Explicit. King Edward and Robin Hood and Little John. Imprinted at London in Fleet street at the sign of the Sun. By Wynken de Worde.
[From a Manuscript at Balliol College, Oxford.]
c. 1540
Mater, ora filium,ut post hoc exiliumnobis donet gaudiumbeatorum omnium!Fair maiden, who is this bairnThat thou bearest in thine arm?Sir it is a Kinges Son,That in Heaven above doth wone.Mater, ora, etc.Man to father he hath none,But Himself God alone!Of a maiden He would be born,To save mankind that was forlorn!Mater, ora, etc.The Kings brought him presents,Gold, myrrh, and frankincenseTo my Son full of might,King of Kings and Lord of right!Mater, ora, etc.Fair maiden pray for usUnto thy Son, sweet Jesus,That He will send us of His graceIn heaven on high to have a place!Mater, ora, etc.
Ave Maria, now say we so,Maid and mother were never no mo!Gaude Maria! Christes mother,Mary mild of thee I mean;Thou bare my Lord, thou bare my brother,Thou bare a lovely child and clean!Thou stoodest full still without blinWhen in thy ear that errand was done so,Tho gracious God thee light within.Gabrielis nuncio!Gaude Maria! [preva]lent with graceWhen Jesus thy Son on thee was bore,Full nigh thy breast thou gan Him brace,He sucked, He sighed, He wept full sore.Thou fed'st the flower that never shall fadeWith maiden's milk, and sung theretoLullay, my sweet! I bare thee, babe!Cum pudoris lilio.Gaude Maria! thy mirth was away,When Christ on cross, thy Son, gan die,Full dolefully on Good Friday,That many a mother's son it sy.His blood us brought from care and strifeHis watery wound us washed from woe,The third day from death to lifeFulget resurrectio.Gaude Maria! thou bird so bright,Brighter than blossom that bloweth on hill!Joyfull thou were to see that sight,When the Apostles, so sweet of will,All and some did shriek full shrillWhen the fairest of shape went you fro,From earth to heaven he styed full still,Motu quod fertur proprio.Gaude Maria! thou rose of Ryse!Maiden and mother both gentle and free,Precious princess, peerless of price,Thy bower is next the Trinity!Thy Son as law asketh a right,In body and soul thee took Him to,Thou reignes with Him right as we find.In coeli palatio.Now, blessed bird, we pray thee a boon,Before thy Son for us thou fall,And pray Him, as He was on the rood doneAnd for us drank eisell and gall,That we may wone within that wallWherever is well without woe,And grant that grace unto us all.In perenni gaudio.
Of a rose, a lovely roseAnd of a rose I sing a song!Hearken to me both old and young,How a rose began to spring,A fairer rose to my likingSprung there never in Kinges land.Six branches are on that rose beme,They be both bright and sheen.The rose is called Mary, heaven queen,Of her bosom a blossom sprung.The first branch was of great might,That sprung on Christmas night!The star shone over Bethlehem bright,That men might see both broad and long.The second branch was of great honour,It was sent from heaven tower!Blessed be that fair flower,Break it shall the fiendes bonds!The third branch wide spread,There Mary lay in her bed,The bright stream three Kings ledTo Bethlem there that branch they found.The fourth branch sprung into hell,The fiendes boast for to fell,There might no soul therein dwell,Blessed be that time that branch gan spring!The fifth branch was fair in foot,That sprung to heaven, top and root,There to dwell and be our bote,And yet is seen in priestes hands.The sixth branch by and by,It is the five joys of mild Mary!Now Christ save all this company,And send us good life and long!
Make me merry both more and less,For now is the time of Christymas!Let no man come into this hall,Groom, page, nor yet marshall,But that some sport he bring withal!For now is the time of Christmas!If that he say, he can not sing,Some other sport then let him bring!That it may please at this feasting!For now is the time of Christmas!If he say he can naught do,Then for my love ask him no mo!But to the stocks then let him go!For now is the time of Christmas!
