Henry VIII. 1543. phemy atry to commendation of our Lady, ascribing unto her our justification, our salvation, our redemption, the forgiveness of sins, &c., to the great derogation of Christ. This paper, one of the canons, called Master A. D. Magnus (as it was reported), caused to be set up in despite of Testwood and his sect. When Testwood saw this paper, he plucked it Blas down secretly. The next day after was another set up in the same and idolplace. Then Testwood, coming into the church, and seeing another our Lady. paper set up, and also the dean coming a little way off, made haste to be at the choir door, while the dean staid to take holy water, and reaching up his hand as he went, plucked away the paper with him. Testwood The dean, being come to his stall, called Testwood unto him, and taketh said, that he marvelled greatly how he durst be so bold to take down blasphethe paper in his presence. Testwood answered again, that he mar- per. velled much more, that his mastership would suffer such a blasphemous paper to be set up; beseeching him not to be offended with what he had done, for he would stand unto it. So Master Dean being a timorous man, made no more ado with him. After this were no more papers set up, but poor Testwood was eaten and drunken amongst them at every meal; "and a heretic he was, and would roast a faggot for this gear one day." down the mous pa the Windsor Test Now Master Magnus,' being sore offended with Testwood for Conspiplucking down his papers, to be revenged on him, devised with the racy of dean and the rest of the canons, to send their letters to Dr. Chamber, priests of one of their brethren, and the king's physician, who lay, for the most against part, at the court, to see what he would do against Testwood; which wood. letters, being made, were sent with speed. But, whatsoever the cause was, whether he durst not meddle for fear of Cromwell, or what else, I cannot tell, their suit came to none effect. Then wist they not what to do, but determined to let the matter sleep, till St. George's feast, which was not far off. conten Now, in the mean time, there chanced a pretty story, between one Robert Philips, gentleman of the king's chapel, and Testwood; which story, though it was but a merry prank of a singing man, yet it grieved his adversary wonderfully. The matter was this: Robert Philips was so notable a singing man (wherein he gloried), that wheresoever he came, the best and longest song, with most counterverses in it, should be set up at his coming. And so, his chance being now to be at Windsor, against his coming to the anthem, along song was set up, called " Laudate vivi," in which song there was one counter-verse towards the end, that began on this wise, “O redemp- A merry trix et salvatrix:" which verse, of all others, Robert Philips would tion besing, because he knew that Testwood could not abide that ditty. Philips of Now Testwood, knowing his mind well enough, joined with him at the king's the other part; and when he heard Robert Philips begin to fetch and Testhis flourish with " O redemptrix et salvatrix!" repeating the same, about o one in another's neck, Testwood was as quick, on the other side, to redempanswer him again with non redemptrix, nec salvatrix!" and so, non restriving there with "O" and "Non," who should have the mastery, trix. they made an end of the verse; whereat was good laughing in sleeves of some, but Robert Philips, with others of Testwood's cncmies, were sore offended. 66 (1) Master Magnus; magnus idololatra. tween chapel wood, trix et demp Henry Within fourteen days after this, 'the lords of the garter (as their VIII. custom is yearly to do) came to Windsor to keep St. George's feast, A.D. at which feast the duke of Norfolk was president; unto whom the 1543. dean and canons made a grievous complaint on Testwood: who, Testwood being called before the duke, he shook him up, and all-to-reviled ed of to him, as though he would have sent him to hanging by and by. Yet, nevertheless, Testwood so behaved himself to the duke, that, in the Norfolk, end, he let him go without any further molesting of him, to the great discomfort of the dean and canons. complain the old duke of Friar Mel ster vicar sor spouting Here you have heard the causes which moved Testwood's enemies to seek his destruction, and could not attain their purpose, till that wicked Haman, Dr. London, came, as shall be showed in the process following. THE ORIGINAL OF HENRY FILMER'S TRouble. About the year of our Lord, 1541, after all the orders of superof Wind- stitious and begging friars were suppressed and put down, there chanced one sir Thomas Melster, who had been a friar before, and had changed his friar's coat (but not his friar's heart), to be vicar of Windsor. This priest, on a time, made a sermon to his parishioners, in which he declared so many fond and friarish tales, as, Our Lady that our Lady should hold out her breasts to St. Bernard, and spout milk into her milk into his eyes, with such like festival tales, that many honest men were offended therewith, and especially this Henry Filmer, then one of the churchwardens; who was so zealous to God's word, that he could not abide to hear the glory of Christ so defaced with superstitious fables. Whereupon he took an honest man or two with him, and went to the priest, with whom he talked so honestly, and so charitably, that in the end the priest gave him hearty thanks, and was content, at his gentle admonition, to reform himself without any more ado, and so departed friendly the one from the other. St. Bernard's eyes. Now there was one in the town, called William Simons, a lawyer (as is aforesaid), who, hearing that Filmer had been with the priest, and had reproved him for his sermon, took pepper in the nose, and got him to the vicar, and did so animate him in his doings, that he slipped quite away from the promise he had made to Filmer, and followed the mind of Simons; who, meeting with Filmer afterwards, Simons all-to-reviled him, saying, he would bring him before the bishop, to teach him to be so malapert. Then Filmer, hearing the matter against renewed, which he had thought had been suppressed, stood against Filmer. Simons, and said, that the vicar had preached false and unsound doccomplain- trine; and so would he say to the bishop, whensoever he came before Filmer to him. Then Simons slipped not the matter, but went to the mayor, the lawyer Simons eth of Dr. Ca pon. Filmer and procured of him and his brethren a letter, signed with their own hands, in the priest's favour as much as could be devised: and so departed himself, with other his friends, to go to the bishop (whose name was Dr. Capon), and to take the priest with them; which was a painful journey for the silly poor man, by reason he had a sore leg. Now Filmer, hearing how Simons went about to put him to a foil, forced to consulted with his friends what was best to do; who concluded to draw out certain notes of the vicar's sermon, and to prepare themselves complain also. VIII. A.D. 1543. to be at Salisbury as soon as Simons, or before him, if it might be Henry possible. Thus, both the parties being in a readiness, it chanced them to set forth from Windsor all in one day: but, by reason the priest, being an impotent man, could not endure to ride very fast, Filmer and his company got to the town an hour and more before Simons, went to the bishop, and delivered up their bill unto him; which bill, when the bishop had seen and perused well, he gave them great thanks for their pains, saying, it did behove him to look upon it; for the priest had preached heresy, and should be punished. and the Salisbury. Then Filmer declared unto the bishop the form of his talk he had simons with the priest, and the end thereof; and how the matter, being re- vicar newed again by Simons, forced him and his company to trouble his come to lordship therewith. "Well," said the bishop, "ye have done like honest men come to me soon again, and ye shall know more." And so they departed from the bishop to their inn; and, while they were there reposing themselves, Simons, with his company, came to the town, and (not knowing the other to be come) got them up to the bishop in all post haste, taking the priest with them. 66 troubled The bishop, hearing of more Windsor men, demanded what they The vicar were, and being informed how it was the vicar of the town, with of the others besides, he caused the vicar to be brought in; to whom he bishop. said, "Are you the vicar of Windsor ?" "Yea forsooth, my lord," quoth he. "How chanceth it," quoth the bishop, "that you are complained on? for there have been with me certain honest men of your town, who have delivered up a bill of erroneous doctrine against you if it be so, I must needs punish you." And opening the bill, he read it unto him. "How say you," quoth the bishop, "is this true, or no?" The vicar could not deny it, but humbly submitted himself to the bishop's correction. Then was his company called in, and when the bishop saw Simons, he knew him well, and said, "Wherefore come you, Master Simons ?" "Pleaseth it your lord- The ship," quoth he, we are come to speak in our vicar's cause, who is words of a man of good conversation and honesty, and doth his duty so well the in every point, that no man can find fault with him, except a lewd fellow we have in our town, called Filmer, who is so corrupt with heresy, that he is able to poison a whole country. And truly, my lord," quoth Simons, "there is no man that can preach or teach any thing that is good and godly, but he is ready to control it, and to say it is stark nought. Wherefore we shall beseech your lordship he may be punished, to the ensample of others, that our vicar may do his duty quietly, as he hath done before this busy fellow troubled him. And, that your lordship shall the better credit my sayings, I have brought with me these honest men of the town; and besides all that, a testimonial from the mayor and his brethren, to confirm the same:" and so he held out the writing in his hand. Simons to bishop. Capon's Then said the bishop, "So God help me, Master Simons! ye are Bishop greatly to blame, and most worthy to be punished of all men, that answer to will so impudently go about to maintain your priest in his error, who Simons. hath preached heresy, and hath confessed it: wherefore I may not, nor will not, see it unpunished. And as for that honest man Filmer, of whom ye have complained, I tell you plainly, he hath in this point showed himself a great deal more honester man than you. But in VIII. Friar Henry hope you will no more bear out your vicar in his evil doings, I will recant mon. Grudge against A. D. 1540 to THE ORIGINAL OF ANTHONY PEERSON'S TROUBLE. There was a certain priest, named Anthony Peerson, who frequented much to Windsor about the year of our Lord 1540, and, 1543. using the talent that God had given him in preaching, was greatly esteemed among the people, who flocked so much to his sermons which he made both in the town and country, that the great priests of the castle, with other papists in the town, especially Simons, were sore offended, insomuch that Simons at last began to gather of his sermons, and to mark his auditors; whereof ensued the death of divers, and trouble of many