learning, when he departed to God, 1549. Bucer lived but a short time after. During which period, sometimes by writing, but chiefly by reading and preaching openly, this old man, being studious in the word of God, never spared himself, nor regarded his health, and brought all men into such admiration of him, that neither his friends could sufficiently praise him, nor his enemies in any point find fault with his singular life and sincere doc trine. From the burial of Bucer and Phagius, to the coming of these visitors, were passed but a few years. And from the time that that blessed king, Edward VI., deceased, to that day, the priests never ceased to celebrate their masses, and other ceremonies in those churches, and that without any scruple of conscience, as far as men could perceive. But after the time that these commissioners came, those things that before were accounted for sacred and holy, began to be denounced for profane and unholy. For they commanded that all those assemblies that should hereafter be made for the executing of holy ceremonies, should be removed to the king's chapel, which is a place far more stately than all the others. Now was come the 11th of January, in which the vicechancellor of the university, with the masters and presidents of colleges, and all the graduates of every house, were commanded to appear before the commissioners in their habits. It was commanded that the scholars also should come in their surplices, but that was not done. They assembled in great numbers in Trinity College, having the university cross borne before them; and in the gatehouse a forum was set and covered, with cushions, and carpet on the ground for the visitors. Where the vice-chancellor, having on his robes, sprinkled holy-water on them, and purposed to incense them, but they refused it there, which notwithstanding afterward, in the queen's college, and elsewhere, they refused not. There, master John Stokes, common orator of the university, made an oration in the name of all the rest. When he had made an end of speaking, the bishop of Chester answered thereunto," that they took in right good part, that the university had made so open a declaration of her good will: for which he gave most hearty thanks. As concerning the good wills of the commissioners, there was no cause to mistrust. For their coming thither was not to deal any thing roughly with such as came to amendment: but both the cardinal himself, and they also, were fully minded to shew favour, devising how to bring all things to peace and tranquillity, desiring nothing more earnestly than that they who had erred and gone astray, should return into the right path again. The right reverend father, the lord cardinal, whom he desired to have seen present, wished the self-same thing also, desiring nothing so much as to sustain and hold up, now ready to fall, or rather to raise up already fallen to the ground, the university; for he gladly takes upon him the name and duty of her guardian, whom it greatly grieved, that the infections of the times past had spread abroad such grievous diseases, that even the university itself was touched with the contagious air thereof. For he would more gladly have come hither to visit and salute it, than to correct it, if the weighty affairs of the realm would have permitted it. But now, seeing he could not so do, he had appointed this commission, in which he had assigned them to be his deputies. The chief object that they wished to attain was, that such as had erred should confess their faults, and return into the right way again. For they were in good forwardness of healing, that acknowledged themselves to have offended." These things being finished, they were brought in procession to the king's college, by all the graduates of the university, where was sung a mass of the Holy Ghost, with great solemnity. In this place it was marked that Nicholas Ormanet, commonly sirnamed Datary, (who, though inferior in estate to Chester being a bishop, yet was superior to them all in authority,) while the mass was celebrating, now standing, then sitting, and sometimes kneeling on his knees, observed certain ceremonies, which afterwards were required to be observed by all others. From thence they attended all upon the legates to St. Mary's church, which we stated before to have been interdicted. In which place, owing to the interdict, although no mass might be sung, yet there was a sermon by Master Peacock, in Latin, against heresies and heretics, as Bilney, Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, &c. Which being ended, they proceeded to the visitation: where, first, Dr. Harvey in the cardinal's name, exhibited the commission to the bishop of Chester. Which being accepted, and openly read, then the vice-chancellor, with an oration, exhibited the certificate under his seal of office, with the cardinal's citation annexed, containing every man's name in the university and colleges, with the officers and all the masters of houses. Among whom was also Robert Brassey, master of king's college, a worthy old man, both for his wisdom and his hoary hairs: who, hearing his own name recited next after the vicechancellor's, said, He was there present, as all the others were; nevertheless, forasmuch