for none other then a true Christiā. MarginaliaObediēce vnto his king.If it be proued other wise, then let it be vtterly cōdemned: prouided alwayes, that I be taught a better beleue by the word of God, and I shall most reuerently at all tymes obey therunto.

This brief confessiō of this fayth, the Lord Cobham wrote (as is mencioned afore) and so tooke it with him to the court, offeryng it with all mekenesse vnto the king to read it ouer. The kyng would in no case receyue it, but commaūded it to be deliuered vnto them that should be his iudges. MarginaliaThe Christen stomack and manhoode of the L. Cobhā.Then desired he in the kynges presence, that an hundred knightes and esquiers myght bee suffred to come in vpon his purgation, whiche he knewe, would cleare him of all heresies. Moreouer he offred him selfe after the law of armes, to fight for life or death with any man liuyng, Christen or Heathen, in the quarell of hys faith, the kyng & the Lordes of his councell excepted. MarginaliaNo reasonable offer would serue.Finally withall gentlenes he protested before all þ^t were present, þ^t he would refuse no maner of correction þ^t shoulde after the lawes of God be ministred vnto him, but that he would at all times withall mekenes obey it. Notwithstandyng all this, the kyng suffered him to be sommoned personally in his owne priuie chaumber. MarginaliaLord Cobham appealeth frō the Archbish. to the Pope.Then sayd the Lord Cobham to the kyng, that he had appealed frō the Archbishop to the Pope of Rome, and therfore he ought hee sayd, in no case to bee his iudge. And hauyng his appeale there at hande ready written, he shewed it with all reuerence to the kyng. MarginaliaStraight handeling of the King.Wherewith the kyng was then much more displeased then afore, and sayd angerly vnto him, that he should not pursue hys appeale: but rather he should tary in holde, till such tyme as it were of the pope allowed. And then, would he or nylde hee, the Archbishop should be his iudge. MarginaliaL. Cobham wuolde not obey the beastThus was there nothyng allowed that the good Lord Cobham had lawfully afore required. But for somuch as hee would not bee sworne in all thinges to submit him selfe to the churche, and so to take what penaunce the Archbishop would enioyne hym: He was arested agayne at the kynges commaundement, and so ledde foorth to the tower of London, to keepe hys daye (so was it then spoken) that the Archebyshoppe had appoynted hym afore, in the kynges chaumber.

MarginaliaThe confessiō and aunswer of the Lord Cobham newly copied.Then caused he the foresayd confession of hys fayth to be copyed agayne and the answere also (which he had made to the foure articles proponed agaynst hym) to bee written in maner of an indenture in ij. sheetes of paper: That whan he should come to hys aunswere, he myght geue the one copie vnto the Archbishop, and reserue the other to hymselfe. As the day of examination was come, which was the 23. daye of September the Saturday before the feast of S. Mathew: MarginaliaCayphas sitteth in Consistory.Thomas Arundell þ^e Archbishop, sitting in Cayphas roume in the chapterhouse of Paules, with Richard Clifforde bishop of London, and Henry Bolingbroke byshop of Winchester, sir Robert Morley knight and Lieftenaunt of the Tower: brought personally before him the sayd Lord Cobham, and there left hym for the time, vnto whom the Archbyshop sayd these wordes.

MarginaliaAntichrist was here in ful power.SIr Iohn, in the last generall conuocatiō of the clergye of thys our prouince, ye were detected of certayne heresies, & by sufficient witnesses found culpable. Wherupon ye were by forme of spirituall lawe cited, & would in no case appeare. In conclusion, vpon your rebellious contumacie, ye were both priuately and openly excommunicated. Notwithstanding, we neuer yet shewed our selfe vnready to haue geuē you your absolution (nor yet do not to this houre) would ye haue mekely asked it. Vnto thys the Lord Cobham shewed, as though he had geuen no eare, hauing his minde otherwyse occupied, and so desired no absolution. MarginaliaA signe of Gods true seruaunt.But sayd, he would gladly before him and his brethren make rehearsall of that fayth which he held & entended alwayes to stand to, if it would please them to licence hym therunto. And than he tookeout of his bosome a certayne wryting endented, concerning the articles wherof he was accused, and so apertlye red it before them, geuing it vnto the Archbyshop, as he had made therof an end. Wherof thys is the copie.

