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 eight examination before the Bishop.

WHen she was brought before the B. he asked the ke∣per: is this the woman that hath the three children?* 1.1

And the keeper sayd: yea my Lord.

Bish.

Woman, here is a supplication put vnto my handes for thee. In lyke case there was another supplication put vp to me for thee afore this, in the which thou madest as though that I should keepe thy children.

Eliz.

My L. I did not know of this supplication, nor yet of the other.

Then said the Bish. M. Deane,* 1.2 is this the womā that ye haue sued so earnestly for?

The Deane.

Yea, my Lord.

The Deane.

Woman, what remaineth in the sacrament of the aultar, when and after that the Priest hath spoken the words of consecration?

Eliz.

A piece of bread. But the Sacrament of Christes bo∣dy and bloud, which he did institute and leaue amongest his disciples the night before he was betrayed, ministred according to his word, that sacrament I do beleeue.

The Deane.

How doest thou beleeue concernyng the bodye of Christ? where is his body, and how many bodies hath hee?

Eliz.

Sir, in heauen, he sitteth on the right hand of God.

The Deane.

From whence came his humane body?

Eliz.

He tooke it of the Uirgin Mary.

The Deane.

That is flesh, bloud, & bones, as mine is. But what shape hath his spirituall body? hath it face, handes, and feete?

Eliz.

I knowe no other body that he hath, but that bodye whereof he ment when he sayd: This is my body whiche is geuen for you: and this is my bloud which shall be shed for you. Whereby he plainly meaneth that body & no other, which he tooke of the virgin Mary, hauyng the perfect shape and proportion of a humane body.

Story.

* 1.3Then said Story: Ye haue a wise body, for ye must go to the stake.

The Deane.

Art thou content to beleeue in the faith of Chri∣stes Church? But to aske of thee what Christes church is, or where it is, I let it passe.

Eliz.

Sir, to that church I haue ioyned my faith, and from it I purpose neuer to turne by Gods helpe.

The Deane.

Wouldst thou not be at home with thy children with a good will?

Eliz.

Sir, if it please God to geue me leaue.

The Deane

Art thou content to confesse thy selfe to bee an ignorant and a foolsh woman, and to beleeue as our holy Father the Pope of Rome doth, and as the Lorde Cardi∣nals grace doth, and as my Lord the Bishop of London thine Ordinary doth, and as the Kinges grace and the Queenes grace,* 1.4 and all the Nobilitie of England do: yea, and the Emperors grace, and all the noble princes in chri∣stendome.

Eliz

Sir, I was neuer wise, but in fewe wordes I shall make you a briefe answer how I do beleeue. I do beleeue all thynges that are written in the Scriptures geuen by the holy Ghost vnto the Church of Christ, set foorth and taught by the church of Christ. Hereon I ground my faith and on no man.

Then said Story: and who shall be Iudge?

Eliz.

Sir, the scripture.

Story.

And who shall read it?

Elizabeth.

He vnto whom God hath geuen the vnderstan∣dyng.

Bish.

Womā, be reformable, for I would thou were gone, and M. Deane heare hath earnestly sued for thee.

Deane.

Woman, I haue sued for thee in deede, and I pro∣mise thee if thou wilt be reformable, my Lord will be good vnto thee.

Elizabeth.

I haue bene before my Lord Bishop, and before Maister Chauncellour three times, and haue declared my fayth.

Deane.

And yet I know that M. Chancellor will say, that thou art a ranke heretike.

Story.

Away with her.

Bish.

* 1.5M. Deane, ye knowe that I may not tary, nor you neither. Let her keeper bryng her home to your own chā∣ber soone at foure a clocke at after noone, and if that ye find her reasonable, then let her goe, for I would that she were gone.

Then sayd the Deane, with a good will, my Lord: and so she was sent vnto the place from whence she came, vn∣till it was 4. of the clocke at afternoone.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The 8. exa∣mination of Elizabeth Young.
• * 1.2

  The Deane made sute for El••za∣beth Yoūg.
• * 1.3

  Story.
• * 1.4

  The beliefe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Pa∣p••••••es fol∣loweth the multitude. True belief dependeth not vpon men, but vpon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Gods word.
• * 1.5

  Elizabeth Young com¦mitted to the Deane.