Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 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.

The history of D. Rouland Taylour, which suffered for the truth of Gods word, vnder the tyranny of the Romayne Byshop .1555. the 9. day of February.

THe towne of Hadley was one of the first that receaued the worde of God in all Englande at the preachinge of M. Thomas Bilney: By whose industrye the Gospell of Christ had such gracious successe, and took such root there, that a great number of that parishe became exceeding wel learned in the holye scriptures, as well women as men: so that a man might haue found among them many that had often read the whole Bible through, and that coulde haue sayt•• a great part of S. Paules epistles by hart, and very wel & readily haue geuen a godly learned sentence in any matter of controuersie. Their children and seruantes were also brought vp and trayned so dilligently in y^e right knowledge of Gods worde, that the whole towne seemed rather an Uniuersitie of y^e learned, then a town of Cloth∣making or labouring people: And that most is to be com∣mended, they were for the more part faythfull followers of Gods word in their liuing.

In this towne was D. Rouland Taylor, Doctour in both the Ciuill and Canon lawes, and a right perfect Di∣uine, parson. Who at his first entring into his benefice, did not, as the common sort of beneficed mē do, let out his be∣nefice to a Farmar, that should gather vp the profites, and set in an ignoraunt vnlearned Priest to serue the Cure, & so they may haue the fleece, litle or nothing care for feeding the flocke: But contrarily he forsooke the Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Cranmer, with whome he before was in housholde, and made hys personal abode and dwelling in Hadley among y^e people cōmitted to his charge. Where he as a good shepheard, abiding and dwelling among has sheepe, gaue himself wholly to the study of holy scriptures most faythfull endeuouring himselfe to fulfill that charge, which the Lord gaue vnto Peter, saying, Peter louest thou

me? Feede my Lambes, Feede my sheepe, Feede my sheepe. This loue of Christ so wrought in him, that no Sonday nor ho∣ly day passed, nor other time when he might get the people together, but he preached to them the worde of God, the doctrine of their saluation.

Not onely was his worde a preaching vnto them, but all his lyfe and conuersation was an example of vnfayned christian life, and true holynes. He was voyde of all pride, humble, and meeke as any childe: so that none were so poore, but they might boldly as vnto their father, resorte vnto him, neither was his lowlines childish or fearefull, but as occasion, time and place required, he would be stout in rebuking the sinfull and euill doers, so that none was so rich but he would tell him playnely his fault, with such earnest and graue rebukes as became a good Curate and Pastor. He was a man very milde, voyde of all rancour, grudge or euill will, ready to do good to all men, readely forgeuing his enemies, and neuer sought to do euil to any.

To the poore that were blinde, lame, sicke, bedred, or that had many childrē, he was a very Father, a carefull pa∣trone, and diligent prouider, in so much that he caused the parishioners to make a generall prouision for thē: and he himselfe (beside the continuall reliefe that they alwayes found at his house) gaue an honest portion yearely, to the common almes boxe. His wife also was an honest, dis∣crete, and sober matrone, and his children well nourtred, brought vp in the feare of God and good learning.

To conclude, he was a right and liuely image or paterne of all those vertuous qualities described by S. Paule in a true Byshop, a good salt of the earth sauourly biting the corrupt maners of euill men, a light in Gods house set vpō a Candlesticke for all good men to imitate and folow.

Thus continued this good Shepeheard among hys flocke, gouerning and leading them through this wilder∣nes of the wicked world, all the dayes of the most innocent and holy King of blessed memory, Edward the vj. But af∣ter it pleased God to take King Edward from this vale of misery vnto his most blessed rest, the Papistes, who euer sembled and dissembled, both with King Henry the eight, and king Edward his sonne, now seing the time conueni∣ent for their purpose, vttered their false hypocrisie, openly refusing all good reformation made by the sayd two most godly Kings, and contrary to that, they had all these two Kings dayes preached, taught, written, and sworne, they violently ouerthrew the true doctrine of the Gospell, and persecuted with sword and fire all those that would not a∣gree to receaue againe the Romaine Byshop as supreme head of the vniuersall Church, and allow all the errours, superstitions, and idolatries, that before by Gods worde were disproued and iustly condemned, as though nowe they were good doctrine, vertuous, and true Religion.

In the beginning of this rage of Antichrist, a certayne Petigentleman after the sort of a Lawyer, called Foster, being Steward and keeper of Courtes, a man of no great skil, but a bitter persecutour in those daies, with one Iohn Clerke of Hadley, which Foster had euer bene a secrete fa∣uourer of all Romish Idolatry, cōspired w^t the said Clerke to bring in the Pope & his maumentry againe into Hadley Church. For as yet Doct. Taylour, as a good shepheard, had retained and kept in his Church, the godly Churchser∣uice and reformation made by king Edward, & most faith∣fully and earnestly preached against the popish corrupti∣ons, which had infected the whole countrey round about.

Therefore the foresayde Foster and Clerke hyred one Iohn Auerth, Person of Aldam, a very money Mammo∣nist, a blinde leader of the blinde, a Popish Idolatour, and an open Aduouterer and whoremonger, a very fit Mini∣ster for their purpose, to come to Hadley, and there to geue the onset to begin againe the Popish Masse.

To this purpose they builded vp with all haste possible the aultar, entending to bring in their Masse agayn, about the Palme Monday. But this their deuise tooke none ef∣fect: for in the night the aultar was beaten down. Where∣fore they built it vp againe the second time, and layde dili∣gent watch, least any should againe breake it downe.

On the day following came Foster and Iohn Clerke, bringing with them their Popish Sacrificer, who brought with him all his implements and garmentes, to play his Popish Pageant, whome they and their men garded with swords and buklers, least any man should disturbe him in his Missall Sacrfice.

When Doctour Taylour, who (according to hys cu∣stome) sate at his booke studying y^e word of God, heard the bels ring, he arose and went into the Churche, supposing some thing had bene there to be done, according to his Pa∣storall office: and comming to the Churche, he founde the Church dores shut and fast barred, sauing the Chauncell dore, which was onely latched: Where he entring in, and comming into the Chauncell, saw a Popishe Sacrificer in his robes, with a broad new shauen crown, ready to begin his Popish sacrifice, beset roūd about with drawne swords and bucklers, lest any mā should approch to disturbe him.

Then said Doctour Taylour: Thou Deuill, who made thee so bold to enter into this church of Christ, to prophane and defile it with this abhominable Idolatry? Wyth that start vp Foster, and with an irefull and furious counte∣naunce, sayd to Doctour Taylour: thou Traytour, what doest thou heere, to let and disturbe the Queenes procee∣dings? Doctour Taylour aunswered: I am no traytour, but I am the shepheard that God & my Lord Christ hath appointed to feed this his flocke: wherfore I haue good au∣thoritie to be here: & I command thee, thou popish Wolfe, in the name of God to auoyd hēce, and not to presume here with such a Popish Idolatry, to poyson Christes flocke.

Then said Foster: wilt thou traytourly hereticke make a commotion, & resist violently the Queenes proceedings.

Doctour Taylour answered: I make no cōmotion, but it is you Papistes that maketh commotions and tumults. I resist onely with Gods word, agaynst your Popish I∣dolatries, which are against Gods word, y^e Queenes ho∣nor, & tend to y^e vtter subuersiō of this realme of England. And further thou doest against the Canon law, which cō∣mandeth that no Masse be said, but at a consecrate aultar.

When the Parson of Aldam heard that, hee began to shrinke backe, & would haue left his saying of Masse. Thē start vp Iohn Clerke, and said: M. Auerth, be not afrayd, ye haue a Superaltare. Go forth with your busines man.

Then Foster with his armed mē, tooke Doctour Tay∣lour, and led him with strong hand out of the Church, and the Popish Prelate proceeded in his Romishe Idolatry. Doct. Taylours wife, who folowed her husband into the Church, when she saw her husband thus violently thrust out of his Church, she kneeled downe, & held vp her hāds, and with loude voyce sayd: I beseeche God the righteous Iudge to auenge this iniury, that this Popish Idolatour this day doth to the bloud of Christ. Then they thrust her out of the Church also, and shut to the dores: for they fea∣red that the people woulde haue rent their Sacrificer in peeces. Notwithstāding, one or two threw in great stones at the windowes, and missed very little the popish masser.

Thus you see how without consente of the people, the Popishe Masse was agayne set vp, wyth battayle aray, with swordes and buckelers, with violence and tyranny: which practise the Papistes haue euer yet vsed. As for rea∣son, lawe, or Scripture, they haue none on their parte. Therefore they are the same that saith: The law of vnrighte∣ousnes is our strength: Come, let vs oppresse the righteous with∣out any feare, &c.

Within a day or two after, with all haste possible, this Foster and Clerke made a complaint of Doctour Tay∣lour, by a letter written to Steuen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester, and Lord Chauncellour.

When the Byshop heard this, he sent a letter missiue to Doct. Taylour, commaunding him within certaine daies, to come and to appeare before him vpon his allegiance, to aunswere such complayntes as were made against him.

When Doctour Taylours frends heard of thys, they were exceeding sory and agreeued in minde: which then foreseing to what end the same matter would come, seeing also all truth and iustice were troden vnder foote, and false∣hode with cruell tyranny were set aloft and ruled all the whole route: his frendes I say came to him, and earnest∣ly counselled him to departe and flye, alledging and decla∣ring vnto him, that he could neyther be indifferently heard to speake his conscience and mind, nor yet looke for iustice or fauour at the sayd Chauncellours handes, who as it was well knowne, was most fierce and cruell: but must needes (if he went vp to him) wayte for imprisonment and cruell death at his hands.

Then sayd D. Taylour to his frends: Deare frendes, I most hartely thanke you, for that ye haue so tender a care ouer me. And although I knowe, that there is neither iu∣stice nor truth to be looked for at my aduersaries handes, but rather imprisonment and cruell death: yet know I my cause to be so good and righteous, and the truth so strong vpon my side, that I will by Gods grace go and appeare before them and to their beardes resist their false doings.

Then sayd his frendes: M. Doctour, we thinke it not best so to do. You haue sufficiētly done your duety, and te∣stified the truth, both by your godly Sermons, and also in resisting the Parson of Aldam, with other that came hy∣therto bring in againe the popish Masse. And for as much as our Sauiour Christ willeth and biddeth vs, that when they persecute vs in one City, we should flie into another: we thinke in flying at this time ye should do best, keeping your selfe against another time whē the Church shall haue

great neede of such diligent teachers, and godly Pastors.

Oh (quoth Doct. Taylour) what will ye haue me to do? I am now olde, and haue already liued too long to see these terrible and most wicked dayes. Flye you, and do as your conscience leadeth you. I am fully determined (with Gods grace) to go to the Bishop, & to his beard to tell him that he doth nought, God shall well hereafter raise vp teachers of his people, whiche shall with much more diligence and fruite teach them, then I haue done. For God will not for∣sake his Church, though now for a time he trieth and cor∣recteth vs, and not without a iust cause.

As for me, I beleeue before God, I shall neuer be able to do God so good seruice, as I may do now: nor I shall neuer haue so glorious a calling, as I now haue, nor so great mercy of God profered me, as is now at this pre∣sent. For what Christian man woulde not gladly dye a∣gainst the Pope and his adherents? I know that the Pa∣pacie is the kingdome of Antichrist, altogether full of lyes, altogether full of falsehode: so that all their doctrine, euen from Christes Crosse be my speede and S. Nicholas, vnto the end of their Apocalyps, is nothing but Idolatry, su∣perstition, errours, hypocrisie and lyes.

Wherefore I beseech you, and all other my frendes, to pray for me, & I doubt not, but God will geue me strēgth and his holy spirit, y^t all mine aduersaries shal haue shame of their doings.

When his frends saw him so constaunt, and fully deter∣mined to go, they with weeping eyes commended him vnto God: and he within a day or two prepared himselfe to his iourney, leauing his cure with a godly olde Priest, named Syr Richard Yeoman, who afterward for Gods truth was burnt at Norwich.

There was also in Hadley one Alcocke, a very godly man, well learned in the holy Scriptures, who (after Sir Richard Yeoman was driuen away) vsed dayly to reade a chapter, and to say the English Letany in Hadley Church. But him they fet vp to London, and cast him in prison in Newgate: where after a yeare imprisonment, he died.

But let vs returne to Doctour Taylour agayne, who being accompanied with a seruaunt of his owne, named Iohn Hull, tooke his iourney towardes London. By the way this Iohn Hull laboured to counsell and perswade him very earnestly to flie, and not to come to the Byshop, and profered himselfe to go with him to serue him, and in all perils to venter his li••e for him, and with him.

But in no wise would Doctour Taylour consent or a∣gree thereunto, but sayd: Oh Iohn, shall I geue place to this thy counsell & worldly perswasion, and leaue my flock in this daunger? Remember the good shepeheard Christ, whiche not alonely fed his flocke, but also died for hys flocke. Him must I follow, and with Gods grace will do.

Therefore good Iohn pray for me: and if thou seest me weake at any time, comfort me, and discourage me not in this my godly enterprise and purpose. Thus they came vp to London, and shortly after Doctour Taylour presented himselfe to the Bishop of Winchester Steuen Gardiner, then Lord Chauncellour of England.

For this hath bene one great abuse in Englande these many yeares, that such offices as haue ben of most impor∣tance and waight, haue commonly bene committed to Bi∣shops and other spirituall men, whereby three diuelish mischiefes and inconueniences haue happened in this Realme, to the great dishonour of God, and vtter negle∣cting of the flocke of Christ: the which three be these.

First, they haue had small leysure to attende to theyr pastorall cures, which thereby haue bene vtterly neglected and left vndone.

Secondly, it hath also puft vp many Byshops and o∣ther spirituall persons into such hautines and pryde, that they haue thought no noble man in the Realme worthy to be their equall and fellow.

Thirdly, where they by this meanes knew the very se∣cretes of Princes, they being in such high offices, haue cau∣sed the same to be knowne in Rome, afore the kings could accomplish and bring their ententes to passe in England. By this meanes hath the Papacy bene so maintained, and things ordered after their wils and pleasures, that much mischiefe hath happened in this Realme and others, some∣time to the destruction of Princes, and sometime to the vt∣ter vndoing of many common wealthes.

Now when Gardiner saw Doctour Taylour, he accor∣ding to his common custome, all ••o reuiled him, calling him knaue, Traytor, hereticke, with many other villa∣nous reproches: which all Doctour Taylour heard pati∣ently, and at the last sayd vnto him:

My Lord (quoth he) I am neither Traytour nor here∣ticke, but a true subiect, and a faithfull Christian man, and am come according to your cōmandement, to know what is the cause that your Lordship hath sent for me.

Then sayde the Bishop, art thou come, thou villaine? How darest thou looke me in the face for shame? Knowest thou not who I am?

Yes (quoth Doctor Taylor) I knowe who yee are. Ye are Doctor Steuen Gardinar Bishop of Winchester, and Lord Chauncellour, & yet but a mortall man I trow. But if I shoulde be afrayde of your Lordly lookes, why feare you not God, the Lord of vs all? Howe dare yee for shame looke any Christian man in the face, seeing ye haue forsaken the trueth, denyed our sauioure Christ and hys word, & done contrary to your own othe & writing? With what countenaunce wil ye appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ, and aunswere to your othe made, first vnto that blessed king Henry 8. of famous memorye, and after∣ward vnto that blessed king Edward the 6. his sonne?

The bishop answered: Tush, tush, that was Herodes othe, vnlawfull, and therfore worthy to be broken. I haue done well in breaking it: and (I thanke God) I am come home agayne to our mother to the Catholicke Churche of Rome, and so I would thou shouldest doe.

