Whole Works, Tract 2

Whole Works · Tract 2

p. 205The cauſe of my condemnation.

MOſte gracious Prince, y^e your grace ſhoulde knowe what cauſe of hereſye the Byſhops had agaynſt me, for y^e which, they ſo vncharitablye, and ſo cruelly hath caſt me away. Therefore hauehave I ſet out y^e articles y^e were layde agaynſt me. And as they were layd agaynſt me, as I will bée reported by their owne actes and bookes. The which articles doubtles were vncharitably, & falſly gathered agaynſt me, in a ſermon y^e I made in Cābridge, in S. Edwardes Churrh. …. 1525. die, 14. De…bris.Wherfore I will beſéech your grace, with all méekenes, & lowlynes, to bée my gracious Lord, & Prince. And not to ſuffer me thus ſhamefully, & cruelly, agaynſt all law, & conſcience, vtterly to bée vndone, & caſt away. But of your moſt highe goodnes to ſuffer me to come to mine aunſwere, and then, if I can not iuſtifie my cauſe I will be at your gracious commaundement, to bée puniſhed after right, and conſcience.

IF thou beléeue, that thou art more The firſt Article.boūd to ſerue God to morow which is Chriſtmas day, or of eaſter day, or of whitſonday, for an holynes that is in one day more then in an other, then art thou no faythfull chriſtean man, but ſuperſticious, And S. Paule is Galat. 5.Gal 5againſt thée, ſaying: You doe obſerue dayes, yeares, monthes, and tydes. For vntounto a faythfull chriſtean man, eueryevery day ought to bée Chriſtmas day Eaſter day, and whitſonday. The Why holy dayes were ordeined.which thinge the fathers conſidering that thou diddeſt not obſerue, yea, & that thou wouldeſt neuer obſerue, if it were lefte to thy iudgmēt, becauſe thou art geuen ſo much to worldly buſineſſes, For that cauſe they hauehave aſſigned thee certaine dayes to come to p. 206the certayn dayes to come to y^e church to pray togither, to heare the worde of God togither, and to receaue the bleſſed ſacramēt togither. what faulte fynde you in this article? becauſe I There is not one day of it ſelfe higher or better then an other.ſay, that one daye is not holyer then an other? I pray you what is y^e cauſe or what nature is in one day, that is not in an other, wherby that it ſhould bée holyer then the other? Becauſe (you will ſay) that we halowe the remembraunce of Chriſtes birthe and of Chriſtes reſurrection in one day, and not in an other. This thing I ſay muſt you doe eueryevery daye, for Chriſte is eueryevery day borne, eueryevery day ryſen, eueryevery day aſcended vp. And this muſt you beléeue eueryevery day ſtedfaſtly. This muſt you ſanctifie in your hartes dayly, and not one day.

¶ Now vary we but in this thing. You ſay that we are bound to ſanctifie but one Chriſtmas day in the yeare, and that is ſuperſticiouſnes, & hereſy ſay I, not that I condemne your one day, but that you ſet it to one daye all onelyonly, that we are bound to do eueryevery daye. Briefely, my Lord of Rocheſter alowed this article, ſaying: he would The Byſhop of Rocheſters great and deepe iudgement.not condemne it for hereſy, for an C. li. (this was a great ſūme of money) but it was foliſhely ſayde (quod hée) to preach this afore the butchers of Cambryge, As who ſay, they were all butchers, that were at the ſermon And not y^e moſt parte of y^e vniuerſity. But the byſhop of Bathe aſked me, whether we mighte labour on the holy dayes or not, ſéeing it is written, Thou ſhalt obſerue thy holy day. I Let vsus not playe the Iewes.aunſwered that Chriſten men were not bounde to abſtayne from bodely labour by that commaundement, for it was ſo geuen to the Iewes. And if we were bound to abſtayne from bodely labour by that commaundement then was the kinges grace, and all his councell, my Lorde Cardinall, and all That wold they not doe, if it were againſt gods cōmaundement.his counſell, in the waye of damnation, For they cauſe men to carye their ſtuffe on the holy day, what daye ſo euer it bée, whan they will remoue. At this reaſon all my Lordes were aſtonied, and wiſt not what to ſay: they were loth to cōdemne my Lord Cardinals grace, ſeing he was ſo holy a prelate of Chriſtes church, and that facte they coulde not deneye. Wherfore at y^e laſt, my Lorde of Rocheſter remembred hym ſelfe, and obiected in The Byſhop of Rocheſter agaynſt the Byſhop of Wincheſterthis maner. A goodly reaſon, I will make you a like reaſon, The byſhop of Wincheſter ſuffered y^e ſtues, Ergo the ſtues bée lawfull. At this reaſon I ineruayled much. For I perceyued, that it was as lawfull for our noble Prince to carye ſtuffe on the holy day (which is not agaynſt y^e word of god) as it is for an harlot of y^e ſtnes to liue in open whordome, which is againſt the worde of God. And yet my Lords the byſhops of their greate charitie, & and of their innumerable ſpirituall treaſure ſuffereth agaynſt their conſcience both to bée done.

