An abridgement of the book of acts and monuments of the ChurchAn abridgement of the booke of acts and monumentes of the Church

William Smith, Bishop of Lincoln, died, an. 1515. §1515who builded the College of Brazen-nose, in Oxford:¹ after whom succeeded John Longland a Friar, and cruel vexer of poor Christians: who propounded such captions interrogatories, that he forced one brother to detect another;² the husband, the wife; the brother, the sister; the son, the father. Yet notwithstanding all cruelty, the number did so increase, that the B. seeing the matter almost paste his power was fain to require aid of the king for the suppressing of them. Whereto the king granted, and sent down his letters to the Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Officers, &c. to aid the Bishop in that behalf. Whereupon, a great number abjured, anno 1521. §1521in the Diocese of Lincoln, and did sharp penance. Among which there were certain,³ who because they had abjured under Bishop Smith, were now condemned for relapse, and were burned:⁴ whose names are these: Thomas Bernard, James Morden, Robert Raw, John Scrivener, Joan Norman, ⟨p. 413⟩and Thomas Holmes, which had detected many of the brethren, yet escaped he not the relapse. John Scriveners, own children were compelled to set fire to their Father,⁵ as Joan Clarke was before compelled to do to her Father William Tilsworth.

William Smith, Bishop of Lincolne, died, an. 1515. §1515who builded the Colledge of Brasen-nose, in Oxford:¹ after whō succéeded Iohn Longland a Frier, and cruell vexer of poore Christians: who propounded such captions interrogatories, that he forced one brother to detect another;