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.

¶Here follow likewyse their aunsweres in a generall, made to the Articles aboue rehearsed.

¶And first concernyng the first Article, in beleeuyng there is a Catholike Church.

TO the first Article they altogether agreeyng,* 1.1 affirmed the same to bee true: Iohn Tudson, and Thomas Browne, further addyng, that the Church of England as it was at that present vsed, was no part of the true catho∣like Church.

¶Concernyng the second Article, that there be in the Churche seuen Sacraments.

To the second Article they aunswered,* 1.2 that they ac∣knowledged but onely two Sacraments in Christes ca∣tholike Church, that is to say, Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord: Iohn Went and Tudson affirmyng that the sacrament of the aultar as it is vsed, is an Idoll, and no sacrament at all.

¶Concernyng the third Article, that they were first baptised in the fayth of the Catholike Church, professing by their God∣fathers the profession of the same. &c.

To the third article they agreed and confessed all to be true,* 1.3 that they were baptised in the fayth of Christ and of the church then taught: and afterward duryng the time of K. Edward the vj. they hearyng the Gospel preached, and the truth opened, followed the order of religion & doctrine then vsed and set foorth in the raigne of the sayd kyng Ed∣ward.

Concernyng the fourth Article that they for the space of cer∣tayne yeares did ratifie or allowe, and not departe from any part of the profession of the same Church.

To this fourth Article they graunted also and agreed: Iohn Went addyng moreouer,* 1.4 that about seuen yeares past, he then beyng about twenty yeares of age, began to mislyke certayne thyngs vsed in the Church of England, as the ministration of the Sacrament of the aultare: like∣wyse all the ceremonies of the sayd Church, and dyd lyke∣wyse at that present tyme mislike the same as they were v∣sed, although hys godfathers and godmothers promised for hym the contrary.

Iohn Tudson added also in much like sort, and sayde, that when he came to the yeres of discretion, that is, about nine yeares past, beyng about eighteene yeares of age, he

did mislike the doctrine and religion then taught and set forth in the church of England, sauyng in king Edwards tyme, in whose tyme the Gospell was truly set forth: and further sayde, that the doctrine set forth in the Queenes raigne,* 1.5 was not agreeable to Gods word, nor yet to the true catholike church that Christ speaketh of, &c.

Isabell Foster with other graunted, adding likewyse, and saying to the sayde foure Articles, that she continued in the same faith and Religion which she was baptised in, after she came to the yeres of discretion as other common people did: howbeit, blindly and without knowledge, till the raigne of King Edward the sixt: at which tyme shee hearing the Gospel truly preached and opened to the peo∣ple, receyued thereupon the fayth and religion then taught and set forth. &c.

¶Concernyng the fift Article, that they of late yeares haue swar∣ued and gone away, misliked, and spokē agaynst the profession of the same Church, at least some part thereof, especially, the sacrifice of the Masse, the Sacrament of the aultar, and the au∣thoritie of the Church of Rome.

To the fift article, they aunswered the same to be true, accordyng to the contents thereof: Tho. Whittle addyng moreouer, that he had swarued & gone away, not in whole but in part, not from the whole Catholike Church, but frō the church of Rome, in speakyng agaynst the masse the sa∣crifice thereof, and the Sea of Rome.

* 1.6Ioane Lashford (aliâs Ioane Warne) grauntyng with the other the sayd Article, addeth moreouer, that she neuer hitherto swarued or went awaye, nor yet doth, from any part of Christs catholike faith and religion: but saith, that from the tyme she was xj. yeres of age, shee hath misliked the sacrifice of the masse, the sacrament of the altar, and the authoritie of the See of Rome, with the doctrine thereof, because they be agaynst Christes catholike church, and the right fayth of the same.

Bartlet Greene answering with the other to this Ar∣ticle, addeth, & saith, that he swarued not from the Catho∣like fayth, but only from the church of Rome, &c.

* 1.7¶Concernyng the sixt article, that they refuse to be reconciled to the vnitie of the sayd Church of Rome.

To the 6. article they aunswer and confesse the same to be true, rendering the cause thereof, because (say they) the same church and doctrine therein set forth and taught, dis∣agreeth from the vnitie of Christes word, and the true ca∣tholike fayth, &c.

