A. D. to 1558. Scottish Wisehart, made by the bloody enemies of Christ's faith. Note also History. the articles whereof he was accused, by order digested, and his meek answers so far as he had leave and leisure to speak. Finally, ponder 1543 with no dissembling spirit the furious rage and tragical cruelness of the malignant church, in persecuting of this blessed man of God; and, on the contrary, his humble, patient, and most godly answers made to them suddenly without all fear, not having respect to their glorious menacings and boisterous threats, but charitably and without stop answering, not moving his countenance, nor changing his visage, as in his accusation hereafter following manifestly shall appear. But before I enter into his articles, I thought it not impertinent somewhat to touch concerning the life and conversation of this godly man, according as of late it came to my hands, and certified in writing by a certain scholar of his, some time named Emery Tylney, whose words of testimonial, as he wrote them to me, here follow. Emery Tylney's Account of Master George Wisehart. About the year of our Lord 1543, there was, in the university of Cambridge, one Master George Wisehart, commonly called Master George of Benet's college, who was a man of tall stature, polled-headed, and on the same a round French cap of the best; judged to be of melancholy complexion by his physiognomy, black haired, long bearded, comely of personage, well spoken after his country of Scotland, courteous, lowly, lovely, glad to teach, desirous to learn, and was well travelled; having on him for his habit or clothing, never but a mantle or frieze gown to the shoes, a black millian fustian doublet, and plain black hosen, coarse new canvass for his shirts, and white falling bands and cuffs at his hands. All the which apparel he gave to the poor, some weekly, some monthly, some quarterly, as he liked, saving his French cap, which he kept the whole year of my being with him. He was a man modest, temperate, fearing God, hating covetousness; for his charity had never end, night, noon, nor day; he forbare one meal in three, one day in four for the most part, except something to comfort nature. He lay hard upon a puff of straw and coarse new canvass sheets, which, when he changed, he gave away. He had commonly by his bed-side a tub of water, in the which (his people being in bed, the candle put out and all quiet) he used to bathe himself, as I, being very young, being assured, often heard him, and, in one light night, discerned him. He loved me tenderly, and I him, for my age, as effectually. He taught with great modesty and gravity, so that some of his people thought him severe, and would have slain him; but the Lord was his defence. And he, after due correction for their malice, by good exhortation amended them and went his way. Oh that the Lord had left him to me, his poor boy, that he might have finished that he had begun! for in his religion he was as you see here, in the rest of his life, when he went into Scotland with divers of the nobility, that came for a treaty to king Henry the Eighth. His learning was no less sufficient than his desire; always pressed and ready to do good in that he was able, both in the house privately, and in the school publicly, professing and reading divers authors. If I should declare his love to me and all men; his charity to the poor, in giving, relieving, caring, helping, providing, yea, infinitely studying how to do good unto all, and hurt to none, I should sooner want words, than just cause to commend him. He that All this I testify with my whole heart and truth, of this godly man. made all, governeth all, and shall judge all, knoweth that I speak the truth, that the simple may be satisfied, the arrogant confounded, the hypocrite disclosed. Τέλος. Emery Tylney. Dogmata ejusdem Georgii. Fides sola sine operibus justificat. Missæ ministerium, mysterium iniquitatis. Scottish History. A. D. 1543 to 1558. summon appear. To the said Master George, being in captivity in the castle of St. Wisehart Andrews, the dean of the same town was sent by the commandment ed out of of the cardinal,' and by his wicked counsel, and there summoned the prison to said Master George, that he should, upon the morning following, appear before the judge, then and there to give account of his seditious and heretical doctrine. To whom Master George thus answered: the dean Wisehart: What needeth,' said he, 'my lord cardinal to summon me to His ananswer for my doctrine openly before him, under whose power and dominion I swer to am thus straitly bound with irons? May not my lord compel me to answer of that sumhis extort power? or believeth he that I am unprovided to