A BREVIARY OF THE LATER PERSECUTIONS Of the Professors of the Gospel of CHRIST JESUS under the Romish and Antichristian Prelats through Christendome from the time of John VVickliff in the year of God 1371. to the Raign of Queen Elizabeth of England and the reformation of Religion in Scotland And of the cruell Persecutions of the Christians under the Turkish Emperors with some memorable occurrences that fell out in these times through diverse Realmes Countreys Collected out of the Ecclesisticall History and Book of Martyrs By Mr. Robert Young Luke 9 23. And he said unto them all if any man will come after me let him deny himself take up his crosse daily follow me Vers 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake the same shal save it Verse 25. For what advantageth it a man if he gain the whole World and destroy himself or lose himself Verse 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shalt the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy Angels GLASGOW Printed by ROBERT SANDERS Printer to the City and are to be Sold at his Shop 1674. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Rome is not now as it was in the Primitive times it was then the seat of the true service and worship of God where the Word or God was truly and purely preached professed and maintained but now Rome is full of errors superstition and idolatry of all iniquitie and wickednesse full of vile abominations Petrark Mantuan and many others call Rome the Shop of all wickedness Babylon Sodom the School of errors the Church of heresies an harlot with a shameless face Mantuan thus noteth the vice there used Pudor in villas si non patiantur easdem Et villae vomicas Roma est jam tota lupanar that is go shame to the Villages if they be yet as free from the same filth or now all Rome is nought save boâ—therlie And Pasquil confirmeth the same when one having bâ—en at Rome at his departure taketh his leave thus Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse revertar Cum leno aut mertrix scurra cynedus ero That is Rome farewell I have seen and now I am glutâ—ed wi h the fight I will return when I am baud gester catamit All things are now saleable at Rome saith Mantuan Venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes Altaria Sacra Coranae Ignis Thura Preces Coelum est venale deusque Temples Priests Altars rites I tell not tale Crowns Sacrifices Heaven and God are set to sale and the souls of men Tecelius the Popes pardon-monger perswaded the people in Germany that whosoever would give ten shillings should at his pleasure deliver one soul out of the pains of Purgatory and assoon as the money rang in the Basen that soul was set at liberty but if it were one jot lesse then ten shillings it would profite them nothing This gainfull gulâ—eâ—â—e Luther cryed down with all his might and so marred the Market and therefore it is said by onâ— very well Vivere qui sanctè cupitis discedite Roma Omnia cum liceant non licet essepium that is ye that desire to live holy depart from Rome for when all things are lawfull it is not lawfull to be holy And as Rome is not now as it was of old so neither are the Bishops of Rome such men as were in the primitive times they were then Preachers of the Gospel of Christ Jesus maintainers and defenders of it and gave their lives to Martyrdome for the cause of Christ and his Gospel so that there were 25. of them that died Martyrs in order one after another But now the Bishops of Rome â—re become Tyrants and cruel persecuters of the Saints of God and Professors of the Gospel of Christ Jesus with fire and sword as we may see in the Martyrdome of John Hus and Jerome of Prage and thousands â—â—oe And as this insuing Treatise doth declare they are men of wicked and vicious lives given to unlawfull Arts and Sciences as to Necromancy There were eighteen Popes Necromancers one succeeding another they are lifted up in intollerable pride and claim and take to themselves high and arrogant titles as universall Bishops Princes of Priests supream head of the Universall Church and Vicars of Christ here one earth which must not be judged of any having all knowledge of Scriptures and all Laws contained within the Chest of their breasts chief Magistrates of the world they exalt themselves above Kings Princes and Emperours causing some of them to ly under their feet some to hold their stirrop some to lead their horse by the bridle some to kisse their feet placing and displacing Emperors Kings Dukes and Earles whom and when they pleased Was it not a presumptuous thing in Gregorius the seventh to cause the Emperor Henry the fourth to stand at his gate three dayes and three nights bare-foot and bare-legged with his wife and childe in the deep of Winter both frost and snow entreating for his absolution and after did Excommunicate him again so that he was twise Excommunicate in his dayes And did not I Paschalis after Gregorie set up the son of the said Henricus against his father in war to possesse the Empire and to put down his father and so he did And did not I Gregorius set up Robert Wysard and make him King of Sicilia and Duke of Capua Did not I Pope Alexander bring under Henry the second King of England for the