Marginalia1555. Iune.vndoubtedly Christ in few mē hath either conquered more notably, or triumphed more gloriously, then in this young man: he stood so wisely in his cause, so godly in his life, and so constantly in his death.

But to the declaration of the matter: first thys Haukes, following the guise of the Court, as he grewe in yeares, MarginaliaTho. Haukes first in seruice with the Earle of Oxford.entred seruice with the Lord of Oxford, where he remained a good space, being there right wel esteemed & loued of all the houshold, so long as Edward the sixt liued. But he dying, al things began to go backward, religion to decay, godlynes not onely to waxe cold, but also to bee in daunger euerywhere, and chiefly in the houses of great men. Haukes mislikyng the state of things, and especially in such mens houses, MarginaliaHaukes compelled to leaue the the Earle of Oxfords house.rather then he would chaunge the profession of true godlines which he had tasted, thought to chaunge the place: and so forsaking þ^e Noble mans house, departed home to his owne home, where more freely he might geue hym selfe to God, & vse hys owne conscience.

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But what place in this worlde shall a man finde so secrete for hym selfe, whether that old wicked Serpent  

can not creepe, whereby he maye haue some matter to ouerthrowe the quietnes of the godly? Now in the meane season (as it happened) Haukes keeping his house at home, had borne vnto him a young sonne, MarginaliaHaukes child. iij. weekes vnchristened.whose Baptisme was deferred to þ^e third weeke, for that he would not suffer him to be baptised after the papisticall maner. Which thing the aduersaries not able to suffer, laying handes vpon hym, dyd MarginaliaHaukes brought before the Earle.bring hym to the Earle of Oxford, ther to be reasoned with, as not sound in religion, in that he seemed to contemne the sacramentes of the Church.

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The Earle eyther intendyng not to trouble hym selfe  

in such matters, or els seing hym selfe not able to weigh with hym in such cases of Religion, MarginaliaHaukes sent vp by the Earle to Byshop Boner.sent hym vp to London with a messenger and letters, and so willyng to cleare his owne handes, put him in the handes of Boner bishop of London: the contents of whiche his letter sent to Boner, be these.

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MarginaliaThe Earles letter to Boner.MOst reuerende father in God, be it knowen vnto you that I haue sent you one Thomas Haukes, dwellyng in the Coūtie of Essex, who hath a child that hath remayned vnchristened more then three weekes, who being vpon the same examined, hath denied to haue it baptised, as it is now vsed in the Churche: wherupon I haue sent him to your good Lordship to vse as ye thinke best, by your good discretion.

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When the bishop had perused this letter, and afterward read it to M. Haukes, he hearyng the same, thought with hym selfe, that he should not be very wel vsed, seyng he was put to his discretion. Then wrote the Byshop a letter agayne to him that sent the prisoner, with many great thankes for his diligence in setting foorth the Queenes proceedynges. Then began the bishop to enter communication with M. Haukes, first asking what shoulde moue hym to leaue his child vnchristened so long? To whom master Haukes aunswered thus againe as foloweth.

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MarginaliaPriuate talke or conference betwene Maister Haukes and B. Boner.Haukes. Because we be bound to do nothyng contrary to the word of God.

Boner. Why, Baptisme is commaunded by the worde of God.

Haukes. His institution therin I doo not deny.

Boner. What deny ye then?

Haukes. I denye all thyngs inuented and deuised by man.

Boner. What thinges be those that be deuised by man, that ye be so offended withal?

MarginaliaMans inuentions added to Baptisme.Haukes. Your Oyle, Creame, Salt, Spettle, Candle, & coniuring of water. &c.

Boner. Wyll ye deny that which all the whole worlde, and MarginaliaThe forefathers.your father hath bene contented withal?

Haukes. What my father & al þ^e whole world haue done, I haue nothing to do withal: but what God hath cōmaūded me to do, to that stand I.

Boner. The Catholike Church hath taught it.

Haukes. What is MarginaliaThe Catholicke Church.the Catholike Church?

Boner. It is the faythfull congregation, where so euer it be dispersed throughout the whole world.

Haukes. Who is the head therof?

Boner. Christ is the head therof.

Haukes. Are we taught in Christ, or in the church nowe?

Boner. Haue ye not read in the eight of Iohn where he sayd, he would send his comforter which should teach you al thinges?

Haukes. I graunt you it is so, that he woulde send his comforter, but to what ende? forsooth to this ende, that he should lead you into all truth and veritie, and that is not to

teach a newe doctrine.

