Lewis Bromfield; for not taking his housel, and for absenting himself from Henry the church on holy-days. Saint Mary-hill. John Sempe and John Goffe; for dispraising a certain anthem of our Lady, beginning 'Te matrem,' &c.; saying that there is heresy in the same. Gilbert Godfrey; for absenting himself from the church on holy-days. Saint Mary Magdalen in Old Fish-street. Thomas Cappes; for saying these words, 'That the sacrament of the altar was but a memory and a remembrance of the Lord's death.' Saint Botolph's at Billingsgate. John Mailer, grocer; for calling the sacrament of the altar the baken god,' and for saying that the mass was called beyond the sea, 'miss,' for that all is amiss in it. Saint Martin's in Ironmonger Lane. John Hardyman, parson of St. Martin's in Ironmonger-lane; presented for preaching openly that confession is confusion and deformation; and that the butcherly ceremonies of the church were to be abhorred. Also for saying, 'What a mischief is this, to esteem the sacraments to be of such virtue! for in so doing they take the glory of God from him:' and for saying, that faith in Christ is sufficient, without any other sacraments, to justify.1 Saint Bridget's in Fleet-street. Christopher Dray, plumber; for saying of the sacrament of the altar, that it was not offered up for remission of sins; and that the body of Christ was not there, but only by representation and signification of the thing. Saint Andrew's in Holborn. Robert Ward, shoemaker; presented by three witnesses, for holding against the sacrament of the altar: he died in prison in Bread-street. Allhallows, Barking. Nicholas Otes; for not coming to the housel at Easter, he was sent to Newgate. Herman Peterson and James Gosson; for not coming to shrift and housel at the time of Easter. These were committed to prison in Bread-street. Saint Olave's in the Old Jewry. Richard White, haberdasher; for saying, that he did not think that Christ was in the sacrament of the altar within the sepulchre, but in heaven above. Saint Botolph's Without Aldgate. Giles Harrison, being in a place without Aldgate, merrily jesting in a certain company of neighbours, where some of them said, 'Let us go to mass:' 'I say tarry,' said he; and so taking a piece of bread in his hands, lifted it up over his head and likewise taking a cup of wine, and bowing down his head, made therewith a cross over the cup, and so taking the said cup in both his hands, lifted it over his head, saying these words, 'Have ye not heard mass now?' For the which he was presented to Bonner, then bishop of London; against whom came these, namely, Thomas Castle, William Greene, Andrew Morice, and John Margetson, as witnesses against him. Richard Bostock, priest; for saying that auricular confession hath killed (1) Ex Regist. Lond. A. D. 1541. Henry VIII. A. D. 1541. more souls than all the bills, clubs, and halters have done since king Henry was king of England, &c. Also for saying, that the water in the Thames hath as much virtue, as the water that the priests do hallow. Margaret Ambsworth; for having no reverence to the sacrament at sacring time. Item, for instructing of maids, and being a great doctress. In Aldermanbury. John Leicester, Christopher Townesend, Thomas Mabs, Christopher Holybread, W. Raynold, Thomas David Skinner, Thomas Starckey, Martyn Donam, and W. Derby: all these noted and presented for maintaining of Barnes, and such other preachers; and many of their wives, for not taking holy bread, nor going in procession on Sundays. Lawrence Maxwel, bricklayer; for speaking and reasoning against auricular confession. Saint Martin's the Great. John Coygnes, or Livelonde; for holding against the sacrament of the altar, and not receiving at Easter. Saint Clement's Without Temple Bar. Gerard Frise; presented by two witnesses, for affirming that a sermon preached, is better than the sacrament of the altar; and that he had rather go to hear a sermon, than to hear a mass. Saint Katherine's. Dominick Williams, a Frenchman; for not receiving the sacrament of the altar at Easter. Thomas Lancaster, priest; he lay in the compter in the Poultry, for compiling and bringing over books prohibited. Item, Gough, the stationer; troubled for resorting unto him. Friar Ward; laid in the Compter in Bread-street; for marrying one Elizabeth to his wife, after his vow made of chastity. Wilcock, a Scottish friar; prisoned in the Fleet, for preaching against confession, holy water, against praying to saints, and for souls departed; against purgatory, and holding that priests might have wives, &c. John Taylor, doctor in divinity; presented for preaching at St. Bride's in Fleet-street, that it is as profitable to a man to hear mass and see the sacrament, as to kiss Judas's mouth, who kissed Christ our Saviour, &c. W. Tolwine, parson of St. Antholine's; presented and examined before Edmund Bonner, for permitting Alexander Seton to preach in his church, having no license of his ordinary; and also for allowing the sermons of the said Alexander Seton, which he preached against Dr. Smith. To the said Tolwine, moreover, it was objected, that he used, the space of two years, to make holy water, leaving out the general exorcism, beginning Tolwine Exorciso te,' &c.; using these words for the same, Benedicite, Dominu: ab making eo sit benedicta, à cujus latere fluxit sanguis et aqua:' adjoining thereto, 'comof holy mixtio salis et aquæ fiat, in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.' water. His recantation. The like usage of making holy water was also used in Aldermary church, where Dr. Crome was, and in Honey-lane. Against this objection thus Tolwine defended himself, saying, that he took occasion