THE

LATTER APPREHENSION AND EXAMINATION

OF THE WORTHY MARTYR OF GOD,

MISTRESS ANNE ASKEW,

WRITTEN BY HERSELF, A. d. 1546.

PRINTED A. D. 1547.

I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, (saith God,) your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. And whosoever call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.-Joel ii.

I DO perceive, dear friend in the Lord, that thou art not yet persuaded throughly in the truth concerning the Lord's Supper, because Christ said unto his apostles; Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you.

In giving forth the bread as an outward sign or token to be received with the mouth, he minded them, in a perfect belief to receive that body of his which should die for the people, or to think the death thereof to be the only health and salvation of their souls. The bread and the wine were left us for a sacramental communion, or a mutual participation of the inestimable benefits of his most precious death and bloodshedding, and that we should in the end thereof be thankful together for that most necessary grace of our redemption. For, in the closing thereof, he said thus; This do ye in remembrance of me. Yea, so oft as ye shall eat it, or drink it. Luke xxii. and 1 Cor. xi. Else should we have been forgetful of that we ought to have in daily remembrance, and also have been altogether unthankful for it; therefore it is meet that in our prayers we call unto God, to graft in our foreheads the true meaning of the Holy Ghost concerning this communion. For St. Paul saith, The letter slayeth; the Spirit is it only that giveth life, 2 Cor. iii. Mark well John vi. where all is applied unto faith, note also the 2 Cor. iv. and in the end thereof ye shall find plainly that the things which are seen are temporal, but they that are not seen are everlasting. Yea, look in Hebrews iii. and ye shall find that Christ, as a son, and no servant, ruleth over his house, whose house are we, and not the dead temple, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of that hope to the end. Wherefore, as saith the Holy Ghost, to day if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, &c. Ps. xcv.

23*

257

The sum of my examination before the king's council at Greenwich.

Your request as concerning my prison fellows, I am not able to satisfy, because I heard not their examinations; but the effect of mine was this:-I, being before the council, was asked of M. Kyme. I answered that my lord chancellor knew already my mind in that matter. They with that answer were not contented, but said, it was the king's pleasure that I should open the matter unto them. I answered them plainly that I would not so do. But if it were the king's pleasure to hear me, I would show him the truth. Then they said, it was not meet for the king to be troubled with me. I answered, that Solomon was reckoned the wisest king that ever lived, yet misliked he not to hear two poor common women, much more his grace, a simple woman, and his faithful subject. So in conclusion I made them no other answer in that matter. Then my lord chancellor asked me of my opinion in the sacrament. My answer was this, I believe that so oft as I, in a Christian congregation, do receive the bread in remembrance of Christ's death, and with thanksgiving, according to his holy institution, I receive therewith the fruits also of his most glorious passion. The bishop of Winchester bade me make a direct answer. I said I would not sing a new song of the Lord in a strange land. Then the bishop said, I spake in parables. I answered, it was best for him, for if I show the open truth, said I, ye will not accept it. Then he said, I was a parrot. I told him again I was ready to suffer all things at his hands, not only his rebukes, but all that should follow besides, yea and that gladly.

Then had I divers rebukes of the council, because I would not express my mind in all things as they would have me. But they were not in the mean time unanswered, which now to rehearse were too much, for I was with them there about five hours. Then the clerk of the council conveyed me from thence to my lady Garnish.*

The next day I was brought again before the council. Then would they needs know of me what I said to the sacrament. I answered, that I already had said what I could say. Then after divers words they bade me go by. Then came my lord Lisle, my lord of Essex, and the bishop of Winchester, requiring me earnestly that I should confess * Prison.

the sacrament to be flesh, blood, and bone. Then said I to my lord Parr and my lord Lisle, that it was great shame • for them to counsel contrary to their knowledge. Whereunto in few words they said, that they would gladly all things were well.

Then the bishop said, he would speak with me familiarly. I said, so did Judas, when he unfriendly betrayed Christ. Then desired the bishop to speak with me alone. But that I refused. He asked me why? I said, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every matter should stand according to Christ's and Paul's doctrine, Matt. xviii. 2 Cor. xiii.

