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After whose condemnation, next was brought to examination Robert Henry Harrison, whom, in like manner, because he stood in his denial, contrary witnesses against him were produced, to wit, Christopher Grebil, A.D. William Rich, William Olbert, Agnes Ive, who, a little before, had 1511 been abjured, and therefore were so much the more apt and appliable 1539. to serve the bishop's humour, for danger of relapse. After the deposition and conviction of which witnesses, although he submitted himself to repentance and conformity, yet, notwithstanding, it would not be received, but sentence was read, and he condemned with the other two aforesaid to the fire.

martyrs

And thus these three were condemned and burned, and certificate Three given up of them together to the king, from Warham the archbishop, burned. upon the same, A.D. 1511, May 2.1

Over and besides these three godly martyrs above recited, I find in the aforesaid registers of William Warham, two other like godly martyrs also in the same year, and for the same twelve articles above specified, to be condemned upon the depositions of certain witnesses brought in against them, to wit, Thomas Harwood, Philip Harwood, Witnesses Stephen Castelin, William Baker, Robert Reynold, John Bampton, two other Robert Bright, William Rich, etc.; whereupon they were adjudged martyrs. likewise for heretics to be burned, the year aforesaid, 1511. The names of these two martyrs were John Brown and Edward Walker.2

Now, as you have heard the names of these blessed martyrs, with their articles recited, let us also hear the tenor of the bishop's sentence, by which they were condemned one after another. Their sentence containeth one uniform manner of words, in form as hereunder may be scen.3

Moreover, besides these five blessed saints of God, whom they so cruelly by their sentence did condemn to death, we find also, in the same registers of William Warham, a great number of others whom they, for the same doctrine and like articles, caused to be apprehended

(1) Ex Regist. Cantuariensis. Arch.

(2) Ex Regist. W. Warh. fol. 179.

(3) The Tenor of the Sentence.-In nomine Dei, Amen: Willielmus permissione divina Cantuariensis archiepiscopus, totius Angliæ primas et apostolicæ sedis legatus, in quodam negotio hæreticæ pravitatis contra te Willielmum Carder de Tenderden nostr. Cantuar. dioceseos laicum ac nostro imperio notorie subditum et subjectum, coram nobis in judicio personaliter comparentem, nobis super hæretica pravitate hujusmodi detectum et delatum, ac per nostram diocesim Cantuariæ antedictæ notorie et publice in ea parte apud bonos et graves diffamatum, ex officio mero ritè et canonicè procedentes, auditis et intellectis, visis et cognitis, rimatisque ac matura deliberatione discussis et ponderatis dicti negotii meritis, servatisque in omnibus et per omnia in eodem negotio de jure servandis ac quomodolibet requisitis, pro tribunali sedentes, Christi nomine invocato, et solum Deum præ oculis habentes: quia per acta, actitata, deducta, probata, et exhibita coram nobis in eodem negotio invenimus te per probationes legitimas coram nobis in hac parte judicialiter factas nonnullos et varios errores, hæreses, et damnatas opiniones, juri divino, et ecclesiastico obviantes, contrarios, et repugnantes, contra fidem orthodoxam, determinatam, et observatam, tenuisse, credidisse, affirmasse, prædicasse, et dogmatizasse, et præsertim contra sacramenta altaris, seu eucharistiæ, pœnitentiæ, ordinis, et alia sacramenta et sanctæ matris ecclesiæ dogmata: et quamvis nos Christi vestigiis inhærendo, qui non vult mortem peccatoris, sed magis ut convertatur et vivat, sæpenumero conati fuimus te corrigere, ac viis et modis licitis, et canonicis, quibus potuimus aut scivimus, ad fidem orthodoxam per universalem catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam determinatam et observatam, ac ad unitatem ejusdem sanctæ matris ecclesiæ reducere, tamen invenimus te adeo duræ cervicis, quòd tuos errores et hæreses hujusmodi nolueris sponte et incontinenti confiteri, nec ad fidem catholicam et unitatem sanctæ matris ecclesiæ antedictas debitè reverti et redire, sed tanquam iniquitatis et tenebrarum filius in tantum indurasti cor tuum, ut non velis intelligere vocem tui pastoris tibi paterno compatientis affectu, nec velis piis et paternis monitionibus allici, nec salubribus reduci blanditiis: nos verò nolentes quòd tu qui iniquus es fias nequior, et gregem dominicum in futurum tuæ hæretica pravitatis labe (de quo plurimum timemus) inficias, idcirco de consilio jurisperitorum nobis in hac parte assistentium cum quibus communicavimus, te Willielmum Carder prædictum, demeritis atque culpis per tuam damnabilem pertinaciam aggravatis, de et super hujusmodi detestabili hæretica pravitatis reatu convictum, et ad ecclesiæ unitatem pœnitentialiter redire nolentem, hæreticum hæreticisque credentem, ac eorum fautorem et receptatorem, prætextu præmissorum fuisse et esse cum dolore et amaritudine cordis judicamus et declaramus finaliter et diffinitivè in his scriptis, relinquentes te ex nunc tanquam hæreticum judicio sive curiæ seculari, teque Willielmum Carder prædictum (ut præfertur) hæreticum nihilominus in majoris excommunicationis sententiam occasione præmissorum incidisse et incurrisse, necnon excommunicatum fuisse et esse pronuntiamus, decernimus, et declaramus etiam in his scriptis.

