Whole Works, Tract 3
The whole diſputation betweene the Byſhops and Doctour Barnes.
NOw moſt honorable, & gracious Prince, here hauehave I ſhewed your grace the articles, that myne aduerſaries vncharitablie, hath layd agaynſt me. In the whiche though a greate many of my wordes, and ſayinges were. Yet neuertheleſſe there was left out all thoſe things, that did make for my declaration, and for probations of my wordes, and alſo for mollifying, and temperatyng of thoſe thinges, that ſéemed to bée ſomewhat hardly ſpokē, agaynſt the Byſhops. The whiche thinges were to longe to recite vntounto your noble grace. But as God is my iudge, and alſo my conſcience, and all my wordes, and déedes, and all maner of my liuyng, and conuerſation, I did neuer intende, to ſpeake agaynſt the Byſhops, or els any other man, further then their liuing, and conuerſation were agaynſt the bleſſed word of God, and the holy doctrine of Chriſtes Churche. For the truth is, there was no great clerke in the Church of All the auncient & learned fathers cry out vpō the pryde & lewde lyuyng of the Byſhops.God this. CCCC. yeares, that wrote any thyng, but hée complained vehemently agaynſt the liuing of the ſpiritualtie. Let their bookes bée brought foorth, to proue whether my ſaying be truth or not. Alas is it not a pituous caſe, yea and alſo agaynſt all law and conſcience, that I poore man ſhalbée thus violently caſt away, for ſpeaking agaynſt theſe vices, that béene damned by almightie God? and by all hys holy creatures? yea and the Byſhops them ſelues, and all the worlde muſt graunt that they doe liue as euill, yea and rather worſe, then I did ſpeake? Oh Lord God, where is louelove to vertue? where is the ſhamefaſtnes that Chriſten men ought to hauehave? where is Iuſtice? That I ſhalbée thus ſhamefully caſt awaye, for ſpeakyng of that thynge, that eueryevery Chriſten man is bounde to ſpeake? They doe ſo lyue, and I beyng a preacher of the verity, muſt bée condemned, for ſpeakyng agaynſt it.
But moſt gracious and mightie Prince, God hath ſet your grace in the ſame honour, and dignitie, that you by Gods ordinaunce, ought to defende thoſe men, that are oppreſſed wrongfully. Wherefore humbly, and méekely, and with all lowlynes, & reuerence, I beſéech your grace to miniſter vntounto me gracious iuſtice, & let me bée heard indifferently, whether that I can iuſtifie my cauſe, with learnyng or not. If I can not iuſtifie it, your grace is a miniſter of iuſtice, I An earneſt petition made by Doctour Barnes.will refuſe no maner of payne that ſhal bée due for my trāſgreſſiō. Wherfore ones agayne, with all méekenes, and lowlynes, in the way of charitie, and in Chriſtes name, and for his ſwéete bloud ſake, that hée hath ſhed for your grace, yea and alſo by ye vertue of your auctoritie, that the heauē ly God hath deliuered you, I doe require, and deſire of your grace audience, and iuſtice. I and all my parētes bée your naturall ſubiectes borne, and a great many of vsus hath dyed in your graces quarell and yet is there none of vsus, but are ready to doe your grace that ſeruice, with our bodyes, & bloud that ſhall become trewe ſubiectes to doe, to their noble prince. Wherfore thyrdely, in my name, and in all our names (for al they are rebuked in me) with all méekenes & reuerence, I béeſeche your grace of gracious audience and of fauorable iuſtice. This thing I truſt your grace will not denye me Nor yet take any diſpleaſure with me your poore ſubiect, for thus requiring. For I hauehave none other prince, nor Lorde to ſéeke vntounto here on earth, but vntounto your grace onelye. Nor can I come to any charitable ende with myne aduerſaries. Wherefore I am compelled by extreme violence, thus to complayne vntounto your grace, for my name, and fame, and eſtemacion, & all thinges that belong to an honeſt poore man in this world, is takē wrōgfully from mée hereby, and hauehave bene by ye ſpace of. 9. or 10. yeres (which is no ſmale tyme) compelled to liue in miſery, and obloquy. Wherfore moſt gracious prince, lamentably I cry, & call vntounto your grace, for gracious audience, & indifferent iuſtice. It were to long a proceſſe to troble your grace with, to tell all the vncharitable hand lyng, that the Cardynall, and the byſhops apoynted by hym, dyd vſe with mée. But I wil make vntounto your grace a ſhort ſomme of it, as neare as I can call now to remembraunce.
