CArdinall Poole, thre yeares after his re­turne into Englād, hauyng somewhat wythdrawen hys mynd from other affaires of the realme, and hauing in all poyn­tes established the Romishe re­ligion (the which a certaine yea­res past, during the time of king Edward the .vi. was clerely ab­olished, and worne out of cu­stome) began to haue an eye to the vniuersitie of Cambrydge, the which it selfe inespecially se­med to haue nede of reformati­on out of hande. For he thought it should be to no purpose, to be­stowe his trauaile in purginge the residewe of the bodye, if he left that parte still infected with maladies & diseases, frō whēce al other members should fetche their strength and nourishemēt. [Page] To performe this charge, were chosen Cuthbert Scot, Thenqui­sitours. not long before consecrated bishoppe of Westchester, Nicolas Ormanet, an Italian, Archepryeste of the people of Bodolon, in the dyo­cesse of Uexon, professed in both the lawes: Thomas VVatson, elected bishop of Lincolne: Iohn Christoferson, elected byshop of Chychester: and Henrye Cole Prouoste of the Colledge of Eton. There was good cause whye the matter was inespeci­ally committed to these persons. For as touchinge Ormanet, it is well knowen, that he was a man of muche estimation wyth Iulius the thyrde at that tyme bishop of Rome, whose businesse they dyd sitte vpon in this Com­mission, and that for the same purpose he was appoynted to [Page] come into Englande wyth Car­dinall Poole, bycause that with­out his knowledge, (as in whō he put his chyefe trust and con­fidence) the byshop would haue nothynge done, that was of a­ny importance or weyght.

The residewe were sent thither eyther for experience in matters of thuniuersitye, or els they see­med of all others most meete to be put in trust with thandlynge of that case, because they were taken for moste stoute Champi­ons, and earnest defenders of the Romyshe relygion, and of thinges appertaynynge to the establyshemente of the same.

Some were of opinion that Scot, VVatson, and Chrysto­phorsonne, (bycause there was grudge betwene thē and diuers [Page] of thuniuersitie, at whose hādes they thought them selues latelye before to haue receyued displea­sure, and that nowe time and occasion serued to be reuēged vp­on them as they listed them sel­ues) busilye procured this iour­ney of theyr owne heades.

These persons thus appoynted,A Citacion sent before. (in the meane while that they were addressing them selues to theyr iourney,) sent theyr letters before to Andrewe Perne, Uice­chauncellor of thuniuersitye for that yeare. Commaundyng him to warne all the Graduates of thuniuersity in theyr name, to be present the .xi. daye of Ianuarye betwixt eyght and tenne of the clocke, in the church of Saynct Marie the virgin. (The same is the place of resorte, when there is any common assembly or me­ting [Page] of thuniuersitie, beinge not farre distante from the market place of the sayd towne of Cambridge, whither al men are som­moned, if at anye time there be any common prayer, or Suffra­ges to be made, or if there be a­ny man that hath ought to saye in open audience.) Willing him inespecially to be there him selfe in a readinesse, and moreouer to admonishe all the residewe to whose charge it belonged, that they should searche out all Sta­tutes, bookes, Priuiledges, and monumentes, appertaynyng to thuniuersitye, or to anye of the Colledges, or finallye to anye of them selues: and there to present the same before them at the day appoynted, and euerye man to appeare there personally. For they would not faile, but be therat [Page] y^• same time, to laye before thē such thinges as should seme ne­cessarye to this charge of refor­ming the vniuersity, & further to geue charge of al such things as should seeme most for the profite and behoof of the same, togither with such thinges as were to be done on theyr part, according as shold seme most agreable to the decrees of the Canō law. These letters the Uicechauncellor caused to be set vp in places cōueni­ent. This reformatiō was loked for certaine monethes before.

But now whē it was once cer­tainely knowen y^t it should be in dede,The disquietnesse of thuniuersi­tie vpon the tidinges of the refor­macion. euery mannes minde was maruelouslye moued. Some greatlye reioyced that the tyme was come, wherin thei thought they might frely not only speake but also do what they listed a­gainst their aduersaries, which [Page] before times had reiected the bables of y^e romishe bishop. Other some perceiuing in what peryll they stoode, looked narowlye a­bout them, how to winde them selues out of the briers. Many sought the good wil & frendship of such as were knowen to be in fauour with the terrible cōmissi­oners. Other certaine made thē selues giltie, & desired forgiue­nesse of them, at whose handes they thē selues had takē wrong before. There were also diuers to be founde, which in time past counterfeited to be very earnest embracers of the true doctryne, but in their liuing and conuersacion had greatly defaced it, ap­plyinge to theyr owne fleshelye lustes, the liberty that appertay­neth of ryghte to the spirite, so that they thoughte it lawfull to do what they listed.

[Page]These men supposed there was no way but one to purge theym selues of theyr misbehauiour, namely if they became accusers of those whose frendshippe they had erewhiles embraced, And to thentent to make men beleue that they professed the Romishe religion frō the bottom of their hartes, & to currye fauour with the Commissioners, they promi­sed to take vpon them the order of priesthod without delay. For they knewe the Commissioners would like that very wel, which already were in such wise min­ded, that as they woulde with­holde no man from that order, that would offer him selfe ther­vnto: so would they by all mea­nes endeuor to bring euery man thereto, that was anye thinge wittye or learned.

[Page]We sayde at the first,The cause whye the reformatiō was taken in hand. that the Cardinall thoughte the Uni­uersitye to haue nede of reformation. The reason why he should thinke so was this: eyther be­cause the same of long conti [...]u­aunce since anye man coulde re­member, had cast of the yoke of the bishop of Rome, and cleaued to the wholsome doctrine of the Ghospell, which is falsely diffa­med of heresye: or els by reason that both for the late schisme not yet worne out of memorye, and for the doctrine of Martin Bucer who not longe before openlye in the sayde Uniuersitye inter­preted holy scripture, they sawe so manye so sore corrupted and spotted with this infection, that (euen as when a fyre is spredde into a towne onles spedie remedie were adhibited out of hand) [Page] (it were not possible by all lyke­lihod) to quenche it many yeres after. And it was to be feared (if it were not looked to in time) least (as it commonlye commeth to passe in bodies diseased) thys mischiefe should take roote, and by litle and litle infect al the mē ­bers next vnto it which yet wer whole and sound.

This was the yeare of oure lord. 1556. To thentēt therfore to make a salue for this sore,The com­ming of the Inquisi­toures, and of their en­terteinmēt. the Cōmissioners of whō we spake before, came vnto Cambrydge the ninth day of Ianuary. As they were yet on theyr iourneye not farre from the towne, di­uers of the maysters and Presi­dentes of the Colledges, mette them and brought them courte­ouslye, first into the towne, and after to theyr lodging. They [Page] wer enterteined in Trinitie col­ledge by Iohn Christoforson maister of the same house, & late­ly before elected bishop of Chichester. Some were desired to one place, & some to an other, as ther was occasion, either to do theyr duties, or to shewe their good willes. Cole to the kynges Col­ledge, & Watson to .S. Iohns. But whether it were for thac­quaintaunce of Christophorsō, or for y^• largenes of y^e house, (which forasmuch as it was able to re­ceiue thē al, semed therfore most mete & conuenient to take theyr conferens in, & stoode wel for all cōmers to haue accesse vnto thē) they al tooke vp their lodginges there.An oracion gratulatory at theyr commyng thyther. At their cōming thither an oracion was made by a felow of the house, who in the name of al the rest w^t long protestation de­clared y^t they were most hartely [Page] welcome thither: & that he and his felowes gaue theym great thākes, that it had pleased their lordshippes to haue so good opi­niō of thē, as to chose their house inespecially to lodge in, wherby they had both encouraged them to stande in hope of some further beneuolence towardes them, and also done great wor­ship to theyr Colledge by theyr beinge there: Wherfore they shoulde looke at theyr hande a­gaine for as muche duetye and reuerence, as lay in their power to performe. Watson made aunswere, that this forward & ear­nest good willes and minde of theirs in doinge suche curtesye, was righte thankefullye taken, both of him and his, exhortynge them to continew stedfastlye in the same, & to procede also whē [Page] nede should require: For it was so farre frō any of their though­tes, to stoppe them in this theyr race, y^t they would rather haste thē forwarde to runne through more spedily, being not without good cause perswaded to con­ceiue good hope of their beneuolēce towards thē: in asmuch as they would do for them, whatsoeuer might tourne to theyr pro­fyte and commoditye.

This daye, forasmuche as it was towarde euening ere they came, and the sunne was going downe, was nothinge els done. The next day being the tenth of Ianuarye, they bestowed in re­creating them selues after theyr iourneye, and in settinge other thynges at a staye. Neuerthe­lesse to thentent the same should not escape altogither withoute [Page] doing of somewhat, they inter­dited the two Churches,Saynt Ma­ries and S. Michaels enterdited. name­ly S. Maries where Martyn Bucer, and S. Michaels where Paulus Phagius lay buried.

These men were deade a good while before. Paulus Phagius had scarce yet shewed the profe of his witte and learning when he departed to God. Bucer liued a few yeres after. Durīg which time somewhat by writing, but chiefly by reading & preachinge opēly (wherin thold man beyng painful in y^• word of God, neuer spared hī selfe nor regarded his health) he brought all mē in such admiration of him, y^t neither his frendes could sufficiently prayse him, neither his enemies in any point finde fault w^t his singuler life & sincere doctrine. A most certaine token wherof may be his [Page] sūptuous buriall solēnized w^t so great assistēce & gladnes, of all y^• degrees of thuniuersitie, that it was not possible to deuise more to the setting out & amplifyinge of the same. The whole maner & order of the doing wherof, being writtē by Nicolas Carre a lear­ned man, in a litle treatise to the right worshipful sir Iohn Cheke knight, w^t an epistle ful of cōsola­tiō as concerning his departure added thereunto, was sent vnto y^• renoumed clerke Peter Mar­tir thē abiding at Oxford. From the burial of Bucer and Phagius vnto y^• cōming of these cōmissio­ners wer passed about .iii. or .iiii. yeres more or lesse. And from the time y^t that blessed king, king Edward y^e sixte deceased, vnto that daye, the priestes neuer ceased to celebrate theyr Masses, and all [Page] other kinde of Ceremonies in those places, and that wythout scruple of conscience, as farre as men could perceyue. But after the time that these cōmissioners came thither, those thinges that before were accōpted for sacred and holye, began to be denoun­ced for prophane and vnholye.

For they cōmaundedy^• all those assemblies that should hereafter be made for thexecutinge of holy Ceremonies, should be remoued to the kinges Chappell, whyche is a place farre more stately thē all thother.

Now was come the .xi. day, in the whiche the Uicechaunce­lour of the Uniuersitie, with the maysters and Presidētes of the Colledges, and al other the graduates of euery house, were cō ­maunded to appeare before the [Page] sayd Commissioners. They as­sēbled in great number to Tri­nitie Colledge: where (as we tolde you before) they were all lodged, geuinge attendaunce to brynge them whether so euer it should please them to go, accor­dyng as it became them to do.

There Iohn Stokes common Oratour of thuniuersitye, one of the popishe supersticiō (for none other but suche in those dayes might be promoted to any wor­ship) made an oratiō in the name of all the rest. And whereas he had certaine articles to entreat vpon appoyncted to him before by the byshop of Westchester, and thothers, he talked muche of thuniuersitye, muche as tou­chyng them, and many thinges also of the religiō in times past, whyche had bene almost euerye [Page] mannes matter to entreat of, in euery oraciō, & in euery sermon.

First of all he said that thuni­uersitie, whyche in lookinge for theyr comming had ben a while disquieted, beyng nowe by their presence greatly refreshed, was very glad to beholde theyr coun­tenaunce. In token wherof, the whole vniuersitye, with all her studētes was come out by hea­pes to welcome thē: & al the houses in Cambrydge with their studentes of all degrees were assē ­bled togither in that place. For whose certain & tried good wil­les in that behalfe, he durst take vpon him as in the name of thē all, to warrant theyr honoures, that euery one of them seuerally and al in one accorde generally, did with earnest desire and wil­linge [Page] hartes, greatlye reioyce at theyr comminge thyther. For they were all fullye perswaded, that the businesse whiche they went in hande wyth, should be profitable to the redresse of the vniuersitye, and that in a matter so necessarye to the saluacion of all men, no trauaile nor payne­takynge should on theyr part be forslowed. To the confyrma­tion of whyche opinion, he sayde he was able to alledge manye proofes, howebeit he woulde let passe all others, and touche none but those thynges that were so annexed to the matter that they had in hande, as by no meanes they might be well w^tdrawen or seperated frō it: y^• which thinges were in noumber certayne and determinable, but in effecte and [Page] working infinite: insomuch that it passed any mannes power to entreat of them at the full. Ne­uerthelesse, he desyred theym to geue him the hearing paciently, whiles he made a bryefe dys­course of the same. Hereupon taking a new occasion to talke, he began fyrste with Cardynall Poole, saying, that he had restored the religion troden vnderfoote, he had vndershored the common wealth readye to fall downe, he had brought agayne (as it were out of exyle) the de­crees and lawes of oure forefa­thers, well nye abolyshed and worne out of memorye. This Poole, this worthye Englyshe­man, our true Moyses, was the authour of this commission, frō whose most excellent hyghnesse as from a moost plentifull wel­spring [Page] of all vertues, innumera­ble commodities had flowed in­to all partes of this his natyue countrey. For the whyche one bond of alyance, albeit the Uni­uersitie had sufficiente cause to conceyue good opinion of hym, forasmuch as he was of the bo­dye of the same publyke weale: yet was there an other more in­ward bond, whereby his grace and they were most streytly lin­ked together. For the last yeare past he had taken the same most gently into his graces protectiō assuringe by his letters, y^t as he had takē vpon him frely to kepe it, so also woulde he mainteyne and defend the same in such sort that not onely thincommodities (if there were anye that myght hinder theyr studyes) shoulde be remoued, but also wold further [Page] them in all thinges, that myght redound to the garnishing of the vniuersitye, or wherby the dignity & estimaciō of the same might most be aduaunced or encreased The which thing had both here tofore established their hope, and nowe also brought thē into that beliefe, y^t they must nedes thinke all his graces gētlenes, to be cō ­ueyed together into this one visitacion: In the which they loked for all such thinges at their han­des, as the tender loue of theyr most godlye Chauncellour, pas­sing farre beyōd the cōmon cha­ritie, had peculiarlye promised to thuniuersitie as his warde & fa­therles Orphan. He wished that the Cardinal him selfe had bene there at the same instant, if it mighte so haue come to passe, without hinderance to the com­mon [Page] welth: to thentente y^• wyth his owne beames, & with y^• clere light of true religion, he myghte haue illumined his vniuersitye now putting vp her head out of the depe night of darkenesse.

