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word, being the sustenance of the soul, and also by giving yourself to humble prayer; for these two things are the very means how to be made members of our Christ, meet to inherit His kingdom.

Do this, dear wife, in earnest, and not leaving off; and so we two shall with our Christ and all His chosen children enjoy the world of happiness in that everlasting immortality; whereas, here will nothing else be found but extreme misery, even of those who most greedily seek this worldly wealth; and so, if we two continue God's children, graffed in our Christ, the same God's blessing which we receive shall also settle upon our Samuel; though we do shortly depart hence, and leave the poor infant, to our seeming, at all adventures; yet shall he have our gracious God to be his God; for so He hath said, and He cannot lie; I will be thy God, said He, and the God of thy seed; yea, if you leave him in the wild wilderness destitute of all help, being called of God to do His will, either to die for the confession of Christ, or any work of obdience, that God who heard the cry of the poor infant of Hagar, Sarah's hand-maiden, and did succour it, will do the like to the child of you or any other, fearing Him and putting your trust in Him.

And if we lack faith, as we do indeed many times, let us call for it, and we shall have the increase both of it and also of any other good grace needful for us, and rejoice in God, in whom also I am very joyful. O Lord, what great cause of rejoicing have we to think upon that kingdom, which He vouchsafes for His Christ's sake freely to give us, forsaking ourselves and following Him! Dear wife, this is truly to follow Him, even to take up our cross and follow Him; and then, as we suffer with Him, so shall we reign with Him everlastingly. Amen. Shortly, shortly. Amen.

My dear friends, Master Harrington and Master Hurland, pray, pray, and be joyful in God; and I beseech you as you may, let the good brethren abroad be put in mind of our dear tried brethren and sisters, who have, the Lord be praised, made known their constancy in confessing the truth to the glory of God, and comfort, I doubt not, of His church abroad. Thus have they sown spiritual things, confessing Christ. I trust they will not be forgetful that they may reap of those who are of ability and at liberty, their carnal things. Hereof I speak now because of my tender desire towards these dear brethren here now in bonds, and in other places, and also that I doubt whether I may have wherewith to write hereafter. The keeper saith he must needs see that we write not at all. The devil roareth, but be of good cheer; he will shortly be trodden under foot, and the rather by the blood of martyrs. Salute, in my most hearty manner, good Mistress Harrington, and my good lady F.; I am theirs as long as I live; and pray for them. Desire them to do likewise for me, and for all us sheep appointed to the slaughter. A prisoner in the Lord,

LAWRENCE SAUNDERS.

John Careless to his Wife.

As by the great mercy of God, at the time of His good will and providence appointed, my dearly beloved wife, you and I were joined together in the holy and Christian state of godly matrimony, as well to our great joy and comfort in Christ, as also to the increase of His blessed church and faithful congregation, by having lawful children, whom God of His mercy hath blessed us with, praised be His name therefore. Even so now by His merciful will and divine ordinance, the time is come, so far as I can perceive, wherein He will, for His glory and our eternal comfort, dissolve the same, and separate us asunder again for a time. Wherefore I thought it good, yea,

and my bounden duty, by this simple letter, to provoke, stir, and admonish you to behave yourself in all your doings, sayings, and thoughts, most thankfully unto our good God for the same. And therefore, my dear wife, as you have heartily rejoiced in the Lord, and oftentimes given God thanks for His goodness in bringing us together in His holy ordinance, even so now I desire you, when the time of our separation shall come, to rejoice with me in the Lord, and to give Him most hearty thanks, that He hath, to His glory and our endless advantage, separated us again for a little time, and hath mercifully taken me unto Himself, forth of this miserable world, into His celestial kingdom; believing and hoping also assuredly that God of His goodness, for His Son Christ's sake, will shortly bring you and your dear children thither to me, that we may most joyfully together sing praises unto His glorious name for ever. And yet once again I desire you for the love of God, and as ever you loved me, to rejoice with me, and to give God continual thanks for doing His most merciful will upon me.

