All the Examinations of the Martyr John Bradford, Examination 1
¶The effect of .M. Iohn Bradfordes examinacion before the Lord Chanceller B. of Wincheſter, the B. of London and others in commiſſion the .22. of Aprill. Anno. Domini .1555.
AFter the Lord Chancellor and the reſidew of the Queenes councel in commiſſion with him, had ended their talke with maſter Farrar late biſhop of S. Dauies: the vndermarſhal of the kings Bench was commaunded to bring in maiſter Bradford, who being come in to the preſence of the counſel ſitting at a table he kneling down on his knee, but immediately by my lord Chauncelor was bidden to ſtand vp and ſo he did. Whē he was riſen the lord Chauncelor earneſtly loked vponupon him, to hauehave (be lyke) ouerfaced him: but he gaue no place, that is, he ceaſed not in like maner, to loke on the lorde Chancelor ſtil and continuallye (ſaue ye once he caſte his eyes to heauen warde ſighing for gods help) and ſo outfaced him as they ſay. Thē the Lorde Chauncelor, as it were amaſed and ſome thing troubled: ſpake thus to hym in effecte, that of long tyme he had bene impryſoned iuſtly, for his behauioure at Poules croſſe the .xiii. of Auguſte Anno. 1554. for his falſe prechinge and arrogancye, takinge vppon hym to preache withoute aucthoritie. But nowe, quoth hee, the tyme of mercye is come, and therefore the Queenes highneſſe myndyng to offer vntounto you mercy, hath by vsus ſente for you, to declare and geue the ſame, if ſo bee ye will with vsus retourne. And quoth he yf you wyll dooe as we hauehave done, you ſhall finde as we hauehave founde I warraunte you. Theſe were the ſumme, and euen in maner, the words he ſpake. To theſe woordes maiſter Bradford ſpake, after reuerent obeyſaunce made, in thys maner. My Lorde and Lordes all, I confeſſe that I hauehave beene longe priſoned, and (with humble reuerence be it ſpoken) vniuſtlye, for that I dyd nothynge ſediciouſlye, falſelye, or arrogantlye, in worde or fact, by preching or otherwiſe, but rather ſought peace, & al godly quietnes as an obedient & faithful ſubiecte bothe in going aboute to ſaue the biſhoppe of Bathe now, the… M. Bourne the preacher at ye croſſe, and in preaching for quietnes accordingly. At theſe wordes or rather before he had fullye finiſhed them the lorde Chauncellor ſome thing ſnuffed, and ſpake with an admiracion, yt there was a loude lie. For quoth he, the fact was ſedicious as you my lord of Londō can beare witnes, you ſaye trewe my lorde, quoth the biſhop of Lō don. I ſawe him with mine owne eyes when he tooke vponupon him to rule, and leade the people malypertly, therby declaring yt he was the authour of the ſedicion. Heare Iohn Bradforde replied, & ſayd: that notwithſtandinge my lorde biſhops ſeyng & ſayinge yt he had tolde, was the trueth, as one daye quoth he, my lord god almightye ſhall reueile to all the world, whē we all ſhall come and appeare before him. In the meane ſeaſon becauſe I cannot be beleued of you, I muſt, and am ready to ſuffer, as now your ſayīgs: ſo whatſoeuer God ſhall licence you to doe vntounto me. I know, quoth my lord Chā cellor then, thou haſte a gloriouſe tonge, & godlye ſhewes thou makeſt, but all is lyes that thou doeſt. And againe, I hauehave not forgotten how ſtubburne thou wert when thou werte before vsus in the Towre, whether thou waſt committed to priſon concerning relygion. I hauehave not forgotten thy behauiour and talk, wher through, worthely thou haſt bene kepte in priſon, as one yt would hauehave done more hurt then I wil ſpeake of. My Lorde (quoth Bradforde) as I ſayd, I ſay again, that I ſtād, as before you, ſo before god, & one day we ſhall al ſtand before him, The trueth then will be the truth, though you wyl not now, ſo take it. Yea my lorde (quoth he) I dare ſaye that my lorde of Bathe (M. Bourne) will witnes with me, yt I ſought his ſauegard, with the perill of myne owne life, I