the Countrey of Brisgois 1525. a vigilant Preacher and a peaceable good Man often reconciling differences with great prudence and much lamenting the corruptness of Principles and Practises of the Popish Monks and especially their Vow of single Life and its consequents which moved him to marry for which crime chiefly he was afterwards apprehended and condemned to die And being led to Execution he answer'd all Persons gently but desir'd the Monks to let him alone who troubled him with their babling about Confession when he was striving in his Spirit against the horror of death and making his prayer to God to whom he said also that he had confessed his sins to God not doubting but he had received absolution and forgiveness of them And I said he shall be an acceptable sacrifice to my Saviour Jesus Christ for I have done no such things whereof I am condemned which might displease my God who in this behalf hath given me a good and quiet Conscience Saying also he being very lean It is all one for I must shortly have forsaken my Skin which scarce cleaves to my bones I know I am a mortal and corruptible worm I have oft desired my last day and have made my request that I might be delivered out of this mortal Body to be joyned with my Saviour Jesus Christ. I have deserved through my sins my Cross and my Saviour hath born the Cross and for my part I will not glory in any other thing but in the Cross of Christ. Presently he was cast into the River he strugling a while in it the water was red with blood which the People looked to be a miraculous sign to shew that innocent blood was that day shed This was done at Enshesheim 1525. Vol. 2. p. 111 112. Wolfgangus Schuch a German at St. Hyppolite 1525. a Town in Lotharing a Reverend and godly Pastor there preached he Justification through Christ by Faith He was apprehended willingly offering himself to Tryal by Scripture rather than to see the Town of St. Hyppolite be exposed to the danger threatn'd to it by Anthony Duke of Lorrain for his sake and being apprehended he was imprisoned in sad misery a year where disputing with divers Friars he confounded them all by Scripture At last he was condemned to be burnt at which Sentence he sang and being at the place of Execution he sang the 51. Psalm till smoke and fire choak'd him Vol. 2. pag. 112. George Scherler a German Preacher near Saltzburg was taken and imprisoned and condemned to be burnt alive but at last it was granted he should be first beheaded He going to his death said That ye may know that I die a true Christian I will give you a manifest sign Which he did by God's power for after his head was off his body falling on his belly and so lying a good while it easily turn'd it self on the back and crossed the right foot over the left and the right hand over the left at which sight the Spectators marvelled and the Magigistrates burned not but buried the Body amongst the Christians and many were hereby brought to believe the Gospel Vol. 2. p. 117. Peter Serre was burned 1553. in France who having his tongue cut out stood so quiet looking up to Heaven at the time of his burning as though he had felt no pain bringing such admiration to the People that one of the Parliament of France that condemned him said That way was not best to bring Lutherans to the fire for that would do more hurt than good Vol. 2. p. 143. Mrs. Smith near Coventry condemned and burnt for having the Lord's Prayer in English April 4. 1519. Vol. 2. p. 225. Hellen Stirk a Scottish Woman seeing her Husband go to the Stake 1543. for Christ's cause and being her self condemned did desire to suffer with her Husband but when it was not permitted she went to him and exhorted him to perseverance and with a kiss parted saying Husband rejoyce for we have lived many a joyful day together but this day in which we must die together ought to be most joyful unto us both because we must have joy for ever therefore I will not bid you good night for we shall suddenly meet with joy in the Kingdom of Heaven And after that she parting with her sucking Child from her breast recommended her self to God and the Child to Nurse and so was drowned Vol. 2. pag. 615 616. Laurence Saunders brought up at Eaton and then at King's Colledge in Cambridge three years then by his Mother having a great Estate was bound Apprentice in London to a Merchant Sir William Chester but he not liking his Apprentiship his Master gave him his Indentures perceiving his inclinations to Study and being himself a good Man he wrote Letters to his Mother and Friends who were great Persons about it whereby he went again to King's Colledge and after several years was a Minister in Leicestershire and then in London till Queen Mary's dayes when he had two Livings not being permitted to lay down either of them by reason of the troubles and as well as he could he Preached at both though at length at London he going to Preach was disswaded for fear of danger but he would not cease and Preaching he did as he often had speak against Popish Tenets for which he was examined by Bishop Bonner and Gardiner and at last imprisoned he prayed much and in all spiritual assaults he prayed and found present relief and he said while