maister Dancaster. But the bishop woulde not graunt him his request for feare, least he shuld appeale. But at the last the bishop enlininge vnto him, graunted him two nightes respite to deliberate, that is to say til Saterday til ix. of the clocke afore none, and then to geue a plaine determinate answer what he would do in the premisses.

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The vii. daye of December in the yeare and place aforesaid, the bishop of London with the other Bishoppes being assembled, Bilney also personallye appeared, whome the bishoppe of London asked, whether he woulde nowe retourne to the vnity of the churche, and reuoke therrors and heresies wherof he stode accused detected and conuicte. MarginaliaBilney through infirmity rather than perswasion recanteth.Who answeared that now he was perswaded by Master Dancaster and other his frendes, 

he woulde submit hym self, trusting they would deale gentilly wyth him both in his abiuration and penance, then he desired that he might reade his abiuration, which the bishop graunted. When he had red the same secreatlye by him selfe, and was retourned, being demaunded what he would do in the premisses, he answeared he woulde abiure and submitte him selfe, and there openlye red his abiuration, and subscribed it and delyuered it to the bishop, whiche then did absolue him. MarginaliaBilney inioyned peuaunce.And for his penaunce enioyned þ^t he shuld abide in prison, appoynted by the Cardinal, til he were by him released. And moreouer þ^e next day he shoulde goo before the procession in the cathedral church of Sainte Paule bare headed with a fagot on his shoulder, and shuld stand before the preacher at Paules crosse al the sermon time.

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After this the Cardinal as legate, called the whole cleargye before him at Westmynster, and there sayde that all the abuses of þ^e church should be mended, but he did nothinge therin, but onlye abiure Arthur, Bilney, Ieffraye Lome, and Garret that spake against þ^e popes autoritye and his pompe and pryde. Whose articles here folowe in order, as they were obiected against them.

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FIrst he said pray you only to God, and to no saintes, rehearsing the Letany, and when he came to Sancta Maria ora pro nobis, he sayde staye there.

Item he said that christian mē ought to worship God only and no sainctes.

Item he said that Christian people shuld set vp no lightes before the Images of saintes, for saints in heauen nead no light, and the images haue no eies to se.

Item that he saide, as Ezekias destroyed the brasen serpente 

that Moyses made by the commaundement of God, euen so shuld kyngs and Princes now a dayes, destroy and burn the Images of saints set vp in the churches,

These D. yeres there hath ben no good pope nor in all the time paste we can finde but fifty, for they haue neyther preached ne liued wel conformably to their dignity. Wherfore tyll nowe they haue born the keies of simony. Against whō good people we must preach and shewe to you. For we cannot come to them, it is greate pitye, they haue sore slaundered the bloud of Christ.

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The people hath vsed folishly of late pilgrymages, which for them had bene better to haue bene at home.

Many haue made certain vowes whyche be not possyble for thē to fulfil, and these nothing meritorious.

The preachers before this hathe bene Antychristes, and now it hath pleased oure sauioure Christ to shew their false errors, and to geue a nother way and manner of the holye gospel of Christ to the comfort of your soules.

MarginaliaThe prophesy of Bilney.I truste that there shall and wil come others besydes me, which shal shew and preach to you the same faith aud manner of liuing, that I doo shew and preach to you which is the very true gospell of our sauiour Christ, and the mynde of holy fathers, wherby you shalbe broughte from theyr erroures, wherin you haue bene long seduced, for before this there hath ben many that hath slaundered you, and the gospell of oure sauioure Christ, of whome speake oure sauioure. Math. xviii. Qui scandalizauierit vnum de pusillis istis qui in me credit. &c.

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His abiuration was vpon all these articles, the day and time afore specified in the presence of the aforenamed bishops. But God not wylling to lose such a worthy instrumente of hys church, raised him again after his fal, as heare foloweth to be seene.

IN primis for hauinge and dispersying abrode sondry bookes of Martin Luthers, & others as also for translating into the English tounge certain chapters of the worke of Luther de bonis operibus. As also certain chapters of a certen boke called pic prædicationes wherin diuers workes of Luther be comprehended.

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Item for affyrming and beleuing that faythe only without good workes wil bring a man to heauen.

Item that men be not bounde to obserue the constitutyons made by the church.

Item that we should pray only to God, and to no sayntes.

Item that christian men ought to worshippe God only and no sayntes,

Item that pilgrimages be not profitable for mans soule, and shuld not be vsed.

Item that we shoulde not offer to images in the church, nor set no lyghtes before them.

Item that no man is bound to kepe any māner of fasting daies instituted by the church.

Item that pardons graunted by the pope or the byshop do not profyt a man.

For these articles he was abiured before the bishops of London, Bathe, and Lyncolne. No mention being made of anye penaunce inioyned him.