Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 18 · Examination 15
*12. Examination of Iohn Philpot, on Wednesdaye the fourth of December before the Bishop of London, the Byshop of Worcester, and the Byshop of Bangor.
IN the morning I was fet down to the wardrobe adioyning to the chappell,The 12 examination of M. Philpot before certayne Bishop… and within a while after came three of the Bishops Chapleines vntounto me, saying:
Chapleines.
M. Philpot, my Lord hath sent vsus vntounto you, to desire you to come to masse, certifying you that ther is a Doctor of Diuinity a Chapleine of my Lordes,Iohn Philpot sent for to masse, refuseth to come. a notable learned man, called Doct. Chadsey, going to masse: therefore we also pray you, good M. Philpot, be contēt to come: it is hard hereby.
Phil.
I wonder my Lorde woulde trouble you in sending you about this matter, seing he knoweth I am a man (by your law) that can not heare masse, because I stand excō municate.
Bishops Chap.
Your excommunication is but vponupon a contumacy, and my Lorde will dispense with you, if you wyl come.
Phil.
My Lorde cannot, for he is not mine Ordinary, and I will not seeke any suche thing at his handes. With thys aunswere they went theyr way. And after Masse the Byshop called me before him into his Chappell, and there in the presence of his Register (after he had sayd his mynde, because I would not come to Masse) recited the Articles,The Bishop layeth out his articles agayne. which he often times before had done in that behalfe, with the depositions of the witnesses, of whome some were not examined.
Boner.
Sir, what cā you now say, why I should not proceede to geue sentence agaynst thee as an hereticke?
Phil.
Why, my Lord, will you proceede to geue sentence against me before your witnesses be examined:The Bishops doinges agayn… the lawe. that is plain agaynst your owne Lawe, as all your doinges hauehave bene hitherto.
Boner.
See what a foole thou art in the lawe. I neede not to recite the depositions of the witnes, but if I liste: for I know them well enough already.
Phil.
It appeareth in deed you may do what you list.
Boner.
Tell me, I say, whether thou wilt answer, or no: & whether if thou were absolued of thine excommunication. thou wouldest come to masse, or no?
Phil.
I hauehave aunswered as much as I intend to do, vntyll I be called to lawful iudgemēt: and as concerning my cō science, I will not make you God to sit there as yet: it is Gods part onelyonly to be searcher of my hart.
Boner.
Looke how foolishly he speaketh. Art thou GOD? and yet doest thou not sit in thine owne conscience?
Phil.
I sit not in mine owne conscience: but I know it, & God there onelyonly ought to sit, and no man els.
Boner.
Thou art a noughty felowe, and hast done muche hurt,Iohn Philpot is rebuked for singing. & hast seduced other poore felowes here in prisō wyth the, by thy comforting of them in their errors, & hast made them reioyce and sing with thee.
Phil.
Yea, my Lord, we shall sing, when you and suche other as you are, shall cry, Vae, Vae, Woe, woe, except you repent.
Boner.
What an arrogant Foole is thys? I wyll handle thee like an hereticke, and that shortly.
Phil.
I feare nothing (I thanke God) you can doe to me. But God shall destroy suche as thou art, and that shortly, as I trust.
Boner.
HaueHave him away, this is a knaue in deed.
Phil.
And I was had into the Wardrobe again by my keper, and within an houre after was sent for to come before him and the bishops of Worcest…r and Bangor.
Boner.
Syr, I hauehave talked with you manye tymes, and hauehave caused you to bee talked with of manye learned men yea and honourable both Temporall and Spirituall, and it auayleth nothing with you, I am blamed that I hauehave brought thee afore so many: for they say, thou gloryest to hauehave many to talke withall. Well, nowe it lyeth thee vponupon to looke to thy selfe: for thy time draweth neare to an ende, if thou doe not become conformable. And at this presente we are sent from the Synode to offer you this grace, that if you will come to the vnity of the Church of Rome with vsus, and acknowledge the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar with vsus, all that is past shalbe forgeuen, and you receiued to fauor.
