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

¶An other talke the same day.

THe same day at night before supper, the bishop sent for me into his chappell in the presence of y^e archdeacon Har∣pesfield, Doctor Chadsey, & other his Chapleines,* 1.1 and his seruauntes: at what time he sayd.

Lond.

Maister Philpot, I haue by sundry meanes gone a∣bout to do you good, and I maruell you do so litle consider it: by my trueth I can not tell what to say to you. Tell me directly, whether you will be a conformable man or no, & wherupon you chiefly stand.

Phil.

I haue tolde your Lordships oftentimes playne e∣nough, wheron I stand chiefly, requiring a sure probation of the Church wherunto you call me.

Harps.

S. Austen writing agaynst the Donatistes, decla∣reth foure speciall notes to know the Church by:* 1.2 the cōsent of many nations, the fayth of the Sacramentes confirmed by antiquity, succession of Bishops, and vniuersality.

Lond.

I pray you Mayster Archdeacon, fette the booke hi∣ther: it is a notable place, let him see it. And the booke was brought and the bishop read it, demaunding how I could aunswere the same.

Phil.

My Lorde, I like S. Austens foure poyntes for the triall of the catholicke churche, whereof I am: for it can a∣bide euery poynt therof together, which yours can not do.

Harps.

Haue not we succession of Bishops in the Sea and church of Rome? Wherfore then do you deny our Church to be the catholicke church?

Phil.

D. Austine doth not put succession of Bishops onely to be sufficient, but he addeth the vse of the Sacramentes according to antiquity and doctrine vniuersally taughte & receiued of most nations from the beginning of the prima∣tiue Church, the whiche your Churche is farre from. But my church can auouch all these better then yours: therfore by S. Austins iudgement which you here bring, mine is the catholicke church, and not yours.

Harps. Chad.

It is but folly (my Lord) for you to reason w^t him, for he is irrecuperable.* 1.3

Phil.

That is a good shift for you to runne vnto, when you be confounded in your owne sayinges, & haue nothing else to say: you are euidently deceiued, and yet will not see it when it is layd to your face.

THus haue I at large set forth, as many of y^e sayd Iohn Philpot his examinations & priuy conferences, as are yet come to light, being faythfully written with his owne hand. And although he was diuers other times, after this examined, both openly in the Consistory at Paules, & al∣so secretly in the bishops house: yet, what was there sayd, is not yet sufficiently knowne, either because M. Philpot was not himselfe suffered to write, or els for that his wri∣tings are by some kept close, and not brought forth other∣wise thē as the bishops Register hath noted, whose hand∣ling of such matters, because it is (either for feare or for fa∣uor of his Lord and maister) very slender, litle light of any true & right meaning can be gathered, especially in the be∣halfe of the answerer. Howbeit such as it is, such thought I good to put forth requiring the reader to iudge hereof ac∣cording to his aunsweres in his former examinations.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Anot•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of M. Phil•••••• before ••he ••i∣shop.
• * 1.2

  Concerning these 4. poynt aunswered suf••ficiently befo••••.
• * 1.3

  It is best for you to lay so, when you haue no o∣ther way to shift of his Ar∣gumentes.