Can I not sing but Hoy!The jolly shepherd made so much joy!The shepherd upon a hill he sat,He had on him his tabard and his hat,His tarbox, his pipe, and his flagat,His name was called Jolly, Jolly Wat!For he was a good herds-boy,Ut hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy.Can I not sing but hoy.The shepherd upon a hill was laid,His dog to his girdle was tayd,He had not slept but a little braidBut "gloria in excelsis" was to him saidUt hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.The shepherd on a hill he stood,Round about him his sheep they yode,He put his hand under his hood,He saw a star as red as blood.Ut hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy.Can I not sing, etc.Now farewell Mall, and also Will,For my love go ye all still,Unto I come again you till,And ever more will ring well thy bell.Ut hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.Now must I go there Christ was born,Farewell! I come again to-morn,Dog, keep well my sheep fro the corn!And warn well Warroke when I blow my horn!Ut hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.When Wat to Bethlehem come was,He sweat, he had gone faster than a pace,He found Jesus in a simple place,Between an ox and an ass.Ut hoy!For in [his] pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.The shepherd said anon right:I will go see yon farly sight,Where as the angel singeth on height,And the star that shineth so bright!Ut hoy!For in [his] pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.Jesus, I offer to thee here my pipe,My skirt, my tarbox and my scrip,Home to my fellows now will I skip,And also look unto my sheep!Ut hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.Now farewell, mine own herds-man Wat!Yea, fore God, Lady, even so I hat!Lull well Jesus in thy lap,And farewell Joseph, with thy round cap!Ut hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.Now may I well both hope and sing,For I have been at Christ's bearing,Home to my fellows now will I fling,Christ of heaven to His bliss us bring!Ut hoy!For in his pipe he made so much joy!Can I not sing, etc.
Now have good day, now have good day!I am Christmas, and now I go my way!Here have I dwelt with more and less,From Hallow-tide till Candlemas!And now must I from you hence pass,Now have good day!I take my leave of King and Knight,And Earl, Baron, and lady bright!To wilderness I must me dight!Now have good day!And at the good lord of this hall,I take my leave, and of guestes all!Methinks I hear Lent doth call,Now have good day!And at every worthy officer,Marshall, panter, and butler,I take my leave as for this year,Now have good day!Another year I trust I shallMake merry in this hall!If rest and peace in England may fall!Now have good day!But often times I have heard say,That he is loth to part away,That often biddeth "have good day!"Now have good day!Now fare ye well all in-fere!Now fare ye well for all this year,Yet for my sake make ye good cheer!Now have good day!
Now sing we with angelsGloria in excelsis!ABabe is born to bliss us bring;I heard a maid lullay and sing;She said "dear Son, leave thy weeping,Thy Father is the King of bliss."Now sing we, etc."Lullay," she said and sang also,"Mine own dear Son, why art thou woe?Have I not done as I should do?Thy grievance tell me what it is."Now sing we, etc."Nay, dear mother, for thee weep I nought,But for the woe that shall be wroughtTo me, or I mankind have bought,Was never sorrow like it, i-wis."Now sing we, etc."Peace, dear Son, tell me not so!Thou art my child, I have no mo!Should I see men mine own Son slo?Alas, my dear Son, what means this?"Now sing we, etc."My hands, mother, that ye may see,Shall be nailed unto a tree!My feet also fast shall be;Men shall weep that shall see this!"Now sing we, etc."Ah, dear Son, hard is my hap!See my child that sucked my pap,His hands, his feet that I did wrapBe so nailed, that never did amiss!"Now sing we, etc."Ah, dear mother, yet shall a spearMy heart in sunder all to-tear;No wonder if I carefull were,And weep full sore to think on this!"Now sing we, etc."Ah, dear Son, shall I see this?Thou art my child and I thy mother, i-wis!When Gabriel called me, full of grace,He told me nothing of this!"Now sing we, etc."Ah, dear mother, through my hairTo thrust in thorns they will not spare!Alas, mother, I am full of careThat ye shall see this heaviness!"Now sing we, etc."Ah dear Son, leave thy weeping!Thou bringst my heart in great mourning;A careful song now may I sing,This tidings hard to me it is!"Now sing we, etc."Ah, peace, dear mother, I thee pray!And comfort me all that ye may,And sing 'by by, lullay lullay,'To put away all heaviness."Now sing we, etc.
