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Henry so much as in a look to show yourselves disobedient unto him; and that not VIII. only for fear of the sword, but also for conscience' sake before God. Yea, and I say further, if the king should command you any thing against God's law, if it be in your power to resist him, yet may you not do it.'

A. D. 1540.

Barnes

for the

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Barnes

to the king.

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Then spake he to the sheriff and said,

'Master Sheriff, I require you, on God's behalf, to have me commended unto prayeth the king's grace, and to show him that I require of his grace these five requests: first, that whereas his grace hath received into his hands all the goods and substance of the abbeys:'-Then the sheriff desired him to stop there. He answered, quests of Master Sheriff! I warrant you I will speak no harm; for I know it is well done that all such superstition be clean taken away, and the king's grace hath well done in taking it away. But his grace is made a whole king, and obeyed in his whole realm as a king (which neither his father nor grandfather, neither his ancestors that reigned before him, ever had), and that, through the preaching of us, and such other wretches as we are, who always have applied our whole studies, and given ourselves for the setting forth of the same; and this is now our reward. Well! it maketh no matter. Now he reigneth among you; I pray God long he may live and reign among you! Would to God it might please his grace to bestow the said goods, or some of them, to the comfort of his poor subjects, who surely have great need of them.'

Barnes's request

The second that I desire his grace is, that he will see that matrimony be had in more reverence than it is; and that men, for every light cause invented, cast not off their wives, and live in adultery and fornication; and that those that be not married should not abominably live in whoredom, following the filthy lusts of the flesh.

'The third, that the abominable swearers may be punished and straightly looked upon; for the vengeance of God will come on them for their mischievous oaths.'

Then desired he Master Pope to have him commended to Master to Master Edgar, and to desire him, for the dear blood of Jesus Christ, that he Edgar to would leave that abominable swearing which he used; for surely swearing. except he did forsake it, he would come to some mischievous end.

leave

Barnes cleareth

himself of all

heresy.

The protestation

The fourth request, that his grace would set forth Christ's true religion, and seeing he hath begun, go forward, and make an end; for many things have been done, but much more is to do. And that it would please his grace to look on God's word himself, for that it hath been obscured with many traditions invented of our own brains. Now,' said he, how many petitions have I spoken of?' And the people said, ' Four.' 'Well,' said he, even these four be sufficient, which I desire you, that the king's grace may be certified of; and say, that I most humbly desire him to look earnestly upon them; and that his grace take heed that he be not deceived with false preachers and teachers, and evil counsel; for Christ saith, that such false prophets shall come in lambs' skins.'

Then desired he all men to forgive him, and if he had said any evil at any time unadvisedly, whereby he had offended any man, or given any occasion of evil, that they would forgive it him, and amend that evil they took of him; and to bear him witness that he detested and abhorred all evil opinions and doctrines against the word of God, and that he died in the faith of Jesu Christ, by whom he doubted not but to be saved. And with those words he desired them all to pray for him, and then he turned him about, and put off his clothes, making him ready to the fire, patiently there to take his death, yielding his soul unto the hands of Almighty God.

The like confession made also Jerome and Garret, professing in of Jerome like manner their belief, reciting all the articles of the christian faith, briefly declaring their minds upon every article, as the time would suffer; whereby the people might understand that there was no cause

and

Garret.

VIII.

nor error in their faith, wherefore justly they ought to be condemned: protesting moreover, that they denied nothing that was either in the Old or New Testament, set forth by their sovereign lord the king, A. D. whom they prayed the Lord long to continue amongst them, with his most dear son prince Edward: which done, Jerome added this ex hortation in few words following:

The Exhortation of Jerome to the People.

I say unto you, good brethren! that God hath bought us all with no small price, neither with gold nor silver, nor other such things of small value, but with his most precious blood. Be not unthankful therefore to him again, but do as much as to christian men belongeth, to fulfil his commandments, that is, 'Love your brethren.' Love hurteth no man, love fulfilleth all things. If God hath sent thee plenty, help thy neighbour that hath need. Give him good counsel. If he lack, consider if thou wert in necessity, thou wouldest gladly be refreshed. And again, bear your cross with Christ. Consider what reproof, slander, and reproach, he suffered of his enemies, and how patiently he suffered all things. Consider that all that Christ did was of his mere goodness, and not of our deserving. For if we could merit our own salvation, Christ would not have died for us. But for Adam's breaking of God's precepts we had been all lost, if Christ had not redeemed us again. And like as Adam broke the precepts, and was driven out of Paradise, so we, if we break God's commandments, shall have damnation, if we do not repent and ask mercy. Now, therefore, let all Christians put no trust nor confidence in their works, but in the blood of Christ, to whom I commit my soul to guide, beseeching you all to pray to God for me, and for my brethren here present with me, that our souls, leaving these wretched carcases, may constantly depart in the true faith of Christ.'

