What Wesley Left Out

~2,486 words

and  also  objected  against  him  cmmn"-' 
for  preaching,  and  so  by  them  he  was  committed  first  to  tlie  Tower,  «J;^^J^> "'« 
then  unto  other  prisons,  out  of  which  neither  his  innocency,  godli- 
ness, nor  charitable  dealing  could  purchase  to  him  liberty  of  body, 
till  by  death  (which  he  suffered  for  Christ's  cause)  he  obtained  the 
heavenly  liberty,   of  which  neither  pope  nor  papist  shall   ever  de- 
prive him. 

From  the  Tower  he  came  to  the  King's  Bench  in  Southwai-lc :  BrmUwa 
and  after  his  condemnation,  he  was  sent  to  the  Compter  in  the  Poultry  ^^-,1^1% 
in  London  :  in  which  two  places,  for  the  time  he  did  remain  pri-  ^j^"'^'' 
soner,  he  preached  twice  a  day  continually,  unless  sickness  hindered  compter. 
him  :  where  also  the  sacrament  was  often  ministered,  and  through  his  prcach- 
means  (the  keepers  so  well  did  bear  with  him)  such  resort  of  good  ml'ni^"'^ 
folks  was  daily  to  his  lecture,  and  to  the  ministration  of  the  sacra-  stereth 
ment,  that  commonly  his  chamber  was  well  nigh  filled  therewith,  ment,  in 
Preaching,  reading,  and  praying  was  all  his  whole  life.     He  did  not  '"■'*°"- 
eat  above  one  meal  a  day  ;  which  was  but  very  little  when  he  took 
it ;  and  his  continual  study  Avas  upon  his  knees.     In  the  midst  of 
dinner  he  used  often  to  muse  Avith  himself,  having  his  hat  over  his 
eyes,  from  whence  came  commonly  plenty  of  tears  dropping  on  his 
trencher.     Very  gentle  he  was  to  man  and  child,  and  in  so  good  Bradford 
credit  with  his  keeper,  that  at  his  desire  in  an  evening  (being  prisoner  [^"Iloii- 
in  the  King's  Bench  in  Sotithwark),  he  had  license  upon  his  ])romisc  <ion  wiiii- 
to  return  again  that  night,  to  go  into  London  without  any  keeper  to  keeper, 
visit  one  that  was  sick,  lying  by  the  Still-yard.     Neither  did  he  fail  f^j'„,^^j, 
his  promise,  but  returned  to  his  prison  again,  rather  preventing  his  ttiatniti.t 
hour,  than  breaking  his  fidelity :  so  constant  was  he  in  word  and  son!" 
in  deed. 

(){'  personage  he  was  somewhat  tall  and  slender,  spare  of  body,  of  The  i.oiy 
a  flxint  sanguine  colour,  with  an  auburn  beard.  He  slept  not  com-  Bradford, 
monly  above  four  hours  in  the  night ;  and  in  his  bed,  till  sleep  came, 
his  book  went  not  out  of  his  hand.  His  chief  recreation  was  in  no 
gaming  or  other  pastime,  but  only  in  honest  company,  and  comely 
talk,  wherein  he  would  spend  a  little  time  after  dinner  at  the  board  ; 
and  so  to  prayer  and  his  book  again.     He  counted  that  hour  not  well 

VOL.  VII.  I. 


146  TirK  STORY  or  joiin  Bradford,  martyr. 

Mnry.    spciit,  wlicrcin  lie  did  not  some  good,  either  with  his  pen,  study,  or 
^  £)    in  exhorting  of  others,  etc.     He  was  no  niggard  of  his  purse,  but 
1555'.    would  liberally  participate  that  he  had,  to  his  fellow-prisoners.     And 
Bradford  commouly  once  a  week  he  visited  the  thieves,  pick-purses,  and  such 
visiteth    others  that  were  with  him  in  prison,  where  he  lay  on  the  other  side, 
tiiieves,    unto  whoui  he  would  give  godly  exhortation,  to  learn  the  amendment 
pur'^es,     of  their  lives  by  their  troubles ;  and,  after  that  so  done,  distribute 
'"-■•         among  them  some  portion  of  money  to  their  comfort. 
Meeting        By  the  Way,  this  I  thought  not  to  conceal.     While  he  was  in  the 
f"encT    King's  Bench,  and  master  Saunders  in  the   Marshalsea,  both  pri- 
sauTiders  ^ouers,  ou  the  backside  of  those  two  prisons  they  met  many  times, 
and         and  confeiTcd  together  when  they  would  :  so  mercifully  did  the  Lord 
Bradfoni'  work  for  them,  even  in  the  midst  of  their  troubles :  and  the  said 
tfescape  Bradford  was  so  trusted  with  his  keeper,  and  had  such  liberty  in  the 
ou'  of      backside,  that  there  was  no  day,  but  that  he  might  have  easily  escaped 
^"^°""     away,  if  he  would ;  but  that  the  Lord  had  another  work  to  do  for 
him.     In  the  summer-time,  while  he  was  in  the  said  King's  Bench, 
he  had  liberty  of  his  keeper  to  ride  into  Oxfordshire,  to  a  merchant's 
house  of  his  acquaintance,  and  horse  and  all  things  prepared  for  him 
for  that  journey,  and  the  party  in  readiness  that  should  ride  with 
him  :  but  God  prevented  him  by  sickness  that  he  went  not  at  all. 
Would  One  of  his  old  friends  and  acquaintance  came  unto  him  while  he 

mu  of      ^'^s  prisoner,  and  asked  him,  if  he  sued  to  get  him  out,  what  then 
England.  Jie  would  do,  or  whither  he  would  go  ?  Unto  whom  he  made  answer, 
as  not  caring  whether  he  went  out  or  no  :  but  if  he  did,  he  said  he 
would  marry,  and  abide  still  in  England  secretly,  teaching  the  people 
as  the  time  would  suffer  him,  and  occupy  himself  that  way.    He  was 
had  in  so  great  reverence  and  admiration  with  all  good  men,  that  a 
multitude,  which  never  knew  him  but  by  fame,  greatly  lamented  his 
death  :  yea,   and  a  number  also  of  the  papists  themselves  wished 
heartily  his  life.     There  were  few  days  in  which  he  was  thought  not 
Brad-       to  spcud  somc  tcars  before  he  Avent  to  bed,  neither  was  there  ever 
tears!       auy  prisoucr  with  him  but  by  his  company  he  greatly  profited  ;  as  all 
they  will  yet  witness,  and  have  confessed  of  him  no  less,  to  the  glory 
of  God,  Avhose  society  he  frequented ;  as  among  many,  one  special 
thing  I  thought  to  note,  which  is  this  : 
Fernr  Bishop  Fcrrar,  being  in  the  King's  Bench  prisoner,  as  before  you 

irthe"^*^  have  heard,  was  travailed  withal  of  the  papists  in  the  end  of  Lent,  to 
truth  by    receive  the  sacrament  at  Easter  in  one  kind,  who,  after  much  per- 
suading yielded  to  them,  and  promised  so  to  do.     Then  (so  it  hap- 
pened by  God's  providence)  the  Easter-even,  the  day  before  he  should 
have  done  it,  was  Bradford  brought  to  the  King's  Bench,  prisoner ; 
where  the  Lord  making  him  his  instrument,  Bradford  only  was  the 
mean  that  the  said  bishop  Ferrar  revoked  his  promise  and  word,  and 
Avould  never  after  yield  to  be  spotted  Avith  that  papistical  pitch  ;  so 
effectually  the  Lord  Avrought  by  this  worthy  servant  of  his.     Such  an 
instrument  was  he  in  God's  church,  that  few  or  none  there  were  that 
knew  him,  but  esteemed  him  as  a  precious  jewel  and  God's  true  mes- 
senger. 
Bradford       Tlic  night  before  Bradford  was  had  to  Newgate,  which  was  the  Satur- 
of  hTs"'"'^  day  night,  he  Avas  sore  troubled  divers  times  in  his  sleep  by  dreams, 
burning.  I^qw  tlic  cluiin  f(ju  his  burning  Avas  brought  to  the  Compter-gatc,  and 


BRADFORD    CARRIED    TO    NEWGATE.  1  I7 

how  the  next  day,  being  Sunday,  lie  should  he  had  to  Newgate,  and    J/<i>y. 
on  the   Monday  after  burned  in  SniithfieUl ;   as  indeed  it  came  to  "TTr" 
pass  accordingly,  which  liereaRer  shall  be  showed.     Now  he,  being   i^^^\ 

vexed  so  oftentimes  in  this  sort  with  these  dreams,  about  tln-ee  of  the - 

clock  in  the  morning  he  waked  him  that  lay  with  him,  and  told  him 
his  unquiet  sleep,  and  what  he  was  troubled  withal.  Then,  after  a 
little  talk,  master  Bradford  rose  out  of  the  bed,  and  gave  himself  to 
his  old  exercise  of  reading  and  prayer,  as  always  he  had  used  before; 
and  at  dinner,  according  to  his  accustomed  nianner,  he  did  eat  his 
meat,  and  was  very  merry,  nobody  being  with  him  from  morning  to 
night,  but  he  that  lay  with  him,  with  whom  he  had  many  times  on 
that  day  communication  of  death,  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  of 
the  ripeness  of  sin  in  that  time. 

In  the  afternoon  they  two  walking  together  in  the  keeper's  chamber,  Bradford 
suddenly  the  keeper's  wife  came  up,  as  one  half  amazed,  and  seeming  'df  il'ir"'^'' 
much  troubled,  being  almost  windless,  said,  "  O  master  Bradford,  I  ^^"""s 
come  to  bring  you  heavy  news."  "  What  is  that .''"  said  he. 
"  Marry,"  quoth  she,  "  to-morrow  you  must  be  burned ;  and  your 
chain  is  now  a  buying,  and  soon  you  must  go  to  Newgate."  With 
that  master  Bradford  put  off  his  cap,  and  lifting  up  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  said,  "  I  thank  God  for  it ;  I  have  looked  for  the  same  a 
long  time,  and  therefore  it  cometh  not  now  to  me  suddenly,  but  as  a 
thing  waited  for  every  day  and  hour ;  the  Lord  make  me  worthy 
thereof! "  And  so,  thanking  her  for  her  gentleness,  he  departed  up 
into  his  chamber,  and  called  his  friend  with  him,  who  when  he  came 
thither,  he  went  secretly  himself  alone  a  long  time,  and  prayed  : 
which  done,  he  came  again  to  him  that  was  in  his  chamber,  and  took 
liim  divers  writings  and  papers,  and  showed  him  his  mind  in  those 
things  what  he  would  have  done,  and  after  they  had  spent  the  after- 
noon till  night  in  many  and  sundry  such  things,  at  last  came  to  him 
half  a  dozen  of  his  friends  more,  with  whom  all  the  evening  he  spent 
the  time  in  prayer,  and  other  good  exercise,  so  wonderfully,  that  it 
was  marvellous  to  hear  and  see  his  doings. 

A  little  before  he  went  out  of  the  Compter,  he  made  a  notable  He 
prayer  of  his  flirewell,  with  such  plenty  of  tears,  and  abundant  spirit  hSs  ''' ' 
of  prayer,  that  it  ravished  the  minds  of  the  hearers.     Also  when  he  f^^iMffhis 
shifted  himself  with  a  clean  shirt  that  was  made  for  his  burning  (by  ^Y^',^^«" 
one  master  Walter  Marlar's  wife,  who  was  a  good  nurse  unto  him,  and  compter. 
his  very  good  friend),  he  made  such  a  prayer  of  the  wedding-garment, 
that  some  of  those  that  were  present  were  in  such  great  admiration, 
that  their  eyes  were  as  throughly  occupied  in  looking  on  him,  as  their 
cars  gave   place  to  hear  his  prayer.     At  his  departing  out  of  the 
chamber,  he  made  likewise  a  i)raycr,  and  gave  money  to  every  servant 
and  officer  of  the  house,  with  exhortation  to  them  to  fear  and  serve 
God,  continually  labouring  to  eschew  all  manner  of  evil.    That  done,  [j"'^;"^.^™" 
he  turned  him  to  the  wall  and  prayed  vehemently,  that  his  words  xhcpVi- 
raight  not  be  spoken  in  vain,  but  that  the  Lord  would  work  the  same  t°keu,cir 
in  them  effectually,  for  his  Christ's  sake.   Then  being  beneath  in  the  };:^,;V>'[i. 
court,  all  the  prisoners  cried  out  to  him,  and  bade  him  farewell,  as  tears. 
the  rest  of  the  house  had  done  before,  with  weeping  tears. 

The  time  they  carried  him  to  Newgate,  was  about  eleven  or  twelve 
o'clock  in  the  night,  when  it  was  thought  none  would  be  stirring 
L  2 


148 


BUADFOKDS    BURNING    IN    SMITHFIELD. 


^""J-    abroad  :  and  yet,  contrary  to  their  expectation  in  tliat  belialf,  was 
A.  D.    there  in  Cheapside  and  other  places  (between  the  Compter  and  New- 
1555.    gate),  a  great  multitude  of  people  that  came  to  see  him,  which  most 
The  peo-   gently  bade  him  farewell,  praying  for  him  with  most  lamentable  and 
cheL"-     Pi*-^^'^'  ^^^^^  '■>  ^^^  ^16  again  as  gently  bade  them  farewell,  praying  most 
side  bid    heartily  for  them  and  their  welfare.     Now,  whether  it  were  a  com- 
faretei^K    maudment  from  the  queen  and  her  council,  or  from  Bonner  and  his 
adherents,   or  whether  it  were  merely  devised  of   the  lord  mayor, 
aldermen,  and  sheriffs  of  London,  or  no,  I  cannot  tell ;   but  a  great 
A  noise  of  noise  there  was  overnight  about  the  city  by  divers,  that  Bradford 
lorrt^"      should  be  burnt  the  next  day  in  Smithfield,  by  four  of  the  clock  in 
burning.   ^^^  momiug,  boforc  it  should  be  greatly  known  to  any.     In  which 
rumour,  many  heads  had  divers  minds ;  some  thinking  the  fear  of 
the  people  to  be  the  cause  thereof:  others  thought  nay,  that  it  Avas 
rather  because  the  papists  judged  his  death  would  convert  many  to 
the  truth,  and  give  a  great  overthrow  to  their  kingdom.     So   some 
thought  one  thing,  and  some  another,  that  no  just  conjecture  of  the 
cause  could  be  known  that  ever  I  heard  yet.     But  this  was  certain, 
the  people  prevented  the  device  suspected ;   for  the  next  day,  at  the 
A  mum-   said  hour  of  four  a  clock  in  the  morning,  there  was  in  Smithfield  such 
Smith-     a  multitude   of   men  and  women,  that  many  being  in  admiration 
^''''^-        thereof,  thought  it  was  not  possible  that  they  could  have  warning  of 
his  death,  being  so  great  a  number  in  so  short  a  time,  unless  it  were 
by  the  singular  providence  of  Almighty  God. 
eotni°'^  .    ^^^\  t^iis  took  not  effect  as  the  people  thought ;  for  that  morning 
thither,    it  was  nine  a  clock  of  the  day,  before  master  Bradford  was  brought 
into  Smithfield  ;  who,  in  going  through  Newgate  thitherward,  spied 
a  friend  of  his  whom  he  loved,  standing  on  the  one  side  of  the  way  to 
the  keeper's  housewards,  unto  whom  he  reached  his  hand  over  the 
Tvfth'hts  P!^*^P^^'  ''^"^^  plucked  him  to  him,  and  delivered  to  him  from  his  head 
night-cap  his  velvet  night-cap,  and  also  his  handkerchief,  with  other  things  be- 
away.       gi^|gg_  ^^j  j^fi-gj.  ^  j-^^]g  gg^^g|.  ^^|],  ^jj_j^  j^jj^^  j^^^^l  ^^^-^  ^^  ^-^^^^^  parting 

from  other,  immediately  came  to  him  a  brother-in-law  of  his,  called 

Roger  Beswick,  who,  as  soon  as  he  had  taken  the  said  Bradford  by 

Z°aklui  ^^^^  l^^""^'  one  of  the  sheriffs  of  London,  called  Woodrofe,  came  with 

thrheld  liis  staff,  and  brake  the  said  Roger's  head,  that  the  blood  ran  about 

of^Brad-   jjig  shoulders ;   which  sight  Bradford  beholding  with  grief,  bade  his 

fn-'iaw'"   ^^"otlier  farewell,  willing  him  to  commend  him  to  his  mother  and  the 

rest  of  his  friends,  and  to  get  him  to  some  surgeon  betimes  :  so  they, 

departing,  had  little  or  no  talk  at  all  together.  Then  was  he  led  forth 

to  Smithfield  with  a  great  company  of  weaponed  men,  to  conduct  him 

thither,  as  the  like  was  not  seen  at  any  man's  burning :  for  in  every 

corner  of  Smithfield  there  were  some,  "besides  those  that  stood  about 

the  stake.     Bradford  then,  being  come  to  the  place,  fell  flat  to  the 

ground,  secretly  making  his  prayers  to  Almighty  God.     Then  rising 

again,  and  putting  off  his  clothes  unto  his  shirt,  he  went  to  the  stake, 

and  there  stiffered  with  a  young  man  of  twenty  years  of  age,  joyfully 

and  constantly,  whose  name  was  John  Leaf :  touching  the  order  and 

"woyeurs,  manucr  of  whose  burning,  more  shall  be  said  (God  willing)  hereafter. 

mont'ir'"  I"  the  mean  time  we  will  now  show  forth  the  sundry  examinations, 

haiMi.     c*^"fl'cts,  and   conferences  between   him  and  other  his  adversaries, 

prison,      during  the  time  of  his  imprisonment,  which  was  in   all  two  years 


Bradford 


THE    FIRST    EXAMINATION'    OF    BRADFORD.  149 

lacking  one  month  and  a  half;   which  examinations  here  follow  to    Mnry. 

be  declared. 

It  was  before  a  little  above  declared,  that  John  Bradford,  within    1555'. 

three  days  after  the  sermon  of  master  Hourn,  was  by  the  council  

committed  to  the  Tower,  Avhcre  he  remained  from  the  month  of 
August,  A.D.  1553,  to  the  22d  day  of  January,  a.d.  looo  ;  upon

~186 words

than  I  will  speak  of." 

Brad. .— "  My  lord,  as  I  said  I  say  again,  that  I  stand  as  before  you,  so 
before  God ;  and  one  day  we  shall  all  stand  before  him :  the  truth  then  will  be 
the  truth,  though  now  ye  will  not  so  take  it.  Yea,  my  lord,  I  dare  say,  that 
my  lord  of  Bath,  master  Boimie,  will  witness  with  me,^  that  I  sought  his  safe- 
guard with  the  peril  of  mine  own  life  ;  I  thank  God  there-for." 

Bonner  : — "  That  is  not  true  :  for  I  myself  did  see  thee  take  upon  thee  too 
much." 

Brad. : — "  No,  I  took  nothing  upon  me  undesired,  and  that  of  master  Bourne 
himself,  as,  if  he  were  here  present,  I  dare  say  he  would  affirm.  For  he  desired 
me  both  to  help  him  to  pacify  the  people,  and  also  not  to  leave  him  till  he  was 
in  safety.  And  as  for  my  behaviour  in  the  Tower,  and  talk  before  your 
honours,  if  I  did  or  said  any  thing  that  did  not  beseem  me,  if  your  lordships 
would  tell  me  wherein  it  was,  I  should  and  would  shortly  make  you  answer." 

L.  Chan. : — "  Well

~433 words

to  confirm  with  my  life. 
And  as  for  the  devilishness  and  Mseness  in  the  doctrine,  I  would  be  sorry  you 
could  so  prove  it." 

Durham  ;— "  Why,  tell  me,  what  say  you  by  the  ministration  of  the  com- 
rnunion,  as  now  you  know  it  is?" 

Braf/.  .•— "  My  lord,  here  I  must  desire  of  your  lordship  and  of  all  your 
honours  a  question,  before  I  dare  make  you  an  answer  to  any  interrogatory  or 
question,  wherewith  you  now  begin.  I  have  been  six  times  sworn  that  I  shall 
in  no  case  consent  to  the  practising  of  any  jurisdiction,  or  any  authority  on  the 
bishop  of  Rome's  behalf  within  this  realm  of  England.     Now,  before  God,  I 

ri)  This  talk  of  Bradford  first  in  the  Tower,  came  not  to  our  hands. 

(2)  "  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour."  Commandment  the  TXth.   Thus 
Bradford  was  desired  of  master  Bourne  to  help  him,  and  yet  is  now  shent  for  his  labour. 
(.))  That  is  the  worst  you  and  your  pope  can  do,  and  the  best  argument  you  have. 


BEFOUn    THK    LORD    CIIAXCKI.LOU.  ]  ',\ 

humbly  pray  your  honours  to  tell  me,  whether  you  ask  me  this  question  by  his    sr„ru. 
authority,  or  no?     If  yon  do,  I  dare  not,  nor  may  answer  you  any  thing  in  liis 


authority,  which  you  shall  demand  of  me,  except  I  would  be  forsworn,  which    A.I). 
God  forbid."  J^^^\ 

Sec.  Bourne: — "Hast  thou  been  sworn  six  times?  AVhat  office  hast  thou 
borne?" 

Brad. : — "  Forsooth  I  was  thrice  sworn  in  Cambridge,  when  I  was  admitted  Bradford 
master  of  arts ;  when  I  was  admitted  fellow  of  Pembroke  hall ;  and  when  I  was  ''^  ''""^» 
there,  the  visitors  came  thither,  and  sware  the  imiversity.     Again,  I  was  sworn  a*ain'st 
when  I  entered  into  the  ministry;  when  I  had  a  prebend  given  me;  and  when  "«=  i>'>v<-'- 
I  was  sworn  to  serve  the  king,  a  little  before  his  death." 

L.  Chan.  .■— "  Tush,  Herod's  oaths  a  man  should  make  no  conscience  at."        Herod's 
Brad. : — "  But  my  lord,  these  were  no  Herod's  oaths,  no  unlawful  oaths,  but  <"*""• 
oaths  according  to  God's  word,  as  you  yourself  have  well  affirmed  in  your  book, 
'De  vera  obedientia.' " 

"  My  lords,"  quoth  another  of  the  council  that  stood  by  the  table  (master  Roches- 
Rochester,  I  ween),   "  I  never  knew  wherefore  this  man  was  in  prison  before  'crspeak- 
now :  but  I  see  well  that  it  had  not  been  good  that  this  man  had  been  abroad.  ' 
What  the  cause  was  that  he  was  put  in  prison,   I  know  not ;  but  I  now  well 
know  that  not  without  a  cause  he  was,  and  is  to  be,  kept  in  prison." 

Bourne  : — "  Yea

~516 words

but,  otherwise,  I  will  none." 

Here  now  was  much  ado,  one  speaking  this,  and  another  tliat,  of 

(I^  Tliis  letter  was  written  to  his  mother,  brethren,  and  sisters,  and  followcth  hercaltcr. 
yi)  All  are  lies  that  please  not  Wiiichestor. 


152  THE    FIRST    EXAMINATION    OF    BaADFORD 

Mary.  'Lis  aiTogancy,  in  refusing  the  queen's  pardon,  which  she  so  lovingly 
^  £)     did  offer  unto  him  :  whereto  Bradford  answered  thus  : 

•  Brad. : — "  My  lords,  if  I  may  live  as  a  quiet  subject  without  clog  of  con- 
science, I  shall  heartily  thank  you  for  your  pardon;  if  otherwise  I  behave  my- 
self, then  I  am  in  danger  of  the  law.  In  the  mean  season  I  ask  no  more  but 
the  benefit  of  a  subject,  till  I  be  convinced  of  transgression.  If  I  cannot  have 
this,  as  hitherto  I  have  not  had,  God's  good  will  be  done." 

King  Ed-      Upon  these  words  my  lord  chancellor  began  a  long  process  of  the 
time.^      false  doctrine  wherewith  the  people  were  deceived  in  the  days  of 

king  Edward,  and  so  turned  the  end  of  his  talk  to  Bradford,  saying : 

"  How  sayest  thou  .'*"" 

Bradford       Brad. : — "  My  lord,  the  doctrine  taught  in  king  Edward's  days  was  God's 

fn^de^-'^''^   pure  religion  :    the  which  as  I  then  believed,  so  do  I  now  more  believe  it 

fence,  etc.  than  ever  I  did,  and  therein  I  am  more  confiimed,  and  ready  to  declare  it  by 

God's  grace  even  as  he  will,  to  the  world,  than  I  was  when  I  first  came  into 

prison." 

Durham  : — "  What  religion  mean  you  in  king  Edward's  days  ?     What  year 
of  his  reign  ?" 

Brad. : — "  Forsooth  even  the  same  yeai-,  my  lord,  that  the  king  died,  and  I 
was  a  preacher."     Here  wrote  secretary  Bourne  I  wot  not  what. 

The  rea-       Now  after  a  little  pausing,  my  lord  chancellor  beginneth  again  to 
Winches-  declare,  that  the  doctrine  taught  in  king  Edward's  days  was  heresy ; 
provethat  usiug  for  probation  and  demonstration  thereof,  no  Scripture  nor  rea- 
son, but  this :  that  it  ended  with  treason  and  rebellion,   "  so  that," 


ter  to  dis 
proveth; 
doctrine. 


quoth  he,  "  the  very  end  were  enough  to  improve  that  doctrine  to 
be  naught." 

Brad. : — "Ah,  my  lord !  that  you  could  enter  in  God's  sanctuary,  and  mark 
the  end  of  this  present  doctrine  that  you  now  so  magnify." 

L.  Chan. : — '*  What  meanest  thou  by  that  ?  I  ween  we  shall  have  a  snatch 
of  rebellion  even  now." 

Brad.: — "My  lord,  I  mean  no  such  end  as  you  would  gather:  I  mean  an 
end  which  no  man  seeth,  but  such  as  enter  into  God's  sanctuary.  If  a  man 
look  on  present  things,  he  will  soon  deceive  himself." 

The  Here  now  did  my  lord  chancellor  offer  again  mercy  ;  and  Bradford 

?nercy^     answcrcd,  as  before:  mercy  with  God's  mercy  should  be  welcome, 

fered'to*^^  but  otherwise  he  would  none.     Whereupon  the  lord  chancellor  did 

Bradford,  ring  a  little  bell,  belike  to  call  in  some  body :  for  there  were  present 

none  in  manner,  but  only  those  before  named,  and  the  bishop  of 

Worcester.     Now  when   one  was  come  in ;    "  it   is  best,""  quoth 

master  secretary  Bourne,  "  that   you  give  the  keeper  a  charge  of 

this  fellow."     So  was  the  under-marshal  called  in. 

Bradford        L.  Chan.: — "Ye

~414 words

and  yet,  for  it,  I 
V"'^.'    have  been  and  am  kept  of  long  time  in  prison.     And  as  for  letters  and  religion, 
155o^  I  answer,  as  I  did  the  last  time  I  was  before  you.'" 
His  words      L.  Chan.: — "There  didst  thou  say  stubbornly  and  malapertly,   that  thou 
""^'^^"       wouldest  manly  maintain  the  erroneous  doctrine  in  king  Edward's  days." 
Bradford        J^rad. : — "  My  lord,  I  said  the  last  time  I  was  before  you,  that  I  had  six 
more  con-  times  taken  an  oath,  that  I  should  never  consent  to  the  practising  of  anyjuris- 
firmed  in  diction  on  the  bishop  of  Rome's  behalf;  and  therefore  durst  I  not  answer  to  any 
tr'fne  after  '^'^'ng  '^hat  should  be  demanded  so,  lest  I  should  be  forsworn,  which  God  forbid, 
his  im-      Howbeit  saving  mine  oath,  I  said  that  I  was  more  confirmed  in  the  doctrine  set 
ment""      ^orth  publicly  in  the  days  of  king  Edward,  than  ever  I  was  before  I  was  put  in 
than  be-    prison :  and  so  I  thought  I  should  be,  and  think  yet  still  I  shall  be  found  more 
fore.  ready  to  give  my  life  as  God  will,  for  the  confirmation  of  the  same." 

Win-  L.  Chan. : — "  I  remember  well  that  thou  madest  much  ado  about  needless 

'^'^^k*^th     i^^'*^6^>  ^s  though  the  oath  against  the  bishop  of  Rome  were  so  great  a  matter, 
but  small  ^o  others  have  done  before  thee,  but  yet  not  in  such  sort  as  thou  hast  done  :  for 
matter  of  thou  pretendest  a  conscience  in  it,  which  is  nothing  else  but  mere  hypocrisy." 
an  oa    .         Brad. : — "  My  conscience  is  known  to  the  Lord  :  and  whether  I  deal  herein 
hypocritically  or  no,  he  knoweth.     As  I  said  therefore  then,  my  lord,  so  I  say 
again  now,  that  for  fear  lest  I  should  be  perjured,  I  dare  not  make  answer  to 
any  thing  you  shall  demand  of  me,  if  my  answering  should  consent  to  the  con- 
firming or  practising  of  any  jurisdiction   for  the   bishop  of  Rome  here  in 
England." 

L.  Chan. : — "  Why  didst  thou  begin  to  tell  that  we  are  '  Dii, '  and  sit  in 

God's  place,  and  now  wilt  thou  not  make  us  an  answer  ?" 

Bradford       Brad. : — "  My  lord,  I  said,  you  would  have  your  place  taken  of  us  now  as 

stm  to  his  ^od's  place ;  and  therefore  1  brought  forth  that  piece  of  Scripture,  that  ye  might 

oath.         the  more  be  admonished  to  follow  God  and  his  ways  at  this  present,  who  seeth  us 

all,  and  well  perceiveth  whether  of  conscience  I  pretend  this  matter  of  the  oath 

or  no." 

L.  Chan. : — "No

~222 words

to  whatsoever  you  shall  demand  me,  as 

ever  any  did." 


BEFORE  THE  LORD  CHAXCELLOR.  155 

Here   the  lord  chancellor  was  wonderfully  ofTcndcd,  and  spal<c    Unry. 
much  how  the  bishop  of  Romc''s  authority  needed  no  confirmation  of  ~T~,)~ 
Bradford's  answerinti;-,  nor  of  any  such  as  he  was  ;  and  turned  his  talk    i.-,55' 

to  the  people,  how  that  Bradford  followed  crafty  covetous  merchants, ■ 

Avho  because  they  would  lend  no  money  to  their  neighbours  wlion 
they  were  in  need,  would  say  that  they  had  sworn  oft,  that  they  would 
never  lend  any  more  money,  because  their  debtors  had  so  oft  deceived 
them.  "  Even  so  thou,"  quoth  he  to  Bradford,  "  dost  at  this  present, 
to  cast  a  mist  in  the  people's  eyes,  to  blear  them  with  a  heresy  (which 
is  greater,  and  more  hurtful  to  the  commonwealth  than  the  other  is), 
pretend  thine  oath,  whereby  the  people  might  make  a  conscience 
where  they  should  not.     Why  speakest  thou  not  ?" 

