MarginaliaDefence of Martyrs.Barnes, and all others that haue holden agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar, and suffered death by fire or otherwise for the maintenaunce of the sayd opinion, were good men, and faythfull seruauntes and Martyrs of Christ in so beleuyng and dying.Marginalia1555. Iune.

MarginaliaFasting, praying, and almes deedes.8. Item, that he hath and doth beleue, that to fast, pray, or to do almes deedes, is a thyng vtterly vnprofitable: for if a man shalbe saued, he shalbe saued without doyng of them: and if he shall be damned, they shall not helpe him, or do him any good at all.

9, Item, that the sayd Wattes of late commyng into open Court at the Sessions before the Lord Riche Syr Henry Tyrell Knight, Anthony Browne Esquier, and others, MarginaliaQ. Maryes seruice reproued.and beyng then and there examined, did openly confesse, that he had refused to come to the Churche, and to heare there the diuine seruice, and to receaue the Sacrament of the aultar accordyng to the order of the Church: because that lyke as the seruice of the Churche set out in the dayes of the late kyng Edward þ^e sixt was sayd and alledged to be abhominable, hereticall, schismaticall, and all nought: so hee the sayd Thomas Wattes then and there sayd openly before the sayd Commissioners, that all that is now vsed and done in the Churche is abhominable, hereticall, schismaticall and all together nought: And that he did also then vtter before the sayd Commissioners, other erroneous and arrogaunt wordes, to the hurt of his soule, and to the euill example of the people there present.

MarginaliaWattes reputed by the lawes for an hereticke.10. Item, that he the sayd Thomas, by reason of the premisses, was and is to be taken, had, reputed, and iudged as a manifest & open hereticke, and for the same, by the order of Ecclesiasticall lawes is to be declared accursed: and beyng obstinate and incorrigible, is to bee deliuered to the seculare power, there to be punished as an hereticke.

MarginaliaThe Church of Rome a Sinagoge of Sathan.11. Item, that hee ouer and besides all these offences, and trespasses aforesayd, had also added this trespasse, that is to witte: that he had beleued and deliberately spoken, that the Churche of Rome in her rites, ceremonies, Sacramentes, constitutions, and traditions, is the Synagoge of Sathan, and therefore that hee had consented and agreed in opinion and belief with one Iohn Tooly, of late hanged at Charing Crosse, who at the tyme of his executyng desired the people to pray, to bee deliuered from the tyranny of the Byshop of Rome withall his enormities: as who should say, that his authoritie and doynges were tyranny, and had all enormities and iniquities in them.

12. Item, that the premisses and euery parte thereof, be true, notorious, manifest, and openly spoken, and talked of amongest the honest and credible persons in great multitude, and that of all & singular the same within Billerica aforesayd, and other places there about, beyng of the Diocesse of London, there is a common voyce and fame therof.

¶ The aunswere of the sayd Thomas Wattes to the foresayd Articles.  

Commentary     Close

The accounts of Wats's appearance in Consistory court, along with the letter from the Essex justices, and the articles objected against him with his answers, are taken from official documents, probably a court book, which is now lost.

MarginaliaHis aunsweres to the Articles.TO the first he sayd and confessed the same to be true in euery part therof.

To the second Article, he aunswered that he beleueth in all the Sacramētes accordyng to Christes institution, & the Catholicke Churche: but not accordyng to the Byshop of Romes church: & farther sayd, that he doth not beleue now as he had done in tymes past: for in tyme past he beleued as the Church then beleued, but now he doth not so beleue: for the Church of Rome had deceaued vs, and therfore he sayd he dyd not beleue as the Church of Rome beleueth, but as Christ hath taught hym: And farther sayd, that he was so taught to beleue by preachyng of one MarginaliaTho. Wats first wonne to the Gospell by M. Aluey.M. Aluey, and other whose names he remembred not: which Aluey he sayd did preach the word of God truely and sincerely.

To the thyrd he aunswered, that hee hath and doth beleue that Christes body is in heauen and no where els: and farther, that hee will neuer beleue that Christes body is in the Sacrament.

To the fourth Article he aunswered, confessing & firmely beleuyng the same to be true.

To the fift, that he did beleue, that the Masse is abhominable: and that he will not go one iot from that his belief.

To the vj. that he neither did, nor yet doth beleue that þ^e Priest can absolue him of his sinnes: Howbeit, he denieth not but it is good to aske coūsell at the priests mouth.

To the seuenth he sayd, that he knoweth not what the opiniōs of the sayd persons named in the sayd article were: and in case the sayd personnes did beleue that the body and bloud of Christ were reall and in very deede in the Sacrament of the aultar, then that they were not good men. But in case they did beleue, that the body & bloud of Christ was not in the Sacrament of the aultar really and truely, then he beleued that they were good Christian men.

