Marginalia1555. Iuly.these Churches receiued of the Apostles, the Apostles of Christ, Christ of God. But it is manifest that the doctrine taught at this presēt of the church of Rome, cōcernyng trāsubstātiatiō, MarginaliaThe doctrine of the church of Rome for transubstantiation agreeth not with the Apostles church, nor with the Greke Churches, nor with the olde Romaine churchdoth not agree with the Apostolicke & mother Churches in Grece, of Corinthus, of Philippos, Colossia, Thessalonica, Ephesus, which neuer taught transubstantiation: yea it agreeth not with the doctrine of the Church of Rome taught in tymes past. For Gelasius the Pope setting forth the doctrine which that sea did then hold, doth manifestly confute the errour of transubstantiation, and reproueth thē of sacrilegde which diuide the mistery, and keepe from the Laytie the cup: Therefore the doctrine of transubstantiation agreeth not with the truth.
[Back to Top]This was the writyng which Weston pulled out of his bosome: and yet before he began to read it, he shewed Bradford þt he asked of his conuersation at Cambridge sithen his last beyng with him: and (quoth he) Maister Bradford, because you are a man not geuen to the glory of the world, I will speake it before your face: Your lyfe I haue learned was such there alwayes, as all men, euen the greatest enemies you haue, can not but prayse it, and therefore I loue you much better then euer I dyd: but now I will read ouer your argumentes, and so we will conferre them. Such they are, that a man may well perceiue you stand on conscience, & therfore I am the more ready & glad to pitie you. So he began to read the first: to the which he sayd, that though the word transubstātiation began but lately: yet the thyng alwayes was, and hath bene sithen Christes institution.
[Back to Top]Brad. I do not contend or hang vppon the word onely, but vpon the thyng which is as new as the word.
West. Then went hee to the second, and there brought out S. Augustine, MarginaliaThe wordes of Austen guilefully wrasted by Weston.how that if an euill man goyng to the deuill did make his will, his sonne and heyre would not say his father did lye in it, or speake tropically:
I.e., tropologically.
Brad. Yes Syr, but I remember not that S. Augustine hath those woordes tropicè, or figuratiuè,
Spoken tropologically or figuratively.
West. After this hee went to the thyrd, and brought forth Cyprian, how that the nature of the bread is turned into flesh. Here (sayth hee) my Lord of Canterbury expoundeth nature for qualitie, by Gelasius:
See Cranmer [PS], I, p. 308.
Weston is pointing out that Simon was still called Simon the Leper (see Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3) even though Christ had cured him. Weston is comparing this to Christ calling the bread at the Last Supper his body.
Brad. Cyprian wrote before Gelasius: therefore Cyprian must not expoūd Gelasius, but Gelasius, Cypriā:MarginaliaCyprian expounded by Gelasius. & so they both teach þt bread remayneth still. As for thynges hauyng still the names they had, is no aunswere, except you could shew that this now were not bread, as easily as a mā might haue knowen and sene then Symon to haue bene healed and cleare from his Leprosie.
[Back to Top]West. After this hee went to the fourth, of the cuppe, the whiche he did not fully read, but digressed into a long talke of Cyprians Epistle De Aquarijs: also of S. Augustine, expounding the breakyng of bread by Christ to his two Disciples goyng to Emaus, to be the Sacrament, with such other talke to no certaine purpose: and therfore Bradford prayed hym, that in as much as he had written the reasons that stablished his fayth agaynst Transubstantiation, MarginaliaWeston required to write his reasons.so he would likewise do to hym, that is, aunswere him by writyng, and shewe him moe reasons in writyng to confirme Transubstantiation. Whiche Doctour Weston promised to do, and sayd that he would send or bryng it to Bradford agayne within three dayes.
[Back to Top]Thus when he had ouer read the argumentes, and here and there spoken little to the purpose for the auoyding of them, and Bradford had prayed him to geue him in writyng his aunsweres: then hee began to tell Bradford how and what hee had done for Grimoald,MarginaliaGrimoald subscribed. and how that Bradford needed not to feare any reproche or sclaunder he should suffer, meanyng belyke, to haue Bradford secretly come to thē, as Grimoald did: for he subscribed.
[Back to Top]Bradford. Maister Deane, I would not gladly that you should conceiue of me that I passe of shame of men simply in this matter: MarginaliaM. Bradford plaine and firme in confession of the truth.I rather would haue you to thinke of me, as the very truth is, that hitherto as I haue not seene nor heard any thyng to infirme my fayth agaynst Transubstātiation, so I am no lesse setled in it, then I was at my commyng hether. I loue to bee playne with you, and to tell you at the first, as you shall finde at the last.
[Back to Top]West. In good fayth maister Bradford, I loue you the bet-
ter for your plainnes: and do not thinke otherwise of me, but that you shall finde me playne in all my talke with you.
