punishment for the truth which I have professed I esteem not of this world nor the treasures of it more than for my necessary uses and the rest to bestow in the propagation and maintenance of the Gospel And I beseech God daily upon my knees for my wife and children that they may all continue in this quarrel even to the death And when he came to his execution he patiently and comfortably slept in the Lord. At the same time there was also brought forth one John Gonsalvo formerly a Priest but by his diligent study of the Scripture it pleased God to reveal his truth to him so that he became a zealous Preacher of it labouring in all his Sermons to beat into mens minds the true way and means of our Justification to consist in Christ alone and in stedfast faith in him for which he was apprehended and cast into prison where he endured all their cruely with a Christian courage At last with two of his Sisters he was condemned His mother and one of his brothers were also imprisoned with him for the truth and executed shortly after When he with his sisters went out at the Castle gate having his tongue at liberty he began to sing the 106. Psalm before all the People who had oft heard him make many godly Sermons He also condemned all hypocrites as the worst sort of People Whereupon they stocked his tongue Upon the stage he never changed countenance nor was at all daunted When they all came to the stake they had their tongues loosed and were commanded to say their Creed which they did chearfully when they came to those words The holy Catholick Church They were commanded to adde Of Rome but that they all refused whereupon their necks were broken in a trice and then 't was noised abroad that they had added those words and died confessing the Church of Rome to be the true Catholick Church There was in Sivil a private Congregation of Gods people most of which the Inquisitors consumed in the fire as they could discover any of them amongst others that were apprehended they took four women famous above the rest for their holy and godly conversation but especially the youngest of them who was not above one and twenty years old who by her diligent and frequent reading of the Scriptures and by conference with godly and learned men had attained to a very great measure of knowledge so that whilst she was in Prison she non-plus'd and put to shame many of those Friars that came to seduce her Another of these women was a grave Matron whose house was a School of vertue and a place where the Saints used to meet serve God day and night but the time being come wherein they were ripe for God they together with other of their neighbours were apprehended and cast into prison where they were kept in dark dungeons and forced to endure all the cruel and extream torments which are before mentioned At last they were condemned and brought forth to the scaffold amongst other Prisoners The young maid especially came with a merry and cheerful countenance as it were triumphing over the Inquisitors and having her tongue at liberty she began to sing Psalms to God whereupon the Inquisitors caused her tongue to be nipped by setting a Barnacle upon it After sentence read they were carried to the place of execution where with much constancy and courage they ended their lives Yet the Inquisitors not satisfied herewith caused the house of the Matron where the Church used to meet to be pulled down and the ground to be laid waste and a pillar to be erected upon it with an inscription shewing the cause There was also apprehended another worthy member of the same Congregation called Ferdinando he was of a fervent spirit and very zealous in doing good A young man but for integrity of life very famous He had spent eight years in educating of youth and had endeavoured to sow the seeds of Piety in the hearts of his Scholars as much as lay in him to do in a time of so great persecution and tyranny being at the last apprehended for a Lutheran he was cast into prison and terribly tormented upon the Jeobit and in the Trough whereby he was so shaken in every joynt that when he was taken down he was not able to move any part of his body yet did those cruel tormentors draw him by the heels into his prison as if he had been a dead dog But notwithstanding all his torments he answered the Inquisitors very stoutly and would not yield to them one jot During his imprisonment God used him as an instrument to recal and confirme a Monk who had been cast into prison for confessing the Gospel openly But by means of the Inquisitors flatteries and fair promises he had somewhat relented Gods Providence so ordering it that Ferdinando was cast into the same prison and finding the Monk wavering he rebuked him sharply and afterwards having drawn him to a sight of and sorrow for his sinne he at last strengthned him in the promises of free grace and mercy Hereupon the Monk desired a day of hearing where before the Inquisitors he solemnly renounced his recantation desiring that his former confession might stand whereupon the sentence of death passed against them both after which the Inquisitors asked Ferdinando whether he would revoke his former heresies to which he answered That he had professed nothing but what was agreeable to the pure and perfect Word of God and ought to be the profession of every Christian man and therefore he would stick to it to the death Then did they clap a Barnacle upon his tongue and so they were burned together There was also one Juliano called The little because he was of a small and weak body who going into Germany was there conversant with divers learned and godly men by which means he attained to the knowledge of the truth and became a zealous Professor of it and earnestly longing after the salvation of his Countreymen he undertook a very dangerous work which was to convey two great dry Fat 's full of Bibles printed in Spanish into his own Countrey In this attempt he had much cause of fear the Inquisitors had so stopped every Port and kept such strict watch to prevent the coming in of all such commodities but through Gods mighty protection he brought his burden safely thither and which was almost miraculous he conveyed them safe into Sivil notwithstanding the busie searchers and catch-poles that watched in every corner These Bibles being dispersed were most joyfully and thankfully received and through Gods blessing wrought wonderfully amongst Gods people to ripen them against the time of harvest But at last the matter broke out by the means of a false brother who going to the Inquisitors played the Judas and betrayed the whole Church to them So that there
