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805 [781]

K. Henry. 8. The Historie and death of Rich. Hunne.
MarginaliaHeresie layd to Hunne after his death

while as the inquest was occupyed about their charge, the Bishop should for his part, proceede Ex officio, in case of heresie against the dead person: supposing (moste like) that if the partie were once condemned of heresie the inquest durst not then but finde hym giltie of his owne death, & so clearly acquite them from all the former suspition of priuie murther. This determination of theirs they dyd immediately put in practise in order as foloweth.

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MarginaliaD. Hedde promoter of the dead. First, besides the Articles before mentioned (whiche they affirme were obiected against hym in his lyfe tyme) D. Hed dyd now also after his death, collect certaine others out of the prologue of his English Bible remaynyng then in the Bishops handes: whiche he diligently perused, not to learne any good thing therein, but to get thereout suche matter, as he thought might best serue their cursed purpose:MarginaliaEx Regist. Rich. Fitziames. Lond. as appeareth by the tenure of the Articles, whiche are these.

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MarginaliaNewe articles commensed against Hūne, after his death.  

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Arthur Ogle argued that the very Bible, from whose prologue these articles were drawn, is the Wiclif B Bible which is now Corpus Christi College, Parker MS 147. (Arthur Ogle, The Tragedy of the Lollard's Tower [Oxford, 1949], pp. 113-31).This debateable, but it is certain, that the articles were drawn from a copy of theWiclif B Bible.

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1 First the said booke damneth al holy Canons, calling them ceremonies and statutes of sinnfull men & vncunnyng, and calleth the Pope Sathanas and Antichrist.

2 Item, it damneth the Popes Pardons, saying, they be but leasinges.

3 Item, the sayd booke of Hunne sayth, that kyngs and lordes called Christen in name, and heathen in conditions, defoyle the sanctuarie of God, bringyng clarkes ful of couetise, heresie, and malice, to stop Gods lawe that it can not be knowen, kept, and freely preached.

4 Item, the said booke saith, that Lords and Prelates pursue ful cruelly them that would teach truely and freely the lawe of God: and cherish them that preach sinful mens traditions and statutes, by the whiche he meaneth the holy Canons of Christes Church.

5 Item, that poore men and idiotes haue the truth of the holy Scriptures, more then a thousand Prelates and religious men, and clerkes of the schole.

6 Item, that Christen kinges and Lords set Idoles in Gods house, and excite the people to Idolatrie.

7 Item, that Princes, Lordes, and Prelates so doyng, be worse then Herode that pursued Christ, and worse then Iewes and heathen men that crucified Christ.

8 Item, that euery man swearyng by our Lady, or any other Saint or creature, geueth more honour to the saints, then to the holy Trinitie, and so he sayth they be idolaters.

9 Item, he sayth that Saints ought not to be honored.

10 Item, he damneth adoration, prayer, kneelyng, and offeryng to Images, which he calleth stockes and stones.

11 Item, he sayth that the very body of the Lord is not conteyned in the Sacrament of the aultar, but that men receyuyng it, shal thereby keepe in mynd that Christes fleshe was wounded and crucified for vs.

12 Item, he damneth the Vniuersitie of Oxforde, with al degrees and faculties in it, as Art, Ciuile, Canon, and Diuinitie, saying, that they let the true waye to come to the knowledge of the lawes of God, and holy scripture.

MarginaliaAn holy mother Church which can not abide the word of god to be translated. 13 Item, he defendeth the translation of the Bible and holy Scripture into the English tongue, which is prohibited by the lawes of our mother holy Church.

These Articles thus collected, as also the others before specified, they caused for a more shew of their pretended Iustice and innocencie, to be openly read the next sonday folowyng, by the Preacher at Paules Crosse, with this protestation made before.

MarginaliaThe bishops publication at Paules crosse against Richard Hunne. ☞ Maisters and frendes, for certayne causes and considerations, I haue in commaundement to rehearse, shewe, and publish here vnto you, the articles of heresie, vpō which Richard Hunne was detected and examined: and also other great articles and damnable poyntes and opinions of heresie conteyned in some of his bookes be commen to light and knowledge, here ready to be shewed.

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And therewithall he read the Articles openly vnto the people, concludyng with these wordes:

And maisters, if there be any man desirous to see the specialtie of these articles, or doubt whether they be conteyned in this booke or not, for satisfying of his mynd, let hym come to my L. of London. and he shall see it with good wil. Moreouer here I counsayle and admonish, that if there be any persons, that of their simplenes haue bene familiar and acquainted with the sayd Richard Hunne in these articles, or haue heard hym read vpon this booke, or any other soūdyng to heresie, or haue any like bokes their selues, let them come vnto my Lord of London betwixt this and Candlemas next, and knowledge their fault, and they shalbe charitably intreated and dealt withal, so that both their goodes & honestie shalbe saued: and if they wyl not come of their owne offer, but abyde the proces of the lawe, then at their owne peryl be it, if the rigour of the lawe be executed against them.