against

Henry and put to open recantation; the names of which persons in the catalogue here following be these.

VIII.

A. D.

1511

to

1539.

Articles.

The gospel in

A Table containing the names of them that were abjured in the Diocese of Canterbury, at the same time, under William Warham, Archbishop.

A. D. 1511.-John Grebil the elder; also Christopher Grebil and John Grebil, sons of John Grebil the elder; all of Benenden. William Rich of Benenden. W. Olbert the elder, of Godmersham. Agnes Ive, and Agnes Chytenden, both of Canterbury. Thomas Manning of Benenden. Joan Colin; Robert Hills; and Alice Hills his wife; all of Tenterden. Thomas Harwood, Joan Harwood his wife, and Philip Harwood, all of Rolvenden. Stephen Castelin of Tenterden. W. Baker of Cranbrook; Margaret Baker his wife. William Olbert the younger, and Robert Reynold; both of Godmersham. Agnes Reynold of Cranbrook. Thomas Field of Bexley. Joan Olbert, wife to W. Olbert the elder, of Godmersham. Elizabeth White of Canterbury. Thomas Church of Great Chart. Vincent Lynch of Halden. John Rich of Wittersham. Joan Lynch of Tenterden. Thomas Browne of Cranbrook. John Frank of Tenterden. Joyce Bampton, wife of John Bampton, of Berstead. Richard Bampton of Bexley. Robert Bright of Maidstone. William Lorkin of East Farleigh.

A. D. 1512.-John Bannes of Bexley. John Buckherst of Staplehurst. Joan Dod, wife of John Dod. John Benet of Staplehurst; Rebecca Benet his wife. Joan Lowes, wife of Thomas Lowes of Cranbrook. Julian Hills, wife of Robert Hills of Tenterden. Robert Franke of Tenterden.

The articles laid to these abjurers appear in the registers to be the same which before were objected to the other five martyrs aforesaid. The charges were for believing and defending,

First, That the sacrament of the altar was not the very body of Christ, but material bread.

II. That confession of sins ought not to be made to a priest.

III. That there is no more power given of God to a priest, than to a layman. IV. That the solemnization of matrimony is not necessary for the weal of man's soul.

V. That the sacrament of extreme unction, called anoiling, is not profitable nor necessary for man's soul.

VI. That pilgrimages to holy and devout places, be not necessary nor meritorious for man's soul.

VII. That images of saints, or of the crucifix, or of our Lady, are not to be worshipped.

VIII. That a man should pray to no saint, but only to God.

IX. That holy water, and holy bread, are not better after the benediction made by the priest.1

By these articles and abjurations of the before-named persons, England thou hast to understand, christian reader, what doctrine of religion betore was here stirring in this our realm of England, before the time that the name of Martin Luther was ever heard of here amongst us.

Luther's

time.

THREE DIVERS SORTS OF JUDGMENTS AMONGST THE PAPISTS,
AGAINST HERETICS AS THEY CALL THEM.

