William Veisy  

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William was reprieved, probably because he recanted (see 1563, p. 1297; 1570, p. 1877; 1576, p. 1607 and 1583, p. 1701).

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1 November 1554.

Marginalia1555. Iuly.¶ The confession of Iohn Launder before Boner Byshop of London.  

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Foxe copied this document from an official record which is now lost. Notice, however, that, as with Carver's confession, from which we know that Foxe omitted a statement on baptism, this confession of faith contains no statement on baptism.

MarginaliaIohn Launder his confession.IOhn Launder husbandman, of the Parish of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey, of the age of. xxv. yeares, borne at Godstone aforesayd, being examined doth confesse and say, that aboute two dayes next before Allhollontyde now last past, this Examinate and one Diricke Caruer, Thomas Iueson, William Veisy, with diuers other personnes, to the number of twelue, (beyng all together in their Prayers and saying the seruice in Englishe set foorth in the tyme of Kyng Edwarde the sixt, in the house of the sayd Diricke situate at Brighthamsted in Sussex) were apprehended by one Maister Edwarde Gage, and by hym sent vp hether to London, to the King and Queenes Coūsaile, and by them (vppon his examination) committed to Newgate, where hee with his sayd other fellowes hath euer since remayned in prison.

And further beyng examined, hee doth confesse and say, that the occasion of his commyng to the sayd Brighthamsted, was vppon certaine busines there to be sped for his father: MarginaliaThe cause of the apprehension of Iohn Launder.and so beyng there, and hearyng that the said Diricke was a man that did much fauour the Gospell, this Examinate dyd resorte to his house and company, whom before that tyme hee did neuer see or know and by reason of that his resorte, he was apprehended as before: And further doth confesse, and beleue, that there is here in earth, one whole and vniuersall Catholicke Churche, whereof the members be dispersed thorough the world, and doth beleue also, that MarginaliaTwo Sacramentes onelye.the same Churche doth set foorth and teache onely two Sacramentes: videlicet, the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the Sacrament of the Supper of our Lord. And who soeuer doth teach or vse any more Sacramentes, or yet any MarginaliaCeremonies abhorred.ceremonyes, hee doth not beleue that they be of the Catholicke Churche, but doth abhorre them from the bottome of his hart: And doth further say and beleue, that all the seruice, sacrifices and ceremonies, now vsed in this Realme of England (yea, and in all other partes of the world, which bene vsed after the same maner) bee erroneous and naught, and contrary to Christes institution, and the determination of Christes Catholicke Church, whereof he beleueth, that he him selfe is a member.

MarginaliaThe reall presence of Christes body vnder the formes of bread and wyne denyed.Also hee doth confesse and beleue, that in the Sacrament, now called the Sacrament of the Aultar, there is not really, and truely, contayned vnder the formes of bread and wyne, the very naturall body and bloud of Christ in substaunce: but his belief and fayth therein is as followeth, Videlicet: that when he doth receiue the materiall bread and wyne, he doth receiue the same in a remembraunce of Christes death and Passion, and so receiuyng it, he doth eate and drinke Christes body and bloud by fayth, and none other wayes, as he beleueth.

MarginaliaThe Masse abhominable.And moreouer he doth confesse, say, and beleue, that the Masse now vsed in the Realme of England, or els where in all Christendome, is nought and abhominable and directly agaynst Gods worde, and his Catholicke Churche: and that there is nothyng sayd or vsed in it good or profitable. For he saith, that albeit the gloria in excelsis, the Crede, Sanctus, Pater noster, Agnus, and other partes of the Masse bene of themselues good and profitable, yet the same beyng vsed amongest other thynges that be nought and superfluous in the Masse, the same good thynges do become nought also, as he beleueth.

MarginaliaAuricular confession not necessarye.Also hee doth beleue and confesse, that Auricular confession is not necessary to be made to any Priest, or to any other creature, but euery person ought to acknowledge and cōfesse his sinnes onely to God: and also that no person hath any authoritie to absolue any man from his sinnes: and also beleueth that the right and true waye (accordyng to the Scripture) after a man hath fallen from grace to sinne, to arise to Christ agayne, is to be sory for his offences, and to do the same, or the like no more: and not to make any auricular confession of them to the Priest, either to take absolution for them at the Priestes handes. All whiche his sayd opinions, he hath beleued by the space of these. vij. or viij. yeares past, and in that tyme, hath diuers and many tymes openly argued and defended the same, as he sayth. &c.

¶ Articles obiected by Boner Byshop of London, agaynst Diricke Caruer, and Iohn Launder.  

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Foxe copied this document from an official record now lost.

MarginaliaArticles sayd to Diricke Caruer, and Iohn Launder.1. FIrst, I do obiect agaynst you, and euery of you, that ye and euery of you, beyng within the sayd prison of New gate, and within this sayd Citie of London, are of my iurisdiction (beyng Byshoppe of London) and subiect vnto the same, offendyng and trespassyng within the sayd prison and Citie, in matters of Religion, and concernyng the Catholicke fayth and belief of the Church in any wise.

