MarginaliaThe history of I. Claydō skinner of Lōdon, & of Rob. Turmyng Baker.
Ex Regist. Cant.Archbishop of Caunterbury, in saint Paules church: MarginaliaIohn Claydon examined.which Iohn (beyng obiected to hym by the Archbishop, that in the city of London and other places of the prouince of Caunterbury, he was suspected by diuers godly and learned men for heresie, and to be contrary to the Catholike fayth, and determination of the church) did openly confesse and denied not, but that he had bene for the space of. xx. yeares suspected both about the Citie of London, and also in the prouince of Cant. and specially of the common sort, for Lollardy and heresie, & to be contrary to the Catholicke fayth and determination of the church of Rome, and diffamed of the same all the time aforesayd:

MarginaliaIohn Claydon first imprisoned by Rob. Braybroke byshop of London.In so much that in the tyme of M. Robert Braybrooke B. of London deceased, he was for the space of two yeares commaunded to the prison of Conwey, for the aforesaid diffamation and suspicion, and for the same cause also he was in prisō in the fleete for thre yeares. MarginaliaIohn Claydon before abiured.Out of which pryson he (in the raigne of king Henry the 4.) was brought before Lord Iohn Scarle, then Chauncellor to the king, and there did abiure all heresie and errour. And the sayd Iohn Claydon beyng asked of the sayd Archbishop, whether he did abiure the heresie of which he was suspect before any other: dyd confesse that in a conuocation at London in Paules Church before Thomas Arundell late Archbishop deceased, he dyd abiure all such doctrine which they called heresie and errour contrary to the Catholike fayth and determination of the Church, and that he had not onely left such articles and opinions, wherin he was diffamed, but also did abstayne from all company that were suspected of such opiniōs, so that he should neither geue ayde, helpe, counsayle, nor fauour vnto them.

MarginaliaEnglish bookes.And moreouer, the sayd Iohn was asked by the sayde Archbishop, whether he euer had in hys house since his abiuration, in hys keepyng, any bookes written in Englishe. Wherunto he confessed that he would not deny, but that he had in hys house, and in his keping many English bookes: for he was arested by the Mayor of the city of London, for such bookes as he had, which bookes (as he thought) were in the Mayors kepyng. MarginaliaThe iudgement of the Maior of London.Vpon the which, the Mayor did openly confesse that he had such bookes in his keping, which in his iudgement were the worste and the most peruerse that euer he dyd read or see, and one booke that was well bound in red leather of partchment, written in a good English hande: and among the other bookes found with the sayd Iohn Claydon, the Mayor gaue vp the sayde booke afore the Archbishop. MarginaliaClaydon bestowed muche money vpon Englishe bookes.Whereupon the sayde Iohn Claydon beyng asked of the Archbishop if he knewe that booke, dyd openly confesse that he knew it very well, because he caused it to be written of his owne costes and charges, for he spent much mony thereupon since hys abiuration. Then was he asked who wrote it. He dyd aunswere, one called Iohn Grime.

And further, being required what the said Iohn Grime was, he aunswered, he could not tell. MarginaliaIohn Claydon could not read.Agayne, beyng demaunded whether he did euer reade the same booke, he did confesse that he could not read, but he had heard the fourth part thereof read of one Iohn Fuller. And being asked whether he thought the contentes of that booke to be Catholicke, profitable, good and true, he aunswered that many thynges which he had heard in the same booke, were both profitable, good and healthfull to his soule: and as he sayd, he had great affection to the sayd booke, for a Sermon preached at Horsaldowne, that was written in the sayd booke. MarginaliaRichard Turming Baker.And beyng further asked, whether, since the tyme of hys sayd abiuration, he did commune wyth one Richard Baker of the Citie aforesayd, he did aunswere yea: for the sayd Richard Baker did come often vnto his house to haue cōmunication with hym: And beyng asked whether he knew the sayd Richard to be suspected, and diffamed of heresie: MarginaliaThis Turming belike, was then in prisonhe did aunswere agayne that he knew well that the sayd Richard was suspected and diffamed of many men and women in the Citie of London, as one whom they thought to be an hereticke.