death of Thomas Becket and cause him to go bare foot to his Tomb at Caunterbury with bleeding feet Did not I Innocentius the third cause King John to kneel down at the feet of Pandolphus my Legat and offer up his Crown to his hands and to kisse the feet of Stephen Langtoun Bishop of Canterburie and besides merced him in a thousand Meâ—ks be year Did not I Alexander bring the valiant Emperor Frederick the first to Venice by reason of his son Otho there taken prisoner and there in St. Marks Church made him fall down flat upon the ground while I set my feet upon his neck saying that verse of the Psalm Super aspidem Basiliscum ambulubis c. Did not I Adrianus Pope an Englishman born controle and correct the forsaid Frederick the Emperor for holding the left stirrop of my horse when he should have holden the right and afterward did I not Excommunicate him and curse him for that he was so sâ—wcy to set up his own name in writing before mine Did not I Pope Celestine Crown Henry the fifth Emperour with my foot and with my foot spurned the Crown from his head again in St. Peters Church to make him know that the Popes of Rome have power both to Crown Emperors and to dispose them again And briefly sayes the Pope who is able to comprehend the greatnesse of my power
Prince of Spain and Mary Queen of England were married together by the Bishop of Winchester in the presence of a great number of Noblemen of both the Realms in the year of God 1554. Cardinal Pool is sent legate to the King and Queen to reconcile England to their mother Church Rome the Parliament suâ—mit themselves to the Pope his authority is restored which was matter of great joy to Rome Great was the bloody murthering of Gods Saints in the time of Queen Mary And first to begin with Master John Rogers he is condemned of the Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor for two articles first for that he affirmed the Romish Catholick Church to be the Church of Antichrist and that he denied the reality of their Sacrament he cursed him to be disgraded and condâ—mned and put into the hands of the Lâ—itie and so he gave him over into the Shireffs hand which were much better then his 2. That in the Sacrament of the Altar there is not substantially nor really the natural body and blood of Christ After that this John Rodgers had been long and straitly imprisoned by the space of an year and an half at New-gate amongst Theeves often examined and very uncharitably entreated and at length unjustly and most cruelly by wicked Winchester condemned Such was the Bishop of Winchester and Boner Bishop of London their charity that he could not obtain of them that favour as to talk a little with his wife before his burning for his wife and children being eleven in number ten able to go and on sucking on her breast met him by the way as he went towards Smithfield this sorrowfull sight of his own flesh blood could nothing move him but that he constantly and chearfully took his death with wonderful patience in the defence and quarrel of Christs Gospel As he was going to Smithfield he said the Psalm Miserere by the was all the people wonderfully rejoycing at his constancy with great praises and thanks to God for the same A littâ—e before his burning at the stake his pardon was brought if he would have recanted but he utterly refused it so he was burned into ashes washing his hands in the flamme as he was in burning he was the first Protomartyr of all that blessed company that suffered in Queen Maries time that got the first adventure upon the fire he was viccar of St. Pulchers and Reader of Pauls in London After that Mâ—ster Rodgers had broken the yce here under Queen Mary there suffered in like sort an Archbishop four Bishops twenty one Divines eight Gentlemen eighty four Artificers one hundred Husband-men Servants and Labourers twenty six Wives twenty Widows nine Virgins two boyes and two Infants with many moe yea it is recorded that in lesse then four years they sacrificed the lives of eight hundred innocents here to their Idols in Queen Maries daies We shall take a view of them that are most memorable Lawrence Sanders Preacher a man of worshipfull Parentage was burned for the defence of the Gospel at Coventree being led to the place of Execution he went in an old Gown and a Shirt bare-footed and oftentimes fell flat on the ground and prayed When he came to the fire he fell to the ground and prayed he rose up again and took the Stake to which he should be chained in his arms and kissed it saying welcome the Crosse of Christ welcome everlasting life and being fastned to the Stake and fire put to him full sweetly he sleeped in the Lord. Mr. John Hooper Bishop of Worchester and Glocester was burnt for the defence of the Gospel at Glocester he was a worthy Bishop endued with these qualities that St. Paul requires in a Bishop he was condemned at London and degraded by Bishop Winchester and others and sent to Glocester to be burnt As he went to the fire he was led between two Sheriffs as it were a Lamb to the place of slaughter in a Gown of his Hosts his Hat upon his head and a staff in his hand to stay himself withall for the grief of the Sciatica which he had taken in prison caused him