There bee dyuers lyke prysoners that came from Sussex, that bee not yet examined before you, lying nowe in Newgate, whiche muste bee examined by you since they bee come to Londō and so I pray you they may bee, and certified of your procedinges, that I may followe, whiche I shall doe, thankyng your Lordship hartelye for my Conies, trustynge to recompense youre Lordship agayne shortly, with twise as many, from my house this. vii of Iune. 1555.
[Back to Top]Your louing frend, Winchester.
William Paulet, the marquis of Winchester, not Stephen Gardiner, the bishop of Winchester.
This confession was copied by Foxe from an official record which is now lost. But by a stroke of luck, we know that Foxe did not reprint this document with complete fidelity. The catholic polemicist Miles Hogarde recorded that Carver stated that a person might be a Christian without baptism and that it was only an external sign (Miles Hogarde, The Displaying of the Protestants [London, 1556], STC 13557, fos. 10r-11r). Note that Foxe does not print an article on baptism by Carver or Launder, but he does print one by Thomas Iveson; this is further evidence that Foxe censored Carver's and Lander's radical opinions on baptism.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaDirick Caruer.DIrick Caruer Berebrewer, of Brighthampsted, in the countye of Sussex, where hee hath dwelled by the space of eyghte, or nyne yeares, borne in the vyllage of Dilson by Stockome in the lande of Luke,
Dilsom, near Stockem, in the region of Liége, Flanders.
Item, beyng examined concernynge the Masse in Latin, nowe vsed in the Churche of Englande, he beleueth that there is no sacrifyce in the sayde Masse, and that there is in it no saluation for a Christian manne, excepte it shoulde bee sayde in the mother tonge, that he myght vnderstande it: and concernynge the ceremonyes of the Churche, he sayeth and beleueth, that they be not profitable to a christyan man.
[Back to Top]Item, beyng examined concernyng Aurycular confession, he aunswereth: that he hath and doth beleue, that it is necessarye to goe to a good priest for good counsaile. but the absolution of the priest, laying his hande vpon any mannes head as is now vsed, is nothing profitable to a christian mannes saluation. And further he sayth, that he hath not bene confessed, nor receiued the sacrament of the altar, since the coronation of the Quene that now is.
[Back to Top]Item, concernyng the fayth and religion, nowe taught, sette foorth, and beleued, in the Churche of Englande, he aunswereth and beleueth, that the faith and doctrine now taught set forth, and vsed, in the said churche of Englande, is not agreable to Goddes woorde. And furthermore he sayth, that Byshoppe Hooper, Cardmaker, Rogers, and other of theyr opinion, whiche were of late burned, were good
[Back to Top]christian men, and did preach the true doctrine of Christ, as he beleueth: and sayeth that they dyd shedde theyr bloude in the same Doctrine, which was by the power of God, as he sayeth and beleueth. And beyng further examyned, sayth, that since the Quenes Coronation, he hath hadde the Byble and Psalter in English, red in his house at Bryghthampsted dyuers tymes, and likewyse since his commynge into Newgate: but the keper hering thereof, dyd take them awaye: and sayeth also that about a twelue moneth nowe paste, he hadde the Englishe procession sayde in his house, wyth other English prayers. And further sayth, that Thomas Euersō, Iohn Laūder, and Williā Veisy,
William was reprieved, probably because he recanted (see 1563, p. 1297; 1570, p. 1877; 1576, p. 1607 and 1583, p. 1701).
1 November 1554.
Foxe copied this document from an official record which is now lost. Notice, however, that, as with Carver's confession, from which we know that Foxe omitted a statement on baptism, this confession of faith contains no statement on baptism.
MarginaliaIhō Launder.JOhn Launder husbandman, of the paryshe of Godstone in the Countye of Surrey, of the age of. xxv. yeares, borne at Godstone aforesayde, beyng examined: dothe confesse and say, that about two dayes next before Alhallontide now last past, this Examinate and one Dirick Caruer, Thomas Euerson, and William Veisy, with diuers other persones, to the noumber of twelue (beyng all togethers in theyr prayers, and saying the seruice in Englishe, sette foorth in the tyme of king Edwarde the syxth, in the house of the sayde Diricke, sytuate at Brighthampstone in Sussex) were apprehended by one mayster Edwarde Gage, and by hym sente vp hyther to London, to the Kyng and Queenes Counsayle, and by them (vppon hys examination) committed to Newegate, where he with his sayde other fellowes hath euer synce remayned in prison.
[Back to Top]And further beyng examined, dooeth confesse and saye, that the occasion of his comming to the sayde Bryghthampsted, was vppon certayne busynesse there to bee spedde, for his father: and so beynge there, and hearynge that the sayde Dyricke was a manne that dyd muche fauoure the Gospell, thys Examinate dydde resorte to hys house and companye, whome before that tyme he dyd neuer see or knowe, and by reason of that hys resorte, he was apprehended as before. And further dooeth confesse, and beleue, that there is here in earthe, one whole and vniuersall Catholike Churche, whereof the members be dispersed through the worlde, and dothe beleue also, that the same Churche, dothe sette foorth and
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