Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 44
¶Defence of this Garnesey story agaynst M. Harding.Defence of … Garnesey … M. Harding▪
ANd thus hauehave you the true narration of this Hystory, discoursed without corrupting or falsifying anye parte or sentence thereof, no lesse faythfully of my part reported, then I receyued them, who dwelling in the same Isle, and beynge present the same time, were best acquaynted with the matter, and hauehave geuen sufficient euidence, not onelyonly to me, but also to the Queenes highnesse Commissioners, concerning the same, as both by the letter of the Bailiffe, by the sentence of the Deane, by the suplication of the playnetife, and submission of the partyes, and likewise by the Queenes Pardon graunted vntounto them, may well appeare.
By all which proofes and circumstances thus debated, it remayneth manifest for all men to perceiue, what cruelty, and wrong was wroughte agaynst these poore women aboue specified, and no lesse matter offered, in a case so vniust, iustly to expostulate, or rather to wonder at the harde hartes of these men, but especially of the catholicke Clergy of Garnesey, who professing the Gospell of peace & charity, should after the example of Christ, walke in the steppes of meekenesse, and mercy, and yet contrary, not onelyonly to al Christian charity and mansuetude, but also agaynst all order of equity, or humanity, were so extreme and rigorous,The cruell dealing of the Garnesey men agaynst these three women, to condemne them to the burning fire, vnderunder the pretensed colour of heresy. Who if they had bene heretickes in deede, yet mercy would hauehave corrected the errour, and saue life, equity would hauehave cōsidered mans weak fragility at least true iustice would hauehave heard both the parties aduisedly, & also substancially hauehave surueyed the cause, and not to …ash out the sentence of death so hastely, as they did: yea, and though they had bene heretickes in deed, yet true christian charity woulde hauehave stretched farther, and at least to hauehave geuen them leisure, and respite of time, to reclayme themselues. But now what is here to be said, they being no heretickes at all, as neither it could then, nor yet can be proued? For if king Edwardes Religion (which was obiected to them) were heresy, yet were they then no hereticks, when they reuoked the same: and if Queene Maries Religion were heresy, then were they much more heretickes themselues, which condemned them of heresy.Mayster Harding in his Re…oynder agaynst M. Iewel…. pag. 184.
But most of all we hauehave herein to wonder at Mayster Harding, who in his late reioynder, written agaynst the Bishop of Salisbury, notwithstanding all these euidēces, and demonstrations so certayne, & manifestly appearing, yet goeth about, first to denye the storye, terming it to be a fable, and afterward being forced to flye a statu inficiali, and to admit the story, he remoueth ad translationem criminis, & there seeking, by all meanes, to cleare the Cleargy frō the spot of cruelty, trasferreth the whole blame onelyonly, vpō the womē that suffered, but principally vponupon poore Perotine:Two crimes obiected agaynst Perrotine Massey. whome he specially charged with two capitall crimes, to wit, whoredome, and murder.
And first, touching his accusatiō of whoredome, let vsus heare, how he proueth this matter.Maister Harding in his Reioynder. fol. 1…. pag 2. Because (sayth he) by story it is graunted, that she was with childe: and yet the Historiographer doth not declare (neither durst for shame) who was her husband, or father to the childe. &c. As though that Historiographers being occupyed in setting forth the persecutiō of Gods people, suffering death for religion, and doctrine of Christ, were bound, or had nothing els to do, but to playe the sumner, and to bring forth, who were husbands to the wiues, and fathers to theyr children: which newfoūd law of history being neuer required before, nor obserued of any Storye writers, if M. H. nowe shall exact of me, first let him begin with himselfe, and shew vsus (as wise as he is) who was his owne father, if he can. And yet I thinke not contrary, but his mother was an honest woman. And no lesse do I thinke also of this Perotine aforesayde, whereof more shalbe sayd (God willing) hereafter.
But in the meane time here commeth in the cauilling obiection of M. H. and beareth the Reader in hande, as though for shame I durst not, Perrotine vntruely accused of whoredome.or of purpose would not expresse it. &c. My answere wherunto is this. First to expresse eueryevery minute of matter in eueryevery story occurrent, what Story writer in al the world is able to performe it? Secondly although it might be done, what resonable reader would require it? Thirdly, & albeit some curious readers would so require, yet I suppose it neither requisite, nor conuenient to be obserued. And fourthly, what if it were not remembred of the authour? What if it were to him not knowne? what if it were of purpose omitted as a matter not materiall to the purpose? Many other causes besides might incurre, which the reader knoweth not of. And shall it thē by and by bee imputed to shame and blame, whatsoeuer in eueryevery narration is not expressed? or doth M.H. himself in all his sermons neuer pretermit any thing, that conueniently might be inferred? Who was the husbād of this Perotine, the Historiographer hath not expressed: I graūt, & what thereof? Ergo therupon concludeth he, that for shame I durst not. Nay I may maruell rather yt he durste for shame vtter such vntydy Argumentes, or so asseuerantly to pronounce of an other mans minde and purpose, which is as priuy to him, as then it was to me vnknowne what was her husbands name. And though it had bene known, what was that material in the story to be vttered?M. Harding requireth of others to doe that, which he is not able to do himselfe. or what had it relieued the cruell partes of them, which burned both the mother & infant together, though the infantes father had bene expressed? And howe then did I for shame conceale that, which was not in my knowledge at that time (if I would) to expresse, nor in my suspition to misdeeme?
