ALbe it I doute not ye do from tyme to tyme vnderstande , suche newes as be here occurrant , partely by the comen rumour and fame , partely by the letters of your other frendes and olde acquayntaunce in these parties , mych soner than I can by any certayne messenger aduertyse you of the same . yet seynge that for correspondence vnto your goodnes here tofore shewed towardes me in most gentle sorte , ye haue euer requyred of me kynde remembraunce onely therof , and declaracyon of my desyre to accomplyshe in some parte my dutye , by often wrytyng vnto you , shewynge howe thankfully ( what so euer they were ) ye wolde accepte my letters : I haue thought yt my parte to folowe herein your pleasour , and to troble you alwaye wyth redynge my rude letters , though none other mater were conteyned in theym , than ye hadde bothe harde and rede ere that myne could come vnto your handes .

wherfore hauynge suche occasyon and argument of wrytyng offred vnto me , as wherof neyther the comen fame can reporte all the trouthe , and whyche is so tedyouse as fewe men wolde accomber theyr famylyare letters wythall / beynge neuerthelesse suche as you for your deuocyon to chrysten religyon be most desyrouse to knowe : I haue moste gladly embraced the same , trustynge by the contentes of these , to requyte in some parte the importunytie of myn ydle letters wryten to you before .

ye haue herde howe John Fryth somtyme scoler in that colledge wherof ye were after his departyng mayster , was afterwarde amonges other at Oxenforde found besye in settyng abrode these hersyes , whyche lately spronge in Almayne , by the helpe of suche folke be spred abrode into soundrye partes of christendome , tendyng to nothynge elles , but to the dyuysyon and rentyng a sundre of Christes mystycall bodye his chyrche , the pullynge downe of all power , and vtter subuersyon of all comen welthes .

And he beyng therfore for his amedement punyshed , of obstynatie fledde ouer the sees vnto the fathers of that relygyon / where in the company of wyllyam Tyndale , George Joy , ( at whose name I am sure ye sygh , seing your self to haue ben so deluded with the hope whyche ones ye conceyued of hym ) and other heretykes : he profyted so myche within a whyle in vngraciouse vnshamefast boldnes , that beynge not myche aboue the age of xxiiii . yeres , the arrogant fole nothyng doutynge the iudgement of the hole worlde , toke vpon hym to teache the ●ole chyrche of Chryste , reuokynge vs from our errour ( as he calleth yt ) of purgatorye , wherin we haue thys xv . hundred yeres contynued / willyng vs to truste herein the spyryt whych nowe in the ende of the worlde , god hath raysed in his yonge breste to rebuke the worlde , of theyr longe horryble errour and destable blyndenes , wherein so many hundred yeres all men haue abyden , saue onely a small chosen nomber of blessed babes , whom it hath pleased god to instruct and teache pryuyly in theyr eares the trouthe of hys gospell from tyme to tyme / whych the pore chyldren ( feryng by all lykelyhode to be beten yf they tolde any tales oute of the scole ) kept close amonge theym selfe , and lyke good dyspensatours layed vp theyre treasoure surely and secretely for losynge or stelynge awaye , tyll theyre mayster retourne .

Thys yonge apostle sent from the deuell to sowe ●ocle among the corne of Chryste seynge no suche successe or effecte of all his payne and trauayle taken in wrytyng and settynge forth that his holsome worke as he loked for / wyllyng in no wyse that by any his negligence or slouth , that bretherne myghte impute vnto hym the mys●ynge of theyr purpose : toke vppon hym to come agayne in to England , & presently to ayde , assyste , counsayle , and comforte the bretherne of hys guylde here , to stande styffe in theyr abstynacye / wherof lyke a perfyt doctour he hath gyuen them example hymselfe / persystynge so longe obstynate , ●…ll he hath brought hys fylthy carkace to the temporal fyre , and his sel● wretched soule to the fyre euerlastyng , as ye shall more playnely perceyue here after .

For after that he was taken and prysoned in the towre , notwythstandynge the daunger of hys lyfe , wyth the wrothe of god and all good men ; whych he had all redy purchased ●y hys shamefull arrogance and abhomynable heresye declared in his fore sayd boke : yet ( so god of his goodnes blyndeth the enemyes of his doctrine ) the shamelesse heretyke so declared hym self there , as neyther good man nor almost euyll , coulde wythout abhorrynge and detestyng his wyckednesse here hym named / for so mych as vtterynge hys malyce there agaynst god and the doctryne of his chyrche ferther then he had done before , lettynge passe all other heresyes as vnworthy to be treated by suche an apostell , and leuynge them for other no● so hyghly after his owne opynion enspyred with theyr newe holy goste as hym selfe : he set vpon the blessed body of our lorde in the sacrament of th aulter , denyenge it to be there presentely , and affermynge the worshyp therof to be ydolatrye . Me thynke I se hereat your ioyntes tremble , your ▪ dyes stare ▪ your heares stert vp , and all the behauour of your body alter , abhorrynge these deuelyshe wordes of thys cursed wretche . But who can let the deuyll to be lyke hym selfe .

