such comfort as no man can vnderstand in that they say that they wil geue you forgeuenes of all your sinnes and great grace pardon to this end that you should warre vpon vs destroy vs wheras their graces and pardons are none other then great lies and a great seducing of the body and soule of all them that beleue them and put their trust in them Thys we would proue vnto them ouercome them by the holy scripture and we wold suffer that whosoeuer is desirous to heare the same shoulde heare it For the Pope and all hys priestes herein deale with you as the deuill woulde haue done wyth our Lorde Iesus Christ. Of whome Luke writeth in hys 4. chap. that be brought him vpon an high hill shewed vnto hym in the twinckling of an eye al the kyngdomes that are in the compasse of the earth said vnto him I wil geue thee c. So the deuill deceiueth the pope and all the priestes with the riches of the worlde and worldly power And they thinke they can geue grace and pardon when they wyll and they themselues shall neuer finde fauour before almighty God except they repent and make amendes because of theyr great deceauing of Christēdom And how can they geue that to others which they themselues haue not So dyd the Deuill who was rich in promising and poore in geuing And like as the Deuill is not ashamed to tell a lye so all they are not ashamed to speake that which shall neuer be found true nor be proued by the holy scriptures because for no cause they stirre vp kinges Princes Lordes and Citties to make warre agaynst vs not to the end that the Christian fayth shoulde therby be defended but because they feare that theyr secret vices and heresies shal be disclosed and made manifest For if they had a true cause a godly loue to the Christiā faith they would then take the books of the holy scripture and would come vnto vs and ouercome vs with the weapōs of Gods word and that is our chiefe desire For so dyd the apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ who came to the Paganes and Iewes and brought them from their infidelitie to the true fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ and this they dyd in the spirite of meckenes as the Apostle Paule writeth in the 6. chap. to the Galat. Brethren if anye man be agreeued c. So ought they also to doe if they perceiued that they were iust and we vniust And if we woulde not abide instruction then they might take to them kinges Princes Lordes and imperiall citties and resist vs according to the commaundementes of the holy scripture But this is the subtile defence of all the Byshops and Priestes that they say that mayster Hus and Hierome which were burnt at Constance were ouercome of the holy father the Pope and of the whole Councell For ye must vnderstand that they were not ouercome by the holy Ghost but vniustly with wrongfull violence which God may yet hereafter greeuously punishe in all them that gaue their counsel and ayd thereto and they saye it ought not to be suffered tha we should be heard in confessing our fayth How may that be proued by the holy scripture since christ heard the deuilt as it is written in the fourth chap. of Mathewe And they l are not better then Christ nor we worsse then the Deuill If they be iust and haue the truth with them as they saye they haue and we be vnrighteous why do they feare sinc the truth ought not to be afeard of falshod as Esdras writeth in hys second booke the third chapiter Zorobabell declared that truth is of all thinges the most mightye and ouercommeth all thinges For Christ is the trueth Iohn 14. I am the way the trueth c. And the deuill is the father of lies Iohn 8. He is a lyerfrom the beginning and neuer abode in the truth there is no truth in him Therfore if the pope and hys priestes haue the truth let them ouercome vs with the word of God But if they haue lyes then they cannot long abide in al their presumptiō Wherfore we exhort and beseech al the imperiall Cities al kings Princes noble men rich and poore for Gods sake and for hys righteousnes that one of them write hereof to an other and that there may be some meanes made howe we may cōmune with you safely and friendly at some such place as shal be fit both for you and vs and bring with you your Byshops and teachers and let them our teachers fight together with the word of God and let vs heare them and and let not one ouercome the other by violence or false subtiltie but onely by the word of God And if your Bishops and teachers haue better proofes of theyr fayth out of the holy scripture then we and our fayth be found vntrue we will receiue penaunce and satisfaction according to Gospell But if your Byshops and teachers be ouercome of ours by the holy Scripture then doe ye repent and harken to vs and hold with vs. And if your Byshops teachers will cease from their spirituall pride and repent and make satisfaction then wil we helpe you according to our power and will compell them eyther to ioyne with vs or els we will expell them out of Christendome And if your Byshops and teachers will say that it is not lawfull for lay men to heare such reasoning or to be presēt at it that may you vnderstand to tend to no other end but that they feare they should be ouercome and put to shame in the sight of you For if they knew that they should ouercome therein out of doubt they would desire that euery mā should heare it thereby their glory should become the greater their fame and prayses should be encreased vpon the earth And if your Bishops and teachers coūsell you to come to no hearing with vs thē do it whether they will or no suffer not your selues at any time to be so folishly seduced with their folish pardons but tary at home in your houses with your wiues and children And let the pope of Rome come to vs with all his Cardinals and byshops and with all hys priestes with his owne person power to warre with vs let themselues deserue the absolution of sinnes grace and pardon which they preach to you for they haue great nede of forgeuenes of sinnes grace pardō by the grace of god we will geue them pardō enough as they shall neede But their subtile excuse is this they say that it belōgeth not to priestes to fight with bodily weapons true it is that belongeth not to them but it belongeth as little to them to stirre vp to counsaile to fortifie others thereto For Paule saith in the the 1. to the Rom. in the fift to the Galath that all that do such
long continue From Lambeth the 15. of Ianuary To this letter of the Archb might not the king gentle reader thus aunswere agayne and aunswere well YOur letters with your complaynt and requestes in the same conteyned we haue receiued and well considered For the accomplishing wherof ye shall vnderstand that as we are readely bent to gratify and satisfy your minde in this behalfe on the one side so we must beware agayne on the other that our authoritye be not abused either to oppresse before we know or to iudge before we haue tryed Wherfore for so much as you in your letters do excite and sharpen the seuere discipline of our seculer sword agaynst one Nich. Herford for his not appearing before you and yet shewing in the sayd your letters no certaine cause to vs what you haue to charge him withall we therfore following the exaÌ„ple of Alexander Magnus or rather the rule of equity in opening both our eares indifferently to heare as well the one part as the other do assigne both to him when as he may be found to you wheÌ„ you shal be called a terme to appeare before vs. To the inteÌ„t that the controuersy betwene you and him staÌ„ding vpon points of religioÌ„ being tried by the true touchstone of Gods holy word due correction indifferently may be ministred according as the offence shall be founde In the meane time this we cannot but something maruell at in your sayde Letters First to see you meÌ„ of the Church and Aungels of peace to be so desirous of bloud Secondly to consider you again so fierce in prosecuting the breach of your lawe and yet so colde in pursuing the breache of the expresse law of God and his commaundementes Thirdly to behold the vnstable doublenesse in your proceedings who pretending in your publick sentence to become as intreaters for them to vs in the bowels of Iesus Christ that we will withdraw from them the rigour of our seuerity and yet in your letters you be they which most set vs on If not appearing before you be such a matter of contumacy in case of your lawe that is in no case to bee spared what shoulde then our Princely discipline haue done to men of your calling Henry Spencer Bishop of Norwich being at Cant. was sent for by our speciall commaundement to come to our speach denyed to come and yet we spared him Iohn Stratforde Archbyshop your predecessour being required of our progenitour king Edward the third to come to him at Yorke would not appeare by the occasion whereof Scotland the same time was lost â— yet was he suffered The like might be sayd of Robert Winchelsey in the dayes of king Edwarde the first and of Edmunde Archb. of Cant in the daies of K. Henry 3. Stephen Langhton was sent for by K. Iohn to come he came not The like coÌ„tumacy was in Becket toward K. Henry 2. Also in Anselme toward K. Henry 1 All these for theyr not appearing before their princes ye do excuse who notwithstanding might haue appeared without daunger of life This one man for not appearing before you you think worthy of death whose life you would haue coÌ„demned notwithstanding if he had appeared It is no reason if the Squirill climing to the tree from the Lyons clawes would not appeare being seÌ„t for to be deuoured that the Eagle therfore should seise vpon him without any iust cause declared agaynst the party Wherfore according to this and to that aforesayde when he shall appeare and you be called and the cause iustly wayed due execution shall be ministred And thus farre concerning Nicholas Herforde the other aforesayd but all this meane while what became of Iohn Wickliffe it is not certaynly known Albeit so farre as may be gathered out of WaldeÌ„ it appereth that he was banished and driuen to exile In the meane time it is not to be doubted but he was aliue during all this whyle wheresoeuer he was as by his letter may appeare which he about this time wrote to Pope Vrbane the 6. In the which letter he doth purge himselfe that being commauÌ„ded to appeare before the Pope at Rome he came not declaring also in the same a brieâ—â— confessioÌ„ of his fayth The copy of which Epistle here followeth ¶ The Epistle of Iohn Wickliffe sent vnto Pope Vrbane the 6. An. 1382. VErely I do reioyce to open and declare the fayth which I do holde vnto euery man And specially vnto the Bish. of Rome the which for so much as I doe suppose to be sound and true he will most willingly confirme my sayd fayth or if it be erroneous amend the same First I suppose that the Gospell of Christ is the whole bodye of Gods law and that Christ which did geue that same law hymselfe I beleue him to be a very man and in that poynt to exceed the law of the Gospell and all other partes of the Scripture Agayne I do geue and holde the Bishop of Rome for so much as he is the Vicare of Christ here in earth to be bound most of all other men vnto that law of the Gospell For the greatnesse amongest Christes Disciples did not consist in worldly dignity or honours but in the neare and exact following of Christ in his life and maners wherupon I do gather out of the hart of the law of the Lord that Christ for the time of his pilgrimage here was a most poore man abiecting and casting of all worldly rule and honour as appeareth by the Gospell of Math. the 8. and the 2. Corinthians 8. chapter Hereby I do fully gather that no faythfull man ought to follow neither the Pope himselfe neither any of the holy men but in such poynts as he hath folowed the Lord Iesus Christ. For Peter and the sonnes of Zebede by desiring worldly honour contrary to the folowing of Christes steppes did offend and therfore in those errors they are not to be folowed Hereof I do gather as a CouÌ„cell that the Pope ought to leaue vnto the secular power all temporall dominion and rule therunto effectually to moue and exhort his whole Clergy for so did Christ and specially by his Apostles Wherfore if I haue erred in any of these poyntes I will most humbly submitte my selfe vnto correction euen by death if necessitye so require And if I coulde labor according to my will or desire in my owne person I would surely present my selfe before the Bishop of Rome but the Lorde hath otherwise visited me to the coÌ„trary and hath taught me rather to obey God then men Foâ— so much then as God hath geueÌ„ vnto our Pope iust and true Euangelicall instinctions we ought to pray that those motions be not extinguished by any subtle or crafty deuise And that the Pope and Cardinals be not moued to doe anye thing contrary vnto the law of the Lord. Wherefore let vs praye vnto our God that he will so stirre vp our Pope Vrbane the sixt as he
