Marginalia1555. Iuly.swereth and beleueth, that the fayth and doctrine now taught, set foorth, and vsed in the sayd church of England, is not agreable to Gods word.MarginaliaThe fayth of the church of England in Queene Maries time reproued. And furthermore he sayth, that Bishop Hooper, Cardmaker, Rogers, and other of their opinion, which were of late burned, were good christian men, and did preach the true doctrine of CHRIST, as he beleueth: and saith that they did shed their bloud in þ^e same doctrine, which was by the power of God, as he sayth & beleueth. And being further examined, sayth, that since the Quenes Coronation, he hath had the Byble and Psalter in Englishe red in his house at Bryghthamsted dyuers tymes, and lykewyse since his comming into Newgate, but the keeper hearing thereof, did take them away: and sayth also that about a tweluemoneth now past, he had the English procession said in his house, with other English prayers. And further sayth, that MarginaliaIueson, Launder, & Veysie, imprisoned for hearing the Gospell.Thomas Iueson, Iohn Launder, and William Veisy,  

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William was reprieved, probably because he recanted (see 1563, p. 1297; 1570, p. 1877; 1576, p. 1607 and 1583, p. 1701).

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1 November 1554.

¶ The confession of Iohn Launder before Boner Byshop of London.  

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Foxe copied this document from an official record which is now lost. Notice, however, that, as with Carver's confession, from which we know that Foxe omitted a statement on baptism, this confession of faith contains no statement on baptism.

MarginaliaIohn Launder his confession.IOhn Launder husbandman, of the parysh of Godstone in the County of Surrey, of the age of. xxv. yeares, borne at Godstone aforesayd, being examined doth confesse and say, that about two dayes next before Allhollontyde now last past, this Examinate and one Diricke Caruer, Thomas Iueson, William Veisy, with diuers other persons, to the number of twelue, (being all togethers in their praiers and saying the seruice in English set forth in the tyme of King Edwarde the syxt, in the house of the sayd Diricke situate at Bryghthamsted in Sussex) were apprehended by one M. Edward Gage, and by him sent vp hether to London, to the King and Queenes Counsaile, and by them (vpon his examination) committed to Newgate, wher he with his sayd other fellowes hath euer since remained in prison.

And further being examined, he doth confesse & say, that the occasion of his comming to the sayd Bryghthamsted, was vppon certayne busines there to be sped for his father: MarginaliaThe cause of the aprehension of Iohn Launder.and so being there, and hearing that the said Diricke was a man that did much fauour the Gospell, this Examinate dyd resort to hys house and company, whom before that tyme he did neuer see or know and by reason of that his resorte, he was apprehended as before: And further doth confesse, and beleue, that there is here in earth, one whole and vniuersall catholicke church, wherof þ^e members be dispersed through the world, and doth beleue also, that MarginaliaTwo Sacraments only.the same Church doth set forth and teach onely two sacramentes: videlicet, the sacrament of Baptisme, and the sacrament of the Supper of our Lorde. And whosoeuer doth teach or vse any more Sacraments, or yet any MarginaliaCeremonies abhorred.ceremonies, he doth not beleue that they be of the catholick church, but doth abhorre them from the bottome of his hart: And doth further say and beleue, that all the seruice, sacrifices and ceremonies, nowe vsed in thys Realme of England (yea, and in all other parts of the world, which bene vsed after the same maner) bee erronious and naught, and contrary to CHRISTES institution, and the determination of CHRISTES catholicke church, whereof he beleueth, that he himself is a member.

MarginaliaThe reall presence of Christes body vnder the formes of bread and wine denyed.Also he doth confesse and beleue, that in the Sacrament, now called the Sacrament of the Aultar, there is not really, and truely, contayned vnder the formes of bread and wyne, the very naturall body and bloud of CHRIST in substaunce: but his beliefe and faith therein is as followeth, Videlicet: that when hee doth

receiue the materiall bread and wyne, he doth receyue the same in a remembraunce of CHRISTES death and passion, and so receyuing it, he doth eat and drinke CHRISTES body and bloud by fayth, and none other waies, as he beleueth.