suspected to be of their Religion should be excluded from office bearing that all houses should be pulled downe wherein any of them should be found that all their goods and inheritances should be confiiscated That the like should be done to all that should aid or abett them or that should hinder or not assist the Inquisitors in the execution of their office That whosoever should be suspected of their Heresie should have an oath given him to keep the peace and the Catholike Faith That the houses of such as should be detected of Heresie after their death should be pulled downe That whosoever should refuse to weare the Cross should have his goods seized on c. The same year the Inquisitors were informed that in the territories of Brixia there had lately lived one Guido de Lacha who was much honoured for his austerity and integrity of life but that he dyed out of the communion of the Church of Rome having been infected with Heresie whereupon they ordered his bones to be digged up and burned The Earl of Foix and Comminges and the Prince of Bearne yet remained to be conquered and the Popes Legate thought that the Earl of Tholouse was the fittest person to deale with them whereupon he caused him to write to them to perswade them to embrace the Catholike Faith c. But the Earl of Foix returned answer That he could not forsake his faith in such a time wherein men might think that he did it rather out of feare then from any good grounds and that it was fitter for them to convince him of the truth of their way then to allure him by promises or force him thereto by Armes And that if they brought that world of Pilgrims against him which they threatned he trusted in God that he should make them know the Justice of his cause and repent of the rashnesse of their vow But the Earls subjects fearing that their Lord being aged and without wife and children should leave them to the mercy of the first Conqueror intreated him to come to a composition with the Legat whereupon he began to treat and at last yielded up diverse Castles into the hands of the King of France upon promise that he would rule with justice and equity Anno Christi 1234. the opinions of the Albingenses were much spread abroad in the parts of Spaiâ—â— and other adjacent countries and they had Bishops among them who boldly preached against the Romish errors and especially against Transubstantiation whereupon a Croisado was preached against them and a very great Army of Pilgrims being assembled together were by Pope Gregory sent against them who slew them all with their Bishops seized of their City and plundered them whereby saith Mathew Paris they returned rich and joyfully into their own countries Also about the same time another Army of these Pilgrims went against others of them on the borders of Germany who retiring into a Fenny place for there security were their all slaine But the same yeare the Lord raised up Trancavel the natural son of the Earl of Beziers deceased who was encouraged and assisted by a number of valiant Captaines as Oliver de Fumes Bertrand Hugon de Serrelong Bertrand de villenense Jordaine de Satiat who told him that they would assist him to revenge the outrages done to his father who was deprived of his land betrayed imprisoned and poisoned whereupon he resolved to recover by the sword what was so unjustly taken from him and before the enemies had notice of his designe he took in diverse strong Castles so that the Popes Legate and Bishop of Tholouse were much astonished to see these men stand up for the Albingenses whom they supposed to have been utterly suppressed Then did the Popes agents cause the cross to be preached and the Bishop of Narbonne animated the people of his Diocess to go against them and to make an end of the poor remainder of the Albingenses An army being raised the Popes Legate led it to Tholouse and when the Citizens appeared upon their ramparts he told them that he was come thither for their preservation They thanked him but withall told him that if he did not instantly retire himselfe they would give him the chase And presently came Trancavell who so bravely and valiantly set upon the Legates Troops that he quickly overthrew them and chased them to the very gates of Carcasson and the Legate had much adoe to save himselfe but that which most angered the Legate was that Trancavell found intertainement in some part of Carcasson so that the Pilgrims durst hardly peep out of the City gates and when he heard of any more Pilgrims comming to the Legate he used to meet them to lay Ambushes for them so that usually overthrowing them their designes were marred This man kept the field till the year 1242. and still prevailed against all the crossed souldiers that came against him whereupon Ameline the Popes Legate wrote to the Pope that if he caused not the cross to be preached in many parts of Europe the Church was like to sustain much damage by this enemy For saith he he is more cruell and subtile then any before him But a little before the Bishop of Tholouse was informed of a certain Matron who having her children brethren and friends about her was dying an Heretick whereupon he ran to her and found it even so by the confession of the woman her selfe who desired to die in the faith of the Albingenses and doubted not to be saved then did the Bishop condemne her and delivered her to the secular power who presently carried her forth in the bed wherein she lay sick and burned her Anno Christi 1235. Earl Remund getting from Paris returned into his owne country and forbad the Citizens of Tholouse to company with the Friers predicant and shortly after expelled them the City And the Monastery of Narbonne belonging to the same order of Friers was pulled down by the Albingenses And in June following Pope Gregory the ninth made new Inquisitors against the Albingenses in Arragon and France Anno Christi 1236. King Lewis of France wrote to the Pope that Earl Remund had violated the Covenants which he had made with the Church and had cast the Bishops Clergy and Friers out of Tholouse and brought Hereticks into their roomes whereupon he desired that he might be reduced into order c. And indeed by the power of the Pope and King he was forced to recall the Popish Clergy and to banish the Albingenses and to take upon him the signe of the Cross for the aid of the Holy land by way of Penance for his former deeds The same year many imbracing the faith of the Albingenses be-beyond the Alps Inquisitors were sent against them especially one Frier Robert who caused many of both sexes to be apprehended and when they continued constant in the true faith and would not renounce the same in