Agaynst the which wyshe foras­much as the common vtility did repugne, by the which the moste holy legate of the sea apostolicke was letted from beinge present himselfe, he had wisely appoyn­ted thē his deputies, whose na­tures for their wisedome, whose personnes for theyr worthinesse, whose willes by reason of theyr education, he thought most me­test for this purpose. Wherefore, he sayd he was able to auouche this one thing, according to the truth, & according to y^• thoughts of all that were there presente, thei were euen y^e very same men, [Page] whose religion they all loued, whose vertues they honoured, whose good wil, fayth, and ad­uice, they all called vpon to the common sauegard of them all. For after the time that through the singular and moste excellent vertue of the Cardinall Poole, we had ones in the common welth begonne out of the misty darkenesse of the times past, to behold the clere lyghte agayne, therwithal began we to fele al­so the most greuous euils of our age: with the which, being vn­doubtedlye both infinite & most miserable, although we were before tymes ouerwhelmed, yet thignoraunce of our calamitye, was farre greater calamity thā the calamity it selfe. To the aug­mentacion whereof we were in his iudgement to be compted so [Page] muche y^• more miserable, in that being tossed in so troublesome a tempest, we perceyued not that we were ones moued, and that beinge oppressed wyth so gre­uous a malady of the conscience and of heresye, we felte not our mindes one why [...] diseased.

For nedes must that disease be very daungerous, which wyth­out feling of payne wasteth and consumeth nature, & oftentimes bringeth men to theyr graues ere they thinke thē selues sicke. Wyth suche a kynde of dysease the vniuersitye was striken.

For whereas to other affayres and businesses, it was perchāce pollitique and witty ynough: yet in this case of Religion (by rea­son the head of the church, from whence al power of feling com­meth, was maymed) it was be­come [Page] dul & without perseuerāce: vntil that about thre yeres past, the Godly clemency of our most holy father Iulye the thyrde, ha­uinge compassion vppon Eng­lande almoste starke deade, had engraffed vs againe into the Churche, and restored vnto vs both lyfe and feelynge: By whose helpe Britayne growing stronge and lustye agayne, doth nowe easely vnderstande, howe it hath escaped the vnauoydable peril of hell fyre. The whych the Uniuersitye doth nowe also clearely see, assuredlye beleuinge that there was neuer plague that lyghted vpon anye place, with the whiche this realme in this spoyle of religion & schisme, hath not bene moste miserablye punyshed and afflycted.

[Page]For it were a longe matter to rehearce, what a noumber of Monasteryes had bene rased, what a sorte of Goddes houses had bene spoyled, what pryestes had bene murthered, what no­ble men had bene put to death, what commotions and tu­multes had bene raysed by the Comminaltye, and howe sore the whole realme had bene em­pouerished: the which although they myghte happen vpon some other occasion, yet notwyth­standynge for as muche as they were so greuous that they were able to oppresse, it was to be thoughte they were caste vpon euell persons and offenders, ra­ther as a punyshement and ven­geaunce, than as a tryall.

[Page]But by the way, if these thinges were graunted to be the daly­ance of fortune, they had abiden more greuous hurts both of re­ligion and conscience: as name­lye that the feare of god and re­uerēce of his saintes together w^t theyr altars, were vtterly bani­shed, the virginal vow of priests brokē into lust and lecherie, the mindes of mē cast īto such a dead slepe, that no Ceremonies were able to wake them agayne, the hartes of mē (through variety of opinions) so diuersly drawen, & so disagreable wyth thē selues, that they were wrapped in in­numerable errours. Among the which there were chiefelye two welspringes, of whose streames the vniuersitye confessed it selfe to haue tasted somewhat more then ynough, and with the taste [Page] thereof to be well nye dronken. Whereof the first toke his beginning of the violēt withdrawing of our selues from the vnitye of the catholycke church, a matter not vnlyke the battell of the mē ­bers of a mannes body that me­neuius Agrippa rehearced in ataine ciuile dissention of Citi­zens: The latter, of thunmeasu­rable lake and filthye puddle of Wickleue, the whiche the nota­ble or rather the miserable disputacion amonge them touchinge the sacrament of the Altar, ope­ned and brought to light. As concerninge the truthe whereof many being wise in their owne conceytes, had determined eue­rye man according to his owne ymaginacion: Who folowinge the philosophers, (but not of the best sorte) thought theym selues [Page] to haue brought no smal matter out of the scholes of Epicures, to the lyght of the Ghospell.

For those wordes that Chryste had spoken preciselye, and with­out any exception, as cōcerninge the true and continuall presence of his body: the verye same they wrested, y^t they iudged Christes wordes to be maymed & not of his owne speaking, if this word (as it were) being proper and peculyar to Epicures, were not added thereunto. And whereas Christen men should say playnly the body and bloud, they beynge now Epicures, must say figura­tiuelye as it were the body, & as it were the bloud. Yet notwith­standing, forasmuche as it was no time as then to make manye wordes of thinges paste, he wi­shed they mighte ones be condē ­ned [Page] to eternal forgetfulnesse, to thētent that such as shold come after, myghte not be infected with that contagious maladye, Howbeit they were to be tou­ched lyghtly, generallye because that confessyon was wholsome to such as had erred: perticuler­ly bicause the vniuersity beynge thus wounded by the power & authority of the maister of man­ners, desired by the salues of the sayd mayster of manners to be broughte vnto health agayne: promisynge for her selfe and for hers to be ruled by discrescion.

For she had by dayly preaching alreadye so reduced her Stu­dentes to repentaunce, that theyr honours should haue right good cause to thinke that they had without dissimulaciō retur­ned to the wholsom religiō, and [Page] that therein by the diligent con­uersacion of their life presēt, they would make amendes for their former misbehauiour. For bothe suche as were fyrste in this race proceded moste ernestlye in the same thynge that they toke vp­on theym with so good willes, and also such as setting forth la­ter, came to this gamynge as it wer in the after noon, did showe such infallible tokens of thalte­racion of their mindes, that euē as they rashely and like vnskil­ful yonge men fell from the true religion: euen so they maye seme not to haue retired out of here­sye, without ripenesse of yeares, and without stayed iudgement: all of them delyghtyng more in the religion newly restored, and so much longed for, than if they had continuallye had the vse of [Page] yt and that it had not ben dar­kened for a tyme. Wherfore the vniuersitie humblye & vpon her knees fyrst & formest besoughte God of forgeuenesse, desyrynge him to graunt y^t that day might to be y^• preseruaciō of the health of the sowles of all her inhaby­tantes, & to thestablishment of her publicke weale: And secōdly she made this peticiō to their ho­nours for her selfe, for hers, for al in general, & euery one seueral, y^t vppon the vnfaimed amendmēt of their lyues they wold vouch­saufe to pardone thoffences of times past cōmitted through er­ror and ignoraūce. And that as cōcerning al other maters, they would of their high wisedomes and singular good will toward her so determine y^t eyther theyr Iustice might fynd their causes [Page] good, or els theyr clemēcy make them good. In both whiche do­inges, the benefite shoulde be a­like, whether they iudged thuni­uersitye according to the ryghte and equity of her case, or for tha­bundance of loue absoyled it as innocent. In recompence wher­of, all that were presente, promi­sed to vse as muche modestye as might be in holy matters, to ap­ply their learning diligently, continually to embrace and fauour the true religion, and neuer to put out of minde the remēbrance of that good turne.

When he had made an ende of speaking,Thanswer of the By­shop of Westche­ster to tho­racion of Iohn Stokes. the byshop of West­chester aunswered thereunto, that they toke in good part, that thuniuersitye had made so open a declaration of her good wil towardes them: for the whych h [...] [Page] [...]ost hartie thākes, desiryng her [...] perfourme in dede and in her [...]orkes, the thynges that she [...]ad so largelye promised of her [...]lfe in wordes and communica [...]on: As concerninge theyr good [...]ils, there was no cause to mis­ [...]ust. For their comming thither [...] as not to deale anye thinge [...]ughly w^t suche as fell to amēd­ [...]ent: but both the Cardinal him [...]fe, & they also, were fully min­ [...]d to shew fauor, deuising how [...] bring al things to peace & trā ­ [...]ilitie, desiryng nothynge more [...]nestly, than that they whych [...]e erred & gone astray, should [...]ourne into the right pathe a­ [...]ne. The right reuerend fa­ [...]r the Lord Cardinal [...] (whom [...]yshed to haue bene present) [...]shed the selfe same thynge [...], desyrynge nothynge so [Page] much as he w^t his owne hande to susteine & hold vp now read [...] to fal, or rather to raise vp alrea [...]dye fallen to the ground thun [...]uisitie hys warde, for he glad [...] taketh vppon him the name an [...] Dutye of her Gardeyn, who [...] it greatly greued y^t thinfection [...] of y^• tymes past had spred abr [...] so greuous diseases, that eu [...] thuniuersity it selfe was touch [...] with the contagious aer ther [...] For he wold gladlier haue co [...] thyther to visyte and to salute [...] thē to correct it, if the weigh [...] affaires of y^• Realme wold ha [...] permitted it. But nowe seing [...] could not so doe, he had appo [...]ted this Comission, in the wh [...]he had assigned them to be [...] Deputyes, whych (for byca [...] they knew him to set much [...] by thuniuersitie) sholde exte [...] [Page] more fauour to it & (forbycause [...]hey them selues had bene there [...]rought vp) wold the more ear­ [...]estly embrace it. The chief mat [...]er that they came for, tended to [...]his end, that such as had erred [...]huld confesse their faultes and [...]eturne into y^• right way ageine [...]or they were in good forward­ [...]esse of healing, that acknowe­ [...]edged thē selues to haue offen­ [...]ed. And therfore yt was wisely [...]ropounded on his part that he would not altogither excuse the [...]aultes of thuniuersitie, nor of o­ [...]her men, but confesse & acknow [...]edge the cryme, as y^t ther were [...]any thinges hadde nede to be corrected & amended. The cause why they wer sent thyther was to raise vp thē that were fallen, and to receiue into fauour such as were sory and wold amend, [Page] wherein (if contrarye to theyr expectacion) they should not be able to do so muche w^t some men as they would: yet notwithstan [...]dinge accordinge to their duetye they would shew thē selues so di [...]ligēt for their part, as y^t no lacke might be foūd in thē. For it was more openly knowen thā that it could be denied, that many men did diuers thinges of a froward wilfulnesse, & tooke stoutly vpon thē wherw^t as they were great­lye moued & agreued (as reason was) so they coueted to remedy the mischiefe. Against whom, if any thing should seme hereafter to be straitly determined, it was to be imputed to their owne de­ser [...]es, & not to the willes of thē. Neyther ought such as are hole and sound to be moued with al, at the chasticement of others: [Page] Forasmuche as it perteined not only to the wiping out of [...] foule blot whiche now sticked in thu­niuersitie, but also to the health of manye others, that had taken much hurt by thinfectiō of thē. For their own partes, they more enclined to mercy thā to rigor. Howbeit considering y^t so great diseases could not by gentle me­dicines be healed, they were dri­uen of necessitie to vse stronger. And yet if they woulde be con­tente to be broughte agayne to theyr right mindes, which thing they chiefly couete [...] (for they wi­shed y^t al should amēd & be led by wholsom counsel) & wold yet at lēgth waxe wery of their errors, & in stead of thē frequent again y^• aunciēt customes of thē selues & of their forefathers, they might boldly loke for al kind of huma­nitie [Page] and gentlenesse at theyr handes, in al this their businesse of reformacion, which they had now entered & begō, requesting no more of the vniuersitie but to dooe as became them: which be­ing parformed, he promised that their beneuolens, neyther in any publicke nor in any priuate par­sones case shold in any wyse be behynd hand.

These things being finisshed they wer brought to the kynges A masse a [...] the Kinges Colledge Colledge by all the Graduates of Thuniuersitie, wher as was songe a masse of the holy Ghost with great solemmitie, nothing wanting in that behalf y^t might make to the setting forth of the same. In this place it was marked, that Nicolas Ormanet (cō monly surnamed Datarie) who (albeit he were inferiour in e­estate [Page] to westchester beynge a Bisshop, yet was superior to thē al in Authoritie) while the masse was a celebrating, eft standyng eft sytting, and somtime kneling on his knees, obserued certaine Ceremonies, which afterward should be taken vp of al others: in the which as then he shewed example how all others shoulde doo [...], But of these thynges we wyl entreat more largely heraf­ter in place conuenient. From thens they attended all vppon the lordes legates to S. Marie Church, which we declared be­fore to haue ben interdited. In the whych place, for asmuch as it was suspended, although no masse myght be soonge, yet ther was a Sermon made in open Pecocke preacheth at s. Maries audiens by Pecocke in the latin tounge. The which being ended [Page] the Uicechauncellour wyth the maisters of the Colledges, euery The Cita­cion of the maisters of the Col­ledges. one in his order, were cited by order. There Robert Bressie mayster of the kinges Colledge, a worthye olde man, both for his wisedome and his hoar heares, hearing his owne name recited next after the Uicechauncellors, sayd he was there present as all thother were, neuerthelesse for as muche as the reformacion of his house, was wholly reserued to the discrescion of the bishop of Lincolne, not onely by the kings Letters patentes, but also by graunte of confyrmacion from the bishop of Rome him selfe,Robert Bressyes exception. vnder a penaltie if he shoulde suffer anye straungers to intermedle, he openly protested in discharge of his duetye, that oneles theyr Commission gaue them autho­ritye [Page] and iurisdiction vpon that Colledge, eyther by expresse wordes or manifest sence, he vtterly exempted him selfe from beynge present. This his exception they tooke all in great displeasure: al­ledging that they were fully au­thorysed for thorder of that mat­ter by the Cardinall, oute of whose iurisdiction, no place nor person was exempted: Where­fore he had done euel to call into Question their authoritie [...]o wel knowen to all men. Westchester semed to be more moued at the matter then all the other. And that was bycause Bressye had a lytle before obteyned the wor­shyp of that roome, euen vtterly agaynste his will, and maugre his head, do the worst he could against him. The rest of the mai­sters being cited, euery mā for a [Page] while deꝑted home to his owne house with commaūdemēt to be Inquisition at the comō schooles. at the cōmon Schooles of the said vniuersitie atone of y^• clocke of the same day. Whē y^e degrees of thuniuersitie cōmonly called Regentes & not Regentes were assembled thither, they spent the rest of the day in reading ouer of Charters graunted to thuniuersitie by Kinges and Princes, in serching out of Bulles and par­dons from the pope, & in peru­sing of other monumentes par­teininge to thuniuersitie.

