hee could scarce refraine from destroying himselfe and could not bee at quiet vntill he hauing got the Bishops register to see his Bill hee tore it in peeces and after he was as ioifull a man as any could be When Boner heard thereof be sent for him and buffeted him and plucked off a peece of his Beard but now he is ioyfull vnder the crosse He was thirtéene or fourtéene times in priuate and publikely examined his answeres that concerne any point of Religion heere follow The third examination Boner YOu must be of the Church for there is but one Church Phil. I am sure I am in the Church I know by the Scriptures that there is but one Doue one Spouse one beloued congregation out of the which there is no saluation This Church is builded vpon the word of God Bon. You are not in the same Faith in which you were baptized Phil. I was baptized into the Faith of Christ which I now hold Bon. You were twenty yeares agone of another Faith Phil. I was then of no Faith a wicked liuer neither hote nor cold Bon. Doe you not think we are of a true Faith Phil. I am sure Gods word throughly with the primitiue Church and all ancient writers doe agree with this Faith that I am â—ff Bon. I maruell you are so merry in prison singing and reioycing in your naughtines you should rather lament Phil. The mirth we make is but singing of Psalmes as S. Paul willeth vs to be merry in the Lord singing together in Hymnes and Psalmes wee are in a darke comfortles place therefore it becommeth vs to be merry as Salomon saith least sorrowfulnes eate vp our hearts Then I was carried to the Cole-house where I with my six fellowes rouse together in the straw as cheerefully we thank God as others doe in their Doune beds The fourth Examination Worcest BEfore he beginneth to speak it is best for him to call to God for grace to open his heart that he may conceaue the truth Phil. Then I fell vpon my knees and said Almighty God the giuer of wisedom I beséech thée of thine infinit goodnes in Christ to giue me most vile sinner the spirit of wisedome to speake and make answer in thy cause to the content of the hearers and to my better vnderstanding if I be deceiued in any thing Boner May my Lord of VVorcester you did not well to exhort him to prayer for they haue a singular pride heerein they are heerein like certaine hereticks that Pliny maketh mention off they did â—ing dayly praises to God before the dawning of the day Phil. God make me and you such hereticks for they were right Christians with whom the tyrants of the world were offended for their well doing Col. Where can you proue that the Church of Rome hath erred at any time Eusebius saith the Church was established at Rome by Peter and Paul and Peter was Bishop there 25. yeares Phil. I know Eusebius saith so but if you compare him with Saint Paul to the Galathians it will appeare manifestly to the contrarie He liued not past fiue and thirty yeares after he was called to be an Apostle and S. Paul maketh mention of his abiding aboue eighteene yeares and I am able to proue by Eusebius and others that the Church of Rome hath manifestly erred because shee agreeth not with that which the primitiue Church did vse according to the Gospel in their time as they write there need no other proofe but compare the one with the other Bon. Ought we to dispute with you of our Faith Iustinian in the Law hath a Title De fide Catholica to the contrarie Phil. That is true but our Faith must not depend vpon the ciuill Law Ambrose saith not the Law but the Gospell hath gathered the Church together Worcest You are to blame you cannot be content to be of the Church which hath euer been of that Faith full of Antiquitie Phil. I haue been at Rome where I saw your Lordship Worcest I am sory you haue been there for the wickednes which you saw there peraduenture causeth you to doe as you doe Phil. I am taught otherwise by the Gospell not altogether to refuse the Minister for his euill liuing so that hee bring forth Doctrine according to Gods word Worcest Doe you thinke the vniuersall Church may be deceiued Phil. Saint Paul prophesieth that there shall be an vniuersall falling away from the Faith in the later times Col. That is not ment of Faith but of th' empire the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so signifieth Phil. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly a departing from the Faith and thereof commeth Apostata which signifieth one that departeth from the Faith Worcest I am sory you should be against the Christian world Phil. The world commonly and such as be called Christians for the multitude hated the truth and be enemies vnto the same Worcest Doe you thinke the vniuersall Church hath erred and you onely to be of the truth Phil. The Church that you bee of was neuer vniuersall for two parts of the world Asia and Africa neuer consented to the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome not to this day neither follow his Decrees Glo. Yes in Florentines Councell they did agree Phil. It was so said by false report after they were gone home it was not so indeed as the sequell of them all hitherto doth proue the contrary Glo. By whom will you bee iudged in matters of controuersie which happen dayly Phil. By the Word of God For Christ saith in S. Iohn the word that hee spoke shall be Iudge in the latter day Glo. What if you take the word one way and I another way who shall bee Iudge Phil. The Doctors of the Primitiue Church Glo. What if you take the Doctors in one sence and I in another Phil. Then let that be taken which most agreeth to Gods Word Worcest It is wonder how he standeth with a few against a great number Phil. We haue almost as many as you We haue Asia Africa Germany Denmarke and a great part of France dayly the number of the Gospel doth increase and a multitude doth dayly come out of France through persecution that the cities of Germany are scarce able to
that he was commended by the Ambassadors to the king for his singular wisedome grauitie and learning that he wonne such great credit that he was alone sent Ambassador to the Emperour to debate this businesse but the Emperour refused to determine the matter but remitted the whole question to the Popes court after he was sent to Rome Ambassadour to the Pope where he behaued himselfe with â—o lesse diligence that he compelled the Popes chiefe diuines by arguments to grant the mariage to be against the law but yet by the dispensation of the Pope it might be made lawfull Warram Archbishop of Canterbury dying he was sent for by king Henrie and made Archbishop of Canterbury then came in the question of the Popes supremacy and all the weight of the businesse was chiefly laid vpon Cranmers shoulders he therefore alone receiued answered and confuted all the obiections of the Papists he proued that the Popes Lordship was not brought in by any authoritie of Scriptures but by ambitious tyranny and that the chiefest power on earth belonged to the Emperor to kings and Potentates to whom the Pope Cardinals Bishops Priests by Gods commandement were no lesse subiect then other men and therefore it were best by the consent of the king and other estates the ambitious Lordship of the Pope being driuen out of England should keepe it selfe within his owne Italy as a riuer is kept within his bankes which was performed by act of Parliament then by little and little he reformed the Church into a more wholesome discipline of Christ and laboured to banish the Popes errours heresies and corruptions and he obtained of the king that certaine learned men should make a booke of Ecclesiasticall institutions which was called the Bishops Booke then the abolishing of Monasteries began to be talked of the kings desire was that all the Abbey lands should come vnto his coffers the Archbishop and others would haue them imployed to other good vses whereby the king being bent against Cranmer especially by the instigation of Gardiner Bishop of Winchester which sought all occasions to hinder the Gospel he set forth the 6. Articles by full consent of Parliament which contained the summe of Popish religion What slaughter by the space of 8. yeares these Articles made is already declared but after he forgoing his anger with the Archbishop séeing he stood against him in conscience not in stubburnesse he began to fauour him and thought to haue taken away the 6. Articles and reformed other matters if he had liued but Cranmer and the Lord protector brought it to passe in king Edwards dayes his story how he was vsed in Quéene Maries reign is mentioned before and his disputations at Oxeford and how he was condemned there and left in prison vntill this time And because the sentence was voyde in law because it was giuen by persons excommunicated for they were not then absolued by the Pope nor his authoritie receiued in the realme therefore there was a new commission sent from the Pope for the conuiction of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley and the Bishop of Glocester was appointed the Popes delegate and after they had condemned Latimer and Ridley as before is said The said Legate and his company being set in Saint Maries Church apparelled in his Pontificalibus as if the Pope in person had bene there the Bishop of Canterbury was brought before them putting off his cappe he did obeysance to the king and quéenes proctors then looking in the Legats face he put on his bonnet againe making no obedience toward him wherefore the Bishop sayd vnto him that it might beséeme him well waying the authoritie which he did represent to doe his duety to him he answered hee had sworne neuer to admit the Pope into this Realme and therefore he would commit nothing by signe or token which might argue his consent to the reâ—eiuing of him and that he did it not to any contempt of his person Then the Legate made an eloquent oration to put him in remembrance that from a meane gentleman he was raised to bee a Princes Ambassadour and further to be Archbishop and Primate of the Realmealmost 30 yeares and sâ— farre in trust with the king that he made him president of his councel and after left him in speciall trust for the gouernement of the young Prince during his minoritie such blessing God had giuen him whilest he continued in the Catholicke faith He exhorted him on the other side to consider how he was now fallen from his dignities and officices and in high displeasure of the King and Quéene iudged to die for high treason and all these things to haue happened vnto him only because he had seuered himself from the Sea of Rome and was become a father of new deuised religion and although your estate is so miserable that the meanest in this assembly will not change his condition and calling with you yet further he was like to fall by the iust iudgement of God into hell and euerlasting damnation if