might be glorified and they shall build the old wastes they shall raise up the former Desolations and they shall repair the Waste Cities the Desolations of many Generations And thus the Reader may see the many glorious Dispensations and manifestations of Gods Love unto mankind to the holy Patriarchs and Prophets in all Generations and now we are come according to what the Prophets foretold to the day of the Appearance of that great Saviour of the World whose Dispensation far exceeded all others in Glory being that eternal Substance which ended all Types Shaddows and Figures And thus these Jews who had been the true Worshippers being apostatized and degenerated from their primitive glory and institutions and their Worship becoming meerly outside for it s said they drew neer to God with their Mouthes and honoured him with their Lips but their Hearts were far from him the Prophets were raised up and sent from the Lord to Cry against them and to foretel the Desolation and distruction that was to come upon them which accordingly came to pass as will be seen anon and in this condition did Christ at his coming find these Antient people the Jews to whom God had formerly committed his Laws and Commands and given his Oracles but they were wholy apostatized from them as will appear by their fruits in the following Discourse The Continuation of the Discourse from the Birth of Christ The year of Christ AFter the Jews had Apostatized according as the Prophets had foretold and that the Messiah and Deliverer should come so in the fulness of time Christ Jesus the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary whom she roled in Swadling-Cloaths and layed in a Manger because there was no room for him in the Inn Christ is born the Birth of Christ was revealed by an Angel of the Lord to Shepherds keeping their Flock by night in the Fields and suddainly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace and Good-will to men The great rejoycing at his Birth The Shepherds making haste to Bethlehem found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the Manger and they published that which was told them concerning the Child and they returned Praising and Glorifying God but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her Heart The Child was called Jesus which signifies a Saviour which was so declared by the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb. He is called Jesus The Wise men from the East the Star being their Guide coming to Herod to Jerusalem and there being taught that the Birth-place of Christ was at Bethlehem of Judea they went thither and entering into the House which was shewed them by the Star which stood over it they found the little Child and Mary his Mother and falling down worshipped him and having opened their Treasures they offered unto him Gold Frankinseence and Myrhe Then being warned of God in a Dream that they should not return unto Herod they departed into their own Country another way And when the Child was brought by his Parents to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord there came into the Temple one Simeon a just and devout man who had waited for the Consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed unto him by the holy Ghost That he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ he came by the Spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought the Child to do for him after the custom of the Law then took he him up in his Arms Simeons Testimony concerning that and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou they Servant depart in Peace according to thy Word for mine Eyes hath seen thy Salvation which thou hast ppreared before the Face of all People a Light to Lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel and Joseph and his Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him and Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his Mother Behold this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against In the same moment came Anna a Prophetess the Daughter of Phanuel she also openly acknowledged the Lord and speak of him to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem When Joseph and Mary had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee unto their own City Nazareth The Angel of the Lord appearing unto Joseph in a Dream sheweth him that he should flee into Egypt that he might provide for the life of the Child and escape the Devices of Herod Herods Cruelty and Subtil endeavours to kill the Child Jesus who being awakened took the Young Child and his Mother by night and departed into Aegypt where he remained until the death of Herod Herod thinking the Young Child had been still at Bethlehem that he might Destroy him among the rest killed all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coast thereof from two years old and under according to the time of the Star first seen in the East that he had enquired of the Wise-men Herod shortly after dyed Miserably being dead the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a Dream in Egypt and commanded that he should return with the young Child and his Mother into the Land of Israel but when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Juda in the room of his Father Herod he feared to go thither and being warned of God in a dream he departed into the parts of Galilee and there dwelt in the City Nazareth from whence Jesus took the Name of Nazarene and the Christians of Nazarenes In the year of the World 4010. it being the Passover year of Christ 12 Christ in the Twelfth year of his Age was brought by Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem his Parents returning home he stayed behind His Mouth was first opeâ—ed to oppose the Doctors at twelve years old they not knowing where he was sought him three dayes and found him in the Temple sitting in the midest of the Doctors hearing them and asking them Questions and all that heard him were astonished at his Understanding and Answers and he went down with his Parents to Nazareth and was obedient unto them and followed his Fathers Trade of a Carpenter In the year of the World 4030. and in the thirtieth year of Christ year of Christ 30 John came forth in his Ministry Crying with a loud Voice in the Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his Pathes streight Iohn Ministry what it was and opening the acceptable year of the Lord or the time of his divine pleasure preaching Repentance and Remission of Sins being cloathed with a Garment of Camels Hair and a girdle of Skins about his Loyns and his food was Locus and wild Hony And now Jesus being
Death at length being put in mind and in rememberance that his disease was sent of God he began to bethink himself of the wickedness that he had done against the Saints of God and coming unto himself confesseth his sins to God and sets forth his Edicts to command all men to cease from Persecuting the Christians desiring the Christians to pray to their God for him and this occasioned the very Infidels themselves to extol the only true God of the Christians and not long after by the very Violence of his Disease he ended his life Acts and Mon. 115.116.122 Maxentius was vanquished by Constantine and drowned in Tyber Acts and Mon. pag. 51. Lycinius being overcome by Constantine the great was deposed from his Empire and afterwards slain of his Souldiers Ibid. CHAP. III. The Just Judgments of God that befel some under Officers and Ministers of state and others that did execute the several Tyrannical Persecutions of the afore said Emperors upon the Christians for Conscience sake during the time of the aforesaid Ten Persecutions Informers justly rewarded CErtain men of the Jewish Nation Informers had accused the Martyr Symon Son of Cleophas and reputed nephew to Christ for being a Christian and one of the Stock of David against whom Trajanus the Emperor had given forth a Commandment that whosoever could be found of the Stock of David This Trajanus Emperor was the beginner of the Third persecution Anno. 100. or 108. see Acts and Mon. 57. Clae Gen. Martyr 35. he should be inquired out and put to death of which Stock upon inquiry these his Accusers were found to be and so right justly were put to Execution themselves which sought the destruction of another though it was not long after but the good man Simon after he had been scourged many dayes bearing it with singular constancy when he was a hundred and twenty years old was Crucified and put to death finishing his course in the Lord Acts and Mon. 65 66. Three other wicked evil-disposed persons Informers seeing the soundness grave constancy and vertuous life of Narcissus then Bishop of Jerusalem aged an hundred and sixty three years accused him as being guilty of a hainous crime Perjured Informers that he was clear of and having laid it to his charge they the better to make their Accusation seem more probable before the People they bind it with a great Oath one wishing to be destroyed by Fire if he said not true the other to be consumed with a grievous sickness the third to loose both his Eyes if they did Lye Narcissus although having his Conscience clear yet not able being but one man to withsland their Accusation bound with such Oathes gave place and removed himself from the Multitude into a solitary Desert by himself where he continued many years in the mean time to them which so willingly and wickedly forswore themselves this happened The first by casualty of one little small sparkle of Fire was burnt with his goods and all his Family The Second was taken with a great sickness from the top to the toe and devoured with the same The Third hearing and seeing the punishment of the other confessed his fault but through great Repentance poured out such tears that he lost both his Eyes and thus was their false perjury punished and Narcissus after long absence returned home again was by this means both cleared of the Fact and received into his Bishoprick again Acts and Mon. 80. An Executioner Antiochus Tormentor and Executioner of extreame torments under Alexander Severus the Emperor and Persecutor of the Christians upon a young youth called Agapitus of the Age of fifteen years who suffered Martyrdom for not Sacrificing to Idols after he had been assayled with sundry Torments viz. First with whips scourged This Alexander Severus was the beginner of the Fifth Persecution Anno. 195. then hanged by the feet after having hot water poured upon him at last cast to the wild Beasts with all which Torments when he could not be hurt finally with the Sword was beheaded This said Antioclius in the Executing the aforesaid Torments suddenly fell down from his Judicial Seat crying out that all his inward Bowels burned within him and so gave up the Ghost Hen. de Erfordia lib. 6. ch 29. Acts and Mon. 85. The like severity of Gods terrible Judgments is also to be noted in Claudius his President Perfident to Claudius this President and Minister of his Persecutions who was possessed and vexed with a Devil in such sort that he biting off his own Tongue in many small pieces so ended his life Hen. de Erfordia Acts and Mon. 105. CHAP. IV. The Just Judgments of God upon Persecutors in Queen Maryes Reign AFter the death of Queen Mary the bloody work ceased although a stop there was before her Death in London in some measure for as Roger Holland had declared to Bonner that the Lord would shorten their hands of cruelty and as he foretold there was not one burnt in Smithfield for Religion after him for though the vehement zeal of this Queen was such for the setting up of Popery in England as if she intended to establish it forever yet the secret hand of Providence had a regard to his suffering Seed and put a period to her cruelty and it is an evident token that the Religion she endeavoured to settle did not please God although it pleased her since we see the bad effects it brought forth for had it been as godly as it was bloody no doubt the success would have been better and the strict Hand of Gods Judgments would not have been executed upon the bloody Persecutors of such as dissented as evidently appears they were by the many Examples of divine Justice shewed from time to time and the unprosperous success of this Queen in all her affairs are a full assurance the Lord disliked her effusion of so much blood in the matter of Religion neither in all her undertaking had she any good success for though she endeavoured to restore again the Monks and Nuns Abbyes Fryars c. which were partly dissolved in her Fathers time yet she was frustrated in her designs and how unprosperous she was in her State affairs may be read at large in the Chronicle for she lost Callice which had been won by the valour of Edward the Third and marrying with Philip of Spain a Papist by him she had no Issue and though she promised to her self great felicity in him but it proved otherwise for he withdrew first his affection from her and at last his company also and thus the Almighty ordered things but no Admonitions would take place with her to cause her to revoke her bloody Laws nor to stop the Tyranny of these bloody Priests and Bishops but the Servants of God were drawn by heaps as Sheep to the Slaughter and so it continued till by death she was taken away after she had reigned Five Years and Five Moneths
Jesus comes nigh unto Bethany and finds that Lazarus had been buried four dayes in the Grave Martha comes to meet him they discourse concerning the Resurrection Mary hearing of it comes quickly to him without the Town where Martha met him who seeing her weep Jesus wept and comes to the Grave bidding them remove the Stone and giving thanks to his Father calls Lazarus out of his Grave He raisâ—th up Lazarus whereupon many believed on him and some going to the Pharisees telling what things Jesus had done they called therefore a Council where Caiaphas Prophesied concerning Jesus and from that day consulted together that they might put him to death commanding that if any knew where he was they should give notice that they might take him and at another time the Pharisees said Behold the whole World is gone after him And Jesus travelling towards Jerusalem He weeps over Jerusalem when he came nigh seeing the City he wept over it foretelling the utter Destruction thereof and being come to Ierusalem having spoken of the desolation and ruin of it as he sat on the Mount of Olive over-against the Temple his Disciples asked him when these thing shall be and what shall be the signs of thy coming He warns his Disciples to watch to whom he answers at large and warns them to Watch and to be ready for they know not the hour when the Lord will come and teacheth the same thing by the Parable of the ten Virgins as also by the Parable of the Tallents delivered to the Servants to Trade withal And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these sayings he saith to his Disciples Ye know that after two dayes is the Passover and the Son of Man shall be betrayed to be crucified Then they consulted together in the Palace of the High-Priest that they might kill Jesus but they said Judaâ— Covenants to betray him not on the Feast-day least there be an uproar among the People then entered Satan into Judas who offers himself and Covenants to betray him In the first day of the Unleavened Bread when the Passover was slain and in the Evening he cometh with the twelve and when they had sat down and eaten Jesus said I have greatly desired to eat this Passover before I suffer and he further said One of you shall betray me He telleth who should betray him and they began to be sorrowful and to say unto him one by one Is it I He answered It is he that dippeth his hand with me in the dâ—sh and to Iudas asking Is it I He saith Thou hast said When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this World unto the Father having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God there being a strife among his Disciples who should be greatest he riseth after Supper and layes aside his Garments He washeth his Disciples Feet and took a Towel and girded himself after that he poured Water into a Bason and began to wash the Disciples Feet Peter saith Thou shalt never wash my Feet Jesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Peter saith Not my Feet only but also my Hands and my Head After he had washed their Feet and had taken his Garments and was set down again he said unto them Know ye what I have done to you you call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am if then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet you ought also to wash one anothers Feet for I have given you an Example that you should do as I have done to you and speaking further to his Disciples he was troubled in Spirit and said One of you shall betray me they looked one upon another doubting of whom he speak one of the Disciples whom Jesus loved lying on Jesus his Breast said Lord who is it Jesus said He it is to whom I shall give a stop after I have dipped it and he gave it to Judas and said to him What thou doest do quickly Now when Judas had received the stop he went immediately out when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the Son of Man Glorified and God is Glorified in him little Children yet a little while I am with you ye shall seek me and as I said to the Jews Whither I go you cannot come so now I say unto you He exhorts them to love one another a New Commandment I give unto you That you love one another as I have loved you by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if you have love one to another Peter said Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Peter said Why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my Life for thy sake Jesus answered The Cock shall not crow till thou hast denyed me thrice Against their sorrow conceived by them for his death he comforts them saying Let not your hearts be troubled He comforts them and that in his Fathers House were many Mansions and that the Comforter the holy Ghost should come and be their Teacher and he exhorts them to to abide patiently the hatred of the World which hated him and that they should not be offended though Persecutions attended them Again entering into a Garden with his Disciples unto whom he said Pray ye that ye enter not into Temptation He again exhorts them to pray against entering into Temptation sit here till I go and pray yonder and he took Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee with him and said unto them Tarry here and watch and being withdrawn from them about a Stones cast he kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my Will but thine be done and there appeared an Angel from Heaven strengthening him then he returns and finds his Disciples sleeping he reprehends and admonisheth them Christ was in an Agony and being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood and while he was yet speaking to his Disciples Judas came and betrayed him to the chief Priests and they took him and he said unto them This is your hour and Power of Darkness and the Disciples left him and fled and they bound Jesus Judas betray'd him and brought him first to Annas who sent him to Caiphas the High-Priest where were all the chief Priests Elders and Scribes of the People gathered together then Caiphas asked him concerning his Disciples and his Doctrine Jesus answered him I spake openly to the World ask them that heard me therefore one of the Officers struck him with a Staff to whom he answered If I have well spoken why smitest thou me Then all
presently the Angel of the Lord smote him because he did not give the Glory to God and being eaten up of Worms he gave up the Ghost The very same History Josephius Examplifies saying he had now finished the third year of his reign the fourth now beginning when he came to Caesaria which was formerly called Stratons Tower where he Solemnized some yearly Playes for Caesars health to which Festivity a great multitude of Noble Men and Youngsters came together out of the Province on the second day of this Celebrity he goes all attired with his Princely Robe richly and curiously wrought with Silver which by the reflection of the rising Sun yeilding an Angelical or extraordinary lusture struck reverence into the Spectators and presently some wicked Parasites with acclamations from a far off saluted him God desiring him to be propitious to them for that hitherto they had only honored him as a man but now they saw there was something more in him than humane This Impious Adulation he neither refused nor repelled he was suddenly struck to the very heart afterwards his Belly began to torment him more and more grievously wherefore turning to his Friends he said Behold I who by your appellation am a God am commanded out of this Life my certain fate giving the Lye to your flattery and I who you saluted Immortal am forced to death but I must endure the pleasure of the Heavens Having spoken these things his pain grew worse and worse and presently these things being divulged about the Country the rumour went that he was a dying and in the end his pain lasted in great extremity and without intermition for five dayes space and he then ended his life Joseph Lib. 19. Chap. ult Saulâ— name is changed to Paul About this time Saul is alwayes found named by his new name Paul Paul and Barnabas coming to Antioch and entering into the Synagogues almost the whole City came to hear the Word of God but the Jews seeing the multitude were filled with envy and contradicted what Paul spoke with whose Blasphemies Paul and Barnabas being grievously offended they left the Jews and preached only to the Gentiles who with joy embraced the Gospel and the Word of God was divulged over that whole Nation they stayed an Antioch a great while and suffered those things which in his latter Epistle to the Corinthians he writes of to wit that as at Phillippy afterwards so twice elsewhere by the Gentiles he had been whipped with rods and received five times four hundred stripes from the Jews Certain Professors of the Name of Christ of the Sect of the Pharisees came down from Judea to Antioch years since Christ 52 and said that the Christians of the Gentiles ought to be Circumcised and keep the law of Moses if they would be saved disturbing the Souls of many of the Brethren in Syria and Ciliâ—iâ— with their perverse Doctrine against whom Paul and Barnabas stifly oppose themselves Paul calls them Brethren brought in unâ—wards Philastrius de Heres Cap. 87. and Epiphanius Heres 28 say that Cerinthus that arch Heretick was the first Broacher of this Opinion Paul fourteen years after his going to Jerusalem undertaken three years after his Conversation goes again to Jerusalem with Barnabas Paul goes to Jerusalem being both sent from the Church at Antioch with some others that they might ask the Judgment of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem whose names those Disturbers had abused to bolster out their Opinion concerning the Controversie newly risen but Paul would not compel Titus to be Circumcised least he should seem to give place to the false Brethren for a moment Peter and Paul had foretold at Rome that it should come to pass years since Christ 67 that after a little time God would send a King that should overcome the Jews and that should lay their City equal with the Ground and should Beseige them being pined with hunger and thirst and then it should come to pass that they should eat each other and consume one the other and at last that they should come into their Enemies hands and should see their Wives most grievously Tormented in their sight and their Virgins to be Violated and Prostituted their Sons to be torn asunder and their little Ones to be dashed in pieces and to be short all things to be wasted by Fire and Sword and themselves forever banished out of their own Land and all this because they exalted themselves against the Son of God Lactan. lib. 4. Chap. 21. On the 29th day of the Moneth call'd June which last day of that Moneth falls to be within the reign of Nero. Paul was beheaded at Rome as the Records both of the Eastern and Western Churches confirm whereupon Chrysostom undoubtedly affirms that the day of his death was more certainly known then that of Alexander himself in 2 Cor. Homil. 26. Dionysius the Bishop of the Corinthians affirms in an Epistle to the Romans that Peter also suffered Martyrdom at the same time with him in Eusebius lâ—b 2. Histor Ecclesiast Chap. 24. whom also Origen relates in the third Tome of his Comentaries upon Genesis that at Rome he was Crucified with his head downwards as he had desired Ibid. lib. 3. Hist Chap. 1. Four Years before the Jewish War that was managed by Vespasian when the City of Jerusalem enjoyed both Peace and Plenty one Jesus the Son of Ananus a Country-man and one of the common People coming to the Feast of Tabernacles began suddainly to cry out A Voice from the East a Voice from the West A prophesy against the â—ews a Voice from the four Winds a Voice against Jerusalem and the Temple a Voice against New Married Men and Women a Voice against all this People and crying thus night and day through all the Streets of the City some of the Nobility disdaining any token of adversity took the Fellow and scourged him with many stripes but he spake nothing secretly for himself nor unto them that scourged him but continued still in the same Cry but the Magistrates thinking it rather to be some Motion in him from God brought him to the Roman Captain where being beaten till his Bones appeared he made no intreaty but with a weeping Voice at every stroke he said Wo Wo to Jerusalem Albinus then asked them who he was and where he was born and why he still cryed after this manner but he answered nothing yet he ceased not to bewaile the City till Albinus thinking he was mad suffered him to depart he crying thus most on the Feast dayes and that for seven years space or rather six as it is in Phot. Biblioth Cod. 47. and five Moneths and yet was neither hoarse nor weary at last he was killed by a stone shot out of an Engine in the time of the seige Jeseph lib. 7. bel Chap. 12. And according to these and many other Prophecies concerning the destruction that was to come upon the Jews for
