Acts and Monuments Volume 1

The revocation of William Swinderby whereunto he was forced by the Friers.

I William Swinderby priest, although unworthy of the diocese of Lincoln, acknowledging one true Catholic, and Apostolic faith of the holy Church of Rome, do abjure all heresy and error repugning to the determinatiō of the holy mother church whereof I have been hitherto infamed, namely the conclusions and articles above prefixed, and everyone of them to me judicially objected, by the Commissary of the reverend father in Christ and Lord, L. John by the grace of God Bishop of Lincoln: and do revoke the same, & everyone of them, some as heretical, some as erroneous, and false, and do affirm and believe them to be so, and hereafter will never teach, preach, or affirm publicly or privily the same. Neither will make any sermon within the diocese of Lincoln, but asking first and obtaining the license, of the foresaid reverend father and Lord the Bishop of Lincoln. Contrary to the which if I shall presume hereafter, to say or do, to hold or preach: I shall be content to abide the severity of the Canon, as I have judicially by the necessity of the law, sworn, and do swear &c.

The protestation of William Swinderby with his answers to the articles by the promoters, laid against him to the bishop of Herford, taken out of the Registers in the same old English wherein he wrote it.

IN the name of God amen. I William Swinderby priest unworthy, couenting and purposing wholly with all my heart to be a true Christian man, with open confessiō knowledging mine own defaultes and unwise deeds: making openly this protestation, cleping god to record here before our worshipful Bishop John, through the sufferance of God Bish. of Herford, with witness of all this people: y ^t it is not mine intent anything to say or affirm, to maintain or to defend that is, contrary to holy writ, against the belief of holy church, or that should offend the holy determination of Christ's Church, or the true sentences of holy doctors. And if I have here before through mine vncunning, been vnordered, or by evil counsel been deceived, or anything said, preached, holden, maintained or taught contrary to the law of God: wholly and fully for that time for now and ever with full will I revoke it and withdraw it, as euerich christen man should: Praying and beseeching • che christen man, to whom this writing shall come to, that gif I ought err (as God forbid that I do) or ever erred in any point, contrary to holy writ, that it be had and holden of them, as for thing naught said. And all the trothes that I have said according with the law of God, that they maintain them, and stand by them for life or death to God's worship, as a true Christian man should, submitting me meekly to the correction of our Bishop that here is, or of any other christen man, after Christ's laws and holy writ: in will ever ready to be amended, and with this protestation I say and answer to these conclusions and articles that here followen after, the which been put to me to answer to.

The first is this: that I William of Swinderby pretending (he saith) myself a priest, was judicially convented of certain articles, & conclusions of error, false schismatic & heresy, by me in diverse places & times preached (he saith) before multitudes of y ^e true christen men: & the s •• e articles and conclusions by need of law revoked & for sworn some as heresies, and some as errors and false: & such I affirmed and veleued them to be. And that none of them from that time forth I should preach, teach, or affirm, openly or privily, ne that I should make no sermon to the people, ne preach but by lawful leave asked and gotten. And if I would presume in doing or affirming the contrary then to the severity of the law, I should be buxom, as by need of the law I swore.

To this I say, witnessing God that is in heaven, to my wit and understanding, that I never preached, held, ne taught these conclusions and articles, the which falsely of Friers were put upon me, and of lecherous priests to the Bishop of Lincoln. For I was ordained by process yet said, of their law, by the bishop and his commissaryes, so as I granted them to bring my purgation of 13. priests of good same. And so I did, with a letter, & 12. scales thereby, from the Mayor of Leycester, and from true Burgeses and 30. men to witness with me, as the Duke of Lancaster knew and heard, the Earl of Darby, and other many great men that were that time in the town, that I never said them, taught them, ne preached them. But when I should have made my purgation, there stooden forth five friers or moe, that some of them never saw me before, ue heard me, and three lecherous priests openly known, some living in their lechery xx. year (men sayden) or more as by their children was openly known. Some of these they clepinden, denounciations, and some weren cleped comprobations, that weren there falsely forsworn, they suing busily and crying with many another Frier, with great instance to give the dome, vpō me, to burn me & boughten dry wood before, as men tolden in that town: & these sleights, and swearing, and money giving, as men faiden, w ^t favor of the bishop (by what law I wor not, but sothly not by God's law) they sayden they held me as convicted, and might not have forth my purgatiō. So as I fully forsook them, and never granted that I said them. Ouer this they made me swear never to hold them, teach them, ne preach them, privily ne apertly: and that I would go to certain Churches to revoke the conclusions that I never said, in slander of myself, by great instance of the Friars. And so for drede of death and for fleshly counsel that I had, I assented, and so I did. And also they maden me to swear, that I should not preach (by instance of y ^e Friars) within that diocese, withouten license asked & granted, and never sithen I did. And now the same conclusions been rehearsed to me again: whether by Friars counsel I will not deme, God wot, but in slander of me it is: and therefore I will answer now (with God's help) to the conclusions. Of the which the first is this.

That men mown asken their debts by charity, but in no manner for debt to imprison any man: and that he so emprisoning, is accursed.

So I said not: but thus I have said, and yet say with protestation put before: that who so pursues his brother with malice, prisoneth him cruelly for debt without mercy that fain would pay it if he might: he sinneth against Christ's teaching, estote misericordes, sicut pater vester misericors est.

The second conclusion, that false Friers and lecherous priests putten upon me was this: that if the parochiens know her Curate to been a lechour, incontinent, and an evil man: they owen to withdraw from him tithe, and else they been fautours of his sins.

Thus I said not but on this wise, and yet I say with protestation put before: that if it be known openly to the people, that persons or Curates come to her benefice by simony, and liuen in notory fornicatiō, and done not their office & her duties to her parochiens by good ensample of holy life, in true preaching, living & residence, wendyng away frō his cure, occupied insecular office: he owes naught to have of the parochiens, tithes, ne offerings, ne hemowes not to hold him for her Curate, ny hemowes not to given him tithes, left they been gyltie to GOD of consent and maintaining of her open sin. Nemo militans deo, implicat se negotijs secularibus. 1. q. 1. ca. quisquis per pecuniā, & dist. 8 o. ca. Siquis.

The third conclusion was this, that friers and priests putten upon me, that tithes purely been almesses: And in case that curates been evil men, they mown leefully be given to othermen, by temporal Lord's, and other temporalties been done away from men of the Church, actually and openly trespassing.

This I said not in these terms, but thus I say with protestation made before: that it were medefull and leeful to secular Lord's by way of charity, and power given to him of God, in default of prelates that amend not by gods law, cursed curates that openly misusen the goods of holy church, that ben poor mens goods and customably against the law of God: the which poor men, Lord's ben holden to maintain and defend, to take away & withdraw from such curates, poor men's goods, the which they wrongfully holden in help of the poor, and their own willful offerings, and their bodily alms deeds, and give them to such that duly serve God in the Church, and been needy in vpbearing of the charge that prelates shoulden do, and done it not. Alter alterius onera portate & sic adimplebitis legem Christi. And as anenste taking away of temporalties I say thus with protestation made before: that it is leefull to Kynges, Princes, Dukes, and Lord's of the world to take away fro popes, Cardinals, fro Bishops and prelates, possessions in the Church, their temporalties, and their alms that they have given them, upon condition they shoulden serve God the better, when they verily seen that their giving and their taking been contrary to the law of God, to Christ's living and his Apostles: and namely in that, that they taken upon them (that shoulden be next followers of Christ and his Apostles in poorenes & meekness) to be secular Lord's: against the teaching of Christ and Saint Peter, Luc. xxii. Reges gentium. Et. 1. Pet. 5. Ne{que} dominantes in clero. And namely when such temporalties maken them the more proud, both in heart and in array, then they shoulden been else, more in strife and debate against peace and charity, and in evil ensample to the world more to be occupied in worldly business. Omnem solicitudinem proiicientes in eum. And draws them from the service of God, from edifying of Christ's Church, in empouerishing and making less the state and the power of kings, princes Dukes, and Lord's that God hath set them in: in wrongful oppression of commons for vnmightfulnes of realms. For Paul saith to men of the Church (whose lore, Prelates shoulden souerainly followen) Habentes victum, & vestitum, hiis contenti simus.

The fourth conclusion is this, that Friers and priests putten upon me falsely: that an evil Curate cursing his

Soget for withholding of tithes, is naught else, but to take with extortion wickedly and vnduely money from thē.

Thus said I not, but thus I said, and yet do with pro testation made before: that an evil Curate cursing his parochiens, vnmighty to pay their tithing, with vengeance without pity, for his singular worldly winning against charity, and not for heed of their souls, there he is hold by his power reasonably to help his needy parochiens, and doth naught of the goods of the Church: wickedly and vnduely he withholdes from them, that which is due to them by the law of God. Dimittite & dimittetur vobis: date, & dabitur vobis: verùm mihi vindictam, & ego retribuam, dicit dominus.

The fifth conclusion is this, that Friers and Priests falsely putten upon me: that no man may curse any man, but if he were were him cursed of God, ne the comers w ^t him rennen not into sentence of cursing in any manner.

Thus said I not, but thus I said, and say with protestation put before: that no man ought to curse any man, but for charity and with charity. Omnia vestra cum charitate fiant. And sikerly I say, that no wrongful cursing of Pope or any Prelate in earth, binds anenst God, but when they wrongfully and wittingly cursen men, for that men will not do their singular will, unreasonable bidding, with highness of heart and cruelty (standing patience and charity in them that they cursen wrongfully) he is blessed of almighty God, and they themselfe been cursed. Math. 5. Beati eritis cum maledixerint homines. &c. Et in Psalmo: Maledicent illi, et tu benedices Et Augustinus. xi. q. iii chap. illud.

The sixth conclusion is this, that Friars and Priests putten upon me falsely: that each Priest may assoil him that sinneth, contrition had: and notwithstanding forbiddinges of the Bishop, is holden to preach to the people the Gospel.

Thus I said not, but thus I said, and yet say with protestation made before: that each true Priest may counsel sinful men, that shown to him her sins, after the wit and cunning that God had given him, to turn fro sin to virtuous life. And as touching preaching of the Gospel, I say that no B. owes to let a true priest, that god had given grace, wit, and cunning to do that office: for both Priests and Deacons, that God had ordained Deacons and Priests, ben holden by power givē hem of God to preach to the people the Gospel, and namely & somely, popes, bishops, prelates, and curates: For this is due to the people and parochiens, for to have and ask of hem, and they duly and freely owen to done it: Math. 5. Luke. 5. Ite, ecce ego mitto vos Et Math. 16. Euntes in mundum vniuersum. Et Math 5. Euntes autem predicate. Et dist. 21. ca. In nouo testamento. Et Ysidor. de summo bono. 44. Et Chrisost. distinct, 34 ca. Nolite. Et August. distinct. 34 ca. Quisquis. Et Greg in suo pastorali ca 38. Et in Tollitano. ca. ignorantia Et Jerome. distinct. 95. ca. Ecce Ego.

The 7. conclusion is this, that Friars and Priests falsely putten vpō me, that a Priest taking anything for annuell, through covenant: in that, he is schismatic & cursed.

This said I, never in these terms: But thus I said, & yet say with protestation put before: that no Priest owes to sell by bargaining and covenant, his ghostly travail, ne his masses, ne his prayers, ne God's word, ne hallowinges, baptism, ne confirming, order giving, for a codinges, for Christ, for housel, or for ennoynting, any worldly men's reward to ask or take for these or for any of there, or for any ghostly thing, he errs and doth simony. Vt patet 1. q. 2. ca. Nullus. Et ex consilio Triburenti. capit. Dictum est. Et Christus in euangelio vendentes, et ementes eiecit de templo. Math. 22.

The viii. conclusion is this, that Friars and Priests putten unto me falsely, saying that I believe sadly as my tell says: that yche priest being in deadly sin, yet he put him to make Christ's body, rather he dos idolatrye then makes it.

Thus said I not, but thus I said, and yet say with a protestation put before: that what Priest that puts himself presumptuously and unworthily in deadly sin, wittingly to minister and to receive that holy sacrament, and so records hit cursedly and damnably, he receives his dome. Qui manducat et bibit indign, iudicium sibi manducat & bibit 1. Corin. 11.

The ix. conclusion is this, that Friers & Priests falsely putten upon me: that no Priests entres into any house but evil for to treat the wife, the daughter, or the wenche: and therefore they said̄, that I prayed the people that their husbands should beware, that they suffer no priest to enter into her house.

And if I had said thus, then I had prayed against myself, for I come oft into men's houses: But thus I said, and yet I do, praying christen men to beware y ^t they nourish nor maintain no lecherous Priests in their sins: for there be where (as men well known) they ben maintained in many places, continuing homely w ^t her women And ich man there sayne they pain therefore a certain to the B. alms. Et ideo ait Ysido. 11. q. 4. Qui consentit peccantibus & defendit alium delinquentem, maledictus erit apud deū & homines.

The x. conclusion is this, that Friers and priests putten upon me falsely: that a child is not verily baptized, if the priest that baptizeth, the godfather, or the godmother, ben in deadly sin.

God wot in heaven they said full false: but thus I said and yet I say: that the prayers that an evil Priest prays (living in lechery or other deadly sin) over y ^• child when it shall be holowed, ben not acceptable to God as ben the prayers of a good priest. And the better & clenner the priest is, the Godfather, and the godmother: the more graciously God will hear him, if all they been not greatest nor most rich in this world. Vnde gg. xiii. q. vii. cap. in grauibus. Cum is qui displicet ad intercedendum peccator admittitur, irati animus proculdubio ad deteriora prouocatur.

The xi. conclusion is this, that Friers and priests putten upon me falsely: that no man, living against the law of God is a priest, how ever he were ordained Priest of any Bishop.

Certes this is false, for I said never thus in these terms: but thus I said, and thus I say with a protestation put before, that what every pope, or Cardinal, Bishop or Priest, or any Prelate of the Church comes to his state or dignity by Simony, & in simony occupies that office, & holy churches goods: I say that he is a thief, and that by the dome of God, and comes but to steal and kill. Job. 10. Fur non venit nisi vt furetur, & mactet, & pardat. And furthermore I say, that what Pope, Cardinal, Bishop, prelate, or priest, in manner of living, or teaching, or laws making contrary to Christ's living and his laws, or any other ground put in ruling of the church of Christ, but by Christ & his laws: is very Antichrist, adversary to Jesus Christ and his Apostles. Aliud fundamentum nemo potest ponere, praeter id quod positum est, quod est Christus. Et patet 1. q. 3. c. Si quis Et 1. q. 6. c. Ego autem. Quicun{que}.

