MarginaliaThe doinges of the Lorde Cromwell defended.MarginaliaAn. 1558.sure that hee lost his lyfe for offendyng his Prince, and the law dyd put it in execution: Addyng moreouer concernyng that man, that he thought it pleased GOD to rayse hym vp from a low estate, and to place him in hyghe authoritie, partly vnto this, that he should do that as all the Byshops in the Realme yet neuer dyd, in restoryng agayne Gods holy word, whiche beyng had long before from the people in a straunge toung, and now commyng abroad amongest vs, will bryng our Byshops and Priestes, sayd he, in lesse estimation among the people.

Lewes asked why so?

Wilmot sayd: because their doctrine and lyuyng was not accordyng to his word.

MarginaliaThe common reason of the Papistes, why the Scriptures should not be in English.Then sayd Lewes: I neuer heard but that all men should learne of þ^e Byshops and Priestes, because they are learned men, and haue bene brought vp in learnyng all the dayes of their lyues. Wherefore they must needes know the truth, and our fathers dyd beleue their doctrine and learnyng, and I thinke they dyd well: for the world was farre better then, then it is now.

Wilmot aunswered: I will not say so. For we must not beleue them because they are Byshoppes, neither because they are learned, neither because our forefathers did follow their doctrine. For I haue read in Gods booke how that Byshoppes and learned men haue taught the people false doctrine, and likewise the Priestes from tyme to tyme: and in deede those people our forefathers beleued as they taught: and as they did thinke, so did the people thinke. But for all this, MarginaliaGods truth goeth not alwayes by tytle and fame of great learning.Christ calleth them false Prophetes, theeues, & murtherers, blind leaders of the blynd, willyng the people to take heede of them, lest they both should fall into the ditch.

Moreouer, we read that the Byshoppes, Priestes, and learned men haue bene commonly resisters of the truth, from tyme to tyme, and haue alwayes persecuted the Prophets in þ^e old law, as their successours did persecute our sauiour Christ & his Disciples in the new law. MarginaliaLearned men how farre they are to be credited.We must take heede therefore, that we credite them no further then God will haue vs, neither to follow them nor our forefathers, otherwise then he commaundeth vs. For almighty GOD hath geuen to all people, as well to Kinges, and Princes, as Byshoppes, Priestes, learned and vnlearned men, a commaundement and law, vnto the whiche he willeth all men to be obedient. Therefore if any Byshop or Priest, preach or teach, or Prince or Magistrate commaunde any thyng contrary to this commaundement, we must take heede how we obey them. For it is better for vs to obey God then man.

Mary Syr, quoth Lewes, you are a holy Doctour in deede. By Gods bloud if you were my man, I would set you about your busines a little better, and not to looke vpon bookes: and so would your Maister if he were wise. And with that in came his Maister and young man with hym, which was seruaūt with M. Daubny in Watlyng streete.

His Maister asked what the matter was.

MarginaliaWilmot cōplayned of to his Master.Lewes sayd that he had a knauish boy here to his seruaunt, and how that if he were his, he would rather hange him, then keepe him in his house.

Then his Maister, beyng somewhat moued, asked his fellowes what the matter was.

They sayd: they began to talke about Doctour Crome.

Then his Maister asked him what he had sayd, swearyng a great othe, that he would make him to tell hym.

He sayd that he trusted hee had sayd nothyng, whereby either he or Maister Lewes may iustly be offended. I pray you (quoth Wilmot) aske hym what I sayd.

Mary Syr (said Lewes) this he sayd, that D. Crome did preach and teach nothyng but the truth, and how that if he recant on Sonday next, he would be sory to heare it, and that if he do, he is made to do it agaynst his conscience. And more he sayth, that we must not follow our Byshops doctrine and preachyng: For sayth he, they bee hynderers of Gods word, and persecutours of that: and how Cromwell dyd more good (that traytour) in settyng foorth the Bible, then all our Byshops haue done these hūdreth yeares: thus reportyng the matter worse then he had sayd.

Then sayd Wilmot, that in many thynges he made his tale worse then it was. His Maister hearyng of this, was in a great fury, and rated hym, saying: that either he would be hanged or burned, swearyng that he would take away all his bookes and burne them.

MarginaliaM. Daubnies seruaunt, called Thomas Farefaxe, taketh Wilmots part.The young man (Maister Dawbnies seruaunt) standyng by, hearyng this, began to speake on his part vnto Lewes, and his talke confirmed all the sayinges of the other to be true. This young man was learned: his name was Tho. Fayrefaxe. Lewes hearyng this yoūg mans talke, as wel as the others, went his way in a rage vnto the Court.

On the morow they heard newes, so that the sayd Wilmot & Tho. Fayrefaxe were sēt for, to come to þ^e Lord Maior. The messēger was M. Smart, Swordbearer of Lōdō.