wherein they haue made manifest defection from the old faith of Rome as in depriuing the Church of one kinde of the Sacrament in taking from the people the knowledge and reading of Gods word in praying and speaking to the people and administring sacramentes in a tongue vnknowne in mistaking the authoritie of the keyes in their vnwritten verities in making the authority of scripture insufficient in vntrue iudgement of the Churche and the wrong notes of the same in the supremacy of the sea of Rome in their wrong opinion of Antichrist But because these with all other partes of doctryne are more copiously and at large comprehended in other bookes both in Latine and Englishe set foorth in these our dayes I shall not need further herein to trauell especially seeing the contrariety betweene the Popes Church and the Church of Christ betweene the doctrine of the one and doctrine of the other is so euident that he is blind that seeth it not and hath no handes almost that feeleth it not For briefely in one note to comprehende which may suffice for all where as the doctrine of Christ is altogether spirituall consisting wholy in spirite and veritie and requireth no outwarde thing to make a true Christen man but onely Baptisme which is the outwarde profession of fayth and receauing the Lordes supper let vs now examine the whole religion of this latter Church of Rome and we shall finde it wholy from toppe to toe to consist in nothing els but altogether in outwarde and ceremoniall exercises as outward confession absolution at the Priests hand outward sacrifice of the Masse buying of pardons purchasing of obites externe worshipping of Images and reliques pilgrimage of this place or that building of Churches founding of Monasteries outward workes of the law outwarde gestures garments colours choise of meates difference of times and places peculiar rytes and obseruauncies set prayers and number of prayers prescribed fasting of vigiles keeping of holidayes comming to Church hearing of seruice externe succession of Bishops and of Peters sea externe forme and notes of the Church c. so that by this religion to make a true Christian and a good Catholike there is no working of the holy Ghost almost required As by example to make this matter more demonstrable let vs here define a Christen man after the Popes making whereby we may see the better what is to be iudged of the scope of his doctrine A Christen man after the Popes making defined AFter the Popes Catholike Religion a true Christen man is thus defined first to be baptised in the Latine tongue where the Godfathers professe they can not tell what then confirmed by the Byshop the Mother of the childe to be purified After he be growen in yeares then to come to the Church to keepe his fasting dayes to fast the Lent to come vnder benedicite that is to be confessed of the Priest to doe his penance at Easter to take his rites to heare Masse and diuine seruice to set vppe candels before Images to creepe to the Crosse to take holy bread and holy water to go on processiō to cary his palmes candle and to take ashes to fast the Ember daies Rogation daies vigiles to keepe the holy dayes to pay his tithes and offeringe daies to go on pilgrimage to buy pardons to worship his maker ouer the Priestes head to receaue the Pope for his supreame head and to obey his lawes to receaue S. Nicolas Clerks to haue his beades to giue to the high altar to take orders if he will be Priest to saye his Mattens to sing his Masse to lift vp fayre to keepe his vow and not to marry When he is sicke to be anneeld and take the rites of holy Church to be buried in the church yard to be rong for to be song for to be buried in a Fryers coule to finde a soule Priest c. All which pointes being obserued who can denie but this is a deuoute man and a perfecte Christian Catholike and sure to be saued as a true faithfull childe of the holye mother Church Now looke vpon this definition and tell me good reader what faith or spirite or what working of the holye Ghost in all this doctrine is to be required The grace of our Lord Iesus giue the true light of his Gospell to shine in our hartes Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ The first booke contayning the 300. yeares next after Christ. THese things before premised hauing thus hitherto prepared the way vnto our story let vs nowe by the grace and speede of Christ our Lord enter into the matter that as we haue heretofore set forth in a generall descriptiō the whole state as wel of the primitiue as of the latter times of this Church of Rome so now consequently to discourse in particular sort the Actes and doings of euery age by it selfe in such order as is afore prefixed First to declare of the suffering time of the Church which conteineth about the time of three hundreth yeares after Christ. Secondly the florishing growing time of the same conteyning other 300. yeares Thirdly the declining time of the Church and of true Religion other 300. yeares Fourthly of the time of Antichrist raigning raging in the Church since the loosing of Sathan Lastly of the reforming time of Christes Church in these latter 300. yeares In the tractation of all which things our chiefe purpose and indenor shal be so neare as the Lord will giue vs grace not so much to intermedle with outward affaires of Princes or matters ciuile except somtime for example of life as specially minding by the helpe of the Lorde to prosecute such thinges which to the Ecclesiasticall state of the Church are appertaining as first to entreat of the stablishing of Christian faith then of the persecutions of tyraunts the constancy and patience of Gods Saintes the first conuersion of Christen Realmes to the faith of Christ namely of this Realme of England Scotland first beginning with king Lucius and so forwarde following the order of our English kings here in this land to declare the maintenaunce of true doctrine the false practise of Prelates the creping in of superstition and hipocrisie the manifold assaultes warres and tumults of the princes of this world against the people of God Wherein may appeare the wonderfull operation of Christes mightie hand euer working in his church neuer ceasing to defend the same against his enimies according to the verity of his owne word promising to be with his Church while the worlde shal stand so as by the proces of this story may welbe proued and be testified in the sequell thereof In the traction of all which things 2. especiall pointes I chiefly commend to the reader as most requisite and nenessary of euery Christen man to obserue to note for his owne experience and profite as first the disposition nature of this worlde secondly the nature
not the death of a sinner but is mercifull to the penitent came of their own accorde to the iudgement seate againe that they might bee examined of the Iudge And for that the Emperour had written backe againe to him that all the confessors should be punished and the other let go and that the Sessions or Sises were now begun which for the multitude that had repayre thether out of euery quarter was marueilous great he caused all the holy martirs to be brought thether that the multitude might beholde them once againe examined them and as many of them as he thought had the Romane fredome he beheaded the residue he gaue to the beastes to be deuoured And truely Christ was much glorified by those which a little before had denied him which againe contrary to the expectation of the Infidels confessed him euen to the death For they were examined a part froÌ„ the rest because of their deliuery which being found Confessours were ioined to the company of the martirs had with them their part But there were then abroade which had no saith at all neither yet so much as the feeling of the wedding garment nor any cogitation at all of the feare of God but blasphemed his waies by the lewd conuersatioÌ„ of their life euen such as were the children of damnation Al the residue ioined theÌ„selues to the congregation which wheÌ„ they were examined one Alexander a phrigian borne and a Phisition which had dwelt long in Fraunce and knowen almost of euery man for the loue he had to God boldnes of speaking neither was he voide of the Apostolicall loue this Alexander standing somewhat neare to the barre by signes and beckes perswaded such as were examined to confesse Christ so that by his countenaunce somtime reioising and some other while sorrowing he was descryed of the standers by The people not taking in good part to see those which now recanted by and by againe to sticke to their first confession they cried out against Alexander as one that was the cause of all this matter And when he was inforced by the Iudge and coÌ„maunded what Religion he was of he aunswered I am a Christian. He had no sooner spoken the worde but he was iudged to the beastes of them to be deuoured The next day following Attalus of whome I made mention a litle before and Alexander were brought foorth together for the gouernour graunting Attalus vnto the people was baited againe of the beasts When these men were brought to the scaffold and had taken a tast of all the instruments that there were prepared for their execution and had suffered the greatest agonie they could put theÌ„ to were also at the length slaine Of whome Alexander neuer gaue so much as a sigh nor held his peace but froÌ„ the bottome of his hart praised and praied to the Lorde But Attalus when he was set in the yron chaire and began to frye and the frying sauour of his burning body began to smell he spake to the multitude in the Romane language Behold sayth hee this is to eate mans flesh which you doe for we neither eate men nor yet coÌ„mit any other wickednes And being demaunded what was the name of their God our God saith he hath no such name as men haue Then said they now let vs see whether your God can helpe you and take you out of our handes or not After this being the last day of the spectacle Blandine againe one PoÌ„ticus a child of xv yeare old was brought forth and this was euery day to the intent they seing the punishment of their fellowes might be compelled thereby to sweare by their Idoles But because they