Answer unto a Crafy and Sophistical Cavillation, Letters

Answer unto a Crafy and Sophistical Cavillation · Letters

p. 420Certayne godly and fruitfull Letters of D. Cranmer late Archbishop of Caunterbury.

¶A Letter to Queene Mary.

IT may please your Maiesty to pardon my presumption, that I dare be so bold to write to your highnes, but very necessity constrayneth me, that your Maiesty may know my minde rather by mine owne writing, then by other mens reportes. So it is that vponupon Saturday being the 7. day of this monethmonth, I was cited to appeare at Rome, the lxxx. day after, there to make aunswere to such matters as should be obiected agaynst me, vponupon the behalfe of the King and your most excellent Maiesty: which matters the Thursday following were obiected agaynst me by Doctor Martin and Doctor Story your maiesties Proctors, before the Bishop of Bloucester sitting in iudgement by commission from Rome.The kyng and Queene make themselues no better then subiectes in complaining of their owne subiect to an outwarde iudge as thogh they had no power to punishe him. But alas, it can not but greue the hart of any naturall subiect, to be accused of the King and Queene of his owne Realme, and specially before an outward iudge, or by authority comming from any person out of this Realme, where the king and Queene, as if they were subiectes within theyr owne Realme, shall complayne and require iustice at a straungers handes agaynst theyr owne subiect, being already condemned to death by their owne lawes: as though the King and Queene could not do nor hauehave iustice within their owne Realme, agaynst their owne subiectes, but they must seeke it at a straungers hands in a straunge land, the like whereof (I thinke) was neuer seene. I would hauehave wished to hauehave had some meaner aduersaryes, & I thinke that death shall not greeue me much more, then to hauehave my most dread and most gratious soueraygne Lord and Lady (to whom vnderunder God I do owe all obedience) to be mine accusers in iudgement within their owne realme before any straunger and outward power.The first cause why hee would not make aunswere to the Popes Commissary is to auoyde periury. But forasmuch as in the time of the Prince of most famous memory King Henry the 8. your graces father, I was sworne neuer to consent, that the byshop of Rome should hauehave or exercise any authoritie or iurisdiction in this realme of England, therefore least I should allow his authority contrary to mine oth, I refused to make aunswere to the Byshop of Gloucester sitting here in iudgemēt by the Popes authority, least I should runne into periury.

The second cause is for that y^e Popes lawes are contrary to the crowne and lawes of England.An other cause why I refused the popes authority is this, that his authority as he claimeth it, repugneth to the crowne imperiall of this realme and to the lawes of the same, which eueryevery true subiect is bound to defend. Fyrst for that the Pope sayth, that all manner of power, aswell temporall as spirituall, is geuen first to him of God and that the temporall power he geueth vntounto Emperours and Kinges to vse it vnderunder him, but so as it be alwayes at his cōmaundement & becke. But contrary to this clayme, the Emperial crowne and iurisdiction temporall of this Realme, is taken immediately from God to be vsed vnderunder him onelyonly, and is subiect vntounto none but to God alone.

The Othe of the Kyng and Iustices, and the duety of subiectes.Moreouer the imperiall lawes and customes of this realme the king in his Coronation, and all Iustices when they receiue their offices, be sworne, and all the whole realme is bound to defend and maintayne. But contrary hereunto the pope by his authority maketh voyd and commaundeth to blot out of our bookes, all lawes and customes being repugnant to his lawes, and declareth accursed all rulers and gouernours, all the makers, writers, & executors of such lawes or customes, as it appeareth by many of the Popes lawes whereof one or two I shall rehearse. In the decrees, distin. x. is written thus: Constitutione contra canones & decreta praesulum Romanorum vel bonos mores nullius sunt momenti. That is, the constitutions or statutes enacted agaynst the Canons and decrees of the Bishops of Rome or their good customes are of none effect. Also, Extra de sententia excommunicationis, merit. Excōmunicamus omnes hareticos vtriusque sexus quocumque nomine censeantur, & fautores, & receptatores. & defensores eorum: nec non & qui de catero sernari fecerint statuta edita & consuetudines, contra ecclesia libertatem, nisiea de capitularibus suis intra duos menses post huiusmodi publicationem sentencia fecerint amoueri. Item excōmunicamus statutarios, & scriptores statutorum ipsorum, nec non potestates, consules, rectores, & consiliarios locorum, vbi de catero huiusmodi statuta & consuetudines edita fuerint velseruatae, nec non & illos qui secundum ea praesumpserint iudicarem, vel in publicam formam scribere iudicata. That is to say, we excōmunicate all heretickes of both sexes, what name so euer they be called by and their fauourers and receptours and defenders, and also them that shall hereafter cause to be obserued, statutes and customes made agaynst the liberty of the Church, except they cause the same to be put out of their bookes or recordes within two monethes after the publication of this sentence. Also we excommunicate the statute makers and writers of those statutes, and also the potestates consuls, gouernors and counsellors of places where such statutes and customes shall be made or kept, and also those that shall presume to geue iudgement according to them or put into publike forme of writing the maners so iudged. p. 421Now by these lawes, if the Byshop of Romes authority which be claymeth by God, bee lawfull, of your graces lawes and customes of your Realme being contrary to the Popes lawes be naught, and aswell your maiesty as your iudges, iustices and all other executors of the same, stand accursed among heretickes, which God forbid. And yet this curse can neuer be auoyded (if the Pope hauehave such power as he claymeth) vntil such times as the lawes and customes of this Realme,The Popes lawes and the lawes of England are contrary. beyng contrary to his lawes, bee taken away and blotted out of the law bookes. And although there bee many lawes of this Realme contrary to the lawes of Rome, yet I named but a few: as to conuict a Clarke before any temporall Iudge of this Realme, for debt, felony, murther or for any other crime, which Clarkes by the Popes lawes be so exempt from the Kynges lawes, that they can be no where sued but before their Ordinary.

