leued, and wherunto to trust.

MarginaliaA Coūcell of priestes called against Hēry Sutphen.Also to the said Councell was Henry called, notwithstandyng that they had alreadye decreed to procede agaynst hym, as agaynst a manifest hereticke, albeit he was not yet conuict nor had pleaded his cause before. Wherfore the rulers of the Citie, together with the commonalty, deteined hym at home, forseyng and suspectyng the malice of the Councell. MarginaliaHenry gathereth the summe of hys doctrine in wryting.Thē the sayd Henry gathered a some of his doctrine into a few Articles, and sent it with his letters, vnto the archbyshop, excusing his innocencie, offryng him selfe to be ready, that if hee were conuict of any errour by the testimony of the holy Scripture, he would be ready to recante the same: notwithstanding earnestly requiryng, that his errours might be conuicted by the holy Scriptures, by the testimonie wherof, he had hetherto approued his doctrine, and doubted not hereafter to confirme the same: but thys tooke no place amongest those annoynted Prelates. MarginaliaVid. supr. pag. 976. 982.
The Catholike proceding of the Popes Clergie.What the determination of theyr iudgement was, it maye hereupon well be gathered, in that shortly after they set vp vpon the Church porch the Bull of Pope Leo the tenth, and decree of the Emperour made at Wormes. Wherupon Henry contemnyng their madnes, proceded dayly in preachyng of the Gospell, addyng alwayes this protestation, that hee was ready willyngly to geue accompt touchyng his faith and doctrine, to euery man that would require the same. In the meane tyme, the holy Catholickes could not be idle, but sent their Chappleynes vnto euery Sermon to trappe him in his wordes. MarginaliaThey that went about to take hym, were taken.But God, whose foote pathes are in the middest of the floudes, would also haue his maruelous power to be sene in them, for he conuerted many of them: in so much that the greater part of those that were sent to harken, did openly witnesse his doctrine to be Gods truth, agaynst whiche no man could contend, and such as in all their liues before they had not heard, perswadyng them likewise that they forsakyng all impietie, should folow the worde of God, and beleue the same, if they would be saued. But the chief Priestes, Canons and Monkes, were so indurate and blynded with Pharao, that they became the woorse for these admonitions. Whē as God saw the tyme conuenient, that Henry should confirme the veritie that he had preached, he sent hym amongest the cruell murtherers appoynted for that slaughter, by this occasion as followeth.

MarginaliaHenry Sutphen sent for to preach at Meldorph.It happened in the yeare of our Lord. 1524. that this Henry was sent for by letters, by Nicolas Boye parishe Priest, and other faithfull Christians of the parish of Meldorphe, whiche is a towne in Diethmar, to preache the Gospell vnto them and deliuer them out of the bondage of Antichrist, whiche in that place had full dominion.

