ABSTRACT
This document is in Harley MSS. 6848, f. 8 recto. It is a part of the material on which is based the indictment made against Barrow on March 21, 1592/1593, at the Sessions Hall in Old Bailey. The manuscript is interesting for its emphases (shown in italics), probably made for Judge Anderson or Attorney- General Egerton or Serjeant Owen. Most of the extracts— seven of them—come from the conference between Barrow and Thomas Sperin on March 14, 1589/1590, at the Fleet prison. Two of the extracts are taken from Barrow and Greenwood’s letters of April 10 and 14, 1590, to Stephen Egerton. Both Sperin and Egerton were conformist Puritans or disaffected Anglicans who had been commissioned by the Bishop of London to interview the prisoners and bring them to conformity. One extract is taken from Barrow’s conference on March 18, 1589/1590, with Lancelot Andrewes and William Hutchinson. In the indictement of barrowe https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">
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Speryn
“Aunsweared that he ever thought reverentlie of the busshops both for their learninge, as also because her Majestie hath aucthourized them.” 1
Barrowe
“I shewed their unlawfull, antichristian beastlyke powre and aucthouritye. As also their barbarous havocke they excercysed in the church, confounding and subvertinge all good [God’s] ordinances, and settinge up theire owne devices in steed [instead] thereof. And therefore they that reverence theise men, call Christe execrable and worshipp the beaste” 2
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Barrowe
“Your whole mynistrie and mynistracion is false and antichristian, further you have nether the freedome to practize Christe’s Testament, nor the powre or will to redresse anie thinge that is amysse amongest you, but ether runne to the antichristian powre and courtes of [the] busshops or ells contynue obstinate, and careless in your synnes.” 1
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Speryn
“I attribute much to the civell magistrate, I do it because of the civell magistrate, that aucthourizethe the busshoppes.” 2
Barrow
“But maie the civill magistrate either comaund anie thinge contrary to the comaundment of God, or if he do, is he to be obeyed therin or can he excuse you before the tribunall of Christ, for the breach of God’s lawes ?” 3
Speryn
“Whie, then you affirme that the Queene and the Parliament do wickedlie, in givinge this powre and aucthouritie unto the busshops, will you write that?” 4
Barrow
“Yea that I will by the grace of God [whilest I have breath], and seale it with my bloude also (if so God will),it beinge directlie contrarye to the Testament of Christe as your self confesseth, and yet continewe to doe contrarye to your owne conscience.” 5
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“You [Stephen Egerton] excercise a mynisteri all function under Antechrist in a false office unto a confuse assemblie of all sortes of people.” 6
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“As to your disordered parishe assemblies wherein you [Stephen Egerton] will needes be stil powered [poured] out in the error of Balaam for wage, wee have longe since proved them wholie antechristian by sundrie reasons drawne from the discripcion of the true established church of Christe.” 7
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“Infidelles are such as ether are never come
