denye to be lye or betraye the innocencye of that heauenlye doctrine or to bee ashamed to confesse and stande to the defence of the same seeing that Christe planted it with hys moste precious bloude and all good menne haue more esteemed the true and infallible woorde of GOD then all thys transitorye worlde or their owne mortall liues And I beleeue this doctrine of the Patriarkes Prophetes Christe and his Apostles to be sufficient and absolutely perfecte to instructe and teache mee and all the holy Church of our dueties towardes God the Magistrates and our neighbours Firste and principallye I do assuredly beleeue wythout any doubting that there is one Deitie or Diuine essence and infinite substaunce which is both called and is in dede God euerlasting vnbodilye vnpartible vnmeasurable in power wisedome and goodnesse the maker and preseruer of all thinges as well visible as inuisible and yet there be three distincte persones all of one Godheade or Diuine beynge and all of one power coequall consubstantiall coeternell the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghoste I beleeue in God the Father Almightie c. As touching God the Father of heauen I beleeue as muche as holye Scripture teacheth mee to beleeue The Father is the firste persone in Trinitie first cause of our saluation which hathe blessed vs with all maner of blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christe whych hathe chosen vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde that wee shoulde be holye and wythout blame before hym who hath predestinate vs and ordained vs to bee his childrenne of adoption thorough Christe Iesu. In hym as it is sayde we liue wee mooue and haue oure being he nourisheth feedeth and geueth meate to euery creature And in Iesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde I beleue that the woorde that is the Sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie did take mannes nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgine Marie So that there be in hym two natures a Diuine nature and an humaine nature in the vnitie of parson inseparable conioyned and knitte in one Christe truely God and truely man the expresse and perfecte Image of the inuisible God wherin the will of God the Father shineth apparantly and wherein man as it were in a glasse may beholde what he ought to doe that he maye please God the Father Borne of the Virgine Marie truelye sufferinge his Passion crucified deade and buryed to the entent to bring vs againe into fauoure wyth God the Father almightie and to be a sacrifice hoste and oblation not onely for originall sinne but also for all actuall sinnes of the whole generation of mankinde For all the woorkes merites deseruings doinges and obedience of man towards God althoughe they be done by the spirite of God in the grace of God yet being thus done be of no validitie worthine nor merite before God except God for his mercy and grace accoumpte them woorthye for the woorthinesse and merytes of Christ Iesus The same Christ went downe to the helles and truely rose againe the thirde day and ascended into the heauēs that he might there stil raigne and haue dominion ouer all creatures and from thence shall come c. I beleue in the holy Ghost coequall with God the Father and the Sonne and proceeding from them bothe by whose vertue strength and operation the true Catholicke Church which is the Communion and societie of Saintes is guided in all truthe veritie kept frō al errors fals doctrine the deuill all power of sinne Which Church is sanctified and halowed with the precious bloude and spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche hathe also her signe and mark that she heareth and foloweth the voice of her only and true pastour Christ and no strangers This church also is the house of God the congregation of the liuing God the piller of truth the liuely body of Christe a Church both in name and in deede I beleue the remission of sinnes by the only meanes and merites of Christes death passion who made vnto vs of God that onely sacrifice and oblation offered once for all and for euer for all them that be sanctified I beleue the resurrection of the body whereby in the last day al men shal rise again from death the soules ioyned againe to the bodies the good to euerlasting life the wicked to euerlasting pain and punishmēt And nothing may more certainly stablish confirme our faith that we shall rise againe immortal both in body soule thē the resurrection of Christ our Sauiour and first fruites of the deade Nowe that Christe our head is risen we beynge hys body and members must follow our head Death hell and sinne cannot sunder nor plucke vs from him For as the Sonne can not be deuided nor sundred from the Father nor the holy Ghost frō them bothe no more maye wee beinge the faithfull members of Christ be separated from Christ. And for a confirmation of our resurrection Christ would be seene after his resurrection in hys most glorious body his woundes being handled and felte speaking and teaching eating and drinking c. Wee looke sayeth S. Paul for Iesus Christ our Sauiour which shall trāsfigure our vile bodies conform them to his glorious body by the same power and vertue wherwith he is able to subdue all things euen like as the graine of wheate sowen in the grounde is first putrified and brought as into a thing of noughte yet after that it springeth vp freshly with a more goodly colour forme and beautie then it had before The body is sowne in corruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour and riseth in honour Thus I verely know and assuredly beleue the resurrection of oure bodies and to haue life eternall by Christ and for Christes sake Verely verely I say vnto you sayth Christ he that heareth my woorde and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is escaped frō death to life It is Christe that died once for oure sinnes and is risen againe neuer more to die it is he that swallowed vp death hath cast it vnder his feete for euer What now can death do vnto vs Verelye nothing els but for a little time separate oure precious soules from oure wretched bodies that diuine substaunce from a masse of sinne that eternall life from a body of death and so send our soules oute of this miserable wretched and sorrowfull lyfe combred with all calamities vnto that moste blessed felicitie and ioyes eternall As concerning the holy and reuerende Sacraments of Christes Churche which be in number two the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord I beleeue them to be as S. Paul calleth them confirmations or seales of Gods promises whiche haue added to them a promise of grace and therfore they are called visible signes of inuisible grace The Sacrament of
that after disputations I shoulde haue a copye thereof and licence to chaunge myne aunsweres as I should thinke good It was meete also that I should haue seene what was writteÌ„ by the Notaries at that time So your Lordship pretended great gentlenes in geuyng me a tyme but this gentlenes is the same that Christ had of the high priestes for you as youre Lordshippe saythe haue no power to condemne me neyther at anye tyme to put a man to death so in like sorte the high Priestes sayd that it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death but committed Christ to Pilate neyther would suffer him to absolue Christ although he sought all the meanes therfore that he might Then spake Doctour Weston one of the audience West What do you make the king Pilate Rid. No mayster Doctor I doe but compare youre deedes with Cayphas his deedes and the high Priestes whiche woulde condemne no manne to deathe as ye will not and yet would not suffer Pilate to absolue and deliuer Christ. Lincol. M. Ridley we minde not but that you shal enioy the benefite of aunswering to morow and will take your aunsweres now as now to morow you shal change take out adde and alter what you will In the meane season we require you to aunswere directly to euery Article either affirmatiuely or negatiuely Ridly Seyng you appoynt me a time to aunswere to morow and yet will take mine aunsweres out of hande first I require the Notaryes to take and write my protestation that in no poynt I acknowledge your authority or admit you to be my Iudges in that poynt you are authorised from the Pope Therefore what soeuer I shall say or doe I protest I neither say it neither do it willingly thereby to admit the authoritie of the Pope if your Lordship will geue me leaue I wil shew the causes whiche moueth me thereunto Lincol. No M. Ridley wee haue instructions to the contrary We may not suffer you Ridley I will be short I pray youre Lordships suffer me to speake in fewe wordes Linc. No M. Ridley wee may not abuse the hearers eares Rid. Why my Lord suffer me to speake three words Linc. Well M. Ridley to morow you shall speake 40. The time is farre paste therefore wee require your aunswere determinately What say you to the first article and thereupon rehearsed the same Rid. My protestation alwaies saued that by this mine aunswere I do not condescend to your authoritie in that you are Legate to the Pope I aunswere thus In a sense the first article is true and in a sense it is false for if you take really for verè for spiritually by grace and efficacye then is it true that the naturall body and bloud of Christe is in the sacrament verè realiter in deede and really but if you take these termes so grossely that you woulde conclude thereby a naturall body hauing motion to be contayned vnder the formes of bread and wine verè realiter then really is not the body and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament no more then the holy Ghost is in the element of water in our Baptisme Because this aunswere was not vnderstoode the Notaries wist not how to note it wherfore the Bishop of Lincolne willed him to aunswere either affirmatiuely or negatiuely either to graunt the Article or to deny it Rid. My Lorde you know that where anye aequiuocation whiche is a woorde hauyng two significations is excepte distinction bee geuen no direct aunswere can bee made for it is one of Aristotles fallacies containing two questions vnder one the whiche cannot bee satisfied with one aunswere For both you and I agree herein that in the sacrament is the verye true and naturall bodye and bloud of Christ euen that whiche was borne of the Uirgine Marye whiche ascended into heauen whiche sitteth on the right hand of God the Father which shall come froÌ„ thence to iudge the quicke and the dead onely we differ in modo in the way and maner of being we confesse all one thing to be in the sacrament and dissent in the maner of being there I being fully by Gods word thereunto perswaded confesse Christes naturall body to be in the sacrament in deede by spirite and grace because that whosoeuer receiueth worthely that bread and wine receiueth effectuously Christes body and drinketh his bloud that is he is made effectually partaker of hys Passion and you make a grosser kynde of being enclosing a natuall a lyuely and mouing body vnder the shape or forme of breade and wyne Now this difference considered to the question thus I aunswere that in the sacrament of the altar is the naturall body and bloud of Christ verè realiter in deede and really if you take these termes in deed and really for spiritually by grace and efficacy for so euery worthy receyuer receiueth the very true body of Christe but if you meane really and in deede so that therby you woulde include a liuely and a mouable body vnder the formes of bread and wyne then in that sense is not Christes body in the sacrament really and in deede This aunswere taken and penned of the Notaryes the Boshop of Lincolne proposed the second question or Article To whome he aunswered Rid. Alwayes my protestation reserued I aunswere thus that in the sacrament is a certayne chaunge in theâ—r the Bread whiche was before was common bread is nowe made a liuely representation of Christes Bodye and not onely a figure but effectuously representeth his body that euen as the mortall bodye was nourished by that visible bread so is the internall soule fed with the heauenly foode of Christes body whiche the eyes of faythe seethe as the bodily eyes seeth onely breade Such a sacramental mutation I graunt to be in the bread and wyne whiche truely is no small chaunge but suche a chaunge as no mo tall man can make but onely that omnipotencie of Chrystes worde ¶ Then the Byshoppe of Lincolne willed hym to answere directly eyther affirmatiuely or negatiuely without further declaration of the matter Then hee aunswered Rid. That notwithstanding this sacramentall mutation of the whiche he spake and all the Doctours confessed the true substaunce and nature of bread and wine remaineth with the whiche the bodye is in like sorte nourished as the soule by grace and spirite with the body of Chryste Euen so in Baptisme the body is washed with the visible water and the soule is clensed from all filth by the inuisible holy Ghost and yet the water ceaseth not to be water but keepeth the nature of water still In like sort in the sacrament of the Lordes supper the bread ceaseth not to bee bread Then the Notaryes penned that he aunswered affirmatiuely to the second article The Byshop of Lincolne declared a difference betweene the sacramente of the altar and Baptisme because that Chryste sayde not by the water this is the holy
shall be made manifest and appeare in glorye then shall the Children of God appeare what they be euen like vnto Christ for this oure weake body shall bee transfigured and made like vnto Christes glorious body and that by the power wherby he is able to subdue vnto himselfe al thinges Then that which is now corruptible shall be made incorruptible that nowe is vile shall then bee made glorious that is now weake shal rise then mighty and strong that is grosse and carnall shall be made fine and spirituall for then we shal see and haue the vnspeakable ioy and fruâ—tion of the glorious maiestie of our Lord euen as he is Who or what then shall let vs to ieoparde to ieopard yea to spende this lyfe whiche wee haue here in Christes cause in our Lorde God his cause O thou therefore man of God thou yâ— art loden so letted like vnto a great bellied woman that thou canst not flie the plague yet if thou lust after suche things as I haue spoken of stand fast what soeuer shall befall in thy maysters cause and take this thy letting to flye for a calling of God to fight in thy mayster Christ his cause Of this be thou certaine they can do nothing vnto thee whiche thy father is not aware of or hath not foreseene before they can do no more theÌ„ it shal please hym to suffer them to do for the furtheraunce of his glory edifying of his Church and thine owne saluation Let theÌ„ then do what they shall seeing to thee O man of God all thinges shall be forced to serue and to worke with thee vnto the best before God O be not afrayd and remember the end All this whiche I haue spoken for the comforte of the lamentable case of the man whome Christ callethe greate bellied woman I meane to bee spoken of likewyse to the captiue and prisoner in Gods cause for suche I counte to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight vnder the banner of the crosse of Chryste and as it were souldiours allowed and taken vp for the Lordes warres to do their Lorde and mayster good and honourable seruice and to sticke to him as men of trusty seruice in hys cause euen vnto death and to thinke their lyfe lost in his cause is to win it in eternal glory for euermore Therfore now to conclude and to make an end of thys treatise I say vnto all that loue God our heauenly father that loue Christ Iesus our redeemer and sauioure that loue to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost whiche is our comforter and sanctifier of all vnto al that loue Christs spouse and bodye the true catholicke Churche of Christe yea that loue lyfe and theyr owne soules health I say vnto al these hearken my deare breathren and sisters all you that be of God of all sortes ages dignities or degrees hearken to the word of our sauiour Iesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in S. Mathewes Gospel Feare not them whiche kill the body for they cannot kil the soule but feare hym more which may destroy and cast both body and soule into hell fire Are not two small sparrowes sold for a mite and one of them shall not fall or light vpon the ground without your father All the heares of your head be numbed Feare them not you are muche more worthe then are the litle sparrowes Euery one that confesseth me before men him shal I likewise confesse before my Father which is in heauen But who soeuer shall deny me before men I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heauen The Lord graunt vs therfore of his heauenlye grace and strengthe that here wee maye so confesse him in thys world amongst this adulterous and sinneful generation that he may confesse vs agayne at the latter day before hys father whiche is in heaueÌ„ to his glory and our euerlasting comfort ioy and saluation To our heauenly Father to our sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost be all glory and honour now and for euer Amen Thus with the deathe and martyrdome of these two learned Pastorsr and constant souldiours of Christ mayster Latimer and B. Ridley you haue dyuers of theyr letters and other writinges of theirs expressed with the Farewels also of B. Ridley wherein he tooke hys leaue of the world taking hys iourny to the kingdome of heauen Diuers and sondry other treatises of his remayne also in my hand both in Latine and English to be remembred by the leaue of the Lorde in time and place conuenient The death and end of Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester THe next moneth after the burning of Doctor Ridley and mayster Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember Stephen Gardiner Byshop and Chauncelloure a man hated of God and all good men ended hys wretched lyfe Concerning the quallities nature and disposition of which man for somuch as somewhat hath bene declared before in the storye of kinge Edwardes raygne I shall neede therefore the lesse now to stand greatly vpon the same First this Uipers byrd crept out of the towne of Bery in Suffolke brought vp most parte of his youth in Cambridge his wit capacitie memorye and other indumentes of nature not to bee complayned of if he hadde wel vsed and rightly applyed the same wherein ther was no great want of Gods part in hym if hee had not rather hymselfe wanted to the goodnes of his gifts Through this promptnes actiuitie towardnes of hys he profited not a little in such studyes as he gaue hys head vnto as first in the law ciuil then in languages and such other like especially in those artes and faculties which had any prospect to dignitie and preferment to be hoped for Besides other ornaments or helpes of nature memory chiefly seemed in hym very beneficiall rather then dilligence of study To these giftes and quallities were ioyned agayne is great or greater vices which not so much followed hym as ouertooke him not so muche burdened hym as made hym burdenous to the whole realme Hee was of a proude stomacke and high minded in hys owne opinion and conceit flattering himselfe to much in wit crafty and subtile towarde his superiour flattering and faire spoken to hys inferiours fierce agaynst hys equall stoute and enuious namely if in iudgement and sentence he any thyng withstoode hym as appeared betweene the good Lorde CroÌ„well and hym in the raygne of kyng Henry being of like hauâ—inesse of stomacke as the Poets wryte of Pelides Cedere nescius Who although would geue no place to men yet notwtstanding I wish he woulde haue geuen place to truth according as he semed not altogether ignorant of the truth What his knowledge was therin it is euident partly to vnderstand as wel by his book De vera obedientia as also by his sermon before king Edward also by his aunsweres to the Councell the same time and
sake we suffer whose cause we defend and what glorious reward we shall haue at the day of our victory then doubtles the consolation of these things will make sweete all our suffringes soone swallowe vp all the sorrowes that we are sowâ—ed in for Gods sake I coulde recite diuers textes of the Scriptures to confirme this pointe But I neede not for I am well assured that you do knowe them most perfectly alreadye The Lorde geue you strength and assist you with his holy spirite that you may continually walke in all pointes according to your godly knowledge And then shall you not doe as the moste parte of our Gospellers doe nowe adaies the more is the pitie There are a greate manye in Englande that doe perfectlye knowe that the Idolatrous Masse is abhominable Deuelishe and detestable in the sight of God And yet alasse they be not afrayde to pollute and defile theyr bodyes whych oughte to be the temples of the holy Ghoste with being present at it so sinning against God and theyr owne conscience But dere sister K. do you flie from it both in body soule as you would flie from the very Deuill himselfe Drinke not of the whore of Babylons cuppe by no meanes for it will infecte the body and poyson the soule Be not partakers of her sinnes sayth the Aungell least you be partakers of the plagues that shortly shall be powred vppon her O what an aray is this that so many that know Gods truth wil nowe tourne againe and defile them selues in the filthy puddle of antichristes stinking religion They goe about to saue theyr liues wyth their dowble dissimulation but doubtlesse they shall loose euerlastinge life by it if they doe not repent in time and tourne vnto the Lorde But deare sister my trust is that you doe vtterly abhorre the comming to anye such thyng I hope that you wil not by any meanes turne backe into Egypt nowe but that you will boldly venter throughe the wildernesse of trouble and persecution that you may come into the lande that floweth with all kinde of heauenly pleasures and ioyfull delectations and possesse the same for euer Lette vs consider howe that euery one of vs doeth owe vnto God a death by nature and howe soone the Lord wil require it of vs we knowe not O howe happye are we then if God of hys goodnesse appoynt vs to pay natures dette wyth sufferyng for hys trueth and Gospels sake and so making vs his faithfull witnesses wyth the Prophetes Apostles Martyrs and Confessours yea wyth his dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christe to whome he doeth heere begin to fashion vs lyke in suffering that we myght be like hym also in glory Thus my dearely beloued sister I haue ben bold to trouble you a little with my rude simple letter being made in hast as it doth appeare Yet I desire you to take it in good woorthe as a token of my poore zeale vnto you and to accept my good will And if it please God to spaâ—e me life and libertye I trust heereafter to wryte vnto you more largely Fare yee well deare sister E.K. the Lorde blesse you and all yours and powre vpon you the heauenly dewe of his grace The Lorde endue you wyth plentifull knowledge of hys verity and fill you with hys holy and mighty spirite that you may continuallye reioyce in the comfortes of the same nowe and euer Amen Pray pray pray with stedfast faith Your daily Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lord. ¶ In the letters of William Tymmes ye heard before page 1897. much mention made of Agnes Glascock Thys Agnes Glascocke through infirmity and her husbandes perswasion was allured to goe to Masse For whyche cause shee falling in great sorrow and repentance was raised vppe againe by the comfortable Letters of William Tymmes and Iohn Careles as before you maye reade and after that was constante in the syncere profession of the verity and in danger for the same of persecution vnto whome Iohn Careles wryteth therefore thys letter as followeth A letter of Careles to Agnes Glascocke THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the continuall aide strengthe and comfortes of his moste pure holye and mighty spirite be with you my deare faithfull sister Glascock to the good performance of that good woorke which God hath so graciously begun in you to his glory the commoditye of hys poore afflâ—cted Churche and to your owne eternall comfort in hym Amen In our Lorde I haue my most humble and hearty commendations vnto you my deare sister most faithfull mother Glascocke with all remembrance of you in my daily prayers geuing God most hearty laude praise and thankes for you and on your behalfe in that he of his great mercye hath hetherto so mightely strengthened you constantly to cleaue vnto youre Captayne Christ notwithstanding the great assaultes and manifold temptations that you haue had to the contrary Doubtles deare heart it can not be expressed what ioy and comfort it is vnto my very soule to see howe mightely the Lorde hathe magnified hym selfe in you and other his deare electe darlings whome hee will shortly glorify with himselfe as he hath done other of his sweete Sainctes that are gone before you Reioyce therefore be glad for verilye you haue good cause if you diligentlye consider the great dignitie that God hath called you vnto euen now in your olde age to be one of his woorthy witnesses vnto the worlde and I thinke you shall wyth mee and other youre brethren in bonds seale the Lords verity with the testimony of your bloud Surely sweete sister this is the greatest promotion that God caÌ„ bring you or any other vnto in this life and an honour that the highest aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue Therefore happye are you Oh faithfull daughter of Abraham that the Lorde will nowe preferre you before many other yea or any other of your age that I doe know in Englande Oh faithfull and vertuous matrone which wilt not be moued from the sure rocke Christe vppon whome you haue so firmely built your house that neither stormes nor tempestes neither yet bell gates or any other temptations shall euer be able once to preuaile against it Full wel doeth it appeare by your constant continuance that you haue played the parte of a wise builder in counting the cost afore hand belonging to the finishing of your tower And I doubt not but through Gods gift you haue sufficient to the performaunce thereof that the hypocrites of theyr parte shall haue no iuste cause to triumphe againste you or to mocke you saying loe thys woman beganne to builde but is not able to make an ende Therefore goe on boldlye and feare not for God is faithfull as S. Paule sayeth which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but eyther will hee geue you grace and strength to stande vnto the death whych is the gate and entraunce into
Baptisme is a marke of Christes Church a seale and confirmation of our acception into the grace fauour of God for Christes sake For his innocencie his righteousnesse his holinesse his iustice is ours geuen vs of God and our sinnes and vnrighteousnesse by his obedience and abasing of him selfe to the death of the crosse are his whereof Baptisme is the signe seale and confirmation Baptisme is also a signe of repentaunce to testifie that we be borne to the waues of pearils and chaunges of life to the intent that we should die continually as loÌ„g as we liue from sinne and rise againe like new men vnto righteousnesse Rom. 6. The other Sacrament which is the supper and holy Maundie of our Sauiour Christ whereby the church of Christ is knowen I beleeue to be a remembraunce of Christes death and passion a seale and confirmation of his moste precious bodye geuen vnto death euen to the vile death of the crosse wherewith wee are redeemed and deliuered from sinne death hell and damnation It is a visible woorde because it worketh the same thing in the eyes which the worde worketh in the eares For like as the worde is a meane to the eares whereby the holy Ghost mooueth the heart to beleue Romanes 10. so this sacrament is a meane to the eyes whereby the holy Ghost moueth the hart to beleue it preacheth peace betweene God and man it exhorteth to mutuall loue and all godly life and teacheth to contemne the world for the life to come when as Christ shall appeare which now is in heauen and no where els as concerning his humane body Yet do I beleeue assuredly that his very body is present in his moste holy Supper at the contemplation of oure spirituall eyes and so verely eaten with the mouth of our faith For as soone as I heare these most comfortable and heauenly woordes spoken and pronouÌ„ced by the mouth of the Minister This is my body which is geuen for you when I heare I say this heauenly harmonie of Gods vnfallible promises and truthe I looke not vppon neyther doe I beholde breade and wine for I take and beleue the wordes simply and plainly euen as Christe spake them For hearing these wordes my senses be rapt and vtterly excluded for faith wholely taketh place and not flesh nor the carnall imaginations of our grosse fleshly and vnreuerent eating after the maner of our bodily foode whiche profiteth nothinge at all as Christe witnesseth Iohn 6 but with a sorrowfull and wounded conscience an hungry and thirsty soule a pure and faithfull mind do fully embrace beholde and feede and looke vppon that most glorious body of Christ in heauen at the right hande of God the father very God and very man which was crucified and slaine and his bloud shed for our sinnes there nowe making intercession offering and geuing his holy body for me for my body for my raunsome for my full price and satisfaction who is my Christ and all that euer hee hath and by this spirituall and faithfull eating of this liuelye and heauenlye breade I feele the moste sweete sâ—ppe and taste of the fruites benefites and vnspeakeable ioyes of Christes deathe and passion fullye disgested into the bowelles of my soule For my minde is quieted from all worldly aduersities tormoylinges and trouble my conscience is pacified from sinne deathe hell and damnation my soule is full and hathe euen enough and will no more for all things are but losse vile dounge and drosse vayne vanitie for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesu my Lord and Sauiour Thus nowe is Christes flesh my very meate in deede and hys bloud my very drinke in deede I am become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Nowe I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in me yea I dwell in him and he in mee for thorough faithe in Christe and for Christes sake we are one that is of one consente minde and fellowshippe with the Father the Sonne and the hol Ghost Iohn 17. Thus am I assured and fullye perswaded and on this rocke haue I builded by Gods grace my dwelling and resting place for body and soule life and death And thus I commit my cause vnto Christe the righteous and iust iudge who will an other day iudge these debates and controuersies whome I humbly beseeche to cast his tender and mercifull eyes vppon the afflicted and ruinous Churches and shortly to reduce them into a godly and perpetuall concorde Amen Thus do I beleeue and this is my faith and my vnderstanding in Christ my Sauiour and his true and holy religion And thys whosoeuer is ashamed to doe among this adulterous and sinnefull generation of hym shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels Robert Samuel William Allen Martyr NExt after the suffering of Robert Samuel aboute the beginning of September was burned William Allen in Walsingam labouring man seruaunte sometime to Iohn Houghton of Somerton He being broughte before the Bishop and asked the cause why he was imprisoned aunsweared that he was put in prison because he woulde not followe the Crosse saying that he woulde neuer go on Procession Then being willed by the Bishoppe to returne againe to the Catholicke Churche he aunsweared that he would turne to the Catholicke Churche but not to the Romishe Church and said that if he saw the King and Quene and all other folowe the crosse or kneele downe to the crosse he would not For the which sentence of condemnation was geueÌ„ against him the 12. of August and he burned at Walsingham about the beginning of September who declared suche constancie at hys Martyrdome and hadde suche credite wyth the Iustices by reason of hys vprighte and well tried conuersation among them that he was suffered to goe vntied to hys suffering there being fastened with a chaine stoode quietly without shrinking vntill he dyed The Martyrdome of Roger Coo of Melforde in Suffolke Shereman first examined before the Byshop of Norwich and by him condemned Anno 1555. August 12. ROger Coo broughte before the Bishop first was asked why he was imprisoned Coo· At the Iustices commaundement Bishop There was some cause why Coo. Heere is my accuser let hym declare And his accuser sayde that hee woulde not receyue the Sacrament Bish. Then the Bishop sayde that he thought he had transgressed a lawe Coo. But Coo answered that there was no law to transgresse Bish. The Bishop then asked what he sayd to the law that then was Coo. He answered how he had bene in prison a long time and knew it not No sayd his accuser nor wilt not My Lord aske him when he receiued the Sacrament Coo. When Coo heard him say so he sayde I pray you my Lord let him sit downe and examine me him selfe Bish. But the Bishoppe woulde not heare that but sayde Coo why will ye not receiue
to be euill and euill good lyght to be darknesse and darknesse lyght superstition to be true religion and Idolatry to be the true worship of God and that which is in substance the creature of bread and wyne to bee none other substaunce but onelye the substaunce of Christ the liuyng Lord both God and man And with this their falshoode craft they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstanding of the simple that they dare auouch it openly in Courte and in Towne and feare neyther hangyng nor headyng as the poore theeues of the borders doe but stout and strong lyke Nembroth dare condemne to bee burned in flamyng fire quicke and alyue whosoeuer wil go about to bewray their falshood The kynd of fight against these Churchrobbers is also of another sort and kynd then is that which is agaynst the theeues of the borders For there the true men go forth agaynst them with speare and launce with bow and hyll and all such kynd of bodily weapons as the true mē haue but here as the enemies be of another nature so the watch men of Christes flocke the warrioures that fight in the Lordes warre must be armed fight with another kynd of weapons and armour For here the enemies of GOD the souldiours of Antichrist although the battaile is set foorth agaynst the Church by mortall men beyng flesh and bloud and neuerthelesse members of their father the deuill yet for that their graund maister is the power of darknesse their members are spirituall wickednes wicked spirites spirits of errors of heresies of all deceit and vngodlinesse spirits of Idolatry superstition hypocrisy which are called of S. Paule Principates and powers Lordes of the world rulers of the darkenes of this world spirituall subtleties concernyng heauenly thyngs and therfore our weapons must be fitte and meete to fight agaynst such not carnall nor bodily weapons as speare launce but spirituall and heauenly we must fight agaynst suche with the armour of God not entendyng to kill their bodies but their erroures their false craft and heresies their idolatry superstition and hypocrisie and to saue as much as lyeth in vs both their bodies and soules And therfore as s. Paul teacheth vs we fight not against flesh and bloud that is we fight not with bodily weapon to kil the man but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errors vice to saue both body and soule Our weapons therfore are faith hope charitie righteousnes truth patience prayer vnto God our sword wherwith we smite our enemies we beat and batter and beare downe all falshood is the worde of God With these weapons vnder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fight euer hauing our eye vpon our graund maister Duke and captaine Christ then we reckon our selues to triumphe to win the crowne of euerlasting blisse when enduryng in this battail without any shrinking or yeldyng to the enemies after the example of our graund capitaine Christ our maister after the example of his holy prophets Apostles Martyrs when I say we are slaine in our mortal bodies of our enemies are most cruelly without all mercy murdered down like a many of sheepe And the more cruell the more painful the more vile spiteful is the kind of the death whereunto we bee put the more glorious in God the more blessed and happy we reckon without all doubts our martyrdome to be And thus much dere louers friends in God my coūtreyman kinsfolke I haue spoken for your comfort lest of my death of whose life you looked peraduenture sometymes to haue had honestie pleasures commodities ye might be abashed or thinke any euill wheras ye haue rather cause to reioyce if ye loue me in deed for that it hath pleased God to cal me to a greater honor and dignitie thē euer I did enioy before eyther in Rochester or in the sea of London or euer should haue had in the Sea of Durham whereunto I was last of all elected named yea I count it greater honour before God in deede to dye in hys cause whereof I nothing doubt then is any earthly or temporal promotion or honor that can be geuen to a man in this world And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Gods to be Christes quarel of his Gospell to be the common weale of all the elect and chosen children of God of all the inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen who is he I say that knoweth this assuredly by Gods worde and the testimony of hys owne conscience as I thorough the infinite goodnesse of GOD not of my selfe but by his grace acknowledge my selfe to doe who is hee I saye that knoweth this and both loueth and feareth GOD in deed and in truth loueth and beleeueth his maister Christ and his blessed Gospel loueth his brotherhoode the chosen children of God and also lusteth and longeth for euerlasting lyfe who is he I say agayne that would not or can not finde in his hart in this cause to be content to die The Lord forbidde that any such should bee that should forsake this grace of God I trust in my Lord God the GOD of mercies the Father of all comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord that he which hath put this mynd will affection by his holy spirit in my hart to stand against the face of the enemy in his cause and to chuse rather the losse of al my worldly substance yea and of my lyfe too then to deny his known truth that he will comfort me ayde mee and strengthen me euermore euen vnto the end and to the yeldyng vp of my spirit soule into hys holy hands whereof I most hartily beseech his most holy sacred Maiestie of his infinite goodnes and mercy through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Now that I haue taken my leaue of my countriemen and kinsfolke and the Lord doth lend me lyfe and geueth me laisure I will bid my other good friends in God of other places also farewell And whom first or before other then the Uniuersitie of Cambridge wheras I haue dwelt longer found more faithfull and hartie friendes receyued more benefits the benefits of my naturall parents onely excepted then euer I did euen in myne own natiue countrey wherein I was borne Farewel therfore Cambridge my louyng mother and tender nurse If I should not acknowled thy manifold benefits yea if I should not for thy benefits at the least loue thee agayne truly I were to be counted to vngrate vnkynde What benefites hadst thou euer that thou vsest to geue bestow vppon thy best beloued children that thou thoughtest too good for me Thou didst bestowe on mee all thy schoole degrees of thy common offices the Chaplaynship of the vniuersitie the office of the Proctorship of a common Reader of thy priuate commodities emoluments in colledges what was it that
constant martyr Who the xviii day of December in the middest of the fiery flames yelded his soule into the handes of the almighty God and full like a lambe gaue vp his breath his body being consumed into ashes Thus hast thou gentle reader the lyfe and doyngs of this learned and worthy souldiour of the Lord Iohn Philpot with all his examinations that came to our handes first penned and written with his owne hand beyng meruaylously reserued from the sight and hands of hys enemies who by all maner meanes sought not onely to stop hym from al writing but also to spoyle and depriue him of that which he had written For the which cause he was manye tymes stripped and searched in the prison of his keeper but yet so happily these his writinges were conueyed and hid in places about him or els hys keepers eies so blinded that notwithstanding all this malicious purpose of the Bishops they are yet remayning and come to light A prayer to be sayd at the stake of all them that God shall account worthy to suffer for his sake MErcifull God and father to whome oure sauiour Christ approched in his feare and neede by reason of death found comfort Gracious God and most bounteous Christe on whome Stephen called in his extreeme neede and receiued strength Most benigne holy spirite whiche in the middest of all Crosses and death diddest comfort the Apostle S. Paule with more consolations in Christ then he felt sorowes and terrors haue mercy ⧠The martirdome of maister Iohn Philpot Archdeacon with the manner of his kneeling and praying at the stake vpon me miserable vile and wretched sinner which now drawe neare the gates of death deserued both in soule and body eternally by reason of manifold horrible olde and new transgressions which to thyne eyes O Lorde are open and knowne Oh be mercifull vnto me for the bitter death and bloudshedding of thine owne onely sonne Iesus Christ. And though thy iustice do require in respecte of my sinnes that nowe thou shouldest not heare me measuring me with the same measure I haue measured thy Maiesty contemning thy dayly calles yet let thy mercy whiche is aboue all thy works and wherewith the earth is filled let thy mercy I say preuaile towardes me through and for the mediation of Christ our sauiour And for whose sake in that it hathe pleased thee to bring me forth now as one of his witnesses and a record bearer of thy veritye and trueth taught by him to geue my life therefore to which dignitie I do acknowledge dear God that ther was neuer any so vnworthy and so vnmeet no not the theef that hāged with him on the Crosse I most hūbly therfore pray thee that thou wouldest accordingly ayde helpe assiste me with thy strength and heauenly grace that with Christe thy sonne I may finde comfort with Stephen I may see thy presence and gracious power with Paule and all others whiche for thy names sake haue suffered affliction and death I may finde so present with me thy gracious consolations that I may by my deathe glorifie thy holy name propagate and ratifie thy veritie comfort the hartes of the heauy confirme thy Church in thy veritie conuert some that are to be conuerted and so depart foorth of thys miserable world where I do nothing but daily heape sinne vpon sinne and so enter into the fruition of thy blessed mercy wherof now geue and encrease in me a liuely truste sense and feelinge wherethrough the terrours of death the tormentes of fire the panges of sinne the dartes of Sathan and the dolours of hel may neuer depresse me but may be driuen away thorough the working of that most gracious spirite which now plenteously endue me withall that through the same spirite I may offer as I nowe desire to do in Christ by him my selfe wholy soule and body to be a liuely sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight Deare Father whose I am and alwayes haue bene euen from my mothers wombe yea euen before the world was made to whome I commend my selfe soule and body family and frendes countrey and all the whole Churche yea euen my very enemies accordynge to thy good pleasure beseeching thee intirely to geue once more to this Realme of England the blessing of thy word agayn with godly peace to the teaching setting forth of the same Oh dear father now geue me grace to come vnto thee Purge and so purifie me by this fire in Christes death and Passion through thy spirite that I may be a burnt offering of sweete smell in thy sight which liuest and raignest with the sonne and the holy God nowe and euermore world without end Amen ¶ Letters of Mayster Philpot. ¶ A letter which he sent to the christian congregation exhorting them to refrayne from the Idolatrous seruice of the papists and to serue God after his word IT is a lamentable thing to behold at this present in England the faithles departing both of men women frō the true knowledge vse of Christes sincere religion which so plētifully they haue bene taught do know their own consciences bearing witnes to the veritie thereof If that earth be cursed of God which eftsoones receiuing moisture pleasant dewes from heauen doth not bring forth fruite accordingly how much more greuous iudgemēt shal such persons receiue which hauing receiued from the father of heauē the perfect knowledge of his word by the ministery therof do not shew forth Gods worship after the same If the Lord wil require in the day of iudgemēt a godly vsury of all maner of talentes which he sendeth vnto men women how muche more wil he require the same of his pure religion reuealed vnto vs which is of al other talents the chiefest most pertayning to our exercise in this life if we hide the same in a napkin and set it not forth to the vsurye of Gods glory and edifying of his church by true confessiō God hath kindled the bright light of his Gospel which in times past was suppressed hid vnder the vile ashes of mās traditiōs and hath caused the brightnes therof to shine in our harts to the end that the same might shine before men to the honor of his name It is not onely geuen vs to beleue but also to confesse declare what we beleue in our outwarde couersation For as S. Paule writeth to the Romaynes The beliefe of the hart iustifieth and toe acknowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man safe It is al one before God not to beleue at al not to shew forth the liuely works of our belief For Christe sayth Either make the tree good and his fruites good or ells make the tree euill and the fruites euill because a good tree bringeth forth good fruites So that the person which knoweth his maysters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes And not all they
be Pray I beseech you that I may be stil careles in my careful estate as you haue cause to be carelesse in your easier condition Be thaÌ„kful and put away all care and then I shall be ioyfull in my straite present care Commend me to all our brethren and desire them to praye for me that I may ouercome my teÌ„ptations for the deuil rageth against me I am putte in the stockes in a place alone because I would not answer to such articles as they would charge me wtall in a corner at the bishops appoyntment and because I did not come to Masse when the bish sent for me I will sic all the dayes of my life in the stockes by Gods grace rather then I wil consent to the wicked generation Praise God be ioyfull that it hath pleased him to make vs worthy to suffer somwhat for his names sake The deuil must rage for 10. daies Commend me to maister F. and thanke him for his lawe bookes but lawe neither equitie wil take any place among these bloud thirsty I would for your sake their vniust dealing were noted vnto the parlament house if it might auaile God shorteÌ„ these euil daies I haue answered the bish meetely plaine already and I said to him if he wil cal me in open iudgement I wil answer him as plainly as he will require otherwise I haue refused because I feare they will condemne me in hugger mugger The peace of God be with you my dear brother I canne wryte no more for lacke of light and that I haue wrytten I can not reade my selfe and God knoweth it is wrytten farre vneasily I pray God you may picke out some vnderstanding of my minde towards you Wrytten in a Colehouse of darkenesse oute of a paire of paynefull stockes by thine owne in Christ. Iohn Philpot. An other letter of M. Philpot to certaine godlye women forsaking their owne countrey for the Gospell full of frutefull precepts and lessons for all good women THe spirite of truthe reuealed vnto you my dearely beloued by the Gospell of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe be continually abiding with you and augmented into a perfect building of you into the liuely temple of God through the mighty operation of hys power Amen I reade in the Euangelistes of certaine Godly women that ministred vnto Christ folowing him in the daies of his Passion and neuer forsoke him but being dead in his graue brought oyl to annoynt him vntill that he had shewed himselfe vnto them after his resurrection and bidden them shewe vnto his Disciples which at his Passion were dispearsed and tell them that he was riâ—en and that they shoulde see him in Galile To whome I may iustly compare you my louinge Sisters in Christe who of late haue seene him suffer in his meÌ„bers and haue ministred to theyr necessity annoynting them with the comfortable oyle of your charitable assistance euen to the death and now since yee haue seene Christ to liue in the ashes of them whome the tyrans haue 〈◊〉 he willeth you to go away vpon iust occasion offred you and to declare to our dispearsed brethren and sisters that he is 〈◊〉 and liueth in his electe members in Englande and by death doth ouercome infidelitye and that they shall see him in Galile which is by forsaking this world and by a faithful desire to passe out of this world by those waies which he with his holy Martyrs hath gone on before God therfore entire sisters directe your way as he did Abraham Tobias vnto a strange land God geue you health both of body and soule that ye may go from vertue to vertue and grow from strength to strength vntil yee may see face to face the God of Syon in his holy hil with the innumerable companye of hys blessed Martyrs and Saintes Let there be continuall ascensions vnto heauen in your hearts Let there be no decrease of any vertue which is already planted in you Be as the light of the iuste such as Salomon saith increaseth to the perfect day of the Lord. Let the strength of God be commended in your weake vessels as it is Be examples of faith and sobrietie to al that ye shal come in company with all Let your godly conuersation speake where your toung may not in the congregation Be swift to heare and slow to speake after the counsell of S. Iames. Be not curious about other mens doings but be occupied in praier and coÌ„tinual meditation with reuerent talking of the word of God wythout contention amongst the Saintes Lette your faith shine in a straunge countrey as it hath done in youre owne that your father which is in heauen may be glorified by you to the ende This farewel I send you not as a thing nedefull which know already what your duety is be desirous to performe the same but as one that would haue you vnderstand that he is mindeful of your godly conuersation wherof he hath had good experieÌ„ce and therfore wryteth this to be as a perpetual memorial betwixt you and him vntil our meeting together before God where we shall ioy that we haue here louingly put one an other in memory of our duetie to performe it Farewell againe mine owne bowels in Christ and take me with you where soeuer you goe and leaue your selues wyth me that in spirite we may be present one with an other Commende me to the whole congregation of Christe willing them not to leaue their countrey without witnesse of the Gospell after that we al be slaine which already be stalled vp and appoynted to the slaughter and in the meane season to praye earnestly for our coÌ„stancie that Christ may be glorified in vs and in them bothe by life and death Farewel in the Lord. Yours for euer Iohn Philpot. An exhortation to his owne sister constantly to sticke to the truth which she had frutefully professed GOd the eternall Father who hath iustified you by the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ and called you to hallow his name through a good conuersation and profession of life he sanctifie you with daily encrease of vertue faith by his holy spirit that you may appeare a vessell of sanctification in the middest of this wicked peruerse generation to the laud and praise of the Gospel Amen I haue occasion mine owne deare sister to praise God in you for 2. causes the one that to your habilitie you are ready to shew your self a naturall louing sister to me your poore afflicted brother as by your geÌ„tle tokens you haue eftsoones testified being absent as also presently visiting me which wel declareth that you be a very naturall sister in dede and to be praised in this behalfe But in the other that you be also a sister to me in faith after Christes Gospell I am occasioned to thanke God so muche the more howe much the one excelleth the other and the spiritual consanguinitie is more perdurable then that which is of flesh bloud
that he may exalt you when the time is come Cast all youre care on him for he careth for you Be sober and watche for your aduersarye the Deuil like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whō hee may deuour whom resist steadfast in fayth remembring that ye do but fulfill the same afflictions that are appoynted to youre brethren that are in the worlde The God of all grace that called you vnto his eternall glory by Christe Iesus shall his owne selfe after you haue suffered a little affliction make you perfect shall settle strengthen and stablish you To him be glory and dominiō for euer and while the world endureth Amen Greete one an other with an holy kisse of loue Peace be with you all which are in Christ Iesus I pray you all say Amen These be in the same prison where I am the Bishop of S. Dauids Doctor Taylor of Hadley maister Philpot and my singular good father M. Bradford with fiue other of Sussex lay men I desire some good brother to write this newe for I wrote it as I do many times with feare For if the kepers had found me they would haue taken it from me my pen and inke also Good brethren I am kept alone and yet I thank God he comforteth me past all the comfort of anye man for I thanke him I was neuer meryer in Christ. By me William Tyms prisoner in the Kinges Benche About this time or somewhat before came down certayne Commissioners assigned by the Queene and Counsayle to Northfolke and Suffolke as to other countryes els besides to enquire of matters of Religion vnto the which Commissioners there was a Supplicatiō then exhibited by some good and well disposed men as by the same may appeare dwelling about those parties Which Supplication as I thought it not vnworthy to bee read bearing the date of thys presēt yeare to be printed so I thought it was not to be omittted nor vnworthy here to bee placed in consideration of the fruite which thereof might ensue to the reader ¶ A certayne godly Supplication exhibited by certayne inhabitauntes of the Country of Northfolke to the Commissioners comming downe to Northfolke and Suffolke fruitfull to be read and marked of all men IN most hūble and lowly wise we beseeche your honors right honorable Commissioners to tender and pitty the humble sute of vs poore men and true faythfull and obedient subiectes who as we haue euer heretofore so intend we with Gods grace to continue in Christian obedience vnto the end and according to the word of God with all reuerend feare of God to do our boundē duety to all those superiour powers whom God hath appoynted ouer vs doing as S. Paule sayth Let euery soule be subiect to the superiour powers For there is no power but of God but those powers that are are ordayned of God Wherefore whosoeuer resisteth the powers the same resisteth God they that resist get themselues iudgement These lessons right honorable Cōmissioners we haue learned of the holy word of God in our mother tongue First that the authoritie of a king Queene Lord and other theyr officers vnder them is no tyrannicall vsurpation but a iust holy lawfull and necessary estate for man to be gouerned by and that the same is of God the fountayne and authour of righteousnes Secondly that to obey the same in all thinges not against God is to obey God and to resist them as to resist God Therefore as to obey God in his Ministers Magistrates bringeth life so to resist God in them bryngeth punishment and death The same lesson haue we learned of S. Peter saying Be ye subiect to all humayne ordinaunces for the Lordes sake whether it be to the king as to the moste highest or to the Lieutenaunts sent from him to the punishment of euill doers but to the prayse of suche as do well For so is the will of GOD that with well doyng ye should stop the mouthes of foolishe and ignoraunt men as free and not as hauing the lybertie to be a cloke to malice but as the seruauntes of God Wherfore considering with our selues both that the Magistrates power is of God and that for the Lordes sake wee be bound to Christian obedience vnto them hauing now presently a commaundement as though it were from the Queenes maiestie with all humble obedience due to the regall power and authoritie ordayned of God which we acknowledge to stād whole perfectly in her grace and with due reuerence vnto you her graces commissioners we humbly beseeche you with pacience and pittye to receaue this our answere vnto this cōmandement guen vnto vs. First right honourable Commissioners we haue considered our selues to be not onely English men but also Christians and therefore bound by the holy vow made to God in our Baptisme to preferre Gods honoure in all thinges and that all obedience not onely of vs mortall men but euen of the very Aungels and heauenly spirites is due vnto Gods word in so much that no obediēce can be true and perfect either before God or man that wholy and fully agreeth not with Gods word Then haue we weighed the commandemēt concerning the restitution of the late abolished latine seruice geuē vnto vs to discent and disagree frō gods word to cōmand manifest impietie and the ouerthrowe of godlines true religion to import a subuersion of the regall power of this our natiue country realme of Englande wyth the bringing in of the Romish Bishops supremacie with all errours superstitions and idolatry wasting of our goods bodyes destroying of our soules bringing with it nothing but the seuere wrath of God which we already feele feare least the same shall be more fiercely kindled vppon vs. Wherfore we humbly protest that wee cannot be perswaded that the same wicked commaundement shoulde come from the Queenes maiestie but rather from some other abusing the Queenes goodnes and fauour and studying to worke some feate against the Queene her crown the Realme to please with it the Romane Bishoppe at whose handes the same thinketh hereafter to be aduaunced As the Agagite Aman wrought maliciously agaynst the noble king Assuerus and as the Princes of Babell wrought agaynst the good king Darius so thinke we the queenes most gentle hart to be abused of some who seking thēselues their own vayn glory procure such cōmandements as are against the glory of God For we cannot haue so euill an opinion in her maiestie that she should subuert the most godly holy religiō so accordingly to gods worde set forth by the most noble vertuous and innocent king a very saynct of God our late moste deare king Edw. her graces brother except she were wonderfully abused who as hating reformation will rather the destruction of al others then acknowledge theyr errors to be accordynge to gods word reformed For truly the religiō lately set forth by K. Edw. is
the sayde moste wholesom preceptes geuen vs of oure maister Christe and of hys Apostles and nowe in thys troublesome time wherein the Gospell is persecuted shewe our selues fearefull souldiours as it is manifestly declared in the Reuelation of S. Iohn where it is wrytten That the fearefull shall haue theyr parte wyth the vnbeleeuing and abhominable in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the seconde death Agayne it is wrytten in the same Booke for our warnyng Because thou art betwixt both and neither colde nor hote I wil spew thee out of my mouth Now therefore good christians these true testimonies of Gods liuely woord deepely considered and weighed let vs chiefly stand in awe of his most terrible iudgementes and be not as they that presumptuously tempt hym Lette him alwayes be our feare and dread He nowe chasteneth he nowe nourtereth vs for oure profite deliting in vs euen as a louing Father in his beloued childe to make vs perfecte and to haue vs to be partakers of his holynesse Hee nowe iudgeth vs not vtterly taking away hys euerlasting loue and mercy from vs as he doth from the malignant wicked that we should not be condemned with the wicked world but if we now refuse his moste louyng chastising and folow the worlde we must nedes haue our portion with the worlde Wide is the gate and broade is the way whych leadeth to destruction and many there be whych goe in thereat But straite is the gate and narowe is the waye that leadeth vnto life and fewe there bee that finde it O howe muche better is it to goe thys narrowe waye with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a time In consideration whereof let vs wythout any more slackinge and further delaies in thys greate warninge by Gods louing visitation submit our selues betime vnder hys mighty hand that he may exalte vs when the tyme is come And thus I wholely commit you to him and to the woorde of hys grace which is able to build further beseeching you most heartily to pray for me that I may be strong through the power of his might and stande perfect in all things being alwaies prepared and ready looking for the mercy of our Lorde vnto eternall rest and I will pray for you as I am most bounde So I trust he will graciously heare vs for hys promise sake made vnto all Faithfull in hys dearely beloued sonne Christe oure alone Sauioure whose grace be wyth your spirite most deare Christians for euer So be it By your Christian brother Iohn Hullier a prisoner of the Lorde Iohn Hullyer being of long time prisonner and nowe openly iudged to die for the testimony of the Lord Iesus wisheth hartely to the whole cōgregation of God the strength of his holy spirit to their euerlasting health both of body and soule I Nowe most deare Christians hauing the sweete comfort of Gods sauing health and being confirmed with hys free spirit be he only praised therefore am constrayned in my conscience thinkyng it my verye duetie to admonishe you as ye tender the saluation of your soules by al maner of meanes to separate youre selues from the companie of the Popes hirelings considering what is sayd in the Reuelation of S. Iohn by the Aungell of God touching all men The woordes be these If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drinke the wine of the wrathe of God whiche is powred into the cuppe of his wrathe and hee shall be punished with fire and brimstone before the holye Angels and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore Marke well heere good Christians who is this beast and worshippers that shal be partakers of that vnspeakeable torment This beast is none other but the carnal fleshly kingdome of Antichrist the Pope with his rabble of false Prophets and Ministers as it is most manifest which to maintaine theyr high titles worldly promotions and dignities do with much cruelty daily more and more setforth and establish theyr owne traditions decrees decretalles contrary to Gods holy ordinaunces statutes lawes and commaundements and wholy repugnante to his sincere and pure religion and true woorshipping Nowe what doe they els but worshyp this Beast and his Image who after they had once already escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet agayne tangled therin and ouercome vsing dissimulation vnfaithfully for feare of theyr displeasure doing one thing outwardly and thinking inwardly an other so hauing them in reuerence vnder a cloke and colour to whō they ought not so much as to say God speede and adioyning themselues to the malignant congregation whych they oughte to abhorre as a den of theeues and murtherers and as the Brothel house of moste blasphemous fornicators whose voyces beynge contrary to Christes voyce if they were of his flocke they would not knowe but would flee from them as he hymselfe being the good shepeheard of our soules doth full wel in his holy gospel testify Againe what do they els I pray you but receiue the Beastes marke in theyr forheads and in theyr handes whych doe beare a faire face and countenaunce outwardly in supporting them as other do being ashamed onely to confesse Christe and hys holy Gospell But thys fainednesse and dissimulation Christe and hys Gospel will in no wise allowe Of whome it is sayd Who soeuer shall be ashamed of mee and of my woordes in thys adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shal come in the glory of his father with his holy Angels Therefore sayeth almighty God by hys Prophet Malachie Curssed be the dissemblers Yee were once lyghtened and tasted of the heauenlye gifte and were become partakers of the holy Ghost and tasted of the word of God and of the power of the worlde to come And oure Sauiour Christ sayth No man that putteth hys hande to the ploughe and looketh backe is apte for the kingdome of GOD. Therefor S. Iohn the Apostle vseth this for a manyfest token that the backsliding from the true preachers of Gods woord declareth euidently that they be not of the number of them For sayeth he They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs no doubt they woulde haue continued wyth vs. Surely so long as we vse dissimulation and to play on both hādes we are not in the light For what soeuer is manifest the same is light as the elect vessell of God S. Paule witnesseth Wherfore good Christians for Gods most dear loue deceiue not your selues through your own wisedom and through the wisedome of the worlde which is foolishnesse before God but certifye and stay your owne conscience with the sure truth and faithfull woord of
vp your lippes with your owne booke Ieffrey It skilleth no matter whether ye write bread or body for we be able to prooue that he ment the bodye And where as you say they eate it spiritually that is but a blind shift of descant Palmer What should I say els Ieffrey As holy Church sayeth really carnally substantially Palmer And with as good Scripture I may say grosly or monstrously Ieffrey Thou speakest wickedly But tell me Is Christ present in the sacrament or no Palmer He is present Ieffrey How is he present Palmer The Doctors say modo ineffabili Therefore why do ye aske me Would God ye had a mynd ready to beleue it or I a tongue able to expresse it vnto you Ieffrey What say you to the baptisme of Infants Palmer I say that it standeth with Gods word therfore it ought of necessitie to be retayned in the Church Ieffrey Ye haue forgotten your self I wis for ye write that children may be saued without it Palmer So I write and so I say Ieffrey Then it is not necessary to be frequented and continued in the Church Palmer Your argument is not good M. Doctor Ieffrey Will ye stand to it Palmer Yea M. Doctor God willyng Ieffrey Note it Register More of his Examination in that tyme and place is not yet come to our hands whensoeuer God sendeth it I will impart and communicate the same to the Reader In the meane season we are credibly informed of this that sir Richard Abridges the same day after dinner sent for hym to his lodging and there in the presence of diuers persons yet alyue in Newbery and elsewhere friendly exhorted hym to reuoke his opinion to spare his yong yeares wit and learnyng If thou wilt be conformable and shew thy selfe corrigible and repentant in good fayth sayeth he I promise thee before this company I will geue thee meate and drinke and bookes and x. pound yearely so long as thou wilt dwell with me And if thou wilt set thy mynd to mariage I will procure thee a wyfe and a farme helpe to stuffe and frit thy farme for thee How sayest thou Palmer thanked him very curteously made him further answer concernyng his religion somewhat at large but very modestly and reuerently concludyng in the end that as he had already in two places renounced his liuing for Christes sake so he would with Gods grace be redy to surrender and yeld vp his lyfe also for the same wheÌ„ God should send tyme. When Sir Richard perceiued that hee woulde by no meanes relent Well Palmer sayth he then I perceiue one of vs twain shal be damned For we be of two faiths and certayne I am that there is but one faith that leadeth to lyfe and saluation Palmer O sir I hope that we both shall be saued Sir Rich. How may that be Palm Right well Sir For as it hath pleased our merciful Sauiour accordyng to the Gospels parable to call me at the third hower of the day euen in my flowers at the age of 24. yeres euen so I trust he hath called and wil cal you at the eleuenth hower of this your olde age and geue you euerlasting lyfe for your portion Sir Rich. Sayest thou so Well Palmer well I woulde I might haue thee but one moneth in my house I doubte not but I would conuert thee or thou shouldst conuert me Then sayd M. Winchcome Take pitie on thy golden yeares and pleasaunt flowers of lusty youth before it bee too late Palm Sir I long for those springing flowers that shall neuer vade away Winchcome If thou be at that poynt I haue done with thee Then was Palmer commanded agayne to the blynd house but the other two sillie men were ledde agayne the same after noone to the Consistorie and there were condeÌ„ned and deliuered to the secular power of the shiriffe there present by name sir Rich. Abridges It is reported also that D. Ieffrey offered Palmer a good liuyng if he would outwardly shew hymself conformable kepyng his conscience secret to hymselfe or at least declare that hee doubted which was the truest doctrine But I cannot affirme it for a suretie The next mornyng the 16. of Iuly Palmer was required to subscribe to certaine Articles which they had drawen out touching the cause of his condemnation in the front whereof were pluckt together many haynous termes as horrible hereticall damnable diuelish and execrable doctrine To these wordes Palmer refused to subscribe affirming that the doctrine which he professed was not such but good and sound doctrine Ieffrey Ye may see good people what shifts these heretikes seeke to escape burnyng when they see Iustice ministred vnto them But I tell thee this stile is agreeable to the law and therfore I cannot alter it Palmer Then cannot I subscribe to it Ieffrey Wilt thou then craue mercy if thou like not iustice and reuoke thy heresie Palmer I forsake the Pope his Popelings withall Popish heresie Ieffrey Then subscribe to the Articles Palmer Alter the Epithetons and I will subscribe Ieffrey Subscribe and qualifie the matter with thine own pen. So he subscribed Whereupon D. Ieffrey proceded to read the Popish sentence of his cruell condemnation and so was he deliuered to the charge of the secular power was burned the same day in the after noone about fiue of the clocke Within one houre before they went to the place of execution Palmer in the presence of many people comforted his fellowes with these wordes Brethren sayth he be of good â—here in the Lord and faint not Remember the words of our Sauiour Christ where he sayth Happy are you wheÌ„ men reuile you and persecute you for righteousnesse sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Feare not them that kill the body and be not able to touch the soule God is faythfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted further then we shall be able to beare it Wee shall not ende our lyues in the â—ire but make a change for a better lyfe Yea for coales we shall receiue pearles For Gods holy spirite certifieth our spirit that he hath euen now prepared for vs a sweet supper in heauen for his sake which suffered first for vs. With these and such lyke wordes he did not only comfort the hartes of his sillie brethren that were with hym appoynted as sheepe to be slaine but also wrested out pleÌ„tifull teares from the eyes of many that heard him And as they were singyng a Psalme came the shiriffe Sir Richard Abridges and the Bailiffes of the Towne wyth a great company of harnessed and weaponed men to conduct them to the fire When they were come to the place where they should suffer they fell all three to the ground and Palmer with an audible voyce pronounced the xxxj Psalme but the other two made their prayers secretly to almighty God And as Palmer began to arise there
Smith Ye falsify the worde and racke it to serue your purpose For the wine was not onely the shewing of his passion but the bread also for our Sauiour sayth So oft as ye do this do it in remembraunce of me And S. Paule sayth So oft as ye eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shewe the Lordes death till he come And here is as much reuerence geuen to the one as to the other Wherefore yf the bread be his body the cuppe must be his bloud and as wel ye make his body in the cup as his bloud in the bread Then vp rose my Lorde and went to the table where my Lorde Maior desired me to saue my soule To whome I answeared I hope it was saued thorow Christ Iesus desiring him to haue pity on his owne soule and remember whose sword he caryed At which I was caryed into the Garden and there abode vntill the rest of my frendes were examined and so were we sent away with many foule farewelles to Newgate agayne my Lord Bishop geuing the keeper a charge to lay me in limb◠¶ An other examination of Robert Smith before the sayd Bishop VPon Saterday at eight of the clocke I was brought to his chamber agayne and there by him examined as foloweth Boner Thou Robert Smith c. sayst that there is no catholicke Church here on earth Smith Ye haue heard me both speake the contrary and ye haue written it as a witnes of the same Boner Yea but I must aske thee this question how sayest thou Smith Must ye of necessity beginne with a lye it maketh manifest that ye determine to end with the same But there shall no Lyers enter into the kingdome of God Neuerthelesse if ye will be aunsweared aske mine articles that were written yesterday and they shall tel you that I haue confessed a Church of God as well in earth as in heauen and yet all one Church one mans members euen Christ Iesus Boner Well what sayest thou to auriculer confession is it not necessary to be vsed in Christes Church and wilt not thou be shriuen of the priest Smith It is not needefull to be vsed in Christes Church as I aunswered yesterday But if it be needefull for your Churche it is to picke mens purses And such pickepurse matters is all the whole rabble of your ceremonies for all is but mony matters that ye maynteyne Boner Why how art thou able to proue that confession is a pickepurse matter Art thou not ashamed so to say Smith I speake by experience For I haue both hearde and seene the fruites of the same For firste it hath bene we see a bewrayer of kinges secretes and the secretes of other mens consciences Who being deliuered and glad to be discharged of theyr sinnes haue geuen to Priests great summes of mony to absolue them sing Masses for theyr soules health And for ensample I beganne to bring in a pageant that by report was played at saynt Thomas of Acres and where I was sometime a childe waiting on a Gentleman of Northfolke which being bounde in conscience through the perswasion of the Priest gaue away a great summe of his goodes and forgaue vnto M. Gressam a great summe of money and to an other as much The priest had for his part a summe and the house had an annuitie to keepe him the which thing when his brother heard he came down to London after declaration made to the Counsayle how by the subtilty of the Priest he had robbed his wyfe children recouered a great part agayne to the value of two or three hundred poundes of Maister Gressam and his other frende but what he gaue to the house could not be recouered This tale began I to tell But when my Lord saw it sauored not to his purpose he began to reuile me sayde By the Masse if the Queenes maiesty were of his mynde I should not come to talke before any man but should be put into a sacke â—ogge tyed vnto the same so should be throwen into the water Smith To which I answered againe saying I know you speake by practise as much as by speculation for both you your predecessors haue sought all meanes possible to kyll Christ secretely record of M. Hunne whom your predecessor caused to be thrust in at the nose with hot burning needles and then to be hanged sayde the same Hunne to haue hanged himselfe and also a good brother of yours a Byshop of your professioÌ„ hauing in his prison an innoceÌ„t maÌ„ whom because he saw he was not able by the scriptures to ouercome he made him priuily to be snarled his flesh to be torne and plucked awaye with a payre of pinsers and bringing him before the people sayd the Rattes had eaten him Thus according to your othe is all your dealing and hath bene and as you taking vpon you the office doe not without othes open your mouth no more do you without murder maynteyne your traditions Boner Ah ye are a generation of lyers there is not one true word that commeth out of your mouthes Smith Yes my Lorde I haue sayde that Iesus Christ is dead for my sinnes and risen for my iustification and thys is no lye Boner Then made he his man to put in my tale of the gentleman of Northfolke and would haue had me recite it agayne which when I would not doe he made his man to put in suche summes as he imagined At the ende of thys commeth in M. Mordant knight and sate downe to heare my examination Then sayd my Lord. Howe sayest thou Smith to the seuen sacramentes Beleeuest thou not that they be Gods order that is to say the sacrament of c. Smith I beleue that in Gods Church are but two Sacramentes that is to say the sacrament of regeneration the sacrament of the Lordes supper and as for the Sacrament of the aultar and all your sacraments they may wel serue your church but Gods church hath nothing to do with them neither haue I any thing to do to aunswere them nor you to examine me of them Boner Why is Gods order chauÌ„ged in baptisme In what poynt do we dissent from the word of God Smith First in halowing your water in coniuring of the same in baptising children with annoynting and spitting in their mouthes mingled with salt and with many other lend ceremonies of which not one poynt is able to be proued in Gods order Boner By the masse this is the vnshamefast heretique that euer I heard speake Smith Well sworne my Lord ye keepe a good watch Boner Well M. Controller ye catche me at my wordes but I will watch thee as well I warrant thee Mordant By my troth my Lord quoth M. Mordant I neuer heard the like in all my life But I pray you my lord marke well his aunswere for Baptisme He dissalloweth therin holy
My body into dust Yet am I sure to saue a soule When death hath done hys worst And though I leaue a little dust Dissolued out of bloud I shall receaue it safe agayne When God shall see it good For my redeemer I am sure Doth liue for euermore And sitteth high vpon the heauens For whome I hunger sore Euen as the Deare with deadly wounds Escaped from the spoyle Doth hast by all the meanes he may To seeke vnto the soyle Of whome I hope to haue a crowne That alwayes shall remayne And eke enioy a perfect peace For all my woe and payne The God that geueth all encrease And seeketh still to saue Abound in thee that perfect peace Which I do hope to haue And I beseech the liuing God To hold thee in hys handes And wish thee euen with all my hart The blessing of my bandes Which I esteeme of hier price Then pearle or precious stone And shall endure for euermore When earthly thinges are gone For though the fire doe consume Our treasure and our store Yet shall the goodnes of the Lord Endure for euermore And where thou art a friend to him That is to me full deare That God of might make the amendes When all men shall appeare That hath shewed mercy to the meeke And rid them out of payne And thus the Lorde possesse thy spirite Till we do meete agayne If thou wilt haue a recompence Abide still in obedience ¶ The exhortation of Robert Smith vnto his children commonly set out in the name of maister Rogers GEue eare my children to my words Whome God hath dearely bought Lay vp my law within your harte And print it in your thought For I your father haue foreseene The frayle and filthy way Which flesh and bloud would follow fayne Euen to theyr owne decay For all and euery liuing beast Their crib do know full well But Adams heyres aboue the rest Are ready to rebell And all the creatures on the earth Full well can keepe their way But man aboue all other beastes is apte to go astray For earth and ashes is his strength His glory and his rayne And vnto ashes at the length Shall he returne agayne For flesh doth florish like a flower And grow vp like a grasse And is consumed in an houre As it is brought to passe In me the Image of your yeares Your treasure and your trust Whome ye do see before your face Dissolued into dust For as you see your fathers fleshe conuerâ—ed into clay Euen so shall ye my children deare Consume and weare away The sonne and moone and eke the starres That serue the day and night The earth and euery earthly thing Shal be consumed quite And all the worship that is wrought That haue bene heard or seene Shall cleane consume and come to naught Ar it had neuer bene Therefore that ye may follow me Your Father and your frend And enter into that same lyfe Which neuer shall haue end I leaue you heare a little book For you to looke vpon That you may see your Fathers face When I am dead and gone Who for the hope of heauenly thinges While he dyd here remayne Gaue ouer all his golden yeares In prison and in payne Where I among myne iron bandes Enclosed in the darcke A few dayes before my death Did dedicate this worke To you myne heyres of earthly thinges Which I haue left behynde That ye may read and vnderstand And keepe it your minde That as you haue bene heyres of that Which once shall weare away Euen so ye may possesse the parte Which neuer shall decay In following of your fathers foote In truth and eke in loue That ye may also be his heyres For euermore aboue And in example to your youth To whome I wish all good I preache you here a perfite fayth And seale it with my bloud Haue God alwayes before your eyes In all your whole ententes Commit not sinne in any wise Keepe his commaundementes Abhorre that errant whoore of Rome And all her blasphemies And drincke not of her decretals Nor yet of her decrees Geue honour to your mother deare Remember well her payne And recompence her in her age In lyke with loue agayne Be alwayes ayding at her hand And let her not decay Remember well your fathers fall That should haue bene her stay Geue of your portion to the poore As riches doth arise And from the needy naked soule Turne not away your eyes For he that will not heare the cry Of such as are in neede Shall cry himselfe and not be heard When he would hope to speede If God haue geuen you great encrease And blessed well your store Remember ye are put in trust To minister the more Beware of foule and filthy lust Let whoredome haue no place Keepe cleane your vessels in the Lord That he may you embrace Ye are the temples of the Lord For ye are dearely bought And they that do defile the same Shall surely come to nought Possesse not pride in any case Build not your neastes to hye But haue alwayes before your face That ye be borne to dye Defraud not him that hyred is Your labours to sustayne But geue him alwayes out of hand His penny for hys payne And as ye would that other men Agaynst you should proceede Do ye the same agayne to them When they do stand in neede And part your portion with the poore In mony and in meate And feede the faynted feeble soule With that which ye should eate That when your meÌ„bers lacketh meate And clothing to your backe Ye may the better thinke on them That now do liue and lacke Aske counsell at the wise Geue eare vnto the end Refuse not you the sweete rebuke Of hym that is your frend Be thankefull alwayes to the Lord With prayer and with prayse Desire you him in all your deedes For to direct your wayes And sinne not like that swinish sorte Whose bellies beyng fed Consume theyr yeares vpon the earth From belly vnto bed Seeke first I say the liuing God Set him alwayes before And then be sure that he will blesse Your basket and your store And thus if you direct your dayes According to this booke Then shall they say that see your wayes How lyke me you do looke And when you haue so perfectly Vpon your fingers endes Possessed all within your booke Then geue it to your frendes And I beseeche the liuing God Replenish you with grace That I maye haue you in the heauens And see you face to face And though the sword haue cut me off Contrary to my kinde That I could not enioy your loue According to my minde Yet do I hope when that the heauens Shall vanish like a scrole I shall receaue your perfect shape In body and in soule And that I may enioy your loue And ye enioy the land I do beseeche the liuing