I hear say that you oftentimes repeat this godly saying: "The Lord's will be fulfilled." Doubtless it rejoices my poor heart to hear that report of you, and for the Lord's sake use that godly prayer continually, and teach your children and family to say the same day and night. And not only say it with your tongues, but also with your heart and mind, and joyfully submit your will to God's will in very deed, knowing and believing assuredly that nothing shall come to you or any of yours, otherwise than it shall be His almighty and fatherly good will and pleasure, and for your eternal comfort and commodity. Which thing to be most true and certain, Christ testifies in His holy gospel, saying, “Are not two little sparrows sold for a farthing? and yet not one of them shall perish without the will of your heavenly Father." And he concludeth, saying, "Fear not ye therefore, for ye are better than many sparrows" (Matt. x.). As though He should have said, "If God have such respect and care for a poor sparrow, which is not worth one farthing, that it shall not be taken in the lime-twig, net, nor pitfall, until it be His good will and pleasure, you may be well assured that not one of you, whom He so dearly loveth that He hath given His only dear Son for you, shall perish or depart forth of this miserable life without His almighty good will and pleasure."

Therefore, dear wife, put your trust and confidence wholly and only in Him, and ever pray that His will be fulfilled, and not yours, except it be agreeing to His will; the which I pray God it may ever be. Amen. And as for worldly things, take you no care, but be you well assured the Lord your dear God and Father will not see you nor yours lack if you continue in His love and childlike fear, and keep a conscience clear from all kinds of idolatry, superstition, and wickedness, as my trust is that you will do, although it be with the loss and danger of this temporal life. And, good Margaret, fear not them that can but kill the body, and yet can they not do that until God give them leave; but fear to displease Him that can kill both body and soul, and cast them into hell fire. Let not the remembrance of your children keep you from God. The Lord Himself will be a father and a mother, better than ever you or I could have been unto them. He Himself will do all things necessary for them; yea, as much as rock the cradle, if need be. He hath given His holy angels charge over them, therefore commit them unto Him. But if you may live with a clear conscience (for else I would not have you to live), and see the bringing up of your children yourself, look that you nurture them in the fear of God, and keep them far from idolatry, superstition, and all other kind of wickedness. And help them to some learning if it be possible, that they may increase in virtue and godly knowledge, which shall be a

better dowry to marry them than any worldly substance; and when they come to age, provide them such husbands as fear God and love His holy word. I charge you take heed that you match them with no papists; and if you live, and marry again yourself-which I would wish you to do if need require, or else not-good wife, take heed how you bestow yourself, that you and my poor children be not compelled to wickedness. But if you shall be able well to live God's true widow, I would counsel you so to live still, for the more quietness of yourself and your poor children. Take heed, Margaret, and play the wise woman's part. You have warning by others, if you will take an example. And thus I commit you and my sweet children unto God's most merciful defence. The blessing of God be with you, and God send us a joyful meeting together in heaven. Farewell in Christ, farewell mine own dear hearts all. Pray, pray.

John Rogers, the first of the martyrs under Mary, was born at Deritend, a village near Birmingham, which has become part of the town. He was educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, graduated in 1525, was ordained, became for a time rector of a city church, acted as chaplain at Antwerp to the Company of Merchant Adventurers, and there, having turned Protestant, came to know Tyndale, with whom he associated himself as a translator of the Bible into English. Tyndale's martyrdom at Antwerp in 1536 ended the earthly part of a friendship that had then been very short. Rogers next disregarded the Church interdict upon marriage

JOHN ROGERS.

From his Portrait in Henry Holland's "Heroologia."

of priests, and took an Antwerp lady, Adriana de Weyden, as his wife. He went then to Wittenberg, and took charge of a congregation there. After the issue of Coverdale's Bible-the first complete translation-two printers, Richard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch, bought the sheets of a translation by John Rogers, designed to complete Tyndale's work, and undertook the issue of the whole, which appeared in 1537 as "Translated into Englysh by Thomas Matthew," and was known, therefore, as