as the reformation of his house was wholly reserved to the discretion of the bishop of Lincoln, not only by the king's letters patent, but also by grant of confirmation from the bishop of Rome himself, under a penalty, if he should suffer any strangers to intermeddle, he openly protested in discharge of his duty, that unless their commission gave them authority and jurisdiction upon the college, either by express words or manifest sense, he utterly exempted himself from being present. This his exception they took all in great displeasure; alleging that they were fully authorised for the order of the matter by the cardinal, out of whose jurisdiction no place nor persons was exempted: wherefore, he had done evil to call into question their authority, so well known to all men. Much pomp and ceremony followed this, and at last the time came for the visitation to go to mass; which being finished, with great solemnity, first they went to the high altar of the church, and having there saluted their god, and searching whether all were well about him or not, they walked through all the inner chapels of the church. The church goods, the crosses, the chalices, the mass-books, the vestments, and whatever ornaments were besides, were commanded to be brought out to them. When they had sufficiently viewed all things, and had called forth by name every fellow and scholar of the house, they went to the master's lodging, where first swearing them upon a book to answer to all such interrogatories as should be propounded to them, (as far as they knew,) they examined first the master himself, and afterwards all the rest, every man in his turn. But there were some that refused to take this oath, because they had given their faith to the college before, and, also, because they thought it against all right and reason to swear against themselves: for it was contrary to all law, that a man should be compelled to betray himself, and not to be suffered to keep his conscience free, when there was no manifest proof to be laid to his charge; but much more unjust is it, that a man should be constrained by force to accuse himself. Nevertheless these persons also, after such altercation, at length (conditionally that their faith given before to the college were not impeached thereby) were contented to be sworn. The inquisition lasted three days. This was now the third day of their coming, and it was thought that the case of Bucer and Phagius, was delayed longer than needed. For they looked to have had much altercation and business about the matter. Now, forasmuch as the present state of the case required great deliberation and advice, the vice-chancellor and the masters of the colleges assembled at the common schools, where every man gave his verdict what he thought meet to be done in this matter of Bucer. After much debating, they agreed all together in this determination; that forasmuch as Martin Bucer, while he lived, had not only sowed pernicious and erroneous doctrine among them, but also had himself been a sectary and famous heretic, erring from the catholic church, and giving others occasion to fall from the same likewise: a supplication should be made to the lord commissioners, in the name of the whole university, that his dead carcase might forthwith be digged up, that inquisition might be made as to his doctrine, which being brought in examination, if it were | not found to be good and wholesome, the law might proceed against him; for it was against the rule of the holy canons, that his body should be buried in christian burial. Yea, and besides that it was to the open derogation of God's honour, and the violating of his holy laws, with the great peril of many men's souls, and the offence of the faithful, especially in so difficult and contagious a time as that was. Wherefore it was not to be suffered, that they, who utterly dissented from all other men in their living, laws and customs, should have any part with them in the honour of burial. And therefore the glory of God first and before all things ought to be defended, the infamy which through this had arisen on them, with all speed put away, no room at all left to those persons to rest in, who even in the same places where they lay, were injurious and noisome to the very elements, but the place ought to be purged, and all things so ordered as might be to the satisfying of the consciences of the weak. In executing of which, a notable example ought to be given to all men, that no man hereafter should be so bold to attempt the like. Then went they to mass, which ended, the visitors approached up to the altar, and took down the sacrament, and searched the pix, but first the two bishops censed the sacrament and examined afterwards the chalices, &c. The next day process went out to cite Bucer and Phagius. This citation was fixed up in convenient places, to wit, upon St. Mary's church door, the door of the common schools, and the cross in the market. In this was specified, that whosoever would maintain Bucer and Phagius, or stand in defence of their doctrine, should at the eighteenth day of the month, stand forth before the commissioners in St. Mary's church, which was appointed the place of judgment, and there every man