Briefely it were to longe to recite all the vncharitable maner that they dyd vſe with me. And yet earneſtly I muſt bée condemned poore man for an heretyke. But I will recyte the ſaying of doctours for me, y^e men may ſée how ſhamefully I hauehave erred. Saynt Gallat. 4.Hierome ſayth, Therfore bée certine dayes aſſigned, that we ſhould come togither, not that, that daye, in the whiche we come togither is holyer then an other, but all dayes bée like, All dayes bee alyke.and equall, And Chriſt is not alonely crucified in Paraſceden, and riſen onlye on the ſonday, but the day of reſurrection is alwayes, and alwayes may we eate of our Lordes fleſhe. &c. Here S. Hierome ſayth y^e ſelfe words y^e I ſpake, And of theſe wordes was I moued to ſpeake, as God doth knowe. Alſo S. Auguſtine ſayth, we muſt obſerue the ſabboth day, not y^e Epist. c. xixwe ſhould recken our ſelfe not to labour, but that all thinge that we doe worke well, muſte hauehave an intention to the euerlaſting reſt. Wherfore we muſt obſerue the holy day, not by corporall idlenes, and vntounto the letter, but ſpiritually muſt we reſt from vyces, and concupiſences, wherfore among all the ten commaundementes, that of the ſabboth daye is alonely commaunded to bée figuratiuely obſerued &c. Alſo Tertullyan. The Carnall Aduerſus Iudeos.circumciſion is put away, and extincted p. 207at his time. So likewiſe the obſeruation of the ſabboth day is declared to bée for a tyme, for we muſt kéepe y^e ſabboth day, not alonely the ſeuenth day, but at all tymes, as Eſay ſayth &c. But here my Lorde of Rocheſter ſayde, fyrſte, that I vnderſtode not Tertulian, ſecōdarily, that hée was an heretike. But I paſſe ouer myne aūſwere, for this is but a Lordly worde, and hée could none otherwiſe ſaue his honour, but yet ſtādeth my ſcripture faſt. And S. Hierome, and S. Auguſtine, & alſo their owne law, whoſe wordes be theſe: It is come vntounto me, that certaine men, which bée of an euill Do conſec. diſt. iij. cap. peruenit.ſpirite, hauehave ſowen certaine euill thinges among you, and contrary to the holy faith, ſo that they doe forbid, that men ſhould worke on the Sabboth day. The whiche men, what other thyng ſhall we call them, but the preachers of Antichriſt, the which Antichriſt ſhall make the Sabboth day, and the Sonday bée kept from all maner of worke. &c. This law clearely declareth you to bée Antichriſtes, this is more then I ſayd. I hauehave great marueile, that the Byſhop of Bathe, beyng ſo mighty a Lord in condemning of heretickes, was not learned in this law, ſeyng it is his owne facultie.

NOw dare no mā preach y^e truth, The ſecond article.and the very Goſpell of God, & in eſpeciall they that bée féeble, and fearefull. But I truſt, yea and I pray to God, that it may ſhortly come, that falſe and manifeſt errours may bée plainely ſhewed. There bée certaine men like conditioned to dogges, if there bee any man, that is not theyr countryman, or that they louelove not, or know not, ſay any thing agaynſt them, then cry they, an hereticke, an hereticke, ad ignem, ad ignem. Theſe bée the dogges that feare true preachers. What hereſie finde you in this article? I doe thinke that you doe féele my prayer to bée heards. For doubtles there bée many ſhamefull errours now manifeſtly opened, that at thoſe dayes had béene hereſie to hauehave touched them.

WEe make nowe a dayes many The thyrd article.Martyrs, I truſt wée ſhall hauehave many moe ſhortly. For the viritie coulde neuer bée preached playnely, but perſecution did follow. Here did my Lord of Bathe inquire of mée, if I reckoned them for martyrs, that were burnte at Bruſelles, I anſwered, that I knewe not their cauſe, wherefore they died, but I reckoned as many men to bée martyrs, as were perſecuted, and dyed for the worde of God, but hée ſaide, hée woulde make mée to frye for this. How thinke you by this holy prelate? was not this a charitable argument to refell myne aunſwere with? But this was the ſtrongeſt argument, that euer they vſed. And paraduenture I may ſée the day, that this argument may bée made againſt them.

THeſe lawes, theſe lawyers, theſe The iiij. article.Iuſticiares, that ſay, that a man may lawfully aſke his owne good afore God forgeue them that layd this to me.a Iudge, and contende in iudgement, hauehave deſtroyed all patience, deuotion, and faith in Chriſten people. On this article hangeth alſo y^e nexte.

THis pleading in iudgement, is The fifth article.manifeſtly againſt the Goſpell. Luk. 12. Homo quis conſtituit iudicē. And contrary to S. Paule, Iam omnino delictum eſt &c.

Myne aduerſaries moſt vncharitably layde theſe two articles againſt mée, as though I had condempned the lawemaker, lawe, and execution thereof, whan I onelyonly ſpake agaynſt As it is lawfull for a Chriſten man to demaunde his debt by the order of the law. So is it not lawfull to vexe and ſue vncharitably thoſe in whō there is ſuch neceſſitie as they can not make payment, but rather ſhall periſh and dye in priſon, whiche thyng is agaynſt charitie & therfore it is ſinfull.the vnchariblenes of ſome mē, which rather ſéeke vengeaunce of their brethren, than any right or helpe of the lawe. Nor I ſpeake not againſt all lawyers, or againſt any for pleading iuſtly, after the forme of the lawe: but onelyonly againſt thoſe which taught men, that they were bounde to proſicute the vttermoſt of the lawe, vnderunder the paine of deadly ſinne, were the man neuer ſo poore, and vnlike to pay the debte. Againſt theſe two perſons ſpake I, and againſt none other. For it is not, nor neuer was mine intent, to forbid ſuing at the lawe, for I doe know very well, that maieſtratus is of God. Ergo, it muſt néedes followe that all lawes, hauing probable reaſons of nature, made to conſerue a p. 208common wealth, muſt alſo bée allowed of God, for lawes bée a parte of the power that is inſtituted of God.

Moreouer, S. Paule doth appeale to the Emperour, which is alſo pars litis. And that hée coulde not doe, if ſuing were ſimpliciter, forbidden. Alſo good lawes bée Gods gifts. Wherfore it muſt néedes followe, that wée may lawfully vſe them. But as men may miſuſe cunning, and beautie, ſo may mē alſo miſuſe the excellent gift of the lawes, not that lawes bée euill, but becauſe wée vſe them not to the intent that they were ordayned for. No man doubteth, but in vſing of all Gods creatures, there muſt bée an epykya, that is, a meane, a meaſure, and an order, ſo that no man may therby deſtroy his neighbour againſt the order of charitie, which is a guide and a ruler in vſing of all creatures. As for men to make a rumour in a whole countrey, for a trifle, or els for a mā to ſue his neighbour, which is not able by no meanes to paye hys debte, and ſo vtterly to vndoe hym, and to take none ende with him, but after the extremitie of the lawe: I ſay that this maner of ſutes doe not become Chriſten men. Vbi tranſgreditur equitatis, et charitatis limites. And that all men may clearely perceiue, that theſe onelyonly were both my words and intent. I ſhall rehearſe the occaſion, that moued mée to ſpeake of the lawyers, and ſueters. The cauſe was thys.

