WEBVTT 00:00.440 --> 00:06.960 A Leader of the Lollards The Trouble and Persecution of the Most Valiant and Worthy 00:06.960 --> 00:16.860 Martyr of Christ Sir John Oldcastle, Knight, Lord Cobham After that the true 00:16.860 --> 00:21.660 servant of Jesus Christ, John Whitcliffe, a man of very excellent life and learning, 00:21.900 --> 00:27.040 had, for the space of more than twenty-six years, most valiantly battled with the 00:27.040 --> 00:32.820 great Antichrist of Europe, or Pope of Rome, and his diversely disguised host of 00:32.820 --> 00:37.860 anointed hypocrites, to restore the church to the pure estate that Christ left her in 00:37.860 --> 00:42.820 at His ascension, he departed, hence most Christianly, in the hands of 00:42.820 --> 00:48.980 God, the year of our Lord 1384, and was buried in his own parish church at 00:48.980 --> 00:50.400 Lutterworth in Leicestershire. 00:52.040 --> 00:57.320 No small number of godly disciples left that good man behind him to defend the 00:57.320 --> 01:03.340 lowliness of the gospel against the exceeding pride, ambition, simony, 01:03.680 --> 01:08.680 avarice, hypocrisy, sacrilege, tyranny, idolatrous worshipings, 01:08.860 --> 01:12.980 and other filthy fruits of those stiff-necked Pharisees, against whom 01:13.430 --> 01:18.800 Thomas Arundel, the Archbishop of Canterbury, as fierce as ever was Pharaoh 01:18.800 --> 01:25.680 Antiochus Herod, or Caiaphas, collected in St. Paul's Church at London a universal 01:25.680 --> 01:31.000 synod of all the papistical clergy of England in the year of our Lord 1413, 01:31.760 --> 01:37.180 as he had done divers others before, to withstand their most godly enterprise. 01:38.000 --> 01:41.860 The principal cause of the assembling thereof was to repress the growing and 01:41.860 --> 01:46.120 spreading of the gospel, and especially to withstand the noble and worthy Lord 01:46.120 --> 01:50.660 Coburn, who was then noted to be a principal favourer, receiver, and 01:50.660 --> 01:56.780 maintainer of those whom the bishop named lollards, especially in the diocese of 01:56.780 --> 02:01.460 London, Rochester, and Hereford, setting them up to preach whom the bishops 02:01.460 --> 02:06.700 had not licensed, and sending them about to preach, holding also and teaching 02:06.700 --> 02:12.340 opinions of the sacraments, of images, of pilgrimage, of the keys, and church of 02:12.340 --> 02:16.740 Rome, repugnant to the received determination of the Romish church. 02:17.860 --> 02:22.040 It was concluded among them that without any further delay process should be 02:22.040 --> 02:25.680 awarded out against him, as against a most pernicious heretic. 02:26.880 --> 02:30.380 Some of that fellowship, who were of more crafty experience than the others, 02:30.540 --> 02:35.520 thought it not best to have the matter so rashly handled, but by some preparation 02:35.520 --> 02:40.740 made thereunto beforehand, considering the said Lord Coburn was a man of great birth, 02:40.940 --> 02:45.420 and in favour at the time with the king, their counsel was to know first the king's 02:45.420 --> 02:45.740 mind. 02:47.020 --> 02:50.700 This counsel was well accepted, and thereupon the archbishop, Thomas 02:50.700 --> 02:54.400 Arundel, with his other bishops, and a great part of the clergy, 02:54.920 --> 02:58.840 went straightways unto the king, then remaining at Kennington, and there 02:58.840 --> 03:03.880 laid forth most grievous complaints against the said Lord Coburn, to his great 03:03.880 --> 03:06.840 infamy and blemish, being a man right godly. 03:07.640 --> 03:12.380 The king gently heard those bloodthirsty prelates, and far otherwise then became 03:12.380 --> 03:17.760 his princely dignity, notwithstanding requiring and instantly desiring them that 03:17.760 --> 03:21.840 in respect of his noble stock and knighthood they should yet favourably deal 03:21.840 --> 03:27.340 with him, and that they would, if it were possible, without all rigour or 03:27.340 --> 03:30.520 extreme handling, reduce him again to the church's unity. 03:31.640 --> 03:35.560 He promised them also, that in case they were contented to take some deliberation, 03:35.780 --> 03:38.960 he himself would seriously commune the matter with him. 03:39.880 --> 03:45.080 Anon after, the king sent for the said Lord Coburn, and as soon as he was come, 03:45.480 --> 03:51.220 he called him secretly, admonishing him betwixt him and him, to submit himself to 03:51.220 --> 03:55.980 his mother the holy church, and as an obedient child to acknowledge himself 03:55.980 --> 03:56.620 culpable. 03:57.900 --> 04:00.440 Unto whom the Christian knight made this answer? 04:01.060 --> 04:06.220 You, most worthy prince, saith he, I am always prompt and willing to obey, 04:06.380 --> 04:11.380 forasmuch as I know you are a Christian king, and the appointed minister of God, 04:11.700 --> 04:15.800 bearing the sword to the punishment of evildoers, and for safeguard of them that 04:15.800 --> 04:16.400 be virtuous. 