sometimes to halt All the way he was straitly charged not to speak the people mourned bitterly for him After he was entred into his prayer a Box was brought and laid before him upon a Stool with his pardon or at the least wise it was fained to be his pardon from the Queen if he would he at the sight thereof cryed if ye love my soul away with it if ye love my soul away with it the Box being taken away the Lord Shandois said seeing there is no remedy dispatch him quickly Mr. Hooper said God my Lord I trust your Lady will give me leave to make an end of my prayers Then said the Lord Shandois to Sir Edmund Bridges take heed that he do nothing else but pray if he do tell me and I shall quickly dispatch him so he prayed in these words following Lord said he I am hell but thou art heaven I am swill and a stink of sin but thou art a gracious God and a merciful Redeemer have mercy therefore upon me most miserable and wretched offender after thy great mercie and according to thy inestimable goodnesse Thou that art ascended into heaven receive me hell to be partaker of thy joyes where thou sittest in equall glory with tâ—y Father for well knowest thou Lord whereof I am come hither to sâ—ffer and why the wicked do â—â—â—secute this thy poor servant not for my sins and â—â—â—sgressions committed against thee but because I will not allow their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy blood and to the denyall of the knowledge of thy truth wherewith it did please thee by thy holy Spirit to instruct me the which with as much diligence as a poor wretch might being thereto called I have set forth to thy glory And well seest thou my Lord and God what terrible pains and cruel torments be prepared for thy creature such Lord as without thy strength none is able to bear or patiently to passe but all things that are impossible with man are possible with thee Therefore strengthen me of thy goodnesse that in the fire I break-not the rules of patience or else aswage the terrour of the pains as shall seem most to thy glory After he had done he was put to the fire and he abode three quarters of an hour in the fire for it was slow in burnning and thrise it was kindled before he was consumed In the midst of the fire he prayed with a loud voice Lord Jesus have mercy upon me Lord Jesus have mercy upon me Lord Jesus receive my spirit and these were the last words that he was heard to utter But when he was black in the mouth and his tongue swollen that he could not speak yet his lips went til they were shrunk to the Gams and he knocked his breast with his hands untill one of his arms fell off and then knocked
the eleventh there ensued such a great Schisme in Rome between two Popes Urban and Clement and other succeeding after them one striving against another that the Schisme thereof indured the space of 39. years or there about untill the time of the Counsell of Constance As touching this pestilent and miserable Schisme It would require here another Iliad to comprehend in order all the circumstances and tragicall parts thereof what trouble in the whole Church what parts taking in every country what apprehending and imprisoning of Priests and Prelats taken by land and sea what shedding of Blood did follow thereoff how Otho Duke of Brunswick and Prince of Tarentum was taken and murthered how Joan his wife Queen of Jerusalem and Sicilia who before had sent to Pope Urban beside other gifts at his Coronation 40. m. Duckets in pure Gold was after by the said Urban committed to prison and in the same prison strangled What Cardinals were racked and miserably without all mercy tormented on Gibbets to death what slaughter of men what Battels were fought between the Popes whereof 5000. on the one side were slain beside the number of them who are taken Prisoners of the beheading of five Cardinals together after long torments And how the Bishop of Aquilonensis being suspected of Pope Urban for not ryding faster with the Pope his horse not being so good was there slain by the Popes commandement sending his Souldiers unto him to slay him and cut him in pieces with many moe acts of horrible cruelty happening in the time of this abominable Schisme About the same time aâ—so or about three years after there fell a cruell dissention in England between the common people and the Nobility the which did not a little disturb and trouble the Common-wealth In this tumult Simon of Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury was taken by the Rusticall and rude people and was beheaded In the year of God 1397. there was a battel foughteen betwixt Tamerlane the Tartarian Prince and Bajazet the fourth King of the Turks not far from the Mount Stella where Bajazer there lost his son Mustapha with two hundred thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer Bajazet himself was taken and being brought to Tamerlane and after sundry things asked of him he inqired of him what he would have done with him if it had been his fortune to have fallen into his hands as thou art now in mine I would said Bajazer have inclosed thee in a Cage of Iron and so in triumph have carried thee up and down my Kingdom Even so said Tamerlane shalt thou be served And so he made him to be