Marginalia1558.Lith. We haue others.

Chaunc. Where be they?

Lith. In the whole world disparsed, preaching and professing the Gospell and faith onely in our Sauiour Iesus, as he commaunded them.

Chaunc. You boast much euery one of you of your faith and beliefe: Let me heare therfore the effect how you beleue.

Lith. MarginaliaIustification by fayth only.I beleue to be iustified freely by Christ Iesu, accordyng to the saying of S. Paul to the Ephesiās, without either deedes or workes, or any thyng that may be inuented by man.

Chaunc. Faith can not saue without workes.

Lith. That is cōtrary to the doctrine of the Apostles.

Chaunc. Iohn Auales, you and the keeper haue this fellow to prison.

Cluny, & Iohn Auales. Then Iohn Auales & Cluny the keeper had me into Paules, and would haue had me to haue seene the Apostles Masse.

Lith. I know none the Apostles had, and therfore I will see none.

Cluny, & Iohn Auales. Come kneele down before the roode, and say a Pater noster & an Aue in the worship of the fiue woundes.

Lith. I am forbidden by Gods own mouth to kneele to any Idoll or Image: therfore I will not.

Then they pulled me with great extremitie, the one hauing me by one arme, and the other by the other, but God gaue me at that present time more strength then both these, his name be praised for it.

MarginaliaLithall denyeth to kneele before the Roode.Then when they could not make me to kneele before the roode, neither to see their Masse, there gathered a great company about vs, and all agaynst me. Some spitte on me, and sayd: fie on thee hereticke, and other sayd it was pitie that I was not burned already.

Then they caried me to Lollardes Tower and hanged me in a great payre of stockes, in the which I lay three dayes and three nightes, till I was so lame that I could neither sturre nor moue.

Then I offred the keeper certaine money and gold that I had about me, to release me out of the stockes: and he sayd I would not be ruled by him, neither to see Masse nor to kneele before the roode, and therfore I should lye there still. But I sayd I would neuer do the thing that should be against my conscience, and though you haue lamed my body, yet my conscience is whole, I prayse God for it. So shortly after he let me out of the stockes, more for the loue of my money (as it may be thought) then for any other affection, and within iiij. or fiue dayes my wife got leaue of Master Chauncellour to come to me, to bring me such thinges as were nedefull for me, and there I lay fiue weeks and odde dayes. In the which tyme diuers of my neighboures and frendes made sute to the Chauncellour for my deliueraunce, the Byshop, as they sayd, at that time being at Fulham sicke. MarginaliaLithalls neighbours make sute for him.So my neighbours beyng there, about 20. of them, the Chauncellour sent for me out of the Lollardes Tower to his owne house, and sayd as followeth.

Chaunc. Lithall, here bee of thy neighbours which haue bene wyth me to intreate for thee, and they haue informed me that thou hast bene a very honest and a quiet neighbour amongest them, and I thinke it be Gods will that I should deliuer thee before my Lord come home. For if he come and thou go home agayne, I will be burned for thee, for I know his mynde already in that matter.

Lith. I geue you harty thankes for your gentlenes, and my neighbours for their good report.

Chaunc. Lithall, if thy neighboures wyll be bound for thy forth comming whensoeuer thou shalt be called for, and also thou wilt be an obedient subiect, I shalbe content to deliuer thee.

Neighbours. If it please your worship, we will be

bound for him both in body and goodes.

Chaunc. I will requier no such bond of you, but that two of you will be bound in 20. pound a peece, that he shall come to aunswere when he shall be called.

Lith. Where find you, master Chauncellor, in all the scripture, that the church of God did bynde any man for the profession of his fayth? which profession you haue heard of me, that all our iustification, righteousnes, and saluation, commeth onely and freely by the merties of our sauiour Iesus Christ, and all the inuentions and workes of men, be they neuer so glorious, be altogether vayne, as the wise man sayth.

Chaunc. Loe, where he is now. I put no such matter to you: for in that I beleue as you do: but yet S. Iames sayth that a man is iustified by workes.

Lith. MarginaliaS. Iames expounded.S. Iames spake to those that boasted themselues of fayth and shewed no workes of fayth. But O master Chauncellor, remēber I pray you, how all the promises and prophesies of the holy scripture, euen from the first promise that God made to Adam, and so euen to the latter end to the Reuelation of S. Iohn, do testifie that in þ^e name of Iesus, and onely by his merites, all that beleue shall be saued from all their sinnes and offences. Esay sayth: MarginaliaEsay. 65.I am found of them that sought me not, and am manifest to them that asked not after me: but against Israell he sayth: all day long haue I stretched out my hand to a people that beleue not. And when the Iaylor asked S. Paule what he should do to be saued, the Apostle sayd: MarginaliaActes. 16.beleue in the Lord Iesus, and thou shalt be saued and all thy housholde. Agayne, S. Iohn sayth in the Reuelation, that there was none, neyther in heauen, nor in earth, neither vnder the earth, that was able to open the booke nor the seales thereof, but onely the Lambe Iesus our onely Sauiour. And S. Paule saith: MarginaliaHebr. 9.with one offring hath he made perfect for euer them that are sanctified.

Chaunc. With vayne glory you rehearse much scripture, as all the sort of you do: but you haue no more vnderstadning than a many of sheepe. But to the purpose. Will you that your neighbours shall enter into bondes for you, or not?

Lith. By my mynde they shall not. MarginaliaLithall refuseth to put in bonde.Wherefore I desire you that you would not bynde me, but let me serue God with my conscience freely. For it is written: MarginaliaApoc. 13.they that lead into captiuity shall go into captiuity, and they that strike with the sworde shall perish with the sworde. Also it is written in the Gospell of our Sauiour Iesus Christ: MarginaliaMath. 18.that who so doth offend one of these litle ones which beleue in me, it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and that he were cast into the depth of the sea. Of the which I am assured by his holy spirite that I am one. Wherefore be you well assured that such mercy as you shew, vnto you shall be shewed the like.

Chaunc. You are a mad mā. I would not binde you, but that I must needes haue somwhat to shew for your deliueraunce. Then he called two of my neighboures, Thomas Daniell and Saunders Maybe, which offred themselues to be found, and called me before them, and sayd: I haue a letter of his owne hand writing with his name & seale at it, with a booke also against the Regiment of women, for the which I could make hym to be hanged, drawen, and quartred, but on my fayth I will him no more hurt, then I meane to mine owne soule.

Lith. I desire you that be my neighbours and frends, that you will not enter into bondes for me: for you know not the daunger thereof, neyther I my selfe: It goeth against my conscience that ye should so do.

Chaunc. Why, I will not bynde you to do any thing against your conscience.

Neighboures. Then they made the bondMarginaliaHis neighbors enter into bonde for him. and sealed to it, and willed me that I should seale to it also: and I sayd that I would not, neyther coulde I obserue the bonde, and therefore I would not set to my hand.