Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 22 · Oration 2
*The Oration of Doctor Martyn.
ALbeit there be two Gouernmentes, the one spirituall & the other tēporal, the one hauing the keyes, the other the sword, yet in all ages we read that for the honour and glory of GOD both these powers hauehave bene adioyned together.Ora…ion of D. Martyn. For if we read the olde Testament,Temporall gouernment … in Spirituall …. we shall finde that so did Iosias and Ezechias. So did the king of the Niniuites compell a generall fast thorow all the whole Citty. So did Darius in breaking the greate Idoll Bell, and deliuered Godly Daniel out of the denne of Lions. So did Nabuchodonosor make and institute lawes agaynste the blasphemers of God. But to let passe these examples with a great number more, and to come to Christes time, it is not vnknowne what great trauayle they tooke to set forth Gods Honour: and although the rule and gouernement of the Church did onelyonly apperteine to the spiritualty, yet for the suppression of heresyes & schismes, Kinges were admitted as ayders thereunto. First Constantinus the great, called a councell at Nyce for the suppression of the Arrians secte, where the same time was raysed a greate contention among them. And after long disputation had, when the Fathers could not agree vponupon the putting downe of the Arrians, they referred theyr iudgement to Constantine. God forbid, quoth Constantine:Temporall Magistrates … not …. you ought to rule me and not I you. And as Constantine did, so did Theodosius against the Nestorians, so did Martianus agaynst Manichaeus▪ Iouinian made a law, that no man shoulde marrye with a Nunne, that had wedded her selfe to the Church.
So had king Henry the 8. the title of Defender of the fayth because he wrote against Luther & his cōplices, So these 900. yeres the kinges of Spayne had that title of Catholicke, for the expulsion of the Arrians: and to say the truth, the king and the Queenes maiesties do nothing degenerate from their auncetry, taking vponupon them to restore agayne the title to be Defender of the faith, to the right heyre thereof the Popes holinesse.
Therefore these two princes, perceiuing this noble Realme, how it hath bene brought from the vnitye of the true and Catholicke Church, the which you and your confederates do, and hauehave renounced: perceyuing also that you doe persist in your detestable errours, and will by no meanes, bee reuoked from the same, hauehave made theyr humble request and petition to the Popes holynesse Paulus 4. as supreme head of the church of Christ, declaring to him, that where you were Archbishop of Caunterbury, & Metropolitane of England, and at your consecration tooke two solemne othes, for your due obedience to bee geuen to the Sea of Rome, to become a true preacher, or Pastour of his flock, yet cō trary to your othe, and alleagiaunce for vnitie, hauehave sowed discord: for chastity, mariage and adultery: for obedience, contention: and for fayth, ye hauehave bene the author of all mischiefe. The Popes holines considering their request, and petition, hath graū ted them, that according to the Censure of this Realme, processe should be made agaynst you.
And where as in this late time, you both excluded Charity & Iustice, yet hath his holinesse decreed, that you shall hauehave bothe Charity, and Iustice shewed vntounto you. Hee willeth you shoulde hauehave the lawes in most ample maner, to answere in your behalfe, and that ye shall here come before my Lord of Glocester,The Popes Charitye & … to … Archbishop. as high Commissioner from his holynesse, to the examination of such articles, as shalbe proposed agaynst you, & that we should require the examination of you, in the King and Queenes Maiestyes behalfe. The King and Queene as touching themselues, because by the law they cannot appeare personally, Quia sunt illustris. personae, hauehave appoynted as theyr atturneys Doctor Storie and me. Wherefore here I offer to your good Lordship our Proxie, sealed with the broad seale of England, and offer my selfe to be Proctor in the Kings Maiesties behalfe. I exhibite here also certayne Articles, conteining the manifest adultery & periury: Also bookes of heresy made partly by him, partly set forth by his authority. And here I produce him as partly principal, to aunswere to your good Lordship.
Thus when Doc. Martin had ended his Oration, the Archbishop beginneth, as here foloweth.
Cran.
Shall I then make mine aunswere?
Mart.
As you thinke good: no man shall let you.
And here the Archbishoppe kneeling downe on both knees towarde the West, sayde first the Lordes Prayer. Then risinge vppe he reciteth the Articles of the Creede. Which done, he entreth with his protestation in forme as foloweth.