Also the pope by his lawes may geue all byshoprickes and benefices sprituall which by the lawes of this Realme, can be geuen but onelyonly by the Kinges and other patrones of the same, except they fall into the lapse. By the Popes lawes ius patronatus shalbe sued onelyonly before the ecclesiasticall iudge: but by the lawes of this realme, it shall be sued before the temporall iudge, and to be short the lawes of this realme do agree with the Popes lawes like fire and water. And yet the Kinges of this Realme hauehave prouided for their lawes, by the premunire: so that if any man hauehave let the excution of the lawes of this Realme, by any authority from the sea of Rome, he falleth into the premunire. But to meete with this, the popes hauehave prouided for their lawes by cursing. For whosoeuer letteth the Popes lawes to hauehave full course within this realme, by the Popes power standeth accursed: So that the popes power treadeth all the lawes and customes of this Realme vnderunder his feete, cursing all that execute them, vntill such time as they geue place vntounto his lawes. But it may be said that notwithstanding all the popes decrees, yet we do execute still the lawes and customes of this Realme. Nay not all quietly without interruption of the Pope. And where we do execute them, yet we do it vniustly, if the popes power be of force, and for the same we stand excommunicate, and shall doe, vntill we leaue the execution of our owne lawes and customes. Thus we be wel recōciled to Rome, allowing such authority, wherby the Realme standeth accursed before God, if the Pope hauehave any such authority.

These thinges (as I suppose) were not fully opened in the parliament house, when the popes authority was receiued agayne within this Realme, for if they had, I do not beleue that either the King or Queenes maiesty or the nobles of this Realme, or the commons of the same would euer hauehave consented to receiue agayne such a forrayne authority, so iniurious, hurtfull and preiudiciall, aswel to the crowne, as to the lawes and customes, and state of this realme, as whereby they must needes acknowledge themselues to be accursed. But none could opē this matter wel but the clergy, and that such of them as had read the popes lawes, whereby the pope hath made himselfe as it were a God. These seeke to maintayne the Pope, whome they desired to hauehave their chiefe head, to the intent they might hauehave, as it were, a kingdome and lawes within themselues, distinct from the lawes of the crowne, and wherewith the crowne may not meddle, and so being exempted from the lawes of the crowne might liue in this realme like Lordes and Kinges,The Papistes to set vp a kingdome of their owne, dissemble the knowne truth and are false to the crowne. without daminage or feare of any man, so that they please their high and supreame head at Rome. For this cōsideration I weene, some that knew the truth, held their peace at the Parliament, whereas if they had done their dueties to the crowne and whole realme, they should hauehave opened their mouthes, declared the truth, and shewed the perils an daungers that might ensue to the crowne and realme. And if I should agree to allow such authority within this realme, whereby I must needes confesse that your most gracious, highnes and also your realme should euer cōtinue accursed vntill you shall cease from the execution of your owne lawes & customes of your realme: I could not thinke my selfe true, either to your highnes, or to this my naturall countrey, knowing that I do know. Ignoraūce, I know may excuse other men, but he that knoweth how preiudiciall and iniurious the power and authority which he chalengeth eueryevery where, is to the crowne, lawes and customes of this Realme, & yet will allow the same, I cannot set in any wise how he can keepe his due allegeaunce, fidelity and truth to the crowne and state of this Realme.

An other cause I alleadged, why I could not allow the authority of the pope,The third cause why he could not allow the Pope. which is this. That by his authority he subuerteth not onelyonly the lawes of this realme, but also the lawes of God, so that whosoeuer be vnderunder his authority, he suffereth them not to be vnderunder Christes religion purely, as Christ did commaund.The Popes Religion is against Christes Religion. And for one example I brought forth, that whereas by Gods lawes all Christian people bee boundeth diligently to learne his word, that they may know how to beleue and liue accordingly, for that purpose he ordayned holy dayes when they ought, leauing apart all other busines, to geue thēselues wholy to know and serue God.Why Latin seruice ought not to be restored in English.

