Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Caunterbury to Quene Mary .

MOst lamentably mourning & moning himself vnto your highnes Thomas Crammer , although vnworthy either to write or speake vnto your highnes , yet hauing no person that I know , to be mediatour for me , and knowing your pitifull eares ready to heare al pitiful complaintes , and seing so many before to haue felte your aboundaunt clemency in like case : He desired to be released of his offence for consentyng vnto kyng Edwardes wyll and so he was , but after was accused of heresy , which he best liked for then he knewe hys cause was christes . am now constrained most lamentably and with most penitent and sorowfull heart , to aske mercy and pardon for my haynous folly and offence , in consenting and folowyng the Testament and last will of our late soueraigne Lord king Edward the syxt your graces brother , which will god knoweth , God he knoweth I neuer liked , nor neuer any thing greued me so much that your graces brother did , and if by any meanes it had bene in me to haue letted the makyng of that will , I would haue done it , and what I said therin , as well to his counsell , as to himselfe , diuers of your Maiesties counsell can report , but none so wel as the Marques of Northhampton , and the Lord Darcy then Lord Chamberlayne to the kynges Maiesty , which two were present at the communication betwene the Kynges Maiestye and me . I desired to talke with the kings maiesty alone , but I could not be suffered , and so I fayled of my purpose , for yf I might haue commoned with the king alone , & at good leasure , my trust was that I shuld haue altered hym from that purpose , but they being present , my labour was in vayne . Then when I could not disswade him from the said wyll , and both he and his priuy counsell also enformed me that the Iudges & his learned counsell sayde , that the acte of entayling the crowne made by his Father , coulde not be preiudiciall to him , but that he being in possession of the crowne , might make his wil therof , this semed very straung vnto me , but being the sentence of the Iudges and other his learned counsell in the lawes of this realme ( as both he and his Counsel informed me ) me thoughte it became not me beyng vnlearned in the law , to stand against my prince therin , & so at length I was required by the kinges maiesty him self to set to my hand to his wil , saying that he trusted that I alone would not be more repugnant to his wil , than the rest of the counsel were ( which words surely greued my harte very sore ) and so I graunted him to subscribe his will , and to follow the same , whiche when I had set my hande vnto , I did it vnfainedly and withoute dissimulation . For the which I submit my selfe most humbly vnto your maiesty , acknowledging mine offence wyth most greuous and sorowfull hart , and beseching your mercy and pardon , which my hart geueth me , shall not be denied vnto me , being graunted before to so many which trauailed not so much to disswade both the King and his counsell as I did . And where as it is contayned in two acts of parliament ( as I vnderstand , ) that I wyth the Duke of Northumberland should deuise and compasse the depriuation of your Maiesty from your royal crowne , surely it is vntrue , for the Duke neuer opened his mouth to me , to moue me anye suche matter , nor I hym , nor his heart was not suche towardes me , seekyng long tyme my destruction , that he woulde eyther truste me in suche a matter , or thinke that I would bee perswaded by him . It was other of the Counsel that moued me , and the Kynge hymselfe , the Duke of Northumberland not beyng present . Neither before , neyther after , had I euer any priuy communication wyth the duke of that matter , sauyng that openly at the counsel table the duke said vnto me , that it became not me to say to the king as I dyd , when I went about to disswade hym from the sayd will .

Nowe , as concernyng the estate of religion as it is vsed in thys Realme of England at this presente , if it please youre highnesse to licence me , I woulde gladly write my minde vnto your maiestye . I will neuer , God willyng , be author of sedition , to moue subiectes from the obedience of their heades and rulers , whiche is an offence moste detestable . If I haue vttered my mind to your Maiestye , beyng a Christian Queene and Gouernour of this realme ( of whom I am most assuredly perswaded that your gratious intent is , aboue al other thinges to prefer gods true word , his honour and glory ) if I haue vttered I say , my mynd vnto your Maiestye , then I shall thynke my selfe discharged , for it lyeth not in me , but in your grace onelye , to see the reformation of thynges that be amysse . To priuate subiectes it appertaineth not to reforme thinges , but quietly to suffer that they cannot amend : yet neuerthelesse to shew your maiesty my mind in thinges appertaining vnto god , me think it my duety , knowyng that I do , and considering the place which in tymes past I haue occupied : yet will I not presume therunto wythout your graces pleasure first known , & your licence obtayned , wherof I most humbly prostrate to the ground do beseche your Maiestye , and I shall not cease daily to pray to almighty God for the good preseruation of your maiesty from all enemies bodily and ghostly , and for the encrease of all goodnes heauenly and earthly , duryng my life , as I do and will do , whatsoeuer come of me .