so to do by the king's injunctions, which say, that ceremonies should be used, all ignorance and superstition set apart. In the end, this Tolwine was forced to stand at Paul's cross, to recant his doctrine and doings. The same time also Robert Wisedom, parish priest of St. Margaret's in Lothbury, and Thomas Becon, were brought to Paul's cross, to recant and to revoke their doctrine, and to burn their books. Little Allhallows. Sir George Parker, priest and parson of St. Pancras, and curate of Little Allhallows, was noted, suspected, and convented before the ordinary, for Henry certain books; especially for having 'Unio dissidentium,' &c. VIII. Sir John Byrch, priest of St. Botolph's Lane, was complained of by one Master Wilson, for being a busy reasoner in certain opinons which agreed not with the pope's church. Alexander Seton, a Scottish man, and a worthy preacher, was denounced, detected, and presented, by three priests, of whom one was fellow of Whittington College, called Richard Taylor; another was John Smith; the third was John Huntingdon, who afterwards was converted to the same doctrine himself. A. D. 1541. to the Suffolk. This Seton was chaplain to the duke of Suffolk, and by him was seton made free denizen. In his sermon preached at St. Antholine's, his lin adversaries picked against him matter containing fifteen objections, duke of or rather cavillations, which, for example, I thought here to exhibit to the reader, to the intent that men may see, not only what true doctrine Seton then preached, consonant to the Scriptures; but also what wrangling cavillers can do, in depraving what is right, or in wresting what is well meant, or in carping at what they understand not, or in seeking out faults where none are; as by these their sinister cavillations may appear. Certain Places or Articles gathered out of Alexander Seton's Sermons by his Adversaries. The sayings and words of Alexander Seton, spoken and preached by him in his sermon, made the 13th day of November, at afternoon, in the parish church of St. Antholine's in London: Paul saith, Of ourselves we can do nothing; I pray thee then where is thy will? Art thou any better than Paul, James, Peter, and all the apostles? Hast thou any more grace than they? Tell me now, if thy will be any thing or nothing: if it be any thing, tell me whether it be to do good or ill? If thou say to do ill, I will grant thou hast a great deal. If thou say to do good, I ask whether is more, somewhat or nothing? for Paul said, he could do nothing, and I am sure thou hast no more grace than Paul and his companions.' 'Scripture speaketh of three things in man; the first is will, the other two No will in are consent and deed. The first, that is will, God worketh without us, and man of beside us. The other two he worketh in us, and with us.'-And here he alleged St. Augustine, to prove that we can will nothing that is good. Moreover he said, 'Thou hast not one jot, no not one tittle, to do any good.' There is nothing in heaven or earth, creature or other, that can be any mean towards our justification; nor yet can nor may any man satisfy God the Father for our sin, save only Christ, and the shedding of his blood.' 'He that preacheth that works do merit, or be any mean to our salvation, or any part of our justification, preacheth a doctrine of the devil.' If any thing else, save only Christ, be any mean towards our justification, then did not Christ only justify us.' 'I say, that neither thy good works, nor any thing that thou canst do, can be one jot or tittle towards thy justification. For if they be, then is not Christ a full justifier; and that I will prove by a familiar example. Be it in case I have two servants: the one is called John, and the other Robert; and I promise to send you such a day twenty pounds by John my servant, and at my day I send you by John my servant, nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and eleven pence three farthings, and there lacketh but one farthing, which Robert doth bring thee, and so thou hast thy twenty pounds, every penny and farthing; yet will I ask, if I be true of my promise, or no; and thou mayest say, Nay.' And why? Because I promised to send thee that whole twenty pounds by John, and did not, for there lacked a farthing, which Robert brought. Wherefore I say, if thy works do merit or bring one little jot or tittle towards thy justification, then is Christ false of his promise, who said that he would do all together.' VOL. V. 6 G G 6 himself to do good. VIII. great the Bible at Paul's. Henry edifying as well of himself, as of others. This Porter was a fresh young man, and of a big stature; who, by diligent reading of the A. D. Scripture, and by hearing of such sermons as then were preached by 1541. them that were the setters-forth of God's truth, became very expert. Porter, a The Bible then being set up, by Bonner's commandment, upon reader in divers pillars in Paul's church, fixed unto the same with chains for all men to read in them that would, great multitudes would resort thither to hear this Porter, because he could read well, and had an Bonner audible voice. Bonner and his chaplains, being grieved withal (and and his the world beginning then to frown upon the gospellers), sent for the grieved aforesaid Porter, and rebuked him very sharply for his reading. But Porter answered him that he trusted he had done nothing contrary to the law, neither contrary to his advertisements, which he had fixed in print over every Bible. chaplains with the Bibles which they had set up. Porter sent to ner. ter was Bonner then laid unto his charge that he had made expositions upon the text, and gathered great multitudes about him to