and where as some were allured to deny the truth that they might be eased of taxes and quarterings of souldiers this was not performed whereupon they complained that promise was broken with them but the Jesuits answered them that they had no cause to complain for they had provided for their souls and therefore they ought cheerfully to help the King by contributions and quarterings of souldiers and that Hereticks must be dealt with as mad men and children from whom â—f you desire to get a knife you must shew them something else though you never intend to give it them Thus the Kingdom being emptied of gold and silver counterfeit and adulterate money was coined in great abundance that so the common people might rejoyce in their plenty but in the mean time the souldiers would recâ—ive none but good money Gold and silver also was raised to ten times the price of it and on a sudden the Emperour diminished the value making every piece of money to be worth but the tenth part whereby the Bohemians were more impoverished suddenly then if they had lain under the burden of an Army ten years Then was it ordered that the creditor should lose all the money that he had lent in the time of the rebellion as they called it And thus they were first impoverished after which the enemies insulted over them by infamous books insolent pictures and proud words Then did they send abroad their Commissioners of Reformation who in every Town and Village endeavored to bring Protestantism into disgrace and highly to magnifie and set abroad their owne cause The most eminent men for honour and estates are invited to Apostasie the inferiour sort are either fooled by their examples or compelled by threâ—tnings Then was there an High-Court of reformers set up from which there was no appeal In the next place the souldiers exercised barbarous Tyranny against the Ministers of Jesus Christ. One aged minister lying sick in his bed they shot him to death as he lay The next day they robbed and murthered another Another as he was preaching to his people they came into the Church and shot him to death Another Nobleman and a Minister hearing of souldiers that were coming that way conveighed themselves away into a place of safety the souldiers when they came caught a Schoolmaster and binding him in cords examined him where the Lord of that place and the Minister were and where they had hid their treasure he professed that he knew neither the one nor the other whereupon they beat him first with their fists then with cudgels then stripping him naked they so extreamly singed him with fire that at last he promised to bring them where the treasure was shewing them a ditch full of stones which for greediness of gold they emptied but finding nothing they beat him afresh and when he professed that he knew of no treasure though through pain he had said so much they cudgelled him and with clods beat him into the ditch and buried him under the stones Presently after they lighted on another godly Minister whom they so miserably tortured that he â—ied within five daies shamefully abusing his daughters also whom they led away with them Another godly Minister for a moneth together they excruciated with new invented mockeries they spit in his face buffeted him with their fists exposed him to be beaten by every vile rascall They with a knotâ—y cord twisten about his forehead with a stick so strained his head that his very eyes were ready to start out Then they let loose a wilde horse upon him which yet leaped quite over him and did him no harm at last with much adoe he redeemed himself with five hundred Florences Another Pastor they lighted on and because he had a better estate then the former they tormented him more sometimes covering him over with hot burning coals sometimes with Ice till they had forced him to pay a thousand five hundred Florences for his ransome though shortly after through extremity of the pain he died Another Minister they fetched from his house and miserably tortured him by twisting a cord about his head then tied they his hands behinde him and his legs with a small cord intending the next morning to torture him with fire but in the night time as he was earnest at his prayers repeating those words In thee O Lord is my trust he perceived his hands and feet miraculously to be loosned Whereupon getting up he went to the gate where were three Watchmen one of them standing with his hand on his sword yet he passed by them undiscovered When he came to the Town-gate he was known by the Souldier that stood Sentinell but he being a Bohemian was overcome by entreaty and let him passe over the bridge whereby he escaped Another Minister together with his wife they cruelly burnt Another was hanged upon a crosse-beam and making a fire under him they broiled him to death Another they cut into small peeces Another Minister they sought for but he being escaped they took a young man in his house laid him on his back filled his mouth with gunpowder which setting fire to they miserably tore his jaws in pieces and then killed him When some souldiers came to the house of another he entertained them courteously and made good provision for them but when they knew he was a Minister they first beat him cruelly then killed him stripped and plundered his house they also burnt his Library and would not suffer his body to be buried for seven weeks during their abode there Another aged Minister and his wife were so sorely burned by a souldier that demanded money of them that presently after they died Another was hung up by the privy members being seventy years old and his own books burnt under him and at last was shot through and slain Another was first assessed at seven hundred florences then had his house plundred and lastly himself was murthered Another they caught and wounded cutting his neck half through but being afterwards carried by some friends to a Chirurgion he lived about two years but in much pain and torment Another being above seventy years old they carried into the market-place where laying him upon a fire they burnt him to death Another was beaten so that he died three daies after The Jesuites laid wait for one Pescinus a man eminent for learning and piety at last they suborned an Apostate to betray him who discovering him as he rode in a Coach with a Nobleman fourty horsemen came suddenly and took him away but by the importunity of some Noblemen he was ransomed for four thousand Florences and ended his life in banishment Another being bound to a Tree was made a mark for the Musquetiers to shoot at and though they did not hit him yet by reason of the affrightment he died within three daies Another being met by a
