declare against her, saying: The Lord Chauncellour hath sent you heere a woman, which hath brought bookes ouer from Emden, where al these bookes of heresie and treason are printed, and hathe therewith filled all the lande wyth Treason and heresie: neither yet will shee confesse, who translated them, nor who printed them, nor yet who sent them ouer. Wherfore my Lord Chācellor committeth her vnto my Lorde of London, he to doe with her as he shall thinke good. For shee will confesse nothing, but that shee bought these said bookes in Hamsterdame, and so brought them ouer to sell for gaine.
D. Cooke.
Let her heade be trussed in a small line, & make her to confesse.
Martin.
The booke is called Antichrist, and so may it be wel called, for it speaketh against Iesus Christ & the Queene. And besides that, shee hathe a certaine sparke of the Ana∣baptists, for she refuseth to sweare vpon the iiij. Euange∣listes before a Iudge: For I my selfe and M. Hussy haue had her before vs foure times, but we can not bring her to sweare. Wherfore my Lord Chauncellor would that shee should absteine & fast, for she hath not fasted a great while: For she hathe laine in the Clincke a good while, where she hath had too much her libertie.
Then said the bishop: why wilt thou not sweare before a Iudge? that is the right trade of the Anabaptists.
Eliz.
My Lord, I wil not sweare that this hand is mine.
No, sayd the bishop? and why?
Eliz.
My Lorde, Christ sayeth, that what soeuer is more then yea, yea, or nay, nay, it commeth of euill. And moreo∣uer, I know not what an oth is: and therefore I wil take no such thing vpon me.
Then saide Cholmley: xx. pounde, it is a man in a wo∣man clothes: xx. pound it is a man.
Boner.
Thinke you so my Lord?
Eliz.
My Lord, I am a woman.
Bish.
Sweare her vpon a booke, seeing it is but a questi∣on asked.
Then said Cholmley: I will lay twentie pounde it is a man.
Then D. Cooke brought her a booke, commanding her to lay thereon her hande.
Eliz.
No, my Lorde, I will not sweare: for I knowe not what an oth is. But I say that I am a woman, and haue children.
Bish.
That know not we: wherefore sweare.
Cholmley.
Thou yll fauoured whore, lay thy hande vp∣on the booke: I will lay on myne, and so he laied his hande vpon the booke.
Eliz
So will not I mine.
Then the Bishop spake a woorde in Latine, out of S. Paule, as concerning swearing.
Elizab.
My Lorde, if you speake to mee of S. Paule, then speake English, for I vnderstand you not.
The bish.
I dare sweare that thou doest not.
Eliz.
My Lord: S. Paul saith, that fiue wordes spoken in a language that may be vnderstand, is better then manye in a foreine or strange tongue which is vnknowen.
Doctor Cooke.
Sweare before vs whether thou be a man or a woman.
Eliz.
If ye wil not beleue me, then send for women into a secrete place, and I will be tried.
Cholm.
Thou art an ill fauored whore.
Then said the Bishop: How beleeuest thou in the Sa∣crament of the altar?
Eliza.
My Lorde: if it will please you that I shall declare mine owne faith, I will.
The bish.
Tell me how thou beleeuest in the sacrament of the altar.
Eliza.
Will it please you that I shall declare my Faithe? And if it be not good, then teach me a better, and I wil be∣leeue it.
D. Cooke
That is well sayd, declare thy faith.
Eliz.
I beleeue in God the Father almighty, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, three persons and one God. I beleue all the Articles of my Crede. I beleeue al things wrytten in the holy Scripture, and all thinges agreeable wyth the Scripture, geuen by the holy Ghoste into the Churche of Christ, set forth and taught by ye church of Christ. I beleue that Iesus Christ the only sonne of God, that immaculate Lamb, came into the world to saue sinners, & that in him, by him, & throughe him I am made cleane frō my sinnes, and without him I coulde not. I beleeue that in the holy sacrament of Christes body and bloud, which he did insti∣tute and ordaine, and left among his Disciples the nyght before he was betraied, whē I do receiue his Sacrament in faith and spirite, I do receiue Christ.
