bene present at his death had they not thus bene perswaded to thinck vndoubtedly that he vvas againe repriued The same day the Minister of Saint George his Church adioyning to the prison coÌ„ming â—o Maister Rigbie he curtously saluted him and asked vvho he vvas The Minister said I am parson of Saint Georges parish and hearnig you are this day to dye am come by commandement to confer vvith you and to instruct you I thanke you said M. Rigbie for your paines but vve tvvo are opposite in Religion Therfore I am not to conferre vvith you in matters of faith I haue long looked for death I am prepared fully resolued and most readie to offer vp my life for so vvorthie a cause The minister benig hervpon about to depart Maister Rigbie tooke him by the hand and very courtously toke leaue vvith him saing Fare you vvel Sir I pray God make you a good man Betvvixt fiue and six of the clocke in the afternone M. Cheeke one of the vndershrifs officiers comming to the prison called for M. Iohn Rigbie saing they staid for him He ansvvered I am readie for you good M. Cheeke May it please you to stay but a very little vvhile and I come Ad so hastening he vvent most sweetly and curtously to salute and take his leaue of his felovv Catholique prisoners and other freÌ„des then present vvith him vvho al vvith great respect as to one going to possesse a Kingdom for revvard of his faithful seruice euerie one humbly kneeled vnto him and he vvith like respect to them as to Gods designed Martyrs also kneâ—led and to their great consolation imbraced and saluted euerie one of them with a kissâ— of peace In which deuout manner leauing them and desiring their charities to assist him in this his iourney tovvards his owne country with their deuout prayers promised them that he wold remember them as they requested in his assuredly Then going downe into the yarde he found the hurdle at the stayers foote redie prepared Where he kneling downe and first signing himself with the signe of the Crosse framed himself to say some prayer but presently one Maister More the vndershrifs deputie interrupted him and he rising smot his hand vpon the horse merily saing Go thy vvayes this is the ioyfulest day that euer I knevv And signing himself again with the signe of the Crosse laid himself gently downe vpon the hurdle vvith great alacritie of minde as wel appeared by his svvete Angelical contenaunce vvhich the standers by curiously obseruing some asked him if he laughed from his hart he answered yes verily from my hart And beare vvitnes vvith me al good people that I am now forthvvith to giue my life only for the Catholique cause Maister More taking exceptions said No Maister Rigbie you dye for treason in the highest degree for being reconcilid by a Seminarie Priest Yes Maister More said he again for neither can that be treason nor yet I dye not for that only For as you knovv the Iudge offered me oftentimes to saue my life for only going to Church Then pulling his hat downe to shadovv his eyes bad them In the name of our Lord go on and so setled himself to his deuotions But they making a litle staye he said merily vvhen go you I think your horse is not able to draw me At vvhich vvords they vvent forvvard and he fel vnto his prayers In the vvay tovvards the place of execution called S. Thomas Watering came ryding as was thought two courtiers but shortly one of them was knowne to be the Earle of RutlaÌ„d and the other was Captaine Whytlock in his coÌ„panie they coÌ„ming nere the hurdle and viewing the prisoner the Captaine demaunded of him vvhat he vvas of vvhat yeares and what might by the cause of his coÌ„demnation to this kind of death M. Rigbie looking vp and hearing some name the Earle of Rutland supposing the Captaine to be the Earle tooke of his hat and desired his honor humbly to pardon him in being so vndutiful as to haue bene covered in his presence for I knew not said he of such honorable asseÌ„blie and to your questioÌ„s may it like your honour my name is Iohn Rigbie a poore gentleman of the house of Harrock in Lancashire my agâ— about thirtie yeares my iudgement and 〈◊〉 demnation to this death is only and merely for that I ansvvered the Iudge that I vvas reconciled and for that I refused to go vnto the Church to heare the English seruice Wherat the Captanine seemed to meruel and said sure it is very strange that anie man should be put to death for that vndoubtedly said the prisoner it is for no other cause â—â— doe assure you The Captaine vvished hiâ— to doe as the Quene vvould haue him that is to go to the Protestants Church and turniâ—â— to the Shriâ—s deputie conferred vvith hiâ— about the matter