¶ An other letter to Quene Mary .

IT may please your Maiesty to pardon my presumption , that I dare be so bold to wryte to your highnes , but very necessity constraineth me , that your maiesty may know my mind rather by mine owne writing , than by other mens reportes . So it is that vpon Saturday being the .7 . day of this moneth , I was cited to appeare at Rome , the .lxxx. day after , there to make answer to such matters as shoulde be obiected against me , vppon the behalfe of the Kyng and youre moste excellente Maiestye : whiche matters the Thursday followyng were obiected against me by Doctor Martin and doctour Story your maiesties Proctours , before the byshop of Gloucester sittyng in iudgemēnt by commission from Rome . But alas , it can not but greue the hart of any natural subiect , to be accused of the kyng and Queene of hys owne Realme , The kinge and Quene make them selues no better than subiectes in complaning of their own subiecte to an outward iudge , as though thei had no power to punishe hym . and specially before an outward iudge , or by auctority commyng from any person out of thys Realme , where the king and Quene , as if they were subiects within their owne Realme , shal complayne and require iustice at a straungers handes agaynst theyr owne subiecte , beyng already condemned to death by theyr owne lawes : as though the kyng and Queene could not do or haue iustice within theyr owne Realme , againste theyr owne subiectes , but they must seke it at a straungers hands in a straunge land , the like wherof ( I thinke ) was neuer sene . I would haue wished to haue had som meaner aduersaries , and I thynke that death shal not greue me much more , than to haue my most dread and most gratious soueraigne Lord and lady ( to whom vnder god I do owe all obedience ) to be myne accusers in iudgement wythin theyr owne realme before anye straunger and outwarde power . But forasmuch as in the tyme of the prynce of most famous memory King Henry the .8 your graces father , The first cause why he woulde not make answer to the Popes commissarye , is to auoyd periurye . The second cause is , for that the popes laws ar contrari to the crown and lawes of Englande . I was sworn neuer to consent , that the byshop of Rome shoulde haue or exercise any autoritie or iurisdiction in this realme of England , therfore least I should allowe his authority contrary to myne othe , I refused to make aunswer to the byshop of Gloucester sytting here in iudgement by the Popes authority , leaste I should runne into periury .

An other cause why I refused the Popes auctority is this , that hys auctority as he claymeth it , repugneth to the crowne imperial of this realme & to the lawes of the same , whych euery true subiect is bound to defend . Fyrst for that the Pope sayeth , that all manner of power , aswel temporal as spyrytual , is geuen fyrst to him of God , and that the temporal power he geueth vnto emperours & kinges to vse it vnder hym , but so as it be alwayes at hys commaundement and becke . But contrary to thys clayme , the emperial crowne & iurisdiction temporall of thys realme , is taken immediatly from God to be vsed vnder hym only , and is subiecte vnto none but to God alone .

Moreouer th emperial lawes & customes of this realme the king in his Coronation , The oth of the king & Iustices , & the duty of subiectes . & al Iustices when they receaue theyr offices , be sworne , and all the whole realme is bound to defend and maintayn . But contrary hereunto the Pope by his authority maketh voyde and commaundeth to blot out of our bokes , all lawes and customes beyng repugnant to hys lawes , and declareth accursed all rulers and gouernours , all the makers , wryters , and executors of such lawes or customes , as it appeareth by many of the Popes lawes , wherof one or two I shall rehearse . In the decrees , distin .x. is written thus : Constitutione contra canones & decreta praesulum Romanorum vel bonos mores nullius sunt momenti . That is , The constitutions or statutes enacted against the Canons and decrees of the bishops of Rome or their good customes are of none effect . Also , Extra de sententia excommunicationis , nouerit . Excommunicamus omnes haereticos vtriusque sexus quocumque nomine censeantur , & fautores , & receptatores , & defensores eorum : nec non & qui de caetero seruari fecerint statuta edita & consuetudines , contra ecclesiae libertatem , nisi ea de capitularibus suis intra duos menses post huiusmodi publicationem sententiae fecerint amoueri . Item excommunicamus statutarios , & scriptores statutorum ipsorum , nec non potestates , consules , rectores , & consiliarios locorum , vbi de caetero huiusmodi statuta & consuetudines editae fuerint vel seruatae , nec non & illos qui secundum ea praesumpserint iudicare , vel in publicam formam scribere iudicata . That is to say we excommunicate al heretikes of both sexes , what name soeuer they be called by , and their fauourers & receptours and defendours , and also them that shall hereafter cause to be obserued , statutes and customes made against the liberty of the church , except thei cause the same to be put out of their bokes or records within two monethes after the publication of thys