In the yeare of our Lorde. 1525. yt. 24. day of December, dyd I make 1525.a ſermon, at the requeſt of the pariſh in S. Edwardes church in Cambrige out of the which ſermon dyd myne aduerſaries gather theſe articles: which when I knew, I offered my ſelfe to preach agayne the ſonday folowing. And to declare my ſelfe, and my meanyng clearely. But Doctour Rydley, and Doctour Preſton, chaplens, and kynſmen to yt byſhop of London foūd the meanes, yt the Ʋicechaūcelour did Doct. Batnes inhibited of preachyng.inhibet me to preach. But I could neuer know any reaſonable cauſe why, but that alonely hée ſayde, it ſhoulde bée for my profyt to holde my peace. And with this I was ſo content. Tyll at the laſt, that theſe foreſayd doctours with one maſter Tyrell gathered in in writyng certayne articles, and preſented them to the vicechauncelour, which ſent for mée, and aſked mée, what I ſayd to thoſe articles. I aunſwered, that they were none of myne, But certayne wordes, and ſentences there were in them, that I had ſpokē, but that was left out, yt ſhould make for my declaratiō. Wherefore I ſayd they were none of myne, And that I would bée reported by the audience. To this hée ſayde, that I ſhould take hede what I denied, for if they brouht wytnes agaynſt me, thē muſt I nedes dye. I aunſwered, that the witnes ſhoulde bée falſe, for I neuer ſpake them. Then ſayde hée, I could not proue a negatiue. I aunſwered, that I woulde proue yt witnes falſe, what ſo euer hée were. Hée ſayd, whether The Popiſh law is tyrannous.they were true or falſe, I muſt ſuffer for it, if witnes come in agaynſt mée, for that was the lawe, I ſayd, how yt was a piteous caſe, And by that lawe they might condemne our M. Chriſt. Hée ſayd, how yt I ſhoulde remember mée what I did, for the matter was ſo daungerous, and ſo haynous in the lawe, that I might hauehave no counſell. Then I aunſwered, & ſayd, well, let god helpe, which knoweth all things. This was in the vniuerſite ſcholes, the doores ſhut faſt, no man being wt in on my parte, but I alone, But of my aduerſaries parte, was there doctour Rydly, doctour watſon, doctour Preſton, and a doctour of law, whoſe name I hauehave forgotten, their was alſo one maſter Fooke, & mayſter Tyrel which was appoynted amonge them, to bée the preſenter of theſe articles.
Nowe the Ʋicechauncelour when hée coulde hauehave no more of mée, in cō munication béetwéene vsus, bée aſked mée, what I would doe, I anſwered, hée ſhould goe his way, and ſet hym downe, and heare their complaint, And I would make ſuch an aunſwere as God ſhould put in my mynde. Hée required mée inſtantly, not to caſt my ſelfe away, So hée went and ſet hym downe, and I was called before him. As ſoone as I came, then ſtoode forth M. Tyrell, & preſented a roule, in the which were certayne articles (as hée Doctour Barnes is accuſed of contention, ſedition and hereſie.ſayd) gathered out of my ſermon, of yt which ſome of them, ſayde hée, were contentious, ſome were ſedicious, ſome were ſklaunderous, and ſome were hereticall. When hée had thus ſpoken, Then ſayd I to hym, Good M. Tyrell, wyll you preſent any of theſe articles as hereſye? At this word ſpake yt vicechauncelour to mée, good mayſter doctour, let that paſſe. Wyll you bée content to ſubmyt your ſelfe? Then ſayd I where ſo euer I hauehave ſpoken againſt Gods word, or againſt the expoſition of holy doctours, I will bée content to bée reformed, and to ſubmyt my ſelfe. But with this was not doctour Rydlye, nor doctour watſon content, except I ſhould adde vntounto it, If I had offended the lawes of the church. But at that I ſtopped, and ſayde, it was to large, for I knewe not, what they ment by the lawes of the church, nor I was no doctour of lawe. Wherefore I iudged it ſufficient for mée, to bée reported by Gods worde, & by the expoſicion of holy doctours. For that was my facultie. Thē the Ʋicechauncellour rekened, that it was ſufficiēt for mée. But we could not agree in a great ſpace, in this thing. Wherefore I ſayd I woulde agrée to all maner of lawes, yt were not gaynſt Gods worde, nor S. Aguſtine nor S. Hierome, nor yet againſt none of the foure doctours. So did it reſt yt day, at this poynt, and no more was handeled. For in this tyme was the whole body of yt vniuerſitie gathered togither, and knocked at the ſchoole doores, and ſaid, they would heare the examination, ſéeing the matter was manifeſt. And theſe few perſōs ſhould not take auctorite on them onelyonly to here, and to determine ſuch cauſes. Than the Ʋicechauncelour ſent the bedell to the doore, requiring them to bée content, but they were the more moued, and knocked ſorer. So roſe the Ʋicechauncelour, and went hym ſelfe to the dore, & gaue them as good and as faire words as hée coulde. But the concluſion was, they woulde not departe, except they might heare this matter iudged, and as they ſayd, it apertained to learning. And they were the body of the vniuerſitie. So yt Ʋicechauncelour came backe agayne vntounto The bodye of the Ʋniuerſitie ſtirred vp.vsus all, and ſayde, wée muſt geue ouer this matter for the vniuerſitie is in a rumour, & ſo departed wée a ſunder.