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After which open publication and admonition, the bi shop at sundry tymes examined diuers of his Priestes, and other lay persons vpon the contentes of both these articles. Among which examinates, there was a man seruaunt and a mayden of the sayde Hunnes, who although they had of long dwelt with him, were not yet able to charge him with any great thyng worthy reprehension: no, not in such poyntes as the Bishop chiefely obiected agaynst hym.  

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Notes which James Ussher took of the depositions of those testifying against (which Foxe consulted but which no longer survive) show that Hunne owned vernacular translations of Scripture and forbidden Lollard works, but they contain no other accusations of heretical belief and practice (John Fines, 'The Post-Mortem Condemnation for Heresy of Richard Hunne', EHR 78 [1967], pp.530-1).

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But yet the Priestes (through whose procurement this mischiefe was first begon) spared no whyt stoutly and maliciously to accuse hym: some in the contentes of the first Articles, and some in þe second. Wherfore hauyng now (as they thought) sufficient matter agaynst hym, they purposed speedely to proceede to his condemnation. And because they woulde seeme to do all thynges formally, and by prescript order, they first drewe out certayne short and summary rules  
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This was apparently to guide Fitzjames through the ceremony posthumously condemning Hunne. Such a ceremony was unprecedented in England and a proper form of ritual had to be devised.

, by the which the bishop should be directed in this solemne session:MarginaliaEx Registro Fitziames. Lond. which are these.

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MarginaliaMarke the maner of this proceding. 1 First, let the Bishop sit in his tribunal seate, in our Ladyes Chappel.  

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The condemnation of Hunne was held in the Lady Chapel of St. Paul's.

2 Secondly, let hym recite the cause of his commyng, & take Notaryes to hym to enact that shalbe there done.

3 Thirdly, let hym declare, howe vpon Sonday last at Paules Crosse, he caused to be published a general monition, or denuntiacion, that all fautours and maynteyners of Richard Hunne, should come in, as by this day, and submyt them selues: and let hym signifie withal, how certayne haue come in and haue appeared already.

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4 Fourthly, let him protest & say, that if there remayne any yet behinde whiche haue not appeared accordyng to the former monition and denuntiation: yet if they wyll come, and appeare and submyt them selues, they shalbe heard and receyued with grace and fauour.

5 Fiftely, let the Bishop or some other at his appoyntemnt, recite the articles obiected agaynst Richard Hunne, in the tyme of his lyfe, and then the other articles likewise which were out of his great booke of the Bible extracted.

6 Sixtly, let the answeares and confessions of the sayde Richard Hunne, summaryly be recited, with the attestations made to the same articles. Also let his bookes be exhibited, and then Thomas Brooke his seruaunt be called for.

7 Seuenthly, let it be openly cryed at the quere doore, that if there be any which wil defend the articles, opinions, bookes, or the memory of the sayd Richard Hunne, let them come and appeare, and they shalbe heard, as the lawe in that behalfe shal require,

8 Eyghtly, let it be openly cryed, as in maner before, for suche as be receyuers, fauourers, defenders, or beleeuers of the sayd Richard Hunne, that all such do appeare and submyt them selues to the Bishop, or els he intendeth to proceede to the excommunication of them in general, accordyng to the exigence of the lawe in that behalfe.

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9 Nynthly, then the Bishop speakyng to the standers by, and to them which sate with hym vpon the bench, of the Clergie, demaundyng of them, what their iudgement and opinion is touching the premisses, and whether they thinke it conuenyent and agreeable for hym to proceede to the sentance agaynst the sayde Richard Hunne, in this parte to be awarded.

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10 Tenthly, after their consent and counsayle geuen, let the Bishop reade out the sentence.

11 Finally, after the sentence read, let the Bishop appoynt the publication and denuntiation of the forsayde sentence, to be read at Paules Crosse or els where, as to hym shall seeme expedient, with a Citation likewise generally agaynst all them that be receyuers, fauourers, and beleeuers of the said Hunne, to geue to vnderstand why he ought not farther to proceede agaynst them. &c.

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MarginaliaA solemne processe of Fitziames Bishop of London against Richard Hunne being dead. Nowe accordyng to the tenure of these prescriptes and rules, the Bishop of London accompanyed with the Bishops of Durham and Lincolne, sate in iudgement the. xvi. day of December then next folowyng, within the place by the same appoynted: adioynyng also vnto them as witnesses of theyr procedynges, sixe publique Notaryes, his owne Register, and about. xxv. Doctours, Abbots, Priours and Priestes of name, with a great rabble of other common annoynted Catholiques. Where after a solemne proclamatiō made, that if there were any that would defend the opinions and bookes of Rich. Hunne, they shoulde presently appeare, and be hearde accordyng to lawe, he commaunded all the Articles and obiections agaynst Hunne, openly to be read before the assemblye: and then perceyuyng that none durst appeare in his defence, by the aduise of his assistantes,MarginaliaThe corpes of Rychard Hunne burned after his death. he pronounced the sentence definitiue agaynst the dead carkase, condemnyng it of heresie, and therwith committed the same vnto the secular power to be by them burned accordyngly. Which ridiculous decree was as fondly accomplished in Smythfield the. xx. day of the same moneth of December (being ful. xvi. dayes after they had thus horribly

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