N20568:9544
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of martyrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of marytrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].
New-York: printed by William Durell, 1794
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
FIRST, after the appearing of Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, before the the pope's delegate, and the queen's commissioners in St. Mary's church at Oxford, about the 12th of September, whereof more shall be said (by God's grace) when we come to the death of the said archbishop; shortly after, on the 28th of the said month, another commission was sent down to Oxford from cardinal Poole, to John White, bishop of Lincoln, Dr. Brooks, bishop of Gloucester, and Dr. Holyman, bishop of Bristol. The contents and virtue of which commission was, that the said bishops of Lincoln, Gloucester, and Bristol, or two of them, should have full power and authority to cite, examine and judge, Mr. Hugh Latimer and Dr. Ridley, for divers and sundry erroneous opinions, which the said Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley did hold and maintain in open disputations had in Oxford, in the months of May, June, and July, in the year 1554, as long before in the time of perdition, and since. Which opinions, if the named persons would now recant, giving and yielding themselves to the determination of the universal and catholic church planted by Peter in the blessed […] of Rome, that then the deputed judges, by the said authority of their commission, should have power to receive the said penitent persons, and forthwith administer unto them the reconciliation of the holy father the pope; but if the said Hugh Latimer, and Nicholas Ridley, would stoutly and stubbornly maintain these their erroneous opinions and assertions, that then the said lords by their commission should proceed in form of judgment, according to the law of heretics; that is degradi•• them from their promotions and dignity of bi•••ops, priests, and all other ecclesiastical order•• should pronounce them heretics, and therefore clean cut them off from the church, and so yield them to receive punishments due to all such heresy and schism.
FIRST, after the appearing of Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, before the the pope's delegate, and the queen's commissioners in St. Mary's church at Oxford, about the 12th of September, whereof more shall be said (by God's grace) when we come to the death of the said archbishop; shortly after, on the 28th of the said month, another commission was sent down to Oxford from cardinal Poole, to John White, bishop of Lincoln, Dr. Brooks, bishop of Gloucester, and Dr. Holyman, bishop of Bristol. The contents and virtue of which commission was, that the said bishops of Lincoln, Gloucester, and Bristol, or two of them, should have full power and authority to cite, examine and judge, Mr. Hugh Latimer and Dr. Ridley, for divers and sundry erroneous opinions, which the said Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley did hold and maintain in open disputations had in Oxford, in the months of May, June, and July, in the year 1554, as long before in the time of perdition, and since. Which opinions, if the named persons would now recant, giving and yielding themselves to the determination of the universal and catholic church planted by Peter in the blessed 〈…〉 of Rome, that then the deputed judges, by the said authority of their commission, should have power to receive the said penitent persons, and forthwith administer unto thm the reconciliation of the holy father the pope; but if the said Hugh Latimer, and Nicholas Ridley, would stoutly and stubbornly maintain these their erroneous opinions and assertions, that then the said lords by their commission should proceed in form of judgment, according to the law of heretics; that is degradi•• them from their promotions and dignity of bi•••ops, priests, and all other ecclesiastical order•• should pronounce them heretics, and therefore clean cut them off from the church, and so yield them to receive punishments due to all such heresy and schism.
WHEREFORE the last of September the said two persons, Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer were cited to appear before the said lords in the divinity school at Oxford at eight of the clock▪ At which time the lords repaired thither, placing themselves in the high seat made for public l•••tures and disputations, according to the usage of that school, being then fair set and trimmed with cloth of tissue, and cushions of velvet: and after the said lords were placed and set, the said Latimer and Ridley were sent for. And first Dr. Ridley appeared, and by and by bishop Latimer. But because it seemed good severally to examine them, bishop Latimer was kept back until Dr. Ridley was thoroughly examined. Therefore soon after the coming of Dr. Ridley into the sch••• ▪ the commission was published by an appointed notary, and openly read. But Dr. Ridley standing bareheaded, humbly expecting the cause of that his appearance, as soon as he had heard the cardinal named, and the pope's holiness, put […] his cap. Wherefore after the commission was published, the bishop of Lincoln spake as followeth.
