Frier into the prison.

In this meane time, this poore man thought w^t him self that they would haue shewed hym þ^e lyke cruelty as they had done the night before. They called him out of the dungeon where they had let hym downe, certifiyng hym, that they had things to tell hym for his profite. This they did, because he should not dye in prison.

MarginaliaHe had rather pyne in prison, then to come in the Papistes handes.Then they let downe a corde and a staffe, but they coulde not perswade hym to sitte theruppon, saying, that he woulde rather chuse to dye there, then hee would endure any more such cruell tormentes: Notwithstandyng, if they would promise hym, not to put hym any more to the trusse of the Corde, nor to put hym to death, but to bryng hym before iust iudges: on that condition he would come out, although hee had fully determined neuer to haue remoued from thence, but to haue ended hys life in that dungeon. MarginaliaThe false promises of the Papistes, not to be trusted.There were present certaine Councellours, whiche promised to performe his request, and therupon he was taken out of the dungeon. As sone as he saw the Frier, he cried out with a loude voyce, saying O miserable and wretched man that I am: now am I betrayed and deceiued, for my later houre is at hand. I see well the dreame whiche I haue dreamed this night, will come to effect: for they do handle me tyrannously and cōdemne me, not beyng heard. The Frier brake him of frō his purpose, and pulling a wooden crosse out of his sleeue, presented it vnto hym, declaryng that hee must be quiet, because they had already geuen sentence agaynst hym, and that he should gayne nothyng by so much talke. Poore mā (sayd the Frier) thou hast had good & gentle iudges: at þ^e least thou shalt go to God, therfore cōfesse thy sinnes in my eare, & after thou hast receiued absolutiō at my hands, doubt not but this day thou shalt go straight to the kyngdome of heauen. MarginaliaThe Christian poore man refuseth the Fryers wodden crosse.The poore man aunswered: thou wicked Frier, get thee away from me, for I haue long since bewailed my sinnes and offēces, and that before the face of my Lord Iesus, who hath already forgeuen me all that whiche I haue committed against his maiesty, wherfore I haue no nede of thy absolution, whiche thou thy selfe doost not vnderstand. This is most certaine, that long tyme since, thou shouldest haue amended thine own wicked and hypocriticall life. I know well inoughe what thou art: thou playest the Ape with me, but thou hast a subtill and crafty hart, whiche hath deceiued much simple people. If thou hast any comfort or consolation out of the Gospell to comforte me withall, let me haue it: if not, get thee away frō me, with thy portesse. The Frier was so cōfused & amased with these wordes, þ^t he knew not what to doe or say. The hangman beyng wiser then the Frier, badde hym read vnto the poore man somthyng of the passion, wherein the poore man would take great pleasure. MarginaliaThe Crucifixe of wodde falsely called a Sauiour.This foolishe Frier had no other consolation to comfort him withall, but to hold the crucifixe of woode before him saying: behold thy Sauiour which dyed for thee, looke uppon him, and thou shalt be comforted. Then sayd þ^e poore man, I haue an other Sauiour, this is none of my Sauiour: get thee away from me thou naughtye person, with thy marmoset of woode. My Sauiour dwelleth in heauē, in whom I trust that he will not deliuer my soule to eternall death. The Frier crossed him self, shewyng the semblance of a man that were very sorye and agreued, thinckyng with him selfe, that this poore man was fallen into desperatiō. MarginaliaThe innocent mā cōdemned for ill will.Then he was led forth into the market place, wheras accordyng to the custome, openly before all the people, his confession was red with a loude voyce, which conteined no other thing, but onely that the man had ben a seditious person, & that in the time of truce he had cried alarme, euen in the night, when all men were at rest.

When he was come to the place where hee should suffer, beyng compassed in with Gleues and Halbardes hired for the purpose, after he had sayd þ^e Lordes prayer, the hangman badde him knele down, but he refused so to do, declaryng that hee had yet somethyng more to say before the people, thinckyng that he should not be denied to speake in that place, as he was before the wicked iudges. Those sayd hee, whiche know me, shall be sufficient good witnesses on my behalfe, that from my youth vpward I haue alwayes lyued in good name, fame, and honesty, beyng neuer before accused for any offence, sedition, or periury.

