pleased then most Gratious Lady for the matter belongeth vnto you to receiue vnder your favorable protectiō this Mirrour or memorial of the Martyrs who living had the protection of Angels and when the Lord shall haue perfourmed to your Grace all the good that hee hath promised and of all loyall hearts is earnestly expected it shall then bee no offence vnto your Princely mind that you haue so doone That great GOD who by his Omni-presence filleth Heaven and Earth with his Glorie fill and replenish your Graces heart with all the gifts and graces of his blessed Spirit which may beautifie and adorne your person in the sight of God and Man in this life and heereafter Crowne you with jmmortall Glorie for ever and ever in his Kingdome of Glory Amen Your Graces most humbly devoted In all humble and dutifull affection CLEM COTTON THE MIRROR OF the Martyrs ¶ In a short view liuely expressing and shewing the force of their Faith the feruencie of their Love the wisedome of their Sayings the patience of their Suffrings their Constancy Comforts and sweet meditations in the middest of all their Conflicts ¶ With their Prayers and preparation for their last farewell Bishop Hooper THE Godly Bishop HOOPER being brought vnto the place where he should suffer seeing a Pardon lying vpon a stoole to be tendered vnto him if he would recant cryed to them that stood by If you loue my soule away with it If you loue my soule away with it A blind Boye being suffered to come vnto him after much entreaty to conferre with him M r. HOOPER hearing his talke the water stood in his eyes Ah poore Boy sayd he GOD hath taken from thee the sight of thy bodilie eyes for what cause he best knoweth but hee hath giuen thee another sight much more pretious for he hath endued thy soule with the eye of knowledge and faith GOD giue thee grace that thou loose not that sight for thē should'st thou be blind both in body and Soule The day before his Martyrdome he spent the most of the day in prayer vnlesse any were licenced to speake with him amongst the which S r. Anthony Kingston was one who being brought into his Chāber found him at prayer and at the first view of him burst foorth into teares M r. HOOPER at the first blush knew him not Then sayd S r ANTHONY why my Lord know you not me an old friend of yours Anthony Kingston Yes M r. Kingston I know you well sayd M r. HOOPER and I am glad to see you in good health doe praise GOD for it KINGSTON But I am sorie to see you in this case for as I vnderstand you are come hither to die But alas consider that life is sweet and death is bitter Therefore seeing life may be had desire to liue for life hereafter may do good HOOPER Indeed it is very true M. Kingston I am come hither to die and to end this life heere because I will not gainesay the former truth I haue heeretofore taught in this Diocesse amongst you and I thanke you for your friendly counsaile though not so friendly as I could haue wished it Life indeed is sweet and death is bitter but alas cōsider that the death to come is more bitter and the life to come more sweet Therefore for the desire loue I haue to the one the feare and terror I haue of th' other I do not so much regard this death nor esteeme this life but haue setled my selfe through the strength of Gods Spirit patiently to passe through the torments and extremities of the fire now prepared for me rather then to deny Gods word and truth The night before he suffred his desire was to go to bed that night betimes saiing that he had many things to thinke on and so did at 5 of the clock and slept one sleepe soundly and bestowed the rest of the night after in prayer Being got vp in the morning hee desired that none should come vnto him that hee might bee solitary till the hower of his death Bishop Ridley WOrthie Bishoppe RIDLEY going to his burning at Oxford looking backe espyed M r. LATIMER coming after to whome he sayd Oh be ye there yea sayd Father LATIMER haue after as fast as I can Bejng come to the stake he ranne to M r. LATIMER jmbraced him and kissed him and as they that stood neere reported comforted him saying Bee of good comfort Brother for GOD will either asswage the furie of the fire or else strengthen vs to abide it Being at the stake he held vp both his hands to Heaven and sayd Oh heauenly Father I giue thee most heartie thankes that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee euen vnto death A Fagot being brought which was kindled with fire and laid downe at M. RIDLEYS feet Father LATIMER spake on this manner to him Be of good comfort M. RIDLEY and playe the man wee shall by Gods grace light such a Candle this day in ENGLAND as I trust shall neuer be put out By reason the fire was ill made M. RIDLEY continued long in his torments in so much as he often cryed I cannot burne I cannot burne for Christs sake let the fire come to mee Lord haue mercie vpon mee let the fire come