should be sufficiently heard what he could say. In the mean while Ormanet and Doctor Watson abode at home in their lodging, to take the depositions against the dead men. As Ormanet was sitting at Trinity College, John Dale, one of the queen's college, came to him, whom he had commanded before to bring with him the pix, wherein the bishop of Rome's god of bread is wont to be enclosed. For Ormanet told them he had a precious jewel (the same was a linen cloth that the pope had consecrated with his own hands) which he promised to bestow upon them for a gift. But Dale, misunderstanding Ormanet, instead of the pix, brought a chalice and the host, which he had wrapped up and put in his bosom. When he was come, Ormanet demanded if he had brought him the thing he sent him for. To whom he answered, he had brought it." Then give it me," said he. Dale pulled out the chalice and the cake, or host. When Ormanet saw that, he stepped somewhat back, as it had been in wonder, calling him a blockhead, and little better than a madman, demanding what he meant by those things, saying; he desired him to bring none of that gear, and that he was unworthy to enjoy so high a benefit: yet, notwithstanding, as he had promised before to give it to them, he would perform his promise. Upon which, with great reverence and ceremony, he pulled out the linen cloth and laid it in the chalice, and the bread with it, commanding them, both for the holiness of the thing, and also for the giver of it, to keep it among them, with such due reverence as belonged to so holy a relic. They gave the same verdict by common assent, upon Phagius also. To this writing they annexed another, by which they lawfully authorised Andrew Perne, the vicechancellor, to be the common factor for the university. He was a man meet for the purpose, both for the office that he bare, and also because, by the testimony of Christopherson, he was deemed to be the most popishly inclined of all others. This supplication, confirmed by the consent of all the degrees of the university, and signed with their common seal, the next day, which was the 13th of January, the vice-chancellor put up to the commissioners. Note here, good reader, what a feat of conveyance this was, to suborn the university under a pretence to desire this thing of them by way of petition; as who should say, if they had not done so, the other would never have gone about it of themselves. But this gloss was soon found out. For the commissioners had given the vicechancellor instructions in writing before. But now, peradventure they thought by this means to remove the envy of this act from themselves. Thus the vice-chancellor came to the commissioners, according to appointment. He had scarce declared the cause of his coming, when he not only obtained his suit, but also at the same time received the sentence of condemnation, for taking up Bucer and Phagius, fairly copied out by Ormanet Datary, himself. This was to be confirmed by the consent of the degrees of the university. Whereupon a solemn convocation was appointed to be held, at nine o'clock; where the graduates being assembled together, the demand was propounded concerning the condemnation of Bucer and Phagius, and the grace asked, which was this: "Pleaseth it you that Martin Bucer, for the When the day for giving judgment came, namely, the heresies now recited, and many others by him written, 18th, and that neither Bucer nor Phagius would appear preached, and taught, wherein he died without repen- at their call in the court, nor that any put himself forth tance, and was buried in Christian burial, may be ex- to defend them; yet the courteous commissioners would humed and taken up again?" &c. After this grace being not proceed to judgment, which nevertheless, for the congranted, then was the sentence of condemnation, drawn tumacy of these two dead men, in absenting themselves, by the datary, openly read, and immediately another grace they might have done. But these men being bent altogether asked, that the same might be signed with the common to equity and mercy, had rather shew some favour, than to seal. Which request was very lightly and easily obtained. do the utmost they might by the law. Whereupon the se And it was no marvel. For after the death of King cond process was published. The meaning of which varied Edward, since the time that the government of the realm not much from the first, but that it put off the judgment came to the hand of Queen Mary, all such persons being day to the 26th of the month. Upon which day the vice-chan driven away as had rejected the Romish religion, in whom cellor was sent for, with whom they agreed concerning well nigh alone rested whatever knowledge and learning the order of publishing the sentence. And that there was in the whole university, such a set were put in their should be wanting no solemnity in the matter, they com room, that all places now swarmed with unlearned chap-manded him to warn the mayor of the town to be there lains to whom nothing was greater pleasure, than to cause all men to speak slander and reproach of Bucer. The next day, namely, the 14th of January, the visitors came to the king's college, first going into the church, and there offering their prayers, sitting