Then my lord chancellor began to examine me again of the sacrament. Then I asked him how long he would halt on both sides? Then would he needs know where I found that. I said in the Scripture, 1 Kings xviii. Then he went his way. Then the bishop said, I should be burnt. I answered, that I had searched all the Scriptures, yet could I never find there, that either Christ or his apostles put any creature to death. Well, well, said I, God will laugh your threatenings to scorn, Psalm ii. Then was I commanded to stand aside. [Then came M. Paget to me with many glorious words, and desired me to speak my mind to him. I might, he said, deny it again if need were. I said that I would not deny the truth. He asked me how I could avoid* the very words of Christ; Take, eat, this is my body, which shall be broken for you. I answered, that Christ's meaning was there as in these other places of the Scripture; I am the door, John x. I am the vine, John xv. Behold the Lamb of God, John i. The rock stone was Christ, 1 Cor. x. and such other. Ye may not here, said I, take Christ for the material thing that he is signified by; for then ye will make him a very door, a vine, a lamb, and a stone, clean contrary to the Holy Ghost's meaning. All these indeed do signify Christ, like as the bread doth his body in that place. And though he did say there, Take, eat this in remembrance of me, yet did he not bid them hang up that bread in a box, and make it a god, or bow to' it.]† Then came to me doctor Cox and doctor Robinson. In conclusion we could not agree.

* Make of no effect.

+ This statement respecting Paget is omitted in Fox. He was one of the principal ministers of state at that period, but a worldly timeserving character, and having joined himself to queen Mary, was laid aside on queen Elizabeth's accession.

Then they made me a bill about the sacrament, willing me to set my hand thereunto, but I would not. Then on

the Sunday I was sore sick, thinking no less than to die. ✓ Therefore I desired to speak with master Latimer, but it would not be. Then was I sent to Newgate in my extremity of sickness; for in all my life before was I never in such pain. Thus the Lord strengthen you in the truth. Pray, pray, pray.

V

The confession of me, Anne Askew, for the time I was in Newgate, concerning my belief.

I find in the Scripture, that Christ took the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my body which shall be broken for you, meaning in substance, his own very body, the bread being thereof only a sign or sacrament. For, after like manner of speaking, he said he would break down the temple, and in three days build it up again, signifying his own body by the temple, as St. John declares, John ii. and not the stony temple itself. So that the bread is but a remembrance of his death, or a sacrament of thanksgiving for it, whereby we are knit unto him by a communion of Christian love, although there are many that cannot perceive the true meaning thereof, for the veil that Moses put over his face before the children of Israel, that they should not see the clearness thereof, Exod. xxxiv. and 2 Cor. iii. I perceive the same veil remain. eth to this day. But when God shall take it away, then shall these blind men see. For it is plainly expressed in the history of Bel in the Bible, that God dwelleth in no thing material. O king, saith Daniel, be not deceived, for God will be in nothing that is made with hands of men, Dan. xiv.* Oh, what stiff-necked people are these, that will always resist the Holy Ghost! But as their fathers have done, so do they, because they have stony hearts.

Written by me, ANNE ASKEW, that neither wish death, nor fear his might, and as merry as one that is bound towards heaven.

Truth is laid in prison, Luke xxi. The law is turned to wormwood, Amos vi. And there can no right judgment go forth, Isa. lix.

* The reader will remember that this is one of the apocryphal additions to Daniel.

O forgive us all our sins, and receive us graciously. As for the works of our hands, we will no more call upon them. For it is thou Lord that art our God. Thou showest ever mercy unto the fatherless.

O, if they would do this, saith the Lord, I should heal their sores, yea with all my heart would I love them.

O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols any more? whoso is wise shall understand this. And he that is rightly instructed will regard it; for the ways of the Lord are righteous. Such as are godly will walk in them, and as for the wicked, they will stumble at them, Hosea xiv.

Solomon, saith St. Stephen, builded an house for the God of Jacob. Howbeit, the Highest of all dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my seat, and the earth is my footstool. What house will ye build for me? saith the Lord; or what place is it that I shall rest in? Hath not my hand made all things? Acts vii.

Woman, believe me, saith Christ to the Samaritan, the time is at hand, that ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye wot not what, but we know what we worship. For salvation cometh of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and is now, wherein the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and verity, John iv.

Labour not, saith Christ, for the meat that perisheth; but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man shall give you; for him God the Father hath sealed, John vi.

The sum of the condemnation of me, Anne Askew, at the Guildhall.

They said to me there that I was a heretic, and condemned by the law, if I would stand in mine opinion. I answered that I was no heretic, neither yet deserved I any death by the law of God. But, as concerning the faith which I uttered and wrote to the council, I would not, I said, deny it, because I knew it true. Then would they needs know, if I would deny the sacrament to be Christ's body and blood. I said, yea; for the same Son of God that was born of the virgin Mary, is now glorious in heaven, and will come again from thence at the latter day, like as he went up, Acts i. And as for that ye call your God, it is