VIII. 's reign. He worked steadily, and in 1559 had

brought his story of persecution down to nearly the end of Henry's reign. This work, which was in Latin, bears a dedication, dated September 1, 1559, to Foxe's old pupil, now Duke of Norfolk.
Foxe returned to England the same year, and early in 1560 Grindal, now Bishop of London, ordained him priest. He was engaged in translating the work above mentioned into English and in elaborating his information. The papers of Ralph Morice, Cranmer's secretary, had fallen into his hands together with much new material.
The Acts and Monuments was published on March 20, 1563. From the date of its appearance it was popularly known as The Book of Martyrs. Foxe forwarded a copy to Magdalen College, and received in payment £6, 13s. 46.. The success of the undertaking was immediate. The author was rewarded with a prebend in Salisbury Cathedral and with the lease of the vicarage of Shipton (May 11, 1563). Yet he still suffered from slenderness of means.
On the Good Friday after the publication of the papal bull excommunicating Queen Elizabeth (1570), Foxe, at Grindal's bidding, preached a powerful sermon at St Paul's Cross and renewed his attacks on the Catholics. A second edition of The Acts and Monuments was published in 1570. Convocation resolved that copies should be placed
xi
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
in cathedral churches and in the houses of arch- bishops, bishops, deacons, and archdeacons.
In 1575 Foxe energetically sought to obtain the remission of the capital sentence in the case of two Dutch Anabaptists condemned to the stake for their opinions. He wrote to the Queen, Lord Burghley, and Lord Chief Justice Manson, pointing out the dis- proportion between the offence and the punishment, and deprecating the penalty of death in cases of heresy. A respite of a month was allowed, but both the Anabaptists perished.
The third and fourth editions of The Acts and Monuments were issued in 1576 and 1583 respec- tively.
Foxe's health began to break up in 1586, and he died, after much suffering, in April 1587. He was buried in St Giles's Church, Cripplegate, London, where a monument, with an inscription by his son Samuel, is still extant.
Foxe was charitable to the poor, although his own circumstances were frequently straitened, and he was never well oil ; and he seems to have been of a cheerful temperament. His wife survived him eighteen years, dying in 1605. There were at least five children of the marriage.
Foxe was a prolific author, but the work by which he will ever be held in grateful remembrance is The Book of Martyrs.
xn
CONTENTS
PAGE
Editor's Preface ..... v Biographical Sketch ..... ix The Early Christians i The Story of Constantine the Great . . 39
John Wickliff, the Morning Star of the Reformation 49 A Leader of the Lollards : The Trouble and Per- secution of the most valiant and worthy Martyr of Christ, Sir John Oldcastle, Knight (Lord Cobham) . . . . .70
The History of Master John Huss . . .90
The Life and Story of the true Servant and
Martyr of God, William Tyndale . . 135
The History of Doctor Martin Luther . • *53
The Story, Life, and Martyrdom of Master John
Hooper, Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester . 188 A Faithful Parish Clergyman : The History of
Dr Rowland Taylor . . . .214
The Martyrs of Scotland . 236
xiii
CONTENTS
PAGE
The Story and Life of Master Latimer . . 262
The Story of Bishop Ridley . . . 280
The Trial, Condemnation, and Martyrdom of Ridley
and Latimer ..... 295 The Fires of Smithfield . . . .312
The Life, State, and Story of the Reverend Pastor and Prelate, Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury . . . . 351
Anecdotes and Sayings of other Martyrs . . 388
xiv
FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS
THE PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
Christ our Saviour, in the Gospel of St Matthew, hearing the confession of Simon Peter, who, first of all other, openly acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, and perceiving the secret hand of His Father therein, called him (alluding to his name) a rock, upon which rock He would build His Church so strong, that the gates of hell should not prevail against it. In which words three things are to be noted : First, that Christ will have a Church in this world. Secondly, that the same Church should mightily be impugned, not only by the world, but also by the uttermost strength and powers of all hell. And, thirdly, that the same Church, notwithstanding the uttermost of the devil and all his malice, should continue.
Which prophecy of Christ we see wonderfully to be verified, insomuch that the whole course of the Church to this day may seem nothing else but a verifying of the said prophecy. First, that Christ hath set up a Church, needeth no declaration. Secondly, what force of princes, kings, monarchs, governors, and rulers of this world, with their subjects, publicly and privately, with all their strength and cunning, have bent themselves against
i
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
this Church ! And, thirdly, how the said Church, all this notwithstanding, hath yet endured and holden its own ! What storms and tempests it hath overpast, wondrous it is to behold : for the more evident declaration whereof, I have addressed this present history, to the end, first, that the wonderful works of God in His Church might appear to His glory ; also that, the continuance and proceedings of the Church, from time to time, being set forth, more knowledge and experience may redound thereby, to the profit of the reader and edification of Christian faith.
At the first preaching of Christ, and coming of the Gospel, who should rather have known and received him than the Pharisees and Scribes of that people which had His law ? and yet who persecuted and rejected Him more than they themselves? What followed ? They, in refusing Christ to be their King, and choosing rather to be subject unto Caesar, were by the said Caesar at length destroyed.
The like example of God's wrathful punishment is to be noted no less in the Romans themselves. For when Tiberius Caesar, having learnt by letters from Pontius Pilate of the doings of Christ, of His miracles, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, and how He was received as God of many, himself moved with belief of the same, did confer thereon with the whole senate of Rome, and proposed to have Christ adored as God ; they, not agreeing thereunto, refused Him, because that, contrary to the law of the Romans, He was consecrated (said they) for God before the senate of Rome had so decreed and approved Him. Thus the vain senate (being contented with the emperor to reign over
2
THE PUNISHMENT OF PILATE
them, and not contented with the meek King of glory, the Son of God, to be their King) were scourged and entrapped for their unjust refusing, by the same way which they themselves did prefer. For as they preferred the emperor, and rejected Christ, so the just permission of God did stir up their own emperors against them in such sort, that the senators themselves were almost all destroyed, and the whole city most horribly afflicted for the space almost of three hundred years.
For first, the same Tiberius, who, for a great part of his reign, was a moderate and a tolerable prince, afterward was to them a sharp and heavy tyrant, who neither favoured his own mother, nor spared his nephews nor the princes of the city, such as were his own counsellors, of whom, being of the number of twenty, he left not past two or three alive. Suetonius reporteth him to be so stern of nature, and tyrannical, that in one day he recordeth twenty persons to be drawn to the place of execution. In whose reign through the just punishment of God, Pilate, under whom Christ was crucified, was apprehended and sent to Rome, deposed, then banished to the town of Vienne in Dauphiny, and at length did slay himself. Agrippa the elder, also, by him was cast into prison, albeit afterward he was restored.
After the death of Tiberius, succeeded Caligula, Claudius Nero and Domitius Nero ; which three were likewise scourges to the Senate and people of Rome. The first commanded himself to be worshipped as god, and temples to be erected in his name, and used to sit in the temple among the gods, requiring his images to be set up in all
B 3
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
temples, and also in the temple of Jerusalem ; which caused great disturbance among the Jews, and then began the abomination of desolation spoken of in the Gospel to be set up in the holy place. His cruelty of disposition, or else displeasure towards the Romans, was such that he wished that all the people of Rome had but one neck, that he, at his pleasure, might destroy such a multitude. By this said Caligula, Herod Antipas, the murderer of John Baptist and condemner of Christ, was con- demned to perpetual banishment, where he died miserably. Caiaphas also, who wickedly sat upon Christ, was the same time removed from the high priest's room, and Jonathan set in his place.
The raging fierceness of this Caligula had not thus ceased, had not he been cut off by the hands of a tribune and other gentlemen, who slew him in the fourth year of his reign. After whose death were found in his closet two small books, one called the Sword, the other the Dagger : in which books were contained the names of those senators and noblemen of Rome, whom he had purposed to put to death. Besides this Sword and Dagger, there was found also a coffer, wherein divers kinds of poisons were kept in glasses and vessels, for the purpose of destroying a wonderful number of people ; which poisons, afterward being thrown into the sea, destroyed a great number of fish.
But that which this Caligula had only conceived, the same did the other two, which came after, bring to pass ; namely, Claudius Nero, who reigned thirteen years with no little cruelty ; but especially the third of these Neros, called Domitius Nero, who, succeeding after Claudius, reigned fourteen
4
NERO'S BURNING OF ROME
years with such fury and tyranny that he slew the most part of the senators and destroyed the whole order of knighthood in Rome. So prodigious a monster of nature was he (more like a beast, yea rather a devil than a man), that he seemed to be born to the destruction of men. Such was his wretched cruelty, that he caused to be put to death his mother, his brother-in-law, his sister, his wife and his instructors, Seneca and Lucan. Moreover, he commanded Rome to be set on fire in twelve places, and so continued it six days and seven nights in burning, while that he, to see the example how Troy burned, sang the verses of Homer. And to avoid the infamy thereof, he laid the fault upon the Christian men, and caused them to be persecuted.
And so continued this miserable emperor till at last the senate, proclaiming him a public enemy unto mankind, condemned him to be drawn through the city, and to be whipped to death ; for the fear whereof, he, flying the hands of his enemies, in the night fled to a manor of his servant's in the country, where he was forced to slay himself, complaining that he had then neither friend nor enemy left, that would do so much for him.
The Jews, in the year threescore and ten, about forty years after the passion of Christ, were destroyed by Titus, and Vespasian his father, (who succeeded after Nero in the empire) to the number of eleven hundred thousand, besides those which Vespasian slew in subduing the country of Galilee. They were sold and sent into Egypt and other provinces to vile slavery, to the number of seventeen thousand; two thousand were brought with Titus in his triumph; of whom, part he gave to be
5
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
devoured of the wild beasts, part otherwise most cruelly were slain.
As I have set forth the justice of God upon these Roman persecutors, so now we declare their persecu- tions raised up against the people and servants of Christ, within the space of three hundred years; which persecutions in number commonly are counted to be ten, besides the persecutions first moved by the Jews, in Jerusalem and other places, against the apostles. After the martyrdom of Stephen, suffered next James the holy apostle of Christ, and brother of John. ' When this James,' saith Clement, 4 was brought to the tribunal seat, he that brought him and was the cause of his trouble, seeing him to be condemned and that he should suffer death, was in such sort moved therewith in heart and conscience that as he went to the execution he confessed himself also, of his own accord, to be a Christian. And so were they led forth together, where in the way he desired of James to forgive him what he had done. After that James had a little paused with himself upon the matter, turning to him he saith " Peace be to thee, brother ; " and kissed him. And both were beheaded together, a.d. 36.'
Thomas preached to the Parthians, Medes and Persians, also to the Carmanians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians and Magians. He suffered in Calamina, a city of India, being slain with a dart. Simon, who was brother to Jude, and to James the younger, who all were the sons of Mary Cleophas and of Alpheus, was Bishop of Jerusalem after James, and was crucified in a city of Egypt in the time of Trajan the emperor. Simon the apostle, called Cananeus and Zelotes, preached in Mauritania, and
6
THE BOLDNESS OF ANDREW
in the country of Africa, and in Britain: he was likewise crucified.
Mark, the evangelist and first Bishop of Alexandria, preached the Gospel in Egypt, and there, drawn with ropes unto the fire, was burnt and afterwards buried in a place called there 'Bucolus,' under the reign of Trajan the emperor. Bartholomew is said also to have preached to the Indians, and to have translated the Gospel of St Matthew into their tongue. At last in Albinopolis, a city of greater Armenia, after divers persecutions, he was beaten down with staves, then crucified ; and after, being excoriate, he was beheaded.
Of Andrew the apostle and brother to Peter, thus writeth Jerome. 'Andrew did preach, in the year fourscore of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Scythians and Sogdians, to the Sacse, and in a city which is called Sebastopolis, where the Ethiopians do now inhabit. He was buried in Patrse, a city of Achaia, being crucified by iEgeas, the governor of the Edessenes.' Bernard, and St Cyprian, do make mention of the confession and martyrdom of this blessed apostle ; whereof partly out of these, partly out of other credible writers, we have collected after this manner: When Andrew, through his diligent preaching, had brought many to the faith of Christ, iEgeas the governor, knowing this, resorted to Patras, to the intent he might constrain as many as did believe Christ to be God, by the whole consent of the senate, to do sacrifice unto the idols, and so give divine honours unto them. Andrew, thinking good at the beginning to resist the wicked counsel and the doings of iEgeas, went unto him, saying to this effect unto him :
7
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
was judge of men, first to know his Judge which dwelleth in heaven, and then to worship Him being known ; and so, in worshipping the true God, to revoke his mind from false gods and blind idols.' These words spake Andrew to the proconsul.
But iEgeas, greatly therewith discontented, de- manded of him, whether he was the same Andrew that did overthrow the temple of the gods, and persuade men to be of that superstitious sect which the Romans of late had commanded to be abolished and rejected. Andrew did plainly affirm that the princes of the Romans did not understand the truth and that the Son of God, coming from heaven into the world for man's sake, hath taught and declared how those idols, whom they ~o honoured as gods, were not only not gods, but also most cruel devils ; enemies to mankind, teaching the people nothing else but that wherewith God is offended, and, being offended, turneth away and regardeth them not ; and so by the wicked service of the devil, they do fall headlong into all wickedness, and, after their depart- ing, nothing remaineth unto them, but their evil deeds.
But the proconsul charged and commanded Andrew not to teach and preach such things any more ; or, if he did, he should be fastened to the cross with all speed.
Andrew, abiding in his former mind very constant, answered thus concerning the punishment which he threatened : ' He would not have preached the honour and glory of the cross, if he had feared the death of the cross.' Whereupon sentence of con- demnation was pronounced ; that Andrew, teaching and enterprising a new sect, and taking away the religion of their gods, ought to be crucified.
A LOVER OF THE CROSS
Andrew, going toward the place, and seeing afar off the cross prepared, did change neither countenance nor colour, neither did his blood shrink, neither did he fail in his speech, his body fainted not, neither was his mind molested, nor did his under- standing fail him, as it is the manner of men to do, but out of the abundance of his heart his mouth did speak, and fervent charity did appear in his words as kindled sparks ; he said, ' O cross, most welcome and long looked for ! with a willing mind, joyfully and desirously, I come to thee, being the scholar of Him which did hang on thee : because I have always been thy lover, and have coveted to embrace thee.'
Matthew, otherwise named Levi, first of a publican made an apostle, wrote his Gospel to the Jews in the Hebrew tongue. After he had con- verted to the faith ^Ethiopia and all Egypt, Hircanus, their king, sent one to run him through with a spear.