Therefore Gods will and commaundement is, that when the people be gathered together, the Ministers should use such language as the people may vnderstand, and take p. 422profite thereby, or els hold their peace. For as an harpe or lute, if it geue no certayne sound that men may know what is stricken, who can daūce after it, for all the sound is in vaynes: So is it vayne and profiteth nothing, sayth almighty God, by the mouth of S. Paule, if the priest speake to the people in a language which they know not, for els he may profite himselfe, but profiteth not the people sayth S. Paule. But herein I was aunswered thus, that S. Paule spake onelyonly of preaching, that the preacher should speake in a tongue which the people did know, or els his preaching auayleth nothing. But if the preaching auaileth nothing, being spoken in a language, which the people vnderstand not, how should any other seruice auayle them, being spoken in the same language: And that yet S. Paule mene not onelyonly of preaching, it appeareth playnely by his owne words, for he speaketh by name expressely of praying, singing, lauding, and thākyng of God, and of all other things which the priestes say in the churches, whereunto the people say Amen, which they vsed not in preaching, but in other diuine seruice: that whether the Priestes rehearse the wonderfull workes of God, or the great benefites of God; vntounto inankinde aboue all other creatures, or geue thankes vntounto God, or make open profession of their fayth, or humble confession of theyr sinnes, with earnest request of mercy and forgeuenes, or make sute or request vntounto God for any thing: then all the people vnderstanding what the Priestes say, might ioyne their mindes and voyces with them and say Amen, that is to say, allow what the Priestes say, that the rehearsall of Gods vniversall workes and benefites, the geuing of thākes the profession of fayth, the confession of sinnes, and the requestes and petitions of the Priestes and the people, might ascend vp into the eares of God altogether, and be as a sweet sauor, odour, and incense in his nose: And thus was it vsed many hundred yeares after Christes ascension. But the aforesayd thinges cannot be done, when the priestes speake to the people in a language not knowen, and so they, or their clarke in their name say, Amen, but they cānot tell whereunto: where as S. Paule sayth, how can the people say Amen to thy well saying, when they vnderstand not what thou sayd: And thus was S. Paule understanded of all interpretours, both the Greekes and Latins, old and new, Scholeauthors & others, that I hauehave red, vntill about xxx. yeares past, at which time one Eckius with other of hys sort began to deuise a new exposition, vnderstanding S. Paule of preaching onelyonly. But when a good number of the best learned men reputed within this realme, some fauouring the old, some the new learning, as they terme to (where indeed that which they call the olde is the new and that which they call the new, is indeed the old) but when a great number of such learned men of both forces, were gathered together at winsor, for the reformation of the seruice of the Church: It was agreed by both without controuersy, (not one saying cō trary) that the seruice of the Church ought to be in the mother tongue and that S. Paule in the 14. chapter to the Corinthians was so to be vnderstanded. And so is S. Paule to be vnderstanded in the ciuill law more then a thousand yeares past, where Iustinianus a most godly Emperour, in a synode writeth on this maner. Iubenius vt omnes Episcopi pariter & prasbyteri non tacito modo, sed clara vocequa a fidels populo exaudiantur, sacram oblationem & preces in sacro baptismate adhibitas celebrent, quo maiori exinde deuotione in depromendis Domini Dei laudibus audientium animi efferātur. Ita enim & Diuus Paulus docet in Epistola ad Corinth. Si solūmodo, benedicat Spiritus, quomodo it qui priuati locum tenet, dicet ad gratiarum actionem tuam, amen, quandoquidem quid dicas non videt? Tu quidem pulchre gratias agis, alter autem non adificatur. That is to say: we commaunde that all Bishops and Priestes celebrate the holy oblation, & prayers vsed in holy baptisme, not after a still and close maner, but with a cleare loud voyce, that they may be playnly, heard of the faythfull people, so as the hearers mindes may be lifted vp thereby with the greater deuotion; in vttering the prayses of the Lord God. For so Paule teacheth also in the Epistle to the Corinthians:1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14 If the spirite doe onelyonly blesse or say well, how shall he that occupieth the place of a priuate person, say Amen to thy thanksgeuing, for he perceiueth not what thou sayth? Thou doost geue thankes well, but the other is not edifie…. And not onelyonly the ciuill law, and all other writers a thousand and fiue hundred yeares cōtinually together hauehave expounded S. Paule not of preaching onelyonly, but of other Seruice sayd in the church: but reason also geueth the same, that if men be commaunded to heare any thing, it must be spoken in a language which the hearers vnderstād,The Pope cō maundeth both agaynst God & naturall reason. The Sacrament ought to be receaued in both kyndes of all Christians. or els as S. Paule sayth what auayleth it to heare? So that the pope geuing a contrary commaundement, that the people comming to the church shall heare they wer not what, and aunswere they know not whereto, taketh vponupon him to commaunde not onelyonly agaynst reason: but also directly agaynst God.

