16. “That the death of Thomas Becket (archbishop of Canterbury), was neither meritorious nor holy.
17. “That relics consisting in bones of the dead may not be worshiped, exhumed, placed on altars in the church, or inclosed in chests.
18. “That prayers made in every place are equally acceptable to God.
19. “Saints should not be worshiped, but God alone.
20. “That bells and hand-bells in church, are instituted for no other purpose than to fill the purses of the priests.
21. “It is no sin to oppose the commands of the (Roman) church.
22. “That the (true) Catholic church is only the congregation of the beloved children of God.”
These are briefly the principal articles which they together unanimously maintained, and whereupon they also suffered death, inasmuch as they, after severe examination and manifold torments, refusing to apostatize, were condemned to be burnt alive; which also took place with them, namely, first with William White, in September, 1428, in the city of Norwich, and then with father Abraham, and John Waddon, who, having commended their souls into the hands of God, offered up a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable unto God.
Concerning the imprisonment and death of William White, as also of father Abraham and John Waddon, we find the following account in the writings of John Fox: “William White, who instructed these people in the light of the Gospel, in the county of Norfolk, for the space of about four years, until he, as already stated, was apprehended by virtue of the aforesaid letter of the King, and brought before William, bishop of Norwich, by whom he was convicted and condemned on these and other articles, thirty in number, was burnt alive in the city of Norwich, in the month of September, A. D. 1428, under King Henry VI., then but a child of six years.
“Having arrived at the stake, and about to open his mouth to address and admonish the people, and to confirm them in the truth, one of the bishop’s servants struck him on the mouth, thus compelling him to remain silent.”
Thus did this godly man receive the crown of martyrdom, and ended this temporal life, to the great sorrow of all pious Christians in the county of Norfolk. His aforesaid wife, Johanna, who, according to her feeble ability, followed in the footsteps of her husband by scattering said doctrine everywhere, and confirming many in the truth of God, had to suffer much on this account, in the same year and from the same bishop, as Thomas Walden himself confesses, who, besides others, was present at the examination and condemnation of said William White.
About the same time there were also burnt the aforesaid father Abraham of Cholchester, and John Waddon, priest, on account of the same articles mentioned above. Besides these, very many other godly men were most cruelly put to death. Second book of the _History of the Persecutions, fol. 582, col. 4_, and _fol. 583, col. 1_, from _John Fox, in Actis Guil. White_. Also from _Bal., in Guil. White, in Append_.
SPECIAL ACCOUNT OF WILLIAM WHITE, TOUCHING HIS DOCTRINE, SUFFERING AND DEATH.
[Illustration: WILLIAM WHITE BURNED AT NORWICH, ENGLAND.]
In the fifteenth book of the _Chronijck van den Ondergang, page 788_, are found the following words: “William Wicht, or William White, a learned, upright, honest, and eloquent man, a priest in England, forsook his ministry, and published the Gospel, by writing, preaching, and teaching, saying: ‘that forgiveness of sins must be obtained from God Almighty alone; that the unmarried life of the Pope and his clergy was the very satanic state, and a severe captivity of antichrist; and that the hooded, striped and shaven clergy were the mercenaries and servants of Lucifer.’”
But upon being apprehended, he renounced his doctrine, A. D. ----. Subsequently, however, he became re-established, and pious, and stronger, in the doctrine, and very boldly suffered burning for his confession, at Norwich, in England, A. D. 1428. Compare this with _Hist. Andr. Hondorf, fol. 35. Vincent. Cal., fol. 134. Georg. Pac. cap. 11._