Boner. A sir, ye are a right scripture man. For ye wyll haue nothing but the Scripture. There is a great number of your countrey men of your opinion. Do ye not know one Knight and Pigot?

Haukes. Knighte I know, but Pigot I doo not know.

Boner. I thought ye were acquainted with hym: it seemeth so by your iudgement. What Preachers do ye know in Essex?

Haukes. I know none.

Boner. Do ye not know one Baget there?

Haukes. Yes forsooth, I know hym.

Boner. What maner a man is he?

Haukes. An honest man, so farre as I know.

Boner. Do yo know hym if you see hym?

Haukes. Yea that I do. Thē sayd he to one of his seruāts: go call me Baget hyther. And then he said to me: Ye seeme to be a very proude man and a stubborne. He that brought me vp, stood al this while by.

Haukes. What should moue your Lordship so to say?

Boner. Because I see in a man that came with you much humilitie and lowlynes.MarginaliaBoner looked to be curtised.

Haukes. It seemeth that your Lordship speaketh þ^t to me, because I make no more curtesie to you: and with that came Baget. Then the bishop saide to Baget: Howe say ye sir, know ye this man?MarginaliaBaget brought to the sight of Thomas Haukes.

Baget. Yea forsooth my Lord: with that, Baget and I shooke handes. Then sayd the Bishop to Baget: Sir, this mā hath a child, which hath lien three weekes vnchristened (as I haue letters to shew) who refuseth to haue it baptised, as it is now vsed in the Church: how say you therto?

Baget. Forsooth my Lord I say nothing thereto (with low curtesie to the hard ground.)

Boner. Say ye nothing therto? I wil make you tell me whether it be laudable, and to be frequented and vsed in the Church, or not.

Baget. I beseeche your Lordship to pardon me, he is olde enough, let hym answeare for him self.

MarginaliaBoner chafeth at Bagets aunswere.Boner. Ah sir knaue, are ye at that poynt wyth me? Goe cal me þ^e Porter, said he, to one of hys mē. Thou shalt sit in þ^e stockes, & haue nothing but bread and water. I perceiue I haue kept you too wel. Haue I made thus much of you, and haue I you at this poynt? Then came the Bishops man, and said: the Porter is gone to London. MarginaliaBoner taketh Baget with him aside to coniure hym.Thē said the Bishop to Baget: Come with me, and he went away wyth hym, and commaunded me away, and bade one of his Gentlemen to talke with me (who was one of his own teaching:) who desired amongest al other thinges, to know of me, with whom I was acquainted in Essex, and what mē they were that were my teachers.

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Haukes. When I see your cōmission, I wyl make you answere.  

And then immediatly came the Bishop againe: but ere he came, his man and I had much talke. Then the bishop sat downe vnder a vine in his orchyard, & called Baget to hym, whom he caried away, & brought againe, & called me also, and said to Baget: Howe say ye now sir vnto Baptisme? Say whether it be to be frequented and vsed in the church, as it is now, or no?

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MarginaliaBaget taught to say after Boner.Baget. Forsooth my Lord I say it is good.

Boner. I befoole your hart, could ye not haue said so before? Ye haue wounded this mans conscience. Then the bishop turned to me and said: how say ye nowe sir, this man is turned and conuerted.

MarginaliaThomas Haukes builded his fayth vpon no man.Haukes. I build my faith neither vpon this man, neither vpon you, but only vpō Christ Iesus, who, as Paul saith, is the founder and author of all mens fayth.

Boner. I perceiue ye are a stubborne felowe. I must be glad to worke an other way with you, to wyn you.

Haukes. Whatsoeuer ye doo, I am ready to suffer it: for I am in your handes to abide it.

Boner. Well, ye are so: come on your wayes, ye shall goe in, and I wyll vse you Christianlike. You shal haue meate and drinke, suche as I haue in my house: MarginaliaThomas Haukes. forbidden to talke in the Byshops house.but in any wyse talke not.

Haukes. I purpose to talke nothing but the word of god and truth.

Boner. I wyl haue no heresie talked on in my house.

Haukes. Why, is the truth become heresie? God hath commaunded that we should haue none other talke in our houses, in our beddes, at our meate, and by the waye, but all truth.

Boner. If ye wyl haue my fauor, be ruled by my counsell.

Haukes. Then I trust you wyll graunt me my request.

Boner. What is that?

Haukes. That your Doctors and seruauntes geue me none occasion: for if they doo, I wyll surely vtter my conscience. MarginaliaThomas Haukes and Baget seperated a sonder.Then commaunded he his men to take in Baget, and let not Haukes and him talke together. And so thus