Thē within two or thrée dayes after, was I cauled into Clare hall, to yt Ʋicechauncelours chamber, where were alſo the foreſayde doctours, gathered agaynſt mée. There did they entreate mée with good wordes for to bée cōtent to bee ordered after maſter Ʋicechauncelours councell, I did require, that maſter Ʋicechauncelour woulde indifferently heare mee, and myne aduerſaries togither, And then if I had ſayde any thing agaynſt learning, I woulde bée ordered at maſter Ʋicechaūcelours cōmaūdement. Thē ſayd they, that it was done for my profyt, that mayſter Ʋicechaūcelour did not ſit in iudgmēt. For (as they ſayd) they were all my frends, and woulde bée lothe that my matter ſhoulde bée heard in iudgemēt. For if there came any witnes againſt mée (as they were ſure there would) thē were I but loſt. I aunſwered, what witnes ſoeuer ſhould come to proue thoſe articles as they were layde againſt mée, I would proue them falſe. For I had preached openly, and many learned men were at my ſermon, and I doubted not, but they would teſtify the truth for both partyes. But then aunſwere was Here yee may note the courſe of yt Popes lawe.made mée, that if thre witneſſes came agaynſt mée, then would thrée and twenty not helpe mée, for that was yt courſe of the lawe. Then ſayde I: This is a pitious caſe, yt a man ſhall not bée reported indifferently by his audience, ſeing it was in the Ʋniuerſite. But by 2. or 3. falſe witneſſes. Wherefore I woulde abide the daū ger & let myne aduerſaries doe their vttermoſt. If I ſhall thus dye, I muſt bée content (ſayd I) I am no better then our maſter Chriſt. Then was there many wordes vſed, and many daungerous wayes ſhewed mée, to hauehave withdrawen mée from this purpoſe, but I did ſtād faſt in it. So they required mée to goe backe into a chā ber, & they communed togither ſecretly alone. And at yt laſt they ſent vntounto mée the Ʋicechauncelour, which intreated mée very ſore, to bée content with their ordinaunce. For by his cō ſcience hée could not perceiue, but they were all my frendes, and intended to ſaue both my name and fame, which they could not doe (the lawe was ſo daungerous) onles I would followe their counſell. Then aſked I M. Ʋicechaūcelour, what they would that I ſhould doe. For truely (ſaid I) theſe articles were falſely, and vncharitably layde vntounto mée Hée aunſwered, that there ſhould bée no ieoperdy A ſubtile. craftie, and popiſhe Chauncelour.in ye matter, and therfore I ſhould bée contēted to graunt thē. But vntounto yt I would not agree in any wiſe. Wherfore I deſired hym to depart agayne vntounto thē, and I would come, & make them a reſonable aunſwer, So came I in, making this proteſtation firſt.
Right worſhipful maiſters, I truſt you bee all my frend…, and hauehave ſo A proteſtation.much charity in you, that you will not caſt mée away, onles you perceiue a great faute, and obſtinacy in mée, the which I truſt you ſhall not fynde, for I did neuer intende, to ſpeake, nor yet to boe, agaynſt Chriſts holy doctrine. Notwithſtanding, ſeing that yt lawe is ſo daungerous, as M. Ʋicechauncelour, and you hauehave tolde mée: Therfore I had rather put my ſelfe vntounto your charitie, then to ſtande to yt daunger of the lawe. And for this purpoſe two of theſe articles that be layd vntounto mée thus I aunſwer.
