to religion whom they had reconciled where they said Masse who harboured relieued them They racke Catholikes for triffeling causes vnvvoūtedly what they heard in confession a barbarouse impietie and such like for we may not thinke that they vse torments only for disclosing of great treasons or other crimes as they had wont to do and that not without great occasion but tovvards Catholikes and specially Gods annointed Priests they sticke not novv without pitie to vse al kind of torture often rather for a punishment of them or to make them by paines to forsake their faith or of malice and despite of the Catholike faith then for any matter they looke to be opened by them So they laid M. Tomson a learned graue Priest vpon the racke before they euer examined him M. T. bacheler of Diuinitie a thing most cruel and disorderly hauing nothing to charge him withal but onely to what end he kept certaine superaltares which were found in his chamber As for religion onely hauing no other pretence in the world they thrust him as is said v weekes together after the Lieutenant had spoiled him of v poundes and Thomas Burschoaghe Thomas Burschoagh a Catholike yong man and learned a quarter of a yere together into a grisely dongeon called Vvhalesboure without candel light and water til by the priuie there they were vvel neere pestred to death So did they afflict Iohn Hemslovv Iohn Hemslovv onely for burying his Catholike mother in the Church yard being cast out of their heretical synagogue for her faith thrusting him into a filthie vile hole after they had discharged him of his money for that is medius terminus euer al a lent long vvithout light fire or place to ease nature in til by his ovvne excrements discharged into a dongeon vnder him he had like to haue been stiffiled vvith stinch They racke Priests on sundaies holydaies specially And vvhich is vvorth the marking or rather lamenting of al Christian harts that for our more affliction they prophanely make choise to giue the torture to our brethren vpon sundaies and hie holydaies in Gods Church after the old maner of the heathen persecutors rather then vpon vvorken daies And to feede them selues vvith our calamities By vvhat cruel meanes they terrifie the Catholike prisoners and eftsons to terrifie other confessors the rather to enforce them from their faith they bring some nevv racked vnder their fellovv prisoners vvindovves and to their dores that by hering their pitiful sighes grones and complaints proceding of infinite paines they may be moued to relent in religon yea vvhich is more inhumanitie they set some of the confessors in bye darke corners vvhen other their brethren are in tormenting And no lesse torment both of body and minde is it to be haled and forced against their vvilles to their heretical church and sermons vvhere they must heare blasphemie and vvickednes and if they say nothing be rated of the Puritans and called dombe dogges if they reproue their Ministers they be offered violence and strokes As namely once a spiteful puritane laying his hand vpon his dagger A puritans spirit his teeth grinning in his head his face enflammed vvith malice came to one of the reuerend Priests and said thus Before God if it vvere not for feare of lavves I vvould presently stabbe my dagger to thy hart smale euidence would serue a Ieurie of such fellowes to cast away a thousand honest men and many dozens of these you may haue good cheape in England and this is our miserie novv that vve haue not onely the coulor of lavv against vs but al the vvicked of the realme our ennemies M. Hart miserably handeled for his conscience And al these pitiful vexations are they done vnto them for any thing but religion vvhen after M. Harts that learned reuerent Bachiler of Diuinities condemnation yet they vvould not let him rest but caused him to be conferred vvith al by Rainolds and others and vvhen he would not yeld miserably afflicted him by dongeon famine and other miseries Had they any cause then but religion or vvas it euer heard of in our realme that one alreddy hauing his iudgement should be aftervvards so manifoldly tormented M. Lieutenants courtesie For vvhat crime vvas it that the Lieutenant made a motion to D. Hammon his fellovv commissioner that the Priests last cōmitted to the Tovver might be sent to Bride-vvel to be vvhipt ô prophane irreligious and malicious Athiest That vvas a trike of Nortons spirit vvho could find in his hart to haue Norton his counsel sent the honorable confessor M. Povvnd to Bedlem to be treated like a mad man and had brought the Lieutenant to promise it befor a hal al most ful at his ovvne hovvse but as Gods prouidence hath directed matters sithence that diet is more fit for Nortons wife They say the Epistle of persecution hath rethorically amplified the Catholikes calamities in England So doth D. Humphrey in his vnlerned pamphlet against the Iesuists but our Lord IESVS vvho onely seeth through our miseries knovveth it hath not vttered the least parte of our daily distresses