Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 6 · Part 42 – Part 44
The troubles of Katherine Parre, Henry the eight his last Wife, for the Gospel, by the meanes of Gardiner and others.
A Yéere after the King came from Bullen, he was informed that the Quéens Katherine Parre, was much giuen to the reading and study of …he Scriptures; and that shee had retained diuers godly learned Preachers to instruct her therein, with whom shee vsed priuately to conferre, and in the afternoones one of them made collation to her: her Ladies and Gentlewomen and others disposed to heare, in which Sermons they oftentimes touched the abuses in the Church, and often shee would debate with the King touching Religion, and perswade him as hee had to the glory of GOD, and his eternall fame b…gunne a godly worke in ban…shing that monstrous Idoll of Rome, so hee would purge his Church from the dregges thereof, wherein was yet great superstition: And though the King in the later end grew opp…nionate, and would not bee taught nor contended withall by Argument yet towards her he refrained his accustomed manner, for neuer handmaide sought more to please her Mistresse, then she to please his humour; and she was of such singular beauty, fau…ur, and comely personage, wherein the King was greatly delighted: but Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, Wrisley Lord Chancelor, and others of the Kings Priuy Chamber, practised her death, that they might the better stop the passage of the Gospell: and hauing taken away the patronesse of the professors of the truth, they might inuade the remainder with fire and sword, but they du…st not speake to the King touching her, because they saw the King loued her so well.
At length the King was …cke of a sore legge, which made him very froward, and the Queene being with him did not faile to vse all occasions to moo… him zeal…usly to proceed in the reformation of the Church: The King shewed some tokens of mislike, and broke off the matter, and knit vp the Arguments with gentle words, and after pl…asant talke she tooke her leaue: The Bishop of Winchester beeing there; the King immediately vponupon her departure vsed these words; It is a good hearing when women become such Clarks, and much to my comfort to come in mine old age to be taught by my Wife.
Then the Bishop shewed a mislike that the Queene would so much forget her selfe to stand in Argument with his Maiestie, whose Iudgement and Di…initie hee extolled to his face aboue Princes of that and other ages, and of Doctors professed in Diuinitie, and that it wss vnseemely for any of his Subiects to argue with him so malapertly, and that it was gréeuous to all his Councelors and Seruants to heare the same: inferring how perilous it hath euer been for a Prince to suffer such insolent words of a Subiect, who as they are bold against their Soueraignes words, so they want not will but strength to ouerthwart them in deeds.
Then the Religion by the Queene so stiffely maintained, did dissolue the politick gouern…ment, and made the peoples opinions so odious, and perillous vntounto the Princes estate, that they da…e aff…me that the greatest Subiect in the Land, defendeth those arguments which they doe: yet he said he would not, neither durst without good warranty from his Maiestie, speake his knowledge in the Queenes cause, though many apparant reasons made for him: and such as his duety and zeale to his Maies…ies preseruation would not licence him to conceale, though the vttering thereof through her, and her faction, might be his d…struction and theres which tendred his Maiesties safety, without his Maiestie would be his protector, which if hee would doe, hee with others of his faithfull Councelors, could disclose such Treasons, cloked with heresies, that his Maiestie should cas…ly perceiue, how perilous a matter it is to cherish a Serpent within his owne bosome, and he crept so farre into the King at that time, that he and his fellowes filled the Kings mistrustfull minde, with such feares, that the King gaue them warrant to consult together, about drawing of Articles against the Queene, wherein her life might be touched.
Then they thought it best at first to begin with such Ladies as she most esteemed, and wer… priuy to all her doing, as the Lady Harbert, after Countesse of Pembro…ke the Queenes Sister; and the Lady Iane, and the Lady Tirwit, all of her Priuy Chamber: and to accuse them vponupon six Articles, and to search there Closets and Coffers, that they might finde somewhat to charge the Queene, and that being found, the Que…ne should bee taken and carried in a Barge by night to the Tower: of which aduice the King was made priuy by Gardiner, and the Lord Chancelor, to which they had the Kings cons…nt, and the time and place appointed.
This purpose was so finely handled, that it grew within few daies of the time appointed, and the poore Qu…ene suspected nothing, but after her accustomed manner visited the King, still… deale with him touching Religion as before: After the King brake the whole practise to one Doctor Wendy, one of his Physitions, telling him that hee would no longer bee troubled with such a Doctresse as shee was, but charged him vponupon his life, not to vtter it to any.
But it came to passe that the Bill of Articles drawne against the Queene, and subscribed with the Kings owne hand, falling from the b…some of one of the Councell was found of some godly person, and brought to the Queene; who seeing it, fell into a great agony and Melancholy.