The next day folowing being the .xii. of Ianuary they resor­ted to the kinges Colledge to Inquisition at y^• kinges Colledge. make Inquisition, eyther by­cause the same for y^e worthinesse therof, is chiefe & Soueraine of all the residewe, or els bycause that that house inespecially be­for [Page] all others, had ben counted tyme out of mynde, neuer to be withoute an heretique (as they terme them) or twayne. And at that present tyme,The maner of receiuing thinquisi­tours when they went to make in­quisition. albeit y^t many nowe alate, hadde withdrawen them selues from thens, yet they iudged that there wer some re­maining stil. The order & maner how they wold be enterteined of euery Colledge when they shold come to make Inquisition they themselues appoynted, which was in this sort. They cōmaun­ded the master of euery house togyther with the residew, as wel fellowes as scholars apparelled in priestlike garmentes (whyche they cal habites) to mete them at the vtter mooste gate of theyr house toward the towne. The master hym selfe to be dressed in lyke apparell as the priest when [Page] he rauisheth him selfe to masse, sauynge that he shoulde put on vppermost his, habit as the rest dyd. Thorder of their goinge they apppoyncted to be in thys wyse. The mayster of the house to go formost, next vnto him eue­ry man in his order, as he was of degree, senioritye, or of yeares. Before the mayster should be caryed a crosse and holye water to sprynckle the Commissioners wythall. And in theyr meetynge after the mumblinge of a fewe deuociōs, they determined with this pompe and solemnitie to be brought to the Chappell. Many thought they toke more honour vpō thē than belōged to thestate of man. Othersome (forasmuche as at that tyme they not onelye pretended the iurisdiction of the The Com­missioners [...]epresent [...]he Pope. Cardinall, but also represented [Page] the power and authoritye of the byshop of Rome him selfe, who was accompted to be more than a mortall man) said it was farre lesse than of duetye apperteyned to his holinesse, in that thonour that was done to his legates, was not done to them but to his highnesse. Nowe was the houre at which thei appointed to come & being entred y^e kings colledge gate, where they looked for the maister & felowes of y^e house, se­ing no man come to mete them, thei proceded forth to the church dore where they stayed. There perceiuing how the maister and the rest of the house wer dressing them selues as fast as they could in suche order as we tolde you was appointed befor, they came in sodainly vpon thē before they had set any foot out of their pla­tes. Then y^• mayster first excused [Page] hym selfe that he was ready no sooner, acknowledginge that it had ben his dutie to haue ben in a readynesse. Secondly, he said he was very glad of their com­myng, ꝓmising first in his owne name, and after in the name of all the rest, as much reuerens as might be, in all matters concer­ning their cōmon vtilitie, y^e whi­che he douted not but shoulde be parformed at theyr hands accor­ding to his expectacion.Robert Bressye maketh ex­ception a­gayne. But like as he had doone thother day in S. mary Church, the same exception he made to them now also: the which his doing he besought them, not to be offended with al For seinge he dyd it only for the discharge of his dutie he had the iuster cause to behelde excused. He hadde scarsly yet finished hys tale, but y^• Bishop of westchester [Page] with a frowninge looke and an angrye countenaunce, interrup­ted him of his talke: sayinge, he neded not to repete the thinges he had protested before, nor they to make aunswere any more to those thinges, wherein they had sufficientlye enfourmed him be­fore. He rather feared that theyr quarell was to good, that they made suche a do aboute it, and sought such starting holes. For so were diseased persons often­times wont to do, when for the paine & griefe they are not able to a [...]ide a strong medecine. As though that any man were able to graunt so strong a priuiledge, as to withstand the Popes au­thoritye. As for the byshops let­ters, he sayde must nedes make on his side & with suche as were with him, and could not in any [Page] wise be alledged agaynst him. Therfore he admonished him to desyst from his vnprofitable al­tercatiō, & to conforme him selfe and his to such thinges as then were in doing. After thys they went to masse, the whiche fini­shed with great solemnitye, first they went to the hygh Aultar of the Churche, and hauinge there saluted theyr God, and searched whether al were wel about him or no, they walked through all the inner Chappelles of y^e church The Church goodes, the crosses the Chalyces, the masse bookes, the Uestmentes, and whatsoe­uer ornamentes were besydes, they were commaunded to be brought out vnto them. When they had sufficientlye vewed all thynges, and had called forth by name euery fellowe & scholar of [Page] the house, they wēt to y^• maisters lodging, where first and formest swering thē vpon a boke to an­swere to al such interrogatories as should be propoūded vnto thē as farre as they knewe) they examined first the maister him selfe & afterward al y^• residue euerye man in his turne. But ther were some y^t refused to take this othe, both bicause they had geuē their faith to y^e Colledge before, & also bicause they thoughte it against al right & reasō to swear against thē selfes. For it was cōtrary to all lawe, y^t a man should be com­pelled to bewray himselfe, & not to be suffered to kepe his consci­ence free, whē there is no mani­fest proof to be laid to his charge But muche more vniust is, it y^t a mā should be cōstrained perforce to accuse him selfe▪ Neuertheles [Page] those persons, also after muche altercation, at length (condicio­nally that theyr fayth geuen be­fore to the Colledge were not empeached thereby) were con­tented to be sworne. Three daies long lasted the inquisition there.

This was now the third day of their comminge,The con­sultacion of the may­sters vpon the takyng vp of Bu­cer. and it was thoughte that the case of Bucer and Phagius was delayed lon­ger than neded. For they looked to haue had muche altercation and businesse about the matter. Nowe forasmuch as the present estate of the case required good deliberation, and aduisemēt, the Uicechauncellour and the may­sters of the Colledges assembled at the common schooles, where euerye man gaue his verdite what he thoughte meete to be done. Aftermuch debating they [Page] agreed al togither in this deter­minacion. That forasmuche as Martine Bucer, whiles he lyued had not only sowed pernicious & erroneus doctrine amonge thē but also had him selfe bene a sec­tarie and famous heretique, er­ring from the Catholike church, and geuinge others occasion to fall from the same likewyse: I supplication shoulde be made to the L. Commissioners in the name of the whole Uniuersitie, y^t his deade carcas might forth­with be digged vp, (for so it was nedefull to be done) to thentente that inquisition myght be made as touchinge his doctryne, the whych being brought in exami­nation, if it were not found to be good and wholsome, the lawe myght procede agaynst him: For it was agaynste the rule of the [Page] holy Canons y^t his bodye should be buryed in Chrysten buryall.

Yea, and besides that, it was to the open derogation of Goddes honour, and the violating of his holye lawes, wyth the great pe­rill of manye mennes soules, and thoffence of the faythfull, inespe­cially in so difficult and contagi­ous a tyme as that was. Wher­fore it was not to be suffered, that they whiche vtterlye dissen­ted from all other men in theyr trade of liuinge, lawes, and cu­stomes, shoulde haue anye parte with them in thonour of burial. And therfore, the glorye of God inespecially and before al things ought to be defended, the infa­mye (whych through this thyng riseth on them) with al spede put awaye, no roome at all to rest in lefte vnto those personnes, who [Page] euen in the same places where they lay wer iniurious and noi­some to the very elementes: But the place ought to be pourged, and all thinges so ordered as myght be to the satisfyeng of the consciences of the weake. In ex­ecutinge whereof, so notable an example ought to be geuen to al men, y^t no man hereafter shouldr be so bolde to attempt the lyke.

They gaue y^• same verdit by cō ­mon Andrewe Perne vice­chauncellor is made factour for thuniuersi­tie in the case of Bu­cer and Phagius. assent vpon Phagius also.

Unto this writing they annexed another, by the which they law­fully authorised Andrew Perne the Uicechācellour to be y^• com­mon factour for thuniuersity. He was a man metest for y^t purpose, bothe for thoffice that he bare, Christofor­sons testi­mon [...]e of Perne. & also bicause y^t by the testimonie of Christophorsō he was demed to be most catholike of al others [Page] This Supplication confyrmed by the consent of all the degrees of thuniuersity,A Suppli­cation put vp to thin­quisitours by thuni­uersitye. and signed with their common seale, the next day whych was the .xiii. of Ianuary the Uicechauncellour put vp to the commissioners. Se what a feate conueyaunce this was, to suborne this man vnder a co­lourable pretence to desire this thing of them by waye of petici­on, as who should saye, if he had not done so, they would neuer haue gone about it of them sel­ues. But this glosse was soone found out. For the Commissio­ners had geuen him instructiōs in writing before. But peraduenture they thoughte by this mea­nes to remoue thenuye of thys acte from them selues. The vice­chauncellor came to the Com­missioners, according to appoint [Page] mēt made the day before, about seuen of the clocke in the mor­nyng. He had scarce declared the cause of his comminge, but that he had not onelye obteyned his sute, but also euen at the verye same time, receyued the sentence of condemnacion and takynge vp of Bucer and Phagius, The sen­tence of cō ­demnation copied out by Datarie fayre copyed out by Ormanet Datarye him selfe. This was to be confirmed by the consente of the de­grees of thuniuersitye. Where­upon a congregation was cal­led for the same purpose to be at nyne of the clocke: whē the gra­duates were come together, the demaund was propounded as concerninge the condemnacion of Bucer and Phagius, causes were openly alledged, the verye same whiche euen nowe we de­clared to haue bene alledged by [Page] the maysters of the houses, in theyr consultacion the daye be­fore: The degrees layd their hea­des togither, & in geuing of their voices ratified the said sentence. The which beynge red ouer, re­quest was made agayne, that the same myght be signed wyth theyr cōmon Seale. The which request was verye lightlye and easely obtayned. And it was no maruayle. For nowe after the death of king Edward, since the time that the gouernemente of the realme came to the hande of Quene Mary, all suche persons being driuen away as had reiec­ted the romishe religion (in whō well nye alonlye rested whatso­euer witte and learning was in the whole Uniuersitye besydes) such a sort of rascalles were put in theyr roomes, that all places [Page] nowe swarmed with vnlearned and vnnurtured chaplaines. To whō, nothing was greater plea­sure, then to cause al men speake slaunder and reproche of Bucer. There were diuers yet leste a­mong them, that spake agaynst theyr demaundes. But they (be­cause as it cōmo [...]ly commeth to passe, that mighte ouercomm [...]th ryght) could nothing auayle. For this is a common custome in all such matters and ordinaunces, that looke what the greater nū ­ber decreeth, is publyshed in the name of them al: and that which the more parte disaloweth, see­meth as though nomā allowed it at all.

The next day, Bacon maister of Gonwell hall, bade the Uice­chauncellour, D. Yoong, D. Haruie, Swineborne, Max [...]ide [Page] with others home to diner.

These men immediatly after di­ner, The sen­tence is signed w^t the commō Seale of Thuniuer­sitye. caused the common Seale of thuniuersitye to be put to the foresayd instrument of condem­nacion, according as was deter­mined the daye before by the ge­nerall consent of the Graduates of thuniuersitye. And by and by after, they caried the same to the Cōmissioners to their lodginge. The whyche when they had re­ceyued, forasmuch as after more diligent perusing therof, it liked theym not in all poynctes, some thinges thei rased out, some they enterlined,The sen­tence is en­grosed new agayne. other some they chaū ged, so that in fine they wer fain to take the peyne to engroce it newe againe.

About this time almost, one of the Kinges Colledge, of the nomber of them that chaunced to be [Page] there at suche time as the Com­missioners tooke a view of thor­namentes of the Church, and of other thinges that the Pryestes occupie in theyr ceremonies, hearinge Ormanet call for the Oyle wherwyth sycke folke are wont to be annealed, (the whiche as it should seme he had neuer sene before) after his departure, be­inge desirous to see what gere it was, came to the place: but it was kepte vnder locke and key. Thē he enquired wher it stood, and when he sawe where, he demaunded to haue a sighte of the thicke milke wherwithall and a litle Oyle men were wont to be annealed. When it was brought before him, and that he had well considered it, it was so ranke of sauour, y^t he was fayne to turne awaye his nose, bidding theym [Page] make y^e milke into chese betimes or els it woulde stinke so that no man should be able to abide it.

But ere it was longe after he bought that word dearely. For there neuer yet wanted some Doeg of Edom or other, to bear word of such thinges to Saule. For they had theyr spyes in eue­ry corner whyche euer crepte in among companye.

S. Marie Churche was not yet reconciled,An anni­uersarye kept at the Kynges Colledge. nor the place pourged from the deade bones and wythered Carcas of Mar­tine Bucer, by meanes whereof, the Trentalles, Obites, and an­niuersaries that were customa­blye wonte to be done for syr R. Reade knight, were appoynted to be done at the Kynges Col­ledge, the Commissioners be­ing▪ [Page] present at the same.

The Byshoppe of Westchester, or euer Seruyce was fully done goinge oute, called to him one of them that were there, whom he began to vndermine wyth suche kinde of talke. It is not vn­knowen to thee (ꝙ he) that the time drawes nyghe, when Bu­cers carcas (according to the de­crees of the Canon law) must be digged vp: & that which remay­neth of him (to thentent all men maye take ensample thereby,) be put to fyre (for so the holye Ca­nons haue enacted) and the me­moriall of him be vtterly condē ­ned to obliuion for euer. Nowe forasmuche as he was buryed with great pompe & solemnitye, we thinke it necessarye, that his burninge be executed with no lesse solemnitie and furniture.

[Page]This assuredly is our meaning and this toucheth al the degrees of thuniuersitie. For it is a fowle shame and not to be borne with, that so great reuerence shoulde be done vnto heretiques. Wher­fore it behoueth euery man by al meanes, to shewe euident tokēs of thalteracion of his minde.

And it ought not to be thought a straunge matter, that this in­quisition is extēded vpon a dead man. For if so be it that in cases of hygh treason, it be lawfull to atteynt a person that is dead, it standeth with reason, that these persons beinge more pestiferous and hurtfull than those that are giltye of treason, shoulde abyde like iudgement. When they wer buried, orations were made be­fore the degrees of thuniuersity, and sermons preached to the [Page] people: the like thinge nowe also when they shalbe burned, do we purpose to haue. Nowe for by­cause I vnderstande that thou art an expert oratour, and canst handle thy selfe wel in that feat, I would chose thee before all o­thers, to do the thing, the which (forasmuch as it shall be greatly to thy prayse and commendaci­on) I knowe thou wilt not re­fuse to take vppon the. And for my part I assure the, I haue the gladlyer called the hereunto, bi­cause I couet they preferment.

There is but one in all the Uni­uersity, that when he was a yōg man was my pupill, Nic. Carre by name, whome for the good wil I beare him in that respect) I wil ioine [...]ellowe with thee in this matter, to thentente thou mayst well perceyue therby, that [Page] I commit this charge vnto thee to do the honour. The man ha­uing this his Oraciō in mistrust answered in this wise. He wy­shed w^t all his hart, that y^e iudge­mēt as cōcerning this case, shold be reserued to his betters, saying that he was not desirous of that honour: for men would not geue credit to his wordes, neyther was he able to deuyse what to saye against so worthy a person, (inespecially that might seme to haue any likelyhod) in y^t behalfe. For he knew not the mannes ly­uing and conuersacion. But as farre as he could gather bi other mens talke, he was a mā of such integritie & purenesse of lyuyng, that not euen his enemies could fynde any thyng blame worthye in him. As for his doctryne, it passed his power to iudge of it, [Page] howsoeuer he were demed to be of a corrupt religion, whereof he was not able to determine, con­siderynge it was a doubtfull Question amonge so great lear­ned clerkes. But this was ma­nifestlye apparante, that Bucer vndoubtedly was a man of sin­gular knoweledge and dexteri­tye of witte: The whych for him to abase, he thought it an vntol­lerable vnshamefastnesse.

Finallye, for thestimacion of so weyghty a matter it was requi­site to put some meeter persons to the defence of it. For neyther in yeares was he graue & aunci­ent ynoughe, neyther in witte prompte nor readye ynough, nei­ther in eloquence sufficientlye furnished to take that matter vppon hym. And if so be it, that [Page] he were able to do anye good he might serue their turne in an o­ther matter. The bishop was stil more earnest vpon him, & when he sawe it auailed not to vse this kinde of persuasion with him, he fell into a rage, and at length be­wrayed him selfe and all his pre­tence. For all this earnest entreataunce was not to haue had him saye somewhat againste Buc [...]r, (albeit it was part of his desyre as occasion should serue) but to thentent, that such as he suspec­ted for re [...]igion, should speake a­gainst them selues. And therfore he added moreouer, saying: thou at his buriall didst blaze and set him out marueylously with epi­taphes and sententious meters, wherfore nowe also thou shalte neyther wil nor chose, but speake in the contrarie parte: and thys [Page] to do, I streyghtlye charge thee in mine owne name, and in the name of my felowe Commissio­ners. After many wordes, tho­ther answered, that no mā was able to shewe anye thinge of his doing, & if any could be brought before him, he would condiscend to satisfye their pleasure: Other­wise he would not by any mea­nes be induced to speake against him. At length when none of his writinges coulde be shewed, the bishop desysted frō his purpose.

