THOMAS BILNEY.

THOMAS BILNEY was brought up in the Univerfitie of Cambridge, from a child, profiting in all kind of liberall sciences, even unto the profession. of both lawes. But at the last, having gotten a better schoolemaster, even the holy spirit of Christ, enduing his heart by privie inspiration with the knowledge of better and more wholesome things, he came at the last unto this point, that forsaking the knowledge mans lawes, he converted his studie to those things, which tended more unto godlinesse than gainfulnesse.

As he himselfe was greatly inflamed with the love of true religion and godlinesse, even so againe was in his heart an incredible desire to allure many unto the same, desiring nothing more than that he might stir up and encourage any to the love of Christ, and sincere religion. Neither were his labours vaine, for he converted many of his fellowes unto the knowledge of the Gospel; amongst which number was Thomas Arthur, and master Hugh Latimer; which Latimer at that time was Croffe-keeper at Cambridge, bringing it forth upon procession daies. At the last, Bilney forsaking the Univertitie, went into many places, teaching and preaching, being associate with Arthur, which accompanied him from the Universitie.

The authoritie of Thomas Wolsey, Cardinall of Yorke, at that time was great in England, but his pompe and pride much greater, which did evidently declare

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declare unto all wise men, the manifest vanitie, not only of his life, but also of all the bishops and clergie. Whereupon Bilney, with other good men, marvelling at the incredible insolencie of the clergie, which they could now no longer suffer or abide, began to shake and reprove this excessive pompe, and also to plucke at the authoritie of the bishop of Rome.

Then it was time for the cardinall to awake, and speedily to looke about his businesse. Neither lacked he in this point any craft or subtiltie of a serpent; for he understood well enough upon how slender a foundation their ambitious dignitie was grounded, neither was he ignorant that their proud kingdome could not long continue against the manifest word of God, especially if the light of the Gospel should once open the eyes of men. For otherwise he did not greatly feare the power and displeasure of kings and princes. Only this he feared, the voice of Christ in his Gospell, lest it should disclose and detect their hypocrisie and deceits, and force them to come to an order of godly discipline: wherefore he thought good, speedily in time to withstand these beginnings. Whereupon he caused the said Bilney and Arthur to be apprehended and cast into prison.

After this, the seven and twentieth day of November, in the yeere of our Lord 1527, the said cardinall accompanied with a great number of bishops, as the archbishop of Canterburie, Cuthbert of London, John of Rochester, Nicholas of Ely, John of Exeter, John of Lincolne, John of Bathe and Welles, Henrie of Saint Asse, with many other both Divines and Lawyers, came into the Chapterhouse at Westminster, where the said master Thomas Bilney, and Thomas Arthur were brought before them, and the said cardinall there enquired of

master

master Bilney, whether he had privately or pub likely preached or taught to the people, the opinions of Luther or any other condemned by the church,~ contrarie to the determination of the church. Whereupon Bilney answered, that wittinglie he had not preached or taught any of Luther's opinions, or any other, contrarie to the Catholike church, Then the cardinall asked him, whether he had not once made an oth before, that he should not preach, rehearse, or defend any of Luther's opinions, but should impugue the same every where? He answered, that he had made such an oth, but not lawfully'. Which interrogatories so ministred, and answeres made, the cardinall caused him to sweare, to answere plainly to the articles and errors preached and set forth by him; as well in the citie and diocesse of London, as in the dioceffe of Norwich and other places, and that he should do it without any craft, qualifying or leaving out any part of the truth.

After he was thus sworne and examined, the said cardinall proceeded to the examination of master Thomas Arthur there present, causing him to take the like oth, that master Bilney did. Which done, he asked of him whether he had not once told sir Thomas More knight, that in the Sacrament of the altar was not the verie bodie of Chrift? Which interrogatorie he denied. Then the cardinall gave

But not lawfully.] "The whole process is set down at length by Fox in all points according to Tonstall's Register, except one fault in the translation. When the cardinal asked Bilney whether he had not taken an oath before, not to preach or defend any of Luther's doctrines; he confessed he had done it, but not judicially (judicialiter, in the register.) This Fox translates not lawfully. In all other particulars there is an exact agreement between the Register and his Acts.". Burnett's Hist. of the Reformation, Vol. I. p. 31. Edit. 1715.

him time to deliberate till noone, and to bring in his answere in writing. After noone the same day, what time the examination of the foresaid Thomas Arthur was ended, the cardinall and bishops by their authoritie, Ex officio, did call in for witnesses before master Bilney, certaine men, namely, John Huggen, chiefe provinciall of the friers preachers thorowout all England, Geffrey Julles and Richard Jugworth, professours of Divinitie of the same order; Also William Jecket Gentleman, William Nelson, and Thomas Williams, which were sworne, that all favour, hate, love, or reward set apart, they should without concealing any falshood, or omitting any truth, speake their minds upon the articles laid against him, or preached by him, as well within the diocesse of London, as the diocesse of Norwich. And because he was otherwise oceupied about the affaires of the realme, the cardinall committed the hearing of the matter to the bishop of London, and to other bishops there present, or to three of them, to proceed against all men, as well spirituall as temporall, as also against schedules, writings, and bookes, set forth and translated by Martine Luther, lately condemned by pope Leo the tenth, and by all manner of probable meanes, to enquire and root out their errors and opinions; and all such as were found culpable,

* Condemned by pope Leo the tenth.] This bull bears date, Roma, 17 Calend, Julii. A. D. 1520. It is printed intire in Bzovii Annales, ad aun. 1520. fol. 367–371, and in Gerdesii Historia Reformationis, Vol. I. p. 131-145. Appendix. It contains the same forty-two (or as they are here and in other places printed, forty-one) articles, which were afterwards condemned by Cardinal Wolsey, (Wilkins's Concilia, Vol. III. p. 690-693,) defended by Luther in his Assertio Omnium Articulorum, and written against by bishop Fisher in an elaborate work, intitled Assertionis Lutherana Confutatio. A. D. 1523.

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to compel them to abjuration, according to the law; or if the matter so required, to deliver them unto the secular power, and to give them full power and authoritie to determine upon them.

The seven and twentith of November, in the yeere aforesaid, the bishop of London, with the bishops of Ely and Rochester, came unto the bishop of Norwiches house, where as likewise Ex officio, they did sweare certaine witnesses against master Thomas Arthur, in like sorte as they had done before against master Thomas Bilney, and so proceeded to the examination of master Arthur: which being ended upon certaine interrogatories, the bishop of London warned him by vertue of his oth, that he should not reveale his examinations, nor his answeres, nor any part or parcell thereof.

The second day of December, the bishops assembled againe in the same place, and sware more witnesses against master Bilney. That done, they called for master Arthur, who did revoke and condemne the articles against him ministered, and submitted himselfe to the punishment and judge

ment of the church.

The third day of December, the bishop of London with the other bishops assembling in the place aforesaid, after that Bilney had denied utterly to returne to the church of Rome, the bishop of London in discharge of his conscience (as he said) lest hee should hide any thing that had come to his hands, did really exhibite unto the Notaries, in the presence of the said master Bilney, certaine letters, to wit, five letters or epistles, with one schedule in one of the epistles, containing his articles and answeres folded therein, and another epistle folded in maner of a booke, with six leaves; which all and every one he commanded to be written out and registered, and the originals to be delivered to him againe.