call it Have ye nâ—â— had my Brother Tomkins before you whose hand when you had burned most cruelly ye burn also his body and not only him but a great many of the numbers of Christ men that feared God and lived Vertuously and also the Queens true Subjects and seeing to these Saints you have shewed so little mercy shall it seem to my Lord and this Audience that ye shew me more favour no no my Lord but if you mean as you say why then examine you me of that I am not bound to answer you unto Bonner Well what sayest thou by the Sacrament of the Altar is it not the very body of Christ Flesh Blood and Bone as it was born of the Virgin Smith I have answered that it is none of Gods order neither any Sacrament but mans own vain invention and shewed him the Lords institution But when he was so earnestly before the Audience declaring that we knew nothing bringing out his hoc est Corpus meum to lay in my dish I proved before the Audience that it was a dead God declaring the distinction appointed between the two Creatures of Bread and Wine and that a body without Blood hath no life at which Harpsfield found himself much offended and took the Tale out of my Lords mouth saying Harpsfield I will prove by the Scriptures that you blaspheme God in so saying for it is given in two parts because there is two thing shewed that is to say his Body and his Passion as saith St. Paul and therefore is the Bread his Body and the Wine the representation of his death and blood shedding Smith You falsify the Word and rack it to serve your purpose for the Wine was not only the shewing of his passion but the Bread also for our Saviour saith so oft as you do this do it in remembrance of me and St. Paul saith so oft as you eat of this Bread and Drink of this Cup you shall shew the Lords death till he comes and here is as much reverence given to the one as the other Then rose up the Lord Bishop and the Lord Mayor desired me to save my Soul To whom I answered I hope it was saved through Christ Jesus desiring him to have pity on his own soul and remember whose Sword he carried At which I was carried into the Garden and there abode until the rest of my Friends were Examined and so were we sent away with many foul farewels to Newgate again the Lord Bishop giving the Keeper a charge to lay me in Limbo The Substance of another Examination of Robert Smith before the said Bishop Upon Saturday at Eight of the Clock I was brought to his Chamber again and there by him examined as followeth Bonner Thou Robert Smith sayst that there is no Catholick Church here on Earth Smith You have heard me both speak the contrary and you have written it as a Witness of the same Bonner Yea but I must ask thee this question how sayst thou Smith Must you of necessity begin with a Lye it maketh manifest that you determine to end with the same but there shall no Lyars enter the Kingdom of God nevertheless if you will be answemed ask mine Articles that were written yesterday and they shall tell you that I have confessed a Church of God as well in Earth as in Heaven and yet all one Church and one mans Members even Christ Jesus Bonner Well what sayest thou to Auricular confession is it not necessary to be used in Christs Church and wilt thou not be shriven of the Priest Smith It is not needful to be used in Christs Church as I answered yesterday but if it be needful for your Church it is to pick mens purses and such pick-purse matters is all the whole rabble of your Ceremonies for all is but money matters that ye maintain Bonner How art thou able to prove that Confession is a Pickpurse matter Art thou not ashamed so to say Smith I speak by experience for I have both heard and seen the fruits of the same for first we see it hath been a bewrayer of Kings secrets and the secrets of other mens Consciences who being delivered and glad to be discharged of their sins have given to Priest great sums of money to absolve them and sing Masses for their Souls health and began to tell him an Example of a Gentleman in Norfolk who being bound in Conscience through the perswasion of the Priest gave away a great part of what he had the which thing when his Brother heard he went to London and declaring it to the Council how that by subtilty the Priest had robbed his Wife and Children he recovered a great part again to the value of two or three hundred pounds as I was relating this the Bishop saw it savoured not to his purpose but began to revile me and said By the Mass if the Queens Majesty were of his mind I should not come to talk before any man but should be put into a Sack and a Dog tyed unto the same and so should be thrown into the Water Smith To which I answered again saying I know you speak by practice as much as by speculation for both you and your predecessors have sought all means possible to Kill Christ secretly Witness M. Hunn whom your predecessors caused to be thrust in at the Nose with hot burning needles and then to be hanged and said he hanged