sentence . Also we excommunicate the statute makers and writers of those statutes , & also the potestates consuls , gouernours & counsailours of places where suche statutes and customes shall bee made or kepte , and also those that shall presume to geue iudgement according to them or put in to publyke forme of writing the matters so iudged . Now by these lawes , if the bishop of Romes authority which he claimeth by God , be lawfull , al your graces lawes and customes of your Realme , being contrarye to the popes lawes be naught , and aswell your maiesty as your iudges , iustices and all other executours of the same , stand accursed among heretickes , which God forbid . And yet this curse can neuer be anoyded ( if the Pope haue such power as he claimeth ) vntill such times as the lawes and customes of this realm , The Popes lawes & the lawes of England are contrary . being contrary to his lawes , be taken away and blotted out of the law bokes . And although ther be many lawes of this Realme contrary to the lawes of Rome , yet I named but a few : as to conuict a clarke before any temporall iudge of this Realme , for debte , felony , murther or for any other crime , which clarks by the Pops lawes be so exempte from the kings lawes , that they can be no where sued but before theyr Ordinary . Also the pope by his lawes may geue al bishoprikes & benefices spirituall , which by the lawes of this realme , can be geuen but only by the kings & other patrones of the same , except they fal into the lapse . By the popes lawes ius patronatus shal be sued onlye before the ecclesiastical iudge : but by the lawes of this realme , it shal be sued before the temporal Iudge , and to be shorte the lawes of this Realme do agre with the Popes lawes like fire and water . And yet the kings of this Realme haue prouided for theyr lawes , by the premunire : so that if anye man haue let the excecution of the lawes of this Realme by any authority from the sea of Rome , he falleth into the premunire . But to mete with this , the popes haue prouided for theyr lawes by cursinge . For who so euer letteth the Popes lawes to haue full course within this realme , by the Popes power standeth accursed : So that the Popes power treadeth all the lawes and customes of this Realme vnder his fete , cursing al that execute them , vntil such time as they geue place vnto his lawes . But it may be said , that notwithstanding all the popes decrees , yet we do execute still the lawes and customes of this Realme . Nay not all quietlye without interuption of the pope . And where wee do execute them , yet we do it vniustly , if the popes power be of force , and for the same we stande excommunicate , and shal do , vntill we leaue the execution of our owne lawes & customes . Thu●●o ●e be well reconciled to Rome , allowing such authority . 〈◊〉 ●hy the Realme standeth accursed before God , if the p● 〈◊〉 ●ue any such autority .

These things 〈◊〉 ●uppose ) were not fully opened in the parliament house , when the popes authority was receiued agayn within this Realme , for if they had . I doe not beleue that either the king or Quenes maiestye or the nobles of this Realme , or the commons of the same woulde euer haue consented to receaue againe suche a forraine autoritye , so iniurious , hurtefull and preiudiciall , aswell to the crowne , as to the lawes and customes , and state of this realme , as wherby they muste needes acknowledge themselues to be accursed . But none could open this matter wel but the clergy , and that such of them as had red the popes lawes , whereby the pope hath made himself as it were , a God . These seeke to maintain the pope , whome they desired to haue their chief head , to the intent they might haue , as it were , a kingdom & lawes wythin themselues , distinct from the lawes of the crowne , and wherwyth the crowne maye not meddle , and so beinge exempted from the lawes of the crowne mighte liue in thys realme lyke Lordes and kinges , wythout dammage or fear of any man , The papists to set vp a kingdom of theyr own , dissemble the knowne truth and are false to the crowne . so that they please theyr hyghe and supreame heade at Rome . For thys consyderation , I weene , some that knewe the truthe , helde theyr peace at the Parliamente , where as , if they had done theyr duetyes to the crown and whole realme , they should haue opened theyr mouthes , declared the truth , & shewed the perils & dangers that myght ensue to the crowne & realme . And if I should agre to allow suche autoritye within thys realme , wherby I must needes confesse that your most gratious , hyghenes and also youre Realme shoulde euer continue accursed vntyl you shall cease from the execution of youre owne Lawes and customes of youre realme : I coulde not thyncke my selfe true , eyther to youre highnes , or to thys my naturall countrye , knowyng that I do know . Ignoraunce , I know may excuse other men , but he that knoweth howe preiudiciall and iniurious the power and autoritye which he chalengeth euery where , is to the crown , lawes and customes of thys realm , and yet wil allow the same , I cannot se in any wyse how he can kepe hys due allegeaunce , fydelity and truth to the crowne and state of this realme .

