Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 25 · Letter 9 – Account 13
¶A certayne godly Supplication exhibited by certayne inhabitauntes of the Country of Northfolke, to the Commissioners comming downe to Northfolke and Suffolke, fruitfull to be read and marked of all men.
IN most hūble and lowly wise, we beseeche your honors right honorable Commissioners, to tender and pitty the humble sute of vsus poore men,… and true, faythfull, and obedient subiectes: who as we hauehave euer heretofore, so intend we with Gods grace, to continue in Christian obedience vntounto the end (and according to the word of God) with all reuerend feare of God, to do our boundē duety to all those superiour powers, whom God hath appoynted ouer vsus, doing as S. Paule sayth: Let eueryevery soule be subiect to the superiour powers. For there is no power but of God: but those powers that are, are ordayned of God. Wherefore whosoeuer resisteth the powers, …. 13.the same resisteth God, & they that resist, get themselues iudgement. These lessons (right honorable Cō missioners) we hauehave learned of the holy word of God, in our mother tongue.
First, that the authoritie of a king, Queene, Lord, and other theyr officers vnderunder them, is no tyrannicall vsurpation but a iust,The autho…tye of … and … …proued. holy, lawfull, and necessary estate for man to be gouerned by, and that the same is of God, the fountayne and authour of righteousnes.
Secondly, that to obey the same in all thinges not against God, is to obey God: and to resist them, as to resist God. Therefore as to obey God in his Ministers & Magistrates bringeth life: so to resist God in them, bryngeth punishment and death. The same lesson hauehave we learned of S. Peter saying: Be ye subiect to all humayne ordinaunces for the Lordes sake, whether it be to the king, 1. Pet. 5.as to the moste highest, or to the Lieutenaunts sent from him to the punishment of euill doers, but to the prayse of suche as do well. For so is the will of GOD, that with well doyng, ye should stop the mouthes of foolishe and ignoraunt men, as free, Christes men bound to obey God in his Magistrates.and not as hauing the lybertie to be a cloke to malice, but as the seruauntes of God. Wherfore, considering with our selues, both that the Magistrates power is of God, and yt for the Lordes sake, wee be bound to Christian obedience vntounto them, hauing now presently a commaundement, as though it were from the Queenes maiestie: with all humble obedience due to the regall power and authoritie ordayned of God (which we acknowledge to stād whole & perfectly in her grace) and wt due reuerence vntounto you her graces commissioners, we humbly beseeche you with pacience and pittye to receaue this our answere vntounto this cōmandement, guen vntounto vsus.
First, right honourable Commissioners, we hauehave considered our selues to be, not onelyonly English men, but also Christians,The honour of God to be preferred before all regall honour & power. and therefore bound by the holy vow made to God in our Baptisme, to preferre Gods honoure in all thinges, and that all obedience (not onelyonly of vsus mortall men, but euen of the very Aungels and heauenly spirites) is due vntounto Gods word: in so much that no obediēce can be true and perfect, either before God or man, that wholy and fully agreeth not with Gods word.
Then hauehave we weighed the commandemēt concerning the restitution of the late abolished latine seruice geuē vntounto vsus to discent and disagree frō gods word, & to cōmand manifest impietie, and the ouerthrowe of godlines & true religion,Q Maryes Iniunctions disagreeing from Gods worde, how & wherin. & to import a subuersion of the regall power of this our natiue country & realme of Englande, wyth the bringing in of the Romish Bishops supremacie, with all errours, superstitions, and idolatry, wasting of our goods & bodyes, destroying of our soules, bringing with it nothing, but the seuere wrath of God: which we already feele & feare least the same shall be more fiercely kindled vppon vsus. Wherfore we humbly protest, that wee cannot be perswaded, that the same wicked commaundement shoulde come from the Queenes maiestie, but rather from some other, abusing the Queenes goodnes and fauour, and studying to worke some feate against the Queene, her crown & the Realme, to please with it the Romane Bishoppe, at whose handes the same thinketh hereafter to be aduaunced.
As the Agagite Aman wrought maliciously agaynst the noble king Assuerus: and as the Princes of Babell wrought agaynst the good king Darius:Hest. 3. so thinke we the queenes most gentle hart to be abused of some, who seking thēselues & their own vayn glory, procure such cōmandements as are against ye glory of God.1. Esd 4. For we cannot hauehave so euill an opinion in her maiestie, that she should subuert ye most godly & holy religiō (so accordingly to gods worde set forth by ye most noble, vertuous, and innocent king,Queene Mary euill incensed. a very saynct of God, our late moste deare king Edw. her graces brother) except she were wonderfully abused: who as hating reformation, will rather the destruction of al others, then acknowledge theyr errors, & to be accordynge to gods word, reformed. For truly ye religiō lately set forth by K. Edw. is such in our consciences,Religion set forth in K. Edwardes tyme, commende…. as eueryevery Christian man is bound to confesse to be the truth of God, and eueryevery member of Christes church here in England must needes embrace the same in heart, and confesse it with mouth, & (if need require) loose and forsake, not onelyonly house, land, & possessions, riches, wife, children, and friends: but also (if God will so call them) gladly to suffer all manner of persecution, and to loose their liues in the defence of GODS worde and trueth set out amongest vsus. For our Sauiour Christ requireth the same of vsus, saying:Luke. 9. Who soeuer shalbe ashamed of me and my worde before this adulterous and sinfull generation, the sonne of man will also be ashamed of hym, when he shall come in the glorye of his father with the holye Aungels. Math. 10.And agayne sayth he: Who soeuer will confesse me before men I will confesse him before my father that is in heauen. Math. 12.And who soeuer will deny me before men, I will also deny hym before my father that is in heauen. And whosoeuer shall speake a worde agaynst the sonne of man, it shall be forgeuen him: but who soeuer shall rayle against the holy ghost, it shall not be forgeuē him.