the persecutor of him knowne to be a member of Antichrist Besides this their extreme cruelty shall be a meane the sooner to prouoke God to take pittie vpon his seruauntes and to destroy them that so tyrannously entteate his people as we may learne by the historyes as well in the bondage of Israell vnder Pharao in Egypt as also in the miserable captiuitie of Iuda in Babilon Where as when the people of God were in most extreeme thraldome theÌ„ did the Lord stretch forth his mighty power to deliuer his seruauntes Though God for a tyme suffer them to be exalted in theyr owne pryde yet shal they not scape his vengeaunce They are hys roddes and when hee hath worne them to the stumpes then will he cast them into the fire this shal be theyr final reward Our duetye is in the meane while paciently to abide the wil of God which worketh al thinges for the best Thus dealeth he with vs partly for our tryall and partly also for our sinnes which we most greeuously haue committed to the great slaunder of hys gospell whereby the name of God was euil spoken of among hys enemies for the whiche he now punisheth vs with his fatherly corrections in this worlde that wee shoulde not be dampned with the world By thys meanes seeketh hee his sheep that were lost to bring theÌ„ home to the fold agayn By this wâ—y seeketh he to reform vs that we may be lyke vnto him after the image of his son Iesus christ in al holines righteousnes before him Finally this way vseth his godly wisedome to make vs therby to know him our selues in him that afore time had in a manner forgotten him praysed be hys name therefore And as for these Balaamites whiche nowe do molest vs commit them to the handes of GOD geue him the vengeaunce and hee will reward them Fall ye to prayer and let these belly GODS prate For he is in heauen and sleepeth not that keepeth Israell He is in heauen that made the seas calme and when the Disciples were afrayd Let vs nowe faythfully call vppon him and hee wyll heare vs. Let vs cry vnto the Lorde for he is gracious and mercifull When we are in trouble he is with vs he will deliuer vs and he will glorifie vs. If we come vnto him we shall find him turned vnto vs. If we repent vs of our wickednes done agaynst hym theÌ„ shall he take away the plague that he hath deuised agaynst vs. Let vs therefore earnestly repent and bring forth the worthy fruites of repentaunce Let vs study to be hys then shall we not neede to feare what these hipocrites do agaynst vs whiche wyth theyr pretensed holines deceiue the harts of the simple and abuse the authoritie of God in his Princes causing them by theyr procurement to testify their ambicious prelacye and to erect vpp theyr Idoll agayne with the Romish Masse God in whose hands are the hartes of kinges open the hart of the Queenes highnesse to espy them out what they be and so to wede theÌ„ out that they no longer be suffered to trouble the congregation of God and to poyson the realme with Pope holy doctrine God almightye for hys sonne Iesus Christes sake deliuer the Queenes highnes and this her church realme froÌ„ these proud prelates which are as profitable in the Churche of Christ as a polecatte in the middest of a Warran of connies To conclude my brethren I commit you to God and to the power of his worde whiche is able to establishe you in all truth His spirite be with you and worke alway that ye may be mindfull of your dueties towards hym whose ye are both body and soule Whome see that ye loue serue dread and obey aboue al worldly powers and for nothing vnder the heaueÌ„s defile your conscieÌ„ce before God Dissemble not with his word God will not be mocked nay they that dissemble with hym deceiue themselues Such shal the Lord deny cast out at the last day such I say as beare two faces in one hoode such as play on both hands suche as deny the knowne trueth such as obstinately rebell against him All such with their partakers shall the Lord destroy God defend you from all such and make you perfite vnto the end Your sorrowe shall be turned into ioy ¶ An other letter sent to hys wife THe God and father eternal which brought again from death our Lord Iesus christ keep thee deare wife now and euer amen and al thy parentes and friendes I praise God for his mercy I am in the same state that ye lefte me in rather better then woorse looking dayly for the liuing God before whome I hunger full sore to appeare and receaue the glory of whiche I trust thou art willing to be a partaker I geue God most harty thankes therefore desiring thee of all loues to stand in that faith which thou hast receiued and let no man take away the seed that almighty God hath sowne in thee but lay hands of euerlasting lyfe which shall euer abide when both the earth and all earthly frends shall perish desiring them also to receaue thankfully our trouble whiche is momentane and light and as S. Paule sayth not worthy of the thinges whiche shall be shewed on vs that we patieÌ„tly carying our crosse may attayne to the place where our sauiour Christ is gone before to the which I beseeche God of his mercye bryng vs speedely I haue bene much troubled about your deliuerance fearing muche the perswasions of worldlinges and haue founde a friend whiche will I trust finde a meane for you if you bee not alreadye prouyded desirynge you in anye case to abide suche order as those my friendes shall appoint in God And beare well in mind the wordes which I spake at our departing that as god hath found vs and also elected vs worthy to suffer with hym We may endeuour our selues to follow vprightly in thys our vocation desiring you to present my hartye commendations to all our friendes and in especiall to youre Parentes keeping your matter close in any wise Geue most harty thankes to my frend whiche onely for oure cause is come to Windsor Continue in prayer Do well Be faultles in all thinges Beware abhominations Keepe you cleane from sinne Praye for me as I doe for you I haue sent you a peece of golde for a token and moste entierlye desire you to send me word if ye lacke any thing The lord Iesu preserue you and yours Amen From Newgate the 15. of Aprill By your husband here and in heauen Robert Smith This foresayde Robert Smith the valiaunt and constant martyr of christ thus replenished as ye haue heard with the fortitude of Gods spirite was condemned at LoÌ„don by Boner there Bishop the xii day of Iulye and suffered at Uxbridge the 8. day of August who as he had bene a comfortable instrument of God before to
of them a token a bowed grote and desire them for Gods sake to helpe vs with theyr prayers Haue litle Katherine in minde Commend me vnto all good friendes Continue in prayer Beware of vanitie Let not God be dishonored in your conuersation but like a good Matron keepe your vessel in holines The peace of God rest with you for euer Amen My brother Iuison sendeth to you a tokē to your mother a token and to Katherine a token iij. pence Iohn Launder sendeth you a peece of Spanish mony father Heralt a peece of vi d. William Androwes sendeth you a rase of Ginger and I sēd your mother one and a Nutmeg I send Katherine Comfites for a token to eate I haue sent you a keyclog for a token Your husband Robert Smith A letter sent to his frende THe eternall God keepe you in his feare I haue hearty commendations vnto you and your husbande beseeching almighty God to preserue you in well doing and in perfecte knowledge of his Christe that yee may be founde faultles in the day of the Lorde I haue heard saye that my frende is geuen ouer to vanitie it breaketh my hearte not onely to heare that he so doeth but also teacheth other that it is vnhurtful to goe to all abhominations whych nowe stand in the Idols temples neuerthelesse deare frende be ye not mooued to follow sinners for they haue no inheritance with God and Christe But looke that by going into the Idoll temple ye defile not the temple of God for light hath no felowship with darkenesse But looke what the Lord hath commaunded that doe For if not going to Churche were without persecution they would not learne you that lesson But all thing that is sweete to the flesh is allowed of the fleshly The Lord shal reward euery man according to his woorkes and he that leadeth into captiuitie shall go into captiuitie and hee that by the fleshly man is led in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption The Lorde Iesu geue thee his holy spirite Amen I haue sent thee an Epistle in metre whiche is not to be laid vp in thy cofer but in thy heart Seeke peace and ensue it Feare God loue God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength Thy frend and al mens in Christ Iesus Rob. Smith Scribled in much hast from N. the 12. of May. Robert Smith to all faithfull seruants of Christ exhorting them to be strong vnder persecution Content thy selfe with pacience With Christ to beare the crosse of paine Which can and will thee recompence A thousande folde with ioyes againe Let nothing cause thy heart to quaile Lanch out thy boate hale vp thy saile Put from the shore And be thou sure thou shalt attaine Vnto the port that shall remaine For euermore The burning of Steuen Harwood and Thomas Fust martyred for the testimonie of the Gospel ABout this time died also by cruell fire these two martyrs of God that is to saye Steuen Harwoode at Stratford and Thomas Fust at Ware Which both two as they were about one time burned with the fore mētioned Robert Smith and George Tankerfield although in sundry places so were they also examined and openly cōdemned togethers wyth them Their processe because it was ioyned all in one with the processe of Robert Smith other of the said company aboue mentioned I thought it superfluous againe to repeate the same saue that of Thomas Fust this is to be added that where as he in his last appering the 12. of Iuly was mooued by the Byshop to reuoke his opinion thus he answered No said he my Lorde for there is no truth commeth out of your mouth but all lyes Yee condemne men and will not heare the truthe Where can ye finde any annoynting or greasing in Gods booke I speake nothing but the truthe and I am certaine that it is the truthe that I speake This answere of hym onely I finde noted by the Register although howe slenderly these Registrers haue dealt in vttering such matters that is in omitting those thinges which moste woorthy were to be knowen by their doings it is easie to be seene But to be short after their answeres made both he Thomas Fust were for their faithfull perseuerance condemned together by the Bishop in his accustomed pitie as heretikes to be burned and so as before ye haue heard finished they their martyrdom the one at Stratford and the other at Ware in the moneth of August and yere abouesayd The constant Martyrdome of William Haile burned at Barnet OF the same companie of these x. aboue recorded whych were sent vp to Byshop Boner by sir Nicholas Hare and other Commissioners in the companie of George Tankerfielde and Roberte Smith was also Willyam Hayle of Thorpe in the Countie of Essex who lykewise being examined with the rest the 12. day of Iuly receiued with them also the sentence of cōdemnation Geuing thys exhortation with al to the lookers on Ah good people sayd he beware of this Idolatrer and thys Antichriste poynting The martyrdome of VVilliam Haile vnto the Bishop of London and so was he deliuered to the Sheriffes as an heretique to be burned who sente him to Barnet where about the latter ende of August hee moste constantly sealed vp his faith with the consuming of his bodye by cruell fire yeelding hys soule vnto the Lorde Iesus his onely and most sure redeemer George King Thomas Leyes Iohn VVade sickened in prisone and were buried in the fieldes YEe hearde before of ten sundry personnes sent oute of Newgate by Maister Hare and other Commissioners to be examined of Boner Bishoppe of London Of whome sixe already haue bene executed in seuerall places as hathe beene shewed whose names were Elizabeth Warne George Tankerfielde Robert Smith Steuen Harwoode Thomas Fust and William Haile Other three to witte George King Thomas Leyes and Iohn Wade sickening in Lollardes Tower were so weake that they were remooued into sundry houses wythin the Citie of London and there departed and cast out into the fieldes and there buryed by nighte of the faithfull brethren when none in the day durste doe it propter metum Iudaeorum The last that remained of thys foresayde company was Ioane Layshe or Layshforde the Daughter in lawe to Iohn Warne and Elizabeth Warne Martyrs but because shee was reprieued to a longer day her storie and Martyrdom we will deferre till the moneth of Ianuarie the next yeare following William Andrewe THe like catholike charitie was also shewed vpon William Andrew of Horsley in the Countie of Essex Carpenter who was brought to Newgate the firste day of Aprill 1555. by Iohn Motham Constable of Mauldon in Essex The first and principall promoter of hym was the Lorde Riche who sent him first to prisone An other great doer against him also seemeth to be sir Richard Southwel Knighte by a letter wrytten by him to Boner as
halfe in a slumber at which time one clad all in white seemed to stande before hym which ministred comfort vnto him by these wordes Samuel Samuel be of good cheare and take a good heart vnto thee For after this day shalt thou neuer be either hungry or thirsty Which thing came euen to passe accordingly for speedily after he was burned and from that time till he should suffer he fealt neither hunger nor thirst And this declared he to the ende as he sayde that all men might beholde the wonderfull workes of God Many moe like matters concerning the great comforte he had of Christe in his afflictions he could vtter he sayde besides this but that shamefastnes and modestie would not suffer him to vtter it And yet if it had pleased God I would he had bene lesse modest in that behalfe that the loue and care that Christe hathe of his might haue the more appeared therby vnto vs by such present argumentes for the more plentifull comfort of the godly though there be sufficient testimonies of the same in the holy scriptures already No lesse memorable it is and woorthy also to be noted concerning the 3. ladders which he tolde to diuers he sawe in his sleepe set vp toward heauen of the which there was one somewhat longer then the rest but yet at length they became one ioyning as it were all three together Thys was a forewarning reuealed vnto him declaring vndoutedly the martyrdome first of him selfe and then the death of two honest women which were brought foorth suffered in the same towne anone after As this godly martyr was going to the fire there came a certaine maide to him which tooke him aboute the necke and kissed him who being marked by them that were present was sought for the next day after to be had to prisone and burned as the very party her self informed me Howbeit as God of his goodnes wold haue it she escaped their fiery handes keeping her selfe secreate in the towne a good while after But as this maide called Rose Nattingham was marueilously preserued by the prouidence of God so there were other two honest women did fall into the rage and furie of that time The one was a Bruers wyfe the other was a Shoomakers wife but both together nowe espoused to a newe husband Christ. With these two was thys maid aforesaid very familiar and wel acquainted who on a time geuing counsail to the one of them that shee shoulde conuey her selfe away while she had time and space seeing she could not away with the Quenes vniust procedings had thys answer at her hands againe I know well sayth shee that it is lawfull enough to flee away which remedy you may vse if you list But my case standeth otherwise I am tied to an husbande and haue besides a sorte of yong children at home and then I know not how my husband being a carnall man wil take my departure from him therefore I am mineded for the loue of Christ and his truthe to stande to the extremitie of the matter The cruel burning of Robert Samuel Martyr The report goeth amoÌ„g some that were there present and saw him burne that his body in burning did shine as bright white as new tried siluer in the eyes of them that stoode by as I am infourmed by some which were there and did beholde the sight Letters of Robert Samuel Preacher A letter or exhortation to the pacient suffering of afflictions for Christes cause A Man knoweth not hys time but as the fishe is taken with the Angle and as the birdes are caught with the snare euen so are men caughte and taken in the perillous time when it commeth vppon them The time commeth the day draweth neare Ezechiel 7. Better it were to dye as the Preacher sayeth then to liue and see the miserable workes which are done vnder the Sunne suche sodaine and strauÌ„ge mutations such wofull hainous and lamentable diuisions so fast approcheth and none or verye fewe thorowly repenteth Alas for this sinfull nation a people of great iniquity sede of vngratiousnes corrupting their wayes They haue forsaken the Lord they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger are gon backward Who now liueth not in such securitie and rest as though all daÌ„gers were cleane ouerpast Who now blindeth and buffeteth not Christe with seest me and seest me not Yea who liueth not nowe in suche felicitie worldlye pleasures and ioyes wholy seeking the world prouiding craftily shifting for the earthly clod all carnal appetites as thoughe sinne were cleane forgotten ouerthrowne and deuoured Like hoggish Gergesites nowe are we more afraide and ashamed of Christe oure Messias fearing the losse of oure filthy pigges I meane our transitory goods and disquieting of our sinfull and mortall bodies in this short vncertaine and miserable life then of a Legion of Deuils seducing and driuing vs from hearing reading and beleeuing Christ Gods eternal sonne and his holy worde the power to saue our soules vnto vanities lies and fables and to this bewitching world Oh perilous aboundance of goods too much saturity of meates wealth and quietnes which destroied wyth so many soules those goodly cities Sodom Gomorre Ieroboam so long as he was but a pore man not yet aduanced to his dignity liued in the lawes of God without reprehension but broughte once to wealth prosperous estate hee became a wicked and moste shamefull Idolater And what made the couetous yong maÌ„ so loth to folow Christ when he was bidden to forsake but worldly wealth which hee then enioyed Woe be vnto these false elusions of the world baites of perdition hookes of the deuil which haue so shamefâ—lly deceiued and seduced full many froÌ„ the right path vnto the Lorde into the high waies of confusion and perpetuall perdition We might nowe woorthily deare Christians lament bewaile our heauie state miserable coÌ„dition and sorowfull chaunce yea I say we might well accuse our selues and with Iob cursse these oure troublous wicked and bloudy last dayes of thys worlde were it not that wee both see and beleeue and finde in Gods sacred booke that a remnaunt God hath in all ages reserued I meane the faithful as many as haue bene from the beginning of the worlde exercised whetted and pullished with diuers afflictions troubles and tossings cast and dashed againste all pearils and dangers as the very drosse and outcastes of the earth and yet wil in no wise halte betweene God and Baall for God verily abhorreth two men in one he can not awaye with them that are betweene both but casteth them away as a filthy vomite Christe will not parte spoyle wyth his mortall enemie the deuil he wil haue all or lose all he will not permit the deuill to haue the seruice of the body and he to stand contented with the heart and minde but he will be glorified both in your bodies and in
your spirites which are hys as S. Paule sayth 1. Cor. 6. For he hath made all boughte all and dearely paide for all as S. Peter sayeth With his owne immaculate body hath he cleane discharged youre bodyes from sinne death and hell and with his most precious bloud paid your ransome and full price once for all and for euer Nowe what harme I pray you or what losse sustaine you by this Why are you O vaine men more afraide of Iesus your gentle saueour his gospell of saluation then of a legion of cruell deuils going about with false delusions vtterly to destroy you both bodies soules Thynke you to be more sure then vnder your captaine Christ Doe you promise your selues to be more quiet in Sathans seruice then in Christes religion esteme you more these transitory and pernitious pleasures then God and all his heauenly treasures Oh palpable darknes horrible madnes wilful blindnes wtout comparison too much to be suffred any longer We see and wil not see we know wil not know yea we smarte and will not feele and that our owne conscience well knoweth Oh miserable and brainlesse soules which would for foolish pleasures slipperye wealth loose the royall kingdome and permanent ioyes of God wyth the euerlasting glory which he hath prepared for them that truely loue hym and renounce the world The children of the world liue in pleasure and wealth and the deuill who is their God and prince of this world kepeth their wealth which is proper vnto them and letteth them enioy it But let vs which be of Christe seeke and enquire for heauenly things which by Gods promise and mercy in Christ shall be peculiar vnto vs. Let I say the Crecians Epicures and such other beastly Belials and carnall people passe for things that be pleasant for the body and doe appertaine to this transitorie life Yet shall they once as the kingly Prophet sayth runne about the Citie of God to and froe howling like dogges desiring one scrappe of the ioyes of Gods elect but all too late as the rich glutton did Let vs therfore passe for those things that doe pertaine to the spirite and be celestiall We must be here sayth Paule not as inhabitours and home dwellers but as straungers not as straungers onely but after the minde of Paule as painful souldiers appoynted of our gouernour to fight against the gouernour of darkenesse of this worlde against spirituall craftinesse in heauenly things The time is come we must too it the iudgement must begin first at the house of God Began they not first with the greene and sappie tree and what followed then on the dry braunches Ieremie speaking in the persone of God sayeth In the Citie wherein my name is inuocate will I begin to punish but as for you meaning the wicked you shall be as innocentes and not once touched for the dregges of Gods wrath the bottome of all sorrowes are reserued vnto them in the ende but Gods houshold shall drinke the flower of the cup of hys mercye And therfore let vs say with Ezechias Play the men shrinke not let vs comfort our selues for the Lorde is with vs our helper and fighteth for vs. The Lord is sayth he with you when you be with him and when you seeke him he will be found of you and againe when you forsake him he will forsake you Wherfore we ought not to be dismaid or discourage our selues but rather to be of good comforte not to be sad but merry not sorrowful but ioyfull in that God of his goodnesse will vouchsafe to take vs as his beloued children to subdue our sinful lustes our wretched flesh and bloud vnto his glory the promoting of his holy word and edifying of his church What if the earthly house of this our habitation Paule meaning the body be destroyed We know assuredly we shall haue a buildinge of God not made wyth handes but euerlasting in heauen with such ioyes as faith taketh not hope toucheth not nor charitye apprehendeth not They passe all desires and wishes Gotten they maye be by Christ esteemed they can not be Wherefore the more affliction and persecution the woorde of God bringeth the more felicitye and greater ioy abideth in heauen But the worldly peace idle ease wealthy pleasure and this present and pleasant transitory life and felicity which the vngodly foolishly imagine to procure vnto themselues by persecuting and thrusting away the gospel shall turne vnto theyr owne trouble at last vnto horrible destruction mutations of realmes and countries and after this life if they repent not vnto their perpetuall infelicitie perdition and damnation For they had rather with Nabal and his temporal pleasures descend to the deuil then with pore Christ and his bodely troubles ascend vnto the kingdom of God his father But an vnwise man sayeth the Psalmist comprâ—hendeth them not neither doth the folish vnderstand them 〈◊〉 these bloudy persecutors grow vp florish like the flower and grasse in the field But vnto this end do they so florish that they might be cut downe caste into the fire for euer For as Iob sayth Their ioy lasteth but the twinkling of an eie and death shall lie gnawing vpon them as doth the flockâ— vppon the pasture yea the cruell worme late repentaunce as S. Marke sayeth shall lie gnawing tormenting and accusing their wretched conscience for euermore Let vs therfore good Christians be constant in obeying God rather then men For although they slay our sinful bodies yea rather our deadly enemies for Gods veritie yet they can not do it but by Gods sufferance and good will to his praise and honour and to our eternall ioye and felicitie For our bloud shed for the Gospel shall preache it wyth more fruite and greater furtheraunce then did oure mouthes liues and wrytings as did the bloude of Abell Steuen wyth many other moe What though they laughe Christ his worde to scorne which sit in the chaire of peruerse pestilent scorners To whome as to the wise Gentiles of the world the Gospel of Christ is but foolishnes as it was to the Iewes a sclaunder and a stumblinge stone whereat they now being fallen haue prouoked the wrath and vengeance of God vpon them These are the dayes of vengeaunce sayeth Luke that all thinges wrytten may be fulfilled And surely it shall be no lesse then a huge storme of euils that shal come vpoÌ„ vs because that a long and a cursed obstinate maliciousnes of vs hath gone before crying in the eares of the Lorde God of hostes who so many times and so many wayes haue bene prouoked with the vnspeakeable richesse of his goodnesse his pacience and long suffering to amendement and haue neuerthelesse contemned the same and proceeded forward to worse and worse prouoking and stirring the presence of Gods maiestie vnto anger Now therfore sayth God by the mouth of his prophet I wil come vpon
thee and I will send my wrath vpon thee vpon thee I say O Englande and punish thee according to thy wayes and rewarde thee after all thyne abhominations Thou hast kindled the fire of Gods wrath and hast stirred vp the coales For thou waste once lightned and hadst tasted of the heauenly gifte and wast become partaker of the holy ghost haddest tasted of the good word of God Yea it is yet in thy mouth sayth the Prophet Alas O Englād thou knewest thy Lorde and maisters wil but diddest nothing thereafter Thou must therefore sayeth hee suffer many stripes and many sharpe strokes and walke on in the glittering and hot flame of thine owne fire and in the coles that thou hast kindled This commeth to thee from my hande saith the Lorde namely That thou shalt sleepe in sorrowe yea euen so thou shalt The plain truth telleth the tale the immutable iustice of the euerliuing God and the ordinarie course of his plagues from the beginning confirmeth the same The ioy of our heart sayeth Ieremie is gone oure glory is fallē away our mery singing is turned into mourning the garland of our head is fallen Alas and weale away that euer we sinned so sore Wo worth all abhominations and wickednesse wo woorth cloked hypocrisie woe worth our carnall liberty wo worth our most cursed idolatrie For because of these things sayth the Lorde ye shall perish with sword hunger and pestilence Wherfore let all the wicked enemies of Christe and all the vnbeleuers look to be tormented and vexed with al hellish furies and cleane wythout hope at Gods accompting day which know not God in Christ to be their very righteousnesse their life their onely saluation alone sauiour nor beleeue not in him They must sayth S. Iohn needes abide and pearish wyth their sinnes in death and in eternall damnation But we be the children of Saintes as the elder Toby did aunswer and looke for an other life which God shall geue to all them which chaunge not theyr faith nor shrinke not from him Reioyce therefore ye Christian afflicted brethren for they can not take our soules and bodies out of the handes of the almighty which be kept as in the bosome of our most swete and louing father and if we abide fast in Christ and turn not away like weathercocks surely we shall liue for euer Christ affirmeth the same saying My sheepe heare my voyce I knowe them they hearken vnto me and to no straungers and I geue them euerlasting life for they shall not be lost nor no manne shall plucke them oute of my handes no nor yet this flattering world with all his vaine pleasures nor any tyranne with his great threates stout bragges can once mooue them oute of the way of eternall life What consolation and cōfort may we haue more pleasant and effectuous then thys God is on our side fighteth for vs he suffereth he smarteth and is afflicted wyth vs. As the world can doe nothing against his might neyther in taking away or diminishing of his glory nor putting him from his celestiall throne so can it not harme nor hurte any one of hys children without his good will For we are members of his body oute of hys fleshe and of hys bones and as deare to him as the apple of his eye Let vs therefore with an earnest faith set fast hold and sure feeling vpon the promises of God in the gospell let vs not be sundred from the same by any temptation tribulation or persecution Let vs consider the verity of God to be inuinsible inuiolable immutable Promising and geuing vs his faithfull souldiours life eternal It is he onely that hath deserued it for vs it is his onely benefite of his only mere mercy vnto him only must we render thāks Let not therefore the vaine fantasies and dreames of men the foolish gauds and toyes of the world nor the crafty delusions of the deuil driue and separate vs from our hope of the crowne of righteousnes that is layd vp in store for vs against the last day Oh that happy and merry last day I meane to the faithfull when Christ by his couenaunt shall graunt and geue vnto them that ouercome and keepe hys woordes to the ende that they may ascend and sitte in seate with him as he hath ascended sitteth on throne with hys father The same body and soule that is now wyth Christ afflicted shall then be with Christ glorified now in the butchers hands as shepe apoynted to die then sitting at Gods table with Christ in his kingdom as Gods honorable and deare children where we shall haue for earthly pouertie heauenly riches for hūger and thirst saturitie of the pleasant presence of the glory of God for sorrowes troubles and colde yrons celestiall ioyes and the company of aungels and for a bodely death life eternal Oh happy soules Oh precious death and euer more blessed right dear in the eyes of God to you the spring of the Lord shal euer be florishing Then as sayth Esay the redeemed shal returne and come againe into Sion praising the Lorde and eternall mercies shal be ouer their heads they shall obtaine mirth and solace sorrowe and woe shal be vtterly vanquished yea I am he sayeth the Lord that in all things geueth you euerlasting consolation To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be glory and praise for euer Amen Robert Samuel An other letter wrytten to the Christian congregation by Robert Samuel wherein he declareth the confession of his faith The beliefe of the hert iustifieth and the knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe Rom. 10. Feare not the curse of mē be not afraid of their blasphemies and reuilings for wormes and mothes shal eat them vp like cloth and woolle but my righteousnesse shall endure for euer and my sauing health from generation to generation Esay 51. COnsidering with my selfe these pearillous times pearishing daies and the vnconstante and miserable state of man the decay of our faith the sinister reporte and false sclaunder of Gods most holy word these vrgent causes in conscience do constraine me to confesse and acknowledge my faith and meaning in Christes holy Religion as S. Peter teacheth me saying be readye alwayes to geue an aunswere to euerye man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with meekenes and feare hauing a good conscience that when they backbite you as euill doers they may be ashamed for asmuche as they haue falsly accused your good conuersation in Christ. As touching my doctrine for that little talent that God hath geuen mee God I take to recorde mine owne conscience and mine auditorie knoweth that I neither in doctrine nor maners willingly taughte any other thinge then I receiued of the holye Patriarckes Prophetes Christe and hys Apostles For it were not onely sinne but also the verye parte of a cursed miscreant to
Sathan yet the Lord who graciously preserued hym all the whyle not onely at last did rid him out of all discomfort but also framed hym thereby to such mortification of lyfe as the lyke lightly hath not bene seene in such sort as he beyng lyke one placed in heauen alredy and dead in this world both in word and meditation led a life altogether celestiall abhorryng in hys mynd all prophane doyngs Neither was his talke any thyng discrepant frō the fruits of his lyfe throwyng out neuer any idle vyle or vayne language The most part of hys landes he distributed to the vse of hys brethren and committed the rest to the guidyng of hys seruauntes and officers whereby the more quietly he myght geue hymselfe to hys godly study as to a continuall Saboth rest This was about the latter end of K. Henries raigne and continued a great part of the tyme of K. Edward 6. After this in the persecuting dayes of Queene Mary as soone as the B. of Couentry heard the fame of this Iohn aforesayde beyng so ardent and zealous in the Gospell of Christ eftsoones he wrote his letter to the Maior and Officers of Couentry to apprehend hym as soone as myght be But it chaunced otherwyse by Gods holy prouidence disposing all thyngs after hys owne secret pleasure who seyng his old and trusty seruaunt so many yeares with so extreme and many torments broken and dried vp would in no wyse heape too many sorrowes vpon one poore sillie wretch neyther would commit hym to the flames of fire who had bene already baked and scorched with the sharpe fires of inward affliction and had sustained so many burnyng dartes and conflictes of Sathan so many yeares God therefore of hys diuine prouidence thinkyng it too much that one man should be so much ouercharged wyth so many plagues and tormentes did graciously prouide that Robert his brother beyng both stronger of body and also better furnished with helpes of learnyng to aunswer the aduersaries beyng a Maister of Arte in Cambridge should sustaine that conflict and euen so it came to passe as ye shall heare For as soone as the Maior of Cauentry had receyued the Byshops letters for the apprehendyng of M. Iohn Glouer he sent forthwith a priuy watchword to the sayde Iohn to conuey away hymselfe Who with hys brother William was not so soone departed out of hys house but that yet in sight of the shiriffe and other the serchers came and rushed in to take hym accordyng to the bishops commandement But when the sayde Iohn could in no place be found one of the Officers goyng into an vpper chamber founde there Robert the other brother lying on hys bed sicke of a long disease who was by hym incontinent brought before the Shiriffe Which Shiriffe notwithstandyng fauouryng Robert and hys cause would in deed fayne haue dismissed hym and wrought what meanes he could saying that he was not the man for whome they were sent Yet neuerthelesse beyng feared wich the stoute wordes of the officer contendyng with hym to haue hym stayed tyll the bishops commyng he was constrained to cary him away agaynst his will and so layed hym fast while the Bishop came And thus much by the way of preamble first concernyng the woorthy remembraunce of maister Iohn Glouer Now to enter the matter which principally we haue in hand that is to consider the story and Martyrdome of M. Robert Glouer forsomuch as the whole narration of the same by his owne record and testimony in a writyng was sent vnto his wife concerning the maner of his ordering handling it shall therfore seeme best for the more credite of the matter to exhibite the sayd his owne letter the wordes and contents whereof here ensue as followeth ¶ A Letter of M. Robert Glouer to his wyfe conteinyng the whole discourse and description of hys troubles susteined in prison and of his sundry conflicts betweene the Bishop and him about Religion ¶ To my entirely beloued wyfe Mary Glouer THe peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstāding the sweete consolation comfort strength and boldnes of the holy Ghost be continually encreased in your heart thorough a feruent earnest and stedfast fayth in our most deare and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen I thanke you hartily most louing wyfe for your letters sent vnto me in my imprisonment I red them with teares more then once or twise with teares I say for ioy gladnes that God had wrought in you so mercifull a worke first an vnfained repentance secondly an humble hartie reconciliation thirdly a willing submission obedience to the will of God in all thyngs Which whē I red in your letters iudged them to proceed from the bottom of your hart I could not but be thankfull to God reioysing with teares for you these his great mercies poured vpon you These your letters and the hearing of your most godly procedings and constant doyngs from tyme to time haue much relieued and comforted me at all tymes shall be a goodly testimony with you at the great day against many worldly and dainty dames which set more by theyr owne pleasure and pelfe in this world then by Gods glory litle regarding as it appeareth the euerlasting health of their owne soules or others My prayer shal be whilest I am in this world that god which of his great mercy hath begun hys good worke in you will finishe it to the glory of his name and by the mighty power inspiration of his holy spirit so strengthen stablish and confirme you in all hys wayes to the ende that we may together shew foorth hys prayses in the world to come to our vnspeakable consolation euerlastingly Amen So long as God shall lend you continuaunce in this miserable world aboue all things geue your self continually to prayer lifting vp as S. Paule saith cleane or pure hands without anger wrath or doubtyng forgeuing as he sayth also if you haue any thyng agaynst any man as Christ forgeueth vs. And that we may bee the better willyng to geue it is good often to call to remembraunce the multitude greatnesse of our owne sinnes which Christ daily and hourely pardoneth and forgeueth vs and then we shall as S. Peter affirmeth be ready to couer and hide the offences of our brethren bee they neuer so many And because Gods word teacheth vs not only the true maner of praying but also what we ought to do or not do in the whole discourse and practise of this lyfe what pleaseth or displeaseth God and that as Christ sayth The worde of God that hee hath spoken shall iudge in the last day let your prayer bee to this ende specially that God of hys great mercy would open and reueale more and more dailye to your hart the true sense knowledge and vnderstandyng of his most holy word and geue you grace in your liuyng to expresse the fruits thereof And for as much
commyng to prison did partly declare the same Certayne Sergeaunts and Constables of Couentry beyng appointed to haue the conueying of vs to Lichfield to be deliuered there to one Iephcot the Chancellors man sent from Couētry with vs for the same purpose we were commaunded to horsebacke about xj or xij of the clocke on Friday beyng market day that we might be the more gased and wondered at and to kindle the peoples heartes more agaynst vs they did proclayme a letter cōcernyng a proclamation made for calling in disanullyng of all such bookes as truely expound and interprete the Scriptures We came to Lichfield about 4. of the clocke at night had leaue to repose our selues for our Supper tyme. We inned at the signe of the Swanne where wee were entertayned friendly and gently After supper Iephcot repaired to vs whome we intreated that vpon sureties we myght rest our selues that nyght beyng vnprouided of any thyng to help our selues withall in the prison at that present He was content at the first as he semed but afterwards whether it was by perswasion or rather as it seemed to me he did but of pollicie put of the tyme till he had gathered a multitude to stare and wonder vpō vs and also that we should prouide nothyng to ease our selues withall he reuoked his promise and so by consent we were had to the prison the multitude wonderyng at vs. I willed Iephcot before to execute his office with mercy tellyng him that they should haue iudgemēt without mercy that shewed no mercy And this mercy I found at his hand He put me into a prison the same night where I continued vntill I was condemned a place next to the dungeon narow of rowmes strong of building and very cold with small light and there allowed he me a būdle of straw in stead of my bed wtout chaire forme or any other thyng els to ease my self withal God of his mercy gaue me great patience through praier that night so that if it had ben his pleasure I could haue bene contented to haue ended my lyfe But Iephcot one Persey the bishops man which afterwardes was my continuall keeper for the most part came to me in the morning to whō I said this is a great extremitie God send vs patience and no more Then they were content that I should haue a bed of myne owne procurement But I was allowed no helpe neither night nor day nor company of any man notwithstandyng my great sickenesse nor yet paper pen nor inke or bookes sauyng my new Testament in Latine a praier booke which I priuily stole in Within two days after M. Chancellor and one Temsey a Prebendary there came to me into my prison Maister Chauncellour exhorted me to conforme my self to my Lord and to the Church He wished to my soule no more hurt then to hys owne belyke because I had layd to hys charge at Couentry the seekyng of my bloud vniustly and wrongfully Now thus the second tyme I answered M. Chancellor to his exhortatiō that I refused not to be ruled by that church that was content to bee ordered and gouerned by the word of God Chaun He asked me how I knew the worde of God but by the Church Glouer The church sheweth which is the word of God therefore the Church is aboue the word of God This is no good reason in learnyng sayd I to M. Chauncellour For it is lyke vnto this Iohn shewed the people who was Christ Ergo Iohn was aboue Christ. Or els I haue a man that knoweth not the kyng and I tell hym who is the kyng am I therfore aboue the kyng M. Chauncellour sayd he came not to reason with me and so departed So remayned I without any further cōference of any man by the space of viij dayes and till the Bishops commyng In the which tyme I gaue my selfe continually to prayer and meditation of the merciful promises of God made vnto all without exception of person that call vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ. I found in my selfe daily amendment of health of body increase of peace in conscience and many consolations from God by the helpe of his holy spirit and sometymes as it were a taste and glimmeryng of the lyfe to come all for his onely sonne Iesus Christes sake to hym be all praise for euer and euer The enemy ceased not many tymes sundry wayes to assault me oftentymes obiectyng to my conscience myne owne vnworthines through the greatnesse of the benefite to be counted among the number of them that should suffer for Christ for his Gospels sake Against him I replied with the worde of God in this sorte What were all those whom GOD had chosen from the beginnyng to be his witnesses and cary his name before the world were they not men as Paule and Barnabas sayd Similiter obnoxij peccato as well subiect to wickednes sinne imperfectiōs as other men be Euen such were Noe Abraham Dauid and all the rest Quis prior dedit illi as Paul saith Who gaue first vnto him And also speakyng to euery man What hast thou that thou receiuedst not Likewise Iohn All haue receiued of his fulnesse they were no bringers of any goodnes to God but altogether receyuers They choose not GOD first but he choose them They loued not God first but hee loued them first Yea hee both loued and chose them when they were his enemies full of sinne and corruption and voyd of all goodnes Est Dominus omnium diues in omnes super omnes inuocantes eum He is and wil be still the same God as rich in mercy as mighty as able as ready as willyng to forgeue sinnes without respect of person to the worlds end of all them that call vpon hym Propè est Dominus omnibus inuocantibus eum God is nere he is at hand he is with all with all I say and refuseth none excepteth none that faithfully in true repentance call vpon hym in what houre what place or what tyme so euer it bee It is no arrogancy nor presumption in any man to burthen God as it were with hys promise and of duetie to clayme and chalenge hys ayde helpe and assistaunce in all our perils daungers and distresse callyng vpon hym not in the confidence of our owne godlynesse but in the trust of his promises made in Christ in whom and by whome and for whose sake whosoeuer boldly approcheth to the mercy seate of the Father is sure to receiue whatsoeuer is expedient or necessary eyther for bodye or soule in more ample wyse and large manner then hee can well wish or dare desire His worde can not lye Call vppon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee thou shalt prayse me I aunswered the enemy also on this maner I am a sinner and therefore not woorthy to bee a witnesse of this truth What then Must I deny his
of late yeares past Let vs bee hartye and of good courage therefore and throughlye comforte our selues in the Lorde Bee in no wise afrayd of your aduersaries for that which is to them an occasion of perdition is to you a sure token of saluatiō and that of GOD. For vnto you it is geuen that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on hym but also suffer for hys sake And when ye are rayled vppon for the name of Christe remember that by the voyce of Peter yea and of Christe our Sauiour also ye are counted with the Prophetes with the Apostles and with the holy Martyrs of Christ happy and blessed therefore for the glory and spirit of God resteth vpon you On their part our Sauiour Christe is euill spoken of but on your part he is gloryfied For what can they els do vnto you by persecuting you and working al crueltie villanie agaynst you but make your crownes more glorious yea beautifie multiply the same heape vpon them selues the horrible plagues and heauy wrath of God and therfore good brethrē though they rage neuer so fiercely against vs yet let vs not wish euill vnto thē againe knowing that whiles for Christes cause they vexe and persecute vs they are lyke mad men most outragious and cruell agaynst them selues heaping hot burning coles vpon their owne heades but rather let vs wish well vnto thē knowing that we are thereunto called in Christe Iesu that we should be heyres of the blessing Let vs pray therefore vnto God that he would driue out of their harts this darkenes of errours make the light of his truth to shine vnto thē that they acknowledging their blindnes may with al humble repentance be conuerted vnto the Lord together with vs confesse hym to be the onely true God which is the father of light his onely sonne Iesus Christ worshipping him in spirit and veritie Amen The spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ comfort your hartes in the loue of God and pacience of Christ. Amen Your brother in the Lord whose name this bearer shall signifie vnto you ready alwayes by the grace of God to liue and die with you ¶ To the breathren which constantly cleaue vnto Christ in suffering affliction with him and for his sake GRace and peace from God the father and frō our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied vnto you Amen Although brethren we haue of late heard nothing from you neither haue at this present any newes to send you yet we thought good somthing to write vnto you wherby ye might vnderstand that we haue good remembraunce of you continually as we doubt not but ye haue of vs also When this messenger comming vnto vs from you of late had brought vs good tidinges of your great constancie fortitude and patience in the Lord we were filled with much ioy gladnes geuing thankes to God the father through our Lord Iesus Christe which hath caused his face so to shine vpon you and with the light of spirituall vnderstanding hath so lightened your hartes that now being in captiuitie bandes for Christes cause ye haue not ceased as much as in you lyeth by wordes but much more by deede and by your example to stablysh and confirme that thing which when ye were at libertie in the world ye laboured to publish and set abrode by the word and doctrine that is to say holding fast the worde of life ye shine as lightes in the worlde in the middest of a wicked and crooked nation and that with so much the greater glory of our Lord Iesus Christe and profite of your brethren by how muche Satan more cruelly now rageth and busily laboureth to darken the light of the Gospel And as for the darkenes that Satan nowe bringeth vpon the Church of England who needeth to doubt therof Of late tyme our Sauiour Christe his Apostles Prophetes and Teachers spake in the Temple to the people of England in the Englishe tongue so that they might be vnderstanded playnly and without any hardnesse of the godly and such as sought for heauenly knowledge in matters whiche of necessitie of saluation perteyned to the obteyning of eternall life but now those thinges which once were written of them for the edifiyng of the congregation are read in a strange tongue without interpretatiō manifestly agaynst saint Paules commaundement so that there is no man able to vnderstand them which hath not learned that strange and vnknowen tongue Of late dayes those heauenly mysteries whereby Christe hath ingrafted vs into his body and hath vnited vs one to another whereby also being regenerate borne anew vnto God he hath nourished encreased and strengthened vs whereby moreouer eyther he hath taught and set foorth an order amongest them which are whole or els to the sicke in soule or body hath geuen as it were wholesome medicines and remedies those I say were al plainlye set foorth to the people in their owne language so that what great and exceeding good things euery man had receiued of God what duetie euery one owed to an other by Gods ordinaunce what euery one had professed in his vocation and was bound to obserue where remedy was to be had for the wicked and feeble he to whom God had geuen a desire and willing hart to vnderstand those thinges might soone perceiue and vnderstand But now all these thinges are taught set forth in such sort that the people redeemed with Christes bloud and for whose sakes they were by Christe himselfe ordeined can haue no maner of vnderstanding thereof at all Of late for as much as we knowe not how to pray as we ought our Lorde Iesus Christe in his Prayer wherof he would haue no man ignoraūt and also the holy Ghost in the Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songes which are set foorth in the Bible did teache and instructe all the people of Englande in the Englyshe tongue that they might aske such thinges as are according to the will of the Father and might ioyne their hartes and lyppes in prayer together but nowe all these thynges are commaunded to be hid and shutte vp from them in a straunge tongue whereby it must needes followe that the people neyther can tell how to pray nor what to pray for and how can they ioyne their hartes and voyce together whē they vnderstande no more what the voyce signifieth than a bruite beast Finally I heare say that the Catechisme whiche was lately set foorth in the Englyshe tongue is now in euery Pulpite condemned O deuilishe malice and most spitefully iniurious to the saluation of mankinde purchased by Iesus Christe In deede Satan coulde not long suffer that so great light should be spread abrode in the world he sawe well enough that nothing was able to ouerthrow his kingdome so much as if childrē being godly instructed in Religion should learne to knowe Christe whilest they are yet young whereby not onely chyldren but the elder sort also
and aged folkes that before were not taught to know Christe in their childehood shoulde now euen with children and babes be forced to learne to know him Now therefore he roreth now he rageth But what els do they brethren which serue Satan and become his ministers slaues in mainteining of his impietie but euen the same which they did to whom Christ our Sauiour threatneth this curse in the Gospell Woe vnto you which shutte vp the kingdome of heauen before men take away the key of knowledge from them you your selues haue not entred in neither haue you suffered them that would enter to come in And from whence shall we say brethren that this horrible mischeuous darknes proceedeth which is nowe brought vpon the worlde From whence I pray you but euen from the smoke of the great furnace of the bottomlesse pit so that the sunne and the ayre are now darkened by the smoke of the pit Now euen now out of doubt brethren the pit is opened agaynst vs and the Locustes begyn to swarme and Abbadon now raigneth Ye therfore my brethren which pertaine vnto Christ and haue the seale of God marked in your foreheades that is to wit are sealed with the earnest of the spirite to be a peculiar people of God quite your selues like men and be strong for he that is in vs is stronger then he which is in the world and ye know that al that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is our victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Let the world freat let it rage neuer so much be it neuer so cruel and bloudy yet be ye sure that no man can take vs out of the fathers handes for he is greater then all who hath not spared his owne sonne but hath geuen him to death for vs all and therefore how shall he not with him geue vs all thinges also Who shall lay any thyng to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall then condemne It is Christ that is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christe Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sworde the rest ye knowe breathren We are certainely perswaded with S. Paul by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe that no kynde of thyng shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which thyng that it may come to passe by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to the comfort both of you of vs all as we for our partes will continually God wyllyng pray for you so deare brethren in the Lorde with all earnest and harty request we beseech you euen in the bowelles of our Lorde Iesus Christ that ye will not cease to pray for vs. Fare ye well deare brethren The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe be with you all euermore Amen ¶ A Letter of Byshop Ridley answearyng to a certayne Letter of one Maister West sometime his Chapleine I Wishe you grace in God and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mightie hand of almighty God it is no more possible to stande by the truth in Christe in tyme of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heate of the fyre Sir knowe you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this worlde is but transitorie and as saint Iohn sayth The world passeth away and the lust thereof I am perswaded Christes wordes to be true Who soeuer shall confesse me before men hym will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shal be saued whom the Redeemer and Sauiour of the worlde shall before his father denie This the Lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my hart that neyther thinges present nor to come hygh nor low lyfe nor death be able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wishe that you wish me deepely to consider thinges perteyning vnto Gods glorye but if you had wished also that neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperitie shoulde let me to mayneteine Gods worde and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for Gods sake to remember my selfe In deede sir nowe it is time so to do for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trow then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare hym that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fire whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together our frayle flesh that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much sute for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in suing for my worldly deliueraunce impayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truth You haue knowen me long in deede in the which time it hath chaunced me as you say to mislike some thinges It is true I graunt for sodaine chaunges without substantiall and necessary cause and the heady settyng foorth of extremities I did neuer loue Confession vnto the minister which is able to instruct correct comfort informe the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in deede I euer thought might do much good in Christes congregation and so I assure you I thynke euen at this daye My doctrine and my preaching you say you haue hearde often and after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament which thing although it was of me reuerently handled and a great deale better then of the rest as you yet in the margent you write warily and in this worlde wisely and yet me thought all sounding not well Sir but that I see so many changes in this worlde so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a litle marueile I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainnes and faythfulnes as much I assure you as for your learning and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider moe things then one and wil not say all that I thinke But what neede you to care what I thinke for any thing I shal be able to do vnto you eyther good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothing against my learning and to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein like your counsell very well and by Gods grace I intend to folow it vnto my lyues end To write vnto those whom you name I can not see what it wyll auayle me For this I woulde haue you knowe that I esteeme nothyng auayleable for me
which also wyll not further the glory of GOD. And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desire of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly myserie if I shoulde not beare you a good hart in God againe me thinke I were to blame Sir howe nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this worlde is at hand I can not tell the Lordes wyll be fulfilled how sone soeuer it shall come I knowe the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt Iudge and be countable to him of all my former lyfe And although the hope of his mercies is my shootanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that who soeuer wittingly neglecteth regardeth not to cleare his conscience he can not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercy Conscience therefore moueth me considering you were one of my familie and one of my houshold of whom then I thinke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house which in deede ought to haue bene an example of godlynes to all the rest of my cure not only of good life but also in promotyng of Gods worde to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryall doth seperate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is God knoweth which the wind doth not blow away this conscience I say doth moue me to feare lest the lightnesse of my familie shall be layde to my charge for lacke of more earnest and diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be God which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my hart before my departyng hence This conscience dooth mooue me also now to require both you and my friende Doctor Haruy to remember your promises made to me in tymes past of the pure settyng foorth and preachyng of Gods worde and his truth These promises although you shall not neede to feare to be charged with them of me hereafter before the worlde yet looke for none other I exhort you as my friendes but to be charged with them at Gods hand This conscience and the loue that I beare vnto you byddeth me now say vnto you both in Gods name feare GOD and loue not the world for GOD is able to caste both body and soule into hell fyre When his wrath shall sodaynely be kindled blessed are all they that put their trust in hym And the saying of sainct Iohn is true All that is in the world as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of lyfe is not of the father but of the worlde and the worlde passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the wyll of God abydeth for euer If this gyfte of grace whiche vndoubtedly is necessarily required vnto eternall saluation were truely and vnfainedly graffed and firmely stablished in mens hartes they would not be so light so sodenly to shrinke from the maintenance and confession of the truth as is now alas seene so manifestly of so many in these dayes But here peraduenture you woulde knowe of me what is the truth Syr Gods woorde is the truth as sainct Iohn sayth and that euen the same that was heretofore For albeit man doth vary and change as the Moone yet Gods worde is stable abydeth one for euermore and of Christ it is truely sayd Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer When I was in office all that were esteemed learned in Gods word agreed this to be a truth in Gods word written that the common prayer of the Churche should be had in the common tongue You know I haue conferred with many and I ensure you I neuer founde man so farre as I do remember neither old nor new gospeller nor papist of what iudgement soeuer he was in this thing to be of a contrary opinion If then it were a truth of Gods word thinke you that the alteration of the world can make it an vntruth If it can not why then do so many men shrynke from the confession maintenance of this truth receyued once of vs all For what is it I pray you els to confesse or deny Christe in this worlde but to mainteyne the truth taught in Gods word or for any worldly respect to shrink from the same This one thing haue I brought for an ensample other thinges be in like case which now particulerly I neede not to rehearse For he that wil forsake wittingly either for feare or gayne of the world any one open truth of Gods word if he be constrained he wyl assuredly forsake God and al his truth rather then he wyl endaunger hym selfe to loose or to leaue that he loueth better in deede then he doth God and the truth of his word I like very well your plaine speaking wherein you say I must eyther agree or dye and I thinke that you meane of the bodyly death which is common both to good and bad Sir I knowe I must dye whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could neuer escape this death which is so common to all and also incurre the gylt of death and eternall damnation Lord graunt that I may vtterly abhorre and detest this damnable agreement so long as I lyue And because I dare say you wrote of friendshyp vnto me this short earnest aduertisement and I thynke veryly wishing me to lyue and not to dye therefore bearyng you in my hart no lesse loue in GOD then you doe me in the worlde I say vnto you in the worde of the Lord and that I say to you I say to all my friendes and louers in God that if you do not confesse maintayne to your power knowledge that which is grounded vpon Gods worde but will eyther for feare or gayne of the worlde shrinke and play the Apostata in deede you shall dye the death you know what I meane And I beseeche you all my true frendes louers in God remember what I say for this may be the last time peraduenture that euer I shall write vnto you From Bocardo in Oxford the .viij. day of Aprill 1555. M. Grindal now Archbishop of Canterbury being in the tyme of exile in the citie of Frankford wrote to D. Ridley thē prisoner a certaine Epistle wherin first he lamenteth his captiuitie exhorting him withall to be constant Secondly he certifieth him of the state of the English exiles being dispersed in Germany and of the singuler prouidence of God in stirring vp the fauour of the Magistrates and rulers there towardes them Thirdly he writeth to know his minde and will concerning the printing of his booke agaynst Transubstantiation and of certayne other treatises and his disputations Wherunto Bishop Ridley answereth agayne in order as foloweth ¶ The aunsweare of
and calling to serue hys glory walke in our vocation that we lose not that which they haue obteined but may proceed in all faythfulnes to build and keepe vp the house and temple of the Lorde to the aduansing of his glory and our euerlasting comfort in hym And thus much concerning the doings and laborious trauelles of M. Latimer Now after these thinges thus finished and discoursed perteining to the story of his lyfe lette vs come to his letters which he wrote at diuers and sundry tymes from the first beginning of his preachinge all which here to comprehend whiche he wrote both in English and Latine lacke of space and place at this present will not permitte neuertheles certayne we will take and fyrst concerning the articles aboue mentioned for the which he was troubled by the Priestes of the country about his benefice at West Kington whiche hee writeth thereof to M. Morice the copy thereof here foloweth Letters of M. Latimer ¶ A Letter of M. Latimer to Mayster Morice concerning the Articles written which were falsely and vntruely layed agaynst him RIght worshipfull and mine owne good mayster Morice salutem in Christo Iesu. And I thanke you for all harty kindnesse not onely heretofore shewed vnto me but also that now of late you would vouchsafe to write vnto me so poore a wretch to my great comforte among all these my troubles I trust and doubte nothing in it but GOD will reward you for me and supplye aboundauntly mine vnabilitie c. Mayster Morice you woulde wonder to know how I haue bene intreated at Bristow I meane of some of the Priestes which first desired me welcommed me made me cheaâ—e hearde what I sayde allowed my saying in all thinges whiles I was with them when I was gone home to my Benefice perceiuing that the people fauoured me so greatlye and that the Maior had appoynted me to preache at Easter priuilye they procured an inhibition for all them that had not the Bishoppes licence which they knew well enough I had not so craftely defeated mayster Maiors appoyntment pretending that they were sory for it procuring also certayne Preachers to blatter against me as Hubberdin and Powell with other moe whom when I had brought before the Maior and the wise Counsaile of the Towne to know what they coulde lay to my charge wherefore they so declaymed agaynst me they sayde they spake of information howbeit no man could be brought forth that would abide by any thing So that they had place and time to belye me shamefully but they had no place nor time to laye to my charge when I was present and ready to make them answere God ameÌ„d them and swage their malice that they haue agaynst the truth me c. Our Lady was a Sinner So they did belye me to haue sayd when I had sayd nothing so but to reproue certayne both Priestes and beneficed menne whiche doe geue so muche to our Ladye as though she had not bene saued by Christe a whole Sauiour both of her and of all that be and shall be saued I did reason after this maner that either she was a sinner or no sinner if a sinner then she was deliuered from sinne by Christ so that he saued her either by deliuering or by preseruing her from sinne so that without hym neyther she nor none other neither be nor could be saued And to auoyde all offence I shewed howe it might bee aunswered both to certayne Scriptures which maketh all generally sinners and how it might be aunswered vnto Chrysostome and Theophilact which maketh her namely and specially a sinner But all woulde not serue theyr malice is so great notwithstanding that fiue hundred honest men can and will beare recorde When they cannot reproue that thing that I do say then they will belye mee to say that thing that they can not reprooue for they will needes appeare to be agaynst me Sayntes are not to be worshipped So they lyed when I had shewed diuers significations of thys word Sayntes among the vulgare people First Images of Sayntes are called Sayntes and so they are not to be worshipped take worshipping of them for praying to them for they are neither Mediators by way of redemption nor yet by way of intercession And yet they may be well vsed when they be applied to that vse that they were ordeined for to be lay mens bookes for remeÌ„braunce of heauenly thinges c. Take Sayntes for inhabitours of heauen and worshippinge of them for praying to them I neuer denyed but that they might be worshipped and be our Mediatours though not by way of redemption for so Christ alonely is a whole Mediatour both for them and for vs yet by the way of intercession c. Pilgrimage And I neuer denyed Pilgrimage And yet I haue sayed that much scurffe must be pared away ere euer it can be wel done superstition idolatry false fayth and trust in the Image vniust estimation of the thing setting aside Gods ordinaunce for doynge of the thing debtes must be payd restitutions made wife children prouided for duetye to our poore neighbours discharged And when it is at the best before it be vowed it neede not to be done for it is neither vnder the bidding of GOD nor of manne to be done And Wiues muste counsell with Husbandes and Husbandes and Wiues with Curates before it be vowed to bee done c. Aue Maria. As for the Aue Maria who can thinke that I would deny it I sayd it was an heauenly greting or saluting of our blessed Lady wherein the Aungell Gabriell sent from the Father of heauen did annunciate and shewe vnto her the good will of God towardes her what he would with her and to what he had chosen her But I sayd it was not properly a prayer as the Pater noster whyche our Sauior Christ himselfe made for a proper prayer and bade vs say it for a Prayer not adding that we shoulde say 10. or 20. Aue Maries withall and I denyed not but that we may well saye the Aue Maria elso but not so that we shall thinke that the Pater noster is not good a whole and a perfit prayer nor can not be well sayd without Aue Maria so that I did not speake agaynst wel saying of it but agaynst superstitious saying of it and of the Pater noster to and yet I put a difference betwixte that that whiche Christ made to be sayd for a prayer c. No fire in hell Who euer could say or thinke so Howbeit good Authors do put a difference betwixt a suffering in the fire with bodyes and without bodyes The soule without the body is a spirituall substaunce which they say can not receiue a corporall quality and some maketh it a spirituall fire and some a corporall fire And as it is called a fire so is it called a Worme and it is thought of some
of Christ and promotion of Christes doctrine to the edificatioÌ„ of christeÌ„ soules then the mayntenaunce of hys own authoritie reputation and dignitie considering right well as he sayd that what authoritie so euer he had it was to edification and not to destruction Now I thinke it were no reproch to my lord but very commendable rather to ioy with saynt Paule be glad that Christ be preached quouismodo yea thoughe it were for emâ—y that is to say in disdayne despite and contempt of his Lordship Which thing no man well aduised will enterprise or attempte then when the preachyng can not be reprooued iustly to demaunde of the preacher austerely as the Phariseis did of Christ qua authoritate haec facis aut quis dedit tibi istam autoritatem as my authoritie is good enough and as good as my Lorde can geue me any yet I would be glad to haue hys also if it wold please his Lordship to be so good Lorde vnto me For the vniuersitie of Cambridge hath authoritie Apostolicke to admitte 12. yearely of the which I am one and the kynges highnes God saue his grace did decree that all admitted of Uniuersities should preache throughout all hys realm as loÌ„g as they preached well without distreine of any maÌ„ my Lorde of Caunterbury my Lorde of Duresme wyth such other not a fewe standing by and hearyng the decree nothing again saying it but consenting to the same Now to contemne my Lord of Londons authoritie were no litle fault in me so no lesse fault might appeare in my Lorde of London to contemne the kinges authoritie and decree yea so Godlye so fruitefull so commendable a decree pertayning both to the edification of christen soules and also to the regard and defence of the popish grace and authoritie Apostolique To haue a booke of the kinges not inhibited is to obey the kyng and to inhibite a preacher of the king admitted is it not to disobey the kinge is it not one king that doth inhibite and admitte and hath hee not as great authorititie to admitte as to inhibite He that resisteth the power whether admitting or inhibiting doth he not resist the ordinaunce of God we low subiectes are bound to obey powers and their ordinaunces and are not the highest subiectes also who ought to geue vs ensample of such obedience As for my preaching it selfe I trust in God my Lorde of London cannot rightfully belacke it nor iustly reproue it if it be taken with the circumstance thereof and as I spake it or els it is not my preaching but hys that falsely reporteth it as the Poet Martiall sayd to one that depraued hys booke quem recitas meus est o Fidentiue libellus sed male cum recitas incipitesse tuus But now I heare say that my Lorde of London is informed and vpon the sayd information hath informed the king that I go about to defend Bilney and his cause agaynst his ordinaryes and iudges whiche I ensure you is not so for I had nothing to do with Bilney nor yet with hys Iudges except his Iudges did him wrong for I did nothing els but monishe all Iudges indifferently to doe right nor I am not altogether so foolish as to defende the thing which I knewe not It might haue become a preacher to say as I sayd though Bilney had neuer bene born I haue known Bilney a great while I thinke much better then euer did my Lord of London for I haue bene his ghostly father many a time and to tell you the truth what I haue thought alwayes in him I haue knowne hetherto few such so prompt and ready to doe euery man good after hys power both frends and foe noysome wittingly to no man and toward hys enemy so charitable so seking to reconcile them as he did I haue knowne yet not many and to be shorte in a summe a very simple good soule nothing fitte nor meete for thys wretched worlde whose blinde fashion and miserable state yea farre from Christes doctrine he could as euill beare and would sorow lameÌ„t and bewayle it as much as any man that euer I knew as for his singular learning as well in holy scripture as in all other good letters I will not speake of it Notwythstanding if he eyther now of late or at any tyme attempted any thing contrary to the obedience whiche a christian man doth owe eyther to hys prince or to hys byshoppe I neyther do nor will allowe and approue that neyther in hym nor yet in any other man we be all men and readye to fall wherfore he that standeth let hym beware hee fall not Now he ordered or misordered hymself in iudgemeeÌ„t I cannot tell nor I will not meddle wythall God knoweth whose iudgementes I will not iudge But I cannot but wonder if a man liuyng so mercifully so charitablye so paciently so continently so studiously and vertuously and killyng hys old Adam that is to say mortifie his euill affections blynde motions of hys hart so dilligently should dye an euill death there is no more but let hym yâ— standeth beware that he fall not for if such as he shall dye euill what shall become of me such a wretch as I am but let this goe a little to the purpose and come to the poynt we must rest vpon Eyther my Lord of London wil iudge my outward man onely as it is sayde Omnes vident quae foris sunt or els he will be my God iudge mine inwarde manne as it sayd Deus autem intuetur cor if he will haue to do onely with mine outward man and meddle with mine outward conuersation how that I haue ordered my selfe towarde my christen brethren the kynges liege people I trust I shall please and content both my Lorde God and also my Lorde of London for I haue preached and teached but accordyng to holy scripture holy fathers and ancient interpretours of the same with the whiche I thinke my Lord of London will be pacified for I haue done nothing els in my preaching but with all diligence moued my auditours to fayth and charitie to do theyr duety and that that is necessary to be done As for thinges of priuate deuotion meane thynges and voluntary thinges I haue reproued the abuse the superstition of them without condemnation of the thinges themselues as it becommeth Preachers to do which thyng if my Lord of London will do himselfe as I would to God he would doe he shoulde be reported no doubt to condempne the vse of such thynges of couetous men which chaue dammage and finde lesse in theyr boxes by condemnation of the abuse whiche abuse they sayd rather should continue stil then your profite should not continue so thorny be theyr hartes if my Lord wyll needes coste and inuade my inward man will I nill I anâ— breake violently into my hart I feare me I shall either displease my Lord of London which I would be very lothe or els my Lord GOD which I
his matter in ordering and finishing I pray God saue mee and all my frendes with all Gods flocke from the whole felowship of your so naturall and partaking Iustices Amen Lord God who would haue thought that there had beene so many partaking Iustices that is to say vniust Iustices in Warwickshire if Maister N. himselfe one of the same order but altogether out of order and therefore knoweth it best had not told vs the tale but these call you you saye verye vnnaturall c. And why not rather I pray you to much naturall For we reade de natura duplici integra corrupta Illa erat iusticiae plena haec nisi reparata semper manet iniusta iniusticiae fructus alios post alios paritura so that he that will not helpe his brother hauing a iust cause in his neede may be iustly called vnnaturall as not doing iuxta instinctu naturae siue integre siue reparate i. According to the instinct of nature either as it was at the beginning or as it was restored But hee that will take his brothers parte agaynst right as to ratifie his brothers wrong deceiuing he is too muche naturall tanquam sequens ingenium siue inclinationem naturae corruptae contra voluntatem Dei i. As one folowing the disposition and inclination of corrupt nature agaynst the wil of God and so to be naturall maye seeme to bee cater cosin or cosin germane with to be diabolicall I feare me we haue to many Iustices that be to much naturall to theyr owne perishment both body and soule For worthy Iustices hauing euer the feare and dread of God before their eies quales sunt pauciores apud nos quà m vellem will haue no respect at all in theyr iudgementes and proceedinges ad propinquitatem sanguinis but altogether ad dignitatem aequitatem causae vt quod iustum est semper iudicent intuitu Dei non quod iniustum est intuitu hominum of whiche number I pray God make you one Amen Iustus est sayth Iohn qui facit iusticiam At qui facit peccatum id quod facit quisquis iniuste facit in gratiam fauorem vllius hominis ex diabolo est i. He is iust that doth iustice But he that sinneth as they all do whiche doe vniustly for fauour and pleasure of men is of the deuill saith he which once all our pataking and vnnatural iustices be with all their partialitie and naturalitie Quare dignum iustum est that as many as be such Iustices iuste priuentur munere amplius quoque plectantur pro sui quisque facinoris quantitate vt vel sic tandem abscindantur tanquam nati in incommodum reipub nostrae qui nos conturbant cum adiuuare debeant Amen Quare seponite iustitiam sequimini naturam as your naturals and diabolicales woulde haue you to doe that is euen as iust as Germaines lippes which came not together by nine mile Vt Vulgo dicunt c. Item Sir finally and last of all you added these wordes following Well quod you let maister Latimer take heede howe hee medleth with my brother for he is like to finde as crabbed and as froward a peece of him as euer he found in his life c. Ah sir and is your brother such a one as you speake of in deede mercyfull GOD what a commendation is this for one brother to geue an other Est ne eiusmodi gloriatio tua mi amice And were it not possible trowe you to make hym better It is written Vexatio dat intellectum And againe Bonum mihi Domine quòd humiliasti me At least waye I may pray to God for hym as Dauid did for such like ad hunc modum Chamo freno maxillas eorum constringe qui non approximant at te In the mean season I would I had neuer knowne neither of you both for so shoulde I haue bene without this inward sorrow of my heart to see suche vntowardnes of you both to godlinesse for I can not be but heauy harted to see such men so wickedly minded Well let vs ponder a little better your woordes where you saye I shall finde him as crabbed and as frowarde a peece c. Marke well your owne wordes For by the tenour of the same it plainly appeareth that you confesse your brothers cause wherein he so stiffely standeth to be vniust and verye nought For hee that standeth so stiffly in a good quarrell and a iuste cause as manye good men haue done is called a fast man a constaunt a trustye man But he that is so obstable and vntractable in wickednesse and wronge doing is commonly called a crabbed and froward peece as you name your brother to be Wherefore knowing so well youre brothers cause to bee so naughtie why haue you not endeuoured youre selfe as a worthy Iustice to reforme him accordingly as I required you and you promised me to do now almost twelue monthes agoe if not altogether Summa Summarum Maister N. if you will not come of shortly and apply your selfe thereunto more effectually hereafter then you haue done heretofore be you well assured therof I shall detecte you to all the friendes that I haue in Englande both hye and lowe as well his crabbednes and frowardnes as your colourable supportation of the same that I trust I shal be able therby either to bring you both to some goodnes or at least waye I shall so warne my friendes and all honest heartes to beware of your ilnes that they shall take either no hurte at all or at least waye least harme by you through mine aduertisemente in that knowing you perfectly they may the better auoide and shunne youre companie You shall not staye me maister N. no though you would geue me all the landes and goodes you haue as riche as you are noted to bee Ego nolo tam iustam causam derelinquere ego nolo peccatis alienis in hac parte communicare For whether it be per detestabilem superbiam whether per abominabilem auaritiam or by both two linked to gether it is no small iniquitie to keep any one poore maÌ„ so long froÌ„ his right and duetie so stiffe neckedly and obstinately or whether yee will crabbedly and frowardly And what is it then anye manner of wayes to consent to the same You know I trowe Mayster N. furtum quid sit nempe quouismodo auferre vel retinere alienam â—em inuito Domino vt quidam definiunt Si fur sit qui sic palam facit quis erit qui facientem probat tutatur propugnat vel quibuscunque ambagibus suffulcit id est What thefte is that is to take or deteyne by any maner of way an other mans good against his will that is the owner as some define it If he be a theef that so doth openly what shall he be that approueth hym whiche is the doer defendeth mayntayneth and supporteth him by any maner of colour Consider with your selfe good maister
