MarginaliaAnno. 1557. September.ly abhorre the same, as detestable and abhominable before God, with all their enormities and heresies: and the church Catholicke is it that I only embrace, whose doctrine is sincere, pure and true.

Boner. By S. Augustine, but that is well said of thee. For by GOD almightie, if thou haddest allowed the Church of heretickes, I would haue burned thee with fire for thy labour.

Morton. Then said one Morton, a Priest: My Lorde, you knowe not yet what Churche it is that hee calleth Catholicke. I warrant you hee meaneth naughtely enough.

Boner. Thinke you so? Now by our blessed Lady, if it be so, he might haue deceaued me. How say you syrrha, which is the Catholicke church.

Rafe. Euen that whiche hath receaued the wholsome sound, spoken of Esay, Dauid, Malachie, and Paule, with many other moe. The which sound, as it is written, hath gone throughout all the earth in euery place, and vnto the endes of the world.

Boner. Yea, thou saiest true before GOD. For this is the sound that hath gone throughout al Christendome, and he that beleueth not the sound of the holy Church, as S. Cyprian saith, doth erre. For he saith, that whosoeuer is out of the church, is like vnto them that were out of Noes Ship when the floud came vppon all the whole world: so that the Arke of Noe is likened vnto the churche: and therefore thou hast well saide in thy confession. For the churche is not alone in Germanie, nor was here in Englande in the tyme of the late schismes, as the Heretickes doe affirme. For if the churche should be there alone, then were Christ a lyer. For hee promised that the holy Ghoste should come to vs, lead vs into all truthe, yea, and remaine with vs vnto the ende of the world. So now if we will take Christ for a true sayer, then must we needes affirme, that the waye which is taught in Fraunce, Spaine, Italie, Flaunders, Denmarke, Scotland, and all Christendome ouer, must needes be the true Catholicke church.

Rafe. My Lorde, if you remember, I spake of all the worlde, as it is written, and not of all Christendome onely, as me thinke your Lordship taketh it, the whiche kinde of speakyng you doe not finde in all the Bible. For sure I am that the Gospell hath beene both preached and persecuted in all landes: first, in Iewry by the Scribes and Phariseis, and since that tyme by Nero, Dioclesian, and suche like, and nowe here in these our dayes by, your Lordship knoweth whom.MarginaliaHe meaneth belike, Boner & his fellowes. For truth it is that the churche which you call Catholicke, is none otherwise Catholicke then was figured in Caine, obserued of Ieroboam, Ahab, Iezabell, Nabuchadonozor, Antiochus, Herode, with innumerable more of the like: and as both Daniel and Esdras maketh mention of these last daies by a plaine prophecie, and now fulfilled as appeareth, & affirmed by our Sauiour Christ, and his Apostles, saiyng: There shall come greuous wolues to deuour the flocke.

Boner. Now, by the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar, Maister Morton, he is the ranckest heretike that euer came before me. How say you? haue you heard the like?

Morton. I thought what hee was, my Lorde, at the first, I.

Boner. Now by all Hallowes thou shalt be brent with fire for thy liyng, thou horeson verlet and prickelouse, thou. Doest thou find a prophecy in Daniel of vs? nay you knaue, it is of you that he speaketh of, and of your false pretensed holines. Go to, let me heare what is the saiyng of Esdras, and take heede ye make not a lye, I aduise you.

Rafe. The saiyng of Esdras is this: Marginaliaiiii. Esd, xvi.the heate of a greate multitude is kindeled ouer you, and they shall take away certaine of you, and feede the Idoles with you, and hee that consenteth vnto them, shal be had in derision, laughed to scorne, and troden vnder foote: yea they shall be like mad men, for they shal spare no man: they shal spoyle and wast such as feare the Lord. &c.

Boner. And haue you taken this thing to make your market good? Ah syrrha, wilt thou so? by my faith a prety instruction, and a necessary thing to be taught among the people. By my trouth I thinke there be no more of this opinion. I pray thee tell me? Is there any that vnderstandeth this scripture on this fashi?? Before god, I thinke there be none in all England, but thou.