But this worshipful father B. of Hereford, that here is, says thus in his writing: that I William of Swinderby, notwithstanding the foresaid revocation and abjuration (not setting at heart, but from evil to worse he says perverted so his diocese) he says I come running about by diverse places: and by mine own folly he says that I have presinner to preach many heresies, errors, blasphemies, schisms, and other diffauies, and to holy canons and determinatiō of holy church contrary and repugnant, which where & when within forth more specially it shall be shown, that ye be false informed that I have presumed in diverse places in your diocese to preach heresies, errors, blasphemies, schisms and other diffames. And syr, all the country knows whether this be sooth or not: for sire I presum not, sithen it is the office of a priest, by the law of Christ to preach the Gospel? ne naught I did it for presumption, but for the charge y ^t I have of God by priesthood (if all I be unworthy) & to y ^e worship of God, & help of christen souls, freely without gathering of her goods for my preaching. If I erred in this, I will be amended. And sir touching your maundement that ye send̄ to me, there was sent none. And sir I made never yet disobedience unto you, ne to your ministers: & yef all I had, me owes more to obeyche to God thou to you, in that that ye bidden contrary to Christ's bid ding. And sir as ye sayne, that I had no mind of my hele, it is to lightly demet: for God forbid, but yef there lie hele more then in your bidding. For God w • t for hele I did it, of mine and of the people, and that was in any mind. But sir it semes me that ye charge not by evidence of the punishing so greatly the breaking of God's hests, as ye done of your own. And sir if it be your will, in default that the people wanted, you to teache hem (and her curates did not) by the desire of the people that weren hungry and thirsty after gods word, ichone to bear up others charge as gods law bids: I preached, not for disobedience to you, but sir in fulfilling of y ^c obedience that God's law bids me do in excusing of myself to you of that ye blame me of, in opē showing to holy Church, with y ^p protestation that I first made, I answer thus to the Articles that ye have put to me.

The first is this, that I William of Swinderby, the Monday the first of August, the year of our Lord. 1390. preaching to the people in the Church of Whitney of your Dioces, held and affirmed (as ye sayne) that no Prelate of the world, of what state or degree that he be, having cure of souls, being in deadly sin, and hearing confession of his suget, does naught in assoyling him, ne he assoiles him not of his sin: and also in amending his suget openlie sinning and him for his deserts cursing, his sentence byndes nor, but if that Prelate be as clean out of deadly sin as was S. Peter, to whom our Lord gave power of binding and vnbinding.

I never thought this ne spake this, ne heard it to the time that I saw it written in our book, and that will witness the Lord of the town that has the same sermon written, and many gentiles and other that heard̄ me that day: But thus I said, and thus I say with protestation put before: that there is no man, Pope, ne bishop, prelate ne Curate, that binds soothly, verily and ghostly, but in as much as his binding or vnbinding accordes with the keys of heaven that God gave to Peter. And as S. Gregory says that power han they only, that hold together the ensample of the apostles with here teaching. Illi soli in hac carne positiligandi atque soluendi potestatem habent, sicut sancti Apostoli qui eorum exempla simul cum doctrina tenent: gg. li. quarto sententiarum.

The second article that is put upon me, is this, that I should have said, preached, & affirmed in many places before many true men of Christ: that after the Sacramental words said of the priest, having entention of consecratiō: That in the Sacrament of God's body, is not very God's body.

This said I never God wote, and true men that have heard me.

The third article is this, that our bishop puts vpō me, that I should have said in many places, and affirmed, that accidents mow not be in the sacrament of the alter without subject, and y ^t material bread leues not therewith God's body in the sacrament.

This conclusion I have not hold̄, ne taught, ne preached: for I have not meddled me of that matter, my wit sufficeth not thereto. But here I tell my belief with protestation put before: that the Sacrament of the alter made by virtue of heavenly words, that Christ himself said in the Cene, when he made this sacrament, that it is bread & Christ's body, so as Christ himself says in the Gospel, & S. Paul says, and as Doctors in the common law have determined to this sentence. Math. 26. Mar. 14. Lu. 22. Pa. 1. Cor. 10. & 11. de con. distinct. 2. panis: & de consecra. dist. 2. Corpus. John. 6 verus panis.

The 4. article is this, that our Bishop accuseth me of, that I should have preached about and said: that a Priest being in deadly sin, may not by the strength of the Sacramental words make gods body, or none other Sacrament of the Church, either perform to minister them to members of the same.

Thus I never said, thought it, preached it, ne taught it for well I wot, the wickedness of a Priest may appaire no very sacrament: but the wickedness of the Priest appayres himselfen, and all that boldness & example of his sin causen the people to liuen the worse against God's law. Vnde Greg. Et si sacerdos in peccatis fuerit, totus populus ad peccandum conuertitur.

The 5. article is this, that our bishop puts unto me: y ^t all priests ben of evē power in all things, not withstanding that some of this world been of higher dignity or more passing in highness of degree.

Certes no man would say thus as I suppose, no more did I, ne never heard it that I wot of: But this I say with protestation made before, that what Priest lives most holily next following the law of God, he is most lover of God, and most profitable to the Church. If men speak̄ of world lie power and Lordships and worships, with other vices that raignen therein, what Priest that desires and has most hereof (in what degree so he be) he is most Antichrist of all the priests that ben in earth. Vnde Augustinus ad Valerium scribens ait. Nihil est in hac vita, & maxim hoc tempore facilius & leuius, & hominibus acceptabilius, Episcopy, praēsbiteri aut decani officijs: sed si profunctorie aut adulatorie, nihil apud Deum miserabilius aut tristius & damnabilius.

The sixth Article is this, that only contrition does away sin, if a man be duly contrite: and all outward confession by word is superfluous and not requiret of need of health.

This conclusiō said I never that I know of. But thus I say with protestation put before, that veray contrition of heart, that is never without charity and grace: dos away all sins before done of that man that is verily contrite. And all true confessiō made by mouth outward to a wise priest, and a good, profiteth much to man, and it is needful & helping that men show their life to such, trusting full to gods mercy, and that he forgeues thy sin. Vnde August. de conse. distict. 4. Nemo tollit peccata mundi nisi solus Christus qui est agnus, tollens peccata mundi.

The 7. article is this, that I should say that lower curates have not here power of binding & assoiling, by mean of pope and bishop, but of Christ without money. And there fore neither pope ne bishop may revoke such manner power for time and place at her will.

Thus said I not, but not for thy it seems me thus, that no man should grant anything after his own will, ghostly, ne bodily. But euerich man should be well aduiser, that he grant nothing but if it be the will of God that he so grant it. And it is no doubt that ne God grauntes by mean persons, as does Antichrist to torment Christ's people. Vnde & John. 19. ait Pilatus Nessis quia potestatem habeo dimittere te Et Christus. Non haberes potestatem aduersum me vllam, nisi esset tibi datum desuper.

The 8. article that our bishop puts me to, is this: that I should say that the pope may not grant such manner indulgence of years, for there shall not be so many years unto y ^• day of doom, as hene contained in his bulls, or in y ^e Popes indulgences: whereof it folowes that indulgences been not so much worth as they semen and been preached.

This article I said not thus: but I say that the Pope may grant indulgences written in his letter of years, all so far forth that he may grant him in God's law, so far to grant, and farther not: years may he grant no moe then God hath set. If indulgence ben forgiveness of sin, I wot well all only God forgeues sin. If it be releasing of pains in Purgatory ordeiner of God, if God have bidden him release so many, or ordained that be should release so many, he may then release him: if it be in his own disposing to release whom him likes, & how much, then he may destroy Purgatory and let none come there and release his own pain, as charity wottes. So it semes he may be liker to be saved, if himself list. If any go to Purgatory, thē it semes he full fayles charitye. If Bulls been the indulgence that men bringen from the Court, then ben they not so much worth, as they costen there: for lightly they might be lost, drenched, or brend, or a rat might eat̄ them: his indulgence then were lost. Therefore sir have me excuser, I know not these terms: teach me these terms by God's law, and truly I will learn hem.

The 9. Article is this that I should have said: that it is not in the popes power to grant to any man (doing penance) remission from pain, ne from blame.

Leude I am, but this Article said I not thus leudly: But thus I say, that sithen it is only due to God to give and to grant plenary remission from pains & frō blame: that what ever he be, Pope or other, that presumptuously mistakes vpō him that power that is only due to God: in that (in as much as in him is) he makes himself Christ, & blasphemeth in God, as Lucifer did, when he said: Ascendam & ero similis altissimo. Farther I say, if the Pope hold men of arms, in maintaining his temporalties & Lordship to venge him on hem that gilten & offenden him, and geues remissiō to fight & to slay hem that contraryen hem, as men sayden he did by the bishop of Norwich, not putting his swerd into his sheath, as God commanded Peter. Mitte. &c. he is Antichristus, for he dos contrary to the commandments of Jesus, that bad Peter forgive to his brother seventy sithe seven sithe. Si peccauerit in me frater meus, quotiens demittam ei? Septies? &c. Et Christus: non dico tibi septies, sed septuagesies septies.

The 10. Article is this, that our Bishoppe puts to me that I should have said: that a man giving his alms to any man after his dome (not having need) sins, in so giving,

This article sothly I said not in these terms: But of this matter I have spoken, & will with protestation made before on this wise: that it is medefull to give alms to ich man that asketh it bodily or ghostly, but not to give to ich shameless beggar, strong & mighty of body, to get his lifeloode leuefull & will not, in what degree so he be, men owē not to give it to such a one, that he unreasonably asketh, for if he give it to him wittingly, he sins as fautor of his idleness. Vnde Sap. 12. Si benefeceris, scito cui benefeceris, & erit gloria in bonis tuis multa.

The 11. Article is this, that is put to me, that I should have said, that it is not in y ^e power of any prelate of what ever private Religion, to grant letters of the good deeds of her order, ne such benefices grauntet profits not to hele of souls to hem that they ben grauntet to.

I said never thus i • • hese terms: but thus I say with protestation, that prelates of private religion mowē grant letters of the good deeds of her order: But the gostly mede that comes of good deeds, they mow not grant, for that is only propriet to God. And if they blind, the people in misbelief for her worldly winning, wittingly behetting hem of her own grant gostly medes in heaven by her letters and her seal (uncertain, who shall be damned) but make the people bolder to sin by trust of her prayers: hit is none heal to the souls, but harms to that one & to that other. For God shall yield to echone after here werkes. Ipse reddet vnicuique secundum opera sua •

The 12. Article is this: that our Bishops puts to me, that I money times and oft have come (he says) to a desert wood, cleped Derwaldswode of his diocese: and there in a Chapel not hallowed, but accurset*shepherds hulke, by mine own folly he says have presumed to sing (but rather to curse) in contempt of the keys.

Hereto I say, that this is falsely put vpō me of hem that told you this. For it is a chapel where a priest sings certain days in the year, with great solemnity: and certes I never song therein seth I was borne into this world.

The 13. Article is this, that I should also presume to sing in an vnhallowet Chapel, that stondes in the park of Newton, besides the town of Leyntwardy of this same Dioces.

Truly I wot not where the place stondes.

The 14. Article is this, that I should say that no man owes to swear for anything, but simply without̄ oth to affirm or to deny, and if he swear he sins.

This article said I not that I have mind of, in this manner: But oft I have said and yet will, that men should not swear by any creature by the law of God, and that no man should swear in idel, as well nigh all the people useth, & therefore me thinks it is no need to comfort the people in swearing. For from the old unto the young, & namely men of holy Church, breken his hest, and few Bishops pursuen hem therefore.

The 15. Article is this, that I should have taught to true men of Christ, that on no manner they should worship the Image of him that was done on the cross, or the Image of the blessed maid his mother, or of other Saints into honor and worship of the same ordeinet in the mind of them. And oft sithes, the worshipper of such Image, he has reprouet, saying and strongly affirming, that Church men sinnen and done Idolatry.

This conclusion have I not said in these terms. But this I say with protestation. that God commaūdes in his law in diverse places. Exod. 20. Levite. 19. & 26. Deut. 5. & 7. Tobiae 1. Baruch. 6.2. ad Corin. 10. Isaiah. 45. Jer. 2.6.8. & 10.22. & vltimo, Sapient. 13. & 14. & 15. Mac. 5. & Threnorum 4. & postremo : that men should not worship̄ graven Images that ben werkes of men's hands: And also he bids that mē should not make to hem graven Images in likeness of the things that been in heaven, to that end to worshippen hem: sethen neither God ne Christ by his manhood gave never commandment to make thes Images, ne express counsel, ne his Apostles in all his law, ne to worship such that been made. But well I wote, that by men's own relation that have misbeleuet in hem, that many mē sinnen in manmetry worshipping such dead Images: Notforthy, to though men been Images good to whom they been but kalēdars, and through the sight of hem they known the better and worshippen oft God and his Saints. And to such mē they done harm that set̄ her hope and trust in hem or done any worship to hem against God's law & his hest. Vnde ait Gregorius in Registro libro. 10. in Epistola ad Serenum Episcopum. Si quis imagines facere voluerit, minime prohibe: adorare omnino prohibe. Sed hoc solicit fraternitas tua admoneat, vt ex vision rei gestae, ardorem compunctionis percipiant, vt in adoratione totius trinitatis prosternantur.

These conclusions, points, and articles that I have under protestation, in this book affirmed: I will stand by hem, and maintain hem (with the grace of almighty god) to the time that the contrary be prouet dewly by God's law: And this protestation I make for my faith and my belief as I did the beginning: that whensoever this worshipful or any other Christ̄ man shows me verayly by gods law the contrary of this, I will holy forsake hem, and take me to the veray truth and better understanding of wiser men, ready to be amended by the law of Jesus Christ, and be a true Christian man & faithful son of holy church: And of these I beseech you all bere witness where ye common.

Subsequenter vero, quia fide dignorum relatione recepimus, quod idem Gulielmus Swinderby latitabat, quo minus posset in propria person a citari, ipsum Gulielmum vijs & modis per Edictum publicum ad instar albi praetoris in Ecclesia nostra cathedrali Herfordensi & parochialibus ecclesijs de Kington Croste, & Whitney nostrae diocesis: vbi idem Gulielmus solebat commorari citari fecimus, prout & quemadmodum in modo citatorio continetur, cuius tenor sequitur in haec verba.

The Citation.

