Marginalia1555. Iuly.

MarginaliaThe second examination of M. Bradford before the B. of Winchester and others.AFter the excōmunication of Iohn Rogers, Ioh. Bradford was called in, and standing before the Lord Chauncelor and other Bishops set with hym, the said Lord Chauncelor spake thus in effect.

L. Chaunc. Where before the. xxij. of Ianuary, the saide Bradford was called before them (said he) and they offred vnto him the Queenes pardon, although he had contemned  

the same, and further said, that he would stiffely and stoutly mainteyne & defēd þ^e erroneous doctrine taught in þ^e dayes of king Edward the sixt: yet in consideration þ^t the quenes highnes was wonderfull mercyfull, they thought good eftsoones to offer the same mercy againe, before it were too late: therfore aduise you wel (said he): there is yet space and grace before we so proceede, that you be committed to the secular power:   as we must doo and wyll doo, if you wyll not folowe the example of MarginaliaExample of M. Barlow and Cardmaker layd agaynst M. Bradford.maister Barloe and maister Cardmaker,   whom he there commended, adding Oratoriously amplifications to moue the saide Bradford to yeld to the religion presently set forth.

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Brad. After the Lorde Chauncelours long talke, Bradford began on this sort to speake: My Lord, and my lordes all, as nowe I stande in your sight before you, so I humbly beseeche your honours to consider, that you sit in the seate of the Lord, who (as Dauid doth wytnesse) is in the congregations of Iudges, and sitteth in the middest of thē iudging: and as you would your place to be nowe of vs taken as Gods place, so demonstrate your selues to folowe hym in your sitting, that is, seeke no gyltles bloud, nor hunt not by questions to bryng into the snare, them which are out of the same. At this present I stand before you gilty or giltles: if gilty, then proceede and geue sentence accordingly: if gyltles, then giue me the benefit of a subiect, which hytherto I could not haue.

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Chaunc. Here the Lord Chauncelour replyed, and saide, that the saide Bradford began with a true sentence: Deus stetit in Sinagoga. &c.  

But (quoth he) MarginaliaSi illū obiurges, vitæ qui auxilium tulit: quid facies illi qui dederit damnum aut malum.this and all thy gesture declareth but hypocrisie and vaine glory. And further he made much adoo to purge hym selfe, that he sought no gyltles bloud, and so beganne a long processe howe that Bradfordes fact   at Paules Crosse was presumptuous, arrogant, and declared a taking vpon hym to leade the people, which could not but turne to much disquietnes in that thou (speaking to Bradford) wast so prefract   & stout in religion at that present. For the whiche, as thou wast then committed to prison, so hytherto thou hast bene kept in prison, where thou hast written letters to no litle hurt to the Queenes people, MarginaliaThe witnes of the Earle of Darby laid agaynst Maister Bradford.as by the report of the Earle of Darby in the Parlament house was credibly declared. And to this he added, that the said Bradford did stubbornly behaue hym selfe the last tyme he was before them: and therfore not for any other thing nowe I demaund of thee (quoth he) but of and for thy doctrine and religion.

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Brad. My Lorde, where you accuse me of hypocrisie and vaine glory, I must, & wyl leaue it to the Lordes declaration, which one day wyll open yours and my truth, and harty meanyngs: in the meane season I wyll content my selfe with the testimonie of myne owne conscience, whiche if it yeelde to hypocrisie, coulde not but haue God to be my foe also: and so both God and man were against me. MarginaliaM. Bradford defendeth his fact at Paules Crosse.As for my fact at Paules crosse, and behaueour before you at the Tower, I doubt not but God wyl reueale it to my cōfort. For if euer I dyd thing, which God vsed to publike benefite, I thinke that my deede was one, and yet for it I haue bene and am kept of long tyme in prison. And as for letters and Religion, I answeare, as I dyd the last tyme I was before you.

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Chaunc. There diddest thou say stubbornly and malapertly,  

that MarginaliaThe wordes of M. Bradford misereported.thou wouldest manly mainteyne the erroneous doctrine in kyng Edwardes dayes.

Brad. My Lord, I said the last tyme I was before you, that I had sixe tymes taken an othe that I shoulde neuer consent to the practising of any iurisdiction on the Bishop of Romes behalfe, & therefore durst I not answeare to any thing that should be demaunded so, least I shoulde be forsworne, which God forbyd. MarginaliaM. Bradford more confirmed in his doctrine after his imprisonment then before.Howbeit, sauyng myne othe, I said, that I was more confirmed in the doctrine set foorth publikely in the dayes of king Edward, then euer I was before I was put in prison: and so I thought I should be, and thinke yet styll I shall be found more ready to geue my life as God wyl, for the confirmation of the same.

