Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Examination 3
The examination of Rafe Allerton at his seconde apprehension, appearing before the Bishop of London at Fulham, the 8. day of Aprill. An. 1557. wrytten by him selfe, wyth his owne bloud.
BOner.
Ah syrrha, howe chaunceth it that you are come hether againe on this fashion?T…e examination of … Allerton. I dare say thou art accused wrongfully.
Rafe.
Yea my Lord, so I am. For if I were guilty of such things as I am accused off, then I would be very sorie.
Boner.
By sainct Marie that is no… wel done. But let me heare: Art thou an honest man? for if I can proue no heresie by thee, then shall thine accusers doe thee no harme at all. Goe too, lette me heare thee: For I did not beleeue the tale to be true.
Rafe.
My Lorde, who doeth accuse me? I pray you let me know, and what is mine accusation, that I may answere thereunto.
Boner.
Ah, wilt thou so? Before God, if thou hast not dissembled, then thou needest not to be afraide, nor ashamed to aunswer for thy selfe. But tell me in faith, hast thou not dissembled.
Rafe.
If I cannot hauehave mine accusers to accuse me before you, my conscience doth constrain me to accuse my self before you: For I confesse that I hauehave grieuously offended God in my dissimulatiō at my last being before your lordship, for the which I am right sorrie, as God knoweth.
Boner.
Wherein I pray thee, diddest thou dissemble, when thou wast before me?
Rafe.
Forsooth my Lord, if your lordsh. remēber, I did set my hand vntounto a certain writing, the contents wherof (as I remember) were, yt I did beleue in all things as the catholike churche teacheth. &c. In ye which I did not disclose my minde, but shamefully dissembled, because I made no difference betwene the true church and the vntrue church.
Bon.
Nay, but I pray thee let me heare more of this gear. For I fear me yu wilt smel of an hereticke anone. Which is the true church, as thou saiest? Dost thou not call the heretikes church ye true church, or ye catholike church of Christ? Now which of these 2. are the true church, saiest thou? Go too: for in faith I will know of thee ere I leaue thee.
Rafe.
As concerning the church of heretikes, I vtterly abhorre ye same, as detestable and abhominable before God, with all their enormities and heresies: and the church catholicke is it that I onelyonly embrace, whose doctrine is sincere, pure and true.
Boner.
By s. Augustine, but that is wel said of thee. For by God almighty, if thou haddest allowed the church of heretikes, I would hauehave burned thee with fire for thy labour.
Morton.
Then said one Morton a Priest: My Lorde, you know not yet what church it is that he calleth catholicke. I warrant you he meaneth naughtely enough.
Boner.
Thinke you so? Now by our blessed Lady, if it be so, he might hauehave deceiued me. How say you syrrha, which is the catholicke church.
Rafe.
Euen that which hath receiued the wholsome sound, spoken of Esay, Dauid, Malachie, and Paule, with many other moe. The which sounde, as it is wrytten, hath gone throughout all the earthe in eueryevery place, & vntounto the endes of the worlde.
Boner.
Yea, thou sayest true before God. For this is the sound that hath gone throughout all Christendom, and he that beleeueth not the sound of the holy church, as S. Cyprian saith, doth erre. For he saieth, that whosoeuer is out of the Churche, is like vntounto them that were out of Noes ship when the flud came vponupon al the whole world: so that the Arke of Noe is likened vntounto the church: and therefore thou hast wel said in thy confession. For the churche is not alone in Germanie, nor was here in England in the time of the late schismes, as the heretikes doe affirme. For if the church should be there alone, then were Christe a lier. For he promised that the holy Ghost should come to vsus, leade vsus into all truth, yea, and remaine with vsus vntounto the ende of the world. So now if we wil take Christ for a true sayer, then must we needes affirme, that the waye whyche is taught in Fraunce, Spaine, Italie, Flanders, Denmark, Scotland, and all Christendome ouer, must needes be the true catholicke church.
Rafe.