Rafe. Yes my Lorde, MarginaliaThree sortes of Religion in Englande.there are in England three Religions.

Boner. Saist thou so? which be those three

Rafe. The firste is that whiche you hold: the seconde is cleane contrary to the same: and the third is a Neuter, being indifferent, that is to say, obseruyng all thinges that are commaunded, outwardly, as though he were of your part, his hart beyng set wholy against the same.

Bonor. And of these three which art thou? for now thou must needes be of one of them.

Rafe. Yea my Lorde, I am of one of them: and that which I am of, is euen that whiche is contrary to that which you teach to be beleued vnder paine of death.

Boner. Ah Syr, you were here with mee at Fulham, and had good cheare, yea and mony in your purse when you went away, and by my faith I had a fauour vnto thee, but nowe I see thou wilt be a naughty knaue. Why, wilt thou take vpon the to reade the Scripture, and canst not vnderstand neuer a word? for thou haste brought a text of Scripture, the whiche maketh cleane against thee. For Esdras speaketh of the multitude of you heretickes, declaryng your hate against the catholicke churche, makyng the simple or idle people to beleue that all is idolatrie that we doe, and so intise them away vntill you haue ouercome them.

Rafe. Nay not so my Lorde. For hee maketh it more plaine, and saith on this wise: MarginaliaThe place of Esdras explaned.They shal take away their goods, and put them out of their houses, and then shall it be knowen who are my chosen saith the Lord) for they shall be tried, as the siluer or gold is in the fire. And wee see it so come to passe, euen as he hath said. For who is not nowe driuen from House and Home, yea and his goods taken vp for other menne that neuer swette for them, if hee doe not obserue as you commaund and set forth? Or els, if he be taken, then must he either denie the truthe, as I did, in dissemblyng, or els he shall bee sure to be tryed, as Esdras saieth, euen as the Golde is tryed in the fire. Whereby all the worlde may knowe that you are the bloudy churche, figured in Caine the tyraunt, neither yet are ye able to auoyde it.

Morton. I promise you my Lorde, I like hym better now then euer I did when hee was here before you the other tyme. For then hee did but dissemble, as I perceiued well inough: but nowe mee thinke he speaketh plainly.

Boner. Mary syr, as you say in deede, he is plaine. For he is a plaine Hereticke and shalbee burned. Haue the knaue awaie. Let hym be caried to Little ease at London, vntill I come.

Rafe. And so was I caried to London vnto Little ease,  

Commentary     Close

A notorious dungeon in the Tower of London, so called because it was too small for the prisoner to stand, or to lie full length.

Boner. Come on your waies, syrrha. MarginaliaAllerton charged with his owne hande writyng.Is not this your hand, and this, and this?

Rafe. Yea, they are my hand all of them: I confesse the same, neither yet will I denie any thyng that I haue set my hand vnto. But if I haue set my hand to anie thinge that is not lawfull, therefore am I sory. Neuerthelesse, my hand I will not denie to be my doyng.

Boner. Well said. Now ye must tell me: Were you neuer at the church since you went from me, at Masse and Mattins? &c.

Rafe. No my Lord, not at Masse, Mattins, nor none other straunge worshipping of God.

Boner. Yea, saiest thou so? Wast thou neither at thine owne Parishe Churche, nor at none other? And doest thou also say, that it is a straunge worshippyng? Why, I praie thee, wilte thou not beleeue the Scripture to be true?

Rafe. Yes my Lorde, I beleeue the Scripture to bee true, and in the defence of the same I entende to geue my life, rather then I will denie any part thereof, God willing.

Deane. My Lorde, thys fellowe will bee an honest man, I heare by hym. He will not stand in his opinion: for hee sheweth hymselfe gentle and pacient in hys talke.

Boner. Oh, hee is a glorious knaue. His painted termes shall no more deceaue mee. Ah horeson Pricklouse, doth not Christe say: this is my body? And how darest thou denie these wordes, for to say as I haue a writyng to shewe, and thine owne hande at the same? Let mee see, wilt thou denie this? Is not this thyne owne hand?

Rafe. Yes my Lorde, it is myne owne hande, neither am I ashamed thereof, because my confession therein