The king, giving ear more willingly, than prudently or godly to this, immediately received the wicked counsel of the bishop, and sent out a general commission, commanding all the nobles and bishops of his realm, to come with all speed to London, to assist the king against heretics and heresies, upon which the king himself would sit in judgment.

These preparations being made, a day was set for Lambert to appear, and a great assembly of the nobles was gathered from all parts of the realm, not without much wonder and expectation in this so strange a case. All the seats and places were full of men round about the scaffold.

By and by the godly servant of Christ, John Lambert, was brought from the prison with a guard of armed men, even as a lamb to fight with many lions, and placed right over against where the king's royal seat was; so that now they tarried but for the king's coming.

At last the king himself did come as judge of that great controversy, with a great guard, clothed all in white, and covering by that colour all bloody judgment.

On his right hand sat the bishops, and behind them the famous lawyers, clothed all in purple, according to the manner. On the left hand sat the peers of the realm, justices, and other nobles in their order, behind whom sat the gentlemen of the king's privy chamber. And this was the manner and form of the judgment, which although it was terrible enough to abash any innocent man, yet the king's look, his cruel countenance, and his brows bent unto severity, did not a little augment this terror; plainly declaring a mind full of indignation, far unworthy such a prince; especially in such a matter, and against so humble and obedient a subject.

When the king was seated on his throne, he looked at Lambert with a stern countenance; and then turning himself to his counsellors, he called Dr. Day, bishop of Chichester, commanding him to declare unto the people the causes of this assembly and judgment.

The whole effect of his oration tended to this purpose, that the king would have all estates, degrees, bishops, and all others to be admonished of his will and pleasure; that no man should conceive such an opinion of him, as that the authority and name of the bishop of Rome being now utterly abolished, he would also extinguish all religion, or give liberty to heretics to trouble the churches of England without punishment; and, that they should not think that they were assembled to make any disputa. tion upon the heretical doctrine; but only for this purpose, that the heresies of Lambert, and the heresies of all such, should be refuted, or openly condemned in the presence of them all.

"What,"

When he had made an end of his oration, the king standing up, and leaning upon a cushion of white cloth of tissue, and turning himself towards Lambert, with his brows bent, as it were threatening some grievous thing to him, said these words; "Ho, good fellow, what is thy name?" Then the humble lamb of Christ, humbly kneeling down upon his knee, said, "My name is John Nicholson, although by many I am called Lambert.” said the king, "have you two names? I would not trust you, having two names, although you were my brother." "O, most noble prince !" replied Lambert, "your bishops forced me to change my name." And after much talk in this manner, the king commanded him to go to the matter, and to declare his mind and opinion, what he thought as touching the sacrament of the altar.

Then Lambert beginning to speak for himself, gave God thanks who had so inclined the heart of the king, that he would not disdain to hear the controversies of religion, because it happened often through the cruelty of the bishops, that many good and innocent men were privily murdered and put to death, without the king's knowledge.

But now, forsomuch as that high and eternal king of kings, in whose hands are the hearts of all princes, hath inspired and stirred up the king's mind, that he himself will be present to understand the causes of his subjects, especially whom God of his divine goodness hath so abundantly endued with so great gifts of judgment and knowledge, he doth not mistrust but that God will

bring some great thing to pass through him, to the setting forth of the glory of his name.

Then the king, with an angry voice, interrupting his oration, "I came not hither," said he, "to hear mine own praises thus painted out in my presence, but briefly to go to the matter without any more circumstance." This he spake in Latin.

But Lambert being abashed at the king's angry words, contrary to all men's expectation, paused a while, considering.

But the king being hasty, with anger and vehemency said, "Why standest thou still? Answer as touching the sacrament of the altar, whether dost thou say, that it is the body of Christ, or wilt deny it?" And with that word the king lifted up his cap.

Lambert. I answer with St. Augustine, that it is the body of Christ, after a certain manner."

The King." Answer me neither out of St. Augustine, neither by the authority of any other, but tell me plainly, whether thou sayest it is the body of Christ or no?" These words the king spake again in Latin.

Lambert. "Then I do not deny it to be the body of

Christ."

The King. "Mark well, for now thou shalt be condemned even by Christ's own words, 'This is my body.""

Then he commanded Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury to refute his assertion: who, first making a short preface to the hearers, began his disputation with Lambert, very modestly, saying, "Brother Lambert, let this matter be handled between us impartially, that if I shew your argument to be false by the scriptures, you will willingly refuse it; but if you shall prove it true by the manifest testimonies of the scripture, I promise that I will willingly embrace it."

