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.

❧ The Oration of M. Acworth, Oratour of the Vniuersitie, at the restitution of Martin Bucer, and Paulus Phagius.

I Am in doubt whether I may entreate of the prayse and commendation of so great a Clarke (for the celebratyng whereof,* 1.1 this assembly and concourse of yours is made this day) or of the vices and calamities, out of the whiche we bee newly deliuered, or of them both, consideryng the one cannot be mentioned without the other. In the which tymes ye felt so much anguish and sorrow (my right dere brethren) that if I should repeat them and bryng them to remembraunce agayne, I feare me, I should not so much worke a iust hatred in vs towardes them, for the iniuries receyued in them, as renew our olde sorrow and heuines. Agayne, men must needes account me vnaduised and foo∣lish in my doyng, if I should thinke my selfe able to make him which hath lyued before our eyes in prayse and esti∣mation, more famous and notable by my Oration, which he by his liuyng and conuersation hath oftentymes poli∣shed. But the wickednes of the tymes which endeuoured to wipe cleane out of remembrance of men the name that was so famous and renoumed in euery mans mouth, did much profite hym. In so much, that both in his life tyme all thyng redounded to hys continuall renowme, and in especially, after hys decease nothing could be deuised more honourable, then w^t so solemn furniture & ceremonies, to haue gone about to haue hurt y^e memorial of such a worthy man, & yet could not bryng to passe the thyng that was so sore coueted, but rather broght that thing to passe, which was chiefly sought to be auoyded. For the desire that men haue of the dead, hath purchased to many men euerlasting fame, and hath not taken away immortalitie, but rather amplified and increased the same. By meanes whereof it commeth to passe, that he y^t wil intreat of those things that pertaine to the prayse of Bucer after hys death, can not chuse but speake of the crabbednesse of the tymes past, vpō the which riseth a great encrease and augmentation of his prayse. But his lyfe so excellently set foorth, not onelye by the writyngs of the learned Clarkes, Cheeke and Carre, and by the liuely voyce of the right famous D. Haddon, vttered in this place to the great admiration of all the hea∣rers, when his body should be layd into his graue to bee buried, and after his buriall by the godly and most holye preachings of the right Reuerend father in Christ y^e Arch∣bishop of Caunterbury that now is, and of D. Redman, the which for the worthinesse and excellencie of thē, ought to stick longer in our mynds vnwrittē, then many things that are penned and put in print, but also by the great as∣sembly of all the degrees of the Uniuersitie the same daye, in bringyng hym to his graue, and the nexte day after by the industry of euery man that was endued w^t any know∣ledge in the Greeke or Latine tongs: of the which, there was no man but set vp some Uerses as witnesses of hys iust and vnfeined sorrow, vpon the wals of the Churche: that neither at that tyme any reuerence or duety which is due to the dead departyng out of this lyfe, was then ouer∣slipped, or now remayneth vndone that may seeme to per∣taine either to the celebratyng of the memoriall of so holy or famous a person, or to the consecrating of hym to euer∣lastyng memory. We at that tyme saw with our eyes this Uniuersitie flourishyng by his institutions, the loue of sincere religion, not onely engendred, but also confirmed and strenghthened through his continuall and daily prea∣chyng. In so much that at such tyme as hee was sodainly taken from vs, there was scarse any man that for sorrow could find in his hart to beare with the present state of this life, but y^t either he wished with al his hart to depart out of this lyfe w^t Bucer into another, & by dieng to follow hym into immortality, or els endeuoured hymselfe with wee∣pyng and sighyng to call hym agayne, beyng dispatched of all troubles into the prison of this body, out of y^e whiche he is escaped, lest he shuld leaue vs as it were standyng in battaile ray without a Captayne, and he hymselfe as one casshed, depart with hys wages, or as one discharged out of the Campe, withdraw hymselfe to the euerlasting qui∣etnesse and tranquillitie of the soule. Therefore all men e∣uidently declared at that tyme, both how sore they tooke hys death to hart, and also, how hardly they could away with the misture of such a man. As long as the ardēt loue of his religion (wherewyth we were inflamed) florished, it wrought in our hartes an incredible desire of hys pre∣sence among vs. But after the tyme that the godly man ceased to be any more in our sight, and in our eies, that ar∣dent and burnyng loue of religion by little and little wax∣ed cold in our myndes, and according to the times y^t came after (which were both miserable and to our vtter vndo∣yng)

