Henry Hewet apprehended. The Letter of John, Bishop of London, to certify the King of the • Unto the most noble prince and lord in Christ, our lord Henry the eighth, by seal. Dated the third day of July, in the year of our Lord 1533, and in the third year of our consecration.* Andrew Hewet burned with Master Frith. Andrew Hewet, born in Feversham, in the county of Kent, a young man of the age of four and twenty years, was apprentice with one Master Warren, a tailor in Watling-street. And as it happened that he went upon a holy-day into Fleet-street, towards St. Dunstan's, he met with one William Holt, who was foreman with the king's tailor, at that present called Master Malte; and being suspected by the same Holt, who was a dissembling wretch, to be one that favoured the gospel, after a little talk had with him, he went into an honest house about Fleet-bridge, which was a bookseller's house. Then Holt, thinking he had found good occasion to show forth some fruit of his wickedness, sent for certain officers, and searched the house, and finding the same Andrew, apprehended him, and carried him to the bishop's house, where he was cast into irons; and being there a good space, by the means of a certain honest man, he had a file conveyed unto him,2 wherewith he filed off his irons, and when he spied his time, he got out of the gate. But being a man unskilful to hide himself, for lack of good acquaintance, he went into Smithfield, and there met with one Withers, who was a hypocrite, as Holt was. This Withers, understanding how he had escaped, and that he knew not whither to go, pretending a fair countenance unto him, willed him to go with him, promising that he should be provided for; and so kept him in the country where he had to do, from Low-Sunday till Whitsuntide, and then brought him to London, to the house of one John Chapman in Hosier-lane beside Smithfield, and there left him for the space of two days. Then he came to the said Chapman's house again, and brought Holt with him. And when they met with the said Andrew, they seemed as though they meant to do him very much good; and Holt, for his part, said that if he should bring any man in trouble (as the voice was that he had done the said Andrew), it were pity but that the earth should open and swallow him up: insomuch that they (1) See Edition 1563, p. 505; where it is also given in Latin.-ED. (2) The man that gave him this file was Valentine Freese, the painter's brother who was afterwards, with his wife, burned in York. Henry VIII. A. D. 1533. bauld five times in Christ. taken. would needs sup there that night, and prepared meat of their own charges. At night they came, and brought certain guests with them, because they would have the matter to seem as though it had come out by others. When they had supped, they went their way, and Holt took out of his purse two groats, and gave them to the said Andrew, and embraced him in his arms. As they were gone out, there came in one John Tibauld, who was banished from his own John Tihouse by an injunction, for he had been four times in prison for Christ's cause. And within an hour after that Holt and Withers bands for were gone, the bishop's chancellor, and one called sergeant Weaver, came, and brought with them the watch, and searched the house, where they found the said John Chapman and the beforenamed Andrew, and John Tibauld, whom they bound with ropes which Hewet sergeant Weaver had brought with him, and so carried them to the again bishop's house but Andrew Hewet they sent unto the Lollards' tower, and kept Chapman and Tibauld asunder, watched by two priests' servants. The next day bishop Stokesley came from Fulham, and after they were examined with a few threatening words, Chapman Chapman was committed to the stocks, with this threat, that he should tell another tale, or else he should sit there till his heels did drop off, &c.: and Tibauld was shut up in a close chamber; but, by God's provision, he was well delivered out of prison, albeit he could not enjoy his house and land because of the bishop's injunction, but was fain to sell all that he had in Essex; for the tenor of his injunction was, that he should not come within seven miles of his own house. And Tibauld the aforesaid Chapman, after five weeks' imprisonment (whereof three come weeks he sat in the stocks), by much suit made unto the lord chan- within cellor, who at that time was lord Audley, after many threatenings miles of was delivered: but the said Andrew Hewet, after long and cruel imprisonment, was condemned to death, and burned with John Frith. The examination of Hewet here followeth. in the stocks. seven his house. examined On the 20th day of the month of April, Andrew Hewet was Hewet brought before the chancellor of the bishop of London, where was before the objected against him, that he believed the sacrament of the altar, bishop. after the consecration, to be but a signification of the body of Christ, and that the host consecrated was not the very body of Christ. Now, forasmuch as this article seemed heinous unto them, they would do nothing in it without the consent of learned counsel: whereupon the bishop of London, associated with the bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, called him again before them; where, it being demanded of him what he thought as touching the sacrament of the last supper; he answered, "Even as John Frith doth." Then said one of the bishops unto him, "Dost thou not believe that it is really the body of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary ?" "So," saith