dare say nothing to the purpose for fear of angring the Inquisitors only he chears up his Client and bids him tell the truth in any case as the only way to prevail in that Court and then is the Prisoner sent back again who hopes that now his cause will be heard and his businesse dispatched whereas usually these good fathers let him lie two three or four years in prison without ever calling for him again and if through loathsomnesse and intolerablenesse of the prison any sue to come to hearing it may be with much ado he obtains it but usually that favour is denied him yet at length when they please they call for him to hear the depositions of the witnesses against him which yet is not done till the poor Prisoner by his grievous imprisonment is brought so low as that they think he will rather choose death than such a life and therefore will be willing to tell all that so he may be rid out of his misery Then between rebuking and a gentle admonition they tell him that though he hath stood out so long yet at length they would have him wiser to confesse the truth but if he yet refuse to be his own accuser then the Fiscal produceth the depositions which are delivered to the Prisoner but they are drawn up so intricately and ambiguously that he knows not what to make of them and this they do to conceal the witnesses lest he should except against them and to set him on guessing that so if he chance to reckon up any others to whom he spake any thing about any of those matters they may thereby get more grists to their mill For they presently out-law such persons as favourers of hereticks for suffering an heretick to sow such pestilent seeds amongst them without complaining thereof to the Inquisitors The Keeper of the Prison also is examined what he hath seen and observed of him in the Prison and his testimony is as good as two witnesses to take away the Prisoners life They have also Promoters to bring in accusations who are admitted though frantick Bedlams or the veriest Varlets that be and in their informations if they chance to want words of weight the Inquisitors will help them out and prompt them word by word Then after three or four dayes the Prisoner is called again to put in his answer to the depositions but in the interim his Advocate never comes at him to assist or direct him but he is left to himself without all help save of God alone His answer being viewed he is remanded to prison again with this Item that if he confesse not the truth they will extort it out of him by extremity After two or three moneths more he is called for once again and required to speak what he hath for himself or else they must draw to an end and if he still shrinks not but stands firme in his own Justification they proceed to other dealings in comparison of which all their former proceedings are not only sufferable but seeme very reasonable and full of gentlenesse For their future actions farre exceed all barbarousnesse the Devil himself being not able to go beyond them in their monstrous tyranny For not long after the Prisoner is called in before the Inquisitors who tell him that they have deeply considered his whole case and found out that he doth not declare the whole truth and therefore they are resolved that he shall be racked that by force they may draw from him what by fair means he will not acknowledge and therefore they advise him rather to do it voluntarily and thereby to avoid the paine and peril that yet attends him yet whether he confesse or not confesse all is one for to the Rack he must go Then is he led into the place where the Rack standeth which is a deep and dark dungeon under ground with many a door to passe through ere a man come to it because the shreekes and cries of the tormented should not be heard then the Inquisitors set themselves upon a scaffold hard by the Rack and the torches being lighted the Executioner comes in all araied from top to toe in a sute of black canvas his head is covered with a long black hood that covereth all his face having only two peep-holes for his eyes which sight doth more affright the poor soul to see one in the likenesse of the Devil to be his tormentor The Lords being set in their places they begin again to exhort him to speak the truth freely and voluntarily Then with sharp words they command him to be stripped stark naked yea though the modestest maid or chasest Matron in the City whose grief in regard of the Rack is not half so great as to be seene naked in the presence of such manner of persons For these wicked villains without any regard of honesty will not by any Prayers of godly Matrons or chast Maidens forbear one jot of that barbarous impudence as if a shirt or smock could hinder the violence of the Rack from sufficiently tormenting them The Party being thus stripped the Inquisitors signifie to the Tormentor how they would have him or her ordered The first kind of torment is the Jeobit or Pully but first one comes behind him and binds his hands with a cord eight or ten times about the Inquisitors calling upon him to strain each harder than other they cause also his thumbs to be bound extream hard with a small line and so both hands and thumbs are fastened to a Pully which hangs on the Jeobit then they put great and heavy bolts on his heels and hang upon those bolts between his feet certain weights of iron and so hoise him or her up from the ground and whilst the poor wretch hangs in this plight they begin to exhort him again to accuse himself and as many others as he knows of Then they command him to be hoised up higher to the very beam till his head touch the Pully Having hung thus a good while they command him to be let down and twice so much weight to be fastened to his heels and so hoised up again and one inch higher if it may be Then they command the hangman to let him up and down that the weights of the iron hanging at his heels may rent every joynt in his body asunder With which intolerable pains if the Party shreek or cry out they roare out as loud to him to confesse the truth or else he shall come down with a vengeance Then they bid the hangman suddenly to slip the rope that he may fall down with a sway and in the mid-way to stop then give him the Strappado which being as soon done it rends all his body out of joynt armes shoulders back legs c. by reason of the sudden jerk and the weights hanging at his legs If he yet remain constant they adde more weight to his heels the third time and the poor wretch already half