After a little space thâ— Earle and the Captain rode againe to thâ— hurdle and causing it a little to be stayd thâ— captaine said are you a maried man or no No sir said he I am a bacheler and in smiling wise more then that I am a maide that is much said the Captain for a man of your yeares you haue it seemeth striuen much against your owne flesh M. Rigbie ansvvered I vvould be loath to speake anie thing contrarie to the truth I am in dede a maide and that is more then I neded to say The Captain concluded Then I see thou hast vvorthily deserued a virgins crowne I pray God send the the KingdoÌ„ of heauen and that thou maist do vvel I desire thee pray for me and so they rid to the place of execution not speaking anie more to him and vvhen the officiers vvere readie to turne him of the â—â—rt the Earle and the Captain posted avvay much astonished at his courege and constancie The Captain often related these particulars and vvithal added that he had seene manie dye but neuer had nor should see the like to him for modestie patience and vndoubted resolution in his Religion And that it vvold not be good for our state to put such men to death Novv the prisoner being in place to end this tragedie the officiers brought him froÌ„ the hurdle to the cart vvhere he kneled dovvne and said the Parer noster Aue Maria Credo and Confiteor al alovvde vntil he came to those vvordes the holie Apostls S. Peter and Saint Paule wherat the ruder sort of the people exclamed that he prayed to Saints and so he vvas not permitted to come to the end The executioneâ— helping him vp into the cart he gaue him an angel of gold saing here take this in token that I friely forgiue thee and al others that haue bene accessarie to my death Thou shalt haue more a poore suâ—e of fustian and a new shert vvhich I put on this morning I vvould it vvere better for thee Then taking of his hat he threw it from him And making the signe of the Crosse he vewed
vveke An Indictement therfore vvas framed and publiquly read charging them that they vvere Seminarie Priests and therfore traitors possessed vvith malice against their Quene and Countrie vvith other horrible odious and wicked termes most faâ—le and iniurious And then hauing no other proofe nor vvitnesse to produce the same Iudge protested to the Iurie that he vvas assured that they were Priests and therfore with manie sharpe words admonished them so to find it The poore Iurie making much difficultie to auerre so much vvithout either confession of the parties or anie lavvful vvitnesses against them yet for verie feare vpon the Iudge his conscience against their owne consciences brought in for their verdict that the said prisoners were guiltie By and by M. Glanduil gaue sentence of death against them that they should returne first to the prison whence they came thence be drawne on a hurdle to the place of execution there be hanged til they were halfe dead then be dismembred vnbowled quartered and their heads and quarters disposed of at the the Queens pleasure Which they ioyfully heard thanked God and pardoned their persecutors But before and partly also after this sentence they had disputation vvith certaine absurde preachers that auouched diuerse strange doctrines too abominable to be here recited Which neuerthelesse the glourious Martyrs clerly confuting so confounded the same heretiques and edified the people that the Magistrats commanded the Ministers to hold their peace And in steed of their babling prosecuted their ovvne farre stronger arguments of fetters halters and butchers kniues Al which the victorious Martyrs answering vvith true christian courage receiued their triumphant crounes and put al their persecutors to that non plus which our blessed Sauiour speaketh of when they haue killed the bodie they can do Luc. 1â— no more And not manie dayes after M. GlaÌ„duil their Iudge receiued also his owne Iudgement and due pay for his workes For riding abroad for his pleasure nere to his ovvne house with one man sodainly in the plaine filde he fel from his horse to the grounde the horse not stumbling at al but running avvay a greate pace the seruant stept quickly to his master and assaying to help him vp fouÌ„d him dead wherat being much astonished he posted so fast as he could to the next village crying that his master was dead The people in hast running to the place found it so And not knowing who else could be charged thervvith they presently apprehended the same servingman vpon suspition that he had murthered his master But vewing the corps they saw euidently that a spirit and no man had donne this act For they found part of his braines straingely