THE 'BAINES NOTE'

(BL Harley MS.6853 ff.307-8
Endorsed 'Copy of Marloes blasphemyes
As sent to her H'
- Before amendment)

A note conteyning the opinion of one Christofer
Marlye concernynge his damnable opinion
and Judgment of Relygion and scorne of
Gods worde, who since Whitsundy dyed a suden and
violent deathe.

That the Indians and many Authors of Antiquitei
have assuredly written of aboue 16 thowsande years
agone, wher Adam is proued to haue leyved within
6 thowsande years.

He affirmeth that Moyses was but a Juggler and that
one Heriots can do more then hee.

That Moyses made the Jewes to travell fortie years
in the wildernes, (which iorney might have ben done in
lesse then one year) er they came to the promised
lande, to the intente that those whoe were privei to
most of his subtileteis might perish, and so an ever=
lastinge supersticion remayne in the harts of the
people.

That the firste beginnynge of Religion was only to
keep men in awe.

That it was an easie matter for Moyses being brought vp in
all the artes of the Egiptians to abuse the Jewes being
a rude and grosse people.

That Christ was a Bastard and his mother dishonest.

That he was the sone of a carpenter, and that yf the
Jewes among whome he was borne did crucifye him
thei best knew him and whence he came.

That Christ deserved better to dye then Barrabas, and
that the Iewes made a good choyce, though Barrabas
were both a thiefe and a murtherer.

That if ther be any God or good Religion, then it
is in the Papists because the service of God is performed
with more ceremonyes, as elevation of the masse, organs,
singinge men, shaven crowns, &c. That all protestantes
ar hipocriticall asses.

That, if he were put to write a new religion, he wolde
undertake both a more excellent, and more admirable methode
and that all the new testament is filthily written.

That the woman of Samaria were whores
and that Christ knew them dishonestlye.

That St John the Evangelist was bedfellow to Christe, that he
leaned alwayes in his bosum, that he used him
as the synners of Sodoma.

That all thei that love not tobacco and boyes ar fooles.

That all the Appostles were fishermen and base fellowes
nether of witt nor worth, that Pawle only had witt,
that he was a timerous fellow in biddinge men to be
subject to magistrates against his conscience.

That he had as good right to coyne as the Queen of
England, and that he was acquainted with one Poole
a prisoner in Newgate whoe hath great skill in mixture
of mettals, and havinge learned some things of
him he ment through help of a connynge stampe
maker to coyne french crownes, pystolettes and
englishe shillinges.

That if Christ had instituted the Sacraments
with more ceremonyall reverence, it wolde have
been had in more admiration, that it wolde have
been much better beinge administred in a Tobacco pype.

That the Angell Gabriell was bawde to the holy
Ghoste because he brought the salutation to Marie.

That one Richard Cholmelei hath confessed that he was
perswaded by Marloes reason to become an Atheiste.
(Marginal note: he is layd for.)

Theis things, with many other shall by good and
honest men be proved to be his opinions and
comen speeches, and that this Marloe doth not
only holde them himself, but almost into every
company he cometh, perswadeth men to Atheisme,
willinge them not to be afrayed of bugbeares and
hobgoblins, and utterly scorning both God and his
ministers as I Richard Baines will Justify
both by my othe and the testimony
of many honest men, and almost all men with
whome he hath conversed any tyme will
testefy the same. And as I thinke all men in
christianitei ought to endevor that the mouth of
so dangerous a member may he stopped.

     he sayeth moreover
that he hath coated a number of contrarieties out of
the scriptures, which he hath geeven to some great men whoe
in convenient tyme shalbe named. When theis things shalbe
called in question the witnesses shalbe produced.

Richard Baines


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