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nicate and denounce accursed not only this heretike, here present, but so many els besydes as shall hereafter in fauer of his errour eyther receive him, or defend him, counsell him, or help him, or any other way maintein him, as very fauters, recciuers, defenders, eouncelers, ayders, and maynteyners of condempned heretikes.

And, that these premysscs maye be the better knowen to all faythfull chrysten men, we commit yt here vnto your charges, and geve you strayghte commaundement thervpon by thys wryttyng also, that ye cause this condemnacion and diffinityue sentence of excommunycacyon, concerning both thys heretyke, and hys fawters, to be publyshed throughoute all dyoceses, in cytyes, townes, and vyllages, by your curates and parysh priests, such time as they shall haue most recourse of people. And see that it be done after this sort: As the people are thus gathered deuoutlye together, lett the curate euery where go into the pulpet, and there open, declare, and expounde thys processe in the mother tonge, in an audyble and intelligyble voice, that yt maye well be perseiued of all men, and that, upon the fear of this declaracion also, the people maye fall from their yll opinions conceiued now of late by sediciouse preachers.

Moreouer we will that after we haue deliuered vnto yche one of you bisshoppes (which are here present) a copye herof, that ye cause the same to be written out again, into dyuers copyes, and so to be sent vnto the other bisshops and prelates of our whole province, that they may also see the contentes thereof solempnely publisshed within theyr dioceses and cures. Finally, we wyll that both you and they signifye again vnto vs seriously and distinctly by your wryttinges, as the mater is without fayned colour in euery point perfourmed, the daye whervpon ye receyued thys processe, the tyme whan it was of you executed, and after what sort it was done in euerye condicion, according to the tenour herof, that we may knowe it to be justly the same.

A copye of thys writynge sent Thomas Arundell, the Archbisshop of Caunterbury*, afterwarde from Maydeston the tenth daye of October, within the same year of our Lord, M. cccc. and xiij. vnto Rychard Clifford, the Bisshop of London, which thus beginneth, Thomas permissione diuina, &c.

The sayde Rychard Clyfforde sent an other copye thereof, inclosed within hys own letters, vnto Robert Mascall, a Carmelyte fryer, which was than Bisshop of Herforde in Walis,† written from Hadham the xxiij. day of Octobre, in the same yere, and the beginning thereof is this: Reuerende in Christo pater, &c.

The said Robert Mascall directed another copye therof from London the xxvij. day of Novembre in the same yere, inclosed in his own commission also, vnto his archdeacons and deanes in Herforde and Shrewesbury. And this is therof the beginning, Uenerabilibus & discretis viris, & cet.

In like maner did the other bisshops within their dioceses.

After that the archbisshop had thus red the byll of his condempnacion, with most extremitee, before the whole multitude: the Lord

• Thomas Walden, in Fasciculo Zizaniorum Wicleuii.

+ Wales.

Cobham sayd with a moost chercfull countenaunce:* Though ye judge my body which is but a wretched thing, yet am I cortein and sure, that ye can do no harme to my soul,† no more than could Sathan vpon the soule of Job.‡ He, that created that, wyll of his infinite mercy and promes, saue it, I have therin no maner of doubt. And, as concerning these artycles before rehersed, I wyll stande to them, cuen to the very death, by the grace of my eternall God.

And therwith he turned him vnto the people, casting hys handes abroade, and saying with a very loude voice, Good chrysten people, for God's love, be wel ware of these men; for they will els begyle you, and leade you blindelynge into hell with themselues. For Chryst sayth plainly vnto you, 'If one blind leadeth another, they are lyke both to fall into the dytche.'

After thys, he fell downe there vpon his knees, and thus, before them all, prayed for his ennemics, holding vp both his handes and his eyes towards heauen, and saying, Lord God eternall, I beseche the, for thy great mercies sake, to forgeue my persuers, if it be thy blessed wyl. And than he was delyucred to Sir Robert Morleye, and so ledde forth agayne to the Tower of London. And thus there was an ende of that dayes worke.

Whyle the Lord Cobham was thus in the Tower, he sent out priuily§ vnto his fryendes. And they, at his desyre, wrote this lytle byll here following, causing it to be set vp in diucrse quarters of London, that the people shulde not belcue the slaundres and lyes that his ennemies, the bisshopes seruants, and pryestes, had made on him abroade. And this was the letter:

FORASMUCH as Sir Iohan Oldcastell, knight and Lord Cobham, is vntruly conuicted and imprysoned, falsely reported and slaundred among the comen people by his aduersaryes, that he shuld otherwise both fele and speake of the sacramentes of the church, and specially of the blessed sacrament of the aulter, than was written in the confessyon of his beleue, which was indented and taken to the clergye, and so set vp in diuerse open places in the citee of London. Knowen be it here to all the world, that he neuer sens uaryed in any poynt therfrom; but this is playnely his beleu, that all the sacramentes of the church be proffytable and expedient also to all them that shall be saued, taking them after the intent that Chryst and his true churche hath ordayned. Furthermore, he beleueth, that, in the blessed sacrament of the aulter, is verely and truly Chrystes body, in fourme of breade.

