MarginaliaAn. 1555. December.and bene enemyes to the same.
Gloc. Why M. Philpot, do you thinke that the vniuersall Church hath erred, and you onely to be in the truth?
Phil. The church that you are of, was neuer vniuersall,MarginaliaThe Popes church which now is, was neuer vniuersall. for two partes of the world, which is Asia and Africa neuer consented to the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, as at thys day they do not, neyther do follow his decrees.
Gloc. Yes, in MarginaliaOf this Florentines Councell, which was about the yeare. 1432. read before pag. 792. 829.Florentines councell
The purpose of the council of Florence (1438 - 1445) was to affect a re-union between the Greek and Latin churches. This re-union was theoretically achieved but the settlement was rejected by both the laity and clergy of the Greek church.
Phil. It was sayd so by false report, after they of Asia and Africa were gone home: but it was not so in dede, as the sequele of them all hetherto doth proue the contrary.
Gloc. I pray you, by whom wil you be iudged in matters of controuersy which happen dayly?MarginaliaThe word or the church iudge in controuersies.
Phil. By the word of God. For CHRIST sayth in Saynt Iohn: the word that hee spake shall be iudge in the latter day.
Gloc. What if you take the word one way and I an other way: who shall be iudge then?
Phil. The primatiue Church.
Gloc. I know you meane the Doctors þt wrote therof.
Phil. I meane verely so.
Gloc. What if you take the Doctors in one sense, and I in an other? who shall be iudge then?
Phil. Then let that be taken which is most agreable to Gods word.
Cole. My Lordes, why do you trouble your selues to answere him in this matter? It is not the thing which is layd to his charge, but his errour of the Sacrament, and he to shift him selfe of that brought in an other matter.
Phil. Thys is the matter M. Cole, to the which I haue referred all other questions, and desyre to bee satisfied.
Worcest. It is a wonder to see how hee standeth wyth a few agaynst a great multitude.
Phil. We haue almost as many as you. For we haue Asia, Africa, Germany, Denmarke, & a great part of Fraunce,
Philpot is counting all non-Roman catholic Christians, not only protestants, as followers of the Gospel.
Worc. They were well occupied to bring you such newes, and you haue bene well kept to haue such resort vnto you. Thou art the arrogantest fellow and stoutest fond fellow, that euer I knew.
Phil. I pray your Lordship to beare with my hasty speach: for it is part of my corrupt nature to speake somewhat hastely: but for all that, I meane with humility to do my duty to your Lordship.
Boner. M. Philpot, my Lordes will trouble you no further at this tyme, MarginaliaIohn Philpot put of to an other day.but you shall go from whence you came, and haue such fauour as in the meane whyle I can shew you: and vpon wensday next you shall be called agayne to be heard what you can say for the maintenance of your errour.
[Back to Top]phil. My Lord, my desyre is to be satisfied of you in that I haue requyred: and your Lorship shall fynd me as I haue sayd.
Worc. We wish you as well as our selues.
phil. I thinke the same (my Lordes) but I feare you are deceyued, and haue a zeale of your selues, not according to knowledge.
Worc. God send you more grace.
phil. And also God encrease the same in you, and open your eies that you may see to maintaine his truth and his true church.
Then the Bishops rose vp and consulted together, and caused a writing to be made, in the which I thinke my bloud by them was bought and solde, and thereto they put their handes, and after this I was caryed to my Colehouse agayne.
¶ Thus endeth the fourth part of thys tragedy.
God hasten the end thereof to his glory. Amen.
The notes are at the end of the examinations were written Philpot, not by Foxe.
MarginaliaIohn Philpot to certaine that required him to write his examinations.
This note reveals two things: that Philpot wrote his examinations at the request of another protestant (or protestants) and that he wrote them in sections which were then smuggled out of prison.
I believe.
MarginaliaThe fift examination of M. Philpot.BOner. M. Philpot, come you hether. I haue desired my Lordes here and other learned men to take some paynes once agayne, and to do you good: and because I do minde to sit in iudgement on you to morow (as I am commaūded) yet I would you should haue as much fauour as I can shew you, if you wilbe any thyng conformable. Therfore play the wise man, and be not singular in your opinion, but be ruled by these learned men.
[Back to Top]Phil. My Lord, in that you say you will sit on me in iudgemēt to morow, I am glad therof. For I was promised by them which sent me vnto you, that I should haue bene iudged the next day after: but promise hath not bene kept with me, to my farther grief. MarginaliaIohn Philpot ready to yeld his life in Christes cause.I looke for none other but death at your hādes, and I am as ready to yelde my lyfe in CHRISTES cause, as you bee to require it.
[Back to Top]Boner. Lo what a wilfull man this is? By my faith it is but folly to reason with him, neither with any of these heretickes. I am sory that you wyll be no more tractable, & that I am cōpelled to shew extremity against you.
Phil. My Lord, you neede not to shew extremitye against me vnlesse you lyst: neyther by the lawe (as I haue sayd) you haue any thing to do with me, for that you are not myne Ordinary, albeit I am (contrary to all right) in your prison.
Boner. Why, the Queenes Commissioners sent you hither vnto me vpon your examination had before them.
Apparently Philpot, who was arrested following the publication of his account of the debate in convocation in October 1553, was examined by royal commissioners, as well as by Gardiner, before being sent to Bonner.
Phil. My Lord, in deede they sent me hither without any occasion than ministred by me. Onely they layde vnto mee the disputation I made in the Conuocation house, requiring me to aunswer the same, and to recant it. The which because I would not do, they sent me hither to your Lordship.
Boner. Why did you not aunswer them thereto?
Phil. For that they were temporall men, and ought not to be iudges in spirituall causes whereof they demaunded me, without shewing any authority wherby I was bound to aunswer them, and hereupon they cōmitted me to your prison.
Boner. In deede I remember nowe, you maintayned open heresy in my dioces:
Bonner is referring to the debate in convocation in October 1553, which was held at St Paul's.
Phil. My Lord, I stand styll vpon my lawful plea in this behalf, that though it were as great heresie as you suppose it, yet I ought not to be troubled therefore in respect of the priuiledge of the Parlamēt house, wherof the Cōuocation house is a member, where all mē in matters propoūded may frankly speake their mindes: and here is present a Gentleman of the Queenes Maiesties that was present at the disputation, and can testifie MarginaliaMaster Philpots iust defence for speaking in the Parlament.that the questions which were there in controuersie, were not set forth by mee, but by the Prolocutor, who required in the Queenes Maiesties name, all
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