it began not by little and little to be darkened,* 1.2 but it altogether vanished away, and turned into nothing. For we tell agayne into the troublesomnesse of the popish doc∣trine: the old rites & customs of the Romish church, were restored againe, not to the garnishment & beautifieng of the christian Religion (as they surmised) but to the vtter defacing, violating, & defiling of the same. Death was set before the eyes of such as perseuered in the christē doctrine that they had learned before. They were banished y^e realm that could not apply themselues to the tyme, & do as other mē did: such as remained, were enforced either to dissēble, or to hide themselues and creepe into corners, or els as it were by drinking of the charmed cup of Circes, to bee tur∣ned and altered, not only from the nature of man into the nature of brute beasts, but (that far worse and much more monstrous is) from the likenes of God & his Angels, in∣to the likenes of deuils. And all England was infected w^t this malady. But I would to God the corruption of those tymes which ouerwhelmed all the whole realme, had not at least wise yet pierced euery part & member thereof. Of the which there was not one but that (besides the griefe y^t it felt, with the residue of the body, by reason of the sicknes & contagion spred into the whole) had some sorrow & ca∣lamitie peculiarly by it selfe. And to omit the rest (of the which to entreat, this place is not appointed, nor the time requireth ought to be spoken) this dwelling place of the Muses (which we call the Uniuersitie) may be a sufficient witnes what we may iudge of all the rest of the body. For certes my brethren, the thing is not to be dissembled, that cannot be hidden. We applieng our selues to those most fil¦thy tymes, haue most shamefully yelded like faint harted Cowards, which had not the stomackes to sustaine y^e ad∣uersities of pouerty, banishment, and death. Which in our liuyng and conuersatiō kept neither the constancy taught vs by philosophy, nor yet the patience taught vs by holye scripture, which haue done all things at the commaunde∣ment of others. And therefore that which the Poete (al∣though in another sence) hath trimly spoken, may well be thought to haue bene truly prophesied vpon vs.

The tymes and seasons changed be: And changed in the same are we.