Worcest.
Mayster Philpot, we are sent (as you here hauehave heard,Talke betweene Iohn Philpot & the B. of Worcester and Bangor. by my Lord of London) from the Synode, to offer you mercy, if you will receiue it. And of good will I beare you, I wishe you to take it, whilest it is offered, and bee not a singular man agaynste a whole multitude of learned men, which now in fasting and prayer are gathered together to deuise thinges to doe you good. There hauehave manye learned men talked with you: why should you think your selfe better learned thē them all? Be not of such arrogancy, but hauehave humility, and remember there is no saluatiō but in the church.
Bangor.
Me thinketh my Lorde hath sayde wonderfullye well vntounto you, that you shoulde not thinke your selfe so well learned, but other men are as well learned as you, neither of so good wit, but other be as wise as you, neither of so good memory, but other hauehave as good memory as you. Therfore mistrust your owne iudgement, and come home to vsus agayne.If violence and tyranny be no token of true religion: what may men iudge then of the Popes religion, I pray you? I wis I neuer liked your Religion, because it was set forth by violence and tyranny, and that is no token of true Religion. And I was that same maner of man then that I am now, and a greate manye moe. Mary, for feare we held our peace, and bare with that time. Wherfore M. Philpot, I would you did wel, for I louelove you: & therfore be content to come home with vsus agayne into the catholicke church of Rome.
Phil.
Where, my Lorde (as I may begin first to aunswere you) you say, that Religion is to be misliked, which is set forth by tyranny, I pray God you geue not mē occasion to thinke the same by yours at this day, which hauehave none other argument to stand by,The Popes religion hath no other ground to stand vponupon but violence. but violence. If you can shewe me by any good sufficient ground, whereby to ground my conscience, that the church of Rome is the true Catholicke church, wherunto you cal me, I wil gladly be of the same: otherwise I can not so soone chaunge the Religion I hauehave learned these many yeares.
Bangor.
Where was your Religion (I pray you) an hundred yeares agoe, that any man knew of it?
Phil.
Where this religion was 100. yeares agoe.It was in Germany, and in diuers other places apparant.
Worc.
Iesus, will you be still so singuler a man? What is Germany to the whole world?
Boner.
My Lordes, I pray you geue me leaue to tell you, that I sent for him to heare masse, this morning: and wote you what excuse he made vntounto me? forsoothe that he was accursed, alledging his own shame. He playeth as ye varlet Latimer did at Cambridge.Boner rayleth on Latimer. When the Uicechancellor sent for him (who intended to hauehave excommunicated him for some of his heresies) & the Chancellor was cōming to hys chamber, he hearing that the Chancellor was comming, made answere that he was sick of the plague, & so deluded the Chancellor: euen so this man sayth, he is acursed, because he will not come to masse.
Worc.
My Lorde (I am sure) here doth behaue hymselfe like a father vntounto you: therfore be admonished by him, and by vsus that come now frendly vntounto you, and folow your fathers before you.
Phil.
It is forbidden vsus of God by the Prophet Ezechiel, to folow our fathers, neither to walke in theyr commaundementes.
Worc.
It is written also in an other place: Interroga patres: Aske of your fathers.Fathers may be asked, but not f…lowed further then they follow the Scriptures.
Phil.
We ought to aske in deed our fathers that hauehave more experience and knowledge then we, of Gods will, but no more to allow them, then we perceiue they agree with the Scripture.
Worc.
You will be a contentious man, I see well: and S. Paul saith, that we, neither the church of god hauehave no such custome.
Phil.
I am not contentious but for the verity of my fayth, in ye which I ought to contēd with all such as do impugne the same without any iust obiection.
Worc.
Let vsus rise my Lord, for I see we shall doe no good.
Boner.