all the mass time, the company standing in their copes, and singing a solemn respond in honour of the visitors. After the respond, the provost, arrayed in the best cope, made to them his protestation, to whom the bishop of Chester made answer also in Latin, declaring that he could not perceive to what purpose his protestation was, notwithstanding they would accept it and bear with him. About the same time, the commissioners had given commandment to the masters of the colleges, that every man should put in writing what books he had, with the authors' names; and to the intent that every man should execute it without deceit, they took an oath of them. This commandment some executed exactly and diligently, others, as they deemed it wrong, executed it very reluctantly. at the day appointed with all his burgesses, which the vice-chancellor did with all readiness. On the 26th of January, all degrees of the mother university,were assembled. And to fill up this pageant, thither came also the mayor and townsmen, and all met together in St. Mary's church, to behold what should be determined upon these men. After long attendance, at length the commissioners came forth, and went up to a scaffold that was somewhat higher than the rest, prepared for the purpose. When they had taken their places, Doctor Perne, the vice-chancellor, put on a grave coun tenance, and reached to them the process that was lately publisned, to cite them, saying these words: "I bring forth again to you, right reverend father and commissioners of the most reverend my lord cardinal Poole, this citation, executed according to the purport and effect of the same, &c." When he had finished, the bishop of Chester, after he had a little viewed the people, began as follows: "You see," said he, "how sore the university presses upon us, how earnest intercession it makes to us, not only to denounce Bucer and Phagius, who these certain years past have spread most pernicious doctrine among you, to be heretics, as they are indeed; but also that we will command their dead carcases, which to this day have obtained honourable burial among you, to be digged up, and as it is excellently ordained by the canon law, to be cast into fire, or whatever is more grievous than fire, if any thing can be. For the degrees of the university deal not slightly nor slackly with us in this case; but do so press upon us, and follow the suit so earnestly, that they scarce give us any respite. And I assure you, though this case of itself is such, that even the unworthiness of those persons though there were no further cause, ought to induce us to the doing of it, much the rather moved with these so wholesome petitions; it is meet and convenient we should grant it. For however we of ourselves are inclined to mercy in our hearts, the which we protest there is nothing under the sun to us more dear and acceptable; yet notwithstanding the very law rises up to revenge: so that the common salvation of you all, which the law provides for, must be preferred before the private charity of our minds. Neither ought any such negligence to overtake us for our parts, that we, being scarce yet escaped out of the shipwreck of our former calamity, should now suffer this inexpiable mischief to disquiet any longer the consciences of the weak. "Moreover, it is but reason that we should do somewhat at so earnest entreaty and suit of the university. I need not to speak much of ourselves. For if we had been desirous to undertake this matter, it had been lawful, after the first citation, to have proceeded to judgment; but because we were willing that their defenders should be heard, and that the matter should be denounced and tried by law, we sent out the second process. "If we had desired revenge, we might have shewed cruelty upon them that are alive; of which (alas, the more pity) there are too many that embrace this doctrine. If we thirsted for blood, it was not so to be sought in withered carcases and dry bones. Therefore, you may well perceive, it was no part of our wills that we now came hither; but partly induced at the entreaty of the university, partly moved with the unworthiness of the case itself: but especially for the care and regard we have of your health and salvation, which we covet by all means to preserve. "For you yourselves are the cause of this business; you gave occasion for this confession, among whom this day ought to be a notable example, to remain as a memorial to them that shall come after, as in that which you may learn, not only to shake off the filth which you have taken of these persons; but also to beware hereafter that you fall no more so shamefully as you have done. But I trust, God will defend you, and give you minds to keep yourselves from it. "As concerning the parties themselves, whose case now hangs in law, they bear about the name of the gospel; whereas, indeed, they wrought nothing else than thievery and deceit. And so much the more wicked were they, in that they sought to cover so shameful acts, with the cloak of so fair and holy a name. Wherefore, it is not to be doubted, but that God will punish this despite, of itself wicked, to you pernicious; but to the authors thereof shameful and abominable. "But if God, as he