Marginalia1556. Ianuary.peare.MarginaliaEpiscopum non percussorē, esse oportet.  

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Foxe, citing Titus, 1. 7. [Marginal note]

Foxe text Latin

Episcopum non percussorem, esse oportet.

Foxe text translation

Not translated.

Translation (Wade 2003)

A bishop ought not to be a murderer.

Actual text of Titus, 1. 7. (Vulgate)

oportet enim episcopum sine crimine esse [sicut Dei dispensatorem non superbum non iracundum non vinolentum] non percussorem ...

[A comment on Bonner by Foxe.]

Then vppon the Friday next after I was brought to my Lord, and he then gaue me many fayre wordes, and sayd he would be good to me. And so he goyng to Fullam, MarginaliaThomas Whittell conuented before D. Harpsfield.committed me to D. Harpsfield, that he and I in that after noone should common together, and drewe out certayne articles, whereunto if I woulde subscribe I should be dismissed. But D. Harpesfield sent not for me tyll nyght, and then perswaded me very sore to forsake my opinions. I aunswered I helde nothyng but the truth, & therefore I could not so lightly turne therfrom. So I thought I should at that tyme haue had no more ado: but he had made a certayne byll, which the Register pulled out of hys bosome, and red it. The byll in deede was very easely made, and therefore more daungerous: for the effect thereof was to detest al errours and heresies against the sacrament of the aultar, and other sacraments, and to beleue the fayth of the catholicke church, and lyue accordingly.

¶ The copy of thys byll here mencioned, if it pleased the gentle Reader to peruse, so as it came to our hands we haue hereunto adioyned, written and conceiued in their own wordes, as followeth to be seene.

MarginaliaThe bill of submission put to Thomas Whittell to subscribe vnto.I Thomas Wittel Priest, of the Dioces of Londō, knowledge and confesse with my mouth agreeyng with my hart before you reuerend father in God Edm. Byshop of London my Ordinary, that I do detest & abhorre all maner of heresies and errours agaynst the Sacramēt of the aultar, or any of the Sacramentes of the Church, which heresies and errours haue heretofore bene condemned in any wise by the Catholicke church: and I do protest and declare by these presentes that I do both now hold, and also intēd by Gods grace alwayes hereafter to hold, obserue, and keepe in all pointes the Catholicke fayth and belefe of CHRISTES Church, accordyng as this Church of England beyng a member of the sayd Catholicke church doth now professe and keepe, & in no wise to swarue, decline, or go from the sayd fayth duryng my naturall lyfe, submittyng my selfe fully and wholy to you reuerend father my sayd Ordinary in all thyngs concernyng my reformation and amendement at all tymes. In witnes wherof I the sayd Thomas Whittell Priest haue hereunto subscribed my name, written. &c.

MarginaliaThomas Whittell through infirmitie subscribeth to the bill.To this Bill I did in deede set to my hand, beyng much desired and counselled so to do, and the fleshe beyng alwayes desirous to haue libertie. I cōsidered not throughly the incōuenience that might come thereuppon: and respite I desired to haue had, but earnestly they desired me to subscribe.MarginaliaThomas Whittell compuncted for forsaking of the crosse of Christ. MarginaliaA good warning to all faithfull christians not to fall into the crafty handes of the Papistes. Now whē I had so done, I had litle ioy therof. For by and by my minde and conscience told me by Gods word that I had done euill by such a sleighty meanes to shake of the sweete Crosse of CHRIST, and yet it was not my seekyng, as God knoweth, but altogether came of them. O the crafty subtilty of Sathan in his members. Let euery mā that God shall deliuer into their hands, take good heede, and cleaue fast to CHRIST: for they will leaue no corner of his conscience vnsought, but will attempt all gilefull and subtile meanes to corrupt him, to fall both from God and his truth. But yet let no mā dispaire of Gods helpe: for Peter did fall & rise agayn. And Dauid saith: A righteous man though hee fall, hee shall not bee cast away: for the Lorde vpholdeth hym with hys hand. For I for my part haue felt my infirmities, MarginaliaComfort against despaire.and yet haue I found Gods present helpe and cōfort in tyme of neede, I thanke him therfore.

