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Hereford [Herforde; Herford]

County town of Herefordshire; cathedral city

OS grid ref: SO 515 405

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Maidstone

Maidstone, Maydstone

NGR: TQ 760 555

A borough and parish, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Maidstone, lathe of Aylesford, county of Kent, of which it is the county town. 8 miles south from Rochester. The living is a perpetual curacy in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury

English information from Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of England (S. Lewis & Co: London, 1831)

Scottish information from Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (S. Lewis & Co: London, 1846)

Welsh information taken from Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales(Lewis & Co: London, 1840)

The reason for the use of these works of reference is that they present the jurisdictional and ecclesiastical position as it was before the major Victorian changes. The descriptions therefore approximate to those applying in the sixteenth century, after the major changes of 1535-42. Except for the physical locations, which have not changed, the reader should not therefore take these references as being accurate in the twenty-first century.

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Much Hadham

[Haddam]

Hertfordshire

OS grid ref: TL 425 195

Site of a palace of the bishops of London

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Shrewsbury [Shrowesbury; Shrosbery; Shreusbury]

County town of Shropshire

OS grid ref: SJ 495 125

ceded agaynst hym according to the law (God to witnes) with al the fauour possible. And following Christes example in all that we might, MarginaliaEzec 18.which willeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be conuerted and liue: MarginaliaEzec 35.we tooke vpon vs to correcte him, and sought all other wayes possible to bring him againe to the churches vnitie, declaring vnto him what the holy & vniuersal church of Rome hath sayd, holden, determined, and taught in that behalf. And though we founde him in the Catholicke fayth farre wyde and so stifnecked, that he would not confesse hys error, nor purge himself, nor yet repent him therof: MarginaliaThe wolfe would appeare charitable.We yet pittieng him of fatherly compassion, and intirely desiring the health of his soule, appoynted hym a competent tyme of deliberation, to see if he wold repent and seek to be reformed: but since that time we haue foūd him worse and worse. MarginaliaSee, if they shew not themselues.Considering therefore, that he is not corrigible we are driuen to the very extremitie of the lawe, and wyth great heauines of hart, we nowe prodeede to the publication of the sentence diffinitiue, agaynst him.

Then brought he foorth an other bill, conteyning the sayd sentence, and that he read also in his beggerly Latine. Christi nomine inuocato, ipsumq̀; solum præ oculis habentes. Quia per acta inactitata, and so forth. Whiche I haue also translated into Englishe, that men may vnderstand it.

MarginaliaEx magno processu Thomæ Arundeli.Christ we take vnto witnesse, that nothing els we seeke in this our whole enterprise, but his onely glory. For as much as we haue found by diuers actes done, brought forth and exhibited by sundry euidences, signes and tokens, and also by many most manifest proues, the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle knight and L. Cobham, not onely to be an euident hereticke in his owne person, but also a mighty maintainer of other heretickes agaynst the fayth and religion of the holy and vniuersall church of Rome:MarginaliaThat church is an whore. namely about the two sacramentes (of the aultar, and of penaunce) besides the popes power, and pilgrimages. And that he as the childe of iniquitie and darcknes, hath so hardened his hart, that he will in no case attend vnto the voyce of his pastor.MarginaliaA true shepe heareth the voice of a true pastor. Neyther will he be allured by straight admonishmentes, not yet be brought in by fauourable wordes. The worthines of the cause first wayed on the one side, and his vnworthines agayn cōsidered on the other side, his faults also aggrauated or made double through his damnable obstinancie (MarginaliaA colour of deceite.we being loth that he which is nought shoulde be worse, and so with his contagiousnes infecte the multitude) by the sage counsel and assent of the very discrete fathers, our honourable brethren and Lordes, Byshops here present, Richard of London, Henry of Winchester, and Bennet of Bangor, and of other great learned and wise men here, both doctours of diuinitie, and of the lawes canon and ciuill, seculers and religious, with diuers other expert men assisting vs: we sententially and diffinitiuely by this present writing, MarginaliaAs Caiphas did Christ.iudge, declare & condemne the sayd syr Iohn Oldcastle, Knight, and Lord Cobham, for a most pernitious and detestable hereticke, conuicted vpon the same, and refusing vtterly to obey the Church agayne, committing him here from hencefoorth as a condemned hereticke to the secular iurisdiction, power & iudgement, to doe him thereupon to death. Furthermore, we excommunicate and denounce accursed, not onely this hereticke here present:MarginaliaChrist is condēned in his faithful members. but so many els besides, as shall hereafter in fauoure of his errour, either receaue him or defend him, counsell him or help hym, or any other way mayntayne hym: as very fautours receauers, defenders, counsaylers, ayders, and mayntayners of condemned heretickes.

MarginaliaHow spirituall these fathers areAnd that these premisses, may be the better knowne al faithfull Christen men: we commit it here vnto your charges, & geue you straight commandement therupon by this writing also: That ye cause this condemnation and diffinitue sentence of excommunication, cōcerning both this heretick and his fautours: to be published throughout all diocesses, in Cities, towns & villages by your curates and parish priests, at such time as they shal haue most recourse of people. And see that it be done after this sorte. As the people are thus gathered deuoutly together, let the curate euery where goe into the pulpit and there open, declare, and expound, this excesse in the mother tongue, in an audible and intelligible voyce, that it may be perceiued of all men: and that vpon the feare of this declaration also, the people may fall from theyr euill opinions conceiued nowe of late by seditious preachers. MarginaliaKeepe the sepulchre neuer so much, yet Christ will rise.Moreouer we will, that after we haue deliuered vnto each one of you bishops which are here present, a copy hereof: that ye cause the same to be written out agayne into diuers copies, MarginaliaNone office left vndone pertaining to Antichrist.and so be sent vnto the other byshops and Prelates of our whole Prouince, that they may also see the contentes thereof solemnly published within theyr diocesses and cures. MarginaliaWhat care is here to hold vp their popery.Finally we will that both you and they signifie agayne vnto vs seriously and distinctly by your writinges as the matter is, without fayned colour in euery poynt performed: the day wheron ye receaued this processe, the time when it was of vs executed, and after what sort it was done in euery condition, according to the tenour hereof, that we may knowe it to be iustly the same.