Which confession beyng made, did cause the sayd bookes to be deliuered to maister Robert Gilbert, Doctour of Diuinitie: MarginaliaWill. Lindwood doctour of both lawes.to William Lyndewood Doctour of both lawes, and other Clarkes, to be examined, and in the meane tyme Dauid Beard, Alexander Philip, and Balthasar Mero, were taken for witnesses agaynst him, and were committed to be examined, to Maister Iohn Escourt generall examiner of Canterbury. This done, the Archbyshop continued his Session till Monday next in the same place. Which monday beyng come, which was the. xx. of the sayd moneth, the sayd Maister Escourt openly and publikely exhibited the witnesses, beyng openly read before the Archbyshop and other Byshops: which beyng read, then after that were read diuers tractations, founde in the house of the sayd Iohn Claydon: out of the which, beyng examined, diuers poyntes were gathered and noted for heresies and errours, and specially out of the booke aforesayd: MarginaliaAn English booke intituled: The Lanterne of lyght.which booke the said Iohn Claydon confessed by his owne costes to be written and bounde, which booke was intituled, the Lanterne of light. In the which and in the other examined, were these Articles vnder written contayned.

1. First, vpon the text of the Gospell, howe the enemy dyd sowe the tares, there is sayd thus that wycked Antichrist the Pope hath sowed among the lawes of Christ, his popish and corrupte decrees, which are of no authoritie strength, nor valure.

2. That the Archbishops and Bishops, speakyng indifferently, are the seates of the beast Antichrist, when he sitteth in them and raigneth aboue other people in the darke caues of errours and heresies.

3. That the Bishops licence for a man to preach the word of God, is the true caracter of the beast. I. Antichrist, & therfore simple and faythfull Priestes may preache when they will against the prohibition of that Antichrist, and wythout licence.

MarginaliaThe head & tayle of Antichrist.4. That þ^e court of Rome is the chiefe head of Antichrist, and the Bishops be the body: and the new sectes, that is, the monkes, canons, and friers, brought in not by Christ, but damnably by the Pope, be the venemous and pestiferous tail of Antichrist.

MarginaliaThis is true, speaking of the inuisible Church.5. That no reprobate is a member of the Church, but only such as be elected and predestinate to saluation: seyng the church is no other thyng but the congregation of faythfull soules, which do and will kepe their fayth constantly, as well in dede as in word.

6. That Christ did neuer plante priuate religions in the Church, but whilest he lyued in this world he did roote them out. By which it appeareth, that priuate religions be vnprofitable braunches in the church and to be rooted out.

7. That the materiall churches should not be decked with gold, siluer and precious stones sumptuously, but the followers of the humility of Iesus Christ, ought to worship their Lord God humbly in meane & simple houses, and not in great buildings, as the churches be now adayes.

MarginaliaTwo causes of persecution noted.8. That there be ij. chiefe causes of the persecution of the christians: one is the priestes vnlawfull keping of temporal and superfluous goods, the other is the vnsatiable beggyng of the Friers, with their hye buildings.

MarginaliaFoure cōditions in geuing almes.9. That almes is not geuen vertuously nor lawfully, excepte it be geuen with these 4. conditions: first vnlesse it bee geuen to the honour of God. 2. vnlesse it be geuen of goodes iustly gotten. 3. vnlesse it be geuen to such a person as the geuer therof knoweth to be in charity. And 4. vnles it be geuē to such as haue nede and do not dissemble.

10. That the often singing in the church is not founded in the scripture, and therfore it is not lawfull for priestes to occupy themselues with singing in the church, but with þ^e study of the law of Christ, and preaching his worde.

MarginaliaThat bread remayneth in the Sacrament.11. That Iudas did receyue the body of Christ in breade and his bloud in wyne. In the which it doth plainly appere that after consecration of bread and wyne made, the same breade and wyne that was before, doth truely remayne on the aultar.

12. That all ecclesiasticall suffrages do profite all vertuous and godly persons indifferently.

13. That the Popes and the Bishops indulgences be vnprofitable, neither can they profite them, to whom they be geuen, by any meanes.

14. That the laitie is not bound to obey the prelates what soeuer they commaund, vnles the Prelates do watch to geue God a iust accompt for the soules of them.

15. That Images are not to be sought to by pilgrimages, neither is it lawfull for Christians, to bow their knees to them, neither to kisse them, nor to geue them any maner of reuerence. MarginaliaThe bookes of I. Claydon burned.For the which Articles the Archbyshop with other Byshops, and diuers learned communyng together, first condemned the bookes as hereticall and burned them in fire: and then because, they thought the sayd Iohn Claydon to be foresworne and fallen into heresie, the Archbyshop dyd procede to his diffinitiue sentēce agaynst the sayd Iohn personally appearyng before him in iudgement (his confessions beyng read and deposed agaynst him) after this maner.

MarginaliaThe sentence & condemnation of I. Claydon.IN the name of God. Amen. We Henry by the grace of god Archbishop of Caunterbury, primate of all England, & Legate of the Apostolicke sea, in a certaine cause of hereticall prauitie and of relapse into the same, whervpon I. Claydon layman of our prouince of Canterbury, was detected, accused and denounced, and in the sayd our prouince of Canterbury,