As touching the penance and penalty enjoined to these aforesaid, as also to all other such like, first here is to be noted, that the

(1) Ex verbis Regist. W. Warham, fol. 176. a. D. 1511.

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catholic fathers, in their processes of heretical pravity, have three Henry divers and distinct kinds of judgments and proceedings. For some they judge to be burned, to the intent that others being A.D. brought into terror by them, they might therefore more quietly hold 1511 up their kingdom, and reign as they list. And thus condemned they these five aforesaid; and notwithstanding they were willing to submit themselves to the bosom of the mother church, yet could they not be received; as by the words of the register, and by the tenor of their sentence above specified, may well appear.

And this sort of persons, thus by them condemned, consisteth either of such as have been before abjured, and have fallen again into relapse; or else such as stand constantly in their doctrine, and refuse to abjure; or else such as they intend to make a terror and example to all others, notwithstanding that they be willing and ready to submit themselves, and yet cannot be received: and of this last sort were these five martyrs last named. So was also John Lambert, who, submitting himself to the king, could not be accepted. So was likewise Richard Mekins the silly lad, and the three women of Guernsey, whose submission would not serve to save their lives; with many others in like case. Against this sort of persons, the process which the papists use is this. First, after they begin once to be suspected by some promoter, they are denounced and cited; then, by virtue of inquisition they are taken and clapped fast in irons in prison; from thence they are brought forth at last to examination, if they be not before killed by famine, cold, or straitness of the prison. Then be articles drawn, or rather wrested out of their writings or preachings, and they put to their oath, to answer truly to every point and circumstance articulated against them: which articles if they seem to deny, or to salve by true expounding, then are witnesses called in and admitted, what witnesses soever they are, be they never so much infamous; usurers, ribalds, women, yea, and common harlots. Or, if no other witnesses can be found, then is the husband brought in, and forced to swear against the wife, or the wife against the husband, or the children against the natural mother, as in this example of Agnes Grebil. Or, if no such witness at all can be found, then are they strained upon the rack, or by other bitter torments forced to confess their knowledge, and to impeach others. Neither must any be suffered to come to them, what need soever they have; neither must any public or quiet audience be given them to speak for themselves, till at last sentence be read against them, to give them up to the secular arm, or to degrade them, if they be priests, and so to burn them.1

1539.

and man

pists

And yet the malignity of these adversaries doth not here cease; The use for after the fire hath consumed their bodies, then they fall upon their ner how books, and condemn them, in like manner, to be burned; and no the paman must be so hardy as to read them, or keep them, under pain of draw out heresy. But before they have abolished these books, first they of books gather articles out of them, such as they list themselves, and so per- after the versely wrest and wring them after their own purpose, falsely, and be concontrary to the right meaning of the author; as may seem, after their

(1) Ex hist. Cochlæi, contra Hussitas. [Basil, 1549. fol.: a scarce and valuable work, in twelve books.-ED.]

articles

demned.

VIII.

Henry putting down, to be most heretical and execrable. This being done, and the books then abolished, that no man may confer them with A. D. their articles, to espy their falsehood; then they divulge and set 1511 abroad those articles, in such sort as princes and people may see what heretics they were. And this is the rigour of their process and proceeding against these persons whom thus they purpose to condemn and burn.

to

1539.

The punishment

To the second order belong that sort of heretics whom these of those papists do not condemn to death, but assign them unto monasteries, whom the there to continue, and to fast all their life, "in pane doloris, et aqua condemn angustiæ;" that is, with bread of sorrow, and water of affliction

papists

to perpe

and tual pri- that they should not remove one mile out of the precinct of the said their sub. monastery so long as they live, without they were otherwise, by the mission. archbishop himself or his successors, dispensed withal. Albeit many

son after

The pu

of them

times the said persons were so dispensed withal, that their penance of bread and water was turned for them to go to woolward' Wednesdays and Fridays every week, or some other like punishment, &c.