The night after I had subscribed, I was sore greeued, and for sorrow of conscience could not sleepe. For in the deliueraunce of my body out of bondes, which I might haue had, I could finde no ioy nor comfort, but still was in my conscience tormented more and

more, being assured by Gods spirit and hys word, that I through euill counsell and aduysement had done amisse. And both with disquyetnes of mynde and with my other cruell handeling, I was sickely, lying vpon the ground when the keeper came: and so I desired hym to pray Doct. Harpsfield to come to me, and so he did.

And when he came, and the Register with him, I told him that I was not well at ease, but especially I tolde him I was greeued very much in my conscience and mynd because I had subscribed. MarginaliaTho. Whittell repenteth his recantation.And I sayd that my conscience had so accused me, through the iust iudgement of God and his word, that I had felt hell in my conscience, and Sathan ready to deuour me: and therfore I pray you M. Harpsfield (sayd I) let me haue the bill agayne, for I wyll not stand to it. So hee gently commaunded it to be fetched, and gaue it me, and suffred me to pull out my name, wherof I was right glad when I had so done, although death should folow. And hereby I had experience of Gods prouidenceMarginaliaExperience of Gods prouidence suffering his people to fall, but not to be lost. and mercy towardes me, who tryeth hys people, and suffereth them to fall, but not to bee lost: for in the myddest of this temptation and trouble hee gaue me warning of my deede, and also delyuered me, hys name bee praysed for euermore, Amen.

Neyther deuill nor cruell tyraunt can plucke any of CHRISTES sheepe out of hys hand. Of the which flocke of CHRISTES sheepe I trust vndoubtedly I am one by meanes of hys death and bloudshedding, which shall at the last day stand at hys ryght hand, and receiue with other hys blessed benediction. And nowe beyng condemned to dye, my conscience and mynde, MarginaliaPeace of conscience a great treasure.I prayse God, is quiet in CHRIST,and I by hys grace am very well wylling and content to geue ouer thys body to the death for the testimony of hys truth and pure religion, against Antichrist and all his false religiō and doctrine. They that report otherwise of me, speake not truly. And as for Fountayne, I saw not hym all that while.

By me Tho. VVhittell Minister.

¶ Concerning the troubled mynde of this godly man, and the tearyng of hys name out of the byll, herefolloweth the report of the same, written in the letters both of the sayd Harpsfielde, and also of Iohnson the Register, being then present thereat, and reporters of the same vnto the Bishop, as in their letters hereto annexed is to be seene.

¶ The copy of Nic. Harpsfields letter, touching M. Whittell, written to Boner B. of London.  

Commentary     Close

This document almost certainly came from one of Bonner's court books, now unfortunately lost.

MarginaliaA letter of M. Harpsfield declaring how Tho. Whittell rent his subscription out of the bishops Register.PLeaseth your good Lordship to vnderstand, that yesterday I dined with my Lord of Exceter, who sone after my fyrst cōming vnto him, asked me what newes. I aunswered, none but good, that I had heard. No saith he? Why, it is a rumor in the Citie, that to morrowe the Queenes grace will take her iourney towardes þ^e king. I aunswered, þ^t I thought it not to be any whit true, but an inuention of heretickes: yea and further saith he, ther is reporte made abroad of my Lorde your Master, that he is in discomfort, and therefore wyll suffer no man to come vnto him. When I heard thus much, I began to laugh, and declare how vntrue this report was, so that my Lord (who before was very sad) afterward knowing the truth, reioyced much to heare that all was wel wyth your Lordship, and desired me to do my harty commendations to your Lordship.

One of my Lord of Penbrokes retinue a very hādsom man, and as farre as I cā yet learne Catholicke, is a sutter to your Lordship to haue licence to erect a schole: and the order which he intendeth to vse is conteined in this printed paper, which I sēd herein enclosed to your Lordshyp. I would be glad for my Lord of Pēbrokes sake that he vnderstode, that vpō my motiō your Lordshyp were contēt he should teach as he intendeth. M. Iohnson and I haue traueled with the Priest, and he hath subscribed his name to this draught which is herein inclosed, and hath promised hee will stand to the same before your Lordshyp.

When I had written thus much, sodeynly came ti-