lost the true Faith once delivered to the Saints and instead of being Sufferers which was once the portion of the true Christians were now became Persecutors and Destroyers of such as would not stoop to their Idolatry and to every foolish invention that the Popes from time to time did set up and commanded to be observed It is recorded that in the time of Pope Julius partly with his Wars and partly with his Cursings in the space of seven years about 200000. Christians were destroyed so addicted to Bloodshed was this Pope and as is written surpassed many other Popes in Iniquity that Wicelius wrot thus of him Marti illum quam Christo deditiorem fuisse that is that he was more given to War and Batail then to Christ which made Philip Melancton write an Epigram in Latine upon him the sence of which in English is as followeth When Julius Pope against the French determin'd to make War As fame reports he gathered up great Troops of men from far And to the Bridge of Tyber then marching as he were Wood His holy Keys he took and cast them down into the Flood And afterward into his hand he took a naked Sword And shaking it braks forth into this fierce and warlike word This Sword of Paul quoth he shall now defend us from our Foe Since that this Key of Peter doth nothing avail thereto In the year 1512. there was a fight between Lewis the French King and this Pope Julius at Ravenna upon Easter day where the Pope was vanquished and had of his Army slain to the number of Sixteen thousand and the next year this Apostolical Warriour which had resigned his Keys to the River of Tybris before made an end both of his fighting and living About this time began the reign of Henry the eighth King of England in whose reign great alterations and turns of Religion were wrought by the mighty operation of Gods Hand not only in England but in Germany and other parts of Europe such as had not been seen although much groaned for many hundred years before nevertheless many suffered great Persecutions and Martyrdom in this Kings reign both in England and elsewhere and many good men were raised up to bear witness to the Truth yet some were of opinion that it was not wholy the Kings fault that so much Blood was spilt in his time for the Bishops were the Draco to make the bloody Laws and it was the Bishops that were earnest to see the Laws put in Execution the King oftentimes scarce knowing what was done and but hearing of a Woman that was the second time put upon the Rack exceedingly condemned the party that was the cause of it for using such extreme Cruelty John Brown passing from London in a Gravesend-Barge in which Barge there was a Priest and Brown sate hard by him whereupon the Priest said dost thou know who I am Thou sittest too neer me Brown said no sir I know not who you are I tell thee said he I am a Priest What sir said Brown are you a Parson or a Viccar or a Ladies Chaplain I am said he a Soul Priest and sing for a Soul I pray you sir said Brown where find you the Soul when you go to Mass I know not said the Priest and where do you leave it when you have done Mass I cannot tell said the Priest Brown replyed if you neither know where the Soul is when you begin nor where you leave it when you have done how then do you save a soul Go thy ways said the Priest thou art an Heretick and I will be even with thee And accordingly when they came to Land the Priest taking two others with him that were present in the Boat went and complained to Arch-Bishop Warham who sent a Warrant presently to apprehend Brown and being apprehended the Messenger bound his feet under his horse belly and carried him away to the Arch-Bishop neither his wife nor friends knowing whether he went nor what they would do with him The Bishop cast him into Prison where he lay about six weeks then was carried to Ashford where he dwelt and there set in the flocks all night his wife hearing of it came and set by him all night to whom he shewed how cruelly he had been handled by the Arch-bishop telling her he could not set his feet to the ground for they had burnt them to the bones to make him deny Christ which said he I durst not do lest my Lord Christ should deny me hereafter Therefore good wife continue as thou hast begun and bring up my Children Virtuously and in the Fear of God And so the next day this Godly Martyr was burnt calling upon God and saying into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth At the fire the n = ‖ Chilton by name Bailiff bid cast in his Children also for said he they will spring out of his Ashes And in Queen Maries time his son Richard Brown was sentenced to be burnt being a Prisoner at Canterbury but that the Queen dying he escaped suffering About this time many suffered very greatly for spaking against Worshipping of Saints against Pilgrimage for having Scripture books in English and a book called Wickliss wicket One of which Sufferers by name Elizabeth Stamford who being brought and examined before Fitz James Bishop of London Anno 1517. confessed that she was taught by one Thomas Beale of Henly these words Eleaven years before viz. That Christ faâ—deth and nourisheth his Church with his own pretious Body that is the Bread of Life coming down from Heaven This is said she the Worthy Word that is Worthily received and joyned unto man to be in one body with him so it is that they be both one they may not be parted This is not received by chewing of Teeth but by hearing with Ears and understanding with the Soul and wisely working thereafter and as Paul saith I fear me amongst us Brethren that many of us be feeble and sick therefore my Counsel is Brethren to rise and watch that the great day of Doom come not suddenly upon us as the Thief doth upon the Merchant And she said further that the said Thomas Beale taught her that she should confess her sins to God and that the Popes Pardons and Indulgences were nothing worth John Stillman in the year 1518. was apprehended and brought before the Bishop of London and examined for speaking against Worshipping Praying and Offering unto Images and for saying Wicklifs Wicket was a good book and that when he was apprehended he hid the same in an old oak and did not bring it out to the Bishop he was sent to the Lollards Tower and being afterwards brought openly to the Consistory at Pauls it was further objected against him that he should say the Pope was Antichrist and not the true Successor of Peter or Christs Viccar on Earth and that his Pardons and Indulgences which he granted in the Sacrament
give them in that Quarrel then was he thrice put to the Pin-bank and Tormented most miserably to utter his Setters on then they past sentence against him and this was executed First he was drawn from the Castle of Dornick to the Market place having a ball of Iron put in his mouth then he was set upon a Stage where his Right hand was Crusht and prest between two hot Irons with sharp Iron edges fiery red in the like manner they served his right foot which Torments he endured with marvelous constancy that done they took the ball of Iron out of his mouth and cut out his Tongue notwithstanding his Tongue was cut out he still called upon God as well as he could whereby the hearts of the people were greatly moved whereupon the Tormentors thrust the Iron ball into his mouth again from thence they brought him down to a lower Stage where his legs and hands were bound behind him with an Iron Chain going about his body and so he was let down flat upon the Fire the Governer standing by caused him to be plucked up again and so down and up again till at last the whole body was consumed to Ashes James Faber and three others Martyrs James Faber and three others suffered at Valens James Faber being an old man said that though he could not answer nor saisfie them in Reasoning yet he would constantly abide in the Truth of the Gospel Godfry Hamell Martyr Godfry Hamell a Taylor taken and condemned at Dornick when they had condemned him by the Name of an Heretick nay said he not an Heretick but a Servant of Jesus Christ when the Hangman went about to Strangle him to diminish his punishment he refused saying that he would abide the Sentence that the Judges had given Besides these that suffered in Germany before mentioned a great number there was both in the Higher and Lower Countries of Germany which were put to death for Religion many of them were burnt some buryed alive some secretly drowned many of their Names are mentioned in the Acts and Monuments but little of the circumstances of their Tryal and Execution being mentioned I have omitted them for brevities sake Sufferers in France for bearing the like Witness to the Gospel Dennis Renix Martyr Denis Renix at Melde in the year 1558. Was burnt for testifying against the Mass he was alwayes wont to have in his mouth the Words of Christ He that denyeth me before men him wiâ—â— I also deny before my Father he was burnt in a slow Fire and did abide much Torments Note upon a complaint made to the Council called Le Chamber Ardante that the Judges suffered Hereticks to have their Tongues Immediately thereupon a Decree was made that all which were to be burned unless they recanted at the fire should have their Tongues cut off which Law afterwards was diligently observed Stephen Polliard Martyr Stephen Polliard coming out of Normandy in the year 1546. where he was born unto Meux tarried there not long but he was compelled to flee and went to a Town called Fera where he was apprehended and brought to Paris and there cast into a foul and dark Prison in which Prison he was kept in Bonds and Fetters a long time where he saw almost no Light at length being called for before the Senate and his sentence given to have his Tongue cut out and to be burnt alive his Satchell of Books hanging about his neck O Lord said he is the World in blindness and darkness still for he thought being in Prison so long that the World had been altered from its old darkness to better knowledge at last with his Books about his neck he was burnt to death Florent Venote Martyr Florent Venote remained a Prisoner in Paris four years during which time he was put to divers Torments one kind of Torment was he was put in a narrow place so straight that he could neither stand nor lie which they called the Hose or Boots because it was strait below and wide above in this he remained seven weeks where the Tormentors affirm that no Thief or Murtherer could ever endure 15 days but were in danger of Life or Madness and at last on the 9th of the Moneth called July he was burnt to death with divers other Martyrs who were burnt as a Spectacle at the Kings coming into Paris The next that suffered was a poor Taylor in Paris who for working upon Holy-days so called and denying to observe them A poor Taylor in Paris Martyred was clapt in Prison the King hearing of it sent for him before him and some of his Peeres being before the King he answered with great boldness wit and memory defending the cause of Christ neither flattering their Persons nor fearing their threats which struck the King in a great damp in museing in his mind which the Bishops seeing committed the poor Taylor again to the hands of the Officer saying he was a stubborn Fellow and fitter to be punisht then to be marvelled at within few days after he was condemned to be burnt alive The next year two men for friendly admonishing a certain Priest which in his Sermon had abused the Name of God were both burned another young man of the Age of eighteen years for rebuking a man in Paris for Swearing being suspected to be a Lutheran was apprehended and brought before the Council at Paris who committed him to Prison where he was so cruelly Racked and Tormented that one of the Persecutors seeing it could not but turn his back and weep when he was brought and put in the Fire he was pluckt up again upon the Gibbet and asked whether he would turn to whom he said that he was in his way towards God and therefore desired them to let him go John Joyer and his Servant being a young man in the year 1552. coming from Geneva to their Country with certain Books John Joyer and his Servant and his Servant Martyrs were apprehended by the way and had to Tholouse where the Master was first condemned the Servant being young was not so prompt to answer but directed them to his Master to answer them when they were brought to the Stake the young man first going up began to weep the Master fearing lest he should recant ran to him and he was comforted as they were in the Fire the Master standing upright to the Stake shifted the Fire from him to his Servant being more carfull for him then for himself and when he saw him dead he bowed down himself in the flame and so expired Mathias Dimonetus Merchant at Lyons in the year 1553. having been a man of a Vicious and detestable life Mathias Dimonetus Martyr was notwithstanding through the Grace of God brought to the knowledge and Savour of his Truth for a Testimony to which he was soon after Imprisoned being in Prison he had great conflicts with the infirmity of his own Flesh but especially with the temptation
not long after smote him with sickness indeed a most horrible and strange Disease his Body being greatly tormented with Pain and could get no Help being had to an Hospital his Flesh rotted away and stunk so that none cared to come near him and in this Rage and Torment he was under he often cryed out Who will deliver me The Just Judgment of God against a cruel Persecutor Who will Kill me and deliver me out of these Torments and Pains which I know I suffer for the evils and oppressions that I have done to the poor men and in this anguish he most miserably ended his unhappy dayes After the death of this persecuting Monk the Bishop of Aix by his Official continued the Persecution and put a great Multitude of them in Prison of whom some by force of Torments revolted from the Truth the others which proved constant after he had condemned them of Heresie were put into the hands of the ordinary Judge which at that time was one Meiranus a cruel Persecutor who without any form of Process or order of Law such as the Official had pronounced to be Hereticks he put to death with most Cruel Torments After this Persecutor was dead one Bartholomew Casenes President of the Parliment of Province a Pestilent Persecutor whom God at length struck with a fearful and sudden Death in the time of this Tyrant those of Merindol were cited personally to appear before the Kings Attorney but they hearing that the Court had determined to burn them without any Process or Order of Law durst not appear at the day appointed for which cause the Court awarded a cruel Sentence against Merindol and condemned all the Inhabitants to be burned both Men Women and Children and their Town and Houses to be rased to the Ground and their Country to be made a Desart and Wilderness never more to be inhabited This bloody Arrest or Decree seemed strange and wonderful same openly saying They marvelled the Parliment should be so mad to give out such an Arrest so manifestly injurious and unjust and contrary to all Reason and Humanity others said The Judges are not bound to observe either Right or Reason in exterpating such as are suspected to be Lutherans but what ever was said in opposition to this Decree the Bishops from time to time used all the opportunities to endeavour to put the same in execution as appears in the following Relation Amongst these poor men that suffered in Merindol there was a Book-seller who for â—etting publickly to sale certain Bibles in French and Latine in the sight of the Bishop of Aix and other Prelates they were thereat greatly moved and caused him to be apprehended and committed to Prison and afterwards he was sentenced and burnt the Prelates seeing great dissention among the people of Avinion and that many murmured at the death of this Book-seller for selling the Bible to fear the people the next day they put out a Proclamation against all French Bibles That none should keep them in their Hands upon pain of Death After this Proclamation the Bishop of Aix endeavoured his utmost to prosecute the people of Merindol being very earness with the President to that effect and to put the Parliaments Arrest and Decree in execution the President shewing himself unwilling to the Bishop to shed Innocent Blood pleaded The King would be displeased to have such destruction made of his Subjects then said the Bishop Though the King at the first do think it ill done we will so bring it to past that in a short space he shall think it well done for we have the Cardinals on our side especially Cardinal Tournon By these Arguments of the Bishop the President and Councel of Parliament were perswaded to raise a Force and destroy the people of Merindol according to the Decree The Inhabitants of Merindol hearing thereof and seeing nothing but present death to be at hand with great Lamentation commended themselves and their Cause unto God by Prayer and made themselves ready to be murdered as Sheep for the Slaughter whilst they were in this grievous distress there was one raised up called the Lord of Alner to plead with the President on their behalf giving the President several Reasons why he ought not to destroy these poor Christian man of Merindol by which Reasons the President was perswaded and immediatly called back his Commission which he had given out and caused the Army to Retire who were within a mile and a half of Merindol which the people of Merindol understanding that the Army was retired gave thanks unto God comforting one another with Admonition and Exhortation Alwayes to have the fear of God before their Eyes and to seek after the everlasting Riches The noise of these Proceedings and of this Arrest and Decree coming to the King of France his ear he appointed persons to make Inquiry into the whole matter and to make a Report to him thereof and what manner of People these Merindolians were These Deputies brought a Copy of the Arrest Decree and Proceedings unto the Kings Lieutenant declaring unto him the great Injuries Polling Extortions Exactions Tyrannies and Cruelties which the Judges as well Secular as Ecclesiastical had used against them of Merindol and others as touching the behaviour and disposition of those which were persecuted they reported that the most part of the men of Province affirmed them to be men given to great Labour and Travel and that about two hundred years past as it is reported they came out of the Country of Piedmont to dwell in Province and took to tillage and to inhabit many Villages destroyed by the Wars which they had so well husbandred that there was now great store of Wine Oyle Honey and Cattle so that Strangers were greatly relieved and that they were a Peaceable Quiet People beloved of all their Neighbours man of good Behaviour constant in keeping of their Promise and paying of their Debts without suing men at Law that they were also Charitable men giving Alms relieving of the Poor and suffered none amongst them to lack or be in necessity harbouring and Nourishing poor Strangers and Passengers in their necessities moreover that they were known by this throughout all the Country that they would not Swear and that if they heard any Swear blaspheme or dishonour God they strait-way departed out of their Company this was the tenour of the report made to the Kings Lieutenant touching the Life and Behaviour of these Inhabitants of Merindol who were persecuted by the Popish Bishops and Cardinals which the Lieutenant advertised the King who was a good Prince moved with mercy and pity sent Letters to the Parliament Expresly charging and commanding them that they should not hereafter proceed to prosecute the said Arrest and Decree so Rigorously as they had done before against this People and not to molest or trouble them in person or goods and to command them to set at Liberty all Prisoners which either were accused or