grace brought to the knowledge of the truth whereupon he went to Geneva where he exercised Printing and sent books abroad Afterwards he was made a Minister and preached at the Town of Alenart in which and in some other places he did much good At last he with his Host a Priest whom he had instructed in the knowledge of the Gospel were apprehended and cast into prison at Bourdeaux and whilst they lay there in came a Priest with his furniture to say Masse but Philbert inflamed with a holy zeal went and plucked the garments from his back and overthrew the Chalice and Candlesticks saying Is it not enough for you to blaspheme God in the Churches but you must also pollute the prison with your idolatry the Jailor seeing this fell upon him and beat him with his staffe and also removed him into a dungeon loading him with irons which made his legs to swell there he lay eight dayes The Priest his Host terrified with the prison and fear of death renounced Christ and his Word and was set at liberty whereupon Philbert said to him O unhappy and more then miserable man Is it possible that you should be so foolish as for to save your life a few dayes you should so start away from and deny the truth Know you therefore that although hereby you have avoided the corporal fire yet your life shall be never the longer for you shall dye before me and yet shall not have the honour to die for the cause of God and you shall be an example to all Apostates Having ended his speech and the Priest going out of Prison he was presently slain by two Gentlemen who formerly had a quarrel to him Philbert hearing of it professed that he knew of no such thing before but spake as it pleased God to guide his tongue Philbert being condemned and had to execution they laboured to drown his voice by sounding of trumpets and so in the midst of the flames praying and exhorting the people he rendred up his soul unto God Anno 1558. Nicholas of Jenvile a young man that had lived at Geneva coming into France to get up some mony that was owing to him was betrayed by a Lady apprehended and condemned and being carried in a Cart to execution his Father met him and would have beaten him with a staffe but the Officers not suffering it were about to have stricken the old man the son seeing it cryed to them to let his father alone saying that he had power over him to do to him what he would At the place of execution he had an iron ball put into his mouth and so he patiently took his Martyrdom at Jenvile About the same time a company of the faithful of about three or four hundred were met together at an house in Paris in the beginning of the night to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper some Priests getting intelligence of it gathered many of that faction together and came and beset the house making an outcry that the watch might come and apprehend them so that in a short time most of the City of Paris was up in armes supposing that there had been some conspiracy The people following the noise and perceiving that they were Lutherans they grew into a great rage seeking to murther them and thereupon stopped the streets and lanes with Carts and made fires that none might escape them but through Gods mercy before this tumult began the faithful had finished their administration and prayers with as much quiet as ever they had done and now seeing this sudden danger they were somewhat amazed whereupon the Pastors of the Congregation exhorted them and fell to prayer after which considering the cowardliness of the multitude it was resolved that such as had weapons should adventure through the press which being put in practice the admirable power of God appeared in that notwithstanding the fires and stopping of the passages yet they all escaped safe only one was beaten down with stones and slain The rest which wanted weapons being about one hundred and twenty stayed in the house with the women and children some of which leaped into Gardens where they remained till the Magistrates came The women which were all persons of good quality save six or seven perceiving their danger by reason of the fury of the people went up into the windows shewed their innocency and desired that they might be tryed in an ordinary way of Justice yet there they were inclosed by the rabble for six or seven houres At last came the Kings Atturney with many Serjeants and Officers who with much ado appeasing the people entred into the house and their seeing the quality of the persons and their innocency the Atturney much pitied them yet carried them to prison in the little Castle but as they went the furious multitude plucked and haled the Gentlewomen tore their garments pulled their hoods from their heads and all besmeared their faces with dust and dirt In the prison they were used no better for the Villains and Thieves being let out of their holes and stinking Caves these Lambs of Christ were put into their rooms Then followed the cruel and slanderous reports of the Friars who in their Sermons railed upon them told the people that they were assembled to make a banquet in the night after which putting out the candles they went together Jack with Jill after a filthy and beastly manner they charged them also with sedition as if they conspired against the King c. And these cursed defamations were no sooner vented but they were spread abroad farre and wide yea in the Court itself and the Cardinal of Lorraine procured a certain Judge to come to the King who testified that he found in the House divers Couches upon which they intended to commit their whoredomes and adulteries which much enflamed the King against them These things made the enemies to triumph exceedingly and on the contrary the brethren which escaped were full of perplexity and lamentations sorrowing not so much for themselves as for the imprisonment of their friends yet they much comforted themselves in the consideration of ther own wonderful deliverance They upon debate also resolved First that all of them should humble themselves before God in their own families Secondly That they might stop the false rumours to write two Apologies one to the King and another to the People Thirdly to write consolatory letters to their friends in prison The Apology to the King was written and conveyed privily into his Chamber where it was met with and read openly before the King and his Nobles yet this prevailed little for their adversaries suggested to him that all was false and a pretence to hide their wickedness But that to the people did very much good and so did their consolatory letter to their friends in prison The adversaries all this while did bestir themselves to bring them
