of the City of London, and the prisoners of the prison of the sayd Counter in the Poultry, and greatly to the hurt & dam∣mage of his owne soule, offending especially in the Artiles fol∣lowyng. By reason whereof the sayde Richard Gibson was, and is of the iurisdiction of the sayde Byshoppe of London, and sub∣iect to the sayd iurisdiction, to make aunsweare to his offences and transgression vnder written, according to the order of the law.
2. Secondly, that the sayd Richard Gibson hath vnreuerentlye spoken agaynste the Pope, and Sea and Churche of Rome, and likewise agaynst the whole Church of this Realme of Englande, and agaynst the seuen Sacramentes of the Catholicke and whole Churche of Christendome and agaynst the Articles of the Chri∣stian fayth here obserued in this Realme of England, and agaynst the commendable and laudable Ceremonies of the Catholicke Church.
3. Thirdly, that the sayd Richard Gibson hath commended, allo∣wed, defended, and liked, both Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, and al∣so all other heretickes here in this Realme of Englande, accor∣ding to the Ecclesiasticall lawes condemned for heretickes, and also liked all their hereticall and erroneous, damnable, and wic∣ked opinions, especially agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar, and the authority of the Pope and Sea of Rome, with the whole Reli∣gion therof.
4 Fourthly, that the sayd Richard Gibson hath cōforted, ayded, assisted and mainteined both by words and otherwise, hereticks and erroneous persons, or at the least suspected and infamed of heresies and errors condemned by the Catholicke Churche, to continue in their hereticall and erroneous opinions aforesayde, fauouring and counselling the same vnto his power.
5. Fifthly, that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed and sayde that the Religion and Fayth commonly obserued, kepte, and vsed now here in this Realme of Englande, is not good and lau∣dable nor in any wise agreable vnto Gods word and commaun∣dement.
6. Sixtly, that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed that the English ser∣uice, and the bookes commonly called the bookes of communi∣on, or common prayer, here set forth in this Realme of Englande in the time of K Edwarde the sixt, were in all partes and poyntes good and godlye, and that the same onely and no other ought to be obserued and kept in this Realme of England.
7. Seuenthly that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed, that if he may once be out of prison and at liberty, he will not come to any pa∣rish church, or ecclesiasticall place to heare Mattins Masse▪ Euē¦song, or any diuine seruice now vsed in this Realme of Englande, nor come to procession vpon times and dayes accustomed, nor beare at any time any Taper or Candle, nor receiue at any tyme Ashes, nor beare at anye time Palme, nor receiue Pax at Masse time, nor receiue holy water, nor holy bread, nor obserue the ce∣remonies or vsages of the Catholicke Church, here obserued or kept commonly in this realme of England.
8. Eightly, that the said Gibson hath affirmed that he is not boūd at any time, though he haue liberty, and the presence of a Priest conuenient and meete, to confesse his sinnes to the sayd Prieste, nor to receiue absolution of his sinnes, at his handes, nor to receiue of him the sacrament commonly called the Sacramente of the aultar, after such fo••me as is now vsed within this Realme of England.
9. Ninthly, that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed, that prayer vnto Sayntes, or prayers for the dead, are not laudable, auayleable, or profitable: and that no man is bound at any time, or in any place, to fast or pray, but onely at his owne will and pleasure, and that it is not lawful to reserue or keepe the sayd sacrament of the aul∣tar, nor in any wise to adore and worship it.
The greatest matter whiche hee was charged withall, was for not comming to Confession, being thereunto re∣quired, for not receiuing of the sacramentes of the Popysh making, and for that he would not sweare to answere vn∣to theyr interrogatoryes layd agaynst him.
Notwithstanding after these his first examinations, he continued in the aforesayde Prison of the Counter a good space, from the moneth of May, vnto Nouember: at what time he was agayne produced vnto the finall examinatiō iudiciary. Where is to bee noted, that M. Gibson being a very big and talle man, of a personable and heroycall sta∣ture, was sent for of Boner by a little and short person, a promoter, like Robin Papiste, called Robin Caley, if it were not he himselfe.
This Robin Caley hauing the conducting of the sayde Gentleman from the Pultry, would needes hale him tho∣row Chepeside, the gentleman desiring him to turne some other waye. But the more the Gentleman entreated, the more fierce was the sely iack vpon him: and drawing and holding him by the arme, woold needes hale him through the high street, that the all world might see what he coulde do in his office. M. Gibsō desirous to be led without hol∣ding, willed and entreated him to let his arme loose: he would go quietly of his accord wt him whether he would, onely crauing that he might go by him freely without no∣ting of the people.
