Henry 1540. Then they earnestly required me to tell them whither I had conveyed him, for surely, they said, I brought him going some whither this morning; for they A. D. might well perceive, by my foul shoes and dirty hosen, that I had travelled with him the most part of this night. I answered plainly, that I lay at Alban's hall, with sir Fitzjames, and that I had good witness thereof there. They asked me where I was at even-song. I told them, at Frideswide's, and that I saw first Master Commissary, and then Master Doctor London, come thither at that time unto Master Dean of Frideswide's; and that I saw them talking together in the church there. Dr. London and the dean threatened me, that if I would not tell the truth, where I had done him, or whither he was gone, I should surely be sent to the Tower of London, and there be racked, and put into Little-ease. But Master Commissary prayed me, with gentle words, to tell him where he was, that he might have him again, and he would be my very great friend, and deliver me out of trouble straightway. I told him I could not tell where he was, nor whither he was become. Thus they did occupy and toss me almost two hours in the chapel, sometimes with threatenings and foul words; and then with fair words and fair promises flattering me. Then was he that brought Master Garret unto my chamber brought before me, and caused to declare what Master Garret said unto me, at his coming to my chamber: but I said plainly, I heard him say no such thing; for I thought my 'nay' to be as good as hisyea,' seeing it was to rid and deliver my godly brother out of trouble and peril of his life. At last, when they could get nothing of me whereby to hurt or accuse any man, or to know any thing of which they sought, they all three together brought me up a long stairs into a great chamber over Master Commissary's chamber, Anthony wherein stood a great pair of very high stocks. Then Master Commissary Dalaber asked me for my purse and girdle, took away my money and my knives, and then they put both my legs into the stocks, and so locked me fast in them; in which I sat, my feet being almost as high as my head; and so departed they (I think to their abominable mass), locking fast the chamber-door, and leaving me alone. sent in the stocks. tion of Master Clark to Dalaber. When they all were gone, then came unto my remembrance the worthy forewarning and godly declaration of that most constant martyr of God, Master John Clark, my father in Christ, who, well nigh two years before that, when I did earnestly desire him to grant me to be his scholar, and that I might go with him continually when and wheresoever he should teach or preach (which he Exhorta- did daily), said unto me much after this sort, Dalaber! you desire you wot not what, and that which you are, I fear me, unable to take upon you for though now my preaching be sweet and pleasant unto you, because there is yet no persecution laid on you for it, yet the time will come, and that peradventure shortly, if ye continue to live godly therein, that God will lay on you the cross of persecution, to try you withal, whether you can, as pure gold, abide the fire, or, as stubble and dross, be consumed therewith. For the Holy Ghost The cross plainly affirmeth by St. Paul, Quod omnes qui piè volunt vivere in Christo Jesu, persecutionem patientur.' Yea, you shall be called and judged a heretic; you shall be abhorred of the world; your own friends and kinsfolk will forsake you, and also hate you; and you shall be cast into prison; and no man shall dare to help or comfort you; and you shall be accused and brought before the bishops, to your reproach and shame, to the great sorrow of all your faithful friends and kinsfolk. Then will ye wish ye had never known this doctrine; then will ye curse Clark, and wish that ye had never known him, because he hath brought you to all these troubles. Therefore, rather than that you should do this, leave off from meddling with this doctrine, and desire not to be, and continue, in my company.' common ly follow eth the gospel. At which his words I was so grieved, that I fell down on my knees at his feet, and with abundance of tears and sighs, even from the very bottom of my heart I earnestly besought him, that for the tender mercy of God, showed to us in our Lord Jesus Christ, he would not refuse me, but receive me into his company, as I had desired; saying that I trusted verily, that he which had begun this in me, would not forsake me, but give me grace to continue therein unto the end. When he heard me say so, he came to me, took me up in his arms, and kissed me, the tears trickling down from his eyes, and said unto me: "The (1) Little-ease,' was one of the cells in the Tower.