for the whiche causes I to rebuke the vnreuerent behauiour of certayne euill disposed persones preached as reuerently of that matter as I mighte declaring what estimation and reuerence ought to be geuen to it what daunger ensued the mishandling therof affirming in that sacramente to be truely and verely the bodye and bloude of Christe effectuously by grace and spirite whiche wordes the vnlearned vnderstanding not supposed that I had ment of the grosse and carnall being which the Romishe decrees set forth that a body hauing lyfe and motion shoulde be in deede vnder the shapes of breade and wyne With that the Bishoppe of Lincolne somewhat interrupting him sayde Lincol. Well M. Ridley thus you wrest places to your owne pleasure for where as saynct Austen saythe that the whole Christian worlde is subiecte to the sea of Rome without any limittation and vseth these wordes In transmarinis longè remotis terris onely to expresse the latytude of the dominion of the Sea of Rome willyng therby to declare that all the world yea countryes farre distaunt from Rome yet neuertheles are subiecte to that Sea yet you woulde wrast it and leaue it onely to Europe I am sure ye will not deny but that totus mundus is more then Europe Ridley In deede my Lorde if saynct Austen had sayde simpliciter totus mundus not added in transmarinis it had bene without limitation but in that he sayd totus mundus in transmarinis partibus all the Countryes beyond the seas he himselfe doth limitte the vniuersall proposition declaring how farre he ment by totus mundus The Byshop not staying for this aunswere dyd proceede saying Lincolne Well if I woulde staye vppon this place I coulde brynge many moe places of the Fathers for the confirmation thereof but we haue certayne instructions accordinge to the whiche we muste proceede and came not hyther to dispute the mater with you but onely to take youre aunsweres to certayne Artycles and vsed this in the waye of exhortation in the whiche you interrupted mee wherefore I wyll retourne thither againe Ye must consider that the Churche of Chryste lyeth not hidden but is a Citty in the mountayn and a candle on the Candlesticke Ponder with your selfe that the Churche of Christ is catholica catholicke whiche is deducted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is per omnia so that Christes Church is vniuersallye spreadde throughout the world not contayned in the allegation of places not comprehended in the circuite of Englande not contayned in the compasse of Germany and Saxonie as youre Churche is Wherefore maister Ridley for Gods loue be ye not singular acknowledge with all the realme the truth it shall not bee as you alledge preiudiciall to the crowne for the king and Queene their maiesties haue renounced that vsurped power taken of their predecessours and iustly haue renounced it For I am sure you know that there are two powers the one declared by the sword the other by the Keyes The sword is geuen to kings and rulers of coūtryes the Keyes were deliuered by Christe to Peter and of him lefte to all the successoures As touchynge oure goodes possessions and lyues wee wyth you acknowledge vs Subiectes to the king and Queene who hath the temporall sworde but as concerning matters of Religion as touching Gods quarrell and his word we acknowledge an other head and as the king and the Queene their highnes do in all worldly affayres iustly challenge the prerogatiue and primacie so in spirituall and Ecclesiasticall matters they acknowledge themselues not to bee heades and rulers but members of Christes bodye Why therefore shoulde ye sticke at that matter the whiche theyr maiesties haue forsaken and yelded Wherefore mayster Ridley you shall not onely not doe iniurye to the Crowne and bee preiudiciall to theyr maiesties honour in acknowledgyng with all Christendome the Popes holynesse to be supreme head of Chrystes Churche here militaunt in earthe but doe a thynge most delectable in theyr sight and most desired of theyr highnesse Thus if you will doe reuoking together all youre erroures acknowledging with the residue of the realme the common and the publicke faulte you shal doe that all men most hartily desire you shall bryng quyetnesse to your conscience and health to your soule then shall we with great ioy by the authoritie committed to vs from the Cardinalles grace receyue you into the church agayne acknowledgyng you to be no longer a rotten but a liuely member of the same but if you shall still bee singular if you shall stil and obstinately perseuer in your erroures stubbernely mayntayning your former heresies then we must agaynst our will according to our commission separate you from vs and cut you of from the church least the rottennesse of one part in processe of tyme putrify and corrupte the whole bodye then must wee confesse and publish you to be none of ours thē must we yeald you vp to the temporall iudges of whome excepte it otherwise please the kinge and Queenes highnesse you muste receaue punishment by the lawes of this Realme due for heretickes Wherfore mayster Ridley consider your state remember your former degrees spare your body especially consider your soule which Christ so dearely bought with hys precious bloud doe not you rashly cast away that which was precious in Gods sight enforce not vs to doe al that we may doe which is onely to publish you to be none of vs to cut you of from the Churche for we doe not nor can not condemne you to dye as most vntruely hath bene reported of vs but that is the temporall Iudges office we onely declare you to be none of the Churche and then must you according to the tenour of them and pleasure of the Rulers abide theyr determination so that wee after that we haue geuen you vpp to the temporall Rulers haue no further to do with you But I trust Mayster Ridley wee shall not haue occasion to doe that wee may I trust you will suffer vs to reste in that poynte of our commission whiche we most hartilye desire that is vppon recantation and repentaunce to receaue you to reconcile you and agayne to adioyne you to the vnitie of the Churche Then M. Ridley with often interruption at lengthe spake Ridley My Lord I acknowledge an vnspotted church of christ in the which no man can erre without the whiche no man can be saued the whiche is spread throughout all the worlde that is the congregation of the faythfull neyther doe I alligate or binde the same to any one place as you sayd but confesse the same to be spreadde throughout all the worlde and whereas Christes Sacramentes are duely ministred his Gospell truely preached and followed there doth Christes Churche shyne as a Cittye vppon an hill and as a Candle in the Candlesticke but rather it is such as you that woulde haue the Churche of Christ bound to a place which
it remayned in the sea of Rome This if you shall confesse with vs acknowledge with all the realme your errours and false assertions then shall you doe that whiche we most desire then shall we rest vppon the first part of our Commission then shall we receiue you acknowledge you one of the Churche and according to the authoritie geuen vnto vs minister vnto you vpon due repentaunce the benefite of absolution to the whiche the Kyng and Queene their Maiesties were not ashamed to submit them selues although they of them selues were vnspotted and therefore needed no reconciliation yet lest the putrification and rottennesse of all the body myght be noysome and do damage to the head also they as I sayd most humbly submitted them selues to my Lorde Cardinall his grace by hym as Legate to the Popes holynes to bee partakers of the reconciliation but if you shall stubburnely perseuer in your blindnes if you wyll not acknowledge your errours if you as you stande nowe alone wyll be singular in your opinions if by schisme and heresie you wyll styll diuide your selfe from our Churche then must wee proceede to the seconde part of the Commission which we would be loth to do that is not to condemne you for that wee can not doe that the temporall sworde of the Realme and not wee will do but to separate you from vs acknowledge you to be none of vs to renounce you as no member of the Churche to declare that you are filius perditionis a lost chylde and as you are a rotten member of the Churche so to cut you of from the Church and so to commit you to the temporall Iudges permittyng them to proceede agaynst you accordyng to the tenor of their lawes Therefore M. Latimer for Gods loue consider your estate remember you are a learned man you haue taken degrees in the Schole borne the office of a Byshop remember you are an olde man spare your body accelerate not your death especially remember your soules health quiet of your conscience consyder that if you shoulde dye in this state you shall be a stinkyng sacrifice to God for it is the cause that maketh the Martyr and not the death consyder that if you dye in this state you dye without grace for without the Churche can be no saluation Let not vayne glory haue the vpper hande humiliate your selfe captiuate your vnderstandyng subdue your reason submit your selfe to the determination of the Churche doe not force vs to doe all that we may doe let vs rest in that parte whiche wee most hartely desyre and I for my part then the Byshop put of his cap agayne with all my hart exhort you After the Byshop had somewhat paused then M. Latimer lift vp his head for before he leaned on his elbowe and asked whether his Lordshyp had sayd and the Byshop answered yea Lati. Then will your Lordship geue me leaue to speake a worde oâ— two Linc Yea M. Latimer so that you vse a modest kynd of talke without raysing or tauntes Lati. I beseech your Lordshyp licence me to sit downe Linc. At your pleasure M. Latimer take as much ease as you wyll Lati. Your Lordshyppe gentlye exhorted mee in manye woordes to come to the vnitie of the Churche I confesse my Lorde a Catholicke Churche spread throughout all the worlde in the whiche no man may erre without the whiche vnitie of the Churche no man can be saued but I knowe perfectly by Gods woorde that this Churche is in all the worlde and hath not his foundation in Rome only as you say and me thought your Lordshyp brought a place out of the Scriptures to confirme the same that there was a iurisdiction geuen to Peter in that Christe bad hym regere gouerne his people In deede my Lord sainct Peter did well and truely his office in that he was byd regere but since the Byshoppes of Rome haue taken a new kynd of regere In deede they ought to regere but how my Lord not as they will them selues but this regere must be hedged in and digged in They must regere but secundum verbum dei they must rule but accordyng to the worde of God But the Byshops of Rome haue turned regere secundum verbum dei into regere secundum voluntatem suam they haue turned the rule accordyng to the woorde of GOD into the rule accordyng to their owne pleasures and as it pleaseth them best as there is a booke set foorth whiche hath diuers poyntes in it and amongest other this poynt is one whiche your Lordshyppe went about to proue by this woorde regere and the argument whiche he bryngeth foorth for the proofe of that matter is taken out of Deuteronomie where it is sayde if there ryseth anye controuersie amonge the people the Priestes Leuitici generis of the order of Leuiticus shall decide the matter secundum legem dei accordyng to the lawe of GOD so it muste be taken This booke perceyuing this authoritie to be geuen to the Priestes of the olde lawe taketh occasion to proue the same to be geuen to the Byshops and other the Cleargy of the new law but in prouyng this matter where as it was sayde there as the Priestes of the order of Leuiticus shoulde determine the matter accordyng to Gods law that accordyng to Gods law is left out and onely is recited as the Priestes of the order of Leuiticus shall decide the matter so it ought to be taken of the people a large authoritie I ensure you What gelding of Scripture is this what clippyng of Gods coyne With the which termes the audience smiled This is muche like the regere whiche your Lordshyp talked of Nay nay my Lordes we may not geue such authoritie to the Clergie to rule all thynges as they wyll Let them keepe them selues within their commission Now I trust my Lord I do not rayle yet Linc. No M. Latimer your talke is more like tauntes then rayling but in that I haue not red the booke which you blame so much nor knowe not of any suche I can say nothyng therein Lati. Yes my Lorde the booke is open to be red and is intituled to one whiche is Bishop of Glocester whom I neuer knew neither did at any tyme see him to my knowledge With that the people laughed because the Byshop of Glocester sat there in commission Then the Byshop of Glocester stoode vp and sayd it was his booke Lati. Was it yours my Lorde In deede I knewe not your Lordshyp neither euer did see you before neither yet see you now through the brightnes of the Sunne shining betwixt you and me Then the audience laughed agayne and Maister Latimer spake vnto them saying Why my maisters this is no laughyng matter I aunsweare vppon lyfe and death Vae vobis qui redetis nunc quoniam flebitis The Byshoppe of Lincolne commaunded silence and then sayde Linc. M. Latimer if you had kept
then or no Therefore we wyll propose vnto you the same articles which we did then and require of you a determinate aunswere without farther reasoning and eftsones recited the first article Lati. Alwayes my protestation saued that by these mine answeres it should not be thought that I did condescend and agree to your Lordshippes authority in that you are legased by authoritie of the Pope so that thereby I might seeme to consent to his iurisdiction to the fyrst article I aunswere now as I did yesterday that in the Sacrament the worthy receyuer receiueth the very body of Christ and drinketh his bloud by spirite and grace But after that corporall being which the Romish Church prescribeth Christes body bloud is not in the Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine The Notaries toke his aunswere to be affirmatiuely For the seconde article he referred hymselfe to his aunsweres made before Linc. After this the Bishop of Lincolne recited the third article and required a determinate aunswere Lat. Christ made one oblation and sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole worlde and that a perfecte sacrifice neyther needeth there to be any other neyther can there be any other propitiatory sacrifice The Notaries tooke his aunsweare to bee affirmatiuely In like maner did he aunswere to the other articles not varying from his aunsweres made the day before After his aunsweres were penned of the Notaries and the Bishop of Lincolne had exhorted him in like sort to recant as he dyd M. Ridley and reuoke his errours and false assertions and M. Latimer had aunswered that he ne could ne would deny his maister Christ and his veritie the Bishop of Lincolne desired M. Latimer to harken to him and then maister Latimer harkening for some new matter and other talke the Byshop of Lincolne red his condemnation after the publication of the which the sayd three Bishops brake vp their Sessions and dimissed the audience But M. Latimer required the Bishop to performe his promyse in saying the daye before that he shoulde haue licence briefly to declare the causes why he refused the Popes authoritie Lincol. But the Byshop sayde that now he coulde not heare hym neither ought to talke with hym Then M. Latimer asked hym whether it were not lawfull for him to appeale from this his iudgement And the Byshop asked hym againe to whom he would appeale To the next generall Counsell quoth M. Latimer whiche shal be truely called is Gods name With that appellation the Byshop was content but he sayd it woulde be a long season before suche a conuocation as he ment would be called Then the Byshop committed M. Latimer to the Maior saying now he is your prisoner maister Maior Because the presse of people was not yet diminished ech man lookyng for farther processe the Byshop of Lincolne commaunded auoydance and willed M. Latimer to tary tyl the presse were diminished lest he shoulde take hurt at his egression as he did at his entraunce And so continued Byshop Ridley and M. Latimer in durance till the .16 day of the sayd moneth of October ¶ A communication betweene D. Brokes and D. Ridley in M. Irysh his house the xv day of October at which tyme he was degraded IN the meane season vpon the 15. day in the mornyng and the same yeare aboue sayd the Byshop of Glocester Doct. Brokes and the Uicechauncelour of Oxford Doct. Marshall with diuerse other of the chiefe and heades of the same Uniuersitie and many other moe accompanying with them came vnto M. Irish his house then Maior of Oxforde where D. Ridley late Byshop of London was close prisoner And when the Byshop of Glocester came into the chamber where the sayde D Ridley did lye he told him for what purpose their comming was vnto him saying that yet once agayne the Queenes Maiestie did offer vnto hym by them her gracious mercy if that he woulde receiue the same and come home agayne to the fayth which he was Baptised in reuoke his erroneous doctrine that he of late had taught abroad to the destructioÌ„ of many And further said that if he would not recant and become one of the Catholicke Churche with them then they must needes against their willes proceede according to the lawe which they would be very loth to do if they might otherwise But sayth he we haue bene often timâ—s with you and haue requested that you would recant this your fantasticall deuilish opinion where hytherto you haue not although you might in so doing winne many and do much good Therefore good M. Ridley consyder with your selfe the daunger that shall ensue both of body and soule if that you shall so wilfully cast your selfe away in refusing mercy offered vnto you at this time My Lord quoth D. Ridley you know my mynd fully herein and as for the doctrine which I haue taught my conscience assureth me that it was sounde accordyng to Gods word to his glory be it spoken the which doctrine the Lord God beyng my helper I wyll mayntaine so long as my tongue shall wagge and breath is within my body and in confirmation thereof seale the same with my bloud Brok. Well you were best M. Ridley not to do so but to become one of the Church with vs. For you know this well enough that whosoeuer is out of the Catholike church can not be saued therefore I say once agayne that whiles you haue time and mercy offered you receiue it and confesse with vs the Popes holynes to be be the chiefe head of the same Church Rid. I marueyle that you wyll trouble me with any suche vayne and foolysh talke You know my mynd concerning the vsurped authoritie of the Romishe Antichrist As I confessed openly in the Scholes so do I nowe that both by my behauiour and talke I do no obedience at all vnto the Byshop of Rome nor to his vsurped authoritie and that for diuers good and godly considerations And here Doct. Ridley would haue reasoned with the sayde Brokes Byshop of Glocester of the Byshop of Romes authorities but could not be suffered and yet he spake so earnestly agaynst the Pope therein that the Byshop told hym if he would not hold his peace he should be compelled agaynst his wyll And seeyng sayth he that you wyll not receiue the Queenes mercy now offered vnto you but stubburnly refuse the same we must against our wils proceede according to our Commission to disgradyng takyng from you the dignitie of Priesthode For we take you for no Byshop and therefore we will the sooner haue done with you so committing you to the secular power you know what doth follow Rid. Do with me as it shall please God to suffer you I am well content to abide the same with all my hart Brok. Put of your cap M. Ridley and put vppon you this surples Rid. Not I truly Brok. But you must Rid. I wyll not Brok. You must
comely a person to them that were there present as one should lightly see and where as in his clothes he appeared a withered and crooked silke olde man he now stood bolt vpright as comely a father as one might lightly behold Then M. Ridley standyng as yet in hys trusse sayde to his brother it were best for me to goe in my trusse still No quoth hys brother it will put you to more payne and the trusse will do a poore man good Whereunto Maister Ridley sayd be it in the name of God and so vnlaced hymselfe Then beyng in his shirt he stoode vpon the foresayd stone and held vp hys handes and sayd Oh heauenly Father I geue vnto thee most harty thankes for that thou hast called me to bee a professour of thee euen vnto death I beseech thee Lord GOD take mercy vpon this Realme of England and deliuer the same from all her enemies Then the Smith tooke a chaine of iron and brought the same about both D. Ridleis and M. Latimers middles and as he was knockyng in a staple D. Ridley took the chayne in his hand and shaked the same for it did gird in his belly and lookyng aside to the Smith sayd good felow knocke it in hard for the flesh will haue hys course Then his brother did bring hym gunpouder in a bag and would haue tied the same about hys necke M. Ridley asked what it was His brother said gunpouder Then sayd he I take it to be sent of God therefore I will receyue it as sent of hym And haue you any sayd he for my brother meanyng M. Latymer Yea sir that I haue quoth hys brother Then geue it vnto hym sayd he betyme least ye come to late So hys brother went and caried of the same gunpouder vnto M. Latymer In the meane tyme D. Ridley spake vnto my L. Williams and sayd My L. I must be a suter vnto your lordship in the behalfe of diuers poore men and especially in the cause of my poore Sister I haue made a supplication to the Queenes Maiestie in their behalfes I beseech your Lordship for Christes sake to bee a meane to her grace for them My brother here hath the Supplication and wyll resort to your lordship to certifie you hereof There is nothing in all the world that troubleth my conscience I praise God this onely excepted Whiles I was in the Sea of London diuers poore men tooke Leases of me and agreed with me for the same Now I heare say the B. that nowe occupieth the same roume wil not allow my graunts vnto them made but contrary vnto all law and conscience hath taken from them their liuynges and will not suffer them to enioy the same I beseech you my Lord be a mean for them you shall doe a good deed and God wil reward you Then brought they a fagot kindled with fire and layd the same downe at D. Ridleys feete To whome Maister Latymer spake in this maner Be of good comfort maister Ridley and play the man wee shall this day light such a candle by Gods grace in England as I trust shall neuer be put out And so the fire beyng geuen vnto them when D. Ridley saw the fire flamyng vp toward hym he cryed wyth a wonderfull lowd voyce In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Domine recipe spiritum meum and after repeated this latter part often in English Lord Lord receyue my spirit M. Latymer crying as vehemently on the other side Oh Father of Heauen receyue my soule who receyued the flame as it were embrasing of it After as he had stroked hys face with hys hands as it were bathed them a little in the fire he soone died as it appered with very litle payne or none And thus much concerning the end of this old and blessed seruaunt of God M. Latymer for whose laborious trauails fruitfull lyfe constāt death the whole Realme hath cause to geue great thankes to almighty God But M. Ridley by reason of the euill makyng of the fire vnto hym because the wooden fagots were laid about the gosse and ouer high built the fire burned first beneath beyng kept downe by the woode Which when he felt hee desired them for Christs sake to let the fire come vnto him Which when hys brother in law heard but not well vnderstood entendyng to ridde hym out of his payne for the which cause he gaue attendance as one in such sorow not well aduised what he did heaped fagots vpon hym so that he cleane couered hym which made the fire more vehement beneath that it burned cleane all hys neather parts before it once touched the vpper and that made him leape vp and downe vnder the fagots and often desire them to let the fire come vnto him saying I cannot burne Which in deed appeared well for after hys legs were consumed by reason of his struglyng through the payne whereof he had no release but only his contentation in God he shewed that side toward vs clean shirt and all vntouched with flame Yet in all this torment he forgate not to call vnto God still hauyng in his mouth Lord haue mercy vppon me intermedling this cry let the fire come vnto me I can not burne In which paynes he laboured till one of the standers by with his bill pulled of the fagots aboue and where he saw the fire flame vp hee wrested himselfe vnto that side And when the flame touched the gunpouder hee was seene stirre no more but burned on the other side fallyng downe at M. Latymers feete Which some said hapned by reason that the chaine loosed other sayd that he fell ouer the chaine by reason of the poise of his body and the weakenes of the neather limmes Some say that before he was like to fall from the stake he desired them to holde him to it with their billes Howsoeuer it was surely it moued hundredes to teares in beholding the horrible sight For I thinke there was none that had not cleane exiled all humanitie and mercy which would not haue lamented to behold the fury of the fire so to rage vpon their bodies Signes there were of sorrowe on euery side Some tooke it greuously to see their deaths whose lyues they held full deare Some pitied their persons that thought theyr soules had no neede thereof His brother mooued many men seyng his miserable case seeyng I say hym compelled to such infelicitie that he thought then to doe hym best seruice when he hastened hys ende Some cryed out of the lucke to see his endeuor who most dearely loued hym and sought his release turne to hys greater vexation and encrease of payne But who so considered their preferments in tyme past the places of honor that they sometyme occupied in this common wealth the fauour they were in with their princes and the opinion of learnyng they had could not chuse but sorow with teares to see so great
haue robbed and spoyled all this heauenly treasure away I may well complayne on these thyngs and cry out vpon them with the Prophet saying Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam c. Psal. 72. O Lord God the Gentiles Heathen nations are come into thy heritage They haue defiled thy holy Temple and made Ierusalem an heape of stones that is They haue broken beaten down to the ground thy holy Citie This Heathenish generatiō these thieues of Samaria these Sabei and Chaldei these robbers haue rushed out of their dennes and haue robbed the Church of England of all the foresayd holy treasure of God they haue caried it away and ouerthrown it and in stead of Gods holy worde the true and right administration of Christes holy Sacramentes as of Baptisme and others they mixte theyr ministerie with mens foolish fantasies and many wicked and vngodly traditions withall In stead of the Lordes holy Table they geue the people with much solemne disguising a thyng which they cal their Masse but in deed and in truth it is a very masking and mockerie of the true Supper of the Lord or rather I may call it a crafty iuglyng whereby these false theeues iuglers haue bewitched the myndes of the simple people that they haue broght them from the true worship of god vnto pernicious idolatry and make them to beleeue that to be Christ our Lord and Sauiour which in deed is neither God nor man nor hath any lyfe in it selfe but in substance is the creature of bread and wyne and in vse of the Lordes Table is the Sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud and for this holy vse for the whiche the Lord hath ordained them in hys table to represent vnto vs his blessed body torne vpon the crosse for vs and his bloude there shed it pleased him to call them his body bloud whiche vnderstanding Christ declareth to be his true meanyng when he sayth Do this in the remembraunce of me And agayne Saint Paule likewyse doth set out the same more plainly speaking of the same Sacrament after the words of the consecration saieng As often as ye shall eat of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall set forth he meaneth with the same the Lordes death vntill his commyng agayne And here agayne these thieues haue robbed also the people of the Lordes cup contrary to the plaine words of Christ written in his Gospell Nowe for the common publike prayers whiche were in the vulgare tongue these theeues haue brought in agayne a strange tongue whereof the people vnderstande not one worde Wherein what doe they els but robbe the people of their Diuine seruice wherein they ought to pray together with the minister and to pray in a strange tong what is it but as Saint Paule calleth it barbarousnesse childishnes vnprofitable folly yea and plaine madnesse For the godly Articles of vnitie in religion for the wholesome Homelies what doe these Thieues place in the stead of them but the Popes Lawes and Decrees lying Legends fayned fables and miracles to delude and abuse the simplicitie of the rude people Thus this robbery and theft is not onely committed nay sacriledge and wicked spoyle of heauenly thyngs but also in the stead of the same is brought in and placed the abhominable desolation of the tyrant Antiochus of proud Senacherib of the shamelesse faced kyng and of the Babilonicall beast Unto this robbery this theft and sacrilege for that I cannot cōsent nor God willyng neuer shall so long as the breath is in my body because it is blasphemy agaynst God hygh treason vnto Christ our heauenly kyng Lord Maister our onely Sauiour and redeemer it is playne contrary to Gods word and to Christes Gospell it is the subuersion of all true godlinesse and agaynst the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule and of all my brethren and sisters whom Christ my Sauiour hath so dearely bought wyth no lesse price then with the effusion and shedyng foorth of hys most precious bloud Therfore all ye my true louers in God my kinsfolke and countreymen for this cause I say knowe ye that I am put to death which by Gods grace I shall willingly take with hearty thankes to God therefore in certayne hope without any doubtyng to receyue at Gods hande agayne of his free mercy and grace euerlastyng lyfe Although the cause of the true man slayne of the thiefe helpyng hys neighbour to recouer hys goods agayne and the cause wherfore I am to be put to death in a generality is both one as I sayd before yet know ye that there is no small difference These thieues agaynst whom I do stand are much worse then the robbers and thieues of the borders The goodes which they steale are much more precious and their kynds of fight are far diuers These thieues are worse I say for they are more cruell more wycked more false more deceitfull and crafty for those wyll but kill the body but these will not sticke to kill both body and soule Those for the generall theft and robbery be called are in deed theeues and robbers but these for their spirituall kynd of robbery are called Sacrilegi as ye would say Church robbers They are more wicked for those goe about to spoyle men of worldly thynges worldly riches gold and siluer worldly substance these go about in the wayes of the deuill their ghostly father to steale from the vniuersall Church and perticularly from euery man all heauenly treasure true faith true charity hope of saluation in the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ yea to spoil vs of our sauior Iesus Christ of his gospel of his heauēly spirit of the heauenly heritage of the kingdom of heauē so derely purchased vnto vs with the death of our maister and Sauiour Christ. These be the goodes and godly substance whereupon the christian before God must liue and without the which he cannot lyue These goods I saye these theeues these Church robbers go about to spoile vs of The which goods as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldly treasure so to withstand euen vnto the death such theeues as go about to spoyle both vs the whole Church of such goods is most high and honourable seruice done vnto God These church robbers be also much more false crafty and deceitfull then the theeues vpon the borders for these haue not the craft so to commend their theft that they dare auouch it and therefore as acknowledging themselues to be euill they steale commonly vpon the nyght they dare not appeare at iudgements and Sessions where Iustice is executed and when they are taken and brought thether they neuer hang any man but they bee oft tymes hanged for theyr faults But these Church robbers can so cloke colour their spiritual robbery that they can make the people to beleeue falshood to be truth and truth falshood good
cannot although thou art not ashamed to call him thy maker make thee to escape the reuenging hand of the high and almighty God But be thou assured that the liuing Lord our Sauiour and redemâ—â— which sitteth on the right hand of his father in glorye he seeth all thy wicked wayes and crueltye done to his deare members and he will not forget his holy ones and his handes O thou Whorish Drabbe shalte thou neuer escape In stead of my farewell to thee now I say lye vpon thee lye vpon thee filthy Drabbe and all thy false Prophets Yet then O London I may not leaue thee thus Although thy Episcopall Sea now being ioyned in League with the seate of Sathan thus hath now both handled me and the Sayntes of God yet I doe not doubte but in that great City there be many priuy mourners which do daily mourne for that mischieâ—e the which neuer did nor shal coÌ„sent to that wickednes but do detest and abhorre it as the wayes of Sathan But these priuy mourners here I wyll passe by and bid them farewell with theyr felowes hereafter when the place and occasion shall more conuenientlye require Among the worshipfull of the citty and speacially which were in office the Maioralty yea in other Cittyes also whome to name nowe it shall not be necessary in the time of my ministery which was from the latter part of sir Rowland Dules yere vnto sir George Barnes yeare and a great part thereof I doe acknowledge that I founde no small humanity and gentlenes as me thought but to saye the truth that I do esteme aboue al other for true christian kindnes which is shewed in Gods cause and done for hys sake Wherfore O Dobbes Dobbes Alderman knight thou in thy yeare diddest winne my hart for euermore for that honorable acre that most blessed worke of God of the erection and setting vp of Christes holy Hospitalles and truely religious houses whiche by thee and through thee were begonne For thou like a man of God when the matter was mooued for the relief of Christes poore seely members to be holpen froÌ„ extreme misery hunger and famine thy hart I say was moued with pity as Christes high honourable officer in that cause thou calledst together thy brethren the Aldermen of the City before whom thou brakest the matter for the poore thou diddest plead theyr cause yea and not onely in thine owne person thou diddest sette fâ—rth Christes cause but to further the matter thou broughtest me into the Councell Chamber of the Citty before the Aldermen alone whome thou haddest assembled there together to heare me speake what I coulde say as an aduocate by office and duety in the poore mennes cause The Lorde wrought with thee and gaue thee the consent of thy Brethren whereby the matter was broughte to the common Counsell and so to the whole body of the City by whome with an vniforme consent it was committed to be drawn ordered and deuised by a certayne nuÌ„ber of the most witty CitizeÌ„s and politique endued also with godlynes with ready hartes to set forward such a noble acte as coulde bee chosen in all the whole City and they like true and faythfull Ministers both to theyr City theyr Mayster Christ so ordered deuised and brought forth the matter that thousands of sely poore meÌ„bers of Christ which els for extreme hunger and miserye shoulde haue famished and perished shal be relieued holpeÌ„ and brought vp and shal haue cause to blesse the Aldermen of that time the coÌ„mon Councell the whole body of the City but specially thee O Dobbes and those chosen men by whome this honorable worke of God was begon and wroughte and that so long throughout all ages as the godly worke shall endure which I pray almighty God may or euer vnto the worldes end Amen And thou O Syr George Barnes the trueth is to be confessed to Gods glory and to the good example of other thou wast in thy yeare not onely a furtherer and conâ—iâ—ner of that which before thee by thy predecessour was well begunne but also diddest labor so to haue perfited the work that it shoulde haue bene an absolute thing and a perfecte spectacle of true charity and Godlinesse vnto all Christendome Thyne endeuoure was to haue set vppe an house of occupations both that all kinde of pouerty being able to worke shoulde not haue lacked whereupon profitably they might haue bene occupied to their owne reliefe to the profite and commoditye of the common wealthe of the City and also to haue retired thither the poore Babes brought vp in the Hospitals when they had come to a certayne age and strength and also all those which in the hospitalles aforesayd had bene cured of theyr diseases And to haue brought this to passe thou obteynedst not withoute great diligence and labor both of thee of thy brethren of that Godly King Edwarde that Christian and pierlesse Princes hand his Princely place of Bridewell and what other thinges to the performaunce of the same and vnder what condition it is not vnknowne That this thine endeuor hath not had like successe the fault is not in thee but in the condition and state of the time which the Lorde of hys infinite mercy vouchsafe to ameÌ„d when it shall be his gracious will and pleasure Farewell now all ye Citizens that be of God of what state and condition so euer ye be Undoubtedly in London ye haue heard Gods word truely preached My hartes desire and dayly prayer shal be for you as for whome for my time I know to my Lord God I am countable that yee neuer swarue neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes from Gods holy word and yelde vnto Antichrist wherevpon must needes folow the extreame displeasure of God and the losse both of your bodies and soules into perpetuall damnation for euermore Nowe that I haue gone through the places where I haue dwelt anye space in the time of my pilgrimage here vpon earth remeÌ„bring that for the space of king Edwardes raygne whiche was for the time of mine office in the Seas of London and Rochester I was a member of the higher house of the Parliament therefore seing my God hath geuen me leisure and the remembrance therof I will bid my Lords of the temporalty farewell They shall haue no iust cause by Gods grace to take it that I entende to say in ill part As for the spirituall Prelacy that now is I haue nothing to say to them excepte I shoulde repeate agayne a great part of that I haue sayd before now already to the Sea of London To you therefore my Lordes of the temporalty wil I speake and this would I haue you first to vnderstande that when I wrote this I looked daylye when I shoulde bee called to the chaunge of this life and thoughte that this my writinge shoulde not come to your knowledge before the time of the
dissolution of my Body and soule should be expired and therefore know ye that I had before mine eies onely the feare of God and christian charity toward you which moued me to write for of you hereafter I looke not in this worlde either for pleasure or displeasure If my talke shall doe you neuer so much pleasure or profit you cānot promote me nor if I displease you ye cannot hurte me or harme me for I shall be out of your reach Now therfore if you feare God can be content to heare the talke of him that seeketh nothing at your hands but to serue God and to do you good harken what I say I say vnto you as S. Paule sayth to the Galathians I wonder my Lordes what hath bewitched you that yee so sodenly are fallen from Christ vnto Antichrist from Christes Gospell vnto mans traditions from the Lorde that bought you vnto the bishop now of Rome I warne you of your perill be not deceiued except you wil be foūd willingly cōsēters vnto your own death For if ye think thus We are lay men this is a matter of religion we folowe as we are taught and led if our teachers and gouernors teach vs lead vs amisse the fault is in thē they shall beare the blame My Lordes this is true I graunt you that both the false teacher and the corrupt gouernour shall be punished for the death of theyr Subiecte whom they haue falsely taught and corruptly ledde yea and his bloud shall be required at theyr handes but yet neuerthelesse shall that Subiecte dye the deathe hymselfe also that is he shall also be damned for his owne sinne for if the blinde leade the blinde Christ sayth not the leader onely but he sayth both shall fall into the Ditch Shall the Sinagogue and the Senate of the Iewes trowe ye which forsooke Christ and consēted to his death therfore be excused because Annas and Cayphas with the Scribes and Pharesies and theyr Cleargy did teache them amisse yea and also Pilate theyr Gouernour and the Emperours Lieuetenaunt by his tyranny did without cause put him to death Forsooth no my Lordes no. For notwithstanding that corrupt doctrine or Pilates washing of his handes neither of both shall excuse either that Sinagogue and Seigniory or Pilate but at the Lordes hand for the effusion of that innocent bloud on the latter day all shall drinke of the deadly whippe Ye are wittye and vnderstande what I meane therfore I will passe ouer this and return to tell you how ye are fallen from Christ to his aduersarye the Bishop of Rome And least my Lords ye may peraduenture think thus barely to call the Bishop of Rome Christes aduersary or to speake it in playne termes to call him Antichrist that it is done in mine anguish and that I doe but rage and as a desperate man doe not care what I say or vpon whō I doe rayle therefore that your Lordshippes may perceiue my minde and thereby vnderstand that I speake the wordes of the trueth and sobriety as Saynt Paule sayde vnto Festus bee it knowne vnto your Lordshippes all that as concerning the Bishoppe of Rome I neither hate the person nor the place For I ensure your Lordshippes the liuing Lorde beareth me witnesse before whome I speake I do thinke many a good holye man many Martyrs and Sayntes of God haue sitte and taughte in that place Christes Gospell truely which therefore iustly may be called Apostolici that is true Disciples of the Apostles and also that Church and Congregation of Christians to be a right Apostolicke churche yea and that certayne hundreth yeares after the same was firste erected and builded vppon Christ by the true Apostolicall doctrine taught by the monthes of the Apostles themselues If ye will know how long that was and how many hundreth yeares to be curious in poynting the precise number of the yeares I will not be too bolde but thus I say so long and so manye hundreth yeares as that Sea did truely teache and preach that Gospell that Religion exercised that power and ordered euery thing by those Lawes and rules whiche that Sea receiued of the Apostles and as Tertullian saith the Apostles of Christ and Christ of God so long I say that Sea might wel haue bene called Peter and Paules chaire and Sea or rather Christes chaire the bishop thereof Apostolicus or true disciple and Successor of the apostles a Minister of Christ. But since the time that that Sea hath degenerated frō the trade of trueth and true Religion the which it receiued of the Apostles at the beginning and hath preached an other Gospell hath set vppe an other Religion hath exercised an other power and hath taken vpon it to order and rule the Church of Christ by other straunge Lawes Canons and Rulers then euer it receiued of the Apostles or the Apostles of Christ whiche thinges it doth at this daye and hath continued so doing alas alas of too too long a time since the time I say that the state and condition of that Sea hath thus bene chaunged in truth it ought of dutye and of righte to haue the names chaunged both of the Sea and of the sitter therein For vnderstand my Lords it was neither for the priuiledge of the place or person thereof that that Sea and Byshop thereof were called Apostolicke but for the true trade of Christs religion which was taught and mainteined in that Sea at the first and of those godly men And therfore as truely and iustlye as that Sea then for that true trade of religion and consanguinity of doctrine with the Religion and doctrine of Christes Apostles was called Apostolicke so as truely and as iustly for the contrariety of religion and diuersity of doctryne from Christ and his Apostles that Sea and the Bishoppe thereof at this day both ought to be called and are in deed Antichristian The Sea is the seate of Sathan and the Bishop of the same that mainteineth the abhominations therof is Antichrist himselfe in deede And for the same causes this Sea at this day is the same whiche S. Iohn calleth in his reuelation Babilon or the Whore of Babilon and spirituall Sodoma and Egyptus the Mother of Fornication and of the abhominations vpon the earth And with this Whore doth spiritually medle and lieth with her and committeth most stincking and abhominable adultery before God all those kinges and Princes yea and all nations of the earth which doe consent to her abhominations and vse or practise the same that is of the innumerable multitude of them to rehearse some for example sake her dispensations her pardons and pilgrimages her inuocation of Saynts her worshipping of Images her false counterfayt religion in her Monkery and Fryerage and her traditions whereby Gods lawes are defiled as her Massing and false Ministring of Gods word and the Sacramentes of Christ clean cōtrary to Christes word
whore in the fornication of her whorish dispensations pardons Idolatrye suche like abhominations so shall ye drinke with her except ye repent betime of the cuppe of the Lordes indignation and euerlasting wrath which is prepared for the beast his false prophetes and all theyr partakers For he that is partner with them in theyr whoredome and abhominations must also be partner with them of theyr plagues and on the latter day shall be throwne with them into the lake burning with Brimstone and vnquenchable fire Thus fare ye wel my Lords all I pray God geue you vnderstanding of his blessed will and pleasure and make you to beleue and embrace the truth Amen * An other farewell to the Prisoners in Christes Gospelles cause and to all them whiche for the same cause are exiled and banished out from theyr owne countrey choosing rather to leaue all worldly commodity then theyr mayster Christ. FArewell my dearely beloued brethren in Christ bothe ye my felow prisoners and ye also that be exiled and banished out of your countryes because ye will rather forsake all worldly coÌ„modity then the Gospell of Christ. Farewell all ye together in Christ farewell and be mery for ye know that the triall of your fayth bringeth forth patience and pacience shall make vs perfecte whole and sound on euery side and such after triall ye knowe shall receiue the crowne of lyfe according to the promise of the Lorde made to his dearely beloued let vs therefore be pacient vnto the comming of the Lord. As the husbandmanne abideth pacientlye the former and latter rayne for the encrease of his croppe so let vs bee paciente and plucke vp our hartes for the comming of the Lord approacheth apace Let vs my deare brethren take example of pacience in tribulation of the Prophetes which spake likewise Gods word truely in his name Let Iob be to vs an example of pacience the end which the Lord suffered which is full of mercy and pitty We know my brethren by Gods worde that our fayth is muche more precious then any corruptible golde and yet that is tryed by the fire euen so our fayth is therfore tried likewise in tribulations that it may be found when the Lord shal appeare laudable glorious and honorable For if we for Christs cause do suffer that is gratefull before God for thereunto are we called that is our state and vocation wherewith let vs be content Christ we know suffered for vs afflictions leauing vs an example that we shoulde folow his footesteps for he committed no sinne not was there any guile found in his mouth when he was rayled vpon and all to reuiled he rayled not agayne when he was euill entreated he dyd not threaten but committed the punishment therof to hym that iudgeth a right Let vs euer haue in freshe remembraunce those wonderfull comfortable sentences spokeÌ„ by the mouth of our Sauior Christ Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you persecute you speake all euill against you for my sake reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so did they persecute the Prophets which were before you Therfore let vs alway beare this in our mindes that if any incommodity doe chaunce vnto vs for righteousnes sake happy are we whatsoeuer the world doth thinke of vs. Christ our mayster hath tolde vs before hand that the brother should put the brother to death the father the sonne and the children should rise agaynst their pareÌ„ts and kill them and that Christes true Apostles should be hated of all men for his names sake but he that shall abide paciently vnto the end shal be saued Let vs then endure in all troubles paciently after the example of our Mayster Christ and be contented therewith for he suffered being our mayster and Lord how doth it not then become vs to suffer For the disciple is not aboue his mayster nor the seruaunt aboue his Lord. It may suffice the disciple to be as his maister and the seruaunt to be as his Lord. If they haue called the Father of the family the Mayster of the householde Belzebub howe much more shall they call so them of his householde Feare them not then sayth our Sauiour for all pâ—iuityes shall be made playne there is nowe nothing secret but it shall bee shewed in light Of Christes wordes let vs neither be ashamed nor afrayd to speake them for so Christ our mayster commaundeth vs saying that I tell you priuily speake openly abroade and that I tell you in your eare preach it vpon the house toppe And feare not them which kill the body for the soule they cannot kill but feare hym which can cast both body and soule into hell fire Know ye that the heauenly Father hath euer a gracious eye and respect towarde you and a Fatherly prouidence for you so that without his knowledge and permission nothing canne doe you harme Let vs therefore cast all our care vpon him and hee shall prouide that whiche shall be best for vs. For if of two small sparrowes whiche both are sold for a mite one of them lighteth not on the grounde without your father and all the heares of our head are numbred feare not them sayth our Mayster Christ for yee are more worth then many small sparrowes And let vs not sticke to confesse our Mayster Christe for feare of daunger whatsoeuer it shal be remeÌ„bring the promise that Christ maketh saying whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him shall I confesse before my father whiche is in heauen but whosoeuer shall denye me him shall I likewise denye before my father which is in heauen Christ came not to geue vnto vs here a carnall amity and a worldly peace or to knitte his vnto the world in ease and peace but rather to separate and deuide them from the world and to ioyne them vnto himselfe in whose cause we must if wee will bee his forsake father and mother and sticke vnto him If wee forsake him or shrinke from him for trouble or deathes sake which hee calleth his crosse he will none of vs we cannot bee hys If for his cause we shall lose our temporall liues here wee shall finde them agayne and enioy them for euermore but if in his cause we will not be contented to leaue nor loose them here then shall we loose them so that we shall neuer finde them again but in euerlasting death What thoughe our troubles here bee paynefull for the time and the sting of death bitter and vnpleasaunt yet we know that they shall not last in comparison of eternity no not to the twinckling of an eye that they pacieÌ„tly taken in Christes cause shall procure and gette vs vnmeasurable heapes of heauenly glory vnto the which these temporall paines of death and troubles compared are not to be estemed but to be reioyced vpon Wonder
not sayth S. Peter as though it were any straunge matter that ye are tryed by the fire he meaneth of tribulation which thing sayth he is done to proue you nay rather in that ye are partners of Christes afflictions reioyce that in his glorious reuelation ye may reioyce with mery hartes If ye suffer rebukes in Christes name happy are ye for the glory and spirit of God resteth vpon you Of them God is reuiled and dishonored but of you he is glorified Let no manne be ashamed of that he suffereth as a Christian and in Christes cause for nowe is the time that iudgement and correction must beginne at the house of GOD and if it begin first at vs what shall be the end of those thinke ye which beleue not the Gospell And if the righteous shall bee hardlye saued the wicked and the sinner where shall he appeare Wherefore they which are afflicted according to the wil of God let thē lay downe and commit theyr soules to him by well doing as to a trustye and faythfull maker This as I sayde maye not seeme straunge to vs for we know that al the whole fraternity of Christes Congregation in this worlde is serued with the like and by the same is made perfect For the seruent loue that the Apostles had vnto their maister Christ and for the great commodities and increase of all godlines which they felt by theyr fayth to insue of afflictions in Christes cause thirdly for the heapes of heauenly ioyes which the same doe get vnto the godly which shall endure in heauen for euermore for these causes I saye the Apostles of their afflictions did ioy and reioyced in that they were had and accounted worthy to suffer contumelies rebukes for Christes name And Paul as he gloried in the grace fauor of God whervnto he was brought stoode in by fayth so he reioyced in hys afflictions the heauenlye and spirituall profites which he numbred to rise vpon them yea he was so farre in loue wyth that that the carnall man lothed so much that is with Christes crosse that he iudged himselfe to know nothing els but christ crucified he will glory he sayth in nothing els but in Christes crosse yea and he blesseth all those as the onely true Israelites elect people of God with peace and mercy whiche walketh after that rule and after none other O Lord what a wonderfull spirit was that that made Paule in setting forth of himselfe agaynst the vanity of Satans Pseudopostles and in his clayme there that he in Christes cause did excell and passe them all what wonderfull spirite was that I saye that made him to reckon vppe all his troubles his laboures hys beatinges his whippinges and scourginges his shippewrackes his daungers and perilles by water and by land his famine hunger nakednesse and colde with many moe and the dayly care of all the congregations of Christ among whom euery mans payne did pearce his heart and euery mannes griese was grieuous vnto him O Lord is this Paules primacye whereof hee thought so much good that he did excell other Is not this Paules sayinge vnto Timothy his owne scholer and doth it not perteyn to who so euer will be Christes true souldiours beare thou sayth he affliction like a good souldiour of Iesu Christ This is true if we dye with him he meaneth Christ we shall liue with him if we suffer with him we shall raigne with him if we deny him he shall denye vs if we be faythlesse he remayneth faythfull he cannot denye himselfe This Paule would haue knowne to euery bodye for there is none other way to heauen but Christ and his way all that will liue godly in Christ shall sayth S. Paule suffer persecution By this way went to heauen the Patriarches the Prophets Christ our Mayster his Apostles his Martyrs and all the godly since the beginning And as it hath bene of olde that hee which was borne after the flesh persecuted him which was born after the spirite for so it was in Isaacks time so sayde S. Paule it was in his time also And whether it be so or no now let the spirituall man the selfe same man I meane that is indued with the spirit of almighty God let him be iudge Of the crosse of the Patriarches as ye may read in theyr storyes if ye reade the booke of Genesis ye shall perceiue Of other S. Paule in few wordes comprehendeth much matter speaking in a generality of the wonderfull afflictions death and tormentes which the men of GOD in Gods cause and for the truth sake willingly and gladly did suffer After much particuler rehearsall of many he sayeth other were racked and despised and would not be deliuered that they might obteyne a better resurrection Other agayne were tried wyth mockinges and scourginges and moreouer with bondes imprisonment they were stoned beweene asunder tempted fell were slayne vpon the edge of the sword some wandred to fro in sheepes pilches in goates pilches forsaken oppressed afflicted such godly men as the world was vnworthy of wandring in wildernesse in mountaynes in caues and in dennes and all these were commended for theyr fayth And yet they abide for vs the seruauntes of God and for those theyr brethren which are to bee slayne as they were for the word of Gods sake that none be shut out but that we may all go together to meete our Mayster Christ in the ayre at his comming and so to be in blisse with him in body and soule for euermore Therefore seing we haue so muche occasion to suffer and to take afflictions for Christes names sake paciently so many commodities thereby so waighty causes so many good examples so great necessitye so pure promises of eternall life and heauenlye ioyes of him that cānot lye Let vs throw away whatsoeuer might let vs all burden of sinne and all kinde of carnality and paciently and constantly let vs runne for the best game in this race that is set before vs euer hauing our eyes vpon Iesus Christ the ringleader Capitayne and Perfiter of our fayth which for the ioye that was set before him endured the crosse not passing vpon the ignominy and shame thereof and is set now at the right hande of the throne of GOD. Consider this that he suffered such strife of sinners agaynst himselfe that yee shoulde not geue ouer nor faynt in your mindes As yet brethren we haue not withstand vnto death fighting agaynst sinne Let vs neuer forget deare Brethren for Christes sake that Fatherly exhortation of the wise that speaketh vnto vs as vnto his children the Godlye wysedome of God saying thus My sonne despise not the correction of the Lord nor fall not from him when thou art rebuked of hym for whom the Lord loueth him doth he correct and scourgeth euery childe whom he receiueth What childe is he whom the father doth not chasten If ye
bee free from chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and no children Seing then when as we haue had carnall parents which chastened vs we reuerenced them shall not we much more be subiect vnto our spirituall father that we might liue And they for a litle time taughte vs after theyr owne mind but this father teacheth vs to our commodity to geue vnto vs his holinesse Al chastisment for the present tyme appeareth not pleasaunt but paynefull but afterward it rendereth the fruite of righteousnesse on them which are exercised in it Wherefore let vs bee of good cheere good Brethren and let vs plucke vppe our feeble members that were fallen or beganne to faynt hart handes knees and all the rest and let vs walke vpright and straight that no limping no◠〈…〉 bring vs out of the way Let vs looke not vpon the thinges that be present but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastly behold the thinges that be euerlasting in heauen and so choose rather in respecte of that whiche is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare Christes Crosse then for this short life time to inioy all the riches honours and pleasures of the broade worlde Why should we Christians feare death Can death depriue vs of Christ which is all our coÌ„â—ort our ioy and our life Nay forsooth But contrary death shall deliuer vs from this mortall body whiche lodeth and beareth downe the spirite that it cannot so well perceiue heauenly thinges in the which so long as we dwell wee are absent from God Wherefore vnderstanding our state in that we be Christians that if our mortall body which is our earthly house were destroied we haue a building a house not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen c. therefore wee are of good cheere and know that when we are in the body we are absent from GOD for we walke by fayth and not by cleare fight Neuerthelesse we are bolde and had rather be absent from the bodye and present with GOD. Wherefore we striue whether we be present at home or absent abroad that we may alwayes please him And who that hath true fayth in our Sauior Christ whereby he knoweth somewhat truely what Christ our Sauiour is that he is the eternall sonne of God life light the wisedome of the father all goodnesse all righteousnesse and whatsoeuer is good that heart canne desire yea infinite plentye of all these aboue that that mans hart canne either conceiue or thinke for in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godheade corporally and also that he is geuen vs of the Father and made of GOD to be our wisedome our righteousnesse our holâ—nesse and our redemption who I say is he that beleueth this in deede that woulde not gladly bee with his mayster christ Paul for this knowledge coueted to haue bene loosed from the body and to haue beene with Christ for that he counted it muche better for himselfe and had rather to be loosed then to liue Therefore these wordes of Christe to the thiefe on the Crosse that asked of him mercy were full of comfort and solace This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise To dye in the defence of Christes Gospell it is our bounden duety to Christ and also to our neighbour To Christ for he dyed for vs and rose agayne that he might be Lord ouer all And seing he dyed for vs we also sayth S. Iohn shoulde ieopard yea geue our life for our Brethren And this kinde of geuing and loosing is getting and winning in deede for hee that geueth or looseth his life thus getteth winneth it for euermore Blessed are they therefore that die in the Lord and if they dye in the Lordes cause they are most happy of all Let vs not then feare death which can do vs no harme otherwise then for a momeÌ„t to make the flesh to smart but that our fayth whiche is surely fastened and fixed vnto the worde of GOD telleth vs that we shall be anon after death in peace in the handes of GOD in ioye in solace and that from death we shall go straight vnto life For Saynt Iohn sayeth he that liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer dye And in an other place he shall depart from death vnto life And therefore this death of the Christian is not to be called death but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlasting life Therefore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution and both Peter and Paul a putting of this Tabernacle or dwelling house Meaning thereby the mortall body as wherein the soule or spirite doth dwell here in this worlde for a small time Yea this death may be called to the Christian an end of all miseries For so long as we liue here we must passe through many tribulations before we canne enter into the kingdome of heauen And nowe after that death hath shot his bolt all the christian mans enemies haue done what they canne after that they haue no more to doe What coulde hurte or harme poore Lazarus that lay at the rich mannes Gate His former penury and pouerty his misery beggery and horrible sores and sickenesse For so soone as death had stricken him with his dart so soone came the aungels and caryed him straight vp into Abrahams bosome What lost he by death who from misery and payne is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioy and solace Farewell deare brethren farewell and let vs comforte our hartes in all troubles and in death with the worde of God for heauen and earth shall perish but the word of the Lord endureth for euer Farewell Christes dearely beloued spouse here wandering in this world as in a straunge land farre from thine owne couÌ„try coÌ„passed about on euery hand with deadly enemies which cease not to assault thee euer seeking thy destruction Farewell farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of God here liuing vpon earth the true churche militant of Christ the true misticall body of Christ the very house holde and family of God and the sacred temple of the holy ghost Farewell Farewell O thou litle flocke of the highe heauenlye pastour Christ for to thee it hath pleased the heauenlye father to geue an euerlasting and eternall kingdome Farewell Farewell thou spirituall house of God thou holy and royall priesthood thou choseÌ„ generatioÌ„ thou holy nation thou wonne spouse Farewell Farewell N. R. ¶ An other treatise of B. Ridley wherein is conteyned first a lamentation for the chaunge of Religion in England then a comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospell and the Romish religion with wholesome instructions in the end to all christians how to behaue themselues in time of tryall ALas what misery is thy church brought vnto O lord at this day Where of late the worde of the Lord was truely preached was read and heard in euery towne in euery Church
the wise man sayth were taken out of the Churches straightly forbidden that none shoulde any where eyther bow downe to them or worshippe them but now alas Gods holy word is blotted and rased out of Churches stockes and stones are set vp in the place thereof God cōmaundeth his word so to be ordered that it might be had in continual remēbraunce at all times and in euery place and on the other side he forbadde Images and Idols so to be either made or set in any place where any should bowe or worship them but now alas that which God cōmaūded is not passed vpon and that which he forbiddeth is maysterfully maynteined by falshoode and craft and wickedly vpholden Of late all ministers that were admitted to the publick office and ministery of Gods holy woorde in theyr admission made a solemne profession before the Congregation that they should teach the people nothing as doctrine necessarye to atteyne eternall saluation but that whiche is Gods owne holy woorde or maye be thereof grounded without any doubt whereby vanished and melted away of themselues many vaine yea wicked traditions of man as waxe before the fire but now at one brunt they are reuiued and are in full hope also to returne agayne in as great strength as euer they haue bene And howe can any man looke for any other thing but when you haue receyued the head you must also receiue the whole body withal or els how can the head abide The head vnder Sathā of al mischiefe is Antichrist his brood the same is he whiche is the Babilonicall Beast The beast is he whereupon the Whore sitteth The whore is that City sayeth Iohn in playne woordes whiche hath Empyre ouer the kinges of the earth This Whore hath a golden cuppe of abhominations in her hande whereof shee maketh to drinke the kinges of the earth of the wine of this harlot hath all nations dronke yea and kings of the earth haue line by this Whore Marchauntes of the earth by vertue of her pleasaunt marchaundise haue bene made rich Now what Citie is there in all the whole worlde that when Iohn wrote ruled ouer the kinges of the earth or what Citty can be read of in any time that of the Cittye it selfe chalenged the Empyre ouer the kinges of the earth but onely the City of Rome and that since the vsurpation of that Sea hath growne to her full strength And is it not read that the olde and auncient writers vnderstand Peters former Epistle to be writtē at Rome and it to be called of him in the same Epistle in playne termes Babilon by the abhominations therof I vnderstand all the whole trade of the Romish religion vnder the name and title of Christ which is contrary to the onely rule of all true religion that is Gods worde What worde of God hath that Deuillish drabbe for the maintenaunce of her manifolde abhominations and to set to sell such marchaundise wher with alas the madnesse of man the wicked Harlot hath bewitched almost the whole wold Did not Peter the very true Apostle of Christ of whom this stincking Strumpet beareth her selfe so highe but falselye and without all iust cause did not he I say geue all the world warning of her pelfe and trash of her false Doctours and Apostles for this Whore and Beast will be called Dominus Apostolicus who so euer say nay after this maner in his latter Epistle There was among the people in times past false Prophetes as shall bee there amonge you in time to come false Teachers which shall priuily bring in pestilent sectes euen denying the Lord which hath bought them and redemed them procuring to themselues swift damnation and many shall folow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth shall be rayled vpon through couetousnesse by counterfait tales or sermons they shal sayth Peter make marcdaundise vpon you c. And doeth not Iohn likewise in his Reuelation after he hath reckoned vp a great rablement of this whores misticall marchaundise at the last as though he would knitte vp all in plaine wordes without any miste at all setting out the whoores marchaundise reckon vp among the rest and concludeth saying Et animas hominū that is to say and the soules of mē to Wherupō I pray you els rose this true prouerb in Latine omnia Romae venalia All thinges for money are sette to sale at Rome was not that a worthye commendation of Christes Uicare in earth that was written of our holy father one of the Alexanders a Bishoppe of Rome thus I weene in Latin Veneit Alexander cruces altaria Christum Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius ☞ These two verses in latin I haue read thus of one translated into English rime Alexander our holy father the Pope of Rome selleth for money both right and dome And all kind of holines the holy father doth not sticke to set to sell ready money for to get And eke Christ himselfe he dare be bolde to chop and chaunge for siluer and gold And why should any thinke this to be sore For what doth he sell but that he bought before I graunt these verses to be light gere and the verse is but rude but alas suche conditions were more wicked leud then any wit could expresse If these had bene but the faultes of one or a few in number they had bene lesse pernicious and might haue bene taken for personall crimes not to be imputed vnto that Sea but now alas the matter is more then euident to all that haue godly vnderstanding that these crimes be grounded vpon lawes be established by custome and set forth by all kinde of wicked doctrine falshood and craft and therfore now are not to be estemed for any one mans or a few mens personall crimes but are now by lawes custome and doctrine incorporated into that wicked Sea and maketh in deede the body of the Beast whereupon the abhominable whore doth sit But you would knowe which be those Marchaundise which I sayd this whore setteth forth to sell for the whiche all her false Prophets with all theyr iuggelinges and crafty gloses cannot bring one iote of Gods worde Surely surely they be not onely all these abhominatiōs which are come into the Church of Englande alreadye whereof I haue spoken somewhat before but also an innumerable rablement of abhominations and wicked abuses whyche now must nedes folow as popish pardons pilgrimages romishe purgatory romish masses Placebo Derige with trentals and Scala coeli dispensations and immunities frō all godly discipline lawes and good order pluralities vnions and tot quottes with a thousande moe Nowe shall come in the flattering friers and the false pardoners and play theyr olde pranckes and knauery as they were wont to do Now you shall haue but of the Sea of Rome onely and that for mony canonizing of such Sayntes as haue stand stout in the popes cause
doctrine to be error and heresie and the olde lawes of Antichriste are allowed to returne with the power of theyr father agayne what can be hereafter looked for by reason to the man of God and true christian abiding in this realme but extreame vyolence of death or els to denye his mayster I graunt the hartes of Princes are in Gods handes and whether soe-euer he will he can make them to bowe and also that christian princes in olde tyme vsed a more gentle kinde of punishment euen to them whiche were heretickes in deede as degradation and deposition out of theyr roumes and offices exile and vanishment out of theyr domynions and countryes and also as it is read the true Bishoppes of Christes Church were sometime intercessors for the heretickes vnto Princes that they would not kill them as is read of S. Augustine But as yet Antichristes kingdome was not so erected at that time nor is nowe accustomed so to order them that will not fall downe and worship the beast and his Image but euen as al the world knoweth after the same maner that both Iohn Daniell hath prophesied before that is by violence of death and Daniell declareth farther that the kinde of death accustomablye should be by sword fire and imprisonment Therefore if thou O man of God doest purpose to abide in this realm prepare and arme thy selfe to dye for both by Antichristes accustomable lawes and these prophecies there is no appearaunce or likelihood of any other thing except thou wilt deny thy mayster Christ which is the losse at the last both of body and soule vnto euerlasting death Therefore my good brother or sister in Christ whatsoeuer thou bee to thee that canst and mayst so doe that counsayle that I thinke is the best safegard for thee both for thy body and most suretie for thy soules healthe is that whiche I shall shew thee hereafter But first I warne thee to vnderstand me to speake to hym or her which be not in captiuitie or called already for to confesse Christ but are at libertye abroade My councell I say therefore is this to flye from the plague and to get the hence I consider not onely the subtleties of Sathan and how hee is able to deceiue by hys false perswasions if it were possible euen the chosen of GOD and also the great frayltie whiche is oftentymes more in a man then he doth know in himselfe whiche in the tyme of temptation then will vtter it selfe I doe not onely consider these thinges I saye but that our mayster Christ whose life was and is a perfecte rule of the Chrystian mans life that hee himselfe auoyded oftentimes the furie and madnes of the Iewes by departing from the country or place Paule likewise when hee was sought in Damasco and the gates of the citty were layd in wayt for him was conueighed by night being let downe in a basket out at a windowe ouer the wall and Helias the Prophet fledde the persecution of wicked Iesabell and Chryste our sauiour sayth in the Gospell When they persecute you in one citie flie vnto an other and so did many good great learned vertuous men of God which were great and stout chaÌ„pions neuerthelesse and stoute confessors and mayntayners of Christ and his truth in due time and place Of suche was the great Clarke Athanasius But this is so playnâ— to be lawfull by Gods worde and examples of holy men that I neede not to stand in it Hauing this for my ground I say to thee O man of God this seemeth to me to be the most sure way for thy sauegard to depart and fly farre from the plague and that swiftly also for truely before God I thinke that the abhomination that Daniel Prophesied of so long before is nowe set vpp in the holye place For all Antichristes doctrine lawes rites and relygion contrary to Christ and to the true seruing and worshipping of God I vnderstand to be that abhomination Therfore now is the time in England for those wordes of Christ Tunc inquit qui in Iudea sunt fugiant ad montes TheÌ„ sayth he marke this Christes then for truely I am perswaded and I trust by the spirite of God that this then is commaunded Then sayth Christ they that be in Iewry let them flye into the mountaynes and he that is on the house top let hym not come downe to take away any thing out of his house and he that is abroad in the fielde let hym not retourne to take hys clothes Woe be to the great bellied women and to them that geue sucke but pray sayth Christ that youre flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabboth day These wordes of Christe are misticall and therefore haue neede of interpretation I vnderstand all those to be in Iewry spiritually which truely confesse one true liuing God and the whole truth of his word after the doctryne of the Gospell of Christ. Such are they whom Christ here biddeth in the time of the raigne of Antichristes abhomynations to flye vnto the mountaynes whiche signifieth places of safegard all such thinges which are able to defeÌ„d from the plague That he biddeth hym that is in the house top not to come downe and hym that is in the field not to returne to take with hym his clothes hee meaneth that they shoulde speede them to get them away betyme leaste in theyr tarying and trifling about worldly prouision they be trapped in the snare ere euer they be aware and caught by the backe and for gain of small worldly things endanger and cast themseues into great perilles of more waighty matters And where he sayth woe be to the great bellied woman and to them that geue suck women great with child and nigh to their lying downe and to be brought to bed are not able to trauell nor also those women whiche are brought to bed and now geueth their babes suck By these therefore Christ spiritually vnderstandeth all suche to be in extreame daunger whiche this worde woe signifieth all suche I say as are so letted by any maner of meanes that they no wayes be able to â—lye from the plague And where Christ sayth pray you that your flight be not in the winter nor on the sabboth day in winter the common course of the yeare teacheth vs that the wayes be foule therfore it is a hard thing then to take a farre iourney for many incommodities and daungers of the wayes in the tyme of the yeare and on the Sabboth day it was not lawful to iourney but a little way Now Christ therefore meaning that wee should haue neede both to speede oure iourney quickly which cannot be done in Winter for the incommodities of the wayes and also to go farre which cannot be done on the Sabboth day he biddeth vs therefore pray that our flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth day that is to pray that wee may flye in tyme and also farre enough from the