Doctor Taylor answered: Should I forsake y^e Church of Christ, which is founded vppon the true foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes, to approue those lyes: er∣roures, superstitions and Idolatries, that the Popes and their company at this day so blasphemously do approoue? Nay God forbid.

Let the pope and his returne to our sauioure Christ, and his word, and thrust out of the Churches such abho∣minable Idolatries as he maintayneth, and then wil chri∣sten men turne vnto him. You wrote truely agaynst hym, and were sworne agaynst him.

I tell thee (quoth the Bishop of Winchester) it was Herodes oth, vnlawfull, and therfore ought to be broken and not kept, and our holy father the Pope hath dischar∣ged me of it.

Then sayd D. Taylor: but you shall not so be dischar∣ged before Christ, who doubtles will require it at youre handes, as a lawfull othe made to your liege & soueraigne Lorde the king, from whose obedience no man can assoyle you, neither the Pope nor none of his.

I see (quoth the Bishop) thou art an arrogant knaue, and a very foole.

My Lord (quoth Doctor Taylor) leaue your vnseem∣ly rayling at me, which is not seemely for such a one in au∣thoritie as you are. For I am a Christian man, and you know that He that sayeth to his brother Racha, is in daunger of a Counsell, and he that sayth thou foole, is in daunger of hel fire.

The Bishop answered, ye are all false, and lyars all the sort of you. Nay (quoth D. Taylor) we are true men, and know that is written: Os quod mentitur, occidit animam: & agayne, Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium. i. The mouth that lyeth slayeth the soule. And agayne Lord God thou shalt destroy all that speake lyes. And therefore we a∣bide by the truth of gods word which ye contrary to your own conscience deny and forsake.

Thou art maryed (quoth the B.) Yea, (quoth Doctour Taylor) that I thank God I am, and haue had nine chil∣dren, and all in lawfull matrimony, and blessed be God y^t ordayned matrimony, and commaunded that euerye man that hath not the gift of continency shoulde mary a wife of his owne, and not liue in adultery, or whoredome.

Then sayd the bishop: thou hast resisted the Queenes Proceedinges, and wouldest not suffer the Parson of Al∣dam a very vertuous and deuout Priest, to say Masse in Hadley. Doctor Taylor answered. My Lorde I am Par∣son of Hadley, and it is agaynst all right, conscience and lawes, that any man shall come into my charge & presume to infect the flock committed vnto me, with venome of the Popish Idolatrous Masse.

With that the Bishop waxed very angry, & said, Thou art a blasphemous hereticke in deede, that blasphemest the blessed sacrament (and put of his cap) and speakest agaynst the holy Masse, which is made a sacrifice for the quick and the dead. D. Taylor answered, Nay I blaspheeme not the blessed sacrament which Christ instituted, but I reuerence it as a true christian ought to doe, and confesse that Christ ordayned the holy communion in the remembrance of his death and passion, which•• when we keepe according to his ordinaunce, we (through fayth) eat the body of Chryst, and drinke his bloud geuing thanks for our redemption, and this is our sacrifice for the quicke & the dead, to geue God thankes for his mercifull goodnes shewed to vs, in that he gaue his sonne Christ vnto the death for vs.

Thou sayst well (quoth the Bishop) It is all y^t thou hast sayd, and more to, for it is a propitiatory sacrifice for y^e quick & dead. Thē answered D. Taylor: Christ gaue hym∣selfe

to die for our redemption vpon the Crosse, whose bo∣dy there offered, was the propitiatory Sacrifice, full, per∣fect, and sufficient vnto saluation, for all them that beleeue in him. And this sacrifice did our Sauiour Christ offer in his owne person himselfe once for all, neither can any Priest any more offer him, nor we neede no more propiti∣atory sacrifice, and therefore I say with Chrysostome, and all the Doctours: Our Sacrifice is only memoratiue, in the remembrance of Christes death and passion, a sacrifice of thankesgeuing, and therefore Fathers called it Euchari∣stia: And other sacrifice hath the Church of God none.

It is true (quoth the Byshop) the Sacrament is called Eucharistia, a thankesgeuing, because we there geue thanks for our redemption, and it is also a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead, which thou shalt confesse ere thou and I haue done. Then called the Bishop his men, and sayde: haue this fellow hence, and carry him to the Kings bench, and charge the keeper he be straitly kept.

Then kneeled Doctor Taylour down and held vp both his hands, and said: Good Lord, I thanke thee, and from the tiranny of the Byshop of Rome, and all his detestable errours, Idolatries, and abhominations, good Lord de∣liuer vs: And God be praysed for good King Edwarde. So they caried him to prison, to the Kings Bench, where he lay prisoner almost two yeares.

☞This is the summe of that first talke, as I sawe it mentioned in a Letter that Doctour Taylour wrote to a frend of his, thanking God for his grace, that he had con∣fessed his truth, and was founde worthy for truth to suffer prison and bands, beseeching his frendes to pray for him, that he might perseuere constaunt vnto the ende.

Being in prison, Doctour Taylour spent all hys tyme in prayer, reading the holy Scriptures, and writing, and preaching, and exhorting the prisoners and such as resor∣ted to him, to repentance and amendement of life.

Within a fewe dayes after, were diuerse other learned and godly men in sondry countreys of England commit∣ted to prison for Religion, so that almost all the prisons in England were become right Christian schooles & Chur∣ches, so that there was no greater comfort for Christian harts, then to come to the prisons, to beholde their vertu∣ous conuersation, and to heare their prayers, preachings, most godly exhortations, and consolations.

Now were placed in Churches, blinde and ignoraunt Massemongers, with their Latine bablings and apishe ceremonies: who lyke cruell Wolues spared not to mur∣ther all such, as any thing at all, but once whispered against their Popery. As for the godly preachers which were in King Edwardes tyme, they were either fled the Realme, or else, as the Prophets did in Kinge Achabs dayes, they were priuely kept in corners. As for as many as the Pa∣pistes could lay hold on, they were sent into prison, there as Lambes waiting when the Butchers would call them to the slaughter.

When Doctour Taylour was come into y^e prison called the Kings Bench, hee founde therein the vertuous and vigilant preacher of Gods word, M. Bradford: which mā for his innocent and godly liuing, his deuout, & vertuous preaching, was worthyly counted a miracle of our time, as euen his aduersaries must needes cōfesse. Finding this man in prison, he began to exhort him to faith, strength, & patience, and to perseuere constant vnto the end. M. Brad∣ford hearing this, thanked God that he had prouided hym such a cōfortable prison felow: & so they both together lau∣ded God, and cōtinued in prayer, reading, & exhorting one the other: In so much that D. Taylour told his friends y^t came to visite him, that God had most graciously prouided for him, to send him to that prison where he founde such an angell of God, to be in his company to comfort him.

¶Doctour Taylour brought foorth to be depriued.

¶After that Doct. Taylour had lyen in prison a whyle, he was cited to appeare in the Arches at Bow Church to aunswere vnto such matter, as there should be obiected a∣gainst him. At the day appoynted, he was led thether, hys keeper wayting vpon him. Where, whē he came, he stout∣ly and strongly defended his Mariage, affirming by the Scriptures of God, by the Doctours of the primitiue Church, by both Lawes Ciuill and Canon, that it is law∣full for Priests to marry, and y^t such as haue not the gift of continencie, are bounde in paine of damnation to marry. This did he so plainely proue, that the Iudge could geue no sentence of diuorce against him, but gaue sentence hee should be depriued of his benefice because he was maried.

You do me wrong then (quoth Doctour Taylour) and alledged many lawes and constitutions for himselfe, but al preuailed not. For he was againe caried into prison, & his liuings taken away, and geuen to other. As for Hadley benefice, it was geuen or sold, I wote not whether, to one Maister Newealle, whose great vertues were altogether vnlike to Doctour Taylour his predecessour, as the poore Parishioners full well haue proued.

*Doctour Taylour brought agayne before Winchester, and other Byshops.

AFter a yeare and three quarters, or thereabout, in the which time the Papistes got certaine olde tyrannous lawes, which were put downe by King Henry the eight, and by king Edward, to be againe reuiued by Parlament: so that now they might Ex officio▪ cite whome they would, vpon their owne suspicion, and charge hym wyth what Articles they lusted, and except they in all things agreed to their purpose, burne them: when these lawes were once stablished, they sent for Doctour Taylour with certaine o∣ther prisoners, which were agayne conuented before the Chauncellour and other Commissioners about the 22. of Ianuary. The purpose and effect of which talke betwene them, because it is sufficiently described by himselfe in hys owne letter written to a frend of his, I haue annexed the sayd letter heere vnder as foloweth.

¶A Letter of Doctour Taylour, contayning and reporting the talke had betweene him and the Lord Chauncellour and other Commissioners, the 22. of Ianuary.

WHereas you would haue me to write the talke betweene the King and Queenes most honourable Counsell and me on Tuesday, the xxij. of Ianuary, so farre as I remember: First my Lord Chauncellour sayd: You, among other are at this pre∣sent time sent for, to enioy the Kings and Queenes Maiestis fa∣uour and mercy, if you will now rise againe with vs from the fall whiche wee generally haue receaued in this Realme, from the which (God be praised) we are now clearely deliuered, miracu∣lously. If you will not rise with vs now, and receaue mercy now offered, you shall haue iudgement according to your demerites. To this I aunswered: that so to rise, should be the greatest fall that euer I could receiue: for I should so fall from my deare Sa∣uiour Christ, to Antichrist. For I do beleeue that the Religion set foorth in King Edwards dayes, was according to the veyne of the holy Scripture, which conteineth fully all the rules of our Christian Religion, from the which I do not intend to decline so long as I liue, by Gods grace.

Then Mayster Secretary Bourne sayde: whyche of the Reli∣gions meane ye of in King Edwards dayes? For ye knowe there were diuers bookes of Religion set foorth in his dayes. There was a Religion set foorth in a Cathechisme by my Lord of Caun∣terbury. Do you meane that you will sticke to that?

I aunswered: My Lorde of Caunterbury made a Cathechisme, to be translated into English, which booke was not of his owne making: yet he set it foorth in his owne name, and truely that booke for the time did much good. But there was after that set foorth by the most innocent King Edward (for whome, God bee praysed euerlastingly) the whole Churchseruice, with great deli∣beration, and the aduise of the best learned men of the Realme, and authorised by the whole Parliament, and receiued and pub∣lished gladly by the whole Realme: which booke was neuer re∣formed but once, and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfited, according to the rules of our Christian Religion in eue∣ry behalfe, that no Christian conscience could be offended with any thing therein contayned: I meane of that booke reformed.

Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd: Diddest thou neuer reade the booke that I set foorth of the Sacrament?

I aunswered that I had read it.

Then he sayd: How likest thou that booke? With that, one of the Counsell (whose name I know not) sayd: My Lord, that is a good question: for I am sure, that booke stoppeth all their mouthes. Then sayd I: My Lord, I thinke many things be farre wide from the truth of Gods word in that booke.

Then my Lord sayd: Thou art a very varlet. To that I aunswe∣red: that is as ill as Racha or Fatue. Then my Lord sayd: thou art an ignoraunt beetill brow.

To that I aunswered: I haue read ouer and ouer agayne the holy Scriptures, and S. Augustines workes through, S. Cyprian, Eusebius, Origine, Gregory Nazianzen, with diuers other bookes through once: therefore I thanke God I am not vtterly igno∣raunt. Besydes these, my Lorde, I professed the Ciuill lawes, as your Lordship did, and I haue read ouer the Canon law also.

Then my Lord sayd: with a corrupt iudgement thou readest all things, Touching my profession it is Diuinitie, in whiche I haue written diuers bookes. Then I saide: my Lord, ye did write one booke De vera obedientia: I would you had bene constant in that: for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscience, that I heard of, but in that one booke.

Then my Lord sayd: tut, tut, tut, I wrote agaynst Bucer in Priestes Mariages: but such bookes please not such wretches, as thou art, which hast bene maryed many yeares.

To that I aunswered: I am maryed in deed, and I haue hadde nine children in holy Matrimonye, I thanke God: and this I am sure of, that your proceedinges now at this present in this Real∣me agaynst Priestes Mariages is the maintenance of the doctrine of deuils, agaynst naturall lawe, Ciuill lawe, Canon law, generall Counsels, Canons of the Apostles, auncient Doctours, and Gods lawes.

Then spake my Lord of Duresme, saying: You haue professed the Ciuill law, as you say. Then you know that Iustinian writeth, that Priestes shoulde at theyr taking of orders sweare, that they were neuer maryed: and he bringeth in to proue that, Canones Apostolorum.

To that I aunswered: that I did not remember any such lawe of Iustinian. But I am sure that Iustinian Writeth in Titulo de in∣dicta viduitate, in Cod. that if one would bequeath to his wife in his Testamēt a legacy, vnder a conditiō that she shuld neuer ma∣ry agayne, and take an othe of her accomplishing of the same, yet she may mary agayne if he die, notwithstanding the aforesayd cō∣dition and othe taken and made agaynst Mariage: and an othe is an other maner of obligation made to God, then is a Papisticall vow made to man.

Moreouer in the Pandects it is conteined, that if a man doth manumit his handmayde vnder a condition, that shee shall neuer mary: yet she may mary, and her Patrone shall loose ius patrona∣tus, for his adding of the vnnaturall, and vnlawfull condition a∣gaynst Matrimony.

Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd: thou sayst that Priestes may be maryed by Gods law. How prouest thou that?

I aunswered: by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paul, both to Timothy, & to Titus, where he speaketh most euidentlye of the mariage of Priestes, Deacons, and Byshoppes. And Chryso∣stome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy sayth: It is an heresye to say that a Bishop may not be maryed.

Then sayd my Lord Chauncellor: thou lyest of Chrysostome. But thou doest, as all thy companions doe, belye euer without shame, both the Scriptures and the Doctors. Diddest thou not al∣so say, that by the Canon lawe Priestes may be maried? whiche is most vntrue: and the contrary is most true.

I aunswered: We read in the Decrees, that the foure generall Councels, Nicene, Constantinopolitane, Ephesine, and Chalce∣done, haue the same authority that the foure Euangelistes haue. And we read in the same decrees (which is one of the chiefe boo∣kes of the Canon law) that the Councell of Nicene, by the meanes of one Paphnutius, did allow Priestes & bishops mariages. Ther∣fore by the best part of the Canon law, Priestes may be maried.

Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd: thou falsifiest the generall Councell. For there is expresse mention in the sayde Decree, that Priestes shoulde be diuorced from their wiues, whiche bee maried.

Then said I: if those words be there, as you say, then am I con∣tent to lose this great head of mine. Let the booke be fetched.

Then spake my Lord of Duresme: Though they be not there, yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia, which Eusebius wrote, out of which booke the Decree was taken.

To that sayd I: it is not like that the Pope woulde leaue out a∣ny such sentence, hauing such authority, & making so much for his purpose.

Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd: Gratian was but a patcher, & thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy pur∣pose. I answered my Lord, I can not but maruell that you do call one of the chiefe Papistes that euer was▪ but a patcher.

Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd: Nay I call thee a snatcher & a patcher To make an end: wilt thou not returne agayne with vs to the Catholicke Church? and with that he rose.

And I sayd. By Gods grace I will neuer departe from Christes Church. Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison: and my Lord Chauncellour sayde: thou shalt haue iudgement within this weeke: and so was I deliuered a∣gayne vnto my keeper, My Lord of Duresme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother. I alledged S. Augustine: that we ought to preferre Gods word before all men.

And thus muh was conteined in the foresayd letter of Doctor Taylour for that matter.