In much like sort Garret also, protesting and exhorting the people, after his confession made, ended his protestation in manner as followeth :

The concluding Protestation of Thomas Garret.

himself.

'I also detest, abhor, and refuse, all heresies and errors, and if, either by Garret negligence or ignorance, I have taught or maintained any, I am sorry for it, cleareth and ask God mercy. Or if I have been too vehement or rash in preaching, whereby any person hath taken any offence, error, or evil opinion, I desire of him, and all other persons whom I have any way offended, forgiveness. Notwithstanding, to my remembrance I never preached wittingly or willingly any thing against God's holy word, or contrary to the true faith, to the maintenance of errors, heresies, or vicious living, but have always, for my little learning and wit, set forth the honour of God, and the right obedience to his laws, and also the king's accordingly: and if I could have done better, I would. Wherefore, Lord! if I have taken in hand to do that thing which I could not perfectly perform, I desire of thee pardon for my bold presumption. And I pray God Garret send the king's grace good and godly counsel, to his glory, to the king's honour, prayeth and the increase of virtue in this his realm. And thus now I yield up my for the soul unto Almighty God, trusting and believing that he, of his infinite mercy, for his promise made in the blood of his Son, our most merciful Saviour Jesu Christ, will take it, and pardon me of all my sins, whereby I have most grievously, from my youth, offended his majesty: wherefore I ask him mercy, desiring you all to pray with me and for me, that I may patiently suffer this pain, and die steadfastly in true faith, perfect hope, and charity.'

king.

suffering

And so, after their prayer made, wherein most effectually they The desired the Lord Jesus to be their comfort and consolation in this patient their affliction, and to establish them with perfect faith, constancy, of these and patience through the Holy Ghost, they, taking themselves by martyrs. the hands, and kissing one another, quietly and humbly offered

three

VIII.

1540.

Difference between

suffer for

truth, and

others that die for their

serts.

of Crom

his death.

grace

Henry themselves to the hands of the tormentors; and so took their death both christianly and constantly, with such patience as might well A.D. testify the goodness of their cause, and quiet of their conscience. Wherein is to be noted how mightily the Lord worketh with his and fortitude in the hearts of his servants, especially in such as causeless suffer, with a guiltless conscience, for religion's sake, above them that others who suffer otherwise for their deserts. For whereas they who God's suffer as malefactors, are commonly wont to go heavy and pensive to their death; so the others, with heavenly alacrity and cheerfulness, do abide whatsoever it pleaseth the Lord to lay upon them: example own de- whereof we have right well to note, not only in these three godly Cheerful martyrs above mentioned, but also in the lord Cromwell, who suffered patience but two days before, the same no less may appear; who, although he well at was brought to his death, attainted and condemned by the parliament, yet what a guiltless conscience he bare to his death, his christian patience well declared; who, first calling for his breakfast, and cheerfully eating the same, and, after that, passing out of his prison down the hill within the Tower, and meeting there by the way the lord Hungerford, going likewise to his execution (who, for other matter, here not to be spoken of, was there also imprisoned), and perceiving him to be all heavy and doleful, with cheerful counComfort- tenance and comfortable words, asking why he was so heavy, he willed words of him to pluck up his heart, and to be of good comfort; "for," said Cromwell he, "there is no cause for you to fear; for if you repent, and be Hunger heartily sorry for that you have done, there is for you mercy enough with the Lord, who, for Christ's sake, will forgive you; and therefore be not dismayed. And though the breakfast which we are going to, be sharp, yet, trusting to the mercy of the Lord, we shall have a joyful dinner." And so went they together to the place of execution, and took their death patiently, July 28th, 1540.

able

to lord

ford, both

going to

their deaths.

A NOTE OF THREE PAPISTS, POWEL, FETHERSTONE, AND ABEL,
EXECUTED THE SAME TIME WITH BARNES, JEROME,

AND GARRET.

The same time and day, and in the same place, where and when these three above mentioned did suffer, three others also were executed, though not for the same cause, but rather the contrary, for denying the king's supremacy; whose names were Powel, Fetherstone, and Abel: which spectacle so happening upon one day, in two so contrary parts or factions, brought the people into a marvellous admiration and doubt of their religion, which part to follow and take; as might so well happen amongst ignorant and simple people, seeing two contrary parts so to suffer, the one for popery, the other against popery, both at one time. Insomuch that a certain stranger being there present the same time, and seeing three on the one side, and three on the other side to suffer, said in these words, “Deus bone! stranger, quomodo hic vivunt gentes? hic suspenduntur papistæ, illic comseeing buruntur antipapistæ. But to remove and take away all doubt pists and hereafter from posterity, whereby they shall the less marvel how this so happened, here is to be understood how the cause thereof did rise and proceed; which happened by reason of a certain division and

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ants to suffer.

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