Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 1
After that in his death and resurrectiō he had conquered sin, death, and the devil, and had been conversant 40. days in the earth being seen of the Apostles, & more then v. hundred brethren at once, in the same body in which he wrought the work of our salvation, he ascended into heaven with eternal triumph, for the victory over death, sin and hell, leaving the passage open, by which all true believers may and shall enter into his kingdom, where he now sitteth at his fathers right hand, that is to say, in power & glory equal, in majesty coeternal.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick & the dead.
He shall appear again in great glory to receive his elect unto himself, & to put his enemies under his feet, changing all living men in a moment, and raising up all that be dead, that all may be brought to his judgment. In this shall he give ech man according to his deeds. They which have followed him in regeneratiō, which have their sins washed away in his blood, & are clothed with his righteousness, shall receive the everlasting kingdom, and reign with him forever: and they which after the race of the corrupt generation of Adam have followed flesh and blood, shall receive everlasting damnation with the devil and his angels.
I believe in the holy ghost.
I do believe that the holy ghost is God, the third person in Trinity, in unity of the Godhead equal with the father & the son, given through Christ to inhabit our spirits, by which we are made to feel and understand the great power, virtue, & loving kindness of Christ our lord. For he illumineth, quickeneth, and certifieth our spirit, that by him we are sealed up unto the day of redemption, by whom we are regenerate and made new creatures, so that by him and through him, we do receive all the aboundāt goodness promised us in Jesus Christ.
The holy Catholic Church.
This is an holy number of Adams posterity, elected, gathered, washed, and purified by the blood of the Lamb from the beginning of the world, and is dispersed through the same, by the tyranny of Gog & Magog, that is to say, the Turk and his tyranny, and Antichrist, otherwise named the Bish. of Rome and his angels, as this day also doth teach.
The Communion of Saints.
Which most holy congregation (being as Paul teacheth, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ being the head corner stone) though it be by the tyranny of Satan and his ministers persecuted, some by imprisonment, some by death, and some by other afflictions & painful torments: yet doth it remain in one perfect unity both in faith and fellowship: which unity is knit in an unspeakable knot, as well of them which are departed from this mortal life, as of them which now be living, and hereafter shall be in the same, and so shall continue until they all do meet in the kingdom, where the head Jesus Christ, with all his holy members (of which number thorough Christ I assuredly believe that I am one) shall be fully complete, knit, and united together for evermore.
The forgiveness of sins.
I do believe that my sins and all their sins which do rightly believe the holy Scripture, are forgiven only thorough that Jesus Christ, of whom only I do profess that I have my whole and full salvation and redemption, which S. Paul saith, cometh not through our works and deseruyngs, but freely by grace, lest any should boast himself. Thorough the blood of his Cross all things in heaven and earth are reconciled, and set at peace with the Father, without him no heavenly life is given, nor sin forgiven.
The resurrection of the body.
I do believe, that by the same my savior Christ, I, and all men shall rise again from death: for he, as Paul saith, is risen again frō the dead, and is become the first fruits of them which sleep. For by a man came death, and by a man cometh the resurrection from death. This man is Christ, through the power of whose resurrection, I believe that we all shall rise again in these our bodies: the elect clothed with immortality to live with Christ forever: the reprobate also shall rise immortal to live with the devil and his angels in death everlasting.
And the life everlasting.
Through the same Jesus & by none other, I am sure to have life everlasting. He only is the way and entrance into the kingdom of heaven. For so God loved the world, that he did give his only son Jesus Christ, to the ende that so many as do believe in him, might have everlasting life. The which I am sure to possess so soon as I am dissolved, & departed out of this tabernacle, & in the last day shall both body and soul possess the same forever: to the which God grant all men to come,
I believe that the sacraments, that is to say, of Baptism and of the Lord's supper are seals of God's moste merciful promises towards mankind. In Baptism, as by the outward creature of water I am washed from the filthiness which hangeth on my flesh: so do I assuredly believe, y t I am by Christ's blood washed clean frō my sins, through which I have sure confidence of my certain salvation. In the partaking of the Lord's supper, as I receive the substance of bread & wyne (the nature of which is to strengthen the body,) so do I by faith receive the redemption wrought in Christ's body broken on the cross, life by his death, resurrection by his resurrection, and in sum, all that ever Christ in his body suffered for my salvation, to the strengthening of my faith in the same. And I believe that God hath appointed the eating & drinking of the creatures of bread and wine in his holy supper according to his word, to move and to stir up my mind to believe these articles above written.
This is my faith: this I do believe, and I am content by God's grace to confirm and seal the truth of the same with my blood.
By me John Warne.
A letter of John Cardmaker to a certain friend of his.
The peace of God be with you.
YOu shall right well perceive, that I am not gone back as some men do report me, but as ready to give my life, as any of my brethren that are gone before me, although by a policy I have a little prolonged it, and that for the best, as already it appeareth unto me, and shortly shall appear unto all. That day that I recant any point of doctrine, I shall suffer twenty kinds of death, the Lord being mine assistance, as I doubt not, but he will. Commend me to my friend, and tell him no less. This the Lord strengthen you, me, and all his elect. My riches and poverty is as it was wont to be, and I have learned to rejoice in poverty, as well as in riches, for that count I now to be very riches. Thus fare ye well in Christ. Salute all my brethren in my name. I have conferred with some of my adversaries, learned men, and I find that they be but Sophistes and shadows.
A note concerning M. Cardmaker.
MAister Cardmaker being condemned, & in Newgate one Beard a Promooter came to him two or three dais before he was burned, and said unto him: Sir, I am sent unto you by the Counsaile, to know whether ye will recant or no?
From which Counsaile are ye come? I think ye are not come, nor yet sent from the Queens counsel, but rather from the commissioners, unto whō (as I suppose) ye belong. And where as ye would know, whether I will recant or no, thus, I pray you, report of me to those whom ye said, sent you. I know you are a Tailor by your occupation, and have endeavored yourself to be a cunning workman, and thereby to get your living: so I have been a preacher these xx. years, and ever since that God by his great mercy hath opened mine eyes to see his eternal truth, I have by his grace endeavored myself to call vpō him, to give me the true understanding of his holy word, and I thank him for his great mercy, I hope I have discharged my conscience in the setting forth of the same, to that little talent that I have received.
Yea sir, but what say you to the blessed Sacrament of the alter?
I say and mark it well, that Christ the night before his bitter passion, ordained the holy and blessed Communion, & hath given commandment, that his death should be preached before the receiving thereof, in the remembrance of his body broken, and his precious blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins, to as many as faithfully believe and trust in him.
And furthermore, to conclude the matter briefly with him, he asked of him, whether the Sacrament he spake of, had a beginning, or no? Whereunto when he had granted and affirmed the same to be, then master Cardmaker again thus inferred thereupon: If the Sacrament (said he) as you confess, have a beginning, and an ending, then it cannot be God: for God hath no beginning nor ending, and so willing him well to note the same, he departed from him.
June. An. 1555.
The 5. day M. Secretary Bourne, the M. of the Roles Sir Frances Englefield, Sir Richard Read and Doctor Hughes, anchorising them or two or three of them at the least, to proceed to further examination of Benger, Cary, D. and Field, upon such points as they shall gather out of their former confessions, touching their lewd & vain practices of calculing or coniuryng, presently sent unto thē with the said letters.
The 7. day there was another letter to sir John Tregonwel, willing him to join in commission with the said L. North, and others abovenamed, about the examination of the said parties & others, for conjuring & witchcraft. And the 29. of August Cary and D. were set at liberty upon bands for their good abearyng until Christmas after.
The 12. day a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer, to cause Writs to be made to the Shirife of Sussex, for y e burning and executing of Dirike a Brewer, at Louis, and other two, the one at Stainings, the other at Chichester.
The 23. of June a letter was sent to Boner, to examine a report given to the counsel of 4. parishes within y e Soken of Essex, that should still use the English service, and to punish the offenders if any such be.
The story of John Ardeley and John Symson of the Parish of Wigborow the great, in Essex.
WIth Mayster Cardmaker and John Warne, upon the same day, & in the same company, & for the same cause was also condemned John Ardeley and John Symson, which was the 25. day of Maye. But before we come to the story of them, first here is to be noted the copy of the King and Queens letter, directed frō the Court the same day▪ and sent by a Poste early in the morning to the bishop in tenor and form as followeth.
To the right reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well-beloved, the Bishop of London.
RIght reverend father in God, right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. And where of late we addressed our letters to the Justices of peace within every of the Countyes of this our Realm, whereby amongst other instructions given them for the good order and quiet government of the Country about them, they are willed to have a special regard unto such disordred persons, as forgetting their duetyes towards God and us, do lean to any erroneous and heretical opinions, refusing to show them selves conformable to the Catholic Religiō of Christ's church: wherein if they cannot by good admonitions and fair means reform them, they are willed to deliver them to the Ordinary, to be by him charitably traveled withal, and removed (if it may be) from their noughty opinions, or else if they continue obstinate, to be ordered according to the laws provided in that behalf: understanding now, to our no little marvel, that diverse of the said disordered persons, being by the Justices of peace for their contempt and obstinacy, brought to the Ordinaryes to be used, as is aforesaid, are either refused to be received at their hands, or if they be received, are neither so traveled with, as Christian charity requireth, nor yet proceeded withal according to the order of Justice, but are suffered to continue in their errors, to the dishonor of almighty God, and dangerous example of others: like as we find this matter very strange, so have thought convenient, both to signify our knowledge & therewith also to admonish you to have in this behalf such regard henceforth to the office of a good pastor and Bishop, as whē any such offenders shall be by the said Officers or Justices of peace brought unto you, you to use your good wisdom & discretiō in procuring to remove thē frō their errors, if it may be, or else in proceeding against them (if they shall continue obstinate) according to the order of the laws: so as through your good furtherance, both God's glory may be better advanced, and the common wealth more quietly governed. Yeuen under our signet, at our honor of Hampton Courte, the 24. of May, the 1. and 2. years of our reigns.
This letter thus coming from the Court to the Bishop, made him the more earnest and hasty to the condemnation, as well of others, as of these men, of whom now we have presently to entreat, of John Symson, I mean and John Ardeley. Whyche both being of one country, and of one Town together, and of one trade, that is, being both husbandmen in the town of Wigborow in Essex, and also almost both of one age, sane that Symson was of the age of 34. the other of 30. were brought up both together, by the under Shyriffe of Essex, to Boner Bishop of London, vpō the accusation (as in that time it was called) of heresy.
As touching the order & manner of their examinations before the bishop, as the articles ministered against them, were much like: so their answers again unto the same were not much discrepant in manner & form, as out of the Bishops own Registers here followeth expressed.
Articles objected against John Symson, and John Ardeley, of the Parish of Wigborow the great in Essex, husbandmen, by Boner Bishop of London, at Fulham. 22. of May. 1555.
1. FIrst, that thou John. Symson (or John. Ardeley) husbandman, of the age of 34. years, or thereabout, wast and art of the parish of great Wigborow, within the diocese of Londō, and thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that there is here in earth one Catholic and universal whole Church, which doth hold and believe all the faith & religiō of Christ and all the necessary articles and sacraments of the same.
2. Item, that thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that thou art necessarily bounden under the pain of damnation of thy soul, to give full faith and credence unto the said Catholic and universal Church, and to the Religion of the same, in all necessary points of the said faith and Religion, without wavering or doubting in the said faith and Religion, or in any part thereof.
3. Item, that thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that that faith and Religion: which both the Church of Rome, Italy, Spayn, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and all other Churches in Europe, being true members and partes of the said Catholic & universal church do believe and teach, is both agreing with the said Catholic and universal Church, and the faith and Religion, of Christ, and also is the very true faith & Religion, which all Christian people ought to believe, observe, follow & keep, but contrariwise thou hast believed, and doest believe, that that faith and Religion, which the said Church of Rome, and all the other Churches aforesaid have heretofore believed, and do now believe, is false, erroneous and naught, & in no wise ought to be believed, observed, kept, and followed of any Christian man.
4. Item, that albeit it be true, that in the Sacrament of the alter there is in substance the very body and blood of Christ under the forms of bread and wyne, and albeit, that it be so believed, taught & preached undoubtedly in the said Church of Rome, and all the other Churches aforesaid, yet thou hast not so believed, nor doest so believe, but contrariwise thou hast & doest believe firmly, & steadfastly, that there is not in the said sacrament of the alter, under the said forms of bread and wine, the very substance of Christ's body and blood, but that there is only the substance of material and common bread and wine, with the forms thereof: and that the said material & commō bread and wine are only the signs and tokens of Christ's body and blood, and by faith to be reciued, only for a remembrance of Christ's passion & death, without any such substance of Christ's body and blood at all.
5. Item, that thou hast believed and taught, and thou hast openly spoken, and to thy power maynteined and defended, and so doest believe, think, maintain and defend, that the very true receiving and eating of Christ's body & blood, is only to take material and commō bread, and to break it, and to distribute it amongst the people, remembering thereby the passion and death of Christ only.
6. Item, that thou hast likewise believed, taught, and spoken, that the Mass now used in this Realm of England, and others the churches aforesaid, is abhominable & naught and full of Idolatry, and is of the ordinance of the Pope, and not of the institution of Christ, & hath no goodness in it, saving the gloria in excelsis, and the Epistle and the Gospel, & that therefore thou hast not, nor wilt not come and be present at the Mass, nor receive the Sacrament of the alter, or any other Sacrament of the Church as they are now used in this Realm of England, and other the Churches aforesaid.
7. Item, that thou hast in times past believed precisely, and obstinately affirmed and said, & so doest now believe & think that auricular confession is not needful to be made unto the Prieste, but it is a thing superfluous and vain, and ought only to be made to God & to none other persō: and likewise thou hast condemned as superfluous, vain, and unprofitable, all the ceremonies of the church and the service of the same, & hast said that no service in the church ought to be said, but in the English tongue, and if it be otherwise said, it is unlawful and naught.
The answers of John Symson and also of John Ardeley, to the foresaid Articles.
TO the first, they believe, that here in earth there is one Catholic and universal holy Church, which doeth hold and believe as is contained in the first article, and that this Church is dispersed and scattered abroad throughout the whole world.
To the second, they believe, that they be bound to give faith and credence unto it, as is contained in the second Article.
To the third, as concerning the faith and Religion of the Church of Rome, of Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, Scotland, and other Churches in Europa, they say, they have nothing to do with that faith and Religion, but as concerning the faith and Religion of England, that if the said Church of England be ruled and Gouerned by the word of life, then the Church of England hath the faith & Religion of the Catholic Church, and not otherwise: & do say also, that if the Church of England were ruled by the word of life, it would not go about to condemn them and others of this heresy.
To the fourth they answer, that in the Sacrament, commonly called the Sacrament of the alter, there is very bread and very wine, not altered nor changed in substance in any wise, and that he that receiveth the said bread and wyne, doth spiritually and by faith only receive the body and blood of Christ, but not the very natural body and blood of Christ in substance, under the forms of bread and wine.
To the fifth they say, they have answered answering to the said fourth article, and yet nevertheless they say, that they have believed, and do believe, that in the sacrament of the Aultar there is not the very substance of Christ's body and blood, but only the substance of natural bread and wine.
To the sixth they say, that they believe, that the Mass is of the Pope, and not of Christ, and therefore it is not good, nor having in it any goodness, saving the Gloria in excelsis, the Epistle and Gospel, the Creed, and the Pater noster: & for this cause they say, they have not, nor will not come and hear Mass.
To the seventh, John Ardeley answereth, and saith, that he believeth the contents of the same to be true: but John Symson doth answer, that he is not as yet fully resolved with himself, what answer to make thereunto, & further saith, that as touching the common and daily service said & used in the church, he saith, that he never said, that service in the Church ought to be said but in the English tongue, nor yet he never said, that if it be otherwise said and used then in English, it is unlawful and naught.
John Ardeley, and John Symson.
Thus these articles being to them objected, and their answers made unto the same, as before, the Bishop according to the old trade of his Consitory Court, respited them to the after noon, bidding them to make their appearance the said day and place, between the hours of two and three. At what time the said Bishop repeatyng again the said articles unto them, and beginning with John Ardeley did urge and solicitate, according to his manner of words, to recant.
To whom John Ardely again constantly standing to his professed Religion, gave answer in words, as followeth: My Lord (quoth he) neither you, nor any other of your Religion, is of the Catholic Church, for you be of a false faith: and I doubt not but you shall be deceived at length, bear as good a face as ye can. You will shed the innocent blood, and you have killed many, and yet go abot to kill more. &c.
And added further, saying: If every hear of my head were a man, I would suffer death in the opinion and faith that I am now in. These with many other words he spake. Then the Bishop yet demanding if he would relinquish his erroneous opinions (as he called them) and be reduced again to the unity of y e Church, he answered, as followeth: No, God foreshield that I should so do: for then I should loose my soul.
After this, the said Bishop asking John Ardeley (after his formal manner) if he knew any cause why he should not have sentence condemnatorie against him, so read the condemnation, as he also did against John Simson, standing likewise in the same cause and constancy with John Ardeley: which was done the xxv. day of May, and so were they both committed to the secular power, that is, to the hands of the Sheriffs, to be conveyed to the place where they should be executed. But before I come to their execution, here is not to be passed a thing not unworthy the looking upon, which happened in the closing up of the examination of these two innocent martyrs of God, which is this.
A Note.
At the time of the examination of this Symson and John Ardeley aforesaid, there was assembled such a great multitude of people, that because the Consitory was not able to hold them, they were fain to stand in the Church, near about the said Consitory, waiting to see the prisoners, when they should depart. It happened in the mean time that the Bishop being set in heat with the stout and bold aunsweares of the said two prisoners (especially of John Symson) burst out in his loud and angry voice, and said: Have him away, have him away.