Neuertheles if he be so greatly desirous (as he pretendeth) to know of me, who was this infantes father, I will not sticke with M. H. although I can not sweare for the matter, yet to take so much payne for his pleasure, to go as neare it as I may. For precisely & determinately to poynt out the right father either of this, or of any childe: I trow, neither will M.H. require it of me, neither is he able peraduenture himselfe being asked, to demonstrate his owne. And yet as much as I may, to sa…isfy his dainty desire here in, and partly to helpe the innocency of the woman, touching this demaund, who should be the infantes father, who, say I, but his owne mothers husband? the name of which husband was Dauid Iores,Dauid Iore… husbād to Perrotine Massey. Perrotine mary…ed, where, & by whom. a minister, and maryed to the sayd Perotine in king Edwardes time, in the Churche of our Ladyes Castle Parishe at Garnesey: the party which maryed them being called M. Noel Regnet a French mā, and yet aliue, witnes hereunto, and now dwelling in london in S. Martins Le grande.
Thus thue, after my knowledge, I hauehave shewed forth, for M.H. pleasure the right husband of this Perotine, and what was his name, who was also aliue, his wife beyng great with child, & partaker of the persecution of the same time, & a scholemayster, afterward in Normandy. &c Now if M. H. can take any such aduauntage hereof to disprooue that I hauehave sayde: or be so priuy to the begetting of this childe, that he can proue the said Dauid Iores, which was the right husband to this wife, not to be the right father to this infant, let him shew herein his cūning, by what mighty demonstrations he can induce vsus to deeme the contrary, & as I shall see his reasons, I shall shape him an aunswere, in such sort (I trust) that he shall well perceiue, that whoredome, wheresoeuer I may knowe it, shall finde no bolstering by me, I wish it might finde as little amongest the chaste Catholickes of M.H. Church.
From this I proceed now to the second part of his infamous accusation, wherin he chargeth her of murther. A straūge case,Perrotine falsly accused of murder. that she which was murthered her selfe, with her childe, and dyed before him, shoulde yet bee accused to murther the childe. Murther doubtles is an horrible iniquity in any person. But the mother to be the murderer of her owne infant, it is a double abhomination, and more then a monster, so farre disagreeing from all nature, that it is not lightly to be surmised of any, without vehemēt causes of manifest probation.
Wherefore, to try out this matter more thorowly touching this murthering mother, let vsus see. First, what hand did she lay vponupon the child? None. What weapon vsed she? None. Did she then drowne it, or cast it in some pond, as we read of the strompets at Rome, whose childrēs heads were taken vp in Pope Gregories mote, by hundrethes, what time Priestes began first to be restrayned of lawfull wedlocke: witnes the epistle of Volusianus. pag. 1129. or els did she throw it by the walles into some priuy corner,Vide supra pag. 1129. col. 1. as I am credibly certified, that in the 8. yeare of Q. Elizabeth, certayne scalpes & other young infantes bones were foūd and taken out with a sticke in the hole of a stone wall in Lenton Abbay,A story of yong infantes murdered in Lenton Abbay, & found in the 8. yeare of Queene Elizabeth. by certayne Gentlemen within the Coū try of Nottingham, Iames Barusse, Richard Loueyt, & W. Louelace walking in the Prior chamber: witnesse the sayd W. Louelace, with other which saw the bones aforesayd? Or otherwise did she take any hurtfull drinke to importonate the child within her, as commonly it is reported, fewe Nu…eries to hauehave bene in Englande, wherein such a tree hath not bene growing within theyr grounde, meete for practising of suche a purpose? Neither so, nor so. What then? did she purposely and wittingly thrust her self in ieopardy, to the destruction of her child, whē she needed not,Pope Ioane murderer of her childe. as Pope Ioane, when she might hauehave kept her bedde, woulde needes aduenture forth in procession, where both she her selfe, and her infant perished in the open street?
Well thē, thus much by this hetherto alledged & graū ted, we hauehave gottē this woman here to be accused of murdering her child, which neither laid hand vponupon it, nor vsed weapō agaynst it: neither vsed any other practise in drowning, hanging, breaking, burying, poisoning, or any other wilfull meanes, whereby to destroy it. And how then? by what maner of way was this woman a murtherer of her young babe? Forsooth: (sayth M. H) when she was accused and condemned to be burned,How and by what reason M. Harding proueth Perrotine to be a murderer. she did not claime the benefite of her belly, whereby the life both of her selfe for the time might hauehave bene delayed, and the child preserued.
Whether she did or no, I hauehave not perfectly to saye: no more, I weene, hath M.H. Howbeit this is certayne, and by witnes knowne, that she vttered no lesse to her ghostly father in confession. And what if she had opened the same vntounto the Iudges? They would (sayth he) hauehave spared her life for the time, and so the innocēt had bene preserued. And how is M.H. sure of this, more then was the life spared of the young Lady, & mistres sometime of M. H. who suffered,Lady Iane thou…ht to be with child at her death. The lawe beneficiall to women claming the benefite of their belly. Vnlawfull proceeding in the death of Perrotine. notwithstanding she was reported of some to be with childe? Because the law (sayth he) is beneficiall to women in her case, clayming the benefite thereof.
The law so geueth, I graūt. But it foloweth not therfore, whatsoeuer the law geueth or prescribeth, the same to be put by and by in execution. But many times the law goeth as it pleseth them which hauehave the handling of the law. As for example, the law willeth none to be condemned by sentence of death, for heresye, whiche the first time reuoke theyr opinion, and yet contrary to this law they condēned her vnlawfully. Agayne, the like law prescribeth, none to be executed for heresy, before the writ be sent downe de cō burendo, and yet contrary to this lawe, without any suche writ (as farre as I yet vnderstand) they burned her moste cruelly. And what lawe then was here to be looked for of these men, who in theyr doinges herein seemed, neither to obserue law, nor to regarde honesty, nor much to passe for charity? And albeit she had claymed neuer so much the priuiledge of the law, what had that auayled with those men, whose hunting altogether (as by theyr proceedinges maye appeare) semeth to be for the houshold goodes of these women, which after theyr death immediatly they incroched in to theyr owne handes.