Nay, I pray you tary and heare the articles I laye to his charge. And after he had recited them, they arose, & after standing they reasoned with me a while,
Worc.
Mayster Philpot, I am very sory that you will bee so singular. I neuer talked with none yet in my Dioces, but after once cōmunication had with me, they hauehave bene contēted to reuoke theyr errors, & to teach the people how they were deceiued, & so do muche good, as you may, if you list. For as I vnderstande you were Archdeacon of Winchester (which is the eye of the Bishop) and you maye doe much good in that countrey, if you would forsake your errors, and come to the catholicke church.
Phil.
Wherwithall you so soone persuaded thē to your wil, I see not Errour, that I knowe, I holde none, and of the Catholicke Church I am sure I am.
Worc.
The Catholicke Churche doeth acknowledge a reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament, and so wyll not you.
Phil.
That is not so: For I acknowledge a very essentiall presence in the duely *Note he sayth not in the Sacrament but in the administrat… of the Sacrament.vsing of the sacrament.
Worc.
What, a reall presence?
Phil.
Yea, a reall presence by the spirite of God in the right administration.
Worc.
That is well sayd: and do you agree with the Catholicke church also?
Phil.
I do agree with the true catholicke church.
Worc.
My Lord of Londō, this man speaketh reasonably now.
Boner.
You do agree in generalities, but whē it shal come to the particularities, you will farre disagree.
Worc.
Well keepe your selfe here, and you shall hauehave other learned Bishops to commō further with you, as my lord of Duresme, and my Lord of Chichester (whome I heare say) you do like well.
Phil.
I doe like them as I doe all other that speaketh the truth. I hauehave once already spoken with them, & they foūde no fault with me.
Worc.
Pray in the meane season for grace to God.
Phil.
Prayer is the comfortablest exercise I feele in my trouble, and my cōscience is quiet, and I hauehave the peace of mind, which cannot be the fruites of heresy.
Worc.
We will bid you farewell for this time.
Phil.
AFter diner they called for me agayne,After dinner Maister Philpot called agayne. and demaū ded of me whether I meant as I spake before diner, and not to go from it. To whom I aunswered that I would not go from that I had sayd.
Worc.
You sayd at my departing from you before dinner, that if we did burne you, we should burne a catholick mā. Will you be a Catholicke man, and stand to the catholicke Church.
Phil.
I will stand to the true catholicke church.To stand to the Catholick Church is not inough with these men, except you be in the Church of Rome. The wordes of Christ, [feede my sheepe] opened.
Worc.
Will you stand to the catholicke church of Rome?
Phil.
If you can proue the same to be the catholicke church I will be one therof.
Worc.
Did not Christ saye vntounto Peter, and to all hys successors of Rome: Pasce oues meas, pasce agnos meos? Feed my sheepe, feed my Lambes? which doth signify, that he gaue him a more authority then the rest.
Phil.
That saying perteyneth nothing to the authority of Peter aboue others, but declareth what Christ requireth of his beloued Apostles, that they should with all diligence preache to the flocke of Christ, the waye of saluation, and that doeth the iteration of feeding spoken to Peter, onelye signify. But the Bishoppe of Rome litle regardeth thys spirituall feeding,The Pope is no feeder. and therfore he hath imagined an easier way to make himselfe Lord of the whole world, yea and of Gods word too, and doth not feede Christes flock as Peter did.
Worc.
How can you tell that?
Phil.
Yes, I hauehave bene there, and I coulde not learne of all his countrymen, what euer he preacheth.
Worc.
Though hee preacheth not one waye, he preacheth an other, by procuring good order for the Churche to bee kept in.
Phil.
I am sure that it will be his damnation before God, that he leaueth that he is commaunded of Christ, & setteth forth his owne decrees to deface the Gospell.
Worc.