Diuers of them that were of a pure and sincere iudge∣ment as conceruyng religion, beyng driuen from hence & distroubled, the rest that remained tasted and felt of the in∣humanity of them in whose hands the authoritie of doing things here consisted: although to say the truth. I haue v∣sed a gentler terme then behooued. For it is not to bee ac∣compted inhumanitie, but rather immanitie & beastly cru∣elty, the which, when they had spent all kynds of tormēts and punishments vpon the quicke, when they had cruelly taken from such as constantly perseuered, life, from others riches, honors, and all hope of promotion, yet they coulde not be so satisfied, but that incensed and stirred with a gre∣ter fury, it began to outrage euen agaynst the dead. Ther∣fore where as in euery singuler place was executed a sin∣gular kynd of cruelty, in so much, that there was no kynd of cruelnes that could be deuised, but it was put in vre in one place or other, this was proper or peculiar to Cam∣bridge, to exercise the cruelty vppon the dead, which in o∣ther places was extended but to the quicke. Oxford burnt vp the right reuerend fathers, Cranmer, Ridley, and La∣tymer, the noble witnesses of the cleare light of the Gos∣pell. Moreouer, at London perished these two lanternes of light, Rogers and Bradford: In whome it is hard to say whether there were more force of eloquence and vtte∣rance in preaching, or more holynes of lyfe and conuersa∣tion. Many other without number both here and in other places were consumed to ashes for bearyng record of the truth. For what City is there that hath not flamed, I saye not with burning of houses and buildings, but with bur∣nyng of holy bodies? But Cambridge, after there were no more left alyue vpon whom they might spue out their bit∣ter poyson, played the mad Bedlem against the dead. The dead men, whose liuyng no man was able to finde faulte with, whose doctrine no man was able to reprooue, were by false and slanderous accusers indited, contrary to the lawes of God and man sued in the law, condemned, their sepulchres violated and broken vp, their carcasses pulled out and burnt with fire. A thyng surely incredible if wee had not seene it with our eyes, and a thing that hath not lightly bene heard of. But the haynousnes of this wicked act, was spred abroad as a common talke in euery mans mouth, and was blowen and dispersed through all Chri∣stendome. Bucer by the excellency of hys wit and doctrine knowen to all men, of our countreymen in maner craued, of many others intreated & sent for, to the intent he might instruct our Cambridge men in the sincere doctrine of the christen religion, beyng spent with age, and hys strength vtterly decayed, forsooke his owne countrey, refused not the tediousnesse of the long iourney, was not afrayd to ad∣uenture hymselfe vpon the sea, but had more regard of the dilatyng and amplifieng of the Church of Christ, than of all other thyngs. So in conclusion he came, euery man re∣ceyued and welcommed hym: afterward he liued in such wyse, as it might appeare he came not hither for his owne sake, but for ours. For he sought not to driue away y^e sick∣nesse that he had taken by the troublesome trauaile of his long iourney: and albeit his strength were weakened & appalled, yet he regarded not the recouery of hys health, but put hymselfe to immoderate labour and intollerable payne, onely to teach and instruct vs. And yet toward this so noble and worthy a person while he lyued, were shew∣ed all the tokens of humanitie and gentlenesse, reuerence and curtesy that could be, and when he was dead, the most horrible crueltie and spight that might be imagined. For what can be so commendable, as to grant vnto the liuyng house, and a bidyng place, and to the dead burial? Or what is he that will find in his heart to geue entertainement, & to cherish that person in his house with all kynde of gen∣tlenes that he can deuise, vpon whom he could not vouch∣safe to bestow buriall when he is dead? Agayne, what an inconstancy is it, with great solemnity, and with much ad∣uauncement and commendation of his vertues, to bury a man honourably, and anone after to breake vp his tomb, and pull him out spitefully, and wrongfully to slander him beyng deade, who duryng his lyfe tyme alway deserued prayse? All these things haue happened vnto Bucer, who whilest hee lyued, had free accesse into the most gorgeous buildyngs and stately pallaces of the greatest Princes, & when he was dead, could not be suffred to enioy so muche as his poore graue. Who beyng layd in the ground, nobly to his eternall fame, was afterward to hys vtter defacing spightfully taken vp and burned. The which thynges al∣beit they did no harme to the dead (for the deade carcasses feele no payne, neyther doth the fame of godly persons de∣pend vpon the report of vulgar people, and the lyght ru∣mours of men, but vpon the rightfull censure & iust iudge¦ment of God) yet it reprooueth an extreme cruelnesse and vnsatiable desire of reuengemēt, in them which offer such vtter wrong to the dead. These persons therefore whome they haue pulled out of their graues and burned, I beleue (if they had bene alyue) they would haue cast out of house and home, they would haue driuen out of all mens com∣pany, and in the ende with most cruell tormentes haue torne them in peeces, beyng neuerthelesse Alientes, beyng Straungers, and beyng also fetched hether by vs oute of such a countrey, where they not onely needed not to feare any punishment, but contrary wise were alwayes had in much reputation, as well among the noble and honoura∣ble, as also among the vulgare and common people. But yet how much more gentle then these men, was Byshop Gardiner, otherwyse an earnest defender of the Popishe doctrine. Who agaynst his owne countreymen, let passe no crueltie wherby he might extinguish with f••re & sword the light of the Gospell: and yet he spared Forreiners, be∣cause the right of them is so holye, that there was neuer nation so barbarous, that would violate the same. For when he had in his power the renowmed Clearke Peter Martyr then teachyng at Oxford, he would not kepe hym to punish hym, but (as I haue heard reported) when hee should go his way, he gaue hym wherewith to beare hys charges. So that the thyng which he thought he might of right do to his owne countreymen, he iudged vnlawfull to do to strangers. And whom the law of God coulde not withhold from the wicked murthering of his owne coun∣treymen, hym did the lawe of man bridle from killyng of straungers, the whiche hath euer appeased all barbarous beastlynesse, and mitigated all cruelty. For it is a poynt of humanitie for man and man to meete together, and one to come to an other, though they be neuer so far separated & set asunder, both by sea & by land, without the which ac∣cesse, there can be no entercourse of merchādise, there cā be no conference of wits, which first of al engendred lerning nor any commoditie of societie long to continue. To re∣pulse them that come to vs, and to prohibite thē our coun∣tries, is a poynt of inhumanitie. Now to entreat them e∣uill that by our sufferaunce dwel among vs, and haue en∣crease of household and household stuffe, it is a poynte of wickednesse. Wherefore this crueltie hath farre surmoun∣ted the cruelty of all others, the which to satisfie the vnsa∣tiable greedinesse thereof, drewe to execution, not onelye straungers, brought hether at our entreataunce and sen∣ding for, but euen the withered and rotten carcasses dig∣ged out of their graues: to the intent that the immeasu∣rable