Here Weston began to aske Bradford of his imprisonment and condemnation: and so Bradford told hym altogether: how he had bene handled. Whereat Weston seemed to wonder: yea in playne wordes he sayd, that Bradford had ben handled otherwise thē he had geuen cause, and so shewed Bradford howe that my Lorde of Bath reported that hee had deserued a benefit at the Queenes hand, and at all the Counsell.
[Back to Top]In this kinde of talke they spent an houre almost, and so as one weery, Bradford arose vp, and Weston called to the Keeper, and before him he bad Bradford be of good cōfort, and sayd that he was out of all perill of death.
Keeper. Syr (quoth the Keeper) but it is in euery mans mouth that he shall dye to morow.
West. Wherat Weston seemed halfe amazed, MarginaliaThe vaine promise of Weston.and sayd he would go say Euēsong before the Queene, & speake to her in his behalf. But it is to be thought, that the Queene had almost supped at that presēt: for it was past vj. of the clocke.
Brad. Before the Keeper, Bradford told Weston agayne, that styll he was one man: and euen as he was at the first, and tyll hee should see matter to teache his conscience the contrary, he sayd he must nedes so continue.
Keeper. The Keeper desired Bradford to harken to maister Doctors counsel, and prayed maister Doctor to be good vnto hym: and so after they had droonke together, Maister Doctor wt most gentle wordes tooke his leaue for 3. dayes.
Now when hee was gone, the Keeper told Bradford, that Maister Doctour spake openly, howe that he sawe no cause why they should burne him. Whiche sentence for the ambiguitie of the meanyng, made him somewhat sory lest he had behaued him selfe in any thyng, wherein he had gathered any conformablenes to them in their doctrine, whiche God knoweth, sayth Bradford, I neuer as yet dyd. God our father blesse vs, as his children, and keepe vs from all euill for euer, Amen.
[Back to Top]This talk was first printed in STC 3477, sigs. K1v-K5v. It was then reprinted in the 1570 edition of the Acts and Monuments.
MarginaliaAn other talke or conference betwene M. Bradford, and Doctour Weston.VPon the fifth day of Aprill came Maister D. Weston to the Counter about two of the clocke in the afternone, who excused him selfe for beyng so long absent: partly by sickenes, partly for that Doctour Pendleton tolde him that he would come vnto him, and partly for that (quoth he) MarginaliaD. Weston withstandeth the Monkes comming into Westminster.I withstode certaine Monckes, whiche would haue come agayne into Westminster: tellyng hym moreouer howe that the Pope was dead, and also declared vnto him how he had spoken to the Queene in his behalfe, and howe that death was not neare vnto him.
[Back to Top]Weston. Last of all, hee excused him selfe for not aunsweryng hys argumentes agaynst transubstantiation: because my commyng to day (quoth hee) was more by fortune then of purpose.
Brad. I woulde gladly M. Doctor, if it please you, see your aunsweres to my argumentes.
MarginaliaBradfordes argumentes not aunswered.West. Why you haue remēbred some thinge what I spake to you when I was last with you.
Brad. No Sir. I neuer called thē in maner to mynde, sythē that tyme, as well because I hoped you would haue written them: as also for that they seemed not to be so materiall.
West In good fayth I can not see any other or better way for you, then for to submit your selfe to the iudgment of the Church.
Brad. Mary so will I Sir, if so be by the Church you vnderstand Christes church.
MarginaliaThe Papistes will not haue their church iudged.West. Lo, you take vpon you to iudge the Church.
Brad. No Sir that do I not: in takyng vpon mee to discerne, I do not iudge the Church.
West. Yes that you do, and make it inuisible.
Brad. I do neither.
West. Why, who can see your church.
MarginaliaThe Church is visible but only to sprituall eyes.Brad. Those Syr, that haue spirituall eyes, wherwith they might haue discerned Christes visible conuersation heare vpon earth.
West. Nay: Christes church hath three tokens, that all mē may looke well vpon: namely, MarginaliaVnitye. Antiquitie. Consent.vnitye, antiquitie, and consēt.
Brad. These three, may be as well in euil as in good, as well in sin as in vertue, MarginaliaVnitie, Antiquitie, Consent, as well common to the deuils church, as to Christes Church.as well in the deuils church as in gods church: As for ensample, Idolatry amongst the Israelites had all those three. Chrysostome telleth playnly, as you wel know, that the Church is well knowen, Tantummodo per scripturas, alonely, by the scriptures.
[Back to Top]West. In good fayth, you make your church inuisible whē you wyl haue it knowen alonely by the scriptures.
Brad. No Sir the Scriptures doe playnly set foorth to vs the church, that al men may well inough therby know her, if they list to looke.