Besides this letter moreouer he directed an other wri∣ting in like maner to an other frend of his concerning the causes wherfore he was condemned, whiche we thought likewise here to expresse as foloweth.

¶The copy of an other Letter to his frend tou∣ching his assertions of the Mariage of Priestes, and other causes for the which he was condemned.

IT is heresy to defend any doctrine agaynst the holy scrip¦ture. Therfore the Lord Chauncellour and Bishops cō∣senting to his sentence agaynst me, be heretickes. For they haue geuen sentence agaynst the mariage of priests, know¦ing that S. Paul to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly, that Bishops, Priestes, & Deacons may be maried: know¦ing also that by S. Paules doctrine, it is the doctrine of y^e deuils to inhibite Matrimony. And S. Paule willeth e∣uery faythfull Minister to teach the people so, least they be deceiued by the marked Marchauntes. 1. Tim. 4.

These Byshops are not ignoraunt, that it is onely S. Paules counsell, and lawfull, but Gods commaundemēt also to mary, for such as cannot otherwise liue chaste, nei∣ther auoyd fornication.

They know that such as do mary, do not sinne.

They know that God, before sinne was, ordeined ma∣trimony, & that in Paradise, betwene two of his principall creatures, man, and woman.

They knowe what spirite they haue, whiche saye it is euill to mary (seing God sayd: it is not good for man to be alone without a wife) hauing no speciall gift contrary to the generall commaundemēt and ordinance, diuers times repeated in the booke of Genesis, which is to encrease and multiply.

They know that Abraham caried into the lād of Cana∣an his old & yet barrayne wife the vertuous womā Sara with him, leauing father and mother, and country other∣wise at Gods commaundement. For though father & mo∣ther, and other frendes are deare and neare, yet none are so dearely and nearely ioyned together, as man & wife in ma¦trimony, which must needes be holy, for that it is a figure & similitude of Christ and his Church.

They know that S. Paul geueth a great prayse to ma∣trimony, calling it honorable, and that not onely to and a∣mong many, but to and among all men without exceptiō, whosoeuer haue need of that Gods remedy, for mans and womans infirmity.

They know y^t if there were any sinne in Matrimony, it were chiefly to be thought to be in the bedcompany. But S. Paul sayth: that the bedcompany is vndefiled.

They know that the hauing of a wife was not an im∣pediment for Abraham, Moyses, Isaac, Iacob, Dauid. &c. to talke with God, neither to y^e Leuites, bishops, & priests office in the time of the old Testament or the New.

They know y^t Christ would not be cōceiued, or borne of his blessed mother the virgine Mary, before she was es∣poused in mariage, his owne ordinaunce.

They know by S. Cyprian and Sainct Augustine that a vow is not an impediment sufficient to let Matrimony or to diuorce the same.

They know that S. Chrysostome sayth it is heresie to affirme that a bishop may not haue a wife.

They know that Ambrose will haue no commaunde∣ment but counsaile onely to be geuen, touching the obser∣uing of virginitie.

They know that Christ with his blessed mother & the Apostles were at a mariage, and beautified and honoured the same with hys presence, and first miracle.

To be short: they know that al that I haue here writ∣ten touching the mariage of Priestes, is true & they know that the papistes themselues do not obserue touching that matter, their owne lawes and Canons, and yet they con∣tinue marked in conscience with an hote iron, as dete∣testable heretickes in this behalfe. The Lorde geue them grace to repent, if it be his good will, Amen.

My second cause why I was condemned an hereticke is, that I denyed Transubstantiation and Concomitati∣on, two iuggling wordes of the papistes, by the whiche they doe beleue and will compel al other to beleue y^t Chri∣stes natural body is made of bread, & the Godhead by and by to be ioyned thereunto: so y^t immediately after y^e words (called the wordes of consecration) there is no more bread and wine in the sacrament, but the substaunce onely of the bodye and bloud of Christ together with his Godhead: so that the same being now Christ, both God and man ought to be worshipped with godly honour, and to be offered to God, both for the quick & the dead, as a sacrifice propiciato¦ry and satisfactory for the same, This matter was not lōg debated in words: but because I denyed the foresaid papi∣sticall doctrine, (yea rather playne most wicked Idolatry, blasphemy and heresie) I was iudged an hereticke.

I did also affirme the pope to be Antichrist, and po∣pery Antichristianitie.

And I confessed the Doctrine of the Bible to be a suffi∣cient doctrine, touching all and singular matters of Chri∣stian Religion, and of saluation.

I also alledged that the othe against the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, was a lawfull othe, and so was the othe made by vs all, touching the kings or Queenes pree∣minence. For Chrisostomus sayth: That Apostles, Euan∣gelistes,

and all men in euery realme were euer, and ought to be euer, touching both body and goodes, in subiection to the kingly authority, who hath the sworde in his hand, as Gods principall officer and Gouernour in euery Realme. I desired the Bishops to repent for bringing the Realme from Christ to Antichrist, from light to darkenes, from ve∣rity to vanity.

Thus you know the summe of my last examination, & condemnation. Pray for me, and I will pray for you.

God be praysed: since my condemnation, I was neuer frayd to dye: Gods will be done. If I shrinke from Gods truth▪ I am sure of an other maner of death thē had Iudge Hales. But God be praysed, euen from the bottome of my hart, I am vnmoueably setled vppon the Rocke, nothyng doubting, but that my deare God will performe and finish the worke that he hath begon in me, and other. To him be al honor both now and euer through Christ our onely and whole Sauior. Amen.

And thus much wrote Doctour Taylour concerning this matter, to his frend.

You heard in the former aunsweres a little before cer∣teine allegations touched of Doctour Taylour out of S. Cyprian, Augustine, Chrysostome, and Ambrose, touching the lawfulnes of Priestes mariage. Now ye shal heare the places of the sayd Doctors cited and produced out of their owne bookes, as here ensueth,

¶The places of the Doctours alledged before in Doctour Taylours Letter.

S. Cyprian in his 11. Epistle. Lib. 1.

THis question was asked of S. Cyprian, what shoulde be done with those religious persons, that could not keepe their cha∣stity as they had vowed. He answered thus: Thou doest aske what we do iudge of Virgins, whiche after they hadde decreed to liue chastly, are afterward found in one bed with a man. Of the which thou sayst that one of them was a Deacon. We do with great sor∣row see the great ruine of many persons whiche commeth by the reason of such vnlawfull and perilous cōpanying together. Wher¦fore, if they haue dedicate themselues vnto Christ in fayth, to liue purely and chastly, then let them so remayne without any fable and stronglye & stedfastly abide the rewarde of virginitye. But & if they will not abide, or els cannot abide: then it is better to mary, then for to fall into the fire of concupiscence: And let thē geue to the brethren & sisterne none occasion of sclaunder. &c.

¶Saynt Augustine in his booke, De bono coniugali ad Iulianum.

CErtayne men doe affirme, those men to be aduouterers, that doe marry, after that they haue vowed chastity. But I do af∣firme that those men do greuously sinne, the whiche do separate them. &c.

¶Ambrose. 32. Quest. 1. Cap. Integritas.

CHastitye of the bodye ought to bee desired of vs: the whiche thing I do geue for a counsell, and do not commaund it im∣periously. For Virginity is a thing that alonelye ought to be coū∣selled, but not to be commaunded: it is rather a thing of volun∣tary will and not a precept.

¶A briefe recapitulation out of Doctour Taylours causes afore touched for the Reader, more euidently to see how the Papistes do agaynst their own knowledge, in forbiddinge Pristes Mariage.

THe Popes Clergy forbidding Ecclesiastical persons to mary, do against their conscience & knowledge as may well be proued by these causes hereunder folowing.

1. First, they know that Matrimony in the old testament, De iure institutionis, is indifferently permitted to all menne without any exception.

2. Secondly, they know, that in the old Testament, De fa∣cto, both Priestes, Leuites, Prophets, Patriarches, and al other had theyr wiues.

3. Thirdly, they know that Matrimony was permitted & instituted of God for two principall endes: to wit, for pro∣creation, and auoyding of sinne.

4. Fourtly, they know, that in the old testamēt, God, not onely instituted and permitted Matrimony to be free, but also induceth & appoynteth mē to mary and take wiues, in these wordes: It is not good for a man to be alone. &c.

5 Fiftly, they know, that in the new testament S. Paule permitteth the state of Matrimony free to all men, hauing not the gift of continency, and forbiddeth none.

6. Sixtly, they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paule not only permitteth, but also expressely willeth & chargeth men hauing not the gift, to mary, saying: For a∣uoyding fornication let euery man haue his wife. &c.

7. Seuenthly, they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paul, not onely permitteth and commaūdeth, but also commendeth and prayseth the state of Matrimonye, Hebr. 13. Calling it honorable: and the bedcompany to be vnde∣filed. &c.

8. Eightly, they know, that in the new testament Christ himselfe, not onely was not conceiued nor borne of the vir¦gine before she was espoused in matrimonye, but also that both he and his blessed mother did beutify and honour the state of matrimony with their presence: yea in the same be∣gan his first miracle.

9. Ninthly, they know, both by the old testament & new, that mariage is no impediment to walke in the obediēce of Gods commandement, for both Abraham caryed into the land of Canaan his old, yea and barrayne wife, the vertu∣ous woman Sara with him: & also to Isaac, Iacob, Mo∣ses, Dauid, and other, their mariage was no impedemēt to them to talk with God: neither to other Leuites, bishops, and Priestes in the time both of the old testament, & of the new. Agayne, neither was it a let to Peter, Philip, & other both to haue their wiues with them, and also to supply the office of Apostleship.

10. Tenthly, they know both by the old testamēt & new, y^t sinnefull fornicatiō & adultry depriueth man of Gods fa∣uor & graces of the holy Ghost, which graces especially be requisite in men of the Church.

11. Eleuenthly they know in theyr owne secret conscience, & by experience, that neither they which enioyne this vow of chastity, nor they which take it, doe obserue the vowe of chastity. Whereupon rise inconueniences more then can be expressed: but the Lord aboue knoweth all, besides the se∣cret murders peraduenture of many a poore infant. &c.

12. Twelfthly, they knowe, by S. Cyprian. Epist. 11. and S. Augustine. Lib. De bono coniugali ad Iulianum, that a vowe is no impediment sufficient to let Matrimony, or to diuorce the same.

13. Thirtenthly, they know that Chrysostome affirmeth it to be an heresy to say, that a byshop may not haue a wife.

14. Fourtenthly, they know that S. Ambrose. 32. q. 1. Integri∣tas, will haue no commaundement, but counsel onely to be geuen, touching the obseruing of virginity.

15. Fiftenthlye, they knowe that before the time of Pope Hildebrand, that is, during that time of 1000. yeares after Christ, mariage was neuer restrained by any forceable ne∣cessity of vow, from men of the Church.

16. Sixtenthly, they know, that S. Paul calleth it the doc∣trine of deuils, to forbid meates, and maryage which God hath left free with thankes geuing for necessity of man and woman.

After that Doct. Taylour thus with great spirite and courage had aunswered for himselfe, and stoutly rebuked his aduersaries for breaking their oth made before to king Henry and to king Edwarde his sonne, and for betraying the realme into the power of the Romain bishop, they per¦ceiuing that in no case he could be styrred to their wils and purpose, that is, to turne with them from Christ to Anti∣christ, committed him therupon to prison againe, where he endured till the last of Ianuary.

*D. Taylour the fourth tyme with M. Bradford, and M. Saunders, brought before Winchester and other Byshops.

VPon which day & yeare aforesayd, D. Tailour and M. Bradford, and M. Saūders were agayne called to ap∣peare before the byshop of Winchester, the bishop of Nor∣wich, of London, of Salisbury, and of Duresme, and ther were charged agayne with heresy & schisme, and therfore a determinate answere was required: whether they woulde submit themselues to the Romayne byshop & abiure there errors or els they would according to theyr lawes proceed to theyr condemnation.

When D. Taylour and his felowes, M. Bradford and M. Saunders heard this, they answered stoutly and bold∣ly, that they would not depart frō the truth which they had preached in king Edwards dayes, neither would they sub¦mit themselues to the romish Antichrist but they thanked God for so great mercy, that he would cal them to be wor∣thy to suffer for his word and truth.

When the Bishops saw them so boldly, constanly, and vnmoueably fixed in the truth, they read y^e sentēce of death vpon them, which whē they had heard, they most ioyfully gaue God thankes, and stoutly sayde vnto the Byshops: We doubt not but God the righteous Iudge, will require

our bloud at your handes, and the proudest of you all shall repent this receiuing agayne of Antichrist, and your tiran∣ny that ye now shew agaynst the flocke of Christ.

So was Doctor Taylour nowe condemned, commit∣ted to the Clinke, & the keepers charged straitlye to keepe him: for ye haue nowe an other maner of charge (quoth the Lord Chauncellour) then ye had before: therefore looke ye take heed to it.

Whē the keeper brought him toward the prison, y^t peo∣ple flocked about to gase vpō him: vnto whō he sayd: God be praysed (good people) I am come away from thē vnde∣filed, & will confirme the truth with my bloud. So was he bestowed in the Clincke till it was toward night, and thē he was remoued to the Counter by the Poultry.

When D. Taylour had lyen in the sayd Counter in the poultry a seuennight or there aboutes prisoner, the fourth day of February, Anno 1555. Edmund Boner Byshop of London with others, came to the said Counter to disgrade him, bringing with them such ornaments, as do appertein to theyr massing Mūmery. Now being come, he called for the sayd D. Taylor to be brought vnto him (the bishop be∣ing then in the chamber, where the keeper of the Counter and his wife lay.) So D. Taylour was brought downe frō the chamber aboue that, to the sayd Boner. And att his comming, the Bishop sayd: Mayster Doctour, I woulde you would remember your selfe, and turn to your mother holy Church: so may you do wel enough, and I wil sue for your pardon. Wherunto M. Taylor aunswered: I would you and your felowes would turne to Christ. As for me I will not turne to Antichrist. Well (quoth the byshop) I am come to disgrade you: wherfore put on these vestures. No (quoth Doct. Taylour) I will not. Wilt thou not, said the Bishop? I shall make thee, ere I goe. Quoth Doct. Tay∣lor, you shal not by the grace of God. Thē he charged him vpon his obedience to do it: but he would not do it for him.

So he willed another to put them on his backe: & whē he was throughly furnished therwith, he set his handes by his side, walking vp and down, and sayd: how say you my Lord, am I not a goodly foole? how say you my maysters? If I were in cheape, should I not haue boyes enough to laugh at these apish toyes, & toying trumpery? So the by∣shop scraped his fingers thūbes, & the crowne of his head, and did the rest of such like deuilish obseruaunces.

At the last, when he should haue geuen D. Taylour a stroke on the brest with his Crosierstaffe, the Bishoppes Chapleine sayd: my Lord strike him not, for hee wyll sure strike agayne. Yea by S. Peter will I, quoth Doct. Tay∣lour. The cause is Christes: and I were no good Christian if I would not fight in my Maysters quarrell. So the by∣shop laid his curse vpon him, but stroke him not. Then D. Taylor sayd: though you do curse me, yet God doth blesse me. I haue the witnes of my conscience, that ye haue done me wrong and violence: And yet I pray God (if it be hys will) forgeue you. But from the tyranny of the Byshop of Rome, & his detestable enormities, good Lord deliuer vs. And in going vp to his chamber, he still sayd: God deliuer me from you, God deliuer me frō you. And when he came vp, he told Maister Bradford (for they both lay in one chā∣ber) that he had made the Byshop of London afearde: for (sayth he laughingly) his Chapleine gaue him counsel not to strike me with his Crosierstaffe, for that I would strike agayne: and by my troth (sayde he rubbing his handes) I made him beleue I would do so in deed.