And how great or greuous so euer they be for religiō onely for no other treasons they are no other causes at the first pretended nor after any thing generally pursued but how to make them relēt in faith releasing euery body vvhat treason soeuer pretended if they would condescend vnto them in matter of religion Yea such as so did though they were these mens companions at Rome when and where these conspiracies were pretended to be wrought and some of them sent dovvne in their company and for the same ende yet vvere they neuer questioned vvithal of any such matter if they once vvould take the othe of the Q. supremacie ouer the church of England as Paschal Nicolls Osborne Caddey and such like as either of feare or for preferment then or aftervvard yelded Vvho should neuer haue eskaped so if they had been acquainted with such horrible treason the mistrust or pretence vvhereof vvas not as then skarcely formed in the Counsels intention nor resolued vpon vntil a good vvhile after they had apprehended examined and racked F. Campion The great desire they had to make a vvay F. Campiō vvas the cause of al this actiō vvhom they vvere exceding desirous to put away by some coulorable meanes thereby to extinguishe this spiritual practise in cases of religion in our countrey Diuers had been racked before that and nothing found or much mistrusted concerning this pretended conspiracie but to see their constancie in religion and pacience in their extremest torments that appalled the commissioners excedingly in so much that D. Hammon vpon the racking of M. Brian D. Hammons speach at M. Brians tormenting vttered in great terror of his conscience That if one vvere not very vvel grounded in his faith this geare might shake him And when M. Hart vvas taken from the
name of Richardson and the ij of August the same yere He vvent to Rome he vvas sent to Rome in cōpany vvith M. Rishton vvho vvas cōdemned vvith him also vvhere he studied in the Seminarie til the yere M.D.LXXX at vvhat time he retorned homevvard and came to Remes vvhere he staied certaine daies after his fellovves vvho then by diuers vvaies and portes vvere entered into the Realme vpon this occasion A motion made to the Pope of a Suffragane for Englād There vvas not long before special sute made to his Holines that as vve had of priests to al spiritual purposes good store for our countrey so vve might haue at least one Suffragane or Bishop to supplie diuers necessarie functions that could not be done by the inferior cleargie as amongest other things the sacrament of Cōfirmation Great lacke of Confirmation which being specially ordained of our Sauiour to geue strength and constancie to stand in defence of the faith in such times of persecution as this is vvas much necessarie for our countrey and could not be had by reason al our true Bishops vvere either dead in prison or so restrained that they could not exercise that or other their holy Ministeries The POPE though he deliberated therevpon some daies Causes vvhy the Pope vvould not graunt it yet in the end vpon very many vvise considerations and specially for that he would not haue any of that high calling to fal into the hands of the ennemy not doubting but that they would vse such an one as barbarously as any other Priest or Catholike did not thinke it good at that time to create any such But aftervvard the right Reuerend in God Thomas Goldvvel Bishop of S. Assaph The cause vvhy the Bishop of S. Assaph came out of Italy a most Venerable and auncient Confessor that hath suffered banishment for his conscience halfe his life though he be vvel nere lxxx yeres of age hearing the maruelous zeale of so many Godly Priests and their heroical endeuours for the saluation of their countrey vvas sturred in spirit and much desired to end the remnant of his old yeres in the seruice of his countrey vvent to his Holines to desire his leaue and benediction in that behalfe and with much adoe for that great respect was had of his dignitie and old age it vvas graunted him Vvherevpon the old honorable Father aduentured dovvne as fare as Rhemes in al the heate where he gaue to the Seminarie the greatest comfort and the same yelded to him al the contentement in the vvorld Cōsulting there hovv to gaine our countrey to saluation by any office of life or by glad suffering of death it self Vvhich meeting Vvhat the Coūsel imagined of his and others comming dovvne and specially that old and Reuerend Confessors comming dovvne for England as they al deemed put maruelous concepts into the Counsels heads that there was some great and nevve attempt or inuasion tovvard for worldly men standing only at the vvatch of the temporal state could not imagine that for gaining of a soule or tvvo or for conuersion of a kingdom either such men would be so diligēt and venturous as to come vpon their pickes and roopes vvithout some vvorldly succours The cause of the Bishops stay and retorne Novv it so chanced by Gods prouidence that the said Lord of S. Assaph for other causes and