An other cause I alleged , The thyrde cause why he could not allow the Pope . why I could not allow the autoritye of the pope , whyche is thys , That by hys authoritye he subuerteth not only the lawe 〈…〉 realme , but also the lawes of God , The popes religion is agaynst Christs religion . so that whosoeuer be vnder hys authority , he suffereth them not to be vnder Christes religion purely , as Christ did commaunde . And for one example I brought forth , that wheras by Gods lawes al christian people be bounden diligently to learne hys word , that they may know how to beleue and liue accordingly , for that purpose he ordayned holy daies when they ought , leauyng apart all other busines , Why latin seruice oughte not to be restored in Englande . to geue themselues wholy to knowe & serue God . Therfore Gods wyll and commaundement is , that when the people be gathered together , the ministers shuld vse such language as the people maye vnderstand , and take profite therby , or els hold theyr peace . For as an harpe or lute , if it geue no certaine sound that men may know what is striken , who can daunce after it , for all the sounde is in vayne ? so is it vayne and profiteth nothyng , sayeth almighty god , by the mouth of S. Paule , if the priest speake to the people in a language which they knowe not , for els he may profite hymselfe , but profiteth not the people sayeth S. Paule . But herein I was answered thus , that S. Paul spake only of preachyng , that the preacher should speake in a tongue which the people did know , or els hys preachyng auayleth nothing . But yf the preachyng auayleth nothing , being spoken in a language , which the people vnderstande not , how should any other seruice auayle them , beyng spoken in the same language ? And that yet S. Paule ment not only of preachyng , it appeareth plainly by his own words , for he speaketh by name expressely of praying , singyng , laudyng , and thankyng of God and of al other thynges which the Priestes say in the churches , wherunto the people saye Amen , which they vsed not in preaching , but in other diuine seruice : that whether the Priestes rehearse the wonderfull workes of god , or the great benefites of god vnto mankind aboue all other creatures , or geue thanks vnto god , or make open profession of theyr faith , or humble confession of theyr synnes , wyth earnest requeste of mercy and forgeuenes , or make sute or request vnto god for any thyng : then al the people vnderstandyng what the Priestes say , myght ioyne theyr myndes and voyces wyth them and say Amen , that is to saye , allowe what the Priestes saye , that the rehersall of Gods vniuersall workes and benefites , the geuyng of thankes , the profession of faith , the confession of synnes , and the requestes and petitions of the Priestes and the people , might ascend vp into the eares of god altogether , and be as a swete sauour , odour , and incense in hys nose : & thus was it vsed many hundred yerrs after Christes ascension . But the aforesayde thynges cannot be done , when the priestes speake to the people in a language not knowen , and so they or theyr clarke in theyr name say , Amen , but they cannot tell wherunto : where as saint Paule saith , how can the people say Amen to thy well saying , when they vnderstand not what thou saiest ? And thus was S. Paule vnderstanded of all interpretours , both the Grekes and Latines , olde and new , scholeautors and others , that I haue redde , vntyll about xxx . yeres past , at which time one Eckius with other of hys sort began to deuyse a new exposition , vnderstanding S. Paule of preachyng only . But when a good number of the best learned men reputed wythin thys realme , some fauouryng the old some the new learnyng , as they terme it ( where in dede that which they call the old , is the newe and that which they call the new , is in dede the old ) but when a great number of such learned men of both sortes were gathered together at wynsor for the reformation of the seruice of the Churche : It was agreed by bothe wythout controuersie , ( not one sayeng contrary ) that the Seruyce of the Church ought to be in the mother tongue and that Sainct Paule in the .14 . chapter to the Corynthians was so to bee vnderstanded . And so is sainct Paule to be vnderstanded in the ciuil law more then a thousand yeres past , where Instinianus a moste godly Emperour , in a synode writeth on thys maner . Iubemus vt omnes episcopi pariter & praesbyterî non tacito modo , sed clara voce quae a