wyt what mocyonyd yow to take yt in hande so ernestly and now to shyft your selfe 〈◊〉 yt so lyghtely ☞ W. To shew you the trothe wâ—thowt dyssymulacyon how I was entyced vnto theyr faccyâ—ne the verye begynnynge was thys I had redde certayn treatyses of Martyne Luther of the iustyfycacyon onely by fayth wythowt good dedes how man had no fre wyll how owre good warkes auaylled vs nothynge to be sauyd nother our yll dedys shuld cause vs to be damned and many other artycles whych he falsely presumed to grouÌ„d vppon scriptureâ— Also I dylygently notyd howe he descrybed the abuses of popys cardynallys byshoppys preestys and relygyous persones declarynge how the present dekay of the church farre dyffered from the perfeccyon of the apostles and holy fathers at the furst begin â—yng wherin he made no lye though in other thiÌ„ges he spared the trouthe Furthermore geuyng eare to the plesauÌ„t rumours of hys reformacyons highly coÌ„meÌ„ded amoÌ„g new faÌ„gled people yt sett myne hart so on fire that I coud not rest vntyll I had bene there with theÌ„ After that I had sene Martin Luther Poinerane Melancton herd theyr prechynges perceyuynge theyr order there in Saxonye I went in to hye Almayne vnto the Oecolampadyanes remaynyng there amonge theym was oftentymes conuersauÌ„te with the Anabaptistes In the meane space I sawe many wonderfull alteracyons as destroyeng of monasteryes pluckyng down of churches castynge out of ymages breakynge of aultares caryeng the consecrate stones to the buyldynge of theyr bull warkes also maryages of prestes monkes freres nonnes contempte of holy dayes anulâ—ynge of vygyles fastynge of the lent and embrynge dayes clene reiecte with other laudable ordynaunces instytute by the churche â–ª â—ll places of scripture where mencyon is made of Antichryst fals prophetes maysters of lyes such other they violently applyed vnto the clergye namynge them selfe crystene brotherne dyscyples of Cryste and apostles of hys gospell In denyenge purgâ—torye and auctoryte of the pope yf they found in auncyent aâ—ctours as moch as a corrupte tytle of a pystle so wnynge any thyng to theyr purpose all be it the epystle selfe made hole agaynst it yet wold they take it as the worde of god sure reuelacyon of the spyryte Contrarye wyse yf any alledgyd Austyn Hierome Cypryane or Chrysostome agaynst them they wolde admytte theyr sentencys for none auctoryte sayenge they were men all men were lyers In lyke maner concernyng the sacrament of the aultare where they redde in doctours of the spyrytuall eatynge and goostely beynge they onely acceptyd that and vnder the coloure therof they wolde exclude the corporall eatynge and bodely presence of Chryst to the establysshyng of theyr blasphemous errors whiche they shadowyd vnder the couert of hypocrysye and persuasyoÌ„s of peruertyd scryptures in suche wyse that opeÌ„ly seyng I coude not perceyue them vntyll it pleasyd god of hys inestymable goodnes to brynge me out of the lande of darcknes and regyon of deth vnto the clerenes of his knowlege lyuyng lyght of trothe I can not excuse me but amoÌ„g the wycked I endeuored my selfe to haue done euyll but god so mercyfully preuentyd me that it came to small effect in â–ª doynge any harme If I haue bene occasioÌ„ of any mannes fall or cause of slaunder I am sorye for yt and aske forgeuenes Not wythstandynge I neuer defendyd any opynyoÌ„ obstynatly nother despysed the admonycyon of any vertuous ê‘son that I haue erred was through ygnorance and of no malicious pertynacyte where ye be in perplexyte of credence geuyng vnto my wordes I aÌ„ sure if that I spake according to your appetyte ye wold put no dyffydence in me whether I sayd the veryte or lyed for yt ys a playne case amonge the fauorers of these new sectes that they wyll refuse no forged tales makyng a wght for theyr syde be they neuer fo fals And seing ye beleuyd me in errour ye oughte not to mystrust me nowe in my faythfull reâ—ocacyon voluÌ„tarye and not coattyd N. Clerâ—ly many men presuppose that other ye be deludyd by the flatteryng perswasyon of some worldly persoÌ„s or ells vtterly geueâ— in to a reprobate