make tumults. He answered, he trusted that should not be proved by him. But, in fine, Bonner sent him to Newgate, where he was Newgate miserably fettered in irons, both legs and arms, with a collar of iron by Bon- about his neck fastened to the wall in the dungeon; being there so cruelly handled, that he was compelled to send for a kinsman of his, This Por- whose name is also Porter, a man yet alive, and can testify that it is true, and dwelleth yet without Newgate. He, seeing his kinsman in this miserable case, entreated Jewet, then keeper of Newgate, that he might be released out of those cruel irons; and so, through friendship and money, had him up among other prisoners, who lay there for felony and murder; where Porter, being amongst them, hearing and seeing their wickedness and blasphemy, exhorted them to amendment of life, and gave unto them such instructions as he had learned of the Scriptures; for which his so doing he was complained on, and so carried down, and laid in the lower dungeon of all, oppressed with bolts and irons, where, within six or eight days after, he was found alive Cruel handling of Porter. dead. and mar His death It is signified to us, by credible information, that the same night. tyrdom. before he was found dead, they that dwelt near to the same place of the prison where Porter lay, did hear him piteously to groan, and make a lamentable noise, where some suppose that he was put in certain strait irons which be there in the house, called, "the devil on the neck;" being after an horrible sort devised; straining and wrenching the neck of a man with his legs together, in such sort as the more he stirreth in it, the straighter it presseth him; so that within three or four hours it breaketh and crusheth a man's back and body in pieces: in which devilish torment, whether John Porter was slain or no, it is not certain. But howsoever it was, this is known, that he was found dead (as is aforesaid) in the dungeon, with such groaning and piteous noise heard the night before in the said dungeon, as is declared. A Note of one Thomas Sommers, imprisoned for the Gospel. Amongst these Londoners thus troubled by the clergy, we will nance of add also (though a little out of place) another note of a merchant, called Thomas Sommers, who died in the tower of London, for con The pe Sci mers. Henry VIII. A. D. 1541. fessing of the gospel; which Thomas, being a very honest merchant and wealthy, was sent for by the lord cardinal, and committed to the tower, for that he had Luther's books (as they termed them); and after great suit made for him to the said cardinal, his judgment was, that he should ride from the Tower into Cheapside, carrying a new book in his hand, and with books hanging round about him, with three or four other merchants after the same order; which was done. And when Master Sommers should be set on a collier's nag, as the rest of his fellow-prisoners were, a friend of his, called Master Copland, brought him a very good gelding, fair dressed with bridle and saddle; and when the bishop's officers came to dress him with books, as they had trimmed the others, and would have made holes in his garment, to have thrust the strings of the books therein; "Nay," said Sommers, "I have always loved to go handsomely in my apparel:" and taking the books and opening them, he bound them together by the strings, and cast them about his neck (the leaves being all open) like a collar; and being on horseback, rode foremost through the streets, till they came about the Standard in Cheapside, where a great fire was made to burn their books in, and burned in a pillory set up there for four persons, in token that they had side. deserved it. Luther's books Cheap pists burn In the mean time, by the way as they should come, it was appointed that one should go before them with a basin, at the noise whereof Master Sommers's horse, being a lofty gelding and fierce, was in such a rage, that he who rung the basin, being afraid of himself, was fain to go alone a great space before that any horseman followed after. At length, when they came to the fire, every of them having a book in his hand, they were commanded to cast their books into the fire. But when Master Sommers saw that his New Testa- The Pament should be burned, he threw it over the fire, which was seen by the New some of God's enemies, and brought to him again, commanding him Testato cast it into the fire, which he would not do, but cast it through the fire; which thing was done three times; but at last a stander-by took it up, and saved it from burning. But not long after, the said Master Sommers was again cast into the Tower by the cardi- Sommers nal, through the cruelty of the bishops and their adherents, dieth in who, soon after, died in the said prison for the testimony of his Tower. faith. What trouble and vexation happened amongst the godly brethren in London for the Six Articles, hitherto we have discoursed: albeit neither have I comprehended all who were molested through all the parishes of London, nor again did this rigorous inquisition so cease within the precincts of this city only, but also extended further to Salisbury, Norfolk, Lincoln, and through all other shires and quarters of the realm; so that where any popish prelate most bare stroke, there persecution most increased. The bishop of Lincoln, the same time, was John Longland, and Dr. Draycot, his chancellor; of whose rigorous doings ye have heard enough and too much before. His ready diligence in all popish quarrels, as it never lacked before, so now, in the execution of these Six Articles, it was not far behind: in whose diocese divers good men and women, especially about Buck ment. the |