Mary.

A. D.

1555.

How St.

Christ to

church

upon Peter.

of the people, all heresies were determined by the word of God; and this is the meaning of St. Cyprian."1

Dr. Saverson :-"You take it so, but it seemeth to me otherwise." Philpot:- Upon what ground it should seem otherwise unto you I know not, but this meaning which I have declared, the general councils, seven or eight one after another confirmed it so to be, which did not allow one supreme head only."

Pendleton :-"There were not so many general councils, but four only allowed."

Philpot :-"That is not so, master Pendleton, although there be four specially allowed for the confirmation of the Trinity; but besides these four there were many other general councils, as you may learn by many writers."

A Chaplain: :-"Did not Christ build his church upon Peter? St. Cyprian

saith so.'

Philpot:-"St. Cyprian 'De simplicitate prælatorum' declareth in what Cyprian respect he so said: 'God gave, in the person of one man, the keys to all, that he meaneth might signify the unity of all men.' And also St. Augustine saith in the 50th build his treatise of St. John, 'If in Peter had not been the mystery of the church, the Lord had not said unto him, I will give unto thee the keys. For if that were said to Peter, the church hath them not; if the church have them when Peter received them, he signified the whole church.' And also St. Jerome, a priest of Rome, writing to Nepotian, saith, 'That all churches do lean to their own pastors,' where he speaketh of the ecclesiastical hierarchy or regiment, where he maketh no mention of the bishop of Rome. And writing Ad Evagium," he saith, that wheresoever a bishop be, whether it be at Rome, or at Eugubium, or at Rhegium, he is of one power and of one jurisdiction.'

See

Appendix,

Dr. Saverson :-"St. Jerome, 'De cœlesti Hierarchiâ?' It was St. Dionysius you mean.'

"

Philpot::-"I say not that Jerome wrote any book so intituled: but I say, that in the epistle by me alleged, he maketh mention of the ecclesiastical regiment."

Dr. Saverson :-" I wonder you will stand so steadfast in your error to your own destruction."

Philpot:-"I am sure we are in no error, by the promise of Christ made to the faithful once, which is, that he will give to his true church such a spirit of wisdom, that the adversaries thereof should never be able to resist. And by this I know we are of the truth, for that neither by reasoning, neither by writing, your synagogue of Rome is able to answer. Where is there one of you all that ever hath been able to answer any of the godly learned ministers of Germany, who have disclosed your counterfeit religion? Which of you all, at this day, is able to answer Calvin's Institutions, who is minister of Geneva?" Dr. Saverson :-"A godly minister, indeed, of receipt of cutpurses, and slander. runagate traitors. And of late, I can tell you, there is such contention fallen between him and his own sects, that he was fain to fly the town, about predestination. I tell you truth, for I came by Geneva hither."

False

Philpot: -“I am sure you blaspheme that godly man, and that godly church where he is minister; as it is your church's condition, when you cannot answer men by learning, to oppress them with blasphemies and false reports. For in the matter of predestination he is in none other opinion than all the doctors of the church be, agreeing to the Scriptures."

(1) Epist. lib. ii. epist. 8; and lib. iv. epist. 2 and 9. This is according to the earlier editions, (namely 1521, etc.); in the later the Epistles are arranged in a different order. See Concil. Nie. canon 6: also the remarkable canon 2 of the first Constantinopolitan Council: Labbe, ii. 948.-ED. (2) "In personâ unius dedit Dominus omnibus claves, ut omnium unitatem denunciaret." De simplicitate Prælatorum. "[This treatise also bears the title, "De unitate Ecclesiæ." "Tractatus utilis et doctus, in quo monarchia illa visibilis a pontifice usurpata radicitus evellitur ; quem tamen in ejusdem subsidium obtorto collo trahunt Pontificii, affingentes autori, quæ nunquam scripsit vel dixit." Rivet. Critici sacri, lib. ii. cap. 14. The Treatise alluded to occupies about nine folio pages of letter press in the Roman edition of Cyprian, 1563.-ED.]

