MarginaliaAn. 1556. March.mas Moyle would haue aunswered for hym at Lambeth before the Commissioners. Notwithstanding, after master Moyles comming to London, such information was layd in agaynst Turner, that he was sent for to make aunswer hym selfe before the sayd Cōmissioners, MarginaliaM. Turner appearing before the Commissioners at Lambeth, was discharged, and sent home.and there appearing before them, he made such an honest, perfite, & leraned aunswer vnto the Articles obiected, that he was with a good exhortation discharged home againe, without any maner of recantation or other iniunction.

Now, whē the Popecatholicke Clergy of Kent vnderstode of his comming home without controlement, so that he preached as freely as he did before, agaynst their blind and dumme ceremonies, straght way by the helpe of the Bishop of Winchester Steuen Gardiner, MarginaliaNew matter made agaynst Richard Turner.they found a new meanes to put him to an vtter confusion, deuising that hee came home from examination in such glorious Pompe by the hyewayes side in the woodes adioyning, MarginaliaThe practise of Papistes to hold vp theyr kingdome with lyes.that v.C. persons met hym then with banketting dishes to welcome him home, stirring the people rather to an vprore and a commotion, then to kepe them in any quiet obedience: when in very deede, contrary to this surmyse (as God would) on this syde Rochester a mile or two, for auoyding all such light and glorious talke with any of his familiars or acquaintaunce, he of purpose left the hye way, and came through the woodes all alone aboue xviij. myles together on fote, so weried and megered for want of sustinance, that when he came into my house at Chartham, he was not well able to stand or speake for fayntnes and thurst.

MarginaliaThe King deceaued by sinister information.This malicious tale being reported vnto the kinges hyghnes, his Maiesty was so sore agreeued therewyth, that he sent for the Archb. of Caunterbury, willing him to cause Turner to be whipt out of the countrey. By meanes whereof the Archbishop of Caunterbury sent agayn for Turner. I hearyng thereof, made incontinently report by my letters, with such vehemencie prouyng it mere malyce, that the Archbishop. vnderstanding the truth, pacified agayne the kings maiesties wrath. Home commeth Turner once agayne to his Cure without blot. Which so wroong þ^e Papists, in that they could not preuayle, that they thought it all in vayne any farther to attempt against him concerning any accusatiō for matters in Kent, the Archb. of Canterbury beyng hys Ordinarye. Well, yet would they not thus leaue hym vndiscredited. MarginaliaNew matter made agaynst Rich. Turner.Then was there other new matter deuised, howe that he had preached erroneous doctrine in other countreyes before he came into Kēt, laying to hys charge that he had both translated the Masse in to English, and sayd or ministred the same, and that he had preached agaynst Purgatory, Pilgrimages, and praying for the dead. &c. By meanes whereof he was nowe conuented before the whole Counsayle by the bishop of Winchester. Who sent Siriacke Petite Gentleman for hym, which brought hym vp to London bound (as I heard say) and being examined before the sayd bishop of Winchester and other, was committed to ward for a season.

MarginaliaConspiracie agaynst the Archbishop Cranmer, by the Iustices of Kent.In the which meane tyme the Archbishop of Caunterbury being in Kent, abut the tryall of conspiracy purposed agaynst himselfe by the Iustices of the sheare, and the Prebendaries of CHRISTES Church, Turner is now sent downe to the Archbishop to the intent hee should recant that doctrine which long ago he in other places out of Kent had preached, to the vtter subuersion and defacing of all that he had most godly and earnestly here in Kent taught both to the glory of God, and the furtheraunce and setting forth of the kinges highnes proceedinges. If his maiesty will thus permit learned honest men thus dayly to bee ouercrowed and troden vnder fote with a sort of tyrannous, or rather trayterous Papists (who cā not abide to heare his maiesties supremacy aduaunced, nor the sincere woorde of God preached) it were better for men to dwell amongst the Infidels and miscreants then in England. What reason is this that Turner should recant here in Kent, the doctrine which in other Countreyes he hath taught, to the wounding and ouerthrowing most desperatly of fyue hundred mens consciences, and aboue (I dare say) who lately by hys sincere preaching haue embraced a ryght good opinion both of the Kinges supremacy, and also of the reformed religion receiued. All good subiectes may well lament the kinges Maiesties estate in this behalfe, that no mā may dare to be so bold to aduaunce his highnes title, but that euery ignorant and malicious Papist shall spurne agaynst hym, seekyng hys vtter vndoyng, and that by the ayde of papisticall Iustices set in authoritie. I besech you worships to pardon me of my rude