04:17.500 --> 04:23.200 Unto you, next my eternal God, owe I my whole obedience, and submit 04:23.200 --> 04:27.380 thereunto, as I have done ever, all that I have, either of fortune or 04:27.380 --> 04:32.060 nature, ready at all times to fulfil whatsoever ye shall in the Lord command 04:32.060 --> 04:32.320 me. 04:32.960 --> 04:38.580 But, as touching the pope and his spirituality, I owe them neither suit nor 04:38.580 --> 04:42.620 service, forasmuch as I know him, by the Scriptures, to be the great 04:42.620 --> 04:47.600 Antichrist, the son of perdition, the open adversary of God, and the 04:47.600 --> 04:50.180 abomination standing in the holy place. 04:51.720 --> 04:56.820 When the king had heard this, with such like sentences more, he would talk no 04:56.820 --> 04:58.760 longer with him, but left him so utterly. 04:59.820 --> 05:04.320 And as the archbishop resorted again unto the king for an answer, he gave him his 05:04.320 --> 05:08.500 full authority to cite him, examine him, and punish him, according to their 05:08.500 --> 05:12.480 devilish decrees, which they called the laws of holy church. 05:13.380 --> 05:19.920 But forasmuch as the Lord Cobham did not appear at the day appointed, the 05:19.920 --> 05:24.020 archbishop condemned him of most deep contumacy. 05:25.040 --> 05:30.320 After that, when he had been falsely informed by his hired spies and other 05:30.320 --> 05:34.680 glozing glabberers that the said Lord Cobham had laughed him to scorn, 05:34.860 --> 05:39.560 disdained all his doings, maintained his old opinions, contemned the church's 05:39.560 --> 05:44.220 power, the dignity of a bishop, and the order of priesthood, for all of 05:44.220 --> 05:49.840 these was he then accused, in his moody madness, without just proof, did he openly 05:49.840 --> 05:51.040 excommunicate him. 05:51.960 --> 05:57.360 This most constant servant of the Lord, and worthy knight, Sir John Oldcastle, 05:57.540 --> 06:02.980 the Lord Cobham, beholding the unpeaceable fury of Antichrist, thus kindled against 06:02.980 --> 06:08.460 him, perceiving himself compassed on every side with deadly dangers, took paper and 06:08.460 --> 06:13.520 pen in hand, and wrote a confession of his faith, both signing and sealing it with 06:13.520 --> 06:18.880 his own hand, wherein he answered to the four chief articles that the archbishop 06:18.880 --> 06:20.020 laid against him. 06:21.040 --> 06:25.220 That done, he took the copy with him, and went therewith to the king, 06:25.620 --> 06:28.220 trusting to find mercy and favor at his hand. 06:29.760 --> 06:33.740 The king would in no case receive it, but commanded it to be delivered unto them 06:33.740 --> 06:35.680 that should be his judges. 06:36.500 --> 06:41.660 Then desired he, in the king's presence, that a hundred knights and esquires might 06:41.660 --> 06:46.560 be suffered to come in upon his purgation, who he knew would clear him of all 06:46.560 --> 06:47.160 heresies. 06:48.060 --> 06:52.320 Moreover, he offered himself, after the law of alms, to fight for life or death, 06:52.380 --> 06:56.320 with any man living, Christian or heathen, in the quarrel of his faith. 06:57.080 --> 07:00.060 The king, and the lords of his council, accepted. 07:01.260 --> 07:06.140 Finally, with all gentleness, he protested before all that were present that he would 07:06.140 --> 07:10.280 refuse, no matter of correction, that should, after the laws of God, 07:10.360 --> 07:14.860 be ministered unto him, but that he would at all times, with all meekness, 07:15.060 --> 07:15.560 obey it. 07:17.320 --> 07:20.860 Notwithstanding all this, the king suffered him to be summoned personally in 07:20.860 --> 07:21.860 his own privy chamber. 07:23.160 --> 07:27.640 Then said the Lord Cobham to the king that he had appealed from the archbishop to the 07:27.640 --> 07:31.400 throne, and therefore he ought, he said, in no case to be his judge. 07:32.100 --> 07:36.060 And having his appeal there at hand, ready written, he showed it with all 07:36.060 --> 07:40.360 reverence to the king, wherewith the king was then much more displeased than afore, 07:40.480 --> 07:45.760 and said angrily to him that he should not pursue his appeal, but rather should tarry 07:45.760 --> 07:49.940 in hold, till such time as it were of the pope allowed. 07:50.480 --> 07:54.820 And then would he, or nilled he, the archbishop should be his judge. 07:56.460 --> 08:00.780 Thus was there nothing allowed that the good Lord Cobham had lawfully required, 08:01.080 --> 08:05.500 but forasmuch as he would not be sworn in all things to submit himself to the 08:05.500 --> 08:09.480 church, and so take what penance the archbishop would enjoin him, he was 08:09.480 --> 08:13.080 arrested at the king's commandment, and led forth to the tower of London. 08:14.400 --> 08:18.040 When the day of examination was come, which was the twenty-third of September, 08:18.360 --> 08:22.560 the Saturday after the feast of St. Matthew, Thomas Arundel, the archbishop, 08:22.560 --> 08:27.160 sat in Caiaphas's room in the chapter-house of St. Paul's, with Richard 08:27.160 --> 08:32.020 Clifford, Bishop of London, and Henry Bolingbroke, Bishop of Winchester. 