Vol 02 - THE HISTORY ON WALTER BRUTE.

THE HISTORY ON WALTER BRUTE
WALTER BRUTE was brought up in the University of Oxford, being there also a graduate. The occasion that seemed to stir up his zeal against the pope, was the impudent indulgences of pope Urban, granted to Henry Spencer, bishop of Norwich, to fight against pope Clement, and the wrongful condemnation of William Swinderby; the whole order whereof may more plainly appear in the process here following.
u In the name of GOD, Amen. To all Christian people, John, by the sufferance of GOD, bishop of Hereford, sends greeting in the Lord. We would that you all should know, that of late, by many zealous followers of the Catholic faith, it was lamentably done unto us to understand that a certain son of ours, named Walter Brute, a lay-person, has, under a show of holiness, damnably seduced the people; and setting behind him the fear of GOD, does seduce them from day to day, teaching openly and privily as well the nobles as the commons, conclusions heretical, schismatical, and erroneous. And they have also exhibited against the same Walter articles under-written, in manner and form as followeth.
I. "The said Walter Brute has openly taught, That in the sacrament of the altar there is not the very body of CHRIST, but a sign and memorial of it only.
II. " That no man is bound to give tithes, nor oblations.
III. " That such as preach pardons (granted by the high bishop, to them that helped Henry, by the grace of GOD, bishop of Norwich, when he took his journey to fight for the holy father, the pope,) are schismatics and heretics, and that the pope cannot grant such manner of pardons.
IV. "That the pope is antiCHRIST, and a seducer of the people.
V. " Whereas your reverence did proceed in form of law against William Swinderby; and has pronounced the same William Swinderby to be an heretic and a schismatic, and an erroneous teacher of the people: nevertheless, the forenamed Walter has openly said, that the said William's answers are good, righteous, and not able to be convinced, in that they contain no error; and that your sentence, given against the said William, is evil, false, and unjust. Whichthings being done, the same faithful Christian people, and especially Sir Walter Pride, the penitentiary of our cathedral church of Hereford, appearing before us, sitting in our judgment-seat, in the parish church of Whiteborne, brought forth two public instruments against the same Walter Brute; of which here followeth the tenor.
" In the name of GOD, Amen. Be it evidently known to all persons, that in the year from the incarnation 1391, the 15th day of the month October, in the dwelling-house of the worshipful Mr. John Godemoston, canon of the cathedral church of Hereford, Walter Brute, a layman, personally appearing, said, " That the said bishop of Hereford, and assistants which were with him, the 3d day of the foresaid month of October, did wickedly, perversely, and unjustly, condemn the answers of William Swinderby, given in writing." And furthermore he said, " That the conclusions given by the same William, even as they were git-en, are true and catholic. Also, that, after the sacramental words, there Both remain very bread."
The second instrument ran thus, " In the name of GOD, Amen. Be it plainly known unto all men, that in the year from the incarnation of the Lord 1391, the 19th day of the month January, Walter Brute, layman, personally appearing before the reverend father in CHRIST and lord, Lord John, by God's grace, bishop of Hereford, did say and affirm, "That Christian people are not bound to pay tithes, neither by the law of Moses, nor by the law of CHRIST." Also he confesseth openly, " That within the same month of January, he did eat, drink, and communicate with William Swinderby, not being ignorant of the sentence of the said reverend father, whereby the same William Swinderby was pronounced an heretick."
"At last the said Walter Brute presented to us divers scrolls of paper, written with his own hand, for his answers to the articles above written; of which scrolls the tenors follow.
" In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen. I Walter Brute, sinner, layman, husbandman, and a Christian, have been accused to the bishop of Hereford, that I did err in many matters concerning the catholic Christian faith; by whom I am required that I should write an answer. Whose desire I will satisfy to my power, protesting first of all, before God and all the world, that as it is not my mind, through God's grace, to refuse the known truth, for any reward, great or small, nor yet for fear of any temporal punishInent; so it is not my mind to maintain any erroneous doctrine for any commodity's sake. And if any man, of what condition soever, will show me that I err, by the authority of the sacred Scripture, I will humbly and gladly receive his information. But the bare words of any teacher, (CHRIST only excepted,)
I will not simply believe, except he shall be able to establish them by the truth of experience, or of the Scripture: because that, in the holy apostles there has been found error, by the testimony of the Holy Scripture; for Paul rebuked Peter, for that he was worthy to be rebuked. Which protestation premised, I will here place two suppositions, for a foundation of all things that 1 shall say; out of which I would gather two probable conclusions, established upon the same, and upon the sacred Scripture. By which conclusions it shall plainly appear what my judgment is, concerning all matters that I am accused of. But because I am ignorant and unlearned, I will get me under the mighty defenses of the Lord: O Lord, I will remember thy righteousness only.
I. " God the Father Almighty, uncreate, the Maker of heaven and earth, has sent, his only Son (that was everlastingly begotten,) into this world, that he should be incarnated for the salvation of mankind; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, everlastingly proceeding from the Father and the Son, and was born of Mary the virgin, to the end that we might be born anew. He suffered under Pontius Pilate for our sins, laying down his life for us, that we should lay down our life for our brethren. He was crucified, that we should be crucified to the world, and the world to us. He was dead, that he might redeem us from death, by purchasing for us forgiveness of sins. He was buried, that we, being dead to sin, should live to righteousness. He descended into hell, thereby delivering man from the bondage of the devil, and restoring him to his inheritance, which he lost by sin. The third day he rose from the dead, through the glory of the Father, that we also should walk in newness of life. He ascended up, to the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of GOD, the Father Almighty, until his enemies be made his footstool. From whence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead, according to their works. In whose terrible judgment we shall rise again, and shall all of us stand before his judgment-seat, and receive joy, as well bodily as spiritually, for ever, if we be of the sheep;)laced at the right hand; or else punishment, both of body and soul, if we shall be found amongst the goats, placed on the left hand.