himself and also a good Brother of yours a Bishop of your profession having in his Prison an Innocent man whom because he saw he was not able by the Scriptures to be overcome he made him privily to be Snarled and his Flesh to be torn and pâ—â—kt away with a pair of Pinsors and bringing him before the People said the rats had eaten him Thus according to your Oath is all your dealing and hath been and as you taking upon you the Office do not witâ—out Oaths open your Mouths no more do you without Murther maintain your Traditions Bonner Ah you are a Generation of Lyars there is not one true Word that cometh out of your Mouthes Smith Yes my Lord have said that Jesus Christ is dead for my sins and risen for my Justification and this is no Lye Bonner How sayst thou Smith to the seven Sacraments believest thou not that they be Gods order that is to say the Sacrament of c. Smith As for the Sacrament of the Altar and all your Sacraments they may well serve your Church but Gods Church hath nothing to do with them neither have I any thing to do with them nor you to examine me of them Bonner Why is Gods order changed in Baptism in what point do we differ from the Word of God Smith First in Hallowing your Water in Conjuring the same in Baptizing Children with Annointing and Spitting in their Mouths mingled with Salt and with many other lewd Ceremonies of which not one point is able to be proved in Gods order Bonner By the
notwithstanding to receive him whereupon six Bishops take their oppertunity to left him out of his Bishoprick Athanasius is exiled afterwards by the consent of all the Bishops assembled at Jerusalem to consecrate the Temple built by the Emperor Athanasius is Exiled The thirtieth Year of Constantine was expired while these thing were doing yet he saw no peace among the Christians Arius with his Company returning to Alexandria they set the whole City in an uproar for they were not only disturbed with the return of Arius but the Banishment of Athanasius The Emperor sends for Arius again The Emperor understanding the perverse mind and corrupt purpose of Arius sends for him again to Constantinople to render an account of the Tumult and Sedition he had raised afresh the City being divided into two parts one for the Niceen Creed the other for Arius Arius being come to Constantinople the Emperor demands of him to sign the Niceen Creed His juggle with the Emperor he subscribes it cheerfully he puts him to his Oath he swares it also his juggle is said to be this he wrote his own Opinion in a piece of Paper the same he carries under his Arm in his Bosom coming to the Book he takes his Oath that he verily believed as he had written the Emperor believing he had dealt plainly commanded the Bishop of Constantinople to receive him to communion this was on Saturday saith the History the day after he looked to be received by the Church but see what happened upon his leud and bold enterprize saith the History being departed out of the Emperors Hall passing through the City in great pomp coming nigh Constantine's Market he was suddainly taken with a great lask and faintness and inquiring for a Draught or Jakes being got thither he avoided his Guts and Excrements and immediately dieth like a Dog saith the History and the Jakes was then to be seen when the History was wrote and the Passengers were wont as they went by to point their Fingers thereat in rememberance of the miserable end of Arius Anno. Shortly after the Emperor died but neither with the death of Arius years since Christ 348 nor of Constantine was there an end of the troublesome discord that was among the Christians for a Council being called by both the Emperors at Sardis Socrat Lib. 2. Cap. 16. the Bishops of the East would not come to the Bishops of the west unless they would bare Paulus and Athanasius of their company which the Bishops of the west not brooking the Eastern Bishops departed and at Phillipy a City in Thracia there assembled a private Council and thence-forth openly began to curse the Creed condemning the Clause of one Substance and in writing to sâ—w abroad there Opinion that the Son of God was not of one Substance with the Father The Western Bishops that continued at Sardis first condemned them which fled from the hearing of their Cause next deposed from their Dignities the Accusers of Athanasius afterwards ratified the Creed of the Niceen Council and abrogated the Heretical Opinion which said that the Son was of a different Substance from the Father lastly they set forth more plainly the Clause of one Subance and wrote Letters thereof and sent them throughout the whole World And thus things often changed and altered men having lost that which should give a weighty understanding in these matters and going about to make Faiths and force and compel one another thereto and also to determine and give Judgment in things beyond their reach being in their fallen Wisdom they turned the World upside down in reference