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.

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Title
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.
Author
Foxe, John, 1516-1587.
Publication
[At London :: Imprinted by Iohn Daye, dwellyng ouer Aldersgate beneath S. Martins],
An. 1583. Mens. Octobr.
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Subject terms
Martyrs -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800.
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A67926.0001.001
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"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A67926.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 3, 2024.

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¶The proces agaynst Iames Baynham, in case of relapse.

THe 19. day of Aprill. 1532. M. Rich. Foxford Uicar ge∣neral to the bishop of London, accōpanied with certein Diuines, & Mathew Grefton the Register sitting iudici∣ally,* 1.1 Iames Bainhā was brought before him by the Lie∣utenant of the tower, before whō ye vicar general rehearsed ye articles cōteined in his abiuration before made & shewed him a bound booke, which the sayd Bainhā acknowledged to be his owne writing, saying that it was good. Then he shewed him more of a certain letter sent vnto the bishop of Londō, yt which also he acknowledged to be his: obiecting also to the sayd Bainhā, that he had made & read the abiu∣ration which he had before recited:* 1.2 shewing him moreouer certain letters which he had written vnto his brother, the which he confessed to be his owne writing, saying moreo∣uer, that though he wrote it, yet there is no thinge in the same that is nought, if it be as my Lord Chauncellor sayth. Then he asked of Bainham how he vnderstood this which foloweth, which was in his letters: yet coulde they not see nor know him for God, when in deed he was both God & man, yea he was three persons in one, the father, the sonne & the holy ghost: & Bainham sayd it was nought. Whych thinges thus done, there was further obiected vnto hym these words, that he had as leue pray to Ioane his wife, as to our Lady. The which article Bainhā denied. The sayd Bainhā amongst other talke as touching the sacramēt of ye alter, sayd: Christes body is not chewed wt teeth, but re∣ceiued by fayth. Further it was obiected agaynst him, that notwtstanding his abiuration, he had sayd that the Sacra∣ment of the altar was but a misticall or memoriall body: yt which article Bainham denied.* 1.3 It was further layd vnto him, that he should say, that S. Thomas of Caunterbury was a thiefe and murtherer, and a deuil in hel. Whereunto he answered thus, that S. Thomas of Canterbury was a murtherer, and if he did not repent him of his murther,* 1.4 he was rather a deuill in hell, then a saynt in heauen.

The 20. day of April, in the yere aforesaid, ye said Iames Bainhā was brought before the vicar generall in ye church or al saynts of Barking,* 1.5 where as he ministred these inter∣rogatories vnto him. First yt since ye feast of Easter last past he sayd, affirmed and beleued, that the sacrament of the al∣tar, was but a misticall body of Christ, and afterwarde he sayd, it was but a memoriall: yt which article Bainham de∣nied. The the vicar general declared vnto him, that our ho¦ly mother ye catholick church determineth & teacheth in this maner: that in the sacramēt of the altar, after the words of consecration, there remaineth no bread. The officiall asked Bainhā whether he did so beleue or not. Wherunto Bain∣ham answered, saying that S. Paul calleth it bread,* 1.6 rehear¦sing these words: Quotiescunque comederitis panem hunc, & de poculo biberitis, mortem Domini annunciabitis: and in that poynt he sayth, as S. Paul sayth, and beleueth as ye church beleueth. And being demaunded twise afterward what he thought therin, he would geue no other answere.

Item, that since the feast of Easter aforesaid, he had af∣firmed & beleued that euery man that would take vpō him to preach the Gospel of Christ clearly,* 1.7 had as much power as the Pope. To the which article he aunswered thus: He that preacheth the word of God, whatsoeuer he be, and liueth thereafter, he hath the key that bindeth and looseth both in heauen and earth. The which key is the same scrip∣ture that is preached, and the Pope hath no other power to binde and to loose, but by the key of the Scripture.

Item, that he affirmed that S. Thomas of Canterbu∣ry was a thiefe and a murderer, & in hel.* 1.8 Wherunto he an∣swered as before.

Item, that he sayde he had as leue pray to Ioane hys wife, as to our Lady: the which he denyed as before.

Item, that he affirmed & beleued, that Christ himselfe was but a man, the which article he also denyed.

The premisses thus passed, the vicar generall receiued Frances Realms, Iohn Edwards, Raphe Hilton, Iohn Ridly, Frances Dryland, and Raphe Noble, as witnesses to be sworne vpon the articles aforesayd,* 1.9 and to speake the truth before the face of the sayd Iames Bainhā, in the pre∣sence of M. Iohn Nayler Uicar of Barking, M. Iohn Rode Bacheler of diuinity, Williā Smith, Richard Gri∣uel, Tho. Wimple, and Richard Gill.

