1539 to 1544. Poole the second accuser. Henry Edmund Payton, whose1 love of that office, rather than the truth VIII. of the matter, moved him, through frailty of youth, as it is to be A. D. thought, to do what he did. For afterwards, as the said Brook hath, to divers of his friends, reported the matter, he not only acknowledged to him his fault, but also behaved himself toward him as his loving friend.* The other was one Robert Poole, a man (as it was commonly reported) both base born, and also such a one as, in his youth, for murdering a man with a club, in Bow-lane in London, was fain, by obtaining the king's pardon, to save his neck, which2 Poole had (chiefly by the said Brook's means) attained to twenty pounds a year living during his life; which he recompensed as hereafter shall Boyse the appear. The third was one Thomas Boyse, who, showing more honesty than the rest, affirmed not that he himself heard the said Brook speak any thing of that which was objected against him, but justified that which each of the other two had steadfastly affirmed to him, that Brook had spoken unto them those things which, here beneath, he said were objected against him. third accuser. talk of Brook and Pay tontouching the * The first young man objected against the said Brook, that he should say, that the thing which the priest useth to hold up over his head at mass, is not the natural body of Jesus Christ: for, if that were so, whoso would, might have their stomach full of gods their entrails full of gods; and he that had lately received the sacrament before he went to the sea, might haply cast god up again on shipboard. And thus much he brought over in writing with him from Calais, and added thereto, as it should seem, to exasperate the commissioners and the rest of the clergy against him, certain other heinous words spoken against bishops and priests: *as that the knaves, the bishops and priests, for their own gain and belly's sake, bare this layman so in hand, and would shamefully blear our eyes;" which words he never spake; "for it did abhor both his heart and his ears, to hear either so shameful and unreverent words concerning the blessed sacrament, or so arrogant and disdainful words, spoken against the bishops, and other inferior ministers, unto whom God had given authority (though they, for the most part, were very unworthy thereof),"* confessing, neverPrivate theless, that he had secret and private talk with the young man touching the truth of the sacrament, wherein he showed as reverently as he could speak to the young man, the right use of the same: concluding that, albeit with our mouths we received (*even after the words of consecration as they called it*) very material bread and wine, yet, by faith, all christian men do receive, eat, and drink, to their great comfort and benefit, the very natural body and blood of Christ, which was both born of the Virgin Mary, and suffered death on the cross for the remission of their sins: which most holy sacrament who so cometh unworthily unto, the same was so far from eating of Christ's body and blood, that all such, without hearty repentance, do eat their own damnation. And, to conclude with him, in that private talk he told him, that if the gross and unlearned error of transubstantiation were indeed matter of truth and sincere doctrine, then not only this should follow of it, that every man who would, might have everlasting life (for they might, when they would, receive the outward sacrament, seen with our eyes, which the priests call Christ's natural body, (1) See Edition 1563, pp. 633, 664.—ED. (2) Ibid. p. 664.-ED. sacrament. (3) Ibid.-ED. (4) Ibid.-ED. VIII. and whoso eateth Christ's natural body, and drinketh his blood, hath Henry everlasting life, saith Christ), but also there should great absurdities follow thereby, as when a man happeneth to go to sea, having lately A. D. received the sacrament, he should put it overboard, or upon the hatches; and, therefore, exhorted the said Payton to leave that gross 1544. error. 1539 to accusa Brook. The second accuser was Poole, who objected against him, that, Poole's about two years past, he himself, dining with the said Brook with tion fifteen or sixteen other honest men, heard him say thus at the table: against that the thing which the priests use to hold up over their heads, was not the very body and blood of Christ, but a sacrament to put us in remembrance thereof. Unto whose objections the said Brook answered, that a man in mirth might well enough in charity beshrew such a guest as, when he had dined with a man, could, so long after, remember to say him such a grace: and required of Poole, from whence the rest of the guests were. He answered, they were of the town, all. Then inferred he, that he was sure Poole could as well remember some of their names who then were present, as freshly to keep in mind (for so by oath upon a book he had affirmed) every word of the whole matter which he objected; but that the matter was utterly untrue. Whereupon the said Brook desired their honours to consider the slenderness of his tale. To be short, he, with the rest of his fellows, to wit, Ralph Hare, Coppen, and James the barber, were for that time dismissed. THE STORY OF WILLIAM SMITH, CURATE; ALSO THE TROUBLE TATION OF DIVERS CALAIS MEN. 1 During the time while these four were thus in examination at London, the other two, to wit, sir William Smith, preacher, and John Butler, by commandment were apprehended in Calais, and bound by surety not to pass the gates of the town of Calais. In that town, the said John Butler, commissary, was accused by Richard