Marginalia1555. February.he lay prisoner almost two yeare.

☞ This is the summe of that first talke, as I saw it mentioned in a Letter that Doctour Taylour wrote to a frend of his, thankyng God for his grace, that he had confessed his truth, and was founde worthy for truth to suffer prison and bandes, beseechyng his frendes to pray for hym, that he might perseuere constaunt vnto the end.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe godly behauiour and conuersation of D. Taylour in the pryson.Beyng in prison, Doctour Taylour spent all his tyme in prayer, readyng the holy Scriptures,  

and writyng, and preachyng, and exhortyng the prisoners and such as resorted to him, to repentaunce and amendement of lyfe.

Within a few dayes after, were diuerse other learned and godly men in sondry countreys of England committed to prison for Religion, MarginaliaPrisons turned into Churches, and churches into dens of theeues.so that almost all the prisons in England were become right Christian Scholes and Churches, so that there was no greater comfort for Christian hartes, then to come to the prisons, to behold their vertuous conuersation, and to heare their prayers, preachynges, most godly exhortations, and consolations.

[Back to Top]

Now were placed in Churches, blynd and ignoraunt Massemongers, with their Latine bablynges and apysh ceremonies: who lyke cruell Wolues spared not to murther all such, as any thyng at all, but once whispered against their Popery. As for all the godly preachers which were in kyng Edwardes tyme, MarginaliaThe lamentable distresse of Gods true worshippers in those dayes.they were either fled the Realme, or els, as the Prophetes did in kyng Achabs dayes, they were priuely kept in corners.  

As for as many as the Papistes could laye hold on, they were sent into prison, there as Lambes waytyng when the Butchers would call them to the slaughter.  

[Back to Top]

When Doctour Taylour was come into þ^e prison called the Kynges Bench, hee founde therein the vertuous and vigilant preacher of Gods word, M. Bradford:MarginaliaIohn Bradford and D. Taylour prisonfellowes in the Kinges Bench. which mā for his innocent and godly liuyng, his deuout, and vertuous preachyng, was worthyly counted a miracle of our tyme, as euen his aduersaries must needes confesse. Findyng this man in prison, he began to exhort him to fayth, strength, and patience, and to perseuer constant vnto the end. M. Bradford hearing this, thanked God that had prouided him such a comfortable prisonfelow: and so they both together lauded God, and cōtinued in prayer, readyng, & exhortyng one the other: In so much that D. Taylour told his frendes that came to visite him, that God had most graciously prouided for him, to send him to that prison where he founde such an aungell of God, to be in his company to comfort him.

[Back to Top]

¶ After that Doct. Taylour had lyen in prison a while, he was cited to appeare in the Arches at Bow Church  

to aunswere vnto such matter, as there should be obiected agaynst him. At the day appoynted, hee was led thether, his keeper waytyng vpon him. Where, when he came, MarginaliaD. Taylour defendeth mariage of Priestes.he stoutly and strongly defended his Mariage, affirmyng by the Scriptures of GOD, by the Doctours of the primatiue Church, by both Lawes Ciuill and Canon, that it is lawfull for priestes to mary, and þ^t such as haue not the gift of continencie, are bounde in payne of dānation to mary. This did he so playnly proue, that the Iudge could geue no sentence of diuorce agaynst him MarginaliaD. Taylour depriued of his benefice because of his mariage.but gaue sentence he should be depriued of his benefice because he was maryed.

[Back to Top]

You do me wrong then (quoth Doctour Taylour) and alledged many lawes and constitutions for him selfe: but all preuayled not. For he was agayne caryed into prison, & his liuynges taken away, and geuen to other. As for Hadley benefice, it was geuen or sold, I wote not whether, to one MarginaliaSeldome commeth a better.Maister Newealle, whose great vertues were altogether vnlike to Doctour Taylour his predecessour, as the poore Parishioners full well haue proued.  

[Back to Top]

AFter a yeare and three quarters, or thereabout, in the whiche tyme MarginaliaThe Papistes rule and raigne.the Papistes got certaine olde tyrannous lawes, which were put downe by kyng Henry the eight and by kyng Edward, to be agayne reuiued by Parlament: so that now they might Ex officio cyte whom they would, vppon their owne suspicion, and charge hym with what Articles they lusted, and except they in all thynges agreed to their purpose, burne them: when these lawes were once stablished, they sent for Doctour Taylour with certaine other prisoners, whiche were agayne conuented before the Chauncellour and other Commissioners about the 22. of Ianuary. The purpose and effect of which talke betwene them, because it is sufficiently described by himselfe in his owne letter written to a frend of his, I haue annexed the sayd letter here vnder as foloweth.