It is the euill liuing that you hauehave seene at Rome, that causeth you to hauehave this ill iudgemēt of the church of Rome. I cannot tarry nowe with you to reason further of the matter. How say you to the reall presence of the sacrament, will you stand to that?
Phil.
I do acknowledge (as I hauehave sayd) a reall presēce of the sacrament in the due administration therof,By really he meaneth truely. to the worthy receiuers by the spirit of God.
Worc.
You adde now a great many moe wordes then you did before: and yet you say more of the Sacrament, then a great many will do.
Thus they departed: and after them came in to me D. Chadsey, and D. Wright Archdeacon of Oxforde,Talke with D. Chadsey, and D. Wright and others. with a great many moe.
Chadsey.
Mayster Philpot, here is mayster Archdeacon of Oxford come to you, to geue you good counsell: I pray you heare him.
Phil.
I will refuse to heare none that will counsell me any good: and if any can bring any matter better then I hauehave, I will sticke therunto.
Wright.
I would wysh you, Mayster Philpot to agree with the Catholique Churche, and not to stande in your owne conceite: you see a great many of learned mē against you.
Phil.
I am (Mayster Doctor) of the vnfayned Catholicke Church, and will liue and dye therin: and if you can proue your church to be the true Catholicke church, I wil be one of the same.
Wright.
I came not to dispute with you, but to exhorte you. Here be better learned then I that can enforme you better then I.
Chad.
What proofe woulde you hauehave? I will prooue vntounto you our church to hauehave his being and foūdatiō by the scriptures,… more Chadsey … you can proue by the Apostles, and by the primitiue church, confirmed with the bloud of martyrs, and the testimony of al Confessours.
Phil.
Geue me your hand, M. Doctor, proue that, & hauehave with you.
Chadsey.
If I hadde my Bookes here, I coulde soone prooue it,D. Chadsey …etteth …. I will goe fet some: and with that he wente and fet his booke of Annotations, saying: I can not bring my Bookes well, therefore I hauehave brought my booke of Annotations, and turned there to a Common place of the Sacrament, asking me whether the Catholicke Churche did not allow the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament, or no? I heare say, you doe confesse a reall presence: but I wil be hanged, if you wil abide by it. You will denie it by and by.
Phil.
That I hauehave sayd, I cannot deny, neither intend not, whatsoeuer ye say.
Chad.
If there be a reall presence in the Sacrament, then euill men receiue Christ, which thing you wil not graunt, I am sure.
Phil.
I denye the Argument. For I doe not graunte in the Sacrament,Whether re…ll men receaue the body of Christ by transubstantiatiō any reall presence, as you falsly imagine, but in the due administration to ye worthy receiuers.
Chad.
I will prooue that the euill and wicked men eate the body of Christ, as well as the good men, by Saynt Austine here.
Phil.
And in the beginning of his Texte Sayncte Augustine seemeth to approoue his assertion: but I bade hym reade out to the end, and there saynt Austine declareth that it was quodam modo, Quodam mo…o.after a certayne maner the euill men receiued the body of Christ, which is sacramentally onelyonly, in the vtter signes, and not really, or in deede, as the good doth. And thus all the Doctours that you seeme to bring in for your purpose, be quite against you, if you did rightly weigh them.
Chad.
By God you are a subtle felow. See how he would writhe S. Austines wordes.
Phil.
See who of vsus wrieth S. Augustine more, you or I, which take his meaning by his owne expresse words. And seing you charge me of subtletye, what subtletye is this of you, to say, that you will proue your matter of the churche euen from the beginning,D. Chadsey …ynteth in … proofe. promising to shew your Bookes therin, and when it commeth to the shewing, you are able to shew none, and for want of proofe slip into a bymatter, & yet faynt in the proofe thereof. Afore God you are bare arst in all your religion.
Chad.
You shalbe cōstrained to come to vsus at length, whether you will, or no.
Phil.
Holde that argument fast: for it is the best you hauehave, for you hauehave nothing but violence.