Philip, the holy apostle, after he had much laboured among the barbarous nations in preaching the word of salvation to them, at length suffered, in Hierapolis, a city of Phrygia, being there crucified and stoned to death ; where also he was buried, and his daughters also with him.1
Of James, the brother of the Lord, thus we read :
James, took in hand to govern the Church with the apostles, being counted of all men, from the time of our Lord, to be a just and perfect man. He drank no wine nor any strong drink, neither did he eat any animal food ; the razor never came upon his
1 It should be understood that the accounts of the martyrdoms of apostles are mainly traditional.
9
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
head. To him only was it lawful to enter into the holy place, for he was not clothed with woollen, but with linen only ; and he used to enter into the temple alone, and there, falling upon his knees, ask remission for the people ; so that his knees, by oft kneeling (for worshipping God, and craving forgive- ness for the people), lost the sense of feeling, being benumbed and hardened like the knees of a camel. He was, for the excellency of his just life, called ' The Just,' and, 6 the safeguard of the people.'
When many therefore of their chief men did believe, there was a tumult made of the Jews, Scribes and Pharisees, saying ; There is danger, lest all the people should look for this Jesus, as the Christ. Therefore they gathered themselves together, and said to James, ' We beseech thee restrain the people, for they believe in Jesus, as though he were Christ ; we pray thee persuade all them which come unto the feast of the passover to think rightly of Jesus ; for we all give heed to thee, and all the people do testify of thee that thou art just, and that thou dost not accept the person of any man. Therefore persuade the people that they be not deceived about Jesus, for all the people and we ourselves are ready to obey thee. Therefore stand upon the pinnacle of the temple, that thou mayest be seen above, and that thy words may be heard of all the people ; for all the tribes with many Gentiles are come together for the passover.'
And thus the forenamed Scribes and Pharisees did set James upon the battlements of the temple, and they cried unto him, and said, 4 Thou just man, whom we all ought to obey, this people is going astray after Jesus which is crucified.'
10
A TRUE WITNESS FOR CHRIST
And he answered with a loud voice, ' Why do you ask me of Jesus the Son of Man ? He sitteth on the right hand of the Most High, and shall come in the clouds of heaven.'
Whereupon many were persuaded and glorified God, upon this witness of James, and said, i Hosannah to the Son of David.'
Then the Scribes and the Pharisees said among themselves, 'We have done evil, that we have caused such a testimony of Jesus ; let us go up, and throw him down, that others, being moved with fear, may deny that faith.' And they cried out, saying, 6 Oh, oh, this just man also is seduced.' Therefore they went up to throw down the just man. Yet he was not killed by the fall, but, turn- ing, fell upon his knees, saying, cO Lord God, Father, I beseech thee to forgive them, for they know not what they do.' And they said among themselves, 'Let us stone the just man, James;' and they took him to smite him with stones. But while they were smiting him with stones, a priest, said to them, 'Leave off, what do ye? The just man prayeth for you.' And one of those who were present, a fuller, took an instrument, wherewith they did use to beat and purge cloth, and smote the just man on his head ; and so he finished his testimony. And they buried him in the same place. He was a true witness for Christ to the Jews and the Gentiles.
Now let us comprehend the persecutions raised by the Romans against the Christians in the primitive age of the Church, during the space of three hundred years. Wherein marvellous it is to see and read the numbers incredible of Christian innocents that were tormented and slain. Whose kinds of
1 1
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
punishments, although they were divers, yet the manner of constancy in all these martyrs was one. And yet, notwithstanding the sharpness of these so many and sundry torments, and also the like cruelness of the tormentors, such was the number of these constant saints that suffered, or rather such was the power of the Lord in His saints, that, as Jerome saith, 'There is no day in the whole year unto which the number of five thousand martyrs cannot be ascribed, except only the first day of January.'
The first of these ten persecutions was stirred up by Nero about the year of our Lord threescore and four. The tyrannous rage of which emperor was very fierce against the Christians, ' insomuch that (as Eusebius recordeth) a man might then see cities full of men's bodies, the old there lying together with the young, and the dead bodies of women cast out naked, without all reverence of that sex, in the open streets.' Many there were of the Christians in those days, who, seeing the filthy abominations and intolerable cruelty of Nero, thought that he was antichrist.
In this persecution, among many other saints, the blessed apostle Peter was condemned to death, and crucified, as some do write, at Rome ; albeit some others, and not without cause, do doubt thereof. Hegesippus saith that Nero sought matter against Peter to put him to death ; which, when the people perceived, they entreated Peter with much ado that he would fly the city. Peter, through their importunity at length persuaded, prepared himself to avoid. But, coming to the gate, he saw the Lord Christ come to meet him, to Whom he, worshipping,
12
THE EXECUTION OF PAUL
said, c Lord, whither dost Thou go ? ' To whom He answered and said, 'I am come again to be crucified.' By this, Peter, perceiving his suffering to be understood, returned back into the city. Jerome saith that he was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.
Paul, the apostle, who before was called Saul, after his great travail and unspeakable labours in promoting the Gospel of Christ, suffered also in this first persecution under Nero. Abdias, declareth that unto his execution Nero sent two of his esquires, Ferega and Parthemius, to bring him word of his death. They, coming to Paul instructing the people, desired him to pray for them, that they might believe ; who told them that shortly after they should believe and be baptised at his sepulchre. This done, the soldiers came and led him out of the city to the place of execution, where he, after his prayers made, gave his neck to the sword.
The first persecution ceased under Vespasian who gave some rest to the poor Christians. After whose reign was moved, not long after, the second persecution, by the emperor Domitian, brother of Titus. He, first beginning mildly and modestly, afterward did so far outrage in pride intolerable, that he commanded himself to be worshipped as god, and that images of gold and silver in his honour should be set up in the capitol.
In this persecution, John, the apostle and evangelist, was exiled by the said Domitian into
l3
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
Patmos. After the death of Domitian, he being slain and his acts repealed by the senate, John was released, and came to Ephesus in the year fourscore and seventeen ; where he continued until the time of Trajan, and there governed the churches in Asia, where also he wrote his Gospel ; and so lived till the year after the passion of our Lord, threescore and eight, which was the year of his age about one hundred.
Clement of Alexandria addeth a certain history of the holy apostle, not unworthy to be remembered of such as delight in things honest and profitable. The words be these : When John was returned to Ephesus from the isle of Patmos, he was requested to resort to the places bordering near unto him. Whereupon, when he was come to a certain city, and had comforted the brethren, he beheld a young man robust in body, of a beautiful countenance, and of a fervent mind. Looking earnestly at the newly- appointed bishop, John said : 4 I most solemnly commend this man to thee, in presence here of Christ and of the Church.'
When the bishop had received of him this charge, and had promised his faithful diligence therein, again the second time John spake unto him, and charged him as before. This done, John returned to Ephesus. The bishop, receiving the young man committed to his charge, brought him home, kept him, and nourished him, and at length baptized him ; and after that, he gradually relaxed his care and oversight of him, trusting that he had given him the best safeguard possible in putting the Lord's seal upon him.
The young man thus having his liberty more, it
14
ST JOHN REBUKES THE BISHOP
chanced that certain of his old companions and acquaintances, being idle, dissolute, and hardened in wickedness, did join in company with him, who first invited him to sumptuous and riotous banquets ; then enticed him to go forth with them in the night to rob and steal ; after that he was allured by them unto greater mischief and wickedness. Wherein, by custom of time, and by little and little, he, becoming more expert, and being of a good wit, and a stout courage, like unto a wild or unbroken horse, leaving the right way and running at large without bridle, was carried headlong to the profundity of all misorder and outrage. And thus, utterly forgetting and rejecting the wholesome doctrine of salvation which he had learned before, he entered so far in the way of perdition, that he cared not how much further he proceeded in the same. And so, associating unto him a band of companions and fellow thieves, he took upon himself to be as head and captain among them, in committing all kind of murder and felony.
It chanced that John was sent for to those quarters again, and came. Meeting the bishop afore specified, he requireth of him the pledge, which, in the presence of Christ and of the congregation then present, he left in his hands to keep. The bishop, something amazed at the words of John, supposing he had meant them of some money committed to his custody, which he had not received (and yet durst not mistrust John, nor contrary his words), could not tell what to answer. Then John, perceiv- ing his perplexity, and uttering his meaning more plainly: 4 The young man,' saith he, 'and the soul of our brother committed to your custody, I do
!5
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
require.' Then the bishop, with a loud voice sorrowing and weeping, said, 1 He is dead.' To whom John said, ' How, and by what death ? ' The other said, i He is dead to God, for he became an evil and abandoned man, and at length a robber. And now he doth frequent the mountain instead of the Church, with a company of villains and thieves, like unto himself.'
Here the apostle rent his garments, and, with a great lamentation, said, 'A fine keeper of his brother's soul I left here ! get me a horse, and let me have a guide with me : ' which being done, his horse and man procured, he hasted from the Church, and coming to the place, was taken of thieves that lay on the watch. But he, neither flying nor refus- ing, said, 4 1 came hither for the purpose : lead me,' said he, 4 to your captain.' So he being brought, the captain all armed fiercely began to look upon him ; and eftsoons coming to the knowledge of him, was stricken with confusion and shame, and began to fly. But the old man followed him as much as he might, forgetting his age, and crying, ' My son, why dost thou fly from thy father? an armed man from one naked, a young man from an old man? Have pity on me, my son, and fear not, for there is yet hope of salvation. I will make answer for thee unto Christ ; I will die for thee, if need be ; as Christ hath died for us, I will give my life for thee ; believe me, Christ hath sent me.'
He, hearing these things, first, as in a maze, stood still, and therewith his courage was abated. After that he had cast down his weapons, by and by he trembled, yea, and wept bitterly ; and, coming to the old man, embraced him, and spake unto him
16
WHY THEY WERE PERSECUTED
with weeping (as well as he could), being even then baptized afresh with tears, only his right hand being hid and covered.
Then the apostle, after that he had promised that he should obtain remission of our Saviour, prayed, falling down upon his knees, and kissing his murderous right hand (which for shame he durst not show before) as now purged through repentance, and brought him back to the Church. And when he had prayed for him with continual prayer and daily fastings, and had comforted and confirmed his mind with many sentences, he left him restored to the Church again; a great example of sincere penitence and proof of regeneration, and a trophy of the future resurrection.
The causes why the Roman emperors did so persecute the Christians were chiefly these — fear and hatred.
First, fear, for that the emperors and senate, of blind ignorance, not knowing the manner of Christ's kingdom, feared and misdoubted lest the same would subvert their empery; and therefore sought they all means possible, how, by death and all kinds of torments, utterly to extinguish the name and memory of the Christians.
Secondly, hatred, partly for that this world, of its own natural condition, hath ever hated and maliced the people of God, from the first beginning of the world. Partly again, for that the Christians being of a contrary nature and religion, serving only the true living God, despised their false gods, spake against their idolatrous worshippings, and many times stopped the power of Satan working in their idols : and therefore Satan, the prince of this world,
*7
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
stirred up the Roman princes and blind idolaters to bear the more hatred and spite against them. Whatsoever mishappened to the city or provinces of Rome, either famine, pestilence, earthquake, wars, wonders, unseasonableness of weather, or what other evils soever, it was imputed to the Christians.
The tyrants and organs of Satan were not con- tented with death only, to bereave the life from the body. The kinds of death were divers, and no less horrible than divers. Whatsoever the cruelness of man's invention could devise for the punishment of man's body, was practised against the Christians — stripes and scourgings, drawings, tearings, stonings, plates of iron laid unto them burning hot, deep dungeons, racks, strangling in prisons, the teeth of wild beasts, gridirons, gibbets and gallows, tossing upon the horns of bulls. Moreover, when they were thus killed, their bodies were laid in heaps, and dogs there left to keep them, that no man might come to bury them, neither would any prayer obtain them to be interred.
And yet, notwithstanding all these continual persecutions and horrible punishments, the Church daily increased, deeply rooted in the doctrine of the apostles and of men apostolical, and watered plenteously with the blood of saints.
In the third persecution Pliny the second, a man learned and famous, seeing the lamentable slaughter of Christians, and moved therewith to pity, wrote to Traj an, certifying him that there were many thousands of them daily put to death, of which none did any thing contrary to the Roman laws worthy persecu- tion.
18
LONGING FOR MARTYRDOM
or error (whichever it is to be called) amounted only to this,' — viz. that they were accustomed on a stated day to meet before day-light, and to repeat together a set form of prayer to Christ as a God, and to bind themselves by an obligation — not indeed to commit wickedness ; but, on the contrary, — never to commit theft, robbery or adultery, never to falsify their word, never to defraud any man : after which it was their custom to separate, and reassemble to partake in common of a harmless meal.'
In this persecution, suffered the blessed martyr, Ignatius, who is had in famous reverence among very many. This Ignatius was appointed to the bishopric of Antioch next after Peter in succession. Some do say, that he, being sent from Syria to Rome, because he professed Christ, was given to the wild beasts to be devoured. It is also said of him, that when he passed through Asia, being under the most strict custody of his keepers, he strengthened and confirmed the churches through all the cities as he went, both with his exhortations and preaching of the Word of God. Accordingly, having come to Smyrna, he wrote to the church at Rome, ex- horting them not to use means for his deliverance from martyrdom, lest they should deprive him of that which he most longed and hoped for. 6 Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing, of visible or invisible things, so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil, come upon me ; be it so, only may I win Christ Jesus ! ' And even when he was sentenced to be thrown to the beasts, such was c 19
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
the burning desire that he had to suffer, that he spake, what time he heard the lions roaring, saying, f I am the wheat of Christ : I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread.'
After the decease of the quiet and mild prince Antoninus Pius followed his son Marcus Aurelius, about the year of our Lord 161, a man of nature more stern and severe ; and, although in study of philosophy and in civil government no less commend- able, yet, toward the Christians sharp and fierce ; by whom was moved the fourth persecution.
In the time of the same Marcus a great number of them which truly professed Christ suffered most cruel torments and punishments, among whom was Polycarp, the worthy bishop of Smyrna. Of whose end and martyrdom I thought it here not inexpedient to commit to history so much as Eusebius declareth to be taken out of a certain letter or epistle, written by them of his (Polycarp's) own church to all the brethren throughout the world.
Three days before he was apprehended, as he was praying at night, he fell asleep, and saw in a dream the pillow take fire under his head, and presently consumed. Waking thereupon, he forth- with related the vision to those about him, and prophesied that he should be burnt alive for Christ's sake. When the persons who were in search of him were close at hand, he was induced, for the love of the brethren, to retire to another village, to which, notwithstanding, the pursuers soon followed him ; and having caught a couple of boys dwelling thereabout, they whipped one of them till he directed them to Polycarp's retreat. The pursuers
20
THE BOLDNESS OF POLYCARP
having arrived late in the day, found him gone to bed in the top room of the house, whence he might have escaped into another house, if he would ; but this he refused to do, saying, ' The will of the Lord be done.'