Bish.
No more, I warrant you, but the sacramēt of Chri∣stes body and bloud, receiued but in spirit and faith, wyth those heretiques.
Cholm.
Ah whoore, spirite and faith, whoore?
Eliz.
This sacrament neuer man coulde or did make, but only he that did, which no man could do.
Mart.
Then thou must allowe that grasse is a sacrament: for who could make grasse but he only?
Eliz.
Syr, he hathe suffered, and made a sufficient Sacri∣fice once for all, and so hath he made hys Sacrament suffi∣cient once for all, for there was neuer man that could say: Take, eate, this is my body that is broken for you, but only Ie∣sus Christ, who had his body broken for the sinnes of the world: which Sacrament he hath left here amongst vs for a testimonial of his death, euen to the worldes ende.
Mart.
Who taught thee this doctrine? did Scorie?
Eliz.
Yea, Bishop Scorie and other that I haue heard.
Bish.
Why, is Scory Bishop now?
Eliz.
If that doe offende you, call him Docteur Scorie, if yee will.
Roper.
I knew when he was but a poore Doctour.
Mart.
What doe ye call Scorie?
Eliz.
Our Superintendent.
Bish.
Loe, their Superindent.
Mart.
And what are ye called?
Eliz.
Christes congregation.
Bish.
Lo, Christes congregation, I warrant you.
Doctor Cooke.
What liuing hath Scorie?
Eliz.
Sir, as farre as I do know, he liueth by his owne, for I know no man that geueth him ought.
Recorder.
Yes, I warrant you, he hath enough sent hym out of England.
Eliz.
Syr, I know no such thing.
Cholm.
Harke whore, harke: harke how I do beleeue.
Eliz.
My Lord, I haue tolde you my beliefe.
Cholmley.
Harke, thou yll fauoured whoore, howe I doe beleeue. When the Priest hath spoken the wordes of Con∣secration, I do beleue that there remaineth the very body that was borne of the virgine Marie, was hanged on the crosse, was deade and buried, and descended into hell, and rose againe on the thirde day, and ascended to heauen, and sitteth at the right hand of God. The same body when the priest hath spoken the woords, commeth down, and when the priest lifteth vp his body on this wise (he lifting vp his handes) sayd there it is.
Eliz.
I haue tolde you also how I do beleeue.
Cholmley.
Ah euill fauoured whore, nothing but spirit and faith whore?
Mart.
Away with her, we haue more to talke withall.
Then was shee caried into the Colehouse, and searched for bookes, and then put into the stockhouse, and her knife girdle, and aporne taken from her.
The fifth examination before the Bishop of Londons Chancellour. &c.
THen was she brought out of the stockhouse & brought before the bishops Chauncellour, who required of her what age shee was of.
Eliz.
Sir, fortie yeares and vpwardes.
The Chauncellour.
Why, thou art a woman of a faire yea∣res: what shouldest thou meddle with the Scriptures? it is necessary for thee to beleeue, and that is inoughe. It is more sitte for thee to meddle with thy distaff, then to med∣dle with the Scriptures. What is thy beliefe? I woulde heare it: for it can not be good, in that thou art brought in∣to prison.
Eliz.
Syr, if it will please you to heare it, I will declare it vnto you. But I praye you that you will take your pen and wryte it, and then examine it: and if ye find any thing therein that is not fit for a Christian woman, then teache me better, and I will learne it.
Chaunc.
Wel said. But who shalbe Iudge betwene thee and me?
Chaunc.
Wilt thou stand by that?
Chaunc.
Wel, go thy way out at the doore a litle while, for I am busie, and I will call for thee anon againe.
Then he called me againe, and said: Nowe woman, the time is too long to wryte. Say thy minde, and I wil bear it in my head.
Then Elizabeth began, and declared her faith to him, as shee had done before the Bishop.
Chaunc.
Woman, spirit and faith I do allow, but dost not thou beleeue that thou doest receiue the body of Christ re∣ally, corporally, and substantially?