Theſe articles as they doe here ſtande, were neuer mine nor I neuer D. Barnes anſwere to the articles alleaged againſt him.intended to ſpeake them, as they bee here written. But neuertheles I doe graunt, yt here bée many of my words and alſo a great many of my ſētēces ye I did ſpeake. Wherfore I doe ſubmit my ſelf vntounto you, deſiring you charitably to deale wt mée, & not to take my wordes to yt worſt ſence. Then made they mée to bée ſworne, to ſtande to ye Ʋicechauncelours determination. At that I ſtopped a great while, but at ye laſt I graunted to abide his determinatiō, if it were not agaynſt learning and charitie. And vponupon this the Ʋicechauncelour aſſoyled mée, as they ſaid Ab excōmunicacione iuris. Now had Note here the crafti… and willy Foxes.they there ſtanding vnknowen vntounto mée, a notary, which did make an inſtrament of all my agreementes. For I did not know, but yt they dealt with mée as frendes, and as priuate perſons. And this inſtrument made by the notary, was afterward preſē ted vntounto the court, for witnes againſt mée, when I was brought béefore the byſhops. And as we were thus talking in yt Ʋicechauncelours chamber, The Ʋniuerſitie gathered togither, ſo that ye bodye of yt Ʋniuerſitie was there. And then ſent they vp certayne mayſters, and bachelours of diuinity to yt Ʋicechauncelour, requiring him that they myght bée admytted to here the examination of mée, in as muth as they had heard mée preach. Aunſwere was made agayne, that there was no ſuche matter in hand, but that they did deale with mée frendlye, to deuiſe an ende moſte to my profite. By the reaſon of the which congregation, we were compelled to departe a ſonder, as for that tyme. And ſo reſted ye matter ſtill, the ſpace of a monethmonth. In the which tyme, doctour watſon, and doctour Preſton, at the agréement of the Ʋicechauncelour, wente & wrote a reuocation, and made it of eueryevery article by it ſelfe, making me in the reuocation to graunt yt articles, as they were layde againſt mée. Addyng alſo Note here the moſt falſe and …euiliſhe practiſe of the popiſhe cleargie.to eueryevery article, that béecauſe ſome men had ſo vnderſtode mée, therefore I ſhould reuoke the article, as in the fyrſt article, where I had ſayde, after the mynde of S. Hierome, yt all dayes were of lyke vertue. They added, ye certaine men did take mée, ye I would hauehave no holy dayes. And therefore I muſt reuoke that article as hereſye.
Item where I had ſpoken in myns articles agaynſt the gorgious pompe, and pride of ſpirituall ornamentes. They did ad…e, yt certayne men dyd take out of my ſayinge, that I would hauehave no halowed chalices, nor veſtimentes, nor yet any ornameutes in yt church, And therefore I muſt reuoke that article, as hereſy. And ſo in eueryevery one of my articles where they coulde expounde a word to an euell ſentence or els of malice, make any miſcheuous, or ſedicious ſaying, that layd they to mée, & would hauehave me reuoke it, as though it had béene my ſaying, and meaning. So there was neuer an article, but that was either hereticall, ſedicious, contentious, blaſphemous or els, pijs auribus offenſinus.
Moreouer, I had in yt ſame place a good frende, the which wrote the ſame reuocation priuely, as faſt for mée as hée did wright it for doctour Preſton. The which man is yet aliue. Nowe when I had this thing in wrytyng, I cauled into my chambre, an eyght, or tenne, of yt beſt learned men, yt were God to helpe his true preachers ſtyrreth vp ſome good men.in Cambryge, the which bée yet aliue, as farre as I know, ſauing maſter George Stafforde, and maſter Bylney. Of all theſe I aſked their counſell, what they thought beſt to doe, ſeing this reuocation was ſo vncharitably made, and thinges falſly layde vntounto my charge, which were not in myne articles, nor yet could bée charitably taken out of them. They alſo concluded, that it was neither right nor conſcience, that I ſhould agrée to this reuocation. Wherfore afterward when the Ʋicechauncelour called me agayne afore doctour Rydley, doctour watſon, doctour Preſton and maſter Tyrell, and deliuered mée this reuocation in his chambre, which I ſhould rede openly yt ſonday folowing in S. Edwardes church, and ſhould ſaye neyther more nor leſſe, then was therin O cruell & mercyleſſe Papiſtes.written. Yea and ſhould alſo promyſe, that if I were afterward called forth by any hygher power ſpirituall, to bée content, and ſuffer all payne, & punyſhment, that hée or they ſhoulde lay vntounto mée, Then would I not agrée in no wiſe to this determination, nor conſent to theſe condicions. For they were neyther agréeable to learning nor yet ſtanding with charitie.
