Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 28

_Moreover, I believe all the Sacraments of Holy Church for to be meedful and profitable to all that shall be saved; taking them after the intent that G.o.d and Holy Church have ordained._

_And for as mickle as I am slandered falsely in my Belief in the Sacrament of the Altar, I do all Christian men to wit, that I believe verily that the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar is very CHRIST's body in form of bread; the same body that was born of the blessed Virgin our Lady Saint MARY, done on the cross, dead, buried, and on the third day rose from death to life, the which body is now glorified in heaven._

_Also I believe that all G.o.d's Law is true; and who that liveth contrary to this blessed Law, and so continueth to his life's end, and dieth so breaking the holy commandments of G.o.d, that he shall be d.a.m.ned into everlasting pains. And he that will learn this most blessed Law, and live thereafter, keeping these holy commandments of G.o.d, and endeth in charity shall have everlasting bliss._

_Also I understand that this followeth of Belief, that our Lord JESU CHRIST (that is both G.o.d and Man) asketh no more here in earth, but that he obey to him after the form of his Law, in truly keeping of it. And if any Prelate of the Church ask more obedience than this, of any man living; he exalteth himself, in that, above CHRIST: and so he is an open Antichrist._

_Also these points I hold as of Belief in especial._

_And in general, I believe all that G.o.d wills that I believe, praying, at the reverence of Almighty G.o.d, to you my liege Lord_ [HENRY V.] _that this Belief might be examined by the wisest and truest Clerks of your realm: and if it be truth, that it might be confirmed, and I to be holden for a true Christian man; and if it be false, that it might be d.a.m.ned_ [condemned], _and I taught a better Belief by G.o.d's Law; and I will gladly obey thereto_.

This foresaid Belief, the Lord COBHAM wrote; and took it with him, and offered it to the King [_HENRY V._], for to see: and the King would not receive it, but bade him take it to them that should be his judges.

And then the Lord of COBHAM offered to bring before the King, to purge him of all error and heresy, that they would put against him, a hundred Knights and Squires.

And also he offered to fight with any man, Christian or heathen, that would say he were false in his belief; except the King and his brethren.

And after, he said "He would submit him to all manner [of] correction, that any man would correct him, after G.o.d's Law."

And notwithstanding all this, the King suffered him to be summoned personally, in his own [_the King's_] chamber.

And the Lord of COBHAM said to the King, that he had appealed to the Pope from the Archbishop; and therefore, he said, "he ought not to take him for his judge": and so he had there his Appeal ready written, and shewed to the King.

And therewith the King was more angry, and said, "He should not pursue his appeal: but rather he should be in ward till his appeal were admitted, and then (would he or not!) he should be his judge!"

And thus nothing of all this was allowed; but, because he would not swear to submit him to the Church, and take what penance the Archbishop would enjoin him, he was arrested, and sent to the Tower of London to keep his day that the [arch]bishop a.s.signed him in the King's Chamber.

And then he made the _Belief_ aforesaid, with the _Answer_ to _Four Points_ that now follow, to be written in two parts of an Indenture.

And when he came to answer; he gave that one part to the [arch]bishop, and that other part he kept to himself.

+The Indenture of the Lord Cobham.+

=HIS _ANSWER_ TO THE _FOUR POINTS_.=

_I, JOHN OLDCASTLE Knight, and Lord of COBHAM, will that all Christian men wit, how that THOMAS of ARUNDELL, Archbishop of CANTERBURY hath not only laid it to my charge maliciously, but also very untruly, by his Letter and his Seal written against me in most slanderous wise, that I should otherwise feel and teach of the Sacraments of the Holy Church; a.s.signing in special the Sacrament of the Altar, the Sacrament of Penance, and also in Worshipping of Images, and in Going on Pilgrimages, otherwise than feeleth and teacheth the universal Holy Church. I take Almighty G.o.d to witness, that it hath been, and now is, and ever, with the help of G.o.d, shall be, mine intent and my will to believe faithfully and truly in all the Sacraments that ever G.o.d ordained to be done in Holy Church._

_And, moreover, for to declare me in these points aforesaid._

_I believe that the most worshipful Sacrament of the Altar is very CHRIST's body in form of bread: the same body that was born of the blessed Virgin our Lady Saint MARY, done on the cross, dead and buried, and the third day rose from death to life; the which body is now glorified in heaven._

_Also as for the Sacrament of Penance, I believe that it is needful to every man that shall be saved, to forsake sin, and to do due penance for sin before done, with true confession, very contrition, and, due satisfaction, as G.o.d's Law limiteth and teacheth; and else, may he not be saved; which penance I desire all men to do._

_And as for Images, I understand that they be not of Belief, but they were ordained (since Belief was given of CHRIST) by sufferance of the Church for to be Kalenders to laymen, to represent and bring to mind the Pa.s.sion of our Lord JESU CHRIST, and_ [the] _martyrdom and good living of other Saints. And that who so it be, that doeth the worship to dead images that is due to G.o.d; or putteth hope, faith, or trust in help of them as he should do to G.o.d; or hath affection in one more than in another: he doth in that, the great sin of Idolatry._

