CHAP. III. The Archbishop adviseth Professors to fly. The Arch THE favourers of religion, seeing it was now determined Anno 1553. to proceed in all manner of severity against them, began bishop ad. to flee into other countries for their safety as fast as viseth to they could. Indeed there were some that made a case of flight. conscience of it: among the rest, one Mrs. Wilkinson, a woman of good quality, and a great reliever of good men. Her the Archbishop out of prison advised to escape, and avoid a place where she could not truly and rightly serve God. He took off, with spiritual arguments, the objections which she or others might make for their stay; as, 314 their lothness to leave their friends and relations, and that it might look like a slandering of God's word, if they should thus run away, and decline the open and bold defence of it. The letter of the Archbishop deserves to be read, as it fell from that venerable Prelate's own pen: which I have therefore put in the Appendix. Num. LXXII. will not flee. Though Cranmer himself refused to flee, being advised Cranmer by his friends so to do, because of the reports that were abroad, that he should be speedily carried to the Tower. For he said, "It would be no ways fitting for him to go 66 away, considering the post in which he was; and to "shew that he was not afraid to own all the changes "that were by his means made in religion in the last But great numbers fled, some to Strasburgh, some to Whither Wesel, some to Embden, some to Antwerp, some to the professors fly. Duisburgh, some to Wormes, some to Frankford, some to Basil, Zuric, and Arrow in Switzerland, and some to Geneva, to the number of eight hundred, and upwards. And these are the names of some of these refugees. BISHOPS. Poynet of Winchester, Barlow of Bath and Wells, Scory And who. of Chichester, Coverdale of Exon, and Bale of Ossory. BOOK Anno 1553. DEANS. Richard Cox, Dean of Christ's Church Oxon, and of Westminster; James Haddon, Dean of Exeter; Robert Horn of Durham; William Turner of Wells; Thomas Sampson of Chichester. ARCHDEACONS. Edmund Cranmer, the Archbishop's brother, Archdeacon of Canterbury; John Elmer of Stow; Bullingham of Lincoln; Thomas Young, Precentor of St. David's. DOCTORS of Divinity and Preachers. Edmund Grindal, Robert King, Edwin Sands, Joh. Jewel, Reinolds; Pilkingtons, two brothers; John Joseph, David Whitehead, John Alvey, John Pedder, John Biddil, Thomas Becon, Robert and Richard Turner, Edmund Allein; Levers, three brothers; John Pekins, Tho. Cottisford, Tho. Donel, Alex. Nowel, with his brother; Barthol. Traheron, John Wollock, John Old, John Medwel, Joh. Rough, John Knocks, John Appleby, John Perkhurst, Edward Large, Galf. Jones, Robert Crowley, Robert Wisdome, Robert Watson, William Goodman, Ant. Gilby, Will. Whittingham, John Makebrey, Hen. Reynolds, James Perse, Jugg, Edmunds, Cole, Mounteyn, two Fishers, Da. Simson, John Bendal, Beaumont, Humfrey, Bentham, Reymiger, Bradbridg, Saul, &c. Besides, of noblemen, merchants, tradesmen, artificers, and plebeians, 5 many hundreds. And God provided graciously for them, and raised them up friends in England, that 315 made large contributions from time to time for their relief, and for the maintenance of such as were scholars and students in divinity especially. And great was the favour that the strangers shewed to their fugitive guests. Duke of Northum to death. Here at home vengeance was taken upon those that set berland put up the Lady Jane. And the chief of all, the Duke of Northumberland, was brought to Tower Hill to lose his head: who indeed was cared for by no body, and was the only instrument of putting the King upon altering the 8 Chiliades. Pref. to Cranmer's book of the Sacrament, in Latin, III. succession; and who was broadly talked of to have been CHAP. the shortener of that excellent Prince's life by poison, to make room the sooner for his son's advancement, who had Anno 1553. married the said Jane. In prison he was visited by Bishop Hethe, and afterwards pretended to be brought off by him to the acknowledgment of the Roman catholic religion. After his condemnation, he, with the Marquis of Northampton, Sir Andrew Dudley, Sir John Gates, Sir Thomas Palmer, heard a mass within the Tower, and received the sacrament in one kind, after the popish fashion. The Duke of Northumberland was drawn hereunto by a promise that was made him, "That, if he would recant and "hear mass, he should have his pardon, yea, though his "head were upon the block." In his speech, August 22, when he was executed, he ac- His speech. knowledged," how he had been misled by others; and "called the preachers seditious and lewd, and advised the 66 'people to return home to the old religion. And that, "since the new religion came among them, God had "plagued them by wars and tumults, famine and pesti"lence. He propounded the example of the Germans, "how their new doctrine had brought ruin upon them: "and quoted that article in the Creed to them, I believe "the catholic church, to convince them of the Roman ca"tholic faith." If this speech were not of Hethe's inditing, to be used by the Duke, yet this argument from the Creed, I am apt to think, was his, it being his custom to make use