Item, in this my Lord and his Chapleines might manacle me by night: In that they could not.
Item, in this they might strangle me, and say that I had han∣ged my selfe: In that they could not.
Item, in this they might haue me to the Consistory and iudge me after theyr fashion. From thence they could not·
Ergo I had leuer to be there then here. For though the fire be called neuer so hoat, yet and if the bishops two fingers can shake away a piece, a friers cowle an other part, and scala coeli altoge∣ther, I wil neuer found Abbay, Colledge nor Chauntrey for that purpose.
For seing there is no payne that can break my charity, break my pacience, cause me to dishonour God, to displease God, to be displeased with God, cause me not to ioy in God, nor that canne bring me to daunger of death, or to daunger of desperation, or from surety of saluation, that canne separate me from Christ, or Christ from me, I care the lesse for it. Iohn Chrisostom sayth, that the greatest payne that damned soules haue, is to be separate and cut of from Christ for euer: which payne he sayth is greater then many helles: which paynes the soules in Purgatory neither haue nor can haue.
Consider M. Morice, whether prouision for Purgatorye hath not brought thousandes to hell. Debts haue not bene payd: resti∣tution of euill gotten landes & goods hath not bene made: chri∣sten people (whose necessities we see, to whō whatsoeuer we do, Christ reputeth done to himselfe, to whom we are bounden vn∣der payne of damnation to doe for, as we would be done for our selfe) are neglecte and suffered to perish: last wils vnfulfilled and broken: Gods ordinaunce set aside: and also for Purgatory, foū∣dations haue bene taken for sufficient satisfaction: so we haue tri∣fled away the ordinaunce of God, and restitutions. Thus we haue gone to hell, with Masses, Diriges, and ringing of manye a bell. And who can pull Pilgrimages from Idolatrye, and purge Purgatorye from Robbery, but hee shall bee in perill to come in suspition of Heresye with them? so that they may pill with Pil∣grimage, and spoyle with Purgatory. And verely the abuse of them cannot be taken away, but great luker and vauntage shall fall away from them, whiche had leuer haue profite with abuse, then lacke the same with vse: and that is the waspe that doth sting them, and maketh them to swell. And if Purgatory were purged of all that it hath gotten, by setting aside restitution, and robbing of Christe, it woulde be but a poore Purgatorye: So poore that it should not be able to feed so fatte, and tricke vp so many idle and slothfull lubbers.
I take God to witnes I would hurt no man, but it greeueth me to see such abuse continue without remedy. I cannot vnder∣stand what they meane by the Popes pardoning of Purgatorye, but by way of suffrage: and as for suffrage, vnlesse he do his due∣ty, and seeke not his owne, but Christes glory, I had leauer haue the suffrage of iacke of the skullery which in his calling doth ex∣ercise both fayth and charitye: but for his Masse. And that is as good of an other simple Priest as of him. For as for authoritye of keyes, is to loose from guiltinesse of sinne and eternall payne, due to the same, according to Christes word, and not to his own priuate will. And as for Pilgrimage, you woulde wonder what iuggling there is to gette money withall. I dwell within a halfe mile, of the Fosseway, and you woulde wonder to see how they come by flockes out of the West countrey to many Images, but chiefely to the bloud of Hailes. And they beleue verely that it is the verye bloud that was in Christes bodye, shedde vppon the Mount of Caluerye for our saluation, and that the sighte of it with theyr bodily eye, doth certify them and putteth them out of doubte, that they bee in cleane life, and in state of saluation without spot of sinne, which doeth bolden then to many thinges. For you would wonder if you shoulde common with them both comming and going, what faythes they haue. For as for forge∣uing theyr enemies, and reconciling theyr Christian brethren, they can not away withall: for the sight of that bloud doth quite them for the time.
I read in Scripture of two certifications: one to the Romanes: Iustificati ex fide pacem habemus. i. We being iustified by fayth haue peace with God.
If I see the bloud of Christe with the eye of my soule, that is true fayth that his bloud was shed for me. &c.