There was a poore man dead, and had made an other poore man his executour, and bequethed in his will to a Churche in Cambridge a kettell, worth. ij. s. iiij. d. the which kettel was Extreme law is extreme iuſtice.afterwarde required by the Churche Warden. But this executour beyng a poore man, and not able to geue this bequeſt at that tyme, therefore hée deſired the Church Warden of longer reſpite, but hée could not be heard, for the Church Warden would hauehave the vttermoſt of the law, and ſued him be fore the Commiſſary, and at the laſt, condemned him vntounto priſon, where hée lay, and neither was able to pay his dette, nor to helpe his wife, & children. Now, bicauſe I might doe ſomthing with y^e Church Warden, therefore the poore mans wife came wéeping, and waylyng to me, deſiring me in the way of charitie to ſpeake to the Church Wardē, for to bée good to her poore huſband, wherby I was moued to ſend for this my frend, his name is called Ihon Drake, a mā well knowē in Cambridge, vntounto whom I ſpake in this maner.

Countreyman, I am very ſory to heare of your vncharitable demeanour. Here hath béene w^t mee a poore woman wéepyng, and waylyng, and crying out, howe you hauehave vndone her, her poore huſband, and her miſerable children, for all they hauehave not one bitte of bread, towardes their foode, neither is ſhée able to labour. Wherefore I marueile ſore at you, that you wil bée ſo extreme vntounto poore men, whom God viſited with pouertie, to proue your charity. What mercy will you hauehave at Chriſtes hand? the whiche is ſo extreme vntounto your poore neighbour? whom hée hath bought with his precious bloud. Ʋnto this hée made me aunſwere on this maner, how that thyng pertained not to hym, but vntounto the Church, wherfore The euill counſell of the Doctours of law.hée ſayd, that all Doctours of law did ſay, that they muſt ſue therefore, vnderunder the payne of deadly ſinne. And if it were wrong, why did they learne ſo? Now, I had many wordes with hym betwéene him, and me, as concernyng this maner.

But the next day, when I preached, by the reaſon that the ſelfe ſame mā ſtoode afore me in y^e Church, was I brought to remembraunce of the caſe, that hée, and I had commoned of. And bicauſe I had not clearely cōuerted hym, therfore I recited the caſe in a parable, that no man knew what I meant, but hée, & I. And of this thyng was I moued (as God knoweth) to ſpeake of ſuters, the whiche I thinke in this caſe, no Chriſten man can alow. And therefore I ſay in myne Article, theſe lawyers. Now is there vtterly ſinne among you (ſayth Paule) 1. Cor. 6.1 Cor 6bicauſe you goe to law one with an other, why rather ſuffer you not wrōg? p. 209why rather ſuffer ye not your ſelues to bée robbed? Alſo our maſter ſayth, If any man will ſue at the lawe, and Math. 5.Matt 5take thy coate from thée, let him hauehave thy cloke alſo. May not I ſay theſe wordes? wherfore were they written I doe not condemne ſuing, but in a caſe.by the holy ghoſt? but that they ſhould bée learned? Here our maſter Chriſt, and S. Paule ſpeaketh agaynſt ſuters, no man can denye it, the text is ſo cleare. Now, what ſuyng can bée vnlawfull? if this bée not vnlawfull, againſt the which I did ſpeake? Here is a poore man, wife, and children deſtroyed, and no charitable wayes taken with the poore man, whereby hée might make reſtitution. And my learning ſaith: That Summum ius ſumma iniuria est. Wherefore I will bée iudged by all Chriſten men, if I ought not in this caſe to géeue my frende counſell, not for to ſue. Or whether I bée worthy to bée condemned for an The ſpiritualtie forbiddeth Prieſtes to ſue, in cauſa ſanguinis et tamen non dāpnāt leges Athanaſius.hereticke, becauſe I counſell my frende and brother, rather to ſuffer wrong, than for to vndoe a whole houſholde for a naughtie leude kettel. But let vsus ſée, how the holy doctours that hath written ouer theſe places of ſcripture, doth erpounde them.

Firſt, Athanaſius, on this text of Saint Paule, that I bryng: There is vtterly ſinne among you, that is to ſay, It is to your condemnation, and to your ignomynie, that you doe exerciſe iudicials among you. Wherefore doe you not rather ſuffer wrong? Alſo ſaint Hierome, It is ſinne vntounto S. Hiere. ad Cor. 6.you that you doe againſt the cōmaū demēt of Chriſt, that you hauehave iudgementes among you, the which ought alwayes to kéepe peace, yea, though it were with the loſſe of your temporall goods. Wherefore doe you not rather ſuffer wronge? Where as ye ought by the commaundement of the Theſe doctours wyll not, nor can not deſtroy all iudicialles, but onelyonly, vncharitable ſutes.Goſpell, and by the example of the Lorde, patiently to ſuffer, there doe you the contrary, not all onelyonly not ſuffer, but you doe wrong vntounto them, that doe no wronge. &c. Marke how S. Hierome calleth it a precepte, and a commaundement, and no counſell, and alſo calleth it ſinne to doe againſt this cōmaundement. Likewiſe Haymo ſaith: It is offence and ſinne in Haymo ad Cor. 6.you, that you hauehave iudicials. For accuſation engendreth ſtrife, ſtrife engendreth diſcorde, diſcorde engendreth hatred. And leaſt paraduenture they woulde ſay, this is no ſinne, to require mine owne: Therefore ſayth the Apoſtle: Truely it is ſinne vntounto you, for you doe againſt the cōmaundement Luke. 6.Luke 6of the Lord, the which ſayth: He that taketh away thy good, aſke it not againe. Wherefore doe you not rather ſuffer loſſe? that ye might fulfill the commaundement of the Lord. &c. Marke how hée calleth it the commaundement of God? and it is ſinne to aſke our owne with contention? Now, what hauehave I ſayde in mine article, that holy ſcripture, and alſo holy Doctours do not ſay?

