I ask no more, but the benefit of a subject, till I be convinced of transgression. If I cannot have this, as hitherto I have not had, God's good will be done.

After a long process of the false doctrine, wherewith the people were deceived in the days of King Edward

Gard. How sayest thou?

Brad. My Lord, the doctrine taught in King Edward's days was God's pure religion, the which as I then believed, so do I now more believe it than ever I did; and therein 1 am more confirmed, and ready to declare it, by God's grace, even as he will, to the world, than I was when I first came into prison.

Tonstal. What religion mean you in King Edward's days? What year of his reign?

Brad. Forsooth, even the same year, my Lord, that the King died, and I was a preacher.*

Here wrote Secretary Bourne I wote not what; and after a little pausing, Gardiner began again to declare, that the doctrine, taught in King Edward's days, was heresy; using probation and demonstration thereof, not scripture, nor reason, but this; that it ended with treason and rebellion; that the very end were enough to prove that doctrine to be naught.

Brad. Ah, my Lord, that you could enter into God's sanctuary, and mark the end of this present doctrine, that you now so magnify! Gard. What meanest thou by that? I ween we shall have a snatch of rebellion even now.

Brad. My Lord, I mean no such end as you would gather; I mean an end which no man seeth, but such as enter into God's sanctuary. If a man look on present things, he will soon deceive himself.

Here now did Gardiner again offer mercy, and Bradford answered, as before; Mercy with God's mercy shall be welcome, but otherwise he would none. Whereupon Gardiner did ring a little bell; upon which the Under Marshal came in.

Gard. Ye shall take this man to you, and keep him close without conference with any man, but by your knowledge; and suffer him not

to write any letters, &c. for he is of another manner of charge unto you now, than he was before.

And so they departed, Bradford looking as cheerfully as any man could do; declaring thereby even a desire to give his life for confirmation of that he had taught and written.*

No. 51.+

THE SECOND EXAMINATION OF BRADFORD, In St. Mary Overie's Church, before Gardiner and divers other Bishops, the 29th of January, 1555.

Gurd. Wherebefore, on the 22d of January, you was called before us, and we offered unto you the Queen's pardon; although you had contemned the same, and further said, that you would stiffly and frontly maintain the erroneous doctrine taught in the days of King Edward VI.; yet, in consideration that the Queen's Highness is wonderfully merciful, we think good eftsoons to offer the same mercy again, before it be too late. Therefore advise you well; there is yet space and grace, before we so proceed, that you be committed to the secular power; as we must do, and will do, if you will not follow the example of M. Barlow, and M. Cardmaker.

Whom he here commended, adding oratorically; amplifications, in order to move Bradford to yield to the religion lately§ set forth.

Brad. My Lord, and my Lords all, as now I stand in your sight before you, so I humbly beseech your honours to consider, that you sit in the seat of the Lord, who, as David doth witness, is in the congregation of judges, and sitteth in the midst of them judging; and as you would your place to be now of us taken as God's place,

so demonstrate yourselves to follow him in your sitting; that is, seek no guiltless blood, nor hunt not by questions, to bring into the snare them which are out of the same. At this present I stand before you guilty or guiltless; then proceed and give sentence accordingly; if guiltless, then give me the benefit of a subject, which hitherto I could not have.

Gard. You began with a true sentence, Deus stetit in synagoga, etc.; but this and all thy gesture declareth but hypocrisy and vainglory.

He then made much ado to purge himself, that he sought not guiltless blood, and so began a long process, how that Bradford's fact at Paul's Cross was presumptuous, arrogant, and declared a taking upon him to lead the people; which cou? not but turn to much disquietness, in that he was so prefract and stout in religion at that present.

For the which as thou wast then committed to prison, so hitherto thou hast been kept in prison, where thou hast written letters to no little hurt, to the Queen's people; as by report of the Earl of Derby in the Parliament House, was credibly declared. And you stubbornly behaved yourself the last time you was before us; and therefore not for any other thing, now I demand of thee, but of or for thy doctrine or religion.