I was oppressed Now I defie death do with me what you please I praise God I am ready Then did they raile upon him and Jerome 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 blindnesse to your everlasting confusion Go forward and fulfil the measure of your iniquity Shortly after they were condemned to die and as they went to execution Jerome comforted Kennedy saying to him Brother fear not greater is he that is in us than 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 an end Let us therefore strive to enter into our Master and Saviours joy by the same straight 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 passing chearfully on they constantly triumphed over death and Satan in the midst of the flaming fire where they gave up their spirits to God Anno 1543. Cardinal Beton coming to Edenburgh caused many godly persons to be called before him and when he could prove nothing else against them he caused four men to be hanged upon suspition that they had eaten a Goose upon a Friday and a woman with her child sucking on her breast to be drowned for refusing to pray to the Virgin Mary Many others he caused to be banished others to be imprisoned at Saint Johnstons amongst whom was one John Rogers a godly and learned man that had fruitfully preached Christ Jesus to the comfort of many in Angus and Meannes whom he caused to be murthered in prison and then thrown over the walls giving it out that by attempting to escape he had broken his neck CHAP. XXXIX The Life of Master George Wiseheart or Wischard who died Anno Christi 1546. GEorge Wiseheart was born in Scotland and brought up first at School from whence he went to the University after which he travelled into several Countries and at last came to Cambridge where he was admitted into Bennet Colledge He was tall of stature and of a melancholy constitution He had black haire a long beard comely of personage and well-spoken courteous lowly lovely willing to teach desirous to learn for his habit he wore a Frize gowne a black fuftian doublet plaine hose course Canvas for his shirts falling bands c. all which apparel he gave to the poor some weekly some monethly some quarterly saving a French Cap that he wore which he kept a twelvemoneth He was modest temperate fearing God hating covetousnesse His charity was extraordinary he forbore his food one meale in three one day in foure that he might the better relieve the poor His lodging was upon stravv and he had course nevv Canvas sheets vvhich vvhen once foule he gave avvay He had by his bed-side a tub of vvater in vvhich in the dark night he bathed himself He taught vvith great modesty and gravity so that some about him thought him severe and vvould have slain him but the Lord vvas his deliverer and he after due correction for their malice by good exhortation amended them His learning vvas no lesse sufficient than his desire of it he vvas alvvayes ready to do good to his ability both in his private Chamber and publick Schools he read divers Authors yea he alvvayes studied hovv to do good to all Anno 1544. Some of the Nobility of Scotland coming to treat with King Henry the eighth about the marriage between his sonne Prince Edward and their young Queen Mary at their return Master Wischard went with them into Scotland being a man of admirable graces and singularly learned both in Divine and humane sciences He first preached in Rosse and then in Dundee where with great admiration of all that heard him he went over the Epistlle to the Romans till at the instigation of the Cardinal one Robert Misle a principal man there and formerly a Professor of Religion inhibited him from preaching requiring him that he should trouble their Town no more for he would not suffer it and this was spoken to him in the publick place whereupon he mused a space with his eyes bent unto heaven and afterwards looking sorrowfully upon the speaker and people he said God is witnesse that I never minded your trouble but your comfort yea your trouble is more dolorous to me then it is to your selves But I am assured that to refuse Gods Word and to chase from you his Messenger shall not preserve you from trouble but shall bring you into it for God shall send you Ministers that shall neither feare burning nor banishment I have offered you the word of salvation with the hazard of my life I have remained amongst you Now ye your selves refuse me and I must leave my innocency to be declared by my God If it be long prosperous with you I am not led by the spirit of truth But if unlookt for trouble come upon you acknowledge the cause and turn to God who is gracious and mercifull but if you turn not at the first warning he will visit you with fire and sword and so he came down from the Pulpit Some Noble men being present would have perswaded him to stay or to have gone with them into the Countrey but by no means would he stay till he had past the River Tay. Then went he into the West-countrey where he made offers of Gods Word which was gladly received by many till the Bishop of Glasgow by the instigation of the Cardinal came with his Traine to the town of Ayre to resist Wischard The Earl of Glencarne and some other Gentlemen hearing of it came thither also with their retinue and when they were all come together the Bishop would needs have the Church himself to preach in Some opposed but Wischard said Let him alone his Sermon will not do much hurt let us go to the Market-Crosse and so they did where he made so notable a Sermon that his very enemies themselves were confounded Wischard remained with the Gentlemen in Kyle preaching sometime in one place sometimes in another but coming to Machlene he was perforce kept out of the Church Some would have broken in but he said to one of them Brother Jesus Christ is as mighty in the fields as in the Church and himself often preached in the Desert at the Sea-side and other places It s the Word of Peace God sends by me the blood of none shall be shed this day for the preaching of it and so going into the fields he stood upon a bank were he continued in preaching to the people above three houres and God wought so wonderfully by that Sermon that one of the wickedst men in all the Country