specially for that he fel into a very daungerous ague vvith the contagious cough vvhich then raigned in Rhemes he could not passe on in his iorney so spedely as other of the Societie and Priests did and therfore for his more honor comfort some other specially this man of God M. Shervvine offered to tarie vvith his Lordship during his sicknes and then vvhen God should send him strength to be one of his chapliens and conductors into his countrey but it vvas resolued at length that for the vncertentie of his recouery M. Shervvine should passe forvvard tovvard Roan and there rather to expect him as he did But the good Father novv much vveakened by his sickenes and othervvise not vvel appointed nor in deed fit for to take the paines nor any waies by reason of his markeable person very great age and feeblenes long like to escape the persecutors hands was in fine altered from that purpose and after his recouery he thought good rather to retorne into Italie againe as he did His apprehension And M. Shervvine vvent forvvard tovvards England vvhere after his arriual he occupied him self in al functions belonging to Priesthod vvith great zeale and charitie and sone after he vvas taken in M. Roscarrokes chamber in London Hovv he vvas vsed in prison and committed to the Marshalsey vvhere he lay night and day in a great paire of shakles for the space of a moneth In Nouember after his emprisonement there came vvord from the Knight Marshal to the keeper of the Marshalsey to vnderstand of him vvhether there vvere any Papists in his prison that durst or vvould maintaine their cause by disputation A motion of disputatiōs and if there were any such that then they should send him such questions as they would defend subscribed vvith their handes and make them ready to dispute for they should vnderstād from him shortely of the maner time and place hovv and vvhere to dispute This motion vvas so vvel liked of the Catholikes Accepted by the Catholikes that this M. Shervvine and tvvo other Priests that vvere condemned vvith him aftervvard M. Hart M. Bosgraue offered them selues to the combat drevve out questions subscribed their names and sent them to the said K Marshal But their questions pleasing him not they do accept and allovve of other questions sent vnto them from the said K. Marshal and do expect with ioyful minde the day appointed to dispute But loe He is remoued to the Tovver euen the day before they should haue disputed M. Shervvine was remoued to the Tovver vvhere he vvas at sundrie seueral times examined and racked In his first racking he was asked vvhere F. Campion and F. Parsons vvere His racking and the interrogatories vvhy he and they came ouer into England vvhat acquaintance he had here in England vvhether he had said Masse in M. Roskarokes chamber and vvhether he had of him at any time money His conferences vvith the Ministers did much good He was close prisoner almost a whole yere in which time he had diuers conferences with Ministers both priuately and in some open audience both of honorable and worshipful to the honor of God the benefit of his afflicted Church and to the admiration of most of the hearers He vvas after his first racking fet out in a great snovv and laid vpon the racke Great crueltie and the Gentilman in whose chamber he was taken was kept in a bye darck corner to heare his pitiful grones and complaints On Midsomer-day in the yere 1581 He vvas delt
He offered his ij fellovves before in the time of the search His charitie that if they thought al that a doe vvas for him and that his yelding might acquite them he vvould geue him selfe vp to their handes but they would not suffer that in any vvise but hearing one an others confession expected Gods good vvil together euery one hauing enioyned penance to say thrise Fiat voluntas tua domine thy vvil be fulfilled and Sancte Ioannes Baptista ora pro me saint Iohn Baptist pray for me Vvhich blessed Saint they principally praied vnto for that the said Father Campion vvas deliuered as he toke it His patrone out of the searchers handes at Douer by the holy mediation of that holy prophet his special patrone But F. Campion the man of God His behauiour being novv in the povver of his said traditor and the officers and made a spectacle and matter of mockerie to the vnvvise multitude vngodly of al sortes shewed such marckable modestie myldnes patience and Christian humilitie in al his speaches and doings that the good vvere excedingly edified and the ennemies much astonied After ij His carying vp to London daies that he vvas in the sherife of Barkeshires custodie he vvas caried with the rest asvvel Priests as Gentilmen and other in that place apprehended tovvards London In the vvay he had many pretie and plesant disputes speaches and ansvvers vvith the Gentilmen that garded him other that came to see him to their vvonderful liking admiratiō of his so cheereful and Christiā behauiour in the middest of his destresses which to the worldly there about him seemed intolerable but to him that