-ED. (2) 2 Tim. iii. 12. Lord Almighty grant you so to do, and from henceforth for ever take me for your father, and I will take you for my son in Christ.' Now were there at that time in Oxford divers graduates and scholars of sundry colleges and halls, whom God had called to the knowledge of his holy word, who all resorted unto Master Clark's disputations and lectures in divinity at all times as they might; and when they might not come conveniently, I was, by Master Clark, appointed to resort to every one of them weekly, and to know what doubts they had in any place of the Scripture; that by me, from him, they might have the true understanding of the same; which exercise did me much good and profit, to the understanding of the holy Scriptures, which I most desired. cy. Heury VIII. A. D. 1540. This aforesaid forewarning and godly declaration (I say) of this most godly martyr of God Master Clark, coming to my remembrance, caused me, with deep sighs, to cry unto God from my heart, to assist me with his Holy Spirit, that I might be able patiently and quietly to bear and suffer whatsoever it should please him, of his fatherly love, to lay on me, to his glory, and the com- Dalaber fort of my dearly beloved brethren, whom I thought now to be in great fear armed with patiand anguish, lest I would be an accuser of them all: for unto me they all were ence and well known, and all their doings in that matter. But, God be blessed! I was constanfully bent never to accuse any of them, whatsoever should happen to me. Before dinner Master Cottisford came up to me, and requested me earnestly to Cottisford tell him where Master Garret was, and, if I would so do, he promised me persecustraightways to deliver me out of prison. But I told him I could not tell where Dalaber he was no more indeed I could. Then he departed to dinner, asking me if I and Garwould eat any meat: I told him, 'Yea, right gladly.' He said he would send me some. When he was gone, his servants asked me divers questions, which I do not now remember, and some of them spake to me fair, and some threatened me, calling me heretic; and so departed, locking the door fast upon me. Thus far Anthony Dalaber hath prosecuted this story, who, before the finishing, departed, A.D. 1562, in the diocese of Salisbury; the residue whereof, as we could gather it out of ancient and credible persons, so have we added here unto the same. : tor of ret. hended, brought London, After this, Garret was apprehended and taken by Master Cole the Garret proctor, or his men going westward, at a place called Hinxsey, a little ped beyond Oxford, and so, being brought back again, was committed to and ward that done, he was convented before the commissary, Dr. to OxLondon, and Dr. Higdon, dean of Frideswide's (now called Christ's ford. college), into St. Mary's church, where they, sitting in judgment, and Higconvicted him according to their law as a heretic (as they said), and den, per afterwards compelled him to carry a faggot in open procession from of Garret. St. Mary's church to Frideswide's, and Dalaber likewise with him; and DalaGarret having his red hood on his shoulders, like a master of arts. ber bear After that, they were sent to Osney, there to be kept in prison till Oxford. further order was taken. *Articles objected against Thomas Garret,2 Master of Arts, some time Parish Priest, Curate of All-Hallows in Honey-lane. First, for having divers and many books, treatises and works of Martin Luther and of his sect, as also for dispersing abroad of the said books to divers and many persons within this realm; as well students in the university of Oxford and Cambridge, as other spiritual, temporal, and religious men, to the intent to have advanced the said sects and opinions. (1) These articles are introduced from the first edition of the Acts and Monuments, London, 1563, p. 477.-ED. (2) The name of this good man varies slightly in the spelling. In the Latin edition, Basle, 1559, p. 165, see Garardus.' In vol. iv. p. 586, in a very rare catalogue, from the first edition, of certain persons who were forced to abjure in king Henry's days,' he appears as Thomas Gerarde, priest; while at page 421 of this volume he is designated as Garret or Garrerd.-ED. secutors Garret faggots in Henry VIII. A. D. 1540. The names of godly Item, for having the said books in his custody; for reading them, secretly in privy places and suspected company, declaring and teaching heresies and errors contained in them. Item, for that in his own person, he followed, advanced, and set forth, the said sect and opinions, and also moved, stirred, and counselled others to follow and advance the same; not only within the city and diocese of London and Lincoln, but also in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, with divers other places. Item, for affirming and believing 'Quod opera nostra quantumvis bona in specie nihil conducunt ad justificationem nec ad meritum, sed sola fides.' Item, for