But after this came a Doctour of If it bee a counſell, than can ye not condemne it for hereſie.lawe (whom I knew not) and ſayde, that their lawe had condemned thys epiniō, and declared thoſe ſcriptures to bée but counſels. But I denyed that, and ſayd, I knew no ſuch lawe. And ſodainely Doctour Steuen, now Byſhop of Wincheſter, ſhewed mée their lawe, whoſe wordes bée theſe: Illud euangelij, ſi quis abstulerit. &c. 14. queſt. 1. His ita.non eſt precipientis ſed exhortantis. Now let eueryevery Chriſten man iudge, whether that theſe wordes of theyr lawe bée of ſufficient auctoritie, to refell the holy wordes of Scripture or no? But than came doctour Wolmā, and hée brought this texte. If thy brother doe offende thée, than tell the Church. What is that (ſayd hée) tell the Church? to whom I aunſwered, that this place made not for his purpoſe, aleaging Saint Auguſtine for mée. For it ſpeaketh of the crymes, that ſhould bée reprooued by the congregation, and not of the correction of the temporall ſworde. It alſo foloweth, If hée heare not y^e church, coūte hym as an heathē, and as a publican. This is the vttermoſt payne, that our M. Chriſt aſſigneth there, y^e which is no payne of the temporall lawe. But at this aunſwere, was hée ſore moued and ſayd: if I did abide by it, I ſhould be burnt. This was a ſharp ſentence, of ſo greate a man as hée is. Apppelles p. 210was a ioly wyſe felowe, that ſayd They vnderſtoode myne anſwere ſo well that they were than contēt with mee.once to a ſhomaker, Ne ſutor vltra crepidam. But neuertheles let hym, and them burne as many as they can, yet it is playne, that I hauehave ſpoken neuer a worde, but the holy ſcripture, and holy doctours ſay the ſame, both in ſentence, and in wordes. Wherefore I can not ſée how they can condemne this article, for hereſye, yea, and I dare ſaye for them, that they recken it none hereſy, nor they did not condēne mée for this article.

I Wyll neuer beléeue, nor yet I can neuer beléeue, that one man may be The ſixte article.by the lawe of God a byſhop of 2. or 3. cyties, yea of an whole coūtrey, for it is contrarye to S. Paule, which ſayth, I hauehave left thée behynde, to ſet Tit. 1.Titus 1in eueryevery citye a byſhop. And if you finde in one place of ſcripture, y^e they bée called Epiſcopi, you ſhal finde in diuers other places, that they bée called Perſoiteri.

¶ I was brought afore my Lorde Cardinall into his galary, and there The Cardinall and Doctour Barnes reaſoned togither.hée reade all myne articles, tyll hée came to this, and there hée ſtopped, & ſayde, that this touched hym, and therefore hée aſked me, if I thought it wronge, that one byſhop ſhoulde hauehave ſo many cityes vnderneath hym, vntounto whom I anſwered, that I could no But therefore was. I an heretick.farther goe, then to S. Paules texte, which ſet in eueryevery cytye a byſhop. Then aſked hée mée, if I thought it now vnright (ſéeing the ordinaunce of the church) that one byſhop ſhould hauehave ſo many cities? I aunſwered, y^e I knew none ordinaunce of y^e church (as concerning this thinge) but S. Paules ſayinge onelye. Neuertheles I did ſée a contrary cuſtome and practiſe in the world, but I know not the originall thereof. Then ſayde hée, y^e O ſigmētū.in the Apoſtles tyme, there were dyuers cities, ſome 7. myle, ſome vj. myle long, and ouer them was there ſet but one byſhop, & of their ſubbards alſo. So likewiſe now, a byſhop hath but one citye to his cathedrall churche and the country about, is as ſubbards vntounto it. Me thought this was farre fetched, but I durſt not denye it, becauſe it was ſo greate auctorite, and of ſo holy a father, and of ſo greate a If I fayned ſut… thynge … ſhoulde bee an heretick.deuine. But this dare I ſay, that his holynes could neuer proue it by ſcripture, nor yet by any auctorite of doctours, nor yet by any practiſe of the Apoſtles, and yet it muſt bée true, becauſe a piller of the church hath ſpoken it. But let vsus ſée what y^e doctours ſay to myne article. Athanaſius doth Athanaſius.declare this text of the Apoſtle, I hauehave left thée behinde. &c. Hée woulde not commit vntounto one bythop a whole ylde but hée did inioyne, that eueryevery cytye ſhoulde hauehave his proper paſtor, ſuppoſing, y^e by this meanes they ſhoulde more diligently ouer ſée the people, & and alſo that y^e labour ſhould bée more eaſye to beare. &c. Alſo Chriſoſtome Chriſoſtome.on that ſame texte. Hée would not y^e a whole countrey ſhoulde bée permitted vntounto one man, but hée enioyned vntounto eueryevery mā his cure, by y^e meanes hée knew, that the labour ſhoulde bée more eayſye, and the ſubiectes ſhould bée with more diligēce gouerned, if the teachers were not diſtract with y^e gouerning of many churches, but had cure, and charge of one church onelyonly. &c. Mée thinketh theſe bée plaine wordes, and able to moue a man to ſpeak aſmuche as I did. But graunte, that you may hauehave all theſe cities, yet can you make it none hereſy. For my lord Cardinall graunted, that it was but agaynſt hym, and againſt you, which bée no Gods. But I poore man muſt bée an heretike, there is no remedy, you will hauehave it ſo. And who is able to ſay nay? Not all ſcripture, nor yet God hymſelfe.

IT can not bée proued by ſcripture, The vij. article.that a man of the churche ſhoulde hauehave ſo greate temporall poſſeſſions. But they will ſay, if they had not ſo great poſſeſſions, they could not kepe ſo many ſeruantes, ſo many dogges, ſo many horſes, as 40. or 50. & maintayne ſo great pompe, and pride, and liue ſo deliciouſly, what hereſye fynde you in this? Is it hereſye to ſpeake againſt your horſes, and your houndes and your abhominable lyuing? And doubtles, I did not ſay, but that you p. 211myght hauehave poſſeſſions, all onelyonly I ſpake againſt the ſuperfluouſnes, and the abuſe of them, for the which all y^e world wondereth on you. What miſchiefe is there in the worlde vſed, y^e is more clerely, and openly knowen, then that you doe abuſe the goodes of the Church? And yet muſt I bée cō demned for an heretyke, for ſpeaking againſt it. Alas, doe you thinke, that God will ſuffer this violence, that you doe vſe agaynſt poore men? I will ſtād in y^e daunger, & proue how his Godly maieſty ſhall iudge this matter béetwéene you and mée I dare truſt hym with it.