And agayne I sayd, whereas one sauiour Christ ordayned the Sacrament of his moste precious body and bloud, to be receiued of all Christian people, vnderunder the formes both of bread and wine, and sayd of the cup, drinke ye all of this: the Pope geueth a cleane contrary commaundement, that no lay man shall drinke of the cup of their saluation: as though the cup of Saluation by the bloud of Christ, pertayneth not to lay men. And wherefore as Theophilus Alexandrinus, (whose works S. Hierome did translate about eleuē hundred yeares p. 423passed) sayth that if Christ had bene crucified for the Deuils, his cup should not be denied them: yet the Pope denieth the cup of Christ to christen people, for whome Christ was crucified: so that if I should obay the Pope, in these thinges I must needes disobay my sauior Christ. But I was aūswered hereto (as commonly the Papistes do aūswere,) that vnderunder the forme of bread, is whole Christs flesh and bloud, so that whosoeuer receiueth the forme of bread, receiueth aswell christes bloud as his flesh. Let it be so: yet in the forme of breade onelyonly, Christs bloud is not drunken but eaten, nor receiued in the cup vnderunder forme of wine as Christ commaunded, but eaten with the flesh vnderunder forme of bread, and moreouer the bread is not the sacrament of his bloud, but of his flesh only, nor the cup is not the sacramēt of his flesh, but of his bloud onelyonly, and so the pope keepeth from all lay persons, the sacrament of their redemption by Christes bloud, which Christ commaunded to geue vntounto thē. And furthermore Christ ordayned the sacrament in two kindes, the one seperated from the other, to be a representation of his death, where his bloud was separated from his flesh, which is not represented in one kind alone: so that lay people receiue not the whole sacrament, whereby Christes death is represented as he commaunded.

Moreouer as the pope taketh vponupon him to geue the temporall sword, or royall and imperiall power to kinges and princes: so doth he likewise take vponupon him to depose them frō their imperiall states, if they be disobedient to him, and commaundeth the subiectes to disobay their princes, assoyling the subiects aswell of their obedience, as of their lawfull othes made vntounto their true Kinges and princes directly contrary to Gods commaundement, who commaundeth all subiectes to obay their kinges or other rulers vnderunder them. One Iohn Patriarche of Constātinople in the time of S. Gregory, claymed superiority aboue all other bishops, to whom S. Gregory writeth, that therein he did iniury to his iii. brethren which were equall with him, that is to say, the bishop of Rome, of Alexandria, and of Antiochia, which iii. were Patriarchall seas, aswell as Constantinople, and were brethren one to an other. But sayth S. Gregory, if any one shall exalt himselfe aboue all the rest to be the vniuersall Byshop, the same passeth in pride: but now the bishop of Rome exalteth himselfe not onelyonly aboue all Byshops, but also aboue all Kinges and Emperours, and aboue the whole world, taking vponupon him to geue and take away, to set vp and put downe, as he shall thinke good. And as the deuill hauing no such authority, yet tooke vponupon him to geue vntounto Christ all the kingdomes of the world,The deuill and the Pope are like. if he would fall down and worship him, in like manner the Pope taketh vponupon him to geue Empyres and Kingdomes being none of his, to such as will fall downe and worship him and kisse his feete. And moreouer his Lawyers and glosers so flatter him, that they say he may commaund Emperours and Kinges to hold his stirrop, when he lighteth vponupon his horse and to be his footemen, and that if any Emperour or King geue him any thing, they geue him nothing but that is his owne, and that he may dispense agaynst Gods word, against the old and new Testament, agaynst S. Paules Epistles and agaynst the Gospell.

And furthermore whatsouer he doth, although he draw innumerable people by heapes with himselfe into hell: yet may no mortall mā reproue him, because he being iudge of all men, may be iudged of no man, and thus he sitteth in the temple of God, as he were a God and nameth himselfe Gods Uicar, and yet be dispenseth agaynst God.The Pope is Antichrist, that is Christs enemy. If this be not to play Antichristes part, I cānot tell what is Antichrist, which is no more to say, but Christs enemy and aduersary, who shall sit in the temple of God, aduauncyng himselfe aboue all other, yet by hipocrisy and fayned Religion, shall subuert the true Religion of Christ, and vnderunder pretense and colour of Christian religion, shall worke agaynst Christ and therefore hath the name of Antichrist.Wherfore the Pope is Antichrist.

Now if any man lift him selfe higher then the Pope hath done, who lifteth him selfe aboue all the world, or can bee more aduersary to Christ then to dispense agaynst Gods lawes, and where Christ hath geuen any commaundement, to cōmaunde directly the contrary that man must needes be taken for Antichrist. But vntill the tyme that such a person may bee founde, men may easly coniecture where to finde Antichrist. wherefore seyng the Pope thus, to ouerthrow both Gods lawes and mans lawes, taketh vppon him to make Emperours and Kyngs to be vassals and subiectes vntounto him, specially the crowne of this Realme, with the lawes and customes of the same. I see no meane how I may cō sent to admit this vsurped power within this Realme, contrary to myne othe, myne obedience to Gods law, myne allegeaunce and duetie to your Maiestie, and my louelove and affection, to this Realme.