Now the people in the Church hearing these words, and thinking (because the day was far spent) that the prisoners had their judgment, they being desirous to see the prisoners had to Newgate, severed them selves, one running one way, another another way, which caused such a noise in the Church, that they in y e Consitory were all amazed, and marveled what it should mean: wherefor the Bishop also being somewhat afraid of this sudden stir, asked what there was to do. The standers by answeryng, said, that there was like to be some tumult, for they were together by the ears.
When the Bishop heard this, by & by his heart was in his heels, & leaving his seat, he with the rest of that court be took them to their legs, hastening with all speed possible to recover the door that went into the bishops house: but the rest being somewhat lighter of foot then my Lord, did sooner recover the door, and thronging hastily to get in kept the bishop still out, and cried: Save my Lord, save my Lord, but meaning yet first to save thems • lues, if any danger should come, whereby they gave the standers by good matter to laugh at: resēbling in some part a spectacle not much unlike to the old stagers at Oxford, worse feared then hurt, when as the Church there was noised to be on fire, whereof ye may read before. pag. 1180.
But of this matter enough.
Now John Symson and John Ardeley being delivered (as is aforesaid) to the Sheriffs, were shortly after sent down from Londō to Essex, where both they on one day (which was about the 10. day of June) were put to death, albeit in several places: for John Sympsō suffered at Rochford, John Ardeley the same day was had to Railey, where he finished his martyrdom most quietly in the quarrel of Christ's Gospel.
*A note of John Ardeley.
FOr the better consideration of the rigorous cruelty of these Catholic days, this is furthermore not unworthy of all men to be noted and known to all posterity, concerning the examinations of this Ardeley and his company: how that they being brought before the Commissioners were by them greatly charged of stubbornness and vain glory. Unto whom they answered in defense of their own simplicity, that they were content willingly to yield to the Queen all their goods and lands, so that they might be suffered to live under her, in keeping their conscience free from all Idolatie and papistical Religion. Yet this would not be granted, although they had offered all to their heart blood: so greedy and so thirsty be tbese persecutors of Christian blood. The Lord give them repentance if it be his will, and keep from them the just reward of such cruel dealing. Amen.
To the right reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well-beloved, the Bishop of London.
RIght reverend father in God, right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. And where of late we addressed our letters to the Justices of peace within every of the Countyes of this our Realm, whereby amongst other instructions given them for the good order and quiet government of the Country about them, they are willed to have a special regard unto such disordred persons, as forgetting their duetyes towards God and us, do lean to any erroneous and heretical opinions, refusing to show them selves conformable to the Catholic Religiō of Christ's church: wherein if they cannot by good admonitions and fair means reform them, they are willed to deliver them to the Ordinary, to be by him charitably traveled withal, and removed (if it may be) from their noughty opinions, or else if they continue obstinate, to be ordered according to the laws provided in that behalf: understanding now, to our no little marvel, that diverse of the said disordered persons, being by the Justices of peace for their contempt and obstinacy, brought to the Ordinaryes to be used, as is aforesaid, are either refused to be received at their hands, or if they be received, are neither so traveled with, as Christian charity requireth, nor yet proceeded withal according to the order of Justice, but are suffered to continue in their errors, to the dishonor of almighty God, and dangerous example of others: like as we find this matter very strange, so have thought convenient, both to signify our knowledge & therewith also to admonish you to have in this behalf such regard henceforth to the office of a good pastor and Bishop, as whē any such offenders shall be by the said Officers or Justices of peace brought unto you, you to use your good wisdom & discretiō in procuring to remove thē frō their errors, if it may be, or else in proceeding against them (if they shall continue obstinate) according to the order of the laws: so as through your good furtherance, both God's glory may be better advanced, and the common wealth more quietly governed. Yeuen under our signet, at our honor of Hampton Courte, the 24. of May, the 1. and 2. years of our reigns.
This letter thus coming from the Court to the Bishop, made him the more earnest and hasty to the condemnation, as well of others, as of these men, of whom now we have presently to entreat, of John Symson, I mean and John Ardeley. Whyche both being of one country, and of one Town together, and of one trade, that is, being both husbandmen in the town of Wigborow in Essex, and also almost both of one age, sane that Symson was of the age of 34. the other of 30. were brought up both together, by the under Shyriffe of Essex, to Boner Bishop of London, vpō the accusation (as in that time it was called) of heresy.
As touching the order & manner of their examinations before the bishop, as the articles ministered against them, were much like: so their answers again unto the same were not much discrepant in manner & form, as out of the Bishops own Registers here followeth expressed.
Articles objected against John Symson, and John Ardeley, of the Parish of Wigborow the great in Essex, husbandmen, by Boner Bishop of London, at Fulham. 22. of May. 1555.
1. FIrst, that thou John. Symson (or John. Ardeley) husbandman, of the age of 34. years, or thereabout, wast and art of the parish of great Wigborow, within the diocese of Londō, and thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that there is here in earth one Catholic and universal whole Church, which doth hold and believe all the faith & religiō of Christ and all the necessary articles and sacraments of the same.
2. Item, that thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that thou art necessarily bounden under the pain of damnation of thy soul, to give full faith and credence unto the said Catholic and universal Church, and to the Religion of the same, in all necessary points of the said faith and Religion, without wavering or doubting in the said faith and Religion, or in any part thereof.
3. Item, that thou hast not believed, nor doest believe, that that faith and Religion: which both the Church of Rome, Italy, Spayn, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and all other Churches in Europe, being true members and partes of the said Catholic & universal church do believe and teach, is both agreing with the said Catholic and universal Church, and the faith and Religion, of Christ, and also is the very true faith & Religion, which all Christian people ought to believe, observe, follow & keep, but contrariwise thou hast believed, and doest believe, that that faith and Religion, which the said Church of Rome, and all the other Churches aforesaid have heretofore believed, and do now believe, is false, erroneous and naught, & in no wise ought to be believed, observed, kept, and followed of any Christian man.
4. Item, that albeit it be true, that in the Sacrament of the alter there is in substance the very body and blood of Christ under the forms of bread and wyne, and albeit, that it be so believed, taught & preached undoubtedly in the said Church of Rome, and all the other Churches aforesaid, yet thou hast not so believed, nor doest so believe, but contrariwise thou hast & doest believe firmly, & steadfastly, that there is not in the said sacrament of the alter, under the said forms of bread and wine, the very substance of Christ's body and blood, but that there is only the substance of material and common bread and wine, with the forms thereof: and that the said material & commō bread and wine are only the signs and tokens of Christ's body and blood, and by faith to be reciued, only for a remembrance of Christ's passion & death, without any such substance of Christ's body and blood at all.
5. Item, that thou hast believed and taught, and thou hast openly spoken, and to thy power maynteined and defended, and so doest believe, think, maintain and defend, that the very true receiving and eating of Christ's body & blood, is only to take material and commō bread, and to break it, and to distribute it amongst the people, remembering thereby the passion and death of Christ only.
6. Item, that thou hast likewise believed, taught, and spoken, that the Mass now used in this Realm of England, and others the churches aforesaid, is abhominable & naught and full of Idolatry, and is of the ordinance of the Pope, and not of the institution of Christ, & hath no goodness in it, saving the gloria in excelsis, and the Epistle and the Gospel, & that therefore thou hast not, nor wilt not come and be present at the Mass, nor receive the Sacrament of the alter, or any other Sacrament of the Church as they are now used in this Realm of England, and other the Churches aforesaid.
7. Item, that thou hast in times past believed precisely, and obstinately affirmed and said, & so doest now believe & think that auricular confession is not needful to be made unto the Prieste, but it is a thing superfluous and vain, and ought only to be made to God & to none other persō: and likewise thou hast condemned as superfluous, vain, and unprofitable, all the ceremonies of the church and the service of the same, & hast said that no service in the church ought to be said, but in the English tongue, and if it be otherwise said, it is unlawful and naught.
The answers of John Symson and also of John Ardeley, to the foresaid Articles.
TO the first, they believe, that here in earth there is one Catholic and universal holy Church, which doeth hold and believe as is contained in the first article, and that this Church is dispersed and scattered abroad throughout the whole world.
To the second, they believe, that they be bound to give faith and credence unto it, as is contained in the second Article.
To the third, as concerning the faith and Religion of the Church of Rome, of Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, Scotland, and other Churches in Europa, they say, they have nothing to do with that faith and Religion, but as concerning the faith and Religion of England, that if the said Church of England be ruled and Gouerned by the word of life, then the Church of England hath the faith & Religion of the Catholic Church, and not otherwise: & do say also, that if the Church of England were ruled by the word of life, it would not go about to condemn them and others of this heresy.
To the fourth they answer, that in the Sacrament, commonly called the Sacrament of the alter, there is very bread and very wine, not altered nor changed in substance in any wise, and that he that receiveth the said bread and wyne, doth spiritually and by faith only receive the body and blood of Christ, but not the very natural body and blood of Christ in substance, under the forms of bread and wine.
To the fifth they say, they have answered answering to the said fourth article, and yet nevertheless they say, that they have believed, and do believe, that in the sacrament of the Aultar there is not the very substance of Christ's body and blood, but only the substance of natural bread and wine.
To the sixth they say, that they believe, that the Mass is of the Pope, and not of Christ, and therefore it is not good, nor having in it any goodness, saving the Gloria in excelsis, the Epistle and Gospel, the Creed, and the Pater noster: & for this cause they say, they have not, nor will not come and hear Mass.
To the seventh, John Ardeley answereth, and saith, that he believeth the contents of the same to be true: but John Symson doth answer, that he is not as yet fully resolved with himself, what answer to make thereunto, & further saith, that as touching the common and daily service said & used in the church, he saith, that he never said, that service in the Church ought to be said but in the English tongue, nor yet he never said, that if it be otherwise said and used then in English, it is unlawful and naught.
John Ardeley, and John Symson.
Thus these articles being to them objected, and their answers made unto the same, as before, the Bishop according to the old trade of his Consitory Court, respited them to the after noon, bidding them to make their appearance the said day and place, between the hours of two and three. At what time the said Bishop repeatyng again the said articles unto them, and beginning with John Ardeley did urge and solicitate, according to his manner of words, to recant.
To whom John Ardely again constantly standing to his professed Religion, gave answer in words, as followeth: My Lord (quoth he) neither you, nor any other of your Religion, is of the Catholic Church, for you be of a false faith: and I doubt not but you shall be deceived at length, bear as good a face as ye can. You will shed the innocent blood, and you have killed many, and yet go abot to kill more. &c.
And added further, saying: If every hear of my head were a man, I would suffer death in the opinion and faith that I am now in. These with many other words he spake. Then the Bishop yet demanding if he would relinquish his erroneous opinions (as he called them) and be reduced again to the unity of y e Church, he answered, as followeth: No, God foreshield that I should so do: for then I should loose my soul.
After this, the said Bishop asking John Ardeley (after his formal manner) if he knew any cause why he should not have sentence condemnatorie against him, so read the condemnation, as he also did against John Simson, standing likewise in the same cause and constancy with John Ardeley: which was done the xxv. day of May, and so were they both committed to the secular power, that is, to the hands of the Sheriffs, to be conveyed to the place where they should be executed. But before I come to their execution, here is not to be passed a thing not unworthy the looking upon, which happened in the closing up of the examination of these two innocent martyrs of God, which is this.
A Note.
At the time of the examination of this Symson and John Ardeley aforesaid, there was assembled such a great multitude of people, that because the Consitory was not able to hold them, they were fain to stand in the Church, near about the said Consitory, waiting to see the prisoners, when they should depart. It happened in the mean time that the Bishop being set in heat with the stout and bold aunsweares of the said two prisoners (especially of John Symson) burst out in his loud and angry voice, and said: Have him away, have him away.
Now the people in the Church hearing these words, and thinking (because the day was far spent) that the prisoners had their judgment, they being desirous to see the prisoners had to Newgate, severed them selves, one running one way, another another way, which caused such a noise in the Church, that they in y e Consitory were all amazed, and marveled what it should mean: wherefor the Bishop also being somewhat afraid of this sudden stir, asked what there was to do. The standers by answeryng, said, that there was like to be some tumult, for they were together by the ears.
When the Bishop heard this, by & by his heart was in his heels, & leaving his seat, he with the rest of that court be took them to their legs, hastening with all speed possible to recover the door that went into the bishops house: but the rest being somewhat lighter of foot then my Lord, did sooner recover the door, and thronging hastily to get in kept the bishop still out, and cried: Save my Lord, save my Lord, but meaning yet first to save thems • lues, if any danger should come, whereby they gave the standers by good matter to laugh at: resēbling in some part a spectacle not much unlike to the old stagers at Oxford, worse feared then hurt, when as the Church there was noised to be on fire, whereof ye may read before. pag. 1180.
But of this matter enough.
Now John Symson and John Ardeley being delivered (as is aforesaid) to the Sheriffs, were shortly after sent down from Londō to Essex, where both they on one day (which was about the 10. day of June) were put to death, albeit in several places: for John Sympsō suffered at Rochford, John Ardeley the same day was had to Railey, where he finished his martyrdom most quietly in the quarrel of Christ's Gospel.
*A note of John Ardeley.
FOr the better consideration of the rigorous cruelty of these Catholic days, this is furthermore not unworthy of all men to be noted and known to all posterity, concerning the examinations of this Ardeley and his company: how that they being brought before the Commissioners were by them greatly charged of stubbornness and vain glory. Unto whom they answered in defense of their own simplicity, that they were content willingly to yield to the Queen all their goods and lands, so that they might be suffered to live under her, in keeping their conscience free from all Idolatie and papistical Religion. Yet this would not be granted, although they had offered all to their heart blood: so greedy and so thirsty be tbese persecutors of Christian blood. The Lord give them repentance if it be his will, and keep from them the just reward of such cruel dealing. Amen.
A Note.
At the time of the examination of this Symson and John Ardeley aforesaid, there was assembled such a great multitude of people, that because the Consitory was not able to hold them, they were fain to stand in the Church, near about the said Consitory, waiting to see the prisoners, when they should depart. It happened in the mean time that the Bishop being set in heat with the stout and bold aunsweares of the said two prisoners (especially of John Symson) burst out in his loud and angry voice, and said: Have him away, have him away.
Now the people in the Church hearing these words, and thinking (because the day was far spent) that the prisoners had their judgment, they being desirous to see the prisoners had to Newgate, severed them selves, one running one way, another another way, which caused such a noise in the Church, that they in y e Consitory were all amazed, and marveled what it should mean: wherefor the Bishop also being somewhat afraid of this sudden stir, asked what there was to do. The standers by answeryng, said, that there was like to be some tumult, for they were together by the ears.
When the Bishop heard this, by & by his heart was in his heels, & leaving his seat, he with the rest of that court be took them to their legs, hastening with all speed possible to recover the door that went into the bishops house: but the rest being somewhat lighter of foot then my Lord, did sooner recover the door, and thronging hastily to get in kept the bishop still out, and cried: Save my Lord, save my Lord, but meaning yet first to save thems • lues, if any danger should come, whereby they gave the standers by good matter to laugh at: resēbling in some part a spectacle not much unlike to the old stagers at Oxford, worse feared then hurt, when as the Church there was noised to be on fire, whereof ye may read before. pag. 1180.
But of this matter enough.
Now John Symson and John Ardeley being delivered (as is aforesaid) to the Sheriffs, were shortly after sent down from Londō to Essex, where both they on one day (which was about the 10. day of June) were put to death, albeit in several places: for John Sympsō suffered at Rochford, John Ardeley the same day was had to Railey, where he finished his martyrdom most quietly in the quarrel of Christ's Gospel.
*A note of John Ardeley.
FOr the better consideration of the rigorous cruelty of these Catholic days, this is furthermore not unworthy of all men to be noted and known to all posterity, concerning the examinations of this Ardeley and his company: how that they being brought before the Commissioners were by them greatly charged of stubbornness and vain glory. Unto whom they answered in defense of their own simplicity, that they were content willingly to yield to the Queen all their goods and lands, so that they might be suffered to live under her, in keeping their conscience free from all Idolatie and papistical Religion. Yet this would not be granted, although they had offered all to their heart blood: so greedy and so thirsty be tbese persecutors of Christian blood. The Lord give them repentance if it be his will, and keep from them the just reward of such cruel dealing. Amen.
The ridiculous handling and proceeding of Bishop Boner and his mates against John Tooly, first suspected and condemned after his death, and then digged out of his grave, and given to the secular power, and so burned for an heretic.
ABout the same time of the burning of these two aforesaid, in the beginning of the said month of June, fell out a soleme process & much ado was made by the Popes spiritualty against John Tooly, in a case of heresy. The story is this. There was about the time that the Spaniards began first to keep a stir in England, one Io. Tooly, a citizen & Pulter in London, who conspired with certain other of his society, to rob a Spaniard at s. James: & although the deed wer heinous & wicked of itself, yet was it aggravated & made greater then it was by other, being committed against such a person, & against such a country. which both the queen & her whole court did highly favor. The robbery being known, & brought into judgment, this Tooly was found guilty, and judged to be hanged, whereas notwithstanding in this Realm there are many mo the • tes committed, then thieves executed.