08:33.440 --> 08:38.840 Sir Robert Morley, knight and lieutenant of the tower, brought before him the said 08:38.840 --> 08:43.660 Lord Cobham, and there left him for the time, unto whom the archbishop said these 08:43.660 --> 08:44.140 words. 08:44.980 --> 08:50.040 Sir John, in the last general convocation of the clergy of this our province, 08:50.700 --> 08:54.880 ye were detected of certain heresies, and by sufficient witnesses found 08:54.880 --> 09:00.760 culpable, whereupon ye were, by form of spiritual law, cited, and would in no case 09:00.760 --> 09:01.180 appear. 09:02.180 --> 09:06.480 Upon your rebellious contumacy, ye were both privately and openly 09:06.480 --> 09:07.500 excommunicated. 09:08.640 --> 09:12.100 Notwithstanding, we neither yet showed ourselves unready to have given you 09:12.100 --> 09:17.360 absolution, nor yet due to this hour, would ye have meekly asked it. 09:18.560 --> 09:22.560 Unto whom the Lord Cobham said that he desired no absolution, but he would gladly 09:22.560 --> 09:26.860 before him and his brethren make rehearsal of that faith, which he held and intended 09:26.860 --> 09:28.160 always to stand to. 09:29.060 --> 09:32.120 And then he took out of his bosom a certain writing concerning the articles 09:32.120 --> 09:34.840 whereof he was accused, and read it before them. 09:36.100 --> 09:42.040 As for images, I understand that they be not of belief, but that they were ordained 09:42.040 --> 09:46.580 since the belief of Christ was given by sufferance of the church to represent and 09:46.580 --> 09:50.560 bring to mind the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and martyrdom and good 09:50.560 --> 09:51.640 living of other saints. 09:52.260 --> 09:57.680 And that whoso it be that doth the worship to dead images that is due to God, 09:58.160 --> 10:03.440 or putteth such hope or trust in help of them as he should do to God, or hath 10:03.440 --> 10:08.420 affection in one more than in another, he doth in that the greatest sin of idle 10:08.420 --> 10:08.800 worship. 10:09.760 --> 10:15.780 Also I suppose this fully, that every man in this earth is a pilgrim toward bliss or 10:15.780 --> 10:21.440 toward pain, and that he that knoweth not, ne will not know, ne keep the holy 10:21.440 --> 10:26.740 commandments of God in his living here, albeit that he go on pilgrimages to all 10:26.740 --> 10:28.420 the world, and he die so. 10:28.920 --> 10:29.800 He shall be damned. 10:30.640 --> 10:35.140 He that knoweth the holy commandments of God, and keepeth them to his end, 10:35.540 --> 10:41.340 he shall be saved, though he never in his life go on pilgrimage, as men now use to 10:41.340 --> 10:44.560 Canterbury, or to Rome, or to any other place. 10:46.920 --> 10:50.980 Then counseled the archbishop with the other two bishops, and with divers of the 10:50.980 --> 10:55.960 doctors, what was to be done, commanding him for the time to stand aside. 10:56.900 --> 11:01.460 In conclusion by their assent and information, he said thus unto him, 11:01.860 --> 11:03.300 Come hither, Sir John. 11:04.380 --> 11:06.820 Ye must declare us your mind more plainly. 11:07.920 --> 11:12.800 As thus, whether ye hold, affirm, and believe, that in the sacrament of the 11:12.800 --> 11:18.320 altar, after the consecration rightly done by a priest, remaineth material bread or 11:18.320 --> 11:18.700 not. 11:19.340 --> 11:24.260 Moreover, whether ye do hold, affirm, and believe, that as concerning the 11:24.260 --> 11:29.540 sacrament of penance, where a competent number of priests are, every Christian man 11:29.540 --> 11:34.220 is necessarily bound to be confessed of his sins to a priest ordained by the 11:34.220 --> 11:35.200 church or not. 11:36.160 --> 11:40.480 This was the answer of the good Lord Cobham, that none otherwise would he 11:40.480 --> 11:45.060 declare his mind, nor yet answer unto his articles, than was expressly in his 11:45.060 --> 11:46.180 writing there contained. 11:47.580 --> 11:54.000 Then said the archbishop, unto him, Sir John, beware what ye do, for if ye 11:54.000 --> 11:57.920 answer not clearly to those things that are here objected against you, 11:58.480 --> 12:02.960 the law of holy church is, that we may openly proclaim you a heretic. 12:04.300 --> 12:09.580 Unto whom he gave this answer, Do as ye shall think best, wherewith the 12:09.580 --> 12:13.180 bishops and prelates were amazed and wonderfully disquieted. 12:14.000 --> 12:17.880 At last the archbishop again declared unto him, what the holy church of Rome, 12:18.080 --> 12:23.780 following the saying of St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, and of the holy 12:23.780 --> 12:26.440 doctors, had determined in these matters. 12:27.380 --> 12:32.200 No manner of mention once made of Christ, which determination, saith he, 12:32.720 --> 12:36.180 ought all Christian men both to believe and to follow. 12:37.300 --> 12:42.040 Then said the Lord Cobham unto him, that he would gladly both believe and 12:42.040 --> 12:47.200 observe whatsoever holy church of Christ's institution had determined, or yet 12:47.200 --> 12:52.460 whatsoever God had willed him either to believe or to do, but that the Pope of 12:52.460 --> 12:56.580 Rome, with his cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and other prelates of that 12:56.580 --> 13:01.620 church, had lawful power to determine such matter as stood not with his word 13:01.620 --> 13:06.400 thoroughly, that would he not, he said, at that time affirm. 