MarginaliaThe Masse abominable.And moreouer he doth confesse, say, & beleue, that the Masse now vsed in the Realme of England, or elswhere in all Christendome, is nought and abominable and directly agaynst Gods word, and his Catholycke church: and that there is nothing said or vsed in it good or profitable. For he sayth, that albeit the gloria in excelsis, the Crede, Sanctus, Pater noster, Agnus, and other partes of the Masse bene of themselues good and profitable, yet the same beyng vsed amongest other thinges that be nought and superfluous in the Masse, the same good thinges doe become nought also, as hee beleueth.

MarginaliaAuricular confession not necessary.Also he doth beleue and confesse, that Auricular confession is not necessary to be made to any Priest, or to any other creature, but eurey person ought to acknowledge and confesse his sinnes onely to God: and also that no person hath any authority to absolue any mā from his sinnes: and also beleueth that the right and true way (according to the scripture) after a man hath fallen from grace to sinne, to aryse to CHRIST againe, is to be sory for his offences, and to do the same, or the like no more: and not to make any auricular confession of them to the Priest, either to take absolution for them at the Priestes handes. All which his sayd opinions, hee hath beleued by the space of these. vij. or viij. yeares past, and in that tyme, hath diuers and many tymes openly argued and defended the same, as he sayth &c.

¶ Articles obiected by Boner bishop of London, against Diricke Caruer, and Iohn Launder.  

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Foxe copied this document from an official record now lost.

MarginaliaArticles laid to Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder.1 FIrst, I do obiect against you, and euerye of you, that ye and euery of you, being within the said prison of Newgate, and within this sayd Citye of London, are of my iurisdiction (being Bishop of London) and subiect vnto the same, offending and trespassing wythin the said prison and City, in matters of Religion, and cōcerning the catholicke fayth and beliefe of the Church in any wyse.

MarginaliaSacraments of pennance and of the aultar.2 Item I do obiect against you and euery of you, that ye and euery of you, since your first comming & entring into the said Prison, and during your abode there, both there, and in sundry places within this city and dioces of London, haue holden, maintained, and defended sundry opinions against the Sacramentes of the church, especially against the sacrament of penaunce, and also against the sacrament of the aultar.

MarginaliaReall presence.3. Item, I do likewise obiect that ye, and euery of you, in all or in some of the sayd places, haue (as concernyng the Sacramēt of the aultar) holdē, maynteined, and defended, to þ^e best of your power, þ^t in the sayd Sacrament of the aultar there is not the very substaunce of the body and bloud of our Sauiour CHRIST, but that in the Sacrament there is onely the substaūce of natural bread and wyne, and no other substaunce.

MarginaliaThe lattin Masse.4. Itē, I do likewise obiect that you and euery of you, in all or some of the sayd places: haue concernyng the Masse in Latine now vsed in the Church, and the sacrifice of the same, holden, maynteined, and likewise defended, that the sayd Masse is not good or profitable, and that there is no sacrifice in the same.

MarginaliaCeremonies.5 Itē I do likewyse obiect, that you & euery of you, in all, or some of the places, haue concerning the ceremonies of the church, holden, mainteined, and likewise defended, that the sayd ceremonies are not profitable to a Christian man, but hurtfull and euyll.

MarginaliaAuricular confession.6 Item, I do likewise obiect, that you and euery of you in all, or some of the said places, haue concerning the Sacrament of penaunce, holden, maintained, and lykewyse defended, that auricular confession (being a part therof) albeit it may be made vnto a good Priest for counsaile, yet the absolution of the Priest, laying his hand vpon any mans head, and doing as is now vsually done in the church, is nothing profitable to any mans saluation, and that therefore ye neyther haue bene cōfessed to the Priest, after the vsuall maner of the Church, nor yet receiued the