MarginaliaAn. 1556. Ianuary.dyngs to me that Iordanis conuersus est retrorsum.  

MarginaliaHe meaneth of the returne agayne of Tho. Whittel. Cluney commyng to the Priest, found him lying prostrate, and gronying as though he should haue dyed forthwith. Thē Cluney tooke hym vp, and set him vpō a stoole, and came to me and told me of this reuell. It chaūced that M. Iohnson was with me, and we went to this fond hereticke, and found hym lying all along, holdyng his hands vp, and lookyng hypocritically towardes heauen. I caused Thomas More and Cluney to set him on the stole, & with much ado at length he told me that Sathā had bene with him in the night, and told hym that he was damned, and wepyng he prayed M. Iohnson & me to see the Bill whervnto he subscribed, and when he saw it, he tare out hys name è libro, scilicet viuentium.  

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Harpsfield

Foxe text Latin

e libro, scilicet viuentium

Foxe text translation

Not translated.

Translation (Wade 2003)

from the book of the living of course

Me thinketh by hym hee will needes burne a Fagot, neither is there any other likelyhode of the young woman.MarginaliaThis young woman was Ioane Warrē, otherwise named Ioane Lashford, who was burned also with the same Whittell. I haue enquired of the two persons which sue to haue a licēce to eate flesh. And the woman of CHRIST Church is in deede very much diseased, and hath bene long difeased, and she and her husband both Catholicke. Of the other yet I can learne nothyng. Thus IESVS euermore preserue your good Lordshyp, and my mistres your Lordshyps sister, with all yours. This present Saterday.

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Your Lordships most bounden seruaunt
Iohn Harpesfield.

MarginaliaAn other letter of Iohnson touching the sayd Tho. Whittel.MY bounden duty premised, pleaseth your Lordshyp to vnderstād that this last Friday in the after noone, Master Archdeacon of London did diligently trauaile with Sir Tho. Whittell. I beyng present, and perceiuing his conformitie, as outwardly appeared, deuised a submission, and he beyng content therwith did subscribe the same. But now this Saterday mornyng Master Archdeacon and I, vpon Cluneyes report, declaryng that he fayned him selfe to be extracted of his senses, went vnto hym, to whom he declared that Sathā in the night tyme appeared vnto him, and sayd that he was damned, for that he had done agaynst his conscience in subscribyng the sayd submission, with other like wordes. &c. And then Master Archdeacō at his earnest request, deliuered vnto him the submission. And therupon the sayd Whittel dyd teare out his subscription, made in the foote of the same, as your Lordshyp shall perceiue by the submission sent now vnto your Lordship by Master Archdeacon: wherwith the sayd Whittell was somwhat quieted.

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And as touchyng Ioane Lashford,MarginaliaTouching Ioane Lashford. Master Archdeacon did likewise trauail with her, and shewing her Sir Thomas submission, which I red vnto her two tymes, demaunded if she could be content to make the like submission, and she desired respite vntill this mornyng. And beyng now eftsoones demaunded, in lykewise sayth that she will not make any thyng in writyng, nor put any signe therunto. Master Archdeacon and I entēdeth this after noone to examine the sayd Syr Thomas vpon Articles: for as yet there doth appeare nothyng in writyng agaynst hym, as knoweth almighty God, who preserue your good Lordshyp in prosperitie long with honor to endure. From London this Saterday.

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By your Lordshyps dayly bedesman, and
bounden seruaunt, Robert Iohnsonne.

MarginaliaThe last examination of Tho. Whittel.COncerning the wordes and aunswers of the sayd Thomas Whittell at hys last examination before the bishop, vpon the. xiiij. day of Ianuarye, the yeare aboue expressed, Boner wyth his other fellowe Bonerlings sitting in hys Consistory at after noone, first called forth Thomas Whittell, with whom he began in effect as followeth: Because ye be a Priest (sayth he) as I and other Bishops here bee, and dyd receaue the order of Priesthoode after the rite and forme of the catholicke church, ye shall not thinke but I will minister iustice as well vnto you, as to other. And then the said Boner in further communication dyd charge him: that when in times past he had sayd Masse according to the order then vsed, the same Whittell now of late had railed and spoken against the same, saying that it was idolatry and abomination. Wherunto Thomas Whittell

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aunsweryng agayne sayd, that at such time as he so said Masse, he was then ignorant. &c. adding moreouer that MarginaliaEleuation of the Sacrament cause of Idolatry.the eleuation of the sacrament at the Masse geueth occasion of idolatry to thē that be ignorant & vnlearned.