comming forth both at his nose and mouth not hauing anie other hurt in his head but towards the right side behind a great dimple 〈…〉 vvheâ—â—â— a 〈…〉 â—aue pu◠〈◊〉 fist neither his skinne nor his hat broken at al nor a heare of his head vvanting to anie mans iudgement They found likevvise his right shoulder sore scorched like burnd leather as blacke as pitch and from thence along vpon his arme a great gash as it had bene made vvith a knife but not deepe and in the calfe of his legge on the same side they found an other hole about an inch broad and three inches deepe and which is most strange not so much as a threde of his hose nor of his other aparel could bo found to be broken In the meane while the horse that ranne avvay with much ado vvas taken but could by no meanes be brought nere to the place vvhere his master fel dovvne AGaine the same moneth of Iulij Jan other vertous learned Priest called M. N. Palaser by like crueltie was iudged and put to death at Durham only for that he was a Seminarie Priest and returned to his countrie contrarie to the statute made in the 27. yeare of the Quenes raigne And other three Gentlemen and a gentlewoman vvere also condemned to dye by the same statute for conuersing vvith the same Priest and not bewraying him to the Magistrat Tvvo of the GentlemeÌ„ called M. Iohn Norton and M. N. Talbot receiued their reward and glorious â—â—oune vvith their gostlie father Mistresse Norton 〈…〉 being supposed to be vvithchild was repriued The third Gentleman consenting of frailtie to goe to their Church yet liueth as the others might haue donne if they had also yelded therunto LIkewise at Lancaster vvithin the same moneth other tvvo Seminarie Priests M. Robert Nutter and M. Edvvard Thvving vvere condemned and put to death for their Priesthood The elder of them M. Nutter vvas one of those Priests and prisoners which being brought by their kepers from their seueral prisons to the tovvre wharfe in the yeare of our Lord 1585. and there commanded to enter into a shippe readie prouided to carie them into banishment declared publikly to the commissioners that they did not accept of that banishment as of anie grace or mercie at al for they had not committed anie fault neither against their Quene nor countrie as this pretended mercie falsly presupposed and therfore in expresse termes requested rather to be tried and to ansvvere their accusers at Westminster and at Tiburne then to be thus caried against their vvills out of their natiue Countrie from their freinds and neighboures vvhom they vvere to serue according to their Priestlie functions Affirming moreouer that though perforce they vvere caried avvay yet they vvould assuredly returne to the same worke so soone as God and their spiritual Superiors would permit them so to doe As this blessed Martyr for his part and diuerse others haue wel and most happely performed M. Thwing was no lesse resolued in this glorious quarel as wel appeared both by his life and death and particularly by his godlie letters to his brother sister and others which may be published in a larger relation Only here for a taste of his swete and zealous good spirit I shal recite part of two letters written by him in prison vnto me that write this In the former of which he congratulateth with his friends his owne imprisonment in these words My selfe am now prisoner for Christ in Lancaster Castle expecting nothing but execution at the next Assises I desire you to commend me to the deuout praiers of my freinds with you that by their help I may consummat my course to Gods glorie and the good of my countrie I pray God prosper you and al yours for euer From my prison and paradise This last of Maij. 1600. Al yours in Christ E. Th. His other letter written but few daies before his martyrdom with like consolation of his expected good end he concludeth thus This day the Iudges come to Lancaster where I am in expectation of a happie death if it so please God almightie I pray you commend me most derely to myn vncle and my â—rother I pray God blesse them both and to al your good Priests and scholars vvhose good endeuors God alvvayes prosper to his owne more
