concerning the good Lord Cobham: resorted vnto them the 12. Inquisitors of heresies (whom they had appoynted at Oxford the yeare afore, to searche out heretickes, wyth all Wickleffes bookes) who brought 200. and 46. conclusions, which they had collected as heresies out of the sayd bookes. The names of the sayd Inquisitors were these.
- 1. Iohn Witnam, a maister in the now Colledge.
- 2. Iohn Langedon, Monke of Christ church in Cant.
- 3. William Vfford, regent of the Carmelites.
- 4. Thomas Claxton, regent of the Dominickes.
- 5. Robert Gilbert.
- 6. Richard Earthisdale.
- 7. Iohn Lucke
- 8. Richard Snedisham.
- 9. Richard Flemming.
- 10. Thomas Rotborne.
- 11. Robert Ronbery.
- 12. Richard Grafdale.
These things thus done, & the Articles being brought in: further they proceded in their communication, conclu∣ding among themselues, that it was not possible for them to make whole Christes coat wtout seame (meaning therby their patched Popish synagoge) vnlesse certaine great men were brought out of the way which seemed to be the chiefe maintainers of the sayde Disciples of Wickleffe. Among whō thys noble knight sir Iohn Didcastle the Lord Cob∣ham, was complained of by the generall proctors to be the chiefe principall. Him they accused first for a mighty main∣tainer of suspected preachers in the dioces of London, Ro∣chester, and Hereford, contrary to the mindes of their ordi∣naries. Not only they affirmed him to haue sēt thether the saide preachers, but also to haue assisted them there by force of armes, notwithstanding their Synodall constitution made afore to the contrary. Last of al, they accused him, that he was farre otherwise in beliefe of the sacrament of the al∣tar of penaunce, of pilgrimage, of image worshipping, and of the Ecclesiastical power, then the holy Church of Rome had taught many yeares before.
In the ende it was concluded among them, that wtout any further delay, processe shoulde be awarded out against him, as against a most pernitious hereticke.
Some of that felowship which were of more crafty ex∣perience then the other: thought it not best to haue yt mat∣ter so rashly handled, but by some preparation made ther∣unto before. Considering the sayde Lorde Cobham was a man of great birth, and in fauour at that time with the K. their counsaile was to know first the kings minde, to saue all things vpright. This counsaile was well accepted, and thereupon the Archbyshop thomas Arundell wyth hys other bishops, and a great part of ye clergye, went straight waies vnto the king, then remaining at Keningston. And there laid forth most greuous complaints against the sayd Lorde Cobham, to his great infamy and blemish, being a man right godly. The king gently heard those bloud thir∣sty Prelates, and farre otherwise then became his princely dignitie: notwythstanding requiring, and instantly desi∣ring them, that in respect of hys noble stocke and knight∣hode, they should yet fauourably deale with him. And that they would if it were possible, without all rigor or extreme handling, reduce him againe to the Churches vnitie. Hee promised them also, that in case they were contented to take some deliberation, hys selfe would seriously common the matter wyth him.
Anone after, the king sent for the saide Lorde Cobham. And as he was come, he called him secretely, admonishing him betwixt him and him, to submit himself to his mother the holy church, and as an obedient child, to acknowledge himselfe culpable. Unto whome the Christen knight made this aunswer: You most worthy Prince, saith he, I am al∣waies prompt & willing to obey, for somuch as I knowe you a christen king, & the appoynted minister of God, bea∣ring the sworde to the punishment of euil doers, & for safe∣gard of them that be vertuous. Unto you (next my eternal God) owe I my whole obedience, & submit thereunto (as I haue done euer) all that I haue, eyther of fortune or na∣ture, ready at all times to fulfil whatsoeuer ye shall in the Lord, commaund inc. But as touching the Pope and hys spiritually, I owe them neither sure nor seruice, forsomuch as I knowe him by the Scriptures to be the great Anti∣christ, the sonne of perdition, the open aduersary of God, & the abhomination standing in the holy place. When ye king had heard thys, wt such like sentences more, he would talke no longer with hym, but left him so vtterly.