Matthew's Bible. For this reason, the Reformer was afterwards proceeded against as John Rogers alias Matthew. Under Edward VI., Rogers came home to England, and became, in 1550, at the same time vicar of St. Sepulchre's and rector of St. Margaret Moyses, in Friday Street. Next year, a prebend in St. Paul's Cathedral was added to these preferments, with the attached rectory of Chigwell, in Essex, which at that time produced no income. The duties at St. Paul's obliged Rogers to give up his rectory of St. Margaret's. After Edward's death and the arrival of Queen Mary in London, Rogers preached a sermon at St. Paul's Cross, which led promptly to his imprisonment, with deprival of his living, and subsequently to his trial and condemnation as a heretic. He was burnt in Smithfield on the 4th of February, 1555. Here is John Rogers's own account of his trial and condemnation,

THE EXAMINATION AND ANSWER OF JOHN ROGERS, Made to the Lord Chancellor, and to the rest of the Council, the 22nd of January, 1555; penned by himself.

The Lord Chancellor (Bishop Gardiner). First, the lord Chancellor said unto me thus: Sir, ye have heard of the state of the realm in which it standeth now.

Rogers. No, my lord, I have been kept in close prison, and except there have been some general things said at the table, when I was at dinner or supper, I have heard nothing; and there have I heard nothing whereupon any special thing might be grounded.

L. C. Then said the lord Chancellor, General things, general things! mockingly; Ye have heard of my lord Cardinal's coming, and that the parliament hath received his blessing, not one resisting unto it, but one man who did speak against it.' Such a unity, and such a miracle, has not been seen. One that was by, whose name I know not, said, And all they, of whom there are eight score in one house, have with one assent and consent received pardon of their offences, for the schism that we had in England in refusing the Holy Father of Rome to be head of the Catholic Church. How say ye, are ye content to unite, and knit yourself to the faith of the Catholic Church, with us, in the state in which it is now in England: will ye do that?

R. The Catholic Church I never did nor will dissent from. L. C. Nay; but I speak of the state of the Catholic Church in that wise in which we stand now in England, having received the Pope to be supreme head.

R. I know none other head but Christ of his Catholic Church, neither will I acknowledge the bishop of Rome to have any more authority than any other bishop hath, by the Word of God, and by the doctrine of the old and pure Catholic Church four hundred years after Christ.

L. C. Why didst thou then acknowledge King Henry the Eighth to be supreme head of the Church, if Christ be the only head?

R. I never granted him to have any supremacy in spiritual things, as the forgiveness of sins, giving of the Holy Ghost, and authority to be a judge above the Word of God.

[graphic]

1 My lord Cardinal was Reginald Pole, who had come as legate from the Pope in November, 1554. King, Queen, and both Houses of Parliament had knelt to the Pope's legate for pardon and absolution, only one member of the House of Commons-a faithful Abdiel-Sir Ralph Bagenhall, refusing submission. Mr. Tennyson has made noble use of this incident in his drama of "Queen Mary" (Act III. sc. 3).

L. C. Yea, said he, and Tonstal, bishop of Durham, and the bishop of Worcester.-If thou hadst said so in his days (and they nodded the head at me with laughter), thou hadst not been alive now.

I denied, and would have told how he was said and meant to be supreme head. But they looked and laughed one upon another, and made such a business, that I was constrained to let it pass. There lies also no great weight thereupon; for all the world knows what the meaning was. The lord Chancellor also said to the lord William Howard, that there was no inconvenience therein, to have Christ to be supreme head and the bishop of Rome also; and when I was ready to have answered that there could not be two heads of one church, and to have more plainly declared the vanity of that his reason, the lord Chancellor said, What sayest thou? Make us a direct answer whether thou wilt be one of this Catholic Church, or not, with us, in that state in which we now are.

R. My lord, without fail I cannot believe that ye yourselves do think in your hearts that he is supreme head in forgiving of sin, &c. Seeing you and all the bishops of the realm have now twenty years long preached, and some of you also written to the contrary, and the parliament has so long ago consented unto it.-And there he interrupted me thus:

L. C. Tush, that parliament was with most great cruelty constrained to abolish and put away the primacy from the bishop of Rome.

R. With cruelty! Why then I perceive that you take a wrong way, with cruelty to persuade men's consciences. For it should appear by your doings now, that the cruelty then used has not persuaded your consciences. How would you then have our consciences persuaded with cruelty?

