The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History Part 2, Book 2 · Biography 1
L. COBHAM
The Life of Sir John Oldcastle, who dyed Anno Christi, 1417.
SIR Iohn Oldcastle was born of an ancient and honourable Family, bred up at the Court under King Henry the fourth, and for his abilities, and valour, was by him made Lord Cobham: he was also much prized by King Henry the fifth; but that which did truly enoble him, was, that the Lord was pleased in those dark times to reveal the His Conversion.Truth unto him, whereof he became a zealous Professor, and a valiant Defendor, especially of the godly Ministers, who were Wickliffs disciples, whom he protected against the rage of the Antichristian Z…al.Clergy, who bore the greatest sway in those Popish times: but hereby he made himself the Butt of their envy, and malice; insomuch as Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, calling a Synod of the Clergy, they appointed twelve Inquisitors Popish mal…ce.of Heresies to search out Wickliffs books, and disciples: who after a while brought in two hundred forty six conclusions, which they collected as Heresies out of those books; whereupon they resolved, that it was not possible to make whole the seamless Coat of Christ (as they said) except some great men were taken out of the way, which were the chief upholders of those Hereticks, amongst whom, the Lord Cobham was esteemed the principall, who in the Diocess of London, Rochester, and Hereford, had entertained, maintained, and set up to preach such as were not Licensed by the Bishop; and who himself held Hereticall opinions about the Sacraments, Images, Pilgrimages, &c. Hereupon they concluded, that without any further delay, process should be awarded out against him, as against a most pernicious Heretick: But some, of more wisdom and crafty experience then the rest, advised that the matter should not be handled so rashly; but seeing that the Lord Cobham was a man of great birth, and in great favour with the King at this time, that therefore they should first make the King acquainted with the business, and procure his approbation, and consent before they summoned him: This Councell was well liked of, and thereupon Arundel, with his other Bishops, addressed themselves straitewaies to the King, laying forth before him most grievous complaints against the said Lord Cobham, to the great disgrace of that godly man. The King gently heard these blood-thirsty Prelates, for indeed in those dark daies they kept Kings in aw, yet he requested, and instantly desired them, that in regard of his Noble Stock, and for that he was his Knight, they would deal mildly, and favourably with him, seeking to regain him with gentleness, rather then by rigorous dealing: He promised also, that if they would have a little patience, he would seriously commune with him himself about those matters: Thus having pacified them for the present, he shortly after sent for the Lord Cobham to him, advising him as an obedient child to submit himself to the Church, and to acknowledge himself culpable: To whom this Christian Knight answered: You most worthy Prince, I am alwaies Christian Courage.willing, and ready to obey, for as much as I know you to be the Minister of God, bearing the Sword for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well: unto you, next to my eternal God, I owe my whole obedience, and submit all that I have unto you, being ready at all times to do whatsoever you shall in the Lord command me: but as touching the Pope, and his spiritualty, I owe them neither sute nor service; knowing him by the Scriptures to be the great Antichrist, the son of Perdition, the open adversary of God, and the abomination standing in the holy place. When the King had heard this stout and godly answer, he left him; And (not indeed daring to do otherwise) he gave the Archbishop leave to proceed against him as he saw fit: Then the Archbishop, with the consent of his other Bishops, resolved to call the Lord Cobham before them, personally to appear, and to make answer to such Articles as they should charge him with; and for this end they sent forth their chief Sumner with a very strict Citation to the Castle of Couling, where he then lived, to cite him; but when the Sumner came thither, he durst by no means enter into his Castle gates without his License, and therefore after a while, returned to his Masters, as wise as he went. Then the Archbishop suborned one John Butler, who was. Door-keeper of the Kings privy Popish Lies.Chamber, with large promises of reward, to go with his Sumner to cite the Lord Cobham, who accordingly went to him, falsly informing him, that he was sent by the King, to tell him that it was his mind that he should obey the process, and make his appearance: But the Lord Cobham stoutly Courage.answered, that he would in no case consent to those divellish