mynde through gredy desyre of yerthely promocyon and appetyte of ydle lyuynge ☞ W. It ys not in my power to stoppe the wronge surmyse or mysse reporte agaynst me now enemye vnto theyr errours whyles they abuse the same to the frendes of theyr heresyes namely where as Sathane ys loosed at large the lyenge goste the spyryte of vntrueth walkyth at lyberty vnâ—â—streynede wolde god they weâ—e as prâ—st to remoue the 〈◊〉 out of theyr own eyes as they be proÌ„pt to aspye a lytell moâ—eis other meÌ„nyâ— They crye out sore vppon the worldely wysdome and carnall prudence of other ê‘sons callynge them tyranâ—ys and mynysters of Anteâ—â—yste where as I caÌ„ ê‘ceyue none more gredy of carnall polycyes and fleshly ayde of tyraÌ„tys than they be â—ere he neuer so cruell a creature or myscheuous fende that is turnyd to theyr faccioÌ„s they reâ—ceyue hym for an euangelyke dysâ—yâ—â—e hys malycyoâ—s mynde nothyng mynyshed all thoughe ê‘ase hys doynge of myschefâ— ys â—estrayned by poueâ—tye or some other myserable impedyment agaynst hys 〈…〉 any body speke ought against such peruerse penytetys forth wyth they alege the vnpytyous fieâ—ines of saynt Paule before hys conuersyon the synnes of Mary Magdalene and her penauÌ„ce also the example of Cryst receyuyng publycanes synners and how the angellys of heuen ioy more vppon one penyteÌ„t synner c. â—â—ce 15. I pray yowe what a gostely patrone was HutteÌ„ theyr furyous chaÌ„pyon a man nott onely ouerwhelmyd wythe heresyes but also stuffed full of all vnhappines whose horryble ende was accordyng to his myscheuous lyfe For after that he had bene plaged with the french pokkys and was helyd of them seuen sondry tymes he myserably dyed of them in an yle of SwicherlaÌ„d in extreme pouerte abhorred of all people hys vyle carcas eaten wyth sores more stynkyng than any caryon so that vnneth any body myghte abyde the lothsome staunch of yt More ouer I beseche you wyth what crysten spyryte dyd Fraunces of Syckhym defeÌ„d theÌ„ a subuerter of peas a burner of poore mennes houses a troubler of all Germany vppon whom the vengeaunce of god dyd lyghte and was sodenly slayn in a castell besyde Crutzynacke to the infamy of hys auÌ„ceters and disherytauÌ„ce of hys chyldern I passe ouer the captayns of the vplandysh people and theyr insurreccyon partely touched before N. ye wot well ynough that Martyn Luther dyd wryte agaynst them condemnyng theyr sedy cyous enterpryse ☞ W. So dyd he in dede when yt was to late voyde of remedy But as long as they were in any lykly hod to preuayle he rather supported theÌ„ what heuenly wysdome dyd the monstruous fygures sygnyfy where M. Luther was portred wyth a boke in hys hand by hym Hutten hys ê“tectour in complete harnes holdyng a drawen sword with certayn textis vnderneth prouokyng sedycyon And as
hym selfe in to a trewe angellys lyknes sometyme techyng vertuouse maners brotherly charytie thexample of Crystes actys oure nedefull accoÌ„plyshment of theÌ„ wherin he wold seme to profite a few to theintent he myght begyle many And dyuers of hys dyscyples couÌ„terfeyting the apostles fassyon otherwhyles allege scryptures in theyr ryght sencyes wyth the same deuowte synceryte that Sathane hym selfe dyd in temptynge Cryste wheÌ„ he sayd to him God hath coÌ„maunded hys angellys c. whych was the very scrypture truely recyted all though to a wronge purpose But where as he in his owne persoÌ„ cowld not ouercome Cryste our hed he ceassyth not to supplant vs hys crysten members by hys fals dyscyples ys lyke styll to preuayle our merytes deseruing the wrath of god except he of hys infynyte goodnes gracyous pyte vouchsafe to reconcyle vs agayn vnto hys fauoure be our protectour whose mercy ys the onely staye that we be not all consumyd Therfore lett vs drawe nere wyth confidence to the throne of grace that we may gett mercy and fynde grace to helpe vs at nede contynually hauynge in our remembraunce the voyce of the angell sayeng Fere ye god and gyue hym honoure for the houre of iugement coÌ„meth And worshyppe ye hym that made heuen and yerth the see and fountayns of waters to whom be pâ—ayse for euer