is slow to wrath and vengeance, will wink at it for a time, yet notwithstanding, if we, upon whom the charge of the Lord's flock leans, should permit so execrable crimes to escape unpunished, we should not live in quiet one hour." When he had thus spoken, he recited the sentence out of a scroll, and condemned Bucer and Phagius for heresy. They then sent letters to London, wherein they advertised the cardinal how far they had proceeded in the matter, and also desired his grace, that he would cause to be sent to Smith, the mayor of the town, the writ for the burning of heretics. For unless he had the queen's warrant to save him harmless, he would not have any thing to do in the matter. While this pursuivant went on his journey, they commanded to be brought to them, the books which they had ordered before to be searched out. For they determined to throw them into the fire, with the bones of Bucer and Phagius. About the same time, Doctor Watson, taking occasion from the day, because it was high-feast, in which was wont to be celebrated the memorial of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary, made a sermon to the people; in which he spake much reproach of Bucer and Phagius, and of their doctrine. He said, that these men, and all the heretics of our time, among other things which they had perniciously put into men's heads, taught to put away all ceremonies. Whereas, notwithstanding, the apostle himself commanded all things to be done in due order. And at the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary and Joseph, which was done by them as upon that day; it was manifestly apparent, that they with our Saviour, being then a little babe, observed these rites and ceremonies for catholic men to teach. For (he said) they came to the temple at the same time with wax candles in their hands, after the manner of procession in good order, with much reverence and devotion, and yet we were not ashamed to laugh and mock at these things with the heretics and schismatics. As he was telling his tale of Christ, Mary, and Joseph, one of them that heard him, a pleasant and merry fellow, turning himself to him that stood next him; said, "and if it be true, what this man preaches, which of them I pray you bare the cross before them? for that ought not be missing in such solemn ceremonies." Not only this man jested at the preacher's folly, but others also laughed at his preaching these vain and foolish superstitions. When the pursivant returned, who was sent to London with the commissioners' letter, he brought with him a warrant for burning Bucer and Phagius. Upon the receipt of which, they appointed the sixth day of February for the accomplishment of the matter. When the day was come, the commissioners sent for the vice-chancellor, and taking with him Marshall, the common notary, he went first to St. Michael's church, where Phagius was buried. There he called forth Andrew Smith, Henry Sawyer, and Henry Adams, men of the same parish, and bound them with an oath, to dig up Phagius's bones, and to bring them to the place of execution. Marshall took their oaths, receiving the like of Roger Smith and William Hasell, the town sergeants, and of John Caper, warden of the same church, for doing the like with Bucer. Smith, the mayor of the town, who should be their executioner, (for it was not lawful for them to intermeddle in cases of blood) commanded certain of his townsmen to wait upon him in armour, by whom the dead bodies were guarded; and being bound with ropes, and laid upon men's shoulders, (for they were inclosed in chests, Bucer in the same that he was buried, and Phagius in a new one) they were borne into the midst of the market, with a great train of people following them. This place was prepared before, a great post was set fast in the ground to bind the carcases to, and a great heap of wood was laid ready to burn them with. So when they came thither, the chests were set on end, with the dead bodies in them, and fastened on both sides with stakes, and bound to the post with a long iron chain, as if they had been alive. Fire being forthwith put to, as soon as it began to flame round about, a great number of books that were condemned with them were cast into it. There was that day gathered into the town a great multitude of country folk (for it was market day), who seeing men carried to execution, and learning by inquiry that they were dead before, partly detested and abhorred the extreme cruelty of the commissioners towards the rotten carcases, and partly laughed at their folly in making such preparations. For what needs any weapons, or armed men? said they. As if they were afraid that the dead bodies, which felt them not, would do them some harm. Or to what purpose serves that chain wherewith they are tied, since they might be burnt loose, for it was not to be feared that they would run away? Thus, every body that stood by found fault with the cruelty of the deed, either sharply or else lightly, according to their different dispositions. This was the last act of this interlude, and yet there remained a few things to be done, among which was the reconciling of two churches; of Our Lady, and of St. Michael, which had been interdicted before. This was done the