¶The story and condemnation of Iohn Hunt, and Richard White, ready to be burnt, but by the death of Queene Mary escaped the fire.
BEsides these Martyrs aboue named, diuers there were in diuers other places of the Realme impriso∣ned,* 1.1 whereof some were but newly taken and not yet examined, some begon to be examined but were not yet condemned, certayne both examined and condemned but for lacke of the writ escaped.
Other there were also, both condemned, and the writ also was brought downe for theyr burning, and yet by the death of the Chaūcellor, the bishop, and of Queene Mary happening together about one time, they most happely & maruellously were preserued and liued many yeres after. In the number of whom was one Iohn Hunt and Rich. White imprisoned at Salisbury. Touching which historie something here is to be shewed.
First these two good men and faythfull seruauntes of the Lord aboue named, to wit, Iohn Hunt, and Richarde White had remayned long time in prison at Salisburye, & other places therabout, the space of two yeares and more. During which time, oft times they were called to exami∣nation, & manifold waies were impugned by the Bishop, and the Priestes. All whose examinations, as I thoughte not much needefull here to prosecute or to searche out, for the length of the volume: so neither agayne did I thinke it good to leaue no memorye at all of the same, but some part to expresse, namely of the examination of Richarde White before the Bishop of Salisbury, the Bishop of Glocester, with the Chauncellour and other Priestes, not vnworthy perchaunce to be rehearsed.
*The examination of Richard White, before the Byshop of Salisbury in his chamber in Salisbury, the 26. day of Aprill. an. 1557.
* 1.2THe Bishop of Salisbury at that time was Docor Ca∣pon. The Bishop of Glocester was Doctor Brookes. These with Doctour Geffrey the Chauncelour of Salis∣bury, and a great number of Priestes sitting in iudgemēt, Richarde White was brought before them. With whome first the Bishop of Glocester, which had the examination of him, beginneth thus.
Is this the prisoner?
Yea my Lord.
Frend, wherefore camest thou hether?
My Lord I trust to know ye cause, for ye lawe saith: in the mouth of two or three witnesses things must stand.
Did not I examine thee of thy fayth whē thou camest hether?
No my Lord, you did not examine me, but cōmaū∣ded me to the Lollardes Tower, and that no man should speake with me. And now I do require mine accuser.
* 1.3Then the Register said: the Maior of Marlborow did apprehend you for wordes that you spake there, & for that I commaunded you to be conueyed hither to prison.
You had the examination of me in Marlborow. Say you what I haue sayd. And I will aunswere you.
Thou shalt confesse thy fayth ere thou depart, and therfore say thy minde freely, and be not ashamed so to do.
I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ, because it is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleue, & S. Peter sayth: If any man do aske thee a reasō of the hope that is in thee, make him a direct aunswere, and that with meekenes. Who shall haue the examination of me?
My Lord of Glocester shall haue the examinatiō of thee.
My Lorde, will you take the paynes to wet your coate in my bloud? be not guilty thereof: I warne you be∣fore hand.
I will do nothing to the contrary to our law.
My Lorde, what is it that you doe request at my handes?
I will appose thee vpon certayne articles, & prin∣cipally vpon the sacramēt of ye aultar? How doest thou be∣leue of the blessed Sacrament of the aulter? Beleuest thou not the reall, carnall,* 1.4 and corporall presence of Christ in the same, euen the very same Christ that was borne of the vir∣gine Mary, that was hanged on the Crosse, and that suffe¦red for our sinnes? (and at these words they al put of their cappes and bowed theyr bodyes.)
My Lord what is a Sacrament.
It is the thing it selfe the which it representeth.
My Lord that can not be, for he that representeth a Prince can not be the Prince himselfe.
How many sacraments findest thou in the scrip∣tures called by the name of Sacramentes?
I finde 2. Sacraments in the Scriptures, but not called by the names of the sacramentes. But I thinke S. Augustine gaue them the first name of Sacramentes.
Then thou findest not that word sacramēt in the Scriptures.
No my Lord.* 1.5
Did not Christ say: This is my body? and are not his words true?
I am sure the wordes are true, but you play by me as the deuill did by Christ, for he sayd, If thou be. Mat. 4. For it is. &c. Psal. 91.* 1.6 But the words that folowed after he clean left out, which are these: Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion and Aspe. &c. These woordes the Deuill lefte out because they were spoken agaynst hymselfe: and euen so doe you recite the Scriptures.
Declare thy fayth vpon the Sacrament.
Christ and his Sacramentes are like,* 1.7 because of the natures, for in Christ are 2. natures, a diuine and a hu∣mane nature: so likewise in the Sacrament of Cristes bo∣dy and bloud, there be two natures: the which I deuide into 2. partes, that is, externall and internal. The external part is the element of bread and wine, according to the say∣ing of S. Austine. The internal part is the inuisible grace which by the same is represented. So is there an externall receiuing of the same Sacrament, & an internall. The ex∣ternall is with the hande, the eye, the mouth, and the eare.* 1.8 The internall is the holy ghost in the hart, which worketh in me fayth. Wherby I apprehend all the merits of Christ, applying the same wholly vnto my saluation. If this bee truth beleue it, and if it be not, reproue it.
This is Oecolampadius doctrine, & Hooper taught it to the people.
Doest thou not beleue that after the wordes of cō∣secration there is the naturall presence of Christes body?
My Lord, I will aunswere you, if you wyll aun∣swere me to one question. Is not this article of our beliefe true: He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty? if he be come from thence to iudgement, say so.
No. But if thou wilt beleue the Scriptures, I will proue to thee that Christe was both in heauen and in earth at one time.* 1.9
As he is God, he is in all places: but as for hys manhood, he is but in one place.
S. Paule sayth. 1. Cor. 15. Last of all he was seene of me. &c. Here S. Paule sayth he sawe Christ, and S. Paule was not in heauen.
S. Pauls chief purpose was by this place to proue the resurrection. But how do you proue that Christ when he appered to S. Paule, was not still in heauen: like as he was sene of Stephen, sitting at the right hand of God?* 1.10 S. Augustine sayth the head that was in heauen dyd crye for the body and members which were on the earth & said Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And was not Paule ta∣ken vp into the thyrd heauen where hee might see Christ▪ as he witnesseth. Cor. 15. For there he doth but onely saye that he saw Christ, but concerning the place, hee speaketh nothing. Wherfore this place of scripture proueth not that Christ was both in heauen and earth at one tyme.
I told you before he woulde not beleeue. Here be three opinions, the Lutherans, the Oecolampadians, and we the Catholickes.* 1.11 If you the Oecolampadians haue the truth: then the Lutherians & we the catholickes be out of the way. If the Lutherians haue the truth, then you the Oecolampadians and we the Catholickes be out of the way. But if we the catholicks haue the truth, as we