Brad. My Lord, where you accuse me of hypocrisy and vainglory, I must and will leave it to the Lord's declaration, which one day will open yours and my truth, and hearty meanings. In the mean season, I will content myself with the testimony of mine own conscience; which if it yield to hypocrisy, could not but have God to be my foe also, and so both God and man were against me. And as for my fact at Paul's Cross, and behaviour before you at the Tower; I doubt not but God will reveal it to my comfort. For if ever I did thing which God used to public benefit, I think that my deed was one, and yet for it I have been and am kept of long time in prison. And as for letters and religion, I answer as I did the last time I was before you.

* Si illum objurges vitæ qui auxilium tulit; quid facies illi qui dederit damnum aut malum ?-Fox.

Gard.

There didst thou say, stubbornly and malapertly, that thou wouldest manfully maintain the erroneous doctrine in King Edward's day.

Brad. My Lord, I said the last time I was before you, that I had six times taken an oath, that I should never consent to the practising of any jurisdiction, on the Bishop of Rome's behalf; and therefore durst I not answer to any thing that should be demanded so, lest I should be forsworn, which God forbid. Howbeit, saving mine oath, I said that I was more confirmed in the doctrine, set forth publicly in the days of King Edward, than ever I was before I was put in prison; and so I thought I should be, and think yet still I shall be found more ready to give my life as God will, for the confirmation of the same

Gard. I remember well that thou madest much ado about needless matter, as though the oath against the Bishop of Rome were so great a matter. So others have done before thee, but yet not in such sort as thou hast done; for thou pretendest a conscience in it, which is nothing else but mere hypocrisy.

Brad. My conscience is known to the Lord; and whether I deal herein hypocritically, or no, he knoweth. As I said therefore then, my Lord, so say I again now, that for fear lest I should be perjured, I dare not make answer to any thing you shall demand of me, if my answering should consent to the confirming or practising of any jurisdiction, for the Bishop of Rome, here in England.

Gard. Why didst thou begin to tell that we are Dii, and sit in God's place, and now wilt thou not make us an answer?

Brad. My Lord, I said, you would have your place taken of us now as God's place; and therefore I brought forth that piece of scripture, that ye might the more be admonished to follow God and his ways at this present, who seeth us all, and well perceiveth whether of conscience I pretend this matter of the oath, or no,

Gard. No, all men may well see thine hypocrisy; for if, for thine oath's sake, thou didst not answer, then wouldest thou not have spoken as thou didst, and have answered me at the first. But now men well perceive, that this is but a starting hole to hide thyself in; because thou darest not answer, and so wouldest escape, blinding the simple people's eyes, as though of conscience you did all you do.

Brad. That which I spake at the first, was not a replication, or an answer to that you spake to me; and therefore I needed not to lay for me mine oath. For I thought you would have more weighed what I did speak, than you did. But when I perceived you did not consider it, but came to ask matter, whereto by answering I should consent to the practising of jurisdiction, on the Bishop of Rome's behalf here in England, and so be forsworn; then of conscience and simplicity, I spake as I do yet again speak, that I dare not for conscience answer you. And therefore I seek no starting holes, nor go about to blind the people, as God knoweth. For if you, of your honours, shall tell me, that you do not ask me any thing, whereby mine answering should consent to the practising of the Bishop of Rome's jurisdiction, ask me wherein you will, and you shall hear that I will tell you as flatly, as any ever did that came before you. I am not afraid of death, I thank God; for I look and have looked for nothing else at your hands, of long time; but I am afraid, when death cometh, I should have matter to trouble my conscience by the guiltiness of perjury, and therefore do I answer as I do.

Gard. These be gay glorious words, full of hypocrisy and vainglory; and yet dost thou not know that I sit here as Bishop of Winchester in mine own diocese, and therefore may do this which I do, and more too.

Brad. My Lord, give me leave to ask you this question, that my conscience may be out of doubt in this matter: Tell me here, before God, all this audience being witness, that you demand of me nothing, whereby mine answering should consent to and confirm the practice of jurisdiction, for the Bishop of Rome here in England; and your Honour shall hear me give you as flat and as plain answers briefly, to whatsoever you shall demand me, as ever any did.

Here Gardiner was wonderfully offended, and spake much how that the Bishop of Rome's authority needed no confirmation of Bradford's answers, no, nor such as he was; and turned his talk to the people, how that Bradford followed crafty covetous merchants, who because they would lend no money to their neighbours when they were in need, would say that they had sworn oft, that they would never lend any more money, because their debtors had so oft deceived them.