Thorpe and John Ford, soldiers of Calais, saying, that he should say, that if the sacrament of the altar be flesh, blood, and bone, then there is good "aqua vita" at John Spicer's. Upon which accusation the said Thorpe and Ford brought for records before the council of Calais, Marraunt, Haynes, John Luckes, Harry Husson, and Harry Trost, all of the district of Oye, beside Calais. Whereupon, shortly after, the said John Butler and sir William Smith were sent for, and, by one Swallow a pursuivant, who fetched up the others aforesaid, brought into England, unto the house of the said Swallow dwelling by St. James's, where the king's majesty lay at that time. And the next day, being Thursday after dinner, Butler and Smith were brought to the star-chamber before the privy council, where both sedition and heresy were objected against them. And after much talk it was said unto them by the lord Cromwell, that they should make their purgation by the law. And from thence, by the aforesaid Swallow, they were sent to the fleet. The next day, being Friday, after dinner, Butler and Smith were (1) Aqua vitæ,' to digest the blood and bones of the sacrament. VIII. to Henry. sent for to come to Bath-place, where they were brought into the chapel, there sitting Dr. Clerke, bishop of Bath, and Dr. Sampson, then A.D. bishop of Chichester: Dr. Repse, the bishop of Norwich, who was 1539 a monk, being fast asleep. Then was objected unto Butler, with 1544. great reverence, the opprobrious words spoken against the blessed sacrament (rehearsing as is aforesaid) the articles. Butler required The ex to have them in writing, and so he would make answer in writing; the which they would not grant him and upon that answer he stood. Then choler gathered in the bishop of Chichester. The story were too long to write, yet part ye shall understand. amina tion of John Butler. : Chichester found great fault that Butler made not low courtesy, being stubborn and arrogant, as he said, and, in fine, found fault with his shirt. Then, turning him about, he called to his brother Banester, being present (that time dwelling in Paternoster-row), to make answer for the shirt. He said, "I can make answer for the shirt." "No good answer," said Chichester. "Forsooth," said he, "the shirt is mine; I lent it him, because he brought none with him, for he was not permitted to have any servant." "A good answer," said the bishop of Bath. Then Butler made low courtesy, and said, "The shirt is answered." Then Chichester said, "Thou mockest us;" but he said "No." And thus much concerning that time. Then, after Butler, was sir William Smith, curate of our Lady's parish in Calais, called before them, and charged in a manner with the same heinous errors and pernicious opinions that were objected against the said Ralph Hare; and thereto was added, that he had spoken and preached against our blessed Lady, against praying to saints, against doing of good works, and many other like things: and therewithal one Richard Long, a man at arms at Calais, proved against the said sir William Smith, and the aforesaid Brook, by an oath taken upon a book, that the said Smith and Brook did eat flesh together in Lent, in the said Brook's house. "For a miller's boy," said he, "came into Brook's kitchen, and saw half a lamb lie a roasting at the fire." Whereas the truth is, that the said sir William Smith, during all the Lent, came never once within the said Brook's False ac- house. And it is as true also, that the said Richard Long, upon a and per- displeasure taken with his wife, went shortly after out of his own jury pu- house, to the jutty end of the haven at Calais, where desperately he drowned himself; not one boy, but many men, women, girls and boys seeing him miserably taken up again stark dead, all which lamented his pitiful ruin. A terrible example unto all such as are ready to forswear themselves on a book upon malice, or whatsoever other cause it be; a thing in these days over rife everywhere, and almost nowhere regarded as it ought to be. *But' to return to sir William Smith; for the heinousness of his errors, equal every wit to Ralph Hare's, and worse (though there was no matter sufficient in the law to burden him, that could be proved), yet he must needs (no remedy was there) recant at Calais, openly in the pulpit, and so depart the town and marches. Which recantation he did in such sort, as he in effect denied nothing at all that he had before cusation nished of God. (1) See Edition 1563, p. 663.--- ED VIII. A. D. 1539 to 1544. preached or taught, but yet it satisfied somewhat his adversaries' Henry malicious hearts, in that it bore the name of a recantation, and, therewith, was done according to the commissioners' order, whilst the other heretic, Ralph Hare, stood before him with a faggot on his shoulder: and, also, it seemed unto such of the council of Calais, as had by their letters complained so grievously of the pernicious sects and heresies of that town, that, now, what with the aforesaid Brooks inveighing against the six articles in the parliament-house, and the punishment of these two heretics, they had won their spurs by making such complaints: in so much as the matters fell out as you hear.