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. | Early English Books Online | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections

¶The history of Thomas Hitten.

Persecuters.

Martyrs.

The Causes.

...Wil. War∣ham Arch∣byshop of Canterbu∣ry.
...Fisher, By∣shop of Rochester.

Thomas Hytten.

At Mayd∣stone.

An. 1530.

TOuchyng the memo∣riall of Thomas Hyt∣ten, remayneth nothyng in writtyng,* 1.1 but onely his name, saue that Wil∣liam Tyndall in his A∣pologie agaynste More: and also in another booke, entituled: The Practise of Prelates, doth once or twise make mētion of him by way of digression. He was (sayth he) a Preacher at Maydstone, whom the Byshoppe of Canterbury William Warhā, and Fi∣sher Byshoppe of Roche∣ster,

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after they had longe kepte and tormented him in pri∣son with sundry torments, and that notwithstanding, he continued constant, at the last they burned him at Mayd∣stone, for the constant and manifest testimonie of Iesu Christ, and of his free grace and saluation. In the yeare of our Lord 1530.

[illustration]

¶The burnyng of Thomas Hytten.

Persecuters.

Martyrs.

The Causes.

...Cardinall Wolsey.
...Nixe, By∣shoppe of Norwich.
...Fryers of Ipswich.* 1.2
...Fryer Byrd.
...Fryer Ho∣gekins.
...Doctour Stokes.
...Sir Thom. Moore.
...Fryer Bru∣syerd.
...Fryer Iohn Huggen, Prouinciall of the Do∣minikes.
...Fryer Gef∣frey Iulles.
...Fryer Iug∣worth.
...M. William Iecket, gen∣tleman.
...William Nelson.
...Thomas Williams.

...Thomas Bilney.
...Arthure, which ab∣iured.

At Nor∣wiche.

Ann. 1531.

In the story aboue pas∣sed of Cardinall Wolsey,* 1.3 mention was made of cer∣tayne;* 1.4 whome the sayde Cardinal caused to abiure, as Bilney, Geffrey Lome, Garret, Barnes, and such other, of whome we haue nowe (the Lorde directing vs) specially to entreate. This Thom. Bilney was brought vp in the Uniuer∣sitie of Cambridge, euen from a child, profiting in al kind of liberal science, euen vnto the profession of both lawes. But at the last, ha∣uing gottē a better schoole∣maister, euen the holy spi∣rit of Christ, who enduing his hart by priuie inspira∣tion with y^e knowledge of better & more wholesome things, he came at the last vnto this point, that forsa∣king y^e knowledge of mās lawes, he cōuerted his stu∣dye to those things, which tended more vnto godly∣nes then gaynefulnes.

Finally, as he hymselfe was greatly inflamed with the loue of true religion & godlines, euen so agayne was in hys hart an incre∣dible desire to allure many vnto the same, desiring no∣thing more, then that hee might stir vp & incourage any to the loue of Christ, & sincere Religion. Neyther was his labors vayne, for he conuerted many of hys felowes vnto the know∣ledge of the Gospell, a∣mōgst which number was Thomas Arthur, and M. Hugh Latimer, which Latimer at that time was crossekeeper at Cambridge, bringing it forth vpon procession dayes. At the last,* 1.5 Bilney forsaking the Uniuersitie, went into many places, teaching & prea∣ching, being associate with Arthur, whiche accompanied him from the Uniuersitie. The authoritie of Thom. Wol∣sey Cardinall of Yorke, of whome ye heard before, at that time was great in England, but his pompe & pride much greater, which did euidently declare vnto all wise men, the manifest vanitie, not only of his life, but also of all the Byshops and Cleargie. Whereupon Bilney,* 1.6 with other good men maruelling at the incredible insolencie of the Cleargie, which they could now no longer suffer or abide, beganne to shake and reprooue this excessiue pompe of the Cleargie, and also to plucke at the authoritie of the By∣shop of Rome.

Then it was time for the Cardinall to awake, and spee∣dily to looke about hys busines. Neyther lacked he in this poynt any craft or subtiltie of a serpent, for he vnder∣stood well enough vpon how slender a foundation theyr ambitious dignitie was grounded, neyther was he ig∣noraunt that theyr Luciferous and proude kingdome could not long cōtinue against the manifest word of God, especially if the light of the Gospell should once open the eyes of men. For otherwise he did not greatly feare the power and dipleasure of Kings and Princes. Only thys he feared, the voyce of Christ in his Gospell, least it should disclose and detect their hypocrisie and deceites, and force them to come into an order of godly discipline: wherefore he thought good, speedily in time to withstand these begin∣nings. Whereupon he caused the sayd Bilney and Arthur to be apprehended and cast in prison, as before yee haue heard.