By this time, the sentence of condemnation was engroced a­gayne, to the signinge wherof a congregation was eftsones cal­led of all the Graduates of thu­niuersitie agaynst the .xv. of Ia­nuary. After it had bene read o­uer, the matter was moued for setting to of the seale againe (as [Page] we sayd before) the whych was by and by obteyned. Then the Graduates were dismissed with commaundement to resort forth with to S. Mary churche, whe­ther the commissioners also re­paired. Haruye re­presenteth a manda­tum from the Cardi­nall. Whē they had take their places, Doc. Haruie presented to thē before al the company, a commissiō to make enquest vpon he­resie, then newly sent frō the lord Cardinal, the which Uincent of Noally, (Ormanets secretarye) red with a loud voyce, y^t all men might heare it. This done Andr. Perne (who we told you before was authorised to be factour for Perne ma­keth petici­on that bu­cer & Pha­gius may be cited to the court. thuniuersitie exhibited to the cō ­missioners in the name of the Uniuersitie, the sentence of con­demnacion. The which being o­penly read, he desired to send out processe to cite Bucer & Phagius [Page] to appeare, or any other y^• would take vpon them to pleade theyr case, and to stande to thorder of the court the thyrd daye after: to thentente that when they had exhibited them selues, the Court myghte the better determyne what ought to be done to them by thorder of the lawe. The sen­tence by the common aduice and consent of the degrees, he affyr­med him selfe to haue pronoun­ced in the open assemblye as the order of lawe requyred.

The Commissioners condiscen­ded to his request, and the nexte daye processe went oute to cite thoffendours. Thys Cytacion, The fyrst Citacion. Uincent of Noally theyr com­mon Notary (hauing fyrst reade it ouer, before certayne wyt­nesses appoynted for the same purpose) caused to be stucked vp [Page] in places conueniente, that is to wete, vpon S. Marie Churche doore, the doore of the common Schooles, and the crosse in the marketsted of the same towne. In this was specified that who so euer would mayntaine Bucer and Phagius, or stand in defence of theyr doctrine, shoulde at the xviii. daye of the same monethe stande forth before the .L. Com­missioners in S. Mary church, which was appoynted the place of iudgemente, and there euerye man should be sufficiently heard what he could saye. This com­maundement was set out with many wordes. Shortlye after the matter drew toward iudge­ment. Therfore the daye before the day limited (which was the xvii. of Ianuary) the Uicechauncellour called to him to Peter-house [Page] (of the which he was mai­ster) D. Yoong, D. Segiswyke, Witnesses sworne a [...]gainst Bu­cer. and with them Bullocke, Tay­ler, Parker, and Readman, (not they which at the buryal of Bu­cer, preached honorably of hym, but farre other men) Whitlocke My [...]che, and certayne others.

These men cast their heades to­gither, howe they mighte beare witnesse agaynst Bucer & Pha­gius, to conuince theym of here­sye. For seinge the matter was brought in face of open Courte, and it mighte so come to passe they myght fynde Patrones of theyr case, they thoughte it nede­full to haue witnesses to depose of theyr doctrine: What came of this theyr consultacion, it is not perfectly knowen.

The Commissioners (for they were maruaylous conscionable [Page] mē in al their doings) had great regardeThe re­gard that the inquisi­tours had of the char­ges of the Colledges. of thexpenses of euerye Colledge wher thei should make inquisition. Wherefore to the en­tent that none of theym shoulde stretche theyr liberalitye beyond measure, or aboue theyr power, they gaue charge at the begyn­nyng, that ther should not in any place be prepared for their repast aboue three kindes of meate at the most. The lyke order the car­dinall him selfe, in a certaine pro­uinciall Synod appoynted in his dyetes a litle before to all his pryestes and Chaplaynes.

Therfore, when thei came to the Kinges Colledge the .xviii. daye to sitte vpon enquirye, and that one Capon chaunced to be ser­ued to the Table more thā was prescribed by thorder taken, they thrust it awaye in great displea-sure. [Page] These thriuinge men that were so sore moued for the preparyng of one Capon, within litle more then one moneth, beside their priuate refections, wasted in theyr dayly dyet wel nye an hundred poundes of the common charges of the Colledges. So that the Uniuersitye maye wor­thely alledge agaynst theim this sayinge of our sauiour. Wo vnto you that streine out a Gnat, and swalowe vp a Camel.

The very same daye the Uice­chauncellour going to the inqui­sitours (they were as I told you at the Kinges Colledge) did put them in remembraunce, that the same was the daye in whyche by their processe sente forthe the xvi. daye, they had commaunded to appeare in S. Mary Church, [Page] such as would take vpon theym to defend Bucer and Phagius, in the lawe. He desired therfore that they would vouchsafe to sit there, if perchaunce anye man woulde trye thaduenture of the lawe. They lightlye condiscen­ded thereunto. When the Uyce­chauncellour accordinge to his dutye had brought them thither, he exhibited vnto theym the pro­cesse of Citacion that he had re­ceyued of them to publyshe a li­tell before: saying that he had di­ligentlye executed what soeuer the contentes of the same requi­red. After that they had taken theyr places,Other wit­nesses sworne a­gainst Bu­cer. and that no man put forthe him selfe to aunswere for thoffendours, the iudges cal­led aside D. Yoong, D. Segys­wyke, Bullocke, Tayler, Map­tide, Hunter, Parker, Readman [Page] whō we named before, Browne Gogman, Rudde, Iohnson, Mytche, Rauen, and Carre, the very same man that had before written out the burial of Bucer, with a singular commendacion of him, and sente it to the ryghte worshipfull syr Iohn C [...]eke knyght. These men (taking fyrst theyr othe vpon a booke) were commaunded to beare witnesse agaynst the heresies & doctryne of Bucer & Phagius. The .xxii. day of the same moneth was li­mited to this Iurye to brynge in theyr verdit.

In the meane while Ormanet and VVatson, abode at home in their lodginge, to take the de­positions of thē, whom we she­wed you before, to haue ben cal­led to Peterhouse, and to haue communicated with the Uyce­chauncellour [Page] as concerning that matter. whose depositions (as I told you) neuer came to lighte. The bishop of Westchester, and Cole, this daye visited theym of Catherin hall, wher (as farre as I coulde learne) nothinge was done worthy of rehersall.

☞ As Ormanet was sittinge at Trinitie Colledge,A relique geuen by Ormanet to Trinitie Colledge. Iohn Dale, one of y^• Queenes colledge came to him, whom he had commaunded before, to bring with him the pixe, wherein y^e bishop of Romes god of bread is wonte to be en­closed. For Ormanet told thē he had a precious Iewel, (the same was a linnē clout that the Pope had cōsecrated w^t his own hāds) which he promised to bestow vp on thē for a gifte. But Dale mys­vnderstāding Ormanet, in stede of y^e Pixe, brought a chalyce & a singīg cake (called the hoste) the [Page] which he had wrapped vp & put in his bosome. When he was come, Ormanet spake him cour­teouslye, demaundinge if he had brought him the thinge he sente him for: to whō he aunswered he had brought it: thē geue it me (ꝙ he) Dale pulled out the chalyce & the singing cake. Whē Ormanet sawe that, he stepped somewhat back as it had ben in a wonder, calling him blockhead, & litel better thē a mad man, demaunding what he ment by those thinges, saying, he willed hī to bring none of that gere, & that he was vn­worthy to enioy so hygh a bene­fite, yet notwithstanding foras­much as he had promised before to geue it theym he would per­fourme his promyse. Where­upon, wyth great reuerence and Ceremonye, he pulled oute the [Page] the linnen clothe and layed it in the chalyce, and the bread wyth it: commaunding theym both for theholinesse of the thing, and al­so for thautour of it, to kepe it among them wyth suche due re­uerence as belonged to so holy a rellique.

About this time almoste, the Commissioners gaue commaundemente to the maysters of the Colledges,A commaū ­dement for bringing in of heretical Bookes. y^t euerye man should put in writinge what bookes he had, with the authours names. And to thentent that euery man should execute it without deceit, they tooke a corporall othe of them. For they sayde it was not lawefull for anye man to haue, reade, or copye out those vngod­ly bookes of wicked heretiques, writtē against the reuerent sect of the catholiques, & the decrees [Page] of the most holy Canons. Ther­fore they should diligently serche them out, to thentent they might be openly burnt. They sayd they gaue theym warninge of these thinges, whych they oughte not to loke for: for these things ought rather to haue bene done of theyr owne free will, then extorted by force. The whych thing, not only the Canons cōmaunded, but also the most noble and worthy Em­perours Theodosius and Ualentinian, made in certayne places decrees as concerning the wry­tinges of heretiques, and especi­allye agaynst the bookes of Ne­storius. This commaundemente some executed exactlye and dili­gently, othersome, forasmuch as they demed it wrongefull, execu­ted it slackly ynough.

We declared before, that the [Page] xviii. day was the daye of iudge­ment. When the day came, and that neyther they whyche were cited, appeared in the Court, nor that anye put forthe him selfe to defend them, yet the Commissio­ners wold not procede to iudge­ment, whyche neuerthelesse, for theyr contumacye in absentynge theym selues they myghte haue done, [...] considering howe that day was peremptory.The second Citacion. But these men being bente altogyther to equi­tie and mercye, had rather shew some fauour, then to do thutter­most they myght by the lawe.

Whereupon Uincent published the seconde processe, and set it vp in the same places, that the for­mer was. The meanyng thereof varied not much from the fyrste, but that it put of the iudgemente daye vnto the .xxvi. of the same [Page] moneth. The whych daye they sent for the Uicechauncellour to theyr lodging, and there agreed with him as concerning thorder of publishing the sentence: whom (for bicause ther should want no solemnitie in the matter) they cō ­maūded to warne the Maior of the towne to be there at the day appointed with al his burgesses, the whych thing the Uicechaun­cellour did wyth al speede.

While these thinges were a working agaynst Bucer & Pha­gius▪ in the meane whyle they forslowed not to make Inquisi­tion in some places as the mat­ter requyred. Therefore,Inquisition at Clare hall. when as almoste the same tyme they came into Clare hall, & entered into the Chappell, (whiche was their ordinarie custom to do first of all whersoeuer they became) [Page] they perceyued there was no sacrament (as they cal it) hanging o [...]er the altar. The which thing being taken in great displeasure, Ormanet calling to him the maister of the house, tolde him what a great wyckednesse he had by so doing, brought vpon him selfe and all his house. For although he were so vnwyse to thinke it no shame at all, yet vnto them it seemed an inexpiable offence.

The old man being amased, and lookinge aboute him howe he myghte aunswere the matter, while he went about to pourge him selfe thereof, made the faulte double: He sayde it was a pro­phane place, neuer as yet hallo­wed nor consecrated with anye Ceremonies, At that worde, the Commissioners were yet more astonied, demaunding whether [Page] he him selfe or anye other had v­sed to synge masse there or no.

When he had cōfessed that both he him selfe, and others also, h [...]d oftentimes said masse there:

O thou wretched olde mā (quod Ormanet) thou haste cast bothe thy selfe and them in daunger of the greuous sentence of Excom­munication. Ormanet, being sore moued at the beginning, serched the man narowly: howe manye benefices he had, wher they lay, by whose fauoure or licence he helde so many at ones, what ex­cuse he had to be so farre, and so long from them▪ for as it shoulde seme he spente the most parte of the yeare in thuniuersitie, farre from the charge that he had ta­ken vpō him. Swineborne was so sore astonied at this so sodaine disquietenesse of Ormanet, that [Page] being more disquieted him selfe, he was not able to answere one worde, neyther to these thinges, nor to anye other thinges apper­tayning to thestate of his house. Wherfore one of the fellowes of the house, that was senior to all y^• rest, was faine to take vpō him the maisters turne in y^• businesse.

This was now the .xxii. day, whiche I tolde you was limited to the iury,The wit­nesses are sworne not to publyshe their depo­sitions. Yong, Segiswyke▪ &c to geue vp their verdit. Who ne­uerthelesse during the tyme that thinquisitours sate in S. Marie churche, neyther appeared that day nor put vp any thing openly against them that were accused. Whether thei obiected any thing secretly agaynste theym or no▪ I am not able to saye. For by lyke othe they were exhibited to pu­blishe theyr depositions, as they [Page] were bound to beare witnesse.

In this Session nothing was done, sauing that the Uicechan­cellour restored agayne the pro­cesse for appearance, that he had receyued of theym two dayes a­gone: The tenor wherof, he sayd he had published vpon the contu­macie of thē that were cited, ac­cording as they had cōmaunded him. Whereupon he requested them to appoint the .iiii. day next folowinge to pronounce the sen­tence of condemnatiō: the which wythoute anye difficultye he ob­teyned.The iudge­ment day i [...] appoynted. For I shewed you be­fore, that so it was agreed a­mong them selues. And yet these bluddy butchers wold for al that seme m [...]ke and merciful men.

Insomuche that they would seeme to determine nothynge of theyr owne heades, before that [Page] this moste filthye executioner of other mens wycked lustes, had earnestly sewed to theim for the same. As though no man had bene able to espye oute their co­lourable conueyance, or as if we had cast from vs both our myn­des and eies, that we should nei­ther vnderstande, nor see theyr craftye packyng. Euen so, they setting a fayre glosse vpō al their doinges, sought to brynge them selues in credite with men, to thentent that when oportunitye should serue, they might to theyr owne most aduauntage, deceiue men vnwares. Surelye, they might not in anye wise seeme to do those thynges, whyche they were most chiefelye bente vpon and therfore they sought al mea­nes possible to bieare mens eies, that they should not see theym, [Page] but they coulde not so escape vn­espyed.

About this time they sent out a cōmaundement that the may­ster of euerye Colledge by thad­uice of his house,A cōmaun­dement for makinge of an Inuen­torye of the goodes of euery Col­ledge, as wel moua­ble as vn­mouable. should cause to be put in writinge, howe muche euery house had of ready mony, how much of yearely reuenewe, howe much thereof had bene be­stowed about necessarye vses of the Colledge, howe much went to the stipendes of the fellowes, and the daylye diet of the house, howe much was allowed for o­ther extraordinarie expences, how much remayned from yere to yeare, what was done with y^• ouerplus, with a due accompt of all thinges belonginge to that purpose. The whiche thinge (be­cause that for the straungenesse and noueltye thereof, it shoulde [Page] not make men to muse & breake theyr branes about it) they sayd, that before theym the Colledges of Eton and Winchester had done the like. The cause whye they coueted to be certifyed here in, was for none other purpose, but to thentent that they theym selues myghte see, whether that they, to whose charge the custo­dye and administration of those goodes was committed, hadde behaued theym selues so truelye and faythfullye, as by theyr othe they were bounde to do. This pretence made these diligent and curyous stewardes of other mens goods. But it was know­en well ynoughe, that thys was rather a fayned allegacion, than a true tale. For it was their minde, to searche what power [Page] the Clergy was of, the whyche, forasmuche as they made an as­sured accompte of, to haue wil­ling to take theyr partes which were the chiefe heades of thys businesse, they coueted to knowe before hand, and to put theym in a readines, agaynst all hasardes and aduentures of Fortune.