After thys the Bishop makyng hast to the articles (which in all hys examinations euer he harped vpon) came to this article: MarginaliaB. Boners argument. He was baptised in the fayth of the Catholicke church: Ergo, he was baptised in the fayth of Rome.That thou wast in times past baptised in the fayth of the catholicke church.

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To this the sayd Whittell inferred agayne: I was baptised in the faith of the catholicke church, although I dyd forsake the church of Rome. And ye my Lord do call these heresies that be no heresies, and doe charge me therewith as heresies, and ye ground your self vpon þ^e religion which is not agreable to Gods word. &c.

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Then the sayd victorious souldiour and seruant of our Sauiour, constant in þ^e verity receiued and professed, was againe admonished, and with perswasions entreated by the bishop: who because he would not agree vnto the same, the bishop forthwith proceeded. first to hys actuall degradation, that is, MarginaliaThomas Whittell degraded.to vnpriest hym of all hys priestly trinckets, and clarkly habite. The order & maner of which their popishe and most vaine degradation, before in the story of bishop Hoper page. 1681. is to be seene. Then Whittel in the myddest of the ceremonies, when he saw them so busy in disgradyng hym after their father the Popes pontificall fashion, sayd vnto them: Paul and Titus had not so much ado wyth their Priestes and Bishops. And farther, speaking to the Bishop, he sayd vnto hym: MarginaliaWhittels wordes to B. Boner.My Lord, your religion standeth most with the church of Rome, and not wyth the catholicke church of CHRIST.

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The bishop after this, according to hys accustomed and formall proceedings, assayed hym yet agayne with wordes, rather then with substantiall argumentes, to conforme hym to hys religion. Who then denying so to do, sayd: As for your religion I can not be perswaded that it is according to Gods word.

The bishop then asked what fault he founde in the administration of the sacrament of the aultar.

Whittell aunswered and sayd, MarginaliaCauses why the administration of the Popish sacrament is to be reproued.it is not vsed according to CHRISTES institutiō, in that it is priuately, & not openly done: and also for that it is ministred but in one kinde to the lay people, which is agaynst CHRISTES ordinaunce. Farther, CHRIST commaunded it not to be eleuated nor adored: For the adoration and eleuation cannot be approued by scripture.

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Well, quoth Boner, my Lords here and other learned men haue shewed great learnyng for thy conuersion: wherefore if thou wylt yet returne to the fayth and religion of the catholicke church, I wil receiue thee thereunto, and not cōmit thee to the secular power. &c. To make short, Whittell strengthened with the grace of the Lord, stoode strong and vnmoueable in that hee had affirmed. Wherefore the sentence being red, the next daye following hee was committed to the secular power, and so in fewe dayes after brought to the fyre with the other sixe aforenamed, sealyng vp the testimonie of hys doctrine wyth his bloud, which he willingly and cheerefully gaue for the witnes of the truth.

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MarginaliaA letter of Thomas Whittel written to Iohn Careles.THe peace of God in CHRIST be with you continually dearely beloued brother in CHRIST, with the assistāce of Gods grace and holy spirit, to the working and performyng of those things which may comfort and edifye his church (as ye dayly do) to the glory of hys name, and the increase of your ioy and solace of soule in this lyfe, & also your reward in heauen wyth CHRIST our Captain, whose faithful souldiours ye are in the life to come, Amē.

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I haue greatly reioyced (my deare hart) with thanks to God for you, since I haue heard of your faith and loue which you beare towardes God & hys Saintes, wyth a most godly ardent zeale to the veritie of CHRISTES doctrine and religion which I haue heard by the report of