next day by the bishop of Chester, with as much solemnity as the law required. But that breaden god, whom Bucer's carcase had chased from thence, was not yet turned there again; nor was it lawful for him to come there any more, unless he were brought there with great solemnity: during all the time of his absence, this god was entertained by the commissioners at Trinity College, and there continued as a sojourner. For all the graduates of the university came there on the 8th of February with gentleness and courtesy to bring him home again. The bishop of Chester took and carried him, clad in a long rochet, and a large tippet of sarcenet about his neck, in which he wrapped up his little idol of bread. When this idol or consecrated host was to return home, he went not the straightest and nearest way, as other folks are wont to go, but he fetched a compass about the most part of the town, and roamed through so many of the streets, that it was an hour and more ere he could find the way into this church again. I believe the ancient Romans observed a custom not much unlike this in their procession, when they made supplications at the shrines of all their gods. The order of this procession was as follows; the masters' regents went before, singing with a loud voice, Salve feste dies, &c. Next followed the bishop of Chester; on each side of him went Ormanet and his fellow commissioners, with the masters of the colleges, bearing every man a long taper light in his hand. After whom, a little space off, followed other degrees of the university. Lastly, came the mayor and his townsmen. Before them all went the beadles, crying to such as they met, that they should bow themselves humbly before the host. If any refused to do so, they threatened to send them forthwith to prison. Their god being led with this pomp, and pacified with the sacrifice of Bucer and Phagius, at length settled himself again in his accustomed place! Then the bishop of Chester prayed, that that day might be fortunate to himself, and to all that were present that from that day forward (now that God's wrath was appeased, and all other things set in good order) all men should make themselves conformable to peace and quietness, namely, in matters appertaining to religion. After this, they bestowed a few days in punishing such as they thought had deserved it. Some they suspended from giving voices either to their own preferment, or to the preferment of Some they forbade to have the charge of pupils, lest they should infect the tender youth with corrupt doctrine and heresy, others they chastised wrongfully without any desert, and many a one they punished, contrary to all right and reason. any other. Last of all they set forth certain statutes, by which they would have the university hereafter ordered. Wherein they enacted many things as concerning the election of their officers of the university, of keeping and administering the goods of the university, and of many other things. But especially they handled all religious matters very circumspectly, in which they were so scrupulous, that they filled all things either with open blasphemy, or with ridiculous superstition. For they prescribed how many masses every man should attend at, day by day, and how many paternosters and avies every man should say when he should enter into the church; and in his entrance, after what sort he should bow himself to the altar, and how to the master of the house; what he should do there, and how long he should tarry; how many, and what prayers he should say, what, and how he should sing, what meditations others should use while the priest is in his memento, mumbling se cretly to himself, what time of the mass a man should stand, and when he should sit down, when he should make curtesy, when exclusively, when inclusively, and many other superstitious ceremonies they decreed, that it was a sport then to behold their superstitions, and were tedious now to recite them. Within two years after all this mummery and wickedness, God beholding us with mercy, called Queen Mary out of this life, the 17th of November, A. D. 1558. After whom, her sister Elizabeth succeeded to the king. dom, and revived again the true religion. Upon which, as the church of Christ began by little and little to flourish, so the memory of Bucer and Phagius (although their bones were burnt by cardinal Poole), was restored again by this godly Queen Elizabeth. On which occa sion, Master Ackworth, the orator of the university, delivered a great oration, in which he speaks largely of the holy life and godly teaching of Martin Bucer, and the sorrow that was felt at his death, after which he continued thus: "As long as the ardent love of his religion (wherewith we were inflamed) flourished, it wrought in our hearts an incredible desire of his presence among us. But after the time that the godly man ceased to be any more in our sight, and in our eyes, that ardent and burning love of religion by little and little waxed cold in our minds, and according to the times that came after (which were both miserable, and to our utter undoing), it began not by little and little to be darkened, but it altogether vanished away, and turned into nothing. For we fell again into the popish