A copy of this writing sent Thomas Arundel the archbishop of Caunterbury, afterward from Mydstone the x. day of Octobr, within the same yeare of our Lord 1413. vnto Richard Clifford the bishop of London, which thus beginneth:MarginaliaTho. Waldē in fasciculo Zizaniorū Wicleui. Thomas permissione diuina. &c.

The said Richard CliffordMarginaliaRicharde Clifford. sent an other copy thereof, enclosed within his owne letters: vnto Robert Maschall a Carmelite frier, which was then bishop of Herforde in Wales, written from Haddam the 23. day of October in the same yeare, and the beginning thereof is this: Reuerende in Christo pater. &c.

This Robert MascallMarginaliaRob. Mascall. directed an other copye thereof from London the 27. day of Nouember in the same yeare enclosed in his owne commission also, vnto his archdeacon and and Deanes in Hareforde and Shrewsbury. And this is therof the beginning: Venerabilibus & discretis viris. &c. In like maner did the other bishops within their diocesses.

After that the archbishop had thus read the bill of hys condemnation, with most extremitie before the whol multitude:MarginaliaEx vtroque exemplari. The Lorde Cobham sayd with a moste cheerefull countenaunce. Though ye iudge my body whiche is but a wretched thing, yet am I certayne and sure, that ye can do no harme to my soule,MarginaliaMath. 10. no more then could Sathan vppon the soule of Iob.MarginaliaIob. 1. He that created that, will of his infinite mercy and promise saue it, I haue therein no manner of doubt. And as concerning these articles before rehearsed, I will stand to them euen to the very death, by the grace of my eternall God.

And therwith he turned him vnto the people, castyng hys handes abroad, and saying with a very loude voyce: Good Christen people, for Gods loue be well ware of these men. For they will els beguile you, and leade you blindling into hell with thēselues. For Christ sayth plainly vnto you:MarginaliaMath. 10. If one blinde man leadeth an other, they are like both to fall into the ditche.

After this, he fell downe there vpon his knees, & thus before thē all prayed for his enemies,MarginaliaHe prayeth for his enemyes. holding vp both hys handes and his eyes towardes heauen and saying: Lorde God eternall, I beseeche thee of thy great mercies sake, to forgeue my pursuers, if it be thy blessed will. And then hee was deliuered to syr Robert Morly, and so led forth again to the tower of London. And thus was there an ende of that dayes worke.

MarginaliaEx vetusto exemplari Lōdinensiū.Whyle the Lord Cobham was thus in the Tower, he sent out priuely vnto his friendes. And they at his request wrote this little bill here following, causing it to be set vp in diuers quarters of London, that the people should not beleeue the slaunders and lyes that his enemies the Byshops seruauntes and priestes, had made on him abroade. And thus was the letter.

MarginaliaA testimoniall made by his frendes.FOr as much as Syr Iohn Oldcastle knight, and Lorde Cobham, is vntruely conuicted and emprisoned, falsly reported and slandered among the common people by his aduersaries, that he should otherwise both thinke & speak of the sacramentes of the churche, and specially of the blessed sacrament of the aultar, then was written in the confession of his beliefe which was indended and taken to the clergy, and so set vp in diuers open places in the cittye of London. MarginaliaTo stop lying lippes.Knowne be it here to all the worlde, that he (neuer since) varied in any poynt therefrō, but this is playnly his beliefe: MarginaliaA rehersall of his belief.that all the sacramentes of the churche be profitable and expedient also to al them that shall be saued, taking them after the intent that Christ and hys true church hath ordayned. MarginaliaIn forme of bread, but not without bread he meaneth.Furthermore he beleeueth, that the blessed sacrament of the aulter is verily and truely Christes body in forme of bread.

After this the bishops and priests were in much great discredite both with the nobilitie and commons,MarginaliaThe clergie in hate of the people. partly for þ^t they had so cruelly handled the good Lorde Cobham: & partly agayn, because hys opinion (as they thought at that tyme) was parfect concerning the sacrament. The Prelates feared this to grow to further incōueniēce towards thē both wayes, MarginaliaA practise of false priests.wherfore they drew theyr heads together & at the last consented to vse an other practise somewhat cōtrary to that they had done afore. They caused it by and by to be blowne abroad by theyr feed seruauntes, frends, and babling sir Iohns: that the sayd Lord Cobham was becomen a good man, and had lowly submitted himselfe in all thinges vnto holy Church, vtterly changing his opinion concerning the sacrament. MarginaliaThese are their cōmon feates.And thereupon, they counterfayted an abiuration in hys name, that the people shoulde take no hold of that opinion by any thing they had hearde of him before, and to stand so the more in awe of them. Cōsidering hym so great a man, and by them subdued.

This is the abiuration (say they) of sir Iohn Oldcastle knight, sometime the Lord Cobham.