[Back to Top]

WHereas you would haue me to write the talke betwene the Kyng and Queenes most honourable Counsell and me on Tuesday. the xxij. of Ianuary, so farre as I remember: First my Lord Chauncellour sayd: You, among other are at this present tyme sent for, MarginaliaThe pardon is profered.to enioye the Kynges and Queenes Maiesties fauour and mercy, if you will now rise agayne with vs from the fall which we generally haue receaued in this Realme, from the whiche (God be praysed) we are now clearely deliuered, miraculously. If you will not rise with vs now, and receaue mercy now offered, you shall haue iudgement accordyng to your demerites. MarginaliaNote this aunswere.To this I aunswered: that so to rise, should be the greatest fall that euer I could receiue: for I should so fall from my deare Sauiour Christ, to Antichrist.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe religion set forth in K. Edwards dayes.For I do beleue that the Religion set forth in kyng Edwardes dayes, was accordyng to the veyne of the holy Scripture, whiche containeth fully all the rules of our Christian Religion, from the which I do not intend to decline so long as I lyue, by Gods grace.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaSecretary Bourne cauilleth against the religion set forth in K. Edwardes dayes.Then Maister Secretary Bourne sayd: which of the Religions meane ye of in kyng Edwardes dayes? For ye knowe there were diuers bookes of Religion set foorth in his dayes. There was a Religion set forth in a Cathechisme by my Lord of Caunterbury. Do you meane that you will sticke to that?

[Back to Top]

I aunswered: My Lord of Caunterbury made a Cathechisme to bee translated into Englishe, which booke was not of his owne makyng: yet hee set it foorth in hys owne name, and truely that booke for the tyme dyd much good. But there was after that set forth by the most innocent Kyng Edward (for whom GOD bee praysed euerlastingly) the whole Churchseruice, with great deliberation and the aduise of the best learned men of the Realme, and authorised by the whole Parlament, and receiued and published gladly by the whole Realme:MarginaliaA testimony of the booke of seruice set out in K. Edwardes dayes.. whiche booke was neuer reformed but once, and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfited, according to the rules of our Christian religion in euery behalfe, that no Christian conscience could be offended wyth any thyng therin cōtained: I meane of that booke reformed.

[Back to Top]

Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd: Diddest thou neuer read the booke that I set forth of the Sacrament?

I aunswered that I had read it.

Then he sayd: How likest thou that booke? With that one of the Counsell (whose name I knowe notMarginaliaHis right name might be Syr Iohn Clawbacke.) sayd: My Lord, that is a good question: for I am sure, that booke stoppeth all their mouthes. Then sayd I: My Lorde, I thinke many thinges bee farre wyde from the truth of Gods worde in that booke.

[Back to Top]

Then my Lord sayd: thou art a very varlet. To that I aunswered: that is as ill as MarginaliaMath. 5.Racha or Fatue. Then my Lord sayd: thou art an ignoraunt beetill brow.

MarginaliaDoctour Taylour learned in Diuinitie, and also in the ciuile law.To that I aunswered: I haue read ouer and ouer agayne the holy Scriptures, and S. Augustines workes through, S. Cyprian, Eusebius, Origene, Gregory Nazianzen, with diuers other bookes through once: therefore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignoraunt. Besides these, my Lord, I professed the Ciuill lawes, as your Lordshipp did, & I haue read ouer the Canon law also.

[Back to Top]

Then my Lord sayd: with a corrupt iudgement thou readest all thynges. Touchyng my profession it is Diuinitie, in which I haue written diuers bookes. Then I sayd: my Lord ye did write one booke De vera obedientia: I would you had bene cōstant in that: For in deede you neuer did declare a good conscience, that I heard of, but in that one booke.

[Back to Top]

Then my Lord sayd: tut, tut, tut, I wrote agaynst Bucer in Priestes mariages: but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art, which hast bene maried many yeares.

MarginaliaPriestes mariage confirmed by D. Taylour.To that I aunswered: I am maryed in deede, and I haue had nine children in holy Matrimony, I thanke God: and this I am sure of, that your proceedynges now at this present in this Realme agaynst Priestes Mariages is the maintenaunce of the doctrine of deuils, agaynst naturall law, Ciuill law, Canon law, generall Councels, Canons of the Apostles, auncient Doctours, and Gods lawes.

[Back to Top]

Then spake my Lord of Duresme, saying: You haue professed the Ciuill law, as you say. Then you know that Iustinian writeth, that Priestes should at their taking of orders sweare, that they were neuer maryed: and he bringeth in to proue that, Canones Apostolorum.

To that I aunswered: that I dyd not remember any such law of Iustinian. But I am sure that Iustiniā writeth in