Bishop Gardiner examined him he found a great consolation in spirit and also in body he received a certain taste of the Communion of Saints whilst a pleasant refreshing issued from all parts of his body to his heart and thence did ebb and flow to and fro He in a Letter to Bishop Gardiner proved Popery a Whoreish and ravening Religion robbing God of his honour and worship in truth and also our Consciences of peace and true comfort He disswaded his Wife and Friends from sueing for his liberty He in his Letters spoke much of his own experience through God's grace of Christ's sweetness and how loath his Flesh was to go forward in God's Path and also his hopes with the godly to be shortly singing Halelujah in Heaven and as he saluted those to whom he wrote with grace and mercy and peace and assured them of his Prayers for them so also he generally begg'd their Prayers ending his Letters with pray pray pray and after 15 months imprisonment he was condemned who said My dear Lord Iesus Christ hath begun to me a more bitter Cup than mine can be and shall not I pledge my most sweet Saviour yes I hope As he went to Stake he oft fell down and prayed and at the Stake he took it in his arms and kissed it saying Welcome the Cross of Christ welcome everlasting life and so being fastned was burned with green Wood to make his torments greater yet he stood quietly and slept sweetly in the fire
first in her days a great Papist till the burning of one Laurence Saunders by the Papists for the Mass which put her upon an enquiry into it and she consulting some persons about it declined it nor would frequent Mass for which she was punished and at last condemned And when in the morning before she suffered the Sheriff told her of it after one years imprisonment giving her but one hours time to prepare for it she said Your message is welcome to me and I thank God that he will make me worthy to adventure my life in his quarrel Going to the Stake she prayed against Popist Idolatry and drank to all them that truly believed the Gospel In the fire she neither struggled nor stirred but only held up her hands to Heaven and so dyed soon Vol. 3. p. 839. Mrs. Elizabeth Lawson an ancient Gentlewoman of 60 years of age of Bedfield in Suffolk was sent to Berry Goal 1556. because she would not go to Mass and at last she was condemned to be burnt She continued in Prison two years and three quarters in which time her Son and many more were burnt and she hearing of it said often Good Lord what is the cause that I may not yet come to thee with thy Children Well good Lord thy blessed will be done and not mine But by the death of Queen Mary she was delivered Vol. 3. p. 916. M M MArtyrs to the Number of 300 at Carthage under the 8 th Persecution being offered near Lime-kills either to offer Incense to Iupiter or to go into the Furnace of Lime did all together rush into the Kill and were there with the dusty smoak of the Lime smothered Vol. 1. p. 94. A Mother exhorted her Child of seven years of age suffering under the 7 th Persecution to suffer joyfully and while it was tormenting and slaying she sang to God thus All laud and praise with heart and voice O Lord we yield to thee To whom the death of all thy Saints we know most dear to be Vol. 1. p. 116. Mary See Ursula Michael Michfote a Taylor in France burned 1547. being apprehended for the Gospel's sake and put to his choice whether he would turn and be beheaded or not turn and be burnt he said God who had given him grace not to deny the truth would also give him patience to abide the fire and so he was burned Vol. 2. p. 134. Lodovicus Marsac being with two others at Lyons in France apprehended and condemned 1553. they all sang Psalms and the other two having a Rope put about their Necks and he having not one did desire that he might have one of those precious Chains about his Neck in honour of his Lord which request was granted and they all three were cast into the fire Vol. 2. p. 141. 88 Martyrs murthered at Calabria in Italy 1560. whom the Executioner bringing out one by one with a Muster on a Stage before the People took a Knife and slew by cutting the Throat of one and leaving him half dead bleeding went for another and so served every one till the 88 were murthered which sight amazed the people and shamed even some of the Romanists Vol. 2. p. 184.188 Walter Mille a Scotch Man 1558. was condemned to be burnt whom the Popish Party could neither affright with threats nor allure with proposals but he said to them I am accused of my life I know I must dye once and therefore ye shall know I will not recant the truth I am Corn not Chaff I will not be blown away with the Wind nor burst with the Flail but will abide both and at the Stake the Bishops being constrained by the People to give him liberty to speak he made his humble supplication to God on his Knees and then said to the people Dear friends I suffer this day not for any Crime laid to my charge albeit I be a miserable Sinner before God but only for the defence of the faith of Christ Iesus for which I praise God that he hath this day called me of his mercy amongst the rest of his Servants the Martyrs to seal up his truth with my life which as