John by God's permission Bishop of Hereford, to his dear sons our Dean of Leamster, to the persons of Croft, Almaly, and Whitney, and also to the Vicars of Kingston, Iardersley, Wiggemore, and Monmouth Clifford, and of S. John's alter in our cathedral Church of Hereford, and to the rest of the Deans, Parsons, Vicars, Chapleines, parish Priests, and to other, whosoever in any place are appointed through our city and diocese of Hereford: sendeth greeting, grace, and benediction.

We bid and command, charging you straitly, in the virtue of holy obedience, that you cite or cause to be cited peremptorily (and under the pain of excommunication) William Swinderby, pretending himself to be a Priest: That he appear before us, or our Commissaryes the 20. day of this present month of July, at North Lodebury, within our diocese, which the continuance of the days following in other places also to be assigned unto him if it be expedient, till such things as have been and shall be laid against him be fully discussed, to answer more at large to certain positions and articles, touching the Catholic faith, and the holy mother Churches determination, that have been exhibited and ministered unto the said William. And to see and hear also many things that have openly in indgement before us and a great number of faithful Christians by him been even in writing confessed, to be condemned as heretical, false, schismatical and erroneous. And to see and hear positions and Articles denied by the said William, to be proved by faithful witnesses and other lawful trials against the said William. And to receive for his false heretical, erroneous and schismatical doctrine that justice shall appoint, or else to show causes why the premisses should not be done.

And if the said William lieth privily, or else cannot be so cited in his proper person: we will that in your Churches when most people shall then come together to divine service, you openlie with a loud voice, and that may be understanded, cause the said William peremptorely to be cited unto the premisses: certifying the same William, that whether he shall appear the day and place appointed or no, we notwithstanding will proceed unto the premisses against the said William according to the canonical decrees by form of law, in the absence or contumacy of the said William notwithstanding. We will moreover if the said William shall appear at the said day and place as is aforesaid before us, friendly hear him, and honestly, and favorably, as far as we may with God's leave, deal with him: granting free license to come and to go for his natural liberty without any hurt either in body or goods. And see that you fully certify us of the things that you or any of you shall do about the execution of this our commandment, and that by your letters patentes signed with your seal autenticall: giving also faythsully to the said William or to his lawful Proctor, if he require it, a copy of this our present commandment.

Here we fail in our copy, till the Register come to our hands again.

The appeal of W. Swynderby from this sentence of the Bishop prefixed, unto the king and his counsel.

IN nomine patris, et filij, et spiritus sancti, Amen. I. W. Swynderby priest, knowledge openly to all men, that I was before the Bishop of Hereford, the third day of October, and before many other good clerks, to answer to certain conclusions of y ^e faith that I was accused of. And mine answer was this, that if the Bishop or any man couthe show me by God's law, y ^• my conclusions or mine answers were error or heresy, I would be amended, and openly revoke them before all y ^e people. Knowes in any of my conclusions, but sayden singly with word, that there was errors in them, and bidden me subject me to y ^e Bishop, & put me into his grace & revoke mine error, and shown me naught by God's law ne reasō, ne proved which they weren. And for I would not knowledge me guilty, so as I knew no error in thē, of which I should be guilty, therefore y ^e Bishop sat in dome in mine absēce, and deemed me an heriticke, a schismatic, and a teacher of errors, and denounced me accursed, that I come not to correction of y ^e Church. And therefore for this vnrightfull iugement, I appeal to the kings Justices for many other causes.

One cause is, for the kings Court, in such matter is above the Bishops court: For after that the Bishop has accursed, he may no fear by his law, but thē mote he sech succor of the kings law, and by a writ of Significauit, put a man in prison.

The second cause is, for in cause of heresy there liggeth judgment of death, & that dome may not be given without the kings Justices. For the Bishop will say: Nobis non licet interficere quenquam, That is: It is not lawful for us to kill any man: as they sayden to Pilate, when Christ should be deemed. And for I think that no Justice will give suddenly & untrue dome as the Bishop did, and therefore openly I appeal to hem and send my conclusions to the Knightes of the Parliament, to be shown to the Lord's, and to be taken to the Justices, to be well auiset or that they given dome.

The third cause is, for it was a false dome: for no man is an heretic, but he, that maisterfully defends his error or heresy and stiffly maintains it. And mine aūswear has ben always cōditional, as y ^e people openly knows, forever I say, & yet say & always will: that if they ca • nen show me by God's law that I have erret, I will gladly ben amēdet, and revoke mine errors and so I am no heretic, ne never more in God's grace will ben en no wise.

The fourth cause is. For the Bishops law, that they deme men by, is full of errors and heresies, contrary to y ^e truth of Christ's law of the Gospel.

For there as Christ's law bids us love our enemies, the Popes law geues us leave to hate them & to sley them, and grauntes men pardon to werren again heathē men, and sley hem. And there as Christ's law teache us to be merciful, the Bishops law teaches to be wretchfull. For death is the greatest wretch that mē mown done on him that guilty is.

There as Christ's law teaches us, to blessen him that diseazen us, and to pray for him: the popes law teacheth to curse them, and in their great sentence that they vsen, they presume to damn hem to hell that they cursen. And this is a foul heresy of blaspheme, there as Christ's law byddes us be patient, the Popes law justifies two swords, that wherewith he smiteth the sheep of the Church. And he has made Lord's and Kings to swear to defend him and his Church.

There as Christ's law forbiddeth us leche • y, y ^e popes law justifies the abhominable whoredom of common women, and the Bishops in some place have a great tribute or rent of whoredom.

There as Christ's law byddes to minister spiritual things freely to the people: the Pope with his law selles for money, after the quātity of the gift, as pardons, orders, blessing, and Sacraments, & prayers, & benefices, & preaching to the people, as it is known amongst them.

There as Christ's law teaches peace: the Pope with his law assoyles mē for money to gader the people, priests, and other to fight for his cause.

There as Christ's law forbids swearing: The popes law justifieth swearing, and compels men thereto.

Whereas Christ's law teacheth his Priests to be poor; the Pope with his law, justifies and mayntaynes Priests to be Lord's.

And yet the 5 cause is, for the Popes law that bishops demen men by, is y ^e same vnrightfull law that Christ was demet by of the Bishops, with the Scribes and with the Pharisees. For right as at that time they gauen more credens to the 2. false witnesses that witnessed against Christ then they deden to all y ^e people that witnesseden to his true preaching and his miracles: so the Bishops of the Popes law given more leaven by their law to two heretics & Apostates, or two come wymen that woulden witnesseden agaynes a man in the cause of heresy, than to thousands of people that were true and good. And for the Pope is this Antichrist and his law contrary to Christ his law, fully I forsake this law and so I reed all Christian men. For thus by another point of this law, they mighten cōquery much of this world: For whan they can by this law present a man an heretic: his goods shulen be forfeit from him & frō his heirs, and so might they lightly have 2. or. 3. false witnesses to record an heresy again what true man so hem liked. Herefore me thinks, that whatsoever that I am a christen man I may lawful appeal frō a false dome of the law, to be righteouslye demet by the truth of God's law. And if this appeal will not serve, I appeal openlie to my Lord Jesus Christ that shall deme all the world, for he I wot well, will not spare for no man to deem a truth. And therefore I pray GOD almighty with David in the Sauter book Deus iudicium tuum regi da, & iustitiam tuam filio regis: Iudicare populum tuum in iustitia & paupers tuos in iudicio. That is. O God give they judgment to the king, and thy justice to the kings son: to judge thy people in justice, and thy poor ones in judgment. &c.

A letter sent to the Nobles and Burgesies of the Parliament, by M. William Swinderby.

IEsu that art both God and man help thy people that louen thy law, and make known through thy grace thy teaching to all christen men. Deare sirs, so as we seen by many tokens that this world draws to an end, & all that ever have been forth brought of Adams kind into this world shulē come togeder at domesday riche and poor, ichone to give accompt and receive after his deeds, joy or paynen for evermore: Therefore make we our werks good, ye while that God of mercy abides, and be ye stable and true to God, and ye shulen see his help about you. Constantes estore & videbitis auxilium Domini super vos. This land is full of Ghostly cowardes, in Ghostly battle few dare stand. But Christ the comforter of all that falleth (to that his heart barst for our love) against the fiend the doughty Duke comforteth us thus: Estote fortes in bello. &c. Be ye strong in battle, he says, and fight ye with the old adder. State in fide, viriliter agite. &c. Wake ye & pray ye, stond ye in believe, do ye manly and be ye comfortet, and let all your things be done with charity: For Saint Paul bids thus in his Epistle, that saw the preuetyes of God in heaven: Euigilate iusti. &c. Awake ye that been righteous men, be ye stable and unmovable: Awake ye quickly and sleep naught, and stond now strongly for God's law. For Saint John in the Apocalypse says, blesset be he that awakes: for naught to sleepers but to wakers God has behite the crown of life. For the hour is now as Paul saith to us, from sleep for to arise, for he that earelye awakes to me, he shall find me saith Christ himseluen. This waking gostly is good living out of sin: this sleep betokens that which cowardeth a man's heart from gostlye comfort and to stand in the same through a deceaueable sleep is this that lets a man of the bliss of heaven: the fende makes men bold in sin and ferd to do worship to God: death is a likening to a thief that preuely steals upon a man that now is riche, and full of well, an one he makes him a needy wrech: therefore said God by S. John in the Apocalypse in this wise: Be thou waking, for if thou wake naught, I shall come to thee as a thief, and thou shalt not wit what hour. And if the husbandman (says Christ) wist what hour the thief should come, he should wake and suffer him not to undermine his house. Saint Peter therefore warneth and saith: wake and be ye ware, suffer ye no man (he says) as a thief but wilfullye for God's love, for it is time (as Peter says) that dome begin from the house of God: Ye been the body of Christ (says Poule) that needs must suffer with the head, or else your bodies been but dead and departed from Christ that is the head. And therefore curset be he (says Poule) that loves not Jesus Christ. And who it is that loves him, Christ himself tells in the Gospel: he that has my hestes, and keeps them, he it is that loves me. Cursed he be therefore (says Poule) that doth Christ's works deceiueably. Be ye not therefore (says Poule) ashamed of the true witness of Jesus Christ, for Christ our God says in his Gospel, he that shames me and my words, him shall man's son ashame when he shall come for to set in the siege of his Majesty. And each man he says, that knows me and my words before men in this sinful generation and whorish, man's son shall knowledge him before my father says Christ himself, when he shall come with his Angels in the glory of his Father: Sithe ye therefore been Christenmen, that is to say, Christ's men, show in deed that ye been such as ye daren show you the kings men: for hit h • d been, as Peter says, better not to have known the way of truth, then after the knowing thereof to be converted backward there from. We known Christ, that is trought, we sain all through our belief if we turn from him for dred, truly we deny the troth: And therefore since our time is short, how short no man knows but God, do we the good that we may to God's worship, when we have time: Be true (says God) to the death and you shall have the crown of life: And think on Judas Maccabeus, that was God's true knight, that comforted hartelye God's true people, to be the followers of his law. And give ye, he said, your lives for the Testament of your fathers. And ye shulen win, he said, great joy, and a name for evermore. Was not Abraham, he said, in temptation founden true, and was arectet unto him evermore to righteousness, Joseph in time of his anguish he kept truly God's hest, he was made by God's providence Lord of Egypt, for his truth. Phinehas our fadure loving, he saith, the zeal of God took the testament of everlasting Priesthoode. Joshua for he fulfillet the word of God was domes man in Israel. Caleph that witnessed in the Church, he took therefore the heretage, he saith: David in his mercy he gat the siege of the kingdom in worlds. Hely for that he loved the zeal of God's law, was taken up into heaven. Ananie, Azary, and Misaell, he says, weren deliverer thoore through true belief out of the hot flame of fire. True Daniel in his simplenes was deliueret from the Lions mouthe. Bethinke ye therefore, he says, by generation and generation, and thou shalt never find that he sailed that man that truly trusted in him. And therefore dread you naught, he says of the words of a sinful man: his glory is, he says, but worms and tordes: he is today, he saith, y made hye, tomorrow he says he is not found̄ for he is turned, he says, into his earth again, & the mind of him is perisher. Sons therefore he says, be ye comforter, and die manly in the law: for when ye han done that that God's commaundes you to do, ye shulen be glorious in him. And David the king says also on this wise in the Psalter book: blesset be they (Lord) that keepen thy law, in worlds of worlds they shall praise thee. And in Leviticus says God thus, gif that ye wenden in mine hestes & keepen my commandments, and done hem, I shall I shall bring forth theyt fruit,, and trees shall be fulfilled with apples. And ye shallen eat your bread in fullness, ye shoulen dwell in your lande without drede, I shall give peace in your costs, ye shall sleep and no man shall fear you. Evil beasts I shall done away from you, and sword shall not pass your terms, ye shuln pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you, fifty of yours shulne pursue an hundredth of heren, an hundret of yours, a thousand of theirs: your enemies, he saith shulen fall through sword, and your suit. I shall he says behold you and make you to wax, and ye shall be multiplier: And I shall strength with you my covenant, ye shall eat the aldest, and the new shull come in theron. And ye shuln cast forth the old, I shall dwell in the midst of you. And I shall wend amongst you, and shall be your God, and ye shulne be my people. If that ye hear me not, ne done naught all my hestes but despisē my law and my domes, and that ye done not though things that of me been ordener, and breken my commandments and my covenant: I shall do these things to you. I shall visit you surely in need and brenning, which shall dim your eghenen, and shall wast your lives about naught: Ye shulne sow your seed for hit shall be deuouret of enemies, I shall put my face against you, and ye shall fall before your enemies. And ye shulen be underlings to them that han hatet you, ye shall flee, no man pursuing. And if ye will not be buxome to me, I shall add thereunto thorns and seven fold blame. And I shall all to brast the hardness of you, I shall give the heaven above you as iron, & the earth as brass. About naught shall your labor be, for the earth shall bring you forth no fruit, ne tree shall give none apples to you. If that ye wenden against me, and will not hear me, I shall add hereto, seven fold wounds for your sins, I shall send amongst you beasts of the field that shall devour you and your beasts, I shall bring you into a field, and ways shuln be desert. And if that ye will not receive lore, but wenden against me, I will also wenden against you, and I shall smite you seven sithes for your sins. I shall lead in upon you, sword, venger of my covenant and upon the fleen into Cities, I shall send pestilence in the midst of you. So that ten women shall bake their bread in one furnace, and yield thē again by wayght, and ye shall eat, & not be fillet. If that ye hear me not by these things, but wenden against me, I shall wend in against you in a contrary woodnesse, and blame you with seven plagues for your sins, so that they shoulen eat the flesh of your sons and of your daughters. And in so much my soul shall loath you, that I shall bring your Cities into wilderness, and your Sanctuaryes I shall make desert, ne I shall not over that receive sweet oder of your mouth. And I shall disperkle your land, and enemies shulen marvel thereon, when they shulen inhabit it, I shall disperpel you among Heathen, and draw my sword after you. These vengeaunces and many moe, God said should fall on them that break his bidding, and despiseth his laws, and his domes. Than sithe Christ become man, and bought us with his heart blood, and has shown us so great love, and given us an easy law, of the best that ever might be made, and to bring us to the joy of heaven, and we despise it and louen it naught: what vengeance will be taken here on, so long as he has suffered us, and somercifully abidden, when he shall come that righteous judge in the clouds to deme this world? Therefore turn we us to him, and leave sin that he hates and over all things maintain his law that he confirmed with his death. For other laws that men had made, should be demed at that day by the just law of Christ, and the maker that them made, and then we won that long life and that joy that Paul speaketh of, that eye ne see not, ne ear heard not, ne into man's heart ascended not, the bliss and joy that God hath ordained to them that louen him and his laws.