Brad.  : — "  My  lord,  as  I  said,  I  say  again  :  I  dare  not  answer  you  for  fear  of  Diner- 
perjury,  from  which   God  defend  me ;  or  else  I  could  tell  you  that  there  is  a  •""" "'' 
difference  between  oaths.     Some  he  according  to  faith  and  charity,  as  the  oath  "*    *' 
against  the  bishop  of  Rome  :  some  be  against  faith  and  charity ;  as  this,  to  deny 
by  oath,  my  help  to  my  brother  in  his  need

~663 words

day  till  dark  night,  and  so  was  conveyed  tin  u\^u. 
again  to  prison. 

In  the  mean  time,  about  four  of  the  clock  the  same  afternoon,  a  nussey 
gentleman  called  master  Thomas  Husscy  of  Lincolnshire,  who  was  "JJJ'"' '° 
once  an  officer  in  the  duke  of  Norfolk's  house,  did  come  into  the 
vestry  to  inquire  for  one  Stoning :  and  when  it  was  answered  him  by 
the  under-marshaFs  officers  of  the  king's  bench,  that  there  was  none 
such,  he  entered  into  the  house,  and  took  acquaintance  of  .John  linid- 
ford,  saying,  that  he  would  commune  and  sjjcak  with  him  the  next 
morning,  for  old  acquaintance. 

The  next  morning,  about  seven  of  the  clock,  this  gentleman  came  Thecoun- 
into  the  chamber  wherein  John   Bradford  did  lie,  and,  being  with  ilL'scy. 

(I)  "  Apostolos  lego  stctisse  judicandos,  scdissc  judicantes  noii  k'^^o.     Hoc  erit,  illud  fuit,"  etc. 


158  THE    SECOND    EXAMINATION    OF    BRADFOIID 

Mary,    him,  he  began  a  long  oration,  how  that  of  love  and  old  acquaintance 

A.D. 

1555. 


Bradford 
refuselh 


jI  Setoii. 


he  came  unto  him,  to  speak  that  which  he  would  further  utter. 

"  You  did,"  said  the  gentleman,  "  so  wonderfully  behave  yourself  before  the 
lord  chancellor,  and  other  bishops  yesterday,  that  even  the  veriest  enemies  you 
have,  did  see  that  they  have  no  matter  against  you  :  and  therefore  I  advise  you 
[speaking  as  though  it  came  of  his  own  good  will,  without  making  any  other 
man  privy,  or  any  other  procuring  him,  as  he  said]  this  day — for  anon  you 
shall  be  called  before  them  again — to  desire  a  time,  and  men  to  confer  withal : 
so  shall  all  men  think  a  wonderful  wisdom,  gravity,  and  godliness  in  you :  and 
by  this  means  you  shall  escape  present  danger,  which  else  is  nearer  than  you 
be  aware  of. 

To  this  John  Bradford  answered : 

Brad. : — "  T  neither  can  nor  will  make  any  such  request :  for  then  shall  I  give 
to  require  "^c^sioi^  ^o  the  people,  and  to  all  others,  to  think  that  I  doubt  of  the  doctrine 
respite,      which  I  confess ;  the  which  thing  I  do  not,  for  thereof  I  am  most  assured,  and 
therefore  I  will  give  no  such  ofTeHce." 

seton  As  they  were  thus  talking,  the  chamber-door  was  unlocked,  and 

to  him!  Dr.  Seton  came  in,  who,  when  he  saw  master  Hussey,  "  What,  sir," 
quoth  he,  "  are  you  come  before  me  .''"  "  O  Lord  !"  said  Bradford 
Hussey  in  his  heart  to  God,  "  goeth  the  matter  thus  ?  This  man  told  me, 
l^uh"aiie.  no  man  knew  of  his  coming :  Lord  !  give  me  gi-ace  to  remember  thy 
lesson,  '  Cavete  ab  hominibus  illis,*'  '  Beware  of  those  men,"*  etc,  '  Cast 
not  your  pearls  before  dogs  :'  for  I  see  these  men  be  come  to  hunt 
for  matter,  that  the  one  may  bear  witness  with  the  other." 
Counsel  Dr.  Sctou,  after  some  by-talk  of  Bradford's  age,  of  his  country, 
and  such  like,  began  a  gay  and  long  sermon  of  my  lord  of  Canterbury, 
master  Latimer,  and  master  Ridley,  and  how  they  at  Oxford  were  not 
able  to  answer  any  thing  at  all ;  and  that  therefore  my  lord  of  Canter- 
bury desired  to  confer  with  the  bishop  of  Durham  and  others  :  all 
which  talk  tended  to  this  end,  that  John  Bradford  should  make  the 
like  suit,  being  in  nothing  to  Ibe  compared  in  learning  to  my  lord  of 
Canterbury.  To  this  John  Bradford  briefly  answered  as  he  did 
before  to  master  Hussey.  With  this  answer  neither  the  doctor  nor 
gentleman  being  contented,  after  many  persuasions,  master  doctor 
said  thus : 

Flatter-  Z)r.  Seton. .- — "  I  have  heard  much  good  talk  of  you,  and  even  yesternight  a 
mendT"  gentleman  made  report  of  you  at  the  lord  chancellor's  table,  that  ye  were  able 
lion  of  to  persuade  as  much  as  any  that  he  knew.  And  I  (though  I  never  heapd  you 
preach,  and  to  my  knowledge  did  never  see  you  before  yesterday)  yet  methought 
your  modesty  was  such,  your  behaviour  and  talk  so  without  malice  and  impa- 
tience, that  I  would  be  sorry  you  should  do  worse  than  myself  And  I  tell  you 
further,  I  do  perceive  my  lord  chancellor  hath  a  fantasy  towards  you :  where- 
fore be  not  so  obstinate,  but

~305 words

hot,  and  called  Bradford  arrogant, 
oc  rme.  p^^.^^^^  vain-glorious,  and  "  spake  like  a  prelate." 

But  Bradford  answered,  "  Beware  of  judging,  lest  you  condemn 
yourself."  But  still  master  doctor  Seton  urged  him,  showing  him 
how  merciful  my  lord  chancellor  was,  and  how  charitably  they  enter- 
tained him. 


Seton. 


Bradford 
refuse  th 


BEFORE    THE    LOUD    CIIAXCEI.LOR.  1 -,.0 

"  I  never  saw  any  justice,  much  less  love  ;   I  speak  for  my  part,"  quoth     Maty. 

Bradford,  "in  my  lord  ciiancellor.     Long  have  I  been  unjustly  imprisoned,  and  — 

handled  in   the   same  uncharitably:    and  now  my  lord  hath  no  just  matter    A.  D. 
against  me."  15^5. 

This  talk  served  not  tlie  doctor's  purpose  :  Avlicreforc  he  went  Littieju.- 
from  matter  to  matter,  from  this  point  to  that  point.     Bradford  still  lovc.'ap! 
gave  him  the  hearing,  and  answered  not ;  for  he  perceived  that  they  P^aj"^"* 
both  did  come  but  to  fish  for  some  things  which  might  make  a  show  i>ishop  of 
that  my  lord  chancellor  had  justly  kept  him  in  prison.  tT""'''"' 

When  all  their  talk  took  no  such  effect  as  they  would  or  looked 
for,  master  Hussey  asked  Bradford : 

HiiKseii : — "  Will  ye  not  admit  conference,  if  my  lord  chancellor  should  offer 
it  publicly?" 

"Brad.: — "Conference!  if  it  had  been  offered  before  the  law  had  been  Bradford 
made,  or  if  it  were  offered  so  tliat  I  might  he  at  liberty  to  confer,  and  as  sure  '"'^'""seih 
as  he  with  whom  I  should  confer,  then  it  were  something  :  but  else  I  see  not  to  coifft""* 
what  other  purpose  conference  should  be  offered,  but  to  defer  that  which  will  rencc  but 
come  at  the  length,  and  the  lingering  may  give  more  offence  than  do  good.  dfuo„7"' 
Howbeit,  if  my  lord  shall  make  such  an  offer  of  his  own  motion,  I  will  not  refuse 
to  confer  with  whomsoever  he  shall  appoint." 

INIaster  doctor,  hearing  this,  called  Bradford  arrogant,  proud,  and  seion 
whatsoever

~168 words

what  a  senseless  heretic  this 
militude    fellow  is.     If  I  should  make  an  oath  I  would  never  help  my  brother,  nor  lend 
lOTin't        ^""1  money  in  his  need;  were  this  a  good  answer  to  tell  my  neighbour,  desiring 
like.         my  help,  that  I  had  made  an  oath  to  the  contrary?  or  that  I  could  not  do  it?" 
His  simi-      Brad. : — "  O  my  lord,  discern  betwixt  oaths  that  be  against  charity  and  faith, 

futed. 

of  Kome. 


htude  re-  ^j^^  oaths  that  be  according  to  faith  and  charity,  as  this  is  against  the  bishop 


Here  the  lord  chancellor  made  much  ado,  and  a  long  time  was 
spent  about  oaths,  which  were  good  and  which  were  evil ;  he  captiously 
asking  often  of  Bradford  a  direct  ansAver  concerning  oaths  :  which 
Bradford  would  not  give  simply,  but  with  a  distinction  ;  whereat  the 
chancellor  was  much  offended.  But  Bradford  still  kept  him  at  the 
bay,  that  the  oath  against  the  bishop  of  Rome,  was  a  lawful  oath, 
using  thereto  the  lord  chancellor's  own  book,  "  De  vera  Obedientia," 
for  confirmation, 
^od^s  At  the

~1,134 words

you,  I  believe  it  not." 

Here  was  Bradford  called  diabolus,  a  slanderer  :*  "  for  wc  ask  no 
question,"  quoth  my  lord  chancellor,  "  of  transubstantiation,  but  of 
Christ's  presence." 

Brad.: — "  I  deny  not  his  presence  to  the  faith  of  the  receiver;  but  deny 
that  he  is  included  in  the  bread,  or  that  the  bread  is  transubstantiate." 
Worcester : — "  If»he  be  not  included,  how  is  he  then  present?" 
Brad. : — "  Forsooth,  though  my  faith  can  tell  how,  yet  my  tongue  caimot 
express  it ;  nor  you,  otherwise  than  by  faith,  hear  it,  or  understand  it." 

Here  was  much  ado,  now  one  doctor  standing  up  and  speaking 
thus,  and  others  speaking  that,  and  the  lord  chancellor,  talkinir  much 
of  Luther,  Zuinglius,  Q^colampadius  :  but  still  Bradford  kept  him  at 
this  point,  that  Christ  is  present  to  faith  ;   and  that  there  is  no  tran-  Christ's 
substantiation  nor  including  of  Christ  in  the   bread  :  but  all  this  sent  t^' 
would  not  serve  them.     Therefore  another  bishop  asked  this  ques-  !;,""'• 
tion :  whether  the  wicked  man  received  Christ  s  very  body  or  no  .''  stanti.i- 
And  Bradford  answered  plainly,  "  No."     Whereat  the  lord  chan-  Ii'ied.'*''"' 
cellor  made  a  long  oration,  how  that  it  could  not  be  that  Christ  was 
present,  except  that  the  evil  man  received  it.     But  Bradford  put  The  wick- 
away  all  his  oration  in  few  words,  that  grace  Avas  at  that  present  not!'^'^'^"'^ 
offered  to  his  lordship,   although  he  received  it  not :  "  So  that,"  Receiving 
quoth  he,  "  the  receiving  maketh  not  the  presence,  as  your  lordship  ™oVthe 
would  infer  :  but  God's  grace,  truth,  and  power,  is  the  cause  of  the  l\''^^^'"^ 
presence,  which  grace  the  wicked  that  lack  faith  cannot  receive."  ij<«iy.  but 
And  here  Bradford  prayed  my  lord,  not  to  divorce  that  which  God  ''^^'^^' 
had  coupled  together.    "  He  hath  coupled  all  these  together  :  '  Take, 
eat,  this  is  my  body.""     He  saith  not,  '  Sec,  peep,  this  is  my  body  ;' 
but,  '  Take,  eat.'     So  that  it  appeareth  this  is  a  promise  depending 
upon  condition,  if  we  take  and  eat." 

Here  the  lord  chancellor  and  other  bishops  made  a  great  ado,  tti 
that  Bradford  had  found  out  a  toy  that  no  man  else  ever  did,  of  the 
condition  ;  and  the  lord  chancellor  made  many  words  to  the  people  a^t^m- 
thereabout.     But  Bradford  said  thus,   "  My   lord,   are   not  these  ment  and 
words,   '  Take,  eat,'  a  commanchnent  ?     And  are  not  these  words,  iSni"' 
'  This  is  my  body,'  a  promise  ?     If  you  will  challenge  the  promise,  teaeiieti.. 
and  do  not  the   commandment,  may  you  not  deceive   yourself?" 
Here  the  lord  chancellor  denied  Christ  to  have  commanded  the  sacra- 
ment, and  the  use  of  it. 

Brad. : — "  Why  my  lord,  I  pray  you  tell  the  people  what  mood  '  accipitc,  man- 
ducate,'  is;  is  it  not  plain  to  children,  that  Christ,  in  so  saying,  conunandeth ?" 

At  these  words  the  lord  chancellor  made  a  great  toying  and  trifling 
at  the  imperative  mood,  and  fell  to  parsing  or  examining,  as  he  should 

(1)  "  Blessed  are  you  wlien  they  shall  revile  you,  and  :*jak  all  that  is  naught  .ijiainfl  you,  for 
my  name's  sake."—  Matt.  v. 

M   2 


esa- 

imeiit 

hath  iKilh 


164  THE    LAST    EXAMINATION    OF    BRADFORD 

Mnr!,.    teacli  a  child ;  and  so  concluded  that  it  was  no  commandment,  but 
A.  D.    such  a  phrase  as  this,  "  I  pray  you  give  me  drink,  which,"  quoth  he, 
1555.    "is  no  commandment,  I  trow.""     But  Bradford  prayed  him  to  leave 
toying  and  trifling,  and  said  thus  : 

Brad.  : — "  My  lord,  if  it  be  not  a  commandment  of  Christ  to  take  and  eat 
the  sacrament,  why  dare  any  take  upon  them  to  command  and  make  that  of 
necessity,  which  God  leaveth  free  ?  as  you  do  in  making  it  a  necessary  com- 
mandment, once  a  year,  for  all  that  be  of  discretion,  to  receive  the  sacrament." 

Here  the  lord  chancellor  called  him  again  diabolus'  or  calumniator, 
and  began  out  of  these  words,  "  Let  a  man  prove  himself,  and  so  eat 
of  the  bread  ["  yea  bread,"  quoth  Bradford]  and  drink  of  the  cup,"" 
to  prove  that  it  was  no  commandment  to  receive  the  sacrament :  "  for 
then,"  quoth  he,  "if  it  were  a  commandment,  it  should  bind  all  men, 
in  all  places,  and  at  all  times." 

Distinc-  Brad. : — "  Omy  lord,  discern  between  commandments  :  some  be  general,  as 
tion  be-  the  Ten  Commandments,  that  they  bind  always,  in  all  places,  and  all  persons ; 
eoiif-"  some  be  not  so  general,  as  this  of  the  supper,  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  of  the 
niand-  thrice  appearing  before  the  Lord  yearly  at  Jerusalem,  of  Abraham  offering  of 
Isaac,"  etc. 

Here  my  lord  chancellor  denied  the  cup  to  be  commanded  of 
Christ :  "  for  then,"  quoth  he,  "  we  should  have  eleven  command- 
ments." 

Brad. : — "  Indeed  I  think  you  think  as  you  speak :  for  else  would  you  not 
take  the  cup  from  the  people,  in  that  Christ  saith,  '  Drink  ye  all  of  it.'  But 
how  say  you,  my  lords  ?  Christ  saith  to  you  bishops  especially,  '  Ite  predicate 
evangelium.'  '  Go  and  preach  the  gospel.'  '  Feed  Christ's  flock,'  etc.  Is  this 
a  commandment,  or  no  ?" 


ments. 


Win- 
Chester 
a  chafe, 


Here  was  my  lord  chancellor  in  a  chafe,  and  said  as  pleased  him. 
Another,  the  bishop  of  Durham  I  ween,  asked  Bradford,  when  Christ 
question!  ^cgan  to  be  present  in  the  sacrament — whether  before  the  receiver 

received  it,  or  no  ? 

As  the  Bradford  answered,  that  the  question  was  curious,  and  not  neces- 

Testa-"^^  sary  ;  and  further  said,  that  as  the  cup  was  the  New  Testament,  so 

bread  is"  ^^^^  bread  was  Christ''s  body  to  him  that  received  it  duly,  but  yet  so, 

the  body,  that  the  bread  is  bread.     "'For,"  quoth  he,  "in  all  the  Scripture  ye 

shall  not  find  this  proposition,  '  Non  est  panis,'  '  There  is  no  bread."*" 

And  so  he  brought  forth  Chrysostome,  '  Si  in  corpore  essemus  f^  in 

summa,  much  ado  was  hereabouts  ;  they  calling  Bradford  heretic, 

and  he,  desiring  them  to  proceed  on  in  God''s  name,  looked  for  that 

which  God  appointed  for  them  to  do. 

L.  Chan.  : — "  This  fellow  is  now  in  another  heresy  of  fatal  necessity,  as 
though  all  things  were  so  tied  together  that  of  mere  necessity  all  must  come 
to  pass." 

But  Bradford  prayed  him  to  take  things  as  they  be  spoken,  and 
not  wrest  them  into  a  contrary  sense. 

To  God  "Your  lordship,"  quoth  Bradford,  "doth  discern  betwixt  God  and  man. 
nothing  IS  Things  are  not,  by  fortune,  to  God  at  any  time,  though  to  man  they  seem  so 
tune.         sometimes.  I  speak  but  as  the  apostles  said,  '  Lord,'  quoth  they, '  see  how  Herod 

(I)  Diabolusis  as  much  as  to  say  in  Greek,  a  slanderer,  or  a  caviller.    (2)  llom.  Ixxxiii  Matt,  xxsiv. 


BEFORE  THE  LORD  CHANCELLOR.  10,' 

and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  prelates,  are  gathered  together  against  thy  Christ,     Mary. 
to  do  that  which  thy  hand  and  counsel  hath  before  ordained  for  them  to  di 


A.  1). 
Here  began  the  lord  chancellor

~1,812 words

the 
place  was  afterward  altered,  for  they  burned  him  in  London. 

After  the  condemnation  of  master  Bradford,  which  was  the  last  day 
of  January,  master  Bradford,  being  sent  into  prison,  did  there  remain 
until  the  1st  day  of  July,  during  all  which  time,  divers  other  con- 
ferences and  conflicts  he  sustained  with  sundry  adversaries,  which  re- 
paired unto  him  in  the  prison  :  of  whom  first  bishop  Bonner,  coming 
to  the  Compter  to  degrade  Dr.  Taylor  the  4th  day  of  February, 
entered  talk  with  the  said  master  Bradford,  the  effect  whereof  here 
ensueth. 

PRIVATE    TALK    HAD    WITH    JOHN    BRADFORD,    BY    SUCH    AS    THE 
PRELATES    SENT    UNTO     HIM,     AFTER    THE    TIME    OF 
CONDEMNATION,    BY    HIS    OWN    WRITING. 

Upon  the  4th  of  February,  that  is  the  same  day  master  Rogers 
was  burned,  Bonner  bishop  of  London  came  to  the  Compter  in  the 
Poultry,  to  degrade  Dr.  Taylor,  about  one  of  the  clock  at  afternoon. 
But  before  he  spake  to  master  Taylor,  he  called  for  John  Bradford 
which  was  prisoner  there,  whom  when  he  saw,  he  put  off  his  cap,  and 
gave  him  his  hand,  saying : 

Bonner: — "Because  I  perceive  that  ye  are  desirous  to  confer  with  some 
learned  men,  therefore  I  have  brought  master  archdeacon  Hari)sfield  to  you. 
And  I  tell  you,  you  do  like  a  wise  man.  But  I  pray  you  go  roundly  to  work, 
for  the  time  is  but  short." 

Brad.  ;— "  My  lord,  as  roundly  as  I  can  I  will  go  to  work  with  you  :  I  never  Bradford 
desired  to  confer  with  any  man,  nor  yet  do.  Howbeit  if  ye  will  have  one  to  ^'^ll^^^^,^ 
talk  with  me,  I  am  ready."  with 

Bonner  : — "  What,"  quoth  the  bishop  in  a  fume  to  the  keeper,  "  did  you  not  none,  yet 
tell  me  that  this  man  desired  conference  ?"  \l^^^' '" 

Keeper  : — "  No,  my  lord,  I  told  you  that  he  would  not  refuse  to  confer  with 
any ;  but  I  did  not  say  that  it  is  his  desire." 

Bonner .— "  Well,  master  Bradford,  you  are  well  beloved,  I  pray  you  con- 
sider yourself,  and  refuse  not  charity  when  it  is  offered." 

Brad. : — "  Indeed,  my  lord,  this  is  small  charity,  to  condemn  a  man  as  you 
have  condemned  me,  which  never  brake  your  laws.  In  Turkey  a  man  may  have 


166  TALK    BETWEEN    BUADFOIID    AND    WILLERTON,    ETC. 

Mary,    chavity ;  but  in  England  I  could  not  yet  find  it.     I  was  condemned  for  my 

• faith,  so  soon  as  I  uttered  it  at  your  requests,  before  I  had  committed  any  thing 

A.  D.    against  the  laws.    And  as  for  conference,  I  am  not  afraid  to  talk  with  whom  ye 
will.     But  to  say  that  I  desire  to  confer,  that  do  I  not." 

Bonner : — "  Well,  well."     And  so  he  called  for  master  Taylor,  and  Bradford 
went  his  way. 


1555. 


ANOTHEE    PRIVATE    MATTER    OF  TALK   BETWEEN    MASTER  BRAD- 
FORD   AND    WILLERTON,    CRESWELL,    HARDING, 
HARPSFIELD,    AND    OTHERS. 

On  another  day  of  February,  one  master  Willerton,  chaplain  of 

the  bishop  of  London,  did  come  to  confer  with  Bradford ;  but  when 

he  perceived  that  Bradford  desired  not  his  coming,  and  therefore 

wished  rather  his  departing  than  abiding,  "  Well,  master  Bradford," 

quoth  he  ;  "  yet  I  pray  you  let  us  confer  a  little  :  perchance  you  may 

do  me  good,  if  I  can  do  you  none."  Upon  which  words  Bradford  was 

content,  and  so  they  began  to  talk.     Willerton  spake  much  of  the 

doctors,  the  fathers,  of  the  bread  in  John  vi.,  etc.,  labouring  to  prove 

transubstantiation,  and  that  wicked  men  do  receive  Christ. 

Willerton      But  Bradford,  on  the  contrary  part,  improved  his  authorities,  so 

hl"*^""'    that  they  came  to  this  issue,  that  Willerton  should  draw  out  of  the 

Bradfo^id"  Scriptures  and  doctors  his  reasons,  and  Bradford  would  peruse  them ; 

to  prove '  and  if  he  could  not  answer  them,  then  he  would  give  place.     Like- 

stantia-    wisc  also  should  Bradford  draw  out  his  reasons  out  of  the  Scriptures 

''""■        and  doctors,  to  which  Willerton  should  answer  if  he  could :  and  so 

for  that  day  they  departed. 

The  next  day  following  in  the  morning,  Willerton  sent  half  a  sheet 

of  paper  written  on  both  sides,  containing  no  reasons  how  he  gathered 

his  doctrine,  but  only  bare  sentences ;  Panis  quem  ego  dabo,  etc. 

The  bread  which  I  will  give  is  my  flesh  :  and  the  places  in  Matt,  xxvi., 

Mark  xiv.,  Luke  xxii.,  and  Cor.  x.  and  xi.,  with  some  sentences  of 

the  doctors,  all  which  made  as  much  against  him  as  with  him. 

Willerton      In  the  aftcmoon  he  came  himself,  and  there  they  had  a  long  talk 

asain  to    to  little  effect.     At  the  length  Willerton  began  to  talk  of  the  church, 

Bradford,  saying,  that  "  Bradford  swerved  from  the  church." 

Brad. : — "  No,  that  I  do  not,  but  ye  do.  For  the  church  is  Christ's  spouse, 
and  Christ's  obedient  spouse,  which  your  church  is  not,  which  robbeth  the  people 
of  the  Lord's  cup,  and  of  service  in  the  English  tongue." 

Willerton  : — "  Why?  It  is  not  profitable  to  have  the  service  in  English;  for 
it  is  written,  '  Labia  sacerdotis  custodiunt  legem  ;'  '  The  lips  of  the  priest  should 
keep  the  law,  and  out  of  his  mouth  man  must  look  for  knowledge.'  " 

Brad.: — "Should  not  the  people,  then,  have  the  Scriptures?  Wherefore 
serveth  this  saying  of  Christ,  '  Search  the  Scriptures.'  " 

Will. : — "  This  was  not  spoken  to  the  people,  but  to  the  scribes  and  learned 
men." 

Brad.: — "  Then  the  people  must  not  have  the  Scriptures?" 
Argu-  ?f«7/. ;— "  No,  for  it  is  written,  *  Erunt  docti  a  Deo;'  'They  shall  be  all 

"oo-   taught  of  God.'" 
jiirniiist       Brad. : — "  And  must  we  learn  all  at  the  priests?" 

not  have  Jf'Ul,  ; — «  Yea." 

tuK^!"''       i?ra</.  .•— "  Then  I  sec  you  would  bring  the  people  to  hang  up  Christ,  and  let 
Barabbas  go;  as  the  priests  did  then  persuade  the  people." 

At  which  words  master  Willerton  was  so  offended,  that  he  had  no 
1  list  to  talk  any  more.     In  the  end  Bradford  gave  him  the  reasons 


TALK    BETWEEN    BttADFORD    AND    CUESWEI.L,   ETC.  1  G7 

which  he  had  gathered  against  transubstantiation,  and  pravcd  him  to    Mary. 
frame  his  into  the  fonn   of  reasons,   "  and  then,""  quoth  Bradford,  ~7~T7~ 
"  I  will  answer  them."  '    jrjr,^' 

"  Well,  I  will  do  so,"  said  Willerton,  "  but  first  I  will  answer  — ^^^ 
yours."     The  which  thing  until  this  day  he  hath  not  done. 

On  the  12th  of  February,  there  came  one  of  the  earl  of  Dcrl)y*s  Thctari 
servants  to  Bradford,  saying,  "  INIy  lord  hath  sent  me  to  you :  he  t^^a.* 
willeth  you  to  tender  yourself,  and  he  will  be  a  good  lord  to  vou." 

Brad.  : — "  I  thank  his  lordship  for  liis  good  will  towards  me :  but  in  this 
case  I  cannot  tender  myself  more  than  God's  honour." 

Servant : — "  Ah,  master  Bradford !  consider  your  mother,  sisters,  friends, 
kinsfolk,  and  country;  what  a  great  discomfort  will  it  be  unto  them  to  see  you 
die  as  a  heretic !" 

Brad. : — "  I  have  learned  to  forsake  father,  mother,  brother,  sister,  friend, 
and  all  that  ever  I  have,  yea,  even  mine  own  self;  for  else  I  cannot  be  Christ's 
disciple." 

Serv. : — "  If  my  lord  should  obtain  for  you  that  ye  might  depart  the  realm, 
would  you  not  be  content  to  be  at  the  queen's  appointment,  where  she  would 
appoint  you  beyond  the  sea." 

Brad. : — "  No,  I  had  rather  be  burned  in  England,  than  be  burned  beyond 
the  seas.  For  I  know  that  if  she  should  send  me  to  Paris,  Louvain,  or  some 
such  place,  forthwith  they  woidd  bum  me." 


TALK    BETWEEN    MASTER    BRADFORD    AXD    ONE     PERCIVAL    CRES- 
WELL  ;    AND    AFTER    THAT    WITH    DR.  HARDING. 

Upon  the  14th  of  February,  Percival  Creswcll,  an  old  acquaintance 
of  Bradford's,  came  to  him,  bringing  with  him  a  kinsman  of  master 
Fecknam's,  who  after  many  words,  said, 

Creswell : — "  I  pray  you  let  me  make  labour  for  you." 

Bradford : — "  You  may  do  what  ye  will." 

Cres. : — "  But  tell  me  what  suit  I  should  make  for  you."  Creswell 

Brad.  : — "  Forsooth  that  ye  will  do,  do  it  not  at  my  request,  for  I  desire  ln'^,Ki*i!*e 
nothing  at  your  hands.     If  the  queen  will  give  me  life,  I  will  thank  her.     If  suit  loV 
she  will  banish  me,  I  will  thank  her.     If  she  will  burn  me,  I  will  thank  her.  l*'^'""'"''!- 
If  she  will  condemn  me  to  perpetual  prisonment,  I  will  thank  her." 

Hereupon  Creswcll  went  away,  and  about  eleven  of  the  clock  he  and  Mon's 
the  other  man  came  again,  and  brought  a  book  of  More's  making,  IJ"ou,,i,t. 
desiring  Bradford  to  read  it  over.     Bradford  taking  the  book,  said  : 

Brad.  : — "  Good  Percival,  I  am  settled  for  being  moved  in  this  article." 

Cres.  ;— "  Oh!  if  ever  ye  loved  me,  do  one  thing  for  me." 

Brad. ;— "  What  is  it  ?" 

Cres. : — "  Desire  and  name  what  learned  man  or  men  yc  will  have  to  come 
imto  you :  my  lord  of  York,  my  lord  of  Lincoln,  my  lord  of  Bath,  and  others 
will  gladly  come  unto  you." 

Brad. : — "  No,  never  will  I  desire  them,  or  any  other,  to  come  to  confer  with 
me ;  for  I  am  as  certain  of  my  doctrine  as  I  am  of  any  thing.  But  for  your 
pleasure,  and  also  that  all  men  may  know  I  am  not  ashamed  to  have  my  faith 
sifted  and  tried,  bring  whom  ye  will,  and  I  will  talk  with  them." 


H.inlii 


So  they  went  their  way.     About  three  of  the  clock  in  the  after- ^ 

noon,  master  doctor  Harding,  who  was  the  bishop  of  Lincoln's  chujv  J',',"i','r'''i. 
lain,  came  to  Bradford,  and  after  a  great  and  solemn   protestation,  fore- 
showing how  that  he  had  prayed  to  God,  before  he  camo,  to  turn  his 
talk  to  Bradford's  good,  he  began  to  tell  of  the  good  opinion  he  had 


168 


TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFORD    AND    HARPSFIELD. 


^"''y-  of  Bradford ;  and  spent  tlie  time  in  such  tattling,  so  that  their  talk 
A.D.  ^^^  to  little  purpose,  save  that  Bradford  prayed  him  to  consider 
1555.  from  whence  he  was  fallen,  and  not  to  follow  the  world,  nor  to  love 
it ;  for  the  love  of  God  is  not  where  the  world  is.  But  Harding 
counted  Bradford  in  a  damnable  estate,  as  one  being  out  of  the 
church ;  and  therefore  Avilled  him  to  take  heed  of  his  soul,  and  not 
to  die  in  such  an  opinion. 

