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 Apologie of M. Mantell the elder.

PErceiuing that already certayne false reports are raysed of me concerning my aunsweres in the behalfe of my beliefe,* 1.1 whiles I was prisoner in the Tower of London, and considering how sore a matter it is to be an occasion of offence to any of those little ones that beleeue in Christ:* 1.2 •• haue thought it the duty of a Chri∣stian man as neare as I can (with the truth) to take away thys offence. It pleased the Queenes Maiesty to send vnto me M. Doct. Bourne,* 1.3 vnto whome at the first meeting I acknowledged my fayth in all points to agree with the foure Creedes, that is, the common Creede, the Creede of Nicene, Quicunque vult, and Te Deum laudamus.

Further, as concerning confession and penaunce, I declared that I could be contente to shewe vnto anye learned Minister of Christes Church, any thing that troubled my conscience, and of such a mā I would most willingly heare absolution pronounced.

Touching the Sacrament of the aulter (as he termed it) I sayd that I beleeued Christ to be there present as the holy Ghost ment when these words were written:* 1.4 Hoc est corpus meum.

Further, when this would not satisfye, I desired him to consider that I was a condemned man to dye by a law, and that it was more mee••e for me to seeke a readines and preparation to death. And in so much as I dissented not from him in any article of the Chri∣stian fayth necessary to saluation, I desired him for Gods sake no more to trouble me with such matters, as whiche to beleeue is neyther saluation, nor not to beleeue, damnation. He aunswered, that if I dissented but in the least matter frō the catholick Church, my soule was in great daunger, therefore much more in thys great matter, alleadging this text: Qui offenderit in minimo, fa∣ctus est reus omnium. He that offendeth in the least of these, is gilty of them all. Yea (quoth I) Verum est,* 1.5 ex hisce mandatis i. It is true, of these commaundementes of God. To this I desired him to consider, that it was not my matter, neither was I able in these matters to keepe disputation, nor minded so to doe, and therefore to take these few wordes for a full aunswere, that I not onely in the matter of the sacrament, but also in all other matters of Religion,* 1.6 Beleeue as the holy Catholicke Church of Christ (grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles) beleeueth. But vppon this worde Church we agreed not, for I tooke ex∣ceptionat the Antichristian Popish Church.

Then fell we in talke of the Masse, wherein wee agreed not:* 1.7 for I, both for the occasion of Idolatry, and also the cleare sub∣uersion of Christes institution, thought it nought, and he è cō∣tra vppon certaine considerations supposed it good. I founde fault that it was accounted a Sacrifice propiciatory for sinne, and at certaine other applications of it. But he sayde that it was not a propiciatory sacrifice for sinne (for the death of Christ onely was the Sacrifice) and this but a commemoration of the same. Then I: if ye thinke so, certaine blasphemous collectes left out, I could be content (were it not for offending my poore brethren that beleeue in Christ, which know not so muche) to heare your Masse. See (quoth he) howe vayne glory toucheth you. Not so sir (quoth I) I am not now I thanke God, in case to be vayne glorious.

Then I found further faulte with it, that it was not a com∣munion. Yes (sayth he) one Priest saying Masse here,* 1.8 and an o∣ther there, and the third in an other place &c. is a communion. This agreeth scarcely with these words of Paule (sayd I): Non in melius, sed in deterius conuenitis i. Ye come not after a better maner, but after a worse. Yea,* 1.9 and it is a communion to (said he) when they come together. Now draweth on the time (quoth hee) that I must depart from you to the Court, to saye Masse before the Queene, and must signifie vnto her in what case I finde you, and me thinke I finde you sore seduced. Then I sayd, I pray you report the best, for I trust you finde me not obstinate. What shall I say are ye content to heare Masse,* 1.10 and to receaue the sacrament in the Masse? I beseeche you, sayd I, signifie vnto her Maiestie, that I am neither obstinate, nor stub∣burne, for time and perswasion may altar me, but as yet my cō∣science is such, that I can neither heare Masse, nor receaue the sacrament after that sort, Thus after certaine requestes made to the Queenes Maiestie concerning other matters, he departed.