to me I cannot burne M. Iohn Philpot. THE valiant servant of Christ M. Iohn Philpot having the newes of his death brought him by one of the Sheriffes men that hee must the next day bee burned at a stake sayd I am ready God grant me strength and a ioyfull resurrection And so went to his chamber and powred out his spirit vnto the Lord giving him most heartie thankes that had made him worthy to suffer for his truth As hee was entring into Smithfield the passage was somewhat foule and twoo Officers tooke him vp to beare him to the stake Thē he sayd merilie What will ye make me a Pope I am content to go to my iourneys end on foote But first comming into Smithfield hee kneeled downe there saying these words I will paye my vowes in thee O Smithfield Iohn Bradford HOly BRADFORD having newes brought him in great haste by the Keepers wife of the Counter that hee should be burned the next day and that his Chayne was a buying with that put off his Cap and lifting vp his eyes to Heaven said I thanke God for it I haue long looked for this time and therefore it commeth not to me now sodainlie but as a thing expected euery houre the Lord make me worthy thereof After which he went alone and prayed secretly a long time A little before they carried him from the Counter to Newgate he made a notable prayer of his farewell with such plentie of teares and aboundance of the spirit of praier that it ravished the minds of the hearers Also when he shifted himselfe with a cleane shirt that was made for his burning hee made such a prayer of the wedding Garment that some there
certaine all the haires of your head are numbred Be certain your good Father hath appointed your bounds over which the devill dare not looke Commit your selfe to him hee is hath been and will bee your keeper Let Christ be your marke and scope to prick at Let him be your patterne to worke by Let him be your ensample to follow giue him as your heart so your hand as your mind so your tongue as your Faith so your feet And let his word be your Candle to goe before you in al matters of Religion Blessed is he that Walketh not to these Popish praiers nor standeth at them nor sitteth at them glorifie God both in soule and body ¶ Fifteene short sentences left by Robert Smith Martyr to ANNE SMITH his wife 1 SEEke first to loue God deere wife with your whole heart and then it shall be easie for you to loue your neighbour 2 Be friendly to all creatures but especially to your owne Soule 3 Be alwaies an enemie to the Deuill the world but chiefely to your owne flesh 4 In hearing of good things ioyne the eares of your head and heart together 5 Seeke vnitie and quietnesse with all men but specially with your conscience for it will not easily be pacified 6 Loue all men but specially your enemies 7 Hate the sinnes that are past but especially those to come 8 Be as ready to further your enemie as hee is to hinder you that yee may bee the child of God 9 Defile not that which Christ hath cleansed least his blood bee layd to your charge 10 Remember that god hath hedged in your tongue with the teeth and lippes that it might speake vnder correction 11 Be ready at all times to looke to your brothers eye but especially to your owne eye For he that warneth an other of that hee himselfe is faultie giueth his neighbour the cleere Wine and himselfe the dregges 12 Beware of riches and worldly honor for without vnderstanding prayer and fasting it is a snare like to consuming fier of which if a man take a little it will warme him but if too much it will consume him 13 Shew mercie to the Saints for Christs sake Christ shall reward you for the Saints sake 14 Among all other prisoners visit your owne Soule for it is inclosed in a perillous prison 15 If you loue GOD hate euill c. Your Husband RO SMITH If yee will meet with me againe Forsake not Christ for any paine CERTAINE deuout Prayers which some of the godly Martyrs made at the hower of their death ¶ The Prayer which M r. HOOPER Bishop of Glocester made at his death LORD sayd he I am Hell but thou art Heaven I am swill and a sincke of sinne but thou art a gracious GOD and a merciful Saviour and Redeemer Haue mercie therefore vppon me most miserable and wretched offender after thy great mercie and according to thine jnestimable goodnes thou art assended into Heaven receiue me Hell to be partaker of thy joyes where thou sittest in equall glory with the Father For well thou knowest Lord wherefore I am come hither to suffer and why the wicked doe persecute this thy poore seruant not for my sinnes and transgressions committed against thee but because I will not allow of their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy blood and to the deniall of the knowledge of thy truth wherwith it did please thee by thy holy spirit to jnstruct mee the which with as much diligence as a poore wretch might being called thereto I haue set forth to thy glory