euery trifle yet they beleeue our othes no farther then is for their seruice and our affliction for I haue heard Norton him self say that svveare they neuer so fast he vvil not trust them except they goe to the Church meaning their schismatical seruice This same man not discouered onely of il affection but iustly put into the Tovver for seditious wordes plaine treason so much as would haue hāged an hundereth Catholikes honest men yet much complained that he vvas so vnkindely dealt withal M. Norton tooke great vnkindnes that a fevve rashe wordes which of many wise men were not misliked of as he saith could not be forgiuen but with such difficultie Specially to him that was so necessarie for their seruice that neither the citie of Lōdon to which he was a feed man nor the parliament wherein he did many good offices alvvaies nor the Prince in her commissions for religion wherein he was much emploied could spare him And M. Nortons wife if she wil be as plaine to the Counsel as she is to some of her neighbours can tel if M. Secretarie him self remember it not vvho put vnto this same Norton being then for the said treasons in the Tovver and iustly in disgrace with her M. to pen matters of state to set dovvne orders and articles to be treated of against Catholikes in the parliament and other places the said persons can tel you perhaps what he meant by these wordes often vttered in his disgrace Norton his suspicious vvordes VVORTHY WORTHY Marreth al but GRACIOVS GRACIOVS may make VVISER VVISER to amend al. the rack would picke as good matter out of this as out of any poore Catholikes breast in Englād And he to whom he vvrote these wordes Defend me and spare me not according to the Irish prouerbe can read the riddel The said Mistris Norton can tel also where her husband did lay vp Stubbs booke Stubbs his booke against her M. for a secret treasure which geare vvel sifted vvould bevvray vvorse affection and intention to then they shal euer find in Catholikes whilst they liue This Stubbs being the Q deadly enemie then in the Tovver for his traiterous booke vvas of M. Lieutenants Counsel in al things M. Lieutenants frendlines tovvardes the Q. ennemie far better entreated for his comfort and diet then the earle of klanrickard vttering to him al examinations of Catholikes vvhat other secresies soeuer to vvhom also Charke Stubs pervsed Charkes booke one that vvas once put to silence for puritanisme or a vvorse matter if worse can be sent his booke against F. Campion to be perused vvhich things the Lieutenant vvould neuer haue done or permitted if he had borne that good affection to her M. as he requireth in Catholikes or if he and his fellovves might be posed in their thoughts and of the time future and their intentions to come And it may be one of these fellovves deuises or some other of like spirit and inuention An other nevv practise and persecution to send the poore Catholikes whom they haue ruined at home to Terra Florida there to exercise their religion and to haue freedom of conscience a strange coozenage and craft to be rid of the poore gentilmen vnder pretence of their prefermēt but most men of the realme wish rather the puritans there as an humor that our cōmonvvealth had more need to be purged of Vvho are also better acquainted in those parts as being once sent thither out of Geneua by Caluin when the french made the like attempt vvith as good successe as I feare these shal haue which in truth can not by the lavv of God and good conscience if I take it right possesse those partes which by former composition and by decree of Alexander the vj pertaineth to an other Prince It is the Catholikes that haue iustly possessed England these thousand yeres it is no reason they should be thrust into the Indes for their dwelling but this is their art to weaken our side against the day of their ful reueng which may be reckoned amongest the greatest of our persecutions and to proceed of a shrevvder head then Nortons But al these deepe distresses calamities and iniuries The conclusion of the preface vvith an exhortation praier which we suffer not so much at her M. handes or her grauest Counsellers as by these sinful irreligious persons their il enformers vve do from the bottome of our harts forgiue and desire God of his vnspeakable mercie to turne avvay his heauie hand of iustice from the Realme and from euery one that either procured or consented to the deaths of these his blessed Saints or the trouble of his holy Israel vvhose blood and death most deare in our Lords sight I pray CHRIST IESVS they cal not for vengeance but for mercie and grace tovvards their persecutors that they may rather with penance consider in this life against vvhom they haue pricked then see and feele it to their confusion in the next But whatsoeuer fal through this great sinne or our other offenses either to their ennemies or to vs their frends that are yet left in this vvretched world in the worst daies that were this thovvsand yeres and