Hearing that they were come, he came down, and spoke to them with a cheerful and pleasant countenance : so that they were wonder-struck, who, having never known the man before, now beheld his venerable age and the gravity and composure of his manner, and wondered why they should be so earnest for the apprehension of so old a man. He immediately ordered a table to be laid for them, and exhorted them to eat heartily, and begged them to allow him one hour to pray without molestation ; which being granted, he rose and began to pray, and was so full of the grace of God, that they who were present and heard his prayers were astonished, and many now felt sorry that so venerable and godly a man should be put to death.
When he had finished his prayers, wherein he made mention of all whom he had ever been connected with, small and great, noble and vulgar, and of the whole catholic Church throughout the world, the hour being come for their departure, they set him on an ass and brought him to the city. There met him the irenarch Herod, and his father Nicetes, who taking him up into their chariot, began to exhort him, saying, 'What harm is it to say " Lord Caesar," and to sacrifice, and save yourself? ' At first he was silent : but being pressed to speak, he said, ' I will not do as you advise me.' When they saw that he was not to be persuaded, they gave him rough language, and pushed him
21
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
hastily down, so that in descending from the chariot he grazed his shin. But he, unmoved as if he had suffered nothing, went on cheerfully, under the conduct of his guards, to the Stadium. There, the noise being so great that few could hear anything, a voice from heaven said to Polycarp as he entered the Stadium, 4 Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.' No one saw him that spake, but many people heard the voice. When he was brought to the tribunal, there was a great tumult as soon as it was generally understood that Polycarp was apprehended. The proconsul asked him, if he were Polycarp. When he assented, the former counselled him to deny Christ, saying, 'Consider thyself, and have pity on thy own great age ' ; and many other such-like speeches which they are wont to make : — ' Swear by the fortune of Caesar ' — 'Repent ' — ' Say, " Away with the atheists." '
Then Polycarp, with a grave aspect, beholding all the multitude in the Stadium, and waving his hand to them, gave a deep sigh, and, looking up to heaven, said, 'Take away the atheists.'
The proconsul then urged him, saying, ' Swear, and I will release thee ; — reproach Christ.'
Polycarp answered, ' Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never once wronged me ; how then shall I blaspheme my King, Who hath saved me?'
The proconsul again urged him, ' Swear by the fortune of Caesar.'
Polycarp replied, ' Since you still vainly strive to make me swear by the fortune of Caesar, as you express it, affecting ignorance of my real character, hear me frankly declaring what I am — I am a
22
THE VISION ACCOMPLISHED
Christian — and if you desire to learn the Christian doctrine, assign me a day, and you shall hear.'
Hereupon the proconsul said, 4 1 have wild beasts ; and I will expose you to them, unless Jyou repent.'
* Call for them,' replied Polycarp ; 4 for repentance with us is a wicked thing, if it is to be a change from the better to the worse, but a good thing if it is to be a change from evil to good.'
4 1 will tame thee with fire,' said the proconsul, 4 since you despise the wild beasts, unless you repent.'
Then said Polycarp, 4 You threaten me with fire, which burns for an hour, and is soon extinguished ; but the fire of the future judgment, and of eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly, you are ignorant of. But why do you delay ? Do what- ever you please.'
The proconsul sent the herald to proclaim thrice in the middle of the Stadium, 4 Polycarp hath professed himself a Christian.' Which words were no sooner spoken, but the whole multitude, both of Gentiles and Jews, dwelling at Smyrna, with outrageous fury shouted aloud, 4 This is the doctor of Asia, the father of the Christians, and the subverter of our gods, who hath taught many not to sacrifice nor adore.' They now called on Philip, the asiarch, to let loose a lion against Polycarp. But he refused, alleging that he had closed his exhibition. They then unanimously shouted, that he should be burnt alive. For his vision must needs be accomplished — the vision which he had when he was praying, and saw his pillow burnt. The people immediately gathered wood and other dry matter from the workshops and baths : in which
*3
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
service the Jews (with their usual malice) were particularly forward to help.
When they would have fastened him to the stake, he said, ' Leave me as I am; for he who giveth me strength to sustain the fire, will enable me also, without your securing me with nails, to remain without flinching in the pile.' Upon which they bound him without nailing him. So he said thus: — 'O Father, I bless thee that thou hast counted me worthy to receive my portion among the number of martyrs.'
As soon as he had uttered the word ' Amen,' the officers lighted the fire. The flame, forming the appearance of an arch, as the sail of a vessel filled with wind, surrounded, as with a wall, the body of the martyr ; which was in the midst, not as burning flesh, but as gold and silver refining in the furnace. We received also in our nostrils such a fragrance as proceeds from frankincense or some other precious perfume. At length the wicked people, observing that his body could not be consumed with the fire, ordered the confector to approach, and to plunge his sword into his body. Upon this such a quantity of blood gushed out, that the fire was extinguished. But the envious, malignant, and spiteful enemy of the just studied to prevent us from obtaining his poor body. For some persons suggested to Nicetes, to go to the proconsul, and entreat him not to deliver the body to the Christians, 'lest,' said they, 'leaving the crucified one, they should begin to worship html And they said these things upon the suggestions and arguments of the Jews, who also watched us when we were going to take the body from the
24
A NOBLE WOMAN
pile. The centurion, perceiving the malevolence of the Jews, placed the body in the midst of the fire and burned it. Then we gathered up his bones — more precious than gold and jewels — and deposited them in a proper place.
In the same persecution suffered the glorious and most constant martyrs of Lyons and Vienne, two cities in France ; giving a glorious testimony, and to all Christian men a spectacle or example of singular fortitude in Christ our Saviour. Their history is set forth by their own churches, where they did suffer: —
The whole fury of the multitude, the governor, and the soldiers, was spent on Sanctus of Vienne, the deacon, and on Maturus, a late convert indeed, but a magnanimous wrestler in spiritual things ; and on Attalus of Pergamos, a man who had ever been a pillar and support of our church ; and lastly on Blandina, through whom Christ showed that those things that appear unsightly and contemptible among men are most honourable in the presence of God, on account of love to His name exhibited in real energy, and not in boasting and pompous pretences. For — while we all feared, and among the rest while her mistress according to the flesh, who herself was one of the noble army of martyrs, dreaded that she would not be able to witness a good confession, because of the weakness of her body ; — Blandina was endued with so much fortitude, that those who successively tortured her from morning to night were quite worn out with fatigue, owned themselves conquered and exhausted of their whole apparatus of tortures, and were amazed to see her still breathing whilst her body
25 .
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
was torn and laid open. The blessed woman recovered fresh vigour in the act of confession ; and it was an evident annihilation of all her pains, to say — c I am a Christian, and no evil is committed among us.'
Sanctus, having sustained in a manner more than human the most barbarous indignities, while the impious hoped to extort from him something injurious to the Gospel, through the duration and intenseness of his sufferings, resisted with so much firmness, that he would neither tell his own name, nor that of his nation or state, nor whether he was a freeman or a slave ; but to every interrogatory he answered, ' I am a Christian.' This, he repeatedly owned, was to him both name, and country, and family, and everything.
The faithful, while they were dragged along, proceeded with cheerful steps ; their countenances shone with much grace and glory ; their bonds were as the most beautiful ornaments ; and they themselves looked as brides adorned with their richest array, breathing the fragrance of Christ. They were put to death in various ways : or, in other words, they wove a chaplet of various odours and flowers, and presented it to the Father.
Maturus, Sanctus, Blandina, and Attalus, were led to the wild beasts into the amphitheatre to be the common spectacle of Gentile inhumanity. They were exposed to all the barbarities which the mad populace with shouts demanded, and above all to the hot iron chair, in which their bodies were roasted and emitted a disgusting smell. These after remaining alive a long time, expired at length.
Blandina, suspended from a stake, was exposed
26
CLOTHED WITH CHRIST
as food to the wild beasts ; she was seen suspended in the form of a cross and employed in vehement supplication. The sight inspired her fellow- combatants with much alacrity, while they beheld with their bodily eyes, in the person of their sister, the figure of Him Who was crucified for them. None of the beasts at that time touched her : she was taken down from the stake and thrown again into prison. Weak and contemptible as she might be deemed, yet when clothed with Christ, the mighty and invincible champion, she became victorious over the enemy in a variety of encounters, and was crowned with immortality.
Attalus also was vehemently demanded by the multitude, for he was a person of great reputation among us. He advanced in all the cheerfulness and serenity of a good conscience ; — an experienced Christian, and ever ready and active in bearing testimony to the truth. He was led round the amphitheatre, and a tablet carried before him, inscribed 1 This is Attalus the Christian.' The rage of the people would have had him dispatched immediately ; but the governor, understanding that he was a Roman, ordered him back to prison : and concerning him and others, who could plead the same privilege of Roman citizenship, he wrote to the emperor and waited for his instructions. Caesar sent orders that the confessors of Christ should be put to death. Roman citizens had the privilege of dying by decollation ; the rest were exposed to wild beasts.
Now it was that our Redeemer was magnified in those who had apostatized. They were interrogated separate from the rest, as persons soon to be dis-
27
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
missed, and made a confession to the surprise of the Gentiles, and were added to the list of martyrs.
The blessed Blandina, last of all, as a generous mother having exhorted her children, and sent them before her victorious to the king, reviewing the whole series of their sufferings, hastened to undergo the same herself, rejoicing and triumphing in her exit, as if invited to a marriage supper, not as one going to be exposed to wild beasts. After she had endured stripes, the tearing of the beasts, and the iron chair, she was enclosed in a net, and thrown to a bull; and having been tossed some time by the animal, and proving quite superior to her pains, through the influence of hope, and the realising view of the objects of her faith and her fellowship with Christ, she at length breathed out her soul.
Now let us enter the story of that most constant and courageous martyr of Christ, St Lawrence, whose words and works deserve to be as fresh and green in Christian hearts, as is the flourishing laurel- tree. This thirsty hart, longing after the water of life, desirous to pass unto it through the strait door of bitter death, when on a time he saw his vigilant shepherd Sixtus, Bishop of Rome, led as a harmless lamb, of harmful tyrants, to his death, cried out with open mouth and heart invincible, saying, ' O dear father ! whither goest thou, without the company of thy dear son ? What crime is there in me that offendeth thy fatherhood ? Hast thou proved me unnatural ? Now try, sweet father, whether thou hast chosen a faithful minister or not? Deniest thou unto him the fellowship of thy blood ? ' These words with tears Saint Lawrence uttered, not because his master should suffer, but
28
THE CHURCH'S TRUE TREASURE
because he might not be suffered to taste of death's cup which he thirsted after.
Then Sixtus to his son shaped this answer : 1 I forsake thee not, O my son, I give thee to wit, that a sharper conflict remaineth for thee. A feeble and weak old man am I, and therefore run the race of a lighter and easier death : but lusty and young art thou, and more lustily, yea more gloriously, shalt thou triumph over this tyrant. Thy time approacheth ; cease to weep and lament ; three days after thou shalt follow me. Why cravest thou to be partaker with me in my passion? I bequeath unto thee the whole inheritance.'
Let us draw near to the fire of martyred Lawrence, that our cold hearts may be warmed thereby. The merciless tyrant, understanding him to be not only a minister of the sacraments, but a distributor also of the Church riches, promised to himself a double prey, by the apprehension of one soul. First, with the rake of avarice to scrape to himself the treasure of poor Christians ; then with the fiery fork of tyranny, so to toss and turmoil them, that they should wax weary of their pro- fession. With furious face and cruel countenance, the greedy wolf demanded where this Lawrence had bestowed the substance of the church : who, craving three day's respite, promised to declare where the treasure might be had. In the meantime, he caused a good number of poor Christians to be congregated. So, when the day of his answer was come, the persecutor strictly charged him to stand to his promise. Then valiant Lawrence, stretching out his arms over the poor, said : 4 These are the precious treasure of the church; these are the
29
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
treasure indeed, in whom the faith of Christ reigneth, in whom Jesus Christ hath His mansion- place. What more precious jewels can Christ have, than those in whom He hath promised to dwell? For so it is written, " I was hungry and ye gave me to eat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink ; I was harbourless and ye lodged me." And again ; " Look, what ye have done to the least of these, the same have ye done to me." What greater riches can Christ our Master possess, than the poor people, in whom He loveth to be seen ? '
O, what tongue is able to express the fury and madness of the tyrant's heart! Now he stamped, he stared, he ramped, he fared as one out of his wits : his eyes like fire glowed, his mouth like a boar foamed, his teeth like a hellhound grinned. Now, not a reasonable man, but a roaring lion, he might be called.
4 Kindle the fire (he cried) — of wood make no spare. Hath this villain deluded the emperor? Away with him, away with him : whip him with scourges, jerk him with rods, buffet him with fists, brain him with clubs. Jesteth the traitor with the emperor? Pinch him with fiery tongs, gird him with burning plates, bring out the strongest chains, and the fire-forks, and the grated bed of iron : on the fire with it ; bind the rebel hand and foot ; and when the bed is fire-hot, on with him : roast him, broil him, toss him, turn him : on pain of our high displeasure do every man his office, O ye tor- mentors/
The word was no sooner spoken, but all was done. After many cruel handlings, this meek lamb was laid, I will not say on his fiery bed of iron, but
3°
HARBOURING A CHRISTIAN
on his soft bed of down. So mightily God wrought with his martyr Lawrence, so miraculously God tempered His element the fire ; not a bed of consuming pain, but a pallet of nourishing rest was it unto Lawrence.
Alban was the first martyr that ever in England suffered death for the name of Christ. At what time Dioclesian and Maximian the emperors had directed out their letters with all severity for the persecuting of the Christians, Alban, being then an infidel, received into his house a certain clerk, flying from the persecutors' hands, whom when Alban beheld continually, both day and night, to persevere in watching and prayer, suddenly by the great mercy of God he began to imitate the example of his faith and virtuous life ; whereupon, by little and little, he being instructed by his wholesome exhortation, and leaving the blindness of his idolatry, became at length a perfect Christian.
And when the aforenamed clerk had lodged with him a certain time, it was informed the wicked prince, that this good man and confessor of Christ (not yet condemned to death) was harboured in Alban's house, or very near unto him. Whereupon immediately he gave in charge to the soldiers to make more diligent inquisition of the matter. As soon as they came to the house of Alban he, putting on the apparel wherewith his guest and master was apparelled, offered himself in the stead of the other to the soldiers ; who, binding him, brought him forthwith to the judge.