trouble which is momentary and little and as St. Paul saith not Worthy of the things which shall be shewed on us that we patiently carrying our Cross may attain to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before to the which I beseech God of his Mercy bring us speedily I have been much troubled about your deliverance fearing much the perswasions of Worldlings and have found a Friend which will I trust find a mean for you if you be not already provided desiring you in any case to abide such order as those my Friends shall appoint in God and bear well in mind the words which I spake at our departing that as God hath found us and also elected us worthy to suffer with him we may endeavour our selves to follow uprightly in this our Vocation desiring you to present my hearty commendations to all our Friends and especially to your Parents keeping your matter close in any wise give most hearty thanks to my Friends which only for our Cause are come to Windsor continue in prayer do well be faultless in all things beware of Abominations keep clean from sin pray for me as I do for you and most entirely desire you to send me word if you lack any thing The Lord Jesus preserve you and yours Amen From Newgate the fifteenth of April By your Husband Robert Smith A Sententious Letter of Robert Smith's to his Wife Seek first to Love God dear Wife with your whole heart and then shall it be eafie to love your Neighbour Be friendly to all Creatures and especially to your own Soul Be alwayes an Enemy to the Devil and the World but especially to your own Flesh In hearing good things joyn the ears of your head and heart together Seek unity and quietness with all men but especially with your Conscience for he will not easily be entreated Love all men but especially your Enemies Hate the sinâ— that are past but especially those to come Be as ready to further your Enemy as he is to hinder you that you may be the Child of God Remember that God hath hedged in your Tongue with the Teeth and Lips that it might speak under correction Be ready at all times to lock to your Brothers Eye but especially to your own Eye for he that warneth others of that he himself is faulty doth give his Neighbour the clear Wine and keepeth the Dregs for himself Shew mercy unto the Saints for Christs sake and Christ shall reward you for the Saints sake Amongst all other Prisoners visit your own Soul for it is inclosed in a perillous Prison If you will love God hate Evil and you shall obtain the reward of well doing Thus fare you well good Anne have me heartily commended to all that love the Lord unfainedly I beseech you have me in your prayer while I am living and I am assured the Lord will accept it bring up my Children and yours in the Fear of God and then shall I not fail but receive you together in the everlasting Kingdom of God which I go unto Your Husband Robert Smith Robert Smith to all faithful Servants of Christ exhorting them to be strong under Persecution Content thy self with patience with Christ to bear the Cross of pain Which can and will thee recompence a thousand fold with Joyes again Let nothing cause thy heart to quail Launch forth thy Boat hail up thy Sail Put from the Shore And be thou sure thou shalt attain Unto the Port that shall remain For evermore About this time died Steven Harwood at Stratford and Thomas Fust at Ware About the same time VVilliam Haile of Thâ—rp in the County of Essex was condemned and burnt Will. Haile Martyr when he received the Sentence of condemnation he gave this exhortation to the lookers on Ah good People said he beware of this Idolatry and this Anti-christ pointing to the Bishop of London he was burnt at Barnet George King Thomas Leys and John VVade being Prisoners in Lollards Tower fell sick and died and were buried by some of the faithfull Brethren VVilliam Andrew being twice brought before Bonner upon Examination manfully stood in the defence of his Religion at length through strait handling in the Prison of Newgate there he lost his life Robert Samuell committed to Ipswich Goal Rob. Samuell Martyr and from thence removed to Norwich where Bishop Hopton or his Chancellor were the cause of his being kept very close Prisoner at his first coming where he was Chained bolt upright to a Post keeping him for some time without meat and drink except it were a small morsel of Bread and a little Water he Suffered Death the 31th of August 1555. Next after Robert Samuell was burnt William Allen of VValsingham Will. Allen Martyr Labourer upon Examination the Bishop askt him why he was imprisoned he said it was because he would not follow the Cross and said if he saw the King and Queen follow the Cross or bow down to it he would not for which Sentence of Death was given against him he was burned about the beginning of September at VValsingham who declared such Constancy at his Martyrdom and had such Credit with the Justices by reason of his upright and well tryed Conversation among them that he was suffered to go untyed to his suffering and there being fastned with a Chain stood quietly without shrinking untill he died The Martyrdom of Roger Coo of Melford in Suffolk Sheer-man first Examined before the Bishop of Norwich and by him Condemned 12th of August 1555. Bishop Why was you Imprisoned Robert Coo Examined Coo At the Justices Commandment Bishop There was some cause why Coo Here is my Accuser let him declare Accuser He will not receive the Sacrament Bishop said he thought he had transgressâ—d the Law Coo There is no Law to transgress that I know Accuser Nor will not know my Lord ask him when be received the Sacrament Coo seeing the Accuser so bold said to the Bishop let him sit down and examine me himself but the Bishop would not hear that but after some other discourse the Bishop askt him whether he would not obey the Kings Laws Coo As far as they agree with the Word of God I will obey them Bishop Whether they agree with the Word of God or not we are bound to obey them if the King were an Infidel Coo If Sydrach Mesack and Abedâ—egâ— had so done Nebucadâ—nezzer had not confessed the Living God In the same Moneth was Thomâ—â— Cobb of Haveril Butcher Tho. Cobb Martyr burned in the Town of Thatford Upon the third day of the sixth Moneth called August were brought before Thornton Bishop of Dover George Catmer of Hithe Robert Streater of Hithe Anthony Burward of Calet George Brodbridge of Bromfield James Tutty of Brenchly and were examined particularly touching the Sacrament of the Altar Aurticular Confession and other such like Ceremonies To which Catmer answered on this wise Christ said he sitteth in Heaven on the
that I hear no more complaint of thee and come to the Church when thou wilt and if thou be complained upon so far as I may I promise thee I will not hear of it VVilliam said in reply I was brought hither by a Law and by a Law I will be delivered at the Sessions the said VVilliam was committed to the Castle at VVisbidge Robert Pygot a Painter by Trade was at the same Sessions presentde for not going to Church and being called before Sr. Clement Higham Judge of the Sessions who said to Pygot Ah are you the holy Father the Painter How chance you come not to Church Robert Pygot I am not out of the Church I trust in God No Sr. said the Judge this is no Church this is a Hall Rob. Pygot I know very well it is a Hall but he that is in the true faith of Jesus Christ is never absent but present in the Church of God Ah Sirrah said the Judge you are too high learned for me to talk withal wherefore I will send you to them that be better learned and committed him to the Goal where VVoolsey lay and from thence they were both carried to Ely where they remained Prisoners till the day of their death About the nineteenth day of the same Month they were had to Judgment before Doctor Fullor then Chancellor and others who laid several Articles to their charge viz. that they denied the Sacrament of the Altar whereunto their answer was that the Sacrament of the Altar was an Idol One of the Commissioners drew up a Paper that he would have Robert Pygot sign No said Pygot that is your Faith and not mine When these two men were burnt there was a great Sheet knit full of Books burnt with them It is further testified concerning those two Martyrs by one William Fulk of Cambridge that they were burnt at Ely Pygot he said was milde humble and modest promising that he would be conformable to his Persecutors if they could perswade him by the Scriptures Wolsey he said was stout strong and vehement and detested all their doings as of whom he was sure to receive nothing but Cruelty and Tyranny he was wonderous jealous over his Companion fearing least his gentle Nature would have been overcome by the flatering inticements of the World and therefore the same day that they were burned when they would have talked with him alone he pulled him away from them almost by force Ridley and Latimer burnt at Oxford About the same time were burned at Oxford Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer both Bishops when the Faggot was brought kindled and laid at Nicholas Ridley's feet Latimer spake to him in this manner Be of good comfort we shall this day light such a Candle by Gods Grace in England as I trust shall never be put out Three burnt at Canterbury About the thirtieth of the Month called November 1555. John Web George Roper and Gregory Porke were all burnt together in one Fire at Canterbury abiding most patiently the torment counting themselves happy and blessed of the Lord that they were made worthy to suffer for Christs Gospel sake William Wiseman a Clothworker of London the thirtieth of December following died a Prisoner for the Gospel in Lollards Tower after he was departed the Papists commanded that no man should bury him but he was cast out into the fields accounting him as a prophane person and worthy of no burial yet some faithful Brethren buried him in the evening as they did the rest thrown out in like sort whom they were wont privily by night to bury In the same Month James Gore died Prisoner in Colchester for the Truth of Gods Word John Philpot Martyr The next followeth the Martyrdom of John Philpot who suffered for the sake of the Gospel of Christ and a Witness against the Antichristian Sea of Rome He was a Knights son and was born in Hampshire and was brought up in learning he was of a pregnant wit of singular courage and zealous in Religion When Queen Mary came to the Crown she caused a Convocation to be held where this John Philpot was present where he vindicated the cause of the Gospel manfully against the adverse party for the which cause he was called to account by Bishop Gardner the Chancellor notwithstanding the Liberty of the House promised before after Gardner had examined him he sent him to Bonner and his Commissinors Q. Mary An. 5515 with whom he had sundry conflicts the most material passages in which examinations I have here inserted Doctor Story looking on him said He was well fed Philpot If I be fat it is no marvel since I have been staled up in Prison a year and a half in a close corner Roper We here say you are out of the Catholick Church and have been a disturber of the same wherefore if you will come into the same you shall be received and find favour Philpot I am come before you and I would know my Offence and if I have done nothing contrary to the Laws I desire I may have the benefit of a Subject and be delivered out of my wrong imprisonment Story Thou art an Heretick and holdest against the blessed Mass Philpot What I spoke in the Convocation House the Queen and Council gave Liberty to every man of the House to utter his Conscience and to speak his mind freely of such matters in Religion as were propounded by the Prolocutor for which I ought not to be molested nor compelled by you to answer for the same Story Thou shalt go to the Lollards Tower and there shalt thou be handled like a Heretick as thou art and be Judged by the Bishop of London Philpot I have been Examined and imprisoned by the Chancellor mine Ordinary and by the Law I may have exceptionem fori and it s against all equity that I should be twice vexed for one cause and that by such as by the Law have nothing to do with me Story Thou shalt be had to the Lollards Tower Philpot Since you will needs shew me this Extremity I desire to see your Commission that gives you Authority so to do Roper Let him see the Commission Story Shall we lit every vile person see our Commission Cholmly Let him go from whence he came and on Thursday he shall see our Commission Story No let him lie in the mean while in the Lollards Tower I will sweep the Kings-Beach and all the other Prisons of these Hereticks so that they shall not have that resort as they have had to scatter their Heresies Philpot You have power to transfer my Body from place to place at your pleasure but you have no power over my Soul and I pass not whither you commit me for I cannot be worse entreated then I am kept all day in a close Chamber Story Marshall Take him home with you again and bring him on Thursday and then we shall rid your fingers of him and afterwards of your other
to Antichrist let your Soul and your Body be far from those Assemblies which yield either known or secret submission unto the Ordinances of the Beast Oh! our Souls are to rejoyce in these wayes more then in all Substance and Treasure and the loving-kindness of the Eternal is forever and ever towards them and thier Seed that remember his ordinances to do them My dear Wife and Sister look not at any earthly thing consecrate your self wholely both Soul Body Husband Children and whatsoever you have unto the Lord your God let them not be dearer unto you then his Worship and Service fear not the want of outward things for the Lord careth for you and yours the Lord is my God and yours and the God of our Seed I know if you and our poor Children continue that they shall see a blessed Reward even in this life be much and often in prayer day and night and much in reading and meditating above all things pray that the Lord would restore beauty unto his Church and so would overthrow the cursed Religion of the Roman Anti christ in every part thereof remember me also and my Brethren now in Bonds that the Lord would assist us with the strength and comfort of his Spirit to keep a good Conscience and to bear a glorious Testimony to the end be not out of hope but I may be restored again unto you therefore be earnest in prayer for my deliverance yet if the Lord shall end my dayes in this Testimony blessed be his Name howsoever it goeth I am ready and content with his good pleasure and whatsoever shift you make keep our poor Children with you that you may bring them up your self in the Instruction and Information of the Lord I leave you and them indeed nothing in this Life but the blessing of my God and this my Sister I doubt not shall be found an ample Portion both for you and them though you know that in hunger often and cold often in poverty and nakedness we must make an account to profess the Gospel in this Life and teach them I beseech you even now in their youth that Lesson If they will reign with Christ they must suffer with him teach them the meanness of the Gospel and that they are not to look for greatness in this Life but every day to make account that they are to yield their lives and whatsoever they have for the Truth break their affections betimes while they are yet green by Instructions and Corrections meet for them when they are capable of handy labour I know you will not let them be Idle Thus having disburdened my self of my duty towards you and of my care to you and your poor Children in some part I am I thank God in great comfort though under great Tryals of my weakness and consideration of my own wants not in regard of men I fear not any power or strength of man whatsoever and I am this hour willing to lay down my Life for my Testimony and I trust shall be unto the end you know I was taken at a Meeting at Ratliff the two and twentieth day of the third Moneth 1592. and committed close by M. Younge to the Powltry Counter some dayes after some were sent privately to confer with me I answered for private Conference inasmuch as my Cause was made publick I saw no Cause why I should yield unto any I desired publick upon equal conditions they said no and after much needless speech departed Upon the fifth day of the fifth Moneth I was sent for to the Sessions House where after some discourse I was sent back again I cannot see but they thirst after my Blood therefore pray for me and desire all they Church to do the same To draw to an End salute the whole Church from me especially those in Bonds and be you all much and heartily saluted in the Lord let none of you be dismayed the Lord will send a glorious issue to Sions troubles yet you must all be prepared for sufferings I see no other likelihood Let not those which are abroad miss to frequent the holy Meetings salute my Mother and yours in Wales my Brethren Sisters and Kindred there and my God knoweth yea your self knoweth how earnestly and often I have desired that he would vouchsafe my service in his Gospel among them to the winning of their souls forever more unto him salute your Parents and mine in Northampton with my poor kinsman Jenkin Jones and M. David also though I had not thought that any outward respects would have made him withdraw his Shoulders from the Lords wayes but the Lord will draw him forward in his good time salute all ours in Scotland upon the Borders and every way Northward especially M. Juell alwayes dear unto me I got means this day to write thus much whereof no Creature living knoweth The sixth of the fourth Moneth 1593. in great haste with many Tears and yet in the great Spiritual comfort of my Soul your Husband John Penry a Witness of Christ against the Abominations of the Roman Antichrist and his Souldiers sure of the Victory by Blood of the Lamb. These Puritans suffered greatly also in King James his Reign although the original Cause thereof so far as I can perceive did not appear to proceed from the King for in his Speech to the Parliament in the eighteenth year of his Reign in the year 1620. He said As touching Religion Laws enough are made already It stands in two points Perswasion and Compulsion Men may perswade but God must give the blessing Jesuits Priests Puritants and Sectaries erring both on the right hand and left hand are forward to perswade unto their own ends and so ought you the Bishops in your Example and Preaching but Compulsion to obey is to bind the Conscience How much soever the King inclined to favour the Reader may understand by this following Relation being the Copy of an Address these people made to the King and Parliament relating the great Oppressions they were under To our Soveraign Lord the Kings most Exellent Majesty together with the honor able Nobility Knights and Burgesses now Assembled at the High-Court of Parliament May it please your Majesty Honors Worships gratiously to respect the humble Suit of Gods poor afflicted Servants and well-affected loyal Subjects to your Highness and Honours We are many of us constrained to live in Exile out of our native Country others detained in Prisons all of us in some Affliction which the Prelates and Clergy of this Land have inflicted upon us for our Faith in God and Obedience to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ We have never to this day been convinced of Heresie Errour or Crime for which we should sustain the great Calamities we have endured The grounds of Christian Religion professed and maintained in this Land and other Churches round about we also with one heart and Spirit assent unto and profess Enemies we are to all Popery Anabaptistry or
ought to be Compelled to accuse himself or purge himself by Oath VI. Some remarkable Collections out of Doctor Taylors Book entituled OEOAOTIA EKAEKTIKH A Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying shewing the unreasonableness of prescribing to other mens Faith and the Iniquity of persecuting different Opinions VII Instances out of divers Authors treating on the same subject by W. C. deceased VIII Several Reasons rendred why no outward force nor imposition ought to be used in matters of Faith and Religion by R. H. S. F. and F. H. deceased IX Several Sayings Collected from the Speeches and writings of King Charles the first X. Several Promises and Declarations for the Liberty of tender Consciences taken out of the Speeches of King Charles the second SECT I. Persecution for the cause of Conscience is against the Doctrine of Jesus Christ the King of Kings as these Scriptures and Reasons following do demonstrate The first Reason against Persecution is because it is contrary to Scripture FOr Christ commanded that the Tares and Wheat should be let alone in the World Matth. 13.30.38 c and not pluckt up until the Harvest which is the End of the World Christ also commandeth Matth. 15.14 that they that are blind should be let alone referring their punishment unto the falling into the Ditch Again he reproved his Disciples who would have had Fire come down from Heaven Luke 9.54 59. and devour those Samaritans who would not receive him in these Words Ye know not of what Spirit ye are the Son of man is not come to destroy mens Lives but to save them Paul the Apostle taught 2 Tim. 24.2 that the Servant of the Lord must not strive but must be gentle towards all men suffering the evil men instructing them with meekness that are contrary-minded proving if God at any time will give them Repentance that they may acknowledge the Truth and come to amendment out of that Snare of the Devil According to these blessed Commandments the Prophets foretold Esa 2.4 Mica 4.3.4 that when the Law of Moses concerning Worship should cease and Christs Kingdom be established they should break their Swords into Plough-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Then shall none hurt or destroy in all the Mountains of my holiness And when he came the same he taught and practised as before Esa 11.9 so did his Disciples afterâ—him for the Weapons of his Warfare are nor carnal saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.4 But he chargeth straitly that his Disciples should be so far from persecuting those that would not be of their Religion that when they were persecuted they should pray when they were Cursed Matth. 5. they should Bless c. And the reason seems to be because they who now are Tares may hereafter become Wheat they who are now Blind may hereafter see they that now resist him may hereafter receive him they that are now in the Devils snare in adversness to the Truth may hereafter come to Repentance they that are now Blasphemers and Persecutors as Paul was may in time become faithful as he they that are now Idolatrous as the Corinthians once were 1 Cor. 6.9 may hereafter become true Worshippers as they they that are now no people of God nor under Mercy as the Saints sometimes were 1 Pet. 2 20. may hereafter become the People of God and obtain Mercy as they Some come not till the eleventh hour Matt. 20. 〈◊〉 If those that come not till the last hour should be destroyed because they come not at the first then should they never come but be prevented SECT II. The second Reason against Persecution for cause of Conscience is because it is against the Profession and Practice of famous Princes FIrst Consider the speech of King James to the Parliament 1609. he saith It is a sure Rule in Divinity that God never loves to plant his Church by Violence and Bloodshed and that it was usually the Condition of Christians to be persecuted but not to persecute Again he saith page four speaking of the Papists I gave good proof that I intended no Persecution against them for Conscience Cause And in the same Kings Exposition of the Revelation the twentith printed 1588. he writes thus Compassing of the Saints and beseiging of the beloved City declareth unto us a certain Note of a false Church to be Persecution for they come to seek the faithful the Faithful are them that are sought the Wicked are the Besiegers the Faithful are the Besieged And the King of Bohemia hath thus written And notwithstanding the success of the latter Times wherein Sundry Opinions have been hatched about the subject of Religion may make one clearly discern with his Eye and as it were to touch with his Finger that according to the Truth of the Scripture and a Maxime heretofore maintained by the antient Doctors of the Church that mens Consciences ought in no fort to be violated urged or constrained and whensoever men have attempted any thing by this violent course whether openly or by secret means the issue hath been Pernitious and the cause of great and wonderful Innovations in the Principalest and Mightiest Kingdoms and Countries of all Christendom And further he saith So that once more we do profess before God and the whole World that from this time forward we are firmly resolved not to persecute or molest or suffer to be persecuted or molested any person whosoever for matter of Religion no not those who profess themselves to be of the Romish Church neither to trouble nor disturb them in the Exercise of their Religion so they live conformable to the Laws of the States c. SECT III. The Third Reason because Persecution for Cause of Conscience is condemned by the antient and later Writers HIlary against Auxentius saith thus The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted And Lamentable it is to see the folly of these Times and the foolish Opinion of this World in that men think by humane Aid to help God and with Wordly Pomp and Power to undertake to defend the Christian Church I ask the Bishops what help used the Apostles in the publishing the Gospel with the Aid of what power did they Preach Christ and converted the Heathen from their Idolatry to God When they were in Prisons and lay in Chaines did they praise and give thanks to God for any dignities or favours received from the Court or do you think that Paul went about with regal Mandates or kingly Authority to gather and establish the Church of Christ Sought he Protection from Nero Vespatian The Apostles wrought with their hands for their own Maintenance travelling by Land and Water from Town to City to preach Christ yea the more they were forbidden the more they taught and preached Christ but now alas humane help must assist and protect the Faith and give the same Countenance too and by vain and worldly Honours do men seek to defend the Church of Christ