in the heauiest and most douteful condition of our countrey that was since the cōuersion these Martyres are blessed The blisse of these martyrs soules safe free past al mortal miseries in the hands and garde of God vvhere the torment of malice can not touch them nor such reach them of whom our Sauiour said Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that haue no more to do They are exceding happy certs that liue not these dooleful daies but a thousand times more happy that haue the grace and priuiledge to yeld any drop of bloud for the appeasing of Gods wrath and assvvaging this publike rage of sinne and heresie Their deaths precious their soules in glorie their memories in benediction their names eternal The honor of their bodies yea euen their bodies vvhich were the infirme part of these noble Machabees though hanging on ports pinnacles poles gibbets though torne of beasts and birdes yet rest in peace and are more honorable sacreed and soueraine then the embaumed bodies of vvhat worldly state soeuer in their regal sepulchres That day and hovver they stoode in the carte in misery and desolation as it seemed to the simple yet euen then were they more happy then al the multitude that beheld them neuer a wise man that there stoode thought othervvise though the present paines and briefe ignominie seemed to fooles carnal men to be extreeme miserie but al those were so momentaine that their better part was in heauens blisse before their bodies were cold or out of the bouchiers hand their soules praied vnto both by their happy fellovves openly and by many a good man secretly before their bonnes were cold Because S. Augustine geueth vs that rule That we must
in times of recreation A like lye it is also A palpable lye that euery schollar in the seminarie of Rome taketh an othe to obey the POPE and to fulfil his wil in vvhat soeuer he commaundeth them for there is no such othe nor in the colledge of Remes any othe at al. And that euery one that taketh holy orders is not svvorne to the POPE as the said lying companiō faineth the very Pontifical vvil witnes It is an vntruth likevvise that none can be suffered to tarry in the colledges but such as wil be Priests and enter into the same othe or obligation tovvardes the POPE M. Vvodvvard a venerable vertuous Priest whō Munday faineth first to haue geuen him knovvledg of an inuasion as he past by Amiens affirmeth vpon his saluation that he neuer spake no such word to the vngratious lad nor could not because he neuer knevv in deed nor heard of any such thing Vvhat a diuilish lye made Eliot vvhen he gaue euidence against M. Paine Eliots diuilish lye that he should report to him of a plat for killing the Q. which he had heard of the Earle of vvestmerland and D. Allen at Dovvay vvhen the one of them he neuer savv in his life the other he could not see at his last goeing ouer being then at Rome Adde to these the lies of the Ministers affirming that M Paine had confessed so much to a certaine lady vvhom he neuer savv in his life and to his ovvne brother vvhich vvas likevvise proued most false As for Sleds inuention Sledds inuentions of conspiracie made in D. Mortons house vvas it not very like that he should be made acquainted vvith the matter being and liuing there as a poore knaue taken vp by D. Saunderson of almes begging of euery body and knovven of no body and therefore trusted and vsed no farther of his maister but in seruile things This man of Belial hath many vvaies vttered him self since his comming from Rome He confessed to a companion of his that he had thought to haue slaine good M. Iohnson novv executed comming out of Italie vvith him he reported in Paris to one Hierom Vaine a man of his qualities that he vvas the first brotcher of those nevves in Rome that the Spanish Armado should be for England and that there to he had aduises out of England and that of no smale babes Vvhereby vve may see that al these bruites of confederacies of POPE and princes for inuasion of the realme and of other fained conspiracies were purposely geuen out by the arte of heretikes to take occasion thereby to afflict the men of God One spie enstructeth an other Yea the said Sledd gaue this Vaine aboue named goodly instructions hovv he should behaue him self in Rome vvithout suspition This Sledd as corrupt as his conscience is can not deny and by this token he may remember him self the better that it is true for he told the partie aforsaid and an other Gentilman vvhose name for good respects I vvil not bevvray that he had been in Rome for such purposes of pollicie as he termed his spiery thus long but vvas euer il paied or considered of his setters on vvorke And as impudently as he now boulstereth out lyes yet when he began first vvhich was vvith the apprehension of M. Orton in Holborne he offered the Constable iij. pounds in money not to bring him face to face to M. Orton for saith he it vvould be my vtter discredit and therevpon hauing descried the party and charged