The third kind of heretics were those whom these prelates did nishment not judge to perpetual prison, but only enjoined them penance, which be either to stand before the preacher, or else to bear a faggot about the penance market, or in procession, or else to wear the picture of a faggot borafter their dered on their left sleeves, without any cloak or gown upon the same;

enjoined

recanta

tion.

or else to kneel at the saying of certain masses; or to say so many pater-nosters, aves, and creeds, to such or such a saint; or to go in pilgrimage to such or such a place; or else to bear a faggot to the burning of some heretic; or else to fast certain Fridays bread and water; or, if it were a woman, to wear no smock on Fridays, but to go woolward, etc., as appeareth in the register.2

And thus much by the way out of the register of William Warham aforesaid; like as also out of other bishops' registers many more such like matters and examples might be collected, if either leisure would serve me to search, or if the largeness of these volumes would suffer all to be inserted that might be found. Howbeit, amongst many other things omitted, the story and martyrdom of Launcelot and his fellows is not to be forgotten; the story of whom (with their names) is this:

The Martyrdom of Launcelot one of the king's Guard, John a
Painter, and Giles Germane.

About the year of our Lord 1539, one John a painter, and Giles Germane were accused of heresy; and while they were in examination at London before the bishop and other judges, by chance there came in one of the king's servants named Launcelot, a very tall man, and of no less godly mind and disposition, than strong and tall of body.

This man, standing by, seemed by his countenance and gesture to favour both the cause, and the poor men his friends; whereupon he, being apprehended, was examined and condemned together with them. And the next day, at five o'clock in the morning, was carried with them into St. Giles in the fields, and there burned; there being but a small concourse or company of people at their death.

(1) Go to wool ward,' going in wool.-ED.

(2) Fol. 159.

Henry
VIII.

The Story of one Stile, a Martyr, burned in Sinithfield, with A.D. the Apocalypse.

In the company and fellowship of these blessed saints and martyrs of Christ, who innocently suffered within the time of king Henry's reign for the testimony of God's word and truth, another good man also cometh to my mind, not to be excluded out of this number, who was with like cruelty oppressed, and was burned in Smithfield about the latter end of the time of Cuthbert Tonstall, bishop of London. His name was called Stile, as is credibly reported unto us by a worthy and ancient knight, named sir Robert Outred, who was the same time present himself at his burning, and witness of the same. With him there was burned also a book of the Apocalypse, which belike he was wont to read upon. This book when he saw fastened unto the stake, to be burned with him, lifting up his voice, "O blessed Apocalypse," said he, "how happy am I, that shall be burned with thee!" And so this good man, and the blessed Apocalypse, were both together in the fire consumed.'

1511 to

1539.

And thus, through the gracious supportation of Christ our Lord, A.D.1547. we have run over these seven-and-thirty laborious years of king Henry's reign; under whose time and governance, such acts and records, troubles, persecutions, recantations, practices, alterations, and reformations as then happened in the church, we have here discoursed, with such statutes, injunctions, and proclamations, as by him were set forth in causes and matters to the said church appertaining albeit not comprehending all things so fully as might be, yet pretermitting so few things as we could, of such matters as came to our hands; save only that certain instruments, with a few other occurrents somewhat pertaining to the course of this king's history, Pope have past our hands, as the false lying bull of pope Leo X., against against Martin Luther, with the form also of the said Martin Luther's Luther's appeal from the pope unto a general council. All which, with other appeal matters more besides omitted, we have deferred by themselves here- pope to a after to be exhibited and declared in the sequel of this present story, council. as in his due place shall appear.

'Leo's bull

Luther.

from the

general

tence de

ment

against

king

In the mean season, amongst other omissions here overpast, foras- The senmuch as a certain instrument of the pope's sentence definitive against finitive of king Henry's first divorce with lady Katharine dowager, hath of late pope Clecome to our hands, containing matter neither impertinent nor unmeet VII., to be committed to history, I thought here presently to place the the di same, to the intent that the reader, seeing the arrogant and impu- vorce of dent presumption of the pope in the said sentence, going about by Henry. force and authority so to constrain and compel kings and princes against their wills, and against right and Scripture to apply to his imperious purpose, may the better understand thereby, what was the true cause and ground why the king first began to take stomach. against the pope, and to send him clean packing out of this realm. But before I shall produce this aforesaid sentence definitive of the

(1) Ex testimon. D. Rob. Outredi.

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