There were certayne articles condemned for hereſie, that were as true as S. Iohns Goſpell. And charity would not, that I ſhould bee blamed for that thing, that I neuer ſpake, nor thought, but alonely malicious perſons dyd take out of my ſayinges falſe meaninges. Wherefore here was a greate tragedy among thē. For ſome ſayde, that I was periured, by yt reaſon I was ſworne to abide the determination of yt Ʋicechauncelour. And the other parte rekened, that my oth bound mée not, by the reaſon that it was ſo vncharitably made, the which was not their promyſe to doe: Yea ye Ʋicechauncelour hym ſelfe, thought it to extreme. So ye after many words ye the cōgregation of them was diſſolued, and I ſhould make an aunſwere within eyght dayes, what I would do Now in the meane ſeaſon, did maſter Tyrell ride to London, and founde ye meanes (by the reaſon that hée could not obtayne his mynd in the Ʋniuerſitie, for I ſayd I would appaele from the vicechauncelour, to ye whole body of the Ʋniuerſitie) that the Cardinal ſent downe doctour Capon, and a ſergeant of armes, called Gybſō, which did areſt mée in the Ʋniuerſitie, for to Barnes areſted by a Sergeaunt of armes.appere before your graces counſell. So was I brought Ʋp to London, ye Tweſday afore ſhroue Sondaye, and on the wedenſday at night after was I brought afore the Cardinall in hys gallery at weſtmynſter, which take & red all my articles quietly, tyl he came to the 6. There hée ſtopped and aſked mée, if a byſhop might hauehave any more Cities thē one. I aunſwered, yt a Byſhop was inſtituted to inſtructe, and teach the Cytie, & therfore hée might hauehave as much vnderneth him, as hée were able to preach and teach to. And to that mée thought S. Paule did agrée commaūdyng Timothe to ſet in eueryevery Cytie a Byſhop. Wherefore I knew none other order but this.
Then ſayde hée: That in Paules dayes, a Citie was 6. or 7. myles long, beſide the ſubburbes and of that whole Cytye, was there but one Byſhop. So likewiſe now, a byſhop had but one Cathedrall ſée, and all the reſedue of the countrey, were as ſubburbes vntounto it. To this I ſayde nothyng, for hée woulde heare mée no more, but returned and read forth ye articles, till that he came to the xxij. articles, where hée founde his pyllers, Cardinall greatly delighted and eſtemed his croſſes and pollaxes.and his pollaxes. And there hée ſtopped, and had a great diſputation with mée of them, as I hauehave written afore in my articles. So at ye laſt wée came ſo farre, that I ſayde, how theſe articles were vncharitably gathered out of my Sermonde. Than hée ſayd, you are defamed of hereſie. I anſwered, and ſayde: I truſt there is no good mā that knoweth me, which will ſuſpect mée. Hée ſayde, doe not you knowe that there is a rumour, how that you bée brought afore vsus for hereſie? I aunſwered, that rumour is ſcattered by mine aduerſaries of malice, and not of any occaſion that I hauehave geuē. He ſayd, I beléeue that to bée true, but how will you purge your ſelfe: I anſwered, I wyll bée bounde to brynge vntounto your grace xx. honeſt men, and well learned, of good name and fame, that ſhall depoſe for mée, how that I am not worthy of this infamy. Then hée ſayde, can you bring mée vi. or x. doctours of diuinitie, that wil ſweare for you, that you are neyther giltie, nor yet worthy to bée ſuſpected? I aunſwered, that it was not poſſible to bryng ſo many Doctours for mée, ſéeing there were no more but two at my Sermonde, and they belonged both to Byſhops. Wherefore I ſuppoſed they woulde not teſtifie wyth mée: But I woulde brynge as many honeſt men, as ſhoulde bée required, and they ſhoulde bée as well learned, and better then I, for to teſtifie wyth mée. But he ſayde, that woulde not helpe, for they muſt bée my péeres, after ye forme of the law. I ſayd, ye was impoſſible. Then ſayd hée, you muſt bée burned. I anſwered, that I truſted Nothyng els.to hauehave more grace, and fauour at hys hand. Hée ſayde, hée was ſworne to mayntayne the lawes of y• church, and therfore hée muſt follow ye forme of the lawe. Wherefore I ſhoulde take deliberation with my ſelfe, whether I woulde ſtande to the courſe of the lawe, or els ſubmit my ſelfe to his grace.
Now becauſe I had once ſubmitted my ſelfe to the Ʋicechauncelour, and I was thereby circunuented: Therefore, I thought I would now not bée ſo haſty in ſubmitting my ſelf: And therefore I aunſwered, that I woulde ſubmit my ſelfe to his grace, in any thing that coulde be proued agaynſt mée, that I had ſpoken, contrary to learning. He ſayd, that this was no ſubmiſſion. And I woulde graunt no more. So after much communication, hée concluded wyth mée, & ſayd, how that I was but a foole, & coulde not perceiue, how good hée was vntounto mée. Wherefore ſéeing that I woulde bée reported by my déedes, therefore hée had ſigned xv. or xvi. Doctoures (ſayde hée) the which ſhoulde ye nexte day heare mée. And ſo the nexte day, which was on the Thurſeday before Feſtigam Sonday, was I brought into the Chapterhouſe of Weſtminſter, The maner of the examinatiō at Weſtminſter.where ſate ye Byſhop of Bathe, as principall iudge, and the Byſhop of ſaint Aſſe, the Abbot of Weſtminſter, the Abbot of Burye, Doctour Quarton, Doctour Allen, Doctour Stephen then ſecretary, with many moe, which I knew not. Then ſayd the Byſhop of Bathe: Syr you are defamed of hereſie: but I denyed the ſame. Hée ſayde, yée doe ſée what a multitude of people here is gathered to heare your examination, whiche muſt riſe of ſome fame? I ſayde, that I knewe no cauſe of that gathering, for I knewe neuer a man there, nor brought any man wyth mée, ſauing a childe of xiij. yeares.