the officer vvith him he crept away into a pelting Inne there by and hid him self vnder the hay whither the Constable came and fetched him out with stravv about his eares saying that if he vvould not come forth with a good vvil he vvould bring him out vpon a coulestaffe I could tel him of his hipocritical sute made in Remes to be a scholler of the seminarie of the daily frequenting to his damnation the holy Sacraments both at Rome and aftervvard in Paris vvhen he had deliuered his lying intelligences to the Lidger there and taking order of him to go to Remes to take further aduertisment of their state that he might belie them vvith more probabilitie And here let any vviseman iudge vvhether he wil feare to sweare a lye that feareth not to receiue in fiction the very B. SACRAMENT and that vvent to confession to a godly father euen at the very time when he was to passe into England to play these Iudas his parts And them selues that novv vse his seruice to our affliction The Lieutenant Nortons verdict of Sledd knovv and confesse him to be a VERY VILLAINE The Lieutenant and Norton both haue so reported of him Nortons wife told her husband that Sledd said once that his sonne was of his complexion and that al those of that complexion proued wise to which Norton ansvvered that al Sledds wisedom did consist in abominable knauerie wishing his sonne better lucke then to be like such a treacherer in conditions Norton vvas then in the Tovver for treason in the same chamber F. Campiō was kept in The Lieutenant called him starcke knaue because he told the Counsel that Nortons keeper should say he had novv a Diuel in his keeping and before a Saint meaning by F. Campion and after he had enformed the Counsel promised to proue it by tvvo witnesses and could not The Lieutenant said that he had great facilitie in falshod and lying euen from his cradel One notable tricke Norton and he plaied together at this arraignement when Norton read the booke at the barre which was pretended to be Sledds and Sledd svvorne to the euidence These loe are the witnesses such are the false sclaunders and the palpable vntruths fained by malicious practise against the seruants of God which yet if they vere true could not for al that touch any of the persons arraigned none of these false pariured persons being able to auouch that any of them in particular had thus spoken thus conspired thus done against her M. But the Q. Coūsel at the lavv could by a consequence make whatsoeuer was said to be entended or done at Rome or Rhemes Traitors by an il consequence to be euery of their deeds there at the barre That day it was good logicke Poore logike You kissed the Popes fote You were students of that Colledge where such talke was You spake with D. Allen You haue redd D. Bristovves booke You were at Prage and came by Rome and Remes into England ergo vpon euery of these you are euery one and al guiltie of the matter of the enditement O heauen ô earth ô Lord God that such iniquitie should be done in that place so once renomed for iustice in al Europe but to passe this point This also is a demonstration of their innocencie that at their first apprehension An other demonstration of their INNOCENCIE imprisoning and racking they were onely examined of matters incident
any mans offence or scandal yet vvas made more pardonable then this supposed il affection and disposition vvhich is not nor can not be punishable by any lavves of the Realme And this onely search of mens future facts or intentions vvhereof him self hath neither knovvledge nor rule before hand is vnnaturale intollerable and to commonvvealthes exceding perilous To examine the wife or children or vassals and tenants before hand An example vvhat they vvould do if her husband their father lord and Maister should rebel against the Q. whether they vvould take their parts or wish vvel to them or relieue them vnderhand it vvere pernicious and vnvsual proceding But in our matter a thousand times more vnreasonable to examine whether any case may possibly fal vvherein the subiect may refuse to obey the Prince vvhere neither the indirect ansvver nor suspence of iudgement no nor the plaine direct resolution any vvay is either against the lavves of the Realme or proueth any il affection tovvards Prince in the vvorld If the Catholikes had been demaunded in Q. Maries daies vvhether if she should fal to heresie or apostasie or infidelitie Queene MARIE or generally for any enormities or vvhat cause soeuer she might haue been either by the Realme depriued or by the POPE excommunicated and deposed and had ansvvered as these Priests did here had they hated the Q. for that or borne il affection to her you say vve loue the POPE and honor him and you say truely for so vve are bound to do by Gods lavv yet if this demaund were made vvhether if the POPE The POPE or this same POPE Gregorie the xiij to vvhom vve stand in as devv obedience for matters of soule religion as to this Queene Elizabeth for our ciuil