After that this goodly apostle had wryten this holsome boke , and sente it out alredy amonges his brethern : there came vnto hym a leter frome Tyndale warden of theyr guylde , exhortynge hym not to medle yet with the blessed sacrament , nor no hygh maters passyng ( as he clalleth them ) the comen capacyte / but wylled hym to crepe lowe by the grounde , and folow mekenes ( for he knewe well the yonge mannys arrogaunce neded the counsayle ) how be it gyuynge hym mych deuelysshe counsayle wythall / and amonges all other , that yf the bysshoppes wolde fall at a composy●yon and be content to suffre the new testament of hys poysened translacion to be solde , then Frith shuld promyse for them bothe to wryte no more / and els they wold not spare to wryte styll

I trowe the olde apostles had neuer the wytte whych these new haue , to put the prechynge of goddes word in compromys , tyll a ferther laysour and a more aduauntage .

How be it he wylleth in the meane season , to graunte the bylyefe in the blessed sacrament as indyfferent / but in no wyse to confesse it for a necessary artycle of the fayth .

Hys counsayle not to medle in hygh maters came to late / for thys letter came after that Frythes booke was abrode . But thys last counsayle to afferme that a man myght chose , whither he wolde byleue the body of our lord to be there or not , so that in neyther case he worshypped it , the cay●yfe folowed so long tyll he broughte his owne body into asshes , & his soule to hell / notwythstandynge the great paynes taken with hym , & gentylnes shewed vnto hym for his amedement .

The fole was so gloryouse that when he had nothynge to say for his opinion : yet wolde he not reuoke it , for losynge the glory and renoume which he had ones purchased among his bretherne / but then euer fledde to this refuge , that his conscyence was not satisfyed . And yf you be desyrous to haue his facyon & maner playnely declared vnto you , no man that hath sene it can declare it better then saint Athanase doth in the Arrians sayeng .

In theyr opynyons they be dyuers ●nas●a ▪ in decretis Nicene sy ▪ nodi aduersus Euse . and variable , euyn as the bestes that be called Chameleōtes change theyr colour . when they be reproued they be ashamed / when they be questioned with , they stycke and stagarre / and after they take to them vnshamefastnesse , & pretende excuses : But than yf any man confute and reproue them in those excuses to : they studye tyll they haue found out thynges that be not / and accordynge as it is wryten they deuyse vayne thynges , for this cause onely that they may persysre & stande styff in theyr impyete . And so doynge , they do nothynge ellys but openly declare that they facke reason & folow the peruersyte of the Jewes .

To shewe you all the meanes vsed for hys reconcylyacyon , by the lordes and other of the kynges most honorable counsayle bothe spyrytuall and temporall , it were very longe . And of some parte therof ye shal be ( I dowte not ) enformed by other . But wherby ye maye suffycyentely perceyue hys obstynacye and arrogaunce , and how lytell he was able , for all the boste made of hys lernynge , to say agaynst the trouth , I shall wryte and declare vnto you .

His lernynge ( to saye the trouthe for his age ) was to be praysed , yf hys arrogaunce had not made hym esteme it more euer than it was . I meane his lernynge in the tongues and other humanite / for in any thyng els ( what so euer he hath kepte in store ) suerly he hath vttered none . For his workes of heresyes , be but Luther , zwinglius , Hwyskyn , and suche other , translate out of latyne into englysshe . And in his communicacion how lytle he shewed by his answers made to my lorde my mayster bothe presently , and by message , ye shal easely perceyue & iudge .

My lorde my mayster ( besydes the gryefe that any man sholde wylfully of malicyouse arrogaunce cast away hym selfe bothe body and sowle ) berynge a specyall loue and affeccyon toward thys yong man , bycause that ones he was hys scoler , sent for hym vnto hys howse , and there beganne to entre communicacion with hym hereuppon / thynkynge surely , that yf the deuyll had not all togyther possessed hym , the wordes of our sauyour Cryste so manyfest , the sentence of all lerned men before Berengarius & wicklife , as well catholyke as heretykes , the consent of Chrystes vniuersall chyrche from his blessed passyon vnto this day shulde haue conuerted hym from his arrogaunt and malycyouse pryde .