had such an invvard man they were nothing At Abington among others diuers schollers of Oxford came to see the man so famous vvhereof being tolde by one M. Lidcote he said he vvas very glad him selfe being once of that vniuersitie and asked vvhether they vvould heare a sermon There at dinner Eliote said vnto him Eliots speach to F. Campion M. Campion you looke cherefully vpon euery body but me I knovve you are angrie vvith me in your hart for this vvorke God forgeue the Eliot said he for so iudging of me I forgeue thee and in token thereof I drinke to thee yea and if thou vvilt repent and come to confession I vvil absolue thee but large penance thou must haue M. Filbies strange dreame Aftervvard at Henley M. Filby a Priest and one of the prisoners not found in the house vvith the rest but taken in the vvatch as he vvas comming to the house had in his sleepe a significant dreame or vision of the ripping vp of his body and taking out of his bovvels the terrour vvhereof caused him to cry so loud that the vvhole house vvas raised therby vvhich aftervvard in his ovvne F. Campions and other his fellowes Martyrdom vvas accomplished Besides the tying of their legges vnder the horses bellies and binding their armes behind them vvhich was done to others also the Coūsel appointed special punishement and disgraces for F. Campion Disgraces donne to F. Campion not euer vvont to be done til the partie vvere conuicted of some crime commaunding a paper to be set vpon his hat vvith great capital letters shevving him to be CAMPION THE SEDITIOVS IESVIT as the herodiās once reuested his Maister for the like cause and in like kind of mockerie vvith kingly robe crovvne and scepter And to take their further pleasure of him order vvas geuen they should stay at Colbrucke a good peece of friday and al night that thence they might bring him and his fellovves vpon Saturday in triumph through the citie and the vvhole length thereof specially through such places vvhere by reason of the markets of that day the greatest concourse of the common people vvas vvhom in such matters they seeke of pollicie most to please vvhich vvas executed accordingly The vvise lament The simple gaze al London almost beholding the spectacle the simple gasing and vvith delite beholding the noueltie the vvise lamenting to see our countrie fallen to such barbarous iniquitie as to abuse a sacred man so honorable in al nations for his lerning and of so innocent a life Vvhen he came by the Crosse in Chepe He doth reuerēce to the CROSSE vvhich in these daies there is odious in the best maner he could being pinyoned He christianly made the signe of our Sauiour vpon his brest and vvith like humilitie deeply bent his bodie for reuerence tovvardes Christs image there Vvhich vvas a strange sight to the deceiued people of that place So that day vvhich vvas the xxij of Iuly Committed to prison in the Tovver he vvas deliuered vp to the Lieutenant of the Towere Vvhere besides the ordinarie miseries incident to that kind of imprisonnement doubled by the inhumaine dealing and deepe hatred of Catholikes The rigor and hatred of the Lieutenant Often examined and racked The interrogatories at his first racking of the cheefe officer there after sundry examinations terrors and threattes by the L. Chauncellor and other of the Counsel and commission he vvas diuers times racked to vvring out of him by intollerable torments vvhose houses he frequented by vvhom he vvas releiued vvhom he had reconciled vvhat he knevve a strange case by their confessions vvhen vvhich vvay for vvhat purpose by vvhat commission he came into the Realme hovv vvhere and by vvhom he printed and dispersed his bookes and such like At his first racking they vvent no farther vvith him vsing no great rigor vvith him in the torment The 2. racking is for forged Treasons but aftervvard vvhen they savv he could not be vvon to cōdescende somvvhat at least in religion vvhich they most desired they thought good to forge matter of treason and framed their demaundes accordingly about vvhich he vvas so cruelly torne and rent vpon the torture the tvvo laste times that he told a secret frend of his that found meanes to speake vvith him that he thought they meant to make him a vvay in that sort that they demaunded him questions of relieuing vvith money the Irish rebells of conspiring the Queenes death inuasion of the realme of the sence of certaine vvordes of a letter vvhich he vvrote to M. Pound for ansvver of his former The infidelitie of the Protestant messenger vvhich a good fellovv promised by othe his faith that is the faith of a protestant receiuing an angel for his labour to deliuer saffly but did not The meaning of the vvordes he both then and aftervvard as vvel at the barre as at his death vttered most sincerely and for the rest if they had torne him in ten thousand peeces or stilled him to the quint essence in that holy breast they should neuer haue found any peece of those fained treasons He vsed to fal dovvne at the rackehovvse dore vpon both knees to commend him selfe to Gods mercie and to craue his grace of patience in his paines