These letters beyng receaued, vppon S. Catherines euen, calling together sixe brethren, honest Citizens, he opened the matter vnto them, how that he was sent for by them of Diethmar to preach the Gospell: addyng moreouer, that hee was not onely a debtour vnto them, but to all other which required his ayde. Wherfore he thought good to goe vnto Diethmar, to see what God woulde worke by him, requiryng also that they would helpe hym with their aduise, by what meanes he might best take his iourney, that no man should know of it, that thereby hee might not be letted or stopped: whiche thyng without doubt had come to passe, if his purpose had bene knowen to the people. MarginaliaThe Citizens of Breme perswade Hēry not to goe to Diethmar.Vnto whom the Citizens aunswered, desiryng him that he would not depart for a time, for so much as the Gospell had not yet taken so depe roote in the people, but was as yet weake, and specially in the Villages therabout, and that the persecutiō was very greate, willyng him also to haue respect vnto this, that he was by them called to þ^e office of preachyng, and if they of Diethmar desired a preacher, he should send some other in hys place, for they had before perceaued the disposition and vntrustines of them of Diethmar: besides that, it was not in their power to giue him free liberty to depart, without the consent of the whole communalty. Whereunto Henry made aunswere in this maner, that albeit hee could not deny but that he was sent for by them: MarginaliaThe causes mouing Henry to goe to Diethmar.yet now there were many godly & learned mē at Breme, whose labour they might vse in his absence, in preachyng of the Gospell. Besides that, the Papistes were for the most part, vanquished & ouerthrowen, & their follye knowen, euen vnto wemen and children, addyng therunto, that he had now preached the Gospel by the space of ij. yeares at Breme, and that they of Diethmar, lyued without a Pastor euen in the middest of the wolues, wherfore he could not with safe conscience, deny their request. And wheras they alleged that they could not licence him, with out the consent of the whole cōgregation: that (said he) was but of small effect, for somuch as he would not vtterly forsake them, but determined onely to remayne with them of Diethmar for a moneth or two, to lay a foundation, and then to returne agayne, desiryng them that after his departure, they would declare vnto the Congregatiō, how he was sent for by them of Diethmar, to whom hee coulde not say nay: willyng them also to excuse hys sodeine departure, for that hee was forced to depart secretly, because of his aduersaries priuely lying in wayte in euery place for him, thinking that he should scarsly auoide them, which had alwayes gone about to bring him to hys death. Finally, they should promise to þ^e congregation in hys name, that when he had performed his enterprise, he would straight returne agayne. They beyng perswaded with these wordes, consented vnto him, stedfastly hoping that they of Diethmar should be conuerted vnto the true faith: MarginaliaIn thys rude countrey of Diethmar, Maister Rogers our countreyman and Martyr, was superintendent in tyme of the vi. articles, where he with great daunger of hys lyfe, did very much good.whiche people about all other, haue alwayes bene most geuen vnto Idolatry.

MarginaliaHenry taketh his iourney to Meldorph.Hauing prepared all thyngs toward his setting forth, the. xxij. day of October, he tooke his iourney, and came to Meldorphe, whether he was sent for: where as hee was ioyfully receaued of the parishe Priest and other, as soone as he was come thether. Albeit he had not yet preached, the deuill with his members by and by, began to freate and fume for anger. Aboue all other, one Augustine Torneborch, Prior of the blacke Friers, began to fume, who went out of hād vnto maister Iohn Swicken his cōpanion, and Commissarie to the Officiall of Hamburge, to take counsaile what was to be done, leste they should lose their kyngdome. Finally it was decreed by them, aboue all thinges to withstand the begynnynges, that he should not haue licence to preache: for if by any meanes it happened that he preached & the people should heare him, it was to be feared that þ^e wickednes and craft of the Priestes and Monkes should be opened, whiche beyng made manifest, they knewe playnely that it would be but a folly to resiste, remembryng what had happened lately before in Breme. This determinatiō had, the Prior, the next day early in the mornyng, (for hee had not slept well all night for cares) MarginaliaThe Prior of the Blacke Friers, with the 48. Presidentes, conspyreth the death of Henry.went with great spede vnto Heyda, to speake with þ^e 48. Presidentes of the countrey: vnto whom with great complaints he shewed, how that a sedicious felowe a Monke, was come frō Breme, whiche would seduce all the people of Diethmar, as hee had done the Bremers. MarginaliaThe chiefe doers of thys conspiracie.There was moreouer that did assiste this Prior, maister Gunterus Chauncelour of that countrey, and Petrus Hannus, both enemies vnto the Gospell. These ij. stoutlye assisted the Prior, perswading the other 46. beyng simple vnlearned men, that they should obteine great fauour and good will of the Byshop of Breme, if they would put this hereticke Monke to death. When these poore vnlearned men heard these woordes, they decreed that this Monke should be put to death, neither heard nor sene, much lesse conuict.

MarginaliaNicholas Boyes parishe priest of Meldorph commaunded to put awaye Henry.Furthermore, this Prior obteined letters from the. 48 Presidentes vnto the parishe Priest, commaundyng hym vnder great penaltye, that he should put the Monke out of his house, and commaund him to depart without preachyng. With these letters hee came spedely vnto Meldorphe, and deliuered the letters ouernight vnto the parishe Priest, trusting that by their threatnynges and commaundemēt, the sayd Henry should be feared from prea-