An other in the Epistle of Iohn: Nos scimus quod translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratres. i. We know that we are translated from death to life, because we loue the bre∣thren. But I read not that I haue peace with GOD, or that I am translated from death to life, because I see with my bodelye eye the bloud of Hailes. It is verye probable that all the bloud that was in the body of Christ, was vnited and knitte to his Diuinity, and then no part thereof shall returne to his corruption. And I maruell that Christ shall haue two resurrections. And if it were, that they that did violently and iniuriouslye plucke it out of hys body when they scourged him and nayled him to the Crosse, did see it with theyr bodily eye, yet they were not in cleane life. And we see the selfe same bloud in forme of wine, when we haue con∣secrate, and may both see it, feele it, and receiue it to our damna∣tion as touching bodily receiuing. And many do see it at Ha••les without confession, as they say God knoweth all, and the Deuill in our time is not dead.
Christ hath left a doctrine behinde him, wherin we be taught how to beleue, and what to beleeue: he doth suffer the Deuill to vse his craftye fashion for our triall and probation. It were little thanke worthy to beleue well & rightly, if nothing should moue vs to false fayth & to beleue superstitiously. It was not in vayne that Christ when hee had taught truely, by and by badde, be∣ware of false Prophettes, whiche woulde bring in errour slilye. But we be secure and vncarefull, as though false Prophets could not meddle with vs, and as though the warning of Christ were no more earnest and effectuall, then is the warning of Mothers when they trifle with theyr children, and bid them beware the bugge. &c.
Loe Syr▪ how I runne at ryot beyond measure. When I began, I was minded to haue written but halfe a dosen lynes: but thus I forget my selfe euer when I write to a trusty frende, which wyll take in worth my folly, and keepe it from mine enemy. &c.
As for Doctour Wilson, I wotte not what I should say: but I pray God endue him with charity. Neyther he, nor none of his countreymen did euer loue me since I did inuey agaynst theyr fa∣ctions, and partialitye in Cambridge. Before that, who was more fauoured of him then I? That is the byle that may not be tou∣ched. &c.
A certayne frend shewed mee, that Doctour Wilson is gone nowe into his countrey about Beuerley in Holdernes, and from thence he will go a progresse through Yorkeshire, Lancashyre, Cheshyre, and so from thence to Bristow. What he entendeth by this progresse God knoweth, and not I. If he come to Bristowe I shall here tell. &c.
As for Hubberdin (no doubt) he is a manne of no great lear∣ning, nor yet of stable witte. He is here seruus hominum: for he will preach whatsoeuer the Byshops will bidde him preach. Ve∣rely in my minde they are more to be blamed then he. He doeth magnifye the Pope more then enough. As for our Sauior Christ and Christian kynges are little beholding to hym. No doubte hee did misse the cushion in many thinges. Howbeit they that did sende him (men thinke) will defend him: I pray GOD amend him, and them both. They woulde fayne make matter agaynst mee, entendyng so eyther to deliuer him by me, or els to ridde vs both together, and so they woulde thinke hym well bestow∣ed. &c.
As touching Doctour Powell, howe highly he tooke vppon him in Bristow; and how little hee regarded the sword which re∣presenteth the kinges person, many can tell you. I thinke there is neuer an Earle in this Realme that knoweth his obedience by Christes cōmaūdemēt to his Prince, & wotteth what the sword doth signify, that would haue taken vpon hym so stoutly. How∣beit Mayster Maior, as he is a profound wise man, did twicke him pretily: it were to long to write all. Our pilgrimages are not a little beholding to him. For to occasion the people to them, he al∣ledged this text.
Omnis qui relinquit patrem, domos, vxorem. i. Whosoeuer leaueth father, house, wife. &c. By that you maye perceiue hys hoate zeale and crooked iudgement. &c. Because I am so belyed, I could wish that it would please the kinges grace to commaunde me to preach before his highnesse a whole yeare together euerye Sonday, that he himselfe might perceiue how they belye me, say∣ing, that I haue neither learning, nor vtterance worthy thereun∣to. &c. I pray you pardon me, I cannot make an end.