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.

*Bishop Boners exhortation.

MAyster Philpot, this is to be told you, that if you, not being yet reconciled to the vnity of the catholicke churche,* 1.1 from whence ye did fall in the time of the late schisme here in this real∣me of England, agaynst the sea Apostolick of Rome, will now har∣tely & obediently be reconciled to the vnity of the same catho∣licke church, professing and promising to obserue & keep to the best of your power the faith and christian Religion obserued and kept of all faythfull people of the same: & moreouer if ye whiche heretofore, especially in the yere of our Lord. 1553. 1554. 1555. or in one of them, haue offended and trespassed grieuously agaynst the sacrifice of the masse, calling it idolatry and abominable, and likewise haue offended & trespassed agaynst the sacrament of the aulter, denying the real presence of Christes body & bloud to be

there in the sacramēt of the aulter, affirming also withal material bread and materiall wine to be in the sacrament of the aulter, & not the substaunce of the body and bloud of Christ: if yee, I say, wil be reconciled as is afore, and wil forsake your heresies and erroures before touched, being heretical and damnable, and will allowe also the sacrament of the Masse, yee shalbe mercifully re∣ceiued and charitable vsed, with as muche fauoure as may be: if not, ye shalbe reputed, taken and iudged for an hereticke (as yee be in deede:) Now do you chuse what ye wil doe: you are coun∣selled herein friendly and fauourable.

Ita est quod Ed. Boner. Epis. Lond.

The Bishoppes exhortation thus ended. M. Philpot turned himselfe vnto the Lord Maior and sayd:* 1.2

Phil.

To you my Lorde Mayor bearing the sworde, I am glad that it is my chance now to stand before that autho∣ritie that hath defended the Gospell, and the truth of gods word: but I am sory to see that that authoritie whiche re∣presenteth the king and Queenes persons, should now be chaunged, and be at the commaundement of Antichrist. And ye (speaking to the Bishoppes) pretend to be the fel∣lowes of the Apostles of Christ, & yet be very Antichristes and deceauers of the people: and I am glad that GOD hath geuen me power to stand here this daye, and to de∣clare and defend my faith, which is founded on Christ.

Therefore as touching your first obiection, I say that I am of the Cotholicke church,* 1.3 wherof I was neuer out, and that your church (whiche ye pretend to be the Catho∣licke churche) is the churche of Rome, and so the Babilo∣nicall and not the catholicke church: of that Church I am not.

As touching youre second obiection, whiche is, that I should speake agaynst the sacrifice of the Masse, I doe say, that I haue not spoken agaynst the true sacrifice, but I haue spoken agaynst your priuate Masses that you vse in corners, whiche is blasphemy to the true sacrifice, for your sacrifice dayly reitered, is a blasphemye agaynst Chrystes death, and it is a lye of your own inuention. And that ab∣hominable sacrifice which ye set vppon the aulter, and vse in your priuate Masses in steade of the liuing sacrifice, is Idolatry, and ye shal neuer proue it by Gods word: ther∣fore ye haue deceiued the people with that your sacrifice of the Masse, which ye make a masking.

Thirdly, where you lay to my charge that I deny the body and bloud of Christ to be in the sacrament of the aul∣tar I cannot tell what aultar yee meane, whether it be the aultar of the Crosse, or the aultar of stone. And if yee call it the Sacrament of the aultar in respect of the aultar of the stone, then I defie your Christ: for it is a rotten Christ.

And as touching your transubstantiatiō, I vtterly deny it: for it was brought vp first by a Pope. Now as concer∣ning your offer made from the Synode, whiche is gathe∣red together in Antichristes name: proue me that to be of the catholicke Church (which ye shall neuer do) & I will follow you, and do as you would haue me to do. But yee are Idolaters, and dayly do commit Idolatry. Ye be also traytors: for in your Pulpits you rayle vpon good kings as king Henry, and king Edward his sonne, which haue stand agaynst the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome: agaynst whome also I haue taken an othe, which if ye can shew me by Gods law that I haue taken vniustly, I will then yeld vnto you. But I pray God turne the King and Queenes hartes from your Sinagogue and churche, for you do abuse that good Queene.

Here the Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield began to shew where the true church was, saying.