thank god therefore. That is not trew, quoth the biſhop of Lōdon, for I my ſelf did ſee thee, take vpō thee to muche. No, quoth Bradforde, I tooke nothinge vppon me, vndeſired and that of maſter Bourn himſelfe, as if he were here preſēt, I dare ſaye he woulde affirme it, for hee deſired me, bothe to helpe him to pacifie the people, and not to leaue him till he was in ſafety. And as for my behauioure in the Towre, and talk before your hohours, if I did or ſaide any thing that did not beſeme me, if wherin your lordſhips woulde tell me: I ſhould and would ſhortely make you aunſwer. Wel (quoth my lord Chancelor) to leaue this matter, how ſaiſt thou now, wilt thou returne again, and doe as we hauehave done, and thou ſhalte receiue the Queenes mercy and pardon? M… lorde, quoth Bradforde, I deſire mercy with gods mercy, but mercy with Gods wrathe, god keepe me from, althoughe, I thanke God therefore, my conſcience doeth not accuſe me that I did or ſpake any thīg, wherfore I ſhould nede to receiue mercye or pardon. For all that euer I did or ſpake, was agreinge to Goddes lawes, and the lawes of the realm at that preſēt, and did make much quietnes. Well quoth my lord Chancelor, if thou make this bablīg rolling in thy eloquent tonge, beyng altogether ignoraunt and vayne glorious, and will not receyue mercy offered to thee: knowe for trueth that the Quene is mynded to make a purgacion of all ſuche as thou arte. The Lorde quoth Bradforde to fore whom I ſtand as well as before you, knoweth what vain glory I hauehave ſought, and ſeke in this behalf. His mercy I deſire, & alſo would bee glad of the Queenes fauor, to lyue as a ſubiecte without clogge of conſcience, but otherwiſe the lordes mercye is to me better then lyfe. And I knowe, quoth he, to whom I hauehave committed my life: euē to his handes which will kepe it ſo, that no man maye take it awaye before it be his pleaſure. There ar 1…. houres in the daie, and as long as they laſt, ſo long ſhall no man hauehave power theron. Therfore his good will be done, life in his dyſpleaſure is worſe then death, and death in his true fauour is trewe lyfe. I knowe wel ynough, quoth my Lorde Chauncellor, that wee ſhoulde hauehave glorious talke ynough of thee, be ſure therefore yt as thou haſt deceyued the people with falſe and deuiliſhe doctrine: ſo ſhalte thou receiue. I hauehave not deceiued, quod Bradforde, the people, nor taught any other doctrine, then by Gods grace I am (and hope ſhall be) ready to confirme with my lyfe. And as for deuiliſhneſſe and falſeneſſe in the doctrine I woulde bee ſorye you could ſo proue it. Why (quoth the Biſhop of Dureſme) tell me what you ſay by the miniſtracion of the communion, as you now know it is: My lorde (ſaithe Bradforde) here muſt I deſire of your Lordeſhip, and of all youre honours: a queſtion, tofore I doe make aunſwere to any intergatorie or queſtion, wherewith you now begin. I hauehave bene .vi. tymes ſworne, yt I ſhould in no caſe conſent, to the practyſing of any iuriſdiccion, or any authoritie on the Biſhop of Romes behalf, within this realm of Englande. Nowe therfore (before God) I humbly pray your honours, to tel me, whether you aſk me this queſtion, by his aucthoritie or not? If you dooe I dare not nor maye not aunſwere you anye thyng in his aucthorite you ſhall demaunde of me, excepte I would be forſworne, whiche God forbid. Haſt thou bene ſworne .vi. tymes quoth maiſter Secretarye Burne, what offices haſte thou borne? Here is an other lie, quoth my Lorde Chauncelor. Forſooth, quoth Bradfoode, I was thryſe ſworn in Cambridge, whē I was admitted maiſter of Arte, when I was admitted felowe in Pēbrock Hall, and when I was there, the Viſiters came thether and ſware the Vniuerſitye. Agayne I was ſworne when I entered into the myniſterye, when I hadde a prebende geuen me, and when I was ſworne to ſerue the Kynge a litle before his death.