The argument was taken out of the Acts of the Apostles, where Christ appeared to St. Paul: disputing that it is not disagreeable to the word of God, that the body of Christ may be in two places at once; who being in heaven was seen by St. Paul at the same time on earth; and if it may be in two places, why may it not be in places?

Lambert answered, saying, that it was not proved, that Christ's body was in two places, or more, but remained rather still in one place. For the scripture does not say, that Christ being upon the earth did speak to St. Paul: but that suddenly a light from heaven did shine round about him, and he falling to the ground, heard a voice, saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest," &c. Here this place proves nothing but that Christ, sitting in heaven, might speak to St. Paul, and be heard upon earth.

The archbishop said, St. Paul himself witnesses, Acts xxvi. that Christ did appear to him in the vision.

But Lambert again said, that Christ witnessed in the same place, that he would again appear unto him, and deliver him out of the hands of the gentiles: yet we read in no place that Christ did corporally appear to him.

Thus, when they had contended about the conversion of St. Paul, and Lambert so answering for himself, that the king seemed greatly moved; and the bishop himself that disputed, seemed to be entangled, and all the audience amazed; then the bishop of Winchester alleged the twelfth chapter of the Corinthians, where St. Paul saith, Have I not scen Jesus? And again, in the fifteenth chapter: he appeared unto Cephas: and afterwards unto James, then to all the apostles, but last of all he appeared unto me as one born out of due time.

Lambert answered, he did not doubt but that Christ was seen, and did appear, but he did deny that he was in two or in divers places, according to the manner of his body.

Then Winchester again repeated the place out of 2 Cor. v. 16. "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more."

Lambert answered, That this knowledge is not to be understood as a bodily knowledge, and that it so appeared sufficiently by St. Paul, who speaking of his own revelation, saith, "I knew a man, (whether in the

body or out of the body, I cannot tell; God knoweth ;) which was caught up into the third heaven; and whether in the body or out of the body, God knoweth." Whereby, a man shall easily gather, that in this revelation he was taken up in spirit into the heavens, and did see those things, rather than that Christ came down corporally from heaven, to shew them to him: especially, because it was said by the angel, That even as he ascended into heaven, so he should come again. And St. Peter saith, Whom the heavens must receive, it behoved to dwell in the heavens. And moreover appointing the measure of time, he addeth, "Until the times of the restitution of all things," &c.

After the bishop of Winchester had done, Tonstal bishop of Durham, spoke much of God's omnipotency, and saying, That if Christ could perform what he spake, touching the converting of the body into bread, without doubt he would speak nothing, but that he . would perform.

Lambert answered, That there was no evident place of scripture, wherein Christ at any time says, That he would change the bread into his body: But this is a figurative speech, every where used in the scripture, when the name of the thing signified is attributed to the sign. By which figure of speech, circumcision is called the covenant, the lamb the passover, besides six hundred such other.

Now it remains to be settled, whether we shall judge all these, after the words pronounced, "to be straightway changed into another nature." Then they began to rage against Lambert; so that if he could not be overcome with arguments, he should be vanquished with rebukes and taunts.

Then again the king and the bishops raged against Lambert; so that he was not only forced to silence, but also might have been driven into a rage, if his ears had not been acquainted with such taunts before. After this the other bishops, every one in his order, as they were appointed, supplied their places of disputation.

There were appointed ten in number, for the performing of this tragedy, for his ten arguments, which were delivered to Tailor the preacher. It were too long in this place to repeat the reasons and arguments of every bishop; and no less superfluous were it to do so, especially as they were all but common reasons.

Lambert, compassed in with so many and great perplexities, vexed on one side with checks and taunts, and pressed on the other side with the authority and threats of the personages; and partly being amazed with the majesty of the place and the presence of the king, and especially being wearied with standing no less than five hours, from twelve of the clock, until five at night, chose rather to hold his peace.

Whereby it came to pass that these bishops, who last disputed with him, spoke what they chose without interruption, save only that Lambert would now and then allege somewhat out of St. Augustine for the defence of his cause; in which author he seemed to be very prompt and ready. But for the most part being overcome with weariness and other griefs, he remained silent.