Deare worshipful sirs in this world I beseech you for Christ's love, as ye that I trow louen God's law & truth (that in these days is greatly borne abacke) that they woolen vouchsafe these things that I send you written to God's worship, to let them be shown in the Parliament as your wits can best conceive, to most worship to our God, and to showing of the truth and amēding of holy Church. My conclusions and mine appeal & other true matters of God's law (gif any man can find therein error, falseness, or default, prouet by the law of Christ clearly to christen men's knowledge) I shall revoke my wrong conceit, and by God's law be amendet: ever ready to hold with God's law openlie & privily with God's grace, and nothing to hold, teach, or maynetayne that is contrary to his law.

Of the process, answers, & condemnation of this worthy priest and true servant of Christ, Williā Swinderby, you have heard, what afterward became vpō him, I have not certainly to say or affirm, whether he in prisō died, or whether he escaped their hands, or whether he was burned there is no certain relation made. This remaineth out of doubt that during y ^e time of K. Richard. 2. no great harm was done unto him. Which was to the year. 1401. at what time K. Richard being wrongfully deposed, Henry the 4. invaded the kingdom of England. About the beginning of whose reign we read of a certain Parliament holden at Londō, mentioned also of Thomas Walden (as is above specified) in which parliament it was decreed: that whosoever shown themselves to be favorers of Wycliffe they should be apprehended, who at that time were called Lollards, and if so be they did obstinately persevere in that doctrine, they should be delivered over unto the bishop of the diocese, & from him should be committed to the correctiō of the secular magistrate. This law (saith y ^e story) brought a certain priest unto punishment the same year, who was burned in Smithfielde in the presence of a great number. This we have drawn out of a piece of an old story, & it is most certain that there such a Priest was burned for the affirmation of the true faith, but it doth not appear by the story, what the Priests name was. Notwithstanding by diverse conjectures it appeareth unto me that his name was Swinderby that was forced to recant before by the Bishop of Lincol • 2. Whereby what is to be conicetured by the premisses, let other men judge what they think. I have nothing here of expressly to affirm. This is plain for all men to judge (which have here seen and read his story) that if he were burned, then the bishops, Friers & priests, which were the causes thereof, have a great thing to answer to the Lord, when he shall come to judge y ^e quick and the dead, & seculum perignem.

Articles exhibited and denounced to the bishop, against Walter Brute.

REuerend father and Lord, we the faithful people of Christ, we the faithful people of Christ, & zealous lovers of the catholic faith, and also your humble and devout children: do minister & exhibit to your reverend fatherhood, the articles under written, touching y ^e catholic faith, contrary and against malicious persons, & detractours of the same faith, & the determinations of holy mother church, & namely against the child of Belial, one Walter Brute, a false teacher and seducer amongst y ^e people. Hūbly beseeching, y ^• you would vouchsafe to have regard to y ^e correction of the enormities under written, according unto y ^e Canonical constitutions, even as to your office pastoral doth lie and belong.

In primis, we do give and exhibit and intend to prove, that the same Walter Brute being unmindful of his salvation, hath been by many and diverse faithful Christian people sundry times accused of the cursedness of heresy: As by the swift report, slander, and rumour of the people, proceeding before the most reverend father & Lord, Lord William Archb. of Canterbury, and also before the reverend father & Lord, Lord Iohu late B. of Herford, your predecessor, and now Bishop of S. Ass, hath been testified, and also hath been many & diverse times cited to answer unto articles by him against the Catholic faith avouched, & openly and publicly taught: But he in this matter of heretical cursedness (so grievously and shamefully spoken of) hath never regarded to purge his innocence, but luckingly and running into corners, hath many and sundry years labored to advance things erroneous, schismatical, and also heresies, & to emprint them in the harts of faithful people.

Item, the foresaid Walter Brute hath openlie, publicly, and notoriously avouched, and commonly said & taught and stubbernly affirmed: that every Christian man (yea & woman) being without sin may make the body of christ so well as the priest.

Item, the same Walter hath notoriously, openlie & publicly avouched and taught, that in the Sacrament of the alter there is not the very body, but a sign and a memorial only.

Item, the foresaid Walter hath said commonly and avouched, and also hath labored to inform mē and companyes, that no man is bound to give tithes, nor oblations: and if any man will needs give, he may give his tithes, and oblations to whom he will, excluding thereby their curates.

Itē, that such as do preach and prefer croised matters, and pardons (granted by the high bishop to them y ^• help the purpose of the reverend father Lord Henry by the grace of God Bishop of Norwich, when as he took his journey vpō him to fight for the holy father the Pope) are schismatics and heretics, and that the Pope cannot grant such manner of pardons.

Item, the said Walter hath oftentimes said, and commonly aduouched, that the Pope is Antichrist, and a seducer of the people, and utterly against the law and life of Christ.

Item, whereas of late your reverence did (at the instance of faithful christen people) proceed in form of law against William Swinderby, and that the said Williā Swinderby had unto the said articles objected against him, givē up his answers in writing, containing in thē errors, schisms & heresies, even as you with the mature counsel of masters & doctors in divinity, & other faculties have determined & given sentence, and have pronounced the same William Swinderby to be an heretic, & a schismatic, and an erroneous teacher of y ^e people: Neuertheles y ^e forenamed Walter hath openly, publicly, & notoriously said, aduouched, & stubbernly affirmed, that the said Williams answers (whereof notice hath been given before) are good, righteous, and not able to be convinced, in that they contain none error, and that your sentence beforesayd, given against the same William, is evil, false & unjust: And that your assistants have wickedly, naughtely, perversely, & unjustly condemned the answers aforesaid.

Now thereupon immediately, those same faithful Christian people have instantly required that we would vouch safe that other articles given by y ^e same faithful Christians against the said William Swinderby, together w ^t the writings and answers of the same William thereunto: should be admitted against Walter Brute, mentioned of in this matter of cursed heresy: of which Articles and answers, the tenors do follow in these words.

In primis, that one William Swinderby pretending himself priest, was of certain articles and cōclussions erroneous, false, schismatical & heretical, by him preached, at diverse places & times, before a great multitude of faithful Christians, judicially convinced: and the same articles and conclusions did he (enforced by necessity of law) revoke and abjure, some as heretical, and other as erroneous & false: and for such did he avouch thē ever afterward promising so to take and believe them & that frō thenceforth he would openlie or privily preach, teach, or affirm none of them: nor that he should make sermon or preach within your diocese without license demanded and obtained. And in case he should to the contrary presume, by preaching or avouching that then he should be subject to the seueritye of the Canons even as he judicially sware accordingly as the law enforced. Also the conclusions abjured by the said William do follow and are such.

• 1. In primis, that men by the rule of charity, may demand debts, but by no means imprison any man for debts: and that the party so imprisoning a body, is excommunicated, before. pag. 466.
• 2. Item, that if the parishioners shall know their Curate to be incontinent and naughty: they ought to withdraw from him their tithes. &c. pag. 467.
• 3. Item, that tithes are mere almosies, and in case that the Curates shall be ill, that they may be lawfully bestowed upon others by the temporal owners. &c. pag. 467.
• 4, Item, that an evil Curate to excommunicate any under his jurisdiction for withholding of tithes, is naught else. &c. pag. 467.
• 5. Item, that no mā may excommunicate anybody, except that first he know him excommunicate of God: Neither do those that communicate with such a one, incur the sentence of excommunication by any manner of means. ibid.
• 6. Item, that every Priest may absolve every sinner being contrite, and is bound to preach the Gospel unto the people, notwithstanding the prohibition of the Bishops, pag. 467.
• 7. Item, that a priest receiving by bargain anything of yearly annuity, is in so doing a schismatic, and excommunicate. pag. 467.
• 8. Item, he doth assuredly believe (as he avoucheth) that every priest being in deadly sin, if he dispose himself to make the body of Christ, doth rather commit idolatry thē make Christ's body. pag. 467.
• 9. Item, that no priest doth enter into any house, but to handle ill the wife, the daughter, or the maid, and therefore &c. pag. 467.
• 10. Item, that the child is not rightly baptized, if the priest &c. ibid.
• 11. Item that no manner of person if he live against God's law. &c. ibid.
• 12. Item, the same William against the things premised, and his revocation and abjuration (not to his heart cōuerting, but from evil to worse perverting) did turn aside into our diocese: where running to and fro in diverse places, hath of his own rash head presumed to preach or rather to pervert. &c. 467.
• 13. Item, after that we had heard diverse rumors, & slanders of very many, we directed diverse monitions and commandments comminatorye, to be sent abroad by our Commissaries to sundry places of our diocese: that no person of what estate, degree or condition so ever he were of, should presume to preach or to teach the sacred scripture to the people in places holy or profane, within our diocese. &c. page. 466.
• 14. Item, that the same sort of monitions, inhibitions and precepts confirmed by our seal, came to the true & undoubted knowledge of the said William.
• 15. Item, the same William unmindful of his own salvation hath sithens & against those monitions, inhibitiōs and precepts, and (that which is more abhominable to be spoken) in contempt of the high Bishops dignity, & to the slander & offense of many people, presumed in diverse places of our said diocese, to preach or rather to pervert & to teach the forementioned, & other heretical, erroneous and schismatical devises.
• 16, Item, the same William in preaching to the people: on monday, to wit, the first of August, in the yere of our Lord 1390. in the Church of Whitney in our diocese, held and affirmed: that no Prelate of the world, of what state, preeminence or degree soever he were of, having cure of soul & being in deadly sin. &c. pag. 466.
• 17. Item, the same William in many places said & affirmed in the presence of many faithful • hristian people, after the sacramental words uttered by the priest, having y ^e intent to consecrate, there is not made the very body of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. pag. 466.
• 18. Item, that accidences cannot be in the sacrament of the altar without their subject: & that there remaineth material bread Concomitanter with the body of Christ in the sacrament. Vide supra pag. 466.
• 19. Item, that a priest being in deadly sin cannot by the power of the sacramental words, make the body of Christ, &c. pag. 466.
• 20. Item, that all priests are of like power in all points, notwithstanding that some of them are in this world of higher dignity, degree, or preeminence. pag. 466.
• 21. Item, that contrition only putteth away sin, if a man shall be duly contrite: and that all vocal confession and exercise, is superfluous, and not requisite of necessity to salvation. Ibidem.
• 22. Item, that inferior Curates have not their power of binding and loosing mediately from the pope or bishop, but immediately of Christ. &c. pag. 466.
• 23. Item, that the pope cannot grant such kind of annual pardons, because there shall not be so many years to the day of judgment as is contained in the popes bulls or pardons. Whereby it followeth, that pardons are not so much worth as they are noised and praised to be. Ibid.
• 24. Item that it is not in the Popes power to grant to any penitent body forgiveness of the pain or of the trespass. pag. 466.
• 25 Item that one giving his alms to any body which as he judgeth hath no need thereof, doth sin in so geeuyng it. pag. 466.
• 26 Item that it stands not in the power of any prelate, of what private religion soever he be, to give by letters benefits of their order. Neither do such kind of benefits given profit them to whom they be given for the saluatiō of souls. Vide supra. pag. 466.
• 27 Item that the same William unmindful of his own salvation, hath many times and often resorted to a certain desert wood called Derwalswood of our diocese, and there in a certain unhallowed Chapel (nay a profane cottage) hath presumed of his own proper rashness, to celebrate. &c. pag. 466.
• 28 Item the same William hath also presumed to do the like things in a certain profane chapel, situate in the park of Newton, nigh to the town of Leyntwardyn, in the same our diocese. pag. 466.

Which things being done, the same faithful Christian people, and specially sir Walter Pride the penitentiarie of our Cathedral Church of Hereforde, personally appearing before us, sitting in our judgment seat in the parish Church of Whiteborne of our diocese: brought forth and exhibited two public instruments against the same Walter Brute, in y ^e case of cursed heresy aforsaid, of which instruments here followeth the tenours and Articles in this sort.

In the name of God Amen. Be it evidently know̄ to all persons by this present public instrument: y ^e in the year frō y ^e incarnatiō, after y ^e course and cōputation of y ^e church of England. 1391. the indiction xv. of y ^e pontifical office of our most holy father and Lord in Christ, Lord Boniface y ^e ix. by God's Wisdom Pope, the second year the xv. day of y ^e month of October, in the dwelling house of the worshipful mā master John Godemoston, Chanon of y ^e Cathedral Church of Hereford, in the presence of me the public Notary under written, and of witnesses subscribed: Walter Brute lay man learned, of Hereford diocese, personally appearing said, avouched, and stiffly maintained: that the said Bishop of Hereforde and his assistaunces, which were with him the third day of the foresaid month of October, the year of our Lord aforesaid, in the Church of Hereford: did naughtely, wickedly, perversely, and unjustly condemn y ^e answers of sir William Swinderby Chaplain, given by the same sir William to y ^e same Lord bishop in writing, and also the articles ministered by the same sir William.

And furthermore he said, held, and aduouched, that the same conclusions given by y ^e same sir Williā, even as they were given, are true and Catholic.

Item, as touching the matters objected against him by them that stood by, concerning the sacrament of y ^e altar: he said, that after the sacramental words: there doth remain very bread, and the substance thereof after the consecration of y ^e body of Christ, and that there do not remain accidencies without substance or subject after the consecration of the body of Christ. And touching this matter, the doctors hold diverse opinions.

