many thinke, but by the illusion of Satan rather, who (as the Scripture witnesseth) hath bene lose now abroad. 500 yeres, according as it is written in the booke of the Apocalips: After a thousand yeares, Satan shalbe let loose. &c.Marginalia Apoc. 20. Neyther are they to be called miracles of true christen men, but illusions rather, wherby to delude mens mindes, to make them put theyr fayth in our Lady, and in other saynts, and not in God alone, to whom be honor and glory for euer.

[Back to Top]

Brusierd. But that I beleue and knowe that God and all his Sayntes will take euerlasting reuengement vppon thee, I woulde surely with these nayles of myne, be thy death,Marginalia* We read of a like saying of an other Eryer Augustin of Antwerpe, testified by Erasm. in his epistles: who openly in the pulpit at Antwerpe preachyng to the people, wishing that Luther were there, that hee might byte out his throte with hys teeth. So doing he wold nothyng doubt with the same bloudie teeth to resort to the aultar, and receiue the bodie of Christ. Eras. Epist. Lib. 16 Ad obrectatorem. for this horrible and enorme iniury agaynst the precious bloud of Christ. God sayth, I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he conuert and liue. And thou blasphemest him, as though he should lay priuy snares of death for vs secretly, that we shoulde not espye them. Whiche if it were true, we might well say then with Hugh de saynt Victore in this maner: If it be an error, it is of thee (O God) that we be deceiued, for these be confirmed with such signes and wonders, which can not be done but by thee. But I am assured, it is vntrue, and hereticall: and therfore, I will leaue this matter, and will talke with you concerning the merites of Sayntes. For once I remember, in a certayne Sermon of yours, you said, that no Saint though his suffering were neuer so great, and his life most pure, deserued anye thing for vs with God, either by his death or life, which is contrary to S. Austen.

[Back to Top]

Bilney. Christ sayth one thing, Saynt Augusten another. whether of these two shoulde we beleue? Marginalia* God leadeth not into errour, but hath left hys scriptures, to lead vs into truthFor Christ willing to deluer vs out of this darck dungeon of ignorance, gaue forth a certayne parable of ten virgins, of which, fiue were fooles, and fiue were wise. By the fiue foolish virgins wanting the oyle of good workes, he meant vs all sinners. By the wise Virgins he meant the companye of all holy Sayntes. Now let vs heare what the fiue wise Virgynes aunswered to the fiue foolish, crauing oyle of them: MarginaliaMath. 25.No (say they) least peraduenture wee haue not sufficient for vs and for you. Get you rather to them that sell, and buye of them to serue your turne. Wherfore, if they had not oyle sufficient for them selues, and also for the other, where then be the merites of Sayntes, wherewith they can deserue both for themselues and for vs?MarginaliaSaintes haue not merites sufficient for themselues, much lesse to spare to others. Certes I cannot see.

[Back to Top]

Brusierd. You wrast the Scripture from the right vnderstanding, to a reprobate sense, that I am scarse able to hold mine eyes frō teares, hearing with mine eares these wordes of you. Fare ye well.

MarginaliaBilney conuented againe before the Byshop of London.THe fourth day of Decēber,  

the bishop of London with the other bishops his assistauntes, assembled againe in the chapter house of Westminster, whether also M. Bilney was brought, and was exhorted & admonished to abinre and recant: who aunswered that he would stand to his cōscience. Then the Bishop of London with the other Byshops, Ex officio, did publish the depositions of the witnesses, with his Articles and aunsweres, commaunding that they should be read. That done, the Byshop exhorted hym agayne to deliberate with himselfe, whether he woulde returne to the Church, and renoūce his opinions or no, and badde him to depart into a voyd place, and there to deliberate with himselfe. Which done, the Bishoppe asked him agayne if he would returne. Marginalia

Bilney denyeth to recant.

Psal. 118.

In nomine domini incipitomne malum.

Who aunswered: Fiat iusticia & iudicium in nomine domini,, and being diuers times admonished to abiure, he would make no other answere, but Fiat iustitia. &c. And hæc est dies quam fecit Dominus, exultemus & læter in ea. Then the Byshop, after deliberation, putting off his cap, sayd: In nomine patris & filij & spiritus sancti. Amen. Exurgat Deus & dissipentur inimici eius: and making a crosse on his forehead and his brest, by the counsell of the other Bishops, he gaue sentence against M. Bilney, being there present in this maner.

[Back to Top]

I by the consent and counsell of my brethren here present do pronounce thee Thomas Bilney who hast bene accused of diuers Articles to be conuict of heresy, and for the rest of the sentence, we take deliberation till to morow.