The foresaid Tooly, being lead to the gallows, (which stood fast by Charing Cross a little before he died, standing upon the Carte, readde a certain prayer in a printed book, and two other prayers written in two several papers, who then having the haltar about his neck, desired the people there present to pray for him, and to bear him witness that he died a true Christian man, and that he trusted to be saved only by the merits of Christ's passion, & shedding of his precious blood, and not by any masses, or Trentalles, Images, or Saints, which were (as he said) mere Idolatry and superstition, and devised by the bishop of Rome: and as he the same Tooly, and two other his fellows, which were there hanged with him, did steal and rob for covetousness, so the bishop of Rome did sell his Masses and Trentalles, with such other peltrye for covetousness, and there being in a great anger (as appeared) against the bishop of Rome, spake with a loud voice these words following: From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities: From false doctrine and heresy, and from the contempt of the word and commandment, good Lord deliver us.
And then adding further to the same, he spake unto the people: All you that be true Christian men, say with me, Amen. And immediately thereupon three hundred persons and more to the judgment & estimatiō of those that were there present, answered and said. Amen, three times together at the least.
After this it happened, that when Toolye had readde the Byll the first time, it fell from him: and a certain young man (who was thought to be a Prentise) stouped down and took up the Byll, and clymed up by the Cart, and delivered it unto Tooly again, which he again di • read to the people. That done, he delivered unto one of the Marshialles Officers the book aforesaid, and willed him to deliver it to one Haukes, saying that it was his Book. Furthermore, he delivered one of the Prayers written in a paper, to one Robert Bromley Sergeaunt, which desired to have it of him. Upon the top of which Byll was written a line, containing these words: Beware of Antichrist: and subscribed underneath: Per me Thomam Harold prysoner in the Marshalsea, enemy to Antechriste. For the Byll aforesaid Robert Bromley was brought afterward Coram nobis, and was fain to ask pardon of the bishop, and to detest all the words of Tooly, and glad so to escape.
Thus while Tooly had made his prayers, as is above said, to be diliuered from the Popes tyranny, by the same prayer he fell into great tyranny. For so soon as the brute of this fact came unto the ears of the Priests & Mitred prelates, they were not a little mad thereat, thinking it not tolerable that so great a reproach should be done against the holy father. Calling therefore a counsel together, as though it had been a matter of great importance. Toolyes talk at his death was debated among themselves.
At the last, (after much Pro and Contra ) they all consented to those men's judgments, which thought it meet that the vyolating of the Popes holiness should be revenged with fire and fagot. And I do easily believe, that Cardinal Poole was no small doer in this sentence: for as Winchester and Boner did always thirst after the blood of the living, so Pooles lightning was for the most part kindled against the dead: and he reserved this charge only to himself, I know not for what purpose, except peradventure being loath to be so cruel as the other, he thought nevertheless by this means to discharge his duty toward the Pope. By the same Cardinals like lightening and fierye fist, the bones of Martin Bucer, and Paulus Phagius, which had lain almost two years in their graves, were taken up and burned at Cambridge, as Toolyes carcass was here at London. And besides this, because he would show some token of his diligence in both Universities, he caused Peter Martyrs wife, a woman of worthy memory, to be digged out of the Churchyarde, and to be buried on the dunghill. Of these two prodigious acts, ye shall hear more hereafter. But now to our purpose of Tooly, which having ended his prayer, was hanged, and put into his grave, out of the which he was digged again, by the commandment of the Bishops, and because he was so bold to derogate the authority of the Bishop of Rome at y e time of his death, it pleased them to judge and condemn him as an heretic, upon the commandment of the Counselles letter, as here appeareth.
A Letter sent unto Boner Bishop of London, from the Counsel.
AFter our very hearty commendations to your Lordship under standing that of late amongst others that have suffered about London for their offenses, one lewd person that was condemned for felony, died very obstinately, professing at the time of his death sundry heretical and erroneous opinions: like as we think it not convenient that such a matter should be overpassed without some example to the world, so we thought good to pray your Lordshyppe, to cause further enquirye to be made thereof, and thereupon to proceed to the making out of such process as by the Ecclesiastical laws is provided in that behalf. And so we bid your Lordship heartily well to fare. From Hamptō Courte, the 28. of April. 1555.
Your Lordships loving friends.
- Ste. Winton Cancel.
- F. Shrewsbury.
- John Gage.
- Thomas Cheney.
- R. Rochester.
- William Peter.
- Rich Southwell.
Anon after, a Citation was set upon Paul's Church door under the Bishop of London's great seal: the tenor whereof here ensueth.
The writ of Mandate of Boner B. of London, set up at Charing Cross, on Paul's Church door, and at S. Martins in the field, for the cityng and further inquiring out of the case of John Tooly.
EDmond by the sufferance of God, Bishop of London, to all and singular Parsons, Uicares, Curates, and others, Clerks and learned men, being within our Dioces of London, and specially unto Richard Clony our sworn Sumner, greeting, salutation, & benediction. For so much as it is come to our hearing by common fame, and the declaration of sundry credible persons, that one John Tooly late Citizen and Pulter of London, the son of perdition and iniquity, coming to the profundity of malice, in the self same time in the which he should go to hanging, according to the laws of the Realm, for the great the • e by him lately committed, at which time chie • ely he should have cared for the wealth of his soul, and to have died in the unity of the Catholic Church, did utter diverse and sundry, damnable, blasphemous, and heretical opinions, & errors, utterly contrary & repugnant to the verity of the Catholic faith & unity of the same, and did exhort, stir up, and encourage the people there standing in great multitude, to hold & defend the same errors and opinions: And moreover, certain of the people there standing, as it did appear, infected with errors and heresies, as • authors and defenders of the said John, did confirm and give express consent to the foresaid words, propositions, and affirmations: which thing we do utter with sorrow and bytternesse of heart.
We therefore the foresaid Edmond & bishop abovesaid, not being able, nor daring pass over in silence, or wink at the foresaid heinous act, least by our negligence and slackness, y e blood of thē might be required at our hands, at the most terrible day of judgment, desiring to be certified and informed, whether y e premises declared unto us be of truth & least that any scabbed sheep, lurking amongst the simple flock of our Lord do infect them with pestiferous heresy, to you, therefore, we straitly charge and command, that you cite, or cause to be cited all and singular, having or knowing the truth of the premisses, by setting up this Citation upon the Church door of Saint Martines in the field, being within our Dioces of London, and also upon the Cathedral Church door of S. Paul's in London, leaving there the copy hereof, or by other means or ways, the best you can, that this Citation and Monition may come to their knowledge.
All which and singular by the tenor of these presents, we cite and admonish that they appear, and everyone of them do appear before us or our Uicar general, or Commissary, whatsoever he be in that behalf, in our cathedral Church of S. Paul in London, in the Consistory place up on thursday the second day of May, now next ensuing, betwixt the hours of 9. & 10. of the clock in the forenoon the same day, to bear witness to the truth in this behalf, and to depose and declare faithfully the truth that they know or have heard of the premisses: and moreover, to do and receive, that law and reason doth require.
Further, we commit unto you, as before, and straytlye enjoining you do command, that ye will generally cite the wife of the said Tooly that is dead & his children, his kynred by father and mother, his friends, and his familiars in especial, and all other and every of thē, if there be any perhaps that desire to defend and purge the remembrance of the person in the premisses, and that ye admonish them after the manner and form aforesaid, whō we likewise by the tenor of these presents, do in such sort cite and monish that they appear all, & that everyone of thē do appear (under pain to be compelled to keep silence forever hereafter in this behalf) before us, or our Uicar general in spiritual matters, or such our Commissary at the day, hour, and place a foresaid, to defend the good name and remembrance of him that is dead, and to say, allege, & propose in due form of law, a cause reasonable, if they have any or can tell of any why the said John Tooly that is dead, ought not to be determined and declared for such an heretic and excommunicate person, and his remembrance condemned, in the detesting and condemning of so heinous a deed and crime, & his body or carkas to lack Church burial, as a rottē menber cut of from the church, and the same to be committed to the arm & power secular, and they compelled hereafter forever to hold their peace.
And furthermore, to do, receive, & to suffer, as law and reason will, and as the quality of such matter, and the nature of themselves do constrayne and require: and moreover, that you cite and monish after the manner aforesaid, all and every of the receivers, fautours, and creditors of the said John Tooly that is dead, especially if any of them do accline and give consent to th • se wicked and detestable affirmations, propositions, and rehearsals aforesaid, that on this side the said thursday, they return and submit themselves unto us, and to the lap of the mother holy Church: which thing if they do, we trusting upon the mercy of almighty God, do promise that we will receive them being penitent for such their errors & faults, with thanks, benignity, mercy and favor, to the comfort and health of their own souls, and in that behalf save their honesties to the uttermost of our power: otherwise if they will not provide thus to come of their own accord, but to abide y e ordinary process of the law, let those mē know that we will punish more severely this offense, according to the uttermost of the law, and as far as the law will bear it: & what you shall do in the premisses, let him among you which shall execute this our present Mandate, certify us, or our vicar general in spiritual matters, either by his own person, or by his letters patents, tog • there with these autētically sealed. Dated at London under our seal, the last day save one of April. 1555. and of our Translation the 16.
When the time of this Citation was expired, and this Tooly being cited, did not appear: next in order of law came the suspension (where as one suspension had been enough for him) and after that cometh the Excommunication, that is, that no man should eat or drink with him, or if any met him by the way, he should not bid him good morrow, and besides that, he should be excluded from the Communion of the Church. These things being prepared in such manner, as in such cases full wisely they use to do, at length one stood out for the nonce, that made answer to certain articles, rehearsed in judgment openly, and that in the behalf of the dead man. But when the poor dead man could neither speak for himself, nor did, (as they said) sufficiently answer them by the other, to avoid the name of an heretic: first witnesses were producted against him, whose names were Henry Clarke Esquire, Thom. Way keeper of the Marshalsey, Philip Andrew Undermarshal, William Holingworth Fishmōger, William Gellard, William Walton Chaundler, Richard Longman Marchaunt Taylor, Philip Britten, John Burton Brewer, Thomas Smyth Sergeant. Then he was for an heretic condemned, and so committed to the secular power, namely to the Sheriffs of London, which with like diligence went about to execute their charge. Therefore receiving the man being suspēded, excommunicated, condemned as an heretic, and besides that being dead, they laid him on the fire to be burned, namely, ad perpetuam rei memoriam, for a continual remembrance thereof. This was done the fourth day of June.
The writ of Mandate of Boner B. of London, set up at Charing Cross, on Paul's Church door, and at S. Martins in the field, for the cityng and further inquiring out of the case of John Tooly.
EDmond by the sufferance of God, Bishop of London, to all and singular Parsons, Uicares, Curates, and others, Clerks and learned men, being within our Dioces of London, and specially unto Richard Clony our sworn Sumner, greeting, salutation, & benediction. For so much as it is come to our hearing by common fame, and the declaration of sundry credible persons, that one John Tooly late Citizen and Pulter of London, the son of perdition and iniquity, coming to the profundity of malice, in the self same time in the which he should go to hanging, according to the laws of the Realm, for the great the • e by him lately committed, at which time chie • ely he should have cared for the wealth of his soul, and to have died in the unity of the Catholic Church, did utter diverse and sundry, damnable, blasphemous, and heretical opinions, & errors, utterly contrary & repugnant to the verity of the Catholic faith & unity of the same, and did exhort, stir up, and encourage the people there standing in great multitude, to hold & defend the same errors and opinions: And moreover, certain of the people there standing, as it did appear, infected with errors and heresies, as • authors and defenders of the said John, did confirm and give express consent to the foresaid words, propositions, and affirmations: which thing we do utter with sorrow and bytternesse of heart.
We therefore the foresaid Edmond & bishop abovesaid, not being able, nor daring pass over in silence, or wink at the foresaid heinous act, least by our negligence and slackness, y e blood of thē might be required at our hands, at the most terrible day of judgment, desiring to be certified and informed, whether y e premises declared unto us be of truth & least that any scabbed sheep, lurking amongst the simple flock of our Lord do infect them with pestiferous heresy, to you, therefore, we straitly charge and command, that you cite, or cause to be cited all and singular, having or knowing the truth of the premisses, by setting up this Citation upon the Church door of Saint Martines in the field, being within our Dioces of London, and also upon the Cathedral Church door of S. Paul's in London, leaving there the copy hereof, or by other means or ways, the best you can, that this Citation and Monition may come to their knowledge.
All which and singular by the tenor of these presents, we cite and admonish that they appear, and everyone of them do appear before us or our Uicar general, or Commissary, whatsoever he be in that behalf, in our cathedral Church of S. Paul in London, in the Consistory place up on thursday the second day of May, now next ensuing, betwixt the hours of 9. & 10. of the clock in the forenoon the same day, to bear witness to the truth in this behalf, and to depose and declare faithfully the truth that they know or have heard of the premisses: and moreover, to do and receive, that law and reason doth require.
Further, we commit unto you, as before, and straytlye enjoining you do command, that ye will generally cite the wife of the said Tooly that is dead & his children, his kynred by father and mother, his friends, and his familiars in especial, and all other and every of thē, if there be any perhaps that desire to defend and purge the remembrance of the person in the premisses, and that ye admonish them after the manner and form aforesaid, whō we likewise by the tenor of these presents, do in such sort cite and monish that they appear all, & that everyone of thē do appear (under pain to be compelled to keep silence forever hereafter in this behalf) before us, or our Uicar general in spiritual matters, or such our Commissary at the day, hour, and place a foresaid, to defend the good name and remembrance of him that is dead, and to say, allege, & propose in due form of law, a cause reasonable, if they have any or can tell of any why the said John Tooly that is dead, ought not to be determined and declared for such an heretic and excommunicate person, and his remembrance condemned, in the detesting and condemning of so heinous a deed and crime, & his body or carkas to lack Church burial, as a rottē menber cut of from the church, and the same to be committed to the arm & power secular, and they compelled hereafter forever to hold their peace.
And furthermore, to do, receive, & to suffer, as law and reason will, and as the quality of such matter, and the nature of themselves do constrayne and require: and moreover, that you cite and monish after the manner aforesaid, all and every of the receivers, fautours, and creditors of the said John Tooly that is dead, especially if any of them do accline and give consent to th • se wicked and detestable affirmations, propositions, and rehearsals aforesaid, that on this side the said thursday, they return and submit themselves unto us, and to the lap of the mother holy Church: which thing if they do, we trusting upon the mercy of almighty God, do promise that we will receive them being penitent for such their errors & faults, with thanks, benignity, mercy and favor, to the comfort and health of their own souls, and in that behalf save their honesties to the uttermost of our power: otherwise if they will not provide thus to come of their own accord, but to abide y e ordinary process of the law, let those mē know that we will punish more severely this offense, according to the uttermost of the law, and as far as the law will bear it: & what you shall do in the premisses, let him among you which shall execute this our present Mandate, certify us, or our vicar general in spiritual matters, either by his own person, or by his letters patents, tog • there with these autētically sealed. Dated at London under our seal, the last day save one of April. 1555. and of our Translation the 16.
When the time of this Citation was expired, and this Tooly being cited, did not appear: next in order of law came the suspension (where as one suspension had been enough for him) and after that cometh the Excommunication, that is, that no man should eat or drink with him, or if any met him by the way, he should not bid him good morrow, and besides that, he should be excluded from the Communion of the Church. These things being prepared in such manner, as in such cases full wisely they use to do, at length one stood out for the nonce, that made answer to certain articles, rehearsed in judgment openly, and that in the behalf of the dead man. But when the poor dead man could neither speak for himself, nor did, (as they said) sufficiently answer them by the other, to avoid the name of an heretic: first witnesses were producted against him, whose names were Henry Clarke Esquire, Thom. Way keeper of the Marshalsey, Philip Andrew Undermarshal, William Holingworth Fishmōger, William Gellard, William Walton Chaundler, Richard Longman Marchaunt Taylor, Philip Britten, John Burton Brewer, Thomas Smyth Sergeant. Then he was for an heretic condemned, and so committed to the secular power, namely to the Sheriffs of London, which with like diligence went about to execute their charge. Therefore receiving the man being suspēded, excommunicated, condemned as an heretic, and besides that being dead, they laid him on the fire to be burned, namely, ad perpetuam rei memoriam, for a continual remembrance thereof. This was done the fourth day of June.
*Here followeth the history and Martyrdom of the worthy servant of Christ, Thomas Haukes Gentleman, with his examinations and answers had with B. Boner, recorded and penned with his own hand.
IMmediatly after the story of D. Taylor. pag. 1456. mention before was made of six men brought & conuēted before Bishop Boner upon the eight day of February. The names of which martyrs were Stephen Knight, William Pigot, Tho. Tomkins, John Laurence, Will. Hunter. In which number was also Tho. Haukes, & condemned likewise with thē the 9. day of the foresaid month of February. But because his execution did not so shortly follow with theirs, but was prolonged to this present x. day of the month of June, wherewith we are now in hand, it followeth therefore now consequently to enter tractation thereof, first, beginning briefly with his godly conversation & institution of life, then showing of his troubles, also of his examinations and conflicts with the bishop and other adversaries according as the order of his story both require.
As touching therefore his education and order of life, first he was of the country of Essex, borne of an honest stock, in calling and profession a Courtier, brought up daintely from his childhoode, and like a Gentleman. Besides that, he was of such comeliness and stature, so well endued with excellent qualities, that he might seme on every side a man (as it were) made for the purpose. But his gentle behavior toward other, and especially his fervent study and singular love unto true Religion and godliness did surmount all the rest. Wherein as God did singularly adorn him: even so he being such a valiant Martyr of God, may seem to nobilitate the whole company of other holy martyrs, and as a bright star, to make the Church of God and his truth, of thenselves bright and clear, more gloriously to shine by his example.
For if the conquestes of martyrs are the triumphs of Christ (as Saint Ambrose doth notably and truly write) undoubtedly Christ in few mē hath either conquered more notably, or triumphed more gloriously, then in this young man: he stood so wisely in his cause, so godly in his life, and so constantly in his death.