he, "do not I believe." "Why not?" said the bishop. Because," said he, to be "Christ commanded me not to give credit rashly unto all men, who really in say, 'Behold, here is Christ, and there is Christ; for many false pro- ment. phets shall rise up, saith the Lord."" Then certain of the bishops smiled at him; and Stokesley, the bishop of London, said, "Why, Frith is a heretic, and already judged to be burned; and except thou revoke thine opinion, thou shalt be burned also with him." "Truly," saith he, "I am content there Christ not to be believed the sacra VIII. 1533. Henry withal." Then the bishop asked him if he would forsake his opinions; whereunto he answered, that he would do as Frith did: whereupon A. D. he was sent unto the prison to Frith, and afterwards they were carried together to the fire. The bishops used many persuasions to allure this good man from the truth, to follow them: but he, manfully persisting in the truth, would not recant. Wherefore on the 4th day of July, in the afternoon, he was carried into Smithfield with Frith, and there burned. Hewet constant in the faith. Hewet burned with See When they were at the stake, one doctor Cook, a parson in London, openly admonished all the people, that they should in no wise Frith. pray for them, no more than they would do for a dog; at which Appendiz. words Frith, smiling, desired the Lord to forgive him. These words did not a little move the people unto anger, and not without good cause. Thus these two blessed martyrs committed their souls into the hands of God. See Addenda. Benet cometh from Cam bridge to Devonshire. The History of the Persecution and Death of Thomas Benet, burned in Exeter: collected and testified by John Dowel, alias Hoker. This Thomas Benet was born in Cambridge, and, by order of degree, of the university there made master of arts, and, as some think, was also a priest; a man doubtless very well learned, and of a godly disposition, being of the acquaintance and familiarity of Thomas Bilney, the famous and glorious martyr of Christ. This man, the more he did grow and increase in the knowledge of God and his holy word, the more he did mislike and abhor the corrupt state of religion then used; and therefore, thinking his own country to be no safe place for him to remain in, and being desirous to live in more freedom of conscience, he did forsake the university, and went into Devonshire, A.D. 1524, and first dwelled in a market-town, named Torrington, both town and country being to him altogether unknown, as he was also unknown to all men there; where, for the better maintenance of himself and his wife, he did practise to teach young children, and kept a school for the same purpose. But that town not serving his expectation, after Comes to his abode one year there, he came to the city of Exeter; and there, Exeter. hiring a house in a street called the Butcher-row, did exercise the teaching of children, and by that means sustained his wife and family. He was of a quiet behaviour, of a godly conversation, and of a very courteous nature, humble to all men, and offensive to nobody. His greatest delight was to be at all sermons and preachings, whereof he was a diligent and attentive hearer. The time which he had to spare from teaching, he gave wholly to his private study in the Scriptures, having no dealings nor conferences with any body, saving with such as he could learn and understand to be favourers of the gospel, and zealous of God's true religion of such he would be inquisitive, and most desirous to join himself unto them. And therefore, underWilliam standing that one William Strowd, of Newnham, in the county of Devonshire, esquire, was committed to the bishop's prison in Exeter, upon suspicion of heresy, although he were never before acquainted for God's with him, yet did he send his letters of comfort and consolation unto him; wherein, to avoid all suspicion which might be conceived of him, he did disclose himself, and utter what he was, and the causes of his Strowd imprisoned in Exeter word. VIII. being in the country, writing among other things these words: "Be- Henry cause I would not be whoremonger, or an unclean person, therefore I married a wife, with whom I have hidden myself in Devonshire, A.D. from the tyranny of the antichristians, these six years."1 1533. Benet zeal. setteth up But, as every tree and herb hath its due time to bring forth its Why fruit, so did it appear by this man. For he, daily seeing the glory of married. God to be so blasphemed, idolatrous religion so embraced and maintained, and that most false usurped power of the bishop of Rome so extolled, was so grieved in conscience, and troubled in spirit, that he could not be quiet till he did utter his mind therein. Wherefore, His godly dealing privately with certain of his friends, he did plainly open and disclose how blasphemously and abominably God was dishonoured, his word contemned, and his people, whom he so dearly bought, were, by blind guides, carried headlong to everlasting damnation and therefore he could no longer endure, but must needs, and would, utter their abominations; and for his own part, for the testimony of his conscience, and for the defence of God's true religion, would yield himself most patiently (as near as God would give him grace) to die and to shed his blood therein; alleging that his death should be more profitable to the church of God, and for the edifying of his people, than his life should be. To whose persuasions when his friends had yielded, they promised to pray to God for him, that he might be strong