thinking thereby to make shorter worke with hym. For they were so amased with his aunsweres (not all vnlike to them whiche disputed with StephenMarginaliaAct. 6.) that they knewe not well how to occupy the time, their wits and sophistry (as God would) so fayled them that day.

MarginaliaThe first article.My Lord Cobham (sayth this Doctor) we must briefly know your minde concerning these foure poyntes here following. The rest of them is this. And then he read vpō the bill: The fayth and determination of holy churche touching the blessed sacrament of the aulter is this. MarginaliaTransubstantiation of bread into the body.That after the sacramentall wordes be once spoken of a Priest in his masse: the materiall bread that was before bread, is turned to Christes very body. And the materiall wine is turned into Christes bloud. And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aulter from thenceforth no material bread nor materiall wine which were there before the sacramentall wordes were spoken. Sir beleue ye not this?

The Lord Cobham said: This is not my beliefe. MarginaliaThe L. Cobhās beliefe in the sacrament.But my fayth is (as I sayd to you afore) that in the worshipfull sacrament of the aulter, is Christes very body in forme of bread.

Then sayd the archbishop: sir Iohn ye must say otherwise.

The Lord Cobham said: Nay, that I shall not, if God be vpon my side (as I trust he is) but that there is Christs body in forme of bread, as the common beliefe is.

Then read the doctour againe.

MarginaliaThe 2. Article.The second poynt is this. Holy Church hath determined that euery Christen mā liuyng here bodely vpō earth ought to be shriuen of a priest ordeined by the church, if he may come to him: syr what say you to this?

The Lord Cobham aunswered and said: MarginaliaConfessiō of sinne to God onely.A diseased or sore wounded man, hath need to haue a sure wise Chirurgian and a true, knowing both the ground and the daunger of the same. Most necessary were it therefore to be first shriuen vnto God which onely knoweth our diseases and can helpe vs. I deny not in this the going to a priest, if he be a man of good life and learning. MarginaliaMalachi. 20For the lawes of God are to be required of the priest, which is godly learned. But if he be an idiote or a man of vicious liuing that is my curate, I ought rather to flee from him then to seeke vnto him: For sooner might I catch euill of him that is nought then any goodnes towardes my soules health.

Then read the doctour agayne.

MarginaliaThe 3. Article.The third poynt is this, Christ ordayned S. Peter the Apostle to be his vicare here in earth whose sea is þ^e church of Rome. And he graunted that the same power whiche he gaue vnto Peter, should succeede to all Peters successours which we call now popes of Rome. By whose special power in churches particular, be ordayned Prelates & archbishops, parsons, Curates, and other degrees more. Vnto whom Christen men ought to obey after the lawes of the Church of Rome. This is the determination of holye Church. Sir beleue ye not this?

To this he answered and sayd: MarginaliaWho is next vnto Peter.He that followeth Peter most nighest in pure liuing, is next vnto him in succession. But your Lordly order esteemeth not greatly þ^e lowly behauiour of poore Peter, whatsoeuer ye prate of him. Neither care ye greatly for the humble manners of them that succeeded him, till the time of Siluester, whiche for the more part were martirs, as I told you afore. MarginaliaSuccession not of place but of conditiōs maketh Peters heireYe can let all their good conditions go by you, and not hurt your selues with them at all. All the world knoweth this well inough by you and yet ye can make boast of Peter.

With that one of the other doctors asked him: thē what do ye say of the Pope?

The Lord Cobham answered. As I said before. MarginaliaAntichristes head body & taile.He & you together maketh whole the great Antichrist. Of whō he is þ^e great head you bishops, priests, prelates, & monks are the body: and the begging friers are the tayle, for they couer þ^e filthines of you both, with their subtile sophistry, Neither will I in conscience obey any of you all, till I see you with Peter follow Christ in conuersation.

The reade the doctor againe.

MarginaliaThe 4. Article.The 4. point is this. MarginaliaPilgrimage.Holy Churche hath determined that it is meritorious to a Christen man, and to go on pilgrimage to holy places. And there specially to worship the holy reliques and images of saintes, Apostles, Martirs, Confessours and all other saintes besides, approued by þ^e Church of Rome. Sir what say ye to this?

Wherunto he aunswered. I owe them no seruice by any commaundement of god: and therefore I minde not to seeke them for your couetousnes. MarginaliaWhat is to be dōe with Images.It were best ye swepte them faire from copwebs and dust, and so layde them vp for catching of scathe. Or els to bury them fayre in þ^e groūd as ye do other aged people which are Gods Images.