But bee it admitted, that neither she demaunded this benefite of the law, nor that the Iudges would euer hauehave denyed her, if she had so done: yet had it bene the parte of a graue accuser, before he had bene descended into such a ra… ling action of murder agaynst a poore woman now dead & gone, first to hauehave aduised wisely with himselfe, whether it might be, that she had no such intelligence what benefite the law would hauehave geuē, in case it had bene required. For not vnlike it is, and well may be thought rather yea, then no, that the simple woman,Perrotine defended by simple ignoraunce. brought vppe all her lyfe long in her mothers house in an obscure Iseland, & in such an outcorner of the realme, farre of from the Courte, and practise of English lawes, neuer heard before of any such benefite of the law: and therefore vponupon mere simplicity, & for lacke of skil required it not, because she knew not what to require. Peraduenture also her senses might be so astonied with the greatnesse and sodennesse of the feare, that it was out of her remembraunce. Certes, it had bene the duty of the Iudges, which knew the lawe, & hauing the woman before them could not be ignorant of her case, to hauehave questioned with her thereof, and to hauehave holpen her simplicity in that behalfe. Or at least, if they had disdained,Lacke in the Iudges. The Priest to blame. yet it had bene the Priestes parte, who was her Ghostly Father, and made priuy thereunto, either to hauehave instructed her, or to hauehave stayd the executiō of her death, for sauegard of the childe.
But all this denyeth M.H. and to aggrauate the matter, inferreth, that shee, not of any simple vnskilfulnesse of the law, but onelyonly of mere wilfulnesse, Reioynder fol. 185. pag. 1.for auoyding of worldlye shame, concealed her owne turpitude, and so became a murderer of her babe. &c. These be the wordes of M. H. written by him not of any sure ground, but onelyonly vponupon his catholicke coniecture:M. Hardinges ground onelyonly vponupon coniectures. for other demonstration certeinely to prooue this true, he bringeth none. Wherefore to aunswere coniecture by coniecture, thus I replye to him agayne, that in case she had bene asked the questiō of the Iudges and Inquisitours, whether shee had bene with childe, and then had denyed the same: or els if she, by any other colourable meanes, had cloaked her being with child, whereby it should not appeare, this accuser might hauehave some probable aduauntage agaynst the woman. Nowe,Perrotine as he did not open her being with childe so neither did she euer deny it. as she was neuer demaunded of theyr partes any such question, nor did euer deny any such matter: so to aunswere this man wt as good probability, I holde, that in case they had inquired that matter of her, she woulde neuer hauehave denyed it. And therfore whereas she is accused for her not vttering of her child: why may she not, by as good reason agayne be defē ded for not denying the same.
But she shoulde hauehave vttered it, sayth he. It had bene well done: say I. And I would she had,The state of M. Hardings accusation. but yet that is not the question betwene him and me, what she shoulde hauehave done, but why she did it not. M. Harding wandring in his blind surmises, phantasieth the cause onelyonly to be, for hiding her dishonesty, & for that she would not shame the Gospell. So that in Summa, to this effect tendeth all his accusation.
Perotine being big with childe at her condemnation did not shew it to the Iudges.
M. Har…ges Argument. The Argument aunswered.Ergo, she did not conceale her turpitude, and because she would not shame the Gospell.
But here this accuser must vnderstande, if he hauehave not forgotte his Logike, that such argumentes which do truly holde, a Signis, doe alwayes presuppose, that the signes whiche goe before the thinges signified, must be necessary, perpetuall and firme, as is betweene causes naturall & their effectes. Otherwise if the signes be doubtfull, voluntary, or accidentall, there is no firme consequent can proceede therof.
Now, if the sayd accuser shoulde be put to his proofe, how to iustifie this his sequele to be true by euident demō stration: that she did it onelyonly for couering her dishonesty: I suppose verely he should be found to say more,Arguments …ignes & … …ow they …. then hee is able to make good, and in conclusion shuld be brought into the like case, as were the Phariseis, who comming to accuse the adulteresse before christ, went away mute, with as much shame out of the temple, as the woman her selfe came in, hauing not one word to aunswere. For a man to pronounce assuredly vponupon the secret cogitation and intent eyther of man or womā, farther thē by vtterance of speach is to him signified, passeth his capacitie and is to bee lefte onelyonly to him, which is serutans corda & renes Deus.
But for so muche as M.H. worketh (as I sayde) by surmises, construing eueryevery thing to the worste, let vsus see what may be surmised as much agayne to the contrarye, concerning the quallitie of this surmised murder. Wherin diuers thinges are to be considered, as hereunder followeth.
The first coniecture is this, that suche maner of womē which for worldly shame are disposed to murder their children,… hauehave otherwayes to compasse that wickednesse, then by silence keeping. Now, as touching this Perotine going to be burned, neither coulde this silence saue her if she would, from …ordly shame, neither is it to be thought any such intent euer to be in her, to murder her childe: as might well appeare in her mothers house, where if shee might hauehave continued her whole time out she intended no lesse but honestly to be brought to bed, and to nurse vp her childe, neither caryng for shame of the world, nor fearyng anye sclaunder to the Gospell. Whereby may be argued, that no suche intent of murder was euer in her thoughte.
For how is it like that shee, whiche had gone so longe with childe, almost to the full time of her deliueraunce, & neuer thought, nor wrought any hurt to the infant al that while, shoulde nowe goyng to her owne death, mynde more hurte to her childe, then she did before, hopyng her selfe to liue?