I received on him so I willingly offer it to his glory and so he dyed and was the last Martyr that dyed in Scotland for Religion Vol. 2. p. 626. George Marsh of Deane in Lancashire married and was a Farmer but after his Wife's death he went to Cambridge to study and was a Minister of Gods Word and zealous against Popery for which he was imprisoned His Mother and divers other Friends advised him to fly To whose Counsel saith he My Flesh would gladly have consented but my Spirit did not fully agree Whereupon he prayed earnestly to God for direction and unexpectedly in the Morning he had a Letter from a Friend whose Bearer said to him before he looked on the Letter That his Friends advice was not to flee but to abide boldly and confess the Name of Christ which he did He was many wayes and much sollicited to turn upon the account of his Children whom he said he would gladly keep could it be with a pure Conscience and he would have accepted of Queen Mary's mercy should he not thereby by denying Christ win everlasting misery He was burned April 24. 1555. with a Firkin of Pitch over his head which melting and dropping on him added much to his torments yet after much misery when they thought him to be dead he spread his hands saying Father of Heaven have mercy upon me and so he dyed Vol. 3. p. 228. Menas an Egyptian under the 10 th Persecution lived a retired life a great while at length returning to the City Cotis in the open Theatre at a time of Pastimes he loudly proclaimed himself a Christian and being brought to Pyrrhus the President and demanded of his Faith he said It is convenient I should confess God citing Rom. 10.10 And being most painfully pinched and tormented he said in the midst of his torments There is nothing in my mind that can be compared to the price of one Soul and said I have learned of my Lord and King not to fear them who kill the Body and have no power to kill the Soul And being sentenced to be beheaded he said I give thee thanks my Lord God which hast so accepted me to be found a partaker of thy precious death and hast not given me to be devoured of my fierce Enemies but hast made me to remain constant in thy pure Faith to my life's end Vol. 1. p. 117 118. N N SAintinus Nivet being a Cripple burnt at Paris 1546. when apprehended and asked if he would stand to what he said he asked his Judges if they dare be so bold to deny what was so plain in express words of Scripture and did so little regard his own life that he desired his Judges for Gods sake that they would rather take care of their own Souls and lives and consider how much innocent blood
they spilled daily in fighting against Christ and his Gospel He suffered at Paris Vol. 1. p. 133. Noblemen 100 and others of Alsatia were burned and martyred the 1212. year of Christ under Pope Henricus 3. for holding every day was free for eating Flesh so it be done soberly and that they did wickedly who restrained Priests from their lawful Wives Vol. 1. pag. 336. Iohn Noyes a Shoe-maker of Laxfield in Suffolk burned 1557. in September when he came to the place of Execution he kneeled down and sang the 50 th Psalm and being bound at the Stake he said Fear not them that kill the Body but fear him that can kill both Body and Soul and cast it into everlasting fire And seeing his Sister weeping he desired her not to weep for him but for her sins Having a Faggot thrown at him he kissed it and said Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this And in the fire he said Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Son of David have mercy upon me He wrote a Letter to his Wife containing nothing but consolation from Texts of Scripture and bidding her farewell he desired his Wife and Children to leave worldly care and see that they were diligent to pray Vol. 3. p. 850 851 852. Nichaise of Tombe born in Tournay martyred for the Gospel being condemned he said Praised be God At the Stake he said Lord they have hated me without a cause and prayed thus Eternal Father have pity and compassion on me according as thou hast promised to all that ask the same of thee in thy Sons Name And so he continued praying until his last gasp Additions to Vol. 3. of the Massacre in France and Flanders p. 33. O O ORigen at 17 Years old wrote to his Father Leonides to encourage him to suffer martyrdom under the fifth Persecution began the 205. Year of Christ. He wrote about 7000 Volumes as much as 7 Notaries and as many Women could pen. Vol. 2. p. 70. Cicely Ormes Wife of Edward Ormes a Worsted-Weaver in Norwich was burnt September 23. 