the Council sought false Witness against him and found none at last two Witnesses came but their Testimony agreed not Caiphas then said answerest thou not to what they witness against thee but Jesus held his peace then he adjured him that he should tell whether he were the Christ and he answered I am wherefore they judged him guilty of death for this Blasphemy as they accounted it Their cruelty to him Then they Mocked him and Spit on him and cruelly beat him with Buffits and Staves and covering his Face they said Prophesie who smote thee and many other things they reproachfully spoke against him And they led him bound unto Pontius Pilate the Governour from Caiphas to the Hall of Judgment and they began to accuse him saying We found this Man perverting the Nation and forbidding to give Tribute to Caesar The chief Priests accuse him falsly saying that himself is Christ a King and when he was accused of the chief Priest and Elders he answered nothing then said Pilate unto him Hearest thou not how many things they Witness against thee but he answered him not a word so that Pilate marvell'd then said Pilate take ye him judge him according to your Law but they urged it is not lawful for us to put any man to death Pilate then entered into the Judgment Hall again and called Jesus and said unto him He is called before Pilate again Art thou the King of the Jews Jesus answered Sayest thou this of thy self or did others tell it thee of me Pilate answered Am I a Jew thine own Nation and the chief Priests have delivered thee unto me what hast thou done Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this World Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then His answer to Pilate Jesus answered For this cause came I into the World that I might bear Witness unto the Truth Pilate said unto him What is Truth And when he had said this he went out again unto the Jews and said unto them Pilate finds no fault in him I find in him no fault at all and they were the more fierce saying He stirreth up the People teaching throughout all Galilee to this place Pilate therefore hearing of Galilee asked if he were a Galilean and when he knew that he belonged to Herod's Juridictions he sent him to Herod who was at Jerusalem in those dayes Being in Herods Jurisdiction he is sent by Pilate to him and when he saw Jesus he was exceeding glad but being deceived in his hopes of seeing a Miracle and not vouchsafed any answer either to him or the chief Priests and Scribes vehemently accusing him after Herod had set Jesus at nought and mocked him Sends him back to Pilate arrayed in a gorgeous Robe Herâ—d sends him back and both the Governors were made Friends that same day and Pilate when he had called the chief Priests and the Rulers and the People said unto them Neither I nor Herod find any fault in him Pilate would have released him nor any thing worthy of Death I will therefore Chastize him and release him for the Governor was of necessity every Feast as the custom was to deliver to the People one Prisoner whom they would and the Multitude crying out aloud began to desire that he would do unto them as he had ever done Pilate therefore calling them said unto them Ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Passover will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews The Iews still prosecute their envy against him Which will ye either this man or Barrabas For he knew that the chief Priests had delivered him for envy but they stirred up the People that he should rather deliver Barrabas unto them Now he was a notable Thief who lay bound with them that made Insurrection and for Insurrection and Murder in the City was Cast into Prison and when Pilate was sate down in the Judgment Seat his Wife sent unto him saying Have nothing to do with the just man Pilate fits again His Wife Warns him for I have suffered many things in my Dream by reason of him this day Pilate therefore spake unto them again being willing to release Jesus which of the twain will you that I release unto you but they all cryed out saying not him but Barrabas Pilate therefore answering said unto them what will you that I shall do unto him that ye call King of the Jews and they all cryed out again Crucifie him Pilate said but what evil hath he done I find no Cause of death in him I will therefore Chaâ—tize him and let him go but they cryed more earnestly Crucifie him and were very instant with loud Voices desiring the same The Jews Cruelty then Pilate took Jesus and Scourged him and the Soldiers plated a Crown of Thornes and put it on his Head and cloathed him with Purple saying Haile King of the Jews and beat him with staves Pilate therefore went forth again and said unto them behold I bring him forth unto you that you may know I find no fault in him then Jesus came forth wearing the Crown of Thorns and the Robe and Pilate said unto them behold the man When the Chief Priests and Officers saw him they cryed out saying Crucifie him Crucifie him Pilate said take ye him and Crucifie him for I find no fault in him the Jews said he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God when Pilate therefore heard that saying he was the more affraid Pilate went again into the Judgment Hall and went again into the Judgment Hall and said to Jesus Whence art thou but Jesus gave him no answer then said Pilate speakest thou not unto me knowest thou not that I have Power to Crucifie thee Jesus answered thou couldest have no power unless it were given thee from above and from thence forth Pilate sought to release him but the Jews cryed out then thou art not Caesars Friend when Pilate heard this he brought forth Jesus and sate in the Judgment Seat in the Place called the Pavement and it was the Preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour then said he unto the Jews The chief Priests wickedness behold your King but they cryed out Away with him Away with him Crucifie him Pilate said unto them shall I Crucifie your King Then answered the Chief Priests we have no King but Caesar Pilate washeth his hands and why when Pilate therefore saw that he prevailed nothing but that rather a Tumult was made he took water and washed his hands before the Multitude saying I am innocent of the Blood of this just Person see you to it and all the People answered and said his Blood be upon us and our Children then willing to content the Multitude he released unto them Barrabas and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him â—ver to their will that he might be
leave his great words and fall to ask him forgiveness so as taking off his Crown from his head he laid it down at the Legates feet to be disposed of as the Pope should please and the Legate stuck not to take up his Crown and to keep it three or four dayes in his hands before he restored it and did not then neither but upon Condition that he and his Successors should hold the Kingdom of the See of Rome at the Annual Tribute of a Thousand Marks This King John was shortly after as it is Recorded poysoned by one Simon a Monk who being absolved of his Abbot before hand for doing this fact to accomptish his Design he finds a Toad in the Garden and pricks him with a Pen-Knife until he had made him vomit up all his Poyson which he having conveyed into a Cup of Wine began to the King with a smiling countinance speaking these words If it shall please your Princely Majesty here is such a Cup of Wine as you never drank a better I turst this Wassel shall make all England glad The King having drunk and anon being ill enquired for Simon the Monk to whom some answered that he was departed this life for his Guts gushed out of his Belly the King replyed then God have mercy on my Soul and so he dyed much repenting of his former life About this time several persons were stirred up by the Lord to declare against the Pope as an Heretick and were by him condemned for their pains viz. Arnoldus Johannes Semeca Gulielmus de Santo amorie Gallus and Grosthead great Writers against the Popes Decrees giving many signs of false Teachers of whom see more in my Testimonies of the Martyrs The Pope being at odds with the Emperor Fredrick the second years since Christ 1248 would not at any hand be reconciled though the King of France strongly interceed and the Emperor himself cleared himself of all imputation and offered full saitsfaction for all pretended wrongs and to go out of his Empire if the Pope would not endure him there to the holy Land never to return into Europe again so as his Son Henry Nephew to King Henry of England might succeed him with offer of other most reasonable conditions These Oppositions of the Pope against Christian Emperours and Kings gave the Turks great advantage of prevailing against those called Christians and the grand Cause that God did not prosper the Christians in their wars in the holy-Land was imputed to the Christians adhering to their Masses and other Superstitions And thus having given a brief Relation of the most material Passages in the Affairs of the pretended Christian Church till this time I shall now Proceed to give a Discovery of the beginning and proceedings of the Monks Fryars and Jesuites who now began to swarm in the Apostized Church of the Papists We read that many Religious men heretofore contemning the World and all the Pomp Pride and Vanity thereof withdrew themselves into the Wilderness and Desart places in Syria Aegypt and other Countries it being in the time of great Persecution to the end they might the better being not troubled in the worldly cares and incumbrance bestow their time in reading the Scriptures Fasting Praying Meditating and such divine Exercises whereof Paul sirnamed the first Hermit Anthony Hilarion Basil and Jerome were the first and chiefest among the Christians who for their Sanctity of Life were in those dayes had in great Honour for then this kind of life was simple and free and not bound or Tyed to Unlawful Vows and Ridiculous Ceremonies as afterwards came to be observed by such as were called Monks and Fryars their Habit was then homely and yet decent as every man best pleased to wear neither were they bound to abide or remain in any one particular place nor tyed to one kind of life by Vow but free to stay there where they liked best or to go into any City or Country where they would at their own pleasure they sought out the most Desart place as they could find that is in the Wilderness working with their hands and getting their living with the sweat of their Brows gave a singular good Example to all men to live Virtuously and Godly instructing their Families and others that resorted unto them to lead a godly and Christian Life and were admired and honoured of all good men for their Doctrine Integrity of Life and godly zeal for as yet saith the History the Christians had but one Law and one Religion which afterwards fell out otherwise to the Grief and Sorrow of the Upright among them to see what Rents and Divisions Sects and Factions Superstitions and Ceremonies were brought in amongst them although good stirrings there might be amongst these that lived this private life Their Successors and Imitators were far unlike them for the words of Philo cited by Eusebius are these Now let our Monks saith he who live like Kings who swim in all manner of delights and pleasures who affect nothing more then Promotion and Honour and whose chiefest care and studdy is to gather Wealth and to hoord up Gold Silver c. About this time several Sects of Monks began to spread forth out of the Order of Benedictus years since Christ 562 their Habit was to wear a black loose Coat of Stuff reaching down to their heels with a Cowle or Hood to cover their bald Pates which hangs down to their Shoulders and under that Coat another white Habit as large as the former they shave the hairs off their heads except one little round Circle which they leave round about their heads which they call Corona they are bound to abstain from Flesh unless it be when they are sick These Benedictine Monks would have the World believe that they are godly and religious men and would not be ranked with the Jesuites who were States men for they poor Monks meddle not with matters of State or with Kings Affairs but for all their counterfeit holiness an English Benedictine Monk of Swinsted Abby Poysoned King John as is before related for the which fact he was still is highly honoured by all Papist in general and one saith on him thus Regem perimere Meritorium ratus est he thought it a meritorious deed for to kill the King About this time began to peep out another Sect of Monks years since Christ 1047 called Montelinetences at the time when there were three several Popes living who troubled all Christendom for their Papacy the Institutor of this Family of Monks was one Bernardus Ptolomeus they lived at the first at Sienna in Italy but afterwards having gathered their Crumbs together they built an Abby on the top of a hill not far from thence they wear a white Habit this Family was approved by Pope Gregory the twelfth The Bethlemite Fryars began 1257. their first dwelling was at Cambridge years since Christ 1257 and their Habit was like the Dominican Fryars saving that these did wear a Star
he did afore-time opened his windows towards Jerusalem and kneeled down and prayed and gave thanks before his God of which these Persecutors acquainted the King then the King commanded and they cast Daniel into the Den of Lions but the Lord preserved him that the Lions hurt him not because he believed in his God which the King hearing of caused Daniel to be taken up out of the Den A judgment of God upon Persecutors and commanded them that were his Persecutors to be cast into it which was done and they were soon destroyed The Constancy and faithful Suffering of some of the ancient people of the Jews rather then they would be forced to depart from the Laws of their Fathers and not to live after the Laws of God Eleazer one of the principal Scribes an aged man and of a well-favoured countenance was constrained to open his Mouth Eleazer persecuted and to eat Swines Flesh But he choosing rather to dye gloriously then to live stained with such an Abomination spit it forth and came of his own accord to the torment as it behoved them to come that are resolved to stand out against such things as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted But they that had the charge of that wicked Feast for the old acquaintance they had with the man taking him aside besought him to bring flesh of his own provision such as was lawful for him to use and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the Sacrifice commanded by the King That in so doing he might be delivered from death and for the old friendship with them find favour But he began to consider discreetly and as became his Age and the excellency of his ancient years and the honour of his gray Head whereunto he was come and his most honest Education from a Child or rather the holy Law made and given by God therefore he answered accordingly and willed them strait-wayes to send him to the Grave For it becometh not our Age said he in any wise to dissemble whereby many young persons might think that Eleazer being fourscore years old and ten were now gone to a strange Religion and so they through mine hypocrisie and desire to live a little time and a moment longer should be deceived by me and I get a stain to mine old Age and make it Abominable For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead wherefore now manfully changing this life I will shew my self such an one as mine Age requireth and leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and couragiously for the honourable and holy Laws and when he had said these words immediatly he went to the Torment they that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into hatred because the foresaid speeches proceeded as they thought from a desperate mind But when he was ready to dye with stripes he groaned and said It is manifest unto the Lord that hath the holy knowledge that whereas I might have been delivered from death I now endure sore pains in body by being beaten but in soul am well content to suffer these things because I fear him And thus this man dyed leaving his death for an example of a noble Courage and a memorial of vertue not only unto young men but unto all his Nation The Constancy and Cruel Death of seven Brethren and their Mother in one day because they would not eat Swines Flesh at the Kings Commandment Seven Brethren with their Mother were taken and compelled by the King against the Law The Mother and her seven Children persecuted to taste Swines Flesh and were tormented with Scourges and Whips but one of them that spake first said thus What wouldst thou ask or learn of us we are ready to dye ' rather then to transgress the Laws of our Fathers Then the King being in a rage commanded Pans and Caldrons to be made hot which forthwith being heated he commanded to cut out the Tongue of him that spake first and to cut off the utmost parts of his Body the rest of his Brethren and his Mother looking on Now when he was thus maimed in all his Members he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the Fire and to be fryed in the Pan and as the vapour of the Pan was for a good space disperced they exhorted one another with the Mother to dye manfully saying thus The Lord God looketh upon us and in Truth hath comfort in us as Moses in his Song which witnessed to their Faces declared saying and he shall be comforted in his Servants so when the first was dead after this manner they brought the second to make a mocking stock and when they had pulled off the skin of his Head with the hair they asked him ' Wilt thou eat before thou be punished ' throughout every member of thy Body but he answered in his own Language and said No wherefore he also received the next Torment in order as the former did and when he was at the last gasp he said Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life but the King of the world shall raise us up who have dyed for his Laws unto everlasting life After him was the third made a mocking stock and when he was required he put out his tongue and that right soon holding forth his hands manfully and said couragously ' These I had from Heaven and for his Laws I dâ—spise them and ' from him I hope to receive them again insomuch that the King and they that were with him marvailed at the young mans courage for that he nothing regarded the pains Now when this man was dead also they tormented and mingled the fourth in like manner so when he was ready to dye he said thus It is good being put to death by men to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him as for thee thou shalt have no resurrection to life Afterward they brought the fifth also and mangled him then looked he unto the King and said Thou hast power over men thou art corruptible thou dost what thou wilt yet think not that our Nation is forsaken of God but abide a while and behold his great power how he will torment thee and thy seed After him also they brought the sixth who being ready to dye said Be not deceived without cause for we Suffer these things for our selves having sinned against our God therefore marvelous things are done unto us but think not thou that takest in hand to strive against God that thou shalt escape unpunished But the mother was marvelous above all and worthy of honorable memory for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day she bare it with a good courage because of the hope that she had in the Lord yea she
exhorted every one of them in her own Language filled with couragious spirit and stirred up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach she said unto them I cannot tell how you came into my womb for I neither gave you breath nor life neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you but doubtless the Creator of the world who formed the Generation of man and found out the beginning of all things will also of his own mercy give you breath and life again as you now regard not your own selves for his Laws sake Now Antiochus thinking himself despised and suspecting it to be a reproachful speech whilst the youngest was yet alive did not only exhort him by words but also assured him with Oathes that he would make him both a rich and a happy man if he would turn from the Laws of his Fathers and that also he would take him for his Friend and trust him with affairs but when the young man would in no case hearken unto him the King called his Mother and exhorted her that she would counsel the young man to save his life and when he had exhorted her with many words she promised him that she would counsel her Son but she bowing her self towards him laughing the cruel Tyrant to scorn spake in her Country language on this manner O my Son have pity upon me that bare thee nine Months in my Womb and gave thee suck three Years and nourished thee and brought thee up unto this age and endured the troubles of Education I beseech thee my Son look upon the Heaven and the Earth and all that is therein and consider that God made them of things that were not and so was mankind made likewise fear not this Tormentor but being worthy of thy Brethren take thy death that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy Brethren While she was yet speaking these words the young man said Whom wait ye for I will not obey the Kings commandment but I will obey the Commandment of the Law that was given unto our Fathers by Moses and thou that hast been the author of all mischeif against the Hebrews shalt not escape the hands of God for we suffer because of our Sins and though the living Lord be angry with us a little while for our chastning and correction yet shall he be at one again with his Servants But thou O Godless man and of all other most wicked be not lifted up without a cause nor puffed up with uncertain hopes lifting up thy hands against the Servants of God for thou hast not yet escaped the Judgment of Almighty God who seeth all things for our Brethren who now have suffered a snort pain are dead under Gods Covenant of everlasting Life but thou through the Judgment of God shalt receive just punishment for thy Pride but I as my Brethren offer up my Body and Life for the Laws of our Fathers beseeching God that he would speedily be merciful unto our Nation and that thou by Torments and Plagues mayest confess that he alone is God and that in me and my Brethren the wrath of the Almighty which is justly brought upon all our Nation may cease Then the King being in a rage handled him worse then all the rest and took it grievously that he was mocked so this man dyed undefiled and put his whole trust in the Lord last of all after the Sons the Mother dyed When her Sons were apprehended she exhorted them in the Hebrew Tongue saying O my most dear and loving Children let us hasten to that Agony which may credit our profession and be rewarded by God with Eternal Life let us fearlessly present our Bodies to those Torments which aged Eleazar endured let us call to mind our Father Abraham who having but one only Son willingly sacrificed him at Gods command and feared not to bring him to the Alter whom with many prayers he had obtained in his old age Remember Daniel the three Children c. Antioch being enraged against her caused her to be stript naked hanged up by the Hands and cruelly whipt then were her Dugs and Paps pulled off and her self put into the Red-hot Frying-pan where lifting up her Hands and Eyes to Heaven in the midest of her Prayers she yielded up her chaste Soul unto God But God suffered not the cruel Tyrant to escape unpunished for in his Wars against the Persians the Lord struck him with Madness his Intrals were devoured with Worms and stinking like a Carrion in the Extreamity of his Torments he gave up the Ghost Part II Containing an Account of the great Persecutions and Martyrdoms of the Christians after the coming of Christ and before the Apostacy and Darkness wholy spread over the Church AFter the Jews who were once the People of God and had the Laws Statutes Ordinances and Commands of God made known to them as is before related had apostatized from the holy Spirit or Life they provoked God and soon forgat him shamefully entreated and killed the Servants and Messengers of God yet the Lord had Compassion to mankind and remembred his Promise and in love to the World sent forth his Son who said when he was come he was the true Light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world yet the world knew him not but God sent his Messenger to prepare his Way and the Voice of one cryed in the Wilderness prepare ye the Way of the Lord and make strait Paths for our God and when this Messenger whose name was John was come the hand of the Lord was with him and he preached repentance for the remission of sins and for reproving Herod of his Evils he was shut up in Prison and though Christ testified of him that among those that were born of women there was not a greater Prophet then John Yet this Herod who had married Herodias his brothers wife to whom John said it is not lawfull for thee to have thy brothers wife John Baptist beheaded therefore the persecuting spirit arose in Herodias and she would have killed him but could not yet afterwards she was the cause of John Baptists being beheaded in Prison And when Christ Jesus appeared who is the Light of the world whom John called the Lamb of God Christ Jesus Persecuted and put to death who testified against the apostatized Jews their false worship in their dead Forms saying God a is Spirit they that worship him must worship him in spirit and and truth yet him these Jews rejected and would not receive him that they might have Life and when he said I am the bread of life and I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever and the bread that I shall give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world the Jews in their ignorance reasoned saying How can this be can this man give us his flesh to eat and