It fortuned that at that instant when blessed Alban was brought unto the judge, they found the same judge at the altars offering sacrifice unto
3i
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
devils, who, as soon as he saw Alban, was straight- ways in a great rage, for that he would presume of his own voluntary will to offer himself to peril, and give himself a prisoner to the soldiers, for safeguard of his guest whom he harboured ; wherefore he commanded him to be brought before the images of the devils whom he worshipped, saying : 4 For that thou hadst rather hide and convey away a rebel, than deliver him to the officers, that (as a contemner of our gods) he might suffer punishment of his blasphemy ; what punishment he should have had, thou for him shalt suffer the same, if I perceive thee any whit to revolt from our manner of wor- shipping.' But blessed Alban, who of his own accord had betrayed to the persecutors that he was a Christian, feared not at all the menaces of the prince ; but being armed with the spiritual armour, openly pronounced that he would not obey his commandment.
Then said the judge, 4 Of what stock or kindred art thou come ? ' Alban answered, 4 What is that to you, of what stock I come ? If you desire to hear the verity of my religion, I do you to wit, that I am a Christian, and apply myself altogether to that calling.' Then said the judge, 4 1 would know thy name, and see thou tell me the same without delay.' Then said he, 4 My parents named me Alban, and I worship the true and living God, Who created all the world.' Then said the judge, fraught with fury, lIf thou wilt enjoy the felicity of prolonged life, do sacrifice (and that out of hand) to the mighty gods.' Alban replieth, 4 These sacrifices which ye offer unto devils, can neither help them that offer the same, neither yet can they accomplish the
32
THE WOLVES AND THE FLOCK
desires and prayers of their suppliants.' The judge, when he heard these words, was passing angry, and commanded the tormentors to whip this holy confessor of God, endeavouring to overcome with stripes the constancy of his heart against which he had prevailed nothing with words. And he was cruelly beaten, yet suffered he the same patiently, nay rather joyfully, for the Lord's sake. Then when the judge saw that he would not with torments be overcome, nor be seduced from the Christian religion, he commanded him to be beheaded.
Now from England to return unto other countries where persecution did more vehemently rage.
Pitiless Galerius with his grand prefect Asclepiades invaded the city of Antioch, intending by force of arms to drive all Christians to renounce utterly their pure religion. The Christians were at that time congregated together, to whom one Romanus hastily ran, declaring that the wolves were at hand which would devour the Christian flock; 'But fear not,' said he, 4 neither let this imminent peril disturb you, my brethren.' Brought was it to pass, by the great grace of God working in Romanus, that old men and matrons, fathers and mothers, young men and maidens, were all of one will and mind, most ready to shed their blood in defence of their Christian profession.
Word was brought unto the prefect, that the band of armed soldiers was not able to wrest the staff of faith out of the hand of the armed congrega- tion, and all by reason that Romanus so mightily did encourage them, that they stuck not to offer their naked throats, wishing gloriously to die for the
33
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
name of their Christ. i Seek out that rebel,' quoth the prefect, 'and bring him to me, that he may- answer for the whole sect.' Apprehended he was, and, bound as a sheep appointed to the slaughter- house, was presented to the emperor, who, with wrathful countenance beholding him, said : ' What ! art thou the author of this sedition ? Art thou the cause why so many shall lose their lives ? By the gods I swear thou shalt smart for it, and first in thy flesh shalt thou suffer the pains whereunto thou hast encouraged the hearts of thy fellows/
Romanus answered, 'Thy sentence, O prefect, I joyfully embrace; I refuse not to be sacrificed for my brethren, and that by as cruel means as thou mayest invent : and whereas thy soldiers were repelled from the Christian congregation, that so happened, because it lay not in idolaters and wor- shippers of devils, to enter into the holy house of God, and to pollute the place of true prayer.'
Then Asclepiades, wholly inflamed with this stout answer, commanded him to be trussed up, and his bowels drawn out. The executioners themselves more pitiful at heart than the prefect, said, ' Not so, sir, this man is of noble parentage ; unlawful it is to put a nobleman to so unnoble a death.' ' Scourge him then with whips,' quoth the prefect, 'with knaps of lead at the ends.' Instead of tears, sighs, and groans, Romanus sang psalms all the time of his whipping, requiring them not to favour him for nobility's sake. ' Not the blood of my progenitors,' said he, ' but Christian profession maketh me noble.' The wholesome words of the martyr were as oil to the fire of the prefect's fury. The more the martyr spake, the madder was he, insomuch that he com-
34
GAPING WOUNDS THAT PREACHED
manded the martyr's sides to be lanced with knives, until the bones appeared white again.
The second time Romanus preached the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ His well-beloved Son, and eternal life through faith in His blood, Asclepiades commanded the tormentors to strike Romanus on the mouth, that his teeth being stricken out, his pronunciation at leastwise might be impaired. The commandment was obeyed, his face buffeted, his eyelids torn with their nails, his cheeks scotched with knives ; the skin of his beard was plucked by little and little from the flesh ; finally, his seemly face was wholly defaced. The meek martyr said, 'I thank thee, O prefect, that thou hast opened unto me many mouths, whereby I may preach my Lord and Saviour Christ. Look ; how many wounds I have, so many mouths I have lauding and praising God.'
The prefect astonished with this singular con- stancy, commanded them to cease from the tortures. He threateneth cruel fire, he revileth the noble martyr, he blasphemeth God, saying, 'Thy crucified Christ is but a yesterday's God ; the gods of the Gentiles are of most antiquity.'
Here again Romanus, taking good occasion, made a long oration of the eternity of Christ, of His human nature, of the death and satisfaction of Christ for all mankind. Which done, he said, 'Give me a child, O prefect, but seven years of age, which age is free from malice and other vices wherewith riper age is commonly infected, and thou shalt hear what he will say.' His request was granted.
A little boy was called out of the multitude, and D 35
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
set before him. 4 Tell me, my babe,' quoth the martyr, 'whether thou think it reason that we should worship one Christ, and in Christ one Father, or else that we worship many gods ? '
Unto whom the babe answered, 'That certainly (whatsoever it be) which men affirm to be God, must needs be one ; and that which pertains to that one, is unique : and inasmuch as Christ is unique, of necessity Christ must be the true God ; for that there be many gods, we children cannot believe.'
The prefect hereat clean amazed, said, 'Thou young villain and traitor, where, and of whom learnedst thou this lesson ? '
' Of my mother,' quoth the child, ' with whose milk I sucked in this lesson, that I must believe in Christ.' The mother was called, and she gladly appeared. The prefect commanded the child to be hoisted up and scourged. The pitiful beholders of this pitiless act, could not temper themselves from tears : the joyful and glad mother alone stood by with dry cheeks. Yea, she rebuked her sweet babe for craving a draught of cold water: she charged him to thirst after the cup that the infants of Bethlehem once drank of, forgetting their mothers' milk and paps ; she willed him to remember little Isaac, who, beholding the sword wherewith, and the altar whereon, he should be sacrificed, willingly proffered his tender neck to the dint of his father's sword. Whilst this council was in giving, the butcherly tormentor plucked the skin from the crown of his head, hair and all. The mother cried, ' Suffer, my child ! anon thou shalt pass to Him that will adorn thy naked head with a crown of eternal glory.' The mother counselleth, the child is
36
A HEROIC MOTHER
counselled ; the mother encourageth, the babe is encouraged, and receiveth the stripes with smiling countenance.
The prefect perceiving the child invincible, and himself vanquished, committeth the blessed babe to the stinking prison, commanding the torments of Romanus to be renewed and increased, as chief author of this evil.
Thus was Romanus brought forth again to new stripes, the punishments to be renewed and received again upon his old sores. No longer could the tyrant forbear, but needs he must draw nearer to the sentence of death. 'Is it painful to thee,' saith he, 4 to tarry so long alive ? A flaming fire, doubt thou not, shall be prepared for thee by and by, wherein thou and that boy, thy fellow in rebellion, shall be consumed into ashes.' Romanus and the babe were led to execution. When they were come to the place, the tormentors required the child of the mother, for she had taken it up in her arms ; and she, only kissing it, delivered the babe. 1 Farewell/ she said, thou hast entered the kingdom of Christ, there in thy blest estate remember thy mother.' And as the hangman applied his sword to the babe's neck, she sang on this manner :
All laud and praise with heart and voice,
O Lord, we yield to thee : To whom the death of this thy saint,
We know most dear to be.
The innocent's head being cut off, the mother wrapped it up in her garment, and laid it on her breast. On the other side a mighty fire was made,
37
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
whereinto Romanus was cast, whereupon a great storm arose and quenched the lire. The prefect at length being confounded with the fortitude and courage of the martyr, straitly commanded him to be": brought back into the prison, and there to be strangled.
38
THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT
In the beginning of the tenth persecution, Dioclesian, being made emperor, took to him Maximian. These two, governing as emperors together, chose out two other Caesars under them, to wit, Galerius and Constantius, the father of Constantine the Great.
Thus then Uioclesian, reigning with Maximian, in the nineteenth year of his reign began his furious persecution against the Christians, whose reign after the same continued not long. For it pleased God to put such a snaffle in the tyrant's mouth, that within two years after, he caused both him and Maximian to give over their imperial function, and so remain not as emperors any more, but as private persons.
They being now dispossessed, the imperial dominion remained with Constantius and Galerius, which two divided the whole monarchy between them : so that Galerius should govern the east countries, and Constantius the west parts. But Constantius, as a modest prince, refused Italy and Africa, contenting himself with France, Spain, and Britain, refusing the other kingdoms for the trouble- some and difficult government of the same.
Galerius chose to him Maximian and Severus, as Caesars. Likewise Constantius took Constantine his son Caesar under him.
39
THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE
In the meantime, while Galerius with his two Csesars were in Asia, the Roman soldiers set up for their emperor Maxentius, the son of Maximian who had before deposed himself. Against whom Galerius the emperor of the East sent his son Severus, which Severus in the same voyage was slain of Maxentius ; in whose place then Galerius took Licinius.
And these were the emperors and Caesars, who, succeeding after Dioclesian and Maximian, prosecuted the rest of that persecution, which Dioclesian and Maximian before began, during near the space of seven or eight years, which was to the year of our Lord 313; save only that Constantius, with his son Constantine, was no great doer therein, but rather a maintainer and a supporter of the Christians.
Which Constantius was a prince, very excellent, civil, meek, gentle, liberal, and desirous to do good unto those that had any private authority under him. And as Cyrus once said, that he got treasure for himself when he made friends rich, even so it is said that Constantius would oftentimes say that it were better that his subjects had the public wealth than he to have it hoarded in his own treasure-house. Also he was by nature sufficed with a little, insomuch that he used to eat and drink in earthen vessels (which thing was counted in Agathocles the Sicilian a great commendation) ; and if at any time cause required to garnish his table, he would send for plate and other furniture to his friends. In consequence of which virtues ensued great peace and tranquillity in all his provinces.
To these virtues he added a yet more worthy ornament, that is, devotion, love, and affection
40
TESTING THE COURTIERS
towards the Word of God. By which Word being guided, he neither levied any wars contrary to piety and Christian religion, neither aided he any others that did the same, neither destroyed he the churches, but commanded that the Christians should be preserved and defended, and kept safe from all contumelious injuries. And when in the othert jurisdictions of the empire the churches were molested with persecution, he alone gave license unto the Christians to live after their accustomed manner.
Constantius minding at a certain time to try what sincere and good Christians he had yet in his court, called together all his officers and servants, feigning himself to choose out such as would do sacrifice to devils, and that those only should dwell there and keep their offices ; and that those who would refuse to do the same, should be thrust out and banished the court. At this appointment, all the courtiers divided themselves into companies : the emperor marked who were the constantest and godliest from the rest. And when some said they would willingly do sacrifice, others openly and boldly refused to do the same ; then the emperor sharply rebuked those who were so ready to do sacrifice, and judged them as false traitors unto God, accounting them unworthy to be in his court, who were such traitors to God ; and forthwith commanded that they only should be banished the same. But greatly he commended those who refused to do sacrifice, and confessed God ; affirming that they only were worthy to be about a prince ; forthwith commanding that thence- forth they should be the trusty counsellors and defenders both of his person and kingdom ; saying
4i •
THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE
thus much more, that they only were worthy to be in office, whom he might make account of as his assured friends, and that he meant to have them in more estimation than the substance he had in his treasury.
Constantius died in the third year of the persecution, in the year of our Lord 306, and was ,buried at York. After whom succeeded Constantine, as a second Moses sent and set up of God, to deliver His people out of their so miserable captivity into liberty most joyful.
He, Constantine, was the good and virtuous child of a good and virtuous father; born in Britain. His mother was named Helena, daughter of king Coilus. He was a most bountiful and gracious prince, having a desire to nourish learning and good arts, and did oftentimes use to read, write, and study himself. He had marvellous good success and prosperous achieving of all things he took in hand, which then was (and truly) supposed to proceed of this, for that he was so great a favourer of the Christian faith. Which faith when he had once embraced, he did ever after most devoutly and religiously reverence.
As touching his natural disposition and wit, he was very eloquent, a good philosopher, and in disputation sharp and ingenious. He was accustomed to say that an emperor ought to refuse no labour for the utility of the common-weal. An empire was given by the determinate purpose of God ; and he to whom it was given, should so employ his diligence, as that he might be thought worthy of the same at the hands of the Giver.
I showed before how Maxentius, the son of Maximian, was set up at Rome by the praetorian
42
MAGIC AND MALICE
soldiers to be emperor. Whereunto the senate, although they were not consenting, yet, for fear, they were not resisting. Maximian his father, who had before deprived himself, hearing of this, took heart again to resume his dignity, and laboured to persuade Dioclesian to do the same : but when he could not move him thereunto, he repaireth to Rome, thinking to wrest the empire out of his son's hands. But when the soldiers would not suffer that, of a crafty purpose he flieth to Constantine in France, under pretence to complain of Maxentius his son, but in very deed to kill Constantine. That con- spiracy being detected by Fausta, the daughter of Maximian, whom Constantine had married, Constantine through the grace of God was preserved, and Maximian retired back: in his flight he was apprehended, and put to death.
Maxentius all this while reigned at Rome with tyranny and wickedness intolerable, much like to another Pharaoh or Nero ; for he slew the most part of his noblemen, and took from them their goods. And sometimes in his rage he would destroy great multitudes of the people of Rome by his soldiers. Also he left no mischievous nor lascivious act unattempted.