of it. For I find, in a conference betwixt this Bishop and Rogers, he asked him, if he did not know his Creed, and urged Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam. But Rogers could tell him, that he did not find the Bishop of Rome there. If any be minded to see the Duke's speech at length, he may have recourse to the Appendix,, Num. where I have set it down, as I found it in one of the Cottonian volumes. But Gates and Palmer, notwithstanding their hearing Sir John mass at their execution the same day and place, confessed the faith they had learned in the Gospel. The former confessed, "That he had lived as viciously and wickedly all his life, as any in the world. And yet, that he was a LXXIII. Gat es his speech; BOOK 66 "great reader of the Scripture; but a worse follower there "was not living. For he read it, not to edify, but to Anno 1553. “ dispute, and to make interpretations after his own fancy : exhorting the people to take heed how they read "God's word, and played and gamed with God's holy 'mysteries. For he told them, that, except they humbly "submitted themselves to God, and read his word charitably, and to the intent to be edified thereby; it would "be but poison to them, and worse. And so asked the Palmer's speceh. 316 The Duke's get his life. Wardword, P. 43. <6 66 66 Queen, and all the world, forgiveness." Palmer thanked God for his affliction: for "that he "had learned more in one little dark corner of the Tower, "than ever he learned by any travels, in as many places 66 as he had been. There he had seen God, what he was, "and his numerous works, and his mercies. And seen "himself thoroughly what himself was; a lump of sin "and earth, and of all vileness the vilest. And so concluding, that he feared not death; that neither the sprinkling of the blood of two shed before his eyes, nor "the shedding thereof, nor the bloody axe itself, should "make him afraid. And so, praying all to pray for him, he "said some prayers, and without any daunting laid down "his head upon the block." 66 66 But the Duke of Northumberland submitted himself to labours to base and mean practices to save his life. He renounced his religion nay, disavowed "that he ever was of the religion professed in King Edward's days, (if we may believe Parsons,) but only hypocritically, for worldly ends, com"plied with it. And if he might but have lived, he could "have been contented to spend his days in a mouse-hole." For from a priest I have this relation, and the Papists best knew the intrigues of Queen Mary's reign. After sentence pronounced upon him, he made means to speak with Bishop Gardiner, who he knew could do most of any with the Queen. When the Bishop came to him, in company with another counsellor, to be witness of their discourse, (who himself told my author these passages,) the Duke asked the Bishop, "If there were no hope at all “for him to live, and to do some penance the rest of his days for his sins past. Alas! (said he,) let me live a 66 66 III. Anno 1553. "little longer, though it be but in a mouse-hole. The CHAP. "Bishop replied, That he wished to God any thing could "have contented his Grace but a kingdom, when he "was at liberty, and in prosperity. And even at that present he wished it lay in his power to give him that "mouse-hole: for he would allow him the best palace "he had in the world for that mouse-hole. And did moreover then offer to do for him what he could possible. "But because his offence (he said) was great, and sen"tence passed against him, and his adversaries many, it "would be best for him to provide for the worst: and especially, that he stood well with God in matter of con"science and religion. For to speak plainly, (as he went 66 66 66 on,) it was most likely he must die. The Duke an"swered, he would dispose himself; and desired he might "have a learned priest sent him for his confession, and spiritual comfort. And as for religion, (said he,) you know, my Lord Bishop, that I can be of no other but yours, which is the catholic. For I never was of any "other indeed, nor ever so foolish as to believe any of that "which we had set up in King Edward's days; but only "to use the same for my own purpose of ambition: for "which God forgive me. And so I mean to testify pub "of 66 licly at my death: for it is true. The Bishop (saith my "author) went away with an afflicted heart, and shed many 66 tears, as he returned: and went to the Queen, and "entreated so earnestly for him, as he had half gained her "consent for his life. Which so much terrified the Duke's "adversaries, as presently they got the Emperor Charles, "that was in Flanders, to write to the Queen a very "resolute and earnest letter, that it was not safe for her, nor his estate, to pardon his life. And with that he was "executed." 66 was always Whatever credit is to be given to the rest of this relation, 317 I can hardly believe that passage that he is reported to say Whether he to the Bishop, "that he was never otherwise than a Roman a Papist. "catholic, and that he did all along dissemble his religion "for worldly ends: and that he would testify as much at "his death." Because this doth no ways comport with his speech upon the scaffold; wherein he mentioneth no such |