WHEREFORE the last of September the said two persons, Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer were cited to appear before the said lords in the divinity school at Oxford at eight of the clock▪ At which time the lords repaired thither, placing themselves in the high seat made for public l•••tures and disputations, according to the usage of that school, being then fair set and trimmed with cloth of tissue, and cushions of velvet: and after the said lords were placed and set, the said Latimer and Ridley were sent for. And first Dr. Ridley appeared, and by and by bishop Latimer. But because it seemed good severally to examine them, bishop Latimer was kept back until Dr. Ridley was thoroughly examined. Therefore soon af•ter the coming of Dr. Ridley into the sch••• ▪ the commission was published by an appointed notary, and openly read. But Dr. Ridley standing bareheaded, humbly expecting the cause of that his appearance, as soon as he had heard the cardinal named, and the pope's holiness, put 〈…〉 his cap. Wherefore after the commission was published, the bishop of Lincoln spake as followeth.
LINCOLN. Mr. Ridley, although neither […] nor yet my lords here, in respect of our own persons do look for cap or knee, yet because we bear and represent such persons as we do, that is, my lord cardinal's grace, legate a latere to the pope's holiness, as well in that he is of a noble parentage (and there Dr. Ridley moved his cap with lowly obeisance) descending from the royal blood, as in that he is a man worthy to be reverenced with all humility, for his great knowledge and learning, noble virtuous and godly life, and especially in that he is here in England deputy to the pope's holiness, it should have become you at this name to have uncovered your head. Wherefore except you will of your ownself take the pains to put your hand to your head, and at the nomination, as well ⟨p. 881⟩of the said cardinal, as of the pope's holiness, uncover the same, lest that this your contumacy, exhibited now before us, should be prejudicial to the said most reverend persons, (which thing we may in no case suffer) you shall cause us to take the pairs to oblige some man to pluck off your cap from you. To whom Dr. Ridley (desiring lic•••e) answered:
LINCOLN. Mr. Ridley, although neither 〈…〉 nor yet my lords here, in respect of our own persons do look for cap or knee, yet because we bear and represent such persons as we do, that is, my lord cardinal's grace, legate a latere to the pope's holiness, as well in that he is of a noble parentage (and there Dr. Ridley moved his cap with lowly obeisence) descending from the royal blood, as in that he is a man worthy to be reverenced with all humility, for his great knowledge and learning, noble virtuous and godly life, and especially in that he is here in England deputy to the pope's holiness, it should have becomed you at this name to have uncovered your head. Wherefore except you will of your ownself take the pains to put your hand to your head, and at the nomination, as well ⟨p. 881⟩of the said cardinal, as of the pope's holiness, uncover the same, lest that this your contumacy, exhibited now before us, should be prejudicial to the said most reverend persons, (which thing we may in no case suffer) you shall cause us to take the pairs to oblige some man to pluck off your cap from you. To whom Dr. Ridley (desiring lic•••e) answered:
RIDLEY. As touching what you said, my lord, that you of your own persons desire no cap or knee, but only require the same in consideration that you represent the cardinal's grace's person, I would have you know, and thereupon make my protestation, that I did put on my cap at the naming of the cardinal's grace, neither for any contumacy that I bear towards your own persons, neither for any derogation of honour toward• the lord cardinal's grace. For I know him to be a man worthy of all humility, reverence, and honour, in that he came of the most regal blood, and in that he is a •an endued with manifold graces of learning and virtue; and as touching these virtues and points, I, with all humility (therewith he put off his cap, and bowed his knee) and obeisance that I may, will reverence and honour his grace; but in that he is legate to the bishop of Rome (and therewith put on his cap) whose usurped supremacy and abused authority I utterly refuse and renounce, I may in no wise give my obeisance or honour unto him, lest that my so doing might be prejudicial to mine oath, and a derogation to the verity of God's word: and therefore that I might not only by confession profess the verity, in not reverencing the renounced authority, contrary to God's word, but also in gesture, in behaviour, and all my doings, express the same, I have put on my cap, and for this consideration only, and not for any contumacy to your lordships, neither contempt of this worshipful audience, neither derogation of any honour due to the cardinal's grace, both for his noble parentage, and also his excellent qualities, I have kept on my cap.