to confirmity to their Faith and brake asunder the Bond of Unity and Concord which once flourished among the true Christians But these cruel Divisions Socrat Li. 3. Cap. because of Faith and Doctrines in Relation unto God was not let pass without rebukes from the Lord for the Persians Proclaimed Wars against the Romans and now Constantine the Emperor dyes Constantine dyes Julianus Succeeds him who though he was brought up a Christian Julianus Suc ceeds turn to Paganisme yet had a secret inclination unto Paganism who set open the Idols Temples and Idols Groves and Sacrificed to Pictures and entitled himself a High Priest The Christian suffer again In the reign of this Julian called the Apostate by reason of his inclining to Heathenism the Christians suffered very deeply and saith the History some were run through with Swords some brained with Clubs some Stoned to death some Strangled with Halters some Nailed to Trees casting in their Teeth the Death of the Cross one Friend fell upon another one Brother sought anothers life Parents put their Children to death and to be short one cut the others Throat This blood and murder the Emperor Julian seemed to be troubled at thinking it might give a suddain start to his settlement in the Empire therefore he writes a cruel angry Letter to those of Alexandria shewing his dislike of their enterprize Shortly after Julian puts forth a Proclamation Cap. 11. that such as would not renounce the Christian Faith should Warfare no longer in the Emperoos Palace The Christians no fighters but all should prepare to do Sacrifice that no Christian should bear Office in the Common-wealth for their Law saith he forbiddeth the use of the Sword unto such as deserve death and therefore they were not fit to be Magistrates As a Scourge for Julian who undertook these Enterprizes against the Christians Wars broke out against Julian Wars brake out against him and considering that many inconveniences and evils attended War and great sums of Money were requisite he set a great Fine on the Heads of those that would not Sacrifice so that the Christians were assessed and he wonderfully enriched himself with wonderous heaps of Money unjustly exacted then did the Gentiles insult over the Christians the Phylosophers solemnizing their detestable rights and Ceremonies He oppresseth the Christiant by Assesments making slaughter of Infants sparing neither Sex using their intrales for South-saying they tasted of their tender Flesh these detestable practices were both at Athens and Alexandria and else-where At Marais in Phrygia Amachius the Governor commanded the Temple to be set wide open and to be cleansed Chap. 13. and set himself to the worshipping the Idols which pricked not a little in Conscience saith the History the zealous Christians wherefore Masidonius Theodulus and Tattanus brake in the night-Season into the Temple The Zeal of three Christians against Idols threw down their Idols and stampt them to powder at which when the Governor was exceeding wrath and threatned to execute divers of the Citizens the men aforesaid presented themselves who were the Authors thereof that the guiltless of that act might not suffer and chose to dye themselves for the Truth the Governor commanded them to clear themselves by Sacrifice threatning severely to punish them They are put to cruel
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
Westminster Hall Judge Hailes was by the Commandment of the Bishop committed to the Kings Bench where he remained some time and then was committed to the Compter in Bred-Street and from thence carried to the Fleet being in the Fleet some endeavoured to perswade him to Compliance how far he yielded to those Perswasions and Assaults of the Enemy it was not known but shortly after he fell into a great horrour and terrour in his Conscience and in the anguish of his Spirit stabbed himself with his Pen-Knife and so thought to end his misery but through providence he was disappointed of destroying himself at that time But this Action being noised abroad as it was occasion of great sorrow and trouble to many that had a great Esteem of him being reputed so worthy a Judge and so just a man so it also opened the Mouth of his Adversary the Bishop who openly in the Star-Chamber blasphemed against such as profest the Truth calling the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of Desperation But it was not long before the Judge was set at Liberty but he had not been long at home but his trouble encreasing upon him he watch an apportunity and drowned himself in a shallow Water neer his House Now Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester having got the Law and outward Sword on his Side he thought to Rule as he pleased and having taken off either by Imprisonment or Death most of the principal Preachers of those he counted Sectaries he concluded the rest would be thereby terrified and kept under but his Expectations herein were