But to the declaration of the matter: first this Haukes following the guise of the Court, as he grew in years, entered service with the Lord of Oxford, where he remained a good space, being there right well esteemed & loved of all the household, so long as Edward the sixth lived. But he dying, all things begā to go backward, religiō to decay, godliness not only to wax cold, but also to be in danger everywhere and chiefly in the houses of great men. Haukes mislikyng the state of things, and especially in such men's houses rather thē he would change the profession of true godliness which he had tasted, thought to change the place: and so forsaking y e Noble man's house, departed home to his own home, where more freely he might give himself to God, & use his own conscience.
But what place in this world shall a man find so secret for himself, whether that old wicked Serpent cannot creep, whereby he may have some matter to overthrow the quietness of the Godly? Now in the mean season (as it happened) Haukes keeping his house at home, had borne unto him a young son, whose baptism was deferred to the third week, for that he would not suffer him to be baptized after the papistical manner, Which thing the adversaries not able to suffer, laying hands upon him, did bring him to the Earl of Oxford, there to be reasoned with, as not sound in religion, in that he seemed to contemn the sacraments of the Church.
The Earl either intending not to trouble himself in such matters, or else seeing himself not able to weigh with him in such cases of Religion, sent him up to London with a messenger and letters, and so willing to clear his own hands, put him in the hands of Boner bishop of London: the contētes of which his letter sent to Boner, be these.
A Letter of the Earl of Oxford to Boner.
MOst reverend father in God, be it known unto you, that I have sent you one Thomas Haukes, dwelling in the County of Essex, who hath a child that hath remained unchristened more then three weeks, who being upon the same examined, hath denied to have it baptized, as it is now used in the Church: wherevpo n I have sent him to your good Lordship, to use as ye think best, by your good discretion.
Whē the bishop had perused this letter, and afterward read it to M. Haukes, he hearing the same, thought with himself, that he should not be very well used, seeing he was put to his discretion. Then wrote the bishop a letter again to him that sent the prisoner, with many great thanks for his diligence in setting forth the Queens proceedynges. Then began the bishop to enter communication with M. Haukes, first asking what should move him to leave his child unchristened so long? To whom M. Haukes answered thus again as followeth.
Why? Baptism is • ommaunded by the word of God.
His institution therein I do not deny.
What deny ye then?
I deny all things invented and devised by man.
What things be those that be devised by man, that ye be so offended withal?
Will ye deny that which all the whole world, and your father hath been contented withal?
What my father & all the whole world hath done, I have nothing to do withal: but what God hath commanded me to do, to that stand I.
What is the Catholic Church?
It is the faithful congregation, where so ever it be dispersed throughout the whole world.
Who is the head thereof?
Christ is the head thereof.
Are we taught in Christ, or in the Church now?
Have ye not read in the eyght of John, where he said, he would send his comforter which should teach you all things?
I grant you it is so, that he would send his comforter, but to what ende? forsooth to this ende, that he should lead you into all truth and verity, and that is not to teach a new doctrine.
A Syr, ye are a right scripture man. For ye will have nothing but the scripture. There is a great number of your countrymen of your opinion. Do ye not know one Knight and Pigot?
Knight I know, but Pigot I do not know.
I thought ye were acquainted with him: it seemeth so by your judgment. What Preachers do ye know in Essex.
I know none.
Do ye not know one Baget there?
Yes forsooth, I know him.
What manner a man is he?
An honest man, so far as I know.
Do you know him if you see him?
Yea that I do. Then said he to one of his servants, go call me Baget hither. And then he said to me: ye seme to be a very proud man & a stubborn. He that brought me up, stood all this while by.
What should move your Lordship so to say?
It seemeth your Lordship speaketh that to me, because I make no more curtesy to you: and with that came Baget. Then the Bishop said to Baget: How say ye Syr, know ye this man?
Yea forsooth my Lord: with that Baget and I shook hands. Then said the Bishop to Baget: Syr, this man hath a child, which hath lien 3. weeks unchristened (as I have letters to show) who refuseth to have it baptized, as it is now used in the church: how say you thereto?
Forsooth my Lord I say nothing thereto (with low curtesy to the hard ground.)
Say ye nothing thereto? I will make you tell me whether it be laudable, and to be frequēted and used in the Church, or not.
I beseech your Lordship to pardon me, he is old enough, let him answer for himself.
Ah sir knave, are ye at that point with me? Go call me the Porter, said he, to one of his men. Thou shalt sit in the stocks, & have nothing but bread & water. I perceive I have kept you to well. Have I made thus much of you, and have I you at this point? Then came the Bishops man, and said: The Porter is gone to London. Then said the Bishop to Baget: Come with me, and he went away with him, and commanded me away, and bade one of his Gentlemē to talk with me (who was one of his own teaching:) who desired amongst all other things, to know of me, with whom I was acquainted in Essex, and what mē they were that were my teachers.
When I see your commission, I will make you answer. And then immediately came the Bishop again: but ere he came, his man and I had much talk. Then the bishop sat down under a vine in his orchyard, & called Baget to him, whom he carried away, & brought again, & called me also, and said to Baget: How say you now sir unto Baptism? Say whether it be to be frequented and used in the Church, as it is now, or no?
Forsooth my Lord, I say it is good.
I befool your heart, could ye not have said so before? Ye have wounded this man's conscience. Then the bishop turned to me, and said: How say ye now sir, this man is turned and converted.
I build my faith neither upon this man, neither upon you, but only upon Christ Jesus, who as Paul saith is the founder and author of all men's faith.
I perceive ye are a stubborn fellow. I must be glad to work another way with you, to win you.
Whatsoever ye do, I am ready to suffer it: for I am in your hands to abide it.
Well, ye are so: come on your ways, ye shall go in and I will use you Christianlike. You shall have meat and drink, such as I have in my house: but in any wise talk not.
I purpose to talk nothing but the word of God and truth.
I will have no heresy talked on in my house.
Why is the truth become heresy? God hath commanded that we should have none other talk in our houses, in our beds, at our meat, and by the way, but all truth.
If ye will have my favor, be ruled by my counsel.
Then I trust you will grant me my request.
What is that?
That your Doctors and Seruauntes give me none occasion: for if they do, I will surely utter my conscience. Then commanded he his men to take in Baget, and let not Haukes and him talk together. And so thus we departed, and went to dinner, and I dined at the Stewardes table.
After dynner, his Chaplaynes and his men began to talk with me. But amongst all other, there was one Darbyshyre principal of Brodgates in Oxford, & the Bishops kinsmā, who said to me, that I was to curious: for ye will have (said he) nothing but your little pretty God's book.
And is it not sufficient for my salvation? Yes (said he) it is sufficient for our salvation, but not for our instruction.
God send me the salvation, and you the instruction. And as we thus reasoned, came the Bishop, who said unto me: I gave you a commandment that you should not talk.
And I desired you, that your Doctors and Seruauntes should give me none▪ occasiō. Then went we into his Orchard again he and his Doctors and I.
Would not ye be contented to have, that your child should be Christened after the book that was set out by king Edward?
Yes, with a good will: it is the thing that I desire.
I thought so: ye would have the same thing. The principal is in the name of the father, the son, & of the holy ghost, and in necessity it may serve.
Christ did use it without any such necessity: and yet we lack the chiefest point.
What is that?
Go teach all nations, baptising them. &c.
I speak the text: I do not mean you. Then spake all his Doctors, & his men that were with him: he speaketh it of you my Lord (with a great noise that they made.)
Will ye be content to tarry here, and your child shall be Baptized, and you shall not know of it, so that you will agree to it?
And if I would so have done, I needed not to have come to you: for I had the same counsel given before.
You seem to be a lustye young man: you will not give your head for the washing. You will stand in the defense of it for the honor of your Country. Do ye think that the Queen and I cannot command it to be done in spite of your teeth?
What the Queen & you can do, I will not stand in it: but ye get my conscience never the sooner.
Well, you are a stubborn young man. I perceive I must work on other way with you.
Ye are in the hands of God, and so am I.
What so ever you think, I would not have you speak such words unto me. And so we departed until Evensong time: and ere Evensong was begun, my Lord called for me to come to him into the Chapel, and said: Haukes: thou art a proper young man, & God hath done his part unto thee. I would be glad to do thee good. Thou knowest that I am thy Pastor, and one that should answer for thee. If I would not teach thee well. I should answer for thy soul.
That I have said, I will stand to it God willing: there is no way to remove it.
Nay, nay Haukes, thou shalt not be so willful. Remember Christ had two go into his vineyard? the one said he would & went not, the other said he would not & went.
The last went.
Do thou likewise, and I will talk friendly with thee: howe sayest thou? It is in the sixth of S. John: I am the bread of life: and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. And who so ever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life. My flesh is very meat in deed, and my blood is very drink in deed. And he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. Do ye believe this?
Yea, I must needs believe the Scriptures.
Why? then I trust that ye be sound in the blessed sacrament.
I beseech your Lordship to feel my conscience no farther then in that, that I was accused in unto you.
Well, well, let us go unto Evensong.
With that I turned my back to go out of the Chapel.
Why, will you not tarry Evensong?
No forsooth.
And why?
And why will you not?
For because I have no edifying thereby, for I understand no Latin.
Why? you may pray by yourself. What books have ye?
I have the New Testament, the books of Solomon, and the Psalter.
Why, I pray you tarry here, & pray you on your psalter.
I will not pray in this place, nor in none such. Thē said one of his chapleins: let him go my Lord, and he shall be no partaker with us in our prayers.
I think myself best at ease when I am farthest from you: And so the Bishop went to Evensong, and I came down and walked between the Hall and the Chapel in the Court, & tarried there till Evensong was done, and within an hour after that Evensong was done, the Bishop sent for me into his chamber where he lay himself, & when I came, there was he, and three of his Chapleins.
Ye know of the talk that was between you & me, as concerning the sacrament. You would not have your conscience sought any farther, then in that ye were accused of.
I thought you would not be both mine accuser & Judge.
Well, ye shall answer me to the Sacrament of the alter, the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Penance, and the Sacrament of Matrimony.
There is none of these, but I dare speak my conscience in them.
The sacrament of the alter ye seme to be sound in.
Well, we will make you to know it, and believe in it too, ere ever we have done with you.
No, that shall ye never do.
Yes, a Fagot will make you do it.
No, no, a point for your fagot. What God thinketh meet to be done, that shall ye do, and more shall ye not do.
Do ye not believe that there remaineth in the blessed Sacrament of the alter after the words of consecration be spoken, no more bread, but the very body and blood of Christ? and at that word he put of his cap.
I do believe as Christ hath taught me.
Why? did not Christ say: Take: eat, this is my body?
Christ said so: but therefore it followeth not, that the Sacrament of the alter is so as you reach, neither did Christ ever teach it so to be.
Why? the Catholic Church taught it so, and they were of Christ's Church.
How prove ye it? The Apostles never taught it so. Read the Acts, the second, and the twenty. Neither Peter nor Paul ever taught it, neither instituted it so.
Ah Syr? ye will have no more then the Scripture teacheth, but even as Christ hath left it bare.
He that teacheth me any otherwise, I will not believe him.
Nay, that is not so. Before that Christ did institute the Sacrament, that ceremony ceased, and then begā the Sacrament.
Alas, you know not how it begun, neither of the, institution thereof.
Then I would be glad to learn.
Except ye learn me by the word of God, I will never credit you nor believe you: and thus we concluded. Then the Bishop and his Chapleines laughed, and said: Jesus, Jesus, what a stubbornness and arrogantnesse is this? and this was in his Chamber where he lay? Then said the Bishop to me, go ye down and drink, for it is fasting day: it is Midsommer even, but I think ye love neither fasting nor praying.
I will never deny fasting neither praying, so that it be done as it ought to be done, and without hipocrisy or vain glory.
I like you the better for that: and so we left for that night.
The next day the Bishop went to London: For Fecknam was made Dean that day, & I tarried still at Fulhā. Then did the Bishops mē desire me to come to Mass, but I did utterly refuse it, answering thē as I did their master. That night the Bishop came home to Fulham again.
*Talke between Harpsfield and Thomas Haukes.
THen upon the Monday Morning very early the Bishop did call for me. There was with him Harpsfield Archdeacon of London, to whom the Bishop said: this is the man that I told you of, who would not have his child Christened, nor will have any ceremonies.
Christ used ceremonies. Did he not take clay from the ground, and took spettle, & made the blind man to see?
I wotte well that, but Christ did never use it in Baptism. If ye will needs have it, put it to the use that Christ put it unto.
I admit your child die unchristened: what a heavy case stand you in?
I admit that if it do, what then?
Mary then are ye damned, and your child both.
Judge you no farther thē ye may by the scriptures.
Do ye not know that your child is borne in original sin?
Yes that I do.
How is original sin washed away?
By true faith and belief in Christ Jesus.
How can your child being an infant believe.
The deliverance of it from sin, standeth in the faith of his parents.
How prove you that?
By S. Paul in the 7. and the first to the Corinthians, saying: The unbelieving man is sanctified by the believing woman, and the unbelieving woman is sanctified by the believing man, or else were your children unclean.
I will prove that they whom thou puttest thy trust in, will be against thee in this opinion.
Who be those?
Your great learned men in Oxford.
If they do it by the Scriptures, I will believe thē.
Recant, recant: do ye not know that Christ said, except ye be Baptized, ye cannot be saved?
Partly it doth: what say you to that?
I say as S. Peter saith: Not the washing of water purgeth the filthiness of the flesh, but a good conscience consenting unto God.
Beware of pride brother, beware of pride.
I say it is detestable, abhominable, and profitable for nothing.
What (nothing profitable in it? what say you to the Epistle and Gospel?
It is good, if it be used as Christ left it to be used.
Well, I am glad that ye somewhat recant: recant all, recant all.
I have recanted nothing, nor will do.
How say you to Confiteor?
I say it is abhominable & detestable, ye and a blasphemy against God and his son Christ, to call vpō any, to trust to any, or to pray to any, save only to Christ Jesus.
To trust to any, we bid you not: but to call upon thē, and to pray to them we bid you. Do ye not know whē ye come into the Courte ye cannot speak with the king & Queen, unless ye call to some of the privy chamber that are next to the king and Queen?
They that list receive your doctrine. You teach me that I should not believe nor trust in any, but to cal on thē: and S. Paul saith: How should I call upon him, on whom I believe not?
Wyll you have nobody to pray for you, when you be dead?
No surely except you can prove it by the Scriptures. Then the Bishoppe pointed unto Harpsfield and said unto me: Is it not well done to desire this man to pray for me?
Yes surely, so long as we live, prayer is auaylable of the righteous man: but this man's prayers, you being dead, profiteth nothing at all.
Will ye grant the prayer of the righteous man to prevail?
I grant it doth for the living, but not for the dead.
Not for the dead?
No forsooth, for David saith: No man can deliver his brother from death, nor make agreement unto God for him: for it cost more to redeem their souls, so that ye must let that alone forever.
Also Ezekiel saith: Though Noah, Daniel, or Job dwelt amongst them, yet can they in their righteousness exceed no farther then themselves. Then the Bishop said to Harpsfield: Syr, ye see this man hath no need of our Lady, neither of any of the blessed Saints. Well, I will trouble you no longer: I did call you, hoping that you should do some good on him, but it will not be. And he said to me: Syr, it is time to begin with you: we will rid you away and then we shall have one heretic less.
What books have you?
The New Testament, Solomon's books and the Psalter.
Will you read any other books?
Yea, if you will give me such books, as I will require.
What books will you require?
Latimers books, my Lord of Caunterburyes book, Bradfords Sermons, Ridleyes books.
Away, away, he will have no books but such as maintain his heresies: and so they departed, for Harpsfield was booted to ride unto Oxford, and I went to the Porters lodge again.
The next days talk.
THe next day came thither an old Byshoppe, who had a pearl in his eye, and he brought with him to my Lord a dish of apples, & a bottle of wine. For he had lost his living, because he had a wife. Then the Bishop called me again into the Orchard, and said to the old Bishop: this young man hath a child, and will not have it christened.
I deny not Baptism.
Thou art a fool, thou canst not tell what y u wouldest have, and that he spake with much anger.
A bishop must be blameless or faultles, sober, discreet, no chider, not given to anger.
Thou judgest me to be angry: no by my faith am I not, and stroke himself upon the breast.
Then said the old Bishop: Alas good young man, you must be taught by y e church, and by your ancients, and do as your forefathers have done before you.
No, no, he will have nothing but the Scriptures, and God wot he doth not understand them. He will have no ceremonies in the Church, no not one. What say you to holy water?
I say to it, as to the rest, and to all that be of his making that made them.
Why, the scriptures doth allow it.
Where prove you that?
Ye say truth, it is so written in the fourth book of Kings, the second chapter: the children of the Prophets came to Elisha, saying: The dwelling of the city is pleasant, but the waters be corrupted. This was the cause that Elisha threw salt into the water, and it became sweet & good and so when our waters be corrupted, if ye can by putting in of salt make them sweet, clear, and wholesome, we will the better believe your ceremonies.
How say ye to holy bread?
Even as I said to the others. What Scripture have you to defend it?
Have ye not read where Christ fed five thousand men with five loaves, and three fishes?
Will ye make that holy bread? There Christ dealt fish with his holy bread.
Look I pray you, how captious this man is.
Christ did not this miracle, or other, because we should do the like miracle, but because we should believe and credit his doctrine thereby.
Ye believe no doctrine, but that which is wrought by miracles.
No forsooth, for Christ saith: These tokens shall follow them that believe in me: they shall speak with new tongues they shall cast out Devils, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them.
