Appendix V: 1535, Proceedings against Ralph Clerke, of Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, for speaking against Transubstantiation.
* From bishop John Longland's Register of Memoranda, at Lincoln, lf. 267. Henry VIII's keen personal interest in the great dogmatic controversy of the age, combined with his tyrannical temper, spurred him on to extreme measures against all critics of the doctrine of Transubstantiation. All such were heretics, felons, rebels, to be dealt with without mercy or remorse. The statute against heretics, here referred to, was passed in 1534 (25 Henr. VIII, cap. 14).
The proceedings here instituted belong to the king's court. Possibly the copying of this writ into the Episcopal Register is to be explained by the contumely directed by this sartorial controversialist upon the bishop and his sermon.
[Latin Text of Indictment, containing the English words
complained of.]
Indictamentum Radulphi Clerke
alias Tailour pro heresi.
Inquiratur pro domino Rege quod, cum Johannes, Lincolniensis Episcopus, apud paruam Messyndene in comitatu predicto, in ecclesia parrochiali sancti Johannis baptiste de parua messyndene predicta, xviijo die nouembris Anno Regni Regis Henrici octaui xxvijmo existens, euangelium depredicans in presentia multorum christianorum, Idemque episcopus, inter alia, predicando aperte publicauit narrauit et declarauit dictis christianis ibidem existentibus quod sacramentum altaris verum corpus et sanguis domini nostri Jhesu christi est et erat;
Et vlterius predictus episcopus, in fine predicationis sue predicte, dicebat eijsdem christianis hec verba sequentia —
Rogo vos omnes orare pro me et ego orabo pro vobis;
Page 254si Radulphus Clerke, nuper de Risboroghe principis in comitatu Buckinghamie, taylour, alias dictus Radulphus Tailour nuper de Risborogh principis in comitatu Buck., Tailour, apud paruam messyndene predictam in comitatu predicto, in predicta ecclesia de parua Messendene, dictis die et anno, adtunc et ibidem existens, eundem sermonem et predicacionem audiendus, vt falsus hereticus ac felo dicti domini regis, apud paruam messyndene predictam in comitatu predicto, dictis die et anno, heretice ac felonice, publice et pertinaciter publicauit monstrauit et dixit cuidam Johanni Daubeney hec verba sequentia in anglicis verbis —
The dewell pray for hym, ffor I will nott. Here, Dawbeney, what a cloke he maketh. He saithe that the sac[r]ament of the aultar is the ffleshe and bloode of god, and itt is not soo. Itt is butt wyne. Nowe thou mayste here what a crafty knave he is. Looke here, Dawbeney, vpone my booke, and I shall shewe the veraye truthe thereof —
contra fidem catholicam ac in christianorum fidei detrimentum, necnon in exemplum perniciosissimum christianorum et ligeorum domini Regis, ac contra formam diuersorum statutorum nuper editorum et prouisorum, necnon contra pacem domini Regis nunc.
Additional Note.
To Canon Foster's continued kindness, are due the knowledge of, and transcription of, eight additional documents of value, which add much to the present volume. I have here brought in these, with reference numbers following on the previous five additional documents, but in their own sequence of dates.
They are:
- VI: 7 Nov., 1485, English text of an Act of Parliament by which Bishops were empowered to imprison criminous clerics.
- VII: 9 March, 1485-6, contract for the rebuilding of the bridge at Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire.
- VIII: 4 February, 1487-8, Latin will of John Goodwin, of Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, with English codicil, 16 March, 1487-8.
- IX: 26 Nov., 1499, reluctant acceptance by the Abbot ofPage 255 Peterborough of a Commission from the Bishop of Lincoln requiring the Abbot to convey criminous clerics from Peterborough prison to one or other of the prisons of the Bishop.
- X: 25 March, 1517, will of Robert Hardy of Lyddington, Rutlandshire.
- XI: 20 August, 1517, will of John Symmys, of Ridlington, Rutlandshire.
- XII: 4 March, 1517-8, lease of grazing and other rights in the Bishop of Lincoln's manor at Stow, Lincolnshire.
- XIII: 30 September, 1518, will of Richard Hawardyn, of Sherington, Buckinghamshire.