"  What,  master  Harding!"  quoth  Bradford,  "  I  have  heard  you,  with  these 
ears,  maintain  this  that  I  stand  in," 

_  Harding : — "  I  grant  that  I  have  taught  that  the  doctrine  of  transubstan- 
tiatiou  was  a  subtle  doctrine ;  but  otherwise  I  never  taught  it." 

agains"^       A^^^  ^°  ^^^'  inveighing  against  marriages  of  priests,  and  namely 
Peter       against  Peter  Martyr,  Martin  Bucer,   Luther,  and  such,  which  for 
breaking  their  vows  were  justly  given  up  into  heresies  (as  he  said). 
Bradford  seeing  him  altogether  given  up  to  popery,  after  admonish- 
ment thereof,  bade  him  farewell. 


Martyr, 
Bucer, 
and  Lu- 
ther. 


Felicity 
coveted 
of  all 
men,  but 
the  way 
to  felicity 


TALK    BETWEEN    DR.  HARPSFIELD,    ARCHDEACON,    AND 
MASTER    BRADFORD. 

On

~1,154 words

so  is  the  church  known." 

//«r/w. .- — "  I  do  not  come  to  reason  at  this  present,  and  therefore  I  will  go  Multi- 
on  forward.     Is  not  this  church  a  multitude ?"  \ht\"rL 

Brad. ; — "  Yes,  that  it  is.     Howbeit,  '  Latet  anguis  in  hcrba,'  as  the  proverb  ^^.^  ,„ 
is;  for  in  your  question  is  a  subtlety.     What  visible  multiHide  was  there  in  knowtho 
El'ias's  time,  or  when  Moses  was  on  the  mount,  Aaron  and  all  Israel  worship-  church, 
ping  the  calf?" 

Harps. : — "  Ye  divert  from  the  matter." 

Brad. .— "  No,  nothing  at  all.     For  I  do  prevent  you,  knowing  well  where  Harps 
about  you  go.     And  therefore  fewer  words  might  well  serve,  if  that  you  so  ^f^',  PJ^J, 
would."  ,         ,.   ,  .      h>'*P"^- 

Harps.  :—"  Well,  I  perceive  you  have  knowledge,  and  by  a  little  perceive  pose. 
I  the  more.     Tell  me  yet  more,  whether  this  multitude  have  not  the  ministry 
or  preaching  of  God's  w'ord?" 

Brad. .— "  Sir,  ye  go  about  the  bush.  If  ye  understand  preaching  for  con- 
fessing of  the  gospel,  I  will  go  with  you  :  for  else,  if  you  will,  you  may  know 
that  persecution  often  letteth  preaching."  ' 

ffarjjs.  .— "  Well,  I  mean  it  so.  Tell  me  yet  more  :  hath  it  not  the  sacra- 
ments administered?"  ,    .   .         .         r    i. 

Brad.  .•— -"  It  hath  the  sacraments,  howbeit  the  administration  of  them  is 
often  letted.2  But  I  will  put  you  from  your  purpose,  because  I  see  where  about 
you  go.  If  heretics  have  baptism,  and  do  baptize,  as  they  did  in  St.  Cyprian  s 
time,  you  know  this  baptism  is  baptism,  and  not  to  be  reiterate." 

This,  Bradford  did  speak,  that  the  standcrs-by  might  see,  that 
though  the  papists'  church  have  baptism  which  we  have  received  of 
them,  yet  therefore  it  is  not  the  true  church,  neither  need  wc  to  be 
baptized  again. 

Harps.  .—"You  go  far  from  the  matter,  and  I  perceive  you  have  more  errors 
than  one."  ,     .„  . 

Brad. :—"  So  you  say  ;  but  that  is  not  enough  tdl  you  prove  them. 
Harps. .— "  Well,  this  church  is  a  multitude.'     Hath  it  not  the  preachmg  ol 
(1)  Preaching  of  the  gospel  goeth  ever  with  the  church,  unless  it  be  interrupted  sometimes  by 

^'m  Administration  of  sacraments  is  one  note,  but  not  the  '^''f  «V°/ 'i'«,,\;"';^^"'^'Vema?n^'' X 
such  a  note,  but  that  it  may  often  be  letted  by  persecution  and  yet  the  'f"^,^"'^^ ',•"''/'"•„  .[^^ 
pope's  church  hath  baptism  and  sacraments  admm.stered:  ergo,  the  pope  s  church  is  the  true 
church      The  ar<niment  failrth      "  A  causa  non  suniciente,  vel  non  causa,  ut  causa.  _ 

'',37  a  popish  dfr.rction  of  .he  church  to  be  a  mul.lrude,  having  preaching  of  the  gospel,  mm.- 
stration  of  the  sacraments,  power  of  jurisdiction,  and  succession  of  bishops. 


170  TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFORD    AND    HARPSFIELD. 


A.D, 

1555 


Mary,     the  gospel,  and  the  ministration  of  the  sacraments  ?     And,  yet  more,  hath  it  not 
the  power  of  jurisdiction?" 

Brad. .- — "  What  jm-isdiction  is  exercised  in  persecution  and  affliction  ?" 
Harps. : — "  I  mean  by  jurisdiction,  admonishing  one  another,  and  so  forth." 
Brad. : — "  Well,  go  to  ;  what  then  ?" 
Harps. : — "  It  hath  also  succession  of  bishops."  * 

And  here  Harpsfield  made  mucli  ado  to  prove  that  this  Avas  an 
essential  point. 

Brad. : — "  You  say  as  you  would  have  it ;  for  if  this  part  fail  you,  all  the 
church  that  you  go  about  to  set  up,  will  fall  down.  You  shall  not  find  in  all 
the  Scripture  this  your  essential  part  of  succession  of  bishops.  In  Christ's 
church  antichrist  will  sit.  And  Peter  telleth  us,  as  it  went  in  the  old  church, 
afore  Christ's  coming,  so  will  it  be  in  the  new  church  since  Christ's  coming  : 
that  is,  as  there  were  false  prophets,  and  such  as  bear  rule  were  adversaries  to 
tlie  true  prophets,  so  shall  there  be  (saith  he)  false  teachers,  even  of  such  as  are 
bishops,  and  bear  rule  amongst  the  people." 

Harps.: — "You  go  always  out  of  the  matter:  but  1  will  prove  further  the 
succession  of  bishops." 
Brad.: — "  Do  so." 
Apostles        Harps. : — "  Tell  me,  were  not  the  apostles  bishops  ?" 

bishops,         Brad. : — "  No,  except  you  will  make  a  new  definition  of  a  bishop :  that  is, 
be  sundry  give  liim  no  certain  place." 

offices.  Harps.  : — "  Indeed,  the  apostles'  office  was  not  the  bishops'  office,  for  it 

was  universal;  but  yet  Christ  instituted  bishops  in  his  clmrch,  as  Paul  saith, 
'  he  hath  given  pastors,  prophets,'  etc.,  so  that  I  trow  it  be  proved  by  the  Scrip- 
tures the  succession  of  bishops  to  be  an  essential  point." 

Brad. : — "  The  ministry  of  God's  word  and  ministers  be  an  essential  point. 
But  to  translate  this  to  the  bishops  and  their  succession,  is  a  plain  subtlety  : 
and  therefore  that  it  may  be  plain,  I  will  ask  you  a  question.  Tell  me,  whether 
that  the  Scripture  knew  any  difference  between  bishops  and  ministers,  which 
ye  called  priests?"  « 
Harps. : — "  No." 

Brad. .- — "  Well,  then,  go  on  forwards,  and  let  us  see  what  ye  shall  get  now 

by  the  succession  of  bishops  :  that  is,  of  ministers,  which  cannot  be  understood 

of  such  bishops  as  minister  not,  but  lord  it." 

The  as-  Harps. : — "  I  perceive  that  you  are  far  out  of  the  way.     By  your  doctrine 

descen"  of  ^^^  ^^^  never  show  in  your  church,  a  multitude  which  ministereth  God's  word 

succes-      and  his  sacraments,  which  hath  jurisdiction  and  succession  of  bishojis,  which 

sioii  of      hath  from  time  to  time  believed  as  you  believe,  beginning  now,  and  so  going 

pilests.     upwards,  as  I  will  do  of  our  doctrine ;  and  therefore  are  ye  out  of  the  church, 

and  so  cannot  be  saved.     Perchance  you  will  bring  me  downwards  a  show  to 

blear  people's  eyes  ;  but  to  go  upwards,  that  you  can  never  do,  and  this  is  the 

true  trial." 

Brad. : — "  Ye  must  and  will,  I  am  assured,  give  me  leave  to  follow  the 
Scriptures,  and  examples  of  good  men." 
Harjjs. : — *'  Yea." 

Brad. : — "  Well,  then,  Stephen  was  accused  and  condemned,  as  I  am,  that 
he  had  taught  new  and  false  doctrine,  before  the  fathers  of  the  church  then,  as 
they  were  taken.  Stephen  for  his  purgation  improveth'  their  accusation.  But 
how  ?  doth  he  it  by  going  upwards?  No,  but  by  coming  downwards,  beginning 
at  Abraham,  and  continuing  still  till  Esaias's  time,  and  the  people's  captivitj'. 
From  whence  he  maketh  a  great  leap  until  the  time  he  was  in,  which  was 
(I  think)  upon  four  hundred  years,  and  called  them  by  their  right  names, 
hell-hounds,  rather  than  heaven-hounds.  On  this  sort  will  I  prove  my  faith, 
and  that  can  you  never  do  yours." 

(1)  Succession  of  bishops  is  no  essential  part  of  the  church,  but  rather  "accidens  commune  :" 
■which  being  interrupted,  yet  the  church  may  stand  as  it  did  both  before  Christ's  coming,  and  after 
at  the  coming  of  antichrist. 

(2)  The  ministry  of  God's  word  and  ministers,  be  an  essential  point  of  the  true  church ;  but  not 
the  local  succession  of  ministers  in  one  certain  place. 

(3)  "  Improveth,"  i.  e.  refutes.  See  Tyndale's  works,  Edit.  Russel,  Vol.  i.  p,  503;  Nare's  Glos- 
sary.—Eo. 


TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFORD    AND    IIARPSFIELD.  171 

Harps.: — "  Yea  sir,  if  we  did  know

~749 words

of  February  in  the  morning,  the  archdeacon,  and 
the  other  two  with  him,  came  again,  and,  after  a  few  by-words 
spoken,  they  sat  down. 

Master  archdeacon  Harpsfield  began  a  very  long  oration,   first  Harps- 
repeating  what  they  had  said,  and  how  far  they  had  gone  overnight ;  ^^^^^ 
and  therewith  did  begin  to  prove  upwards  succession  of  bishops  here  provciii 
in  England  for  eight  hundred  years  :  in  France  at  Lyons  for  twelve  church  hy 
hundred  years  :  in  Spain  at  Seville  for  eight  hundred  years  :  in  Italy  sloTof 
at  Milan  for  twelve  hundred  years,  labouring  by  this  to  prove  his  ''^su^^^ 
clmrch.   He  used  also  succession  of  bishops  in  the  East  church  for  the 
more  confirmation  of  his  words,  and  so  concluded  with  an  exhortation 
and  an  interrogation :  the  exhortation,  that  Bradford  would  obey  this 
church  ;  the  interrogation,  whether  Bradford  could  show  any  such 
succession  for  the  demonstration  of  his  church  (for  so  he  called  it) 
which   followed.     Unto  this  his  long  oration,   Bradford  made  this 
short  answer : 


Brad.: — "  My  memory  is  evil,  so  that  I  cannot  answer  particularly  your  Brad- 
oration.     Therefore  I  will  generally  do  it,  thinking  because  your  oration   is  g"^,"',^^,^ 
rather  to  persuade  than  to  prove,  that  a  small  answer  will  serve.     If  Christ  or  ^^^,^\^.,^^^ 
his  apostles,  being  here  on  earth,  had  been  required  by  the  prelates  of  the  church  dcscii.tof 
then,  to  have  made  a  demonstration  of  that  church  by  succession  of  such  high  '"!^"'^;'[" 
priests  as  had  approved  the  doctrine  which  he  taught,  1  think  that  Christ  would  "oVthu' 
have  done  as  I  do  :  that  is,  have  alleged  that  which  upholdeth  the  church,  even  true 
the  verity,  the  word  of  God  taught  and  believed,  not  by  the  high  priests,  which  {',',',',",'jIV 
of  long  time  had  persecuted  it,  but  by  the  prophets  and  other  good  simple  men  truth  of 
which  perchance  were  counted  for  heretics  of  the  church  :  which  church  was  Godjs 
not  tied  to  succession,  but  to  the  word  of  God.     And  this  to  think  St.  Peter  ,",aketh 
giveth  me  occasion,  when  he  saith,  that  as  it  went  in  the  church  before  Christ's  true  mi- 
coming,  so  shall  it  go  in  the  church  after  his  coming  :  but  then  the  pillars  of  the  "'"'"s. 
church  were  persecutors  of  the  church ;  therefore  the  like  we  must  look  for  now." 

Harps. : — "  I  can  gather  and  prove  succession  in  Jerusalem  of  the  high 
priests  from  Aaron's  time." 

(I)  The  papists  cliallcnpc  to  tlicni  the  true  church,  even  as  the  mother  of  the  dead  child  dial- 
Iciiged  the  living  child  from  the  true  molhur    1  Kings  iii. 


172 


A.D. 
1555. 

The  Jews 
corrupt 
the  law, 
as  the 
papists 
do  the 
Scrip- 
tures. 
Compari- 
son be- 
tween 
the  old 
Pharisees 
and  our 
new 
papists. 


Free  to 
believe 
or  not  to 
believe 
transub- 
stantia- 
tionmany 
hundred 
years  af- 
ter Christ. 


Christ  not 
included 
really  in 
the  sacra- 
ment. 
Christ's 
body  pre- 
sent to 
the  faith 
of  the  re- 
ceiver. 


TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFORD    AND    HARPSFIELD. 

Brad.: — I  grant,  but  not  such  succession  as  allowed  the  truth."' 

Harps. : — "  Why!  did  they  not  allow  Moses's  law?" 

Brad. .- — "  Yes,  and  keep  it,  as  touching  the  books  thereof;  as  you  do  the 
Bible,  and  holy  Scriptures.  But  the  true  interpretation  and  meaning  of  it  they 
did  cormpt,  as  you  have  done  and  do ;  and  therefore  the  persecution  which  they 
stirred  up  against  the  prophets  and  Christ,  was  not  for  the  law,  but  for  the  inter- 
pretation of  it :  for  they  taught  as  you  do  now,  that  we  must  fetch  the  interpre- 
tation of  the  Scriptures  at  your  hands.  But  to  make  an  end,  death  I  look  daily 
for,  yea  hourly,  and  I  think  my  time  be  but  very  short.  Therefore  I  had 
need  to  spend  as  much  time  with  God  as  I  can,  whilst  I  have  it,  for  his  help 
and  comfort ;  and  therefore  I  pray  you  bear  with  me,  that  I  do  not  now  parti- 
cularly, and  in  more  words,  answer  your  long  talk.  If  I  saw  death  not  so  near 
me  as  it  is,  I  would  then  weigh  every  piece  of  your  oration,  if  you  would  give 
me  the  sum  of  it,  and  I  would  answer  accordingly ;  but  because  I  dare  not,  nor 
I  will  not,  leave  oiF  looking  and  preparing  for  that  which  is  at  hand,  I  shall 
desire  you  to  hold  me  excused,  because  I  do  as  I  do ;  and  heartily  thank  you 
for  your  gentle  good  will.  I  shall  heartily  pray  God  our  Father  to  give  you 
the  same  light  and  life  I  do  wish  to  myself." 

And  so  Bradford  began  to  rise  up.  But  then  began  master  arch- 
deacon to  tell  him  that  he  was  in

~966 words

I  am  in  the  truth." 

Harps. :—"  That  are  ye  not;  for  you  are  out  of  the  catholic  church." 

Brad. : — "  No,  though  you  have  excommunicated  me  out  of  your  church,  yet 
am  I  in  the  catholic  church  of  Christ,  and  am,  and  by  God's  grace  shall  be,  a 
child,  and  an  obedient  child,  of  it  for  ever :  I  hope  Christ  will  have  no  less  care 
for  me,  than  he  had  for  the  blind  man  excommunicated  of  the  synagogue.  And 
further,  I  am  sure  that  the  necessary  articles  of  the  faith,  I  mean  the  twelve 
articles  of  the  Creed,  I  confess  and  believe  with  that  which  you  call  the  holy 
church,  so  that  even  your  church  hath  taken  something  too  much  upon  her  to 
excomiuunicate  me  for  that,  which,  by  the  testimony  of  my  lord  of  Durham  in 
the  book  of  the  sacrament  lately  put  forth,  was  free  many  a  hundred  years  after 
Christ,  for  us  to  believe  or  not  believe." 

Harps. : — "  What  is  that?" 

Brad. : — "Transubstantiation." 

Harps.  :■ — "  Why :  ye  are  not  condemned  therefore  only." 

Brad. : — "  For  that,  and  because  I  deny  that  wicked  men  do  i-eceive  Christ's 
body." 

Harps.  :—"  You  agree  not  with  us  in  the  presence,  nor  in  any  thing  else." 

Brad. : — "  How  you  believe  you  know  :  for  my  part  I  confess  a  presence  of 
whole  Christ,  God  and  man,  to  the  faith  of  the  receiver." 

Harps. : — ■"  Nay,  you  must  believe  a  real  presence  in  the  sacrament." 

Brad. : — "  In  the  sacrament?  Nay,  I  will  not  shut  him  in,  nor  tie  him  to 
it  otherwise  than  faith  seeth  and  perceiveth.  If  I  should  include  Christ  really 
present  in  the  sacrament,  or  tie  him  to  it  otherwise  than  to  the  faith  of  the 
receiver,  then  the  wicked  men  should  receive  him,  which  I  do  not,  nor  will  by 
God's  grace  believe." 

Harps. : — "  More  pity  ;  but  a  man  may  easily  perceive,  you  make  no  pre- 
sence at  all,  and  therefore  you  agree  not  therein  with  us." 

(1)  The  true  succession  of  priests,  and  the  succession  of  true  priests,  are  two  things. 

(2)  Bold  conlidcnpc  and  hope  of  God's  word  and  promise,  seem  strange  among  them  which  are 
not  exercised  In  mortific.ition. 


TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFORD    AND    HARPSFIELD.  1"J3 

Brad. : — "  I  confess  a  presence,  and  a  true  presence  but  to  the  faith   of  the    Mary. 
receiver." 


What,"  quoth  one  that  stood  by,  "  of  Christ's  very  body  which  died  for  us  ?"    ^-  ^^• 

Brad. : — "  Yea,  even  of  whole  Christ  God  and  man,  to  feed  the  faith  of  him    ^^^^- 
that  receiveth  it." 

Harps.: — '*  Why?  This  is  nothing  else  but  to  exclude  the  omnipotency  of 
God,'  and  all  kind  of  miracle  in  the  sacrament." 

Brad.: — "  I  do  not  exclude  his  omnipotency,  but  you  do  it  rather;  for  I 
believe  that  Christ  can  accomplish  his  promise,  the  substance  of  bread  and 
wine  being  there,  as  well  as  the  accidents,  which  you  believe  not.  When  we 
come  to  the  sacrament,  we  come  not  to  feed  our  bodies,  and  therefore  we  have 
but  a  little  piece  of  bread ;  but  we  come  to  feed  our  souls  with  Christ  by  faith, 
which  the  wicked  do  want,  and  therefore  they  receive  nothing  but  panem 
domini,  as  Judas  did,  and  not  panem  dominum,  as  the  other  apostles  did." 

Harps. : — "  The  wicked  do  receive  the  very  body  of  Christ,  but  not  the  grace 
of  his  body." 

Brad. : — "  They  receive  not  the  body,'^  for  Christ's  body  is  no  dead  carcase  : 
he  that  receiveth  it,  receiveth  the  Spirit,  which  is  not  without  grace,  I  trow." 

Harps. : — "  Well,  you  have  many  eiTors.  You  count  the  mass  for  abomina- 
tion, and  yat  St.  Ambrose  said  mass;"  and  so  he  read,  out  of  a  book  written,  a 
sentence  of  St.  Ambrose  to  prove  it. 

Brad. : — "  Why  sir?  the  mass  as  it  is  now,  was  nothing  so  in  St.  Ambrose's 
time.3  Was  not  the  most  part  of  the  canon  made  since  by  Gregory  and 
Scholasticus  ?" 

Harps. : — "  Indeed  a  great  piece  of  it  was  made  (as  ye  say)  by  Gregory  : 
but  Scholasticus  was  before  St.  Ambrose's  time." 

Brad. : — "  I  ween  not :  howbeit  I  will  not  contend.  St.  Gregory  saith,  that 
the  apostles  said  mass  without  the  canon,  only  with  the  Lord's  Prayer." 

Harps. : — "  You  say  true  :  for  the  canon  is  not  the  greatest  part  of  the  mass, 
the  greatest  part  is  the  sacrifice,  elevation,  transubstantiation,  and  adoration." 

Brad. : — "  I  can  away  with  none  of  those." 

Harps. : — "  No,  I  think  the  same:  but  yet  '  hoc  facite,'  telleth  plainly  the 
sacrifice  of  the  church." 

Brad. : — "  You  confound  sacrifices,  not  discerning  betwixt  the  sacrifice  of  the  sacrifice 
church,  and  for  the  church.     The  sacrifice  of  the  church  is  no  propitiatory  "[^^^^ 
sacrifice,  but  a  gratulatory  sacrifice ;  and  as  for  '  hoc  facite,'  is  not  referred  to  sacrifice 
any  sacrificing,  but  to  the  whole  action  of  taking,  eating,"  etc.  for  the 

Harps. .— "  You  speak  not  learnedly  now :  for  Christ  made  his  supper  only  =^"^«^"- 
to  the  twelve  apostles,  not  admitting  his  mother  or  anv  of  the  seventy  disciples 
to  it.     Now  the  apostles  do  signify  the  priests."* 

Brad. : — "  I  think  that  you  speak  as  you  would  men  should  understand  it : 
for  else  you  would  not  keep  the  cup  away  from  the  laity.  We  have  great  cause 
to  thank  you,  that  you  will  give  us  of  your  bread  :  for  I  perceive  you  order  the 
matter  so  as  though  Christ  had  not  commanded  it  to  his  whole  church." 

Then  Harpsfield  would  have  proved  elevation  by  a  place  of  Basil.* 

JSrad. .— "  I  have  read  the  place,  which  seemeth  to  make  nothing  for  eleva- 
tion :  but  be  it  as  it  is,  this  is  no  time  for  me  to  scan  the  doubtful  places  of 
the  doctors  with  you.  I  have  been  in  prison  long  without  books  and  all  neces- 
saries for  study,  and  now  death  draweth  nigh,  and  I,  by  your  leave,  must  now 
leave  off,  to  prepare  for  him." 

Harps

~1,130 words

same  Spirit  which  wrote  and  spake  them." 

York : — "  You  know,  in  the  apostles'  time,  at  the  first,  the  word  was  not 
written." 
Although  Brad.  : — "  True,  if  you  mean  it  for  some  books  of  the  New  Testament :  but 
aposUes'  ^^^^  ^°^  ^^^^  ^^^  Testament  Peter  telleth  us,  '  Firmiorem  sermonem  propheticum 
timecer-  habemus,'  '  We  have  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy  :'  not  that  it  is  simply  so, 
tain  books  but  in  respect  of  the  apostles,  who,  being  alive  and  compassed  with  infirmity, 
NcwTes-  attributed  to  the  word  written  more  firmity,  as  wherewith  no  fault  could  be 
tament  found;  whereas  for  the  infirmity  of  their  persons  men  perchance  might  liave 
writte'i'i"'  f"pn<^  some  fault  at  their  preaching :  albeit  in  very  deed  no  less  obedience  and 
yet  the'  faith  ought  to  have  been  given  to  the  one,  than  to  the  other ;  for  all  proceedeth 
apostles     forth  of  one  Spirit  of  truth." 

^\"d  fir-  York : — "  That  place  of  Peter  is  not  so  to  be  understood  of  the  word  written." 

mlorem         Brad. : — "  Yea  sir,  that  it  is,  and  of  none  other." 

nenTpro-       f^^ichester : — "  Yea,  indeed  master  Bradford  doth  tell   you   truly  in  that 
phetl-        point." 

cum."  York: — "  Well,  you  know  that  IrenaDus  and  others  do  magnify  much,  and 

allege  the  church  against  the  heretics,  and  not  the  Scrii)ture." 


TALK   BETWEEN  BRADFORD,  AXD  YORK,   AND    CIIICHKSTER.  Ill 

ifarg. 


Brad.  : — "True,  for  they  had  to  do  with  such  heretics  as  did  deny  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  yet  did  magnify  the  apostles;  so  that  they  wore  enforced  to  use  the 
authority  of  those  churches  wherein  the  apostles  had  taught,  and  which  had    \P/ 
still  retained  the  same  doctrine."  \5:)r>. 

Chick. : — "  You  speak  the  very  truth ;  for  the  heretics  did  refuse  all  Scrip-  The  au- 
tures,  except  it  were  a  piece  of  Luke's  gospel."  ttiority  of 

Brad. : — "  Then  the  alleging  of  the  church  cannot  be  principally  used  against  cimrch 
me,  which  am  so  far  from  denying  of  the  Scriptures,  that  I  appeal  unto  them  aiicK'td 
utterly,  as  to  the  only  judge."  ^«^;';?|^ 

York: — "  A  pretty  matter,  that  you  will  take  upon  you  to  judge  the  church  :  To  judge 
I  pray  you  where  hath  your  church  been  hitherto  ?  for  the  church  of  Christ  is  *''« 
catholic  and  visible  hitherto."  '^''"''''''• 

Brad. : — "  My  lord,  I  do  not  judge  the  church,  when  I  discern  it  from  that  The 
congregation,  and  those  which  be  not  the  church ;  and  I  never  denied  the  '^•"""■h  's 
church  to  be  catholic  and  visible,  although  at  sometimes  it  is  more  visible  than  and'yill- 
at  some."  ble,  &c. 

Chich. : — "  I  pray  you  tell  me  where  the  church  which  allowed  your  doc- 
trine, was,  these  four  hundred  ye.irs?" 

Brad. : — I  will  tell  you,  my  lord,  or  rather  you  shall  tell  yourself,  if  you  will 
tell  me  this  one  thing :  where  the  church  was  in  Elias's  time,  when  Elias  said, 
that  he  was  left  alone?" 

Chich. : — "  That  is  no  answer." 

Brad. : — "  I  am  sorry  that  you  say  so :  but  this  will  I  tell  your  lordship,  The  true 
that  if  you  had  the  same  eyes  wherewith  a  man  might  have  espied  the  church  «^'.>vchis 
then,  you  would  not  say  it  were  no  answer.     The  fault  why  the  church  is  not  VnA  ever 
seen  of  you,  is  not  because  the  church  is  not  visible,  but  because  your  eyes  are  hath 
not  clear  enough  to  see  it."  ^ew^r'  *"" 

Chich. : — "  You  are  much  deceived  in  making  this  collation  betwixt  the  manhiith 
church  then  and  now."  "»'  *'>V^ 

Yorf{ : — "  Very  well  spoken,  my  lord ;  for  Christ  said,  '  Edificabo  ecclesiam,'  "  ^^^  "' 
'  I  will  build  my  church  ;'  and  not '  I  do,  or  have  built  it ;'  but,  '  I  will  build  it.'  " 

Brad. : — "  My  lords,  Peter  teacheth  me  to  make  this  collation,  saying,  as  in  The 
the  people  there  were  false  prophets,   which  were  most  in  estimation  afore  ^ishops 
Christ's  coming,  so  shall  there  he  false  teachers  amongst  the  people  after  Christ's  anlncon- 
coming ;  and  very  many  shall  follow  them.     And  as  for  your  future   tense,  I  venience. 
hope  your  grace  will  not  thereby  conclude  Christ's  church  not  to  have  been 
before,  but  rather  that  there  is  no  building  in  the  church  but  by  Christ's  work 
only :  for  Paul  and  Apollos  be  but  waterers." 

Chich. : — "  In  good  faith  I  am  sorry  to  see  you  so  light  in  judging  the 
church." 

York : — "  He  taketh  upon  him,  as  they  all  do,  to  judge  the  church.  A  man 
shall  never  come  to  certainty  that  doth  as  they  do." 

Brad. : — "  My  lords,  I  speak  simply  what  I  think,  and  desire  reason  to  answer  Bradford 
my  objections.     Your  affections  and  sorrows  cannot  be  my  rules.     If  that  you  fondemn- 
consider  tlie  order  and  case  of  my  condemnation,  I  cannot  think  but  that  it  outlust' 
should  something  move  your  honours.    You  know  it  well  enough  (for  you  heard  cause,  but 
it),  no  matter  was  laid  against  me,  but  what  was  gathered  upon  mine  own  con-  ^j^J^cdf^ 
fession.     Because   I  did  deny  transubstantiation,  and  the  wicked  to  receive  his  judj;- 
Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament,  therefore  I  was  condemned  and  excommuni-  ""ent 
cated,  but  not  of  the  church,  although  the  pillars  of  the  church   (as  they  be  hh""'"' 
taken)  did  it." 

Chich.  : — "  No;  I  heard  say  the  cause  of  your  imprisonment  was,  for  that 
you  exhorted  the  people  to  take  the  sword  in  the  one  hand,  and  the  mattock 
in  the  other." 

Brad. : — "  My  lord,  I  never  meant  any  such  thing,  nor  spake  any  thing  in  False  sur- 
that  sort."  ""'"'■ 

York : — "  Yea,  and  you  behaved  yourself  before  the  council  so  stoutly  at  the 
first,  that  you  would  defend  the  religion  then ;  and  therefore  worthily  were  you 
prisoned." 

Brad. : — "  Your  grace  did  hear  me  answer  my  lord  chancellor  to  that  point. 
But  put  case  I  had  been  so  stout  as  they  and  your  grace  make  it :  were  not  the 
laws  of  tlie  realm  on  my  side  then?  Wherefore  unjustly  was  I  prisoned :  only 
that  which  my  lord  chancellor  propounded,   was  my  confession  of  Christ's 


176  TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFORD,    AND    YORK,    AND    CHICHESTER. 

Mary,  truth  against  transubstantiation,  and  of  that  which  the  wicked  do  receive,  as 

.    y^  I  said." 

,  ,",k'         York  : — "  You  deny  the  presence." 