practises of the Priests; with this answer they returned, and told the Archbishop that no man could safely, without perill of his life, cite him any more: Hereupon he decreed presently to send down Citatory Letters to be set upon the great Church Doors in Rochester, which was but three miles from Couling Castle; but as soon as the Letters were set up, they were pulled down again, by some friends and favourers of the Lord Cobham, and thus the Archbishop was served twice, or thrice: and yet when the day came, and he appeared not, they condemned him of most Popish malice.deep contumacy; and hearing by some of his fawning spies, that the Lord Cobham laughed the Archbishop to scorn, and disdained all his doings, he then proceeded to excommunicate him, and withall, set up a new Citation, wherein he cruelly threatened, that if he did not appear at the day, he would handle him more extreamly; and withall, he commanded the Lay-power, under pain of terrible curses, to assist him against this seditious Apostate, Schismatick, Heretick, and troubler of the publick peace, &c. with such like odious names. But this worthy and constant servant of the Lord seeing the fury of Antichrist, and his followers thus kindled against him; perceiving also that he was compassed about with deadly dangers, he wrote a most Christian Confession of his Faith, Signing and Sealing it with his own hand, Confession of his Faith.wherein also he answered to four of the chiefest Articles that they laid to his Charge, and so taking it along with him, he went to the King, trusting to find mercy, and favour at his hands: He concluded the Confession of his Faith thus: All the premises I believe particularly, and generally all that God hath left recorded in his holy Word; and therefore I desire you my Liege Lord, and most worthy King, that this Confession of mine may be justly examined by the most godly, wise, and learned men of your Realm: if it be found agreeable to Gods Word, let it be allowed, if otherwise, let it be condemned: provided alwaies that I be taught a better belief by the holy Scriptures; and I shall at all times most reverently submit to the same: But the King, over-awed by the Bishop, rejected it, bidding him to deliver it to those that should be his Judges: then he desired before the King, that he might have an hundred Knights, and Esquires to be his Compurgators, which he knew would clear him of all Heresie: Also he offered after the Valour.Law of Arms, to fight with any man living, Christian, or Heathen, in the quarrell of his Faith, the King and his Councell being excepted: Lastly, he protested that he would refuse no correction that should be inflicted upon him according to the Laws of God, &c. Yet for all this the King suffered him personally to be summoned in his privy Chamber. Then the Lord Cobham said that he had appealed from the Archbishop, and therefore he ought not to be his Judge; this made the King very angry, and when he refused to be sworn to submit to the Archbishop, he was arrested, and led to the Tower till the day of his appearance. In the mean time he caused the Confession of his Faith to be written out again. When he was brought before the Archbishop, and his Consistory, the Archbishop proffered to absolve him, if he would humbly desire it: Cobham told him that he was ready to make a rehearsall of his Faith, if they would give him leave, and so drawing it out of his bosom, he read it before them all, and then delivered it to the Bishop. After private consultation amongst themselves, they told him that Popish subtilty.there were many good things contained in his Confession, but for the present they must examine him upon other matters; then they examined him about the Sacrament of the Altar, and Pennance, &c. But he told them that he would no otherwise declare his minde, then was expressed in his writeing: The Archbishop said, that if he would not fully and cleerly answer to the Articles proposed, they would adjudge him an Heretick: Do as ye think Christian courage.best (said Cobham) for I am at a point: that which I have written, I will stand too to the death; The Bishops were amazed at his stout answer, and so returned him to the Tower till Monday following, at which time the Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir Robert Morley, brought him before them again; then the Archbishop told him that he was (as formerly he proffered) ready to absolve him, if he humbly desired it: No, said the Lord Cobham, I will not, for I never yet trespassed against you, and so kneeling down, and lifting up his eies, and hands towards heaven, he said, I shrive me here unto thee Prayer.O eternall, everliving God: In my frail youth I offended thee, O Lord, by pride, coveteousness, wrath, uncleanness. Many men have I hurt in mine anger, and committed many other horrible sins, good Lord I ask thee