constantly abode in their purpose defied their idols the whole multitude was in a rage with them neither sparing the age of the child nor fauoring the sexe of the woman but put them to all the punishment and paine they could deuise often times inforced them to sweare yet were not able to coÌ„pel them therevnto For Ponticus so being animated of his sister as the Heathâ—ikes standing by did see after he had suffered all torments and paynes gaue vp the ghost This blessed Blandina therefore being the last that suffered after she had like a worthy mother giuen exhortations vnto her children and had sent them before as conquerours to their heauenly kâ—ng and had called to her remembrance al their batels conflicts so much reioiced of her childrens death so hastened her owne as though she had bene bidden to a bridall not in case to be throwne to the wilde beastes After this her pittifull whipping her deliuery to the beasts her tormentes vpon the gridiron at the length she was put in a net and throwne to the wild Bull and when she had bene sufficiently gored wounded with the hornes of the same beast felt nothing of all that chaunced to her for the great hope and consolation she had in Christ heauenâ—y thinges was thus slaine insomuch that the verye Heathen men themselues confessed that there was neuer woman put to death of them that suffered so much as this woman did Neither yet was their furious crueltie thus asswaged against the Christians For the cruel barbarous people like wilde beastes when they be moued knew not when the time was to make an ende but inuented new sundry torments euery day against our bodies Neyther yet did it content theÌ„ when they had put the Christians to death for that they wanted the sense of men for which cause both the magistrate people were vexed at the very harts that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith he that is wicked let him be wicked stil and he that is iust let him be more iust For those which in their prisons they strangled they threw after to the dogs setting keepers both day and night to watch them that they shoulde not be buryed and bringing forth the remnaunt of their bones bodies some halfe burnt some left of the wilde beasts some al â—o be mangled also bringing forth heads of other which were cut of and like maner committed by them to the charge of the keepers to see them remaine vnburied The Gentiles grinded gnashed at the Christians with their teeth seeking which way they might amplifie their punishment some other flouted and mocked them extolling their idoles attributing vnto them the cause of thys crueltie and vengeaunce shewed to vs. Such which were of the meeker sort and seemed to be moued with some pyty did hit vs in the teeth saying where is your God that you so much boast of what helpeth this your religion for which you giue your liues These were the sundrye passions and affects of the Gentiles but the Christians in the meane while were in great heauines that they might not burye the bodies and reliques of the holy Martirs Neither could the dark night serue them to that purpose nor any
Lord. 1237. that Germanus Archb. and Patriarch of Constantinople wrote to the sayd Pope Gregory 9. humbly desiring him to study and seeke some meanes of vnity how the seamelesse coat of the Lord Iesus thus lamentably rent not with handes of soldiours but by discord of Prelates may be healed agayne offering this moreouer that if he will take the paines to stirre out he for his part notwithstanding his old age seeble body would not refuse to meet him in the mid way to y◠intent that the truth on both sides being debated by y◠scriptures the wrong part may be reduced the slaunder stopped and vnity reformed betwene them This request of the Patriarke as it was both godly reasonable so it had bene the bishops part again with like humility to haue condescended to the same and glad with all his might to helpe forward the reformation of christian vnity in the church of Christ and so to haue shewed himselfe the sonne of peace But the proud Byshop of Rome more like the sonne of discord and dissention standing still vpon his maiesty refused thus to do but writing agayne answere to his letters with great disdayne seking nothing els but only how to aduance his sea aboue all other churches and not onely that but also shortly after sēt forth his preaching Friers to moue all Christians to take the signe of the crosse to fight agaynst the Grecians no otherwise then against the Turkes Saracens In so much that in the Isle of Cyprus many good men and Martyrs were slayne for the same as by the letters of the said Germanus Patriarke of Constantinople is to be seene The tenour of the which letter to the Pope with the popes answere agayne to him being long and tedious to read are extant in the history of Math. Paris there to be sene and found fol. 111. The summary effect whereof notwithstanding I thought here briefly to notifye for the simple vnlearned multitude which vnderstanding not the Latine may hereby perceiue the fault of this schisme not so much to rest in the greek church as in the church of Rome as by the contents of his letter may appeare The effect of the Patriarch of Constantinople his letter to Pope Gregory 9. IN the which letter the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople writing to Pope Gregory first after his reuerend salutation and preamble following vpon the same entring thé toward the matter sheweth the occasion of his writing which was by 5. obseruaunt Friers repayring that wayes whom he gently receiuing into his house had conference with them touching this discord betwene the two Churches how it might be reduced again to vnity and afterward perceiuing the sayd Friers to make theyr iourney towardes to Rome he thought therefore by thē to write his letters Wherein he first lamenting this diuision in the house of God and reciting the inconueniences which come therof by the example of Iuda and Israel Ierusalem and Samaria Cain and Abel Esau and Iacob also of other such like both priuate publicke societies where brother sighteth agaynst brother like as among fishes the greater deuoureth the lesser he procedeth then further gently to exhort Pope Gregory to the study of vnity And for so much as the Pope had accursed belike those Churches of the Greekes before he therefore taking his groūd vpon the wordes of S. Paule Gal. 1. where he accurseth euery such person and persons whatsoeuer they be either man or Angell of heauen that shall preach any other Gospell then hath bene preached c. willeth the Pope to stand with him vpon the same ground of the Apostles accurse so that if the stroke of that curse haue light vpon him or his churches he desireth him to shew the wound and to helpe to wipe away the bloud to minister some spirituall emplaister to binde vp the sore and to saue his brethré from perishing which lay in daunger according to the saying of the wise man A brotherly frend is tried in aduersity c. But if we sayth he of the Greeke Church be free from the stripe of this accurse of the Apostle and that you Italians of the Latine Church be stricken therewith and lye thereby in daunger of destruction I trust that you through ignoraunce and wilfull obstinacy will not so suffer your selues to be separated from the Lord but rather will suffer a thousand deathes before if it were possible for a man so often to dye And as touching this great discord betwene vs if either cōtrarietie of doctrine or sweruing frō the ancient Canons or diuersity of rites receiued of our forefathers be any cause thereof we here take heauen and earth to witnesse that we for our partes are ready and desire also vpon due triall of profound trueth by Gods word and inuocation of the holy Ghost to ioyne hands with you or you to ioyne with vs. But to say the very trueth and to tell you playne this we suppose that many mighty and noble potentates would sooner encline to your obedience were it not that they feared your vniust oppressions your insatiable exactions and inordinate oppressions wherewith you wring your subiectes By reason whereof haue risen amongst vs cruell warres one fighting agaynst an other desolation of Cittyes Bulles and Interdictions set vpon Church dores diuision of brethren and Churches of the Grecians left without seruice where God should be praysed So that now onely one thing lacketh which I beleue to be predefined and appoynted from aboue long before to vs Grecians the time I meane of martirdome which also now hasteneth fast vpon vs that the tribunall of tyrauntes should be opened and the seats of torments be set that the bloud of Martyrs should be spilled we brought to the stage of Martyrdome to fight for the crowne of glory This that I doe speake and wherefore I speake it the noble Iland of Cyprus doth already know and feele which hath made many new Martyrs and hath seene valiaunt soldiours of Christ which of long time before passing by water and teares of sorow now at last haue also passed through fire and so entred into the heauenly rest How say you be these good and seemely O holye Pope the successor of S. Peter the Apostle Is this the bidding of that good Peter the meeke and humble disciple of Christ Doth he thus instruct the Seniors and Elders in his Epistle where he writeth in this wise The Elders which are amōgst you I beseech which am also a fellow Elder with them and witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shal be opened feed the flocke of God which is amongest you hauing care sight ouer it not of a coaction as compelled agaynst your willes but willingly of your owne accord nor for filthy lukere sake but freely and hartily neither as bearing dominion and Lordship ouer the Church but shewing your selues as
be seen after For he sayd that the warres in Fraunce shoulde not be ended till the Realme were vtterly wasted exiled in euery part The which saying was well sene after for the noble realme of Fraunce was sore wasted and exiled specially in the terme that the sayd Fryer had set The which was in the yeares of our Lord. 1356. 57. 58. 