MarginaliaAn. 1557. Nouember.presence of a Priest conuenient and meete, MarginaliaAuricular confession.to confesse hys sinnes to the sayd Priest, nor to receaue absolution of his sinnes, at his handes, nor to receaue of him the sacramēt commonly called the sacrament of the altar, after such forme as is now vsed within this realme of England.

Marginalia9. MarginaliaPopishe fast and prayer.Ninthly, that the said Gibson hath affirmed, that prayer vnto sainctes, or prayers for the dead, are not laudable, auailable, or profitable: and that no man is bound at any time, or in any place, to fast or pray, but onely at his owne will and pleasure, and that it is not lawfull to reserue or keepe the sayd sacrament of the altar, nor in any wise to adore and worship it.

The greatest matter which he was charged withal, was for not comming to confession, being thereunto required, for not receauing the sacramentes of the popish making, and for that he would not sweare to aunswere vnto theyr interrogatories layd agaynst him.

Notwithstanding after these his first examinations, he continued in the aforesayd prison of the Counter a good space, frō the moneth of May, vnto Nouember: at what time he was agayne produced vnto the finall examination iudiciarye. MarginaliaRich. Gibson a talle & bigge man of stature.Where is to be noted, that M. Gibson being a very bigge and talle man, of a personable and heroycall stature, was sent for of Boner by a litle and short person, a promoter, like Robin Papist, called Robin Caley, if it were not he him selfe.

MarginaliaIntolerable bragging of a vile promotor.This Robin Caley hauing the conducting of the sayd Gentleman from the Pultry, would needes hale him through Chepeside, the Gentleman desiring him to turne some other way. But the more the Gentlemā entreated, the more fierce was this sely Iacke vppon him: and drawing and holding him by the arme, would needes hale him through the high streete, that all the world might see what he could do in his office. M. Gibson desirous to be led without holding, willed and entreated him to let his arme loose: he would go quietly of his accord with him whether he would, onely crauing that he might goe by hym freely without noting of the people.

The saucie and impotent miser the Promoter hearing thys, who was scarse able to reach vnto his shoulders: nay (sayth he) thou shalt not escape me so, come on thy wayes. Thou shalt not choose but come: and so reaching at his arme, would needes dragge him vnto the Bishop. The Gentleman content to goe, yet loth to be notified in þ^e streetes, gently requested agayne and agayne, that refraining his holde, he would suffer him to goe of hys owne free and voluntary will: he should not neede to feare him, for he would not start from him. To whom the caytiffe, looking vp to his face: Come on thy way, saith he, I wil hold thee fast, spite of thy beard, and whether thou wilt or no.

Master Gibson seing and beholding the intolerable bragging of the wretched myser, and moued therewith not a litle, could beare no longer, but sayd: Wilt thou, sayd he? and addeth moreouer, bitterly looking downe towardes him, that if he did not incontinently plucke away his hand (and so stayed withall) he would immediatly wring his necke from his body. Wherupon Robin Papist the Promoter, was fayne to plucke away his holde, and so proceaded they vnto the Bishop, there to be examined agayne before him.

MarginaliaAn other appearing of Rich. Gibson.After thys, an other day beyng assigned hym to appeare agayne, much talke past betwen hym and Darbyshire, then Chauncellour. But in fine, being required to sweare that he should aunswere vnto all they would demaund, he denyed to answere vnto all things the Byshops shoulde commaund hym as Ordinary: for he is not, sayth hee, myne Ordinary, and so byd hym goe tell the Byshop. Before the which Byshop he beyng then commaunded to appeare the Friday next followyng, was brought vnto the Iustice Hal wythout Newgate, where he had the lyke conflictes wyth the foresayd Byshop and dyuers other Iustices. At length he was assigned the Saterday followyng, to be present in the Byshoppes consistory Court, to heare hys finall

sentence. At which day and place, the sayd Examinate appearing as he was commaunded, the Byshop after other matter of communication, asked hym if he knew any cause why the sentence should not be red agaynst hym. To whom the sayd maister Gibson aunswered, that the Byshop had nothyng wherefore iustly to condemne hym. The Byshops reasō was agayne obiected to hym, that men sayd he was an euill man. To whom Gibson replying agayne: yea, sayth he, and so may I say of you also. To be short, MarginaliaSentence red against Richard Gibson.after thys and such other talke, the Byshop hasted vnto the sentence. Which beyng red, Gibson yet agayne admonished to remember hymselfe and to saue hys soule, sayd, that he would not heare the Byshoppes bablyng, and sayd moreouer, boldly protesting and affirming that he was contrary and an enemy to them all in hys mynde and opinion, although he had afore tyme kept it secret in mynde for feare of the law. And speaking to the Byshop: blessed, sayd he, am I that am cursed at your hands. We haue nothing now but, thus will I. For as the Bishop saith, so must it be. And now heresy is to turne the truth of Gods word into lyes, and that do you, meaning the Byshop and hys fellowes.

Thus this valiaunt souldiour fightyng for the Gospell and sincere doctrine of Gods truth and Religion, against falsehoode and errour, was committed with his fellowes to the secular power.

MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of Ioh. Hallingdale, William Sparrow, Richard Gibson, An. 1555. Nouēb. 18.And so these three godly men, Iohn Hallingdale, William Sparrow, and M. Gibson being thus appointed to the slaughter, were the xij. day after theyr condēnation (which was the xviij. day of the sayd moneth of Nouember) burnt in Smithfield in Londō. And beyng brought thether to the stake, after their prayer made, they were bound therunto with chaines, and wood set vnto them, and after wood, fire, in the which being compassed about, & the fiery flames consumyng their flesh, at the last they yelded gloriously & ioyfully their soules and liues into the holy handes of the Lord, to whose tuition and gouernement, I commend thee good reader, Amen.

¶ It is a litle aboue declared in this story of Richard Gibson, how Boner ministred vnto the sayd Gibson certaine Articles, to the number of. ix. Now let vs see likewise the Articles which the sayd Gibson ministred agayne to Boner, accordyng to the same number of. ix. for him to aunswere vnto, as by the same here vnder written may appeare.

Marginalia1.MarginaliaGibsons questions or demaundes put to B. Boner.WHether the holy Scriptures of God, written by Moses and other holy Prophetes of God, through faith that is in Christ Iesus, is auailable doctrine to make all men in all thinges vnto saluation learned with out the helpe of any other doctrine or no.

Marginalia2.What is authoritie and from whence it commeth, to whom it apperteineth, and to what end it tendeth.

Marginalia3.Whether the holy word of God, as it is written, doth sufficiently teach all men, of what dignitie, estate, or callyng by office soeuer he or they be, their full, true, & lawful duety in their office: and whether euery man of what dignitie, estate, or callyng by office soeuer he, or they be, are bound vpon the payne of eternall damnation, in all thinges to do as they are hereby taught and commaunded, and in no wise to leaue vndone any thyng that is to be done, beyng taught and commaunded by the same.

Marginalia4.Whether any man, the Lord Iesu Christ God and mā onely except, by the holy ordinaunce of God euer was, is, or shalbe Lord ouer faith, and by what lawful authoritie any man, of what dignitie, estate, or callyng by office soeuer he or they be, may vse Lordship or power ouer any man for fayth sake or for the secrecie of his conscience.

Marginalia5.By what lawfull authoritie or power any mā, of what dignitie, estate, or callyng soeuer he or they be, may be so bold as to alter or chaunge the holy ordinaūces of God, or any of them, or any part of them.

Marginalia6.By what euident tokens Antichrist in his ministers