thurst which coulde not be quenched with shedding the bloud of them that were aliue,* 1.3 might at the least be sa∣tisfied in burning of dead mens bones. These (my brethe∣ren) these I say, are the iust causes which haue so sore pro∣uoked the wrath of God agaynst vs, because that in doing extreme iniury to the dead, we haue bene prone and rea∣dy: but in putting the same away, we haue bene slow and slacke. For verely I beleue (if I may haue liberty to saye freely what I thinke) ye shall beare with me (if I chaunce to cast forth any thing vnaduisedly in the heat and hasty di∣scourse of my Oration) that euen this place, in the whiche we haue so often times assembled, being defiled with that new kinde of wickednesse, such as man neuer heard of be∣fore, is a let and hindraunce vnto vs, when we call for the helpe of God, by meanes whereof, our prayers are not ac∣cepted, which we make to appease the Godhead, & to win him to be sauorable vnto vs agayne.

The bloud of Abell shed by Cain, calleth and crieth frō the earth that sucked it vp: likewise, the vndeserued bur∣ning of these bodyes, calleth vpon God almighty to pu∣nish vs, and cryeth, that not onely the Authours of so greate a wickednesse, but also the Ministers thereof are vnpure, the places defiled, in which these thinges were perpetrated, the ayre infected which we take into our bo∣dyes, to the intent that by sundry diseases and sickenesses we may receiue punishment for so execrable wickednesse. Looke well about ye (my deare brethrē) and consider with your selues the euils that are past: & ye shall see how they tooke theyr beginning at Bucers death, following one in anothers necke euen vnto this day. First and formost whē we were euen in the chiefest of our mourning and scarcely yet recomforted of our sorrow for his death, the sweating sickenesse lighted vpon vs, the whiche passed swiftly tho∣row all Englande, and as it were in haste dispatched an innumerable company of men: Secondly, the vntimely death of our most noble king Edward the sixt (whose life in vertue surmounted the opinion of all men, and seemed worthy of immortality) happened contrary to mens expe∣ctation in that age, in which vnlesse violence be vsed, fewe do dye. The conuersion of Religion, or rather the euersion and turning therof into papistry. The incursiō and domi∣nation of straungers, vnder whose yoke our neckes were almost subdued. The importunate cruelty of the Byshops agaynst the Christians, which executed that wickednesse, for making satisfaction whereof, we are gathered together this daye. These are the thinges that ensued after his death: but after his burning ensued yet greeuouser thin∣ges. Namely newe kinde of plagues, and contagious diseases, vnknowne to the very Phisitians, whereby ey∣ther euerye mans health was appayred, or els they were brought to theyr graues, or elles very hardly recouered: bloudy battel••es without victory, whereof the profite re∣dounded to the enemy, and to vs the slaughter with great losse. The which thinges doe euidently declare, that God is turned from vs, and angry with vs, and that he geueth no eare to our prayers, and that he is not moued with our cries and sighes, but that he looketh, that this our meeting and assembly shoulde be to this end, that for as muche as we haue violated theyr coarses, we should doe them right agayne: so that the memoriall of these most holy men, may be commended to posteritye vnhurted and vndefamed. Wherefore amende yet at length (my brethren) which hy∣therto by reason of the variablenesse and vnconstancy of the times, haue beene wauering and vnstedfast in your hartes: shew your selues chearefull and forwarde in ma∣king satisfaction for the iniury you haue done to the dead, whome with so greate wickednesse of late ye endomaged and defiled: not by censing them with the perfumes of those odours and spices now worne out of vre, and put to flight, but with a true and vnfained repētance of the hart, and with prayer: to the intent that the heauenly Godhead, prouoked by our doinges to be our enemy may be our hū∣ble submission be entreated to be fauorable and agreable to all our other requestes.

