Marginalia1555. Iuly.Christes bloud: and againe, none of the people can tel when it is Christes bloud, or whē it is not, seeing the matter standeth in the mynd of the priest.MarginaliaIf the mynde and not the wordes of the Priest doth it: how then is it, that Duns and his fellowes say, that the wordes be the forme and formall cause onely that maketh the Sacrament?
[Back to Top]For no man can tel what the priest meaneth, but hymselfe: and so are they euer in daunger of committyng idolatrie.
Then was the Archdeacon somewhat moued,
I.e., somewhat angered.
MarginaliaCollins the Cōmissary taketh the matter in hand.Commis. Your argument is much against your selfe: for ye graunt that the bread is a figure of Christes body: but the Cup can be no figure of his bloud, nor yet his very bloud: and therefore Christ did not meane the cup, but the wyne in the cup.
Shet. My argument is not against me at al: for I do not speake it to proue that the cup is his bloud, nor the figure of his bloud, but to proue that the bare wordes being spoken of the priest, do not change the substance no more of the bread, then they do change the cup into bloud.
Commis. It coulde not be spoken of the Cup, when he saide: This cup is my bloud, but he meant the wyne in the cup.
Shet. Then it remaineth for you to answere my question to the Archdeacon, that is, whether the mynd of the priest, whē he speaketh ouer the cup, doth change it into bloud, or the bare wordes.
Commiss. Both together doth it, the words and the mind of the Priest together: yea the intent and the words together doth it.
Shet. If the wordes and intent together doe chaunge the substance, MarginaliaThe Commissary brought to an absurditie.yet must the cup be his bloud, and not the wyne, for as much the woordes are, This cup is my bloud, and the intent, ye say, was the wyne: or els the words take none effect but the intent only.
After, the Commissary in his chamber said: it was the intent of the Priest before he went to Masse, without the woordes: for if the Prieste dyd intende to doo as holye Churche had ordeyned, then the intent made the sacrament to take effect.
MarginaliaThe intent of the priest maketh not the Sacrament.Shet. If the Sacramentes take effecte of the intente of the Prieste, and not of Gods woorde, then manye Parishes hauyng a Prieste that intendeth not well, are vtterly deceyued, both in Baptising, and also woorshippyng that thing to be God, whiche is but bread, because for lacke of the Priestes intente, the woordes doo take none effecte in it: so that by this, it is euer doubtfull whether they worship Christ, or bread, because it is doutful what the priestes doo intend.
[Back to Top]Commis. Then the Commissarye would proue to me, MarginaliaChristes body whether it may be in two places at once.that Christes Manhoode was in two places at one tyme, by these woordes of Christe in Iohn the thirde Chapter, where he sayth: No man ascendeth vp to heauen, but he that came downe from heauen, that is to say, the sonne of man, which is in heauen. By this he woulde proue, that Christe was then in heauen, and in earth also, naturally and bodyly.
[Back to Top]Shet. This place and other must needes be vnderstand for the vnitie of persons: in that Christe was God and man, and yet the matter must be referred to the Godhead, or els ye must fal into great errour.
Commis. That is not so: for it was spoken of the manhoode of Christe, for as muche as he saith, the sonne of man which is in heauen.
MarginaliaThe Commissary brought to an other inconuenience.Shet. If ye wyl needs vnderstand it to be spoken of Christes manhood, then must ye fall into the error of the Anabaptistes, which deny that Christ tooke flesh of the virgin: for if there be no body ascended vp, but that which came down, where is then his incarnation? for then he brought his body downe with hym.
[Back to Top]Commis. Loe howe ye seeke an error in me, and yet see not howe ye erre your selfe. For it can not be spokē of the Godhead, except ye graunt that God is passible, for God can not come downe because he is not passible.
Shet. If that were a good argument, that God coulde not come downe because he is not passible: then it might be said by the like argument that God could not sit, and then heauen is not his seate, and then say as some do, that God hath no right hand for Christ to sit at.
Commis. Then the Commissary affirmed plainly that it was true, God had no right hand in deede.