and temporal state vvhether I say if he fel to heresie he might be deposed by the Church or general Counsel a thovvsand diuines vvould ansvver affirmatiuely yet neither the POPE him self nor no vvise man vvould compt them to be of il affection or disposition tovvards him though perchaunce if he vvere guiltie in conscience of some such crime such a resolution vvould perhaps pricke him shrevvdely Nay if the lavv might proceed vpon such supposals and intentions of thinges to come The Puritās hardly opposed vvhat harts should you find in the Puritans thinke you vpon this onely supposition if the Queene should but goe backe to be a Papist if they vvere vpon their othe demaunded vvhat they vvould doe or vvish in their harts to be done if it should so happen if their consciences vvere so good as to open their cogitatiōs other manner of sinister affections and dispositions you should find then in the Catholikes They that could not but vtter in most traiterous wordes and bookes their cankered stomakes onely for a litle conference that her M. had of mariage vvith a Catholike Prince vvhat affection vvould they beare to her if she reduced her self and realme to the CATHOLIKE FAITH which they so much hate And yet these Puritans are they that are put to sound our harts in this kind and to afflict vs vpon euery vaine If Vpon Ifs an And 's vve are examined or impertinēt supposal that they can deuise Do they not by othes interrogatories and other indevve meanes purposly driue simple plaine meaning men that neuer offended their lawes in word deed nor thought into the cōpasse of their treasōs Some that for reuerēce of her M. high dignitie ouer vs though they knevv she erred in religion yet would neuer haue called her Heretike Schismatike or such like haue been notvvithstanding so entangeled by their captious questioning and driftes brought by sequele of vvords to acknovvledge her in their opinion So vvas M. Nelson so to be and therevpon punished by death as if they had so called her of malice or by voluntary railing or opprobrious speach This is to make traitors and not to punish treasons So such quiet godly persons that vvould neuer haue talked nor thought of the Bul of Pius quintus nor haue dealt in the differences betvvixt their tvvo superiors vvere driuen by course of wordes to confesse that So vvas M. Haunse of her depriuation which els they had neuer considered of for the same do execute them Vvhich is not to execute lavves but to make men offend the lavves So to drinke their blode A maruelous ouersight They vvere euil aduised euen to the admiration of men of discretion that they would make any statute about calling the Q. an Heretike Infidel or such like much more those that vvould examine men vvhat they thought therein Catholikes neuer vsing no more before the lavv then after any such terme tovvards her M. whereas this particular record of it in statute breadeth some hard conceipts in the subiects heades and to the posteritie a plaine record and suspition of such a thing as I could tel them by examples familiarly but for the respect of the honor of those vvhom I vvil not touch But to see the determination of such things and our general affliction to depend vpon a fevve fantastical nouellers or as they cal them parliament men Parliamen◠men ful of tonge and vvit but vvithout al iudgement and vvisedom this is our great torment and vvil as vve feare be the realmes destruction except God of his grace auert it From on parliament to an other such fellovves haue nothing to doe but to inuent hovv they may by nevv statutes encrease our miseries They say her M. person can not by former lavves be sufficiently prouided for and preserued they adde nevv and the next nevv againe one yere a hundreth Markes for a Masse an other must double it once xij pence for not going to the Church novv xx poundes a moneth And novv Norton is busie to invent how to clogge vs Norton is stil busely occupied or rather bereiue vs of our life liberties and goods in the next parliament He hath vvritten to one of authoritie that he vvas sory he put not vp in the last Session of Parliament that the Q. vvas and ought to be lavvful Queene vvhatsoeuer she can commit or the POPE or realme can do or hereafter may do against her Againe that it should be treason not to ansvver directly vvhat a man thought in his hart to any suppositiō by othe or interrogatorie made or proponed Vvhich lavv I dare say Antichrist him self vvould not make because he vvil not nor can not enter into mens thoughts This fellovv once in examination of a Catholike prisoner tendered him an othe to svveare to al that he vvas to demaund of him who refusing he said in great rage If thou vvert a good subiect thou vvouldest not sticke to take any othe to do thy Prince good a notable point of Atheisme A notable point of Atheisme and Puritanisme Thus they rack not our bodies only They tender othes to Catholikes and yet beleeue them not but our very cōsciences ministring othes for
