Marginalia1558.And Darbyshyre demaunded of him if hee would bee bounde for me.

He aunswered, yea. MarginaliaThe Constable of S. Brides suretye of Iulian Liuing.And so he was bounde for my appearaunce betwixt that and Christmas.

Then Darbyshyre sayd: you be Constable, and should geue her good counsell.

So do I quoth he. For I byd her go to Masse, and to say as you say. For by the Masse, if you say the Crow is white, I will say so to.

MarginaliaLiuing and hys wyfe deliuered by the death of Q. Mary.And thus much concernyng the examination of William Lyuyng, and his wife, whom although thou seest here deliuered thorough the request of women, his sureties, yet it was no doubt, but the deadly sickenes of Queene Mary abated and bridled then the cruelty of those Papistes, which otherwise would neuer haue let them go.

MarginaliaIohn Lithall brought to examination by Iohn Auales.AT the takyng of William Lyuyng, it happened that certaine of his bookes were in the custody of one Iohn Lithall. Whiche knowen, the Constable of the Warde of Southwarke, with other of the Queenes seruauntes, were sent to his house, who breakyng open hys doores and chestes, tooke away not onely the bookes of the sayd William Lyuyng, but also all his owne bookes, writynges and Billes of debtes, whiche he neuer had agayne. All this while Lithall was not at home.

The next Saterday after, as he was returned, and knowen to be at home, Iohn Auales  

Commentary     Close

John Avales was an extremely zealous heresy hunter in London during the final years of Mary's reign. For other descriptions of his activities see 1563, p. 1696; 1570, p. 2275; 1576, p. 1964; 1583, p. 2071 and 1570, p. 2278; 1576, p. 1967 and 1583, p. 2074.

And so Iohn Auales came runnyng to him, with other that were with him, saying: ha Syrra: you are a prety traytorly fellow in deede: we haue had somewhat to doe to get you. To whom he aunswered, that he was a truer man to the Queenes Maiestie then he. For you (sayd he) are commaunded by God to keepe holy the Sabboth day, and you seeke to sheed your neighbours bloud on the Sabboth day. Remember that you must aunswere therfore to God. But he sayd, come on you villaine, you must go before the Counsell. So was Lithall brought into Paules Churchyard to the Byshops Chauncellour, by Iohn Auales, saying, that he had there caught the Captaine of these fellowes, MarginaliaLithall brought before D. Darbishyre Chauncellor.and so caused him to be called to examinatiō before Doctour Darbyshyre, who entred with him talke in this wise.

MarginaliaTalke betwene Lithal and the Chauncellor.Chauncellour. What countrey man are you?

Lithall. I am an Englishman, borne in Staffordshyre.

Chaunc. Where were you brought vp?

Lith. In this our countrey of England.

Chaunc. In what Vniuersitie?

Lith. In no Vniuersitie, but in a free schole.

Chaunc. We haue had certaine bookes from your house and writynges, wherein is both treason and heresie.

Lith. Syr, there is neither treason nor heresie in them.

Chaunc. Thē he asked for certaine other men that I knew.

Lithall. If you haue ought to lay to my charge I will aunswere it: but I will haue not other mans bloud vppon my head.

Chauncellour. Why come you not to the Churche? Of what Church be you, that you come not to your owne Parish Church?

Lithall. I am of the Churche of Christ, the fountaine of all goodnes.

Chaū. Haue you no Ministers of your church but Christ?

Lith. We haue others.

Chaunc. Where be they?

Lith. In the whole world disparsed, preachyng and professing the Gospell and fayth onely in our Sauiour Iesus, as he commaunded them.

Chauncellour. You boast much euery one of you of your fayth and beliefe: Let me heare therefore the effect howe you beleue.

Lithall. MarginaliaIustification by Fayth onely.I beleue to be iustified freely by Christ Iesu, accordyng to the saying of S. Paule to the Ephesians, without either deedes or woorkes, or any thyng that may be inuented by man.

Chaunc. Fayth can not saue without workes.

Lith. That is contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles.

Chaunc. Iohn Auales, you and the Keeper haue this fellow to prison.

Cluny, and Iohn Auales. Then Iohn Auales and Cluny the Keeper had me into Paules, and would haue had me to haue sene the Apostles Masse.

Lithall. I know none the Apostles had, and therfore Iwill see none.

Cluny, and Iohn Auales. Come kneele downe before the roode, and say a Pater noster and an Aue in the woorshyp of the fiue woundes.