The King hearing what perill of life she was in, sent his Phisition vntounto her; and the said Doctor Wendy perceiuing the matter by her words, brake with her touching the said Articles, deuised against her, and gaue her warning of that mischiefe which hanged ouer her head: beséeching her to be secret, and to conforme her selfe to the Kings minde, and no doubt she should finde him gracious: After the King came to her himselfe, vntounto whom after she had vttered her griefe, how it was for feare his Maiestie had forsaken her, hee so refreshed her with comfortable words, that she began to recouer.
Then shee commanded her Ladies to conuay away her Bookes which were against the Law, and then she went to the King: he courteously welcomed her, and entred into talke of Religion, séeming desirous to be resolued of the Queene of certaine doubts.
The Queene perceiuing to what purpose this his talke tended, your Maiestie doth well know (quoth shee) and I am not ignorant of what great weaknesse by our first Creation is allotted to vsus women, to bee subiect vntounto man as our head: from which head all our direction must proceed, and as God made man after his own Image, that being indued with more speciall gifts of perfection, might bee stirred to meditate heauenly things, and obay his commandements, so he made woman of man, of whom, and by whom, she is to bee commanded and gouerned, whose womanly weaknesse ought to bee tolerated and ayded, that by his wisedome such things as be lacking in her might be supplied: Therefore your Maiestie being so excellent in ornaments of wisedome, and I so much inferiour in all respects of Nature: Why doth your Maiestie in such defuse causes of Religion require my Iudgement, which when I hauehave vttered & said, what I can, yet I must and will referre my Iudgement in this and all causes to your Maiesties wisedome, as my onelyonly Anker, supreme head, and the gouernor heere in earth next vntounto God.
Not so by Saint Mary said the King, you are become a Doctor late to instruct vsus.
Shee answered, your Maiestie hath much mistaken mee, who hauehave euer thought it preposterous for the woman to instruct her husband, but rather to learn of him; and where I hauehave beene bold to hold talke with your Maiestie, wherein there hath seemed some difference in opinion, I hauehave not done it to maintaine opinion, but to minister talke that your Maiestie might with lesse griefe passe the paine of your infirmitie, being attentiue to your talke, and that I might receiue some profit by your Maiesties learned Discourse: wherein I hauehave not missed any part of my desire, alwaies referring my selfe in such matters to your Maiestie.
…hen said the King▪ tendeth your Argument to no worse end, then wee are now as perfect friends as euere we were, and he imbraced her, and kissed her; saying it did him more good to heare these words, then if he had heard newes of a hundred thousand pound fallen to him.
On the day that was appointed for the aforesaid Tragedy: the King went into his Garden, whether the Queene being sent for came, onelyonly the three Ladies aboue named waiting on her; with whom the King was as pleasant as euer hee was in his life: In the middest of his mirth the houre appointed being come, the Lord Chancelor commeth into the Garden, with forty of the Kings guard at his he…les, with purpose to take the Queene with the three Ladies to the the Tower, whom the King sternely beholding, called him to him, who on his knees whispered to the King: the King cal'd him knaue, arrant knaue, and beastly foole, and commanded him to auant out of his presence; which words the Quéene heard, though they were low spoken: then he departed with his traine, the whole mould of his deuice broken.
The Queene seeing the King so cha…ed, spoke for the Lord Chancellor: Ah poore soule quoth hee, thou little knowest how euill hee deserueth this grace at thy hands, he hath been towards thee sweet heart an arrant knaue, and so let him goe.
If King Henry had liued, hee and the French King had been at this point, within halfe a yeere after to hauehave changed the Masse in both their Realmes into a Communion, as wee now vse it, and also vtterly to hauehave extirped the Popes vsurped power; out of both their Realmes: and they ment to exhort the Emperour to doe the like in Flanders, and his other countreyes, or else to breake off from him: and herein quoth the Archbishop Cranmer, the King willed mee to pen a forme thereof to be sent to the French King, but that it was letten by the death of King Henry.
When the Bishops had brought ANNE ASKEVV and her fellow Martyrs to death, being now in their triumph, as the Pharisies were when they had killed Christ: they deuised how to euer read the truth for euer: wherevpon they made a strait Proc…amation authorised by the Kings … for abolishing of the Scripture, and all other English Bookes which mi…ht g…e light to the setting forth of Gods Word, and the grace of the Gospell, which thou maist see in the Booke at large, which no doubt had done much hurt in the Church amongst the godly, in bringing them to danger, or keeping … in blindnes, had not the shortnes of the Kings daies stopped the malignant purposes of the Pr…lat…s, causing the King to leaue that to the people by his death, which by his life he would not grant, for within foure monethes after the proclamation,1547 he deceased the eight and thirty yeare of his raigne.