conceit of that prophane degree til he entered into religion by penance and holy profession to wipe a way the same So making his choise of the societie of the name of IESVS he vvent to Rome He vvent to Rome and there entered into religion where by the superior of that order he vvas admitted and so not remaining in the Citie much more then a moneth he was sent into Beameland He is sent into Beamland where he abode viij yeres and vvas made Priest in Prage continually teaching preaching catechizing writing and trauailing for the Church of God Made priest Vvhereby he became so famous that not onely other principal states He preacheth befor the Emperour but the Imperial Maiestie was contented often to heare him preach Til at lenght by the sute of such as knevve his great graces in dealing with heretikes for their conuersion his General called him thence to be bestovved vpon his ovvne natiue countrey Vvhithervvarde by longe and great trauail he came going about by Rome because his superiors knevve him not He is sent home againe by his superiors nor would not send him before they savve him and by Remes vvhere besides other communication parteining to the reduction of our countrey to the Catholike faith he demaunded of D. Allen whether he thought that any seruice he could do in England the time being as it is His cōmunicatiō with D. Allen. were like to be vvorth al these long labours and hazardes past and to come or might counteruaile the lackes that those should seeme to haue by his absence from whence he came To which D. Allen ansvvered Father quoth he first vvhatsoeuer you did there D. Allens ansvver may be done by others one or mo of your order Secondly you ovve more duetie to England then to Beamland and to London then to Prage though it liketh me vvel that you haue made some recompence to that countrey for the old wounde it receiued by vs. In vvicliffes time of vvhom they lerned their heresies Thirdly the recouerie of one soule from heresie is vvorth al your paines as I hope you shal gaine a great many because the haruest is both more plentiful and more ripe with vs then in those partes Finally the revvard may be greater for you may be martyred for it at home vvhich you can not obtaine lightely there So he vvas satisfied and of this communication I haue heard him often speake And at last he happely landed at Douer vpon the morrovv afser Midsomer-day The day of his arriual in England the yere 1580. being by Gods great goodnes deliuered out of the searchers and officers handes who held him with them vpon suspicion for certane houres He vvas staied at Douer vpon deliberation to haue sent him to the Councel That vvas Christes special vvorke and prouidence to be glorified booth in his preaching a vvhole yere to the inspeakable good of innumerable deceiued soules and also in his precious death aftervvard Comming therefore to London he preached there his first sermon vpon SS Peter and Paules day which I vvas at my selfe His first Sermon hauing a ful audience and very vvorshipful but aftervvard booth there and in sundry partes of the realme far greater through the fame and experience of his manifold vertues great eloquence and lerning many Protestantes of good nature at sundry times admitted also to the same vvho euer aftervvard contemned their vulgar pulpit men in comparison of him The first man of calling to whose hovvse he vvas conducted in the countrey The speaches bewixt him and the gentilman in vvhose house he first preached in the countrey demaunded of the person that brought him thither being him selfe of good worship what he vvas and from vvhence he came and lerning that he vvas a religious man and one that had bene long in foraine partes before he would admitte him toke him aside and asked the causes of his retorne home and repaire to him and whether he meant not vnder coulor of religion to withdravv her M. subiectes from their obedience To which he ansvvered protesting befor God that he had neither other commission of his superiors nor intētion of him self then to minister the holy Sacraments preach and teach the people to saluation and that he neither could nor vvould medle with matter of state Vvherevpon the partie embraced him and bid him hartely welcome to his hovvse Finding aftervvard by a littel further acquaintance which al the world might see that he vvas no man for worldly matters but only for the schole Church and pulpit wherein his giftes vvere excellent in the highest degree And from that day til his apprehension he preached once a day at the least He preached daily and often He conuerted many of the best sort often tvvise and sometimes thrise whereby through Gods goodnes he conuerted sundry in most shires of the Realme of most wisdome and vvorshipe besides yong Gentilmen studentes and others of al sortes At his first entrance he made his proffer of disputation for such causes as he alleaged in the same His chalēdg and his booke vvritten to the vniuersities and more at large aftervvard