Couen.

The true catholicke church is set vpon an high hil.

Phil.

Yea, at Rome, which is the Babylonicall church.

Couen.

No: in our true Catholicke church are y^e Apostles, Euangelistes, and martyrs: but before Martine Luther, ther was no Apostle, Euāgelist, or martyr of your church.

Phil.

Will ye know the cause why? Christ did prophesie, y^t in the latter dayes there should come false Prophetes and hipocrites, as you be?

Couen.

Your Church of Geneua, which ye call the Catho∣licke Church, is that which Christ prophesied of.

Phil.

I allow the church of Geneua, and the doctrine of y^e same: for it is, vna Catholica, & Apostolica, and doth follow the doctrine that the Apostles did preach: and the doctrine taught and preached in king Edwardes dayes, was also according to the same. And are yee not ashamed to perse∣cute me and others for your Churches sake, which is Ba∣bilonicall and contrary to the true Catholicke Church?

And after this they had great conference togethers, as∣well out of the Scriptures, as also out of the Doctours. But whē Boner saw that by learning they were not able to conuince M. Phil. he thought then by his diffamations to bryng him out of credite: and therefore turning himselfe vnto the Lord Mayor of London, brought forth a knyfe, and a bladder full of pouder, and sayd.

London.

My Lorde, this man had a rosted pigge brought vnto him,* 1.4 and this knife was put secretly betweene the skin & the flesh therof, and so was it sent him, being in pri∣son. And also this pouder was sent vnto him, vnder pre∣tence that it was good and comfortable for him to eate or drinke: whiche pouder was onely to make inke to wryte withall. For when his keeper did perceaue it, he tooke it & brought it vnto me. Whiche when I did see, I thought it had bene gunpouder, and thereupon I put fire to it, but it would not burne. Then I tooke it for poyson, and so gaue it to a dogge, but it was not so. Thou I tooke a little wa∣ter, and it made as fayre inke, as euer I did write withall. Therefore my Lord, you may vnderstand what a naughty fellowe this is.* 1.5

Phil.

Ah my Lord, haue ye nothing els to charge me with∣all but these trifles, seeing I stande vppon lyfe and death? Doth the knife in the pigge proue the churche of Rome to be a catholicke church. &c.

Then the bishop brought forth a certayne instrument conteyning Articles and Questions, agreed vpon both in Oxford and Cambridge, whereof yee haue mention before pag. 1428. Also he did exhibite two Bookes in Print: the one was y^e Catechisme made in king Edwards dayes. An. 1552. the other concerning the true report of the disputation in the Conuocation house, mention wherof is aboue expressed.

Moreouer hee did bring foorth and layde to Mayster Philpots charge two letters: the one touching Barthelet Greene, the other contayning godly exhortations & com∣fortes: which both were written vnto him by some of his godly friendes: the tenour whereof wee thought here also to exhibite.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An exhor∣tation of ••. Bone•• to Iohn Phil∣pot. December 16.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Phil∣pot answe∣••eth to the B••••hops ex∣hortation before the Lord Mai∣or.
• * 1.3

  To the first a••ticle. Iohn Phil∣pot is of the Catholicke Church, but not of the ••a••ilonical Church. To the 2. Article. Iohn Phil∣pot spea∣keth not a∣gaynst the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sacrifice 〈◊〉〈◊〉 agaynst 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sacrifice 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••pon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, vsed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pr••uate mas••es. To the 3. article. P••••••pot de∣nyeth not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sacra∣ment of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but the Sacra∣ment of the Altar of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he de∣••••eth. Philpot chargeth the clergy of Q Mar· time▪ to be idolaters to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and 〈…〉〈…〉 church where their 〈…〉〈…〉 church 〈◊〉〈◊〉 England 〈◊〉〈◊〉 K. Ed∣warde•• ••••me.
• * 1.4

  B. Boner char∣geth him with false surmises; for want of true matter.
• * 1.5

  Philpot had a knife brought him vnder a pig: Ergo the Church of Rome is a Ca∣tholicke church. Articles conclu∣ded in Cam∣bridge, and Ox∣ford.

  The catechisms set forth in K. Edwards dayes. The booke of report of the disputation in in the Conuoca∣tion house.