SUre I am, that they can not by the The viij. article.law of God, hauehave any iuriſdiction ſeculer, and yet they chalēge both powers, which if they hauehave, why doe they not put them both in vſe? For they muſt ſay, as the Iewes ſayde, we may kill no man. This is the article, that dyd byte you, for you can not bée content with the office of a byſhop, but you will bée alſo kynges. Howe that ſtandeth with Gods lawe, and with your othe, I hauehave declared it to our noble prince. I doubt not, but hée will put you to the tryall of it. HaueHave not you this many yeres condemned Officicers bee but byſhops hangmen, God amende it.many a poore man, & then deliuered hym to the temporall power to be put to death, which knew nothing of his cauſe? And if hée would, y^e yée ſhoulde put hym to death your ſelfe, then anſwered yée, how you might kyll no man. So y^t they were alwayes your hangmen.

THey ſay they bée the ſucceſſours of The ix. article.Chriſt and of his Apoſtles, but I can ſée them folow none, but Iudas. For they beare the purſe, and hauehave all the money. And if they had not ſo great poſſeſſions, I am ſure an. C. would ſpeake agaynſt them, where now dare not one, for loſſe of promotion. As for this article I will ouercome you with the witnes of all the world, you may well condemne it for hereſie, but it is as true as your Pater noſter. Iudas ſolde our ma…ter but once, and you ſell him as often as hée commeth in your handes. But I would it were that yée coulde proue mée a lyer, and that you folowed any of the Apoſtles ſauing Iudas onelyonly. Yea, I woulde that yée were in certayne pointes as good as Iudas was. It had béene better for you that you had not medled againſt mée in theſe matters. For now I am compelled to ſpeake many thinges, which I would for ſhame of the worlde neuer hauehave ſpoken. But now that you will hauehave it ſo, take it to you, and make the beſt you can of it.

THere is not the greateſt Phariſie The x. article.in this Church, but I am ſure I pricke him with theſe wordes, and hée knoweth that they bée true, though hée ſay the contrary, and that doe I well know. This article did I ſpeake becauſe of Doctour Rydle, which on a tyme graunted in maiſter Doctour Buttes houſe, that the Byſhoppes were cleane out of order. And therefore I ſay, that I know it.

THeſe ordynary Byſhops and prelates The xj. article.doe followe that falſe Prophet Balaam. For they woulde curſe the people, but by the prouiſion of God, they were compelled to bleſſe them, that is to ſay, to teach them to liue well, though they thēſelues liue moſt miſcheuouſly. And ſo the Aſſes which they ride vpō, that is, the common people, hauehave their liues in abhominaiton. This is the haynous hereſie. For it ſpeaketh againſt the holy fathers, which bée almoſt as holy as Balaams Aſſe, that did once ſpeake the worde of God to a good purpoſe: And ſo doe they neuer. But I graunt that I did offende in caulling you ordinary Byſhops, for I ſhoulde hauehave called you inordinate butchers. And as for that, that I compared you to Balaam, it is your owne lawe. 2. queſt. 7. Secuti ſunt. And cap. Nos ſi. 2. q 7. Secuti ſunt. & cap. Nos ſi.And as for your liuing all the worlde knoweth it. I coulde tell here many holy pointes of Byſhops liuinge, as kéeping of mens wiues, and daughters, but I will not, for I ſhoulde bée reckened vncharitable. But you may doe them, breaking not your holy charitie.

THey ſet vp an Idoll to deceaue y^e The xij. article.people withall, whiche is called p. 212Baall Peor, or Baall Phegor, that is interpretated gaſping, as their lawes and conſtitutions, the which gaſpe and gape to maintayne theyr worldly honour. They cauſe vsus to do ſacrifice by fayre women, that is by their carnall affections, and ſwéete wordes, ſo that God of Iſraell is forgotten. And thus by their ſwéete wordes, and benediction they deceiue the ſimple. Theſe bée y^e falſe maiſters that Saint Peter ſpeaketh of. Theſe 2. Pet. 2.2 Pet 2bée the fountaines without water, for they geue no good doctrine to the people. Where is the hereſie in this? becauſe I cōpare your lawes to Baall? But looke whether the interpretation of the worde doe agrée wyth the nature of your lawes or not? What doe all your lawes, but miniſh the auctoritie of Princes? and of all other Lordes, and exalte yours onelyonly? Call you not that a gaſping Idoll? Let this article ſtand till you be able to proue it hereſie.

NOw they ſell vsus, they ſell the people, they ſell holy orders, they ſell The xiij. article.church halowing, there is no better marchandiſe in Chepeſide. Wilte thou knowe what is the price of a Church halowing? no leſſe than xl. ſhillinges. They ſell pardons, and remiſſiōs of ſinnes as opēly as a Cow, and an Oxe is ſolde, for they neuer graunt them without money. The Suffragan of Ely did aſke of maiſter Iohn Purgolde xl. s. and the offring, for halowing of S. Edwardes in Cā brige: yea and hée woulde not doe it ſo good chepe (quoth hée) but becauſe he had a Goddaughter buryed in the churchyarde. But this may bée proued by examples ynough. For bryng yée forth one church in all Englande, that you hauehave halowed without money, or without hope of money, and I will graunt my concluſion falſe. And as for your pardons, all the worlde knoweth your handlyng. I The popes pardons hath beene the beſt marchaundiſe in England.dare ſay it is the beſt marchaundiſe in the worlde, as you handle it.

But was it not a maruaylous blindnes, and a great preſumption, ſo cruelly to handle mée for theſe articles? was there no middell to hauehave puniſhed mée for ſpeaking agaynſte you, but that I muſt néedes be an hereticke? I dare ſay, there is not one among you ſo ſhameles, y^e dare come forth now at this day, and proue theſe articles hereſie agaynſt mee. But doubtles as long as I liue, and am not reſtored to my name and fame againe, which you hauehave violently taken away from mée, will I bée vntounto you a deuill, and a peſtilence. I require nothing of you, but my good name and fame, to the which I hauehave right, and to the which you ought of your charitie reſtore mée, though I neuer required you. I thinke you hauehave puniſhed mée inough, for ſpeaking of a fooliſhe worde or twayne againſt you.

WIlte thou know what their benedictions The xiiij. article.is worth? They had rather géeue thée then benedictions, then one halfepeny. Is not this a ſore hereſie? You ryde thorowe ſtréetes, and townes, bleſſing man and ſtone, but you neuer géeue halfepenye to man, nor childe.