And no man oughte to surmyse, that this coniecture is vayne, or that it dependeth vpon a lyghte ground, considering what a dele of armoure, what a dele of artil­lerye and furniture for the war­res, the whole bodye of the Cler­gye, but inespecially the prelates, (who at that time bare all the sway) had layed vp in store at home in theyr owne houses, or els put in custodye of theyr con­federates.

[Page]The whiche, forasmuch as they coulde be construed to tende to none other purpose then to open force (inespecially in so cankerd a tyme as that was) is it not a good likelihode that to the same enten [...]e and purpose, inquisition should be made of the strengthe of thuniuersitye, which it selfe to thuttermoste of her power, was readye to susteyne anye daunger or burden, for the maintenaunce of that filthy supersticion? But God hath looked mercifully vp­on vs, and pulled theyr swordes from our neckes. But nowe let vs retourne to Bucer, and Pha [...]gius.

¶Nowe was come the daye of iudgemente,The day of the iudgement and all the degrees of thuniuersitye were assembled to se this pageant. Thither came also the Maior and his townes­men, [Page] and all met together in S. Marie Churche to beholde and learne what should be determi­ned vpon these men by the Commissioners. After longe atten­daunce of the multitude, at lēgth the Commissioners came forthe, and went vp to a scaffolde that was somewhat higher then the residue, prepared for y^e same pur­pose. When they had taken theyr places, there Perne the Uice­chauncellour, the player of thys enterlude, fashioninge his coun­tenaunce with greate grauitye, reached to them the processe that was lastly publyshed to cite thē: sayinge these wordes. I brynge forthe agayne (quod he) to you ryght reuerende fathers & Com­missioners of the most reuerend my L. Cardinall Poole (payn­tinge out the rest of his stile) this [Page] Citacion executed accordynge to the purporte and effecte of the same: Omittyng nothyng for his parte that myghte make to the commendacion of this matter. When he had thus fynyshed hys tale, by & by the byshop of West­chester, after he had a litle view­ed the people, began in manner in this wise.

Ye see (ꝙ he) howe sore thu­niuersitye preaseth vpon vs, how earnest intercession it maketh vnto vs,Westche­sters oraciō before the pronouncīg of the sen­tence of condemnacion. not onelye to denounce Bucer and Phagius (whych these certayne yeares past, haue spred most pernicious doctrine among you) Heretiques, as they bee indede: but also that we will com­maunde theyr deade Carcases, (whych vnto this daye haue ob­tayned honourable buryall a­mong [Page] you) to be dygged vp and (as it is excellentlye ordayned by the Canon lawe) to be cast into fyre, or what soeuer is more gre­uous then fyre if any can be.

For the degrees of thuniuersitye deale not slyghtlye nor slackelye wyth vs in this case, but do so prease vpon vs, and folowe the sute so earnestly, that they scarce geue vs any respyte of delay.

And I assure ye, albeit this case of it selfe be suche, as that euen thunworthinesse of those persons (thoughe there were no further cause) oughte to induce vs to the doyng thereof, muche the rather (moued wyth these so wholsome peticions) it is meete and conue­nient we should graunt it. For howsoeuer we of our selues are enclined to mercy in our hartes, (then the which we protest there [Page] is nothinge vnder the sonne to vs more dere and acceptable) yet notwithstanding, the very lawe riseth vp to reuengemēt, so that the common saluation of you al ( which y^e law prouideth for) must be preferred before the priuate charitie of our mindes. And it is not to be committed, that beyng scarce yet escaped oute of y^e ship­wracke of our former faulte and calamitye, we should suffer thys vnexpiable mischiefe, to disquiet any lenger the cōsciences of the weake. Moreouer, it is but rea­son that we shold do somewhat at so earnest entreatance & sute of thuniuersitye. It nedeth not speake much of our selues. For if we had bene desirous to enter­prise this matter, it had ben law­full after the firste Citacion, to haue proceded to iudgemente: [Page] But for bicause we were willing that their defendours should be heard, and that the matter shuld be tried by lawe, we sent out the second processe. If we had desy­red reuengemente, we mighte haue shewed cruelty vpon them that are aliue: of the which (alas the more pitye) there are to ma­ny that embrace this doctryne. If we thirsted for bloude, it was not to be sought ī withered car­cases and drye bones. Therfore ye may wel perceyue, it was no part of our willes that we now came hither: but partlye induced at thentreatāce of thuniuersity, partly moued with thunworthi­nesse of the case it selfe, but ine­specially for the care and regard we haue of your health and sal­uation, the whyche we couet by all meanes to preserue whole [Page] a [...]d sound. For you your selues are the cause of this businesse: you gaue occasion of this con­fession, among whom thys day ought to be a notable example, to remayne as a memoryall to them that shall come after: as in the whyche ye maye learne, not onely to shake of the fylth which ye haue taken of these persons, but also to beware hereafter, that ye fall no more so shame­fully as ye haue done: But I trust God will defende you, and geue ye mindes to kepe youre selues from it. as concerninge them, whose case nowe hangeth in lawe, they bare about the name of the ghospell, whereas in dede they wrought nothynge els than theuery and deceyt.

And so much the wickeder wer they, in that they soughte to co­uer [Page] so shamefull actes, with the cloke of so fayre and holy a name Wherefore it is not to be doub­ted but that God will punyshe this despyght of it selfe wycked, to you pernicious, by thautours thereof shamefull and abhomi­nable. But if God (as he is slow to wrathe and vengeance) wyll wynke at it for a tyme: yet not­withstanding, if we (vpon whō the charge of the Lordes [...]locke leaneth) should permit so execra­ble crymes escape vnpunished, we should not lyue in quiete one houre.

When he had thus spoken, he recited the sentence oute of a scroll, and condemned Bucer & Phagius of heresye,the cond [...] nacion of Bucer and Phagius▪ he cōmaunded their bodies to be digged out of theyr graues, & being dis­graded from holy orders, deliue [Page] red them into the handes of the secular power. For it was not lawfull for such innocent persōs as they were, abhorring from al bloudshed, and detesting all de­sire of murder, to put anye man to death.Th [...]nthāk [...]ulnesse of thuniuersi­tye. O vnworthye and ab­hominable act: for which thuni­uersitye shall neuer be able to make satisfaction. Now vnworthye a thing was it, to do all the spyghte that myghte be to hym beyng dead, to whō being aliue she exhibited al thonour & reue­rence she could deuise. Now vn­tolerable a thīg was it, to detest and abhorre him as a wycked deceyuer and leader oute of the ryght waye being dead, whom in his life time she had folowed and reuerenced with all humi­lity and obeysau [...]ce, as her mai­ster and chyefe guide of her life? [Page] What a monstruous thing is it not to spare him when he was dead? who during his life being aged and alwayes sickelye, yet neuer spared him selfe, to then­tent he myght profyte them?

Nothinge greued him more, all the time he laye sicke & bedered, than that he was vnprofitable both to them and to the churche of God: and yet whē he was de­ceased, he neyther founde obedi­ence among his disciples, nor buriall amonge Christen men. If manhode and reason coulde not haue obteyned so muche at our handes, as to spare his memori­all, or to reuerence his ashes, yet nature and the common law of all nations (by the whiche vpon promise made by the body of the realme he came hyther) ought to haue withheld this so great cru­eltie [Page] and extreame barbarous­nesse or sauagenesse from his bones. Notwithstandinge this in­famye of the vniuersitie so open­lye gotten,Pernes sermō against Bucer. Andrewe Perne the Uycechauncelloure wyth hys slaunderous talke mor [...] encrea­sed. For after that Scotte had pronounced the sentēce, he made a Sermon before the people, ta­kynge that place of the, 132. Psalm, Beholde, howe good and pleasaunte a thynge it i [...]. &c. For his theme to enreate vpon: where beginning with the com­mendacion of concorde, and of the mutuall kni [...]tinge together of the mindes, he alledged that it was not possible to holde to­gither, onelesse the concord were deriued oute of the heade, (the whyche he made to be the By­shoppe of Rome) and that it also [Page] rested in the same. When he had made a longe protestacion vpon this place, he passed frō it to Bu­cer, vpon whō he made suche a shamefull raylinge, that it is not possible to diffame a man more thā he did: saying, y^t his doctrine gaue occasion of diuision in the common welth, & that ther was not so greuous a mischief, which by his meanes hadde not, bene brought into y^e realm. Although all men myght perceyue by such bookes as he had cōpyled, what maner of doctryne it was: Yet notwithstānding he said he knew it more perfectly him selfe thā a­ny did,What thinges Perne ac­cused Bu­cer of. & that he had learned it a part at thautours hand himselfe For at such time as they had cō ­munication secretelye amonge them selues, he sayd that Bucer woulde oftentimes wyshe he myghte be called by some other [Page] name, than by the name he had: the whyche he did for this pur­pose, as though, knowinge hym selfe giltie of so greuous a crime, he might by this meanes escape vnknowen to the world, and a­uoide the talke that went amōg men of him. Moreouer amonge other thinges, he tolde how Bu­cer held opinion, (whych thinge he shoulde confesse to hym hys owne selfe) that God was the authour and welspring, not one­lye of good, but also of euell: and that whatsoeuer was of that sorte, flowed from him as from the head spryng and maker ther of. The whyche doctrine he vp­helde to be sincere: how be it for offendinge diuers▪ mens consci­ences, he durste not put it into mennes heades. Manye other thinges he patched together, of [Page] like purport and effect, as of the supremacie of y^e bishop of Rome, of the maryage of pryestes, of di­uorcementes, and of shamefull vsurie also, as though he had de­med theym lawfull to be vsed a­mong Christen people, wyth di­uers other of the same sorte. In all whych his allegations, con­sideringe howe lewdly wythout all shame he lyed vppon Bucer, (as his writinges euidently de­clare) he did not so much hinder his name with rayling vpō him, as winne vnto him selfe an inex­piable infamie, by forgynge so shamefull leasinges vpō so wor­thye a man. But what needeth witnesse to proue him a lyar?Pernes o­pinion of Bucer ac­cording to his cōsciēce his owne conscience shall make as much agaynst him as a number of men. It was reported for a truthe, (and his owne familyar [Page] frendes were the bringers vp thereof) that he him selfe (eyther immediately after his sermō, or els somewhat before he went to it) striking himselfe on the brest, and in maner wepinge, wished at home at his house wyth all hys hearte, that God woulde graunte his soule myghte euen then presentlye departe and re­mayne wyth Bucers. For he knewe well ynough that his life was suche, that if anye mannes soule were worthye of heauen he thought his inespecially to be most worthye. Whiles he was thus talking to the people, in the meane time the leaues of the church dores were couered ouer with verses: in the whiche the yonge men to shewe theyr folly:Uerses a­gainst Bu­cer and Phaigus. (whiche scarce knewe him by sight) blazed Bucers name with [Page] most shamefull and reprochefull termes. Diuers also y^t were som­what more growen in yeares, & yet more fooles thē the yong mē:No foole to the olde▪ foole. like eger curres (who had bene well serued if their legges had bene brokē for their labour) bar­ked all that they coulde agaynst him. And to thentent it myghte seme to be done by a great num­ber, (wherin the papistes great­lie vaunt them selues) they enti­ced vnth y^• same businesse, many that by al meanes fauoured Bucer, & that reuerenced his name, as it became them. Who not­withstandinge to thentent that vnder this pretext they myghte escape theyr crueltye, ful sore a­gaynst theyr willes, fayntly and slenderly pricked at him.

These thinges being dispatched Perne (as though he had sped [Page] his matters marueylously well)the sentēce of condem­nation sent to london with the Commissi­oners let­ters. was for his labour of courtesye bidden to diner to Trinitie Col­ledge by the Commissioners.

Where, after the Table was ta­ken vp, they caused the sentence of condemnation to be copy [...]d out wyth all spede, the whyche sygned with the bishop of West­chesters seale, the next daye folo­wing, they sent to London with diuers of those verses and slaun­derous libels, for so a man maye cal them. Besides these, they sent also theyr owne letters, in the whych, they both aduertised the Cardinall howe farre they had proceded in that matter, and al­so desyred his grace y^t he would ca [...]se to be sente out of hande to Smith the Maior of the towne the commaundement that is of ordinarie by the lawe,a writ for burning of heretigues▪ common­lye [Page] called a Wrytte for the bur­ning of Heretiques. For onelesse he had the Quenes warrante to saue him harmelesse, he woulde not haue to do in the matter.

And that which remained to be done in that case, could not be dispatched tyll y^t warrant came. While this pursiuant wente on his iourney, they willed to be brought vnto theym the bookes that they commaūded before to be serched out. For they deter­mined to throwe theym into the fyre with Bucer and Phagius.

About the same time, Watson takinge occasion vpon the daye, bicause it was a hyghe feaste, in the whych was wonte to be ce­lebratedWatson [...] sermon vp­on Candelmas day. the memorial of the pu­rificatiō of our lady the Uirgin, made a sermon to the people vp­on that Psalme. VVe haue re­ceyued [Page] thy mercy O lord, in the middest of thy temple. &c. In the whyche Sermon he spake muche reproche of Bucer and Phagius, and of theyr doctrine. He sayde that these men and all the heretiques of oure time that were of the same opinion (the which for the most part he sayde had budded out of Germany) a­mong other thinges which they had perniciouslye put into mens heades, taught to cast away all ceremonies. Whereas notwith­standing thappostle him selfe cō ­maunded all thinges to be done in due order. And vpō that dede of the blessed virgin and Ioseph whiche was done by thē as vpō that day it was manifestly apparant, that they with our sauiour being then a litle babe, obserued these rites & Ceremonies, for ca­tholike [Page] mē to teach. For he sayd that they came to the Temple the same time with waxe cādels in theyr handes, after the maner of procession (as they terme it) in good order with much reuerēce and deuotion: and yet we were not ashamed to laugh and mock at these things w^t the heretiques & Schismatikes. As he was tel­ling his tale of Christ, Marye, & Ioseph, one of them that hearde him, a pleasaaut & mery concey­ted fellowe, turning him selfe to him that stood next him, & if it be true (ꝙ he) y^t this man preacheth which of thē I pray you (if a mā might be so bold to spurre him y^• questiō) bare the crosse before y^e residew? For that might not be missinge in suche solemne Cere­monies. Not onelye thys man [...]ested at the preachers folly, but diuers others also laughed at [Page] his manifest vnshamefastnesse, in preaching these so vayne and foolishe superstitions. While he was thus talkinge to his audy­ence,the sodaine swound of Christofor­son. Iohn Christophorson elec­ted byshop of Chichester, beinge striken with a sodayne sycknesse fel downe in a swound amonge the prease: and wyth much a do, beīg scarce able a good while to come to him selfe agayne, in the meane time babled manye thin­ges vnaduisedly, and as though he had bene out of his wittes. Some thoughte it came vpon this occasiō, that bicause he had bene greatlye accused before the Commissioners for mispending and misordring the goods of the colledge, he was so greued with the matter, inasmuche as he knew they were displeased with him, by that that Ormanet had [Page] cancelled before his face a lease of his by the which he had let to ferme to his brother in lawe a certane manor of y^• Colledge bi­cause the couenaunts semed vn­reasonable.