The night after that he was disgraded, his wyfe and his sonne Thomas resorted to him, and were by the gētle∣nes of the keepers permitted to suppe with hym. For this difference was euer found betweene the keepers of the by∣shops prisons, and the keepers of the kinges prisons: that the Bishops keepers were euer cruell, blasphemous, and tyrannous, like theyr Maysters: but the Keepers of the kinges prisons shewed for the most part, as much fauor, as they possible might.

So came Doctor Taylours wife, his sonne, and Iohn Hull his seruaunt, to sup with him: and at their comming in afore supper, they kneeled downe and praied, saying the Letany.

After supper walking vp and downe, he gaue GOD thanks for his grace, that had so called him and geuen him strength to abide by his holy worde: and turning to hys sonne Thomas: My deare sonne (sayd he) almighty God blesse thee, & geue thee his holy spirit, to be a true seruaunt of Christ, to learn his word, and constantly to stand by his trueth all thy long life. And my sonne, see that thou feare God alwaies. Flee from all sinne & wicked liuing: be ver∣tuous, serue God with dayly prayer, and apply thy booke. In any wise see thou be obedient to thy Mother, loue her, and serue her: be ruled by her now in thy youth, and folow her good counsell in all thinges. Beware of lewd company of young men that feare not God, but folowe theyr lewde lustes and vayne appitites. Flye from Whooredome, and hate all filthy liuing, remembring that I thy father do dye in the defence of holy mariage. And another day whē god shall blesse thee, loue & cherish the poore people, & coūt that thy chiefe riches is to be rich in almes: and when thy mo∣ther is waxed old, forsake her not, but prouide for her to thy power, and see that she lacke nothing: For so will GOD blesse thee, and geue the long life vpon earth and prosperi∣ty: which I pray God to graunt thee.

Then turning to his wife: My deare wife (quoth he) continue stedfast in the feare and loue of God, keepe your selfe vndefiled from theyr Popysh Idolatryes, and super∣stitions. I haue bene vnto you a faythfull yokefelow, and so haue you bene vnto me, for the which I pray GOD to reward you, and doubt you not deare wife, but God wyll reward it.

Now the time is come that I shall be taken from you, & you discharged of the wedlocke bond towards me: ther∣fore I will geue you my counsell what I thinke most ex∣pedient for you. You are yet a childbearing woman, and therfore it will be most conuenient for you to marry. For doubtlesse you shall neuer be at a conuenient stay for your selfe and our poore children, nor out of trouble, tyll you be maryed. Therfore as soone as God will prouide it, marry with some honest faythfull man that feareth God. Doubt you not, God will prouide an honest husband for you, & he wil be a mercifull father to you▪ and to my children: whom I pray you, bring vp in the feare of God, & in learning, to the vttermost of your power, and keep them from this ro∣mish Idolatry. When he had thus said, they with weping teares prayed together, and kissed one the other: & he gaue to his wife a booke of the Church seruice, set out by Kyng Edward, which in the time of his imprisonment he daylye vsed. And vnto his sonne Thomas he gaue a Latin booke, cōteining the notable sayings of the old martyrs, gathered out of Ecclesiastica historia: & in the end of that book he wrote his Testament and last Vale, as hereafter foloweth.

¶The last will and Testament of Doctor Rowland Taylour, Parson of Hadley.

I Say to my wife, and to my children: The Lord gaue you vnto me, and the Lord hath taken me from you, and you from me: blessed be the name of the Lord. I beleue that they are blessed which dye in the Lord. God careth for Sparo∣wes, and for the heares of our heades. I haue euer founde him more faythfull and fauorable, thē is any father or hus∣band. Trust ye therefore in him by the meanes of our deare Sauior Christes merites: beleue, loue, feare and obey him: pray to him, for he hath promised to helpe. Count me not dead, for I shall certainely liue, and neuer dye. I go before, and you shal folow after, to our long home. I go to the rest of my children, Susan, George, Ellen, Robert and Zacha∣ry: I haue bequeathed you to the onely omnipotent.

I say to my deare frendes of Hadley, and to all other which haue heard me preache: that I depart hence with a quiet conscience, as touching my doctrine: for the which I pray you thanke God w^t me. For I haue after my little ta∣lent declared to other, those lesiōs y^t I gathered out of gods booke, the blessed Bible. Therfore if I or any Aungell from heauen should preach to you any other Gospell, then that ye haue receiued, Gods great curse vpon that Preacher.

Beware for Gods sake, that ye deny not God, neyther decline from the word of fayth, lest God decline from you, & so do ye euerlastingly perishe. For Gods sake beware of Popery: for though it appeare to haue in it vnitye, yet the same is in vanity, and Antichristianity, and not in Christs fayth and verity.

Beware of the sinne agaynst the holy ghost, now after such a light opened so playnly and simply, truly, throughly and generally to all England.

The Lord graunt all men his good and holy spirit, en∣crease of his wisedome, contemning the wicked world, har¦ty desire to be with God & the heauenly company, through Iesus Christ our only Mediator, Aduocate, righteousnes, life, sanctification, and hope, Amen, Amen, Pray, Pray.

¶Rowland Taylour departing hence in sure hope, without all doubting of eternal saluatiō, I thāke God my heauenly father, through Iesus Christe my certeine Sauiour. Amen.

The 5. of February. Anno. 1555.

Psalme. 27.

The Lord is my lighte and my saluation: whome then shall I feare.

Roma. 8.

God is he that iustifieth: who is he that can condemne?

Psalm. 30.

In thee O Lord haue I trusted, let me neuer be confounded.

On the next morow, after that Doct. Tailour had sup∣ped with his wife in the Counter (as is before expressed) which was the fift day of February, the Shiriffe of Lon∣don, with his Officers came to the Counter by two of the clocke in the morning, and so brought forth Doctor Tay∣lour, and without any light lead him to the Wolsacke, an Inne without Algate. D. Taylours wife suspecting that her husband should that night be caried away, watched all night within S. Butolphes Churchporch beside Algate, hauing with her two children, the one named Elizabeth of xiiij. yeares of age (whom being left without father or mo∣ther, Doctour Taylour had brought vp of almes from iij. yeares olde) the other named Mary, D. Taylours owne daughter.

Now, when the Shiriffe & his company came against S. Butolphes church, Elizabeth cried saying: O my deare father. Mother, mother, here is my father led away. Then cried his wife: Rowland, Rowland, where art thou? for it was a very darcke morning, that the one could not see the other. D. Taylour aunswered: deare wife, I am here, and stayed. The Shiriffes men would haue led him forth, but the Shiriffe sayd: stay a litle maysters, I pray you, and let him speake with his wife, and so they stayed.

Then came she to him, and he tooke his daughter Ma∣ry in his armes, and hee, his wife, and Elizabeth kneeled downe & sayd the Lordes prayer. At which sight the She∣riffe wept apase, & so did diuers other of y^e company. After they had prayd, he rose vp & kissed his wife, & shooke her by the hand, & sayd: Farewell my deare wife, be of good cōfort, for I am quiet in my conscience. God shal stirre vp a father for my children. And then he kissed his daughter Mary and sayd: God blesse thee, and make thee his seruant: & kissing Elizabeth, he sayde: God blesse thee. I pray you all stande strong & stedfast vnto Christ & his word, & keepe you from idolatry. Thē said his wife: God be with thee deare Row∣land. I will with Gods grace meet thee at Hadley.

And so was he led forth to the Woolsacke, and his Wife folowed him. As soone as they came to the Woolsacke, hee was put into a chamber, wherein he was kept with foure Yeomen of the Gard, and the Shiriffes men. Doctor Tai∣lor, as soone as he was come into the chamber, fell downe on his knees & gaue himselfe wholy to prayer. The She∣riffe then seing D. Taylours wife there, would in no case graunt her to speake any more with her husband, but gēt∣ly desired her to go to his house and take it as her owne, & promised her she should lack nothing, & sent two Officers to conduct her thither. Notwithstanding, she desired to go to her mothers, whither the Officers led her, and charged her mother to keep her there, till they came agayne.

Thus remayned Doctour Taylour in the Woolsacke, kept by the Shiriffe and his company, till 11. of the clocke. At which time the Sheriffe of Essex was ready to receyue him: and so they set him on horseback within the Inne, the gates being shut.

At the comming out of the gates, Iohn Hull (before spokē of) stood at the rayles with Thomas Doctour Tay∣lours sonne. When Doctour Taylour saw them, he called them, saying: Come hither my sonne Thomas. And Iohn Hull lifted the child vp, and set him on the horse before hys father. And Doct. Taylour put of his hatt and sayd to the people that stood there looking on him: good people, this is mine owne sonne, begottē of my body in lawful matrimo∣ny: and God be blessed for lawful matrimony. Then lift he his eies towardes heauen, & prayed for his sonne, layd his hat vpon the childes head, & blessed him, and so deliuered y^e child to Iohn Hull, whō he tooke by the hand: & sayd: fare∣well Iohn Hull, the faythfullest seruaunt y^t euer man had. And so they rod forth, the Shriffe of Essex with foure yeo∣men of the Gard, and the Shriffes men leading him.

When they were come almost at Burntwood, one Ar∣thur Faysie, a man of Hadley, who before tyme had bene Doctour Taylours seruaunt, met with them, and he sup∣posing him to haue bene at liberty, sayd: Mayster Doctor I am glad to see you agayne at liberty, and came to him, & tooke him by the hand. Soft Syr (quoth the Shiriffe) he is a prisoner: what hast thou to do with him? I cry you mer∣cy (sayd Arthur) I knewe not so muche, and I thought it none offēce to talk to a true man. The Shyriffe was verye angry with this, and threatned to cary Arthur with him to prison: notwithstāding, he bad him get him quickely away & so they rode forth to Burntwood: where they caused to be made for D. Taylour a close hood, with two holes for hys eyes to looke out at, & a slit for his mouth to breath at. This they did, that no man should know him, nor he speak to a∣ny man. Which practise they vsed also with others. Theyr owne consciences told them, that they lead innocent lābes to the slaughter. Wherefore they feared, least i•• the people should haue heard them speake, or haue seene them, they might haue bene much more strengthened by theyr godlye exhortatiōs, to stand stedfast in Gods word, and to ••ye the superstitions and Idolatries of the Papacy.

All the way Doct. Taylour was ioyfull and mery, a•• one that accounted himselfe goyng to a most pleasant ban∣quet or bridall. He spake many notable things to the Shi∣riffe and Yeomen of the Gard that conducted him, and oftē moued them to weepe through his much earnest calling v∣pon them to repēt, and to amend theyr euill and wicked li∣uing. Oftentimes also he caused them to wonder and re∣ioyce, to see him so cōstant and stedfast, voyd of all feare, ioi∣full in hart, & glad to dye. Of these yeomē of the gard, three vsed D. Tailour frendly, but the fourth (whose name was Homes) vsed him very homely, vnkindly, and churlishly.

At Chelmesford mette them the Shiriffe of Suffolke, there to receiue him, and to carye him forth into Suffolke. And being at supper, the Shiriffe of Essex very earnestlye labored him to returne to the Popish Religion, thinkyng with fayre words to perswade him, and sayd good mayster Doctor, we are right sory for you, cōsidering what losse is of such one as ye might be if ye would: God hath geuē you great learning and wisedome, wherefore ye haue bene in great fauor and reputation in times past with the Coun∣sell and highest of this realme. Besides this, ye are a mā of goodly personage, in your best strength, & by nature like to liue many yeares, and without doubt, ye should in time to come be in as good reputation as euer ye were, or rather better. For ye are well beloued of all men, as well for your vertues as for your learning: and me thinke it were great pity you shoulde cast away your selfe willingly, & so come to such a paynfull and shamefull death. Ye should do much better to reuoke your opinions, and returne to the Catho∣licke Church of Rome, acknowledge the Popes holinesse to be the supreme head of the vniuersall church, & reconcile your selfe to him. You may do well yet, if you will: doubt ye not but ye shall finde fauor at the Queenes handes, I & all these your frends will be suters for your pardon: which no doubt, ye shall obteine. This councell I geue you, good Mayster Doctor, of a good hart, a good will towarde you: and thereupon I drinke to you. In like maner sayd all the yeomen of the Gard: vpon that condition Maister Doctor we will all drinke to you.

When they had all dronke to him, & the cup was come to him, he stayed a litle, as one studying what aunswere he might geue. At the last, thus he aunswered and sayd: Mai∣ster Shiriffe, and my Maysters all, I hartely thanke you of your good will. I haue harkened to your wordes and marked wel your councels. And to be playne with you, I do perceiue that I haue bene deceiued my self, and am like to deceiue a great many of hadley, of their expectatiō. With that woorde they all reioyced. Yea good Mayster Doctour (quoth the Shiriffe) Gods blessing on your hart: holde you there still. It is the comfortablest word, that we heard you speake yet. What? should ye cast away your selfe in vayne? Play a wise mans part, & I dare warrant it, ye shall finde fauour. Thus they reioyced very much at the worde, and were very mery.

At the last: good Mayster Doctor (quoth the Shiriffe) what meant ye by this, that ye sayd ye thinke ye haue bene deceiued your selfe, and thinke ye sh•••• deceiue many one in Hadley? Would you know my meaning plainly, quoth he? Yea (quoth the Shiriffe) good Mayster Doctour, tell it vs playnely.

Then sayd Doctour Taylour, I will tell you how I haue bene deceiued, and as I think, I shall deceiue a great many. I am as you see, a man that hath a very great car∣kase, which I thought should haue bene buried in Hadley Churchyarde if I had dyed in my bed, as I well hoped I shoulde haue done: but herein I see I was deceyued: and there are a greate number of wormes in Hadley Church∣yard, which should haue had ioly feeding vpon this cariō, which they haue looked for many a day. But now I know we be deceiued, both I and they: for this carkase must bee burnt to ashes and so shall they lose theyr bayt and feding, that they looked to haue had of it.

When the Shiriffe and his company heard him say so, they were amased, and looked one on another, maruelling at the mans constaunt minde, that thus without all feare, made but a iest at the cruell torment, and death now at hād prepared for him. Thus was theyr expectation clean disa∣poynted. And in this appeareth what was his meditation in his chiefest wealth & prosperity: namely, that he shoulde shortly dye & feed wormes in his graue: which meditation if all our Bishops, & spirituall men had vsed, they had not for a litle worldly glory forsaken the word of God, & truth,

which they in king Edwardes dayes had preached and set forth, nor yet to mayntaine the Bishop of Romes authori∣ty, haue committed so many to the fire as they did.

But let vs returne to Doctor Taylour, who at Chel∣mesford was deliuered to the Shiriffe of Suffolke; and by him conducted to Hadley, where he suffered. When they were come to Lanham, the Shiriffe staid there two daies: and thither came to him a great number of Gentlemē and Iustices vpon great horses, which all were appointed to ayde the Shiriffe. These Gentlemen labored Doctor Tai∣lor very sore, to reduce him to the Romish religiō, promi∣sing him his pardō (which said they) we haue here for you. They promised him great promotions, yea a Bishopricke if he would take it: but all theyr labor & flattering wordes were in vayne. For he had not built his house vppon the sand in perill of falling at euery puffe of wynde, but vpon the sure and vnmoueable rocke Christ. Wherfore he abode constant and vnmoueable vnto the end.