RIDLEY. As touching what you said, my lord, that you of your own persons desire no cap or knee, but only require the same in consideration that you represent the cardinal's grace's person, I would have you know, and thereupon make my protestation, that I did put on my cap at the naming of the cardinal's grace, neither for any contumacy that I bear towards your own persons, neither for any derogation of honour toward• the lord cardinal's grace. For I know him to be a man worthy of all humility, reverence, and honour, in that he came of the most regal blood, and in that he is a •an indued with manifold graces of learning and virtue; and as touching these virtues and points, I, with all humility (therewith he put off his cap, and bowed his knee) and obeisance that I may, will reverence and honour his grace; but in that he is legate to the bishop of Rome (and therewith put on his cap) whose usurped supremacy and abused authority I utterly refuse and renounce, I may in no wise give my obeisance or honour unto him, lest that my so doing might be prejudicial to mine oath, and a derogation to the verity of God's word: and therefore that I might not only by confession profess the verity, in not reverencing the renounced authority, contrary to God's word, but also in gesture, in behaviour, and all my doings, express the same, I have put on my cap, and for this consideration only, and not for any contumacy to your lordships, neither contempt of this worshipful audience, neither derogation of any honour due to the cardinal's grace, both for his noble parentage, and also his excellent qualities, I have kept on my cap.
LINCOLN. Mr. Ridley, you excuse yourself of that with which we pressed you not, in that you protest you keep on your cap, neither for any contumacy towards us (who look for no such homage from you) neither for any contempt of this audience: which although justly they may, yet (as I suppose) in this case do not require any such obeisance of you, neither in derogation of any honour due to my lord cardinal's grace, for his regal descent (at which word Dr. Ridley moved his cap) and excellent qualities; for although in all the premises honour be due yet in these respects we require none of you, but only in that my lord cardinal's grace is here in England, deputy of the pope's holiness (at which word the lords and others put off their caps, and Dr. Ridley put on his) and therefore we say unto you the second time, that except you take the pains yourself, to put your hand to your head, and put off your cap, you shall put us to the pains to cause some man to take it from you, except you allege some infirmity and sickness, or other more reasonable cause, upon the consideration whereof we may do as we think good.
LINCOLN. Mr. Ridley, you excuse yourself of that with which we pressed you not, in that you protest you keep on your cap, neither for any contumacy towards us (who look for no such homage from you) neither for any contempt of this audience: which although justly they may, yet (as I suppose) in this case do not require any such obeisance of you, neither in derogation of any honour due to my lord cardinal's grace, for his regal descent (at which word Dr. Ridley moved his cap) and excellent qualities; for although in all the premises honour be due yet in these respects we require none of you, but only in that my lord cardinal's grace is here in England, deputy of the pope's holiness (at which word the lords and others put off their caps, and Dr. Ridley put on his) and therefore we say unto you the second time, that except you take the pains yourself, to put your hand to your head, and put off your cap, you shall put us to the pains to cause some man to take it from you, except you alledge some infirmity and sickness, or other more reasonable cause, upon the consideration whereof we may do as we think good.