Whereunto Bartlet Greene answered▪ that he is con∣tented to be reconciled to the vnitie of Christes Catholike church, but not of the church of Rome.

In lyke maner added also Iohn Went.

* 1.8¶Concernyng the seuenth Article, that they refuse to come to heare Masse, and to receyue the sayde Sacrament, callyng it an Idol, &c.

To the seuenth Article, they aunswer and confesse the contents thereof to be true, geuyng withall the reason and cause of this their so doyng, for that the masse with the sa∣crament thereof, as it was then vsed and set foorth in the Church of England, is dissonant to the word & teachyng of the Gospell. &c.

Iohn Went furthermore said, as concerning the masse, that he beleueth no lesse, but the masse which he calleth the supper of the Lord,* 1.9 as it is now vsed in the realm of Eng∣land, is naught, full of Idolatry, and against gods worde so farre as he seeth it: howbeit, he sayd y^t since the Queens coronation, by chance he hath bene present where y^e Masse hath bene sayd, whereof he is sory.

Isabel Foster also answering to the sayd articles with the other before, confessed moreouer, that since Queene Maries raigne she hath not heard Masse, nor receiued the sacrament, but hath refused to come in place where it was ministred: for she knoweth no such sacrament to bee. And beyng demanded of her beliefe in the same, she sayth, that there is but onely materiall bread, and material wine, and not the substance reall of the body of Christ in the same sa∣crament: for so she hath bene taught to beleue by the prea∣chers in the tyme of K. Edward, whom she beleeueth to haue preached the truth in that behalfe.

¶Concerning the 8. Article, that they were sent by the Commis∣sioners to the B. to be examined and imprisoned.* 1.10

To the 8. Article they grant the same, and the contents thereof to be so.

Thom. Whittle, addyng and affirmyng that the Lord Chancellor that then was, sent hym vp to the Bish. there present.

Bartlet Greene added, that he was sent vp to the sayd B. but for no offence herein articulate.

Iohn Went sayd that D. Story, Quene Maries com∣missioner examined hym vpon the Sacrament, & because he denied the reall presence, he presented this Examinate to the bishop.

Iohn Tudson likewise examined by M. Cholmly and D. Story, vpon the same matters, and for not commyng to the Church, and accused by the same, because he would not agree to them, was sent to the B.

Tho. Browne also sayde, that he, for not commyng to the church of S. Brides, was brought by the Constable to the B. &c.

Ioane Warne confessed that she was sent by Doctour Story to the Bishoppe of London,* 1.11 about twelue weekes agoe, since which tyme shee hath continued with the sayd Bishop.

¶Concernyng the 9. Article.

To the 9. Article they confesse and say, that as they be∣leeue the premisses before by them confessed to be true: so they deny not the same to be manifest, and that they bee of the iurisdiction of London.

And thus hauyng expressed their Articles, with their answers iointly made vnto the same, yet remayneth fur∣ther more fully now to discourse the stories & handlyng of all the 7. aforesayd Martyrs seuerally and particularly by themselues, first beginning with Tho. Whittle.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Aunswere to the 1. article.
• * 1.2

  To the 2 article.
• * 1.3

  To the 3 article.
• * 1.4

  To the 4. ar••icle.
• * 1.5

  The fayth which they were baptised in, was in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the ho∣ly Ghost, beleeuing the articles of the Creede, with pro∣mise made to abre∣nounce the Deuill, the flesh, and the wo••ld of the which sayth their godfa∣th••rs and godmo∣thers were suretyes for them, and in this fayth they con∣tinue still. As for o∣ther ceremonyes & abuses of the Church, they neuer made any promise in their baptisme.
• * 1.6

  To swarue from the corruptions of the Sea of Rome, and Sa∣crifice of the Masse is not to goe from the Catholicke Church of Christ.
• * 1.7

  To the 6. article.
• * 1.8

  The Catholicke Church and the church of Rome are 2. thinges. To the 7. article. The Masse dis∣sonant from the word of the Gospell.
• * 1.9

  The Masse full of Idolatry. Iohn Went re∣penteth his go∣ing to Masse.
• * 1.10

  To the 8. article.
• * 1.11

  Of this Ioane Warne read before, pag. 1878. To the 9. article▪