vvith al to goe to the â—câ—ismatical Church he vvas called before the LieutenaÌ„t as likevvise al his fellovv prisoners vvere vvho demaunded of him by commission from the Counsel vvhether he vvould goe to their heretical seruice vvho refusing the Lieutenant told him the danger of a late statute made in that behalfe and that farther he should be endited vpon that statute with in ij or iij daies so that at that time as it should seeme The treason as then not hatched they had no such matter to lay against him as after vvas pretended for it vvas not as then throughly hatched The order of his life in his spare diet his continual praier and meditation Euen the Protestants did admire his vertues his long vvatching vvith ofte sharpe discipline vsed vpon his body causâ—d great admiration to his keeper who vvould alvvaies cal him a man of God and the best and deuoutest Priest that euer he savv in his life Vvhen he came out of the Lieutenants hal vvith other of his fellovves tvvo daies or there about before he vvas Martyred hauing talked vvith a Minister vvho was neuer so holden vp to the vval in his life His noâ—able spâ—ach to F. Campion by report of such as stoode by he vttered these vvordes Ah F. Campion I shal be shortely aboue yonder fellovv pointing to the sunne vvith such a courage that some said he vvas the resolutest man that euer they savv He vvil neuer be forgotten in the Tovver for some vvords which he spake when he vvas ready to goe to execution attending F. Campion vvho was lodged further of Charke the Minister can best report them The very Ministers iudge him innocent vvho stoode harde by him Some of Charkes fellow Ministers said those vvordes could not come from a guiltie conscience THE COPIE OF A LETTER WRITTEN out of the Tovver by M. Shervvine to his frendes iij or iiij of the latter lines are vvanting BEING vvearie of vvel doing and yet desirous not to do nothing my deare companions I chose rather by vvritting vnto you to performe my duetie then othervvise to recreate my head vvith cogitations lesse necessarie Your liberalitie I haue receiued and disposed thereof to my great contentation when hereafter at the pleasure of God vve shal meet in heauen I trust you shal be repaied Cum foenore Delay of our death doth somevvhat dull me it vvas not vvithout cause that our Maister him selfe said Quod facis fac cito Truth it is I hoped ere this casting of this body of death to haue kissed the pretious glorified vvoundes of my svveete Sauiour sitting in the throne of his fathers ovvne glorie Which desire as I trust descending from aboue hath so quieted my minde that since the Iudicial sentence proceded against vs neither the sharpnes of the death hath much terrified me nor the shortnes of life much troubled me My sinnes are great I confesse but I flee to Gods mercie my necligences are vvithout number I graunt but I appeale to my redeemers clemencie I haue no bouldnes but in his bloud his bitter passion is my only consolation It is comfortable that the Prophet hath recorded which is that he hath vvritten vs in his handes Oh that he would vouchsaffe to vvrit him self in our harts hovv ioyful should we then appeare before the tribunal seat of his Fathers glorie the dignitie whereof vvhen I thinke my flesh quaketh not sustaining by reason of mortal infirmitie the presence of my creators Maiestie Our Lord perfect vs to that ende vvherevnto we vvere created that leauing this world vve may liue in him and of him vvorld without ende It is thought that vpon Munday or Tevvsday next vve shal be passible God graunt vs humilitie that we follovving his fotesteps may obteine the victorie AN OTHER LETTER VVRITTEN BY him the day before his Martyrdom to his vncle M. Iohn Vvodvvard a venerable Priest abiding at Roan Absit vt gloriemur nisi in CRVCE Domini IESV CHRISTI c. MY dearest vncle after many conflicts and worldly corrasies mixed with Spiritual consolations and Christian comfortes it hath pleased God of his vnspeakable mercie to cal me out of this vale of miserie To him therefor for al his benefits at al times and for euer be al praise and glorie Your tender care alvvaies had ouer me and cost bestovved on me I trust in heauen shal be revvarded My praiers you haue stil had and that vvas but duetie other tokens of a grateful minde I could not shevv by reason of my restrained necessitie This very morning vvhich is the festiual day of S. Andrevv I vvas aduertised by superior authoritie that to morovv I was to ende the course of this life God graunt I may do it to the imitation of this noble Apostle and seruant of God and that with ioy I may say rising of the herdle Salue sancta CRVX c. Innocencie is my only comfort against al the forged villanie which is fathred on my fellovv Priests and me Vvel when by the high Iudge God him self this false visard of treason shal be remoued from true Catholike mens faces then shal it appeare vvho they be that