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Sir John Cheke

(1514 - 1557) [ODNB; Bindoff]

BA Cambridge 1530; MA 1533; 1st regius professor of Greek (1540 - 51)

Humanist, royal tutor, administrator

Edward VI agreed with Sir John Cheke that clemency should be shown towards heretics. 1563, p. 884; 1570, p. 1484; 1576, p. 1258; 1583, p. 1295.

Nicholas Ridley, Thomas Goodrich, Sir John Cheke, William May and Thomas Wendy, king's visitors, attended the disputation at Cambridge in 1549. 1570, p. 1555; 1576, p. 1326; 1583, p. 1376.

A king's commission examined Edmund Bonner in 1549. Finding Bonner's answers to the articles put to him to be unsatisfactory, the commissioners received witnesses against him: John Cheke, Henry Markham, John Joseph, John Douglas and Richard Chambers.. 1563, p. 707; 1570, p. 1510; 1576, p. 1280; 1583, p. 1320.

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Cheke was a deponent in the case of Stephen Gardiner. 1563, pp. 807-8

John Cheke was a witness in 1551 to the sentence against Stephen Gardiner and his appellation. 1563, p. 867.

After John Redman's death, John Young sent a testimonial letter to John Cheke, praising Redman and his thoughts on religion. 1563, pp. 870-74; 1570, pp. 1539-41; 1576, pp. 1312-14; 1583, pp. 1362-64.

MarginaliaAnno 1551.meates, and like as Capernaites  

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'Capernaite' is a prejorative term for anyone who held an overly-carnal understanding of Christ's Real Presence in the sacramental bread and wine. The term is based on John 6: 52.

Witnesses Iohn Yong, Alexander Nowell, Rich. Burton,
Edw. Cratford, Ellis Lomas, Iohn Wright.

MarginaliaChrist spiritually & truely eaten in the Sacrament.9 Item, that we receiue Christes body sic spiritualiter vt tamen verè: so spiritually, that neuerthelesse truly.

Witnesses Iohn Yong, Alexander Nowell, Rich. Burton,
Edward Cratford, Ellis Lomas, Iohn Wright.

MarginaliaTransubstantiation hath no proufe in the old doctours.10 Item, as touching transubstantiation, that there is not in any of the old doctours any good ground or sure proofe thereof, or any mention of it, as farre as euer he could perceiue, neither that he seeth what can be aunswered to the obiections made against it.

Witnesses Iohn Yong, Rich. Burton, Ellis Lomas.

MarginaliaChrist can neyther be lifted vp nor downe.11 Item, being asked of Maister Wilkes what that was which was lifted vp betwene the priestes handes, he aunswered: he thought that Christ could neyther be lifted vp nor downe.  

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This sounds like a rejection of the Real Presence, but it is not necessarily so. Thomas Aquinas had maintained much the same thing, arguing that Christ was only present in the Sacrament under the species of bread and wine, but his actual location was in heaven.

Witnesses Iohn Yong, Rich. Burton, Ellis Lomas.

MarginaliaPriestes mariage lawfull by Gods word.12 Item, that Priestes may by the lawe of God marry wiues.  

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Now this, if said, is truly evangelical. Note that JohnYoung and Richard Wilkes, both theological conservatives, did not subscribe to the accuracy of this article.

Witnesses Alexander Nowell, Ellis Lomas.

MarginaliaFayth onely iustifieth, a true doctrine.13 That this proposition: Sola fides iustificat, so that fides signifie Veram, viuam, & acquiescentem in Christo fidem, id est amplexum Christi: that is to say, that only faith doth iustifie, MarginaliaTrue fayth defined.so that faith do signifie a true, a liuely, and a faith resting in Christ and embracing Christ: is a true, godly, sweete, and comfortable doctrine, so that it be so taught that the people take none occasion of carnall libertie thereof.  

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This is less radical than it sounds. No one, Catholic and Protestant, denied that faith alone saved, but were good works inseparable from faith? The ambiguity here comes from the clause that the faith must conform with true doctrine. A Catholic (like John Young) would maintain that this meant acceptance of the teachings of the Church.