^^^^'        Brad. : — "  I  do  not,  to  the  faith  of  the  worthy  receivers." 
The  pre-        York : — "  Why  !  what  is  that  to  say  other  than  that  Christ  Heth  not  on  the 

sencepf  altar?" 

bodTto  Brad. : — "  My  lord,  I  beheve  no  such  presence." 

the  faith        Chick. : — "  It  seemeth  that  you  have  not  read  Chrysostome,  for  he  proveth  it." 
worthy  Brad. : — "  Hitherto  I  have  been  kept  well  enough  without  books  :  howbeit 

receiver,  this  I  do  remember  of  Chrysostome,  that  he  saith,  that  Christ  lieth  upon  the 

H>-per-  altar,  as  the  seraphim  with  their  tongs  touch  our  lips  with  the  coals  of  the  altar 

boiical  jjj  heaven,  which  is  a  hyperbolical  locution,  of  which  you  know  Chrysostome  is 

phrase  of  />  n  >> 

Chrysos-  lUl'- 

tome.  York

~680 words

excommunication,  at  length  Bradford 
said: 

"  Assuredly  as  I  think  you  did  well  to  depart  from  the  Romish  church,  so  I 
think  ye  have  done  wickedly  to  couple  yourselves  to  it  again  ;  for  you  can  never 
prove  it,  which  you  call  the  mother  church,  to  be  Christ's  church." 

Chick. : — "  Ah,  master  Bradford !  you  were  but  a  child  when  this  matter 
began.     I  was  a  young  man,  and  then  coming  from  the  university,  I  went 
with  the  world :  but,  I  tell  you,  it  was  always  against  my  conscience." 
The  pope       Brad. : — "  I  was  but  a  child  then,  howbeit,  as  I  told  you,  I  think  you  have 
proved  to  done  evil :  for  ye  are  come,  and  have  brought  others,  to  that  wicked  man  which 
Christ  by    sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  that  is,  in  the  church  ;  for  it  cannot  be  understood 
Scripture,  of  Mahomet,  or  any  out  of  the  church,  but  of  such  as  bear  rule  in  the  church." 
York : — "  See  how  you  build  your  faith  upon  such  places  of  Scripture  as  are 
most  obscure,  to  deceive  yourself,  as  though  ye  were  in  the  church,  where  you 
are  not." 
Transub-       Brad. : — "  Well,  my  lord,  though  I  might  by  fruits  judge  of  you  and  others, 
stantia-     ygt  ^[\\  J  jjot  utterly  exclude  you  out  of  the  church.     And  if  I  were  in  your  case, 
I  would  not  condemn  him  utterly  that  is  of  my  faith  in  the  sacrament ;  know- 
ing as  you  know,  that  at  the  least  eight  hundred  years  after  Christ,  as  my  lord 
of  Durham  writeth,  it  was  free  to  believe  or  not  to  believe  transubstantiation." 

York  : — "  This  is  a  toy  that  you  have  found  out  of  your  own  brain ;  as  though 
a  man  not  believing  as  the  church  doth  (that  is,  transubstantiation),  were  of  the 
church." 

Chick. : — "  He  is  a  heretic,  and  so  none  of  the  church,  that  doth  hold  any 
doctrine  against  the  definition  of  the  church ;  as  a  man  to  hold  against  tran- 
substantiation.' Cyprian  was  no  heretic,  though  he  believed  re-baptizing  of 
them  which  were  baptized  of  heretics,  because  he  held  it  before  the  church  had 
defined  it ;  whereas  if  he  had  holden  it  after,  then  had  he  been  a  heretic." 

Brad. : — "  Oh,  my  lord  !  will  ye  cJondemn  to  the  devil  any  man  that  believeth 
truly  the  twelve  articles  of  the  faith  (wherein  I  take  the  unity  of  Christ's  church 
to  consist),  although  in  some  points  he  believe  not  the  definition  of  that  which 
ye  call  the  church  ?  I  doubt  not  but  that  he  which  holdeth  firmly  the  articles 
of  our  belief,  though  in  other  things  he  dissent  from  your  definitions,  yet  he 
shall  be  saved."  . 

"  Yea,"  said  both  the  bishops  (York  and  Chichester),  "tnis  is  your  divinity." 

Brad.: — "  No,  it  is  Paul's;  who  saith,   that  if  they  hold  the  foundation, 

Christ,  though  they  build  upon  him  straw  and  stubble,  yet  they  shall  be  saved." 

York: — "  Lord  God!  how  you  delight  to  lean  to  so  hard  and  dark  places  of 

the  Scriptures." 

Chick. : — "  I  will  show  you  how  that  Luther  did  excommunicate  Zuinglius 
for  this  matter :"  and  so  he  read  a  place  of  Luther  making  for  his  piupose. 

(1)  Note  how  these  l)ishops  themselves  do  grant  that  the  time  was,  when  transubstantiation  was 
not  detiiicd  by  tlie  church  :  Tonstal  saitli,  tliat  it  was  more  llian  ciglit  liuiidrcd  years  alter  Clirisl. 


TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFOUD,    A\n    YORK,    AND    CHICJIESTER.  17' 

Brad. : — "  My  lord  ;  what  Luther  writeth,  as  you  much  pass  not,  no  more  do     Mary. 
I  in  this  case.     My  faith  is  not  builded  on  Lutlier,  Zuinglius,  or  G"2colanipadius, 


in  this  point :  and  indeed  to  tell  you  truly,  I  never  read  any  of  their  works  in  •^-  la- 
this matter.  As  for  them,  I  do  think  assuredly  that  they  were,  and  are,  God's  ^'>^^- 
children,  and  saints  with  him."  lJradior<i 

York: — "  Well,  you  are  out  of  the  communion  of  the  church."  tiangetli 

Brad.: — "  I  am  not;  for  it  consisteth  and  is  in  faith."  Luther 

York : — "  Lo,  how  you  make  your  church  invisible  ;  for  you  would  have  the  cic.  ami 
communion  of  it  to  consist  in  faith."  >^'  '"^  •"" 

Brad.: — "  For

~937 words

and  not  in  exterior  ceremonies,  Rooanun. 
as  appeareth  both  by  Paul,  who  would  have  one  faith,  and  by  Irenaeus  to  Victor,  lommu- 
for  the  observation  of  Easter ;  saying  that  disagreeing  of  fasting  should  not  "^g"  "' 
break  the  agreeing  of  faith."  church. 

Chick. : — "  The  same  place  hath  often  even  wounded  my  conscience,  because 
we  dissevered  ourselves  from  the  see  of  Rome." 

Brad.: — "  Well,  God  forgive  you;  for  you  have  done  evil  to  bring  England 
thither  again." 

Here  my  lord  of  York  took  a  book  of  paper  of  common  places, 
and  read  a  piece  of  St.  Augustine  'Contra  epistolam  Fundamenti,''  how 
tliat  there  were  many  things  that  did  hold  St.  Augustine  in  the  bosom 
of  the  church :  consent  of  people  and  nations ;  authority  confirmed 
with  miracles,  nourished  with  hope,  increased  with  charity,  established 
with  antiquity  :  "  besides  this,  there  holdeth  me  in  the  church,"  said 
Augustine,  "  the  succession  of  priests  from  Peter's  seat  until  this 
present  bishop.  Last  of  all,  the  very  name  of  catholic  doth  hold  me," 
etc.  "  Lo,"  quoth  he,  "  how  say  you  to  this  of  St.  Augustine  ?  Paint 
me  out  your  church  thus." 

Brad. : — "  My  lord,  these  words  of  St.  Augustine  make  as  much  for  me  as 
for  you :  although  I  might  answer,  that  all  this,  if  they  had  been  so  firm  as  you 
make  them,  might  have  been  alleged  against  Christ  and  his  apostles  :  for  there 
was  the  law  and  the  ceremonies  consented  on  by  the  whole  people,  confirmed 
vfith  miracles,  antiquity,  and  continual  succession  of  bishops  from  Aaron's 
time  until  that  present." 

Chick. : — "  In  good  faith,  master  Bradford,  you  make  too  much  of  the  state 
of  the  church  before  Christ's  coming." 

Brad. : — "  Therein  I  do  but  as  Peter  teacheth,  2  Pet.  ii.,  and  Paul  very 
often.  You  would  gladly  have  your  church  here  very  glorious,  and  as  a  most 
pleasant  lady.  But  as  Christ  saith,  '  Beatus  est  quicunque  non  fuerit  offensus 
per  me ; '  so  may  his  church  say,  '  Blessed  are  they  that  are  not  offended  at 
me.'  " 

York : — "  Yea,  you  think  that  none  is  of  the  church,  but  such  as  suffer 
persecution." 

Brad. : — "  What  I  think,  God  knoweth ;  I  pray  your  grace  judge  me  by  my  The 
words  and  speaking,  and  mark  what  Paul  saith,  '  Omnes  qui,'  etc.,   '  All  that  ^J,'",'',^,',',, 
will  live  godly  in   Christ  Jesus  must  suffer  persecution.'     Sometimes  Christ's  [y""'t'' " 
church  hath  rest  here  ;  but  commonly  it  is  not  so,  and  specially  towards  the  end  Rlorious 
her  form  will  be  more  unseemly."  worhil^iiiit 

York  : — "  But  what  say  you  to  St.  Augustine  ?  where  is  your  church  that  poor  ami 
hath  the  consent  of  people  and  nations  ?  "  j^^J^,^' 

Brad. : — "  Even  all  people  and  nations  that  be  God's  people  have  consented  Consent 
with  me,  and  I  with  them,  in  the  doctrine  of  faith."  of  the 

York  ;— "  Lo,  you  go  about  to  shift  off  all  things."  Rod'y- 

Brad.:—"  No,  my  lord  ;  I  mean  simply,  and  so  speak,  God  knoweth." 

York: — "  St.  Augustine  doth  here  talk  of  succession,  even  from  Peter's  seat."  Succcs- 

Brad.: — "  Yea,  that  seat  then  was  nothing  so  much  corrupt  as  it  is  now."       iv,".r.""" 

York  : — "  Well,  you  always  judge  the  church." 

Brad. ;— "  No,  my  lord  ;  Christ's  sheep  discern  Christ's  voice,  but  they  judge 
it  not;  so  they  discern  the  church,  but  judge  her  not." 

York  ;— "  Yes,  that  they  do." 

VOL.  VII.  N 


178  TALK    BETWKEN    BRADFORD,    AND    YORK,    AND    CHICHESTER. 

Mary.        Brad. : — "  No,  and  it  like  your  grace  ;  and  yet  tuU  well  may  one  not  only 

doubt,  but  judge  also  of  the  Romish  church ;  for  she  obeyeth  not  Christ's  voice, 

A.  D.    as  Christ's  true  church  doth." 
1555.         York .— "  Wherein  ? " 
The  voice      Brad. : — "  In  Latin  service,  and  robbing  the  laity  of  Christ's  cup  in  the 
of  Christ,  sacrament;   and  in  many  other  things,  in  which  it  committeth  most  horrible 
sacrilege." 

Chick. : — "  Why,  Latin  service  was  in  England  when  the  pope  was  gone." 
Brad. : — "  True  ;  the  time  was  in  England  when  the  pope  was  away,  but  not 
all  popery— as  in  king  Henry's  days." 
Latin  ser-       York  : — "  Latin  service  was  appointed  to  be  sung  and  had  in  the  choir,  where 
vice  de-     only  were  clerici,  that  is,  such  as  understood  Latin ;  the  people  sitting  in  the 
fended,      jjgdy  of  the  church,  praying  their  own  private  prayers ;  and  this  may  well  be 
yet  seen  by  making  of  the  chancel  and  choir  so  as  the  people  could  not  come  in, 
or  hear  them." 
Against         Brad. : — "  Yea,  but  both  in  Chrysostome's  time,  and  also  in  the  Latin  churcli 
Latin        in  St.Jerome's  time, '  all  the  church,'  saitli  he, '  reboat,  Amen  ;'  that  is,  answereth 
service,     ^gain  mightily,  '  Amen  : '  whereby  we  may  see  that  the  prayers  were  made  so, 

that  both  the  people  heard  them  and  understood  them." 
Thepeo-        Chick.: — "  Ye  are  to  blame,  to  say  that  the  church  robbeth  the  people  of  the 
plerobbed  >^ 

Brad. : — "  Well,  my  lord,  term  it  as  it  please  you ;  all  men  know  that  the 
laity  hath  none  of  it." 

Chick. : — "  Indeed  I  would  wish  the  church  would  define  again,  that  they 
might  have  it,  for  my  part." 

Brad.: — "  If  God  make  it  free,  who  can  define  to  make  it  bond  ?" 
York: — "  Well,  master  Bradford,  we  leese  our  labour;   for  ye  seek  to  put 
away  all  things  which  are  told  you  to  your  good  :  your  church  no  man  can 
know." 

Brad.: — "  Yes,  that  ye  may  well." 
York: — "  I  pray  you  whereby?" 
The  Brad. : — "  Forsooth     Chrysostome    saitli,    '  tantummodo    per   Scripturas  ; ' 

church  is  '  alonely  by  the  Scriptures:'  and  this  speaketh  he  very  oftentimes,  as  ye  well 
^°°7      know."       ^  ^  ^  J  '       J 

the  Scrip-       York  : — "  Indeed  that  is  of  Chrysostome  in  Opere  imperfecto,'  which  may  be 
tures.        doubted  of.     The  thing  whereby  the  church  may  be  known  best,  is  succession 
of  bishops." 

Brad. : — "  No,  my  lord,  Lyra  full  well  writeth  upon  Matthew,  that  *  The 
church  consisteth

~169 words

they  went  their  way,  and  poor  Bradford  to  his  prison. 

The  com-      After  this  communication  with  the  bishops  ended,  within  two  days 

b"fanL'ir°  following  came  into  the  Compter  two  Spanish  friars  to  talk  with  mas- 

B'^'dVrd  ^^^  Bradford,  sent  (as  they  said)  by  the  carl  of  Derby  ;  of  whom  the 

one  was  the  king"'s  confessor,  the  other  was  Alphonsus,  who  had  before 

(1)  "  Chrys.  in  opere  imperfecto;"  Horn.  49,  torn.  vi.  p.  946.  Paris,  1S3G.  The  papal  censors 
have,  with  Be'ilarniine's  approbation,  foully  erased  these  words,  under  pretence  of  their  beint;  an 
Arian  interpolation.  Gibbing's  Preface  (p.  31)  to  Ueiirint  of  the  Roman  Index  Exiiurs.  (Duiiliii, 
1837.)-Ed. 

(2)  "  Ecclesia  non  consistit  in  hominibus  rationo  potestatis  secularis  .tut  eoclesiastic.x,  sed  in 
hominibus  in  quibus  est  notitia  vera,  et  confessio  iidui  ct  vtritutis." 


KRIAUS. 

m 

wliirli    their 

ilanj. 

A.  I). 

1555. 

ISIl     KUIARS. 

TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFOUn    AND    TWO    SPANISH 

written  a  popisli  book  against  heresies,  tlie  effect  of 
reasoning  here  likewise  followeth. 

TALK    BETWEEN    MASTER    BRADFORD    AND    TWO    SI'AXl 

On  tlie  25th  day  of  February,  about  eight  of  the

~176 words

senses  and  outward  man  :  as  ^^°^'^  '"■'" 

(1)  "  Alphonsi  a  Castro  Zamorensis  advcrsus  omnes  luxrcsis  lihri  xiv. :  nunc  postremo.  ah.  auct. 
recognitum  et  auctum  :  "  Antverpiae,  1568.  This  was  rather  a  popular  work,  and  was  first  pub- 
lished at  Paris  in  1534;  an  edition  which  has  been  valued  as  containinjj  (lib.  i.  cap.  1)  a  passaRC 
(imitted  in  many  subsequent  editions,  relative  to  the  ignorance  of  someof  the  Roman  pontifls.  See 
Walch.  Biblioth.  Theol.  iii.  748:  Voght  "  Catalogus  Historico  criticus  Librorum  variorum;"  p.  Z.ll. 
Francorf.  1793;  also  Jewell's  Reply  to  Harding's  Answer;  art.  4,  div.  1!).  De  Cistro  attended 
Philip  IL  as  confessor,  when  his  majesty  came  into  England;  and  he  was  afterwards  employed  in 
preaching  against  the  taking  away  of  men's  lives  for  religion  !  See  vol.  vi.  p.  704,  of  this  edition  ; 
also  Burnet,  vol.  ii.  part  1,  a.d.  15.^5  ;  "  Antonio  Biblioth.  Ilispana  Nova,"  vol.  i.  p.  1(! ;  also  Hume's 
History  of  England,  vol.  iv.  edit.  1792.— Ei>. 

(2)  This  Alphonsus  had  written  a  hook  before,  in  Latin,  against  heresies. 

X    2 


180  TALK    BETWEEN    BRADFORD    AXD    TWO    SPANISH    FRIARS. 

Mary

~221 words

believe  not,  nor  dare 

.    _^  believe." 
■^*  ^-        Alph. : — "  I  am  sure  you  believe  Christ's  natural  body  is  circumscriptible." 


And  here  he  made  much  ado  of  the  two  natures  of  Christ,  how 
that  the  one  is  everywhere,  and  the  other  is  in  his  proper  pLace ; 
demanding  such  questions  as  no  wise  man  would  have  spent  any  time 
A  Span-  about.  At  length,  because  the  friar  had  forgotten  to  conclude,  Brad- 
ment!^"'  fo^d  P^t  him  in  mind  of  it,  and  thus  then  at  length  he  concluded  : 
How  that  because  Christ's  body  was  circumscriptible,  concerning  the 
human  nature  in  heaven,  therefore  it  was  so  in  the  bread. 

Brad. : — "  How  hangeth  this  together  ?  Even  as  if  you  should  say,  because 
you  are  here,  ergo,  it  must  needs  follow  that  you  are  at  Rome.  For  thus  you 
reason, — Because  Christ's  body  is  in  heaven,  ergo,  it  is  in  the  sacrament  under 
the  form  of  bread :  which  no  wise  man  will  grant." 

Jllph. ; — "  Why  !  will  you  believe  nothing  but  that  which  is  expressly  spoken 
in  the  Scriptures?" 

Brad. : — "  Yes,  sir,  I  will  believe  whatsoever  you  shall  by  demonstration  out 
of  the  Scriptures  declare  unto  me." 
Christ  is        "  He  is  obstinate,"  quoth  Alphonsus  to  his  fellow  :  and  then  turning  to  Brad- 
u'^'Vrgo'|°  foi^d'  ^aif^'  "  ^«  "ot  God  able  to  do  it?" 

hedothi't.      Brad. : — "  Yes,  but  here  the  question  is  of  God's  will,  and  not  of  his  power." 
Alph. : — "  Why  !  doth

~6,545 words

more  than  tongue  can  express." 
Hoc  est         Alph. : — "  Christ  saith,  it  is  his  body." 
corpus  Brad. : — "  And  so  say  I,  after  a  certain  manner." 

Alph. : — "  After  a  certain  manner?  that  is,  after  another  manner  than  it  is  in 
heaven." 

Brad. : — "  St.  Augustine'  telleth  it  more  plainly,  that  it  is  Christ's  body  after 
the  same  manner  as  circumcision  was  the  covenant  of  God,  and  the  sacrament 
of  faith  is  faith  ;  or,  to  make  it  more  plain,  as  baptism  and  the  water  of  baptism 
is  regeneration." 

Alph:: — "  Very  well  said:  baptism  and  the  water  thereof  is  a  sacrament  of 
God's  grace  and  Spirit  in  the  water  cleansing  the  baptized."  . 

Brad. .- — *'  No,  sir,  away  with  your  enclosing  :  but  this  I  grant,  that  after  the 
same  sort  Christ's  body  is  in  the  bread,  on  which  sort  the  grace  and  Spirit  of 
God  is  in  the  water." 

Alph. ;— "  In  water  is  God's  grace,  by  signification." 
Brad. : — "  So  is  the  body  in  the  bread  in  the  sacrament." 
A  jiopish        Alph. : — "  You  are  much  deceived,  in  that  you  make  no  difference  between 
distiiic-     the   sacraments  that  be  standei's,  and  the  sacraments  that  are  transitory  and 
traiuus'  passers-by.     As  for  example,  the  sacrament  of  Orders,  which  you  deny,  though 
'  St.  Augustine  affirm  it ;  it  is  a  standard,  although  the  ceremony  be  past.    But  in 
baptism,  so  soon  as  the  body  is  washed,  the  water  ceaseth  to  be  a  sacrament." 

Brad.: — "  Very  good;  and  so  it  is  in  the  supper  of  the  Lord:  no  longer  than 
it  is  in  use,  is  it  Christ's  sacrament." 

Th>  friar       Here  was  this  friar  in  a  wonderful  rage,  and  spake  so  high  (as  often 

ir.aciiaie.  |^^  j^^j  ^^^^  bcfore)  that  the  whole  house  rang  again,  chafing  with 

.  om  and  c/io.     He  hath  a  great  name  of  learning,  but  surely  he  hath 

(1)  Augustinus  Epislola  ad  liunifacium. 


TALK    BKTWEKN    BRADFORD    AND    TWO    SPANISH    FUIAUS.  ISl 

little  patience  ;  for  if  Bradford  had  been  any  thing  hot,  one  house    Mary. 
could  not  have  held  them.     At  the  length  he  comelh  to  this  jx.int,    ^  ^^ 
that  Bradford  could  not  find  in  the  Scripture  baptism  and  the  Lord's    I055. 
supper  to  bear  any  similitude  to  each  other.    And  here  he  triumphed 
before  the  conquest,  saying,  that  these  men  would  receive  nothmg 
but  Scripture,  and  yet  were  able  to  prove  nothing  by  the  Scripture. 

Brad. .— "  Be  patient,  and  you  shall  see  that  by  the  Scripture  I  will  find 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  coupled  together." '  ^^ 

jlpli,  .._<'  No,  that  canst  thou  never  do.     Let  me  see  a  text  of  it. 

/^/arf. ;_«  Paul  sailh ;  that  as  we  are  baptized  into  one  body,  so  were  we 
«  potati  in  uno  spiiitu,'  i.e.  '  we  have  drunk  of  one  spirit,"  meaning  the  cup  in 
the  Lord's  supper." 

Alph,: — "  Paul  hath  no  such  words." 

Brad. : — "Yes,  that  he  hath." 

Confessor: — "  I  trow,  he  hath  not."  ^^ 

Brad. :—"  Give  me  a  Testament,  and  I  will  show  you.' 

So  a  priest  that  sat  by  them  gave  him  his  Testament,  and  he  The  fri.-ir 
showed  them  the -plain  text.  Then  they  looked  one  upon  another.  \-^'u,w,. 
In  fine  the  friar  found  this  simple  shift,  that  Paul  spake  not  of  the  «-;j-'-- 
sacrament. 

Brad.  ••— "  Well,  the  text  is  plain  enough,  and  there  are  of  the  fathers  which 
do  so  understand  the  place :  for  Chrysostomc  doth  expound  it  so." 

Alphonsus,  who  had  the  Testament  in  his  hand,  desirous  to  sup- 
press this  foil,  turned  the  leaves  of  the  book  from  leaf  to  leaf,  till  he 
came  to  the  place  (1  Cor.  xi.)  ;  and  there  he  read  how  that  he  was 
guilty  who  made  no  diflTerence  of  the  Lord's  body. 

Brad  .— "  Yea,  but  therewith  he  saith,  '  He  that  eateth  of  the  bread;' 2  call- 
ing it  bread  still :  and  that  after  consecration  (as  ye  call  it)  as  in  Cor.  x.  he 
safth,  'The  bread  which  we  break,' etc.3  .       .    .    ^ 

jlph  •_"  Oh  how  ignorant  are  ye,  which  know  not  that  things,  after  their  Conver- 
conversion,  do  retain  the  same  names  which  they  had  before,  as  Moses'  rod.'     ^'/^'^^tio^. 

Here  Alphonsus,  calling  for  a  Bible,  after  he  had  found  the  place  u.rLg 
began  to  triumph  :    but  Bradford  cooled  him  quickly,  saying :  \f,;J1^^ 

Brad..— "Sir,  there  is  mention  made  of  the  conversion,  as  well  as  that  the  '^l^^"''- 
same  appeared  to  the  sense  :  but  here  ye  cannot  find  it  so.     Find  me  one  word 
how  the  bread  is  converted,  and  I  will  then  say,  ye  bring  some  matter  that 
maketh  for  you." 

At  these  words  the  friar  was  troubled,  and  ut  length  he  said,  how 
that  Bradford  hanged  on  his  own  sense. 

Brad  — "  No,  that  do  I  not;  for  I  will  bring  you  forth  the  fathers  of  the 
church  eight  hundred  years  after  Christ,  to  confirm  this  which  I  speak. 

Jlp/i  ;._«  No,  you  have  the  church  against  you.  ^^ 

Brad. .— "  I  have  not  Christ's  church  against  me. 

Alph. .— "  Yes,  that  you  have.     What  is  the  church  ?^ 

Brad. .—"  Christ's  wife,  the  chair  and  seat  ol  verity. 

Brad.'^''  Yel^tharshe'is  to  them  that  will  put  on  the  spectacles  of  God's 

"%'/:  '.!!.' Thi'"iun-ch  hath  defined  the  contrary,  and  that  I  will  prove  by 
all  the  good  fathers  from  Christ's  ascension,  even  for  eignt  hundred  years  at  the 
least  continually." 

(n  1  Cor  xii  (2)  1  Cor-  xi-  ,('>  '  ^"'^  "• 

(1)  The  church  is  visible  hut  to  tlR-ni  that  have  spiritual  eyes. 


^^^  CONFERENCE  BETWEEN  BRADFORD  AND  WESTON. 

l^tary.         Brad, : — "  What  will  you  so  prove  .'     Transubstantiation  ?" 
.    T.  Alph.: — '<  Yea,  that  the  bread  is  turned  into  Christ's  body." 

\  l.J         Brad. .- — "  You  speak  more  than  you  can  do." 
^•'^■^-        Alfh. .— "  That  do  I  not." 

Brad. : — "Then  will  I  give  place." 
Alph.:—^'  Will  you  believe?" 

Brad.: — '<  Belief  is  God's  gift;  therefore  cannot  I  promise.  But  I  tell  you 
that  J  will  give  place ;  and  I  hope  I  shall  believe  his  truth  always,  so  good  is 
he  to  me  in  Christ  my  Saviour." 

pisL'hnlH    -.J^^"-^^  """  "'"^    iv/Lii.^i  a.  j^ioai,    iciuit    witll  AJimuuiU,    IIIHI  116  maClC  110 

that  tli^ 


act  of  be- 
lieving is 


power. 


The  friat 
refuseth 
to  abid 
trial 
Bradford 


Here  the  friar  found  a  great  fault  with  Bradford,  that  he  made  .. 
difference  betwixt  "  habitus"  and  "  actus ;"  as  though  "  actus/'  which 
he  called  credulity,  had  been  in  our  power.  But  this  he  let  pass, 
and  came  again,  asking  Bradford,  if  he  could  prove  it  as  he  said' 
whether  he  would  give  place .?  "  Yea,  that  I  will."  Then  called 
he  for  paper,  pen,  and  ink,  to  write ;  and  then  said  I,  "  What  and 
if  that  I  prove,  by  the  testimony  of  the  fathers,  that  continually,  for 
eight  hundred  years  after  Christ  at  the  least,  they  did  believe'  that 
the  substance  of  bread  doth  remain  in  the  sacrament— what  will  ve 
do .?"  ^ 

Alph. : — "  I  will  give  place."  ' 

Brad. .— "  Then  write  you  here,  that  you  will  give  place  if  I  so  prove  ;  and 
I  will  write  that  I  will  give  place  if  you  so  prove  :  because  ve  are  the  ancient, 
ye  shall  have  the  pre-eminency." 

Here  the  friar  fumed  marvellously,  and  said,  "  I  came  not  to  learn 
„,,    at  thee :  are  not  here  witnesses  ?  [meaning  the  two  priests]  be  not 
fed!  they  sufficient  r     But  the  man  was  so  chafed,  that  if  Bradford  had 
not  passed  over  this  matter  of  writing,  the  friar  would  have  fallen  to 
plain  scolding.     At  the  length  the  king's  confessor  asked  Bradford 
what  the  second  question  was  ? 

Brad. .—"  That  wicked  men  receive  not  Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament,  as 
bt.  Augustine  speaketh  of  Judas,  that  he  received  *  panem  Domini,'  but  not 
'  uanem  Dominiim  '  " 


Tlie  friar 
aijaiii 
proved  a 


panem  Dominum.' 
Jlph. : — "  St.  Augustine  saith  not  so. 
Brad. .— "  Yes,  that  doth  he." 


liar : 

^arunt       ^^  ^'^^^  ^^°^^  ^"^  talked  no  more  of  that  matter.    Thus  went  they 

heat.'"''  away,  without  bidding  Bradford  farewell— After  they  were   o-one, 

one  of  the  priests  came,  and  willed  Bradford  not  to  be  so  obstinate. ' 

Brad. .— "  Sir,  be  not  you  so  wavering ;  in  all  the  Scripture  cannot  you  find 
me,  '  non  est  panis.'  " 


Priest : — "  Yes,  that  I  can  in  five  places. 
Brad. : — "  Then  I  will  eat  your  book." 


A  priest 
put  to  a 


So  the  book  was  opened,  but  no  place  found  ;  and  he  went  his 


foil.         way  smiling,  "  God  help  us.' 


TALK     BETWEEN    MASTER    BRADFORD    AND    DR.   WESTON, 
AND    OTHERS. 

It  followed  after  this,  upon  the  21st  of  March,  that  by  means  of 
one  of  the  carl  of  Derby's  men,  there  came  to  the  Compter  to  dinner 
one  master  Collier,  once  warden  of  Manchester,  and  the  said  servant 
of  the  earl  of  Derby,  of  whom  master  Bradford  learned  that  Dr.  Wes- 
ton, dean  of  Westminster,  would  be  with  him  in  the  afternoon  about 


Christ. 


CONFERENCE    BETWEEN    BRADFORD    AND    WESTON.  1S3 

two  of  the  clock.     At  dinner  time — when   the  said  warden   did  dis-    .Vnry. 
commend  king  Edward,  and  went  about  to  set  forth  tlic  authority  of   ^.1). 
the  pope,  which  Bradford  witlistood,  defending  the  king's  faith,  tliat    l!y5r>. 
it  was  catholic,  and  that  the  authority  of  the  bishop  of  Rome's  supre- 
macy  was  usurped,  bringing  forth  the  testimony  of  Gregory,  which 
affirmeth  the  name  of  supreme  head  to  be  a  title  of  the  forerunner  to  xiicname 
antichrist — a  woman  prisoner  was  brougiit  in  ;  whereupon  the  said  lua<r^'he 
Bradford  took  occasion  to  rise  from  the  table,  and  so  went  to  his  ["'"""' 
prison-chamber  to  beg  of  God  grace  and  help  therein,  continuing 
there  still  until  he  was  called  down  to  speak  with  master  Weston, 
who  Avas  then  come  in. 