carry a vvel meaning and who an euil murdering minde in the meane season God forgeue al iniustice and if it be his blessed vvil to conuert our persecutors that they may become professors of his truth Praiers for my soule procure for me my louing patrone and so hauing great neede to prepare my self for God neuer quieter in minde nor lesse troubled tovvards God bynding al my iniquities vp in his precious woundes I bid you fare vvel yea and once againe the louingest vncle that euer kinsman had in this vvorld fare wel God graunt vs both his grace and blessing vntil the ende that liuing in his feare amd dying in his fauour vve may enioy one the other for euer And so my good old Iohn fare wel Salute al my fellow Catholikes and so without farther troubling of you my sweetest benefactor farevvel On S. Andrevves day 1581. Your cosen Raph Shervvine Priest M. Alexander Brian Priest and graduat AFTER these tvvo glorious martyrs vvas brought vnto his Martyrdome M. Alexander Brian a man not vnlerned M. Brians rare giftes of a very svveet grace in preaching but of passing zeale patience constancie and humilitie of whose pressures in prison and tortures strange I dare say among heathens more monstruous among Christians I vvil speake a none Being in the carte prepared to death he begane first to declare his bringing vp in the Catholike faith and religion his being in Oxford vpon which word he was staid by one saying what haue vve to do with Oxford come to the purpose and confesse thy treason INNOCENCIE Vvherevpon he ansvvered I am not guiltie of any such death I vvas neuer at Rome nor then at Remes vvhen D. Saunders came into Irland To this ende he spake and protested as he would ansvvere before God He spake not much but where
my ghoostlie enemie I haue made a vovv I say that vvhen so euer it shal please God to deliuer me so that once at the lenght it like him I vvill vvith in one yere then next folovving assigne my selfe vvholy to the fathers of the societie and that Yf God inspire their harts to admit me I vvil gladly and vvith exceding great ioye throvvly and from the bottom of my hart geue vp and surrender all my vvil to the seruice of God and in all obedience vnder them This vovv vvas to me a passing great ioye and consolation in the myddes of all my distresses and tribulations And therfore vvith greater hope to obtein fortitude and patience I drevv neare to the throne of his diuine maiestie vvith the assistance of the blessed and perpetual virgin MARIE and of all the Saincts And I hope verily this came of God for I did it euen in the time of praier vvhen me thought my minde was setled vpon heauenly things For thus it vvas The same day that I vvas first tormented on the rack before I came to the place â—euing my mind to praier and commending my selfe and all mine to oure Lorde I vvas replenished and filled vp vvith a kinde of supernaturall svvetenesse of Spirit And euen vvhile I vvas calling vpon the moste holie name of IESVS and vpon the blessed virgin MARIE for I vvas in saying the Rosarie my mind vvas cheerefully disposed vvell comforted and readily prepared and bent to suffer and endure those torments vvhich euen then I moste certainly looked for At the length my former purpose came into my minde and there vvith all a thought coincidently fell vpon me to ratifie that novv by vovve vvhich before I had determined Vvhan I had ended my praiers I reuolued these things in my minde deeply and vvith reason as vvell as I could I did debate and discusse them thorovvly I Iudge iâ— good and expedient for me I accomplished my desire I put forth my vow and promise freely and boldly vvith the condition a forâ— saide Vvhich acte me thinketh God him self did approuâ— and allovv by and by â—or in all my afflictions and torments he of his infinite goodnâ—sse mercifully and tenderly did stand by and assiste me comforting me in my trouble and necessitie Deliuering my soule from vvicked lipps from the deceitful tongue and from the roring lyons then readie gaping for their pray Vvhether this that I vvill say be miraculous or no God he knovveth but true it is and thereof my conscience is a witnesse before God And this I say that in the end of the torture though my handes and feete vvere violently stretched and racked my aduersaries fulfilled their vvicked lust in practisinge their â—ruell â—yranny â—pon my body yet notvvitstanding I vvas with out sense and feeling well nigh of all greefe and pâ—â—ine and not so only but as it were comforted eased and refreshed of the greeues of the torture by past I continued still with perfect and present senses in quietnes of hart and tranquilitie of mind Vvhich thing vvhen the commissioners did see they departed and in going foorth of the doore they gaue order to rack me againe the next day folovving after the same sorte Novv when I hearde them say so It gaue me in my mind by and by and I did verely beleeue and trust that with the help of God I should be able to beare and suffer it patiently In the mean time as vvell