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Witnesses Ioh. Yong, Alexander Nowell, Rich. Burton, Ioh.
Wright, Edwarde Cratford, Richard Elithorne, Ellis Lomas.

MarginaliaWorkes do not merite to saluatiō.14 Item, that our workes cannot deserue the kingdome of God, and life euerlasting.

Witnesses Ioh. Yong, Alexander Nowell, Rich. Burton, Ellis
Lomas, Edwarde Cratford, Richard Elithorne, Iohn Wright.

15 Item, that the sayde D. Redman, at such times as wee the foresayd persons, which haue subscribed, heard his cōmunication concerning the foresaid pointes of Religion, was of quiet mind and of perfite remembraunce, as farre as we were able to iudge.

Witnesses Ioh. Yong, Alexander Nowell, Rich. Burton, Ellis
Lomas, Edward Cratford, Richard Elithorne, Iohn Wright.

¶ Also M. Yong of himselfe doth declare further touching the former Articles in this wise.  

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These are John Young's own comments on Redman's points; they may have been added at Young's insistence, in return for his subscribing to Nowell's list of Redman's points.

MarginaliaDoctour Yonges testimony of Doctour Redmans doctrine.IN primis, that D. Redman sayd more, where as S. Augustine sayde: Quòd Iudas idem accepit quod Petrus, MarginaliaIudas receaued the same that Peter did, as Simon Magus receiued the same Baptisme as Peter did.that Iudas receiued the same that Peter did, he said that he vnderstoode that of the Sacramente, and that after the same phrase a man might say: Quòd Simon Magus idem Baptisma recepit quod Apostoli, that Simon Magus receiued that same Baptisme that the Apostles did, when he did receiue only the outwarde Sacramente to his condemnation: for he sayd that he thought Christ would not vouchsafe to giue his holy flesh to an vngodly man. And this he saide was alwayes his mind, though he knew that other men did otherwise thinke.

MarginaliaCarying about of the Sacrament.Item, he sayde, he neuer liked the cariage  

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I.e., carrying.

MarginaliaTransubstātiation.Item, when he was demaunded of transubstantiation, he sayde, that he had trauayled about it, and thinking that the doubtes which he perceyued dyd rise thereon shoulde be made playne by the Schoolemen, did reade their bookes, and after that he had read them, the opinion of Transubstantiation was euery day Magis & magis languida, that is, weaker and weaker, and that there was no suche Transubstantiation as they made, adding therto, that the whole Schoole did not knowe what was meant by consecration, which he sayd was the whole action of the holy Communion.

MarginaliaIustification by fayth onely.Item, he sayd that he did repent him that he had so much striued against iustification by only faith.

MarginaliaWorkes merite not eternal life.Item, that workes had their crowne and rewarde, but that they did not deserue eternall life, and the kyngdome of God, no not the workes of grace: Nam donum dei vita æterna. For euerlasting life is the gift of God.

Although these testimonies aboue alledged may suffice for a declaration touching the honest life, sounde doctrine, and sincere iudgement of Doctour Redman: yet (velut ex abundanti) I thought not to cut off in this place, the testimoniall letter or Epistle of D. Yong writtē to M. Cheke, specially concerning the premisses. Which Epistle of Doct. Yong, as I receiued it written by his owne hand in the la-tine tongue, the copy whiche he himselfe hath not, nor can deny to be his owne, & is extant to be read in the former booke of Actes and Monumentes, so I haue here exhibited the same faythfully translated into the English tongue the tenour whereof here followeth.

The letter of M. Yong written to M. Cheke concerning Doct. Redman, translated out of Latine into English.  

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This letter, which Foxe claimed was a translation of the autograph, almost certainly passed from Cheke to Cecil, and thence to Foxe. But Cecil probably obtained this letter after the report of Redman's answers was printed or it would have been included. Young's version of what Redman said is basically consistent with the versions given by Wilkes and Nowell, but in his version Redman is less doubtful about the Real Presence in the Sacrament. In Young's version, Redman also accepts Purgatory, while in the third of Nowell's points, Redman denies its existence.