wythowte end ⸫ Amen Fare ye well Nycholas wyssyam NOw welcome good brother froÌ„ parties of beyonde the see Wee haue sore longyd for your safe retorne hopynge to here some newes from oure euangelyke brotherne of Germany and in what maner the gospell dothe prosper there go forwarde W. Syr I thanke you for your welcomynge How beyt concernyng your desyre to be certefyed of them whoÌ„ ye call euaÌ„gelyke brothern I assure you vnfaynyngly that I lyke theyr maner euery day worse worse N. What haue ye so sodeÌ„ly chaÌ„ged your minde and begynne now to fall from the gospell forsakyng goddys worde ☞ W. Truly I haue chaunged my mynde from errours and wrong oppynyoÌ„s but neuer entendyng to renye goddys worde or Crystes gospell wherof as farre as I caÌ„perceyue they be destitute and mych wyde N. To proue that it were impossible seyng ye caÌ„not denye but that they haue Crystes gospell in theyr vulgare speche ipreÌ„ted fre for euery body to loke vppoÌ„ wyth coÌ„tynuall exercyse of euangelyk preachyng of goddys worde ☞ W. In very dede they haue the exteriour letter with some outwarde apparaunce of zele towarde it But for all that as towchyng an euangelyke lyfe or a crysten coÌ„uersacyon with faythfull frutys behouable to the same they be neuer a deale nerer in effecte than were the Iewes whyche wolde haue made Cryste theyr kynge not for any syncere loue that they had to folow him in vertuous lyuyng â–ª or for reuereÌ„ce of hys godly worde but onely in that they thought he wold haue satisâ—â—ed theyr carnall appetitys sedycious affeccyons wherof to be auctour he was afterward wrongfully suspect eueÌ„ as we see now adays hys gospell euyll spokeÌ„ vppoÌ„ thorow the slaunderouse behaueoure wykked demeanoure of theÌ„ whom in contempt of good people ye call euaÌ„gelyke crysteÌ„ brothern auauncing them selfys to be onely the trewe folowers obseruers of Crystes gospell where as theyr liuing manyfestely repugneth So that after my iudgemente the chefe captayns of them may be lykened to Theudas Iudas 〈◊〉 5 whych vnder a colour of Messâ—as comyng the very sauiour and redemer from all boÌ„dage whose oâ—yce wrongfully vsurpyng by false promyses of lybertâ—â— peruerted much people of the Iewes for to folow theÌ„ to theyr vtter vndoyng and fynall destruccyon N. These sedycyouse persons to applye vnto Martyn Luther and his folowers is bothe agaynste the trothe witnes of your owne conscieÌ„ce yf ye duely examyne yt For it is playne that thys Theudas Iudas of a presumptyous affeccyon and vii quyetnes of mynde wythoute auctoryte of goddys worde or preferrement of hys honoure sedycyously moued the people to folow theÌ„ not god where as Martyn Luther with such other euangelyke prechers auaunce not presumptuousely them selfes but god onely norther perswade the people to folowe them but Criste whose gospell longe season obscured by mennys tradycyons they labour to bryng vnto lyght to restore the captyued conseyencys of ignorante folke vnto the fredome of goddes word whereof myche people nowe a dayes are nolesse desyrous than the Iewes were of theyr delyueraunce of bodely captyuyte ☞ W. To answere you in thys poynt I dout nothing but thys Teudas and Iudas pretendyd to the peple whom they fynally dysceuyd the auctoryte of god and that they were specyally sent of him for theyr deliuerauÌ„ce shewing some coloured appareÌ„ce vnto the same Lyke as Martyn Luther in the begynnyng pretended a meruelouse zele tender affeccion towarde the blynde ignorauÌ„ce of people for to reduce theym vnto the clerenes of knowlege shewyng such a serueâ—â— spyryt that he was iugged to be syngulerly chosen of god nowe in these latter days for a dew reformacion of the hole worlde But consyder to what open myschefe hys secrete malygnyte brast forthe at last and how many thousandys by occasyoÌ„ of hys doctrine haue peryshed dayly peryshe bothe in body and sowle whereof to haue a forther declaracyon yf ye wyll here me wyth pacyeÌ„ce I shall so describe vnto you the fassyon of hym and of hys adhereÌ„tys that ye may euydeÌ„tly know that they ar no dyscyples of Cryste but of Antycryste no trewe doctours