NOwe is come a pardon, wherby The xv. article.they ſay that they hauehave power to ſende an hundreth ſoules to heauen. And if they may ſo doe without any further reſpect, then may they likewiſe ſende an other 100. to hell. For it foloweth in the text, Quodcunque ligaueris, that is, what ſo euer thou byndeſt. Is not this a ſore hereſye, to ſay that you may not rule this matter at your iudgment. But this is a marueylous texte, Quodcunque ligaueris, for it bindeth in hell, and loſeth in heauen, and openeth mens purſes, & cofers in earth, it depoſeth Princes, it interditeth landes, it looſeth a man out of his coote: yea and often tymes it loſeth a man from his wife, yea and the horſe out of the carte. And all is done by this texte Quodcunque ligaueris. Is not this a merueilous text, that hath ſo greate a power? I know not ſuch an other in all the Bible.

IT is abhominable to heare howe The xvj. article.they preach, and teach, that they may abſolue a poena and a culpa, which I am ſure is impoſſible, as they vnderſtand it. Make of this what you p. 213can, and looke of your owne ſcholaſticall doctours, The which learneth boldlye that the keyes of the church hath none auctorite ouer ſinne, nor yet ouer eternall payne. But all onelyonly hath auctorite to chaunge euerlaſting payne vntounto a temporall payne: & that the pope may chaūge, & take away at his pleaſure. And amōg all temporall paynes, you reken purgatory y^e greatteſt. Ouer the which y^t pope hath full power. This is your owne doctrine. Looke in Alexander de Hales, in Alexander Duns, Bonauenture in iiij. ſent.Duns, and in Bonauenture, in the 4. booke of the ſentences. Now if you will condemne mée, then muſt you fyriſt condemne this your owne doctrine.

WHat is the cauſe that they forbid vsus that we ſhoulde not diſcuſſe The xvij. article.how greate their power is? but becauſe that they would make all mē fooles, and holde vsus in ignoraunce? Your owne ſcholemen ſay, the popes power is ſo greate, that no man can, nor may diſcuſſe it. Alſo your lawe cō maundeth. That no mā bée ſo hardy, The Pope may not bee conptrolled of any man.as to aſke y^e pope, Lord why doe you ſo? But put the caſe that this were a lye, yet is it farre from hereſie. Yet my Lordes ſay, that I ſhall bée an heretyke, And why ſay I? Becauſe we will hauehave it ſo, ſay they. Yea and thou béeſt not ſo content, y^u ſhalt bée burnt. Mary I thank you hartely my Lords. Pro bona veſtra informacione.

THey hauehave a lawe moſte abhominable, & contrarye to Gods lawe The xviij. article.and charitie, to excommunicate the people. 4. tymes in a yeare, that is to ſay, thoſe men that raiſe the rent of an houſe: that muſt you vnderſtand, if it béelong not to the church. For if it béelong vntounto y^e church, thou maiſt raiſe it in eueryevery monethmonth ons, and no man ſhall curſe thée. Alſo they curſe them that bée not buried in their pariſhe church, y^e muſt bée vnderſtāded, if that they bée rich men, for if they bée poore, they may bée buried amōg the friers. The Byſhop of Bath ſayd, ther was no ſuch maner to curſe men. And all y^e world knoweth the contrary. More ouer I red theſe articles in the booke of the generall curſe, that belongeth to ſaynt Benets church in Cambrige and there did I marke it with myne owne hand, and yet the byſhop was not aſhamed to denye it. And why? Becauſe I muſte bée an heretyke, there is no remedye, the holy fathers hath ſo determined it.

THey hauehave myters with glyſtering The xix. article.precious ſtones, they hauehave gloues for catching colde in y^e middeſt of their ceremonies. They hauehave rynges, and ouches, & other ceremonies, ſo many y^e there is in a manner now nothing els in the church, but all iewyſhe maners. wyll you make this hereſy? becauſe I ſpeake againſt your dānable and pompous myters? I thinke ſuch ornamentes were to bée condemned euen among heathen men, I will not ſay among chriſtean men. But this No man may ſpeake agaynſt the pompe of Prelates.dare I ſay, that there was neuer no God among heathen men, that euer delighted in ſuch ornamentes: And yet you will ſerue the God of heauen by thē. And your poore brother, whom Chriſt hath redéemed with his precious bloud dyeth in priſon, and openly in the ſtreate & hangeth him ſelfe for neceſſitie, & yet wil you not beſtow on hym ſo much as one of your precious ſtones. Tell me of one byſhop that euer brake his myter to the helping of a poore man? was there neuer man in neceſſitye in England? but all y^e world may ſée what you bée. Theſe thinges bée ſenſible inough.

THeſe myters I can not tell from The xx. article.whence they do come, except they take them from the iewes byſhops. & if they take them from y^e Iewes, then let them alſo take theyr ſacrifices, and their oblations from them, and offer calues, and lambes, as they dyd, and then hauehave we nothing to doe with them, for wee bée chriſten men, and no Iewes. I pray you tell mée where Byſhops myters, cō meth from the Iewes.yée finde but one pricke in holy ſcripture of your myters? Our mayſter did inſtitute byſhops, And S. Paule ſetteth out what is their office, and alſo what is their ornamēt. & yet ſpeaketh neuer a worde of your myters. But I dare boldelye ſay, y^e if you bée put to y^e tryall, you ſhall bée fayne to rūne to the olde lawe. But can I bée an heretyke, p. 214if I condemned clearely your myters, and ſayde they were of the deuyll? when you proue them to bée of Chriſtes inſtitution, then will I be an heretyke. Is not that Inough? I praye you let mée ſo long bée taken for a chriſtean man. And if you bée not cō tent with this, truely then doe yée me wronge.

THeſe myters with 2. hornes I cā not The xxi. article.tell what they ſhould ſignifye, except it be the hornes of the falſe prophet, of whome It is ſpoken, with 3. King.theſe hornes ſhalt y^u blowe afore thée all Syria. And ſo dyd hée mocke their ringes, and all their ornamentes, and eccleſiaſticall ceremonyes. It wil com Byſhops vſe vayne & fooliſh ceremonies.to my ſaying, that you bée byſhops of the olde lawe, for you hauehave nothing to defende your rynges, your ornamentes, and your ceremonies, but very tyranny. Wherefore to mayntaine theſe, depoſe you kynges, and princes interdite landes & burne man, wyfe, and chylde. And when you hauehave all done, you hauehave defended but a deuelyſh token of prid. The doctours, that wolde fauour your proude tokens, & expound them to the beſt, hauehave declared that the two hornes of your myters dyd ſygnify the new and the olde teſtament, that is, how you ſhould be learned in them both.

