Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 39 · Examination
¶The effect of Iohn Careles examination. before Doctour Martin briefly declared.
FIrst,The effect of Iohn Careles examination. Doctour Martin calling Iohn Careles to hym in his Chamber, demaunded what was his name. To whom when the other had answered, that his name was Iohn Careles, then began Doctour Martin to descant at his pleasure vponupon that name, saying: that it would appere by his conditions, by that time he had done with him, that he would be a true careles man in deed. And so after other by talke there spent about much needelesse matter, then he asked him where he was borne.
Careles.
Forsooth, sayth he, at Couentry.
Mart.
At Couentry? what so farre, man? How camest thou hither? Who sent thee to the kinges Bench to prison?
Carel.
I was brought thither by a writ, I trowe, what he was I cannot tell. I thinke M. Marshall can tell you.How Iohn Careles was brought to the Kinges Bench.
Marshall.
In good fayth I cannot tell what the matter is: but in deed my Lord chiefe Iustice sēt him from the barre.
Mart.
Well Careles, I would wishe, thou shouldest play the wise mans part. Thou art a handsome man: And it is pity but thou shouldest doe well, and saue that which God hath bought.
Careles.
I thanke your good Maystershippe most hartely: And I put you out of doubt, that I am most sure and certayne of my saluation by Iesus Christ: so that my soule is safe already what so euer paynes my body suffer here for a litle time.
Mart.
Yea Mary, you say trueth. For thou art so predestinate to life, that thou canst not perish, in whatsoeuer opinion thou doest dye.
Careles.
That GOD hath predestinate me to eternall life in Iesus Christ, I am most certayne, and euen so am I sure that his holy spirite (wherewith I am sealed) will so preserue me from all heresies & euill opinions,Iohn Careles examine… vponupon predestinat…n. that I shall dye in none at all.
Mart.
Go to, let me heare your fayth in predestination. For that shalbe written also.
Careles.
Your Maystership shall pardon me herein. For you sayd your selfe erewhile, that you had no Commission to examine my conscience. I will trouble my selfe wyth aunswering of no moe matters then I needes must, vntil I come before them that shall hauehave more authority farther to examine me.
Mart.
Doct. Mar… declareth his Commission.I tell thee then I hauehave Commission: yea, and commaundement from the Counsell to examine thee: for they deliuered me thy articles.
Careles.
Yea I thinke in deede that your Mastershippe is appointed to examine me of my articles whiche you hauehave there in writing and I hauehave told you the truth. I do confesse them to be mine owne fact and deede: but you do now exam…ne me of predestination, whereof my articles speaketh nothing at all.
Martin.
I tell thee yet agayne, that I muste also examine thee of such thinges as be in controuersye betweene thee & thy fellowes in the Kings Bench, whereof predestination is a part, as thy fellow N. hath confessed and thy selfe doest not deny it.
Carel.
I do not deny it. But he that first told you that matter, might hauehave found himselfe much better occupyed.
Martyn.
Why? what if he had not told me? thinkest thou I would not hauehave knowē it?Why Doct. Martyn woulde not … the Sacrament. yes, or els thou shouldest hauehave withstand my Commission. For I tell thee truthe, I may now examine thee of the blessed Sacrament, or any other thing that I list, but that I would shew thee fauour, and not be to hasty with thee at the first.
Marshall.
Yea in deede Careles, Maister Doctor hath Cō mission to examine you or any other of your fellowes.
Mart.
Yea mary hauehave I, I tell the truth of it.
Carel.
Then let your Scribe set his pen to the paper, and you shall hauehave it roundly euen as the truth is. I beleeue yt almightye God our moste deare louing father of his great mercy and infinite goodnes, did elect in Christ.
Mart.
Tush, what neede all that long circumstance? write, I beleeue that God elected and make no more adoe.
Carel.
No, not so M. Doctour. It is an high mistery, and ought reuerently to be spoken of. And if my wordes may not be written as I do vtter them, I wil not speake at all.
Mart
Go to, go to, write what he will. Here is more busines then needeth.
Careles.
I beleeue that Almighty GOD our moste deare louing Father,Careles opinion of Gods election. of his greate mercy and infinite goodnesse (thorough Iesus Christ) did elect and appoynt in him before the foūdation of the earth was layd, a Church or congregation, which he doth continually guide and gouerne by his grace and holy spirite, so that not one of them shall euer finally perishe. When this was written, M. Doctor tooke it in his hand and read it, saying.
Mart.
Why? who will deny this?
Carel.
Doctour Martyn … Careles iudgement of God… election▪I… your Maistership doe allow it and other learned men when they shall see it, I hauehave my hartes desyer.
Mart.
And do you hold none otherwise, thē is there writtē?
Carel.
No verily, nor neuer did.
Mart.
Write that he sayth, otherwise he holdeth not. So yt was written. It was told me also that thou doest affirme, that Christ did not dye effectually for all men.
Carel
Whatsoeuer hath bene told you it is not much materiall vntounto me. Let the tellers of such tales come before my face, and I trust to make them aunswere. For in deede I do beleeue yt Christe did effectually dye for all those that do effectually repent and beleeue, and for none other: so that was written also.
Mert.
Now Syr, what is Trewes fayth of predestinatiō? he beleeueth that all men be predestinate,A wrong fayth of Predestination belee…ng to be elected in respect of good …. & that none shall be damned. Doth he not?
