And you were pitied here of many, that knew you in the newe Colledge in Oxford. And I also do pitye your case, because you seme vnto me (by the talke I had with you the other night) to be lerned. And therfore now I haue sent for you to come before thē, that it might not be said hereafter, that I had so many lerned byshops at my house, and yet woulde not vouchesafe them to talke with you. And at my request (I thanke them) they are content so to do. Now therfore vtter your mynd frely, & you shall with al fauoure be satisfied. I am sorye to see you lye in so euill a case as you do, and would fayne you should do better, as you maye if you lyst.

Bath My Lordes here haue not sent for you to fawne vpon you, but for charities sake to exhorte you to come into the right Catholike waye of the churche.

VVorc. Before he beginneth to speake, it is best that he calle to God for grace, and to praye that it might please God to open his hart, that he maye conceyue the truth.

Phil. With that I fell downe vpon my knees before them, and made my prayer on this maner. Almighy God, which art the geuer of al wisdome and vnderstandinge, I beseche thee of thine infinite goodnes and mercy, in Iesus christ, to giue me most vile sinner in thy sight the spirite of wisedome, to speake aud make answer in thy cause, that it may be to the contentation of the hearers, before whom I stād, and also to my better vnderstanding, if I bee deceiued in any thing.

Boner. Nay my Lord of Worcester, you dyd not wel to exhort him to make anye prayer. For thys is the thinge they haue a singular pride in, that they can often make their vaine praiers, in the which they glory much. For in this poynt they are much lyke to certayne errant heretikes, of whom Plinye maketh mention, that did dayly syng antelucanos hymnos,  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Pliny the Younger, Letters, X. 96.

Foxe text Latin

antelucanos hymnos

Foxe text translation

[Not translated as such, but given in the context of:that dyd dayly syngantelucanos hymnos:prayse vnto God before the dawning of the day]

Actual text of Pliny, Letters X. 96

[quod essent soliti stato die] ante lucem conuenire, carmenque Christo quasi deo dicere secum inuicem.

[Clearly a reference to this passage in Pliny’s well-known letter to Trajan about the Christians in Bithynia-Pontus, but not a direct quotation.]

Commentary     Close

If Bonner is being quoted correctly, this is a puzzling passage - he is apparently referring, as Philpot is assuming he is, to Pliny the Younger's famous letter (Ep. 97) describing Christians to the emperor Trajan.

Phil. My Lord, God make me & all you here present such heretikes as those wer, that song those morning hymnes: For they were ryghte Christians, with whom the Tirantes of the worlde were offended for their well doyng.

Bath. Procede to that he hath to say. He hath prayed I cannot tel for what.

Boner. Say on mayster Philpot. My Lordes wyl gladly heare you.

Phil. I haue my Lordes beene thys twelue moneth and an halfe in prison, withoute anye iust cause that I know, & my liuing taken frō me without any lawful order, & now brought (contrary to right) from myne own territorye and Ordinary, into an other mans iurisdiction, I know not why. Wherefore if your lordships can burden me with anye euyll done, I stād here before you to purge me of the same.

And if no such thing maye be iustly layde to my charge, I desire to be released of this wrōgful trouble.

Boner. There is none here goeth aboute to trouble you, but to do you good if we can. For I promise you, ye wer sent hither to me with oute my knowledge. Therefore speake your conscience without any feare.

Phil. My Lord, I haue learned to answer in matters of religion in Ecclesia legitime vocatus,  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Philpot

Foxe text Latin

In Ecclesia legitime vocatus

Foxe text translation

In the Congregation being thereto lawfully called.

Boner. In deede thys man tolde me the last time I spake with him, that he was a lawier, & would not vtter his conscience in matters of faith, vnles it were in the hearing of the people, where he might speake to vayne glory.

Phil. My Lord, I saide not I was a Lawier, neither do I arrogate to my selfe that name, although I was once a Nouice in the same, where I learned something for myne own defense, when I am called in iudgement, to answer to anye cause, and whereby I haue bene taughte, not to put my selfe further in daunger then I nede, and so farre am I a lawyer, and no further.

Bath. If you wyl not answer to my Lordes request, you seme to be a wylfull man in your opinion.

Phil. My Lord of London is not mine Ordinary, before whom I am bound to answer in this behalfe, as maister D. Cole (whyche is a lawier) cā wel tel you by the law. And I haue not offended my Lord of London, wherefore he should cal me.

Boner. Yes, I haue to laye to your charge that you haue offended in my dioces by speaking against the blessed sacrament of the altar, and therefore I may cal you, and procede against you to punish you by the law.

phil. I haue not offended in your dioces. For that which I spake of the Sacrament, was in Paules Churche in the Conuocation house, which, as I vnderstand, is a peculiar iurisdiction, belonging to the Deane of Paules, and therefore is counted of your lordshyps dioces, but not in your dioces.

Boner. Is not Paules churche in my dioces? Well I wot, it cost me a good deale of money by the yeare, the leading thereof.

phil. That maye be, & yet be exemted from your Lordships iurisdiction. And albeit I had so offended in the place of youre dioces, yet I ought (by the law) to be sent to mine Ordinarye, if I require it, and not to be punished by you, that are not mine Ordinary. And already (as I haue tolde you) I haue bene conuented of mine Ordinary for this cause, which you go about to enquire of me.