My Lord, if you remember, I spake of al the world, as it is wrytten, and not of all Christendome only, as me thinke your Lordship taketh it, the whiche kinde of speaking you doe not finde in al the Bible. For sure I am that the Gospel hath bene both preached and persecuted in all lands: First in Iewrie by the Scribes and Phariseis, and since that time by Nero, Dioclesian and such like, & nowe here in these our daies by, your Lordship knoweth whō.He meaneth belyke B…ne… and his f…llo…es. For truth it is that the church which you call Catholicke, is none otherwise Catholike then was figured in Caine, obserued of Ieroboam, Ahab, Iezabell, Nabuchadonozor, Antiochus, Herode, wyth innumerable more of the like: and as both Daniell and Esdras maketh mention of these last daies by a plaine prophecie, and now fulfilled as appeareth, and affirmed by our Sauiour Christe, and hys Apostles, saying: There shall come greeuous wolues to deuour the flocke.
Boner.
Nowe, by the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar, M. Morton, he is the rankest hereticke that euer came before me. How say you? hauehave you heard the like.
Morton.
I thought what he was my Lord, at the first, I.
Boner.
Now by all Halowes thou shalt be brent with …ire for thy lying, thou horeson verlette and prickelouse th…. Dost thou finde a prophecie in Dan. of vsus: nay you knaue it is of you that he speaketh off, and of your false preten…d holinesse. Go too, lette me heare what is the saying of Esdras, and take heede ye make not a lie, I aduise you.
Rafe.
The saying of Esdras is this: the heat of a great multitude is kindled ouer you, 4. Esdr. 16.and they shall take away certaine of you, and feede the Idols with you, and hee that consenteth vntounto them, shall be had in derision, laughed to scorne, and troden vnderunder foote: yea they shall be like mad men, for they shall spare no man: they shall spoile and wast such as feare the Lord &c.
Boner.
And hauehave you taken thys thinge to make youre market good? Ah syrrha, wilt thou so? by my Faith a … instruction, and a necessary thing to be taught among the people. By my trouth I thinke there be no more of thys opinion. I pray thee tell me? Is there any that vnderstā deth this scripture on this fashion? Before God, I thinke there be none in all England, but thou.
Rafe.
Yes my Lord, there are in England three religions.Three sortes of religion in England.
Boner.
Saist thou so? which be those three?
Rafe.
The first is that whiche you holde: the seconde is cleane contrary to the same: and the thirde is an Neuter, being indifferent, that is to say, obseruing all things that are commaunded, outwardly, as though he were of your part, his heart being set wholy against the same.
Boner.
And of these three which art thou? for nowe thou must needes be of one of them.
Rafe.
Yea my Lord, I am of one of them: and that which I am of, is euen that which is contrary to that which you teach to be beleeued vnderunder paine of death.
Boner.
Ah syr, you were here with me at Fulham, and had good cheare, yea and mony in your purse when you went away, and by my faith I had a fauour vntounto thee, but now I see thou wilt be a naughtie knaue. Why, wilt thou take vponupon thee to read the Scripture, and canst not vnderstād neuer a woorde? For thou hast brought a text of scripture, the which maketh cleane against thee. For Esdras speaketh of ye multitude of you heretickes, declaring your hate against the catholicke Churche, making the simple or idle people that beleeue that all is idolatrie that we do, and so intise them away vntill you hauehave ouercome them.
Rafe.
Nay not so my Lord. For he maketh it more plaine, and sayth on this wise: They shall take away their goodes, The place of Esdra… explaned.and put them oute of their houses, and then shall it be knowen who are my chosen (sayth the Lord) for they shal be tried, as the siluer or gold is in the fire. And we see it so come to passe, euen as he hath sayd. For who is not now driuen from house & home, yea and his goodes taken vp for other menne that neuer swette for them, if hee doe not obserue as you command and set foorth? Or els, if he be taken, then must he either deny the truth, as I did, in dissembling, or els he shal be sure to be tried, as Esdras sayeth, euen as the golde is tried in the fire. Whereby all the worlde may knowe that you are the bloudy church, figured in Caine the tyraunte, neither yet are ye able to auoide it.
Morton.
I promise you my Lorde, I like hym better nowe then euer I did, when he was heere before you the other time. For then hee did but dissemble, as I perceiued well inough: but nowe me thinke he speaketh plainly.