Secondly, how knoweth M.H. to the contrarye, but that she was knowne in the towne to be with childe,… and went boldly abroad without note of any shame, before ye time she came in trouble? Whiche being true, shame then could be no cause, why she should conceale her child more now after her condemnation, then she did before she was condemned.
…Thirdly, admitte the case it was not knowne before, what aduauntage thereby should ryse to her, beyng nowe appoynted to dye, by concealing her being with childe. She should hauehave eschued (sayth M.H.) the publike shame and obloquie of the worlde, in that none should hauehave knowen her to be with childe. First, what shame was it for a maryed wife to be noted to be with childe? Agayne, what gayne had that bene to her, to auoyde the shame and fame of the world, which hadde not to liue in the worlde, being now condemned to dye?
…Fourthly, how is it like, that for shame shee meant to conceale that from the world, which both knew she shuld not liue in the worlde, and also suffer that kinde of death whereby her childe could not be hidden from the sight of ye worlde, though she had gone about her self neuer so much to conceale it?
Fiftly, how is it to be thought, that any woman, going to suche a sharpe punishment of fire to bee consumed, would let for any worldly shame, to reschue her owne life from so bitter torment,… at least so long as she might, beside the safegard also of her childe, if by any meanes she hadde knowne any remedy?
Sixtly, for so much as M. Harding doth so haynouslye charge her with the wilfull murdering of her owne naturall childe:… let all indifferente consciences thys consider with themselues, what was the cause that moued her so willinglye to recant as shee did, but partly to saue her owne life, and especially the poore innocent? Whereby it is manifest to be vnderstanded, what a motherly affection she had to saue her infant, if the fathers of the spiritualtie had not bene so cruell, agaynst all order of law to cast both her and her childe away, all this her sayd recantation not withstanding.
Seuenthly and lastly,The 7. coniecture. when M.H. hath inueyed al that euer he can agaynst this poore Perotine, yet is all the same but a by matter from this principall purpose pretented, supposing thereby through his deprauing of her, to iustifie and excuse the Pope holye Clergy, which wrought her death. Which will not bee. For what soeuer her lyfe was besides, yet for so much as ye cause of her death & condemnation, was neither for their, whoredome, nor murder but onelyonly and merely for Religion, whiche deserued no death: I therefore hauing in my story no further to deale as I sayd before, so doe I say agayne, that the cause of her condemning was wrongfully, her deathe was cruell, the sight of the babe was ruefull, the proceding of the Iudges was vnlawfull, the whole story is pittifull, and of al thys the priestes and Clergye were the authors principall. All which being considered, and well expended, M.H. I trust may stand sufficiently contented. Or if hee thinke murder to be a thing, whiche ought not (as it ought not in deede) lightly to bee passed ouer, let him then finde out murder where it is, and tell vsus truely without affection of partialitie, where the true murder lyeth: whether in the poore woman, whiche together with her childe was murdered, or in them which without all law and conscience, brought them both to death?
Briefly and finally to conclude with this manne, what soeuer the woman was, she is now gone.The conclusion of this defence. To bite so bitterly agaynst the dead it is little honesty. And thoughe the accusation had in it some truth, yet this accusatiō here needed not. Now the same being false, it is to much vnmercifull. At least being doubtfull and to him vnknown, charytie would hauehave iudged the best. Humanitie woulde hauehave spared the dead. And if he coulde not foorde her his good word: yet he might hauehave left her cause vntounto the Lord, whiche shall iudge bothe her and him. To pray for the dead he findeth in his Masse, but to backbite the dead, he neyther findeth in his Masse, Mattens, nor Euensong. And no doubt but in hys Dirige & commendations he commē deth many one, lesse deseruing to be commēded then this woman, let Catholicke affection be set aside. And thoughe the merites of her cause deserued not his commendations yet did she neuer deserue at M. Hardinges handes to geue her suche a Kyrieleson (as they saye) after her departure. Cruelty she suffered enough aliue, thoughe M. H. hadde not added this cruell inuectiue to her former afflictions: wherein notwithstanding he hurteth not her but hurtethe peraduenture himself, neither so much destaineth her honesty, as he blemisheth his owne. It hath bene the maner of learned men in time past, with theyr defending oration, euer to be more ready, then to accuse. And if they dyd at anye tyme accuse: yet neuer but enforced, neyther did they accuse any but such onelyonly as were aliue, and that neyther but in such matters, wherein eyther the common wealth, or themselues were vehemently touched.
Now if this greue hym so greatly, that in my storye I hauehave termed her to be a martyr: let him consider the cause wherfore she suffered, which was neyther for felony, murder, nor whoredome, but onelyonly for the religion in K. Edwardes time receaued: and when hee hath confuted that religion, I shall crosse her out of the booke and fellowship of Martyrs. In the meane time my exhortation shall be this to M. Harding.
First, that if he will needes become a writer in these so furious and outragious dayes of ours, he will season hys veyne of writing with more mildenes and charitie, & not to geue such example of rayling to others.
Secondly, that hee will moderate hys iudging & condemning of other with more equitie and indifferencie,Exhortation to M. Harding. and not to be so rash and partiall. For if shee be to be accompted a murderer, which so carefully went about by recantation to saue both her selfe and her childe from the fire: what is to be sayd of them which condemned her so cruelly, and caused both her and the infant to be burned, notwithstanding that she for safegard of theyr lyues had (as I sayd) recanted. And yet so partiall is hee, that in all this inuectiue crying out so intemperately agaynst the woman and the childe that were burned, he speaketh neuer a worde of theyr condemners and true murderers in deede.