the hardness of their hearts it accordingly came to pass for Cornelius and Suetonius relate that there were six hundred thousand of the Jews killed in this war between Vespasian the Emperor and the Jews but Josephius a Jew and a Commander in that war writes that ten hundred thousand perished by Sword and Famine and of the rest of the Jews that were dispersed all the World over and put to death divers wayes the number is said to be ninty thousands so Orolius lib. 7. Chap. 9. but I find not the number of six hundred thousand of them that were killed in Suetonius in Josephius lib. 6. belli Chap. 17. the number of Captives is ninty seven thousand but the other number eleven hundred thousand is only the number that perished in the six months seige in Jerusalem and thus did the Lord afflict with Wars and Destruction these Apostatized and stiff-necked people the Jews until they were a scattered and dispersed people as at this day they are throughout the World Part II. Sheweth the corrupt Fruits of the false Church and Seed of the Serpent in the time of Apostacy Darkness Contention and Persecution got up amongst them called Christians ALthough the Sufferings of the Christians were very great after the death of the Apostles for some time and it cannot be denyed but there was a sincerity in some of the Christian Churches yet as John testified in his day he saw the true Church flee into the Wilderness and the Apostle foretold 2. Tim. 3. that there would be a departing from the Faith and Paul saw the Apostacy coming in in his day The Apostles prophesie of the Apostacy and said perillous Times should come and that men should be lovers of themselves Covetous c and reprobate concerning the Truth So it was not long after the Apostles time before these Prophesies were fulfiled for if the Reader peruseth this following Discourse he will find a great Decay and Apostacy from that Life and Power that the Apostles were in and the corrupt Fruits of many of these called Christians brought forth manifested the great Degeneration that was come upon the Christian Church for as Eusebius writes Lib. 4. Chap 6. when Persecution at any time ceased then began Heresie to spring apace among the Christians until at last there was continual Discord and Contention and they broke out into Sects and Opinions and persecuted one another about their several Forms of Faith and became so far degenerated from the Doctrine of Christ which taught to Love Enemies that they became haters of one another and manifested to the World that they had lost the blessed Love and unity that was amongst the Apostles and Brethren of the Christian Church in the beginning but before a perticular Account be given of that its necessary that the Reader understand that the Estate of the Christians in the first Times after the Apostles was their most suffering Times when as yet the Christian Religion was accounted by the Heathen but an upstart thing and therefore they presecuted them greatly as may be seen at large in the Testimony of the Martyrs hereunto annexed But through the tenderness of Adrian the Emperour Cap. 13. Adrians tenderness to the Christians the Christians had some intermission from their Sufferings and they began to be in some request for after Adrians death Antonius Pius succeeding he continued that peace with the Christians he found begun in Adrians last dayes for which he had the name of Pius yet by the peoples tumult without the Emperours consent some were martyred To this Emperour Justin made an Apology on the behalf of the Christians divers other Supplications were also made unto him on their behalf which Supplications produced an Edict from the Emperor remitting the Persecutions against the Christians The Copy of the Edict is as followeth The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antonius Augustus Amenicus Pontifex Maximus The Edict of Aurelius Antonius on the behalf of the Christians fifteen times Trybune thrice Consul unto the Commonalty of Asia sendeth greeting I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful persons for they punish such as will not worship them more grievously then you do them you bring in trouble concerning that Opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly men it is their desire in Gods quarrel to dye rather then to live so that they became Conquerors yeilding their lives unto the death rather then to obey your Edicts it shall seem very necessary to admonish you of the Earth-quakes which have and do happen among us that being therewith moved you may compare our Estate with theirs They have more confidence towards God then you have you during the time of your ignorance dispise other Gods condemn the Religion of the Immortal God banish the Christians which worship him and persecute them unto death in the behalf of these men many of the Provintials Presidents have written heretofore unto our Father of famous memory whom he answered in writing again that they were no longer to be molested unless they had practized Treason against the Roman Empire and many have given notice unto us of the same matter whom we answered as our Father did before If any therefore hereafter be found thus busied in other mens affairs we command that the Accused be absolute and free though he be found such a one I mean faulty and that the Accuser be grievously punished In the hearing of the great Assembly of Asia this Edict was Porclaimed at Ephesus The Edict proclaimed Thus far of Antonius Pius who was so called for his gentile and good disposition of whom it is recorded that this quiet Emperor in Life of all other Emperors of those times dyed the most quietest death But Verus one of his Successors was a wicked and cruel man under whom multitudes of Christians suffered The Christians suffer again as may be seen in my Testimony of the Martyrs which may give the Reader a taste of what they endured who were faithful to give a Testimony concerning their Faith About this time the Christians began to have a little respite and peace again from the Heathens Persecution of them years since Christ 195 and having a little They have respite again peace they now began to jangle about the Celebration of Easter but though they differed in this Ceremony they were not yet grown so bad as to be out of Charity one with another but left it as an indifferent thing in the Church until the time of Victor Now this Victor was so violent set upon upholding the Roman Determination of his former Predecessor as unnecessary that he would Excommunicate all the Bishops and Churcheâ— of Asia unless they would be of his Opinion had not Ireneus restrained him who though he was of Victors Opinion concerning the Celebration of Easter yet seeing Policratus Bishop of Ephesus and divers other Bishops of Asia of another Opinion allegding for their Practice
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
Torments if they did it not they set nought by his threats and made themselves ready to suffer The Governor when he had assay'd them with all kind of Torments last of all set them on the Gridiron and caused fire to be made under and broiled them to death who nobly said If thou long O Amachius after broiled meat Their Zeal at their death turn up the other side of us least in the eating we seem raw unto thee and the blood run about thy Teeth Iulian dyes Jovianus succeeds Julian being dead Jovianus succeeds who being proclaimed Emperor refused the Crown and being compelled thereto by loud Speeches expressed himself in that he was a Christian he would not be Emperor where Ethnicks should be his Subjects but when they cryed with one Voice and confessed themselves Christians he yeilded and was crowned Emperor and now peace came again to the Church but it was no sooner come The Christians have peace again but the Sedition began again among the Christians and now the Emperor sticking fast to the Faith of one Substance the Bishops who had been exiled for the same Faith he also restored the Pagans Temple he shut up Jovianus puts a stop to Idollatry and ceased their worshipping Devils which Julian gave way to and which they had their fill in in his raign Now went on the old work of tearing and rending one another among the Christians Chap. 21. The Christians fall into Contention again the Macedonians make a supplication unto the Emperor that such as avouch the unlikeness and dissimilitude between the Son and the Father should be banished the Church and themselves substituted in their Rooms the Emperor gave them no answer at all but with these words sent them away I tell you truly The Emperor is troubled at it I cannot away with Contention but such as embrace Unity and Concord I do both honour and reverence them which cooled the firy Contention of others The Acacians also signed a Supplication to the Emperor acknowlidging the Faith of one Substance the Emperor told them he would not molest any what Faith and Religion soever they professed but above all others that he would honour and reverence such as shewed themselves Peace-makers and went about to maintain the bond of unity and concord And Athanasius being dead Anno. 375. after he had been Bishop forty and six years Peter was left behind to succeed him the Emperor Jovianus being also dead Cha. 16. and the Arians coming in favour Lucius the Arian was settled in Alexandria whereupon great Persecution followed in Egypt He dies and Lucius succeeds Persecution began again wherein some were Imprisoned some Tormented others Exiled Peter the Bishop of Alexandria was Imprisoned and not long after an Edict was proclaimed by vertue of which the Religious Houses in the Desart were spoiled thrown down and cruelly beaten to the Ground for the armed Souldiers setting upon those accounted silly and unarmed Souls who would not streach out the hand in their own defence were miserably slain the manner of which Slaughter was so lamentable saith the Record that it cannot sufficiently be Manifest to the World and throughout Alexandria and Egypt there was great Persecutions to them that maintained the Faith of one Substance they were brought before the Bar they were put in Prison they were diversly Tormented and vexed with sundry Punishments set at nought Cap. 19. Scourged spoiled of their Rayment fettered in Prison crushed with Stones beheaded with bloody Swords shut up in the Desart covered with Sheep and Goat Skins destitute of aid and succour greivously afflicted whom the World was not worthy to enjoy nor the Earth to bear so holy a burthen saith the Historian Rufinus who is said to be an eye witness and pertaker with them in the same Calamity many wandered saith he in many and dangerous wayes The Extremities they were put to they hid themselves in Mountains and Caves and Dens and hollow Rocks all which when Lucius had accomplished he perswaded the Captain to banish the Fathers and Ring-leaders of them In those dayes these sufferings brought the Christians into a lowly frame and State leading a self denying life in Desarts and other retired places Cap. 29. the Historian mentions one of them They were humbled by it by which may be seen what Principles was amongst the rest There was saith he one Moses who led in the Desert a Solitary or retired kind of life and is said for his Zeal to Religion and constant Faith to be famous among them this Moses was taken from the Wilderness and sent to Alexandria with intent to be made Bishop and being come to be made Bishop he refused to receive orders from Lucius and after this sort reasons with him I think my self unworthy of the Priestly order yet if it be for the profit of the Common wealth that I be called unto the Function truely thou Lucius shalt never lay hand upon my head for thy right hand is imbrewed in slaughter and bloodshed when Lucius said again that it became not him so contumeliously to revile him but rather to learn of him the precepts of Christian Religion Moses answered I am not come to reason of matters of Religion but sure I am of this that thy horrible practice against the Brethren prove thee to be utterly void of the true Principles of Christian Religion for the true Christians striketh no man revileth no man fighteth with no man for the Servant of God should be no Fighter but thy deeds in Exiling of some throwing others to wild Beasts burning of some others do cry out against thee yet are we surer of the things we see with our eyes then of those we hear with our ears So Moses was brought to a Mountain and made Priest by such 〈◊〉 were exiled for now the Wars ceased and the Persecuted found some comfort But now the Affairs of the Church being quiet from Persecution Anno. 383. Socrat lib. 4. Cap. 29. they began to jangle about their Creeds and to difference they go again and falling together by the ears when a little outward peace from the Emperor sprang in among them which was occasioned by forcing their Faith one upon another this was the division among themselves when there was no division made of them by the Roman Governments and this was the trade among the Christians striving and contending for each others Bishopricks worse then some of the Emperors Lib 5. Cap. 19. who were willing many times to leave things free as to matters of Religion the manner of the Bishops at the general Councils and Synods being to cleave hairs as they use to say at Arguments and they that were most curious and subtil therein were accounted the best Masters of Faith and so carryed the matter not according to the Revelation of Truth but the subtilty of man through which came all this ado and trouble in the World and that
preached by Christ and his Apostles pag 20. Part IV. Containing an Account of such as suffered Persecution and Martyrdom under Episcopacy c. pag. 235. An Account of the Just Judgments of God inflicted upon Persecutors wherein is shewed the Wicked Lives and most Horrible Vntimely Deaths of many of the Persecutors of Old pag. 248. A Christian-Plea against Persecutors for the Cause of Conscience grounded upon Scripture Reason Experience and Testimonies of Princes and Learned Authors Published for general Service Part I. Containing the History of the Persecutions and great Sufferings sustained by the faithfull Servants of the Lord hoth before and after the Jews Apostacy and before the Coming of Christ THe great Enemy to all mankind is that wicked Spirit of Persecution Abel persecuted by Cain it moved Cain against his righteous Brother Abel The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his Offering but unto Cain and his Offering he had not respect and Cain rose up against his Brother Abel and slew him and the Lord said unto Cain where is Abel thy Brother and he said I know not And the Lord said A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth and Cain said unto the Lord My punishment is greater then I can bear And Pharach afflicted the People of God a long time The Children of Israel persecuted in Egypt which grieved the good Spirit of God in his People but they Cryed out to the Lord in their Oppressions for the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with rigour and they made their Lives bitter with hard Bondage the King commanding the Midwives to slay all the male Children yet the Lord delivered his people out of all these afflictions with a mighty hand and he poured out his Judgments upon Pharach and upon the Egyptians that oppressed his people and he set his people free for while the People of God had a sence of their Bondage and Sufferings and Cryed unto the Lord through the multitude of their Oppressions the Lord heard and answered them and delivered them by the hand of his servant Moses by whom he gave them Laws which they were to obey and which they submitted to then God was with them as a mighty Defence and in this time of sufferings they kept nigh to the Lord and he was with them and was as a Rock of Defence unto them And because Mordecai the servant of the Lord could not bow Mordecai and the Jew persecuted by Haman nor do reverence to proud Haman Haman was full of wrath and he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone wherefore he sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdom of Abasuerus even the People of Mordecai And Haman said unto King Abasuerus There is a certain People scattered abroad and dispersed among the People in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom and their Laws are diverse from all People neither keep they the Kings Laws therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them If it please the King let it be written that they may be destroyed and I will pay ten thousand Talents of Silver And the King said the Silver is given to thee the People also to do with them as seemeth good to thee and Letters were sent to the Rulers of all the Provinces to destroy all both young and old little children and Women and to take the spoil of them for a prey Thus this Proud Persecutor endeavoured to have destroyed this People A just judgment against a persecutor had not Queen Esther made supplication the King on their behalf and by that means a stop was put to the wicked design and he was hanged on the Gallows that he prepared for Mordecai And Jezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord but Obadiah who was Governour of Ahab's house being one that feared the Lord greatly he took an hundred of the Prophets 1 Kings 18.4 and hid them by fifty in a Cave and fed them with Bread and Water And Ahab persecuted Elijah and said to him Art thou he that troubleth Israel Elijah persecuted he answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers House in that you have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim And Jezebel persecuted Elijah so that he fled into the Wilderness And Manasses persecuted the Prophet Isaiah for reproving him Jeremiah persecuted Jer. 29. and caused him to be sawn a sunder with a wooden Saw And Jeremiah for declaring the word of the Lord to all the Cities of Judah and saying Thus saith the Lord If you will not hearken to me to walk in my Law which I have set before you c. Then will I make this House like Shiloh and will make this City a Curse to all the Nations of the Earth for this Testimony he was persecuted and all the people were gathered against him in the House of the Lord and the Priests and Prophets said unto the Princes and People This man is Worthy to dye for he hath prophesied against this City Jeremiah said The Lord sent me to Prophesie against this House and against this City As for me said he behold I am in your hands do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you Chap. 23.2 But know for a certain that if ye put me to death you shall surely bring Innocent blood upon your selves and upon this City And Jeremiah was shut up in the Court of the Prison which was in the King of Judahs house And in the 37 Chap. verse 15. the Princes were wrath with Jeremiah and smote him and put him in Prison into a Dungeon Nebuchadnezzar persecuted Shadrach Meshach and Abednego because they would not bow to the Golden Image he had set up The three Children persecuted Dan. 3.23 the King told them that if they would not worship the Image which he had made they should be cast into the burning fiery Furnace they answered O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King but if not be it known unto thee O King we will not serve thy Gods c. then was he full of fury and commanded the Furnace to be heat seven times more then it was wont to be and commanded that they should be bound with their Hats and Coats on and cast into it but the Lord preserved them in the Flames so that the Fire had no power over them The Princes under Darius also persecuted the Prophet Daniel against whom they confessed they could find no occasion except it were concerning the Law of his God Daniel persecuted wherefore they perswaded the King to make a Decree That whosoever should ask a Petition of any God or man for thirty dayes save of the King should be cast into the Den of Lions But Daniel as