doctrine; the old rites and customs of the Romish church were restored again, not to the beautifying of the christian religion, but to the utter defacing, violating, and defiling of it. Death was set before the eyes of such as persevered in the christian doctrine that they had learned before. Those were banished the realm who would not conform themselves to the time, and do as other men did: such as remained, were forced either to dissemble, or to hide themselves, and creep into corners, or else as it were by drinking of the charmed cup of Circe, to be turned and altered, not only from the nature of man into the nature of brute beasts, but far worse and much more monstrous, from the likeness of God and his angels, into the likeness of devils. And all England was infected with this malady. We, conforming ourselves to those most filthy times, have most shamefully yielded, like faint-hearted cowards, who had not the fortitude to sustain the adversities of poverty, banishment, and death. Who, in our living and con versation, kept neither the constancy taught us by philo sophy, nor yet the patience taught us by the holy scriptures, and who have done all things at the commandment of others. "As in every place there was now executed some singular kind of cruelty, so that there was no sort of punishment that could be devised, but it was put in use in one place or other, this was proper or peculiar to Cambridge, to exercise the cruelty upon the dead, which in other places was extended only to the living. Oxford burnt the right reverend fathers, Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer; the noble witnesses of the light of the gospel. More over, at London perished those two lanterns of light, Rogers and Bradford. In whom it is hard to say, whether there were more force of eloquence and utterance in preaching, or more holiness of life and conversation. Many others without number, both there and in other places were consumed to ashes for bearing record to the truth. For what city is there that hath not flamed, I say, not with burning of houses and buildings, : but with burning of holy bodies? But Cambridge, after there were no more left alive upon whom they might vomit out their bitter poison, played the mad Bedlam against the dead. The dead men, who, when alive, no man was able to find fault with, whose doctrine no man was able to reprove, were by false slanderous accusers indicted, contrary to the laws of God and man, sued in the law, condemned, their sepulchres violated and broken up, and their carcases pulled out and burnt with fire. A thing surely incredible, if we had not seen it with our eyes, and a thing that hath not lightly been heard of. But the heinousness of this wicked act was spread abroad as a common talk in every man's mouth, not only in England, but through all Christendom. Bucer, by the excellency of his wisdom and doctrine, was well known to all men, of our countrymen in a manner besought, of many others intreated and sent for, to the intent he might instruct our Cambridge men in the sincere doctrine of the christian religion; being spent with age, and his strength utterly decayed, forsook his own country, refused not the tediousness of that long journey, was not afraid to adventure himself upon the sea, but had more regard for the enlarging of the church of Christ, than of all other things. So in conclusion he came, every man received and welcomed him: afterward he lived in such wise, as it might appear he came not hither for his own sake, but for ours. For he sought not to drive away the sickness that he had taken by troublesome travel of his long journey and although his strength were weakened and appalled, yet he regarded not the recovery of his health, but put himself to immoderate labour and intolerable pain, only to teach and instruct us. And towards this so noble and worthy a person, while he lived, were shewed all the tokens of humanity and gentleness, reverence and courtesy that could be; but when he was dead, the most horrible cruelty that can be imagined. For what can be so commendable, as to grant unto the living, house and abiding place, and to the dead, burial? Or who is he that will find in his heart to give entertainment, and to cherish that person in his house with all kind of gentleness that he can devise, upon whom he could not vouchsafe to bestow burial when he is dead? Again, what an inconstancy is it, with great solemnity, and with much advancement and commendation of his virtues, to bury a man honourably, and soon after to break up his tomb, and pull him out spitefully, and wrongfully to slander him being dead, who during his life time always deserved praise? All these things have happened unto Bucer, who, whilst he lived, had free access into the most gorgeous buildings and stately palaces of the greatest princes, and when he was dead, could not be suffered to enjoy so much as his poor grave. Who being laid in the ground nobly, to his eternal fame, was afterwards, to his utter defacing, spitefully taken up and burned. Which things, although they did no harm to the dead (for the dead carcases feel not pain, neither doth the fame of godly persons depend upon the report of vulgar people, and the light rumours of men, but