could not believe in him though he did such great works and miracles amongst them that never man did the like yet they sought to kill him nevertheless they would be accounted of Abrahams seed and called him their Father but saith Christ if ye were Abrahams Children ye would do Abrahams works but now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the Truth ye are said he or your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no truth in him And this blessed Lamb of God Christ Jesus did these persecuting Jews put to death crucifying of him as may be read at large in the Scriptures After they had Crucified the Lord of life then they persecuted his Disciples and Apostles as followeth When the Jews heard what Stephen had declared Acts. 7 54â— they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their Teeth but he being full of the holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and said behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right Hand of God then they cryed out with aloud voice and stopped their Ears and run upon him with one accord and cast him out of the City and stoned him and they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit and he kneeled down and crying with a loud voice Lord lay not this Sin to their charge and when he had said this he fell asleep James the Brother of John Martyred After the Martyrdom of this blessed Stephen the Apostle James suffered next mention of which is in the Acts of the Apostles how that not long after the stoning of Stephen King Herod stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church who slew James the Brother of John with the Sword of this James Eusebius also maketh mention alleadging Clement thus writing a memorable story of him this James saith Clement when he was brought to the Tribunal Seat Euseb Lib. 2. Chap. 9. he that brought him and was the cause of his trouble seeing him to condemned and that he should suffer death as he went to the Execution he being moved therewith in Heart and Conscience confessed himself also of his own accord to be a Christian And so were they led forth together where in the way he desired of James to forgive him that he had done after that James had a little paused upon the matter turning to him said Peace be unto thee Brother and kissed him and both were beheaded together in the Year 36. James the Brother of Christ Martyred James the Brother of Christ was termed a just and perfect man it is said that he took in hand the Goverment of the Church after the Apostles and when many of the Princes were perswaded there arose a Tumult of the Jews Scribes and Pharisees saying It is very dangerous lest the whole People look after this Jesus as though he were Christ and being gathered together they said to James we pray thee stay this people for they err in Jesus as though he were the true Christ We pray thee perswade this people concerning Jesus Euseb Lib. 2. Chap. 23. for we all obey thee yea we and all the people testifie of thee that thou art just and respectest not the person of any man stand therefore upon the Pinacle of the Temple that thou mayst be seen aloft and that thy word may be heard plainly of all the people The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees placed James upon the Pinacle of the Temple and shouted to him and said Thou just man at whose commandment we are all here insomuch as this people are seduced after Jesus who was crucified declare unto us which is the Door or way of Jesus crucified and he answered with a loud Voice why ask ye me of Jesus the Son of man when as he fitteth at the right Hand in the great Power in Heaven When as he had perswaded many so that they glorified God at the Testimony of James and said Hosanna in the highest to the Son of David Then the Scribes and Pharisees said among themselves We have done very ill in causing such a Testimony of Jesus to be brought forth but let us climb up and take him to the end that the people may be striken with fear and so may be brought to renounce his Faith and they shouted saying O O and the just also is seduced so they climbed up and threw Justus down dead long saying let us stone James Justus and they began to throw stones at him for after his fall he was not fully dead and he fell upon his Knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgive them for they wot not what they do And as they were stoning of him one of the Priests the Son of Rachab the Son of Cherabim spake to them the Testimony which is in Jeremiah the Prophet and cryed out Cease what do you this just man prayeth for you And one of them that were present taking a fullers Club struck Justus on the head and brained him This James was so notable a man that for his justness he was had in honour of all men insomuch that the wise man of the Jews shortly after his Martyrdom did impute the cause of the besieging Jerusalem and other Calamities which hapned unto them to no other cause but unto the violence and injury done to this man also Josephus hath not left this out of his History where he speaketh of him after this manner Jos Lib. 10. these things so chanced unto the Jews for a vengeance because of that Just man James which was the Brother of Jesus for shortly after his suffering Vespatianus the Emperour destroyed the Land of Jury and brought them into Captivity A Relation of the Persecutions raised by the Romans against the Christians in the Primitive Age of the Church dureing the space of three hundred Years Eusebius and the most part of Writers do number the first Persecutions to be Ten wherein great Numbers of the Christians were slain and tormented some slain with the Sword some burnt with Fire some with whips scourged some stabed with Forks of Iron some fastned to the Cross or Gibbet some drowned in the Sea some their Skins pluck off some their Tongues cut out some stoned to death some killed with cold some starved with hunger some their Hands cut off or otherwise dis-membred have been so left naked to the open shame of the World whose kinds of punishment although they were divers yet the manner of constancy in all these Martyrs was one The first of the Ten Persecutions The first of these Ten Persecutions was stired up by Nero Domitias about the year 67. after the Birth of Christ Orosius writeth of Nero that he was the first within Rome did raise up
pitiful Persecution certifying him that there were very many thousands of them daily put to death of which none did any thing contrary to the Roman Laws worthy persecution saving that they used to gather together in the Morning before day and sing Hymns to a certain God whom they worshipped called Christ in all other their Ordinances they were godly and honest and for proof hereof saith he I caused two Maidens to be laid on the Rack and with Torments to be Examined about the same but finding nothing in them but only lewd and immoderate superstition I resolved to surcease farther enquiry till I receive further Instructions from you in this matter Trajan having read this Epistle returned answer that it was his mind that the Christians should not be sought after but if they were brought and convicted that then they should suffer Execution Whereof Tertullian speaking said Oh confussed Sentance he would not have them sought for as men Innocent and yet would have them punished as men guilty This Trajan sent a Command to Jerusalem that whosoever could be found out of the Stock of David should be inquired for and put to death In this Persecution suffered Phocas Bishop of Pontus whom Trajan because he would not worship Neptune caused to be cast into a hot Lime-Kill and afterwards to be put into a scaulding Bath where he ended his life in the cause of Christ Then also Ignatius Bishop of Antioch was apprehended and sent to Rome where he was devoured of wild Beafts and beside these many thousands more were martyred In the Reign of Antolius Verus a great Number of the Christians suffered most cruel punishments and torments Policarpus suffered especially in Asia and France among whom was Policarp Bishop of Smyrna who was burnt at a Stake at Smyrna About this time also suffered Blandina and Ponticus a youth of fifteen years old who defying their Idols and constantly cleaving to Christ were put to all the Torments their inraged Enemies could devise till at last the youth gave up the Ghost Blandina was first pitifully whiped and then thrown to the wild Beasts then tormented on the Gridiron and at last slain Comolus the Emperour upon his Birth day calling the People of Rome together in a great Royalty cloathed in his Lions skin sacrificed to Hercules causing it to be proclaimed that Hercules was the Patron of the City whereupon Vinsencicus Eâ—sebius Perigrenous and Potentionous learned men being stirred up with Zeal went about from place to place converting the Heathen to the Faith of Christ and hearing of the Madness of the Emperour and People they reproved that Idolatrous blindness exhorting them to believe in the true and living God and that forsaking the worship ping of Divels they should honour God alone The Emperour hearing thereof caused them to be Apprehended required them to Sacrifice Hercules which they refusing to do he caused them to be grievously tormented and pressed to death with weights of Lead Severus another Emperour put forth Proclamations that no Christians should be suffered to live hereby a great Persecution was stirred up on every side and an infinite number of Martyrs were slain Potamtena was tormented with boyling Pitch poured upon her Potamtena persecuted and afterwards with her Mother Mersila and Rhais was burnt in the Fire and when Basilides Captain having the Maid to execution as he led her to the place he repressed the raging of the Multitude who followed with raging and reviling which she seeing prayed to the Lord for his Conversion to the true Faith and so with admirable patience suffered Martyrdom Shortly after Basilides being required to give an Oath in the behalf of his fellow Souldiers he denied the same plainly Basilides suffered affirming that he was a Christian and therefore he could not Swear they which heard him thought he jested at first but when he had constantly affirmed it they had him before the Judge who committed him to Ward the Christians wondering at it went to him and inquiring the cause of his Conversion he told them that Potamiena prayed for him and so he saw a Crown put upon his head adding that it should not be long before he received it and accordingly the next day he was beheaded A certain Christian being examined before the Judge and through fear being ready to shrink back there were certain persons standing by who were ready to burst for grief making signs to him by their hands and jestures to be constant which being observed they were ready to be laid hold on but they of their own accord pressed up to the Judge professed themselves to be Christians which much emboldened the weak Christian and terrified the Judge this being done they departed away rejoycing for the Testimony they had given of their Faith The crimes and charges laid to the Christians The Crimes and Accusations that was laid to the charge of the Christians by the Persecutors were That they refused to worship Idols and the Emperours and that they professed the Name of Christ yet besides all the Calamities and evils that happenedin the World as Wars Famine Pestilence c. were imputed only to the Christians But Cyprian and Tertullian confuting these Slanders proved That the special cause of all those Miseries which befel the Empire proceeded from the sheding of the Innocent Blood of the Christians Cyprian was at last condemned to have his Head cut off who patiently and willingly submitted his Neck to the stroke of the Sword Sixtus Bishop of Rome with his six Deacons for the Christian Faith were all beheaded Laurence also another of hiâ— Deacons following Sixtus Laurence Martyred as he went to his Execution complained that he might not suffer with him but that he was seeluded as the Son from the Father to whom the Bishop answered That within three days he should follow him bidding him in the mean time to go Home and if he had any Treasures to distribute them amongst the Poor the Judge hearing mention of Treasures supposing that Laurence had great store in his custody commanded him to bring the same to him Laurence craved three days respit promising then to declare where the Treasure might be had in the mean time he caused a good number of Christians to be gathered together and when the day of his answer was come the persecutors strictly charged him to make good his promise but Valiant Laurence streaching his Arms over the Poor said These are the pretious Treasures of the Church these are the Treasures indeed in whom Christ hath his Mansion c. But the Tyrant in a great fury and madness cryed kindle the Fire make no spare of Wood hath this Villain deluded the Emperour Away with him whip him with Sourges jerk him with Rods buffet him with Fists brain him with Clubs jesteth the Traytor with the Emperour Pinch him with fiery Tongs gird him with burning Plates bring out the strongest Chains and Fire-forks and the Grate of Iron
Christian World as before is related And Pope Alexander the third being informed that divers persons in Lyons questioned his Soveraign Authority over the whole Church cursed Valdo and his Adherents commanding the Arch-Bishop to proceed against them by Ecclesiastical censures to their utter extirpation whereupon they were wholly chased out of Lyons Valdo and his followers were called Waldenses who afterwards spread themselves into divers Countries and Companies and for their Religion many of them were Burnt to death and fleeing into Germany and other Countries many of them were put to death Pope Alexander 〈◊〉 de a Decree that these Gospellers and all their Favourers should 〈◊〉 comunicated and that none should sell them any thing or buy 〈◊〉 â—hing of them 〈◊〉 the Waldenses notwithstanding all the Popes Curses continued publishing that the Pope was Antichrist the Mass an Abomination the Host an Idol and Purgatory a Fable whereupon Pope Innocent the third Anno 1198. seeing that the other remedies were not sufficient to suppress these Hereticks as he called them authorized certain Monks Inquisitors who by process should apprehend and deliver them to the secular power by a far shorter but much more cruel way then was used formerly for by this means they were by thousands delivered into the Magistrates hands and by them to the Executioners whereby in a few years all Christendom was moved with compassion to see so many burnt and hanged that did trust only in Christ for Salvation And from the year 1170. to the year 1470. many noble Witnesses were raised up in England and elsewhere to write against the Popes pride calling him Antichrist c. and to bear a publick Testimony in these dark times against the corruption and abominable Idolatry which was crept into the Church with the hazard of their Lives and Liberties amongst which were the Lollards of the increase of whom the Pope had often complained in Richard the second 's time but could not prevail and King Henry the fourth coming to the Crown by Usurpation to ingratiate himself with the Clergy made a Law that Lollards should be burnt at the discretion of the Bishops whereupon divers suffered Martyrdom as followeth William Sawtery of London in the year 1400. William Sawtery Suffered was imprisoned by Thomas Arondell Arch-Bishop of Canterbury VVilliam Sawtry desired his cause might be heard by the Parliament then sitting for the commodity of the whole Realm but the Bishops would not allow it but caused him to be brought before them who examined him upon eight Articles the last whereof was about Transubstantiation to which he answered that after the words of Consecration there remained very bread the same bread which it was before the words were spoken whereupon he was condemned by Robert Hall the Bishops Chancellour after which they got a warrant from the King directed to the Mayor and Sheriff of London for his burning William Thorp for the same cause was examined and imprisoned and after a long examination before the Arch-Bishop was committed to another foul bad Prison where he never was before of which place he writeth as followeth After I was brought to Prison when all men were gone forth from me the Prison doors fast being by my self I began to Think on God and to thank him for his goodness and I was then greatly comforted not only for that I was then delivered for a time from the presence of the Scorning and from the Menacing of my Enemies but much more I rejoyced in the Lord because that through his Grace he kept me so both among the flattering especially and among the menacing of mine Adversaries that without heaviness and anguish of my Conscience I passed away from them In his examination the Bishop told him that it was certified against him that he preached openly and boldly in Shrewsoury that Priests have no title to Tythes the substance of his Answer was There was one came to Prison to me and asked what I said of Tythes to whom I said ask the Priests and Clerks of the Town the man replyed our Prelates say they are cursed that withdraw their Tythes I said I wonder any Priest say men are cursed without the ground of Gods Word and put the man to enquire of the Priest of that Town where the sentence of cursing them that Tythed not was written in Gods Law and I said further in the old Law which ending not fully till Christ rose up from death to life God commanded Tythes to be given to the Levites but the Priests were to have but the tenth part of those Tythes given to the Levites now said I in the new Law neither Christ nor any of his Apostles took Tythes of the People nor commanded the People to pay Tythes but Christ taught the People to shew works of mercy and I said not of Tythes but of pure Almes of the People Christ and the Apostles lived when they were so busie in preaching the word to the People that they could not otherwise work to get their livelihood Then the Bishop said thou preachedst openly at Shrowsbury that it is not lawful to swear in any case Thorp said by the Authority of the Epistle of James and by witness of divers others The Martyr against swearing oâ— a Book I have preached openly in one place or other that it is not lawful for any to swear in any case by any Creature Then the Clerk asked him whether it were not lawful for a Subject at the command of his Prelate to kneel down and touch the holy Gospel book and kiss it saying so help me God and this holy Dome Thorp said Ye speak full largly what if a Prelate command his Subject to do an unlawful thing should he obey Arch-Bishop a Subject ought not to suppose that his Prelate will bid him do an unlawful thing Thorp But to our purpose related the Opinion of a master in Divinity in the matter of Swearing who said it was not lawful either to give or take any such charge upon a Book for every Book is nothing else but divers Creatures of which it is made of Therefore to sware upon a Book is to swear by Creatures and this swearing is ever unlawful this Sentence saith Thorp witnesseth Chrysostom plainly blaming them greatly that bring forth a book to swear upon charging Clerks that in no wise they constrain any Body to sware whether they think a man to sware true or false Then the Arch-Bishop scorned me and threatened me with sharp and great Punishment except I left this Opinion of swearing Thorp said It is not only my opinion but the opinion of Christ James and Chrysostom and divers others The Clerk said Wilt thou tarry my Lord longer submit thee here meekly to the Ordinance of holy Church and lay thy hand upon a Book touching the holy Gospel of God promising not only with thy Mouth but also with thine Heart to stand to my Lords ordinance Thorp said have I not told you here how that I