It is a wonderfull thing, MarginaliaSaintes are becōe now couetous beggers.that sayntes now being deadshoulde become so couetous and needy, and thereupon so bitterly beg: which all the life time hated al couetousnesse, and begging. But this I say vnto you, and I would all þ^e world should mark it. That with your shrines and Idols your fained absolutions and pardons, ye draw vnto you the substaunce, wealth and chiefe pleasures of all christen realmes.

Why sir (said one of the clerkesMarginaliaA whelpe of the same heare.) will ye not worshippe good images?

What worship should I geue vnto them?MarginaliaImages not to be worshipped. said the Lord Cobham.

Then said Frier Palmer vnto him. MarginaliaThe crosse whether it is to be worshipped.Sir will ye worship the crosse of Christ, that he died vpon?

Where is it, sayd the Lord Cobham?

The Frier said. I put you the case sir, that it were here euen now before you?

The Lord Cobham aunswered. This is a great wise man, to put me an earnest question of a thinge, and yet he himselfe knoweth not where the thing it selfe is. Yet once againe I aske you what worship I should do vnto it?

A clerke said vnto him. Such worship as Paule speaketh of: and that is this. MarginaliaGalat. 6.God forbid that I should ioy, but onely in the crosse of Iesu Christ.

Then said the Lord Cobham, and spread his armes abroad. This is a very crosse, yea, and so muche better then your Crosse of wood, in that it was created of God. Yet will not I seeke to haue it worshipped.

Then sayd the bishop of London. Sir, ye wote well that he died on a materiall crosse?

The Lord Cobham said. MarginaliaThe materiall crosse is not materiall to our faith.Yea, and I wote also that our saluation came not in by that materiall crosse, but alone by him which died therupon. MarginaliaWhat it is to reioyce in the crosse of Christ.And well I wote that holy S. Paule reioyced in none other crosse, but in christes passion and death onely, and in his owne sufferinges of like persecution with him, for the same selfe veritie that he had suffered for afore:

An other clerk yet asked him. Will ye then do none honour to the holy crosse?

He answered him. Yes, if he were mine own I would lay him vp honestly, and see vnto him that he shoulde take no more scath abroad, nor be robbed of his goodes as he is now a dayes.

Then sayd the Archbish. vnto him. MarginaliaSlaūdered with the truth.Sir Iohn, ye haue spoken here many wonderfull wordes to the slaunderons rebuke of the whole spiritualtie, geuing a great euil example vnto the common sort here, to haue vs in the more disdaine. MarginaliaThese mē seeme to stand onely vpon their estemation amōgest the people.Much time haue we spent here about you, and al in vaine so far as I can see. Well, we must nowe be at this short point with you, for the day passeth away: Ye must otherwise submit your selfe to the ordinaunce of holy church or els throw your selfe (no remedy) into most deepe daunger. See to it in time, for anone it will be els to late.

The Lord Cobham sayd: I know not to what purpose I should otherwise submit me. Muche more haue you offended me, then euer I offended you, in thus troubling me before this multitude.

Then said the archbishop again vnto him, MarginaliaA woluishe offer of gentlenes.We once agayne require to remember your selfe well, & to haue none other maner opinion in these matters, then the vniuersall faith, and beliefe of the holy church of Rome is. And so like obedient childe returne agayne to the vnitie of your mother. See to it I say in time, for yet ye may haue remedy, where as anone it will be to late.

The Lord Cobham sayd expresly before them all. I wil none otherwise beleue in these poyntes, then that I have told ye here afore. Do with me what ye will.

Finally then the archbishop sayd, MarginaliaBloudy murtherers.Wel, then I see none other but we must needes doe the lawe: we must proceede forth to the sentence diffinitue, and both iudge you, & condemne you for an hereticke.

And with that, the Archb. stood vp, and read there a bill of his condemnation, all the clergy and laity vayling theyr bonets. And this was the tenour therof.

IN the name of God. So be it. We Thomas by the sufferaunce of God,MarginaliaSuffered of god as a plague. Archbishop of Caunterbury, Metropolitane, and primate of al England, and Legate from the apostolicke see of Rome, willeth this to be knowne vnto all men. In a certayne cause of heresy and vpon diuers articles, wherupon sir Iohn Oldcastle knight and Lord Cobham, after a diligent inquisition made for the same,MarginaliaAn hereticke for confessing of Christ. was detected, accused, and presented before vs in our last conuocation of all our prouince of Caunterbury, holden in the Cathedrall Church of Paules at London: At the lawfull denouncement and request of our vniuersal Clergy in the sayd conuocation, we pro-