This that I hauehave spokē agaynst the power & authoritie of the Pope, I hauehave not spokē, (I take God to record and iudge) for any malice I owe to the Popes person, whom I know not, but I shall pray to God to geue him grace, that he may seeke aboue all thynges to promote Gods honour and glory, and not to follow the trade of his predecessours in these latter dayes, nor I hauehave not spoken it for feare of punishmēt and to auoyde the same, thinkyng it rather an occasion to aggrauate, then to diminish my trouble: but I hauehave spoken it for my most bounden duetie to the crowne, liberties, lawes, and customes of this p. 424Realme, but most especially to discharge my conscience in vttering the truth to Gods glory, castyng away all feare, by the comfort whiche I hauehave in Christes wordes, who sayth:Luke. 12.Luke 12 Feare not them that kill the body and can not kill the Soule, but feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell. He that for feare to lose this life will forsake the truth, shall lose the euerlastyng life: and he that for the truthes sake will spend his life, shall finde euerlastyng life.Math. 10.Matt 10 And Christ promiseth to stand fast with them, before his Father, which will stand fast with him here: which comfort is so great, that whosoeuer hath his eyes fixed vponupon Christ, can not greatly passe of this life, knowing that he may be sure to hauehave Christ stand by him, in the presence of his Father in heauen.

As touching the Sacramēt, I sayd that forasmuch as the whole matter stādeth in y^e vnderstādyng of these wordes of Christ:The Sacraments hauehave the names of those thinges wherof they are Samentes. This is my body, This is my bloud, I say that Christ in these words made demōstration of the bread & wine, and speake figuratiuely, calling bread his body, & wine his bloud, bycause he ordeined them to be the Sacramētes of his body & bloud. And where the Papistes say in these two points cōtrary vntounto me, that Christ called not bread his body, but a substaunce vncertaine, nor spake figuratiuely, herein I sayd I would be iudged by the old Churche, and which doctrine could be proued the elder, that I would stād vntounto. And forasmuch as I hauehave alledged in my booke many old Authors both Greekes & Latins, which about a M. yeares after Christ cōtinually taught as I do, if they could bryng forth but one old Author that sayth in these two pointes as they say, I offred vj. or vij. yeares agoe, & do offer yet still, that I will geue place to them. But when I bring forth any Author that sayth in most playne termes as I do, yet sayth the other part, that the Authors meant not so: as who should say, that the Authours spake one thyng and meant cleane contrary. And vpō the other part, whē they cā not finde any one Authour that sayth in wordes as they say, yet say they that the Authors meant as they say.

Now whether they or I speake more to the purpose herein, I referre it to the iudgement of all indifferent hearers. Yea the old Church of Rome about a thousand yeares together, neither beleued nor vsed the Sacrament as the Church of Rome hath done of late yeares. For in the begynnyng the Church of Rome taught a pure & a sound doctrine of the Sacrament, but that after the Church of Rome fell into a new doctrine of Trāsubstantiation, and with the doctrine they chaunged the vse of the Sacrament, cōtrary to that Christ commaunded, and the old Church of Rome vsed aboue a M. yeares. And yet to deface the old they say that the new is the old: wherein for my part I am content to the triall to stād: But their doctrine is so fonde and vncomfortable, that I marueile that any man would allow it, if he knew what it is, & what soeuer they beare the people in hād, that which they write in their bookes hath neither truth nor comfort. For by their doctrine, of one body of Christ is made two bodies:The Papistes make Christ two bodyes. one naturall hauing distance of members with forme and proportion of a mans perfect body, and this body is in heauen, but the body of Christ in the Sacrament by their owne doctrine, must needes be a monstruous body, hauyng neither distance of members nor forme, fashion or proportion of a mans naturall body, and such a body is in the Sacrament (teach they) and goeth into the mouth with the forme of bread, and entreth no farther then the forme of bread goeth, nor tarieth no longer then the forme of bread is by naturall heate in digestyng, so that when the forme of bread is digested, that body of Christ is gone.

And for asmuch as euill men be as long in digestyng as good men, the body of Christ (by their doctrine) entreth as farre, and tarieth as long in wicked as in godly men. And what comfort can be herein to any Christian man, to receaue Christes vnshapen body, and it to enter no farther than the stomacke, and to depart by and by, as soone as the bread is consumed? It seemeth to me a more sound and comfortable doctrine, that Christ hath but one body, and that hath forme and fashion of a mans true body, which body spiritually entreth into the whole man body and soule, and though the Sacrament be consumed, yet whole Christ remaineth and feedeth the receauer vntounto eternall life, if he continue in godlynes & neuer depart, vntill the receauer forsake him. And as for the wicked, they hauehave not Christ within them at all, who can not be where Belial is. And this is my fayth, and as me seemeth a sound doctrine accordyng to Gods word, and sufficient for a Christian to beleue in that matter. And if it can be shewed vntounto me, that the Popes authoritie is not preiudiciall to the thyngs before mentioned, or that my doctrine in the Sacrament is erroneous (which I thinke cā not be shewed) then I was neuer nor will be so peruerse, to stand wilfully in myne owne opinion, but I shall (with all humilitie) submit my selfe vntounto the Pope not onelyonly to kisse his feete, but an other part also.

An other cause why I refused to take the Byshop of Gloucester for my Iudge, was the respect of his owne person, beyng more then once periured. First, for that he beyng diuers tymes sworne, neuer to consent that the G. of Rome should hauehave any iurisdiction within this Realme, but to take the kyng and his successours for supreme heades of this Realme, as by Gods lawes they be: contrary to this lawfull oth the sayd B. sate then in iudgement by authoritie from Rome, wherein he was periured, and not worthy to sit as a Iudge.

p. 425The second periurie was, that he tooke his Byshopricke both of the Queenes Maiestie and of the Pope, makyng to eche of them a solemne othe: which othes be so contrary, that in the one he must needes be periured. And furthermore in swearyng to the Pope to maintayne his lawes, decrees, constitutions, ordinaunces, reseruations, and prouisions, he declareth him selfe an enemy to the Imperiall crowne and to the Lawes and state of this Realme, whereby hee declared him selfe not woorthy to sit as a Iudge within this Realme, and for these considerations I refused to take him for my Iudge.

