pointed you iointlye & seuerallye to take and arrest William White priest, and Thomas, late chaplaine of Serlyng, in the countie of Norfolke, and William Northampton priest, & all other whatsoeur they be that are suspect of heresie or lollardie, whersoeuer they may be founde within the liberties or without, and straight waye being so taken, to send thē vnto our next gayle or prisō, vnto such tyme as we shall haue taken other order for their deliuerie: And therfore we straightly commaund you, that ye diligently attende about the premisses, and fulfill the same in forme aforesayd. Also we charge and commaunde all and singuler Iustices of peace, Maiors, Shrieues, Bailyfes, Constables, and all other our faythfull officers, by the tenour of these presents, that they do assist, ayde, and counsail you and euery of you, in the execution of the premisses, as it shal be comely for them. In witnes wherof, we haue caused these our letters patentes to bee made. Witnes my selfe at Westminster, the vi. of Iulye, the vi. yeare of our raigne.

By vertue of whiche commission we fynde in olde monuments, that within short space after, Iohn Exeter, which was appointed one of the Commissioners, attached vi. persons in the towne of Bungay in the dioces of Norwiche, and committed them to VVilliam Day, and VVilliam Roe, Constables of the towne of Bungay, to be sent within. x. daies folowing vnder safe custody, vnto the Castle of Norwich. Whose names, throughe the antiquitie of monument were so defaced that we could not attayne to the perfect knwledge of them all: onely three names partly remayned in the booke to be redde, which were these.

☞ Iohn Waddon of Tenterdon, in the countie of Kent,
Bartilmew, monke of Ersham. in the countie of Norfolk,
Corneleader a maried man. William Skuts.

These three were in the custody of the Duke of Northfolke, at his castle of Fremingham.

Besides these, we also fynde in the sayd olde monumentes within the dioces of Norfolke and Suffolke, speciallye in þ^e townes of Beckels, Ersham & Ludney, a great number both of men & women to haue bene vexed and cast in prison, and after their abiuratiō, brought to opē shame in churches and markets by MarginaliaWilliā bishop of Norwich. William Bernham hys Chauncelour.the bishop of þ^e said dioces called VVilliam, and hys Chauncellor VVilliam Berneham, Iohn Exeter beyng the Register therin, so that wythin the space of 3, or 4. yeares, that is from the yere. 1428. vnto the yeare. 1431. about the number of 120. men and womē were examined and sustained great vexation for the profession of the Christian fayth: of whome some were onely taken vpon suspition onely for catyng of meates prohibited vpō vigil dayes, who of their purgatiō made, escaped more easily away and wyth lesse pnnishment, whose names here followe subscribed.

MarginaliaA cataloge of good men and wemen troubled for suspicion of heresie.

The other were more cruelly handeled, & some of them were put to death and burned, of whom we do specially fynde mention made of these three.

¶ The residue, for a great number of good men and women, were forced to abiure, sustainyng suche cruell penaunce as pleased then the sayd bishop, and his Chauncellour to lay vpon them. The names of whiche both men and women here followe together in thys briefe Cataloge to be seene.

These forenamed persons and souldiours of Christ, being much beaten with the cares and troubles of those dayes, although they were constrained to relent and abiure, that is, to protest otherwise with their tonges then their hartes did thinke, partly thorough correction and partly thorough infirmity (beyng as yet but newe trayned souldiours in Gods field) yet for their good will they bare vnto the truth, although with their tongues theydurst not expresse it, wee haue thought good that theyr names should not be suppressed, aswell for other sundry causes, as especially for this: either to stop the mouthes of malignaunt aduersaries, or to aunswere to their ignoraunce: Who folowyng rather blinde affection then the true knowledge of tymes and antiquities, for lacke of knowledge, blame that they knowe not, accusing the true doctrine of the worde of God, for newelty, and car-