(3) Si in Petro non esset ecclesiae mysterium, non ei diceret Dominus, tibi dabo claves. Si autem hoc Petro dictum est, non habet ecclesia; si autem ecclesia habet, [Petrus] quando claves accepit ecclesiam totam designavit." [Tract. 50 in Johan. Evang. cap. 12. § 12. tom. iii. edit. Bened. 1690. See Appendix.-ED.]

(4) Jerome ad Nepotianum. [Rather 'ad Rusticum;' Hieron. Op. Ed. Bened. tom. iv. col. 775: "omnis ordo ecclesiasticus suis rectoribus nititur." The same words are cited by Calvin, with the same incorrect reference, in his Institutes, iv. 6, § 17.]

(5) Jerome ad Evagium. [Epist. 85. See Jewel's Defence of his Apology, part ii. chap. 3. div. 5. and Hieron. Op. Ed. Bened. tom. iv. col. 803. Ep. 101.-ED.]

Dr. Saverson :-" Men be able to answer him if they list. And I pray you which of you have answered bishop Fisher's book?"

Philpot:-"Yes, master doctor, that book is answered and answered again, if you list to seek what hath been written against him."

Mary.

A. D.

1555.

And after this, Dr. Story came in. To whom I said, "Master doctor, you Story have done me great injury, and without law have straitly imprisoned me, more cometh like a dog than a man. And, besides this, you have not kept promise with me, for you promised that I should be judged the next day after."

Story:-"I am come now to keep promise with thee. Was there ever such a phantastical man as this is? Nay, he is no man, he is a beast, yea, these heretics be worse than brute beasts; for they will, upon a vain singularity, take upon them to be wiser than all men, being indeed very fools and ass-heads, not able to maintain that, which of an arrogant obstinacy they do stand in."

"

Philpot :—“ Master doctor, I am content to abide your railing judgment of me now. Say what you will, I am content, for I am under your feet to be trodden on as you list. God forgive it you; yet am I no heretic. Neither you nor any other shall be able to prove that I hold any jot against the word of God otherwise than a christian man ought."

Story:-"The word of God! Forsooth, the word of God! It is but a folly to reason with these heretics, for they are incurable and desperate. But as I may reason with thee (not that I have any hope to win thee), whom wilt thou appoint to be judge of the word whereto thou standest?"3

Philpot:- -"Verily the word itself."

Story:-"Do you not see the ignorance of this beastly heretic? He willeth the word to be judge of the word. Can the word speak?"

Philpot ::-"If I cannot prove that which I have said by good authority, I will be content to be counted a heretic, and an ignorant person; and further, what you please."

Story:"Let us hear what wise authority thou canst bring in."

4 6

Philpot:-" It is the saying of Christ in St. John (chap. xii.), ‹ The word which I have spoken,' saith Christ, shall judge in the last day.'s If the word shall judge in the last day, much more it ought to judge our doings now and I am sure I have my judge on my side, who shall absolve and justify me in another world. Howsoever now it shall please you by authority unrighteously to judge of me and others, sure I am in another world to judge you.'

Story:-" What! you purpose to be a stinking martyr, and to sit in judgment with Christ at the last day, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel?” 6

Philpot::-" Yea sir, I doubt not thereof, having the promise of Christ, if I die for righteousness' sake, which you have begun to persecute in me."

Story:-"I told you it was but vain to argue with this heretic; he is drowned in his heresies, without all learning."

Philpot:"Sir, I have brought you, for that I have said, good authority out of God's book, to the which you answer nothing, but go about still to give railing judgment against me, without any cause."

Story:-"I will come to you by and by. When the judge in Westminster Hall giveth sentence, doth the word give sentence, or the judge? tell me."

in.

and civil

Philpot:-"Civil matters be subject to civil men; and they have authority God's by the word, to be judge of them. But the word of God is not subject to judgment man's judgment, but ought to judge all the wisdom, thoughts, and doings of judgment men; and therefore your comparison disproveth nothing that I have said, neither not alike. answereth any whit thereto.'