Master  Bradford  then  being  called  down,  so  soon  as  he  was  ^^'•^*'°" 
entered  into  the  hall,  master  Weston  very  gently  tooJi  him  by  the  Bradford. 
hand,  and  asked  how  he  did;  with  such  other  talk.  At  length  he 
willed  avoidance  of  the  chamber :  so  they  all  went  out,  save  master 
Weston  himself,  master  Collier,  the  carl  of  Derby's  servant,  the 
subdean  of  Westminster,  the  keeper,  master  Claydon,  and  the  parson 
of  the  church  where  the  Compter  is. 

Now  then  he  began  with  master  Bradford,  to  tell  how  that  he  conte 
was  often  minded  to  have  come  unto  him,  being  thereto  desired  of  [wcoV* 
the  earl  of  Derby  :   "and,"  quoth  he,  "after  that  I  perceived  by  this  """"■ 
man,  that  you  could  be  contented  rather  to  speak  with  me,  than  any 
others,  I  could  not  but  come  to  do  you  good,  if  I  can  ;  for  hurt 
you  be  sure  I  will  not :" 

"  Sir,"  quoth  master  Bradford,  "  wlien  I  perceived  by  the  report  of  my  lord's 
servant,  that  you  did  bear  me  good  will :  move  (as  he  said)  than  any  other  of 
your  sort,  I  told  him  then,  that  therefore  1  could  be  better  content  and  more 
willing  to  talk  with  you,  if  you  should  come  unto  me.  This  did  1  say,"  quoth 
Bradford  :   "  otherwise  I  desired  not  your  coming." 

"  Well,"  quoth  Weston;  "  now  I  am  come  to  talk  with  you:  but  before  we 
shall  enter  into  any  talk,  certain  principles  we  must  agree  upon,  which  shall 
be  this  day's  work.  First,"  quoth  he,  "  I  shall  desire  you  to  put  away  all  vain 
glory,*  and  not  hold  any  thing  for  the  praise  of  the  world." 

Brad.  : — "  Sir,  St.  Augustine  maketh  that  indeed  a  piece  of  the  definition 
of  a  heretic  ;  which  if  I  cannot  put  away  clean  (for  I  think  there  will  be  a 
spice  of  it  remain  in  us,  as  long  as  this  flesh  livcth),  yet  I  promise  you,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  that  I  purpose  not  to  yield  to  it.  God  I  hope  will  never  suffer 
it  to  bear  rule  in  them  that  strive  there  against,  and  desire  all  the  dregs  of  it 
utterly  to  be  driven  out  of  us."  , 

West. : — "  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  although  indeed  I  think  you  do  not  SinRula- 
so  much  esteem  it  as  others  do.  /  Secondly,  I  would  desire  you  that  you  will  "'.^• 
put  away  singularity  in  your  judgment  and  opinions." 

Brad. .  — "  Sir,  God  forbid  that  I  should  stick  to  any  singularity  or  private 
"judgment  in  God's  religion.  Hitlierto  I  have  not  desired  it,  neither  do,  rior 
"mind  at  any  time  to  hold  any  other  doctrine  than  is  public  and  catholic;  un- 
derstanding catholic  as  good  men  do,  according  to  God's  word." 

West. .—"  Very  well ;  this  is  a  good  day's  work.    I  hope  to  do  you  good ;  Wcsion 
and  therefore  now,  thirdly,  I  shall  pray  you  to  write  me  'capita'  of  those  ^^"^{0,^ 
things  whereupon  you  stand  in  the  sacrament,  and  to  .=;cnd  them  to  me  betwixt  to  write 
this  and  Wednesday  next:  until  which  time,  yea,  until  I  come  to  you  again,  l>i« faith 
Be  assiued  that  you  are  without  all  peril  of  death.     Of  my  fidelity,  I  warrant 
you;  therefore  away  with  all  dubitations,"  etc. 

Brad. .- — "  Sir,  1  will  write  to  you  the  grounds  I  lean  to  in  this  matter.  As 
for  death,  if  it  come,  welcome  be  it :  this  which  you  require  of  me,  shall  be  no 
great  let  to  me  therein." 

(1)  Wcstdii's  lessons  nrc  siuli  ns  lir  did  never  follow  liimxelf. 


184         CONFERENCE  BETWEEN  EKADFORO  AND  PENDLETON. 

^^<i^y-         West.  : — "  You  know  that  St.  Augustine  was  a  Manichean,  yet  was  he  con- 
j^  £)     verted  at  the  length  ;  so  have  I  good  hope  of  you." 

1555'         -B?*a<^.  .- — "  Sir,   because  I  will  not  flatter  you,   I  would  you  should  flatly 
'-  know,  that  I  am  even  settled  in  the  religion,  wherefore  1  am  condemned." 

West. : — "  Yea,  but  if  it  be  not  the  truth,  and  you  see  evident  matter  to  the 
contrary,  will  you  not  then  give  place?" 

Brad. .- — "  God  forbid,  but  that  I  should  always  give  place  to  the  truth." 

West. : — "  I  would  have  you  to  pray  so." 

Brad. : — "  So  I  do,  and  that  he  will  more  and  more  confirm  me  in  it ;  as  I 
tliank  God  he  hath  done  and  doth." 

West. : — "  Yea,  but  pray  with  a  condition,  if  you  be  in  it." 

Brad.  .- — "  No,  sir,  I  cannot  pray  so,  because  I  am  settled  and  assured  of  his 
truth." 

"  Well/'  quoth  Weston,  "as  the  learned  bishop  answered  St.  Augustine's 
mother,  that  though  he  was  obstinate,  yet  the  tears  of  such  a  mother  could  not 
but  win  her  son  :  so,"  quoth  he,  "  I  hope  your  prayers  [for  then  Bradford's 
eyes  did  show  that  he  had  wept  in  prayer]  cannot  but  be  heard  of  God,  though 
not  as  you  would,  yet  as  best  shall  please  God.  Do  ye  not,"  quoth  he,  "  re- 
member the  history  thereof? " 

"  Yea  sir,"  quoth  Bradford,  "  I  think  it  be  of  St.  Ambrose." 

West.  : — "  No,  that  it  is  not." 

And  here  Weston  would  have  laid  a  wager,  and  began  to  triumph, 
saying  to  Bradford,  "  As  you  are  overseen  herein,  so  are  you  in  other 
things." 

Brad.  : — "  Well,  sir,  I  will  not  contend  with  you  for  the  name.  This  (I  re- 
member) St.  Augustine  writeth  in  his  Confessions." 

Bradford       After  this  talk  Weston  began  to  tell  master  Bradford,  how  the 

fwiy^      people  were  by  him  procured  to  withstand  the  queen.     Whereunto 

witT^'^  d-  J^^^df'^J'^i  answering  again,  bade  him  hang  him  up  as  a  traitor  and 

tioii.        a  thief,  if  ever  he   encouraged  any  to  rebellion :  which   thing  his 

keeper,  and  others  that  were  there  of  the  priests,  affirmed  on  his 

behalf:  so,    much  talk  there  was  to  little  purpose  at   that  time. 

Dr.  Weston  declared  moreover  how  he  had  saved  men  going  in  the 

cart  to  be  hanged,  and  such  like.     The  end  was  this,  that  Bradford 

should  send  unto  him  "  capita  doctrines "  of  the  Supper,  and  after 

Wednesday  he  would  come  unto  him  again.     And  thus  departed  he, 

after  that  he  had  drunk  to  him  in  beer  and  wine.     I  omit  here  talk 

of  Oxford,  of  books  of  German  writers,  of  the  fear  of  death,  and  such 

other  talk,  which  is  to  no  purpose. 

ANOTHER    DISPUTATION    OR    TALK    BETWEEN    MASTER    BRADFORD 
AND    DR.  PENDLETON. 

In  the  meantime,  when  master  Bradford  had  written  his  reasons 
and  arguments,  and  had  sent  them  to  Dr.  Weston,  in  short  space 
after  (about  the  28th  of  March),  there  came  to  the  Compter 
Dr.  Pendleton,  and  with  him  the  foresaid  master  Collier,  sometime 
warden  of  Manchester,  and  Stephen  Bcch.  After  salutations  master 
Pendleton  began  to  speak  to  Bradford,  that  he  was  sorry  for  his 
trouble.  "  And  further,"  quoth  Pendleton,  "  after  that  I  did  know 
you  could  be  content  to  talk  with  me,  I  made  the  more  speed,  being 
as  ready  to  do  thee  good,  and  pleasure  thee  what  I  can,  as  ye  would 
wish." 


CONFERKXCE    EETWEEN    BKADFORD    AND    I'ENULETON.  ISo 

Bradford : — "  Sir,  the  manner  how  I  was  content  to  speak  witli  you,  was  on     Man/. 

this  sort :  master  Bech  was  often  in  hand  with  me  whom  he  should  brinj,'  unto '■ — 

me,  and  named  you  amongst  otliers ;  and  I  said,  that  I  liad  rather  speak  witli  ••^•1^- 
you,  than  with  any  of  all  the  others.  Now  the  cause  why  1  so  would,  I  will  ^^•'"'■'"'- 
briefly  tell  you.  I  remember  that  once  you  were  (as  far  as  a  man  might  judge)  ivii.iiL-t.m 
of  the  religion  tliat  I  am  of  at  this  present,  and  I  remember  that  you  have  set  onctoftiio 
forth  the  same  earnestly.  Gladly  therefore  would  I  learn  of  you  what  thing  it  '*,t",'"„^i'j,' 
was  that  moved  your  conscience  to  alter,  and  gladly  would  1  see  what  thing  it  Bradford! 
is  that  you  have  seen  since,  which  you  saw  not  before." 

Pendleton : — "  Master  Bradford,  I  do  not  know  wherefore  you  are  con- 
demned." 

Brad. : — "  Transubstantiation  is  the  cause  wherefore  I  am  condemned,  and 
because  I  deny  that  wicked  men  do  receive  Christ's  body :  wherein  I  would 
desire  you  to  show  me  wliat  reasons,  which  before  you  knew  not,  did  move 
your  conscience  now  to  alter.  For  once  (as  I  said)  you  were  as  I  am  in 
religion." 

Here  master  Pendleton,  half  amazed,  began  to  excuse  himself,  if 
it  would  have  been,  as  though  lie  had  not  denied  fully  transubstan- 
tiation indeed,  "  although  I  said,"  quoth  lie,  "  that  the  word  was  not 
in  Scripture  ;"  and  so  he  made  an  endless  tale  of  the  thing  that 
moved  him  to  alter:  "but,"  said  he,  "  I  will  gather  to  you  the  places 
which  moved  me,  and  send  you  them."  And  here  he  desired  Brad- 
ford, that  he  might  have  a  copy  of  that  which  he  had  sent  to  master 
Weston  ;  the  which  Bradford  did  promise  him. 

Some  reasoning  also  they  had,^    whether  evil  men   did  receive  evu  mtu 
Christ''s  body,  Bradford  denying,  and  Pendleton  affirming.     Brad-  "ceivc 
ford  said  that  they  received  not  the  spirit :  ergo,  not  the  body  ;  for  Christ's 
it  is  no  dead  carcase.     Hereto  Bradford  brought  also  St.  Augustine,-  hc  must 
how  Judas  received  "  panem  Domini,"  and  not  "  panem  Dominum  ;"  {^"JlJ.t.j 
and  how  that  he  must  be  in  Christ's  body,  which  must  receive  the  t'O'iy  "'•it 
body  of  Christ.     But  Pendleton  went  about  to  put  it  away  with  "elve  u. 
"  idem,"  and  not  "  ad  idem,"  and  how  that  "  in  corpore  Christi"  was 
to  be  understood  of  all  that  be  in  the  visible  church  with  God's  elect. 
Bradford  denied  this  to  be  St.  Augustine's  meaning ;  and  said,  also, 
that  the  allegation  of  "  idem,"  and  not  "  ad  idem,"  could  not  make 
for  that  purpose.  They  talked  more  of  transubstantiation,  Pendleton 
bringing  forth  Cyprian  ;   "  panis  natura  mutatur,"  etc.     And  Brad- Apiac-nr 
ford  said,  that  in  that  place  "  natura"  did  not  signify  substance.    As  luJlV-' 
the   nature  of  an  herb  is  not  the  substance  of  it,    so  the  bread  by'oei"'. 
changed  in  nature  is  not  to  be  taken  for  changed  in  substance ;  for  *'""• 
now  it  is  ordained,  not  for  the  food  of  the  body  simply,  but  rather 
for  the  soul.     Here  also  Bradford  alleged  the  sentence  of  Gclasius. 
Pendleton  said,  that  he  was  a  pope.     "  Yea,"  said  liradford,  "  but 
his  faith  is  my  iaith  in  the  sacrament,  if  yc  would  receive  it." 

They  reasoned  also  whether  accidentia  were  "  res,"  or  no.    If  they  ivndio- 
be  properly  "  res,"   said  Bradford,  then  are  they  substances  ;    and  [™a"th'a" 
if  they  be  substances  they  are  earthly,  and  then  are  there  earthly  ^''l^^^ 
substances  in  the  sacrament,  as  Irenseus  saith,  which  must  needs  be 
bread.     But  Pendleton  said  that  the  colour  was  the  earthly  thing ; 
and  called  it  "  an  accidental  substance." 

I  omit  the  talk  they  had  of  my  lord  of  Canterbury,  of  Peter  Mar- 
tyr's book,  of  Pendleton's  letter  laid  to  Bradford's  charge  when  he 

(ll  Pendictoii,  belike,  would  study  out  the  reasons  that  moved  him  to  alter;  for  he  had  none 
ready  lo  show.  (2)  In  Joh.  Kvang  tract.  5!»,  f.  1.  — Ed. 


stances. 


186  Bradford's  reasons  against  transubstantiation. 

Mary,  was  Condemned,  with  other  talk  more  of  the  church  ;  whether  "  die 
.  pv  ecclesise"  was  spoken  of  the  universal  church,  or  of  a  particular 
ISfjS.    (which  Pendleton  at  the  length  granted  to  be  spoken  of  a  particular 

church)  :  also  of  vain  glory,  which  he  willed  Bradford  to  beware  of; 

and  such  like  talk.  A  little  before  his  departing  Bradford  said  thus, 
Bradford  "  Mastcr  doctor,  as  I  said  to  master  Weston  the  last  day,  so  say  I 
heai^'no  unto  you  again,  that  I  am  the  same  man  in  religion  against  transub- 
reason      stautiatiou  Still,  which  I  was  when  I  came  into  prison  ;  for  hitherto 

of  tlie  pa-  '-.  .  'i-p  Vj«  T  •    ^  ^ 

pists  to     I  have  seen  nothmg  m  any  pomt  to  iniirm  me.       At  which  words 

op^nbn '^  Pendleton  was  something  moved,  and  said  that  it  was  no  catholic 

tonsub-   doctrine.  "Yes,"  quoth  Bradford,  "and  that  Avill  I  prove  even  by  the 

stantia-    testimony  of  the  catholic  fathers  until  the  Council  of  Lateran,  or 

thereabouts."     Thus  Pendleton  went  his  way,  saying,  that  he  would 

come  oftener  to  Bradford. — God  our  Father  be  with  us  all,  and  give 

us  the  spirit  of  his  truth  for  ever.  Amen. 

The  same  day  in  the  afternoon,  about  five  of  the  clock,  came 
master  Weston  to  Bradford  ;  and  after  gentle  salutations,  he  desired 
the  company  every  man  to  depart ;  and  so  they  two  sat  down.  And 
after  that  he  had  thanked  Bradford  for  his  writing  unto  him,  he 
pulled  out  of  his  bosom  the  same  writing  which  Bradford  had  sent 
him.     The  writing  is  this  that  followeth. 

Certain  Reasons  against  Transubstantiation,  gathered  by  John 
Bradford,  and  given  to  Dr.  Weston  and  others. 

^j^*"?"^'       That  wliicli  is  former  (saith  Tertullian)  is  true ;  that  which  is  later  is  false, 
tion  But  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  a  late  doctrine  :  for  it  was  not  defined 

brought     generally  afore  the  Council  of  Lateran,  about  1215  years  after  Christ's  coming, 
"'■  under  pope  Innocent  the  third  of  that  name.     For  before  that  time  it  was  free 

for  all  men  to  believe  it,  or  not  believe  it,  as  the  bishop  of  Durham'  doth  witness 
in  his  book  of  the  Presence  of  Christ  in  his  Supper  lately  put  forth  :  ergo,  the 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  false. 
Tiie  rea-  2.  That  the  words  of  Christ's  Supper  be  figurative,  the  circumstances  of  the 
^irovinc  Scripture,  the  analogy  or  proportion  of  the  sacraments,  and  the  sentences  of  all 
the  words  the  holy  fathers,  which  were  and  did  write  for  the  space  of  1000  years  after 
of  the  Christ's  ascension,  do  teach.  Whereupon  it  followeth,  that  there  is  no  transub- 
Lord's  i  i-  i- 
Supper  to  stantiation. 

be  (igura-      3.  That  the  Lord  gave  to  his  disciples  bread,  and  called  it  his  body,  the  very 

^^^^-  Scriptures  do  witness.     For  he  gave  that,  and  called  it  his  body,  which  he  took 

in  his  hands,  whereon  he  gave  thanks  ;  which  also  he  brake,  and  gave  to  his 

disciples,  that  is  to  say,  bread  ;    as  the  fathers  Irenreus,  Tertullian,  Origen, 

Cyprian,  Epiphanius,  Augustine,  and  all  the  residue  which  are  of  antiquity,  do 

affirm.     But  inasmuch  as  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine  is  another  thing 

than  the  substance  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  it  plainly

Cut continues beyond the first 4,000 words shown here — about 2,545 more in the scan at the link above.

~293 words

light  of  the  word  of  God."     And  again,  repeating  the  same, 
he  professed  that  he  would  never  forsake  his  staid  and  well  grounded 
opinion,  while  the  breath  should  be  in  his  body.     Whereupon  the 
bishop,  being  too  weak  either  to  refute  his  sentence  or  to  remove 
his  constancy,   proceeded  consecjuently  to  read  the  popish  sentence  sentence 
of  cruel  condemnation  :  whereby  this  godly  and  constant  young  man,  l^^T' 
being  committed  to  the  secular  power  of  the  sheriffs  there  present, 
was  then  adjudged,  and  not  long  after  suffered  the  same  day  with 
master  Bradford,  confirming  with  his  death,  that  which  he  had  spoken 
and  professed  in  his  life. 

It  is  reported  of  the  said  John  Leaf,   by  one  that  was  in  the 
Compter  the  same  time,  and  saw  the  thing,  that  after  his  examinations 
before  the  bishop,  when  two  bills  were  sent  unto  him  in  the  Compter 
in  Bread-street,  the  one  containing  a  recantation,  the  other  his  con- 
fessions, to  know  to  which  of  them  he  would  put  his  hand,  first 
hearing  the  bill  of  recantation  read  unto  him  (because  he  could  not  j„,,^j^^f 
read  nor  write  himself),  that  he  refused.     And  when  the  other  was  sciutii ' 
read  unto  him,  which  he  well  liked  of,  instead  of  a  pen  he  took  a  pin.  {."J^ 'o"."^ 
and  so  pricking  his  hand,  sprinkled  the  blood  upon  the  said  bill,  ^^^"^^^ 
willing  the  reader  thereof  to  show  the  bishop,  that  he  had  scaled  the  i.iuou. 
same  bill  with  his  blood  already. 

(1)  Only  as  touching  the  substance,  but  not  as  conccrninRthc  effect  thereof 

(2)  He  meanelh  after  the  popish  manner  of  remitting',  etc. 

voT..  vir.  o 


194  TWO    SHERIFFS    OF    LONDON    CONTRASTED. 

Mary. 

A.  D.     THE   BEHAVIOUR  OF  MASTER  BRADFORD,  PREACHER,  AND  OF  THE 
1555  YOUNG    MAN    THAT    SUFFERED    WITH    HIM    IN    SMITHFIELD, 

NAMED    JOHN    LEAF,    A    PRENTICE,    WHO    BOTH    SUF- 
FERED   FOR    THE    TESTIMONY    OF    CHRIST. 

First,  when  they

~161 words

as  soon  as 
might  be.  But  it  chanced  otherwise  by  God's  holy  providence,  dis- 
posing all  things  after  his  own  secret  pleasure,  who,  seeing  his  old 
and  trusty  servant  so  many  years  with  so  extreme  and  many  torments 
broken  and  dried  up,  would  in  no  wise  heap  too  many  sorrows  upon 
one  poor  silly  wretch  :  neither  would  commit  him  to  the  flames  of 
fire,  who  had  been  already  baked  and  scorched  with  the  sharp  fires  of 
invi^ard  affliction,  and  had  sustained  so  many  burning  darts  and 
conflicts  of  Satan  so  many  years.  God  therefore,  of  his  divine  pro- 
vidence, thinking  it  too  much  that  one  man  should  be  so  much  over- 
charged with  so  many  plagues  and  torments,  did  graciously  provide, 
that  Robert  his  brother,  being  both  stronger  of  body,  and  also  better 
furnished  with  helps  of  learning  to  answer  the  adversaries  (being  a 
Master  of  Arts  in  Cambridge),  should  sustain  that  conflict ;  and  even 
so  it  came  to  pass,  as  ye  shall  hear.  For

~531 words

understanding  of  God's  word,  that  there  rcmaineth  nothing  in  the  Church  of 
England  at  this  present,  profitable  or  edifying  to  the  church  and  congregation  of 
the  Lord,  all  things  being  done  in  an  unknown  tongue,  contrary  to  the  express 
commandment  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Tiiey  object  that  they  be  the  church,  and  therefore  they  must  be  believed. 
My  answer  was,  the  church  of  God  knoweth  and  acknowledgeth  no  other  head 
but  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  whom  ye  have  refused,  and  chosen  the  man 
of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition,  enemy  to  Christ,  the  devil's  deputy  and  lieutenant, 
the  pope. 

Christ's  church  heareth,  teachelh,  and  is  ruled  by  his  word,  as  he  saith,  "My 
sheep  hear  my  voice.  If  you  abide  in  me,  and  my  word  in  you,  you  be  my 
disciples."'  Their  church  repelleth  God's  word,  and  forceth  all  men  to  follow 
their  traditions. 

Christ's  church  dare  not  add  or  diminish,  alter  or  change,  his  blessed  Testa- 
ment ;  but  they  be  not  afraid  to  take  away  all  that  Christ  instituted,  and  go  a 
whoring  (as  the  Scripture  saith)  with  their  own  inventions,  "  to  glory  and 
rejoice  in  the  works  of  their  own  hands."  ^ 

The  church  of  Christ  is,  hath  been,  and  shall  be  in  all  ages,  under  the  cross, 
persecuted,  molested,  and  afHicted ;  the  world  ever  hating  them,  because  they 
be  not  of  the  world.  But  these  persecute,  murder,  slay  and  kill,  such  as  profess 
the  true  doctrine  of  Christ,  be  they  in  learning,  living,  conversation,  and  other 
virtues  never  so  excellent. 

Christ  and  his  church  reserved  the  trial  of  their  doctrine  to  the  word  of  God, 
and  gave  the  people  leave  to  judge  thereof  by  the  same  word,  "Search  the 
Scriptures."^  But  this  church  taketh  away  the  word  from  the  people,  and 
suffereth  neither  learned  nor  unlearned  to  examine  or  prove  their  doctrine  by 
the  word  of  God. 

The  true  church  of  God  laboureth  by  all  means  to  resist  and  withstand  the 
lusts,  desires,  and  motions  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil :  tliese  for  the 
most  part  give  themselves  to  all  voluptuousness,  and  secretly  commit  such 
things,  which  (as  St.  Paid  saith)  it  is  shame  to  speak  of.* 

By  these,  and  such  like  manifest  probations,  they  do  declare  themselves  to 
be  none  of  the  church  of  Christ,  but  rather  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan.  It  shall 
be  good  for  you  oftentimes  to  confer  and  compare  their  proceedings  and  doings 
with  the  practice  of  those  whom  the  word  of  God  doth  teach  to  have  been  true 
members  of  the  church  of  God,  and  it  shall  work  in  you  both  knowledge,  erudi- 
tion, and  boldness,  to  withstand  with  suffering  their  doings.  I  likened  them 
therefore  to  Nimrod,  whom  the  Scripture  calleth  a  mighty  hunter,  or  a  stout 
champion,  telling  them  that  that  which  they  could  not  have  by  the  word,  they 
would  have  by  the  sword,  and  be  the  church,  whether  men  will  or  no ;  and 
called  them  with  good  conscience,  as  Christ  called  their  forefathers,  the  children 
of  the  devil ;  and  as  their  father  the  devil  is  a  liar  and  a  nuu'derer,  so  their 
kingdom  and  church  (as  they  call  it)  standeth  by  lying  and  murdering

~1,949 words

but  for  my  elder  brother.  God  lay  not  their  extreme 

doings  against  me  to  their  chai-ge  at  the  great  day ! 

*But'  now,  because  mention  hath  been  made  of  the  elder  brother, 
I  thought  good  to  speak  something  of  him  ;  as  well  for  that  the  order 
of  this  tragedy  so  requireth,  as  because  his  virtues  and  qualities  were 
such  as  I  could  in  no  ways  commit  them  to  silence.  This  man's 
name  was  John  Glover,  something  elder  than  Robert ;  a  gentleman 
born,  and  heir  to  his  father  ;  a  man  of  fair  lands,  but  not  so  abound- 
ing in  worldly  goods  and  possessions,  as  nourished  with  heavenly 
cogitations  and  virtuous  doings ;  the  which,  many  years,  had  pro- 
fessed and  acknowledged  the  blissful  and  gracious  knowledge  of  the 
gospel,  showing  no  less  by  his  life  and  example  the  same :  much 
unlike  our  gospellers,  now-a-days,  Avhich  suppose  the  profession  of 
the  gospel  to  consist  in  words.  But  this  man  used  another  kind  of 
professing  of  it  far  different,  converting  all  his  care  that  he  might 
appear  a  gospeller,  as  well  within  as  without ;  not  so  much  that  he 

(I)  These  observations  of  Poxe,  respecting  John  Glover,  are  reprinted  from  the  First  Edition  of 
the  Acts  and  Monuments,  Edit.  1563,  page  1277.  A  few  repetitions  of  the  author's  remarks  upon 
the  same  subject,  at  page  385,  will  be  detected,  but  these  passages  could  scarcely  be  omitted  without 
mutilating  the  whole  insertion.  It  may  be  added,  that  the  style  and  phraseology  of  the  above 
letter  of  Hobert  Glover  vary  considerably  from  what  is  given  in  the  First  Edition  ;  but  the  editor 
has  retained  the  copy  here  offered  to  the  reader,  as  it  corresponds  with  that  extant  in  the  Harleian 
MSS.,  and  with  later  copies,  the  printing  of  which  Foxe  superintended.  See  the  llarl.  MSS.  No. 
416,  art.  G;  also  "  Letters  of  the  Martyrs,"  Lend.  1S37,  p. '105.— Ed. 


CERTAIN    OBSERVATIONS    UPON    JOHN    GLOVER.  891 

should  so  seem  before  men,  as  that  he  might  first  frame  his  life  cor-  -Vnr//. 
respondent  and  worthy  his  profession  before  God.  He  saw  and  per-  ^  ^ 
ceived,  as  indeed  it  was,  the  sum  of  Ciiristianity  not  to  consist  in    iSo.-,. 

stout  disputations,    contentions,   reasonings,   loud   clamours,  strong 

definitions,  and  ambitious  pertinacity  of  mind,  but  rather  in  ordering 
and  subduing  affections  in  the  quiet  and  silent  mind,  in  good  con- 
science and  devout  prayer ;  and  laboured  ever  to  this  end,  not  so 
much  to  brag  and  talk  of  the  gospel,  as  to  show  the  same  by  example 
of  his  life  :  and  therefore  he  gave  not  daily  diligence  to  the  reading 
of  the  gos])cl  only,  to  collect  thereof,  as  many  do,  common  places, 
but  as  well  to  be  instructed,  thereby,  with  good  mind  and  conscience. 
He  was  a  great  student  of  divinity  ;  the  occasion  whereof  was  not  the 
desire  of  novelties,  arguing  and  talking,  or  that  he  might  seem  the 
more  learned  to  others,  but  that  he  himself  might  be  the  better  for 
it ;  and  also  not  so  much  to  be  the  more  instructed  to  the  conflicts 
of  idle  contention,  as  to  be  the  readier  and  meeter  for  the  kingdom 
of  Christ.  To  be  short,  he  read  the  gospel  of  Christ,  not  so  much  to 
collect  thereof  any  common  places,  as  to  gather  necessary  matter  of 
edifying,  whereof  he  daily  sucked  those  things  which  no  less  made  for 
the  confirmation  of  his  faith  and  godly  life,  than  for  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  and  his  salvation.  And  doubtless,  by  this  his  assiduous 
labour  he  profited  marvellously,  as  by  the  singular  fruits  and  example 
of  his  life  sufficiently  is  declared,  whose  mind  was  always  upon  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  works  ;  even  so  much,  that  he,  con- 
temning the  world,  and  being  all  Avholly  possessed  with  the  earnest 
zeal  of  godliness,  was,  in  every  place,  as  well  abroad  as  at  home,  a 
lantern  of  godly  living  to  all  the  rest ;  and  also,  being  as  one  placed  in 
heaven,  and  dead  in  this  world,  he  both  meditated  and  led  a  life 
altogether  celestial ;  [it]  being  a  world  to  see  how  that  he  abhorred  the 
profane  doings.  No,  nor  yet  his  talk  in  any  wise  differed  from  his 
life,  throwing  out  never  any  idle,  vile,  or  vain  language.  The  most 
part  of  his  lands  he  distributed  among  his  brethren,  and  committed 
the  guide  of  the  rest  to  his  servants  and  officers,  that  the  more  quietly 
he  might  give  himself  to  his  godly  study,  as  to  a  continual  Sabbath- 
rest. 

And  besides  these  his  great  number  of  virtues,  he  was  Avell  learned, 
although  his  brother  Robert  was  better  seen  in  the  literature  which 
doth  polish  and  bring  a  man  to  eloquence.  But  in  those  things 
which  appertained  to  heavenliness  and  good  conscience,  he  was  far 
more  exercised  :  like  disposition  and  mind  were  in  both  ;  having  wit 
and  memory  most  happily  grafted  in  them.  And  as  concerning 
good  zeal  and  love  towards  religion,  whereunto  they  seemed  by 
nature  indifferently  to  be  born,  they  were  so  matched  and  so  like  one 
to  another,  that  a  man  could  not  tell  who  excelled  the  other ;  unless 
because  Robert,  as  he  was  the  bigger  of  stature,  so  he  was  a  more 
earnest  and  mightier  champion  against  the  adversaries  of  truth  :  but 
yet  John  less  feared  peril,  although  this  Robert  suffered  as  a  martyr ; 
and  was  as  much  desirous  of  martyrdom  as  he,  and  more  so.  And, 
verily  I  cannot  tell  whether,  in  the  case  of  felicity,  John  gave  place 
to  his  brother  Robert  or  no,  who  also  might  be  counted  a  martyr, 
yea,  and  chronicled  for  a  double  martyr;  for  the  said  Robert  was 
quickly,  and  out  of  hand,  dispatched  with  the  sharp  and  extreme  tor- 


392  GODLY    LETTERS    OF    ROBERT  GLOVER, 

Mary,  meiits  of  tlic  firc.  But  this,  the  most  blessed  martyr  of  all,  what  more 
i^^  grievous  passions,  boiling  heats  of  the  fire  of  hell,  so  many  years 
1555.    both  in  body  and  in  soul  he  suffered  and  sustained,  no  tongue  can 

express. 

