Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 18 · Examination 3
*The maner of my calling first before the Bishop of London, the second night of mine imprisonment in his Colehouse.
THe Bishop sent vntounto me, M. Iohnson, his Register, with a messe of meate and a good pot of drinke, and breade,The first appearing of Iohn Philpot before B. Boner. saying, that my Lord had no knowledge erst o… my beinge here, for whiche he was sorry: therefore he had sent me and my felowes that meat, knowing whether I would receiue the same.
I thanked God for my Lordes charity that it pleased him to remember poore prisoners,B. Boners charitye sent to … Iohn Philpot. desiring almighty God to encrease the same in him and in all others: and therefore I would not refuse his beneficence, and therwith tooke the same vntounto my brethren, praysing God for his prouidence towardes his afflicted flocke, that he styrred our aduersaries vp to helpe the same in their necessity.
Iohnson.
My Lorde woulde knowe the cause of your sending hither (for he knoweth nothing thereof) & wondreth that he shoulde be troubled with prisoners of other dioces then his owne.
Philpot.
I declared vntounto him the whole cause. After the which he sayd, my Lordes will was that I should hauehave any frendship I would desire, and so departed.
Within a while after, one of my Lordes gentlemen cō meth for me, and I was brought into his presence, where he sat at a table alone, with three or foure of his chapleins waiting vponupon him, and his Register.
Bon.
M. Philpot, you are welcome, geue me your hand.
Phil.
With that, because he so gently put forth his hand, I to render curtesy for curtesy, kissed my hande, & gaue hym the same.
Boner.
I am right sory for your trouble,B. Boner enter…teyning M. Philpot. & I promise you before it was within these two hours, I knew not of your being here. I pray you tell me what was the cause of your sending hither: for I promise you I knew nothing thereof as yet, neither I woulde you shoulde thinke, that I was the cause thereof: and I maruell that other men wyll trouble me with theyr matters,B. …oner made the common Inquisitor agaynst his will▪ but I must be obedient to my betters: and ywis, men speake otherwise of me then I deserue.
Phil.
I shewed him the summe of the matter: that it was for the disputation in the conuocation house, for the which I was agaynst all right molested.
Boner.
I maruell that you shoulde be troubled therefore, if there was none other cause but this. But peraduenture you hauehave mainteyned the same since, and some of your frendes of late hauehave asked, whether you doe stande to the same, and you hauehave said, Yea: and for this you might be cō mitted to prison.
Phil.
If it shall please your Lordshippe, I am burdened none otherwise then I hauehave tolde you, by the Commissioners, who hauehave sēt me hither, because I would not recant the same.
Boner.
A man may speake in the parliament house though it be a place of free speech, as he may be imprisoned for, as in case he spake wordes of high treason against the king or queen: & so it might be that you spake otherwise then it become you, of the Church of Christ.
Phil.
I spake nothing which was out of the articles whiche were called in question, and agreed vponupon to be disputed by the whole house, and by the Queenes permissiō and the Counsell.
Boner.
Why, may we dispute of our fayth?*Or els why were the questions there propounded.
Phil.
Yea that we may.
Boner.
Nay, I trow not, by the law.
Phil.
In deed by the Ciuill law I know it is not lawfull, but by Gods law we may reasō therof. For S. Peter saith: Be ye ready to render accompt vntounto all men of that hope whiche is in you that demaund you of the same.1. Peter. 3.
Boner.
In deede Saynt Peter sayth so. Why, then I aske of you what your iudgement is of the Sacramente of the Aultar?
Phil.
My Lord, Saynt Ambrose sayth,No man is bound to render accompte of his fayth priuately, vnles it be to edifie. that the disputatiō of faith ought to be in the congregation, in ye hearing of the people, and that I am not bound to render account therof to eueryevery man priuately, vnlesse it be to edify. But nowe I cannot shewe you my minde, but I muste runne vponupon the pikes in daunger of my life therfore. Wherfore, as the said Doctor sayd vntounto Ualentinian the Emperour, so say I to your Lordship: Tolle legem, & fiet certamen: Ambros. ad Valentianum.Take awaye the lawe, and I shall reason with you. And yet if I come in open iudgement, where I am bound by the law to aunswere▪ I trust I shall vtter my conscience as freely as any that hath come before you.