We humbly beseeche the Queenes Maiestie, and you her honorable Commissioners, bee not offended with vsus,An honest petition to Que… Mary. for confessing this truth of God, so straightly geuen vsus in charge of Christ: neither bring vppon vsus that great sinne that neuer shall be forgeuen, and shall cause our Sauiour Iesu Christ in the great day of iudgement, before his heauenly Father & all his Aungels, to deny vsus, & to take frō vsus the blessed price and raunsome of his bloudshed, wherwith we are redeemed.
For in that day, neither the Queenes highnes, neither you, nor any man shalbe able to excuse vsus, nor to purchase a pardon of Christ for this horrible sinne and blasphemye of casting aside, and condemning his word. We can not agree nor consent vntounto this so horrible a sinne: but we beseeche God for his mercy to geue vsus and all menne grace, moste earnestly to flee from it, and rather (if the will of God be so) to suffer all extremitie and punishment in thys world, then to incurre such damnation before God.
Manasses, who restored agayn the wickednes of idolatrous religiō (before put down by Ezechias his father) brought the wrath of God vponupon the people: so that ye scriptures sayth: Notwithstanding the reformation made by Iosias, the Lord turned not from the fiercenes of his great wrath wherwith hee was angrye agaynst Iuda, Examples of king Manasses.because of the prouocation with the which Manasses prouoked him. And the Lord said: euen Iuda will I take away from my presence, 4. Reg. 23.as I cast away Israell: & I will cast away this Citty of Ierusalem, and the house whereof I sayd: my name shall be there. Ieroboam, who at Bethel and Dan erected vp a new found seruice of God,Examples of Ieroboam. and not onelyonly sinned himselfe, but also made all Israel to sinne with him so that not onelyonly he was damned for commaunding, but the wrath of God came vppon all Israell, for obeing that his vngodly commandement. Yet was it not so heynous offence to bring man Idolatry neither yet heard of, as after reformation made by the godly kinges and princes, by the vertuous and holy Bishoppes, by the Prophets and seruaunts of God, to reiecte and cast of the word and true Religion of GOD, and to receaue againe a damned impietie.
This moste heynous offence is now offered vntounto vsus: although the same be paynted and coloured with ye name of reformation,Foule Idolatry set out with fayre shewes & pretenses. restoring of religion, auncient fayth, wyth the name of the catholicke Churche, of vnitie, Catholicke truth, & with the cloke of fayned holines. These are sheepe skinnes, vnderunder the which (as Christ saith) rauening Wolues couer themselues. But Christ willeth vsus to looke vponupon their fruites, whereby we may know them: and truely this is no good fruite, to cast aside Gods word, and to bā nish the English seruice out of the Churches, and in the place of it, to bring in a latine tongue vnknowne vntounto the people. Which as it edifieth no man, so hath it bene occasion of all blindnes and errour amonge the people. For afore the blessed reformation begun by ye most noble Prince of godlye memory the queenes good father, and by our late holy and innocent king, her good brother finished: it is not vnknowne what blindnes & errour wee were all in, when not one man in all this realme vnlearned in the latine,Ignorance wilfully mayntayned. could say in English the Lordes prayer, or knew any one article of his beliefe, or rehearse any one of ye x. cōmandementes. And that ignoraunce, mother of mischiefe, was the very roote and well spring of all Idolatry, Sodomiticall Monkery, and whorish chastitie of vnmaryed priests of all whoredome, dronkennes, couetousnes, swearing, & blasphemie, with al other wicked sinfull liuing. These brought in the seuere wrathe and vengeance of GOD plaging sinne with famine and pestilence: and at last the sword consumed and auenged all theyr impietie and wicked liuing. As it is greatly to be feared, the same or more greuous plagues shall now agayne follow.
We cannot therefore consent nor agree that the worde of God and praiers in our English tongue which we vnderstand,Seruice in Latin not to be admitted. should be taken away from vsus, and for it a latin seruice, we wote not what (for none of vsus vnderstande it) to be agayne brought in amongest vsus, specially seeing that Christ hath sayd: My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me, & I geue to them euerlasting life.
The seruice in Englishe teacheth vsus, that wee are the Lords people,Iohn. 11. and the sheep of his pasture: and commandeth that we harden not our hartes, as when they prouoked the Lordes wrathe in the wildernes, least hee sweare vntounto vsus, as he did sweare vntounto them, that they should not enter into his rest.