After two dayes, the Shiriffe & his company led Do∣ctor Taylour towardes Hadley, and comming within a two mile of hadley, he desired to light of his horse to make water: which done, he lept, and set a friske or twain, as mē commonly do in daunsing. Why Maister Doctour (quoth the Shiriffe) how do you now? He aunswered: Well God be praysed, good Mayster Shiriffe. Neuer better: for now I know I am almost at home. I lacke not past two stiles to go ouer, and I am euen at my fathers house. But may∣ster Shiriff (sayd he) shall not we go through Hadley? Yes sayd the Shiriffe, you shall go through Hadley. The sayd he: O good Lord, I thanke thee. I shall yet once ere I dye see my flocke, whom thou Lord knowest I haue most har∣tely loued, and truly taught. Good Lord blesse them, & keep them stedfast in thy word and truth.

Whē they were now come to Hadley, and came riding ouer the bridge, at the bridgefoote waited a poore man with fiue small children: who when he saw D. Taylour, he and his children fell down vpon theyr knees, and held vp their handes, and cryed with a loud voice, and sayd: O deare fa∣ther, and good shepheard, Doctour Taylour: God helpe & succour thee, as thou hast many a time succoured me, and my poore children. Such witnes had the seruant of God of his vertuous & charitable almes geuē in his life time. For God would now the poore should testify of his good deeds, to his singuler comfort, to the example of others, and con∣fusion of his persecutors and tyrannous aduersaryes. For the Shiriffe and other that lead him to death, were won∣derfully astonied at this: and the Shiriffe sore rebuked the poore man for so crying. The streets of Hadley were beset on both sides the way with men and women of the towne and countrey, who wayted to see him: whome when they beheld so led to death, w^t weeping eyes and lamētable voy¦ces they cryed, saying one to another: ah good Lord, there goeth our good shepheard from vs, that so faythfullye hath taught vs, so fatherly hath cared for vs, & so godly hath go¦uerned vs. O mercifull God: what shal we poore scattered Lambes do? What shall come of this most wicked world? Good Lord strengthen him and comfort him: with such o∣ther most lamemtable and pitious voyces. Wherefore the people were sore rebuked by the Shiriffe and the Catch∣poles his men, that led him. And Doct. Taylour euermore sayde to the people: I haue preached to you Gods word & truth, and am come this day to seale it with my bloud.

Comming agaynst the Almes houses, which hee well knew, he cast to the poore people money, which remayned of that good people had geuen him in time of his imprison∣ment. As for his liuing, they tooke it from him at his fyrst going to prison, so that he was susteined all the time of his imprisonment by the charitable almes of good people that visited him.

Therfore the money that now remayned, he putte in a gloue ready for the same purpose, & (as is sayd) gaue it to the poore Almesmē standing at theyr dores to see him. And comming to the last of the almes houses, and not seing the poore that there dwelt readye in theyr dores, as the other were, he asked: is the blinde man and blinde woman, that dwelt here, aliue? It was aunswered yea: they are there within. Then threw he gloue and all in at the window, & so rode forth.

Thus this good father and prouider for the poore, now tooke his leaue of those, for whom all his life he had a sin∣guler care and study. For this was his custome, once in a fourtnight at the least, to call vpō Syr Henry Doyll, and others the rich Clothmakers, to go with him to the almes∣houses, and there to see howe the poore liued: what they lacked in meat, drinke, clothing, bedding, or any other ne∣cessaries. The like did he also to other poore men that had many children, or were sicke. Then would he exhort & cō∣fort them, and where he found cause, rebuke the vnruely, and what they lacked, that gaue he after his power: and what he was not able, he caused the rich and wealthy men to minister vnto them. Thus shewed he hymselfe in all thinges an example to his flocke, worthy to be folowed: & taught by his deede, what a great treasure almes is to all such, as cherefully for Christes sake do it.

At the last, comming to Aldam Common, the place as∣signed where he should suffer, and seing a great multitude of people gathered thither, hee asked what place is this, & what meaneth it that so much people are gathered hyther? It was answered: It is Aldham Cōmon, the place where you must suffer: and the people are come to looke vpō you. Then sayd he: thanked be God, I am euen at home, and so light from his horse, and with both his handes, rent the hood from his head.

Now was his head notted euilfauoredly, and clypped much like as a man would clippe a fooles head: which cost the good Bishop Boner had bestowed vpon him, when he disgraded him. But whē the people saw his reuerend and aūcient face, with a long white beard, they burst out with weeping teares, and cryed saying: God saue thee good D. Taylor. Iesus Christ strengthen thee, and helpe thee. The holy Ghost comfort thee: with such other like Godly wi∣shes. Then would he haue spoken to y^e people: but the yeo∣men of the Gard were so busy about him, that as soone as he opened his mouth, one or other thrust a tip staff into his mouth, and would in no wise permit him to speake.

Then desired he licence of the Shiriffe to speake: but y^e Shiriffe denyed it to him, and bad him remember hys pro∣mise to the Counsell.

Well (quoth Doctour Taylour) promise must be kept. What this promise was, it is vnknown: but the common fame was, that after he and others were condemned, the Consell sent for them, and threatned them, they would cut theyr tongues out of theyr heades, except they would pro∣mise, that at theyr deathes they would keep silence, and not speake to the people: Wherefore they desirous to haue the vse of theyr tonges, to call vpō God as long as they might liue, promised silence. For the Papistes feared muche, least this mutation of religion, from truth to lies, from Christs ordinances to the Popish traditions, should no•• so quietly haue bene receiued, as it was, especially this burning of y^e Preachers: but they measuring others myndes by theyr own, feared lest the tumult or vprore might haue bene stir∣red, the people hauyng so iust a cause not to bee contented with theyr doinges, or els (that they most feared) y^e people should more haue bene confirmed by their godly exhorta∣tiōs to stand stedfast agaynst their vaine Popish doctrine, & idolatry. But thanks to God, which gaue to his witnes∣ses fayth and pacience, with stout and manly hartes to de∣spise all tormentes: neither was their so much as any one man that once shewed any signe of disobedience toward y^e magistrates. They shed theyr bloud gladly in the defēce of y^e trueth, so leauing example vnto all men of true & perfect obedience: which is to obey God more then mē, and if need require it, to shed theyr owne bloud rather then to depart from Gods truth.

Doctor Taylor perceiuing that he could not be suffred to speake, sat down, and seing one named Soyce, he called him and sayd: Soice, I pray thee come & pull of my bootes & take them for thy labor. Thou hast long looked for thē, now take them. Thē rose he vp, and put of his clothes vn∣to his shirt, and gaue thē away. Which done, he saide with loud voyce: Good people, I haue taught you nothing but Gods holye word, and those Lessons that I haue taken out of Gods blessed booke, the holy Bible: and I come hy∣ther this day to seale it with my bloud. With that woorde Homes, yeoman of the Gard, aforesayd, who had vsed do∣ctour Taylour very cruelly all the waye, gaue him a great stroke vpon the head with a waster, and sayd: Is that the keeping of thy promise, thou hereticke: Then he seyng they would not permit him to speak, kneled down and prayed, & a poore woman that was among the people, stepped in & prayed with him: but her they thrust away, and threatned to tread her down with horses: notwithstāding she would not remoue, but abode and prayed with him. When he had prayed, he went to the stake and kissed it, and set hymselfe into a pitch barrell, which they had set for him to stand in, and so stood with his backe vpright agaynst the stake, with his handes folded together, and his eyes toward heauen, & so he continually prayed.

Then they bound him with chaynes: and the Shiriffe called one Richard Doningham a Butcher, and commaū∣ded him to set vp Fagots: but he refused to do it, and sayd: I am lame Syr, and not hable to lift a Fagot. The Shyr∣riffe threatned to send him to prison: notwithstanding hee would not do it.

Then appoynted he on Mulleine of Carsey, a man for

his vertues fit to be a hang man, and Soice a very dron∣kard, and Warwicke, who in the commotion time in king Edwardes dayes, lost one of his eares for his sedicious talke, amongest whō was also one Robert King a deuiser of Enterludes, who albeit was there present & had doyng there with the gunnepouder, what he ment and did therin (he himselfe sayth he did it for the best, and for quicke dis∣patch) the Lord knoweth which shal iudge al, more of this I haue not to say.

These foure were appoynted to set vp the Fagots and to make the fire, which they most diligently did: and this Warwicke cruelly cast a Fagot at him, which lyght vpon his head, and brake his face, that the bloud ran downe his visage. Then sayd Doctour Taylour: Oh frend, I haue harme enough, what needed that.

Furthermore Syr Iohn Shelton there standing by as Doct. Taylour was speaking and saying the Psalme Miserere in Englishe, stroke him on the lippes: ye knaue, sayd he, speake Latine, I will make thee. At the last they set to fire: and Doctour Taylour holding vppe both hys handes, called vpō God, and sayd: Mercifull father of hea∣uen, for Iesus Christ my Sauiours sake, receiue my soule into thy handes. So stood he still without either crying or mouing, with his handes folded together, till Soice with an Halberd stroke him on y^e head that the braynes fell out, and the dead corpes fell downe into the fire.

Thus rendred the man of God his blessed soule into the handes of his mercifull father, and to his most deare and certeine Sauiour Iesus Christ, whome he most entyrelye loued, faithfully and earnestly preached obediently folow∣ed in liuing, and constantly glorified in death.

They that were present and familiarlye conuersaunt

[illustration]

❧The Martyrdome of Doctour Taylour, burned at Hadley for the testimony of the Gospell. February. 9. Anno. 1555.

with this Doctour Tailour, reported of him, that they ne∣uer did see in him any feare of death, but especially & aboue all the rest which besides him suffered at the same time, al∣wayes shewed himselfe mery and cherefull in tyme of hys imprisonment, as well before his condēnation as after: he kept one countenaunce and like behauiour. Whereunto he was the rather confirmed by the company and presence of maister Iohn Bradford, who then was in prison & cham∣ber with him.

The same morning, when he was called vp by the shi∣riffe to goe to his burning (about three of the clocke in the morning) being sodenly awaked out of his sound sleepe he sat vp in his bed, and putting on his shyrt, had these wor∣des (speaking somewhat thicke after his accustomed ma∣ner:) Ah horson theeues, ah horson theues, robbe God of his ho∣nor, robbe God of his honor? Afterward being risen and ty∣ing his poyntes, hee cast his armes about a balke whiche was in the chamber betwene Mayster Bradfordes bed & his: and there hanging by the handes, sayde to M. Brad∣ford: O Maister Bradford (quoth he) what a notable sway should I geue if I were hanged, meaning for that he was a corpulent and bigge man. These thinges I thought good here to note: to set forth and declare to those that shall read this history, what a notable and singuler gift of spirit and courage God had geuen to this godly and blessed martyr.

At what time Doctour Taylour was depriued of hys benefice of Hadley, there was one called Syr Robert Bracher, a false pretensed Protestant in king Edwardes dayes, and afterward a deadly enemy to the same Religiō: who was also one of them that so vnmercifully thrust Do∣ctor Taylors wife and children out of the dores, as she her selfe yet can testify: & notwithstanding the same, now since became a Protestant agayne.

This Syr Robert Bracher aforesayde, comming to Hadley to the buriall of a certayne frend of his and Gods great enemy one Walter Clarke, albeit he came somewhat to late to the market (as he sayd) yet desirous to vtter such Popishe pelfe and packeware as he brought with him, hee opened there his baggage of pestilent doctrine, preaching in the same towne of Hadley agaynst iustification of fayth, of the corporall presence, of praying for the dead, and Auri∣cular confession. Whereof Doctour Taylour hauing vn∣derstanding by Letters, writeth agayn to them of Hadley directing his Letter to his wife in confutation of the sayde Popish poysoned Sermon: the Copy of which Letter we thought not vnworthy here in the ende of this story to bee annexed, as vnder foloweth.

¶A Letter of Doctor Taylour of Hadley, written to his wife.

DEare wife, I pray God be euer with vs through Christ our onely Mediator. Amen.

I thanke you for my cap: I am something proud of it: for it is one steppe from the Clergy in these dayes. I thanke God my hart is cleane deuided from theyr proceedinges: for I knowe that no

man can serue two maisters, specially if they agree no better thē Christ and Antichrist do. I am glad that Hadley can skill of such packing ware as was brought thether the first day of May last past. Christes sheepe can discerne Christes voyce from the voice of straungers, theeues, or hirelings. The packebringer was sory that he came to late to the funerall market of his faithfull friend· But here I will leaue them both to Gods iudgement, and some∣thyng touch the matter whereof the packer made mention on his openyng day. At the first he called the Scripture (as I heare) full of darke sentences, but in deed it is called of Dauid, a candle to our feete, and a light to our pathes. Our Sauior Christ calleth hys word, the light which euill doers do flee from and hate, least their deeds should be reprooued thereby, S. Paule would haue vs to walke as children of light, and in any wyse not to continue in ignorance or darkenes. But all we in the world pertaine to two princes, eyther to the father of light & truth, or els to the prince of darkenes and lyes.

In these dayes preachers declare euidently of whome they are sent, and with what spirit they speake, & to what prince they belong: For they cry out against Gods, Lightes, Sunne, Moone, Starres, torches, lampes, lanternes, cressets, and candles in Gods booke the Bible, prouided of Gods great goodnes and mercy to auoyd all foule darknes; cloudes, and mistes, or dangerous dout∣full wayes in this our iourney to our heauēly father, long home, mansion houses, and dearely purchased heritage. Esay gods faith∣full messenger sayth: Woe be vnto them that call sweete sower, good euill, and light darkenes. Therfore commeth my people in∣to captiuitie, because they haue no vnderstanding. Our Sauiour Christ pronounceth errours and heresies to remaine among the people, so long as ignorance of the scriptures remayneth. And hereby it appeareth to all good consciences, what they meane, which defame or accuse Gods blessed word beyng full of light, as though it were full of darkenes. These Owles would haue all day lights scraped out of bookes, hartes, and Churches. Oh Lord turne their heartes and tongues: bowe them from the waye of darkenesse, least they goe to the prince of darkenesse, and be cast into the pit of vtter darkenes, where is weepyng and gnashyng of teeth.

Now, touching the packes of wooll, and the packes of cloth, I feare they were as all other wares bee, transubstantiate into flockes, euen his very finest packing stuffe against onely faith iu∣stifieng, and for the corporal presence of Christes body in the sa∣crament, for praying for soules departed, and for auricular con∣fession. Abrahams iustification by fayth, by grace, by promise and not by workes, is plainly set forth both in the epistle to the Rom. cap. 4. and to the Gal. ca. 3. and Abrahams works of obedience in offring vp his sonne so long after his iustification, must needes be taken as a fruite of a good tree iustifieng before men, and not of iustification before God: for then had man to glory in, then dyd Christ die in vayne.

And where as the 6 chap. of Iohn was alledged, to proue that Christ did geue his body corporally in his supper, euē as he had promised in the sayd 6. chap. it is most vntrue. For onely he gaue his body sacramentally, spiritually, and effectually in his supper to the faythfull Apostles, and corporally he gaue it in a bloudy sacrifice for the lyfe of the worlde vppon the crosse once for all. There in hys owne person, in hys owne naturall body he bare all our sinnes. By whose stripes we were healed, as S. Peter proueth 1. Pet. 2. and Esay. 53. In deed receiuyng Christs sacrament accor∣dingly as it was instituted, we receyue Christes body & Christs bloud, euen as I sayd before, the Apostles dyd.