frustrated For within a few Weeks after the Apprehension and Execution of the aforesaid persons The apprehending of Thomas Tomkins and five others there were six more raised up to testifie against the Popish Idolatry then established by a Law their names were William Piggot a Butcher Stephen Knight a Barber Thomas Tomkins a Weaver Thomas Hawkes John Lawrence and William Hunter these Persons being brought before B. Gardner he was so concerned to see his former devices so little effect the end he intended that he refused to Act any more against them but being wholy discouraged turned them over to Bonner Bishop of London who Prosecuted all that were brought before him to the utmost of his power not sparing to act his cruelty as from time to time he had an opportunity to the uttermost They were all condemned by Bâ—nnor Upon the 8th day of the Moneth called February 1555. The aforesaid six persons were brought before Bâ—nner at the Consistory at Pauls where nhe next day he past Sentence of Death upon them shewing himself a rash and cruel Judge to pass Sentence so suddainly upon so many Innocent mens Lives but he gave them a little time before they were put to death which was till the Moneth following The most remarkable Passages that I find at their Tryals and Examinations are briefly related as followeth Thomas Tomkins a Weaver dwelling in Shoreditch a man accounted by such as were acquainted with him Zealous and Godly The Examination of Thomas Tomkins much given to Prayer during the time of his Imprisonment which was half a year the Bishop Bonner beat him sorely about the Face and pluckt him by the Beard being long and caused his Beard to be Shaved off but though the rage of the Bishop was great the constancy and patience of the poor man was as great for he was not moved at the Bishops cruelty the Bishop seeing the course he had taken would no wayes prevail he fell from Beating to Burning for having a great Candle burning in his Hall at Fulham he took Tomkins by the Fingers ends holding his hand over the flame of the Candle trying him whether he would Recant but with patience he bore this cruelty also until Doctor Harpsfield standing by moved with pity told Bonner he had tryed him enough and then Bonner let his Fingers go The last time Thomas Tomkins appeared before Bonner there were several other Bishops present one of which earnestly exhorted him to leave off his Opinions to whom he answered I was Born and brought up in Ignorance until of late years and now I know the Truth I shall continue in the same until Death which Bonner hearing thought it time to pass Sentence upon him and as he had begun to burn his Hand so sentenced his Body to be burnt delivering him to the Sheriff of London who carried him to Newgate where he remained untill the 16th day of the Moneth called March and then sealed his Faith in the Flames The 26th day of the aforesaid Moneth followed the Martyrdom of another of these six persons viz. VVilliam Hunter a Zeal ous Young man for Religion William Hunter Martys who was about the Age of ninteen years when he suffered he was born of godly Parents by whom he was not only Instructed in godliness but also confirmed by them until Death William Hunter being an Apprentize in Coleman-Street in London with one Thomas Taylor a Silk-weaver the beginning of his trouble was for refusing to hear Mass and to receive their Eucharist for which the Priest of the Parish threatned to have him before the Bishop his Master fearing lest he should come to suffer by reason of Williams not conforming desired him to depart from him whereupon William went home to his Fathers to Burntwood in Essex where after he had remained a little time happening to go into the Chappel of Burntwood and finding a Bible lying upon a Desk he read therein while he was reading one Atwell a Sumner coming in reproved him saying Wherefore meddlest thou with the Bible William answered I read in it for my comfort Atwell replyed It was never a good World since the Bible came abroad in England William answered say not so it liketh me well and I pray God we may have the Bible amongst us continually Atwell I perceive you are one of them that mislikes the Queens Laws and therefore you came from London but you must turn another Leaf or else you will Broyl for it and in a fury went away saying he would fetch one that should talk with him and went to an Ale-house hard by and fetch out the Viccar of Soutweld who coming into the Chappel and hearing William read said Sirrah who gave thee leave to read in the Bible William answered I read for my Comfort and shall read while I Live and told the Viccar He ought rather to encourage then discourage people in reading the Scriptures Viccar Doth This become thee to tell me what I have to do thou Heretick William Hunter said I am no Heretick Vâ—ccar What sayst thou to the blessed Sacrament of the Altar believest thou in it and that the bread and wine is transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ William Hunter I learn no such thing in the Scriptures as you speak of you understand Christs Words much like the Carnal Cappernâ—tes who thought that Christ would have given them his