* ble of missary. There was also called before them sir John Butler, then commis- The trousary of Calais, whom they would have burdened with the maintenance, John Butor, at the least wise, sufferance of the aforesaid Adam Damlip, who ler, compreached so long time there, and was not by him punished. Butler, for his defence, answered, that the lord deputy, and the whole council there, so highly entertained, and so friendly used the said Damlip, and with their own presence and high commendations outwardly so allowed and commended his doctrine, that it lay not in him to do otherwise than he did; and therefore, humbly besought their lordships and other the commissioners to be good unto him at whose hands, after long attendance given, he was discharged, and so returned home again; being also dismissed of his commissaryship. cantation Smith, Now, to declare what order was taken with these aforesaid Calais The remen, it was appointed that sir William Smith, priest, Ralph Hare, and pe James Cocke, and James Barber, should be sent to Calais, there to nance of abjure and to do penance; where sir William Smith was enjoined to Hare, make the sermon, Ralph Hare, James Cocke, and James Barber Barber. standing with faggots upon their shoulders. The sermon was made in the market of Calais. Which being done, they went with their faggots about the market-place, the drum and fife going before them; and then, returning to the commissioners with the testimonial of the same, they departed. Albeit, in this recantation, the said William Smith, curate of our Lady's church, handled his sermon after that sort, that, in effect, he denied nothing at all that he had before preached or taught, but yet it satisfied somewhat his adversaries' malicious hearts, in that it bore the name of a recantation, according to the commissioners' order; appointing him thus openly to preach, and so to depart the town and marches. Cock, and Barber. As touching James Barber aforesaid, forasmuch as his dwelling James was not at Calais, but four miles off from the town, it was therefore enjoined him to bear his faggot, not at Calais, but on the Saturday next following to stand in the market there where he dwelt, with his faggot upon his shoulder; and the said sir William Smith likewise there preached as before. And thus much concerning the first commission sent over to Calais,' to inquire upon the heretics there. (1) The first commission sent over to Calais.' It does not appear (from the previous narrative at least) that this first commission was so sent: on the contrary, all its sittings seem to have been held in London.-ED. Henry A. D. A New Commission appointed and sent over to Calais. After all these things done and past, the grudging minds of the 1539 adversaries were not yet satisfied, but still suggested new complaints to to the king's ears against the town of Calais, making the king believe that, through new opinions, the town was so divided, that it was in cusations great danger to be overcome of the adversary. 1544. New ac against the town Whereupon, shortly after the week before Easter next following, of Calais. other new commissioners were sent over by the king to Calais : to wit, the earl of Sussex, lord great chamberlain; the lord St. John; sir John Gage, knight; sir John Baker, knight; Master Layton, clerk of the closet; and Dr. Currin; with special instructions besides, signed by the king's majesty's own hand. For his highness had been incensed once again from the council of Calais, that the town was in peril, through dissension and diversity of opinions. Upon their arrival, Dr. Currin preached a notable sermon, exhorting all men to charity, having nothing in his mouth but "charity," "charity." But, as it seemed afterwards, such a burning charity was in him and the rest of the commissioners, that had not God pitied the innocency of men's causes, there had a hundred been burned or hanged shortly after. But it happened far otherwise, for, of the number of those accusers, four were, by those commissioners, sent over into England, to wit, Clement Philpot, servant to the lord Lisle; sir Edmund, curate of our Example Lady's church; W. Touched, a post-master; Peter Bequet. Of the of God's which four, Touched and Bequet were sent to their places again; the ment up- other two were drawn, hanged, and quartered at London. But contrary, of all them that were accused, there was not one that lost one hair of his head. punish on false accusers. Great perturba tion at Calais. After the sermon was done, on the morrow, to wit, on Share-Thursday, all the commissioners solemnly received the sacrament. And, at afternoon, the council were with the commissioners; and after their consultation, tip-staves warned above the number of fourscore, such perverse persons as the like were not in the town or marches, to appear on the morrow at eight of the clock before the council at the Staple inn; who, at their appearance, were commanded upon their allegiance to present all such heretics, schismatics, and seditious persons, as they did know; and in no wise to doubt or dread so to do, for they should have great advantage thereby; yea, they should either have their livings or their goods: and, besides that, they should have great thanks at the king's majesty's hand, and his honourable council, and what friendship they of the king's council there could show them. All that Good-Friday, even till ten of the clock at night, those wicked and malicious persons occupied their time in answering to sundry and divers questions. These things were not so secretly done, but they were bewrayed and came to honest men's knowledge. Whereupon such fear and distrust assaulted all men, that neighbour distrusted neighbour, the master the servant, the servant the master, the husband the wife, the wife the husband, and almost every one the other, that lamentable it was to see how mourningly men and women went in the streets, hanging down their heads, showing evident tokens. of the anguish of their hearts. |