Shet. Oh what a spoyle of Christes Religion wyll this be, MarginaliaIf God can not come downe then Christ were not God, for Christ came from heauen.that because we can not tell howe God came downe, therfore we shall say, that he came not downe at all, and because we can not tell what maner of hand he hath, to say, that he hath no hand at all: and then he can not reache the vtmost part of the sea. O miserie: at length it wyl come to passe, that God can not sit, and then how can heauen be his
[Back to Top]seate, and if heauen be not his seate, then there is no heauen: and then at length I doubt ye wyll say there is no God, or els no other God, but such as the Heathē Gods are, which can not goe nor feele.
Commis. Why, dooth not the scripture say, that God is a spirite, and what hand can a spirite haue?
Shet. Truth it is, God is a spirit, & therfore is worshipped in spirit and truth: and as he is a spirit, so hath he a spiritual power, so hath he a spiritual seate, a spirituall hand,MarginaliaGods hand is spirituall. and a spirituall swoorde: whiche we shall feele if we go this waye to worke, as we begyn. Because we knowe not what hande God hath: therefore if we say he hath none, then it maye as wel be said, there is no Christ.
[Back to Top]Then the Cōmissary said, he would talke no more with me, and so departed: and also the Commissary was compelled to graunt, that Christes Testament was broken, and his institution was chaunged from that he leaft it: but he sayde, they had power so to do.
MarginaliaDeclaration of the first examination of Sheterden, after the law was established.BEcause I knowe ye wyll desire to heare from me some certaintie of my state: I was called before the Suffragan and seuen or eight of the chiefe priestes, and examined of certayne Articles, and then I required to see their Commission.MarginaliaSheterden requireth to see the Commission.
[Back to Top]They shewed it to me, and saide: There it is, and the King and Queenes letter also. Then I desired to haue it read: and so in reading I perceyued, that on some notable suspition he might examine vppon two articles: whether Christes real presence were in the Sacrament, and whether the Church of Englande be of Christes Catholique Church.
[Back to Top]To that I aunswered, that I had bene a prisoner three quarters of a yeare,
Foxe does not say why or precisely when Sheterden was arrested but it is interesting that he was detained for such a long period; clearly the authorities were determined to hold Sheterden until he could be tried for heresy.
As with Bland, the authorities apparently were holding Sheterden until he could be charged with heresy. In the meantime, Sheterden was being held on other charges, charges which he clearly felt were unjust.
Suff. The Suffragan said, his Commission was I must answere directly, yea, or nay.
Shet. This Commission (sayde I) was not generall to examine whom he wyl, but on iust suspition.
Suff. He said: I was suspected, and presented to hym.
Shet. Then I required that the accusation myght be shewed.
Suff. He saide, he was not bounde to shewe it, but he commaunded me in the King and Queenes name to aunswere directly.
Shet. And I as a subiect do require of you iustice for that I haue done: I aske no fauor.
Suff. He said, I was suspected.
Shet. I bade hym proue that suspition, or what cause he had to suspect.
Suff. Thou wast cast into prison for that cause.Shet. That was a prety suspition, because I had suffered imprisonment contrary to Gods lawe and the Realme, that therfore I must now for amendes be examined of suspition without cause, to hide al the wrong don to me before. For when I was cast in prison, there was no lawe, but I might speake as I dyd: therefore in that poynt I coulde be no more suspecte, then you which preached the same your selfe not long before.MarginaliaThe proceedinges of the Papistes were agaynst the law.
[Back to Top]Suff. That was no matter to thee what I preached.
Shet. Well, yet in the King and Queenes name I must answer directly: and therfore I require as a subiect, that ye doo not extend beyond your Commission, but proue me suspect, more then you your selfe.MarginaliaThe Byshop of Douer a protestant in K. Edwardes tyme.
Milles. Then said maister Milles, I had written to my mother, and he dyd see the letter wherein I perswaded my mother to my opinions.
Shet. In that I dyd but my duetie, to certifie her I was not in prison for any euyl And that was before the lawe also, and therfore no more suspition was in me, then was in them which taught the like.
Mil. Well, ye are required here to answeare directly, yea, or no.
Shet. First then I require of you to proue his suspition: and thus we tossed to and fro. At last the Bishop sayde, he hym selfe dyd suspect me. I asked wherby?
Suff. Well, said he, I my selfe dyd suspect thee, and it is no matter whereby.
Shet. But your Commission doth not serue you so to do without iust suspition.
Suff. Well, yet dyd I suspect you.
Shet. It is not meete for you to be my accuser, and my Iudge also: for that was too muche for one man. And thus many wordes were multiplied, and they were muche greeued.