MarginaliaBilney conuented againe before the Byshop.The 5. day of December  

the Byshops assembled there agayne, before whom Bilney was brought, whom the byshop asked if he would returne to the vnity of the Church, and reuoke his heresics which he had preached. Wherunto Bilney aunswered, MarginaliaBildey refuseth againe to recant.that he would not be a slaunder the Gospell, trusting that he was not seperate frō the Church, and that, if the multitude of witnesses might be credited, he might haue 30. men   of honest life on his part, agaynst one to the contrary brought in agaynst him: which wytnesses, the Byshoppe sayd came to late, for after publication, they could not be receiued by the law. Then Bilney alleadgingthe story of Susan and Daniel, MarginaliaLyke Byshops lyke lawes.the Bishop of London still exhorted him to returne to the vnity of the Church and to abiure his heresies, and permitted him to goe into some secret place, there to consult with his frendes, till one of the clocke at after noone, of the same day.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaBilney conuented the 3. tyme.At afternoone, the bishop of London agayne asked him whether he would returne to the church and acknowledge his heresies. Bilney aunswered that he trusted he was not seperate from the Church, and required time and place to bring in witnesses, which was refused.MarginaliaBilneys witnesses refused. Then the Byshop once agayne required of him whether he woulde turne to the Catholicke Church. Whereunto he aunswered, that if they could teach and proue sufficiently that he was cōuict, he would yelde and submit himselfe, and desired agayne to haue time and space to bring in agayne his refused witnesses, and other answere he would geue none.

[Back to Top]

Then the Byshop put M. Bilney aside, and tooke coūsel with his felowes, and afterward calling in M. Bilney, asked him agayne whether he would abiure: but he would make no other aunswere then before.MarginaliaBilney denyeth the third time to recant. Then the Byshoppe with the consent of the rest, did decree and determine that it was not lawfull to heare a petition which was agaynst the law and enquiring agayne whether he would abiure, he aunswered plainely no, and desired to haue time to consult with his frendes in whom his trust was: and beynge once agayne asked whether he would returne and instanly desired thereunto, or els the sentence must be read: he required the Bishop to geue him licence to deliberate wyth himselfe vntill the next morow, whether he might abiure the heresies wherwith he was defamed, or no. The Bishop graunted him, that he should haue a litle time to deliberate with M. Dancaster: but Bilney required space till the next morow, to consult with M. Farmar  

and Mayster Dancaster. But the Bishop would not graunt him his request, for feare least he should appeale. But at the last, the Bishop enclining vnto him, graunted him two nightes respite to deliberate: that is to say, till Saterday at 9. of the clocke afore noone, and then to geue a playn determinate answere, what he would do in the premisses.

[Back to Top]

The 7. day of December, in the yeare and place aforesayd, the Byshop of London, with the other Byshops being assembled, Bilney also personally appered. Whom the Bishop of London asked, whether he would now returne to the vnity of the Church, and reuoke the errors and heresies wherof he stood accused, detected, and conuicted. Who aunswered that now he was perswaded by Maister Dancaster and other his frendes,  

MarginaliaDancaster conferreth with Bilney. he would submitte hymselfe, trusting that they woulde deale gently with him, both in his abiuration, & penaunce.MarginaliaBilney through infirmitie rather then by conuiction, recanteth. Then he desired that he might read his abiuration: which the Byshop graunted. When he had read the same secretly by himselfe, and was returned, being demaunded what he would doe in the premisses he aunswered that he would abiure and submitte himselfe, and there openly read his abiuration,MarginaliaEx Regist. Lōd. and subscribed it and deliuered it to the Bishoppe, which then did absolue him: and for his penaunce enioyned him,MarginaliaM. Bilney enioyed penance. that he should abide in prison, appoynted by the Cardinall, till he were by him released: and moreouer, the next day he shoulde go before the procession, in the Cathedrall Church of S. Paule, bare headed, with a Fagot on his shoulder, & should stand before the Preacher at Paules Crosse, all the Sermō time. Ex Regist. Lond.

[Back to Top]

Here for so much as mention is made before, of v. letters or Epistles,  

whiche this good man wrote to Cutbert Tonstall Bishop of London, and by the sayd Byshop deliuered vnto the Registers, we thought good to insert certayne thereof, such as could come to our handes. The Copy of which letters, as they were written by him in Latin, because they are in the former Edition to be seene and read in the same Latine, wherein he wrote them, it shall suffice in this booke to expresse the same onely in Englishe. Concerning the first Epistle, which conteyneth the whole story of his conuersion, and seemeth more effecutal in the Latine, then in the Englishe, we haue exhibited it in the second Edition, pag. 1141. and therefore haue here onelye made mention of the same briefely. The copy whereof beginneth thus.

[Back to Top]

HOc nomine, pater in Christo obseruāde, longe beatiorem me puto, quód ad tuæ Paternitatis examinationem vocari me contigit. Ea enim eruditione es, ea vitæ integritate (quod om-