This was written in an other Letter to the Queene.

I Learned by Doct. Martin, that at the day of your Maiesties Coronation, you tooke an othe of obedience to the Pope of Rome, and the same tyme you tooke an other othe to this Realme to maintaine the lawes, liberties & customes of the same. And if your Maiestie did make an othe to the Pope; I thinke it was accordyng to the other othes, which he vseth to minister to Princes, which is to be obedient to him, to defend his person, to maintaine his authoritie, honour, lawes, landes, and priuileges. And if it be so, then I beseech your Maiestie to looke vponupon your othe made to the crowne and the Realme, and to expēd and way the two othes together, to see how they agree, and then to do as your graces cō science shall geue you, for I am surely perswaded that willyngly your Maiestie will not offend, nor do agaynst your conscience for nothyng. But I feare me there be contradiction in your othes, and that those which should hauehave enformed your grace throughly, did not their dueties therein. And if your Maiestie ponder the two othes diligently. I thinke you shall perceaue that you were deceaued, and then your highnes may vse the matter as God shall put in your hart. Furthermore I am kept here from company of learned men, from bookes, from counsell, from penne and incke, sauyng at this tyme to write to your Maiestie, which all were necessary for a man in my case. Wherfore I beseech your Maiestie that I may hauehave such of these as may stand with your Maiesties pleasure. And as for myne appearaunce at Rome, if your Maiestie will geue me leaue I will appeare there, and I trust that God shall put in my mouth to defend his truth there, aswell as here, but I referre it wholly to your Maiesties pleasure.

Your poore Oratour, T. C.

¶To the Lordes of the Counsell.

IN most humble wise sueth vntounto your right honourable Lordshyps, Thomas Cranmer late Archb. of Cant. beseechyng the same to be a meanes for me vntounto the Queenes highnesse for her mercy & pardō. Some of you know by what meanes I was brought and trayned vntounto the will of our late soueraigne Lord kyng Edward the vi. & what I spake agaynst the same: wherein I referre me to the reportes of your honours. Furthermore this is to signifie vntounto your Lordshyps that vponupon Monday, Tuesday, and Wednisday, last past were open disputations here in Oxford agaynst me,They put to hym three questions but they suffred him not to aunswere fully in one. M. Ridley, and M. Latymer in three matters concernyng the Sacrament. First of the reall presence, secondly of Trāsubstantiation, and thyrdly concernyng the Sacrifice of the Masse. How the other two were vsed I can not tel, for we were separated, so that none of vsus knew what the other said, nor how they were ordered. But as concernyng my selfe I can report, that I neuer knew nor heard of a more confused disputation in all my lyfe. For albeit there was one appointed to dispute agaynst me, yet eueryevery man spake his mynde and brought forth what him lyked without order, and such hast was made, that no aunswere could be suffered to be geuen fully to any argumēt, & in such weighty & large matters there was no remedy, but the disputations must needes be ended in one day, whiche can scantly well be ended in three monethes. And when we had aunswered them, then they would not appoint vsus one day to bring forth our proofes, that they might aunswere vsus agayne, beyng required of me thereunto, whereas I my selfe hauehave more to say then can be well discussed in .xx dayes. The meanes to resolue the truth, had bene to hauehave suffered vsus to aunswere fully to all that they could say, and then they agayne to aunswere to all that we could say. But why they would not aunswere vsus, what other cause can there be, but that either they feared the matter that they were not able to aunswere vsus, or els (as by their hast might well appeare) they came, not to speake the truth, but to condemne vsus in post hast,Behold Sathā sleepeth not. before the truth might be throughly tryed and heard, for in all hast we were all three condemned of heresie vponupon Friday.

This much I thought good to signifie vntounto your Lordshyppes, that you may knowe the indifferent handlyng of matters,Their cruell desire to reuēge could abide no delay. leauyng the iudgement thereof vntounto your wisedomes, and I beseech your Lordshyppes to remember me a poore prisoner vntounto the Queenes Maiestie, and I shall pray, as I doe dayly, to God for the long preseruation of your good Lordshyppes in all godlynesse and felicitie.

p. 426¶A Letter wherein hee reproueth and condemneth the false and sclaunderous reportes of the Papistes, which sayd that he had set vp Masse agayne at Canterbury.