13:07.380 --> 13:12.940 With this the archbishop bade him to take good advisement till the Monday next 13:12.940 --> 13:18.080 following, which was the twenty-fifth day of September, and then justly to answer, 13:18.320 --> 13:23.220 especially unto this point, whether there remained material bread in the sacrament 13:23.220 --> 13:27.100 of the altar, after the words of consecration, or not. 13:28.300 --> 13:32.660 The Lord Cobham perceived that their uttermost malice was purposed against him, 13:32.740 --> 13:37.180 and therefore he put his life into the hands of God, desiring his only spirit to 13:37.180 --> 13:38.540 assist him in his next answer. 13:39.320 --> 13:42.940 When the said twenty-fifth day of September was come, Thomas Arundel, 13:43.240 --> 13:47.660 the archbishop of Canterbury, commanded his judicial seat to be removed from the 13:47.660 --> 13:52.400 chapter-house of Paul's to the Dominic friars within Ludgate at London. 13:53.420 --> 13:58.080 And as he was there set, with a great sort more of priests, monks, canons, 13:58.240 --> 14:04.560 friars, parish clerks, bell-ringers, Sir Robert Morley, knight and lieutenant 14:04.560 --> 14:09.860 of the tower, brought the good Lord Cobham, leaving him among them as a lamb 14:09.860 --> 14:11.180 among wolves. 14:13.480 --> 14:15.140 Examination of the Lord Cobham. 14:16.140 --> 14:21.020 Then said the archbishop unto him, Sir John, we sent you a writing concerning 14:21.020 --> 14:24.780 the faith of the blessed sacrament, clearly determined by the church of Rome, 14:24.920 --> 14:27.380 our mother, and by the holy doctors. 14:28.240 --> 14:33.140 Then he said unto him, I know none holier than is Christ and His apostles. 14:34.540 --> 14:40.320 And as for that determination, I what it is none of theirs, for it 14:40.320 --> 14:43.540 standeth not with the Scriptures, but manifestly against them. 14:44.840 --> 14:48.700 Then said one of the lawyers, What is your belief concerning holy church? 14:49.560 --> 14:54.000 The Lord Cobham answered, My belief is, that all the Scriptures of the sacred 14:54.000 --> 14:54.900 Bible are true. 14:55.780 --> 15:00.040 All that is grounded upon them I believe thoroughly, for I know it is God's 15:00.040 --> 15:01.460 pleasure that I should so do. 15:02.100 --> 15:06.020 But in your lordly laws and idol determinations have I no belief. 15:06.740 --> 15:11.080 For ye be no part of Christ's holy church, as your open deeds do show. 15:11.820 --> 15:16.980 But ye are very antichrists, obstinately set against His holy law and will. 15:17.880 --> 15:22.780 The laws that ye have made are nothing to His glory, but only for your vain glory 15:22.780 --> 15:25.080 and abominable covetousness. 15:26.020 --> 15:31.920 And as for your superiority, were ye of Christ, ye should be meek ministers and no 15:31.920 --> 15:33.240 proud superiors. 15:34.000 --> 15:38.340 Then said Dr. Walden unto him, Swift judges always are the learned 15:38.340 --> 15:39.640 scholars of Wycliffe. 15:40.440 --> 15:45.240 Unto him the Lord Cobham thus answered, As for that virtuous man Wycliffe, 15:45.340 --> 15:49.840 I shall say here before God and man, before I knew that despised doctrine of 15:49.840 --> 15:52.620 his, I never abstained from sin. 15:53.240 --> 15:58.080 But since I learned therein to fear my Lord God, it hath otherwise, I trust, 15:58.220 --> 15:59.060 been with me. 15:59.700 --> 16:03.640 So much grace could I never find in all your glorious instructions. 16:04.900 --> 16:11.120 Then said Dr. Walden yet again unto him, It were not well with me, so many virtuous 16:11.120 --> 16:15.520 men living, and so many learned men teaching the Scripture being also so open, 16:15.840 --> 16:21.080 and the examples of fathers so plenteous, if I then had no grace to amend my life 16:21.080 --> 16:23.000 till I heard the devil preach. 16:23.920 --> 16:30.120 The Lord Cobham said, Your fathers, the old Pharisees, ascribed Christ's 16:30.120 --> 16:36.060 miracles to Beelzebub and His doctrine to the devil, and you as their children have 16:36.060 --> 16:39.500 still the selfsame judgment concerning His faithful followers. 16:40.560 --> 16:45.860 They that rebuke your vicious living must needs be heretics, and that must your 16:45.860 --> 16:48.900 doctors prove, when you have no Scripture to do it. 16:50.320 --> 16:56.600 Then said He to them all, To judge you as you be, we need go no further than to your 16:56.600 --> 16:57.760 own proper acts. 16:59.080 --> 17:03.600 Where do you find in all God's law that ye shall sit in judgment on any Christian 17:03.600 --> 17:09.200 man, or yet give sentence upon any other man unto death, as ye do here daily? 17:10.120 --> 17:15.720 No ground have ye in all the Scripture so lordly to take it upon you, but in Annas 17:15.720 --> 17:21.340 and Caiaphas, who sat thus upon Christ, and upon His apostles, after His 17:21.340 --> 17:21.840 ascension. 