But he hauyng ones alledged vppon a certayne poynte , this place of Esaye . Et acceperunt de manu domini duplicia , vnderstandynge therun to for his purpose , premia / and theruppon the boke shewed , wherin folowed , pro omnibus peccatis suis : beynge confounded , wolde no more dyspute of any thynge / but sayde , excepte my lorde were touched wyth the same spiryte wherewyth all he was hymself , yt shulde not auayle to dyspute wyth hym . wherunto my lorde answered , yf I shuld saye lykewyse to you , and euery man to other : then shulde no man labour to brynge in agayn him , that ones were out of the ryght way . For he shulde thynke with hym selfe ▪ this man is moued wyth an other spiryte than I am , therfore I shuld lese my labour . wherfore sayde he leue this founde persuasyon , & whan ye haue sayd what ye can for your part , heare what I can answere therunto & say for the tother : yf your cause be the better / why shulde ye not thynke to wynne me ?

All this was not ynough to incorage hym to dyspute of the mater any more , but wythout any profe , requyred his spyryte to be admitted and folowed / nor my lorde coulde haue any other answere of hym .

yet after this , consyderynge by all lykelyhode that yf he dyd answere nothyng , indifferent men must thinke . he coulde answere nothyng : the gloryouse fole affyrmed ( se the vanytie of arrogaunce ) that all the olde doctours of the chyrche were of his opynyon and professed , that yf the contrarye opynyon were shewed vnto hym , playnely declared by any doctours of the chyrche , he wolde knowledge for a trouth / but yet none artycle of the fayth . For that Tyndale ( whose counsayle as myche as came not to late he folowed ) dyd in any wyse forbyd hym , wyllynge hym not to bynde the conscyences of the people ( what a knauyshe kynde of flaterynge was this , as though yt laye in hym to bynde and losen ) to byleue yt as necessary , but to leue vnto theyre owne iudgementes , to take yt as them lyste for a whyle .

The man entendeth whan he can spye a tyme , to wryte agaynst yt / and therfore wolde be loth this yonge doctour shulde haue done any thynge in derogacyon of his wo●ke , whome he estymed more than all the old fooles of his secte / and had thought ( yf god had not preuented hym ) to haue lefte hym as heyre of his heres●es , to perfyte all whych he had begonne , as appereth by Tyndales letter sent vnto Fryth beynge in the towre .

But to retourne to the mater . All good men vnderstandynge this promes of his to folowe th authoryte of the catholyque doctours , reioysed excedyngly . For they hoped he hadde ment good fayth / where as he dyd yt onely for a brage to get hym an opynyon and estymacyon amonge the rude vnlerned , and a glorye amonge his brethern . Other men thought hym wonne , when he wolde in any parte abandon his owne wyt , and lene to authoryte .

Aboue all other my lorde reioysed , as to whome yt semed , that his scoler whome for his wyt he loued euer very hartely , ●adde rysen from deth to lyfe , trustynge that he hadde left his arrogaunce and yelded hym selfe to reason / and therfore beganne very dylygently and ernestly to labour in takynge ▪ awaye suche causes as moued hym to doubte therin . And bycause yt wold not synke into his hed , that the naturall bodye of our lorde could be in two places at ones , more than any other mannys bodye : my lord answered vnto him , that in this bodye be goten and brought forth agaynste the lawes of nature , nature was notso mych to be regarded , shewynge hym also , that contrarye to the lawes of nature , he rose from deth , and thorough the stone , wythoute eyther brokynge yt orr cushynge hys ●odye . And yt is as moche agaynste nature to haue . ii . bodyes in one compasse at ones wythout th one geuyng place to thother , as that one bodye shulde at one tyme be hole in two places , whych our sauyour dyd not onely at that tyme , but also afterwarde commyng thorough the dore fast shyt , wythoute brekynge the dore or hurtynge his bodye / whych hauynge ones by deth ouercomēdeth , cold no more be hurte of no creature .

To this he answered accordynge to Tyndales counsayle , that yt was a phrase of scrypture , to saye he came in the gates beynge shyt , in stede of , he came in late after that the gates were shyte / and so knocked and had the gates opened .

And to the tother place of rysyng thorough the stone , he sayd the Angell lefte vp the stone , & so our lorde rose .