At last, when the day was passed, and torches began to be lighted, the king said to Lambert, "What sayest thou now after all these great labours which thou hast taken upon thee, and all the reasons and instructions of these learned men: Art thou not yet satisfied? Wilt thou live or die? What sayest thou? Thou hast yet free choice."

Lambert answered; "I yield and submit myself wholly unto the will of your majesty." 66 'Then," said the king, "commit thyself unto the hands of God, and not unto mine."

Lambert. "I commend my soul unto the hands of God, but my body I wholly yield and submit unto your clemency.' Then said the king, "if you do commit yourself to my judgment, you must die; for I will not be a patron to heretics;" and by and by turning himself to Cromwell, he said, "Cromwell, read the sentence of condemnation against him." This Cromwell was at that time the chief friend of the gospellers. And here it is much to be marvelled at, to see how unfortunately it

came to pass in this matter, that through the pestiferous and crafty counsel of this one bishop of Winchester, Satan did here perform the condemnation of this Lam. bert by no other ministers, than gospellers themselves, Tailor, Barnes, Cranmer, and Cromwell, who after. wards, in a manner, all suffered the same for the gospel's sake.

This undoubtedly was the malicious and crafty subtlety of the bishop of Winchester, who desired rather that the sentence might be read by Cromwell, than by any other; so that if he refused to do it, he should have incurred the like danger. But to be short, Cromwell, at the king's command, took up the schedule of condemnation, and read it.

Thus was John Lambert, in this bloody session, by the king judged and condemned to death; whose judg ment now remaineth with the Lord against that day, when as before the tribunal seat of that great Judge both princes and subjects shall stand and appear, not to judge, but to be judged, according as they have done and deserved. Ex testimonia cujusdam avrηπTOV, A.G.

Upon the day that was appointed for this holy martyr of God to suffer, he was brought out of the prison at eight of the clock in the morning to the house of the Lord Cromwell, and so carried into his chamber; and it is reported by many, that Cromwell desired of him forgiveness, for what he had done. There Lambert, being admonished that the hour of his death was at hand, he was greatly comforted and cheered; and being brought out of the chamber into the hall, he saluted the gentlemen, and sate down to breakfast with them, shewing no manner of sadness or fear. When the breakfast was ended, he was carried straightway to the place of execution; where he should offer himself to the Lord a sacrifice of sweet savour, who is blessed in his saints, for ever and ever. Amen.

As to the terrible manner of the burning of this blessed martyr there is to be noted, that of all which have been burned and offered up at Smithfield, there was yet none so cruelly and piteously handled as he. For after his legs were consumed and burned up to the stumps, and the wretched tormentors and enemies of God had withdrawn the fire from him, so that but a small fire was left under him, then two that stood on each side of him with their halberts pitched him upon their pikes, as far as the chain would reach. Then he, lifting up such hands as he had, and his finger's ends flaming with fire, cried to the people in these words, "None but Christ, none but Christ!" and so being set down again from their halberts, fell into the fire, and there ended his life.

During the time that he was in the archbishop's ward at Lambeth, which was a little before the dispu tation before the king, he wrote an excellent confession or defence of his cause to king Henry.

In that treatise he confirmed his doctrine touching the sacrament by testimonies of the scriptures; by which he proves the body of Christ, whether it rises or ascends, or sits, or is conversant here, to be always in one place.

Then gathering the opinions of the ancient doctors, he proves and declares the sacrament to be a mystical matter. Yet he did not deny but that the holy sacrament was the very natural body of our Saviour, and the wine his natural blood; and that moreover his natural body and blood were in those mysteries, but after a certain manner, as all the ancient doctors interpret it. His argument is as follows:

"Christ is ascended bodily into heaven, and sits upon the right hand of the Father; that is to say, is with the Father in glory; that by the infallible promise of God, he shall not return before the general doom, which shall be at the end of the world. And as he is no more corporally in the world, so I cannot see how he can be cor porally in the sacrament. And yet I acknowledge and confess, that the holy sacrament of Christ's body and blood is the very body and blood, in a certain manner, which shall be showed hereafter with your grace's favour and permission, according to the words of our Saviour, who when instituting the same holy sacrament, says,

"My sentence is this: that Christ ascended into heaven, and so hath forsaken the world, and there shall abide, sitting on the right hand of his Father, without returning hither again, until the general doom; at which time he shall come from thence, to judge the dead and the living. All this I do believe is done in the natural body, which he took of the blessed Virgin Mary his mother, in which he also suffered passion for our safety and redemption upon a cross; which died for us, and was buried in which he also did rise again to life immortal. That Christ is thus ascended in his manhood and natural body, and so taken up into heaven, we may soon prove; forsomuch as the godhead of him is never out of heaven, but ever replenishing both heaven and earth; and besides that, is infinite and interminable or uncircumscriptible, so that it neither can properly either ascend or descend, being without all alteration, and immutable, or immovable.