Now I ſaw, that this expoſition did not agrée with that thyng (for no man can bée leſſe learned in them thē you bée, I ſpeake of a great many.) Wherefore me thought it was but a vaine expoſition, and therfore I compared What the two hornes of the myter meaneth.them to the two hornes of the falſe Prophet, bicauſe (as you know) this falſe Prophet, ſayde vntounto the kyng, that hée ſhoulde with theſe two hornes blow afore him all Syria. And yet hée lyed, for the kyng was the firſt mā that was ſlayne. So likewiſe you ſay vntounto kynges, if they folowe your coūſell, and mayntaine your authoritie, and bée ruled after you, Thē ſhal they ouercome all their enemies: As ſinne, death, and hell, and yet (Saluo ordine veſtro) you lye, for you hauehave no word of God for you. Wherefore you muſt be falſe Prophetes.

Here hauehave I cōpared with a ſimilitude your myters to the two hornes, and you to falſe Prophetes, what if this bée falſe? what if I can not proue it? yet can you make me none hereticke. For then muſt you make thoſe men heretickes, that hauehave compared the forkes of your myters to the new, and to the old Teſtamentes, and you to the true Apoſtles, for they hauehave made a greater lye then I hauehave done, and they are neuer able to proue it. And as for me, I will proue my ſaying true (if ye will ſtād to Scripture) or els wil I be taken for an hereticke.

THey hauehave baculum paſtoralem to The xxij. article.take ſhéepe with, but it is not like a ſhepheardes hooke, for it is intricate and manifold crooked, and turneth alwayes in, ſo that it may bee called a maſe, for it hath neither begynnyng nor endyng, and it is more like to knocke ſwine and woules in the head with, then to take ſhéepe. They hauehave alſo pyllers, and pollaxes, and other ceremonies, whiche no doubt, bée but tryfles, and thynges of naught.

I pray you what is the cauſe that you call your ſtaffe a ſhepheardes ſtaffe? you helpe no man with it? you comfort no man? you lift vp no man with it? but you hauehave ſtriken downe kynges, and kyngdomes with it, and knocked in the head Dukes & Earles with it. Call you this a ſhepheardes ſtaffe? There is a ſpace in the ſhepheardes The meanyng of the Byſhops croſier ſtaffe.ſtaffe, for the foote to come out agayne, but your ſtaffe turneth, and wyndeth alwayes inward, and neuer outward, ſignifying that what ſoeuer hée bée that cōmeth within your daū ger, that hée ſhall neuer come out agayne. This expoſition your déedes doe declare, let thē bée examined, that you hauehave had to doe with. And let vsus ſée how they hauehave eſcaped your ſhepheardes hooke. But theſe bée the articles, for the whiche I muſt néedes bée an hereticke. Neuertheles all the world may ſée how ſhamefully, that I hauehave erred agaynſt your holyneſſes in ſaying the truth.

My Lord Cardinal reaſoned with me in this article, all the other hée paſſed ouer, ſauyng this, and the ſixte article. Here did hée aſke, if I thought p. 215it good and reaſonable, that hée ſhould lay downe his pyllers and pollaxes, & coyne them? Here is the hereſie that is ſo abhominable. I made him aunſwere, Cardinall Wolſey lyked well hys pyllers & pollaxes.that I thought it well done. Then ſayd hée, how thinke you, were it better for me? (being in the honour and dignitie that I am) to coyne my pyllers, and pollaxes, and to geue the money to. v. or vj. beggers? then for to mayntaine the common wealth by them as I doe? Doe you not recken (quoth hée) the common wealth better then fiue or ſixe beggers? To this I did aunſwere, that I reckened it more to the honour of God, and to the ſalnation of his ſoule, and alſo to the comfort of his poore brethren, that they were coyned, and giuē in almes. And as for the common wealth dyd not hange of them, for as his grace knew, the common wealth was afore Where bee they now.his grace, and muſt bée whē his grace is gone, and the pyllers and pollaxes came with him, and ſhould alſo goe away with him. Notwithſtandyng if the common wealth were in ſuch a condition, that it had néede of them, then might his grace ſo lōg vſe them, or any other thyng in their ſtede, ſo longe as the common wealth néeded them. Notwithſtandyng I ſayd, thus much did I not ſay, in my Sermon agaynſt them, but all onelyonly I damned in my Sermon the gorgious pompe and pride of all exteriour ornaments.

Then he ſayd, well, you ſay very well. But as well as it was ſayd, I am ſure that theſe wordes made me an hereticke, for if theſe wordes had not béene therein, myne aduerſaryes durſt neuer hauehave ſhewed their faces againſt me. But now they knew wel that I could neuer bée indifferently heard. For if I had got the victory, thē muſt all the Byſhops, and my Lord Cardinall, hauehave layd downe all their gorgious ornamentes. For the which they had rather burne xx. ſuch heretickes, as I am, as all y^e world knoweth. But God is mighty, and of me hath hée ſhewed his power, for I dare ſay, they neuer intented thing more in their liues, thē they did to deſtroy me, and yet God of his mercy hath ſaued me, agaynſt all their violence, vntounto his godly wiſedome is the cauſe all onelyonly knowen.

The Byſhop of London that was Tunſtall Byſhop of Londō had intelligence where D. Barnes was become.then called Tunſtall, after my departyng out of priſon, ſayd vntounto a ſubſtā ciall man, that I was not dead (for I dare ſay his conſcience did not recken me ſuch an hereticke, that I would hauehave killed my ſelfe, as the voice wēt, but yet would hée hauehave done it gladly of his charitie) but I was (ſayd hée) in Amſterdame, where I had neuer béene in my life (as God knoweth, nor yet in the countrey this x. yeares) & certaine men did there ſpeake with me (ſayd hée) and hée fained certaine wordes, that they ſhould ſay to me, & I to them, and added thereunto, that my Lorde Cardinall would hauehave me agayne, or it ſhould coſt him a great ſumme of money, howe much I doe not clearely remember. I hauehave marueile that my Lorde is not aſhamed, thus ſhamefully, and thus Lordly to lye, all though hée might doe it by authoritie.

