Marginalia1557. Ianuary.MarginaliaPaulus Phagius for commending Oecolāpadius, Bucer, Melancthon and Brentius, condemned.colampadium, ac Martinū Bucerum prædictum, necnon Philippum Melancthonem, & Iohannem Brentium, notorios & insignes hæresiarchas, & eorum doctrinam, & in eius scriptis impressis & vulgo æditis, non solum probando, sed summis laudibus attollendo, se non solum hæreticis fauere, sed eorū falsis dogmatibus assentire, & ea credere, & probare: ad eaq; credenda, alios inducere, niti manfeste fe ostendit, & hic pro hæretico cōmuniter & notoriè habitus & reputatus, in huiusmodi errore impænitens decessit, non solum hæreticorum fautorem, sed hæreticum fuisse, necnon eosdem Martinum Bucerum, & Paulum Fagium excommunicationis & anathematis, ac alias quascunq; contra huiusmodi personas, tam de iure communi, quàm per literas, processuum predictorū statutas sententias, censuras, & pœnas damnabiliter incidisse & incurrisse: & eorum memoriam condemnandam esse, & cōdemnamus, ac eorū corpora & ossa quæ hoc tempore pernitiosissimi schismatis, & aliarum hæresium, in hoc regno vigentium, Ecclesiasticæ fuerunt temere tradita sepulturæ, quatenus ab alijs fideliū corporibus, & ossibus discerni possunt iuxta canonicas sanctiones, exhumanda, & procul ab Ecclesia proijcienda, & exhumari & proijci mandamus, & eorum libros ac Scripturas, si quæ hic reperiantur, publicè comburen. & comburi præcipimus: ac eosdem libros & Scripturas quibuscunq;, tam huius vniuersitatis, quàm oppidi, & locorum eis adiacentium, personis, sub pœnis, tam ex iure communi, quàm literis processuum prædictorū, seu quomodolibet alias cōtra haben. & legen. libros hæreticos statutis, interdicimus.

After the sentence thus red, the Bishop commaunded theyr bodyes to be digged out of theyr graues, and being disgraded from holy orders, deliuered them in to the hands of the secular power. For it was not lawfull for such innocent persons as they were, abhorring from all bloudshed, and detesting all desire of murder, to put any man to death.

MarginaliaPernes Sermon agaynst Bucer.OVer and besides thys oration & sentence of Doctour Scot, came in also Doctor Perne Vicechauncellour, with hys sermon tendyng to the same effect, to the deprauing of M. Bucer, taking for hys theme the place of the. 132 Psalme: Behold, how good and pleasant a thing it is. &c. Where, beginning first with the cōmendation of cōcord and of the mutuall knitting together of the mindes, hee alledged that it was not possible to holde together, vnles the concorde were deriued out of the head, the which he made to be the Byshop of Rome, and that it also rested in the same.

After he had made a long protestation hereof, he passed forth to Bucer, vppon whom he made a shamefull raylyng, saying: that his doctrine gaue occasion of diuision in the common wealth, and that there was not so greuous a mischiefe, which by his meanes had not bene brought into the Realme. Although all men might perceaue by the bookes he had compyled, what maner of doctrine it was: yet notwithstanding (he sayde) he knew it more perfectly himselfe than any dyd, and that he had learned it a part at the autours hand himselfe.

MarginaliaD. Pernes accusation agaynst M. Bucer.For at such tyme as they had communication secretly among them selues, Bucer (sayd he) would oftentymes wyshe he might be called by some other name, than by the name he had: for this purpose, as though knowing himselfe gilty of so greauous a cryme, he might by thys meanes escape vnknowen to the worlde, and auoyd the talke that went among men of him.

Moreouer among other thinges, he tolde how Bucer held opinion (which thing he should confesse to hym his owne selfe) MarginaliaA sore heresie noted of Doct. Perne.that God was the author and welspring, not onely of good, but also of euill: and that whatsoeuer was of that sort, flowed from hym as from the head spring, and maker therof. The which doctrine he vpheld to be sincere: howbeit, for offending diuerse mens consciences, he durst not put it into mens heades.