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
am in the true Faith and will never forsake it and I do wish I were more stronger in it and the second time being called before the Bishop she said I will not depart from my sayings till I be burned Agnes Stanley said I had rather every hair of my head were burned if it were never so much worth then that I should forsake my faith which is the true Faith After they had been twice called and Examined they were condemned and about the 12th day of the Moneth called April were all burnt in one Fire in Smithfield After these in the Moneth called May three others suffered in Georges-fields in Southwark viz. William Morrant Stephen Gratwick and one King This St. Gratwick in his Examination was very hardly and illegally deal with for first he was condemned by the Bishops of Winchester and Rocester to whose Diocess he did not belong Secondly when he made his appeal from these incompetent Judges to the Bishop of the Diocess he lived in his appeal would not be allowed when they had no other shift to colour their inordinate proceedings withall they procured a Priest to counterfeit himself to be Bishop of Chester and brought him to sit as Judge over him When he was before the Bishop of Winchester in Mary-Overs Steeple-house because the People cryed out God strengthen thee the Bishop threatned saying Now let me see him here that dare open his Mouth to bid God strengthen thee he shall die the death that thou shalt die Gratwick answered I know your cruelty doth extend more largly then your pity They further shewed their injustice against him in that they brought in Articles against him which were not grounded upon his own Examinations and Confessions and because he refused to answer to them though they had no other just matters against him but only for saying these words viz. That which I have said I have said they proceeded to read the Sentence of Death against him When he was asked whether he would recant he said My Faith is grounded more stedfastly then to change in a moment it s no process of time can alter me unless my faith were as the Waves of the Sea When the Sentence was read the Bishop delivered him into the hands of the Sheriff to be carried Prisoner to the Marshalsea whereupon the Prisoner with a loud voice desired God that he would not lay his blood to their charge if it were his will and as he was passing away because he spake to the People his Persecutors cryed out Cut his Tongue out Stop his Mouth and so he was had to to the Marshalsea and put in Irons and shortly after was burnt in Georges-Fields with one Morrant and one King about the later end of the Moneth called May. Seven persons burnt at Maidstone in Kent By reason of a Proclamation published in the Moneth called February the Storm of Persecution grew rather greater in many places then before but especally in the Diocess of Canterbury whereupon the 18th day of the Moneth called June seven Persons were burnt at Maidstone the Relation of whose Apprehension Examination and Execution is not registed excepting something concerning Edmund Allen of Frytenden in Kent Miller who for reading the Scriptures and expounding upon them was complained of by John Taylor Parson of the Parish to the Justice who sending for him committed both him and his Wife to Prison but not long after they were set at liberty and went over to Callice where his Conscience being troubled after some time the Lord discovered to him that he had work for him to do in England and thereupon he and his Wife shortly after returned home to Kent Parson Taylor hearing of their return although he was in the midst of his Mass when the News was brought him he turned to the people and commanded some with all speed to go and apprehend them when his Mass was over he went and apprehended the said Allen and had him before one called Sr. John Baker a Justice who sent him to Prison and caused an Inventory to be made of his Goods and they took thirteen pounds in Money away from him when he was brought before Baker the Justice The Justice said Who gave thee Authority to Preach Allen Give me leave to answer I am perswaded that God hath given me this Authority as he hath given to all other Christians Why are we called Christians if we do not follow Christ nor read his Laws Is not Christ our Father shall not the Son follow the Fathers steps Is not Christ our Master and shall the Scholler be hindered from Learning and Preaching his Precepts Is not Christ our Redeemer and shall we not praise his Name and serve him that hath Redeemed us from Sin and Damnation did not Christ being but of twelve years of Age dispute with the Doctors and interpret the Prophet Isaiah although he was not of the Tribe of Levi which were