Thirdly, for so much as M. Harding is here in hande with infantacide: and with casting away young childrens liues, I woulde wishe, that as he hath sisted the doynges of this woman to the vttermost,Murder in the spirituall clergy noted· who was rather murdered then a murderer: so hee would with an indifferent eye looke on the other side a little vppon them of hys owne Clergy, and see what he could finde there amongest those wilfull contemners of immaculate mariage. Not that I do accuse any of incontinencie, whose liues I knowe not but there is one aboue, that well knoweth and seeth all thinges, be they neuer so secret to man, and most certainly will pay home at length wyth fire and brimstone when hee seeth his time.
I say no more, and not so much as I might, following herein the Paynters, whiche when their colours will not serue to expresse a thing that they meane,God knoweth what spilling & murdering of infantes there is in the world. they shadow it with a veile. But howsoeuer the matter goeth with them whether they may or may not be suspected touchyng thys crime aforesayd of infantacide, most sure and manifest it is that they are more then worthely to be accused of homicide in murdering the children and seruauntes of God, bothe men and women, wines and maydes, old & young, blinde and …ame, madde and vnmadde, discreete and simple innocentes, learned with the vnlearned, and that of all degrees from the high Archbishop to the Clark and Sexten of the church, and that most wrongfully and wilfully, with such effusion of innocent Christian bloud, as cryeth vp dayly to God for vengeance.
And therefore M.H. in my minde shoulde doe well, to spare a little time from these his inuectiues wherewith he appeacheth the poore protestantes of murder, whom they hauehave murdered themselues, and exercise his penne wyth some more fruitfull matter, to exhort these spirituall Fathers first to cease from murdering of their owne children to spare the bloud of innocentes, & not to persecute Christ so cruelly in his members, as they do, and furthermore to exhort in like maner these Agamistes, and wilful reiecters of matrimony,Agamistae, of foreign, which signifieth men vnmaryed, or agaynst mariage. to take themselues to lawfull wiues, and not to resist Gods holy ordinaunce, nor encounter his institution with an other contrary institution of theyr own deuising, lest perhappes they preuented by fragilitie, may fall into daunger of suche inconueniences aboue touched: which if they be not in thē, I shall be glad: but if they be, it is neyther theyr rayling agaynst ye poore protestantes, nor yet theyr secret auricular confession, that shall couer theyr iniquities from the face of the Lord, when hee shall come to reueale abscondita tenebrarum, & iudicare saeculum per ignem.
And thus for lacke of further lays…re, I end with M. H. hauing no more at this time to …ay vntounto him, but wish him to feare God, to embrace his truth, to remember himselfe, and to surcease from this vncharitable rayling and brawling, especially agaynst the dead whiche cannot aunswer him, or if he will needes cōtinue still to be suche a vehement accuser of other, yet that hee will remember what belongeth to the part of a right accuser: First, that his accusation be true: secondly that no blinde affection of partialiti… be mixt withall: thirdly, whosoeuer taketh vppon them to carpe and appeache the crimes of other,The partes of a … accuser. oughte themselues to be sincere and vpright, and to see what may be written in their owne foreheades.
Whoredome and murder be greeuous offences, and worthy to bee accused. But to accuse of murder the parties that were murdered, and to leaue the other persons vntouched whiche were the true murderers, it is the part of an accuser, which deserueth himself to be accused of partialitie.
As verily I thinke by this woman, that if she hadde bene a Catholicke Papiste and a deuout follower of their Church, as she was a Protestant, she had neyther bene condemned thē aliue of them, nor now accused being dead of M. H. But God forgeue him, and make him a good man, if it be his will.
Three Martyrs burned at Greenstead in Sussex.
NEre about the same time that these three womē with the infant were burned at Garnesey,… Martyr…me of two … and one woman at …nestede in …, suffered other three likewise at Grenestead in Sussex, two men and one woman, the names of whome were Thomas Dungate Iohn Foreman, and mother Tree, who for righteousnes sake, gaue themselues to death and tormentes of the fire, patiently abiding what the furious rage of man could say or worke agaynst them, at the sayde Towne of Grenested ending theyr lines, the xviij. of the said month of Iuly, and in the yeare aforesaide.
¶The burning and Martyrdome of Thomas More in the Towne of Leicester, Iune xxvi. the yeare .1556.
… 26.AS the bloudy rage of this persecution, spared neyther manne, woman, nor childe, wife, nor mayde,The burning of Thomas Moore a simple in…nocent, … Leicester. lame▪ blynde nor creple, and so through all men and women, as there was no difference: either of age or sexe considered: so neyther was there any condition or qualitie respected of anye person: but whosoeuer he were that helde not, as they did on the pope, and sacrament of the Aultar, were he learned or vnlearned, wise, or simple, innocent, all went to ye fire. As may appeare by this simple poore creature, & innocent soule named Thomas More retayning as a seruaunt to a Mans house in the towne of Leicester, about the age of 24. and after in manner of an housbandman, for speakyng certayne wordes, that his Maker was in heauen, & not in the Pixe, was thereupon apprehended in the countrey,Thomas Moore examined before the Bishop. being with his frendes. Who comming before his Ordinary, first was asked, whether he did not beleue his Maker there to be, poynting to the high Aultar. Whiche he denyed.
Then asked the Bishop, how then, sayd hee, doest thou beleue?
The young man aunswered agayn: as his Creede did teache him.
To whom the bishop sayde: and what is yonder that thou seest aboue the aultar? He aunswering, sayd: forsooth I cannot tell what you would hauehave me to see. I see there fine clothes, with golden tassels, and other gay ge…e hanging about the pixe. What is within I cannot see.