fideli populo exaudiantur , sacram oblationem & preces in sacro baptismate adhibitas celebrent , quo maiori exinde deuotione in depromendis Domini Dei laudibus audientium animi efferantur . Ita enim & Diuus Paulus docet in epistola ad Corinth . Si solummodo benedicat spiritus , quomodo is qui priuati locum tenet , dicet ad gratiarum actionem tuam , Amen , quandoquidem quid dicas non videt ? Tu quidem pulchre gratias agis , alter autem non aedificatur . That is to say : we commaund , that all byshops and Priests celebrate the holy oblation and praiers vsed in holy baptisme , not after a stil & close maner , but wyth a cleare loud voyce , that they may be plainly heard of the faithful people , so as the hearers mindes may be lifted vp therby with the greater deuotion , in vtteryng the prayses of the Lord God . For so Paule teacheth also in the epistle to the Corinthians : 1 , Cor. 14. Yf the spirit doe onely blesse or say wel , howe shall he that occupieth the place of a priuate person , say Amen to thy thankes geuyng , for he perceiueth not what thou saiest ? Thou doest geue thankes wel , but the other is not edified . And not onely the ciuile lawe , & al other writers a thousand & fyue hundreth yeres continually together , haue expounded S. Paule not of preaching onely , but of other Seruice saide in the churche : but reason also geueth the same , that if men bee commaunded to heare any thyng , it must be spoken in a language whiche the hearers vnderstand , or els as S. Paule sayth what auayleth it to beare ? So that the Pope geuyng a contrary commaundement , The Pope commaundeth ●oth against God & natural reason . The sacrament oughte to be receaued in both kinds of all christians . that the people comming to the churche shall heare they wot not what , and answer they know not wherto , taketh vpon him to commaund not only against reason : but also directly against god . And againe I said , wheras our sauiour Christ ordained the Sacrament of his most precious body and bloud , to be receaued of all christian people vnder the formes both of breade and wine , and saide of the cuppe , drinke ye all of this : the Pope geueth a cleane contrarye commaundemente , that no laye man shall drynke of the cup of their saluation : as thoughe the cuppe of Saluation by the bloud of Christ , pertained not to lay men . And wheras Theophilus Alexandrinus , ( whose workes Saincte Hierom did translate about eleauen hundred yeres passed ) saith that if Christ had bene crucified for the Deuils , his cup shoulde not be denied them : yet the Pope denieth the cup of Christ to christen people , for whome Christ was crucified : so that if I should obey the Pope , in these thinges I muste nedes disobey my sauior Christ . But I was answered hereto ( as commonly the papists do answer , ) that vnder the forme of bread , is whole christes flesh and bloude , so that whosoeuer receaueth the forme , of bread receiueth aswel christes bloud as his fleshe . Let it be so : yet in the forme of breade onely , Christes bloude is not dronken but eaten , nor receaued in the cuppe vnder forme of wyne as Christ commaunded , but eaten with the flesh vnder the forme of breade , & moreouer the bread is not the sacrament of his bloud , but of his fleshe only , nor the cup is not the sacrament of his flesh , but of his bloud only and so the Pope kepeth from al lay persons the Sacrament of their redemption by Christes bloud , which Christ commaunded to geue vnto them . And furthermore Christ ordayned the sacrament in two kindes , the one separated from the other , to be a representation of his deathe , where his bloud was separated from hys fleshe , whiche is not represented in one kynde alone : so that the lay people receiue not the whole sacrament , wherby Christes death is represented as he commaunded . Moreouer as the Pope taketh vpon him to geue the temporal sword or royal & imperial power to kinges & prynces : so doth he likewise take vpon him to depose them from theyr imperial states , if they be disobedient to hym , and commaundeth the subiectes to disobey their prynces , assoyling the subiectes aswel of their obedience , as of their lawfull othes made vnto theyr true kinges and Prynces directly contrary to gods commaundeniente , who commaundeth all subiectes to obey theyr kinges or other rulers vnder them . One Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople in the time of S. Gregory , claimed superioritie aboue all other bishops , to whom sainct Gregorye writeth , that