By this time was retourned agayne the Pursiuant,The ta­king [...]p of Bucer and Phagius. who (as we [...]olde you before) was sente to London a fewe dayes before wyth the Cōmissioners letters: and broughte wyth him a war­rant for the burning of these mē. Upon the receyte whereof they appoynted the .vi. day of Febru­ary for thaccomplyshemēt of the matter. For it had hanged alrea­dy a great while in hand. Ther­fore whē the said day was come the Commissioners sente for the Uicechauncellour, demaunding of him in what case things stode whether all thinges were in a [Page] readinesse, for thaccomplyshmēt of this businesse or no? Under­standing by him that al thinges wer ready, they cōmaunded the matter to be brought out of hād. [...] The Uicechauncellour therfore takinge with him Marshall the common notarye, went strayte to S. Michaels churche, w [...]ere we shewed you that Phagius was buryed. There he called forth Andrewe Smith, Henrye Sawyer, & Henry Adams men of the same parishe, and bounde them wyth an othe to dygge vp Phagius bones & to bring thē to the place of execution. Marshall tooke theyr othes. Receiuing the like of Roger Smith, & william [...] the towne [...]erg [...]ants, and of Iohn [...]per warden of the same churche for doing the lyke with Bucer▪ Smith the Maior [Page] of y^e town which should be their executioner (for it was not law­ful for them to entermedle in ca­ses of bloude) commaunded cer­taine of his townesmen to wait vpon him in harnesse, by whom the dead bodyes wer garded, & being bound with ropes, & layd vpon mens shoulders (for they were enclosed in chestes. Bucer in the same that he was buryed, and Phagius in a newe) were borne into the middes of y^• mar­ket sted with a great trayne of people folowing them.

This place was prepared beforeThe bur­nynge of Bucer and Phagius. and a greate poste was set faste in the grounde to bynde the car­cases to, and a great heape of woode was layde readye to burne theym wythal. When they came thyther, the chestes were set vp on end wyth y^e dead b [...]dyes in theym, and fastened [Page] on both sides wyth stakes, and bound to the poste with a longe yron chayne, as if th [...]y had bene aliue. Fyre beinge forthwith put to, as soone as it began to flame rounde aboute, a greate sorte of bookes that were condemned wyth theym, were caste into the same. There was that day ga­thered into the towne,The talke of the countr [...]ifolk [...] of the bur­ning of Bucer and Phagius. a greate multitude of countreyfolke (for it was market day) who seinge men borne to execution, and learning by enquirie that they were dead before, partly detested and abhorr [...]d thextreme crueltye of the Commissioners toward the rotten carcases, & partly laughed at theyr folly in making such preparature. For what nedeth anye weapon (sayd they) as thoughe they were afrayd that the dead bodies which felt thē not, would [Page] do thē some harme? Or to what purpose serues that chain wher­with they are tyed? sythens they might be burnt loose wythoute perill, for it was not to be feared that they would ronne away.

Thus euery body that stood by, found faulte with the cruelnesse of the deed, either sharpely or els lightly as euery mannes minde gaue him. There were verye fewe (and those not of the [...]ound and wholsome religion) that ly­ked their doing herein. In the mean time that they were a ro­stinge in the fyre, Watson went into the pulpyt in S. Marye church,Watsons sermon at the bur [...]nyng of Bucer and Phagius▪ and there before his au­diēce rayled vpon theyr doctrine as wicked and erron [...]ous: say­ing that it was the ground of al mischiefe that had happened of [...] long time in the cōmon weale. [Page] For behold (sayth he) as wel the prosperitye, as thaduersitye of these yeares that haue ensewed: Ye shall fynde that all thynges haue chaunced vnluckelye, to theym that haue folowed thys newe found fayth, and al things haue happened for [...]unatelye to them that haue eschewed it.

What robbing and pollynge (ꝙ he) haue we sene in this realme,as thoughe in those dayes had bene raised no subsi­dies at al besides pri­uie s [...]ales anon after. as longe as religion was defa­ced wyth Sectes, the common threasure (gathered for the main tenaunce of the whole publyke weale) & the goods of the realme shamefully spent in waste for the maintenaunce of a fewe folkes lustes: all good order broken: all discipline caste aside: holydayes appointed to the solemnisinge of ceremonies neglected: and that more is, the places theym selues [Page] beaten downe. Fleshe and other kinde of prohibited sustenaunce eaten euerye where vpon dayes forbidden, withoute remorce of conscience: the priestes had in derision: the Masse rayled vppon: no honour done to the Sacra­mentes of the church. Al estates and degrees geuen to such a li­cencious liberty without check, that all thinges maye seeme to drawe to their vtter ruine and decaye. And yet in the meane tyme, the name of the Ghospell was pretended outwardlye, as though that for it, men oughte of dutie to geue credit to their erro­neous opinions: wheras in dede there is nothinge more discre­pant, or more to the slaunder of Gods worde then it. For what other thinge taughte they to re­mayne in that moste blessed [Page] people, manye of theym that had written verses before, did set vp other newe, in the whiche lyke a sorte of water frogges, they spe­wed out their venemous malice against Bucer & Phagius. This was the last of this enterlude, & yet there remained a fewe thin­ges to be done, amōg the which was the reconciling of the two churches of our lady,the recon­ciling of y^• churches y^• were in­terdited. and of S. Michaell, which we declared to haue ben enterdited. The which was done y^e next day folowing by Westchester, with as muche ceremonie as the law requyred.

But that impanate God whō Bucers Carcase had chased frō thēce, was not yet retourned thither again: Neyther was it lawful for hī to come ther any more, but if he were brought thyther wyth great solemnitye. As I [Page] suppose duringe all the tyme he was away, he was enterteined by the Commissioners at Tri­nitye Colledge, and there conti­nued as a soiourner. For thy­ther came all the Graduates of thuniuersitye,a solemne procession of thuni­uersity and of the townesmē. the eyghte daye of Februarye, of gentlenesse and courtesye to bringe him home a­gayne. Amongest the whyche number, Westchester (worthye for his estate to come nearest to him, bycause he was a byshop) tooke and caryed him cladde in a long Rochet, and a large typ­pet of sarcenet about his necke, wherein he wrapped his Idoll also, Ormanet Datarye had ge­uen the same a litle before to thuniuersitye [...]or the same and such like purposes. When thys Idoll should retourne home, he went [...] not the straitest & nearest [Page] way as other folke are wont to go, but he fetched a windelasse about the most part of y^e towne: and romed through so many of the streetes, that it was a large hower and more, ere he coulde fynde the waye into his Church agayn. I beleue thauncient Ro­maines obserued a custome not muche vnlike this in their pro­cession, when they made supply­cations at the shrynes of al their Goddes. Thorder whereof was this: The maysters, Regentes, went before singing with a loud voyce, Salue festa dies. &c. Next them followed Westchester, a­bout him wente Ormanet and his fellowe Cōmissioners, with the Maysters of the Colledges bearing euery man a long taper lyght in his hand. After whom, a litle space of, followed thother [Page] degrees of thuniuersity. Last be­hinde came the Maior and his townesmen. Be [...]ore them all went the Bedels, cryeng to such as they met [...]e, that they shoul [...]e bow them selues humbly before the hoste. If any refused so to do they thretned to sende him forth­with to the tolbooth. Their god being led wyth this pompe, and pacified with greate hostes of Bucer and Phagius, at length setled him selfe agayne in his ac­customed roome. Scot of West­chester prayed with many wor­des, y^t that day myght be luckye and fortunate to himselfe, and to al that were present, and that from that day forwarde (nowe that Gods wrathe was appea­sed, and all other thynges set in good order) all men wold make thē selues conformable to peace [Page] and quietenesse, inespecially that appertayned to religion. After this,Certayn of the vniuer­sitye amer­ced and pu­nished. they bestowed a few dayes in punishing and amercing such as they thought had deserued it Some they suspended from ge­uinge voyces eyther to theyr owne prefermente, or to the pre­ferment of anye other. Some they forbade to haue the charge of pupilles, least they shoulde in­ [...]ect the tender youth, (beyng pli­able to take what prynte so euer is laid vpon them) with corrupt doctrine and heresye. Others they chasticed wrongfully with­out any desert.: and many a one they punyshed contrarye to all right and reason. Last of al they set forth certaine statutes, by the which they woulde haue thuni­uersitye hereafter ordered.

Wherein they enacted manye [Page] thinges as concerning the elec­tion of theyr officers of thuniuer sitye, of keping & administryng the goodes of thuniuersitye, and of many other thinges. But in­ [...]specially they handled the mat­ter very circumspectlye for rely­gion. In the which they were so scrupu [...]ous, y^t they replenished all thinges,The de­crees of thinquisi­tours. eyther with open blasphemye or with ridiculous superstition. For they prescribed at how many masses eueri man should be day by day, & how ma­ny masses euery man should say when he shoulde enter into the church, & in his enterance after what sorte he should bowe hym selfe to the altar: & how to y^• mai­ster of y^e house: what he shold do there, & howe long he should ta­ry, howe manye & what prayers he should saye: what & howe he [Page] should synge, what meditacions other should vse while the priest is in his Memento mūbling se­cretely to him selfe: what time of the Masse a man should stande, and when he should sit downe: when he should make courtesie, when exclusiuelye, when inclu­siuely, and many other supersti­cious toyes they decreed, that it was a good [...]port to behold thē. Moreouer, these Maysters of good order, for fashion sake, or­dayned that euery man shoulde put on a Surplyce, not torne nor worne, but clean, forbidding them in any wise to wype theyr noses thereon. And these are the thinges which we tolde you be­fore, that some noted in Orma­net howe deuoutlye he obserued them in the kynges chappel. All the which (vnder a great penal­tie [Page] to such as omitted thē) were enioyned commonlye to all men alike.

All thinges beinge thus set at a staye, when they were nowe ready to go theyr wayes, thuni­uersitye for so greate benefytes (which she could not suffer to fal out of remembraunce many ye­res after) [...] coueting to shew some token of courtesy towardes thē agayne, commenced Ormanet and Cole doctors (for all the re­sidue sauing Christophorsō,Ormanet and Cole pro [...]ede Doctours. who nowe by reason he was elected byshop, had preuented that de­gree, were chosē into that order before) the whyche they shewed theym selues to receyue thanke­fully at theyr handes, thinkinge muche gentlenesse in so doinge. Thus at length were sēt away these peacemakers that came to [Page] pacifye strifes and quarelles, who through prouoking euerye man to accuse one another,the depar­ture of thin quisitours. lefte suche gappes and breaches in mens hartes at theyr departure y^• to this day they could neuer be closed & ioined againe togither.

These Commissioners, before they departed out of thuniuersi­ty, gaue cōmaundemēt, that the maisters of euerye house should copie out their statutes, y^e which beside cōmon ordinances, cōtey­ned in certaine rules, the priuate ordering of euery house perticu­lerly.Swine­bornes sai­yng as concerning the decrees of thinquisi­tours. Swineborne (who as I said was maister of Clare hall) beinge demaunded whether he wold haue those thinges engro­ced in parchmēt or in paper, aunswered, that it made no matter wherin they were written. For the paper or a slighter thing that [Page] were of lesse continuance than paper, would serue the turn wel ynough: For he sayd a slenderer thing thā that, wold last a great deale lenger then those decrees should stande in force: [...] Neyther was the man deceyued in his cō iecture. For within two yeares after,The death of Quene Mary. God beholdinge vs wyth mercy, called Quene Mary (the which princesse the cardinal and the rest of the byshops of Eng­land, miserablye abused to thut­ter destruc [...]iō of Christs church) oute of this life the .xvii. daye of Nouember,Quene eli­zabeth suc­cedeth. in the yeare of oure Lord. 1558. Unto whom her syster Elizabeth succeding in the kingedome (the lyke of whiche princesse a man shal not lightlye finde in perusing the chronicles to haue reygned in manye hun­dred yeares before,) raysed [Page] sed to life againe,The true religion is restored. the true religi­on being not onelye sore apalled and commaunded to seeke her a new dwelling place, but in ma­ner burnte vp and consumed to ashes. The which after the time it ones begā to recouer strength agayne, and by litle and litle to lifte vp her head, the filthy dreg­ges of y^e Romyshe iugling castes began forthwith to melt away. Whereupon the Church of God began to be edifyed agayne in England, the buylding whereof the Sanaballites and Tobies did not only as then hinder and waste, but euen at this day also (as Sathā is a most suttle slaū ­derer) worke all the pollicyes they can deuyse, that the truthe (which is not darke vnlesse men wil be blinded wilfullye) should not come abrode and [...]e seene in [Page] the lyght. While the broken and decayed places of this worke were in repayring, it came to re­membraunce, how the ryght re­uerend father and sometime our schoolemayster Martin Bucer wyth Paulus Phagius,The res [...]i­tucion of Bucer and Phagius. beyng taken with the violent tempest of the former tymes, were thro­wen downe oute of theyr stan­dyng which they had in the wal of this building. Whō the moste reuerend fathers in Christ Ma­thewe Parker, nowe archeby­shop of Cantorburye, and Pri­mate of all Englande, which be­fore at his buryall preached ho­norablye of him, and Edmonde Gryndall byshoppe of London, who (amonge the rest that did him that seruice) did helpe to beare hym in his coffin to buri­all on h [...]s shoulders, and other [Page] both honorable and worshipfull persons, among whō was Wal­ter Haddō maister of y^e requests to the Queenes highnesse, who made a funerall Oration of the death of Bucer, beinge him selfe haife dead, hauing receyued cō ­mission of the quenes maiestie to make a reformation of religion in thuniuersitye of Cambridge & other partes of the realm, decre­ed that they shold be set in their places againe: For y^e performāce wherof, the foresayd right reue­rende fathers adressed their let­ters to the Uicechauncellor and the Graduates of thuniuersity. Andrewe Perne bare still y^t letters di­rected for the restitu­tion of Bucer and Phagius. of­fyce (who by his good wil) could not abide to heare one word spoken as touching the ful restituti­on of Bucer & Phagius. when he had persued these letters, he [Page] poūded the matter to y^• degrees of thuniuersitie, whether it plea­sen theym, that the degrees and titles of honoure taken awaye from Martin Bucer and Pau­lus Phagius, by y^e verdit of the whole vniuersitye should by the same be fullye restored againe: & that al actes done against them & their doctrine should be repea­led and disanulled. The whych demaundes wer openly consen­ted vnto by al the Graduates of thuniuersitye. This was about the .xxii. daye of Iuly, in the yere of our lord. 1560. Albeit that this had bene sufficiente to re­store them lawfully againe: Ne­uerthelesse, forasmuch as it see­med not ynoughe in considera­cion of the dignitye of so wor­thye men, and in satysfaction of the duety of the Uniuersitye▪ [Page] they that were the chiefe doers in this matter, called a congre­gation in S Mary Churche, at the last daye of the same moneth sauing one. In the whyche place consultacion was had concer­ninge Bucer and Phagius, not with so great furniture and glo­riousnesse (whiche thinges the truth seketh not gredely for) but wyth honest comlinesse to then­tent to reconcile mens hartes a­gayne. An oration was made by Acworth the common Ora­tour of thuniuersity,The ora­tion of Ac­worth ora­tour of thuniuersi­tye at the restitution of Bucer and Pha­gius. whose wor­des I will rehearce in order as he spake them.