AS the deuill Christes auncient aduersary is a lyer, & the father of lying: Euē so hath he sturred vp his seruaunts and members, to persecute Christ & his true word and Religion with lying, whiche he ceasseth not to do most earnestly at this present. For whereas the Prince of famous memory kyng Henry the eight seyng the great abuses of the Latin Masse, reformed some thyng therein in his tyme, and also our late soueraigne Lord kyng Edward the vj. tooke the same whole away for the manifold errours and abuses therof, and restored in the place therof Christes holy Supper accordyng to Christes owne institution and as the Apostles in the primatiue Church vsed the same: the deuil goeth about by lying to ouerthrow the Lordes holy Supper and to restore his Latin satisfactory Masse, a thyng of his owne inuention and deuise: and to bryng the same more easely to passe, some hauehave abused the name of me Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury, brutyng abroad that I hauehave set vp the Masse at Canterbury and that I offred to say Masse at the buriall of our late soueraigne Prince kyng Edward the vj. and also that I offred to say Masse, before the Queenes highnes and at Paules Church, and I wot not where. And although I hauehave bene wel exercised these xx. yeares to suffer and beare euill reportes and lyes, and hauehave bene much greued thereat, but hauehave borne all thynges quietly: yet when vntrue reportes and lyes turne to the hinderaunce of Gods truth, they be in no wise to be suffred.

Wherfore these be to signifie vntounto the world, that it was a false, flatteryng, lying & dissemblyng Monke which caused Masse to be set vp there, without myne aduise or counsell, Reddat illi Dominus in die illo. This was D. Thornton, afterward a cruell murderer of Gods Saints: of whose horrible end, read in the booke of Martyrs in the last Edition. Fol. 1990. Col. 1.Col 1And as for offering my selfe to say Masse before the Queenes highnes, or in any other place, I neuer did it, as her grace well knoweth. But if her grace giuegive me leaue, I shalbe ready to proue agaynst all that will say the contrary, that all that is sayd in the holy Communion, set out by the most innocent and godly Prince kyng Edward the vj. in his high Court of Parliament, is conformable to the order which our soueraigne Christ did both obserue and commaunded to be obserued, and which his Apostles and primatiue Church vsed many yeares: whereas the Masse in many thyngs not onelyonly hath no foundation of Christ, his Apostles nor the primatiue Church, but is manifestly contrary to the same, and containeth many horrible abuses in it. And although many vnlearned and malitious do report, that M. Peter Martyr is vnlearned, yet if the Queenes highnesse will graunt thereunto, I with the sayd M. Peter Martyr, and other iiij. or v. which I shall chose, will (by Gods grace) take vponupon vsus, to defend not onelyonly the cōmon prayers of the Church, the ministration of the Sacraments and other rites & ceremonies, but also all the doctrine and Religion set out by our soueraigne Lord kyng Edward the vi. to be more pure & accordyng to Gods word, then any other that hath bene vsed in Englād this M. yeares: so that Gods word may be the Iudge, and that the reasons and profes vponupon both parties may be set out in writing, to the intent aswell that all the world may examine and Iudge thereon, as that no man shall start backe from his writyng. And where they boast of the fayth that hath bene in the Church this M. and v. hundreth yeares, we will ioyne with them in this point, and that the doctrine and vsage is to be followed which was in the Church a M. & v. hundreth yeares past: and we shall proue that the order of the Church set out at this present in this Realme by Act of Parliament, is the same that was vsed in Church .1500. yeares past, and so shall they be neuer able to proue theirs.

¶An Epistle to a certaine Lawyer for his aduise and counsell touchyng his Appeale.

THe law of nature requireth of all mē, that so farforth as it may be done without offence to God, eueryevery one should seeke to defend and preserue his owne life. Which thyng, whē I about three dayes agoe bethought my selfe of, and there withall remembred how that Martin Luther appealed in his tyme from Pope Leo the tenth, to a generall Councell (least I should seeme rashly and vnaduisedly to cast away my selfe) I determined to Appeale in like sort to some lawfull and free generall Counsell. But seyng the order and forme of an Appeale pertaineth to the Lawyers, wherof I my selfe am ignoraunt, and seyng that Luthers Appeale commeth not to my hand: I purposed to breake my mynde in this matter to some faythfull frend and skilfull in the law, whose helpe I might vse in this behalfe, and you onelyonly among other came to me remembraunce as a man most meete, in this Uniuersitie for that purpose. But this is a matter that requireth great silence, so that no mā know of it, before it be done. It is so, that I am summoned to make myne answere at Rome, the xvi. day of this monethmonth, before the which day I thinke it good after sentence pronoūced to make myne Appeale. But whether I should first Appeale from the Iudge delegate to the pope, & so afterward to the generall Councell, or els leauyng, the Pope, I should Appeale immediatly to the Councell: herein I stand in neede of your counsell. Many causes there p. 427be for the whiche I thinke good to Appeale.

First, because I am by an Othe bound neuer to consent to the receiuyng of the Byshop of Romes authoritie into this Realme. Besides this, whereas I vtterly refused to make aunswere to the Articles obiected vntounto me, by the Byshop of Gloucester appointed by the Pope to be my Iudge, yet I was content to aunswere Martin and Story, with this Protestation, that myne aunswere should not be taken as made before a Iudge, nor yet in place of Iudgement, but as pertainyng nothyng to Iudgement at all: and moreouer after I had made myne aunswere I required to hauehave a Copy of the same, that I might, either by addyng thereunto, by alteryng or takyng from it; correct and amend it, as I thought good. The which though both the Byshop of Gloucester and also the kyng and Queenes proctors promised me, yet hauehave they altogether brokē promise with me, and hauehave not permitted me to correct my sayd aunsweres accordyng to my request, and yet notwithstandyng hauehave (as I vnderstand) Registred the same as actes formally done in place of iudgement.