L. C. I talk to thee of no cruelty-but that they were so often and so cruelly called upon in that parliament to let the act go forward; yea, and even with force driven thereunto: whereas in this parliament it was so uniformly received, as is aforesaid.

Here my lord Paget told me more plainly, what my lord Chancellor meant. Unto whom I answered:

R. My lord, what will you conclude thereby? that the first parliament was of less authority, because but few consented unto it and this last parliament of greater authority, because more consented unto it? It goes not, my lord, by the more or lesser part, but by the wiser, truer, and godlier part. -And I would have said more, but the lord Chancellor interrupted me with his question, willing me once again to answer him. "For," said he, "we have more to speak with than thou, who must come in after thee."-And so indeed there were ten persons more out of Newgate, besides two that were not called. Of which ten, one was a citizen of London, who yielded unto them, and nine were contrary; all of whom came to prison again, and refused the cardinal's blessing, and the authority of his Holy Father's church, saving that one of these nine was not asked the question, otherwise than thus: Whether he would be an honest man, as his father was before him? and he answered, Yea; so he was discharged by the friendship of my lord William Howard, as I have understood. -He bade me tell him what I would do; whether I would enter into the one church with the whole realm as it is now, or not? No, said I, I will first see it proved by the Scriptures. Let me have pen, ink, books, &c., and I will take upon me plainly to set out the matter, so that the contrary shall be proved to be true; and let any man that will, confer with me by writing.

L. C. Nay, that shall not be permitted thee. Thou shalt never have so much proffered thee as thou hast now, if thou refuse it, and wilt not now consent and agree to the Catholic

Church. Here are two things, mercy and justice: if thou refuse the Queen's mercy now, then shalt thou have justice ministered unto thee.

R. I never offended nor was disobedient unto her grace, and yet I will not refuse her mercy. But if this shall be denied me, to confer by writing, and to try out the truth, then it is not well, but too far out of the way. Ye yourselves, all the bishops of the realm, brought me to abjure the pretended primacy of the bishop of Rome, when I was a young man, twenty years past: and will ye now, without collation, have me to say and do the contrary? I cannot be so persuaded.

L. C. If thou wilt not receive the bishop of Rome to be supreme head of the Catholic Church, then thou shalt never have her mercy, thou mayest be sure. And as touching conferring and trial, I am forbidden by the Scriptures to use any conferring and trial with thee. For St. Paul teaches me that I should shun and eschew a heretic after one or two monitions, knowing that such a one is overthrown and is faulty, insomuch as he is condemned by his own judgment.

R. My lord, I deny that I am a heretic; prove ye that first, and then allege the aforesaid text.-But still the lord Chancellor played on one string, saying,

L. C. If thou wilt enter into one church with us, &c., tell us that; or else thou shalt never have so much proffered thee again, as thou hast now.

R. I will find it first in the Scripture, and see it tried thereby, before I receive him to be supreme head.

Worcester. Why, do ye not know what is in your creed, “I believe the holy Catholic Church?"

R. I find not the bishop of Rome there. For "catholic" signifies not the Romish church; it signifies the consent of all true teaching churches of all times, and of all ages. But how should the bishop of Rome's church be one of them, which teaches so many doctrines that are plainly and directly against the Word of God? Can that bishop be the true head of the Catholic Church that does so? That is not possible.

L. C. Show me one of them; one; let me hear one.

I remembered myself, that among so many I were best to show one, and said, I will show you one.

L. C. Let me hear that, let me hear that.

R. The bishop of Rome and his church say, read, and sing all that they do in their congregations in Latin; which is directly and plainly against the first to the Corinthians, the fourteenth chapter.

L. C. I deny that, I deny that that is against the Word of God. Let me see you prove that; how prove you that? Then I began to say the text from the beginning of the chapter; To speak with tongues, said I, is to speak with a strange tongue, as Latin or Greek, &c., and so to speak is not to speak unto men, but unto God (meaning God only at the most). But ye speak in Latin, which is a strange tongue, wherefore ye speak not unto men, but unto God. This be granted, that they speak not unto men, but unto God.

