Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/569

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THOMAS GRANTER'S RECANTATION.
539

should affirm and hold, that it was not lawful for any Christian to fight and make war against the heretics of Bohemia.

Articles objected against Ralph Mungin.Item, It was to him objected, that he did hold and say, that it was not lawful for any man to have propriety of goods, but the same to be common; which he expressly denied that ever he so said or affirmed. Whereby we have to observe, how the crafty malice of these adversaries useth falsely to collect and surmise of men, what they never spake, whereby to oppress them wrongfully, whom by plain truth they cannot expugn.

Moreover, they objected against him, that he should keep company with Master Clerk aforesaid, Trialogus. The gospels translated by Wickliff.and also that he dispersed in the city of London certain books of John Wickliff and of Peter Clerk, namely, the book 'Trialogus,' and the gospels of John Wickliff, &c. He was charged, moreover, to have spoken against the pope's indulgences, affirming that the pope had no more power to give indulgences than he had.

Upon these and other such articles objected, the said Mungin, being asked if he would revoke, answered, that it seemed to him not just or meet so to do, who did not know himself guilty of any heresy. Thus he being respited for that time, was committed to prison till the next sitting; Raplph Mungin condemned to perpetual prison.who, then, being called divers and sundry times afterwards before the bishops, after long inquisition and strait examination made, also depositions brought in against him so much as they could search out, he, notwithstandinsr, still denied, as before, to recant. Wherefore the aforesaid Henry, the archbishop, proceeding to his sentence definitive, condemned him to perpetual prison.

Thomas Granter Richard Monk.After whose condemnation, the Sunday next following, the recantations of Thomas Granter, and of Richard Monk, priests above-mentioned, were openly read at Paul's Cross; the bishop of Rochester the same time preached at the said cross. The tenor of whose recantation, with his articles in the same expressed, hereunder followeth:

Recantation of Thomas Granter.

In the name of God. Before you my lord of Canterbury, and all you my lords here being present, and before you all here gathered at this time, I Thomas Granter, priest unworthy, dwelling in this city of London, feeling and understanding that afore this time I affirmed open errors and heresies, saying, believing, and affirming, within this city, that he that christian men call pope, is not very pope, nor God's vicary on earth, but I said he was Antichrist.[1] Also I said, believed, and affirmed, that after the sacramental words said by a priest in the mass, there remain material bread and wine, and are not turned into Christ's body and his blood. Also I said and affirmed, that it was not to do, in anywise, to go on pilgrimage, but it was better, I said, to abide at home, and beat the stools with their heels; for it was, I said, but tree and stone that they sought. Also I said and affirmed, that I held no Scripture, catholic, or holy, but only what is contained in the Bible. For the legends and lives of saints, I held them naught, and the miracles written of them I held untrue. Because of which errors and heresies I was before Mr. Davie Price, vicar-general of my lord of London, and since, before you my lord of Canterbury and your brethren in your council provincial, and by you fully informed, who so said, that mine affirming, believing, and teaching, had been of open errors and heresies, and contrary to the determination of the church of Rome. Wherefore I, willing to follow and sow the doctrine of holy church, and depart from all manner of
  1. Note the doctrine and opinions in those days, where the gospel took place.