of all the papisticall clergye of England, in the yere of our Lord a M.cccc. & xiii, as he had done diuerse other afore, to withstand their moost godly enterpryse. And thys was the fyrst yere of King Henry the Fifth, whome they had than made fit for theyr hande.

As these hygh prelates, with theyr pharysees and scribes, were thus gathered in thys pestilent counsell against the Lord, and his worde, fyrst there resorted vnto them the xii. inquisitours of heresyes (whome they had apointed at Oxford the yere afore, to serche out heretikes, with all Wickcleucs bokes) and they brought two hundreth and lxvi. faithfull conclusyons whome they had collected as heresyes of the seyd bokes. The names of the seyd inquisitours were these †: Iohan Witnam, a master in the New College, Iohan Langedon, monke of Chry-church in Caunterbury, William Ufforde, regent of the Carmelytes, Thomas Plaxton, regent of the Dominikes, Robert Gylbert, Rycharde Earthysdale, Iohan Lucke, Rycharde Snedisham, Richarde Flemming, Thomas Rottborne, Robert Rondbery, and Rycharde Grafdale. In the meane season caused they theyr hyred seruauntes to blowe it forth abroade throughout all the whole realme, that they were there congregated for an wholesome vnitee and reformacion of the churche of Ingland, to stoppe so the mouthes of the comen people. Such is always the comen practise of these subtile sorcerers, whyls they are in doing mischief, to blere the eyes of the vnlerned multytude, with one false craft or other.

After a certein communication, they concluded among themselues, that it was not possible for them to make whole chrystes cote without seme (meaning thereby their patched popysh synagoge) onlesse certeyn great men were brought out of the way, which semed to be the chefe mainteiners of the seyd dysciples of Wicleue. Among whome the most noble knight Sir Iohan Oldcastell, the Lord Cobham, was complained of by the generall proctours, yea rather betrayers, of Chryst in his faithfull membres, to be the chefe principall. Him they accused first, for a mighty maintener of suspected preachers in the dioceses of London, Rochester, and Herforde, contrary to the mindes of their ordynaries. Not only they affirmed him to haue sent thyther the seid preachers, but but also to haue assisted them there, by force of armes: notwithstanding their sinodall constitution made afore to the contrarye. Last of all, they accused him, that he was farre otherwise in beleue of the sacrament of the altre, of penaunce, of pilgrymage, of ymage worshipping, and of the ecclesiasty call power, than the holy churche of Rome had taught many yeres afore.

In the ende, it was concluded amonge them, that, wythoute anye farther delaye, processe shulde oute agaynst hym, as agaynst a moost pernycyous heretike.

Som of that Felloushyp, whyche were of more craftye experyence than the other, wold in no case haue that mater so rashlye handeled, but thought thys Waye moche better: consydering the said Lord Cobham was a man of great byrthe, and in fauer at that tyme with the Kyng; theyr counsell was to know first the Kynges mynde, to saue all

Iohan iii. Psalm i. Psalm ii.

+ Walden. in Fasciculo Zizaniorum Wiclcuii.

thynges right up. This counsell was well accepted, and thervpon the Archbisshop, Thomas Arundell, wyth his other bisshoppes, and a great part of the clergye, went strayght wayes vnto the Kyng, as than remayninge at Kenyngton, and there layed forth moost greuous complayntes against the seid Lord Cobham, to his great infamy and blemysh, beinge a man moost godly.

The Kyng gentilly harde those bloud-thursty rauenours, and, farre otherwise than became his princelye dignitie, he instantly desyred them, that, in respect of his noble stock and knighthoode, they shuld yet favourably deal with him; and that they wold, if it were possible, without all rigour, or extreme handeling, reduce him againe to the churches vnitee. He promised them also, that in case they were not contented, to take some delyberacion, his selfe wold seryously common the mater with him.

And after the kyng sent for the seyd Lord Cobham; and, as he was come, he called him secretly, admonishing him, betwixt him and him, to submit himselfe to hys mother the holy church, and, as an obedient child, to acknowledge himselfe culpable. Vnto whome the christen knight made this answere: you moost worthy prince, saith he, am I always prompt and wylling to obeye, for so moche as I knowe you a Christen Kyng, and the appointed minister of God †, bearing the sworde to the punishment of all y'll doers, and for the sauegarde of them that be vertuous. Unto you, next my æternal God, owe I my whole obedience, and submit me therevnto, as I haue done euer, all that I haue eyther of fortune or nature, redy at all times to fulfill whatsoeuer ye shall in that Lorde commaund me: but as touching the Pope, and his spiritualty, truly I owe them neither sute nor seruice; for so moch as I knowe him by the scriptures!, to be the great antichryste, the sonne of perdicyon, the open adversary of God, and the abhominacyon standing in the holy place. When the Kyng had hearde this, with sochelyke sentences more, he wolde talke no longer with him, but lefte hym so vtterly.

