London, and his inquest, made by order of the lawes in that behalfe limited. But when this vsuall practise of the Papistes was once accomplished, there wanted then no secret shiftes, nor worldly wyles for the crafty colouring of this mischiefe: and therefore the next morning after they had in the night committed this murther, Iohn Spalding (I doubt not but by the counsaile of his maister Chaun∣celour) gat himselfe out of the way, into the Citie, and lea∣uing the keyes of the prison with one of his felowes, wil∣led him to deliuer them vnto the Sumners boy, which ac∣customably did vse to cary Hunne his meate, and other necessaries that he needed: thinking that the boy, first fin∣ding the prisoner dead, and hanged in such sort as they left him, they might (by his relation) be thought free from any suspition of this matter. Which thing happened in the be∣ginning almost as they wished. For the boy the same mor∣ning (being the fourth day of December) hauing the keies deliuered him, accompanied with two other of the By∣shops Sumners, went about x. of the clocke into the pri∣son, to serue the prisoner, as he was woont to do, and when they came vp, they found him hanged with his face to∣wards the wall. Wherupon they (astonished at this sight) gaue knowledge thereof immediately vnto the Chaunce∣lour, being then in the Church, and watching, I suppose, of purpose, for such newes: who forthwith gat vnto him certaine of his collegues, and went with them into the prison, to see that which his owne wicked cōscience knew full well before, as was afterwards plainely proued, al∣though then he made a faire face to the contrary, blasing abroade among the people, by their officers and seruants, that Hunne had desperately hanged himselfe. Howbeit, the people hauing good experience as well of the honest life and godly conuersation of the man, as also of the diue∣lish malice of his aduersaries the Priestes, iudged rather that by their procurement he was secretly murthered. Wherof arose great contention: for the Bishop of London on the one side, taking his clergies part, affirmed stoutely that Hunne had hanged himselfe. The Citizens againe on the other side, vehemently suspecting some secret murther, caused the Crowner of London (according to law) to choose an inquest, and to take good viewe of the dead body, and so to trie out the truth of the matter. Wherby the Bishop and his chapleines were then driuē to ye extremitie of shifts: & therfore minding by some subtil shew of iustice, to stop the mouthes of the people, they determined that in the meane while as the inquest was occupied about their charge, the Bishop should for his part, proceede Ex officio, in case of heresie, against the dead person: supposing (most like) that if the partie were once condemned of heresie, the inquest durst not then but finde him giltie of his owne death, and so clearely acquite them from all the former suspition of priuie murther. This determinatiō of theirs they did im∣mediately put in practise in order as foloweth.
First, besides the Articles before mentioned (whyche they affirme were obiected against him in his life tyme) D. Hed did now also after his death, collect certain others out of the prologue of his English Bible, remaining then in the Bishops handes: which he diligently perused, not to learne any good thing therein, but to get thereout suche matter, as he thought might best serue their cursed pur∣pose: as appeareth by the tenure of the Articles, whyche are these.
1 First the said booke damneth all holy Canons, calling them ceremonies and statutes of sinfull men and vncun∣ning, and calleth the Pope Sathanas and Antichrist.
2 Item, it damneth the Popes Pardons, saieng, they be but leasings.
3 Item, the sayd booke of Hunne saith, that Kings and Lords called Christen in name, and heathen in conditions, defoyle the Sanctuarie of God, bringing clarkes full of co∣uetise, heresie, and malice, to stop Gods law that it can not be knowne, kept, and freely preached.
4 Item, the saide booke saith, that Lordes and Prelates pursue full cruelly them that would teach truly and freely the lawe of God: and cherish them that preach sinful mens traditions and statutes, by the which he meaneth the holy Canons of Christes Church.
5 Item, that poore men and idiotes haue the truth of the holy Scriptures, more then a thousand Prelates and reli∣gious men, and clarkes of the schole.
6 Item, that Christen Kings and Lordes set Idols in Gods house, and excite the people to Idolatrie.
7 Item, that Princes, Lords, and Prelates so doyng, be worse then Herode that pursued Christ, and worse then Iewes and heathen men that crucified Christ.
8 Item, that euery man swearing by our Lady, or any other Saint or creature, geueth more honour to the saints, then to the holy Trinitie, and so he sayth they be idolaters.