in his eloquent and lerned booke to both the vniuersities Vvhereby the Protestant Preachers and Prelates found them selues so deeply wounded in their doctrine and credite notvvithstanding they had patched vp a fevv pamphletes without al grace against him that they pricked her M. Councel to alter the question from controuersie in religion The protestants deuise to ouerthrovv him to the cause of the Prince and matter of state that so they might defende that by force authoritie which they could not do by all their lerning and diuinitie Therevpon it was geuen out by diuers speaches and proclamations that great consederacies of POPE and foraine Princes vvere made for the inuasion of the Lande and that the Iesuistes and Seminary Priestes were sent in forsoth to prepare their waies and such like trumperie to beguile and incense the simple against them Then al exquisite diligence was vsed for the apprehension of others but specially of F. Campion vvhom being but one among thousandes of the Churches children The follie of the aduersarie nor the cheefe in England of his order yet they called the Popes Champian and right hand At length after he had laboured in Gods haruest wel nere xiij Monethes by the notorious wickednes of on George Eliote a forelorne fellovv Eliot the traditor such as for affliction of holy men this vvorld commonly vseth after long search and much a doe by Gods permission he fel into the persecutors hands the xvij His apprehension of Iuly 1581. being found in a secret closset in a Catholike Gentilman and confessors house called M. Yates of Lyford And in what sort tvvoe Godly Priests M. Forde and M. Collington being with him al lying vvhen the ennemy discouered them vpon a bed their faces handes lifted vp to heauen
not which tearme I hope he vsed purposely in this matter and not any other asseueration because Pius quintus his act was in this case not a matter of doctrine but of fact Vvherein he did not affirme that the POPE could not erre But to goe on stepe forvvard and to bring him into the compasse of the first statut of the last parlement wherevpon they entended streight to end it him M. Recorder asked whether he spake the foresaid thing to persuad other men that heard him to be of his mind I know not what you meane by persuading saith he but I would haue al men to beleeue the Catholike faith as I do That being done and said of ech sid order was giuen to one present that vvas learned in the Lavv to dravve an endightement of treason against M. Haunse vpoÌ„ the new statut made in the last parlemeÌ„t which was out of hand done The effect whereof was that the said Haunse being on of the Popes scollers and made Priest beyond the seas was retorned to seduce the Q. M. subiects from their obedience and that he had affirmed the Pope to be his Superior here in England and had as much authoritie in spiritual gouernement with in this realme as euer he had before saying further that he hoped Pius quintus erred not in declaring her to be an Heretike excommunicating deposing her M. and discharging the subiectes from their othe and obedience tovvards her acknovvledging that he vttered so much to haue others thinke therein as he did c. Vvhich endightement being openly redd and M. Haunse thereon arraigned he was willed to hold vp his hand he held vp his left hand wherevpon the Recorder blamed him attributing it to some pride or superstition that being a Priest hâ— would not vouchsafe or might not hold vp his annointed right hand but the truth was he did it for that his right hand was occupied in easing him self by holding vp the great boultes wherevvith the blessed man was excedingly laden for being admonished he forth with streached forth his right hand And being asked whether he was guiltie of the thinges conteined in the endightement after a few wordes wherein he said that he was not altogether guiltie in those thinges as they there were set dovvne he yet acknovvledged the substance the sence thereof with great courage and constancie Vvherevpon the sentence of death was pronounced against him in forme wel knovven to al men This done he was retorned to the prison from vvhence he came vvhether Minister Crovvley and others came to assay his constancie but after much talke and many persuasions to relent in some point of religion and to acknovvledge hiâ—â—â—ulâ— tovâ—â—rds her M. Vvhen they savv they could not preuaile against the blessed Confessor theâ— forged to his disgrace and to make him odious That he should affirme to theâ— in talke That treason to the Q. vvas no sinne before God Vvhich sclaunder they vvere not ashamed to put out in print Vpon the last of Iuly 1581. he was dravven to Tyborne vvhere being put into the carte with cheereful countenance he professed him self to be a Catholike Priest and most glad to dye for testimonie thereof And being willed to aske the Q mercie and demaunded whether he toke her for his prince and soueraine he ansvvered that he did take her for his Q. and that