such like trumpery of the Antichristian religion thinkest thou that thou shalt bee reckened for a catholicke man or for amicus Caesaris A hūdred thinges moe may be reckened and many of more weight and of more euident superstition and Idolatrye then some of these which I haue nowe rehearsed whyche God knoweth be ill enough but these are enoughe to declare and to set before thyne eyes the thing that I intend that is if thou abyde and wilt dwell in Englande thou must eyther doe these and many other moe contrarye to Gods worde whiche forbiddeth not onely the thing whiche is euill but also sayth Ab omni specie mali abstinete vos abstayne from all thinges that haue anye appearaunce of euill or els if thou wilt not doe them howe thou canst liue in England in rest safe from the stake truly I cannot tell But peraduenture as a man is readye to finde and inuent some coloure to cloke hys conscience to doe that thing that hys harte desireth thou wilt say though at any time I shal be forced to doe any of these thinges and suche like yet will I haue no confidence in them but outwardly with my body I will keepe myne hart vnto God and will not doe that of mine owne minde willingly neyther but to auoyd an other inconuenience I trust therfore god will holde me excused for he shall haue my hart what can I doe more O my frend beware for Gods sake and know that the subtleties of Sathan are deepe Hee that is not able by Gods word to perceiue them is heauily laden Pray therfore with Dauid Lord let me not haue a mynde to inuente excuses for to cloke my sinne examine my deare frend these thy wyly wayes with the worde of God and if they do agree thou maist vse them if not know though they may seeme neuer so fine and goodly yet in deede they be of Sathans broode Gods worde is certayne that forbiddeth to worship the creature for the creatour for that is haynous Idolatry and agaynst the first commaundemēt of God and it is also agaynst the seconde commandement of the first table to bow downe or to doe worship vnto any Images of God or of anye other thinge And Gods word requireth not onely the beliefe of the hart but also the confession of the mouthe and to beare part of the charges to the mayntenance of thinges vngodly what is that but in thy so doing a consent to the thing done Now consensenters and the doers Gods worde accounteth to be gilty bothe And it is not lawfull by S. Paules doctrine whiche was inspired hym by the spirite of God to do ill that thereof the thing which is good may come Thy hart thou sayst GOD shall haue and yet wilt suffer thy body to doe the thinge that God dothe abhorre Beware O man take heede what thou sayest Man may be deceaued but no man may deceiue God for he is called and is truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye the searcher of the hart Now to geue God thy heart is to geue hym thy whole heart to loue him to dread him and to trust in him aboue all other thinges He that hath my commaundementes sayth Christ and obserueth and keepeth them it is he that loueth me and to dread God aboue all other is rather willingly to incurre the daunger and perill of all fearful thinges then wittingly to doe that thing which is contrarye to his blessed will and commaundement and to truste in hym aboue all thinges is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward and of his tuition and of hys goodnes and mercy and to preferre that aboue all thinges in the world seeme they neuer so strong so wise or so good Now how canst thou say truely that God hathe thy heart after thys maner of sorte which is to haue thy heart in deede when thy deedes do declare farre an other thing Thy bodye O man is Gods and all the partes therof euen as thy soule is hee made them both and Christe with hys bloude redeemed them both and is Lord of both for he hath bought them both dearely and darest thou suffer any parte of eyther of them to do seruice to Sathan Surely in so doyng thou committest sacriledge and doest robbe God thou defilest the liuely temple of the liuing God if thou suffer thy body to doe Sathan seruice Do you not know sayth saynct Paule that your body is a liuely temple of God And may a man then take and vse any part thereof but in the seruice of God No surely it is not lawfull so to do for the man of God neyther with hand tongue nor foote nor any parte of the whole body Doth not Paule commaund to the Romaynes which pertayneth to euery christian soule As you haue in times past sayth he geuen your members to doe seruice vnto vncleannes and wickednes from one wickednes to an other so nowe geue youre members to doe seruice vnto righteousnes that you may be sanctified And I pray thee good brother what doest thou thinke is to beare the marke of the beast in the forehead and in the hand that saynct Iohn speaketh of I knowe wee ought warely to speake of Gods misteryes whiche he shewed by the spirite of prophesying to his seruaunt Iohn yet to red them with reuerence and to praye for the same so muche as God knoweth is necessarye for oure tyme to knowe I thynke it necessarye and good Wherefore what I suppose is to beare the Beasts marke I will tell thee and committe the iudgement of mine interpretation as in all other thinges to the spirituall man I suppose he beareth the Beast of Babilons marke in hys forehead whiche is not ashamed of the Beastes wayes but will professe them openly to set foorth his mayster the beast Abaddon And likewise he beareth his marke in hys hand that wil and doth practise the workes of the beast with hys power hand And likewise I wil not let to tel thee what I thinke to be signed in the forehead for the seruaunt of God whereof Iohn also speaketh reckoning vp many thousands so to haue bene signed of euery tribe I suppose he is signed in the forehead for the seruaunte of God whome GOD hath appoynted of his infinite goodnes and hath geuen him grace and strength stoughtly to confesse hym his truth before the worlde And to haue grace and strength to confesse Christe and the doctrine of the crosse and to lament and mourne for the abhominations of Antichrist I suppose is to be signed with Tau whereof Ezechiell the Prophet doth speake Thus I suppose these Prophesies are spiritually to be vnderstanded and to looke for other corporall markes to be seene in mennes foreheads or in their handes is nothing els but to looke that there shoulde come some brute beast out of Babilon or some Elephant Leopard Lyon or Camell or some other such monstrous Beast with x. hornes
daunger to fall in like perill again there he maketh them perfite to be without danger paine or perill after that for euermore But this hys loue towards thē howsoeuer the worlde doth iudge of it is al one both when he deliuereth when he suffereth thē to be put to death He loued as well Peter and Paul whē after they had according to hys blessed will pleasure and prouidence finished their courses and done theyr seruices appoynted them by hym here in preaching of his Gospel the one was beheaded and the other was hanged or crucified of the cruell tyraunt Nero as the Ecclesiasticall hystory sayth as when hee sent the Aungell to bringe Peter out of prison and for Paules deliuery he made all the dores of the prison to flye wide open and the foundation of the same like an earthquake to tremble and shake Thinkest thou O thou man of God that Chryst our sauiour had lesse affection to the first martyr Stephen because he suffered his enemies euen at the first conflicte to stone him to death No surely nor Iames Iohns brother which was one of the three that Paule calleth Primates or Principals amongst the Apostles of Christ. Hee loued him neuer a whit the worse thē he did the other although he suffered Herode the tyrauntes sword to cut of his head Nay doth not Danyell say speaking of the cruelty of Antichristes time Et docti in populo docebunt plurimos ruent in gladio in flamma in captiuitate rapina dierum c. Et de eruditis ruent vt conflentur eligantur dealbentur c. That is and the learned hee meaneth truely learned in Gods lawe shall teache many and shall fall vppon the sworde and in the flame that is shall bee burned in the flaming fire and in captiuitie that is shall bee in prison and be spoyled and robbed of theyr goodes for a longe season And after a little in the same place of Daniell it followeth and of the learned there be whiche shall fall or be ouerthrowne that they may be knowne tryed chosen made white he meaneth be burnished scoured a new picked and chosen and made fresh and lustye If that then was foreseene for to be done to the godly learned and for so gracious causes let euery one to whom any such thing by the will of God doth chaunce be mery in God and reioyce for it is to Gods glory and to his owne euerlasting wealth Wherefore well is he that euer he was borne for whom thus graciously God hath prouided hauing grace of God and strength of the holy Ghost so stand steadfastly in the height of the storme Happy is he that euer hee was borne whome God his heauenly Father hath vouchsafed to appoynt to glorifie him and to edifie hys Churche by the effusion of hys bloud To dye in Christes cause is an high honour to that whiche no man certaynly shall or can aspire but to whō God vouchsafeth that dignitie For no man is allowed to presume for to take vnto hym selfe any office of honour but he which is thereunto called of God Therfore Ioh. saith well speaking of them which haue obtayned the victorye by the bloud of the Lambe and by the worde of hys testimony that they loued not theyr liues euen vnto death And our sauiour Christ sayth He that shall lose his life for my cause shall finde it And this manner of speach pertayneth not to one kinde of Christians as the worldly dothe wickedly dreame but all that doe truelye pertayne vnto Christ. For when Christe had called vnto hym the multytude together with hys Disciples he said vnto thē mark that he sayde not this to the Disciples and Apostles onely but he sayd it to al who soeuer wil follow me let him forsake or deny hymselfe and take vp his crosse and followe me for who soeuer will saue his lyfe shall lose it he meaneth who soeuer will to saue hys life both forsake or leaue hym and his truth and whosoeuer shall lose his lyfe for my cause and the Gospels sake shall saue it For what shall it profite man if he shall winne the whole world and lose his owne soule hys owne lyfe or what shall a manne geue to recompence that losse of his owne lyfe and of hys own soule Who soeuer shal be ashamed of me my words that is to confesse me and my Gospell before this adulterous and sinful generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of hys Father with the holy Aungels Know thou O man of God that all thinges are ordayned for thy behoufe and to the furtheraunce of thee towardes thy saluation All thinges saith Paule worketh with the good to goodnes euen the enemies of God such kind of punishmentes whereby they goe about to destroy them shall be forced by Gods power might fatherly prouidence for to do them seruice It is not as the wicked thinketh that pouerty aduersitie sickenes tribulation yea paynfull death of the godly be tokens that God doth not loue them but euen cleane the contrary as all the whole course of scripture doth euidently declare for then he would neuer haue suffered hys most dearly beloued the Patriarkes to haue had such troubles his Prophetes his Apostles his martyrs and chiefe Champions and mayntayners of hys truth and Gospell so cruelly of the wicked to haue bene murdered and slayn Of the which some were racked as the Apostle sayth and woulde not be deliuered that they might receaue a better resurrection Some were tryed by mockinges scourginges yea moreouer by bondes and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen and cut a sunder they were tempted they were slayne with the sword they wandered vp and down in sheepes skinnes and Gotes skinnes beyng forsaken afflicted and tormented such men as the world was not worthy to haue wādring in wildernes in moūtaynes in Dennes and Caues of the earth All these were approued by the testimony of fayth and receaued not the promise because God did prouide better for vs that without vs they should not be consummated They tary nowe for vs vndoubtedly longing for the day but they are commaunded to haue pacience yet saith the Lord a litle while vntill the number of theyr fellow seruauntes bee fulfilled and of theyr brethren whiche are yet to be slayne as they were Now thou O man of God for our Lordes sake let vs not for the loue of thys lyfe tary then to long and bee occasion of delay of that glorious consummation in hope and expectation wherof the departed in the Lord and the whiche also the liuing endued with Gods spirite ought so earnestly to desire and to grone for with al the creatures of God Let vs all with Iohn the seruaunt of God cry in our harts vnto our sauiour Christ Veni Domine Iesu come Lorde Iesu come For then when Christ which is our life
corporall not carnall not naturall not sensible not perceptible but onely spirituall pag. 181. l. 18. c. l. 25. p. 223. l. 21. Confutation We receyue Christ in the Sacrament of his fleshe and bloud if we receiue hym worthily p. 190. l. 7. p. 197. lin 27. Confutation When an vnrepentant sinner receyueth the Sacramēt he hath not Christes body within hym p. 256. l. 18. Confutation He that eateth verily the flesh of Christ is by nature in Christ and Christ is naturally in hym pag. 18. li 51. Confutation An euill man in the sacrament receiueth in deed Christes very body p. 18. l. 24.25 Euill men eat verily the flesh of Christ p. 2561. l. 24.25 c. Confutation Christ geueth vs to be eaten the same flesh that he took of the virgin Mary p. 274. l. 25. We receyue not in the Sacrament Christes flesh that was crucified p. 276. l. 1. Confutation S. Augustines rule in his booke De doctrina Christiana pertaineth not to Christes supper p. 132. l. 40. S. Augustine meaneth of the Sacrament ibidem and p. 10. l. 44. Confutation Reason in place of seruice as beyng inferior to fayth wyll agree with the fayth of Transubstantiation well enough p. 300. l. 12. Confutation And as reason receyued into faithes seruice doth not striue with transubstantiation but agreeth well with it so mans senses be no such direct aduersaries to transubstantiation as a matter wherof they cannot skill for the senses cannot skill of substances p. 307. l. 11. c. Thine eyes say there is but bread and wyne thy taste sayeth the same thy feelyng and smellyng agreefully with them Hereunto is added the carnal mans vnderstanding which because it taketh the beginning of the senses procedeth in reasonyng sensually In the deuils sophistry fo 6. The Churche hath not forborne to preach the truth to the confusion of mans senses and vnderstandyng fol. 15. It is called bread because of the outward visible matter p. 327. lyne When it is called bread it is ment Christ the spirituall bread p. 320. l. 41. And the Catholike fayth teacheth that the fraction is in the outward signe and not in the body of Christ p. 165. lyne 1. and pag. 392. lyne 47. and in the Deuils Sophistry fol. 17. That which is broken is the bodye of Christ p. 392. lyne 49. The inward nature of the bread is the substance p. 323 lyne 14. Substance signifieth in Theodoret he sayth the outward nature p. 404. l. 40. The substances of bread and wyne be visible cretures p. 322. l. 30. and 323. l. 32. Accidents be the visible natures and visible elements p. 1406. l. 16. and 25. c. Christ is our satisfaction wholy and fully hath payd our whole debt to God the Father for the appeasyng of hys wrath agaynst vs p. 92. l. 6.7 The act of the priest done accordyng to Gods cōmandement must needs be propitiatory and ought to be trusted on to haue a propitiatory effect p. 437. l. 13. The sacrifice of our Sauiour Christ was neuer reiterate p. 416. l. 8. Priests do sacrifice Christ p. 431. l. 16. And the catholike doctrine teacheth the daily sacrifice to be the same in essence that was offered on the Crosse p. 439. l. 11. The Nestorians graunted both the Godhead manhood always to be in Christ continually p. 348. l. 11.12 The Nestorians denied Christ conceyued GOD or borne God but that he was afterward God as a mā that is not borne a bishop is after made a bishop So the Nestorians sayd that the Godhead was an accession after by merite and that he was conceyued only man p. 347. l. 47 50.51 and p. 148. l. 47. Christ vseth vs familiarly as he dyd hys Apostles p. 93. l. 21. Christ is not to be sayd conuersant in earth pag. 114. lin 11. c. ¶ Certaine things that Winchester granted vnto CHrist declared eatyng of hymselfe to signify beleeuing p. 29. l. antepenultima Confutation Christ must be spiritually in man before he receiue the Sacrament or els he cannot receyue the sacrament worthily p. 54. l. 44. p. 160. l. vltima p. 196. l. 3. p. 105. l 32. How Christ is present p. 69. l. 29. c. p. 81. l. 12. p. 181. li. 26. p. 65. l. 15. By faith we know only the beyng present of Christes most precious body not the maner thereof p. 70. l. 15. When we speake of Christes body we must vnderstād a true body which hath both forme and quantitie p. 81. l. 5. lin 35. Although Christs body haue all those truths of forme quantitie yet it is not present after the maner of quantitie ibidem l. 8.9 The demonstratiue this may bee referred to the inuisible substance p. 120. l. 42 All the old prayers and ceremonies sound as though the people did communicate with the priest p. 165. l. 46. The maner of Christs beyng in the Sacrament is not corporall nor carnall not natural not sensible not perceptible but only spirituall p. 181. l. 19. c. l. 25. p. 223. l. 21. When the vnrepentant sinner receiueth the sacrament he hath not Christes body within hym p. 256. l. 18. We eat not Christ as he sitteth in heauen raignyng p. 276. l. 18. The worde Transubstantiation was first spoken of in a generall Councell where the B. of Rome was present p. 284. l. 11. In the sacrifice of the church Christs death is not iterated but a memory daily renued of the death so as Christes offeryng on the crosse once done and consummate is now only remembred p. 440. l. 40. c. To these notes places of D. Ridley let vs also adioyne other 12. places or Articles of the lyke affinitie taken out of his booke called the examination of the proud hunter noted in the later end of D. Turners secōd course By these Articles it may appeare how this Bishop swarueth no lesse from the sound truth of Christes Gospell then he dyd in the other both from hymselfe and also from other hys fellow brethren of hys owne Catholike mother church of Rome The Articles in summe are these ¶ Twelue new found Articles of Steuen Gardiners Creede taught in hys booke called the examination of the hunter 1. THe ceremonies and traditions which the Bish. of Rome hath ordeyned and are now allowed in England are the pale of the church of England fol. 7. 2. The Popes ceremonies and traditions are good and politike lawes wherby God hath enclosed the kings subiects vnder hys maiestie alone ibidem 3. As king Richard an euill man made a good politicke law for the body common welth of England so can the Pope an euill man make good lawes and wholesome doctrine for mans soule and Christes church fol. 23. 4. Whatsoeuer is good spoken and vsed by mā is much more of God then Christes
doctrine is hys fathers doctrine fol. 33. 5. He that sayth that the law of the Gospell ought onely to be holden in Christes church and is sufficient alone for it speaketh so far out of reason that he is not worthy to be reasoned withall fol. 37. 6. They that hold that the crosse of siluer or golde ought not to be worshipped with kissing of it bowyng kneeling to it are enemies to Christes true crosse take away the meanes that might set out the glory of Christes crosse fol. 49. 7. Neither Paule nor the crosse can be worshipped with godly honour fol. 61. 8. As Christ vsed clay for an instrument to heale the blind mans eyes withall hath saued diuers by fayth made it an instrument of saluation and as God hath ordained Timothy to be an instrument of saluation both to himselfe and for other so may the Pope ordaine holy water to bee an instrument of saluation both of body and soule to all them that are sprinkled with it fol. 64. 9. No man can commit Idolatry with his body alone in onely kissyng of an Image or Idol in only kneelyng to it can no Idolatry be committed fol. 52. 10. For as much as God vnderstandeth them that sing in Latin though they vnderstand not themselues their praier is acceptable before God fol. 76. 11. As a father may forbid certain of his children to marry so may a king in hys kingdom forbid certayne of hys subiects to marry that is to lay all the priests of his realme fol. 83. 12. He that would take away the Popes ceremonies out of the church should driue away all godlinesse and seemelines all religious and deuout behauiour out of the church fol. 94. Here hast thou good Reder this stout prelate of Winchest with all his properties doyngs qualities as in a certaine Anatomie proportioned out vnto thee whereby thou maiest boldly iudge and nothing erre in thy iudgement what is to be estemed of hym by his fruits as who neither was tene Protestant nor right papist neither cōstant in hys error nor yet stedfast in the truth neither frēd to the Pope yet a perfect enemy to Christ false in king Henries tyme a dissembler in K. Edwards tyme double periured and a murderer in Queene Maries tyme mutable and inconstāt in all tymes And finally where in his letters to the L. Protector and others vsually he vanteth so much of his late soueraign lord K. Henry the 8. of the great reputation that he was in with him read I beseech thee behold in the depositions of the L. Paget in the old booke pag. 806. col 1. also in the depositions of the Erle of Bedford pag. 824. and there ye shall see the king before his death both excepting hym out of his pardons quite strikyng hym out of his last wyll testament so detested abhorred hym as he did no english man more And where as the L. Paget beyng sent in message from the K. to the bishoppe by other words then the kings mynde and will was of his owne dexteritie gaue to hym good gracious words which in deed the kyng neither knew nor yet wer sent by hym the B. perswading himselfe otherwise of the kings fauor towards hym then it was in deed was therin far deceiued and brought into a fooles paradise wherof read both in the old booke before and also in this present volume To describe paint out the vnstable mutabilitie of this B. aforesaid albeit here need no more to be added besides that which is alredy declared yet notwithstanding seyng the matter is not long it shal not be out of the way to annexe withall vnto the premisses a piece of Drianders letter written to one Crispine phisition in Oxford sent from Antwerpe concerning the doyngs and behauiour of this B. of Winchester whose story we haue now in hand The copy of which Drianders letter written to the sayd Crispine hys friend beginneth thus ¶ Doctissimo viro Edmundo Crispino amico integerrimo Oxoniae ANte meam ex Lutetia profectionē dedi literas ad te per Anglum illum communem amicum nostrum c. ¶ The English wherof as much as to the present purpose appertaineth here followeth translated BEfore my departure from the Citie of Paris I wrote vnto you by our friend the Englishman c. Now you shal be contented onely with the narration of your B. of Winchester who as appertained to the embassadour of so noble a Prince came to Louane with a great brauerie and was there receiued at one Ieremies house and most honourably entertained where the facultie of Diuines for honor sake presented him wyne in the name of the whole Uniuersitie But our famous doctors and learned Maisters for that they would more deepely search and vnderstand the learnyng and excellency of the Prelate perused and scanned a certaine Oration made by hym and now extant intituled De vera obedientia in the which hys Oration he did impugne the supremacy of the B. of Rome and preferred his Lords and kyngs authoritie before the holy Apostolike sea as they terme it whiche beyng read and considered by them they did not onely repent them for geuyng hym such honour but also recanted that which they had done and did not so much honor him afore but now they were as earnest as spitefull agaynst hym Richard Lathomus interpreter of termes with the fauourers of that fraternitie and other champions of the fallyng church disputed with hym concernyng the Popes supremacy This B. stoutely defended his sayd Oration The Diuines contrary stifly maintained their opinion diuers tymes openly with exclamations called the sayde B. an excommunicate person and a schismatike to no litle reproch and infamy of the English nation The Byshop not long after mindyng to say masse in S. Peters church they did deny vnto hym as to an excommunicate person the Ornamentes and Uestimentes meete for the same wherewyth he beyng hyghly offended sodaynely hastned hys iourney from thence The Deane the next day after made an eloquent Oration wherein hee openly disgraced and defamed hym You haue heard now a true storye for oure Doctour was a beholder of the whole Tragedie c. And this now beyng sufficient for Gardiners story to leaue hym to his iudge to let him go we shall returne proceed by the grace leaue of the Lord as the course of these dolefull dayes shall lead vs to prosecute the residue of Christes Martyrs as now in order followeth ¶ The burnyng of Iohn Webbe gentleman George Roper and Gregory Parke at Caunterbury as followeth NExt after the death constant Martyrdom of the two most worthy champions standerdbearers of Christes army D. Nich. Ridley and M. Hugh Latymer of whom ye haue heard at large followed three other stoute and bold souldiours that is to say Iohn Web gentlemā George Roper and Gregory Parke This Iohn Web
the Sacrament of the aultar Phil. Sir I am not come now to dispute with your maistership and the tyme now serueth not thereto but to answer to that I may be lawfully charged withall Story Wel since thou wilt not reuoke that thou hast done thou shalt be had into the Lollards Tower Phil. Sir since you will needes shew me this extremitie and charge me with my conscience I do desire to see your Commission whether you haue this autority so to do and after the view therof I shal according to my duety make you further answer if you may by the vertue therof burthen me with my conscience Roper Let hym see the Commission is it here Story Shall wee let euery vyle persone see our Commission Cholm Let him go from whence he came and on Thursday he shall see our Commission Story No let hym lie in the meane while in the Lollardes Tower for I will sweepe the Kings Bench all other prisons also of these heretikes they shall not haue that resort as they haue had to scatter their heresies Phil. You haue power to transferre my body from place to place at your pleasure but you haue no power ouer my soule And I passe not whether you commit me for I can not be worse entreated then I am kept all day in a close chamber wherfore it is no maruell that my flesh is puft vp wherewithall M. Doctor is offended Story Marshall take him home with you agayne and see that you bring him againe on Thursday and then we shal ridde your fingers of him and afterward of your other heretikes Philpot. God hath appointed a day shortly to come in the which he will iudge vs with righteousnesse how so euer you iudge of vs now Roper Be content to be ruled by M. Doctor shew your selfe a catholike man Phil. Sir if I should speake otherwise then my conscience is I should but dissemble with you why be you so earnest to haue me shew my self a dissembler both to God and you which I cannot do Roper We do not require you to dissemble with vs but to be a Catholike man Phil. If I do stand in any thing against that wherein any man is able to burthen me with one iote of the Scripture I shall be content to be counted no Catholike man or an heretike as you please Story Haue we Scripture Scripture and wyth that he rose vp saying who shal be Iudge I pray you This mā is lyke his fellow Woodman which the other day woulde haue nothyng els but scripture And this is the beginning of this tragedie ¶ The second examination of Iohn Philpot before the Queenes Commissioners M. Cholmley Roper D. Story D. Cooke and the Scribe the 24 day of Octo. 1555. at Newgate Sessions Hall AT my comming a man of Algate of myne acquaintāce said vnto me God haue mercy on you for you are alredy condemned in this world for D. Story said that my L. Chancellor hath commaunded to do you away After a little consultation had betwene them M. Cholmley called me vnto him saying Cholm M. Philpot shew your selfe a wise man be not stubburne in your owne opinion but bee conformable to the Queenes proceedyngs and lyue and you shall be wel assured of great fauour and reputation Phil. I shall do as it becommeth a Christian man to do Story This man is the rankest heretike that hath bene in all my L. Chancellors Dioces and hath done more hurt then any man els there therfore hys pleasure is that hee should haue the law to proceede against him and I haue spoken with my L. herein and he willeth him to be committed to the B. of London there to recant or els burne He houled and wept in the Conuocation house and made such adoe as neuer man did as all the heretikes doe when they lacke learnyng to aunswer He shall go after hys fellowes How sayst thou wilt thou recant Phil. I know nothyng I haue done that I ought to recant Story Well then I pray you let vs commit him to the Lollards Tower there to remaine vntil he be further examined before the B. of London for he is to fine fedde in the kings Bench and he hath too much fauour there For hys keper said at the doore yesterday that he was the finest fellow and one of the best lerned in England and with this he rose vp and went his way Cooke This man hath most stoutely mainteined heresies since the Queenes comming in as any that I haue heard of therfore it is most meete he should be adiudged by the B. of London for the heresies he hath mainteyned Phil. I haue mainteined no heresies Cooke No haue Did ye not openly speake against the sacrament of the aultar in the Conuocation house Call you that no heresie Wilt thou recant that or not Phil. It was the Quenes Maiesties pleasure that we should reason thereof not by my seeking but by other mens procuring in the hearyng of the Counsaile Cooke Did the Queene geue you leaue to be an heretike You may be sure her grace wyl not so do Wel we wil not dispute the matter with you my L. of London shall proceed by inquisition vpon thee and if thou wilt not recant thou shalt be burned Phil. My L. of London is not myne Ordinary in this behalfe and I haue already answered vnto myne Ordinary in this matter and therefore as I haue sayd before you shall do me great wrong to vexe me twise for one matter since I haue sustained this long imprisonment besides the losse of my liuyng Roper You were a very vnmeet man to be an Archdeacō Phil. I know I was as meet a mā as he that hath it now Cooke A meete man quoth he He troubled M. Roper and the whole countrey Phil. There was neuer poore Archdeacon so handled at your handes as I am and that without any iust cause ye be able to lay vnto me Cooke Thou art no Archdeacon Phil. I am Archdeacon still although another be in possession of my liuyng for I was neuer depriued by any law Cooke No sir that needeth not for a notorious heretike should haue no Ordinary proceeding about his depriuation but the B. may vpon knowledge thereof proceed to depriuation Phil. M. Doctor you know that the common law is other wise and besides this the statutes of this Realme be otherwyse which geueth this benefit to euery person thogh he be an heretike to enioy his liuyng vntill he bee put to death for the same Cholm No there thou art deceyued Phil. Upon the liuyng I passe not But the vniust dealing grieueth me that I should bee thus troubled for my conscience contrary to all law Cholm Why wyll you not agree that the Queenes Maiestie may cause you to be examined of your fayth Phil. Aske you M. Doctor Cooke and he will tell you that the temporall magistrates haue nothing to doe with matters of fayth for determination
with me and nothing against me as my Lord of London hath pretended For I will aske of my Lorde Rich here whom I know to haue good knowledge in the lawes and statutes of this realm albeit a Iudge may discerne the meaning of a statute agreable to the wordes whether the same may iudge a meaning contrary to the expres wordes or no Rich. He cannot so do Phil. Euen so say I that no man ought to iudge the word of God to haue a meaning contrary to the expresse words therof as this false church of Rome doth in many things and with this the Lordes seemed to be satisfied and made no further replication herein Rich. I meruaile thē why you do deny the expresse words of Christ in the sacrament saying This is my body and yet you will not sticke to say it is not his body Is not GOD omnipotent and is not he able as well by his omnipotencie to make it his body as he was to make man flesh of a peece of clay Did not he say This is my body whiche shal be betrayed for you and was not his very bodye betrayed for vs therfore it must needes be his body London My Lord Rich you haue sayde wonderfull well and learnedly But you might haue begon with hym before also in the 6. of Iohn where Christe promised to geue his body in the sacrament of the aultar saying Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est The bread which I will geue is my fleshe How can you answere to that Phil. If it please you to geue me leaue to answere first my Lord Rich I will also answere this obiection Rich. Answere my lord of Lōdon first after come to me Philpot. My Lord of London may be soone answered that that the saying of S. Iohn is that the humanitie of chryst which he took vpon him for the redemption of man is the bread of life whereby our bodyes soules be susteined to eternall lyfe of the which the sacramentall bread is a liuely representation and an effectuall cohabitation to all suche as beleue on his Passion and as Christ sayth in the same 6 of Iohn I am the bread that came downe from heauen but yet he is not materiall neither naturall bread Likewise the bread is his flesh not naturall or substantiall but by signification and by grace in a sacrament And now to my Lord Riches argument I do not deny the expresse wordes of Christ in the sacrament This is my body but I deny that they are naturally and corporally to be taken they must be taken sacramentally and spiritually according to the expresse declaration of Christ saying that the wordes of the sacrament whiche the Capernites tooke carnally as the papistes nowe doe ought to be taken spiritually not carnally as they falsly imagine not waying what interpretation of Christe hath made in this behalfe neither follow the Institution of Christ neyther the vse of the Apostles and of the primatiue Churche who neuer taught neither declared no such carnall maner of presence as is now exacted of vs violently without any ground of scripture or antiquitie who vsed to put oute of the Church all such as did not receiue the sacrament wyth the rest and also to burne that which was left after the receiuing as by the Canon of the Apostles and by the decree of the Councell of Antioch may appeare London No that is not so they were onely Cathecumeni which went out of the Church at the celebration of the cōmunion and none other Phil. It was not onely of such as were Nouices in fayth but all others that did not receaue London What say you to the omnipotencie of God is not be able to performe that which he spake as my Lord Rich hath very well said I tell thee that God by his omnipotency may make himselfe to be this carpet if he will Phil. As concerning the omnipotencie of God I say that God is able to do as the Prophet Dauid sayth what soeuer he willeth but he willeth nothing that is not agreeable to hys word as that is blasphemy which my Lorde of London hath spoken that God may become a Carpet For as I haue learned of auncient writers Non potest Deus facere quae sunt naturae suae contraria That is God cannot doe that which is contrary to his nature as it is contrary to the nature of God to be a Carpet A Carpet is a creature God is the creator and the creator cānot be the creature wherfore vnlesse you can declare by the worde that Christ is otherwise present with vs then spiritually and sacramentally by grace as he hath taught vs you pretend the omnipotencie of God in vayne London Why wilt thou not say that Christ is really present in the sacrament Or do you deny it Phil. I deny not that Christ is really in the Sacrament to the receauer therof according to Christes institution London What meane you by really present Phil. I meane by really present present in deed London Is God really present euery where Phil. He is so London How proue you that Phil. The Prophet Esay sayth That God filleth all places and where soeuer there be two or three gathered together in Christes name there is he in the middest of them London What his humanitie Phil. No my Lord I meane the deitie accordinge to that you demaunded Rich. My Lord of London I praye you let mayster Doctour Chedsey reason with him and let vs see how hee can aunswere him for I tell thee he is a learned man in deede one that I do credite before a great many of you whose doctrine the Queenes maiestie and the whole realme doth well allow therefore heare him Lond. My Lordes I pray you wil it please you to drinke you haue talked a great while and much talke is thursty I will leaue M. Doctour and him reasoning together a while with your leaue and will come to you by and by agayne He went as I suppose to make rowme for more drinke after the Lordes had dronken Rich. My Lord Rich sayde to the Lordes I praye you let the poore man drinke for hee is thirsty and with that hee called for a cup of drinke and gaue it me and I dranke before them all God requite it hym for I was a thyrst indeede Afterwardes Doctor Chadsey began in this wise making a great processe of the which this is the effect Chadsey M. Philpot findeth fault with the Conuocation house before your Lordships that he hath layne this long in prison and that he had there a dosen Arguments wherof he could not be suffred to prosecute one throughly whiche is not so for he had leaue to say what he could was aunswered to asmuche as he was able to bring and when he had nothing els to say he fell to weeping I was there present and can testifie therof albeit there is a
strikers and my womanish backe to theyr burthens of reproofe and so in the strength of my God I truste to leape ouer the wall for his sweetenesse ouercommeth me dayly maketh al these poticary druggs of the world euen medicinelike in my mouth For the continuance wherof I beseech thee my deare fellow souldior make thy faythful prayer for me that I may with a strong and gladsome conscience finish my course and obtayne the reward though it be no whit due to my worke I am not content that you so often gratifie me with thankes for that which is none worthy but duty on my part small reliefe to you But if you would loue me so much that I might supply your lackes then would I think ye beleued my offers to be such as agreed with my hart And for the short charges ye speake of the meanes are not so pleasant if god who my trust is in will otherwise prepare but Salomō saith Al things haue here their time You to day I to morow so the ende of Adams line is soone ronne out The mightye God geue vs his grace that during this time his glory be not defaced through our weakenes Because you desire to shew your selfe a worthy souldiour if neede so require I will supply your request for the Scarfe yee wrote of that ye may present my handy worke before your Captayne that I be not forgotten in the odours of incense which our beloued Christ offereth for his owne to whom I bequeth both our bodies and soules Your owne in the Lord. F.E. Ouer and besides these letters the Bishops did also bring forth a supplication made by mayster Philpot vnto the high Court of Parliament whereof mention is made in the first of the two letters last mentioned the copy wherof doth here ensue as followeth To the King and Queenes Maiesties highnesse the Lordes spiritual and temporall and the commons of this present Parliament assembled IN most humble wise complayneth vnto this honorable Courte of Parliament Iohn Philpot Clarke that where there was by the Queenes highnesse a parliament called in the first yeare of her gracious raygne and after the olde custome a Couocation of the Clergy your suppliant then being one of the sayd Conuocation house and matters there rising vppon the vsing of the Sacramentes did dispute in the same knowing that there all men had and hath had free speach and ought not to be after troubled for any thinge there spoken and yet that notwithstanding not long after the sayd Parliament your sayd suppliant without any acte or matter was commaunded to prison to the kings Benche by the late Lord Chauncellour where he hath remayned euer sithens vntil now of late that my Lord the B. of London hath sent for your sayd suppliant to examine him being none of his Dioces vpon certayn matters wherein they would haue your Oratour to declare his conscience whiche the sayd bishop sayth hee hath authoritie to do by reason of an Acte of Parliament made in the first and second yeares of the king and queeenes Maiesties raignes for the reuiuing of three Satutes made agaynst thē that hold any opinion agaynst the Catholicke fayth whereby he affirmeth that euery Ordinary may Ex Officio examine euery mans conscience and for that your sayde Oratour hath and doth refuse that the sayd Bish. of London hath any authoritie ouer your sayd Oratour for that he is neyther Diocesane nor hath publyshed preached nor held any opinion against the Catholicke faith notwithstanding the said Bishop of London deteineth him in the Colehouse in the stockes without eyther bed or any other thing to lye vpon but straw and for that your sayde Oratour cannot appeale for his reliefe from the sayd Bishop to anye other Iudge but the same bishop may refuse the same by theyr law and therefore hath no succour and helpe but by this high Courte of Parliament for the explanatiō of the sayd Acte therefore it may please you that it may be enacted by the kinge and Queenes Maiesties the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the Commons of this present Parliament assembled and by the authoritie of the same that no Byshop nor Ordinary shall committe nor detayne in prison any suspect person or persones for the Catholicke fayth except he or they haue spoken written or done some manifest Act against the Catholicke fayth and the same to be lawfully proued agaynst euery such person and persons by the testimony of two lawfull witnesses to be brought afore the sayd person or persons so accused before he or they shal eyther be committed to prison or conuict for any such offence or offences the sayd former statute made in the sayd first second yeare of our said soueraigne Lord and Lady notwithstanding Whereby your sayde Oratour shal not only bee set at libertie diuers other mo remayning in prison but also the bloude of diuers of the Quueenes Maiesties true and faythfull subiectes preserued The condemnation of the worthy Martyr of God Iohn Philpot. THese bookes Letters Supplications and other matters being thus read the bishop demaunded of him if the booke intituled The true report of the disputation c. were of his penning or not Whereunto Philpot aunswered that it was a good and true booke and of hys owne penning and setting forth The bishops waxing now weary and being not able by any sufficient ground either of Gods worde or of the true ancient Catholicke fathers to conuince ouercome him fell by fayre and flattering speach to perswade wyth him promising that if he would reuoke his opinions and come home agayne to their Romishe and Babilonicall Church he should not onely be pardoned that which was past but also they would with al fauour and chearefulnes of hart receiue him agayne as a true member therof Whiche words when Boner saw would take no place hee demandeth of M. Philpot and that with a charitable affection I warrant you whether he had any iust cause to alledge why he shoulde not condemne him as an hereticke Well quoth M. Philpot your idolatrous sacrament which you haue found out ye would fayne defend but ye cannot nor neuer shall In the end the Byshop seeing hys vnmoueable stedfastnes in the trueth did pronounce openly the sentence of condemnation against him In the reading wherof when he came to these words Teque etiam tanquam haereticum obstinatum pertinacem impoenitentem c. M. Philpot said I thanke God that I am an hereticke out of your cursed Church I am no hereticke before God But God blesse you and geue you once grace to repent youre wicked doinges and let all men beware of your bloudy church Moreouer whiles Boner was about the middest of the sentence the bishop of Bath pulled him by the sleeue sayd My Lord my Lord knowe of him first whether hee will recant or no Then Boner sayd full like himselfe oh let me alone and so read forth the sentence And
which say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of God but he that doth the will of the father And whosoeuer in the tyme of tryall is ashamed of me sayth Christ and of my wordes of him the sonne of man will be ashamed before his father After that wee haue built our selues into the true church of God it hath pleased him by geuing vs ouer into the hands of the wicked sinagoges to proue our building to haue it knowne as wel to the world as to our selues that we haue bene wise builders into the true church of God vpon the rock not on the sand therefore nowe the tempest is risen and the stormes doe mightily blow agaynst vs that wee might notwithstanding stand vpright and be firme in the Lord to his honor and glory and to our eternall felicitie There is no newe thing happened vnto vs for with such tāpests dangerous weathers the church of God hath continually bene exercised Nowe once agayne as the Prophet Aggeus telleth vs The Lord shaketh the earth that those might abide for euer which be not ouerthrowne Therefore my dearely beloued be stable and immoueble in the word of God and in the faythfull obseruation therof and let no man deceiue you with vayn words saying that you may keepe your faith to your selues and dissemble with Antichrist and so liue at rest and quietnes in the world as most men doe yelding to necessitie Thys is the wisedome of the fleshe but the wisedome of the fleshe is death and enmitie to God as our sauiour for ensāple aptly did declare in Peter who exhorted Christ not to goe to Ierusalem to celebrate the Passouer and there to be slayn but counselled him to looke better to himselfe Likewise the worlde woulde not haue vs to forsake it neither to associate our selues to the true churche which is the body of Christ whereof we are liuely members and to vse the sacramentes after Gods word with the danger of our liues But we must learne to answere the world as Christ did Peter and say Go behynd me Sathan thou fauourest not the thinges of God Shall I not drinke of the cup whiche the father geueth me For it is better to bee afflicted and to be slayne in the church of God then to be counted the sonne of the king and the sinagogue of false religion Death for righteousnes is not to be abhorred but rather to bee desired which assuredly bringeth with it the crowne of euerlasting glory These bloudy executioners do not persecute Christes martyrs but crowne them with euerlasting felicitie we were borne into this world to be witnesses vnto the truth both learned and vnlearned Now since the time is come that we must shew our fayth and declare whether we will be Gods seruauntes in righteousnes holines as we haue bene taught are boūd to follow or els with hipocrisie to serue vnrighteousnes let vs take good heed that we be found faithfull in the Lords couenaunt and true members of hys Churche in that which through knowledge we are engraffed from the whiche if we fall by transgression with the common sort of people it will more straightly be required of vs then many yet doe make accompt therof We cannot serue two maysters we may not halt on both sides and thinke to please God we must bee feruent in Gods cause or els hee will cast vs out from him For by the first commaundement wee are commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our mind with all our power and strength but they are manifest transgressours of this commaundement which with their heart mynde or bodely power doe communicate with a straunge religion contrary to the word of God in the papisticall Sinagogue which calleth it selfe the Church and is not As greatly do they offend God now which so doe as the Israelites did in tymes past by forsaking Ierusalē the true churche of God and by going to Bethell to serue God in a congregation of theyr owne setting vp and after theyr own imaginations and traditions for the which doyng God vtterly destroyed all Israell as all the Prophetes almost doe testifie This happened vnto them for our ensample that we might beware to haue any fellowship with any like congregation to our destruction God hath one Catholicke church dispersed throughout the world and therfore we are taught in our Creed to beleue one Catholicke Churche to haue communion therwith which catholicke churche is grounded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and of the Apostles and vpō none other as S. Paule witnesseth to the Ephesians Therfore whersoeuer we perceaue any people to worship God truly after the word there we may be certayne the churche of Christe to bee vnto the whiche we ought to associate oure selues to desire with the Prophet Dauid to prayse God in the middest of this churche But if we hehold through iniquitie of time segregations to be made with counterfayt religion otherwise then the word of God doth teach wee ought then if we be required to be companions therof to say agayne with Dauid I haue hated the Sinagogue of the malignant and will not sit with the wicked In the Apocalips the church of Ephesus is highly commended because she tried such as said they were Apostles and were not in deede therfore would not abide the company of them Further God commanded his people that they shuld not seek Bethel neither enter into Gilgal where idolatry was vsed by the mouth of his Prophet Amos. Also wee must consider that our bodyes be the tēple of God whosoeuer as S. Paule teacheth doth prophane the tēple of God him the Lord wil destroy May we thē take the tēple of Christ make it the mēber of an harlot All strange religion and Idolatry is counted whoredome with the Prophetes and that more detestable in the sight of God then the aduoutrous abuse of the bodye Therfore the Princes of the earthe in the reuelation of S. Iohn be sayd to go a whoring whē they are in loue with false religion and follow the same How then by any meanes may a christian man thinke it tollerable to be present at the popish priuate Masse which is the very prophanation of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and at other idolatrous worshippings and rites which be not after the word of God but rather to the derogation therof in setting mans traditions aboue Gods preceptes since God by his word iudgeth all straunge religion whiche is not according to his institutiō for whoredom aduoutry Some fondly think that the presence of the body is not materiall so that the hart doe not consent to theyr wicked doings But suche persons litle consider what S. Paule writeth to the Corinthians commaunding them to glorifie God as well in body as in soule Moreouer wee can doe no greater iniury to the true Church of Christ
is a worker of that which is by nature for commonly such as be vngodly be vnnatural only louers of themselues as daily experience teacheth vs. The lyuing Lord which through the incorruptible sede of his worde hath begotten you to be my liege sister geue you grace so to growe in that generation that you may encrease to a perfect age in the Lord to be my sister with Christ for euer Looke therfore that you continue a faythfull sister as you are called and are godly entered not onely to me but to all the Church of Christ yea to Christ himselfe who voucheth you in this your vnfayned fayth worthy to bee his sister Consider this dignitie to surmount all the vayne dignities of the worlde let it accordingly preuayle more with you then all earthly delightes For therby you are called to an equall portion of the euerlasting inheritaunce of Christ if now in no wise you do shew your selfe an vnnaturall sister to him in forsaking him in trouble which I trust you will neuer for no kinde of worldly respect doe You are vnder daungerous temptations to be turned frō that naturall loue you owe vnto Christ and you shal be tryed with Gods people thorough a siue of great afflictiō for so Sathan desireth vs to be sifted that through feare of sharp troubles we might fall from the stablenes of our fayth and so be depriued of that honour ioy and reward which is prepared for such as continue faythfull brothers and sisters in the Lordes couenant to the ende Therfore the wise man in the booke of Ecclesiasticus biddeth them that come to the seruice of the Lorde To prepare them selues to suffer temptations Since then that for the glory of God and our faith we are called now to abide the brunt of them and that when our aduersary hath done all that he can yet wee may be stable and stand this Christ our first begotten brother loketh for at our handes and all our brethren and sisters in heauen desire to see our faith thorough afflictions to be perfecte that we might fulfil their number and the vniuersal church here militant reioyceth at our constancie whom al by the contrary we should make sorie to the daunger of the losse both of body and soule Feare not therfore what soeuer be threatned of the wicked world prepare your back and see it be ready to carye Christes crosse And if you see any vntowardnes in you as the flesh is continually repugnant to the will of God aske with faithfull praier that the good spirit of God may lead your sinful flesh whether it would not for if we will dwell in the flesh and folow the counsell therof we shall neuer doe the will of God neither worke that tendeth to our saluation You are at this present in the confines and borders of Babylon where you are in danger to drink of the whores cup vnles you be vigilant in praier Take hede the Serpent seduce you not frō the simplicitye of your faith as he did our first mother Eue. Let no worldly felowship make you partaker of iniquitie He that toucheth tarre can not but be defiled therby With such as be peruerse a mā shall sone be peruerted with the holy you shal be holy Therfore say continually with the Prophete Dauid Vnto the Saints that be on the earth al my wil is on them You haue bene sanctified and made pure thorough the truth take heede you be not vnholied and vndefiled lest the last be worse then the first I wryte not this because I stand in any doubt of your sincere continuance of the which I haue had so good experience but because the daies be euil and in the same it is the duety of euery one of vs to exhort an other I am bold to put you my good sister in remembrance of that which doth not a litle comfort me to remember in my troubles daily temptations Wherfore I doubt not you will take that in good part which commeth frō your brother both in spirit body who tendreth your saluation as earnestly as his owne that we might ioye together eternally with such ioy as the world shal neuer be able to take from vs. Thankes be vnto God you haue begon to run a good great time wel in the waies of the Lorde run out of the trace to the end which you haue begon then shall you receiue the crown of glory None shal be crouned but such as lawfully striueth Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euil with good the Lorde shall make you one of those faithfull virgines that shal follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth the which Christ graunt both you and me Amen Commend me to all them that loue me in the Lord vnfainedly God encrease our faith and geue vs neuer to be ashamed of his Gospell That same request which I haue made to my brother Thom. I make also to you desiring you by all meanes you can to accōplish my request that my sureties might be satisfied with that is mine owne to the contentation of my minde which can not be quiet vntill they be discharged therefore I pray you help to purchase quietnes that I might depart out of this worlde in peace My dissolution I looke for daily but the Lorde knoweth howe vnworthy I am of so high an honour as to die for the testimony of his truth Pray that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy as he hath don of long imprisonment for the which his name be praised for euer Pray and looke for the comming of the Lorde whose wrath is great ouer vs and I wil pray for you as long as I liue The 9. of Iuly in the kings Bench. Your owne louing brother as well in faith as in body Iohn Philpot. An other Letter of Iohn Philpot to certaine Godly brethren THe grace of God the Father and the peace of our sauiour Iesus Christ his eternall sonne and the consolation of the holy Ghost our comforter strengthen your hearts and cōfort your mindes that you maye reioyce and liue in the truthe of Christes Gospel to the ende Amen I doe much reioyce dearely beloued in the Lord to heare of your cōstant faith in the word of God which you haue so purely receiued which doe not with the wordlings decline frō the purity therof albeit ye suffer grief trouble therby for the which I praise God most hartely and the Lord of all strength who hath begon this good woorke in you make it perfite to the ende as I doubt not but he wil for the faithful zeale ye haue to his truth to his afflicted church Therfore that ye may the better stand and beare the brunte of many temptations which you are like to be assaulted withall in these wicked and stormie daies I thought it good as it is the duety of one christian man to exhort an other in the time of trouble
to put you in remembraunce therof to wil you with the wise man to prepare your selues to temptatioÌ„s to beware that ye which yet do stand by the goodnes of God may not fall from your liuely knowledge and hope It is an easie thing to begin to do wel but to coÌ„tinue out in well doing is the onely property of the children of God and such as assuredly shal be saued For so sayth our Sauiour in his Gospel Blessed are they that perseuere to the ende Let not therefore this certaintye of your saluation which is coÌ„tinuance in the sincerity of faith slide froÌ„ you Esteme it more then al the riches pleasures of this world for it is the most acceptable treasure of eternall life This is that precious stone for the which the wise marchant man after the Gospell doeth sell all that he hath bieth the same God in the 3. of the Apocal. doth signifye to the church that there shall come a time of temptation vpon the whole world to trye the dwellers on the earth FroÌ„ the danger of which temptation al such shal be deliuered as obserue his worde which worde there is called the worde of patience to geue vs to vnderstande that we must be ready to suffer all kinde of iniuries and sclaunders for the profession thereof Therfore God coÌ„mandeth vs there to hold it fast that no man might berefte vs of our crowne of glorye and S Peter telleth vs now we are afflicted with diuers assaies as it is need it should so be That the triall of our faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth and yet is tried by fire might redound to the laud glory and honour of Iesus Christ. S. Paule to the Hebrues sheweth vs that Christe our Sauiour was in his humanitie made perfect by afflictions that we being called to perfection in him might more willingly susteine the troubles of the worlde by the which God geueth all them that be exercised in the same for his sake his holinesse And in the 12. chap. of the said Epistle is wrytten My sonne refuse not the correction of the Lord nor shrinke not when thou art rebuked of him for the Lord doth chastice euery sonne whome he receiueth c. Christ in the Gospell of S. Iohn biddeth his disciples to looke after afflictions saying in the worlde yee shall haue trouble but in me yee shall haue ioy And therefore in the middest of their trouble in the 21. of S. Luke hee biddeth them looke vp and lift vp their heads for your redemption sayeth he is at hand And in the 22 he sayth to all suche as be afflicted for him You are those that haue abidden with me in my temptations and therefore I appoynt vnto you a kingdom as my father hath appoynted for me to eate and drinke vpon my table in my kingdome O howe glorious be the crosses of Christe which bring the bearers of them vnto so blessed an ende Shall we not be glad to be partakers of such shame as may bring vs to so high a dignitie God open their eyes to see al things as they be and to iudge vprightly Then doubtlesse we would thinke with Moises that it is better to be afflicted with the people of God then to be counted the king of Egypts sonne Then should we ioyfully say with Dauid in all our aduersities and troubles It is good O Lord thou hast brought me lowe to the ende I might learne thy righteousnesse Therefore S. Paule woulde not glory in any other thyng of the worlde but in the crosse of Christ in other his infirmities We haue the commaundement of Christe daily to take vppe his crosse and follow him We haue the godly ensamples of all his apostles and holy martyrs which with great ioy and exultation haue suffered the losse of landes goods and life for the hope of a better reward which is laide vp for all those in heauen that vnfainedly cleaue to the gospel and neuer be ashamed therof Great is the felicitye of the world to the outwarde man and very pleasant are the transitory delights therof but the rewarde of the rightuous after the word of God doth incomparably excell them all in so much that S. Paul to the Rom. doth plainly affirme that all the tribulations of this world can not deserue that glory which shall be shewed vpon vs. Let vs therfore good brethren and sisterne be mery glad in these troublesome daies the which be sent of God to declare our faith and to bring vs to the ende and fruition of that which we hope for If we woulde enter into the Lordes Sanctuarie and behold what is prepared for vs we could not but desire the Lord to hast the day of our death in the which we might set forth by true confession his glory Neither should we be afraide to meete our aduersaries which so earnestly seeke our spoile and death as Christ did Iudas and that wicked route which came to appreheÌ„d him saying I am he whom ye seeke It is commaunded vs by the Gospel not to feare them that canne kill the bodye but to feare God who can cast both body and soule into hel fire So muche wee are bounde to obserue this commaundement as anye other which God hath geuen vs. The Lorde encrease our faith that we feare God more then man The Lord geue vs such loue towards him his truth that we may be content to forsake all followe him Nowe wil it appeare what we loue best for to that we loue we will sticke There is none to be counted woorthy a Christian except he can finde in his heart for Christes sake if the confession of his truth doth require it to renounce al which he hath and followe him and in so doing he gaineth an hundreth folde more in this life as our Sauiour sayde to Peter and heere after is assured of eternal life Beholde I pray you what he loseth whâ—ch in this life receiueth a 100. for one with assuraÌ„ce of eternall 〈◊〉 O hapy exchaunge Perchaunce your outward man will say if I were sure of this great recompence here I could be glad to forsake all But where is this 100. folde in this life to be founde Yes truely for in stead of worldly richesse which thou doest forsake which be but temporall thou hast found the euerlasting richesse of heauen which be glory honour and praise both before God aungels and men and for an earthly habitation hast an eternall mansion with Christ in heauen for euen now thou art of the citie and housholde of the Saints with God as it is verified in the 4 to the Philippians For worldly peace which canne last but a while thou doest possesse the peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding and for the losse of a few frends thou art made a felowe of the innumerable companye of heauen and a perpetuall frend of all those
lawes which doe threaten a greate ruine vnto Englande O that the Lorde woulde tourne his iust iudgements vppon the authours of the truce breaking betweene God and vs that they myghte be broughte lowe as Nabuchodonosor was that his people might be deliuered and his glorye exalted God graunte that that good lucke which you hope shortly to come vppon the house of God be a true prophecie and not a well wishing onely Ah Lorde take away thy heauie hande from vs and stretch it out vpon thine ennemies these hypocrites as thou hast begon that they may be confounded O let not the weake pearish for want of knowledge through our sinnes Although thou kill vs yet will we put our trust in thee Thus deare heart you teache me to pray with you in wryting God heare our praiers and geue vs the spirite of effectuall prayer to poure out our harts cōtinually together before God that we may find mercy both for our selues and for our afflicted brethren and sistern I can not but praise God in you for that pitifull heart that taketh other folkes calamities to heart as your owne Blessed be they that mourne for suche shall be comforted God wipe away all teares from your pitifull eies and sorrow frō your merciful heart that you may as doutles you shal do shortly reioyce with his elects for euer You haue so armed me to the Lordes battell both inwardly and outwardly that except I be a very coward I can not faint but ouercome by death You haue appointed me to so good and gracious a General of the field to so victorious a Captaine and to so fauorable a Marshall that if I should not goe on lustely there were no spectacle of heauenlye manhode in me I wil present your coate armour before my Captaine and in the same I trust by him to ouercome The Scarffe I desire as an outward signe to shew our enemies who see not our glorious ende neither what God worketh inwardly in vs thorough the blindnesse of their hearts that they persecute Christes crosse in vs whereby he hath sealed vp the truthe of his Gospell by his death vnto vs that we by our death if neede be myghte confirme the same and neuer be ashamed whatsoeuer torment we doe suffer for his names sake and our weake brethren seeing the same mighte be more encouraged to take vp Christes crosse and to followe him God geue vs grace to doe all thinges to his glory Amen c. The world wondreth how we can be mery in such extreeme misery but our God is omnipotent which tourneth misery into felicity Beleue me deare sister there is no such ioy in the worlde as the people of Christ haue vnder the crosse I speake by experience therfore beleue me and feare nothing that the world can do vnto you For when they imprison our bodies they sette our soules at liberty with God When they cast vs downe they lift vs vp yea when they kill vs then doe they bring vs to euerlasting life And what greater glorye can there be then to be at conformitie with Christ which afflictions do worke in vs. God open our eies to see more and more the glorye of God in the crosse of Iesus Christe and make vs woorthy partakers of the same Let vs reioyce in nothing with S. Paul but in the crosse of Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified vnto vs and wo to the worlde The crosse of Christ be our standard to fight vnder for euer Whiles I am thus talking with you of our common cōsolation I forget howe I trouble you with my rude and vnordinate tediousnesse but you must impute it to loue which can not quickely departe from them whome hee loueth but desireth to poure himselfe into their bosomes Therefore though your flesh woulde be offended as it might iustly be at such rudenesse yet your spirit will say nay which taketh all thing in good part that commeth of loue And now I am departing yet will I take my leaue ere I goe and woulde faine speake somewhat that might declare my sincere loue to you for euer farewell O elect vessell of the Lorde to the comfort of hys afflicted flocke farewell on earth whome in heauen I am sure I shall not forget Farewell vnder the crosse most ioyfully and vntil we meete alwaies remember what Christe sayeth Be of good cheare for I haue ouercome the world c. God poure his spirit abundantly vpon you mine owne deare bowels in Christ vntil you may come to see the God of all Gods with his electes in the euerlasting Syon I send to you the kisse of peace with the which I do most entirely take my leaue of you at this present It is necessary we depart hence or els we could not be glorified Your heart is heauy because I say I must depart from you It is the calling of the mercifull father wherewithal you are contēt and so am I. Be of good comfort holde out your buckler of faith for by the strength therof we shal shortly mete in eternal glory to the which Christ bring both vs Amen Amen The 10. of December 1555. Death why should I feare thee since thou canst not hurt me But rid me from miserie vnto eternall glorie Dead to the world and liuing to Christ your owne brother sealed vp in the veritie of the Gospel for euer Iohn Philpot. An other letter of M. Philpot wrytten to the same Lady being a great supporter of hym I Can not but most hartily geue God thāks for these hys gifts in you whose brightnes many beholding that are weake are muche encouraged to seeke God likewise to cleaue to him hauing the ensample of so faithful and constant a gentlewoman before their eyes If the Queene of the South shall rise with the men of Christes generation and condemne them for that she came from the end of the world to heare the wisedome of Salomon then shal your sincere and godly conuersation thus shining in this dangerous time of the trial of christes people being a womā of a right worshipfull estate and wealthy condition condemne in the latter day a great many of these faint harted gospellers which so soone be gone backe and turned from the truth at the voyce of a handmaiden seeing that neyther the feare of imprisonment neither the possessions of the world wherwtal you are sufficiently indued aboue a great many can separate you from the loue of the truthe which God hath reueled vnto you Wherby it appeareth that the seede of Gods word which was sown in you fel not neitheir in the high way neither amōg the thorns neither vpō the stones but vpon a good ground which is blessed of god and bringeth forth fruit with great affliction an 100. fold to the glory of God and the encrease of his church c. In consideration wherof S. Iames biddeth vs highly to reioyce when soeuer we fall into many temptations knowing that it is but the
wil of God be don We are not so good as Iohn the Baptist which was beheaded in prison Darknes cannot abide the light Therefore their doings must declare what they are We are as shepe appoynted for a sacrifice to the Lord. We must not feare the fire for our Lord is a cōsuming fire which will put out the fiercenes of raging torments from vs. Be not afraid of them that can kil the body but feare him that can cast both body and soul into hel fire God forbid that we should reioyce otherwise then in the crosse of Christ pray that he would make vs worthy to suffer for his sake God wil haue our faith tried knowen and therefore let vs willingly humble our selues vnder the mighty hād of God that he may gloriously lifte vs vp in his good time There is none perfectly faithfull in deede till he can say with S. Paule I am perswaded that neither death neither life neyther aungels neither princes or powers neither things present neither things to come neither highnes neither lownes neither any other creature is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. This faith God plant both in you and me vnmooueably In this faith we haue to reioyce and in none other All the tribulations of the worlde are not worthy of the eternall weighte of glory which is prepared for them that here do with pacience abide the crosse Wherefore let vs be stronge with the strengthe in him that is able to make vs strong lament the weakenes I might say the infidelitie of our faint gospellers Christ whome we woulde pretend to haue put vpon vs is the strēgth of God and how then may they be weake where Christe is We haue more to be glad touching our selues of this time then we haue had of any time before in the which we haue so ready a way to goe vnto God and so good occasion to shew our duety in glorifying his holy name For if we be imprisonned in this cause we are blessed If we loose all that we haue we are blessed a 100. fold If we die we are blessed eternally so that in suffering of persecutions all is full of blessings Be blessed therefore O elect Lady of God with the blessed of God and flee as you do the concupiscence of the worlde Embrace that which is perfect and ioyfully looke for the comming and crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ. c. Thus desiring God to preserue you to his true peace to geue you victorie of that temptation which now is come to try our faith Christe be with you and blesse you both in body and soule and my praier shal folow you wheresoeuer you goe as I desire that you may be with me The last weeke I sent your beneficence to Oxforde I coulde not before haue a conuenient messenger As soone as I haue worde you shall be satisfied of your request Loue me as you doe and the God of loue be with you The 20. day of August By yours with all his power in the Lord Iohn Philpot. An other Letter full of spiritual consolation to the sayd Ladie THe mercye of God the father the consolation of the holy ghost thorow Iesus Christ be with you strengthē you my deare mother and sister in the Lord in these daungerous dayes to the crowne of eternall glorye whiche is nowe offered to all faithfull souldiours in the Gospell Amen As your good Ladiship doeth desire to heare from me so am I desirous to wryte as your gentlenesse and daily goodnes binedeth me But Sathan of late hath letted me who enuying al good exercises which I haue had and receiued by mine easie imprisonment in times past hath brought me out of the kings Bench into the bishop of Londons Colehouse a darke and a vgly prison as any is about London but my darke body of sinne hathe well deserued the same and the Lord now hath brought me into outward darkenes that I might the more be lightened by him as he is moste present with his children in the middest of darkenesse where I can not be suffred to haue any candle light neither inke nor paper but by stealth Wherefore I can not wryte to you as I would neither as my duety is As Christ my maister was sent frō Annas to Caiphas so am I sent from Winchester Dioces to London I trust to make a speedye ende of my course God geue mee grace and patience to be a faithfull follower of my master I haue beene already this seuennight in his Colehouse and haue of late bene foure times called to mine answere but hitherto not called to iudgement which I do daily looke for but I feare they wil prolong me and trie me by straight imprisonmēt a whyle in the which Gods will be done Pray deare Lady that my faith faint not which I praise God is presently more liuely wyth mee then it hathe beene in tymes past I taste and feele the faithfulnesse of God in his promise who hathe promised to be wyth hys in their trouble and to delyuer them I thanke the Lorde I am not alone but haue sixe other faithfull companions who in our darknesse doe chearfully sing Hymnes and praises vnto God for his great goodnesse Wee are so ioyful that I wish you part of my ioy For you that are so carefull of my bodely reliefe howe can I but wish you spirituall consolation and that aboundantly Let not deare heart my straite imprisonment any thing molest you for it hath added and daily doth vnto my ioy but rather be glad and thankfull vnto GOD with me that it hath pleased him to make me most wretched sinner woorthy to suffer any thing for his sake Hitherto we haue not resisted vnto bloud God make vs neuer to count our bloud more precious in our eyes then his truth Ah my deare sister I thanke you againe for your last letter you sent me it is a singular comfort vnto me as oft as I reade the same I haue it in my bosome and wil carie the same euen to the stake with me in witnesse that Christ hath so constant and faithfull a Ladie in Englande God succoure and keepe that spirite in you for it is the verye spirite of adoption of the childe of God Suche chearefull and holy spirites vnder the crosse bee acceptable sacrifices in the sight of God for Christ came to cast fire into the earth and looketh that it shoulde be kindled Be you feruent in spirite in our Christes cause as you haue begonne for that is the principall spirite wherewithall Dauid desired to be confirmed O howe I doe reioyce your Ladiship to goe arme in arme with me vnto Christe or rather before me I can not but ioye of suche a worshipfull fellowe Me thinketh I see you to mourne and desire to be loosed out of the earthly and fraile habitacle of this body O how amiable and pleasant is it
he styrred vp his seruauntes the Bishops and Pharises to kill his body wherby notwithstanding the Deuill loste his title and interest whiche hee had to mans soule and man by his precious passion and death was raunsomed from the Deuil death and Hell to immortality life euerlasting and so when Sathan thought to haue wonne all in killing of Christ he lost all and so shall he doe in vs if wee abide constaunt◠and strong in the fayth of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe vnto the ende God graunte it for his mercyes sake in Christ. Blessed are all they that put theyr trust in him Amen Wherefore my hartely beloued brethren and sisters be of good comfort through Iesus Christ for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world Therfore draw ye neare to God and he will drawe neare to you Resist the Deuill and he will as Iames sayth flee frō you Beware of the leuen of the Phariseis Touch not pitch least ye be defiled therewith Eate no Swines flesh for it is agaynst the law I meane defile not your selues neither inwardly nor outwardly with this false and wicked religion of Antichrist for it is nothing els but pitche and Swines fleshe Beware of the beastes marke least ye drinke of the cup of Gods wrath If God haue geuen you knowledge faith dissemble not therewith Denye not the knowne veritye before men least Christ deny you before his Father Come away from Babilon as Iohn biddeth you and touche no vncleane thinge but separate your selues from the company of the vngodly as Paule commaundeth you Whatsoeuer ye haue done amisse heretofore now repent amend for with the Lorde there is mercy and plenteous redemption The thirde thing and note which I gather out of the forsayd wordes of Peter is this that he sayth Reioyce because ye are pertakers of Christes Passion Our sufferinges my welbeloued are Christes sufferinges and that iniury that is done to vs for his sake he reckoneth it to be done to himselfe as he sayd to Paule Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Therefore we ought to reioyce in our sufferinges as Paule writeth whiche we suffer with Christ and one with another as Peter sayeth and so to fulfill that whiche is behinde of the Passions of Christ in our flesh whiche Christ hath by his Passion fully redeemed and saued vs in his owne person how be it hys electe must suffer with hym and for him vnto the worldes ende that he may be glorified in them and they thereby corrected and cleansed from sinne in this worlde and bee made more meete Temples for the holy Ghoste and also obteyne a greate rewarde in heauen for theyr suffering for righteousnesse sake according to his promise And therfore I saye my Brethren reioyce in the Lorde alwayes and agayne I say reioyce Let vs reioyce in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to vs and we to it And why shoulde wee so greatly reioyce in the Crosse of Christ which we now suffer Because sayth Peter when his glory appeareth we may be mery and glad And this is the fourth note that I gather out of his wordes aboue written Wherein is set out the reward of suffering not to be had in this worlde but at his comming to iudgement when we shal be raysed agayne and then shal they that haue sowne in teares reape in ioy as Christ sayth Blessed are they that weepe here for they shall laughe Blessed are ye when men hate you and thrust you out of theyr companye raylinge on you and abhorring your name as an euill thing for the sonne of mans sake reioyce ye in that day and be gladde for your reward is greate in Heauen Wherefore my dearely beloued through the hope of this heauenly ioy and rewarde which he that can not lye hath promised whiche ioye is so greate that no eare hath heard no eye hath sene nor the hart can thinke where we shall dwell for euer in the heauenly City the celestiall Ierusalem in the presence of God the Father Iesus Christ our Mediatour as Paul sayth and in the company of innumerable Angels and with the spirites and soules of all faythfull and iust men reioyce and be glad and seing ye be called to so great glory see that ye make your election and vocation sure by good workes and specially by sufferinge aduersitye for the Gospelles sake for it is geuen vs of GOD sayth Paule not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Continue in prayer and praye for me that I may ende my course with ioy Haue Brotherly loue amongest your selues whiche is a token that ye be Christes Disciples Edify and comfort one an other in the word of the Lord and the God of peace and loue be with you alwayes Amen For your liberality and kindnesse shewed vppon the Prisoners and afflicted people of GOD in thys time of persecution the Lorde wyll reward you when he commeth to reward euery man according to theyr deedes and will not leaue a cuppe of colde water bestowed vpon his faythfull people vnrewarded God make you riche in all grace that ye alwayes hauyng sufficient maye be riche vnto all manner of good woorkes The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of GOD and the felowship of the holy ghost be with you alwayes Amen Your brother now in bondes for the Gospell Thomas Whittell * To my louing and faythfull brother Iohn Careles Prisoner in the kinges bench THe same fayth for the which Abraham was accounted iust Mary blessed whereby also all iust men liue the Lord GOD our louing father encrease and stablish in you and me to the obteining of eternal life in our alone and sweet Sauior Iesus Christ. Amen I can not worthely and sufficiently prayse GOD my hartely beloued brother for the consolation and ioy that I receiued by reason of your louing letters repenting me much that I being so long so neare you did not enterprise to styrre vppe familiarity and communication betweene vs by writing to mutuall consolation in Christe For what is there vpon earth wherein to reioyce where all thinges are transitory and vayne yea manne himselfe respecting this life but as Dauid sayeth the Saynctes that dwell vpon the earth and such as excell in vertue But here now I consider that if the felowshippe loue and ioye of faythfull men and children of God being as wee nowe be in double bondage the body within clay walles and the soule within these frail earthly bodies be so greate and comfortable how vnspeakeable will these ioyes be when we shall be deliuered from all corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Where we shal be present together continuallye in our glorified bodies beholding the face of our father presently whō now we see but in the glasse of fayth with his deare sonne