He was also much addicted to the art magical, which to execute he was more fit than for the imperial dignity. Often he would invocate devils in a secret manner, and by the answers of them he sought to repel the wars which he knew Constantine prepared against him. And to the end he might the better perpetrate his mischievous and wicked attempts, he feigned himself in the beginning of his reign to be a favourer of the Christians ; and
43 "
THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE
thinking to make the people of Rome his friends, he commanded that they should cease from persecuting the Christians. He himself abstained from no contumelious vexation of them, till that he began at the last to show himself an open persecutor of them.
The citizens and senators of Rome being much grieved and oppressed by the grievous tyranny and unspeakable wickedness of Maxentius sent their complaints with letters unto Constantine, with much suit and most hearty petitions, desiring him to help and release their country and city of Rome ; who, hearing and understanding their miserable and pitiful state, and grieved therewith not a little, first sendeth by letters to Maxentius, desiring and exhorting him to restrain his corrupt doings and great cruelty. But when no letters nor exhortations would prevail, at length, pitying the woful case of the Romans, he gathered together his army in Britain and France, therewith to repress the violent rage of that tyrant.
Thus Constantine, sufficiently appointed with strength of men but especially with strength of God, entered his journey coming towards Italy, which was about the last year of the persecution, 313 a.d. Maxentius, understanding of the coming of Constantine, and trusting more to his devilish art of magic than to the good- will of his subjects, which he little deserved, durst not show himself out of the city, nor encounter him in the open field, but with privy garrisons laid wait for him by the way in sundry straits, as he should come ; with whom Constantine had divers skirmishes, and by the power of the Lord did ever vanquish them and put them to flight.
44
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
Notwithstanding, Constantine yet was in no great comfort, but in great care and dread in his mind (approaching now near unto Rome) for the magical charms and sorceries of Maxentius, wherewith he had vanquished before Severus, sent by Galerius against him. Wherefore, being in great doubt and perplexity in himself, and revolving many things in his mind, what help he might have against the operations of his charming, Constantine, in his journey drawing toward the city, and casting up his eyes many times to heaven, in the south part, about the going down of the sun, saw a great brightness in heaven, appearing in the similitude of a cross, giving this inscription, In hoc vince, that is, 'In this overcome.'
Eusebius Pamphilus doth witness that he had heard the said Constantine himself oftentimes report, and also to swear this to be true and certain, which he did see with his own eyes in heaven, and also his soldiers about him. At the sight whereof when he was greatly astonied, and consulting with his men upon the meaning thereof, behold, in the night season in his sleep, Christ appeared to him with the sign of the same cross which he had seen before, bidding him to make the figuration thereof, and to carry it in his wars before him, and so should he have the victory.
Wherein is to be noted, good reader, that this sign of the cross, and these letters added withal In hoc vince, was given to him of God, not to induce any superstitious worship or opinion of the cross, as though the cross itself had any such power or strength in it, to obtain victory ; but only to bear the meaning of another thing, that is, to be an
45
THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE
admonition to him to seek and inspire to the knowledge and faith of Him Who was crucified upon the cross, for the salvation of him and of all the world, and so to set forth the glory of His name.
The day following this vision, Constantine caused a cross after the same figuration to be made of gold and precious stone, and to be borne before him instead of his standard ; and so with much hope of victory, and great confidence, as one armed from heaven, he speedeth himself toward his enemy. Against whom Maxentius, being constrained perforce to issue out of the city, sendeth all his power to join with him in the field beyond the river Tiber ; where Maxentius, craftily breaking down the Bridge called 1 Pons Milvius,' caused another deceitful bridge to be made of boats and wherries, being joined together and covered over with boards and planks, in manner of a bridge, thinking therewith to take Constantine as in a trap.
But herein came to pass, that which in the seventh Psalm is written. ' He made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made ; his mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate : ' which here in this Maxentius was rightly verified ; for after the two hosts did meet, he, being not able to sustain the force of Constantine fighting under the cross of Christ against him, was put to such a flight, and driven to such an exigence, that, in retiring back upon the same bridge which he did lay for Constantine (for haste, thinking to get the city), he was overturned by the fall of his horse into the bottom of the flood ; and there with the weight of his armour he was drowned : and his
46
A THOUSAND YEARS OF PEACE
host drowned in the Red Sea. Pharaoh not unaptly seemeth to bear a prophetical figuration of this Maxentius.
For as the children of Israel were in long thraldom and persecution in Egypt till the drowning of their last persecutor ; so was this Maxentius the last per- secutor in the Roman monarchy of the Christians ; whom this Constantine, fighting under the cross of Christ did vanquish, setting the Christians at liberty ; who before had been persecuted now three hundred years in Rome.
In histories we read of many victories and great conquests gotten, yet we never read, nor ever shall, of any victory so wholesome, so commodious, so opportune to mankind as this was ; which made an end of so much bloodshed, and obtained so much liberty and life to the posterity of so many generations.
Constantine so established the peace of the Church, that for the space of a thousand years we read of no set persecution against the Christians, unto the time of John Wickliff.
So happy, so glorious was this victory of Con- stantine, surnamed the Great. For the joy and gladness whereof, the citizens who had sent for him before, with exceeding triumph brought him into the city of Rome, where he was most honourably received, and celebrated the space of seven days together ; having, moreover, in the market-place, his image set up, holding in his right hand the sign of the cross, with this inscription : 6 With this wholesome sign, the true token of fortitude, I have rescued and delivered our city from the yoke of the tyrant.'
47
THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE
Constantine, with his fellow Licinius eftsoons set forth their general proclamation not constraining any man to any religion, but giving liberty to all men, both for the Christians to persist in their profession without any danger, and for other men freely to adjoin with them, whosoever pleased. Which thing was very well taken, and highly allowed of the Romans and all wise men.
I doubt not, good reader, but thou dost right well consider with thyself the marvellous working of God's mighty power ; to see so many emperors confederate together against the Lord and Christ His anointed, who, having the subjection of the whole world under their dominion, did bend their whole might and devices to extirpate the name of Christ, and of all Christians. Wherein, if the power of man could have prevailed, what could they not do ? or what could they do more than they did? If policy or devices could have served, what policy was there lacking ? If torments or pains of death could have helped, what cruelty of torment by man could be invented which was not attempted ? If laws, edicts, proclamations, written not only in tables, but engraven in brass, could have stood, all this was practised against the weak Christians. And yet, notwithstanding, to see how no counsel can stand against the Lord, note how all these be gone, and yet Christ and his Church doth stand.
48
JOHN WICKLIFF, THE MORNING STAR OF THE REFORMATION
Although it be manifest that there were divers before Wickliff's time, who have wrestled and laboured in the same cause and quarrel that our countryman Wicliff hath done, whom the Holy Ghost hath from time to time raised and stirred up in the Church of God, something to work against the bishop of Rome, to weaken the pernicious superstition of the friars, and to vanquish and over- throw the great errors which daily did grow and prevail in the world, yet notwithstanding, forsomuch as they are not many in number, neither very famous or notable, we will begin with the story of John WicklifF ; at whose time this furious fire of persecu- tion seemed to take his first original and beginning. Through God's providence stepped forth into the arena the valiant champion of the truth, John WicklifF, our countryman, whom the Lord raised up here in England, to detect more fully and amply the poison of the Pope's doctrine and false religion.
Wickliff, being the public reader of divinity in the University of Oxford, was, for the rude time wherein he lived, famously reputed for a great clerk, a deep schoolman, and no less expert in all kinds of philo- sophy ; the which doth not only appear by his own most famous and learned writings, but also by the confession of Walden, his most cruel and bitter enemy, who in a certain epistle written unto Pope Martin V. saith, 4 that he was wonderfully astonished
49
JOHN WICKLIFF
at his most strong arguments, with the places of authority which he had gathered, with the vehemency and force of his reasons.'
It appeareth that this WickclifT flourished about a.d. 1371, Edward III. reigning in England. This is out of all doubt, that at what time all the world was in most desperate and vile estate, and the lamentable ignorance and darkness of God's truth had overshadowed the whole earth, this man stepped forth like a valiant champion, unto whom that may justly be applied which is spoken of one Simon, the son of Onias : ' Even as the morning star being in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon being full in her course, and as the bright beams of the sun ; so doth he shine and glister in the temple and Church of God.'
In these days the whole state of religion was de- praved and corrupted : the name only of Christ remained amongst Christians, but His true and lively doctrine was as far unknown to the most part as His name was common to all men. As touching faith, consolation, the end and use of the law, the office of Christ, our impotency and weakness, the Holy Ghost, the greatness and strength of sin, true works, grace and free justification by faith, the liberty of a Christian man, there was almost no mention.
The world, forsaking the lively power of God's spiritual Word, was altogether led and blinded with outward ceremonies and human traditions ; in these was all the hope of obtaining salvation fully fixed ; insomuch that scarcely any other thing was seen in the temples or churches, taught or spoken of in sermons, or finally intended or gone about in their
5o
DROWNED IN HUMAN TRADITIONS
whole life, but only heaping up of certain shadowy ceremonies upon ceremonies ; neither was there any end of this their heaping.
The Church did fall into all kind of extreme tyranny ; whereas the poverty and simplicity of Christ were changed into cruelty and abomination of life. With how many bonds and snares of ceremonies were the consciences of men, redeemed by Christ to liberty, ensnared and snarled ! The Christian people were wholly carried away as it were by the nose, with mere decrees and constitutions of men, even whither it pleased the bishops to lead them, and not as Christ's will did direct them. The simple and unlearned people, being far from all knowledge of the holy Scripture, thought it quite enough for them to know only those things which were delivered them by their pastors ; and they, on the other part, taught in a manner nothing else but such things as came forth of the court of Rome ; whereof the most part tended to the profit of their order, more than to the glory of Christ.
What time there seemed to be no spark of pure doctrine remaining, this aforesaid WicklifF, by God's providence, sprang up, through whom the Lord would first waken and raise up again the world, which was drowned and whelmed in the deep streams of human traditions.
This Wickliff, perceiving the true doctrine of Christ's Gospel to be adulterated and defiled with so many filthy inventions and dark errors of bishops and monks, after long debating and deliberating with himself (with many secret sighs, and bewailing in his mind the general ignorance of the whole world), could no longer abide the same, and at the
* 51
JOHN WICKLIFF
last determined with himself to help and to remedy- such things as he saw to be wide, and out of the way.
This holy man took great pains, protesting, as they said, openly in the schools, that it was his p incipal purpose to call back the Church from her idolatry, especially in the matter of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. But this boil or sore could not be touched without the great grief and pain of the whole world : for, first of all, the whole glut of monks and begging friars was set in a rage and madness, who, even as hornets with their sharp stings, did assail this good man on every side ; fighting, as is said, for their altars, paunches, and bellies. After them the priests and bishops, and then after them the archbishop, being then Simon Sudbury, took the matter in hand ; who, for the same cause, deprived him of his benefice, which then he had in Oxford. At the last, when their power seemed not sufficient to withstand the truth which was then breaking out, they ran unto the lightnings and thunderbolts of the bishop of Rome, as it had been unto the last refuge of most force and strength. Notwithstanding, the said WicklifF, being somewhat friended and supported by the king, bore out the malice of the friars and of the archbishop ; John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the king's son, and Lord Henry Percy, being his special maintainers.
The opinions for which Wickcliff was deprived, were these : That the Pope hath no more power to excommunicate any man, than hath another. That if it be given by any person to the Pope to excom- municate, yet to absolve the same is as much in the power of another priest, as in his. He affirmed,
52
CITED BY THE ARCHBISHOP
moreover, that neither the king, nor any temporal lord, could give any perpetuity to the Church, or to any ecclesiastical person ; for that when such ecclesiastical persons do sin habitually, the temporal powers may meritoriously take away from them what before hath been bestowed upon them. And that he proved to have been practised before here in England by William Rufus ; 4 which thing ' (said he) 1 if he did lawfully, why may not the same also be practised now? If he did it unlawfully, then doth the Church err, and doth unlawfully in praying for him.'
Beside these opinions he began something nearly to touch the matter of the sacrament, proving that in the said sacrament the accidents of bread remained not without the subject, or substance, and that the simple and plain truth doth appear in the Scriptures, whereunto all human traditions, whatsoever they be, must be referred. The truth, as the poet speaketh very truly, had gotten John WicklifF great displeasure and hatred at many men's hands ; especially of the monks and richest sort of priests.
Albeit, through the favour and supportation of the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Percy, he persisted against their wolfish violence and cruelty : till at last, about a.d. 1377, the bishops, still urging and inciting their archbishop Simon Sudbury, who before had deprived him, and afterward prohibited him not to stir any more in those sorts of matters, had obtained, by process and order of citation, to have him brought before them.
The Duke, having intelligence that WicklifF should come before the bishops, fearing that he, being but one, was too weak against such a
53
JOHN WICKLIFF
multitude, calleth to him, out of the orders of friars, four bachelors of divinity, out of every order one, to join them with Wickliff also, for more surety. When the day was come, assigned to the said Wickliff to appear, which day was Thursday, the nineteenth of February, he went, accompanied with the four friars aforesaid, and with them also the Duke of Lancaster, and Lord Henry Percy, Lord Marshal of England ; the said Lord Percy going before them to make room and way where Wickliff should come.
Thus Wickliff, through the providence of God, being sufficiently guarded, was coming to the place where the bishops sat ; whom, by the way, they animated and exhorted not to fear or shrink a whit at the company of the bishops there present, who were all unlearned, said they, in respect of him, neither that he should dread the concourse of the people, whom they would themselves assist and defend, in such sort as he should take no harm.
With these words, and with the assistance of the nobles, Wickliff, in heart encouraged, approached to the church of St Paul in London, where a main press of people was gathered to hear what should be said and done. Such was there the frequency and throng of the multitude, that the lords, for all the puissance of the High Marshal, with great difficulty could get way through ; insomuch that the Bishop of London, whose name was William Courtney, seeing the stir that the Lord Marshal kept in the church among the people, speaking to the Lord Percy, said that if he had known before what masteries he would have kept in the church, he would have stopped him out from coming there ; at
54
THE PRIDE OF THE PRELACY
which words of the bishop the duke, disdaining not a little, answered that he would keep such mastery- there, though he said 'nay.'
At last, after much wrestling, they pierced through and came to Our Lady's Chapel, where the dukes and barons were sitting together with the archbishops and other bishops ; before whom Wick- lifF, according to the manner, stood, to know what should be laid unto him. To whom first spake the Lord Percy, bidding him to sit down, saying that he had many things to answer to, and therefore had need of some softer seat. But the Bishop of London, cast eftsoons into a furnish chafe by those words, said he should not sit there. Neither was it, said he, according to law or reason, that he, who was cited there to appear to answer before his ordinary, should sit down during the time of his answer, but that he should stand. Upon these words a fire began to kindle between them ; insomuch that they began so to rate and revile one the other, that the whole multitude, therewith disquieted, began to be set on a hurry.