Boner.
I perceiue you are learned, I would hauehave such as you be about me. But you must come & be of the church, for there is but one Church.
Phil.
God forbid I should be out of the church, I am sure I am within the same: for I know, as I am taught by the scripture, that there is but one catholick church,One Church. Vna Colū ba, vna Sponsa, vna Dilecta: One Doue, one Spouse, one beloued Congregation, out of the which there is no saluation.
Boner.
How chaunceth it then, that you go out of the same and walke not with vsus?
Phil.
My Lorde, I am sure I am within the boundes of the Church whereupon she is builded, which is the word of God.
Boner.
What age are ye of?
Phil.
I am foure and forty.
Boner.
The fayth promised by his godfathers was the fayth of Christ, after his Creede onelyonly.You are not now of the same fayth your godfathers and godmothers promised for you, in the which you were baptised.
Phil.
Yes that I thank God I am: for I was baptised into the fayth of Christ which I now hold.
Boner.
How can that be? there is but one fayth.
Phil.
I am assured of that by Saynt Paule, saying: That there is but one God, one fayth, and one baptisme, of the which I am.
Boner.
You were xx. yeare ago of an other fayth then you be now.
Phil.
In deede (my Lorde) to tell you playne, I was then nullus fidei, of no fayth, a neuter, a wicked liuer, neither hoat nor colde.
Boner.
Why, doe you not thinke that wee hauehave nowe the true fayth?
Phil.
I desire your Lordship to hold me excused for answering at this time. I am sure that Gods worde throughlye with the Primitiue church and all the aūcient writers doe agree with this fayth I am of.
Boner.
Well, I promise you I meane you no more*And why then began you so hastely with him in the Sacrament of your altar. hurte, then to mine owne person: I will not therfore burthē you with your conscience as nowe, I maruell that you are so mery in prison as you be, singing and reioysing, as ye prophet saith: Exultātes in rebus pessimis: reioising in your naughtinesse. Me thinketh you do not wel herein: you should rather lament and be sory.
Phil.
B. Boner offended with M. philpots singing in prison.My Lord, the myrth that we make is but in singing certayne Psalmes, according as we are commaūded by S. Paule, willing▪ vsus to be mery in the Lord, singing together in Hymnes and Psalmes: and I trust your Lordship can not be displeased with that.
Boner.
We may say vntounto you, as Christ said in the Gospel: Tibijs cecinimus vobis, & non planxistis.
Phil.
Here my Lorde stumbled, and coulde not bring forth the text, and required his Chapleines to help, and put him in remembrance of the text better: but they were mumme: and I recited out the text vntounto him, whiche made nothing to his purpose, vnles he would hauehave vsus to mourn, because they, if they laughe, sing still sorrowfull thinges vntounto vsus, threatning fagots and fire.
We are my Lord, in a darcke comfortlesse place, & therefore it behooueth vsus to be mery, least, as Salomon sayeth: sorrowfulnesse eate vp our harte. Therefore I truste your Lordship will not bee angrye for our singing of Psalmes, since Saynt Paule sayth: If any man bee of an vpright minde, let hym sing. And we therefore, to testifye that we are of an vpright minde to God (though wee be in misery) doe sing.
Boner.
I will trouble you no further as nowe. If I can doe you any good, I will bee glad to doe it for you. God be with you, good Mayster Philpot, and geue you good night. HaueHave him to the Sellar, and let him drinke a cup of wine.
The end of his first talke with B. Boner.Thus I departed, and by my Lordes Register I was brought to his Sellar doore, where I dranke a good cup of wine. And my Lords Chapleine M. Cousin folowed me, taking acquayntance, saying, that I was welcome, & wished that I would not be singular.
Phil.
I am well taught the contrary by Salomon, saying: Vae soli: Wo be to him that is alone. After that I was caryed to my Lordes Colehouse agayne, where I with my sixe felowes do rouse together in the straw as chearefully (we thanke God) as other do in theyr beds of Downe.
Thus for the third fitte.