Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/152



as Christ saith, 'A good shepheard shall put his life for his sheepe.' And zif all that Christ had, were two swordes, when hee was taken of the Jewes, he said himselfe, it was, for that the Scriptures moten zit be fulfilled: 'Quoniam cum iniquis deputatus est,' that is: 'Hee was reputed among the wicked:' and not to figure two swordes, that men sayen the pope hath, to gouerne with the church. And when I see such doings of the pope, and many other that accorden not with Christes lore, ne his liuing: and when I reade diuers Scriptures of holie writte, I am foule astonied whether they shoulden be understanded of him, or of anie other. And I pray you for Gods loue tell me the sooth. Christ saith: 'Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall seduce manie,' &c. Christ (I wot well) is as much to say, as he that is anointed; and two anointings there weren in the lawe, one of kings, another of priests. And Christ was both king and priest, and so the pope saith that he is. And if all that haue bene emperours of Rome, and otlier heathen kinges, haue bene Antichristes, they come not in Christes name. But who so commeth in Christe's name, and faineth him Christe's frend, and he be priuilie his enemie, he may lightlie beguile manie. Saint Paule saith: 'Before there commeth a defection first, and the Sonne of perdition shall be reuealed, which is the aduersarie, and is extolled aboue all that is named God, or which is worshipped: so that he shall sit in the temple of God, shewing him selfe as God.' And it followeth in the same place: 'And now ye know what holdeth till he be reuealed in his time, for he worketh alreadie the mysterie of iniquitie. Onlie he that holdeth, let him holde till he come abroad, and then that wicked one shall be reuealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirite of his mouth,' &c. And Saint John saith in the Apocalyps: 'I sawe another beast ascending out of the earth, and two hornes like to the lambe. He spake like the Dragon, and had the power of the first beast.' Manie such authorities astonieth me oft sithes, and therefore I pray you, for the loue of God, to tel me that they meane.

The which schedule aforementioned, with the contents thereof, diligently of us perused, we, considering that diseases which be not easily cured with gentle remedy must have harder plaisters; considering, moreover, these his articles, with his answers to the same, and to other articles also lastly against him produced; first mature deliberation had before upon the whole matter with the aforesaid masters and doctors, as well secular as regular, to a great number, observing in the same all things to be observed in this behalf, have given sentence against the said William in form as followeth.

The name of Christ being invocated, we John, by the permission of God, bishop of Hereford, sitting in tribunal seat, having God before our eyes, weighing and considering the articles by the aforesaid faithful Christians put up against the said Swinderby, pretending himself to be priest, with his answers upon the same 'Actis et Actitatis' before us, in the cause of heretical perversity, with the mature deliberation had before, in this behalf, with masters and doctors of divinity, and also of other faculties, with their counsel and consent, do pronounce, decree, and declare the said William to have been, and to be, a heretic, schismatic, and a false informer of the people, and such as is to be avoided of faithful Christians. Wherefore we admonish, under the pain of the law, all and singular Christains, of what sex, state, condition, or pre-eminence soever, that neither they, nor any of them, within our diocese, or any other, do believe, receive, defend, or favour the said William, till he shall deserve fully to be reconciled to the bosom again of holy church.

'In nomine patris, et filij, et spiritus sancti,' Amen. I William Swinderby, priest, knowledge openlie to all men, that I was before the bishop of Hereford the third day of October, and before manie other good clerks, to answere to certaine conclusions of the faith that I was accused of. And mine answer was