17:22.480 --> 17:28.240 Of them only have ye taken it to judge Christ's members as you do, and neither of 17:28.240 --> 17:29.200 Peter nor John. 17:30.600 --> 17:35.840 Then said some of the lawyers, Yes, forsooth, sir, for Christ judged 17:35.840 --> 17:36.300 Judas. 17:37.140 --> 17:41.720 The Lord Cobham said, No, Christ judged him not, but he judged himself, 17:41.860 --> 17:44.200 and thereupon went forth, and so did hang himself. 17:44.980 --> 17:51.280 But indeed Christ said, Woe unto him for that covetous act of his, as he doth yet 17:51.280 --> 17:52.740 still unto many of you. 17:53.480 --> 17:58.480 For since the venom of Judas was shed into the church, he never followed Christ, 17:58.760 --> 18:01.440 neither yet have ye stood in the perfection of God's law. 18:02.080 --> 18:05.640 Then the archbishop asked him what he meant by that venom. 18:06.740 --> 18:10.320 The Lord Cobham said, Your possessions and lordships. 18:10.900 --> 18:14.500 For then cried an angel in the air, as your own chronicles mention, 18:15.080 --> 18:20.400 Woe, woe, woe, this day is venom shed into the church of God. 18:21.420 --> 18:26.520 Before that time all the bishops of Rome were martyrs in a manner, and since that 18:26.520 --> 18:28.040 time we read of very few. 18:28.880 --> 18:33.920 But indeed since that same time one hath put down another, one hath poisoned 18:33.920 --> 18:38.620 another, one hath cursed another, and one hath slain another, and done much 18:38.620 --> 18:41.900 more mischief besides, as all the chronicles tell. 18:43.140 --> 18:47.620 And let all men consider well this, that Christ was meek and merciful, 18:48.120 --> 18:53.960 the pope is proud and tyrant, Christ was poor and forgave, the pope is rich and a 18:53.960 --> 18:55.360 malicious manslayer. 18:56.680 --> 19:00.920 Then a doctor of law called Master John Kemp plucked out of his bosom a copy of 19:00.920 --> 19:05.460 the bill which they had before sent him into the tower by the archbishop's 19:05.460 --> 19:08.560 council, thinking thereby to make shorter work with him. 19:09.320 --> 19:14.380 My Lord Cobham, saith this doctor, we must briefly know your mind concerning 19:14.380 --> 19:16.260 these four points here following. 19:17.100 --> 19:20.160 The first of them is this, and then he read upon the bill. 19:20.920 --> 19:25.940 The faith and determination of Holy Church touching the blessed sacrament of the 19:25.940 --> 19:31.880 altar is this, that after the sacramental words be once spoken by a priest in his 19:31.880 --> 19:37.620 mass, the material bread that was before bread is turned into Christ's very body, 19:37.920 --> 19:40.880 and the material wine is turned into Christ's blood. 19:41.700 --> 19:47.040 And so there remaineth in the sacrament of the altar from thenceforth no material 19:47.040 --> 19:52.260 bread nor material wine which were there before the sacramental words were spoken. 19:52.820 --> 19:54.740 Sir, believe you not this? 19:55.660 --> 20:01.640 The Lord Cobham said, This is not my belief, but my faith is, as I said to you 20:01.640 --> 20:07.180 before, that in the worshipful sacrament of the altar is Christ's very body in the 20:07.180 --> 20:07.880 form of bread. 20:09.020 --> 20:10.480 Then read the doctor again. 20:11.040 --> 20:16.120 The second point is this, Holy Church hath determined that every Christian man, 20:16.420 --> 20:20.460 living here bodily upon earth, ought to be shriven of a priest, 20:20.700 --> 20:23.260 ordained by the church, if ye may come to him. 20:23.740 --> 20:25.080 Sir, what say you to this? 20:25.760 --> 20:31.180 The Lord Cobham answered and said, A diseased or sore-wounded man hath need 20:31.180 --> 20:37.120 to have a sure wise cururgeon and a true, knowing both the ground and the danger of 20:37.120 --> 20:37.560 the same. 20:38.380 --> 20:43.560 Most necessary were it, therefore, to be first shriven unto God, who only 20:43.560 --> 20:45.860 knoweth our diseases and can help us. 20:47.100 --> 20:48.340 Then read the doctor again. 20:48.920 --> 20:54.200 The third point is this, Christ ordained St. Peter the Apostle to be his vicar here 20:54.200 --> 21:01.460 in earth, whose sea is the church of Rome, and he granted that the same power which 21:01.460 --> 21:07.260 he gave unto Peter should succeed unto all Peter's successors whom we now call popes 21:07.260 --> 21:12.780 of Rome, by whose special power, in churches particular, be ordained 21:12.780 --> 21:17.300 prelates and archbishops, parsons, curates, and other degrees besides, 21:17.840 --> 21:22.380 to whom Christian men ought to obey after the laws of the church of Rome. 21:23.060 --> 21:25.380 This is the determination of holy church. 21:25.860 --> 21:27.900 Sir, believe ye not this? 21:29.080 --> 21:35.200 To this he answered and said, He that followeth Peter, most nigh in pure living, 21:35.420 --> 21:37.000 is next unto him in succession. 21:38.140 --> 21:43.200 But your lordly order esteemeth not greatly the lowly behaviour of poor Peter. 21:44.020 --> 21:48.520 Whatsoever ye prate of him, neither care ye greatly for the humble manners of them 21:48.520 --> 21:53.400 that succeeded him till the time of Sylvester, who, for the more part, 21:53.680 --> 21:54.500 were martyrs. 