To the eyght, that hee had not spoken, as is conteyned in this article, but sayd, that hee hath and doth beleue that fasting, prayers, & almes deedes be works of a lyuely fayth.

To the ninth he confessed, that he did vtter and speake as in this article is contayned, and farther desired God that he might dye in that fayth & beliefe, wherein he now is.

To the tenth he aunswered, and sayd, that he will submit hymselfe herein to the order of the law: and farther said that he trusteth that with God he shalbe blessed, although with men he be accursed,

To the eleuenth he sayd, that he beleued that MarginaliaThe Bishop of Rome an enemy to Christ.the bishop of Rome is a mortall enemye to Christ and his Churche. And as for Tooly he sayd he dyd neuer see or know hym: but in case the sayd Tooly did wishe & pray, as is contayned in the Article, then he dyd lykewyse wysh and consent with hym therein.

To the xij. he aunswered, that all which before hee confessed to be true, is also true: and all that he hath denyed to be true, he denyeth agayne to be true, & beleueth the same to be according to such thynges as hee hath confessed

By me Tho. Wattes.

¶ An other appearance of Thomas Wattes in the Consistorye.  

Commentary     Close

The accounts of Wats's appearance in Consistory court, along with the letter from the Essex justices, and the articles objected against him with his answers, are taken from official documents, probably a court book, which is now lost.

MarginaliaThomas Wattes agayne appeareth in the cōsistory.THese Articles thus propounded and aunswered, the Byshop commaunded hym to appeare againe in the same place at three of the clocke in the after noone vpon the same daye. At which houre being brought thyther by his keeper, the byshop began wyth hym in thys wyse: MarginaliaThe bishops wordes to Thomas Wattes.Wattes, you know what I sayd vnto you to day, and what I appoynted vnto you at this tyme. The tyme is now come: waigh and consider with your selfe, that you are but a man: and albeit that ye will wilfully cast away your body, yet cast not so away your soule, but while ye haue tyme, returne and confesse the truth.

Whereunto Thomas Wattes aunswered and sayd: MarginaliaThe aunswere of WattesI am wery to lyue in such Idolatry as ye would haue me to lyue in. Vpon which aunswere the byshop caused his articles agayne to be read. He thereto aunswered as before, & farther subscribed the same with hys owne hand.

MarginaliaAn other appearaunce before D. Harpsfield.THe Bishop, after many perswasions to cause hym to recant, willed him to depart as then, and to come agayne on Saterday at eight of the clocke in þ^e morning. Where (the Byshop being absent) Doct. Nicholas Harpesfielde, as then being his deputye,  

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Nicholas Harpsfield was the archdeacon of Canterbury, but he was also the vicar-general of the diocese of London. In Wats's case, he is acting in the latter capacity.

MarginaliaWattes submitteth hym to the law, but not to the Popes lawe.Well, ye haue a law to condemne me, and I submit my selfe to the law: but not to the lawes of the Church (as you call it). And farther I doe affirme, and will stand to mine aunsweres that I haue made.

Whereupon D. Harpesfield willed hym to appeare there againe vpō Friday being the tenth day of þ^e same moneth of May. MarginaliaThomas Wattes priuately appeareth agayne before the Byshop.Vpon which day the Byshop priuately sent for the sayd Thomas Wattes into his chamber, and there wyth many fayre promises tempted and tryed hym, whether he would reuoke his errours (as he then termed them). But Wattes aunswered hym in thys sort: MarginaliaWattes anwere to the Byshop.I wyll not beleue your Church, neyther the Romish Church, and therefore you doe but labour in vayne thus to trauayle with me. He was here vpon agayne dismissed for that tyme, vntill Fryday the xvij. day of May, and then commaunded to appeare in the Consistory: which commaundement he obeyed, and hauing the accustomed former articles ministred vnto him, made then such aunsweres as before.

THus being tost to and fro, from day to day, and houre to houre: he was at the last, the. xviij. daye of the moneth of May, brought into the consistorye, where fyrst was made a briefe recitall of all the former processe: and there the sayd Wattes being (by the byshop and others) willed to denye his profession, made this finall answere: MarginaliaThe finall answere of Thomas Wattes.God kepe me from the doctrine that ye would haue me come vnto, which ye haue now declared. And I beseech God that I may perseuer in that þ^t I haue done, for I wil stād to mine aunswers.

The byshop perceauing his fayre flattering promyses nothyng to preuayle (and hauing no great store of other reasons to perswade wyth) put forth his last and strongest argument of MarginaliaSentence of condemnation agaynst Thomas Wattes.condemnation. Which being ended, he was delyuered to þ^e Shieriffes of London, and by them was sent to Newgate, where he remayned vntyll the nynth day of Iune