render account of my moned doctrine? To manifest yourselves what men ye are, it is well done that ye keep your old ceremonies and constitutions made by men.' him. again be bishops. Upon the next morning, the lord cardinal caused his servants to Wisehart address themselves in their most warlike array, with jack, knapskal, brought splent, spear, and axe, more seeming for the war, than for the fore the preaching of the true word of God. And when these armed champions, marching in warlike order, had conveyed the bishops into the abbey church, incontinently they sent for Master George, who was conveyed unto the said church by the captain of the castle, accompanied with a hundred men, addressed in manner aforesaid. Like a lamb led they him to sacrifice. As he entered into the abbey- Casteth church door, there was a poor man lying, vexed with great infirmities, to a poor asking of his alms, to whom he flung his purse. And when he man. came before the lord cardinal, by and by the sub-prior of the abbey, called dean John Winryme, stood up in the pulpit, and made a sermon to all the congregation there then assembled, taking his matter out of Matthew xiii. BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE SERMON OF DEAN JOHN WINRYME. his purse The sermon was divided into four principal parts. The first part was a brief and short declaration of the evangelist. The second part, of the interpretation of the good seed. And because he called the word of God the good seed, and heresy the evil seed, he declared what heresy was, and how it should be known; Heresy which he defined on this manner: Heresy is a false opinion defended with pertinacy, clearly repugning the word of God. defined. The third part of the sermon was, the cause of heresy within that realm, and The cause all other realms. The cause of heresy,' quoth he, 'is the ignorance of them of heresy. that have the cures of men's souls: to whom it necessarily belongeth to have the true understanding of the word of God, that they may be able to win again the false doctors of heresies, with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and not only to win again, but also to overcome them, as saith Paul: A bishop must be faultless, as it becometh the minister of God, not stubborn, nor angry; no drunkard, no fighter, nor given to filthy lucre, but harbourous; one that loveth goodness; sober-minded, righteous, holy, temperate, and such as cleaveth unto the true word of doctrine; that he may be able to exhort with wholesome learning, and to disprove that which they say against him.3 (1) Here commences Foxe's reprint of the pamphlet referred to in the note on p. 636. -ED. Scottish The fourth part of his sermon was, how heresies should be known. ‘Heresy,' History. quoth he, 'be known after this manner: as the goldsmith knoweth the fine gold from the unperfect, by the touchstone, so likewise may we know heresy by the undoubted touchstone; that is, the true, sincere and undefiled word of God.' At last, he added, that heretics should be put down in this present life: to which proposition the gospel appeared to repugn, which he treated of. 'Let them grow unto the harvest.' The harvest is the end of the world. Nevertheless, he affirmed that they should be put down by the civil magistrate and law. A. D. 1543 to 1558. THE EXAMINATION OF MASTER GEORGE WISEHART. And when he ended his sermon, incontinently they caused Master George to ascend into the pulpit, there to hear his accusation and articles. And right against him stood up one of the fed flock, a JohnLau- monster, John Lauder, laden full of cursings written in paper. der accuser. to fear the Of these he took out a roll, both long and also full of cursings, threats, maledictions, and words of devilish spite and malice, saying to the innocent Master George so many cruel and abominable words, and hitting him so spitefully with the pope's thunder, that the ignorant people dreaded lest the earth then would have swallowed him up quick. The way Notwithstanding Master George stood still with great patience, hearignorant. ing their sayings, not once moving or changing his countenance. When that this fed sow had read throughout all his lying their cha- menacings, his face running down with sweat, and frothing at the mouth like a boar, he spit at Master George's face, saying, "What answerest thou to these sayings, thou runnagate! traitor! thief! which we have duly proved by sufficient witness against thee?" Master George, hearing this, kneeled down upon his knees in the pulpit, making his prayer to God. When he had ended his prayer, sweetly and christianly he answered to them all in this manner: Fruits of rity. Three causes Master George Wisehart: Many and horrible sayings unto me a christian man, many words abominable to hear, ye have spoken here this day, which not only to receive, but also once to think, I thought ever great abomination. Wherefore I pray your discretions quietly to hear me, that ye may know what were my sayings and the manner of my doctrine. This my petition, my lords, I desire to be heard for three causes. The first is, because, through preaching of the word of God, his glory is made manifest. It is reasonable therefore, for the advancing of the glory of God, that ye hear desired to me, teaching truly the pure word of God, without any dissimulation. why Wisehart be heard. Wisehart's doctrine. 