affirming and believing, that pardons do not profit, either them that be dead, nor yet them that live. Item, that the laws and constitutions of holy church are not to be observed, nor ought to bind any man. Item, for reputing catholic bishops of the church to be pharisees, and so naming them in writing. Item, that fasting days ordained by the church, are not to be observed. Item, that images in churches ought not to be used and had. Item, that vows of pilgrimages are not to be kept. Item, that every man may preach the word of God, and that no law to the contrary can be made. Item, that he knew certain religious persons who printed English books or some that intended to print such books. Item, that he fled away, in a layman's apparel, from Oxford to Bedminster, when he should have been attached for heresy. For these articles, and such like, he was abjured before Cuthbert, bishop of London; John, bishop of Lincoln; and John, bishop of Bath and Wells: no mention made of the year and time,' nor yet of any penance then enjoined.* There were suspected, besides, a great number to be infected with heresy, as they called it, for having such books of God's truth as brethren Garret sold unto them; as Master Clark, who died in his chamber, ford. and could not be suffered to receive the communion, being in prison, at Ox Ferrar, bishop of St. David's. and saying these words, "crede, et manducasti ;" Master Sumner, Master Bets, Taverner the musician, Radley, with others of Frideswide college; of Corpus Christi college, as Udal and Diet; with others of Magdalen college; one Eden, with others of Gloucester college; and two black monks, one of St. Augustine's of Canterbury, named Langport, the other of St. Edmund's Bury, monk, named John Salisbury; two white monks of Bernard college; two canons of St. Mary's college, one of them named Robert Ferrar, afterwards bishop of St. David's, and burned in queen Mary's time. These two canons, because they had no place in the university with the others, went on the contrary side of the procession bare-headed, and a beadle before them to be known from the others. Divers others there were, whose names I cannot remember, who were forced and constrained to forsake their colleges, and sought their friends. Against the procession time there was a great fire made upon the top of Carfax,2 whereinto all such as were in the said procession, either convicted or suspected of heresy, were commanded, in token of repentance and renouncing of their errors, every man to cast a book into the fire, as they passed by. After this, Master Garret, flying from place to place, escaped their (1) By comparing the last article with Dalaber's History, as given above, the year and time appear to be about A.D. 1526.-ED. (2) Carfax,' the market-place at Oxford.-ED. VIII. tyranny, until this present time that he was again apprehended, and Henry burned with Dr. Barnes; with whom also William Jerome, some time vicar of Stepney, was likewise drawn into Smithfield, and there A.D. together with them, constantly endured martyrdom in the fire. Now 1540. let us also add to these the story of Jerome. The Life and Story of William Jerome, Dicar of Stepney, and The third companion who suffered with Barnes and Garret, was William Jerome, vicar of Stepney. This Jerome, being a diligent preacher of God's word, for the comfort and edification of the people, had preached divers and sundry sermons; wherein, to the intent to plant in the consciences of men the sincere truth of christian religion, he laboured as much as time then served, to extirp and weed out the roots of men's traditions, doctrines, dreams, and fantasies. In so doing it could not otherwise be but he must needs provoke much hatred against him amongst the adversaries of Christ's gospel. It so happened, that the said Jerome, preaching at Paul's on the fourth Sunday in Lent last past, made there a sermon, wherein he recited and mentioned of Hagar and Sarah, declaring what these two signified in process whereof he showed further how that Sarah and her child Isaac, and all they that were Isaac's, and born of the free woman Sarah, were freely justified: contrary, they that were born of Hagar, the bondwoman, were bound and under the law, and cannot be freely justified. In these words what was here spoken, but that which St. Paul himself uttereth and expoundeth in his Epistle to the Galatians,' or what could here be gathered of any reasonable or indifferent hearer, but consonant to sound doctrine, and the vein of the gospel? Now see what rancour and malice, armed with crafty and subtle sophistry, can do. This sermon finished, it was not long but he was charged and convented before the king at Westminster, and there accused for erroneous doctrine. picked sermons. Percase thou wilt muse, gentle reader! what erroneous doctrine Quarrel here could