MarginaliaAn. 1555. December.with these froward men. And lo he rose vp and was goyng away, talkyng with Master Sheriffe.
Phil. M. Sheriffe, MarginaliaB. Boner seeketh corners.I pray you record how my Lord procedeth agaynst vs in corners without all order of law, hauyng no iust cause to lay agaynst vs. And after this were all commaunded to bee put in the stockes, where I sat from mornyng vntill night, and the keeper at night vpon fauour let me out.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAn other priuate talke or conference, betwene him and the Bishop.PHil. The Sonday after,
24 November 1555.
Lond. Sir, I haue great displeasure of the Queene and the Counsell for kepyng you so long and for lettyng you haue so much libertie.
This is yet another indication of the official pressure on Bonner to resolve Philpot's case expeditiously.
Phil. My Lord, you haue my body in your custody: you may transport it whether it please you: I am content. And I would you would make as quicke expedition in my iudgement, as you say. I long therfore, & as for conformitie, I am ready to yeld to all truth, if any can bryng better then I.
Lond. Why? you wyll beleue no man but your selfe, whatsoeuer they say.
Phil. My beliefe must not hang vpon mens sayings, wythout sure autority of Gods word, the which if any can shew me, I wyll be plyant to the same: Otherwyse I can not go from my certayne fayth, to that which is vncertayne.
Lond. Haue you then the truth onely?
Phil. My Lord, I wyll speake my mynde freely vnto you, and vpon no malice I beare you, before God. You haue not the truth, neyther are you of the Church of God: but you persecute both the truth and the true church of God, for the which cause you cannot prosper long. You see God doth not prosper your doynges according to your expectation. He hath of late shewed his iust iudgement against one of your greatest doers,MarginaliaHe meaneth Ste. Gardiner Bishop of Winchester. who by report died myserably.
Stephen Gardiner, who had died on 12 November 1555.
Struck dumb, speechless.
Lond. That good man was punished for suche as thou art. Where is the keeper? Come let him haue him to the place that is prouided for hym. Go your way before.
Phil. And he followed me, calling the Keeper aside, commaunding to keepe all men from me, and narrowly to search me (as the sequele did declare) and brought me to hys priuy doore that goeth into the Church, and commaunded two of hys men to accompany the keeper and to see me placed. MarginaliaIohn Philpot conueyed into a close Tower ioyning to Paules church.And afterwards I passed through Paules vp to Lollards tower, and after that turned a long all the west side of Paules thorowe the wall, and passing through. vj. or. vij. doores, came to my lodgyng through many straites:
Narrow passages.
of a gret many of houses, but see no man passing into them: and who so walketh in the bishops vtter gallery goyng to hys chappel, may see my wyndow and me standing in the same. And as I was come to my place, the keeper pluckt of my gowne, MarginaliaMaster Philpot searched for writinges.and searched me very narowly, and tooke away penner,
Pencase.
Toilet.
One of these was a letter from Bartlett Green to Philpot and another was a letter from Lady Fane to Philpot. Bonner would piece these letters together and produce them at Philpot's trial.
After this he went hys way, and as he was goyng, one of them that came wyth hym sayd, that I dyd not delyuer the writinges I had in my hose, but two other letters I had in my hand before. No dyd quoth he? I wyll go search him better: the which I hearyng, conueyed myne examination I had wrytten, into an other place besides my bed, and tooke all the letters I had in my purse, and was tearing of them when hee came agayne, and as he came I threwe the same out of my wyndow, saying that I heard what he sayd: wherfore I dyd preuent hys searching agayne, whereof I was ryght glad. God be praysed that gaue me that present shift
Strategy, device, expedient.
Stricter, harsher, more rigorous.
MarginaliaThe eight examinatiō of Master Philpot.THe next day after,
25 November 1555.
I.e., false clergy. Balaam was a false prophet in the Old Testament (see Numbers 22-24).
Lond. Sir, here I obiecte and lay vnto you in the pre-presence of my Lord of S. Dauids, and of M. Mordant, and of these worshipfull men, these articles here in this Libel contayned, MarginaliaArticles obiected and red to Iohn Philpot.and openly hee red them.
To whom when I would particularly haue aunswered to some of his blasphemies, he would not permit me but sayd I shoulde haue leasure inough to say what I would, when he had sayd, & to these here I adde an other schedule.
Another sheet of papers.