AFter our most hartie commendations to your good Lordshippe, these shalbe to aduertise you that at our Sessions of Oyer and terminer, holden at Chelmysforde, the. xxvi. day of April last past, there came before vs in open Court one Thomas Wattes of Billerica within your dioces by ordinarye processe, and then and there beinge examined, why he refused to come to hys parishe churche, and ther to receyue the sacramente of the aulter, and here diuine seruice, accordinge to the institution of holy churche, he openlye there aunswered generally, that like as the seruice of the church, set out in the daies of the late Kyng Edward the syxt, was said by vs nowe to be abhominable, heretical, schismaticall, and all nought: So he saide that all that is now vsed and done in the churche is abhominable, heretical, schismatical, and al nought, with dyuers other erroneus and arrogant woordes: And therfore we haue thoughte good to sende him to your Lordship, to be further examined by you of his particular opynions, as to your pastoral office shal seme conuenient, certifiyng you further, that in our opiniō he is one of the most arrogant heretickes that hath bene herd speake, or euer came before you, and not mete to be kept here in anye Gaole, aswell for feare of corrupting others, as for diuers and sondry other speciall causes hereafter to be more declared. Thus leauing to molest your good Lordship, we commit you to the holy ghost. Geuen at Chemysford the. xxvii. daye of April, anno domini. 1555.

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Your good Lordships most assured
R. Rich. Henry. Tirrell. Antony Browen.
Edmond Tirrell. T. Myldman. Iohn wisemā
Roger Appleton. Richard weston.

NOw when the Bishop had receiued him, how he vsed him yt is easye (by his common experimented practises vpon others) to iudge. What his priuate conferences were I know not: but what was publikely don in the Consistorye at Paules (the common stage for these tragedies) you shall here see.

 

First vpon Thursdaye, beynge the seconde day of May, the sayde Thomas Wats was brought thither before the Bishop of London and being examined vpon his woordes had before the lord Rich & others (as is conteined in their letters) he did earnestly affirme the same to be true. Whereupon the byshop obiected & examined hym vpon these articles following, to the which he answered, as also followeth.

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Marginalia1FIrst it is obiected agaynst thee Thomas Wats, that thou the said Thomas Wats, wast & art of Billerica afore said, making thine abode there, and so wast and art of the iurisdiction of me

the said Byshop of London.

Marginalia2.Item, that thou the saide Thomas Wattes hast not beleued, nor at this present doest beleue in the Sacrament of the holy and Catholicke church, as the Catholik church of Rome and all others churches members of the same euer hytherto haue beleued, taught, and sette foorth, to be beleued and taughte of all good and faithfull people, nor hast or doest allowe the said Sacramentes, Rites, vsages, or Ceremonies of the said church, but hast and doest contempne and despise them, thinkyng it no offense or synne so to do.

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Marginalia3Item, that thou the sayde Thomas Wats doest beleue, and deliberatly say, and also hast taught others: that MarginaliaThe substaunce of the Sacrament.the substaunce of materyal bread and wyne do remayne in the sacrament of the aultar, after the consecration, and that the sayd material bread & wyne are the signes and tokens of Christes body hanged vpon the crosse, and of his bloud there shed, and that in the sayd sacrament there is onely a memorye or remembraunce of Christes body and bloud and nothyng els.

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Marginalia4.Item, that thou the sayde Thomas Wats doest beleue, hast also heretofore taughte, and doest precisely affirme, that the verye true presence of Christes body and bloud in substance, is not in the sacrament of the aultar, but onely in heauen, and no where els.

Marginalia5.Item, that thou Thomas Wats doest beleue, affirme and say, & hast heretofore taught others, that the Masse now vsed in the church of Rome, here in England, and other places, is ful of idolatry, abhomination and wyckednes, and that Christe dyd neuer institute it, or ordayne it, nor yet allowe or approue it as a good and lawdable thyng, to be kept and vsed in hys Churche.

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Marginalia6.Item, that thou Thomas Wats doest beleue and affirme. &c. that MarginaliaConfession to God.auricular confession to be made vnto the Prieste, is not necessarye, but superfluous: and that it is inough for a mā to beleue onely, and to confesse hym selfe vnto God, without any Priest, or Minister, at any tyme, though he may haue the Prieste to confesse hym vnto.

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Marginalia7.Item, that thou Thomas Wats doest beleue. &c. that Luther, Wycklyffe, D. Barnes, and al others that haue holden against the sacrament of the aulter, and suffered deathe by fire, or otherwise for the maintenaunce of the sayde opinion, were good men, and faythfull seruauntes and martirs of Christe in so beleuyng and dying.

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Marginalia8.Item, that thou Thomas Wats doest beleue &c. that to fast, pray, or to do almes dedes, is a thing vtterlye vnprofitable: for if a man shalbe saued, he shalbe saued without doynge of them: and if he shall be dampned, they shall not help hym, or do hym any good at all.