Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 88 – Account 89
The trouble and deliueraunce of Iohn Lithall.
AT the taking of William Liuing, it happened that certaine of his Bookes were in the custodie of one Iohn Lithall,Ioh. Lithall brought to examinatiō by Iohn Auales. whyche knowen, the Constable of the Warde of Southwarke, with other of the Queenes seruauntes, were sent to his house, who breaking open his doores and chests, tooke away not onelyonly the bookes of the sayde William Liuing, but also all his owne bookes, wrytings, and billes of debtes, which he neuer had againe. All this while Lithall was not at home.
The next Saterdaye after, as hee was returned, and knowen to be at home, Iohn Auales and certaine of the Queenes seruauntes besette his house all the night, wyth such carefull watch, that as he in the morning issued out of his doores, thinking to escape their handes, Iohn Auales sodenly brusting out vponupon him, cried, stop the traitor, stop the traitor. Whereat Lithall being amased, looked backe.
And so Iohn Auales came running to him, wyth other that were with him, saying: ha syrra: you are a prety traitorly fellow in deede: we hauehave had somewhat to do to get you. To whom he answeared, that he was a truer man to the Queenes maiestie then he. For you (sayd he) are commaunded by God to kepe holy the Sabboth day, and you seeke to shed your neighbours bloud on the Saboth day. Remember that you must answere therfore to God. But he said, come on you villaine, you must goe before ye counsell. So was Lithal brought into Paules Churchyard to the bishops Chauncellour,Lithall brought before D. Darbyshire Chauncellour. by Iohn Auales, saying, that he had there caught the Captaine of these fellowes, and so caused him to be called to examination before D. Darbishire, who entred with him talke in this wise.
Chaunc.
What countrey man are you?
Lithall.
I am an Englishman, borne in Staffordshire.
Chaunc.
Talke betweene Lithall and the Chauncellour.Where were you brought vp?
Lith.
In this our countrey of England.
Chaunc.
In what Uniuersitie?
Lith.
In no Uniuersitie, but in a free schoole.
Chaunc.
We hauehave had certaine bookes from your house & wrytings, wherein is both treason and heresie.
Lith.
Syr, there is neither treason nor heresie in them.
Chaunc.
Thē he asked for certain other men that I knew.
Lith.
If you hauehave ought to lay to my charge, I will aunswer it: but I wil hauehave no other mans bloud vpō my hed.
Chaunc.
Why come you not to the Churche? Of what Churche be you, that you come not to your owne Parish Church?
Lithall.
I am of the Church of Christ, the fountaine of all goodnesse.
Chanc.
HaueHave you no ministers of your church but Christ.
Lith.
We hauehave others.
Chanc.
Where be they?
Lith.
In the whole world disparsed, preaching and professing the Gospell and faith onelyonly in our Sauior Iesus, as he commaunded them.
Chauncellour.
You boast muche eueryevery one of you of your faith and beliefe: Lette me heare therefore the effecte howe you beleeue.
Lith.
I beleue to be iustified freely by Christe Iesu, according to the saying of S. Paule to the Ephesians,Iustification …y f…yth …. without either deedes or workes, or any thing that may be inuented by man.
Chaunc.
Faith can not saue without woorkes.
Lith.
That is contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles.
Chaunc.
Iohn Auales, you and the Keeper hauehave this fellow to prisone.
Clunie, and Iohn Auales.
Then Iohn Auales and Clunie the Keeper had me into Paules, and would hauehave had me to hauehave seene the apostles masse.
Lithall.
I knowe none the Apostles had, and therefore I will see none.
Clunie, and Iohn Auales.
Come kneele downe before the roode, and say a Pater noster and an Aue in the woorship of the fiue woundes.
Lith.
I am forbidden by Gods owne mouthe to kneele to any Idoll or Image: therefore I will not.
Then they pulled me with great extremitie, ye one hauing me by one arme, and the other by the other, but God gaue me at that present time more strēgth then both these, his name be praised for it.
Then when they coulde not make me to kneele before the roode, neither to see their Masse,Lithall denyeth to kneele before the Roode. there gathered a great company about vsus, and all against me. Some spit on me, and sayd: Fie on thee hereticke, and other said it was pitie I was not burned already.
Then they caried me to Lollardes Tower, and hanged me in a great paire of stockes, in the which I lay three daies and three nightes, till I was so lame that I coulde neither sturre nor mooue.
Then I offered the Keeper certaine money and gold that I had about me, to release me out of the stockes, and he sayde I would not be ruled by him, neither to see masse nor to kneele before the Roode, and therefore I should lye there still. But I sayde I would neuer doe the thyng that shoulde be againste my conscience, and thoughe you hauehave lamed my body, yet my conscience is whole, I praise God for it. So shortly after he lette me out of the stockes, more for the louelove of my money (as it maye be thought) then for any other affection, and within four or fiue daies my wife gotte leaue of maister Chauncelloure to come to mee, to bring me suche things as were needefull for me, and there I lay fiue weekes and odde dayes. In the which time diuers of my neighboures and friendes made sute to the Chauncellor for my deliuerance, the Bishop, as they sayd, at that time being at Fulham sicke. So my neighbors being there, aboute twentie of them, the Chauncellour sent for me out of the Lollardes Tower to his own house,Lithals neighbours make sute for him. and sayde as followeth.
Chauncellour.