L. C. Well, then, is it vain unto men?

11 Corinthians xiv. 2-33: "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret that the Church may receive edifying. And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air," &c.

R. No, not in vain. For one man speaketh in one tongue, and another in another tongue, and all well.

L. C. Nay, I will prove then that he speaks neither unto God nor unto man, but unto the wind.1

I was willing to have declared how these two texts do agree, for they must agree, they both are the sayings of the Holy Ghost, spoken by the apostle Paul, as, To speak not to men, but unto God, and To speak unto the wind; and so I would have gone forward with the proof of my matter begun, but here arose a noise and a confusion. Then said the lord Chancellor,

L. C. To speak unto God, and not unto God, were impossible.

R. I will prove them possible.

Nay, saith my lord William Howard to my lord Chancellor, now will I bear you witness that he is out of the way. For he grants first, that they which speak in a strange speech speak unto God; and now he saith the contrary, that they speak neither to God nor to man.

R. (turning to my lord Howard.) I have not granted or said as you report. I have alleged the one text, and now I am come to the other; they must agree, and I can make them to agree. But as for you, you understand not the matter.

L. H. I understand so much, that it is not possible. This is a point of sophistry, quoth secretary Bourn. Then the lord Chancellor began to tell the lord Howard, that when he was in Germany, they at Halle, which had before prayed and used their service in German, began then to turn part into Latin, and part into German. W. Yea, and at Wittemberg too.

R. Yea (but I could not be heard for their noise), in a University, where men for the most part understood the Latin-and yet not all in Latin. And I would have told the order, and have gone forward both to have answered my lord, and to have proved the thing that I had taken in hand; but perceiving their talk and noise to be too noisome, I was fain to think this in my heart, suffering them in the moanwhile to talk one of them one thing, and another another. Alas! neither will these men hear me if I speak, neither yet will they suffer me to write. There is no remedy but let them alone, and commit the matter to God. Yet I began to go forward, and said, that I would make the texts to agree and to prove my purpose well enough.

L. C. No, no, thou canst prove nothing by the Scripture. The Scripture is dead; it must have a lively expositor.

R. No, the Scripture is alive. But let me go forward with my purpose.

W. All heretics have alleged the Scriptures for them, and therefore we must have a lively expositor for them.

R. Yea, all heretics have alleged the Scriptures for them; but they were confuted by the Scriptures, and by no other expositor.

W. But they would not confess that they were overcome by the Scriptures; I am sure of that.

R. I believe that; and yet were they overcome by them, and in all the Councils they were disputed with and overthrown by the Scriptures. And here I would have declared how they ought to proceed in these days, and so have come again to my purpose, but it was impossible; for one asked one thing, another said another, so that I was fain to hold my peace, and let them talk. And even when I would have taken hold of my proof, the lord Chancellor bade to prison with me again; and, Away, away, said he, we have more to talk withal: if I would not be reformed, so he termed it, away, away! Then up I stood, for I had kneeled all the while.

1 "For ye shall speak into the air."

Then sir Richard Southwell, who stood by in a window, said to me, Thou wilt not burn in this gear when it comes to the purpose, I know well that.

R. Sir, I cannot tell, but I trust to my Lord God, yes3—— lifting up mine eyes unto heaven.

Then my lord of Ely told me much of the Queen's Majesty's pleasure and meaning, and set it out with large words, saying, that she took them that would not receive the bishop of Rome's supremacy, to be unworthy to have her mercy, &c. I said I would not refuse her mercy, and yet I never offended her in all my life; and that I besought her grace and all their honours to be good to me, reserving my conscience.

Several spake at once. No? said they then (a great sort of them, and specially secretary Bourn), a married priest, and have not offended the law?

I said, I had not broken the Queen's law, nor yet any point of the law of the realm therein, for I married where it was lawful.

Several at once, Where was that? said they; thinking that to be unlawful in all places.

R. In Germany. And if ye had not here in England made an open law that priests might have had wives, I would never have come home again; for I brought a wife and eight children with me; which ye might be sure that I would not have done, if the laws of the realm had not permitted it before.