Persecution against the Christians Orosius lib. 5. and not only in Rome but in all the Provinces thereof thinking thereby to abolish the Name of Christians in all places In this Persecution the Apostle Peter suffered death Hien lib. de viris just with many more Christians as Hierome said Simon Peter the Son of Jona of the province of Galilee and of the Town of Bethsaida the Brother of Andrew about the year 44. after Christ's birth came to Rome to withstand Simon Magus in the time of Nero and was crucified with his Head downwards and his Feet upwards himself so requiring because said he I am unworthy to be crucified after the same manner as the Lord was Paul the Apostle after his great travail and labours in preaching the Gospel in divers Countries at last suffered Martyrdom in this first Persecution under Nero and was beheaded some writers say on the same day on which Peter was Crucified although not in the same year but in the next year following which was the thirty seventh year after the Passion of Christ that which he spake at his death is written as followeth Paul being delivered by Nero bound unto Longimus and Magistus the cheif Officers and Acestus the Centurion that they should lead him without the City and cause him to be beheaded and Paul being full of the holy Ghost spake the words of Eternal life that both Nero and all should believe in Jesus Christ who was King of Heaven and Earth who would destroy the glory of the world with fire when they had led him away Longimus Magistus and Acestus began to say unto him Tell us O Paul where is that King and where will he appear unto you and how will you know him and what will he give unto you or what good will he bestow upon you that you Christians so mightily love him that by no means you will consent unto our Religion that you may live and enjoy the good of this life but rather then all the pleasures of delight to be led to die for him with divers Torments for this seems to us to be a great error to hate this joyfull life and to imbrace with all your desire punishment and death Paul therefore said O ye wise men and flourishing in knowledge depart out of the darkness and error wherein the nobility of your understanding is clouded with darkness lest you should see the Truth which lyeth hid in you return the eyes of your minds to the Eternal true Light that ye may be able first to know your selves and so come to the knowledge of that King with gladness and to be saved from the fire which is to came upon the world and to remain unhurt for we do not War as you think for some earthly King but the living God the Kingdom without end who by reason of the Iniquities that is done in this World he will come a Judge and will judge it by fire happy will that man be who will believe in him he shall have Eternal life and shall live World without end and most unhappy is he who dispising the Riches of his Bounties and long Suffering will not return unto him for he shall Perish Eternally The first Persecution beginning under Nero as aforesaid ceased under Vespatian who gave some rest to the poor Christians after whose reign was moved not long after the second Persecution by the Emperor Domitian Brother of Titus his Tyrany was unmeasurable he put to death all the Nephews of Jude called the Lords Brother and caused to be sought out and to be slain all that could be found of the Stock of David In the time of this Persecution Simon Bishop of Jerusalem after other Torments was Crucified to death In this Persecution John the Evangelist was Banished into Pathmos for the Testimony of the Word and after the death of Domitian in the Reign of Pertinax the Emperor he came to Ephesus being released in the year 100. He lived to a great age some write till he was 120. And this was his constant practice to his dying day when age weakness grew upon him at Ephesus Hierom Comiâ— in C. 6. ad Galat Tom. 9. p. 200. that he was no longer able to Preach to them he used at every Publick Meeting to be led to the Meeting and say no more to them then Little Children love one another He expressed great care for the good of souls unweariedly spending himself in the service of the Gospel and to beget People to the Truth Euseb lib. 3. Chap. 10. p. 92. witness one instance in his visitation of the Churches neer Ephesus he made choice of a young man of goodly body gratious face and fervent mind whom with a special Charge for his Instruction and Education he commited to the Bishop of that place so John returned to Ephesus But in process of time the young man became very dissolute perniciously accompanied himself with idle dissolute persons of ill behaviour who put him in a way to steal and rob so after he forsooke the right way he brought himself unto a bottomless Pit of all misorder and outrage and a rout of Theeves being gathered together he became their Captain which John at his return understanding was sorely troubled and said I have left a wise keeper of our Brothers soul prepare me a Horse and let me have a Guide he hastned and rode in post being come to the place appointed he is straitwayes taken of the Theevish watch he neither fled nor resisted but said bring me to your Captain who in the mean time as he was armed beheld him coming but as soon as he saw his face and knew it was John he was striken with shame and fled away the Old man persued and cryed my Son why fleest thou O Son tender my case be not afraid as yet there remaineth hope of Salvation I will undertake for thee with Christ I will die for thee if need be as Christ did for us which words seized so on the young man that his Countenance changed and he shook off his Armor and trembled and wept bitterly and imbraced the Old man and answered as well as he could for weeping so afterwards the Apostle brought him into the Church again Ex Nicephâ—ro Lib. 3. Chap. 32. Yet notwithstanding all these continual Persecutions and horible Punishments the Christians daily encreased deeply rooted in the Doctrine of the Apostles and watred plentiously with the Blood of Saints as saith Necephâ—rus Everastuâ— persâ—â—â—ed Everastus Bishop of Rome was Martyred under Trajanus in the year 102. after Christ and Ignatius Bishop of Antiâ—ch was Martyred in his Regin with many more Christians This Trajanus was very impious towards the Christian Religion and cruel towards the Christians and caused the Third Persecution in which Persecution Pliny the second a Heathen Philosopher a man learned and famous seeing the lamentable Slaughter of Christians and moved therewith to pity wrot to Trajanus of the
Christ of necessity Christ must be the true God for that there be many Gods we Children cannot believe The Captain amazed at this said Thou young Villain and Traytor where and of whom learnest thou this Lesson of my mother said he with whose milk I sucked in this Lesson that I must believe in Christ The mother was called and she gladly appeared the Tyrant commanded the Child to be horsed up and scourged the Standers by beholding this merciless act could not refrain from tears the joyful and glad mother alone stood by with dry cheeks yea she rebuked her sweet Babe for desiring a cup of cold water charging him to thirst after the cup that the Babes of Bethlem once drunk of she willing him to remember little Isaac who willingly offered his neck to the dint of his fathers Sword c. Then did the cruel Tormentor pull of the skin hair and all from the crown of the Childs head the mother Crying Suffer my Child anon thou shalt pass to him that will adorn thy head with a Crown of Eternal glory Thus the mother counselleth and encourageth the Child is encouraged and receiveth the strips with a smilling countenance The Captain seeing the Child invincible and himself vanquished commanded him to be cast into the stinking Prison whilest the Torments of Romanus were renewed and encreased then was Romanus brought forth again to receive new strips upon his old sorts the flesh being torn and the bare bones appearing yet the cruel Tyrant raging like a mad man quarrelled with the tormentors for dealing so mildly with him commanding them to cut prick and punch him and then he passed sentence upon him together with the Child to be burned to death to whom Romanus said I appeal from this unjust sentence of thine to the righteous Throne of Christ that upright Judge not because I fear thy cruel Torments and merciless handling but that thy Judgments may be known to be cruel and bloody When they came to the place of Execution the Tormentors required the Child of his mother for she had carried it in her Arms from the Prison she kissed it delivered it to them and as the Execution or was striking off his head she said farewel my sweet Child All Laud and praise with heart and Voice O Lord we yeild to thee To whom the death of all thy Saints We know most dear to be The Childs head being cut off the mother wrapt it in her garment laid it to her brest and so departed Then was Romanus cast into a mighty Fire which being quenched with a great storm of Rain the Tyrant commanded his Tongue to be cut out and afterwards caused him to be strangled in the Prison Gordius a Centurion in Cesarea in the heat of this Persecution left his charge living a sollitary Life in a Wilderness for a long time at last when a solemn Feast was celebrated to Mars in that City and multitudes of People were assembled in the Theatre to see the Games he came and got up into a conspicuous place and with a loud Voice said behold I am found of those that sought me not The Multitude hereupon looked about to see who it was that spoke this and Gordius being known he was immediatly brought before the Sheriff and being asked who and what he was and why he came thither he told him the whole Truth professing that he believed in Christ valued not their threatings and chose this as a fit time to manifest his Profession in Then did the Sheriff call for Scourges Gibbets and all manner of Torments to whom Gordius answered That it would be a loss and damage to him if he did not suffer divers Torments and Punishments for Christ and his Cause The Sheriff more incensed hereby commanded all those Torments to be inflicted on him with which Gordius could not be overcome but sang The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me and I will fear no evil because thou Lord art with me c. Then did he blame the Tormentors for favouring him provoking them to do their uttermost the Sheriff not prevailing that way sought by flattery to seduce him promising him Preferment Riches Treasures Honour c. if he would deny Christ but Gordius deriding his foolish Madness saying That he lookt for greater preferment in Heaven then he could give him here upon Earth Then was he condemned and had out of the City and burnt Multitudes followed him and some kissing him with Tears intreated him to pity himself to whom he answered Weep not I pray you for me but for the Enemies of God which fight against the Christians weep I say for them which prepare a Fire for us purchasing Hell-fire thereby for themselves in the day of Vengeance and cease I pray you thus to molest my quiet and setled mind for truly For the Name of Christ I am ready to suffer a Thousands deaths c. Others perswaded him to deny Christ with his mouth and to keep his Conscience to himself my Tongue saith he which by Gods goodness I have cannot be brought to deny the author and giver of the same for with the Heart we believe unto righteousness and with the Tongue we confest unto Salvation and thus perswading and encouraging the People to be willing to dye in the like cause with an unappalled countenance he willingly gave himself to be burnt Basil in one of his Orations relates a Story of one Julitta from whom one of the Emperours Officers took all her Goods Lands and Servants contrary to all Equity whereupon she complained to the Judges and a day of hearing was appointed where the spoiled Woman lamentably declared her Case but the wicked Villain that had robbed her said that her Action was of no force for she was an Outlaw for not observing the Emperours Gods and that she was a Christian His Allegation was allowed Incense was prepared for her to offer to the Gods which if she refused she should neither have protection nor benefit of the Emperours Laws nor continue her life she hearing this in the mighty Strength of God said Farwel Riches welcome Poverty Farwel Life welcome Death all that I have were it a Thousand times more would I lose rather then speak one wicked word against God my Creator I yeild thee most hearty thanks O my God for this gift of Grace that I can condemn and dispise this frail and transitory World esteeming the Profession of Christ above all Treasures And thence forth when any Question was proposed to her her answer was I am the Servant of Jesus Christ her Kindred and Friends earnestly solliciting her to change her mind but she constantly refused with detestation of their Idolatry Then did the cruel Judge condemn her to be burnt which Sentence she embraced joyfully as a thing most sweet and delectable and so she addressed her self to the Flames in countenance jesture and words declaring the Joy of her Heart coupled with singular
constantly persisted in the Truth in which she was planted a Woman of her acquaintance coming to Prison to visit her said to her why doest not thou keep silence and think secretly in thine Heart these things which thou believest that thou mayest prolong thy life here Oh said the Widdow you know not what you say it is written With the Heart we believe to Righteousness with the Tongue we confess to Salvation at her Execution she commended her self into the Hands of God and after a fervent prayer was burnt to death John Pistorius Martyr About this time there suffered many more in Germany for the witness of the Gospel viz. John Pistorius coming from Wittenberge for speaking against the Mass and Pardons and against the subtile abuses of the Priests he was committed to Prison with ten Malefactors whom he did comfort one of whom being half naked and in danger of cold he gave his gown his Father visiting him in Prison did not disswade him but bad him be constant being condemned and coming to the Stake he gave his neck willingly to the band wherewith he was first strangled and then burned saying at his death O death where is thy victory There using to be a great Meeting near Antwerp where one used to preach to a great number of People which Charles the Emperor hearing of gave leave to any that would to take the uppermost Garment of all them that came to hear and offered thirty Guilders to him that would take the Preacher afterwards when the People were gathered and their usual Minister being not there One Nicholas of Antwerp Martyr one Nicholas of Antwerp stood up and preacht to the People wherefore being apprehended by a Butchers Servant was put in a Sack and drowned at the Crane at Antwerp 1524. And certain of the City of Lovane were suspected of Lâ—â—â—â—ranism the Emperors Procurator came from Brussels thither to make Inquisition after which Inquisition made certain Bands of armed men came and beset their Houses in the night where many were taken in their beds pluckt from their Wives and Children and sent to divers Prisons through the terror whereof many Citizens revolted from the Gospel The terror of Persecution caused some to revolt from the Truth and returned again to Idolatry but twenty eight there were which remained constant in that Persecution unto whom the Doctors and Inquisitor of Lovane resorted disputing with them thinking either to confound them or convert them but so strongly the Spirit of the Lord wrought with the Saints that the Doctors went rather confounded away themselves when they saw disputing would not do they used cruel Torments to enforce them one of them was condemned to perpetual Prison which was a dark and stinking Dungeon where he was suffered neither to write nor read nor any man to come at him commanded only to be fed with bread and Water two of the said Prisoners were also burns constantly taking their Martyrdom One man beheaded and two women buryed afive There was there an old man and two aged Women brought forth of whom the one was called Antonia born of an antient Stock in that City these were condemned the man to beheaded the two Women to be buried Quick which death they received very chearfully and the rest of the Prisoners that would not abjure the Doctrine of Lather were put to the Fire One Percival of Lovane for owning the Truth was adjudged to perpetual imprisonment there to be fed only with Bread and Water which punishment he took patiently for Christ's sake he was secretly made away either famished or drowned no man could learn how Justus Jusberge a Skinner in Lovane in the year 1544. for having a New Testament in his House Justus Jusberge Martyr was persecuted by one Darsardus and committed to Prison and the Goaler commanded that none should speak with him shortly after the Doctors examining of him touching the Popes Supremacy Sacrifice of the Mass Purgatory and such Trumpery whereunto he answered plainly and boldly confirming his Answers by the Scriptures when they saw he would not be moved from his Faith then they condemned him to be burnt but as a pretended favour to him he was only beheaded Giles Tilman of Brussels Cutler born of honest Parents about the age of thirty years Giles Tilman Martyr he began to receive the Light of the Gospel for which he was very Zealous and fervent he was in his nature very mild and pittiful passing all other in those parts giving whatsoever he had to spare to the poor living only upon his Trade he was persecuted by the Priest of Brussels being taken at Lovane spreading that Religion which the Pope called Heresie his Adversaries used great care to make him objure but being a man of a singular wit and constant in his Religion they went away many times with shame after he had been kept eight Months in Prison he was sent to Brussels to be judged where finding Franciscus Ensenes and othes of the same Religion in Prison he exhorted them to be constant to the Truth that they might receive the Crown that was prepared for them When the Gray-Friars being sent unto him would mis call abuse him he ever held his peace at such private lajuries wheresore they reported that he had a dumb Devil in him he might several times have escaped out of Prison the doors being set open but he would not being removed to another Prison and on the twenty second of the Month called January 1544. he was condemned to be burnt privately for openly they durst not do it for fear of the People he being so well beloved when tiding was brought him of his Sentence he thanked God that the hour was some wherein he might glorifie the Lord and being had to the Fire he willingly refined up his life into the Hands of the Lord. Great Persecution in Gaunt and other parts of Flanders Anno 1543 1544. The Edict against the Lutherans to be read twice a year Charles the Emperor lying in Gaunt the Fryars and Docters obtained that the Edict made against the Lutherans might be read openly twice a year which caused a great Persecution to follow so that there was no City nor Town in all Flanders wherein some were not either Expulsed Beheaded Condemned to perpetual Imprisonment or their Goods Confiscate without respect either to Age or Sex especially at Gaunt where some of the cheif men in the Town were burnt for their Religion Afterward the Emperor coming to Brussels there also was terrible Slaughter and Persecution of Gods People namely in Brabant Honegow and Artois the horror and cruelty whereof is almost incredible insomuch that two hundred Men and Women were brought out of the Country into the City some of whom were drowned others buried Quick others privately made away others sent to perpetual Imprisonment whereby the Prisons were filled to the great sorrow of them which knew the Gospel the Professors whereof being now compelled
give them in that Quarrel then was he thrice put to the Pin-bank and Tormented most miserably to utter his Setters on then they past sentence against him and this was executed First he was drawn from the Castle of Dornick to the Market place having a ball of Iron put in his mouth then he was set upon a Stage where his Right hand was Crusht and prest between two hot Irons with sharp Iron edges fiery red in the like manner they served his right foot which Torments he endured with marvelous constancy that done they took the ball of Iron out of his mouth and cut out his Tongue notwithstanding his Tongue was cut out he still called upon God as well as he could whereby the hearts of the people were greatly moved whereupon the Tormentors thrust the Iron ball into his mouth again from thence they brought him down to a lower Stage where his legs and hands were bound behind him with an Iron Chain going about his body and so he was let down flat upon the Fire the Governer standing by caused him to be plucked up again and so down and up again till at last the whole body was consumed to Ashes James Faber and three others Martyrs James Faber and three others suffered at Valens James Faber being an old man said that though he could not answer nor saisfie them in Reasoning yet he would constantly abide in the Truth of the Gospel Godfry Hamell Martyr Godfry Hamell a Taylor taken and condemned at Dornick when they had condemned him by the Name of an Heretick nay said he not an Heretick but a Servant of Jesus Christ when the Hangman went about to Strangle him to diminish his punishment he refused saying that he would abide the Sentence that the Judges had given Besides these that suffered in Germany before mentioned a great number there was both in the Higher and Lower Countries of Germany which were put to death for Religion many of them were burnt some buryed alive some secretly drowned many of their Names are mentioned in the Acts and Monuments but little of the circumstances of their Tryal and Execution being mentioned I have omitted them for brevities sake Sufferers in France for bearing the like Witness to the Gospel Dennis Renix Martyr Denis Renix at Melde in the year 1558. Was burnt for testifying against the Mass he was alwayes wont to have in his mouth the Words of Christ He that denyeth me before men him wiâ—â— I also deny before my Father he was burnt in a slow Fire and did abide much Torments Note upon a complaint made to the Council called Le Chamber Ardante that the Judges suffered Hereticks to have their Tongues Immediately thereupon a Decree was made that all which were to be burned unless they recanted at the fire should have their Tongues cut off which Law afterwards was diligently observed Stephen Polliard Martyr Stephen Polliard coming out of Normandy in the year 1546. where he was born unto Meux tarried there not long but he was compelled to flee and went to a Town called Fera where he was apprehended and brought to Paris and there cast into a foul and dark Prison in which Prison he was kept in Bonds and Fetters a long time where he saw almost no Light at length being called for before the Senate and his sentence given to have his Tongue cut out and to be burnt alive his Satchell of Books hanging about his neck O Lord said he is the World in blindness and darkness still for he thought being in Prison so long that the World had been altered from its old darkness to better knowledge at last with his Books about his neck he was burnt to death Florent Venote Martyr Florent Venote remained a Prisoner in Paris four years during which time he was put to divers Torments one kind of Torment was he was put in a narrow place so straight that he could neither stand nor lie which they called the Hose or Boots because it was strait below and wide above in this he remained seven weeks where the Tormentors affirm that no Thief or Murtherer could ever endure 15 days but were in danger of Life or Madness and at last on the 9th of the Moneth called July he was burnt to death with divers other Martyrs who were burnt as a Spectacle at the Kings coming into Paris The next that suffered was a poor Taylor in Paris who for working upon Holy-days so called and denying to observe them A poor Taylor in Paris Martyred was clapt in Prison the King hearing of it sent for him before him and some of his Peeres being before the King he answered with great boldness wit and memory defending the cause of Christ neither flattering their Persons nor fearing their threats which struck the King in a great damp in museing in his mind which the Bishops seeing committed the poor Taylor again to the hands of the Officer saying he was a stubborn Fellow and fitter to be punisht then to be marvelled at within few days after he was condemned to be burnt alive The next year two men for friendly admonishing a certain Priest which in his Sermon had abused the Name of God were both burned another young man of the Age of eighteen years for rebuking a man in Paris for Swearing being suspected to be a Lutheran was apprehended and brought before the Council at Paris who committed him to Prison where he was so cruelly Racked and Tormented that one of the Persecutors seeing it could not but turn his back and weep when he was brought and put in the Fire he was pluckt up again upon the Gibbet and asked whether he would turn to whom he said that he was in his way towards God and therefore desired them to let him go John Joyer and his Servant being a young man in the year 1552. coming from Geneva to their Country with certain Books John Joyer and his Servant and his Servant Martyrs were apprehended by the way and had to Tholouse where the Master was first condemned the Servant being young was not so prompt to answer but directed them to his Master to answer them when they were brought to the Stake the young man first going up began to weep the Master fearing lest he should recant ran to him and he was comforted as they were in the Fire the Master standing upright to the Stake shifted the Fire from him to his Servant being more carfull for him then for himself and when he saw him dead he bowed down himself in the flame and so expired Mathias Dimonetus Merchant at Lyons in the year 1553. having been a man of a Vicious and detestable life Mathias Dimonetus Martyr was notwithstanding through the Grace of God brought to the knowledge and Savour of his Truth for a Testimony to which he was soon after Imprisoned being in Prison he had great conflicts with the infirmity of his own Flesh but especially with the temptation
