continuall wasting of the temporalties, lyke as it had been twise afore by procurement of the scid Lord Cobham both in the daics of Kyng Rychard the second, Anno 1395, and also of Kyng Henry the IIII. Anno domini 1410, whereupon was growne all this malice afore specified, but this was than workemanly defeated by another proper practyse of theyrs. They put the Kyng in remembraunce to claim his right in Fraunce, and graunted him thervnto a dime, with other great subsidy of mony. Thus were Chrystes people betrayed euery way, and their liues bought and sold by these most cruell theves. For in the sayd parliament the Kyng made this most blasphemouse and cruell acte, to be as a lawe for euert: That whatsoever they were, that shuld read the scryptures in the mother tongue (which was then called Wicleucs lerning) they shuld forfet land, catel, body, lyfe, and godes from theyr heyrs for ever, and so be condempned for heretykes to God, ennemies to the Crowne, and most errand trayters to the land . Besides this, it was inacted, that neuer a sanctuary, nor priviledged grounde, within the realme shuld holde them, though they were styll permitted both to theues and murtherers. And if in case they wold not. gyue ouer, or were after their pardon relapsed, they shuld suffer death in two maner of kindes; that is, they shuld first be hanged for treason agaynst the Kyng, and than be burned for heresy agaynst God: and yet neither of both committed. The beginning of that act is this: Pro eo quod magni rumores, &c. Anon after, was it proclaymed throughout the realme, and than had the Bisshoppes, pryests, monkes, and fryers a worlde somwhat to theyr minds. For than were many taken in diuerse quarters, and suffred moost cruell death §. And many fled out of the lande into Germany, Bohem, Fraunce, Spain, Portingale, and into the weld of Scotland, Wales, and Yreland, working there many maruels agaynst their false kyngdome to long to wryte. In the Christmas followinge was Sir Roger Acton, Knight, Master Iohan Browne, Esquire, Sir Iohan Beuerlay, a lerned preacher, and dyuerse other more attached for quareling with certeine prycsts, and so imprisoned. For all men at that tyme could not paciently suffer theyr blasphemouse bragges. The complaint was made vnto the Kyng of them, that they had made a great assemble in Sainct Gyles-Felde at Londen, purposing the destruction of the land, and the subuercyon of the common-welth. As the kyng was thus infourmed, he erected a banner (saith Walden ¶) with a crosse thereupon, as the Pope doth commonly by his legates, whan he pretendeth to warre agaynst the Turke, and with great nombre of men entred the same felde, where as he found no such company. Yet was the complaint iudged true, bycause the Bisshoppes had spoken Walden in Fasciculo, Fabianus in Chronicis. ii. cap. 40. & in Synodo Polidorus, + Walden ad Martinum Papam lib. It was nevertheless enacted in this Parliament, that a general pardon should for the present be granted to all Lollards, excepting Sir Joh Oldcastel, and some others therein mentioned. Claus. 2. Hen. V. m. 24. Walden ad Martinum papam, lib. i. cap. 50. De Sacramentalibus, cap. 53. Walden, Fabianus, Io. Maior, Polidorus. Sacramentis. Walden ad Martinum & in Prologo de it, at the informacion of their pryestes. All this hath Thomas Walden in diuerse of his workes, which was at the same tyme a Whight or Carmelyte fryer, and the kinges confessour; and partely it is touched both by Robert Fabian, and by Polidorus Virgilius, in theyr Inglish Chronycles, but not in all poyntes rightly, as is to be seane in the preface afore. In the meane season, Sir Iohan Oldcastell, the Lord Cobham, escaped out of the Tower of London in the night, and so fledde into Wales, where as he continued more than iiii. years after†. Some wryters haue thought this escape to come by the sayd Sir Roger Acton, and other gentylmen, in displeasure of the pryestes, and that to be the chefe occasion of their deathes, whiche might well be; but Walden doth not so vtter it, whiche reigned the selfe same tyme. In January next following ‡, was the afore-named Sir Roger Acton, master Iohan Browne, Sir Iohan Beuerley, and thirty-six more (of whom the more part were gentylmen of byrthe) conuicted of heresy by the bisshops, and condempned of treason by the temporalitie, and accordyng to the acte were fyrst hanged, and than brent in the sayd Saint Gyles-Felde. In the same yeare, also was one lohan Claydon, a skynner, and one Rycharde Turmin, a baker, both hanged and brent in Smythfelde, by that vertuous act, besydes that was done in al other quarters of Ingland; whiche was no small nombre, if it were nowe throughly knowen. The latter Imprisoning and Death of the Lord Cobham. IN the yere of our Lorde a. M. cccc, and xv §, dyed Thomas Arundell, which had bene Archbisshop of Caunterbury more than xxxii. yeres, to the great destruction of Chrysten beleue. Yet dyed not