Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

Nicholas Canon of Eye.

* 1.1NOw to proceed in our story of Norfolke and Suffolk in folowing the order of yeres, we finde that in y^e yere of our Lord. 1431. One Nich. Canon of Eye was brought before the Bishop of Norwich for suspicion of heresy, with certayne witnesses sworne to depose against him touching his maners and conuersatiō, which witnesses appointing one William Christopher to speak in the name of them all, he deposed in maner and forme folowing.

First that on Easter day when all the parishners wēt about the church of Eye solemnely in processiō as y^e maner was, the sayd Nicholas Canon as it were mocking & de∣ciding the other parishioners, went about the Church the contrary way, and met the procession.

* 1.2This article he confessed and affirmed that he thought he did well in so doing.

Item, the sayd Nicholas asked of maister Iohn Col∣man of Eye, this question. Maister Colman, what think you of the Sacrament of the aulter? To whome the sayde Colman aunswered: Nicholas, I thinke that the Sacra∣mēt of the aultar is very God and very man, the very flesh and very bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ vnder forme of bread and wine. Vnto whom Nicholas in decision sayde: Truly if the Sacrament of the aultar be very God & very man, and the very body & bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ: then may very God and very man be put in a small roome: as when it is in the priests mouth, that receiueth it at mas. And why may not we simple men, as well eate flesh vpon Fridayes and al other prohibited dayes,* 1.3 as the priest to eat the flesh and the bloud of our Lord euery day indifferētly: The which article, the sayd Nicholas denied that he spake vnto Maister Colman, but vnto a Monke of Hockesney, And furthermore, he thought he had spoken well in that behalfe.

Item that on Corpus Christi day at the eleuation of high masse, when all the parishioners & other straungers knee∣led downe holding vp their handes, and doing reuerence vnto the sacrament, the sayd Nicholas went behinde a pil∣ler of the church, and turning his face from the high aulter, mocked them that did reuerence vnto the sacrament.

This article he also acknowledging, affirmed that he beleued himselfe to do well in so doing.

Item, when his mother would haue the said Nicholas to lift vp his right hand, and to crosse himselfe frō y^e craftes and assaults of the deuill, forsomuch as he deferred the do∣ing therof, his mother tooke vp his right hād & crossed him saying: In nomine patris filij, & spiritus sacti. Amen. Which so ended, the sayde Nicholas immediately deciding hys mo∣thers blessing, tooke vp his right hand of his owne accord, and blessed him otherwise, as his aduersaryes reporte of him. This Article the sayde Nicholas acknowledged to be true.

Item, that vpon Alhallowen day in the time of eleuati¦on of high masse, when as many of the parishioners of E••e lighted many torches and caried thē vp to the high aultar kneling down there in reuerence and honor of the Sacra∣ment, the sayd Nicholas carying a torche, went vp hard to the high aultar, and standing behind the priestes backe say∣ing masse,* 1.4 at the time of the eleuation he stood vpright vpō his feet, turning his back to the priest, and his face toward the people, and would do no reuerence vnto y^e sacrament. This article he acknowledged, affirming that he thought he had done well in y^t behalfe. All which Articles the By∣shops cōmissary caused to be copied out word for worde, & to be sēt vnto M. William Worsted, Prior of the cathedrall church of Norwich, and to other doctors of diuinity of the order of begging Friers, that they might deliberate vpon them, and shew their mindes betwene that and Thursday next folowing. Vpon whiche Thursdaye being the last of Nouember, the yeare aforesayd, the sayd Nicholas was a∣gayne examined before M. Barnam and diuers other vpō two other articles which he had confessed vnto I. Exetor notary,* 1.5 & Tho. Bernsten bacheler of diuinity and others. Whereof the first Article was this: that the sayd Nicholas Canon being of perfect minde and remembrance, confessed that he doubled whether in the Sacrament of the aulter, were the very body of Christ or no. This article he confes∣sed before the Commissary to be true.

Item,* 1.6 that he beyng of perfecte minde and remem∣braunce, beleued that a man ought not to cōfesse his sinnes to a Priest. This Article he also confessed that he doubted vpon.

Now remayneth to declare what these doctors afore∣sayd concluded vpon the articles: whose aunswere vnto the same was this.

First of all as touching the first article,* 1.7 they sayde that the article in the same termes as it was propoūded, is not simply an heresy but an error.

Item, as touching the second article, the doctors agree as in the first.

Item, as touching the third Article, they affirme that it is an heresy.

Vnto the fourth Article they aunswered as vnto the first and second.

Item,* 1.8 the doctors affirme the 5. article to be an heresy.

Item, as touching the 6. Article, the doctors conclude that if the sayd Nicholas being of perfect mind and remē∣brance, did doubt whether the sacrament of the aulter were the very perfect body of Christ or no, then that Article is simply an heresy.

Wherupon the sayd Commissary declared & pronoun∣ced the sayd Nicholas Canon vpō the determinatiō of the foresaid doctors, to be an heretick: and therupon forced the sayd Nicholas to abiure all the sayd Articles. That done, he enioined the sayd Nicholas penance for his offēces, thre displinges about the cloyster of the Cathedrall Churche of Norwich, before a solemne procession, bare headed & bare∣foote, carying a Taper of halfe a pound in his hand, going after the maner aforesayd,* 1.9 like a mere penitētiary: y^e which his penance, the iudge commaunded should be respited vn¦till the comming of the Bishop into his dioces, and that in the meane time he should be kept in prison, to the end that he should not infect the flock with his venune and poyson of errors and heresyes.

Thus haue we briefly discoursed vnto you, the greate troubles and afflictions, which happened in Norfolke and Suffolke by the space of those 4. yeares before mentioned, hauing drawen out briefly for euery yere, certayne notable examples, sufficient for the declaration of all the rest, for so much as their opinions being nothing different, theyr pe∣naunce and punishment did also nothing differ, otherwise then by those particuler examples may be playnely seene.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nicholas Canō of Eye. Anno. 1431.
• * 1.2

  Depositions.
• * 1.3

  If the Sacramēt be very fleshe, then the priests eat fleshe on Friday.
• * 1.4

  Nicholas Canon tur∣ned his backe to the sacra∣ment.
• * 1.5

  An other ex¦amination of Nicholas Canon.
• * 1.6

  Articles ob∣iected.
• * 1.7

  The iudge∣ment of the Prior and doctors vp∣on his ar∣ticles.
• * 1.8

  An heresie to doubt whether the sacra∣ment be the perfect body of Christ or no. Nicholas Canon de∣clared an hereticke.
• * 1.9

  Penance en∣ioyned to Nicholas Canon.