this is in Spite of all holy Saints and in Spite of our most holy Father the Pope Gods Viccar here in Earth and in Spite of the reverend Father in God John our Diocesian and the Worshipfull Cannons Masters Priests and Clarks which serve God daily in this Cathedral Church fixed up with wax such Cursed and Heretical Bills full of Blasphemy upon the Doors of thâ—s and other holy Churches within this City Excommunicate be hâ— she or they plaenally and delivered over to the Devil as perpetual Malefactors and Schismaticks accursed they be and given Body and Soul to the Devil Cursed be they he or she in Cities and Towns in Fields and Wayes in Houses and out of Houses and all other places standing lying or rising walking running waking sleeping eating drinking and whatsoever thing they do besides we seperate them him or her from the Threshold and from all the good Prayers of the Church from the participation of the holy Mass from all Sacraments Chappels and Altars from Holy Bread and Holy water from all the Merrits of Gods Priests and religious men and from all their Cloisters from all their Pardons Priviledges Grants and Immunities which all the holy Fathers Popes of Rome have granted to them and we give them over utterly to the power of the Devil and let us quench their Souls if they be dead this night in the pains of Hell-fire as this Candle is now quenched and put out and with that he put out one of the Candles and let us pray to God if they be alive that their ey 's may be put out as this Candle light is so he put out another Candle let us pray to God and to our Lady and to Saint Peter and Paul and all holy Saints that all the Sences of their bodies may fail them and that they may have no feeling as now the Light of this Candle is gone and so he put out the third Candle except they he or she come openly now and confess their Blasphemy and by repentance as in them shall lie make satisfaction unto God our Lady Saint Peter and the Worshipfull Company of this Cathedrall Church Thomas Bennet being not able to digest these Fopperies writ other Bills and caused them to be set up upon the Gates of the Grave yard but the person that set them up being taken in the action Thomas Bennet was thereby discovered and being apprehended confest they were his Bills and that he could do it again to discover the Abominable Blasphemy of their Anti-christ the Pope and to let people see that he is the Bâ—ar come out of the Wood which destroyeth and throweth down the Hedges of Gods Church Whereupon he was committed to Prison and the next day was had to the Bishop who committed him to Prison again where he was kept in the Stocks with strong Irons with as much favour as a Dog should find then his Houâ—e was Searched for Books and his wife shamefully abused which she bore with patience being contented to bare the Cross with her Husband and to fare hardly with him and eat Course meat and drink A gray Fryar possessing Thomas Bennet with the many dangers that he was lyable to fall into in that condition Thomas replyed my life is not dear to me I had rather by death which I know is not far off depart this Life then to partake of your detestable Idolatries and Superstitions or be subject to Anti-christ your Pope During the time of his imprisonment the hate of the people through ignorance was great against him notwithstanding they could never move his patience during his imprisonment his wife provided Sustenance for him when she Lamented he Comforted her and gave her many good and godly Exhortations and desired her not to move him to comply with his Adversaries After the Clergy saw they could by no means cause him to recant they Condemned him to be burnt and delivered him to the Sheriff of Devonshire to see him Executed the mild man rejoycing to see his end approach so near as the Sheep before the Shearer yielded himself with all humbleness to abide and suffer the Cross of Persecution being brought to his Execution in a place called Livery Dole without Exeter he gravely and soberly spake to the people to seek the honour of God and the knowledg of him and to leave the devices and immaginations of mens inventions and saying Oh Lord receive my spirit patiently endured the Cruelty of the Fire untill his life was ended Thus the Reader hath an Account of such as sustained death for Christs Cause through the rigorous Proclamation aforesaid set out in the name of the King but indeed procured by the Bishops and by them so strictly Executed that no good man could peep out with his head never so little but he was caught by the back and either brought to the fire or else forced to abjure their Religion a great number of which are particularly mentioned in Foxe's Acts and Monuments which for Brevity sake are here omitted Thomas Phillip being one of them that was prosecuted and being asked by the Bishop whether he would abjure or not he said except ye shew me cause wherefore I should abjure I will not say yea or nay to it but will stand to my appeal then the Bishop read openly the Bill of Excommunication against him charging all men to have no company or any thing to do with him after this Excommunication what became of him whether he was burnt or died in the Tower no mention is made in the Register I mention him because a Letter that was found in his Pocket and the substance of one Tracy's Will are worth the taking notice of which are as followeth A Letter directed to Thomas Phillip in the name of the Brethren and given him by the way going to the Tower is as followeth The favour of him that is able to keep you that you fall not and to confess your name in the Kingdom of Glory and to give you strength by his Spirit to confess him before all his Adversaries be with you ever Amen The Brethren think that there be divers false Brethren craftily crept in among them to seek out their freedom in the Lord that they may accuse them to the Lords Adversaries as they suppose they have done you wherefore if it be so that the Spirit of God move you thereunto they as Councellers desire you above all things to be stedfast in the Lords Truth without fear for he shall and will be your help according to his promise so that they shall not diminish the least hair of your head without his will unto the which will submit your self and rejoyce for the Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation and how to reserve the Unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punisht and therefore cast all your care on him for he careth for you and in that you suffer as a Christian man be not ashamed but rather glorifie God on
Rich and the Bishop of London used all their power by flattering words to perswade her from God but they prevailed not with her one Nicholas Shaxton counselled her to recant as he had done she told him it had been good for him he had never been born then Rich sent her to the Tower to be racked where first he and one of the Councel examined her telling of her that the King was informed that if she would she could name a great number of her Sect she answered that the King was as well deceived in that as he was in other Matters The manner of her Racking was thus she was first lead down into a Dungeon where the Lievtenant of the Tower commanded the Goaler to pinch her with the Rack which being done so much as he thought sufficient he went about to take her down but Wristley the Chancellor not contented that she was loosed so soon confessing nothing but lay still and did not cry commanded the Lievtenant to strain her on the Rack again which because he denyed to do tendering the weakness of the Woman the Chancellor threatened him he would signifie his disobedience to the King Then Rich and the Chanceller took pains to Rack her themselves till she was near dead first asking her whether she was with Child to whom she answered you â—hall not need to spare for that but do your wills upon me and so quietly and patiently praying unto the Lord she abode their Tyranny till her Bones and Joynts were almost pluckt assunder after she was loosed from the Rack she swooned but they recovered her again and she was carried away in a Chair to a house and laid in a bed with weary and painful Bones the Chancellor sent her word that if she would leave her Opinion she should want for nothing if she would not she should be forthwith sent to Newgate and so be burned she sent him word again that she would rather die then break her Faith The Prayer of Anne Askew before her Death O Lord I have more Enemies now then there be Hairs on my Head yet Lord let them never overcome me with vain words but fight thou Lord in my stead for on thee cast I my Care with all the spite they can imagine they fall upon me which am thy poor Creature yet Lord let me not set by them which are against me for in thee is my whole delight and Lord I heartily desire of thee that thou wilt of thy most merciful Goodness forgive them that Violence which they do and have done unto me open also thou their blind Hearts that they may hereafter do that thing in thy Sight which is only acceptable before thee and to set forth thy Truth aright without all vain Fantasie of sinful men So be it O Lord so be it The day of her Execution being appointed she was brought into Smithfield in a Chair because she could not go on her feet by means of her great Torments when she was brought to the stake she was tied by the middle with a Chain that held up her Body and so encompassed with the Flames of Fire as a blessed Sacrifice unto God she resigned up her life in the Year 1546. leaving behind her a singular example of Christian-Constancy for all men to follow there was at the same time three others burnt with her in Smithfield After the death of this Woman the Ponish Clergy consulted together how they might further proceed to keep the Truth under and down and to that end obtained another Proclamation in the Kings name for the abolishing the Scriptures in English and all other English Books which might give any light to the People which made sore work and caused Persecution for a time but it was not long that it continued by reason of the Kings death which was shortly after But before there be a full Conclusion of the Transactions in this Kings reign its necessary a short Account be given of the rise and fall of Thom is Cromwel of whom mention is made before especially seeing he was a man so Zealous for Reformation of both Church and Common-wealth He was born at Putney his Father being a Smith as is before related in his youthful dayes it is said he had little regard to God and Religion but travelled beyond Seas and for a time was there a Souldier at length getting the New Testament in English by often reading in it he began to be touched and something opened in his understanding and coming into England again Cardinal Woolsey entertained him in his service where after some yoars remaining he was preferred to be Solicitor to the Cardinal After the fall of Cardinal Woolsey he was by the Master of the Roles preferred to the King who had then to do against the Pope as a fit person to be imployed by him and being brought to the King at his Garden in Westminster where he possessed the King that his Authority was abused by the Clergy and by being sworn to the Pope they had run themselves into a Premunire and that now the King had an Opertunity to inrich himself To this the King gave ear and liked well his advice and admited him into his service and sent him to the Convocation-house amongst the Bishops where he made a Speech to this effect that in asmuch as they had sworn to the Pope contrary to their Fealty due to the King they had forfeited all their Goods Chattels Lands Possessions to the King c. This amazed the Bishops at first but after a little pause they began to shrink and before they could be quit of the Premunire by Act of Parliament it cost them to the King no less then One hundred eighteen thousand eight hundred and forty pounds After this Cromwel grew greatly in favour with the King and was made one of his Privy Council and Master of the Rolls and afterwards Knight of the Garter and Earl of Essex and now being come into such Authority and seeing the Superstition Blindness Hypocrisie and Idolatry of the Monks and Fryars and Papists whose filthy stink did breath up a most pestiferous fume as Matthew Paris said in the like case of Rome Wherefore Cromwel like a Champion was raised up to root them up which while the King favoured him he prosecuted with effect as before is related but when the Popish Bishops saw the Popes power abolished out of England they never gave over using all their uttmost Endeavours and Politick Contrivances till they had laid a Plaister to his Wounded Head It would be too long to recite what benefit this Cromwel by his Prudence and Zeal wrought in a little time for the publick good what good Orders he established what Wickedness and Vices he suppressed what Corruptions he reformed what Abuses he brought to light and Popish Idolatry and Images he suppressed One called The Rood of Grace wherein a man stood inclosed with a hundred Wyres within the Rood to make the Image goggle its Eyes
accused on several Articles by the Bishops and afterwards Condemned by them as an Heretick to be burnt when he came to the fire he said Father of Heaven I commend my Spirit into thy holy Hands and then turned him to the People and said these Words I beseech you Christian Brethren and Sisters that you be not offended in the Word of God for the affliction and Torments which you see already prepared for me but I Exhort you that you Love the Word of God and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted Salvation and Everlasting Comfort Moreover I pray you shew my Brethren and Sisters which have heard me oft before that they cease not nor lâ—â—ve off the Word of God which I taught unto them after the Grace given to me for any Persecutions or Troubles in this World which lasts not and shew unto them that my Doctrine was no Old Wives Fable after the Constitution made by men and if I had taught mens Doctrine I had gotten great thanks of men but for the Word and true Gospels sake I suffer this day by men not sorowfully but with a glad Heart and Mind for this cause I was sent that I should Suffer this Fire for Christs Sake this grim Fire I fear not and so I pray you to do if that any Persecution come unto you for the Word's sake and fear not them that Kill the Body and afterwards have no power to Kill the Soul Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech thee Father of Heaven to forgive them that have through Ignorance or an evil Mind forged Lyes against me I forgive them with all my heart and I beseech Christ to forgive them who have Condemned me to death this day ignorantly So being first Hanged he was then burnt many People bewailing his death VVabter Mille amongst the rest of the Martyrs of Scotland his Constancy is not to be past over with silence out of whose Ashes Sprung thousands of his Religion in Scotland many Articles were drawn up against him for which he had sentance pronounced against him that he should be delivered to the Temporal Judge and punisht as an Heretick which was to be burnt Now when all things were ready for his death and he conveyed with Armed men to the Fire Andrew Olifant Judge that past sentence upon him bad him Go to the Stake he said Nay except thou pull me up with thy hand for I am forbidden by the Law of God to lay hands of my self then Olifant put him up with his hand thereupon he went gladly saying I will go to the Altar of God and desired that he might have time to speak to the People which his Executioner denyed saying That he had spoken over-much and that the Bishops were oâ—fended that the matter was so long continued but some young men that stood by desired him to speak what he please so after he had prayed he rose up and standing upon the Coles said on this wise Dear Friends the Cause why I suffer this day is not for any Crime laid to my Charge but only for the defence of the Faith of Christ Jesus for which as the faithful Martyrs have heretofore gladly offered themselves being assured after the Death of their Bodies of Eternal Felicity so this day I praise God that he hath called me of his Mercy among the rest of his Servants to seal his Truth with my Life which as I received it of him so willingly I offer it to his Glory Therefore as you will escape the eternal death be no more seduced by the Lyes of Priests Monks and Bishops and the rest of the Sect of Antichrist but depend only upon Jesus Christ and his Mercy that you may be delivered from Condemnation All that while there was great Mourning and Lamentation of the multitude for they perceiving his Patience Stoutness Boldness and Constancy were not only moved and stirred up but their hearts also were so inflamed that he was the last Martyr that died in Scotland for Religion after his prayer he was hoised up on the Stake and being in the Fire he said Lord have Mercy on me pray People while there is time and so be constantly departed The Persecutions in the Reign of Edward the sixth Henry the Eighth being dead Edward the sixth succeeded him at the Age of nine years he was a Youth of a meek nature and disposition much inclined to Clemency and Mercy yea so much that when one Joan Butcher being condemned to be burnt for Heresie all the Council could not move him to set his hand saying to Cranmer what will you send her quick to the Devil in her Error Doctor Cranmer perswaded him with much ado at last to put his hand to whom he said He would lay all the charge thereof upon Cranmer as before the Lord. But though this King was of so mild a Nature and a Person inclining to love Religion from a Child being very Zealous for a further Reformation in the Church abolishing the Mass c. and a Protector being appointed during his Nonage which was his uncle the Duke of Somerset a man also very Zealous for Reformation and an Encourager of such as profest the Gospel but in the midst of these meek and gentle times on the other hand the Pâ—pish party having a great power in the Kingdom used all the Means and Endeavours to stir up Persecution and to hinder that good they found the King and his Uncle inclinable to yet the most of this Kings Reign which was but short the Sword was taken out of their hands so that they had not power to shed much Blood all his Reign yet some there were that suffered for Religion viz. Joan of Kent an English woman and one George a Dutchman and one Thomâ—s Dobb who was apprehended for speaking against the Idolatry of the Mass and committed to Prison where he died The cause of the Imprisonment of Thomas Dobb was as followeth The said Thomas Dobb being a Man fervent and zealous for Religion and as it is recorded of him a man so Innocent that he was like a Dove without any Gall or Bitterness and more apt to receive Injury then do wrong to any one It happened that as he was passing by Pauls in London seeing the Priest at Mass being at the Elevation as he passed by the young man filled with godly Zeal pitying the Ignorance and Idolatry of the People in honouring that so devoutly which the Priest lifted up was not able to forbear but opened his Mouth and turning to the People exhorted them testifying against their Idolatry for which cause he was presently apprehended by the Mayor and being accused by the Bishop of Canterbury was Committed to the Counter in Bredstreet where falling sick he soon after died In this Kings time there was also one John Hume a servant to one Lewnax accused by his Master of denying the Sacrament of the Altar to be the real