Christ our redemer brother and the blessed company of Aungels and all faithfull saued soules Of the incomparable good thinges and heauenlye treasures layd vp for vs in heauen by Christ Iesu. For the obteining wherof we ought to set light by all temporall griefes and transitorye afflictions so much the more in that our good God is faythfull will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength that namely in the end of our life when the tree where it falleth lieth styll as the preacher sayth when euery one causa sua dormit causa sua resurget for els before the ende he suffereth his sometime to fall but not finally to peryshe as Peter sinked vpon the Sea but yet was not drowned and sinned grieuouslye vpon the land thorow infirmity denying his Mayster but yet found mercy for the righteous falleth oftentimes And Christes holye Apostles are taught to â—ay remitte nobis debita nostra Yea though the righteous fall sayth Dauid he shall not be cast away for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand Oh the bottomlesse mercy of God towardes vs miserable sinners He vouchsafe to plant in my heart true repentaunce and fayth to the obteining of remission of all my sinnes in the mercies of God and merites of Christ his sonne and therto I pray you say Amen Oh my hartely beloued it grieueth me to see the spoyle hauocke that Saule maketh with the congregation of Christe but what remedy This is Gods will and ordinaunce that his people shall here both be punished in the fleshe and tryed in theyr fayth as it is written Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all for by a strayt path and narrowe doore must we enter Whether Into the ioyfull kyngdome of heauen therefore blessed are you and other that suffer persecution for Christes sake for the professing of the same Pray for me my felowes good brother that we may fight a good fight that we may keepe the fayth and ende our course with ioyfull gladnesse for now the time of our deliueraunce is at hand The Lord guide defend and keep vs and you and al his people in our iourney that we may safely through a shorte death passe to that long lasting life Farewell my deare and louing brother and felowe souldiour in Christ farewell I say in him who receiue our soules in peace when they shall depart from these tabernacles and he graunte vs a ioyfull resurrection and a mery meeting at the last day continuall dwelling together in his eternall heauenlye kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Yours with my poore prayer other pleasure can I do you none Thomas Whittell Minister * To my deare brethren M. Filles and Cutbert MY deare and welbeloued brethren in Christ Mayster Filles and Cutbert I wish you all welfare of soule body Welfare to the soule is repentance of sinne faythfull affiaunce in Christ Iesus a godly life Welfare to the body is the health of the same with all necessary thinges for this bodely life The soule of man is immortall and therefore ought to be well kept least immortality to ioy should turne to immortality of sorow As for the body be it neuer so well kept and much made of yet shortly by nature will it perish and decay But those that are engraffed incorporated into Christe by true fayth feeling the motion of Gods holy spirite as a pledge of theyr election and inheritaunce exciting and styrring them not onely to seek heauenly thinges but also to hate vice and embrace vertue will not onely doe these thinges but also if need requyre will gladly take vp theyr Crosse and folow their capteine their king theyr Sauior Iesus Christ as his poore afflicted church of England now doth agaynst that false and Antichristian doctrine and religion now vsed specially that blasphemous Masse wherin Christs supper and holy ordinaunce is altogether peruerted abused contrarye to his institutioÌ„ to Paules procedinges so that that which they haue in theyr Masse is neither Sacrament of Christ nor yet sacrifice for sinne as the Priestes falsely pretend It is a sacrament that is as S. Augustine saith a visible sign of inuisible grace when it is ministred to the communicants according to Christes example and as it was of late yeres in this realm And as for sacrifice there is none to be made now for sinne for Christ with one sacrifice hath perfited for euer those that are sanctified Beware of false Religion and mens vayne traditioÌ„s and serue God with reuerence and godlye feare according to the doctrine of his Gospell whereto cleaue ye that yee may be blessed though of wicked men ye bee hated and accursed Rather drink of the cup of Christ with his church then of the cuppe of that rosecoloured whore of Babilon which is full of abhominations Rather striue ye to go to heauen by the path which is strait to flesh and bloud with the litle flock then to goe in the wide waye folowing the enticementes of the world and the flesh which leadeth to damnation Like as Christ suffered in the flesh sayeth S. Peter so arme ye your selues with the same minde for Christ suffred for vs leauing vs example to folow his footsteps Blessed are they that suffer for his sake great is their reward in heauen He that ouercommeth sayth S. Iohn shall eat of the tree of life he shall haue a crowne of life not be hurt of the second death he shall be clothed with white araye not be put out of the booke of life Yea I will confesse his name sayth Christ before my father and before his Aungels he shal be a piller in the house of God and sitte with me on my seat And thus I bidde you farewell myne owne Brethren and deare felowes in Christ. Whose grace and peace be alway with you Amen This world I do forsake To Christ I me betake And for his Gospell sake Paciently death I take My body to the dust Now to returne it must My soule I know full well With my God it shal dwel Thomas Whittell ¶ An other Letter of M. Thomas Whittell written to a certayne Godly woman OH my deare and louing sister in Christe be not dismayde in this storme of persecution for Paule calleth the Gospell the word of the Crosse because it is neuer truely taught but the crosse and cruell persecution immediately and necessarily doeth folow the same and therfore it is a manifest token of Gods truth and hath bene here and is still abroade and that is a cause of the rage and crueltye of Sathan agaynste Christe and his members which must bee corrected for theyr sinnes in this worlde theyr fayth must be tried that after triall and pacient suffering the faythfull may receiue the crowne of glorye Feare not therefore my welbeloued but proceede in the knowledge and feare of God
and he will keepe you from all euill Call vpon his holy name he will strengthen you and assiste you in all your wayes and if it please him to lay his crosse vpon you for his Gospelles sake refuse it not neither shake it off by vnlawefull meanes leaste you should as God forbidde finde a more grieuous crosse and torment of conscience if you shoulde dissemble and denye the knowen verity then is any persecution or death of body Oh howe happye are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake their rewarde is great in heauen The momentanie afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shal be shewed vpon vs. Oh remember the Godly weman of the old testament and new which liued in Gods seruice and feare and therefore are now in blisse and commended for euer as namely Iudith Hester Abigael the mother of the 7. sonnes Mary Elizabeth Susanna Lidia and Phebe and others Set theyr examples before your eyes and feare nothing for Sathan is conquered by our Sauiour Christe sinne is put to flight and the gate of immortality and eternall life is set wide open God graunt we may enter therein through the doore Iesus Christ Amen Thomas Whittell ¶ The Story of Mayster Bartlet Greene Gentlemanne and Lawyer Martyr AFter the Martyrdome of Thomas Whittell nexte followeth in order to speake of Bartlet Greene who the nexte day after the foresayde Whittell was likewise condemned Thys Greene was of a good house and hauinge such Parentes as both fauoured learning and were also willing to bring vp this theyr childe in the same Who after some enteraunce in other inferiour Schooles was by them sent vnto the Uniuersity of Oxforde where thorow exercise and diligent study he so profited that within short time he atteined aswell to the knowledge of sundery prophane Sciences and also now in his last yeares vnto the godly vnderstanding of Diuinitye Whereunto through ignorance in which he was trayned vp from his youth he was at the first an vtter enemy vntill such tyme as God of his mercy had opened his eyes by his often repayring vnto the commō Lectures of Peter Martyr reader of the Diuinity Lecture in the same Uniuersity so that therby as by Gods instrument he saw the true lighte of Christes Gospell Whereof when he had once tasted it became vnto hym as the fountayne of liuely water that our Sauiour Christ spake of vnto the woman of Samaria so as he neuer thirsted any more but had a well springing vnto euerlastyng life In so much as when he was called by his frendes frō the vniuersity and was placed in the Temple at London there to attayne to the knowledge of the common Lawes of the Realme he yet continued still in his former study earnest profession of the Gospell wherein also he did not a litle profite Howbeit suche is the fraylety of our corrupte nature without the speciall assistaunce of Gods holy spirit through the continuall accompanying and felowshyp of such worldly I will not say to much youthfull young gentlemen as are commonly in that and the like houses he became by litle and litle a compartner of theyr fond follies and youthfull vanities aswell in his apparell as also in banquettinges and other superfluous excesses whiche he afterward being agayne called by Gods mercifull correction did sore lament and bewayle as appeareth by his one testimonye notified and lefte in a booke of a certayne frend of his a litle before his death written with his owne hand in maner as foloweth ¶ This did Mayster Bartlet Greene write in Mayster Bartram Calthrops Booke TWo thinges haue very muche troubled me whilest I was in the Temple Pride and Glottonye whiche vnder the coulour of glorye and good felowshippe drewe me almoste from GOD. Agaynst both there is one remedye by prayer earnest and without ceasing And for as much as vayne glory is so subtle an Aduersarye that almoste it woundeth deadly ere euer a manne can perceiue himselfe to be smitten therefore we ought so muche the rather by continuall prayer to labour for humblenesse of minde Truely Glottony beginneth vnder a charitable pretence of mutuall loue and society and hath in it most vncharitablenesse When we seeke to refresh our bodies that they may be the more apte to serue GOD and performe our duetyes towardes our Neyghbours then stealeth it in as a priuye theefe and murthereth both body and soule that nowe it is not apte to to pray or serue GOD nor apte to studye or labour for our neighbours Let vs therefore watch and be sober For our aduersary the Deuill walketh about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuour And remember what Salomon sayth Melior est patiens viro forti qui dominatur animo expugnatore vrbium 1. A pacient man is better then a strong warrior and he that conquereth his owne stomacke is better then hee that conquereth Townes and Cityes Bartlet Greene. Animorum in fide vnio per charitatem acta firma est amicitia Vale mi Bartrame mei memineris vt semper simillimi efficiamur Vale. Apud nouam Portam 20. Ianuarij 1556. Set sober loue agaynst hasty wrath Bartlet Greene. Thus we see the fatherly kindenesse of our moste gracious and mercifull God who neuer suffereth his electe children so to fall that they lye still in security of sinne but oftentymes quickeneth them vp by some such meanes as perhaps they thinke least of as he did here this his strayed sheepe And now therfore to returne to our history for the better maynteinaunce of himselfe in these his studyes and other his affayres he had a large exhibition of his grandfather Mayster Doctour Bartlet who during the tyme of Greenes inprisonment made vnto him large offers of great liuinges if he would recant and forsake the truth and Gospell of Christ come home agayne to the Church and Sinagogue of Rome But these his perswasions the Lord be therefore praysed tooke small effect in this faythfull hart as the sequell did declare He was a man beloued of all men except of the Papistes who loue none that loue the truth and so he well deserued for he was of a meeke humble discreete and most gentle behauiour to all Iniurious he was to none beneficiall to many especiallye to those that were of the householde of fayth as appeared amongest other by his frendly dealing with maister Christopher Goodman beeing at that present a poore exile beyond the Seas With whom this Bartlet Greene aswell for his toward learning as also for his sober and Godly behauiour had often society in Oxforde in the dayes of good king Edwarde which now notwithstanding hys frendes misery and banishment he did not lightly forget and that turned as it chaunced not without the prouidence of almightye GOD to the greate griefe of both the one of heart for the losse of his Frende and the other of body in suffering the cruell
him so farre abhorring from aâ— pryde and arrogancie that as he could not abide any thinge that was spoken to his aduauncement or prayse so neither did there appeare in hym any shewe or bragge in those things wherein he might iustly glorye whiche were his punishmentes and sufferinges for the cause and quarrel of christ For when hee was beaten and scourged with roddes by Byshoppe Boner which scarse any man would beleue nor I neither but that I heard it of him whiche hearde it of his mouth and he greatly reioyced in the same yet his shamefast modestie was suche that neuer hee woulde expresse any mention therof least he shoulde seeme to glorye to muche in hymselfe saue that onely he opened the same to one M. Cotten of the Temple a friend of hys a little before his death Moreouer to this rare and maydenly modestie in him was also adioyned the like nature of mercye and pittifull compassion whiche affection though it seemed to be little regarded of some yet in my minde is there no other thing wrought in nature wherein man resembleth more truely the image of the high maiestie of almightye GOD then thys And as in thys respecte of mercifull tendernesse manne onely excelleth all other beastes so almost no lesse may thys manne seeme to passe many other men whose customable propertie and exercise was to visite the poore prysoners wyth hym in prison both with bodily reliefe and also wyth spirituall comforte and finding manye of them I meane suche as were there for thefte and other naughty factes verye penitent and sorye for theyr euill demeanours in hope of theyr amendment dyd not onely by mouthe but also by hys letters require yea as it were of duetye in loue dyd charge his friendes to trauayle for theyr deliueraunces such was the pittye and charritable mercye of thys godlye and most true member of Christes Churche as appeareth by this letter here following To my very louing frendes and maysters M Goringe M. Ferneham M. Fleetwood M. Rusewll M. Bel M Hussey M. Calthrop M. Boyer and other my maisters of the Temple Bartlet Greene wisheth health of bodye and soule VEry friendes are they whiche are knitte together wyth the knotte of Charitie Charitie doth not decaye but increase in them that dye faythfully whereof it followeth that thoughe we be absent in body yet are we present in the spirite coupled together with the vnity of fayth in the bonde of peace whyche is loue How hee is worthy the name of a friend that measureth hys frendship with the distaunce of place or parting of persons If thy frend be out of sight is thy friendshyp ended If he be gone into the Countrey wilt thou cease to loue hym If hee be passed the seas will you so for sake hym If hee be caryed into heauen is Charitie hindred thereby On the one side we haue the vse of the fathers from the primatiue Church that gaue thankes for theyr frendes that dyed in the fayth to proue that Charitie dyed not with death On the other side sayth Horace Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt What speake I of Horrace Sayth not saincte Paule the same thynge For we are members of hys bodye of his flesh and of his bloud yea we are members one of an other Is the hand or arme foote or legge a member when it is disseuered from the bodye How can we be members excepte we be ioyned together What is the line that coupleth vs but loue When all thinges shal fayle loue fayleth neuer Hope hath hys ende when wee get that wee hoped for Fayth is finished in heauen loue endureth for euer Loue I say that proceedeth of charitie for carnall loue when that which he loued is lost doth pearish wyth the fleshe Neyther was that euer but fleshly loue which by distaunce of place or seuering of bodyes is parted asunder If loue be the ende or suÌ„me of the lawe if heauen and yearth shall pearishe it one iote of Gods wordes shall not decaye why shouldee we thinke that loue lasteth not euer I neede not to write much to you my frendes neyther can I haue laysure nowe that the keepers are risen but thys I saye if we keepe Chrystes commaundemente in louynge eache other as he loued vs then should our loue be euerlasting This frendship Paule felt when it moued him to saye that neyther lengthe nor bredth meanyng no distaunce of place neyther height nor depth shoulde seuere hym from the loue of Christe Waighe well thys place and meate it wyth Paules measures so shall we find that if our loue be vnfayned it can neuer bee ended Nowe may you saye why wrytest thou this Certes to the ende that if oure frendshippe bee stable you may accomplishe thys the laste request of your friende and performe after my death the friendshippe wee beganne in oure lyfe that amitie maye encrease vntill GOD make it perfecte at oure next meetynge together Mayster Feetewood I beseeche you remember Wittrance and Cooke two singular men amongest common prisoners M Fernham and mayster Bell with M. Hussey as I hope wyll dispatch Palmer and Richardson with his companions I praye you M. Calthrop thinke on Iohn Groue an honest poore man Traiford and Rice Aprice his accomplices My cosin Thomas Witton a Scriuener in Lombardstreete hath promised to further their deliuerie at the least hee can instruct you whiche waye to worke I doubt not but that Maister Boyer will labour for the good wife Cooper for she is worthy to bee holpen and Berard the Frenchman There bee also diuers other well disposed men whose deliueraunce if ye will not labour for yet I humbly beseeche you to seeke their reliefe as you shall see cause namely of Henry Aprice Lancelot Hobbes Lother Homes Câ—rre and Bockyngham a young man of goodly giftes in witte and learnyng and sauyng that he is somewhat wilde likely to doe well hereafter There bee also two women Conyngham and Alice Alexander that may proue honest For these and all other poore prisoners here I make this my humble sute and prayer to you all my Maisters and especiall good frendes beseechyng you of all bondes of amitie for the precious bloud of Iesus Christ in the bowelles of mercie to tender the causes of miserable captiues helpe to clothe Christ visite the afflicted comfort the sorrowfull and releue the needy The very God of peace guide your hartes to haue mercy on the poore and loue faythfully together Amen This present Monday when I looke to dye and liue for euer Yours as euer Bartlet Greene. * An other letter of M. Greene to Mistres Elizabeth Clarke WOuld GOD if it were his pleasure that with this Letter I might send you may harte and mynde and whatsoeuer there is in me elles that pertayneth vnto GOD So should I thinke it the beste message and happyest Letter that euer I could write But though I obtaine not my desire yet shall I
cordis thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae Well what it is thē if feare do not hinder you shame to vnsay that that you haue sayde Nay it is no shame vnlesse ye thinke it shame to agree with the true and the catholicke church of christ And if that bee shame then blame S. Paule who persecuted the Disciples of Christ with sword then blame S. Peter who denyed his mayster Christ with an othe that he neuer knewe him S. Cyprian before his returne being a witch S. Augustine being ix yeares out of the Church They thought it no shame after their returne of that they hadde returned Shall it then be shame for you to conuert and consent with the Churche of Christe no no. What is it then that doth let you Glory of the world nay as for the vanity of the world I for my part iudge not in you beyng a man of learning and knowing your estate And as for the losse of your estimation it is tenne to one that where you were Archhishop of Caunterbury and Metropolitane of England it is tenne to one I say that ye shall be as well still yea and rather better And as for the winning of good men there is no doubte but all that be here present and the whole congregation of Christes Churche also will more reioyce of your returne then they were sory for your fall And as for the other ye neede not to doubt for they shall all come after and to say the truth if you should lose them for euer it were no force ye should haue no losse thereby I do not here touch them which should confirme your estimation For as Sayncte Paule after his conuersion was receiued into the Church of Christ with wonderfull ioy to the whole congregation euen so shall you be The fame of your returne shall be spread abroade throughout all Christendome where your face was neuer knowne But you will say perhappes your conscience will not suffer you My Lord there is a good conscience and there is a bad conscience The good conscience haue not they as S. Paul declareth to Timothe concerning Hymaeneus and Alexander This euill badde conscience is sayth S. Cyprian well to be knowne by his marke What marke This conscience is marked with the print of heresy This conscience is a noughty filthy and a bronded conscience which I trust is not in you I haue cōceiued a better hope of you then so or els would I neuer go about to persuade or exhort you But what conscience should stay you to returne to the Catholicke fayth and vniuersall Churche of Christ what conscience doth separate you to that deuillish and seuerall Church to a liberty which neuer had ground in the holy Scriptures If you iudge your liberty to be good then iudge you all Christendome to do euill besides you O what a presumptuous persuasiō is this vpō this vtterly to forsake the church of Christ Vnder what colour or pretence doe you this for the abuses as though in your Church were no abuses yes that there were And if you forsake the vniuersall Church for the abuses why do you not thē forsake your particuler churche and so be flitting from one to an other That is not the nexte way to slip from the church for the abuses for if you had seene abuses you should rather haue endeuored for a reformation then for a defection He is a good Chirurgeon who for a litle payne in the toe will cut of the whole leg He helpeth well the tooth ache which cutteth away the head by the shoulders It is mere folly to amend abuses by abuses Ye are like Diogenes for Diogenes on a time enuying the clenlines of Plato sayd on this wise Ecce calco fastum Platonis Plato answered Sed alio fastu So that Diogenes semed more faulty of the two But when we haue sayde all that we can peraduenture you will say I will not returne And to that I say I will not aunswere Neuerthelesse heare what Christ sayth to such obstinate and stifnecked people in the parable of the Supper Whē he had sent out his men to cal them in that were appoynted and they would not come he bad his seruantes going into the wayes and streetes to compell men to come in Cogite intrare If then the Church wyll not lese any member that may be compelled to come in ye must thinke it good to take the compulsion least you loose your part of the supper which the Lord hath prepared for you and this cōpulsion standeth well with charity But it may be perhaps that some hath animated you to sticke to your tackle not to geue ouer bearing you in hand that your opinion is good and that ye shall dye in a good quarrell god shall accept your oblation But heare what Christ sayth of a meaner gift If thou come to the aultar to offer thy oblation and knowest that thy brother hath somewhat to saye agaynst thee leaue there thy gift and go and be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer vp thy gift or els thy brother will make thy offering vnsauery before God This he sayd vnto all the world to the end they should know how theyr offeringes should be receiued if they were not according Remember you therefore before you offer vp your offering whether your gift be qualified or no. Remember the Churche of Rome and also of Englande where not one onely brother but a number haue matter against you so iust that they wil make your burnt offering to stincke before God except you be recōciled If you muste needes appoynt vppon a Sacrifice make yet a meane first to them that haue to lay agaynst you I say no more then the Church hath allowed me to saye For the sacrifice that is offered without the Church is not profitable The premises therfore cōsidered for gods sake I say Memor esto vnde excideris age paenitentiam prima opera fac Sin minus c. Cast not your selfe away spare your bodye spare your soule spare them also whome you haue seduced spare the shedding of Christes bloud for you in vayne Harden not your hart acknowledge the trueth yelde to the prescript word of God to the catholicke Church of Rome to the receiued veritie of all Christendome Wedde not your selfe to your owne selfewill Stand not to much in your owne conceyt thinke not your selfe wiser then all Christendome is besides you Leaue of this vniust cauill How leaue why leaue reason leaue wonder and beleue as the Catholicke Church doth beleeue and teach you Perswade with your selfe that extra Ecclesiam non est salus i. Without the Churche there is no saluation And thus much haue I sayd of charitye If this poore simple exhortation of mine may sincke into your head and take effect with you then haue I sayd as I would haue sayd otherwise not as I would but as I could for this
king standeth accursed in mainteining his owne lawes Therfore in consideration that the king and Queene take theyr power of him as though god should geue it to them there is no true subiect vnlesse he be abrogate seing the crowne is holden of him being out of the Realme The Bishop of Rome is contrary to God and iniurious to his lawes for God commaunded all men to be diligent in the knowledge of his law and therefore hath appoynted one holiday in the weeke at the least for the people to come to the Church and heare the word of God expounded vnto them and that they might the better vnderstād it to heare it in their mother toung which they know The Pope doth contrary for he willeth the seruice to bee had in the latine tongue which they doe not vnderstande God woulde haue it to bee perceiued the Pope will not When the Priest geueth thanks God would that the people should do so to and God will them to confesse altogether the Pope will not Now as concerning the Sacrament I haue taught no false doctrine of the sacramēt of the aultar For if it can be proued by any doctor aboue 1000. yeares after Christ that Christes body is there really I will geue ouer My booke was made 7. yeares agoe and no man hath brought anye authors agaynst it I beleue that who so eateth and drinketh that sacrament Christ is within them whole Christ his Natiuity Passion Resurrection and Ascention but not that corporally that sitteth in heauen Now Christ commaunded all to drinke of the Cuppe The Pope taketh it away from the laye men and yet one sayth that if Christ had dyed for the Deuill that he shoulde drinke thereof Christ biddeth vs to obey the king etiam discolo The Bishop of Rome biddeth vs to obey him therfore vnlesse he be Antichrist I cannot tell what to make of him Wherfore if I should obey him I can not obey Christ. He is like the Deuill in his doinges for the Deuil said to Christ if thou wilt fall downe and worship me I wyll geue thee all the kingdomes of the world Thus hee tooke vpon him to geue that which was not his owne Euen so the Bishop of Rome geueth Princes theyr crownes being none of his owne for where Princes either by election either by succession either by inheritage obtein their crown he sayth that they should haue it from him Christ sayth that Antichrist shall be And who shall he be Forsoothe he that aduaunceth himselfe aboue all other creatures Now if there be none already that hath aduaūced himselfe after suche sorte besides the Pope then in the meane time let him be Antichrist Story Pleaseth it you to make an end Cranmer For he wil be the Uicar of Christ he will dispēse with the olde and newe Testament also yea and with Apostacy Now I haue declared why I cannot with my conscience obey the Pope I speake not this for hatred I beare to him that now supplieth the roome for I know him not I pray God geue him grace not to folowe his auncestors Neyther say I this for my defence but to declare my conscience for the zeale that I beare to Gods word troden vnder foote by the Byshop of Rome I cast feare aparte for Christ sayde to his Apostles that in the latter dayes they should suffer much sorow and be put to death for his names sake feare them not sayth he but feare him whyche when he hath killed the body hath power to cast the soule into the fire euerlasting Also Christ sayth that he that wyll liue shall die and he that loseth his life for my names sake he shall finde it agayne Moreouer he sayd confesse mee before men and be not afrayd if you do so I wyll stand with you if you shrincke from me I will shrincke from you This is a comfortable and a terryble saying thys maketh me to set all feare aparte I say therefore the Byshop of Rome treadeth vnder foote Gods lawes and the kinges The Pope would geue Bishoprickes so woulde the king But at the last the king gat the vpper hande and so are all Bishops periured first to the Pope and then to the king The Crowne hath nothing to doe with the Cleargy For if a Clarke come before a Iudge the Iudge shal make processe agaynste him but not to execute any Lawes For if the Iudge should put him to execution then is the king accursed in mayneteyning his owne Lawes And therfore saye I that he is neyther true to GOD neyther to the king that first receiued the Pope But I shall hartely pray for such Councellours as may informe her the truth for the King and Queene if they be well infourmed wyll do well Mart. As you vnderstand then if they maynteyne the Supremacy of Rome they cannot mainteine England too Cranmer I require you to declare to the king and queene what I haue sayde and how theyr othes doe stand with the Realme and the Pope S. Gregory sayth he that taketh vppon him to be head of the Uniuersall Churche is worse then the Antichrist If any man can shew me that it is not agaynst Gods word to holde his styrrop when hee taketh his horse and kisse his feet as kinges do then will I kisse his feete also And you for your part my Lord are periured for now ye sit Iudge for the Pope and yet ye did receiue your Byshopricke of the king You haue taken an othe to be aduersary to this Realme for the Popes lawes are contrary to the lawes of the Realme Glocester You were the cause that I did forsake the Pope and did sweare that he ought not to be supreame head and gaue it to king Henry the eight that he ought to be it and this you made me to do Cranmer To this I aunswere sayd he You report me il and say not the trueth and I will proue it here before you all The trueth is that my Predecessour Byshop Warrham gaue the Supremacy to King Henry the eight and sayde that he ought to haue it before the Bishop of Rome and that Gods word would beare him And vpō the same was there sent to both the vniuersityes Oxford and Cambridge to know what the word of GOD would do touching the Supremacy and it was reasoned vpon and argued at length So at the laste both the Uniuersityes agreed and set to theyr Seales and sent it to king Henry the eight to the Courte that he ought to be supreme head and not the Pope Whereupon you were then Doctour of Diuinitye at that time and your consent was thereunto as your hand doth appeare Therefore you misreport me that I was the cause of your falling away from the Pope but it was your selfe All this was in Byshop Warrhams time and whilest he was aliue so that it was three quarters of a yeare after ere euer I hadde the Byshopricke of Caunterbury
againe on the other side how great profit they should get if hee as the principall standerde bearer shoulde bee ouerthrowen By reason whereof the wily papistes flocked about hym wyth threatning flattering entreating promising and al other meanes especially Henry Sydal and frier Iohn a Spanyarde De Villa Garcina to the ende to driue him to the vttermoste of their possibilitye from hys former sentence to recantation First they set foorth how acceptable it would be bothe to the King and Queene and especially howe gainfull to hym and for his soules health the same shoulde be They added moreouer howe the Counsaile and the Noble men bare him good wil. They put him in hope that he shoulde not onely haue hys life but also be restored to hys ancient dignity saying it was but a small matter and so easie that they required him to do only that he would subscribe to a few woordes wyth his owne hande which if he dyd there should be nothing in the realme that the Queene woulde not easily graunt hym whether he would haue richesse or dignitye or els if hee had rather liue a priuate life in quyet rest in what soeuer place he listed wythoute all publicke ministery only that he would set hys name in two words to a litle leaf of paper but if he refused there was no hope of health and pardone for the Queene was so purposed that shee woulde haue Cranmer a Catholicke or els no Cranmer at all Therefore hee shoulde chuse whether hee thought it better to ende his life shortly in the flames and firebrands now ready to be kindled then wyth much honour to prolong hys life vntil the course of nature did cal him for there was no middle way Moreouer they exhorted hym that he woulde looke to his wealth his estimation and quietnesse saying that hee was not so olde but that many yeres yet remained in this his so lusty age and if he would not doe it in respect of the Queene yet he should do it for respecte of hys life and not suffer that other men shuld be more careful for his health then he was him self saying that this was agreeable to hys notable learning vertues which being adioyned wyth his life would be profitable both to himselfe and to many other but being extinct by death shoulde be frutefull to no man that hee shoulde take good heede that he went not too farre yet there was time enoughe to restore all thing safe and nothing wâ—nted if he wanted not to himself Therefore they would him to lay holde vpon the occasion of hys health while it was offered least if he woulde nowe refuse it while it was offered he mighte heereafter seeke it when he could not haue it Finally if the desire of life did nothing mooue him yet he should remember that to die is grieuous in all ages and especially in these his yeres and flower of dignitie it were more greuous but to die in the fire such torments as is most grieuous of all With these like prouocations these fair flatterers ceased not to solicite and vrge hym vsing all meanes they could to drawe him to their side whose force his manly constancie did a greate while resist But at last when they made no ende of calling and crying vpon him the Archb. being ouercome whether thorow their importunity or by his owne imbecillity or of what mind I can not tell but at length gaue hys hand It might be supposed that it was done for the hope of life and better dayes to come But as we maye since perceiue by a letter of hys sente to a Lawyer the moste cause why he desired his time to be delaied was that he woulde make an ende of Marcus Antonius which hee had alreadye begunne but howe soeuer it was playne it was to be against his conscience The fourme of whiche recantation made by the Friers and Doctours whereunto he subscribed was thys The copie and woordes of Cranmers recantation I Thomas Cranmer late Archbish. of Canterburie doe renounce abhorre and detest all maner of heresies and errors of Luther and Zwinglius and all other teachings which be contrarye to sounde and true doctrines And I beleeue most constantly in my heart and wyth my mouth I confesse one holy and Catholicke Church visible wythout the which there is no saluation and thereof I knowledge the Bishop of Rome to be supreame heade in earth whom I knowledge to be the highest Byshop and Pope Christes vicare vnto whome all Christen people ought to be subiect And as concerning the Sacramentes I beleeue and worship in the Sacrament of the altar the very body and bloude of Christe being contained most truely vnder the formes of bread and wine the bread through the mightye power of God being turned into the body of our sauioure Iesus Christ and the wine into his bloud And in the other 6. sacraments also like as in thys I beleeue and hold as the vniuersal church holdeth and the church of Rome iudgeth and determineth Furthermore I beleeue that there is a place of purgatorie where Soules departed be punished for a tyme for whome the church doth godly and wholsomely pray lyke as it doth honor Saints and make praiers to them Finally in all things I professe that I doe not otherwise beleeue then the catholicke Church the church of Rome holdeth teacheth I am sory that euer I held or thought otherwise And I beseech almighty God that of hys mercy he wil vouchsafe to forgeue me whatsoeuer I haue offended against God or his church and also I desire beseeche all Christian people to pray for me And all such as haue bene deceiued either by myne example or doctrine I require them by the bloude of Iesus Christ that they will returne to the vnitie of the churche that we may be all of one mind without schisme or diuision And to conclude I submit my selfe to the Catholicke church of Christ and to the supreme head therof so I submit my selfe vnto the moste excellent maiesties of Phillip and Mary King Queene of this Realme of England c. and to all their lawes and ordinances being ready alwaies as a faithfull subiecte euer to obey them And God is my witnes that I haue not done this for fauor or feare of any person but willingly and of mine owne minde as well to the discharge of mine owne conscience as to the struction of other This recantation of the Archb. was not so soone conceiued but the Doctors Prelates wythout delay caused the same to be imprinted and set abroad in all meÌ„s hands Whereunto for better credite first was added the name of Thom. Cranmer with a solemne subscription then folowed the witnesses of this recantation Henry Sydal and Frier Iohn De Villa Garcina All this while Cran. was in no certaine assuraunce of his life although the same was faithfully promised to him by the doctours but after that they had their
the Pope taketh vpon him to geue Empires and kyngdomes being none of his t◠such as will fall downe and worship hym and kisse his feete And moreouer his Lawyers and glosers so flatter him that they fayne he may commaund Emperors and kyngs to hold his stirrop when he lighteth vppon his horse and to be his footemen and that if any Emperour and kyng geue him any thyng they geue him nothing but that is his owne and that he may dispense agaynst Gods worde against both the old and new Testament agaynst s. Pauls Epistles and agaynst the gospell And furthermore what so euer he doth although he draw innumerable peoply by heapes with himselfe into hell yet may no mortal mā reprooue hym because he beyng iudge of all men may bee iudged of no man And thus he litteth in the Temple of God as he were a God nameth himself Gods Uicar yet he dispenseth agaynst God If this be not to play Antichrists part I cannot tel what is Antichrist which is no more to say but Christes enemy and aduersary who shall sit in the temple of God aduancing himselfe aboue all other yet by hypocrisie and fayned religion shall subuert the true religion of Christ and vnder pretence and colour of christian religion shall worke against Christ and therfore hath the name of Antichrist Now if any man lift him selfe higher then the Pope hath done who lifteth himselfe aboue al the world or can be more aduersary to Christ thē to dispense against gods lawes and where Christ hath geuen any commandement to command directly the cōtrary that man must needes be taken for Antichrist But vntil the tyme that such a person may be found men may easily coniecture where to find Antichrist Wherfore seyng the Pope thus to ouerthrowe both Gods lawes and mans lawes taketh vpon him to make Emperors and kings to be vassals and subiects vnto him especially the crowne of this realme with the lawes and customes of the same I see no meane how I may consent to admit this vsurped power within this realme contrary to myne othe myne obedience to Gods law mine allegeance and dutie to your Maiesty and my loue and affection to this realme This that I haue spoken against the power authoritie of the Pope I haue not spokē I take God to record and iudge for any malice I owe to the Popes personne whom I know not but I shall pray to God to geue hym grace that he may seeke aboue al things to promoote gods honour and glory and not to follow the trade of hys predecessors in these latter dayes Nor I haue not spoken it for feare of punishment and to auoyd the same thinkyng it rather an occasion to aggrauate them to diminish my trouble but I haue spokē it for my most bounden duty to the crown liberties laws customs of this realm of England but most specially to discharge my conscience in vttering the truth to gods glory casting away all feare by the comfort which I haue in Christ who sayth Feare not them that kil the body and cannot kill the soule but feare hym that can cast both body soule into hell fire He that for feare to loose this lyfe wyll forsake the truth shal loose the euerlasting lyfe And he that for the truthes sake will spend his lyfe shall find euerlasting life And Christ promiseth to stande fast with them before hys father which wil stand fast with hym here Which comfort is so great that whosoeuer hath his eies fixed vpō Christ cannot greatly passe on this lyfe knowyng that he may be sure to haue Christ stand by hym in the presence of his father in heauen And as touchyng the sacrament I sayd For as much as the whole matter standeth in the vnderstāding of these words of Christ This is my body This is my bloud I sayde that Christ in these wordes made demonstration of the bread wyne and spake figuratiuely callyng bread his body and wyne his bloud because he ordeyned them to bee Sacraments of his body and bloud And where the papistes say in those two points contrary vnto me that Christ called not bread his body but a substaunce vncertaine nor spake figuratiuely Herein I sayd I would be iudged by the old church and which doctrine could be prooued the elder that I would stand vnto And forasmuch as I haue alledged in my booke many old authors both Greekes and Latines which aboue a thousand yeres after Christ continuallye taught as I do if they could bring forth but one olde author that sayth in these two points as they say I offred 6. or 7. yeres ago doe offer yet still that I will geue place vnto them But when I bring forth any author that saith in most plain termes as I do yet saith the other part that the authors ment not so as who should say that the Authours spake one thing ment cleane contrary And vpon the other part when they cannot find any one Author that saith in words as they say yet say they that the authors mente as they say Now whether I or they speake more to the purpose herein I referre me to the iudgement of all indifferent hearers yea the old church of Rome aboue a thousand yeres togethers neither beleued nor vsed the Sacrament as the church of Rome hath done of late yeres For in the beginning the church of Rome taught a pure a sound doctrine of the sacrament But after that the church of Rome fell into a newe doctrine of transubstantiation with the doctrine they chaunged the vse of the Sacrament contrary to that Christ commanded and the old church of Rome vsed aboue a thousand yeres And yet to deface the old they say that the new is the old wherein for my part I am content to stand to the triall But their doctrine is so fond and vncomfortable that I meruaile that anye man would allowe it if he knewe what it is But howsoeuer they beare the people in hande that which they write in their bookes hath neither truth nor comfort For by their doctrine of one body of Christ is made ij bodies one naturall hauyng distance of members wyth forme and proportion of mans perfite body and this body is in heauen but the body of Christ in the Sacrament by their owne doctrine must needes be a monstruous body hauyng neither distaunce of members nor forme fashion or proportion of a mans naturall body And such a bodye is in the Sacrament teach they and goeth into the mouth with the forme of bread entreth no further thē the forme of bread goeth nor tarieth no longer then the forme of bread is by naturall heat in digesting So that when the forme of bread is digested that body of Christ is gone And for as much as euill men be as long in digesting as good mē the body of Christ by their doctrine entreth as farre
and tarieth as long in wicked men as in godly mē And what comfort can be herein to any christen man to receiue Christes vnshapen body and it to enter no further then the stomacke and to depart by by as soone as the bread is consumed It semeth to me a more sound comfortable doctrine that Christ hath but one body and that hath forme and fashion of a mās true body which body spiritually entreth into the whole man body and soule though the Sacrament be consumed yet whole Christ remayneth feedeth the receiuer vnto eternall lyfe if he continue in godlynes and neuer departeth vntill the receiuer forsake hym And as for the wicked they haue not Christ within them at all who cannot be where Beliall is And this is my faith and as me semeth a sound doctrine according to gods word sufficient for a christen to beleeue in that matter And if it can be shewed vnto me that the Popes authority is not preiudicial to the thyngs before mentioned or that my doctrine in the sacrament is erroneous which I thinke can not be shewed then I was neuer nor will be so peruerse to stand wilfully in myne owne opinion but I shall with all humilitie submit my selfe vnto the Pope not onely to kisse his feete but another part also Another cause why I refused to take the B. of Glocester for my iudge was the respect of his owne person beyng more then once periured First for that hee being diuers tymes sworne neuer to consent that the B. of Rome should haue any iurisdiction within this Realme but to take the kyng and his successors for supreme heds of this realme as by Gods lawes they be contrary to that lawfull othe the sayd B. sate then in iudgement by authoritie from Rome wherein he was periured and not worthy to sit as a Iudge The 2. periury was that he tooke his bishoprike both of the Queenes maiesty of the Pope making to eche of them a solemn oth which othes be so contrary that the one must needs be periured And furthermore in swearyng to the Pope to maintain his lawes decrees constitutions ordinances reseruatiōs and prouisions he declareth him selfe an enemy to the Imperiall crowne and to the lawes and state of this realme whereby he declared himselfe not worthy to sit as a iudge within this realme And for these considerations I refused to take him for my iudge ¶ This was written in another Letter to the Queene I Learned by Doctour Martin that at the day of your Maiesties Coronation you tooke an othe of obedience to the Pope of Rome and the same tyme you tooke an other othe to this realm to mayntayne the lawes liberties and customes of the same And if your Maiestie dyd make an othe to the Pope I thinke it was accordyng to the other othes which he vseth to minister to Princes which is to be obedient to hym to defend his person to maintayne his authoritie honor lawes lands and priuiledges And if it be so which I know not but by report then I beseeche your Maiesty to looke vpon your othe made to the crowne and Realme and to expend and weigh the two othes together to see howe they do agree and then do as your graces conscience shall geue you For I am surely perswaded that willingly your Maiestie will not offend nor do agaynst your conscience for nothyng But I feare me that there be contradictions in your othes that those which should haue informed your grace thoroughly did not their dueties therein And if your Maiesty ponder the two othes diligently I thinke you shall perceiue you were deceiued and then your highnesse may vse the matter as God shall put in your hart Furthermore I am kept here from company of learned men from bookes from counsaile from pen and inke sauing at this tyme to write vnto your Maiestie which all were necessary for a man beyng in my case Wherefore I beseech your Maiestie that I may haue such of these as may stand with your Maiesties pleasure And as for my appearāce at Rome if your Maiestie wil geue me leaue I will appeare there And I trust that God shal put in my mouth to defend his truth there as well as here But I referre it wholy to your Maiesties pleasure ¶ Another Letter of the Archbishop to D. Martin and D. Story I Haue me commended vnto you And as I promised I haue sent my letters vnto the Queenes Maiestie vnsigned praying you to signe them and deliuer them with all speede I might haue sent them by the Carier sooner but not surer But hearyng M. Bailiffe say that he would goe to the Court on Friday I thought hym a meete Messenger to send my letters by For better is later and surer thē sooner and neuer to bee deliuered Yet one thyng I haue written to the Queenes Maiestie inclosed sealed which I require you may be so deliuered without delay and not bee opened vntill it bee deliuered vnto her Graces owne handes I haue written all that I remember I sayd except that which I spake agaynst the Bishop of Gloucesters owne person which I thought not meete to wryte And in some places I haue written more then I sayde which I would haue answered to the Bish. if you would haue suffred me You promised I should see myne aunswere to the 16. Articles that I might correct amend and chaunge them where I thought good which your promise you kept not And myne aunswer was not made vpon my othe nor repeated nor made in Iudicio but Extra iudicium as I protested nor to the Bish. of Gloucester as Iudge but to you the Kyngs and Queenes Proctors I trust you deale sincerely with me without fraud or craft and vse me as you would wish to be vsed in lyke case yourselues Remember that Qua mensura mensi fueritis eadem remetietur vobis i. What measure you meate the same shall be measured to you agayne Thus fare you well and God send you his spirit to induce you into truth Ye heard before how the Archb. Doct. Cranmer in the month of Febr. was cited vp to Rome and in the moneth of March next followyng was degraded by the B. of Ely and B. Boner In tyme of which his degradation he put vp his Appellation In this his Appellation because he needed the helpe of some good and godly Lawier he writeth to a certain frend of his about the same The copy of which letter in Latin is before expressed in the old booke of Acts there to be red pag. 1492. The English of the same I thought here to insert as vnder ensueth ¶ A Letter of Doctour Cranmar Archbishop to a Lawyer for the drawyng out of hys Appeale THe law of nature requireth of all men that so farre forth as it may be done without offence to God euery one should seke to defend and preserue his owne lyfe Which thyng when I about
boldly to the profession of Christ then they shewed how little they passed of death how much they feared God more then meÌ„ how much they loued and preferred the eternall lyfe to come aboue this short and miserable lyfe Wherfore I exhort you as well by Christes commandement as by the example of hym and his Apostles to withdraw your selfe from the malice of yours gods enemies into some place where God is most purely serued which is no slaunderyng of the truth but a preseruyng of your selfe to God and the truth and to the societie comfort of Christes little flocke And that you will doe doe it with speede least by your owne folly you fall into the persecutors hands And the Lord send his holy spirite to lead and guide you where so euer you goe and all that be godly will say Amen ¶ Unto these former letters of D. Cranmer Archbishop written by hym vnto others it seemeth to me not much out of place to annexe withall a certaine Letter also of Doc. Taylor written to hym and his fellow prisoners the tenor of which letter here followeth ¶ To my deare fathers and brethren Doctor Cranmer Doctor Ridley and Doctor Latimer prisoners in Oxford for the faithful testimony of Gods holy worde RIght reuerend fathers in the Lord I wish you to enioy continually Gods grace and peace through Iesus Christ God be praysed againe for this your most excellent promotioÌ„ which ye are called vnto at this present that is that ye are counted worthy to be allowed amongst the number of Christes recordes and witnesses England hath had but a few learned Bishops that would sticke to Christ ad ignem inclusiuè Once againe I thanke God hartily in Christ for your most happy onset most valiaunt proceeding most constant suffryng of all such infamies hissings clappyngs tauntes open rebukes losse of liuyng and liberty for the defence of Gods cause truth and glory I cannot vtter with pen how I reioyce in my hart for you three such captaines in the foreward vnder Christs crosse banner or standerd in such a cause and skirmish when not onely one or two of our deare redemers strongholds are besieged but all his chiefe castles ordeyned for our safegard are traiterously impugned This your enterprise in the sight of all that be in heauen and of all Gods people in earth is most pleasaunt to behold This is another maner of nobilitie then to be in the forefront in worldly warrefares For Gods sake pray for vs for we fayle not daily to pray for you We are stronger and stronger in the Lord hys name be praysed and we doubt not but ye be so in Christes owne sweet schoole Heauen is all wholy of our side therefore Gaudete in domino semper iterum gaudete exultate i. Reioyce alwayes in the Lord and agayne reioyce and be glad Your assured in Christ Rowland Taylour ¶ De Tho. Cranmeri Archiepiscopi qui carcere detinebatur palinodia Te Cranmere grauis sontem prope fecerat error Sed reuocas lubricos ad meliora pedes Te docuit lapsus magis vt vestigia firmes Atque magis Christo consociere tuo Vtque tuae melius studeas haerescere causae Sic mala non rarò causa fuere boni Et benè successit nam ficta adultera turba Illudens alijs luditur arte pari Nempè pia sic est frustatus fraude papismus Et cessit summo gloria tota Deo ¶ In mortem D. Cranmeri Cant. Archiepiscopi Infortunatè est foelix qui numine laeso Cuiusuis gaudet commoditate boni Infoelix ille est verò feliciter orbi Inuisus quisquis tristia fata subit Hoc Cranmere probas vitae praesentis amore Dum quaeris sanctâ—m dissimulare fidem Et dum consilijs tandem melioribus vsus Praeponis vitae funera saeua tuae ¶ Persecution in Suffolke Agnes Potten and Ioane Trunchfield Martyrs IN the story of Robert Samuel mention was made before of two godly women in the same Towne of Ipswich which shortly after hym suffered likewyse and obtained the crowne of Martyrdome the names of whome was Agnes the wife of Robert Potten and another wife of Michaell Trunchfield a Shomaker both dwellyng in one Towne who about the same tyme that the Archbishop aforesayd was burned at Oxford suffered likewyse in the foresayd Towne of Ipswich eyther in the same moneth of March or as some say in the ende of February the next moneth before Their opinion or perswasion was this that in the sacrament was the memoriall onely of Christes death and passion for sayd they Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen and is on the right hand of God the father according to the scriptures and not in the sacrament as he was borne of the Uirgin Mary For this they were burned In whose sufferyng their constancie worthily was to be wondered at who beyng so simple women so manfully stoode to the confession and testimony of Gods worde and veritie In so much that when they had prepared and vndressed themselues redy to the fire with comfortable wordes of the Scripture they earnestly required the people to credite and to lay hold on the word of God and not vpon mans deuises and inuentions despising the ordinances and institutioÌ„s of the Romish Antichrist with all his superstitions and rotten religion and so continuyng in the torment of fire they held vp their handes and called vnto God constantly so long as lyfe did endure This Pottens wife in a night a little before her death beyng a sleepe in her bed saw a bright burnyng fire ryght vp as a pole on the side of the fire she thought there stood a nuÌ„ber of Queene Maries friends lookyng on Then beyng a sleepe she seemed to muse with her selfe whether her fire should burne so bright or no and in deed her suffryng was not farre vnlike to her dreame ¶ The burnyng of two Women * Persecution in the Dioces of Salisbury AFter these two women of Ipswich succeeded iij. men which were burnt the same moneth at one fire in Salisburye who in the like quarell with the other that went before them and led the daunce spared not theyr bodyes to bring their soules to the celestiall felicity whereof they were throughly assured in Christe Iesus by his promises as soone as the furious flames of fire had put their bodyes and soules a fonder * Their names were Iohn Spicer free Mason William Coberly Taylor Iohn Maundrell husbandman ¶ The story of Iohn Maundrell William Coberley and Iohn Spicer Martyrs FIrst Iohn Maundrell which was the sonne of Robert MauÌ„drell of Rowd in the CouÌ„ty of Wiltshyre Fermer was from his childhood brought vp in husbandry after he came to mans state did abide dwell in a Uillage called Buchamton in the Parish of Keuel within the CouÌ„ty of Wiltshyre aforesaid where he had wife and children being of good name and fame Which Iohn Maundrell
after that the scripture was translated into English by the faithfull Apostle of Englande W. Tindall became a diligent hearer and a feruent embracer of Gods true Religion so that he delighted in nothing so much as to heare and speak of Gods word neuer being without the new Testamēt about him although he could not read him selfe But when he came into any cōpany that could read his book was alwaies ready hauing a very good memory so that he could recite by hart most places of the new testamēt his conuersation and liuing being very honest and charitable as his neighbors are able to testify So it was that in the dayes of King Henry the eight at what time Doctour Trigonion and Doctour Lee dyd visite Abbayes the sayd Iohn Maundrell was brought before Doctour Trigonion at an Abbey called Edyngton within in the Countye of Wiltshyre aforesayde where he was accused that he had spoken agaynst the holy water holy bread and such like ceremonyes and for the same dyd weare a white sheete bearing a candle in his hand aboute the market in the Towne of the Deuises which is in the sayd coūty Neuertheles his feruēcy did not abate but by Gods mercifull assistaunce he tooke better hold as the sequele hereof will declare For in the dayes of Queene Mary when popery was restored agayne and Gods true religion put to silence the sayd Iohn Maūdrell left his owne house and departed into the County of Glocestershyre and into the North part of Wiltshyre wandring from one to an other to such men as he knew feared GOD with whome as a seruaunt to keepe their cattell he there did remayne with Iohn Bridges or some other at Kingeswoode but after a time he returned to his country and there comming to the Ueys to a frend of his named Anthony Clee had talk conference with him in a Garden of returning home to his house And when the other exhorted hym by the woordes of Scripture to flye from one Citty to an other he replying agayne by the wordes of the Apocalips 21. of them that be fearefull c. sayd that he needes must go home and so did Where he with Spicer and Coberley vsed at times to resort and conferre together At length vpon the Sonday folowing they agreed together to go to the parish Church called Keuell where the sayd Iohn Maundrell the other two seing the parishioners in the procession to folow worship the Idoll there caried aduertised thē to leaue the same to return to the liuing god namely speaking to one Rob. Barkesdale head man of the Parish but he tooke no regard to these wordes After this the Uicare came into the Pulpit who there being about to read his beadroll and to pray for the soules in Purgatory the sayde Iohn Maundrell speaking wyth an audible voyce sayd that that was the Popes pinfolde the other two affirming the same After which wordes by commaūdement of the Priest they were had to the stocks where they remained till theyr seruice was done and then were brought before a Iustice of peace and so the next day caried to Salisbury all three and presented before Bishop Capon and W. Geffrey being Chauncellor of the Dioces By whom they were imprisoned and oftētimes examined of theyr fayth in theyr houses but seldome openly And at theyr last examination these were the Articles whiche the Chauncellour alledged agaynst them being accompanied with the Sheriffe of the shyre one M. Saint Iohns other Popishe Priestes in the Parish Church of Fisherton Anger demaunding how they did beleue They aunswered as christen men should and ought to beleue and first they sayd they beleued in God the Father and in the Sonne and in the holy ghost the xij articles of the Creed the holy Scripture from the first of Genesis to the last of the Apocalips But that fayth the Chauncellour woulde not allowe Wherefore he apposed them in particular Articles Firste whether that they did not beleue that in the Sacrament of the aulter as he termed it after the wordes of consecratiō spoke by the priest at masse there remayned no substaunce of bread nor wine but Christes body flesh and bloud as he was borne of the virgine Mary Whereunto they aunswered negatiuely saying that the popish masse was abhominable Idolatry and iniurious to the bloud of Christ but confessing that in a faythfull Congregation receiuing the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud being duely ministred acccording to Christes institution Christes body and bloud is spiritually receiued of the faythfull beleuer Also being asked whether the Pope was supreame head of the Churche and Christes Uicar on earth they aunswered negatiuely saying that the Byshop of Rome doth vsurpe ouer Emperours and Kinges beyng Antichrist and Gods enemy The Chauncellour sayde will you haue the Churche without a head They aunswered Christ was head of his Church and vnder Christ the Queenes maiesty What sayd the Chaūcellour a woman head of the church yea sayd they within her graces dominions Also that the soules in purgatory were deliuered by the Popes pardons and the suffrages of the Church They said they beleued faithfully that the bloud of Christ had purged theyr sinnes and the sinnes of al thē that were saued vnto the end of the world so that they feared nothing the Popes Purgatory or estemed his pardons Also whether Images were necessary to be in the churches as lay mens bookes and Sayntes to be prayed vnto and worshipped They answered negatiuely Iohn Maundrell adding that wooden Images were good to rost a shoulder of mutton but euill in the Church whereby Idolatry was committed Those Articles thus aunswered for theyr Articles were one and theyr aunsweres in maner like the Chauncellor read theyr condemnation so deliuered them to the Shiriffe Then spake Iohn Spycer saying Oh M. Sheriffe now must you be theyr butcher that you may be guilty also with them of innocent bloud before the Lord. This was the 23. day of March an 1556. the 24. day of the same Moneth they were caryed out of the common Gayle to a place betwixt Salisbury Wiltom where were ij postes set for them to be burnt at Whiche men commyng to the place kneled downe and made theyr prayers secretly together then being disclothed to theyr shyrtes Iohn Maūdrell spake with a loud voyce not for all Salisbury Which wordes mē iudged to be an answere to the Shiriffe which offred him the queenes pardō if he would recant And after that in like maner spake Iohn Spicer saying this is the ioyfullest day that euer I sawe Thus were they 3. burnt at two stakes where most constauntly they gaue theyr bodyes to the fire and theyr soules to the Lord for testimony of his trueth As touching William Coberley this moreourr is to be noted that his wife also called Alice beyng apprehended was in the kepers house the same time deteined
and forgiuen your sinnes nowe cleaue vnto him and be at defiance with his enemyes the Papistes as they doe beare witnesse with their Father the Deuill by goinge to the Church and shedding of the innocent bloud of all those that will not goe with them euen so do you beare witnes with Christ by not comming there for all those that do go thither shal be partakers of their brethrens bloud that is shed for the testimonye of Christ except they repent amend which grace that they may so doe I beseech the eternall God for his Christes sake if it be his good will to geue them in his good tyme. And the same good God that hath bene so mercifull vnto you to call you to repentance him I beseech to keepe you in his feare loue that you may haue alwayes affiance in him and euermore seeke his honour glory to your euerlasting comfort in Christ Amen Thus fare you well from the kinges bench this 28. of August By me William Tyms ¶ An other letter of W. Tyms to certayne godly women of his parish folowers of the Gospell GRace mercy and peace from GOD the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ be with you both now and euermore Amen Deare sisters I haue me most hartely commended vnto you thanking you for the great kindnes shewed vnto me in this tyme of my imprisonment and not onely vnto me but also vnto my poore wife and children and also for the great kindnesse that you shew vnto all the liuing saints that be dispersed abroad and are fayne to hide their heades for feare of this cruell persecution Deare sisters when I do remember your constancy in christ I call to remembraunce the constancy of diuers godly women as Susanna Iudith Hester and the good wife of Nabal that thorow her godly conditions saued both her husbandes life and all her housholde when Dauid had thoughte to haue slayne him for his churlish aunswere that he sent him Also I do remember Rahab that lodged the Lordes Spyes howe God preserued her and her whole housholde for her faythfulnesse that she bare to Gods people So I doe beleue that when the Lord shall send his Aungell to destroy these Idolatrous Egyptians here in England and shall finde the bloud of the Lambe sprinkled on the dore postes of your harts he wil go by not hurt you but spare your whole housholdes for your sakes Also I do remember Mary Magdalen how faythfull she was for she was the first that preached the resurrection of Christ. Remember the blessed Martir Anne Askew in our time folow her example of constancy And for the loue of God take heede that in no case you doe consent to Idolatrye but stande fast to the Lorde as the good woman did that had her seuen sonnes put to death before her face and she alwayes comforting them yea and last of all suffered death her selfe for the testimony of her God which is the liuing God Thus I beseech God to send you grace and strength to stand fast to the Lorde as shee did and then you shall be sure of the same kingdome that she is sure of to the which kingdome I pray God bring both you and me Amen By me William Tyms prisoner in the Kinges Bench. ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms to his frend in Hockley THe grace of God the Father through the merites of his deare sonne Iesus our Lord and onely Sauiour with the continuall ayde of his holy and mighty spirit to the performance of his wil to our euerlasting comfort be with you my deare brethren both now and euermore Amen My dearely beloued I beseeche God to rewarde the greate goodnesse that you haue shewed vnto me seuen folde into your bosomes and as you haue alwayes had a moste godly loue vnto his word euen so I beseech him to geue you grace to loue your owne soule and then I trust that you will flee from al those thinges that shoulde displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhorre all the companye of those that woulde haue you to worship God any otherwise then is conteined in his holy worde And beware of those maysters of Idolatrye that is these papisticall Priestes My deare brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I haue sayd vnto you and also written the which I am now ready to seale with my bloud I prayse God that euer I liue to see the daye and blessed bee my good and mercifull God that euer he gaue me a body to glorify his name And deare hartes I do now write vnto you for none other cause but to put you in remembraunce that I haue not forgotten you to the end that I woulde not haue you forgette me but to remember well what I haue simply by worde of mouth and writing taught you The which although it were moste simplye done yet truely as your owne conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own conscience doth condemne Therefore come out of Sodome and goe to heauen ward with the seruauntes and martyrs of God least you be pertakers of the vengeance of God that is comming vpō this wicked natiō from the which the Lord our God defend you and send vs a ioyfull meeting in the kingdome of heauen vnto the which God bring you all Amen Thus now I take my leaue of you for euer in this world except I be burned amongst you whiche thing is vncertayne vnto me as yet By me your poorest and most vnworthy brother in Christ W. Tyms in Newgate the 12. day of April condemned to dye for Christes verity ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms geuing thankes to his parishioners for theyr charity shewed to his wife being brought to bed of a childe in his captiuity THe euerlasting peace of our deare Lord and only sauiour Iesus Christ with the sweete comfort of his holy mighty spirite to the encrease of your fayth to the perfourmance of his will and to your eternall cōfort in the euerlasting kingdome of heauen be with you my deare brethren and sisterne both now and euer Amen My most deare brethren sisterne in our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ I haue me most hartely cōmended vnto you with harty thankes for all the great liberality that you haue shewed vnto me specially now in this time of my necessity whē that God hath sēt my poore wife a childe in my captiuity which is no litle care to me so to prouide that I might keepe both the child my wife from the Antichristian church the which thing I thanke my good god through his most gracious prouidence I haue yet done though it be as you know great charge not to me but to the congregation of God it greueth me that I haue bene so chargeable to thē as I haue bene specially you my deare brethrē I being so vnworthy a
Iesus Yet I thinke there be some that will say that I needed not to haue ben takeÌ„ if I would haue kepte me out of the way But I say vnto that the shrinking away of so many of our shepheardes as be gone maketh so many of the flock to scatter which will be required at theyr handes of the maister of the sheepe What shall he saye to them at the daye of accompt when they shall come to receaue their wages He shall say to them Departe from me ye wicked hyrâ—linges for when ye saw the Wolfe come ye ran away and left my sheep in the wildernes If you had bene good shepheards ye would rather haue lost your liues then haue loste one sheepe committed to your charge through your fault And I pray you what case bee the sheepe in when their shepheard runneth awaye from them I neede not to tell you you know the daunger that followeth so well Therefore let vs pray to God to send vs faithful shepheardes also obedient sheep that will not heare a strangers voyce I would all men woulde marke well the saying of s. Paule in the 8. to the Rom. wher he sayth in these wordes Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution either nakednes eyther perill eyther sword As it is written For thy sake are wee killed all day long and are counted as sheepe appoynted to bee slayne neuerthelesse wee ouercome strongly through his helpe that loued vs. Yea I am sure that neither death neither lyfe neither Angels neyther rule neyther power neyther thinges present neyther thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neyther anye other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God and so forth Also he sayth in an other plac All that wil liue godly in Christe Iesus must suffer persecution Thus I proue it to be our heauenly fathers rod therefore let vs thankefully receaue it like obedient Children and then our father will loue vs. Yet heare what S. Peter saith in his first Epistle and the fourth Chapiter Dearely beloued sayth he be not troubled in this heate whiche is now come among you to try you as though some strange thinge had happened vnto you but reioyce in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth you may bee mery and glad If ye be rayled on for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirite of glorye and the spirite of God resteth vppon you On their parte hee is euill spoken of but on your parte hee is glorified Here S. Peter sayth it is no straunge thing and that I haue partly prooued before because wee haue nothinge els promised vs in this world Therefore let vs call on God for grace Be ye sure that they can do nothing to vs till God permittt it As for ensample looke in the first booke of kinges the xix chapiter you shall see how Saule persecuted Dauid purposing to kill hym but hys labour was in vayne Also in the 3. booke of kings the 19. cha Iesabel threatned sware to slea Elias but the Lord preferred him Also in the 2. chap. of Iob you see that Satan could doe nothinge to Iob till God suffered him neither exercise hys cruelnesse any further then God had appoynted him The godly woman Susanna in the 8. of Daniell thorough the false accusation of the wicked iudges was euen at a poynt to dye yet God wonderfully deliuered her These haue I written to put you in remembrance that man can doe no more then is the will of God therefore let vs not resist his will but referre all to him and let vs bee doing that thing that God hath commaunded vs in his holy word Deare brethren for the bloud of Christ refuse not the Crosse of Christ but remember the saying of the godly maÌ„ Dauid in his .119 Psalme where he sayth It is good for me that I haue bene in trouble that I may learne thy statutes In the same place he sayth Before I was in trouble I went wrong but now I haue kept thy word Euen so it is in trouble wyth vs for the word of God was neuer so sweete and comfortable as it is now that we be in trouble Also S. Paule sayth in the fift chapter to the Rom. We reioyce in tribulation For wee knowe that tribulation bringeth patience pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed Also I pray you remember the saying of S. Paule in the second to Timothe and the first chapter where he saith Be not ashamed to testifie the Lorde neither be ashamed of me Euen so say I vnto you deare brethren Be not ashamed of my imprisonment neither sorye but reioyce with me that it hath pleased God of his goodnes to call me to suche a dignitie as this shal be vnto me if I may haue his grace to loose my life which I regard as most vile for his names sake for then I shal be sure to find it agayne with aduantage Therefore I desire you all that you will praye with me vnto almighty god that he of his mercifull goodnes wil send me his grace strength that I may continue vnto the end as I will pray for you that God will preserue you froÌ„ all the wicked wayes of Antichrist strengthen comfort you if it be his good pleasure that you shall suffer any thyng for his names sake as he hath faythfully promised to doe And I certify you that if all meÌ„ knew the comfort they should receiue at the hande of God being in prison I thinke there would come mo to prison theÌ„ there do For surely we find such comfort at the hand of God since we haue bene in prisoÌ„ that we had rather dye then to be abroad to see theyr idolatry that is committed amoÌ„g them that be abroad beside the seeking one of an others bloud with other wickednes to much God send me more grace But I trust amongst you there be none such if there be repent and amend least it be verified on you that is spokeÌ„ by the Prophet Ierem. 2. cha where hee sayth My people hathe committed two great euils They haue forsaken me the fountayne of the liuing waters and digged them pittes pittes I say that are broken and canne hold no water Also in the vii he sayth Take heede ye truste in counsels that beguile you and do you no good In the 23. he sayth Heare not the wordes of the Prophetes that preach theyr owne dreames Good brethren beware of those false Prophetes that I haue geuen you warning of Dearely beloued heare I make an end of this tyme desiring the same health both of body and soule vnto you al that I would haue my selfe and I end with the same that S. Pter sayth in his first Epistle and the 5. chap. Submitte your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God
English seruice so causing vs to sinne against our redemption For such as willingly and wittingly agaynst their consciences shall so do as it is to be feared many one doth they are in a miserable state vntill the mercy of God turn them which if he do not we certainly beleeue that they shall eternally be damned and as in this world they deny Christes holy word and Communion before men so shal christ deny them before his heauenly father and his Aungelles And where as it is verye earnestly required that we should go in Procession as they call it at whiche time the Priest say in Latine such thinges as we are ignoraunt of the same edifieth nothing at all vnto godlinesse And wee haue learned that to follow Christes Crosse is an other matter namely to take vp our Crosse and to follow chryst in pacient suffering for his loue tribulations sicknes pouertie prison or anye other aduersitie whensoeuer Gods holy wil pleasure is to lay the same vppon vs. The tryumphant Passion and death of Christ wherby in his own person he conquered death sinne hell and damnatioÌ„ hath most liuely bene preached vnto vs and the glory of Chrystes crosse declared by our Preachers whereby wee haue learned the causes and effectes of the same more liuely in one Sermon then in all the Processions that euer wee went in or euer shall go in When wee worshipped the diuine Trinitie kneelyng and in the Letanie inuocating the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost asking mercye for our sinnes and desiring such petitions as the neede of oure frayle estate and thys mortall life requireth we were edified both to know vnto whom all Christian praiers should be directed and also to know that of Gods hand we receaue all thinges as well to the saluation of our soules as to the reliefe of our mortall necessities And we humbly beseech the Queenes maiestie that the same most holye prayers may bee continued amongest vs that our Ministers praying in oure mother tongue and wee vnderstanding their prayers and petitions may aunswere Amen vnto them At euening seruice we vnderstoode our Ministers prayers we wer taught admonished by the scriptures then read whiche in the latine Euensong is all gone At the ministration of holy baptisme we learned what league and couenauâ—t God had made with vs and what vowes and promises we vpon our part had made namely to beleue in him to forsake Satan and his workes to walke in the way of Gods holy word commandemeÌ„tes The Christian Catechisme continually taught called to remembraunce the same wheras before no man knew any thing at all And many good men of lx yeares that hadde bene godfathers to xxx children knew no more of the godfathers office but to wash their handes ere they departed the Church or els to fast fiue Fridayes bread and water O mercifull God haue pittie vpon vs. Shall we be altogether cast from thy presence We may well lament our miserable estate to receaue such a commaundement to reiect and cast out of our Churches all these most godly praiers instructions admonitions and doctrines thus to be compelled to deny God and Christ our Sauiour hys holy word al his doctrine of our saluation the candle to our feete and the light to our steppes the bread comming downe from heauen that geueth life whiche who so drinketh it shall be in him a well spring streaming vnto eternall life wherby we haue learned all righteousnes al true Religion al true obedience towardes our gouernours al charitie one towardes an other all good workes that god would vs to walk in what punishment abideth the wicked and what heauenly rewarde God will geue to those that reuerently walke in his wayes and commaundementes Wherefore right honourable Commissioners wee can not without impietie refuse and caste from vs the holye word of God which we haue receaued or condemne anye thing set forth by our most godly late king Edward hys vertuous proceedinges so agreable to Gods worde And our most humble suite is that the coÌ„maundement may be reuoked so that we be not constrayned thereunto For we protest before God we thinke if the holy word of God had not taken some roote amongest vs we could not in tyme past haue done that poore duety of ours which wee did in assisting the Queene our most deare soueraigne agaynst her Graces mortall foe that then fought her destruction It was our bounden duetie and wee thanke God for the knowledge of his worde and grace that we then did some part of our bounden seruice And we meekely pray and beseeche the Queenes Maiestie for the deare passion of Iesus Christ that the same word be not takeÌ„ away out of her Churches nor from vs her louyng faythfull and true subiectes lest if the like necessitie should hereafter chaunce which God for his mercies sake forbid and euer saue and defeÌ„d her grace and vs all the want of knowledge of due remembrauÌ„ce of Gods word may be occasion of great ruine to an infinite number of her graces true subiectes And truely we iudge this to be one subtile part of the deuil enemy to all godly peace and quietnesse that by takyng Gods word from among vs and plantyng ignoraunce he may make a way to all mischief and wickednes by banishyng the holy Gospell of peace he may bring vpon vs the heauy wrath of God with all maner of plagues as death straunge sicknes pestilence morren most terrible vprores commotions seditions These thyngs did the Lord threaten vnto the Iewes for refusing his word saying Goe and thou shalt say vnto this people Ye shall heare in deede but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall playnly see and not perceiue Harden the hart of this people stop their eares and shut their eyes that they see not with their eyes heare not with their eares and vnderstand not with their hartes and conuert and be healed And I said how loÌ„g Lord And he aunswered Vntill the Cities be destroyed vtterly wasted without habiters and the houses without men till the laÌ„d also be desolate lye vnbuilded And the Prophet Micheas considering the contempt of Gods word amoÌ„g the Israelites threatned them thus When the day that thy preachers warned thee of commeth thou shalt be wasted away And let no man beleue his frend or put confidence in his brother Keepe the doore of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosome for the sonne shall put his father to dishonour and the daughter shal rise agaynst her mother the daughter in law agaynst the mother in the law and a mans foes shal be eueÌ„ they of his owne houshold The same plague threatned Christ vnto the Iewes for refusing his peace profered them in the Gospel and he wept on the Citie Ierusalem which murdered the Prophetes and stoned such as were sent vnto her The same plagues we are afrayd will also fall vpon vs. For whereas