21:55.660 --> 22:00.680 With that one of the other doctors asked him, Then what do ye say of the pope? 22:01.680 --> 22:07.780 The Lord Cobham answered, He and you together make whole the great Antichrist, 22:07.900 --> 22:09.520 of whom he is the great head. 22:10.340 --> 22:14.900 You bishops, priests, prelates, and monks are the body, and the begging 22:14.900 --> 22:16.640 friars are the tail. 22:17.800 --> 22:19.120 Then read the doctor again. 22:19.860 --> 22:21.300 The fourth point is this. 22:21.760 --> 22:26.820 Holy church hath determined that it is meritorious to a Christian man to go on 22:26.820 --> 22:31.860 pilgrimage to holy places, and there specially to worship the holy relics and 22:31.860 --> 22:37.120 images of saints, apostles, martyrs, confessors, and all other saints besides, 22:37.500 --> 22:39.000 approved by the church of Rome. 22:39.480 --> 22:41.440 Sir, what say you to this? 22:42.260 --> 22:47.560 Whereunto the Lord Cobham answered, I owe them no service by any commandment 22:47.560 --> 22:51.780 of God, and therefore I mind not to seek them for your covetousness. 22:52.640 --> 22:57.920 It were best ye swept them fair from cobwebs and dust, and so laid them up for 22:57.920 --> 23:03.240 catching of scathe, or else to bury them fair in the ground, as ye do other aged 23:03.240 --> 23:05.220 people, who are God's images. 23:06.480 --> 23:11.160 It is a wonderful thing that saints, now being dead, should become so covetous 23:11.160 --> 23:16.680 and needy, and thereupon so bitterly beg, who all their lifetime hated all 23:16.680 --> 23:18.240 covetousness and begging. 23:19.240 --> 23:24.180 But this I say unto you, and I would all the world should mark it, that with your 23:24.180 --> 23:29.860 shrines and idols, your feigned absolutions and pardons, ye draw unto you 23:29.860 --> 23:34.060 the substance, wealth, and chief pleasures of all Christian realms. 23:35.880 --> 23:41.400 Then said the archbishop unto him, Sir John, you must either submit yourself 23:41.400 --> 23:45.920 to the ordinance of holy church, or else throw yourself, no remedy, 23:46.440 --> 23:47.960 into most deep danger. 23:48.720 --> 23:53.840 We require you to have no other manner of opinion in these matters, than the 23:53.840 --> 23:56.920 universal faith and belief of the holy church of Rome is. 23:57.600 --> 24:01.440 And so, like an obedient child, return again to the unity of your mother. 24:02.540 --> 24:08.280 The Lord Cobham said expressly before them all, I will no otherwise believe in these 24:08.280 --> 24:10.900 points than what I have told you here before. 24:11.900 --> 24:13.540 Do with me what you will. 24:14.740 --> 24:18.200 And with that the archbishop stood up and read a bill of his condemnation, 24:18.660 --> 24:21.500 all the clergy and laity veiling their bonnets. 24:22.460 --> 24:26.680 Forasmuch as we have found Sir John Oldcastle, Knight, and Lord Cobham, 24:27.180 --> 24:32.060 not only to be an evident heretic in his own person, but also a mighty maintainer 24:32.060 --> 24:36.360 of other heretics against the faith and religion of the holy and universal church 24:36.360 --> 24:41.880 of Rome, and that he, as the child of iniquity and darkness, hath so hardened 24:41.880 --> 24:46.320 his heart, that he will in no case attend unto the voice of his pastor. 24:47.160 --> 24:51.920 His faults also aggravated or made double through his damnable obstinacy, 24:52.120 --> 24:54.480 we commit him to the secular jurisdiction. 24:55.420 --> 25:00.300 Furthermore, we excommunicate and denounce accursed not only this heretic here 25:00.300 --> 25:05.380 present, but so many else besides, as shall hereafter, in favour of his 25:05.380 --> 25:10.480 error, either receive him or defend him, counsel him or help him, or any other way 25:10.480 --> 25:15.680 maintain him, as very forters, receivers, defenders, counsellors, 25:15.860 --> 25:18.960 aiders, and maintainers of condemned heretics. 25:19.500 --> 25:25.000 And we give straight commandment that ye cause this condemnation a definitive 25:25.000 --> 25:29.640 sentence of excommunication concerning both this heretic and his forters, 25:29.780 --> 25:35.120 to be published throughout all dioceses, in cities, towns, and villages, 25:35.620 --> 25:41.000 by your curates and parish priests, at such times as they shall have most 25:41.000 --> 25:42.140 recourse of people. 25:43.360 --> 25:47.800 Let the curate everywhere go into the pulpit, and there open, declare and 25:47.800 --> 25:52.700 expound his process in the mother tongue, in an audible and intelligible voice, 25:53.220 --> 25:57.600 that it may be perceived of all men, and that upon the fear of this declaration 25:57.600 --> 26:03.100 also the people may fall from their evil opinions conceived now by seditious 26:03.100 --> 26:03.760 preachers. 