but fals dysceyuers no apostles but apostatas and patrons of peruersyte N. Now I beseche you theÌ„ to procede on youre purpose declaryng it at length and I shall gladly gyue you the herynge without interrupcyon trustig verely that all parcyalyte set a parte ye wyll shewe the very trothe accordynge as ye haue perfitely known by experyeÌ„ce And thus doyng ye may setle many mennis hartis at rest in this troublous season so sore encombred wyth conteÌ„cyons and sondry oppynyons of lerned men that they caÌ„ not tell what party they maye beste lene vnto ☞ W. Syr furst of all I protest here that I entende to speake no forther than I haue perceyued among them my selfe or els perfytely eâ—formed by credable persons of whose certifycacioÌ„ I ought to haue no mystrust wherfore for to go vnto my purpose ye shall vnderstande that this Martyne Luther cheefe captayn of new heretykes bringer forth of old heresies was a frere augustyne in the cite of wyttenberge vnder the dominion of Frederyke duke of Saxony which duke opteyned a perdon from Rome for the byldiÌ„g of a certayne college there within his own pallace wherof Martyn Luther was a great setter forwarde vntyll the tyme that thyder came a Iubelye from the pope dysanullyng the dukes perdon amoÌ„g other for a season wherwith Martyn Luther not a lytle offended endeuoured hym selfe to preche agaynst it And sone after he putt forthe in prynt a treatyse De indulgentiis inueyng agaynst the graunt
Oecolampadyanes had permittyd theyr clyentes to do what they lusted wythout any restraynte they had ben quite oute of auctorite ere this tyme a daye â—pon whych consideracyon yt was forfendyd in all cyties and iurisdyccyones of the Lutheranes that no maÌ„ shuld bye or sell other resceyue any booke or treatise compyled by the Oecolampadyanes And they in lyke maner made actes to suppresse the Anabaptystes fearyng left theyr sectes shuld vaynquesshe they re faccyon N. yf the Anabaptystes haue so many sectes as ye recyte I praye yowe to declare some of them ☞ W. At your instaunce I shall gladly There be some whych hold opynyon that all deuylles daÌ„nyd sowles shall be sauyd at the daye of dome Some of them persuade that the serpent whyche dysceyued Eue was Christ. Some of theÌ„ zraunt to euery man and woman two soules Some affyrme lecherye to be no synne the one maye vse a nother maÌ„nes wyfe withoute offence Some take apon them to be sooth sayers and prophetes of woÌ„derfull thynges to come haue prophecyed the daye of iudgement to be at haÌ„de some with in thre monethes some wyth in one moneth some wythin vi dayes Some of theÌ„ bothe men and women at they re congregacyones for a mysterye shew them selfes naked affyrmyng that they be in the state of innocencye Also some hold that no maÌ„ ought to be punysshed or suffere execucyon for any cryme or trespace be yt neuer so horryble wherof I will shew yow an exaÌ„ple done mater in dede In Switzerland a lytle froÌ„ saynt Gall at a place namyd Cella Abbatis one of these anabaptystes slew hys owne brother smote of his heade when he was demauÌ„dyd why he dyd so this was hys answer It was the wyll of the father that I shuld do yt and so he escaped wythout punysshement For though they be gredy iÌ„reprouiÌ„g other meÌ„nes fawtes makynge haynous exclamacyones agaynst theÌ„ yet ponder they full lytle the correccyon of theyr owne enormityes callynge them infyrmyteis and weaknes of the flesshe be they neuer so abhomynable N. well yet me thynketh by your sayenge here before that many of them leade a more coÌ„meÌ„dable life in face of the world than the comone sorte of the Lutheranes or OecolaÌ„padianes ☞ W. ye verely vnto the outwarde ostentacyon But there coÌ„meth greater incouenyence by theym whych haue suche a shadowe of holy lyuyng than by the other And there is nothyng more peryllous in seducynge the symple than a payntyd pretence of an holye lyfe where as they swerue ones froÌ„ the ryght fayth and catholyke belefe whyche ys easye to be proued by euydent examples as well of the olde heretykes as of oure newe captaynes of the moste hye heresyes And to shew you the truth as I