☞ I am in doubt whether I maye entreate of the prayse and commendacion of so greate a clerke (for the celebrating wher­of this assemblye and concourse of youres is made this daye) or [Page] of the vices and calamityes, out of the which we be newely deli­uered: or of them both: consyde­ring thone can not be mentio­ned withoute thother. In the whych times ye felt so much an­guishe and sorow (my right dere brethren) that if I should repeat them and bring them to remem­braunce agayne, I feare me, I should not so much worke a iust hatred in vs towards them, for thiniuryes receyued in them, as renew our olde sorow and hea­uinesse. Againe, men must nedes accompt me vnaduised and foo­lishe in my doinge, if I shoulde thynke my selfe able, to make him whyche hathe liued before your eyes in prayse and estima­tion, more famous and notable by my Oration, which he by his liuing [...] and conuersacion hath [Page] oftētimes polished. But the wic­kednesse of y^e times which ende­ [...]ored to wipe cleane out of the remēbraunce of men, the name y^t was so famous & renoumed in euery mannes mouth, did much profite hī. In so much that both in his life time all thing redoun­ded to his cōtinuall renowne, & inespecially after his decease no­thing could be deuised more ho­nourable, then w^t so solemne fur­niture and ceremonies to haue gone about, to haue hurte y^e me­moriall of such a worthy man, & yet could not bringe to passe the thinge that was [...]o sore coueted: but rather brought that thynge to passe, whiche was chiefelye sought to be auoyded. For the desire that men haue of the dead, hath purchased to many mene­uerlasting fame, & hath not takē [Page] awaye immortalitye, but rather amplifyed & increased the same. By meanes wherof it commeth to passe, that he y^t wil entreat of those thinges, that pertayne to the prayse of Bucer after hys death: can not choose but speake of the crabbednesse of the times past, vpon the whiche ryseth a greate increase and augmenta­tion of his prayse. But his [...]yfe is so excellently set forth, not on­lye by the writinges of the lear­ned clerkes Cheke and Carre, and by the liuelye voyce of the right famous. D. Haddon vtte­red in this place to the great ad­miration of all the hearers, when his bodye should be layed into his graue to be buried, and after hys buryall by the godlye and moste holye preachynges of the ryghte reuerende father in [Page] Chryst Tharchbyshop of Caun­terbury that nowe is, and of D. Readman: the which for y^e wor­thinesse and excellency of them, oughte to sticke longer in oure myndes vnwrytten, then many thynges that are penned & put in prynt: but also by the great as­semble of all the degrees of thu­niuersitye the same day: in bryn­gynge him to his graue, and the next daye after by thindustrye of euerye man that was endewed with anye knoweledge in the Greeke or Latine tounges: of the whiche, there was no man, but that set vp some Uerses, as witnesses of his iust and vnfai­ned sorowe, vpon the walles of the church: That neyther at that time anye reuerence or duetye whych is due to the dead departinge oute of this life, was then [Page] duers [...]ipped, or nowe remayneth vndone that maye seeme to par­tayne eyther to the celebratyng of the memoriall of so holy or fa­mous a person, or to the conse­cratinge of him to euerlastinge memorye. We at that time sawe wyth our eyes this Uniuersitye flouryshinge by his institucions: the loue of sincere religion not onelye engendered, but also con­firmed & strengthened through his continuall and daylye prea­chinge. In so much that at suche time as he was sodaynly taken from vs, there was scarce anye man that for sorowe could finde in his hearte to beare with the presente estate of thys lyfe, but that eyther he wyshed with all his heart to departe oute of thys lyfe with Bucer into another, and by dieng to folowe him in­to [Page] to immortalitye, or els endeuo­red him selfe with wepinge and sighing to call him againe, being dispatched of all troubles into y^e prison of this bodye, oute of the which he is escaped: lest he shold leaue vs as it were standinge in battel ray without a captaine, & he hī selfe as one casshed depart with his wages, or as one dys­charged out of y^e campe, w^tdraw him selfe to the euerlasting qui­etnesse & tranquility of the soule Therfore al men euidently declared at that time both howe sore they tooke his death to hearte, and also, how hardly they could away with the misture of such a man. As long as the ardent loue of his religion (wherw^t we wer inflamed) flourished, it wrought in our hartes an incredible de­sire of his presence amorvs.

[Page]But after the time y^t the godlye mā ceased to be any more in our sight and in our eyes, y^e ardent & burning loue of religion by litle & litle waxed cold in our mindes & according to the times y^t came after (which were both misera­ble & to our vtter vndoing) it be­gan not by litle & litle to be dar­kened, but it altogither vanished away and turned into nothing. For we fel againe into the trou­blesomnesse of the popishe doc­trine: the old rites & customes of the romishe churche were resto­red againe, not the garnishment & beatifiyng of the Christen reli­gion (as they surmised) but to thutter defacing, violating, and defiling of the same: Death was sette before the eyes of suche as perseuered in the christē doctrine that they had learned before:

[Page]They were banished the relame that could not apply them selues to the time, and do as other men did: such as remained, were en­forced eyther to dissemble, or to hide theym selues and crepe into corners, or els by drinkinge as it wer of y^e charmed cup of Circes, to be turned and altered, not onelye from the nature of man into the nature of brute beastes, but (that farre worse and much more monstruous is) from the likenesse of God and his Aun­gels into the likenesse of deuels. And all England was infected with this maladye. But I wold to God the corruption of those tymes whyche ouerwhelmed all the whole realme, had not at least wise yet perced euery parte & member thereof. Of the which there was not one but that (be­sides [Page] the griefe that it felte with the residew of the bodye, by rea­son of the sickenesse and conta­gion spred into the whole) had some sorowe and calamitye pe­culiarly by it selfe. And to omit the rest (of the which to entreat this place is not appoynted, nor the time requireth oughte to be spoken) this dwellinge place of the Muses (which we cal thuniuersity) may be a sufficient wit­nesse, what we may iudge of all the rest of the bodye. For certesse my brethren, the thinge is not to be dissembled that can not be hidden. We applying our selues to those most filthy times, haue moste shamefullye yelded lyke fayntharted cowardes, whyche had not the stomacks to susteyn thaduersities of pouerty, banish­ment, and death: Which in oure [Page] liuing & conuersacion, kept ney­ther the constancie taughte vs vs by Philosophye, nor yet the patience taught vs by holy scrip­ture: whych haue done all thin­ges at the commaundement of others. And therfore that which the Poete (althoughe in another sence) hath trimly spoken maye well de thoughte to haue bene truly prophecied vpon vs.

Diuers of them that were of a pure & sincere iudgemēt as cō ­cerning religion being driuē frō hence & distroubled, the rest that remayned tasted and felte of the inhumanitie of theym in whose handes thautoritie of doing thinges here consisted. Although to say y^e truth, I haue vsed a gētler terme thā behoued. For it is not [Page] to be accōpted inhumanitye, but rather immanitie & beastly cru­eltye: the which, when they had spent al kindes of torments and punishementes vpon the quyck: when they had cruelly taken frō such as cōstantly perseuered, life, from others riches, honors, and all hope of promotion, yet coulde not be so satisfyed, but that in­censed & stirred with a greater fury, it began to outrage euen a­gainst the dead. Therfore wher­as in euerye singular place, was executed a singuler kinde of cru­eltie: insomuch that there was no kinde of cruelnesse that could be deuised, but it was put in vre in one place or other) This was proper & peculiar to Cambridge, to exercise the crueltye vppon the dead, whiche in other places [Page] was extended but to the quicke. Oxford burnt vp the right reue­rend fathers Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, the noble witnes­ses of the clere lyght of the ghos­pel. Moreouer at London pery­shed these two lāternes of light, Rogers and Bradford: In whō it is hard to saye whether there were more force of eloquēce and vtterance in preachinge, or more holinesse of life and conuersaciō. Many other without noumber both here and in other places were consumed to ashes for bea­ring recorde of the truthe. For what citie is there that hath not flamed, I say not with burning of houses and buyldinges, but with burning of holy bodies?

But Cambridge, after ther wer no mo left aliue vpon whō they myght spue out theyr bitter poi­son, [Page] playde the madde bedlem agaynst the dead. The dead mē, whose liuinge no man was able to finde faulte with, whose doc­trine no man was able to re­proue, wer by false & slaūderous accusers indited, contrary to the lawes of God and man sewed in the law, condemned, their se­pulchres violated & broken vp, theyr car [...]ases pulled oute and burnt wyth fyre. A thing surelye incredible if we had not seene it with our eyes, and a thyng that hath not lyghtlye bene heard of. But the haynousnesse of thys wycked act, was spredde abrode as a commō talke in euery mans mouthe, and was blowen & dis­p [...]rsed through all christendome. Bucer by thexcellēcye of his wit and doctrine knowen to al men of oure countreymen in maner [Page] craued, of manye others intrea­ted and sente for, to thentent he might instructe our Cambrydge men in the sincere doctryne of the Chrysten religion, being spēt with age, and his strengthe vt­terlye decayed, forsoke his owne countreye, refused not the tedy­ousnesse of the lōg iourney, was not afrayed to aduenture hym selfe vpon the sea, but had more regarde of the dilating and am­plifyeng of the church of Chryst, than of all other thinges. So in conclusion he came, euerye man receyued and welcomed him, af­terward he liued in suche wyse, as it might appere he came not hither for his owne sake, but for oures. For he sought not to driue away the syckenesse that he had taken by the troublesome tra­uayle of his longe iourney, and [Page] albeit his strength were weake­ned and apalled, yet he regar­ded not the recouerye of his healthe, but put him selfe to im­moderate labour and intollera­ble paine only to teache and in­structe vs. And yet toward this so noble & worthy a persō while he liued were shewed all the to­kens of humanitie & gentlenesse reuerence and courtesie, y^• coulde be, and when he was deade, the most horrible cruelty and spight that might be ymagined. For what can be so common, as to graunte vnto the liuinge house and abidinge place, and to the deade buriall? Or what is he that will finde in his harte to geue enterteinment and to che­rishe that person in hys house wyth all kinde of gentlenesse that he [...]an deuise, vpon whom he coulde not vouchesafe [...]o [Page] to bestowe buryall when he is dead? Agayne, what an incon­stancye is it, with great solem­nitie, and with much aduaunce­ment and commendacion of his vertues, to burye a man honora­blye, and anon after to break vp his tombe and pul him out spite­fully? and wrongfullye to slaun­der him beynge deade, who du­ryng his lyfe tyme alway deser­ued praise? Al these thinges haue happened vnto Bucer, who whyles he lyued had free accesse into the moste gorgeous buyl­dings and stately palaces of the greatest Princes, and when he was dead could not be suffered to enioye so much as his poore graue. Who being layd into the grounde noblye to his eternall fame, was afterward to his vt­ter defacing, spitefully taken vp [Page] and burned. The whych things albeit they did no harme to the dead (for the dead carcases feele no paine, neyther doth the fame of godly persons depende vpon the report of vulgar people, and the lyghte rumours of men, but vpon the ryghtefull censure and iust iudgement of God) yet it re­proueth an extreame crue [...]nesse and vnsaciable desire of reuēge­ment, in them whych offer suche vtter wrong to the dead. These persons therfore, whō they haue pulled oute of theyr graues and burned, I beleue (if they had ben aliue) they would haue cast out of house and home, they woulde haue driuen out of al mens com­pany, and in thende wyth moste cruell tormētes haue torne them in pieces, being neuerthelesse ali­entes, being straungers, & being [Page] fetched hither by vs, out of suche a countrey, wherethey not onely neded not to feare anye punishe­ment, but contrary wise wer al­waies had in much reputacion, as well amonge the noble & ho­norable, as also among the vul­gar & common people. But yet howe muche more gentle than these men, was Byshop Garde­ner? otherwise an earnest defen­dour of the popyshe doctryne? Who agaynste his owne coun­treymen let passe no crueltye, whereby he mighte extinguyshe wyth fyre and sword the lyghte of the Ghospell: and yet he spa­red forreyners, because the ryghte of theym is so holye, that there was neuer nation so bar­barous, that woulde violate the same. For when he had in hys power the renoumed clerke Peter [Page] Martyr, then teachynge at Oxforde, he would not kepe him to punishe him, but (as I haue heard reported) when he should go his way, he gaue him where­with to beare his charges. So that the thing which he thought he myghte of ryghte do to his owne countreymen, he iudged vnlawfull to do to straungers. And whom the lawe of God could not withhold frō the wic­ked murtheringe of his owne countreymen, him did the lawe of man bridle from killynge of straungers: the which hath euer appeased all barbarous beastly­nesse, and mitigated al crueltye. For it is a poynte of humanitye for man & man to mete together & one to come to another though they be neuer so far separated & set a sūder both by sea & by land, [Page] without the which accesse there can be no entercourse of mer­chaundy se, there can be no con­ference of wittes, whyche fyrste of all engendered learninge, nor any commoditye of society long to continue. To repulse thē that come to vs, and to prohibite thē our countreyes, is a poynt of in­humanitie: Now, to entreat thē euil, that by our sufferance dwel amongest vs, and haue encrease of household & household stuffe, it is a poynt of wickednesse.

Wherefore this crueltye hathe farre surmounted the crueltie of all others, the whyche, to satisfye the vnsaciable greedinesse ther­of, drewe to execution, not only straungers broughte hither at our entreatance and sēding for, but euen the wythered and rot­ten carcases digged out of theyr [Page] graues: to thentente that thun measurable thurst which coulde not be quenched wyth sheading the bloude of theym that were alyue, myght at the least be satis­fyed in burning of dead mennes bones. These (my brethren) these I say, are the iust causes which haue so sore prouoked the wrath of God against vs. Bicause that in doing extreame iniurie to the deade, we haue bene prone and readye: but in puttinge the same away, we haue bene slowe and slacke. For verelye I beleue (if I may haue libertye to say freely what I thynke) ye shal beare w^t me (if I chauce to cast forth any thing vnaduisedlye in the heate and hasty discourse of my orati­on) that euen this place, in the whiche we haue so oftentimes assembled, beyng defyled wyth [Page] that newe kinde of wickednesse suche as man neuer heard of be­fore, is a let & hinderaunce vnto vs, when we call for the helpe of god, by meanes wherof our praiers are not accepted, whych we make to appease the godhead, & to winne him to be fauorable to vs againe. The bloude of Abell shed by Cain, calleth & crieth frō y^t earth y^t sucked it vp: lykewise, thundeserued burninge of these bodyes, calleth vppon God al­mighty to punishe vs, and crieth that not onelye thautoures of so great a wickednesse, but also the ministers therof are vnpure, the places defiled in whiche these thinges wer perpetrated, thaire infected which we take into our bodyes, to thentent that by sun­drye diseases and sickenesse we maye receyue punishement for so [Page] execrable wickednesse. Looke wel about ye (my dere brethren) and consider with youre selues the euelles that are past: and ye shal se howe they tooke their be­ginning at Bucers death, follo­wing one in anothers necke euē vnto this day. Fyrst and formost when we were euen in the chie­fest of our mornīg, & scarcely yet recomforted of our sorow for his death, the sweatinge sickenesse lyghted vpon vs, the which pas­sing swiftly through al Englād, and as it wer in hast dispatched an innumerable company of mē secondlye, thuntimelye death of our most noble kinge Edwarde the syxth, (whose life in vertue surmounted thopinion of al men and seemed worthy of immorta­lity) happened contrary to mens expectacion in that age, in the vnlesse violence be vsed, fewe [Page] do dye. The conuersion of religi­on, or rather the euersion & tur­ning therof into papistrie. The incursion & domination of straū gers, vnder whose yoke our neckes were almost subdued. The importunate crueltye of the by­shoppes agaynst the Christians which executed that wickednes for making satisfaction wherof, we ar gathered together thys day. These are the thinges that ensued after his death: but after his burninge ensewed yet gre­uouser thinges. Namelye newe kinde of plagues, and contagi­ous diseases, vnknowen to the very Phisitians, whereby either euery mans health was appay­red, or els they were brought to theyr graues, or els very hardly recouered: blouddy battels with out victorye, whereof the profite [Page] redounded to the enemie, and to vs y^e slaughter with great losse. The which thinges do euident­lye declare, that God is tourned from vs, and angrye with vs, and that he geueth no eare to our prayers, and that he is not moued wyth our cries & sighes, but that he loketh, that this our meting and assembly should be to this ende: that forasmuche as we haue violated theyr coarses, we should do thē ryght againe: so that the memoriall of these most holy men, may be commended to posteritie vnhurted and vndiffamed. Wherfore amende yet at length (my brethren) whi­che hitherto by reason of the va­riablenesse and vnconstancye of the times, haue bene wauering and vnstedfast in your heartes: shewe your selues chearefull [Page] and forwarde in making satys­faction for thiniurye you haue done to the dead, whom wyth so greate wickednesse of late ye endomaged and defiled: not by sensinge thē with the parfumes of those odours and spices now worne out of vre & put to flight but with a true and vnfayned repentance of the hart and with praier: to thentent that the hea­uenly godhead, prouoked by our doinges to be our enemye, may by our humble submission be en­treated to be fauorable & agrea­ble to all our other requestes.

