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.

¶A Letter of M. Latimer to Mayster Morice, concer∣ning the Articles written, which were falsely and vntruely layed agaynst him.

* 1.1RIght worshipfull, and mine owne good mayster Morice, salu∣tem in Christo Iesu. And I thanke you for all harty kindnesse, not onely heretofore shewed vnto me, but also that now of late, you would vouchsafe to write vnto me so poore a wretch, to my great comforte among all these my troubles. I trust and doubte nothing in it,* 1.2 but GOD will reward you for me, and supplye aboundauntly mine vnabilitie. &c. Mayster Morice you woulde wonder to know how I haue bene intreated at Bristow. I meane of some of the Priestes, which first desired me, welcommed me, made me chea••e, hearde what I sayde, allowed my saying in all thinges whiles I was with them: when I was gone home to my Benefice, perceiuing that the people fauoured me so greatlye, and that the Maior had appoynted me to preache at Easter, pri∣uilye they procured an inhibition for all them that had not the Bishoppes licence,* 1.3 which they knew well enough I had not, & so craftely defeated mayster Maiors appoyntment, pretending that they were sory for it, procuring also certayne Preachers to blat∣ter against me, as Hubberdin and Powell, with other moe: whom when I had brought before the Maior and the wise Counsaile of the Towne, to know what they coulde lay to my charge, where∣fore they so declaymed agaynst me, they sayde they spake of in∣formation: howbeit no man could be brought forth that would abide by any thing: So that they had place and time to belye me shamefully, but they had no place nor time to laye to my charge, when I was present and ready to make them answere. God amēd them, and swage their malice that they haue agaynst the truth & me. &c.

Our Lady was a Sinner.

So they did belye me to haue sayd, when I had sayd nothing so, but to reproue certayne both Priestes and beneficed menne, whiche doe geue so muche to our Ladye,* 1.4 as though she had not bene saued by Christe, a whole Sauiour both of her, and of all that be and shall be saued: I did reason after this maner, that ei∣ther she was a sinner, or no sinner: if a sinner, then she was deli∣uered from sinne by Christ:* 1.5 so that he saued her, either by deli∣uering or by preseruing her from sinne, so that without hym neyther she, nor none other, neither be, nor could be saued. And to auoyde all offence, I shewed howe it might bee aunswered, both to certayne Scriptures which maketh all generally sinners, and how it might be aunswered vnto Chrysostome and Theo∣philact, which maketh her namely and specially a sinner. But all woulde not serue, theyr malice is so great: notwithstanding that fiue hundred honest men can and will beare recorde.* 1.6 When they cannot reproue that thing that I do say, then they will belye mee to say that thing that they can not reprooue, for they will needes appeare to be agaynst me.

Sayntes are not to be worshipped.

So they lyed when I had shewed diuers significations of thys word (Sayntes) among the vulgare people. First Images of Sayn∣tes are called Sayntes,* 1.7 and so they are not to be worshipped: take worshipping of them for praying to them: for they are neither Mediators by way of redemption, nor yet by way of intercessi∣on. And yet they may be well vsed, when they be applied to that vse that they were ordeined for, to be lay mens bookes for remē∣braunce of heauenly thinges. &c.

Take Sayntes for inhabitours of heauen, and worshippinge of them, for praying to them, I neuer denyed, but that they might be worshipped, and be our Mediatours, though not by way of redemption (for so Christ alonely is a whole Mediatour,* 1.8 both for them and for vs) yet by the way of intercession. &c.

Pilgrimage.

And I neuer denyed Pilgrimage. And yet I haue sayed that much scurffe must be pared away ere euer it can be wel done, su∣perstition, idolatry, false fayth, and trust in the Image,* 1.9 vniust e∣stimation of the thing, setting aside Gods ordinaunce for doynge of the thing: debtes must be payd restitutions made, wife & chil∣dren prouided for, duetye to our poore neighbours discharged. And when it is at the best, before it be vowed, it neede not to be done, for it is neither vnder the bidding of GOD nor of manne to be done. And Wiues muste counsell with Husbandes, and Husbandes and Wiues with Curates, before it be vowed to bee done. &c.

Aue Maria.

As for the Aue Maria, who can thinke that I would deny it▪ I sayd it was an heauenly greting or saluting of our blessed Lady,* 1.10 wherein the Aungell Gabriell sent from the Father of heauen, did annunciate and shewe vnto her the good will of God towardes her, what he would with her and to what he had chosen her But I sayd, it was not properly a prayer, as the Pater noster,* 1.11 whyche our Sauior Christ himselfe made for a proper prayer, and bade vs say it for a Prayer, not adding that we shoulde say 10. or 20. Aue Maries, withall: and I denyed not but that we may well saye the Aue Maria elso, but not so that we shall thinke that the Pater no∣ster is not good, a whole and a perfit prayer, nor can not be well sayd without Aue Maria: so that I did not speake agaynst wel say∣ing of it, but agaynst superstitious saying of it, and of the Pater noster to: and yet I put a difference betwixte that, & that whiche Christ made to be sayd for a prayer. &c.