And where my Lord Cardinall, & hée would ſpende ſo much money to hauehave mée againe, I hauehave great maruaile of it. What can they make of I am now here what ſaye to you me.mée? I am a ſimple poore wreatch, and worth no mans money in the worlde (ſauing theirs) not the tenth peny, that they will geue for mée. And to burne mée, or to deſtroy mée, can not ſo greatly profite them. For whē I am dead, the Sunne, & the Moone, the ſtarres, and the element, water and fire, yea and alſo ſtones, ſhall defende this cauſe agaynſt them, rather than the veritie ſhould periſhe. But if they bée ſo charitable to doe good Good counſayle geuen to the Byſhops.workes, and to ſpende their money ſo well, they hauehave priſoners & poore men inough in the land, let them beſtowe their money of them. And as for mée, I doe promiſe them here by this preſent writing, and by the faith that I owe to Chriſt Ieſus, and by that fidelitie that I owe to my prince, that if they will bée bounde to our noble Prince, after the maner of hys lawe, and after good conſcience, and right, that they ſhall doe mée no violence, p. 216nor wronge, but diſc…ſſe and diſpute theſe articles, and all other that I hauehave written, after the holy worde of God, and by Chriſtes holy ſcripture with mée. Then will I (as ſoone as I may know it) preſent my ſelf vntounto our moſt noble prince, there offring my ſelfe to his grace, that I will either proue theſe thinges by Gods worde againſt you all, or els I will ſuffer at his graces pleaſure. Whom the father of heauē preſerue in honour. Amen. And if you refuſe this condition, then ſay that you are neyther good, nor charitable. For I dare ſay you can deſire no more of a Chriſten man.

PRieſtes doe mumble, and rore out their Dyriges, and Maſſes in the The xxiij. article.Church and churchyardes, for theyr founders, curious to ſpeake theyr wordes diſtinctly. But I enſure them that their prayers ſhall doe them no good, but onelyonly acceptatio diuina. As for this article, the Byſhops did not make much of, for they perceiued that it was gathered without any ſētence. For my ſaying was, that men ſhould make their prayers in ſuch a fayth, and with ſuch a deuotion, that God might accept them, and not ſo idlely, and without all deuotion bable, and ſay their dyriges, alonely of vondage and of cuſtome, and not of deuotion. I brought the laying of the Apoſtle for mée, which ſayth: Let your peticions, and prayers appeare before God. And alſo hée that aſketh, let him Phil. 4. Iaco. 1.Phil 4aſke in faith, nothing doubting.

THere is no prayer acceptable to The xxiiij. article.God, except it bée fetched from the fyre of the aulter. This article was alſo gathered without any ſentence, for my aduerſaries did not greatly care what they made of ſuch articles as pertayned to learning, and edifiing. And therefore they neuer erred ſo much as they did in them. For in thoſe articles that were agaynſt the Byſhops, they did great diligence, & in a part of them gathered they my very true ſentences, and myne owne wordes. though in thoſe thinges they left out vncharitably, thoſe wordes that made for my declaration, and alſo for the probation of my ſaying, the which I hauehave alſo here lefte out, all The articles as euill as they were layd of myne aduerſaryes.onelyonly adding the articles as thye laid them againſt mée, that all men may ſée y^t worſt that they had againſt mée. For all men may thinke that they wil neither lay the beſt, nor yet the truth agaynſt mée. But this article dyd I thus preach: that men ſhould not in their peticiō and prayers, put to their good workes, nor their good déedes, and their merites: As O Lord I doe faſte, I doe pray, I am no theife, I am in charitie with all the world, and for them defire God to bée mercifull vntounto them. But they ſhoulde deſire the father of heauen to bée mercifull vntounto them, alonely for Chriſtes merites. For they were y^e things wherby both wée, and our prayers are accepted in the ſight of the father. And Iohn. 14.John 14to prooue this I brought certayne Scriptures. As this: whatſoeuer yée ſhall aſke the father in my name, hée ſhall geue it you. And alſo the figure of y^e old law, where there was no ſacrifice done, but with y^e fire that was taken from the aulter. Now did I ſay, that Chriſt is our aulter. But thys myne aduerſaries vnderſtoode not. But I maruayle what this article doth amonge the other hereticall articles? I thinke they doe not recken it hereſie.

HEe did not praye for the thrée eſtates The xxv. article.of holy Churche, neyther made hée his prayers in y^e beginning of his ſermon, according to the olde cuſtome, but at the laſt ende, and for the true knowledge of all Chriſten men, making no prayer to our Lady, nor for the ſoules in gurgatory, nor for grace expedient. If the Byſhops had had any indifferency in them, or any charitie, they woulde hauehave béene aſhamed that ſuch articles ſhoulde hauehave béene brought afore thē. What is this to the purpoſe of hereſie, that I did not pray for the thrée eſtates of holy Church? And yet they graunt, that I prayde for all true Chriſtē mē, and that men might come to the true knowledge. Is not all the church contayned in this? But they bée vncharitable men, without all cōſideration, p. 217they bée ſo blinded in their worldly honour. That I did not pray to our Ladye, nor for the ſoules in purgatory, what is that to hereſy? for then were the Apoſtles heretykes, for they did not pray in their ſermons to our Liberties of holye Churche may in wiſe bee impugned.Lady, nor yet to y^e ſoules in purgatorye. And as for praying for grace expedient, that is not the preacher bound to doe openly. But mée thinketh by theſe articles, that God gaue mée a greate grace, that I durſt ſo boldelye reproue their abhominable liuing not fearing the daunger that ſhould come thereof, but this I leue to other mens iudgement. And I dare boldelye ſay, y^e if I had ſpoken tentymes aſmuch againſt y^e auctorite of our noble prince and agaynſt all his noble dukes, and Lordes, & had taken all power, both ſpirituall and temporall from them, and geuen it to our idle byſhops, then had I béene a faythfull chriſten man, for I had defended y^e liberties of holy church. But god ſend them his grace, and ſpace for to conuert.

Amen.