And well thou seest my Lord God what terrible paynes and cruel torments be here prepared for thy poore Creature such Lord as without thy strength none is able to beare or patiently to passe But all things that are jmpossible with man with thee are possible Therefore strengthen me of thy goodnesse that in the fire I breake not the bounds of patience or else asswage the terrour of the paines as shall seeme most to thy glory Heere the party who heard thus much of his prayer beeing espied of the Maior was commaunded away and could be suffred to heare no more ¶ The Prayer of Doctor CRANMER Archbishop of Canterburie when it was thought he would haue made his Recantation O Father of Heauen O Sonne of GOD redeemer of the world O holy Ghost three persons and one GOD haue mercy vppon me most wretched Caytiffe and miserable sinner I haue offended both against Heauen and Earth more then my tongue can expresse Whether then may I goe or whether should I flee To heauen I am ashamed to lift vppe mine eyes and in Earth I find no place of refuge or succour To thee therefore o Lord do I runne to thee do I humble my selfe saying O Lord my GOD my sinnes be great but yet haue Mercie vppon mee for thy great Mercie The great mistery that God became man was not wroght for small or few offences Thou didst not giue thy Sonne O Heauenly Father vnto death for little sinnes onely but for all the greatest sinnes of the world so that the sinner returne to thee with his whole heart as I doe heere at this present Wherfore haue mercie vppon mee ô GOD whose property it is always to haue mercie haue mercie vpon mee ô Lord for thy great mercie I craue nothing for mine owne merits but for thy names sake that it may be hallowed thereby and for thy deere Sonne Iesus Christs sake And now therefore O our Father c. His repentance for subscription vttered a little before his death And now I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that ever I did or sayd in my whole life and that is the setting abroad of a writing contrarie to the truth which now I heere renownce refuse as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in mine heart and written for feare of death and to saue life if it might be and that is all such bils and papers which I haue written or signed with mine hand since my degradatiō wherein I haue written many things vntrue And for as much as my hand offeded in writing cōtrary to my heart mine hand shal be punished therefore for may I come to the fire it shall first be burned which accordingly he did For being at the stake whē the fire began to flame hee put his right hand vnto it which hee held so stedfast and jmmoueable saving that once with the same hand hee wiped his face that all men might see his hand burned before it touched his body ¶ The Prayer of Steven Knight made vppon his knees at his death O Lord Iesus Christ for whose loue I willingly leaue this life and desire rather the bitter death of the Crosse with the losse of all earthly things then to abide the blaspheaming of thy most holy name or to obay men in breaking thy holy Commandemēt Thou seest oh
Lord that where I might liue in worldly wealth to worshippe a false God and honour thine enemy I choose rather the torment of the body and losse of this my life and haue counted all things but vild dust and dunge that I might winne thee which death is dearer vnto me then thousands of Gold and Silver Such loue oh Lord hast thou layd vppe within my breast that I hunger for thee as the Deere that is wounded desireth the soile Send thy holy Comforter O Lord to ayd comfort and strengthen this weake peece of earth which is empty of all strength of it selfe Thou remembrest Oh Lord that I am but dust and able to doe nothing that is good Therefore O Lord as of thine accustomed goodnesse and loue thou hast bidden me to this banket accounted me worthy to drinke of thine owne cup amongst thine elect even so giue me strength Oh Lord against this thine element which as to my sight it is most yrksome and terrible so to my mind it may at thy commandent as an obedient servant bee sweet and pleasant that through the strength of thy holy spirit I may passe through the rage of this fire into thy bosome according to thy promise and for this mortall receiue an jmmortall and for this corruptible may put on jncorruption Accept this burnt offring O Lord not for the sacrifice but for thy deare Sonnes sake my Saviour For whose testimonie I offer this free-will offring with all my heart and with all my soule O heauenly Father forgiue mee my sinnes as I forgiue all the world O sweet Son of God my sauiour spread thy wings ouer me O blessed Holy Ghost through whose mercifull inspiration I come hither to dye conduct me into euerlasting life Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit Amen ¶ A Prayer which Master George Marsh vsed daily to say O LORD Iesus Christ which art the onely