And, as the archbisshop resorted again vnto him for an answere, he gaue him his full auctoritee § to cyte him, examine him, and punysshe him, according to the develish decrees, whiche they call the laws of holye church. Than the seyd archbisshop, by the counsell of hys other bisshoppes and clergye, appointed to call before him Sir Iohan Oldcastell, the Lord Cobhamn, and to cause him personally to appeare to answere to suche suspect articles as they shuld lay against him. So sent he forth his chefe sommener, with a very sharp citacion vnto the castell of Cowling ¶, where as he at that tyme dwelt for his solace. And as the seyd sommener was thether comen, he durste in no case entre the gates of so noble a man, without his lycens, and therfore he returned home agayne, hys message not done. Than called the archbysshop one Iohan Butler vnto him, which was then the dorekeeper of the Kynges priue chamber, and with him he covenaunted, through

•Because he should not have stooped so low, as to yield to their arbitrary proceedings, but, by his supreme power, secured his good servant from their tyrannical usurpations. +Rom. xiii. 1 Pet. ii. Viz. Life and fortune. 2 Thess. ii. Mat. xxiiii. Ex vetusto Exemplari Londinensium.

¶ Al. Towlynge.

promises and rewardes, to haue this mater craftely brought to passe vnder the Kynges Name. Whereupon the seyd Iohan Butler toke the Archbysshops sommener with hym, and went vnto the sayd Lord Cobham, shewing him, that it was the Kynges pleasure that he shuld obeye that citacyon, and so cyted him fraudulently. Than said he vnto them in fewe wordes, That in no case wold he consent to those most deuelysh practises of the pryestes. As they had informed the Archbisshop of that answere, and that it was mete for no man priuately to cyte him after that, without parell of lyfe: he decreed by and by to haue him cyted by publike processe, or open commaundment. And in all the hast possible, vpon the Wednysday before the natiuite of oure ladye, in September, he commaunded letters citatory to be set vpon the great gates of the cathedral church of Rochester (which was but iii. English myles from thens) charging him to appeare personally before him at Ledys in the xi. daye of the same moneth and yere, all excuses to the contrary set apart. Those letters were taken downe anon after, by such as bare fauer vnto the Lord Cobham, and so conveyed asyde. After that caused the Archbisshoppe newe letters to be set vpon the natiuitee daye of our ladye, whiche also were rent downe, and vtterly consumed.

Than for so moche as he did not appeare at the daye appoynted at Ledys, (where as he sate in consistory, as cruell as euer was Cayphas, with his court of hipocrites about him) he judged him, denounced him, and condemned him of most depe contumacy. After that whan hẹ had bene falsely informed by his hired spyes, and other glosing glauerers *, that the sayd Lord Cobham had lawghed him to scorne, disdayned all hys doings, mainteined his old opinions, contemned the churches power, the dignite of a bisshop, and the ordre of the prycsthode (for all these was he than accused) in bys mody madnes without iust profe, dyd he openly excomunicate him; yet was he not with all this ferce tirranny qualifyed, but commaunded him to be cited afresh, to appeare afore him the Saturday before the feast of St. Matthew the apostle, with these cruell threatninges added thereunto: that, if he did not obey at the daye, he wold more extremely handle him. And, to make himselfe more strong towardes the performance thereof, he compelled the laypower by most terrible menacinges of curses and interdictions, to assyst him against that sedicious apostate, schismatike, that heretike, that troubler of the publycke peace, that enemye of the realme, and great adversarye of all holy church; for all these hateful names dyd he giue him.

This most constaunt seruaunt of the Lord, and worthy Knight, Sir John Oldcastell, the Lord Cobham, beholding the vnpacable fury of antichryst, thus kindled against him, perceiuing himself also compased on euery side with deadly daungers, he toke paper and penne in hand, and so wrote a Christen confession, or rekening of his faith (whiche followeth hereafter) and both signed and sealed it with his owne hande. Wherin he also answereth to the iiii. chefest articles that the archbisshop layed against him. That doone, he tooke the copye with him, and

• Tale-bearers. falls on the 21st.

+ After the feast of St. Matthew it being the 23d, whereas St. Matthew

went therewith to the Kyng, trustinge to fynd mercy and fauer at his hande. None other was that confession of his, than the common beleuc, or somme of the churches faith, called the Apostles Crede, of all christen men than used. As thus:

The Christen Beleue of the Lord Cobham.

I BELEUE in God the Father Almighty, maker of Heauen and Earth. And in Iesu Chryst his only sonne our Lord, whiche was conceyued by the Holy Gost, borne of the Virgyn Mary, suffred vnder Ponce Pilate, crucified, dead and buried; went doun to Helle, the third daye rose againe from death, ascended vp to heauen, sitteth on the right hande of God the Father Almightye, and from thens shall come agayne to judge the quicke and the dead. I beleue in the Holy Gost, the vniuersall holy churche, the communion of sainctes, the forgeuenes of sinnes, the vprising of the flesh, and everlasting life. Amen.