his prodigiouse tyrannye with hym, but succeeded with his office in Henry Chicheley, and in a great sort more of the spyghtfull spiritualtee. For their malyce was not yet satled agaynst the good Lord Cobham. But they confedered with the Lord Powys (whiche was at that tyme a great gouuernour in Wales) feding him with lordely giftes and promises to accomplysh theyr desyre. He at the last, thus monied with Iudas T, and outwardly pretending him great amitie and fauer, moost cowardlye and wretchedlye toke him, and in conclusion so sent him up to London; where as he remayned a month or two imprysoned again in the Tower. And after long processe they condempned him agayne of heresy and treason, by force of the afore named acte; he rendering thanks vnto God that he had so appointed him to suffre for his names-sake. And, vpon the daye appointed, he was brought out of the Tower, with hys armes bound behynd him, hauing a very chereful countenaunce. Than was he layd vpon an hardle, as though he had been a moost haynouse traitoure to the Crowne, and so drawne forth into Sainct About 28 October 1413, and on 10 January following a commission was issued out to the Lord Mayor of London, for apprehending him, &c. And, at the same time, he was indicted for Treason, and in Hilary term he was out-lawed for Treason. + Fabianus, Polidorus, in Chrouicis. lohan Maior, Lib. vi. cap. 9. Historie Scotorum. Robertus Tabianus, in Chronicis. According to the Cante.bury Register, it should be 1413. And according to Walsingham. p. 386, and Goodwin's Hen. V. p. 33, he died 20. Feb. 1414, Math. xxvi. Giles-Felde, where as they had set vp a newe paire of galowes. As he was comen to the place of execution, and was taken from the hardle, he fell down deuoughtly vpon his knees, desyringe Almightye God to forgeue hys ennemies. Than stode he vp, and beheld the multitude, exhorting them, in moost godly maner, to followe the lawes of God, written in the scryptures, and in any wyse to beware of such teachers, as they see contrary to Chryst in their conuersacion and lyuing, wyth many other speciall councels. Than was he hanged vp there by the middle in chaynes of yron, and so consumed alyue in the fyre, praysing the name of God so long as his lyfe lasted. In the ende, he commended his sowle into the handes of God, and so departed hens most chrystenly, his body resolued into ashes. And this was done in the yere of our Lord a. M. cccc. and xviij. which was the sixt yere of the reygne of Kyng Henry the Fift, the people there present shewyng great dolour. How the pryestes that tyme fared, blasphemed, and cursed, requiring the people not to praye for hym, but to iudge hym dampned in hell, for that he departed not in the obedience of their pope, it were to long to wryte. This terrible kinde of death, with galowes, chaynes, and fyre, appeareth not very preciouse in the eyes of men, that be carnall, no more than did the death of Chryst, whan he was hanged vp among theues*. The rightuouse semeth to dye' sayth the wise man + in the syght of them whiche are vnwise, and their ende is taken for very destruction. Vngodly foles thinketh theyr lyues very madnes, and theyr passage hens without al honour. But thogh they suffre pain before men' sayth het yet is theyr expectacion full of immortalitee, They are accounted for the Chyldren of God, and haue theyr iust portion among the sainctes. As golde in the furnace doth God trye his electe, and as a most pleasaunte brent offering receiueth he them to rest. The more harde the passage be, the more gloryouse shall they appeare in the latter resurreccion. Not that the affliccions of this lyfe are worthye of such a glory, but that it is Gods heauenly pleasure so to reward them §. Neuer are the indgementes and wayes of men lyke vnto the judgementes and wayes of God, but contrary euermore, vnles they be taught of him ¶. In the later tyme,' sayth the Lorde vnto Daniell, shall many be chosen, proued, and purified by fyre; yet shall the vngodly lyue, wickedly styll, and haue no vnderstanding, that is, of faith. By an angell from heauen was Iohan ** ernestly commaunded to wryte, that 'blessed are the dead, which hens departeth in the Lord. Right dere,' sayth Dauid tt, 'in the syght of God is the death of his true seruauntes.' Thus resteth this valeaunt Chrysten knight, Sir Iohan Oldcastell, vnder the aulter of God, which is Iesus Chryst, among that godly company, which, in the kyngedome ofpacience, suffred great tribulacion, with the death of their bodies, for his faithfull worde and testimony; abiding there with them the fullfylling of theyr whole nombre, and the full restauracion of his electes'*. The whiche he graunt in effect, at this tyme appointed, whiche is one God eternall. Amen. The Conclusion. BESYDES the causes rehersed afore in the preface, concerning the dreadful death of thys moost Chrysten knight, Sir Iohan Oldcastell, the Lord Cobham, this is also rekened