Caput apri referoResonens laudes domino.The boar's head in hands I bring,With garlands gay and birds singing!I pray you all help me to sing,Qui estis in convivio!The boar's head I understand,Is chief service in all this land,Wheresoever it may be found,Servitur cum sinapio!The boar's head I dare well say,Anon after the twelfth day,He taketh his leave and goeth away!Exivit tunc de patria!
I pray you be merry and sing with me,In worship of Christ's Nativity!Into this world this day did comeJesus Christ, both God and man,Lord and servant in one person,Born of the blessed Virgin Mary!I pray, etc.He that was rich without any needAppeared in this world in right poor weed,To make us, that were poor indeed,Rich without any need truly!I pray, etc.A stable was his chamber, a crach was his bed,He had not a pillow to lay under His head,With maiden's milk that babe was fed,In poor clothes was lapped the Lord Almighty!I pray, etc.A noble lesson here is us taught,To set all worldly riches at nought!But pray we that we may be thither broughtWhere riches is everlastingly!I pray, etc.Explicit.
Noël, noël, noël, noël!This is the salutation of Gabriel!Tidings trueThere be come new,Sent from the Trinity,By Gabriel from NazarethA city of Galilee!A clean maiden,A pure virgin,By her humilityHath born the PersonSecond in divinity!Noël!When that He presented wasBefore her fair visage,In most demure and goodly wiseHe did to her homage!"I am sent, Lady,From heaven so high,That Lord's heritage,For He of theeNow born will be,I am sent on the message!"Noël!"Hail, Virgin celestial!The meekest that ever wasHail, temple of the DeityHail, Virgin pure!I thee ensure,Within a little spaceThou shalt conceive,And Him receiveThat shall bring great solace."Noël!Then bespake the Virgin again,And answered womanly,"Whatsoever my Lord commandeth meI will obey truly!Ecce, sum humillimaAncilla domini,Secundum verbum tuumfiat mihi!Noël!
Man, move thy mind and joy this feast,Veritas de terra orta est!As I came by the wayI saw a sight seemly to see,Three shepherds ranging in a kay,Upon the field keeping their fee.A star, they said, they did espy,Casting the beams out of the east,And angels making melodyVeritas de terra orta est!Upon that sight they were aghast,Saying these words, as I say thee:"To Bethlehem shortly let us haste,And there we shall the truthe see!"The angel said unto them all three,To their comfort or ever be ceased,"Consolamini and merry be,Veritas de terra orta est!"From heaven, out of the highest see,Righteousness hath taken the way,With mercy meddled plenteously,And so conceived in a may,Miranda res this is in fay!So saith the prophet in his gest;Now is He born, scripture doth say:Veritas de terra orta est!Then passed the shepherds from that place,And followed by the starres beam,That was so bright afore their face,It brought them straight unto Bethlem.So bright it shone, on all the realmTill they came there they would not rest,To Jewry and Jerusalem!Veritas de terra orta est!
All this time this song is best:Verbum caro factum est!This night there is a child bornThat sprang out of Jesse's thorn;We must sing and say therefornVerbum caro factum est!Jesus is the child's name,And Mary mild is his dame;All our sorrow shall turn to game,Verbum caro factum est!It fell upon high midnight,The stars shone both fair and bright,The angels sang with all their mightVerbum caro factum est!Now kneel we down on our knee,And pray we to the Trinity,Our help, our succour for to be!Verbum caro factum est!
Now sing we, sing we,Gloria tibi domine!Christ keep us all, as he well can,A solis ortus cardine!For He is both God and man,Qui natus est de virgine!Sing we, etc.As He is Lord both day and night,Venter puellae baiulat,So is Mary mother of might,Secreta quae non noverat.Sing we, etc.The holy breast of chastity,verbo concepit filium,So brought before the Trinity,Ut castitatis lilium!Sing we, etc.Between an ox and an assenixa est puerpera;In poor clothing clothed He was[Qui] regnat super aethera!Sing we, etc.Explicit.
The Examinations of Master William Thorpe and of the honourable Knight, Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham
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W. Tindale. 1530.
Grace and peace in our LordJesus Christ. Read here with judgement, good Reader! the Examination of the blessed Man of GOD, and there thou shalt easily perceive wherefore our Holy Church (as the most unholy sort of all the people will be called) make all their examinations in darkness; all the lay people clean excluded from their counsels.