With what new tongues do ye speak?
Forsooth, where before that I came to the knowledge of God's word. I was a soul blasphemer and filthy talker, since I came to the knowledge thereof, I have lauded God, praised God, and given thanks unto God evē with the same tongue: and is not this a new tongue?
Christ did cast them out by his word, and he hath left the same word, that whosoever doth credit and believe it, shall cast out devils.
Did you ever drink any deadly poison?
Ye forsooth that I have: for I have drunken of y e pestilent traditions and ceremonies of the Byshoppe of Rome.
Now you show yourself to be a right heretic.
I pray you what is heresy?
If I stand in anything contrary thereto, then am I worthy so to be called.
Thou art one, and thou shalt be burned, if y u stand and continue in this opinion. Ye think we are afraid to put one of you to death: yes, yes there is a brotherhead of you, but I will break it, I warrant you.
Where prove you that Christ or his Apostles did kill any man for his faith?
Yes my Lord, but there is a great difference between excommunicating and burning.
Have ye not read of the man and the woman in the Acts of the Apostles, whom Peter destroyed?
Yes forsooth, I have read of one Ananias, & Sapphira his wife, which were destroyed for lying against the holy Ghost, which serveth nothing your purpose.
Well if you will have us to grant you be of god, then show mercy for that God requireth.
We will show such mercy unto you, as ye shown unto us: for my benefice or bishopric was taken away from me, so that I had not one penny to live upon.
I pray you my Lord, what do ye give him now that was in the bishopric or benefice before that ye came again to it? whereunto he answered me never a word: for he turned his back unto me, & talked with other men, saying that he was very sory for me, but he trusted that I would turn with S. Paul, because I was so earnest: and so he departed and went to dinner, and I to the Porters lodge again.
After dinner I was called into the Hall again, and the Bishop desired the old bishop to take me into his chamber for I would be glad (said he) if ye told convert him. So he took me into his chamber, & sat him down in a chair, and said to me: I would to God I could do you some good. Ye are a young man, and I would not wish you to go to far, but learn of your elders to bear somewhat.
I will bear with nothing that is contrary to the word of God. And I looked that the old Bishop should have made me an answer, and he was fast a sleep.
Then I departed out of y e chamber alone and went to the Porters lodge again, and there saw I the old Bishop last: I suppose he is not yet awake.
Talke between Fecknam and Hawkes.
THe next day came Fecknam unto me and said: are ye he that will have no ceremonies?
What mean you by that?
Ye will not have your child christened, but in English, and you will have no ceremonies.
What soever the scripture commandeth to be done I refuse not.
Which be those?
How say you by Paul's breeches?
I have read no such thing.
Have ye not read in the Acts of the Apostles, how things went from Paul's body, and they received health thereby?
I have read in the xix. of the Acts, how there went partlets and napkins from Paul's body. Is it that that ye mean?
Yea the same is it: what say you to those ceremonies?
I say nothing to y e ceremonies. For the text saith, that God did so work by the hands of Paul, that there went partlets & napkins frō him. &c. So that it seemed by y e text, that it was God that wrought & not y e ceremonies.
How say ye to the woman that came behind Christ and touched the hem of his vesture? did not her disease depart from her by that ceremony?
No forsooth: For Christ turned back and said to Peter: Who is it that touched me? and Peter said: Thou seest the people thrust thee: and askest thou who touched me? Some body hath touched me (saith Christ) for virtue hath gone out of me. I pray you, whether was it the virtue that healed this woman, or his vesture?
Both.
Away, away to the sacrament, for these are but trifles to that.
How say ye Syrha: Christ took bread, & brake it, and said: Take, eat, this is my body?
I grant Christ said so.
And is it not so?
No forsooth, I do not understand it so.
Why, then is Christ a liar?
I think ye will so prove him.
Is every word to be understand as Christ spake it? Christ said: I am a door, a vine, I am a king, a way. &c.
Christ spake these words in parables.
And why speaketh he this in parables, when he said: I am a door a vine, a king, a way, &c. more then this when he said: This is my body? For after the same phrase of speech, as he saith: This is my body: so saith he: I am a door, a vine, a king, a way, he saith not I am like a door, like a vine. &c.
Then Fecknam stood up and said: I had such a one before me this other day. Alas, these places serve nothing for your purposes. But I perceive ye hang and build on them that be at Oxford.
What mean you by that?
I mean Latimer, Cranmer, and Rydley.
I know nothing else by thē, but that they be both godly and learned.
wilt thou trust to such doltes? One of them hath written a book, wherein he affirmeth a real presence in the Sacrament.
What he hath done, I know not, but what he doth I know.
Ridley hath preached at Paul's Cross openly, that the devil believeth better then you: for he believeth that Christ is able of stones to make bread, and ye will not believe that Christ's body is in the Sacrament, and yet thou buildest thy faith upon them.
I build my faith upon no man, and that shall ye well know: for if those men, and as many mo as they be, should recant, and deny that they have said or done, yet will I stand to it, and by this shall ye know that I build my faith upon no man.
If any of those recant, what will ye say to it?
When they recant, I will make you answer.
Then thou wilt say as thou doest now for all that.
Yea in deed will I, & that trust to it, by gods grace
Talke between Haukes and Chadsey.
The next day came Doct. Chadsey to the Bishop, and him. The Bishop declared unto him that I had stand stubbornly in my defense against the Christenyng of my child, and against the ceremonies of the Church, and that I would not have it Christened, but in English.
Then said Doct. Chadsey : then he denieth the order of the Catholic Church.
Yea, he thinketh that there is no Church but in England, and in Germany.
And ye think that there is no Church but the Church of Rome.
What say ye to the Church of Rome.
I say it is a church of a sort of vicious Cardinals. Priests, Monks and Friars, which I will never credit nor believe.
How say ye to the bishop of Rome?
From him and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us.
Mary so may we say from king Henry the eight, and all his detestable enormities, good Lord deliver us.
Where were ye whiles that he lived, that ye would not say so?
I was not far.
Where were ye in his sons days.
In prison.
It was for your well doing.
He will by no means come within my Chapel nor here Mass: for neither the Mass, neither the Sacrament of the altar can he abide, neither will he have any service but in English.
Christ never spake in English.
Neither spake he ever any latin, but always in such a tongue as the people might be edified thereby. And Paul saith, that tongues profit us nothing. He maketh a similitude between the pipe and the harp, and except it be understanded what the trumpet meaneth, who can prepare himself to the battle: so if I hear the tongue which I do not understand, what profit have I thereby? no more then he hath by the trumpet, that knoweth not what it meaneth.
If ye understand Paul's saying, he speaketh it under a prophecy. If we prophecy to you in tongues. &c.
Forsooth Paul speaketh plainly of tongues: for tongues serve not for them that believe.
I tell you Paul speaketh altogether vpō prophecy.
Paul maketh a distinction between prophesying & tongues, saying, That if any man speak with tongues, let it be by two or three at the most, & let another interpret it. But if there be no interpreter, let them keep silence in the congregation, and let himself pray unto God: and then let the Prophets speak two or three, and that by course, and let the other judge: and if any reuelatiō be made to him that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace : so that it seemeth that Paul maketh a distinction between tongues and Prophecying.
The order was taken in the Catholic Church that y e Latin tongue should serve through the whole world, because that they should pray all generally together in one tongue, and that to avoid all contention and strife, and to have one universal order through the whole world.
This did your Counsels of Rome conclude.
Understande ye what the general Councils of Rome meant?
In deed all your general Councils of Rome be in Latin, and I am an English man: therefore I have nothing to do with them.
Ye are to blame, being an unlearned man to reprove all the Councils throughout all the whole world.
I reprove them not, but Paul rebuketh them, saying: If any man preach any other doctrine then that which I have taught, do you hold him accursed.
Hath any man preached any other doctrine to you?
What Gospel have ye been taught?
Praying to Saints, and to our Lady, and trust in the Mass, holy bread, and holy water, and in Idols.
He that teacheth you so, teacheth not amiss.
Cursed be he that teacheth me so: for I will not trust him, nor believe him.
God hath taught us what they be: for whatsoever is made, graven, or devised by man's hand, contrary to God's word, that same is an Idol. What say you to that?
What be those that ye are so offended withal?
What say ye to that?
I say it is an Idol. What say you to it?
I say, what difference is there between an Idol and an Image?
If it be a false God: & an Image made of him, that is an Idol: but if an Image be made of God himself, it is no Idol, but an Image, because he is a true God.
Lay your Image of your true God and of youre false God together, and ye shall see the difference. Have not your Images feet and go not, eyes and see not, ears & hear not, hands and feel not, mouths and speak not? and even so have your Idols.
God forbid, saith S. Paul, That I should rejoice in anything else, but in the Cross of Christ Jesus.
Do ye understand Paul so? Do ye understand Paul? Unto the which he answered me never a word.
Where can we have a godlyer remembrance when we ride by the way: then to see the Cross.
If the Cross were such profit unto us, why did not Christ's Disciples take it up: and set it on a pole, and carry it in procession with Salue festa dies?
It was taken up.
Who took it up? Helene, as ye say: for she sent a piece of it to a place of Religion, where I was with y e visiters when that house was suppressed, and the piece of the holy cross (which the religious had in such estimatiō, and had robbed many a soul, committing idolatry to it) was called for, and when it was proved, and all come to all, it was but a piece of a lath covered over with copper, double gilted as it had been clean gold.
Fie, fie. I dare say thou slaunderest it.
I know it to be true, & do not believe the contrary. And thus did the Bishop & the Doctor depart in a great fume: & Chadsay said unto me, as he was about to depart: it is pity y t thou shouldest live, or any such as thou art. I answered: in this case I desire not to live, but rather to die
What John Butcher did, I have nothing to do withal: but I would my part might be tomorrow. GOD make you in a better mind, said they both, & so they departed, and I went to the Porters lodge with my keeper.
The next day Doct. Chedsey preached in the Boshops Chapel, & did not begin his sermon until all the service was done: and then came the porter for me, and said: my Lord would have you come to the sermon, and so I went to the chapel door, and stood without the door.
Is not this fellow come?
Yes I am here.
Come in man.
No that I will not. He called again, and answered: I will come no nearer, and so I stood at the door. Then said the Bishop, go to your sermon.
Then Doctor Chadsey put the stole about his neck, and carried the holy water sprinckle unto the Bishop, who blessed him, and gave him holy water, and so he went to his sermon. The text that he entreated on, was the xvi. of Matthew. Whome do men say that I the son of man am? Peter said: some say that thou art Helias, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some say thou art one of the Prophets. But whom say ye that I am? Then said Peter, thou art Christ the son of the euerliuyng God. Then left he the text there, & said? Whose sins soever ye bind: are bound: which authority (said he) is left to the heads of the Church: as my Lord here is one, and so unto all the rest that be underneath him. But the Church hath been much kicked at since the beginning: yet kick the heretics, spurn the heretics never so much, the church doth stand and florishe. And then he went straight way to the sacrament, and said his mind on it, exalting it above the heaven, (as the most of thē do) and so returned to his place again, saying: whose sins ye do remit, are remitted and forgiven: and so he applied it to the bishops & priests to forgive sins, and said, all that be of the Church will come and receive the same. And this he proved by S. John. in the xi, chapter, saying that Christ came to raise Lazarus which when he was risen, was bound in bands: then said Christ to them that were in authority (who were his disciples:) go ye and lose him, lose him you. And this was y e effect of his Sermon, applying all to them that they have the same authority that christ spake of to his Apostles, and so ended his sermon, and they went to dinner.
An other communication between Thomas Haukes, and the Bishop.
ANd after dinner I was called into the chapel, where as were certain of the Queens servants and other strangers, whom I did know.
Haukes how like you the sermon?
As I like all the rest of his doctrine?
What? are ye not edified thereby.
No surely.
It was made only because of you.
Why? then am I sory that ye had no mo heretics here, as ye call them, I am sory, that ye have bestowed so much labor on one, and so little regarded.
Well, I will leave you here, for I have business. I pray you talk with him: for if ye could do him good (said he) I would be glad.
This the Bishop spake to the Queens men, who said unto me: Alas what mean you to trouble yourself about such matters, against the Queens proceedings.
Those matters have I answered before thē that be in authority: and unless I see you have a further commission, I will answer you nothing at all. Then said y e bishops men (which were many) my Lord hath commanded you to talk with them.
If my Lord will talk with me himself, I will answer him. They cried fagottes, burn him, hang him, to prison with him: it is pity that he liveth, lay Irons upon him: and with a great noise they spake these words. Then in the midst of all the rage, I departed from them, and went to the porters lodge again.
The next days talk.
THe next day, the Bishop called me into his chamber, & said: ye have been with me a great while: & ye are never the better but worse and worse: and therefore I will delay the time no longer, but send you to Newgate.
My Lord you ran do me no better pleasure.
Why? would ye so fain go to prison?
Truly I did look for none other, when I came to your hands.
Come on your ways: ye shall see what I have written. Then did he show me certain articles, and these are the contents of them:
Whether the Catholic Church do teach and believe y t Christ's real presence doth remain in the Sacrament or no, after the words of consecration: according to y e words of S. Paul, which are these: Is not the bread which we break the partaking of the body of Christ, and the cup which we bless, the partaking of the blood of Christ? which if it were not so, Paul would never have said it.
What your Church doth, I cannot tell: but I am sure that the holy Catholic Church doth neither so take it, nor believe it.
Whether doth the Catholic Church teach and believe the Baptism that now is used in the Church, or no?
I answered to it, as I did to y e other question before. Then did the Bishop with much flattery counsel me to be persuaded, & to keep me out of prison, which I utterly refused, and so we departed. And I supposed that the next day I should have gone to prison, and so I had, save for the Archdeacon of Canterbury, whose name is Harpsfield, whom the bishop had desired to talk with me, and began to persuade me concerning the Sacrament, & the ceremonies: and after much talk he said that the Sacrament of the alter was the same body that was borne of y e virgins Mary, which did hang upon the Cross.
The Archdeacon answered, alive.
How prove you that?
Ye must believe. Doth not S. John say: He is already condemned, that believeth not?
S. John saith: He that believeth not in the son of God, is already condemned : but he saith not, he that believeth not in the sacrament, is already condemned.
There is no talk with you: for ye are both without faith and learning, and therefore I will talk no more with you in scripture.
Thē ii. that stood by, bad me enter further in talk with him, and then said I unto him: why is the Roodeloft set betwixt the body of the Church, and the Chauncel?
I cannot tell: for ye have asked a question, which ye cannot assoil yourself.
Yes that I can: for this saith one of your own Doctors: that the body of the Church doth represent the Church militant: and the Chauncell the Church triumphant: and so because we cannot go from the Church militant to the Church triumphant, but that we must bear the cross of Christ, this is the cause of the Roodeloft being between the body of the Church and the Chauncell.
This is well and clarkely concluded.
As all the rest of your doctrine is: & so with many persuasions on his part we ended, and so departed: and I to the Porters lodge again.
An other days talk.
THe next day in the morning, which was the first day of July, the Bishop did call me himself from the Porters lodge, commanding me to make me ready to go to prison, and to take such things with me, as I had of mine own. And I said, I do neither intend to bribe, neither to steal, God willing. Then he did write my warrant to the Keeper of the Gatehouse at Westminster, and delivered it to Harpsfield, who with his own man and one of the bishops mē brought me to prison, & delivered the warrant & me both to y e Keeper: & this was contained in y e warrant.
I will and command you, that you receive him who cometh named in this warrant, and that he be kept as a safe prisoner, and that no man speak with him, and that ye deliver him to no man, except it be to the Council, or to a Justice: For he is a Sacramētarry, and one that speaketh against Baptism, a seditious man, a perilous man to be abroad in these perilous days.
And thus was I received, & they departed. And there I remained. xiii. days, & then the bishop sent two of his mē unto me, saying: My Lord would be glad to know how ye do. I answered them, I do like a poor prisoner. They said: My Lord would know whether ye be the same man that ye were when ye departed? I said, I am no chaungeling. They said, my Lord would be glad that ye should do well. I said: If my Lord will me any good, I pray you desire him to suffer my friends to come to me. So they said they would speak for me, but I heard no more of them.
This is the first examination of me Thomas Haukes being examined by Edmund Boner, then Bishop of London, and by his Chaplains and Doctors at Fulham 4. miles from London, where I lay till I came to prison to Westminster: and after his two men had been with me, I heard no more of him, till the third day of September.
Here followeth the second time of mine examinanation, the which was the third day of September for the Bishop did send his men for me, to come to his Palace to London, and so my keeper and his men brought me to his place the same day.
THe Bishop of Winchester, then being Chancellor, preached that day at Paul's cross, and the Bishop of London said to my Keeper, I think your man will not go to the sermon today.
Yes my Lord, I pray you let me go: and that that is good, I will receive, and y e rest I will leave behind me, and so I went. And when the sermon was done, I & my Keeper came to the Bishops house, and there we remained till dinner was done: and after dinner the Bishop called for me, and asked me if I were the same man that I was before.
I am no chaungeling nor none will be.
Ye shall find no chaungeling neither. And so he returned into his chamber, and there he did write the side of a sheet of paper, and all that while I stood in the great chamber, & as many with me as might well stand in the chamber. And as I stood, Doctor Smith came unto me (who once recanted, as it appeared in Print) saying y t he would be glad to talk brotherly with me. I asked him what he was. Then said they that stood by, he is D. Smith. Then said I: are you he that did recant? And he said, it was no recantation, but a declaration.
Ye were best to term it well, for your own honesty.
Shall I term it as it pleaseth you?