as I could I did muse and meditate vpon the moste bitter passion of oure Sauioure and hovv full of innumerable paines it was And whiles I vvas thus occupied me thought that my left hand was vvounded in the palme and that I felt the blood runne out but in very deede there vvas no such thing nor any other paine then that which seemed to be in my hand Novv then that my sute and request may be well knowne vnto yovv for so much as I am oute of hope in short time to recouer and â—â—love my former libertie so as I mighâ— personally speake vnto yovv And whether happely I shal once at lenght speake vnto yow in this world no mor all man doeth knovv In the meane season I humbly submitt my selfe vnto yovv and suppliantly kneeling I besecht yovv to doe and dispose for me and of me as shall seeme good to youre wisdome And with an humble mind moste hartilie I craue that if it may be in my absens it would please yovv to admit me into you Societie and to regester and inrole me among yovv that so with humble men I may haue a sense and feling of humâ—â—â—â—ie 〈◊〉 deuouâ—e men I may sounde out a lovvde the lauds and praises of God continually render thankes to him forms beâ—eâ—its and then afâ—er being aided by the praiers of many I may runne more safely to he marke which I shoote at and with oute perill attaine to the price thaâ— is promised And I am not ignorant that the snares and wiles of oure auncient enemie are infinite for he is the slye serpent which lieth in the shadovv of woods vvinding whirling and turning aboute many waies and vvith his vviles and subtile shifts he attempteth maruelously to delude and abuse the soules of the simple vvhich want a faithfull guide in so much as it is not vvithout cause that we are admonished to trie the spirits if they be of God To you therfore bicause you are spirituall and accustomed to this kinde of conflict I commend all this businesse beseching you euen by the bovveles of Gods mercy that you vvould vouchesafe to direct me with your counsaile and wisdome And if in youre sight it seme profitable for more honoâ— to God more commoditie to his Churche and eternall sasuation to my soule that I be preferred to that Societie of the most holie name of IESVS then presently before God and in the court of my conscience I do promise obedience to all and singular Rectors and gouernours established all redie or to be hereafter established and likevvise to all rules or lavves receiued in this societie to the vttermoste of my povver and so farre as God doth geue me grace God is my vvitnesse and this my ovvne hand writting shal be a testimonie hereof in the day of Iudgement As for the healthe of my body you haue no cause to doubt for novv well nere I haue recouered my former strength and hardnesse By Gods help I wax euery day stronger than other Thus in all other things commending my self to your praiers I bid you farevvell in oure Lorde carefully expecting what you thinke good to determin of me Vale. ⧠An old fellovv of F. Campions vvould needes satisfie his deuotion tovvards him in these verses vvhich came to my hand after his life vvas printed and therefore I vvas forced to put them somevvhat out of place SIT mihifas EDMVNDE pater quia mors tua verè Sancta est vitae etiam sic meminisse tuae Noui te Oxonij puerum puer
of his life being sure to daÌ„ne his soule Then was it tendered him that if he would but confesse his fault and aske the Queene forgeuenes she would yet be merciful to him He ansvvered againe that his conscience did geue him a cleere testimonie that he neuer offended and therefore he vvould neither confesse that whereof he was innocent neither aske forgeuenes where no offence was committed against her Maiestie Wel By these nuÌ„bers of proffers it is plaine they iudged them innocent in their conscience then said Sherife Martine doe but acknovvledg those thinges which your fellovv Bosgraue hath done such as appereth by his examination and I will yet saue your life who denieâ— likevvise Then the people cried avvay with him and he beganne to pray in latin the Ministers and others desired him to pray in English and they vvould pray with him Who ansvvered that in praying with them he should deshonor God but if you were of on faith with me then I would pray with you But he desired al those that were Catholikes to pray vvith him and he vvould pray with them and as for any other that vvas a Christian and desirous to pray for him he would not let them although he would not pray with them And so after that he had ended his Pater noster began his Aue the carte vvas dravven avvay and there he hanged vntil he was dead and vntil his tvvo fellovves Richardson and Cottam did take the vevve of him His speaches were very intricat for that many did speake vnto him of seueral matters but here are the principal thinges by him vttered to my remembrance A true copie of a letter sent by that constant confessor Maistre Kirbie to certaine his frendes MY moste hartie commendations to you and the rest of my derest frendes If you