1583 Edition | Book 5 | Page 582 
concerning the good Lord Cobham: resorted vnto them the 12. Inquisitors of heresies (whome they had appoynted at Oxford the yeare afore, to searche out heretickes, wyth all Wickleffes bookes)MarginaliaWalden in fasciculo. Zizaniorum Wicleui. who brought 200. and 46. conclusions, which they had collected as heresies out of the sayd bookes. The names of the sayd Inquisitors were these.
[Back to Top]| 1. | Iohn Witnam, a maister in the new Colledge. | ||
| 2. | Iohn Langedon, Monke of Christ church in Cant. | ||
| 3. | William Vfford, regent of the Carmelites. | ||
| 4. | Thomas Claxton, regent of the Dominickes. | ||
| 5. | Robert Gilbert. | 9. | Richard Flemming. |
| 6. | Richard Earthisdale. | 10. | Thomas Rotborne. |
| 7. | Iohn Lucke. | 11. | Robert Ronbery. |
| 8. | Richard Snedisham. | 12. | Richard Grafdale. |
These things thus done, & the Articles being brought in: further they proceded in their communication, concluding among themselues, that it was not possible for them to make whole Christes coat wtout seame (meaning therby their patched Popish synagoge) vnlesse certaine great men were brought out of the way which seemed to be the chiefe maintainers of the sayde Disciples of Wickleffe. Among whō thys noble knight sir Iohn Oldcastle the Lord Cobham, was complained of by the generall proctors to be the chiefe principall. MarginaliaThe L. Cobham accused for main tayning the Gospel of Christ.Him they accused first for a mighty maintainer of suspected preachers in the dioces of London, Rochester, and Hereford, contrary to the mindes of their ordinaries. Not only they affirmed him to haue sēt thether the saide preachers, but also to haue assisted them there by force of armes, notwithstanding their Synodall constitution made afore to the contrary. MarginaliaThe L. Cobham accused for his Christen belefeLast of al, they accused him, that he was farre otherwise in beliefe of the sacrament of the altar of penaunce, of pilgrimage, of image worshipping, and of the Ecclesiastical power, then the holy Church of Rome had taught many yeares before.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaProcesse against him.In the ende it was concluded among them, that wtout any further delay, processe shoulde be awarded out against him, as against a most pernitious hereticke.
MarginaliaA spiritual practise.Some of that felowship which were of more crafty experience then the other: thought it not best to haue þe matter so rashly handled, but by some preparation made therunto before. Considering the sayde Lorde Cobham was a man of great birth, and in fauour at that time with the K. their counsaile was to know first the kings minde, to saue all things vpright. This counsaile was well accepted, and thereupon the Archbyshop Thomas Arundell wyth hys other bishops, and a great part of þe clergye, went straight waies vnto the king, the remaining at Keningston. And there laid forth most greuous complaints against the sayd Lorde Cobham, to his great infamy and blemish, being a man right godly. The king gently heard those bloud thirsty Prelates, and farre otherwise then became his princely dignitie: MarginaliaThe kyng speaketh for him.notwythstanding requiring, and instantly desiring them, that in respect of hys noble stocke and knighthode, they should yet fauourably deale with him. And that they would if it were possible, without all rigor or extreme handling, reduce him againe to the Churches vnitie. MarginaliaHis gentle promise.Hee promised them also, that in case they were contented to take some deliberation, hys selfe would seriously common the matter wyth him.
[Back to Top]Anone after, the king sent for the saide Lorde Cobham. MarginaliaThe kinges admonishment to the L. Cobham.And as he was come, he called him secretely, admonishing him betwixt him and him, to submit himself to his mother the holy church, and as an obedient child, to acknowledge himselfe culpable. Marginalia The aunswere of the L. Cobhā to the king. Rom 13. A most christen obedience. 2. Thess. 2. Math. 24.
And as the Archbyshop resorted againe vnto hym for an answere, he gaue him his full authority to cite him, examin him, & punish him according to their deuilish decrees, which they called the lawes of holy church. MarginaliaLord Cobham sommoned by the Archb.Then the sayde Archb. by the counsaile of his other Byshops and Clergy, appoynted to cal before him Sir Iohn Oldcastle the LordCobham, and to cause hym personally to appeare, to aunswere to such suspect Articles as they shoulde lay agaynst hym. So he sent forth hys chiefe Sommoner, wyth a very sharpe citation vnto the castle of Cowling, where as he at that time dwelt for his solace. And as the sayd Sommoner was come thether, hee durst in no case enter the gates of so noble a man wythout his licence, and therfore he returned home againe, hys message not done.