59. He sayd in those yeares the Princes and Gentlemen of the Realme should not for feare shew themselues agaynst the people of low estate assembled of all countries without head or captayne and they shoulde doe as they list in the Realme of Fraunce the which fell after as ye haue heard how the coÌ„panions assembled them together and by reason of theyr robbery and pillage waxed rich became great captains About the same time happened in Fraunce a certayne contention betwene the French Prelates and the Fryers of Paris testified and recorded by Godfridus de Fontanis the briefe effect of which story is this The Prelates of France conuenting and assembling together in the Citty of Paris after a long deliberation among themselues caused by the Bedels to be called together all the Studentes maisters Bachelers of euery facultie with the chiefe heads also of al the Religious houses and Friers in the vniuersitie of Paris who being al there congregated together in the bishop of paris his house where there were preseÌ„t 4. archbishops and 20 Bishops first stood vp the Bishop of Biturecense who there making his Sermon tooke for his theame the place of S. Paule to the Ephesians Fratres vt sciatis quae sit longitudo latitudo altitudo profunditas charitatis c. and concluded therupon first that true charity would compell them to see and prouide for their flockes Secondly that the vigore of charity would arme them to withstand errors Thirdly he concluded that by duety of charity they were bound to geue theyr liues for the soules of theyr flock committed to their charge Fourthly that by the same charity euery man to holde himselfe content with that which was his owne and not to intevineddle or busye himselfe further then to him appertayned or belonged to his office For there sayth he all order ecclesiasticall is dissolued where as men not concerning themselues in their owne precincts presume in othermes charges where they haue nothing to doe But this charity sayth he now a dayes waxeth colde and all Ecclesiasticall order is confounded and vtterly out of order For many there be which nowe a dayes presume to thrust in themselues where they haue nothing to do so that now the Church may seeme a monster For as in a natural body appeareth a monster where one meÌ„ber doth the office of an other so in the spirituall body which is the church may be thought likewise As wheÌ„ our learned and prudent brethren to wit the Friers maiors and minors do take vpon them to vsurpe and occupye the office to vs specially apperteining namely where as the scripture warneth vs all none to take vpoÌ„ him any office except he be called thereunto of the Lord as Aaron was Wherfore we haue heretofore oftentimes caused the sayd Friers both by the king himselfe in his owne person also by other nobles to be spoken to and desired to furcease from doing and intermedling in our office yet they would not but haue preached agaynst our willes through all our diocesses haue heard confessioÌ„s saying that they haue the Popes priuiledge to beare them out therein For the which cause we come to you and not we here present onely but also we haue the handwriting and the full consent of all other our fellow Bishops throughout the kingdome of Fraunce to complaâ—ne to you of this so great insolency and presumptioÌ„ of the Friers For that as we are you shall be Neither do I thinke to be any of vs prelates here now which haue not sometime bene taken out of this vniuersity of yours We haue desired moreouer and caused to be desired the foresayd Friers to send their priuilegies to the Apostolicke see to be interpreted and expounded more playnely by the Lord Pope which they refused also to do Wherefore to the intent you may the better vnderstand and see what their priuiledges be and how farre they do extend we haue appoynted the said priuilege here openly to be read vnto you Then stood vp an other in the publicke place and there read the priuileges of both the orders and afterward read also the constitution of Pope Innocent 3. written in the 5 of the decretals and beginneth Omnis vtriusque sexus c. which constitution was repugnant and contrary to the foresayd priuilegies as he there manifestly proued declaring how both the said priuiliges were derogatory to that constitution This done then rose vp the Bishop Ambianensis a great Lawyer who discoursing froÌ„ article to article there proued by good law that the sayd constitution stood in hys full force and vigore and ought not to be infringed by the friers priuilegies in no part And therfore by the vertue of that constitution that the Friers ought not so misorderly to intrude themselues in hearing confessioÌ„s in inioyning of penaunce and in preaching in Churches and Diocesses without speciall licence of the Bishop of the Dioces curate of the parish vnto whose words neuer a Frier at that time replyed againe And so the Bishop proceeding to his conclusion desired the vniuersity to assist them in that case wherin they were all determined saith he to stand firmely to the shedding of theyr bloud in resisting that misorder and iniuries of the Friers This happened the 6. day of December which they dedicate to S. Nicholas The next day being sonday one of the order of the minorites or Franciscanes went to the Church of the maiorites or preaching Friers where he made a sermon whiche was neuer sene before the one order to come and resort with the other beginning in the forsayd matter to reply to expound in order through euery article as well as he could adding moreouer and saying that they went not so farre in their priuilegies as they lawfully might And said moreouer that what time the sayd priuileges were in obteining in Rome the Bishop Ambianensis was there present himselfe resisting the same with all his power yea all the Prelates also of Fraunce sent and wrote vp to the Court agaynst the same and yet did not preuaile For wheÌ„ the Friers there presently declared opened to the Pope in what maner and how farr they had vsed priuileges the Pope the same time sayd Placet That is agreed vnto the same And now sayth he the Prelates require demaund of vs to send vp our priuiledges to the Court which were great folly in vs For in so doing what should we els but geue place occasioÌ„ to reuoke agayn the authority which is geuen in our handes already Furthermore our wardeÌ„ and maister
theyned vp all this while for the space of a thousand yeares beginneth about this time to be losed and to come abroad according to the forewarning of S. Iohns Reuelation Therefore to conclude the fourth Booke wherein sufficiently hath bene described the excessiue pride and pompe of Antechrist florishing in his ruffe and securitye from the time of William Conquerour hitherto now Christ willing assisting vs thereunto we minde in these latter Books hereafter following in order of history to expresse the latter persecutions and horrible troubles of the Church raysed vp by Satan as in his minister Antechrist with the resistaunce agayne of Christes Church agaynst him And so to prosecute by the mercifull grace of Christ the proceeding and course of times till we come at length to the fall and ruine of the sayd Antechrist To the intent that if any be in such errour to thinke that Antechrist is yet to come let him consider and ponder well the tragicall rages the miserable and most sorrowfull persecutions murders and vexations of these latter 300. yeares now following and I doubt not but he will be put out of all doubt to know that not onely Antechrist is already come but also to know where he sitteth how he is now falling apace the Lord Christ be thāked for euer to his decay and confusion THE FIFT BOOKE CONTEYning the last 300. yeares from the loosing out of Satan THVS hauing discoursed in these former Bookes the order and course of yeares from the first tying vp of Sathan vnto the yeare of our Lorde 1360. I haue a little ouerpassed the stint of time in the Scriptures appoynted for the loosing out of hym againe For so it is wrytten by S. Iohn Apocal. 20. that after a thousande yeares Satanas the olde Dragon shal be let loose againe for a season c. For the better explanation of the whych mysterie let vs first consider the context of the scripture afterward let vs examine by history and course of times the meaning of the same And first to recite the wordes of the Apocal. the text of the Prophecy is this cap. 23. And I saw an Aungell descending from heauen hauing a kay of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hande And hee tooke the Dragon the olde Serpente whych is the deuill and Satanas and bounde hym for a thousand yeares and put hym in the bottomlesse dungeon and shutte him vp and signed him with hys seale that he should no more seduce the Gentiles till a thousande yeares were expired And after that he must be loosed againe for a little space of time And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and the soules I sawe of them which were beheaded for the testimonie of Iesus c. By these wordes of the Reuelation heere recited three speciall times are to be noted 1. First the being abroade of Sathan to deceyue the world 2. The binding vp of him 3. Thirdly the losing out of him againe after a thousand yeares consummate for a time Concerning the interpretation of whych times I see the common opinion of many to be deceiued by ignorance of hystories and state of things done in the church supposing that the chaining vp of Sathan for a thousand yeares spoken of in the Reuelation was meant from the birthe of Christe our Lorde Wherein I graunt that spiritually the strength and dominion of Sathan in accusing condemning vs for sinne was cast downe at the passion and by the passion of Christ our sauiour and locked vp not onely for a thousande yeares but for euer and euer Albeit as touching the malitious hatred and furie of that Serpent against the outward bodies of Christes poore saints which is the heele of Christ to afflicte and torment the Churche outwardly That I iudge to be meant in the Reuelation of S. Iohn not to be restrained til the ceasing of those terrible persecutions of the primitiue Church At what time it pleased God to pity the sorrowfull affliction of his poore flocke being so long vnder persecution the space of three hundred yeares and so to asswage their griefes and torments Which is meant by binding vp of Sathan worker of all those mischiefes vnderstanding thereby that for so much as the Deuill prince of thys worlde had now by the death of Christ the sonne of God lost al his power and interest against the soule of man shoulde turne his furyous rage malice which he had to Christ against the people of Christ which is meant by the heele of the seede Genes 3. in tormenting their outward bodies Which yet shuld not be for euer but for a determinate time when as it shoulde please the Lord to bridle the malice and snaffle the power of the olde Serpent and geue rest vnto his Church for the terme of a thousand yeares Which time being expired the sayd serpent should be suffred loose againe for a certaine or a small time Apoc. 20. And thus to expound this Propheticall place of scripture I am led by three reasons The first is for that the binding vp of Sathan and closing hym in the bottomles pit by the Angell importeth as much that hee was at libertye raging and doyng mischiefe before And certesse those so terrible and so horrible persecutiōs of the primitiue time vniuersally through the whole world during the space of three hundreth yeares of the Church do declare no lesse Wherein it is to be thought and supposed that Sathan all that time was not fastened and closed vp The second reason moouing me to thinke that the closing vp of Sathan was after the ten persecutions of the primitiue Church is taken out of the twelft chapter of the Apocalips Where we read that after the woman meaning the Church had trauailed foorth her man childe the olde Dragon the Deuill the same time being cast downe from heauen drawing the thirde part of the starres wyth him stoode before the woman with great anger and persecuted her that is the Church of God with a whole floude of water that is wyth aboundance of all kindes of torments and from thence went moreouer to fight agaynst the residue of her side and stoode vpon the sands of the sea wherby it appeareth that he was not as yet locked vp The thirde reason I collect out of the Apocalyps thirteenth Chapter where is wrytten of the beast signifying the Emperiall Monarchie of Rome that hee had power to make warre fourtie and two monethes By the whych monethes is meant no doubt the tyme that the Dragon and the persecuting Emperours should haue in afflicting the Saintes of the primitiue Church The computation of which fortie two monethes counting euery moneth for a Sabboth of yeares that is for seuen yeares after the order of Scripture riseth to the summe counting from the passion of the Lord Christ three hundred yeares lacking sixe at what time Maxentius the last