he did not repent of his errours and schismes whilest he had time of repentance whereunto he exhorted him earnestly repeating many places of Christs mercies to them that repent and shewed that to returne to the Church was the oâ—ely way to saue both body and soule and I doubt not but the King and Quéene will perdon your condemnation of treason if you will returne vnto the Church and forsake your opinions which I desire you to do Then Cranmer desired license to speake which was gently granted him first he made protestation that hee did not answere to him as to a lawfull Iudge because he was deputed for the Pope but to giue a reason of his faith which God hath commanded him to doe to euery one that shall demand a reason thereof Then he said My Lord you haue learnedly put me in remembrance of many things touching my selfe which I will not answere I acknowledge Gods goodnesse vnto me and thanke him as heartily for this estate that now I am in as euer I did for the time of my prosperity shewing that his greatest griefe was to sée the Popes Iurisdiction restored to England againe Alas what hath the Pope to do in England whose lawes are so farre different from the Lawes of this realme that whosoeuer sweareth to both must néedes incurre periury in the one And I am heartily sorry to thinke that her grace the day before her Coronation tooke an oath to obserue the lawes of this realme and also tooke an oath to the Bishop of Rome promising to maintaine that Sea which was impossible but shee must néeds be forsworne in the one And as for the matter of Heresie wherewith you charge mee I call God to witnesse I know none which I maintaine but if it be heresie to deny the Popes authority and the religion which the sea of Rome hath published vnto the world these latter yeares then all the ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church the Apostles and Christ himselfe
he affirmed that he had beene twice at Rome and there hee had seene that which he had many times heard of before that the Pope was the verie Antichrist for he saw him carried vpon mens shoulders and the false named Sacrament borne before him yet was there more reuerence giuen vnto him then vnto it which they accounted their God Then Bonner rose vp making as though â—e would haâ—e torne his garments saying Hast thou seene our holy father and doest thou blaspheme him thus and flying vpon him hee plucked off a piece of his beard and after made speedy hast to his death He wrote this Letter to confirme the brethren the same day that hee was condemned The comfort of the holy Ghost make you able to giue consolation to others in these dangerous dayes when Sathan is let loose to the triall of the chosen to sift the wheate from the Chaffe whosoeuer denyeth Christ before men hee will deny him before his Father and the Angels and to saue the life corporall is to lose the life eternall and he that will not suffer with Christ shall not raigne with Christ Therefore I haue giuen ouer the flesh with the fight of my Soule and the Spirit hath the victory The flesh ere it bee long shall leaue off to sinne the spirit shall raigne eternally I haue chosen death to confirme the truth which I haue taught What can I doe more pray that I may continue vnto the end I haue in all my assaults felt the present ayde of my GOD bee not ashamed of Christs Gospell nor of the bonds that I haue suffered for the same The holy ones haue beene scaled with the same marke It is no time for the losse of one man for the campe to turne back vp with mens harts and blow downe the dawbed walles of heresies let one take the banner and another the Trumpet and I meane not to make corporall resistance but pray and you shal haue Elias his defence and Helizeus his company to fight for you the cause is the Lords Pray for me and salute one an other with an holy kisse the peace of God râ—st with you all Amen Margery Mearing said that the Masse was abhominable in the sight of GOD and all Christian people and that it is the plaine câ—p of fornication and the whore oâ— Babylon and shee beleeued that there was no such Sacrament as the Sacramâ—nt of the Altar in the Catholike Church and she said she vtterly abhorred the authoritie of the Pope with all the Religion obserued in the same Antichrists Church and that â—he neuer meant to come vnto the Church during these Idolatrous dayes And being demaunded whether shee would stand to these answers I will quoth shee stand to them vnto the death for the very Angells in heauen doe laugh you to scorne to seâ— your abomination that you vse in the Church wherupon shee was condemned They were burned both together in Smithfield where they most ioyfully and willingly gaue their liâ—es for the profession of the Gospell of Christ. Master Rowgh had excommunicated this Margerie Mearing but the Sonday before he was taken yet hee being in prison in the Gate-house at Westminster where none of his friends could come vnto him to visit him she gother a Basket and put a cleane Shirt in it and fayning her selfe to be his sister got into the prison vnto him and did him no small comfort then shee went to one Sergeants house who betrayed Master Rowgh and asked whet her Iudas that betrayed Christ dwelt not there and she seeing Cluny come vnto her house she went home and asked him whom he sought he said for you you must go with me she said she would go with him the Bishop cast her into prison and the wednesday after she was burned with Master Rowgh Cutbert Simpson Hugh Foxe and Iohn Deuenish SImpson was Deacon of the said godly Congregation in London he was faithfull and zealous vnto Christ and his true flocke the Friday at night before M. Rough the Minister of the Congregation was taken he dreamed that he saw two of the Gard leading Cutbert Simpson that he had a book about him wherin was the names of all them which were of the Congregation so he told his Wife and made her light a Candle and fell to reading and falling asleepe again he dreamed the like dreame Then he said to his Wife that his brother Cutbert was gone and as Maister Rough was ready to go to see Maister Cutbert he came in with the Booke containing the names and accounts of the Congregation then M. Rough told him his dreame and bade him carrie the booke no more about him so he left the booke with M. Rowghs wife the next night M. Rowgh dreamed that be himselfe was carried vnto the Bishop and that the Bishop plucked off his beard and cast it into the fire saying Now I may say I haue had a piece of an hereticke burned in my house and so accordingly it came to passe for shortly after they were both taken at the Saracens head in Islington as before Here followeth the storie of his sufferings vpon the racke and otherwise for the Congregations sake as he wrote it with his own hand I was called before the Constable of the Tower and the Recorder of London they commanded me to tell them whom I willed to come to the English seruice I answered I would declare nothing whereupon I was set in a racke of Iron three houres then they asked if I would tell them I answered as before the Sonday after they examined me againe and I answered them as before then they bound my two fore-fingers together and put a small arrow betwixt them and drew it thorow so fast that the bloud followed and the arrow brake then they racked mee twice and so I was carried vnto my lodging againe Ten dayes after the Lieutenant asked me if I would not confesse I answered I had said as much as I wold fiue wéeks after he sent me vnto the high Priest where I was greatly assaulted at whose handes I receiued the Popes curse for bearing witnesse of the resurrection Bonner in his Consistorie gaue this testimony of Cutbert Sampson ye sée said he what a personable man he is and concerning his patience I say vnto you that if he were not an hereticke he is a man of the greatest patience that euer came before me he hath béene thrice racked in one day in the Tower and in my house hee hath felt some sorrow yet did I neuer see his patience broken They all thrée answered Bonner that the Church is grounded vpon the Apostles and Prophets Christ being the head corner stone and in that Church there is the true faith and religion of Christ that there is but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper they said that they haue and will speake against the sacrifice of the Masse the Sacrament of the Altar and the authoritie of the Sea of Rome and Iohn Deuenish
send an armie to restore the Roman Religion in England he would pray that the Roman armie might preuaile in that case and in that faith he would spend ten thousand millions of liues if hee had them whereupon hee was likewise condemned to bee hanged drawne and quartered Robert Sutton Priest was indited for the same treasons he said the Quéen was supreme gouernour within her Highnesse Dominions ouer all persons but not ouer all causes he was found guiltie and had his iudgement as the rest It was proued that Welden was sent ouer into the Low-countries to kill the Earle of Leicester who apprehended him and sent him ouer into England to which he answered he had done nothing but as a Catholike Priest ought to doe by the direction of our most holy Father the Pope being the head of the Church who onely hath authority ouer all persons and in all causes Ecclesiasticall and in this Roman Religion I will die Then he prayed all Catholikes to pray for him and so mumbling certaine Latin prayers he died The other likewise died as obstinate traytors as himselfe Doctor Lopez Stephano de Ferrera de Gama Manuell Lewis Tyuaco Portugalls DOctor Lopez was fauourably receiued into the Quéens house a long time as one of her physitians the other two were Portugalls lately receiued to the seruice of the King of Spain yet colourably resorting into this Realme Lopez confessed that hee was of late yeares allured secretly to doe seruice vnto the King of Spaine and from one of his Priuie Councell he receiued a Iewell of gold of good value garnished with a large Diamond and a large Rubie and afterward he assented to take away the Quâ—â—ns life by poysoning vpon reward promised him of fifty thousand crownes for which purpose hee sent a messenger ouer to Callice to confer with the Count â—uents for this practise and that after he sent an other messenger vnto Ibarra the King of Spaines Secretary and to the said Count Fuentes promising to poison the Queene if â—hee might haue the fifty thousand crownes that were offered deliuered vnto him and he confessed the other two were his messengers in the aforesaid messages and conspired with him to execute the same and they all confessed that the stay that it was not done proceeded much against their mindes for want of the deliuerie of the said fifty thousand crownes which was promised by a day But the King of Spaine finding fault