The seruice in Latine is a confused noyse: which if it be good, (as the say it is) yet vntounto vsus that lack vnderstāding what goodnes can it bring?Agaynst Latin Mattins. S. Paule commaundeth, that in the Churches all thinges shoulde bee done to edifying, which we are sure is Gods commaundement. But in the Latine seruice nothing is done to edifying, but contrarily al to destroy those that are already edified and to driue vsus from Gods word and truth, and from beleuing of ye same and so to bring vsus to beleue lyes and fables, that tempting and prouoking God,In the Popes seruice there is no edifying, what fables be in it the Lord knoweth. 2. Thess. 2. we shoulde be brought into ye iudgement that blessed Paule speaketh of, saying: Antichrist shall come according to the working of Satan, with all manner of power and signes and lying wonders, in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes in those that pearish: because they hauehave not receyued the louelove of the truth, that they might be saued. And therfore God wil send them strong delusion, that they should beleue lyes & be damned, as many as hauehave not beleued the truth, but hauehave approued vntighteousnesse.
Thus altogether drawne from God, we shall fal into his wrath through vnbeliefe, till he sweare vntounto vsus, as he did vntounto the vnfaythfull Iewes, that such Infidells shall not enter into his rest.
In the administration of the Lordes supper, whiche we confessed to be the holye Communion, and pertakinge with Christ and his holy Congregation,The true vse of the Lord… Supper extincted. we hauehave learned Gods holy commaundements, and at the rehearsall of eueryevery one of them, to ask God mercy for our most grieuous transgressions agaynst them, and to aske grace of God to keepe them in time to come, that the same may not onelye outwardly sound in our eares, but also inwardly by the holy ghost be written in our hartes.
Wee hauehave learned also the holye prayer made for the Queenes Maiestie: wherein wee learne that her power and authoritie is of God: therefore wee praye to God for her, that shee and all magistrates vnderunder her, may rule according to Gods worde: and we her subiectes obey according to the same.
Truely (most honourable Commissioners) we cānot thinke these thinges euill,Causes why the Commissioners commaundement ought not to be receaued. but thinke them moste worthye to be retayned in our Churches, and we would think our selues not to hauehave true subiectes hartes, if we shuld go about to put away such godly prayers, as put vsus perpetually in memory of our bounden obedience & duety to God and our Rulers. For, as we thinke, at this present the vnquiet multitude had more neede to hauehave these things more often and earnestly beaten and driuen into them (specially geuen in many places to stirre and trouble) then to take from them that blessed doctrine, whereby onelyonly they may to their saluation, be kept in quiet.
Furthermore,Receauing in both kyndes. we cānot forsake that blessed partaking of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christes institution, ministred with such godly prayers, exhortatiōs, and admonitions, teaching vsus the knowledge of God, the exceeding louelove and charity of our louing redeemer Christ, breaking hys body vponupon the crosse for our sinnes, & sh…dding his most precious bloud for our redemption, whych we in eating of that blessed breade, and drinking of y• blessed Cup assuredly beleue that we receiue, and be perfectly ioyned with Christ and his holy Catholike Churche into one body, and into one vnitie and brotherly louelove, wherby eche member faithfully embraceth other. We must needes confesse thys institution of Christ to be moste holy & godly, whereof we hauehave the onelyonly cōfort in conscience against sinne & damnation, wt the assurance of saluation, & wherof hath ensued reformation of many hainous sinnes, much lawinge, strife, and contention is ended: dronkennesse, whoredome, and other vices, in some reformed, goodnesse and vertue increased and nourished.
In the Latine Masse we neuer had no suche edifying, but only we saw a great many of ceremonies and strange gestures: as tourning of the Prieste, crossings, blessings,The Masse hath nothing in it but an heape of ceremonyes. breathings, washing of handes, and spreading abroade of hys armes, wyth like ceremonies that we vnderstād not. And concerninge the Latine tongue, wherein the Prieste prayeth, we wote not whether hee blesseth or cursseth vsus. Wee are not partakers of the Sacrament, as Christes institution appoynteth we should be.
In the ministring of the Sacrament, the Priests alter the institution of Christ, committing theft and sacriledge, robbing vsus of the cup of Christes bloud, cōtrary to Christes commandement, saying: Drinke yee all of this.
They rob vsus also of Gods woord, speaking all thyngs in Latine,The people robbed of Go…s worde. whych nothing edifieth vsus eyther in Faythe or maners. Christe commaunded not that his Supper shuld be ministred in an vnknowen tounge: but for as much as faith commeth of hearing, and hearing commeth of Gods woorde, howe can wee beleeue Christes woorde and promise made vntounto vsus in thys holy Sacrament, saying: Thys is my bodye broken for you, and this is my bloude of the newe Testament, whiche is shedde for you, for the remission of sinnes, if the same promises of Christe either be not at all recited, or els so recited in Latine, that the Congregation vnderstandeth not or heareth not what is spoken? S. Paul saith thus, reciting the saying of Esay: As truly as I liue, Phil 2.sayth the Lorde, all knees shall bowe vntounto me, all tongues shall geue praise vntounto God. Also he sayeth: Al tongues must confesse, that Iesus Christ is the Lord, vntounto the glory of God the father. The holye Ghost came vppon the Apostles in fiery tongues,All thinges do…e in the Church ought to be in a knowen tongue. so that they spake the tongues of all nations vnderunder heauen. S. Paul ministred to the Corinthians, and preached to them in theyr owne mother tongue, and rebuked the bringyng in of straunge tongues into the congregations. Wee can not thincke it to be well, that so holy an Apostle rebuked. And what soeuer vertue the Latine tongue hath to suche as vnderstand it, to vsus English men not vnderstandyng it, it is altogether without vertue and edifying, and therfore vnmeete for our Churches.