Being  a  young  man  I  myself  was  once  or  twice  with  him  ;  whom, 
as  part  by  his  talk  I  perceived,  and  part  by  mine  own  eyes  saw,  to  be 
so  worn  and  consumed  by  the  space  of  five  years,  that  alniost  any 
brooking  of  meat,  quietness  of  sleep,  pleasure  of  life,  yea,  and  almost 
no  kind  of  senses,  was  left  in  him.  And,  doubtless,  I  have  greatly 
wondered  at  the  marvellous  works  and  operation  of  Christ  showed 
upon  him ;  who,  unless  he  had  relieved  betimes  his  poor  wretched 
sheep,  so  many  times  in  distress,  with  continual  consolation,  it  could 
not  be  possible  that  he  should  have  sustained  so  intolerable  pains  and 
torments ;  and  yet  the  occasion  thereof  was  not  of  so  great  moment 
and  weight. 

But  this  we  see  commonly  among  holy  and  blessed  men,  that 
the  more  devout  and  godly  they  are,  having  the  fear  of  God  before 
their  eyes,  the  more  suspect  and  mistrust  they  have  of  themselves  ; 
whereby  it  cometh  to  pass,  that  often  they  are  pinched  and  vexed 
with  very  small  sins  as  most  grievous,  when  that  (contrary)  you  may 
see  very  many  whom  the  greatest  crimes  of  the  world  do  not  once 
move  or  trouble.  The  occasion  of  this  was,  that  he,  being  first  called 
by  the  light  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  and 
then  falling  thence,  as  we  commonly  see,  to  his  former  trade  of  life, 
began  to  mistrust  himself,  as  one  that  rashly  and  suddenly  had  for- 
saken his  vocation  and  thereupon  was  in  belief  that  he  had  sinned 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.' 

But,  thanks  be  to  Christ  our  Lord,  his  continual  keeper,  who  sufFereth 
not  any  man  to  be  tempted  above  his  strength,  but  so  tempereth  and 
seasoneth  the  asperity  of  evils,  that  only  they  do  not  withstand 
them,  but  also  oftentimes  falleth  out  to  a  further  commodity  than  is 
looked  for ;  which  thing  did  appear  as  much  in  this  John,  as  ever 
did  in  any  one,  who  albeit,  as  we  have  said,  suffered  so  many  years 
sharp  temptations,  yet  more  happy  were  they  to  him  than  tongue  can 
tell,  which  heaped  so  many  and  great  virtues  in  him,  with  reconcilia- 
tion of  his  tranquillity,  and  so  vanquished  him  from  all  worldly  affec- 
tions of  the  same ;  insomuch  that  nothing  could  be  more  blessed 
and  pure  than  his  life,  nothing  more  quiet  or  more  fervent  to  Christ 
and  his  ways.  Nor  truly  was  it  any  marvel  if  this  his  ardent  and 
vehement  zeal  toward  tiie  gospel  of  Christ,  in  this  turbulent  time  of 
persecution  (as  indeed  it  did  not),  either  could,  or  did,  lie  hid  in 
him. 

What  needeth  many  words  ?  As  soon  as  the  bishop  of  Coventry 
heard  the  fame  of  this  John  so  to  be  spread  out  of  hand,  he  wrote 
to  the  mayor  and  officers  to  apprehend  him  as  soon  as  might  be :  but 
it  chanced  otherwise  by  God's  holy  providence,  who  disposeth  all 
things  according  to  his  secret  pleasure,  and  contrary  to  the  expecta- 
tion of  man.  And  although  this  John  took  it  more  inwardly  than 
any  tongue  can  express,  when  he,  being  ever  desirous  of  death,  saw, 
in  his  stead,  his  brother  to  be  carried  to  his  death,  yet  doubtless  it 

1,   as  tlu'y  arc  but  a  repetition  of  paj^e  ;!8.'),  line  20—29. 


TO    HIS   WIFE.  393 

■was  provided  by  the  singular  grace  and  just  providence  of  God ;  for  ^fary. 
he,  seeing  liis  okl  and  trusty  servant  so  many  years,  with  so  extreme  a.D. 
and  many  torments,  broken  and  dried  up,  would  in  no  wise  heap  so  1555. 
many  sorroAvs  upon  one  poor  silly  wretch,  neither  would  commit  him 
to  the  flames  of  fire,  who  had  been  scorched  and  so  consumed  with 
the  sharp  sorrows  of  his  mind,  and  had  sustained  so  many  darts  and 
conflicts  of  Satan  so  many  years.  God  of  his  divine  providence 
thought  this  too  much,  whose  custom  was  never  so  to  deal  with  his 
servants  ;  and  therefore  he  provided  that  Robert,  either  for  his  leanv 
ing-sake  or  sountlncss  of  his  strength,  should  stoutly  suflTer  and  sus- 
tain this  conflict ;  and  although  there  lacked  no  stomach  in  the  other 
to  suffer  martyrdom,  yet  our  Lord  thought  rather  to  use  this  man's 
stomach  and  knowledge  in  refuting  the  adversaries"*  arguments,  and  so 
to  be  more  expedient  to  the  cause  of  his  salvation.  But,  howsoever 
the  matter  stood,  Robert  was  taken  in  the  stead  of  John,  and  that 
not  Avithout  the  singular  will  and  love  of  God  to  either  of  them ; 
for  as  soon  as  the  mayor  of  Coventry  had  received  the  bishop's  let- 
ters, he  sent  forthwith  a  private  watchword  to  John,  to  convey  away 
himself,  who,  with  his  brother  William,  was  not  so  soon  departed  out 
of  his  house,  but  that  yet,  in  spite  of  the  sheriff  and  others,  the 
searchers  came  and  rushed  in  to  take  him,  according  to  the  bishop"'s 
commandment ;  who  when  he  could  in  no  place  be  found,  one  of 
the  officers,  going  up  into  an  upper  chamber,  found  there  Robert, 
the  other  brother,  lying  on  his  bed,  and  sick  of  a  long  disease,  who 
was  by  him  brought  before  the  sheriff.  And  although  the  sheriff, 
favouring  Robert  and  his  cause,  would  feign  have  dismissed  him,  say- 
ing that  "  he  was  not  the  man  for  whom  they  were  sent,"  yet  was  he 
feared  with  the  stout  words  of  the  officer,  contending  with  him  about 
his  staying,  till  the  bishop's  coming  carried  him  away  against  his  will, 
and  laid  him  fast  till  the  bishop  came.  And  this  so  much  concerning 
John  :  now  will  I  return  to  Robert*'s  letters,  from  whence  I  have 
made  some  digression.* 

Robert  Glover's  Letter  continued

~181 words

s  word,  the  remission  of  uie'^mini- 
sins."  strj'.to  re- 

Here,  interrupting  me,  he  would  needs  bear  me  in  hand  that  I  called  this  '""^'"" 
a  sacrament.    I  would  not  greatly  contend  with  him  in  that  point,  because  that 

(1)  The  true  church  is  always  builded  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles  :  whieli  tliough  It  appear 
not  always  alike  in  outward  sight,  the  fault  is  in  the  time,  not  in  the  church.  Times  do  alter, 
and  with  the  times  the  outward  lace  of  the  church  may  alter,  sometimes  appearing  more,  some- 
times less,  sometimes  very  little,  sometimes  nothing  at  all,  according  as  the  persecution  is. 
Nevertheless,  the  truth  of  the  church  abideth  always  one.  Neither  doth  it  go  by  number  of  men, 
but  by  soundness  of  truth.  Many  agreeing  in  one  maketh  a  unity:  but  the  verity  of  the  word 
maketh  the  church,  whether  it  be  in  few  or  in  many. 

(2)  "  Templum  domini,  templum  domiTii." 


398  THE    STORY    OF    llOBERT    GLOVER,    MARTYR. 

Mary     matter  was  of  no  great  weight  or  importance ;  although  he  in  so  doing  did  me 
wrons,  for  I  called  it  not  a  sacrament

~5,128 words

passing  out  of  the  world  by  any  pains  of  death.     Such  was  the  Mnry. 

change  of  the  marvellous  working  of  the  Lord's  hand  upon  that  good  ji^d_ 

man.  1555. 


Cornelius  SSungep,  Ipelloto  JEtactpr  toitlj  Haajcitcc  iSoliert  <J5roiJer. 

In  the  same  fire  with  him  was  burned  also  Cornelius  Bungey,  a 
capper  of  Coventry,  and  condemned  by  the  said  Radulph,  bishop  of 
Coventry  and  Lichfield.  As  concerning  the  articles  which  were  to 
him  objected,  the  effect  thereof  was  this. 

Articles  objected  to  Cornelius  Bungey. 

First,  It  was  articulate  against  him,  that  these  three  years  last,  in  tlie  city  of 
Coventry  and  Lichfield,  and  other  places  about,  he  did  hold,  maintain,  argue 
and  teach,  that  the  priest  hath  no  power  here  to  absolve  any  sinner  from  his 
sins. 

Secondly,  That  by  baptism  sins  be  not  washed  away ;  because  he  said,  that 
the  washing  of  the  flesh  purgeth  the  flesh  outwardly,  and  not  the  soul. 

Thirdly,  That  there  be  in  the  church  only  two  sacraments,  that  is,  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  supper. 

rourthly,  That  in  the  sacrament  of  the  popish  altar,  was  not  the  real  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  but  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine  there  remaining  still, 
because  St.  Paul  calleth  it  bread  and  wine,  etc. 

Fifthly,  That  he,  within  the  compass  of  the  said  years  and  time,  did,  hold, 
maintain,  and  defend,  that  the  pope  is  not  the  head  of  the  visible  church  here 
on  earth,  etc. 

Sixthly,  That  he  was  of  the  diocese  and  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop  of  Coventry 
and  Lichfield,  etc. 

Seventhly,  That  the  premises  are  true,  manifest,  and  notorious,  and  that  upon 
the  same  there  hath  been  and  is  a  public  voice  and  fame,  as  well  in  the  places 
above  rehearsed,  as  in  other  quarters  also  about,  etc. 

His  Answers  to  the  Articles. 

Unto  the  which  articles  he  answered  again  :  to  the  first  he  granted,  and  to 
every  part  thereof;  meaning  after  the  popish  manner  of  absolution. 

To  the  second  he  granted  first,  and  afterwards  revoked  the  same. 

To  the  third  also  he  granted,  adding  withal  that  in  Scripture  there  be  no 
more  contained. 

To  the  fourth,  touching  the  sacrament,  he  granted,  and  to  every  part  thereof. 

To  the  fifth,  concerning  the  pope  likewise. 

Also  to  the  sixth  he  granted,  and  likewise  to  the  seventh. 

Upon  these  articles  and  his  answers  to  the  same,  the  said  Radulph 
the  bishop  read  the  sentence,  and  so  committed  him  also,  after  con- 
demnation of  master  Robert  Glover,  to  the  secular  power. 

Thus  this  foresaid  Cornelius,  falsely  condemned  by  the  bishop  be- 
fore mentioned,  suffered  at  the  same  stake  with  the  christian  martyr 
master  Robert  Glover  at  Coventry,  about  the  2()th  day  of  September. 


Ilete  follotoetlj  tljc  ^tocp  Ijoyd  Sofjn  <©Ioticc  and  JDifliam  <©fot»et 

WERE    EXCOMMUNICATE    AND    CAST    OUT     AFTER     THEIR     DEATH, 
AND    BURIED    IN    THE    FIELDS. 

Now  that  we  have  discoursed  the  story  of  master  Robert  Glover, 
something  also  woiild  be  touched  of  his  other  two  brethren,  John  and 
WiUiam  Glover  ;    who,  albeit  they  Were  not  called  to  finish  their 


400  THE    STORY    OF    JOHN    AND    IlOBKllT    GT.OVEn,    CONTINUED. 

Mary,  couisc  by  like  kind  of  martyrdom  in  the  fire,  as  the  others  did ,  yet, 
^  J)  because  for  their  constant  profession  of  God's  gospel  unto  the  latter 
1555.    end,  they  were  exempted  after  their  death,  and  cast  out  of  the  same 

church,  as  the  other  was,  I  thought  them  not  unworthy  therefore  in 

the  story  to  be  joined  together,  who,  in  one  cause  and  the  same  pro- 
fession, were  not  sundered  one  from  the  other. 

And  first  concerning  master  John  Glover  the  eldest  brother,  Avhat 
inward  storms  and  agonies  he  sustained  by  the  ghostly  enemy,  partly 
ye  lieard  before  described :  now  what  his  bodily  enemies  wrought 
against  him,  remaineth  to  be  declared  ;  Avhose  rage  and  malice, 
although  God  so  restrained  that  they  could  little  prevail  against  him 
so  long  as  his  life  endured,  yet,  after  his  decease,  having  power  upon 
him,  what  they  did  ye  shall  now  understand. 

After  the  martyrdom  of  master  Robert  Glover,  although  .John 

Glover,  seeing  his  brother  to  be  apprehended  for  him,  had  small  joy 

of  diis  life  for  the  great  sorrow  of  his  heart  wherewith  he  was  sore 

oppressed,  and  would  gladly  have  put  himself  in  his  brother"'s  stead, 

if  friends  had  not  otherwise  persuaded  hin\,  showing  that  in  so  doing 

he  might  entangle  himself,  but  should  do  his  brother  no  good :  he 

A  new      thus  in  grcat  care  and  vexation  endured,  yet,  notwithstanding,  rubbing 

made'for  ^ut  as  Well  as  lie  could,  till  at  length,  about  the  latter  end  of  queen 

John        Mary,  there  was  a  new  search  made  for  the  said  .John  Glover. 

Whereupon   the  sheriflTs,  with  their  under-officers  and  servants, 
being  sent  to  seek  him,  came  into  his  house  where  he  and  his  wife 
Avere.     It  chanced  as  he  was  in  his  chamber  by  himself,  the  officers, 
bursting  into  the  house  and  searching  other  rooms,  came  to  the  cham- 
ber-door where  this  John  Glover  was,  who,  being  within,  and  holding 
the  latch  softly  with  his  hand,  perceived  and  heard  the  officers  bust- 
ling about  the  door,  amongst  whom  one  of  the  said  officers,  having 
the  string  in  his  hand,  was  ready  to  draw  and  pluck  at  the  same. 
The  pro-        In  the  mean  time  another  coming  by  (whose  voice  he  heard  and 
Godagarn  kuew),  bade  them  come  away,  saying  they  had  been  there  before. 
hin?-^hi!  Whereupon  they,  departing  thence,  went  to  search  other  corners  of 
wifc'ap-    the  house,  where  they  found  Agnes  Glover  his  wife,  who,  being  had 
ed!  ^"     to  Lichfield,  and  there  examined  before  the  bishop,  at  length,  after 
much  ado,  was  constrained  to  give  place  to  their  tyranny.     John 
Glover,  in  the  mean  time,  partly  for  care  of  his  wife,  partly  through 
cold  taken  in  the  woods  Avhere  he  did  lie,  took  an  ague,  whereupon, 
not  long  after,  he  left  his  life,  which  the  cruel  papists  so  long  had 
sought  for. 

Thus,  by  the  mighty  protection  of  the  Almighty  Lord,  how  John 

Glover  was  delivered  and  defended  from  the  hands  of  the  persecuting 

enemies  during  all  the  time  of  his  life,  ye  have  heard.     Now  what 

befel  after  his  death,  both  to  him  and  William  his  brother,  it  is  not 

Dr.  nr.v  unworthy  to  be   remembered  ;    who,   after   that  he  was  dead  and 

notlutiw  buried  in  the  churchyard  without  priest  or  clerk.  Dr.  Dracot,  then 

ilu'Jicd'in''  chancellor,  six  weeks  after,  sent  for  the  parson  of  the  town,  and  de- 

t'le         manded  how  it  chanced  that  he  was  tliere  buried.     The  parson  an- 

yard.        swered  that  he  was  then  sick,  and  knew  not  of  it.    Then  the  chancellor 

commanded  the  parson  to  go  home,  and  to  cause  the  body  of  the  said 

.lohii  (Jlover  to  be  taken  u]),  and  to  be  cast  over  the  wall  into  the 

highway :  the  parson  again  answered  that  he  had  been  six  weeks  in 


CATHOLIC    HANDLING    OF    WILLIAM    GLOVER.  401 

the  earth,  and  so  smelled,  that  none  was  able  to  abide  the  savour  of   ^tary. 
him.     "  Well,"  quoth  Dr.  Dracot,  "  then  take  this  bill,  and  pro-    ^ ^3 
nounce  hira  in  the  pulpit  a  damned  soul,  and  a  twelvemonth  after    1.555. 
take  up  his  bones  (for  then  the  flesh  will  be  consumed),  and  cast  g,o,„ 
them  over  the  wall,  that  carts  and  horses  may  tread  upon  them ;  and  f^^^^^ 
then  will  I  come  and  hallow  again  that  place  in  the  churchyard  where  judged 
he  was  buried."     This  was  recorded  by  the  parson  of  the  town,  who  damned. 
told  the  same  to  Hugh  Burrows,  dwelling  at  Findern  in  Derbyshire, 
and  to  Mr.  Robert  Glover's  wife,  by  whose  credible  information  we 
received  the  same. 

Not  much  unlike  usage  was  practised  also  by  these  catholic  children  M^-erof 
of  the  mother  church,  upon  the  body  of  Wdliam  the  thu'd  brother ;  t^he_to<iy^ 
whom  after  it  had  pleased  Almighty  God  about  the  same  season  to  °fter  h  " 
call  out  of  this  vale  of  misery,  the  good  disposed  people  of  the  town  '''^^t"- 
of  Wem,  in  Shropshire,  where  he  died,  brought  the  body  unto  the 
parish  church,  intending  there  to  have  it  biuied.     But  one  Bernard,  Bernard  a 
beino-  then  curate  of  the  said  church  (and  yet  is,  as  I  hear  say,  to  curate  of 
this^'dav),  to  stop  the  burial  thereof,  rode  to  the  bishop  named  ^^ '-''"• 
Radulpii  Banes,  to  certify  him  of  the  matter,  and  to  have  his  advice 
therein.     In  the  mean  time  the  body  lying  there  a  whole  day,  in  the 
nio-ht  time  one  Richard  Morice,  a  tailor,  would  have  interred  him. 
BSt  then  came  John  Thorlyne,  of  Wem,  with  others  more,  and  xhoriyne 
would  not  suffer  the  body  to  be  buried ;  expressing  to  us  the  con-  the  bury 
trary  example  of  good  Tobit,  for  as  he  was  religious  in  burying  the  '^"J.^  °[^ 
dead,  so  this  man  putteth  religion  in  not  burying  the  dead :  so  that  ver. 
after  he  had  lain  there  two  days  and  one  night,  cometh  the  foresaid 
Bernard  the  curate  with  the  bishop  s  letter,  the  contents  of  which 
letter,  being  copied  out  word  for  word,  here  follow. 

A  Copy  of  the  Bishop  s  Letter,  written  to  the  Parish  of  Wem. 

Understanding  that  one  Glover,  a  heretic,  is  dead  in  the  parish  of  Wem,  which 
Glover  hath  for  all  the  time  of  my  being  in  this  country  been  known  for  a  rebel 
against  our  holy  faith  and  religion,  a  contemner  of  the  holy  sacraments  and 
ceremonies  used  in  the  holy  church,  and  hath  separated  hmiself  from  the  holy 
communion  of  all  good  christian  men,  and  never  requited  to  be  reconciled  to 
our  mother  holy  church,  nor  in  his  last  days  did  call  for  his  ghostly  father,  but 
died  without  all  rites  belonging  to  a  christian  man ;  I  thought  it  good  not  only 
to  command  the  curate  of  Wem,  that  he  should  not  be  buried  in  Christian-man  s 
burial  but  also  will  and  command  all  the  parish  of  Wem,  that  no  man  procure, 
help  nor  speak,  to  have  him  buried  in  holy  ground :  but  I  do  charge  and  com- 
mand the  churchwardens  of  Wem,  in  special,  and  all  the  parish  of  the  same, 
that  they  assist  the  said  curate  in  defending,  and  letting  and  procuring,  that  he 
be  not  buried  either  in  the  church,  or  within  the  wainables  of  the  church-yard : 
and  likewise  I  charge  those  that  brought  the  body  to  the  place  to  carry  it  away 
attain,  and  that  at  their  charge,  as  they  will  answer  at  their  peril. 
°At  Eccleshall,  this  6th  of  September,  Anno  1558. 

By  your  ordinary,  Radulph  Coventry  and  Lichfield. 

By  the  \artue  of  this  foresaid  letter,  so  it  fell  out,  that  they  which 
brought  the  corpse  thither,  were  fain  at  their  own  charges  to  carry  it  The  dead 
back  ao-ain.     But  for  so  much  as  the  body  was  corrupted,  and  smelt  w.Giover 
so  stronc^ly  that  scarcely  any  man  might  come  near  it,  they  were  .^^f^^ 
forced  to" draw  it  with  horses  into  a  broom-field,  and  there  was  he  fleWs. 
buried. 

VOL.  VII.  D   D 


402  THE    STORY    OF    AVOLSEY    AND    PYGOT. 

Mary.        The  witnesscs  of  the  godly  end  of  the  said  William  Glover,  dying 
A.D.    in  the  true  faitli  and  confession  of  Christ,  were  master  Nowell  dean 
1555.    of  Lichfield,  George  Wilestone  and  his  wife,  Thomas  Constantine, 
Roger  Wydhouse,  John  Prynne,  George  Torpelley,  etc. 
Burton         The  likc  example  of  charitable  affection  in  these  catholic  church- 
fered^to    ^^6"'  ^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^  ^^*^^  ^"^  noted  in  the  burying  of  one  master 
be  buried  Edward  Burton,  esq.,  who,  in  the  same  diocese  of  Chester,  departing 
tian^bu-    out  of  this  world  the  very  day  before  queen  Elizabeth  was  crowned, 
day  when  required  of  his  friends,  as  they  would  answer  for  it,  that  his  body 
queen      should  be  buricd  in  his  parish  church  (which  was  St.  Chad's  in  Shrews- 
was^^  ^    bury),   so  that  no  mass-monger  should  be  present  thereat ;  which 
crowned,  ^j-^jj^^  being  declared  to  the  curate  of  that  parish,  named  sir  John 
Marshall,  and  the  body  being  withal  brought  to  the  burial,  upon  the 
same  day  when  the  queen  was  crowned,  the  curate,  being  therewith 
offended,  said  plainly,  that  he  should  not  be  buried  in  the  church 
there.     Whereunto  one  of  his  friends,  named  George   Torpelley, 
answering  again,  said,  that  God  would  judge  him  in  the  last  day,  etc. 
Then  the  priest :  "  Judge  God,"  saith  he,  "  or  devil ;  the  body  shall 
not  come  there.""     And  so  they  buried  him  in  his  own  garden,  where 
he  is  no  doubt  as  near  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  if  he  had  been 
buried  in  the  midst  of  the  church. 


Oliv 
Richar- 


Moreover,  in  the  said  county  of  Salop,  I  find  that  one  Oliver 
dVne!"^"  Richardine  of  the  parish  of  Whitchurch,  was  burned  in  Haverford- 
martyr.  .^^gj.^  gjj.  JqJjjj  Ygouc  being  sheriff  the  same  time,  which  seemeth 
to  be  about  the  latter  year  of  king  Henry  the  Eighth  :  whose  name, 
because  it  was  not  mentioned  before,  I  thought  here  to  give  some 
little  touch  of  him,  having  now  in  hand  to  speak  of  the  persecution 
within  the  diocese  of  Coventry  and  Lichfield. 

Cfje  JlartprDom  of  KDiIliam  WzUz^y  and  Jtobect  ppgot  fainter. 

After  the  suffering  of  master  Robert  Glover  and  Cornelius  Bungey, 
at  Coventry,  followeth  next  the  condemnation  of  other  two  blessed 
martyrs,  which  were  judged  and  condemned  at  Ely,  by  John  Fuller 
the  bishop's  chancellor  of  Ely,   Dr.  Shaxton  his  suffragan,  Robert 
Steward,  dean  of  Ely,  John  Christopherson,  dean  of  Norwich,  Octo- 
ber 9th,   A.D.  1555 ;    the  names  of  which  martyrs  were  William 
Wolsey  and  Robert  Pygot,  dwelling  both  in  the  town  of  Wisbeach, 
which  William  Wolsey  being  a  constable,  dwelling  and  inhabiting  in 
the  town  of  Wells,  Avas  there  brought  to  death  by  the  means  and 
Everard    procurement  of  one  Richard  Everard,  gentleman,  a  justice  appointed 
against^   for  thosc  days,  who  extremely  handled  the  same  AVilliam  Wolsey, 
°^^'^^'    and  bound  him  to  the  good  abearing,  causing  him  to  put  in  sureties 
upon  his  good  behaviour,  until  the  next  general  sessions  holden  within 
the  isle  of  Ely :  and  so  the  said  Wolsey,  being  dispatched  of  his 
office,  and  brought  in  trouble,  removed  his  house'  and  dwelling  place, 
Wolsey     coming  to  dwell  in  the  town  of  Wisbeach.     Then  being  called  again 
tS  u'li^*^    at  the  next  sessions,  he  was  still  constrained  to  put  in  new  sureties, 
jail.         which  at  the  length  he  refused  to  do,  and  so  Avas  commanded  to  the 
jail  at  the  assizes  holden  at  Ely  in  Lent. 

In  the  Easter  Aveek  folloAving,  there  repaired  to  confer  Avith  him, 


THE    STORY    OF    WOLSEY    AND    PYGOT.  403 

Dr.  Fuller  the  chancellor,  with  Christopherson,  and  one  Dr.  Young,    Mary. 
Avho  laid  earnestly  to  his  charge  that  he  was  out  of  the  catholic  faith,    ^  j) 
Avilling  him  to  meddle  no  further  with  the  Scriptures,  than  it  did  be-    1.555. 
come  such  a  layman  as  he  was  to  do.     The  said  William  Wolsey  J~^^ 
standing  still  a  great  while,  suffering  them  to  say  their  pleasures,  at  christo- 
the  last  answered  in  this  wise :    "  Good  master  doctor,  what  did  our  and 
Saviour  Christ  mean,  when  he  spake  these  words,  written  in  the  23d  con'fef 
chapter  of  St. Matthew's  Gospel,  '  Wo  be  unto  you  scribes  and  Phari-  ■*'i"i  i'™- 
sees,  ye  hypocrites,  for  ye  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  men  :  ^hT' 
ye  yourselves  go  not  in,  neither  suffer  ye  them  that  come  to  enter  in.' "  ^^l^^^ 

"  Yea,"  saith  Dr.  Fuller,  "  you  must  understand,  that  Christ  spake 
to  the  scribes  and  Pharisees." 

"  Nay,  master  doctor,"  saith  Wolsey,  "  Christ  spake  even  to  you, 
and  your  fellows  here  present,  and  to  all  other  such  like  as  you  be." 

"  Away,  master  doctor,"  said  Christopherson,  "  for  you  can  do  no 
good  with  this  man."  "  Yet,"  saith  Dr.  Fuller,  "  I  will  leave  thee  a 
book  to  read,'  I  promise  thee,  of  a  learned  man's  doing;"  that  is  to 
say,  of  Dr.  Watson's  doing,  who  was  then  bishop  of  Lincoln. 

Wolsey,  receiving  the  same  book,  did  diligently  read  it  over,  which  Fuller 
in  many  places  did  manifestly  appear  contrary  to  the  known  truth  of  sonTtrto 
God's  word.    At  the  length,  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks  folloAving,  the  Woisey. 
said  Dr.  Fuller,  resorting  again  to  the  prison-house  to  confer  Avith 
the  said  Wolsey,  did  ask  him  how  he  did  like  the  said  book  (thinking 
that  he  had  won  him  by  the  reading  of  the  same)  :   who  answered 
him  and  said,  "  Sir,  I  like  the  book  no  otherwise  than  I  thought  be- 
fore I  should  find  it."     Whereupon  the  chancellor  taking  his  book, 
departed  home. 

At  night,  when  Dr.  Fuller  came  to  his  chamber  to  look  on  it,  he 
did  find  in  many  places,  contrary  to  his  mind,  the  book  rased  with  a 
pen  by  the  said  Wolsey.  The  which  he  seeing,  and  being  vexed 
therewith,  said,  "  Oh !  this  is  an  obstinate  heretic,  and  hath  quite 
marred  my  book." 

Then  the  assizes  holden  at  Wisbeach  drawing  nigh,  Dr.  Fuller  xhechan- 
cometh  again  to  the  said  Wolsey,  and  speaketh  unto  him  on  this  ^""th 
manner :  "  Thou  dost  much  trouble  my  conscience  ;   wherefore  I  i^'™  ^^^\^ 

1T1  *"  depart. 

pray  thee  depart,  and  rule  thy  tongue,  so  that  1  hear  no  more  com- 
plaint of  thee ;  and  come  to  the  chiu-ch  when  thou  wilt,  and  if  thou 
be  complained  upon,  so  far  as  I  may,  I  promise  thee  I  wall  not  hear 
of  it." 

"  Master  doctor,"  quoth  Wolsey,  "  I  was  brought  hither  by  a  law; 
and  by  a  law  I  will  be  delivered." 

Then,  being  brought  to  the  sessions  before  named,  Wolsey  was  woisey 
laid  in  the  castle  at  "Wisbcach,  thinking  to  him  and  all  his  friends,  caiue"of  * 
that  he  should  have  suffered  there  at  that  present  time ;    but  it  ^^^-^ 
proved  nothing  so. 

Then  Robert  Pygot  the  painter,  being  at  liberty,  was  there  pre-  Pygot pre- 
sented by  some  evil-disposed  persons  (sworn  men,  as  they  called  not'com-'^ 
them),  for  not  coming  to  the  church.  ^chulch 

The  said  Pygot  being  called  in  the  sessions,  would  not  absent  him-  sircie- 
sclf,  but  there  did  plainly  appear  before  sir  Clement  Higham  being  ^["j'^n, 
judge,  who  said  unto  him  ;  "Ah!  arc  you  the  holy  father  the  painter  ? 

(1)  Dr.  W'atson's  Book  of  Sermons  or  Homilies. 
D    D    2 


404  THE    STORV    OF    WOLSEY    AND    PYGOT. 

Mary.    How  cliancc  je  came  not  to  tlie  church  ?"    *•'  Sir,"  quoth  the  painter, 

^  ^3     "  I  am  not  out  of  the  church,  I  trust  in  God." 

