On the nexte daye, vppon an other complainte of Doctor Morris, the studentes were all sent for againe before the cardinall, who plainely sayde to them, That, except they woulde liue in quietnesse one with another (because there was one Hugh Griffin, a Welshman, of a hote nature, and he woulde many times fal together by the eares with some of the schollers, that sometime the blood ranne about theyr eares) lykewise that they shoulde confesse Doctor Morris for theyr rightfull rector, and to be obedient to what he appointed, or els to get them

of Rome.

away out

Well, home they came againe, incensed with such anger and choller, that they were nowe more disobedient then before, saying to Doctor Morris, That they woulde neuer consent vnto him; and therefore prouided themselues to be packing out of Rome. Doctor Morris, thinking to bring them violentlie to his bowe, enformed the cardinall so seuerely againste them, that they were sent for the third time, when he commaunded them to prouide them selues, for they shoulde stay no longer in the English hospitall, but banished them all from the cittie.

When they were come to the colledge, euerye man trussed vp his needefull thinges, determining on the next morning to depart: Then came Doctor Morris to me and my fellowe, willing vs to stay, because the other would be gon, and he would stande our freende meruailously. Trust me, no Sir, quoth I, since you woulde not stand my freende, when I was in great neede, nowe I mean not to receive your courtesie, when I care not for it; for, since the students haue stoode my freendes so much, and you mine enemie so greatlie, I will beare a share in theyr trauell, howe euer I speede, As for my fellowe, since you haue loued him all this while, loue him nowe too if you please; and let him stay and doo what you thinke best, for I haue tolde you my minde.

Well, on the morrowe morning wee went our way, with bag and baggage, to an English mans house in the cittie, and, as I remember, his name was M. Creede; where, to make readie our dinner, euerye man tooke an office vpon him; one to fetch milke, and an other to make readie rice for the pottage, and some to make the fyre; so that euerye one was imployed till our dinner was dispatched. Then they concluded to buie euery man an asse, to carrie his bookes and his clothes vpon; as for money, there were gentlemens sonnes of such credite amongst them, that Doctor Moorton, and the gentlemen in the cittie, would prouide them with as good as fiue-hundred crownes quickclie. Within an howre and a half after dinner, came Father Alfonso, the Iesuit of the English colledge, whome the students had chosen, and made sute to be their rector: He, I say, came running in such haste, that he coulde hardly tell his tale, because he was almost out of breath. But this was the summe of his newes, that the Popes Holinesse had sent for them in all haste, and they must delay no time, but come to him with all speede possible.

Then he went with them to the Popes pallace, where, comming into the Popes chamber, and hauing euerye one kissed his foote, wee stayde to attende what was his pleasure. But, before he spake any worde, with a dissembling and hipocriticall countenaunce, he fell into teares which trickled downe his white bearde; and began in Latin with these

or the verie like wordes: O you Englishmen, to whome my loue is such as I canne no way vtter, considering that for me you haue left your Prince, which was your duetie, and come so farre to me, which is more then I can deserue; yet, as I am your refuge when persccution dealeth straightlie with you in your countrey, by reason of the hereticall religion there vsed, so will I be your bulwarke to defend you, your guide to protect you, your father to nourish you, and your freende with my hart blood to doo you any profite.'

Beholde what deceites the deuill hath to accomplish his desire! Teares, smooth speeches, liberallitie, and a thousand meanes, to make a man carelesse of God, disobedient to his Prince, and more, to violate vtterlie the faith of a subiect: These teares that he shed, these wordes that he spake, made diuers of them saye within themselues, as one of them, for example, presentlie to me sayde:

Oh singuler saint, whose life, loue, and liberallite, may be a spectacle to the whole world. Whoe woulde liue in England, vnder the gouernment of so vilde a Iezabell, and may rest in safety under the perfect image of Iesus? Whoe woulde not forsake father, mother, freendes, goodes, yea, and the life itselfe, to haue the bountifull blessing of such a prouident father?" The Pope, recouering his health againe from his weeping, caused this deuout fellowe to stay his talke, because he began againe as thus:

What is the cause that you will depart from me that haue so wel prouided for you, to thrust your selues on the rocke of your owne destruction? Then Maister Sherwin began, and tolde him all the dealinges of Doctor Morris towards them, according as he had done before to the cardinall, and how they woulde haue the Iesuites for their gouernours, for the causes before mentioned. Upon these wordes the Pope started out of his chayre, Why, quoth he, I made the hospitall for Englishmen, and for their sake haue I giucn so large exhibition, and not for the Welshmen. Returne to your colledge againe, you shall haue what you will desire, and any thinge I haue in the world to do you good.'