Lith. I am forbidden by Gods own mouth to kneele to any Idoll or Image: therfore I will not.

Then they pulled me with great extremitie, the one hauyng me by one arme, and the other by the other, but God gaue me at that present tyme more strength then both these, his name be praysed for it.

MarginaliaLithall denyeth to kneele before the Roode.Then when they could not make me to kneele before the roode, neither to see their Masse, there gathered a great cōpany about vs, and all agaynst me. Some spitte on me, and sayd: fie on thee hereticke, and other said it was pitie that I was not burned already.

Then they caryed me to Lollardes Tower and hanged me in a great payre of stockes, in the which I lay three dayes and three nightes, till I was so lame that I could neither sturre nor moue.

Then I offered the Keeper certaine money and gold that I had about me, to release me out of the stockes: and he sayd I would not be ruled by him, neither to see Masse nor to kneele before the roode, and therefore I should lye there still. But I sayd I would neuer doe the thyng that should be agaynst my cōscience, and though you haue lamed my body, yet my conscience is whole, I prayse GOD for it. So shortly after he let me out of the stockes, more for the loue of my money (as it may be thought) then for any other affection, & within foure or fiue dayes my wife got leaue of Maister Chauncellour to come to me, to bryng me such thynges as were needefull for me, and there I lay fiue weekes and odde dayes. In the whiche tyme diuers of my neighbours and frendes made sute to the Chauncellour for my deliueraūce, the Byshop, as they sayd, at that tyme beyng at Fulham sicke. MarginaliaLithalls neighbours make sute for him.So my neighbours beyng there, about 20. of them, the Chauncellour sent for me out of the Lollardes Tower to his owne house, and sayd as followeth.

Chauncellour. Lithall, here be of thy neighbours whiche haue bene with me to intreate for thee, and they haue informed me that thou hast bene a very honest and a quiet neighbour amongest them, and I thinke it be Gods will that I should deliuer thee before my Lord come home. For if hee come and thou go home agayne, I will be burned for thee, for I know his mynde already in that matter.

Lith. I geue you harty thankes for your gentlenes, and my neighbours for their good report.

Chauncellour. Lithall, if thy neighboures will be bounde for thy foorth commyng whensoeuer thou shalt be called for, and also thou wilt be an obedient subiect, I shalbe content to deliuer thee.

Neighbours. If it please your worshyp, we will be bounde for him both in body and goodes.

Chauncellour. I will require no such bond of you, but that two of you will be bound in 20. pounde a peece, that he shall come to aunswere when he shall be called.

Lithall. Where finde you, Maister Chauncellour, in all þ^e Scripture, that the church of GOD did bynde any man for the profession of his fayth? whiche profession you haue heard of me, that all our iustification, righteousnesse, and saluation, commeth onely and freely by the merites of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, and all the inuentions and workes of men, be they neuer so glorious, be altogether vayne, as the wise man sayth.

Chauncellour. Loe, where he is now. I put no such matter to you: for in that I beleue as you do: but yet S. Iames sayth that a man is iustified by workes.

Lithall. MarginaliaS. Iames expounded.Saint Iames spake to those that boasted them selues of fayth and shewed no workes of fayth. But O master Chauncellour, remember I pray you, how all the promises and prophesies of the holy Scripture, euen from the first promise that GOD made to Adam, and so euen to the latter end to the Reuelation of S. Iohn, do testifie that in the name of Iesus, and onely by his merites, all that beleue shal be saued from all their sinnes and offences. Esay sayth: MarginaliaEsay. 65.I am founde of them that sought me not, and am manifest to them that asked not after me: but agaynst Israell he sayth: All day long haue I stretched out my hand to a people that beleue not. And when the Iaylor asked S. Paule what he should do to be saued, the Apostle sayd: MarginaliaActes. 16.Beleue in the Lorde Iesus, and thou shalt be saued and all thy houshold.

Agayne, S. Iohn sayth in the Reuelation, that there was none, neither in heauen, nor in earth, neither vnder the earth, that was able to open the booke nor the seales therof, but onely the Lambe Iesus our onely Sauiour. And S. Paule sayth: MarginaliaHebr. 9.With one offeryng hath hee made perfect for euer them that are sanctified.

Chaunc. With vayne glory you rehearse much Scripture, as all þ^e sort of you do: but you haue no more vnderstanding than a many of sheepe. But to the purpose. Will you that