RIDLEY. The premises I said only for this end, that it might as well appear to your lordships, as to this worshipful audience, why and for what consideration I used such kind of behaviour, in not humbling myself to your lordships with cap and knee: and as for my sickness I thank my Lord God, that I am as well at ease as I have been this long time; and therefore I do not pretend that which is not, but only this, that it might appear by this my behaviour, that I acknowledge in no point that usurped supremacy of Rome, and therefore contemn and utterly despised all authority coming from him. In taken off my cap, do as it shall please your lordships, and I shall be content. THEN the bishop of Lincoln, after the third admonition, commanded one of the beadles (that is, an officer of the university) to pluck his cap from his head▪ Dr. Ridley bowing his head to the officer, gently permitted him to take it away. AFTER this, the bishop of Lincoln, in a long oration, exhorted Dr. Ridley to recant, and submit himself to the universal faith of Christ, in this manner.
RIDLEY. The premises I said only for this end, that it might as well appear to your lordships, as to this worshipful audience, why and for what consideration I used such kind of behaviour, in not humbling myself to your lordships with cap and knee: and as for my sickness I thank my Lord God, that I am as well at ease as I have been this long time; and therefore I do not pretend that which is not, but only this, that it might appear by this my behaviour, that I acknowledge in no point that usurped supremacy of Rome, and therefore contemn and utterly despised all authority coming from him. In taken off my cap, do as it shall please your lordships, and I shall be content. THEN the bishop of Lincoln, after the third admonition, commanded one of the beadles (that is, an officer of the universiy) to pluck his cap from his head▪ Dr. Ridley bowing his head to the officer, gently permitted him to take it away. AFTER this, the bishop of Lincoln, in a long oration, exhorted Dr. Ridley to recant, and submit himself to the universal faith of Christ, in this manner.
LINCOLN. Mr. Ridley, I am sure you have sufficiently pondered with yourself the effect of this o•• commission with good advice, considering both points thereof, how that authority is given to us, if you shall receive the true doctrine of the church, which first was founded by Peter at Rome immediately after the death of Christ, and from him by lineal succession hath been brought to this our time, if you will be content to renounce your former errors, recant your heretical and seditious opinions, content to yield yourself to the undoubted faith and truth of the gospel, received and always taught by the catholic and apostolic church, which the king and queen, all the nobles of this realm, and commons of the same, all christian people have and do confess you only standing alone by yourself: you understand and perceive, I am sure, that authority is given to us to receive you, to reconcile you, and upon due penance to join and associate you again into the number of the catholics and Christ's church, from which you have so long strayed, without which no man can be saved: which thing I and my lords here, yea, and all, as well nobles and commons of this realm, most heartily desire, and I, for my part, (here he put off his cap) most earnestly exhort you to do. REMEMBER, Mr. Ridley, it is no strange country whither I exhort you to return. You were once one of us, you have taken degrees in the school. You were made a priest, and became a preacher, setting forth the same doctrine which we do now. You were made bishop according to our laws; and, to be short, it is not so long ago since you separated yourself from us, and in the time of heresy became a setter-forth of that devilish and seditious doctrine which, in these latter days, was preached amongst us. For at what time the new doctrine of only faith began to spring, the council, willing to win my lord chancellor, sent you to him (I then being in my lord's house, unknown, as I suppose, to you); and after you had talked with my lord secretly, and were departed, immediately my lord declared certain points of your talk, and means of your persuasion, and amongst others this was one, that you should say, Tush, my lord, this matter of justification is but a trifle, let us not stick to condescend herein to them; but for God's love, my lord, stand stoutly in the verity of the sacrament;
for I see they will assault thee also▪ If this be true, (as my lord is a man credible enough in such a matter) hereby is is declared of what mind you were then, as touching the blessed sacrament. ALSO in a sermon of your's at Paul's Cross, you as effectually and as catholicly spake of that blessed sacrament as any man might have done, whereby it appeareth that is no strange thing, nor unknown place whereunto I exhort you. I wish you to return thither from whence you came, that is, with us to acknowledge the church of God, wherein no man may err, to acknowledge the supremacy of our most reverend father in God the pope's holiness, which (as I said) lineally taketh his descent from Peter, upon whom Christ promised, before his death, to build his church; which supremacy or prerogative the most ancient fathers in all ages, in all times did acknowledge: and here he brought a place or two out of the doctors, but especially fixed upon a place of St. Augustine, who writeth after this manner; All the christian countries beyond the sea are subject to the church of Rome. Here you see, Mr. Ridley, that all Christendom is subject to the church of Rome. What should hinder you therefore to confess the same as St. Augustine and other fathers? THEN Dr. Ridley desired his patience to suffer him to speak somewhat of the premises, lest the multitude of things might confound his memory; and having leave granted him, he said in this manner.
