Rafe. Yes my Lorde, there are in Englande three Religions.

Boner. Sayst thou so? which bee those three?

Rafe. The first is, that which you hold: the second is cleane contrary to the same, and the third is a Neuter, being indifferent, that is to say, obseruing al thinges that are cōmaunded, outwardlye, as though he were of your part, his hart being set wholy against the same.

Boner. And of these. iii. which arte thou? for nowe thou must nedes be of one of them.

Rafe. Yea my Lord, I am of one of them: & that which I am of, is euen that which is contrary to that which you teach, to bee beleued vnder paine of death.

Boner. Ah syr, you were here with mee at Fulham, and had good cheare, yea & mony in your purse, when you wente a waye, and by my fayth I had a fauour vnto thee. but now I se thou wilte be a naughty knaue. Why, wilt thou take vpon the to reade scripture, & canst not vnderstand neuer a word? for thou hast brought a text of scripture, the which maketh cleane agaynst thee. For Esdras speaketh of the multitude of you heretickes, declaringe your hate against the catholike church, making the simple or ydle people to beleue, that al is Idolatry that we do, and so intice them a way, vntil you haue ouercome them.

Rafe. Nay not so my Lord. For hee maketh it more plaine, and sayth on this wyse: they shall take awaye theyr goods, and put them out of their houses, and then shal it be knowē who are my chosen, sayth the Lord. For they shalbe tryed, as the syluer or gold is in the fyre. And therefore wee see it so come to passe, euen as he hath sayde: for who is not now driuen from house and home, yea and his goods taken vp for other men, that neuer swete for it, if he do not obserue as you commaund and set forth? Or els, if he be taken, then must hee either deny the truth, as I did, in dissembling, or els hee shalbe sure to be tryed, as Esdras sayth, euen as the golde is tryed in the fyer. Wherby al the world may know that you are the bloudye church, figured in Cayne the tyrant, neyther yet ye are not able to auoyd it.

Morton. I promise you my Lord I lyke him better now then euer I dyd, whē he was here before you the other time. For then he did but dissemble, as I perceaued well inough: but now me thinke he speaketh playnly.

Boner. Mary syr as you saye in dede, he is playne. For he is a plain hereticke and shalbe burned. Haue the knaue away. Let him be caryed to Litle ease at London, vntil I come.

Rafe. And so was I caried to London vnto Lytle ease, 

Commentary    Close

A notorious dungeon in the Tower of London, so called because it was too small for the prisoner to stand, or to lie full length.

wer broughte forth certayne wrytinges that I had set my hand vnto.

Boner. Come on your wayes, sirra. Is not this your hand, and this, and this?

Rafe. Yea, they are my hande all of them, I confesse the same, neither yet wyl I deny any thing that I haue set my hand vnto. But yf I haue set my hand to any thing that is not leaful, therfore am I sory. Neuertheles my hand I wil not deny to be my doing.

Boner. Wel said. Now ye must tel me. Wer you neuer at the church since you went from me, at Masse and Mattins. &c?

Rafe. No my Lorde, not at Masse, matins, nor none other straunge worshipping of god.

Boner. Yea, sayest thou so? Wast thou neyther at thine own parish churche, nor at none other? And doest thou also saye that it is a straunge worshipping? Why, I praye thee, wylt thou not beleue the scripture to be true?

Boner. Yes my Lord, I beleue the scripture to be true, and in the defense of the same I intend to geue my lyfe, rather then I wyll deny any part thereof, God wylling.

Deane. My Lord, this fellow wyll be an honest man, I heare by him. Hee wyll not stand in his opinion. For he sheweth him selfe gentle and patient in his talke.

Boner. Oh, he is a glorious knaue. His painted termes shal no more deceiue me. Ah horeson Pricklouse. doth not Christ say: this is my body? And how darest thou deny these woordes. for to saye as I haue a writing to shew, and thine owne hande at the same? Let me se, wylt thou deny this? Is not this thyne owne hande?

Rafe. Yes my Lorde, it is myne owne hand, neither am I ashamed thereof, because my confession therein is agreable too Goddes woorde. And where as you doo laye vnto my charge that I should deny the wordes of our sauiour Iesus Christe, oh good Lorde, from whence commeth this rash, hasty, and vntrue iudgementes? For sooth not from the spirite of truth. for he leadeth men into al truth, and is not the father of lyers. Wherupon shoulde your Lordshyp gather or saye of me so diffamously? wherefore I beseeche you, if I denye the scriptures canonical, or any part thereof, then let me dye.

MarginaliaLately turned to hys vomet, thirstynge for bloode precisely.Tye the Priest. My Lorde, he is a very sedicious fellow, and perswadeth other men to do as he him selfe doth, contrary to the order appointed by the Quenes highnes and the Clergye of thys Realme. For a great sorte of the parishe wyl be gathered one day to one place, and an other daye to an other place to heare him, so that very few commeth to the church to heare diuine seruice, and this was not onely before that he was taken and broughte vnto the Councell, but also synce hys retourne