Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 14 – Part 17
Richard Crashfield of Wimondham.
HE suffered at Norwich, whose examination before Downings the Chancellour, written by himselfe as followeth:
Chanc.
Do you beléeue this, that aftee the consecration there is the substance of Christs body and blood in the Sacrament.
Crash.
I beléeue that Christs body was broken for me vponupon the crosse, and his blood shed for my redemption: wherefore the bread and wine is a perpetuall memory, the pledge of Christ merciemercy, the ring or seale of his promise, and a perpetual memory for the faithfull vntounto the end of the world: then he was commanded vntounto prison, and the next day he was brought forth.
Chanc.
Cannot you find in your heart when you come to Church, to knéele before the Roode and pray. I answered no, alledging the commandements of God to the contrary: he said, HaueHave you not read that God commanded the brazen serpent to be made▪ I said, I hauehave read that God commanded it to be made, and likewise to be broken downe.
Doctor Bridges.
Wherfore did God command the Cherubins and Seraphins to be made? I said, I cannot tell, I would faine learne: he said, can you finde in your heart to fall downe before the Roode the picture of Christ? I said, I feare the curse of God, is yonder Roode the picture of Christ? It is written, God curseth the hands that made them, and the hands that made the tooles which carued them.
Chanc.
When were you confessed to a Priest. I said, I confesse my selfe dayly the eternall God, whom I most gréeuously offend, I take confession to a Priest not be good but rather wicked: then he said, how say yo… by yonder singing and playing on the Organs, is it not good and godly: I said, I can perceiue no godlines in it: he said, is it not written in the Psalmes, that we shall praise God with hymnes and spirituall songs. I said, spirituall songs must be had, but yonder is of the flesh and of the spirit of errour, for to you it is pleasant and glorious, but vntounto the Lord it is bitter and odious: then he said, is it not written, My house is an house of prayer: I said yes, it is written also, that you made my house of prayer a den of theeues: then he said, hauehave we done so, then I was commanded to ward, and the next thursday sent for againe.
Chanc.
Are you a new man. I answered, I trust I am a new man borne of God: God giuegive you grace to be so, then he prayed Doctor Pore to talke with me.
Doctor.
Take eate this is my body: Do you not beléeue it is Christs body, what was it that Christ gaue? I said, Christ tooke bread and gaue thanks, and gaue it, and they tooke bread and did eate bread, and S. Paul saith, So oft as you shal eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, you shall shew forth the Lords death vntill he come, S. Paul, doth not call it Christs body.
Chanc.
We will hauehave your minde more plainely, for we intend not to hauehave many words with you,: I said, my faith is grounded vponupon Christ the Easter lambe, he hath offered his body a sacrifice to God the price of my redemption, by that onelyonly sacrifice all the faithfull are sanctified, and he is our onelyonly aduocate mediatour, and he hath made perfect our redemption, without any of your dadly oblations.
Doctor Bridges: You take wel the litterall sence, but as Christ offered his body vponupon the Crosse, which was a bloody sacrifice, and a visible sacrifice, so likewise we doe offer vp the selfe same body that was offered vponupon the crosse, but not bloudy and visible, but inuisible vntounto God, I said, then Christs sacrifice was not perfected, but Christ is true when all men be liers: then he saide, Thou shalt not feare him that hath power to kill the body, but thou shalt feare him (enterpreting him to meane the Church) which hath power to kill body and soule: Christ said, We should feare him (and not them) the hath power to cast body and soule into hel, meaning God, and not the Church, and if you will presume to offer Christs body dayly, then your power is aboue Christs power: then he was condemned, and with patience and constancie entred his blessed martyrdome, at whose burning one Thomas Carman was apprehended for words, praying with him, and pledging him at his burning.
One Frier and the sister of George Eagles.
THese suffered the like martyrdome by the vnrighteous Papists, whose tyranny the Lord of his mercy abate and cut short, turning that wicked generation to abetter minde. They were burned at Rochester.
IOHN CVRD.
HE was a Shoomaker of Sisam in Northamptonshire, hée was imprisoned in Northampton castle for denying the Popish transubstantiation,Septb. 20. for the which William Bru…ter Chancelour vntounto the Bishop of Peterborrow did pronounce sentence of death against him: a popish priest standing by when he was to bee burned, one Iohn Rote vicar of S. Giles in Northampton, shewed him if he should recant he was authorised to giuegive him his pardon, he answered, he had his pardon by Iesus Christ.
Cicelie Ormes.
SHe suffered at Norwich; she was taken at the death of Symon Miller, September. 1.and Elizabeth Cooper, for that she said she would pledge them of the same cup they dranke of, one master Cobet of Sprowson tooke her and sent her to the Chancelour, he asked her what she said vntounto the Sacrament of Christs body, and what is that the Priest holdeth ouer his head, she answered, it was bread, and if you make it better, it is worse; so she was sent to prison, after she was called and examined before the Chancelour, and master Bridges the Chancelor offered her, if she would go to Church & kéep her tongue, she should be at libertie, and beléeue as she would: but she tould him she would not consent to his wicked desire therein, and if shée should God would plague her: then he tolde her, he had shewed more fauour vntounto her then euer he did vntounto any, and when he could not preuaile, he condemned her; she was borne in East Derrham and was daugh…er vntounto one Thomas Hawood Tailor, she was taken a twelue-moonth before and recanted, but was neuer after quiet in conscience: she had gotten a letter written to be deliuered to ye Chancelor, to let him know she repented her recantation, & would neuer do the like againe as long as she liued, but before she exhibited her bill, she was taken and imprisoned as before; when she was at the stake she told the people, I would you should not report of me that I beléeue to be saued in that I offer my selfe here to death for the Lord cause, but I beléeue onelyonly to be saued by the death of Christs passion, and this my death is and shall be a witnesse of my faith vntounto you all, good people, as many of you as beléeue as I doe, pray for me: then she kissed the stake and sayd, welcome swéet crosse of Christ; aft… the fire was kindled, she said, My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit doth reioyce in God my Sauiour: and so yéelded her life vntounto the Lord as quietly as if she had béene in a slumber, or as one féeling no paine, so wonderfully did the Lord worke with her.