church, and haue bene a disturber of the same: out of the which who so is, he can not bee the chylde of saluation. Wherefore if you wyll come into the same, you shall be receyued and fynde fauour.

Phil. I am come before youre worshipfull maisterships at your appointment, vnderstanding that you are magistrates, authorised by the Quenes maiesty, to whom I owe and wil do my due obedience to the vttermoste. Wherfore I desire to knowe what cause I haue offended in, wherfore I am now called before you. And if I cannot be charged wyth any particular matter done contrarye to the lawes of this realme, I desyre your maisterships that I maye haue the benefit of a subiecte, and be deliuered out of my long wrongfull imprisonment, where I haue lien this twelue moneth and thys halfe, without any calling to answer before now, and my liuing taken from me, without all lawe.

Roper. Though we haue no particular matter to charge you with al, yet we may both by our commission, and by the lawe dryue you to answere to the suspicion of a slaunder, going on you: And besydes this, we haue statuts to charge you herin withall.

Phil. If I haue offended any statute, charge me therwithal: and if I haue incurred the penalty therof, punish me accordingly. And bycause you are magistrates, and executors of the Quenes maiesties lawes, by force wherof you do now sit, I desire, that if I be founde no notorious transgressour of any of them, that I may not be burdened with more then I haue done.

Cholm. If the Iustice do suspect a felon, hee maye examine him vpon suspicion therof, and commit him to prison, though ther be no fault done.

Story. I perceyue wherabout this man goeth. he is plaine in Cardmakers case. For he made the selfe same allegacions. But they will not serue thee. For thou art an hereticke, and holdest agaynst the blessed masse: how sayest thou to that?

Phil. I am no heretyke.

Story. I wil proue thee an heretike. Whosoeuer hath holden against the blessed masse, is an heretick: but thou hast holden against the same, therfore thou art an heretyke.

Phil. That which I spake, that you are hable to charge me withal, was in the conuocacion, where (by the Quenes maiestyes will, & her hole councell) liberty was giuen to euery man of the house, to vtter his conscience, and to say his minde frely, of such questions in religion, as there were propounded by that Prolocutor for the which now I ought not to be molested and imprisoned, as I haue bene, neither nowe be compelled of you to answere to the same.

Story. Thou shalt go to the Lollards Tower,  

Commentary     Close

A tower at the northwest corner of St Paul's cathedral. Accused heretics were occasionally held here because it was a secure place convenient to both the bishop of London and the consistory court of St Paul's.

Phil. I haue already ben conuented of this matter before my lord Chauncelor, mine Ordinary, who this long tyme hath kept mee in prison: therfore if his lordship wil take awaye my life, as he hath don my liberty, & liuing, he may, the which I thinke he can not doo of his conscience, and therfore hath let mee lye this long in prison: wherefore I am cōtent to abide the ende of him herein that is myne Ordinary, and doo refuse the auditory of the byshoppe of London, because he is an vnconpetent Iudge for me, and not myne Ordinary.

Story. Byt syr, thou spakest the wordes in the conuocation house, which is of the byshop of Londons dioces: and therfore thou shalte be caried to the Lollards tower, to be iudged by hym, for the wordes thou spakest in his dioces, against the blessed masse.

phil. Syr, you knowe by the lawe that I may haue exceptionem fori.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Philpot

Foxe text Latin

exceptionem fori

Foxe text translation

Not translated.

Translation (Wade 2003)

exception of the forum(legal term?)

Roper You can not deny but that you spake against the masse in the conuocation house.

Story Doest thou now deny that which thou spakest there, or no?

Phil. I cannot deny that I haue spoken ther. And if by the lawe you maye put me to death therefore, I am here ready to suffer whatsoeuer I shalbe adiudged vnto.

The scribe. This man is led of vaine glory.

Cholm. Playe the wyse gentilman, and be conformable, & be not stubborne in your own opinions, neyther caste your selfe awaye. I would be glad to do you good.

Phil. I desyre you (syr) with the rest here, that I be not charged farther at your handes, then þ^e law chargeth me, for that I haue done, since ther was then no lawe agaynst that directly, wherewith I am now charged. And you maister Doctor (of old acquaintaunce in Oxford) I trust will shewe mee some frendship, and not extremity.

Story. I tel the, if thou wouldest be a good catholyke man, I would be thy frend, and spend my gowne to do thee good. But I willbe no frende to an hereticke, as thou art, but wyll spend both my gowne and my cote, but I wil burne the. MarginaliaNow commeth in the Bouchers axe.How sayest thou to the sacrament of the altar?

Phil. Syr, I am not come not to dispute with your maistership. And the time now serueth not therto, but to aunswere to that I maye be lawfully charged withal.

Story. Wel, since thou wylt not reuoke that