Why? Doest thou not beleue, sayth the bishoppe, Christ to be there, fleshe, bloud, and bone? No, that I doe not, sayd he.
Whereupon the Ordinary making short with him, red the sentence,… and so condemned the true and faythfull seruaunt of Christ to death, in sainct Margaretes Churche in Leicester: who was burnt and suffered a ioyfull & glorious Martirdome, for the testimony of righteousnesse, in the same Towne of Leicester, the yeare of our Lord aboue mentioned .1556. about the 26. of Iune.
To this Thomas Moore, we hauehave also annexed the aunsweres, and examination of one Iohn Iackson, before Doctour Cooke one of the Commissioners, for that it belongeth much vntounto the same time.
¶The examination of Iohn Iackson, had before Doctor Cooke, the 11. day of March. An. 1556.
FIrst, when I came before him, he railed on me, and called me hereticke, I aunswered and sayde:… I am no hereticke.
Cooke.
Yes, quoth he. For M. Read told me that then wast the rankest hereticke of all them in the Kynge… Benche.
Iackson.
I sayd I knew him not.
Cooke
No, quoth he? Yes, hee examined thee at the kinges Benche.
Iackson
I aunswered him, and sayd: he examined fiue other, but not me.
Cooke.
Then answer me: what sayest thou to the blessed sacrament of the Aultar? tell me.
Iackson.
I answered: it is a diffuse question, to aske me at the first dash, you promising to deliuer me.
Cooke.
What an hereticke is this, quoth he?
Iackson.
I sayd: it is easier to call a man hereticke then to proue him one.
Cooke.
Then he sayd: what Church art thou of?
Iackson.
What church, quoth I? I am of ye same church that is builded on the foundation of the Prophetes & the Apostles, Iesus Christ being the head corner stone.The church.
Cooke.
Thou art an hereticke, quoth he.
Iackson
Yea, quoth I? how can that be, seeing that I am of that Church? I am sure that you will not say that the Prophetes, and Apostles were heretickes.
Cooke.
No, quoth he. But what sayst thou to the blessed sacrament of the Aultar agayne? Tell me.…
Iackson.
I aunswered hym, and sayde, I finde it not written.
Cooke.
No, quoth he? Keeper away with him.
Iackson.
Yet I taryed there longe, and did talke wyth hym, and I said: Sir, I can be content to be tractable, and obedient to the word of God.
Cooke.
He aunswered and sayde to me, that I knewe not, what the word of God meant, nor yet whether it wer true or not.
Iackson.
I aunswered, and sayd to hym, yes that I do.
Cooke.
Wherby, quoth he?
Iackson.
Hereby sayde I. Our sauioure Christ sayth: Searche the Scriptures, for in them you thinke to hauehave eternall lyfe. For they be they that testifie of me.
Cooke.
This is a wise proofe, quoth hee.
Iackson.
It is so, quoth I? What say you then to these wordes that the Prophet Dauid sayd? What soeuer hee be that feareth the Lord, he will shewe him the way that hee hathe chosen: his soule shall dwell at ease, and his seede shall possesse the land The secretes of the Lorde are amonge them that feare hym, and he sheweth them his couenaunt. &c.
Cooke.
Well, quoth he, you shall bee ridde shortly one way or other.
Iackson.
Thē I said to him: my life lyeth not in mans handes: therefore no man shall do more vntounto me then god will suffer him.
Cooke,
No quoth he? Thou art a stubborne & naughty fellow.A…though … call … Papists, … they … you … of the Church.
Iackson.
You cannot iudge of me, quoth I, excepte you did see some euill by me.
Cooke.
No, quoth he? Why may not I iudge thee, as well as thou, and thy fellowes iudge vsus, and call vsus Papistes?
Iackson.
Why, quoth I? that is no iudgement, but Christ sayth: If you refuse me, and receiue not my worde, you hauehave one that iudgeth you. The word that I hauehave spokē vntounto you now, shall iudge you in the last day.
Cooke.
I pray thee tell me, who is the head of the congregation?
Iackson.
I aunswered, and sayd: Christ is the head.
Cooke,
But who is head in earth?
Iackson.
I sayd: Christ had members here in yearth.
Cooke
Who are they, quoth he?
Iackson.
They, quoth I, that are ruled by the worde of God.
Cooke.
You are a good fellow, quoth he.
Iackson.
I am that I am quoth I.
Cooke.
Then he sayd to my keeper, hauehave him to prison agayne.
Iackson.
I am contented with that, quoth I: and so we departed. I aunswered no further in this matter, because I thought he shoulde not hauehave my bloud in a corner. But I hope in the liuing God, that when the time shall come before the congregation, I shall shake theyr building on an other maner of fashion. For they build but vponupon sande and their walles be daubed with vntempered morter,The build…nges of the Papistes …. and therefore they cannot stand long.
Therefore good brothers and sisters, be of good cheare for I trust in my God, I, and my other prison fellowes shall goe ioyfully before you, praysing God most hartily, yt we are coūted worthy to be witnesses of his truth, I pray you accept my simple aunswere at this time, commyttyng you vntounto God.
Of this Iohn Iackson, besides this his foresayde aunsweres and examination before Doctor Cooke one of the Commissioners, no more as yet came vntounto our handes.
¶The examination of Iohn Newman Martyr, which is to be referred to his story before, pag. 1683.