forgiveness; and so weeping, he stood up, and said, Lo good people, for breaking Gods Laws, and his holy Commandments, they never yet cursed me, but for their own Laws, and Traditions they handle me most cruelly, and therefore both they and their Laws by Gods promise shall be utterly destroyed: Yet they proceeded again to further examination of him, to whom Popish cruelty.he gave stout, witty, and sound answers; whereupon the Archbishop proceeded to read the bill of condemnation against him; then the Lord Cobham with a most cheerfull countenance said, Though Faith.you judge my body, which is but a wretched thing, yet I am sure you can do no harm to my soul, no more then Sathan could to Iobs soul; he that created it will of his infinite mercy save it, I doubt not, and as for the confession of my Faith, I will stand to it, even to the very death by the grace of my eternall God, and then turning to the people, he said with a loud voice, good people, for Gods sake be well aware of these men, for else they will beguile you, and lead you blindfold into hell with themselves; then falling down upon his knees, he prayed for his enemies, saying, Lord God eternall, I beseech thee of thine infinite mercy to forgive my pursuers, Prayer for his enemies.if it be thy blessed will; and so he was sent back to the Tower: But this their cruell handling of the good Lord Cobham procured them much discredit both with the Nobility, and Commons; whereupon the Prelates laying their heads together, caused Popish subtilty.it to be blown abroad by their creatures, that now the Lord Cobham had seen his errors, and recanted the same, and withall they drew up a form of abjuration in his name, and scattered it abroad, as if he had lowly submitted himself in all things to the Church, & changed his opinion concerning the Sacrament; not long after the Lord Cobham made an escape out of the Tower, and fled into Wales, where he remained for the space of four Flight in persecution.yeers: In the mean time Proclamation was made by the King, and a great summ of mony was promised to him that could take Sir John Oldcastle, either alive or dead; and at the end of four yeers the Lord Powis, either for the love of the money A Judas.promised, or for the hatred of the true Christian Religion, sought by all waies how to play the Judas, and at length obtained his bloody purpose, apprehending the Lord Cobham, and bringing him bound to London, Anno 1417. at which time there was a Parliament assembled to raise money to maintain the Wars in France; the Lord Cobham was then carried before the house of Lords, who taking cognisance of all the proceedings against him; and he no whit receding from his former profession, they adjudged him to be carried to the He is condemned as a Traytor.Tower, and from thence, as a Traytor, that he should be drawn thorow the streets of London, to the new Gallows in Giles his fields, where he should be first hanged, and then burnt upon the Gallows, which sentence was accordingly shortly after executed, and so this godly, zealous, and couragious Champion of Jesus Christ suffered Martyrdom, Anno Christi, 1417. But behold the Just Judgement of God upon the Archbishop, A Just judgment of Godwho had sate in judgement upon him, & pronounced the sentence against him. It pleased God shortly after to strike the said Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, in his tongue, that he could neither swallow down any food, nor speak a word for some daies before his death, and so he was starved to death.
This Lord Cobham was a man strong, valarous, and in special savor with his Prince, till the spiteful, and malicious Prelates suggested to him, that this Oldcastle, and his adherents lay in wait to take away Popish Lies.his life, and that in Giles his fields twenty thousand of them were to assemble in an hostile maner to destroy the Monasteries of Westminster, Saint Albons, and all the religious houses in London; together with Pauls Church: whereupon the King with a great Army at midnight went into Giles his fields, and found instead of an armed assembly, only some that were assembled to hear the Gospell preached in those times of persecution, seeing they could not have liberty to do it in other times, and places; these were about eighty, with a godly Minister amongst them, whereof thirty seven were condemned, Popish cruelty.and some of them hanged, and consumed with fire: During the time that the Lord Cobham was in Wales, all the Mass book that he met with he scratched, and defaced the Pictures, and Images which he found in them, and some of them coming to the hands of the Abbot of Saint Albons, he sent them to the King, and pittifully complained of the great wrong done to the Saints thereby: but the King returned them to the Archbishop, to do as he pleased therein.
Collected out of the book of Martyrs, and Speeds Chronicle.