"So that now his natural body being taken up from among us, and departed out of the world, the same can no more return from thence to the end of the world. For as Peter witnesseth, Acts iii. 21. 'Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.' And the same doth the article of our creed teach us, which is, from thence (i. e. from heaven) shall he come, to judge the quick and the dead. Which time St. Paul calls the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Tim. vi.)

"Seeing then that this natural body of our Saviour, which was born of his mother the Virgin Mary, is wholly taken up into heaven, and departed out of this world; and so saith St. Peter, he must remain in heaven until the end of the world, which he calleth the time when all things must be restored; this I say, seen and believed according to our creed and the scriptures, I cannot perceive how his natural body can be in the world, and in the sacrament. And yet notwithstanding is this true, that the holy sacrament is Christ's body, and blood, as after shall be declared."

The Death of Robert Packington.

Among other matters done this present year, (A.D. 1538,) was the lamentable death of Robert Packington, mercer of London, caused by the enemies of God's word. The story is this: Robert Packington, being a man of substance, and dwelling in Cheapside, used every day at five o'clock, winter and summer, to go to pray at a church then called St. Thomas of Acres,

but now named Mercers' Chapel. When, one very misty morning, such as has seldom been seen, as he was crossing the street from his house to the church, he was suddenly shot with a gun, but the murderer was a great while unknown. Although many in the mean time were suspected, yet none could be found faulty therein; till at length by the confession of Doctor Incent, dean of St. Paul's, on his death-bed, it was made known, and by him confessed, that he himself was the author, by hiring an Italian, for forty crowns, to do the deed.

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The cause why he was so little favoured with the clergy, was, that he was known to be a man of great courage, and one that could both speak, and also would be heard for at the time he was one of the burgesses of the parliament for the city of London, and had talked somewhat against the covetousness and cruelty of the clergy, wherefore he was had in contempt with them; and it was thought that he also had had some talk with the king, for which he was the more had in disdain with them; and murdered by Doctor Incent, as has been declared.

And thus much of Robert Packington, who was the brother of Augustine Packington, who deceived Bishop Tonstal, in buying the new translated Testament of Tindal. This piteous murder, although it was privy and sudden, yet has it pleased the Lord not to keep it in darkness, but to bring it at length to light.

The burning of one Collins at London.

Neither is there here to be omitted the burning of one Collins, sometime a lawyer and a gentleman, who also suffered this year in Smithfield, (A.D. 1538.) Whom although I do not here recite as in the number of God's professed martyrs, yet neither do I think him to be clean sequestered from the company of the Lord's saved flock and family, notwithstanding that the church of Rome did condemn and burn him for an heretic: but rather do recount him as one belonging to the holy company of saints. At least this case of him and of his end, may well reprove and condemn their cruelty and madness, in burning without all discretion this man, being mad and deprived of his perfect wits, as the following will shew. This gentleman had a wife of exceeding beauty and comeliness, but notwithstanding of so light behaviour and unchaste conduct (nothing corresponding to the grace of her beauty) that she forsook her husband'; who loved her entirely, and betook herself to another. Which, when he understood, he took it very grievously and heavily to heart; and at last being overcome with exceeding grief and heaviness, he became mad, being at that time a student of the law in London. When he was thus deprived of his wits, by chance he came into a church, where the priest was saying mass; and when he came to the place where they use to hold up and show the sacrament, Collins seeing the priest holding up the host over his head, and showing it to the people; he, in like manner counterfeiting the priest, took up a little dog by the legs and held him over his head, showing him to the people. And for this he was by and by brought to examination, and condemned to the fire, and was burned, and the dog with him, in the same year in which John Lambert was burned.

The burning of Cowbridge at Oxford, A.D. 1538.