… Prie…tes be not … it is … owne ….The Priestes complayne, that we lay men louelove them not, nor hauehave them in honour. But it is their owne faulte. For how should we louelove them, that onelyonly seeeke to keep vsus in blindnes and ignorance, to damne our soules, to destroy our bodies, to rob and spoyle our goodes and substaunce vnderunder a colour of pretensed holines? We knowe (right honourable Commissioners, what honour is due to suche Wolues, & how by the authoritie of Gods word such are to be fledde, as pestilences to the Lordes lambes, whom they miserably dayly murder.
But we hauehave rather chosen by this our meeke supplycation, humbly to desire the Queenes maiestie, and you her honorable Commissioners,Gods word … true … cast … the … in Q. Maryes …. to render Gods worde agayn vntounto the Churches, & to permit vsus freely to enioye ye same. For we certainely knowe, that the whole Religion lately set out by the holy sainct of God, our late most deare king Edward, is Christes true religion, written in ye holy scripture of God, and by Christe and his Apostles taught vntounto his Church. Wherefore we cannot allowe with safe consciences this refusall of it, and casting of it out of oure Churches, for asmuch as to refuse, cast off, & to reiect, is to cast off Christ himselfe, and to refuse our part in his blessed body broken for our sinnes, and his bloud shed for our redemption. Which thing who so doth, the same without repentaunce can look for no sacrifice for his sinnes, but most fearfully wayte for the iudgement and for that vehement fire that shall destroy Christes aduersaries. For if hee that despiseth ye law of Moses, is without mercye put to death vnderunder two or three witnesses: howe much more greeuous tormentes shall he suffer that treadeth vnderunder foot ye sonne of God, and esteemeth the bloud of the Testament (wherby he was sanctified) as a prophane thing, & cōtumeliously vseth the spirite of grace?
Wherefore, wee moste humbly praye and beseeche the Queenes gracious Maiestie, to hauehave mercy and pitty vponupon vsus her poore and faithfull subiectes, and not to compel vsus to do ye thing yt is agaynst our consciences, and shall so incurably wound vsus in hart, by bringing into the churche the Latine Masse and seruice that nothing edifieth vsus, and and casting out of Christes holye Communion and English seruice, so causing vsus to sinne against our redemption. For such as willingly and wittingly agaynst their consciences shall so do (as it is to be feared many one doth) they are in a miserable state, vntill the mercy of God turn them which if he do not, we certainly beleeue, that they shall eternally be damned: and as in this world they deny Christes holy word and Communion before men, so shal christ deny them before his heauenly father and his Aungelles.
And where as it is verye earnestly required, that we should go in Procession (as they call it) at whiche time the Priest say in Latine,The Popish … Chri…tes … in Procession. such thinges as we are ignoraunt of, the same edifieth nothing at all vntounto godlinesse. And wee hauehave learned, that to follow Christes Crosse, is an other matter, namely, to take vp our Crosse and to follow chryst in pacient suffering for his louelove, tribulations, sicknes, pouertie, prison, or anye other aduersitie, whensoeuer Gods holy wil & pleasure is to lay the same vppon vsus. The tryumphant Passion and death of Christ,… wherby in his own person he conquered death, sinne, hell, and damnatiō, hath most liuely bene preached vntounto vsus, and the glory of Chrystes crosse declared by our Preachers: whereby wee hauehave learned the causes and effectes of the same more liuely in one Sermon, then in all the Processions that euer wee went in, or euer shall go in.
When wee worshipped the diuine Trinitie kneelyng, and in the Letanie inuocating the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, asking mercye for our sinnes, and desiring such petitions as the neede of oure frayle estate and thys mortall life requireth, we were edified, both to know vntounto whom all Christian praiers should be directed, and also to know that of Gods hand we receaue all thinges, as well to the saluation of our soules, as to the reliefe of our mortall necessities. And we humbly beseech the Queenes maiestie, that the same most holye prayers may bee continued amongest vsus:… that our Ministers praying in oure mother tongue, and wee vnderstanding their prayers and petitions, may aunswere, Amen, vntounto them. At euening seruice we vnderstoode our Ministers prayers, we wer taught & admonished by the scriptures then read: whiche in the latine Euensong is all gone.
At the ministration of holy baptisme, we learned what league and couenau…t God had made with vsus,…tisme in Englishe. and what vowes and promises we vponupon our part had made namely to beleue in him, to forsake Satan and his workes, & to walke in the way of Gods holy word & commandemētes.
The Christian Catechisme continually taught & called to remembraunce the same,Catechisme in English. wheras before no man knew any thing at all. And many good men of lx. yeares, yt hadde bene godfathers to xxx. children, knew no more of ye godfathers office, but to wash their handes ere they departed the Church, or els to fast fiue Fridayes, bread and water.The effectes of Gods word described.