Then turning to the people he said Christian brethren and sisters I beseech you be not offended at the Word of God for the torments which you see prepared for me but I exhort you that ye love the Word of God for your salvation and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort I pray you also shew my brethren and sisters which have often heard me that they cease not to learne the Word of God which I taught them according to the measure of grace given to me for no persecution or trouble in this world whatsoever and shew them that the doctrine was no old wives fables but the truth of God for if I had taught mens doctrine I had had greater thanks from men but for the Word of Gods sake I now suffer not sorrowfully but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent that I should suffer this fire for Christs sake behold my face you shall not see me change my countenance I feare not the fire and if persecution come to you for the Words sake I pray you fear not them that can kill the body and have no power to hurt the soul c. Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech thee father of heaven forgive them that have of ignorance or of an evil mind forged lies of me I forgive them with all my heart I beseech Christ to forgive them that have condemned me this day ignorantly Then turning to the people again he said I beseech you brethren exhort your Prelates to learn the Word of God that they may be ashamed to do evil and learn to do good or else there shall shortly come upon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschew Then the Executioner upon his knees said Sir I pray you forgive me for I am not the cause of your death and he calling him to him kissed his cheeks saying Lo here is a token that I forgive thee My heart do thine office and so he was tied to the stake and the fire kindled The Captain of the Castle coming near him bade him be of good courage and to beg for him the pardon of his sin to whom Master Wischard said This fire torments my body but no whit abates my spirits then looking towards the Cardinal he said He who in such state from that high place feeds his eyes with my torments within few dayes shall be hanged out at the same window to be seen with as much ignominie as he now leans there with pride and so his breath being stopped he was consumed by the fire This Prophesie was fulfilled when after the Cardinal was slain the Provost raising the Town came to the Castle gates crying What have you done with my Lord Cardinal Where is my Lord Cardinal To whom they within answered Return to your houses for he hath received his reward and will trouble the world no more But they still cryed We will never depart till we see him Then did the Leslies hang him out at that window to shew that he was dead and so the people departed But God left not the death of this holy man long unrevenged for the people did generally cry out of the cruelty used against him especially John Lesley brother to the Earle of Rothes and Norman Lesley his Cousin fell foul upon the Cardinal for it but he thought himself strong enough for all Scotland saying Tush a fig for the fools and a button for the bragging of Hereticks Is not the Lord Governour mine witnesse his eldest sonne for a pledge at my table Have I not the Queen at my devotion Is not France my friend why should I fear any danger yet he had laid a designe to cut off such as he feared and hated which was discovered after his death by letters and memorials found about him He kept himself for his greater security in his Castle and on a Friday night there came to the Town of Saint Andrews Norman Lesley William Kircaldy John Leslley and some others and on the Saturday morning they met together not far from the Castle waiting till the gate was opened and the draw-bridge let down for the receiving in some lime and sand to repair some decays about the Castle which being done Kircaldy with six more went to the Porter falling into discourse with him till the Leslies came also with some other company the Porter seeing them would have drawn up the Bridge but he was prevented and whilst he endeavoured to keep them out at the gate his head was broken and the Keys taken from him The Cardinal was asleep in bed for all night he had for his bedfellow Mistris Mary Ogleby who was a little before gone from him out at the Postern gate and therefore the Cardinal was gone to his rest There were about one hundred workmen in the Castle which seeing what was done cried out but without hurt they were turned out at the wicket gate Then VVilliam Kircaldy went to secure the Postern lest the Cardinal should make an escape that way The rest going to the Gentlemens chambers who were above fifty without hurting them they turned them all out at the gate They which undertook this enterprise were but eighteen men The Cardinal being awaked with the noise asked out at the window what was the matter Answer was made that Norman Lesley had taken his Castle Then did he attempt to have escaped by the Posterne but finding that to be kept he returned to his chamber and with the help of his Chamberlain fell to barrica-doing up the door with chests and such things Then came up John Lesley and bids open the door The Cardinal asked who was there He answered John Lesley The Cardinal said I will have Norman for he is my friend Content your self said the other with those that are here and so they fell to breaking open the door in the mean time the Cardinal hid a box of gold under some coales in a secret corner Then he said to them Will ye save my life John Lesley answered It may be that we will Nay said the Cardinal sweare unto me by Gods wounds that you will and then I will open the door then said John that which was said is unsaid and so he called for fire to burn down the door whereupon the door was opened and the Cardinal sate him down in his chair crying I am a Priest I am a Priest ye will not slay me Then John Lesley and another struck him once or twice But Master James Melvin a man that had been very familiar with Wischard and of a modest and gentle nature perceiving them both to be in choler plucked them back saying This work and judgement of God although it be secret ought to be done with great gravity And so presenting him the point of his sword he said Repent thee of thy former wicked life but especially