not my freinde nor euer had my consent therto I assure you my Lord I am a true Subiect and obedient to her Maiestie and her Lawes in anie thing which may not hurt my conscience But to say that I wil go to Church I neuer did nor neuer wil. Yea rather my Lord then your Lordship should haue anie light suspicion of me of such a consent take my first answere as it is there is my hand here is my whole bodie most readie I am and willing to seale it with my bloode and I humbly thanck your Lordship for calling me to answere this point my self VVhy then said both the iudges wil you not go to Church No my Lords God forbid I should then we see said one of them there is no such matter as vve vvere made to beleue We were told you were a â—impâ—â— young man and willing to recant but we see now thou art a resolute wilful fellow and there is no remedie but law must procede I would be sorie my Lords to geue your Lordships anie cause to thincke that euer I ment to recant knowing nothing wherin I haue offended but only vttered my conscience If that be so great a matter of offence let me haue lawe in the name of Iesus Gods wil be done Then spoke Iustice Dale a Iustice of Peace thou art a cogging cosening fellow and getts thy lining no man knoweth how by cogging and lying Sir said I for my getting I nede not much to bragg of it and for my lying and cogging you speake of I wold gladly you should know that the Auncestres of the house from whence I came were gentlemen fiue hundred yeaes before your grandfather was Iustice And so I stopped his mouth And the Iudges committed me vnto my keper for that time The next day being thursday we went again to the SessioÌ„s at S. Margarits hil Where about 2. of the clock in the afternone I was called to the barr to be arayned the Clerck sayd Iohn Rigbie hold vp thy hand where beseeching my swete Saviour Iesus our Blessed Ladie and al the holie companie of Angels and other Saincts to pray for me I held vp my hand merily So the Clerck read the Inditment which when I had heard I besech you my Lord sayd I grant me libertie to speake anone you shall said he So I gaue place aÌ„d the rest came to the barre for we were six arreigned at that time together fiue fellons and my self About an houre after I vvas called again and bidden hold vp my hand which I did as before my Inditment was read again and it was a sharp one Then my Lord bad me speake and I answered to foure principal points briefly in this manner First my very good Lords wheras I am charged in myn Inditment that I was reconciled it is very true to God almightie I so was and I thinck lawfully might be and as I remember it is also allowed in your boke of common prayer in the visitation of the sick that if anie man find hymself burdened in conscience he should make his confession to the Minister Which confession manifesteth a breach betwen God and his owne soule and by this humble confession he craueth pardon for his sinnes and reconciliation to God again by the hands of his Minister Secondly wheras I am charged that I was reconciled from myn obedience to her Maiestie and to the Romish Religion I wil depose the contrarie For I was neuer reconciled from anie obedience to my Prince for I obey her stil nor to aine Religion for although I somtimes went to Church against my wil yet was I neuer of anie other Religion then the Catholique and therfore neded no reconciliatâ—â— to Religion vvhich I neuer stood againsâ— Thirdly wheras in my former answere I said I went to Church it is true for feare of temporal punishment I so did but neuer minded to fal from the old Religion and therfore neded no reconciliation to Religion Fourtly and lastly I humbly besech your good Lordships as you wil answer it before God to explicat the meaning of the statute to the Iurie if the meaning therof be to make it treason for a man fallen into the displeasure of God through his sinnes to be recoÌ„ciled to God again by him to whom God hath committed the autoritie of reconciliation If this be treason Gods wil be done Then said both the Iudges it was by à Romish Priest and therfore treason I answered it vvas by a Catholique Priest who had the libertie of the prison and was frie for anie man to come vnto him to releeue him and therfore by the statute no treason Againe my Lords if it be not inquired of within a yeare and a day there can be no aduaÌ„tage takeÌ„ aganst me by this statute if you wrong me not Wherto replied one that sat vnder the Iudges Al this wil not seruâ— thy turne for the Iurie must finde it treason and so gaue them instructions that it must needs be treason Nay then Sir said I if it must be let it be Gods wil be done Then said Iustice Gaudie Good Rigbie I pray you thinck not in anie sorte I go about to seeke your death her Maiestie and her lavves be merciful If you wil yet conforme your self and say here before the Iurie go forth that you vvil go to Church and submit your self vve vvil procede no further My Lord said I if that be al the offence I haue committed as I knovv it is and if there be no other way but going to Church to helpe it I would not vvish your Lordships to thincke I haue as I