Furthermore as concerning y ^e Pope, he said, held, and avouched: that he is the very Antichrist, because y ^• in life and manners he is contrary to the laws, doctrines, and deeds of Christ our Lord.

All and every of these things were done, even as they be above writ̄ and rehearsed in y ^e year of our Lord, pōtificall office, month, day, & place aforesaid, at supper time of the day aforenamed, thē and there being present y ^e worshipful and discrete men. sir Walter Ramsbury, chief chāter of the said Cathedral Church of Hereforde, Roger Hoore Chanon of the same Church, Walter Wall, Chaplain of y ^e said church of Hereford, being a vicar of y ^e Choral & certain other worthy witnesses of credit, that were specially called and desired to y ^e premisses. Ex Regist. Herford.

And I Richard Lee whelar, clerk of Worcester, being a public notarye, by y ^e authority Apostolic: was personally present at all and singular the premisses, whilst that (as is before rehearsed) they were done and a doing, in the yere of our lord. 1391. pontisical office, month, day, place, & y ^e hour aforesaid: & I did see, write, and hear all and singular those things thus to be done, and have reduced thē into this public manner and form: & being desired truly to restifie the premisses, have sealed the said instrument, made hereupon, with mine accustomed scale and name.

In the name of God, Amen. Be it plainly know̄ to all persons, by this present public instrument: that in y ^e yere from the incarnation of the lord after y ^e course and co •• p •• tation of y ^e church of England. 1391. the indiction fifteen, in the 3. yere of the pontifical office of y ^e most holy father in Christ, and our Lord, Lord Boniface Pope by the providence of God the 9. & in y ^e 19. day of the month of January. Walter Brute layman, of Hereford diocese, personally appearing before y ^e reverend father in Christ and Lord. Lord John by gods grace B. of Herford, in y ^e presence of me being a public notarie, & one of y ^e witnesses under written: did say, hold, publish, & affirm, y ^e conclusions hereafter written, y ^e is to say: y ^• christen people are not bound to pay tithes neither by the law of Moses, nor by the law of Christ.

Item, that it is not lawful for Christians for any cause in any case, to swear by y ^e creator neither by the creature.

Item he confesseth openly and of his own accord: that within the same month of January, he did eat, drink, and communicate with William Swinderby, not being ignorant of the sentence of the said reverend father: whereby y ^e same William Swinderby was pronounced an heretic, schismatic, and a false seducer of the common people. Which conclusions, the same reverend father caused to be writ̄, and in writing to be delivered to the same Walter. Which when he had seen and red, he said also that he did maintain and justify them according to the laws aforesaid. These things were done in the chamber o • the said bishop of Herford, at his manor of Whitborne of the said diocese of Hereford: then being there present the same Bishop abovesaid. M. Reynold of Wolsten, Canon of Hereford, sir Phillip Dileske parson of y ^e parish church of Blamurin, Thomas Guldefeld parson of the Church of Englisbyknore, John Cresset parson of the church of Whytborne, and Thomas Wallewayne household servant, for witnesses specially called and desired to the premisses of y ^e diocese of Hereford and S. Ass.

And I Benedict Come clerk of the diocese of S. Ass, public notary by y ^e Apostolic authority of the diocese of S. Ass, was personally present together with the witness before named, at all and singular these and other things here premised whilst they were so done and a doing, & did see, hear, & write those things so to be done, as is before mentioned: and did write the same and reduce them into this public form, & with my wonted & accustomed seal and name have sealed it, being desired and required truly to testify the premisses.

At the last, the aforesaid Walter Brute, did present and cause to be presented to us (at diverse places and times assigned by us to the same Walter, to answer to y ^• former conclusions and articles) diverse scroules of paper writ̄ with his own proper hand, for his answers to the same Articles and conclusions above written: he partly appearing by his own self, before us sitting in our judgment seat, and partly by his messengers, specially appointed to that purpose: of which scroules, y ^e tenors do follow in order word by word, and be on this manner.

In the name of the father, and of the son, and y ^e holy ghost, Amen: I Walter Brute, sinner, layman, husbādmā & a Christian (having mine offspring of the Brittons, both by my father & mothers side) of the Britons, have ben accused to y ^e B. of Hereford, that I did err in many matters concerning the catholic Christian faith: by whō I am required, y ^• I should write an answer in Latin to all those matters. whose desire I will satisfy to my power, protesting first of all, before God & before all the world: y ^e like as it is not my mind through God's grace, to refuse y ^e know̄ truth, for any reward greater or smaller, yea be it never so big, nor yet for y ^e fear of any temporal punishment: evē so it is not my mind to maintain any erroneous doctrine for any commodities sake. And if any mā, of what state, sect or condition so ever he be, will show me that I err in my writings or sayings by the authority of the sacred scripture, or by probable reason grounded in y ^e sacred scripture, I will humbly and gladly receive his information. But as for y ^e bare words of any teacher (Christ only excepted) I will not simply believe, except he shall be able to stablish thē by the truth of experience, or of the Scripture: for because, that in the holy Apostles elected by Christ, there hath beue found error by the testimony of the holy scripture, because that Paul himself doth confess that he rebuked Peter, for that he was worthy to be rebuked, Galat. the 2. Chapiter. There hath ben errors found in the holy doctors, that have ben before us, as they themselves confess of them selves. And oftentimes it falleth out, that there is error found in the teachers in our age: who are of contrary opinions among themselves, and s • me of them do sometimes determine mine one thing for truth, and others do condemn the self same thing to be heresy or error. Which protestation premised, I will here place 1. suppositions or cases for a ground and a foundatiō of all things that I shall say, out of which I would gather two probable conclusions stablished vpō the same, and upon the sacred Scripture. By which conclusions, when as they shall be declared after my manner and fashion, it shall plainly appear what my opiniō & judgment is concerning all matters that I am accused of. But because I am ignorant & unlearned, I will get me under the mighty defences of the Lord. O Lord I will remember thine only righteousness.

God the father almighty vncreate, the maker of heavē and earth, hath sent his son (that was everlastingly begotten) into this world: that he should be incarnated, for y ^e salvation and redemption of mankind, who was conceived by the holy ghost, everlastingly proceeding from the father and the son, and was borne of Mary the virgin, to y ^e end that we might be borne a new. He suffered Passion under Pōtius Pilate for our sins, laying down his life for us, that we should lay down our life, for our brethrē. He was crucified, that we should be crucified to the world, and the world to us. He was dead, that he might redeem us from death, by purchasing for us forgiveness of sins. He was buried, that we being buried together with him into death by Baptism, and that we dead to sins, should live to righteousness. He descended into hell, thereby delivering man frō thralldom, and from the bondage of the Devil, & restoring him to his inheritance, which he lost by sin. The third day he rose from the dead, through the glory of his father, that we also should walk in newness of life. He ascended up to the heavens, to which nobody hath ascended, saving he that descended from heavē, evē the son of man which is in heavē. He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty, until his enemies be made his footstool. He being in very deed so much better then the Aungelles, as he hath obtained by inheritance a more excellentname then they. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, accordingly to their works, because the father hath given all judgment to the son. In whose terrible judgment we shall rise again, and shall all of us stand before his judgment seat, and receive joy as well bodily, as spiritually forever to endure, if we be of the sheep placed at the right hand: or else punishment both of body and soul if we shall be found amongst goats, placed on the left hand. &c.

Jesus Christ the son of God, very God & very man a king forever, by stablishing an everlasting kingdom, breaking to ponder all the kingdoms of the world: Dan. 2. a priest forever after y ^e order of Melchizedek, whereby also he is able evermore to save such as by him come unto god & always liveth to entreat for us. Hebr. 7. He offering one sacrifice for our sins, hath made perfect forever by one oblation, those that be sanctified. Heb. 10. Being y ^t wisdom that cannot be deceived, & the truth that cannot be uttered: he hath in this world taught the will of the godhead of his father, which will he hath in work fulfilled, to the intent that he might faithfully instruct us, and hath givē the law of charity to be of his faithful people observed, which he hath written in the hearts and minds of the faithful with the finger of God, where is the spirit of God, searching the inward secrets of y ^e Godhead. Wherefore his doctrine must be observed above all other doctrines, whether they be of Angels or of men, because that he could not nor would not err in his teaching. But in men's doctrines there chanceth oftentimes to be error, and therefore we must forsake their doctrines, if clokedly or expressly they be repuguaunt to the doctrine of Christ. Men's doctrines being made for the people's profit must be allowed and observed, so that they be grounded upon Christ's doctrine, or at least be not repuguant to his words.

If the high bishop of Rome, calling himself the servant of the servants of God, and the chief vicar of Christ in this world, do make & maintain many laws contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ: then is he of those that have come in Christ's name, saying, I am Christ, & have seduced many a one, by the testimony of our savior in Math. cap. 24. and the idol of desolation sitting in the Temple of God, and taking away from him the continual sacrifice for a time, times, and half a time. Which idol must be revealed to the Christian people by the testimony of Daniel. Wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospel. When you shall see the abomination of desolation that was told of by Daniel the Prophet, standing in the holy place: let him that readeth, understand, and he is the pestiferous mountayn infecting the whole universal earth, as witnesseth Jeremiah. chap. 51. & not the head of Christ's body. For the ancient person in years, & honorable in reverence, he is the head, & the prophet teaching lies is the tail, as Isaiah alledgeth. chap. 9. And he is that wicked and sinful Captayne of Israel, whose foreappointed day of ininuity is come in time of iniquity, who shall take away Cidarim, and take away the crown, Ezech, chap. 21. to whom it was said: Forasmuch as thy heart was exalted, and did it say, I am a God, & sittest in the seat of god, in the heart of the sea, seeing thou art a man and not God, and hast given thine heart, as if it were the heart of God: therefore behold I will bring vpō thee the most strong and mighty strangers of the nations, & they shall draw their swords vpō the beauty of thy wisdom & shall defile the commandments & kill thee, and pul thee out, & thou shalt die in the destruction of the slain, and it followeth.

In the multitude of thine iniquities, & of the iniquities of thy merchandise, thou hast defiled thy sanctification. I will therefore bring forth a fire, from the midst of the whole earth, & will make thee as ashes upon earth. Thou art become nothing, & never shalt thou be anymore. Eze. cha. 28 Furthermore he is y ^e idle shepherd forsaking his flock having a sword on his arm, & another sword in his right eye. Zach. 11. & sitting in the temple of God, doth advance himself above all thing that is called God, or whatsoever is worshipped, by the testimony of Paul to Thes, 2. epist. 2. chap. And in the defection or falling away shall the man of sin be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth. For every kingd •• e divided in it self, shall be brought to desolation. He ••• so besides, the beast ascending up out of the earth, having two horns like unto alambe, but he speaketh like a dragon, & as the cruel beast ascending up out of the sea, whose power shall continue 42. months. He worketh the things that he hath given to the image of the beast. And he compelled small and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondslaves, to worship the beast, and to take his mark in their forehead or their hands. Apo. 13 chap. And thus by the testimony of all these places is he the chief Antichrist upon the earth, and must be slain with the sword of God's word, and cast with the dragon, the cruel beast and the false Prophet that hath seduced the earth, into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented world without end.

If the city of Rome do allow his traditions, and do disallow Christ's holy commandments, and Christ's doctrine, that it may confirm his traditions: then is she Babylon the great, or the daughter of Babylon, and the great whore sitting vpō many waters with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth are become drunken with the wine of her harlotry lying opē to baudry. With whose spiritual whoredom enchauntments, witchcraftes, and Simon Magus marchaundises, the whole round world is infected and seduced: saying in her heart, I sit as a Queen, and widow I am not neither shall I see sorrow and mourning. Yet is she ignorant y ^t within a little while shall come the day of her destruction & ruin by the testimony of the Apoc. cha. 17. Because that from the time that the continual sacrifice was taken away, & the abomination of desolatiō placed, there be passed 1299. days by the testimony of Daniel, and the Chronicles added do agree to the same. And the holy City also hath been trodden under foot of the heathen, for 42. months, and the woman was nourished up in the wilderness (unto which she fled for fear of the space of the serpent) during 1260. days, or else for a time, times, & half a time which is all one. All these things be manifest by the testimony of the Apocalypse, & the Chronicles thereto agreeing. And as concerning the fall of Babylon aforesaid, it is manifest in the Apoc. where it is said: In one day shall her plagues come, death, lamentation, and famine, and she shall be burned with fire. For strong is the Lord which will judge her. And again Babylon that great Citty is fallen, which hath made all nations to drink of the wine of her Whoredom. And thirdly, one mighty Angel took up a myllstone that was a very great one, and did cast it into the Sea, saying: with such a violence as this is, shall that great City Babylon be overthrown, and shall no more be found. For her Marchauntes were the Princes of the earth, and with her Witchcraft all Nations have gone astray, and in her is there found, the blood of the Saints and Prophets. And of her destruction speaketh Isaiah in the 13. chapiter. And Babylon that glorious City, being so noble amongst kingdoms in the pride of the Chaldeans, it shall be that like as the Lord did overturn Sodom and Gomorre upside down, it shall never more be inhabited, nor have the foundation laid in no age, from generation to generation. Jeremiah saith: Your mother that hath borne you, is brought to very great confusion and made evē with the ground. And again: The Lord hath devised and done as he hath spokē against the inhabiters of Babilō, which dwell richly in their treasures upon many waters, thine ende is come. And thirdly: Drouth shall fall upon her waters, and they shall begin to be dry, for it is a land of graven imagies, and boasteth in her prodigious wonders: It shall never more be inhabited, neither be built up in no age nor generation. Verily, even as God hath subverted Sodom and Gomorre with her calves.

Pardon me (I beseech you) though I be not plentiful in pleasant words: For if I should run after the course of this wicked world, & should please mē, I should not be Christ's servant. And because I am a poor man, & neither have nor cā have notaries hired to testify of these my writings: I call upon Christ to be my witness, which knoweth the inward secrets of my heart, that I am ready to declare the things that I have writ̄ after my fashion, to y ^e profit of all Christian people, & to y ^e hurt of no mā living, & am ready to be reformed, if any mā will show me where I have erred: being ready also (miserable sinner though I be) to suffer for y ^e confession of y ^e name of Christ & of his doctrine, as much as shall please him by his grace & love to assist me a miserable sinner. In witness of all these things, I have to this writing set y ^t seal of our Lord & savior Jesus Christ, which I beseech him to imprint upon my forehed, & to take frō me all manner of mark of Antichrist. Amen.