Jhesu how relygyousely these men handle the scrypture , whyche pratel nothynge ellys put scrypture ? when the gospell was layed agaynst hym , where the women comynge to the tombe after hys resurreccyo , doubted how they myghte attayne vnto hys body for the stone whych couered his graue / and deuysed who shuld helpe them to remoue it / and streyght lokynge towardes it agayne , sawe the stone remoued , and th angell at the tombe : to that he answered , why myght not the women cast these doubtes by the waye as they came , as well as when they were there . Se you not the excedynge obstynacye of hym , who so longe as he coulde haue any thynge to deuyse for an answere ( were it neuer so false and folyshe as this was ) yet wolde not shewe hymselfe conformable in any wyse / but wolde rather saye any thyng what so euer it were , then eyther confesse the trouth or hold his peace .

Agaynste his deuise that th angell lyfted vp the stone , that our lord myght at his ease come forth , my lord shewed vnto hym saynt Austayn , sayeng expressely , He went forth the graue beynge styll close . what wolde he requyre more playne , who professed to knowledge for trouth what so euer were playnely wryten of any doctour of the chyrche in thys mater . yet it toke no place with him as playne as this place of saynt Austayne is .

Saynt Hierom also amonge his answers to Hedibia , declareth thys place sayenge thus .

Let vs not thynke that th angell came to open the graue for our lorde when he sholde ryse , and tourne ouer the stone . But after that our lorde had rysen at suche howre as pleased hym , and is knowen to no man , to declare what was done , and to haue shewed by tournynge ouer the stone , that the tombe was empty &c.

What is playne yf thys declareth not playnely , that the angell remoued the stone after that oure lorde was rysen ?

And wher as the pharyse wolde not admytte , that the body of our lorde myghte be receyued of a synner and enter into hym : he shewed hym saint Austayne , sayenge that our sauyour gaue Judas the pryce of our redempcyon . And also an other , where he sayth : he gaue the same to Judas which he gaue to hys other apostles / so that his noughtynes in nothynge altered that whyche was receyued of hym .

After that Fryth had glosed the fyrste place with a glose of his owne , sayenge that saynte Austayne there called the mystery by the name of that whyche it represented : to remoue away all doubt therin , & shew playnly that how so euer it appered to our carnall eyes and our other bodyly sences , yet in dede there were nothyng ellys but the very body and bloude of our lorde , my lorde shewed hym an homelye wryten by saynte Chrisostome , of that mater / wherin among many other thynges spoken wyth great reuerence of the moste blessed sacrament , he sayth thus .

Is it brede that thou seeste ▪ or is it wyne , or doth it passe thorough the as other meates do ? God fordyd : Loke thou thynke not so . For lyke as yf waxe brought vnto the fyre melte in to it , none of tho●de substaunce remayneth , nor nothynge is therby encreased : so thynke the thynges semynge to be there , consumed wyth the presence of hys body .

And a lytellafter he sayeth : Suppose the bloude of our saluacyon to flowe out of his godly and vndefyled syde / and so approchyng , receyue it with pure lyppes .

When Fryth saye this Homilie ( as shameles as he was in answerynge ) he founde nothynge to answere here vnto . But yet reteynynge styll his hygh lokes / and lyke one who were consulted rather lyke a censour & correctour of the catholyque doctours , than taughte by them to knowe hys folye in respecte of this , dyspysynge thother places whych were alledged vnto hym , sayeng as for thother , that they were lytle to the purpose , but that hadde pyth / repetyng ofte , this hath pyth , and desyred my lorde that he wolde delyuer hym that parte of the homylie in wrytynge , whyche incontynently was delyuered . For my lo●d had commaunded yt to be wryten out before for the nones / and so departed in very good hope , whyche neuerthe lesse came to none effect . For the next daye my lorde repayrynge agayn vnto hym , in hope to acomplyshe that whych he had begonne , founde hym all an other man than he lefte hym , clene fallen to his old arrogaunce of his new spyryte / so that demaundyng of him , how he lyked this Homylie , and whether there were any thynge elles wherin he were not yet satysfyed , he coulde gette none other answere of Frith , but that he had slepte lytle after theyr laste communycacyon . And when he was asked why so : he sayde he had occupyed hym self in prayeng to god for knowledge of the trouthe in this matter . And faynynge hym self assured that god had herd his prayour , sayde yt stode not wyth his conscyence to confesse that fayth / and therfore he knew that opinion was not trew ? As though , if it had ben so , god wold by specyall inspiracyon haue reueled yt vnto hym .

