Reply Against Gilbert Brown, Section 44
Maiſter Gilbert Browne.
But a)That is contrarie to that whilk you ſaide before that they were all two hundreth yeare before them.heir it is to be noted alſo, that Maiſter Iohn can finde none before the yeare of Chriſt 1158. that ſaid againſt the Pope and his religion, & none immediatly before Luther, the ſpace of an 100. yeare and more. So the Kirk was without his Doctors, elleuen hundreth yeare and fiftie, or thereabout. And ſiklike Martine Luther had no predeceſſors to whome he ſucceeded in his Religion.
Maiſter Iohn Welſche his Reply.
You note two things heere whilk are both falſe: the one that I can finde none that ſaid againſt the Pope and his religion before the yeare of Chriſt 1158. for our Sauiour and his Apoſtles and ſundrie learned Fathers in all ages, and councels, both general and prouincial: and ſum of your own doctors and Popes, hes ſpoken againſt the Monarchie of your Pope, and your doctrine & religion, as I hauehave proued before. And Reinerus a man of your ovvne religion teſtifies that ſome ſaide the Waldenſes who had the ſame religion whilk we proſes, was continued from Silueſters daies, who liued about the 320. yeare of God. And ſome ſaid that it continued euen from the Apoſtles daies: therefore the firſt is falſe. The ſecond thing is, that I can finde none before Luther immediatlye the ſpace of 100. yeares and more. I ſee you are not aſhamed to ſpeake anie thing for the defence of your Kingdome, vvere it neuer ſo manifeſtlie falſe: for it appeares that eyther yee are not acquainted vvith the hiſtories of that age, or elſe yee diſſemble it of purpoſe: for Iohn Wickleſ he left ſo manye behinde him in England vvho profeſſed our religion, that though your Prelates did moleſt them vvhat they coulde, yet they & their fauourers in ſhort tyme grew to ſik ſtrength & multitude, that by the yeare 1422. (whilk was 100. yeares immediately before Luther) Henrie Chicheſley the Arch-biſhop of Canterburie writ to the Pope, that they all could not be ſuppreſſed they were ſo manie, but by force of warre. The profeſſors of our religion began to gather ſo great force in Bohemia after the burning of Iohn Hus, and Ierome of Prage at the councel of Conſtance, whilk was about the yeare 1417. (whilk was iuſt ane hundreth yeare immediatly before Luther) that they were able not only to defend themſelues by force of armes againſt the tyrannie of your Popes, but alſo obtained many notable victories, againſt the ſtrongeſt power that the Pope did raiſe againſt them. In England William Tayler, was burned, anno 1422, and two yeares after that William White was burnt. And betwixt that time, and 1430. Father Abraham of Colcheſter, Iohn Wadden, and Richard Houington were burnt. And after that, Richard Wiche, and Iohn Gooſe, one Braban, and one Ierome, and others with him were burnt. Hieronymus Sauonarola, a Monke in Italie, with two others, named Dominick and Sylveſter, were condemned to death at Florence, in the yeare 1500, with ſundry others whome for ſhortneſſe I omit heir. Nowe ſurelie, I cannot but wonder, Maiſter Gilbert, that ye ſhould hauehave bene ſo impudent as to hauehave ſet it downe in write, that I could get none that profeſſed our Religion, an hundreth yeare immediatly before Martine Luther. But the reader may gather what credite he may giuegive to your notes: and yet vvith ſik impudent lies ye blind the poore people. VponUpon the vvhilk I gather, that both theſe concluſions of yours, is falſe. For the Kirk of Chriſt in all ages, euen from the Apoſtles dayes to this day, hes euer had her owne teachers and profeſſors, (vntounto whome Martine Luther hes ſucceeded in his religion) ſuppoſe not in the like frequencie and puritie, Apoc 9.and that by reaſon partly of the ſmoak of that bottomleſſe pit, that is of your doctrine, Reu. 15.whilk darkened both the Sunne and the aire, that is, both teachers and people: and partly by your extreame perſecutiō, whereby ye made warre with the Saints of God and ouercame them. But your ſmoak will euaniſhe away at the laſt, and the cleare light of the Lorde ſhall ſhine more and more, maugre all your hearts.