Then there was a great noise, some saying, that I was come too soon with such a sort; that I should find a sour coming of it; and some one thing and some another: and one, I could not well perceive who, said, that there was never a catholic man or country that ever granted that a priest might have a wife.

I said, that the Catholic Church never denied marriage to priests, nor yet to any other man; and therewith was I going

2 In this gear, in this business. So Spenser, in the " Faerie Queene," "Thus go they both together to their gear." The more common sense of the word (from First English "gearwa," provision; "gearo," ready) is anything prepared, goods, clothing, household stuff, machinery; and in the same sense it passed less frequently, as here, to the arrangements of business.

3 Yes. Observe that the word "yes" is here used with the old restriction as following a negative proposition, otherwise throughout this passage the form is "yea," Sir Thomas More, in his "Confutation" of Tyndale's Answer to his "Dialogue," made an amusing attack on Tyndale for neglecting the distinction between use of Nay and No, and of Yea and Yes. "I would here note by the way," he said, "that Tyndale here translateth no for nay, for it is but a trifle and mistaking of the English word; saving that ye should see that he which in two so plain English words, and so common as is nay and no, cannot tell when he should take the tone and when the tother, is not for translating into English a man very meet. For the use of those two words, in answering to a question, is this: No answereth the question framed by the affirmative; as, for example, if a man' should ask Tyndale himself, 'Is an heretic meet to translate Holy Scripture into English?' Lo, to this question, if he will answer true English, he must answer no, and not nay. And a like difference is there between these two adverbs, Yea and Yes. For if the question be framed unto Tyndale by the affirmative, in this fashion: If an heretic falsely translate the New Testament into English, to make his false heresies seem the Word of God, be his books worthy to be burned?' To this question, asked in this wise, if he will answer true English, he must answer Yea, and not Yes. But now, if the question be asked of him thus, lo, by the negative: If an heretic falsely translate the New Testament into English, to make his false heresies seem the Word of God, be not his books well worthy to be burned ?' To this question, in this fashion framed, if he will answer true English, he may not answer, Yea; but he must answer Yes, and say, 'Yes, marry, be they, both the translation and the translator and all that will hold them.'"

Sort, company. A word often used in the sense of a collection of people. So in Marlowe's "Edward II.," Young Mortimer asks the king, "Who loves thee but a sort of flatterers?"

out of the chamber, the sergeant who brought me thither having me by the arm.

Then the bishop of Worcester turned his face towards me, and said that I wist not where that church was or is.

I said, yes, that I could tell where it was-but there with went the sergeant with me out of the door.

This was the very true effect of all that was spoken unto me, and of all that I answered thereunto.

And here would I gladly make a more perfect answer to all the former objections, as also a due proof of that which I had taken in hand; but at this present I was informed that I should to-morrow come to further answer. Wherefore I am compelled to leave out that which I would most gladly have done, desiring here the hearty and unfeigned help of the prayers of all Christ's true members, the true sons of the unfeigned Catholic Church, that the Lord God of all consolation will now be my comfort, aid, strength, buckler, and shield; as also of all my brethren that are in the same case and distress, that I and they all may despise all manner of threats and cruelty, and even the bitter burning fire, and the dreadful dart of death, and stick like true soldiers to our dear and loving captain, Christ, our only Redeemer and Saviour, and also the true head of the Church; that doeth all in us all, which is the very property of a head, and is a thing that all the bishops of Rome cannot do; and that we do not traitorously run out of his tents, or rather out of the plain field from him, into the most jeopardy of the battle; but that we may persevere in the fight, if he will not otherwise deliver us, till we be most cruelly slain of his enemies. For this I most heartily, and at this present with weeping tears, most instantly and earnestly desire, and beseech you all to pray; and also, if I die, to be good to my poor and most honest wife, being a poor stranger, and all my little souls, hers and my children; whom with all the whole faithful and true catholic congregation of Christ, the Lord of life and death, save, keep, and defend in all the troubles and assaults of this vain world, and bring at the last to everlasting salvation, the true and sure inheritance of all crossed Christians. Amen. Amen. The 27th day of January, at night.

JOHN ROGERS.