The greate clerke hadde not lerned , that he who mystrusted the word of god , and byleued not the prechers sent by hym , shold dye in his incredit lyte wythoute receyuynge eyther sygne or specyall demonstracyon / accordynge to th answere made vnto the ryche man in the gospell , who wolde Luce. 16 haue hadde the lazare sent to his frendes to teache theym the trouth / and dyuerse answeres made by our sauyour to the vnfaythfull Jewes .

Thus this detestable wreche abode in malyce obstynate / but in hys answeres so inconstante and varyable , that he wold somtyme shew hym self content to byleue any doctours of the chyrche / somtyme he was sure , yf yt were otherwyse , god wolde shew yt vnto hym selfe / that at length yt semed vnto my lorde of London , in whose dyocese he was , moste mete to procede wyth hym iudycyally / and eyther cure the infect shepe , or yf it were desperate , caste yt out of the folde . wherfore on Fryday the. xx . daye of June , callynge vnto hym my lorde my mayster and my lord of Lyncoln , and callynge Fryth before them , examynyng hym openly in powles / and fyndynge hym styll obstynate , finally lefte hym to the seculer power , as he had ryght well deserued .

But what payne they toke with hym fyrst , how fatherly they labored and trauayled for th amendement of that vngracyouse chylde / and of an other also , whiche onely for company of Fryth helde the same opynyon , without groundynge hymselfe vpon and scrypture but Frithes bare word & his spyryte , wherwith he was hymselfe also possessed , and therfore lefte also with Fryth . Of an other heretyke also one Thomas Philippes , whiche was examyned the thursdaye next ensuenge , I shall not nede to wryte vnto you / for there be other inough whiche both● can and I am sure wold , aduertyse you of that whiche was openly done . wherfore leuynge to wryte of these maters , wherof ye eyther are alredy , , or shal be better ad nertysed by other : I shall wryte what meanes my lorde my mayster vsed / for that onely can I best declare vnto you .

After the body of Fryth was despayred to haue saued the soule , which the fole hym selfe regarded not as he semed , nor thought peraduenture for all his hypocrysye , of no lyfe to come after thys , but onely as the hethen do to lyue by glory : surely the latter daye of my beynge with hym , he sayd playnely that he thought no sayntes soule came in heuen before the day of dome / but in the meane season reposed hym selfe he wiste not where . And some of his secte say that the soule of our sauiour Christ hym self ( O what blasphemouse wretches be these ) is not yet in heuen . But malyce hath no boundes .

After that he was condempned as you haue herde , and delyuered to the temporall officers , my lord sent vnto him a chapellayn of his with Rupert who on the syxte chapyter of John declareth the mater so playne , and so reiecteth Frythes obieccyons , as though it had be specyally wryten agaynste hym . whyche author he refused , alledgynge that no lerned man dyd euer referre that place to the sacrament of th altare / & that therfore Rupert was not lerned and vnderstode the place amysse . whyche hys slender obieccyon my lorde vnderstondyng , and hopyng of some good effecte yf that were put awaye : sent me the nexte day wyth the thyrde tome of saynt Chrysostome , where he in the xliiii , xlv , and. xlvi . homilie , not onely referreth that place to the moste blessed sacrament / but also proueth by the same , the bodyly presence of our lord there

I shewed hym onely the. xlv . which in dede ( yf any drop of grace had remayned in hym ) had ben inough .

Hereby a man maye se , how mych hys brage passed his lernynge , who durste so precysely affyrme , that no lerned man referred that place to the sacrament / whyche not onely saynte Chrysostome , but also all other catholyke doctours ( as ye knowe ) do / bycause Luther , who dyffereth from them in the bodyly presence of oure lorde , and ellys not in substaunce of the sacramentall sygne , is content , not to haue that place referred to the sacrament , whiche maketh so sore agaynste them bothe .

After salutacyon I put hym in remembraunce , fyrste of his answere made to my lordes chapellayn , which he knowledged to be so / & than tolde hym , howe my lorde beynge loth he shulde caste awaye hym selfe for ignoraunce , had sent hym there Chrysostome , whome he must nedes confesse for lerned , referryng the sayd place of John to the blessed sacrament , for whych onely cause he had reiecte Rupert as vnlerned . well , sayde he , lette me see yt .