laughed and so departed About this time about thirty Men and Women were taken at a Religious Assembly in Bow-yard in Cheapside and were Committed to Prison their Preacher one Rose was had before the Bishop of VVinchester S. Gardner and by him Committed to the Tower Cranmer Ridley and Latimer apprehended Shortly after Cranmer Ridley and Latimer three Bishops were sent to the Tower and from thence Conveyed to Oxford there to Dispute with Oxford and Cambridge men in points of Religion but especially of the Eucharist the Oxford men were Cole Chadsey Pye Harpsfield Smith and Weston Prolocutor the Cambridge men were Young Seaton Watson Fecknam Atkinson and Sedgwick the matter was so carried by these twelve men that it went against the Prisoners and after the Disputation was ended the Prisoners were brought again upon the Stage and demanded whether they would persist in their Opinion or recant They affirming they would persist they were all three adjudged Hereticks and Condemned to the Fire but their Execution was not till a year or two after John Rogers Martyr In the mean time we have an account of John Rogers who was the first Martyr in this Queens time who was burnt in London after a long and fore suffering by Imprisonment Soon after him was burnt Lawrence Saunders Lawrence Saunders Martyr who was by order kept straitly in Prison and none suffered to speak with him not so much as his Wife suffered to visit him in his Examination the Chancellor threatning him that he should not live many dayes Saunders said Welcom shall the Will of God be either Life or Death for I have learned to die but I Exhort you to beware of shedding Innocent blood Truly it will Cry As the Officers were leading him away from his Examination he exhorted the People to Repentance warning them to defie Anti-christ Sin Death and the Devil that they might receive blessing and favour from the Lord being Condemned he was carried down to Coventry to be burnt where he was put into the common Goal where he slept little but spent the Night in Prayer and instructing others and the next day was burnt during the time of his Imprisonment he wrote several good Epistles to comfort and strengthen such as were under the like Suffering with him I shall only insert the Substance of one to his Wife by which may be perceived the seriousness and Zeal that was stirred up in him against his Adversaries forbidding his Wife to seek any way for his delivery Lawrence Saunders his Letter to his Wife Grace Mercy and Peace in Christ our Lord entirely beloved Wife even as unto mine own Soul and Body so do I daily in my Prayer wish unto you daily remembring you And I do not doubt dear Wife but that both I and you as we be written in the Book of Life so we shall together enjoy the same Everlastingly through the Grace and Mercy of God our dear Father in his Son Christ and for this present life letâ— us wholy appoint our selves to the Will of our God to glorifie him either by Life or by Death the Lord make us worthy to Honour him either way as pleaseth him I am cheerful I thank God in Christ in whom and through whom I know I shall be able to fight a good fight and finish a good Course and then receive the Crown which is laid up in Store for me and all the true Souldiers of Christ wherefore Wife let us in the Name of our God fight to overcome the Flesh the Devil and the World what Weapons are used in this fight look in the sixth Chap. of the Ephesians and pray c. I would that you make no suit for me in any wise thank you know whom for her most sweet and comfortable putting me in remembrance of my Journey whither I am passing I have too few such Friends to further me in that Journey which is indeed the greatest friendship the blessing of God be with you all Amen A Prisoner in the Lord Lawrence Saunders John Hooper and Rowland Taylor Martyr Shortly after were burnt for Religion John Hooper and one Rowland Taylor the one at Gloucester and the other at Hadley The time of Rowland Taylor 's Execution drawing nigh his Wife and Son coming to see him and one John Hâ—â—â— that had been his Servant after he had supt he turned to his Son saying Thomas my dear Son God Almighty bless thee see that thou fear God always and flee from Sin and wicked living be vertuous and apply thy self to thy Book and in any wise see thou be obedient to thy Mother love her serve her be ruled by her in thy Youth and follow her good Counsel in all things Beware of Lewd Company of Young men that fear not God but follow their lewd lusts flee from Whoredom and hate all filthy living and when thy Mother is old forsake her not but provide for her to thy power and see that she lack nothing then will God bless thee and give thee long Life upon Earth and Prosperity To his Wife he said my dear Wife continue stedfast in the fear and Love of God keep your self undefiled from Poposh Idolatries and Superstitions I have been unto you a faithful Yoke-fellow and so have you been to me for which I doubt not dear Wife but God will reward you Now the time is come that I shall be taken from you The Lord gave you unto me and the Lord will take me from you Blessed be the Name of the Lord I believe they are blessed which die in the Lord The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom then shall I fear God is he that justifieth who is he that can condemn In thee O Lord I have trusted let we never be confounded On the next day by two of the Clock in the Morning he was taken out of the Compter by Officers and had to Chelmsford and there was he delivered to the Sheriff of Suffolk who was commanded to see him burnt The suffering of Hailes About this time One St. James Hailes on of the Justices of the Common-Pleas at an Assizes in Kent giving charge upon the Statutes of Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth in derogation of the primacy of Rome when he was before the Chancellor in Westminster Hall being there among other Judges to take his Oath the Chancellor said Chancellor I am informed you have Indicted certain Priests in Kent for saying Mass Hailes I Indicted none but certain Indictments of that Nature were brought before me at the Assizes in Kent and I did according to Law therein and according to Conscience and if it were to do again I could do no less then I did Chancellor Your Conscience is known well enough Hailes You may do well to search your own Conscience for mine is better known to my self then to you This and other talk at that time so displeased the Bishop that not many dayes after this discourse in
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
that they had a Child that could lose his Life for Christ's sake Many people resorted to the Inn to see him whom he exhorted to leave the Abomination of Popisn Superstition and Idolatry At his Execution he desired the people to pray for him Justice Brown that first apprehended him standing by said I will pray no more for thee then I would for a Dog William answered Now you have what you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge at the last day I forgive you Brown said I ask no forgiveness of thee William If God forgive you not I shall require my Blood at your Hands The Fire being kindled William said I am not afraid and lifting up his Hands said Lord receive my Spirit and so sealed his Testimony with his Blood to the praise of God Justice Brown commanded an Officer to take Robert Hunter William's Brother and put him in the Stocks until he came back from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the Hill on the same day after he was taken out of the Stocks and brought before the Justice he askt him If he would do as his Brother had done Robert Hunter answered If I do as my Brother hath done I shall have as he hath had Thou mayest be sure of that said the Justice But after some further Examination he bid him go home Higbed and Canston Martyr The next that suffured were Higbed and Canston both of Essex two men so fervent for Religion that in these blind and Idolatries times could not lie long hid in obscurity but were constrained to bear their Testimony though it were by Death Bonnet perceiving these men were men of repute in their Country and such as were called Gentlemen was so much the more concerned to bring them off their Profession that he went down to Colchester himself to seek to reclaim them sometimes using fair Promises and flattering Enticements other times threatning them with high words to terrifie them in fine seeing them both constant and unmoveable in their Zeal for their Religion he caused them and some others at the same time and for the same cause apprehended in that Country to be brought up to London Prisoners where they were committed close Prisoners where they were first privately examined and urged by all means to forsake their Opinions by the Bishop and his Chaplain But when the Bishop saw that way would work no alteration he caused them to be brought to open Examination at the Consistory at Pauls the seventeenth day of the Mouth called February 1555. where being further pressed to Recant of the Errors they said they held and to return to the unity of the Church which they still refused whereupon a great List of Articles were delivered them and their Answers thereunto the next day required of them At the second time of their publick appearance and tryal their Answers were read and Canston being first called was exhorted again to be conformable to the unity of the Church into which they said they were ready to receive him He replyed you lay Snares and Gins to catch us but mark what measure you meet shall be measured to you again Then Higbed was called to whom the like perswasions were used but to as little purpose as the other for he told them he had been sixteen years in that mind he was then in and should not alter now At their last appearance before them the Prisoners declared calling God to record that their persisting in that stedfastness was not in wilfulness as some might judge but for Conscience sake for said they we sought the Lord that we might do nothing contrary to his blessed Word and in that he hath shewed his Power in our weakness we cannot but praise him unto whom we give thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord. When they had thus spoken the Bishop began to pronounce the Sentence against Canston to whom Canston said it was a rash Judgment without Love and Mercy Then was sentence also pronounced against Higbed and both delivered to the Sheriffs who sent them to Newgate where they remained fourteen dayes contiunally praising God not so much concerned at their Afflictions as rejoyced in their Consolations praying and earnestly desiring they might persevere to the end to the praise of the Eternal God and Comfort of the Brethren The fourteen dayes being expired they were by four a Clock in the Morning led from Newgate to Algate and there delivered to the Sheriff of Essex who conveyed them to the places where they were Executed viz. Higbed to Hornden on the hill and Thomas Canston to Rayly where they both with great constancy finished their Testimonies in the Fire greatly rejoycing and giving the glory to God The next that suffered were William Pyget Stephen Knight and John Lawrence Pyget Knight Lawrenâ— Martyr at their Examinations it was demanded of them to declare their Opinion concerning the Sacrament of the Altar to which they answered to this effect That in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine there is not the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ This Answer being given the Bishop caused Articles to be read against them to which they answered The second time they were brought before him he prest them to recant which they refusing saying They should stick to their Faith Wherefore the third time being brought before him he past Sentence upon them and committed them to the Custody of the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained in much Joy and comfort and at last were had down to Essex and there burnt When Stephen Knight came to the Stake which was at Maulden he kneeled down and prayed some Sentances of which Prayer are as followeth O Lord Jesus Christ for whose Love I leave willingly this Life and desire rather the bitter Death of the Cross with the loss of all Earthly things then to abide the Blasphemy of thy most holy Name or to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandment Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in Wordly Wealth to Worship a false God and honour thine Enemy I choose rather the Torment of the Body and the loss of this Life and have counted all things but Vile Dust and Dung that I might Win thee which Death is Dearer unto me then thousand of Gold and Silver such Love O Lord hast thou laid up in my Breast that I Hunger for thee as the Deer that is Wounded desireth the Soil send thy holy Comforter O Lord to Aid Comfort and Strengthen this Weak piece of Earth which is empty of all strength of it self Thou rememberst O Lord that I am â—ut 〈◊〉 therefore as thou of thy Love hast bidden me to this Banquet and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own Cup amongst thine Elect even so give me strength O Lord that so through me strength of thy holy Spirit I may pass through the rage of this fire into thy Bossom according to
and so godly in his life and so constant to the death that he shined as a Star most clear in the Church by his Example But to the Relation of his Sufferings his Trouble first began for refusing to sprinkle his Child after the Papistical manner for which the Earl of Oxford to whose family the said Thomas Hawkes had not long before been a retainder being apprehended and brought before the said Earl he forthwith sent him to Bonner to London with a Letter signifying his Crime his Examinations and Answers before the Bishop are very long and therefore I have thought meet to insert only some of the chief or most principal matters contained therein Being brought before the Bishop the first question he askt him was Why he left his Child unchristned so long Hawkes Because I am bound to do nothing contrary to the Word of God Bonner Why Baptism is commanded by the word of God Hawkes His Institution therein I do not deny Bonner What deny you then Hawkes I deny things invented and devised by men Bonner What things are those that so offend you Hawkes Your Oyle Spittle Cream Candle and Conjuring Water Bonner Will you deny that the whole World and your fore-Fathers were contented withall Hawkes What my Father and all the World have done I have nothing to do with but what God hath commanded me to do to that I stand Bonner The Catholick Church hath taught it Hawkes What is the Catholick Church Bonner It is the Faithful Congregation wheresoever it be dispersed throughout the World Hawkes Who is the head thereof Bonner Christ is the head thereof Hawkes Are we taught in Christ or in the Church now Bonner In John It s said he would send the Comforter which should teach you all things Hawkes I grant the Comforter was to lead into all Truth but that was not to teach a New Doctrine Bonner Ah Sir you are a right Scripture man you will have nothing but the Scripture there are a great number of your Country men of your Opinion and askt him if he knew one Bagget He said Yea. Whereupon Bagget by the Bishops order was called the Bishop telling Hawkes in mean time that he was a proud stubborn man It seemeth so to you said Hawkes because I do not bow to you Then Bagget appearing the Bishop said Do you know this man Bagget Yes Bishop He refuseth to have his Child Baptized after the custom now used in the Church what say you to it Bagget I say nothing thereto said the Bishop I le make you tell me whether it be laudable and ought not to be used in the Church Bagget I beseech you parden me he is old enough let him answer for himself Bonner Ah Sir Knave are you at that point go call me the Porter said the Bishop Thou shalt sit in the Stocks and have nothing but bread and water I perceive I have kept you to well have I made thus much of you and have I you at this point The Porter being not in the way the Bishop took him aside and bid one of his men talk with Thomas Hawkes the while who enquired of Hawkes whom he knew in Essex and who were his Teachers Hawkes replyed when I see your Commission I le make you answer and then returned the Bishop again and sitting under a Vine in his Orchard called for Bagget and Hawkes to him and to Bagget he said How say you now to Baptism Ought it to be used as now it is in the Church To which Bagget said yes it is good Bonner I befool your heart could you not have said so before you have wounded this mans Conscience Then the Bishop turned to Hawkes and said How say you now Sir this man is turned and Converted Hawkes I build my Faith neither upon this man nor upon you but upon Christ only Bonner I perceive you are a stubborn Fellow I must work another way with you to win you Hawkes Whatsoever you do I am ready to suffer it for I am in your hands and must abide it Bonner Well you are so come on your wayes you shall go in and I will use you Christian-like you shall have meat and drink but in any wise talk not Hawkes I purpose to talk nothing but the Truth Bonner I will have no Hercsie talkt on in my House Hawkes Why Is the Truth become Heresie Bonner If you will have my favour take my counsel Hawkes then let your Doctors and Servants give me no occasion for if they do I will surely utter my Conscience After Dinner some of the Chaplains fell in discourse with Thomas Hawkes and whilst they were reasoning in came the Bishop who said Did not I give you a charge not to talk Hawkes answered Did not I desire your Servants should give me no occasion Then went he into his Orchard After he had been a while in the Orchard they went to the Chapple and had Hawkes with them and took his Doctors and Hawkes with him to whom he spoke to this effect Bonner Will you be content to tarry here and your Child shall be baptized and you shall not see it so that you will agree is it Hawkes If I would have done so I needâ—d not to have come to you for I had the same counsel given me before Bonner Do you not think that the Queen and I cannot command it to be done in spite of your Teeth Hawkes I shall not question what the Queen can do but my consent you get never the sooner for that Bonner Well you are a stubborn young man I perceive I must work another way with you Hawkes You are in the hands of God and so am I. Bonner Whatsoever you think I would not have you speak such words to me thou art a proper young man God hath done his part unto thee I would be glad to do thee good thou knowst that I am thy Pastor and one that shall answer for thee if I do not Teach thee well Hawkes That I have said I will stand to it God willing there is no way to remove it Bonner Nay nay Hawkes Thou shalt not be so wilful remember Christ bid two go into his Vineyard the one said he would and went not the other said he would not and went Hawkes The last went Bonner Do thou likewise and I will talk Friendly with thee How sayst thou It is in the sixth of John I am the Bread of Life and the Bread that I will give is my Flesh c. Do you believe this Hawkes I must needs believe the Scripture Bonner Then I hope you are sound concerning the Sacrament Hawkes I beseech you put no more to my Conscience then what I am accused of to you Bonner Well well let us go to Evensong with that Hawkes turned his back to go out of the Chappel Bonner Why will you not tarry Hawkes No I will not It will not edifie me Then said the Bishop I pray you tarry you may pray by your self He
and all his Company Smith At this word which he coupled with an Oath came I in and said my Lord it is written you must not Sware Bonner Ah Master Controler are you come Lo my Lord Mayor this is Master Speaker pointing to my Brother Tankerfield and this is Master Controler pointing to me and then began to read my Articles Smith I require you my Lord in Gods behalf unto whom pretaineth your Sword and Justice that I may here before your presence answer to these Objections that are laid against me and if any thing can be proved Heresie that I have said I will recant before this Auditory Mayor Why Smith thou canst not deny but this thou saydest Smith Yes I deny that which he hath written because he hath both added to and diminished from the same but what I have spoken I will never deny Mayor Why thou speakest against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Smith I denied it to be any Sacrament and I do stand here to make proof thereof and if my Lord here or any of his Doctors be able to prove either the name or usage of the same I will recant mine error Then spake my Brother Tankerfield and defended the probation of things which they called Heresie unto which the Bishop answered Bonner By my troth Master Speaker you shall Preach at a Stake Smith Well sworn my Lord you keep a good Watch. Bonner VVell Master Controler I am no Saint Smith No nor yet good Bishop for a Bishop saith St. Paul should be faultless and a dedicate Vessel unto God and are you not ashamed to sit in Judgment and be a Blasphemer condemning Innocents Bonner VVell Master Controler you are faultless Note the said Robert Smith being charged â—alsly in the said Articles turning to the Mayor said Smith speaking to the Mayor said I require you in Gods name that I may have Justice we are here this day a great many Innocents that are wrongfully Accused of Heresie and I require you if you will not seem to be partial let me have no more favour at your hands then the Apostle had at the hands of Festâ— and Agrippa who being Heathens and Infidells gave him leave not only to speak for himself but also heard the probation of his Cause this require I at your hands who being a Christian Judge I hope will not deny me that right which the Heathen have suffered if ye do then shall all this Audience and the Heathen speak shame of your fact for a City saith our Saviour that is builded on a hill cannot be hid if they therefore have the Truth let it come to light for all that well do come to the Light and they that do evil hate the Light Then the Mayor hanging down his head said nothing but the Bishop told him he should preach at a Stake and so the Sheriff cryed with the Bishop Away with him Thus came he before them four times desiring Justice but could have none and at length his Friends requiring with ouâ— voice the same but could not have it they had Sentence and then being carried out were brought in again and had it every men severally given But before the Bishop gave Sentence on Richard Smith he told him in derision of his Brother Tankerfield a Tale between a Gentleman and his Cook To which he answered you fill the Peoples Ears with Fantasies and foolish Tales and make a laughing matter at Blood but if you were a true Bishop you should leave these railing Sentences and speak the Words of God Bonner Well I have offered to that naughty fellow Master Speaker your Companion the Cook that my Chancellor should here instruct him but he hath here with great disdain forsaken it How sayst thou wilt thou have him instruct thee and lead thee in the right way Smith If your Chancellor shall do me any good and take any pains as you say let him take mine Articles in his hands that you have objected against me and either prove one of them Heresie or any thing that you do to be good and if he be able so to do I stand here with all my heart to hear him if not I have no need I praise God of his Sermon for I come to answer for my life and not to hear a Sermon Then began the Sentence in Dei Nomine To which Smith answered that he began in a wrong name requiring of him where he learned in Scriptures to give sentence of death against any man for his Conscience sake To the which he made no answer but went forward to the end and immediately cryed Away with him Then Smith turned to the Mayor and Sheriffs and said Is it not enough for you that ye have left the strait way of the Lord but that you must condemn Christ causless Bonner Well Master Controller now you cannot say but I have offered you fair to have Instruction and now I prithee call me bloody Bishop and say I seek thy Blood Smith Well although neither I nor any of this Congregation do report the truth of your fact yet shall these Stones cry it out rather then it shall be hidden Bonner Away with him away with him Woodrofe Away with him take him away Smith Well good Friends ye have seen and heard the great wrong that we have received this day and ye are all Records that we have desired the probation of our cause by Gods Book and it hath not been granted but we are condemned and our cause not heard nevertheless my Lord Mayor forasmuch as here you have exercised Gods Sword câ—â—sless and will not hear the right of the poor I commit my cause to Almighty God that shall judge all men according unto right before whom we shall both stand without Authority and there will I stand in the right to your great confusion except your repent which the Lord grant you to do if it be his will and then was I with the rest of my Brethren carried away to Newgate Thus gentle Reader as neer as I can I have set out the Truth of my Examination and the verity of mine unjust condemnation for the Truth desiring God that it may not be laid to the châ—rge of thee O England requiring your hearty prayers unto God for his Grace and Spirit of boldness with hope even shortly to set to my Seal at Uxbridge the eighth of August by Gods Grace pray that it may be to his honour my Salvation and your Consolation I pray you Dagloriam Deo Robert Smith Thus Reader thou hast a full Relation of the Christian fortitude and valour of this faithful Martyr who so valiantly and manfully stood in the defence of his Masters cause and as thou seest him here boldly stand in Examination before the Bishop and Doctors so was he no less comfortable also in the Prison among his Fellows who being togâ—â—â—â—r Prisoners in Newgate did daily pray and exhort one another and his care was not only for those in the â—ame