Phisition of wounded consciences wee miserable sinners trusting in thy gracious goodnesse doe briefly open to thee the evill tree of our hearts with all the rootes boughes leaues knots and snags all which thou knowest for thou throughly perceiuest as well th'jnward lusts doubtings and denyings of thy prouidence as these grosse outward sinnes which wee commit in words deeds Wherefore wee beseech thee according to the little measure we haue receaued we being farre vnable and vnapt to praye that thou wouldest mercifully circumcise our stonye hearts and for these old hearts create within vs and replenish vs with a new spirit water and moysten vs with the juice of heauenly grace and Wels of spirituall waters whereby the jnward venome and noisome juice of the flesh may be dryed vp and custome of the old man changed and our hearts alwayes bringing forth Thornes and Bryars to be burned with fire frō hence forth may beare spirituall fruits in righteousnes and holinesse vnto life euerlasting Amen Beloued among other exercises I doe daily on my knees vse this confession of sinnes willing and exhorting you to doe the same and daily to acknowledge vnfainedly to God your vnbeliefe vnthankfulnes and disobedience against him This shall you doe if you will diligently consider and looke vppon your selues first in the pure glasse of Gods Commandements there see your jnward euils filthines and vncleanesse and so learne to vanquish the same that is to wit to fall into hearty displeasure against sinne and thereby be provoked to long after Christ. For we truely are sinners but he is just and the justifier of all them that belieue in him If wee hunger and thirst after righteousnesse let vs resort to his table for he is a liberall feast-maker Hee will set before vs his own holy body which was giuē for vs to be out meat and his pretious bloud which was shed for vs and for many for remission of sinnes to be our drinke He biddeth willeth calleth for guests which hunger and thirst Come sayth he all yee that are laden and labour vnto mee and I will refresh coole and ease you and you shall find rest vnto your soules ¶ A Prayer of Nicholas Sheterden before his death O Lord my God and Saviour which art Lord in heauen and earth maker of all things visible and jnvisible I am thy creature worke of thine hands Lord looke vpon mee and other thy people which at this time are oppressed of the worldly minded men for thy lawes sake yea for thy Law it selfe is now trodden vnderfoote and mens jnventions exalted aboue it and for that cause do I and many of thy creatures refuse the glory praise and commodities of this life and do chose to suffer adversitie and to be banished yea to be burnt with the Books of thy word for the hopes sake that is layd vppe in store For Lord thou knowest if wee would but seeme to please men in things contrarie to thy word wee might by thy permission enioy these comodities as other men do as Wife Children goods and friends which all I acknowledge to be thy gifts given vnto the end I shold serve thee And now Lord that the world will not suffer mee to enioy them except I offend thy Lawes behold I giue vnto thee my whole Spirit Soule and body And lo I leaue heere all the pleasures of this life and doe now leaue th' vse of them for the hopes sake of eternall life purchased in Christs blood and promised to all that fight on his side and are content to suffer with him for his truth whēsoever the world and the Deuill shall persecute the same O Father I presume not to come heere to thee trusting in mine owne righteousnes No but in the onely merits of thy Sonne my Saviour For the which excellent gift of Salvation I cannot worthilye prayse thee neither is any sacrifice worthy or to be accepted with thee in comparison of our bodies mortified and obedient to thy wil. And now Lord whatsoever rebellion hath been or is found in my members against thy will yet doe I heere giue vnto thee my body to the death rather then I will vse any strange worshipping which I beseech thee accept at my hands for a pure sacrifice Let this torment be to me the last enemie destroyed even death the end of miserie and the beginning of all joy peace and solace And when the time of the resurrection commeth let me enjoy againe these mēbers then glorified which now be spoyled and consumed by the fier O Lord Iesus receiue my spirit into thine hands Amen George Tankerfield GEorge Tankerfield sitting before a fier a little before his death at ST ALBANS after he had put off his hose and shooes stretched out his legge to the flame and when it had touched his foot he quickly withdrew his leg shewing how the flesh did perswade him one way and the spirit an other The flesh sayd ô thou foole wilt thou burne and needst not The spirit sayd be not afrayd this burning is nothing to eternall fier The flesh