But the popish Masse is another matter. The Masse as it is now, is but one of Antichrists youngest daughters, in the which the deuill is rather present and receyued, then our sauiour, the se∣cond person in Trinitie, God and man. O Lord God heauenly fa∣ther, for Christes sake we beseeche thee to turne agayne England to the right way it was in in K. Edwards tyme, from this Babylo∣nicall stewish spirituall whoredome, conspiracie, tyranny, dete∣stable enormities, false doctrine, heresie, hardnes of hart, and cō∣tempt of thy word and commaundements, from this euident and open idolatry, sacriledge, simonie, blasphemy, superstition, hypo∣crisie, transubstantiate angell of lyght and day deuill, kyngdome of lyes, foule vayne schismes, sects, sedition, apostasie, gay sweete poyson, honied and sugred viperous venome, wily woluishnesse, sathanicall subtletie, and abhomination in the sight of God, and of all such as put on the true spectacles of holy scripture. I am the more playne now in this matter, because I feare greatly, that ma∣ny will be to much ready to go from Christ to Antichrist, frō the Bible, true Gods seruice and religion, to Latine lying Legendes, Portases, Masse bookes and superstition. They say theyr Church cannot erre in any poynt, whē in deed they be not of gods church and therfore they can do nothyng but erre, euen as they doe al∣most in all cases of true fayth.

But to come agayne to the packer rather then preacher, hee bringeth S Chrysostome writyng Ad populum Antiochenum, where he makyng a comparison betweene Christes flesh and Eli∣as cloke cast downe to Elizeus, when Elias was taken vp in the fiery Chariot, at length he sayeth, that Christ ascendyng vp to heauen, tooke hys flesh with hym, and also left hys flesh behynd hym in earth.

The meanyng of it is, he dyd ascend with hys flesh, and left a memoriall cloke of the same body and flesh, which he calleth hys flesh, as he in the sacramentall phrase calleth bread his body, be∣cause it representeth his body: and as in the lyke manner of Sa∣cramentall speach, a Lambe was called the Passeouer, the Cir∣cumcision, Gods couenaunt. He tooke vp hys flesh corporally, & least his flesh in mystery and sacrament spiritually. Or it may be sayd, that he left hys flesh vpon earth: that is, hys mysticall body, his faythfull people, whom S. Paule calleth the members of hys body, of hys flesh, of hys bones, Ephes. 5. In the 49. chap. of Gene∣sis, there is no word of Christes sacrament, but there is a prophe∣sie of Christes passion, wherein hys Fole was bound, that is, hys body. And where hee speaketh there of grapes and wyne, it is as that is spoken of Christ in an other place, where hee sayeth: Ego solus torcular calcaui: I alone dyd treade the wyne presse meanyng thereby, that Christ alone suffered paynefull passion for the remission of sinnes, and for the consolation of all hys faith∣full souldiors.

It is not true that the packer sayd, that Christs infinite pow∣er may make his body to bee in a thousand places at once, as a loafe to be in a thousand bellies: for then myght Christ deuide the partes of hys body, as a loafe is deuided and so consumed, & then myght scripture be false, appointyng Christes body to bee but in one place. Act. 3. Phil. 3. Heb. 3. The articles of our faith tel vs sufficiently where Christes body is. It was neuer in two places at once, neyther euer shall be, neither euer can be corporally and naturally, neither euer was, is, can, or shall be eaten so with any corporall mouthes, as the Capernaites and the papistes most er∣roneously and heretically doe iudge. If our sauiour Iesus Christ hath no other body natural then is made of the substāce of bread and is in a thousand places at once, as I haue often sayd in Had∣ley: we are not yet redeemed, neyther shall our bodies ryse a∣gaine, & be made lyke vnto his glorious body. We are sure that our sauiour Christs body is made of none other substaunce then of his mother the blessed virgin Maries substaunce. We are sure, that he taketh not the nature of Angels, much lesse of bread. On∣ly he taketh on hym the seed of Abraham. Heb. 2. In all thynges lyke vnto vs, sin only except. And this is a comfortable doctrine to vs christians, beleuing stedfastly as the true catholike fayth is, that Christ hath but two natures, perfect God, and perfect man. Vpon this rocke Christs church is builded, and the gates of hell shall neuer preuayle agaynst it. Math. 16.

I speake nothing now of auricular confession and praying for soules departed, because I do not heare what authors the packer brought in for this purpose. Sure I am that he can bryng no au∣thenticall and canonicall warrant for such his packware. He may say what hee wyll of Hebricians and Graecians, and fleshe vnder formes, and not aboue formes, or aboue the bourd. He may con∣iure and conuey, passe & repasse, euen what he wil in such clouds and mystes. He reproued the scriptures as full of darkenes, & yet is full of darkenes hymselfe. He did wittily, to bring proofes out of Iewry, Turky, and other strange places, for his rounde whyte cake, for that such his pedlary pelfe packe is contrary to the plain simplicity of Christes supper. He glaunced at priests mariage. He myght agaynst that haue brought as auncient a Doctor as any be alledged out of Hebrue, for hys masse and wafer cake, that is, D. Deuill. 1. Tim. 4.

I meruaile that he dyd not confute and confound S. Paul for the sentences written aboue the aultar, of the which, hee made mention in the pulpit. For he and his fellowes of Oxford bee so profound, so excellent, so glorious, and triumphant clarkes, that they can easily prooue a man an asse, and writers in the Bible ig∣norant, simple, full of errors, ful of heresies, & beggerly fooles. Yet they wil be called catholikes, faithfull true christian people, defenders of the holy mother the Church: but truely they take part with the prince of darknes, with Antichrist, with Iezabell, Apoc. 2. They wyll not be called Papists, Pharises, Iewes, Turkes, heretikes, and so forth: but whatsoeuer they will be called, Gods religion had neuer more euident aduersaries, and that in all the chiefe points of it: no not then, when our sauiour Christ whypt such Merchants out of the temple, callyng them a company of theeues Math. 21. God geue them grace to repent. God be than∣ked that the Nobilitie somethyng of late hath spied and stopped their tyranny. O vnhappy England: Oh more vngrate people, sooner bewitched then the folish Galathians. We haue now none excuse.

We haue vndoubtedly seene the true trace of the propheti∣call Apostolicall primatiue catholike church. We are warned to beware, least we be led out of that way, societie, and rule of Re∣ligion. Now we shall shew what countrey men we bee, whether spirituall and heauenly, or carnall and worldly. We had as true knowledge as euer was in any countrey, or in any tyme, since the beginnyng of the world, God be praysed therfore. If Hadley be∣yng so many yeares perswaded in such truth, will now willingly and wittingly forsake the same, and defile it selfe withe the Cake god, Idolatry, and other Antichristianitie thereunto belongyng,

let it surely looke after many and wonderfull plagues of God shortly. Though another haue the Benefice, yet as God know∣eth, I cannot but be carefull for my deare Hadley. And therefore as I could not but speake, after the first abhominable Masse be∣gun there, I beyng present, no more I can not but write now be∣yng absent, hearyng of the wicked prophanation of my late pul∣pit, by such a wily Wolfe. Gods loue, mercy, goodnes and fauour hath bene vnspeakable, in teachyng vs the right way of saluati∣on and iustification: Let vs all haue some zeale, some care how to serue him accordyng to his good will written. The God of loue and peace be euer in Hadley, through Christ our onely ad∣uocate. Amen.

Rowland Taylor.

After that Steuen Gardiner Bish. of Winchester, had got the lawes, and the secular arme on his side (as ye haue heard) with full power and authoritie to raigne and rule as he listed, and had brought these godly bishops and re∣uerend preachers aforesayd vnder foote, namely, the Arch∣bishop of Cant. D. Ridley B. of London, M. Latimer, M. Hooper B. of Worcester and Gloucester, M. Rogers, M. Saunders, D. Taylor, and M. Bradford, all which he had now presently condemned, and some also burned, he supposed now all had bene cocke sure, and that Christ had bene conquered for euer, so that the people beyng terrified with example of these great learned men condemned, ne∣uer would ne durst once route against their violent religi∣on: not much vnlike in this behalfe, to the manner of the Turkes, who when they cannot maintaine their sect by good learnyng and truth of Gods word, thinke by violēce of sword to force whome they can to their beliefe, and that done, afterward make lawes, no man vnder payne of he∣resie to dispute or once to call in question any ••f their pro∣ceedyngs. Euen so St. Gardiner and his fellowes, when they see they cannot preuaile by triall of Gods word, and discourse of learnyng, neither are disposed simply to seeke for truth where it is to be found, they take exceptions a∣gaynst Gods word to bee intricate, obscure, and insuffici∣ent to bee his owne iudge, and therefore that of necessitie must bee iudged by the Popes Church, and so hauyng Kyngs and Queenes of theyr side, they seeke not to per∣swade by the worde of God, nor to winne by charitie, but in stead of the law of God, they vse (as the Prouerb saith) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, compelling men by death, fire, and sworde, (as the Turkes do) to beleue that in very deed they think not. And in deed after flesh and bloud this seemeth to bee a sure way. Neither peraduenture are they ignoraunt how gaily this way thriueth with the Turkes, and therefore thinke they to practise the same, at least wise so they do, v∣pon what example so euer they doe it. And thus condem∣ned they these godly learned preachers and bishops afore∣sayd, supposing (as I said) that all the rest would soone be quailed by their example. But they were deceiued, for w^tin 8. or 9. dayes after that Ste. Gardiner had geuen sentence against M. Hooper, M. Rogers, M. Saunders, D. Tay∣lor, and M. Bradford, being the 8. of Febru. sixe other good men wer brought likewyse before the bishops for the same cause of religion, to be examined, whose names were W. Pigot butcher, St. Knight Barber, Th. Tomkins Wea∣uer, Th. Hawkes gentleman, Ioh. Laurence priest, Will. Hunter prentise.

St. Gardiner seyng thus his deuise disappointed, and that cruelty in this case would not serue to his expectation gaue ouer the matter as vtterly discouraged, & from that day medled no more in such kinde of condemnations, but referred the whole doyng therof to Boner B. of London: who supplied that part right doughtily, as in the further processe of this hystory hereafter euidently and too muche may appeare. Thus B. Boner taking the matter in hand, called before him in his Consistory at Paules, the L. Mai∣or and certaine Aldermen sitting with him, the 6. persons aforenamed, vpon the 8. day of Febr. in the yere aforesaid, and in the next day beyng the 9. of Febr. red the sentence of condemnation vpon them, as appeareth in Boners own registers. Such quicke speed these men could make in di∣spatching their busines at once. Notwithstandyng, be∣cause the death of these condemned martyrs did not folow incontinently before the next month of March, I wyll de∣ferre the prosecuting of their matter, til I come by y^e grace of the Lord, to the tyme and day of their suffering.

In the meane tyme, what was the cause that their ex∣ecution was so long deferred after their condemnation, I haue not precisely to say, vnlesse peraduenture the sermon of Alphonsus the Spanish Frier, and the kings Confessor did some good. For so I find, that when these sixe persons aforesaid, were cast vpon saterday the 9. of Febr. vpō son∣day following, which was the x. of February, the sayd Al∣phonsus a Gray Frier, preached before the king, in which sermon he did earnestly inuey against the bishops for bur∣ning of men, saying plainly that they learned it not in scri∣pture to burne any for his conscience: but the cōtrary, that they should lyue & be conuerted, with many other things more to the same purport. But touchyng the lingeryng of these mens death, as I haue not certainly to affirme, so I let it passe.

Upon the 14. of February, M. Rob. Ferrar B. of S. Dauids, was sent toward S. Dauids, there to be cōdem∣ned and executed. Touching whose martyrdome, for so much as it fell not before the month of March, we wil de∣ferre the history thereof till we come to the day and tyme of his suffering.

Furthermore, this foresaid 14. day of February, the L. Chauncellor & other his felow Bishops, caused the image of Thomas Becket, that olde Romish traitor, to be set vp ouer the Mercers Chappell dore in Chepeside in Londō, in the forme and shape of a bishop, with Miter and Cro••••∣er. Howbeit within two dayes after his erection, his two blessing fingers were first broken away, and on the nexte day (beyng the 17. of February) his head also was striken of: wherupon arose great trouble, and many were suspe∣cted: among whom one M. Ioh. Barnes Mercer, dwel∣lyng ouer agaynst the same Chappel, was vehemently by the Lord Chancellour charged withall, as the doer therof & the rather, for that he was a professour of truth. Where∣fore he and three of his seruauntes were committed to pry∣son: and at his deliuery (although it coulde not be prooued vpon him) he was bound in a great summe of money, as well to build it vp agayne as often as it should be broken downe, as also to watch and keepe the same. And therfore at this his compelled charges, the Image was agayne set vp the secōd day of March, then next ensuing, but (for lack belike of carefull watching) the 14. day of the same moneth in the night, the head of that daungerous beast (ouer whō there was suche a charge geuen) was agayne the seconde tyme broken of: which thing was so heynously taken, that the next day (being the 15. day) there was a Proclamation made in London, that who soeuer woulde tell who did strike of his head (though he were of counsayle, and not the principall doer) he shoulde haue not onely his pardon, but also one hundreth crownes of gold, with harty thāks. But it was not knowne who did it.

The 18. day of February, Queene Mary at length af∣ter long delaye, made full aunswere to the kinge of Den∣markes letters, who had written before two letters to the sayd Queene, in y^e behalfe of M. Couerdale, for his deliue∣raunce, who at that time went vnder sureties, and was in great danger, had he not bene rescued by the great suite & letters of the sayd K. of Denmarke.

The matter and copy of which his sute and letters, as they came to our hands, we haue here set forth and exprest where by the singular loue of this good king towards the truth of Gods word and the professors thereof might the better appeare to the world.

First this vertuous and godly king Christianus, hea∣ryng of the captiuitie of Myles Couerdale, of whome hee had had some knowledge before (being there in Denmark in King Henry the eight his tyme) and lamentyng hys daungerous case, and partly thorough the intercession of M. Machabeus Superintendent in Denmarke, who was partly of kinne to Maister Couerdales wife, made intercession by letters to Queene Mary, desiring and re∣questyng the sayd Myles Couerdale to be sent vnto hym. The date of which hys first letters, was about the Ca∣lends of May. An. Dom. 1554. The copy whereof here followeth.

¶Christianus Dei gratia, Daniae, Noruegiae, &c. Rex. &c. eadem gratia Serenissimae ac potentissimae principi D. Mariae, An∣gliae, Galliae, & Hyberniae Reginae, consanguineae nostrae chariss. salutem.

