pearles,MarginaliaSuch pearles would better beseeme my Lord your golden shoes. that thou shalt be glad to chaunge thy voyce.

These and many mo wonderous & conuicious wordes, were spoken to me, manassing me and all other of the same sect, for to be punished and destroyed vnto the vttermost.

And the Archbishop called then to him a Clerke, and rowned with him: and that Clerke went forth, and soone he brought in the Constable of Saltwode Castell, and the Archbishop rowned a good while with hym: And then the Cōstable went forth, and then came in diuers seculers, and they scorned me on euery side, and manassed me greatly.MarginaliaAt illi clamabant dicentes tolle, tolle, crucifige eum. Luke. 23. And some counselled the archbishop to burne me by and by, and some other counselled hym to drowne me in the Sea, for it is neare hand there.

And a Clerke standyng beside me, there kneeled downe to the archbyshop, praying him that he would deliuer me to him, for to say Mattines with him: & he would vndertake, that within three dayes I should not resiste any thyng that were commaunded me to do of my Prelate.

And the archbyshop sayd, that he would ordaine for me hymselfe.

And then after, came agayne the Constable and spake priuily to the archbishop: And the archbishop commaūded the Constable to lead me forth thence with him, & so he did. And when we were gone forth thence, we were sent after agayne. And whē I came in agayne before the archbishop: a Clerke bad me kneele downe and aske grace, and submit me lowly, and I should finde it for the best.

☞ And I sayd thē to the archbyshop.MarginaliaObedience to God and to hys lawe would not serue. Syr, as I haue said to you diuers tymes to day, I will wilfully and lowly obey and submitte me to be ordeined euer after my cunning and power, to God and to his law, and to euery member of holy Church, as farre forth as I can perceiue that these members accord with their head Christ, and will teach me, rule me, or chastise me by authoritie, specially of Gods law.

¶ And the archbishop sayd. I wist well he would not without such additions submit him.

And then I was rebuked, scorned and manassd on euery side: and yet after this, diuers persons cried vpon me to kneele downe and submit me, but I stode still and spake no word.MarginaliaIn patience and silence posses your soules. And then there was spoken of me and to me many great wordes, & I stode and heard them manase curse, and scorne me: but I sayd nothyng.

Then a while after, the archbishop sayd to me. Wilt thou not submit thee to the ordinaunce of holy Church?

☞ And I sayd. Syr, I will full gladly submit me, as I haue shewed you before.

¶ And then the archbishop bad the Constable, to haue me forth thence in hast.

MarginaliaThorp cast in prison. And so then I was led forth, and brought into a foule vnhonest prison, where I came neuer before. But thanked be God, when all men were gone forth then from me, & had sparred fast the prison doore after them: By and by after, I therin by my selfe, busied me to thinke on God, and to thāke hym of his goodnesse.MarginaliaThorpe comforted & strengthned of the Lord, after his conflict with the byshop. And I was then greatly comforted in all my wits, not onely for that I was then deliuered for a tyme from the sight, from the hearyng, from the presence, from the scorning, and from the manasing of myne enemies: but much more I reioysed in the Lord, because that thorough his grace he kept me so, both among the flatteryng specially, and amēg the manasing of myne aduersaries, that without heauinesse and anguish of my cōscience I passed away from them. For as a tree laid vpon an other tree, ouerwharte or on Crosse wise, so was the archbishop and his three Clerkes alwayes contrary to me, and I to them.

Now good God for thyne holy name, and to the praysing of thy most blessed name: make vs one together, if it be thy will (by authoritie of thy word, that is true perfite charity) and els not. And that it may thus be, all that this writyng read or heare, pray hartely to the lord God, that he for his great goodnesse that can not be with toung expressed, graunt to vs and to all other, which in the same wise, and for the same cause specially, or for any other cause be at distaunce, to be knit and made one in true fayth, in stedfast hope, and in perfite charitie. Amen.

¶ Besides this examination here aboue described, came an other treatise also to our handes of the same W. Thorpe, vnder the name and title of his testament: which rather by the matter and handlyng thereof, might seme to be counted a cōplaint of vicious Priestes: which teatise or testament, in this place we thought not meete to be left out

MarginaliaChrist dwelleth in a faithfull soule. M Athew an Apostle of Christ, and his gospeller, witnesseth truely in the holy Gospell, the most holy liuing and the most holesome teachyng of Christ. He rehearseth how þ^t Christ likeneth them that heare his wordes and keepe thē, to a wise man that buildeth his house vpon a stone, that is a stable & a sad ground. This house is mans soule in whom Christ deliteth to dwell, if it be grounded, that is stablished faythfully in his liuyng and in his true teachyng, adourned or made fayre with diuers vertues, which Christ vsed and taught without any medlyng of any errour, as are chiefly the conditions of charitie.

