Part 28 (1/2)

_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 Wors.h.i.+pping 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 wors.h.i.+pful 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 wors.h.i.+p 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._