26:04.900 --> 26:08.720 After the archbishop had read the bill of his condemnation before the whole 26:08.720 --> 26:14.300 multitude, the Lord Cobham said with the most cheerful countenance, Though ye judge 26:14.300 --> 26:20.140 my body, which is but a wretched thing, yet am I certain and sure that ye can do 26:20.140 --> 26:25.180 no harm to my soul, no more than could Satan unto the soul of Job. 26:25.920 --> 26:30.360 He that created that will of his infinite mercy and promise save it. 26:30.860 --> 26:33.500 I have therein no manner of doubt. 26:34.560 --> 26:38.460 He fell down upon his knees, and before them all prayed for his enemies, 26:38.900 --> 26:42.960 holding up both his hands and his eyes towards heaven, and saying, Lord God 26:42.960 --> 26:47.560 eternal, I beseech thee, of thy great mercy sake, to forgive my pursuers, 26:48.000 --> 26:49.400 if it be thy blessed will. 26:50.740 --> 26:54.440 After this the bishops and priests were in great discredit, both with the nobility 26:54.440 --> 26:58.860 and commons, for that they had so cruelly handled the good Lord Cobham. 26:59.560 --> 27:03.260 The prelates feared this to grow to further inconvenience towards them, 27:03.840 --> 27:07.360 wherefore they drew their heads together and consented to use another practice, 27:07.780 --> 27:10.300 somewhat contrary to that that they had done before. 27:11.560 --> 27:17.060 They caused it to be blown abroad by their feed-servants, friends, and babbling Sir 27:17.060 --> 27:22.820 Johns, that the said Lord Cobham was become a good man, and had lowly submitted 27:22.820 --> 27:27.380 himself in all things unto holy church, utterly changing his opinion concerning 27:27.380 --> 27:28.000 the sacrament. 27:28.900 --> 27:33.760 Thereupon they counterfeited an abjuration in his name, that the people should take 27:33.760 --> 27:38.600 no hold of his opinion by anything they heard of him before, and so to stand the 27:38.600 --> 27:43.960 more in awe of them, considering him so great a man, and by them subdued. 27:44.920 --> 27:49.240 When the clergy perceived that policy would not help, but made more and more 27:49.240 --> 27:52.800 against them, then sought they out another false practice. 27:53.360 --> 27:57.300 They went unto the king with the most grievous complaint, that in every quarter 27:57.300 --> 28:01.340 of the realm, by reason of Wycliffe's opinions, and the said Lord Cobham, 28:01.780 --> 28:06.720 were wonderful contentions, rumors, tumults, uproars, confederations, 28:07.080 --> 28:12.920 dissensions, divisions, differences, discords, harms, slanders, schisms, 28:13.620 --> 28:20.420 sects, seditions, perturbations, perils, unlawful assemblies, variances, 28:20.920 --> 28:26.500 strifes, fightings, rebellious rufflings, and daily insurrections. 28:26.980 --> 28:29.020 The church, they said, was hated. 28:29.740 --> 28:31.640 The diocesans were not obeyed. 28:32.340 --> 28:33.980 The ordinaries were not regarded. 28:35.300 --> 28:40.320 The spiritual officers as suffragents, archdeacons, chancellors, doctors, 28:40.660 --> 28:45.440 commissaries, officials, deans, lawyers, scribes, and psalminers were 28:45.440 --> 28:46.580 everywhere despised. 28:47.310 --> 28:50.420 The laws and liberties of holy church were trodden underfoot. 28:51.080 --> 28:53.500 The Christian faith was ruinously decayed. 28:53.980 --> 28:56.260 God's service was laughed to scorn. 28:57.140 --> 29:01.980 The spiritual jurisdiction, authority, honor, power, policy, laws, rights, 29:02.400 --> 29:07.820 ceremonies, curses, keys, censures, and canonical sanctions of the church were 29:07.820 --> 29:12.280 had in utter contempt, so that all, in a manner, was come to naught. 29:12.280 --> 29:17.760 And the cause of this was, that the heretics and lollards of Wycliffe's 29:17.760 --> 29:23.800 opinion were suffered to preach abroad so boldly, to gather conventicles unto them, 29:24.020 --> 29:28.420 to keep schools in men's houses, to make books, compile treaties, 29:28.860 --> 29:33.680 and write ballads, to teach privately in angles and corners, as in woods, 29:33.840 --> 29:37.580 fields, meadows, pastures, groves, and in caves of the ground. 29:38.380 --> 29:43.200 This would be, said they, a destruction to the commonwealth, a subversion to the 29:43.200 --> 29:48.020 land, and an utter decay of the king's estate royal, if remedy were not sought in 29:48.020 --> 29:48.400 time. 29:49.460 --> 29:53.680 And this was their policy, to couple the king's authority with what they had done 29:53.680 --> 29:58.160 in their former council of craft, and so to make it thereby the stronger. 29:59.180 --> 30:03.960 For they perceived themselves very far too weak else to follow against their enemies 30:03.960 --> 30:06.600 what they had so largely enterprised. 30:07.600 --> 30:10.880 Upon this complaint, the king immediately called a parliament at Leicester. 