To be short with you, I will know whether ye will recant any more or no, before that I talk w t you, credit you or believe you: and so I departed from him to the other side of y e chamber. Then said the Bishops men & his Chaplaynes, that my Lord commanded me to talk with him. Then they that stood by, cried with a great noise: hang him, burn him: it is pity that he liveth, that disobeyeth my Lord's commandment.
Then said one Miles Huggard? where prove you y e infantes were baptized?
Go teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy Ghost. Syr here is none excepted.
What shall we go to teach children?
That word doth trouble you: it might be left out full well: it is to much for you to teach. Is not your name Miles Huggard?
So am I called.
Be you not a Hosier, and dwell in pudding lane?
Yes that I am, and there I do dwell.
It would seem so, for ye can better skill to eat a pudding and make a hose then in Scripture either to answer or oppose. With that he was in great rage, and did chafe up and down. Then I desired that some mā would take some pain to walk the Gentleman, he did fret so for anger. Then one that stood by me, (who is parson of Hornechurch and Rumford in Essex) said: alas what do you mean? a young man to be so stubborn? there seemeth to much pride in you.
Are not ye the parson of Hornechurch?
Yes that I am.
Did ye not set such a priest in your benefice?
Yes for a shift.
Like will to like: such master, such man. For I know the Priest to be a very vile man, as any could be. I asked the Parson what kin he was to the weather cock of Paul's? and he fell in a great laughter, with the rest of his companions. He said that I did rail.
Then said another that stood by unto me: what book have you here? I answered the new testament. May I look in it, said he? Yea that ye may said I. And so he looked in my book, and said it was corrupt I answered him if the things contained in it be true, then are ye all false Prophets. He said y t he would appose me in the first word of y e Testament, saying: here is a generatiō of christ. And Isaiah saith, no man can tell his generation.
Ye would be angry if the scholar should teach the master: but if ye will have me to teach you, I will tell you Isaiah as meaning.
Then said he, no man can tell the generation between the father and the son: but you (I dare say) did know it before.
These words do breed more strife, then godly edifying.
Beware said he, that ye do not decline from the church for if ye do, you will prove yourself an heretic.
Even as ye do call us heretics, that do incline to Christ's Church, from your Church: so are ye all false Prophets, that do decline from Christ's church, to your own Church. And by this shall all men know you to be false Prophets, if ye say, this saith the Church, and will not say, this saith our Lord. And so he went his way, as though he had a flea in his ear.
Then came another and said unto me,, he would talk with me, for he perceived (as he said) that I was angry and out of patience.
I will see your commission, or ever I talk with you, or with any man more. For I wist not how to be tyd of them: they came so thick about me. For I said that I came to talk with my Lord, and not with any of them.
With that came the Bishoppe, bringing a letter in his hand the which he had written in my name, & read it unto me after this manner: I Tho. Haukes, do here confess and declare before my said Ordinary Edmund Bishop of London, that the Mass is abhominable and detestable, & full of all superstition, and also as concerning the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ (commonly called the sacrament of y e alter) that Christ is in no part thereof, but only in heaven: this I have believed, & this I do believe &c.
Stop there my Lord: what I have believed, what have you to do withal? But what I do believe, to that stand I, and will.
Then he took his pen, & said that he would scrape it out for my pleasure, and so did to my thinking.
Then he went further with his writing, and said: I Thomas Haukes have talked with my said Ordinary, & with certain good, godly, and learned men. Notwithstāding I stand still in mine opinion.
Shall I grant you to be good, godly, and learned men, and yet grant myself to stand in a contrary opinion? No, I will not grant you to be good, godly and learned men.
Ye will grant that ye have talked with us: the other I will put out for your pleasure. Then said all his Doctors, if your Lordship be ruled by him, he will cause you to put out altogether: and then he read more unto me. Here unto this bill have I set to my hand: and then he offered me the bill & his pene, and bad me set my hand to it.
Ye get not my hand to anything of your making or devising.
Wilt not thou set to thy hand? It shall be to thy shame for the denying of it.
And then he called all his Doctors, and said he would have every man's hand to it that was in the chamber, & so he had of their hands to it, and said: he that will not set his hand to it, I would he were hanged, and so said all his Chaplains and Doctors with a great noise.
Then the bishop thrust me on the breast with great anger, and said he would be even with me and with all such proud knaves in Essex.
Ye shall do no more thē God shall give you leave.
This gear shall not be unpunished, trust to it.
As for your cursinges, raylinges, and blaspheminges, I care not for them: for I know the moths and worms shall eat you, as they eat cloth or wool.
I will be even with you, when time shall come.
Ye may in your malice destroy a man: but when ye have done, ye cannot do so much as make a finger, and ye be meetly even with some of us already.
If I do thee any wrong, take the law of me.
Solomon saith: Go not to law with a Judge. For he will judge according to his own honor.
Solomon saith: Geue not a fool an answer.
What? do ye count me a fool?
Thought is free my Lord. Then took Boner the bill and read it again, and when he saw that he could not have my hand to it, then he would have had me to take it into my hand, and to give it him again.
What needeth that ceremonye? Neither shall it come into my hand, heart, nor mind. Then he wrapped it up, and put it in his bosom, and in a great anger went his way, & called for his horse and went to horseback, for the same day he rode in visitatiō into Essex: and so went I to prison, from whence I came, with my Keeper. And this was the second time of my examination. Written by me Thomas Haukes, who desireth all faithful men and brethren, to pray unto God to strengthen me in his truth unto the end. Pray, pray, pray, gentle brethren pray.
The public examination of Thomas Haukes.
AFter all these private conferences, persuasions, & long debatings had with Thomas Haukes in the bishops house, as hitherto have been declared, the Bishop seeing no hope to win him to his wicked ways, was fully set to proceed openly against him after the ordinary course of his popish law. Wherupon T. Haukes shortly •• ter was cited with the rest of his other fellows, above specified, to wit • e, Thom. Tomkins. Ste. Knight, W. Pygot, John Laurence, and W. Hunter, to appear in the bishops Cōsisto • y, the 8. day of February, this present year, videl. 1555. Upon which appearance was laid against him, in like order, as to the other, first the bill o • his confession, writ • with Boners hand, to the which bill ye heard before how the blessed servant of God denied to subscribe.
A • ter which bill of confession being read, and he constantly standing to the said confession, the Bishop then assigned him with the other v. the next day following, which was the ix. of February, to appear before him again, to give a resolute answer what they would stick unto. Wh • ch day being come, and these foresaid vi. prisoners being se • erally called before the Bishop, at the coming of Thomas Haukes, the Bishop willed him to remember what was said to him yesterday, and now while he had time and space, to advise with himself, what he would answe • e: for he stood upon life and death. Well, quoth master Haukes again, I will willingly receive whatsoever shall be put unto me.
Then were certain other Interrogatories or Articles commensed against him by the said Bishop (in like manner as to the other) to the number of four: with another bill also, which Boner brought out of his bosom containyng private matters against the said Thomas Haukes, which the bishop called heresies and errors, but we may better call them Christian verities. To the which matter being read, the said Haukes answered openly again saying that it was true, and that he was glad it was so true, as it was: with moe words to the like effect. And this was on the forenoon, the ix. day of February.
In the after noon again the said Haukes appearing and hearing the • oresaid bill of his confession, with the Articles and Interrogatories read vto him, with like constancy in answering again to the b • shop: My Lord (said he) as you being my friend have caused these my sayings to be writ̄: so do you cause them to be read: and yet I will never go from them.
And then being exhorted by the Byshoppe with many fair words, to return again to the bosom of the mother Church: No my Lord (said he) that will I not: for if I had an hundredth bodies, I would suffer them all to be torn in pieces, rather then I will abjure or recant.
And so continuing still in the same song, notwithstanding that the Doctors and Lawyers were ever calling upon him to come again to the unity of the Church he ever kept them of with this answer, that he would never go from the belief he was in, so long as he lived. Wherupon Boner, at last read the sentence of death upon him, & so was he condemned the same day with the residue of his fellows which was the 9. of February.
Neuertheles his execution was prolonged, and he remained in prison till the 10. day of June.
Then was he committed to the hands and charge of the Lord Rich, who being assisted with power sufficient of y e worshipful of the shyre, had the foresaid Tho. Haukes down into Essex, with vi. other fellow prisoners (whose stories hereafter follow) there to suffer martirdōe, Haukes at Coxehall, the other severally in other several places.
Thomas Haukes by the way used much exhortation to his friends, and whensoever opportunity served to talk with them, he would familiarly admonish them.
A little before his death certain there were of his familiar acquaintance and friends, who frequenting his company more familiarly, which seemed not a little to be confirmed both by the example of his constancy, & by his talk: yet notwithstanding the same again being feared with the sharpness of the punishment, which he was going to, privily desired that in the midst of the flame he would show them some token if he could, whereby they might be more certain whether the pain of such burning were so great, that a man might not therein keep his mind quiet and patient. Which thing he promised them to do, and so secretly between them it was agreed, that if the rage of the pain were tolerable and might be suffered, then he should lift up his hands above his head toward heaven before he gave up the ghost.
Not long after, when the hour was come Thomas Haukes was lead away to the place appointed for the slaughter, by the Lord Rich & his assistance, who being now come unto the stake, there mildly & patiently addressed himself to the fire, having a strait chain cast about his middle, with no small multitude of people on every side compassing him about. Unto whom after he had spoken many things, but especially unto the Lord Rich, reasoning with him of the innocent blood of Saints, at length after his fervent prayers first made, and poured out unto god, the fire was set unto him.
In the which when he continued long, and when his speech was taken away by violence of the flame, his skin also drawn together, and his fingers consumed with the fire, so that now all men thought certainly he had been gone, suddenly and contrary to all expectation, the blessed servant of GOD, being myndefull of his promise afore made, reached up his hands burning on a light fire (which was marvelous to behold) over his head to y e living God, and with great rejoicing, as seemed, struck or clapped thē three times together. At the sight whereof there followed such applause & outcry of the people, and especially of them which understood the matter, that y e like hath not commonly been heard: And so the blessed Martyr of Christ, straight way sinckyng down into the fire, gave up his spirit. An. 1555. June. 10. And thus have you plainly and expressly described unto you the whole story, as well of the life, as of the death of Thomas Haukes, a most constant & faithful witness of Christ's holy Gospel.
Letters. An Epistle to the Congregation by Thomas Haukes.
GRace, mercy, and peace, from God the father, and from our Lord Iesust Christ, be always with you all (my dear brethren and sisterne in the Lord Jesus Christ) forever: and his holy Spirit conduct and lead you all in all your doings, that you may always direct your deeds according to his holy word, that when he shall appear to reward every man according to their works: ye may as obedient children be found watching, ready to enter into his everlasting kingdom with your lamps burning, and when the Bridegroom shall show himself, ye need not to be ashamed of this life that God hath lent you, which is but trāsitory, vain, and like unto a vapor, that for a season appeareth and vanisheth away: so soon passeth away all our terrestrial honor, glory, and felicity. For all flesh (saith the Prophet) is grass, and all his glory, as the flour of the field, which for a season showeth her beauty, and as soon as the Lord bloweth upon it, it withereth away, and departeth. For in this transitory and dangerous wilderness, we are as Pilgrimes and strangers, following the footsteps of Moses, among many unspeakable dangers, beholding nothing with our outward man, but all vain vanities, and vexation of mind: subject to hunger, cold, nakedness, bonds, sickness, loss, labors, banishment, in danger of that dreadful dragon, and his sinful seed, to be devoured, tempted, and tormented, who ceaseth not behind every bush to lay a bait, when we walk awry to have his pleasure vpō us, casting abroad his apples in all places, times, and seasons, to see if Adam will be allured and enticed to leave the living God & his most holy Commandments whereby he is assured of everlasting life, promising the world at will, to all that will fall down in all ages, & for a mess of potage, sel & set at naught, the everlasting kingdom of heaven. So frail is flesh and blood: And in especial Israel is most ready to walk awry, when he is filled with all manner of riches ((as saith the Prophet.)
Therefore I am bold in bonds (as entirely desiring your everlasting health & felicity) to warn you, and most heartily desire you to watch and pray: for our estate is dangerous, and requireth continual prayer. For on the high mountains doth not grow most plenty of grass, neither are the highest trees farthest from danger, but seldom sure, & always shaken of every wind that bloweth. Such a deceitful thing (saith our savior) is honor and riches, y t without grace it choketh up the good seed sown on his creatures, & blindeth so their seeing, that they go gropyng at none day in darkness: it maketh a man think himself somewhat, y t is nothing at all. For though for our honor we esteem our selves & stand in our own light, yet when we shall stand before the living God, there shall be no respect of persons. For riches helpeth not in the day of vengeance: neither can we make the Lord partial for money. But as ye have ministered unto the Saints, so shall ye receive y e reward, which I am fully persuaded & assured shall be plenteously poured upon you all, for y e great goodness shown unto the servants of the living God. And I most heartily beseech almighty God to pour forth a plenteous reward upon you for y e same, & that he will assist you with his holy spirit in all your doings, that ye may grow (as you have begun) unto such a perfection as may be to gods honor, your own salvation, and the strengthening of the weak members of christ. For though the world rage, and blaspheme the elect of God, ye know that it did so unto Christ, his Apostles, and to all that were in the primitive Church, and shall be unto the worlds end.
Therefore believe in the light, while ye have it, least it be taken away from you: If you shall seem to neglect the great mercy of God that hath been opened unto you, and your harts cōscented unto it y t it is the very and only truth pronounced by God's only son Jesus Christ, by the good will of our heavenly father. Therefore I say in the bowels of my Lord Jesus Christ, stick fast unto it: let it never depart out of your harts and couersation, that you with us and we with you, at the great day being one flock, as we have one shepherd, may rise to the life immortal, through Jesus Christ our only Savior, Amen.
Yours in him that liveth forever. Thomas Haukes.
Here followeth another letter of Tho. Haukes sent to his wife after his condemnation, being prisoner in Newgate: the copy whereof is this.
The copy of Thomas Haukes letter to his wife.
GRace be with you, and peace from God the father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, which gave himself for our sins, to deliver us from this present evil world, through the good will of God our father, to whō be praise forever and ever. Amen.
My dear Yokefellow in the Lord, for as much as the Lord hath not only called me to work in his vineyard but hath also fulfilled his good work in me (I trust to his glory, & to the comfort of all those y t look for his coming) I thought it my duty (dear yokefellowe) to write unto you some lessons out of God's book: and if you will direct yourself thereafter, doubt not of it, but God, who refuseth none that will come to him with their whole heart, will assist you with his holy spirit, and direct you in all his ways, to his honor, and glory, who grant it for his mercies sake. Amen.
First I exhort you to fear God, to serve and honor his holy name, love him with all your heart, soul, and mind to believe faithfully all his promises, to lay sure hold upon them, that in all your troubles what so ever they are ye may run straight to the great mercy of God, and he will bring you forth of them, keep you within his wings then shall ye be sure that neither devil, flesh, nor hell shall be able to hurt you.
But take heed: If ye will not keep his holy precepts and laws, and to the uttermost of your power, cal for the help of God to walk in the same, but will leave them and run to all abominations with the wicked world, & do as they do, then be sure to have your part with the wicked world in the burning lake that never shall be quenched. Therefore beware of Idolatry, which doth most of all stink before the face of almighty God, and was of all good men most detested from the beginning of the world. For the which, what kingdoms, nations, and realms God hath punished with most terrible plagues, w t fire, brimstone, hunger, sword, and pestilence. &c. to the utter subversion of them, it is manifestly to be seen through the whole Bible. Yea his own peculiar people, whom he had done so much for, when they fell from him, and went & served other God's, contrary to his commandment, he utterly destroyed, and rooted them out from of the earth: and as many as died in that damnable state (not repenting their abhominable evil) he threw them into y e pit of hell. Again how he hath preserved those that abhor superstition and Idolatry, and that have only taken hold upon God with their whole heart, to serve him, & to love him, to fear him, &c. it is most manifestly to be seen even frō the beginning, out of what great dangers he hath ever delivered them: yea whē all hope of deliverance was past as touching their expectation, even then in y e sight of all his enemies would he work his godly will and purpose, to the utter amazing and destructiō of all those that were his manifest enemies.
Further I exhort you in the bowels of Christ, that you will exercise and be steadfast in prayer: for prayer is y e only mean to pierce the heavens to obtain at the hand of God, whatsoever we desire, so y t it be asked in faith. Oh what notable things do we read in Scriptures that hath been obtained through fervent prayer? We are commanded to call upon him for help, aid and succor in necessities & troubles, & he hath promised to help us. Again they that will not cal upon him, with thesr whole heart, but upon other dead creatures, in whō there is no help (for there was none found worthy to open the book, but only the Lamb Christ which was killed for our sins) I say who that will refuse his help, must even by y e terrible judgment of God, come utterly to confusion: as it hath, and is daily manifest to be seen. And whatsoever you desire of God in your prayer, ask it for Jesus Christ's sake, for whom & in whō God hath promised to give us all things necessary. And though that which ye ask, come not by and by at y e first and second calling, yet continue still knocking and he will at the length open his trasures of mercy▪ so that ye shall be sure to obtain: for he hath so promised if ye continue in faith, hoping surely in him. These former lessons, w t all such instructions as I have told you by mouth, I do wish that ye would most earnestly learn: and then I doubt not, but God, who is the giver of all grace, will assist you in all your doings, that ye may be found worthy of his kingdom, which is prepared through Christ.