Tuſhe quoth my lorde Chauncelor, Herodes othes a man ſhould make no conſciēce at. But, quoth Bradford, mi lord, theſe othes wer no Herodes othes, nor no vnlawfull othes, but othes according to gods woorde, as you youre ſelfe hauehave well affirmed in youre boke de Vera obediētia. My lords quoth an other of the counſel, yt ſtode by the table, M. Rocheſter I wene, I neuer knewe wherfore this mā was in priſon before nowe, but I ſee wel, that it had not bene good that this man had beene abrode. What ſo euer was the cauſe he was laide in priſon I know not, but I now ſee well, yt not without cauſe he was, and is to be kept in priſone. Yea, quoth Secretarye Bourn, it was reported this parliament tyme by the Erle of Derby, that he hath doone more hurte by letters, and exhortinge theſe yt hauehave come to him, in religion, thē euer he did when he was abrode by preachinge. In his letters he curſeth al that teacheth falſe doctrine (for ſo he calleth that whiche is not accordīg to that he taught) and moſte earneſtly exhorteth thē to whome he writeth to continue ſtill in that they hauehave receiued by him, and ſuch lyke as he is. All which woordes diuers others of of the counſel affirmed, wherunto the ſaide maiſter Bourn added ſaying, howe ſaye you ſerra (ſpeaking to Bradforde) hauehave you not thus ſediciouſlye written, and exhorted the people. I hauehave, quoth Bradford, written nor ſpoken any thing ſediciouſlye: and, I thanke god therefore, I hauehave not admytted any ſedicious cogitacion, nor I truſt neuer ſhall dooe. yea, but thou haſte wrytten letters, quoth maiſter Secretary Bourne. why ſpeakeſt thou not, quoth my lord Chauncelour, haſt thou not written as he ſaith. That, quoth Bradforde, I hauehave wrytten, I hauehave written. Lorde God (quoth. M. Southwell) what an arrogant & ſtubburne boye is this, that thus ſtoutlye and dallyengly, behaue hymſelf before the Queenes coū ſell. whereat, one looked vponupon an other, with diſdaynefull countenaunce. My lordes and maſters, quoth Bradforde, the Lorde God whiche is, and wyll iudge vsus all: knoweth, that as I am certayne I ſtande nowe before his maieſtye, ſo wyth reuerence in hys ſyghte, I ſtande beefore you vntounto youre, and accordyngly, in woordes and geſture I deſyre to behaue my ſelfe. yf you otherwyſe take it, I doubte not but God in hys tyme wyll reuele it. In the meane ſeaſon, I ſhall ſuffer with all due obedyence, your ſayinges and deedes too, I hope. Theſe bee gay glorious wordes, quoth my Lorde Chauncelour, of reuerēce, reuerence, but as in al other thynges, ſo hrrein thou doeſt nothyng but lye. Well quoth Bradforde, I would God the authour of trueth, and abhorrer of lyes, woulde pul my tounge out of my head before you all, and ſhewe a terrible iudgemente on me here preſentlye: yf I hauehave purpoſed or dooe purpoſe, to lye beefore you, whatſoeuer you ſhall aſke me.