golde and rich coueringes as Eneas Siluius writeth were aboue the number of two hundreth Ioannes Cocleus in his booke De historia Hussitarū speaking of the bookes of Wickliffe testifyeth that he wrot very many bookes sermons and tractations Moreouer the said Cocleus speaking of himselfe recordeth also that there was a certaine Bishop in England which wrot vnto him declaring that he had yet remayning in his custodye two huge and mighty volumes of Iohn Wickliffes workes which for the quantity therof might seme to be equal with the workes of S. Augustine Haec Cocleus Amongest other of his Treatises I my selfe also haue found out certayne as de censu veritate scripturae Item De Ecclesia Item De Eucharistia confessio Wickleui whiche I entend hereafter the Lord so graunting to publish abroad As concerning certayne aunsweres of Iohn Wickliffe which he wrote to king Richard the 2. touching the right and title of the king and of the Pope because they are but short I thought here to annexe them The effect whereof here foloweth ¶ Iohn Wickliffes aunswere vnto K. Richard the second as touching the right and title of the king and the Pope IT was demaunded whether the kingdom of England may lawfully in case of necessity for his own defence deteyne and kepe backe the treasure of the kingdome that it be not caried away to forreine straunge nations the pope himselfe demaunding and requiring the same vnder pain of censure and by vertue of obedience Wickliffe setting a part the minds of learned mē what might be sayd in the matter either by the canon law or by the law of England or the ciuil law it resteth saith he now onely to perswade and proue the affirmatiue part of this doubt by the principles of Christes law And first I proue it thus Euery natural body hath power geuen of God to resist agaynst his contrary and to preserue it selfe in due estate as the Philosophers knew very well In somuch that bodyes without life are indued with such kinde of power as it is euidēt vnto whom hardnes is geuen to resist those thinges that woulde breake it and coldnes to withstād the heat that dissolueth it Forsomuch then as the kingdome of England after the maner and phrase of the Scriptures ought to be one body the clergy with the communalty the members thereof it seemeth that the same kingdome hath such power geuē him of god and so much the more apparaunt by how much the same body is more precious vnto God adorned with vertue knowledge For somuch thē as there is no power geuē of god vnto any creature for any end or purpose but that he may lawfully vse the same to that end and purpose It followeth that our kingdome may lawfully keep backe and deteyn theyr treasure for the defence of it selfe in what case soeuer necessity do require the same Secondarily the same is proued by the law of y◠gospell For the Pope cannot challenge y◠treasure of this kingdom but vnder the title of almes consequētly vnder the pretence of the works of mercy according to the rule of charity But in case aforesayd the title of almes ought vtterly to cease Ergo the right and title of chalenging the treasure of our Realme shall cease also in the presupposed necessitie For so much as all charitie hath his beginning of himselfe it were no worke of charitie but of meere madnes to send away the treasures of the realme vnto forreine natiōs wherby the Realme it selfe may fall into ruine vnder y◠pretence of such charitie It appeareth also by this that Christ the head of the Church whom all Christen Priests ought to follow liued by the almes of deuoute women Luke 7.8 He hungred and thyrsted he was a straunger and many other miseries he sustained not onely in his mēbers but also in his owne body as the Apostle witnesseth Cor. viii He was made poore for your sakes that through his pouertie you might be rich wherby in the first endowīg of the Church what soeuer he were of the Clergy that had any temporall possessiōs he had the same by forme of a perpetuall almes as both writinges and Chronicles do witnesse Whereupon S. Barnard declaring in his 2. booke to Eugenius that he could not chalenge any secular dominion by right of succession as being the vicar of S. Peter writeth thus that if S. Iohn should speake vnto the pope himselfe as Barnard doth vnto Eugenius were it to be thought that he would take it patiently But let it be so that you do challenge it vnto you by some other wayes or meanes but truely by any right or title Apostolicall you can not so doe For how could he geue vnto you that which he had not himselfe That which he had he gaue you that is to say care ouer the Church but did he geue you any Lordships or rule Harke what he sayth Not bearing rule sayth he as Lordes in the Clergy but behauing your selues as examples to the flocke And because thou shalt not thinke it to be spoken only in humility and not in verity marke the word of the Lord him selfe in the Cospell The kinges of the people do rule ouer them but you shall not do so Here Lordship and dominion is plainely forbidden to the Apostles and darest thou then vsurpe the same If thou will be a Lord thou shalt lose thine Apostleship or if thou wilt be an Apostle thou shalt lose thy Lordship For truely thou shalt depart from the one of them If thou wilt haue both thou shalt lose both or els thinke thy selfe to be of that number of whom God doth so greatly complayne saying They haue raigned but not through me They are become Princes and I haue not knowne it Now if it do suffice thee to rule with the Lord thou hast thy glory but not with God But if we will keepe that which is forbidden vs let vs heare what is sayd he that is the greatest amongest you sayth Christ shal be made as the least and he which is the highest shal be as the minister and for example set a childe in the middest of thē So this then is the true forme and institution of the Apostles trade Lordship and rule is forbidden ministration and seruice commaunded By these wordes of this blessed man whom the whole Church doth reuerence and worship it doth appeare that the Pope hath not power to occupy the Church goodes as Lord therof but as minister and seruaunt and proctor for the poore And would to God that the same proud greedy desire of rule Lordship which this seat doth chalenge vnto it be not a preamble to prepare a way vnto Antechrist For it is euident by the Gospell that Christ through his pouerty humility suffering of iniury got vnto him the children of his kingdome And moreouer so farre as I remember the same blessed mā Barnard in his 3. booke writeth also
declared as it hath bene in times past the which also is done by a maruelous dispensation that through one onely thing both Gods loue iustice should be fulfilled For a while the power of miracles being taken away the holy church appereth the more abiect and forsaken and the reward of good men doth cease which reuerēced the same for the hope of heauēly riches not for any present signes And that the minds of euill men agaynst the same might that sooner be knowne which neglect to folow the inuisible thinges which the church doth promise whiles they be led with visible signes Forsomuch then as the humility of the faithfull is as it were destitute of the multitude and appering of signes by the terrible working of Gods secret dispensation wherby mercy is geuē vnto the good and iust wrath heaped vpō the euill For so much then it is truely said that before this Liuiathan shall playnely and manifestly come pouerty shall go before his face for before that time the riches of miracles shal be taken away from the faythfull Then shall that auncient enemy shew himselfe agaynst them by open wonders That as he is extolled through signes wonders so shall he the more manly be vanquished of the faythfull without any signes or miracles Also in his 16. booke vpon this word which the blessed man Iob sayde who shall reprehend his way before him or who shall cast in his teeth what he hath done whilest he did speake of the body of all euill he sodenly connected his speach vnto the head of all the wicked for he did see that toward the end of the world Sathan should enter into man whom the scripture calleth Antechrist he shal be extolled with such pride he shall rule with such power he shal be exalted with such signes wonders vnder the pretence of holmes that his doing can not be cōtrolled of mē for somuch as his signes tokens are ioined with power terror with a certain shew of holynes Wherfore he saith who shall controll his wayes before him what man is he that dare once rebuke or check him whose looke or countenaunce is he afeard of But notwithstanding not onely Enoc Elias the which are brought as ample for his exprobation but also all the elect do argue reproue his way whiles that they do contemne and by the force and power of their minde resist his malice But for somuch as this thing is not done by their owne power or strength but by Gods helpe and grace therfore is it very well sayd who shall argue or reproue his waies before him who but onely God By whose help the elect are ayded and made able to resist And a little after vpon the same booke of Iob Gregory saith in so much as holy men do withstād his iniquity It is not they thēselues which do so rebuke his wayes but it is he thorowe whose helpe they are strengthened Also in his second booke he sayth now the holy Church doth not regarde but despise the signes and miracles of the heretikes if they do any for so much as the Church doth sufficiently vnderstand that it is no kind of holynes for why the prose of holines is not to make signes or wōders but to loue euery man as him selfe to thinke truely of the very true God to thinke better of thy neighbor then of thy selfe for trew vertue holynes cōsisteth in loue and not in shewing of miracles This the veretie declareth saying hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one an other but he saith not that hereby mē shal know that ye are my disciples because ye worke miracles but contrary wise if ye loue one an other declaring plainly therby that it is not miracles but the mere charitie loue of God which maketh vs the seruants of God Wherefore the chiefe testimony of being Gods disciple is to haue the gift of brotherly loue This thorow out doth S. Gregory write and often times in other places he speaketh verye much of miracles howe that they shall cease amongst the iust and abound amongst the wicked Also Chrisostome in his lv Homily sayth thus it is a common an indifferent woorke betwene the ministers of God the ministers of the deuil to cast out deuils but to confesse the trueth and to worke righteousnes is the onely worke of the saints and holy men therefore whomsoeuer thou doest see casting out of deuils if he haue not the confessiō of the trueth in his mouth neyther righteousnes in his hands he is not a man of God but if thou doest see a man openly confessing declaring the truthe and doing iustice although he do not cast out no deuils yet he is the man of God And it followeth let vs know that like as at the cōming of Christ before him the Prophets and with him thapostles wrought miracles thorow the holy ghost for such as the thing is which is sturred such sent sauor wil proceede frō the same He writeth also vpon the beginning of Mathew The whole world did maruel wōder at three things that Christ rose againe after his deth that flesh ascendeth into heauē that he did conuert the whole world by his xi apostles There is iiii causes which wrought the same That is to say the contempt of riches or money The dispising of pomp and glory The seperation of thēselues from all worldly occupation and busines and the pacient suffering of tormentes Thus much writeth Chisostome also saint Isydore in his first booke and xxv cha De summo bono writeth thus like as in the apostles the maruelous effect power of works was much more cōmendable then the vertue of their signes euen so now in the Church is it much more better to liue wel thē to worke any signes or miracles And the cause why that the church of God doth not at this present worke miracles as it did in the time of the Apostles is this That it was necessary at that time that the worlde should beleue miracles and nowe at this present euery faithful beleuer ought to shine with good workes for to this end were signes miracles then outwardly wrought that their sayth thereby might be inwardly strengthned and stablished for what soeuer faithfull man he be that seketh to worke miracles he seeketh vaine glory to be praysed of mē for it is written miracles are signes and tokens vnto the infidels misbeleuers and not vnto the faythfull Thus muche wryteth Isidore Item Saint Augustine in his Booke of cōfession sayth thus there is no greater miracle amongst mē thē to loue our enemies By these wordes of these holy men a man may easely gather that both in our dayes and in the time to come the disciples of Antichrist both do shall more florish and shewe thēselues by strannge signes miracles thē the disciples of Christ according to