The next daye hee came to me agayne and brought with him S. Cyprians woorkes, for so I had required him to doe the day before, because I woulde see his sermon De mortalitate. He had in thys booke turned in and interlyned certaine places both concerning the Church and the sacrament which he wil∣led me to read. I read as much as my time would serue, and at his next cōming I sayd that I was wholy of Cyp••ians mynd, in the matter of the Sacrament. Doctour Weston and Doctour Mallet came after to me, whome I aunswered muche after that sorte as I did the other. Doctour Weston brought in the place of Ciprian, Panis iste non effigie sed natura mutatus. &c. I asked of him how natura was taken in the Conuocation house in the disputation, vpon the place of Theodoret.

To be short Doctour Bourne came often vnto me, and I al∣wayes sayde vnto him that I was not minded nor able to dis∣pute in matters of Religiō, but I beleued as the holy Catholick Church of Christ, grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles doth beleue, and namely in the matter of the Sacrament, as the holy fathers Cyprian and Augustine do write and beleued, and this aunswere and none other they had of me in effecte, what wordes soeuer haue bene spread abroad of me that I should be conformable to all thinges &c. The trueth is,* 1.11 I neither heard Masse nor receaued the sacrament during the time of my im∣prisonment.

One time he willed me to be confessed. I sayd I am content. We kneeled downe to pray together in a windowe. I beganne without Benedicite, desiring him not to looke at my hand for any superstitious particular enumeration of my sinnes There∣with he was called away to the Coūcell, & ego liberatus Thus muche I beare onely for my life, as God knoweth. If in this I haue offended any Christian, from the bottome of my hart I aske them forgeuenes. I trust God hath forgeuen me, who kno∣weth that I durst neuer deny him before men, least he shoulde deny me before his heauenly father.

Thus haue I left behinde me written with myne own hand the effect of all the talke, especially of the worst that euer I graunted vnto, to the vttermost I can remember, as (God kno∣weth) all the whole communication I haue not written, for it were both to long and to foolish so to doe. Now I beseche the liuing God which hath receiued me to his mercy and brought to passe that I dye steadfast and vndefiled in his trueth, at vtter defiaunce and detestation of all Papisticall and Antichristian doctrine, I beseech him (I say) to keepe and defend al his chosen for his names sake, from the tyranny of the Byshop of Rome

that Antichrist,* 1.12 and from the assault of all his satellites. Gods in∣dignation is knowne: he will trie and proue who be his. Amend your liues. Deny not Christ before men, least he deny you before his heauenly father. Feare not to lose your liues for him, for yee shall fynde them agayne. God hold his mercifull hand ouer thys Realme, and auert the plagues imminent, from the same. God saue the Queene, and send her knowledge in his truth. Amen, pray, pray, pray ye Christians, and comfort your selues with the Scriptures.

Written the 2. of March. an. 1554.

by me Walter Mantell prisoner, whom both God and the world hath forgeuen his offences. Amen.

And thus much concerning the purgation of Mayster Walter Mantell, who if he had cōsented vnto the Queene, what time she sent Doctour Bourne vnto him, to deny his fayth, it is not otherwise to be thought, but he had had his pardon, and escaped with life.

Upon the Saterday being the iij. of March, sir Gawen Carew,* 1.13 and maister Gibbes were brought through Lon∣don to the Tower with a company of horsemen.

In Lōdon the vij. day of March, euery housholder was commaunded to appeare before the Alderman of their ward, and there were commaunded, that they, their wiues and seruaunts should prepare themselues to shrift, and re∣ceiue the Sacrament at Easter, and that neither they, nor any of them should depart out of the Citie, vntill Easter was past.

* 1.14Upon the Sonday following, being the xviij. daye of March, the Lady Elizabeth, of whom mention was made before, the Queenes Sister, was brought to the Tower.

Upon Easter euen, being the xxiiij. of March, the Lorde Marques of Northampton, the Lord Cobham, and Sir William Cobham were deliuered out of the Tower.