sende any thing to me you must make hast because we looke to suffer death very shortly as alreadie it is signified to vs. yet I much feare lest our vnvvorthines of that excellent perfection crowne of Martyrdome shall procure vs a longer lif within these fevve daies Iohn Nicolls came to my chambre windovve with humble submission to craue mercy and pardon for all his wickednes and trecheries committed against vs and to acknovvledge his bookes Sermons and infamous speaches to our infamy and discredit to be vvicked false and most execrable before God and man which for preferment promotion hope of liuinge and fauor of the nobilitie he committed to writing and to the vevve of the worlde whereof beinge verye penitent and sorovvfull from his hart rather then he vvould coÌ„mit the like offence againe he vvisheth to suffer a thousand deaths for beinge pricked in conscience with our vniust condemnation which novv haith happened contrarie to his expectation albeit he offered matter sufficient in his first booke of recantation for our aduersaries to make a bill of indightement against vs yet he minded then nothinge lesse as he novv protesteth He knovveth in conscience our accusations and euidence brought in against vs to be false and to haue no coullor of truth but onelye of malice forced by our ennimies and for Sledd and Mundaye he is him self to accuse them of this wicked trecherie falshoode and of their naughtie and abominable life of which he was made priuie and vvhich for shame I can not committ to vvritinge In detestation of his ovvne doinges and their wickednes he is minded neuer here after to asceÌ„d into pulpet nor to deale againe in any matter of religion for which cause he hath for saken the Ministerie and is minded to teach a schole as I vnderstande by him in Norffolke in profe whereof he shevved me his nevv disguised apparell as yet couered with his Ministers weede I wished hym to make amendes for all his sinnes and to go to place of pennance and he ansvvered me he vvas not yet conformable to vs in euerie point of religion nor euer vvas but liued at Rome in hipocrisie as he hath done euer since in his ovvne profession Againe he thought that if euer he should departe the realme he coulde not escape burning He offred to go to Maister Leiutenant and to Maister Secretaire Vvalzingham and to declare how iniuriously I and the rest weare condemned that he him self might be free from sheddinge Innocent bloude albeit he was some what affraid to shevv him self in London vvhere alreadie he had declared our Innocent behauiour and his owne malitious dealinge tovvardes vs in his booke and Sermons To giue my censure and Iudgement of him certain I thinke that he will within short time fal into infidelitie except God of his goodnes in the meane time be mercifull vnto him and reclaime him by some good meanes to the Catholike faith yet it should seeme he hath not lost all good giftes of nature when as in conscience he was pricked to open the truth in our defence and to detect his ovvne wickednes and trecheries of others practised against vs to our confusion Novv I see as all the vvorld herafter shall easilie perceaue that the doinges of this man do confirme the olde saying That rather then God will haue wilful murther to be concealed he procureth the birdes of the aier to reueale it I am minded to signifie to Sir FrauÌ„cis Vvalzingham this his submission vnto vs except in the meane time I shall learne that he hath as he promisâ—d faithfully to me alreadie opened the same Maister Richardson and Maister Philbie haue novv obteined some bedding vvhich euer since their condemnation haue laine vpon the bordes Maister Hart hath had many great conflictes vvith his aduersaries This morning the x. of Ianuarie he vvas committed to the dongeoÌ„ where he novv remaineth God comfort him he taketh it verie quietly patiently the cause was for that he would not yeld to Maister Reignoldes of Oxford in any one point but still remained constant the same man he vvas before and euer Maister Reignoldes albeit he be the best learned of that sort that hath from time to time come hither to preach and conferre yet the more he is tried and dealt vvith all the lesse learning he hath shevved Thus beseeching you to assist vs vvith your good praiers vvhereof novv especially vve stande in neede as we by Gods grace shal not be vnmindefull of you I bid you farvvel this x. of Ianuarie 1582. Yours to death and after death Luke kirbie M. LAVRENCE RICHARDSON vvhose right name vvas Iohnson and M. Thomas Cottam Priestes and graduates THESE tvvoe vvere brought together to looke vpon M. kirbie vvhich vvas then hanging and being cut dovvne they vvere put vp into the carte vvhere vvith cheerefull countenances they signed them selues vvith the signe of the Crosse saying Here he blesseth the people neuer cursed them as lying MuÌ„day vvriteth in his discouerie of Ed. Campion c. In nomine patris filij spiritus sancti M. Cottam turning him about said God blesse you al our Lord blesse you al