I055'.        "No,  sir,"  said  the  judge:   "  tliis  is  no  church;   this  is  a  hall." 

"  Yea,  sir,"  said  Pygot,  "  I  know  very  well  it  is  a  hall :  but  he  that 

is  in  the  true  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  never  absent,  but  present  in 
the  church  of  God." 

"  Ah,  sirrah  !"  said  the  judge,"  "  you  are  too  high  learned  for  mc 

to  talk  withal ;   Avherefore  I  will  send  you  to  them  that  be  better 

learned  than  I ;"  straightways  commanding  him  to  the  jail  where 

Pygot       Wolsey  lay.     So  the  sessions  being  broken  up  and  ended,  the  said 

tiie"]!!!""  Wolsey  and  Pygot  were  carried  again  to  Ely  into  prison,  where  they 

both  did  remain  till  the  day  of  their  death. 

In  the  mean  time  certain  of  their  neighbours  of  Wisbeach  aforesaid, 
Tiie         being  at  Ely,  came  to  see  how  they  did.     There  came  thither  also  a 
chapMn,  chaplain  of  bishop  Goodrike's,  a  Frenchman  born,  one  Peter  Valen- 
a  French-  <-j^g^  ^]^q  gai(j  uuto  the   Said  Wolsey  and  Pygot,  "  My  brethren, 
firraeth     according  to  mine  office,  I  am  come  to  talk  with  you,  for  I  have  been 
sone^rs'i'n  aluioncr  here  these  twenty  years  and  above.     Wherefore   I  must 
the  truth,  jggipg  you^  my  brethren,  to  take  it  in  good  part  that  I  am  come  to 
talk  with  you.    I  promise  you,  not  to  pull  you  from  your  faith ;  but 
I  both  require  and  desire  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  stand 
to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  and  word ;  and  I  beseech  the  Almighty 
God,  for  his  son  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  to  preserve  both  you  and  me  in 
the  same  unto  the  end.     For  I  know  not  myself,  my  brethren,  how 
soon  I  shall  be  at  the  same  point  that  you  now  are."     Thus,  with 
many  other  like  words,  he  made  an  end,  causing  all  that  were  there 
present  to  water  their  cheeks,  contrary  to  all  the  hope  they  had  in 
him  ;   God  be  praised  therefore. 
Pygot  and      Thcu  withiu  short  time  after,  Pygot  and  Wolsey  were  called  to 
Miied^to  judgment  about  the  9th   day  of  October,  before  Dr.  Fuller  then 
in'the'^"'  chancellor,  with  old  Dr.  Shaxton,  Christopherson,  and  others  in  com- 
consis-     mission,  who  laid  earnestly  to  their  charge  for  their  belief  in  divers 
""^^'        articles,  but  especially  of  the  sacrament  of  the  aitar.     Whereunto 
tlieir  answer  was,  that  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  was  an  idol,  and  that 
the  natural"  body  and  blood  of  Christ  were  not  present  really  in  the 
said  sacrament ;   and  to  this  opinion  they  said  they  would  stick,  be- 
lieving perfectly  the  same  to  be  no  heresy  that  they  had  affirmed, 
but  the  very  truth,  whereupon  they  would  stand.     Then  said  the 
doctors,  that  they  were  out  of  the  catholic  faith. 
The  Then  Dr.  Shaxton  said  unto  them,   "  Good  brethren,  remember 

shixton    yourselves,  and  become  new  men,  for  I  myself  was  in  this  fond 
to  the       opinion  that  you  are  now  in,  but  I  am  now  become  a  new  man." 
woUey'3        "Ah,"  said  Wolsey,  "are  you  become  a  new  man?     Wo  be  to 
thee,  thou  wicked  new  man,  for  God  shall  justly  judge  thee." 

Dr.  Fuller  then  spake,  saying,  "  This  Wolsey  is  an  obstinate 
fellow,  and  one  that  I  could  never  do  good  upon.  But  as  for  the 
painter,  he  is  a  man  quiet  and  indifferent  (as  far  as  I  perceive),  and 
is  soon  reformed,  and  may  very  well  be  delivered  for  any  evil  opinion 
I  find  in  him." 

Then  Christopherson  called  for  pen  and  ink,  and  wrote  these  words 
following  :  "  I,  Robert  Pygot,  do  believe,  that  after  the  words  of 
consecration  spoken  by  the  priest,  there  rcmaineth  no  more  bread 


answer. 


THE    STORY    OF    WOLSEY    AND    PYGOT.  405 

and  wine,  but  tlie  very  body  J^d  blood  of  Christ  really  and  substan-  Mary. 
tially.  the  selfsame  that  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ;''  and  reading  ^  j) 
it  to  tl>e  painter  he  said  thus,  "  Dost  thou  believe  all  this  according  1555. 
as  it  written  ?" 

"  No,  sir,"  said  the  painter,  "  that  is  your  faith,  and  not  mine." 

Christopherson : — "  Lo,  master  Dr.  Fuller,   you  would  have  let  fy^^1\J^- 
this  fellow  go  ;  he  is  as  much  a  heretic  as  the  other."     And  so  im-  subscribe 
mediately  judgment  was  given  upon  them  to  die  :    which  done,  after  ^"  "■ 
the  sentence  read,  they  were  sent  again  to  the  prison,  where  they  did 
lie  till  the  day  of  their  death.     At  which  day,  one  Peacock,  bachelor  Peacock 
of  divinity,  being  appointed  to  preach,  took  his  text  out  of  the  First  fo  pTeacb 
Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  chapter  v.,  of  one  that  had  fujjjfng 
lived  inordinately,  by  abusing  his  father's  wife  ;   likening  the  said  of  woise.' 
Pygot  and  AVolsey  to  the  same  man,  oftentimes  saying,  that  such  pygot. 
members  must  be  cut  off  from  the  congregation ;  most  maliciously 
reporting  the  said  Wolsey  to  be  clean  out  of  the  faith,  and  in  many 
places  quite  denying  the  Scriptiure. 

So,  his  sermon  being  ended,  the  forenamed  Pygot  and  Wolsey 
being  brought  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  so  bound  to  the  stake 
with  a  chain,  thither  cometh  one  sir  Richard  Collinson  a  priest,  at 
that  time  destitute  of  any  biding-place  or  stay  of  benefice,  who  said 
unto  Wolsey,  "  Brother  Wolsey,  the  preacher  hath  openly  reported 
in  his  sermon  this  day,  that  you  are  quite  out  of  the  catholic  faith, 
and  deny  baptism,  and  that  you  do  err  in  the  holy

Cut continues beyond the first 4,000 words shown here — about 1,128 more in the scan at the link above.

~387 words

any  of  them  were  there,  as  divers  times  they  were,  "  By 


ills  order 

after 

supper. 


THE    STORY    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY,    MARTYR.  409 

your  lortlslii))'s  favour,  this  place  of  right  aud  custom  is  for  my  mother    ^lary. 
Bonner.''''     But  how  well  he  was  recompensed  for  tliis  his  singular    ^  j) 
gentleness  and  pitiful  piety  after,  at  the  hands  of  the  said  Dr.  Bonner,    1555. 
almost  the  least  child  that  goeth  by  the  ground  can  declare.  For  who  i7~^ 
afterward  was  more  enemy  to  Ridley  than  Bonner  and  his  ?  AVlio  more  [j^y^.^"^ 
went  about  to  seek  his  destruction  than  he  .''  recompensing  this  his  ishness  of 
gentleness  with  extreme  cruelty ;    as  well    appeared  by  the  strait  dt"scribed. 
handling  of  Ridley's  own  natural  sister,  and  George  Shipside  her 
husband,  from  time  to  time :  whereas  the  gentleness  of  the  other  did  Bonner 
suffer  Bonner's  mother,  sister,  and  other  of  his  kindred,  not  only  andcimr- 
quietly  to  enjoy  all  that  wliich  they  had  of  Bonner,  but  also  enter-  'j^fj,'.y.g 
tained  them  in  his  house,  showing  much  courtesy  and  friendship  daily  sister.and 
unto  them  :  whereas  on  the  other  side,  bishop  Bonner,  being  restored  the  death 
again,   would  not  suffer  the  brother  and  natural  sister  of  bishop  t^^r.^nl"" 
Ridley,  and  other  his  friends,  not  only  not  to  enjoy  that  which  they  law. 
had  by  the  said  their  brother  bishop  Ridley,   but  also  currishly, 
without  all  order  of  law  or  honesty,  by  extort  power  wTCsted  from 
them  all  the  livings  they  had. 

And  yet,  being  not  therewith  satisfied,  he  sought  all  the  means  he 
could  to  work  the  death  of  the  foresaid  Shipside,  saying,  that  he 
would  make  twelve  godfathers  to  go  upon  him ;  which  had  been 
brought  to  pass  indeed,  at  what  time  he  Avas  prisoner  at  Oxford,  had 
not  God  otherwise  wrought  his  deliverance  by  means  of  Dr.  Heath, 
then  the  bishop  of  Worcester.* 

Hereby  all  good  indifferent  readers  notoriously  have  to  under- 
stand, what  great  diversity  was  in  the  disposition  of  these  two  natures; 
whereof  as  the  one  excelled  in  mercy  and  pity,  so  the  other  again  as 
much  or  more  excelled  in  churlish  ingratitude,  and  despiteful  dis- 
dain.    But  of  this  matter  enough. 

Now  concerning  God"'s  vocation,  how  Dr.  Ridley  was  first  called  Ridley 
to  the  savouring  and  favouring  of  Christ  and  his  gospel,  partly  by  his  verte'd "y 
disputation  before,  and  other  his  treatises,  it  may  appear  that  the  first  ^oot

~482 words

verity  of  God's  word.     And  therefore,  that  I  might  not  only  Ridley 
bj    SSon  p;ofess  (he  verity  in  not  reverencing  the  ^e^o^^^ ^^.Vy^  -.n^.ot 
contrary  to  God's  word,  but  also  in  gesture,  in  behaviour,  and  all  my  doings  ex-  ^^^,,^ 
press  the  same.  I  have  put  on  my  cap ;  and  for  this  consideration  only,  and  not  pope. 
F  r  any    ontumacy  to  your  lordships,  neither  contempt  of  t  h-worsliipfuaudi- 
ence    neither  derogation  of  any  honour  due  to  the  cardmal  his  grace,  both  for 
hff  noble  parentage,  and  also  his  excellent  qualities   I  have  kept  on  my  cap. 

Lhu-oln--'^  Master  Ridley,  you  excuse  yourself  of  that  with  the  which  we  white 
pressed  vou  not,  in  that  you  'protest  you  keep  on  your  cap  -'^her   or  av^  con    ...op^or 
tumacv  towards  us  (which  look  for  no  such  honour  of  you),  nei  hei  tor  anv  con-  ^^^,;^.^„ 

Z   o     ht   audience,  which,  although  justly  they  may,  yet  (as  I  suppose)  in 

thS  case  do  not  require  any  such  obeisance  of  you;  neither  in  derogation  of 

any  honour  due  to'my  lord'cardinal's  grace    for  his  regal  f-cen      at  ^vluch 

word  master  Ridley  moved  his  cap]  and  excellent  qualities  ;  for  altlumgh  in  al 

Te  prem  ses  honoii  be  due,   vet  in  these  respects  we  require  none  o    you,  but 

nlv    n  tvfat  my  lord  cardinal's  grace  is,  here  in  England   deputy  of  the  pope  3 
on  y  in  inai  m>  ^  ^^^.  ^,^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^^^  ^ 

mSZ^o:'^;  ^:^i^^^  we  say  mito  yL  the  second  ti.ne,  U.at  except  ;.r caps . 
you  take  Uie  pains  yourself  to  put  your  hand  to  your  head,  and  put  off  your  cap,  „,  of  the 
you  Siall  put  us  to  the  pain,  to  cause  some  man  to  take  it  from  you,  except  you  pope. 


520 


THE    KXAMINATION    OF    UIDLEY 


Mary 

A.D. 
1555. 


The 

usurped 
supre- 
macy of 
Rome  de- 
fied. 

Ridley's 
cappUick- 
ed  off  by 
force. 


Though 
tlie  coun- 
try of 
Rome 
be  not 
strange, 
yet  the 
doctrine 
of  Rome 
is  strange. 


The 

bisliop  of 
Lincoln 
persuad- 
eth  Kid- 
ley  to 
return  to 
the  pope's 
cliurch. 


allege  some  infirmity  and  sickness,,  or  other  more  reasonable  cause,  npon  the 

-  consideration  wliereof  we  may  do  as  we  think  good." 

Ridley : — "The  premises  I  said  only  for  this  end,  that  it  might  as  well  appear 
to  your  lordships,  as  to  this  worshipful  audience,  why  and  for  what  consideration 
I  used  such  kind  of  behaviour,  in  not  humbling  myself  to  your  lordships  with 
cap  and  knee :  and  as  for  my  sickness,  I  thank  my  Lord  God,  that  I  am  as 
well  at  ease,  as  I  was  this  long  season  ;  and  therefore  I  do  not  pretend  that 
whicli  is  not,  but  only  this,  that  it  might  appear  by  this  my  behaviour,  that  I 
acknowledge  in  no  point  that  usurped  supremacy  of  Rome,  and  therefore  con- 

.  temn  and  utterly  despise  all  authority  coming  from  him

~429 words

you  to  the  first  article 

And  thereupon  rehearsed  the  same. 

Ridleu  — "  My  protestation  always  saved,  that  by  this  mine  answer  I  do  not  How  the 
condescend  to  your  authority  in  that  you  are  legate  to  the  pope    I  answer  thus :  ^ody^of 
In  a  sense  the  first  article  is  true,  and  in  a  sense  it  is  false :  for  it  you  take  ^^y  ^e 
realli/ foTvere,  for  soiritually,  by  grace   and  efficacy,  then  it  is  true  that  the  said  to  be 
natural  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  in  the  sacrament  vere  et  reahter,  indeed  ^^^  j;-^^^ 
and  really;'butif  you  take  these  terms  so  grossly  that  you  would  conclude  ,,otreal- 
therebv  a  natural  body  having  motion,  to  be  contained  under  the  forms  of  bread  ly,^^"  Ae 
and  wine,  vere  et  realiter,  then  really  is  not  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  jj^^^u 
sacrament,  no  more  than  the  Holy  Ghost  is  in  the  element  of  water  in  our 
baptism." 

Because  this  answer  was  not  understood,  the  notaries  wist  not  how 
to  note  it :  wherefore  the  bishop  of  Lincohi  willed  him  to  answer 
cither  affirmatively,  or  negatively,  either  to  grant  the  article,  or  to 
deny  it. 

Jiidley  • "  My  lord,  you  know  that  where  any  equivocation  (which  is  a  word 

having  two  significations)  is,  except  distinction  be  given,  no  direct  answer  can 
be  made  •  for  it  is  one  of  Aristotle's  fallacies,  containing  two  questions  under  Two 
one,  the  which  cannot  be  satisfied  with  one  answer.     For  both  you  and  I  agree  Q^esuons 
herein   that  in  the  sacrament  is  the  very  true  and  natural  body  and  blood  of  „„^. 
Christ'  even  that  which  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  which  ascended  into  The 
heaven,  which  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father  which  shall  come  P;-;P;;<;^_ 
from  thence  to  judge  the  quick  and   the  dead,  only  we  differ  m  mode,  in  the  testants, 
way  and  manner  of  being:  we  confers  all  one  thing  to  be  in  the  sacrament,  i^^^^^^^^ 
and  dissent  in  the  manner  of  being  there.     1,  being  fully  by  God  s  woid  there-  p,,,,„ee. 
unto  persuaded,  confess  Christ's  natural  body  to  be  iu  the  sacrament  indeed  by  do  a.ree: 
spirit  and  grace,  because  that  whosoever  leceiyeth   wuKh.ly  that  bread  and -iy^-„. 
wine  receiveth  effectuously  Christ's  body,  and  drinketh  his  blood  (that  is,  he  is  „„  of 
made  effectually  partaker  of  his  passion);    and  you  make  a  grosser  kind  of  being. 
bein<r,  enclosing  a  natural,  a  lively,  and  a  moving  body,  under  the  shape   or  ,J 
form°of  bread  and  wine.     Now,  this  diHerence  considered,  to  the  question  thus  How

~274 words

the  merits  of  the  same.  For  otherwise  doth  this 
sacrament  take  upon  it  the  office  of  Christ's  passion,  whereby  it  might  follow 
that  Christ  died  in  vain."  ' 

The  notaries  penned  this  his  answer  to  be  affirmatively.     Then 

said  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  : 
Unbloody      Lincoln :—"  Indeed  as  you  allege  out  of  St.  Paul,  Christ  made  one  perfect 
.acniice.    oblation  for  all  the  whole  world,  that  is,  that  bloody  sacrifice  upon  the  cross  • 

yet,  nevertheless,  he  hath  left  this  sacrifice,  but  not  bloody,  in  tlie  remembrance 

ot  that  by  the  which  sins  are  forgiven  ;  the  which  is  no  derogation  of  Christ's 

passion. 

Then  recited  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  the  fourth  article.  To  the 
which  master  Ridley  answered,  that  in  some  part  the  fourth  was  true 
and  in  some  part  false ;  true,  in  that  those  his  assertions  were  con^ 
dcmncd  as  heresies,  although  unjustly ;  false,  in  that  it  was  said  they 
were  condemned  scientid  scholastica,  in  that  the  disputations  were  in 
such  sort  ordered,  that  it  was  far  from  any  school  act 


DilTer- 
ei)ce  put 
between 
the  com- 
munion 
and  bap- 
tism. 


Answer 
to  the 
third  arti- 
cle. 

Propitia- 
tory sa- 
crifice of 
the  mass 
is  a  dero- 
gation to 
Christ's 
passion. 


Answer 
to  the 
fourth 
article. 


EKFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  5!29 


Man/. 


This  answer  penned  of  the  notaries,  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  reliearsed 

the  fifth  article.     To  the  which  Ridley  answered,  that  the  premises    a.  I), 
-were  in  such  sort  true,  as   in  these  his  answers  he   had  declared.    Ij.jj. 
AMiether  that  all  men  spake  evil  of  them,  he  knew  not,  in  that  he 
came  not  so  much  abroad  to  hear  what  every  man  reported. 

This  answer  also  written  of  the  notaries,  the  bishop  of  Lincoln 
said: 

Lincoln  : — "  To-morrow,  at  eight  of  the

~3,870 words

charging  the  mayor  with  him,  declaring  also  to  the  mayor 
that  he  should  suffer  him  to  have  a  pen  and  ink,  dismissed  master 
Ridley,  and  sent  for  master  Latimer,  who,  being  brought  to  the  divi- 
nity school,  there  tamed  till  they  called  for  him. 

MASTER    LATIMER    APPEARETH    BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS. 

Now,  after  master  Ridley  was  committed  to  the  mayor,  then  the 
bishop  of  Lincoln  commanded  the  bailiffs  to  bring  in  the  other 
prisoner,  who,  eftsoons  as  he  Avas  placed,  said  to  the  lords  : 

Latimer  : — "  My  lords,  if  I  appear  again,  I  pray  you  not  to  send  for  me  until 
you  be  ready  :  for  I  am  an  old  man,  and  it  is  great  hurt  to  mine  old  age  to 
tarry  so  long  gazing  upon  the  cold  walls." 

Then  thebishop  of  Lincoln  : — "  Master  Latimer,  I  am  sorry  you  are  brought 
so  soon,  although  it  is  the  bailiff's  fault,  and  not  mine  ;  but  it  shall  be  amended." 

Then  master  Latimer  bowed  his  knee  down  to  the  ground,  holding  The  order 
his  hat  in  his  hand,  having  a  kerchief  on  his  head,  and  upon  it  a  mer\  ap- 
night-cap  or  two,  and  a  great  cap  (such  as  townsmen  use,  with  two  p^"^^^- 
broad  flaps  to  button  under  the  chin),  wearing  an  old  thread-bare 
Bristol  frieze-gown  girded  to  his  body  with  a  penny  leather  girdle,  at 
the  which  hanged  by  a  long  string  of  leather  his  Testament,  and  his 
spectacles  without  case,  depending  about  his  neck  upon  his  breast. 
After  this  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  began  on  this  manner : 

Lincoln  : — "  blaster  Latimer,  you  shall  understand,  that  I  and  my  lords  here  The  ora- 
have  a  commission  from  my  lord  cardinal  Pole's  grace,  legate  a  latere  to  this  l""^",^!,, 
realm  of  England,  from  our  most  reverend  fatlier  in  God,  the  pope's  holiness,  Latimer. 
to  examine  you  upon  certain  opinions  and  assertions  of  yours,  which  you,  as 
well  here  openly  in  disputations  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1554,  as  at  sundry  and 
at  divers  other  times  did  affirm,  maintain,  and  obstinately  defend.  In  the  which 
commission  be  specially  two  points ;  the  one  which  we  must  desire  you  is,  that 
if  you  shall  now  recant,  revoke,  and  disannul  these  your  errors,  and,  together 
with  all  this  realm,  yea  all  the  world,  confess  the  truth,  we,  upon  due  repent- 
ance of  your  part,  shall  receive  you,  reconcile  you,  acknowledge  you  no  longer 
a  straved  sheep,  but  adjoin  you  again  to  the  unity  of  Christ's  church,  from  the 
which  you  in  the  time  of  schism  fell.  So  that  it  is  no  new  place  to  the  which  I 
exhort  you ;  I  desire  you  but  to  return  thither  from  whence  you  went.  Consider, 
master  Latimer,  that  without  the  unity  of  the  church  is  no  salvation,  and  in  the 
church  can  be  no  errors.'  Therefore  what  should  stay  you  to  confess  that 
which  all  the  realm  confesseth,  to  forsake  that  which  the  king  and  queen  their 
majesties  have  renounced,  and  all  the  realm  recanted.  It  was  a  common 
error,  and  it  is  now  of  all  confessed  :  it  shall  be  no  more  shame  to  you,  than  it 
(1)  But  this  church  then  stamK-th  uiwn  the  truth  of  God's  word,  and  not  upon  the  fantasy  of  man, 

VOL.  VII.  M   M 


530 


Mary. 

A.D. 
1555. 


The 
pope's  a 
thority. 


THE    EXAMINATION    OF    LATIMER 

was  to  us  all.  Consider,  master  Latimer,  that  within  these  twenty  years  this 
realm  also,  with  all  the  world,  confessed  one  church,  acknowledged  in  Christ's 
church  a  head;  and  by  what  means  and  for  what  occasion  it  cut  off  itself  from 
the  rest  of  Cln-istianity,  and  renounced  that  which  in  all  times  and  ages  was 
confessed,  it  is  well  known,  and  might  be  now  declared  upon  what  good  found- 
ation the  see  of  Rome  was  forsaken,  save  that  we  must  spare  them  that  are 
dead,'  to  whom  the  rehearsal  would  be  opprobrious  :  it  is  no  usurped  power,  as  it 
hath  been  termed,  but  founded  upon  Peter  by  Christ,  a  sure  foundation,  a  per- 
fect builder,  as  by  divers  places,  as  well  of  the  ancient  fathers,  as  by  the  express 
word  of  God,  may  be  proved." 

With  that  master  Latimer,  who  before  leaned  his  head  to  liis 
liand,  began  somewhat  to  remove  his  cap  and  kerchief  from  his  cars. 
The  bishop  proceeded,  saying : 

"  For  Christ  spake  expressly  to  Peter  saying,  '  Pasce  oves  rneas,  et  rege  oves 
meas,'  the  which  word  doth  not  only  declare  a  certain  ruling  of  Christ's  flock, 
but  includeth  also  a  certain  pre-eminence  and  government; 2  and  therefore  is 
the  king  called  '  Rex  a  regendo :'  so  that  in  saying  'rege,'  Christ  declared  a 
power  which  he  gave  to  Peter,  which  jurisdiction  and  power  Peter  by  hand 
delivered  to  Clement,  and  so  in  all  ages  hath  it  remained  in  the  see  of  Rome. 
This,  if  you  shall  confess  with  us,  and  acknowledge  with  all  the  realm  your 
errors  and  false  assertions,  then  shall  you  do  that  which  we  most  desire,  then 
shall  we  rest  upon  the  first  part  of  our  commission,  then  shall  we  receive  you, 
acknowledge  you  one  of  the  church,  and,  according  to  the  authority  given  unto 
us,  minister  unto  you,  upon  due  repentance,  the  benefit  of  absolution,  to  the 
which  the  king  and  queen  their  majesties  were  not  ashamed  to  submit  them- 
selves, although  they  of  themselves  were  unspotted,  and  therefore  needed  no 
reconciliation  :  yet  lest  the  putrefaction  and  rottenness  of  all  the  body  might 
be  noisome,  and  do  damage  to  the  head  also,  they  (as  I  said)  most  humbly 
submitted  themselves  to  my  lord  cardinal  his  grace,  by  him,  as  legate  to  the 
pope's  holiness,  to  be  partakers  of  the  reconciliation.  But,  if  you  shall  stub- 
bornly persevere  in  your  blindness ;  if  you  will  not  acknowledge  your  errors ; 
if  you,  as  you  now  stand  alone,  will  be  singular  in  your  opinions  ;  if  by  schism 
and  heresy  you  will  divide  youi'self  from  your  church,  then  must  we  proceed  to 
the  second  part  of  the  commission,  which  we  would  be  loth  to  do,  that  is,  not  to 
condemn  you,  for  that  we  cannot  do,  {that  the  temporal  sword  of  the  realm, 
and  not  we,-*  will  do)  but  to  separate  you  from  us,  acknowledge  you  to  be  none 
of  us,  to  renounce  you  as  no  member  of  the  church,  to  declare  that  you  are 
'  filius  perditionis,'  a  lost  child;  and,  as  you  are  a  rotten  member  of  the  church, 
so  to  cut  you  off  from  the  church,  and  so  to  commit  you  to  the  temporal  judges, 
permitting  them  to  proceed  against  you,  according  to  the  tenor  of  their  laws. 
Reasons  Therefore,  master  Latimer,  for  God's  love  consider  your  estate ;  remember  you 
to  per-  are  a  learned  man ;  you  have  taken  degrees  in  the  school,  borne  the  oflice  of  a 
flesll'^but  b'^^^^op  ;  remember  you  are  an  old  man ;  spare  your  body,  accelerate  not  your 
iiottosa-  death,  and  specially  remember  your  soul's  health,  quiet  of  your  conscience. 
^'f/y '^'J"-  Consider  that  if  you  should  die  in  this  state,  you  shall  be  a  stinking  sacrifice  to 
God  ;  for  it  is  the  cause  that  maketh  the  martyr,  and  not  the  death  :  consider 
that  if  you  die  in  this  state,  you  die  without  grace,  for  without  the  chiu-ch  can 
be  no  salvation.  Let  not  vain-glory  have  the  upper  hand,  humiliate  yourself, 
captivate  your  understanding,  subdue  your  reason,  submit  yourself  to  the  deter- 
mination of  the  church,  do  not  force  us  to  do  all  that  we  may  do,  let  us  rest 
in  that  part  which  we  most  heartily  desire,  and  I,  for  my  part  [then  the  bishop 
put  off  his  cap]  again  with  all  my  heart  exhort  you." 

After  tlic  bishop  had  somewhat  paused,  tlicn  master  Latimer  lifted 
up  his  head  (for  before  he  leaned  on  his  elbow),  and  asked  whether 
his  lordship  had  said ;  and  the  bishop  answered,  "  Yea.'" 

Latimer : — "Then  will  your  lordship  give  me  leave  to  speak  a  word  or  two?" 

(1)  How  you  spared  the  dead,  your  own  acts  can  bear  witness. 

Vi)  n<)(/itt<i't<i/,  sigiiifieth  to  feed,  or  to  rule. 

(3)  "  Qui  tradiderunt  me  tibi  majus  peccatum  habent,"  saith  Christ. 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS  5"! 

Lincoln :—"  Yea,  master  Latimer,  so  that  you  use  a  modest  kind  of  talk,     M,„y 
without  railing  or  taunts."  _^  .    .~ 

Latimer  ;— "  I  heseech  your  lordship  license  me  to  sit  down."  r.'. .' 

Lincoln:  — "  At  your  pleasure,  master  Latimer,  take  as  much  ease  as  you    l^'^J- 
will." 

Latimer :—"  Your  lordship  gently  exhorted  me  in  many  words  to  come  His  .in- 
to the  unity  of  the  church.     I   confess,  my  lord,  a  catholic  church,  spread  swerto 
throughout  all  the  world,  in  the  which  no  man  may  err,  without  the  which  ^•'>'=o'"- 
unity  of  the  church  no  man  can  he  saved  :  h\it  I  know  perfectly  hy  God's  word, 
that  this  church  is  in  all  the  world,  and  hath  not  its  foundation  in  Rome  only.  The  uni- 
as  you  say;  and  me  thought  your  lordship  hrought  a  place  out  of  the  Scriptures  ^|^j|,*|*'|^ 
to  confirm  the  same,  that  there  was  a  jurisdiction  given  to  Peter,  in  that  Christ  iiath^mt 
bade  him  '  rcgere,'  govern  his  people.'     Indeed,  my  lord,   St.  Peter  did  well  its  found- 
and  truly  his  office,  in  that  he  was  bid  '  regere :'  but,  since,  the  bishops  of  ",*'j^'J,^[;,'j 
Rome  have  taken  a  new  kind  of  '  regere.'     Indeed  they  ought  'regere,'  but 
how  my  lord?  not  as  they  will  themselves :  but  this  'regere'  must  be  hedged 
in  and  ditched  in.     They  must   'regere,'  but  '  secundum  verbum  Dei;'   they 
must  rule,  but  according  to  the  word  of  God.     But  the  bishops  of  Rome  have  "  Regere 
turned  'regere   secundum  verbum  Dei,'  into    'regere  secundum  voluntatem  secun- 
suam :'  they  have  turned  the  rule  according  to  the  word  of  God,  into  the  rule  bu™;-'''" 
according  to  their  own  pleasures,  and  as  it  pleaseth  them  best ;  as  there  is  a  turned  to 
book  set  fortli  which  hath  divers  points  in  it,  and,  amongst  others,  this  point  is  jp^^j^.'^''' 
one,  which  your  lordship  went  about  to  prove  by  this  word  '  regere;'    and  the  -rium  vo- 
argument  which  he  bringeth  forth  for  the  proof  of  that  matter,  is  taken  out  of  |^^ta- 
Deuteronomy,  where  it  Is  said,   '  If  there  ariseth  any  controversy  among  the   ^^' 
people,  the  priests  Levitici  cjencris,  of  the  order  of  Levi,  shall  decide  the  matter 
secundum  legem  Dei,  according  to  the  law  of  God,  so  it  must  be  taken.-     This 
book,  perceiving  this  authority  to  be  given  to  the  priests  of  the  old  law,  taketh 
occasion  to  prove  the  same  to  be  given  to  the  bishops  and  others  the  clergy  of 
the  new  law  :  but,  in  proving  this  matter,  whereas  it  was  said  there,  as  the 
priests  of  the  order  of  Levi  should  determine  the  matter  '  according  to  God's 
law,'  that  'according  to  God's  law,'  is  left  out,  and  only  is  recited,  as  the  priests 
of  the  order  of  Levi  shall  decide  the  matter    so  it  ought  to  be  taken  of  the 
])eople ;  a  large  authority  I  assure  you.     What  gelding  of  Scripture  is  this  ?  (^lippj^^ 
what  clipping  of  God's  coin?"     With  the  which  terms  the  audience  smiled,  of  God's 
"  This  is  much  like  the  '  regere'  which  your  lordship  talked  of     Nay,  nay,  my  f^^l^- 
lords,  we  may  not  give  such  authority  to  the  clergy,  to  rule  all  things  as  they  ,],g  ^.J^^_ 
will.     Let  them  keep  themselves  within  their  commission.     Now  I  trust,  my  lies. 
lord,  I  do  not  rail  yet." 