1557. at Norwich She was an ignorant simple Woman yet zealous in the Lord's cause and being threatned by the Chancellor of Norwich she said He should not be so desirous of her sinful flesh as she would by God's grace be content to give it in so good a quarrel Being condemned at the Stake she pray'd and repeated her Faith and then said to the People I would not have you think that I believe to be saved in that I offer my self here unto death for Christ 's cause but I believe to be saved by the death of Christ 's passion and this my death is and shall be a witness of my Faith unto you all Good People as many as believe of you I pray you pray for me And then she coming to the Stake she kissed it and said Welcome sweet Cross of Christ and so was bound to it and in the fire she said My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour and so she yielded up her Life Vol. 3. p. 833. Robert Oguier of the City Lile in Flanders his Wife and two Sons Bardicon and Martin were apprehended 1556. and first the Father and Bardicon suffer'd who upon examination confessed their Faith and Bardicon being apprehended as he went said O Lord assist us with thy Grace not onely to be prisoners for thy sake but so as to seal with our bloods thy Truth And told the Emperor's Commissioners the tenour of their prayers in their Meetings for God's glory and the Empires and Emperors felicity And then he and his Father submitted themselves to the Judges while Martin his Brother chose to accompany his Mother who was still detained in Prison And these two were by their Judges condemned to be burnt which sentence being past they returned to Prison rejoycing that the Lord had honoured them to enroll them amongst the number of Martyrs The day of Execution being told them they blessed God who delivering their Bodies out of Prison would receive their Souls into his Kingdom The Father being advised to pity his Soul said You see what pity I have of it when for the Name of Christ I willingly abandon my Body to the fire hoping to day to be with him in Paradise At the Stake he and his Son sang the 16. Psalm and being chained the Son said to his Father Be of good comfort the worst will be past by and by And often repeated these words O God Father Everlasting accept the Sacrifice of our Bodys for thy wel-beloved Son Jesus Christ 's sake And lifting his Eyes to Heaven he spoke to his Father saying O Father behold I see the Heavens open and millions of Angels ready to receive us rejoycing to see us thus witnessing our truth in the view of the World Father let us be glad and rejoyce for the joyes of Heaven are set before us Fire being kindled he oft repeated to his Father thus Yet a little while and we shall enter into the Heavenly Mansions And their last words were Jesus Christ thou Son of God into thy Hands we commend our Spirits And within 8 dayes the Mother Iane Oguier and Martin her Son were brought forth but in Prison Iane by the Papists was perswaded to recant and to endeavour her Son's return to Popery who hearing of it said to her Oh Mother what have you done have you denyed him that redeemed you What evil hath he done you that you should requite him with so great an injury Ah good God! that I should live to see this day which pierceth my heart And his Mother hearing his words and seeing his tears began to renew her strength in the Lord and with tears cry'd Father of mercies be merciful to me miserable sinner and cover my transgressions under the Righteousness of thy Blessed Son Lord enable me to stand to my first Confession and to abide stedfast in it to my last breath And when the Papists came to her again she said Avoid Satan get thee behind me for hence forth thou hast neither part nor portion in me I will by the help of my God stand to my Confession and if I may not sign it with Ink I will seal it with my Blood And so she and her Son were condemned to be burnt and their ashes to be cast into air who rejoyced at the Sentence and accounted it a day of Triumph over their Enemies and Martin being profer'd an hundred pound if he would recant said He would not lose an Eternal Kingdom for it Addition to Vol. 3. of Massacres of France pag. 1. to 5. P P PHilip the Apostle after he had much laboured amongst the Barbarous Nations in preaching the Word of Salvation to them at length he suffer'd in Hierapolis a City of Phrygia being there crucified and stoned to death where also he was buried and his Daughters with him Vol. 1. pag. 42 43. Peter the
the greatest honour that ever I was called to in my life and I thank my Lord heartily for it that he hath called me to the high favour to suffer death willingly for his sake which is an inestimable gift of God therefore O ye that love me rejoice and rejoice again with me and render with me thanks to God that hath called me to this dignity Vol. 3. p. 505. Could Queen Mary have been entreated for Bishop Ridley or could his life have been purchased the Lord Dacres in the North his Kinsman would have given her 1000 Marks or 1000 Pounds rather than he should have been burned Vol. 3. p. 996. Iohn Rabec burned at Aniers in France April 24. 