After this, the xxvij. day of Nouember, in the yeare of our Lord 1527. the sayde Cardinall accompanyed wyth a great number of Byshops,* 1.7 as the Archbyshop of Caun∣terbury, Cuthbert of London, Iohn of Rochester, Nicho∣las of Ely, Iohn of Exeter, Iohn of Lincolne, Iohn of Bathe and Welles, Harry of Saint Asse, with many other both Diuines and Lawyers, came into the Chapterhouse of Westminster, where the sayd Maister Thomas Bilney, and Thomas Arthur were brought before them, and the sayd Cardinall there enquired of M. Bilney, whether he had priuately or publiquely preached or taught to the peo∣ple, the opinions of Luther or any other, condemned by the Church, contrary to the determination of the Church. Whereunto Bilney answeared, that wittingly he had not preached or taught any of Luthers opinions, or any other, contrary to the Catholique Churche. Then the Cardinall asked him, whether he had not once made an othe before, that he should not preach, rehearse, or defende any of Lu∣thers opiniōs, but should impugne the same euerywhere? He answered, that he had made such an othe, but not law∣fully, which interrogatories so ministred, and answeares made, the Cardinall caused hym to sweare, to aunsweare playnely to the articles and errors preached and set foorth by him, as well in the Citie and dioces of London, as in the dioces of Norwich and other places, and that he shuld do it without any craft, qualifying or leauing out any part of the truth.

After he was thus sworne and examined, the sayd Car∣dinal proceded to the examination of M. Thomas Arthur there present, causing him to take the like othe,* 1.8 that M. Bilney did. Which done, he asked of him whether he had not once told sir Tho. More knight, y^t in the Sacrament of the altar was not the very body of Christ? Which interro∣gatory he denied. Then the Cardinal gaue him time to de∣liberate til noone, and to bring in his answeare in writing▪ After noone the same daye, what tyme the examination of the foresayde Thomas Arthur was ended, the Cardi∣nall and Byshops by theyr authoritie, Ex officio, did call in for witnesses before Mayster Bilney, certayne men, namely, Iohn Huggen, chiefe Prouinciall of the Friers preachers throughout all England, Geffrey Iulles, and Richard Iugworth, professours of Diuinitie of the same order▪ Also William Iecket Gentleman, William Nel∣son, and Thomas Williams, which were sworne, that all fauour, hate, loue, or rewarde set aparte, they shoulde without concealing of any falsehoode, or omitting anye truth, speake theyr myndes vpon the Articles layde a∣gaynst them, or preached by hym, as well within the Di∣oces of London, as the Dioces of Norwich: and because he was otherwise occupyed aboute the affayres of the Realme, he committed the hearing of the matter to the Byshop of London, and to other Byshops there present▪ or to three of them, to proceede agaynst all men, as well spirituall as temporall, as also against schedules, wri∣tings,

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and bookes, set forth and translated by Martin Lu∣ther, lately condemned by Pope Leo the tenth, and by all maner of probable meanes, to enquire and roote out their errors and opinions, and all such as were found culpable, to compell them to abiuration, according to the lawe, or if the matter so required, to deliuer them vnto the secular power, and to geue them full power and authoritie to de∣termine vpon them.

The xxvij. of Nouember, in the yeare aforesayde, the Byshop of London,* 1.9 with the Byshop of Ely and Roche∣ster, came vnto the Byshop of Norwiches house, whereas likewise Ex officio, they did sweare certayne witnesses a∣gainst mayster Thomas Arthur, in lyke sorte as they had done before agaynst mayster Bilney, and so proceeded to the examination of mayster Arthur: whiche being ended vpon certayne interrogatories, the Byshop of London warned hym by vertue of hys othe,* 1.10 that he should not re∣ueale his examinations, nor his answeres, nor any parte or parcell thereof.

The seconde day of December, the Bishops assembled agayne in the same place, and sware more witnesse a∣gaynst Mayster Bilney. That done, they called for May∣ster Arthur, vnto whose charge they layde these Articles folowing.

Tho. Hitten Martyr.

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Thomas Bilney Bacheler of both lawes.

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