9. Item, he sayth that Saintes ought not to be honored.
10. Item, he damnethe adoratiō, prayer, kneelyng, & of∣feryng to Images, which he calleth stockes and stones.
11. Item, he sayth, that the very body of the Lord is not conteyned in the Sacramēt of the aultar, but that men re∣ceiuing it, shall thereby keepe in mynde that Christes flesh was wounded and crucified for vs.
12. Item, he dāneth the Uniuersitie of Oxford, with all degrees and faculties in it, as Art, Ciuile, Canō, and Di∣uinitie, saying, that they let the true way to come to the knowledge of the lawes of God, and holy Scripture.
13. Item, he defendeth the translation of the Bible and holy Scripture into the English tongue, which is prohi∣bited by the lawes of our mother holy Church.
These Articles thus collected, as also the others before specified, they caused for a more shew of their pretēded iu∣stice and innocencie, to be opēly read the next Sonday fo∣lowing by the Preacher at Paules Crosse, with this Pro∣testation made before.
☞Maisters and frendes, for certaine causes and con∣siderations, I haue in commaundemēt to rehearse, shew, & publish here vnto you, the Articles of heresie, vpō which Richard Hunne was detected and examined: and also o∣ther great Articles and damnable poyntes and opinions of heresie conteined in some of his bookes be cōmen to light and knowledge, here ready to be shewed.
And therewith he read the Articles openly vnto the people, concludyng with these wordes:
And maisters, if there be any man desirous to see the specialtie of these Articles, or doubt whether they be cōtei∣ned in this booke or not, for satisfying of his minde, let him come to my Lord of London, and he shall see it with good will. Moreouer, here I counsaile and admonishe, that if there be any persons, that of their simplenes haue bene fa∣miliar and acquainted with the sayd Richard Hunne in these Articles, or haue heard him read vpon this booke, or any other soūdyng to heresie, or haue any like bookes their selues, let them come vnto my Lord of London betwixt this and Candlemasse next, and knowledge their fault, & they shalbe charitably intreated and dealt withall, so that both their goodes and honestie shalbe saued: & if they will not come of their owne offer, but abyde the processe of the law, then at their owne perill be it, if the rigour of the law be executed agaynst them.
After which open publication & admonition, the By∣shop at sundry tymes examined diuers of his Priests, and other lay persons vpon the contentes of both these Arti∣cles. Among which examinates, there was a man seruaūt and a mayde of the sayd Hunnes, who although they had of long dwelt with him, were not able to charge him with any great thing worthy reprehēsion: no, not in such points as the Byshop chiefly obiected, agaynst him. But yet the Priestes (through whose procurement this mischief was first begon) spared no whit stoutly and maliciously to ac∣cuse him: some in the contentes of the first Articles, & some in the second. Wherefore hauyng now (as they thought) sufficient matter agaynst him, they purposed speedely to proceede to his condemnation. And because they would seeme to doe all thynges formally, and by prescript order, they first drew out certaine short and summary rules, by the which the Byshop should be directed in this solemne Session: which are these.
1. First, let the Byshop sit in his tribunall seate, in our Ladyes Chappell.
2. Secondly, let him recite the cause of his comming, and take Notaryes to him, to enact that shalbe there done.
3. Thirdly, let him declare, how vppon Sonday last, at Paules Crosse, he caused to be published a generall moni∣tion, or denunciation, that all fautours and mainteyners of Richard Hunne, should come in, as by this day, & sub∣mit themselues: and let him signifie withall, how certaine haue come in, and haue appeared already.
4. Fourthly, let him protest & say, that if there remayne any yet behynd which haue not appeared accordyng to the former monition and denunciation: yet if they will come, and appeare, and submit themselues, they shalbe heard & receiued with grace and fauour.
5. Fiftly, let the Byshop or some other at his appoint∣mēt, recite the Articles obiected agaynst Richard Hunne, in the tyme of his life: and thē the other Articles likewise, which were out of his great booke of the Bible extracted.
6. Sixtly, let the aunsweres and confessions of the sayd Richard Hunne, summarely be recited, with the Attesta∣tiōs made to the same Articles. Also let his bookes be exhi∣bited, and thē Thomas Brooke his seruaunt be called for.
7. Seuently, let it be openly cryed at the Quere doore,