Then the duke, taking the Lord Percy's part, with hasty words began also to take up the bishop. To whom the bishop again, nothing inferior in reproachful checks and rebukes, did render and requite not only to him as good as he brought, but also did so far excel in this railing art of scolding, that the duke blushed and was ashamed, because he could not overpass the bishop in brawling and railing, and, therefore, he fell to plain threatening; menacing the bishop, that he would bring down the pride, not only of him, but also of all the prelacy of England. 4 Thou,' said he, 'bearest thyself so brag
55
JOHN WICKLIFF
upon thy parents, who shall not be able to help thee ; they shall have enough to do to help themselves ' ; for his parents were the Earl and Countess of" Devonshire. To whom the bishop answered, that his confidence was not in his parents, nor in any man else, but only in God.
Then the duke softly whispering in the ear of him next by him, said that he would rather pluck the bishop by the hair of his head out of the church, than he would take this at his hand. This was not spoken so secretly, but that the Londoners overheard him. Whereupon, being set in a rage, they cried out, saying that they would not suffer their bishop so contemptuously to be abused. But rather they would lose their lives, than that he should so be drawn out by the hair. Thus that council, being broken with scolding and brawling for that day, was dissolved before nine o'clock.
After King Edward III. succeeded his son's son, Richard II., who was no great disfavourer of the way and doctrine of Wickliff. But the bishops now seeing the aged king to be taken away, during the time of whose old age all the government of the realm depended upon the Duke of Lancaster, and seeing the said duke, with the Lord Percy, the Lord Marshal, give over their offices, and remain in their private houses without intermeddling, thought now the time to serve them to have some vantage against John Wickliff ; who hitherto, under the protection of the aforesaid duke and Lord Marshal, had some rest and quiet. Notwith- standing being by the bishops forbid to deal in doctrine any more, he continued yet with his fellows going barefoot and in long frieze gowns,
56
THE SHINING OF GOSPEL LIGHT
preaching diligently unto the people. Out of whose sermons these articles were collected.
Articles collected out of WicklifFs sermons.
The holy eucharist, after the consecration, is not
the very body of Christ. The Church of Rome is not the head of all churches
more than any other church is ; nor that Peter
had any more power given of Christ than any
other apostle had. The Pope of Rome hath no more in the keys of
the Church than hath any other within the
order of priesthood. The Gospel is a rule sufficient of itself to rule the
life of every Christian man here, without any
other rule.
All other rules, under whose observances divers religious persons be governed, do add no more perfection to the Gospel, than doth the white colour to the wall.
Neither the Pope, nor any other prelate of the church, ought to have prisons wherein to punish transgressors.
Wickliff, albeit he was commanded by the bishops and prelates to keep silence, yet could not so be suppressed, but that through the vehemency of the truth he burst out afterwards much more fiercely. For he, having obtained the goodwill and favour of certain noblemen, attempted again to stir up his doctrine amongst the common people. Then began the Pharisees to swarm together striving against the light of the Gospel, which began to shine abroad ; neither was the Pope
57
JOHN WICKLIFF
himself behind with his part, for he never ceased with his bulls and letters to stir up them who otherwise, of their own accord, were but too furious and mad.
Accordingly, in the year of our Lord 1377, being the first year of King Richard II., Pope Gregory sendeth his bull directed unto the University of Oxford, rebuking them sharply, imperiously, and like a Pope, for suffering so long the doctrine of John WicklifF to take root, and not plucking it up with the crooked sickle of their catholic doctrine. Which bull, the proctors and masters of the University, joining together in consultation, stood long in doubt, deliberating with themselves whether to receive it with honour, or to refuse and reject it with shame.
The copy of this wild bull, sent to them from the Pope, was this : —
4 It hath been intimated to us by many trust- worthy persons that one John WicklifF, rector of Lutterworth, in the diocese of Lincoln, professor of divinity, hath gone to such a pitch of detestable folly, that he feareth not to teach, and publicly preach, or rather to vomit out of the filthy dungeon of his breast, certain erroneous and false propositions and conclusions, savouring even of heretical pravity, tending to weaken and overthrow the status of the whole Church, and even the secular government. These opinions he is circulating in the realm of England, so glorious for power and abundance of wealth, but still more so for the shining purity of its faith, and wont to produce men illustrious for their clear and sound knowledge of the Scriptures, ripe in gravity of manners, conspicuous for devotion,
58
THE POPE'S DENUNCIATION
and bold defenders of the catholic faith ; and some of Christ's flock he hath been defiling therewith, and misleading from the straight path of the sincere faith into the pit of perdition. Wherefore, being unwilling to connive at so deadly a pest, we strictly charge that by our authority you seize or cause to be seized the said John, and send him under trusty keeping to our venerable brethren the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, or either of them.'
I find, moreover, two other letters of the Pope concerning the same matter, the one directing that in case Wickliff could not be found, he should be warned by public citation to appear before the Pope at Rome within three months ; the other exhorting the bishops that the King and the nobles of England should be admonished not to give any credit to the said John Wickliff, or to his doctrine.
The letters, being received from the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury and other bishops took no little heart ; for, being encouraged by them, and pricked forward by their own fierceness and cruelty, it is to be marvelled at, with what boldness and stomach they did openly profess, before their pro- vincial council, that all fear or favour set apart, no person, neither high nor low, should let them, neither would they be seduced by the entreaty of any man, neither by any threatenings or rewards, but that they would follow straight and upright justice and equity, yea, albeit that danger of life should follow thereupon. But these so fierce brags and stout promise, with the subtle practices of these bishops, who thought themselves so sure before, the Lord, against Whom no determination of man's
59
JOHN WICKLIFF
counsel can prevail, by a small occasion did lightly confound and overthrow. For the day of the examination being come, a certain personage of the prince's court, and yet of no great noble birth, named Lewis Clifford, entering in among the bishops, commanded them that they should not proceed with any definite sentence against John Wickliff. With which words all they were so amazed, and their combs so cut, that they became mute and speech- less. And thus, by the wondrous work of God's providence, John Wickliff escaped the second time out of the bishops' hands.
This good man ceased not to proceed in his godly purpose, labouring as he had begun ; unto whom also, as it happened by the providence of God, this was a great help and stay, for that in the same year the aforesaid Pope Gregory XL who was the stirrer up of all this trouble against him, turned up his heels and died. Whose death was not a little happy to Wickliff ; for immediately after his decease there fell a great dissension between the Romish and the French Popes, and others succeeding them, one striving against another, that the schism thereof endured the space of thirty-nine years, until the time of the Council of Constance (a.d. 141 7).
About the same time also, about three years after, there fell a cruel dissension in England, between the common people and the nobility, the which did not a little disturb and trouble the commonwealth. In this tumult Simon of Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury, was taken by the rustical and rude people, and was beheaded ; in whose place succeeded William Courtney, who was no less diligent in root- ing out heretics. Notwithstanding, Wickliff's sect
60
A TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE
daily grew to greater force, until the time that William Berton, Chancellor of Oxford, about a.d. 138 i, had the whole rule of that University : who, calling together eight monastical doctors and four others, and putting the common seal of the Uni- versity unto certain writings, set forth an edict, declaring that no man, under a grievous penalty, should be so hardy hereafter to associate themselves with any of WicklifFs abettors or favourers ; and unto Wickliff himself he threatened the greater excommunication and farther imprisonment, and to all his fautors, unless that they after three-days' admonition or warning, canonical and peremptory (as they call it), did repent and amend. The which thing when Wickliff understood, forsaking the Pope and all the clergy, he thought to appeal unto the King's majesty ; but the Duke of Lancaster coming between forbade him, saying that he ought rather to submit himself unto the censure and judgment of his ordinary. Whereby Wickliff being beset with troubles and vexations, as it were in the midst of the waves, was forced once again to make confession of his doctrine.
Here is not to be passed over the great miracle of God's divine admonition or warning ; for when the archbishop and suffragans, with the other doctors of divinity and lawyers, with a great company of babbling friars and religious persons, were gathered together to consult touching John Wickliff's books, when they were gathered together at the Black- Friars in London to begin their business upon St Dunstan's day, after dinner, about two of the clock, the very hoar and instant that they should go forward, a wonderful and terrible earthquake fell
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throughout all England : whereupon divers of the suffragans, being affrighted by the strange and wonderful demonstration, doubting what it should mean, thought it good to leave off from their determinate purpose. But the archbishop (as chief captain of that army, more rash and bold than wise) interpreting the chance which had happened clean contrary to another meaning or purpose, did confirm and strengthen their hearts and minds, which were almost daunted with fear, stoutly to go forward in their attempted enterprise ; who then discoursing Wickliff's articles, not according unto the sacred canons of the holy Scripture, but unto their own private affections and men's traditions, gave sentence that some of them were simply and plainly heretical, others were erroneous, others irreligious, some seditious and not consonant to the Church of Rome.
Besides the earthquake aforesaid, there happened another strange and wonderful chance, sent by God, and no less to be marked than the other, if it be true, that was reported by John Huss's enemies. These enemies of his, amongst other principal points of his accusation, laid this to his charge at the Council of Constance ; that he should say openly unto the people as touching Wickliff, that at what time a great number of religious men and doctors were gathered together in a certain church to dispute against Wickliff, suddenly, the door of the church was broken open with lightning, in such sort, that his enemies hardly escaped without hurt. This thing, albeit that it were objected against Huss by his adversaries, yet, forsomuch as he did not deny the same, neither, if he so said, it seemeth that he
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HIS EVANGELISTS DENOUNCED
would speak it without some ground or reason, I have not thought it good to leave clean out of memory.
Of like credit is this also, which is reported of WicklifF, that when he was lying very sick at Lon- don, certain friars came unto him to counsel him ; and when they had babbled much unto him touching the catholic church, the acknowledging of his errors, and the bishop of Rome, WicklifF, being moved with the foolishness and absurdity of their talk, with a stout stomach, setting himself upright in his bed, repeated this saying out of the Psalms [cxviii. 17], "I shall not die, but I shall live, and declare the works of the Lord."
The Mandate of the Archbishop of Canterbury directed to the Bishop of London, against John WicklifF and his Adherents.
It is come to our hearing, that although, by the canonical sanctions, no man, being forbidden or not sent, ought to usurp to himself the office of preaching, publicly or privily, without the authority of the apostolic see or of the bishop of the place ; yet notwithstanding^ certain, being sons of perdition under the veil of great sanctity, are brought into such a doating mind, that they take upon them authority to preach, and are not afraid to affirm, and teach, and generally, commonly, and publicly to preach, as well in the churches as in the streets, and also in many other profane places of our said province, certain propositions and conclusions, heretical, erron- eous, and false, condemned by the Church of God, and repugnant to the determinations of holy church ; who also infect therewith very many good Christians,
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causing them lamentably to err from the catholic faith, without which there is no salvation.
We therefore admonish and warn that no man henceforth, of what estate or condition soever, do hold, teach, preach, or defend the aforesaid heresies and errors, or any of them; nor that he hear or hearken to any one preaching the said heresies or errors, or any of them ; nor that he favour or adhere to him, either publicly or privily ; but that im- mediately he shun and avoid him, as he would avoid a serpent putting forth pestiferous poison ; under pain of the greater curse.
And furthermore, we command our fellow- brethren, that of such presumptions they carefully and diligently inquire, and do proceed effectually against the same.
The chancellor the same time in Oxford was Master Robert Rygge ; who, as it seemeth, favouring Wicklift's part, as much as he could or durst, many times dissembled and cloked certain matters, and oftentimes (as opportunity would serve) holpe forward the cause of the Gospel, which was then in great danger. When the time was come, that there must needs be sermons made unto the people, he committed the whole doings thereof to such as he knew to be greatest favourers of John Wickliff. The two proctors were John Huntman and Walter Dish ; who then, as far as they durst, favoured the cause of John Wickliff Insomuch that the same time and year, which was a.d. 1382, when certain public sermons should be appointed customably at the feast of the Ascension and of Corpus Christi to be preached in the cloister of St Frideswide ( now
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A BOLD PREACHER
called Christ's Church), before the people, by the chancellor aforesaid and the proctors, the doings hereof the chancellor and proctors had committed to Philip Reppyngdon and Nicholas Hereford.
Hereford, beginning, was noted to defend John WicklifF openly, to be a faithful, good, and innocent man ; for the which no small ado with outcries was among the friars. This Hereford, after he had long favoured and maintained WicklifPs part, grew in suspicion amongst the enemies of the truth ; for as soon as he began somewhat liberally and freely to utter any thing which tended to the defence of WicklifF, by-and-by the Carmelites and all the orders of religion were on his top, and laid not a few heresies unto his charge, the which they had strained here and there out of his sermons, through the industry of one Peter Stokes, a Carmelite, a kind of people prone to mischief, uproars, debate, and dissension, as though they were born for that purpose. Much like thing do divers writers write of the nature of certain spiders ; that whatsoever pleasant juice is in herbs, they suck it out, and convert it into poison. But these cowled merchants in this behalf do pass all the spiders, for whatsoever is worst and most pestilent in a man, that do they hunt out for, and with their teeth even, as it were, gnaw it out ; and of the opinions which be good, and agreeable with verity, they do make schisms and heresies.
After this, the feast of Corpus Christi drew near, upon which day it was looked for that Reppyngdon should preach, who in the schools had shown forth and uttered that which he had long hidden and dissembled, protesting openly that in all moral
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matters he would defend Wickliff ; but as touching the sacrament, he would as yet hold his peace, until such time as the Lord should illuminate the hearts and minds of the clergy. When the friars understood that this man should preach shortly, these Babylonians, fearing lest that he would scarce civilly or gently rub the galls of their religion, convented with the Archbishop of Canterbury, that the same day, a little before Philip should preach, Wickliffs conclusions, which were privately con- demned, should be openly defamed in the presence of the whole University ; the doing of which matter was committed to Peter Stokes, friar, standard-bearer and chief champion against Wickliff.
The chancellor having received the archbishop's letters and perceived the malicious enterprise of the Carmelite, was wonderfully moved against him, and falling out with him and his like (not without cause) for troubling the state of the University, said that neither the bishop nor the archbishop had any power over that University, nor should not have, in the determination of any heresies. And afterward taking deliberation, calling together the proctors, with other regents and non-regents, he did openly affirm that he would by no means help the Carmelite in his doings.
These things thus done, Reppyngdon at the hour appointed proceeded to his sermon; in the which, he was reported to have uttered £ that in all moral matters he would defend Master Wickliff as a true catholic doctor. Moreover, that the Duke of Lancaster was very earnestly affected and minded in this matter, and would that all such should be received under his protection ' ; besides many things
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A NOTABLE SERMON
more, which touched the praise and defence of Wickliff.