Story:-"Wilt thou not allow the interpretation of the church upon the Scripture?"

the

Philpot::-"Yes, if it be according to the word of the true church: and this The judgI say to you, as I have said heretofore, that if ye can prove the church of Rome ment of (whereof ye are) to be the true catholic church which I ought to follow, I will church be as ready to yield thereto (as long as it can be so proved) as you may desire how far it me."

(1) "Fisher's book;" perhaps, " Assertionis Lutheranæ confutatio:" Coloniæ, 1525.-ED.

(2) "Happy are you when they revile you, and say all evil against you for my name's sake." Matt. v.

(3) The papists will not be ruled by the Scriptures without their own judge.

(4) "Verbum quod locutus sum judicabit in novissimo die."

(5) What say you now, master doctor?

(6) Master doctor, having not to answer, falleth to railing.

serveth.

Mary.

Story:-"What a fellow is this! he will believe nothing but what he listeth himself. Are we not in possession of the church? have not our forefathers A.D. these many hundred years taken this church for the catholic church whereof we are now? and if we had none other proof but this, it were sufficient; for prePrescrip- scription of time maketh a good title in the law."

1555.

tion of

time. Prescription of

time maketh

no title

in God's matters. Dr. Story

con

fesseth himself

to be the spatcher

chief de

of all God's saints

Philpot:-"You do well, master doctor, to allege prescription of many years, for it is all that you have to show for yourselves. But you must understand,' that prescription hath no place in matters belonging unto God, as I am able to show by the testimony of many doctors."

Story::-"Well sir, you are like to go after your fathers, Latimer the sophister, and Ridley, who had nothing to allege for himself, but that he had learned his heresy of Cranmer. When I came to him with a poor bachelor of arts, he trembled as though he had had the palsy, as these heretics have always some token of fear whereby a man may know them, as you may see this man's eyes do tremble in his head. But I despatched them; and I tell thee that there hath been yet never a one burnt, but I have spoken with him, and have been a cause of his despatch."

Philpot :- "You have the more to answer for, master doctor, as you shall feel in another world, how much soever you do now triumph of your prothat suf- ceedings

fered in

queen Mary's time.

Story's

Story:-"I tell thee, I will never be confessed thereof. And because 1 cannot now tarry to speak with my lord, I pray one of you tell my lord, that my coming was to signify to his lordship, that he must out of hand rid this heretic away.' And, going away, he said to me, "I certify thee, that thou mayest thank none other man for it but me.'

Philpot :-" I thank you therefore with all mine heart, and God forgive it you."

Story:-"What! dost thou thank me? If I had thee in my study half an cruelty. hour, I think I should make you sing another song."

Philpot

Philpot:" No, master doctor, I stand upon too sure a ground to be overleft alone. thrown by you now." And thus they departed all away from me one after another, until I was left all alone. And afterwards, with my keeper going to my coal-house, as I went, I met with my lord of London, who spake unto me gently, as he hath hitherto in words, saying,

London:-" Philpot, if there be any pleasure I may show you in my house, I pray you require it, and you shall have it.”

The strait Philpot :-"My lord, the pleasure that I will require of your lordship is handling to hasten my judgment which is committed unto you, and so to despatch me in prison, forth of this miserable world, unto my eternal rest."

of Philpot

for all the And for all his fair speech I cannot attain hitherto, this fortnight's space,

bishop's

fair words.

See

Appendix.

neither fire nor candle, neither yet good lodging. But it is good for a man to be brought low in this world, and to be counted amongst the vilest, that he may in time of reward receive exaltation and glory. Therefore, praised be God that hath humbled me and given me grace with gladness to be content therewithal. Let all that love the truth say Amen.

Thus endeth the fifth tragedy.