Referre this to the pag. …83.IOhn Newman was first apprehended in Kente, dwelling in the towne of Maydestone, and there was examined before D. Thornton Suffragan, and others, at Tenterden. From thence he was brought to Boner, and there condemned with M. Denley and Pachyngham, and burned at Saffron Walden, as is before storyed. But because his examinations and aunsweres before the Suffragan came not then to my handes, I thought here in this place to bestow them, rather then they shuld vtterly be suppressed. And first what his aunswere was, by writing to the sayd Suffragan, after his apprehension, you shall heare by the tenour of his owne wordes as follow.
… Iohn Newmans wordes in … to D. Thom…IT may please you to vnderstande, that for the space of all the time of king Edwardes raigne, we were dilligently instructed with continuall sermons made by such men whose faythe, wysedome, learning, and vertuous liuing, was commended vntounto all men, vnderunder the kinges hande and seale, and vnderunder the handes of the whole Counsell. These men taught dilligently a long tyme, perswading vsus by the allegations of Gods word, that there was no transubstantiation, nor corporall presence in the sacrament. Their doctrine was not beleued of vsus sodainly, but by their cō tinuall preaching: and also by our continuall prayer vntounto god that we might neuer be deceiued, but if it were true that GOD would incline our hartes vntounto it: and if it were not true, that wee might neuer beleue it.
We wayed that they laboured with Gods word, and we asked the aduise of our frendes: neyther could wee finde that they preached false doctrine. We considered also, as wee did learne, that the kinges Grace and his Counsell, and the most part of al the whole realme, beleued as they taught, because no man preached the contrary. Also we knowe that the preachers were commaunded by the king and the lawes of the Realme, to preach vntounto vsus such doctrine, as was to the authoritie of Gods word, agreable and no other. And by their dilligent setting forthe of it, by the kinges commaundemente, and the whole consent of the whole Counsell, and by the authoritie of the Parliament, we embrased it, and receiued it, as a very infallible trueth taught vntounto vsus, for the space of vii. yeares. Wherefore, vntill such time as our consciences are otherwise taught and instructed by Gods word we cannot with safegard of our consciences, take it, as manye suppose at this time. And we trust in God that the Queenes mercifull highnesse, neither yet her most honourable Counsell will in a matter of fayth vse compulsion, nor violence, because faythe is the gift of God, and commeth not of man, neyther of mannes lawes, neyther at such time as men require it, but at such time as God geueth it.
¶The examination and answeres of Iohn Newman Martyr, before D. Thornton and others.
FIrst, one of the Doctours, or one of the Benche, eyther the Archdeacon, or Fauced, or some other,The examination and aunsweres of Iohn Newman: which is to be referred to the pag. 1683. whose name Iohn Newman doth not expresse, beginneth asking in this wise.
Doctor.
How say ye to this? This is my body whiche is geuen for you.
Newman.
It is a figuratiue speach, one thing spoken, and an other ment, as Christ sayth: I am a vine, I am a dore, I am a stone, &c. Is hee therefore a materiall stone, a vine, or a dore?
Doct.
This is no figuratiue speache. For he sayth: This is my body which is geuen for you, & so sayth he not of the stone vyne, or dore: but that is a figuratiue speach.
New.
Christ sayth, this cup is the new Testament in my bloud. This cup is the new Testament, is a figuratiue speache.If ye will hauehave it so meant, then let them take and eate the Cup.
Doct.
Nay, that is not so meant, so it is a common phrase of speache among our selues: we say to our friende, drinke a cup of drinke, and yet we meane hee shoulde drinke the drinke in the cup.
New.
Why if we will hauehave the one so vnderstoode, ye must so vnderstande the other.
Doct.
Nay, it is a common vse of speach, to say drynke a cup of Ale, or Beere? And therefore it is no figuratiue speache.
New.
The often vsing of a thing doth not make that thing otherwise then it is:What is a figuratiue speache? but where soeuer one thing is spoken and an other ment, it is a figuratiue speach.
Doct.
Well, we will not stand here about. Howe say ye by the reall presence? Is not christes naturall body there that was borne of the virgine Mary?
New.
No, I do not so beleue, neither can I so beleeue: for the soule of man doth not feede vponupon naturall thinges, as the body doth.
Doct.
Why, how then doth he feede?
New.
I thinke the soule of manne dothe feede as the Aungelles in heauen, whose feedyng is onelyonly the pleasue, ioye felicitie, and delectation that they hauehave of God: & so the soule of man doth feede and eate, through fayth, the body of Christ.
Colens.
Yea, but if the body doe not feede vppon naturall thinges, the soule cannot continue with the body:Collins reasoneth with Newman. therefore the body must needes feede vppon naturall thinges, that both may liue together.
New.
I graunt it to be true: but yet the soule dothe liue otherwise then the bodye, whiche doth pearysh: therefore naturall thinges do but feede the body onelyonly. I pray you what did Iudas receiue at the supper.
Colens.
Mary, Iudas did receaue the very body of Chryst but it was to hys damnation.
Newman.
Why? was the Deuill entred into him before.Whether Iudas receiued the body of Christ, or no? Then he hadde both the Deuill and Chryst in hym at one tyme.
Colens.
Nay, the deuill did enter into him afterwade.
New.
Yea, and before too what doe ye thinke? had hee but one Deuill. Nay I think he had rather a legion of deuils at the latter end.
Colens.
Well, put case it be so, what say you to that?
New.
Mary, if Christe and the Deuill were both in Iudas at once, I pray you how did they two agree together?
Colens.
Wee graunt they were bothe in Iudas at that tyme: for Chryst may bee where the Deuill is, if he will, but the deuill cannot be where Christe is, excepte it please Christ.
New.
Christ will not be in an vncleane person that hathe the Deuill.
Thornton.
Why, will ye not beleue that Christ was in hell and ye will graunt that the Deuill is there:D. Thornton reasoneth with Iohn Newman. and so mighte he be in Iudas, and if it pleased him.