for I see they will assault thee also▪ If this be true, (as my lord is a man credible enough in such a matter) hereby is is declared of what mind you were then, as touching the blessed sacrament. ALSO in a sermon of your's at Paul's Cross, you as effectually and as catholicly spake of that blessed sacrament as any man might have done, whereby it appeareth that is no strange thing, nor unknown place whereunto I exhort you. I wish you to return thi•her from whence you came, that is, with us to acknowledge the church of God, wherein no man may err, to acknowledge the supremacy of our most reverend father in God the pope's holiness, which (as I said) lineally taketh his descent from Peter, upon whom Christ promised, before his death, to build his church; which supremacy or prerogative the most ancient fathers in all ages, in all times did acknowledge: and here he brought a place or two out of the doctors, but especi•lly fixed upon a place of St. Augustine, who writeth after this manner; All the christian countries beyond the sea are subject to the church of Rome. Here you see, Mr. Ridley, that all Christendom is subject to the church of Rome. What should hinder you therefore to confess the same as St. Augustine and other fathers? THEN Dr. Ridley desired his patience to suffer him to speak somewhat of the premises, lest the multitude of things might confound his memory; and having leave granted him, he said in this manner.
RIDLEY. My lord, I most heartily thank your lordship, as well for your gentleness, as also for your sobriety in talk, and for your good and favourable zeal in this learned exhortation, in which I have marked especially three points, which you used to persuade me to leave my doctrine and religion, which I perfectly know and am thoroughly persuaded to be grounded, not upon man's imagination and decrees, but upon the infallible truth of Christ's gospel, and not to look back and to return to the Romish see, contrary to mine •ath contrary to the prerogative and crown of this realm, and especially (which moveth me most) contrary to the express word of God. ⟨p. 883⟩THE first point is this, that the see of Rome taking its beginning from Peter, upon whom you say Christ hath built his church, hath in all ages, lineally from bishop to bishop, been brought to this time. SECONDLY, That even the holy fathers from time to time have confessed the same. THIRDLY, That in that I was once of the same opinion, and together with you I did acknowledge the same. FIRST, As touching the saying of Christ, from whence your lordship gathereth the foundation of the church upon Peter, truly the place is not to be understood as you take it, as the circumstance of the place will declare. For after that Christ had asked his disciples whom men judged him to be, and they answered, that some had said he was a prophet, some Elijah, some one thing, some another; then he said, Whom say ye that I am? Then Peter said, I say that thou art Christ the Son of God. To whom Christ answered, I say, Thou art Peter, and upon this stone I will build my church; that is to say▪ Upon this stone not meaning Peter himself, as though he would have constituted a mortal man, so frail and brittle a foundation of his stable and infallible church: but upon this rock stone, that is this confession of thine, that I am the Son of God, I will build my church. For this is, the foundation and beginning of all christianity with word, heart, and mind, to confess that Christ is the Son of God. Whosoever believeth not this, Christ is not in him; and he cannot have the mark of Christ printed in his forehead, which confesseth not that Christ is the Son of God.
RIDLEY. My lord, I most heartily thank your lordship, as well for your gentleness, as also for your sobriety in talk, and for your good and favourable zeal in this learned exhortation, in which I have marked especially three points, which you used to persuade me to leave my doctrine and religion, which I perfectly know and am thoroughly persuaded to be grounded, not upon man's imagination and decrees, but upon the infallible truth of Christ's gospel, and not to look back and to return to the Romish see, contrary to mine ath contrary to the prerogative and crown of this realm, and especially (which moveth me most) contrary to the express word of God.