that behalf looking upon Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him abode the Cross and dispised the shame nevertheless though we suffer the wrong after the example of our Master Christ yet we are not bound to suffer the wrong cause for Christ himself suffered it not but reproved him that smote him wrongfully likewise Paul Acts 23. saith we must not suffer the wrong but boldly reprove them that sit as Righteous Judges and act contrary to Righteousness therefore according both to God and mans Law you are not bound to make answer to any cause till your Accusers came before you which if you require and thereon do stick the false Brethren shall be known to the great comfort of those who now stand in doubt who they may trust and also it shall be a means that they shall not craftily by Questions take you in Snares and Acts 20. its written It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man that he should perish before he that is accused have his Accuser before him and have License to answer for himself as pertaining to the Crime whereof he is accused and also Christ said that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses all things shall stand wherefore seeing that in Accusations such Witnesses should be you may with a good Conscience require it and thus the God of Grace settle strengthen and establish you that to him may be the glory and praise for ever This is the Substance of the Letter now follows the Substance of Tracy's Will William Tracy of Taddington in the County of Gloucester in his Will declared amongst other things that touching the burying of his body it availed him not whatsoever was done thereto when he was dead for said he Funeral pomps are rather for the Solace of them that live then the wealth and comfort of them that are dead Which Will being brought by his Son his Executor to the Bishop of Canterbury to be proved the Bishop shew'd it to the Convocation who past a Sentence that a Commission should be sent to Doctor Parker Chancellor of the Diocess of worcester to take up Tracy's dead body and to burn him as an Heretick for making such a Will which accordingly was Executed notwithstanding he had been buryed almost two years before About this time the House of Commons assembled in Parliament put up a Supplication by way of Complaint to the King against the Clergy this Complaint the King seemed at first not to take much notice of yet afterwards coming to have a clear understanding of the abuses and enormities of the Clergy especially of the corrupt Authority of the See of Rome provided certain Acts against the same and wholly excluded the Popes Authority out of his Realm but thinking the work not sufficiently done as long as Abbies and Priories kept their Station which were as it were his Fortresses and Pillars there was not long after means found to have them suppressed for aspersions being laid upon them of Adulteries and Murders they by Act of Parliament at least near four hundred of them were suppressed and all their Lands and Goods conferred upon the King and afterwards all the rest and all Colledges Chanteries and Hospitals also the same Parliament enacted that Bishops should pay no more Annals or Money for their Bulls to the Pope and that no Person should appeal for any Cause out of this Realm to the Court of Rome and an Act was made that the King should be the Supream head of the Church of England c. But although the Popes Wings were thus cut and his Power and Authority in England abrogated by Act of Parliament as before is mentioned yet the Bishops here went on persecuting such as they accounted Sectaries and Hereticks but before I give an account of such as further suffered here in England for Religion it falls in order to give an Account of the Sufferings of William Tindal beyond Sea This William Tindal was burnt near Wales William Tindal Marryr and being a man Zealous for Reformation and Religion and considering that if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar Speech it might much conduce to â—he propagating thereof and finding his purpose could not be well effected here in England by reason of the strictness of the Bishops and Chancellor he travelled into Germany and there he first translated the New Testament and then the Old and writ several other Books against the irreligious Practice of the Prelates which Books being published and sent over into England it cannot be spoken what a door of Light they opened to the whole English Nation who before were many years shut up in darkness But though the spreading of these Books wrought much good to the upright and such as had in any measure a desire to advance the Truth yet the envious and persecuting Spirit of the Bishops was also much more stirred up thereby seeking by all means how to stop them from being spread lest their Hypocrisie and works of Darkness should he discerned wherefore they made great stir and search as Herod did at the birth of Christ and sought out by what means they might hinder the travels of this Tindal and of his Printing and Publishing the said Books and set persons to search and examine at Antwerp how things stook with Tindal which when the Bishops and Chancellors in England understood how things were they sent over one Henry Phillips to betray him into the hands of the Emperors Procurator General at Brussells the said Procurator through the treachery of Phillips seized upon all Tindalls Books and apprehended him and sent him Prisoner to Filford Castle eighteen English Miles from Antwerp being brought to his Tryal they offered him to have Councel to plead for him he refused saying he would answer for himself after much reasoning and Dispute he was Condemned by virtue of the Emperors Decree made in the Assembly at Ausbrough and upon the same was brought to the place of Execution at Filford Anna 1536. being ryed to the Stake he cryed with a fervent zeal and a loud voice Lord open the King of Englands eyes and so was burnt to death When the King had taken the title of Supremacy from the Bishop of Rome and Stated the same to himself he perceived by the Wisdom and advice of Thomas Cromwell one of his Privy Councel that the corrupt State of the Church had need of Reformation in many things This Cromwell was through the goodness of God raised up to be a friend and a favourer of those that profest the Gospel who though but a Smiths Son born at Putney for the pregnancy of his wit he was first entertained by Cardinal Woolsey and by him employed in many great Affairs the Cardinal falling the King took him unto his Service and finding his great Abillities advanced him for his worth to great places of Honour and Trust through whose perswasions several Injunctions were put out by the
King for Reformation in Religion and he was the great Instrument in overthrowing Abbies Monasteries and Friaries which were a little before by Act of Parliament given into the Kings hands Whereupon not only their Houses were rased but their Possessions were divided amongst the Nobility insomuch that all Friars Monks Cannons Nuns and other such Sects were so rooted out of this Land from the Foundation that there seemed to be no room left for such Weeds to grow here any more But as this Thomas Cromwell was raised up for good and being so greatly in favour with the King used all means he could to perswade him to reform the enormities in the Church on the other hand Satan raised up his Instrument which was Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester who used all wilds and subtill means he could to perswade the King against the same casting upon the Professors of Truth the name of Hereticks Sectaries Anabaptists and Sacramentaries and so far prevailed with the King that by the Kings Authority certain Injunctions were published prohibiting the publishing any Books in English written by the Sectaries and Sacramentaries under the pain of the forfeiture of all their goods and Chattels and their Bodies to be Imprisoned during the Kings pleasure And further this Stephen Gardner instigated the King not only against the Queen who was a favourer of Religion and Reformation but also against this Thomas Lord Cromwell who no doubt had brought the encrease of true Religion according to his understanding to more prefection had not this Gardner and other Malignant Opposers thereof set themselves against it to hinder the prosperity thereof but now through the said Gardners evill advise the King who before had raised the said Thomas Cromwell for his worth and integrity now for his pleasure took him off and suffered him to be Beheaded After his death Religion and the Reformation more and more decayed whereby the Reader may see how variable the State of things stood in reference to Religion at this time and with what difficulty any thing of Light and Truth came forth how often things changed even as the King was ruled and gave ear sometimes it went a little forward and then backward again according as the persons prevailed that were about the King And now the King being led through Gardners suggestions began to withdraw shewing any favour to the Reformation in Religion concluding so to do was most for his safety both at home and abroad having so much displeased the Pope and other Popish Princes in what he had already done and though he had rejected the Popes Authority he would declare himself nevertheless to be a good Catholick Son of the Mother Church and a withstander of new Heresies and then calling a new Parliament and Convocation of Prelates there was six Articles decreed concerning Religion which was afterwards commonly called a whip with six Srings it was pretended for the Unity of the Church but what Unity followed the groaning hearts of many that suffered death by the same both in this Kings time and in Queen Maries time may declare The Six Articles of the Bishops Condemning all to be burnt as Hereticks that should hold First That the Body of Christ was not really present in the Sacrament after Consecration Secondly That the Sacrament might not truely be administred under one Kind Thirdly That Priests entred into holy Orders might Marry Fourthly That Vows of Chastity entred into upon mature deliberation were not to be kept Fifthly That private Masses were not to be used Sixthly That Auricular Confession was not to be used in the Church Before these Articles were published Bishop Gardener having obtained his desire with the King he and the rest of the Prelates began again fresh to persecute the Protestants the first they stretched forth their Hands against was John Lambert a Norfolk man and one zealous for the Spreading of the Truth according to the Manifestation of it then broke forth and to that end was conversant with Tindal and Frith at Antweep until by the Instigation of Sr. Thomas Moor he was apprehended and brought to London where he was first brought to Examination at Lambeth and then at the Bishops House at Oxford before Worham Arch-bishop of Canterbury and others where fourty five Articles were objected against him to all which he answered in writing very fully and wisely both according to the Scriptures and Reason the Articles and his Answers may be read at large in Foxe's Acts and Monuments The Bishop of Canterbury shortly after dying whereby Lambort for that time was delivered out of Prison and coming to London it was not long before he fell into trouble again for having a private Conference with one Doctor Tayler what past between them in their dispute in private grew at last a publick and common talk which coming to the Arch-bishops Ear he sent for Lambort and forced him to defend his Cause openly in that Disputation Lambort appealed to the King from the Bishops Upon this appeal Bishop Gardener goes to the King and privately possesses him that now he had an opportunity to quiet the minds of the people who were offended with him for abolishing the Bishop of Rome's Authority and subverting of Monasteries and Abbies c. he might now remedy these troubles if he would manifestly appear in this matter against Lambort and shew himself stoutly to resist the Hereticks the King immediately received this wicked Counsel of the Bishop and forth with sent out a general Commission commanding all the Bishops and Nobles of the Land to come with all speed to London to assist the King against Hereticks these preparations being made a day was set upon which Lambort should appear before the King and the rest assembled with him to be Tryed and Judged The day being come the King ascended his Throne clothed all in white he lookt upon the Prisoner with a sterne Countenance as if his mind was full of Indignation and then called forth the Bishop of Chichester and commanded him to declare to the People the Causes of that Assembly the Substance of the Bishops Speech tended to this That the King would have none to conceive that whereas the Authority and Name of the Bishop of Rome being utterly abolished he would also extinguish all Religion or give Liberty to Hereticks to trouble the Churches of England without punishment the Bishop having ended his Speech the chief thing that the King prest Lambort to declare was what Opinion he held touching the Sacrament of the Altar to which he answered fully and the Dispute held chiefly concerning that point for some hours until the King and Bishops enraged against him forced him to silence at last The King being minded to end the Dispute said to Lambort What sayest thou after all these Labours and Reasons of these learned Men Art thou yet satisfied Wilt thou live or die thou hast yet free choice Lambort answered I yield and submit my self wholly unto the will of your Majesty
nod its Head hang the Lip and move and shake his Jaws according to the value of the Gift offered if it were a small piece of Silver then would he hang a frowning Lip if it were a piece of Gold then should his Jaws go Merrily Thus were poor peoples Souls seduced and their pockets pickt by these Idolatrous Forgers until Cromwel caused the said Image to be carried publickly to Pauls where the People tore it in pieces He was a man not only Zealous for the publick Reformation but also always ready to help private persons that were in distress and though its common amongst men that are raised from low estate to great place and outward preferment to forget themselves what they formerly were and the persons from whom they received benefits It was not so with him for in his Travels beyond Sea being brought to a low condition and being relieved by a Rich Merchant in Florence and entertained in his House when he was in great distress and when he was minded to return to England the Merchant gave him a Horse Money and Apparel which Cromwel received with great thankfulness This Merchant not long after through great losses fell to decay and having money owing him in England came over to see if he could get it and arriving at London not thinking of the kindness he had shewed to Cromwel but as he was travelling the Streets Cromwel as he was riding along espied him and knew him and alighted and took notice of him and of his former kindness and invited him to Court who coming there after he had dined with him he had the Merchant into a private Room and paid him fully for all he had of him at Florence and gave him sufficiently over as a Recompence for his kindness and kept him in his House all the time of his remaining in England This is but one example of many that might be mentioned to shew this Cromwells Gratitude and Courtesie His care and Zeal for the setling the Protestant Religion was that which brought him to his end for that for the better estalishing thereof he devised to effect a Marriage between the King and the Lady Anne of Cleeve whose Sister was Married to the Duke of Saxony a Protestant Prince by which Marriage it was supposed there would be established a perpetuall Peace and Amity between this Kingdom and the Protestant Princes of Germany which would much strengthen the Protestant Party against the Tyranny and Oppression of the Pope and his Adherents But presently after the Marriage Stephen Gardner who had soon after crept into favour with the King as is before related suggested to him some occasions of distaste against the Duke of Saxony and some apprehensions of fear by reason of that Odium which he had pulled upon himself by rejecting the Pope and demolishing Abbies and Monasteries whereby as he told him he had made the Pope the Emperour the King of France and the King of Scotland his Enemies but especially his own Subjects who were much distasted with the Innovations in Religion and that the only way to heal all was to shew himself Sharp and severe against the new Sectaries This occasioned the King to withdraw his favour from Cromwell for being one day in the Council Chamber he was suddainly apprehended and committed to the Tower of London at the hearing whereof many good men were much troubled the charge laid against him was that he was a supporter of Hereticks and a Spreader of their Books and that he had caused to be translated into English Books wrote against the Sacrament of the Alter and that he had spoke words against the King but whatever he was accused of he was soon after condemned in the Tower without coming to his Answer and was beheaded his death the King shortly after bewailed wishing he had his Cromwel alive again so that it appears it was more the malice of his Adversary that stirred up the King against him then any real cause by him given or acted that might justly occasion his death In this year viz. 1545. one John Athee was indicted by the Kings writ for speaking certain words against the Sacrament That he would not believe in the thing that the Knave Priest made neither in that which Longs wife selleth but only in God which is in Heaven and when it was told him that God through his Word could make it Flesh and Blood he answered so he might if he would turn it into a Chickens leg Here followeth a Narative of a sudden Fear and Surprizal that fell upon the Doctors and others at Mary's Steeple-house in Oxford by reason of a mans Crying Fire in the Street and what hapned thereupon There being a Sermon to be preached in the aforesaid Steeple-house at the Recantation of one Malory the Priest had no sooner got into the Pulpit and Malory come forth with his Faggot on his Shoulder accompanied with a great Congregation of people but one in the Street seeing a Chimney on Fire cryed out Fire Fire which so alarumed the People in the Steeple-house that the Doctor and Congregation were amazed expecting the Steeple-house had been on Fire and at last they all generally concluded it was on Fire and that the Hereticks had set it on Fire and with eagerness running on heaps to get forth they raised such a dust that it seemed like Smoak of Fire and thrusting many together to get out they stopt up the Doors that few could pass and thus being afrighted as if great Danger or present Death were at hand did they crowd one upon another the Heretick throwing down his Faggot and shifting as well as he could among the rest the Doctor that was preaching his Recantation cryed out Lord have Mercy upon me this is the Hereticks doings amongst the rest a Monk one of the Auditors fearing the Danger and seeing the way to escape stopt he got up to a Window and breaking the glass thrust himself part thorow but there stuck and could get no further neither in nor out a Boy also endeavouring to escape got upon the Door and jumping down jumpt into a Monks Cowle as it hung at his Back the Monk hearing one in his Cowle cryed out who is that at my Back The Boy cryed I am Bertrams Boy Who art thou said the Monk I am Bertrams Boy good Master let me go and with that the Cowle began to crak the Monk took him out and the Boy ran away Some lost their Clothes in the throng and some their Money in this Surprizal and Fright at the noise of a Fire that did them no hurt About this time one Sr. George Blague of the Kings Privy-Chamber was falsly accused for speaking against the Mass whereupon Wrisly the Lord Chancellor sent him to Newgate and the next day he was arraigned and Condemned at Guild-Hall and within a day or two after should have been burnt in Smithfield but some of the privy-Chamber making suit to the King on his behalf the King was
much offended that they should come so neer him as his Privy-Chamber without his knowledge and Consent sent for the Chancellor and commanded him presently to draw up his Pardon himself whereby he was set at liberty George Blague afterwards coming into the Kings Presence the King said to him Oh my Pig for so he used to call him Yea said he if your Majesty had not been better to me then your Bishops were your Pig had been roasted before this time The Troubles of the Queen Katherine Parr for showing favour to the Professors of the Truth and how the Lord made way for her Deliverance About this time the King coming from Bullein information was given him that the Queen Katherine Parr was much given to reading the Scriptures and entertained divers godly persons in conference about spiritual Matters At first the King seemed to like well of it Her Council to the King which made her the more bold sometimes freely to debate with the King about Religion often beseeching him That as he had to the glory of God and his own Eternal Fame began a good work in banishing the Popes supremacy that he would perfect what he had begun and thorowly to cleanse away the dregs of Popery whereof much remained yet behind The King though he was grown very teasty and froward yet out of his singular Affection to her was content to bear with her for never did Maid more seek to please her Mistriss then she did withal painful endeavour apply her self by all virtuous means in all things to please his Humor She was a Woman very beautiful virtuous and of a comely personage which greatly delighted the King But some subtil and malicious Instruments of Satan Popish Subtilty fearing what might be the Issue of it sought by all means to set the King against her these were the Bishop of Winchester Wrisly the Chancellor and others of the Council and Privy-Chamber hoping that if they could but take away her that was such an Encourager of the Professors of the Truth they might soon destroy the rest The King growing sickly and froward left off his accustomed manner of visiting the Queen and therefore she took all opportunities to visit him and did earnestly solicite him to be Zealous in the Reformation of the Church Winchester being present at one time and perceiving the King not to be very well pleased with her when she was gone he maliciously endeavoured to stir up the Kings Indignation against her possessing the King That under his Favour he with others of the Council could in a short time disclose such Treason cloaked with the vail of Heresie that his Majesty should easily perceive how dangerous it was to nourish such a Serpent in his Bossom this so stirred up the King that he gave them leave to draw up Articles against her and thus far they got their end the next thing was to suborn Witnesses to betray and accuse her and to find out what Books she had in her Closets that were forbidden by Law and to search her Closets and to apprehend the Queen and send her by Barge to the Tower The King being made privy to this devise by Winchester and Wrisly he politickly seemed to approve it that he might see how far the malice of the Bishop would carry him and thus the Day Time and place for the Apprehending the Queen and some about her was concluded of The King at this time lay at White-hall and by reason of his distemper seldom stirred abroad and the time approaching for the apprehension of the Queen she suspected nothing of it and therefore used after her accustomed manner when she came to the King still to deal with him about Religion as formerly she had done but one night after she had taken her Leave of him the King imparted the whole design to Doctor VVendy enjoyning him not to spake of it to any Creature but by Providence these Articles drawn up against her signed by the King fell from of the Bosom one of these Councellors and was immediately carried to the Queen who reading the Articles knowing the Kings hand was supprised with such a sudden fear that she made pitious Mean and Lamentation The King hearing that she was in peril of her Life sent his Physicians to her and Doctor VVendy knowing the cause better then the other began secretly to break with her about the Articles tilling her that he knew well of them though he stood in danger of his Life by revealing of them yet to quiet his Conscience he could not but give her Warning of them intreating her somewhat to conform her self to the Kings mind not doubting but that by her humble submission she should find him favourable to her shortly after the King hearing of her dangerous Condition went to her to him therefore she uttered her Greif fearing as she said lest he had taken displeasure against her Whereupon he like a loving Husband with sweet and comfortable Words somewhat eased her perplexed Mind so that she began to recover the King being departed she caused all her Books which the Law was against to be conveyed away and taking a fit season in an Evening she went to visit the King who was confering with some of his Bed-Chamber When he saw her he intertained her Courteously and began to Commnue with her about Religion seeming desirous to be resolved by the Queen of certain doubts which he proposed to her she perceiving his drift with mild and reverend Conutenance answered him thus Your Majesty knows right well neither am I ignorant what weakness attends our Sex and therefore we are inferiour and Subject to man our Head whence all our directions must proâ—eed God hath made man in his own Likeness endued him with more exellent Gifts c. But he hath made Woman of Man by whom she is to be governed and directed seeing therefore that God hath appointed such a Naturall Difference and you being of so excellent Wisdom and I a poor sily VVoman so much in feriour to you why should your Majesty propose such difficult Cases to me yea when I have said what I can I must and will refer my self unto your Wisdom as my Supream Hâ—ad under God by whom I must be dâ—rected This that she declared and other discourse that passed between them at that time so pleased the King that he shewed great favour unto her as heretofore he had done Her Adversaries knew nothing of this and therefore were providing for her Apprehension which was to be next day at which time they intended to carry her to the Tower the Day and almost the Hour being come the King intending to take the Air went into the Garden whither the Queen also went to him being sent for by him where the King being merrily disposed with her on a sudden in the middst of the mirth in came VVrisly the Chancellor with forty of the Kings Guard at his heels whom the King sternly beholding went to him