Why then, quoth my lord Chancelor, doeſt thou not anſwer? haſte thou written ſuch letters as here is obiected againſt the? As I ſaid my lord (quod Bradforde) that I hauehave written I hauehave written. I ſtande nowe before you whiche eyther can laye my letters to my charge or not, if you lay any thīg to my charge that I hauehave writtē, if I denye it I am then a lier. we ſhall neuer hauehave done with thee I perceiue now, ſaith my lord Chā celor, be ſhort, be ſhort, wylt thou hauehave mercy? I praye God (quoth Bradforde) geue me his merciemercy, & if therwith you wil extend yours, I wyll not refuſe it, but otherwiſe I wil not. Heare was now much a dooe, one ſpeaking thus and other ſpeaking that, of his arrogancye in refuſing the Queenes pardon whiche ſhe ſo louyngly▪ dyd offer vntounto him. wherto Bradforde aunſwered thus: my lordes yf I may liue as a quiete ſubiect, withoute clogge of conſcience, I ſhal hartely thanke you, for your pardō, yf otherwyſe I behaue my ſelfe, then I am in daunger of the faute. In the meane ſeaſon, I aſke no more, but the benefite of a ſubiect, till I be conuinced of tranſgreſſiō. If I cannot hauehave this, as hitherto I hauehave not had, goddes good wyll be doone. Vppon theſe wordes, my lord Chauncelor begon a lōg proces, of the falſe doctrine, wherewith people were deceiued, in the dayes of kyng Edwarde, and ſo tourned the ende of his talk to Bradforde, ſayīg, how ſayſt thou. My lord, quoth Bradforde, the doctrine taught i… K…g Edwardes daies was gods pure religion, the whiche as I then beleued, ſo doe I nowe more beleue then euer I didde. And therein I am more confirmed and ready to declare it, by gods grace euen as he will, to the worlde, then I was when I firſte came into priſone. What religion meane you (quoth the biſhop of Duriſme, in Kynge Edwardes daies? what yeare of his raigne? Forſoth (quoth Bradforde) euen that ſame yere of hys raigne (my Lorde) that the kynge dyed and I was preacher. Heare wrote maiſter Secretary Bourn I wotte not what. Nowe after a lytle pawſyng, my Lorde Chauncelloure begynneth agayne to declare, that the doctryne taught in Kynge Edwardes dayes, was hereſye vſynge for probacion and demonſtra…ion therof no Scryppure nor reaſon but thys, that i… ended wyth Treaſon and Rebellion, ſo that (quoth he) the verye ende were ynoughe to improue, that doctryne to bee naughte. Ah my Lorde (quoth Bradford) that you would enter in to Gods Sanctuarie, and marke the ende of this preſent doctrine, you nowe ſo magnifie. What meaneſt thou by that (quoth he) I wene we ſhal hauehave a ſnatche of rebellion euen now. No (quoth Bradforde) my lord I meane no ſuche ende as you woulde gather, I meane an ende whiche none ſeeth but thei yt enter into gods Sanctuarie. If a man loke but on preſēt thyngs, he wil ſone deceiue hīſelf. Heare now dyd my Lorde Chauncellor offer againe mercye, and Bradford anſwered as before, mercye wt gods mercy ſhould be welcome, but otherwiſe he would none. Whervpon the ſaid lord Chancellor dyd ring a litle bel be like to cal in ſōe bodye, for there was preſent none in maner, but onelye theſe before named, and the biſhop of Worceſter. Now whē one was come in, it is beſte, quoth maiſter Secretarye Burne, yt you geue ye keper a charge of this fellowe. So was the vndermarſhall called in. you ſhall take this man to you, quoth my Lord Chauncelor, & kepe him cloſe, without conference with any man, but by your knowledge, and ſuffer him not to wryte anye letters. &c. For he is of an other maner of charge vntounto you now, then he was before, and ſo thei departed, the ſaid Bradford lokyng as cherefully as any man coulde doe, declaring thereby, euen a deſire to geue his lyfe, for confirmacion of that he hath taughte and written. And ſurely (yf he dooe) ſo his death wyll deſtroye more of the Philiſtines, as Sampſon dyd, then euer he dydde in hys lyfe, God almyghtie keepe hym and al his felowes bounde for the lordes ſake. Amen.