O mercifull God, hauehave pittie vponupon vsus. Shall we be altogether cast from thy presence? We may well lament our miserable estate to receaue such a commaundement, to reiect and cast out of our Churches all these most godly praiers, instructions, admonitions, and doctrines, & thus to be compelled to deny God, and Christ our Sauiour, hys holy word, & al his doctrine of our saluation, the candle to our feete, and the light to our steppes, the bread comming downe from heauen, that geueth life, whiche who so drinketh, it shall be in him a well spring streaming vntounto eternall life: wherby we hauehave learned all righteousnes, al true Religion, al true obedience towardes our gouernours, al charitie one towardes an other, all good workes that god would vsus to walk in, what punishment abideth ye wicked and what heauenly rewarde God will geue to those that reuerently walke in his wayes and commaundementes.
Wherefore right honourable Commissioners, wee can not without impietie, refuse and caste from vsus the holye word of God which we hauehave receaued, or condemne anye thing set forth by our most godly late king Edward & hys vertuous proceedinges, so agreable to Gods worde. And our most humble suite is, that the cōmaundement may be reuoked, so that we be not constrayned thereunto. For we protest before God,Suffolke and Northfolke men moued by Gods word do …et vp the Queene. we thinke if the holy word of God had not taken some roote amongest vsus, we could not in tyme past hauehave done that poore duety of ours, which wee did in assisting the Queene our most deare soueraigne▪ agaynst her Graces mortall foe that then fought her destruction. It was our bounden duetie, and wee thanke God for the knowledge of his worde and grace, that we then did some part of our bounden seruice.
And we meekely pray and beseeche the Queenes Maiestie, for the deare passion of Iesus Christ, that the same word be not takē away out of her Churches, nor from vsus her louyng, faythfull, and true subiectes: lest if the like necessitie should hereafter chaunce (which God for his mercies sake forbid, and euer saue and defēd her grace and vsus all) the want of knowledge of due remembraūce of Gods word may be occasion of great ruine to an infinite number of her graces true subiectes.Inconuenience… that follow by taking away Gods word. And truely we iudge this to be one subtile part of the deuil (enemy to all godly peace and quietnesse) that by takyng Gods word from among vsus, and plantyng ignoraunce, he may make a way to all mischief and wickednes: & by banishyng the holy Gospell of peace, he may bring vponupon vsus the heauy wrath of God, with all maner of plagues: as death, straunge sicknes, pestilence, morren, most terrible vprores, commotions, & seditions.Esay. 6. These thyngs did the Lord threaten vntounto the Iewes for refusing his word, saying: Goe, and thou shalt say vntounto this people: Ye shall heare in deede, but ye shall not vnderstand: ye shall playnly see, and not perceiue. Harden the hart of this people, stop their eares, and shut their eyes, that they see not with their eyes, heare not with their eares and vnderstand not with their hartes, and conuert and be healed. And I said: how lōg Lord? And he aunswered, Vntill the Cities be destroyed, vtterly wasted without habiters, and the houses without men, till the lād also be desolate & lye vnbuilded ▪ And the Prophet Micheas, considering the contempt of Gods word amōg the Israelites, threatned them thus: When the day, that thy preachers warned thee of, commeth, thou shalt be wasted away. And let no man beleue his frend, or put confidence in his brother. Mich. 6.Keepe the doore of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosome: for the sonne shall put his father to dishonour, and the daughter shal rise agaynst her mother, the daughter in law agaynst the mother in the law: and a mans foes shalbe euē they of his owne houshold. The same plague threatned Christ vntounto the Iewes, for refusing his peace profered them in the Gospel, and he wept on the Citie Ierusalem, which murdered the Prophetes, and stoned such as were sent vntounto her.
The same plagues, we are afrayd, will also fall vponupon vsus. For whereas heretofore with the receiuing of Christes worde and peaceable Gospell we had great benedictions of God especially this Christian concorde and holy peace,Luke. 19. so that all were at a full and perfect stay in Religion, no man offended with an other, but as the sonnes of peace eche of vsus with Christian charitie embraced other: now, alas for pitie, the deuill (ridyng vponupon the red horse, shewed vntounto S. Iohn in the Reuelation) is come forth, and power is geuen him to take peace from the earth.Apoc. 6. For now a man can goe to no place but malicious busie bodies curiously search out his deedes, marke his wordes and if he agree not with them in despisyng Gods worde, then will they spitefully & hatefully rayle against him and it, calling it error & heresie, and the professors therof heretickes and schismatikes, with other odious and despiteful names: as traytours, and not the Queenes frends, not fauourers of the Queenes proceedinges:Louing of Gods word made heresie. as if to louelove Gods word wer heresie, and as though to talke of Christ, were to bee schismatikes: as though none could be true to the Queene, yt were not false to God: as though none were the queenes frendes, but suche as despitefully rayle on her graces Father and brother, and on Gods word that they set foorth: as though none fauoured the Queenes maiestie, but suche as hate all godly knowledge.