Bon
Mary syr, as you say in dede, he is plaine. For he is a plaine heretike and shalbe burned. HaueHave ye knaue away. Let him be caried to little ease at London, vntil I come.
Rafe.
And so was I caried to London vntounto Little case, and there remained that nighte, and on the next morrowe I appeared before him againe, the Deane of Paules and the Chauncellour of London being present.Anno 1556. September.Then were brought foorth certaine wrytings that I had set my hand vntounto.
Boner.
Come on your wayes, syrha. Is not thys youre hand,All…ton charged with his o…ne hand writing. and this, and this?
Rafe.
Yea, they are my hande all of them: I confesse the same, neither yet will I denie any thing that I hauehave sette my hand vntounto. But if I hauehave sette my hand to anye thing that is not lawfull, therefore am I sorie. Neuerthelesse, my hand I will not deny to be my doing.
Boner.
Well sayde. Nowe yee must tell mee: Were you neuer at the Churche since you went from mee, at Masse and Mattens? &c.
Rafe.
No my Lorde, not at Masse, Mattens, nor none other straunge woorshipping of God.
Boner.
Yea, sayest thou so? Wast thou neither at thyne owne parish church, nor at none other? And doest thou also say, that it is a straunge worshipping? Why I praye thee, wilt thou not beleeue the Scripture to be true?
Rafe.
Yes my Lorde, I beleeue the Scripture to be true, and in the defence of the same I entend to geue my life, rather then I will deny any part thereof, God willing.
Deane.
My Lorde, this fellow will be an honest man, I heare by him. He will not stand in his opinion: for he sheweth himselfe gentle and pacient in his talke.
Boner.
Oh, he is a glorious knaue. His painted termes shall no more deceiue me. Ah horeson Prickelouse, doeth not Christ say: This is my body? And howe darest thou deny these woordes, for to say as I hauehave a wryting to shew, and thine owne hand at the same? Lette me see, wilt thou deny this? Is not this thine owne hande?
Rafe.
Yes my Lord, it is mine owne hand, neyther am I ashamed thereof, because my confession therein is agreeable to Gods woorde. And where as you doe laye vntounto my charge that I shoulde denye the woordes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ: Oh good Lord, from whence commeth this rash, hastie, and vntrue iudgement? Forsooth not from the spirite of truthe: for he leadeth men into all truthe, and is not the father of liers. Whereupon should your Lordship gather or say of me so diffamously? Wherefore I beseeche you, if I denie the Scriptures Canonicall, or anye parte thereof, then let me die.
Tie the Priest.
Syr Thomas Tye, lately turned to his …ome…, thirsteth for bloud.My Lord, he is a very sedicious fellow, and perswadeth other men to doe as he himselfe doth, contrary to the order appoynted by the Queenes highnesse and the Clergie of this Realme. For a great sorte of the parish will be gathered one day to one place, and an other day to an other place to heare him: so that very fewe commeth to the Church to heare diuine seruice: and this was not onelyonly before that he was taken and brought vntounto the Councell, but also since his retourne home againe, he hath done much harme. For where both men and women were honestly disposed before, by Saint Anne, now are they as ill as he almoste. And furthermore, hee was not ashamed to withstande me before all the Parish, saying that we were of the malignant churche of Antichrist, and not of the true Church of Christ, alledging a great manye of Scriptures to serue for his purpose, saying: Good people, take heede, and beware of these bloudthirsty dogges. &c. And then I commaunded the Constable to apprehend hym, and so he did. Neuerthelesse after thys apprehension, the Constable let him goe about his businesse all the next day, so that wythout putting in of suerties, he lette him go into Suffolke and other places, for no goodnesse, I warrante you my Lorde: It were almes to teache suche Officers theyr duetie, howe they should let such rebels go at their owne libertie, after that they be apprehended and taken, but to keepe them fast in the stockes vntill they bring them before a Iustice.
Rafe.