for one: In the ende of the fyrst boke, which he put vp into the Parliament-house, agaynst the abusions of the clergye, in the yere of our Lord, a. M. ccc. xcv. which was also the xviij. yere of King Richard the Second, were these vi. verses written, as a brefe conclusion sommary of the vniuersall contents therof. Plangunt Anglorum Gentes Crimen Sodomorum. Though the verses be grosse and vnperfight, according to the time than, wherin all fresh lyterature was clerelye extinguished, yet is the sentence of them lyvely, and of a fresh faithfull spyrite, euen in the zeale of Helias and Phinees, for rebuke of synne: and thus are they in the Inglishe: Bewayle maye Inglande the synne of Sodomites: For Idolles and they are grounde of all theyr wo. Of Symon Magus a secte of ypocrites, Surnamed Prelates, are vp wyth them to go: How can ye suffre such mischeues to go vncorrected? Whan this boke wolde not helpe towardes any reformacion, but was laught to scorne of the Bisshoppes, than were these verses copyed out by dyuerse menne, and set upon their wyndows, gates, and dores, which were than knowen for obstinate ypocrites and fleshly lyuers; which made the Prelates madde. And thys is the great insurrectyon, that Walden complaineth of vnto pope Marten the Fyft; and after him, Polydorus, the Popes Collectour, with other papistes more, wherin neuer a one manne was hurt. I wolde maruell moche more of the doublenes of Thomas Walden, beyng than the Kynges confessour, if I did not know the vnshamefast nature of that lyeng generation. In his fyrst epistelt unto Pope Martine, and in the fyrst preface of hys fourth boke contra Wicleuistas, he sayth, that Sir Iohan Olcastell, with a greate nombre of heretikes, conspyred against Kyng Henry the Fyft, in the fyrst yeare of his reigne; and that he offered him, for euery monke, chanon, fryer, and popish pryestes head, within his realme, a gold noble. And, cleane contrary vnto thys, he testifieth, in his boke, called, Fasciculus Zizaniorum Wicleuij, that he was, the selfe same tyme, yeare, moneth, weke, and daye, a prisoner within the Tower of London. How well these two writtinges agre, I report me. But thus comenly are innocent men lyed vpon among these blasphemouse bellygods. But he, that is essentially true of himself, hath promised*, at one tyme or other, to clere his true seruaunt, not by İyes and fables, but by his own pure worde: "No secret," saith het, is so close, but ones shall be opened: neyther is any thyng so hidde, that shall not at the last be knowne clerely." Thus hath Sir Iohan Oldcastell a triumphaunt victory ouer his enemies by the veritee, which he defended, all contrary to the blinde worldes expectacion; and they haue a fowle ouerthrowe, being proued manyfest murtherers, blind beastes, ypocrites, and lyers, by the same. Such a swete Lord is God alwayes to those that be his true seruauntes, blessed be his holy name therfore. Conferre the causes of this godlye mans deathe with the poyntes that Thomas Becket dyed for, and other popish martirs besides, and ye shall fynd them farre different and vnlyke. Thomas Becket was slayne at Caunterbury, in his prelates aparell, in the heade churche, before the hygh aulter, amonge religiouse monkes and pryestes and in the holy tyme of Chrystmas, by his owne seking; and all this is gloriouse vnto worldly iudgmentes. Sir Iohan Oldcastell was brent in chaynes, at London, in Saint Giles-Felde, vnder the galowes, amonge the laye people, and upon the prophane workyng daye, at the Bysshoppes procurement. And all this is vnglorious, yea and very despiseable vnto those worldelye eyes. What though Iesus Chryst his master, afore hym, were handeled after a lyke sorte? For he was crucified at Hierusalem, without the citee, and without the holy synagoge, accursed out of churche, amonge the prophane multitude, in the middest of theues, in the place where as theues and murtherers were commonly hanged, and not upon the feastful day, but afore it, by the Bisshoppes procurement also. Now let vs consider the causes of both theyr deathes, and try them both by the manifest scryptures of the Gospel, whiche of them shuld seme moost to the glory of God, and whiche moost to the glory of men. Thomas Becket dyed vpon his own seking onely ¶, for mainteyning the wanton lybertyes and superfluouse possessyons of the Romysh Churche here wythin Ingland, which are both forbidden of Chryst, and also condemned by the same scryptures. "He, that forsaketh not all that he hath," sayth he, " can not be my disciple **. And, whan a contencion befelle amonge the apostles for the superyoritee, he saydet† also vnto them, 'The kynges of the worlde haue the worldes dominion wyth all pompe and riches belonging to the same; but you shall not be so.' • Iohan viij.. cap. 20. +Matth. x. Luke xij. Walden, Io. Maior, Fabianus. Johan xix. Actes iij. Stephanus Langton in Vita Thome lib. ¶ Heribertus Hoscam in Vita Thome. |