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 communication betweene D. Brokes, and D. Ridley, in M. Irysh his house, the xv. day of October, at which tyme he was degraded.

IN the meane season vpon the 15. day in the mornyng, and the same yeare aboue sayd,* 1.1 the Byshop of Glocester Doct. Brokes, and the Uicechauncelour of Oxford Doct. Marshall,* 1.2 with diuerse other of the chiefe and heades of the same Uniuersitie, and many other moe accompanying with them, came vnto M. Irish his house then Maior of Oxforde, where D. Ridley, late Byshop of London was close prisoner. And when the Byshop of Glocester came into the chamber where the sayde D, Ridley did lye, he told him for what purpose their comming was vnto him, saying:* 1.3 that yet once agayne the Queenes Maiestie did offer vnto hym by them, her gracious mercy, if that he woulde receiue the same, and come home agayne to the fayth which he was Baptised in, & reuoke his erroneous doctrine that he of late had taught abroad to the destructiō of many. And further said, that if he would not recant, and become one of the Catholicke Churche with them, then they must needes (against their willes) proceede according to the lawe, which they would be very loth to do, if they might otherwise. But (sayth he) we haue bene often tim••s with you, and haue requested that you would recant this your fantasticall & deuilish opinion, where hytherto you haue not, although you might in so doing winne many, and do much good. Therefore good M. Ridley, consyder with your selfe the daunger that shall ensue both of body and soule, if that you shall so wilfully cast your selfe away in refusing mercy offered vnto you at this time.

My Lord, quoth D. Ridley, you know my mynd fully herein: and as for the doctrine which I haue taught,* 1.4 my conscience assureth me that it was sounde, & accordyng to Gods word (to his glory be it spoken) the which doctrine the Lord God beyng my helper, I wyll mayntaine so long as my tongue shall wagge,* 1.5 and breath is within my body, and in confirmation thereof, seale the same with my bloud.

Brok.

Well, you were best, M. Ridley, not to do so, but to become one of the Church with vs. For you know this well enough, that whosoeuer is out of the Catholike church, can not be saued: therefore I say once agayne, that whiles you haue time and mercy offered you, receiue it, and confesse with vs the Popes holynes to be be the chiefe head of the same Church.* 1.6

Rid.

I marueyle that you wyll trouble me with any suche vayne and foolysh talke. You know my mynd con∣cerning the vsurped authoritie of the Romishe Antichrist. As I confessed openly in the Scholes, so do I nowe, that both by my behauiour and talke I do no obedience at all vnto the Byshop of Rome, nor to his vsurped authoritie, and that for diuers good and godly considerations. And here Doct. Ridley would haue reasoned with the sayde Brokes Byshop of Glocester,* 1.7 of the Byshop of Romes authorities, but could not be suffered, and yet he spake so earnestly agaynst the Pope therein, that the Byshop told hym, if he would not hold his peace, he should be compel∣led agaynst his wyll. And seeyng sayth he, that you wyll not receiue the Queenes mercy now offered vnto you, but stubburnly refuse the same, we must, against our wils, proceede according to our Commission to disgradyng, ta∣kyng from you the dignitie of Priesthode. For we take you for no Byshop, and therefore we will the sooner haue done with you: so, committing you to the secular power, you know what doth follow.

Rid.

Do with me as it shall please God to suffer you, I am well content to abide the same with all my hart.

Brok.

Put of your cap M. Ridley, and put vppon you this surples.

Rid.

Not I truly.* 1.8

Brok.

But you must.

Rid.

I wyll not.

Brok.

You must: therefore make no more a do, but put this surples vpon you.

Rid.

Truly if it come vpon me, it shalbe against my wil.

Brok.

Will you not do it vpon you?

Rid.

No, that I will not.

Brok.

It shalbe put vpon you by one or other.

Rid.

Do therein as it shall please you. I am well con∣tented with that, and more then that: the seruaunt is not aboue his Maister. If they delt so cruelly with our Sauiour Christe, as the Scripture maketh mention, and he suffered the same patienly, howe muche more doth it become vs his seruaunts? and in saying of these wordes they put vppon the sayde Doctor Ridley the surples, with all the trinkettes appertaynyg to the Masse, and as they were puttyng on the same,* 1.9 Doctor Ridley did ve∣hemently inuey against the Romysh Byshyp and all that foolysh apparell, callyng hym Antichrist, and the apparell foolysh and abominable, yea to fond for a Uice in a play, in so muche that Brokes was exceeding angry with him, and bad hym holde his peace. For he dyd but rayle. Doct. Ridley aunsweared agayne, and sayde: so long as his tounge and breath woulde suffer hym, he woulde speake agaynst their abominable doynges, what so euer happe∣ned vnto hym for so doyng.

Brok.

Well, you were best to holde your peace, lest your mouth be stopped. At which wordes one Edridge, the rea∣der then of the Greeke Lecture standing by, sayd to Doct. Brokes: Syr, the lawe is he should be gagged, therefore let hym be gagged. At which wordes Doct. Ridley loo∣kyng earnestly vpon him that so sayd, wagged his head at hym, and made no aunswere againe, but with a sigh sayd: Oh well, well, well.