upon the rightful censure and just judgment of God) yet it sheweth the extreme cruelty and insatiable desire of revenge, in them who offer such utter wrong to the dead. These persons therefore, whom they have pulled out of their graves and burned, I believe (if they had been alive) they would have cast out of house and home, they would have driven out of all men's company, and in the end with most cruel torments have torn them in pieces, being nevertheless strangers and aliens, and being also brought hither by us out of such a country, where, they not only needed not to fear any punishment, but contrariwise were always had in much reputation, as well among the noble and honourable, as also among the vulgar and common people. But yet how much more gentle than these men was Bishop Gardiner, otherwise an earnest defender of the popish doctrine? who against his own countrymen, let pass no cruelty whereby he might extinguish with fire and sword the light of the gospel and yet he spared foreigners, because the right of them is so holy, that there was never nation so barbarous, that would violate the same. For when he had in his power the renowned clerk, Peter Martyr, then : teaching at Oxford, he would not keep him to punish him, but (as I have heard reported) when he wished to go away, he gave him wherewith to bear his charges. So that the thing which he thought he might of right do to his countrymen, he judged unlawful to do to strangers. And though the law of God could not withhold him from the wicked murdering of his own countrymen, yet did the law of man bridle him from killing of strangers, which hath ever appeased the most barbarous, and mitigated all cruelty. Wherefore this cruelty hath far surmounted cruelty of all others, which, to satisfy the insatiable greediness thereof, drew to execution not only strangers, brought hither at our entreaty and sending for, but even the withered and rotten carcases digged out of their graves; to the intent that the immeasurable thirst which could not be quenched with shedding the blood of them that were alive, might at the least be satisfied in burning of dead men's bones. These, my brethren, these, I say, are the just causes which have so sore provoked the wrath of God against us, because that in doing extreme injury to the dead we have been prone and ready; but in putting the same away, we have been slow and backward. For verily I believe, if I may have liberty to say freely what I think, (ye shall bear with me, if I chance to speak any thing unadvisedly in the heat and hasty discourse of my oration) that even this place, in which we have so often assembled, being defiled with that new kind of wickedness, such as man never heard of before, is a hindrance unto us, when we call for the help of God, by means whereof our prayers are not accepted, which we make to appease the Godhead, and to win him to be favourable to us again. "The blood of Abel shed by Cain, calleth and crieth from the earth that sucked it up: likewise, the undeserved burning of these bodies, calleth upon Almighty God to punish us, and crieth, that not only the authors of so great a wickedness, but also the ministers thereof are impure, the places defiled, in which these things were perpetrated, the air infected which we take into our bodies, to the intent that by sundry diseases and sicknesses we may receive punishment for so execrable wickedness." When Acworth, after much more godly exhortation had made an end of his oration, Master James Pilkington the queen's reader of the divinity lecture, going up into the pulpit, made a sermon also, in which he enlarged upon the long continued cruelties and persecutions by the popes of Rome, and said, "In the condemnation of Bucer and Phagius, they used too much cruelty, and too much violence. For howsoever it went with the doctrine of Bucer, certainly they could find nothing whereof to accuse Phagius, inasmuch as he wrote nothing that came abroad, saving a few things that he had translated out of the Hebrew and Chaldee tongues into Latin. After his coming into the realm he never read, he never disputed, he never preached, he never taught; for he died soon after, so that he could in that time give no occasion for his adversaries to take hold on, whereby to accuse him whom they never heard speak. In that they hated Bucer so deadly, for the allowable marriage of the clergy, it was their own malice conceived against him, and a very slander raised by themselves. For he had for his defence in that matter, (over and besides other helps) the testimony of pope Pius II., who in a certain place saith, that upon weighty considerations, priests' wives were taken from them, but for more weighty causes were to be restored again. And also the statute of the emperor, called the Interim,' by which it is enacted, that such of the clergy as were married, should not be divorced from their wives." An Account of the conduct of the Papists towards Peter Martyr's Wife at Oxford, taken up from her grave, and buried in a dunghill. And that the one university should not mock the other, similar cruelty was displayed upon the dead body of Peter Martyr's wife, at Oxford, who was an honest, grave, and sober matron, while she lived, and always a |