With this Collins may also be associated the burning of Cowbridge, who likewise being mad and beside his right senses, was either in the same or the next year following condemned by Longland bishop of Lincoln, and committed to the fire at Oxford. What the opinions and articles were wherewith he was charged, it is not necessary here to rehearse. For as he was then a man mad, and destitute of sense and reason, so his words and sayings could not be sound. Yea rather, what wise man would ever collect articles against him, who said he could not tell what. And if his articles were so horrible and mad as Cope in his dialogues declares them to have been, then was he in my judgment a man more fit to be sent to Bedlam than to have been sent to the fire in Smithfield to be burned. For what reason is it to require

reason of a creature mad or unreasonable, or to make heresy of the words of a senseless man, not knowing what he affirmed?

William Leiton and Puttedew, Martyrs.

About the same time, one Puttedew also was condemned to the fire, for having gone into a church; and there merrily telling the priest, that after he had drunk up all the wine, he blessed the hungry people with the empty chalice. He was immediately apprehended and burned. William Leiton, was a monk of Eye, in Suffolk, and was burned at Norwich, for speaking against a certain idol which was accustomed to be carried about in processions at Eye; and also for holding that the sacramental supper ought to be administered in both kinds.

In the burning of another man, named Peke, at Ipswich, I find it recorded, that when he was bound to a stake, and the furze set on fire about him: that one Doctor Reading who was standing there, with Doctor Heyre and Doctor Springwell, and having a long white wand in his hand, knocked him upon the shoulder, and said, "Peke, recant, and believe that the sacrament of the altar is the very body of Christ, flesh, blood, and bone, after the priest hath spoken the words of consecration over it, and here have I authority in my hand to absolve thee of thy unbelief;" and holding up a scroll of paper in his hand. When he had spoken these words, Peke answered, and said, “I reject it, and thee also;" and he spit blood, for his veins brake in his body for extreme anguish. And when Peke had so spoken, then Doctor Reading said, "To as many as shall cast a stick to the burning of this heretic, is granted forty days of pardon by my lord bishop of Norwich."

Then Baron Curson, Sir John Audley, knight, with many others there present, rose from their seats, and with their swords cut down boughs, and threw them into the fire, and so did all the multitude of the people.

In the year before this, which was 1537, it was stated how Pope Paul III. called a general council, to be held at Mantua. The king of England, among other princes, refused either to go or to send at the pope's call; and for defence of himself put out a public protestation, rendering just and sufficient reasons, why he would not, nor was bound to obey the pope's command. Which protestation is before to be read. This council, appointed to begin the 23d of May, was stopped by the duke of Mantua, pretending that he would suffer no council there, unless the pope would protect the city with a sufficient army, &c. For which cause the pope prorogued the council to the month of November following, appointing at the first no certain place. At length he named and determined the city of Trivirence, in the Venetian territory; to which, when the king was requested by the emperor and other states, to resort thither, either by himself, or to send; he again refused (as he had done before), and sent his protestation to the emperor and other christian princes.

Henry VIII., by the Grace of God, King of England and France, &c. saluteth the Emperor, Christian Princes, and all true Christian men, desiring Peace and Concord amongst them.

"Whereas, not long since, a book came forth in our and all our council's names, which contained many causes why he refused the council, then, by the bishop of Rome's usurped power, first indicted at Mantua, to be kept the three-and-twentieth day of May, after prorogued to November, no place appointed where it should be kept and, whereas, the same book doth sufficiently prove, that our cause could take no hurt; neither with any thing done or decreed in such a company of men addicted to one sect, nor in any other council called by his usurped power; we think it unnecessary, so oft to make new protestations, as the bishop of Rome and his courts, by subtlety and craft, do invent ways to mock the world by new pretended general councils. Yet, notwithstanding, because that some things now occurred, either upon occasion given us by change of the place, or

else through other considerations, which now being known to the world, may do much good, we thought we should do but even as that love enforceth us, which we owe unto Christ's faith and religion, to add this epistle. And yet we protest that we neither put forth that book, neither yet we would this epistle to be set before it, that thereby we should seem less to desire a general council than any other prince or potentate; but rather to be more desirous of it, so it were free for all parts, and universal. And further, we desire all good princes, potentates, and people, to esteem and think, that no prince would more willingly be present at such a council than we; such a one we mean, as we spoke of in our protesta. tion made concerning the council of Mantua.