After that he had rede a good parte of the homylie , so farre as hanged together perteynynge to that questyon I asked what he could alledge why he sholde not knoweledge the authoryte of Rupert , seyng that Chrysostome ( whome he coulde not denye to be excellently lerned ) vnderstode that same place of the moste blessed sacrament as Rupert dyd . To whyche after that he had mused a lytle , he answered that he gaue no great credence to Rupert for dyuerse causes , wherof neuerthelesse he named no mo but this onely , that he was after Gregoryes dayes the pope / and yet he tolde not so myche as whyche Gregorye he ment .

when I sawe hym , in whome after the comen rumour I thought to haue founde some lernynge & knowledge in these matres ▪ ( specyally knowyng hym euer before in other scyences to haue shewed hym selfe of a good wyt and vnderstondynge ) vtter no more connynge then he dyd , but onely tryfle and playe wyth euery thynge , studyeng after that he had obiecte one thynge , what he myghte bable whan that were taken awaye , and so estymynge of that he spoke , what by all lyghtelyhode he coulde speke or answere in this mater , whyche semed to be nothynge elles but inuencyons of his owne brayne , whych I thoughte my selfe able ynough wyth the grace of god , eyther to put of , or at the lest to bere ( for neyther sholde he nor the deuyll hym selfe for any apparance of reason , make me byleue one arrogant fole better than all good chryst● men consentynge in one ) and beynge lothe to brynge home the heuy news of desperacyon : I beganne to passe somwhat my commyssyon , and adu●ture farther than peraduenture bycame either my yeres or my lernyng / not doubtyng though my yeres were but yong and my lernyng very small ( consyderynge howe many hundred tymes his yeres were vnder the age of the chyrch , which he taketh in hand to reache this new lesson , more than my yeres were vnder his / and howe ●o comparyson is betwene the spyryt which Crist promised & sent his chyrch , and this new goste of Luthers , full of lyes , diuysyon , and all falshod / for what comparyson cambe bytwene god and the deuyll / to dyspute the mater wyth hym , who wyth arrogaunce onely and allegacyon of a straunge spyryte laboured to ouercome the trouth so longe rooted in all chrysten hertes which is of it self without any forayn ayde inuyncyble . wherfore seyng Ru●et reiected , onely bycause he lyked not mayster Fryth , & spoke to playne agaynste hym , so that no glose wold serue to make theym twoo agre : I beganne to presse hym wyth that place of Chrysostome , whyche I had shewed hym , desyrynge hym to consyder and waye yt dylygently , sayenge I nothynge douted yf he so dyd , but yt sholde clerely appere ▪ v●… hym , that the trouth was agayn●● hym . wheruppon takinge the boke agayn into his handes , he redde ouer again the same place stoppynge euer and gloryenge at any mencyon of the mysterye / and glosynge wyth his owne deuyse where any thynge prycked hym .

As fyrste at this , we be one bodye and members of his fleshe and bones . Very well ꝙ he , so we be / for seynge that he toke our very nature vpon hym in the virgyne Marye , we be one bodye wyth hym , one blood , the same bones , the same synues , the same members / accordyng as Dauid sayde vnto the iewes : Os meum & caro mea vos .

And this is yt sayde he that deceyueth you / ye referre that which is spoken of our communyte with hym by his byrth , to his presence in the sacrament of th aulter .

Naye sayde I not so . But the scryptures and interpreters of the same , shewynge moste euydently bothe the naturall cognacyon we haue with him by his incarnacyon , and the spyrytuall vnyon the chyrche beynge his mystycall bodye / and lykewyse in the most blessed sacrament shewynge both his corporall presence there , and also the mystycall representacyon of his passyon , he and suche other where the sacrament were mencyoned , drewe all to the mystery though the wordes playnly repugned , deuydynge the mystery from the thynge yt selfe / or elles for a shyfte , when the wordes were so playnly spoken of the very substaunce , that they coulde not be referred to the mystery , turne them to his incarnacyon , thoughe the wordes were precysely wryten of the sacrament .

And that good holy fathers preuentyng by the spirite of god the malice of the deuyll , though none heretyke had yet ben so shamelesse as to holde the contrary , had neuertheles moste playnely and apertly deuyded the mystery from the thyng selfe / and yet shewed both twayne to be in that blessed saccament . whyche thynge myghte I sayd vnto hym ( yf he lyste not to blynde hymself ) clerely appere vnto hym by many other places , and by thys also of Chrysostom , whyche I hadde brought vnto hym , where folowed .

But that not onely by loue , but also in very dede , we myghte be torned in to that flesh , that is done by the meat whych he hath geuen vnto vs .

Here he sayth sayd I , that by the meate whych he gaue vs , we be tourned into that fleshe and not by hys byrth / & not onely mystycally by loue but also in very dede .