Further, where it hath pleased God to send us childrē, my desire is that they may be brought up in the fear of God, and in his laws. And this is to certify you, that ye deliver in any wise my eldest son unto M. Throgmorton, who vpō his good will hath promised me to bring him up according to my desire, and (I trust) as God hath put into his heart. See therefore that ye deliver him in any wise without delay: and as for the other, if ye shall seem to be burdened with him (which I think nature will not suffer) my desire is that it be brought up in the fear of God to the uttermost of your endeavor, with some honest man that hath the fear of God before his eyes, and let us give thanks unto God which hath given them us, beseeching him that they may be counted worthy to be of that flock that shall stand on the right hand of the Majesty of God, when he shall judge the world. Amen.
Yet once again I warn you, that ye continue in fervent prayer, as I said before: then shall ye be sure, y t God even of his own mercy, according as he hath promised, will be an husband unto you, & provide better for you thē I was ever able to do: yea, he will cause all men that fear him, to pity you, to help you, succor you in all your necessities, so that if any will do you wrong, he will be ad • enged on him. Moreover, I wish you to keep company w t those, of whom ye may learn to come to a more perfect knowledge in God, and I doubt not but God will provide that such will be glad to receive you, if you shall profess and go forward in his truth.
Finally, and to make an end, I desire you that ye take heed with whom ye couple yourself. See that he be a mā that feareth God, loveth his laws, and will walk in the same to the uttermost of his power: such a one as can be content to love you & to care for you. Take heed he be no brawler, no drunkard, no wicked person, not given to filthiness, no worldling, no dicer nor carder. In fine, no filthy person, but choose you such a one as God may be glorified in both your lives. And again on your part, love him, serve him, obey him in all godliness, as long as God shall give you life in this world. Then shall ye both be sure to obtain that kingdom which God the father hath prepared, and Jesus Christ obtained for you, that never shall have end, where I trust to abide your coming. Amen.
By your husband Tho. Haukes.
Ye heard before in the letter of Tho. Haukes written to his wife, mention made concerning his eldest son to be sent to M. Throgmorton. Now what he writeth himself to the said M. Throgmorton touching the same matter, by this his letter to the said party here under ensuing, may appear.
A letter of Thomas Haukes to M. Clement Throgmorton.
GRace, mercy, and peace from God the father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you, & assist you in all your thoughts words, and works, that he in all things as most worthy, may be glorified, and that the blessing of Abraham may be poured plenteously on you and all your posterity.
Whereas the love of God hath moved you to require my son to be brought up before your eyes, & the self same love hath also moved me in like case to leave him in your hands, as unto a father in mine absence, I shall require you in God's behalf according to your promise, that ye will see him brought up in the fear of the Lord, and instructed in the knowledge of his holy word, that he may thereby learn to leave the evil and know the good, and always be pricked forward with fatherly instructions to follow my footsteps, that as almighty God hath made me worthy through his special grace to work his will in obedience, he may learn to follow me his father in the like, to gods honor and praise: And this I require you in God's behalf to fulfill or cause to be fulfilled, as ye before the living God will make answer for the same. I have left for the child certain books which shall be delivered unto you, wherein his instruction and salvation lieth, if he learn and practice the same. And thus, most humbly beseeching you once again, to be as good unto him as your promise was to me, that is, to be a father, & a wall of defense unto him in all troubles, I leave him in your hand through the Lord Jesus, and desire him to bless both him & you according to his good promise: & all that good which ye shall do unto him, I shall most heartily desire the everlasting God to recompense unto you in his kingdom, where I hope to meet both him and you among all God's elect. To which God be all praise, honor and glory. Amen.
Yours and all men's in Christ Jesus, Tho. Haukes.
A Letter of the Earl of Oxford to Boner.
MOst reverend father in God, be it known unto you, that I have sent you one Thomas Haukes, dwelling in the County of Essex, who hath a child that hath remained unchristened more then three weeks, who being upon the same examined, hath denied to have it baptized, as it is now used in the Church: wherevpo n I have sent him to your good Lordship, to use as ye think best, by your good discretion.
Whē the bishop had perused this letter, and afterward read it to M. Haukes, he hearing the same, thought with himself, that he should not be very well used, seeing he was put to his discretion. Then wrote the bishop a letter again to him that sent the prisoner, with many great thanks for his diligence in setting forth the Queens proceedynges. Then began the bishop to enter communication with M. Haukes, first asking what should move him to leave his child unchristened so long? To whom M. Haukes answered thus again as followeth.
Why? Baptism is • ommaunded by the word of God.
His institution therein I do not deny.
What deny ye then?
I deny all things invented and devised by man.
What things be those that be devised by man, that ye be so offended withal?
Will ye deny that which all the whole world, and your father hath been contented withal?
What my father & all the whole world hath done, I have nothing to do withal: but what God hath commanded me to do, to that stand I.
What is the Catholic Church?
It is the faithful congregation, where so ever it be dispersed throughout the whole world.
Who is the head thereof?
Christ is the head thereof.
Are we taught in Christ, or in the Church now?
Have ye not read in the eyght of John, where he said, he would send his comforter which should teach you all things?
I grant you it is so, that he would send his comforter, but to what ende? forsooth to this ende, that he should lead you into all truth and verity, and that is not to teach a new doctrine.
A Syr, ye are a right scripture man. For ye will have nothing but the scripture. There is a great number of your countrymen of your opinion. Do ye not know one Knight and Pigot?
Knight I know, but Pigot I do not know.
I thought ye were acquainted with him: it seemeth so by your judgment. What Preachers do ye know in Essex.
I know none.
Do ye not know one Baget there?
Yes forsooth, I know him.
What manner a man is he?
An honest man, so far as I know.
Do you know him if you see him?
Yea that I do. Then said he to one of his servants, go call me Baget hither. And then he said to me: ye seme to be a very proud man & a stubborn. He that brought me up, stood all this while by.
What should move your Lordship so to say?
It seemeth your Lordship speaketh that to me, because I make no more curtesy to you: and with that came Baget. Then the Bishop said to Baget: How say ye Syr, know ye this man?
Yea forsooth my Lord: with that Baget and I shook hands. Then said the Bishop to Baget: Syr, this man hath a child, which hath lien 3. weeks unchristened (as I have letters to show) who refuseth to have it baptized, as it is now used in the church: how say you thereto?
Forsooth my Lord I say nothing thereto (with low curtesy to the hard ground.)
Say ye nothing thereto? I will make you tell me whether it be laudable, and to be frequēted and used in the Church, or not.
I beseech your Lordship to pardon me, he is old enough, let him answer for himself.
Ah sir knave, are ye at that point with me? Go call me the Porter, said he, to one of his men. Thou shalt sit in the stocks, & have nothing but bread & water. I perceive I have kept you to well. Have I made thus much of you, and have I you at this point? Then came the Bishops man, and said: The Porter is gone to London. Then said the Bishop to Baget: Come with me, and he went away with him, and commanded me away, and bade one of his Gentlemē to talk with me (who was one of his own teaching:) who desired amongst all other things, to know of me, with whom I was acquainted in Essex, and what mē they were that were my teachers.
When I see your commission, I will make you answer. And then immediately came the Bishop again: but ere he came, his man and I had much talk. Then the bishop sat down under a vine in his orchyard, & called Baget to him, whom he carried away, & brought again, & called me also, and said to Baget: How say you now sir unto Baptism? Say whether it be to be frequented and used in the Church, as it is now, or no?
Forsooth my Lord, I say it is good.
I befool your heart, could ye not have said so before? Ye have wounded this man's conscience. Then the bishop turned to me, and said: How say ye now sir, this man is turned and converted.
I build my faith neither upon this man, neither upon you, but only upon Christ Jesus, who as Paul saith is the founder and author of all men's faith.
I perceive ye are a stubborn fellow. I must be glad to work another way with you, to win you.
Whatsoever ye do, I am ready to suffer it: for I am in your hands to abide it.
Well, ye are so: come on your ways, ye shall go in and I will use you Christianlike. You shall have meat and drink, such as I have in my house: but in any wise talk not.
I purpose to talk nothing but the word of God and truth.
I will have no heresy talked on in my house.
Why is the truth become heresy? God hath commanded that we should have none other talk in our houses, in our beds, at our meat, and by the way, but all truth.
If ye will have my favor, be ruled by my counsel.
Then I trust you will grant me my request.
What is that?
That your Doctors and Seruauntes give me none occasion: for if they do, I will surely utter my conscience. Then commanded he his men to take in Baget, and let not Haukes and him talk together. And so thus we departed, and went to dinner, and I dined at the Stewardes table.
After dynner, his Chaplaynes and his men began to talk with me. But amongst all other, there was one Darbyshyre principal of Brodgates in Oxford, & the Bishops kinsmā, who said to me, that I was to curious: for ye will have (said he) nothing but your little pretty God's book.
And is it not sufficient for my salvation? Yes (said he) it is sufficient for our salvation, but not for our instruction.
God send me the salvation, and you the instruction. And as we thus reasoned, came the Bishop, who said unto me: I gave you a commandment that you should not talk.
And I desired you, that your Doctors and Seruauntes should give me none▪ occasiō. Then went we into his Orchard again he and his Doctors and I.
Would not ye be contented to have, that your child should be Christened after the book that was set out by king Edward?
Yes, with a good will: it is the thing that I desire.
I thought so: ye would have the same thing. The principal is in the name of the father, the son, & of the holy ghost, and in necessity it may serve.
Christ did use it without any such necessity: and yet we lack the chiefest point.
What is that?
Go teach all nations, baptising them. &c.
I speak the text: I do not mean you. Then spake all his Doctors, & his men that were with him: he speaketh it of you my Lord (with a great noise that they made.)
Will ye be content to tarry here, and your child shall be Baptized, and you shall not know of it, so that you will agree to it?
And if I would so have done, I needed not to have come to you: for I had the same counsel given before.
You seem to be a lustye young man: you will not give your head for the washing. You will stand in the defense of it for the honor of your Country. Do ye think that the Queen and I cannot command it to be done in spite of your teeth?
What the Queen & you can do, I will not stand in it: but ye get my conscience never the sooner.
Well, you are a stubborn young man. I perceive I must work on other way with you.
Ye are in the hands of God, and so am I.
What so ever you think, I would not have you speak such words unto me. And so we departed until Evensong time: and ere Evensong was begun, my Lord called for me to come to him into the Chapel, and said: Haukes: thou art a proper young man, & God hath done his part unto thee. I would be glad to do thee good. Thou knowest that I am thy Pastor, and one that should answer for thee. If I would not teach thee well. I should answer for thy soul.
That I have said, I will stand to it God willing: there is no way to remove it.
Nay, nay Haukes, thou shalt not be so willful. Remember Christ had two go into his vineyard? the one said he would & went not, the other said he would not & went.
The last went.
Do thou likewise, and I will talk friendly with thee: howe sayest thou? It is in the sixth of S. John: I am the bread of life: and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. And who so ever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life. My flesh is very meat in deed, and my blood is very drink in deed. And he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. Do ye believe this?
Yea, I must needs believe the Scriptures.
Why? then I trust that ye be sound in the blessed sacrament.
I beseech your Lordship to feel my conscience no farther then in that, that I was accused in unto you.
Well, well, let us go unto Evensong.
With that I turned my back to go out of the Chapel.
Why, will you not tarry Evensong?
No forsooth.
And why?
And why will you not?
For because I have no edifying thereby, for I understand no Latin.
Why? you may pray by yourself. What books have ye?
I have the New Testament, the books of Solomon, and the Psalter.
Why, I pray you tarry here, & pray you on your psalter.
I will not pray in this place, nor in none such. Thē said one of his chapleins: let him go my Lord, and he shall be no partaker with us in our prayers.
I think myself best at ease when I am farthest from you: And so the Bishop went to Evensong, and I came down and walked between the Hall and the Chapel in the Court, & tarried there till Evensong was done, and within an hour after that Evensong was done, the Bishop sent for me into his chamber where he lay himself, & when I came, there was he, and three of his Chapleins.
Ye know of the talk that was between you & me, as concerning the sacrament. You would not have your conscience sought any farther, then in that ye were accused of.
I thought you would not be both mine accuser & Judge.
Well, ye shall answer me to the Sacrament of the alter, the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Penance, and the Sacrament of Matrimony.
There is none of these, but I dare speak my conscience in them.
The sacrament of the alter ye seme to be sound in.
Well, we will make you to know it, and believe in it too, ere ever we have done with you.
No, that shall ye never do.
Yes, a Fagot will make you do it.
No, no, a point for your fagot. What God thinketh meet to be done, that shall ye do, and more shall ye not do.
Do ye not believe that there remaineth in the blessed Sacrament of the alter after the words of consecration be spoken, no more bread, but the very body and blood of Christ? and at that word he put of his cap.
I do believe as Christ hath taught me.
Why? did not Christ say: Take: eat, this is my body?
Christ said so: but therefore it followeth not, that the Sacrament of the alter is so as you reach, neither did Christ ever teach it so to be.
Why? the Catholic Church taught it so, and they were of Christ's Church.
How prove ye it? The Apostles never taught it so. Read the Acts, the second, and the twenty. Neither Peter nor Paul ever taught it, neither instituted it so.
Ah Syr? ye will have no more then the Scripture teacheth, but even as Christ hath left it bare.
He that teacheth me any otherwise, I will not believe him.
Nay, that is not so. Before that Christ did institute the Sacrament, that ceremony ceased, and then begā the Sacrament.
Alas, you know not how it begun, neither of the, institution thereof.
Then I would be glad to learn.
Except ye learn me by the word of God, I will never credit you nor believe you: and thus we concluded. Then the Bishop and his Chapleines laughed, and said: Jesus, Jesus, what a stubbornness and arrogantnesse is this? and this was in his Chamber where he lay? Then said the Bishop to me, go ye down and drink, for it is fasting day: it is Midsommer even, but I think ye love neither fasting nor praying.
I will never deny fasting neither praying, so that it be done as it ought to be done, and without hipocrisy or vain glory.
I like you the better for that: and so we left for that night.
The next day the Bishop went to London: For Fecknam was made Dean that day, & I tarried still at Fulhā. Then did the Bishops mē desire me to come to Mass, but I did utterly refuse it, answering thē as I did their master. That night the Bishop came home to Fulham again.
*Talke between Harpsfield and Thomas Haukes.
THen upon the Monday Morning very early the Bishop did call for me. There was with him Harpsfield Archdeacon of London, to whom the Bishop said: this is the man that I told you of, who would not have his child Christened, nor will have any ceremonies.
Christ used ceremonies. Did he not take clay from the ground, and took spettle, & made the blind man to see?
I wotte well that, but Christ did never use it in Baptism. If ye will needs have it, put it to the use that Christ put it unto.
I admit your child die unchristened: what a heavy case stand you in?
I admit that if it do, what then?
Mary then are ye damned, and your child both.
Judge you no farther thē ye may by the scriptures.
Do ye not know that your child is borne in original sin?
Yes that I do.
How is original sin washed away?
By true faith and belief in Christ Jesus.
How can your child being an infant believe.
The deliverance of it from sin, standeth in the faith of his parents.
How prove you that?
By S. Paul in the 7. and the first to the Corinthians, saying: The unbelieving man is sanctified by the believing woman, and the unbelieving woman is sanctified by the believing man, or else were your children unclean.
I will prove that they whom thou puttest thy trust in, will be against thee in this opinion.
Who be those?
Your great learned men in Oxford.
If they do it by the Scriptures, I will believe thē.
Recant, recant: do ye not know that Christ said, except ye be Baptized, ye cannot be saved?
Partly it doth: what say you to that?
I say as S. Peter saith: Not the washing of water purgeth the filthiness of the flesh, but a good conscience consenting unto God.
Beware of pride brother, beware of pride.
I say it is detestable, abhominable, and profitable for nothing.
What (nothing profitable in it? what say you to the Epistle and Gospel?
It is good, if it be used as Christ left it to be used.
Well, I am glad that ye somewhat recant: recant all, recant all.
I have recanted nothing, nor will do.
How say you to Confiteor?
I say it is abhominable & detestable, ye and a blasphemy against God and his son Christ, to call vpō any, to trust to any, or to pray to any, save only to Christ Jesus.
To trust to any, we bid you not: but to call upon thē, and to pray to them we bid you. Do ye not know whē ye come into the Courte ye cannot speak with the king & Queen, unless ye call to some of the privy chamber that are next to the king and Queen?
They that list receive your doctrine. You teach me that I should not believe nor trust in any, but to cal on thē: and S. Paul saith: How should I call upon him, on whom I believe not?
Wyll you have nobody to pray for you, when you be dead?
No surely except you can prove it by the Scriptures. Then the Bishoppe pointed unto Harpsfield and said unto me: Is it not well done to desire this man to pray for me?
Yes surely, so long as we live, prayer is auaylable of the righteous man: but this man's prayers, you being dead, profiteth nothing at all.
Will ye grant the prayer of the righteous man to prevail?
I grant it doth for the living, but not for the dead.
Not for the dead?
No forsooth, for David saith: No man can deliver his brother from death, nor make agreement unto God for him: for it cost more to redeem their souls, so that ye must let that alone forever.
Also Ezekiel saith: Though Noah, Daniel, or Job dwelt amongst them, yet can they in their righteousness exceed no farther then themselves. Then the Bishop said to Harpsfield: Syr, ye see this man hath no need of our Lady, neither of any of the blessed Saints. Well, I will trouble you no longer: I did call you, hoping that you should do some good on him, but it will not be. And he said to me: Syr, it is time to begin with you: we will rid you away and then we shall have one heretic less.
What books have you?
The New Testament, Solomon's books and the Psalter.
Will you read any other books?
Yea, if you will give me such books, as I will require.
What books will you require?
Latimers books, my Lord of Caunterburyes book, Bradfords Sermons, Ridleyes books.