Priests but of the Royal Tribe of Judah neither had taken any outward Priesthood wherefore if we be Christians we must do the same One Collins standing by said to the Justice What a Knave is this that compareth himself with Christ Justice Baker Let him alone he will pump out an infinite heap of Heresies hast thee any more to say for thy self Allen Yea that I have Adam was Licensed of God and Abraham was commanded to teach his Children and Posterity and David teacheth in divers Psalms and Soloman also preached to the People as the Book of the Preacher proveth where he teacheth that there is no immortal felicity in this Life and Noah taught them that were disobedient in his days and therefore is called the eighth Preacher of Righteousness Moses chose seventy Elders to help him to teach and Rule the People Eldad and Medad preached in their Tents wherefore Josuah being Offended complained to Moses that Eldad and Medad did preach without License to whom Moses answered I would all the People could do the like Justice Baker Thou saidst thou didst feed the People both Bodily and Spiritually Allen We are all Kings to rule our Affections Priests to Preach out the virtues of God and lively Stones to give light to others for as out of Flint-Stones cometh forth that that is able to set all the World on fire so out of Christians should spring the Beams of the Gospel which should inflame all the World what availeth it a man that hath Meat and will eat none and Apparel and will ware none Is not every Christian a Follower of Christ And doth not Paul forbid quenching the Spirit Doth he prohibit any man that hath gifts that they shall not exercise the same The Justice askt him Why he refused to Worship the Sacrament of the Altar Allen Because it is an Idol Baker Away with him and then was he carried to Prison and shortly after burnt at Maidstone The 30th day of the Moneth called June there were four men and three Women more burnt at Canterbury Alice
own hand which being large I could not avoid abreviating them for the benefit of the Reader as followeth Woodman Rich. Woodman apprehended the 15th day of the Moneth call'd March 1556. Reader hereby you shall see how the Scriptures are partly fulfilled on me being one of the least of his poor Lambs first you may understand that since I was delivered out of the Bishop of London's hands which was the 18th day of December 1555. which was the same day Philpot was burnt I lay in his Cole-house eight weeks lacking one day and before that I was almost a year and a half in the Kings-Bench after my first apprehending for reproving a Preacher in the Pulpit in the Parish of Warbleton where I dwelt for which I was had to two Sessions before I was sent to Prison and carried to two more Sessions while I was in Prison twice before the Bishop of Chichester and five times before the Commissioners and then sent to the Bishop of Londons Cole-house and many times called before him as it appeareth by my Examinations which the Bishop of Chichester now hath for they were found in my House when I was taken also several had Copies of the same of me when I was in the Cole-house And it pleased God to deliver me with four more out of the Butchers hands requiring nothing else of us but that we should be honest men and Members of the true Catholick Church which we affirmed we were Members of and purposed by Gods help therein to die hereupon we were delivered and he wisht us several times to speak well of him and no doubt he was worthy to be praised because he had been so faithfull a helper in his Master the Devils business for he had burnt John Philpot the same morning in whose blood his heart was so drunk that he could not tell what he did as it appeared to us Q. Mary An. 1556. both before and after for but two dayes before he promised us that we should be condemned that same day we were delivered and the next day after he had delivered us he sought earnestly to take some of us again he waxed dry after his great drunkenness wherefore he is like to have Blood to drink in Hell as he is worthy if he repent not with speed the Lord turn all their hearts if it be his Will After I was delivered the Papists said I had consented unto them rejoycing thereat the which I praised God was not the least in my thoughts but they perceived the contrary in a little time for I went from Parish to Parish and talked with them to thirteen at least and that of the chiefest in the County which so angered them that the Commissioners complained against me to Sr. John Gaye Lord Chamberlain who sent out four or five Warrant to apprehend me but having warning of their laying in wait for me I kept out of their way so that the Bailiffs mist of their prey and were much displeased but three dayes after the Lord Chamberlain sent three of his men to apprehend me I being at Plough with my Folks in the way coming to my House not mistrusting them came to them and spake to them they said that they Arrested me in