perfect VVord which is to me so dear Lay up thy Laws within my heart to keep me still in fear Aed rob me of that great rebuke which I do fear full sore For all thy Judgments and thy Law endure for evermore Behold O Lord in thy precepts is all my whole delight O quicken me in all thy Wayes that I may walk aright The Substance of an Epistle written by Robert Smith to the Persecuted Flock of Christ To all which Love God unfainedly and intend to lead a godly life according to his Gospel and to persevere in his Truth unto the end Grace and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Be not afraid most dearly beloved in our Saviour Jesus Christ at these most perilous dayes wherein by the suffering of God the Prince of Darkness is broken loose and rageth in his members against the Elect of God withal cruelty to set up again the Kingdom of Anti-christ against whom see that ye be strong in faith to resist his most devilish Doctrines with the pure Gospel of God arming your selves with patience to abide whatsoever shall be laid to your charge for the Truths sake knowing that thereunto you are called not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him Oh how happy are ye that in the sight of God are counted worthy to suffer for the Testimony of Christ quit therefore your selves O my loving Brethren and rejoyce in him for whom ye suffer for unto you do remain the unspeakable Joyes which neither the Eye hath seen nor the Ear hath heard neiâ—â—â—r the heart of man is able to comprehend in any wise Be not â—â—â—raid of the bodily Death for your names are written in the Book of Life and the Prophets do record that in the sight of the â—â—â—d pretious is the Death of his Saints Watch therefore and pray that ye be not prevented in the day of Temptation now cometh the day of your Tryal wherein the Waters rage and the Stormy Winds blow now shall it appear whether you have builded upon the fleeting Sand or upon the unmovable Rock Christ which is the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereon every House that is builded groweth into an holy Temple of the Lord by the mighty working of the holy Ghost now approacheth the day of your Battel wherein it is required that you shew yourselves the valiant Souldiers of Christ Jesus with the Armour of God that ye may be able to stand fast against all the crafty assaults of the Devil Christ is your Captain anâ— you are his Souldiers whose Cognisance is the Cross to the which he willingly humbled himself even unto the Death and thereby spoiled his Enemies and now triumpheth he over them in the glory of his Father making intercession for them that do here remain to suffer the Aâ—â—lictions that are to be fulfilled in his mystiâ—al Body it behoveth therefore every one that will be accounted his Schollor to take up his oâ—n Cross and follow him as yâ—u have him for Example and â—ssure you that he being on your side nothing shall be able to prevail against you and that he will be with you even to the Worlds â—nd you have his promise in the 28th of Matthew he will go forth with his Host as a Conqueror to make a Conquest he is the man that siâ—â—eth on the white Horse crowned with Immortality and ye Brethren are his Fellowship whereof he is the Head he hath your hearts in his hand as a bow bent after his godly will he shall direct the same according to the riches of his glory into all spiritual and heavenly Cogitation he is faithfull and will not suffer you to be further assâ—â—â—ced then he will give you strength to overcome and in the most danger he will make a way that you may be able to bear it Shrink not therefore dear â—earts when ye shall be called to answer for the hope that is in you for â—ebâ—â—e the Comforter even the Spirit of Truth which was sent from the Heavens to teach us he shall speak in us he shall strengthen us what is he then that shall be able to confound us Nay what Tyrant is he that now boasteth himself of his strength to do mischief whom the Lord shall not with his Spirit by the Moâ—th of his Servants strike down to Hell-fire yea suddainly will the Lord bring down the glory of the Proud Philistians by the hands of his Servant David their strength is in Shield and Spear but our help is in the Name of the Lord which made both Heaven and Earth he is our Buckler and our Wall a strong Tower of defence he is our God and we are his People he shall bring the counsels of the ungodly to nought he shall take them in their own Net he shall destroy them in their own Inventions the Right Hand of the Lord shall work this Wonder his Power is known amongst the Children of men their Fathers have felt it and are confoundeâ— in like manner shall they know that there is no counsel against the Lord when their secrets are opened to the whole World and are found to be against the Living God work they never so craftily builâ—â—hey never so strongly yet down shall their Babel fall and the Builders themselves shall then be scattred upon the face of the Earth as Accursed of God the Just shall see this and be glad and praise the Name of the Lord that so Marvelously hath dealt with his Servants as to bring their Enemies under their feet then shall the fearfull Seed of Cain Tremble and Quake then shall the mocking Ishmâ—elites be cast out of the Door then shall the Proud Nemborth see his labour lost then shall the Beast of Babylon be trodden under foot then shall the Scribes and Pharisees for madness fret and rage then shall their painted Wisdom be known for extream folly then shall the bloody Dragon be void of his prey then shall the Whore of Babylon receive double Vengence then shall they scratch their Crowns for the fall of their Mistress Harlot whom they now serve for filthy lucre when no man shall buy their Wares any more then shall the Popish Priesthood cry Weal away with care even when the Lord shall help his Servants which day is not far off the day wherein the Kingdom of Anti-christ shall have an end and never raise any more in the mean time abide in certain and sure hope cleaving unto the promises of God which in their own time shall be fulfilled What better Quarrel can you have to give your lives for then the Truth it self That man that giveth his life for the Truth taketh the readiest way to life he that hath the Popes curse for the Truth is sure of Christs Blessing Well then my Brethren what shall now let but that you go forwards as ye have begun Nay rather run with the Runners that ye may obtain the appointed glory hold on the right
declare what the Tree is for a good Man or Woman out of the good Treasure of their hearts bringeth forth good Fruits Wherefore dear Sister let our Faith be made manifest to the World by our deeds and in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation as St. Paul saith Let your Light shine as in a dark place O dear hearts now is the Gospel of God overwhelmed with many black and troublesome Clouds of Persecution for the which cause very few go about to have their Eyes made clear by the true light of the Gospel for fear of loosing their Treasures of this World which are but vain and shall Perish Let us not therefore be like unto them which light their Candle and put it under a Bushel but let us set our Candle upon a Candlestick that it may give light unto all them that are in the House that is to say let all the People of the Houshold of God see our good works in suffering all things patiently that shall be laid upon us for the Gospel sake if it be Death it self for Christ died for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and as he hath given his Life for us so ought we to give our Lives for the Defence of the Gospel to the comfort of our Brethren How is it then that some will say that their Faith is good and yet they do all the deeds of Anti-christ the Devil St. Paul saith To believe with the heart justifieth and to confess with the Mouth maketh a man safe Here may all see that no man or woman can have a true Faith unless they have deeds also and he that doubteth is like the Waves of the Sea Tossed about of the Wind and can look for no good thing at the Lords hands Now is the acceptable time that Christ spoke of yea even now is the Ax put to the Root of the Tree that so every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit must be hewn down and cast into the Fire Now is the Lord come with his Fan in his hand to try the Wheat from the Chaff the Wheat he will gather into his Barn and the Chaff he will burn Now is the time come that we must go meet the Bridegroom with Oyle in our Lamps we are also bidden to the Feast let us make no excuses our Master hath delivered Talents unto us Now is the Lord come to see if there be any Fruit upon his Trees if he find none he will serve us as he did the wild Fig-Tree that is Never Fruit shall grow on him more If we go to meet the Bridegroom without Oyle in our Lamps and should go to buy the doubt is we should be served as the Foolish Virgins were to whom God said Depart I know you not If we use not our Talents well they shall be taken from us and given to others and all such unprofitable Servants shall be cast into Hell where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of teeth May not all People now perceive that this is the time that our Master Christ speaketh of that the Father should be against the Son and the Son against the Father and one Brother against an other that the Brother shall deliver the Brother to death yea and that the Wicked shall say all manner of Wicked sayings against us for his Name sake the which I have found by experience I praise God that gave me strength to bear it I have no mistrust but that the World shall see and know my Blood shall not be dear in my own sight whensoever it please God to give my Adversaries leave to shed it I do earnestly believe that God which hath begun this good work in me will perform it to the end for when I have been in Prison sometimes wearing Blots and Shackles lying on the bear ground and sometimes sitting in the Stocks and bound with Cords that my Body was swelled and I like to be overcome with pain sometimes lying in the Woods and Fields wandring to and fro brought before Justices Sheriffs Lords Doctors and Bishops called Dog Devil Heretick Whoremonger Traytor Thief Deceiver and such like Yea even they that did eat of my Bread that should have been most my Friends by Nature have betrayed me yet for all this I praise God that hath seperated me from my Mothers Womb all this that hath happened unto me hath been easie for I praise God they are not able to prove one tittle of their sayings to be true but that way which they call Heresie I serve my Lord God and at all times before whomsoever I have been brought God hath given me Mouth and Wisdom against which my Adversaries have not been able to resist wherefore dear Sister be of good comfort with all your Brethren and Sisters and take no thought what you shall say for it shall be given you the same hour according to the promises as I have alwayes found and as you and all others of Gods Elect shall well find when the time is full come and whereas I and many others have hoped that this Persecution would have been at an end ere this time now I perceive God will have a further Tryal to Root out all Dissemblers that no man should rejoyce in himself but he that rejoyceth should rejoyce in God wherefore if Prophecy should fail and Tongues should cease yet Love must indure for fear hath painfulness but a perfect Love casteth out all fear which Love I have no mistrust but God hath poured it upon you so abundantly that nothing in the World shall be able to seperate you from God neither High nor Low Rich nor Poor Life nor Death shall be able to put you from Christ but by him I trust you shall enter into New Jerusalem there to live forever After his Examination Sentence was past upon him and upon the 22th day of the Moneth called June he and nine more were burnt at Lewis as mention is made before The next Moneth following Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper were burnt at Norwich S. Miller Elizabeth Cooper Martyrs This Simon Miller dwelt in Lyn he was a zealous man for the Lord and his Truth in those dayes detesting and abhoring the forced Religion of the Papists going from Lyn to Norwich and standing in the press of People as they were coming from their Popish service he spake some words to them at which some marvelled to hear and see his boldness but shortly after he was brought before Dunning Chancellor of Norwich when he was before him having his Confession of his Faith written and put in his Shoe part of which appearing was taken out which the Chancellor perusing askt him If he would stand to that Faith to which he said he should whereupon he was committed to Ward and shortly after was by the Bishop of Norwich and his Chancellor condemned and burnt with the â—â—â—esaid Elizabeth Cooper When Elizabeth first felt the Fire the shrunk and cryed out Simon Miller put his
Another Letter of John Rough's written to the Congregation two dayes before he suffered The Spirit of all Consolation be with you aid you and make you strong to run to the fight that is laid before you wherewithal God in all Ages hath tryed his Elect and hath found them worthy of himself by coupling to their Head Christ Jesus in whom who so desireth to live godly the same must needs suffer Persecution for it is given unto them not only to believe but also to suffer and the Servant or Scholler cannot be greater then his Lord or Master But by the same way the Head is entered the Members must follow no life is in the Members which are cut from the Body likewise we have no life but in Christ for in him we live move and have our being dear Hearts now departing this life to my great advantage I make change of Mortallity with Immortallity of Corruption to put on Incorruption to make my Body like to the Corn cast into the ground which except it die first can bring forth no good Fruit wherefore Death is to me great advantage for thereby the Body ceaseth from sin and afterwards turneth into the first Original but after it shall be changed and made brighter then the Sun or Moon what shall I writ of this corporal death seeing it is decreed of God that all men shall once dye happy are they that dye in the Lord which is to dye in the Faith of Christ professing and confessing the same before many Witnesses I praise my God I have past the same Journey by many Temptations the Devil is very busy to perswade the World to entice with promises and fair words which I omit to write least some might think I do hunt after vain glory which is farthest from my heart Lastly the danger of some false Brethren who before the Bishop of London purposed to confess an Untruth to my face yet the God that rul'd Balaam moved their hearts where they thought to speak to my Accusation he made them speak to my purgation what a Journey by Gods power I have made these eight dayes before this day it is above Flesh and Blood to bear but as Paul saith I may do all things in him which worketh in me Jesus Christ My course Brethren have I run I have fought a good fight the Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me my day to receive it is not long to pray Brethren for the Enemy doth yet assault stand constant unto the end then shall you possest your Souls walk worthily in that vocation wherewith you are called comfort the Brethren salute one another in my name be not ashamed of the Gospel of the Cross by me preached nor yet of my suffering for with my Blood I affirm the same I go before I suffer first the baiting of the Butchers dogs yet I have not done what I should have done but my weakness I doubt not is supplyed in the strength of Jesus Christ and your Wisdoms and Learning will accept that small Talent which I have distributed unto you as I trust as a faithful Steward and what was undone impute that to frailty and ignorance and with your love cover that which is and was naked in me God knoweth ye are all tender unto me my heart bursteth for the love of you ye are not without your great Pastour of your Souls who so loveth you that if men were not to be sought out as God be praised there is no want of men he would cause stones to Minister unto you cast your care upon that Rock the Wind of Temptation shall not prevail fast and pray for the dayes are evil look up with your Eyes of hope for the Redemption is not far off And also that which is behind of the blood of our Brethren which shall also be laid under the Altar shall cry for your relief time will not now suffer me to write longer Letters the Spirit of God guide you in and our rising and sitting cover you with the Shaddow of his Wings defend you against the Tyranny of the Wicked and bring you happily unto the Part of eternal felicity where all tears shall be wiped from your eyes and you shall alwayes abide with the Lamb. John Rough. The Sufferings and cruel Torments sustained by Cutbert Simson of London at the hands of the cruel Papists This Cuthbert Simsion was a man of a zealous and faithful Spirit for Christ and the true Flock in London Cuthbert Simson Martyr in that day wherein they greatly suffered he ceased not daily to labour and earnestly to endeavour their preservation from the corruption of the Popish Religion his pains zeal travil patience and sidelity was not easily to be expressed as saith the Record A Relation of his cruel Usage in the Tower is as followeth On the 13th day of the Moneth called December he was sent to the Tower by the Councel and on the Thursday following he was called into the Ware-house before the Constable of the Tower and the Recorder of London who prest him to discover the persons he had willed to come to the Meeting he belonged to but he answered he would declare nothing whereupon he was set in the Rack of Iron the space of three hours then they asked him If he would tell them he answered as before then was he loosed and carried to his Lodging and on the day called Sunday following was brought to the same place again before the Lievtenant and Chelmly Recorder of London who again Examined him he answered as before Then the Lievtenant swore by God he should tell and caused his two fore-fingers to be bound together and put a small Arrow betwixt them and drew it threw so fast that the blood followed and the Arrow broke then they Rackt him twice and then carried him to his Lodging again and ten dayes after the Lievtenant asked him If he would confess to whom he answered He had said as much as he would then about five weeks after he sent him to a high Priest who past the Popes curse upon him forbearing Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ When he was brought before Bonner several Articles were objected against him as denying the Sacraments and Ceremonies of the Church and for being at several great Meetings Assemblies and Conventicles At the same time there were two other persons Examined before Bonner viz. Hugh Fox Hugh Fox and Jo. Devenish Martyrs and John Devenish against whom the general common Articles were produced and they were condemned and burnt with Cuthbert Simson in Smithfield upon the 28th day of the Moneth called March for whose constancy to the Lord in his Quarrel his Name be exalted for evermore Some Passages wrote in a Letter from Cuthbert Simson to his Wife out of the Cole-house are as followeth Dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ I cannot writ as I do wish unto you I beseech you with my Soul commit your self under the mighty hand of
that season bitter yet if the cause were considered one would purge the other and for setting up of Mass she had learned by the perswasions of excellent men for Six Years past inwardly to abhor and if she should then outwardly allow it she should shew her self a false Christian and to her Prince a Masking Subject you know my Lord one by Judgment reformed is more worth then a thousand transformed Temporizers to force a Confession of Religion by Mouth contrary to that in the Heart worketh Damnation where Salvation is pretended Then said the Bishop That deliberation would do well if she were required to come from an Old Religion to a New but now she is to returned from a New to an Antient Religion My Lord said Bartie in answer to that not long since she answered a Friend of hers using your Lordships speech that Religion went not by Age but by Truth and therefore she was to be turned by perswasion and not by Commandment The Dutchess and her Husband daily understanding by their Friends that the Bishop intended to call her to Account for her Faith and considering the Sufferings and Extremity that might follow endeavoured to get the Queens Licence to travel beyond Sea which in a few dayes he obtained and then first went over by himself leaving the Duchess behind who had agreed to follow him Q. Mary An. 1558 which with much difficulty she did and in their travels beyond Sea they suffered very much for having taken a House in a Town called Santon a Haunce Town under the Duke of Cleves Dominion to which Town divers Wallons were fled for Religion it was muttered about the Town that the Dutchess and her Husband weregreater persons of note then they discovered themselves to be and the Magistrates being not very well inclined to Religion a suddain order was given out that the Dutches and her Husband should be Examined of their Condition and Religion Bartie hearing this took his Wife and Child and two other with him and on Foot travelled forthwith towards VVeesell which proved a wet and wearisome Journey being not used to Foot it and Passage otherwayes they could not hire he being fain for some part of the way to carry the Child himself and she to earry his Cloak and that which was worse when night approached coming to Weesel they could get no entertainment at Inns the Innholders suspecting him to be a Launce Knight and the Dutches his Woman so that they were brought to a great straight for it rained hard the Child with cold cryed and the Mother wept the Husband seeing themselves destitute of Succor resolved to get some Straw and Coals and lay them in a Porch that night if he could get no better Lodging but in the midst of this hardship he met with two Boyes that spoke Latine through their directions he found out a Wallons House where he met with one of his acquaintance and one that had been a Friend to him who meeting together and seeing the Dutchess and her Husband in such a dirty wet condition could not speak for some time to each other for tears but at last the comfort they received from their Friend revived them and in a few dayes he hired a fair House for them and it was soon noised about the Town what they were and the uncivility of the Inn-holders towards them was openly and sharply rebuked by the Preachers in their Pulpits for being so unkind to Strangers but they were not long settled here but they were unsettled again for a Snare was laid to apprehend them there which through the kindness of the English Embassadour they had intimation of whereupon they travel'd to the Palsgraves Country and after some time of abode there the King of Poland hearing of their troubles invited them into his Country where they were quietly and honourably entertained till the Death of Queen Mary The Sufferings and Preservation of Thomas Rose Aged Seventy six Years in the Town of Luton and Country of Bedford This Thomas Rose for his zeal for the Gospel was informed against to the Council who sent a Messenger down to Hadley in Suffolk to apprehend him being before the Council the charge against him was that he was privy to the burning of the Rood of Dover-Court for this he was committed to Prison to the Bishop of Lincolns House in Holburn and there remained from the time called Shrovetide till Midsummer very sore Stocked the Stocks being very high and great so that day and night he did lye with his back on the ground upon a little Straw with his heels so high that the blood fell from his feet so that his feet were almost without sence for a long time and he fell sick insomuch that the Keeper pittying him acquainted the Bishop therewith and told him He would not keep him to die under his hands whereupon the Bishop extended some charity and gave him some more ease and liberty but would not suffer Thomas Rose his own Mother to visit him but bid her go home for she might not see him but she giving the Keeper four Shillings he let her speak to him through a Grate from thence he was removed Prisoner to Lambeth but was shortly after delivered and after he was at liberty for preaching against Auricular Confession Transubstantiation and such other Points contained in the six Articles which then so to do was Death by the Law wherefore he was narrowly sought after by the Duke of Norfolk who being Lievtenant commanded that whosoever should take him should hang him on the next Tree Thomas having notice of what was intended against him was conveyed into Flanders where he remained some Years and afterwards coming over into England again was received by the Meeting at London to be their Preacher who at their Assembles would often at a night gather ten pounds for the Assistance and help of such as suffered in Prisons for the Truths sake He was secretly preserved often times in this Assembly at London yet at length through treachery was taken with thirty five at a Meeting in Bow-Yard in Cheapside at a Sheer-mans House on the day called New-years-day and was had before Stephen Gardner to be Examined who committed him to the Clink till a seasonable time to do it He was several times brought before the Bishop upon Examination where the chief discourse was upon the common Snares of Transubstantiation Auricular Confession c. And after long Disputations privately to and fro betwixt them the Bishop took him by the hand and said Father Rose you may be a worthy Instrument in the Church and so committed him only to his own Lodging that night and afterwards being set at liberty by the hand of Providence he travelled beyond Sea and there remained till the Death of Queen Mary A true Relation of the Martyrdom of Richard Atkins an English man by the bloody Papists at Rome Anno 1581. Richard Atkins born in Hartfordshire Rich. Atkins Martyr at Rome
