¶The Condemnation, Death, and Martyrdome of Thomas Whittell.
COncerning the woordes and aunsweres of the sayde Thomas Whittell at his laste examination before the Bishop,* 1.1 vpon the xiiij. day of Ianuary, the yere aboue ex∣pressed, Boner with his other felow Bonerlinge•• sittyng in his Consistory at after noone, first called forth Thomas Whittell, with who he began in effect as foloweth: because ye be a Priest (sayth he) as I and other Bishops here bee, and did receiue the order of Priesthoode after the ri••e and fourme of the Catholicke Churche, ye shall not thinke but I will minister iustice as well vnto you, as to other. And then the sayd Boner in further communication did charge hym: that when in tymes past he had sayde Mas••e accor∣ding to the order then vsed, the same Whittell nowe of late had rayled and spoken agaynste the same, saying that it was Idolatry and abhomination. Whereunto Thomas Whittell aunswering agayne sayd,* 1.2 that at such times as he so sayde Masse, he was then ignoraunt. &c. adding moreo∣uer that the eleuation of the Sacramente at the Masse ge∣ueth occasion of Idolatry to them that be ignoraunt & vn∣learned.
After this the bishop making hast to the Articles (whi∣che in all his examinations euer he harped vpon) came to this Article:* 1.3 That thou wast in times past baptised in the fayth of the catholicke church.
To this the sayd Whittell inferred agayne: I was ba∣ptised in the fayth of the catholicke church, although I did forsake the Church of Rome. And ye my Lord do call these heresies that be no heresies, and do charge me therwith as heresies, and ye ground your selfe vpon that religion whi∣che is not agreable to Gods word. &c.
Then the sayd victorious souldiour and seruant of our Sauior, constant in the verity receiued and professed, was agayne admonished, and with perswasions entreated by the bishop: who because he would not agree vnto ye same, the bishop forthwith proceeded, first to his actuall degra∣dation, that is, to vnpriest him of all his priestly trinkets, and clarkly habite. The order and maner of whiche theyr popish and most vayne degradation, before in the storye of Bishop Hooper pag. 1435. is to be sene. Then Whittell in the middest of the ceremonies,* 1.4 whē he saw them so busy in disgrading him after theyr father the Popes Pontifical fa∣shion, sayd vnto them: Paule and Titus had not so much ado with theyr priestes and bishops. And farther speaking to the bishop,* 1.5 he sayd vnto him: My Lord, your Religion standeth most with the church of Rome, and not with the catholicke church of Christ.
The Bishop after this, according to his accustomed & formall procedinges, assayed him yet agayne with words, rather then with substantiall arguments, to conforme him to his Religion. Who then denying so to doe, sayd: As for your religion. I cannot be perswaded that it is accordyng to Gods worde.
The Bishop then asked what fault he found in the ad∣ministration of the Sacrament of the Aultar.
* 1.6Whittell aunswered and sayde, it is not vsed accor∣ding to Christes institution, in that it is priuately and not openlye done: And also for that it is ministred but in one kinde to the lay people, which is agaynst Christes or∣dinaunce. Farther, Christ commaunded it not to be eleua∣ted nor adored: For the adoration and eleuation cannot be approued by Scripture.
Well, quoth Boner, my Lords here and other learned men haue shewed great learning for thy cōuersion, wher∣fore if thou wilt yet returne to the fayth and religion of the catholicke Church, I will receiue thee thereunto, and not cōmit thee to the secular power. &c. To make short, Whit∣tell strengthened with the grace of the Lord, stood strong & vnmoueable in that he had affirmed. Wherfore the sentēce being readde, the next day folowing he was committed to the secular power, and so in few dayes after brought to the fire with the other sixe aforenamed, sealing vp the testimo∣ny of his doctrine with his bloud, which he willingly and chearefully gaue for witnes of the truth.