REuerend father, forsomuch as it seemeth to you y ^t my motion in my two suppositions or cases, & in my two conclusions, is too short and somewhat dark: I will gladly now satisfy your desire, according to my small learning, by declaring the same conclusions. In opening whereof, it shall plainly appear, what I do judge in all matters, y ^t I am accused of to your reverence, desiring you first of all, that your discretiō would not believe that I do enterprise of any presumption to handle the secretes of y ^e scriptures, which the holy and just, & wise Doctors have left vnexpounded. It is not unknown to many, that I am in all points far inferior to thē, whose holiness of life & profoundnes in knowledge, is manifold ways allowed. But as for mine ignorance, and multitude of sins, are to myself and others sufficiently known: wherefore, I judge not myself worthy to unloose or to carry their shoes after them. Do you therefore no otherwise deem of me, then I do of mine own self. But if you shall find any goodness in my writings, ascribe it to God only: who according to the multitude of his mercy, doth sometimes reveal those things to Idiotes and sinners, which are hidded from the holy and wise, according to this saying: I will praise and confess thee O father, for that, y ^u hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast disclosed them to the little ones. Even so O father, because it hath thus pleased thee. And in another place. I am come to judgment into this world, that they which see not may see, and that they which see, may be made blind. And Paul saith: that God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the mighty, that no man shall boast in him self, but that all mē should give the honor to God.

It was commanded to Isaiah, bearinge the type of Christ: Go and say to this people: Hear ye with your hearing, and do not understand? Behold ye the vision, and yet know ye not the thing that ye see? Make blind the heart of this people, & make dull their ears, and shut their eyes, least that perchance with their eyes they should see, and with their ears they should hear, and with their harts they should understand and be converted, and I should heal thē. And I said, how long Lord? And he said, until that the cities be made desolate without inhabitants, and the house without any person within it. Also in Isaiah thus it is written: And the multitude of all nations, which shall fight against Ariel, and all persons that have warred, and besieged and prevailed against it, shall be as a dream that appeareth in the night, & as the hungry person dreameth that he eateth, but whē he shall awake out of sleep, his soul is empty. And like as the hungry person dreameth that he eateth, and yet after that he shall awake, he is still wearye and thirstye, and his soul void of nourishment: even so shall it be with the multitude of all nations that have fought against the mount Zion. Be you amazed, and have great wonder: reel ye to and fro, and staggre ye: be ye druncken, and not with wyne: staker, but not through drunckennes: for the Lord hath mingled for you the spirit of drousines. He shall shut your eyes, he shall cover your Prophets and Prynces that see visions. And a vision shall be to you all together, like the words of a sealed book, which when he shall give to one that is learned, he shall say: Read here, and he shall answer, I cannot, for it is sealed. And the book shall be given to one, that is unlearned and knoweth not his letters, and it shall be said unto him, Read, And he shall answer, I know not the letters, I am unlearned, Wherefore the lord saith: For as much as this people draweth nigh me with their mouths, and glorifyeth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and they have rather feared the commandments of men, and have cleaved to their doctrines: Behold therefore I will ad besides, and bring such a muse and marvel upon this people which shall make men amazed with marueling. For wisdom shall perish from their wise men, and the understanding of their prudent persons shall be hidden. And soon after it followeth in the same place, yet a little while and Libanus shall be turned into Charmell, and Charmell counted for a cops or groaue, and in the same day shall the deaf folks hear the word of this book, and the eyes of the blind (changed from darkness and blindness) shall see.

Nabuchodouoser enquiring of Danyel said. Thinkest thou that thou canst truly declare me the dream that I have seen, and the meaning thereof. And Danyel said: As for the mistery whereof the king doth ask, neither the wise men, magitiens, southsayers, nor enchaunters can declare to the king: But there is a God in heaven, that discloseth mysteries, who will declare to thee (O king Nebuchadnezzar) what things shall come to pass in the last times of all. To me also is this sacrament or mystery disclosed (not for any wisdom that is in me more then in all men living) but to that the interpretatiō might be made manifest to the king, & that thou shouldest know the cogitagions of thy mind.

It was also said to Daniel, And thou Daniel, shut up the words, seal up the book, until the time appointed. Verily many people shall pass over, and many fold knowledge shall there be: And Daniel said to the man that was clothed with lynnen garments, who stood upon the waters of the flood: How long will it be before the end shall come of these marvelous things? And I heard the man that was clothed in linen apparel, who stood upon the waters of the floods, when he had lift up his right hand and his left hand into heaven, and had sworn by him that liveth for evermore: that for a time, times, and a half time. And when the scattering abroad of the hand of the holy people shall be accomplished: then shall all these things be finished. And I heard and understood not, and I said: O my Lord, what shall be after these things, and he said: Go thy ways Daniel, for this talk is shut & sealed up, until the time that is before appointed.

All these things have I written to show, that he that hath the key of David, who openeth and no man shutteth, shutteth and no man openeth: doth (when and how long it pleaseth him) hide the mysteries, and the hid secrets of the Scriptures, from the wise, prudent, and righteous: and other whiles at his pleasure, revealeth the same to sinners and lay persons. & simple souls, that he may have the honor & glory in all things. Wherefore as I have beforesaid, if you shall find any good thing in my writings, ascribe the same to God alone: If you shall find otherwise, think ye the same to be written of ignorance, and not of malice. And if any doubt or error be shown me in all my writings, I will humbly allow your information & fatherly correction.

But why that such manner of matters are moved touching the disclosing of Antichrist in this kingdom, more then in other kingdoms, and in this time also more then in time past: the answer, as concerning the time of the motion is, that it is the last conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the sign of the Twins, which is the house of Mercury, being the signifyer of y ^e Christian people: which conjunction seemeth to me to betoken the second coming of Christ, to reform his Church, and to call men again by the disclosing of Antichrist, to the per • ection of the Gospel, from their Hethenish rites and ways of the Gentiles. By whom the holy city was trampled under foot, for 42. months, even as the conjunction of the said two planets being enclosed in the sign of the Virgin, which is also the house of Mercury: did betoken the first coming of Christ, for the salvation of all people that were perished of the house of Israel, whereby to call thē through the same coming, to the full perfection of the Gospel. As touching this calling of the Heathen, speaketh Christ in the Gospel, I have also other sheep, that are not of this fold, and those must I bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one shepefolde, & one shepherd. For although the Gentiles be converted, from the infidelity, of their idolatry, to the faith of Christ: yet are they not converted to the perfection of the law of Christ, And therefore did the Apostles in the primitive Church, lay no burden upon the Gentiles, but that they should abstain from heinous things, as from things offered to idols, and from blood, and strangled, and fornicatyon. As touching this second coming, speaketh Isaiah: On that day the root of Jesse which standeth for a sign or mark to the people, to him shall the heathen make their homage and supplication, and his sepulcher shall be glorious: and in that day shall it come to pass, that the Lord shall the second time put to his hand, to possess the remnant of his people &c. And he shall lift up a token toward the nations, and he shall assemble the runagate people of Israel that were fled, and those that were dispersed of Judah shall he gather together from the four quarters of the earth. And the zealous emulation of Ephraim shall be broken to pieces, and the enemies of Judah shall come to naught. Paul to the Thessalonians saith: We beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together before him: that you be not soon removed from your understanding, neither that you be put in fear, as though the day of the Lord were at hand, neither as it were by letter sent by us, neither by spirit, nor yet by talk. Let not any body by any means bring you out of the way, or seduce you: For except there shall first come a departing, and that the man of sin, the son of perdition shall be disclosed, which maketh resistance, and is advanced above all thing that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he doth sit in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God. Do ye not remember that whilst I was as yet with you, I told you of this: and now you know what keepeth him back, that he may be uttered in his due time: For even now doth he work the mystery of iniquity, only that he which holdeth, may hold still until he be come to light: and then shall that wicked one be disclosed, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, even him whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, with signs and lying wonders, and in all deceipfull leading out of the truth towards those that do perish, because that they receive not heartily the love of truth, that they might be saved.

Christ being demanded of the Apostles, what should be the token of his coming, & of the end of the world: said unto them. There shall come many in my name, saying, I am Christ, and they shall seduce many. Also he telleth them of many other signs, of battayles, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes. But the geatest sign of all he teacheth to be this. When you shall see (saith he) the abomination of desolation stādyng in the holy place, he that readeth, let him understand. But Luke 21. in his Gospel speaketh more plainly hereof. When you therefore shall see Jerusalem to be compassed about with an army, then know ye that the desolation thereof shall draw nigh. And afterward it followeth: And they shall fall by the face of the sword, and shall be led away captive to all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot of the heathen, until the times of the nations be fulfilled. Now in Daniel thus it is writ̄ of this matter. And after 72. weeks, shall Christ be slain, neither shall that be his people, that will deny him. And as for the Citye and Sanctuary, shall a people (with his captain that will come with them) destroy the said City and sanctuary, and his ende shall be to be wasted utterly, till it be brought to naught, and after the ende of the war, shall come the desolation appointed. In one week shall he confirm the covenant to many, and within half a week shall the offering and sacrifice cease. And in the temple shall there be the abomination of desolation, and even unto the end shall the desolation continue. And else where •• n Daniel, thus it is written. From the time that the continual sacrifice shall be offered, and that the abomination shall be placed in desolation, there shall be 1290. days.

Now, if any man will behold the Chronicles, he shall find, that after the destruction of Jerusalem was accomplished, and after the strong hand of the holy people was fully dispersed, and after the placing of the abhominatyon, that is to say, the Idol of desolation of Jerusalem, within the holy place, where the temple of God was before, there had passed 1290, days taking a day for a yere, as commonly it is taken in the Prophets. And the times of the heathen people are fulfilled, after whose rites and customs God suffered the holy City to be trampled under foot for 42. months. For although the Christyan Church, which is the holy City, contynued in the faith from the Ascension of Christ, even till this time: yet hath it not observed and kept the perfection of the faith all this whole season. For soon after the departure of the Apostles, the faith was kept with the obseruatyon of y ^t rites of the Gentiles, and not of the rites of Moses law, nor of the law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Wherefore seeing that this time of the error of the Gentiles is fulfilled: it is likely that Christ shall call the Gentiles from the rites of their gentilitie, to the perfection of the Gospel, as he called the Jews frō the law of Moses to the same perfection, in his first coming: that there may be one shepefolde of the Jews and Gentiles, under one shepherd Seeing therefore that Antichrist is known which hath seduced the nations: then shall the elec • after that they have forsaken the errors of their Gentilitie, come through the light of God's word, to the perfection of the Gospel, & that same seducer shall be slain with the sword of gods word. So that by these things it doth partly appear unto me, why y ^t at this time rather then at another time, this matter of Antichrist is moved.

And why that this motiō is come to pass in this kingdom, rather then in other kingdoms: me thinks there is good reason, because that no nation of the Gentiles was so soon converted to Christ as were the Brytons the inhabitauntes of this kingdom: For to other places of the world there were sent preachers of the faith, who, by the working of miracles and continual preaching of y ^e word of God, and by grievous passion and death of the body, did convert the people of those places: But in this kingdom, in the time of Lucius king of the Brytons, and of Eleutherius Bishop of the Romaines did Lucius hear of the Romaines that were Infidels (by the way of rumors and tales) of the Christian faith, which was preached at Rome. Who believed straightways, and sent to Rome, to Eleutherius for men skillful to inform him more fully in the very faith it self: at whose coming he was joyful, and was baptized with his whole kingdom. And after the receiving of the faith, they never forsook it, neither for any manner false preaching of other, neither for any manner of torments, or yet assaults of the Paynims, as in other kindomes it hath come to pass. And thus it seemeth to me the Britons amongst other nations, have ben, as it were by the spiritual election of God, called & converted to the faith.

Of them as me seemeth, did Isaiah prophecy saying: For they did see to whō there was nothing told of him, & they did behold, that had not heard of him. And again, behold, thou shalt call a nation which thou knewest not: & natyons that have not known thee, shall run unto thee: for the lord thy God, & y ^e holy one of Israel, shall glorify thee.

Of this kingdom, did S. John in the Apocalypse prophecy (as me seemeth) where he said, The Dragō stood before the woman, which was about to be delivered of child, to the intent y ^t when she had brought it forth into y ^e world, he might devour up her sonne: & she brought forth her child which was a manchild, who should govern all nations with an iron rod. And the same son was taken up to God, & to his throne. And y ^e womā fled into the wilderness, whereas she had a place prepared of God, y ^t they may feed her. 1260. days. And again in the same chapter, after that the Dragon saw that he was cast out vpō y ^e earth, he did persecute the womā, which brought forth the manchild. And there were given to the womā two wings of a great Egle, that she might flee into the wilderness into her place, where as she is fostred up for a time, times, & a half time, from the face of the Serpent. And the Serpent did cast as it were a flood of water after the woman, to the intent that he might cause her to be drowned by y ^e flood: and the earth opening her mouth, did hear the woman, & did swallow up the flood which the Dragon did cast out of his mouth. Let us see how these sayings may be applied unto this kingdom rather then to other kingdoms. It is well known y ^t this kingdom is a wilderness or a desert place, because that the Philosophers & wisemen did not pass upon it, but did leave it for a wilderness and desert, because it is placed without the clymates.

Unto this place fled y ^e woman, that is to say, y ^e Church (which by faith did spiritually bring forth Christ into the world) where as she was fed with the heavenly bread, the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, for 1260. days, seeing that for so many days, taking a day for a yere, the Brytons continued in y ^e faith of Christ, which thing cannot be found so of any Christian kingdom, but of this desert: and well is it said, that she flew to this place. For whom y ^e East came the faith into Brytaine, not by walking in journey, nor yet by sailing: for then should it have come by Rome, Italy, Almaine, France, which cannot be found: & therefore she flew over those places, & rested not in them, even as a birde flying over a place, resteth not in the same: but rested in this wilderness for a time, times, and half a time, that is, 1260. years from the first coming of the faith into Britain until this present.