pray to his God and preach if he could the Priests stuffing the dead Mouth with the leaves of Bibles and said to the dead Corps Preach the Truth of your God and call upon him now to help you A Letter written by Wouter Oom Prisoner and Martyr in the City of Antwerp full of Consolation against the fear of Persecution directed to a Brother and Sister of his Grace and Peace from God the Father and from his Son Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Well beloved Brother and Sister whom I love dearly for the Truths sake and for your Faith in Christ Jesus these are to certifie you that I am in bodily health and enjoy the comfort of a good Conscience I praise my Lord God therefore who is able to encrease the same more and more by the powerful Operation of his holy Spirit whosoever they be that will forsake this present evil World and become Followers of their Captain Christ must make account to meet with many Persecutions and Afflictions for Christ hath told us afore-hand That we should be Hated Persecuted and Banished out of the for his Names sake An. 1562. and this they will do saith he Because they have neither known the Father nor me but be not afraid saith he for I have overcome the World St. Paul also Witnesseth the same thing saying All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution And again To you it is given for Jesus Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake And doth not our Lord Jesus Christ say Blessed are you when men persecute you and speak all manner of evil falsly against you for my Names sake Rejoyce therefore and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven Now whereto serveth all this my beloved but to bring us into a conformity with our Lord and Master Jesus Christ For Christ hath suffered for us saith the Apostle Saint Peter leaving us an Example that we should walk in his steps who also endured the Cross and despised the shame for the obtaining of that joy which was set before him and became Poor to make us Rich 2 Cor. 8 9. By him also are we brought by faith into that state of Grace wherein we stand rejoycing in the hope of the Glory of God knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience c. Wherefore dear Brother and Sister be not afraid of the fiery Tryal which is now sent among us to prove us for what Father loving his Child doth not correct it Even so doth the Lord chastice those whom he loveth for if we should be without correction whereof all true Christians are partakers then were we Bastards and not Sons And therefore Solomon faith My Son despise not the Chastning of the Lord neither faint when thou art corrected of him for whom the Lord loveth the same he correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth fear not then to follow the footsteps of Christ for he is the Head and we are his Members even as Christ then hath obtained full Joy and Glory by suffering of Anguishes and Sorrows so we also according to his Example must through many Tribulations enter into the heavenly places even into the New Jerusalem Let us then say with Saint Paul Christ unto me is in life and in death advantage Let us cry out with him O wretched Creatures that we are who shall deliver us from this Body of Death See here how the Faithful have desired to be with Christ for with Abraham they had an Eye to that holy City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Let us then my beloved cheerfully and willingly follow the Lord possessing our Souls by Patience For it is a good thing as saith the Prophet Jeremiah both to hope and quietly to wait for the Salvation of the Lord and good also it is for a man to bear the Yoke in his Youth for such the Lord will comfort in the end and restore unto them the joy of his Salvation Lo here dear Brother and Sister what Consolations our God hath treasured up for us in his holy Word for us I say whose desire it is to fear the Lord and to trust in his Grace and Mercy for the Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of Trouble wherefore giving all diligence let us add to Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Love for if these thing be in us and abound An. 1567. they will cause us neither to be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ The which God our Father grant us for his Sons sake our Lord Amen Out of my Hole December the 11th 1562. Wouter Oom Prisoner for the Truth A Relation of such things as fell out under the Goverment of Alva And of many men put to death Anno 1567. The Afflictions of the Protestants in the Low-Countries were multiplyed this year under the Dominion of Ferdinando of Toledo Duke of Alva It is well known that the Spaniards using all their endeavorus to rule over this Country at their pleasures had no better opertunity to accomplish their designs then to establish among them their Inquisition thereby todomineer over the goods honors and lives of every one the noble Citizens and Commons did what they could to oppose the same to which purpose they had instantly besought the King to afford them his Royal presence that hearing once their Complaints his Majesty might take some order for matters of so great Importance alledging to this end the Example of the Emperour Charles his Father who upon a business far inferiour to this adventured himself with much diligence to pass through the Enemies Country who were but a while before reconciled only to stay some Mutinies begun in the City of Cand. These things had so moved the King that he made them a promise by Letters of his coming but his intentions were broken of by such as were the upholders of the Inquisition that so they might with the more facility attain the end of their desires instead of their King then they had sent unto them the Duke of Alva who at his Entrance found the Prisons replenished with Gentlemen and other Personages of note whom the Dutchess of Parma had left in bonds after her death Long did they languish in this Captivity whilst the Duke of Alva by fair promises dissembled a kind of meek and gentle carriage of mind towards them giving them some hope of a General pardon proceeding from the Kings Clemency that thus he might catch the Lords and Governours the more cunningly into his Nets whereof the Lord Lemoral Earl of Egmond Prince of Gaud Governour of Planders and Artois and others of quality gave but too Lamentable experience who being led with vain hopes were at length inhumanly put to death The
of this Mortal Flesh to be clothed with Robes Immortal we forsake a loathsome Life for joy and felicity eternal ought any gain or exchange to be compared with this O sweet and happy Martyrdom how dost thou dignifie and inrich us in despite of the World Devil and our own Flesh and which of us now can complain seeing our Soveraign Lord and Master has so expresly foretold it to all his Followers will any man come after me saith he Let him then take up his Cross and follow me Let us bear Oh let us then bear the Cross cheerfully and with joyfulness that we may be received in the presence of his heavenly Father for it is not only given us for to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake and if we suffer with him then we shall also Reign with him Oh that we could admire his bounty who no sooner imployes us in his Work but hath the Wages ready in his Hand wherewith to recompence us your sorrow saith he Shall be turned into joy let us then cast off every weight that presseth down and whatsoever else that stands in our way to Heavenward be it Father Mother Brother Sisters Husband Child yea and our own life also let us with the wise Merchant-man sell all that with him we may purchase that pretious Pearl how happy do I esteem them that are called to suffer and leave their Life for confessing the Name of Jesus Christ for the Eternal Son of God will confess their Names before his heavenly Father and his holy Angels they shall be clad with white Robes and shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of Heaven filled with gladness in the Presence of the Lamb they shall eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Let us fix the Eye of our Minds upon these so great and pretious Promises of Jesus Christ which he hath made to all those who persevere in well-doing unto the end Oh! how happy shall we be when we are delivered from these Bodies of Death to live forever with our God Let us then continually pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith Oh dear Brethren remember me alwayes in your prayers who am bound here in the Bonds of Anti-christ remember those also who are in Bonds as if you were bound with them Pray I say without ceasing for our Adversary the Devil is alwayes compassing us about to cause our Hearts to faint and you are not ignorant what a potent Enemy our own Flesh is unto us but I confidently believe that our God who hath begun this good Work in me will perfect the same even unto the Day of Christ Farewel When the Massacrees began to play their parts in Rovan they counselled those of the Religion Persecution and Massacree at Rovan to get themselves into the Prisons as into places of greatest security from the fury and rage of the people but such as followed this advice were there even ready to be devoured as poor Sheep by these greedy Wolves at their pleasure Those who were murdered in the City in a few dayes some in their Houses and others in the Prisons amounted to six thousand besides more then fifty Women unto whom they exercised no less Cruelty then upon men Their names for brevity sake are here omitted their dead bodies being piled together were conveyed out of the City in Tumbrils and thrown by heaps one upon another into great pits digged for that purpose Their garments being washed in the River from their Blood by certain poor Women were afterwards distributed here and there to the Poor by the Papists that they might seem with their merciless and unjust Cruelty to mingle some Works of Justice and Charity A Massacree at Tholouse Upon the eight day after the Massacree at Paris about eight of the Clock in the Morning the chief of the Papists at Tholouse received Advertisement of that which had passed with Letters directing them what they were to do then a Council was called at the breaking up whereof the great Gates of the City were shut only the little Wickets left open and shortly after they entered into the houses of those of the Religion whom they imprisoned in sundry Prisons of the City about three weeks after they put all these Prisoners together into the Consciergery which is a special Prison deferring the Slaughter of them until they received Warrant and Authority from Paris which having received the Prisoners were called down to the Stairs foot one after another and there Massacred not permitting them so much leasure as to speak the Councellors who were of the Religion after they had Massacred them they hanged them up in their Gowns upon a great Elm which was in the Court of the Palace and in the mean time sacked and pillaged their houses An English Man burnt at Rome In the year 1595 a young man about the age of twenty five years being at Rome was much stirred in a Religious Zeal against their hornble Idolatry as the Bishop was going a Procession the young man pluckt the Pix out of his hand and threw it to the ground calling Wretched Idolater for which he was apprehended and sent to prison and shortly after Pope Clement the eighth hearing of it ordained that he should be immediately burnt but some of the Cardinals advised that he might rather be kept till a further examination and accordingly they kept him eight dayes in prison but when they see nothing could be drawn from him but these words viz. such was the will of God Then they stripped him naked to the middle and put on the form of a Devil or Dragon upon his head and then bound him in a Cart and carried him to the place of Execution where he was burnt alive Three English men put to death at Rome I find also a Relation of three other English-men put to death at Rome the manner of their sufferings are as followeth They meeting together entered into a Conference concerning the state of the Church at that time complaining that the Zeal of Gods Glory was wonderfully cooled amongst men yea and that even those of the Religion were grown but too worldly wise that Sathan by little and little was sowing the seed of Atheism every where by rocking men asleep in the Cradle of Security whereupon commending themselves into the hands of God they determined to take their Vogage to Rome and there to encounter with the Adversary of Christ thither they came and after two or three dayes two of them behaving themselves modestly did in secret manifest to some the Truth of the Gospel who being betrayed were imprisoned and put to death without any further ado the third resolved to bear his Testimony more publick and therefore taking an opportunity when the Pope was in the midst of his Massing devotion stept quickly to him and pluckt the host out of his hands and trod it under his feet testifying
other Heresie Schism Rebellion Treason or Faction and whatsoever else is contrary to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel or the Prosperity and good estate of this Realm our only desire is so to serve God as that we may please him with reverence and fear abstaining and keeping our Souls and Bodies from all remnants of the Roman Religion Idolatry Imposition and vain will-worship of what sort soever We witness against the unlawful pompous Hierarchy and Priesthood of this Nation as utterly disagreeing from the Testament of Christ and Ministry there appointed in their Offices Callings Administrations and Lord like Livings and Maintenance against the confuse prophane and irreligious multitude of all sorts of vitious Livers baptized into and retained in the Body of the Church of England without voluntary profession of and holy walking in the Faith of the Gospel against their manner of Worship and Service by reading Prayers out of a Book instead of true Spiritual invocation on the Name of the Lord and briesly against all their Popish Abuses and Relicks of the man of sin whatsoever And because this our Testimony maketh against the irregular Authority of the Prelates reproveth their evil Actions and disproveth their Pomp Stateliness Rich Revenues Stipends c. therefore have they in all hostile manner set themselves against us Persecuting us unto Bands Exile and Death it self reproaching us as Schismaticks Donatists Prownists Seditions persons c. though they could never convince us of these or any the like crimes and though we have not ceased neither by Gods Grace will cease to wish and procure good to their Souls and Bodies in the Lord now therefore our humble Request is unto your Majesty Honours and Worships that notwithstanding these differences we may be suffered to return into our native Country there to live in Peace practizing the Faith of Christ which we profess and have long since set forth to the view of the World in our publick Confession wherein none hitherto have shewed us any Error and seeing the People of other Nations are by your Majesty and Honours suffered in this Realm though differing from the Ecclesiastical state of the same we hope that your Highness Natural and Loyal Subjects may find like favour at your hands for although we cannot but hold and Witness the Truth of God against the corruptions remaining yet hold we in no wise lawful for our selves or any Subjects to attempt the reforming or abolishing of these or any the like abuses for God hath committed the Sword into your Majesties hand alone who in his time will perswade we trust your Royal heart to fulfil his will and execute his Judgments upon the Remainders of the Spiritual Babylon which will turn to as great Honour to God Honour to your Majesty and good of this Realm as the abolishing of Abbats Munks Fryart Mass Images c. hath turned heretofore So the Lord of Lords and Ruler of Rulers of the Earth will establish your Crown and Kingdom unto Length of dayes and howsoever this our Suit shall be regarded we will not cease in all places of our Pilgrimage to pray for and procure the good of your Majesty your Honours Worships and all our Country whom God Almighty bless with Long Life and happy dayes on Earth and Crown with Everlasting Glory in the highest Heavens Amen I find that in the year 1604. in this Kings Reign four Persons were banished the Land of England after they had suffered three Moneths Imprisonment for no other cause but seperating themselves from the Church of England refusing to Communicate joyn or pertake with the same in their publick Ministry and Worship reputing many corruptions to be still remaining amongst them which were derived from Popery And thus I have given an Account of such as suffered for Religion in those times and now to conclude I have this further to write by what I have observed upon Histories in several Ages viz. That while any People were under Suffering and Oppression for their Consciences endeavouring to serve and worship God in that Way they believed to be most agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth then the publick Way established in the Kingdom whilst they travelled under this Bondage and Suffering they were low in their minds and the Lord had regard unto them for their hearts were tender and the Lord appeared for them and now when the Lord had tryed this People and at last put Power into their hands and raised them as it were from a low estate they soon forgot his kind dealings with them as for Example the Independants and Presbyterians some of whom I have seen neer forty years since dregged out of their Meetings in private Houses and their Cloathes tore and their Faces covered as it were with dirt and their blood spilt and in this suffering condition they made many Covenants and Vowes to the Lord but this very People afterwards coming into Places of Authority and killing and taking Possession got themselves into the High-Places of the Earth and soon forgot their time of deep Sufferings and being exalted into Goverment they tread in the same steps those had trodden that were their great Persecutors and then they turn'd as riggid Persecutors if not worse then those they had turned out as witness the Innocent Blood they shed both in Old-England and New whose Cruelty under the Visor of a more righteous Cloak is too large here to insert but will be matter sufficient for another Volum and therefore I here conclude this AN ACCOUNT OF THE Just Iudgments of God INFLICTED UPON PERSECUTORS Wherein is shewed The Wicked Lives and most horrible Untimely Deaths of many of the Persecutors of Old Collected out of Ancient Histories and out of the Scriptures CHAP. I The remarkable and righteous Judgments of God which have befaln several Persecutors for Conscience sake mentioned in the Old Testament THe Old Serpent the Devil The Old Serpent who was the first Persecutor for Righteousness sake that ever was in the World who for that very cause hath hunted after the blood of the Saints even from the beginning unto this day was for his Persecution cursed of God above all Creatures Gen. 3.14 Cain persecuted his godly Brother Abel until Death Cain and that for no other cause but for Righteousness sake even because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Good and Righteous 1 John 3. 12. was therefore cursed of God with a bitter curse even from the Presence of God and from the Earth and made a Fugative and Vagabond in the Earth yea so great was his punishment that he said It was greater then he could bear Gen. 4.11 12 13. Ishmael was another Persecutor for he was a Mocker of his Brother Isaac Ishmael the true Seed of God and therefore was cast out with his Mother out of the Family of the Faithful that he might have no part in the Inheritance in the true Seed unto whom the Promise was made Gen. 12.9 10