THEREFORE Christ said unto Peter, that upon this rock, that is, upon this confession, that he was Christ the Son of God, he would build his church• to declare, that without this faith no man can come to Christ: so that this belief, that Christ is the Son of God, is the foundation of our christianity, and the support of our church. Here you see upon what foundation Christ's church is built, not upon the frailty of man, but upon the stable and infallible word of God. NOW as touching the lineal descent of the bishops in the see of Rome, true it is, that the patriarchs of Rome in the apostles ••me, and long after, were great maintainers and •••ters-forth of Christ's glory, in which, above all other countries and regions, there especially was preached the true gospel, the sacraments were most duly administered; and as▪ before Christ's coming, it was a city so valiant in power, and martial affairs, that all the world was in a manner subject to it, and after Christ's passion divers of the apostles there suffered persecution for the gospel's sake: so after that the emperors, their hearts being illuminated, received the gospel, and became christians, the gospel there, as well for the fame of the place, flourished most, whereby the bishops of that place were had in more reverence and honour, most esteemed in all councils and assemblies, not because they acknowledged them to be their head, but because the place was most reverenced and spoken of, for the great power and strength of the same. As now here in England▪ the bishop of Lincoln, in sessions and sittings, hath the pre-eminence of other bishops, not that he is the head and ruler of them; but for the dignity of the bishopric (and therewith the people smiled). Wherefore the doctors in their writings have spoken most reverently of this see of Rome. IN like manner, I cannot, nor dare but commend, reverence and honour the see of Rome, as long as it continued in the promotion and setting forth of God's glory, and in due preaching of the gospel, as it did many years after Christ. But after that the bishops of that see, seeking their own pride, and not God's honour, began to set themselves above kings and emperors, challenging to them the title of God's vicars, the dominion and supremacy over all the world, I cannot but with St. Gregory, a bishop of Rome also, confess that place is the very true Antichrist, whereof St.
John speaketh by name of the whore of Babylon; and say, with the said St. Gregory, He that maketh himself a bishop over all the world, is worse than Antichrist. NOW whereas you say St. Augustine should seem not only to give such a prerogative, but also supremacy to the see of Rome, in that he saith all the christian world is subject to the church of Rome, ⟨p. 884⟩and therefore should▪ give to that see a certain kind of subjection; I am sure that your lordship knoweth, that in St. Austin's time there were four patriarchs, of Alexandria, Constantinople, Antioch, and Rome, which patriarchs h•d under them certain countries; as in England the archbishop of Canterbury hath under him certain bishoprics in England and Wales, to whom he may be said to be their patriarch. Also your lordship knoweth right well▪ that at the time St. Austin wrote that book he was then bishop in Africa. Farther, you are not ignorant, that between Europe and Africa lieth the sea called the Mediterranean sea, so that all the countries in Europe to him which is in Africa, may be called countries beyond the sea, Hereof St. Austin saith, All the christian countries beyond the seas and remote regions, are subject to the see of Rome. If I should say all countries beyond the sea, I do except England, which to me now being in England, is not beyond the sea. In this sense, St. Austin saith, All countries beyond the sea are subject to the see of Rome; declaring thereby, that Rome was one of the sees of the four patriarchs, and under it Europe, by what subjection I pray you? Only for a pre-eminence; as we here in England say, that all the bishoprics in England are subject to the archbishop of Canterbury. FOR this pre-eminence also the other doctors (as you recited) say, that Rome is the mother of churches, as the bishopric of Lincoln is mother to the bishopric of Oxford, because the bishopric of Oxford came from the bishopric of Lincoln, and they were once both one; and so is the archbishopric of Canterbury, mother to the other bishoprics which are in her province. In like manner the archbishopric of York, is mother to the North bishoprics; and yet no man will say, that Lincoln, Canterbury, or York, in supreme head to the other bishoprics; neither then ought we to confess the see of Rome to be supreme head, because the doctors in their writings confess the see of Rome to be mother of churches.