in the cause, and continue a faithful soldier to the end: which done, he gave order for the bestowing of such books as he had, and very shortly after, in the month of October, he wrote his mind in certain scrolls of paper, which, in secret manner, he set upon the doors Benet of the cathedral church of the city; in which was written, "The bills pope is Antichrist; and we ought to worship God only, and no saints." against These bills being found, there was no small ado, and no little search made for the inquiry of the heretic that should set up these bills and the mayor and his officers were not so busy to make searches to find this heretic, but the bishop and all his doctors were as hot as coals, and enkindled as though they had been stung with a sort of wasps. Wherefore, to keep the people in their former blindness, order was taken that the doctors should in haste up to the pulpit every holy day, and confute this heresy. Nevertheless this Thomas Benet, keeping his own doings in secret, went the Sunday following to the cathedral church to the sermon, and by chance sat down by two men, who were the busiest in all the city in seeking and searching for this heretic; and they, beholding this Benet, said the one to the other, "Surely this fellow, by all likelihood, is the heretic that hath set up the bills, and it were good to examine him." Never- Almost theless, when they had well beheld him, and saw the quiet and sober the behaviour of the man, his attentiveness to the preacher, his godliness in the church, being always occupied in his book, which was a Testament in the Latin tongue, they were astonied, and had no power to The speak unto him, but departed, and left him reading in his book. As stories a touching this point of Benet's behaviour in the church, I find the touching reports of some others a little to vary, and yet not much contrary taking. (1) Ut ne scortator aut immundus essem, uxorem duxi, cum qua hisce sex annis ab istorum Antichristianorum manibus in Devonia latitavi.' (2) Antichristians are those who are against Christ. the pope. taken in church. little vary his Henry VIII. one to the other. For in receiving the letters and writings of a certain minister, who at the same time was present at the doing hereof A.D. in Exeter, thus I find moreover added, concerning the behaviour of this Thomas Benet in the church. 1533. Doctors and At that time, saith he, as I remember, Dr. Moreman, Crispin, friars in Caseley, with such others, bare the swinge there. Besides these, were Exeter. also preachers there, one Dr. Bascavild, an unlearned doctor, God knoweth; and one Dr. David, as well learned as he, both grey friars, and Doctor I-know-not-who, a black friar, not much inferior unto them. Moreover, there was one bachelor of divinity, a grey friar Gregory named Gregory Basset, more learned indeed than they all, but as Basset. blind and superstitious as he which was most; which Gregory, not long before, was revolted from the way of righteousness, to the way of Belial: for in Bristol, saith the author, he lay in prison long, and was almost famished, for having a book of Martin Luther, called his Questions, which he a long time privily had studied, and for the teaching of youth a certain catechism. To be short, the brains of the canons and priests, the officers and commons of that city, were very earnestly busied, how, or by what means, such an enormous heretic, who had pricked up those bills, might be espied and known: but it was long first. At last, the priests found out a toy to curse him, whatsoever he were, with book, bell, and candle; which curse at that day seemed most fearful and terrible. The manner of the curse was after this sort. The priests curse, they can whom. One of the priests, apparelled all in white, ascended up into the pulpit. The other rabblement, with certain of the two orders of not tell friars, and certain superstitious monks of St. Nicholas' house standing round about, and the cross (as the custom was) being holden up with holy candles of wax fixed to the same, he began his sermon with this theme of Joshua, "There is blasphemy in the army;" and so made a long protestation, but not so long as tedious and superstitious: and so concluded that that foul and abominable heretic who had put up such blasphemous bills, was, for that his blasphemy, damnably accursed; and besought God, our lady, St. Peter, patron of that church, with all the holy company of martyrs, confessors, and virgins, that it might be known what heretic had put up such blasphemous bills, that God's people might avoid the vengeance. Here is cold Charity. The manner of the cursing of the said Benet was marvellous to behold, forasmuch as at that time there were few or none, unless a shearman or two, whose houses, I well remember, were searched for bills at that time, and for books, that knew any thing of God's matters, or how God doth bless their curses in such cases. said the prelate thus: The Pope's Curse, with Book, Bell, and Candle. Then By the authority of God the Father Almighty, and of the blessed Virgin Mary, of Saint Peter and Paul, and of the holy saints, we excommunicate, we utterly curse and ban, commit and deliver to the devil of hell, him or her, whatsoever he or she be, that hath,-in spite of God and of St. Peter, whose church this is, in spite of all holy saints, and in spite of our most holy father the pope, God's vicar here in earth, and in spite of the reverend father in God, John our diocesan, and the worshipful canons, masters, and priests, and clerks, (1) 'Est blasphemia in castris.' |