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810 [810]

K. Henry. 6. Persecution in Northfolke and Southfolke.

MarginaliaPopyshe penaunce.displinges in solemne procession about the Cathedrall Churche of Norwiche, three seuerall Sondayes, and three displinges aboute the market place of Norwiche three principall market dayes, hys head, necke and feete being bare, and hys bodye couered onely wyth a short shirte or vesture, hauing in his handes a taper of waxe of a pound weight, which the next Sondaye after his pennaunce, he should offer to the Trinitye: and that for the space of. iij. yeares after, euery Ashwensday and Maundy thursday he shoulde appeare in the cathedrall church of Norwiche, before the bishop or his vicegerēt, to do open penance amongest the other penitentiaries, for hys offences.

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There were besides these men which we haue here rehersed, diuers and many other, who, both for the concordance of the matter, and also for that their articles and punishmentes were all one, we haue thought good at this tyme to passe ouer, especially forsomuch as their names be before recited in the Cataloge.

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Marginalia1430.
Richard Houeden martyr.
ABout the same time, euen the same yere. 1430. shortly after the solemne coronation of K. Henry the sixt, a certaine man named Richard Houeden a woll winder, and Citizen of London, receiued also þe crowne of martyrdome. Which mā, when as he coulde by no perswasi

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ons bee withdrawen or plucked backe frō the opinions of Wicleffe, hee was by the Rulers of þe Church condemned of heresye, and as Fabian writeth, burned hard by the tower of London

¶ Nicholas Canon, of Eye.

MarginaliaNicholas Canon of Eve.
1431.
NOwe to proceede in our storye of Norfolke and Suffolke, in following the order of yeares, we finde that in the yeare of our Lorde. 1431. one Nicholas Canon of Eye was brought before the Bishoppe of Norwich for suspitiō of heresy, with certaine witnesses sworne to depose against him touching his maners and conuersation, which witnesses appoyntyng one Williā Christopher to speake in the name of them all, hee deposed in manner and forme folowinge. Fyrst that on Easter daye, when all the parishoners wente aboute the Churche of Eye solemnely in procession as the manner was, the sayde Nicholas Canon, as it were mockinge and derydinge the other parishoners, went a boute the Church the contrary waye, and met the procession.

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MarginaliaDeposition.This article he confessed, & affirmed that he thoughte he dyd well in so doing.

Item the sayd Nicolas asked of mayster Ihon Colman of Eye, this question. Mayster Colman, what thinke you of the Sacrament of the altar? To whome the sayde Colman aunswered: Nicolas, I thinke that the Sacrament of the aultar is very God and very mā,the very fleshe and very bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ vnder forme of bread and wyne. Vnto whom Nicholas in derision sayde: Truly if the Sacrament of the aultar be very God and very man, and þe very body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ: then maye very God and verye man be put in a small roume: as when it is in the priestes mouth, that receiueth it at masse. MarginaliaIf the Sacrament be very fleshe, then the priestes eate fleshe on frydayes.And why may not we simple men, as well eate fleshe vppon Frydayes and all other prohibited dayes, as the prieste to eate the flesh and the bloud of oure Lord euery daye indifferently? The which article, the sayd Nicolas denyed that hee spake vnto mayster Colman, but vnto a monke of Hockesney. And furthermore hee thought he hadde spoken well in that behalfe.

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Item that on Corpus Christi day at the eleuation of high masse, when as all the parishners and other straungers kneled downe holdyng vp their handes, and doing reuerence vnto the sacrament, the sayd Nicolas wente behynde a piller of the church, and turnyng his face frō the hygh aultar, mocked them that dyd reuerence vnto the sacrament.

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This article he also acknowledging, affirmed that he beleued himselfe to do well in so doyng.

Item, when his mother would haue the sayd Nicolas to lift vp hys right hand, and to crosse himself from the craftes and assaultes of the deuill, for so muche as he deferred the doyng thereof, his mother tooke vp hys right hand and crossed hym saying: In nomine patris & filij, & spiritus sancti, Amen. Which so ended, þe said Nicolas immediatly deridyng his mothers blessyng, tooke vp his right hand of hys owne accord, and blessed him otherwyse, as his aduersaries reporte of him. This article the sayd Nicolas acknowledged to be true.

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Item, that vpon Alhollow daye in the tyme of eleuation of high masse, when as many of the parishoners of Eye, lighted many torches and caried them vp to the high altar, knelyng downe there in reuerēce and honor of the sacrament, MarginaliaNicholas Canon turned hys backe to the Sacrament.the sayde Nicholas carying a torche, went vp hard to the hygh aultar, and standyng behynde the priestes backe saying masse, at the tyme of the eleuation he stoode vpright vpon hys feete, turnyng his back to the priest, and his face toward the people, and would do no reuerence vnto the sacrament. This article he acknowledged, affirming þt he thought he had done well in that behalfe. All which articles the bishops commissary caused to bee copied out worde for worde, and to bee sent vnto maister William Worsted, Prior of the cathedral church ef Norwich, and to other doctors of Diuinity, of the order of beggyng Friers, that they might deliberate vpon them, and shewe their mindes betwene that and Thursday next followyng. MarginaliaAn other examination of Nicholas Canon.Vpon which thursday being the last day of Nouember, þe yeare aforesaid, þe sayd Nicolas was agayne examined before maister Barnam and diuers other vpon 2. other articles which he had confessed vnto Iohn Exetor notarye, & Thomas Gerusten bacheler of Diuinitie and others. MarginaliaArticles obiected.Whereof the first article was this: that þe sayd Nicolas Canon, being of perfect mind and remembrance, confessed that he doubted whether in the sacrament of the altar, were the very body of Christ or no. This article he confessed before the Commissary, to be true.

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Item, that he beyng of perfecte mynde and remembrance, beleued that a man ought not to cōfesse his sins to a priest. This article he also confessed that he doubted vpon.

Now remayneth to declare what these doctors aforesayd concluded vpon the articles: whose aunswer vnto the same was this.

MarginaliaThe iudgemēt of the prior and doctours vpon hys articles.First of all as touching the first article, they said that the article in the same termes as it was propounded, is not simply an heresie but an errour.

Item, as touchyng the second article, the doctours a-

gree