No fire in hell.

Who euer could say or thinke so? Howbeit good Authors do put a difference betwixt a suffering in the fire with bodyes,* 1.12 and without bodyes. The soule without the body is a spirituall sub∣staunce, which they say can not receiue a corporall quality, and some maketh it a spirituall fire: and some a corporall fire. And as it is called a fire, so is it called a Worme, and it is thought of some not to be a materiall Worme that is a liuing beast, but it is a metaphor, but that is neither to nor fro. For a fire it is, a worme it is, a payne it is, a torment it is, an anguishe it is, a griefe, a misery, a sorow, a heauinesse inexplicable, intolerable, whose na∣ture and condition in euery poynt who can tell, but he that is of Gods priuy counsell▪ sayth S. Austen? God geue vs grace rather to be diligent to keepe vs out of it, then to be curious to discusse the property of it: for certayne we be, that there is litle ease, yea none at all, but weeping, wayling, and gnashing of teeth, whiche be two effectes of extreme payne, rather certayne tokens what payne there is, then what maner payne there is.

No Purgatory.

He that sheweth the state and condition of it, doth not denye it. But I had leauer be in it, then in Lollers tower the Bishoppes prison, for diuers skils and causes.* 1.13

First, in this I might dye bodily for lacke of meat and drinke: in that I could not.

Item, in this I might dye ghostly for feare of payne, or lack of good counsell: there I could not.

Item, in this I might be in extreme necessity: In that I coulde not, if it be perill of perishing.

Item, in this I might lacke charity: There I could not.

Item, in this I might lose my pacience: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might be in perill and daūger of death, in that I could not.

Item, in this I might be without surety of Saluation, in that I could not.

Item, in this I might dishonor God: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might murmur & grudge agaynst God: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might displease God: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might be displeased with God: In that I coulde not.

Item, in this I might bee iudged to perpetuall prison as they call it: in that I could not.

Item, in this I might be craftily handled: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might be brought to beare a fagotte: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might be discontented with GOD: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might be separated and disseuered from Christ: In that I could not.

Item, in this I mighte bee a member of the Deuill: In that I could not.

Itē, in this I might be an inheritor of hell: In that I could not.

Item, in this I might pray out of charity, and in vayne▪ in that I could not.

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.

* 1.14Item, 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,* 1.15 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,* 1.16 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,* 1.17 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,* 1.18 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,* 1.19 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:* 1.20 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:* 1.21 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,* 1.22 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,* 1.23 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A letter of M. Latimer to M. Moric••.
• * 1.2

  Note the diss••∣bling inconstan∣cy of Popish Priestes.
• * 1.3

  Inhibition pro∣cured against M. Latimer not to preach.

  Hubberdine and Powell preach agaynst M. La∣timer.
• * 1.4

  What the Pa∣pistes do geue to our Lady.
• * 1.5

  Our Lady not without sinne.
• * 1.6

  Papists depraue when they can∣not disproue.
• * 1.7

  Difference be∣twixt Images & Saintes.
• * 1.8

  Maister Lati∣mers errour in those dayes.
• * 1.9

  Pare away the skurf••, and cleane take all Po∣perye away.
• * 1.10

  Aue Maria.
• * 1.11

  Aue Maria no prayer.
• * 1.12

  Whether the fier in hell be a materiall fier, or spi∣rituall.

  The worme of consciēc•• is so called by a meta∣phoricall speach.
• * 1.13

  M. Latimer had leauer•• be in Pur∣gatory the•• in Lollers Tower. Causes de∣clared why it is better to be in Purgatorye then in Lol∣lers Tower▪
• * 1.14

  As they did with Hūne.
• * 1.15

  Chrisost. What is the greatest payne to damned s••••les. Prouision of Purgato∣ry bringeth many to hell.
• * 1.16

  What the Waspe is that sting∣eth the Pa∣pistes, and maketh thē to swell.
• * 1.17

  The Popes pardoning out of Pu••∣gatory, a vayne inuē∣t••••n.

  Suffrage. Masse, 〈…〉〈…〉. Authority of ••eyes. This bloud of Hailes was proued before the ••ing, and openly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at 〈…〉〈…〉 by the Byshop of Roche∣ster that thē was, to be but the ••••oud of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

  Two certi∣f••••ations of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 remissi∣•••• out of 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.18

  The bodyly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈…〉〈…〉 pro∣••••••eth little.
• * 1.19

  Warning a∣gainst false pro∣phets.
• * 1.20

  D. Wilson a∣gaynst M. Lati∣mer. & why.
• * 1.21

  Hubberdine a great rayler a∣gaynst M. Lati∣mer.
• * 1.22

  D. Powell a stout Preacher of Popery.
• * 1.23

  Scripture appli∣ed of the Pa∣pistes.