When the sermon was done, Reppyngdon entered into St Frideswide's Church, accompanied with many of his friends, who, as the enemies surmised, were privily weaponed under their garments. Friar Stokes, the Carmelite, suspecting all this to be against him, and being afraid of hurt, kept himself within the sanctuary of the church, not daring to put out his head. The chancellor and Reppyngdon, friendly saluting one another in the church-porch, sent away the people, and so departed every man home to his own house. There was not a little joy throughout the whole University for that sermon.
John Wickliff returning again within short space, either from his banishment, or from some other place where he was secretly kept, repaired to his parish of Lutterworth, where he was parson ; and there, quietly departing this mortal life, slept in peace in the Lord, in the end of the year 1384, upon Silvester's day. It appeareth that he was well aged before he departed, ' and that the same thing pleased him in his old age, which did please him being young.'
This Wickliff, albeit in his life-time he had many grievous enemies, yet was there none so cruel to him, as the clergy itself. Yet, notwithstanding, he had many good friends, men not only of the meaner sort, but also of the nobility, amongst whom these men are to be numbered, John Clenbon, Lewes Clifford, Richard Stury, Thomas Latimer, William Nevil, and John Montague, who plucked down all the images in his church. Besides all these, there was the Earl of Salisbury, who, for contempt in him f 67
JOHN WICKLIFF
noted towards the sacrament, in carrying it home to his house, was enjoined by Ralph Ergom, Bishop of Salisbury, to make in Salisbury a cross of stone, in which all the story of the matter should be written : and he, every Friday during his life, to come to the cross barefoot, and bareheaded in his shirt, and there kneeling upon his knees do penance for his deed.
And for the residue, we will declare what cruelty they used not only against the books and articles of John WicklifF, but also in burning his body and bones, commanding them to be taken up many years after he was buried ; as appeareth by the decree of the synod of Constance, a.d. 141 5, 'This holy synod declareth, determineth, and giveth sentence, that John WicklifF was a notorious heretic, and that he died obstinate in his heresy ; cursing alike him and condemning his memory. This synod also decreeth and ordaineth that his body and bones, if they might be discerned from the bodies of other faithful people, should be taken out of the ground, and thrown away far from the burial of any church, according as the canons and laws enjoin.' This wicked and malicious sentence of the synod would require here a diligent apology, but that it is so foolish and vain, and no less barbarous, that it seemeth more worthy of derision and disdain, than by any argument to be confuted.
What Heraclitus would not laugh, or what Democritus would not weep, to see these so sage and reverend Catos occupying their heads to take up a poor man's body, so long dead and buried; and yet, peradventure, they were not able to find his right bones, but took up some other body, and so of a catholic made a heretic ! Albeit, herein
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FRUITLESS MALICE
Wickliff had some cause to give them thanks, that they would at least spare him till he was dead, and also give him so long respite after his death, forty- one years1 to rest in his sepulchre before they ungraved him, and turned him from earth to ashes ; which ashes they also took and threw into the river. And so was he resolved into three elements, earth, fire, and water, thinking thereby utterly to extinguish and abolish both the name and doctrine of Wickliff for ever. Not much unlike the example of the old Pharisees and sepulchre-knights, who, when they had brought the Lord unto the grave, thought to make him sure never to rise again. But these and all others must know that, as there is no counsel against the Lord, so there is no keeping down of verity, but it will spring up and come out of dust and ashes, as appeared right well in this man ; for though they digged up his body, burnt his bones, and drowned his ashes, yet the Word of God and the truth of his doctrine, with the fruit and success thereof, they could not burn.
1 The decree of the synod was not carried out until after the lapse of several years from its meeting.
69
A LEADER OF THE LOLLARDS: THE TROUBLE AND PERSECUTION OF THE MOST VALIANT AND WORTHY MARTYR OF CHRIST, SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE, KNIGHT, LORD COBHAM.
After that the true servant of Jesus Christ, John Wickliff, a man of very excellent life and learning, had, for the space of more than twenty-six years, most valiantly battled with the great Antichrist of Europe, or Pope of Rome, and his diversely disguised host of anointed hypocrites, to restore the Church to the pure estate that Christ left her in at His ascension, he departed hence most Christianly in the hands of God, the year of our Lord 1384, and was buried in his own parish church at Lutterworth, in Leicestershire.
No small number of godly disciples left that good man behind him, to defend the lowliness of the Gospel against the exceeding pride, ambition, simony, avarice, hypocrisy, sacrilege, tyranny, idolatrous worshippings, and other filthy fruits, of those stiff- necked pharisees ; against whom Thomas Arundel, the Archbishop of Canterbury (as fierce as ever was Pharaoh, Antiochus, Herod, or Caiaphas) collected, in Paul's church at London, a universal synod of all the papistical clergy of England, in the year of our Lord 1 41 3 (as he had done divers others before), to withstand their most godly enterprise.
The principal cause of the assembling thereof,
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* A MOST PERNICIOUS HERETIC*
was to repress the growing and spreading of the Gospel, and especially to withstand the noble and worthy Lord Cobham, who was then noted to be a principal favourer, receiver, and maintainer of those whom the bishop named Lollards ; especially in the dioceses of London, Rochester, and Hereford, setting them up to preach whom the bishops had not licensed, and sending them about to preach : holding also and teaching opinions of the sacraments, of images, of pilgrimage, of the keys and church of Rome, repugnant to the received determination of the Romish Church. It was concluded among them, that, without any further delay, process should be awarded out against him, as against a most pernicious heretic.
Some of that fellowship who were of more crafty experience than the others, thought it not best to have the matter so rashly handled, but by some preparation made thereunto beforehand : considering the said Lord Cobham was a man of great birth, and in favour at that time with the King, their counsel was to know first the King's mind. This counsel was well accepted, and thereupon the archbishop, Thomas Arundel, with his other bishops, and a great part of the clergy, went straitways unto the King then remaining at Kennington, and there laid forth most grievous complaints against the said Lord Cobham, to his great infamy and blemish : being a man right godly. The King gently heard those blood-thirsty prelates, and far otherwise than became his princely dignity : notwithstanding requiring, and instantly desiring them, that in respect of his noble stock and knighthood, they should yet favourably deal with him; and that they would, if it were
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A LEADER OF THE LOLLARDS
possible, without all rigour or extreme handling, reduce him again to the Church's unity. He promised them also, that in case they were contented to take some deliberation, he himself would seriously commune the matter with him.
Anon after, the King sent for the said Lord Cobham, and as soon as he was come, he called him secretly, admonishing him betwixt him and him, to submit himself to his mother the Holy Church, and, as an obedient child, to acknowledge himself culpable.
Unto whom the Christian knight made this answer : ' You, most worthy prince,' saith he, 1 I am always prompt and willing to obey, forasmuch as I know you a Christian king, and the appointed minister of God, bearing the sword to the punish- ment of evil doers, and for safeguard of them that be virtuous. Unto you, next my eternal God, owe I my whole obedience, and submit thereunto, as I have done ever, all that I have, either of fortune or nature, ready at all times to fulfil whatsoever ye shall in the Lord command me. But, as touching the Pope and his spirituality, I owe them neither suit nor service, forasmuch as I know him, by the Scriptures, to be the great Antichrist, the son of perdition, the open adversary of God, and the abomination standing in the holy place.'
When the King had heard this, with such like sentences more, he would talk no longer with him, but left him so utterly.
And as the archbishop resorted again unto the King for an answer, he gave him his full authority to cite him, examine him, and punish him, according to their devilish decrees, which they called 'The Laws of Holy Church.' But forasmuch as the Lord
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THE FURY OF ANTICHRIST
Cobham did not appear at the day appointed, the archbishop condemned him of most deep contumacy. After that, when he had been falsely informed by his hired spies, and other glozing glaverers, that the said Lord Cobham had laughed him to scorn, disdained all his doings, maintained his old opinions, contemned the Church's power, the dignity of a bishop, and the order of priesthood (for of all these was he then accused), in his moody madness, without just proof, did he openly excommunicate him.
This most constant servant of the Lord, and worthy knight, Sir John Oldcastle, the Lord Cobham, beholding the unpeaceable fury of Antichrist thus kindled against him, perceiving himself compassed on every side with deadly dangers, took paper and pen in hand, and wrote a confession of his faith, both signing and sealing it with his own hand : wherein he answered to the four chief articles that the archbishop laid against him. That done, he took the copy with him, and went therewith to the King, trusting to find mercy and favour at his hand.
The King would in no case receive it, but commanded it to be delivered unto them that should be his judges. Then desired he, in the King's presence, that a hundred knights and esquires might be suffered to come in upon his purgation, who he knew would clear him of all heresies. More- over he offered himself, after the law of arms, to fight for life or death with any man living, Christian or heathen, in the quarrel of his faith ; the King and the lords of his council excepted. Finally, with all gentleness, he protested before all that were present that he would refuse no manner of correction that
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A LEADER OF THE LOLLARDS
should, after the laws of God, be ministered unto him ; but that he would at all times, with all meek- ness, obey it.
Notwithstanding all this the King suffered him to be summoned personally in his own privy chamber. Then said the Lord Cobham to the King, that he had appealed from the archbishop to the Pope of Rome, and therefore he ought, he said, in no case to be his judge. And having his appeal there at hand ready written, he showed it with all reverence to the King ; wherewith the King was then much more displeased than afore, and said angrily to him, that he should not pursue his appeal ; but rather he should tarry in hold, till such time as it were of the Pope allowed. And then, would he or nild he, the archbishop should be his judge.
Thus was there nothing allowed that the good Lord Cobham had lawfully required ; but, forasmuch as he would not be sworn in all things to submit himself to the Church, and so take what penance the archbishop would enjoin him, he was arrested at the King's commandment, and led forth to the Tower of London.
When the day of examination was come, which was the 23rd day of September, the Saturday after the feast of St Matthew, Thomas Arundel, the Archbishop, sat in Caiaphas' room, in the chapter- house of Paul's, with Richard Clifford, Bishop of London, and Henry Bolingbrook, Bishop of Winchester. Sir Robert Morley, knight, and lieutenant of the Tower, brought before him the said Lord Cobham, and there left him for the time ; unto whom the archbishop said these words : i Sir John, in the last general convocation of the clergy
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IMAGES AND PILGRIMAGES
of this our province, ye were detected of certain heresies, and, by sufficient witnesses, found culpable : whereupon ye were, by form of spiritual law, cited, and would in no case appear. Upon your rebellious contumacy ye were both privately and openly excommunicated. Notwithstanding we neither yet showed ourselves unready to have given you absolu- tion (nor yet do to this hour), would ye have meekly asked it.'
Unto whom the Lord Cobham said that he desired no absolution ; but he would gladly, before him and his brethren, make rehearsal of that faith which he held and intended always to stand to. And then he took out of his bosom a certain writing concerning the articles whereof he was accused, and read it before them.
' As for images, I understand that they be not of belief, but that they were ordained since the belief of Christ was given by sufferance of the Church, to represent and bring to mind the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and martyrdom and good living of other saints: and that whoso it be, that doth the worship to dead images that is due to God, or putteth such hope or trust in help of them, as he should do to God, or hath affection in one more than in another, he doth in that, the greatest sin of idol worship.
1 Also I suppose this fully, that every man in this earth is a pilgrim toward bliss, or toward pain ; and that he that knoweth not, ne will not know, ne keep the holy commandments of God in his living here (albeit that he go on pilgrimages to all the world, and he die so), he shall be damned : he that knoweth the holy commandments of God, and
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keepeth them to his end, he shall be saved, though he never in his life go on pilgrimage, as men now use, to Canterbury, or to Rome, or to any other place.'
Then counselled the archbishop with the other two bishops and with divers of the doctors, what was to be done ; commanding him, for the time, to stand aside. In conclusion, by their assent and information, he said thus unto him : c Come hither, Sir John : ye must declare us your mind more plainly. As thus, whether ye hold, affirm, and believe, that in the sacrament of the altar, after the consecration rightly done by a priest, remaineth material bread, or not ? Moreover, whether ye do hold, affirm, and believe, that, as concerning the sacrament of penance (where a competent number of priests are), every Christian man is necessarily bound to be confessed of his sins to a priest ordained by the church, or not ? '
This was the answer of the good Lord Cobham : that none otherwise would he declare his mind, nor yet answer unto his articles, than was expressly in his writing there contained.
Then said the archbishop again unto him : ' Sir John, beware what ye do ; for if ye answer not clearly to those things that are here objected against you, the law of holy church is that we may openly proclaim you a heretic.'
Unto whom he gave this answer : ' Do as ye shall think best.' Wherewith the bishops and prelates were amazed and wonderfully disquieted.
At last the archbishop again declared unto him, what the Holy Church of Rome, following the saying of St Augustine, St Jerome, St Ambrose,
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A LAMB AMONG WOLVES
and of the holy doctors, had determined in these matters : no manner of mention once made of Christ ! 4 which determination/ saith he, 4 ought all Christian men both to believe and to follow.'
Then said the Lord Cobham unto him, that he would gladly both believe and observe whatsoever holy Church of Christ's institution had determined, or yet whatsoever God had willed him either to believe or to do : but that the Pope of Rome, with his cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and other prelates of that church, had lawful power to determine such matter as stood not with His word thoroughly ; that, would he not (he said) at that time affirm. With this the Archbishop bade him to take good advisement till the Monday next following (which was the twenty-fifth day of September), and then justly to answer, specially unto this point: Whether there remained material bread in the sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration, or not ?
The Lord Cobham perceived that their uttermost malice was purposed against him, and therefore he put his life into the hands of God, desiring his only Spirit to assist him in his next answer. When the said twenty-fifth day of September was come Thomas Arundel, the Archbishop of Canterbury, commanded his judicial seat to be removed from the chapter- house of Paul's to the Dominic friars within Ludgate at London. And as he was there set, with a great sort more of priests, monks, canons, friars, parish- clerks, bell-ringers, and pardoners, Sir Robert Morley, knight, and lieutenant of the Tower, brought the good Lord Cobham, leaving him among them as a lamb among wolves.
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A LEADER OF THE LOLLARDS
Examination of the Lord Cobham.
Then said the archbishop unto him : 4 Sir John, we sent you a writing concerning the faith of the blessed sacrament, clearly determined by the Church of Rome, our mother, and by the holy doctors.'
Then he said unto him : 4 1 know none holier than is Christ and His apostles. And as for that determination, I wot it is none of theirs ; for it standeth not with the Scriptures, but manifestly against them.'
Then said one of the lawyers : ' What is your belief concerning Holy Church.'