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Chaunc. I remember well that thou madest suche adoo about needeles matter, MarginaliaWinchest. maketh but a small matter of an oth.as though the othe against the bishop of Rome were so great a matter. So others haue

done before thee: but yet not in such sort as thou hast done, for thou pretendest a conscience in it, which is nothing els but meere hypocrisie.

Brad. My conscience is knowen to the Lord: and whether I deale herein hypocritically or no, he knoweth. As I sayd therfore then my Lord, so say I againe nowe: that for feare lest I should be periured, I dare not make answere to any thing you shal demaund of me, if my answearing should cōsent to the confirmyng or practising of any iurisdiction for the Bishop of Rome here in England.

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L. Chaunc. Why, diddest thou begyn to tell that we are Dij,  

and sit in Gods place, and now wilt thou not make vs an answeare?

Brad. My Lord, I said, you would haue your place takē of vs now, as Gods place: and therfore I brought foorth that peece of scripture, that ye might the more be admonished to folowe God and his wayes at this present, who seeth vs al,MarginaliaBradford standeth still to his othe. and wel perceiueth, whether of conscience I pretende this matter of the othe, or no.

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L. Chaunc. No, all men maye well see thine hypocrisie. for if for thine othes sake thou dyddest not answeare, then wouldest not thou haue spoken as thou dyddest, and haue answered me at the first: but now men well perceiue, that this is but a starting hole  

to hide thy selfe in, because thou darest not answere, & so wouldest escape, blyndyng the simple peoples eyes, as though of conscience you dyd al you do.

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Brad. That which I spake at the first, was not a replication or an answeare to that you spake to me: and therefore I needed not to laye for mee  

myne othe. For I thought you woulde haue more wayed what I dyd speake, then you dyd: but when I perceyued you dyd not consider it, but came to aske matter, whereto by answearyng I should consent to the practising of Iurisdiction on the Bishop of Romes behalfe here in Englande, and so be forsworne: MarginaliaThe cause why Bradford aunswereth not to Winchest. Popish interrogatories.then of conscience and simplicitie I spake as I doo yet againe speake, that I dare not for conscience sake aunsweare you. And therefore I seeke no startyng holes, nor goe about to blinde the people as God knoweth. For if you of your honours shall tell me that you doo not aske me any thing whereby myne answearing should consent to the practising of the Bishop of Romes Iurisdiction, aske me wherein you wyll, and you shall heare that I wyll aunsweare you as flatly as euer any dyd that came before you. I am not afraid of death, I thanke God: for I looke and haue looked for nothing els at your hands of long tyme, but I am afraid when death commeth, I shoulde haue matter to trouble my conscience by the gyltines of periurie, & therefore do I answeare as I doo.

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L. Chaunc. These be gay glorious wordes, ful of hypocrisie and vaine glory, and yet doest thou not know that I sit here as Bishop of Winchester in myne owne Dioces,  

and therfore may do this which I doo, and more too?

Brad. My Lord, geue me leaue to aske you this questiō, that my conscience may be out of doubt in this matter. MarginaliaBradford ready to aunswere vnder protestation.Tel me here Coram Deo,  

Before God, all this audience beyng witnes, that you demaunde of me nothing wherby myne answearing should consent to and cofirme the practise of Iurisdiction for the Bishop of Rome here in England, and your honour shall heare me geue you as flat and playne answeares briefly, to what soeuer you shall demaund me, as euer any dyd.

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L. Chaunc. Here the Lord Chauncelour was wonderfully offended, and spake muche, howe that the Bishop of Romes authoritie needed no confirmation of Bradfordes answearing, nor no such as he was, and turned his talke to the people, howe that Bradforde folowed crafty couetuous Marchaunts, which because they would lend no money to their neighbours when they were in neede, would say that they had sworne oft that they would neuer lend any more money, because their detters had so oft deceiued them. Euē so thou (quoth he to Bradford) doest at this present, to cast a myst in the peoples eyes, to bleare them with an heresie (which is greater and more hurtfull to the common wealth then the other is) pretend thine othe, whereby the people might make a conscience, whereas they should not. Why speakest thou not?

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Brad. My Lorde, as I said, I say againe: I dare not answeare you for feare of periurie, from which God defende me: or els I coulde tell you that there is MarginaliaDifference of othes: some with fayth and charitie: some against it.a difference betweene othes: Some be accordyng to fayth and charitie, as the othe against the Bishop of Rome, some bee against fayth and charitie, as this: to deny by othe my helpe to my brother in his neede.

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L. Chaunc. Here my Lord Chancelor againe was much offended, styl saying, that Bradford durst not answeare, and further made much adoo to proue the othe against the Bishop of Rome, that it was against charitie.

Brad. But Bradford answeared, that howe soeuer his