and homely termes. They herein deserue worse, if worse may be deuised. For what honest man can beare wyth this, that so noble a Princes eares shall bee thus impudently abused wyth manifest lyes and fables, as this one is of Turners comming home in such a triumph as they craftely and falsely had deuised? It is easely to be espied what they meane and go about, that the Prince being alyue dare take in hand so vncurteously to abuse both the gentle nature of the Prince, and hys godly Preacher, the aduauucer and extoller of hys iust authoritye. What thinke your worships they would attēpt, if hys maiesty were at Gods mercy (as God forfend that euer any of vs should see that day, without better reformation) that can thus dally wyth hys hyghnes, blyndyng hys eyes wyth mistes, whylest he lyueth and raygneth amongest vs in most prosperitie? As for my Lord of Canterbury dare nothing do for the poore mans delyuery, hee hath done so much for hym already. And his Grace hath told me playnly that it is put in to the kinges head, that hee is the mayntener and supporter of all the hereticks with in the realme, nor wyll not permit me nor my neighbors to resort vnto the Counsaile for hys purgation whilest he was at Chartham, sauing onely I haue obtained this at his hand, that I may become a suter in writing to my frendes and good Masters in the court for his deliuery.

And therfore it is (right worshipfull) that I haue now taken pen in hand, thus to discourse and open our miserie vnto you concernyng the extreme handlyng of this honest poore man M. Turner, that if it may possibly bee brought to passe by your godly wisedomes, that þ^e poore man my be released and discharged of this his recantation, you can not do to God and your Prince a more acceptable seruice, in my poore opinion. For otherwise if he should be driuē to recant (as I am sure he wil sooner dye) both Gods cause & the kynges shall suffer no small detriment amōgest his poore louyng subiectes here. For if there bee no better stay for the maynteinaunce of these godly Preachers, the kynges authoritie concernyng hys supremacie, shall lye post alone hidden in the Act of Parlament, and not in the hartes of his subiectes. If they cā bring to passe, that Turner may recant, to the defacyng of his good doctrine preached here, then haue they that for which they haue thus long trauailed. And yet in effect shall not Turner recant, but kyng Henry the viij. in Turners person shall most odiously recant to the woundyng of all mens consciences here. If the kynges maiestie do not esteme his authoritie giuen to his highnes by Gods word and his Parlament, it were well done, that the Preachers had good warnyng to talke no more to the people thereof, then thus to be tossed and tormoiled for doyng their duties, by the members of Antichrist.

And now to the intent that they might effectually for euer sclaunder Turners doctrine here, they haue indited hym for offendyng agaynst þ^e vj. Articles this last Sessions, by the witnes of ij. Papistes of the Parish of Chartham his vtter enemies, MarginaliaSander, Browne, 2 persecuting Papistes.Sander and Browne by name, for a Sermon preached at Chartham on passion Sunday, which chaūced on S. Gregories euē, they both being absent that day at Wye faire, as it is wel proued, namely for that he should preach agaynst the Masse, saying that our Sauiour CHRIST was the onely soule Priest which song Masse on the aultar of the Crosse, there sacrificing for the sinnes of the world once for euer, & that all other Masses were but remembraunces and thankes giuyng for that one sacrifice, or such wordes in effect.

Wherefore, to conclude (right worshypfull) knowyng your godly zeales, aswel towardes the preferment of sincere Religion, as your no lesse affection towardes the kyng his Maiesties person and his godly procedynges, I most humbly besech you in the bowels of our Sauiour CHRIST, so to ponder the weighty consideration of the premisses, as by your trauailes vnto the kings Maiestie or to the honorable Coūsaile, we here in Kent, that haue now of late our hartes bent towardes the obseruation of the law of God and the Prince, thorough Turners godly persuasions, may receyue frō your worships some comfortable worde of his deliueraunce, or els certeinly many an honest & simple man lately embracing the truth may perhaps fall away desperatly frō the same, not without daunger of their soules. In accomplishyng wherof your worshyps shall not onely do vnto almighty God and the Prince most true and acceptable seruice, but also bynd the sayd M. Turner, with all other to whō this cause doth appertein, both dayly to pray for your prosperities, and also bee at your commaundementes duryng their liues. From Canterbury the ij. day of Nouember.

Your worships euermore at comaundement, R. M.