The Sixth Examination of John Philpot, had before the right honourable Lords, the Lord Chamberlain to the Queen's Majesty, the Viscount Hereford, commonly called Lord Ferrers, the Lord Riche, the Lord St. John, the Lord Windsor, the Lord Chandos, Sir John Bridges, Lieutenant of the Tower, and two other more, whose names I know not, with the Bishop of London and Dr. Chedsey, the 6th day of November, Anno 1555.

Before that I [Philpot] was called afore the lords, and whiles they were in sitting down, the bishop of London came aside to me and whistered in mine ear, willing me to use myself before the lords of the queen's majesty's council prudently, and to take heed what I said: and thus he pretended to give me counsel, because he wished me to do well; as I might now do, if I list. And

(1) "In divinis nulla occurrit præscriptio."

A. D.

after the lords and other worshipful gentlemen of the queen's majesty's servants Mary were set, my lord of London placed himself at the end of the table, and called me to him, and by the lords I was placed at the upper end against him; where I kneeling down, the lords commanded me to stand up, and after in this manner the bishop began to speak.

London:-"Master Philpot, I have heretofore, both privately myself, and openly before the lords of the clergy, more times than once, caused you to be talked withal to reform you of your errors, but I have not found you yet so tractable as I would wish: wherefore now I have desired these honourable lords of the temporalty and of the queen's majesty's council, who have taken pains with me this day (I thank them there-for), to hear you what you can say, that they may be judges whether I have sought all means to do you good or no: and I dare be bold to say, in their behalf, that if you show yourself conformable to the queen's majesty's proceedings, you shall find as much favour for your deliverance, as you can wish. I speak not this to fawn upon you, but to bring you home into the church. Now let them hear what you have to say."

Philpot:-"My lord, I thank God of this day, that I have such an honourable audience to declare my mind before. And I cannot but commend your lordship's equity in this behalf, which agreeth with the order of the primitive church, which was, if anybody had been suspected of heresy, as I am now, he should be called first before the archbishop or bishop of the diocese, where he was suspected; secondly in the presence of others his fellow bishops and learned elders; and thirdly in hearing of the laity; where, after the judgment of God's word declared, and with the assent of other bishops and consent of the people, he was condemned to exile for a heretic, or absolved. And the second point of that good order I have found at your lordship's hands already, in being called before you and your fellow bishops, and now have the third sort of men, at whose hands I trust to find more righteousness with my cause than I have found with my lords of the clergy. God grant I may have, at last, the judg ment of God's word concerning the same.'

London:-"Master Philpot, I pray you ere you go any further, tell my lords here plainly whether you were by me or by my procurement, committed to prison or not, and whether I have showed you any cruelty since ye have been committed to my prison."

་་

Philpot :-" If it shall please your lordship to give me leave to declare forth my matter, I will touch that afterward."

Riche:" Answer first of all to my lord's two questions, and then proceed forth to the matter. How say you? were you imprisoned by my lord or no? can you find any fault since, with his cruel using of you?"

say

1555.

Bee

Appendia

cause of

Philpot :- I cannot lay to my lord's charge the cause of my imprisonment, Bonner neither may I that he hath used me cruelly; but rather, for my part I might not the say that I have found more gentleness at his lordship's hands, than I did at Philpot's mine own ordinary's, for the time I have been within his prison, for that he hath imprisoncalled me three or four times to mine answer, to the which I was not called in a twelvemonth and a half before."

Riche:-"Well, now go forth to your matter."

Philpot :-"The matter is, that I am imprisoned for the disputation had by me in the convocation-house against the sacrament of the altar, which matter was not moved principally by me, but by the prolocutor, with the consent of the queen's majesty and of the whole house; and that house, being a member of the parliament-house, ought to be a place of free speech for all men of the house, by the ancient and laudable custom of this realm. Wherefore I think myself to have sustained hitherto great injury for speaking my conscience freely in such a place as I might lawfully do it: and I desire your honourable lordships' judgment, which be of the parliament-house, whether of right I ought to be impeached there-for, and sustain the loss of my living (as I have done), and moreover of my life, as it is sought."