MarginaliaWilmot and Thomas Fayrefaxe sent for to the Lord Mayor.They came before dynner to the Mayors house, and were commaunded to sit Downe at dinner in the Hall, and when the dynner was done they were both called into a Parlour, where the Mayor and Syr Roger Cholmeley was, MarginaliaRich Wilmot and Thomas Fayrefaxe examined before the Lord Mayor and M. Cholmley.who examined them seuerally, the one not hearyng the other.

The effect of theyr talke with them was this. Syr Roger Cholmley sayd vnto þ^e foresayd Wilmot, that my Lord Maior and he had receaued a commaundemēt frō þ^e Counsell, to send for him and his companion, and to examine thē of certayne thinges, which were layd vnto theyr charge.

Then sayd M. Cholmley to hym: Syrra, what coūtryman art thou? He aunswered that he was borne in Cambridge shyre, and in such a towne. Then he asked hym how long he had bene in the Citie. He told hym.

Then he asked what learnyng he had. He sayd: litle learnyng, and small knowledge. Then (deridyngly) hee asked how long he had knowen Doct. Crome. he sayd: but a while aboute ij. yeares. He sayd that he was a lying boy, and sayd that he þ^e sayd Wilmot was his sonne. The other sayd vnto hym, that was vnlike, for that he neuer see his mother nor she hym. Cholmley sayd he lyed. Wilmot sayd he could proue it to be true. Then he asked hym howe hee liked hys Sermon that he made at S. Thomas of Acres Chappell in Lent. He sayd that in deede he heard hym not. He sayde yes, and the other nay. Then sayd he, what say you to hys Sermon made at the crosse the last day? heard you not that?

Wilmot. Yes, and in that Sermon he deceaued a great nūber of people.

Cholmley. How so?

Wilmot. For that they looked that he should haue recanted his doctrine that he taught before, and dyd not, but rather confirmed it.

Cholmley. Yea Syr, but howe say you now to hym? for he hath recanted before the counsell, & hath promised on Sonday next to be at the crosse agayne, how thinke ye in that?

Wilmot. If he so dyd, I am the more sory for to heare it: & sayd he thought he dyd it for feare and sauegard of hys life.

Cholmley. But what say you? was his first Sermon heresy or not?

Wilmot. No, I suppose it was no heresie. For if it were MarginaliaS. Paules doctrine made heresie with Papists.S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrewes was heresye, and Paule an hereticke that preached such doctrine: but God forbid that any Christian should so thinke of the holy Apostle: neyther do I so thinke.

Cholmley. Why how knowest thou þ^t S. Paul wrot those thynges that are in English now, to be true, wheras Paul neuer wrot English nor Latin?

Wilmot. I am certified that learned men of God, that dyd seeke to aduaunce hys worde, dyd translate the same out of the Greeke and Hebrue, into Latine and English, and that they durst not presume to alter the sense of the Scripture of God, and last will and Testament of Christ Iesus.

Then the Lord Maior beyng in a great fury, asked hym what he had to do to read such bookes, and sayd that it was pitie that his Maister dyd suffer him so to doe, and that hee was not set better to worke: and in fine sayd vnto hym: that he had spoken euell of my Lord of Winchester and Boner, those reuerend and learned fathers and councellours of this Realme, for the which his fact he saw no other but he must suffer, as due to the same. And Maister Cholmley sayd: yea my Lorde, there are such a sort of heretickes and trayterly knaues taken now in Essex by my Lord Riche, that it is to wonderfull to heare. They shall be sent vp to the Byshop shortly, and shall be hanged and burned all.

Wilmot. I am sory to heare that of my Lord Rich, for that he was my Godfather, and gaue me my name at my Baptisme.

Cholmley asked hym when he spake with hym.

He sayd, not these xij. yeares.

Cholmley. If he knew that he were such a one, he would do the like by hym: and in so doyng he shoulde do God great seruice.

Wilmot. I haue red the same saying in the Gospell, that Christ sayd to his Disciples: The tyme shall come (sayth he) that whosoeuer killeth you, shall thinke that hee shall doe God high seruice.

Well Syr, sayd Cholmley, because ye are so full of your Scripture, and so well learned, wee consider you lacke a quiet place to study in. Therfore you shal go to a place wher you shall be most quiet, and I would wishe you to study howe you will aunswere to the Counsell of those thynges which they haue to charge you w^t, for els it is like to cost you your best ioynt. I know my Lord of Winchester will handle you well enough when he heareth thus much. Then was the Officer called in, MarginaliaWilmot and Fayrefaxe committed to prison.to haue him to the Counter in the Poultrye, and the other to the other Counter, not one of them to see an other: and thus remayned they viij. dayes. In the whiche tyme their Maysters made great labour