Commons faythfull and true subiectes members of the same body politicke wherof her Grace is supreme head All our bodyes goodes landes and lyues are ready to do her Grace faythfull obedience and true seruice of all commaundements that are not agaynst God his worde but in these thinges that importe a denyall of Christ and refusall of his word and holy Communion we cannot consent nor agree vnto it For we haue bound our selues in Baptisne to be Christes Disciples and to keepe his holy word and ordinances And if we deny him before men he will deny vs before his heauenly Father and hys holy Aungels in the day of iudgement which we trust her benigne Grace will not require of vs. And we humbly beseeche her Maiestie that we be not enforced vnto it but as we serue her grace with body and goodes due obedience accordyng to Gods commauÌ„dement so we may bee permitted freely to serue God and Christ our Sauiour keepe vnto him our soules which hee hath with his precious bloud redeemed that so as Christ teacheth we may reÌ„der to Caesar that is due to Caesar and to God that is due to God For we thinke it no true obedience vnto the Queenes highnes or to any other Magistrate ordeined of God vnder her to obey in things coÌ„trary to gods word although the same be neuer so straitly charged in her Graces name The Bish. of Winchester hath truely taught in that point in his booke of true obedience that true obedieÌ„ce is in the Lord not agaynst the Lord as the Apostles aunswered before the Counsaile at Ierusalem coÌ„maundyng them no more to preache in the name of the Lord Iesus Iudge you sayd they whether it be right in the sight of God to heare you rather theÌ„ God And agayne they sayd We must obey God rather then man Wherefore wee learne that true obedience is to obey God kyng of all kynges Lord of all Lordes and for him in him and not agaynst him and his word to obey the Princes and Magistrates of this world who are not truely obeyed when God is disobeyed nor yet disobeyed when God is faythfully obeyed Tobias disobeyed not his king although contrary to his commaundement contrary to the vsage of all other when they went to Dan Bethel he went vnto Ierusalem worshipped in the teÌ„ple of the Lord. The three youÌ„g men in Babylon refusing king Nabuchodonosors commaundemeÌ„t pleased God more then the whole multitude that obeyed And Daniel that prayed to the God of heaueÌ„ contrary to kyng Darius coÌ„maundementes bare a more true faythfull hart to the king theÌ„ those wicked CouÌ„sellers that procured that wicked law or those that for feare of flattery obeyed it Which two pestilences feare flattery haue euer destroyed true obedience to God and man when wicked godlesse men that care not if the deuill were worshipped so they may get obteine riches promotioÌ„s and dignities and worldly glory turne to and fro as euery winde bloweth and weake and frayle meÌ„ fearing losse of goodes punishment or death doe outwardly in body that thyng that their hartes conscieÌ„ces inwardly abhorreth and so outwardly disobey God and in hart dissemble with man which dissimulation we thinke worthy hate of all men and most vncomely for Christian men Wherfore we humbly beseeche the Queenes Maiestie with pitie and mercy to tender the lamentable suite of vs her poore subiectes which be by this coÌ„maundement sore hurt wounded in our consciences and driuen to many miseries by the malicious attemptes of wicked meÌ„ suffer great wronges iniuries sclaunders losse of goods bodyly vexations We thinke not good by any vnlawful sâ—urre or coÌ„motion to seeke remedy 〈◊〉 intend by Gods grace to obey her maiesty in al things not against God his holy woorde But vnto such vngodly bishoplike commandements as are against God we answer with the apostles God must be obeied rather then man If persecution shall ensue whiche some threaten vs with we desire the heauenly Father according to his promise to looke from heauen to heare our crye to iudge betweene vs our aduersaries to geue vs faith strength and patience to coÌ„tinue faithfully vnto the end to shorten these euil daies for his chosens sake and so we faithfully beleeue he will Notwithstanding we trust the Quenes gracious and mercifull heart will not suffer such tyranny to be done against her poore innocent faithful and obedient subiects that daily pray vnto God for her which haue no remedie in this world but to sue vnto her highnesse our most gracious and benigne soueraigne whom we pray beseech for the deare bloud of Christ to pitie our lamentable case and hurt of conscience and to call backe all such commandements as are against Gods honour as the good Kyng Darius Assuerus Traianus Theodosius diuers other haue done and to permit the holy woord of God and true religion set foorth by our moste holy and innocent king Edward a very Sainte of God to be restored agayne vnto our Churches to be frequented amongst vs. So shal we grow and increase in the knowledge of God of Christ in true repentance and amendement of life so shal we exhibite true obedience to our lawfull Magistrates and all superiors ordained of God so shall loue charitye of late thorowe this commandement so decaied be againe restored the honor of her regall estate the more confirmed and established and godlinesse and vertuous life among her louing subiects increased and maintained And we most hartily pray you right honorable commissioners to be meanes vnto the Queenes highnesse and to her honourable Counsaile that thys oure humble sute may be fauourably tendered and graciously hearde and graunted And we shall not cease daye and nyghte to pray vnto the heaueÌ„ly Father long to preserue her grace all other magistrates in his feare and loue and in prosperous peace and wealth with long life honor Amen Your poore suppliants the louers of Christes true Religion in Northfolke and Suffolke The story of Iohn Harpole of the parish of S. Nicholas in Rochester Ioane Beach wydowe of Tunbridge Martyrs TOuching the examination of Ioane Beach widowe and of Iohn Harpole within the dioces of Rochester by Maurice B. of the sayde Diocesse remembraunce was made before in the story of Nicholas Hal pag. 1591. wherin was declared the foure articles Consistorial of the byshop obiected and laide as vnto the sayd Nicholas Hall and his company so also to this Ioane Beach wydowe whereof the first was this 1 That shee was of the parish of Tunbridge in the Dioces of Rochester 2 Item that all persons which preache teach beleeue or say otherwise or contrary to that their mother holye Catholike church of Christ are excommunicate persons and heretickes 3 Item that the sayde Ioane Beach hath and yet dothe affirme maintaine and beleue contrary to the sayde mother holye Churche of
wise to be conuersant and keepe company wyth hys congregation there and to holde his peace and say nothing what soeuer he thinke so that he be not a diligent souldiour and a good labourer on Christes side to further his kingdome by that subtile meanes flattering him that hee shall bothe saue his life also his goods and liue in quiet But if we looke well on Christes holy will and Testament we shal perceiue that he came not to make any suche peace vppon earth nor yet that he gaue any such peace to his Disciples I leaue peace wyth you sayeth he my peace I geue you not as the world geueth it geue I vnto you Let not your hart be troubled nor fearefull These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye should haue peace In the worlde yee shall haue affliction but be of good cheare I haue ouercome the world The seruaunt is not greater then his Lord and maister If they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you If any man come to me and hateth not his owne father and mother wife children sisters yea and moreouer his owne life it is not possible for him to be my disciple Blessed be yee that nowe weepe for ye shall laughe and woe be vnto you that nowe laugh for ye shal mourne weepe He that wil finde his life shall loose it Therfore the God of that true peace and comfort preserue and keepe vs that we neuer obey such a false flattering which at length will pay vs home once for all bringing for temporal◠peace and quietnesse euerlasting trouble vexation and disquietnesse for these vaine and transitory goodes extreme losse and vtter damage of the eternal treasure and inheritance for this mortall life depriuation of the most ioyfull life immortall finally the entrance into endlesse death most miserable vnmeasurable pain and torment both of body and soule Now conferring these 2. scholemasters together lette vs consider the thing wel and determine with our selues whych way we oughte to take not to take the common broade way which seemeth heere moste pleasant and that the most parte of people take Surely I iudge it to be better to goe to Schoole wyth our maister Christe and to be vnder his Ferula and rodde although it seeme sharpe and grieuous for a time that at the lengthe we may be inheritors wyth him of euerlasting ioy rather then to keepe cōpany wyth the deuils schollers the adulterous generation in his schoole that is all ful of pleasure for a while and at the ende to be paide with the wages of continuall burning in the moste horrible lake whiche burneth euermore with fire and brimstone without any end What shal then these vaine goodes and temporall pleasures auaile Who shall then helpe when we crie incessantly woe woe alasse and weale away for vnmeasurable paine griefe and sorrowe O let vs therefore take heede betime and rather be content to take paynes in this worlde for a time that wee maye please God Our Sauiour Christe the true teacher sayeth Euery braunche that bringeth not foorth fruite in mee my Father will take away It is also not wrytten in vaine The children of the vngodly are abhominable children and so are they that kepe company wyth the vngodly What doeth he els I pray you that resorteth to the ministration and seruice that is moste repugnant and contrary to Christes holy Testament there keeping still silence and nothing reproouing the same but in the face of the world by hys very deede it selfe declareth hymselfe to be of a false fearefull dissembling fained and vnfaithfull heart and to haue layde awaye from hym the armour of light discouraging as muche as lieth in hym all the residue of Christes hoste and geuing a manifest offence to the weake and also confirming encouraging and reioysing the hearts of the aduersaries in all theyr euil doing By which example he doeth shewe him selfe neyther to loue God whome he seeth to be dishonoured and blasphemed of an Antichristian minister nor yet his neighbour before whome he should rebuke the euill as it is expresly commaunded in Gods holy lawe where it is sayd Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou be ar not sinne for hys sake Wherefore let such a one neuer fantasie to deceiue him selfe that his name is registred in the booke of life to haue the stipend of Christes souldiour except he do the duety and performe the parte of a faithfull and ryghte true souldioure as other haue done before For such fearfulnesse commeth not from God as testifieth S. Paule saying God hath not geuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue Be not ashamed sayth he to testifie our Lorde but suffer aduersitye also with the Gospell through the power of God which saued vs and calling vs with an holy calling To be now fearful when most nede is that we should be of strong hearts is vtterly the reiecting of the feare of God and plaine vnfaithfulnesse and disobedience to the expresse commandement of our sauior Christ which sayth in his holy gospel Feare not them that kill the body c. For what faithfulnesse doe we expresse towards hym when he sayeth thus to vs and yet we declare in our doynges the very contrarye being euer fearefull euen as the vnbeleeuing Israelites whiche vnfaithfully feared Gods ennemies the heathen Cananites where as he had oftentimes geuen them commaundement by hys true Prophet Moses to do the contrary For the which cause all the whole number of that secte were destroyed in processe of time in the wildernesse and enioyed not the pleasant land of promise Which was a bodily figure shewed before and now agreeing to the promise of the heauenly inheritāce which shal be geuen to none other but onely to al such as with loue vnfained be wholy bent wythout any fear of man to fulfil Gods holy will and pleasure But all they that pertain to the liuely faith to the winning of the soule wil faithfully sticke to the commandement trusting moste firmly and faithfully that he that gaue the same wil also geue strēgth plentifully to performe it euen in the weakest vesselles of all euen as we haue heard and seene by many and diuers examples he onely be praised therefore S. Peter sayeth Feare not though they seeme terrible vnto you neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lorde God in your hearts Onely sayeth S. Paule let your conuersation be as it becommeth the gospell of Christe Continue in one spirit and in one soule labouring as we doe to maintaine the faith of the gospell in nothing fearing your aduersaries which is to them a token of damnation and to you of saluation and that of God for vnto you it is geuen that not onely yee shoulde beleeue in Christe but also suffer for his sake Wherefore let vs be ryght well assured that we shall yeelde a moste straite reckening and accompte if we transgresse
there is the reall substance of the body of Christ Fort. And I aunswered him that it is the greatest plague that euer came into England Bish. Why so Fort. I sayd if I were a Bishop and you a poore man as I am I would be ashamed to aske such a question For a Bishop should be apt to teach and not to learne Bish. I am appoynted by the law to teach so are not you Fort. And I sayd Your lawe breaketh out very well for you haue burned vp the true Bishops and preachers and mainteined lyers to be in theyr steed Bish. Now you may vnderstand that he is a traytour for he denyeth the higher powers Fort. I am no traytour for S. Paule sayth All soules must obey the higher powers and I resist not the higher powers concerning my body but I must resist your euill doctrine wherwith you would infect my soule A Doct. Then sayd a Doctor my Lord you doe not well let him aunswere shortly to his articles Bish. How sayst thou make aunswere quickly to these articles Fort. S. Paule sayth Christ did one sacrifice once for all and set him downe on the right hand of his father triumphing ouer hell and death making intercession for sinnes Bish. I aske thee no suche question but make aunswere to this article Fort. If it be not GOD before the consecration it is not God after for God is without beginning and without ending Bish. Then sayd he lo what a stiffe hereticke is this He hath denyed altogether how sayest thou Is it idolatry to worship the blessed sacrament or no. Fort. God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and trueth Bish. I aske thee no such question answere me directly Fort. I answere that this is the God Mauzzim that robbeth God of his honor Bish. It is pity that the grounde beareth thee or that thou hast a toung to speak Thē sayd the scribe here are a great many more articles Bish. Then sayde the Bishop Away with him for he hath spoken to much ¶ An other examination of I. Fortune ANd when I came to mine examination agayne the bishoppe asked me if I would stand vnto mine answere that I had made before and I sayd yea for I had spoken nothing but the truth And after that he made a great circumstance vpon the Sacrament Then I desired him to stand to the text he read the Gospell on Corpus Christi day whiche sayd I am the breade which came downe from heauen beleuest thou not this And I sayd yea truely And he sayd why doest thou deny the Sacrament Because your doctrine is false sayd I. Then sayd he how can that be false which is spoken in the Scripture And I sayd Christ sayd I am the bread and you say the breade is he Therefore your doctrine is false sayd I. And he sayd doest thou not beleue that the bread is he And I sayd no. Bish. I will bring thee to it by the Scriptures Fort. Hold that fast my Lord for that is the best Argumēt that you haue yet Bish. Thou shalt be burned like an hereticke Fort. Who shall geue iudgement vpon me Bish. I will iudge an hundred such as thou art and neuer be shriuen vpon it Fort. Is there not a lawe for the spiritualty as well as for the temporaltye and Syr Clement Higham sayde yes what meanest thou by that Fort. When a man is periured by the law he is cast ouer the barre and sitteth no more in iudgement And the Byshop is a periured man and ought to sit in iudgement of no mā Bish. How prouest thou that Fort. Because you tooke an oth by king Henries dayes to resist the Pope So both spirituall and temporall are periured that here can be no true iudgement Bish. Thinkest thou to escape iudgement by that no for my Chaūcellor shall iudge thee He took no oth for he was out then of the Realme M. Hygham It is time to weede out such felowes as you be in deed Bysh. Good fellowe why beleuest not thou in the Sacrament of the aultar Fort. Because I finde it not in Gods booke nor yet in the Doctors If it were there I would beleue it with al my hart Bysh. How knowest thou it is not there Fort. Because it is contrary to the second cōmaundement and seing it is not written in Gods booke why do you thē robbe me of my life Then the Bishop hauing no more to saye commaunded the Bailiffe to take him away And thus much touching the examinations of this man Now whether he died in fire or otherwise preuented with death as I sayd before I am vncertayne In the Registers of Norwich this I do finde that his sentence of condemnation was drawne and Registred but whether it was pronounced in the said Register it is not expressed according as the vsuall maner of the Notary is so to declare in the end of the sētēce Neuertheles this is most certayne that he neuer abiured nor recanted howsoeuer it pleased the Lord by death to call him out of this world ¶ The death of Iohn Careles in the Kynges Benche ABout this time the first day of Iuly amongest diuers other prisoners which dyed the same yeare in the Kinges Bench was also one Iohn Careles of Couentry a weauer Who though he were by the secret iudgemēt of almighty God preuented by death so that he came not to the full Martyrdome of his body yet is he no lesse worthy to be counted in honor place of Christes martyrs then other that suffered most cruell torments aswell for that he was for the same truthes sake a long time imprisoned as also for his willing mind zelous affection he had thereunto if the Lord had so determined it as well may appeare by his examinatiō had before Doct. Martin Which examination because it conteineth nothing almost but wrangling interrogations and matters of contentiō wherin Doctour Martin would enter into no communication about the articles of his accusation but onely vrged him to detect his felowes it shall not be greatly materiall therfore to expresse the whole but onely to excerpt so much as perteining to the question of predestination may bring some fruit to the Reader ¶ The effect of Iohn Careles examination before Doctour Martin briefly declared FIrst Doctour Martin calling Iohn Careles to hym in his Chamber demaunded what was his name To whom when the other had answered that his name was Iohn Careles then began Doctour Martin to descant at his pleasure vpon that name saying that it would appere by his conditions by that time he had done with him that he would be a true careles man in deed And so after other by talke there spent about much needelesse matter then he asked him where he was borne Careles Forsooth sayth he at Couentry Mart. At Couentry what so farre man How camest thou hither Who sent thee to the kinges Bench to prison Carel. I was
a true Christian subiect to doe And iâ— her grace or her officers vnder her do require me to any thing contrary to Christes Religion I am ready also to do my seruice in Smithfield for not obseruing it as my bedfellow and other brethren haue done praysed be God for them Mart. By my trouth thou art a pleasaunt fellow as euer I talked with of all the Protestantes excepte it were Tomson I am sory that I must depart with thee so soone but I haue suche busynes now that I canne tarry with thee no longer Well yet thou canst not deny but you are at iarre amongest your selues in the kings Bench and it is so throughout all your congregation for you will not be a Church Careles No Maister Doctour that is not so There is a thousand tymes more varietye in opinions among your Doctours which you call of the Catholick Church yea and that in the Sacrament for yâ— which there is so much bloudshed now a dayes I meane of your latter Doctours and new writers as for the olde they agree wholy with vs. Mart. No Careles this is not so there thou art deceiued Carel. Uerily it is so Maister Doctour I am not deceiued therein any thing at all as it hath beene and is euidently proued by such as GOD hath endued with great learning Then he turned to the Marshall and whispered with him a while Martin Turning vnto me agayne sayd Farewell Careles for I can tarry no longer with thee now my busines is such Carel. God be with you good Maister Doctor The Lord geue your Maistership health of body and soule Mart. God haue mercy good Careles and God keepe thee from all errours and geue thee grace to doe as well as I would wishe my selfe Carel. I thanke your good Maistership I pray GOD I may do alwaies that is acceptable in his sight Whereunto they all sayde Amen And so I departed with a glad hart God onely haue the whole prayse Amen It appeareth by the examination of the foresayd Iohn Careles that he endured prisoner the space of two whole yeares hauing wyfe and children In the which his captiuity first being in Couentry Iayle he was there in such credite with his keeper that vpon his worde he was let out to play in the Pageant about the City with other his companions And that done keeping touch with his keeper he returned agayne into prison at his houre appointed And after that being broughte vp to London he was indued with such patience and constaunt fortitude that he longed for nothing more earnestly then to come to that promotion to dye in the fyer for the proâ—ession of his fayth yet it so pleased the Lorde to preuent him with death that he came not to it but dyed in the prison and after was buryed in the fieldes in a dounghill In the meane time while he was in prisoÌ„ in the kyngs Bench it chaunced he was in great heauines and perturbation of mind and conscience wherupon he wrote to M. Philpot being then in the Colehouse Uppon the occasion hereof Mayster Philpot sent an Epistle consolatory vnto him specified before among master Philpots letters pag. 1762. Unto the which Epistle Iohn Careles maketh aunswere agayne as foloweth ¶ Letters of Iohn Careles * A Letter of Iohn Careles aunswering to the louing Epistle or Letter sent to him before by Mayster Iohn Philpot. A faythfull frend is a strong defence who so findeth suche a one findeth a treasure A faythfull frend hath no peere the weight of gold and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of his fayth A faythfull frend is a medicine of life and they that feare the Lord shall finde him Ecclesiast 6. THe father of mercy and God of all consolation comfort you with his eternall spirite my most deare and faythfull louing frend good Mayster Philpot as you haue comforted me by the mighty operation of the same the euerlasting GOD be praysed therfore for euer Amen Ah my deare hart and most louing brother if I should do nothing els day and night so long as the daies of heauen do endure but kneele on my knees and read Psalmes I can neuer be able to render vnto God condigne thankes for his great mercie fatherly kindnesse and most louing coÌ„passion extended vnto me most vile sinnefull wicked and vnworthy wretch Oh that the Lorde would open my mouth and geue me a thankefull hart that from the bottome of the same might flow his coÌ„tinuall prayse Oh that my sinnefull flesh which is the cause of my sorowe were cleane separated from me that I might sing Psalmes of thankesgeuing vnto the Lordes name for euer that with good Samuels mother I might continually record this noble verse folowing the which by good experience I haue found most true praysed be my good God therfore The Lord sayth that good woman killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to hel and fetcheth vp agayne Praysed be that Lord for euer yea and praysed be his name for that he hath geueÌ„ me true experience and liuely feeling of the same Blessed be the Lord GOD whose mercy endureth for euer whiche hath not dealt with me according to my deepe desertes nor destroyed me in his displeasure when I had iustly deserued it Oh what rewarde shall I geue agayne vnto Lorde for all the great benefites that he hath done for my soule I will gladly receiue the cuppe of saluation at his hand and will worship his name with prayer with prayse Ah my deare hart yea most deare vnto me in the Lord think not this sodeine chaunge in me to be some fickle phantasy of my foolish head as in deede some other woulde surely suspect it to be For doubtlesse it is the maruellous doing of the Lord moste merciful vnto me his vnworthy creature God for his great mercies sake geue me grace to bee more thankefull vnto him then I heretofore haue bene and keepe me that I neuer fall forth of hys fauour agayne And now my deare brother and moste blessed messenger of the Lord whose beautifull feet haue brought much glad tidings vnto my soule what shall I doe or say vnto you in the least part to recompence the fatherlye affection and Godlye care that you continually keepe for me Oh that God would geue me the spirite of feruent prayer that I might yet that way supply some litle part of my duty toward you Ah my true louing frend howe soone did you lay aside all other busines to make a sweete plaster for my wounded conscience yea and that out of a paynefull payre of stockes which place must needes be vneasye to write in But God hath brought you into a straight place that you mighte set my soule at liberty Out of your pinching and paynefull seate you haue plentifully poured vppon me your precious narde the sweete â—auour wherof hath greatly refresteed my tyred soule The Lord likewise refresh you both body soule by
our eternal comfort dissolue the same and seperate vs asunder againe for a time Wherfore I thought it good yea and my bouÌ„den duety by this simple letter to prouoke styrre admonish you to behaue your selfe in all your doinges sayinges and thoughtes most thankfully vnto our good God for the same And therefore my deare wife as you haue hartily reioyced in the Lord and oftentimes geuen God thanks for his goodnes in bringing vs together in his holy ordinauÌ„ce eueÌ„ so now I desire you when this time of our seperation shal come to reioyce with me in the Lord and to geue him most harty thanks that he hath to his glory and our endles commodity separated vs againe for a little time hath mercifully taken me vnto himselfe forth of this miserable world into his celestiall kingdom beleuing and hoping also assuredly that God of hys goodnesse for his sonne Christes sake will shortlye bring you and your deare children thither to me that we maye moste ioyfully together sing prayses vnto his glorious name for euer And yet once agayne I desire you for the loue of God and as euer you loued me to reioyce with me and to geue God continuall thankes for doing his most mercifull wil vpon me I heare say that you do oftentimes vse to repeate this godly saying The Lordes wil be fulfilled Doubtlesse it reioyceth my poore hart to heare that report of you for the lordes sake vse that godly praier continually and teach your children and family to say the same day and night and not onely say it with your toungs but also with your hart and mind and ioyfully to submit your will to Gods will in very deed knowing beleuing assuredly that nothing shall come to you or any of yours otherwise then it shall be hys almightie and fatherly good wil and pleasure and for your eternall comfort and commodity Which thing to be moste true and certayne Christ testifyeth in his holy gospell saying Are not two litle Sparowes sold for a farthing and yet not one of them shall perish without the wil of your heauenly father And he concludeth saying Feare not yee therefore for yee are better then many sparowes As though he shoulde haue sayd If God haue such a respecte and care for a poore sparowe which is not worth one farthing that it shall not be taken in the lime twig net or pitfall vntill it be his good will pleasure you may be wel assured that not one of you whoÌ„ he so dearly loueth that he hath geueÌ„ his only deare sonne for you shall perishe or depart forth of this miserable life without his almighty good will and pleasure Therefore deare wife put your truste and confidence wholly onely in him and euer pray that his will be fulfilled and not yours except it be agreeing to his will the which I pray GOD it may euer be Amen And as for worldly thinges take you no care but be you well assured the Lorde your deare God and father will not see you nor yours lacke if you continue in his loue and childely feare and keepe a cleare conscience from all kinde of Idolatry superstition and wickednes as my trust is that you wyll doe although it be with the losse and daunger of this temporall life And good Margaret feare not them that canne but kill the body and yet can they not do that vntill God geue them leaâ—e but feare to displease him that can kyll both body and soule and cast them into hell fire Let not the remembraunce of your children keep you from God The Lord himselfe will be a father and a mother better then euer you or I could haue bene vnto them He himselfe wil do all thinges necessary for them yea as much as rock the Cradle if need be He hath geuen his holy Angels charge ouer them therefore committ them vnto him But if you may liue with a cleare conscience for elles I woulde not haue you to liue and see the bringing vp of your children your selfe looke that you nurture them in the feare of God and keepe them farre from Idolatry superstition and all other kinde of wickednesse and for Gods sake helpe them to some learning if it be possible that they may increase in vertue and godly knowledge which shal be a better dowry to marry them withall then any worldlye substaunce and when they be come to age prouide them such husbandes as feare God and loue his holy worde I charge you take heede that you match them with no Papistes and if you liue and marry agayne your selfe whiche thing I woulde wishe you to doe if neede require or els not good wife take heede how you bestowe your selfe that you and my poore children be not compelled to wickednesse But if you shall be able well to liue Gods true widow I would counsell you so to liue still for the more quietnesse of your selfe and your poore children Take heede Margaret and play the wise womans part You haue warning by other if you will take an example And thus I commit you and my sweet children vnto Gods most merciful defence The blessing of God be with you and God seÌ„d vs a mery meeting together in heauen Farewel in Christ farewell mine owne deare hartes all Pray pray * To my good Brother Mayster Iohn Bradford THe peace of God in Iesus Christ the eternall comforte of his sweete spirite which hath surely sealed you vnto eternal saluation be with you and strengthen you in your ioyfull iourney towardes the celestiall Hierusalem my deare frend and most faythfull brother Maister Bradford to the setting forth of Gods glory and to your eternall ioy in Christ Amen Euer since that good M. Philpot shewed me your last letter my deare hart in the Lord I haue coÌ„tinued in great heauines and perplexity not for any hurt or discommodity that I can perceiue comming towardes you vnto whoÌ„ doubtlesse death is made life and great felicity but for the great losse that Gods Churche here in Englande shall sustaine by the taking away of so godly worthy and necessary an instrument as the Lorde hath made you to be Oh that my life and a thousand such wretched liues mo might go for yours Oh why doth God suffer me and such other Caterpillers to liue that can doe nothing but consume the almes of the church and take away you so worthy a workman laborer in the Lordes vineyard But wo be to our sinnes great vnthankfulnes whiche is the greatest cause of the taking away of such worthy instrumeÌ„tes of God as shoulde set forth his glory instruct his people If we had bene thaÌ„kfull vnto God for the good ministers of his word we had not bene so soone depriued both of it and them The Lord forgeue our great ingratitude sinnes and geue vs true repentaunce and fayth hold his hand of mercy ouer vs for his deare sonne Christes sake Take
Lorde of all mercy and Father of all comfort through the merites and mediation of his deare sonne thy onely Lord and Sauiour hath clearely remitted and pardoned all thy offences whatsoeuer they bee that euer hitherto thou hast committed agaynst his maiesty and therefore he hath geuen to thee as to his childe deare Brother Iohn Careles in token that thy sinnes are pardoned he I say hath geuen vnto thee a penitent and beleuing hart that is a hart which desireth to repent and beleue For suche a one is taken of him he accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleuing hart in deed Wherefore my good Brother be mery gladde and of good cheare for the Lorde hath taken away thy sinnes thou shalt not dye Goe thy wayes the Lord hath put away thy sinnes The East is not so farre from the West as the Lord now hath put thy sinnes from thee Looke how the heauēs be in comparison of the earth so far hath his mercy preuayled towardes thee his deare chylde Iohn Careles through Christ the beloued Say therfore with Dauid prayse the Lord oh my soule and all that is within me prayse his holy name for he hath forgeuen thee all thy sinnes as truely he hath And hereof I desire to be a witnesse God make me worthy to heare from you the like true message for my selfe Myne owne dearly beloued you haue great cause to thanke God moste hartily that he hath geuen you such repētance and fayth the lord encrease the same in you and me a most miserable wretch whose hart is harder then the Adamant stone or elles I coulde not thus long haue stayed from writing vnto you If I liue and may I purpose and promise you to make amendes Praye for me my moste deare brother I hartely beseech you and forgeue me my long silence God our father be with vs for euer Amen Yours in the Lord Iohn Bradford ¶ To my most deare and faythfull brethren in Newgate condemned to dye for the testimony of Gods euerlasting truth THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the cōtinual ioy strength and comfort of his most pure holy mighty spirite with the increase of fayth liuely feeling of his eternall mercy be with you my most deare faythfull louing brother Tyms with all the rest of my deare hartes in the Lord your faithfull felow souldiers most constant cōpanions in bonds yea of men condēned most cruelly for the sincere testimony of Gods euerlasting truth to the full finishing of that good worke which he hath so graciously begon in you all that the same may be to his glory the commodity of his poore afflicted church and to your euerlasting comfort in him Amen Ah my most sweet and louing brethrē and dearest hartes in the Lord what shall I say or how shall I write vnto you in the least poynt or part to vtter the great ioy that my poore hart hath cōceiued in God through the most godly example of your christian constancy and sincere confession of Christes verity Truely my tongue can not declare nor my pen expresse the aboūdance of spirituall myrth and gladnes that my minde and inward man hath felte euer since I heard of your harty boldnes and modest behauior before that bloudy butcher in the time of al your crafty examinations especially at your cruell condēnation in theyr cursed Consistory place Blessed be God the Father of all mercy praysed be his name for that he hath so graciously performed vpon you his deare darlinges his most sweete and comfortable promises in not onely geuing you the cōtinuall aide strength and comfort of his holye and mighty spirite to the faythfull confession of his Christ for whose cause O most happy mē ye are condemned to dye but also in geuing you such a mouth wisedom as al your wicked enemies were not able to resist but were fayne to cry Peace peace not suffer you to speake As truely as God liueth my deare brethrē this is not only vnto you a most euident probation that God is on our side and a sure certainty of your euerlasting saluatiō in him but also to your cruell aduersaries or rather gods cursed enemies a plaine demōstration of their iust eternall woe damnatiō which they shal be full sure shortly to feele whē ye shal ful sweetly possesse the place of felicity pleasure prepared for you frō the beginning Therefore my dearly beloued cease not so long as ye be in this life to prayse the Lord with a lusty courage for that of his great mercy and infinite goodnesse he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignity to suffer for his sake not onely the losse of goodes wife and childrē long imprisonment cruell oppressiō c. but also the very depriuation of this mortall life with the dissolution of your bodies in the fire The which is the greatest promotion that GOD can bring you or any other vnto in this vale of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue yet hath the Lord for his dere sonne Christs sake reputed you worthy of the same yea and that before me and many other which haue both long looked longed for the same Ah my most deare brother Tyms whose time resteth altogether in the handes of the Lorde in a full happy time camest thou into this troublesome world but in a much more blessed houre shalt thou depart forth of the same so that the sweete saying of Salomon or rather of the holye ghost shall be full well verified vpon thee yea and all thy faythfull fellowes Better is the day of death sayth hee then the day of byrth This saying cannot be verified vpon euery man but vpon thee my deare brother and suche as thou art whose death is most precious before God full deare shal your bloud be in his sight Blessed be God for thee my deare brother Tymmes and blessed be God agayn that euer I knew thee for in a most happy time I came first into thy company Pray for me deare brother pray for me that God will once vouch me worthye of that great dignitie whereunto he hath now brought you Ah my louing brother Drake whose soule draweth now nigh vnto God of whom you haue receiued the same ful glad may you be that euer God gaue you a life to leaue for his sake Full well will he restore it to you agayne in a thousand fold more glorious wife Prayse God good brother as you haue great cause and pray for me I beseeche you which am so muche vnworthy so great are my sins of that great dignitie whereunto the Lord hath called you and the rest of your godly brethren whome I beseech you to comfort in the Lorde as you can full well praysed be God for his giftes which you haue hartily applyed to the setting forth of his glory and the commoditie of his
gently But when the Frier offered hym hys hand he castyng his eye aside as though he had not seene it found matter of talke to another standyng by and so auoyded it which thyng was well marked of some not without great grudge of stomacke After they were set and had well eaten the Frier with a pleasaunt looke offeryng hym the cup sayd Propino tibi inuenis erudite i. I drinke to you learned yong man Palmer at that word blushyng as red as scarlet aunswered Non agnosco nomen domine i. I knowledge no such name O sir. And therewith takyng the cup at his hand he set it downe by hym as though he would haue pledged him anone after but in the end it was also well marked that he did it not When diner was done beyng sharply rebuked of the sayd Bursar hys friend for hys so vnwise vnciuile and vnseemely behauiour as he termed it he made aunswer for hymselfe and sayd Oleum eorum non demulcet sed frangit caput meum i. The oyle of these men doth not supply but breaketh my hed Another tyme which was also the last tyme of his beyng at Oxforde not long before hys death one Barwike an old acquaintaunce of hys beyng sometyme Clarke of Magdalenes and then fellow of Trinitie colledge a rank papist began to reason with hym in his friendes chamber aforesayd and perceiuyng hym to be zealous and earnest in the defence of the veritie he sayd vnto hym in the hearing of M. Thomas Parry and others there present Wel Palmer well now thou art stoute and hardie in thine opinion but if thou were once brought to the stake I beleeue thou wouldest tell me another tale I aduise thee beware of the fire it is a shrewd matter to burne Truely sayth Palmer I haue bene in daunger of burning once or twise and hitherto I thanke GOD I haue escaped it But I iudge verily it will be my end at the last welcome be it by the grace of God In deed it is a hard matter for them to burne that haue the mynd and soule linked to the body as a thiefes foote is tied in a payre of fetters but if a man be once able through the helpe of Gods spirite to seperate and deuide the soule from the body for him it is no more masterie to burne then for me to eate this piece of bread Thus much by the way concerning his plainnes with out dissimulation and how he feared not openly to shewe hymselfe more grieued in hart to heare the worde of God blasphemed then to suffer any worldly paynes Now let vs proceed in our story and faithfully declare both the occasion and maner of his death Within short space after hee had yelded vp his fellowship in Oxford he was through Gods prouidence who neuer fayleth them that first seeke his glory placed scholemaister by Patent in the Grammer schoole of Readyng where he was well accepted of all those that feared God and fauoured his word as well for his good learning and knowledge as also for his earnest zeale and profession of the truth But Sathan the enemie of all godly attemptes enuying his good proceedyngs and prosperous successe in the same would not suffer hym there long to be in quiet Wherfore he stirred vp against hym certayne double faced hypocrites which by dissimulation crafty insinuatiō had crept in to vnderstand hys secrets vnder the pretence of a zeale to the gospell Which men he suspecting no deceit right ioyfully imbraced making them priuy of al his doyngs For as he hymselfe was then feruently enflamed with the loue of heauenly doctrine so had hee an incredible desire by all means possible to allure and encourage others to the profession of the same These faithful and trustie brethren so soone as they had found good oportunitie spared not in his absence to rifle his study of certayne godly bookes and writyngs amongest the which was his replication to Morwines verses touching Winchesters epitaph and other arguments both in Latin and English written by him against the popish procedings and specially against their vnnaturall brutish tyranny executed toward the Martyrs of God When they had thus done they were not ashamed to threaten hym that they would exhibite the same to the Counsayle vnles he would without delay depart out of their coastes and geue ouer the schole to a friend of theirs The truth of this story appeareth in part by a letter written with hys owne hand out of pryson eight dayes before he was burned which because it is of certaine credite and came to our handes therefore we are the bolder to auouche it for a truth Thus then was this sillie yong man for the sauegard of his lyfe forced to depart vppon the sodayne from Readyng leauyng behynd hym in the handes of his enemies his stuffe and one quarters stipende and so he tooke hys iourney toward Esham where hys mother then dwelt hopyng to obtaine at her hands certaine Legacies due to hym by his fathers last will which he should haue receyued certaine yeares before and taking his iourney by Oxford he requested certain of his friends to accompany him thither His mother vnderstandyng his state and errande by M. Shipper and his brother whom he had sent before to entreat for him as soone as she beheld him on his knees askyng her blessing as he had bene accustomed to do thou shalt sayd she haue Christes curse and myne wheresoeuer thou go He pausing a little as one amased at so heauy a greetyng at length sayde O mother your owne curse you may geue me which God knoweth I neuer deserued but Gods curse you cannot geue me for hee hath already blessed me Nay sayth she thou wentest from Gods blessing into the warme sunne when thou wast banished for an heretike out of that worshipfull house in Oxforde and now for the lyke knauery art driuen out of Readyng too Alas mother sayth he you haue bene misse informed I was not expelled nor driuen away but freely resigned of myne accorde And hereticke I am none for I stande not stubbornly agaynst any true doctrine but defend it to my power And you may be sure they vse not to expel nor banish but to burne heretikes as they terme them Well quoth she I am sure thou doest not beleeue as thy father and I and all our forefathers haue done But as we were taught by the new lawe in K. Edwards dayes which is damnable heresie In deed I confesse sayd he that I beleeue that doctrine which was taught in K. Edwards tyme which is not heresie but truth neither is it newe but as olde as Christ and his Apostles If thou be at that poynte sayth she I require thee to departe from my house and out of my sight and neuer take me for thy mother hereafter As for money and goodes I haue none of thyne thy father bequeathed nought for heretickes Fagots I haue to burne thee
came behind him two popish priests exhortyng him yet to recant and saue his soule Palmer answered and sayd Away away tempt me no longer Away I say from me all ye that worke iniquitie for the Lord hath heard the voice of my teares And so forthwith they put of their raiment and went to the stake and kissed it And when they were bound to the post Palmer sayd Good people pray for vs that we may perseuer to the ende And for Christes sake beware of Popish teachers for they deceiue you Among other thyngs this is also to be noted that after their three heds by force of the ragyng and deuouryng flames of fire were fallen together in a plumpe or cluster which was meruailous to be hold and that they all were iudged already to haue geuen vp the ghost sodainly Palmer as a man waked out of sleep mooued his tongue and iawes and was heard to pronounce this word Iesu. So beyng resolued into ashes he yelded to God as ioyfull a soule confirmed with the sweete promises of Christ as any one that euer was called beside to suffer for his blessed name God graunt vs all to be mooued with the lyke spirite workyng in our hartes constantly to stand in defence and confession of Christes holy Gospell to the ende Amen ¶ De Martyrio Palmeri hexasticon Palmerus flammas Christi pro dogmate passus Impositum pondus ceu bona palma tulit Non retrocessit sed contra audentior iuit Illaesam retinens fortis in igne sidem Propterea in coelum nunc Palmifer iste receptus Iusticiae Palmam non percuntis habet Iustus vt Palma florebit ¶ A memorable storie of one Agnes Wardall in the Towne of Ipswich pursued for the true fayth of Christes Gospell ABout the sayd moneth of Iuly in this present yere 1556. there was one Rich. Argentine D. of Phisike otherwise called Rich. Sexten with certaine other dwellyng in the Towne of Ipswich not many in number but in heart and purpose mightily bent to impugne impeach the growyng of Christes Gospell the fauourers of the same In the number of whome were Phillip Ulmes Edmond Leach Iohn Steward and Mathew Butler Apothecarie a curious singyng man a fine player of the Organes a perfect papist and a diligent promooter of good men This Butler beyng then Constable in the Towne of Ipswich as he was in his watch by night vppon Cornehill commeth to hym Doc. Argentine in great hast geuyng hym intelligence of one Agnes Wardall beyng theÌ„ lately come home to her house in Ipswich Wherupon immediately such a way was contriued betweene them that the sayd Agnes Wardall forthwith should bee apprehended but God in whose prouidence the direction of all thynges consisteth by whose disposition they haue their operation so graciously prouided for his seruaunt so preuented their malignaunt deuises that they came to no great effect in workyng although on the contrary part there wanted no good will as here consequently you shall further vnderstand This Agnes Wardall was a womaÌ„ that liued in gods feare and was at defiance with their Romish trash desiring rather with hard fare and euill lodging to be abroad then to be at home in her house and among the tentes of the vngodly her husband also beyng a man liuyng in the feare of God and for the testimony of his conscience being also hunted by force of the law was constrained to auoyd his house and got into a Crare with an honest man seruyng as a sailer a facultie not before of hym frequented nor he a man nimble for that trade because God had geuen hym an impediment by reason of a stumped foote vnfit to climbe to top and yard yet so it pleased God to enable hym with his strength that he was strong and lustie to doe good seruice as they can well witnesse that were of his company The sayd Agnes Wardall chaunced on a day to come home to see her poore house and children which was vnder the guiding of a yong maid and beyng espied newes was borne to Doct. Argentine who hauyng knowledge thereof as is aforesayd went spedily vnto the Apothecary the Constable aforesayd and informed hym what a notable cure was to bee brought on Wardals wyfe in the apprehendyng of her Which was more lyke to speede then misse had not the mighty prouidence of God wrought coÌ„trary to their expectation This beyng known to the Constable the watch was charged spedily and ech company sent to his place And Argentine and Butler tooke vnto them a good number forth they go vnto the house of this poore woman to laye hands vpon her and beset the house on the foreside back side lying open in the fieldes and other some were set to the house of his mother which was not far froÌ„ his house This done one knockt at the streete dore where Argentine and Butler was with one of their weapons and no answer was made the second time somewhat harder but had no answer In the meane tyme they fearing that some coÌ„ueiance was made knocked the third time more harder then before There was not far from the dore where they knocked a certain bay window where one might look out speake And so at the third knocking a woman who at that tyme was tenant to R. Wardals mother had but two nights before lyâ—n in the house speaking out hard by their eares asked who was there Ah sirha quoth Argentine are ye so nie and wyll not speake How fortuned it that ye spake not at the first beyng so nye How fortuned it quoth the woman Marrie I shal tel you I am but a stranger here and I haue heard say that there be spirites walkyng hereabout which if a man do answer at the first call or second he stands in great daunger and I was neuer so afraid of my lyfe At this her aunswere they laughed and commaunded her to open the dore in the Queenes Name for they were the Queenes watch Agnes Wardall beyng at that tyme in bed in an inner chamber hauing her mayd with her and her two children she beyng at that tyme very heauy a sleepe heard not the knockyng Her mayd hearing at the second knocke called and shogged her dame and with much ado awaked her said the watch is at the dore What thou liest said she Yes truly said the mayd hath knockt twise With that she arose with all speed and put on her clothes very sleightly and took with her a buckeram apron which afterward she cast on her head when she was faine to creepe in a ditche with nettles and so passed downe into a parlour wherein stood a cupbord with a faire presse into the which the maid did locke her And immediately went vp to a chamber which was hard by the streete where she might see and speake to the watch and said who is there Then they bade her opeÌ„ the dore And she
neyther of mannes lawes neyther at such time as men require it but at such time as God geueth it ¶ The examination and answeres of Iohn Newman Martyr before D. Thornton and others FIrst one of the Doctours or one of the Benche eyther the Archdeacon or Fauced or some other whose name Iohn Newman doth not expresse beginneth asking in this wise Doctor How say ye to this This is my body whiche is geuen for you Newman It is a figuratiue speach one thing spoken and an other ment as Christ sayth I am a vine I am a dore I am a stone c. Is hee therefore a materiall stone a vine or a dore Doct. This is no figuratiue speache For he sayth This is my body which is geuen for you so sayth he not of the stone vyne or dore but that is a figuratiue speach New Christ sayth this cup is the new Testament in my bloud If ye will haue it so meant then let them take and eate the Cup. Doct. Nay that is not so meant so it is a common phrase of speache among our selues we say to our friende drinke a cup of drinke and yet we meane hee shoulde drinke the drinke in the cup. New Why if we will haue the one so vnderstoode ye must so vnderstande the other Doct. Nay it is a common vse of speach to say drynke a cup of Ale or Beere And therefore it is no figuratiue speache New The often vsing of a thing doth not make that thing otherwise then it is but where soeuer one thing is spoken and an other ment it is a figuratiue speach Doct. Well we will not stand here about Howe say ye by the reall presence Is not christes naturall body there that was borne of the virgine Mary New No I do not so beleue neither can I so beleeue for the soule of man doth not feede vpon naturall thinges as the body doth Doct. Why how then doth he feede New I thinke the soule of manne dothe feede as the Aungelles in heauen whose feedyng is onely the pleasue ioye felicitie and delectation that they haue of God so the soule of man doth feede and eate through fayth the body of Christ. Colens Yea but if the body doe not feede vppon naturall thinges the soule cannot continue with the body therefore the body must needes feede vppon naturall thinges that both may liue together New I graunt it to be true but yet the soule dothe liue otherwise then the bodye whiche doth pearysh therefore naturall thinges do but feede the body onely I pray you what did Iudas receiue at the supper Colens Mary Iudas did receaue the very body of Chryst but it was to hys damnation Newman Why was the Deuill entred into him before Then he hadde both the Deuill and Chryst in hym at one tyme. Colens Nay the deuill did enter into him afterwade New Yea and before too what doe ye thinke had hee but one Deuill Nay I think he had rather a legion of deuils at the latter end Colens Well put case it be so what say you to that New Mary if Christe and the Deuill were both in Iudas at once I pray you how did they two agree together Colens Wee graunt they were bothe in Iudas at that tyme for Chryst may bee where the Deuill is if he will but the deuill cannot be where Christe is excepte it please Christ. New Christ will not be in an vncleane person that hathe the Deuill Thornton Why will ye not beleue that Christ was in hell and ye will graunt that the Deuill is there and so mighte he be in Iudas and if it pleased him New Christ woulde not suffer Mary Magdalen to touche him which sought him at his graue and did loue him entirely much lesse he will suffer an vngodly man to receaue him into his vncleane body Thornton Yes seeing God may do all thinges he may do what he list and be where he will And doth not the Psal. say he is in hell and in all places Why shoulde wee then doubt of his being there New Though his Godhead bee in all places yet that is not sufficient to prooue that his humanitie is in all places Thornton No doe you not beleeue that God is omnypotent and may do all thinges New I doe beleue that God is almighty and may doe all that he will do Thornton Nay but and if he be omnipotent hee may doe all thinges and there is nothing vnpossible for hym to do New I know God is almighty and can do all that he wil but he cannot make his sonne a lyer he cannot deny hym selfe nor hee cannot restore virginitie once violated and defiled Thornton What is that to youre purpose GOD dothe not defile virginitie we speake but of thinges that God doth New Why will ye haue the humanitie of Christ in all places as the deitie is Thornt Yea he is in all places as the deitie is if it please him New I will promise you that seemeth to me a very great heresie for heauen and earth are not able to conteine the diuine power of God for it is in all places as here and in euery place and yet ye will say that where soeuer the deitie is there is also the humnanitie and so ye wil make him no body but a phantasticall body and not a body in deede Thornton Nay we do not say he is in al places as the deitie is but if it please him he may be in all places with the deitie New I promise you that it seemeth to me as great an heresie as euer I heard of in my life and I dare not graunt it least I shoulde deny Christ to be a very man and that were agaynst all the scriptures Thornton Tushe what shall we stande reasoning wyth him I dare say he doth not beleeue that Christ came out of his mother not opening the matrice Doe you beleue that Christ rose from death and came through the stone New I doe beleue that Christ rose from death But I doe not beleue that he came through the stone neither doth the scripture so say Thornton Loe how say you he doth not beleue that chryst came through the stone And if he doth not beleue this how shall he beleue the other If he could beleue this it wer easie for him to beleue the other New The scripture doth not say he went through the stone but it saith the Angels of God came downe and roled away the stone and for feare of him the keepers became euen as dead men Thornt A foole foole that was because the women shuld see that he was risen agayne from death New Well the scripture maketh as much for me as it doth for you and more to Thornton Well let vs not stande anye longer aboute him Backe agayne to the real presence How say ye is the body of Christ really in the sacrament or no New I haue aunswered you already
through the fatall death of blessed K. Edw. followed the woefull ruine of religion in the raygne of Queene Mary his sister In which alteration notwithstanding the general backsliding of the greatest part and multitude of the whole realme into the olde papisme agayne yet this poore blind woman continuing in a constant conscience proceeded still in her former exercise both being zelous in that shee had learned and also refusing to communicate in religion with those which taught contrary doctrine to that she before had learned in king Edwardes time as is aboue declared For the which she was called and conuented before the foresayd Bishop and D. Draycot with diuers other called in to beare witnesse * Articles ministred vnto her THe Articles ministred to her and wherewith she was charged were these First that she did hold the Sacrament of the Aultar to be but onely a memory or representation of Christes bodye and materiall bread and wyne but not his naturall body vnlesse it were receaued And that it ought not to be reserued from time to tyme ouer the Aultar but immediately to be receaued c. Item that she did hold in receiuing of the sacramente of the Aultar she did not receaue the same body that was borne of the virgine Mary and suffered vppon the Crosse for our redemption c. Item she did hold that Christe at his last supper dyd not blesse the bread that he had then in hys handes but was blessed hymselfe and by the vertue of the wordes of consecration the substaunce of the bread and wyne is not conuerted and turned into the substaunce of the body bloud of Christ. Item shee did graunt that shee was of the parishe of Alhallowes in Darby c. Item that all and singular the premisses are true and notorious by publike report and fame c. Whereunto she aunswered that she beleued therein so much as the holye scriptures taught her and according to that she had heard preached vnto her by diuers learned mē Whereof some suffered imprisonment and other some suffered death for the same Doctrine Amongest whome she named beside other Doctour Taylour whome she sayde took it of hys conscience that the doctrine which he taught was true and asked of them if they would doe so in lyke case for their doctrine whiche if they woulde not she desired them for Gods sake not to trouble her being a blynde poore and vnlearned woman wyth anye further talke saying by Gods assistaunce that she was ready to yeld vpp her lyfe in that fayth in suche sorte as they shoulde appoynt And yet notwithstanding being Prest by the sayd byshoppe and Doctor Draycot with many argumentes of Christes omnipotency as why was not Christe able as well to make the bread his bodye as to turne water into wyne rayse Lazarus from death and suche other lyke arguments and many times being threatned with greuous imprisonmentes tormentes death The poore woman thus being as it wer half astonied through their terrors threates and desirous as it seemed to prolong her lyfe offered vnto the Bishop then present that if he would before that company take it vpon his conscience that the doctrine which he would haue her to beleue concerning the sacrament was true and that he would at the dreadful day of iudgement aunswere for her therein as the sayd Doct. Taylor in diuers of his sermons did offer she would thē further aunswere them Whereunto the Bishop aunswered hee woulde But Doctor Draycot his Chauncellour hearyng that sayde My Lord you knowe not what you doe you maye in no case aunswere for an hereticke And immediately hee asked the poore woman whether she would recant or no sayd she should aunswere for her selfe Unto whose sayings the Bishop also reformed himselfe The poore woman perceauing this aunswered again that if they refused to take of theyr conscience that it was true they woulde haue her to beleue shee would answere no further but desired them to do theyr pleasure and so after certayne circumstances they pronounced sentence agaynst her and deliuered her vnto the Bayliffes of the sayd Towne of Darby afore named Who after they hadde kept her about a moneth or fiue weekes at length there came vnto them a writte De heretico comburendo by vertue whereof they were appoynted by the sayd Byshoppe to bryng her to the Paryshe Churche of all Sayntes at a day appoynted where Doct. Draycot should make a Sermon When the daye and time was come that this innocent Martyr shoulde suffer first commeth to the Church Doct. Draycot accompanyed with diuers gentlemen as Mayster Tho. Powthread M. Henry Uernon M. Dethick of Newall and diuers others This done all things now in a readines at last the poore blinde creature and seruant of God was brought and set before the Pulpit where the sayd Doct. being entred into his sermon and there inueiyng agaynst diuers matters which he called heresies declared vnto the people that that woman was condemned for denying the blessed sacrament of the Aulter to be the very body and bloud of Christ really and substancially and was thereby cut off from the body of the Catholick church and sayd that she was not onely blinde of her bodily eyes but also blind in the eyes of her soule And he sayd that as her body shuld be presently consumed with materiall fire so her soule shoulde be burned in hel with euerlasting fire as soone as it should be seperated from the body and there to remayne world without end and sayd it was not lawfull for the people to pray for her and so with many terrible threates he made an end of his sermon and commāded the Bayliffes and those gentlemen to see her executed And the sermon thus ended eftsoones the blessed seruant of God was caried away from the sayd Church to a place called the windmill Pit neare vnto the sayd Towne and holding the foresayd Roger Wast her brother by the hand she prepared herselfe and desired the people to pray wyth her and sayde such prayers as she before had learned cryed vpon Christ to haue mercy vpon her as long as life serued In this meane season the sayde D. Draycot went to hys Inne for great sorrow of her death and there layd him downe and slept during all the tyme of her execution and thus much of Ioane Wast Now for so muche as I am not ignoraunt faythfull reader that this and other storyes more set forth of the Martyrs shall not lack carpers and markers enow ready to seeke all holes and corners how to diffame the memory of GODS good Saynctes and to condemne these hystoryes of lyes and vntruthes especially hystories wherin they see their shamefull actes and vnchristian crueltye detected and brought to lyghte therfore for better confirmation of thys historye aboue written and to stop the mouthes of such Momes thys shall be to admonish all and singular readers hereof that the discourse of this
those things wherin they had sufficiently enformed him before He rather feared that their quarel was not good that they made such a doe about it sought such starting holes For so were diseased persones oftentimes woont to do when for the paine and griefe they are not able to abide a strong medicine As thoughe that anye man were able to graunte so strong a priuiledge as to wtstand the Popes authoritye As for the bishops letters he sayd must nedes make on his side and with such as were with him could not in any wise be alleged against him Therefore he admonished him to desist from his vnprofitable altercation and to conforme himselfe and his to such things as then were in doing After thys they went to Masse Whych finished wyth great solemnitie first they went to the high aultare of the churche hauing there saluted theyr God and searching whether all were well about him or no they walked thorow all the inner chappels of the Churche The Church goodes the crosses the chalices the masse bookes the vestments and whatsoeuer ornamentes were besides were commaunded to be brought out vnto them WheÌ„ they had sufficiently viewed all things had called foorth by name euery fellow and scholler of the house they went to the masters lodging where first and formost swearing them vpon a booke to answer to all such interrogatories as should be propounded vnto them as farre as they knewe they examined first the master himself and afterward al the residue euery man in his tourne But there were some that refused to take this oth because they had geuen their faith to the Colledge before and also because they thought it against all righte and reason to sweare against themselues for it was contrary to all law that a man should be compelled to bewraye himselfe and not to be suffred to keepe his conscience free when there is no manifest proofe to be laid to his charge but muche more vniust is it that a man shoulde be constrained perforce to accuse himselfe Neuertheles these persons also after much altercation at length conditionally that their faithe geuen before to the Colledge wer not impeched therby wer coÌ„teÌ„ted to be sworn Three daies long lasted the Inquisition there Thys was nowe the 3. day of their comming it was thought that the case of Bucer and Phagius was delayed longer then neded For they looked to haue had much altercation and businesse about the matter Nowe forasmuche as the present state of the case required good deliberation and aduisement the Uicechauncelor and the maisters of the colledges assembled at the common schooles wher euery maÌ„ gaue his verdit what he thought meete to be done in this matter of Bucer After muche debating they agreed altogether in this determination that for asmuch as Martin Bucer whiles he liued had not onely sowed pernicious erroneous doctrine among â—hem but also hadde hym selfe bene a sectarie and famous hereticke erring from the Catholicke churche and geuing others occasion to fall from the same likewise a supplication should be made to the lord Commissioners in the name of the whole vniuersity that his deade carkas might foorthwith be digged vp for so it was needefull to be done to the intente that Inquisition might be made as touching his doctrine the which beyng brought in examination if it were not fouÌ„d to be good and wholesome the law might proceede against him for it was against the rule of the holy Canons that his body should be buried in christen buriall Yea and besides that it was to the open derogation of Gods honor and the violating of his holy lawes with the great pearill of many mennes soules and the offence of the faithfull especially in so difficulte and contagions a time as that was Wherefore it was not to be suffered that they which vtterlye dissented from all other men in the trade of their liuing lawes and customes should haue any parte with them in honoure of buriall And therefore the glory of God first and before all things ought to be defended the infamye which through this thing riseth on them with all speede putte awaye no roume at all left vnto those persones to rest in who euen in the same places where they lay were iniurious noysome to the very elements but the place ought to be purged and all things so ordered as might be to the satisfying of the consciences of the weake In executing whereof so notable an example ought to be geuen to all men that no man heereafter should be so bolde to attempt the like They gaue the same verdicte by common assent vpon Phagius also Unto thys wryting they annexed an other by the which they lawfullye authorised Andrewe Perne the Uicechauncellour to be the common factoure for the Uniuersitie He was a man meerest for the purpose bothe for the office that he bare and also because that by the testimony of Chrystopherson hee was deemed to be the moste Catholicke of all others This supplication confirmed by the consent of all the Degrees of the Uniuersitie and signed with theyr common seale the nexte daye whiche was the 13. of Ianuarie the Uicechauncelour putte vppe to the Commissioners Note here good reader what a feat conueiance this was to suborne the Uniuersitie vnder a colourable pretence to desire this thinge of them by waye of peticion As who should say if they had not done so the other would neuer haue gone about it of themselues But thys glose was soone found out For the CoÌ„missioners had geueÌ„ the Uicechancellor instructions in wryting before But peradueÌ„ture they thought by this means to remooue the enuie of this acte from themselues Thus the Uicechauncelour came vnto the Commissioners according to appoyntment made the daye before about seuen of the clocke in the morning Hee hadde scarse declared the cause of his comming but that he hadde not only obtained his sute but also euen at the very same time receiued the sentence of condemnation for taking vppe Bucer and Phagius faire copied out by Ormanet Datarie himselfe This was to be confirmed by the consente of the degrees of the Uniuersitie Whereuppon a solempne Conuocation called congregatio regentium non regentium for the same purpose was appoynted to be at ix of the clocke where the graduates being assembled together the demaunde was propounded concerning the condemnation of Bucer and Phagius and the grace asked whyche was thys Pleaseth it you that M. Bucer for the heresyes nowe recited and many other by hym wrytten preached and taughte wherein he dyed without repentaunce and was buried in Christen buriall may be exhumate and taken vp againe c. After this grace eftsoones being graunted then was the Sentence of condemnation drawen by the Datarie openlye redde and immediatelye an other grace asked that the same myghte bee Signed wyth the Common Seale The whyche request was verye lightlye and easilye obtayned And it was no meruaile
were burnt by Cardinall Poole was restored agayne by this godlye Queene ELIZABETH who gaue then in Commission to Math. Parker then Archbishop of Canterbury and to Edmund Grindall then Bishop of London to Maister Gualter Haddon and others For the performaunce of whiche Commission the sayd Reuerend Bishoppes addressed their Letters to the Uicechancellor c. ⧠The Oration of M. Acworth Oratour of the Vniuersitie at the restitution of Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius I Am in doubt whether I may entreate of the prayse and commendation of so great a Clarke for the celebratyng whereof this assembly and concourse of yours is made this day or of the vices and calamities out of the whiche we bee newly deliuered or of them both consideryng the one cannot be mentioned without the other In the which tymes ye felt so much anguish and sorrow my right dere brethren that if I should repeat them and bryng them to remembraunce agayne I feare me I should not so much worke a iust hatred in vs towardes them for the iniuries receyued in them as renew our olde sorrow and heuines Agayne men must needes account me vnaduised and foolish in my doyng if I should thinke my selfe able to make him which hath lyued before our eyes in prayse and estimation more famous and notable by my Oration which he by his liuyng and conuersation hath oftentymes polished But the wickednes of the tymes which endeuoured to wipe cleane out of remembrance of men the name that was so famous and renoumed in euery mans mouth did much profite hym In so much that both in his life tyme all thyng redounded to hys continuall renowme and in especially after hys decease nothing could be deuised more honourable then with so solemn furniture ceremonies to haue gone about to haue hurt the memorial of such a worthy man yet could not bryng to passe the thyng that was so sore coueted but rather broght that thing to passe which was chiefly sought to be auoyded For the desire that men haue of the dead hath purchased to many men euerlasting fame and hath not taken away immortalitie but rather amplified and increased the same By meanes whereof it commeth to passe that he that wil intreat of those things that pertaine to the prayse of Bucer after hys death can not chuse but speake of the crabbednesse of the tymes past vpō the which riseth a great encrease and augmentation of his prayse But his lyfe so excellently set foorth not onelye by the writyngs of the learned Clarkes Cheeke and Carre and by the liuely voyce of the right famous D. Haddon vttered in this place to the great admiration of all the hearers when his body should be layd into his graue to bee buried and after his buriall by the godly and most holye preachings of the right Reuerend father in Christ the Archbishop of Caunterbury that now is and of D. Redman the which for the worthinesse and excellencie of thē ought to stick longer in our mynds vnwrittē then many things that are penned and put in print but also by the great assembly of all the degrees of the Uniuersitie the same daye in bringyng hym to his graue and the nexte day after by the industry of euery man that was endued with any knowledge in the Greeke or Latine tongs of the which there was no man but set vp some Uerses as witnesses of hys iust and vnfeined sorrow vpon the wals of the Churche that neither at that tyme any reuerence or duety which is due to the dead departyng out of this lyfe was then ouerslipped or now remayneth vndone that may seeme to pertaine either to the celebratyng of the memoriall of so holy or famous a person or to the consecrating of hym to euerlastyng memory We at that tyme saw with our eyes this Uniuersitie flourishyng by his institutions the loue of sincere religion not onely engendred but also confirmed and strenghthened through his continuall and daily preachyng In so much that at such tyme as hee was sodainly taken from vs there was scarse any man that for sorrow could find in his hart to beare with the present state of this life but that either he wished with al his hart to depart out of this lyfe with Bucer into another by dieng to follow hym into immortality or els endeuoured hymselfe with weepyng and sighyng to call hym agayne beyng dispatched of all troubles into the prison of this body out of the whiche he is escaped lest he shuld leaue vs as it were standyng in battaile ray without a Captayne and he hymselfe as one casshed depart with hys wages or as one discharged out of the Campe withdraw hymselfe to the euerlasting quietnesse and tranquillitie of the soule Therefore all men euidently declared at that tyme both how sore they tooke hys death to hart and also how hardly they could away with the misture of such a man As long as the ardēt loue of his religion wherewyth we were inflamed florished it wrought in our hartes an incredible desire of hys presence among vs. But after the tyme that the godly man ceased to be any more in our sight and in our eies that ardent and burnyng loue of religion by little and little waxed cold in our myndes and according to the times that came after which were both miserable and to our vtter vndoyng it began not by little and little to be darkened but it altogether vanished away and turned into nothing For we tell agayne into the troublesomnesse of the popish doctrine the old rites customs of the Romish church were restored againe not to the garnishment beautifieng of the christian Religion as they surmised but to the vtter defacing violating defiling of the same Death was set before the eyes of such as perseuered in the christē doctrine that they had learned before They were banished the realm that could not apply themselues to the tyme do as other mē did such as remained were enforced either to dissēble or to hide themselues and creepe into corners or els as it were by drinking of the charmed cup of Circes to bee turned and altered not only from the nature of man into the nature of brute beasts but that far worse and much more monstrous is from the likenes of God his Angels into the likenes of deuils And all England was infected with this malady But I would to God the corruption of those tymes which ouerwhelmed all the whole realme had not at least wise yet pierced euery part member thereof Of the which there was not one but that besides the griefe that it felt with the residue of the body by reason of the sicknes contagion spred into the whole had some sorrow calamitie peculiarly by it selfe And to omit the rest of the which to entreat this place is not appointed nor the time requireth ought to be spoken this dwelling place of the Muses which we call the Uniuersitie may be
the first second thyrd fourth fift ninth tenthe twelfth they generally graunted vnto sauing that they denyed the soules of the departed to sleepe til the day of iudgement as is mentioned in the ix article And as concerning the sixt obiection they thought thē selues bound to beleue the true Catholicke Church so far foorth as the same doth instructe them according to Gods holy word but not to follow the determinations of the erroneous and Babilonicall Church of Rome As for the seuenth eight and thirtenth they vtterly denyed that euer they were of any such absurde opinions as are contayned therein but they graunted that man of him selfe without the helpe and assistance of Gods spirite hath no power to do any good thing acceptable in Gods sight To the eleuenth they sayd that true fasting and prayer vsed according to Gods word are allowable and auaylable in his sight and that by the same word euery faythfull man may eate all meates at all times with thankesgeuing to God for the same After this the first day of Aprill were they agayne conuented before the Bishop in his palace at London where little appeareth to be done excepte it were to know whether they would stand to their aunsweres whether they would recant or no. But when they refused to recant and deny the receiued and infallible truthe the Byshop caused them to be brought into the open Consistory the third day of the same moneth of Aprill in the forenone where firste vnderstanding by them their immutable constauncye and stedfastnes he demaunded particularly of euery one what they had to say why he should not pronounce the Sentence of condemnation To whom Tho. Loseby firste aunswered God geue me grace and strength to stand agaynst you your Sentence also agaynst your law which is a deuouring law for it deuoureth the flocke of Christe And I perceiue there is no way with me but death except I would consent to your deuouring law and beleeue in that Idoll the Masse Next vnto him answered Thomas Thirtell saying my Lorde I say thus if you make me an hereticke then you make Christ and all the 12. Apostles heretickes for I am in the true fayth and right beliefe I will stand in it for I know full well I shall haue eternall lyfe therefore The Byshoppe then asked the lyke question of Henry Ramsey Who sayd agayne my Lord will you haue me to go from the truth that I am in I say vnto you that my opinions be the very truth which I will stand vnto and not go from them I say vnto you farther that there are two Churches vpon the earth and we meaning himselfe other true Martyrs and professours of Christ be of the true Church and ye be not Unto this question next aunswered Margaret Hide saying my Lord you haue no cause to giue Sentence agaynst me for I am in the true fayth and opinion will neuer forsake it I do wishe that I were more stronger in it then I am Last of all aunswered Agnes Stanley sayd I had rather euery heare of my head were burned if it were neuer so much worth then that I will forsake my fayth and opinion which is the true fayth The tyme being now spent they were commaunded to appeare agayne at afternoone in the same place which commaundement being obeyed the Bishop firste called for Loseby after his accustomed maner willed his Articles answeres to be read in reading thereof when mention was made of the Sacrament of the Aultar the Bishoppe with his Colleagues put of their cappes Whereat Loseby sayd my Lord seing you put of your cappe I will put on my cappe there withall did put on his cappe And after the Bishop continuing in his accustomable perswasions Loseby agayn sayd vnto him my Lorde I trust I haue the spirite of truth which you detest and abhorre for the wisdome of God is foolishnes vnto you Wherupon the Byshop pronounced the sentence of condemnation agaynst him And deliuering him vnto the Sheriffe called for Margaret Hide with whō he vsed the like order of exhortatōs To whom notwithstanding she sayd I will not depart from my sayinges till I bee burned and my Lorde quoth she I would see you instruct me with some parte of Gods word not to geue me instructiōs of holybread and holy water for it is no part of the scripture But he being neither himselfe nor any of his able rightly to accomplish her request to make short worke vsed his final reason of conuincement which was of the sentence of condēnation And therfore leauing her off called for an other videl Agnes Stanley who vpon the Bishoppes like perswasions made this aunswere My Lord wher you say I am an heretick I am none neither yet will I beleue you nor any man that is wyse will beleue as you do And as for these that ye say bee burnt for heresie I beleue are true martyrs before God therefore I will not go from my opinion and fayth as long as I liue Her talk thus ended she receaued the like reward that the other had And the bishop then turning his tale maner of inticement vnto Thomas Thyrtel receiued of him likewise this finall aunswere My Lord I will not holde with youre Idolatrous wayes as you do for I saye the Masse is Idolatry and will sticke to my fayth and beliefe so long as the breath is in my body Upon which wordes he was also condemned as an hereticke Last of all was Henry Rāsey demanded if he would as the rest stand vnto his aunsweres or els recanting the same come home agayn and be a member of their church Whereunto he aunswered I will not go from my religiō and belief as long as I liue and my Lord quoth he your doctrine is naught for it is not agreable to Gods worde * The cruell burning of 5. Martyrs in Smithfield Three burned in Sainct Georges field in Southwarke AFter these moreouer in the month of May followed 3. other that suffered in S. Georges field in Southwark William Morant Stephen Gratwicke with one king Among other histories after the persecuted and condemned saintes of God I find the condemnation of none more straunge nor vnlawfull thē of this Stephen Gratwicke Who first was condemned by the byshopp of Wynchester and the byshop of Rochester which where not hys Ordinaryes Secondly when he did appeale from those imcompetēt Iudges to hys right Ordinary his appeale coulde not be admitted Thirdly when they had no other shifte to colour theyr inordinate proceedings with all they suborned one of the priestes to come in for a counterfayt and a false Ordinary and sit vpon him Fourthly being openly conuinced and ouerturned in his own argumentes yet the sayd Byshop of Winchester D. White neyther would yeald to the force of trueth nor suffer any of the audience assistant once to say God strengthen him Fiftly as