the law was iustified for by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified Galat. 2. And agayne in the same epistle cap. 3. that by the lawe no man is iustified before God it is manifest for the iust man shall liue by his fayth the law is not of fayth but whosoeuer hath the workes therof shal liue in them And agayn in the same chap. If the law had bene geuen which might haue iustified then our righteousnesse had come by the law But the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise might be sure by the fayth of Iesu Christ to all beleuers Moreouer before that fayth came they were kept and concluded all vnder the law vntill the comming of that fayth whiche was to be reuealed For the law was our schoolemaister in Christ Iesu that we should be iustified by fayth Also the sayd Paul Rom. 5. sayth that the law entred in the meane time whereby that sinne might more abound Where then sinne hath more abounded there hath also grace superaboūded that like as sinne hath raigned vnto death so that grace might raigne also by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Whereby it is manifest that by the fayth which we haue in Christ beleuing him to be the true sonne of God which came downe from heauen to redeme vs from sinne we are iustified from sinne and so do liue by him which is the true breade and meat of the soule And the bread which Christ gaue is his flesh geuen for the life of the world Iohn 6. For he being God came downe from heauen and being true carnall man did suffer in the flesh for our sinnes which in his diuinity he could not suffer Wherefore like as we beleue by our fayth that he is true God so must we also beleue that he is a true man And then do we eate the bread of heauen and the fleshe of Christ. And if we beleue that he did voluntarily shed hys bloud for our redemption then do we drinke his bloud And thus except we eate the flesh of the sonne of man and shall drinke his bloud we haue not eternall life in vs. Because the flesh of Christ verily is meate and hys bloud is drinke in deed and whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud abideth in Christ Christ in him Ioh. ca. 6. And as in this world that soules of the faythfull liue and are refreshed spiritually with this heauenly bread and with the flesh and bloud of christ So in the world to come the same shall liue eternally in heauen refreshed with the deity of Iesus Christ as touching the most principall part therof that is to wit intellectū For as much as this bread of heauē in that it is God hath in it selfe all delectable pleasātnes And as touching the intelligible powers of the same as well exteriour as interior they are refreshed with the flesh that is to say with the humanitye of Iesus Christ which is as a queene standing on the right hand of God decked with a golden robe of diuers coulours for this queen of heauen alone by the word of God is exalted aboue the company of all the angels that by her all our corporal power intellectiue may fully be refreshed as is our spirituall intelligence with the beholding of the deity of Iesus Christ and euen as the Aungels shall we be fully satisfied And in the memory of this double refectiō present in this world and in the world to come hath Christ geuen vnto vs for eternal blessednes the Sacrament of his body and bloud in the substaunce of breade and wine as it appeareth in Mathew chapter 26. As the disciples sat at supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed it brake it gaue it vnto his disciples and sayd Take eate this is my bodye And he tooke the cup and thanked and gaue it them saying Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud of the new Testament which shall be shed for many for the remission of sinnes And Luke in his Gospell chap. 22. or this matter thus writeth And after he had taken the bread he gaue thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto them saying Thys is my body whyche shall be geuen for you doe you this in my remembraunce In like maner he tooke the cup after supper saying Thys is the cup of the new testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you That Christ said this is my body in shewing to them the bread I firmely beleue know that it is true That Christ for so much as he is God is the very trueth it selfe and by consequence all that he sayth is true And I beleue that the very same was his body in such wise as he willed it to be his body for in that he is almighty he hath done what so euer pleased him And as in Cane of Galile he chaunged the water into wine really so that after the transubstantiation it was wine and not water so when he sayd This is my body If he would haue had the breade really to be transubstātiated into his very body so that after this chaunging it should haue bene his naturall body not bread as it was before I know that it must needes haue beene so But I finde not in the Scripture that hys will was to haue any such reall transubstantiation or mutation And as the Lord God omnipotent in his perfectiō essential being the sonne of God doth exceed the most purest creature and yet when it pleased him he took vpō him our nature remaining really God as he was before was really made man so that after this assumpting of our substaūce he was really very God very man Euē so if he would when he sayd This is my body He could make this to be his body really the bread still really remayning as it was before For lesse is the difference of the essence betwene bread and the body of a man then betwene the deity humanity because that of the bread is naturally made the body of a man Of the bread is made bloud of the bloud naturall seede and of naturall seede the naturall substaunce of man is ingendred But in that that God became man This is an action supernatural Wherefore he that could make one man to be very God and very mā could if he would make one thing to be really very bread his very body But I do not finde it expresly in the Scripture that he would any such Identitye or coniunction to be made And as Christ sayd I am very bread not chaunging his essence or being into the essence or substaunce of bread but was the sayde Christ which he was before really and yet bread by a similitude or figuratiue speech So if he would it might be that when he sayd This is my body That this should really haue bene the bread as it was before and
first written in Greeke by Gregory the 3. and afterward translated out of Greeke into Latine by pope Zachary vide supra pag. 130. Likewise that worthy and Imperiall sermon iâ—â—tuâ—ed Eusebij pamphili Sermo ad Conuentum Sanctorum hath to thys day wrongfully borne the name of Eusebius Where as in very truth it was made by the good Emperour Constantinus himselfe in his owne heroicall stile in latine and afterward translated out of Latine into Greeke by Eusebius as he himselfe confesseth in hys worke De vita Constant. lib. 4. But as touching this sermon although the name be chaunged so godly and fruitful it is that it â—attereth not much vnder whose name it be read yet worthy to be read vnder the name of none so much as of the Emperor CoÌ„stantine himselfe who was the true author and owner therof Briefly except it be the bookes onely of the new Testament and of the olde what is almost in the popes church but either it is mingled or depraued or altered or corrupted either by some additions interlased or by some diminutioÌ„ mangled and gelded or by some glose adulterate or with manifest lies contaminate So that in theyr doctrine standeth little truth in theyr Legendes Portues masse-bookes lesse trueth in their miracles and Reliques least truth of all Neyther yet doe theyr sacramentes remayne cleare and voyd of manifest lyes and corruption And specially here commeth in the mayster bee whiche bringeth in much sweet hony into Popes hiues the maister lye I mean of all lyes where the P. leauing not one cromme of bread nor drop of wine in the reuerent communion vntruly and idolatrously taketh away all substaunce of bread from it turning the whole substaunce of bread into the substaunce of Christes owne body which substaunce of bread if the Pope take from the sacrament then muste he also take the breaking from it for breaking and the body of Christ can in no wise stand litterally together by the scripture Thus then as this is proued by the word of God to be a manifest lye so thinke not much good Reader hereat as though I passed the bondes of modestie in calling it the Archlye or maister lie of all lies Because vppon this one an infinite number of other lyes and erroures in the popes churche as handmaydes doe wayte and depend But forsomuch as I stand here not to charge other meÌ„ so muche as to defende my selfe ceasing therefore or rather differing for a time to stir this stinking pudle of these wilfull and intended lyes and vntruthes whiche in the Popes Religion and in papistes bookes be innumerable I will now returne to those vntruthes and impudent lies which M. Cope hath hunted out in my history of Actes Monuments first beginning with those vntruthes which he carpeth in the storye of the foresayde syr Iohn Oldcastle and syr Roger Acton Browne and the rest And first where he layeth to my charge that I cal them Martyrs whiche were traytors and seditious rebels agaynst the king and theyr Country to this I haue aunswered before sufficiently Now here then must the reader needes stay a little at M. Copes request to see my vanitie and impudencye yet more fully and amply repressed in refuting a certain place in my Latine story concerning the kinges statute made at Leiceister whiche place and wordes by him alledged be these pag. 1â—7 Quocirca Rex indicto Lecestriae concilio quòd fortâ—ssis Londini ob Cabhami fautores non erat tutum proposito edicto immanem denunciat poenam his quicunque deinceps hoc doctrinae genus sectarentur vsqueâ—deo in eos seuerus vt non modo haereticos sed perduelliones etiam haberi aâ— pâ—o inde gemino eos supplicio suspendio simul inceÌ„dio afficiendos statueriâ— c. Eâ— mox Adeo ille vires rationesque intendebat omnes aduersus Wicklenianos Wicleuiani ad temporis decebantur quicunque Scripturas Dei sua lingua lectirarent Vpon these wordes out of my foresayd Latine