The saucy and impotent miser the Promoter hearing this, who was scarse able to reach vnto his shoulders: nay (sayth he) thou shalt not escape me so, come on thy wayes. Thou shalt not choose but come: & so reaching at his arme, would needes drag him vnto the Byshop. The Gentle∣man content to goe, yet loth to be notified in the streetes, gently requested agayne and agayne, that re••rayning hys hold, he would suffer him to goe of his owne free and vo∣lūtary will: he should not neede to feare him, for he would not start frō him. To whom the Caytiff, looking vp to his face: Come on thy way, sayth he, I wil hold thee fast, spite thy beard, and whether thou wilt or no.
Mayster Gibson seing and beholding the intollerable bragging of the wretched miser, and moued therwith not a little, could beare no longer, but sayd: Wilt thou sayd he? and addeth moreouer, bitterlye looking downe towardes hym, that if he dyd not incontinentlye plucke awaye hys hand (and so stayed withall) he would immediatly wring his necke from his body. Whereupon Robin Papist the Promoter, was fayne to plucke awaye his holde, and so proceeded they vnto the Bishop, there to bee examined a∣gayne before him.
After this, an other day being assigned him to appeare agayne, muche talke past betweene him and Darbyshyre, then Chauncellour. But in fine, being required to sweare that he should aunswere vnto all they would demaund, he denyed to aunswere vnto all thinges the Bishops should commaund hym as Ordinary: for he is not (sayeth he) mine Ordinary, and so bidde him goe tell the Byshoppe. Before the which Byshoppe he being then commaunded to appeare the Friday next following, was brought vn∣to the Iustice Hall without Newgate, where he had the like conflictes with the foresayde Bishoppe and diuers o∣ther Iustices. At length he was assigned the Saterdaye folowing, to be present in the Bishops consistory Court, to heare his finall sentence. At whiche day and place, the sayd Examinate appearyng as he was commaunded, the Byshop after other matter of communication, asked hym if he knew any cause why the sentence should not be read agaynst hym. To whom the sayd Mayster Gibson aun∣swered, that the Bishoppe had nothing wherefor iustly to condemne him. The Bishops reason was agayne obie∣cted to him, that men sayd he was an euil man. To whom Gibson replying agayne: yea, sayth he, and so may I saye of you also. To be short, after this and such other talke, the Bishop hasted vnto the sentence. Which being read, Gib∣son yet agayne admonished to remember himselfe and to saue his soule, sayd, that he would not heare the Byshops babling, and sayde moreouer, boldly protesting and affir∣ming that he was contrarye and an enemye to them all in his mind and opinion, although he had afore time kepte it secret in minde for feare of the law. And speaking to the bi∣shop: blessed, sayd he, am I that am cursed at your handes. We haue no••hing now, but thus will I. For as the bishop sayth, so must it be. And now heresy is to turne the trueth of Gods word into lyes, and that do you, meaning the bi∣shop and his felowes.
Thus this valiaunt souldiour fighting for the Gospel and sincere doctrine of Gods trueth and religion, agaynst falsehood and errour, was committed with his felowes to the secular power.
And so these three godly men, Iohn Hallingdale, Wil∣liam Sparrow, and Maister Gibson, being thus appoin∣ted to the slaughter, were the xij. day after theyr condem∣nation (which was the xviij. day of the sayde Moneth of Nouember) burnt in Smithfielde in London. And beyng brought thyther to the stake, after theyr prayer made, they were bound thereunto with cheines, and wood sette vnto them, and after wood, fire, in the which being compassed a∣bout, and the fierye flames consuming theyr fleshe, at ye last they yelded gloriously and ioyfully theyr soules and lyues into the holy bandes of the Lord, to whose tuition and go∣uernement, I commend thee good Reader. Amen.
¶It is a litle aboue declared in this story of Richarde Gibson, how Boner ministred vnto the layd Gibson cer∣teyne Articles, to the nūber of nine. Now let vs see lyke∣wise the Articles which the sayde Gibson ministred a∣gayne to Boner, according to the same number of nine for him to aunswere vnto, as by the same here vnder written may appeare.