This was done in the presence of master Bilney, desiring a copie of them; and he bound the Notaries with an oth, for the safe keeping of the copies, and true registring of the same. Which articles and answeres, with one of the same epistles, with certaine depositions deposed by the foresaid witnesses here follow truely drawne out partly of his own hand writing, and partly out of the register.

Interrogatories whereupon master Thomas Arthur, and master Bilney were accused and examined.

"1 Whether they did beleeve with their hearts, that the assertions of Luther, which are impugned by the bishop of Rochester 3, were justly and godly condemned; and that Luther with his adherents, was a wicked and a detestable heretike. In

2 Whether they did beleeve that the generall counsels and ecclesiastical constitutions once received and not abrogate againe, ought to be observed of all men, even for conscience sake, and not only for feare.

3 Whether they did beleeve that the popes lawes were profitable and necessarie to the preferment of godlinesse, not repugnant to the holy Scriptures, neither by any meanes to be abrogate, but to be reverenced of all men.

4 Whether they did beleeve that the catholike church may erre in the faith or no: and whether they thinke that catholike church to be a sensible church, which may be demonstrate and pointed

3 Impugned by the bishop of Rochester.] This is the book of bishop Fisher mentioned in the preceding note. It is an able and very important work. It came out in 1523, and was in so great request that five editions were printed before the year 1525,

out

out as it were with a finger; or that it is only a spirituall church, intelligible, and knowne only to God.

5 Whether they thinke that the images of Saints are christianly set in the churches; and ought to be worshipped of all true Christians.

6 Whether that a man may beleeve without hurt to his faith or note of herefie, the soules of Peter and Paul, and of our ladie, either to be, or not to be in heaven; and that there is yet no judgement given upon the soules departed.

7 Whether that a man may beleeve without spot of heresie, that our ladie remained not alwaies a virgin.

8 Whether holy daies and fasting daies ordained and received by the church, may be broken by any private man, at his will and pleasure, without sinne or obstinacie.

9 Whether we are bound to be obedient unto prelats, bishops and kings, by Gods commandement, as we are unto our parents.

10 Whether they beleeve that the church doth well and godly in praying to the Saints.

11 Whether they thinke that Christ only should be prayed unto, and that it is no heresie, if any man affirme that Saints should not be prayed unto.

12 Whether they do thinke all true Christians to be by like right priests, and all those to have received the keyes of binding and loosing, at the hands of Christ, which have obtained the Spirit of God; and only such, whether they be lay men or priests.

13 Whether they beleeve with their hearts that faith may be without workes and charitie,

14 Whether they beleeve that it is more agreeable to the faith, that the people should pray in their

owne

owne tongue, than in a learned unknowne tongue; and whether they commend the prayer in a strange tongue or no.

15 Whether they would have the masses and Gospels openly to be read in churches in the vulgar tongue, rather than in the Latine tongue.

16 Whether they commend that children should only be taught the Lords Prayer, and not the Salutation of the virgin, or Creed.

17 Whether they do thinke the woodden beads which the common people doth use, worthie to be denied, or not.

18 Whether they do thinke the whole Scripture ought to be translated into English; or that it should be more profitable for the people, than as it is now read.

19 Whether they would have the organs and all maner of songs to be put out of the church of God.

20 Whether they do think that it pertaineth to the bishops to punish any man with bonds or imprisonment, or that they have any temporall power and authoritie.

21 Whether they thinke that constitution to be godly, that no man should preach in another mans diocesse, without letters of commendation, and licence obtained of the bishop.

22 Whether they thinke the vowes of religious men, and private religion, to be constitute or ordained by the Spirit of God, neither by any meanes to be repugnant to a free and perfect christian life.

23 Whether they beleeve that we should pray for the dead; or beleeve that there is a purgatorie; or that we are bound by necessity of faith, to be leeve neither of them; but that it is free without finne, either to beleeve it or not to beleeve it..

24 Whether

24 Whether they beleeve that morall philosophie and naturall, do prevaile any thing for the better understanding of the Scriptures, and for the exposition and defence of the truth.

25 Whether they thinke that the popes indulgences and pardons are rather to be rejected than received.

26 Whether it be contrarie to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, that Christians should by any meanes contend in the law, to seeke any maner of restitution.

27 Whether they beleeve all things pertaining to salvation and damnation to come of necessitie, and nothing to be in our owne willes.

28 Whether they beleeve God to be the author of all evill, as well of the fault, as of the punish

ment.

29 Whether they thinke masse only to be profitable to him which saith it; and whether every man may alter or leave out the rite and order of the masse, without hurt of faith.

30 Whether they beleeve that there can be any moral virtues without the grace of christian living, or that the virtues which Aristotle hath set out, are rather fained.

31 Whether they think it heresie, to teach the people, that it is free to give tithes unto priests, or to any other poore man.

32 Whether they do thinke it more Christianlike to take away the images out of the churches, or to permit them there to adorne them and honor them.

33 Whether they thinke it the part of a Christian man, that preachers should exhort men to pilgrimage, or to the worshipping of reliques.

being lord car

34 Whether that thou Thomas Bilney, cited upon heresie to appeare before my

dinall,

dinall, and before the day of thy appearance, not having made thy purgation upon those points that thou wast cited, has preached openly in divers churches of the citie and diocesse of London, without sufficient licence from the bishop, or any other."

Concerning the answeres unto these articles, (gentle Reader) for so much as in the most part of them, Bilney with Arthur seemed to consent and agree (although not fullie and directly, but by way and manner of qualifying) yet because he did not expressely denie them, it shall not be needfull heere to recite them all, save only such wherein he seemed to dissent from them.

To the first and second articles he answered affirmatively.

To the third he said, "I beleeve that many of the popes lawes are profitable and necessarie, and do prevaile unto godlinesse, neither in any point are repugnant unto the Scriptures, nor by any meanes are to be abrogate, but of all men to be observed and reverenced. But touching all those lawes I cannot determine: for, as for such as I have not read, I trust notwithstanding they are good also: and as for those that I have read, I did never reade them to the end and purpose to reprove them, but according to my power, to learne and understand them. And as touching the multitude of lawes, Saint Augustine in his time did much complaine, and Gerson also, who marvelled that we could by any meanes live in safetie amongst so many snares of constitutions, whenas our forefathers being pure before their fall, could not observe one only precept.'

To the fourth article he said, "that the catholike church can by no meanes erre in faith, for it is the whole congregation of the elect, and so knowne