Riche:-"You are deceived herein; for the convocation-house is no part of the parliament-house."

12

Philpot:-"My lord, I have always understanded the contrary, by such as are more expert men in things of this realm than 1: and again, the title of every

(1) Heretics in the primitive church were only condemned to exile.

(2)

"The convocation no part of the parliament-house," saith the lord Riche.

ment.

Mary. act leadeth me to think otherwise, which allegeth the agreement of the spiritualty and temporalty assembled together."

A.D. 1555.

Riche:"Yea, that is meant of the spiritual lords of the upper house." Windsor:-" Indeed the convocation-house is called together by one writ of the summons of the parliament, of an old custom; notwithstanding that house is no part of the parliament-house."

Philpot::-"My lords, I must be contented to abide your judgments in this behalf."

Riche:-"We have told you the truth. Marry, yet we would not that you should be troubled for any thing that there was spoken, so that you, having spoken amiss, do declare now that you are sorry there-for."

London:-"My lords, he hath spoken there manifest heresy; yea, and there stoutly maintained the same against the blessed sacrament of the altar [and with that he put off his cap, that all the lords might reverence and veil their bonnets at that idol as he did], and would not allow the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the same. Yet, my lords, God forbid that I should go about to show him extremity for so doing, in case he will repent and revoke his wicked sayings; and in faith if he will so do, with your lordships' consent he shall be released by and by. Mary, if he will not, he shall look for the extremity of the law, and that shortly.'

Chamberlain :-" My lord of London speaketh reasonably unto you. Take it whiles it is offered you."

Riche:"How say you? Will you acknowledge the real presence of the body and blood of Christ, as all the learned men of this realm do, in the mass, and as I do, and will believe as long as I live, I do protest it?"

Philpot ::—" My lord, I do acknowledge in the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ such a presence, as the word of God doth allow and teach me." Riche:"That shall be no otherwise than you list."

London:"A sacrament is the sign of a holy thing; so that there is both the sign, which is the accident, as the whiteness, roundness, and shape of bread, and there is also the thing itself, as very Christ both God and man. But these heretics will have the sacraments to be but bare signs. How say you? declare unto my lords here whether you do allow the thing itself in the sacrament

or no.

Philpot::-"I do confess that in the Lord's Supper there is in due respects both the sign and the thing signified, when it is duly ministered after the institution of Christ."3

London:-"You may see how he goeth about the bush (as he hath done before with my lords of the clergy), and dare not utter his mind plainly." Riche:"Show us what manner of presence you allow in the sacrament." Philpot :-" :-"If it please you, my lord of London, to give me leave to proceed orderly thereunto, and to let me declare my mind without interruption, I will throughly open my mind therein."

Lord Chandos:-"I pray you my lord, let him speak his mind."

Philpot My lords, that at the first I have not plainly declared my judgment unto you the reason is this, because I cannot speak hereof without the danger of my life."

Riche:"There is none of us here that seeketh thy life, or mean to take any advantage of that thou shalt speak.”

Philpot :-"Although I mistrust not your honourable lordships that be here of the temporalty; yet here is one that sitteth against me [pointing to my lord of London] that will lay it to my charge, even to the death. Notwithstanding, seeing your honours do require me to declare my mind of the presence of Christ in the sacrament, that ye may perceive that I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, neither do maintain any opinion without probable and sufficient authority of the scripture, I will show you frankly my mind without all colour, whatsoever shall ensue unto me therefore, so that my lord of London will not let me to utter my mind."

(1) Whether the convocation be part of the parliament-house or no, yet free liberty was given by the queen every man to speak his conscience.

(2) How Bonner taketh in the sacrament to be both the sign and the thing signified.

(3) Both the sign and the thing signified, in due respects, be in the sacrament.

(4) Ye say ye seek not his life; and yet ye know to answer to that ye ask, will be his death'