hope risen thus manie steppes towards heauen and novv vvil vvilfully let my foote slippe and fal into the botomlesse pit of hel I hope in IESVS he vvil strengthen me rather to suffer a thousand deathes if I had so manie liues to lose Let your lavv procede Then said the Iudge to the Iurie you must VVhâ—◠〈◊〉 vvhoâ— vvorâ—â— doth â— Iudgâ— the â—â— quisitâ— of 〈◊〉 vvhâ—â— they â—â— must â—â— find tâ— be thâ— truth consider of it you see vvhat is said you cannot but find it treason by the Lavv. And so vvhen the rest vvere arraigned they vvent forth and stood not long to thinck vpon the matter but came againe and I vvas called and bidden againe hold vp my hand they bad the Iurie looke on the prisoner whether is he guiltie or no and who shal speake for you they al said the foreman I besech you my Lord said I may it please you to command silence that I may heare my verdict vvhich his Lordship did but the foreman spake so softly that I could not heare him I willed him to speake vp and not to be afeard Then he said Guiltie To the which I said vvith a lowde voice Laus tibi Domine Rex aeternae gloriae And so went frâ—â— the barr When the rest were arraigned and iudgement was to be giuen I was first called and Iustice Gaudy said what
their retinewes vvere swallowed vp in the gaping earth descending aliue into hel and their tvvo hundreth and fisteie complices and cooperators al deuoured vvith fire from heauen but also their other adherents and partners in the schisme to the number of fourtene thousand seuen hundreth of the people perished in like sorte by the same fire vvhich ceased not deuouring those that had anie way participated in the same reuolt til Aaron sent by Moyses had apeazed the vvrath of God vvith Sacrifice and other prayers And shal we think that the same God vvil not as iustly and seuerly either in this vvorld or in the next punish vs Christianes if vve ioyne our selues in profession or practise of a contrarie Religion to that which Christ and his Apostles and their Successors taught and obserued and vvhich our countrie vvas first conuerted vnto No assuredly For he is the same iust God stil to Iewes and to Gentils to Israilits and Christians Iesus Christ yesterday and today the same 〈…〉 â—at â—â— for euer Who commandeth vs not only not to beleue those that shal say Loe here is Christ or there but also not to go out of the felowship of al nations christned into one corner tovvne or countrie as S. Augustin vnderstandeth â—ugde â—â—it â—â—cle 13. â— Cor. that place And the Apostle admonisheth vs the same more at large No societie saith he nor felowship no agreement no participation no consent can be betvven Christ and Belial and none ought to be in the publique prayers nor in assemblies for the seruice of God betvven Catholiques and vvho so euer of contrarie Religion Go out of the middes of them and separate yourselues saith our Lord and touch not the vncleane and I wil receiue you And contrariwise at the last day he wil bring Psal 124. those that decline into obligations for loue or for feare of the world with the workers of iniquitie as testifieth the Royal Prophet Who likevvise admonisheth vs in an other Psalme by his owne example or rather in the person of euerie faithful soule saying With Psal 2â— them that do vuiust things I wil not enter in I haue hated the Church of the malignant and with the impious I wil not sit And the Prophet Elias crieth vnto such as vvould serue both God 3. Reg 1â— and his enimie How long halt you on two wayes if our Lord be God folow him but if Baal folow him Good Tobias a youth in captiuitie Tob. â— vvould not go as manie did to Ieroboams golden calues but fleeing their compagnies vvent to Ierusalem to the Temple of our Lord and there adored The three children Sidrach Misach and Abdenago in the like captiuitie fearing God more then men ansvvered boldly Be it knowne to thee ô King Dan. â— that we worship not thy God and we adore not the golden statue which thou hast erected Old Eleazarus 2. Maâ— 6. would not eate nor seme to eate swines flesh against the law but rather choise a glorious death then a werisome or hateful life if by dissimulation in so religious a cause he should haue procured damnation to his owne soule and also eternal ruine of manie more by his example Read also the historie of the ca 7 mother and her seuen sonnes al martyred for the same cause And generally the Iewes did Io. 4â— not conuerse nor communicate vvith â—â— Samaritanes in spiritual affayres vvhosâ— custome herein our Sauiour approueth anâ— geueth expresse sentence for the Ievves in this behalfe and that the right adoration and saluation was of the