therin he did iniurie to hys iij. brethren which were equall with hym , that is to say , the bishop of Rome , of Alexandria , & of Antiochia , which iij. were patriarchal seas , aswell as Constantinople , and were brethren one to an other . But sayeth Saincte Gregorye , if anye one shall exalte him selfe aboue all the rest to be the vniuersal bishoppe , the same passeth in pryde : but now the bishop of Rome exalteth himselfe not only aboue all bishops , but also aboue all kynges and Emperours , and aboue the whole world taking vpon hym to geue and take away , to set vp and put downe , as he shall thinke good . And as the deuill hauyng no such authoritie , The deuil● & the Pope are like . yet toke vpon hym to geue vnto Christ all the kyngdomes of the world , if he would fall downe and worshippe him : in lyke manner the Pope taketh vppon hym to geue Empyres and kingdomes beyng none of hys , to suche as wil fal downe & worship him and kysse his feete . And moreouer his lawyers and glosers so flatter him , that they say he may commaund Emperours and kynges to hold hys stirroppe when he lighteth vppon hys horse and to bee hys footemen , and that if any Emperour or kyng geue hym any thyng , they geue hym nothyng but that is hys owne , and that he may dispense agaynst Gods word , agaynste the old and new Testament , against S. Paules epistles and against the Gospel . And furthermore whatsoeuer he doth , although he draw innumerable people by heapes wyth himselfe into hell : yet may no mortal man reproue hym , bicause he beyng iudge of al men , may be iudged of no man , & thus he sytteth in the temple of god , The Pope is Antichrist that is Christs enemy Wherfore the Pope is Antichrist . as he were a god & nameth him self Gods Vicar , & yet he dispenseth agaynst God . If this be not to play Antichrists part , I cannot tel what is Antichrist , which is no more to say but Christs enemy and aduersary , who shall syt in the temple of God , aduauncyng hymselfe aboue all other , yet by hipocrisy and fayned religion shall subuert the true religion of Christ , and vnder pretense and colour of Christian religion , shall worke agaynst Christ & therfore hath the name of Antichrist . Now yf any man lyfte hymselfe hygher then the Pope hath done , who lifteth him selfe aboue all the world , or can be more aduersary to Christ than to dispense agaynst Gods lawes , & where Christ hath geuen any commaundement , to commaund dyrectly the contrary the man must nedes be taken for Antichrist . But vntyl the tyme that such a person may be found , men may easly coniecture where to find Antichrist . Wherfore seyng the Pope thus , to ouerthrow both gods lawes and mans lawes , taketh vpon hym to make Emperours and kinges to be vassals & Subiects vnto hym , specially the crowne of thys realme , with the lawes & customes of the same , I see no mean how I may consent to admit this vsurped power within this realme , contrary to myne othe , mine obedience to gods law , mine allegeaunce and duety to your maiesty , and my loue and affection , to thys realme . This that I haue spoken against the power and authority of the Pope , I haue not spoken , ( I take God to record and iudge ) for any malice I owe to the Popes person , whom I know not , but I shal pray to god to geue him grace , that he may seke aboue al things to promote gods honour and glory , and not to follow the trade of hys predecessors in these latter dayes , nor I haue not spoken it for feare of punishment and to auoyde the same , thynkyng it rather an occasion to aggrauate , then to diminish my trouble : but I haue spoken it for my most bounden duty to the crowne , liberties , lawes , and customes of thys realme , but most especially to discharge my conscience in vtteryng the truthe to gods glory , castyng away all feare , Luke . 12 by the comfort which I haue in Christes wordes , who sayeth : Feare not them that kill the body and cannot kill the Soule , but feare hym that can caste both body and soule into hell . He that for feare to lose this life will forsake the truth , shall lose the euerlasting lyfe : and he that for the truthes sake wyll spend hys lyfe , shall fynde euerlasting life . And Christ promiseth to stand fast with them before hys father which wil stand fast with him here : Mathe. x. which comforte is so great , that whosoeuer hath his eyes fixed vpon Christ , cannot greatly passe of thys life , knowyng that he may be sure to haue Christ stand by him in the presence of his father in heauen .