New.
Christ woulde not suffer Mary Magdalen to touche him, which sought him at his graue, and did louelove him entirely: much lesse he will suffer an vngodly man to receaue him into his vncleane body.
Thornton.
Yes, seeing God may do all thinges, he may do what he list, and be where he will: And doth not the Psal. say: he is in hell, and in all places. Why shoulde wee then doubt of his being there.
New.
Though his Godhead bee in all places, yet that is not sufficient, to prooue that his humanitie is in all places.
Thornton.
No, doe you not beleeue that God is omnypotent, and may do all thinges?
New.
I doe beleue that God is almighty, and may doe all that he will do.
Thornton.
The omnipotency of Christ doeth not proue him to be really in the Sacrament.Nay, but and if he be omnipotent, hee may doe all thinges, and there is nothing vnpossible for hym to do.
New.
I know God is almighty, and can do all that he wil but he cannot make his sonne a lyer, he cannot deny hym selfe, nor hee cannot restore virginitie once violated and defiled.
Thornton.
What is that to youre purpose. GOD dothe not defile virginitie: we speake but of thinges that God doth.
New.
Why, will ye hauehave the humanitie of Christ in all places, as the deitie is?
Thornt.
Yea, he is in all places, as the deitie is, if it please him.Absurdity in the Popes doctrine.
New.
I will promise you that seemeth to me a very great heresie: for heauen and earth are not able to conteine the diuine power of God, for it is in all places, as here and in eueryevery place: and yet ye will say, that where soeuer the deitie is, there is also the humnanitie: and so ye wil make him no body, but a phantasticall body, and not a body in deede.
Thornton.
Nay, we do not say he is in al places, as the deitie is, but if it please him, he may be in all places with the deitie.
New.
I promise you that it seemeth to me as great an heresie as euer I heard of in my life,The humanity of Christ may not be in all places. and I dare not graunt it, least I shoulde deny Christ to be a very man, and that were agaynst all the scriptures.
Thornton.
Tushe, what shall we stande reasoning wyth him? I dare say he doth not beleeue, that Christ came out of his mother, not opening the matrice. Doe you beleue that Christ rose from death and came through the stone?
New.
I doe beleue that Christ rose from death: But I doe not beleue that he came through the stone, neither doth the scripture so say.
Thornton.
Loe, how say you, he doth not beleue that chryst came through ye stone: And if he doth not beleue this, how shall he beleue the other? If he could beleue this, it wer easie for him to beleue the other.
New.
The scripture doth not say he went through ye stone, but it saith the Angels of God,Note the grosse ignoraunce of this Suffragan. came downe and roled away ye stone, and for feare of him: the keepers became euen as dead men.
Thornt.
A foole, foole, that was because the women shuld see that he was risen agayne from death.
New.
Well the scripture maketh as much for me, as it doth for you and more to.
Thornton.
Well, let vsus not stande anye longer aboute him. Backe agayne to the real presence. How say ye, is the body of Christ really in the sacrament, or no?
New.
I hauehave aunswered you already.
Thornton.
Well doe yee not beleeue that hee is there really?
New.
No, I beleue it not.
Thornton.
Well, will ye stand to it?
New.
I must needes stande to it, till I bee perswaded to a further truth.
Thornton.
Nay, yee will not bee perswaded, but stande to your owne opinion.
New.
Nay I stand not to mine owne opinion, GOD I take to witnesse, but onelyonly to the scriptures of God, and that can all those that stand here witnes with me, and nothing but the scriptures: and I take God to witnes, that I do nothing of presumption, but that that I do, is onelyonly my conscience, and if there be a further trueth: then I see, excepte it appeare a trueth to me, I cannot receiue it as a truth. And seeing fayth is the gifte of God, and commeth not of man: for it is not you that can geue me fayth nor no man els, therfore I trust ye will beare the more with me, seing it must be wrought by God, and when it shall please God to open a further truth to me, I shall receiue it with all my hart, and embrace it.
Thornton
had many other questions, which I did not beare away: but as I doe vnderstand: these are the chiefest as for tauntes, foolish, and vnlearned, hee lacked none. Prayse GOD for his giftes, and GOD increase in vsus strength.
*The argument of Iohn Newman.Argument in the 2. figure.
If the body of Christ were really and bodily in the sacrament, then who soeuer receiued the sacrament, receiued also the body.
The wicked, receiuing the sacrament, receiue not the body of Christ.
Ergo, the bodye of Christe is not really in the Sacrament.
*Argument.
Ca- They which eate the fleshe, and drinke the bloude of Christ, dwell in him, and he in them.
mes- The wicked dwell not in Christ, nor he in them.
tres Ergo, The wicked eate not the fleshe, nor drinke the bloud of Christ.
*Argument.
Ca- They that hauehave Christ dwelling in them, bring foorth much fruite. Iohn. 15. Hee that dwelleth in me, and I in him, bringeth forth much fruite. &c.
mes- The wicked bringeth forth no fruit of goodnes.
tres. Ergo, they hauehave not Christes body dwelling in them.
¶Argument.
Da- Where remembrrunce is of a thing,Argument in the 3. figure. there is imported the absence thereof.
ti- Remembraunce of Christes body is in the sacrament: Do this in remembraunce of me. &c.
si. Ergo, Christes body there is imported to be absent.
Mary they will say, we see him not with our outward eyes, but he is commended vnderunder the fourme of breade & wine, and that that we see, is nothing but a quallitie or an accidence. But let them shew me a quallitie or an accidence without a substaunce, and I will beleue them. And thus much concerning Newmans examinations and argumentes, whose Martyrdome is before expressed.