NOW where you say. I was once of the same religion which you are of, the truth is I cannot but confess the same. Yet so w•s St. Paul a persecutor of Christ. But in that you say, I was one of you not long ago, in that I in doing my message to my •ord of Winchester, should desire him to stand stout in that gross opinion of the supper of the Lord: in very deed I was sent (as your lordship said) from the council to my lord of Winchester, to exhort him also to receive the true confession of justification; and because he was very refractory, I said to him, What make you so great a m•tter herein? You see many anabaptists rise against the sacrament of the altar; I pray you, my lord, be diligent in confounding of them: for at that time my lord of Winchester and I had to do with two anabaptists in Kent. In this sense I willed my lord to be stiff in the defence of the sacrament against the detestable errors of anabaptists, and not in the confirmation of that gross and carnal opinion now maintained. IN like sort, as touching the sermon which I made at St. Paul's Cross, you shall understand, that there were at St. Paul's, and divers other places, fixed railing bills against the sacrament, terming it Jack of the Box, The Sacrament of the Halter, Round Robin, with such unseemly terms; for which causes, I, to rebuke irreverent behaviour of certain evil-disposed persons, preached as reverently of that matter as I might, declaring what estimation and reverence ought to be given to it, what danger ensued the mishandling thereof, affirming in that sacrament to be truly and verily the body and blood of Christ, effectually by grace and spirit; which words the unlearned understanding not, supposed that I had meant of the gross and carnal being which the Romish decrees set forth, that a body having life and motion, should be indeed under the shapes of bread and wine. WITH that the bishop of Lincoln interrupting him said:
NOW where you say. I was once of the same religion which you are of, the truth is I cannot but confess the same. Yet so w•s St. Paul a persecutor of Christ. But in th•t you say, I was one of you not long ago, in that I in doing my message to my •ord of Winchester, should desire him to stand stout in that gross opinion of the supper of the Lord: in very deed I was sent (as your lordship said) from the council to my lord of Winchester, to exhort him also to receive the true confession of justification; and because he was very refractory, I said to him, What make you so great a mtter herein? You see many anbaptists rise against the sacrament of the altar; I pray you, my lord, be diligent in confounding of them: for at that time my lord of Winchester and I had to do with two anabaptists in Kent. In this sense I willed my lord to be stiff in the defence of the sacrament against the detestable errors of anabaptists, and not in the confirmation of that gross and carnal opinion now maintained. IN like sort, as touching the sermon which I made at St. Paul's Cross, you shall understand, that there were at St. Paul's, and divers other places, fixed railig bills against the sacrament, terming it Jack of the Box, The Sacrament of the Halter, Round Robin, with such unseemly terms; for which causes, I, to rebuke irreverent behaviour of certain evil-disposed persons, preached as reverently of that matter as I might, declaring what estimation and reverence ought to be given to it, what danger ensued the mishandling thereof, affirming in that sacrament to be truly and verily the body and blood of Christ, effectually by grace and spirit; which words the unlearned understanding not, supposed that I had meant of the gross and carnal being which the Romish decrees set forth, that a body having life and motion, should be indeed under the shapes of bread and wine. WITH that the bishop of Lincoln interrupting him said:
LINCOLN. Well, Mr. Ridley, thus you wrest places to your own pleasure; for whereas St. Augustine saith, That the whole christian world is subject to the see of Rome without any limitation, and useth these words, Beyond the se•s, and remote regions, only to express the latitude of the dominion of the see of Rome, willing thereby to declare that all the world, yea countries far distant from Rome, yet nevertheless are subject to that see, yet you would wrest it, and leave it only to Europe. I am sure you will not deny, but all the countries is more than Europe.