Howe canne you wyth all your gloses inuerte thys from hys corporall presence , wyth eyther of your gloses .

He answered yt was trouth , that receyuynge the mystery and sygnyfycacyon , in dede we were by fayth tourned into hym / and that the mysterye there bare the name of that whych yt ●●th sygnifye , as it doth in many places elles in scrypture .

And beyng asked than , why he put this artycle , that , vnto the name of flesshe , yf it were not to declare not a bare sygnyfycacyon , but the very fleshe whyche he spake of before : he made no answere , but desyred he myght be suffred to reade forthe / shakynge of this mater with a certayne gyrnyng laughter after his fashyon , as though yt had ben nothynge to the purpose / whyche made me euen then almoste despayre of any good effecte , and suffred hym to reade forth .

when he came to this place , whych Chryste dyd , bycause he wold bynde vs wyth more charyte , and because be wolde she we his desyre towarde vs / not onely sufferynge hym selfe to be sene vnto those whyche desyred him , but also to be touched and eaten , & the teth to be set in his flesh , and all men to be fulfylled with the de●yre of hym .

Here he thought to haue hadde me in a ioly snare , & asked yf that place ( as precysely as it wrote ) were not spirytually to be vnderstanden / & whyther in dede we dyd tere the fleshe of our sauyour wyth our teth or not .

I tolde hym that I beleued in very dede as the wordes were , that we set our teth in his blessed bodye , & yet tere yt not . For in what parte of the hoste so euer we set our teth , in that same parte is his whole very bodye . As I byleue that whan the preste brake the hoste , he tare not the body of our lorde , for that were to put hym euery daye to a new passyon / but that euery parte of the hoste was his hole bodye / and that he who made all thyng of nought , coulde compasse this to .

Here he laughed and rede forth , wyth many gloses by the wayelytell to the purpose / tyll he came to the place were he compareth the lambes blode in th olde lawe to his bloode , whyche was therby fygured sayenge thus . But yf the fygure therof hadde so great strengthe in the temple of the Hebrewes in the myddes of Egypte sprynkeled vppon the threshold : mych more the trouch .

This trouth he sayde was referred onely to the passyon of our sauyour , and the shedynge of his blood / and not to the sacrament of th aultare . whan I replyed , that in this place saynte Chrysostome treateth of the sacrament and not of the passyon , he answered magno supercisio , wyth a solemne contenaunce , that this was nothyng to the purpose , and that ( I I wys ) he hadde loked & red ouer that place whan he was at his lybertye . And therewithall he shyt the boke and be ganne to comen .

where fyrste he began to induce me , that all were to be vnderstanden in mistery by a place of saynte Chrysostome in a homilye whyche my lorde hym selfe hadde giuen hym before . And hereby ye shall se the symplycytie and the playnes of this euangelycall man , and howe wyth false dissymulacyon he labored to haue gotten me to hys opynyon .

Saynt Chrysostome ( sayth he ) wylleth the peple to call away theyr wittes from the wordes as they be spoken , and vnderstande theym spiritually / tellynge them that elles they lyed whan the preste sayde , vp with your mynde and your hartes , and they answere , we haue to our lord . where as in dede saynt Chrysostome in that place onely blamed them , whyche not consyderynge howe reuerently they oughte there to behaue theym selfe , spent in babelyng of other maters that tyme , wherin they sholde haue prepared them for the holy worde .

Se the myscheuouse mater of this wicked wreche , how deceytfully , and how lyke hys father the deuell wyth lyenge and false alledgynge , he went aboute to trappe me trustynge so to haue deluded me and to haue shaken me of therwithal , bycause he thought I had not redde that place before .

who can doubte knowynge herin hys wylfull and malycyouse peruersyte , of what deceytfull mynde he offered to condescende vnto the authoryte of the catholyke doctours ? For yf he had faythfully intended to folowe theyr doctryne , he wolde neuer so malycyousely and wyttyngly ( for he had dylygently as he sayde hym selfe studyed that place ) haue falsely alledged that author , for suche purpose as he knewe well he ment not / nor no man redynge the place coulde so haue taken it . These are saynte Chrysostoms wordes .