II. " JESUS CHRIST, the Son of GOD, very God and very man; a King for ever, by establishing an everlasting kingdom; a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedeck, whereby also he is able evermore to save such as come unto God by him, and always liveth to intreat for us: He offering one sacrifice for our sins, has made perfect for ever, by one oblation, those that be sanctified. Being the wisdom that cannot be deceived, and the truth that cannot be uttered, he has, in this world, taught the will of GOD, his Father; which will he has fulfilled in work, to the intent that he might fully instruct us, and has given the law of love to his faithful people; which he has written in the hearts and minds of the faithful, with the finger of GOD, where is the Spirit of GOD, searching the inward secrets of the Godhead. Wherefore his doctrine must be observed above all other doctrines, whether they be of angels or of mien; because he could not err. But, in -men's doctrine, there chanceth often times to be error; and therefore we must forsake their doctrines, if they be repugnant to the doctrine of CHRIST. Men's doctrines must be observed, if they be grounded upon CHRIST's doctrine, or at least not repugnant to his words.
" If the high bishop of Rome, calling himself the servant of the servants of GOD, and the chief vicar of CHRIST in this world, do make many laws contrary to the gospel of JESUS CHRIST; then is he of those that have conic in CHRIST's name, saying,’ I am CHRIST, and have seduced many.' Then is he the idol of desolation sitting in the temple of God; which idol must be revealed, (by the testimony of Daniel,) who, sitting in the temple of GOD, does advance himself above all that is called GOD, or whatsoever is worshipped. He is’ the beast, ascending rip out of the earth, having two horns like unto a lamb, but. he speaketh like a dragon, and is the cruel beast, ascending up out of the sea, whose power shall continue forty-two months.' He worketh the things that he has given to the image of the beast. And he compelleth small and great, rich and poor, freemen and bond-slaves, to worship the beast, and to take his mark in their forehead or their hands. And thus by the testimony of many places of Scripture, he is the chief antiCHRIST upon earth; and must be slain with the sword of God's word, and cast with the dragon, the cruel beast, and the false prophet, that has seduced the earth, into the lake of fire and brimstone, to be tormented world without end.
If the city of Rome allow his traditions, and disallow CHRIST's holy commandments and doctrine, that it may confirm his traditions; then is she,’ Babylon the Great, and the great whore, sitting upon many waters,' with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth are become drunken with the wine of her harlotry; with whose spiritual whoredom, enchantments, witchcrafts, and merchandises, the whole world is infected and seduced; saying in her heart, III sit a queen; neither shall I see sorrow and mourning.' Yet is she ignorant, that within a little while, the day of her destruction shall come.
Pardon me, (I beseech you,) though I be not plentiful in pleasant words. For if I should run after the course of this world, and please men, I should not be CHRIST's servant. And because I am a poor man, and neither have, nor can have notaries to testify of these my writings; I call upon CHRIST to be my witness, who knows the inward secrets of my heart, that I am ready to declare the things that I have written after my fashion, to the profit of all Christian people, and to the hurt of no man living, and am ready to be reformed, if any man will show me where I have erred; being ready also (miserable sinner though I be,) to suffer for the confession of the name of CHRIST, and of his doctrine, as much as shall please him, by his grace and love to assist me, a miserable sinner. In witness of all these things, I have set the seal of our Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST which I beseech him to imprint upon my forehead, and to take from me all mark of antiCHRIST. Amen."
The bishop complained, "That this his writing was too short and obscure, and therefore required him to write upon the same heads more plainly and at large." Whereupon Mr. Brute, ready to give every one an account of his faith, renewed his matter again in a more ample tract, which he concluded in these words.
Thus,. reverend father, have I made my answer to the matter whereof I am accused: beseeching you, that as I have been obedient to your desire, declaring unto you the secrets of my heart in plain words, (although rudely;) so now your labor may be for my instruction and amendment, and not to accusation and condemnation: for as I promised in the beginning, if any enan, of what condition soever, can show me any error, in any of my writings, by the authority of holy Scripture, or by any probable reason, grounded on the Scriptures; I will receive his information willingly and humbly."
After this was exhibited to the bishop, he appointed the 3d day of October, with the days following, to hear Mr. Brute's opinion. On which day, being Friday, in the year 1393, Walter Brute appeared before him, sitting in commission, in the cathedral church of Hereford, at 6 o'clock, having divers prelates and abbots, and twenty bachelors of divinity for his assistants. After they had continued all that day, and the Saturday and Sunday following, in their informations and examinations, he submitted himself to the determination of the church, and to the correction of the said bishop; as appears by a scroll written in the English tongue; the tenor of which_ is as follows: " I Walter Brute, submit myself principally to the gospel of JESUS CHRIST, and to the determination of holy kirk, and to the general councils of holy Idrk; and to the determination of the four doctors: Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, and Gregory. And I meekly submit me to your correction, as a subject ought to his bishop."' Which scroll Walter Brute read with a loud voice, at the cross, in the church -yard, on Monday, October 6, before the sermon preached to a great multitude of people, in presence of the said bishop of Hereford, and other barons, knights, noblemen, and clergy.
What became of Walter Brute after this, I find not registered: but it is likely, that he escaped for this time.