Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 4
¶The effect of Doctor Pernes Sermon against M. Bucer.
Pernes Ser… against B…cer.OVer and besides this oration & sentence of D. Scot, came in also D. Perne Vicechancellour, with his sermon tendyng to the same effect, to the deprauyng of Maister Bucer, taking for his theame the place of the 132. Psalme: Behold how good & pleasant a thyng it is. &c.
Where beginning first with the commendation of concord, and of the mutual knittyng together of the myndes, he alledged, that it was not possible to hold together, vnlesse the concorde were deriued out of the hed, the which he made to be the B. of Rome, and that it also rested in the same.
After he had made a long protestatiō hereof, he passed forth to Bucer, vponupon whom he made a shamefull railyng, saying: that his doctrine gaue occasion of diuision in the common wealth, & that there was not so grieuous a mischiefe, which by his meanes had not bene brought into the realme.
Although all men myght perceyue by the bookes hee had compiled, what manner of Doctrine it was: yet notwythstanstyng (he sayde) he knewe it more perfectly hymselfe, then any dyd, and that hee had learned it aparte at the Authours hande hymselfe.
For at such tyme as they had communication secretly amōg themselues, D. Pernes accusation against M. Bucer.Bucer (sayd he) would oftentymes wishe he myght be called by some other name, then by the name he had: for this purpose, as though knowyng himselfe guiltie of so grieuous a crime, he might by this meanes escape vnknown to the worlde, and auoyd the talke that went among men of hym.
Moreouer, among other thyngs he told how Bucer held opinion (which thyng he should confesse to hym his own selfe) that God was the author and welspring, … noted D. Perne.not onelyonly of good, but also of euill: and that whatsoeuer was of that sort, flowed from him, as from the headspring and maker therof. The which doctrine he vpheld to be sincere: howbeit, for offending diuers mens consciences, he durst not put it into mens heads.
Many other thyngs hee patched together of lyke purport and effect,Shamefull of D. Perne agaynst M. Bucer. as of the supremacie of the Bish. of Rome, of the mariage of Priests, of diuorcements, and of shamefull vsurie also, as though he had deemed the same lawfull to be vsed among christen people, with diuers other of the lyke sort.
In all which his allegations, considering how lewdly without all shame he lied vpō Bucer (as his writyngs euidently declare) he dyd not so much hinder hys name with railyng vponupon hym, as win vntounto hymselfe an inexpiable infamy, by forging so shameful leesings vponupon so worthy a man.
But what needeth witnesse to prooue hym a lyer? hys owne conscience shall make as much agaynst hym, as a number of men.
It was reported for a truth, and that by his owne familiar friends testified, that the said D. Perne himselfe, eiter immediately after hys Sermon, or els somewhat before he went to it, strikyng himselfe on the brest,D. Perne speaketh agaynst his own… consciēce, in rayling against M. Bucer. and in a maner weepyng, wished at home at his house with all his heart, that God would graunt his soule might euen then presently depart and remaine with Bucers. For he knewe well enough that his life was such, that if any mans soule were worthy of heauen, he thought his in especially to bee most worthy.
Whiles he was thus talking to the people, in ye meane tyme the leaues of the Churche doores were couered ouer with verses:Verses agaynst M. Bucer and Phagius. in the which the yong men to shew their folly, which scarse knew hym by sight, blased Bucers name with most reprochfull Poetrie.
These thynges beyng dispatched, Perne (as thoughe he had sped his matter maruelously well) was for hys labour, of curtesie bidden to dinner to Trinitie Colledge by the Commissioners. Where, after the Table was takē vp they caused the sentence of condemnation to be copied out with all speede:The Sentence of condemnatiō sent to London with the Commissioners letters. which beyng signed with the B. of Chesters seale, the next day followyng was for a triumph sent to London, with diuers of those verses and slaunderous Libels.
Besides this, they sent also their owne letters, wherein they both aduertised the Cardinall how farre they had proceeded in that matter, and also desired hys Grace that he would cause to be sent out of hand to Smith the Maior of the Towne, the Commaundement, commonly called a Writte for the burnyng of Heretikes.A writte for burning of heretickes. For vnlesse hee had the Queenes warrant to saue hym harmelesse, hee would not hauehave to do in the matter: and that which remained to be done in that case, could not be dispatched till that Warrant came.
Whiles this pursiuant went on his iourny, they willed to be brought vntounto them the bookes that they commā ded before to be serched out. For they determined to throw them into the fire with Bucer and Phagius.
About the same tyme D. Watson takyng occasion vppon the day, because it was a high feast, in the which was woont to bee celebrated the memoriall of the Purification of the blessed Uirgin,Watsons Sermō vponupon Candlemas day. made a Sermon to the people vponupon that Psalme: We hauehave receyued thy mercye (O Lord) in the middest of thy Temple, &c. In the which Sermon he spake much reproche of Bucer and Phagius, and of their doctrine.