haue expertely fouÌ„de some I haue knowen so angelyke of coÌ„uersacyon that I coude haue fouÌ„â—e in my harte to commytte my soule holly in to theyr direccyon whom afterward I haue perfytely perceyued to be auctours of suche detestable heresyes that it wold make a cristeÌ„ harte to tremble for to here theÌ„onis namyd And to tel you of one amonge many I was aquaynted wyth a certeyn persone of the Oecolampadyans in the cytie of Argentyne which led a lyfe inculpable amonge hys neyghbours was reputed of vertuous conuersacyon exercysynge hym selfe contynually in charytable workes and vnderstode fresshly the scryptures in his mother tounge for he was ignoranÌ„t of latine Afterwarde he fell in to so abhominable heresye that he denyed openly the new testameÌ„t sayenge that Chryste was a fals prophete and all his apostles dysceuers acceptyng no parte of the olde testament but the v. bookes of Moyses The chefe prechers and lerned meÌ„ of the cyte cam vnto hym for to reforme hym by waye of disputacyon and to brynge hym from his errour requyrynge hym to shew what grounde of scrypture or what occasyoÌ„ moued hym to take so peryllous â—pynyon To whom he answeâ—ed coldly wyth soft wordes â—emure countenaunce how he wolde nother dyspute nor argue wyth them sayenge that â—t was his belefe was assurid of god with witnesse of his conscyence to be trewe Apon this incoÌ„tyneÌ„te he was enprysoned and at last brought before the lordes of the towne whiche in lyke maner exhorted hym to reuoke his heresyes manacynge hym with feare of terryble deth yf he wolde not chauÌ„ge hys erronyous mynde He answered that he was redy to suffre what so euer deth god had ordeyned hym vnto and wolde nother for feare nor for fauour go from his opynyon wherfore after a suffycyent delyberacyon seynge he wolde tourne by no meanes sentens was gyuen that he shulde be burnyd N. In good fayth well worthy but was he burnyd in dede ☞ W. No. For when he shulde haue gone to the place of execucyon accordynge to the vsaunce of the countrye he was fyrst brought before the towne howse and there hys artycles recyted He was asked whether they were the very same which he hadde affermyd before them He answered ye Howbeit nowe he sayd god hath openyd my ignoraunce I aknowlege me slaunderously to haue erryd askynge yow all forgyuenes I byleue perfytely that Iesus Chryst is my sauyour and am redy in his fayth to suffre this deth prepared for me The lordes then where as they had gyuen sentence that he shoulde haue ben burnid for a more easyâ—eth they assyned hym to be beâ—edyd wherof he thanked theÌ„ and went toward the place of iustyce pacyently takyng hys deth with great repentaunce N. Thys may be a good admonysshemeÌ„t that men shulde not be so wauerynge in fayth as to gyue credence in all thinges to any persone for the onely preteÌ„ce of exteryoure holines in as moche as the deuyll can transfygure hym selfe in to an angels likenes and a fals peruerter take vppon hym the offyce of a trewe apostle Moreouer I consyder by your coÌ„munycacyon and playne experyence here rehersyd that yf the froward sturdynes of vnruly people were not restreyned by lawes prohybycyoÌ„s sharpe punysâ—hemeÌ„tes euery comone weale wolde be soone subuertyd and the hole world come to nought ☞ W. As for that ye may take example natferrehens at the countye of Emdone in east Fryse lande where the erle ruler of the county fyrstle resceyuyng Martyn Luthers doctryne afterwarde Oecolampadins opynyon suffryd his peple to rede all maner of bookes and to be of what soeuer secte or opynyoÌ„ they wolde without any restreynte Shortely after one of theyr chefe preachers whiche hadde bene a freer obseruaÌ„te a man of subtyle lernynge and pleasaunte speche hyghly estemyd amonge the people began to preache in open audyence against the blyssed trynyte sayenge that there was but one persone one god that our sauyoure Chryst was a creature as we are a pure man not god but hauynge goddes spyryte This caused not a lyttell dyscorde betwene the prechers and the peple for many of the couÌ„trye leanyd vnto him takynge hys parte so strongly that the erle