and upon private conference together the King called him Knave Arrent Beast and Fool withal commanding him out of his Presence The King after his departure returned to the Queen who perceiving him to be much chafed with Sweet words endeavoured to qualifie his displeasure saying that though she knew not what might be the cause he was Offended but desired him if it were not hainous that for her sake he would pass it by Ah poor Soul said the King little dost thou know how ill he deserves this Grace at thy hands on my word Sweet Heart he hath been towards thee an Arrant Knave and so let him go And thus the Queen through Gods Providence and the Kings Favour escaped the Hands of her bloody Persecutors who sought to have destroyed her Persecuted in Scotland In the year 1534. the Arch-Bishop of Andrews convented before him David Stratton and one Norman Gourlay the first of these having a Fisher-boat that went to Sea the Bishop of Murray demanded Tythe-Fish of him to whom he answered That if they would have Tythe of that which his Servants caught in the Sea they should take it in the Place where it was caught and so caused his Servants to throw the tenth Fish into the Sea again All this while he had nothing in him for Religion But when hereupon he was summoned to answer for Heresie it troubled him exceedingly and then he began to frequent the company of such as were godly and here appeared a Wonderful change in him so that whereas before he despised the Scriptures now all his delight was in hearing them read to him and he became a vehement Exhorter of all men to peace and concord and contempt of the World he much frequented the company of the Laird of Dun Ariskin whom God in these dayes had marvelously illuminated and hearing that Text read for he could not read himself He that denyeth me before men or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked Generation I will deny him before my Father and holy Angels at those words being suddenly as one revived he fell upon his Knees and stedfastly lifting up his Eyes and Hands at length he burst out into these words O Lord I have been wicked and justly mayst thou withdraw thy Grace from me But Lord for thy Mercies sake let me never deny thee nor thy Truth for fear of Death or any Corporal Pain soon after Norman and he were brought to Judgment to Holy Rood house the King himself being present much means was used to draw this David Stratton to make a Recantation but he persevered in his constancy still denying that he had offended and so they were both condemned to the Fire and after dinner they were both first hanged and then burnt Not long after the burning of these two there was one Thomas Forret a Dean who used to preach every first day to his Parishoners the Epistles and Gospels this was counted a great Novelty in those time for none used to preach but the Fryers and therefore they envying him accused him to the Bishop of Dunkelden for an Heretick and one that re rad the Mysteries of Scriptures to the vulgar People the Bishop instigated by the complaint of the Fryers called the said Thomas Forret before him to whom he said My joy Dean Thomas I love you well and therefore I must give you Council how to govern your self The Dean thanked him and then he proceeded My joy Dean Thomas I am informed that you preach the Epistles and Gospels every Sunday to your People and that you take not your Dues from them which is very prejudicial to the Church-men and that therefore my joy Dean Thomas I would have you to take your Dues or else it s too much to preach every Sunday for by so doing you make the People think that we should do so also Thomas answered My Lord I presume none of my Parishoners complain for my not taking my Dues and whereas you say it s too much to preach every Sunday I think it is too little and wish that your Lordship would do the like Nay nay Dean Thomas said the Bishop let that be for we are not ordained to preach and Dean Thomas go your wayes and let all these Fancies be for if you persist herein you will repent you when it is too late I trust said the Dean my cause is good and just in the presence of God and therefore I care not what follows thereupon and so went away but shortly after he was summoned to appear before the Cardinal by whom he was condemned and burned for a chief Heretick and Teacher of Heresie But notwithstanding their bloody Tyranny the Knowledge of God did Wonderfully encrease in this Country partly by reading and partly by brotherly Conference which in those dangerous dayes were much used to the Comfort of many which so enraged the Popish Party that in the year 1538. there were burned in one Fire four Persons The year after Jeremy Russel and Alexander Kenedy were apprehended and brought before the Bishop the said Jeremy being a man of a meek and quiet Nature Alexander was a young man about eightteen years old Alexander at first was faint and would fain have recanted but when all place of Repentance was denyed him the Spirit of God began to refresh him yea the inward Comfort began to burst forth as well in his Vissage as in his words and he cryed in prayer to God Oh Eternall God how Wounderful is thy Love and Mercy who hast made me to feel Heavenly Comfort which takest from me that ungodly fear which before I was oppressed with now I defie death do with me what you please I praise God I am ready Then did they rail upon him and Jeremy who also said unto them This is your hour and power of darkness Now sit ye as Judges and we stand wrongfully Accused and more wrongfully to be Condemned but the day will come when our Innocency will appear and ye shall see your own blindness to your Everlasting Confusion Go forward fulfill the measure of your Iniquity Shortly aft'r th'y were Condemned to die as they went to Execution Jeremy comforted Alexander saying to him Brother fear not greater is he that that is in us then he that is in the World the pain that we are to suffer is short and shall be light but our Joy and Consolation shall never have end Let us therefore strive to enter into our Master and Saviours Joy by the same Strait Way which he hath taken before us Death cannot hurt us for it is already destroyed by him for whose Sake we now Suffer And thus they constantly continued stedfast in the Flaming Fire till they finished their Course by Death In the year 1543. George Wiseheart a man of a Courteous Modest and Temperate Behaviour fearing God and hating Covetousness very charitable and moderate in his Apparel and Diet and for his Innocency was a man well beloved he was
that they had a Child that could lose his Life for Christ's sake Many people resorted to the Inn to see him whom he exhorted to leave the Abomination of Popisn Superstition and Idolatry At his Execution he desired the people to pray for him Justice Brown that first apprehended him standing by said I will pray no more for thee then I would for a Dog William answered Now you have what you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge at the last day I forgive you Brown said I ask no forgiveness of thee William If God forgive you not I shall require my Blood at your Hands The Fire being kindled William said I am not afraid and lifting up his Hands said Lord receive my Spirit and so sealed his Testimony with his Blood to the praise of God Justice Brown commanded an Officer to take Robert Hunter William's Brother and put him in the Stocks until he came back from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the Hill on the same day after he was taken out of the Stocks and brought before the Justice he askt him If he would do as his Brother had done Robert Hunter answered If I do as my Brother hath done I shall have as he hath had Thou mayest be sure of that said the Justice But after some further Examination he bid him go home Higbed and Canston Martyr The next that suffured were Higbed and Canston both of Essex two men so fervent for Religion that in these blind and Idolatries times could not lie long hid in obscurity but were constrained to bear their Testimony though it were by Death Bonnet perceiving these men were men of repute in their Country and such as were called Gentlemen was so much the more concerned to bring them off their Profession that he went down to Colchester himself to seek to reclaim them sometimes using fair Promises and flattering Enticements other times threatning them with high words to terrifie them in fine seeing them both constant and unmoveable in their Zeal for their Religion he caused them and some others at the same time and for the same cause apprehended in that Country to be brought up to London Prisoners where they were committed close Prisoners where they were first privately examined and urged by all means to forsake their Opinions by the Bishop and his Chaplain But when the Bishop saw that way would work no alteration he caused them to be brought to open Examination at the Consistory at Pauls the seventeenth day of the Mouth called February 1555. where being further pressed to Recant of the Errors they said they held and to return to the unity of the Church which they still refused whereupon a great List of Articles were delivered them and their Answers thereunto the next day required of them At the second time of their publick appearance and tryal their Answers were read and Canston being first called was exhorted again to be conformable to the unity of the Church into which they said they were ready to receive him He replyed you lay Snares and Gins to catch us but mark what measure you meet shall be measured to you again Then Higbed was called to whom the like perswasions were used but to as little purpose as the other for he told them he had been sixteen years in that mind he was then in and should not alter now At their last appearance before them the Prisoners declared calling God to record that their persisting in that stedfastness was not in wilfulness as some might judge but for Conscience sake for said they we sought the Lord that we might do nothing contrary to his blessed Word and in that he hath shewed his Power in our weakness we cannot but praise him unto whom we give thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord. When they had thus spoken the Bishop began to pronounce the Sentence against Canston to whom Canston said it was a rash Judgment without Love and Mercy Then was sentence also pronounced against Higbed and both delivered to the Sheriffs who sent them to Newgate where they remained fourteen dayes contiunally praising God not so much concerned at their Afflictions as rejoyced in their Consolations praying and earnestly desiring they might persevere to the end to the praise of the Eternal God and Comfort of the Brethren The fourteen dayes being expired they were by four a Clock in the Morning led from Newgate to Algate and there delivered to the Sheriff of Essex who conveyed them to the places where they were Executed viz. Higbed to Hornden on the hill and Thomas Canston to Rayly where they both with great constancy finished their Testimonies in the Fire greatly rejoycing and giving the glory to God The next that suffered were William Pyget Stephen Knight and John Lawrence Pyget Knight Lawrenâ— Martyr at their Examinations it was demanded of them to declare their Opinion concerning the Sacrament of the Altar to which they answered to this effect That in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine there is not the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ This Answer being given the Bishop caused Articles to be read against them to which they answered The second time they were brought before him he prest them to recant which they refusing saying They should stick to their Faith Wherefore the third time being brought before him he past Sentence upon them and committed them to the Custody of the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained in much Joy and comfort and at last were had down to Essex and there burnt When Stephen Knight came to the Stake which was at Maulden he kneeled down and prayed some Sentances of which Prayer are as followeth O Lord Jesus Christ for whose Love I leave willingly this Life and desire rather the bitter Death of the Cross with the loss of all Earthly things then to abide the Blasphemy of thy most holy Name or to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandment Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in Wordly Wealth to Worship a false God and honour thine Enemy I choose rather the Torment of the Body and the loss of this Life and have counted all things but Vile Dust and Dung that I might Win thee which Death is Dearer unto me then thousand of Gold and Silver such Love O Lord hast thou laid up in my Breast that I Hunger for thee as the Deer that is Wounded desireth the Soil send thy holy Comforter O Lord to Aid Comfort and Strengthen this Weak piece of Earth which is empty of all strength of it self Thou rememberst O Lord that I am â—ut 〈◊〉 therefore as thou of thy Love hast bidden me to this Banquet and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own Cup amongst thine Elect even so give me strength O Lord that so through me strength of thy holy Spirit I may pass through the rage of this fire into thy Bossom according to
and all his Company Smith At this word which he coupled with an Oath came I in and said my Lord it is written you must not Sware Bonner Ah Master Controler are you come Lo my Lord Mayor this is Master Speaker pointing to my Brother Tankerfield and this is Master Controler pointing to me and then began to read my Articles Smith I require you my Lord in Gods behalf unto whom pretaineth your Sword and Justice that I may here before your presence answer to these Objections that are laid against me and if any thing can be proved Heresie that I have said I will recant before this Auditory Mayor Why Smith thou canst not deny but this thou saydest Smith Yes I deny that which he hath written because he hath both added to and diminished from the same but what I have spoken I will never deny Mayor Why thou speakest against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Smith I denied it to be any Sacrament and I do stand here to make proof thereof and if my Lord here or any of his Doctors be able to prove either the name or usage of the same I will recant mine error Then spake my Brother Tankerfield and defended the probation of things which they called Heresie unto which the Bishop answered Bonner By my troth Master Speaker you shall Preach at a Stake Smith Well sworn my Lord you keep a good Watch. Bonner VVell Master Controler I am no Saint Smith No nor yet good Bishop for a Bishop saith St. Paul should be faultless and a dedicate Vessel unto God and are you not ashamed to sit in Judgment and be a Blasphemer condemning Innocents Bonner VVell Master Controler you are faultless Note the said Robert Smith being charged â—alsly in the said Articles turning to the Mayor said Smith speaking to the Mayor said I require you in Gods name that I may have Justice we are here this day a great many Innocents that are wrongfully Accused of Heresie and I require you if you will not seem to be partial let me have no more favour at your hands then the Apostle had at the hands of Festâ— and Agrippa who being Heathens and Infidells gave him leave not only to speak for himself but also heard the probation of his Cause this require I at your hands who being a Christian Judge I hope will not deny me that right which the Heathen have suffered if ye do then shall all this Audience and the Heathen speak shame of your fact for a City saith our Saviour that is builded on a hill cannot be hid if they therefore have the Truth let it come to light for all that well do come to the Light and they that do evil hate the Light Then the Mayor hanging down his head said nothing but the Bishop told him he should preach at a Stake and so the Sheriff cryed with the Bishop Away with him Thus came he before them four times desiring Justice but could have none and at length his Friends requiring with ouâ— voice the same but could not have it they had Sentence and then being carried out were brought in again and had it every men severally given But before the Bishop gave Sentence on Richard Smith he told him in derision of his Brother Tankerfield a Tale between a Gentleman and his Cook To which he answered you fill the Peoples Ears with Fantasies and foolish Tales and make a laughing matter at Blood but if you were a true Bishop you should leave these railing Sentences and speak the Words of God Bonner Well I have offered to that naughty fellow Master Speaker your Companion the Cook that my Chancellor should here instruct him but he hath here with great disdain forsaken it How sayst thou wilt thou have him instruct thee and lead thee in the right way Smith If your Chancellor shall do me any good and take any pains as you say let him take mine Articles in his hands that you have objected against me and either prove one of them Heresie or any thing that you do to be good and if he be able so to do I stand here with all my heart to hear him if not I have no need I praise God of his Sermon for I come to answer for my life and not to hear a Sermon Then began the Sentence in Dei Nomine To which Smith answered that he began in a wrong name requiring of him where he learned in Scriptures to give sentence of death against any man for his Conscience sake To the which he made no answer but went forward to the end and immediately cryed Away with him Then Smith turned to the Mayor and Sheriffs and said Is it not enough for you that ye have left the strait way of the Lord but that you must condemn Christ causless Bonner Well Master Controller now you cannot say but I have offered you fair to have Instruction and now I prithee call me bloody Bishop and say I seek thy Blood Smith Well although neither I nor any of this Congregation do report the truth of your fact yet shall these Stones cry it out rather then it shall be hidden Bonner Away with him away with him Woodrofe Away with him take him away Smith Well good Friends ye have seen and heard the great wrong that we have received this day and ye are all Records that we have desired the probation of our cause by Gods Book and it hath not been granted but we are condemned and our cause not heard nevertheless my Lord Mayor forasmuch as here you have exercised Gods Sword câ—â—sless and will not hear the right of the poor I commit my cause to Almighty God that shall judge all men according unto right before whom we shall both stand without Authority and there will I stand in the right to your great confusion except your repent which the Lord grant you to do if it be his will and then was I with the rest of my Brethren carried away to Newgate Thus gentle Reader as neer as I can I have set out the Truth of my Examination and the verity of mine unjust condemnation for the Truth desiring God that it may not be laid to the châ—rge of thee O England requiring your hearty prayers unto God for his Grace and Spirit of boldness with hope even shortly to set to my Seal at Uxbridge the eighth of August by Gods Grace pray that it may be to his honour my Salvation and your Consolation I pray you Dagloriam Deo Robert Smith Thus Reader thou hast a full Relation of the Christian fortitude and valour of this faithful Martyr who so valiantly and manfully stood in the defence of his Masters cause and as thou seest him here boldly stand in Examination before the Bishop and Doctors so was he no less comfortable also in the Prison among his Fellows who being togâ—â—â—â—r Prisoners in Newgate did daily pray and exhort one another and his care was not only for those in the â—ame