And in very deede these thinges that all this turmoile is made for,All that the Papistes striue for, are but mans mere inuentions beside Gods worde. are meere inuentions of popes, brought into the church, of theyr owne imaginations, without cōmandement or ensample either of Christ or of his Apostles: and there is not one word in the Bible, that being truely alledged, mayntayneth them, nor any Doctor of Antiquitie before S. Austens dayes, as it hath bene diuers times sufficiently proued before all the whole Parliament and Conuocation of this Realme. Yet these being mere traditiōs of Bishops,The Queene her Commissioners and Iustices abused by …he Bishops. are set out for Gods commaundementes: and the Queenes authoritie (geuen to her of God to mayntayne his word) must be abused to put downe Gods word And your right honourable Iustices & keepers of lawes and righteousnes, are also abused and made the Bishops apparatours, to set forth such romishe trash, as is to christes dishonour, and agaynst the supreme authoritie of the regall estate of this realme. And wee poore subiectes, for speaking of that whiche is trueth, and our bounden allegeance, are dayly punished: rayled vponupon, and noted for seditions, and not the Queenes frendes.
True subiectes wrongfully sclaundered.But God (who is blessed for euer) knoweth that they sclaunder vsus, and pull the thorn out of their owne foot, and put it in ours: for the searcher of harts knoweth, that we beare a faythful and true hart vntounto her grace, vntounto al her proceedinges, yt are not agaynst God and his holy worde. And we dayly pray vntounto the heauēly father, to lighten her graces royall hart with the glorious light of his Gospell that she may establishe and confirme that Religion, that her graces brother, our most deare king, did set out amongest vsus: and so gouerning & ruling this her realme in the feare and true way of God, shee may long liue, and wyth prosperitie, peace, and honor raigne ouer vsus.
But we cannot thinke that those men do seek eyther Gods honour, or her Graces prosperitie, or wealth of the realme, yt take from her Graces faythfull subiectes, Gods word, which onelyonly is the roote of all louelove and faythfull obedience vnderunder her grace, and of all honestie, good life, and vertuous concord amonge her Commons. And this wee feare, least the roote being taken away, the braunches wil sooone wither and be fruitles. And when the Philistines hauehave stopped vp the welspring, the fayre streames yt shuld flow, shall soone be dryed vp. All our watchmen, our true preachers hauehave taught vsus, that as longe as wee retayned Gods word, we should hauehave God our gracious mercifull father, but if we refused and cast of the Lordes yoke of hys doctrine, then shall we looke for the Lordes wrath and seuere visitation to plague vsus, as hee did the Iewes for the like offences.Rom. 1. And Paule sayth: God gaue to them the spirite of vnquietnes and vprore, eyes wherwith they should not see, & eares wherewith they should not heare, Psalm. 69.vntill this day: And as Dauid sayd: Let theyr table be made a snare to take themselues withall, a trap to catche them, and a stumbling blocke to fall at. Let theyr eyes be blinded, that they see not, & bow thou downe their backes alwayes.
O mercifull God, all this is now come vponupon vsus, and daily more & more encreased,What vnquietnes followeth the lacke of Gods worde. and we feare at last it will so bow down our backes, yt we shall vtterly be destroyed: the troublesome spirite of vprores & vnquietnesr dayly troubleth mēs harts, & worketh such vnquietnes in al places, yt no man yt loueth quietnes, can tell where to place hymselfe. Men hauehave eyes, & see not how greeuous offence it is, to cast of the yoke of Gods doctrine, & to beare the heauye burden that vnfaythfull hipocrites lay vponupon vsus. We hauehave eares and heare not the warning of Gods worde, calling vsus to true repentance, nor his threates agaynst our impietie. Our most sweet table of Christes word and most holy Communion is taken away, and turned to a moste perillous snare, through the brawling disputations of men. And as the Idoll of abomination, betokeneth finall subuersion vntounto the Iewish nation: so wee feare, this settyng aside of the Gospell and holy Communion of Christe, and the placing it. of Romish religion, betokeneth desolation to be at hand, of this noble realme of England.
For the plagues of hunger, pestilence, and sworde, can not long tary: but except we repent and turne agayne to ye Lord: our backes shall be so bowed, that the like horrible plagues were neuer seene. And no maruell: for the like offence was neuer committed, as to reiect and cast of Christ and his word, and in playne English to say: Wee will not hauehave him to raigne ouer vsus. Luke. 13.O Lorde howe terrible is it that followeth in the Gospell? Those mine enemies that would not hauehave me to raygne ouer them, bring them hither, and slaye them before me. God be mercifull vntounto vsus, and moue ye Queens maiesties hart, and the hartes of her honorable counsayle, and youre hartes (right honourable Commissioners) to weigh these dangers in due time:Warning to Q. Mary to her Counsayle and Commissioners. & to call Gods word into your Counsayle, & then you shall see, how it agreeth wt this Bishoplike commaundement, & to be as ware to auoyd the contempt of the eternall God, and daungers of the same, as you are prudent and wise in matters of thys world: least if the almighty be contemned, hee stretch forth his arme, which no man can turne, and kindle his wrath, that no man can quench.