The xxv. day (being Easter day) in the morning, at S. Pancrase in Cheape, the Crucifixe with the Pixe were ta∣ken out of the Sepulchre,* 1.15 before the Priest rose to the re∣surrection: so that when after his accustomed maner he put his hande into the Sepulchre, and sayde very deuoutely: Surrexit non est hic, he found his words true, for he was not there in deede. Whereupon being halfe dismayed, they con∣sulted amongst themselues whom they thought to be like∣liest to do this thing. In which debatement they remem∣bred one Marsh, which a little before had bene put from that personage, because he was married, to whose charge they layde it.* 1.16 But when they coulde not proue it, beeing brought before the Maior, they then burdened him to haue kept company with his wife, since that they were by com∣maundement diuorsed. Whereto he aunswered, that hee thought the Queene had done him wrong to take from him both his liuing and his wife: which words were then noted, and taken very greeuously, and he and his wife were both committed to seuerall Counters, notwithstan∣ding that he had bene very sicke.

The viij. of Aprill, there was a Cat hanged vpon a gal∣lowes at the Crosse in Cheape,* 1.17 apparelled like a Priest, ready to say Masse, with a shauen crowne. Her two fore∣feete were tyed ouer her head, with a rounde paper lyke a wafer cake put betweene them: whereon arose great euil will against the Citie of London. For the Queene and the Byshops were very angry withall: and therefore the same after noone, there was a Proclamation, that who soeuer could bring foorth the partie that did hang vp the Cat, should haue xx. nobles, which reward was afterwardes increased to xx. markes, but none could, or would earne it.

As touching the first occasion of setting vp this Gal∣lowes in Cheapeside,* 1.18 heere is to be vnderstand, that after the Sermon of the Byshop of Winchester (aboue mentio∣ned) made before the Queene for the straite execution of Wyats souldiours, immediately vppon the same the xiij. of February, were set vp a great number of Gallowes in diuers places of the Citie, namely two in Chepeside, one at Leaden hall, one at Billynges gate, one at S. Magnus Church, one in Smithfield, one in Fleetestreete, foure in Southwarke, one at Allgate, one at Byshops gate, one at Aldersgate, one at Newgate, one at Ludgate, one at Saint Iames parcke corner, one at Cripplegate: all which Gib∣bets & gallowes to y^e number of xx. there remained for ter∣rour of other, frō the xiij. of February, till the iiij. of Iune, & then at the cōming in of King Philip were taken downe.

The xj. day of Aprill, was Syr Thomas Wyat behea∣ded and quartered at the Tower hill, where hee vttered these woordes,* 1.19 touching the Lady Elizabeth, and the Earle of Deuonshyre. Concerning (sayd he) what I haue sayd of other in my examination, to charge any other as partakers of my doings, I accuse neyther my Lady Eli∣zabeths grace, nor my Lord of Deuonshyre. I can not ac∣cuse them, neyther am I able to say, that, to my know∣ledge, they knew any thing of my rising. And when Doc∣tour Weston tolde him, that his confession was otherwise before the Counsell, he aunswered: that which I said then, I sayd: but that which I say now, is true.

Uppon the Tuesday beeing the xvij. of Aprill, Syr Iames Croft, and Maister Winter,* 1.20 were brought to the Guild hall, with whom also the same time, and to the same place was brought sir Nicholas Throgmorton, and there arraigned of treason, for that he was suspected to be of the conspiracie with the Duke of Suffolke & the rest, agaynst y^e Queene, where he so learnedly and wisely behaued him selfe (as well in clearing his owne case, as also in opening such lawes of the Realme as were then alledged agaynst him) that the Quest which was charged with his matter, could not in conscience, but finde him not gilty:* 1.21 for y^t which the said xij. persons of the Quest, being also substantiall mē of the Citie, were bounde in the summe of 500. poundes a peece, to appeare before y^e Queenes Counsell at a day ap∣pointed, there to answere such things as should be laid a∣gainst thē for his acquiting. Which Quest appeared accor∣dingly before the Counsell in the Starre chamber vppon Wednesday, being the xxv. of Aprill, and S. Markes daye.* 1.22 From whēce, after certaine questioning, they were cōmit∣ted to prison, Emanuell Lucar, & maister Whetstone were committed to the Tower, and the other ten to the Fleete.

As concerning the condemnation of Thomas Archby∣shop of Cant. of Doctour Ridley, and M. Latymer, which was the xx. of this moneth of Aprill, & also of their dispu∣tations, because we haue sayd enough before, it shall not neede now to bestow any further rehearsall thereof.

The Friday next following, after the condemnation of them, the xxvij. of Aprill, Lord Thomas Gray,* 1.23 the late Duke of Suffolkes brother, was beheaded at Tower hil.