MarginaliaChrist is the stone whereon we must build. This foresayd stone is Christ, vpon which euery faythfull soule must be builded, since vpon none other grounde thē vpon Christes liuyng and his teachyng, no body may make any buildyng or housing, wherin Christ will come & dwell. This sentence witnesseth S. Paule to the Corinthians, shewyng to them that no body may set any other grounde thē is set, that is, Christes liuing and his teachyng. And because that all men and women should geue all their businesse here in this lyfe, to builde them vertuously vpon this sure foundation: S. Paule knowledgyng the feruent desire, and the good will of the people of Ephesie, wrote to them comfortably saying: Now ye are not straungers, gestes, nor yet comelynges, but ye are the Citezins and of the houshold of God, builded aboue vpon the foundement of the Apostles and Prophetes. MarginaliaHow we are made the temple of God. In which foundement, euery buildyng that is builded or made through the grace of God, it encreseth or groweth into an holy temple, that is: Euery body that is grounded or builded faithfully in the teachyng and liuyng of Christ, is there through, made the holy temple of God.

MarginaliaMarke what we haue by Christ. This is the stable ground & stedfast stone Christ, which is the sure corner stone, fast ioynyng and holdyng mightely together, two walles. For through Christ Iesu, meane or middell person of the Trinitie: the father of heauen is pitious or mercifully ioyned and made one together to mākynd. And through dread to offend God, and feruēt loue to please him, men be vnseparably made one to God & defended surely vnder his protectiō. Also, this foresayd stone Christ, was figured by the square stones of which þ^e tēple of God, was made. MarginaliaThe propertie of a square stone. For as a square stone, where soeuer it is cast or layd, it abydeth and lyeth stabeley: so Christ and euery faithfull member of his Church by exāple of him, abydeth and dwelleth stablye in true fayth, and in all other heauēly vertues in all aduersities that they suffer in this valley of teares.

For loe, when these foresayd square stones were hewen and wrought for to be layd in the walles or pillers of Gods temple, none noyse or stroke of the workemen was heard. Certaine this silence in workyng of this stone, figureth Christ chiefly and his faythfull members, which by example of him, haue bene and yet are, and euer to the worldes end shall be so meeke and pacient in euery aduersitie, that no sounde nor yet any grudgyng shall any tyme be perceiued in them.

MarginaliaChrist is an example of all perfect meekenes. Neuerthelesse, this chief and most worshypfull corner stone which onely is ground of all vertues, proude beggers repriued: but this despite and reprofe, Christ suffered most meekely in his owne persōon, for to geue exāple of all meekenesse and pacience to all his faithfull followers. Certaine, this world is nowe so full of proude beggers which are named priestes: but the very office of working of priesthode which Christ approueth true, and accepteth, is farre from the multitude of Priestes that now reigne in this world.

MarginaliaPriestes seeke the pleasure of this world. For from the highest Priest to the lowest all (as who say) study, that is, they imagine and trauell busily, how they may please this world and their flesh. MarginaliaGreat odds betwixt the life of popes and Christ & his Apostles. This sentence and many such other dependeth vpon them, if it be well considered, other God the father of heauen hath deceaued all mankynd by the liuing specially & teachyng of Iesu Christ, & by the liuyng and teachyng of his Apostles and Prophets: or els all the Popes that haue bene, since I had any knowledge or discretion, with all the colledge of Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops, Monkes, Chanons, and Friers, with all the contagious flocke of the comunaltie of Priesthode, which haue (all my lyfe tyme and mekell lenger) reigned and yet reigne, and increase damnably frō sinne into sinne: haue bene and yet be, proud, obstinate heretikes, couetous simoners, and defouled adulterers in the ministryng of the Sacraments, and specially in the ministryng of the Sacrament of the aulter. MarginaliaWhē priests forget Gods truth, ye see whether they runne hedlong. For as their workes sheweth whereto Christ biddeth vs take heede: the highest Priests and Prelates of this Priesthode, chalenge and occupie vnlefully, temporall Lordships. And for temporal fauour and mede, they sell and geue benefices to vnworthy and vnable persons, yea these simoners sell sinne, sufferyng men and women in euery degree and estate, to lye, and continue, from yeare to yeare, in diuers vices slaunderously. MarginaliaThe great infecte the small. And thus by euill example of hygh Priestes in the Church, lower Priestes vnder them are not only suffered, but they are maintained to sell full deare (to the people for temporall mede) all the Sacramēts.

And thus all this foresaid Priesthode, is blowen so high