'The second reason is, because that your health springeth of the word of God; for he worketh all things by his word. It were, therefore, an unrighteous thing, if ye should stop your ears from me, teaching truly the word of God. 'The third reason is, because your doctrine uttereth many blasphemous and abominable words, not coming of the inspiration of God, but of the devil, with no less peril than of my life. It is just, therefore, and reasonable, that your discretions should know what my words and doctrine are, and what I have ever taught in my time in this realm, that I perish not unjustly, to the great peril of your souls. Wherefore, both for the glory and honour of God, your own health, and safeguard of my life, I beseech your discretions to hear me; and, in the mean time, I shall recite my doctrine without any colour. First and chiefly, since the time I came into this realm I taught nothing but the ten Commandments of God, the twelve Articles of the Faith, and the Prayer of the Lord in the mother tongue. Moreover in Dundee, I taught the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. And I shall show your discretions faithfully, what fashion and manner I used when I taught, without any human dread, so that your discretions give me your ears benevolent and attent.' Suddenly then, with a high voice cried the accuser, the fed sow, Scottish Thou heretic, runnagate, traitor, and thief! it was not lawful for History. thee to preach. Thou hast taken the power at thine own hand, A.D. without any authority of the church. We forethink that thou hast 1543 been a preacher too long.' to 1558. The cry and pha risees. to go Then all the whole congregation of the prelates, with their complices, said these words; "If we give him license to preach, he is so of the crafty, and in the holy Scriptures so exercised, that he will persuade scribes the people to his opinion, and raise them against us.” Master George, seeing their malicious and wicked intent, appealed Wisehart from the lord cardinal to the lord governor, as to an indifferent and appealth equal judge. To whom the accuser, John Lauder aforesaid, with vernor." hoggish voice answered, "Is not my lord cardinal the second person within this realm, chancellor of Scotland, archbishop of St. Andrews, bishop of Mirepois,' commendator of Aberbroshok,2 legatus natus, and titles legatus à latere?" And so, reciting as many titles of his unworthy of the honours as would have laden a ship, much sooner an ass, "Is not bishop of he," quoth John Lauder, "an equal judge apparently unto thee? drews. Whom else desirest thou to be thy judge ?" To whom this humble man, answering, said thus: Wisehart: I refuse not my lord cardinal, but I desire the word of God to be my judge, and the temporal estate, with some of your lordships mine auditors, because I am here my lord governor's prisoner.' The style arch St. An words of against the go Hereupon the prideful and scornful people that stood by mocked The him, saying," Such man, such judge!" speaking seditious and reproach- the people ful words against the governor and other the nobles; meaning them, also, to be heretics. And incontinent, without all delay, they would vernor. have given sentence upon Master George, and that without further process, had not certain men there counselled the cardinal to read again the articles, and to hear his answers thereupon, that the people might not complain of his wrongful condemnation. And shortly to declare, these were the articles following, with his answers, as far as they would give him leave to speak for when he intended to mitigate their leasings, and to show the manner of his doctrine, by and by they stopped his mouth with another article. First Article. Thou false heretic, runnagate, traitor, and thief, deceiver of Article. the people! thou despisest the holy church's, and in like case contemnest my lord governor's authority. And this we know for surety, that when thou preachedst in Dundee, and wast charged by my lord governor's authority to desist, nevertheless thou wouldst