For if their lies had been openly confuted, and also that the Accused of Heresy might as well have been admitted to reason theirArticleswith Counsel, whether they were heresy or no[t], as the Accused of Treason against the King is admitted to his Council to confute his cause andArticles,whether they be treason or not, they should never have murdered nor prisoned so many good Christian men as they have done.
For their cloaked lies could never have continued so long in the light, as they have done in corners. They, good men! when they come in the pulpit, and preach against the Truth, cry, "If their learning[i.e., of the Protestants]were good and true, they would never go in corners; but speak it openly!"
Whereunto I answer, that besides thatChristand his Apostles were compelled (for because of the furiousness of their fathers, the Bishops and Priests, which only, that time also, would be called Holy Church) oftentimes for to walk secretly, and absent themselves, and give place to their malice. Yet we have daily examples, of more than one or two, that have not spared nor feared for to speak, and also[to]preach openly the Truth; which have been taken of them, prisoned, and brent: besides others that for fear of death, have abjured and carried faggots. Of whoseArticlesand Examination there is no layman that can shew a word.
Deaths of seven at Coventry, &c.
Who can tell wherefore, not many years past, there were Sevenburnt in Coventry on one day? Who can tell wherefore that good priest and holy martyr, Sir[the reverend]Thomas Hittonwas brent, now this year, at Maidstone in Kent? I am sure, no man! For this is their cast[contrivance]ever when they have put to death or punished any man: after their secret Examinations, to slander him of such things as he never thought; as they may do well enough, seeing there is no man to contrary them.
Wherefore I exhort thee, good brother! whosoever thou be that readest this treatise, mark it well, and consider it seriously! and there thou shalt find, not only what the Church is, their doctrine of the Sacrament, the Worshipping of Images, Pilgrimage, Confession, Swearing, and Paying of Tithes: but also thou mayest see what strong and substantial arguments of Scripture and Doctors, and what clerkly reasons my Lord the head and Primate of the Holy Church in England (as he will be taken) bringeth against this poor, foolish, simple, and mad losell, knave, and heretic, as he calleth him. And also the very cause wherefore all their Examinations are made in darkness.
And the Lord of all Light shall lighten thee with the candle of His grace, for to see the Truth! Amen.
¶This I have corrected and put forth in the English thatnow is used in England, for our Southern men;nothing thereto adding, ne yet therefromminishing. And I intend hereafter,with the help of GOD to put itforth in his own old English,which shall well serve, Idoubt not, both for theNorthern men andthe faithfulbrethrenof Scot-land.
1407.
The LORD GOD that knoweth all things, wotteth well that I am right sorrowful for to write or make known this Sentence beneath written, where that of mine even Christian, set in high state and dignity, so great blindness and malice may be known; that they, that presume of themselves to destroy vices and to plant in men virtues, neither dread to offend GOD, nor lust [desire] to please Him: as their works shew. For, certes, the bidding of GOD and His Law (which, in the praising of His most Holy Name, He commandeth to be known and kept of all men and women, young and old; after the cunning and power that He hath given to them), the Prelates of this land and their ministers, with the comente [community] of priests chiefly consenting to them, enforce them most busily to withstand and destroy the holy Ordinance of GOD. And therethrough, GOD is greatly wroth and moved to take hard vengeance, not only on them that do the evil, but also on them all that consent to the Antichrist's limbs; which know or might know their malice and their falsehood, and [ad]dress them not to withstand their malice and great pride.
The four motives to this Narrative.
Nevertheless, four things moveth me to write this Sentence beneath.
The first thing, that moveth me hereto is this, that whereas it was known to certain friends that I came from the prison of Shrewsbury, and (as it befell in deed), that I should to the prison of Canterbury; then divers friends,in divers places, spake to me full heartfully and full tenderly, and commanded me then, if it so were that I should be examined before the Archbishop ofCanterbury, that, if I might in any wise, I should write mine Apposing and mine Answering. And I promised to my special friends, that if I might, I would gladly do their biddings, as I might.