1556. had his Tongue cut out because he would not pronounce Iesus Maria joining them both in one Prayer and being urged thereto with great threats he said If his Tongue should but offer to do so he would himself bite it asunder Additions to Vol. 3. concerning French Massacre p. 5. Anthony Ricetto a Martyr at Venice 1566. being by his Son of twelve years of age perswaded to recant that he might not be Fatherless said to his Child A good Christian is bound to forego Goods Children yea Life it self for the maintenance of God's honour and glory and so he was drowned having an Iron Hoop about him and to a Chain fastned to that Hoop a great Weight fastned and so carryed in a Wherry into the Sea where being laid on a Board and that Board laid cross on two Wherries the Wherries removing he fell into the Sea which was the manner of the Venetians punishing their Martyrs Additions to Vol. 3. p. 44. S S SAnctus being under the fourth Persecution grievously tormented and by the Tormentors asked What he was answered nothing but said he was a Christian And notwithstanding his being scorched by hot plates in the tenderest parts of the Body so that his Body lost the shape of a Man yet he never shrank and declared That nothing was terrible or ought to be feared where the love of God is and nothing grievous wherein the glory of Christ is manifested And when he was again punished though his Body was so misfigured before his second punishment yet now was it reduced to its first shape of a Man and suppled in all its contracted parts Soon after he was again tormented and set in an hot Iron-chair nor yet would he confess any thing but that he was a Christian And after this being made a sad spectacle to the People he was beheaded Vol. 1. p. 60.61 62. Souldiers being put to their choice by the Marshal of the Camp by Diocletian's order under the tenth Persecution whether they would sacrifice to Idols at the Emperours command or lay aside their Offices and Weapons They unanimously answered They were ready not only to lay down their Weapons but their Lives also if by the Emperour's tyranny required rather than they would obey the wicked Decrees of him Vol. 1. p. 101. Simeon Archbishop of Seleucia being by Sapores King of Persia under the tenth Persecution called and examined confessed himself to be a Christan And being demanded Why he kneeled not before the King as he used to do he said That before he observed what the custom of the Realm did require of him but now it is not lawful for I come to stand in defence of our Religion and Doctrine He was beheaded Vol. 1. pag. 125 126. See Usthazares in the latter part of this Book Henry Sutphen Monk an associate of Luthers 1524. converted Breme and being sent for after two years time to Deithmar to preach amongst those great Idolaters he at last went designing only to lay the foundation of a Reformation and so to return to Breme to satisfie the importunity of his Friends He being at Breme the Monks and Friars conspire against him and consult his destruction accordingly they sent Minatory Letters to the Inhabitants at Deithmar and also to their Parish Priest who had received him But Sutphen's ananswer was That being called by them to preach the Gospel he would do it and if it pleased God he should lose his Life at Deithmar there was as near a way to Heaven as in any other place for he doubted not at all that once he must suffer for the Gospels sake Upon this courage he preached divers times and Popish Priests were sent to supplant him and to trap him in his Sermons many of whom were converted by them and did declare them to be agreeable to the word of God After this many ways were used to destroy him and at last the Franciscan Friars conspired with some Presidents of the Country to kill him before the Inhabitants of the Town of Deithmar should know of it or before his cause were try'd not permitting him to speak to them for himself lest as they said he should perswade them to be Hereticks Whereupon the Presidents assembled 500 Husbandmen to whom when met together they imparted the business who detesting it would not do it but would have returned home but were forced to obedience by the threats of their Governour who to fit them for the work gave them three Barrels of Hamborough Beer and then about midnight they came to Deithmar to the Priest's and first wofully abused him and then trained Sutphen out of bed naked and tying his hands behind him forced him on so fast that his feet were much wounded by the Ice whereof he complaining and desiring a Horse they said he should go on foot whether he would or no And in the morning after much misery by him suffered without any examination they condemned him to be burnt and accordingly they bound him hands neck and feet and brought him to the fire which was not oftner kindled than it went out nor could they make the wood burn As he passed by to the fire a Woman seeing the sad usage of him wept bitterly to whom he did reply Weep not I pray for me And at the fire being condemned he said I have done no such thing as they accuse me of And holding up his hands he said O Lord forgive them for they offend ignorantly not knowing what they do In the mean time a certain Woman offer'd to suffer 1000 stripes and to give them much Money so they would but keep him in Prison till he had pleaded his cause but they were the more enraged and threw down and trod upon the Woman And seeing the fire would not burn Sutphen they smote him with their hands and prick'd and struck him with divers weapons and then bound him to a Ladder by the neck to strangle him so strait and hard that the blood gushed out of his nose and mouth the doer of it treading upon his breast the while not permitting him to prate or pray and being tyed to a Ladder one Iohn Holmes ran to him and struck him with a Mace till he was dead Vol. 1. pag. 102 103 104 105 106. Mr. Peter Spengler of Schalt in