he neuer offended her M. othervvise then in matters of his coÌ„science vvhich they haue dravven to matters of treason And vvhereas saith he I vnderstand it hath been geuen forth that I should say Treason vvas no offence to God I protest I neither meant nor said any more but that these nevve made treasons vvhich are nothing els in deed but the confession of the Catholike points of religion vvere no offences to God hovvsoeuer they vvere treasons to man TheÌ„ the Ministers called vpoÌ„ him to pray with them and to desire the people to assist him he ansvvered that he might not pray vvith Heretikes but desired humbly al Catholikes to pray for him and vvith him And so praying deuoutely to him self the carte vvas dravven avvay and before he was half dead the rope vvas cut and he bovvelled a liue and aftervvard quartered a spectacle of great edificatioÌ„ to the good and a wonder to euery one that loked vpon it The Copie of a letter sent by the said Martyr to his brother BROTHER I pray you be careful for my parents see them instructed in the way of truth so that you be careful for your ovvne state also Vvhat you shal take in hand that way thinke no other but God wil send good successe my praiers shal not be vvanting to aide you by Gods grace Geue thankes to God for al that he hath sent cast not your selfe into dangers wilfully but pray to God vvhen occasion is offered you may take it vvith patience The comforts at the present instant are vnspeakeable the dignitie to high for a sinner but God is merciful Bestovve my things you find vngeuen avvay vpon my poore knisfolkes A paire of pantoffls I leaue vvith M. N. For my mother Tvventie shillings I would haue you bestovv on them from me if you can make so much conueniently some I haue lefte with M. N. I ovve Ten shillings and tvvo shillings I pray you see it paied M. N. wil let you vnderstand hovv and to vvhom yf you want money to discharge it send to my frendes you knovv where in my name Summa Conciliorum I pray you restore to M. B. the other bookes you knovv to whom Haue me commended to my frends let them thinke I wil not forgett them The day and houre of my birth is at hand and my Master saith After vve had ended the historie of these xij MARTYRS which at the beginning vve ment only to writ of we vvere desired to add also iij others that suffered for the same quarrel these yeres past Tolle crucem tuam sequere me Vale in domino Yours Euerard Haunse Pridie obitus THE ARRAIGNEMENT AND Martyrdom of M. Cuthbert Maine Priest and Bachiler of Diuinitie Martyred the 29 of Nouemb. 1577. IN the yere 1577 and the moneth of Iune the superintendent of Execeter being in visitation at a tovvne called S. Trurie vvas requested by the sherife of the sheere and other busie men The order of his apprehension that he vvould aide and assist them to search M. Tregians hovvse vvhere M. Maine did lye after some deliberation it was concluded that the sherife the B. Chauncellor vvith diuers gentilmen and their seruants should take the matter in hand Assone as they came to M. Tregianes house the sherife first spake vnto him saying that he and his company were come to search for one M. Bourne vvhich had committed a fault in London and so flod into Cornevval and vvas in his house as he vvas enformed M. Tregian ansvvering that he vvas not there and svvering by his faith that he did not knovve vvhere he vvas further
telling him to haue his hovvse searched he though it great discourtosie for that he vvas a geÌ„tilman as he vvas for he did acount his hovvse as his castel alâ—o stoutely denying them for that they had no commission frome the Prince The sherife being very bold because he had a great company vvith him svvare by al the othes he could deuise that he vvould search his hovvse or els he vvould kil or be killed holding his hand vpon his dagger as though he vvould haue stabbed it into the Gentilman This violence being vsed he had leaue to search the house M. Tregians hovvse searched the first place they vvent vnto vvas M. Maines chamber vvhich being fast shut they bounsed and beat at the dore M. Maine came opened it being before in the garden vvhere he might haue gone from them assone as the Sherife came into the chamber he toke M. Maine by the bosome and said vnto him vvhat art thou he ansvvered I am a man vvhereat the Sherife being very hot asked vvhether he had a coat of maile vnder his dublet and so vnbuttened it and sound an AGNVS DEI case about his necke which he toke from him and called him traitor rebâ—â— with many other opprobrious names They carried him his bookes Papers and letters M. Maine caried to the superintendent to the superintendeÌ„t vvho vvhen he had talked with him and examined him of his religion he confessed that he vvas learned and had gathered very good notes in his bookes but no fauour he shevved him Thence the Sherife carried him from one Gentilmans hovvse to an other vntil he came to Lanstone Cruelly imprisoned vvhere he vvas cruelly emprisoned being