minded that all Catholics were bound to acquiesce in the decisions of the Romish church, supported by Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, and other fathers, he professed his willingness to believe as the church had determined, and as God had commanded; but added, in plain terms, that he would not admit any authority in the Pope, the cardinals, or the prelates, to pronounce any such decisions. On this the proceeding was adjourned, in order that he might be more minutely and stringently questioned upon four several articles, which were afterwards delivered to him, setting forth the Catholic faith, as laid down by Rome.

Upon the reassembling of the court, it was seen to consist of many members not before present, as the Bishop of Bangor, the Archbishop's lay judge, four doctors of law, and several clergymen. The noble prisoner was now once more offered absolution from the sentence of excommunication under which he lay, if he would ask it of the Primate. "Nay," said he, "that will I not of you, against whom I never trespassed, but only of God;" and, kneeling devoutly on the pavement, his hands lifted up towards heaven, he acknowledged humbly his sins, recounting many of them, and praying for mercy. Then, standing up again, he turned round towards the people, and, with a loud voice, bade them take heed and mark well that for all his offences against God's law his judges had never yet reproved him, but only for breaking their own.

The inquiry now proceeded; and first, he was pressed to declare his belief touching the eucharist. He had in his written statement declared it to be under the form of bread-"the very body of Christ, which was born of Mary, was crucified, dead, and buried, and rose again." He repeated this assertion now, referring to the words of Scripture. But the Primate would have him say if the substance of bread remained after the consecration. Cobham repeated his written words, which are in part those of Paschal Radbert, who in the ninth century first gave distinctly the doctrine of the real presence. This, however, would not satisfy the doctors, one of whom said, "No bread, but the body only remains after the words." Cobham reminded another of them that he had himself once disputed at Cowling Castle against this actual presence. But many of them cried out aloud, "We all say it is God's body," and again urged him to declare, "If it contained material bread after the consecration." Some further altercation ensued with the Primate; and when once more they pressed him to say whether, after the words, the bread were not gone and the body alone left, he said, "It is both; it is the very body, the flesh and blood, but under the form of bread, and seen only by faith, while bread is seen by the eyes." Upon this the doctors set up a shout, crying, "It is a foul heresy!" They again asked, if it was material bread; and he, referring to the Scriptures, said, it was the very body and bread too; and all the court cried out, "It is a

heresy!" Much more disputation then took place, which ended in their referring him to the determination of the church and the holy doctors, and his referring them to the Scriptures. "I know none

holier," he said, "than Christ and his apostles; with their determination yours standeth not; and if it really be the church's, she has only held it since she received the poison of worldly possessions." Whereupon, they demanded sharply whether he believed not in the decisions of the Holy Church. His answer was little calculated to assuage their wrath. He professed an entire belief in the Holy Bible, and all that is grounded upon it, as the word of God; but their laws and determinations he declared to be those of Antichrist, framed for their own vainglory and covetousness, and not for the glory of Christ. This, they at once exclaimed with great indignation, was the worst of heresies.

The examination then went into various matters comprehended under the heads of the four articles. Much dispute between the prisoner and individual members of the court arose; and the proceeding not only became irregular and disorderly, but seemed to extend indefinitely in length. Therefore, to bring the inquiry within some reasonable compass, Kemp, a doctor of laws, took up the articles and interrogated him upon each in succession.

First, he was again asked if he believed not that the sacramental elements ceased to exist after the consecration; and he answered, as before, that the

bread retained its nature. "Sir," said the Primate, "you must say otherwise." "Nay," said he, "that will I not, if God, as I trust He is, be on my side."

Secondly, he was anew asked if he believed in the necessity of absolution.' He admitted the profit of comfort from a priest of godly life and sound doctrine; but affirmed that we ought to fly from all such communion with one, though crdained, whose understanding was defective, or morals impure.

Thirdly, he was required to declare his belief touching the authority of the Holy See as succeeding to St. Peter; and this led him to discourse of Rome, upon which one of the other doctors asked him directly, "What did he say of the Pope?" His answer was remarkable, and often cited afterwards. "He and ye make up the great Antichrist, of which he is the head, you priests and prelates and monks the body, and begging friars the tail that covers the filthiness of both with subtle sophistry."

Lastly, he was asked if he believed in the virtue of pilgrimages and the worship of images and relics; all which he utterly rejected, with many remarks disparaging the use of them to the profit of the clergy.

The Primate then once more exhorted him to retract, and to desist from his offences. He answered that he had not offended them, but they him, in thus harassing him before the assembled multitude. "None otherwise," said he, "will I believe than I have told you hereafore. Do with me what you will."

' Of being shryven to a priest ordained.

Hereupon the Primate stood up, as did all the clergy, uncovered, and all the lay people uncovered in like manner, while the sentence was pronounced by the Primate. He set forth the particulars of the examination, and in the name of Christ, and appealing to him that the only motive of the judgment was his glory, and for preventing the prisoner, already bad, from becoming worse and infecting the people, condemned him as guilty of detestable heresy, delivering him over to the secular arm.

If any one should imagine that the repeated attempts made during this tormenting interrogatory to draw from the sufferer a denial, or recantation, betokened the least kindness towards him, it must be observed that the object of those efforts was not to justify the court in absolving him, but to obtain for themselves a triumph over his expected apostacy. They well knew, it is true, with whom they had to deal, and could have but faint hopes of any such result. But then they were at least secure of giving their proceeding some colour of reluctance to condemn, if not of compassion towards their victim; and accordingly we find the sentence couched in the language of self-laudation, yet throughout recording the attempts made to shake the prisoner's contumacy, and trepan him into a confession of his

error.

The vexation of the proceeding, independent of its issue, was most justly complained of by the illustrious accused. For many hours, on two several