As I sayde before, so say I nowe againe: thou arte not of the Churche of Christe, and that will I prooue, if I may be suffered. And where you said, that you commaunded the Constable to apprehende mee, you did so in deede contrary to the Lawes of this Realme,Allerton apprehended, contrary to the lawes of the realme. hauing neither to lay vntounto my charge, Treason, Fellonie, nor murther: no neither had you Precept, Processe, nor Warrante to serue on me, and therefore I say, without a law was I apprehended. And whereas you seeke to trouble the Constable, because he kept mee not in the stockes three dayes & three nightes, it doth shewe a parte what you are. And my going into Suffolke was not for any euill, but only to buye halfe a bushell of corne for bread, for my poore wife & children, knowing that I had no longer time to tarrye wyth them. But if I had runne away, then you woulde surely hauehave laid somewhat to his charge.
Boner.
Goe to, thou art a Marchant in deede. Ah syrrha, before God thou shalt be burnt with fire. Thou knowest Richard Roth, doest thou not? Is hee of the same minde that thou art off or no? canst thou tell.
Rafe.
He is of age to answer: let him speake for himselfe: for I heare say that he is in your house.
Boner.
Loe what a knaue heere is. Goe Clunie, fetche me Roth hither. By my trouth he is a false knaue:Allerton charged with Relaps. but yet thou art woorse then he. Ah Syrha, did not you sette your hand to a wryting, the tenoure whereof was, that if thou shoulde any time say or doe heretically, then it shoulde be lawfull for mee to take thee as a Relaps, and to proceede in sentence against thee?
Rafe.
Yea, that is so. But heere is to be asked whether it be sufficient, that my hād or name wryting be able to geue authoritie to you or to any other to kill mee. For if I, by wryting canne doe so muche, then must my authoritye be greater then yours. Neuerthelesse, I hauehave neither sayde nor done heretically, but like a true Christian man hauehave I behaued my selfe. And so I was committed into prison againe, and the 24. day of the same month, I was brought before the Bishop, the Lord North, D. Story and others, and after a long talke in Latine amongst themselues (vntounto the which I gaue no answere, because they spake not to mee, although they spake of me) at the last the Byshoppe sayde.
Boner.
How say you syrrha? tell me briefly at one woord, wilt thou be contented to goe to Fulham with me, & there to kneele thee downe at masse, shewing thy self outwardly as though thou didst it with a good wil? Go to, speake.
Rafe.
I will not say so.
Boner.
Away with him, away with him.
The 2. day of May I was brought before the byshop, and three noble men of the counsell,Allerton brought agayne before Boner & certayn… Lordes. whose names I doe not remember.
Boner.
Lo my Lordes, the same is this fellowe that was sent vntounto me from the Counsell, and did submit himselfe, so that I had halfe a hope of him: but by S. Anne I was alwayes in doubt of him. Neuerthelesse he was with me, and fared well, and when I deliuered him, I gaue hym money in his purse. How sayest thou? was it not so, as I tell my Lordes heere?
Rafe.
In deede my Lorde, I hadde meate and drynke enough: but I neuer came in bed all the while. And at my departing you gaue mee xij.d. howe be it I neuer asked none, nor would hauehave done.
A Lorde.
Be good to him my Lorde. Hee will be an honest man.
Boner.
Before God, howe should I trust him? He hathe once deceiued me already. But ye shall heare what he wil say to the blessed Sacrament of the altare. Howe say you sirha? after the woordes of consecration be spoken by the priest, there remaineth no bread, but the very bodye of our sauiour Iesus Christ, God and man, and none other substance, vnderunder the forme of bread?
Rafe.
Where finde you that, my Lord, wrytten?
Boner.
Lo Syr. Why? Doeth not Christ saye: This is my body? Howe sayest thou? Wilt thou denye these woordes of our Sauiour Christ? Or els, was he a dissembler, speaking one thing, and meaning an other? Goe to, nowe I hauehave taken you.
Rafe.
Yea my Lord, you hauehave taken me in dede, and will kepe me vntill you kill me. How be it my Lord,Transubstantiation. I maruel why you leaue out the beginning of the institution of the supper of our Lord? For Christ sayde: Take yee, and eate yee, this is my bodye. And if it will please you to ioyne the former woordes to the latter, then shall I make you an aunswer. For sure I am that Christe was no dissembler, neyther did he say one thing, and meane an other.
Boner.
Why? Then must thou needes saye, that it is hys body: for he sayeth it him selfe, and thou confessest that he will not lie.
Rafe.