In an euill time haue I happened in to these cursed daies, whē as al lawes, both of god & mā, are turned topsy turuy. I was adherēt to the tumult and sedition of the men of the countrey, as many other were whiche dwell therabout, but what then? are there not also many Gentlemen, which followed the Pesantes armye, and many strong townes whiche went also with them? MarginaliaNihil peccauit agnus, Sed Lupus esurijt.I was not the author of any sedition, whiche alwayes I haue mortally hated. I neuer gaue councel vnto any man to moue any broyle or tumult in any place. We asked councell of our Gentlemen what we should do, when the bandes of the Pesantes were assembled in the fieldes: but they gaue vs neither coūsell nor comfort. And to speake of my selfe, I did neuer vnderstand or know, what the Articles were, that were published: neither was there euer any man that told me wherfore they were published: neither did I know wherfore þ^e bandes of the countrey mē were rysen: neither wherfore euery mā moued hys neighbour to put on armour. Wherfore then haue ye taken me as a seditous mā, & made me to endure so great tormentes? He cōtinued a long tyme in declaring his innocency, but notwithstanding all his excuses & defences, MarginaliaThys blessed Martyr beheaded.the hangman drue his sworde, & at the commaundement of the iudge, strake of his head as he had made an end of his prayers. His tongue moued a longe tyme afterward in hys head, by meanes of the force of the woordes whiche he had before spoken.

Thus this good man of the countrey, ended his dayes. Agaynst whom the false iudges could finde no crime or offence to obiecte, albeit they had diligently sought by witnesses to haue information of all his lyfe and liuyng. The Lorde graunt hys spirite to all those whiche suffer for hys name. Ex Ioan. Oecolampad.

MarginaliaThe story and Martyrdome of Wolfgangus Schuch.WOlfgangus Schuchus comming to a certeine towne in Lotharyng bearyng the name of S. Hippolitus, & being receaued in þ^e said towne to be their Pastor, laboured by all meanes how to extirpe out of þ^e hartes of þ^e people Idolatrie and superstition. Which through the grace of Christ working with him, he in short time had brought prosperously to passe, accordyng to his desire: In somuch that the obseruatiō of Lent, Images, and all Idols, with the abomination also of the Masse, in þ^e same towne was vtterly abolished: So reformable God made the hartes of the people there, and such affection had they to their minister. MarginaliaFalse & pernitious tonges.It was not lōg but the rumour therof came to the hearyng of Duke Antony, Prince of Loraine (vnder whose dominion they were) through the swift reporte of the aduersaries, falsely belying these Hyppolitans to the Duke, as though they in relinquishyng the doctrine and faction of the Pope, went about to reiecte and shake of all authoritie and power of princes, and all superiour gouernours. MarginaliaThe Duke of Loraine threatneth the towne of S. Hyppolitus.By the meanes of whiche sinister reporte, they incensed the prince to such displeasure and indignation, that he threatned to subuert & vtterly to destroy þ^e towne with sword and fire. Wolfgangus hauyng word of this, wrote vnto the duke his Epistle, in most humble & obedient wise, in defence both of his ministrye, of his doctrine whiche he taught, and of the whole cause of the Gospell.

MarginaliaThe letter of Wolfgangus to the Duke.In whiche Epistle first he excused the people to be innocent & blameles, & rather those sclaūderous reporters to be both worthy to be blamed, & also punished, for their false rumours & forged sclaunders raysed vp against thē. After that he opened and explaned the cause and state of the Gospell, and of our saluation, consistyng onely in the free grace of God, through fayth in Christ his sonne, cōparyng also the same doctrine of the Gospell, with the cōfused doctrine of the Churche of Rome.

That done, thyrdly he proceded to our obedience, ho-