booke alledged maister Cope perswadeth himselfe to haue great aduauntage agaynst me to proue me a notorious lyer in three sondry pointes First in that whereas I say that the king did hold his parliament at Leicester adding thys by the way of Parenthesis quod fortassis Londini ob Cobhami fautores non erat tutum c. here he concludeth thereby simpliciter and precisely that the Lord Cobham and syr Roger Acton with his fellowes were traytors c. Whereby a man may soone shape a cauiller by the shadowe of mayster Cope For where as my Dialysis out of the texte speaketh doubtfully and vncertaynely by this word fortassis meaning in deede the king to be in feare of the Gospellers that he durst not hold his Parliament at London but went to Leiceister he argueth precisely therfore that the Lord Cobham sir Roger Acton and his fellowes went about to kil the king Secondly where I affirme that the king in that Parliament made a grieuous law agaynst al such did hold the doctrine of Wickliffe that they should be taken hereafter not for heretiques but also for fellons or rebels or traytors and therefore should sustayne a double punishement both to be hanged and also to be burned c. Here coÌ„meth in maister Momus with his Cope on his backe and prouing me to be a lyer denyeth playnly that the king made any suche statute vid. pag. 835. line 6. where hys wordes be these Atqui quod haeretici pro perduellionibus deinceps geminatas poenas suspeÌ„dij incendij luerent vt nugatur Foxus nullo modo illic traditur c. First here woulde bee asked of maister Cope what hee calleth patriae hostes et proditores if he call these traytours then let vs see whether they that followed the sect of wycliffe were made traytours heretiques by the kings law or not And first let vs heare what sayth Polydore Virgil his owne witnes in this behalfe whose words in his xxii booke pag. 441. be these Quare publice edixit vt si vspiam deinceps reperirentur qui eam sequerentur sectam patriae hostes haberentur quò sine omni lenitate seuerius ac ocyus de illis supplicium sumeretur c. That is wherefore it was by publique statute decreed that whosoeuer were founde hereafter to follow the sect of Wyckliffe should be accounted for traytors whereby without all lenitie they shoulde be punished more seuerely and quickly c. Thus haue you maister Cope the playne testimonie of Polydore with mee And because ye shall further see your selfe more impudent in carping then I am in deprauing of histories you shall vnderstand moreouer and heare what Thomas Walden one of your owne catholique brotherhode who was also himselfe aliue a doer in the same Parliament being the prouincial of the Carmelites saith in this matter writing to Pope Martin whose very wordes in Latine here follow written in
the king Wenselaus who thē fauored that pope gaue cōmaundement that no man should attēpt any thing against the sayd Popes indulgēces But Hus with his folowers not able to abide the impiety of those pardōs began manifestly to speake agaynst them of the which cōpany were 3. certayn artificers who hearing the priest preaching of these iudulgences did opēly speak against them called the pope Antichrist which would set vp the crosse to fight agaynst his euenchristened Wherefore they were brought before the Senate and committed to warde But the people ioyning thēselues together in armes came to the magistrates requiring thē to be let loose The magistrates with gētle wordes and fayre promises satisfied the people so that euery man returning home to his own house the tumult was asswaged But the captiues being in prison not withstanding were there beheaded whose names were Iohn Martin and Stascon The death and martirdome of these three being knowne vuto the people they took the bodies of them that were slaine and with great solemnitye brought them vnto the church of Bethlem At whose funerall diuers priestes fauoring that side did sing in this wise These be the Sayntes whiche for the testament of God gaue their bodies c. And so their bodyes were sumptuously interred in the church of Bethlem I. Hus preaching at the same funerall much commending them for theyr constancye and blessing God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ whyche had hidde the way of his verity so from the prudent of this world and had reuealed it to the simple lay people and inferior priestes which chose rather to please God then men Thus this City of Prage was deuided The prelates with the greatest part of the clergy most of the Barons which had any thing to lose did hold with the pope especially Steuen Paletz being the chiefest doer on that side On the contrary part the commons with part of the clergy studentes of the vniuersity went with Iohn Hus. Wenslaus the king fearing least this would grow to a tumult being moued by the doctors and prelates and councell of his barons thought best to remoue Iohn Husse out of the Citty who had bene excommunicated before by the Pope And further to cease this dissention risen in the church committed the matter to the disposition of the doctors and the clergy They cōsulting together among thēselues did set forth a decree ratified and confirmed by the sentēce of the king contayning the summe of 18. articles for the maynteynance of the Pope and the see of Rome agaynst the doctrine of Wickeliffe and Iohn Husse The names of the Doctors of Diuinity were these Steuen Paletz Stanislaus de Znoyma Petrus de Ikoyma Ioannes Heliae Andreas Broda Iohannes Hildesen Mattheus Monachus Hermannus Heremita Georgius Bota Simon Wenda c. Iohn Hus thus departing out of Prage went to his coūtry where he being protected by the Lord of the Soile continued there preaching to whom resorted a great concourse of people neither yet was he so expelled out of Prage but that sometimes he resorted to his church of Bethleem and there also preached vnto the people Moreouer agaynst the sayde decree of the doctours I. Hus with his companye replied agayne and aunswered to their articles with cōtrary articles agayn as foloweth The obiections of Iohn Hus and of his part agaynst the decree of the Doctors FIrst the foūdation of the Doctors wherupon they foūd all their writings and counsels is false which foūdatiō is this where as they say that part of the clergy in the kingdome of Boheme is pestilent and erroneous and holdeth falsely of the Sacramentes 2. The Doctors hereby do defame the kingdome of Boheme and do rayse vp new discordes 3. Let them shew therefore those persons of the Clergye whom they call pestilent so let them verify theyr report binding themselues to suffer the like paine if they be not able to proue it 4. False it is that they say the Pope the cardinals to be the true manifest successors of Peter of the Apostles neyther that any other successors of Peter or the Apostles can be foūd vpon earth besides thē Whē as no man knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or of fauour And all Byshops and priests be successors of Peter of the Apostles 5. Not the pope but Christ onely is the head and not the Cardinals but all Christes faythfull people be the body of the Catholick church as all holy Scripture and decrees of the holy fathers do testify and affirme 6. And as touching the pope if he be a reprobate it is plain that he is no head no nor member also of the holy Church of God but of the deuill and of his sinagogue 7. The clergy of the gospellers agreeing with the saying of S. Austen which they alledge and according to the sanctions of the fathers and determinations of the holy mother church do say and affirme laudably that the condēnation and prohibition of the 45. articles is vnlawful and vniust and rashly done for that not onely because the doctors but also all Bishops and Archbishops in suche great causes namely touching faith as these articles doe haue no authority at all as appeareth◠De baptismo et eius effectu cap. Maiores Et in Can. 17. dist cap. Hinc sedi c. 8. The second cause of the discord which they alledge also is most false seing the fayth of whole Christendome cōcerning the church of Rome is deuided in 3. parts by the reason of 3. popes which now together do raigne And the 4. part is newtrall Neither is it true that we ought to stand in all things to the determination of the pope of the cardinals but so farr forth as they do agree with the holy scripture of the old and new Testament from whence the sanctions of the fathers did first spring as is euident De accusationibus cap. qualiter c. 9. In the 4. Article they brast out into a certayne dotage are contrary to themselues By reason that they doitishly haue reprehēded the gospellers who in all their doings receiue the holy scripture whith is the law of God the way of trueth and life for their iudge and measure and afterward they themselues doe alleadge the scripture Deut. 17. where all iudges both popes and Cardinals are taught to iudge discern betwene leaper leaper in euery ecclesiasticall cause only after the rule of gods law And so are they cōtrary vnto their secōd article wherin they say that in euery catholicke matter we must runne to the pope which is cōtrary to the foolish condemnation of the Articles aforesaid 10 Consequently like idiots they doe most fasly alledge for their purpose the Canon vnder the name and authority of Ierome written 24. q. 1. Haec est fides papa c. where they do apply the wordes of Ierome most impertinentlye to the pope of Rome which he writeth to S.
definitiue condemned him to perpetuall prison After whose condemnation the sonday next folowing the recantation of Tho. Granter and of Richard Monke Priestes aboue mentioned were openly read at Paules crosse the Byshop of Rochester the same time preached at the sayd crosse The tenour of whose recantation with his Articles in the same expressed here vnder foloweth IN the name of God Before you my Lord of Canterbury and all you my Lords here being present afore you all here gathered at this time I Thomas Granter priest vnworthy dwelling in this City of LondoÌ„ feeling vnderstanding that afore this time I affirmed open errours and heresies saying beleuing and affirming within thys City that he that Christian men callen Pope is not verye Pope ner Gods vicary in earth but I sayd he was Antichrist Also I sayd beleued and affirmed that after the sacramentall wordes sayd by a Priest in the Masse there remayneth materiall bread and wine and is not turned into Christes body and his bloud Also I said and affirmed that it was not for to doe in no wise to goe on pilgrimage but it was better I sayd to abide at home and beate the stooles with theyr heeles for it was I sayde but tree stone that they soughten Also I sayde and affirmed that I held no Scripture catholicke ner holy but onely that is conteyned in the Bible For the Legendes and liues of Sayntes I held hem nought and the miracles written of hem I helde vntrue Because of which errours and heresies I was tofore M. Dauy Price Uicar generall of my Lord of London and since tofore you my Lord of Caunterbury your brethren in your councell prouinciall by you fully informed which so sayd mine affirming beleuing teaching bene open errors and heresies and contrarious to the determination of the chirch of Rome Wherfore I willing to follow and sewe the doctrine of holy chirch and depart fro all maner errors and heresye and turne with good will hart to the onehead of the chirch coÌ„sidering that holye chirch shitteth ner closeth not her bosome to him that will turne agayne ne God will not the death of a sinner but rather he ben turned liue With a pure hart I confesse detest