this is the most miserable state and condition of our Churches moreover our Countrey-men to the number of five thousand besides youths and children being dispersed in banishment which hath now befallen most of us the second time especially throughout Silesia as also through the Marck Lusatia Hungary c. find no comfort but much misery and are there exposed to the hatred and envy of men We that are Pastors dare not openly minister to our Auditories with the Word and Sacraments but onely in private Meetings or in Woods among Fenny places God onely seeing us who is witnesse of these calamities and our comfort in extremities Indeed being thus destitute of all things we lead a wretched life in banishment being afflicted with hunger and nakednesse and are become next to the most miserable Waldenses the greatest spectacle of calamity to the Christian world for so it hath seemed good to that Soveraign Wisdome that governs all things that we should be inheritors of the Crosse and persecution of those men from whom we have derived the original of our Doctrine and external Succession For truly we are the remaining Progeny even of the Waldenses with whom being raised from the ashes of blessed Huss and with whom combining into the same holy Fellowship of the Faith and afflictions of Christ we have for two whole ages and more been perpetually subject to the like storms of Calamities until at length we fell into this calamity greater than ever was known in the memory of our Fathers and which threatens us with utter destruction unlesse God prevent it The truth is this businesse constrains us to amazement and tears greater than can be exprest in words to set forth our affliction and sorrow If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies we desire that this affliction of Joseph may be recommended especially to all that are of the houshold of Faith Let them not suffer those to perish whom the same Faith and the same Spirit of Christ hath joyned with them in so near a relation we beseech them in the name of Christ that they would rather make haste to relieve those who are ready to perish we being assured that we suffer this persecution upon no other account than for the confession of the Truth from those Enemies who have acted such things as these are against us in times past and are now at length by Gods permission pouring out their fury upon us Signed in the name of the said distressed Churches by their Delegates and now Exiles for the Cause of Christ Adam Samuel Hartman Pastor of the Church of Lesna in Poland and Rector of the famous University there Paul Cyril a late Member of the University of Lesna A BRIEF REPRESENTATION OF THE Protestant Cause in GERMANY In what Case it hath been since the Peace of MUNSTER and how it stood in the year 1657. and how it is now this present year 1659. THe Justice of the late civil warres in Germany which were composed at the Peace concluded in Munster and Osnaburgge in the year 1648. was grounded upon this That the Protestants were necessitated to enter into a League or mutual union together for the maintaining of their rights and priviledges in the Empire against the infections thereof and manifold disturbances of their profession which contrary to former agreements at Imperial Dyets did befal unto them in many places by the Popish and Jesuites practices whereof they could obtain no redresse by any peaceable Treaties Therefore finding that there was a design formed in the Conclave and by the house of Austria to be put in execution tending by little and little to wear out and deprive them of their liberties they formed an union among themselves to stand upon the defence of their rights and to oppose the power of the house of Austria by whose means both in Germany and in Bohemia the Jesuites did drive the design of rooting out Protestants The head of this union who by his place was bound to appear in it was the Elector Palatine but he being a soft man of no experience in war and beset in his Counsels and enterprises with such as did betray him the cause was soon overthrown and by his overthrow the intended persecution against Protestants to root them out what by power and what by policie was openly carried on by the house of Austria which moved the King of Denmark Christian the IV. and after him the King of Sweden to come upon the Stage the Dane was soon overthrown but God gave such successe unto the Swedes to the Landgrave of Hessen their associate and to the French who joyned with them to ballance the power of Austria after the Elector of Saxony had made his peace at Prague with the Emperour and deserted the Protestant interest that from the death of King Gustavus they continued the war with various successes till the year 1648. at which time the Swedish being masters in Bohemia and the Emperour brought so low that he saw little hopes to recover his strength without a Peace he yielded to the conditions which the Protestants and the French stood upon The Swedish stood upon their satisfaction and to keep a foot in the Empire to be able upon all occasions to secure or help the Protestant party And the Protestant Princes they stood upon the setling of all things and of themselves in their former rights and possessions as before the war and chiefly upon this point the reformed party and the Landgrave of Hessen who headed them stood that thence forward the reformed Protestants alias called Calvinists should have equal freedom and liberty of conscience for the exercise of their profession in the Empire with the Papists and Lutherans This condition being obtained and a way determined to give the agrieved parties in point of dammage further satisfaction Armies were dismissed a new convention of States was held at Nurenberg to settle the remaining matters within the Empire which at Munster and Osnabrugge could not well be handled by reason of the Treatie with forreigne States and afterward a Dyet was called at Ratisbon to confirme all what formerly had been treated on and concluded and to put the remainder of grievances in a way to be rectified To which effect at the dissolution or rather adjournment of the Imperial Dyet at Ratisbon a Committee of Deputies from all the States of the Empire of equal number of both parties that is so many of the Protestants as of the Popish partie were named to meet at Franckford and prepare by way of disquiry of rights the matters then remaining undecided that at the next Session of the Dyet there might be a full decision and determination of them but before these Delegates did meet the Elector of Mentz did broach a new quarrel with the Elector Palatine tending to abridge him of much of his right and to make him inconsiderable to the Protestant party but