not obey, but perseveredst in the same; and therefore the bishop of Brechin cursed thee, and delivered thee into the devil's hands, and gave thee in commandment that thou shouldst preach no more. Yet notwithstanding thou didst continue obstinately.' Wisehart: My lords! I have read in the Acts of the Apostles, that it is not Answer. lawful to desist from the preaching of the gospel for the threats and menaces of men. Therefore it is written, We shall rather obey God than man. I have also read in Malachi, I shall curse your blessings, and bless your cursings, saith the Lord : believing firmly, that he will turn your cursings into blessings.' (1) Mirepoix in the province of Languedoc, to which he was consecrated on the 5th of December, 1537; and so I find him styled at home here, 'Administratoris Episcopatus Mirapicen, in Gallia.' See Keith's Scottish Bishops, p. 23.-ED. (2) Aberbroshok,' now Arbroath. - ED. (3) Acts v. (4) Mal. ii. Scottish II. Thou, false heretic! didst say, that the priest, standing at the altar, History. saying mass, was like a fox wagging his tail in July.' A. D. 1543 to 1559. Article. Answer. Wisehart: 'My lords! I said not so. These were my sayings: The moving of the body outward, without the inward moving of the heart, is nought else but the playing of an ape, and not the true serving of God. For God is a secret searcher of men's hearts: therefore, who will truly adore and honour God, he must in spirit and verity honour him.' Then the accuser stopped his mouth with another article. III. 'Thou, false heretic! preachedst against the sacraments, saying, that there were not seven sacraments.' Wisehart: My lords! if it be your pleasures, I never taught of the number of the sacraments, whether they were seven or eleven. So many as are instiOf the se- tuted by Christ, and are showed to us by the evangely, I profess openly. Except it be the word of God, I dare affirm nothing.' ven sacraments. Article. Answer. it is, and IV. Thou, false heretic! hast openly taught, that auricular confession is not a blessed sacrament. And thou sayest, that we should only confess us to God, and to no priest.' Wisehart: My lords! I say, that auricular confession, seeing that it hath no promise of the evangely, therefore it cannot be a sacrament. Of the confession sion, what to be made to God, there are many testimonies in Scripture, as when David to whom saith, I thought I would acknowledge mine iniquity against myself unto the Lord, and he forgave the punishment of my sin. Here confession signifieth the secret acknowledging of our sins before God. When I exhorted the people in this manner, I reproved no manner of confession. And further St. James saith, Acknowledge your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed.' made. Article. Answer. how ne When he had said these words, the bishops and their complices cried, and grinned with their teeth, saying, "See ye not what colours he hath in his speaking, that he may beguile us and seduce us to his opinion?" V. 'Thou heretic didst say openly, that it was necessary to every man to know and understand his baptism, and what it was: contrary to general councils and the estate of the holy church.' Wisehart: My lords! I believe there be none so unwise here, that will Baptism make merchandise with a Frenchman, or any other unknown stranger, except he know and understand first the condition or promise made by the Frenchman or stranger. So likewise I would that we understood what thing we promise in the name of the infant unto God in baptism. For this cause I believe ye have of all men. confirmation.' cessary it is to be known Article. Answer. The pa Then said Master Blecter, chaplain, that he had the devil within Then answered him a child,3 saying, words as yonder man doth speak." VI. 'Thou heretic, traitor, and thief! thou saidst, that the sacrament of the altar was but a piece of bread baked upon the ashes, and no other thing else; and that all that is there done, is but a superstitious rite, against the commandment of God.' Wisehart: O Lord God! so manifest lies and blasphemies the Scripture doth not teach you. As concerning the sacrament of the altar, my lords! I proved for never taught any thing against the Scripture; which I shall, by God's grace, make manifest this day, I being therefore ready to suffer death. pists re liars and misre porters. 'The lawful use of the sacrament is most acceptable unto God; but the great abuse of it is very detestable unto him. But what occasion they have to say such words of me, I shall shortly show your lordships. I once chanced to meet with a Jew, when I was sailing on the water of Rhine. I did inquire of (1) Psalm xxxii. (2) James v. (3) Ex ore infantium.' |