No my Lorde: he is true, and all menne are lyers. Notwithstanding, I vtterly refuse to take the woordes of our Sauior, so fantastically as you teach vsus to take them: for then should we conspire with certaine heretickes, called the Nestorians: for they denie that Christ hadde a true naturall body, and so me thinke you doe, my Lord. If you wil affirm his body to be there, as you say he is, then must you needes also affirme, that it is a fantasticall bodye, and therfore looke to it for Gods sake, and let these wordes go before: Take yee, and eate ye, without which wordes the rest are sufficient: but when the worthy receiuers do take and eat, euen then is fulfilled the words of our Sauiour, vntounto him, or eueryevery of them, that so receiueth.
Boner.
Ah,Bishop Boners parable. I see well thou canste not vnderstand these woordes: I will shewe thee a Parable. If I should set a peece of beefe before thee, and say, eate: is it no beefe? And then take part of it away, & send it to my cooke, and he shal change the fashion thereof, and make it looke like breade. What wouldest thou saye that it were no Beefe, because it hath not the fashion of beefe?
Rafe.
Let me vnderstand a little further my Lorde: shall the Cooke adde nothing therunto, nor take nothing there from?
Boner.
What is that to the matter, whether he do or no, so long as the shape is changed into an other likenesse?
Rafe.
Ah, will you so my Lord? your Sophistrie will not serue: the truth wil hauehave the victorie, neuerthelesse, as Esay sayth:… He that restraineth himselfe from euill, must be spoyled.…. 5. And Amos hath suche like woordes also. For the wise must be faine to holde their peace: so wicked a time it is, sayth he. Neuertheles he that can speake the truth, and will not, shall geue a strait accounts for the same.
A Doctor.
By my Lords leaue, here me thinks thou speakest like a foole. Wilt thou be a iudge of the scripture. Nay thou must stand to learne, and not to teache: for the whole congregation hath determined the matter long agoe.
A priest
No by your leaue, we hauehave a Church, and not a cong…egation. You mistake that worde, master Doctor.
Rafe.
Then sayd I to my fellowe prisoners standing by: My brethren, doe yee not heare howe these men helpe one an other? Let vsus doe so also. But we neuer came all in together after that time, but seuerallye one after an other. Then was I caried away for that time. The xix. daye of May I was brought before the Bishop of Rochester, and Chichester with others.
B Rochest.
Were you a companion of George Eagles, otherwise called Trudgeouer? My Lord of London telleth me that you were his fellow companion.
Rafe.
I know him very well, my Lord.
Rochest.
By my faith I had him once, and then hee was as dronke as an Ape, for he stonke so of drinke, yt I coulde not abide him, and so sent him away.
Rafe.
My Lorde, I dare saye you tooke your markes amisse. It was either your selfe or some of your own companie: for he did neither drinke Wine, Ale, nor Beere in a quarter of a yeare before that time, and therefore it was not he forsooth.
The rest of mine examinations you shal hauehave when I am condemned, if I can hauehave any time after my comming into Newgate, the which I trust shall touch the matter a great deale more plainly: for ye pithie matters are yet vnwrytten. Thus fare you well good frendes all. Yea I say, farewel for euer in this present world. Greete yee one an other, and be ioyfull in the Lord. Salute ye good widowes among you, with all the rest of the congregation in Barfold, & Dedham, and Colchester.
This promise of hys, being either not perfourmed, for yt he might not thereto be permitted, or els if he did wryte the same not comming to my hands, I am faine in the rest of his examinations to follow the only report of the Register: who witnesseth that the 15. day of May. An. 1557. in the Byshops palace at London, he was examined vppon certaine interrogatories, the contents wherof be these.
FIrst, that he was of the parish of Muchbentley, and so of the Diocesse of London.… Rafe Allerton.
Secondly, that the 10. daye of Ianuarie then last past, M. Iohn Morant preaching at Paules, the said Rafe Allerton did there openly submit himselfe vntounto the Churche of Rome, with the rites and Ceremonies thereof.
Thirdly, that he did consent and subscribe aswell vntounto the same submission, as also to one other bil, in ye which he graunted, that if he should at any time turn againe vntounto his former opinions, it shoulde be then lawfull for the Bishop immediately to denounce and adiudge hym as an hereticke.