error for the key that openeth the locke to Gods mysteries and to saluation is the key of faith and repentāce And as I haue heard learned men reason S. Austine and Origen with others are of this opinion Then they reuiled him and laide hym in the stockes all the night Wherewith certaine that were better minded being offended with such extremity willed Allin to keepe his cōscience to him selfe and to folow Baruckes counsel in the 6. chap. Wherfore when ye see the multitude of people worshipping thē behinde and before say ye in your harts O Lord it is thou that ought only to be worshipped Wherewith he was perswaded to goe to heare Masse the next day and sodenly before the sacring went out and considered in the Churchyard with him selfe that suche a litle cake betwene the priests fingers could not be Christ nor a materiall body neither to haue soule life sinnewes bones flesh legs head armes nor brest and lamēted that he was seduced by the place of Barucke which his conscience gaue him to be no Scripture or els to haue an other meaning and after this he was brought againe before syr Iohn Baker who asked why he did refuse to worship the blessed Sacrament of the aultar Allin It is an Idol Collins It is Gods body Allin It is not Collins By the Masse it is Allin It is bread Collins How proouest thou that Allin When Christ sate at his last supper and gaue them bread to eate Col. Bread knaue Allin Yea bread which you cal Christes body Sate he stil at the table or was he both in their mouthes at the table If he were both in their mouthes at the table then had he two bodies or els had a fantasticall body which is an absurditie to say it Sir Iohn Baker Christes body was glorified and might be in mo places then one Allin Then had he more bodies thē one by your own placing of him Collins Thou ignorāt Asse the schoole men say that a glorified body may be euery where Allin If his body was not glorified til it rose againe then was it not glorified at his last supper and therefore was not at the table and in their mouthes by your owne reason Collins A glorified body occupieth no place Allin That which occupieth no place is neither God nor any thing els but Christes body say you occupieth no place therefore it is neither God nor any thing els If it be nothing then is your religion nothing If it be God then haue we iiij in one Trinitie which is the persone of the father the person of the sonne the person of the holy ghost the humane nature of Christ. If Christ be nothing which you must needes confesse if he occupie no place then is our study in vaine our faith prostrate and our hope without reward Collins This rebel wil beleue nothing but scripture How knowest thou that it is the scripture but by the church and so sayeth S. Austin Allin I cannot tell what Austine sayth but I am perswaded that it is Scripture by diuers arguments First that the law worketh in me my condemnation The law telleth me that of my selfe I am dāned and this damnatiō M. Collins you must find in your self or els you shal neuer come to repētance For as this grief sorow of cōscience wtout faith is desperation so is a glorious Romish faith wtout the lamentatiōs of a mās sins presūption The second is the gospel which is the power spirit of God This spirite sayth S. Paule certifieth my spirite that I am the sonne of God and that these are the Scriptures The thirde are the wonderfull woorkes of God which cause me to beleue that there is a God though we glorifie him not as God Rom. 1. The sunne the moone the starres and other his workes as Dauid discourseth in the xix Psalme declareth that there is a God and that these are the scriptures because that they teach nothing els but God and his power maiestie and might and because the scripture teacheth nothing dissonant from this prescription of nature And fourthly because that the woord of God gaue authoritye to the church in paradise saying that the seede of the woman should brast down the Serpents head This sede is the gospel this is al the scriptures and by this we are assured of eternall life and these words The seede of the woman shall braste the serpentes heade gaue authoritie to the church and not the church to the worde Baker I hearde say that you spake against priests and bishops Allin I spake for thē for now they haue so much liuing especially bishops archdeacons and deanes that they neyther can nor wil teach Gods woord If they had a 100. pounds a peece then would they apply their studie now they can not for other affaires Col. Who wil then set his children to schoole Allin Where there is now one set to schoole for that end there would be 40. because that one Bishops liuing deuided into 30. or 40. partes would finde so manye as wel learned men as the bishops be now who haue all this liuing neither had Peter or Paul any such reuenew Baker Let vs dispatch him he wil mar all Collins If euery man had a 100. pounds as he saith it wold make mo learned men Baker But our bishops would be angrye if that they knew it Allin It were for a common wealth to haue such bishoppricks deuided for the further increase of learning Baker What sayest thou to the Sacrament Allin As I sayde before Baker Away with him And thus was he caried to prison and afterward burned And thus much touching the particular storie of Edm. Allin and his wife Who with the v. other martyrs aboue named being vij to wit v. women and ij men were altogether burned at Maidstone the yere and moneth afore mentioned and the 18. day of the same moneth An other storie of like crueltie shewed vpon other 7. Martyrs burnt at Cant. 3. men and 4. women AMong suche infinite seas of troubles in these most dāgerous daies who can withhold himselfe from bitter teares to see the madding rage of these presented Catholickes who being neuer satisfied with bloud to maintaine their carnall kingdome presume so highly to violate the precise law of Gods commandements in slaying the simple pore Lambes of the glorious congregation of Iesus Christ and that for the true testimonie of a good cōscience in confessing the immulate gospell of their saluatiō What heart wil not lamēt the murdering mischief of these men who for wāt of worke do so wreke their tine on seely pore women whose weake imbecillitie the more strēgth it lacketh by natural imperfection the more it ought to be helped or at least pitied and not oppressed of men that be stronger and especially of Priests that should be charitable But blessed be the Lord omnipotent who supernaturally hath indued from aboue such
her first comming into this place she did greuously bewaile with great sorrowe lamentation and reasoned with her selfe why her Lorde God did with his so heauy iustice suffer her to be sequestred from her louing fellowes into so extreeme miserie In these dolorous mournings did shee continue til on a night as shee was in her sorrowful supplications in rehearsing thys verse of the Psalme Why arte thou so heauie O my soule And againe The right hande of the most highest can chaunge all shee receiued comforte in the middest of her miseries And after that continued very ioyfull vntill her deliuerie from the same About the 25. day of March in the yeare of our Lorde 1557. shee was called before the Bishop who demaunded of her whether shee would nowe goe home and go to the church or no promising her great fauour if she woulde be reformed and doe as they did To whom she answered I am throughly perswaded by the great extremitie that you haue already shewed me that you are not of God neither can your doings be godly and I see sayeth she that you seeke my vtter destruction shewing how lame she then was of cold taken for lacke of foode while she lay in that painful prison whereby shee was not able to mooue her selfe without great paine Then did the bish deliuer her frō that filthy hole and sent her to Westgate whereas after she had bene changed and for a while ben cleane kept her skin did wholy so pill scale off as if she had bene with some mortal venome poysoned Heere she continued till the latter end of Aprill At which time they called her before them and with others condemned her committing her then to the prisone called the Castle Where shee continued till the slaughter daye which was the 19. day of Iune when by terrible fire they tooke away her life When she was at the stake she cast her handkerchiefe vnto one Iohn Bankes requiring him to kepe the same in the memorie of her and from about her middle she tooke a white lace which she gaue to the keeper desiring him to geue the same to her brother Roger Hall and to tell hym that it was the last band that she was bound with except the chaine A shilling also of Phillip and Mary shee tooke foorth which her father had bowed and sent her when shee was first sent to prison desiring that her said brother should with obedient salutations render the same to her father againe shew him that it was the first peece of mony that he sent her after her troubles begon which as shee protested she had kept now sent him to do him to vnderstand that shee neuer lacked money while shee was in prison With this Alice Benden were burned also the residue of the other blessed Martyrs aboue named being seuen in number Who being brought to the place where they shuld suffer for the Lordes cause at Canterbury vndressed them selues ioyfully to the fire and being ready thereto they all like the communion of Saints kneled downe and made their humble praiers vnto the Lorde with such zeale and affection as euen the enemies of the Crosse of Christ coulde not but like it When they had made inuocation together they roase and went to the stake where being compassed with horrible flames of fire they yeelded their soules and liues gloriously into the handes of the Lord. The burning of seuen Martyrs at Caunterburie The troubles and examinations of Mathew Plase VNto these holy martyrs of Kent aboue specified wher of seuen suffered at Maidstone and seuen at Canterb. I thought not vnmeete heere also to be adioyned the examination of Mathew Plase a Weauer of the same Countie of Kent and a faithful christian Who being apprehended and imprisoned likewise for the testimonie of a good conscience in the Castell of Canterbury was brought to examination before the Bishop of Douer and Harpsfield the Archdeacon as here is to be red and seene The examination and answeres of Mathewe Plase Weauer of the Parish of Stone in the Countie of Kent before Thornton Bishop of Douer Harpesfield Archdeacon Collins Commissarie other Inquisitours An. 1557. FIrst when I came before the bishop he asked me whether I were not of that Dioces and where I dwelt for that was my first Article Ans. I aunsweared I was of the Parishe of Stone in Kent and subiect vnto the King Queene of England Bish. Then he sayd I was indicted by xij men at Ashford at the Sessions for heresie Auns I sayd that was sooner sayd then prooued Bish. Then he sayde it was the truthe that he had spoken to me for he had whereby to prooue it Auns Then I desired him to let me heare it and I would answere to it Bish. But he sayd he would not so do but I should aunswere to my Article yea or nay Auns I said he could not for I was not at Ashforde and therfore he had nothing to lay to my charge But nowe I perceiue you goe about to lay a net to haue my bloud Arch. After many woordes betwixt the bishop and me the Archdeacon said peace peace we do not desire thy bloud but we are glad to heare that thou art no hereticke wyth many flattering woordes and said yet I was suspected of heresie and if I woulde be content to confesse howe I did beleeue as concerning those Articles they woulde gladly teache me Auns But I sayd I did not so thinke for I talked wyth one of your doctors and after long talke he would nedes know how I did beleeue in the Sacrament and I recited vnto him the text and because I would not make him an exposition he would teach me nothing yet I praied hym for my learning to wryte his minde if it were the truth I would beleeue him and this I did desire him for the loue of God but it would not be Arch. Then sayd he it was not so he durst sweare vpon a booke Auns I sayd it would be so prooued Arch. Then he stoode vp with a long processe and sayd he would tell me the truth and was sure that the same Doctour did beleeue as he did Auns I asked him how he knew that seing S. Paul doth say that no man knoweth what is in man but the spirite which dwelleth in him but if you wist what Christ meant by these woords I require mercy and not sacrifice you wold not kill innocents Bishop The Bishop began with me againe and charged me in the king and Queenes name and the Lord Cardinals to answere yea or nay to the Articles that followed Auns Then I commanded him in his name that should come in flaming fire with his mighty Aungels to render vengeance to the disobedient and to all those that beleued not the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which should be punished with euerlasting damnation that he should speake nothing but the truth grounded vpon Christ and
be Baptised in their Godfathers and Godmothers fayth they being all vnbeleuers in what fayth is that childe baptised then in none at all by your owne saying Whiche woordes made him stampe and stare Lang. What then you woulde count that there were very few beleeuers if there be not one of three that beleeueth You enter into Iudgement agaynst the people Belike you thinke there be none that beleue well vnlesse they be of your minde In deed then Christes flocke were a very litle flocke Wood. In deede these bee Christes woordes in the 12. of Luke the which we may see to be very true Yea you sayd if there were not one amongest three that were very few But there is not one amongest three hundred for any thing that I can see For if there were there would not be so many that would seeke their neighbors goodes lyues as there be Lang. Is the flocke of Christ such a litle flock as you speak of you may call it a great flock How many be there of thē Can you tell me Wood. A prety question I promise you it is that you aske me as though I did make my selfe equall with God No no you shal catch no such vauntage of my words nor I know not how many there be But I will tell you as nigh as I can For therefore you looke I am sure that I should enter into Iudgement Lang. Yea I pray you tell me as much as you can seing you be so cunning Wood. You shall see my iudgement in it by and by First the Prophet Follow not a multitude to do euill for they must go the wrong way For the most go the wrong way There is one poynt to know them Thē christ sayth in the 7. of Mat. Broad is the way wide is the gate that leadeth into destruction and many there be that go in thereat and strayte is the gate and narrow is the waye that leadeth vnto life and few there be that finde it And in the xii of Luke it is written which words were spoken of Christ Come you little flocke it is my fathers will to geue you a kyngdome The third poynt is this In the thyrd of Mark and second of Mathewe You saythe Christe shall knowe the tree by the frutes A good tree bringeth foorth good fruites and a badde tree tree bringeth forth bad fruites So by fruites I know them For euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruites must be hewn downe and cast into the fire into hell I thinke Christ meant and your fruites declare that you be one of them Thus haue I proued foure wayes that the people that shal be saued is but a small companye in comparison of the rest But if that be not enough for the proofe thereof I haue twenty wayes more to proue it by and you were neuer the nere of your purpose Lang. What a naughty man are you you would make the patientest mā in the world angry with you I thinke your talke is nothing but pryde and vayneglorye with frumpes and mockes and dispising iudging of men It was time such a fellow were taken in deede Suche a one is enough to trouble a whole country I thinke he is blest of GOD that tooke you for you are not meete to be in a common wealth Wood. With diuers other such like wordes that I cannot recite they came out so thicke with stamping and staryng and chasing as though he had bene out of his witt I held my peace vntil he had made an end of his tormētors talk and then I spake Wherein haue I sayd amisse or haue I not answered you vnto euery question that you haue demaunded of me What fault can you finde in one word that I haue sayd I dare say you can finde none I maruayle why you take on thus agaynst me hauing no cause so to doe Lang. No no you haue not aunswered me to original sin you deny originall sinne Wood. With these wordes came in at the dore M. Iames Gage And I thinke hee stoode at the dore a good whyle before he came in and that Doctour Langdall sawe hym For his face was to the dore ward and my face was from it Gage Ah Woodman me thinke mayster Doctor and you cannot agree Wood. Yes sir me thinke we agree very well Lang. Without doubte sir he is the naughtiest man that euer I talked with in all my life for he will haue his owne way in all thinges Gage Woodman leaue that pride Do not trust so muche to your own wit Harken to this man This is a learned man I tell you He is knowne to be learned For els hee shuld not be allowed to preach before the Queenes maiesty and I dare say he will tell thee nothing nor will thee to doe nothing but that he will do himselfe and I dare say he will not go to the Deuill to bring the thether How say you M. Doc. Thou mightest think vs mad if we would hurt our selues to hurte thee No I promise thee my brother neither I nor no gentleman in the Country I think of my conscience but would thou shouldst doe as well as their owne bodyes and soules as a great many of them haue sayd to thy face whilest thou wast at my brothers the which thou canst not deny Wood. Sir I can saye none otherwise but I was gently entreated at your brothers both with meate and drynke gentle wordes both of you and him and diuers other gētlemen and I am sure you nor they can say that you foūd me vnreasonable at any time For I sayde I was contented to learne of them that were able to teache me and so I am as God knoweth and here M. Doctour I think can say no otherwise for I dare say he can find no fault in the talke that we haue had Lang. No mary I can finde nothing els in you I promise you mayster Gage if you had bene here you woulde haue sayd so your selfe He tooke me vp in deede and sayd he maruailed how I durst preach For he sayde I vnderstoode not the scripture but as farre as naturall reason comprehended as though he vnderstoode all and I nothing With diuers other such like words he made a great complaint to him on me sayd to mayster Iames Gage he would make you beleue that I could finde no faulte in in him Yes iwis he denieth originall sinne Gage Yea doth he so by S. Mary that is a great matter Woodman leaue that pride That pride wil come to naught Can ye liue without sinne Wood. Sir now I perceiue he will soone lye on me behinde my backe when hee will not sticke to lye before my face He sayth I denied originall sinne and it was he hymselfe as I will let you be iudge in the matter For as hee went about to proue that man hath free will he sayd wee were set as free by the death of christ as Adam was before
at a time when they layd great wayte for thys George Eagles so that it was thought that it was vnpossible but that he should be taken being so beset his frends did put him in a Prentice apparill that is to say watche◠hose as their maner is and an old cloke and set him on a packe of woll as though he had ridden to carry woll to the spinners so he rode amongst the midst of his aduersaries and escaped them al for that time An other troubler of the sayd George Eagles was also Iustice Browne who enioyed not his cruelty many yeares after c. Also when hee was at the Sessions at Chelmsforde there was a rumor raysed that hee had accused diuers honest men that dyd keepe him in theyr houses and was conuersaunt with him and all to discredite him which rumor was very false and vtterly vntrue Witnes one Reynold with diuers other dwelling in Chelmsford ¶ The martirdome and examination of Richard Crashfield of Wymoundham condemned to death for the testimonye of Iesus Christ. ABout this time suffered at Norwiche a godly man a constant martyr of Christ called Richard Crashfield whose examination before the Chauncellor named Dunnynges as he penned them with hys owne hand so haue we faythfully recorded the same How say you Syrha sayd the Chancellor to the ceremonyes of the Church Then sayd I what ceremonies He sayd vnto me Do you not beleue that all the ceremonies of the church were good and godly My aunswere was I do beleue so many as are groūded in the testament of Iesus Christ. Tush sayd he do you beleeue in the Sacrament of the aultar I sayd I knew not what it was Then sayd he Do you not beleeue that Christe tooke bread gaue thankes brake it and sayde Take eate thys is my body Yes verily sayd I and euen as Christ did speake so did he performe the worke Tush sayd he doe you not beleeue this that after the wordes be spoken by the prieste there is the substaunce of Christes body flesh and bloud How say you doe you not beleue this Speake man I doe beleeue that Christes body was broken for me vppon the Crosse and his bloud shed for my redemption wherof the bread and the wyne is a perpetuall memory the pledge of hys mercy the ring and seale of hys promise and a perpetuall memory for the faythfull vnto the ende of the world So then I was commaunded into prison vntil the next day ¶ An other examination of Richard Crashfield THe daye following I was brought foorth Then the Chauncellor sayd vnto me Richard how say you Are you otherwise minded then you were yesterdaye Hee rehearsing all the wordes that we hadde afore sayde are not these your wordes Whereto I aunswered Yes Then sayd he how say you can you not finde in your hart when you come to the Church to kneele downe before the Roode and make your prayer I aunswered and sayd No rehearsing the commaundement of God forbidding the same He sayd haue you not read or heard that God commaunded an Image to be made I answered what Image He sayd the brasen serpent I sayd Yes I haue heard it read how that God dyd commaunde it to bee made and lykewise to bee broken downe Then D. Brigges sayd Wherfore did God command the Seraphins and Cherubins to be made I sayd I could not tell I would fayne learne Then sayd the Chauncellor But how say you to this can you finde in your hart to fall downe before the picture of Christ which is the Roode I sayd No I feare the curse of God for it is wrytten that God curseth the handes that make them yea and the handes that make the tooles wherewith they are carued Then D. Brigges raged and sayd List nowe what a peece of scripture he hath here gotten to serue hys purpose for he will not allow but where he listeth Then sayd the Chauncellor How say you to Confession to the priest when were you confessed I sayd I confesse my selfe dayly vnto the eternal God whom I most greuously offend Then the Chauncellor sayd You do not then take confession to the priest to be good I aunswered No but rather wicked Then the Chauncellor sayd How say you by yonder geare yonder singing and yonder playing at the Organs is it not good and godly I sayd I could perceaue no godlines in it Then he sayde why is it not written in the Psalmes that we should prayse God with hymmes and spirituall songes I sayd Yes spirituall songes must be had but yonder is of the flesh of the spirite of error For to you it is pleasaunt and glorious but to the Lord it is bitter and odious Then sayd the Chauncellor why is it not written My house is an house of prayer I sayd Yes It is written also That you haue made my house of prayer a denne of theeues With that the Chancellor looked and sayd Haue we I aunswered and sayde Christ sayde so Then was I commaunded to ward The thursday next following was D. Brigges sent to me for to examine me of my fayth And he sayd Countrey-man my Lord Bishop for loue he would haue you saued hath sent me vnto you because to morow is your day appointed therfore my Lord hath thought it meete that you should declare vnto me your fayth For to morow my lord will not haue much adoe with you I aunswered said Hath my Lord sent you It is not you to whom I am disposed to shew my minde Then he sayd to me I pray you shew me your minde concerning the sacrament of the altar I aunswered Are you ignoraunt what I haue sayd He said No for it was wel writtē Except you beleue sayth he as the Church hath taught you are damned both body and soule I answered and sayd Iudge not least yee bee iudged condemne not least ye be condemned And he sayd Loe we shall haue a traytour as well as an hereticke for hee will disallowe the kinges iudgement I sayd No I do not disallow the kinges iudgement but yours I do disallowe For I praye you tell me howe came you by this iudgement He answered and sayd By the Church for the Church hath power to saue and condemne for if you bee condemned by the church he ye sure that you be damned both body and soule Then I aunswered If you haue this power I am sore deceiued For I beleue that Christ shall be our Iudge But now I perceiue you will do much for him that you will not put him to the payne Then he sayd stand nearer countryman why stand ye so farre off I sayd I am neare enough and a little to neare Then he sayd Did not Christ say Is not my flesh meate and my bloud drinke in deede I sayd To whome spake Christ those wordes He sayd To his Disciples I intending to rehearse the texte sayde whereat did Christes disciples murmure inwardly He sayd
No they did not murmure but they were the Infidels saith he for the Disciples were satisfied with those wordes I sayd Did not Christ say thus as hee taught at Capernaum whereas his Disciples murmured saying This is an hard saying Who can abide the hearyng of it Iesus perceiuing their thoughtes sayd Doth this offend you Then he raged and sayd Oh thou wrastest the text for thine owne purpose For the disciples did neuer murmure but the vnbeleuers as thou art I sayd Yes but I perceiue you know not the text Then sayd he with much raging I will laye my head thereon it is not so Then sayd I I haue done with you Then sayd he What shall I tell my Lord of you If you haue nothing to tell him youre errand shal be the sooner done sayd I. And so we departed Then on Friday I was brought forth to receiue iudgement Then the Chauncellor said vnto me Are you a new man or are you not I aunswered and sayd I trust I am a new man born of God God geue grace you be so sayd he So he rehearsed all my examination sayd How say you are not these your wordes I sayd Yes I will not deny them Then he sayd to Doctour Pore standing by I praye you talke with him Then he alledging to me many fayre flattering wordes sayd Take eate this is my body How say you to this Do you not beleue that it is Christes bodye speake I sayd Haue you not my minde Why do you trouble me He sayd What did Christ geue you was it breade or was it not I sayd Christ tooke bread and gaue thanks and gaue it and they tooke bread and did eate And Saincte Paule maketh it more manifest where he sayth So oft as yee shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe yee shall shew forth the Lordes death vntill hee come Saincte Paule sayth not here as you say for he sayth So ofte as you shall eate of thys bread He doth not saye body So they intendinge that I should go no further in the text sayd Tush you goe about the bush Aunswere me to the first question Let vs make an end of that What say you to the bread that Christe gaue Let mee haue your mind in that I aunswered I haue sayd my mind in it Then the Chancellor sayde No wee will haue youre mind in that I aunswered I haue sayd my minde in it Then the Chancellor No we will haue your mynde more playnly For wee intend not to haue many wordes with you I said My faith is fully grounded and stablished that Christ Iesus the Easter Lamb hath offered his blessed body a sacrifice to God the father the price of my redemptiō For by that onely sacrifice are all faythfull sanctified he is our onely aduocate and mediatour and hee hath made perfect our redemption This hath hee done alone wythout any of your dayly oblations Then Doctour Brigges starte vp and sayd Truthe your wordes are true in deede You take well the litterall sense but this you must vnderstand that like as you sayd that Christ offered his body vpon the Crosse whiche was a bloudy sacrifice and a visible sacrifice so likewise wee dayly offer the selfe same body that was offered vppon the crosse but not bloudy and visible but inuisible vnto God the father Doe you offer Christes body I sayd Why then chrystes sacrifice was not perfect But Christ is true when all men shal be lyers Then he sayd Thou shalt not feare him that hath power to kill the body but thou shall feare hym that hathe power to kill both body and soule I aunswered sayd It is not so But the text is thus Thou shalt not feare them that haue power to kill the body and then haue done what they can But thou shalt feare him that hath power to kill both body and soule and cast them both into hel fire and not them He aunswered and sayd Yes for it is the Church I aunswered and sayd Why Christ sayth I geue my lyfe for the redemption of the worlde No manne taketh my lyfe from me saythe hee but I geue it of myne owne power and so I haue power to take it agayne Therefore Christ the sonne of god did offer his blessed body once for al. And if you wil presume to offer his body dayly then your power is aboue Christes power With that he chafed and sayd What shal wee haue doctrine Ye are not hereto appointed Then the Chauncellor stoode vp and sayde will yee turne from this wicked error and be an example of goodnes as you haue bene an example of euill for by youre wicked reading you haue perswaded simple women to be in this error and ye shall haue mercy And I said it is of God that I do craue mercy whom I haue offended and not of you Then sayde the Chauncellor When were you at youre parishe Churche These two yeares and more you haue stand excommunicate Wherfore you are condemned And so I was condemned Thus hast thou gentle Reader the examinations of this godly young man set forth and written with hys own hand who not long after his condēnation was by the Sheriffes and Officers there brought to the stake where with much pacience and constancie he entered his blessed Martirdome At the burning of whiche Christian Martyr one Thomas Carman the same tyme was apprehended by what occasion it is not yet to vs fully certayne whether it was for words or for praying with him or for pledging him at his burning concerning which Thom. Carman his story hereafter followeth in his order and place further to be seene ¶ One Fryer and a certayne godly woman burned at Rochester who was the sister of George Eagles ABout the same time and month one named Fryer with a woman accompanying him who was the sister of George Eagles in the like cause of righteousnes suffered the like martyrdome by the vnrighteous papistes whose tyranny the Lord of his mercy abate cut shorte turning that wicked generation if it be his will to a better minde * The apprehension and death of Maistres Ioyce Lewes the wife to Thomas Lewes of Manceter most constantly suffering for Gods word at Lichfield MAistresse Ioyce Lewes a gentlewoman borne was delicately brought vp in the pleasures of the world hauing delight in gay apparell such like foolishnes with the which follyes the most part of the Gentlefolkes of England were then and are yet infected who was maried first to one called Appelby afterwarde to Thomas Lewes of Manceter In the beginninge of Queene Maryes tyme she went to the Church and heard masse as others did but when she heard of the burning of that moste godly learned M. Laurence Saunders who suffered in Couentry she began to take more heede to the matter and enquired earnestly of such as she knew feared God the cause of hys death and when she perceaued it was because hee refused
idolatrye and superstition whiche then was vsed as also that he had by preaching entised oothers to do the like Being then hereupon examined he confessed that hee comming into hys parishe Churche of Bentley and seing the people sitting there either gasing about or els talking together exhorted them that they would fall vnto prayer and meditation of Gods most holy worde and not â—it styll idlely Whereunto they willingly consented Then after prayer ended he read vnto them a chapiter of the New testament and so departed In which exercise he continued vntill Candlemas then being enformed that he might not so doe by the lawe for that he was no priest or minister he lefte of and kepte himselfe close in his house vntill Easter then nexte after At what time certayne sworne men for the inquiry of such matters came vnto hys house and attached him for reading in the Parish of Welley But when they vnderstood that he had red but once that it was of obedience whereunto hee earnestly moued the people they let hym for that tyme depart Notwythstanding for feare of their cruelty hee was not longe after constrayned to forsake his owne house and keepe himselfe in woodes barnes and other solitary places vntill the time of his apprehension After this examination the Lord Darcy sent him vp to the Counsell but they not minding to trouble them selues with him sent him vnto Boner Who by threateninges and other subtill meanes so abused the simple and fearfull hart of thys man as yet not throughly stayed vpon the ayd and helpe of God that within shorte tyme hee won him vnto his most wicked will and made him opeÌ„ly at Paules crosse to reuoke and recante his former profession and thereupon set him at libertie of body Whiche yet brought such a bondage and terrour of soule and conscience and so cast him downe that except the Lord whose mercies are immeasurable had supported and lifted hym vp agayne he had perished for euer But the Lord who neuer suffereth his elect Children vtterly to fall castinge his pittifull eyes vppon this loste sheepe with his mercifull and fatherly chastisment dyd with Peter rayse hym vp agayne geuing vnto him not only harty and vnfayned repentaunce but also a moste constant boldnes to professe agayne euen vnto the death hys most holy name and glorious gospel Wherefore at the procurement of one Thomas Tie priest sometime an earnest professor of Christ but now a fierce persecutour of the same as appeareth more at large before in the history of William Munt and his wife page 1979 he was againe apprehended and sent vp againe vnto Boner before whome he was the 8. day of Aprill and sondry other times else examined The report of which examination wrytten by his owne hand with bloud for lacke of other incke heereafter followeth The examination of Rafe Allerton at his seconde apprehension appearing before the Bishop of London at Fulham the 8. day of Aprill An. 1557. wrytten by him selfe wyth his owne bloud BOner Ah syrrha howe chaunceth it that you are come hether againe on this fashion I dare say thou art accused wrongfully Rafe Yea my Lord so I am For if I were guilty of such things as I am accused off then I would be very sorie Boner By sainct Marie that is noâ— wel done But let me heare Art thou an honest man for if I can proue no heresie by thee then shall thine accusers doe thee no harme at all Goe too lette me heare thee For I did not beleeue the tale to be true Rafe My Lorde who doeth accuse me I pray you let me know and what is mine accusation that I may answere thereunto Boner Ah wilt thou so Before God if thou hast not dissembled then thou needest not to be afraide nor ashamed to aunswer for thy selfe But tell me in faith hast thou not dissembled Rafe If I cannot haue mine accusers to accuse me before you my conscience doth constrain me to accuse my self before you For I confesse that I haue grieuously offended God in my dissimulatioÌ„ at my last being before your lordship for the which I am right sorrie as God knoweth Boner Wherein I pray thee diddest thou dissemble when thou wast before me Rafe Forsooth my Lord if your lordsh remeÌ„ber I did set my hand vnto a certain writing the contents wherof as I remember were that I did beleue in all things as the catholike churche teacheth c. In the which I did not disclose my minde but shamefully dissembled because I made no difference betwene the true church and the vntrue church Bon. Nay but I pray thee let me heare more of this gear For I fear me thou wilt smel of an hereticke anone Which is the true church as thou saiest Dost thou not call the heretikes church the true church or the catholike church of Christ Now which of these 2. are the true church saiest thou Go too for in faith I will know of thee ere I leaue thee Rafe As concerning the church of heretikes I vtterly abhorre the same as detestable and abhominable before God with all their enormities and heresies and the church catholicke is it that I onely embrace whose doctrine is sincere pure and true Boner By s. Augustine but that is wel said of thee For by God almighty if thou haddest allowed the church of heretikes I would haue burned thee with fire for thy labour Morton Then said one Morton a Priest My Lorde you know not yet what church it is that he calleth catholicke I warrant you he meaneth naughtely enough Boner Thinke you so Now by our blessed Lady if it be so he might haue deceiued me How say you syrrha which is the catholicke church Rafe Euen that which hath receiued the wholsome sound spoken of Esay Dauid Malachie and Paule with many other moe The which sounde as it is wrytten hath gone throughout all the earthe in euery place vnto the endes of the worlde Boner Yea thou sayest true before God For this is the sound that hath gone throughout all Christendom and he that beleeueth not the sound of the holy church as S. Cyprian saith doth erre For he saieth that whosoeuer is out of the Churche is like vnto them that were out of Noes ship when the flud came vpon al the whole world so that the Arke of Noe is likened vnto the church and therefore thou hast wel said in thy confession For the churche is not alone in Germanie nor was here in England in the time of the late schismes as the heretikes doe affirme For if the church should be there alone then were Christe a lier For he promised that the holy Ghost should come to vs leade vs into all truth yea and remaine with vs vnto the ende of the world So now if we wil take Christ for a true sayer then must we needes affirme that the waye whyche is taught in Fraunce Spaine Italie Flanders Denmark Scotland and all Christendome ouer must
fantastically as you teach vs to take them for then should we conspire with certaine heretickes called the Nestorians for they denie that Christ hadde a true naturall body and so me thinke you doe my Lord. If you wil affirm his body to be there as you say he is then must you needes also affirme that it is a fantasticall bodye and therfore looke to it for Gods sake and let these wordes go before Take yee and eate ye without which wordes the rest are sufficient but when the worthy receiuers do take and eat euen then is fulfilled the words of our Sauiour vnto him or euery of them that so receiueth Boner Ah I see well thou canste not vnderstand these woordes I will shewe thee a Parable If I should set a peece of beefe before thee and say eate is it no beefe And then take part of it away send it to my cooke and he shal change the fashion thereof and make it looke like breade What wouldest thou saye that it were no Beefe because it hath not the fashion of beefe Rafe Let me vnderstand a little further my Lorde shall the Cooke adde nothing therunto nor take nothing there from Boner What is that to the matter whether he do or no so long as the shape is changed into an other likenesse Rafe Ah will you so my Lord your Sophistrie will not serue the truth wil haue the victorie neuerthelesse as Esay sayth He that restraineth himselfe from euill must be spoyled And Amos hath suche like woordes also For the wise must be faine to holde their peace so wicked a time it is sayth he Neuertheles he that can speake the truth and will not shall geue a strait accounts for the same A Doctor By my Lords leaue here me thinks thou speakest like a foole Wilt thou be a iudge of the scripture Nay thou must stand to learne and not to teache for the whole congregation hath determined the matter long agoe A priest No by your leaue we haue a Church and not a congâ—egation You mistake that worde master Doctor Rafe Then sayd I to my fellowe prisoners standing by My brethren doe yee not heare howe these men helpe one an other Let vs doe so also But we neuer came all in together after that time but seuerallye one after an other Then was I caried away for that time The xix daye of May I was brought before the Bishop of Rochester and Chichester with others B Rochest Were you a companion of George Eagles otherwise called Trudgeouer My Lord of London telleth me that you were his fellow companion Rafe I know him very well my Lord. Rochest By my faith I had him once and then hee was as dronke as an Ape for he stonke so of drinke that I coulde not abide him and so sent him away Rafe My Lorde I dare saye you tooke your markes amisse It was either your selfe or some of your own companie for he did neither drinke Wine Ale nor Beere in a quarter of a yeare before that time and therefore it was not he forsooth The rest of mine examinations you shal haue when I am condemned if I can haue any time after my comming into Newgate the which I trust shall touch the matter a great deale more plainly for the pithie matters are yet vnwrytten Thus fare you well good frendes all Yea I say farewel for euer in this present world Greete yee one an other and be ioyfull in the Lord. Salute the good widowes among you with all the rest of the congregation in Barfold Dedham and Colchester This promise of hys being either not perfourmed for that he might not thereto be permitted or els if he did wryte the same not comming to my hands I am faine in the rest of his examinations to follow the only report of the Register who witnesseth that the 15. day of May. An. 1557. in the Byshops palace at London he was examined vppon certaine interrogatories the contents wherof be these FIrst that he was of the parish of Muchbentley and so of the Diocesse of London Secondly that the 10. daye of Ianuarie then last past M. Iohn Morant preaching at Paules the said Rafe Allerton did there openly submit himselfe vnto the Churche of Rome with the rites and Ceremonies thereof Thirdly that he did consent and subscribe aswell vnto the same submission as also to one other bil in the which he graunted that if he should at any time turn againe vnto his former opinions it shoulde be then lawfull for the Bishop immediately to denounce and adiudge hym as an hereticke Fourthly that he had subscribed to a bill wherein hee affirmed that in the sacrament after the woordes of consecration be spokâ—n by the Priest there remaineth still materiall bread and materiall wine and that he beleueth that the bread is the breade of thankesgeuing and the memoriall of Christes death and that when he receiueth it he receiueth the body of Christ spiritually in his soule but materiall bread in substaunce Fiftly that he had openly affirmed and also aduisedly spoken that which is contained in the sayde former fourth article last before specified Sixthly that hee hadde spoken against the Bishop of Rome wyth the Church and Sea of the same and also against the seuen Sacraments and other Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the same Churche vsed then wythin thys Realme Seuenthly that hee had allowed and commended the opinions and faith of M. Cranmer Ridley Latimer and others of late burned within this Realme and beleeued that theyr opinions were good and godly Eightly that he hadde diuers times affirmed that the religion vsed within this realme at the time of his apprehension was neither good nor agreeable to Gods woord and that he coulde not conforme himselfe thereunto Ninthly that he had affirmed that the booke of Common prayer sette foorth in the raigne of king Edward the vj. was in all partes good and godly and that the sayd Rafe and his company prisoners did daily vse amongst themselues in prison some part of the booke Tenthly that hee had affirmed that if hee were out of prison he would not come to Masse Mattins nor Euensong nor beare Taper Candle or Palme nor goe in procession nor would receiue holy water holy breade ashes or paxe or any other ceremonie of the Churche then vsed within this Realme Eleuenthly that he had affirmed that if he were at libertie he would not confesse his sinnes to any Priest nor receiue absolution of him nor yet would receiue the Sacrament of the altar as it was then vsed Twelfly that he had affirmed that praying to saints and prayers for the deade were neither good nor profitable and that a man is not bounde to fast and praye but at his owne wil and pleasure neither that it is lawful to reserue the Sacrament or to woorship it Thirtenthly that the sayd Allerton hath according to these his affirmations abstained refused to come vnto his parishe Churche euer
sithens the 10. day of Ianuarie last or to vse receiue or alow any ceremonies sacramēts or other rites then vsed in the church To all these Articles he answeared affirmatiuely denieng precisely none of them sauing to this clause contained in the 12. article that a man is not bounde to fast and pray but at his owne will pleasure he sayde that he had affirmed no such thing but he confessed that he had not fasted nor prayed so oft as he was bounde to doe And vnto this answer he also subscribed in this sorte Except it be prooued otherwise by the holy Scripture I doe affirme these articles to be true By me Rafe Allerton The next examination was the fourth daye of Iulie The actes whereof because they do appeare more amply in hys other examination had the 10. daye of September I doe heere omit geuing you farther to vnderstande that vppon the seuenth daye of the same moneth of Iulie hee was brought before Doctor Darbishiere in the Byshops Palace who examined him againe vppon the former Articles and after perswaded him to recant threatning hym that otherwise he should be burned To whome he boldly answeared I woulde I mighte be condemned euen to morrowe for I perceiue my Lord meaning Boner doth nothing but seeke mennes bloud Uppon whiche sayinge Darbishire committed him againe to prisone and the 10. day of September the Bishop caused him with the other thre aboue named to be brought vnto Fulham and there in his priuate Chappell wythin his house hee iudiciallye propounded vnto him certaine other newe Articles of the whyche the tenours of the first fifte sixte and seuenth are already mentioned in the seconde thirde and fourthe former obiections as for the rest the contentes thereof here followeth Thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the Information geuen against thee and remaining now in the Actes of this court of thine Ordinarie Edmunde Bishop of London was and is a true information This information was geuen by Tho. Tie Curate of Bentley of whome yee haue already heard and certaine other of the same parishe and affinitie as namelye Iohn Painter William Harris Iohn Barker Iohn Carter Thomas Candeler Ieffrey Bestwoode Iohn Richarde Richard Meere The effect whereof was that one Laurence Edwards of Bentley aforesayde had a child that was vnchristened and being demaunded by the sayde Tye whye hys childe was not Baptised he made aunsweare it should be when he coulde finde one of his religion meaning a true professour of Christes gospell Whereat the Curate sayd Ah ye haue hadde some instructer that hathe schooled yo◠of late Yea quoth the sayd Edwardes that I haue and if youre doctrine be better then his then I will beleeue you and therewithall fondly offered to fetch him Wherupon the Cōstable going with him they brought before the said curate the said Rafe Allerton of whome in this information they make this reporte that he was a seditious person who sithens his comming down from the bish had set vpon the Constables doore certaine seditious Letters moouing and perswading thereby the people to folow his malicious disobedience and that these his perswasions had taken effecte in manye And farther that the saide Rafe Allerton the Curate asking him whether he had instructed thys Laurence Edwardes that it was agaynst Gods commandement to enter into the church casting abroad his hands should say Oh good people now is fulfilled the saying of the godly Priest and Prophet Esdras who sayeth The fire of a multitude is kindled against a fewe they haue taken away their houses spoiled their goods c. Which of you all haue not seen this day who is he here amongest you that seeth not all these things done vpon vs this day The church which they call vs vnto is the church of Antichrist a persecuting church and the church malignant With these and many mo words said they most maliciously and falsly alledged out of the Scriptures he thus perswaded a great multitude there present as muche as in him lay vnto disobedience For the which cause the constables did then apprehend him 3. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letter sent vnto me by my Lorde Darcie beginning wyth these woordes pleaseth it your Lordship c. was thine owne letter and was subscribed by thine owne hand The contents of the letter mentioned in this Article and wrytten by Allerton vnto the Lorde Darcie was a confession of his demeanor before his first apprehension the effect and purport whereof because it appeareth in the beginning of this his Historie I doe heere omit 4. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not deny but that the other letter sent also to me from my said Lord Darcy beginning thus pleaseth it youre Lordship c. and ending with these woordes whensoeuer it be is thine owne very letter and subscribed with thine owne hand This was also an other letter wrytten by hym vnto the Lorde Darcie the contents whereof were that where the said Lorde had commaunded him to declare where he had bene euer sithens Whitsontide last before hys first apprehension this was to certifie his Lordship that he was not able so to do otherwise then as he had already shewed him by his former letters And moreouer where as hee charged him to haue read vnto the people abroade in the woodes he certified him that he did neuer read any thyng abroad sauing once whē he was in the cōpany of George Eagles and others Richarde Roth tooke a wryting out of his bosome and desired the saide Rafe to read it which request heethen accomplished and demaunding of hym whose doing the same was the said Roth told that it was maister Cranmers late Archbishop of Canterburie and farther he could not shew him Neuertheles he was ready and willing to suffer such punishment as his lordship should thinke meete desiring yet that the same myghte be with fauour and mercye although hee feared neither punishment nor death praying the Lord that it might be in his feare when soeuer it should be 8. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letters wrytten with bloud beginning with these words Grace mercy and peace c. and ending thus Farewell in God remaining nowe Registred in the Actes of thys Court were wrytten voluntarily with thine owne hand He wrote this letter in the prison with bloud for lacke of other inke and did meane to send the same vnto Agnes Smith alias Siluerside at that time imprisoned and afterwardes burned at Colchester for the testimonie of the Gospell of Christe as before is mencioned The Copie of which letter heere ensueth A letter wrytten by Rafe Allerton vnto Agnes Smith Widowe GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ with the assistance of Gods holy spirite and the aboundant health both of soule and body I wish vnto you as to mine owne soule as GOD knoweth who is the searcher of all secretes Forasmuch as it hath pleased
great deale better welcome then lyfe But this tooke not effect at that time as she thought it would and therfore as I sayd was she not a little troubled Beyng in this great perplexitie of mynde a friend of hers came to her and required to knowe whether Abrahams obedience was accepted before God for that hee did sacrifice his sonne Isaac or in that he would haue offered hym Unto which she answered thus I know quoth she that Abrahams will before God was allowed for the deede in that he would haue done it if the Aungell of the Lorde had not stayed him but I said she am vnhappy the Lorde thinketh me not worthye of this dignitie and therfore Abrahams case and mine is not alyke Why quoth her friend would ye not willingly haue gone with your company if God should so haue suffered it Yes said she with all my hart and because I did not it is now my chiefe and greatest griefe Then said her friend My deare sister I pray thee consider Abraham and thy self well thou shalt see thou doest nothing differ with him in will at all Alas quoth she there is a farre greater matter in Abraham then in me for Abraham was tried with the offering of his owne childe but so am not I and therefore our cases are not lyke Good sister quoth her friend way the matter but indifferently Abraham I graunt sayd he would haue offered his sonne and haue not you done the lyke in your little suckyng babe But consider further then this my good sister sayd he where Abraham was commanded but to offer his sonne you are heuy and grieued because you offer not your selfe which goeth somewhat more neere you then Abrahams obedience did therefore before God assuredly is no lesse accepted allowed in his holy presence which further the preparing of your shroud also doth argue full well c. After which talke betweene them she began a little to stay her selfe and gaue her whole exercise to readyng and prayer wherein she found no little comfort In the tyme that these foresayd ij good women were prisoners one in the Castle the other in Motehall God by a secret meane called the sayd Margaret Thurston vnto his truth agayne who hauyng her eyes opened by the workyng of his spirit did greatly sorrow and lament her backsliding before and promised faithfully to the Lord in hope of his mercies neuer more while she liued to doe the like agayne but that she would constantly stand to the cōfession of the same against all the aduersaries of the crosse of Christ. After which promise made came in short tyme a writ from London for the burning of them which accordyng to the effect thereof was executed the 17. day of September in the yeare aforesayd * The burning of Margaret Thurston and Agnes Bongeor at Colchester to Laxfield to bee burned and on the next day mornyng was brought to the stake where was ready agaynst hys commyng the foresayd Iustice M. Thurstō one M. Waller then beyng vnder shiriffe and M. Tho. Louell beyng high Constable as is before expressed the which commanded men to make redy all things meete for that sinful purpose Nowe the fire in most places of the streete was put out sauyng a smoke was espied by the said Tho. Louell proceeding out from the top of a chimney to which house the shiriffe and Grannow his man went and brake open the dore and thereby got fire and brought the same to the place of execution When Iohn Noyes came to the place of execution When Iohn Noyes came to the place where he should be burned he kneeled downe and sayde the 50. Psalme with other prayers and then they making haste bound hym to the stake and beyng bounde the sayd Iohn Noyes sayd Feare not them that can kill the body but feare hym that can kill both bodye and soule and cast it into euerlastyng fire When he saw his sister weeping and making mone for him he bade her that she should not weepe for hym but weepe for her sinnes Then one Nich. Cadman beyng Hastler a valiaunt champion in the Popes affaires brought a fagotte and set agaynst him and the said Ioh. Noyes tooke vp the fagot and kissed it and sayd Blessed bee the tyme that euer I was borne to come to this Then he deliuered his Psalter to the vndershirife desiring him to be good to his wyfe and children to deliuer to her that same booke and the shiriffe promised hym that he would notwithstāding he neuer as yet performed his promise Then the sayd Iohn Noyes sayd to the people They say they can make God of a piece of bread beleeue them not Then sayd he good people beare witnes that I do beleeue to be saued by the merites passion of Iesus Christ and not by myne owne deedes and so the fire was kindled and burned about him and thē he sayd Lord haue mercy vpon me Christ haue mercy vppon me Sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me ¶ The burnyng of Iohn Noyes Martyr And so he yelded vp his lyfe and when his body was burned they made a pit to bury the coales and ashes and amongst the same they found one of his feet that was vnburned whole vp to the anckle with the hose on and that they buried with the rest Now while he was a burnyng there stoode one Iohn Iaruis by a mans seruant of the same towne a plaine fellow which sayd Good Lorde how the sinewes of hys armes shrinke vp And there stood behynd hym one Gran now and Benet beyng the shiriffes men and they sayd to their maister that Iohn Iaruis said what villeine wretches are these And their maister bade lay hand on hym then they tooke hym and piniond hym and caried hym before the Iustice that same day and the Iustice did examine hym of the words aforesayd but he denied them and aunswered that he sayd nothing but this Good Lorde howe the sinews of his armes shrinke vp But for all this the Iustice did bynd his father and his maister in v. poundes a piece that he should be forth commyng at all tymes And on the Wednesday next hee was broughte agayne before these Iustices M. Thurston and M. Kene they sittyng at Fresingfield in Hoxton hundred and there they did appoint and commaund that the sayd Iohn Iaruis shoulde be set in the stockes the next market day and whipt about the market naked But his Maister one William Iaruis did after craue friendship of the Constables and they dyd not set him in the stockes till Sonday morning and in the after noone they did whip hym about the market wyth a dog whip hauyng three cords and so they let hym go Some doe geue that Iohn Iaruis was whipped for saying that Nich. Cadman was Noyes Hastler that is such one as maketh and hasteth the fire The copy of a certaine letter that he sent to comforte his Wyfe at such tyme as he lay
is the Masse a sacrifice Unto which a D. answered that sate by him it is a sacrifice both for the quicke and the dead Then sayd I no it is no sacrifice for s. Paul saith that Christ made one sacrifice once for all and I doe beleeue in none other sacrifice but only in that one sacrifice that our Lord Iesus Christ made once for all Then sayd the D. that sacrifice that Christ made was a wet sacrifice and the Masse is a dry sacrifice Then sayde I that same drye sacrifice is a sacrifice of your own making it is your sacrifice it is none of mine Then sayd the Chancellor he is an heretike he denieth the sacrament of the aulter Then sayd I will ye know how I beleeue in the holy supper of our Lord And he sayd yea Then sayd I I beleue that if I come rightly worthily as God hath commaunded me to the holy supper of the Lorde I receiue him by fayth by beleeuyng in hym But the bread beyng receiued is not God nor the bread that is yonder in the pixe is not God God dwelleth not in tēples made with hands neither will be worshipped wyth the works of mens hands And therfore you do very euill to cause the people to kneele down and worship the bread for God did neuer bid you hold it vp aboue your heades neither had the Apostles such vse Then sayd the Chauncellour he denyeth the presence in the sacrament Write this Article also He is a very heretike Then sayd I the seruant is not greater then his maister For your predecessors killed my maister Christ the Prophets and Apostles and holy vertuous men nowe you also kil the seruants of Christ so that al the righteous bloud that hat hath bene shed euen from righteous Abell vntill this day shall be required at your hands Well said the Chancellor haue him away Another examination of Spurdance before the Bishop in his house THe B. sayd sirrha doest thou not beleue in the catholike fayth of holy Church And I sayd I beleue Christes catholike church Yea sayd he in Christes church of the which the Pope is the head Doest thou not beleeue that the Pope is supreme hed of the catholike church And I sayd no. I beleue not that he should bee aboue the Apostles if hee take them to be his predecessors For when there came a thought among the Apostles who shuld be the greatest when their maister was gone Christ aunswered them vnto their thoughtes The Kinges of the earth beare domination aboue other but ye shall not so doe for hee that will be greatest among you shall become seruaunte vnto you all How is it then sayde I that hee will climbe so high aboue his fellowes And also wee were sworne by my Maister King Henries tyme that wee should to the vttermost of our power neuer consent to hym again And therefore as he hath nothyng to doe here in Englande so neyther in his owne countrey more then a Bishop hath in his Dioces Yea sayd the B. what of that We were then in error sinne now we are in the right way agayne and therefore thou must come home again with vs and knowledge thy fault and become a christian man and be sworne vnto the Pope as our supreme head Wilt thou be sworne vnto the Pope How sayst thou Then I sayd no I warrant you by the grace of God not as long as I liue For you cannot prooue by the scripture that the Pope is head of the church and may do therin what him list No sayde he yes I trowe For as the Belweather whiche weareth the Bell is head of the flocke of sheepe euen so is the Pope the head of the Church of Christ. And as the Bees in the hiue haue a maister Bee when they are gone out to bring them home againe to the hiue euen so the Pope when we be gone astray and wandered from the fold from the hiue c. then is ordeined our head by succession of Peter to bring vs home againe to the true church as thou now my good fellow hast wandred long out of the way like a scattered sheepe c. Heare therefore that Belwether the maister bell c. come home with vs to thy mother the true church againe Unto whom I aunswered My Lord all this is but naturall reason no scripture but since ye cannot prooue the Pope to be authorised by scripture ye aunswer not me as I thought ye would Ha sayd he I see well ye be stout and will not be answered therfore ye shall be compelled by law whether ye will or no. My Lord sayd I so did your forefathers intreat Christ and his Apostles They had a law and by their lawe they put hym to death and so likewyse you haue a law which is tyrannie by that would ye inforce me to beleue as you doe But the Lord I trust will assist me agaynst all your beggerly ceremonies and make your foolishnesse knowen to all the world one day Then sayd he when were ye at church went in procession and did the ceremonies of the church And I sayd neuer since I was borne No sayd he How old are you And I sayd I thinke about xl Why said he how did you vse your selfe at Church xx yeres ago I sayd as you do now And euen now said he you sayd you did not the Ceremonies since you were borne No more I did sayd I since I was borne a newe as Christ sayd vnto Nicodemus except ye be borne a newe ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heauen Then sayd a D. that sate by he is a very Anabaptist for that is their opinion playne No sir you say falsely sayd I for I am no Anabaptist for they denye Children to bee Baptised and so doe not I. Well sayd the B. why doest thou not go to the church and do the ceremonies And I sayd because they be contrary to Gods worde and lawes as you your selfe haue taught but nowe you say it is good agayne and I thinke if there were a returne to morrow you would say that is false again which you hold now Therfore I may well say there is no truth in you Then sayd the B. thou art a stubborne fellow and an heretike and a Traitor No sayde I I am no Traitour for I haue done I thinke better seruice to the crowne imperiall of England then you If you had done so good seruice said he you would be obedient to the lawes of the Realme So I am sayd I. There is no man alyue I thanke God to accuse me iustly that euer I was disobedient to any ciuill lawes But you must consider my Lord that I haue a soule and a body my soule is none of the Queenes but my body and my goods are the Queenes And I must geue God my soule and all that belongeth vnto it that is I must do the law and commandements
being then commaunded to appeare the Friday next following was brought vnto the Iustice Hall without Newgate where he had the like conflictes with the foresayde Bishoppe and diuers other Iustices At length he was assigned the Saterdaye folowing to be present in the Bishops consistory Court to heare his finall sentence At whiche day and place the sayd Examinate appearyng as he was commaunded the Byshop after other matter of communication asked hym if he knew any cause why the sentence should not be read agaynst hym To whom the sayd Mayster Gibson aunswered that the Bishoppe had nothing wherefor iustly to condemne him The Bishops reason was agayne obiected to him that men sayd he was an euil man To whom Gibson replying agayne yea sayth he and so may I saye of you also To be short after this and such other talke the Bishop hasted vnto the sentence Which being read Gibson yet agayne admonished to remember himselfe and to saue his soule sayd that he would not heare the Byshops babling and sayde moreouer boldly protesting and affirming that he was contrarye and an enemye to them all in his mind and opinion although he had afore time kepte it secret in minde for feare of the law And speaking to the bishop blessed sayd he am I that am cursed at your handes We haue noâ—hing now but thus will I. For as the bishop sayth so must it be And now heresy is to turne the trueth of Gods word into lyes and that do you meaning the bishop and his felowes Thus this valiaunt souldiour fighting for the Gospel and sincere doctrine of Gods trueth and religion agaynst falsehood and errour was committed with his felowes to the secular power And so these three godly men Iohn Hallingdale William Sparrow and Maister Gibson being thus appointed to the slaughter were the xij day after theyr condemnation which was the xviij day of the sayde Moneth of Nouember burnt in Smithfielde in London And beyng brought thyther to the stake after theyr prayer made they were bound thereunto with cheines and wood sette vnto them and after wood fire in the which being compassed about and the fierye flames consuming theyr fleshe at the last they yelded gloriously and ioyfully theyr soules and lyues into the holy bandes of the Lord to whose tuition and gouernement I commend thee good Reader Amen ¶ It is a litle aboue declared in this story of Richarde Gibson how Boner ministred vnto the layd Gibson certeyne Articles to the nuÌ„ber of nine Now let vs see lykewise the Articles which the sayde Gibson ministred agayne to Boner according to the same number of nine for him to aunswere vnto as by the same here vnder written may appeare ¶ Articles proponed by Richard Gibson vnto Edmund Boner Byshop of London by him to be aunswered be yea or nay or els to say he cannot tell 1. WHether the Scriptures of God written by Moyses other holy Prophetes of God through fayth that is in Christ Iesus is auayleable doctrine to make all men in all thinges vnto saluation learned without the helpe of anye other doctrine or no. 2. What is authority and from whence it commeth to whom it apperteineth and to what end it tendeth 3. Whether the holy word of God as it is written doth sufficiently teach all men of what dignity estate or calling by office so euer he or they be theyr full true and lawfull duety in theyr office and whether euery man of what dignity estate or calling by office so euer he or they be are bound vpon the payne of eternall damnation in all thinges to do as they are hereby taught commaunded and in no wise to leaue vndone any thing that is to be done being taught and commaunded by the same 4 Whether any man the Lorde Iesu Christ God and man onely except by the holye ordinaunce of God euer was is or shall be Lord ouer fayth and by what lawfull authority any man of what dignity estate or calling by office soeuer he or they be may vse Lordship or power ouer any man for fayth sake or for the secrecy of his conscience 5. By what lawfull authority or power any man of what dignity estate or calling so euer he or they be may be so bolde as to alter or chaunge the holy ordinaunces of God or any of them or any part of them 6. By what euident tokens Antichrist in his Ministers may bee knowne seing it is written that Sathan can chaunge himselfe in to the similitude of an Aungell of light and his ministers fashion themselues as though they were the Ministers of righteousnesse and how it may be knowne to him that is desirous thereof when he is one of that number or in the daunger thereof or when he is otherwise 7. What the beast is the which maketh warre with the Sayntes of God and doth not onely kill them but also will suffer none to buy nor sell but such as worship his Image or receiue his marke in theyr right handes or in theyr foreheades his name or the number of his name or do worship his Image which hy the iuste and terrible sentence of God already decreed shal be punished in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the lambe and they shall haue no rest day nor night but the smoake of their torment shall ascend vp for euermore Also what the gorgious glittering whore is the which sitteth vpon the beast with a Cup of gold in her hand full of abhominations with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the inhabitours of the earth and she her selfe also is dronken with the bloud of Sainctes which is the wine of her fornication whose flesh the hornes of the beast shall teare in pieces and burne her with fire For god hath put in their hartes to do his will 8. Whether a king ouer all those people whiche are borne and inhabite within his owne dominions regions and countryes or any part of them of what dignity estate or calling by office soeuer they be here vpon this earth immediately vnder Christ by the holy ordinaunce of God is lawfull supreame and chiefe Gouernor or no And whether a king ouer all those people within his dominions regions and countryes and euery part of them by holy ordinaunce of God lawfully may and ought not otherwise to doe nor suffer otherwise to be done then in his owne name power and authority the name of God onely except as lawfull supreame and chiefe heade in all thinges that belongeth to rule without exception to gouerne and rule And whether all those people of what dignity estate or calling soeuer they be are bouÌ„d by the holy ordinaunce of God to owe theyr whole obedience and seruice in all thinges without exception theyr duety to god onely excepted to their king onely as to theyr supreame and chiefe Gouernour vpon earth immediately vnder Christ And whether a king without offence agaynst GOD and his people maye
these articles thus ministred and layd to Cutbert Simson with his aunsweres likewise vnto the same the Bishop calling them altogether obiected to them other positions and articles the same whiche before are mentioned in the story of Bartlet Greene. pag. 1736. onely the 8. Article out of the same omitted and excepted which Articles because they are already expressed in the page aboue mentioned we neede not here to make anye newe reporte thereof but onely referre the Reader to the place assigned ¶ The aunsweres generall of Cutbert Simson Hugh Foxe and Iohn Deuinishe to the Articles by the Bishop to them generally proposed TO the first Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely but Iohn Deuenishe added that that Churche is grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles Christe being the head corner stone and how in that Churche there is the true fayth and religion of Christ. To the second Article they all confessed and beleeued that in Christes Catholicke Churche there are but two Sacramentes that is to witte Baptisme and the supper of the Lord otherwise they do not beleue the contentes of this Article to be true in any part therof To the 3. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely To the 4. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely ¶ Three godly Martirs burned in Smithfield To the sixt Article they al answered and denied to acknowledge the authoritie of the sea of Rome to be lawfull and good eyther yet his religion To the seuenth Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely that they haue and will doe still while they liue and Iohn Deuinishe adding thereto sayde that the sacrament of the aultar as it is now vsed is no sacrament at all To the 8. Article they all confessed and beleued all thynges aboue by them acknowledged and declared to be true and that they be of the Dioces of London and iurisdiction of the same These three aboue named persons and blessed witnesses of Iesus Christ Cutbert Foxe and Deuenish as they were altogether apprehended at Islington as is aboue declared so the same all three together suffered in Smithfield about the xxviii day of March in whose perfect constancie the same Lorde in whose cause and quarrell they suffered giuer of all grace and gouernour of all thinges be exalted for euer Amen ¶ The suffering and Martyrdome of William Nichole put to death by the wicked hands of the papistes at Herefordwest in Wales WE finde in al ages from the beginning that Sathan hath not ceassed at all times to molest the Churche of Christ with one affliction or other to the tryall of theyr fayth but yet neuer so aparauntly at anye time to all the worlde as when the Lorde hath permitted him power ouer the bodyes of hys saynctes to the shedding of theyr bloud and peruerting of religion for then sleepeth he not I warrant you from murdering of the same vnlesse they will fall downe with Achab and Iesabell to worship him and so kill and poyson their owne soules eternally as in The burning of W. Nicole at Herefordwest in Wales these miserable latter dayes of Queene Mary we haue felt heard and seene practised vppon Gods people Amonge whome wee finde recorded an honest good simple poore man one William Nicole who was apprehended by the Champions of the pope for speaking certayne wordes agaynst the cruell kingdome of Antichriste and the ninth day of Aprill 1558. was butcherly burnt and tormented at Herefordwest in Wales where he ended his life in a most happy and blessed state and gloriously gaue his soule into the handes of the Lorde whose goodnes bee praysed for euer Amen This William Nicoll as we are informed was so simple a good soule that many esteemed him half foolish But what he was we know not but this are we sure he died a good man and in a good cause what soeuer they iudge of hym And the more simplicitie of feeblenes of wit appeared in him the more beastly and wretched dothe it declare their cruell tyrannicall acte therin The Lord geue them repentaunce therefore if it bee his blessed will Amen Amen The Martyrdome of William Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson put to death by the persecuting papists at Norwich in the county of Norfolke IMmediately after William Nicoll succeeded in that honourable and glorious vocation of Martyrdome three constaunt godly menne at Norwiche in Northfolk who were cruelly and tyrannically put to death for the true testimony of Iesus Christ the xix of May. an 1558. Whose names be these William Seaman Thomas Carman Thomas Hudson The sayde William Seaman was an Husbandman of the age of xxvi yeares dwelling in Mendlesham in the county of Suffolke who was sūdry sought for tymes by the commandement of Sir Iohn Tirrell knight at laste he himselfe in the night searched his house and other places for him notwithstanding hee somewhat mist of his purpose God be thanked Then he gaue charge to hys Seruauntes Robert Baulding and Iames Clarke wyth others to seek for him Who hauing no officer went in the euening to hys house where he being at home they took him and caryed him to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tirrell This Baulding being Seamans nighe neighbour and whome the sayde Seaman greatly trusted as a speciall friend notwithstanding to doe hys Mayster a pleasure now became enemy to hys chiefe friend and was one of the busiest in the taking of him Now as they were goyng to cary hym to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tyrrell in the night it is credibly reported that there fell a lyghte betweene them out of the element and parted them Thys Baulding being in company with the rest when the light fell and albeit he was then in hys best age yet after the time neuer enioyed good daye but pyned away euen vnto the death Well for all that straunge sight as I sayd they caried him to theyr Mayster Who when he came asked him why he would not goe to Masse and to receaue the sacrament and so to worship it Unto which William Seaman aunswered denying it to bee a sacrament but sayde it was an Idoll and therefore would not receaue it After whiche wordes spoken sir Iohn Tirrel shortly sent hym to Norwiche to Hopton then Bishop and there after conference and examination had with him the bishop read his bloudy sentence of condemnation agaynst him and afterward deliuered him to the secular power who kepte him vnto the day of Martyrdome This sayd William Seaman left behynde him when he dyed a wife and three children very young and wyth the sayd young children hys wife was persecuted oute of the sayde towne also of Mendlesham because that shee would not go to heare Masse and all her corne and goods seased and taken awaye by Mayster Christopher Coles officers he being Lorde of the sayd towne Thomas Carman who as is sayd pledged Richarde Crashfield at hys burning and thereupon was apprehended being prisoner in Norwiche was about