Lincoln  : — "  No,  master  Latimer,  your  talk  is  more  like  taunts  than  railing : 
but  in  that  I  have  not  read  the  book  which  you  blame  so  much,  nor  know  of 
any  such,  I  can  say  nothing  therein." 

Latimer ;— "  Yes,  my  lord,  the  book  is  open  to  be  read,^  and  is  entituled  to 
one  which  is  bishop  of  Gloucester,  whom  I  never  knew,  neither  did  at  any  time 
see  him  to  my  knowledge." 

With  that  the  people  kughed,  because  the  bishop  of  Gloucester 
sat  there  in  commission. 

Then  the  bishop  of  Gloucester  stood  up  and  said  it  was  his  book. 

Latimer  .-—"Was  it  yours,  my  lord?  Indeed  I  knew  not  your  lordship, 
neither  ever  did  I  see  you  before,  neither  yet  see  you  now,  through  the  bright^ 
ness  of  the  sun  shining  betwixt  you  and  me." 

Then  the  audience  laughed  again  ;  and  master  Latimer  spuke  unto 
them,  saying: — 

I^atimer .— "  Why,  my  masters,  this  is  no  laughing  matter.  I  answer  upon 
life  and  death,  '  Vse  vobis  qui  ridetis  nunc,  quoniam  liebitis.'  " 

(1)  Argument:  Christ  bade  Peter,  "regere,"  govern  his  people:  Ergo,  the  pope  must  play  the 
rex,  to  reign  over  kings  and  emperors. 

(3)  The''author  of  this  hook   was   Dr.  Brooks,  who  was  there  in  the  commission.     [Jamej 
Brokis  his  Sermon  at  Paul's  Cross ;  printed  by  Robert  Caley,  twice  in  1554.— tu.] 
M    M  2 


532  THE    EXAMINATION    OF    LATIMER 

M"ry.        The  bishop  of  Lincoln  commanded  silence,  and  then  said  : — 


Lincoln : — "  Master  Latimer,  if  you  had  kept  yourself  within  your  bounds,  if 


A.  D. 

^•'^^•'^'    you  liad  not  used  such  scoffs  and  taunts,  this  had  not  been  done, 

Brooks,  After  this  the  bishop  of  Gloucester  said,  in  excusing  of  his  booh, 
GTouces°-^  "  Master  Latimer,  hereby  every  man  may  see  what  learning  you 
ter.speak-  jjave."     Then  master  Latimer  interrupted  him,  saying  : — 

The  Ca-         Latimer : — "  Lo,  you  look  for  learning  at  my  hands,  which  have  gone  so 

tholics       jgj-jg  fo  t]^e  school  of  Oblivion,  making  the  bare  walls  my  library ;  keeping  me 

able^i'n''"  SO  long  in  prison,  without  book,  or  pen  and  ink ;    and  now  you  let  me  loose  to 

using  of    come  and  answer  to  articles.   You  deal  with  me  as  though  two  were  appointed  to 

>"*"•         fight  for  life  and  death,  and  over  night  the  one,  through  friends  and  favour,  is 

cherished,  and  hath  good  counsel  given  him  how  to  encounter  with  his  enemy. 

The  other,  for  envy  or  lack  of  friends,  all  the  whole  night  is  set  in  the  stocks. 

In  the  morning,  when  they  shall  meet,  the  one  is  in  strength  and  lusty,  the 

other  is  stark  of  his  limbs,  and  almost  dead  for  feebleness.     Think  you,  that  to 

run  through  this  man  with  a  spear  is  not  a  goodly  victory  ?" 

But  the  bishop  of  Gloucester,  interrupting  his  answer,  proceeded, 
saying  :— 

The  Ca-  Gloucester : — "  I  went  not  about  to  recite  any  place  of  Scripture  in  that 
tholics  al-  pjjjgg  Qf  j-^y  ^jQoj, .  fgj.  |.]^pn,  if  I  had  not  recited  it  faithfully,  you  might  have 
sTrip-"^  had  just  occasion  of  reprehension  :  but  I  only  in  that  place  formed  an  arginnent 
tures,  but  (i  majore,  in  this  sense  ;  that  if  in  the  old  law  the  priests  had  power  to  decide 
take  not  j^^j^g^g  of  controversy,  much  more  then  ought  the  authority  to  be  given  to  the 
clergy  in  the  new  law :  and  I  pray  you  in  this  point  what  availeth  their  re- 
hearsal '  secundum  legem  Dei  V  " 

Latimer : — "  Yes,  my  lord,  very  much.  For  I  acknowledge  authority  to  be 
given  to  the  spiritualty  to  decide  matter  of  religion ;  and,  as  my  lord  said  even 
now,  '  regere  :'  but  they  must  do  it  '  secundum  verbum  Dei,'  and  not  '  secundum 
voluntatem  suam;'  according  to  the  word  and  law  of  God,  and  not  after  their 
own  will,  their  own  imaginations  and  fantasies." 

The  bishop  of  Gloucester  would  have  spoken  more,  saving  that  the 
bishop  of  Lincoln  said  that  they  came  not  to  dispute  with  master 
Latimer,  but  to  take  his  determinate  answers  to  their  articles  ;  and  so 
began  to  propose  the  same  articles  which  were  proposed  to  master 
Ridley.  But  master  Latimer  interrupted  him,  speaking  to  the 
bishop  of  Gloucester. 

Ijatii7ier  : — "  Well,  my  lord,  I  could  wish  more  faithful  dealing  with  God's 
word,  and  not  to  leave  out  a  part,  and  to  snatch  a  part  here,  and  another  there, 
l)ut  to  rehearse  the  whole  faithfully." 

The  pro-  But  the  bishop  of  Lincoln,  not  attending  to  this  saying  of  master 
oTLatu"  Latimer,  proceeded  in  the  rehearsing  of  the  articles  in  form  and  sense 
>"'"■•  as  1  declared  before  in  the  examination  of  the  articles  proposed  to 
master  Ridley,  and  required  master  Latimer''s  answer  to  the  first. 
Then  master  Latimer,  making  his  protestation,  that  notwithstanding 
these  his  answers,  it  should  not  be  taken  that  thereby  he  would  ac- 
knowledge any  authority  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  saying  that  he  was 
the  king  and  queen  their  majesties''  subject,  and  not  the  pope"'s, 
neither  could  serve  two  masters  at  one  time,  except  he  should  first 
renounce  one  of  them  ;  required'  the  notaries  so  to  take  his  protesta- 
tion, that  whatsoever  he  should  say  or  do,  it  should  not  be  taken  as 
tliough  he  did  thereby  agree  to  any  authority  that  came  from  the 
bishop  of  Rome. 


BEFORE    THE    COMMTSSIONERS.  533 

Tlie  bishop  of  Lincoln  said,  that  his  protestation   should  be  so    ^f(lry. 
taken  ;  but  he  required  him  to  answer  briefly,  affirmatively  or  nega-  "~a~d~ 
tively,  to  the  first  article,  and  so  recited  the  same  again  :  and  master    1555. 
Latimer  answered  as  followeth  : — 

Latimer : — "  I  do  not  deny,  my  lord,  that  in  the  sacrament  by  spirit  and  First 
grace  is  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;   because  that  every  man,  by  receiv-  ^rticle. 
ing  bodily  that  bread  and  wine,  spiritually  receiveth   the  body  and  blood  of  agaiils" 
Christ,  and  is  made  partaker  thereby  of  the  merits  of  Christ's  passion.     But  I  the  gross 
deny  that  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  in  such  sort  in  the  sacrament,  as  you  ^"^^  ^^' 
would  have  it."  of  Christ 

Lincoln  : — "  Tlien,  master  Latimer,  you  answer  affirmatively."  in  'he  Sa- 

Latimer : — "  Yea,  if  you  mean  of  that  gross  and  carnal  being,  which  you  do  '^■^^™'^"'- 
take." 

The  notaries  took  his  answer  to  be  affinnatively 

Lincoln  : — "  What  say  you,  master  Latimer,  to  the  second  article?"   and  Second 
recited  the  same.  ''"''^'^• 

Latimer : — "  There  is,  my  lord,  a  change  in  the  bread  and  wine,  and  such  a  What 
change  as  no  power  but  the  omnipotency  of  God  can  make,  in  that  that  which  ^'^^nge  is 
before  was  bread,  should  now  have  the  dignity  to  exhibit  Christ's  body  ;  and  bread  and 
yet  the  bread  is  still  bread,  and  the  wine  still  wine.  For  the  change  is  not  in  ^^ine  in 
the  nature,  but  in  the  dignity  ;  because  now  that  which  was  common  bread  menMs* 
hath  the  dignity  to  exhibit  Christ's  body  :  for  whereas  it  was  common  bread,  it  not  in  the 
is  now  no  more  common  bread,  neither  ought  it  to  be  so  taken,  but  as  holy  bread  "^i"'^'^', 

^■n     1  \^      r^     iy  T  •>  °  "^  but  in  the 

sanctineu  by  God  s  word.  dignity  of 

represent 

With  that  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  smiled,  saying  : —  *"s- 

Lincoln : — "  Lo,  master  Latimer,  see  what  steadfastness  is  in  your  doctrine ! 
That  which  you  abhorred  and  despised  most,  you  now  most  establish :  for 
whereas  you  most  railed  at  holy  bread,  you  now  make  your  communion  holy 
bread." 

Latimer : — "Tush,  a  rush  for  holy  bread.  I  say  the  bread  in  the  commu- 
nion is  a  holy  bread  indeed." 

But  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  interrupted  him  and  said : — 

Lincoln  : — "  Oh,  ye  make  a  difference  between  holy  bread  and  holy  bread. 
[With  that  the  audience  laughed].  Well,  master  Latimer,  is  not  this  your 
answer,  that  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine  remaineth  after  the  words  of 
consecration  ?" 

Ijufimer : — "Yes,  verily,  it  must  needs  be  so;    for  Christ  himself  calleth  it  Differ- 
bread,  St.  Paul  calleth  it  bread,  the  doctors  confess   the  '  "  '" 

sacrament  confirmeth  the  same,  and  I  call  it  holy  bread 
no  difference  betwixt  your  holy  bread  and  this,  but  for  the  holy  office  which  it  ^^^^^  and 
beareth,  that  is,  to  be  a  figure  of  Christ's  body ;  and  not  only  a  bare  figure,  but  Pope's, 
effectually  to  represent  the  same." 

So  the  notaries  penned  his  answer  to  be  affirmatively. 

Lincoln  : — "  What  say  you  to  the  third  question  ?"  and  recited  the  same.  Third 

Latimer : — "  No,  no,  my  lord,  Christ  made  one  perfect  sacrifice  for  all  the  article, 
whole  world,  neither  can  any  man  offer  him  again,  neither  can  the  priest  offer 
up  Christ  again  for  the  sins  of  man,  which  he  took  away  by  offering  himself 
once  for  all  (as  St.  Paul  saith)  upon  the  cross ;  neither  is  there  any  propitiation 
for  our  sins,  saving  his  cross  only." 

So  the  notaries  penned  liis  answer  to  this  article  also  to  be  affirma- 
tively. 

Lincoln : — "  What  say  you  to  the  fourtli,  master  Latimer  !"  Fourth 

•^  ^  article. 

And  recited  it.     After  the  recital  whereof,  when  master  Latimer 
answered  not,  the  bishop  asked  him  whether  he  heard  hiiii  or  no  .'' 


534  THE    EXAMIKATIOM    OF    LATIMER 

Mary.        Latimer : — "  Yes,  but  I  do  not  understand  what  you  mean  thereby." 
.    ■  V  Lincoln  : — "  Marry,  only  this,  that  these  your  assertions  were  condemned  by 

1555'    "1^^*^'^  Dr.  Weston  as  heresies;  is  it  not  so,  master  Latimer?" 

'■ — '-       Latimer : — "  Yes,  I  think  they  were  condemned.    But  how  imjustly,  He  that 

shall  be  judge  of  all  knoweth." 

So  tlie  notaries  took  his  ansAver  to  this  article  also  to  be  affir- 
matively. 

Fifth  Lincoln : — "  What  say   you,   master   Latimer,  to  the  fifth  article  ?"     And 

article.      recited  it. 

Latimer  : — "  I  know  not  wnat  you  mean  by  these  terms.  I  am  no  lav/yer  : 
I  would  you  would  propose  the  matter  plainly." 

Lincoln : — "  hi  that  we  proceed  according  to  the  law,  we  must  use  their 
terms  also.  The  meaning  only  is  this,  that  these  your  assertions  are  notorious, 
evil  spoken  of,  and  yet  common  and  recent  in  the  mouths  of  the  people." 

Latimer : — "  I  cannot  tell  how  much,  nor  what  men  talk  of  them.     I  come 

not  so  much  among  them,  in  that  I  have  been  secluded  a  long  time.   What  men 

report  of  them  I  know  not,  nor  care  not." 

Latimer        This  answer  taken,  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  said,  "  Master  Latimer,  we  mean 

assiffiied    not  that  these  your  answers  shall  be  prejudicial  to  you.     To-morrow  you  shall 

thtf  next"^  appear  before  us  again,  and  then  it  shall  be  lawful  for  you  to  alter  and  change 

dayagain.  what  you  will.    We  give  you  respite  till  to-morrow,  trusting  that,  after  you  have 

pondered  well  all  things  against  to-morrow,  you  will  not  be  ashamed  to  confess 

the  truth." 

Latimer : — "  Now,  my  lord,  I  pray  you  give  me  license  in  three  words,  to 
declare  the  causes  why  I  have  refused  the  authority  of  the  pope." 

Lincoln  : — "  Nay,  master  Latimer,  to-morrow  you  shall  have  license  to  speak 
forty  words." 

Latimer : — "  Nay,   my  lords,   I  beseech  you  to  do  with  me  now  as  it  shall 

please  your  lordships  :  I  pray  you  let  not  me  be  troubled  to-moiTow  again." 

Lincoln  : — "Yes,  master  Latimer,  you  must  needs  appear  again  to-morrow." 

Latimer : — "  Truly,  my  lord,  as  for  my  part  I  require  no  respite,  for  I  am  at 

a  point ;  you  shall  give  me  respite  in  vain :  therefore  I  pray  you  let  me  not 

trouble  you  to-morrow." 

Lincoln  : — "  Yes,  for  we  trust  God  will  work  with  you  against  to-morrow. 
There  is  no  remedy :  you  must  needs  appear  again  to-moiTow,  at  eight  of  the 
clock  in  St.  Mary's  church." 

And  forthwith  the  bishop  charged  the  mayor  with  master  Latimer, 
and  dismissed  him,  and  then  brake  up  their  session  for  that  day, 
about  one  of  the  clock  at  afternoon. 


HERE    FOLLOAVETH    THE    SECOND    DAY  S    SESSION. 

The  next  day  following

~160 words

to  the  destruction  of  many.  And  further  said,  that  if  he  would  not 
recant  and  become  one  of  the  catholic  church  with  them,  then  they 

.iiV„'^*"'''*i''-^?''"'^''  aPPeaJeth  to  the  next  general  council,  truly  called  in  the  Lord's  name  ;  but 
iiiai  councn  is  long  aconiiiifr. 
(2)  No  mercy  to  be  had  without  consenting  to  iniquity. 


DEGRADATION    OF    BISHOP    RIDI-EY,    MAKTYR.  543 

must  needs  (against  their  wills)  proceed  according  to  the  law,  which    M,inj. 
they  would  be  very  loth  to  do,  if  they  might  otherwise.  a.D. 

"  But,"  saith  he,  "  we  have  been  oftentimes  with  you,  and  luive  requestea  ^'^^^ 

that  you  woukl  recant  this  your  fantastical  and  deviUsh  opinion,  wliich  hitherto 
you  have  not,  althou2;Ii  you  might  in  so  doing  win  many,  and  do  niucli  good. 
Thei-efore,  good  master  Ridley,  consider  with  yourself  the  danger  that  shall 
ensue,  both  of  body  and  soul,  "if  that  you  shall  so  wilfully  cast  yourself  away  in 
refusing  mercy  offered  unto  you  at  this  time.'' 

"  My  lord,"  quoth

~231 words

surplice,  with  all  the  trinkets  appertaining  to  the  mass.     And  as  pUcVhe're 
they  were  putting  on  the  same.  Dr.  Ridley  did  vehemently  inveigh  '^^^^'/.^^f^ 
against  the  Romish  bisho]),  and  all  that  foolish  apparel,  calling  him  apparel. 

(I)  With  that  their  caps  went  otT,  but  Dr.  Ridley  held  on  his  cap. 


544  THE    STORY    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY,    MARTYR, 

flfnrt/.    Antichrist,  and  tlie  apparel  foolish  and  abominable,  yea,  too  fond  for  a 

A.  D.    'vice  in  a  play,  insomuch  that  bishop  Brooks  was  exceeding  angry  with 

1555.   him,  and  bade  him  hold  his  peace,  for  he  did  but  rail.     Dr.  Ridley 

answered  him  again,  and  said,  so  long  as  his  tongue  and  breath 

Avould  suffer  him,  he  would  speak  against  their  abominable  doings, 

whatsoever  happened  unto  him  for  so  doing. 

Gloucester : — "  Well,  you  were  best  to  hold  your  peace,  lest  your  mouth  be 
stopped." 

Master  At  which  words  one  Edridge,  the  reader  then  of  the  Greek  lecture, 
^Jetif  standing  by,  said  to  Dr.  Brooks ;  "  Sir,  the  law  is,  he  should  be 
counsel,  gagged ;  therefore  let  him  be  gagged."  At  which  words  Dr.  Ridley, 
^louidbe  ^°°'^'i"S  earnestly  upon  him  that  so  said,  wagged  his  head  at  him,  and 
gagged.^  made  no  answer  again,  but  with  a  sigh  said,  "  Oh  well,  well,  well  !" 
TnTof'  ^^  ^^^^^  proceeded  in  their  doings,  yet  nevertheless  Dr.  Ridley  was 
Ridley,  ever  talking  things  not  pleasant  to  their  ears,  although  one  or  other 
bade  him  hold  his  peace,  lest  he  should  be  caused  against  his  will. 

When  they  came  to  that

~1,491 words

forgive  them  this  their  wickedness  !  "     And  as  they  put 

upon  him  the  mass-gear,  so  they  began  with  the  uppermost  garment,  in 

taking  it  away  again,  reading  a  thing  in  Latin,  according  to  the  order 

contained  in  the  said  book  of  the  pope's  law.     Now  when  all  was 

taken  from  him,  saving  only  the  surplice  left  on  his  back,  as  they  were 

reading  and  taking  it  away.  Dr.  Ridley  said  unto  them,  "  Lord  God, 

what  power  be  you  of,  that  you  can  take  from  a  man  that  which  he 

never  had  !     I  was  never  singer  in  all  my  life,  and  yet  you  will  take 

from  me  that  which  I  never  had." 

So  when  all  this  their  abominable  and  ridiculous  degradation'  Avas 
ended  very  solemnly.  Dr.  Ridley  said  unto  Dr.  Brooks,  "  Have  you 
done  ?     If  you  have  done,  then  give  me  leave  to  talk  with  you  a 
little  concerning  these  matters."     Brooks  answered  and  said,  ""Mas- 
ter Ridley,  we  may  not  talk  with  you ;   you  be  out  of  the  church, 
and  our  law  is,  that  we  may  not  talk  with  any  that  be  out  of  the 
church."    Then  master  Ridley  said,  "  Seeing  that  you  will  not  suffer 
me  to  talk,   neither  will  vouchsafe  to  hear  me,  what  remedy  but 
patience  ?     I  refer  my  cause  to  my  heavenly  Father,  who  will  reform 
things  that  be  amiss,  when  it  shall  please  him."    At  which  words  thev 
^^^ praise    ,vould  havc  bccu  gone,  but  master  Ridley  said,  "  My  lord,  I  would 
}.™kup„n  ylf  ^^'""^  y?^^'  loKlship  would  vouchsafe  to  read  over  and  peruse  a 
iMeSacra-  Jittlc  book  of  Bertram's  doings,  concerning  the  sacrament.    I  promise 
you,  you  shall  find  much  good  learning  therein,  if  you  will  read  the 

(I)  All  the  glittering  of  Antichrist's  kingdom,  consistcth  in  aiiisli  toys. 


Ridley's  supplication  to  the  queen.  545 

same  ^\^tll  an  indifFcrent  judgment."     Dr.  Brooks  made  no  answer  to    Mary. 
this,  but  would  have  been  gone  away.     Then  master  Ridley  said,        ^  ^i. 

"  Oh,  I  perceive  that  you  cannot  away  with  this  manner  of  talk.     Well !  it  Hi. 

boots  not,  I  will  say  no  more,  I  will  speak  of  worldly  affairs.  I  pray  you 
therefore,  my  lord,  hear  me,  and  be  a  mean  to  the  queen's  majesty,  in  the 
behalf  of  a  great  many  of  poor  men,  and  especially  for  my  poor  sister  and  her 
husband  which  standcth  there.  They  had  a  poor  living  granted  unto  them  by  Note  the 
me,  whiles  I  was  in  the  see  of  London,  and  the  same  is  taken  away  from  them,  by  ".'^"^l^  """ 
him  that  now  occupicth  the  same  room,  without  all  law  or  conscience.  Here  I 
have  a  supplication  to  the  queen's  majesty  in  their  behalfs.  You  shall  hear  the 
same  read,  so  shall  you  perceive  the  matter  the  better." 

Then  he  read  the  same ;  and,  when  he  came  to  tlie  place  in  the 
supplication,  that  touched  his  sister  by  name,  then  he  wept,  so  that 
for  a  little  space  he  cotild  not  speak  for  weeping.     After  that  he  had 
left  off  weeping,  said,  "  This  is  nature  that  moveth  me :  but  I  have 
now  done."    And  with  that  read  out  the  rest,  and  delivered  the  same 
to  his  brother,  commanding  him  to  put  it  up  to  the  queen's  majesty, 
and  to  sue,  not  only  for  himself,  but  also  for  such  as  had  any  leases  ^^^;']7j;^j 
or  grants  by  him,  and  were  put  from  the  same  by  Dr.  Bonner,  then  from  her 
bishop   of   London.      Whereunto    Brooks    said,    "  Indeed   master  ^^Z^l 
Ridley,  your  request  in  this  supplication  is  very  lawful  and  honest : 
therefore  I  must  needs  in  conscience  speak  to  the  queen's  majesty 
for  them." 

Ridley : — "  I  pray  you,  for  God's  sake,  do  so." 

Gloucester :—"  I  think  your  request  will  be  granted,  except  one  thing  let  it, 
and  that  is,  I  fear,  because  you  do  not  allow  the  queen's  proceedings,  but  obsti- 
nately withstand  the  same,  that  it  will  hardly  be  granted." 

Jiidlei/ ;— "  What  remedy  ?  I  can  do  no  more  but  speak  and  write.  I  trust 
I  have  discharged  my  conscience  therein  ;  and  God's  will  be  done." 

Gloucester  : — "  I  will  do  what  lieth  in  me." 

The  copy  of  this  supplication  written  to  the  queen  here  followeth. 

A  Supplication  of  Bishop  Ridley  to  Queen  Mary  in  the  behalf  of 
certain  poor  Men's  Leases. 

It  may  please  your  majesty,  for  Christ  our  Saviour's  sake,  in  a  matter  of 
conscience  (and  now  not  for  myself,  but  for  other  poor  men)  to  vouchsafe  to 
liear  and  understand  this  humble  supplication.  It  is  so,  honourable  princess, 
that  in  the  time  whiles  I  was  in  the  ministry  of  the  see  of  London,  divers  poor 
men,  tenants  thereof,  have  taken  new  leases  of  their  tenantries  and  holdings, 
and  some  have  renewed  and  changed  their  old,  and  therefore  have  paid  fines 
and  sums  of  money,  both  to  me,  and  also  to  the  chapter  of  Paul's,  for  the  con- 
firmation of  the  same. 

Now,  I  hear  say,  that  the  bishop'  which  occupieth  the  same  room  now,  will 
not  allow  the  foresaid  leases,  which  must  redound  to  many  poor  men's  utter  ruin 
and  decay.  Wherefore  this  is  mine  humble  supplication  unto  your  honourable 
grace,  that  it  may  please  the  same,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  be  unto  the  foresaid  poor 
men  their  gracious  patroness  and  defender,  either  that  they  may  enjoy  iheir 
foresaid  leases  and  years  renewed,  as  I  suppose  when  their  matter  sliall  be  heard 
with  conscience,  both  justice,  conscience,  and  equity  shall  recjuire,  for  that  their 
leases  shall  be  found  (I  trust)  made  without  fraud  or  cunning,  either  of  their 
part,  or  of  mine,  and  always  also  the  old  rents  reserved  to  the  see  without  any 
kind  of  damage  thereof:  or  if  this  will  not  be  granted,  then  that  it  may  please 
your  gracious  higlmess,  to  command  that  the  poor  men  may  be  restored  to  their 
former  leases  and  years,  and  to  have  rendered  to  them  again  such  sums  of 
(1)  This  bishop  wns  doctor  Bonner. 
VOL.   VII.  N     N 


A.D. 

1555. 


546  THE    STOllY    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY,    MARTYR. 

Mnrij.  money  as  they  paid  to  me  and  to  the  chapter  for  their  leases  and  years,  so 
~  now  taken  from  them.  Which  thing  concerning  the  fines  paid  to  me,  may 
be  easily  done,  if  it  shall  please  your  majesty  to  command  some  portion  of  those 
.  goods  which  I  left  in  my  house  when  I  fled  in  hope  of  pardon  for  my  trespass 
towards  your  grace,  which  goods  (as  I  have  heard)  be  yet  reserved  in  the  same 
house,  I  suppose  that  half  of  the  value  of  my  plate  that  I  left  in  mine  offices, 
and  specially  in  an  iron  chest  in  my  bed-chamber,  will  go  nigh  to  restore  all 
such  fines  received,  the  true  sums  and  parcels  whereof  are  not  set  in  their 
leases;  and  therefore,  if  that  way  shall  please  your  highness,  they  must  be 
known  by  such  ways  and  means  as  your  majesty,  by  the  advice  of  men  of  wis- 
dom and  conscience,  shall  appoint :  but  yet,  for  Christ's  sake,  I  crave  and  most 
humbly  beseech  your  majesty,  of  your  most  gracious  pity  and  mercy,  that  the 
former  way  may  take  place. 

I  have  also  a  poor  sister  that  came  to  me  out  of  the  north,  with  three  father- 
less children,  for  her  relief,  whom  I  married  after  to  a  servant  of  mine  own 
house  :  she  is  put  out  of  that  I  did  provide  for  them.'  I  beseech  your  honour- 
able grace,  that  her  case  may  be  mercifully  considered,  and  that  the  rather,  in 
contemplation  that  I  never  had  of  him,  which  suffered  in  durance  at  my  en- 
trance into  the  see  of  London,  not  one  penny  of  his  movable  goods ;  for  it  was 
almost  half  a  year  after  his  deposition,  afore  1  entered  into  that  place  :  yea  and 
also,  if  any  were  left,  known  to  be  his,  he  had  license  to  carry  it  away,  or  there 
for  his  use  it  did  lie  safe,  as  his  officers  do  know.  I  paid  for  the  lead  which  I 
found  there,  when  I  occupied  any  of  it  to  the  behoof  of  the  church,  or  of  the 
house.  And  moreover,  I  had  not  only  no  part  of  his  movable  goods,  but  also 
(as  his  old  receiver,  and  then  mine,  called  master  Stanton,  can  testify),  I  paid 
for  him  towards  his  servants'  common  liveries  and  wages,  after  his  deposition, 
fifty-three  or  fifty-five  pounds,  I  cannot  tell  whether.  In  all  these  matters  I 
beseech  your  honourable  majesty  to  hear  the  advice  of  men  of  conscience,  and 
in  especial  the  archbishop  of  York,  who,  for  that  he  was  continually  in  my 
house  a  year  and  more,  before  mine  imprisonment,  I  suppose  is  not  altogether 
ignorant  of  some  part  of  these  things ;  and  also  his  grace  doth  know  my  sister, 
for  whose  succour  and  some  relief,  now  unto  your  highness  I  make  most 
humble  suit.''     The  16th  of  October,  anno  1555.  i^,.  ,    ,      t}.-,. 

This  degradation  being  past,  and  all  things  finished,  Dr

~206 words

the  mayor  and  an  alderman,  etc. 

After  him  came  master  Latimer  in  a  poor  Bristol  frieze  frock  all 

(1)  "  Balliol  CollcBe."  A  correspondent  in  the  ChristianOhstrvrrtoT  June  1838,fp.  .354)  after  refer- 
ring to  a  previous  communication  in  the  number  for  September  1837,  tendiiii;  to  confirm  the  accuracy 
of  Foxe's  history,  states  that,  "  not  many  weeks  since,  some  workmen,  who  were  employed  in 
making  a  drain  in  Broad  street,  opposite  the  door  of  the  master  of  IJalliol's  lodgin;;s,  found,  at  the 
depth  of  about  three  feet  from  the  present  surface,  such  a  quantity  of  ashes  and  burnt  sticks,  as 
plainly  indicated  that  they  had  discovered  the  spot  on  which  the  martyrs  suffered." — Ed. 

(2)  "  With  a  tippet  of  sables  :"  Edit.  1563.-ED. 

N    N    2 


and  Lati 
mer 
brought 
together 
to  the 


548  THE    MARTYRDOM    OF    RIDLEY    AND    LATIMER. 

Mary,  wom,  witli  liis  buttoned  cap,  and  a  kerchief  on  his  head,  all  ready  to 
.  Pj  tlic  fire,  a  new  long  shroud  hanging  over  his  hose,  down  to  the  feet : 
1.555!    which  at  the  first  sight  stirred  men's  hearts  to  rue  upon  them,  behold- 

ing  on  the  one  side,  the  honour  they  sometime  had,  and  on  the  other, 

the  calamity  whereunto  they  were  fallen. 
Ridley  Master  doctor  Ridley,  as  he  passed  toward  Bocardo,  looked  up 

where  master  Cranmer  did  lie,  hoping  belike