waxed cherefull, and of good consolation and comfort:MarginaliaM. Glouer waxeth cherefull againe and bolde. So that hearyng one say that they could not prouide horses enough for vs, I sayd, let them cary vs in a dong cart for lacke of horses, if they list: I am well content for my part.

MarginaliaRobert Glouer requireth to make his aunswere at Couentrye.Notwithstanding, at the request of my frendes, I wrote to Maister Maior and his brethren briefly requiryng them, that I might make aunswere here to suche thynges as should bee layd to my charge: the contentes of whiche Letter were these.

MarginaliaThe contentes of M. Glouers letter sent to the Mayor of Couentrye and his brethren.I Beseeche you to vnderstand, that it is not vnknowen as well to the Keeper of the Iayle, as to the inhabitauntes aboute me where I dwell, that I am a man subiecte to very great sicknes, and haue bene by the space of seuen yeares and more, so that it is not lyke that I shall bee remoued without perill and daunger of life. And because I was here committed to Warde by your appoyntement, I would gladly here aunswere to such thynges as shall bee layd to my charge: If I may obtaine this of you, I haue cause thankfully to reknowledge your indifferencie: if otherwise, I pray GOD it bee not layd to your charge at the great day, where euery man shall haue iust Iudgement without respect of person.

[Back to Top]

Your prisoner in the Lord, alwayes
myndful of you in my poore prayer,
Robert Glouer.

But I receiued no aunswere of my Letters to nor fro. I coniectured that when the Byshop and the Chauncellour had sene them, it moued them the rather to haue me away, beyng more desirous (as I suppose,) to haue had me dispatched priuely in prison, then to come openly to my aunswere. The maner of entreatyng and vsing me at my first commyng to prison, did partly declare the same.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaRobert Glouer and his fellow prisoners remoued from Couentrye to Lichfield in the face of the open market.Certaine Sergeauntes and Constables of Couentry, beyng appointed to haue the conueying of vs to Lichfielde to bee deliuered there to one Iephcot the Chauncellours man sent from Couentry with vs for the same purpose, we were commaunded to horsebacke about. xi. or xij. of the clocke on Friday, beyng market day, that we might be the more gased and wondred at: and to kindle the peoples harts more agaynst vs, they did proclayme a Letter concernyng a Proclamation made for callyng in and disanullyng of all such bookes as truely expounde and interprete the Scriptures. We came to Lichfield about foure of the clocke at night, and had leaue to repose our selues for our supper time. We Inned at the signe of the Swan, where we were entertained frendly and gently.

[Back to Top]

After supper MarginaliaIephcot the Chauncellours seruant.Iephcot repayred to vs, whom we intreated that vpon sureties we might rest our selues that night, beyng vnprouided of any thyng to helpe our selues withall in the prison at that present. He was content at the first (as he seemed) but afterwardes, whether it was by perswasiō, or rather (as it seemed to me) he did but of policie put of the tyme till he had gathered a multitude to stare & wonder vpō vs, and also that we shoulde prouide nothyng to ease our selues withall: MarginaliaPapistes keepe no promise.he reuoked his promise, and so by consent we were had to the prison, the multitude wonderyng at vs. I willed Iephcot before, to execute his office with mercy, tellyng him that they should haue iudgement without mercy, that shewed no mercy. And this mercy I founde at his hād:

[Back to Top]

He put me into a prisō the same night, where I continued vntill I was condemned, a place next to the dungeon, narrow of rowmes, strong of buildyng, and very cold, with small light, and there allowed he me a bundle of straw in stead of my bed, w^thout chayre, forme, or any other thyng els to ease my self withall. God of his mercy gaue me great pacience through prayer that night, so that if it had bene hys pleasure, I could haue bene contēted to haue ended my life. But MarginaliaIephcot and Persey cruell and straite agaynst M. Glouer.Iephcot and one Persey the Byshops man, whiche afterwardes was my continuall Keeper for the most part, came to me in the mornyng: to whom I sayd, this is a great extremitie, God send vs patience: and no more.

[Back to Top]

Then they were content that I should haue a bedde of myne owne procurement. But I was allowed no helpe, neither night nor day, nor company of any man, notwithstandyng my great sickenesse, nor yet paper, pen, nor incke, or bookes, sauyng my newe Testament in Latine, and a prayer booke which I priuely stole in.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaTalke betwen M. Glouer, and the Chaūcellour in prison.Within two dayes after, Maister Chauncellour and one Temsey a Prebendary there, came to me into my prison. Maister Chauncellour exhorted me to conforme my selfe to my Lord and to the Church. He wished to my soule no more hurt then to his owne: belike because I had layde to his charge at Couentry the seekyng of my bloud vniustly and wrongfully.

[Back to Top]

Now thus the second tyme I aunswered M. Chauncellour to his exhortation, that I refused not to be ruled by that Church that was content to be ordered and gouerned by the word of God.

Chaun. He asked me how I knew the worde of God but by the Church?