honest men. For about a year and more after, a minister of Satan, called Dr. London, warden of New-college in Oxford, was admitted one of the prebendaries of Windsor, who, at his first coming to Windsor, began to utter his stomach and to show his affection. For, at his first residence-dinner which he made to the clerks (which company, for the most part, at that time favoured the gospel), all his whole talk to two gentlemen, strangers at his board (till the table was a taking up), was nothing else but of heretics, and what a desolation they Dr. Lon- would bring the realm unto, if they might be so suffered. "And don's by St. Mary, masters!" quoth he to the clerks at last, "I cannot the clerks tell, but there goeth a shrewd report abroad of this house." Some made answer, it was undeserved. "I pray God it be," quoth he: I am but a stranger, and have but small experience amongst you; but I have heard it said before I came hither, that there be some in this house, that will neither have prayer nor fasting." words to of Wind sor. Testwood eth for the clerks. Then spake Testwood, "By my troth, sir!" quoth he, "I think answer that was spoken of malice: for prayer, as your mastership knoweth better than I, is one of the first lessons that Christ taught us." "Yea, marry, sir," quoth he, "but the heretics will have no invocation to saints, which all the old fathers do allow." "What the old fathers do allow," quoth Testwood, "I cannot tell; but Christ doth appoint us to go to his Father, and to ask our petitions of him in Christ's name." Sospel"Then you will have no mean between you and God," quoth Dr. lers false- London. "Yes, sir," quoth Testwood, our mean is Christ, as St. Paul saith, There is one Mediator between God and man, even Jesus Christ."" """Give us water," quoth Dr. London: which being set on the board, he said grace, and washed; and so falling into other communication with the strangers, the clerks took their leave and departed. When Dr. London had been at Windsor awhile, among his catholic ly slandered by the papists. 6 66 VIII. 1543. don a ma cutor. brethren, and learned what Testwood was, and also of Simons (who Henry showed him our Lady's nose, as he called it), what a sort of heretics were in the town, and about the same, and how they increased daily A.D. by reason of a naughty priest, called Anthony Peerson, he was so maliciously bent against them, that he gave himself wholly to the Dr. Londevil, to do mischief. And to bring his wicked purpose about, he licious conspired with the aforesaid Simons, a meet clerk to serve such put a curate, and others of like sort, how they might compass the matter, first to have all the archheretics, as they termed them, in Windsor and thereabouts, indicted of heresy, and so to proceed further. They had a good ground to work upon, as they thought, which was the Six Articles, whereupon they began to build and practise thus. First, they drew out certain notes of Anthony Peerson's sermons, which he had preached against the sacrament of the altar, and their popish mass That done, they put in sir William Hobby,' with the good lady his wife, sir Thomas Cardine, Master Edmund Harman, Master Thomas Weldon, with Snowball and his wife, as chief aiders, helpers, and maintainers of Anthony Peerson. Also they noted Dr. Haynes, dean of Exeter, and a prebendary of Windsor, to be a common receiver of all suspected persons. They wrote also the names of all such as commonly haunted Anthony Peerson's sermons, and of all such as had the Testament, and favoured the gospel, or did but smell thereof. Bows, don's spy. com Then had they privy spies to walk up and down the church, to Master hearken and hear what men said, and to mark who did not reverence priest, the sacrament, at the elevation-time, and to bring his name to Dr. Dr. LonLondon. And of these spies some were chantry priests; among the which there was one notable spy, whose name was called sir William Bows, such a fleering priest as would be in every corner of the church pattering to himself, with his portues in his hand, to hear and to note the gesture of men towards the sacrament. Thus, when they had gathered as much as they could, and made a perfect book thereof, Dr. London, with two of his catholic brethren, gave them up to the Dr. Lonbishop of Winchester, Stephen Gardiner, with a great complaint don' against the heretics that were in Windsor, declaring unto him how plaint to the town was sore disquieted through their doctrine and evil example : wherefore they besought his lordship's help, in purging the town and castle of such wicked persons. The bishop, hearing their complaint, and seeing their book, praised their doings, and bade them make friends and go forward, and they should not lack his help. Then they applied the matter with tooth and nail, sparing for no money or pains-taking, as Marbeck saith that he himself heard one of them say, who was a great doer herein, and afterwards sorry for that he had done, that the suit thereof cost him that year, for his part only, a hundred marks, besides the death of three good geldings. Gardiner. to the Now bishop Gardiner, who had conceived a further fetch in his brain Comthan Dr. London had, made Wriothesley and others of the council paint on his side, and spying a time convenient, went to the king, com- king of plaining what a sort of heretics his grace had in his realm, and how pellers. they were not only crept into every corner of his court, but even into (1) Sir Philip Hobby.' see Burnet's Hist. of the Ref. (Oxford, 1816,) vol. i. p. 591.-ED. (2) What cost the papists can be at, to trouble their even-christened. the gos |