Finally, forasmuch as all this my trouble commeth vponupon my departyng from the Byshop of Rome, and from the popish Religion, so that now the quarell is betwixt the Pope him selfe and me, and no man can be a lawfull and indifferent Iudge in his owne cause: it seemeth (me thinke) good reason that I should be suffered to Appeale to some generall Councell in this matter: specially seyng the law of nature (as they say) denieth no man, the remedy of Appeale in such cases. Now, since it is very requisite that this matter should be kept as close as may be, if perhaps for lacke of perfect skill herein, you shall hauehave neede of further aduise: then I beseech you, euen for the fidelity and louelove you beare to me in Christ, that you will open to no creature aliue whose the case is. And for asmuch as the tyme is now at hand, and the matter requireth great expedition, let me obtaine this much of you, I beseech you, that laying aside all other your studies and businesse for the tyme, you will apply this my matter onelyonly till you hauehave brought it to passe.

The chiefest cause in very deede (to tell you the truth) of this myne Appeale is, that I might gayne tyme (if it shall so please God) to liue vntill I hauehave finished myne aunswere agaynst Marcus Antonius Constantius, This Constā tius was Stephen Gardiner as constant in deede as a wethercocke, who thus named him selfe writyng agaynst this good Father.which I hauehave now in hand. But if the aduersaryes of the truth will not admit myne Appeale (as I feare they will not) Gods will be done: I passe not vponupon it, so that God may therein be glorified, be it by my life or by my death. For it is much better for me to dye in Christes quarell and to raigne with him, then here to be shut vp and kept in the prison of this body; vnlesse it were to continue yet still a while, in this warrefare for the commoditie and profite of my brethren, and to the further aduauncyng of Gods glory, to whom be all glory for euermore. Amen.

There is also yet an other cause why I thinke good to Appeale, that whereas I am cited to goe to Rome to aunswere there for my selfe, I am notwithstandyng kept here fast in prison, that I can not there appeare at the tyme appointed. And moreouer for asmuch as the state I stand in, is a matter of lyfe and death, so that I hauehave great neede of learned coūsell for my defence in this behalfe: yet when I made my earnest request for the same, all maner of counsell and helpe of proctors, aduocates, and lawyers was vtterly denied me.

Your louyng frend. T. C.

p. 428¶To maistres Wilkinson a godly matrone, exhortyng her to flye in the tyme of persecution and to seeke her dwellyng, where she might serue God accordyng to his word.

THe true cōforter in all distresse is onelyonly God, through his sonne Iesus Christ, and who soeuer hath him, hath company enough although he were in a wildernesse all alone, and he that hath xx. thousād in his company, if God be absent, is in a miserable wildernesse and desolation. In him is all comfort, and without him is none. Wherfore I beseech you seeke your dwellyng there, as you may truely and rightly serue God and dwell in hym, and hauehave him euer dwellyng in you. What can be so heauy a burden as an vnquiet conscience, to be in such a place as a man can not be suffered to serue God in Christes true Religion? I lye be loth to depart from your kin and frendes, remember that Christ calleth them his mother sisters and brethren that do his Fathers will.Math. 3.Matt 3 Where we finde therefore God truely honored accordyng to his will, there we can lacke neither frend nor kin. If you be loth to depart for slaunderyng of Gods word, remember that Christ when his houre was not yet come, departed out of his countrey into Samaria,Iohn. 4. Math. 5.John 4Matt 5 to auoyde the malice of the Scribes and Phariseis, and commaunded his Apostles that if they were pursued in one place, they should flye to an other. And was not Paule let downe by a basket out at a window, to auoyde the persecution of Areta?1. Cor. 2.1 Cor 2 And what wisedome and policie he vsed from tyme to tyme to escape the malice of his enemies, the Actes of the Apostles doe declare. And after the same sorte did the other Apostles: albeit whē it came to such a poynt, that they could no longer escape daunger of the persecutours of Gods true Religion, than they shewed them selues, that their flyeng before came not of feare, but of godly wisedome to doe more good, & that they would not rashly without vrgent necessitie offer them selues to death, whiche had bene but a temptation of God. Yea when they were apprehended and could no longer auoyde, then they stoode boldly to the profession of Christ, then they shewed how litle they passed of death, how much they feared God more then men, how much they loued and preferred the eternall life to come, aboue this short and miserable lyfe. Wherfore I exhort you, aswell by Christes commaundement, as by the example of him and his Apostles, to withdraw your selfe from the malice of your and Gods enemyes, into some place where God is most purely serued, which is no slaūdering of the truth, but a preseruyng of your selfe to God and the truth, and to the societie and comfort of Christes litle flocke. And that you will doe, do it with speede, least by your owne follie you fall into the persecutours handes, and the Lord send his holy spirite to lead and guide you, where soeuer you goe, and all that be godly will say.

Amen.

T. C.