Glouer. MarginaliaThe Church geueth witnes vvhich be the true books and writings of the Apostles: as also the old Sinagoge of the Ievves dooth vvitnesse vvhich be the true bookes of the holy Prophetes: yet it follovveth not thereby that the Ievves haue authoritye ouer the Scripture.The Church sheweth whiche is the word of God, therfore the Church is aboue the worde of God. This is no good reason in learnyng sayd I to Maister Chauncellor. For it is lyke vnto this: Iohn shewed the people who was Christ: Ergo, Iohn was aboue Christ. Or els, I haue a man that knoweth not the kyng, and I tell him who is the kyng: am I therfore aboue the kyng?

[Back to Top]

Maister Chauncellour sayd, he came not to reason with me, and so departed. So remayned I without any further conference of any man by the space of viij dayes, and till the Byshoppes commyng: In the whiche tyme I gaue my selfe continually to Prayer, and meditation of the mercyfull promises of God, made vnto all without exception of person, that call vppon the name of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ. MarginaliaThe cōfortes and sweete feelinges of M. Glouer in the prison.I founde in my selfe dayly amendement of health of body, increase of peace in conscience, and many consolations from GOD, by the helpe of his holy spirite, and sometymes, as it were a taste and glimmeryng of the lyfe to come: all for his onely sonne Iesus Christes sake: to him be all prayse for euer and euer. Amen.

[Back to Top]

The enemy ceased not many tymes, sundry wayes to assaulte me, oftentymes obiectyng to my conscience myne owne vnworthynes, through the greatnes of the benefite to be coūted among þ^e nūber of thē þ^t should suffer for Christ, or his Gospels sake.MarginaliaM. Glouer assaulted by the enemye in prison concerning vnworthines.Agaynst him I replyed with the word of God in this sorte: What were all those whom God had chosen from the begynnyng, to be his witnesses and cary his name before the worlde? were they not men, as Paule and Barnabas sayd, Similiter obnoxij peccato,  

MarginaliaActes. 24.aswell subiect to wickednesse, sinne, imperfections, as other men bee? Euen such were Noe, Abraham, Dauid and all the rest. Quis prior dedit illi,   as Paule sayth?MarginaliaRom. 11. Who gaue first vnto him? And also speakyng to euery man: MarginaliaRom. 4.What hast thou that thou receiuedst not? Likewise Iohn: MarginaliaIohn 2.All haue receiued of his fulnes: they were no bryngers of any goodnes to God, but altogether receiuers.MarginaliaGods election bound to no worthines or person.They chose not God first, but hee chose them. They loued not God first, but he loued them first. Yea he both loued and chose them when they were his enemyes, full of sinne and corruption, & voyde of all goodnes. MarginaliaRom. 10.Est Dominus omnium, diues in omnes & super omnes inuocantes eum.   He is and will bee still the same God, as rich in mercy, as mighty, as hable, as ready, as willyng to forgiue sinnes without respect of person, to the worldes end, of all them that call vpon him. MarginaliaPsal. 145.Propè est Dominus omnibus inuocantibus eum:   God is neare, he is at hand, hee is with all, with all (I say) and refuseth none, excepteth none that faythfully in true repentaunce call vppon him, in what houre, what place, or what time soeuer it be. MarginaliaIt is no arrogancy to presume vpon Gods promise.It is no arrogancy nor presūption in any man, to burthen God (as it were) with his promise, & of duetie to clayme and chalenge his ayde, helpe, and assistaunce in all our perils, daungers, and distresse, callyng vppon him, not in the confidence of our owne godlynes, but in the trust of his promises made in Christ, in whom and by whom, and for whose sake, who soeuer boldly approcheth to the mercy seate of the father, is sure to receiue what soeuer is expedient or necessary either for body or soule, in more ample wise and large maner, then he can well wishe, or dare desire. His word can not lye: MarginaliaPsal. 50.Call vpō me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee, and thou shalt prayse me.

[Back to Top]

I aunswered the enemy also on this manner: MarginaliaRobert Glouer replyeth agaynst the tentation of the enemye in that he is a sinner.I am a sinner and therefore not woorthy to bee a witnesse of this truth. What then? Must I deny his worde because I am not woorthy to professe it? What bryng I to passe in so doyng, but adde sinne to sinne? What is greater sinne then to deny the truth of Christes Gospel? as Christ him selfe beareth witnesse: He that is ashamed of me or of my woordes, of him I will be also ashamed before my father and all his Aungels. I might also by like reason forbeare to do any of Gods commaundementes.

[Back to Top]

When I am prouoked to pray, the enemy may say vnto me, I am not worthy to pray, therfore I shall not pray: and so in like manner, of all the commaundementes: I shall not forbeare swearyng, stealyng, murtheryng, because I am not worthy to doe any commaundement of God. These be the delusions of the Deuill, and Sathans suggestions, whiche must be ouercome by continuaunce of Prayer, and with the word of GOD applyed accordyng to the measure of euery mans gift, agaynst all assaultes of the Deuill.

[Back to Top]

At the Byshops first comming to Lichfield after myne imprisonement, I was called into a by Chāber  

next to my