The second thing that moveth me to write this Sentence is this. Divers friends which have heard that I have been examined before the Archbishop, have come to me in prison and counselled me busily, and coveted greatly that I should do the same thing. And other brethren have sent to me, and required me, on GOD's behalf! that I should write out and make known both mine Apposing and mine Answering "for the profit that," as they say, "over my [ac]knowledging may come thereof." But this, they bade me, that I should be busy in all my wits to go as near the Sentence and the words as I could; both that were spoken to me, and that I spake: up[on] adventure this Writing came another time, before the Archbishop and his Council. And of this counselling I was right glad! for in my conscience, I was moved to do this thing; and to ask hereto the special help of GOD.
And so then, I considering the great desire of divers friends of sundry places, according all in one; I occupied all my mind and my wits so busily, that through GOD's grace, I perceived by their meaning and their charitable desire some profit might come therethrough.
Truth impugned, hath a sweet smell.
For Soothfastness and Truth hath these conditions. Wherever it is impugned, it hath a sweet smell, and thereof comes a sweet savour. And the more violent the enemies [ad]dress themselves to oppress and to withstand the Truth, the greater and the sweeter smell cometh thereof. And therefore this heavenly smell of GOD's Word will not, as a smoke, pass away with thewind; but it will descend and rest in some clean soul that thirsteth thereafter.
And thus, some deal, by this Writing, may be perceived, through GOD's grace, how that the enemies of the Truth, standing boldly in their malice, enforce them to withstand the freedom ofChrist's Gospel; for which freedom,Christbecame man, and shed his heart's blood. And therefore it is great pity and sorrow that many men and women do their own wayward will; nor busy them not to know nor to do the pleasant will of GOD.
Ye men and women that hear the Truth and Soothfastness, and hear or know of this, perceiving what is now in the Church, ought therethrough to be the more moved in all their wits to able them to grace, and set lesser price by themselves: that they, without tarrying, forsake wilfully [voluntarily] and bodily all the wretchedness of this life; since they know not how soon, nor when, nor where, nor by whom GOD will teach them, and assay their patience. For, no doubt, who that ever will live piteously, that is charitably, inChrist Jesushall suffer now, here in this life, persecution in one wise or another, that is, if we shall be saved.
This Story may startle some consciences.
It behoveth us to imagine full busily, the vilite and foulness of sin, and how the LORD GOD is displeased therefore: and of this vilite of hideousness of sin, it behoveth us to busy us in all our wits for to abhor and hold in our mind a great shame of sin, ever! and so then we owe [ought] to sorrow heartily therefore, and ever flying all occasion thereof. And then [it] behoveth us to take upon us sharp penance, continuing therein, for to obtain of the LORD, forgiveness of our foredone sins, and grace to abstain us hereafter from sin! And but if [except] we enforce us to do this wilfully and in convenient time, the LORD (if He will not utterly destroy and cast us away!) will, in divers manners, move tyrants against us, for to constrain us violently for to dopenance, which we would not do wilfully. And, trust! that this doing is a special grace of the LORD, and a great token of life and mercy!
And, no doubt, whoever will not apply himself, as is said before, to punish himself wilfully, neither will suffer patiently, meekly, and gladly the rod of the LORD, howsoever that He will punish him: their wayward wills and their impatience are unto them earnest of everlasting damnation.
But because there are but few in number that do able them thus faithfully to grace, for to live here simply and purely, and without gall of malice and of grudging, herefore the lovers of this world hate and pursue them that they know patient, meek, chaste, and wilfully poor, hating and fleeing all worldly vanities and fleshly lusts. For, surely, their virtuous conditions are even contrary to the manners of this world.
The third thing that moveth me to write this Sentence is this. I thought I shall busy me in myself to do faithfully, that all men and women occupying all their business in knowing and in keeping of GOD's commandments, able them so to grace, that they might understand truly the Truth, and have and use virtue and prudence; and so to serve to be lightened from above with heavenly wisdom: so that all their words and their works may be hereby made pleasant sacrifices unto the LORD GOD; and not only for help for their own souls, but also for edification of all Holy Church.
For I doubt not but all they that will apply them to have this foresaid business shall profit full mickle both to friends and to foes. For some enemies of the Truth, through the grace of GOD, shall, through charitable folks, be made astonied in their conscience, and peradventure converted from vices to virtues; and also they that labour to know and to keep faithfully the biddingsof GOD, and to suffer patiently all adversities, shall hereby comfort many friends.