Upon the Saterday, beeing the xxviij. of Aprill, Syr Iames Croft, and Maister Winter were agayne brought to the Guild hall, where Sir Iames Croft was arraig∣ned and condemned, and because the day was farre spent, Maister Winter was not arraigned.

Upon the Thursday, being the xvij. of May, William Thomas was arraigned at the Guild Hall,* 1.24 and there the same day condemned, who the next day after, was hanged, drawne, and quartered. His accusation was, for cōspiring the Queenes death: which how true it was, I haue not to say. This is certaine, that he made a right godly ende, and wrote many fruitefull exhortations, Letters and Sonets in the prison before his death.

In the moneth of May it was so giuen out, and bruit∣ted abroad,* 1.25 that a solemne disputation should be holden at Cambridge (as ye heard before in Maister Ridleys letter page. 1396) betwene M. Bradford, M. Saunders, mayster Rogers, and other of that side, and the Doctours of both the Uniuersities on the other side, like as had bene in Ox∣ford before, as you haue heard. Whereupon y^e godly Prea∣chers which were in prison hauing word therof, albeit they were destitute of their bookes, neither were ignorant of the purpose of the aduersaries, and how y^e cause was preiudi∣cate before, also how the disputations were cōfusedly hād∣led at Oxford: neuerthelesse they thought not to refuse the offer of disputatiō, so that they might be quietly and indif∣ferently heard, and therefore wisely pondering the matter with themselues, by a publicke consent, directed out of pri∣son a declaration of their minde by writing, the vij. day of May. Wherein first as touching the disputation, although they knew that they should do no good, wheras all things were so predetermined before, yet neuertheles, they would not deny to dispute,* 1.26 so that the disputation might be either before the Queene, or before the Counsaile, or before the Parlamēt houses, or else if they might dispute by writing: for else if the matter were brought to the Doctours hand∣ling in their owne scholes, they haue sufficient proofe (they sayd) by the experience of Oxford, what little good will be done at Cambridge: and so cōsequently declaring the faith and doctrine of their Religion, and exhorting the people withall to submit themselues with all patience and humi∣litie, either to the will or punishmēt of the higher powers, they appealed in the end from them to be theyr Iudges in this behalfe, and so ende their protestation, the copie and contents whereof I thought not vnfit here to be inserted.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. 20.
• * 1.2

  The beliefe of M. Man∣tell the el∣der.
• * 1.3

  D. Bourne sent to M. Mantell.
• * 1.4

  M. Mantell opposed in the Sacra∣ment.
• * 1.5

  Math. 5. Iacob 2.
• * 1.6

  The Church.
• * 1.7

  D. Bourne and M. Mantell dis∣agree in the Masse.
• * 1.8

  Bourne maketh the Masse a communion.
• * 1.9

  1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.10

  Mantell neither obstinate nor stubborne.
• * 1.11

  M. Mantell cō∣stant in his reli∣gion,
• * 1.12

  Anno. 1554. Aprill.
• * 1.13

  March 3. Sir Gawen Ca∣rew and M. Gibbes, brought to the Tower. March 7.
• * 1.14

  March. 18. Lady Elizabeth brought to the Tower. March 24.
• * 1.15

  March. 25. The Pixe risen out of the Se∣pulchre from all the watchmē at S. Pancrase Church.
• * 1.16

  M. Marsh bur∣thened with suspicion and with his mari∣age.
• * 1.17

  Aprill. 8. A Cat hanged with a shauen crowne, vpon the gallowes in Chepeside.
• * 1.18

  The number and occasion of gallowes set vp in the Citty of London.
• * 1.19

  M. Wiats words touching the Lady Eliza∣beth.
• * 1.20

  Aprill. 17. Sir Iames Croft. M. Winter Sir Nicho••las Throg∣morton.
• * 1.21

  The Que•••••• troubled 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sir Nicho••las Throg∣morton.
• * 1.22

  Aprill. 25.
• * 1.23

  L. Thomas Gray behe••••ded. Aprill. 27. Aprill. 28.
• * 1.24

  W. Thomas condemne•• May. 17.
• * 1.25

  A certaine disputation intended to be had at Cambridge.
• * 1.26

  The prea∣chers in pr••••son refuse not to dis∣pute before indifferent Iudges.