Then he commaunded one of the cheefe gentlemen of his chamber to goe with vs, and to certifie the Popes minde to Doctor Morris; and so, giuing vs his benediction, wee went all merrily againe to the colledge.

The gentleman gaue Doctor Morris to vnderstand he must be rector no longer; the Iesuite, named Father Alfonso, whome the schollers had chosen, must haue his office; then were the schollers glad that they had gotten the victory of the Welshmen.

On the morrowe the Pope sent four hundred crownes to newe repara tion the house, to buie the students all needefull thinges that they wanted, and the house muste no longer be called a colledge but a seminarye,

The Cardinall Morone, because Doctor Morris should not loose all his dignity, caused the house to be parted, and so made both a seminarye for the students, and an hospitall for the entertainment of English pilgrimes when they came, whereof Doctor Morris continued Custos by the Popes appoyntment.

Thus was the strife ended, and my selfe and my fellowe admitted by

the Popes owne consent to be schollers there; but yet the sicknes that I got, with lying in my former chamber, hung still upon me, so that I was then remooued to a very fayre chamber, where the schollers everye day would come and visite me, vntill such time as I recouered my health againe.

CHAP. VII.

Of the Carne Vale in Rome; the Popes generall Curssing on Maunde Thursdaie! and the Manner of the Flagellante that Night.

DURING the time of Shrouetide, there is in Rome kepte a verie great coyle, which they use to call the Carne Vale, which endureth the space of three or fowre dayes, all which time the Pope keepeth him selfe out of Rome, so great is the noyse and hurlie burlie. The gentlemen will attyre them sclues in diuers formes of apparell, some like women, other like Turkes, and euerye one almoste in a contrarie order of disguising: And either they be on horsebacke, or in coatches, none of them on foote; for the people that stande on the ground to see this pas time are in very great daunger of their liues, by reason of the running of coatches and great horsses, as neuer in all my life did I see the like sturre.

And all this is done where the courtizanes be, to shew them delight and pastime; for they haue couerlettes laid out at their windowes, whereon they stande leaning forth, to receiue diuers deuises of rosewater, and sweet odours in their faces, which the gentlemen will throwe vppe to their windowes.

During this time euerye one weareth a disguised visor on his face, so that no one knowes what or whence they be; and, if any one beare a secrete malice to an other, he may then kill him, and no body will lay hands on him, for all this time they will obey no lawe. I sawe a braue Romaine, who roade there very pleasaunt in his coatch, and suddenly came one who discharged a pistoll vpon him, yet no body made any accoumpt, either of the murtherer, or the slaine gentleman: Beside, there were diuers slaine, both by villany, and the horses or the coatches, yet they continued on their pastime, making no regard of them.

The first day of their Carne Vale, the lewes in Rome cause an ensigne to be placed at the capitoll, where likewise they appoint certaine wagers at theyr owne coastes, and then they run starke naked from Porta Populo vnder the capitoll for them, the which I iudge aboue a myle in length. And, all the way, they gallop their great horsses after them, and carie goades with sharpe pointes of steele in them: Wherewith they will pricke the Lewes on the naked skin, if so be they doo not run faster then their horses gallop, so that you shall see some of their backes all on gore blood. Then he that is foremost, and soonest commeth to the capitoll, he is set on a horse backe without any saddle, one going. before him carrying the ensigne: But then you shall see a hundred boys, whoe haue prouided a number of orenges; they will so pelte the poore

Iewe, that, before he can get vppe to the capitoll, he will be beaten beside his horse fowre or fiue times.

The next day there are certaine of the Christians that runne naked likewise, but no body pursueth them, either with horse or coatch: And the wager, they runne for, the lewes must pay likewise. Then the

buffell and the assc runneth, but it is vnpossible for me to tel all the knauerie vsed about this: And therefore thus much shall suffice of the Carne Vale, letting you vnderstand, that they, whoe were most knauishly disposed in this sport, on Ashwednesday came to take ashes in such mecke order, as though it had neuer beene they.

On Maunde Thursday, the Pope commeth in his gallery ouer S. Peters, sitting in his chayre wherwith he is caried on mens shoulders: And there he hath a great painted holie candle in his hand burning, when as a cardinall on ech side of him, the one in Latin, the other in Italian, singeth the Popes generall malediction.