"Truly as our forefathers invented nothing more holy than general councils, used as they ought to be, so there is almost nothing that may do more hurt to the Christian commonwealth, to the faith, to our religion, than general councils, if they be abused to lucre, to gain, to the establishment of errors. They are called general, and even by their name admonish us, that all Christian men, who dissent in any opinion, may in them openly, frankly, and without fear of punishment or displeasure say their mind. For seeing such things as are decreed in general councils, touch equally all men that give assent to them, it is meet that every man may boldly say there what he thinks. And verily we suppose, that it ought not to be called a general council, where only those men are heard who are determined for ever, in all points, to defend the popish part, and to arm themselves to fight in the quarrel of the bishop of Rome, though it were against God and his scripture. It is no general council, neither ought it to be called general, where the same men are both advocates and adversaries, accusers and judges; no, it is against the law of nature, either that we should condescend to so unreasonable a law against ourselves, or that we should suffer ourselves to be left without all defence, and being oppressed with greatest injuries, to have no refuge to succour ourselves at. The bishop of Rome and his are our great enemies, as we and all the world may well perceive by his doings.

"He desireth nothing more than our hurt, and the destruction of our realm; do not we then violate the judg ment of nature, if we give him power and authority to be our judge? His pretended honour, first gotten by superstition, after increased by violence, and other ways as evil as that; his power set up by pretence of religion, indeed both against religion, and also contrary to the word of God; his primacy, born by the ignorance of the world, nourished by the ambition of the bishops of Rome, defended by places of scripture falsely understood; these three things, we say, which are fallen with us, and are like to fall in other realms shortly, shall they not be es tablished again, if he may decide our cause as it pleases him? If he may at his pleasure oppress a cause most righteous? Certainly he is very blind that sees not what end we may look for of our controversies, if such our enemy may give the sentence.

"We desire, if it were in any wise possible, a council, where there would be some hope that those things shall be restored, which now, being depraved, are likely (if not amended) to be the utter ruin of the Christian religion. And as we do desire such a council, and think it meet that all men in all their prayers should desire and crave it of God, even so we think it appertains to our office, to provide that these popish subtleties hurt none of our subjects, and also to admonish other christian princes, that the bishop of Rome may not by their consent abuse the authority of kings, either by the extinguishing of the true preaching of scripture, (that now beginneth to spring, to grow, and spread abroad) or to the troubling of princes' liberties, to the diminishing of kings' authorities, and to the great blemish of their princely majesty. We doubt not but an impartial reader will soon approve such things as we here write, not so much for our excuse, as that the world may perceive both the sundry deceits, crafts, and subtleties of the papists, and also how much we desire that controversies in matters of religion may once be taken away.

"What other princes will do we cannot tell; but we

will never leave our realm at this time; nor will we trust any proctor with our cause, wherein the whole stay and wealth of our realm stands, but rather we will be at the handling thereof ourself. For except another judge be agreed upon for those matters, and a more commodious place be provided for the debating of our causes; although all other things were as we would have them, yet we may lawfully refuse to come or send any to this pretended council. We will in no case make him our arbitrer, who, not many years past, (our cause not heard,) gave sentence against us. We require that such doctrine, as we, following the scripture, profess, be rightly examined, discussed, and brought to the scripture, as to the only touchstone of true learning.

"We will not suffer them to be abolished before they are discussed, or oppressed before they are known; much less will we suffer them to be trodden down, being so clearly true. No, as there is no jot in Scripture but we will defend, though it were with jeopardy of our life, and peril of this our realm; so there is nothing that oppresses this doctrine, or obscures it, but we will be at continual war with it. As we have abrogated all old popish traditions in this our realm, which either helped his tyranny, or increased his pride; so if the grace of God forsake us not, we will foresee that no new naughty traditions be made with our consent, to bind us or our health.

"If men will not be willingly blind, they shall easily see even by a due and evident proof in reason, though grace doth not yet by the word of Christ enter into them, how small the authority of the bishop of Rome is, by the lawful denial of the duke of Mantua for the place. For if the bishop of Rome did earnestly intend to keep a council at Mantua, and hath power of the law by God to call princes to what place he liketh: why hath he not also authority to choose what place he listeth? The bishop chose Mantua: the duke kept him out of it. If Paul the bishop of Rome's authority be so great as he pretendeth, why could he not compel Frederick the duke of Mantua, that the council might be kept there? The duke would not suffer it. No, he forbade him his town.

"How chanceth it, that here excommunications flee not abroad? Why doth he not punish this duke? Why is his power that was wont to be more than full, here empty? Wont to be more than all, here nothing? Doth he not call men in vain to a council, if they that come at his calling be excluded the place to the which he calleth them? May not kings justly refuse to come at his call, when the duke of Mantua may deny him the place that he chooseth? If other princes order him as the duke of Mantua had done, what place shall be left him, where he may keep his general council?