that the messenger which should carry the money was too base a fellow to be trusted wâ—â—h so much deferred the sending thereof but after billes of Exchange were deliuered by the Count Fuentes for the money by the direction of the King of Spaine at the very instant when it should haue been done it pleased God of his goodnesse towards her Maiestie to suffer this conspiracie to be very happily diâ—couered by the diligence of one of the Lords of her Maiesties Priuy Councell so all the thrée offenders were taken with their Letters and writings expressing their owne actions and Councels and the directions of the King of Spaines Councellors and the other two confessed the like in effect as Lopez had done wherevpon they were all three condemned for treason and executed accordingly Manuel Lewis repented at his death and prayed God that all those things that are atchieued by the King of Spaâ—ne against the Quéenes Maiestie might take none effect and that all the treasons which are wrought may bee discouered that God would prolong the life of the Quéenes Maiestie as shee deserueth and her faithfull subiects desire Edmund Yorke and Richard Williams NOt long after Lopez his treason another like conspiracie was concluded at Bruxells to murder the Queene whereof Stephano Ibarra the King of Spaines Secretary procuring the sâ—me to bee done by the said Yorke and Williams and others and Hugh Owen an English Rebell a Spanish Pentioner deliuered vnto the said Yorke an assignation in writing subscribed by the said Secretarie Ibarra his hand for assurance of payment of forty thousand crownes to bee giuen vnto him from the King of Spaine if hee would kill the Queene or if hee would assist Richard Williams or any other that should haue performed the same and the assignation was deliuered vnto Holt a Iesuit an old English Rebell who produced the Sacrament and kissed iâ— and sware in the presence of Yorke and other Rebels that he would surely pay the same Money vnto him as soone as the fact should be committed and vpon this matter were three seuerall consultations of Englishmen being Rebels and Fugitiues and Pentioners of the King of Spaine The names of the principall parties of the consultations are William Stanley the said Holt a Iesuit Thomas Throgmorton the said Hugh Owen Doctor Gifford Doctor Worthington Charls Paget one Tipping Edward Garret and Michaell Moody but bâ— Gods good prouidence the said Yorke and Williams were taken comming into England and confessed the whole matter as aforesaid Holt said to Yorke many Englishmen haue failed to perform this enterprise but if it should not be performed by you he would after imploy strangers in it Patricke Cullen an Irishman HE was likewise a Pentioner of the King of Spaine and a Fencer he was perswaded by William Stanley and one Iaques who was his Lieutenant and one Shirwood and the said Holt to come secretly into England and to kill her Maiestie and he assented thereunto and had thirty pound of Stanley Iaques towards his iourney with offer of great reward and comming into England he was taken and by good proofes charged there with he confessed the same in the manner as is before here expressed Richard Hesketh HEe was a Gentleman of Lancashire well acquainted with the Lord Strange he was sent into England by Cardinall Allen William Stanley and Thomas Worthington to intice Ferdinand the Lord Strange sonne and heire to the Earle of Darby to take vpon himselfe the title to be heire vnto the crowne of England and to shew him the opinion of the Cardinall and many others that he should take vppon him the title of King with assurance of treasure and forreine forces to maintaine the same which the said Hesketh did very diligently performe with many reasons as he was instructed but the Lord Strange being at Heskeths comming newly Earle of Darbie by the death of his father was so wise and dutifull that he stayed Hesketh who vpon the Earles report was apprehended and confessed the whole matter wheupon he was condemned and shewed great repentance and cursed his instructors and was executed SQVIRE THis Uiper Squire was likewise sent by the inticement of the aforesaid Serpentine generation beyond Sea to kill her Maiestie his plot was to so poyson the pummell of her Saddle that if she did lay her hand vpon it her whole bodie should be therewith poysoned but by the sure prouidence of God which euer did preserue her and â—oreshew vnto her all her dangers to the preuention of them this practise came
Kings nose at the comming of his Sonne giuing a monstration that he was Author of his death His Children after his death worthily rewarded for their vnnaturalnesse lost all they had beyond the Sea which their Father had gotten Alexander Pope decréed that no Arch-bishop should receiue the Pall vnlessâ— hée first sware obedience to the Pope These be the words in Englâ—sh of the giuing of the Pall. To the honour of Almighty God and of blessed Mary the Uirgin and of blessed S. Peter and S. Paul and of our Lord Pope and of the holy Church of Rome and of the Church committed to your charge we giue you the Pall taken from the body of Saint Peter as a fulnesse of the Pontificall Office which you may weare within your own Church vpon certain daies expressed in the priuiledgeâ— of the said Church granted by the Sea Apostolike This Pall ought to bee asked with great instance and within thrée moneths without which Pall he is not Arch-bishop but may be deposed The same Pall must be burned with him when hee dyeth and when it is giuen some priuiledge must be giuen with it or the old renewed the Arch bishops pay swéetly for it Euery Bishop must sweare to be obedient to Saint Peter the Apostolike Church of Rome and to the Pope to doe nothing whereby either of them or any member of them may be impaired nor helpe counsell or consent vnto any so doing not to vtter their councell any way sent to them to any body to their hurt to retaâ—ne and maintaine the Papacy and the Regalities of S. Peter against all men honorably to intreat the Popes Legats going and comming and helpe them in all necessities to be ready to come to a Sinod being called without any lawfull let to visite the Pallace of the Apostles euery third yeare by himselfe or a Messenger except otherwise licensed by the Pope not to sell giue or lease out any the possessions of his Church without the Popes license So God helpe him and the Holy Ghost By this Oath the Byshop could do nothing but what the Pope would in generall councels which was the corruption of them Besides this it was decreed in the said councell of Rome by 310. Byshops by Pope Alexander that none should haue spirituall promotion except he were of full age and borne in wedlocke that no Parish-Church should be voyd aboue sixe moneths that none within orders should meddle with temporal businesses that priests shall haue but one Benefice that Bishops be charged to find the Priest a liuing vntill he be promoted That open Usurers shall not communicate at Easter nor be buried within the Church yard That nothing shall be taken for ministring Sacraments or burying Item that euery Cathedrall Church should haue a Maister to teach Children fréely without taking any thing for the same In this Councell the vow of Chastity was laid vpon Priests Thomas Becket and Bernard were canonized for Saints In this yeare Richard the eldest Sonne of Henry the second succeeded his Father at which time Clement sat Pope succéeding Gregory who died a little before for sorrow for losse of the Holy Crosse by the Popes meanes He and Fredericke the Emperor and Phillip the French King went with their Armies to Palestina atchieuing the recouery of the Holy Land Richard in this iourney gat Cyprus Acon Ptolemayda Surrah For preparation for this iourney hee sold Lordships Castles Offices Liberties Priuiledges Byshopprickes c. He said he would sell London if he could finde one able to buy it Many Bishops purchased to their Bishopprickes diuers Lordships The Bishop of Winchâ—ster purchased Werregraue Meues The Bishop of Duresme Hadberge with all their appurtenances for 500. markes and purchased the whole Prouince of the King for his owne and himselfe to be made Earle of the same In this Kings daies there fell a great dissention in the Church of Yorke betwixt the Arch-bishop of Yorke and the Deane because euening Song was begunne before the Arch-bishoppe came his Grace comming into the Quire was angry because they tarryed not for him and commaunded the Quire to stay the Deanâ— and Treasurer willed them to fing on the Quire left and recanted and begun againe The Treasurer not to take the foyle caused the lights to be put out so the euening Song ceased for the Popish euening Song is blind without light though the Sunne shine neuer so bright His Grace suspended the whole Church from Diuine seruice vntill the parties had made him amends The next day being Ascention day the Deane and Treasurer would make no sarâ—sfaction the people would haue fallen vpon them if his Grace had not let them The Deane was faine to flye to his House and the Treasurour to Saint Williams Tombe for succour The Byshop excommunicated them and the Church was suspended from Seruice that day Thus much of the Heroicall câ—mbat betwixt these Ecclesiasticall persons King Richard in his iourney aforesaid talked with Abbot Ioachim of his Uisions and Prophesies especially of Antichrist hee expounded vnto him the place in the Reuâ—lation There be seuen Kings fiue are fallen one is now another not yet com He said they were seuen Persecutors of the Church Herod Nero Domitianus Maxentius Mahomet Turka the last which is not yet come was Antichrist which is already borne at Rome and should bee there exalted into the Apostolike Sea as the Apostle faith He is an Aduersary and exhalteth himselfe aboue all that is called GOD then the wicked man shall bee reuealed and the Lord shall consume him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming Why said the King I thought Antichrist should haue béene borne in Antiâ—ch or Babylon and of the Tribe of Dan and ruled in Ierusalem thrée yeares and a halfe and disputed against Enoch and Elias and put them to death and then died himselfe and that sixty daies of repentance should be giuen to them that were seduced by his preaching When King Richard went his iourney he committed the Custody of his Realme principally to the Byshop of Duresme and the Bishop of Ely and to two Lay men The two Byshops fell at variance for superiority at length this order was taken by the King that Duresme should haue vâ—der his custody from Humber is the Scottish Seas Ely was ordained Chancellor hauing vnder his gouernment from the said stood of Humber all the South parts besides but Ely beeing more ambitious so practised with the King and his Ambassadors sending his Letters to the Pope obtained the authority Legatiue vpon the whole Realm of England and became so ambitious and proud that all the Realme cryed out of him he beeing intollerable vnto the Cleargy and Layty He assembled a generall Councell at London in colour for Religion but it was for his owne pompe and oppression of the Clergy and Layty wonderfully oppressing the Commons Hee vsed â—o ride with thousand Horses Noble-mens Sonnes were glad to be his