He sayd, that these men, & all the heretikes of our time that were of the same opinion (the which for the most part he said, were budded out of Germany) amōg other things which they had perniciously put into mens heds, taughte to cast away all Ceremonies. Whereas notwithstandyng the Apostle hymselfe commanded all thyngs to be done in due order.
And vponupon that deed of the blessed Uirgin and Ioseph which was done by them as vponupon that day, it was manifestly apparant, that they with our Sauiour beyng then a little babe, obserued these rites and ceremonies for catholike men to teach. For he sayd,Mary and Ioseph went a procession with waxe candels, or els D. Watsō sayth false. that they came to the Temple the same tyme with waxe Candles in their hands, after the maner of procession (as they terme it) in good order with much reuerence and deuotion, and yet we were not ashamed to laugh and mocke at these things with the heretikes and schismatikes.
As he was tellyng his tale of Christ, Mary, and Ioseph, one of them that heard hym, a pleasaunt & mery conceited fellow, turnyng himselfe to him that stood next him, and if it be true (quoth he) that this man preacheth, which of them I pray you (if a man might spurre him a question) bare the crosse before them?A question to be spurred to D. Watson. for that might not be missing in such solemne ceremonies. Not onelyonly this man iested at the Preachers folly, but diuers other also laughed at his manifest vnshamefastnes, in preaching these so vain and foolish superstitions.
While hee was thus talkyng to hys audience,The sodayne sownde of Christopherson. Iohn Christopherson elected B. of Chichester, beyng strikē with a sodaine sicknes, fel downe in a sound among the prease, & with much adoe, beyng scarse able a good whyle to come to hymself againe, in the meane tyme babled many things vnaduisedly, and as though he had bene out of his wittes. Some thought it came vponupon this occasion, because he had bene greatly accused before the Commissioners for mispē dyng & misordering the goods of the Colledge, & therefore was grieued with the matter, knowyng that they had ben offended with hym, by that that Ormanet had canceiled before his face a Lease of his, by the which hee had let to ferme to his brother in lawe a certaine Manor of that colledge, because the couenants seemed vnreasonable.
By this tyme was returned agayne the Pursiuaunt, who (as we before tolde) was sent to London wyth the Commissioners letters, and brought with him a warrant for the burning of these men.
The day assigned for burning M. Bucer and Paulus Phagius bodyes.Upon the receit wherof, they appoynted the vj. day of Febr. for the accomplishment of the matter. For it had hā ged already a great while in hand.
Therefore when the sayd day was come, the Commissioners sent for the Uicechancellor, demandyng of hym in what case things stood, whether all things were in a readines for the accomplishment of this busines, or no. Understandyng by hym that all thyngs were redy, they commanded the matter to be broched out of hand.
The taking vp of M. Bucer and Paulus Phagius.The Uicechancellor therefore taking with hym Marshall the common Notary, went first to Saint Michaels church where Phagius was buried. There he called forth Andrew Smith, Henry Sawyer, and Henry Adams, mē of the same parish, and bound them with an oth, to dig vp Phagius bones, and to bryng them to the place of execution. Marshall tooke their othes, receiuyng the like of Roger Smith and W. Hasell the Towne Sergeants, & of I. Capper, Warden of the same Church, for doyng the lyke with Bucer. Smith the Maior of the town, which should be their executioner, (for it was not lawfull for them to intermeddle in cases of bloude) commaunded certayne of hys Townesmen to wayte vponupon hym in harnesse, by whō the dead bodies were garded, and beyng bound wt ropes, and layd vppon mens shoulders (for they were enclosed in Chestes, Bucer in the same that hee was buried, and Phagius in a newe) they were borne into the middest of the Market steade, with a great trayne of people followyng them.
This place was prepared before, and a great Poste was set fast in the grounde to bynde the Carcasses to,The burning of Martyn Bucer and Paulus Phagius. and a great heape of Woode was layed readye to burne them withall.
When they came thither, the Chestes were set vp on ende with the dead bodies in them, and fastened on both sides with stakes, and bound to the Post with a long iron Chayne, as if they had bene alyue. Fire beyng forthwith put too, as soone as it began to flame round about, a great sort of bookes that were condemned with them, were cast into the same.
The talke of the countreyfolke of the burning of M. Bucer and Paulus Phagius.There was that day gathered into the towne, a great multitude of countreyfolke (for it was market day) who seyng men borne to execution, and learnyng by inquirie that they were dead before, partly detested and abhorred the extreme crueltie of the commissioners toward the rotten carcasses, and partly laughed at their folly in makyng suche preparature. For what needeth any weapon, sayde they? As though they were afrayed that the deade bodies which felte them not, woulde doe them some harme? Or to what purpose serueth that Chayne wherewith they are tyed, sithence they might bee burnt loose wythout peryll? for it was not to bee feared that they woulde runne away.
Thus eueryevery body that stoode by, found faulte with the cruelnesse of the deed, either sharply, or els lightly, as eueryevery mans mynde gaue hym. There were very few that liked their doyng therein.