reticall. And thefore let vs leaue this matter and now I will talke with you concerning þ^e merites of sainctes. For once, I remember, in a certeine sermon of yours you saide that no sāct, though his suffering wer neuer so great, and his life most pure, deserued any thing for vs with god, either by his death or life, which is contrary to sainct Austen.

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MarginaliaBilney.Christ saieth one thinge, Sainct Austen an other, whether of these two should we beleue? MarginaliaMerits of Sainctes not to be trust vnto.For Christ willing to deliuer vs out of this dark dungion of ignorāce gaue forth a certē parable of. x, virgins, of which v. were foles And v. were vise. By the v. foolish virgins wanting the oyle of good workes, he ment vs all sinners. by the wise virgines he ment the company of all holy sancts. Now let vs heare what the fiue wise virgins answered to the. v folish crauing oyle of them: No say they, least peraduentur we haue not sufficient for vs and for you. Get ye rather to them that sel, and bye of them to serue your turne: Wherfore if they had not oyle sufficient for them selues, and also for thother, where be then the merites of sainctes, where with they can deserue bothe for thē selues, & for vs, certes I can not see.

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MarginaliaBrusierd.You wrast 

the scripture from the right vnderstanding to a reprobate sence, þ^t I am scarse able to hold mine eyes frō teares, hearing w^t mine eares these words of you, fare ye well.

THe fourth day of december 

the bishoppe of London with the other Bishops his assistances assembled again in the chapter house of westminster, where as maister bilney was brought, and was exhorted and admonished to abiure and recant, who aunswered that he would stand to his cōscience. Thē the Bishop of London with the other bishops ex officio, did publish the depositions of the witnesses, with his articles and answeres commaunding that they should be read. That don þ^e Bishop exhorted him again to deliberate w^t him selfe whether he wuld returne to þ^e church and renonce his opinions or no, and bad him to depart vnto a voide place and there diliberat with him selfe. Which done, the bishop asked him againe if he would returne, who answeed: MarginaliaBilney denieth to recant.Fiat iusticia et iudicium in nomine domini & beīg diuers time admonished to abiure: He would make nother answere, but Fiat iusticia &c. And, hæc est dies quam fecit Dominus, exultemus & lætemur in ea. Thē the bishop, after deliberation had, putting of his cappe, said: MarginaliaIn nomine domini incipit omne malum.In nomine patris & filii & spiritus sancti, amen. Exurgat Deus & dislipentur in imici eius, and making a cross on his forhed & his brest, by the counsel of the other bishoppes, he gaue sentēce against maister Bilney beinge there presentIn this manner.

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I by the consent and counsell of my brethren here present, do pronounce the Thomas Bylney, who hast bene accused of diuers articles, to be conuict of heresy. And for the rest of the sentence we take deliberacion till to morow. The. v. day of December 

the bishoppes assembled there againe, before whome Bilney was brought: MarginaliaBilney conuēted again before the bishop.whome the bishop asked if he would yet returne to the vnitie of the church and reuoke his heresies which he had preched. wher vnto MarginaliaBilney refuseth againe to recant.Bilney answered that he would not be a slaunder to the gospell, trusting that hee was not seperate from the church, and that if the multitude of witnesses might be creadited, he might haue. 30. men  of honest life on his parte against one to the contrary brought in against him, which witnesses the bishop said came to late, for after publication, they could not be receaued by the law, MarginaliaLike bishoppes like lawes.then Bilney alleging the story of Susan and Daniel, the bishop of London still exhorted him to returne to the vnitie of the church, and to abiure his heresies, and permitted him to go in some secret place there to consult with his frendes, till one of þ^e clock at after noone of the same day.

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MarginaliaBilney conuented the third time.At after noone the bishop of London againe asked him whether he would returne to the church and acknowledg his heresies. Bilney aunswered that he trusted he was not seperate from the church, MarginaliaBilneyes witnesses refused.and required time and place to bring in witnesses, which was refused. Thē the bishop once againe required of him, whether he would turne to the Catholike church Wherunto he aunswered: that if they coulde teach and proue, sufficiently that he was conuict, he would yeld and submit him selfe, and desired againe to haue time and space to bring in againe his refused witnesses, and other answere he would giue none. Then the bishoppe put maister Bilney a side and tooke councell with his fellowes, and afterwarde calling in maister Bilney, asked him againe whether he would abiure, but he would make no other answere then before. Then the bishoppe with the consent of the rest did decre & determine that it was not lawfull to here a peticion which was against the law, and being enquired whether he would abiure, MarginaliaBilney denieth the third time to recant.he aunswered plainlye no, and desyred to haue time to consult with his frendes in whome his trust was, and being once againe asked whether he woulde returne and instātly desired therunto, or els the sentence must be reade, he required the bishop to giue him licēce to deliberate with him selfe vntill the next morow whether he might abiure the heresies wherwith he was defamid or no, MarginaliaDancaster conferrith with BilneThe bishoppe graunted him that he shuld haue a litle time to deliberate with master Dācaster, but Bilney required space till the next morrow to consult with master Farmar 

and

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