When Acworth had made an ende of his Oration, M. Iames Pilkinton the Queenes reader of the diuinity le∣cture,* 1.4 going vp into the Pulpite, made a Sermon vpon the 111. Psalme, the beginning whereof is. Blessed is the mā that feareth the Lord.

Where intending to prooue that the remembraunce of the iust man shall not perishe, and that Bucer is blessed, & that the vngodly shall fret at the sight therof, but yet that all theyr attemptes shall bee to no purpose, to the entent this saying may be verifyed: I will cursse your blessinges, and blesse your curssinges, he tooke his beginning of hys owne person, that albeit he were both ready and willyng to take that matter in hande, partly for the worthinesse of the matter it selfe, and inespecially for certayne singuler vertues, of those persons, for whome that Congregation was called, yet notwithstanding he sayde he was nothing meet to take that charge vpon him.

For it were more reason that he which before had done Bucer wrong, should now make him amendes for the di∣spleasure. As for his owne part, he was so farre from wor∣king any euill agaynst Bucer, eyther in worde or deede that for theyr singular knowledge almost in al kind of lear¦ning, he embraced both him and Phagius with all hys harte. But yet hee somewhat more fauoured Bucer, as with whom he had more familiarity and acquayntaunce. In consideration whereof, although that it was scarce conuenient, that he at that time should speake, yet notw^t∣standing he was contented for frendshippe and curtesye sake, not to fayle them in this theyr businesse. Hauyng made this Preface, he entered into the pith of the matter, wherein he blamed greatly the barbarous crueltye of the Court of Rome, so fiercely extended agaynst the dead. He sayd it was a more heynous matter then was to be borne with, to haue shewed such extreme cruelnesse to them that were aliue: but for any manne to misbehaue himselfe in such wise towarde the deade, was such a thing as hadde not lightly bene heard of. Sauing that he affirmed this custome of excommunicating and curssing of deade folke, to haue come first from Rome. For Euagrius reporteth in his wrytinges, that Eutichius was of the same opinion, induced by the example of Iosias, who slew the Priestes of Baall, and burnt vppe the boanes of them that were deade, euen vppon the Aultars. Whereas, before the time of Eutichius this kinde of punishment was welneare vnknowne, neither afterwarde vsurped of any manne (that euer he heard of) vntill a nine hundreth yeares after Christ. In the latter times (the whiche howe muche the further they were from that golden age of the Apostles, so much the more they were corrupted) this kinde of cru∣elnesse beganne to creepe further. For it is manifestlye knowne, that Stephen the sixt Pope of Rome, digged vp Formosus, his last Predecssour in that Sea, and spoy∣ling him of hys Popes apparell, buryed him agayne in lay mans apparell (as the call it) hauing first cut off and throwne into Tyber his two fingers, with which, accor∣ding to theyr accustomed maner, he was woont to blesse and consecrate. The whiche his vnspeakeably tyrannye vsed against Formosus, within sixe yeares after, Sergius the third encreased also agaynst the same Formosus. For taking vp his dead body and setting it in a Popes chayre, hee caused his heade to be smitten of, and his other three fingers to be cut from his hand, and his body to be cast in∣to the ryuer of Tyber, abrogating and disanulling all his decrees, which thinge was neuer done by any man before that daye. The cause why so great crueltye was exercised (by the reporte of Nauclerus) was this: because that For∣mosus had beene an aduersarye to Stephen and Sergius when they sued to be made Bishops.