be picked out. Note therefore, for thy learning; and he against that listeth to study how to play the sycophant, let him here take Jerome's example. The knot found in this rush was this: for that he preached erroneously at Paul's cross, teaching the people that all that were born of Sarah were freely justified, speaking there absolutely, without any condition either of baptism, or of penance, &c. Who here doubteth, but if St. Paul himself had been at Paul's cross, and had preached the same words to the Englishmen, which he wrote to the Galatians in this behalf, ipso facto,' he had been apprehended for a heretic, for preaching against the sacrament of baptism and repentance? accused preaching Furtherinore it was objected against him touching matter against Jerome magistrates, and laws by them made. Whereunto he answered again for and affirmed (as he had before preached), that no magistrate of him- against self could make any law or laws, private or otherwise, to bind the magisinferior people, unless it were by the power, authority, and commandment of his or their princes to him or them given, but only the prince. (1) Gal. iv. 22-31. trates. VIII. Henry And moreover, to confirm the same he added, saying, that if the prince make laws consenting to God's laws, we are bound to obey A.D. them. And if he make laws repugnant to the laws of God, and be an evil and wicked prince, yet are we bound humbly to suffer him, and not violently to resist or grudge against him. 1540. Works no part of Good works avail only Also concerning his sermons, one Dr. Wilson entered into disputaour salva- tion with him, and defended, that good works justified before God, tion. and were necessary and available to salvation. To whom Jerome answered again, that all works, whatsoever they were, were nothing worth, nor any part of salvation of themselves, but only referred to putation. the mercy and love of God, which mercy and love of God direct the workers thereof; and yet it is at his mercy and goodness to accept them which, to be true, Dr. Wilson neither could, nor did, deny. by im The effect of Stephen Gardiner's THE STORY OF BARNES, JEROME, AND GARRET, CONTINUED, And thus much concerning the several stories of these three good Now let us see the order of their martyrdom, joining them all together; what was the cause of their condemnation; and what were their protestations and words at their suffering. Ye heard before, how Barnes, Jerome, and Garret, were caused to preach at Easter at the Spittal; the occasion whereof, as I find it reported by Stephen Gardiner writing against George Joye, I thought good here to discourse more at large.1 Stephen Gardiner, hearing that the said Barnes, Jerome, and Garret should preach the Lent following, A.D. 1540, at Paul's cross, to stop the course of their doctrine, sent his chaplain to the bishop of London, the Saturday before the first Sunday in Lent, to have a place for him to preach at Paul's; which to him was granted, and time appointed that he should preach the Sunday following, which should be on the morrow; which Sunday was appointed before for Barnes to occupy that room. Gardiner therefore, determining to declare the gospel of that Sunday containing the devil's three temptations, began amongst other things to note the abuse of Scripture amongst some, as the devil abused it to Christ; and so, alluding to the temptation of the devil, wherein he alleged the Scripture against Christ, to cast himself downward, and that he should take no hurt, he inferred thereupon, saying: 'Now-a-days,' quoth he, 'the devil tempteth the world, and biddeth them to cast themselves backward. There is no forward' in the new teaching, but all backward. Now the devil teacheth, come back from fasting, come back from praying, come back from confession, come back from weeping for thy sins; and sermon. all is backward, insomuch that men must now learn to say their Pater-Noster backward. For where we said, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; now it is, As thou forgavest our debts, so I will forgive my debtors; and so God must forgive first; and all, I say, is turned backward, &c. Pardon by the devil, quoth Amongst other things, moreover, Gardiner noted the devil's craft and shift procured in deceiving man; who, envying his felicity, and therefore coveting to have man idle, and void of good works, and to be led in that idleness with a vain hope to live merrily at his pleasure here, and yet to have heaven at the last, Gardiner, hath, for that purpose, procured out pardons from Rome, wherein heaven was against sold for a little money; and to retail that merchandise, the devil used friars for pardons his ministers. Now they be gone, with all their trumpery; but the devil is not friars and (1) Out of the preface of Stephen Gardiner against George Joye. [London, 1546. 8vo.—En.] |