present so admired him that their eies were no lesse thorowly occupied in beholding him thē their eares gaue place to the hearing of his prayers At his departing the chāber hee made in like sort a prayer in which hee vehemently desired of God that his wordes might not bee spoken in vaine ¶ His behauiour at his death MR. Bradford cōming to the stake fell flat vpon his face praying the space of one minute of an hower the Sheriffe willed him to make an end because the presse was great at that word standing vpon his feet he tooke a Fagot in his hand and kissed it and so likewise the Stake so putting off his rayment he went to the Stake holding vp his hands and casting vp his countenance to heaven sayd thus O England Englād repēt thee of thy sins repent thee of thy sins c. To the young man that suffered with him hee sayd Be of good comfort Brother for we shall haue a merry Supper with the Lord this night and spake no more wordes that any man heard but jmbracing the Reeds sayd thus Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth vnto life eternall and fewe there be that find it M. William Tims WIlliam Tims being convented before Bonner Winchester Tims said the Bishops thou hast a good fresh spirit it were well if thou had'st learning to thy spirit Yea my Lords sayd TIMS and it were well also that as you bee Learned men so yee had a good Spirit to your learning Bishop Latimer REuerend LATIMER writes thus to Bishop RIDLEY Lo Sir I haue blotted your papers and play'd the foole egregiously but so I thought it better then not to fulfill your request at this time Pardon me and pray for me pray for me pray for me I say For I am sometimes so scarefull that I could creepe into a mouse hole Sometimes God doth visit me againe with his Comforts So he is comming and going comming and going to teach me to know mine owne infirmitie that I might thanke him who is worthy least I should rob him of his glorie as many doe and almost all the world fare yee well ¶ The 3 requests which Father Latimer was wont to make THe first was that as GOD had appointed him to be a preacher of his word so also he would giue him grace to stand to his doctrine vnto the death and that he might giue his heart blood for the same The second was that GOD of his mercie would restore his Gospell to Enggland once againe and these words once againe once againe hee did so inculcate and beat into the eares of the Lord as though hee had seene god face to face and would haue no nay His third request was for the Lady ELIZABETH our late Soueraigne whō in his prayer hee was wont to name euen with teares begged of God that shee might liue to be a comfort to this comfortlesse Realme Bishop Ridley RIDLEY writes thus in a Letter to Bradford wee looke euery day to be called on I weene I am the weakest many waies of our company and yet I thanke our Lord God and heauenly Father through Christ that since I heard of our deere Brother ROGERS departing and his stout Confession of Christ and his truth euen vnto death mine heart blessed be God reioyced so in it that since that time I say I never felt any lumpishnesse nor heauinesse of heart as I grant I haue felt sometimes before O good Brother Bradford blessed bee God for thee and blessed be the time that euer I knew thee Iohn Rogers MAISTER ROGERS that Morning hee should be burned being in a sound sleepe was hardly awaked with much shogging whē the keepers wife came sodainely vp to giue him warning of his burning At length beeing awaked and bid to make hast Nay then sayd hee and if it be so I shall not need to tye my points The Sunday before hee suffred hee dranke to M. HOOPER being then in a Chamber vnderneath him in Newgate and bad them commend him to him and to tell him that there was never little fellow would better sticke to a man then he would sticke to him supposing they should haue beene burned together Laurence Saunders MR. SAVNDERS at the time of his first examination before STEVEN GARDINER reporto his bed-fellow that lay with him the night following that in the time of his examination he was so wonderfully comforted that not onely in his spirit but also in body hee receiued a certaine tast of that holy Communion of Saints whilst a most pleasant refreshing issued from euery part and member of his body vnto the seat of the heart and from thence did ebbe and flow to fro vnto all the parts againe In a Letter to his Wife faine would this flesh make strange of that which the spirit doth imbrace Oh Lord how loth is this loytring sluggard to passe foorth into Gods path It fancieth forsooth much feare of fraybugs and were it not for the force of Faith which pulleth it forwards by the raines of Gods most sweet promise and hope which pricketh on behind great aduenture there would be of fainting by the way But blessed euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly Father of ours who in his Christ our sufficient Sauiour hath vouchsafed to shine in our hearts by the light of his