despise my sayd errours and heresies and the sayd opinions I confesse as heresies and errours to the fayth of the Chirch of Rome to all vniuersally holy Chirch repugnaunt And therfore these sayd opinions in speciall and all other errours and heresies doctrines and opinioÌ„s â—yen the fayth of the Church and the determination of the Churche of Rome I abiure and forsweare here tofore you all and sweare by these holy Gospels by me bodily touched that from henceforth I shall neuer hold teach ne preach errour errours heresie ne heresies nor false doctrine agaynst the faith of holy chirch determination of the chirch of Rome ner none such thing I shall obstinately defend ne any man holding or teaching such maner thinges by me or an other person openly or priuily I shal defend I shall neuer after thys tyme be receitor fautor councellor or defendor of hereticks or of any person suspect of heresie ner I shal trow to him ner wittingly fellaship with him ner yeue him counseil fauour yiftes ne coÌ„fort And if I know any heretickes or of heresie or of such false opinions anye person suspect or anye man or woman making or holding priuy conuenticles or assemblies or any diuers or singular opinions from the common doctrine of the Church of Rome or if I may know any of their fautors comforters councelours or defensers or any that haue suspect bookes or quiers of such erroures and heresies I shall let you my Lord of Canterbury or your officers in your absence or the Diocesans and Ordinaries of such men haue soone and ready knowing so help me God and holydeme and these holy Euangelies by me bodely touched ¶ After this recantation at the Crosse thus published and his submission made ' the sayd Granter then was by the aduise of the Prelates put to 7. yeares prisonment vnder the custody and charge of the bishop of London After this followed in like maner the recantation of Richard Monke Also of Edmund Frith which was before Butler so sir Iohn Oldcastle Beside these aboue remembred many and diners there be in the sayd register recorded who likewise for their faith and religion were greatly vexed and troubled especially in the Dioces of Kent in the townes of Romney Tenterden Wodcherche Cranbroke Staphelherst Beninden Halden Roluenyden and others where as whole housholdes both man and wife were driuen to forsake theyr houses and townes for daunger of persecution as sufficiently appeareth in the processe of the Archb. Chichesley agaynst the sayd persons and in the certificat of Burbath his officiall wherein are named these persons following 1. W. White Priest 2. Tho. Grenested Priest 3. Bartho Cronmonger 4. Iohn Wadnon 5. Ioan his wife 6. Tho. Euerden 7. William Euerden 8. Steuen Robin 9. W. Chiueling 10. Iohn Tame 11. Iohn Fowlin 12. Will. Somer 13. Marion his wife 14. Iohn Abraham 15. Rob. Munden 16. Laurence Coke These being cited vp together by the bishop would not appere Wherupon great inquisition being made for them by his officers they were constrained to flie their houses townes shift for themselues as couertly as they might When Burbath and other officers had sent worde to the Archbishop that they coulde not be founde then he directed downe order that Citations should be set vp for them on euery Church dore through all townes where they did inhabite appointing them a day terme wheÌ„ to appeare But not withstanding when as they yet could not be taken neither would appeare the Archbishop sitting in hys tribunall seate proceedeth to the sentence of excommunication against them What afterward happened to them in the register doth not appeare but like it is at length they were forced to submit themselues Concerning sir Iohn Oldcastle the Lord Cobham and of his first apprehension with his whole story life sufficiently hath bene expressed before pag. 575. how he being committed to the Tower and condeÌ„ned falsely of heresie escaped afterward out of the Tower and was in Wales about the space of four yeares In the which meane time a great summe of money was proclaimed by the King to hym that could take the sayde sir Iohn Oldcastle eyther quicke or dead About the ende of which foure yeares beeing expired the Lord Powes whether for loue and greedines of the money or whether for hatred of true and sincere doctrine of Christ seking all maner of wayes how to play the parte of Iudas at length obteined his bloudie purpose and brought the Lorde Cobham bound vp to London which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1417. and about the moneth of December At which time there was a Parliament assembled at London for the reliefe of money the same time
pope Straight handling of the kings L. Cobham would not obey the beast The confession answer of the L. Cobham newly copyed Cayphas sitteth in consistory Antichrist was here in full power A signe of gods true 〈◊〉 The Sacrament of the Lords â—ody Penaunce Images Pilgrimage The aunswer examined Quarel picked where 〈◊〉 was geuen The Christen aunswere of the Lord Cobham vnto their quarellinges The wolfe was hungry he must needes be fed with bloud A tyrannous whore is that mother His auÌ„swer not to their mindes Antichrist setteth men aboue God The L. CobhaÌ„ resorteth vnto Christ. What could be more reasonably had if they had reasoÌ„ to receaue it A doctrine of deuils to blinde the simple Ex magna professu Thom 4 Arundel The first Article The second Article The third Article The seede of the Serpent The fourth Article He seeth their ignoraunce and malice He putteth his life in Gods hand Ex â—troque exemplari The couÌ„sell of Cayphas The phariseis and Scribes A rable of Antichristes ConciliuÌ„ ma lignansiuÌ„ For a false coulor sweare they All done to deceiue the ignoraunt Lord Cobham commeth againe before them Ex â—etusto exemplari LondineÌ„siuÌ„ The curse of Antichrist Malachi 2. A woluishe after of gentlenesse L. Cobham confesseth himselfe into God Mans law before Gods law preferred â—liere 51. The Christen beliefe of the Lord Cobham Math. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. Antichrist alloweth not this faith The sacrament of the aultar Iohn Whithead gone from his opinion All this would not helpe A blasphemous bloode Quarell pickers The sacrameÌ„t of Christes body is both the body and bread Neither will scripture nor reason serue This opinioÌ„ hath S. Augustine Gelasius contra Eutichen The popes diuâ—nitic Materiall Iohn 6. An heresie after the papistes making 1. Cor. 10 The sacrament is called bread The determination of the church must stand whatsoeuer Paule saith A most christen aunswere The iudgement of L. Cobham concerning the determinatioÌ„ of the Church The Doctours consounded in their owne question The L. CobhaÌ„ beleueth not in the Pope An heresie after the papistes Holy church defined Consider him to be then in shrewde handlinge Walden contra Wieleuistas li. ar 2. Cap. 67 How we may iudge or not iudge by the scriptures Math. 7. Iohn 1. Iohn 7. Deut. 16. Psal. 56. Diuersitie of iudgementes A persite aunswere Esay 5. Esay 55. Walden in prafasione doctrina 7. A great aduersary Hieroni. in breniâ—ri im minori Luke 11. Iohn 10. Doctours when the scripture faile they begin to raise The clergie to sit on life or death hath no ground in scriptures Followers of Cayphas 26. Bishops of Rome togeather mat tirs saue one ly 4. A coÌ„parison betwene the martirs and the Popes tyme. A coÌ„parison betwene Christ and the Pope Rome is Antichristes neast Esay 9. Friers proued seditious and yet fouÌ„d no traytors Math. 23. The religió of Bishops Note I pray you how those are counted traitors and sedious that teach or cause Gods truth to be taught Luke 23. Iohn 19. Math. 24. Prophecy Prophecy Priestes Deacons Market this working of Sathan Act. 6. The first article Transubstantiation of bread into the body The L. Cob his beliefe in the sacrament Theâ— Article Confessió of sinne to God onely Malachi 20 The 3. Article Who is next into Peter Succession not of place but of conditioÌ„s maketh Peters heire Antichristes head body taile The 4. Article Pilgrimage What is to be dóe with Images Saintes are becoÌ„e now couetous beggers A whelpe of the same heare Images not to be worshipped The crosse whether it is to be worshipped Galat. 6. The materiall crosse is not materiall to our faith What it is to reioyce in the crosse of Christ. SlauÌ„dered with the truth These meÌ„ seeme to stand onely vpon their estemation amoÌ„gest the people A woluishe offer of gentleness Bloudy muâ— therâ—n Suffered of god as a plague An hereticke foâ— confessing of Christ. Ezec 18. Ezec 35. The wolfe would appeare charitable See if they shew not themselues Ex magno processu Thomae Arund eli That church is an whore A true shepe heareth the voice of a true pastor A colour of deceite As Caiphas did Christ. Christ is condeÌ„ned in his faithful members How spirituall these fathers are Keepe the sepul chre neuer so much yet Christ will rise None office left vndone pertaining to Antichrist What care is here to hold vp their popery Tho. Waldi in susesculo ZizanioruÌ„ Wseleus Richarde Clifford Rob. Mascall Ex â—eroque exemplari Math. 10. Iob. 1. Math. 10. He prayeth for his enemyes Ex â—etusto exemplari LoÌ„dinensiuÌ„ A testimoni all made by his frendes To stop lying lippes A rehersall of his belief In forme of bread but not without bread he meaneth The clergie in hate of the people A practise of false priests These are their coÌ„mon feates Walden in sasesculo zi zansorum Wielens Make from whence this geate commeth Fine worâ—â—â—hip I 〈◊〉 Alas good can thou 〈◊〉 slaundeâ—◠〈◊〉 proue 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 No scripâ—â— haue they to 〈◊〉 Intollera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 made 〈◊〉 such an 〈◊〉 And this maintaine they still The pope holy bible of papists Marke this haÌ„dling This charge geue they commonly For confirmation of this historie Ex archiuis et Regist. Tho. Arund Archiep. Cant. Polydorus and Edw. Haull deceiued A thing thought right necessary that the L. Cobham should be made out of the way or els not possible for papistry to florish Sir I. Oldecastel in fauour with the kyng The keyes of the church falsely wrasted The L. Cobham excommunicated The L. Cobham cast into the Tower The teres of the Crocadile Popish absolution neglected The Sacrament of the aultar Of penance Of Images Of pilgrimages See whether these men picke quarelles where they neede now Here is no mention made of the worde of God Wolues clothed in 〈◊〉 skins The summe in the poâ—â—â— beliefe Confession The Popes â—â—premacy Pilgrimage Conueneâ—â—â— in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christum 〈◊〉 Psal. 2. The sacrament both body and bread in diuers respectes How confession is to be alowed What honour is to be done to the crosse The pope is Antichrist the Byshops are his members and fryers his tayle The bolde talke of the L. Cobham They cal them selues humble which rule ouer kinges and exercise the tyranny of the world Folowing christes footsteppes cleane contrary The vniuersall church meaning by a figure the part for the whole They call light darknes and darknes light Like will to like So did the Pharisies deliuer Christ vnto Pilate Syr Rob. Morley The L. Cobham returned againe to the Tower Alanus Copus Anglus with his fixe Dialogues Erostratus to get him a fame set Dianas temple on fire Alanus Copus Anglus intemperately abuseth hys penne Copus a barker agaynst dead me ... Answere to Alanus Copus Indifferency of the reader craued Whether the L. Cobham be to be iudged a traytor or a martyr The L. Cobham true and obedient to