The History touching the Persecutions in Scotland: Deane, Thomas Forret.
THis Deane, Thomas Forret, preached eueryevery Sunday in his parish vponupon the Epistle and Gospell, which was nouel…y in Scotland to see any preach but the Black Fri…r, or the Gray. Wherefore the Friers enuied him, and accused him to the Bishop of Donkelden as an heretick, which shewed the mysteries of the Scripture vntounto the vulgar people, to make the Clergy detestable: The Bishop sending for him said: my Ioy, Deane Thomas, I leue you well, … am informed you preach the Epistle and Gospel eueryevery Sunday, and that you take not the Cow for mortuarie, nor the vpper Cloth for Crisome of your parishioners, which is very preiudiciall to the Church men: My ioy Deane Thomas, take your Cow and your vpper Cloth, and preach not eueryevery Sunday, for in so doing, you will make the people thinke we should preach likewise: But when you finde a good Epistle or a good Gospell that setteth forth the l…bertie of the Church, preach that and let the rest be.
Thomas answered, my parishioners pay me my dueti…s willingly, and w…e agree well: and where your Lordship saith it is too much …o preach eueryevery Sonday, I thinke it too little: and also would wish that your Lordship would doe the like: nay, nay, we are not ordained to preach M. Forret: and where your Lordship speaketh of a good and an euill Epistle, I could neuer finde none but good.
Then spake my Lord, I thanke God I neuer knew what the Old & New Testament ment: (Wherevpon, grew a prouerb, you are like the Bishop of Dunkelden, that kn…w neither new nor old Law) therefore said the Bishop, I will know nothing but my portous, and my pontificall: if you forgoe not these fantasies you shall repent it. Thomas said, my cause is iust before God, and I passe not what followeth thereon.
After he was summoned by the Cardinall of Saint Andrewes, and the said Bishop of Dunkelden, and with him were summoned Frier Iohn Kellow, Frier Beuarage, Duncane Simson Priest: Robert Foster, a Gentleman, with thrée or foure other men of Striueling, who at thei… day of apparance were condemned to death without any place of recantation, because they were chiefe hereticks, and teachers of heresies: and because many of them were at the marriage of the Priest of Twybody, and eate flesh in Lent at their Bridall, and they were all together burn…d vponupon the Castle Hill of Edenbrough, where they comforted one another merueilously.
The Persecution of certaine in the towne of Perth.
THere was an Act of Parliament in the gouernment of the Earle of Arrai, giuing priuilege to reade the scriptures in their mother tongue, but secluding al conference thereof, wherby y• eyes of the elect of God, were opened to sée the tru…h, and abhorre Papisticall abhominations, at which time Fryer Spencer preached, that Prayers made to Saints were necessary, and without it no hope of saluation: Then Robert Lambe, a Burges of Perth, accused him op…nl… in the Church of erronious Doctrine, and adiured him in Gods name to vtter the truth, whereupon trouble and tumul… of people arose, so that the said Robert with great danger of his life escaped, euen the Women addressed themselues to great cruelty against him.
Shortly after the Cardinall and the Earle of Argile sat about the matter, before these persons were brought; Robert Lambe, William Anderson, Iames Hunter, Iames Rauelson, Iames Fouleson, and Hellen Sirke his Wife, and the next day were condemned to death by an Assize, for violating the foresaid Act of Parliment by conferring together of the Scripture, and for that the said Robert Lambe, William Anderson, and Iames Raueleson, hanged the Image of Saint Francis in a cord, nayling Rammes hornes to his head, and a Cowes rump to his ta…le, and for eating a Goose of Alhollow Eue: and Iames Hunter for kéeping company with th…m: He…len Sirke, for saying Mary merited not by workes to be the Mother of Christ, and to be preferred before other Women, but Gods free mercy …xalted her to that estate: Iohn Raueleson for setting vp in his house a triple Crowne of Saint Peter, which the Cardina…l tooke to be done in mockage of his Card…nals ha….
At the place of execution Robert Lambe exhorted the people to feare God, and to leaue the leauen of Papisticall abhominations, and prophesied of the ruine of the Cardinall, which after came to passe: and comforting one another, that they should sup together in the Kingdome of heauen. The Woman desired to die with her Husband, but was not suffered, then she kissed him, saying; We hauehave liued together ioyfull daies, but this day is most ioyful, because we must hauehave ioy for euer. I will not bid you God night, for we shall all this night méete with ioy in heauen.