This kinde of crueltye vnharde of before, the Popes a while exercised one agaynst an other. But nowe, or euer they had sufficiently felte the smarte thereof themselues, they had turned the same vpon our neckes. Wherefore it was to be wished, that seeing it began among thē it might haue remayned still with the Authors thereof, & not haue bene spread ouer thence vnto vs. But such was the nature of all euill, that it quickely passeth into example, for others to do the like. For about the yeare of our Lord 1400. Iohn Wicklyfe was in lyke maner digged vp, and burnte into ashes, & throwen into a brooke that runneth by the towne where he was buryed. Of the which selfe same sauce ta∣sted also William Tracye of Gloucester, a man of a wor∣shipfull house, because he had written in his laste will that he shoulde be saued onely by fayth in Iesus Christe, and that there needed not the helpe of any manne thereto, whether he were in heauen or in earth, and therefore be∣quethed no legacye to that purpose as all other men were accustomed to doe. This deede was done sithens we may remember, aboute the 22. yeare of the raigne of Henry the 8. in the yeare of our Lord. 1530.

Now seeing they extended suche crueltye to the dead, he sayde it was an easye matter to coniecture what they would doe to the liuing. Whereof we had sufficient tryall by the examples of our owne men, these fewe yeares past. And if we woulde take the paynes to peruse thinges done somewhat lenger ago, we might find notable matters out of our owne Chronicles. Howbeit, it was sufficient for y^e manifest demonstration of that matter, to declare the beast∣ly butchery of the Frenche King executed vppon the Wal∣denses, at Cabryer, and the places nere thereabout, by his captayne Miner, aboute the yeare of our Lorde. 1545.