the King and Queens Name and that I must go with them which suddain words made my Flesh to Tremble and Quake yet I answered them that I would go with them and desired them to go to my House first they said I should Then I remembered my self saying in my heart why am I thus afraid they can lay no evil to my charge if they Kill me for well doing I may think my self happy I remembred how I was formerly contented and glad to die in that Quarrel and so had continued ever since and should I now fear to die God forbid that I should for then were all my Labour in vain then I praised God I was satisfied having considered it was but the frailty of my Flesh which was loath to leave Wife Children and Goods I saw nothing but present Death before mine Eyes and as soon as I was perswaded in my mind to die I had regard of nothing in this World but was as joyfull as ever I was This Battel lasted not a quarter of an hour but I dare say it was sharper then Death it self for the time When I had got my Breakfast I desired them to shew me their Warrant thinking thereby I might see wherefore I was Arrested that I might be the better able to make my defence but one of them answered they had not their Warrant there at which words God put it into my minde that I need not to go with them unless they had their Warrant and I said it 's much you 'l come to take a man without a Warrant and therefore set your hearts at rest I will not go with you unless you carry me by force and so I rose up from the Board and stept into my Chamber thinking to go from them if I could possible seeing God had made the way so open for me I meant to play Peters part with them but God would not have it so but sent a fear amongst them that before I came out of my Chamber again they were gone out of my House When I saw that I knew it was Gods doing to set me at liberty once again yet I was compelled to spake to them saying if you have a Warrant I desire you to shew it me and I will go with you if not I defire you to depart in peace for surely I will not go without the order of the Law I have been too simple in such things already for when I was sent first to Prison the Justices sent for me by one of their men without any Warrant and I went gently to them to two Sessions and they sent me to Prison and kept me there almost a year and three quarters contrary to right and equity and it seemeth strange to me that I should be thus evilly handled therefore I will go to none of them hence forward without legal order Then one of them said we have not the Warrant here but it is at my House the worst is you can but make us fetch it Then said I fetch it if you will and so I shut my door and before they came back with a Constable as God would have it I was gone forth but they searched every corner of my House and at night there came seven men and a Constable to search again but I kept abroad and because I supposed they would lay wait for me and thinking they would not mistrust that I dare be nigh home I told my Wife I would make my Lodging in a Wood near my House as I did under a Tree and there had my Bible Pen and Ink and other necessaries and there I continued six or seven weeks then there came word into the Country that I was seen and spoken with in Flanders whereupon they left laying
our God trusting in his Mercy and he will surely help us as shall be most unto his Glory and our everlasting comfort being sure of this that he will suffer nothing to come unto us but that which shall be most profitable for us for it is either a Correction for our Sins or a Tryal of our Faith or to set forth his glory or for all together and therefore must needs be well done for there is nothing that cometh unto us but by our heavenly Fathers providence and therefore pray unto our heavenly Father that he will ever give us his Grace to consider it let us give most hearty thanks for these his fatherly corrections for as many as he loveth he correcteth And I beseech you now be of good chear and count the Cross of Christ greater Riches then all the vain-pleasures of England I doubt not but you have Supped with Christ at his Table I mean believed in him for that is the effect and then must you drink of his Cup I mean his Cross for that doth the Cup signifie unto us take the Cup and then shall you be sure to have the good Wine Christ's Blood to thy poor thirsty Soul pray continually in all things give thanks In the Name of Jesus shall every knee bow Cuthbert Simson One thing more I thought meet to mention which I find upon record concerning this Cuthbert Simson which some may hardly believe who are apt to think all things incredible which vary from the common course and order of Nature and may look upon this to be more a Phantasie then a real Vision but I shall relate the matter in short as I find it and so leave it to the tender Reader to judge of it The day before this Cuthbert Simson was condemned he being in the Stocks in the Bishops Cole-house Cluny the