and valiant Champion of the Faith vanquishing by the force of Scripture all such who by wilfuâ—l beggery blasphemed Christs Religion neither was he conâ—ict of heresie or burned by our prelates after his buriall God forbid our Prelates should condemne a man of such honesty for an heretick who amongst all the rest of our Uniuersitie had written in Logick Philosophy Diuinity Morality and the Speculatiue arte without pâ—are In witnes whereof we seale this testimonial with our common Seale 5. October 1406. Iohn Hus hauing read ouer Wickliffes Bookes concludeth by many infallible presumptions and reasons that hee was no Heretick but in the number of the saued and that it was a foolish consequent because the number of Prelates and Clergy in England France and Boheme doe count him for an Heretick that therefore he is one like is the reason for burning of his bookes for in the first Chapter of the Booke of Machabees they burned the Bookes of the Lord and tore them and whosoeuer was found to haue or vse them was put to death by the Kings commandement if this argued the wickednes of the bookes then the Law of God was wicked so likewise of the burning of S. Gregories bookes and of diuers other good men it followeth not because the Scribes and Pharisies condemned Christ as an Heretick that therefore he was one so Iohn Chrysostome was twice condemned an Hereticke by the Bishops and Clergy Besides the Articles afore there were other Articles gathered out of his Bookes which his malicious aduersaries peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibit to the Councell of Constance They sinne in Simony that be hired by temporal liuings to pray for others The prayer of the Reprobate preuaileth for no man Hallowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders bee reserued to the Pope and Bishops onely for temporall lucre Graduation and Doctor-ships in Uniuersities and Colledges as they bee vsed conduce nothing to the Church The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antichrist Such as founded Monasteries offend and all such as enter into them be members of the Diuell A Deacon or Priest may teach Gods word without the authority of the apostolike Sea They that enter into Monasticall Order or Religion are vnable to keep Gods commandements or to come to heauen except they returne The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Satan neither is the Pope the immediate vicar of Christ nor of the Apostles The decretals of the popes be Apocripha and seduce from the faith of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles It is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the Church of Rome to be supreme â—ead ouer all Churches It is but folly to beleeue the Popes pardons All othes made for any contract or ciuill bargaine betwixt man and man bée vnlawfull Benedick Francis Dominick Bernard and al other that haue béen patrons of priuat religions except they haue repented with such as entred into the same be in damnable state and from the pope vnto the lowest nouis they are all hereticks Thus you haue the whole summe of Wickliffes Articles albeit not as hee vttered them but as his froward aduersaries collected them out of his writings if some of them séeme hard or strange thinke it rather to be imputed to their euill will then to his good meaning as it might appeare if his bookes had now been extant but this is certaine howsoeuer his Articles were taken of the euill disposed with all good men he was highly fauoured and had in such estimation for his profound knowledge and great learning that all forren Nations were moued with his authoritie especially the Bohemians had him insuch reuerence that Iohn Hus the greatest doer in the Uniuersitie of Prage tooke profit of his Doctrine and openly defended his Articles Wickliffes Doctrine came into Bohemia by reason of a Student of Bohemia that was at Oxford being of Noble stock who returning to Prage carried certaine bookes of Wickliffes with him De realibus vniuersalibus De ciuili iure et Diuino De Ecclesia De questionibus varâ—â—s contra clerum c. a Noble man of Prage builded a Church called Bethelem giuing lands to it and finding two preachers euery day to preach to the people of the which Iohn Hus was one hee beeing familiar with the yong man reading and perusing these bookes tooke such pleasure and fruit thereby that he defended and commended them in schooles and sermons commending him for a good man wishing when he died to be there placed where his soule was We think it worth labour to shew certaine prophesies whereby so many persâ—cutions were figured and first the aforesaid Abbot Ioachim told King Richard as hée went to Ierusalem that the last of the seuen Kings spoken of in the Reuelation was Antichrist and that at that present hee should be bred at Rome and be exalted into the apostolick Sea according to the Apostle hee is exalted aboue all that is called God hee was in the yeare 1290. And in the Prophesie of Hildegardis afore mentioned she saith in the yeare 1200. the Doctrine of the Apostles and Iustice which God appointed to spirituall Christians beganne to war flack and doubtfull but this womanly time shall not so long continue as it hath done Bishop Fluensius doubted not openly to preach that Antichrist was borne in his daies Biâ—h Gerardus in the yeare of our Lord 1239. in his Book of the preseruation of Gods seruants doth coniecture Antichrist to be at hand by the rarity of prophesie and the gift of curing Hierome Sauanorol 69. yeares before prophesied that Italy shall be plagued by the scourge of God for the manifold sinnes thereof amongst the Princes as well Ecclesiasticall as secular and when the Cities of Rome and Florence are ouerthrowne then shall the Church bee renewed which shall happen very shortly and the Turkes and the Mauritanians shall bee conuerted vnto the knowledge of Christ and that one should passe the Alpes like vnto Cyrus and hee shall subuert all Italy I thinke it lacketh not his prophesie which happened in the yeare of our Lord 1501. that throughout all Germany there was scene vpon mens garments Crosses crownes of thornes similitude of Nailes and drops of bloud fâ—ll from heauen and oftentimes they fell within the houses insomuch that many women wore the same long time vpon their railes One Iohn a Franciscane Fryer in the yeare of our Lord 1346. fore-shewed that the Ecclesiasticall order should suffer much through the Ambitious auarice and pride of the Pope wherevpon Pope Clement the sixt cast him in the prison One Manfredus a Dominick Frier fore-shewed that Antichrist should rise vp in his time after the yeare of our Lord 1300. and should fully rage ouer the godly and that there should be persecution in the Church and hee said that the Cloyster Monkes did falsifie the Doctrine of Christ that the sacrifice of the Altar
the houses in Wormes The fourth or fift day after he came to Wormes he was enioyned at foure of the clock in the afternoone to appeare before the Emperor Dukes and other estates of the Empire to vnderstand the cause he was sent for And standing before them he was commanded silence vntill he was interrogated Then was asked him whether those books were his which were written in his name a great company of them lying before them and if they were thine whether thou wilt recant and reuoke them and all that is contained in them or rather meanest to stand to that which is written in them Then Luthers Aduocate desired that the titles of the books might be read which was done Luther answered Hée could not but acknowledge those bookes to be his and that he would neuer recant any clause thereof and for the iustifying of them he desired some time to consider because there be questions of faith and the saluation of the soule wherein it were dangerous and a rash thing to pronounce any thing without good aduisement After they had consulted the Officiall said Though thou doest not deserue to haue opportunity giuen thée to determine yet the Emperour of his méere clemencie gâ—anteth thée one day to morrow at this time thou shalt render before him conditionally thou do not exhibit thine opinion in writing but pronounce the same with liuely voyce At which time when he was appointed to answer he answered to this effect All my books are not of one sort there be some in which I haue so simplie and Euangelically intreated of the religion of faith and honest conuersation that my very enemies are compelled to confesse they be profitable and worthy to be read of all Christians and the Popes Bull iudgeth certaine of my books inculpable if I should reuoke these I should condemne that truth which friends and foes confesse There is another sort of my books which containe inuectiues against the Pope and doctrine of the Papists as against those which haue corrupted all Christendom bodily and spiritually with their pestiferous doctrine and pernicious examples for I cannot dissemble this when the vniuersall experience and common complaint of all beare witnesse that the consciences of all faithfull men haue béen most miserably intrapped vexed and most cruelly tormented by the Popes lawes and doctrine of men and further their substance deuoured specially in this famous Countrey of Germanie If then I should reuoke these I can doe none other but augment force to their tyrannie and not only open windowes but wide gates to such an infernall impietie the which will extend more wide and with more libertie then yet she durst and by the testimonie of this my retractation their insolent and malitious Kingdome shall be made most licentious and lesse subiect to punishment If I Luther should do this by the authoritie of your most excellent maiestie The third sort of my books I haue written against priuat persons such as with tooth and nayle labor to protect the Romish tyrannie and deface true religion which I haue taught and professed I confesse against these I haue been more violent then my profession required if I should recant these it would come to passe that tyranny and impietie shall raigne sâ—pported by my meanes â— Neuerthelesse as Christ when he was examined of his doctrine before Annas and hauing receiued a buffet of the Minister said If I haue spoken ill beare witnesse of the euill If Christ which was assured he could not erre refused not to haue testimony giuen against his doctrine how much more I