After thys, the Bisshops and pryestes were in moch obloquic, both of the nobilitee and comens, partely for that they had so cruelly handeled the good Lord Cobham, and partely agayne, bycause hys opinion (as they thought at that tyme) was perfyght concerning the sacrament. As they feared thys to growe to further inconuenience towardes them both wayes, they drew their heades together, and, at the last, consented to vse another practise somwhat contrary to that they had done afore.

•Ex vtroq. Exemplari. + Math. x. Job i. Math. xv. Ex vetusto Exemplari Londinensium.

They caused it by and by to be blowne abroade by their feed seruaunts, fryendes, and babeling Sir Iohnes,* that the sayde Lord Cobham was becomen a good man, and had lawlye submitted himselfe in all things vnto holy church, vtterly chaunging his opinion concerning the sacrament. And, therevpon, they contrefayted an abiuracion, in his name, that the people shuld take no hold of that opinion, by any thing they had hearde of him before, and to stande so in the more awe of them, considering him so great a manne, and by them subdued.

This is the abiuracion (say they) of Sir Iohan Oldcastell, knight, somtime the Lord Cobham.

An Abiuracion counterfaytedt of the Bisshoppes.

IN Dei nomine, Amen. I, Iohan Oldcastell, denounced, detected, and conuycted of, and vpon, diuerse artycles, sauering both heresy and errour, before the reuerend Father in Chryst, and my good Lord, Thomas, by the permission of God, Lord Archbisshop of Caunterbury, and my lauful and rightful iudge in that behalfe, expressely graunt and confesse: That, as concerning the estate and power of the moost holy Father, the Pope of Rome, of his archbisshops, his bisshops, and his other prelates, the degrees of the church, and the holy sacramentes of the same, specyally of the sacramentes of the aulter, and of penaunce, and other obseruaunces, besides, of our mother holy church, as pilgrymages and pardons; I affyrme (I say) before the said reuerend Father Archbisshop, and els wher, that I, being yll seduced by diuerse sediciouse preachers, haue greuously erred, and heretically persisted, blasphemously answered, and obstinatlyc rebelled. And, therfore, I am by the sayd reuerend Father, before the reuerend Fathers in Chryst also, the bisshops of London, Winchestre, and Bangor, lawfullye condemned for an heretyke.

Neuerthelesse yet, I now remembering myselfe, and coueting, by this meane, to auoide that temporall payne, whiche I am worthy to suffer as an heretike, at the assignacion of my most excellent chrysten Prince and liege Lord, Kyng Henry the Fift, nowe, by the grace of God, moost worthye Kyng both of Englande and of Fraunce, minding also to preferre the wholsom determynacyon, sentence, and doctryne of the holy and vniversall church of Rome, before the vnwholsom opinions of myselfe, my teachers, and my followers: I frely, willyngly, deliberately, and throughly confess, graunt, and affyrme the most holye Fathers in Chryst, Sainct Peter the Apostle, and his successours, Bisshoppes of Rome, speciallye nowe at thys time, my moost blessed Lorde Pope Johan, by the permysson of God, the xxiij. Pope of that name, which nowe holdeth Peter's seate (and yche of them in their succession) in full strength and power to be Chryste's vycar in ærth, and the heade of the church milytaunt. And that, by the strength of hys office (what, though he be a great syner, and afore knowen of God to be damned) he hath full auctoritee snd power to rule and gouern, bind and lose, saue and destroy, accurse and assoyle, all other chrysten men.

*Sir Jolins was a general name for the priests in those days. al. Counterfeited. in Fasciculo Zizaniorum Wicleur.

#Walden

And, agreably styl vnto thys, I confesse, grannt, and affyrme, all other archbisshoppes, bysshoppes, and prelates, in their provinces, dyo. ceses, and parrisshes (appointed by the seid Pope of Rome, to assyst him in his doinges or business) by his decrees, canons, or vertue of his offyce, to haue had in tymes past, to haue nowe at this tyme, and that they ought to haue in tyme to come, auctoritee and power to rule and to gouerne, bind and lose, accurse and assoyle the subiectes or peoples of theyr aforseid prouinces, dioceses, and parrishes; and that theyr sayd subiectes or peoples ought of right, in all thynges, to obey them. Furthermore, I confesse, graunt, and affyrme, that the sayde spyrytuall fathers, as our moost holy father the Pope, archbisshops, bisshops, and prelates haue had, haue now, and ought to haue hereafter, auctoritee and power for the estate, ordre, and gouernnaunce of their subiectes or peoples, to make lawes, decrees, statutes, and constitucions, yea, and to publysh, commaunde, and compell theyr said subiectes, and peoples, to the obseruation of them.