THE SECOND CONFESSION OF JOHN ROGERS, Made, and that should have been made, if I might have been heard, the 28th and 29th days of January, 1555. First, Being asked again by the lord Chancellor, Whether I would come into one church with the bishops and whole realm, as now was concluded by parliament, in the which all the realm was converted to the Catholic Church of Rome, and so receive the mercy before proffered me, arising again with the whole realm out of the schism and error in which we had long been, with recantation of my errors-I answered, that before I could not tell what his mercy meant, but now I understand that it was a mercy of the Antichristian Church of Rome, which I utterly refused, and that the rising, which he spake of, was a very fall into error, and false doctrine. Also that I had and would be able, by God's grace, to prove that all the doctrine which I had ever taught was true and catholic, and that by the Scriptures, and the authority of the fathers who lived four hundred years after Christ's death. He answered, that should not, might not, and ought not to be granted me: for I was but a private man, and might not be heard against the determination of the whole realm. Should, quoth he, when a parliament hath concluded a thing, one or any private person have authority to discuss, whether they have done right or wrong? No, that may not be.

I answered shortly, that all the laws of men might not, neither could, rule the Word of God; but that they all must be discussed and judged thereby, and obey thereunto; and neither my conscience, nor any Christian man's, could be satisfied with such laws as disagreed from that Word. And so was willing to have said much more, but the lord Chancellor began a long tale to very small purpose, concerning mine answer, to have debased me, that there was nothing in me wherefore I should be heard, but arrogancy, pride, and vainglory. I also granted mine ignorance to be greater than I could express, or than he took it; but yet that I feared not, by God's assistance and strength, to be able by writing to perform my word; neither was I, I thanked God, so utterly ignorant as he would make me, but all was of God, to whom be thanks rendered therefore; proud man was I never, nor yet vain-glorious. All the world knew well, where and on what side, pride, arrogancy, and vain-glory was. It was a poor pride that was or is in us, God knoweth it.

Then he said, that I at the first dash condemned the Queen and the whole realm to be of the church of Antichrist, and he burdened me highly therewithal. I answered, that the Queen's Majesty, God save her grace, would have done well enough, if it had not been for his counsel. He said, the Queen went before him, and it was her own motion. I said without fail, I neither could, nor would I ever believe it.

Then said doctor Aldrich, the bishop of Carlisle, that they the bishops would bear them witness. Yea, quoth I, that I believe well; and with that the people laughed: for that day there were many, but on the morrow they kept the doors shut, and would let none in but the bishops' adherents, and servants in a manner, yea, and the first day the thousandth man came not in. Then master Comptroller and secretary Bourn would have stood up also to bear witness and did so. I said it was no great matter; and to say the truth, I thought that they were good helpers thereto themselves; but I ceased to say any more therein, knowing that they were too strong and mighty of power, and that they would be believed before me, yea, and before our Saviour Christ, and all his prophets, and apostles too, in these days.

Then after many words he asked me what I thought concerning the blessed sacrament, and stood up, and put off his cap, and all his fellow-bishops, of which there were a great sort, new men, of whom I knew few, whether I believed the sacrament to be the very body and blood of our Saviour Christ, that was born of the Virgin Mary, and hanged on the cross, really and substantially.

I answered, I had often told him that it was a matter in which I was no meddler, and therefore was suspected of my brethren to be of a contrary opinion. Notwithstanding, even as the most part of your doctrine in other parts is false, and the defence thereof only by force and cruelty: so in this matter I think it to be as false as the rest. For I cannot understand, "really and substantially," to signify otherwise than corporeally; but corporeally Christ is only in heaven, and so cannot Christ be corporeally also in your sacrament. And here I somewhat set out his charity after this sort. My lord, quoth I, ye have dealt with me most cruelly; for ye have put me in prison without law, and kept me there now almost a year and a half: for I was almost half a year in my house, where I was obedient to you, God knows, and spake with no man. And now have I been a full year in Newgate, at great cost and charges, having a wife and ten children to find, and I had never a penny of my livings; which was against the law.

He answered, that Dr. Ridley, who had given them me,

1 Sort, company.

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