to speake he sayd Doest thou answer my Archdeacon so thou naughty boy I shall handle thee well enough be assured so he sent for a couple of rods and caused him to kneele agaynst a long bench in an arbor in his garden where the sayd Thomas without any enforcement of his part offered hymselfe to the beatyng did abide the fury of the sayd Boner so long as the fat panched B. could endure with breath and til for werines he was fayne to cease geue place to his shamefull act He had two willow rods but he wasted but one and so left of Now after this scourgyng the sayd Thom. Hinshaw notwithstandyng did sustaine diuers conflictes and examinations sundry tymes At last beyng brought before the sayd Bishop in his chappell at Fulham there hee had procured witnesses and gathered Articles agaynst hym which the yong man denied and woulde not affirme or consent to any interrogatory there and then ministred do what they could ¶ The Articles were these COncernyng Palmes Ashes Holy bread Holy water Auriculer confession receiuyng the Sacrament at Easter hearyng deuine seruice then set forth c. Whether he had receiued all these or whether he would receiue them or no. Item what he thought of the seruice set forth in K. Edwards tyme in his latter dayes and in especiall what he thought of the veritie of Christes body in the sacrament In which all his answers the sayd Tho. Hinshaw kept an vpright conscience and entangled himselfe with none of their ceremonies so mercifull was the Lord vnto hym Not long after this his examination about a fortnight or such a thyng the foresayd Examinate fell sicke of a burnyng agâ—â— wherby he was deliuered vpon entreatie vnto his maister Martin Pugson in Paules Churchyard aforesayd for the bishop thought verily he was more like to dye then to lyue The whiche hys sickenesse endured a twelue month or more so that in the meane tyme Queene Mary dyed Then he shortly after recouered health and escaped death beyng at the writyng of this yet alyue both witnesse and reporter of the same the Lord therefore bee praysed Amen The scourging of Iohn Milles by B. Boner BEsides the aboue named was scourged also by the haÌ„ds of the sayd B. one Iohn Milles a Capper a right faith full and true honest man in all his dealyngs and conditions Who was brother to the foresayd R. Milles burned before at Brainford as is aboue signified pag. 1967. Who also was apprehended in the same number with them at Islington as is mentioned also before pag. 1969. and beyng brought before Boner and there examined was commaunded to the Colehouse with the foresayde Tho. Hinshaw where they remained one night in the stocks From thence he was sent to Fulham where hee with the sayde Hinshaw remayned 8. or 10. dayes in the stockes during which tyme hee susteined diuers conflictes with the sayde Boner who had hym oft tymes in Examination vrgyng hym and with a sticke which he had in his hand oft times rappyng him on the head and flirting him vnder the chin on the eares saying he looked downe like a thiefe Moreouer after he had assaied all maner of wayes to cause him to recant and could not at length hauyng him to his Orchard there within a little arbor with his owne handes beat hym first with a willowe rod and that beyng worne well nigh to the stumps he called for a birchin rod which a lad brought out of his chamber The cause why hee so beat him was this Boner asked hym when he had crept to the crosse He answered not since he came to the yeares of discretion neither would to be torne with wyld horses Then Boner bade him make a crosse in his forehed which he refused to do Whereupon he had him incontinently to his Orchard and there callyng for rods sheweth his crueltie vpon hym as he did vppon Tho. Hinshaw as is aboue declared This done he had hym immediately to the Parishe Church of Fulham with the sayd Tho. Hinshaw wyth Rob. Willis to whom there beyng seuerally called before hym he ministred certaine Articles asking if they would subscribe to the same To the which the sayd Iohn Milles made his answer according to his conscience denying theÌ„ all except one article which was coÌ„cernyng K. Edwards seruice in English Shortly after this beating Boner sent to him in prison a certain old priest lately come froÌ„ Rome to coniure out the euill spirite from hym who laying hys hand vpon his hed began with certaine words pronounced ouer hym to coniure as hee had bene woont before to do Milles meruailing what the Priest was about to doe sayd he trusted no euill spirit to be within hym laughed hym to scorne c. As this Iohn Milles was diuers tymes and oft called before Boner so much communication and talke passed betwene them which to recite all it were too long And yet it were not vnpleasaunt for the Reader that lusteth to laugh to see the blynd and vnsauorie reasones of that B. which he vsed to perswade the ignorant withall As in the processe of his other talke with this Milles Boner going about to perswade hym not to meddle with matters of the scripture but rather to beleeue other mens teachyng which had more skill in the same first asked if he dyd beleue the scripture Yea sayd he that I do Then the Bish. Why quoth he S. Paul saith if the man sleepe the woman is at libertye to goe to another man If thou were a sleepe hauing a wyfe wouldst thou be content thy wyfe to take another man And yet this is the scripture Item if thou wilt beleue Luther Zuinglius and such then thou canst not go right But if thou wilt beleue me c thou canst not erre And if thou shouldst erre yet thou art in no peril thy bloud should be required at our hands As if thou shouldst go to a far country meete with a fatherly man as I am for these were his termes and aske the way to the head citie and he should say go this way and thou wilt not beleeue hym but follow Luther and other heretikes of late dayes and go a contrary way how wiâ—te thou come to the place thou askest for so if thou wilt not beleeue mee but followe the leadyng of other heretickes so shalt thou bee brought to destruction and burne both body and soule As truly as thou seest the bodies of them in Smithfield burnt so truly their soules doe burne in hell because they erre from the church Oft tymes speaking to the sayde Iohn Milles hee would say they call me bloudy Boner A vengeaunce on you all I would faine â—e rid of you but you haue a deâ—ire in burnyng But if I might haue my will I would sowe your mouthes and put you in sacks and drowne you Now somewhat to say concerning the deliueraunce of the said Iohn
prouision had not preuented her with death In the number of them which suffred the same month when Queene Mary died were three that were burned at Bury whose names were these Phillip Humfrey Iohn Dauid Henry Dauid his brother Concernyng the burnyng of these three here is to bee noted that sir Clement Higham about a fortnight before the Queen died did sue out a writ for the burning of these three aforesayd godly and blessed Martyrs notwithstandyng that the Queene was then known to be past remedie of her sicknesse The trouble and Martyrdome of a godly poore woman which suffred at Exeter ALthough in such an innumerable company of godlye Martyrs which in sundry quarters of this Realme were put to torments of fire in Q. Maries time it be hard so exactly to recite euery perticular person that suffred but that some escape vs eyther vnknowen or omitted yet I can not passe ouer a certaine poore woman and a sely creature burned vnder the sayd queenes reigne in the City of Exeter whose name I haue not yet learned who dwelling sometime about Cornewall hauing a husbande and childrē there much addicted to the superstitious sect of popery was many times rebuked of thē driuē to go to the church to their Idols and ceremonies to shrift to follow the Crosse in Procession to geue thankes to God for restoryng Antichrist agayne into this Realme c. Which when her spirit could not abide to do she made her prayer vnto God calling for helpe and mercy and so at length lying in her bed about midnight she thought there came to her a certaine motion and feeling of singuler comfort Wherupon in short space she beganne to grow in contempt of her husband and children and so taking nothing from them but euen as she went departed from them seeking her lyuing by labor spinning as well as she could here there for a time In which time notwithstanding she neuer ceased to vtter her minde as well as she durst howbeit she at that time was brought home to her husband agayn Wher at last she was accused by her neighbours and so brought vp to Exeter to be presented to the Bishop and his Clergy The name of the Bishop which had her in examination was Doctour Troubleuile His Chauncellour as I gather was Blackstone The chiefest matter whereupon she was charged and condemned was for the Sacrament which they call of the Aultar and for speaking against Idols as by the declaration of those which were present I vnderstand which report the talk betwene her and the bishop on this wise Bishop Thou foolish woman quoth the Byshop I heare say that thou hast spoken certayne words of the most blessed Sacrament of the Aultar the body of Christ. Fye for shame Thou art an vnlearned person and a woman wilt thou meddle with such highe matters whiche all the Doctours of the worlde can not define Wilt thou talke of so high misteryes Keepe thy worke medle with that thou hast to do It is no womans matters at cardes and towe to be spoken of And if it be as I am infourmed thou art worthy to be burned Woman My Lord sayde she I trust your Lordship will heare me speake Bish. Yea mary quoth he therfore I send for thee Woman I am a poore woman do liue by my hands getting a peny truely of that I get I geue part to the poore Bish. That is well done Art thou not a mans wife And here the Bishop entred into talke of her husband To whom she answered againe declaring that she had a husband and children and had them not So long as she was at liberty she refused not neyther husband nor children But now standing here as I doe sayd she in the cause of Christ his trueth where I must either forsake Christ or my husband I am contēted to sticke onely to Christ my heauenly spouse and renounce the other And here she making mention of the words of Christ He that leaueth not father or mother sister or brother husband c. the Byshop inferred that Christ spake that of the holy martyrs which dyed because they would not doe sacrifice to the false Gods Woman Sikerly syr and I will rather dye then I will do any worship to that foule Idoll whiche with your Masse you make a God Bish. Yea you callet will you say that the sacrament of the aultar is a foule Idoll Wom. Yea truly quoth she there was neuer such an Idoll as your sacramēt is made of your priestes cōmaūded to be worshipped of al mē with many fōd phantasies where Christ did commaund it to be eaten drunken in remembraunce of his most blessed passion our redemption Bish. See this pratling woman Doest thou not heare that Christ did say ouer the bread This is my body ouer the cup This is my bloud Wom. Yes forsooth he sayd so but he meant that it is hys body and bloud not carnally but sacramentally Bish. Loe she hath heard pratling among these new preachers or heard some peeuish book Alas poore womā thou art deceiued Wom. No my Lorde that I haue learned was of Godly preachers of godly books which I haue heard read And if you will geue me leaue I will declare a reason why I will not worship the sacrament Bish. Mary say on I am sure it will be goodly geare Woman Truely such geare as I will loose this poore life of mine for Bish. Then you will be a martyr good wife Woman In deed if the denying to worshippe that bready God be my martyrdome I will suffer it with all my hart Bish. Say thy minde Wom. You must beare with me a poore woman quoth she Bish. So I will quoth he Woman I will demaunde of you whether you can denye your creed which doth say that Christ perpetually doth sit at the right hand of his father both body soule vntill he come againe or whether he be there in heauē our aduocate do make prayer for vs vnto God his father If it be so he is not here in the earth in a piece of bread If he be not here if he do not dwel in temples made with hands but in heauen what shall we seeke him here if he did offer his body once for all why make you a new offering if with once offring he made al perfect why do you with a false offring make al vnperfect if he be to be worshipped in spirite and truth why doe you worship a piece of bread if he be eaten drunkē in faith truth if his flesh be not profitable to be among vs why do you say you make his body and fleshe and say it is profitable for body soule Alas I am a poore woman but rather then I would do as you doe I would liue no longer I haue sayd syr Bish. I promise you you are a iolly protestant I pray you in what schooles haue you
bene brought vp Wom. I haue vpon the sondayes visited the sermons and there haue I learned suche thinges as are so fixed in my brest that death shall not separate them Bish. O foolish woman who wil wast his breath vpoÌ„ thee or such as thou art But how chaunceth it that thou wentest away from thy husbande if thou were an honest woman thou wouldest not haue left thyne husband and children and runne about the country like a fugitiue Wom. Syr I laboured for my liuing And as my mayster Christ counselleth me when I was persecuted in one city I fled vnto another Bish. Who persecuted thee Wom. My husband and my children For when I woulde haue him to leaue Idolatry and to worship God in heauen he would not heare me but he with his children rebuked me and troubled me I fled not for whoredom nor for theft but because I would be no partaker with him his of that foule Idoll the Masse And whersoeuer I was as oft as I could vpon sondayes and holy dayes I made excuses not to go to the popish church Bish. Belike theÌ„ you are a good houswife to flee from your husband and also from the church Wom. My houswifry is but small but God geue me grace to go to the true church Bish. The true church what doest thou meane Woman Not your Popish Church full of Idolles and abominations but where three or foure are gathered together in the name of God to that Church wil I go as long as I liue Bish. Belike then you haue a Church of your owne Well let this mad woman be put down to prison vntil we send for her husband Wom. No I haue but one husband which is here already in this city and in prison with me from whom I will neuer depart and so theyr communication for that day brake of Blackstone and others perswaded the Bishop that she was a mazed creature and not in her perfect wit which is no new thing for the wisedome of God to appere foolishnes to carnall men of this world therfore they consulted together that she should haue liberty and go at large So the keper of the bishops prison had her home to his house where shee fell to spinning and carding and did all other worke as a seruant in the said kepers house went about the city when and whither she would and diuers had delight to talke with her And euer shee continued talking of the sacrament of the aultar Which of all thing they coulde least abide Then was her husband sent for but she refused to go home with him with the blemish of the cause and religion in defence wherof she there stood before the Bishop and the priestes Then diuers of the Priestes had her in handling perswading her to leaue her wicked opinion about the sacrament of the aultar the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ. But she made them aunsweare that it was nothing but very bread and wine and that they might be ashamed to say that a piece of bread should be turned by a man into the naturall body of Christ which bread doth vinow and Mice oftentimes do eate it and it doth â—ould is burned And sayde she Gods owne body wyll not be so handled nor kept in prison or boxes or aumbries Let it be your God it shall not be mine for my Sauiour sitteth on the right hand of God doth pray for me And to make that sacrameÌ„tal or significatiue bread instituted for a remeÌ„brance the very bodye of Christ and to worship it it is very foolishnes and deuillish deceit Now truly sayd they the deuill hath deceiued thee No sayd she I trust the liuing God hath opened mine eyes and caused me to vnderstand the right vse of the blessed sacrament which the true church doth vse but the false church doth abuse Then stept forth an old Frier and asked what she said of the holy Pope I sayd she say that he is Antichrist and the deuill Then they all laughed Nay sayde she you had more neede to weepe then to laugh to be sory that euer you were borne to be the chapleines of that whore of Babilon I defie him and all hys falshood and get you away froÌ„ me you do but trouble my conscience You would haue me folow your doinges I will first loose my life I pray you depart Why thou foolish woman sayd they we come to thee for thy profite and soules health O Lord God sayd she what profite riseth by you that teach nothing but lyes for trueth how saue you Soules when you preach nothing but damnable lyes and destroy soules How prouest thou that sayd they Do you not damne soules sayd she when you teache the people to worship Idolles Stockes and Stones the worke of mens handes and to worship a false GOD of your owne making of a piece of breade and teach that the Pope is Gods Uicar and hath power to forgeue sinnes and that there is a Purgatory when Gods sonne hath by his Passion purged all and say you make God and sacrifice him when Christes bodye was a Sacrifice once for all Doe you not teach the people to number theyr sinnes in your eares and say they be damned if they confesse not all when Gods word sayth Who can number hys sinnes Do you not promise them Trentals and Diriges masses for soules and sell your prayers for money and make them buy pardons and trust to such foolish inuentions of your owne imaginations Do you not altogether against God Doe you not teache vs to pray vpon Beades and to pray vnto Sayntes and say they can pray for vs Do you not make holy water and holy bread to fray Deuils Doe you not a thousand more abhominatioÌ„s And yet you say you come for my profite and to saue my soule No no one hath saued me Farewell you with your saluation Muche other talke there was betwene her and them which here were too tedious to be expressed In the meane time during this her monethes libertye graunted to her by the Byshop which we spake of before it happened that she entring in saynt Peters Church beheld there a cunning Dutchman how he made new noses to certayne fine Images whiche were disfigured in Kyng Edwardes time What a madde man art thou sayde she to make them new noses which within a few dayes shall all lose theyr heades The Dutchman accused her layde it hard to her charge And she sayd vnto him Thou art accursed and so are thy Images He called her Whoore. Nay sayd she thy Images are Whoores and thou art a Whore hunter for doth not GOD say You go a whoryng after straunge Gods figures of your owne making and thou art one of them Then was she sent for and clapped fast and from that time she had no more liberty Duringe the time of her imprisonment diuers resorted to her to visit her some sent of the byshop some of their
it I will declare it vnto you But I praye you that you will take your pen and wryte it and then examine it and if ye find any thing therein that is not fit for a Christian woman then teache me better and I will learne it Chaunc Wel said But who shal be Iudge betwene thee and me Elizab. The Scripture Chaunc Wilt thou stand by that Eliz. Yea sir. Chaunc Wel go thy way out at the doore a litle while for I am busie and I will call for thee anon againe Then he called me againe and said Nowe woman the time is too long to wryte Say thy minde and I wil bear it in my head Then Elizabeth began and declared her faith to him as shee had done before the Bishop Chaunc Woman spirit and faith I do allow but dost not thou beleeue that thou doest receiue the body of Christ really corporally and substantially Eliz. These wordes really and corporally I vnderstond not as for substantially I take it ye meane I should beleue that I should receiue his humane body which is vpon the right hand of God and can occupy no moe places at once and that beleeue not I. Chanc. Thou must beleeue this or els thou art damned Eliz. Sir can ye geue me beliefe or fayth Chanc. No God must geue it thee Eliz. God hath geuen me no such fayth or beliefe The Chauncellor then declared a text of S. Paule in Latine and then in English saying I could make thee beleeue but that thou hast a cankered heart and wilt not beleeue Who then can make thee to beleeue Eliz. You sayd euen now that fayth or beliefe commeth of God and so beleeue I and then may not I beleue an vntruth to be a truth Chanc. Doest thou not beleeue that Christes flesh is flesh in thy flesh Eliz. No sir I beleeue not that for my flesh shall putrifie and rot Chanc. Christ sayd my flesh is flesh in flesh Eliz. Who so receiueth him fleshly shall haue a fleshly resurrection Chanc. Christ sayeth in the 6. of Iohn My fleshe is meate in deed and my bloud is drinke in deed Eliz. Christ preached to the Capernaits saying Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall not haue lyfe in you and the Capernaites murmured at it And his Disciples also murmured saying among themselues This is an hard saying and who can abide it Christe vnderstoode their meanyng and sayde Are ye also offended Will ye also goe away What and if ye shall see the sonne of man ascende vp to heauen from whence hee came will that offende you It is the spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profiteth nothyng I praye you Sir what meaneth Christ by that Chanc. O God forbid Would ye haue me to interprete the Scriptures We must leaue that for our olde auncient fathers which haue studied scriptures a long tyme haue the holy ghost geuen vnto them Eliz. Why sir haue ye not the holy ghost geuen and reuealed vnto you Chanc. No God forbid that I should so beleeue but I hope I hope But ye say ye are of the spirit Will you say that ye haue no profit in Christes flesh Eliz. Sir we haue our profite in Christes flesh but not as the Capernaites did vnderstand it For they vnderstoode that they must eate his fleshe as they did eate Oxe fleshe and other and drinke his bloud as we drinke Wyne or Beere out of a Bole. But so we must not receyue it But our profite that we haue by Christ is to beleeue that hys body was broken vpon the Crosse and his bloude shedde for our sinnes That is the very meanyng of Christ that so we should eate his fleshe and drinke hys bloude when he sayde My fleshe is meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede Chanc. How doth thy body lyue if Christes flesh bee not flesh in thy flesh Eliz. Sir I was a body before I had a soule which body God had created yet it could not lyue til God had breathed lyfe into me and by that lyfe doth my body lyue And when it shall please God to dissolue my lyfe my flesh will offer it selfe vnto the place from whence it came through the merites of Christ my soule wil offer it selfe to the place from whence it came Chanc. Yea but if thou doe not beleeue that Christes flesh is flesh in thy flesh thou canst not be saued Eliz. Sir I do not beleeue that Chauncel Why doth not Christ saye My fleshe is meate in deede and my bloude is drinke in deede Canst thou denye that Eliz. I denye not that for Christes fleshe and bloude is meate and drinke for my soule the foode of my soule For who so euer beleeueth that Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath dyed and shed his bloud for his sinnes his soule feedeth thereon for euer Chauncel When thou receiuest the Sacrament of the aultar doest thou not beleeue that thou doest receiue Christes body Eliz. Sir when I do receiue the Sacrament which Christ did institute and ordaine the night before he was betraied and left among hys Disciples as often I say as I receiue it I beleeue that spiritually and by fayth I receyue Christ. And of this Sacrament I knowe Christ himselfe to be the author and none but hee And this same Sacrament is an establishment to my conscience an augmenting to my fayth Chaunc Why did not Christ take bread and gaue thankes and brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and sayde Take eate this is my body that is geuen for you Did he geue them his body or no Elizabeth He also tooke the cuppe and gaue thankes to his Father and gaue it vnto his Disciples saying Drynke ye all hereof for this is the Cuppe of the newe Testament in my bloude which shall bee shedde for many Nowe I praye you Sir let me aske you one question Dyd he geue the cuppe the name of hys bloud or els the wyne that was in the cuppe Then was he very angry and sayd Doest thou think that thou hast an hedge priest in hand Eliz. No sir I take you not to bee an hedge priest I take you for a Doctor Chauncel So me thinketh Thou wilt take vpon thee to teach me Eliz. No sir But I let you know what I know and by argument one shall know more Christ sayd As oft as ye do this do it in the remembrance of me but a remembrance is not of a thing present but absent Also S. Paule saith So oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lordes death till he come Then we may not looke for hym here vntill his cōmyng agayne at the latter day Agayne is not this article of our beliefe true He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead But if
I cannot with one mouth blow whote and cold after this sort Upon this his stable was robbed of foure notable good geldinges the best of them Maister Hudlestone tooke for hys owne Saddle and roade on hym to London in hys sight An Inuentory was taken of all his goodes by M. Moore Bedle for the Uniuersitie He was set vpon a lame horse that halted to the ground which thyng a friend of his perceiuyng prayed that he myght lend hym a nagge The yeomen of the Gard were content As he departed forth at the Townes ende some Papists resorted thither to giere at hym some of his friends to mourne for hym He came into the ranke to London the people beyng full of outcryes And as he came in at Bishops gate 〈◊〉 like a milk wife hurled a stone at hym and hit 〈…〉 brest wyth such a blow that he was lyke to fall of 〈…〉 To whō he mildly sayd Woman God forgeue it thee Truth is that iourney and euill intreatyng so mortified him that he was more ready to die then to lyue As hee came through Tower hill streete one woman standing in her doore cried Fie on thee thou knaue thou Knaue thou Traitor thou Hereticke Whereat hee smiled Looke the desperate Hereticke sayeth shee laugheth at this geare A woman on the other side of the streat answeared saying Fie on thee neighbor thou art not woorthy to be called a woman railing vpon thys Gentleman whome thou knowest not neither yet the cause why he is thus intreated Then shee sayd good Gentleman God be thy comfort and geue thee strēgth to stand in Gods cause euen to the ende And thus he passed thorow fire and water into the Tower The first prisoner that entred in that day which was S. Iames day The yeomen of the garde tooke from him his borrowed Nagge and what els so euer he had His man one Quinting Suainton broght after him a Bible and some shirtes and suche like thinges The Bible was sent in to him but the shirtes and suche like serued the yeomen of the Garde After he had bene in the Tower three weekes in a bad prison he was lifte vp into Nonnes bower a better prison where was put to him maister Iohn Bradforde At the day of Queene Maries Coronation their pryson doore was sette open euer shutte before One maister Mitchel his olde acquaintance and had bene prisoner before in the same place came in to him and sayde Maister Sandes there is suche a stirre in the Tower that neyther gates doores nor prisoners are looked to this day Take my Cloake my Hatte and my Rapier and get you gon you may goe oute of the gates without questioning saue your selfe and let me doe as I may A rare friendship but he refused the offer saying I knowe no iust cause whye I should be in prison And thus to do were to make my selfe guiltie I will expect Gods good will yet must I thinke my selfe most bound vnto you and so maister Michell departed While D. Sands and M. Bradford were thus in close prison together 29. weekes one Iohn Bowler was their Keeper a very peruerse Papist yet by often perswading of him for he would geue care and by gentle vsing of him at the length he began to mislike Poperie and to fauor the Gospell and so perswaded in true religion that on a sonday when they had Masse in the Chappell he bringeth vp a Seruice booke a manchet and a glasse of wine and there D. Sandes ministred the Communion to Bradforde and to Bowler Thus Bowler was their sonne begotten in bondes when Wiate was in armes and the olde Duke of Northfolke sent foorth with a power of men to apprehend him that roume might be made in the Tower for him and other his complices Doctor Cranmer D. Ridly and M. Bradford were cast into one prison and Doctour Sands with 9. other preachers were sent into the Marshalsea The Keeper of the Marshalsea appoynted to euerye preacher a man to leade him in the streate he caused them goe farre before and he and Doc. Sandes came behinde whom he woulde not lead but walked familiarlye wyth him Yet D. Sandes was knowne and the people euery where prayed to GOD to comfort him and to strength him in the truthe By that time the peoples mindes were altered Poperie began to be vnsauerie After they passed the Bridge the keeper Thomas Way sayd to D. Sands I perceiue the vaine people would set you forward to the fire yee are as vaine as they if you being a yong man wil stande in youre owne conceite and preferre youre owne knowledge before the iudgement of so many worthy Prelates auncient learned and graue menne as be in thys Realme If you so doe you shall finde me as strait a keeper as one that vtterly misliketh your Religion Doctour Sandes answeared I knowe my yeares young and my learning small it is enoughe to knowe Christe crucified and he hath learned nothing that seeth not the greate blasphemie that is in Poperie I will yeelde vnto God and not vnto man I haue reade in the Scriptures of manye godly and courteous Keepers God may make you one If not I trust hee will geue me strengthe and patience to beare your hard dealing with me Sayth Thomas Way doe yee then minde to stande to your Religion Yea sayth Doctor Sandes by Gods grace Truely sayeth the Keeper I loue you the better I did but tempt you What fauour I can shew you you shal be sure of and I shal think my selfe happie if I maye die at the stake with you The sayde Keeper shewed Doctour Sandes euer after all frendship he trusted him to goe into the fieldes alone and there mette with M. Bradforde who than was remooued into the Benche and there founde like fauour of his Keeper He laid him in the best chamber in the house he wold not suffer the Knight Marshals man to lay fetters on him as others had And at his request he put M. Sandes into him to be his bedfellowe and sondrye times suffered hys wife who was M. Sandes daughter of Essex a Gentlewoman beutifull both in body and soule to resort to hym There was great resort to Doctor Sands and M. Sanders they had much money offered them but they would receiue none They hadde the Communion there 3. or 4. times and a great sort of Communicants Doctor Sands gaue such exhortation to the people for at that time being young he was thoughte verye eloquent that hee mooued many teares and made the people abhorre the Masse and defie all Poperie When Wyat with his armie came into Southwarke he sent two Gentlemen into the Marshalsea to D. Sandes Saying that maister Wyat would be glad of his companie and aduice and that the gates should be sette open for all the prisonners He aunsweared Tell maister Wyat if this his rising be of God it will take place If not it will fall For my part I was committed hether by order I wil be discharged by
liues that they should not bewray them and yet herewith they were not satisfied but they meant to root out the whole progenie and nation of English men that none should be lefte to reuenge or crye out on theyr extremities and to bring our Countrye into the Spanyardes dominion It is an horrible crueltie for one brother to kill an other muche more horrible for the children to lay violent murthering handes on theyr parentes but most horrible of all to murther the children in the sight of the parentes or the parentes in the sight of their children as these moste cruell tormenters haue done But what do I stand in these thinges which haue some defence because the Turkes perchaunce vse so to doe and Ethnykes kill one an other to make sacrifice of menne to theyr phantasticall Gods It was not enough for these vnnaturall English tormentours Tyrantes and false Christians to be Lordes of the goodes possessions and bodyes of theyr brethren Country men but being verye Antichristes and enemies of Christes crosse they would be Gods and raygne in the consciences and soules of men Euery man woman and childe must deny Christ in word openly abhorre Chryste in theyr deedes sclaunder his Gospell with word deed worship and honour false gods as they would haue them and themselues did and so geue body and soule to the deuill theyr maister or secretly flee or after inward torments to be burned openly O crueltie cruelty farre exceeding al cruelties committed by those ancient and famous tyrants and cruell murderers Pharao Herode Caligula Nero Domitian Maximine Diocletian Decius whose names for theyr cruell persecution of the people of God and their open tyranny practised on the people haue bene be euer shal be in perpetuall hatred and theyr soules in continuall torment in hell If any man would take vppon hym to set foorth particularly all the actes that haue bene done these full fiue yeares by this vnnaturall womā No no womā but a monster and the deuill of hel couered with the shape of a woman as it is most necessary for the glorye of God and the prophet of his churche and this realme it shoulde be done hee shall finde it a matter sufficient for a perfect great History and not to be cōtayned in an Oration to be vttered at one tyme by the voyce of man But to comprehend the summe of all theyr wickednes in few wordes behold whatsoeuer malice in mischief couetousnes in spoyl crueltie in punishing tiranny in destruction could do that all this poore English nation these full fiue yeares eyther suffered already or should haue suffered had not the great mercy of God preuented it And albeit there haue ben many that haue hazarded lost theyr liues to shake of this moste rough brake wherewith this Uiragin rather then Uirgin as she woulde bee called and taken boasted her selfe to be sent of God to ride and tame the people of Englande albeit there haue bene many that haue gone about to lose theyr brethren out of the yoke of this moste miserable captiuitie albeit some haue proued to breake the bandes of this most cruell tyranny yet coulde they neuer bring to passe that they so earnestly labored and so manfully attempted And it is nothing to be wondered let the papistes boast therof what it pleaseth them For almighty God being a most indifferent gouernour punishing euill rewarding good could not of his iustice suffer his scourge so soone to be taken from this land if he meaneth the salutation of the people as most manifestly it appeareth he did For hauing once geuen to this realme the greatest Iewell that myght be that is the free vse of his liuely worde whiche if they had imbraced and folowed would haue reformed al disorders sinnes Wherefore his wrath is kindled and prouoked the people nothing regarded it but eyther vtterly cōtemned it or abused it and many made it a cloke colour to couer theyr mischief So that if he should sodaynly haue withdrawne this plague as tyrants euill gouernors be the plague of God they would neyther haue passed on his iustice nor yet should they haue felt the sweetenesse of hys mercy For commonly the people regard but thyngs present and neither remember thynges past nor yet passe on thyngs to come vnlesse they be warned by exceedyng extremities Besides this it is most euident that hee had determined to make this noble conquest alone with his own hand and mighty power and would not that it should be done by man least man should impute any part of the glory of this victory to his owne strength or to his owne pollicie or that Fortune should seeme to beare any stroke in so glorious conquest and so be partaker in mens opinions of the triumph so worthy Neither did his almighty power worke this when man would haue it dispatched that is as soone as the enemy began to gather their force for it is not so great a victory to discomfit a few dispersed people as it is to destroy a perfectly vnited army but he suffred them to make their force as great as was possible to worke whatsoeuer mischiefs by spoyle banishment prisonment hangyng headyng burning or otherwise could be imagined Neither would his most prouident wisedome doe it out of season but as the good husbandman doth not crop his tree till it haue rendered his fruit so would hee not root out these pestilent tyrannies til the most profit might be taken thereof When he had geuen sufficient laisure to all kynd of mē to declare themselues who were Crocodiles sometyme lying in water sometyme on land that is both Gospellers and papists Who were Sponges suspected whether they had lyfe or no lyfe whether they were Christians or Epicures who were Cameleons that could turn themselues into all colours with Protestantes Protestantes with Papists Papists with Spaniards Spaniards with Englishmen Englishmen who were Gnatoes that could apply themselues to euery mans appetite that was in authoritie who were Marygolds that followed Maries mad affections who were Weathercockes that did turne with euery wynd who were Mastiues that could byte barke not who were Curres euer barking who were Foxes that would promise much and performe nothyng who could bynd themselues with many othes do cleane contrary who were Caines that sought the innocent Abels death who were the Wolfes that wearied the lambs and finally when he had suffered the spirituall shauelings to spue out their venom and euery man plainly to declare outwardly what he was inwardly then doth hee worke this most victorious conquest And with his workes seemeth plainely to say thus vnto vs Ye see my people what I haue done for you not for your sakes which nothing regarded the benefits that I most plenteously poured on you and haue deserued most greuous punishment for your vnthankfulnes but of myne infinite mercy and for my glories sake which I will haue opened to all the world in these latter dayes
that is agreable to Gods worde and no heresie in it that I red and when it drewe toward seruice time there came men to the church and some of then comming to me whoÌ„ I knewe not asking me what good booke I had I sayd it was a new booke that I haue not yet read it ouer then they prayed me that I would read so that they might heare some part with me and so I did not calling pointing nor assembling any company to me And for the seruice being in latine that for the strangenes of the tongue besides muche superstition ioyned with it was not vnderstood of the most part of them that saide or soung it much lesse of them that stood by and did heare it where as by the word of God all thinge in the Churche or congregation shuld be done to the edifying of the people and seeing I could haue no such thing by theyr seruice I did endeuour to edifie my selfe and other that were desirous of reading of godly bookes And because the Churche is so abused contrary to the worde of God being beset round about with a sorte of abhominable Idols before whome no man ought to kneele nor doe no maner of reuerence because the scriptures doth curse both the Idoll and the Idoll maker and all that doth any worship or reuerence vnto them or before them for that cause I vsed no reuerence there Well sayd my Lorde I woulde thou couldest aunswere to the rest as well as thou hast done to this but I feare me thou canst not for it is tolde me that thou hast spoken agaynst the blessed sacrament and I said and it please your Lordship that did I neuer in al my life nor neuer wil doe by the grace of God With that my chief accuser sir Leonard Becksmith knight sayd to me diddest thou not say to me yesterday that thou diddest not beleue the sacrament of the aulter after the wordes of consecration by the priest to be the very body of Christ flesh bloud bones as it was borne of the virgine Mary It is true in deede that I sayd so for neyther do I beleue it to remayne Christes body nor neuer will by the grace of God beleue it so to be for I beleue that christ with that body that was conceaued and borne of the virgine Mary did ascend vp into heauen and there according to our beliefe he sitteth on the right hand of God the father and from thence that body shal come at the day of iudgement to iudge the quick and the dead and yet in the meane while I beleue that the sacrament duely ministred according to Christes institution that the faithfull receauers of this sacrament lifting vp the eyes of theyr minde into heauen where Christes body is that they do receaue in that sacrament into theyr soule or inward man the very body of our sauiour Iesus Christ yea and I beleeue further that Christ concerning his diuine power or the power of his godhead is whersoeuer two or three be gathered together in his name that he is in the middest euen amongest them and that hee is so with his faythfull flocke euen to the worldes end then they layed theyr heades together and had priuie talke after that two of them said to me that it was rancke heresie that I did beleue it to remayne bare bread after the Priest had consecrated it and not to beleue it to be the very body of Christ I was worthy to be burned then sayde I earnestly vnto theÌ„ thinke you not though I be a vile abiecte in your sight and he that is most busie among you to seek my bloud but that my bloud shall be required at hys or theyr handes Then had they priuy talke together againe after the which my Lord sayd vnto me thou hearest that they here lay heresie to thy charge and I am a manne of warre haue no skill in such high misteries wherefore thine accusers say that thou must suffer here as an hereticke that all the rest of the garrisene may beware by thee that they fal not into the like heresie and so cast away themselues Then sayd I I appeale from this Counsayle to the Counsayle of England then sayd my Lord I am very glad that thou hast appealed to the Counsayle of England for there are learned menne and Diuines that can skil of such matters thether shalt thou be sent or it be long Then was I caryed to sir Iohn Abriges house and hauing pen and incke I was bidden to write mine articles which were in effecte those poyntes of Religion that you haue heard before in my examination then on the morow being Thursday and the fiftene of Aprill I was brought to the prison in the towne called the Marshalsea where I was very gently vsed for a good gentleman one Maister Waghan was the keeper there at that time but surely when I was apprehended I had not so much as one peny to helpe my selfe with for we had bene longe vnpayd furthermore I thought in that towne of warre that there was very few or none that fauoured the word of God for I looked for no helpe there but to be hated and despised of all menne there for I knewe not past two or three there that hadde any loue to the Gospell till I was in prison and then there came very many souldiours vnto me that I neuer knew before and gaue me mony so that I hadde as good as a three pound geuen me in a smale tyme that I was in prison The fourthtene day of May toward night I was sent into Englande one Mayster Messenger and one other man brought me to London euen the same day being sonday at night and 15. daye of May there was a great talke ouer all the Cittye of one Doctor Smith that recanted that daye they brought me to the Marshalsea and there left me I hearing no more of them that brought me thether but Mayster Huntington as a faythfull minister of Iesus Christe that gaue me warning before of all this trouble came from Bullyn to London causing my Articles to be seene so that by his paynefull dilligence to the Counsayle for me after that I had bene there little more then one â—oneth I was dyscharged forth of prison and bed get me home to Bullin to my liuing agayne But surely if I hadde not appealed to the Counsayle of Englande I hadde bene burned in Bullyn for it was tolde me of them that knew muche in that matter that it was already determined shortly to haue bene accomplyshed if I had not appealed for the whiche deliueraunce I geue prayse to the euerliuing God ¶ This was layed in Queene Maryes Closet vpon her deske agaynst her commyng vnto her prayers O Louesome Rose most redolent Of vading flowers most fresh In England pleasant is the sente For now art thou peerelesse This Rose which beareth such a smell Doth represent our Queene O listen that I may you tell Her colours fresh and
greene The loue of God within her hart Shall beutifie her grace The feare of God on the other part Shall stablish her in place This Loue and Feare her colours are Whereby if she be known She may compare both nie and farre Unable to be ouerthrown The loue of God it will her cause Unfained if it bee To haue respect vnto his lawes And hate idolatrie If that she haue the feare of God And be thereto right bent She will do that he her bode And not her owne intent O noble Queene take heed take heed Beware of your owne intent Looke or you leape then shall you speed Haste maketh many shent Remember Saule that noble king What shame did him befall Because that vnto the Lords â—idding He had no lust at all The Lord hath bid you shall loue him And other Gods defye Alas take heéde do not beginne To place Idolatry What greater disobedience Agaynst God may be wrought Then this to moue mens conscience To worship thinges of nought What greater folly can you inuent Then such men to obey How can you serue your owne intent Not foreseing your owne decay And where as first ye should mainteine Your Realme in perfect vnity To rent the peoples hartes in twayne Thorow false Idolatry Is this the way to get you fame Is this to get you loue Is this to purchase you a name To fight with God aboue Is this your care to set vp Masse Your Subiectes soules to stroy Is this your study no more to passe Gods people to anoy Is this to reigne to serue your will Good men in bondes to keépe And to exalt such as be euill And for your grace vnmeét Such as made that fond diuorce Your mother to deface Are nighest you in power and force And most bounden vnto your Grace Well yet take heéd of had I wist Let Gods word beare the bell If you will reigne learne to know Christ As Dauid doth you tell What great presumption doth appeare Thus in a weéke or twayne To worke more shame then in vij yeare Can be redrest agayne All is done without a law For will doth worke in place And this all men may seé and know The weakenes of your case That miserable masking Masse Which all good men doth hate Is now by you brought vp agayne The roote of all debate Your Ministers that loue Gods worde They feéle this bitter rodde Who are robbed from house and goodes As though there were no God And yet you would seeme mercifull In the midds of Tyranny And holy whereas you mayntayne Most vile Idolatry For feare that you should heare the truthe True preachers may not speake But on good Prophetes you make ruthe And vnkindely them intreate Him haue you made Lord Chauncellor Who did your bloud most stayne That he may sucke the righteous bloud As he was wont agayne Those whome our late king did loue You doe them most disdayne These thinges doth manifestly proue Your colours to be but vayne Gods word you cannot abide But as your Prophetes tell In this you may be well compared To wicked Iesabell Who had 400. Prophettes false And fiftie on a rought Through whose false preaching Poore Ely was chased in and out Gods Prophetes you do euill entreate Balles Priestes defend your grace Thus did the Iewes put Christ to death And let go Barrabas Hath God thus high exalted you And set you on a trone That you should prison and deface His flocke that maketh mone The Lord which doth his flock defend As the Aple of an eye Of this full quickly will make an end And banish crueltie Therfore my Counsell I you take And thinke thereof no scorne You shall finde it the best counsell Ye had since you were borne Put away blinde affection Let Gods word be vnpere To try out true religion From this euill fauoured geere Finis ê™ W.M. as it is supposed * The instruction of king Edward the sixt geuen to Sir Anthony Seyntleger Knight of his priuie chamber being of a corrupt iudgement of the Eucharist Vpon this saying of an ancient D. of the Catholicke Church Dicimus Eucharistiam Panem vocari in scripturis Panis in quo gratiae actae sunt c. IN Euchariste then there is bread Wherto I do consent Then with bread is our bodyes fed But farther what is ment I say that Christ in flesh and bloud Is there continually Unto our soule a speciall food Taking it spiritually And this transubstantiation I Beleue as I haue read That Christ sacramentally Is there in forme of bread S. Austen sayth the word doth come Unto the element And there is made he sayth in somme A perfect sacrament The Element then doth remayne Or els must needes ensue S. Austens wordes be nothing playne Nor cannot be found tâ—ue For if the words as he doth say Come to the element Then is not the element away But bides there verament Yet who so eateth that liuely foode And hath a perfect fayth Receiueth Christes flesh and bloud For Christ himselfe so sayth Not with our teeth hys flesh to teare Nor take bloud for our drinke To great an absurditie it were So grossely for to thinke For we must eate hym spiritually If we be spirituall And who so eates hym carnally Thereby shall haue a fall For he is now a spirituall meate And spiritually we must That spirituall meate spiritually eate And leaue our carnall lust Thus by the spirite I spiritually Beleeue say what men list None other Transubstantiation I Beleeue of the Eucharist But that there is both bread and wyne Which we see with our eye Yet Christ is there by power diuine To those that spiritually Do eate that bread and drinke that cup Esteemyng it but lyght As Iudas did which eate that soppe Not iudgyng it aryght For I was taught not long agone I should leane to the sprite And let the carnall flesh alone For dyd it not profite God saue hym that teachyng me taught For I thereby did winne To put me from that carnall thought That I before was in For I beleeue Christ corporally In heauen doth keepe his place And yet Christ sacramentally Is here with vs by grace So that in this high mysterie We must eate spirituall meate To keepe hys death in memory Least we should it forget This do I say this haue I sayd This saying say wyll I This saying though I once denaid I will no more to dye FINIS ¶ This yong Prince became a perfect schoolemaister vnto old erroneous men so as no Diuine could amende hym and therfore this piece is worthy of perpetuall memory to his immortall fame and glory ¶ When Queene Mary came to her raigne a friend of maister Sentlegers charged him with this his Pamphlet Well ê™ he content your selfe I perceiue that a man may haue too much of Gods blessing And euen here Peter began to deny Christ such is mens frailtie ¶ A note of a Letter of one Iohn Meluyn Prisoner in Newgate * Christi
for my help in stoppyng the malicious and enuious mouth of Thomas Thackam I would be as glad as any man to testifie the truth both for that I know of the shameles malice of the sayd party agaynst the members of Christ as also the godly and vertuous behauiour of Palmer both before he was in prison and after in prison with the credite of that good and godly worke of that history but surely many thinges are out of my hed which I cannot as yet remember And for these things I know I wryte vnto you And first as touching the frendship shewed vnto the Lady Uane and hys zeale therein vttered trueth it is that hee receaued her into hys house for mony for a small space in the whiche time they two did not well agree for that she coulde not suffer hys wickednes of wordes and gestures vnreproued but that his wife many times being of more honesty made the matter well agayne but to be short suche was his frendshyp in the ende towardes that good Lady being out of hys house that she feared no man more for her lyfe then him And I being her man she gaue me great charge alwayes to beware of him As touching his frendship towardes Iohn Bolton in prison I am sure he neuer found any as they that vsed to visite him can somewhat say Except you accompt this friendship that he beyng bereft of hys senses Thac wrought him to yeld vnto the papistes and as a right member of them became his suretie to be obedient vnto them And hee beyng burdened in conscience therewith fled away vnto Geneua for the which flieng Thac had nothing sayd vnto hym which sheweth that he was their instrument And this friendship to Iohn Bolton for Downer I haue heard no euill of him for Gateley and Radley now Uicar of S. Laurence and Bowyer a Tanner they three left no meanes vnpractised to catche and persecute the members of Christ as I my selfe can well prooue As touching Palmer for that I many tymes frequented his company in his lodging he woulde vtter sometymes vnto me the griefe of his mynd Among other things once he told me that for that he heard he was somwhat suspected with the womaÌ„ of the house he was much grieued withall the which he vttred with many teares I then counsailing him to depart thence to auoyd the occasion of offence he sayd no but the Lord should try him or it were long for sayd he Thac hath let me his schole and now would haue it againe and because I will not let him haue it this he hath brought vppon me but God forgeue him Afterward beyng in prison I talking with hym at the grate he shewed me his iudgement of the scriptures and deliuered it vnto me what became of it I knowe not now He praysed God highly for his estate and then hee sayd he trusted it would appeare whether Thac had sayd of him well or not And further he sayd that now Thack hath his will to haue his schoole agayne for if I woulde haue yelded vp the schoole he would haue sent me away I neuer trusted him so well sayd he to communicate my mynd vnto hym before witnesse but sometyme alone and therfore he hath deuised a letter in my name and brought it to light to cause me to bee examined of my conscience This is as much as I can say at this tyme. Thus fare you well in the Lord Amen From Corsly this 18. of May. Yours to commaund in Christ Iohn Moyer Minister Haue me commended I pray you to all my friends at Readyng A note of Iulius Palmer ALso being at Magdalene colledge about a moneth before he was burned and reasoning against â—ne Barwike Maister of Arte sometyme his familiar friende and olde acquaintance in the sayd Colledge after much talke Barwike said vnto him Well Palmer Now thou talkest boldly and stoutly at thy pleasure if thou were brought to a stake thou wouldst tell me another tale Take heed it is an hard matter to burne Hereunto Palmer answered In deed it is an hard matter for him to burne that hath his soule linked to his body as a thiefes foote is tied in a paire of fetters But if a man be once able through Gods helpe to seperate and deuide the soule from the body for him it is no harder a thing to burne theÌ„ for me to eat this crumme of bread ¶ A true Copy of the Confession of Patricke Patingham sent out of Newgate to certayn of his frends I Patricke Patingham being condemned for the veritie of Gods trueth that is to say in confessing of one God which was the creatour of all things visible and inuisible and also that he made those by his sonne whome he hath made heyre of all thinges And also I confesse that he is the onely begotten sonne of God in whome we haue redemption euen the forgeuenes of sinnes And also in confessing Gods most holy Church being builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christ being the head corner stone In whome sayth S. Paule euery building coupled together groweth to an holy temple in the Lord in whome I beleeue I am builded together as a member and made an habitation for God in the spirite And also I confesse that Christ is the head of the holy Church as S. Paule sayth and that God is Christs head And also I had x. articles that is to say agaynst theyr wicked traditions and commaundementes whiche they vse whiche are agaynst the commaundementes of God whereof they did condemne me not suffering me to speake in the consistory house but condemning me not my cause heard But yet I did protest vnto them that their Church or synagogue is of Sathan that is to say Sathan beyng the head thereof Furthermore my friend or friendes vnknown I haue receiued your letter and red it ouer wherin you say that I am in a blasphemous errour In deede frends I confesse that it is an error If you will make my beliefe that is to say that Christ is the sonne of the liuyng God to be an errour and to beleeue that there is one god as S. Paule saith and one mediatour betwixt God and man euen the man Christ Iesus And although there bee that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be Gods many and Lordes many yet vnto vs is there but one God which is the father of whome are all things and we in hym and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all thyngs and we by him I beleeue that there is but one Lord one fayth one Baptisme and one God in all and aboue all and thorough all which onely God as S. Paule sayeth worketh in all creatures that beleeue in him and speaketh in them as S. Paule sayeth God in tymes past diuersly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by prophets but in these last daies he spake vnto vs by his sonne whom he hath made heire of all thyngs
thy oblation because it is none of thine I left it thee to relieue thy poore neighbors and thou hast not therein done according vnto this my commaundement misericordiam volo non sacrificium I had rather haue mercy done then sacrifice or oblation Wherfore vntil thou doest the one more then the other I will not accept thine oblation Euermore bestow the greatest partes of thy good in workes of mercy the lesse part in voluntary workes Uoluntary workes bee called all maner of offering in the Churche except your foure offring dayes and your tythes setting vp candles gilding and paynting building of Churches geuing of ornamēts going on pilgrimages making of high wayes and such other be called voluntary workes which works be of themselues maruellous good and conuenient to bee done Necessary workes and workes of mercy are called the commaundementes the foure offering dayes your tithe and such other that longeth to the commaundementes and workes of mercy consisteth in relieuing and vysiting thy poore neighbors Now then if men be so foolish of themselues that they will bestow the most part of theyr good in voluntary workes which they be not bounde to keepe but willingly and by theyr deuotion and leaue the necessary workes vndone which they are bounde to doe they and all theyr voluntary workes are like to goe vnto euerlasting damnation And I promise you if you builde a hundred Churches geue as much as you can make to gilding of Sayntes and honouring of the Church and if thou goe as many pilgrimages as thy body can well suffer and offer as great candles as okes if thou leaue the workes of mercye and the commaundementes vndone these workes shall nothing auaile thee No doubt the voluntary workes be good ought to be done but yet they must be so done that by theyr occasion the necessary workes and the workes of mercy be not decayed and forgotten if thou wilt builde a glorious Church vnto God see first your selues to be in charity with your neighbours suffer not them to be offended by your works Thē when you come into your parish Churche you bring with you the holy temple of God as Saynt Paule sayth you your selues be the very holy temples of God and Christ sayth by his Prophet in you I wil rest and intend to make my mansion and abiding place agayne if you list to gild and paynt Christ in your Churches and honour him in vestimentes see that before your eyes the poore people dye not for lacke of meat drinke and clothing Then do you decke the very true temple of God and honour him in rich vestures that will neuer be worne and so forth vse your selues according vnto the commaundementes and then finally set vp your candles they will report what a glorious light remayneth in your hartes for it is not sitting to see a dead man light candles Then I say go your pilgrimages builde your materiall Churches doe all your voluntary workes they will then represent vnto God and testify with you that you haue prouided him a gloryous place in your hartes But beware I say agayne that you doe not runne so farre into your voluntarye workes that ye do quite forget your necessary workes of mercye which you are bound to keepe you must haue euer a good respect vnto the best and worthiest workes toward God to be done first and with more efficacy and the other to be done secondarilye Thus if you doe with the other that I haue spoken of before you may come according to the tenor of your cardes and offer your oblations and prayers to our Lord Iesu Christ who will both heare and accept them to your euerlasting ioy and glory to the whiche he bring vs and all those whom he suffered deathe for Amen ¶ A note of William Gie. ONe William Gie seruant with Mayster Reuet marchant bought a Bible and seruice booke of Richard Waterson who then dwelt with maister Duixle in Pauls Churchyarde and one Spilman bound the booke and when the sayd Gye had enquired for the sayde Richard to haue his booke at Duxele aunswere was made that hee was not within and so the sayde Gie went his way to Spilmans for the booke and because it was not done left it there and immediately searche was made in Spilmans house and the sayd bible and seruice booke was founde caryed to Boner then Bishop of London hee hauing the bookes commaunded Spilman for the binding thereof to Lollardes Tower and as Cluny went for the key therof Spilman conueyed himselfe awaye After that Waterson and Gie being apprehended by Robin Caly Iohn Hil Iohn Auales and being two dayes in the Counter were brought before Boner and other Commissioners Beyng examined D. Story demanded Gye Wherfore he bought the Bible He aunswered to serue God withal Then said Boner our Lady matines would serue a christen man to serue God The Bible sayd Story would breed heresies a bibble babel were more fit thee So they concluded that eyther of them shoulde haue xl stripes lacking one and Boner sayd it was the law And they sayd to Waterson if he would pay xl poūd he should be released of his stripes at length they came to x. li when they saw he would not they made a warrāt to mayster Grafton and sent Waterson and Gie to Bride well to be beaten vpon the Crosse. And because the matter shoulde not be slightly handled Story was sent with thē to see it done Gie being whipped vpon the Crosse intercession was made that he might be forgeuen part of his penaunce ¶ A note of Michaels wyfe MIchaels wife afore mentioned pag. 1893. being prisoner in Ipswiche for religion resorted dayly from the prison to her husbandes house and returned agayn keeping fayth and promise And her husband thereat beyng fearefull she would comfort him saying she came not to trouble him neither shoulde hee susteyne trouble by her Wherfore she would will him to be of good cheare for her comming was of good will to see him and her children not to bring him into trouble but to shew her duety therin while she might haue libertie ¶ A note of Iohn Spycer IN Queene Maryes time there was one Iohn Spicer of whome mention is made pag. 1894. he being at the stake ready to geue his lyfe for the truth a bagge of gonpouder was brought him by his sonne And an other stāding by one named maister Beckinham tooke the gonpowder of his sonne and put it vnder the girdle of the sayd Spicer and exhorted him to be strong in the Lord also diuers of the sheriffes seruaunts comforted him in like maner and desired him not to faynt Unto whome Spicer aunswered Doubt ye not of me sayth he my soule is quiet but be you strong and stand fast in the Lord Iesus and commit your selfe to him in the confession of his holy mame and profession of his truth ¶ A note of Mandrell MAndrell standing at the stake
Now this Uicars making meanes to Boner for the same Boner put the matter ouer to Darbishyre hys Chauncellour who enioyned her to geue certeyne money to poore folkes and to goe on the Wednesday and sonday after to Church to Euensong which she so did and afterward had such trouble in her conscience thereby that shee thought verely God had cast her off and that she shoulde be damned and neuer saued so not long after this it happened mayster Rough of whom mention is made Page 2034. came to her house vnto whō she made mone of her vnquietnes for going to Church and desired his counsell what she might doe that should best please God and ease her troubled soule c. Unto whō M. Rough replied many comfortable sentences of scripture to comfort her and in the end gaue her counsell to goe to the christian congregation which secretly the persecuted had and confesse her fault vnto them and so to be receiued into theyr felowship agayne which hearing that was glad and entended so to do and so would haue done if sore sicknes had not immediatly preuented the same But when doctor Mallet heard by one Robert Hemminges Woodmonger that she laye very sicke in deed which Hemminges was her great enemy he came to her twise to perswade her to recant and to receiue as the Papistes terme it the rites of the Church Unto whom she aunswered she could not nor would for that she was subiect to vomet and therfore he would not she was sure she sayd haue her to cast vp theyr God agayne as she should do if she did receiue it And so immediatly vometed in deed wherfore he seing that went frō her into the hall to her daughter named Clare sacke and tolde her if her mother would not receiue she should not be buryed in christian burial as he termed it Then Clare went and tolde her sicke mother what he sayde vnto her Which hearing the same spake these wordes following Oh sayd she how happy am I that I shall not rise wyth them but agaynst them Well quoth she the earth is the Lordes and all that therein is and therfore I commit the matter to him c. Shortly hereupon that is the 27. day of March 1558. the sayd Doctor Mallet came agayne to her with one D. West Queene Maryes Chapleyne And comming in hee saluted her and tolde her that he had brought her a good learned man to perswade her who was one of the queenes Chapleines c. and therefore he desired her to heare and beleue him in that he should say c. Then D. West exhorted her to receiue theyr Sacrament and to be aneled for he sayd she was strong enough for it c. Unto whom she aunswered that shee was able and strong enough to receiue it in deede but she woulde not for that it was abhominable c. Then sayd West ye be in an ill minde doe ye thinke to dye a christian woman yea sayd she that I do I pray you sayd West how came you first into that opinion Mary sayd she there he is that first taught it me meaning D. Mallet at the mariage of my brother his sister where I heard him earnestly preach this doctrine whiche I now do holde And if God shall lay our sinnes to our charge if we repent not muche more damnable is his offence being once a publicke Preacher of the same nowe to turne from it Then Mallet tolde her he was then deceiued by little newfangled two peny bookes as you bee now sayd he but now I am otherwise perswaded as I would haue you and to receiue the Sacrament whiche if you would you should I warrant you be saued my soule for yours At those wordes she earnestly desired them to be content for sayth she ye be come to rob and to draw me from my Christ which I tell you truth you shall not doe for I will neuer consent to you while I liue When West heard her saye so he drewe his stoole nigher to heare her speake and being dronken he fell downe whereby Mallet was fayne to helpe him vp agayne and so immediatly after they departed thence And the xiij day of Aprill next after that she dyed constantly in the Lord and yelded her soule and life into his holy handes with these wordes Oh Lord into thy handes receiue my soule and so immediatly gaue vp her life vnto the Lord to whome be prayse for euer Amen While she was beyond sea as is sayd before Mayster Crokhay her husband by the procurement of D. Mallet was cited to come before Mayster Hussey the Commissary who had it not bene for that he made meanes vnto the sayd Hussey before woulde haue sent him to prison and bound him in recognisaunce to seeke her out But he more easily escaped theyr handes by frendship as before I haue sayd Now when D. Mallet heard of her death M. Crokhay and one Robert Hemminges Bailiefe of S. Katherins being before him for the burying of her he sayd plainely she should be buried nigh to some high way a marke set vp in token that an hereticke was buryed there Then the sayd Hemminges tolde him the hogges would scrape her vp which were not decent nor best and M. Crokhay intreated she might be buryed in his Garden whiche at length he graunted and willed the sayde Hemminges to set it done and that he should be sure he buryed her there in deede After when the corpes was brought to the sayd Garden the sayd Robert Hemminges the Bailife would needes see it opened which when the couer was taken of the wife of the sayd Hemmings put her hand wtin the sheete felt the hayre of the sayde dead corpes saying now will I iustify that she is here and so she did telling Mallet that those her handes did feele her this is the effecte of thys Story Now since the comming in of Queene Elizabeth the sayd D. Mallet came to the sayd M. Crokhay and asked him forgeuenes alleadging this verse of the Poet. ¶ Amantium irae amoris redintegratio est The Lord geue him repentaunce and grace to seeke perfect frendwip with him if it be his blessed will Amen ¶ A note of William Woode ACcording as I haue sent vnto you the true recorde of my examination before the Doctors aboue mētioned so I thougt it not inconuenient to send you likewise certayne uotes of my other two deliueraunces in Queene Maryes time and this I doe not as God knoweth to get any prayse to my selfe or to reproche any other but that God may be glorified in his workes and that our brethrē may knowe that though there be many times but little help in earth yet that there is more in heauen About a month after my examination there was one Apleby and hys wife that were persecuted from Maydstone in Kent came to my house in Strowde desired me that he might haue a place in my house for him and his
maiesticall maner therof 750 R O. Robert De Artois a noble man of France exciteth king Edward the 3. to make claym to the kingdome of Fraunce 376. Robert Brakenbery true to hys Prince 728. Robert Braybroke byshop of LoÌ„don 443. Robert Bacon a bloudy and cruelâ— enemy to the Sayntes of Godâ— 1912. Robert Barnes hys story 1192. Robert Cosin Martyr hys story 818. Robert Chapell his trouble and persecution .641 abiured ibid. Robert Dynes Martyr his story and Martyrdome 2042. Robert Drakes hys story .1895 hys examination and death 1896.1897.1898 Robert Edgore hys death 2103.2104 Robert Farrar of London a sore enemy filthy talker by the good Lady Elizabeth 2097. Robert Grosthead made Byshop of Lincolne 279. Roberts Gentlewoman her trouble and deliueraunce 2073. Robert Grosthead Byshoppe of Lincolne his coÌ„mendatioÌ„ books trouble and death .325 hys articles agaynst the Pope 325. Robert Glouer Martyr and his Brother theyr trouble persecution and death 1709.1710.1711 1712.1713 Robertus Gallus his Prophesies agaynst the Pope 322 Robert Harrison Martyr 1277 Robert Kyng Robert Debnam hanged for takynge downe the Roode of Douer Courte 1031 Robert Kylwarby Archbyshoppe of Caunterbury 336 Robert Lambe with other moe Martyrs 1267 Robert Lawson Roger Bernard Martyrs theyr Storyes 1917 1918.1919 Robert Miles aliâs PluÌ„mer martyr his story 2047 Robert Milles Martyr his story and martyrdome 2042 Robert Packington murthered 1130 Robert Parson of Heggeley hys examination and aunsweres 641 Robert Pigot Martyr his Story examination and constaunt martyrdome 1715.1716 Robert Smith Martyr .1689 his examinations and answeres .1691.1692.1693.1694 his Godly Letters to diuers of hys Frendes 1696.1698.1699.1700.1701.1702 Robert Samuell Martyr his story and death .1703.1604 hys letters 1705.1706 Robert Twing spoyled of his benefice by the Papistes 276 Robert Streater Martyr 1708 Robert Southam Martyr his story martyrdome 2037.2038 2039 Robert Williams scourged 2062 Roger Acton knight why executed as a traytor 587 Roger Byshop of London excommunicated the Popes Usurers 278 Roger Clarke Martyr his Story and Martyrdome 1231.1232 Roger Holland Martyr .2037.2038.2039 his examination and aunsweares .2039.2040 his death and martyrdome 2039 2042 Roger Mortimer earle of Marsh executed 376 Roger Cooe his examination condemnatioÌ„ and martyrdome 1707 1708 Rogers burned in Northfolke 1241 Roger Onley proued not guilty of treason 703 Rogers his story and martyrdome 1484. his examinations and answeares .1485.1486 hys condemnation .1488 his admonition to the Byshoppes out of prison .1489.1490 his Propheticall sayinges .1492 hys constaunt martyrdome for the truth 1493 Rockewood Persecutor hys death 2101 Rood of Paules in London set vp with Te Deum solemnly song 1472 Roode sette vppe in Lankeshyre 1474 Rhodes besieged .744 and wonne of the Turkes 748 Rodolphe Archbishop of Caunterbury 198 Rogation dayes in olde time without superstition 128 Rochester besieged of the Barons 332 Rome why aduaunced aboue other Cittyes .18 sacked destroyed 987 Rome full of all abhominations .697 not the Catholicke Church and why 1803 Rome not supreame head ouer other Churches 1759 Rome described in her Colours 322 Rome how it beganne to take head ouer other Churches 120 Rome proued to be Babilon .478 Antichristes neast 562 Romaynes punished by their owne Emperours for contemningâ— Christ and his true Religion 31. Romaynes olde theyr fayth 20 Romanes 23. brought into England to be beneficed 287 Romanus his lamentable history death 89 90 Romeshot confirmed by Canutus 163 Romish prelats displaced by queene Elizabeth and good Bishoppes placed in theyr stead 2125 Rowland Taylour Doctour and Martyr his life and story .1518 cited .1519 appeareth before Winchester theyr conference together .1520 depriued of his benefice 1521 Rounde Table built in Windsour 384 Rough Martyr his story and martyrdome 2028.2031.2034 Rollo a Dane first Duke of Normandy 141 Roper Martyr his story persecution and death 1794 Rochtailada Martyr his Story 391 Rose his trouble for the Gospell .2082 his examinations .2083.2084.2085 his deliuery 2086.2087 Rose Allin her story .2005 her hand burned by Edmund Tyrill 2006 2007 Rose Minister with 30. godly persons taken in Bowchurch at the Communion 1480 Rota an Office in the Courte of Rome full of all abhomination 857 Roy burned in Portingall for the Gospell 1398.1027 Roth Martyr his story and martyrdome 2013.2014.2015.2016.2017.2018.2019 R V. Rubricke of the 5. woundes after the Papistes 1398 S A. SAbinus publisheth the Emperors decree 82 Sabinianus Bishop of Rome 120 Sabina Martyr his story 4 Sacrament called breade of Saynt Paule of the Chanon of the masse it selfe and of the fathers 534 Sacrament defined .1183 why called the body of Christ. 1392 Sacrament of the Lordes bodye called breade of Saynt Cyprian 62 Sacrament hath two thinges in it to be noted 500 Sacrament is not to be considered in nature but what it is in mistery 1432 Sacrament in one kind contrary to the worde of God practise of the primitiue Church and Fathers in all ages 1150.1151 Sacramentall mutation in the Lordes Supper what and howe 1761 Sacrament hath both commaundement and promise annexed 1611 Sacramentes are confirmations of Gods grace towards his people 1707 Sacrament made an Idoll by the Papistes 28 Sacramentes take theyr names of those thinges whiche they represent .1129 not Christes body in deede but in representation onely 1130 Sacramentes without theyr vse are no Sacramentes .1809.1815 ministred in one kinde by the papistes .1820.1821 abused ibid. oughte to bee ministred in bothe kindes and not in one as the papistes do 1890 Sacrament neither chaunged in substaunce nor accidence .1380 they are seales of Gods grace towardes vs. 1431 Sacrament of the Aultar no Sacrament 1977 Sacrament of the aultar ouerthroweth the Lordes supper 1626 Sacramente of the Aultare who brought in 544 Sacrament of Penance 544 Sacrifice of Christ once offered sufficient for all 1432 Sacrifice propiciatory of the masse is derogatory to Christes death and passion 1761 Sacrifice of the Church and Sacrifice for the Church 1615 Sacrifice of Christ not many tymes offered but once for all 484 Sadoletus Cardinall his desperate death 2106 Safe conducte graunted to Iohn Hus. 596 Sagaris Martyr 4 Saladine slayeth Christian Captaynes and is put to flight hymselfe 245.246 Salisbury the first Byshop therof 183 Sanctus his notable constancy and cruell martyrdome 46 All Sayntes day first instituted with the day of all soules 137 Sayntes not to be called vppon or prayed vnto 1108.1109 Sayntes are not to be worshipped 1741 Sayntes of the Popes Traytors 579 Saynt Stephen the Ringleader of all Christes holy Martyrs 32 Saynt Iohns Gospell translated into English by Beede 127 Saynt Iohn of Beuerleyes miracles reproued 125 Saynt Iames the Apostle Martyred 32 Saynt Edmond Chanon of Salisbury Canonized a Saynt 270 San Romayne his story and constant martyrdome for the trueth 928.929.930 Saynt Peters body clothed in siluer in Rome 130 Saynt Martin persecuted 955 Saynt Bridget 419 Saynt Elizabeth her Story 273.268 San Beneâ—o 931 Sarton burned at Bristow for the truth of Christes Gospell 2149 Saunders his life and
marked men Carnall obiections aunswered An other worldly obiection aunswered A lesson 〈◊〉 trust to the Lord who is alwayes a helpe in extremitye of neede Examples of Gods ready helpe in extreme perils Examples of gods deliuerance Actes 23. 〈◊〉 11. Dâ—n Ibid. Martyrdome an high honour Apocalip 11 Math. 16. Marke 8. Heb. 1â— Apoc. 2◠〈…〉 without Gods â—oresight Math. 10. The death of Steuen Gardiner enemy to Gods word Nouember The vices of Winchester described Winchester not worthy the title of a learned man The mutability of Steuen Gardiner in religion Touching the 〈◊〉 of Winchesâ—er at Louane reade the letter of 〈◊〉 to Câ—spine Ste. Gardiner especially hunteth for the life of Lady Elizabeth Q. Elizabeth preserued M. Bridges Liuetenâ—nt the Lordes organe in sauing the Lady Elizabethes lyfe Tho. Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury Math. 16. Diuers iudgements of Christ. Man can do nothing of himselfe Disagreement amongest men of law Disagreement among Philosophers Disagreement among simple people Simon signifieth obedience Ionas signifieth a doubt Obedience Simplicitye Learning without humilitye neueâ— findâ—th Christs schoole Humilitye the Poâ—ter of Christs schoole The office of Christ declared To beleeue Christ thorowly Note here Winchester The Sacrament was ordeyned to keepe vs in the perpetuall fauour of God Winchesters dayly sacrifice * Note here Winchester coÌ„trary to himself for before he sayd the Sacrament was ordeyned to keepe vs in the fauor of God now he sayth it is to keepe vs in remembrance of his passion What Winchester thinketh of the Church of England What Winchester thinketh of the Masse Winchester allowed the Sacrament in both kindes The opinion of Winchester of chauÌ„try Masses * Whether ye did or not let Q. Maâ—yes time iudge Note â—â—â—â—chester 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 to bring 〈◊〉 to heaâ—â— to take â—â—way 〈◊〉 or to 〈…〉 * As 〈◊〉 was in deede Masseâ— Scala 〈…〉 craftelâ— speake â—â—gaynst 〈◊〉 abuse of the Masse 〈◊〉 agaynst the Masse Winchâ—â—â—er agaynst 〈◊〉 Winchâ—â—â—â—â— alloweth the Proclamation set forth 〈◊〉 receauinâ— in both kindes It was a constitution prouinciaâ—l of Peckaâ— to receauâ—â— in both kindes in Ecclesijs maioribuâ— in smalle Churche it was thought not so expedient Math. 16. Iohn 1. Outwarâ— confessinâ— wiâ—hout â—â—â—ward teaching is inough Petrus what it signifiâ—â—â— Note 〈◊〉 Wincheâ—â—â—â— here sayâ—â— that vpoâ— the conâ—â—â—â—sion of 〈◊〉 the Church is builded SteueÌ„ Gardiner agaynst the Popes supremacye Winchesters 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Ceremoâ—â—â—â— how when they 〈◊〉 Ceremonies 〈…〉 not to 〈◊〉 Ceremonies Winchester 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of Images beâ—â—g 〈…〉 Idolâ—â—â—â— Two maner of reformationâ— one where the thinges cannot be taken away but the abuse the other where both the things and the abuse may be taken a way To take away all Images lyeth in the liberty of the rulers In abusing of Images to Idolatry because sufficient to take away Images why did Winchester hold with them before if it be not cause sufficient why doth he nâ—w graunt to the taking of them away being no more wantonly abused then they were before time Taking away of Palmes and Candels B. Gardiner speaketh according to his vnconstant conscience Winchester liketh well the communion B. Gardiner liketh well K. Edwardes proceedinges B Gardiner misliketh the Preachers in K. Edwardes tyme and why B. Gardiner compareth Preachers to Postes carrying truth in their letters and lyes in their mouthes B. Gardiner misliketh the breaking of a Vowe of chastitye B. Gardiner against mariage of Priestes B. Gardiner agrâ—â—ing to reformation of religioÌ„ how farre and wherein Places in B. Gardiners bookes and Sermons expressed where he impugneth the Popes supremacye Read in the first impression of Actes and Monumentes The head men of Enquest Wynchester Vehement Pithy Earnest 〈…〉 Pope Wynchester caused 〈…〉 to writtâ—â— agaynst the Pope Winchester 14. yeares preached agaynst the Popes authoritye Winchester Ceremonyes Wynchester agaynst Images abused Winchester agaynst Monkes Fryers Winchester agaynst the going 〈◊〉 of S. Nicholas c. Wynchester agaynst Chauntrey Obites Wynchester would not that a man should be addicted to dayes howers number tyme and place c. Wynchester liketh the CoÌ„munion Wynchester liketh the booke of common seruice Wynchester exhorteth to come and heare the homilies read Wynchester caused Cardinal Poole to be expelled France Wynchester sworne and forsworne Wynchester 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 Gospel 〈◊〉 in popery with 〈◊〉 Papiâ—â—s neyther with himselfe Simâ—licitation 〈…〉 Vid. 〈◊〉 17 â— A mouse may eate Christes body sayth the Mayster of Sentence A mouse cannot eate it sayth Winchester Within him that is within his soule The Masse taketh his satisfaction by the deuotion of the Priest people and not of the thing offered 1. Proposition Contradiction 2. Proposition Contradiction 3. Proposition Contradiction 4. Proposition Contradiction 5. Proposition Contradiction 6. Proposition Contradiction 7. Proposition Contradiction 8 Proposition Contradiction 9. Proposition Contradiction 10. Proposition Contradiction 11. Proposition Contradiction 12. Proposition Contradiction 13. Proposition Contradiction 14. Proposition Contradiction 15. Proposition Contradicâ—tion 16. Propâ—â—sition Contradâ—â—tion 17. Proposition Contradiction Notes declaring wherein Winchester graunted to the Spiritus all vse of the Sacrament TransubstaÌ„tiation first spoken of Alledged out of the booke of D. Turner intituled The reseuer of the Romish Foxe One vsurper well compared with an other * Note here blasphemous Winchest preferring the words spoken by 〈◊〉 before Christes doctrine The B. of Winchester Maister of Ceremonyes The B. of Winchester 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of K. 〈…〉 towards him Winchester â—â—â—iable in 〈◊〉 B. Gardiner defendeth his booke Devera obediedtia of Louane Winchester counted for an excommunicate and a schismaticke at Louane Nouember 30. M. Webbe George Roper Gregory Parke Martyrs The appearance of M. Webbe before the B. of Douer Aunsweres of M. Webbe to the Bishops articles George Roper leapeth at the stake George Roper stoode in the fier like a roode The martirdome of Webbe Roper Parke at Canterbury December 13. William Wiseman dead in â—ollars tower and cast into the fieldes Iames Gore Martyr dyed in Colchester prison Decemb. 20. â—he history of M. Iohn Philpot Martyr Iohn Philpot a Knightes sonne student of law in New Colledg in Oxford Iohn Phiâ—â—pot weâ—â— ouer to Italy Iohn Philpot indanger by an Italian Fryer The returne of Iohn Philpot into England Iohn Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester This Doct. Poinct Byshop of Winchester fled afterward into Germany and there deceaâ—â—d An. 15â—7 Iohn Philpot 〈◊〉 Gardâ—â—â—â— Boneâ—â— The M. Philpot hauing publicke leaue spake in the Conuocation Ergo he must be committed to Lolardes Tower by D. Storieâ— Logicke Iohn Philpot charged further by the Commissioners then the law would beare Now commeth in the Butchers axe M. Philpot requireth to see their commissioÌ„ Philpot wil not disseÌ„ble agaynst his conscience The 2. examination of Iohn Philpot before thâ— Commissioners Iohn Philpot depriued of his Archdeaconâ—y without any lawe Whether an heretick suspected may without ordinary processe be depriued of his liuing by his ordinary before his death by what