Morouer, I confesse, graunt, and affyrme, that all these forsayd lawes, decrees, statutes, and constitucions, made, publyshed, and commaunded, accordynge to the fourme of spirituall lawe, all chrysten people, and euery man in himselfe, is straightly bound to obserue, and mekelye to obeye, accordynge to the diuersitee of the forsayde powers. As the lawes, statutes, canons, and constitucions of our moost holy father the Pope, incorporated in his decrees, decretals, clementynes, codes, chartes, rescryptes, sextyles, and extrauagantes, the world all ouer. And, as the prouinciall statutes of archbisshoppes in their prouinces, the synodall actes of bisshoppes in theyr dioceses, and the commendable rules and customes of prelates in their colleges, and curates in their parrishes, all chrysten people are both bound to obserue, and also moost mekely to obeye. Ouer and besides all this, I, Iohan Oldcastell, utterly forsakinge and renouncynge all the aforesayd errours and heresyes, and all other errours and heresyes lyke unto them, lay my hande here vpon this boke, or holy euangelye of God, and sweare, that I shall neuermore, from hensforth, hold these forsaid heresyes, hor yet any other lyke vnto them wetingly. Neyther shall I geue counsell, ayde, helpc, nor fauer, at any time, to them that shall holde, teache, affyrme, or mainteine the same, as God shall helpe me, and these holy euangelyes,

And, that I shall from hensforth faithfully obeye, and inuiolably obseruc all the holy lawes, statutes, canons, and constitucions, of all the Popes of Rome, archbisshops, bisshops, and prelates, as are contayned and determined in theyr holye decrees, decretals, clementynes, codes, chartes, rescryptes, sextyles, summes papall, extrauagantes, statutes prouincyall, actes synodal, and other ordinary rules and customes constituted by them, or that shall chaunce hereafter dyrectly to be determined or made. To these, and all such other, wyll I, myselfe, with all power possible applye. Besydes all this, the penaunce which it shall please my said reuerend father, the Lord Archbisshop of Caunterbury, hereafter, to enioyne me for my synnes, I will mekely obeye, and faithfully fulfyll. Finally, al my seducers, and false teachers, and all other besydes, whom I shall hercafter knowe, suspected of heresye or errours, I shall effectuallye present, or cause to be presented, vnto my sayd

reuerend father, Lord Archbisshop, or to them which hath his auctoritee, so sone as I can conueniently do it, and see that they be corrected to my vttermoost power. Amen.

The cruell Complaint of the Clergye and tyrannouse Acte

thereupon made.

NEUER came this abiuracion to the handes of the Lord Cobham, neyther was it compyled of them for that purpose, but only therwyth to bleare the eyes of the vnlerned multitude. And whan they perceyued that polycye would not helpe, but made more and more agaynst them, than sought they out another false practyse. They went unto the Kyng with a most greuouse complaint, like as they did afore in his fathers tyme, that, in cuery quarter of the realme, by reason of Wicleues opinions, and the said Lord Cobham, were wonderfull contentions, rumours, tumultes, vproars, confederations, dissencions, diuisions, differences, discordes, harmes, slaunders, scismes, sectes, sedicions, perturbacions, parrels, unlaufull assemblyes, variaunces, strifes, fyghtinges, rehelliouse ruffelinges, and dayly insurrections. The Church (they sayd) was hated: the diocesanes were not obeyed: the ordinaries were not regarded: the spirituall offycers, as suffraganes, archdeacons, chauncelers, doctours, commissaries, offycials, deances, lawyers, scribes, and sommeners were euery where despysed: the lawes and liberties of holy church were troden undre fote: the Chrysten fayth was raynouslye decayed: Gods seruice was laught to scorne: the spirituall iurisdiction, auctoritee, honour, power, polycye, lawes, rytes, ceremonies, curses, keyes, censures, and canonicall sanctions of the Church, were had in an uttre contempt.

So that all, in a maner, was come to nought.

And the cause of this was, that the Heretikes and Lolars † of Wicleues opinion were suffered to preach abrode, so boldly to gether conuenticles unto them, to kepe scoles in mens houses, to make bokes, compyle treatises, and wryte ballets; to teach privately in angles and corners, as in wodes, feldes, medowes, pastours, groues, and in caues of the ground. This wolde be (they sayd) a destruction to the commenwelth, a subvercion to the land, and an uttre decay of the Kynges. estate royal, if remedy were not sought in tyme. And this was their polycyc to couple the Kynges auctoritee, wyth that they had done in theyr former councell of craft, and so to make it thereby the stronger. For they perceived themselues very farre to weakeels, to followe against their ennemies, that they had so largely enterprised. Upon this complaint, the Kynge immediately called a parliament at Leichestre. It might not in those daies be holden at Westminstre, for the great fauer that the Lord Cobham had both in London, and about the Citee, yet were they decciued. That, they doubted moost, lighted there soonest upon them.

A byll was put in there agaynet, by the Commons, against their

Ex Statuto Parliamenti Regis, Hen. V.

+ Abettors, defenders, and publishers.

Robertus Fabianus in Chronicis.

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