Than ſayde hée, Dyd you neuer heare of any man, that you were accuſed of hereſie? Than ſayde I, Men may ſay their pleaſures, I can not let them, but it is no matter to mée as long as I am faultles.
Then ſayde hée, wée doe beléeue that you are faultles, but yet you muſt purge your ſelfe, and declare your innocency. I anſwered, to that I was content, and woulde bée reported by all men that euer knew mée, or heard mée. Well ſayde hée, that is wel ſaid. Now ſayde hée, bée there certayne articles deliuered vntounto vsus, agaynſt you, what ſay you to them? My deſire was to know myne accuſers. Nay ſayde Here ye may note the crafty iugglyng of the Papiſtes.hée, wée procéede after an other forme of the lawe, wherefore, what ſay you to theſe articles? I aunſwered, that they were vncharitably gathered agaynſt mée, wherefore I did deliuer certayne articles into the court, ſubſcribed with mine owne hande. As ſoone as they had them, than had they what they woulde, for I was nowe come in further daunger, then I wiſt of, for now muſt I néedes purge my ſelfe after their requeſt, or els reuoke all thinges that they had laide againſt mée, as though they had béene myne, or els I muſt néedes dye, after theyr lawe. The which thyng I than neyther knew, nor ſuſpected, And thys The more innocēt the ſooner trapped and condemned among the Papiſtes.hath béene the cauſe, that all maner of men, whatſoeuer they were that came afore them, were they neuer ſo good, nor innocent, muſt néedes bée heretykes, if they were not good vntounto them, the which they were ſeldome, as their déedes hath declared.
But to come to our purpoſe, they enquired diuers queſtions of mée, nothing perteyning vntounto mine articles: As whether a man might ſweare or not? And whether my Lord Cardinall were myne ordinarye iudge or not, wyth other lyke captious interogations, at the laſt they came to my firſt article, and inquyred of mée, if all dayes were alyke. I ſayde, after the mynde of S. Hierome, that all dayes were equall. Then aſked they mée, if wée ſhoulde kéepe any holy dayes? I ſayde, yes. And in this matter wée had a great diſputation, till at the laſt my Lord of Rocheſter came. And hée aſked mée if this commaundement, Sabatum ſanctifices, were a ceremoniall, or a morall precepte? I anſwered, that it was a ceremoniall, alleaging for mée S. Auguſtine. Thā Epiſt. c. xixſayd hee, that I was not learned. But alwayes when they had aſked of mée a queſtion, and I had aſſoyled it, ſo that they neyther woulde, nor coulde abiecte any thyng agaynſt mée, than was I commaūded alwayes to ſtand a parte, And they layde their heades togither, till they had inuented an other captious queſtion. Than was I called agayne, and myne anſwere geuen, I was cōmaunded backe agayn. Thus they continued with me thrée dayes, in the which ſpace their Notary wrote a reuocation of all my articles, before the tyme that myne aunſwere was heard. And on the thyrde day after noone, about iij. of ye clocke, was there a greate long rolle offered vntounto me for to read word by word as it there ſtode, and commaundement was geuen me by ye Byſhop of Bath▪ that I ſhould not ſpeake one word afore the people, more or leſſe, thē was written in the rolle, for if I did, hée would handle me well inough. So I required firſt to ſée what was writtē in the rolle, or I would graūt vntounto it. Aunſwere was made, that if I would read it as it was written, well & good, if not, I ſhould ſtand to the ieoperdy. So I deſired them to know, if they had condemned any of my articles for hereſie.
They ſayd, yea. I aſked thē which it was. They ſayd they would not tell me more, then was writtē. I aunſwered, Alas my Lordes, ye truth is, that to my iudgement I hauehave ſpoken nothyng, but that ſtandeth with S. Auguſtine, with S. Hierome, and with other Doctours of holye Churche. Wherfore if it ſhall chaunce me thus to bée cōdēned, and not to bée taught: wherein, I can not tell what I ſhould preach in tyme to come. The Byſhop of Bathe aunſwered, that I ſhoulde take no care for that, for as for preachyng hée would prouide for me. But I ſhould alonly aunſwere, if I would read this rolle, or not. I deſired that Doctour Barnes forbydden preachyng.they would firſt pointe with their finger (if they wold not ſpeake it) which article they had condemned for hereſie, and I would bée bounde to proue it true by S. Auguſtine, or els by S. Hierome, or I would bée takē for an hereticke. To this ſaid the Byſhop of Bathe, that if S. Auguſtine, and S. Hierome were here, they ſhould ſtād to the determination of the Church. Ʋnto whom I ſayd, that the Church had ſo determined of S. Auguſtine, & S. Hierome, that if any other church determined agaynſt them, I would ſuſpect it. Well ſayth hée, If you will ſtand vntounto them, doe. We are contēt, alonely tell vsus whether you will read this rolle or not.