that cannot but erre ought earnestly to intreat if any will beare witnesse against my doctrine and if any can by Scripture conuince me of error I will reuoke any manner of error and be the first that shall consume my books with fire I conceiue no greater delectation in any thing then when I behold dissentions stirred vp for the word of God for such is the course of the Gospell as Christ saith I came not to send peace vpon the earth but a sword I came to set a man at variance against his father And we must thinke our god is terrible in his Councels against his aduersaries lest the condemning of the word of God turne to a huge Sea of euils lest the Empire of this yong and bounteous Prince Charles bee lamentably and miserably begun I could amplifie this with authorities of Scripture and Pharo the King of Babylon and the Kings of Israell who then most obscured the bright Sunne of their glorie and procured their owne ruine when they attempted to pacifie their Realmes in this manner Then the Emperours Ambassador checked Luther saying he had not answered to any purpose and that he ought not to call in question things long time agoe defined by generall Councels therefore they required whether he would reuoke or no. Then he answered If I be not conuicted by testimonies of Scriptures and probable reasons for I beléeue not the Pope nor his generall Councels I will not nor may not reuoke any thing for it is vngodly to doe against my conscience Then the Embassador replied if all such as impugne that which was decréed by the Church and Councels may once get this aduantage to be conuinced by the Scriptures we shall haue nothing established in Christâ—ndom Luther answered the Councells oft gainsaid themselues and that he was able to proue that Councels haue erred and night approaching the Lords arose and after Luther had taken his leaue of the Emperor diuers Spaniards scorned and scoffed at him hollowing and whopping after him a long time After there were bills set vp against Luther and others with him but this was subtilly done of his enemies as it was thought that there might be occasion offered to infringe the safe conduct giuen him the which the Romane Embassador with all diligence indeuoured to bring to passe When he was sent for to the Archbishop of Triers they protested vnto him they sent not for him for disputation but beningly and brotherly to exhort him and they said though the Councels had erred yet their authoritie was not thereby abased neither was it lawfull for euery man to impugne their opinions and that Decrées Traditions of men and Ceremonies were established to represse vices according to the qualities of times and that the Church could not be destitute of them the trée is knowne by his fruits These lawes haue much profited And they alleadged that Luthers books would breed great tumult and incredible troubles and that he abused the common sort with his booke of Christian liberty incouraging them to shake off their yoake and to confirme in them a disobedience and that now the world was at another stay then when the beleeuers were all of one minde And albeit he had written many good things and doubtlesse with a good spirit yet now the Diuell hath attempted by wily meanes that all his works for euermore should be condemned and by these last workes
was Schoolemaster to one Master Welch and for translating certain religious books into English and for arguing with a certain Priest that often vsed to his Masters house and confounding diuers points of their religion by the word of God he was pursued glad to go out of the Realme into Germany and there translated the Bible into English compiled diuers other books sâ—nt them into England wherby the dore and light vnto the Scriptures was daily more and more opened which before was many years closed in darknesse from thence he went to Aâ—twarp and had his abiding there and was lodged about a yeare in the house of one Thomas Poynets an English man which kept a house of English Merchants then came thither one Henry Philips hauing a seruant waiting on him M. Tindall became acquainted with him and had great confidence in him and had him often to dinner and supper with him and got him a lodging in M. Poynets house At length Philips wâ—nt to the high Court of Bruxelles to betray M. Tindall and procured to bring from thence with him the Procurator generall with othâ—r Officers which was not done with small charges from whom soeuer it came After Philips returning would haue M. Tindall to dine with him then hee desired M. Tindall to lend him fortie shillings which he did he told Philips he could not diâ—e with him for he was bid forth to dinner and he should goe with him And going forth to dâ—nner Philips hauing appointed the officers in the way he gaue them a signe that this was he they should apprehend then they took him and brought him to the Procurator generall who sent him to the Casâ—le of Filford and the Procurator generall went to Poynets house and sent away all that was there of M. Tindals The said Poynets and certain Merchants went ouer into England and got letters from the Coâ—ncell for M. Tindals deliuery vpon the deliuery wherof to the Councel of Bruxelles M. Tindall should haue bin deliuered vnto him which when Philips vnderstood he accused Poynets â—o be an heretick and a receiuer of such caused him to be apprehended kept 13. or 14. wéeks in prison but he escaped by night and got into England but M. Tindall was condemned and the same morning as he was had to the fire he deliuered a letter to the chiefe Kéeper of the Castle which the Kéeper himselfe brought to Poynets house who compared him to be fellow to the Apostles being in prison both for his conuersation and conuerting and preaching to the peoâ—le M. Tindall hearing by certaine Merchants what wonderfull feats a Iugler did he desired thâ—m that he might be present also at supper to see him play his parts accordingly the supper was appointed and the Merchants with Tindall were there present The Iugler being desired to vttâ—r his cunning shâ—wed all that he could do but all was in vaine at last with his labour sweating and toyle he saw nothing would go forward he confessed there was some man present at supper which disâ—urbed his doings For his letters that he wrote I refer thée to the book at large if thou dispose to sée them The Lord Cromwell keeper of the Kings priuie Seale Uicegerent of all the Kings iurisdiction ecclâ—siasticall sent out certaâ—n iniuncâ—ions by the Kâ—ngs authoritâ— for the preaching thâ— word of God for the bâ—tter publishing of the kings supremaâ—â—â— against idols 〈◊〉 on pilgrimage trusâ—ing in saints and to abrogate diuers holy-daies and for reformation to be had in diuers othâ—r ecclesiastical matters In the begiâ—â—g of this year the most noble and worthy Lady Queen Anne of Bullen after she had liued Qâ—â—â—ne three â—ears was cast into the Tower together with her brother the Lord Rochford and diuers others which shortly after were executed The words of the Queene at the time of her death Good Christian people I ame come hither to die I am iudged therto by the law therefore I will not speake against it I pray God preserue the King for there was neuer a gentler Prince and to me he was euer a good soueraigne and I râ—quire euery one to iudge the best of my cause so â— take my leaue of the world and of you all desiring you to praâ—â—or me Then she kneeled down and said Into thy hands I commend my soule Iesus receiue my soule diuers times vntill her head was striken off Fiue burned in Scotland SEauen years after Patrick Hamelton aforesaid there were fiue burned in Edenborough the chief Citie in Scotland two were Dominican Friers one Priest one Cannon and one Gentleman adiudged by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes Petrus Chappeâ—anus and the Franciscan Friers whose labour is neuer wanting in such matters The murther of ROBERT PACKINGTON HEe was a rich Mercer dwelling in Cheap side and was one of the â—urgesses of the Parliament for the Citie of London and had spoken against the couetousnesse and cruelty of the Clergie wherefore he was had in contempt with them therfore one Doctor Vincent Deane of Paules hired a stranger for sixtie crownes to kill him which he did in this manner this Packington vsed by foure of the clocke euery morning to go to a Church neare Cheap-side and in a mistie morning tâ—e hyred stranger shot him and killed him with a gunne as he crossed the street This could not be knowne vntill the death of the Deane then he repented the fact at his death and confessed it to his ghostly father In this yeare the Kings Maiestie by his Uicegerent the L. Cromwell sent out againe certaine Iniunctions vnto the Spiritualty for the reformation of religion for the maintenance of reading the Bible in English and for taking downe of Images with such other like The history of Iohn Lambert alias Nicolson BEing beyond Sea by reason of the persecution here he returned hoping the time had bin amended by the means of Quéen Anne and Cromwell and the abolishing of the Pope he became a Schoolemaster and being present at a Sermon preached by Doctor Taylor one that was a Bishop in K. Edwards time and died in the Tower in Queen Maries time after the Sermon hee vttered diuers arguments to the Preachers and desired to be resolued Taylor alledged businesse and desired him to write his minde which he did The first was vpon The cup is the new Testament and if these words doe not change neither the cup nor the wine into the new Testament by like reason the words spoken of the bread should not turn it corporally into the body of Christ. The second it is not agreeable to a naturall body to be in â—wo or more places ot one time therfore Christ hauing a naturall bodie cannot be in heauen on the right hand of his father and in the Sacrament Thirdly a naturall body cannot be without his forme and conditions as he cannot be without substance iâ— the Sacrament there is no forme and condition of the body of Christ no not