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MarginaliaM. Yonges letter to M. Cheke touching Doct. Redman.ALthough right worshipfull, I am stricken into no little dampe and dolour of minde for the vnripe (but that it otherwise pleased almighty God) & lamentable death of that most blessed & learned man doct. Redman, in somuch that all astonied with weeping and lamenting, I can not tell what to doe or thinke (yet neuerthelesse: (perceiuing it to be your worships will and pleasure, that so I shoulde do) I gladly cal my wittes together, and purpose by gods grace, there in these my letters, sincerely and truely to open and declare what I heard that worthy learned man speak and confesse at the houre of his death as touching the controuersies of religion, wherwith the spouse of Christ is in these our dayes most miserably toubled and tormented.

MarginaliaCommendation of D. Redman.This Doct. Redman, being continually by the space of xx. yeares or somewhat more exercised in the reading of the holy scripture, with such industry, labor, modesty, magnanimitie, and prayers to almighty God tryed and wayed þ^e controuersies of religiō, that in al his doings as he would not seeme to approue that was either false or superstitious so he would neuer improue that he thought to stand wyth the true worship of God. And albeit in certayne poyntes and articles of his fayth, he seemed to diuers whiche were altogether ignoraunt of that his singular grauitie, eyther for softnes, feare, or lacke of stomacke to chaunge his mind and beliefe, yet they, to whom his former life and conuersation by familiar acquayntaunce with him was throughlye knowne, with them also which were present at his departure, may easely perceaue and vnderstand, how in graue & weighty matters, not rashly and vnaduisedly, but wyth constant iudgement and vnfayned conscience he descended into that maner of beliefe which at that time of his goyng out of this world, he openly professed.

I geue your wisedome to vnderstand, that when death drew neare, he casting away all hope of recouery, minded & talked of no other thing (as we which were presēt heard) but of heauē and heauenly matters, of the latter day of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, with whom most feruently he desired to be: whose incredible loue towardes vs miserable sinners, most worthely and not without teares hee often times vsed to extol and speake of: MarginaliaExhortation of Doct. Redman to them that were about him.and vs which wer there present, he earnestly moued and exhorted to prepare oure selues to Christ, to loue one an other, and to beware of this most wretched & corrupt world. And besides that he promised (calling God to witnes thereunto, to whom he trusted shortly to come) if any woulde demaund any question that he would answere him what he thought in his iudgement to be the truth. At what time there were present M. Alexander Nowell,MarginaliaM. Alexander Nowell now Deane of Paules. a man earnestly bent to the true worshipping of God, and one that had alway singularly well loued þ^e said M. Redman: to whome he spake on this wise:

Your excellent learning and purity of life I haue euer both highy fauoured, and had in admiration: and for no other cause (God be my iudge) I do aske these things of you which I shall propound, but that I might learne & knowe of you what is your opinion and beliefe touchynge those troblous controuersies which are in these our dayes: and I shall receaue and approue your wordes as oracles sent from heauen.

To whome when doct. Redman had geuen leaue to demaund what he would, and had promised that he woulde faythfully and sincerely aunswere (all affection set aside) what he thought to be the truth, M. Nowel said: I would (quoth he) right gladly, but that I feare by my talke and communication I shalbe vnto you, so feeble and nowe almost spent, a trouble and griefe. Then sayd Doct. Redmā replying: what shall I spare my carcas (quoth he) whiche hath so short a time here to remaine? Go to, go to (sayd he) propound what you will. Thē M. Nowell put forth certayne questions in order, which I will here declare: wherunto the sayd doct. Redman seuerally answered, as hereafter followeth.

The first question that he asked of him was, what hee thought of the bishop of Rome. Vnto whō Doct. Redmā answered that the Sea of Rome in these our latter dayes had much swarued from the true religiō and worshipping of God & is with horrible vices stayned & polluted: MarginaliaThe Sea of Rome a sincke of all sinne.which I therfore (quoth he) pronounce to be the sincke of all euill and shortly wil come to vtter ruine by scourge of God, ex-