Then ſayd I. My Lordes, I beſéech you in the way of charitie, and for Chriſtes ſake, deale charitablye with me, & doe me no wrong. For S. Paule ſayeth, that you hauehave power geuen, to edifiyng, and not to deſtruction. Ʋery well, ſayd the Byſhop of Bath, ye néede not to feare. Here bée Note here the tyranny of the Papiſtes.to many witneſſes, that we ſhould oppreſſe you wrongfully. But ſayd hée, tell vsus whether you will read this rolle or not? This is the thyrd tyme, & the laſt. Then ſayd I. I will not graūt to it, except I may firſt ſée it. Doe as it ſhall pleaſe you. At this they ſat all ſtill, wone looking on the other. Then the Biſhop of Bath commaunded me to departe aſide. So tooke they their counſell togithers. And at the laſt I was called agayne, and this was ſayd to me. Syr ye ſhall hauehave a man, that ſhall read it vntounto you afore. Well ſaid I. I am content. And ſo one of their Notaries, a lay mā, was aſſigned vntounto me, and we departed a litle aſide, & there hée began to read. The yeare of our Lord, ſuch a day of the monethmonth, was one Doct. Barnes conuented before the byſhops in Weſtminſter, for certeine articles, which were gathered out of a Sermonde, that hée preached in Cambridge, of the whiche, ſome of them bée ſclaunderous, ſome bée erronious, ſome bée contentious, ſome bée ſeditious, ſome bée fooliſhe, and ſome bée hereticall. When that hée came to this worde hereticall. I aſked hym, which of them were hereticall? Hée anſwered mée agayne, yée hauehave heard what my Lordes ſayth. I can make you no anſwere.
Alas ſayd I, ſhall I bée thus condē ned for an hereticke, and can not tell what is myne hereſie? Then ſayd hée, it belongeth not to me, ſpeake vntounto them. Well ſaid I. Read no more. So went. I agayne before the Byſhops. And …ell downe on my knées, and deſired them for the better paſſion of Chriſt, that they would ſhewe vntounto me, whiche article they condemned for hereſie, and then if I would not bée taught, they ſhould handle me after the forme of law. But to this the Byſhop of Bath aūſwered, & ſayd, I ſhould choſe whether I would read ye rolle, or els bée burned: ye one of both I ſhould doe. Thē ſayd I, Ieſus hauehave mercy on me, I wil ſurely not read it. That was the leſt.And ſo I deliuered it to them againe.
Then the other Doctours cryed vppon me, the one here, the other there, that I ſhoulde remember my ſelfe, and not to caſt my ſelfe awaye after this manner. For to read the rolle, ſaid they, was but a ſmall thing, and I was neuer the worſe mā. And I ſhould ſée that my Lord Cardinall ſhould bée good, & gracious vntounto me, and they would all ſpeake for me, ſo that I ſuppoſed in very déede, that they would hauehave required no more of Grace with out deſeruyng.me, but for to hauehave read the rolle afore ye face of the world, that I ſhould not ſéeme to hauehave the victory agaynſt them all, which thing I did not greatly regarde. But in very déede, and if I had knowen, that there had beene ſo miſchieuous poyſon, tyranny, and cruelnes, in them, as I founde afterward. I would neuer hauehave read it, to hauehave dyed for it. But God bryngeth all thinges to paſſe at his pleaſure.
Now vponupon this opinion that I had in them, and by the reaſon of theyr good wordes and pituous, that they ſpake vntounto mée. I graunted to reade the roolle. But than when I woulde hauehave read it, the Byſhoppe of Bathe ſayd, it was to late. ſo was there a great diſputation betwéene them, vppon the matter: Till that Doctour Quarton ſayd, my Lorde it is not to late, for it is all in one ſeſſion, and in the tyme of one iudgement. But the Byſhop of Bathe (our Lord forgéeue him) ſought all ye meanes ye hée could, & vſed all maner of cruelnes to hauehave deſtroyed mée. Neuertheles, at ye laſt hée deliuered mée y• roole for to reade. Thē was all ye people y• ſtoode there, called to heare me. For in ye other iij. dayes, was there no man ſuffered to heare one worde that I ſpake. So after their commaundement that was geuen mée, I red it, adding nothing to it, nor ſaying one word, that might make for myne excuſe, ſuppoſing that I ſhould hauehave founde the Byſhoppes the better.
