Forsooth, quoth I, Tertullians exposition maketh it plaine, for he sayth, Corpus est figura corporis, the bodie is a figure of the bodie. Now put to quod pro vobis tradetur, which shal be given for you, and it agreeth exceeding well.

In faith, quoth he, I would give forty pound that ye were of a good opinion. For I ensure you, I have heard you, and had an affection to you.

I thanke you master Pope, for your heart and minde, and ye know, quoth I, I were a verie foole if I would in this matter dissent from you, if that in my conscience the truth did not inforce me so to do. For I wis (as ye do perceive, I trowe) it is somewhat out of my waie, if I would esteeme worldly gaine.

What say ye, quoth he, to Cyprian? Doth he not say plainly, Panis quem dedit Dominus non effigie, sed natura mutatus, omnipotentia verbi factus est caro, the bread which the Lord did deliver, being changed, not according to the forme, but according to the nature thereof, by the omnipotent word is made flesh.

True syr, so he doth say, and I answere even the same which once by chance I preached at Paules crosse in a sermon, for the which I have beene as unjustly and as untruelie reported3 as any poore man hath beene. For there, I speaking of the sacrament, and inveying against them that esteemed it no better then a peece of bread, tolde even the same thing of pœnitentes, audientes, catechumeni, energumeni, that I spake of before; and I bade them depart as unworthie to heare the mysterie; and then I said to those that be sancti, Cyprian the martyr shall tell you how it is that Christ calleth it, saying, Bread is the bodie, meate, drinke, flesh, because that unto this materiall substance is given the property of the thing whereof it beareth the name and this place then tooke I to utter as the time would then suffer, that the materiall substance of bread doth remaine. M. Fecknam (which as is reported to me) did belie me openly in the same matter at Paules crosse, heard all this my talke (as red as skarlet in his face), and herein answered mee never one word'.

You do know well, quoth M. secretary that Origen and Tertullian were not catholicke, but erred.

3 As untruelie reported.] See above, Life of Latimer, vol. ii. p. 628.

• Never one word.] And yet Fecknam, after Ridley's death, repeated the same calumny again in a set oration, spoken in the House of Lords, in the year 1559. See Strype's Annals, vol. i. p. 76.

Syr, quoth I, there is none of all the doctors that are holden in all points, but are thought to have erred in some things. But yet I never heard that it was either layde to Origens charge or to Tertullian, that ever they were thought to have erred in this matter of the sacrament.

What, quoth M. Chomley, late chief justice, doth not Christ say plainely, that it is his very flesh, and his very bloud, and we must needs eate him, or wee can have no life? Syr, quoth I, if you will heare how S. Augustine expoundeth that place, you shall perceive that you are in a wrong boxe. And when I began to tell S. Augustines minde in his booke, de Doctrina Christiana, Yea, yea, quoth M. secretary, that is true. S. Augustine doth take it figuratively in deed.

Forty yeares agoe, quoth M. Fecknam, all were of one opinion in this matter.

Forty yeares agoe, quoth I, all held that the bishop of Rome was supreme head of the universall church.

What then? was maister Fecknam beginning to say, &c. but M. secretary tooke the tale, and sayd, that was but a positive lawe.

A positive law? quoth I, no syr, he would not have it so for it is in his decrees, that hee challenged it by Christs owne word. For his decree saith, the church of Rome was advanced above all other churches in the world, not by any synodicall constitutions, nor yet any councels, but by the lively voice of the Lord, according as the Lord sayd to Peter: Thou art Peter, &c. And in an other place he intreateth, Tu es Cephas, id est, caput, thou art Cephas, that is to say the head.

Tush, it was not counted an article (quoth M. secretary) of our faith.

Yes, said I, if ye call that an article of our faith, which is to be beleeved under paine of damnation. For he sayth, Wee do absolutely determine, declare, and pronounce, that every creature is subject to the obedience of the bishop of Rome, upon necessity of salvation.

And here when we spake of lawes and decrees, M. Roger Chomley thought himselfe much wronged, that hee could not be suffered to speake, the rest were so readie to interrupt him and then he up and tolde a long tale what lawes were of kings of England made against the bishop of Rome, and was vehement to tell how they alwaie of the clergie did flie to him. And here

because he seemed to speake of manie things beside our purpose, whereof we spake before, he was answered of his owne fellowes, and I let them talke.

Finally, we departed in peace, and master secretary promised in the end, that of their talke there should come to me no harme. And after I had made my mone for lacke of my books, he said they were all once given him: but sith I know (said he) who hath them now, write me the names of such as yee would have, and I will speake for you the best I can.

A Conference had betwixt maister Ridley, and maister Latimer in prison, upon the objections of Antonian, meaning by that name some popish persecutour (as Winchester), alluding thereby to the Story of Victor. lib. 3. de Persecut. Africa.