Lithall, heere be of thy neighbours whych hauehave bene with me to intreat for thee, and they hauehave informed me that thou hast bene a very honest & a quiet neighbor amongest them, and I thincke it be Gods will that I should deliuer thee before my Lorde come home. For if he come and thou go home againe, I will be burned for thee, for I knowe his minde already in that matter.
Lith.
I geue you hearty thankes for your gentlenesse, and my neighbours for their good report.
Chauncellour.
Lithall, if thy neighbours will be bounde for thy foorth comming whēsoeuer thou shalt be called for, and also thou wilt be an obedient subiect, I shalbe content to deliuer thee.
Neighbours.
If it please your woorship, we will be bounde for him both in body and goodes.
Chauncellour.
I will require no such bond of you, but that two of you will be bound in 20. pound a peece, that he shal come to aunswere when he shall be called.
Lithall.
Where finde you, maister Chancelloure in all the Scripture, that the Churche of God did binde any manne for the profession of his faithe? whiche profession you hauehave heard of me, that all oure iustification, righteousnesse, and saluation, commeth onelyonly and freely by the merites of our Sauiour Iesus Christe, and all the inuentions & workes of men, be they neuer so glorious, be all together vaine, as the wise man sayeth.
Chauncellour.
Loe, where he is now, I put no such matter to you: for in that I beleeue as you doe: but yet S. Iames sayth that a man is iustified by woorkes.
Lithall.
Sainte Iames spake to those that boasted themselues of faithe, and shewed no woorkes of faith.S. Iames expounded. But O maister Chauncellour, remember I praye you, howe all the promises and Prophesies of the holy Scripture, euen from the firste promise that God made to Adam, and so euen to the latter ende to the Reuelation of Sainte Iohn, doe testifie that in the name of Iesus, and onelyonly by hys merites, all that beleeue shalbe saued from all their sinnes and offences. Esay sayeth:Esay. 65. I am founde of them that sought mee not, and am manifest to them that asked not after mee: but against Israel he sayeth:Actes. 16. All daye long hauehave I stretched oute my hande to a people that beleeue not. And when the Iayler asked S. Paule what he shoulde doe to be saued, the Apostle sayde: Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus, and thou shalt be saued and all thy housholde.
Againe, S. Iohn sayeth in the Reuelation, that there was none, neither in heauen, nor in earth, neither vnderunder ye earth, that was able to open the booke nor ye seales therof, but onelyonly the Lambe Iesus our onelyonly Sauiour. And S. Paule sayth: With one offering hath he made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified.
Chaunc.
Heb. ….With vaine glory you reherse much Scripture, as al the sort of you do: but you hauehave no more vnderstanding then a many of sheepe. But to the purpose. Will you that your neighbors shall enter into bōds for you, or not?
Lith.
By my minde they shall not. Wherfore I desire you that you would not binde me, but let me serue God with my conscience freely.Lithall refuseth to … in …onde. Apoc. 13. For it is wrytten: They that leade into captiuitie shall goe into captiuitie, and they that strike wyth the sworde, shall pearish with the sworde.
Also it is wrytten in the Gospel of our Sauiour Iesus Christ:Math. 18. that who so doeth offend one of these little ones whych beleeue in mee, it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and that he were cast into the depth of the sea. Of the which I am assured by his holye spirite that I am one. Wherefore be you well assured that such mercy as you shew, vntounto you shall be shewed the like.
Chaunc.
You are a mad man. I would not binde you, but that I must needes hauehave somewhat to shewe for your deliueraunce. Then he called ij. of my neighbours, Thomas Daniel and Saunders Maybe, which offered themselues to be bounde, and called me before them, and sayd: I hauehave a letter of his own hand wryting with his name and seale at it, with a booke also againste the Regiment of women, for the which I coulde make him to be hanged, drawen, & quartered, but on my faith I will him no more hurt, then I meane to mine owne soule.
Lith.
I desire you that be my neighbours and frends, that you wil not enter into bondes for me: for you knowe not the danger therof, neither I my selfe: It goeth against my conscience that ye should so doe.
Chaunc.
Why I wil not binde you to do any thing against your conscience.
Neighbours.
His neighbours … into bonde for him.Then they made the bonde and sealed to it, and willed me yt I shoulde seale to it also: and I saide that I would not, neither could I obserue the bond, and therfore I would not set too my hand.
Chaunc.
It is pitie that thou hast so much fauour shewed thee: yet for these honest mens sake I wil discharge thee.
Notwithstanding all these dissembling woords of maister Darbishire, pretending for fauoure of his sureties to set him at libertye, it was no suche thing, nor anye zeale of charitie yt mooued him so to do, but onelyonly feare of the time, vnderstanding the daungerous and vnrecouerable sicknesse of Queene Mary, which then began somwhat to asswage the cruel proceedings of thes… persecutors, wherby they durst not do that they would: for els Lithall was not like to hauehave escaped so easily.
Edward Grew.
MOreouer, there was one Edward Grewe priest, and Appline his wife,Edward Grew, and Appline his vvyfe. compelled to flie from theyr dwelling at a Towne called Broke: and the man being verye aged, trauailed abroade to keepe a good conscience.
At the last he was taken and laid in Colchester Castle, where he remained till Quene Elizabeth came to her regal seat, and by the alteration of Religion he was deliuered. His wife, good womā, was in great care for him, and to her power did what she could to succour him.