SErenissima princeps, consanguinea charissima pro necessitu∣dine mutua ac coniunctione, non solum regij nominis inter nos, sed etiam sanguinis, maximè vero vtrinque inter haec regna nostra à vetustissimis vsque temporibus propagata ac seruata, nō modo commertiorum, sed omnium officiorum vicissitudine & fide, facere non potuimus quin pietatis & doctrinae excellentis commendatione, verè reuerendi viri Ioannis Machabaei, sacrae Theologiae doctoris & professoris praestantiss subditi ac Ministri nostri imprimis dilecti, supplicibus grauissimisque praecibus cō∣moti, ad serenitatem vestram has literas daremus. Exposuit is nobis, in hac recenti perturbatione ac motu regni Angliae (quem ex animo euenisse dolemus, & nunc indies in melius verti spera∣mus) quendam nomine Milonem Couerdalum, nuper dioecesis Exoniensis, piae laudatissimaeque memoriae proximi Regis Sere∣nitatis vestrae fratris, consanguinei itidem nostri chariss. autho∣ritate

constitutum Episcopum, nunc in tristiss. calamitates, car∣cerem, ac periculum vitae, nulla atrocioris delicti culpa, sed illa fatali temporum ruina incidisse. Quae quidem hic Machabaeus∣noster, quod ei affinitate (& quod grauius est) pietatis, eruditio nis ac morum similitudine, tanquam frater deuinctus sit, non mi∣nus ad se pertinere existimat. Itaque nostram opem implorat, vt quam ipse gratiam & fauorem apud nos meretur, hominis inno∣centis calamitati ac periculo (quod ipse non minus suum putat) accommodemus. Mouemur profecto non temere, illius viri (cui suo merito imprimis bene volumus) commiseratione, eiusque maximè testimonio de captiui Antistitis innocentia atque inte∣gritate▪ de qua quidem est vt eo melius speremus, quod multis iam morte mulctatis sontibus, de ipso integrum adhuc deus es∣se voluit. Proinde non dubitauimus serenitatem vestram quanta possimus diligentia atque animi propensione rogare, vt nostra causa captiui illius D. Milonis rationem clementer habere dig∣netur, eum{que} vt à sceleris: ita à poenae etiam atrocitate alienum esse voluit, & temporum offensam, qua ipsum quo{que} affligi verisi∣mile est, nobis nostrae{que} amicitiae regiae & precibus, praesertim hoc primo auditu, benigne condonare, saltem eatenus, vt si fortè hoc rerum statu grauis eius praesentia sit, incolumis ad nos cum suis dimittatur. Id nobis summi benificij loco, & Serenitati vestrae in∣florentiss. regni auspicijs (quae augusta, fausta, ac fortunata sere∣nitati vestrae ex animo optamus) ad clementiae laudem honorifi∣cum erit: & nos dabimus operam, vt cum amicitiae nostrae habi∣tam rationem intellexerimus, eo maiore studio in mutuam vi∣cem gratitudinis omniumque officiorum erga Serenitatem vestrā eiusque vniuersum regnum & subditos incumbamus. Deum op∣timum maximum precamur, vt Serenitati vestrae ad gloriam sui nominis & publicam salutem foelices omnium rerum successus & incolumitatem diuturnam largiatur.

Datae ex arce nostra Col∣dingeum, septimo Calendas Maij. Anno. 1554.

Vester consanguineus, frater & amicus Christianus Rex.

To these letters of the king, Queene Mary aunswe∣ring againe, declared that the sayd Miles Couerdale was in no such captiuitie for any religion, but for certayn debt: so neither plainly graunting, nor expresly denying his re∣quest, but vsing a colorable excuse for shifting of the mat∣ter, as appeareth by his second letter sent to the Queene, dated the 24. day of Sept. as followeth.

¶Christianus Dei gratia Daniae, Norwegiae, Gottorum, & Van∣dalorum Rex: Sleswici, Holsatiae, Stormariae, ac Dithmersiae Dux: Comes in Oldenburgh & Delmenhorst, Serenis. prin∣cipi dominae Mariae, Angliae, Franciae, & Hyberniae Reginae, fidei defens. &c Sorori & consanguineae nostrae chariss. salu∣tem, & omnium rerum optatos & faustos successus.

REdditae sunt nobis literae Serenitatis vestrae, quibus benigne admodum ad deprecationem nostram, qua pro D. Milonis Couerdali ecclesiae Exon. nuper nomin ati Episcopi incolumita∣te vsi sumus, respondetur: ita vt intelligamus, licet alterius cau∣sae quam quae nobis innotuerat, periculum sustineat, tamen Se∣reniss. vestram nostrae intercessionis eam rationem habiturā esse, vt illā sibi profuisse ipse Couerdalussētiat. Cui quidē promissio∣ni regiae cum tantum meritum tribuamus, vt ea freti non dubita∣uerimus eius captiui propinquos (nobis inprimis charos) à moe∣rore ac sollicitudine ad spem atque expectationem certae ••alu is vocare, sacere nō potuimus, quin & gratias sereni. vestrae pro tā prōpta ac benigna volūtate, non modo huius beneficij, sed etiā perpetuae inter nos ac regna nostra conseruandae ac colende ami∣citiae ageremus, & quantum in nobis esset, quod ad applectanda persequendaque haec auspicata initia pertineret, nihil praetermit∣teremus. Neque vero nobis de clementia ac moderatione Sere. vestrae vnquam dubium fuit, quam deus opt. max. ad gloriam sui nominis & fructum pub. vtilitatis vt magis ac magis efflorescere velit, ex animo optamus. Proinde cum ob rationes aerarias, ne∣que aliud grauius delictum D. Couerd. teneri Sere. vestra scribat, est sanè, vt ipsius causa laetemur, eoque minus ambigamus, libe∣rationem incolumitatemque eius nostris precibus liberaliter do∣nati. Nam & accepimus ipsum episcopatu, cuius nomine aerario obstrictus fuerat, cessisse, vt inde satisfactio peteretur: maxime cum neque diu eo potitus fuisse, neque tantum emolumenti inde percepisse dicatur. Quinetiam si qua rationum perplexitas, aut alia forte causa reperiri posset, tamen sollicitudinem ac dubitati∣onem nobis Serenitatis vestrae tam amice, atque officiose deferē∣tes literae omnem exemerunt: vt existimemus Sere. vestrā, quo∣ad eius fieri posset, magis honorem nostrum, quam quid ab eo ex∣igi possit, consideraturam▪ Itaque Sere. vestram repetitis precibus vrgere non constituimus: sed potius testatum facere, quam acce∣pta nobis Sere. vest. gratificatio sit, cuius ralem euentum omni∣no speramus, vt ipse Couerd. coram vobis suae incolumitatis à Sere. vest. exoratae beneficium propediem repraesentare possit. Il∣lud vero imprimis Seren. vest. vicissim persuasum esse cupimus, nos non solum referendae gratiae, sed etiam stabilendae prouehē∣dae que inter nos ac regna vtrinque nostra amicitiae ac necessitu∣dinis mutuae occasionem aut facultatem nullam esse praetermis∣suros. Deus opt. max. Sere. vest. diu foeliciter ac beate incolumem esse velit.

Datae ex oppido nostro Ottoniensi, 24. Septembr. An∣no. 1554.

Vester frater & consan∣guineus Christianus.

The same in English.

¶Christierne by the grace of God King of Denmarke Norway, Gotland, and of the Vandales: Duke of Sleswike, Holston, Stormar, and Detmarsh: Earle of Oldenburgh, and Delmenhorst, &c. To the most noble princesse & Lady Mary Queene of England, Fraunce and Ireland, defender of the fayth, &c. Our most dearely beloued sister and cosin, wisheth prosperitie, with good and luckie successe of all thyngs.

WE haue receiued your Maiesties letters, whereby aūswere is rendred, & that very graciously vnto our petitiō, which we made for the safegard of maister Couer∣dall late called bish. of Exon. So that we perceiue, though he be in daūger for an other cause then was signified vnto vs afore, yet your maiestie will so regard our intercession that Couerdale him selfe shall vnderstand it to haue done him good. To the which regall promise, seyng we (as rea∣son is we should do) attribute so much, that trusting vnto y^e same, we doubt not, where as he beyng in captiuitie, his frendes (whom we specially tender) are therfore in heaui∣nesse and care, your good promise doth call them from such sorow & solicitude, to the hope & expectation of his assured welfare: we could not do otherwise, but rēder thākes vnto your maiesty for such your ready & gracious good will, not onely in respect of this benefite, but also of the cōseruation & keping of perpetuall amitie betwene vs & our realmes, & so as much as in vs lyeth, to omit nothing that to the no¦rishing & cōtinuance of these fortunate beginnings might appertaine. Neither had we euer any doubt cōcerning the clemēcie & moderation of your goodnes, whom we hartily beseech almighty God, euer more and more prosper, vnto the glory of his name, & profite of the cōmon weale. Wher∣fore seyng your Maiestie writeth that maister Couerdale is in daūger for certaine accomptes of money, & not for a∣ny other more greeuous offence, we haue cause on his be∣halfe to reioyce: & therfore we doubt so much the lesse, that at our request he shall graciously haue his deliuerāce geuē him, and be out of daunger. For as touching the Bysho∣prike, by reason whereof he came in debt, we vnderstād he yelded it vp, that paymēt might thereof be required, speci∣ally seing he is reputed neither to haue enioyed it lōg, nei∣ther to haue had at any time so great cōmodity of it. More ouer, though it be possible to finde some perplexitie in the accōpt, or happily some other cause, yet your maiesties let∣ters offering such fauour and benignitie, haue taken from vs all carefulnesse and doubt: In so much that we thinke your maiestie (as much as may be) will haue more respect vnto our honour, then vnto that whiche might of hym be required. And therefore wee purpose not to trouble your Maiestie by repeting of our petition, but to declare howe greatly we esteeme it, that your maiestie would gratify vs herein: whereof we plainely hope for such an end, that Co∣uerdale him selfe shall shortly in our presence make decla∣ration concerning the benefite of his welfare obtayned of your maiestie. And of this wee desire your maiestie to be specially assured agayne, that wee will not onely omit no occasion or oportunitie to requite this benefite, but also to establish and amplifie our mutual loue & amitie betweene vs and our realms on either side. Almighty God preserue your maiestie in prosperous health and felicitie. Geuen at our Citie of Otton the 24. of Septemb. Ann. D. 1554.

To these letters it was a great while before the queene would aunswere. At length through great sute made, the next yeare, the 18. of February, she aunswered agayne in this wise.

¶Sereniss. principi D. Christiano Dei gratia Daniae, &c. Regi Sleswici, &c. Duci: Comiti in Oldenburgh, &c. fratri & a∣mico nostro charissimo.

MAria dei gratia Regina Angliae, Franciae, Neapolis, Hierusa∣lem, & Hyberniae, &c. Serenissimo principi Christiano, ea∣dem gratia, Daniae, Noruegiae, Gothorum & Vandalorum Regi: Slesuici, Holsatiae, Stormariae, & Ditmersiae Duci: Comiti in Ol∣denburgh & Delmenhorst. &c. fratri & amico nostro chariss. sa∣lutem, prosperumq́ue rerum incrementum. Cum intellexeri∣mus ex Serenitatis vestrae literis, quas hic nuntius nobis attulit, desyderium vestrum obtinendi â nobis pro M. Couerdalo subdi∣to nostro exeundi è regno nostro, & ad vos proficiscendi facul∣tatem:

facile quidem in V. Serenitatis gratiam, hanc illi faculta∣tem concessimus. Et quanquam ille natus subditus noster non∣dum explicatus fuerat à debitione certae cuiusdam pecuniae quā nostro aerario soluere iure tenebatur, tamen maiorem vestri de∣syderij quam nostri debiti rationem habendam esse duximus. Quin insuper animum & voluntatem gratificandi vestrae Sereni∣tati pro nostra mutua amicia, in qua alia etiam re possumus, cum oportunitas feret, libenter ostendemus. Deus Vest. Serenitatem diutissimè seruet incolumen. Ex Regia nostra Westmonasterij, 18. Febr. 1555.

The same month, the 19. day was a certaine intimati∣on set foorth and printed in the name of Boner, wherein was conteyned a general monition and strait charge ge∣uen to euery man and woman within his Dioces, to pre∣pare themselues against Lent, then neare approchyng, to receyue the glad tidynges of peace and reconciliation sent from Pope Iulius 3. by Poole his Cardinall and Legate De Latere, and so receyue also the ioyfull benefite of abso∣lution, beyng sent first from the Cardinall to Boner, and from him to euerich of his Archdeacons to be ministred to euery priuate person within his Dioces, that would come the said holy tyme of Lent to his Pastor or Curate to bee confessed, and to receyue of hym wholesome counsaile, pe∣nance and absolution: Signifiyng moreouer, that as he was authorised by the foresayd Cardinall, so he for y^e same purpose had indued with the like authoritie, al and singu∣lar Pastors and Curates within his Dioces, to reconcile and assoyle from their former heresie and schisme, & from the censures of the Church, such as would resort vnto thē. And lest any scruple or doubt rising peraduenture in their consciences, should be any stay or let in this behalfe, he had assigned and deputed therfore through his Dioces certain learned men, to whom they might resort, or els myght o∣pen their griefes to any of his Archdeacons, or els come to hys owne person, and so should be resolued.

And therefore all manner of doubtes and obstacles set aside, hee straightly willed and commaunded euery man and woman to come to confession, and to enioy this be∣nefite of reconciliation and absolution, agaynst the first Sonday next after Easter ensuyng, and not to fayle, For the which purpose he had specially commaunded the Pastours and Curates of euery parish, to certifie vp in writyng the names of euery man and woman so reconci∣led, and so forth. The copy of which intimation here vn∣der followeth.

¶The declaration of the B. of London, to be pub∣lished to the lay people of his diocesse, concer∣nyng their reconciliation.

EDmund by the permission of God, B. of London, vn∣to all and singuler the lay people of his Diocesse, doth send greeting in our sauiour Iesu Christ.

Whereas this noble realme of England, diuidyng it selfe from the vnitie of the catholike church, and from the agreement in religion with all other christian Realmes, hath bene, besides many other miseries & plagues, which Gods indignation hath poured vpon it, grieuously also vexed, and sore infected with many and sondry sortes of sects of heretikes, as Arrians, Anabaptistes, Libertines, Zuinglians, Lutherans, and many other, all which sectes be most repugnant: and contrary one agaynst another, & all agaynst Gods truth, and Christes Catholicke fayth: whereupon hath growen such slaunder to the realme, such malice and disagreement among our selues, the inhabi∣tants thereof, such treasons, tumultes, and insurrections agaynst our prince, such blasphemy and dishonour vnto God, as no mans tong or pen is able to expresse: It hath pleased the goodnes of God to cast his eye of mercy & cle∣mency vpon vs, and to mooue the Popes holines to send his most godly messenger, the most Reuerend father in God, the L. Cardinall Poole Legate de Latere, to bryng vs the glad tidings of peace, and reconciliation, & to reduce and bryng home vnto the folde, the lost sheepe that were gone astray, whose message as it hath bene honourablye receyued of the Kyng and Queenes maiesties, euen so the Lords spirituall and temporall, and commons at the last Parliamente hath receyued it, reuokyng all lawes (the which in the tyme of schisme were promulgate against the authoritie of the Popes holynes, and restoryng the same and the church of Rome to all that power which they had in this realme before the sayd schisme, the which reconcili∣ation was also most glad and ioyfully embraced as well of all the clergy and conuocation of the prouince of Cant. as also of many other persons, and beyng so great & ne∣cessary, to be extended to euery person of the Realme, it hath pleased the sayd L. Legates grace to geue, & imparte vnto me the sayd B. of London, for my sayd Diocesse, and to all such as I shall appoynt in that behalfe, power & au∣thoritie to absolue and reconcile all and euery person ther¦of, as well of the Clergy as of the Laitie, and as well men as women, the which will renounce their errors, and (be∣yng penitent) will humbly require to be restored to the v∣nitie of the Catholike church, as by the letters of the sayde L. Legates grace sent vnto me, and from me sent vnto e∣uery of the Archdeacons within my dioces, more at large may, and doth appeare. And forasmuch as in myne owne person, as well for the multitude of people, as distaunce of places, I cannot minister this benefit vnto euery priuate person my selfe, and for that also the holy tyme of Lent is now at hande, in which euery true christen man ought to come vnto his owne Pastor and Curate, to be of him con∣fessed, and to receyue at his hand wholesome counsaile, pe∣nance and absolution: these are therefore as well to geue knowledge vnto euery one of you, as also to signifie & de∣clare, that for that purpose, I haue by the sayd authoritie chosen, named and deputed, and so by these presentes, doe chuse, and depute all and singuler pastors and curates, ha∣uing cure of soules within my Diocesse, and beyng them∣selues reconciled herein, that they and euery of them by authoritie hereof, shall haue full power and authoritie to absolue all such as be lay persons of their parishes, from heresie and schisme, and from the censures of the Church, into y^e which they be fallen by occasion therof also, & to re∣concile to the church al such which shal declare themselues penitent, and desirous to enioy the benefit of the sayde re∣conciliation. And whereas diuers pastors and curates in sondry parishes, peraduenture bee not able to satisfye the myndes, and to appease the consciences of some of theyr parishioners, in cases that shal trouble them, I haue ther∣fore geuen also authoritie to euery Archdeacon of my dio∣ces, within his Archdeaconry, to name and appoynt cer∣tayne of the best learned in euery Deanry of their Arch∣deaconry, to supply that lacke, so that euery man so trou∣bled, may repaire to any one of thē within the said Dean∣ry, whom he shall lyke best, to be instructed and appeased in that behalfe, And also I haue appoynted, that i•• this be∣yng done, there shall yet remayne any scruple in the par∣ties conscience, and himselfe not satisfied, then the said par∣tie to repaire vnto one of myne Archdeacons or chaplens, vnto whom his mynd shal be most inclined vnto, or els to repaire vnto myne owne selfe, to bee resolued in his saide scruple or doubt, and to receiue and take such order therin as to one of the sayd Archdeacons, or vnto me shall therin appeare to be most expedient.