MarginaliaThe Sacrament of the Lords body.J Iohn Oldcastle knight Lord of Cobham, will that all christen men weete and vnderstande: that I clepe almighty god into witnesse, that it hath bene, now is, and euer with the helpe of God, shall bene mine entente and my will, to beleue faythfully and fully all the sacraments that euer God ordayned to be do in holy church: & moreouer to declare me in these four poynts, I beleue that the most worshipfull sacrament of the aultar is Christes body in forme of bread, the same body that was borne of the blessed Virgin our Lady Saint Mary, done on the cros, dead and buried, the third day rose from death to life, the which body is now glorified in heauen.

MarginaliaPenaunce.Also as for the sacrament of penaunce I beleue, that it is nedefull to euery mā that shalbe saued to forsake sinne and do due penance for sinne before done, with true confession, very cōtrition, and due sacisfaction as Gods law limitteth and teacheth, & els may he not be saued: which penance I desire all men to doo.

MarginaliaImages.And as of images I vnderstand, that they be not of beleue, but that they were ordayned sith the beleue was zewe of Christ, by sufferāce of the church to be kalenders to lewed men, to represent and bring to minde the passiō of our Lord Iesu Christ, & martirdome and good liuing of other saints: And that who so it be, that doth the worship to dead images that is due to God, or putteth suche hope or trust, in help of them, as he should do to God, or hath affection in one more then in an other, he dooth in that, the great sinne of maumerry.

MarginaliaPilgremage.Also I suppose this fully, that euery man in this earth is a pilgrim toward blisse, or toward payne: and that he that knoweth not, ne will not know ne keepe the holye commaundements of God in his liuing here (albeit that he be go on Pilgrimage to all the worlde, and he dye so) he shalbe damned: and he that knoweth the holy cōmaūdements of God, and kepeth thē to his end, he shalbe saued though he neuer in his lyfe go on pilgrimage, as mē vse now to Cāterbury or to Rome or to any other place.

MarginaliaThe aunswere examined.
Quarel picked where none was geuen.This aunswer to his articles thus ended and red, he deliuered it to the bishops as is sayd afore. Than counceled the Archbishop with the other. ij. bishops, and with diuers of the doctours, what was to be done in this matter: commaunding him for the time to stande aside. In conclusion by their assent and information, he sayd thus vnto him: Come hither sir Iohn. MarginaliaThe christiā aunswere of the Lord Cobham, vnto theyr quarellingsIn thys your writyng are many good thinges contayned, and right catholick also, we denie it not: but ye must consider that this daye was appoydted you to answer to other pointes concerning those Articles, whereof as yet no mencion is made in this your byll. And therefore ye must yet declare vs your mynde more plainly.

As thus: whether that ye hold, affirme, & beleue, that in the Sacrament of the aultar, after the consecration rightly done by a priest, remaineth materiall bread, or not? MarginaliaThe wolfe was hūgry, he must nedes be fed with bloud.Moreouer, whether ye do hold, affirme and beleue, that as concerning the sacrament of penaunce (wher as a competent nomber of priestes are) euery Christen mā is necessarelye bounde to be confessed of hys sinnes to a priest ordayned by the church, or not?

After certaine other cōmunication, this was the answer of the good Lorde Cobham. That none otherwyse would he declare hys minde, nor yet answer vnto his articles, then was expresly in his writing there contained. Then said the Archbishop againe vnto him: Sir Iohn, beware what ye do. MarginaliaA tiranous whore is that mother.For if ye answer not clereli to those thinges that are here obiected against you (speciallye at the time appointed you onely for that purpose) the lawe of holye Churche is, that compelled once by a iudge, we may openly proclayme ye an hereticke. Vnto whom he gaue this answer: Do as ye shall thincke best, for I am at a poynt. MarginaliaHis aunswere not to their mindesWhatsoeuer he or the other Bishops dyd aske him after that, he bad them resorte to his byll: for thereby would he stand to the very death. Other answer would he not geue that day, wherwith the bishops and