chained to his bedde posts vvith a paire of great giues about his legges and strait commaundement giuen that no man should repaire vnto him Thus he remained in prison from Iune til Michelmas at what time the iudges came their circuit His arraignement the Earle of Bedford was also present at M. Maine arraignement and did deale most in the matter He vvas endited for hauing a Bul Holy graines and an Agnus Dei vvhich was against their hethenish statutes M. Maine ansvvered negatiuely to euery point of the enditement and did proue it very wel if they had not been blinded with malice and enuie The Iurie that went vpon him vvere chosen men for the purpose and thought him worthy of death vvhether there came any proofe against him or no because he vvas a Catholike Priest such is their euangelical conscience The sentence After the tvvelue had geuen their verdict guiltie the Iudges gaue sentence on him that he should be executed within xv daies but it vvas deferred vntil S. Andrevves day vpon what occasion I knovv not The Sherife in the meane time went to the court where he vvas made kinght for this notable peece of seruice and there he procured a commission that M. Maine might be executed which he sent into the countrey to the Iustices Three daies befor he vvas put to death there came a seruing man vnto him and vvilled him to prepare for death for saith he you are to be executed within these three daies at the farthest He taketh the aduertisment of his death thankfully His spiritual exercises Vvhich gentil admonition M. Maine toke very thankefully and said to the seruinge man that if he had any thing to geue he would rather bestovv it vpon him then on any other for he had done more for him then euer any man did After that aduertisment he gaue him self ernestly to praier and contemplation vntil his death The second night after he gaue him self to these spiritual exercises there vvas seen a great light in his chamber betvvene tvvelve one of the clocke in so much that some of the prisoners that lay in the next romes called vnto him to knovv what it was for they knovv very wel that he had neither fire nor candel he ansvvered willinge them to quiet them selues for it did nothing appâ—rtaine vnto them At the day of his execution many Iustices and Gentilmen came to see him The Ministers dispute vvith him brought with them tvvo proud Ministers which did dispute vvith him whom he did confute in euery point but the Iustices and Gentilmen who vvere blind iudges in their doings vvould heare nothing of that but they affirmed that the ignorant Ministers were much better lerned then he albeit they confesse he died very stoutely whereat they did much marueil saying to the ignorant people that he could auouch no scripture for his opinion which vvas most vntrue for I knovv by the report of honest men that vvere present that he did confirme euery point in question vvith testimonies of scriptures and doctors and that abundantly This ended he vvas to be dravven a quarter of a mile to the place of execution and vvhen he was to be laid on the fled A barbarous request some of the Iustices moued the Sherifes deputie that he would cause him to haue his head laid ouer the carre that it might be dashed against the stones in dravving M. Maine humilitie and M. Maine offered him self that it might be so but the Sherifes deputie vvould not suffer it Vvhen he came to the place of execution he kneled dovvne and praied as he was on the ladder and the rope about his necke he vvould haue spoken to the people but the Iustices would not suffer him but willed him to say his praiers which he did very deuoutely And as the hangeman was about to turne the ladder one of the Iustices spake to him in this manner Novv villaine and traitor thou knovvest that thou shalt dye A ProtestaÌ„ts spirit and therefore tel vs whether M. Tregian and Sir Iohn Arrundel did knovv of these thinges which thou art condemned for and also what thou doest knovv by them M. Maine ansvvered him againe very mildly saying I do knovv nothing by M. Tregian and S. Iohn Arrundel out that they be good and godly Gentilmen and as for the thinges I am condemned for they vvere onely knovven to me and to no other then he was cast of the ladder saying In manus tuas c and knocking his breast Some of the GeÌ„tilmen would haue had him cut dovvne straight way that they might No Gentilmans bloud in such cruel harts haue had him quartered aliue but the Sherifes deputie vvould not but let him hang til he was dead After he vvas quartered one quarter was sent to S. Probus where he was taken an other to wade-brig the third to Bastable in Deuonsheir where he was borne the fourth and his head remaine in Lanstone where he was executed This B. man M. Maine borne in Bastable in Deuonsheir had an old Schismatical Priest to his vncle and vvel beneficed who being very desirous to leaue his benefice to this his Nephevv brought him vp at scholle He vvas made Minister wheÌ„ he was xviij or xix yeres old got him