And as the Archbyshop resorted againe vnto hym for an answere, he gaue him his full authority to cite him, exa∣min him, & punish him according to their deuilish decrees, which they called the lawes of holy church. Then the sayde Archb. by the counsaile of his other Byshops and Clergy, appoynted to cal before him Sir Iohn Didcastle the Lord Cobham, and to cause hym personally to appeare, to aun∣swere to such suspect Articles as they shoulde lay agaynst hym. So he sent forth hys chiefe Sommoner, wyth a very sharpe citation vnto the castle of Cowling, where as he at that time dwelt for his solace. And as the sayd Sommoner was come thether, hee durst in no case enter the gates of so noble a man wythout his licence, and therfore he returned home againe, hys message not done.
Then called the Archbish. one Iohn Butler vnto him, which was then the doore keper of the kings priuy cham∣ber: and wyth him he couenaunted through promyses and rewards, to haue this matter craftly brought to passe, vn∣der the kings name. Whereuppon, the sayde Iohn Butler tooke the Archbyshops Somner with him, and went vnto the saide Lord Cobham: shewing him, yt it was the kings pleasure that he should obey that citation, and so cited him fraudulently. Then saide he to them in few words, that he in no case would consent to those most deuilish practises of the Priestes. As they had informed the Archbyshop of that aunswere, and that it was for no man priuately to cite him after that, without pearil of life: he decreed by & by to haue him cited by publique processe or open cōmandement. And in all the hast possible, vpon the Wednesday before the Na∣tiuity of our Lady in September: he commaunded letters citatorir, to be set vppon the great gates of the Cathedrall church of Rochester (whych was but 3. English miles frō thence) charging hym to appeare personally before him at Ledis the 11. day of the same moneth and yeare, all excuses to the contrary set apart. Those letters were taken down anone after, by such as bare fauor vnto the Lord Cobham and so conueyed aside. After that caused the Archbish. new letters to be set vp on the natiuity day of our Lady, whych also were rent downe and vtterly consumed.
Then for somuch as he dyd not appeare at the day ap∣poynted at Ledys (where her sate in Consistorie, as cruell as euer was Cayphas, with his court of hypocrites about him) he iudged him, denounced him, and condemned him, of most depe contumacy. After that, whē he had bene falsly informed by his hired spies, and other glosing glauerers: that the sayd Lord Cobh. had laughed him to scorn, disdai∣ned al his doings, maintained his old opinions, contem∣ned the churches power, the dignity of a Bishop, & the or∣der of priesthood (for all these was he than accused of) in his mody madnes wtout iust profe, did he openly excommuni∣cate him. Yet was not withal this, his fierce tiranny satis∣fied: but commanded him to be cited a fresh, to appeare a∣fore him the Saterday before the feast of S. Mathewe the Apostle, wt these cruel threatnings added thereunto: that if he did not obey at the day, he wold more extremely handle him. And to make himselfe more strong towardes the per∣formāce thereof, he compelled the lay power by most terri∣ble manasings of curses and interdictions: to assist hym a∣gainst that seditious apostata, schismaticke, and hereticke, the troubler of the publike peace, that enemy of the realme and great aduersary of all holy Church, for al these hateful names did he geue him.
Thys most constant seruant of the Lorde and worthy Knight sir Iohn Didcastle, the Lorde Cobham, beholding the vnpeaceable furie of Antichrist, thus kindled agaynst him: perceiuing himself also compassed on euery side wyth deadly daungers: He tooke paper and pen in hand, and so wrote a Christen cōfession or rekening of his faith (whych followeth heereafter) both signing and sealing it wyth his owne hand. Wherein he also answered to the 4. chiefest ar∣ticles that the Archbyshop laid against him. That done, he tooke the copie with him, and went therewith to the king, trusting to finde mercy & fauour at his hande. None other was yt confession of his, then the common beleue or summe of the Churches faith, called the Apostles Creede, of all Christen men than vsed, with a brief declaration vpon the same, as here vnder ensueth.