After this, I was commaunded to ſubſcribe to it, & to make a croſſe on Note here what croſſing & toſſing y• Papiſtes vſe.it. Then was I commaunded to goe knéele downe before the Byſhop of Bathe, and to require abſolution of hym, but hée woulde not aſſoyle mée, except I woulde firſt ſweare, that I woulde fulfill the penaunce, that hée ſhoulde enioyne to mée. So did I ſweare, not yet ſuſpectinge, but the…e men had had ſome cromme of charitie within them. But when I had ſworne, then enioyned hée mée, that I ſhould returne that nyght agayne to pryſon. And the nexte day, which was Faſtingam Sonday, I ſhould doe open penaunce at Paules. And that the worlde ſhoulde thynke that I was a marueylous haynous heretyke, the Cardinall came the next day with all ye pompe and pride, that hée could make to Paules church, and all to bring mée poore ſoule out of conſayte, And moreouer were there commaunded to come all ye byſhops, that were at London, and all the abbots dwelling in London, that dyd weare miters, in ſo much that the prior of S. Mary ſpittell, and an other moncke, which I thinke was of Tower hill, were there alſo in their myters.
And to ſet the matter more forth, & that the world ſhould perfectly know & perceiue, that the ſpirituall fathers had determined my matter ſubſtancially, The byſhop of Rocheſter muſt preach there the ſame day, and all his The glori…us aſſembly of the papiſtes.ſermon was agaynſt Lutherians as though they had cōuicted me for one: The which of truth, and afore God, was as farre from thoſe thinges as any man could bée, ſauing that I was no tyrāt, nor no perſecutour of Gods worde. And all this gorgyous faſing with myters and croſtaues, abbotts, and priors were done, but to blinde the people, and to outface mée. God amend all thinges that is amyſſe. I had béene well content to hauehave ſuffered all theſe thinges, ſo I might hauehave come to a charitable end. But I muſt returne agayne after this to priſon, & there remayne, tyll my Lord Cardinals farther pleaſure. The which pleaſure, I did abide fyrſt and laſt▪ 2. yeares, and thrée quarters & yet could neuer bée at any poynt with thē. For I ſent vntounto y• byſhop of London that was then, certayne worſhipfull men The Cardinall had put the matter to hym.of the Cyty of Lōdon, whoſe names bée theſe. Mayſter Lambert, which hath béene Maior, M. Raynold, which hath béene ſhreue, M. Palmer, M. Petyt, M. Iones, and M. Pernell. And deſyred theſe men in the way of charitie, to goe to the Byſhop of London, and to deſire him to bée good and gracious vntounto mée. And if I had offended, I would bée glad to make amends, aſmuch as hée ſhould reaſonably require of mée. Deſiring hym to ſhew thē, what hée would of his charitie require me to doe, & they for to bée bound vntounto hym, ye I would kéepe it.
This they dyd. But what aunſwer ye they had of hym, they bée men aliue for the moſt part, they can tell. And amongſt all other, maiſter Petit ſayd vntounto the byſhop: Alas my Lorde it is a petuous caſe. If a man come in the daunger of your lawe, there is no remedy to helpe hym out. Yes ſayd… the byſhop. What is that ſayd maiſter Petyt? This is a yong man, & hath good frendes, which would bée right lothe to hauehave him caſt away. wherefore if there bée any remedy, deuiſe you it, and we wil bée bound for him. At this the byſhop was aſtonyed, and ſayde at the laſt, that hée would ſpeake to my Lorde Cardinal for mée. Then theſe mē offered him to goe with him and to bée bounde for mée. Hée ſayde it ſhould not néede: But neuertheles hée ſpake ſo vntounto them, or they departed, God ſaue me from ſuch ſpeaking.that whē they came home, there was not one of them, that durſt geue mée ſo much bread & meat as hée durſt geue his dog, nor yet ſpeake one word to mée. Immediatelye after this, the byſhop founde ye meanes, that I was ſent to northāpton, there to remayne as in a perpetuall priſon.
Thus moſt gracious prince hauehave they handled me your poore Oratour. I beſeche your highnes, to bée good and gracious vntounto mée, & iudge, if this bée charitable dealyng, thus to cōdemne mée for an heretyke & not to ſhew mee the poynt wherefore. But euen with a violent tyrannye, to compeil mée to doe, & confeſſe what they will, or els to bée put to death. And if there bée any of them yet, ye will come forth, and proue any of theſe articles hereſye, I will not refuſe to ſuffer any payne, that your grace ſhall iudge me worthy. Thus our Lord Ieſus Chriſte preſerue your noble grace euermore
Amen.