As touchyng the Sacrament , I saide that forasmuch as the whole matter standeth in the vnderstandyng of these wordes of Christ : Thys is my body , Thys is my bloud , I saye that Christ in these wordes made demonstration of the bread and wyne , and spake figuratiuely , The sacraments haue the names of those thyngs wherof they are sacramentes . callyng bread hys bodye and wyne hys bloud , bicause he ordeyned them to be the sacraments of his body & bloud . And where the Papists say in these two pointes contrary vnto me , that Christ called not bread hys body , but a substaunce vncertayne , nor spake fyguratiuely , herein I sayde I woulde be iudged by the olde church , and which doctrine could be proued the elder , that I would stand vnto . And forasmuch as I haue alleaged in my booke many olde autors both Grekes and Latynes , which about a thousand yeres after Christ continually taught as I do , if they could bryng forth but one old author that saith in these two poyntes as they say , I offred vi . or vij . yeres agoe , and doe offer yet styl , that I will geue place to them . But when I bryng for the any author that sayeth in moste playne termes as I do , yet sayeth the other parte , that the authors mente not so : as who shoulde say , that the authors spake one thyng and mente cleane contrarye . And vppon the other parte , when they cannot fynde any one authour that sayeth in wordes as they say , yet saye they that the authors ment as they say . Now whether thei or I speake more to the purpose herein , I refer it to the iudgement of all indifferent hearers . Yea the old church of Rome aboute a thousand yeres together , nether beleued nor vsed the Sacrament as the church of Rome hath done of late yeares . For in the beginning the church of Rome taught a pure & a sound doctrine of the sacrament , but after that the church of Rome fell into a new doctrine of transubstantiation & with the doctrine they chaunged the vse of the sacrament , contrary to that Christ commaunded , & the old church of Rome vsed aboue a M. yeares . And yet to deface the old thei say that the new is the old : wherin for my part I am content to the tryal to stand , But their doctrine is so fonde and vncomfortable , that I marueile that any man would allowe it , if he knewe what it is , and what so euer they beare the people in hand , The Papists make Christ two bodyes . that which they write in theyr bookes hath nother truth nor comforte . For by their doctrin , of one body of Christ is made two bodies : one naturall hauing distance of members with forme and proporcion of a mannes perfite body , and thys bodye is in Heauen , but the bodye of Christe in the Sacramente by theyr own doctrine , must nedes be a monstruous body , hauing neyther distance of members nor forme , fashion or proporcion of a mans naturall body , and such a body is in the sacrament ( teache they ) and goeth into the mouth with the forme of breade , and entreth no farther than the forme of bread goeth , nor tarieth no longer than the forme of bread is by natural heate in digesting , so that when the forme of breade is digested , that bodye of Christe is gone . And forasmuch as euil men be as long in digesting as good men , the body of Christ ( by theyr doctrine ) entreth as far , & tarieth as long in wicked as in godly men . And what conforte can be herein to any Christian man , to receaue Christs vnshapen body , and it to entre no father than the stomake , and to depart by and by , as sone as the bread is consumed ? It semeth to me a more sound and comfortable doctrine , that Christe hath but one body , & that hath forme and fashion of a mans true body , which body spiritually entreth into the whole man body and soule , and though the sacrament be consumed , yet whole Christe remayneth and fedeth the receauer vnto eternal lyfe , if he continue in godlines and neuer departe , vntill the receauer forsake him . And as for the wicked , they haue not Christ within them at al , who can not be wher Belial is . And this is my faith , and as me semeth a sound doctrine according to Gods word , and sufficient for a Christian to beleue in that matter . And if it canne be shewed vnto me , that the popes authority is not preiudicial to the thinges before mencioned , or that my doctryne in the sacrament is erronious ( whych I thinke can not be shewed ) then I was neuer nor wil be so peruerse , to stand wilfully in mine owne opinion , but I shall ( wyth al humility ) submit my self vnto the Pope not only to kisse hys feete , but an other part also .

An other cause why I refused to take the B. of Gloucestre for my iudge , was the respect of his own person , being more than once periured Fyrste , for that he beynge diuerse times sworne , neuer to consent that the B. of Rome shoulde haue any iurisdiction with in thys realme , but to take the king and his successours for supreame heades of thys realme , as by gods lawes they be : contrary to this lawful oth the said B. sate then in iudgement by autority from Rome , wherin he was periured , and not worthy to sit as a iudge .

The second periury was , that he toke his bishoprike both of the Queenes Maiestye & of the Pope , makyng to eche of them a solemne oth , which othes be so contrary , that in the one he must nedes be periured . And furthermore in swering to the Pope to mayntayne his lawes , decrees , a constitutions , ordinances reseruations , and prouisions , he declareth him selfe an enemye to the Imperial crowne and to the Lawes and state of this Realme , whereby he declared himselfe not worthy to syt as a iudge within this Realme , and for these considerations I refused to take him for my Iudge .