then the which there was neuer thing read of more cruel∣ty done,* 1.5 no not euen of the barbarous Paganes. And yet for all that when diuers had shewed theyr vttermost cru∣elty both agaynste these and many others, they were so farre from theyr purpose in extinguishing the light of the Gospell, which they endeuoured to suppresse, that it in∣creased dayly more and more. The which thing Charles the 5. (then whom all christendome had not a more prudēt Prince, nor the Church of Christ almost a sorer enemy) ea∣sily perceiued, and therefore when he had in his hand Lu∣ther dead, and Melancthon and Pomeran, with certayne other Preachers of the Gospell aliue, he not onely deter∣mined not any thing extreamely agaynst them nor viola∣ted theyr graues, but also entreating them gently sent thē away, not so much as once forbidding them to publish o∣penly the doctrine that they professed. For it is the nature of Christes Church, that the more that Tyrauntes spurne agaynst it, the more it encreaseth and florisheth. A nota∣ble proofe assuredly of the prouidence and pleasure of God in sowing the Gospell, was that comming of the Bohe∣mians vnto vs, to the intent to heare Wickliffe, of whom we spake before, who at that time read openly at Oxford: and also the goyng of our men to the sayde Bohemians, when persecution was raysed agaynste vs. But muche more notable was it, that we had seene come to passe in these our dayes: that the Spanyardes sent for into thys Realme of purpose to suppresse the Gospell, as soone as they were returned home, replenished many partes of theyr Countrey with the same trueth of Religion, to the which before they were vtter enemyes. By the which ex∣amples it might euidently be perceiued, that the Princes of this world labour in vayne to ouerthrowe it, conside∣ring how the mercy of GOD hath sowne it abroad, not onely in those Countryes that wee spake of, but also in Fraunce, Poole, Scotland, and almoste all the rest of Europe. For it is sayd, that some partes of Italy, (al∣though it be vnder the Popes nose) yet do they of late en∣cline to the knowledge of the heauenly trueth: Wherefore sufficient argument and proofe mighte be taken by the suc∣cesse and encreasement therof, to make vs beleue that this doctrine is sent vs from heauen, vnlesse we will wilfully be blinded. And if there were any that desired to be per∣swaded more at large in the matter, hee might aduisedlye consider the voyage that the Emperor and the Pope with both theyr powers together, made ioyntly agaynste the Bohemians. In the which the Emperour tooke suche an vnworthy repulse of so small a handfull of his enemyes, that he neuer almost in all his life tooke the like dishonour in any place. Hereof also might bee an especiall example that death of Henry Kyng of Fraunce, who the same day that he had purposed to persecute the Churche of Christe, and to haue burned certayne of his Garde, whome he had in prison for Religion, at whose execution he had promi∣sed to haue bene himselfe in proper person, in the middes of his tryumph at a tourney, was wounded so sore in the head with a Speare by one of his owne Subiectes, that ere it was long after he dyed. In the which behalfe, the dreadfull iudgementes of GOD were no lesse approued in our owne Countreymen▪ For one that was a notable slaughterman of Christes Sayntes rotted aliue,* 1.6 and ere euer he dyed, such a rancke sauour stemed from all his bo∣dye, that none of his frendes were able to come at hym, but that they were ready to vomit. Another being in vtter dispayre well nighe of all health, howled out miserably. The third ranne out of his wittes. And diuers other that were enemyes to the Churche perished miserablye in the end. All the which thinges were most certayne tokens of the fauour and defence of the diuine Maiesty towades his Churche, and of his wrath and vengeance towardes the Tyrauntes. And for as much as he had made mention of the Bohemians, he sayd it was a most apte example that was reported of theyr Capitayne Zisca: who when hee should dye, willed his body to be slayne, and of his skin to make a parchment to couer the head of a drumme. For it should come to passe, that when his enemies hearde the sound of it, they should not be able to stand agaynste them. The like counsell (he sayd) he himselfe nowe gaue them as concerning Bucer. That like as the Bohemians dyd with the skinne of Zisca, the same should they doe with the Argumentes and doctrine of Bucer. For as soone as the Papistes shoulde heare the noyse of hym, theyr Gew∣gawes would forthwith decay. For sauing that they vsed violence to such as withstoode them, theyr doctrine con∣teyned nothing that might seeme to any man (hauing but meane vnderstanding in holy Scripture) to be grounded vpon any reason. As for those thinges that were done by them agaynst such as could not play the madmen as well as they some of them sauoured of open force, and some of ridiculous foolishnes. For what was this first of all? was it not friuolous, that by the space of three yeares together, Masse shoulde be songe in those places where Bucer and Phagius rested in the Lord without any offence at al? and assoone as they tooke it to be an offence, straight waye to be an offence if any were heard there? or that it should not be as good then as it was before? as if that then vppon the soddeyne it had bene a haynous matter to celebrate it in that place, and that the fault that was past, should be counted the greuouser because it was done of lenger time before. Moreuer, this was a matter of none effect, that Bucer and Phagius onely should be digged vppe as who shoulde say,* 1.7 that he alonely had embraced the Religion which they call heresy. It was well knowne howe one of the Burgesses of the Towne had bene minded towarde the Popish Religion. Who when he shoulde dye, wil∣led neither ringing of Belles, Diriges, nor any other such kinde of trifles to be done for him in his anniuersary, as they terme it, but rather that they should go with In∣struments of Musicke before the Maior and coūsell of the Citty, to celebrate his memoriall, and also that yearely a Sermon shoulde bee made to the people, bequeathing a piece of money to the Preacher for his labour. Neither might he omit in that place to speak of Ward the paynter, who albeit he wer a man of no reputation, yet was he not to be despised for the religion sake which he diligently fo∣lowed. Neyther were diuers other moe to be passed ouer with silence, who were knowne of a certaynety to haue continued in the same sect, and to rest in other Churchyar∣des in Cambridge, and rather through the whole realme, and yet defiled not theyr Masses at all. All the which per∣sons (for as much as they were all of one opinion) ought all to haue bene taken vppe, or els all to haue bene let lye with the same Religion: vnlesse a man would graūt, that it lyeth in theyr power to make what they list lawfull and vnlawfull at theyr owne pleasure. In the condemnation of Bucer and Phagius (to saye the trueth) they vsed to much cruelty, and to muche violence. For howsoeuer it went with the doctrine of Bucer, certaynely they coulde finde nothing wherof to accuse Phagius, in as much as he wrote nothing that came abroad sauing a few things that he had translated out of the Hebrew and Chaldy tounges, into Latine. After his comming into the Realme, he ne∣uer read, he neuer disputed, he neuer preached, he neuer taught. For he deceased so soone after, that he coulde in that time geue no occasion for his aduersaries to take hold on, whereby to accuse him whome they neuer hearde speake. In that they hated Bucer so deadly, for the allow∣able maryage of the Cleargy, it was theyr owne malice conceiued agaynste him, and a verye slaunder raysed by themselues. For he had for his defence in that matter, (o∣uer and besides other helpes) the Testimony of the Pope Pius the second, who in a certayne place sayth that vppon waighty considerations Priestes wiues were taken from them, but for more weighty causes were to be restored a∣gayne. And also the statute of the Emperour, they call it the Interim, by the which it is enacted that such of the clear∣gye as were maryed shoulde not bee diuorced from theyr wiues.