_Also I suppose this fully, that every man in this earth is a Pilgrim towards Bliss or towards Pains. And he that knoweth not, nor will not know, nor keep the holy commandments of G.o.d in his living (albeit that he goeth on pilgrimage in all parts of the world), and he die so, he shall be d.a.m.ned. And he that knoweth the holy commandments of G.o.d and keepeth them to his end, he shall be saved; though he never in his life, go on pilgrimage as men use_ [are accustomed] _now to Canterbury, or to Rome, or to any other place._

=LORD COBHAM'S FINAL EXAMINATION.=

This _Belief_ indented, containing the foresaid _Belief_ with these foresaid _Answers_, he took to the Bishops when he came to answer [_in the Chapter House of St. Paul's_] on the Sat.u.r.day next before Michaelmas in the year beforesaid [_September 23, 1413_].

And whatsoever the Bishops asked him, he bade them look what his Bill said thereto; and thereby he would stand to the death. Other answer gave he not that day: but the Bishops were not quieted herewith.

And the Archbishop bade him take avis.e.m.e.nt [_counsel_] till Monday [_September 25th_] next following, to answer to this point:

_If there remained material bread in the Sacrament of the Altar, after the words of consecration?_

And in the meantime, he perceived that the uttermost malice was purposed against him, howsoever he answered: therefore he put his life in G.o.d's hand, and answered thus, as followeth.

_This is the judgement and sentence given upon Sir JOHN OLDCASTLE Knight and Lord of COBHAM, the Monday_ [September 25th] _next before Michaelmas Day, at the Friar Preachers's_ [the Dominican Friary within Ludgate] _in London, in the year of our Lord, a thousand, four hundred and thirteen._

[THOMAS ARUNDELL] the Archbishop of CANTERBURY, [RICHARD CLIFFORD] the Bishop of LONDON, [HENRY BEAUFORT] the Bishop of WINCHESTER, [BENEDICT NICOLLS] the Bishop of BANGOR; Master JOHN WITNAM, Master JOHN WHITEHEAD [_both of New College, Oxford_], Doctors of Divinity; Master PHILIP MORGAN, Master HENRY WARE, Master JOHN KEMP, Doctors of [Canon] Law; and sir [_Rev._] ROBERT WOMBEWELL, Vicar of St. Lawrence in the Jewry; Master JOHN STEVENS, Master JAMES COLE, Notaries: with the Four Orders of Friars, and many other Clerks, deeming and convicting him for an heretic and a cursed man.

The Archbishop made all these Clerks, both Religious and Secular, to swear upon a book, that they should not, for love or favour of the one party, nor for any envy or hatred of the other party, say, nor witness but the truth.

And the two foresaid Notaries were sworn also to write and to witness the words and process that were to be said on both the parties, and to say the sooth if it otherwise were.

After this, the Lord of COBHAM came, and was brought before them all, to his Examination, and to his Answer.

=THE ABP. AGAIN OFFERS TO ABSOLVE HIM.=

Then the Archbishop said to him, "Lord of COBHAM, ye be advised well enough of the words and Process that were said to you, upon Sat.u.r.day last past, in the Chapter House of Paul's: the which Process were now too long to rehea.r.s.e. Then I proffered to have a.s.soiled [_absolve_] you (for ye were accursed!) of your contumacy and disobedience to Holy Church."

Then said the Lord COBHAM forthwith, "G.o.d saith, _Maledicam benedictionibus vestris_, that is to say, 'I shall curse your blessings!'"

Then said the Archbishop, "Sir, then I proffered to have a.s.soiled you, if ye would have asked it; and yet I do the same!"

Then said the Lord of COBHAM, "Nay, forsooth, I trespa.s.sed never against you! and therefore will I not do it."

And with that, he kneeled down on the pavement, and held up his hands and said, "I shrive me to G.o.d! and to you all, Sirs! that, in my youth, I have sinned greatly and grievously in lechery and in pride, and hurt many men, and done many other horrible sins; Good Lord! I cry Thee, mercy!"

And therewith weepingly, he stood up again and said, "Here, for the breaking of G.o.d's Law and His commandments, ye cursed me not! but for your own laws and traditions, above G.o.d's Law: and therefore it shall be destroyed."

Then the Archbishop examined the Lord of his _Belief_. And the Lord of COBHAM said, "I believe fully in all G.o.d's Law, and I believe that it is all true! and I believe all that G.o.d wills that I believe."

Then the Archbishop examined him of the Sacrament of the Altar, how he believed therein?

The Lord of COBHAM said, "CHRIST upon Shere [_or Shrive or Maunday_]

Thursday [_the day before Good Friday_] at night, sitting with his disciples at the Supper, after that he had supped, he took bread and giving thanks to the Father, he blessed it and brake it, and gave it to his disciples saying, _Take, and eat ye of this, all! This is my body that shall be betrayed for you! Do you this, in the remembrance of me._ This I believe!" said he.

Then the Archbishop asked him, "If it were bread after the consecration, and the sacramental words said?"