knowledge in the face of Iesus Christ. His Wife comming to visit him in prison was forbidden to enter the prison by reason whereof the keeper tooke the little babe shee had in her armes and caried him to his Father LAVRENCE SAVNDERS seeing him reioyced greatly saying that hee esteemed more of such a boy then if 2000 pound should be giuen him And to the standers by which praysed the goodlinesse of the child he sayd what man fearing God would not loose this life presently rather then by preserving it heere hee should adiudge this boy to be a bastard and his wife an Whore and him-sefe an Whoremonger yea were there no other cause why a man of my estate should loose his life yet who would not giue it to avouch this child to be legitimate and his mariage to be lawfull and holy Beeing come to the stake where hee was burned hee fell prostrate to the groūd and prayed And rysing vppe againe hee tooke the stake in his armes to which he should be chained and kissed it saying Welcome the Crosse of Christ Welcome euerlasting life Robert Glouer Gen. MR. GLOVER a day or twoo before hee should bee burnt felt his heart so lumpish and heavy that hee found in himselfe no aptnes not willingnesse to die but rather a dulnesse of Spiritfull of much discomfort to beare the bitter Crosse of Martyrdome ready now to bee layd vppon him Wherevpon fearing in himselfe least the Lord had vtterly withdrawen his wonted favour from him he made his moane to one AVGVSTINE BERNHERE his deere friend signifying vnto him how earnestly hee had praied vnto the Lord and yet could receiue
him hee sayd good Lord deliver me from you and gojng from them vp to his chamber hee sayd good Lord deliuer me from you good Lord deliuer mee from you Iohn Leafe THis IOHN LEAFE a prentise to one HVMPHREY GAVVDY tallow Chandler who was burned with M. IOHN BRADFORD had 2 bils sent him into the Counter in breadstreet after his judgement th' one containing a recantation th' other his confession to know to which of them hee would subscribe Hearing first the bill of his recantation read vnto him because hee could nether write nor read himselfe that hee refused and when hee heard th' other read vnto him which hee liked well off in stead of a pen he tooke a pinne and so pricking his hand sprinkled the blood vppon the sayd bill willing the reader thereof to shew the Bishop that hee had sealed the same with his blood already Richard Woodman THe conflicts whieh Richard Woodman had with the feare of death recorded in his owne words as followeth Then 3 daies after my Lord Chamberlain sent 3 of his men to take mee whose names were Deane Ieffrey and Frauncis I being at plough with my folkes right in the way as they were comming to my house least mistrusting them of all other came vnto them and asked them how they did And they said they arrested me in the King and Queenes name and that I must goe with them to my Lord Chamberlaine their Maister Which words made my flesh to tremble and quake in regard the thing was sodaine But I answered them that I would goe with them Yet I desired them to go with me to my house that I might break my fast and put on some other geare And they sayd I should Then I remembred my selfe saying in my heart why am I thus afrayd They can lay none euill to my charge If they kill me for well dooing I may thinke my selfe happy I remembred how I was contented gladly to dye before in that quarrell and so haue continued euer since and should I now feare to die God forbid I should for then were all my labour in vaine So by and by I was perswaded I praise god cōsidering it was but the frailtie of my flesh which was loth to forgoe my wife children goods for I saw nothing but present death before mine eies And as soone as I was perswaded in mine heart to die I regarded nothing in this world but was as merrie glad and ioyfull I praise God as euer I was This battaile lasted but a quarter of an houre but it was sharper for the time then death I dare say M. Glouer ROBERT GLOVER had a contrarie effect in his troubles as his owne words testifye After I came into prison sayth hee and had reposed my selfe a while I wept for joy and gladnes my bellyfull musing much of the great mercies of GOD and as it were saying thus vnto my selfe O Lord who am I on whome thou should'st bestow thus thy great mercie to bee numbred among thy Saints which suffer for thy Gospell sake And so beholding on the one side my jmperfection vnablenes sinnefull miserie and vnworthines and on th' other side the greatnes of Gods mercie to be called to so high promotion I was as it were amazed and overcome for a while with joy and gladnes concluding thus with my selfe in mine heart O Lord thou shewest power in weakenes wisedome in foolishnes Mercie in sinfulnesse who shall let thee to choose where and whom thou wilt As I haue euer zealously loued the profession of thy word so haue I euer thought my selfe