Carel.
No forsooth that doth he not.
Mart
How then?
Carel
Truely I thinke he doth beleeue as your Maistershyp and the rest of the Clergy do beleeue of predestinatiō, that we bee elected in respecte of our good workes, and so long elected, as we do them, and no longer.
Martyn.
Write that he sayth, his fellow Trew beleeueth of predestination as the Papistes do beleeue.
Carel.
Ah Maister Doctour, did I so terme you? Seing that this my confession shall come before the Counsell, I pray you place my termes as reuerently as I spake them.
Mart
Well, well, write that Trew is of the same fayth as the Catholickes be.
Carel.
I did not so call you neyther, I wonder what you meane.
Marshal.
You sayd the Clergy, did you not Careles?
Carel.
Yes forsooth did I. So then it was written of the Clergy.
Mart.
Now Syr, what say you more?
Carel.
Forsooth I hauehave no farther to say in this matter.
Mart.
Well, Careles I pray thee proue thy selfe a wise man and do not cast away thy lyfe wilfully.
Carel.
Now the Lord he knoweth, good Maister Doctor, I would full gladly liue, so that I might do the same with a safe conscience. And your Maistershippe shall right well perceiue that I will be no wilfull man, but in all thinges that I stand vponupon I will hauehave a sure grounde.
Martin.
Now the Lorde knoweth, good Careles, that I would gladly make some meanes to preserue thy lyfe: but thou speakest so much of the Lord, the Lord.D. Martyn pretendeth fauor to Careles. Wilt thou be content to go with my Lord Fitzwater into Ireland? me thinkes thou art a goodly tall fellow to do the Queene seruice there. How sayest thou?
Carel.
Uerely Maister Doctour, whether I be in Ireland, Fraunce, or Spayne, or any place els, I am ready to do her grace the best seruice that I can, with body, goodes and lyfe, so long as it doth last.
Mart.
That is honestly sayde, I promise thee eueryevery man will not say so. How say you Maister Marshall, this man is meete for all manner of seruice. In deede thou arte worthye Careles, to hauehave the more fauour.
Carel.
In deede Syr, I hope to be meete and ready vntounto all things that pertayneth vntounto a true Christian subiect to doe. And i… her grace or her officers vnderunder her do require me to any thing contrary to Christes Religion, I am ready also to do my seruice in Smithfield for not obseruing it, as my bedfellow and other brethren hauehave done, praysed be God for them.
Mart.
By my trouth thou art a pleasaunt fellow as euer I talked with of all the Protestantes, excepte it were Tomson. I am sory yt I must depart wt thee so soone: but I hauehave suche busynes now, that I canne tarry wt thee no longer. Well, yet thou canst not deny, but you are at iarre amongest your selues in the kings Bench, and it is so throughout all your congregation for you will not be a Church.
Careles.
No Maister Doctour, that is not so. There is a thousand tymes more varietye in opinions among your Doctours, which you call of ye Catholick Church,More variety in the Popes … Church, then is amongest the Protestantes. yea and that in the Sacrament for y• which there is so much bloudshed now a dayes. I meane of your latter Doctours and new writers: as for the olde they agree wholy with vsus.
Mart.
No Careles this is not so: there thou art deceiued.
Carel.
Uerily it is so, Maister Doctour. I am not deceiued therein any thing at all, as it hath beene, and is euidently proued by such as GOD hath endued with great learning. Then he turned to the Marshall, and whispered with him a while.
Martin.
Turning vntounto me agayne, sayd:Doctour Martin taketh his leaue gently of Careles. Farewell Careles, for I can tarry no longer with thee now, my busines is such.
Carel.
God be with you, good Maister Doctor. The Lord geue your Maistership health of body and soule.
Mart.
God hauehave mercy good Careles and God keepe thee from all errours, and geue thee grace to doe as well as I would wishe my selfe.
Carel.
I thanke your good Maistership. I pray GOD I may do alwaies that is acceptable in his sight. Whereunto they all sayde, Amen. And so I departed with a glad hart: God onelyonly hauehave the whole prayse, Amen.
It appeareth by the examination of the foresayd Iohn Careles, that he endured prisoner the space of two whole yeares hauing wyfe and children. In the which his captiuity, first being in Couentry Iayle, he was there in such credite with his keeper, yt vponupon his worde he was let out to play in the Pageant about the City wt other his companions. And that done, keeping touch wt his keeper, he returned agayne into prison at his houre appointed.
And after that being broughte vp to London he was indued with such patience and constaunt fortitude, that he longed for nothing more earnestly,Iohn Careles dyed in prison, and was buryed in the fieldes. then to come to yt promotion to dye in the fyer for the pro…ession of his fayth: & yet it so pleased the Lorde to preuent him with death that he came not to it, but dyed in the prison, and after was buryed in the fieldes in a dounghill.
In the meane time while he was in prisō in the kyngs Bench it chaunced he was in great heauines and perturbation of mind and conscience, wherupon he wrote to M. Philpot being then in the Colehouse. Uppon the occasion hereof Mayster Philpot sent an Epistle consolatory vntounto him, specified before among master Philpots letters, pag. 1762. Unto the which Epistle Iohn Careles maketh aunswere agayne as foloweth.