And for a more large declaration (saith he) of this my faith in the catholik church, I stedfastly beleue that there is but one God Almighty, in and of whose godhead are these iij. parsonnes the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Gost, and that those iij. parsonnes are the same selfe God Almightye. I bekue also that the seconde parsonne of this most blessed trinitet, in most conuenient tyme appointed thereunto afore, toke flesh and bloud of the most blessed Virgyn Mary, for the sauegard and redempcion of the vniversall kynd of man, which was afore lost in Adams offence. Moreouer I beleue that the same Iesus Chryst our Lord, thus being both God and man, is the onely head of the whole Christen churche, and that all those that hath bene or shai be saued, be membres of this most holy churche. And this holy church I think to be divided in to iij. sortes or companyes.

Whereof the first sort be now in heauen, and they are the sainctes from hens departed. These, as they were here conuersaunt, confyrmed alwayes their lyues to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Chryste, renouncyng sathan, the worlde, and the flesh wyth all their concupicences and euels. The second sort are in purgatory (if any such be by the scryptures) abydyng the mercy of God and a full delyueraunce of payne. The thyrde sorte are here vpon the earth and be called, The Churche Mylytaunt; for daye and nyght they contend agaynst the crafty assaultes of the deuel, the flattering prosperitics of thys worlde, and the rebellyouse fylthines of the fleshe.

Thys latter congregation by the iuste ordinaunce of God is also seuered into iij. diuerse estates, that is to say, into pryesthode, knighthode, and the comens §. Amonge whome the wyll of God is, that the one should ayde the other, but not destroye the other. The pryestes, fyrst of all, secluded from all worldlynesse, shuld confe theyr lyues vtterly to the examples of Chryst and his apostles. Euermore shulde they be occupied in preaching and teaching the scryptures purely, and in geuing wholsom counsels of good liuing to the other two

degrees of men. More modest also, more louing gentyll and lowlye in spirite shuld they be than any other sortes of people.

In knighthode are all they whyche beare sworde by lawe of office. These shuld defende Gods lawes, and see that the Gospell were purely taught, conforming their lyues to the same, and secludynge all false preachers: yea, these ought rather to hasard their lyues than to suffer such wycked decrees as cyther blemisheth the eternal testament of God, or yet letteth the fre passage therof, wherby heresies and scismes might spring in the church. For of none other aryse they, as I suppose, than of erronyous constitutions, craftely fyrst ereping in vnder ypocrites lyes for auauntage. They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressors, tirauntes, and theues, and to see the clergie supported so long as they teache purely, pray rightly, and minister the sacramentes frely. And, if they see them do otherwise, they are bound, by lawe of office, to compell them to chaunge theyr doinges, and to see all thinges performed according to Gods prescript ordinaunce.

The latter fellouship of this church are the common people, whose dewtye is to beare their good mindes and true obedience to the aforesaid ministers of God, theyr kinges, cyuile gouernours, and pryestes. The right office of these, is iustly to occupy euery man in his facultee, be it merchaundise, handycraft, or the tilthe of the grounde. And so one of them to be as an helper to another, followynge all wayes in theyr sortes the iust commaundementes of theyr Lord God.

Ŏuer and besydes all thys, I moost faythfully beleue that the sacramentes of Chrystes church are necessary to all Chrysten belieuers, thys alwayes sene to, that they be truly ministred according to Chrystes fyrst institucion and ordinaunce. And for so moch as I am malyciously and moost falsely accused of a misbeleue in the sacrament of the aulter, to the hurtful slaundre of many I signifye here vnto al men, that thys is my fayth concerning that. I beleue in that sacrament to be contayned very Christes body and bloude vnder the similytudes of breade and wyne, yea, the same body that was conceyued of the holy Gost, borne of Mary, the Virgyn, done on the crosse, dyed, that was buried, arose the thyrde day from the death, and is now gloryfied in heauen. I also beleue the vniuersall lawe of God to be moost true and perfight, and they which do not followe it in theyr fayth and workes, at one tyme or other, can neuer be saued. Whereas he that seekerh it in faith, accepteth it, learneth it, delighted therein, and perfourmeth it in loue, shall tast for it the felicitee of euerlasting innocencye.

Finally, This is my faith also, that God wyll axe* no more of a Christen beleuer in this lyfe, but only to obey the preceptes of that moost blessed lawe. If any prelates of the churche require more, or els any other kynd of obedience, than thys ro be vsed, he contemneth Chryst, exalting himselfe aboue God, and so becometh an open antichryst. Al these premisses I beleue particularlye, and generally all that God hath left in hys holy scryptures, that I shuld beleue. Instauntly desiring you met lyege Lord and moost worthy kyng, that thys confession of mine may be iustly axamined by the most godly, wise, and lerned men of your realme. And, if it be found in all pointes