vnworthie to bee partaker of th' afflictions of the same The same ROBERT GLOVER at an other time was much discouraged by Satan not to persevere in his suffring suggesting to him his vnworthines to suffer for Christ and his Gospell but these his suggestions were thus repelled by him What were all those whome GOD in former time chose to be his witnesses were they not men subiect to sinne and imperfection as other men bee All wee sayth Iohn haue receiued of his fulnes They were no bringers of any goodnes to GOD they were altogether receiuers They chose not GOD first but hee chose them They loued not GOD first but hee loued them yea when they were enemies to him and full of sinne Hee is and wil be the same God still As rich in mercie as mighty as ready as willing to forgiue sinnes now without respect of persons as hee was then and so wil be to the worlds end to all that call vppon him It is no arrogancie nor presumption in any man to burthen God with his promise chalenging his ayd and assistance in all perils and daungers Calling vpon him in the name of Christ for whose sake whosoeuer commeth to the Father is sure to receiue more then hee can wish or desire I also answered the enemie on this manner I am a sinner and therefore vnworthy to be a Martyr What then must I deny GODS word because I am a sinner and not worthy to professe it What bring I to passe in so dooing but adding sinne to sinne What is a greater sinne then to deny the truth af Christs Gospell I might also by the like reason forbeare to doe any of GODS commaundements when I am prouoked to pray th' enemie may say vnto mee thou art not worthy to pray and therefore I shall not pray I shall not forbeare to steale c. because I am not worthy to do any of GODS commaundements These be delusiōs of the Deuill which must be ouercome by continuance of prayer and with the word of GOD applied according to the measure of euery mans gift George Wise-heart THis WISE-HEART a Scottishman rightly so called in regard of that true wisedome of the spirit wherewith his heart was filled beejng come to the place of execution the hangman came vnto him vppon his knees craving forgiuenesse of him To whome he answered come hether to me when hee was come nie him hee kissed his cheeke and sayd loe here is a signe that I forgiue thee my heart doe thine office And by and by hee was put vpon the Gibbet and martyred Walter Mill. WALTER MILL a Scottish Minister beejng disturbed in his praier in the time of his examination having ended the same sayd wee ought more to obay GOD then Men. I serue one more mightie even th'omnipotent Lord. And where ye call me S r. Walter they vsually call mee WALTER and not S r. WALTER I haue beene one of the Popes Knights too long Beejng threatned with the sentence of death I know I must die once saith he and therefore as Christ said to Iudas Quod facis fac citius Ye shall know that I will not recant the truth for I am Corne I am no Chaffe I will not be blowne away with the wind nor burst with the flaile I will abide both Patrick Hamleton MR. Patrick Hamleton beejng in the fire was heard by certaine faithfull men of credit then
sayd do not leaue the company of thy friends and acquaintance which loue thee and will let thee lacke nothing The spirit sayd the company of Iesus Christ and his glorious presence doth farre exceed all fleshly friends The flesh sayd doe not shorten thy time now for thou maist if thou wilt liue much longer The spirit sayd this life is nothing to that which is to come which lasteth for euer and ever ¶ The Prayer of Richard Browne who standing at the stake and holding vp both his hands sayd O Lord I yeild mee to thy grace Graunt mee pardon for my trespasse Let neuer the feend my soule chase Lord I will bow and thou shalt beat Let neuer my soule come in hell heat Into thy hands I commend my spirit ¶ A Godly and deuout Prayer mentioned in the storie of M r. Philpot Martyr fit for such as suffer at the stake MErcifull God and father to whome approached our Sauiour Christ in his feare need by reason of death and found comfort Gracious God and most bounteous Christ on whome Steuen called in his extreame need and receiued strength Most benigne and holy spirit who in the midst of all crosses and death did'st comfort th'Apostle ST Paul with more consolations in Christ thē hee felt sorrows terrors haue mercie vpon me miserable vild and wretched sinner who now draweth neere vnto the gates of death deserued both in body and soule eternall by reason of my manifold horrible old and new transgressions which to thine eies ô Lord are open and knowne Oh be mercifull vnto mee for the bitter death and bloodshedding of thine onely sonne Iesus Christ. And though thy justice do require in respect of my sinnes that thou shouldst not heare me measuring mee with the same measure I haue measured thy Maiestie contēning al thy gracious calls yet let thy mercie