And the fourth thing that moveth me to write this Sentence is this. I know my sudden and unwarned Apposing and Answering that all they that will of good heart without feigning able themselves wilfully and gladly, after their cunning and their power, to followChristpatiently, travailing busily, privily and apertly, in work and in word, to withdraw whomsoever that they may from vices, planting in them (if they may) virtues, comforting them and furthering them that standeth in grace; so that therewith they be not borne up into vainglory through presumption of their wisdom, nor enflamed with any worldly prosperity: but ever meek and patient, purposing to abide steadfastly in the Will of GOD, suffering wilfully and gladly, without any grudging whatsoever, the rod the LORD will chastise them with.
Innocence receives Divine help.
Then this good LORD will not forget to comfort all such men and women in all their tribulations, and at every point of temptation that any enemy purposeth for to do against them ([to] such faithful lovers specially, and patient followers ofChrist), the LORD sendeth His wisdom from above to them! which the adversaries of the Truth may not know nor understand; but through their old and new unshamefast sins, those tyrants and enemies of Soothfastness shall be so blinded and obstinate in evil, that they shall ween themselves to do pleasant sacrifices unto the LORD GOD in their malicious and wrongful pursuing and destroying of innocent men's and women's bodies; which men and women for their very virtuous living and for their true knowledging of the Truth and their patient, wilful, and glad suffering of persecution for righteousness, deserve through the grace of GOD to be heirs of the endless bliss of heaven.
And for [on account of] the fervent desire and the greatlove that those men have, as to stand in Soothfastness and witness of it, though they be, suddenly and unwarned, brought forth to be Apposed of their adversaries: the HOLY GHOST yet, that moveth and ruleth them, through His charity, will, in the hour of their Answering, speak in them, and shew His wisdom, that all their enemies shall not again say [gainsay] and against stand lawfully [by right].
And therefore all they that are stedfast in the faith of GOD, yea, which (through diligent keeping of His commandments, and for their patient suffering of whatsoever adversity that cometh to them) hope surely in His mercy, purposing to stand continually in perfect charity: for those men and women dread not so the adversities of this life, that they will fear (after their cunning and their power) to [ac]knowledge prudently the truth of GOD's Word! when, where, and to whom that they think their [ac]knowledging may profit. Yea, and though therefore, persecution come to them, in one wise or another, certes, they patiently take it! knowing their conversation to be in heaven.
Heaven is theLORD GODHimself.
It is a high reward and a special grace of GOD for to have and enjoy as the everlasting inheritance of heaven, for the suffering of one persecution in so short a time as is the term of this life. For, lo, this heavenly heritage and endless reward is the LORD GOD Himself! which is the best thing that may be. This Sentence witnesseth the LORD GOD Himself, whereas He said toAbraham,I am thy mede!And as the LORD said He was, and is the mede ofAbraham; so He is of all His other saints.
This most blessed and best mede He grant to us all! for His holy name, that made us of nought, and sent His only most dear worthy Son, our LordJesu Christ, for to redeem
us with His most preciousheart's blood.Amen.
William. ? 1407.
Known be it to all men that read or hear this Writing beneath, that on the Sunday next [August 7th] after the Feast of St. Peter that we call Lammas [August 1st], in the year of our Lord a thousand four hundred seventh year, I,Williamof Thorpe, being in prison in the castle of Saltwood [near Hythe, in Kent], was brought beforeThomas Arundell, Archbishop ofCanterbury, and [Lord] Chancellor then of England.
And when that I came to him, he stood in a great chamber, and much people [were] about him; and when that he saw me, he went fast into a closet [private room], bidding all secular men [laymen] that followed him, to go forth from him soon; so that no man was left then in that closet, but the Archbishop himself, a physician that was calledMalveren[i.e.,John Malverne, S.T.P.], Parson of St. Dunstan's [Church, in Tower Street] in London, and two other persons unknown to me, which were Ministers of the Law [i.e., the Canon Law: later on, they are called Clerks, i.e., Chaplains].
A precise & authentic LollardCreed.