Thus turning his stile from this matter to the Uni∣uersity, he reprooued in fewe wordes theyr vnfaythfulnes towardes these men. For if the Lord suffered not the bo∣nes of the King of Edome, being a wicked man, to bee taken vppe and burnt without reuengement (as sayth A∣mos) let vs assure our selues he will not suffer so notable a wrong done to his godly Preachers, vnreuenged. After∣ward, when he came to the condemnation (whiche we tolde you in the former action was pronounced by Perne the Uicechauncellour, in the name of them all) being some∣what more moued at the matter, he admonished thē how much it stoode them in hand, to vse great circumspectnes, what they decreed vpon any man by theyr voyces, in ad∣mitting or reiecting any man to the promotions and de∣grees of the Uniuersity. For that which should take hys authority from them, should be a great preiudice to all the other multitude, which (for the opinion that it had of theyr doctrine, iudgement, allowance, and knowledge) didde thinke nothing but well of them. For it would come to passe, that if they would bestow theyr promotions vpon none but meet persons, & let the vnmeet go as they come, both the common wealth should receiue much commodity and profite by them, and besides that they should highly please God. But if they persisted to be negligent in do∣ing thereof, they should grieuously endommage the com∣mon weale, and worthely worke theyr owne shame and reproch. Ouer and besides that the should greatly offend the maiesty of God, whose commaundement (not to beare false witnesse) they should in so doing breake and violate.

In the meane while that he was speaking these and ma∣ny other thinges before his audience,* 1.8 many of the vniuer∣sity, to set out and defend Bucer withall, beset the walles of the Church and Church porche on both sides with ver∣ses, some in Latine, some in Greeke, and some in English, in the which they made a manifest declaration howe they were minded both toward Bucer and Phagius. Finally, when his Sermon was ended, they made common Sup∣plication and prayers. After thankes rendred to God for many other thinges, but in especially for restoring of the true and sincere religion, euery man departed his way.

For as muche as mention hath beene made of the death of the worthy and famous Clerke, Martin Bucer, & of the burning of his boanes after his death, it shall not be vnfruitful, as the place here serueth, to induce the testimo∣ny or Epitaph of Doctor Redman which came not yet in print, vpon the decease of that man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Oration of Acworth.
• * 1.2

  Anno 1557. Ianuary.
• * 1.3

  Anno 1557. Maye.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sermō 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Iames 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  Anno 1557. February.
• * 1.6

  Stephen Gardi∣ner of Winche∣ster.
• * 1.7

  ••ande som∣tyme Maior of the towne.
• * 1.8

  Anno 1557. Aprill.