The Lord Cobham answered : 4 My belief is, that all the Scriptures of the sacred Bible are true. All that is grounded upon them 1 believe thoroughly, for I know it is God's pleasure that I should so do ; but in your lordly laws and idle determinations have I no belief. For ye be no part of Christ's Holy Church, as your open deeds do show; but ye are very Antichrists, obstinately set against His holy law and will. The laws that ye have made are nothing to His glory, but only for your vain glory and abominable covetousness. And as for your superiority, were ye of Christ, ye should be meek ministers, and no proud superiors.'
Then said Doctor Walden unto him : 4 Swift judges always are the learned scholars of Wickliff! '
Unto him the Lord Cobham thus answered : 4 As for that virtuous man Wickliff, I shall say here, before God and man, that before I knew that despised doctrine of his, I never abstained from sin. But since I learned therein to fear my Lord God, it hath otherwise, I trust, been with me : so much
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SCRIPTURES, THE STANDARD
grace could I never find in all your glorious instructions. '
Then said Dr Walden yet again unto him : ' It were not well with me (so many virtuous men living, and so many learned men teaching the Scripture, being also so open, and the examples of fathers so plenteous), if I then had no grace to amend my life, till I heard the devil preach ! '
The Lord Cobham said : £ Your fathers, the old Pharisees, ascribed Christ's miracles to Beelzebub, and His doctrine to the devil ; and you, as their children, have still the selfsame judgment concerning His faithful followers. They that rebuke your vicious living must needs be heretics, and that must your doctors prove, when you have no Scripture to do it.' Then said he to them all: 'To judge you as you be, we need go no further than to your own proper acts. Where do you find in all God's law, that ye should thus sit in judgment on any Christian man, or yet give sentence upon any other man unto death, as ye do here daily ? No ground have ye in all the Scripture so lordly to take it upon you, but in Annas and Caiaphas, who sat thus upon Christ, and upon His apostles after His ascension. Of them only have ye taken it to judge Christ's members as ye do ; and neither of Peter nor John.'
Then said some of the lawyers : 4 Yes, forsooth, Sir, for Christ judged Judas.'
The Lord Cobham said, 6 No ! Christ judged him not, but he judged himself, and thereupon went forth and so did hang himself : but indeed Christ said : " Woe unto him, for that covetous act of his," as He doth yet still unto many of you. For since the venom of Judas was shed into the Church, ye
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never followed Christ, neither yet have ye stood in the perfection of God's law.'
Then the archbishop asked him, What he meant by that venom ?
The Lord Cobham said : 4 Your possessions and lordships. For then 1 cried an angel in the air, as your own chronicles mention, Woe, woe, woe, this day is venom shed into the Church of God. Before that time all the bishops of Rome were martyrs, in a manner : and since that time we read of very few. But indeed since that same time, one hath put down another, one hath poisoned another, one hath cursed another, and one hath slain another, and done much more mischief besides, as all the chronicles tell. And let all men consider well this, that Christ was meek and merciful ; the Pope is proud and a tyrant : Christ was poor and forgave ; the Pope is rich and a malicious manslayer.'
Then a doctor of law, called Master John Kemp, plucked out of his bosom a copy of the bill which they had before sent him into the Tower by the archbishop's council, thinking thereby to make shorter work with him. 4 My Lord Cobham,' saith this doctor, 4 we must briefly know your mind con- cerning these four points here following. The first of them is this ' : — and then he read upon the bill : " The faith and determination of Holy Church touching the blessed sacrament of the altar is this ; That after the sacramental words be once spoken by a priest in his mass, the material bread, that was before bread, is turned into Christ's very body, and the material wine is turned into Christ's blood. And so there remaineth, in the sacrament of the 1 When Constantine endowed the Church.
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ROME'S ERRORS REFUTED
altar, from thenceforth no material bread, nor material wine, which were there before the sacra- mental words were spoken " : Sir, believe you not this?'
The Lord Cobham said : 1 This is not my belief ; but my faith is, as I said to you before, that in the worshipful sacrament of the altar is Christ's very body in form of bread.'
Then read the doctor again : ' The second point is this : Holy Church hath determined that every Christian man, living here bodily upon earth, ought to be shriven of a priest ordained by the Church, if he may come to him. Sir, what say you to this ? '
The Lord Cobham answered and said : 4 A diseased or sore wounded man hath need to have a sure wise chirurgeon and a true, knowing both the ground and the danger of the same. Most necessary were it, therefore, to be first shriven unto God, who only knoweth our diseases, and can help us.'
Then read the doctor again : c The third point is this : Christ ordained St Peter the apostle to be His vicar here in earth, whose see is the Church of Rome, and He granted that the same power which He gave unto Peter should succeed unto all Peter's successors, whom we now call popes of Rome : by whose special power, in churches particular, be ordained prelates and archbishops, parsons, curates, and other degrees besides, to whom Christian men ought to obey after the laws of the Church of Rome. This is the determination of Holy Church. Sir, believe ye not this ? '
To this he answered and said : 1 He that followeth Peter most nigh in pure living, is next unto him in succession ; but your lordly order esteemeth not
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greatly the lowly behaviour of poor Peter, whatso- ever ye prate of him, neither care ye greatly for the humble manners of them that succeeded him till the time of Silvester, who, for the more part, were martyrs.'
With that, one of the other doctors asked him : 4 Then what do ye say of the Pope ? '
The Lord Cobham answered : ' He and you together make whole the great Antichrist, of whom he is the great head ; you bishops, priests, prelates, and monks, are the body ; and the begging friars are the tail.'
Then read the doctor again : 4 The fourth point is this : Holy Church hath determined, that it is meritorious to a Christian man to go on pilgrimage to holy places, and there specially to worship the holy relics and images of saints, apostles, martyrs, confessors, and all other saints besides, approved by the Church of Rome. Sir, what say you to this ? '
Whereunto the Lord . Cobham answered : 4 1 owe them no service by any commandment of God, and therefore I mind not to seek them for your covetous- ness. It were best ye swept them fair from cobwebs and dust, and so laid them up for catching of scathe, or else to bury them fair in the ground, as ye do other aged people, who are God's images. It is a wonderful thing that saints now being dead should become so covetous and needy, and there- upon so bitterly beg, who all their life-time hated all covetousness and begging. But this I say unto you, and I would all the world should mark it, that with your shrines and idols, your feigned absolutions and pardons, ye draw unto you the substance, wealth, and chief pleasures of all Christian realms.'
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LORD COBHAM CONDEMNED
Then said the archbishop unto him: 'Sir John, ye must either submit yourself to the ordinance of Holy Church, or else throw yourself (no remedy) into most deep danger. We require you to have no other manner of opinion in these matters, than the universal faith and belief of the Holy Church of Rome is. And so, like an obedient child, return again to the unity of your mother.'
The Lord Cobham said expressly before them all : 'I will no otherwise believe in these points than what I have told you here before. Do with me what you will.'
And with that the archbishop stood up and read a bill of his condemnation, all the clergy and laity vailing their bonnets : ' Forasmuch as we have found Sir John Oldcastle, knight, and Lord Cobham, not only to be an evident heretic in his own person, but also a mighty maintainer of other heretics against the faith and religion of the holy and universal Church of Rome ; and that he, as the child of iniquity and darkness, hath so hardened his heart, that he will in no case attend unto the voice of his pastor ; his faults also aggravated or made double through his damnable obstinacy, we commit him to the secular jurisdiction. Furthermore, we excommunicate and denounce accursed, not only this heretic here present, but so many else besides as shall hereafter, in favour of his error, either receive him or defend him, counsel him or help him, or any other way maintain him, as very fautors, receivers, defenders, counsellors, aiders, and maintainers of condemned heretics.
' And we give straight commandment that ye cause this condemnation and definitive sentence of G 83
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excommunication concerning both this heretic and his fautors, to be published throughout all dioceses, in cities, towns, and villages, by your curates and parish priests, at such times as they shall have most recourse of people. Let the curate everywhere go into the pulpit, and there open, declare, and expound his process, in the mother-tongue, in an audible and intelligible voice, that it may be per- ceived of all men : and that upon the fear of this declaration also the people may fall from their evil opinions conceived now of late by seditious preachers.'
After the archbishop had read the bill of his condemnation before the whole multitude, the Lord Cobham said with a most cheerful countenance: L Though ye judge my body, which is but a wretched thing, yet am I certain and sure, that ye can do no harm to my soul, no more than could Satan unto the soul of Job. He that created that, will of His infinite mercy and promise save it. I have, therein, no manner of doubt.'
He fell down upon his knees, and before them all prayed for his enemies, holding up both his hands and his eyes towards heaven, and saying, mercy sake, to forgive my pursuers, if it be Thy blessed will.'
After this, the bishops and priests were in great discredit both with the nobility and commons ; for that they had so cruelly handled the good Lord Cobham. The prelates feared this to grow to further inconvenience towards them, wherefore they drew their heads together, and consented to use another practice somewhat contrary to that
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WICKLIFF'S OPINIONS SPREAD
they had done before. They caused it to be blown abroad by their fee'd servants, friends, and babbling Sir Johns, that the said Lord Cobham was become a good man, and had lowly submitted himself in all things unto Holy Church, utterly changing his opinion concerning the sacrament. And thereupon, they counterfeited an abjuration in his name, that the people should take no hold of his opinion by any thing they had heard of him before, and so to stand the more in awe of them, considering him so great a man, and by them subdued.
When the clergy perceived that policy would not help, but made more and more against them, then sought they out another false practice : they went unto the King with a most grievous complaint, that in every quarter of the realm, by reason of Wickliff's opinions, and the said Lord Cobham, were wonderful contentions, rumours, tumults, uproars, confederations, dissensions, divisions, differences, discords, harms, slanders, schisms, sects, seditions, perturbations, perils, unlawful assemblies, variances, strifes, fightings, rebellious rufflings, and daily insurrections. The Church, they said, was hated. The diocesans were not obeyed. The ordinaries were not regarded. The spiritual officers, as suffragans, archdeacons, chancellors, doctors, com- missaries, officials, deans, lawyers, scribes, and somners, were everywhere despised. The laws and liberties of Holy Church were trodden under foot. The Christian faith was ruinously decayed. God's service was laughed to scorn. The spiritual jurisdiction, authority, honour, power, policy, laws, rites, ceremonies, curses, keys, censures, and canonical sanctions of the Church, were had in
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utter contempt, so that all, in a manner, was come to naught.
And the cause of this was, that the heretics and lollards of WicklifPs opinion were suffered to preach abroad so boldly, to gather conventicles unto them, to keep schools in men's houses, to make books, compile treatises, and write ballads, to teach privately in angles and corners, as in woods, fields, meadows, pastures, groves, and in caves of the ground.
This would be, said they, a destruction to the commonwealth, a subversion to the land, and an utter decay of the King's estate royal, if remedy were not sought in time. And this was their policy, to couple the King's authority with what they had done in their former council, of craft, and so to make it, thereby, the stronger. For they perceived themselves very far too weak else, to follow against their enemies, what they had so largely enterprised. Upon this complaint, the King immediately called a parliament at Leicester. It might not, in those days, be holden at Westminster, for the great favour that the Lord Cobham had, both in London and about the city.
Thus were Christ's people betrayed every way, and their lives bought and sold. For, in the said parliament, the King made this most blasphemous and cruel act, to be a law for ever : that whatsoever they were that should read the Scriptures in the mother-tongue (which was then called Wickliff's learning), they should forfeit land, cattle, body, life, and goods, from their heirs for ever, and so be condemned for heretics to God, enemies to the crown, and most arrant traitors to the land. Besides
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AN ESCAPE FROM THE TOWER
this, it was enacted, that never a sanctuary, nor privileged ground within the realm, should hold them, though they were still permitted both to thieves and murderers. And if, in any case they would not give over, or were, after their pardon, relapsed, they should suffer death in two manner of kinds : that is ; they should first be hanged for treason against the King, and then be burned for heresy against God.
Then had the bishops, priests, monks, and friars a world somewhat to their minds. Many were taken in divers quarters, and suffered most cruel death. And many fled out of the land into Germany, Bohemia, France, Spain, Portugal, and into the welds of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland ; working there many marvels.
Sentence of death being given, the Lord Cobham was sent away, Sir Robert Morley carrying him again unto the Tower, where, after he had remained a certain space, in the night season (it is not known by what means), he escaped out, and fled into Wales. A great sum of money was proclaimed by the King, to him that could take the said Sir John Oldcastle, either quick or dead : who con- federated with the Lord Powis (who was at that time a great governor in Wales), feeding him with lordly gifts and promises. About the end of four years, the Lord Powis, whether for greediness of the money, or for hatred of the true and sincere doctrine of Christ, seeking all manner of ways how to play the part of Judas, and outwardly pretending him great amity and favour, at length obtained his bloody purpose, and most cowardly and wretchedly took him, and brought the Lord Cobham bound, up
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to London ; which was about the year of our Lord 1417, and about the month of December ; at which there was a parliament assembled in London. It was adjudged, that he should be taken as a traitor to the King and the realm ; that he should be carried to the Tower, and from thence drawn through London, unto the new gallows in St Giles without Temple-Bar, and there to be hanged, and burned hanging.
Upon the day appointed, the Lord Cobham was brought out of the Tower with his arms bound behind him, having a very cheerful countenance. Then was he laid upon a hurdle, as though he had been a most heinous traitor to the crown, and so drawn forth into St Giles's field. As he was come to the place of execution, and was taken from the hurdle, he fell down devoutly upon his knees, desiring Almighty God to forgive his enemies. Then stood he up and beheld the multitude, exhort- ing them in most godly manner to follow the laws of God written in the Scriptures, and to beware of such teachers as they see contrary to Christ in their conversation and living. Then was he hanged up by the middle in chains of iron, and so consumed alive in the fire, praising the name of God so long as his life lasted ; the people, there present, showing great dolour. And this was done a.d. 1418.
How the priests that time fared, blasphemed, and accursed, requiring the people not to pray for him, but to judge him damned in hell, for that he departed not in the obedience of their Pope, it were too long to write.
Thus resteth this valiant Christian knight, Sir
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John Oldcastle, under the altar of God, which is Jesus Christ, among that godly company, who, in the kingdom of patience, suffered great tribulation with the death of their bodies, for His faithful word and testimony.
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THE HISTORY OF MASTER JOHN HUSS
By the occasion of Queen Anne, who was a Bohemian, and married to King Richard II., the Bohemians coming to the knowledge of Wickliff's books here in England, began first to taste and savour Christ's Gospel, till at length, by the preaching of John Huss, they increased more and more in knowledge, insomuch that Pope Alexander