An epistle of the Ladye Iane, a righte vertuous woman, to a learned man of late falne from the truth of Gods most holy word, for fear of the worlde read it, to thy consolacion : vvhereunto is added the communication that she had with Master Feckenham vpon her faith, and belefe of the sacraments : also another epistle whiche she wrote to her sister, with the words she spake vpon the scaffold befor she suffered, anno. M.D.Liiii.

A CERTAYNE COMMVNY∣cation, betwene the Lady Iane, & Master Feckenham, iiii. dayes be∣fore her death, euen word for word, her own hand be∣ing put therto.

Feckenham fitst speaketh.

WHat thing is required in a Christian?

Iane.

To be∣leue in God the Father, in God the sonne, in god the holi gost, thre persons and one God.

Fecken.

Is ther nothing els required in a Christian, but to be∣leue in God?

Iane.

Yes, we must beleue in him, we must loue hym, with al our hart, with al our soule, and al our minde, and our neygh∣bour as our selfe.

Fecken.

VVhy thē faith iustifieth not, nor saueth not.

Iane.

Yes verely, saith (as S. Paule saith) only iustifieth.

Fec.

whi. s. Paul saith: if I haue al faith without loue, it is nothing.

Iane.

True it is, for how can I loue hym, in whom I trust not? Or howe can I trust in him, whō I loue not? faith and loue agreeth both together, & yet loue is comprehēded in faith.

Fecken.

Howe shall we loue our

neyghbour?

Iane.

To loue oure neyghbour, is to feede the hungri, clothe the naked, and geue drinke to the thirsty, and to do to hym, as we wold do to our selues.

Feck.

why then it is necessary to saluati∣on to do good workes, and it it not sufficient to beleue.

Iane.

I deny that, and I affirme that faith only saueth. But it is mete for Christiās in token that thei folow their ma∣ster Christ, to do good workes, yet may we not say that thei profit to saluaciō. For although we haue al don al that we cā, yet we be vnpro¦fitable seruauntes, and the fayth onelye in Christes bloude, saueth.

Fecken.

How many sacrameutes be there?

Iane.

Two, the one the sacrament of Baptisme, & the o∣ther the sacrament of our Lordes suppet.

Fecken.

No, ther be. vii.

Iane.

By what scripture find you that?

Fecken.

well, we will talke ther of hereafter. But what is sig∣nifyed by your two sacramentes? Ian. Bi the sacramēt of baptisme, I am washed with water, & regene¦rated bi the spirit, & that washing

is a tokē to me, that I am the child of God. The sacrament of the lor¦des supper is offred vnto me as a sure seale and testimoni, that I am by the bloud of Christe whiche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shedde for me on the crosse, mad•• partaket, of the euerlasting kyng∣dome.

Feck.

why▪ what do you receiue in that bread? Do you not receiue the very body and bloude of Christ?

Iane.

No surelye, I do not beleue so, I thinck that at that supper sireceiue neither flesh, nor bloud, but only bread & wine. The which breade when it is broken, & the wine whē it is dronke, putteth me in minde, how that for my sins the body of Christ was broken, & his bloud shed on the crosse, and with that bread & wine, I receyue the benefites that cam bi breaking of his bodi, & bi the sheddyng of his bloud on the crosse for mi sins.

Feck.

why doth not Christ speake these wordes▪ take, eate, this is my bod••? Require we ani plainer wor∣des? Doth not he say that it is hys body?

Iane.

I graunt he saith so, & so he saieth: I am the vine, I am 〈…〉〈…〉, but yet he is neuer the

mote, the vine nor do••e. Doth not S. Paull say, that he calleth those things that are not as though thei were? God forbid that I shuld say that I eate the very natural bodi & bloud of Christ, for then eyther I shuld pluk awai my redētiō, either els ther wer .ii. bodies, or .ii. christs or els. ii. bodies, the one body was tormented on the crosse, & then if thei did eate another body, thē ei∣ther he had. ii. bodies, either els if his bodi wer eaten, it was not bro∣ken vpō the crosse, or els if it were broken vpon the crosse, it was not eaten of his disciples.

Feck.

whi is it not as possible, that Christ by his power coulde make his bodye both to be eaten & broken, as to be borē of a womā, without the sede of mā, & as to walke on the sea, ha∣uing a body, & other such like mi∣racles as he wrought by his power only?

Iane.

Yesvereli if god wold haue done at his supper a miracle, he might haue don so, but I say he minded no worke nor miracle, but only to breake his bodi, & shed his blud on the crosse for our sins. But

I pray you answer me to thys one question, wher was Christ whē he sayd: Take, eate, this is my body? was not he at the table when he said so? He was at that time aliue, and suffred not, til the next daye. well, what tooke he, but breade? and what brake he, but bread? and what gaue he, but breade? Looke what he toke, he brake, and looke what he brake, he gaue, and looke what he gaue, that did they eate, and yet al this while he hym selfe was at supper before his disciples or els they were deceiued.

Feck.

You groūd your faith, vpon suche authors as say & vn say, both with a breathe, & not vpon the church, to whō you ought to giue credyt.

Iane.

No, I ground my faith vpon gods word, & not vpō the church. For if the church be a good chur∣che, the faith of the churche must be tried by gods word, & not gods word by the church, neither yet mi faith. Shall I beleue the churche, because of antiquitie? Or shall I geue credit to that church, that ta¦keth awai from me, that half part

of the Lordes supper, and wyl let no lai mā receiue it in both kindes: but thēselues? which thing if they denye to vs, thei denie vs parte of our saluation, and I say that is an euil church, and not the spouse of Christ, but the spouse of the diuel, that altreth the Lordes supper, & both taketh from it, and addeth to it. To that churche I saye, God wil adde plages, & frō that church wyll he take their parte out of the booke of lyfe. Do you not learne that of S. Paul, when he ministred it to the Corinthians in both kyn∣des? Shall I beleue that churche? God forbid.

Fecken.

That was done of a good intent of the chur∣che to auoide an heresi that sprōg on it.

Iane.

whi, shal the church alter gods wil and ordinaūces, for a good intent? How did king Saul the lord define. with these & such like perswasions. He wolde haue had me to haue leaned to the chur¦che, but it would not be. Ther wer many mo thinges, wherof we rea∣soned, but these wer the chief.

Be me Iane Dudley.

These woordes were spoken o∣penlye. After this Master Fecken∣ham tooke his leaue sayinge: that he was sorie for her. For (said he) I am sure we two shal neuer mete▪ Trothe it is (quoth she) that wee shal neuer mete, vnlesse god turne your hart▪ For I am sure (vnles you repent and turne to God) you ar in an euyl case, and I pray to god, in the bowels of his mercie, to sende you his holy spirite. For he hath geuen you his great gift of vt∣teraunce, if it please him to open the eyes of your hart to his truth And so she depar∣ted.