Away, away, he will have no books but such as maintain his heresies: and so they departed, for Harpsfield was booted to ride unto Oxford, and I went to the Porters lodge again.
The next days talk.
THe next day came thither an old Byshoppe, who had a pearl in his eye, and he brought with him to my Lord a dish of apples, & a bottle of wine. For he had lost his living, because he had a wife. Then the Bishop called me again into the Orchard, and said to the old Bishop: this young man hath a child, and will not have it christened.
I deny not Baptism.
Thou art a fool, thou canst not tell what y u wouldest have, and that he spake with much anger.
A bishop must be blameless or faultles, sober, discreet, no chider, not given to anger.
Thou judgest me to be angry: no by my faith am I not, and stroke himself upon the breast.
Then said the old Bishop: Alas good young man, you must be taught by y e church, and by your ancients, and do as your forefathers have done before you.
No, no, he will have nothing but the Scriptures, and God wot he doth not understand them. He will have no ceremonies in the Church, no not one. What say you to holy water?
I say to it, as to the rest, and to all that be of his making that made them.
Why, the scriptures doth allow it.
Where prove you that?
Ye say truth, it is so written in the fourth book of Kings, the second chapter: the children of the Prophets came to Elisha, saying: The dwelling of the city is pleasant, but the waters be corrupted. This was the cause that Elisha threw salt into the water, and it became sweet & good and so when our waters be corrupted, if ye can by putting in of salt make them sweet, clear, and wholesome, we will the better believe your ceremonies.
How say ye to holy bread?
Even as I said to the others. What Scripture have you to defend it?
Have ye not read where Christ fed five thousand men with five loaves, and three fishes?
Will ye make that holy bread? There Christ dealt fish with his holy bread.
Look I pray you, how captious this man is.
Christ did not this miracle, or other, because we should do the like miracle, but because we should believe and credit his doctrine thereby.
Ye believe no doctrine, but that which is wrought by miracles.
No forsooth, for Christ saith: These tokens shall follow them that believe in me: they shall speak with new tongues they shall cast out Devils, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them.
With what new tongues do ye speak?
Forsooth, where before that I came to the knowledge of God's word. I was a soul blasphemer and filthy talker, since I came to the knowledge thereof, I have lauded God, praised God, and given thanks unto God evē with the same tongue: and is not this a new tongue?
Christ did cast them out by his word, and he hath left the same word, that whosoever doth credit and believe it, shall cast out devils.
Did you ever drink any deadly poison?
Ye forsooth that I have: for I have drunken of y e pestilent traditions and ceremonies of the Byshoppe of Rome.
Now you show yourself to be a right heretic.
I pray you what is heresy?
If I stand in anything contrary thereto, then am I worthy so to be called.
Thou art one, and thou shalt be burned, if y u stand and continue in this opinion. Ye think we are afraid to put one of you to death: yes, yes there is a brotherhead of you, but I will break it, I warrant you.
Where prove you that Christ or his Apostles did kill any man for his faith?
Yes my Lord, but there is a great difference between excommunicating and burning.
Have ye not read of the man and the woman in the Acts of the Apostles, whom Peter destroyed?
Yes forsooth, I have read of one Ananias, & Sapphira his wife, which were destroyed for lying against the holy Ghost, which serveth nothing your purpose.
Well if you will have us to grant you be of god, then show mercy for that God requireth.
We will show such mercy unto you, as ye shown unto us: for my benefice or bishopric was taken away from me, so that I had not one penny to live upon.
I pray you my Lord, what do ye give him now that was in the bishopric or benefice before that ye came again to it? whereunto he answered me never a word: for he turned his back unto me, & talked with other men, saying that he was very sory for me, but he trusted that I would turn with S. Paul, because I was so earnest: and so he departed and went to dinner, and I to the Porters lodge again.
After dinner I was called into the Hall again, and the Bishop desired the old bishop to take me into his chamber for I would be glad (said he) if ye told convert him. So he took me into his chamber, & sat him down in a chair, and said to me: I would to God I could do you some good. Ye are a young man, and I would not wish you to go to far, but learn of your elders to bear somewhat.
I will bear with nothing that is contrary to the word of God. And I looked that the old Bishop should have made me an answer, and he was fast a sleep.
Then I departed out of y e chamber alone and went to the Porters lodge again, and there saw I the old Bishop last: I suppose he is not yet awake.
Talke between Fecknam and Hawkes.
THe next day came Fecknam unto me and said: are ye he that will have no ceremonies?
What mean you by that?
Ye will not have your child christened, but in English, and you will have no ceremonies.
What soever the scripture commandeth to be done I refuse not.
Which be those?
How say you by Paul's breeches?
I have read no such thing.
Have ye not read in the Acts of the Apostles, how things went from Paul's body, and they received health thereby?
I have read in the xix. of the Acts, how there went partlets and napkins from Paul's body. Is it that that ye mean?
Yea the same is it: what say you to those ceremonies?
I say nothing to y e ceremonies. For the text saith, that God did so work by the hands of Paul, that there went partlets & napkins frō him. &c. So that it seemed by y e text, that it was God that wrought & not y e ceremonies.
How say ye to the woman that came behind Christ and touched the hem of his vesture? did not her disease depart from her by that ceremony?
No forsooth: For Christ turned back and said to Peter: Who is it that touched me? and Peter said: Thou seest the people thrust thee: and askest thou who touched me? Some body hath touched me (saith Christ) for virtue hath gone out of me. I pray you, whether was it the virtue that healed this woman, or his vesture?
Both.
Away, away to the sacrament, for these are but trifles to that.
How say ye Syrha: Christ took bread, & brake it, and said: Take, eat, this is my body?
I grant Christ said so.
And is it not so?
No forsooth, I do not understand it so.
Why, then is Christ a liar?
I think ye will so prove him.
Is every word to be understand as Christ spake it? Christ said: I am a door, a vine, I am a king, a way. &c.
Christ spake these words in parables.
And why speaketh he this in parables, when he said: I am a door a vine, a king, a way, &c. more then this when he said: This is my body? For after the same phrase of speech, as he saith: This is my body: so saith he: I am a door, a vine, a king, a way, he saith not I am like a door, like a vine. &c.
Then Fecknam stood up and said: I had such a one before me this other day. Alas, these places serve nothing for your purposes. But I perceive ye hang and build on them that be at Oxford.
What mean you by that?
I mean Latimer, Cranmer, and Rydley.
I know nothing else by thē, but that they be both godly and learned.
wilt thou trust to such doltes? One of them hath written a book, wherein he affirmeth a real presence in the Sacrament.
What he hath done, I know not, but what he doth I know.
Ridley hath preached at Paul's Cross openly, that the devil believeth better then you: for he believeth that Christ is able of stones to make bread, and ye will not believe that Christ's body is in the Sacrament, and yet thou buildest thy faith upon them.
I build my faith upon no man, and that shall ye well know: for if those men, and as many mo as they be, should recant, and deny that they have said or done, yet will I stand to it, and by this shall ye know that I build my faith upon no man.
If any of those recant, what will ye say to it?
When they recant, I will make you answer.
Then thou wilt say as thou doest now for all that.
Yea in deed will I, & that trust to it, by gods grace
Talke between Haukes and Chadsey.
The next day came Doct. Chadsey to the Bishop, and him. The Bishop declared unto him that I had stand stubbornly in my defense against the Christenyng of my child, and against the ceremonies of the Church, and that I would not have it Christened, but in English.
Then said Doct. Chadsey : then he denieth the order of the Catholic Church.
Yea, he thinketh that there is no Church but in England, and in Germany.
And ye think that there is no Church but the Church of Rome.
What say ye to the Church of Rome.
I say it is a church of a sort of vicious Cardinals. Priests, Monks and Friars, which I will never credit nor believe.
How say ye to the bishop of Rome?
From him and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us.
Mary so may we say from king Henry the eight, and all his detestable enormities, good Lord deliver us.
Where were ye whiles that he lived, that ye would not say so?
I was not far.
Where were ye in his sons days.
In prison.
It was for your well doing.
He will by no means come within my Chapel nor here Mass: for neither the Mass, neither the Sacrament of the altar can he abide, neither will he have any service but in English.
Christ never spake in English.
Neither spake he ever any latin, but always in such a tongue as the people might be edified thereby. And Paul saith, that tongues profit us nothing. He maketh a similitude between the pipe and the harp, and except it be understanded what the trumpet meaneth, who can prepare himself to the battle: so if I hear the tongue which I do not understand, what profit have I thereby? no more then he hath by the trumpet, that knoweth not what it meaneth.
If ye understand Paul's saying, he speaketh it under a prophecy. If we prophecy to you in tongues. &c.
Forsooth Paul speaketh plainly of tongues: for tongues serve not for them that believe.
I tell you Paul speaketh altogether vpō prophecy.
Paul maketh a distinction between prophesying & tongues, saying, That if any man speak with tongues, let it be by two or three at the most, & let another interpret it. But if there be no interpreter, let them keep silence in the congregation, and let himself pray unto God: and then let the Prophets speak two or three, and that by course, and let the other judge: and if any reuelatiō be made to him that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace : so that it seemeth that Paul maketh a distinction between tongues and Prophecying.
The order was taken in the Catholic Church that y e Latin tongue should serve through the whole world, because that they should pray all generally together in one tongue, and that to avoid all contention and strife, and to have one universal order through the whole world.
This did your Counsels of Rome conclude.
Understande ye what the general Councils of Rome meant?
In deed all your general Councils of Rome be in Latin, and I am an English man: therefore I have nothing to do with them.
Ye are to blame, being an unlearned man to reprove all the Councils throughout all the whole world.
I reprove them not, but Paul rebuketh them, saying: If any man preach any other doctrine then that which I have taught, do you hold him accursed.
Hath any man preached any other doctrine to you?
What Gospel have ye been taught?
Praying to Saints, and to our Lady, and trust in the Mass, holy bread, and holy water, and in Idols.
He that teacheth you so, teacheth not amiss.
Cursed be he that teacheth me so: for I will not trust him, nor believe him.
God hath taught us what they be: for whatsoever is made, graven, or devised by man's hand, contrary to God's word, that same is an Idol. What say you to that?
What be those that ye are so offended withal?
What say ye to that?
I say it is an Idol. What say you to it?
I say, what difference is there between an Idol and an Image?
If it be a false God: & an Image made of him, that is an Idol: but if an Image be made of God himself, it is no Idol, but an Image, because he is a true God.
Lay your Image of your true God and of youre false God together, and ye shall see the difference. Have not your Images feet and go not, eyes and see not, ears & hear not, hands and feel not, mouths and speak not? and even so have your Idols.
God forbid, saith S. Paul, That I should rejoice in anything else, but in the Cross of Christ Jesus.
Do ye understand Paul so? Do ye understand Paul? Unto the which he answered me never a word.
Where can we have a godlyer remembrance when we ride by the way: then to see the Cross.
If the Cross were such profit unto us, why did not Christ's Disciples take it up: and set it on a pole, and carry it in procession with Salue festa dies?
It was taken up.
Who took it up? Helene, as ye say: for she sent a piece of it to a place of Religion, where I was with y e visiters when that house was suppressed, and the piece of the holy cross (which the religious had in such estimatiō, and had robbed many a soul, committing idolatry to it) was called for, and when it was proved, and all come to all, it was but a piece of a lath covered over with copper, double gilted as it had been clean gold.
Fie, fie. I dare say thou slaunderest it.
I know it to be true, & do not believe the contrary. And thus did the Bishop & the Doctor depart in a great fume: & Chadsay said unto me, as he was about to depart: it is pity y t thou shouldest live, or any such as thou art. I answered: in this case I desire not to live, but rather to die
What John Butcher did, I have nothing to do withal: but I would my part might be tomorrow. GOD make you in a better mind, said they both, & so they departed, and I went to the Porters lodge with my keeper.
The next day Doct. Chedsey preached in the Boshops Chapel, & did not begin his sermon until all the service was done: and then came the porter for me, and said: my Lord would have you come to the sermon, and so I went to the chapel door, and stood without the door.
Is not this fellow come?
Yes I am here.
Come in man.
No that I will not. He called again, and answered: I will come no nearer, and so I stood at the door. Then said the Bishop, go to your sermon.
Then Doctor Chadsey put the stole about his neck, and carried the holy water sprinckle unto the Bishop, who blessed him, and gave him holy water, and so he went to his sermon. The text that he entreated on, was the xvi. of Matthew. Whome do men say that I the son of man am? Peter said: some say that thou art Helias, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some say thou art one of the Prophets. But whom say ye that I am? Then said Peter, thou art Christ the son of the euerliuyng God. Then left he the text there, & said? Whose sins soever ye bind: are bound: which authority (said he) is left to the heads of the Church: as my Lord here is one, and so unto all the rest that be underneath him. But the Church hath been much kicked at since the beginning: yet kick the heretics, spurn the heretics never so much, the church doth stand and florishe. And then he went straight way to the sacrament, and said his mind on it, exalting it above the heaven, (as the most of thē do) and so returned to his place again, saying: whose sins ye do remit, are remitted and forgiven: and so he applied it to the bishops & priests to forgive sins, and said, all that be of the Church will come and receive the same. And this he proved by S. John. in the xi, chapter, saying that Christ came to raise Lazarus which when he was risen, was bound in bands: then said Christ to them that were in authority (who were his disciples:) go ye and lose him, lose him you. And this was y e effect of his Sermon, applying all to them that they have the same authority that christ spake of to his Apostles, and so ended his sermon, and they went to dinner.
An other communication between Thomas Haukes, and the Bishop.
ANd after dinner I was called into the chapel, where as were certain of the Queens servants and other strangers, whom I did know.
Haukes how like you the sermon?
As I like all the rest of his doctrine?
What? are ye not edified thereby.
No surely.
It was made only because of you.
Why? then am I sory that ye had no mo heretics here, as ye call them, I am sory, that ye have bestowed so much labor on one, and so little regarded.
Well, I will leave you here, for I have business. I pray you talk with him: for if ye could do him good (said he) I would be glad.
This the Bishop spake to the Queens men, who said unto me: Alas what mean you to trouble yourself about such matters, against the Queens proceedings.
Those matters have I answered before thē that be in authority: and unless I see you have a further commission, I will answer you nothing at all. Then said y e bishops men (which were many) my Lord hath commanded you to talk with them.
If my Lord will talk with me himself, I will answer him. They cried fagottes, burn him, hang him, to prison with him: it is pity that he liveth, lay Irons upon him: and with a great noise they spake these words. Then in the midst of all the rage, I departed from them, and went to the porters lodge again.
The next days talk.
THe next day, the Bishop called me into his chamber, & said: ye have been with me a great while: & ye are never the better but worse and worse: and therefore I will delay the time no longer, but send you to Newgate.
My Lord you ran do me no better pleasure.
Why? would ye so fain go to prison?
Truly I did look for none other, when I came to your hands.
Come on your ways: ye shall see what I have written. Then did he show me certain articles, and these are the contents of them:
Whether the Catholic Church do teach and believe y t Christ's real presence doth remain in the Sacrament or no, after the words of consecration: according to y e words of S. Paul, which are these: Is not the bread which we break the partaking of the body of Christ, and the cup which we bless, the partaking of the blood of Christ? which if it were not so, Paul would never have said it.
What your Church doth, I cannot tell: but I am sure that the holy Catholic Church doth neither so take it, nor believe it.
Whether doth the Catholic Church teach and believe the Baptism that now is used in the Church, or no?
I answered to it, as I did to y e other question before. Then did the Bishop with much flattery counsel me to be persuaded, & to keep me out of prison, which I utterly refused, and so we departed. And I supposed that the next day I should have gone to prison, and so I had, save for the Archdeacon of Canterbury, whose name is Harpsfield, whom the bishop had desired to talk with me, and began to persuade me concerning the Sacrament, & the ceremonies: and after much talk he said that the Sacrament of the alter was the same body that was borne of y e virgins Mary, which did hang upon the Cross.
The Archdeacon answered, alive.
How prove you that?
Ye must believe. Doth not S. John say: He is already condemned, that believeth not?
S. John saith: He that believeth not in the son of God, is already condemned : but he saith not, he that believeth not in the sacrament, is already condemned.
There is no talk with you: for ye are both without faith and learning, and therefore I will talk no more with you in scripture.
Thē ii. that stood by, bad me enter further in talk with him, and then said I unto him: why is the Roodeloft set betwixt the body of the Church, and the Chauncel?
I cannot tell: for ye have asked a question, which ye cannot assoil yourself.
Yes that I can: for this saith one of your own Doctors: that the body of the Church doth represent the Church militant: and the Chauncell the Church triumphant: and so because we cannot go from the Church militant to the Church triumphant, but that we must bear the cross of Christ, this is the cause of the Roodeloft being between the body of the Church and the Chauncell.
This is well and clarkely concluded.
As all the rest of your doctrine is: & so with many persuasions on his part we ended, and so departed: and I to the Porters lodge again.
An other days talk.
THe next day in the morning, which was the first day of July, the Bishop did call me himself from the Porters lodge, commanding me to make me ready to go to prison, and to take such things with me, as I had of mine own. And I said, I do neither intend to bribe, neither to steal, God willing. Then he did write my warrant to the Keeper of the Gatehouse at Westminster, and delivered it to Harpsfield, who with his own man and one of the bishops mē brought me to prison, & delivered the warrant & me both to y e Keeper: & this was contained in y e warrant.
I will and command you, that you receive him who cometh named in this warrant, and that he be kept as a safe prisoner, and that no man speak with him, and that ye deliver him to no man, except it be to the Council, or to a Justice: For he is a Sacramētarry, and one that speaketh against Baptism, a seditious man, a perilous man to be abroad in these perilous days.