O thou man what do●… thou ? hast Chriso ▪ in sermone admonito . d●●●ch● . thou not m●de a promyse vnto the preste , who sayd vp with your minde and your harte / and thou dydest answere hym agayne : we haue to our lorde . Doste thou not feare and arte thou not ashamed ? Thou arte taken wyth a lye euyn at that same tyme . Oh , the borde is furnyshed wyth the sacramentes / the lambe of god is offered for the , the preste is in care and anxiete for thy sake , spyrytuall fyre flameth from the ●wter , the Seraphi●s also are there present , & cou●● theyr face with syxe wynges , all bodyles powres make intercession with the preste for the , spyrytuall fyre is come downe from heuyn , the bloude is receyued in the chalyce out of the immaculate syde for thy purifycacion . And arte thou not thanne ashamede Fearest thou not ? arte thou not confunded , nor doste thou not reconcyle thy self to god ? O thou man doth not thy conscyence pryche the ? The weke hath . viii . score & . viii . howres , & of them god hath for hym selfe taken out but one howre , and that thou spendest vppon seculare businesse and lawghyng maters , and in kepynge company . wyth what truste shalt thou than go to goddes borde . O wyth how polluted and foule a conscyence . If thou haddest stynkyng dyrt in thy handes , durst thou approche nyghe vnto the hemme of a kynges garment . Doest thou se brede or wyne ? whyther be they voided into the drawght as other meatis be : god forbede . Thinke not so . For the wise as wexe if it be brought to the fyre , it waxeth lyke vnto the fyre , none of th olde substaunce therof remayneth , nor other substaunce ys therby encreaced : so thynke here to , that the sacramentes be consumed wyth the substaunce of the body . And therfore when ye go to goddes borde thynke not that ye receyue godde & body at a mannes hande , but that ye receyue it of the Seraphyns fyre with the tonges , whyche fyre Esay foresawe you receyue / Counte and rekyn that that holsome bloude in a manet floweth out of the dyuyne and vndefysed syde , and so drawe nere and receyue it wyth pure and clene lyppes .

If the man wanted not lernyng to vnderstand yt ( as in dede he dyd not ) howe can his fautours shew that he wanted not playnnesse , faythfulnesse , and honesty , in so declarynge yt .

Hereby a man maye playnely se , by what meanes they allure men to theyr secte / whyther by the wordes of god as they pretende , or by theyr owne inuencyons , false dyssymulacyons and lyes . whyche I wolde to god all the world knew as well , as all they who haue commened with these members of the deuyll , these gates of hell , not beynge before of theyr owne noughtynes corrupte , do spye and playnely perceyue .

when I hadde ones made answere vnto his allegacyon : the subtyll euan gelyst seynge hys falshode toke none effect but spyed , & layde manyfestly to his charge , otherwyse than he hoped yt shulde haue ben , was all astonyed , and sat styll a good while , with oute eyther spekynge or makyng any semblaunce to speke . At the length I dyd interrupte his sylence / & shewynge my self to meruaile that he who pretented so myche symplycyte , so a●dent a desyre to knowe the trouthe , wold neuerthelesse in dede labour after suche synistre fashyon , to blynde the trouth , desyred hym that he wold at the laste , rather mekely folowe the trouth , than to drawe and hayle euery thynge to his purpose / and so arrogantly ( at that worde he gyrned agayne ) set vnto euery place his glose , as though , whan he promysed to byleue the doctours of that chyrche , it had ben promysed hym agayne , that we sholde vnderstande theym as he lyst , and not as the wordes gaue .

why I praye you ( sayde he ) be not you fayn to glose those wordes whe● on you grounde your selfe moste ? And where the wordes be , this is my body , are not you fayne to say in this is my bodye , or in this is conteyned my bodye . ye se howe lyke a lerned man this was spoken .

The kynges hyghnes in his moste excellent and erudyte assertyon of the sacramentes , layde this agaynst Luther , who sayth that the blessed body of our lorde is in the sacrament , the substaunce of brede neuerthelesse remaynynge as yt was before , whose sayenge can not stande with the wordes of our sauyour , wythout suche a glose as who so euer putteth vnto the wordes of god , is accursed of hym , and to be detested of the worlde . And Fryth thought this had made gayly agaynst the catholoque fayth , whych without eyther addynge or dyminysshynge any thynge in the wordes of god , is to beleue that the moste blessed sacrament is his very body , which was betrayed for vs .

I am suer sayd he , ye wold not say that that whyche ye se or perceyué by your other sences is his body , fortham sholde ye saye that the forme of brede and wyne , were his bodye .

I asked hym where he lerned that new logyke , to say that by this word thys , were shewed the outwarde resemblaunce of any thynge to the sences , and not the mater or substaunce therin conteyned . And asked hym whyther whan he sayd this a stone or a stocke , he ment the colour , or bignes , or smothenes , or other accydentes , or elles the substaunce , the very stone yt selfe .