which is aboue all thy works and wherwith th' earth is filled let thy mercy I say prevaile towards mee through and for the Mediation of onr Saviour for whose sake it hath pleased thee now to bring mee foorth as one of thy witnesses and a record bearer to thy veritie and truth taught by him to giue my life therefore To which dignitie ô Lord and deere father I acknowledge there was never any so vnfit nor vnworthy no not the theefe that hanged vppon the Crosse so I therfore most humbly beseech thee that thou woldst accordingly aid helpe and assist me with thy strength and heavenly grace that with Christ thy Sonne I may find comfort with Steven I may see thy presence and gracious power with Paul and all others which for thy names sake haue suffred affliction and death I may find thy sweet consolation so present with mee that I may by my death glorifie thy name propagate and ratifie thy truth comfort the hearts of the heavie confirm thy Church in thy veritie convert some to be converted so depart foorth of this miserable life where I doe nothing but heape sinne dayly vppon sinne and so enter into the fruition of thy blessed presence and mercie whereof giue and encrease in mee a liuely trust sence and feeling where through the terrors of death the torments of the fire the pangs of sinne the darts of Satan and the dolours of hell may never depresse mee but may bee driven away through the working of thy most gratious spirit which now plenteously endew mee withall that I may offer as I now desire to do in Christ by him my selfe wholy Soule and body to be an holy liuely and acceptable sacrifice in thy sight Deere Father whose I am and alwaies haue been even from my Mothers wombe yea even before the world was made to whom I commend my selfe soule and body familie friends Countrey and all thy whole Church yea even my very enemies according to thy good pleasure beseeching thee entirely to giue once more to this Realme of England the blessing of thy word againe with godly peace to the teaching and setting foorth of the same Oh deare Father now giue me grace to come vnto thee purge and so purifie mee by this fire in Christs death passion through thy spirit that I may bee a burnt offring of sweet smel in thy sight who liuest and raignest with the son and holy Ghost now and for ever more Amen M. Bartlet Greene. ¶ A Sweet description of the miseries of this life and of the ioyes of the life to come written by M r. Bartlet Greene. BEtter is the day of death sayth Salomon then the day of birth Man that is borne of a woman liueth but a short time and is replenished with many miseries but happy are the dead that dye in the Lord. Man of a woman is borne in trauell to liue in miserie man through Christ doth dye to liue Straight as he commeth into this world with cries hee vttereth his miserable estate straight as he departeth with songs hee praiseth God for ever Scearce yet in his cradle 3 deadly enemies assaile him after death no adversarie can annoy him whilst he is heere hee displeaseth GOD when hee is dead hee fulfilleth his will In this life hee dyeth through sinne In the life to come he liueth in righteousnesse Through many tribvlations on earth he is still purged with joy vnspeakable in heaven hee is made perfect for ever Heere hee dyeth every houre there hee liveth continually Heere is sinne there is righteousnes Here is time there is eternitie Heere is hatred there is loue Heere is paine there is pleasure Heere is miserie there is felicitie Heere is Corruption there is jmmortalitie Heere we see vanitie there we shall behold the Maiestie of God with triumphant vnspeakable joy in glory everlasting Seeke therefore the things that are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of GOD the Father to whom with the holy Ghost be all glory and houour world without end Amen Lady Iane. ¶ An effectuall Prayer made by the Lady IANE in the time of her trouble O Lord thou god father of my life heare me poore and desolate woman who flyeth vnto thee onely in all troubles and miseries Thou O Lord art the onely defender and deliuerer of those that put their trust in thee therfore I beeing defiled with sinne encombred with affliction vnquieted with troubles wrapped in cares over-whelmed with miseries vexed with temptations and grieuously tormented with the long jmprisonment of this vilde masse of Claye my sinfull body do come vnto thee O mercifull Saviour crauing thy mercie and helpe with the which so little hope of deliuerance is left that I may vtterly despaire of any libertie Albeit it is expedient that seeing our life standeth vpon trying we should be visited sometime with some adversity whereby we might be tried whether wee be thy flocke or no and also know thee and our selues the better yet thou that sayd'st thou would'st not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power be merciful vnto me now a miserable wretch