MarginaliaShamefull rayling of D. Perne agaynst M. Bucer.Many other thynges he patched together of lyke purport and effect, as of the supremacie of the Byshop of Rome, of the mariage of priestes, of diuorcementes, and of shamefull vsury also, as though he had demed the same lawfull to be vsed among Christen people, with diuerse other of the like sort. In all which his allegations, considering how lewdely without all shame he lyed vpon Bucer  

Commentary     Close

This denunciation of Perne comes from the Historia vera and from Golding's Briefe treatise (sigs. G5r-G6v); Foxe was merely repeating. However, it is significant that while Foxe protected the identities of some prominent people involved in the exhumation and burning of the bodies of Bucer and Fagius, he did little to protect Perne's reputation.

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clare) he dyd not so much hynder his name with raylyng vpon hym, as wynne vnto hym self an inexpiable infamy, by forging so shamefull leasinges vpon so worthy a man. But what neadeth witnesse to proue hym a lyar? hys owne conscience shall make as much agaynst hym as a number of men.

It was reported for a truth, and that by hys owne familiar frendes testified, that the sayd D. Perne him selfe eyther immediatly after his Sermon, or els somewhat before he wēt to it, striking himselfe on the brest, and in a maner wepyng, wyshed at home at hys house with all hys hart,MarginaliaD. Perne speaketh agaynst hys owne conscience, in rayling agaynst M. Bucer. that God would graunte his soule might euen then presently departe and remaine with Bucers. For he knew well inough that hys life was such, that if any mans soule were worthy of heauen, he thought his in especially to be most worthy.

Whyles he was thus talking to the people, in the meane tyme the leaues of the church doores were couered ouer with verses:MarginaliaVerses agaynst M. Bucer & Phagius. in the which the yong men, to shew theyr folly, which scarce knew him by sight, blased Bucers name with most reprochfull Poetrie.

These thinges being dispatched, Perne (as though he had sped hys matter marueylously well) was for hys labour, of courtesie bydden to dynner to Trynity Colledge by the Commissioners. Where, after the table was taken vp, MarginaliaThe Sētence of condemnation sent to London with the Commissioners letters.they caused the sentence of condemnation to be copyed out with all speede: which being signed with the Byshop of Chesters seale, the next day followyng was for a triumph sent to London with diuerse of those verses and sclaunderous libells.

Besides this, they sent also theyr own letters, wherin they both aduertised the Cardinall how farre they had proceaded in that matter, & also desired his grace, that he would cause to be sent out of hand to Smith the Mayor of the towne, the commaundement, commonlye called a wrytteMarginaliaA writte for burning of heretickes. for the burning of Heretickes. For vnlesse he had the Queenes warrante to saue him harmelesse he woulde not haue to doe in the matter: and that which remayned to be done in that case, could not be dispatched tyll that warraunt came. Whiles thys Pursiuant went on hys iorney, they willed to be brought vnto them the bookes that they commaunded before to be serched out. For they determined to throw them into the fyre with Bucer and Phagius.

About the same tyme, Doct. Watson taking occasiō vpon the day, because it was a high feast, in the which was wonte to be celebrated the memoriall of the purification of the blessed Virgin, made a Sermon to the people vpō that Psalme: We haue receiued thy mercy O Lord, in the middest of thy temple. &c. MarginaliaWatsons Sermon vpon Candelmas day.In the which Sermon he spake much reproch of Bucer and Phagius, and of theyr doctrine.

He sayd that these men and all the heretickes of our tyme that were of the same opinion (the which for the most part he sayd were budded out of Germany) among other thinges which they had perniciously put into mens heades, taught to cast away all ceremonyes. Wheras notwithstanding the Apostle himselfe commaunded all thinges to bee done in due order. And vpō that dede of the blessed Virgin and Ioseph which was done by them as vpon that day, it was manifestly apparant, that they with our sauiour being then a litle babe, obserued these rites and Ceremonyes, for catholike men to teach. MarginaliaMary and Ioseph went a procession with waxe candels, or ells D. Watson sayth false.For he sayd that they came to þ^e temple the same tyme with waxe candels in their handes after the maner of procession (as they terme it) in good order, with much reuerence and deuotion: and yet we were not ashamed to laugh and mocke at these thinges with the heretickes, and Schismatickes.

As he was telling his tale of Christ, Mary and Ioseph, one of them that heard hym, a pleasaunt and mery conceyted fellow, turning himselfe to hym þ^t stoode next him, sayd: MarginaliaA question to be spurred to D. Watson.& if it be true (quoth he) þ^t this mā preacheth, which of them I pray you (if a mā might spurre him a question) bare the Crosse before them? for that