Ievves part Because they had good ground for their Temple in Ierusalem and the Samaritanes none at al. for their worshiping in Garisin An other general rule our Sauiour geueth He that â—at â—2 is not with me is against me and he that gethereth not with me scattereth VVherupon S. Ierome â—p 58. â—amas proueth that al they do scatter that â—â— ther not vvith the rest of the Church anâ— particularly that gether not vvith the chiefâ— Pastor therof succeding Sainct Peter To the same effect the Apostle saith you can not drink the Chalice of our Lord and the Chalice of 〈◊〉 Cor. â—0 diuels you can not be partakers of the table of our Lord and of the table of diuels And to such Neuters as vvould serue al turnes he crieth Beare not the yoke with infidels for what participation â— Cor. â— hath iustice with iniquitie what societie is there betwen light and darknes finally What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols And vvhat be the Idols that novv molest the Church saith S. Ierome but Heresies â—â—oset â— 1. â—mos â— â—ab 2. â—oph â—â— VVherfore al that looke to haue feloship with Christ and his members in his bodie and blood must flie from the feloship of al infidels and abstaine from al partipicipation in causes of Religion vvith those â—hat haue erected an other Altar or table or that haue erected a contrarie forme of â—eruing God against the Altar and Sacrifice of Christ and his Catholique Church And in novvise conforme them selues to these nevv procedings by going to their Churches vvhich is the proper marke of their societie Apot. 13. And therfore most constantly refused by this glorious Martyr so manfully fighting this good fight wherby himselfe hath ioyfully receiued a Crovvne of glorie God almightie is specially glorified his Saintes highly honored Catholiques much edified and comforted and the Protestants greatly ashamed and confounded Our Lord graunt al Psal 69. 128. those may be frutfully ashamed happilly confounded and quikly turned back that novv hate Sion Amen A. BRIEF A. BRIEF MENTIONâ—â— NINE OTHER MARTYRS ANâ— certaine other Catholiques persecuted for the saâ—â— cause this same yeare With an answer to our Aduersaries obiection of discord amongst Catholiques AT York in Lent last was arraigned M. Christopher Wharton Priest Maister of Art of the Vniuersitie of Oxford suspected and accused to be a Seminarie Priest and theâ—upon indicted of hiegh treason for returniâ—â— into England contrarie to the statute maâ— in the yeare of our Lord 1585. Who wâ—â— An. Reg. Eliz. â—7 â— M. Robert Anderâ—on Io. Sands W. Tom â—on Ro. Debdal Ed. Burden Hugh Tailor Thur. Hunt c. in dede made Priest at Rhemes by the Cardinal of Guise of Blessed memorie the last day â—â— March 1584. As also 30. other Englishmen receaued holie Orders the same time with him of which diuerse be now also Martyrs Neuertheles he confessed no more but that he was a Priest before the said statute was made leauing it to his accusers to proue when he was made For he being about the age of threâ—score years might wel by dispensation haue bene made Priest in rhe reigne of Q. Marie or before the feast of the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist in the first yeare of this Quene and so out of the danger of this new statute Manie odious things were obiected and amplified as their custome is
glorie Ego autem iam delibor teÌ„pus resolutionis meae instat before this come vnto you I shal if God make me vvorthie conclude an vnhappie life with a most happie death Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat From Lancaster Castle the 21. of Iulij this holie yeare 1600. Al yours in Christ EDVVARD THVVEING SIX OTHER MARTYRS AGaine this last spring before the same yeare was ended by our English account it hath pleased God to glorifie sâ—â— more Martyrs in our countrie VVhose names I haue also thought necessarie to adde hereunto hoping herafter to make more ample relation of them and the rest The first of these vvas M. Iohn Pibush VVho being condemned about six yeares before only for that he vvas a Seminarie Priest and al that time most cruelly vsed at last receiued his happie crovvne at London the eleuenth of Februarie And the 27. of the same moneth M. Roger Filcock and M. Marck Barckvvorth also Seminarie Priests in the same place and for the same cause and maistris Line a vvidovv gentlewoman for receiuing prists in her house receiued the like revvard in erernal glorie About the same time also other tvvo Seminarie Priests M. Thurstan Hunt and M. Robert Midleton being taken in Lancashire and from thence sent to London vvere presently returned thither againe and so condemned