Marginalia1555. Decemb.Cooke. A meete man quoth he? He troubled master Roper and the whole country.

Phil. There was neuer poore Archdeacon so handled at your handes as I am, and that without any iust cause ye be able to lay vnto me.

Cooke. Thou art no Archdeacon.

MarginaliaIohn Philpot depriued from his Archdeaconry without any law.Phil. I am Archdeacon stil, although an other be in possession of my liuing: for I was neuer depriued by any law.

Cooke.No Syr, that needeth not: for a notorious hereticke should haue no Ordinary proceeding about hys depriuation: but the bishop may vpō knowledge therof proceede to depriuation.

MarginaliaWhether an heretike suspected may without ordinary processe be depriued of his lyuing by his ordinary before his death, and by what law.Phil. Master Doctor, you knowe that the common law is otherwyse: and besides this, the statutes of this Realme be otherwyse, which geueth this benefite to euery person, though he be an hereticke, to enioye hys lyuing vntyll he be put to death for the same.

Cholm. No, there thou art deceiued.

Phil. Vpon the lyuing I passe not. But the vniust dealing greueth me, that I should be thus troubled for my conscience, contrary to all law.

Cholm. Why? wil you not agree, that the Quenes maiesty may cause you to be examined of your faith?

Phil. Aske you maister Doctor Cooke, and he wyll tell you, that the temporall magistrates haue nothyng to do with matters of faith for determination thereof. And S. Ambrose sayth, Diuina imperatoriæ maiestati non sunt subiecta,  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

St. Ambrose, Epistolarum classis I

Foxe text Latin

Diuina imperatoriae maiestati non sunt subiecta,

Foxe text translation

that the thinges of God are not subiect to the power and authority of Princes.

Actual text of St. Ambrose, Epistolarum classis I, Migne, P.L., vol. 016, col. 0996

verum ea quae sunt divina, imperatoriae potestati non esse subjecta.

[Accurate citation]

Cooke. No? may not the temporall power cōmit you to be examined of your faith to the bishop.

Phil. Yea Sir, I deny not that: but you wil not graūt that the same may examine any of their own autority.

Cooke. Let hym be had away.

MarginaliaIohn Philpot agayne requireth to see there commissiō, and yet it could not be sene: and that also agaynst the law.Phil. Your mastership promised me the last tyme I was before you, I should see your commission, by what authority you doe call me, and whether I by the same be bound to aunswer to so much as you demaund.

Roper. Let him see the Commission.

The Scribe. Then he exhibited it to M. Roper, and was about to open the same.

Cooke. No, what wyll you do? he shall not see it.

Phil. Then do you me wrong, to call me and vexe me, not shewing your authority in this behalfe.

Cooke. If we do you wrong, complayne on vs: & in the meane while thou shalt lye in the Lollardes tower.

Phil. Syr, I am a poore gentleman: therfore I trust of your gentlenes you will not commit me to so vyle & strait a place beyng found no haynous trespasser.

Cooke. Thou art no Gentleman.

Phil. Yes that I am.

Cooke. An hereticke is no Gentleman: for he is a Gentleman that hath gentle conditions.

Phil. The offense can not take away the state of a Gentleman as long as he lyueth, although he were a traytour: but I meane not to boast of my Gentlemanshyp, but will put it vnder my foote since you do no more esteme it.

Story. What? will you suffer this hereticke to prate with you all this day?

Cooke. He sayth he is a Gentleman.

Story. A Gentleman quoth he? he is a vyle hereticke knaue: for an hereticke is no Gentlemā. MarginaliaIohn Philpot commaunded to Lollars Tower by D. Story.Let the keper of Lollardes Tower come in, and haue hym away.

The Keeper. Here Syr.

Story. Take this man with you to the Lollardes Tower, or els to the Byshops Colehouse.

Phil. Syr, if I were a dogge, you could not appoynt me a worse and more vile place: but I must be contēt with what soeuer iniury you do offer me. God gyue you a more mercifull hart: you are very cruell vpō one that hath neuer offēded you. I pray you M. Cholmly, shew me some frendshyp, that I be not caryed to so vile a place. And he called me aside, and sayd:

MarginaliaCholmley talketh with M. Philpot a part.Cholm. I am not skilfull of their doynges, neither of their lawes: I can not tell what they meane. I would I could do you good.

Phil. I am content to go whether you will haue me. There was neuer man more cruelly handeled then I am at your hands, that without any iust cause knowē, should thus be intreated.

Story. Shall we suffer this hereticke thus to reproue vs? haue him hence.

Phil. God forgiue you, and giue you more mercyfull hartes, and shew you more mercy in the tyme of neede: Et quod facis, fac citius.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

St. John 13, 27.

Foxe text Latin

Et quod facis, fac citius

Foxe text translation

Do quickely that you haue in hand.

Actual text of St. John, 13. 27. (Vulgate)

[dicit ei Iesus] quod facis fac citius.

[Accurate citation]

Story. Do you not heare how he maketh vs Iudasses?  

Commentary     Close

Philpot was quoting Christ's words to Judas at the Last Supper.

Phil. That is after your owne vnderstandyng.

[View a larger version]

Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

John Philpot (whose importance earned him two illustrations in Foxe's work), is here shown imprisoned in the most degrading of places. When told by Dr Story, Bonner's chancellor (for whom a heretic could have no claim to gentle status) that he was to be sent to the Lollards' Tower or the bishop of London's coalhouse, he protested that this would be vile even for a dog. The remark is echoed in the woodcut which shows a cur of a dog, accompanying Master William Roper, one of the prisoner's examiners, at work on the cell floor with a bone. But Philpot chose not to intermit his suffering by accepting the offer of a bed for one night in the gaol-keeper's house in Paternoster Row. He was taken to 'a little blind house' adjoining the ill-famed coalhouse, which, he recorded, was furnished with stocks for both hands and feet (as shown) and (not mentioned but illustrated) great chains attached to the walls. Thomas Whittle (the Essex minister whose full story follows later) whom Philpot found there with a poor man is shown in the stocks, though the text does not say as much. This seems to be an extrapolation from Philpot's statement that 'some before us had tried them [the stocks]'. One of his letters was 'written in a coal-house of darkness out of a pair of stocks'. The term 'blind house' implies a windowless building, and Philpot called it 'a dark comfortless place'. Darkness prevails in the woodcut, despite the single embrasure which casts shafts of light on those in the small cell.