The 26. day of Aprill in the yeare aforesayd, before M. Ioh. Foxford vicar general of the bish. of Londō,* 1.10 in ye pre∣sence of Mathew Greftō Register, and Nicolas Wilson, & Will. Philley, professors of diuinity, Iohn Oliuer, Wil∣liā Midleton, & Hugh Apprise, doctors of the law, M. Ri∣chard Gresham Sheriffe of London, & a great cōpanye of others, Iames Bainham was brought forth by the Lieu∣tenaunt of the Tower, in whose presence the vicar general rehearsed the merites of the cause of inquisition of heresye agaynst him, & proceded to ye reading of the abiuratiō. And whē the Iudge read this article folowing conteined in the abiuration: Itē,* 1.11 that I haue said that I wil not determine whether any soules departed be yet in heauen or no, but I beleue that they be there as it pleaseth God to haue them, that is to say, in the fayth of Abraham: & I wote not whe∣ther the soules of the apostles or any other be in heauen or no. To this Iames aunswered, that I did abiure, and if that had not bene, I would not haue abiured at all.

After all the articles were read conteined in the abiura∣tion, & certeine talke had as touching the sacrament of ba∣ptisme, the sayd Iames Bainham spake these words: If a Turke, a Iew,* 1.12 or Sarasen do trust in God & keepe hys law, he is a good Christian manne. Then the Officiall shewed vnto him the letters which he sent vnto his Bro∣ther, written with his owne hand, and asked him what he thought, as touching this clause folowing: Yet could they not see and know him for God, when in deed he was both God & man, yea he was three persons in one, the father, ye sonne and the holy ghost. Wherunto Bainham said, that it

Page 1030

was nought, & that he did it by ignorance, & did not ouer∣see his letters. Thē M. Nicholas Wilson amongest other talke as touching the sacrament of the alter,* 1.13 declared vnto him that the church did beleue the very body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the alter. Bainham aunswered: The bread is not Iesus Christ, for Christes body is not chew∣ed with teeth, therefore it is but bread. Being further de∣maunded whether in the sacrament of the altar, is the very body of Christ God and man in flesh and bloud: after di∣uers doubtfull aunsweres, Bainham aunswered thus: He is there very God and man in forme of bread.

This done, the Officiall declared vnto him the deposi∣tions of the witnesses which were come in agaynst him, & obiected vnto him, that a litle before Easter he had abiured all heresies, as well particularly as generally. Then the sayd vicar generall, after he had takē deliberation & aduise with the learned his assistantes, did proceed to the reading of the definitiue sentence agaynst him, & also published the same in writing: wherby amongest other thinges besides his abiuration,* 1.14 he pronounced & condemned him as a re∣lapsed hereticke, damnably fallen into sundry heresies, & so to be left vnto the secular power, that is to say, to one of ye Sherifs being there presēt. After the pronoūcing of which sentence, M. Nicolas Wilson counselled & admonished tha said Iames, yt he would conforme himself vnto the church. To whō he aunswered, that he trusted that he is the very childe of God, which ye blinde Asses (sayd he) doe not per∣ceiue. And last of al, departing frō his iudgement, he spake these wordes:* 1.15 M. Wilson, nor you my Lord Chauncellor, shall not proue by scripture, that there is any Purgatorye. Then the sentence of condemnation was geuen agaynste him, the which here to repeat word for word, is not neces∣sary, for so much as the tenour thereof is all one with that which passed before in the story of Bayfeld, aliâs Somer∣sam. Here also should ensue the letter of the Bishop of Lō∣don, directed vnto the Maior and Sheriffes of the same ci∣ty, for the receiuing of him into their power, & that putting of him to death, the tenor wherof is also of like effect to that before written in the story of Bayfeld. After this sentence geuen, Iames Bainham was deliuered into the handes of Syr Richarde Gresham Sheriffe, then being present, who caused him by his Officers to be caryed vnto Newe∣gate, & the said Iames Baynham was burned in Smith∣fielde the last day of Aprill, in the yeare aforesayd, at three a clocke at afternoone.

This M. Bainham during his imprisonment was ve∣ry cruelly handled. For almost the space of a fourtnight he lay in the bishops colehouse in the stockes, with yrons vp∣on his legs.* 1.16 Thē he was caryed to the Lord Chaūcellors, and there chayned to a post 2. nightes. Thē he was caryed to Fulham, where he was cruelly handled by ye space of a seuen nighte. Thē to the Tower, where he lay a fourtnight scourged with whips, to make him reuoke his opinions. Frō thence he was caryed to Barking, thē to Chelsey, and there condemned, and so to Newgate to be burned.

[illustration]
¶The burning of Iames Baynham.

* 1.17 * 1.18 * 1.19

At whose burning here is notoriously to be obserued, that as he was at the stake in the midst of the flaming fyre which fire had halfe consumed his armes & legs,* 1.20 he spake these wordes: O ye Papistes, behold, ye looke for miracles, and here now you may see a myracle, for in this fire I feele no more paine, then if I were in a bed of Downe: but it is to me as sweet as a bed of roses. These words spake he in the middest of the flaminge fire, when his legges and hys armes (as I sayd) were halfe consumed.

Notes

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