beloued friends I am brought hether to suffer death albeit I neuer offended against the King in word nor deed and haue alwaies béene as faithfull as any man vnto this Realme but because I am by Law condemned to die to testifie my obedience which I owe vnto the Lawes I am come hither to suffer death Wherefore I thanke God that he hath giuen me this time of repentance who might so suddenly haue béen taken with death that I could not haue acknowledged God nor my selfe I would something put you in minde of the Christian Religion which so long as I was in authoritie I did alwaies diligently set forth and I reioice therein sith now the state of Christian Religion commeth most neere to the order of the Primatiue Church which I esteeme as a great benefit of God to me and vnto you most heartily exhorting you all that you will most thankefully imbrace it set out the same in your liuing which if you do not no doubt great calamitie will follow Upon these words there was heard a terrible noise as it had beene of some great tempest from aboue as if a great deale of Gun-powder being inclosed in an armory hauing caught fire had violently broke out or as if a great company of horsemen had been running together vpon them whereby the people were so amazed that they ranne away sâ—me into Ditches and Puddles and some into the houses others with their Halberts fell vnto the ground Crying out Iesus saue vs Iesus saue vs and those which tarried in their places knew not where they were It happened heere euen as when the officers of the High Priests came to take Christ They runne back and fell to the ground in so great slaughter of Dukes within this few yeares there were neuer so many weeping eyes at one time and the people seeing Sir Anthony Browne ride to the Scaffold they coniectured that the King had sent his Unkle pardon therefore with great reioycing they cast vp their caps and cryed out pardon pardon is come God saue the king Thus the good Duke although he was destitute of mans help yet hee saw before his departure in what great loue and fauour he was with all men Then said the Duke dearely beloued friends there is no such matter as you vainely beleeue Therefore I pray you be contented with my death which I most willingly suffer let vs ioine in prayer for the King vnto whom I haue alwaies shewed my selfe a faithfull Subiect and haue béen most diligent to seeke the commoditie of the whole Realme at which words all the people cryed out and said it was most true And praying for the King and Councell and exhorting the people to obedience forgiuing all his enemies and desiring forgiuenes of them which heâ— had offended and praying them to beare witnes he died in the faith of Christ. Then he knéeled downe and prayed and rising againe without any trouble of minde he tooke them all on the Scaffold by the hand and bid them all farewell when he lay vpon the block he called thrice on the name of Iesus saying Lord Iesus saue me And as the name of Iesu was repeating the third time in a moment he was bereft both of head and life The Lady MARY THe King his Councell had much trauell by Letters and messengers to reduce the Lady Mary to obedient conâ—ormitie of Religion yet she would not be reclaimed from her owne singuler opinion fixed vpon custome to giue any indifferent hearing vnto the word and voice of verity the which set will of the said Lady Mary the yong King and also his Father King Henry right well perceiuing they were both much displeased against her insomuch that not only her brother did sequester her in his Will but also her owne father considering her inclination did conceiue such a hate against her that for a great space he did seclude her from the title of Princesse yea and seemed so greatly incensed against her that he was fully purposed to haue procéeded further with her as it is reported had not the intercession of Thomas Cranmer the Archbishop reconciled the King againe to fauour and pardon his owne daughter And about the eighth of September 1552. Doctor Ridley Bishop of London went to visit the Lady Mary and was gently entertained of Sir Thomas Wharton and other her officers About eleuen of the clocke the Lady Mary came forth of her chamber of presence then the Bishop saluted her Grace and said he was come to doe his dutie vnto her Grace she thanked him and for a quarter of an houre talked with him pleasantly and said she knew him when he was Chaplain to her father and remembred a Sermon that he made before her father at the Lady Clintons marriage and so dismissed him to dine with her officers After dinner the Bishop being called resorted againe vnto her Grace then said the Bishop Madam I come not only to doe my duety to sée your Grace but also to offer my selfe to preach before you on Sonday next if it please you to heare me she said I pray make the answere your selfe for you know the answere well enough but if I must make answere this shall be your answere The doore of the Church shall be open for you if you come but neither I nor none of mine shall heare you The Bishop said Madam I trust you will not refuse GODS word She answered I cannot tell what you call GODS word that is not GODS word now that was GODS word in my fathers dayes The Bishop said GODS word is one in all times but it hath beene better vnderstood and practised in some ages then in others She said you durst not for your eares haue auouched that for GODS word in my fathers dayes that now you doe as for your new books I thanke GOD for it I neuer read none of them nor neuer will doe After many bitter words against the forme of Religion then established and against the gouernment of the Realme and the lawes made in the young yeares of her brother which she said she was not bound to obey vntill her brother came to perfect age and then affirmed she would obey them Then she asked him whether he were one of the Priuie Councell he answered no you might well enough quoth she as the Councell goeth now-a-dayes so she concluded that she thanked him for his gentlenesse to come and see her but for your offering to preach before me I thank you neuer a whit Then was the Bishop brought by Sir Thomas Wharton vnto the place where he dined who desired him to drinke after he had drunke he looked very sadly and brake out in these words Surely I haue done amisse in that I haue drunke in that place where GODS word hath beene offered and refused whereas indeed if I had beene mindfull of my duety I ought not to haue stayed but to haue departed immediatly and to haue shaken off the dust of my feete for a
that she should not be purified before she did suffer thinking she should be damned if she died vnpurified Master Bilney and Master Latimer told her that the law was made for the Iewes and not for vs and how women be as well in the fauour of God before purification as after And when they had brought her into a good way they shewed her the Kings pardon and let her goe Many moe like good matters were wrought by him but the more his vertues and good doings began to be knowne the more his aduersaries began to spurn against him One Doctor Redman of great authoritie in Cambridge séeing the boldnesse of Master Latimer in setting abroad the Gospell he wrote to him earnestly requiring him for charities sake not to stand so much in his owne conceit nor to preferre his singular iudgement in matters of religion and controuersies before so many learned men and the whole Catholike Church hauing neither the word of God nor the testimony of any authentike writer to make for you consider you are but a man therfore lying and vanity may quickly bleare your eyes which doth somtime transforme it selfe into an Angell of light suffer not the Church to take offence by the hardnes of your heart let not the vnitie of Christs coat without seame be torne asunder trust not in your owne wisdome To which he answered it is enough for me that Christs sheepe heare no mans voyce but Christs you haue no voyce of Christ against me for my part I haue a heart that is readie to hearken to any voyce of Christs that you can bring me so fare you well and trouble me not any more from the talking with the Lord my God At length M. Latimer was called before the Cardinall for heresie by the procurement of his aduersaries where he was content to subscribe to such articles as were propounded vnto him After he was appointed for one of them that laboured for the Kings supremacie and remaining at Court he preached often in London after at the sute of the Lord Cromwell he was benefâ—â—ed at West-Kingston in Wilshire where he was very diligent in teaching his diligence extended also to all the countrey round about but there also he could not escape without enemies It so chanced that hee preaching vpon the Uirgin Marie he proued that Christ was her Sauiour Certaine Popish Priests being therewith offended drew Articles against him concerning the matter of our Ladie of praying vnto Saints and of Purgatorie to which Articles he answered in effect as followeth 1 To reproue certaine Priests and beneficed men which giue so much to our Lady as though she had not bin saued by Christ which is the sauiour of her and of all that be or shall be saued I did reason that either she was a sinner or no sinner if a sinner then she was deliuered from sinne by Christ or if she were no sinner she was preserued from sinne by him so he was her Sauiour which way soeuer you take it 2 Images of Saints are called Saints to pray to these Saints is Idolatrie Saints in heauen doe of Charity pray for vs but we are not commanded to pray to them for Christ only is a holy Mediator for them and vs. 3 The scurfe must be taken away from pilgrimage before it be good to wit superstition Idolatrie false faith and trust in the Image debts must be paide restitutions made wife and children prouided for duety to our poore neighbours discharged and when it is at best beâ—fore it be vowed it néed not be done for God commandeth it not 4 I said the Aue maria was a greeting which the Angel brought from God to the Uirâ— in Marie but I said it was not a prayer as the Pater noster which our Sauior Christ made and bade vs say for a prayer not adding that we should say ten or twenty Aue Mariaes with it 5 The torment of hell is not a materiall fire no more then it is a materiall stinging of a worme or snake but a metaphor signifying the paine torment anguish griefe miserie sorrow and heauines inexplicable and intollerable whose nature and condition none can tell 6 That the soules that are not in hell are in as great ioy as soules can be and cannot be put from eternall ioy and suffer no paine of charitie they pray for vs and haue no need that we should pray for them and besides this there is no other Purgatorie I had rather be there then in the Bishop of Londons prison though they call the fire thereof neuer so hote yet if the Bishop with his two fingers can put away some of the fire and a Friers Cowle the fourth part thereof and Scala Coeli altogether I will neuer found Abbey Colledge or Chauntery for that purpose Prouision for Purgatorie hath brought thousands to hell debts haue not beene paide nor lands and goods euill gotten restored poore people are suffered to perish for want and all to builde religious houses to deliuer out of Purgatorie and to pay for Dirges Masses and ringing of Bells to carrie vs to hell withall who can purge pilgrimage from Idolatrie and Purgatorie from robberie but he shall be in suspition of heresie As for Pilgrimage you would wonder what iugling there is to get Money withall I dwell by the way and you would admire how they come by flockes out of the West Countrey to many Images but cheefâ—ly to the blood of Hayles and they beléeue verily it is the blood of Christs body shed vpon Mount Caluarie for our saluation and that the sight of it doth certifie them out of doubt that their sinnes are forgiuen and they are in state of saluation If you should common with them comming and going what faiths they haue you would wonder they cannot away with forgiuing their enemies and reconciling themselues vnto their Brethren for the sight of that blood doth quite them for the time they that did violently and miraculously plucke the blood out of Christs body by whipping and wounding him saw his blood and yet were not thereby in cléere life Christ doth suffer the Diuell to vse his craftie fashion for our probation it were very little thanke to beléeue well if nothing should mooue vs to beléeue superstitiously it was not in vaine when Christ had taught vs truly that he had vs beware of false Prophets These points following his Aduersaries preached y â— Christs blood is not sufficient without the blood of Martyrs Magdalene did not know Christ to be God before his Resurrection there can be now no Idolatry Rome cannot be destroyed the Pope is Lord of all the World whatsoeuer he doth is well done Pater noster is to be said vnto Saint Peter Pater noster is but a beggerly prayer Aue Maria is infinitly better there must be twentie Aue Mariaes for one Pater noster Aue Maria was before Pater noster and shall bee after it was not necessary that the scriptures should be written Christ