Fourthly, that he had subscribed to a bill, wherein hee affirmed, that in the sacrament, after the woordes of consecration be spok…n by the Priest, there remaineth still materiall bread and materiall wine: and that he beleueth that the bread is the breade of thankesgeuing, and the memoriall of Christes death: and that when he receiueth it, he receiueth the body of Christ spiritually in his soule, but materiall bread in substaunce.
Fiftly, that he had openly affirmed, and also aduisedly spoken that which is contained in the sayde former fourth article last before specified.
Sixthly, that hee hadde spoken against the Bishop of Rome, wyth the Church and Sea of the same, and also against the seuen Sacraments and other Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the same Churche, vsed then wythin thys Realme.
Seuenthly, that hee had allowed and commended the opinions and faith of M. Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, and others of late burned within this Realme, and beleeued that theyr opinions were good and godly.
Eightly, that he hadde diuers times affirmed that the religion vsed within this realme at the time of his apprehension, was neither good nor agreeable to Gods woord, and that he coulde not conforme himselfe thereunto.
Ninthly, that he had affirmed, that the booke of Common prayer sette foorth in the raigne of king Edward the vj. was in all partes good and godly: and yt the sayd Rafe and his company prisoners, did daily vse amongst themselues in prison some part of the booke.
Tenthly, that hee had affirmed, that if hee were out of prison, he would not come to Masse, Mattins, nor Euensong, nor beare Taper, Candle, or Palme, nor goe in procession, nor would receiue holy water, holy breade, ashes, or paxe, or any other ceremonie of the Churche then vsed within this Realme.
Eleuenthly, that he had affirmed, that if he were at libertie, he would not confesse his sinnes to any Priest, nor receiue absolution of him: nor yet would receiue the Sacrament of the altar, as it was then vsed.
Twelfly, that he had affirmed, that praying to saints, and prayers for the deade, were neither good nor profitable, and that a man is not bounde to fast and praye, but at his owne wil and pleasure, neither that it is lawful to reserue the Sacrament, or to woorship it.
Thirtenthly, that the sayd Allerton hath, according to these his affirmations, abstained & refused to come vntounto his parishe Churche euer sithens the 10. day of Ianuarie last, or to vse, receiue or alow any ceremonies, sacramēts, or other rites then vsed in the church.
To all these Articles he answeared affirmatiuely, denieng precisely none of them: sauing to this clause contained in the 12. article, that a man is not bounde to fast and pray but at his owne will & pleasure, he sayde that he had affirmed no such thing, but he confessed that he had not fasted nor prayed so oft as he was bounde to doe. And vntounto this answer he also subscribed in this sorte.
Except it be prooued otherwise by the holy Scripture, I doe affirme these articles to be true. By me Rafe Allerton.
The next examination was the fourth daye of Iulie. The actes whereof, because they do appeare more amply in hys other examination, had the 10. daye of September, I doe heere omit, geuing you farther to vnderstande, that vppon the seuenth daye of the same monethmonth of Iulie, hee was brought before Doctor Darbishiere in the Byshops Palace, who examined him againe vppon the former Articles, and after perswaded him to recant, threatning hym that otherwise he should be burned. To whome he boldly answeared: I woulde I mighte be condemned euen to morrowe: for I perceiue my Lord (meaning Boner) doth nothing but seeke mennes bloud. Uppon whiche sayinge Darbishire committed him againe to prisone, and the 10. day of September, the Bishop caused him (with the other thre aboue named) to be brought vntounto Fulham, and there in his priuate Chappell wythin his house, hee iudiciallye propounded vntounto him certaine other newe Articles: of the whyche, the tenours of the first, fifte, sixte, and seuenth are already mentioned in the seconde, thirde, and fourthe former obiections: as for the rest, the contentes thereof here followeth.
Thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie, but that the Information geuen against thee, and remaining now in the Actes of this court of thine Ordinarie, Edmunde Bishop of London, was and is a true information.
This information was geuen by Tho. Tie,Persecutours. Curate of Bentley (of whome yee hauehave already heard) and certaine other of the same parishe and affinitie: as namelye Iohn Painter, William Harris, Iohn Barker, Iohn Carter, Thomas Candeler, Ieffrey Bestwoode, Iohn Richarde, Richard Meere.