There he curseth the Turke, and her Maiestie, our most gracious Princesse and Gouernesse, affirming her to be farre wurse then the Turke, or the cruellest tirant that is. He curseth likewise all Caluenians, Lutherians, Zwinglians, and all that are not according to his disposition. When he hath cursed all that he can, saying Amen, he letteth the candle fall; when as the people will scramble for it, and euery one catch a little peece if they can; yea, our English men will be as busie as the best, and one of them chaunced to get a peece of the waxe of the candle, whereof he made such a bragging when he came to the colledge, as you will not thinke, that he had got a peece of the candle, wherewith the Queene of Englande was cursed, and that he woulde keepe it so longe as he liued.

The same night a number of the basest people, and most wicked lyuers that be amongst the people, gather themselues together in companies: As the company of the Holie Ghost, the companie of Charitie, the company of Death and such like; euery company their Crucifix before them, their singers following them, on either side a number of burning torches, and thus they goe all whipping themselues.

First they goe by into the Popes pallace, and then downe in S. Peters church, which is all adorned with a number of waxe lightes: And there on the toppe of an aultar standeth a couple of cardinals, whoc sheweth them the holie handkercher, or Vultus Sanctus, which indeede is nothing but a liuely painted picture, ouershadowed with a couple of fine lawnes, and no body must desire to see it vncouered, because, they say, no body is able to endure the brightness of the face; a number haue seen it, and haue been the wurse a great while after; and, all the while that both this and the speare is shown, they will whip them selues before them very greeuously, and giue a generall clamor thorowe the church: Misericordia, Misericordia, Tu autem, Domine, miserere nobis: And this order they continue almost the whole night. This is the glorie of the Pope, the blindnesse of the people, and the great follie of our English men, to bring themselues within the compass of such wicked order of life.

God continue his louing and fatherlie countenance ouer Englande, blesse and preserue her Maiestie, and her honourable councell: And exercise vs all in fere to him, obedience to her, and faithfull continuall looue to our neighbours. Amen.

CHAP. VIII.

A true Report of the Christian Suffering, and mercilesse Martirdom of one Richard Atkins, English Man, at Rome: Whoe, for the trueth of the Gospell, to the great Terrour of all the Beholders, endured the Extremity of the torment, and cruell Agonie of Death, in the Yeere of our Lord 1581.

ABOUT the time of Midsommer, in the yeere 1581, one Richard Atkins, a Hartfordshire man, came to Rome, and, hauing found the English colledge, he knocked at the doore, when as diuers of the students came to welcome him, knowing that he was an English man. Among other talke, they willed him to go to the hospitall, and there to receive his meate and lodging, according as the order was appointed; whereto he aunswered, I come not, my countreymen, to any such intent as you judge, but I come louingly to rebuke the great misorder of your liues, which I greeue to hear, and pittie to beholde. I come likewise to let your proud antechrist vnderstand, that he doth offend the heauenly maiesty, robbe God of his honour, and poysoneth the whole world with his abominable blasphemies: making them homage stockes and stones, and that filthy sacrament, which is nothing else but a foolish idol. When they heard these wordes, one Hugh Griffin, a Welsh man, and a student in the colledge, caused him to be put in the inquisition: where howe they examined him, and howe he aunswered them, I knowe not; after certaine dayes, he was sette at lybertie againe.

And one day, going in the streete, he met a priest carrying the sacrament; which offending his conscience, to see the people so croutch and kneele to it, he caught at it to haue throwne it downe, that all the people might see what they worshipped. But, missing his purpose, and, being judged by the people that he did catch at the holinesse, that, they say, commeth from the sacrament, vpon meere deuotion, he was let passe, and nothing sayde to him.

Few dayes after he came to S. Peters church, where diuers gentlemen and other were hearing masse; and the priest, being at the eleuation, he, using no reuerence, stepped among the people to the aultar, and threw down the challice with the wine, striuing likewise to haue pulled the cake out of the priestes handes. For which, diuers rose vp and beate him with theyr fistes, and one drew his rapier, and would haue slaine him so that, in breefe, he was carried to prison, where he was examined, wherefore he committed such an heinous offence: Whereto he answered, that he came purposely for that intent, to rebuke the Popes wickednesse, and theyr idolatrie. Vpon this, he was condemned to be burned: which sentence, he sayde, he was right willing to suffer, and the rather, because the sum of his offence pertayued to the glory of God.