[Back to Top]Then called the Arcbbish. one Iohn ButlerMarginaliaIohn Butler playeth Iudas part. vnto him, which was then the doore keper of the kings priuy chamber: and wyth him he couenaunted through promyses and rewards, to haue this matter craftly brought to passe, vnder the kings name. Whereuppon, the sayde Iohn Butler tooke the Archbyshops Somner with him, and went vnto the saide Lord Cobham: shewing him, þt it was the kings pleasure that he should obey that citation, and so cited him fraudulently. Then saide he to them in few words, that he in no case would consent to those most deuilish practises of the Priestes. As they had informed the Archbyshop of that aunswere, and that it was for no man priuately to cite him after that, without pearil of life: he decreed by & by to haue him cited by publique processe or open cōmandement. And in all the hast possible, vpon the Wednesday before the Natiuity of our Lady in September: MarginaliaCitation set vp against the Lord Cobham.he commaunded letters citatorie, to be set appon the great gates of the Cathedrall church of Rochester (whych was but 3. English miles frō thence) charging hym to appeare personally before him at Ledis the 11. day of the same moneth and yeare, all excuses to the contrary set apart. MarginaliaThe citatiōs takē downe.Those letters were taken down anone after, by such as bare fauor vnto the Lord Cobham and so conueyed aside. After that caused the Archbish. new letters to be set vp on the natiuity day of our Lady, whych also were rent downe and vtterly consumed.
[Back to Top]Then for somuch as he dyd not appeare at the day appoynted at Ledys (where hee sate in Consistorie, as cruell as euer was Cayphas, with his court of hypocrites about him) he iudged him, denounced him, and condemned him, of most depe contumacy. After that, whē he had bene falsly informed by his hired spies, and other glosing glauerers: MarginaliaFalse accusations against the Lord Cobham.that the sayd Lord Cobh. had laughed him to scorn, disdained al his doings, maintained his old opinions, contemned the churches power, the dignity of a Bishop, & the order of priesthood (for all these was he than accused of) in his mody madnes wtout iust profe, MarginaliaL. Cobham excommunicated.did he openly excommunicate him. Yet was not withal this, his fierce tiranny satisfied: but commanded him to be cited a fresh,MarginaliaL. Cobham againe cited. to appeare afore him the Saterday before the feast of S. Mathewe the Apostle, wt these cruel threatnings added thereunto: that if he did not obey at the day, he wold more extremely handle him. And to make himselfe more strong towardes the performāce thereof, he compelled the lay power by most terrible manasings of curses and interdictions: to assist hym against that seditious apostata, schismaticke, and hereticke, the troubler of the publike peace, that enemy of the realme and great aduersary of all holy Church, for al these hateful names did he geue him.
[Back to Top]Thys most constant seruant of the Lorde and worthy Knight sir Iohn Oldcastle, the Lorde Cobham, beholding the vnpeaceable furie of Antichrist, thus kindled agaynst him: perceiuing himself also compassed on euery side wyth deadly daungers: MarginaliaL. Cobham confesseth his God before men.He tooke paper and pen in hand, and so wrote a Christen cōfession of rekening of his faith (whych followeth heereafter) both signing and sealing it wyth his owne hand. Wherein he also answered to the 4. chiefest articles that the Archbyshop laid against him. That done, he tooke the copie with him, and went therewith to the king, trusting to finde mercy & fauour at his hande. None other was þt confession of his, then the common beleue or summe of the Churches faith, called the Apostles Creede,MarginaliaThe Apostles faith. of all Christen men than vsed, with a brief declaration vpon the same, as here vnder ensueth.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe commō creede of Christians.I Beleue in God the father almighty, make of heauen and earth. And in Iesu Christ hys onely sonne our Lorde, which was cōcieued by the holy ghost, borne of the virgin Mary, suffred vnder Ponce Pilate, crucified dead and buried, went downe to hell, the thirde day rose agayne from death, ascended vpon to heauen, sitteth on the ryght hande of God the father almighty, and from thence shal come again to iudge the quicke & the dead. I beleeue in the holy ghost, the vniuersal holy Church, the communion of Saints, the forgeuenesse of sinnes, the vprising of the flesh, and euerlasting life. Amen.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaA declaratiō of his belief.And for a more large declaration (sayth he) of thys my