We hauehave humblye opened vntounto you oure consciences, doubtlesse sore wounded and greeued by this commaundement: and wee meekely pray and beseeche the Queenes maiestie, for ye precious death & bloudshedding of Iesus Christ our Sauiour,The duety of true subiectes declared, first to Christ then to the Queene. to hauehave mercy and pitty vponupon vsus her Graces poore Commons, faythfull, and true subiectes, members of the same body politicke, wherof her Grace is supreme head. All our bodyes, goodes, landes, and lyues are ready to do her Grace faythfull obedience, and true seruice of all commaundements that are not agaynst God & his worde: but in these thinges that importe a denyall of Christ, and refusall of his word and holy Communion,How farre a Prince ought to require obedience of his subiectes. we cannot consent nor agree vntounto it. For we hauehave bound our selues in Baptisne to be Christes Disciples, and to keepe his holy word and ordinances. And if we deny him before men, he will deny vsus before his heauenly Father and hys holy Aungels in the day of iudgement: which we trust her benigne Grace will not require of vsus.
And we humbly beseeche her Maiestie, that we be not enforced vntounto it: but as we serue her grace with body and goodes, & due obedience, accordyng to Gods commaūdement: so we may bee permitted freely to serue God and Christ our Sauiour, & keepe vntounto him our soules, which hee hath with his precious bloud redeemed: that so (as Christ teacheth) we may rēder to Caesar, that is due to Caesar, and to God, that is due to God.
For we thinke it no true obedience vntounto the Queenes highnes,True obedience how farre it stretcheth. or to any other Magistrate ordeined of God vnderunder her, to obey in things cōtrary to gods word, although the same be neuer so straitly charged in her Graces name. The Bish. of Winchester hath truely taught in that point, in his booke of true obedience, that true obediēce is in the Lord, & not agaynst the Lord: as the Apostles aunswered before the Counsaile at Ierusalem, cōmaundyng them no more to preache in the name of the Lord Iesus: Iudge you (sayd they) whether it be right in the sight of God, to heare you rather thē God. And agayne they sayd: We must obey God rather then man. Wherefore wee learne,Actes. 4. that true obedience is to obey God, kyng of all kynges, & Lord of all Lordes: and for him, in him, and not agaynst him and his word, to obey the Princes and Magistrates of this world, who are not truely obeyed when God is disobeyed, nor yet disobeyed, when God is faythfully obeyed.
Tobias disobeyed not his king, although contrary to his commaundement, & contrary to the vsage of all other, when they went to Dan, & Bethel,True obedience. he went vntounto Ierusalem, & worshipped in the tēple of the Lord. The three yoūg men in Babylon, refusing king Nabuchodonosors commaundemēt,Example of true obedience. pleased God more then the whole multitude that obeyed. And Daniel, that prayed to the God of heauē, contrary to kyng Darius cōmaundementes, bare a more true & faythfull hart to the king, thē those wicked Coūsellers, that procured that wicked law, or those that for feare of flattery obeyed it. Which two pestilences (feare & flattery) hauehave euer destroyed true obedience to God and man:Feare and flattery, enemyes to true obedience to God and man. when wicked godlesse men (that care not if the deuill were worshipped, so they may get & obteine riches, promotiōs, and dignities, and worldly glory) turne to and fro, as eueryevery winde bloweth: and weake and frayle mē fearing losse of goodes, punishment, or death, doe outwardly in body that thyng, that their hartes & consciēces inwardly abhorreth: and so outwardly disobey God, and in hart dissemble with man, which dissimulation we thinke worthy hate of all men, and most vncomely for Christian men.False dissemblers worthy to all men▪ be hated ….
Wherfore we humbly beseeche the Queenes Maiestie, with pitie and mercy to tender the lamentable suite of vsus her poore subiectes, which be by this cōmaundement sore hurt, & wounded in our consciences, and driuen to many miseries, & by the malicious attemptes of wicked mē suffer great wronges & iniuries, sclaunders, losse of goods, & bodyly vexations. We thinke not good, by any vnlawful s…urre or cōmotion, to seeke remedy: … intend by Gods grace, to obey her maiesty in al things, not against God & his holy woorde. But vntounto such vngodly bishoplike commandements, as are against God, we answer with the apostles: God must be obeied rather then man. If persecution shall ensue (whiche some threaten vsus with) we desire the heauenly Father, according to his promise, to looke from heauen, to heare our crye, to iudge betweene vsus & our aduersaries, & to geue vsus faith, strength and patience, to cō tinue faithfully vntounto the end, & to shorten these euil daies, for his chosens sake: and so we faithfully beleeue he will.
Notwithstanding, we trust the Quenes gracious and mercifull heart will not suffer such tyranny to be done against her poore, innocent, faithful, and obedient subiects, that daily pray vntounto God for her: which hauehave no remedie in this world but to sue vntounto her highnesse, our most gracious and benigne soueraigne: whom we pray & beseech, for the deare bloud of Christ,… to pitie our lamentable case and hurt of conscience, and to call backe all such commandements as are against Gods honour, as the good Kyng Darius, Assuerus, Traianus, Theodosius, & diuers other hauehave done: and to permit the holy woord of God and true religion (set foorth by our moste holy and innocent king Edward, a very Sainte of God) to be restored agayne vntounto our Churches, to be frequented amongst vsus. So shal we grow and increase in the knowledge of God & of Christ, in true repentance and amendement of life: so shal we exhibite true obedience to our lawfull Magistrates and all superiors ordained of God: so shall louelove & charitye (of late thorowe this commandement so decaied) be againe restored, the honor of her regall estate the more confirmed and established, and godlinesse and vertuous life among her louing subiects increased and maintained.