The effect whereof was, that one Laurence Edwards of Bentley aforesayde, had a child that was vnchristened,Information geuen agaynst Rafe Allerton, by Syr Thomas Tye Priest, a wicked …. and being demaunded by the sayde Tye, whye hys childe was not Baptised, he made aunsweare it should be when he coulde finde one of his religion (meaning a true professour of Christes gospell) Whereat the Curate sayd: Ah, ye hauehave hadde some instructer that hathe schooled yo… of late. Yea (quoth the sayd Edwardes) that I hauehave: and if youre doctrine be better then his, then I will beleeue you: and therewithall fondly offered to fetch him.
Wherupon the Cōstable going with him, they brought before the said curate the said Rafe Allerton: of whome in this information they make this reporte that he was a seditious person, who sithens his comming down from the bish. had set vponupon the Constables doore certaine seditious Letters, moouing and perswading thereby the people to folow his malicious disobedience: and that these his perswasions had taken effecte in manye: And farther, that the saide Rafe Allerton (ye Curate asking him whether he had instructed thys Laurence Edwardes that it was agaynst Gods commandement to enter into the church) casting abroad his hands, should say. Oh good people, now is fulfilled the saying of the godly Priest and Prophet Esdras, who sayeth: The fire of a multitude is kindled against a fewe: they hauehave taken away their houses, 4. Esdr. 16.& spoiled their goods. &c. Which of you all hauehave not seen this day, who is he here amongest you, that seeth not all these things done vponupon vsus this day. The church which they call vsus vntounto, is ye church of Antichrist, a persecuting church, and the church malignant. With these and many mo words (said they most maliciously and falsly alledged out of the Scriptures, he thus perswaded a great multitude there present (as muche as in him lay) vntounto disobedience. For the which cause ye constables did then apprehend him.
3. Item, thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie, but that the letter sent vntounto me by my Lorde Darcie, beginning wyth these woordes (pleaseth it your Lordship. &c.) was thine owne letter, and was subscribed by thine owne hand.
The contents of the letter mentioned in this Article, and wrytten by Allerton, vntounto the Lorde Darcie, was a confession of his demeanor before his first apprehension: the effect and purport whereof because it appeareth in the beginning of this his Historie, I doe heere omit.
4. Item, thou Rafe Allerton canst not deny, but that the other letter, sent also to me from my said Lord Darcy, beginning thus (pleaseth it youre Lordship. &c.) and ending with these woordes (whensoeuer it be) is thine owne very letter, and subscribed with thine owne hand.
This was also an other letter wrytten by hym vntounto the Lorde Darcie, the contents whereof were, that where the said Lorde had commaunded him to declare where he had bene euer sithens Whitsontide last before hys first apprehension, this was to certifie his Lordship, that he was not able so to do, otherwise then as he had already shewed him by his former letters. And moreouer, where as hee charged him to hauehave read vntounto the people abroade in the woodes, he certified him that he did neuer read any thyng abroad, sauing once whē he was in the cōpany of George Eagles and others, Richarde Roth tooke a wryting out of his bosome, and desired the saide Rafe to read it, which request heethen accomplished: and demaunding of hym whose doing the same was, the said Roth told that it was maister Cranmers, late Archbishop of Canterburie: and farther he could not shew him. Neuertheles he was ready, and willing to suffer such punishment as his lordship should thinke meete, desiring yet that the same myghte be with fauour and mercye, although hee feared neither punishment nor death, praying the Lord, that it might be in his feare, when soeuer it should be.
8. Item, thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie, but that the letters wrytten with bloud, beginning with these words (Grace, mercy and peace. &c. and ending thus.) Farewell in God) remaining nowe Registred in the Actes of thys Court, were wrytten voluntarily with thine owne hand.
He wrote this letter in the prison with bloud for lacke of other inke, and did meane to send the same vntounto Agnes Smith, alias Siluerside, at that time imprisoned, and afterwardes burned at Colchester for the testimonie of the Gospell of Christe, as before is mencioned. The Copie of which letter heere ensueth.