Again, if princes have given him this authority to call a council, is it not necessary that they give him also all those things, without the which he cannot exercise that his power? Shall he call men, and will ye hinder him to find a place to call them unto? Truly he is not wont to appoint one of his own cities, a place to keep the council in. No, the good man is so faithful and friendly towards others, that seldom he desires princes to be his guests.'

The protestation then concludes as follows:"Whether these our writings please all men or no, we think we ought not to pass much. No, if that which indifferently is written of us may please indifferent readers, our desire is accomplished. The false censure and mistaking of things by partial men shall not move us, or else very little. If we have said aught against the deceits of the bishop of Rome, that may seem spoken too sharply, we pray you impute it to the hatred we bear unto his vices, and not to any evil will that we bear him. No, that he and all his may perceive that we are rather at strife with his vices than with him and his; our prayer is, that it may please God at the last to open their eyes, to make soft their hard hearts, and that they once may with us (their own glory set apart) study to set forth the everlasting glory of the ever-living God.

"Thus, mighty emperor, fare you most heartily well, and you christian princes, the pillars and state of Chris

tendom, fare you heartily well. Also all you, what people soever you are, who desire that the gospel and glory of Christ may flourish, fare you heartily well."

As the Lord of his goodness had raised up Thomas Cromwell to be a friend and patron to the gospel; so, on the contrary side, Satan had his organ also, which was Stephen Gardiner, by all wiles and subtle means to put back the same. Who, after he had brought his purpose to pass in burning good John Lambert, proceeding still in his crafts and wiles, and thinking under the name of heresies, sects, anabaptists, and sacramentaries, to exterminate all good books, and faithful professors of God's word out of England, so wrought upon the king, that the next year, which was A.D. 1539, he gave out these injunctions.

Certain other Injunctions set forth by the Authority of the King, against English Books, Sects, and Sacramentaries also, with putting down the Day of Thomas à Becket.

"First, that none, without special licence of the king, transport or bring from outward parts into England any manner of English books; neither yet sell, give, utter, or publish any such, upon pain to forfeit all their goods and chattels, and their bodies to be imprisoned, so long as it shall please the king's majesty.

"Also, that none shall print, or bring over any English books with annotations or prologues, unless such books be before examined by the king's privy-council, or others appointed by his highness: and yet not without these words be put thereto, Cum Privilegio Regali, and also, Ad imprimendum solum. Neither yet to imprint it, without the king's privilege be printed therewith in the English tongue, that all men may read it. Neither shall they print any translated book, without the plain name of the translator be to it, unless the printer is to be made the translator, and to suffer the fine and punishment thereof at the king's pleasure.

Also, that none of the occupation of printing shall within the realm print, utter, sell, or cause to be published any English book of scripture, unless the same be first viewed, examined, and admitted by the king's highness, or one of his privy-council, or one bishop within the realm, whose name shall therein be expressed; upon pain of the king's most high displeasure, the loss of their goods and chattels, and imprisonment so long as it shall please the king.

"Also, those who are in any error, as sacramentaries, anabaptists, or others, shall not sell any books having such opinions in them; otherwise on being once known, both the books and such persons shall be detected and disclosed immediately unto the king's majesty, or one of his privy council; to the intent to have them punished without favour, even with the extremity of the law.

"Also, that none of the king's subjects shall reason, dispute, or argue upon the sacrament of the altar; upon pain of losing their lives, goods, and chattels, without any favour: only those excepted that be learned in divinity, and they to have such liberty only in their schools and other places appointed for such matters.

"Also, that the holy bread and holy water, procession, kneeling and creeping on Good Friday to the cross, and Easter-day, setting up of lights before the Corpus Christi, bearing of candles on Candlemas-day, purification of women delivered of child, offering of chrysomes, keeping of the four offering-days, paying their tithes, and such-like ceremonies, must be observed and kept till it shall please the king to change or abrogate any of them. (This article was made because many of the people were not satisfied or contented with the ceremonies then used.)

"Finally, that all those priests that are married, and such of them as are openly known to have wives, or that hereafter do intend to marry, shall be deprived of all spiritual promotion, and from doing any of the duties of a priest, and shall have no manner of office, dignity, cure, privilege, profit, or commodity, in anything appertaining to the clergy; but from thenceforth shall be taken, had,