Prison with him but for other Prisoners to whom he sent several good Epistles of love and Exhortation and many were converted by him from the Iniquity of the times some of which Epistles are as followeth O Ye that Love the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is Evil. A Letter of Robert Smith's to his Wife in Meetre Verses containing good Exhortations written by R. Smith THe God that giveth Life and Light and leadeth into rest That breaketh bonds and bringeth out the Poor that are opprest And keepeth mercy for the Meek his treasure and his store Encrease thy Life in perfect Love both now and evermore That as thou hast begun to ground in Faith and fervent Love Thou mayst be made a mighty Mount that never may remove That thine ensample may be shewed among all thine encrease That they may live and learn the like and pass their time in peace Thy Salutations that were sent I heartily retain And send thee seventy times as much to thee and thine again And for because I know the Gold that thou dost most desire I send thee here a paper full is fined in the Fire In hope thou wilt accept it well although it be but small Because I have none other good to make amends withall For all thy free and friendly facts which thy good will hath wrought I send thee surely for a shift the thing that cost me nought Abstain from all ungodliness in dread direct your dayes Possess not sin in any wise beware of wicked wayes Hold fast your Faith unfeignedly build as you have begun And arm your self in perfect Faith to do as you have done Lest that the wicked make a mock that you have took in hand In leaving of the perfect Rock to build upon the Sand Beware these filthy Pharisees their building is in Blood Eat not with them in any wise their Leaven is not good Their Salt is all unsavory and under good intents They maintain all their knavery and murther Innocents They seek to set in Christs seat and put him out of place And make all means that may be made his doings to deface They keep him down with Bills and Bats that made the blind to see They make a God for Mice and Ratâ—â—â— and say the same is he They shew like Sheep and sweat like wolves their baits be all for Blood They kill and slay the simple Souls and rob them of their good The dark illusions of the Devil hath dimmed so their Eyes That they cannot abide the Truth to stir in any wise And if you keep the perfect path as I have hope you do You shall be sure to have such shame as they can put you to For all that lead a goodly life shall surely suffer loss And eke the World will seek their shame and make them kiss 〈◊〉 Cross Ye shall be kild saith Christ your sorrows shall not cease And yet in your afflictions I am your perfect peace For in the World you shall have wâ— because you are unknown And for because you hate the World the World will love his own Be fervent therefore to the death against all their Decrees And God shall surely fight for thee against thine Enemies Commit thy cause unto the Lord revenge not any evil And thou shalt see the wicked want when thou shalt have thy will For all afflictions that may fall that they can say or do They are not sure of the Wealth we shall attain unto For I have seen the sinners spread their branches like a bay And yet ere one could turn his head were withered clean away Beware that money make you not in riches to arise Against the goodness of the Lord among the worldly wise For many mischiefs it hath made that may not be exprest And many evils it hath begun which may not be redrest For money maketh many one in riches to rebel And he that maketh Gold a God he hath a Soul to sell It maketh Kings to kill and slay and waste their wits in War In leaving of the Wolf at home to hunt the Fox afar And where they should see Justice done and set their Realm in rest By money they be made a mean to see the poor opprest It maketh Lords obey the Laws that they dâ— ill and nought It maketh Bishops suck the Blâ—ol that God hath dearly bought And where they should be faithful Friends and Fathers to the Flock By money they do turn about even like a Weather-Cock The Priest doth make a money mean to have again his whores To pâ—t away hâ—â— weddâ—d Wife and Children out of doores It hâ—ldeth back the Husband man which may not be forborn And will not suffer him to sow and cast abroad his Corn In like case it doth let again when that the Seed they sow It choakeâ—h up the Corn again so that it cannot grow The Hâ—sband he would have a Wife with Nobles new and old The wife would have the Husband hangd that she might have his Gold It â—aâ—eth Mâ—rthers many a one and beareth much with Blood Thâ— Child would see the Parents slain to seize upon their good And though it be a blessed thing created in the kind It is a â—â—â—â—ssâ—ry evil annexed to the mind For who 〈◊〉 playeth with the pitch his fingers are defild And he that waketh Gold a God shall surely be beguild Be friendly to the Fatherless and all that are opprest Assist â—hem alwayes out of hand and see them set at rest In all your doings and your deeds let mercy still remain For with the measure that you meet shall ye be met again Be alwayes lowly in your life let love enjoy her own The highest Trees are seldom sure and soonest overthrown The Lyons lack and suffer sore in Hunger and in Thurst And they that do oppress the poor continue still accurst The Bee is but a little Beast in body and in sight And yet she bringeth more encrease then either Crow or Kite Therefore beware in any wise keep well your watch alway Be sure of Oyl within your Lamp let not your light decay For death dispiseth them that lack and hateth them that have And treadeth down the rich and poor together in the grave Exhort your Children to be chaste rebuke them for their ill And let not them in any wise be wedded to their will Laught not with them but keep them low shew them no merry cheer Least thou do weep with them also but bring them up in fear And let your light and living shine that ye be not suspect To have the same within your self for which they are correct Be meek and modest in a mean let all your deeds be done That they which are without the Law may see how right you run Keep well the member in your Mouth your Tongue see that you tame For out of little sparks of Fire proceedeth out a flame And as the poyson doth express the nature of the Toad Even so the Tongue doth manifest the
was dead Richard Yeoman was removed to Norwich Prison where after close Imprisonment for some time being Examined and Required to submit himself to the Pope he said I defie him and all his detasteble Abominations whereupon he was condemned and burnt There was also a Young man one Joh. Alcock a Sheer-man by Trade who being in the Market at Hadley and Newall the Priest coming by with procession because he would not move his Cap nor shew any sign of reverence he catcht hold on him and called for a Constable and said Here 's an Heretick and a Traytor have him to the Stocks and afterwards he was committed to Prison and shortly after carried him up to London where he was long time kept Prisoner in Newgate where after many Examinations and Troubles for refusing to submit to the Romish Religion he was thrown into the lower Dungeon where falling sick he died in Prison Thomas Benbridge Martyr Thomas Benbridge of the Diocess of VVinchester a Single man and one called a Gentleman who thought he might have enjoyed the pleasures of the World if he would have conformed yet he rather chused quietness and peace of Conscience and therefore manfully withstood the Popish Doctrines and was therefore condemned by Doctor VVhite Bishop of VVinchester but being brought to the Stake they used many insinuations to cause him to recant to whom at first he said Away Babyloaon away the Fire being kindled he was suprised with fear so that he cryed out I recant but before they would take him from the Stake his Adversary caused him to subscribe Articles upon a mans Back and then he was taken from the Stake and committed to Prison where being troubled in Conscience that he had subscribed the Articles he signified so much unto his Enemies who about a week after brought him again to the Stake and there burnt him In this same Year which was the last Year of Queen Mary Jo. Cook a Sawyer Robert Miles a Sheer-Man Alexander Lane a Wheelright and James Ashly a Batchellor they were all four Examined before Hopton Bishop of Norwich Edward VValgrave Knight and others the chief thing they demanded in there Examination was to know why they refused to go to Church so called to which they answered to this effect that it was against their Consciences and that they could not follow false Gods after their Examination they were all four condemned and burnt at Edmundsbury about the beginning of the Moneth called August which was not long before Queen Mary fell sick Alexander Gouch and Alice Driver Martyrs In the Month called November following Alexander Gouch and Alice Driver suffered at Ipswich The Woman in her Examination Smiling upon Doctor Spencer that examined her he said Woman why dost thou laugh us to scorn She replyed whether I do or no I may well enough to see what Fools you be Then the Chancellor askt her Wherefore she was brought before im Alice Driver Wherefore said she I think I need not tell you that for you know it better then me and if you know not you have done me much wrong to keep me in Prison and know not the cause why Chancellor Woman Woman What sayst thou to the blessed Sacrament of the Altar To which she made no answer till he askt her the second time and then she told him she knew not what he meant thereby having not read in all the Scriptures of such a Sacrament and askt him what a Sacrament was The Chancellor replyed It is a Sign and another Doctor standing by said It was a Sign of an holy thing Alice answered It s true it is a Sign indeed and therefore cannot be the thing signified thus far we do agree The Doctor standing by said Christ said to his Disciples Take eat this is my Body Ergo. Alice Driver Whether was it Bread he gave unto them Doctor No It was his Body Alice Then was it his Body they did eat over night Doctor Yes it was his Body Alice What Body was it then was crucified next day Doctor It was Christs Body Alice How could that be when his Disciples had eaten him over night except he had two Bodies then the Chancellor commanded the Goaler to take her away Alice Now you are not able to resist the Truth you command me to Prison again well the Lord in the end shall judge our cause and to him I leave it The next day she was brought before them again The Chancellor askt her What she said to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar Alice I will say nothing to it for you will neither believe me noâ— your selves for yesterday I askt you what a Sacrament was and you said it was a sign and I agreed thereto and now you ask me again of such a Sacrament which I never read of in the Scriptures Chancellor Thou naughty Woman thou lyest we did not say it was a Sign Alice Why are not you the men that you were yesterday will you eat your own words are not you ashamed to lye before all this Multitude here present who heard you speak the same The Doctor that sat by told her she was deceived there was three Churches Alice said Is there mention of so many in the Scripture shew me the place where it is written The Doctor feeling for a Bible but had none Alice said you are a good Doctor to sit here a Judge and have not the Book of the Law by which you should Judge Doctor Have you one No said she Then said he I am as good a Doctor as you Alice I had one but you took it from me as you would take me from Christ if you could Then the Chancellor having no more to say rose up and read the Sentance in Latine against her and committed her to the secular Power and shortly after A. Gouch and she were burnt together at Ipswich Shortly after Philip Humfrey John David and Henry David his Brother were all three burnt in Bury in Suffolk for the cause of Religion being prosecuted by Clement Higham Knight the same Month that Queen Mary died About this time also suffered at Exeter a poor Woman whose name was Prest this Woman going into Peters Steeplehouse in Exeter and seeing one making new Noses to certain Images which were disfigured in King Edwards time she reproved him saying what a mad man art thou to make them new Noses which within a few dayes shall all lofe their heads for these words she was clapt fast and close in Prison this poor Woman was by many wayes tryed both by hard imprisonment throatnings taunts and scorns but neither frowns nor flatteries would prevail to move her from her profession but she continued an Example of Constancy to all that professed the Truth which her Enemies perceiving they removed her from the Bishops Prison to Guild-Hall where she was exhorted to leave her fond Opinions telling her she was not fit to meddle with such high matters Though I am not said she yet with my death
against the Mass and Antichrist the people in a rage fell upon him beating and bruising of him and he was forthwith bound and set upon an Ass and the Executioners with lighted Torches burnt his Face Mouth and Tongue first when the flames came overthwart his Cheeks he was heard to cry Lord forgive them they know not what they do and then they consumed his body with Fire to Ashes And herein the Reader hath seen the invinceable Constancy of these Martyrs who in their burning Zeal for Religion dryed up the Rivers of Persecution and were never tyred in Suffering until the Persecutors swords were blunt with the slaughter Blessed are they that are Persecuted for Righteousness sake for their is the Kingdom of Heaven Part IV. Q. Eliz. An. 1558. Containing an Account of such as suffered Persecution and Martyrdom under Episcopacy c. I Am now come to the Reign of Queen Elizabeth in whose first year the Parliament restored the first fruits and tenths to the Crown and the Protestant Religion was again established the Bishops that refused the Oath of Supremacy were removed and others put in their rooms in this Queens time about the Eleaventh year of her reign arose a People making a Profession of the Pure Religion and would allow of nothing but what was directly taken out of the Scriptures openly condemning the received Discipline of the Church of England together with the Liturgy and the very calling of the Bishops as savouring too much of the Romish Religion declaring it to be an impious thing to hold any thing common with the Church of Rome and used all diligence to have the Church of England reformed in every point according to the rule of the Church of Geneva amongst these Dissenters were Coleman Burton Hallingham and Benson whom the Queen commanded to be committed to Prison yet it is a thing almost incredible how on a suddain their Followers encreased known by the envious name of Puritans who preached nothing more then Evangelical Purity crying down the Ecclesiastical Form of Government as a thing poluted with Roman Dregs setting out Books in Print to the same effect refusing to go to the publick Worship as it was then used whereupon many endeavours were used to suppress them and the Law was commanded to be put in Execution which required Uniformity and the Books wrote by the Puritans to be delivered into the Bishops hands on pain of Imprisonment by these courses of persecution and force they were kept down for a time the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury using his utmost endeavours to settle an uniformity in Ecclesiastical Discipline according to the Laws which he saw lay gasping if the Puritans encreased and thereupon provided Articles for all Ministers to subscribe but he found great opposition or disturbance in this his Design both at home and abroad for one Robert Brown a young man of Cambridge from whom a People called Brownists took their name and one Rich. Harrison a School master these set forth Books in Zealand dispersed them over England condemning the Church of England for no Church these Books were by Authority prohibited and several of the chief of these Brownists were executed at Bury in Suffolk as the Reader shall understand more particularly in this following Discourse Q. Eliz. An. 1558. as far as I can give a discovery by the Authors I could procure As I have said though by the forciable course the Bishops took these People were kept under at times yet in the one and thirtieth year of the Queen the Pur̄itān̄s Flames brake forth again and Books were written by the names of Martin-Marprelate and another Book by Penry and Udal against the Government of Bishops and Barrow and Greenwood wrote a short Treatise called a Plat-Form in which was contained sharp reproofs to the Clergy saying That all false and Antichristian Ministers ought by the Princes Authority to be rooted out and that their Antichristian and Idolatrous Livings ought to be converted to chartiable Civil-uses and are not to be appropriated or given to Gods true Ministry for the maintenance thereof neither ought it to receive the same for it stands not with the honour of God that Bethel Gods House should be garnished and supported with the things belonging to or taken from Bethaven the House of Idols as if the Almighty wanted other means for support of his own House and must needs be beholden to the House of Idols to help him and his For these and such matters by them openly divulged they were imprisoned and all that would not bow the Bishops resolved to break them to pieces on the other hand the more hotly they were persecuted by the Bishops the more the Zeal stirred in them to oppose strengthening themselves daily through their diligence in Reading the Scriptures that they might be enabled to oppose the Clergy whose Reformation they said was no more then casting out the name and Persons of the Pope and Papists and yet reserved all their Livings and Priviledges even all the fat and gainful Ware of Amaleck unto themselves But in the end of these things as it seldom hath been known so far as I have observed that whensoever the Truth appeared though in the least Measure but it cost some Blood which should make men love it the better So in these times this Barrow Greenwood and Penry and several others sealed their Testimony first by hard Imprisonment and at last by death it self as in the sequel will appear and if what I find upon record be true as I have no cause to believe otherwise the chief Instruments of their deaths were the Clergy and not the Queen For when the Queen asked Doctor Raynolds what he thought of those two men meaning Barrow and Greenwood he answered It would not avail any thing to shew his Judgment concerning them seeing they were put to death and being loath to speak his mind further the Queen pressed him and charged him to speak whereupon he answered that he was perswaded if they had lived they would have been two as worthy Instruments for the Church of God as hath been raised up in this Age The Queen sighed and said no more But after that riding to a Park by a place where they were executed called to mind their suffering of death and being willing to have further information concerning them demanded of the Earl of Cumberland that was present when they suffered what end they made he answered a very godly end and prayed for your Majesty and the State moreover one Philips a famous Preacher having both heard and seen Barrows Speeches and Preparation for death said Barrow Barrow my Soul be with thine And now before I give Account of the places where these persons were executed it will be necessary to insert their Complaint to the Parliament relating their hard usage in Prisons a Copy of which is as followeth The Humble most earnest and lamentable Complaint and Supplication of the Persecuted and Prescribed Church and
other Heresie Schism Rebellion Treason or Faction and whatsoever else is contrary to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel or the Prosperity and good estate of this Realm our only desire is so to serve God as that we may please him with reverence and fear abstaining and keeping our Souls and Bodies from all remnants of the Roman Religion Idolatry Imposition and vain will-worship of what sort soever We witness against the unlawful pompous Hierarchy and Priesthood of this Nation as utterly disagreeing from the Testament of Christ and Ministry there appointed in their Offices Callings Administrations and Lord like Livings and Maintenance against the confuse prophane and irreligious multitude of all sorts of vitious Livers baptized into and retained in the Body of the Church of England without voluntary profession of and holy walking in the Faith of the Gospel against their manner of Worship and Service by reading Prayers out of a Book instead of true Spiritual invocation on the Name of the Lord and briesly against all their Popish Abuses and Relicks of the man of sin whatsoever And because this our Testimony maketh against the irregular Authority of the Prelates reproveth their evil Actions and disproveth their Pomp Stateliness Rich Revenues Stipends c. therefore have they in all hostile manner set themselves against us Persecuting us unto Bands Exile and Death it self reproaching us as Schismaticks Donatists Prownists Seditions persons c. though they could never convince us of these or any the like crimes and though we have not ceased neither by Gods Grace will cease to wish and procure good to their Souls and Bodies in the Lord now therefore our humble Request is unto your Majesty Honours and Worships that notwithstanding these differences we may be suffered to return into our native Country there to live in Peace practizing the Faith of Christ which we profess and have long since set forth to the view of the World in our publick Confession wherein none hitherto have shewed us any Error and seeing the People of other Nations are by your Majesty and Honours suffered in this Realm though differing from the Ecclesiastical state of the same we hope that your Highness Natural and Loyal Subjects may find like favour at your hands for although we cannot but hold and Witness the Truth of God against the corruptions remaining yet hold we in no wise lawful for our selves or any Subjects to attempt the reforming or abolishing of these or any the like abuses for God hath committed the Sword into your Majesties hand alone who in his time will perswade we trust your Royal heart to fulfil his will and execute his Judgments upon the Remainders of the Spiritual Babylon which will turn to as great Honour to God Honour to your Majesty and good of this Realm as the abolishing of Abbats Munks Fryart Mass Images c. hath turned heretofore So the Lord of Lords and Ruler of Rulers of the Earth will establish your Crown and Kingdom unto Length of dayes and howsoever this our Suit shall be regarded we will not cease in all places of our Pilgrimage to pray for and procure the good of your Majesty your Honours Worships and all our Country whom God Almighty bless with Long Life and happy dayes on Earth and Crown with Everlasting Glory in the highest Heavens Amen I find that in the year 1604. in this Kings Reign four Persons were banished the Land of England after they had suffered three Moneths Imprisonment for no other cause but seperating themselves from the Church of England refusing to Communicate joyn or pertake with the same in their publick Ministry and Worship reputing many corruptions to be still remaining amongst them which were derived from Popery And thus I have given an Account of such as suffered for Religion in those times and now to conclude I have this further to write by what I have observed upon Histories in several Ages viz. That while any People were under Suffering and Oppression for their Consciences endeavouring to serve and worship God in that Way they believed to be most agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth then the publick Way established in the Kingdom whilst they travelled under this Bondage and Suffering they were low in their minds and the Lord had regard unto them for their hearts were tender and the Lord appeared for them and now when the Lord had tryed this People and at last put Power into their hands and raised them as it were from a low estate they soon forgot his kind dealings with them as for Example the Independants and Presbyterians some of whom I have seen neer forty years since dregged out of their Meetings in private Houses and their Cloathes tore and their Faces covered as it were with dirt and their blood spilt and in this suffering condition they made many Covenants and Vowes to the Lord but this very People afterwards coming into Places of Authority and killing and taking Possession got themselves into the High-Places of the Earth and soon forgot their time of deep Sufferings and being exalted into Goverment they tread in the same steps those had trodden that were their great Persecutors and then they turn'd as riggid Persecutors if not worse then those they had turned out as witness the Innocent Blood they shed both in Old-England and New whose Cruelty under the Visor of a more righteous Cloak is too large here to insert but will be matter sufficient for another Volum and therefore I here conclude this AN ACCOUNT OF THE Just Iudgments of God INFLICTED UPON PERSECUTORS Wherein is shewed The Wicked Lives and most horrible Untimely Deaths of many of the Persecutors of Old Collected out of Ancient Histories and out of the Scriptures CHAP. I The remarkable and righteous Judgments of God which have befaln several Persecutors for Conscience sake mentioned in the Old Testament THe Old Serpent the Devil The Old Serpent who was the first Persecutor for Righteousness sake that ever was in the World who for that very cause hath hunted after the blood of the Saints even from the beginning unto this day was for his Persecution cursed of God above all Creatures Gen. 3.14 Cain persecuted his godly Brother Abel until Death Cain and that for no other cause but for Righteousness sake even because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Good and Righteous 1 John 3. 12. was therefore cursed of God with a bitter curse even from the Presence of God and from the Earth and made a Fugative and Vagabond in the Earth yea so great was his punishment that he said It was greater then he could bear Gen. 4.11 12 13. Ishmael was another Persecutor for he was a Mocker of his Brother Isaac Ishmael the true Seed of God and therefore was cast out with his Mother out of the Family of the Faithful that he might have no part in the Inheritance in the true Seed unto whom the Promise was made Gen. 12.9 10