In saying for a time, times, and half a time, there is a going forward from the greater to the less. The greatest time that we name, is a 1000. years, there is a time: and the next time that is less in the singular number, is one 100. yere. In the plural number, times signify that there be mo hundreds then one, at lest 200. years. Wherefore if they be put under a certain number, it must needs be that they be two, but the same two cannot fitly be called sometimes; except they be hundreds. For in that, that there is a going down from the greater to the less, when as it is said a time, times, and half a time, and that the number of a 1000. is likely assigned for a time: it must needs follow that times must be taken for hundreds, and half a time for 60. because it is the greater half of an hundredth years, though that 50. be the even half. And when that the serpent sent the water of the persecution after the woman to cause her to be drouned of the flood: then did the earth, that is to wit, y ^e stablenes of faith help the woman, by supping up the water of tribulation. For in the most cruel persecution of Dioclesian and Maximiane against the Christians, when as christianity was almost every where roted out: yet did they in this kingdom stand continually in the faith, unmovable. And so, considering that the Britons, were converted to y ^e faith of Christ, as you would say, by an election and piking out amongst all the nations of the heathen, and that after they had received the faith, they did never starte back from the faith for no manner of tribulation: It is not to be meruailed it in their place y ^• calling of the Gentiles, be made manifest to the profiting of the gospel of Jesus Christ, by the revealing of Antichrist.

But besides this, me seemeth that Ezekiel doth specially speak of them, whereas he speaketh of the fall of the prince of Tyre, saying: for as much as thy heart is lifted up as if it were the heart of God, therefore behold: I will bring upon thee, some of the strongest of the heathen, & they shall draw their naked swords upon the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy comeliness, and they shall slay thee, and pull thee out, and thou shalt die in the slaughter of the slain persons, in the heart of the sea.

This prince who saith, that he himself is God, & doth sit in God's chair in y ^e heart of the sea, doth signify (as most likely it seemeth to me) that Antichrist shall be destroyed by the most mighty persons of the Gentiles folk, through the sword of the word of God. Because that amongst the other Gentiles, there have been none more strong then the Britones, either in their body or their faith, & in their bodily wars there have been none more mighty then they. For never in wars have they been vanquished, but by their own sedition or treason. But how many kingdoms have they conquered? Yea, and nother by the most mighty city of Rome, could they be driven out of their kingdom, until that God sent upon them pestilence and famine: whereby they being wasted, were compelled to leave their country, which thing I have not hard of any other people. Now, in the faith, have they been amongst all the people, the strongest, as before is said, because that by no tribulation, could they be compelled to forsake the faith. Wherefore of them, this seemeth to me to be understanded. Thē I will bring upon thee, some of the most strongest people, & they shall draw their naked swords, &c. By these things it may plainly appear, why at this time (rather then in time past) this matter is stirred up: and why in this kingdom (rather then in other kingdoms) the calling of the Gentiles is entreated of, to the verifying of the Gospel, through the disclosing of Antichrist.

But forasmuch as many tales and fables are told of Antichrist and his coming, and many things which do rather seduce then instruct the hearers, are applied to him out of the scriptures of the prophets: we will briefly write those things which are spoken of him, and we will show that the same fable sprang from the error of people imagining, & from no truth of the scriptures prophesying. Now then they do say, that Antichrist shall be borne in Babylon of the tribe of Dan, & conceived of the mixture of man and woman in sin, because that Christ was borne of a virgin, and conceived of the holy ghost. They say, that he shall be an ill favored personage, because that it is written of Christ: comely and beautiful is he, beyond the sons of men. They say that he shall preach three years and an half where Christ preached, & that he shall circumcise himself, and say that he is Christ, and the Messias sent for the salvation of the Jews. And they say, that he shall 3. manner of ways seduce the people by false miracles, gifts, and torments. So that whom he shall not be able to overcome w ^t miracles nor with gifts, those shall he go about to overcome with diverse kinds of torments. And those that he shall seduce, will he mark with his tokens in their forehead or hands. He shall sit in the temple of God, and cause himself to be worshipped as God. He shall fight (as they say) with the 2. witnesses of Christ, Enoch & Hely, and shall kill thē, and he himself shall finally be slain with lightening. To this imagined man of their own imagination, but of none of the prophets foreshowed (at least in no such wise as this is) do they apply the Prophets, as this of Daniel: When y ^• cotinual sacrifice shall be taken away, & abomination shall be placed to desolation: That is (say they) when the worshipping of God shall be taken away, & desolation (to wit, Antichrist) shall abominably show forth himself to be worshipped, then shall there be 1290. days: that is to say, 3. years and a half. And this time do they say is the time, times, and half a time. And when it is said in Daniel: Blessed is he that looketh for, and cometh to a 1335. days. This do they say, is thus to be understanded. 45. days of repentance to such as have worshipped Antichrist: which 45. days added to the 1290. make 1335. days. Which days they that shall reach unto, shall be called blessed.

They apply also to this Antichrist, this saying of the Apocalypse: I saw a beast rising up out of the Sea, having 7. heads, and 10. horns, who had power givē him to make 42. months. Which months (as they say) do make 3. yere & a half, in which Antichrist shall reign. And many other things there are told, and applied unfitly to this imagined Antichrist, y ^t are not truly grounded upon the scriptures.

Now, let us show the errors of this fable. First of all, if there shall come such one (saying expressly that he is Christ) what Christian would be seduced by him, though he should do never so many miracles: neither shall he come after the manner of a seducer, which shall show himself an express adversary. Neither is it likely that the Jews can be seduced by such a one, seeing that Christ is not promised unto them of the stock of Dan by any of the Prophets, but of y ^e stock of Judah: nor yet is he promised to thē to be a king warlike, but peaceable, taking war away, & not making war. For of Christ saith Isaiah: And in the last days, shall there be prepared the mountain of the house of the Lord, in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills: and to it, shall all the nations have great recourse, and many people shall go and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he shall teache us his ways, and we shall walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall there go a law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and he shall judge the nations, & reprove much people. And they shall turn their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sithes. There shall not a nation lift up it self against another nation, nor yet shall they be anymore exercised to war. And again: A little babe is borne to us, and a son is given to us, and his Imperial kingdom upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called: The great counsailour: The mighty God: The father of the world to come: The Prince of peace. His Empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no ende of his peace. He shall sit upon the seat of David, and upon his kingdom: that he may make it steadfast and strong in judgment, and in justice, from henceforth & for evermore. Zacharias doeth say of Christ: Rejoice thou greatly, O thou daughter Zion, be thou exceeding merye, O daughter Jerusalem: Behold thy king shall come a righteous person, and a Savior unto thee, and yet he a poor man, and getting up upon an asse, even upon a young colt of the she asse. And I will scatter abroad the chariot of Ephraim, and the horse of Jerusalem. And the bow of war shall be dispersed, and he shall speak peace to the nations, and his power shall be from the sea to the sea, and from the flood unto the borders of the earth.

By which things it is manifest, that the wise Jews knew well enough, Christ to be promised to them of the stock of Judah and not of the stock of Dan: & that he was given, all to peace & not to war: Therefore it is not likely, that they cā be seduced by such a one. But if there should have been in time to come some such singular Antichrist, then would Christ (seeing he loved his) have said somewhat unto thē of him. Now, of one singularly doth he not speak: but of many, saying. Many shall come in my name, & say, I am Christ: and they shall seduce many persons. But now let us see, how the prophecies in Daniel, & the Apocalypse (aforesaid) be falsely and erroneously applied to the same imagined Antichrist. For in Daniel the ix. chapter thus it is written. And after 72. weeks shall Christ be slain, and they which will deny him shall not be his people. And the City and sanctuary, shall a people, with their Captain that shall come with them destroy, whose end shall be utter desolation, and after the end of the war a determined destruction. Now, he shall in one week confirm his covenant towards many, and in the half week shall the offering and sacrifice cease, and in the temple shall there be an abomination of desolation, and evē to the fulfilling up of all, and to the end, shall the desolation continue. It is plain & manifest that this prophecy is now fulfilled. For the people of Rome with their Captain, destroyed Jerusalem even to the ground, and the people of the Jews was slain and scattered. And the abomination, that is, the Idol of desolation was placed of Adrian, in the last destruction in Jerusalem in the holy place, that is to say, in a place of the temple. And from that time hitherto have passed near about 1290. days, taking a day for a year, as Daniel takes it in his prophecies, and other prophets likewise. For Daniel speaking of 62. weeks, doeth not speak of the weeks of days but of years. So therefore when he saith: From the time that the continual sacrifice was taken away. &c. 1290. days must be taken for so many years, from the time of the desolation of Jerusalem, even unto the revealing of Antichrist: and not for 3. years and an half, which they say, Antichrist shall reign. And again, whereas Daniel said, How long till the ende of these marvelous matters? it was answered him. For a time, and times, and half a time. Behold also, how unfitly they did assign this time, by 3. years and a half, which they say, Antichrist shall reign. For when as it is said, a time, times, and half a time: there is a going downward from the greater to the less: from the whole to the part, because it is from a time to half time. If therefore, there be a going downward from the whole to the part, by the midst (which is greater then the whole it self) the going downewarde is not meet nor agreeing. And this is done when as it is said, that a time, times, and half a time is a year, two years, and half a year. Wherefore more fitly it is said, that a time, times and half a time, doth signify 1290. years, as is before said in the chapter preceding. Thus therefore is the prophecy of Daniel falsely applied to that imagined Antichrist.

Likewise is the process of the Apocalypse applied to the same imagined Antichrist, too much erroneously. Because that the same cruel beast which came up out of the sea, having 7. heads, and 10. horns, to whom there was power given over every tribe, people, and tongue, and the power given for the space of 42. months: Thys beast doth note thē Romaine Emperors, which most cruelly did persecute the people of God, as well Christians as Jews. For whē as the condēnatiō of the great whore sitting upon the many waters was shown to John: he saw the same woman sitting upon the purple coulored beast full of the names of blasphemy, having 7. heads, and 10. horns: and he saw a woman being drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus. And the angel expounding and telling him the mistery of the woman and the beast that carried her said: That 7. heads are 7. hills, and are 7. kings: Five are fallen, one is, the other is not yet come: & when he shall come, he must reign a short time. And y ^e 10. horns which thou sawest, are 10. kings, who have not yet taken their kingdom, but shall receive their power as it were in one hour, under the beast. And finally he saith, y ^• woman whō thou sawest, is the great Citty, which hath the kingdom over the kings of the earth. And it is manifest that the City of Rome, at the time of this prophecy, had the kingdom over the kings of the earth. And this City was borne up & upholden by her cruel & beastly Emperors: who by their cruelty and beastlynes did subdue unto thenselves in a manner, all the kingdoms of the world, of a zeal to have lordship over others, and not vertuouslye to govern the people that were their subjects, seeing that they thenselves did lack all virtue, and drew back others from the faith and from virtue.

Wherefore what cruel beast coming up out of the sea, doth rightly note the Romain Emperors, who had power over every language, people and country. And the power of this beast was for 42. months: because that from the first Emperor of Rome, that is to say, Julius Caesar, unto the ende of Frederick the last Emperor of Rome there were 42. months, taking a month for 30. days, as the months of the Hebrews and Grecians are, and taking a day always for a year, as commonly it is taken in the Prophets. By which things it may plainly appear, how unfitly this prophecy is applied to that imagined Antichrist, and the 42. months taken for three years and an half, which (they say) he shall reign in against the saying of the Prophets, because that days are taken for years. As in the 1. of the Apocal. They shall be troubled 10. days. Which do note the most cruel persecution of Dioclesian against the Christians that endured 10. years. And in another place of the Apocalypse, it is written of the smoke coming up out of the bottomless pit. Out of which pit there came forth Grashoppers into the earth: and to them was power given, as scorpions have power, to vex & to trouble men 5. months. Now it is manifest, that from the beginning of the Friers minours and preachers, to the time that Armachanus, began to disclose and uncover their hypocrisy, and their false foundation of valiant begging under the poverty of Christ, were 5. months, taking a month for 30. days, and a day for a year. And to Ezekiel were days given for years. Wherefore it is an unfit thing to assign the 42. months being appointed to the power of the beast, unto 3. years and a half, for the reign of that fantastical and imagined Antichrist: specially seeing that they do apply to his reign y ^• 1290. days in Daniel, which make 42. months, and in the Apocalypse they assign him 42. months. It is plain that the Psalterie and the harp agree not. And therefore seeing that it is sufficiently shown, that the same fabling tale of that imagined Antichrist to come, is a fable and erroneous: Let us go forward to declare whether Antichrist be already come, and yet is he hid from many, and must be opened and disclosed within a little while, according to the truth of the holy Scripture, for the salvation of the faithful.

And because that in the first conclusion of mine answer, I have conditionally put it, who is that Antichrist lying privy in the hid Scriptures of the Prophets: I will pass on the declaration of that conclusion, bringing to light those things, which lay hid in darkness, because nothing is hid which shall not be disclosed, and nothing covered that shall not be known: And therefore, the thing that was said in the darkness, let us say in the light: and the thing that we have heard in the ear, let us preach upon the house tops. I therefore as I have before said, so say, that if the high bishop of Rome, calling himself the servant of God, and the chief Vicare of Christ in this world, do make and justify many laws contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ: then is he the chief of many, which coming in the name of Christ, have said, I am Christ, who have seduced many. Which is the first part of the first conclusion, and is manifest. For Christ is called of Hebrews the very same, that we call annointed. And amongst them there was a double sort of legal anointing by the law, the one of kings and the other of Priests. And as well were the kings, as the priests, called in the law, Christ's. The kings, as in the Psalm. The kings of the earth stood up together, and the Princes assembled them selves in one against the Lord and against his Christ or annointed. And in the books of the kings very often are the kings called Christ's. And our Savior was Christ, or annointed king, because he was a king for evermore upon the throne of David, as the Scriptures do very oftentimes witness. The Priests also were called annointed, as where it is written: Do not ye touch my Christ's, that is, mine annointed ones, and be not ye spiteful against my Prophets. And so was our Savior Christ, a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Seyng then, that the Bishops of Rome do say, that they are the high Priests: they say also therein that they are kings, because they say that they have the spiritual sword perteinyng to their Priesthode, and the corporal sword which agreeth for a kings state. So is it plain, that really & in very deed, they say that they are Christ's, albeit that expressly they be not called Christ's. Now that, they come in the name of Christ, it is manifest, because they say that they are his principal Vicares in this world, ordained of Christ specially for the government of the Christian Church. Therefore, seeing they say, that really and in very deed they are Christ's, and the chief friends of Christ: If they make and justify many laws contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then is it plain that they themselves in earth are the principal Antichrists, because there is no worse plague and pestilence, then a familiar enemy. And if in secret they be against Christ, and yet in open appearance they say that they are his friends: they are so much the more meet to seduce and deceive the Christiā people, because that a manifest enemy shall have much a do to deceive a man, because men trust him not: but a priuey enemy pretendyng outward frendshyp, may easily seduce, yea those that be wise.