learned men to be made a foole and laughing stocke but I weigh it not a rush For God knoweth that my whole study is to please him and I care not for mans pleasure or displeasure Then we fell againe in long talke of the Church wherin his learning and wit was much more then mine and being diuerse times examined by the Bishop and others standing stiffe in his opinion and neither by flattery nor fear could be wonne from the truth hee was condemned and burned as before Hee beeing in Prison in New-gate hauing perswaded many of the common goale to repentance and faith hee the day before he was executed wrote to diuers Gentlemen of the Innes of Court of his acquaintance in commendation of the true spirituall loue of Gods children how that it is the chiefe fruite of the spirit where it is the onely line that tieth Christs members to him and one to another and that neither prison nor distance of place nor time can breake this loue nor death it selfe For Faith and Hope haue finished their course when we are come to heauen but our loue to Gods children doth remaine there they in heauen loue vs pray for vs and we loue them Now for this loue sake he chargeth ye said Gentlemen his acquaintance by all menes to séek the deliuerance of these prisoners that he had conuerted to helpe them with necessaries Thomas Browne was borne in the Parish of Histon in the Diocesse of Ely and after dwelt in the Parish of S. Brides in Fléetstréet was brought to Bonner by the Constable and was condemned as before Iohn Tudson was borne in Ipswich in the County of Suffolke and after hee was prentice at London in the Parish of S. Buttolph and was sent by Story to Bonner and was condemned as before Iohn Went borne at Langham in Essex a Shere-man he was likewise sent by Story to Bonner and condemned as before Isabell Foster was wife to one Iohn Foster a Cutler of the Parish of S. Brides in Fléetstréet she was sent to Bonner for not comming to Church and condemned as aforesaid Ioane Lashford Alias Warne there is mention before of Elizabeth Warne with Iohn Warne her husband were apprehended at a Communion in Bow-Church-yard and both were burned for the same and now the daughter followed the Parents in the same Martyrdome Doctor Story procured their death and after their deaths he was charged with forty pounds that he owed them she confessed and protested there was no reall presence of Christs body and blood in â— Sacrament of the Altar and that auricular confession and absolution after the popish sort was not necessary nor the Masse good or according to the scriptures and saith that these all other supertiuous Sacraments ceremonies and diuine seruice now vsed in this realme of England was most vile contrary to Christs words and institutions so that they neither were at the beginning nor shall be at the latter end The Bishop exhorting her to returne to the holy mother Church she said boldly to him againe If you will leaue your abhomination so I will returne and otherwise I will not These seuen were all burned together in one fire as aforesaid Iohn Lomas Anne Albright Ioane Catmer Agnes Snoth Ioane Sole IOhn Lomas of the parish of Tenderden in Kent was cited to appeare at Canterbury being examined vpon diuers Articles he answered still that he beléeued as it was contained in Gods Booke and being examined whether hee beléeued the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Altar really vnder y â— formes of bread and wine after consecration hee answered that hee beléeued no realty of Christs body in the Sacrament neither vnder foorme nor trestle wherefore he was condemned the 18 day of Ianuary Agnes Snoth Maid of the parish of Smarden in Kent was likewise examined before the Pharisaical Iudges and for denying auricular confession and for saying none could receiue y â— Sacrament of the Altar as now it is vsed without danger of damnation and for denying penance to be a Sacrament for saying the popish absolution was not coÌ„sonant to Gods word she was likewise condemned Anne Albright alias Champnes being examined denied to bee confessed of a Priest saying you Priests are the children of perdition and can doe no good by your confession and told the Iudge and his assistants that they were subuerters of Christs truth and she said the Sacrament of the Altar was a naughty and aâ—ominable Idoll wherefore she was likewise condemned Ioane Sole of Horton in Kent was condemned of the same Pharises Priests for not allowing Auricular confession and for denying the reall presence in the Sacrament Ioane Cormer of the parish of Hithe in Kent the fifth and last of these heauenly Martyrs shee denyed Auricular confession she said the Sacrament of the altar was now made a very Idoll shee was likewise coudemned these fiue were buâ—ned at two stakes in one fire together at Canterbury the 31. of Ianuary Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Cauterbury HE was borne in Nottingham shire his fathers name was Thomas Cranmer his ancesters were worthy Esquires his mother was a gentle woman named Agnes Hâ—tfield he was of Cambridge in the time when good Authors were neglected and filthy barbarousnesse embraced in all schooles and vniuersities onely the names and number of liberall Arts did remaine the arts themselues were cleane lost Logicke was gone into sophisticall trifles Phylosophy both morrall and naturall was miserably defaced with infinite questions and subtilties the vse of tongues and eloquent learning was either small or none at all and diuinitie was so laden with articles and definitions that it serued rather for the gaine of a few then for the edification of many So hée was constrained to spend a part of his youth vntill he was twentie yeares old in the péeuish questions of Duns and other masters of that sort at length the tongs and other learning began a little to spring and the books of Erasmus began to be much estéemed with a number of good Authours besides on which Cranmer rubbed away his olde rufâ—inesse as vppon a whetstone then Luther rose the happy day of Gods knowledge who wakened mens minds to the cléere light of the truth At thirtie yeares olde he gaue his mind wholly to discusse matters of religion on both parts and hauing performed the same he spent thrée yeares in the study of the Scriptures then he read the old writers despising not the new weighing all mens opinions with secret iudgment he neuâ—r read any writers booke without pen and inkâ— in all controuersies hee gathered euery authors sentence briefly at 35. yeares olde hee procéeded Doctor of Diuinitie he was chosen one of the 12 that should decide y â— matter of kings Henries diuorce and by his arguments learning and meanes it was brought to passe then he was sent to Paris with diuers Noble men and Bishops where he behaued himselfe in that case
taught heresie And hee desired all them present to beare him witnesse that he tooke the Traditions and Religion of the Pope to bée most erronious false and against the doctrine of holy Scriptures which hee had often proued by preaching and writing and the Pope to bee very Antichrist so often preached by the Apostles and Prophets in whom most euidently doth concurre all the signes and tokens whereby hee was painted vnto the world to bee knowne by for hee aduanceth himselfe aboue all Emperours and Kings of the world whom he affirmeth to hold of him and to be at his commandement and the stories make mention of his intollerable pride and tyranny vsed to them as no King would haue done to his subiects nor a good maister to his seruants setting his féet vpon Emperours necks and making others to hold his stirrops and remoued others from their Empires hath not onely occupied the highest places in the world aboue Kings but hath presumed to fit in the seat of Almighty God which is the conscience of man to kéepe the possession thereof he hath promised forgiuenesse of sins he hath brought in Gods of his own framing and inuented a new religion full of lucre quite contrary to the Scriptures only for maintaining of his kingdome displacing Christ from his glory holding his people in miserable seruitude of blindnesse to the losse of a number of soules which God at the latter day shall exact at his hands boasting in his Canons decrées that he can dispense against Peter Paul the old Testament New that in his fulnesse of power he can do as much as God If any man can be aduanced aboue him let him be iudged Antichrist This enemy of God and our redemption is so euidently painted out in the Scriptuers with such manifest tokens which all sée clearely appeare in him that except a man will shut his eyes and heart against the light hee cannot but know him therefore I will neuer giue my consent to the receiuing of him into the Church of England and my Lord sand you that be here examine your own consciences you are sworne against him you are learned and can iudge the truth I pray God you be not wilfully blind I haue discharged my conscience to the world I will write my mind to her grace which letter you may sée in the book at large Storie and Martine diuers times interrupted him saying he spake blasphemy and would faine haue the Bishop put him to silence who notwithstanding suffered him to end his spéech Then they charged him that he was sworne vnto the Pope when