and executed at Lancaster meerly for their Priesthood Thus we haue sixtene glorious and conspicous Martyrs besides those that are starued in prisons and by other afflictions for the same faith vvithin the space of twelue moneths that is in this one holie yeare for euerie hundreth yeare since Christ one A most happie Iubiley to them a singuâ—â—r consolation to al Catholiques and a hapâ—ie example also of Gods mercie tovvards â—l of other Religions that vvil consider their ovvne estates vvherin they liue and the true cause for which al these and some hundreths more these late yeares haue bestovved their liues For so they shal clerly see that they vvere al accused and condemned for the old true Holie Catholique and Apostolique faith as offenders against certaine nevv Statutes made of late the like neuer heard of before in a Christian Countrie nor as yet approued for good elsvvhere in the vvorld and most specially vrged to go to the Protestants Churches Which alone would haue saued their temporal liues longer For the same cause also manie other ancient and most constant Catholique prisoners in the Citie of Yorke by the commandement of the L. Burley President of the North partes and his assistants haue bene this yeare violently and often dravvne and haled by meere force to heretical Sermons And aftervvards because they reproued the prechers for diuerse blasphemies and other false and absurde doctrines haue bene shut vp in streicter prisons laden with irons and pinched vvith famine neither did they forbeare nor feare to reprehend blasphemies vvhen they vvere brought to the same place againe But certaine of them beiâ—g learned openly reproued the blasphemous prechers and aftervvards before the same President and others clerly confuted their errors Others of lesse learning yet also of great zeale stopped their ovvne eares in fight of the persecutors who therfore appointed to ech of them two men to hold downe their hands al the sermon time and yet would they not for al that harken to the sermons but partly by strugling and chiding with their tormenters partly 〈◊〉 whispering and talking among themseluâ—â— they made such a blacke Sanctus that neitâ—â—â— one nor other could much marke vvhat the preacher said So vnpossible it is either for Catholiques to be inrest or for persecuters to haue their vvole vvilles vvhere the furie of heresie rageth And much lesse is it possible to extinguish the Catholique faith by force and violence for the more it is sovved with teares and watered vvith bloud the more it increaseth and prospereth As we see not only in the primitue Church but also novv in England where through Gods special grace and by the prayers and bloud of so manie Martyrs there be farre more Catholiques at this day then were fourtie yeares agoe DEO GRATIAS Yours al and euer T. W. a Seminarie Priest AN ADVERTISMENT TO THE READER touching the contents order and title of this booke INtending at first gentle reader to make a briefe relation of tenne Martyrs in the holie yeare and by the maner of proceding against them to declare that they suffered meerly for Religion I put M. Iohn Rigbie his processe first though he was not the first of these Martyrs because I ment to set the same downe more at large as being most notorious and most amply handled in publique place of Iustice But when I had donne so much and by reason of a iorney that I made leift it with a freind to publish for the common good vpon certaine considerations it was not peâ—fâ—â—â—ed as I expected And in the meane 〈◊〉 vnderstanding that it was opprobriously obiected to M. Wharton as also to some others to the offence of manie and scandal of the weake that the Seminarie Priests were at dissention and debate against Iesuites I thought good to explicat more fully his answer to that false and absurde sclander And hearing also that it hath pleased God to glorifie six more Martyrs I would in nowise omit to adde their names herunto By which occasions I vvas forced also to change the former title to make it conformable to the whole contents T. W. FINIS Hunc libellum cui titulus est Narratio de sexdecim martyribus c. cum declaratione quòd Catholici Angli persecutionem sustineant pro fide orthodoxa quòd inter Seminaristas sacerdotes Anglos ac Patres Societ Iesu benè conueniat à viris Anglicae linguae peritis 〈◊〉 eruditionis Theologicae nomine 〈◊〉 perlectum nec quicquam deprâ—heâ—sum habere quod editionem impediat excudi permisimus Actum Duaci mense Septembri 1601. Bartholomaeus Petrus S. Th. Doct. Profess 〈…〉 pâ—oue this â—a 〈…〉 dubios â—â—â—tus affâ—â—uo falsâ—◠〈…〉 deposâ—â—◠〈◊〉 dâ— more sequâ—◠〈◊〉 mod◠〈…〉 〈…〉 locus 〈…〉