30:11.500 --> 30:15.840 It might not, in those days, be Holden at Westminster, for the great favour that the 30:15.840 --> 30:19.060 Lord Coburn had, both in London and about the city. 30:20.100 --> 30:24.620 Thus were Christ's people betrayed every way, and their lives bought and sold. 30:25.360 --> 30:30.220 For in the said parliament the king made this most blasphemous and cruel act to be 30:30.220 --> 30:35.460 a law for ever, that whatsoever they were that should read the Scriptures in the 30:35.460 --> 30:40.060 mother tongue, which was then called Wycliffe's learning, they should forfeit 30:40.060 --> 30:46.440 land, cattle, body, life, and goods from their heirs for ever, and so be condemned 30:46.440 --> 30:51.940 for heretics to God, enemies to the crown, and most errant traitors to the land. 30:53.040 --> 30:57.860 Besides this, it was enacted, that never a sanctuary nor privileged ground within the 30:57.860 --> 31:02.260 realm should hold them, though they were still permitted both to thieves and 31:02.260 --> 31:02.900 murderers. 31:03.500 --> 31:07.920 And if, in any case, they would not give over, or were, after their pardon 31:07.920 --> 31:11.640 relapsed, they should suffer death in two manner of kinds. 31:12.320 --> 31:17.100 That is, they should first be hanged for treason against the king, and then be 31:17.100 --> 31:19.100 burned for heresy against God. 31:22.770 --> 31:26.030 This book is continued on disc 3. 31:28.590 --> 31:31.330 Fox's Book of Martyrs by John Fox. 31:31.950 --> 31:32.850 Disc 3. 31:36.040 --> 31:39.320 Then had the bishops, priests, monks, and friars a world somewhat to 31:39.320 --> 31:39.900 their minds. 31:40.520 --> 31:45.000 Many were taken in divers' quarters and suffered most cruel death, and many fled 31:45.000 --> 31:50.080 out of the land into Germany, Bohemia, France, Spain, Portugal, and into the 31:50.080 --> 31:54.260 welds of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, working there many marbles. 31:55.700 --> 31:59.180 Sentence of death being given, the Lord Cobham was sent away, 32:00.000 --> 32:04.140 Sir Robert Morley carrying him again unto the tower, where, after he had remained a 32:04.140 --> 32:08.200 certain space in the night season, it is not known by what means, 32:08.640 --> 32:10.800 he escaped out and fled into Wales. 32:12.240 --> 32:16.520 A great sum of money was proclaimed by the king to him that could take the said Sir 32:16.520 --> 32:21.300 John Oldcastle either quick or dead, who confederated with the Lord Powys, 32:21.780 --> 32:26.560 who was at the time a great governor in Wales, feeding him with lordly gifts and 32:26.560 --> 32:26.980 promises. 32:28.160 --> 32:31.920 About the end of four years, the Lord Powys, whether for greediness of the 32:31.920 --> 32:36.380 money, or for hatred of the true and sincere doctrine of Christ, seeking all 32:36.380 --> 32:41.220 manner of ways how to play the part of Judas, and outwardly pretending him great 32:41.220 --> 32:46.460 amity and favour, at length obtained his bloody purpose, and most cowardly and 32:46.460 --> 32:52.380 wretchedly took him, and brought the Lord Cobham bound up to London, which was about 32:52.380 --> 32:58.440 the year of our Lord 1417, and about the month of December, at which there was a 32:58.440 --> 32:59.960 parliament assembled in London. 33:00.780 --> 33:04.200 It was adjudged that he should be taken as a traitor to the king and the realm, 33:04.680 --> 33:08.100 and that he should be carried to the tower, and from thence drawn through 33:08.100 --> 33:14.860 London, unto the new gallows in St. Giles, without temple-bar, and there to be hanged 33:14.860 --> 33:16.080 and burned hanging. 33:17.240 --> 33:20.860 Upon the day appointed, the Lord Cobham was brought out of the tower with his arms 33:20.860 --> 33:23.860 bound behind him, having a very cheerful countenance. 33:24.480 --> 33:28.320 Then he was laid upon a hurdle, as though he had been a most heinous 33:28.320 --> 33:33.060 traitor to the crown, and so drawn forth into St. Giles' field. 33:33.900 --> 33:37.740 As he was come to the place of execution, and was taken from the hurdle, 33:38.240 --> 33:42.780 he fell down devoutly upon his knees, desiring Almighty God to forgive his 33:42.780 --> 33:43.060 enemies. 33:43.920 --> 33:48.580 Then stood he up, and beheld the multitude, exhorting them in most godly 33:48.580 --> 33:53.560 manner to follow the laws of God written in the Scriptures, and to be aware of such 33:53.560 --> 33:57.520 teachers as they see contrary to Christ in their conversation and living. 33:58.680 --> 34:03.400 Then was he hanged up by the middle in chains of iron, and so consumed alive in 34:03.400 --> 34:08.820 the fire, praising the name of God so long as his life lasted, the people there 34:08.820 --> 34:10.340 present showing great dollar. 34:11.440 --> 34:12.700 And this was done A. 34:12.820 --> 34:12.980 D. 34:13.620 --> 34:14.100 1418. 34:15.320 --> 34:20.560 How the priests that time fared, blasphemed, and accursed, requiring the 34:20.560 --> 34:24.620 people not to pray for him, but to judge him damned in hell, for that he departed 34:24.620 --> 34:28.300 not in the obedience of their pope, if it were too long to write. 34:29.540 --> 34:34.500 Thus resteth this valiant Christian knight, Sir John Oldcastle, under the 34:34.500 --> 34:38.860 altar of God, which is Jesus Christ, among that godly company, who, 34:39.200 --> 34:43.500 in the kingdom of patience, suffered great tribulation with the death of their bodies 34:43.500 --> 34:46.520 for his faithful word and testimony.