Archbishop.And I standing before them, by and by, the Archbishop said to me, "William! I know well, that thou hast, this twenty winter and more [i.e., from before 1387], travelled about busily, in the North country and in other divers countries [counties] of England, sowing about false doctrine: having great business, if thou might, with thine untrue teaching and shrewd will, for to infect and poison all this land. But, through the grace of GOD! thou art now withstanded, and brought into my ward! so that I shall now sequester thee from thine evil purpose, and let [hinder] thee to envenom the sheep of my Province. Nevertheless, St.Paulsaith,If it may be, as far as in us is, we owe[ought]to have peace with all men.Therefore,William! if thou wilt now, meekly, and of good heart, without any feigning, kneel down and lay thyhand upon a book, and kiss it; promising faithfully as I shall here charge thee, that 'thou wilt submit thee to my correction and stand to mine ordinance, and fulfil it duly by all thy cunning and power,' thou shalt yet find me gracious unto thee!"
William.Then said I, to the Archbishop, "Sir, since ye deem me an heretic out of belief, will ye give me here audience to tell myBelief."
Archbishop.And he said, "Yea, tell on!"
William.And I said,"I believe that there is not but one GOD Almighty, and in this Godhead and of this Godhead are three Persons; that is the Father, the Son, and the soothfast HOLY GHOST. And I believe that all these three Persons are even in power, in cunning, and in might, full of grace and of all goodness: for whatever that the Father doth or can or will, that thing also the Son doth can and will; and in all their power cunning and will, the HOLY GHOST is equal to the Father and to the Son.
Over this, I believe that, through counsel of this most blessed Trinity (in most convenient time, before ordained), for the salvation of mankind, the second Person of this Trinity was ordained to take the form of Man, that is the Kind of man. And I believe that this second Person, our LordJesu Christwas conceived, through the HOLY GHOST, into the womb of the most blessed VirginMarywithout any man's seed. And I believe that after nine months,Christwas born of this most blessed Virgin without any pain or breaking of the closter of her womb, and without filth of her virginity.
And I believe thatChristour Saviour was circumcised in the eighth day after his birth, in fulfilment of the Law; and his name was calledJesus, which was called of the angel before he was conceived in the womb ofMaryhis mother.
And I believe thatChrist, as he was about thirty years old, was baptized in the flood of Jordan ofJohn[the]Baptist, and in likeness of a dove the HOLY GHOST descended there upon him; and a voice was heard from heaven, saying,Thou art my well beloved Son! In Thee, I am full pleased!
And I believe thatChristwas moved then by the HOLY GHOST for to go into [the] desert, and there he fasted fortydays and forty nights without bodily meat and drink. And I believe that by and by, after his fasting, when the manhood ofChristhungered, the Fiend came to him and tempted him in gluttony, in vainglory, and in covetise: but in all those temptationsChristconcluded[confounded]the Fiend and withstood him.
And then, without tarrying,Jesubegan to preach, and to say unto the people,Do ye penance! for the Realm of Heaven is now at hand!
And I believe thatChrist, in all his time here, lived most holily; and taught the Will of his Father most truly: and I believe that he suffered therefore most wrongfully, greatest reproofs and despisings.
And after this, whenChristwould make an end here, of his temporal life, I believe that, in the day next before that he would suffer passion on the morn, in form of bread and wine, he ordained the Sacrament of his flesh and blood, that is his own precious body, and gave it to his Apostles for to eat, commanding them, and by them all their after-comers, that they should do it, in this form that he shewed to them, use themselves and teach and common forth to other men and women this most worshipful holiest Sacrament; in mindfulness of his holiest Living and of his most true Teaching, and of his wilful and patient Suffering of the most painful Passion.
And I believe that thus,Christour Saviour, after that he had ordained this most worthy Sacrament of his own precious body, he went forth wilfully against his enemies, and he suffered them most patiently to lay their hands most violently upon him, and to bind him, and to lead him forth as a thief, and to scorn and buffet him, and all to blow or[de]file him with their spittings.