Keeper about nine at night according to his usual manner came to see whether his Prisoner was safe and lockt the Doors about two hours after Cuthbert heard one coming in to him first opened the Outward-door then the Inner-door and though there was no Candle yet he saw a great brightness and light most comfortable and joyful to his heart and this he declared to one Austen and others and expressed much joy and solace in declaring of it and the Vision that he saw was comfortable unto him Soon after suffered William Nichol who was burnt for the same cause at Haverfordwest in Wales and William Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson suffered in Norfolk William Seaman was an Husbandman of the age of twenty six years dwelling in Mendlesham in the County of Suffolk William Seaman Martyr he was persecuted by one Sr. John Terril who searched his house for him by night but missing of him he set his servants to search for him and when they had apprehended him brought him before their Master who asked him why he would not go to Mass and receive the Sacrament Seaman replyed because it was an Idol he would not receive it wherefore Terril sent him to Hopton Bishop of Norwich to deal with him who after he had examined him soon passed his bloody sentence of death against him This Seaman when he died left behind him a Wife and three young Children which her Husband being taken away one would have thought should have moved those pretended Christians to some pity towards her but instead of shewing pity they persecuted her out of the Town of Mendlesham because she refused to hear Mass and one Coles Lord of the said Town caused all her Goods and Corn to be seized and taken away Another of these Sufferers was Thomas Hudson of Ailesham in Norfolk he was thirty years of age by trade a Glover and a very honest poor man having a Wife and three Children and labouring alwayes dilligently in his imployment being zealous for that Truth which bore testimony against the Papists blasphemous preaching who put the Draugh and Darnel for the Wheat and that he might avoid their Idolatries and Superstition he absented from his house and went into Suffolk a long time and there remained traveling from one place to another at last he returned home again to comfort his Wife and Children being troubled at his absence when he was come home he conceiving his continuing there would be dangerous he and his Wife devised to make him a place among his Fagots to hide himself in where he remained all day exercising himself in reading and prayer and thus he continued for about the space of half a year but at last his Zeal and Courage arose and he walked abroad several dayes openly in the Town crying out continually against the Mass and such like trumpery and for three dayes and three nights together refused meat or to talk with any one Berry Vicar of the Town and one of the Bishops Commissaries caused the Officers to watch for him who upon the twenty second day of the Month called April apprehended him by the break of the day and led him to Berry the Commissary who examined him after this manner Doest thou not believe said Berry in the Sacrament of the Altar what is it Hudson replyed it is worms meat my belief is in Christ Berry Dost thou not believe the Mass to put away Sins Hudson No God forbid it is a patcht Monster and a disguised Puppet more longer a piecing then ever was Solomons Temple At which words Berry stamped and fumed and said Well thou Villain I will write to my Good Lord the Bishop Hudson said There is no Lord but God Then he asked Hudson whether he would Recant to which he replyed the Lord forbid I had rather die many deaths then do so This Thomas Hudson and the other two being brought to the Lollards-pit and there standing with Chains about them on a suddain Thomas Hudson came forth from under the Chain which made some to doubt that he would have recanted but his two Companions at the Stake exhorted him and comforted him in the Bowels of Christ but Hudson felt more in his Heart and Conscience then they did conceive was in him for he was compassed with great grief of mind not for his death but for lack of the feeling of Christ for which he kneeled down and prayed earnestly unto the Lord who at last according to his mercies gave him comfort and then he said now I thank God I am strong and so went to the Stake to his Fellows again and they all suffered constantly and joyfully to the Magnifying of the Lords Name Before I proceed to give a further Account of such as suffered Martyrdom its necessary to give a short Account of the said end of this Persecuting Commissary Berry who Persecuted Thomas Hudson and others to death as I find it recorded This Berry in his rage was very fierce against many godly People in the Town of Ailesham he burnt all good Books he could get and persecuted men for their Consciences and compelled many to Idolatry and being
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