against him and Stoned him with Stones at the Commandment of the King in the Court of the House of the Lord and slew him but the Lord soon according unto this good mans Prayer at his Death lookt upon this evil and required it at his and their hands by executing Judgment upon the King and his evil Councellors for at the end of that Year the Lord sent the Host of Assyria against him even but a small Company and destroyed all the Princes of the People the Kings evil Councellors first from among the People and sent the spoil of them to the King of Damascus and delivered a very great Army into their hands Because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers and so they executed Judgment against Joash the King and when they had departed from him having left him in great Diâ—tress by reason of great Diseases his own Servant conspired against him for the blood of the Sons of Jehoida and slew him on his Bed that he died 2 Chron. 24. Proud Haman Persecutor Haman the Persecutor who persecuted Mordecai because he would not bow unto him and do him reverence according to the Kings Command who therefore sought to destroy all the Jews that were in the Kingdom promising to pay into the Kings Treasure ten thousand Talents of Silver if he would grant his Writing for their Destruction unto which the King consented to and in the mean time Haman builds a Gallows fifty Cubits high to hang Mordecai upon for not moving nor rising up nor doing reverence unto him but the Righteous God the Judge of Heaven and Earth who seeth all things soon overtook this Persecutor in his furious Pride and Blood-thirstiness and put a stop to his intended Persecution by turning the Kings Heart against him by the intercession of Esther the Queen whereby he came to be hanged himself upon the same Gallows he had set up for Mordecai the Jew Esther 3. Nebuchadnezar humbled Nebuchadnezzar that Proud Persecuting King of Babylon and Caldea how did the Lord humble him for his pride and cruelty exercised towards the three Children in casting then into the Fiery-Furnace which he caused to be heat seven times hotter then ordinary for them because they would not Worship the Golden Image which he had set up by renting his Kingdom from him and driving him from Men and making his dwelling with the Beasts of the Field and to eat grass as an Ox till seven times past over him and that his hands grew like Eagles Feathers and his nails like Birds Clawes that he and all might know that the Lord only changes times and seasons and Rules the Kingdoms of men and giveth to whomsoever he will and that his Wayes Works and Judgments are Truth as he afterwards confessed and that those that walk in pride he is able to abase Dan. 3.14 to the 18th verse The Executioners executâ—ed Those chosen men that were the most mighty men of all that King Nebuchadnezar had in his whole Army that were the appointed Executioners of the Kings cruelty in fulfilling his Commands in binding the three Children and casting them into the burning Fiery Furnace soon tasted the just Judgment of God for their frowardness to obey such commands of cruelty for the flames of the Fire slew those men that took the three Children up while the Saints of the most high themselves though bound in their Coats Hosen Hats and other Garments being cast into the midst of the burning Fiery Furnace where they fell down bound into the midst of it yet upon their Bodies the Fire had no power nor was one hair of their head singed neither were their Coats changed nor the smell of Fire past on them Dan. 3.20 Those Presidents and Princes of Media and Persia that were the Persecutors of Daniel in King Darius his time that sought the occasions to find something against Daniel The Presidents and Princes of Mâ—dia and Persâ—a that they might accuse him to the King concerning the Kingdom but could find no occasion nor fault forasmuch as he was Faithful neither was there any error or fault found in him save only in that matter concerning the Law of his God against whom that they might have something against him in that matter also they are constrained to procure a Degree that whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or Man for three dayes save only the King he should be cast into the Den of Lions which he the said Daniel even as they thought would not obey but immediately as soon as he be understood it was signed he went into his House his Windows being opened in his Chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before God as he did before time for which those men aforesaid accused him before the King by whose means according to the said Decree he was cast into the Lions Den but God sent his Angels and shut the Lions Mouthes that they could not hurt him for no manner of hurt was found upon him because he was Innocent and believed in God but his Persecutors soon felt the just and righteous hand of God upon them for their so wicked persecuting the Innocent for Conscience sake for the King commanded those men to be brought that had accused Daniel and they cast them their Wives and their Children into the Lions Den and the Lions had the Mastery of them and break all their bones in pieces ere they came to the bottom of the Den Dan. 6. King Antiochus King Antiocuâ— surnamed Epiphanes a great Persecutor of the Jews who committed great Evils at Jerusalem and took all the Vessels of Gold and Silver that were therein and sent to destroy the Inhabitants of Judea without a cause and as himself confessed who in a Proud and insolent manner protested he would make Jerusalem a common burying place and the Streets thereof run with the blood of Gods People was by Gods just Judgment plagued with a grievous sickness having a remediless pain in his Bowels and an intolerable Torment in his inward parts his Body bred abundance of Worms which continually crawled out of the same yea he so rotted above ground that by reason of an intolerable stink no man could endure to come neer him neither could he himself endure the same but in a flood of extream Misery ended his dayes which as he confessed came upon him for the evil aforesaid see the Life of Judas Maccabees in Clarkes Martrol page 13. as also the first Book of Maccabees Chap. 1 10. and Chap. 6 8 c. Sennacrib King of Assyria murthered by his own Sons Sennacrib King of Assyria the great Oppressor and Persecutor of Israel and Judah and horrible blasphemer and reproacher of the Living God the God of Israel and Judah though they were left of him for a time for their forsaking him and falling to Idolatry and a great Defyer of him by the Mouth of wicked
miserably Also one named Claude De Astes a Councellor in the said Court the same day he gave his Opinion and Consent to burn a faithful Christian albeit it was not done indeed as he would have it after he had dined committed Whoredom with a Servant in the House and even in doing the Act was stricken with a disease called an Apoplexia whereof he died out of hand Peter Lyset chief President of the said Court and one of the Authors of the aforesaid burning Chamber was deposed from his Office for being known to be out of his right wit and bereaved of his understanding Also John Moren Lievtenant Crimnel of the Provost of Paris after he had been the cause of the Death of many Christians was finally stricken with a disease in the Legs called the Wolves whereby he lost the use of them and died also out of his wits many dayes before denying and blaspheming God Likewise John Andrew Book-Binder of the Palace a spie for the President Liset and of Bruseard the Kings Soliciter died in a Fury of Madness The Inquisitor John De Roma in Province his flesh fell from him by piece-meal and so stinking that no man might come near him for the smell thereof Also John Minerius of Province who was the cause of the death of a great Number of Men Women and Children at Cabriers and at Merindol died with bleeding in the lower parts the Fire having taken his Belly blaspheming and despising God besides many other whereof we might make recital which were punished with the like kind of death It may please your Majesty to remember your self that ye had no sooner determined to set upon us but new troubles were by and by moved by your Enemies with whom ye could make no Agreement which God would not suffer forasmuch as your Peace was grounded upon the Persecution which ye pretended against Gods Servants as also your Cardinals cannot let through their cruelty the course of the Gospel which hath taken such root in your Realm that if God should give you leave to destroy the Professers thereof you should be almost a King without Subjects Tertullian hath well said that the blood of Martyrs is the Seed of the Gospel wherefore to take away all these evils coming of the riches of the Papists which cause so much Whoredom Sodomitry and Incest wherein they wallow like Hogs feeding their idle Bellies the best way were to put them from their Lands and Possessions as the Old Sacrificing Levites were according to the express Commandment given to Joshua for as long as the Commandment of God took place and that they were void of Ambition the purity of Religion remained whole and perfect but when they began to aspire to Principallity Riches and worldly Honours then began the Abomination of Desolation that Christ foretold It was even so in the Primitive Church for it flourished and continued in all pureness as long as the Ministers were of small wealth and sought not their particular profit but the Glory of God only but since the Pope began to be Prince like and to usurp the Dominion of the Empire under the colour of a false Donation of Constantine they have turned the Scriptures from their true sence and have attributed the service to themselves which we owe to God wherefore your Majesty may seize with good right upon all the Temperallities of the Benefices and that with a safe Conscience to Employ them to their true and right use First For the finding and maintaining of the faithful Ministers of the Word of God for such Livings shall be requisite for them according as the case shall require Secondly For the entertainment of your Justices that give Judgment Thirdly For the relieving of the poor and Maintenance of the Colledges to instruct the poor Youths in that which they shall be most apt unto and the rest which is infinite may remain for entertainment of your own Estate and Affairs to the great easment of your poor People which alone bear the Burden and possess in manner nothing In this doing an infinite Number of men and even of your Nobility which live of the Crucifex should imploy themselves to your Service and the Common Wealths so much the more diligently as they see that ye recompence none but those that have deserved whereas now there is an infinite Number of men in your Kingdom which occupy the chiefest and greatest Benifices which never deserved any part of them c. And thus much touching the Superfluous Possessions of the Popish Lordly Clergy Now proceeding further in this Exhortation to the King thus the Letter importeth But when the Papists see they have not to alledg for themselves any reason they say to make odious to your Majesty the Lutherans as they call us and say if their sayings take place ye shall be fain to remain a private person and that there is never change of Religion but there is also change of Princedom a thing as false as when they accuse us to be Sacramentaries and that we deny the Authority of Magistrates under the shaddow of a certain furious Anabaptist which Sathan hath raised in our time to Darken the Light of the Gospel for the Histories of the Emporors which have begun to receive the Christian Religion and that which is come to pass in our time shew the contrary Was there ever Prince more feared and obeyed then Constantine in receiving the Christian Religion Was he therefore put from the Empire No he was thereby the more confirmed and established in the same and also his Posterity which ruled themselves by his Providence but such as are fallen away and followed mens Traditions God hath destroyed and their Race is no more known in the Earth so much doth God detest them that forsake him and in our time the late Kings of England and Germany were they constrained in reproving Superstitions which the wickedness of the time hath brought in to forsake their Kingdoms and Princedoms All men see the contrary and what honour fidelity and obedience of the people in our time that have received the Reformation of the Gospel do under their Princes and Superiours yae I may say that the Princes knew not before what it was to be obeyed at that time when the rude and ignorant people received so readily the dispensations of the Pope to drive out their own Kings and Natural Lords The true and only remedy Sir is that ye cause to be holden a holy and free Council where ye should be chief and not the Pope and his who ought but only to defend their causes by the holy Scriptures that in the mean while ye may seek out men not corrupted suspected nor partial whom ye may charge to give report faithfully unto you of the true sence of the holy Scriptures and this done after the Example of the good King Jehosaphat Hezekias and Josiâ—â— ye shall take out of the Church all Idolatry Superstitions and Abuse which is found directly
contrary to the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testimament and by that means ye shall guide your People in the true and pure Service of God not regarding in the mean time the cavelling pretences of the Papists which say that such Questions have been already answer'd at General Councils for it is known well enough that no Council hath been lawful since the Popes have usurped the Principallity and Tyranny upon mens Souls but they have made them serve to their Covetousness Ambition and Cruelty and the contrariety which is among those Councils maketh enough for their disproof beside a hundred thousand other absurdities against the Word of God which be in them the true proof for such matters is in the true and holy Scriptures to the which no times nor Age hath any prescription to be alledged against them for by them we receive the Councils founded upon the Word of God and also by the same we reject that Doctrine which is repugnant And if ye do thus Sir God will bless your enterprise he will encrease and confirm your Reign and Empire and your Posterity if otherwise Destruction is at your Gate and unhappy are the People which shall dwell under your Obedience there is no doubt but God will harden your heart as he did Pharaohs and take of the Crown from your head as he did to Jeroboam Nadah Baza Ahab and to many other Kings and give it your Enemies to triumph over you and your Children And if the Emperor Antonyne the meek although he was a Pagan and Idolator seeing himself bewrapt with so many wars ceased the Persecutions which were in his time against the Christians and determined in the end to hear their Cause and Reasons how much more ought you that bear the name of most Christian King to be careful and diligent to cease the Persecutions against the poor Christians seeing they have not troubled nor do trouble in any wise the Sate of your Kingdom and your Affairs Considering also that the Jews are suffered throughout all Christendom although they be mortal Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ which we hold by common accord and consent for our God Redeemer and Saviour and that until you have heard lawfully debated and understand our Reasons taken out of the Holy Scriptures and that your Majesty have judged if we be worthy of such punishments for if we be not overcome by the Word of God the Fire the Sword nor the cruel Torments shall not make us afraid these are Exercises that God has promised his the which he fortold should come in the last times that they should not be troubled when such things came upon them Translated out of the French Book intituled Commentaries of the State of the Church and Publique Weale page 7. Notwithstanding the Letter and warning the King no whit abated his cruel Persecution against the Lords People but rather was the more hardened in heart and inflamed against them pouring out great Threatning against them But the Lord in whose hand the hearts of Kings are caused him to stoop for shortly after in a publick Triumph or Jusling Mountgomery and the King met together so stoutly that in breaking their Spears the King was stricken with a counter blow right in one of his Eyes and the shivers entered into his Head so that his Brains festered and perished and no remedy could be found but he dyed having reigned twelve years three moneths and ten dayes Amongst others it is not to be forgoten the Example of Gods just Scourge upon Sigismundus the Emperor A just Judgment upon Sigismundus the Emperour who after his wrongful condemnation of John Husse and Hierome of Prage nothing afterwards went prosperous with him but all contrary so that he died without issue and in his wars he ever had the worst and not long after Ladis Laus his Daughters son King of Hungary fighting against the Turk was slain in the Field so that in the time of one Generation all the Posterity and Off-spring of this Emperor perished besides this Barbara his Wife came to such ruin by her wicked Lewdness that she became a shame and slander to the name and state of all Queens whereby all Christian Princes may be warned how they defile themselves with the blood of Saints an Martyrs And thus the Reader may see all along throughout the Scriptures and by the record of Antient Histories The Conclusion how God hath avenged the the Cause of his People against all Persecutors for Conscience sake of every Age almost from the beginning unto these Times and now these Examples may be a Warning to the Persecutors of this Age who have made Spoil of the People of God and have the Spoil in their Houses and though such Oppressors may be lifted up because Judgment is not speedily executed yet let such consider their wayes and repent before it be too late for the Lord is at the Door and beholds the Actions of such as grind the face of his People and though he hath long forbearance yet his Judgments will come if there be not repentance in time Return therefore whilst ye have time O ye Persecutors and wicked Men for the day of the Lord is at hand It shall come as a Destruction from the Almighty therefore shall all hands be faint and every mans heart shall melt and they shall be afraid Pangs and Sorrows shall take hold upon them they shall be in Pain as a Woman that travelleth they shall be amazed one at an other their faces shall be as Flames Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel both with Wrath and fierce Anger to lay the Land desolate and he shall destroy the Sinners thereof out of it and will punish the World for their Evil and the wicked for their Iniquity and will cause the arrogancy of the Proud to cease and will lay low the haughtiness of the Terrible A Christian Plea AGAINST PERSECUTION For the Cause of CONSCIENCE Grounded Upon Scripture Reason Experience and Testimonies OF Princes and learned Authors Acts 5.38 39. Now I say unto you Refrain from these Men and let them alone for if this Counsel or this Work be of Men it will come to nought but if it be of God you cannot overthrow it lest happily you be found Fighters against God Printed and Published for the Service of Truth The Contents I. REason against Persecution is because it is Contrary to the Scriptures II. Reason against Persecution for the cause of Conscience is because it is against the Profession and Practice of Famous Princes III. Reason against Persecution is because it is condemned by the antient and the later Writers IV. Reason It s no prejudice to a Kingdom or Common-wealth if Liberty of Conscience be suffered to such as fear God as is or will be manifested iâ— such mens Lives and Conversations as Scripture-Examples Testifie V. Several Testimonies shewing that Conscience ought to be free and not to be imposed upon and no person