But that this matter may the more fully be know̄, let us see what is the law & doctrine of Christ, that ought to be observed of all faithful people: which being known, it shall be an easy thing to see, if the bishop of Rome do make or maintain any laws, contrary to the law of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I say then, that the law of Christ is charity, which is the perfect love of God and of Christ. This thing is plain and manifest. For Christ being demanded of a certain doctor of the law: What is the greatest commandment in the law▪ answered. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: This is the principal & greatest commandment. And as for the second, it is like unto this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thine own self. In these two commandments, doth the whole law and Prophets depend. And in another place Christ saith: All manner of things therefore, y ^t you would that men should do to you, the same also do ye unto them. For this is the law and the Prophets. And in John the 13. chap. saith Christ. And now do I say unto you, I give you a new commandment, y ^t you should love eche other: as I loved you, in like manner that you also should love one another. In this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you shall have love one towards another. And John 15. chapter: This is my commandment that you love together as I have loved you. Greater love then this, hath nobody, that a man should give his life for his friends. The Apostle Peter saith in his first Epistle 4. chapter: Above all things, having continually charity one towards another, for charitye covereth the multitude of sins. Be ye harborers, and entertain ye one another without grudging: everyone as he hath received grace, so let him bestow it upon another man, as the good stewards of the manifold graces of God. If any mā speak, let him speak as the word of God. If any man do ought for another, let it be don with singleness and unfeigned verity, ministered of God to us ward, that in all things God may be honored through Jesus Christ our Lord. James in his Epistle the 2. chapter. If ye perform the royal law accordingly to the Scriptures (thou shalt love thy neighbor) ye do well: But if ye be parcial in receiving and preferring men's personages, ye work wickedness being blamed of the law as transgressors. And again, so speak ye, and so do ye, as ye should now begin to be judged by the law of liberty. What shall it avail (my brethren) if a man say he have faith, and have no works? Never shall y ^t faith be able to save him. For if a brother or sister be naked, and have need of daily food, and some of you say to them, go ye in peace, be ye made warm and satisfied: and if ye shall not give those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it avail? Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in it self.

John in his first epistle the 3. chap. This is the tidings which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another. And again, we know that we are tra • slated from death to life, if we love the brethren: He that loveth not, abideth in death. And again, herein do we know the love of God, because that he hath laid down his life for us, & we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. He that shall have the substance of this world, and shall see his brother have need, and shall shut up his bowels from him: howe abideth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word nor tongue, but in deed and truth. And again 4. chap. Most dearly beloved, let us love together. For love is of God, he y ^t loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. In this thing hath the love of God apeared in us, that God hath sent his only begotten son into the world, that we should live by him. Herein is love: not y ^t we have loved God, but that he hath first loved us, and hath sent his son an atonement for our sins. Most dearly beloved, if God have loved us: we so ought to love together. No mā hath seen God at any time: if we love together, God abideth in us, & his love is perfect in us. And again, let us love God, for he hath first loved us. If a man shall say, I love God, & do hate his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how cā he love God whom he seeth not? And this commandment have we of God, y ^t who so loveth God, should love his brother also. Paul the Apostle in his epistle to the Rom. 13. chapter. O we ye nothing to nobody, saving that ye should love together, for he that loveth his brother hath fulfilled the law. For thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear fall witness, thou shalt not covet thy neighbors good: and if there be any other commandment, it is plentifully fulfilled in this word: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Wherefore the fulfilling of the law is love.

Paul to the Corinthes 5. saith: If I should speak with the tongues of men and angels, and yet have not charity, I am become as it were a piece of sounding metal or rinkling cimball. And if I shall have all prophecy, & know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and shall have all faith, so that I might remove mountains, and yet shall not have charity: I am nothing. And if I shall give abroad all my goods to feed the poor, and shall give up my body to be burned, and yet have not charity: it profits me nothing. To the Galatians 5. saith Paul: For you my brethren, are called into liberty: do ye not give your liberty for an occasion of the flesh, but by charity of the spirit, serve ye one another. For all y ^e law is fulfilled in one saying: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thine own self. To the Eph. 4. chap. he saith: I therefore that suffer bonds in the Lord, do beseech you, that you would walk worthy of the calling where w ^t ye are called, with all humbleness and mildness, with patience forbearing one another in love, being careful to keep the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace: that you be one body, and one spirit, even as you be called in one hope of your calling. And again in the 5. chap. Be ye followers of me, as most dear children, and walk ye in love as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered up himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God of a sweet favor, To the Phil. thus he speaketh in the 1. chap. Only let your conversation be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, that either when I shall come and see you, or else in mine absence. I may hear of you, that you stand steadfast in one spirit, laboring together with one accord for the faith of the Gospel. And in nothing be ye afraid of the adversaries, which is to them a cause of damnation, but to you of salvation, and y ^t of God. For to you it is given, not only that you should believe in him, but also that you should suffer with him, you having the like fight and battle that both you have seen in me, and also now do hear of me. If therefore there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of charity, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels of compassion fulfill you my joy, that you may be of one judgment, having one and the self same charity, being of one accord, of one manner of judgment, doing nothing of contention, nor of vain glory, but in humbleness, accounting other amongst you, everyone better then yourselves, not everybody looking upon the things that be his own, but those that belong unto others. And to the Coloss. 3. chapter thus he writeth: You therefore as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, put upon you the bowels of mercy, gentleness, humbleness, lowliness, modesty, patience, bearing one with another, & giving place to yourselves (if any have a quarrel against anybody) even as the Lord forgave you, so do you also. Above all things have ye charity, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of Christ triumph in your hearts, in which peace you also are called in one body. And be ye kind & thankful. And to the Thessalonians thus Paul writeth in the 4. chapter. As concerning brotherly charity, we have no need to write unto you: for you yourselves have learned of God, that you should love one another. And the same thing ye do towards all y ^e brethren throughout all Macedonia.

Out of all these & many other places of the holy scripture it sufficiently appeareth, that the law of Christ is charity, neither is there any virtues commanded of Christ, or any of his Apostles to be observed of the faithful people, but that it cometh out of charity, or else doeth nourish charity.

The law is given by Moses, and the truth by Christ. Christ came not to vnlose the law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. But yet many things were lawful & might have been observed in the time of the law, which in y ^• time of grace must not be observed. And many things wer unlawful to them that were under the law, which in the time of grace are lawful enough. After what sort then he did not loose the law, but did fulfill it, it is necessary to declare, for those things which hereafter must be said. For amongst Christians, many things are judged to be lawful, because in the former testament in the law, they were lawful: and yet they be expressly contrary to Christ's Gospel. But the authors of such things do argue and reason thus: Christ came not to loose the law of the prophets. Now after what sort he did not vnlose them, it is manifest by the holy scripture: that the law given by Moses, was written in tables of stone, to declare the hardness of y ^• people's heart towards the love of God, or of Christ. But Christ hath written his law in the harts and in the minds of his, that is to say, the law of perfect love of God & of Christ. Which law whosoever observeth, he doth observe the law of Moses, & doth much greater works of perfection, then were the works of y ^• law. Thus therefore were the morals of the old law fulfilled in the law of the charity of Christ, and not unloosed: because they are much more perfectly observed, then of the Jews. This I say, if the Christians do observe the commandments of Christ in such sort, as he commanded the same to be observed. Christ hath fulfilled the laws moral of the old testament, because that the morals and iudicials were ordained, that one person should not do injury to another, & that every man should have paid him that is his. Now, they that are in charity, will do no injury to others, neither do they take other men's goods away from them. Nay it seeketh not her own things. For charity seeketh not the things that be her own. Wherefore, much less by a stronger reason it ought not to seek for other men's goods. And whē as the iudicials & morals were ordained: Christ did not by y ^e works of the law justify the believers in him, but by grace justified them frō their sins. And so did Christ fulfill that by grace, that the law could not by justice.

Paul to the Romaines declareth in a godly discourse, and to the Galath. likewise: that none shall be justified by the works of the law, but by grace, in the faith of Jesus Christ. As for the morals & ceremonies of the law, as circumcision, sacrifices for offense and for sins, first fruits, tenths 〈◊〉 , diverse sortes of washings, the sprinkling of blood, the sprinkling of ashes, abstaining from unclean meats which are ordained for the sanctifying and cleansing of the people frō sin, no nor yet the prayers of the priests, neither the preachings of the prophets, could cleanse a man from his sin. For death reigned even from Adam to Moses, and sin from Moses to Christ, as Paul declareth to the Romaines in the 5. chapter. But Christ, willing to have mercy, and not sacrifice, being a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, & an high Priest of good things to come: did neither by the blood of goats or calves but by his own blood enter in once unto the holy places, when as everlasting redemption was found: neither did Jesus enter into the holy places that were made with hands, which are the examples of true things, but into the very heaven, y ^t now he may appear before the countenance of God for us. Nor yet he did so, y ^t he should offer up himself oftentimes, as the high Bishop entered into the holy place every year w ^t strange blood (for otherwise he must needs have suffered oftentimes sithens y ^e beginning of the world) but now in the latter end of the world hath he once appeared by his own sacrifice, for the destruction of sin. And like as it is decreed for men once to die, and after that cometh judgment: even so was Christ once offered up to cōsum away the sins of many. The second time shall he appear without sin, to the salvation of such as look for him. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image or substance it self of the things: can never, by those sacrifices which they offer (of one self same sort continually yere by yere) make them perfect that come unto her. Otherwise men would leave of offering because that those worshyps being once cleansed, should have no more pr ••• e of conscience for sin afterwards. But in them is their remembrance made of sins every yere. For it is impossible, that by the blood of goats & bulls, sins should be taken away. Wherefore, he entering into y ^e world, doth say, as for sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not have, but a body hast thou framed unto me. And sacrifices for sin have not pleased thee, then said I, behold I come. In the head or principal part of the book it is written of me, that I should do thy will, O God. Wherefore he said before, that sacrifices, oblations and burnt offerings, and that for sin thou wouldest not have: neither were those things pleasant to thee which are offered according to the law: then said I, behold I come, that I may do thy will O God: He taketh away the first, that he may stablish that that followed. In which will, we are sanctified and made holy by the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ, ones. And verily every Priest, is ready every day ministering, & oftentimes offering the self same sacrifices, which never can take away sins. But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, doth forever and ever sit at God's right hand, looking for the rest to come till that his enemies be placed to be his footstool. For with one offering hath he forever made perfect those that be sanctified. By which things it plainly appeareth, y ^t Christ by one offering hath cleansed his from their sins: who could not be cleansed from the same, by all the ceremonies of the law, and so did fulfill that which the priesthood of the law could not. Wherefore only the morals and iudicials he fulfilled by the law of charity, and by grace: and the ceremonials, by one offering up of his body in the alter of the cross. And so it is plain, that Christ fulfilled the whole law.

Wherefore sithens that the holy things of the law, were a shadow of those things that were to come in the time of grace: it were meet that all those things should utterly cease amongst Christians, which should either be against charity, or the grace of Christ. Although in the time of the law, they were lawful, and not utterly contrary to it, but were figures of perfections in Christ's faith: yet it were meet that they should cease at y ^e coming of the perfection which they did prefigurate: as circumcision, the eating of the paschal lamb, and other ceremonial points of the law. Wherupon also Paul to the Hebrews the 7. chapter saith thus. If therefore the making up of y ^e perfection of all was by the Levitical priesthood (for the people received the law under him) why was it necessary besides, that another Priest should rise up after the order of Melchizedek, & not be called after the order of Aaron • For whē the Priesthode is removed, it must needs be, that the law also be removed. For he, in whom these things are spokē, is of another tribe, of which, none stood present at the altar. Because it is manifest that our Lord had his offspring of Judah: in which tribe Moses spake nothing of the Priests. And besides this, it is manifest: if according to the order of Melchizedek there do rise up another Priest, which was not made according to the law of the carnal commandment, but according to the power of the life that cannot be loosed. For thus he beareth witness, that thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek: so that, the commandment, that went before, is disallowed for the weakness & unprofitableness thereof. For the law hath brought nobody to perfection. By which things it appeareth that Christ making an end of the priesthood of Aaron, doth also make up a full end of the law belonging to that Priesthode. Wherupon I marvel y ^t your learned men do say, that Christian folks are bound to this small ceremony of the payment of tithes, and care nothing at all for other as well the great as the small ceremonies of the law.

It is plain, that the tithes were given to the sons of Levi, for their serving in the tabernacle & in the temple of the Lord, as the first fruits were given to the priests, and also part of the sacrifices, & so were the vows for their ministry, as it appeareth in the book of Numbers the 22. chapter. But forasmuch as the labor of those sacrifices did cease at the coming of Christ: howe should those things be demanded, which were ordained for that labor? And seeing that the first fruits were not demanded of Christians, which first fruits were then rather and sooner demanded then the tithes: why must the tithes be demanded, except it be therefore peradventure because that the tithes be more worth in value then be the first fruits?

Secondly, why are the lay people bound to the payment of tithes, more then the Levites and the priests were to the not having of possessions of realties & Lordships amongst their brethren, seeing y ^t the self same law in the self same place (where he saith that the tithes ought to be given to Levites) saith also to the Levites, you shall be contented with the offering of the tithes, and have none other thing amongst your brethren. Wherefore seeing that the Priests be bound, to the not having of temporal Lordship’s: how are the lay people bound, by that law (of God he meaneth, and not of man) to the payment of tithes?

Thirdly, as touching circumcision, which is one of the greater ceremonies of the law, and was given before the law, & was an universal ceremony, concerning the covenant between God & his people, and was so much regarded in the law, that thereof it was said: The soul, whose flesh shall not be circumcised in the foreskin, shall pearysh from amongst his people: yet did this ceremony utterly cease at the coming of Christ, although that certain of the Jews did say in the primative Church, that the Christians must needs keep the commandment of circumcision with the faith: whom Paul reproveth writing thus to the Galatians the 4. chapter, where he speaketh of the children of the bondwoman & of the free woman, which do signify the two Testaments. But we (O brethren) are the children of the promise after Isaac, but like as at that time he that was borne after the flesh, did persecute him, which was after the spirit: even so it is now also. But what saith the scripture? Throw out the bondwoman and her son. The son of the bondwoman, shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. Wherefore brethrē, we are not the sons of the bondwoman, but of the free. S • ad ye steadfast in the liberty, wherewith Christ hath delivered you, and be not ye holden again under the yoke of slavery. Behold I Paul say unto you, if you be circumcised, Christ shall nothing profit you. For I testify again to every man that circumciseth himself, that he is bound to keep all the whole law. Ye are utterly void of Christ: whosoever will be justified in the law, are fallen from grace.