I have sinned in that I have betrayed Innocent Blood and then went forth and hanged himself and falling headlong he brust asunder in the midst so that all his Bowels gushed out Matth. 27.3 4 5. Pilate the Governour Pilate that wicked Governor under whom Christ was Crucified in the dayes of Tiberius Nero then Emperor through the just punishment of Gods was first apprehended and accused at Rome and deposed and then banished to the Town of Lyons at length killed himself Acts and Mon. page 50. Caiphas the high Priest Caiphas that wicked high Priest that sate upon the Judgment Seat and condemned Christ was in the reign of the Emperor Caesar Caligula removed from his High-Priests Office and did not long after escape with his life Acts and Mon. pag. 50. Tiberius Caesar Tiberius Caesar who was also called Tiberius Nero under whose Raign aâ—d Goverment Christ himself suffered was poisoned to death Acts and Mon. pag. 50. Caesar Caligula Caesar Caligula that wicked Emperor and bloody minded man that wished that all the People of Rome had but one Neck that he might at his pleasure destroy them at once was cut off by the hands of a Tribune and others being slain when he had raigned but four years ibid. Claudius Nero. Claudius Nero of whom it is said that he Ruled thirteen years with no little Cruelty to the Christians was in the end slain ibid. Domitius Nero which succeeded next in the Empire but exceeded all the rest of the Neros for Fury Wickedness and Tyranny insomuch as he was counted a prodigious Monster of Nature more like a Beast yea rather a Devil then a Man in that he was so monsterously given to uncleanness Domitius Nero the first beginner and stirer up of the ten Persecutions about the Year 67 Acts and Mon. page 54. that he abstained not from his own Mother and his Natural Sister and in that he was so wretchedly cruel as that he caused to be put to death his own Mother his Brother-in-law his own Sister his own Wife great with Child and his Tutor Seneca and Lucane with divers more of his own Kindred besides the Apostles Peter and Paul who are said to be put to Death at the latter end of his reign for the Testimony of Christ and not only so his Wickedness ended not here but also he set on Fire the City of Rome in twelve places and so continued it six dayes and seven nights burning and to avoid the Infamy thereby laid the fault upon the Christians and then caused them to be persecuted He reigned fourteen Years even so long in cruelty till at last the Senate Proclaiming him a publick Enemy of Man-kind condemned him to be drawn through the City and to be whipt to Death for the fear whereof he flying the Hands of his Enemies in the night fled to a Mannour of his Servants in the Country where he was forced to slay himself complaining that he had neither Friend nor Enemy that would do so much for him Ibid. In a word if Histories speak true few or none of the Persecuting Roman Emperors died in their Beds Decius the Persecutor being overcome in War to avoid his Enemies hands he leaped with his Horse into a Whirl-pool and was drowned Cla. Gen. Martyr 54. Valerianus his reward Valerianus the Emperor and Persecutor of the Christians was taken Prisoner of the Persians when he was Seventy Years of Age and Sapores the King of the Persians used him for his Riding-block for whensoever the King was minded to mount his Horse openly in the sight of the People Valerian the Quondam Emperor was brought forth instead of a Block for the King to tread upon his Back in going to his Horse-back and in the end he was condemned to be slain and powdered with Salt for a perpetual Monument of his own wretchedness Acts and Mon. 105. Ex. Euseb Gallienus Killed by Aureolus Acts and Mon. 51. Aurelianus his Persecution wonderfuly prevented Aurelianus the Emperor began his reign with moderation and discretion giving Toleration to the Christians but at length giving ear to evil counsel his nature inclinable to Severity was altered to plain Tyranny which he shewed in Murdering First his own Sisters Son then purposing in himself to persecute the Christians he framed a Proclamation against them for their Persecâ—â—â—n â—â—d being ready and about to sign it with his own hand was by thâ—â—â—ghty stroke of the hand of the Lord suddainly from above stopt in his purpose binding as a man might say the Emperors hands behind him for Utropius and Vâ—piscus affirms that as the said Aurelianus was purposing to raise Persecution against the Christians he was suddainly Terrified with Lightning and so stopped from his wicked Tyranny Dioclesian the Wicked Persecutor Poisoned himself Dioclesian that Wicked and Impious Persecuting Emperor ring whose life a great and most grievous Persecution was moved â—gainst the Christians ten Years together and then he deposed himself and as some say at Solona Anno. 319. Poysoned himself Acts and Mon. Fol. 51. and 121. Maximinus was hanged as it is said by Constantine at Massilia about the Year 310. Acts and Mon. 123. Galerius confesseth to the Judgment of God Galerius the chief Minister of the Persecution after his terrible Persecutions fell into a wonderful sickness having such a sore risen in the nether parts of his Belly which consumed his Privey Members and so did swarm with Wormes that being not curable neither by Chyrurgery nor Physick he confessed it happened for his cruelty against the Christians and so calling in his Proclamations against them notwithstanding he not able to sustain as some say the stanch of his sore slew himself Acts and Mon. pag. 51. Maximinus the cruel Persecutor confesseth to the just Judgment of God Maximinus the Son as it is thought that Arch-Enemy to the Christians and great Persecutor of tender Conscience and stirrer up of others thereunto as witness his advising his Idol-Priests to execute their Office with great Authority and Dignity and with World like Pomp being to Christian pity and Religion most incensed exerciâ—ing cruel Persecution towards the East Churches so called was by the just Judgment of God suddainly and sorely vexed with a fatal disease most filthy and desperate and very strange taking its first beginning in his Flesh outwardly and from thence proceeding into the inward parts of his Body for in his Members there happened to him a suddain Putrifaction and botchey corrupt Boyles with a Fistual consuming and eating up his Intrales out of the which came swarming forth an innumerable multitude of Lice with such a pestifferous stench that no man could abide him or to be near him by reason whereof the Physitians that had him in cure some of them not able to abide the intolerable stench were commanded to be slain others because they could not heal him being so swoln and past hope of cure were all cruelly put to
man of a cruel nature and of a perverse and corrupt judgment a sore Persecutor of Christs Flock with greediness seeking and shedding Innocent Blood having drowned divers good men and women for which of some he was called A blood-Hound of others Sheltade that being of a short grundy and little stature he did commonly ride with a broad Hat as a Churl of the Country On a time having been at Antwerp at a Feast and being loaden with Wine riding home over a Bridge the Wagon was blown over the Bar into the Town-Ditch where his neck was broken and his Wife being with him was taken up alive but died within three dayes after the truth of this was Witnessed by several Merchants of Antwerp Erasmus in his Apology maketh mention of a Noble man who having purposed before his Death to go see Jerusalem and setting things in order for his Journey An. 1558. leaving the care of his Wife who was great with Child and of his Lordships and Castles to an Arch-Bishop as to a must sure and trusty Father to make short it happened this Noble man died in his Journey as soon as the Arch-Bishop hard of it instead of a Father he became an Enemy and Destroyer seizing into his hands all his Lordships and Possessions neither was he therewith contented but he laid seige against a strong Fort into which the Wife of the Noble man was fled for safe-guard where in the conclusion she with the Child she went withal was miserably slain By this Example the Reader may see what the effects of this mans blind Superstition was and what ill Fruits his rash vows to defend Idolatrous Pilgrimage did produce therefore saith my Author it is rightly said of Hierome To have been at Jerusalem is no great matter but to live a Godly and Virtuous life that is a great matter indeed In the Town of Gaunt in Flander An. 1565 The Provost of Gaunt one william D'waver was accused and Imprisoned by the Provost in Gaunt who had in his Cloister a Prison and place of Execution being with several others set in Judgment Seat in Examination and Trial of the said D'weavâ—â— where he charged him with denying to pray to Saints and denying Purgatory on a suddain the said Provost was smitten with a Palsie that his Mouth was drawn almost to his Ear and so he fell down and never speak word more and the next day about ten a clock he died nevertheless they burned the said William D'weaver within three hours after the same The like Example of the Lords Judgement was shewed upon another great Persecutor called Sir Garret Triest Aâ—â—56◠〈…〉 who had long promised to the Regent to bring down the Preachers for which the â—â—gent promised to make him an Earl the said Gerret being at Gaâ—â—â— â—e with other of the Lords received a Commission from the Regent 〈◊〉 sware the Lords and Commons unto the Romish Religion Garret being at Supper speak to his Wife to call him an hour sooner then he use to rise for that he should have much business to swear the People in the Town-house the next day but see what happened the said Garret going to Bed in good health and his Wife calling him in the morning according to his appointment found him dead by her and so not able to prosecute his wicked purpose However the Lords of Gaunt coming to the Town-house proceeded to give the Oath according to their Commission but Martin de Pâ—â—â—â—â— the Secratary being appointed to tender the Oath at the first â—an he offered it to the said Secratary was stricken with present Death and fell down and was carried away in a Chair and never speak more and to witness the Truth hereof my Author produceth ten persons Names A Letter translated out of French into English written to Henry the Second French King declaring and proving out of divers Histories what Afflictions and Calamities from time to time by Gods Righteous Judgments have fallen upon such as have been Eâ—â—micâ— to his People and have resisted the free passage of his Truth Consider I pray you Sir and you shall find that all your 〈◊〉 â—â—ous have come upon yon since you have set your self against 〈◊〉 which are called Lutherans when you made the Edict of 〈…〉 â—â—ant God sent you wars but when you ceased the 〈…〉 said Edict and as long as you were Enemies to the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ing into Armain for the defence of the liberty of the Germans â—â—â—â—ed for Religion your Affairs prospered as you could wish or desire On the contrary what hath come upon you since you joyned with the Pope again having received a Sword from him for his own safe-guard and who was it that caused you to break the Truce God hath turned in a moment your Prosperity into such Afflictions that they touch not only the state of your own person but of your Kingdom also To what end came the enterprise of the Duke of Guise in Haly going about the service of the Enemy of God and purposing after his return to destroy the Valleys of Piedmont to offer or sacrifice them to God for his Victories the event hath well declared that God can turn upside down our Counsels and Enterprizes as he overturned of laâ—e the Enterprize of the Constable of France at S. Quintinis having Vowed to God that at his return he would go and destroy Geneva when he had gotten the Victory Have you not heard of L' Pouchet Arch Bishop of Towers who made suit for the erection of a Court called Chamber Ardent wherein to condemn the Protestants to the Fire who afterwards was stricken with a disease called The Fire of God which began at his feet and ascended upwards that he caused one Member after another to be cut off and so died miserably without any Remedy Also one Castillanus who having inriched himself by the Gospel and forsaking the pure Doctrine thereof and returning to his vomit again went about to persecute the Christians at Orleans and by the Hand of God was stricken in his Body with a sickness unknown to the Physitians the one half of his Body burning as hot as Fire and the other as cold as Ice and so most miserably crying and lamenting ended his life There be other infinite Examples of Gods Judgments worthy to be remembered as the death of the Chancellor and Legate Duprat which was the first that opened to the Parliament the knowledge of Heresies and gave out the first Commissions to put the faithful to death who afterward died in his House at Natcilet Swearing and horribly Blaspheming God and his stomack was found pierced and knawn assunder with Worms also John Ruse Councellor in the Parliament coming from the Court after he had made report of the process against the poor Innocents was taken in a burning in the lower part of his Belly and before he could be brought home to his House the fire invaded all his secret parts and so he died
in England he said Well of this you may be assured That you shall none of you suffer for your Opinions or Religion so long as you live peaceably and you have the Word of a King for it and I also have given forth a Declaration to the same purpose That none shall Wrong you or Abuse you And further in the Kings Declaration dated December 26. 1662. wherein he declares first his wonderful Restoration without the least blood shed by the Military Sword And he expresseth his Clemency or the Clemency of his Nature And he vindicates himself from divers suggestions of disaffccted Persons particularly from that of intending to subject Persons and Estates to revenge or spoil c. and from intending to introduce a Military or Arbitrary way of Government Also he expresses these words as a malicius Scandal viz. That having made use of such solemn Promises from Bredah and in several Declarations since of ease and liberty to tender Consciences instead of performing any part of them we have added streighter Fetters then ever And further adds viz. We find it as artificially as maliciously divulged throughout the whole Kingdom that at the same time we deny a fitting Liberty to those other Sects of our Subjects whose Consciences will not allow them to conform to the Religion established we are highly indulgent to Papists even to such a degree of countenance as may even endanger the Protestants Religion These and such like in the said Declaration are related as venomous Insinuations most false and malicious Scandals wicked and malicious Suggestions and the Fomenters of them as the most dangerous Enemies of his Crown and of the Peace Happâ—ness of the Nation And these words are further added viz. It having been always a constant profession of ours That we do and shall ever think our royal dignity and greatness much more happily and securely founded on our own Clemency and our Subjects Loves then in their Fears and our Power To give our People a Testimony of our founding all our security rather in their affections then in any Military Power the sole strength and security we shall ever confide in shall be the hearts and affections of our Subjects indeared and confirmed to us by our Gratious and Steady manner of Government according to the antient known Laws of the Land there being not any one of our Subjects who doth more from his heart abhor then we our selves all sorts of Military and Arbitrary Rule As concerning the non-performance of our Promises we remember well the very words of those from Bredah viz. We do declare a liberty to tender Consciences and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon Mature deliberation shall be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence We remember well the Confirmations we have made of them since upon several occasions in Parliament and as all there things are still fresh in our memory so are we still firm in the Resolution of performing them to the full We do conceive our selves so far engaged both in honour and in what we owe to the Peace of our Dominions which we profess we can never think secure whilst there shall be a colour left to the disaffected to inflame the minds of so many Multitudes upon the scores of Consciences with dispair of ever obtaining any effect of our Promises for their ease Such an Act as in pursuance of our promises the wisdom of our Parliament shall think fit to offer unto us for the ease of tender Consciences We profess it would be grievous unto us to consent to the putting any of our Subjects to death for their Opinions in matter of Religion only Our expressing according to Christian Charity Our dislike of Blood-shed for Religion only Our Parliament is an Assembly so eminent in their Loyalty and their Zeal for the Peace and Prosperity of our Kingdoms can no wayes be doubted in the performance of all our Promises and to the effecting all those gracious intentions which God knows our heart is full of for the PLENTY PROSPERITY and UNIVERSAL SATISFACTION of the NATION We think to give them the most important Marks of our care First In punishing by severe Laws that Licentiousness and Impiety which we find to our great grief hath overspread the Nation And lastly so to improve the good consequence to the advancement of trade that all our Subjects finding the advantage in that Prime foundation of plenty they may all with minds happily composed by our clemency and indulgence instead of taking up thoughts of deserting their professions apply themselves comfortably and with redoubled industry to their several vocations c. Also in the Votes and Advice of the House of Commons Febr. 5. 1662. Upon reading the Kings Declaration and Speech are these words viz. And our hearts are further enlarged in these returns of Thanks-giving when we consider your Majesties most Princely and Heroick professions of relying upon the affections of your People AND ABHORING ALL SORTS OF MILITARY AND ARBITRARY RULE c. And in the Kings Declaration March 15th 1671. Pag. 4. But it being Evident by the sad Experience of twelve years that there is very little fruit of all those forceable courses And in Pag. 8. It s said we do in the next place declare our will and pleasure to be that the Execution of all and all manner of penal Laws in matters Ecclesiastical against whatsoever sort of Non-conformists or Recusants be immediately suspended and they are hereby suspended c. THE END
can no man lay then that which is already laid which is Jesus Christ if any man build on this Foundation Gold Silver Pretious-Sones Timber Nay Stubble every mans work shall appear for the day shall declare it and it shall be shewed in Fire and the Fire shall try every mans work what it is if any mans work which he hath builded upon abide he shall receive a Reward if any mans work burn he shall suffer Loss but he shall be saved himself yet as it were through Fire By Fire here the Apostle understands Persecution and Trouble for they which do truely preach and profess the Word of God which is called the Word of the Cross shall be railed upon and abhorred hated thrust out of the Company persecuted and tryed in the Furnace of Adversity as Gold and Silver are tryed in the Fire By Gold Silver and pretious Stones he understandeth them that in the midst of Persecution abode stedfast in the Word By Timber Hay and Stubble are meant such as in the time of Persecution do fall away from the Truth and when Christ doth purge his Floor with the Wind of Adversity these scatter away like Chaff which shall be burnt with unquenchable Fire Wherefore my beloved give diligent heed that ye as living Stones be built upon this sure Rock and be made a spiritual House and holy Preistood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ for we are the true Temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in us if so be that we continue in the Doctrine of the Gospel we are also a holy and Royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices and Oblations And thus I commend you Brethren unto God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you further and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified beseeching you to help me and all them that be in bonds for the Gospel sake with your Prayers to God for us that we may be delivered from all them that believe not and from unreasonable and froward Men and that this our Imprisonment and Affliction may be to the glory and profit of our Christian Brethren in the World and that Christ may be magnified in our Bodies whether it be by death or by life Amen Salute me to all the faithful Brethren let them hear my Letters the Grace of our Lord be with you all Amen George Marsh In another Letter dated from Lancaster the thirtieth of August 1555. directed to his Friends at Manchester he writeth thus Confider what I say the Lord give us understanding in all things Brethren the time is short it remaineth that ye use this World as though you used it not for the fashions of this World vanisheth away see that ye Love not the World neither the things that are in the World but set your affections upon heavenly things be meek and long suffering serve and edifie one another with the gift that God hath given you beware of strange Doctrine lay aside the old conversation of greedy Lusts and walk in a New Life beware of uncleanness covetousness and foollish talking rejoyce and be thankful towards God and submit your selves one to another cease from sin be sober and apt to pray be patient in trouble love each other and let the Glory of God and profit of your Neighbour be the only mark you shoot at in all your doings repent ye of the life that is past and take better heed to your doings hereafter Another Letter to a Friend Grace be with you and Peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and Jesus the Lord. After hearty Commendations and Thanks to you for your large token but much more for your loving Letters full of Consolation to me as touching my person unknown to you these shall be to certifie you that I rejoyce greatly in the Lord when I perceive to see the minds of my Friends stirred up to bear part with me in this my costly imprisonment sending me things not only necessary for this persent life but also comfortable Letters encouraging exhorting me to continue grounded and established in the Faith and not to be moved away from the hope of the Gospel whereof according to my small Tallent I have been a Minister and daily I call and cry unto the Lord in whom is all my trust and without whom I can do nothing that he which hath begun a good work in me would go on with it until the day of Jesus Christ being surely certified in my Conscience of this that he will so do for as much as he hath given me that not only I should believe on him but also suffer for his sake The Lord strengthen me with his holy Spirit that I may be one of the number of those Blessed which enduring to the end shall be saved And whereas you say that my suffering of Persecution with Christ is a thing to you most comfortable I answer that in all my Adversities and Necessities nothing on your behalf is greater Consolation unto me then to hear of the Faith and Love of others and how they have good remembrance of us alwayes even as the Apostle said by the Thessalonians Now are we alive if ye stand stedfast in the Lord be strong let your hearts be of good comfort and wait ye still for the Lord he tarrieth not that will come look for him therefore and faint not and he will never fail you Yours George Marsh The next that suffered were John Cordmaker John Cordmaker and three other Martyrs John warn Upholster of London John Ardly and John Simson of Wigborrough in Essex husbandmen against these four persons many Articles were drawn up for not conforming to the Doctrine of the Popish Church according to common course of the Consistory Court they were several times called and the Articles against them read which Articles were much alike against them all and for refusing to recant they were all condemned and burat about the Month of May. The Examinations Sufferings and Martyrdom of Thomas Hawkes called a Gentleman written by himself The said Thomas Hawkes Thomas Hawkes Martyr was condemned when Thomkins and the rest with him were condemned which was in the Month called February but his Execution was not till the Month called June following and now coming in order to that Month it falls in course to relate his Tryals and Sufferings as followeth As touching his Education he was born in Essex of an honest stock and bred up a Courtier his Person and Stature very comly and his mind endued with excellent qualities a man of a gentle behaviour and of a fervent love to true Religion and godliness he was also singularly adorned with valour and courage whose Example therein was a good president to the rest of his Brethren and as it is recorded of him few men stood more notably or triumphed more gloriously then this young man for he was so wise in the Cause of God