MarginaliaSacraments of pennaunce and of the aultar.2. Item I do obiect agaynst you and euery of you, that ye & euery of you, since your first commyng & entring into the sayd prison, & duryng your abode there, both there, & in sundry places within this Citie & Dioces of London, haue holden, maintained, & defended sundry opiniōs against the Sacramentes of the Church, especially agaynst the Sacramēt of penaunce, and also agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar.

MarginaliaReall presence.3. Item, I do likewise obiect that ye, and euery of you, in all or in some of the sayd places, haue (as concernyng the Sacrament of the aultar) holden, mainteined, and defended, to the best of your power, that in the sayd Sacrament of the aultar there is not the very substaunce of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ, but that in the Sacrament there is onely the substaunce of naturall bread and wyne, and no other substaunce.

MarginaliaThe latin Masse.4. Item, I do likewise obiect that you and euery of you, in all or some of the sayd places: haue concernyng the Masse in Latine now vsed in the Churche, and the sacrifice of the same, holden, mainteyned, and lykewise defended, that the sayd Masse is not good or profitable, and that there is no sacrifice in the same.

MarginaliaCeremonies.5. Item, I do likewise obiect, that you and euery of you, in all, or some of the places, haue concernyng the ceremonies of the Churche, holden, mainteyned, and lykewise defended, that the sayd ceremonyes are not profitable to a Christian man, but hurtfull and euill.

MarginaliaAuricular confession.6. Item, I do likewise obiect, that you and euery of you in all, or some of þ^e sayd places, haue concernyng the Sacrament of penaunce, holden, maynteined, and likewise defended, that auricular confession (beyng a part therof) albeit it may be made vnto a good Priest for counsaile, yet the absolution of the Priest, laying his hand vpon any mans head, and doyng as is now vsually done in the Churche, is nothyng profitable to any mans saluation, & that therefore ye neither haue bene confessed to the Priest, after the vsuall maner of the Church, nor yet receiued the sayd Sacrament of the aultar since the coronation of the Quenes Maiestie, which is more then the space of one yeare and a halfe.

MarginaliaThe fayth and doctrine of the Church of England.7. Item, I do likewise obiect, that ye and euery of you in all or some of the sayd places concernyng the fayth and Religion now taught, set forth, vsed, and beleued in the Church of this Realme of England, and the doctrine of the same, haue holdē, beleued and sayd, that it is not agreable to Gods word, but cleane contrary to the same.

8. Item, I do likewise obiect, that ye and euery of you, in all, or some of the said places, haue beleued, spoken, and sayd, and to your power, vpholden, mainteined and sayd MarginaliaDefending of Hooper, Cardmaker, Rogers. &c.that Bishop Hooper, Cardmaker, Rogers, and others of their opiniō, which of late within this realme were burnt for heresie, were good Christian men, in speakyng and holdyng agaynst the sayd Sacrament of the aultar, and that they did preach nothing, but the true doctrine of Christ, sheding their bloud for the maintenaunce of the sayd doctrine.

MarginaliaEnglish seruice.9. Item, I do likewise obiect, that ye & euery of you, haue earnestly laboured & trauailed to the best and vttermost of your power, to haue vp agayne the English seruice, and the Cōmunion in all pointes, as it was vsed in the latter dayes of kyng Edward the vj. here in this Realme of England.

MarginaliaDefending the religion vsed in king Edwardes tyme.10. Item, I do likewise obiect, that ye, and euery of you haue thought and do thinke, firmely and stedfastly, and so haue and do beleue, that the fayth, religion, and doctrine, set forth in the sayd tyme of the foresayd kyng Edward, was in all poyntes good and godly, containyng in it the true fayth and Religion of Christ, in euery part.

11. Item, I do likewise obiect and say, that ye, and euery of you, (for your misbelief, offence, transgression, and misbehauiour in the premises, MarginaliaAbsence from Popish seruice.and for that also that you would not come to your seuerall Parish Churches, and heare your Diuine seruice there, as other Christian people dyd, and do: but absent your selfe from the same, and haue your priuate seruice in your houses, especiallye in the house of Diricke Caruer) were sent vp vnto the Kyng and Quenes Maiesties priuy Counsaile, and by them or some of them, sent afterward vnto the prison of Newgate aforesayd, hauyng thereby their authoritie, remayned as prisoners, duryng all the tyme ye haue bene there.

12 Item, I do likewise obiect and say, that I the sayd byshop of London, MarginaliaIf theyr putting to death were not lawfull by God, why do you excuse it?was commaunded by the authoritie, of the sayd Counsaile, to make proces agaynst you, and euery of you, so that it was not my procuryng or searchyng, that ye should be commaunded or called before me in this matter of