Further certifieng and declaring vnto you, that I haue geuen commaundement herein to all my Archdeacons, that they monish and commaund euery pastor, & Curate within their Archdeaconries, that they hauing knowlege hereof, doe in the first holiday next then followyng, at the masse tyme, when the multitude of people is present, de∣clare all these thyngs vnto their parishioners, and exhort them that they esteeme this grace accordingly, and recon∣cile themselues to the church before the first Sonday after Easter next ensuyng, which thyng I also do commaunde by the tenour hereof, with intimation that the sayd tyme beyng once past, and they not so reconciled, euery one of them shall haue processe made agaynst hym, accordyng to the Canons, as the cause shall require: for which purpose the pastours and Curates of euery parish shall be cōman∣ded by their Archdeacon, to certifie me in writyng, of eue∣ry man and womans name, that is not so reconciled.

Further, herewith I do signify and declare vnto you, that our holy father the Pope, Iulius the 3. of that name, lyke a most tender and naturall father, hearyng of the re∣turne and recouery of his prodigall child this Realme of England, hath hymselfe made much ioy and gladnes here at, and also all other true christen Realmes haue done the lyke. Exhorting you therefore in our Lord, not to bee vn∣thankfull your selues, or negligent in this behalfe, but di∣ligently to seeke for it, ioyfully to embrace it, and fruitfully to vse it, remembryng with all the monition and charge which came from me the last yeare, concernyng your com∣myng to confession in Lent, and receiuyng the sacrament at Easter, which monition to all effects and purposes, I haue now here repeated and renewed, chargyng you, and also al your Curates therwith. And because al our dueties is, earnestly and deuoutly to pray for the prosperous estate of our soueraignes, the King and Queene of this Realm, I do finally require and pray you, as hartily as I can, to pray for their maiesties accordingly, and specially that it may please almighty God, to send vnto her grace a good tyme, and to make her a glad mother, which cannot be but vnto vs all great ioy, much comfort, and inestimable pro∣fite. Geuen at London the 19▪ day of the moneth of Febr,

in the yere of our Lord God, after the computation of the church of England, 1554. and of my translation, the 16.

*The forme of absolution, to be kept by the Pastors and Curates, in priuate confessions, concernyng this reconciliation.

OVr Lord Iesus Christ absolue you, and by the Apostolike au∣thoritie to me graunted and committed, I absolue you from the sentences of excommunication, and from all other censures and paynes, into the which you be fallen by reason of heresie, or schisme, or any other wayes: and I restore you vnto the vnity of our holy mother the Churche, and the Communion of all Sa∣cramentes, dispensing with you for all manner of irregularitie: and by the same authoritie, I absolue you from all your sinnes, In the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy Ghost. Amen.

Notes

• Hadly towne commended. Thomas Bilney.
• D. Taylour, a Doctour in both lawes. and a di∣uine.
• Thomas Cran∣mer Archb. of Canter••ury.
• A good shep∣heard and his conditions.
• Iohn. 2. Feede with worde.
• Anno 1555. February-
• Feede with ex∣ample.
• Feede with almes.
• Commendati∣on of Doct. Tay∣lours wife and his children.
• The Papistes and their natu∣rall workes.
• Foster a lawyer, and Ioh. Clerke of Hadley, two notorious Pa∣pistes.
• Iohn Auerth a right popishe Priest.
• Marke how vn∣willingly the people were to receiue the pa∣pacy agayne.
• D. Taylours cu∣stome ••o study.
• Masse brought in••to Hadley with swo•••• and buck∣lers.

  D. Taylor rebuked th•• deuill.

  The Papi•••• call al th•• trumpery 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Quen•• proceedin••▪ For you must rem••••••ber that Antichrist rayneth by an others arme, and not by hy•• owne po••••er. Read Daniell, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the king 〈◊〉〈◊〉 faces the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 chapter. D. Taylo•• here play∣eth a righ•• Elias. 3. R•••• 18.
• Super al••tare is a stone con••••••crated by the bisho•• commonl•• of a foot•••• long 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Papi•••• cary in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when th•• masse for money in gentlem•••• houses.

  The Pap•••••• argumen•• wherewi•••• they main••tayne the doctrine. Sap. 2.
• D. Taylo•• cited by a letter mis••siue.
• D. Taylo•• frendes would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him to fly▪
• The valia•••• courage of D. Taylo•• in Christes cause.
• Math. 10.
• D. Taylour re••••••eth to ••ye.
• The Papacy a ••ingdome 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lyes.
• Syr Rich. Yeoman D. Taylours Curate, and Martir of Christ, Iohn Al∣cocke of Hadley tro∣bled for Gods truth, and dyed in prison, D. Taylours iourney.
• Iohn Hull a faythfull seruaunt to D. Taylour.
• D. Taylour agayne ad∣••••ed to flye but he refu∣sed so to do. The first meeting be∣tweene Winchest. and D. Tai∣lour.

  A great a∣buse in Englande and 3. mis∣chiefes com∣ming there∣of.

  The first mischiefe. The second mischiefe.
• The third mischiefe.
• D. Taylours patience and ••agnani∣••itie.
• Steuen Gardi∣ners Lordly lookes.
• The notable an∣swere of Doctor Taylour to the Bishop of Win∣chester.
• Herodes othe. Here the bishop confesseth vn∣lawfull othes ought not to be kept.
• The true church of Christ wher∣unto all men ought to turne.
• Christ will re∣quire lawfull othes and pro∣mises.
• Gardiner a∣gayne rayling. Rayling wordes become not a magistrate. Math. 5.
• Maryage obie∣cted to D. Tay∣lour.

  Mariage defen∣ded.
• One Idolater holdeth with an other.
• The Masse.
• The communiō.
• The true sacri∣fice for the quicke and dead, what it is.
• Propitiatory sa∣crifice offered neuer more then once.
• Our sacrifice is onely memora∣tiue.

  Winchesters strong argu∣ment cary him to prison.
• D. Taylours prayer agaynst the pope and his detestable en∣ormities.
• The godly be∣hauiour and cō∣uersation of D. Taylour in the prison.
• Prisons turned into churches, & churches into dens of theeues.
• The lamantable distresse of gods true worship∣pers in those dayes.
• Iohn Bradford and D. Taylour prison fellowes in the kinges Bench.
• D. Taylour de∣fenneth mary∣age of Priestes.
• D. Taylour de∣priued h••s Be∣nefice because of his mariage.
• Seldome commeth a better.
• The papiste rule and raigne.
• The pardon is profered.
• Note thys aunswere. The religi∣on set forth in king Ed∣wardes dayes.

  Secretary Bourne, ca∣uilleth a∣agaynst the religion set forth in K. Edwardes dayes.

  A testimony of the book of seruice set out in K. Edwardes dayes.
• His right name might be Syr Iohn Clawback.
• Math. 5.
• D. Taylour learned in diuinitie, and also in the ciuill lawe.

  Gardiners booke de vera obedi∣entia.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• Scripture ••ppr••ueth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ma∣••sages, but ••he P••pe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be heard be∣••ore the Scripture. Chrysost. ••alleth it an ••eresie, to ••ay that a Priest may ••ot be ma∣••yed.
• Canon law ••••proueth Priests ma∣••iages.
• Winchester ••••lyeth the ••ouncell.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••elpeth Win••••ester 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• D. Taylour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 agayne 〈…〉〈…〉.
• The B. of Wint. and his fellowe•• proued to be o••pen heretickes by Scripture 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the true ••••••∣nition of here••••.
• 1. Tim. 4. Bishops sinne agaynst their owne consciēce & that for 9. or 10. causes. 1. Cor. 7. Gene. 2.
• Gene. 1.
• Gene. 12. Mariage is no impediment for a good man to walke in ••he o∣bediēe of Gods cōmaundement.
• Ephe. 5. Aeb. 13.
• Gene. 18. Exod. 18. Gene. 25. Gene. 31. 1. Reg. 7.
• Math. 1.
• Chrisostome. It is heresie to deny Priestes Mariage. Ambros. 3. Q. 1. Integritat.
• The 2 cause of D. Taylours co∣demnation. Transub••tantia∣tion and Con∣comitation, two iuggling words of the Papistes.
• The 3. article a∣gaynst Doct. Taylour.

  The 4. article a∣gaynst Doct. Taylour.
• The 5. article a∣gaynst Doct. Taylour.
• All men must obey kinges.
• D. Taylour ne∣uer afrayd of d••••th.
• Cyprian. lib. 1. Epist. 11.

  A Deacon, or Virgin or any o∣ther that hath dedicate himself to virginitye if he cannot liue chaste, by S. Cyprians iudge∣ment ought to mary.
• August, de Bono coniugali ad Iu∣lianum.
• The Pope & his By••hops com∣maundeth, and counselleth not to mary, yea & to burne men for marying.
• Gardine•• Hopton. Boner. Capon. Tonstall.
• The con••••cye of th•• men.
• Sentence death 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• D. Taylour 〈…〉〈…〉 the ••ope and 〈…〉〈…〉 of D. ••aylour.
• ••eepers of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• D Taylour ••lessed his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. D. Taylours 〈…〉〈…〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sonne, ••••rthy of al 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• D. Taylour councelleth hi•• wyfe.
• His last token to his wyfe and his sonne.
• D. Taylours will and testa∣ment written in the booke which he gaue to his sonne. Iob. 1.2. Apoc. 14. Luke 12.
• A pure consciēce fully quieted.
• A graue war∣ning agaynst Popery.
• The sinne a∣gaynst the holy Ghost.
• A godly prayer.
• D. Taylour lead from the Coū∣ter by night to∣ward Hadley.
• The last mee∣ting and leaue-taking with his wyfe and chil∣dren.
• This Sheriffe was M. Chester.
• The Shrieffes gentlenes shew∣ed to the womā.
• D. Taylour brought to the signe of the Woolsacke.
• D. Taylour ta∣keth his leaue of his sonne Tho∣mas and Iohn Hull.
• A good testimo∣ny for all ser∣uants to marke.
• Arthur Faysie.
• A close hoode made for Doct. Taylour that no man should know him.
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• D. 〈…〉〈…〉 his 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Home•• 〈…〉〈…〉 D. Tayl••••••
• The S••••••riffe of ••••••sex lab••••••eth D. Taylou•• returne Papis••••
• The Sh••••riffes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to D. T••••••lour.
• D· Taylo•••• maketh •• iest of death, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a meete ••••••swere fo•• such Do••••tours an•• Counce••••lours.
• A 〈…〉〈…〉 Docto•••• Taylour.
• A good meditat••••••
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• D. Taylour 〈…〉〈…〉.
• An other 〈…〉〈…〉 of D••••tour Taylour.
• D Taylour 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 〈…〉〈…〉 conf••rted D. Taylour
• The people lament D. Taylour.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• D. Taylour liued 〈…〉〈…〉 and ga••e ••lmes.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• Aldam Com∣mon.
• D. Taylour is come home.
• B. Boners cost and liberalitye vpon D. Tay∣lour.
• The people wi∣sheth God to helpe him.
• D. Taylour could not be suffered to speake to the people.
• The Gospellers are not sediti∣ous, as the Pa∣pistes commonly bee.
• Soyce pulleth of his bootes.
• D. Taylour con∣fesseth the truth.
• Homes a cruell Tyrant.
• D. Taylour prayeth.
• A good woomā comming to pray with him could not be suffered
• Richard Don∣ningham.
• The tormen∣tour••.

  Warwicke a cru¦ell tormentour. This king was also one of them which went with his halbert to bring them to death which were burnt at Bery.

  D. Taylor is pacient.
• Syr Ioh•• Shelton
• D. Taylo•••• last wor••
• Soyce 〈…〉〈…〉 downe with an Holbard
• An example of singular courage in D. Taylor.
• D. Taylor care∣les of his death.
• Syr Rob•••••• Bracher•• cōming 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hadley
• A popis•• Sermon Syr 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bracher▪
• This cap was a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cap sent M· Cou••••dale to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Taylor 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his wyfe▪
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stripe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 falsely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈…〉〈…〉 to be ••eare and 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• The Popes packe ware: Iustification by workes. Corporall p••esence, Praying for soules, Auricular confession.
• Against the corporall presence.
• Chr••sts bo∣dy geuen in the Supper spiritually, vpon the cro••se cor∣porally.
• Against the Masse. The Masse the Popes youngest da••ghter. D••scription of the popes ••ingdome.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• The meaning of Chrisost. rightly expounded con∣cerning Elias cloke.
• Of this memo∣riall cloke read before in D. Ridleys dispu∣tations.

  The place of Genesis. 49.
• Christes natural body cannot be diuided.
• Christes body was neuer in two places at once.
• Heb. 2.
• Auricular con∣fession.
• Praying for the dead.
• He meaneth by the place 1. Tim. 4. where S. Paule speaketh of the doctrine of Deuills. &c.
• English people likened to the Galathians.
• The Cake god.
• The carefull zeale of Doctor Taylour for Hadley.
• The proceedings of the Popes catholickes in maintayning their religion.
• The maner of proceeding like in the Ca∣tholickes, & in the Turkes.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Prouerb.
• February. 8.
• 6. Men conuen∣ted before B. Boner for here∣sie.
• Ste. Gardiner geueth ouer his mu••thering of∣fice to B. Boner.
• February. 9. Ex Regist. Bo∣neri Lond.
• 6. Men condē∣ned by B. Boner.
• February Alphonsus K. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 confessor preaching agayn•••• 〈…〉〈…〉
• February 14.
• Tho. Bec••kets Imag•• set vp at Mercers chappell. February. 17.

  M. Iohn Barnes troubled for Becke•• Image.
• Beckets I∣mage. Beckets I∣mage a∣gayne bro∣ken down••
• February. 18.

  Q. Mary aunswereth to the K. of Denmarkes letters tou∣ching M. Couerdale.
• M. Couer∣dale.
• This M. Machabeu•• and M. Co∣uerdale ma∣ryed two sisters.
• The epistle of the K▪ of Denmarke to Q. Mary for the de∣liuerance of of M. Co∣uerdale.
• Q. Maryes slender an∣swere to the kinges first letter.
• The same epi∣stle in Englishe.
• February. 18. The answere of Queene Mary to the King of Denmarkes let∣ter.

  M. Couerdale deliuered and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sent to the King of Denmarke.
• February. 15.
• The effect of B. Boners intima∣tion sent into his dioces to receiue the Cardinalls absolution, and to be reconciled to the Pope, in the Lent nexte folowing.
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