M. Ridley. In writing againe' ye have done me an unspeak

5 A conference.] This conference is here inserted and recommended to the reader's attentive perusal, as affording a valuable and authentic summary of part of the grounds upon which the confessors in the reign of Mary were contented to be led to the stake: and secondly, because it contains the materials for a solid exposition of several of the articles of the church of England. "It passed in writing" (says Dr. Gloc. Ridley) between these venerable fathers, as I apprehend, in January (1553-4), when they were in separate apartments, after the mass was publickly restored, which was December 21 (1553), and before Wyatt's rebellion had so crowded the Tower with state prisoners, that the three prelates were confined in one apartment together: and this rebellion broke out the 26th of January." Ridley's Life, p. 485. That this date is probably very nearly correct, may be inferred also from a letter of Ridley to Grindal, given below, in which he says, "I was in the Tower about the space of two moneths close prisoner, and after that, had granted to me without my labor the libertie of the Tower, and so continued about halfe a yeare," &c.

• Winchester.] Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester.

7 In writing againe.] Ridley here refers to a former conference, which he had carried on in writing with Latimer (and probably with Cranmer), in which he had stated "the causes that moved him to abstain from the mass." At the conclusion of his own portion of which, he says, "Write againe I beseech you, fathers and brethren, most dearly beloved in Christ." That conference is also well worthy of a careful perusal : but is here, with regret, omitted, through want of room. The "causes" which are there enlarged upon, are here briefly recapitulated in the answer to the second objection. "They be these; the strange tongue," &c. Both the conferences, together with Ridley's treatise against transubstantiation, were first printed in the year 1556, and again in 1574, in one small volume.

able pleasure, and I pray that the Lord may requite it you in that day. For I have received great comfort at your wordes: but yet I am not so filled withall, but that I thyrst much more now then before to drinke more of that cup of yours, wherein ye mingle unto me profitable with pleasant. I praie you good father let mee have one draught more to comforte my stomacke. For surelie except the Lord assist mee with his gracious aide, in the time of his service, I know I shall play but the part of a white livered knight. But truelie my trust is in him, that in mine infirmity he should trie himself strong, and that he can make the coward in his cause to fight like a man.

Syr, now I looke dailie when Diotrephes with his warriours shall assault me: wherefore I praie you good father, for that you are an old souldiour, and an expert warriour, and God knoweth I am but a yong souldiour, and as yet of small experience in these fits, help me I pray you to buckle my harnesse.—And now I would have you to think that these dartes are cast at of some one of Diotrephes', or Antonius' soldiers.

The Objection of the Antonian.

my

head

All men marvell greatlie, why you, after the libertie which you have granted unto you, more then the rest, doe not goe to masse, which is a thing (as you know) now much esteemed of all men, yea of the queene herselfe.

The Answere.

Because no man that laieth hand on the plough and looketh backe is fit for the kingdom of God: and also for the selfe same cause why saint Paule would not suffer Titus to be circumcised, which is that the truth of the gospell might remaine with us uncorrupt. (Galat. the second:) And againe, if I build againe the things which I destroyed, I make my selfe a trespasser. This is also another cause; least I should seeme by outward fact to allow the thing, which I am perswaded is contrarie to sound doctrine, and so should bee a stumbling stocke unto the weake. But woe be unto him by whome offence commeth: it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and he cast into the middest of the sea.

M. Latimer. Except the Lord helpe me ye say. Truth it is.

For without me, saith he, ye can doe nothing, much lesse suffer death of our adversaries, through the bloudie law now prepared against us. But it followeth, if you abide in me, and my word abide in you, aske what ye will, and it shall be done for you. What can be more comfortable? Syr, you make answer your selfe so well, that I cannot better it. Syr, I begin now to smell what you meane: by travelling thus with. mee, you use mee as Bilney did once, whence hee converted mee: pretending as though hee would be taught of me, he sought waies and meanes to teach me, and so doe you. I thanke you therefore most heartilie. For indeed you minister armour unto mee, whereas I was unarmed before and unprovided, saving that I give my selfe to praier for my refuge.

Anton. object. 2. What is it then that offendeth you so greatlie in the masse that you will not vouchsafe once either to heare it, or see it? and from whence commeth this new religion upon you? have not you used in times past to say masse your selfe?

M. Ridleys answere. I confesse unto you my fault and ignorance but know you that for these matters I have done penance long agoe, both at Paules crosse, and also openlie in the pulpit at Cambridge; and I trust God hath forgiven me this mine offence for I did it upon ignorance. But if you be desirous to knowe, and will vouchsafe to heare what things doe offend mee in the masse, I will rehearse unto you those things which be most cleare, and seeme to repugne most manifestlie

8 The bloudie law.] See Fox's Acts, p. 1461. Burnet, vol. ii. p. 275. Compare Life of Rogers in this collection, vol. ii. p. 321, and n.

• As Bilney did once.] See above, Life of Latimer, vol. ii. p. 451.

1 Or see it.] From this passage Dr. Gloc. Ridley argues, and with much apparent reason, that Fox was mis-informed, in the story which he tells of the bishop having once been induced to be present at the mass, and that he forbore it afterwards upon the remonstrance and arguments of Bradford. Ridley's Life, p. 434, 5. See Fox, p. 1457. Compare also p. 1565. 1569. The account seems no way probable, for the reasons stated by Ridley's biographer: to which we must observe in addition, that Fox relates precisely the same particulars respecting Bradford and bishop Ferrar. Acts, &c. p. 1930. -The non-conformists have occasionally appeared to give implicit credit to this story against Ridley, and have referred to it in a temper in which, certainly, sorrow, self-distrust, and a tender compassion for human infirmity, are not the leading features. See Peirce against Nicholls, p. 31.