MarginaliaAn. 1555. March.ber where amongest other thyngs they layd it straitly to my charge, that I had reported that I knew an whole messe of good Gentlemen in Lancashyre of myne opinion, and straitly charged me vpō payne of allegiance to the Queenes grace, to shewe who they were. But I denyed that I had spoken any such thyng (as it was in deede a false forged lye of some wicked wretches.) After that, they threatened and rebuked me, for my preachyng to the people out of the prison, as they called it, and for my praying and reading so loud, that the people in the streetes might heare. The truth is, I and my prison fellow MarginaliaWarbarton felow prisoner with Marsh.Warbarton, euery day kneelyng on our knees did read morning and euening prayer, with the Englishe Letany euery day twise, both before noone and after, with other Prayers moe, and also read euery day certayne Chapters of the Bible, commonly towardes night: MarginaliaG. Marsh reproued for his loud praying and reading in prison.and we read all these thynges with so hygh and loude a voyce, that the people without in the streetes, might heare vs, & would often tymes, namely in the euenynges, come and sit downe in our sightes vnder the windowes & heare vs read, where with others beyng offended, complained.

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All this while George Marshe was not yet brought before the Byshop, whose name was Doctour Cotes, placed the same tyme in the Byshoprike of Chester. Of whose commyng then vnto Lancaster, the sayd George Marshe reporteth himselfe as followeth.

MarginaliaDoct. Cotes bishop of Chester.THe Byshop beyng at Lancaster, there set vp and confirmed all blasphemous Idolatry, as holy water castyng, procession gaddyng, Mattens mumblyng, children confirmyng, Masse hearyng, Idols vp settyng, with such hethenish rites forbiddē by God:MarginaliaThe Bishops comming to Lancaster, and setting vp Idolatry. but no Gospell preaching, which Christ Gods sonne so earnestly commaunded. He was informed of me & willed to sēd for me and examine me. Which thing he refused to do, saying he would haue nothyng to do with heretickes so hastely: MarginaliaThe B. iudgeth Marsh to be an hereticke, before he heareth hym.So hasty in Iudgemēt and callyng men heretickes are our Byshops in their Lordly dignities, afore they heare or see, what is to be amended or condemned, contrary to the expresse commaundement of Gods word, which sayth: Condēne no man before thou hast tried out the truth of the matter, and whē thou hast made inquisition, then reforme righteously. MarginaliaHasty iudgement of Byshops reproued by Gods word.Geue no sentence before thou hast heard the cause, but first let mē tell out their tale, and he that geueth sentence in a matter before he heare it, is a foole and worthy to be confounded.

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MarginaliaThe vnmercifull straitnes of the Byshop toward G. Marsh in prison.And in stead of his liberalitie towardes me poore prisoner, he sent for the Iayler and rebuked hym because he suffered me to fare so well, willyng to haue me more straitly kept and dieted: but if his Lordshyp were tabled but one weeke with me, I doe thinke he would iudge our fare but slender enough.

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MarginaliaThe scholemaster of Lancaster rebuked for comming to George Marsh in prison.Also, he and his Chapleins and Chauncellour did finde fault with the Scholemaister and others, for speakyng to one as to a most heynous hereticke, and also with the Iaylor for sufferyng them. Such is the mercy that these religious fathers shewe to the frendles and comfortles in their aduersities. If we may know the tree by the frutes (as Christ sayth) MarginaliaPopish Bishops declare themselues by their fruites to be very enemies to Gods worde.no man can iudge such for any other, but for very enemyes to Christ and his true Religion. God lay it neuer to their charges, but forgiue them and turne their hard hartes, if it be his will.

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MarginaliaNo new thing for Byshops to be persecutors.But it is no newe thyng for Byshops to persecute the truth and the Prophetes of the Lorde, for their constauncie in preachyng of the true fayth, for so dyd their Pharisaicall forefathers, if ye marke well the hystories of the holy Bible. MarginaliaExamples of persecuting Bishops in the olde tyme.Phasher was the head Byshops of the Temple, the ryngleader of false Prophetes, the chief hereticketaker, that is as much to say, as the outthruster of true godlynes. After that the dignitie of Priesthode was geuen vnto him, hee abused it. For hee taught not neither reproued by the worde, but feared the godly with crueltie. Hee not onely strocke, but also imprisoned the holy Prophete Ieremy, though hee withstode him not, but presently looked for the helpe of God, stedfastly preachyng the truth of God.

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MarginaliaByshop Iason.What mischief the vngracious Byshop Iason wrought among the Iewes, destroying all godlynes and settyng vp abhominable Idolatrous lawes, ye may read in the 4. chapter of the second of Machabees. How the excecrable & blynd MarginaliaB. Annas and Cayphas.Byshoppes Annas and Caiphas, whiche neuer spake the truth of God thēselues, vnlesse it were against their willes, vnwittyngly to their vtter destruction, how (I say) they pressed the truth in Christ and his Apostles, is so well knowen that I neede not to rehearse it.