he was made Archbishop but he denied it and said It appeareth that he did not by the record of the countrey which one of them confessed Many maruelled that in so perilous a time he had so sincerely proceeded choosing rather to venture the losse of his life and all his glorious pompe then to do any thing that might spill his conscience Then they obiected that he was married which he confessed Doctor Martine said his children were bond-men to the Sea of Canterbury At which he smiled saying If a benificed Priest had a Concubine and had bastards by her they are not bond-men to the benifice I trust you wil make my childrens cause no worse Then D. Martine demanded of him who was the supreme head of the Church he said Christ Martine said you made K. Henry supreme head of the Church He said of the people of England Ecclesiasticall Temporal and not of the Church for Christ is the onely head of the Church and of the Faith and Religion of the same The Articles of religion touching the Sacrament denying transubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Masse and the reall presence he affirmed as he taught in his Booke Then they cited him to appeare 80 daies after at Rome and then sent him to prison where thou maist sée their visored face of Iustice as though the Court of Rome would condemne no man before hee answered for himselfe but the same time the Pope sent letters executory vnto the King and Queene to disgrade and depriue him which was done before twenty dayes were done And though he were kept in prison at the end of the 80 dayes hee was decreed Contumax and thereupon condemned Upon S. Valentines day next after the Archbishop was disgraded and condemned by Bonner Thurlby Bishop of Ely who sometimes was Cranmers Chaplaine and preferred by him at which time Bonner which a long time had borne great malice towards him and reioyced greatly see this day wherein he might triumph ouer him at his pleasure made an Oration to the people in this sort This is the man who hath euer despised the Popes holinesse and now is to be iudged by him this is the man that hath pulled downe so many Churches and now is come to be iudged in a Church this is the man that contemned y â— blessed Sacrament of the Altar and now is come to be condemned before the said Sacrament hanging ouer the Altar this is the man that like Lucifer sate in the place of Christ vpon an Altar to iudge others and now is come before the Altar to bee iudged himselfe Thus he continued halfe an houre heaping vp a number of lies together beginning euery one with This is the man so lothsomly that he made euery man weary When they had disgraded him they stript him of his gowne put vpon him a poore yeoman Bedles gowne thrid-bare and as ill-fauouredly made as could be and a Townsmans cap vpon his head and so deliuered him to the secular power in this filthie gowne he was carried vnto prison The Queene Bishops hauing kept the Archbishop now almost three yeares in prison seeing by no means they could preuaile with him all this while to turn him from his religion they suborned certaine men which should by intreaty and faire promises or any other means allure him to recantation so the wily Papists flocked about him labouring to draw him from his former sentence to recantation especially Henry Sidall and Frier Iohn a Spaniard they shewed him how acceptable it would be to the Kings Queene and how gainfull it would be both bodily spiritually they added that the Councell Noble-men bare him good wil promising him both his life ancient dignity saying the matter was but small the setting of his hand to a few words but if hee refused there was no hope of pardon for the Queene was purposed that shee would haue Cranmer a Catholique or else no Cranmer at all By these and such like prouocations they at last wâ—nne him to subscribe It may bee supposed that it was for hope of life and better dayes to come But it appeareth by a Letter of his to a Lawyer that the most cause why hee desired his life to bee delayed was that hee might make an end of a Booke against Marcus Antonius a Papist which hee had begun but it is manifest
said that the Sacrament of the Altar as it is now vsed is no Sacrament at all These thrée blessed witnesses of Iesus Christ Simpson Fox and Deuenish as they were all together apprehended at Islington so they suffered together in Smithfield WILLIAM NICOLE HEe was an honest simple poore man apprehended the ninth of Aprill by the Popes Champions for speaking certaine words against the cruell kingdome of Antichrist he was butcherly burned and tormented at Hereford west in Wales where he ended his life in a blessed estate and gloriously gaue his soule into the handes of the Lord. Willam Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson WIlliam Seaman was a husbandman dwelling in Mendlesam in the County of Suffolk he was taken the ninteenth of May by one Robert Balden his neighbour whom he greatly trusted as they were leading him by night to Sir Iohn Tyrill there fell a light out of the Element betwixt them and parted them albeit this Balden was then in his best age yet after that time â—e neuer enioyed good day but pined away euen vnto death Sir Iohn Tyril asâ—ed him why hee would not goe vnto Masse and receiue and worship the Sacrament He said it was an Idol and therefore would not receiue it Whervpon he was sent to the Bishop of Norwich who condemned him He had a wife and three children who because shee would not goe vnto Masse all her corne and goods were taken away from her by Christopher Cole being Lord of the towne of Mendlesham Thomas Carman was apprehended for pledging Richard Crashford at his burning he was brought before the Bishop of Norwich and answered no lesse in his maisters quarrell thâ—n th' other and he had the like reward Thomas Hudson was of Aylesham in Norffolke a Glouer hee bore so good will vnto the Gospell that in the daies of King Edward the sixt that when hée was thirty yeareo old he learned to reade wherein he so greatly profited that in Queene Maries raigne auoiding all their beggerly ceremonies of superstition he absented himselfe and trauelled from place vnto place and returning home vnto his owne house to comfort his Wife and Children When hee perceiued that his continuance there would be very dangerous hee and his wife deuised to make him a place in his Faggots to hide himselfe in where hee remained all the day reading and praying for halfe a yeare In the meane time came thither one Berry Uicar of the Towne and inquired of his Wife for him Shee said shee â—new not where hee was Then hee threatned to burne her because shee would not bewray her husband After this Hudson waxed euery day more zealous then other and the people often resorted vnto him to heare his Sermons at last hee walked abroad for certaine daies into the towne crying out against the Masse and all their trumpery at the length one Iohn Crouch his next neighbour went with speed to the Constables to certifie them that hee was at home who went about to catch him in the breake of the day Whâ—n Hudson saw them hee said now mine houre is come welcome friends you bee they that shall leade mee vnto life euerlasting I thanke GOD therefore and the Lord inable mee for his mercy sake Then they ledde him vnto Berry their Uicar being Commissarâ—e as before who asked him where hee kept his Church foure yeares before Hee answered wheresoeuer hee was there was the Church Then hee asked him whether hee beleeued in the Sacrament of the Altar He answered that was but wormes meate my beliefe is in Christ crucified Then he asked him whether hee did not beléeue that the Masse taketh away sinnes Hudson It is a patched monster and a disguised puppit more longer a peecing then euer was Salomons Temple Then Berry seemed as a mad man and said wel I will write vnto my Lord and thou shalt be handled according vnto thy deserts Oh Sir said Hudson there is no Lord but God though there bee many Lords and Gods With that Berry thrust him back with his hand and bound Richard Clifford to the good behauiour for saying I pray bee good vnto the poore man Then the said Berry writ vnto the Bishop and sent Hudson bound like a Theefe vnto him who went thither with ioy and singing as merry as euer hee was where he was condemned These thrée were burned without the Bishops gaâ—e in Norwich in a place called Lolords pit aftor they had made their prayers they went vnto the stake and standing with their chaines about them Iohn Hudson being troubled in minde went from them and prayed his fellowes exhorted him in the bowels of Christ to be of good chéere At last the Lord according vnto his old mercies sent him comfort and then rose â—e with great ioy as a man new changed from death vnto life and said now I thanke God I am strong and passe not what man can doe vnto mee at the length they all suffered most ioyfully together to the terrour of the wicked the comfort of Gods children and the magnifying of the Lords Name After this Berry caused two hundred of the towne of Cylesham to creepe to the crosse at Penticost besides other punishments which they suffered This Betry vpon a time strooke a poore man of his parish with the swingell of a â—laile for speaking words that hee presently dyed And after hee méeting one Alice Oxes going into his Hall hee as before moued he smote her with his fist and the next day shee was found dead in his Chamber to write how many Concubines and whoores hee had none would beleeue but such as knew him where be dwelt He was rich of great authoritie a great swearer altogether giuen vnto women and persecuting the Gospell and compelling men vnto Idolatry he troubled sundry good men burned all good books that he could get and deuorced many men and women for religion When hee heard Queene Mary was dead and the glory of his triumph quailed On a Sunday hee made a great Feast and had one of his Concubines there with whom he was in his Chamber from dinner vntill euening song then hee went to the Church and after euening song in going from Church homeward hee fell downe dead made an heauy grone and neuer stirred and those that had his riches so consumed with them that they be poorer now then when they had his goods which iudgement the Lord executed in the eyes of all men At that time Dâ—nning the cruell Chancellor of Norwich died in Lincolneshire as sodainely as the said Berry died Ioane Seaman Mother of the said William Seaman SHe was threescore and six yeares old She was persecuted from her house by the said Sir Iohn Tyrill because she would not goe vnto the Masse nor receiue against her conscience sometimes shee was glad to lye in the bushes Groues and Fields but her husband beeing fourescore yeares old and falling sick she returned vnto her house to shew her duety vnto her husband vntill hee dyed then she fell