Over this, I believe thatChristsuffered, most meekly and patiently, his enemies for to ding[beat]out with sharp scourges, the blood that was between his skin and his flesh: yea, without grudging,Christsuffered wicked Jews to crown him with most sharp thorns, and to strike him with a reed. And, after,Christsuffered wicked Jews to draw[lay]him out upon the Cross, and for to nail him there, upon foot and hand; and so, through this pitiful nailing,Christshed out wilfully, for man's life, the blood that was in his veins: and then,Christgavewilfully his spirit into the hands or power of his Father. And so, as he would, and when he would,Christdied wilfully, for man's sake, upon the Cross. And notwithstanding thatChristwas wilfully, painfully, and most shamefully put to death as to the world, there was left blood and water in his heart, as he before ordained that he would shed out this blood and this water for man's salvation. And therefore he suffered the Jews to make a blind[ignorant]Knight to thrust him into the heart with a spear; and this the blood and water that was in his heart,Christwould shed out for man's love.
And, after this, I believe thatChristwas taken down from the Cross, and buried.
And I believe that on the third day, by the power of his godhead,Christrose again from death to life. And forty days thereafter, I believe thatChristascended up into heaven; and that he there sitteth on the right hand of GOD the Father Almighty. And the tenth day after his up going, he sent to his Apostles the HOLY GHOST, that he had promised them before.
And I believe thatChristshall come and judge all mankind, some to everlasting peace, and some to everlasting pains.
And as I believe in the Father, and in the Son, that they are one GOD Almighty; so I believe in the HOLY GHOST that is also, with them, the same GOD Almighty.
And I believe[in]an Holy Church, that is, all they that have been, and that now are, and always to the end of the world shall be, a people the which shall endeavour them to know, and keep the commandments of GOD; dreading over all things to offend GOD, and loving and seeking most to please Him. And I believe that all they that have had, and yet have, and all they that yet shall have the foresaid virtues, surely standing in the Belief of GOD, hoping steadfastly in His merciful doings, continuing to their end in perfect charity, wilfully patiently and gladly suffering persecutions by the example ofChristchiefly and His Apostles; and these have their names written in the Book of Life. Therefore I believe that the gathering together of this people living now in this life, is the Holy Church of GOD, fighting here on earth against the Fiend, the prosperity of the world, and their fleshly lusts. Wherefore, seeing that all the gathering together of this Church beforesaid, and every part thereof, neither coveteth, nor willeth, nor loveth, nor seekethanything, but to eschew the offence of GOD, and to do His pleasing will: meekly, gladly, and wilfully, of all mine heart, I submit myself unto this Holy Church ofChrist; to be ever buxom and obedient to the ordinance of it, and of every member thereof, after my knowledge and power, by the help of GOD.
Therefore I[ac]knowledge now, and evermore shall (if GOD will!) that, of all my heart, and of all my might, I will submit me only to the rule and governance of them whom, after my knowledge, I may perceive, by the having and using of the beforesaid virtues, to be members of the Holy Church.
Wherefore these Articles of Belief and all others, both of the Old Law and of the New, which, after the commandment of GOD, any man ought to believe, I believe verily in my soul, as a sinful deadly wretch of my cunning and power ought to believe; praying the LORD GOD, for His holy name, for to increase my belief, and help my unbelief.
And for because, to the praising of GOD's name, I desire above all things to be a faithful member of Holy Church, I make this Protestation before you all four that are now here present, coveting that all men and women that[are]now absent knew the same; that what thing soever before this time I have said or done, or what thing here I shall do or say at any time hereafter, I believe that all the Old Law and the New Law given and ordained by the counsel of these three Persons in the Trinity, were given and written to[for]the salvation of mankind. And I believe these Laws are sufficient for the man's salvation. And I believe every Article of these Laws to the intent that these Articles were ordained and commanded, of these three Persons of the most blessed Trinity, to be believed. And therefore to the rule and the ordinance of these, GOD's Laws, meekly, gladly, and wilfully, I submit me with all mine heart: that whoever can or will, by authority of GOD's Law, or by open reason, tell me that I have erred, or now err, or any time hereafter shall err in any Article of Belief (from which inconvenience, GOD keep me, for his goodness!) I submit me to be reconciled, and to be buxom and obedient unto these Laws of GOD, and to every Article of them. For by authority specially of these Laws, I will, through the grace of GOD, be unied[united]charitably unto these Laws.