When Acworth had made an [...]nd of his Oration, M. Iames PilkingtonThe ser­mon of D. Iames Pilkingtō the Quenes reader of the diuinitye lecture, goynge vp into the pulpit, made a Ser­mon vpō y^e .C.xi. Psalme, the be­ginning whereof is. Blessed is [Page] the man that feareth the lord. &c Where intending to proue that the remembraunce of the iust man shall not peryshe, and that Bucer is blessed, and that the vngodly shal freat at the syghte thereof, but yet that all their at­temptes shall be to no purpose, to thentent this sayinge may be verified: I will curse your bles­singes, and blesse your cursings, he tooke his beginninge of hys owne person, that albeit he wer both ready and willinge to take that matter in hand, partlye for the worthinesse of the matter it selfe, and inespecially for certain singular vertues, of those per­sons, for whom that congrega­tion was called, yet notwith­standinge he sayde he was no­thing meete to take that charge vpon hym.

[Page]For it were more reason that he whiche before had done Bucer wrong, should nowe make hym amendes for the displeasure.

As for his owne parte, he was so farre from workynge anye euell agaynste Bucer, eyther in worde or dede, that for their sin­gular knowledge almoste in all kinde of learninge, he embraced both him and Phagius with all his heart. But yet he somewhat more fauoured Bucer, as with whom he had more familiarity and acquaintaunce. In consi­deracion wherof, although that it was scarce conueniente, that he at that time shoulde speake, yet notwithstandinge he was contented for frendeshippe and courtesye sake, not to [...]ayle them in this theyr businesse. Hauynge made this preface he entered in­to [Page] the pith of the matter, wherein he blamed greatlye that barba­rous crueltye of the Courte of Rome, so fierslye extended a­gainst the dead. He sayd it was a more heinous matter thē was to be borne wyth, to haue she­wed such extreame cruelnesse to them that were aliue, but for a­nye man to misbehaue him selfe in suche wise toward the deade, was suche a thinge as had not lightly bene heard of. Sauynge that he affirmed this custome of excommunicating and cursynge of dead folks, to haue come first from Rome. For Euagrius re­porteth in his writinges, that Eutichius was of the same opi­nion, induced by thexample of Iosias, who slewe the priestes of Baall, and burnte vp the bo­nes of theym that were deade, [Page] euen vpon thaltars. Whereas, before the time of Eutichius this kinde of punishement was wel nere vnknowen, neyther after­ward vsurped of any man (that euer he hearde of) vntill a nyne hundred yeares after Christ.

In the latter times (the whyche how much the further they wer from that golden age of thapo­stels, so much the more they wer corrupted) this kinde of cruel­nesse beganne to creepe further. For it is manifestlye knowen, that Stephen the sixth Pope of Rome, digged vp Formosus his last predecessour in that sea, and spoyling him of his Popes ap­parayle, buried him agayne in laye mannes apparayle (as they call it) hauinge first cutte of and throwen into Tyber, his twoo fyngers, with which (according [Page] to theyr accustomed maner) he was wonte to blesse and conse­crate. The whyche his vnspea­kable tyrannye vsed agaynste Formosus, within sixe yeares after, Sergius the third encre­sed also againste the same For­mosus. For taking vp his deade bodye and setting it in a Popes chayre, he caused his heade to be smiten of, and his other thre fin­gers to be cut from his hande, and his body to be cast into the ryuer of Tiber, abrogating and disanulling all [...] decrees, whi­che thing was neuer done by a­ny man before y^t day. The cause why so great cruelty was exer­cised (by the report of Nauclerꝰ) was this: bycause that Formo­sus had bene an aduersarye [...] Stephē & Sergius when they sued to be made bishoppes.

[Page]This kinde of crueltye vnheard of before, the Popes a while ex­ercised one agaynst another.

But nowe, or euer they had suf­ficientlye felte the smart thereof thē selues, they had [...]ourned the same vpō our neckes. Wherfore it is to be wished, that seinge it began among them, it myght haue remayned still with thau­tours therof, and not haue bene spred ouer thence vnto vs. But such was the nature of all euell, that it quickly passeth into example, for others to do the like.

For about the yere of our Lord 1400. Iohn Wicklyfe was in lyke maner digged vp, & burnte into ashes, and throwen into a brooke that runneth by y^e town where he was buryed. Of the which selfe same sauce tasted al­so William Tracye of Glouce­ster, [Page] a man a of worshipful house bicause he had writtē in his last will that he should be saued on­ly by faith in Iesus Christe, and that there neded not the helpe of anye man thereto, whether he were in heauen or in earth, and therfore bequeathed no legacye to that purpose as all other men were accustomed to doe. This dede was done sithens we may remember aboute the .xxii. yeare of the raygne of Henry the .viii. the yeare of our Lorde. 1530.

Nowe seing they extended such crueltie to the deade, he sayde it was an easye matter to coniec­ture what they would do to the liuing. Wherof we had sufficiēt triall by the examples of oure owne men, these fewe yeares past. And if we woulde take the paynes to peruse thynges done [Page] somwhat lenger ago, we might fynde notable matters oute of our owne Chronicles. Howbe­it, it was sufficiente for the ma­nifest demonstration of that matter, to declare the beastlye butcherye of the Frenche kyng, executed vpon the Waldenses, at Cabryer, and the places nere thereabout, by his captaine Mi­ner, about the yeare of our lorde 1545. than the whiche there was neuer thinge read of more cruellye done, no not euen of the barbarous Paganes. And yet for all that when diuers hadde shewed theyr vttermost cruelty: both agaynste these and manye others, they were so farre from theyr purpose in extinguishynge the lyght of the ghospell, whych they endeuored to suppresse, that it increased dayly more & more. [Page] The which thing Charles the .v (than whom all christendome had not a more prudent prince, nor the church of Christ almoste a sorer enemy) easely parceiued, and therfore when he had in his hand Luther dead, & Melācthō and Pomeran, wyth certayne other preachers of the Ghospell aliue, he not onelye determined not any thing extremely against theym, nor violated theyr gra­ues, but also entreatinge theym gently sente them awaye, not so much as ones forbidding thē to publishe openly y^e doctrine y^t they professed. For it is the nature of Chrystes Church, that the more that Tyrauntes spurne against it, the more it encreaseth and flourysheth. A notable proofe assuredly, of the prouidence and pleasure of God in sowynge the [Page] the Ghospell, was that cōminge of the Bohemians vnto vs, to thentente to heare Wycklyfe, of whom we spake before, who at that time reade openlye at Ox­forde: and also the going of our men to the sayde Bohemians, when persecution was raysed agaynst vs. But much more no­table was it, that we had seene come to passe in these our daies: that the Spaniardes sent for in to this realme of purpose to sup­presse the Ghospell, as soone as they were retourned home, re­plenyshed many partes of theyr Countreye, with the same truth of religion, to the whych before, they were vtter enemyes. By the whyche examples, it myghte euidently be perceyued, that the Princes of this world labour in vayne to ouerthrowe it, conside­ringe [Page] howe the mercye of God hath sowen it abrode, not onely in those countreyes y^t we spake of, but also in Fraunce, Poole, Scotlande, and almoste all the rest of Europe. For it is sayde, that some partes of Italye, (al­thoughe it be vnder the Popes nose) yet do they of late enclyne to the knowledge of the heauē ­ly truth: Wherfore sufficient ar­gument and profe myght be ta­ken by the successe and encrease­ment thereof, to make vs beleue that this doctryne is sent vs frō heauen, vnlesse we will wilfully be blynded. And if there were anye that desired to be perswa­ded more at large in the matter, he myght aduisedly consider the viage that themperour and the Pope with bothe theyr powers togither, made ioyntly agaynst [Page] that was reported of their cap­tayne zisca: who when he shold die, willed his body to be flaine, and of his skin to make a parch ment to couer the heades of a drom. For it shold come to passe, that when his ennemies hearde the sounde of it, they should not be able to stand against them.

The like counsell (he sayde) he hym selfe nowe gaue theym as concerning Bucer. That like as the Bohemians did with y^• skin of zisca, the same should they do with the argumentes and doc­trine of Bucer. For as soone as the Papistes shoulde heare the noyse of him, their gewgawes should forth with decay. For sa­uinge that they vsed violence to such as withstoode theym, theyr doctrine cōtayned nothing that myghte seeme to anye man (ha­uing [Page] but meane vnderstanding in holy scripture) to be groūded vpon anye reason. As for those thinges y^t were done by them a­gainst such as could not play the madmē as well as they, some of them fauored of open force, and some of ridiculous foolishenes. For what was this firste of all? was it not friuolous? that by y^e space of three yeares togyther, masse shoulde be songe in those places wher Bucer & Phagius rested in the lorde without anye offence at al? and assone as they tooke it to be an offence, streight waye to be an offence if anye were heard ther [...] or that it shold not be as good thē as it was before? as if y^• then vpon y^• sodaine it had bene a haynous matter to celebrate it in that place [Page] & that the faulte that was past, should be counted the gr [...]ouser bicause it was done of lenger time before. Morouer, this was a matter of none effect, that Bu­cer and Phagius only should be digged vp, as who should saye, that they alonly had embraced the religiō which they cal heresy It was wel knowen howe one of the Burgesses of the towne had bene minded toward y^e po­pishe religiō. Who whē he shold dye,Fanne sometyme Maior of the towne. willed neither ringinge of Belles▪ Diriges, nor anye other suche kinde of trifles to be done for him in his anniuersarye as they terme it, but rather y^t they should go with instrumentes of musyke before the Maior & coū ­sell of the Citye, to celebrate his memoriall, and also that yearely a sermon should be made to the [Page] people, bequeathinge a peece of monie to the preacher for his la­bour. Neither myght he omit in that place to speak of Ward the peinter, who albeit he wer a mā of no reputaciō, yet was he not to be dispised for the religiō sake which he diligently folowed.

Neither were diuers other mo to be passed ouer w^t silence, who were knowen of a certaintye to haue continued in the same sect, & to rest in other churcheyardes in Cambridge, & rather through the whole realme, & yet defyled not their masses at al. Al y^• whi­che persons▪ (forasmuch as they were al of one opinion) ought al to haue ben takē vp, or els all to haue bene let lye with the same religiō: onles a man wold graūt y^• it lieth in their power to make what they list lawfull & vnlaw- [Page] at theyr owne pleasure. In the condemnacion of Bucer and Phagius (to saye the truthe) they vsed to much crueltye and to muche violence. For howeso­euer it went with the doctryne of Bucer, certainlye they coulde fynde nothing wherof to accuse Phagius, in as muche as he wrate nothing y^t came abroode sauing a fewe thinges that he had translated oute of the He­brewe and Chaldye tounges, into Latyn. After his comming into the realme, he neuer read, he neuer disputed, he neuer preached, he neuer teached. For he deceased so sone after, y^t he could in that time geue no occasiō for his aduersaries to take hold on, whereby to accuse him whom they neuer heard speak. In that they hated Bucer so deadly, for [Page] thallowable mariage of the clergye, it was their owne malyce conceyued agaynst him, & a ve­ry slaunder raised by thē selues. For he had for his defēce in that matter, (ouer and besides other helpes) the testimonie of Pope Pius the seconde, who in a cer­tayne place saieth, y^t vpō weigh­ty consideratiōs priestes wiues were taken from theym, but for more weyghtye causes were to be restored againe. And also the statute of the Emperour, they call it the Interim, by the which it is enacted, that such of y^e cler­gie as were maryed should not be diuorced from theyr wiues. Thus turning his stile frō this matter, to thuniuersitie, he re­proued in fewe words their vn­faithfulnesse towards these mē. For if the lorde suffered not the [Page] bones of y^• king of Edom, being a wicked mā, to be takē vp and brent w^tout reuēgemēt (as saieth Amos)Amos ca. 2 let vs assure oure selues he will not suffer so notable a wronge done to his godly prea­chers, vnreuenged. Afterward whē he came to y^e condemnaciō (which we told you in y^e former actiō was pronoūced by Perne the Uicechancellor in the name of thē al) being somewhat more moued at the matter, he admo­nished them how much it stood thē in hand, to vse great circum­spectnesse, what they decreed vpon any mā by their voyces in admitting or reiecting any man to the promotions & degrees of thuniuersity. For y^t which should take his authoritie frō thē shold be a great preiudice to al thother multitude, which (for thopinion [Page] y^• it had of their doctrine, iudge­ment, allowance, & knowledge) did thinke nothinge but well of them. For it wuld come to passe, that if they would bestow their promocions vpō none but meete persons, & let the vnmeete go as they come, both the cōmō welth should receiue much commodity & profite by them, & besides that they should highlye please God. But if they persisted to be neg­ligēt in doing therof, they shold greuouslye endomage the com­mon weal, and worthely worke theyr owne shame and reproch: ouer and besides that they shold greatlye offende the maiestye of God, whose commaundemente not to beare false witnesse, they should in so doynge breake and violate.

In the meane while that he [Page] was speaking these and many other things before his audiēce, many of thuniuersitye to set out and defend Bucer withal, beset the walles of the Churche and Churchporche on both sydes w^t verses, some in Latin, some in Gra [...]ke, & some in Englyshe, in the whiche they m [...]de a many­fest declaration how they were minded both towarde Bucer & Phagius. Finally when his ser­mon was ended they made cō ­mon supplication and praiers. After thankes rendered to god for many other thinges, but in­especially for restoring of the true and sincere religion euery man departed his waye.