So they proceeded in their doinges: yet neuerthe∣lesse

D. Ridley was euer talkyng things not pleasant to their eares,* 1.10 although one or other bad hym hold his peace, least he should be caused against his wyll.

* 1.11When as they came to that place where as D. Ridley should hold the chalice and the wafer cake (called ••he sin∣gyng bread) they bade hym holde the same in hys hande. And Doct. Ridley sayd: they shal not come in my hands, for if they do,* 1.12 they shall fall to the ground for all me. Then there was one appoynted to hold them in his hand, while Bishop Brookes red a certaine thyng in Latine, touching the degradation of spirituall persones, accordyng to the Popes law.

Afterward they put a booke in hys hand, and withall red (as is before sayd) a certayne thing in Latin, the effect therof was: We do take from you the office of preachyng the Gospel,* 1.13 &c. At which wordes, D. Ridley gaue a great s••gh, lookyng vp toward heauen, saying: Oh Lorde God forgeue them this their wickednes.

And as they put vppon hym the Masse geare, so they began with the vppermost garment, in taking it away a∣gayne, reading a thyng in Latine, accordyng to the order contayned in the sayd booke of the Popes law. Now whē all was taken from him sauing onely the surples left on his backe, as they were readyng and takyng it away, D. Ridley sayd vnto them: Lord God, what power be you of, that you can take from a man that which he neuer had? I was neuer singer in all my lyfe, and yet you will take from me that which I neuer had.

So when all this their abhominable and ridiculous degradation was ended very solemnely,* 1.14 D. Ridley sayde vnto D. Brookes, haue you done? If you haue done, then geue me leaue to talke with you a little, concernyng these matters. Brookes answered and said: M. Ridley, we may not talke with you, you be out of the Church, and our law is that we may not talke with any that be out of y^e church. Then M. Ridley sayd: seeyng that you will not suffer me to talke, neyther will vouchsafe to heare me, what remedy but patience? I referre my cause to my heauenly Father, who will reforme thynges that be amisse, when it shall please hym.

At which words they would haue bene gone, but that M. Ridley sayd: My L. I would wish that your Lord∣ship would vouchsafe to read ouer and peruse a litle booke of Bertrams doyngs concernyng the Sacrament, I pro∣mise you, you shall finde much good learnyng therein, if you will read the same with an indifferent iudgement.* 1.15 D. Brookes made no aunswer to this, but would haue bene gone away. Then M. Ridley sayd: Oh, I perceyue that you cannot away with this maner of talke. Well, it bootes not, I will say no more, I wil speake of worldly affaires. I pray you therfore (my Lord) heare me, and be a meane to the Queenes maiestie, in the behalfe of a great many of poore men, and especially for my poore sister and her hus∣band, which standeth there. They had a poore liuing grā∣ted vnto them by me,* 1.16 whiles I was in the Sea of Lon∣don, and the same is taken away from them, by hym that now occupieth the same roume, without all law or consci∣ence.

Here I haue a Supplication to the Queenes maiestie in their behalfes. You shal heare the same red: so shal you perceyue the matter the better. Then he red the same, and when he came to the place in the Supplication, that tou∣ched hys Sister by name, then he wept, so that for a little space he could not speake for weepyng. After that hee had left of weepyng, he sayde: This is nature that mooueth mee. But I haue now done, and with that read out the rest, and deliuered the same to hys Brother, commaun∣dyng hym to put it vp to the Queenes Maiestie,* 1.17 and to sue, not onely for hymselfe, but also for suche as had any Leases or Grauntes by hym, and were put from the same by Doctour Boner then Byshop of London, whereunto Brookes sayd: In deede Maister Ridley your request in this Supplication is very lawfull and honest: therfore I must needes in conscience speake to the Queenes Maie∣stie for them.

Ridley.

I pray you for Gods sake do so.

Brookes.

I thinke your request will be granted, except one thyng let it, and that is (I feare) because you do not allow the Queenes proceedyngs, but obstinately withstand the same, that it will hardly be graunted.

Ridley.

What remedy, I can doe no more but speake and write, I trust I haue discharged my conscience therein, and Gods will be done.

Brokes.

I will doe what lyeth in me.

The copy of this supplication written to the Queene, here followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  October. 15.
• * 1.2

  The talke be∣tweene D. Brookes B. of Glocester and D. Ridley, vpon his degradation.
• * 1.3

  No mercy to be had without consenting to iniquitye.
• * 1.4

  Answere o•• D. Ridley▪ to Bishop Brookes.
• * 1.5

  O worthy champion of Christes Church.
• * 1.6

  With that their caps went of, but D. Ridley held on his cap.
• * 1.7

  B. Ridley commaun∣ded to si∣lence, when otherwise he could not be re∣uinced.
• * 1.8

  B. Ridley refuseth to put on the surples.
• * 1.9

  B. Ridley inueyeth a∣gaynst the Bishop of Rome, and his foolish apparrell. The surples here is cal∣led a foolish apparrell. Maister E∣dridge ge∣ueth coun∣sell that B. Ridley should be gagged.
• * 1.10

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.11

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.12

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.13

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.14

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.15

  A prayse of Bertrams 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vpon the Sacra∣ment.
• * 1.16

  Note the charitye of the Papists.
• * 1.17

  B. Ridleys 〈◊〉〈◊〉 put from her house by B. Boner.