And we most hartily pray you (right honorable commissioners) to be meanes vntounto the Queenes highnesse, and to her honourable Counsaile, that thys oure humble sute may be fauourably tendered, and graciously hearde and graunted. And we shall not cease daye and nyghte to pray vntounto the heauēly Father, long to preserue her grace, & all other magistrates in his feare and louelove, and in prosperous peace and wealth, with long life & honor. Amen.
Your poore suppliants, the louers of Christes true Religion in Northfolke and Suffolke.
The story of Iohn Harpole, of the parish of S. Nicholas in Rochester, Ioane Beach wydowe, of Tunbridge, Martyrs.
TOuching the examination of Ioane Beach widowe, and of Iohn Harpole within the dioces of Rochester,… by Maurice B. of the sayde Diocesse, remembraunce was made before in the story of Nicholas Hal, pag. 1591. wherin was declared the foure articles Consistorial of the byshop, obiected and laide, as vntounto the sayd Nicholas Hall and his company, so also to this Ioane Beach wydowe: whereof the first was this.
…1 That shee was of the parish of Tunbridge, in ye Dioces of Rochester.
2 Item, that all persons which preache, teach beleeue, or say otherwise or contrary to that their mother holye Catholike church of Christ, are excommunicate persons and heretickes.
3 Item, that the sayde Ioane Beach hath, and yet dothe affirme, maintaine, and beleue contrary to the sayde mother holye Churche of Christe, videlicet, that in the blessed sacrament of the aultar, vnderunder forme of breade and wine, there is not the very body and bloude of our Sauiour in substance, but onelyonly a token and memoriall thereof: and that the very body and bloude of Christ is in heauen, and not in the sacrament.
4 Item, that she hath bene, and yet is, amongst the parishioners of Tunbridge, openly noted, and vehemently suspected to be a sacramentarie, and hereticke.
Her personall answeres to the said Articles.
TO the whych foresayde articles, her aunsweares were these. First, that shee was and is of the sayd parishe of Tunbridge,… in the Dioces of Rochester.
2 That al persons which do preach and hold otherwise and contrary to that, which the holy catholicke churche of Christ doth,… are to be reputed for excommunicate and heretickes: adding wythall, that neuerthelesse she beleeueth not the holy Catholike church to be her mother, but beleueth only the father of heauen to be her father.
3 Thirdly, that shee hath, and yet doeth verely beleeue, hold, and affirme, in the Sacrament of the Aultare vnderunder fourmes of bread and wyne, not to be the very body and bloud of our Sauiour in substance, but onelyonly a token and remembraunce of hys death to the faithfull receiuer, and that his body and substaunce is onelyonly in heauen, and not in the Sacrament.
4 Lastly, as touching howe shee hath beene or is noted and reputed among the parishners of Tunbridge, shee sayd, shee could not tell: howbeit shee beleeued, shee was not so taken and reputed.
Examination and condemnation of Iohn Harpole and Ioane Beach.
THe lyke matter, and the same foure Articles were also the same present time and place ministred to Iohn Harpole by the foresayde byshop Maurice: who after the like aunsweares receiued of hym, as of the other before, adiudged and condemned them both together to deathe,The Martyrdome of Iohn Harpo…e and Ioane Be…ch, at Rochester An. 1556. Aprill. 1. by one fourme of sentence, according to the tenor & course of their seueral sentence, which ye may read before in master Rogers storie.
And thus these ij. Christian Martyrs coupled in one confession, being condemned by the bishop, suffered together at one fire, in the towne of Rochester, where they together ended their liues about the first day of this present monethmonth of Aprill.
Iohn Hullyer Minister and Martyr.
NExte after these ensueth the Martyrdome of Iohn Hullyer, Minister,Iohn Hullier▪ Martyr. who first being brought vp in the Schoole of Eaton, was afterwarde Scholler, and then Conducte in the Kings Colledge at Cambridge, and in the same Uniuersitie of Cambridge, suffered vnderunder Doctour Thurlby Bishop of Elye, and hys Chauncelloure, for the syncere setting out of the lyght of Gods gracious Gospell reuealed in these oure dayes. In whose behalfe thys is to be lamented, that among so many fresh wittes and stirring pennes in that Uniuersitie, so little matter is leaft vntounto vsus, touching the processe of his iudgement, and order of hys suffering, whych so innocently gaue hys lyfe in suche a cause, among the middest of them.The Martyrdome of Iohn Hullier minister who suffred at Cambridge. Anno 1556. Aprill. 2. By certayne letters whych hee hym selfe leafte behinde him, it appeareth, that hee was zealous and earnest in that doctrine of truthe, whych euerye true Christian man oughte to embrace. His Martyrdome was about the second day of this present monethmonth of Aprill.