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And thus much hetherto concernyng the prisonment of George Marsh & hys examinatiōs before the Earle of Darby and his deputies aboue named. Now proceedyng further

in the troublesome persecution of thys blessed man, let vs likewise consider the latter part of hys troubles and examinations which followed vnder the byshop of that same Dioces, which was Doctour Cotes: the effect whereof being drawen out of hys own writyng, here briefly is to bee seene as followeth.

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MarginaliaG. Marsh appeareth before the Byshop.YE heard before how G. Marsh beyng first imprisoned at Lathum, and afterward translated vnto Lancaster, was troubled by the Earle. Agayne, within few dayes after, the sayd Marsh was remoued from Lancaster, &  

comming to Chester, was sent for by D. Cotes then B. to appeare before him in his Hall, no body beyng presēt but they twayne: & then he asked hym certayn questions concerning the sacrament: who made such aunswer as the Bishop semed therewith to be content, sauyng that he vtterly denyed transubstantiation, and allowed not the abuse of the Masse nor that the lay people should receaue vnder one kynd onely, contrary to Christes institution: in which pointes the Byshop went about to perswade him: howbeit (God be thanked) all in vayne. Much other talke hee had with hym, to moue him to submit hymselfe to the vniuersall Church of Rome: and when he saw he could not preuayle, he sent him to prison agayn: MarginaliaGreat labour to make G. Marsh to recant.and after being there, there came to him diuers tymes, one Massy, a fatherly old man, one Wrench the Schole maister, one Hensham the byshops Chaplayn, and the Archdeacon,   with many moe: who with all probability of words, & Philosophy or worldly wisedome, & deceitfull vanity after the tradition of men and the beggerly ordinaunces and lawes of the worlde, but not after Christ (as it were all syngyng one song) went about to perswade him to submit himself to the Church of Rome, and to acknowledge the pope to be head therof, and to interprete the scriptures none otherwise then that Church dyd: with many such lyke argumentes & perswasions of fleshly wisedome.

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To whom the sayd George Marsh aunswered, that he dyd acknowledge and beleue (though much euill be withall annexed) one holy Catholycke and MarginaliaThe church Apostolicke.Apostolicke Churche, without which there is no saluation, and that this Church is but one, MarginaliaThe church how it is one.because it euer hath, doth, and shall confesse and beleue, one onely God, and him onely worship, and one onely Messiah, and in him onely trust for saluation: which church also is ruled and led by one spirite, one worde, and one fayth: and that this Churche is vniuersall and Catholycke, because MarginaliaThe nature, condition, and notes of the true church.it euer hath bene since the worldes beginning, is, and shall endure to the worldes ende, and comprehendyng with in it all natiōs, kinreds, and languages, degrees, states, and conditions of men: and that this Churche is buylded onely vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles, Iesus Christ him selfe beyng the head corner stone, and not vppon the Romishe lawes and decrees, the Byshop of Rome beyng the supreme head.

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MarginaliaThe nature, condition, and notes of the false Church.And where they sayd, the Church dyd stand in an ordinary succession of Bishops, beyng ruled by generall Councels, holy fathers, and the lawes of holy Church, and so had continued by the space of fiftene hundreth yeares and more: he made aunswer that the holy Church, whiche is the body of Christe, and therfore most worthy to be called holy, was before any succession of Byshops, generall Councels, or Romish decrees, neyther yet was bounde to anye tyme, or place, ordinary succession, generall Councels, or traditions of Fathers,MarginaliaConfutation of the false church falsely defined. eyther had any supremacy ouer Empyres and kyngdomes: but that it was a little poore sely flocke, dispersed and scattered abroad, as sheepe without a shepeherd in the middest of wolues, or as a flocke of Orphanes or fatherles children: and that this churche was led and ruled by the only lawes, councels, and worde of Christ, he beyng the supreme head of this Church, and assisting, succoring, and defendyng her from all assaultes, errours, troubles, and persecutions wherwith she is euer compassed about.

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He shewed and proued vnto them also, MarginaliaExamples declaring the true Church.by the floud of Noah, the destruction of Sodome, the Israelites departyng out of Egypt, by the parables of the sower, of the kynges sonnes mariage, of the great supper, and by other playne sentences of Scripture, that this Church was of none estimation, MarginaliaThe false Church euer greater in number.and little in comparison of the Churche of hipocrites and wicked worldlynges.

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He was thrust at with all violence of craft and subtilty but yet the Lord vpheld him and deliuered him. Euerlasting thankes be to that mercifull and faithfull Lord, which suffreth vs not to be tempted aboue our might, but in the middest of our troubles strengthneth vs with his holy spirite of comfort and patience, and geueth vs a mouth and wisedome how and what to speake: where agaynst all his aduersaries were not able to resist.

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