schaked in fetters and chains of gold and to be shut up in an Iron Cage made like a Grat in such sort as that he might on every side be seen and so carried him up and down as he passed through Asia to be of his own people scorned and derided And to his own further disgrace upon Festival dayes used him for a footstool to tread upon when he mounted to horse and at other times scornfully feed him like a Dog with crumes fallen from his Table A rare example of the uncertainty of worldly honour that he unto whose ambitious mind Asia and Europe two great parts of the world were too little should be now carried up and down cooped up in a little Iron Cage like some perillous wild beast all which Tamerlane did not so much for the hatred to the man as to manifest the just judgement of God against the arrogant folly of the proud It is reported that Tamerlane being requested by one of his Noblemen that might be bold to speak unto him to remit some part of his severity against the person of so great a Prince answered that he did not use that rigour against him as a King but rathet did punish him as proud ambitious Tyrant polluted with the blood of his own brother About this time Berthold Schwartz and Alchimist invented the Guns and Artilery After the death of John Wickliff many were persecuted and suffered most cruel death in England and many moe did forsake the Realm and weâ—e persecuted for the embracing professing and maintaining of VVckliffs doctrine And first of all we begin at one VVilliam Sawtre a good man and a faithfull Priest of the Churrh of St. Margaret in the Town of Lin and zealous of the true Religion he is brought before Thomas Arnndell Archbishop of Canterbury and his Clergie and is before them convict and condemned for Heresie he is first desposed and degraded from his Office and thereafter delivered to the secular power to be burned This it may appear how tKings and Princes have been blinded and abused by â—he false Prelates of the Church in so much that they have been their slaves and butchers to slay Christs poor innocent members See therefore what danger it is for princes not to have knowledge and understanding themselves but to be led by other mens eyes and especially trusting to such guides who through hypocrisie both deceive them and through cruelty devour the people As this King Henry the fourth was the first of English Kings that began the unmercifull burning of Christs Saints for standing against the Pope so was this VVilliam Sawtre the true and faithfull Martyr the first of all them after VVickliffs death which I find to be burned in the raign of the forsaid King which was in the year of our Lord 1400. After the Martyrdome of this godly man the rest of the same company began to keep themselves more clearly for fear of the King who was altogether bent to hold up the Popes Prelacie Such was the raign of this Prince that to the godly he was ever terrible in his actions immeasurable of few men heartily beloved but Princes never lack flatters about them neither was the time of his raigne very quiet but full of trouble of blood and misery After the death of VVilliam Sawtre was apprehended one John Badby a Taylor a Lay-man he was accused of heresie and other Articles repugnant to the determination of the Church of Rome before Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury and other his assiants both Lords Spirituall and Temporall and was condemned for an Heritick and delivered over to the Secular power to be burnt the Kings warrand is given for his burning he is brought into Smithfield and there being put in an empty Barrell was bound with Iron Chains fastened to an Stake having dry Wood put about him And as he was thus standing in the Pipe or Tun it happened that the Prince the Kings eldest son was there present who shewing some part of the good Samaritan began to endeavour and essay how to save his life he admonished counselled him that having respect unto himself he would speedily withdrawn himself out of these dangerous Labyrinths of opinions adding oftentimes threatnings the which might have daunted any mans stomack but hee hearkened not thereunto and then was the Tun put over him and fire put
Good Christian people for Gods love be well war of these men for they else will beguile you and lead you blindfold into Hell with themselves for Christ saith plainly unto you If one blind man lead another they are like both to fall into the ditch After this he fell there down upon his knees and thus before them all prayed for his Enemies holding up both his hands and his eyes toward Heaven and saying Lord God Eternall I beseech thee of thy great mercy sake to forgive my persewers if it be thy blessed will And then he was delivered to Sir Robert Morley and so led forth again unto the Tower of London there to be imprisoned but he escaped afterward out of the Tower how and by what means it is uncertain and was in VVales about the space of four years at which time a great summe of Money was proclaimed by the King to him that could take the said Sir John Oldcastle either quick or dead about the end of which four years being expired the Lord Powes whether for love or greedinesse of the money or whether for the hatred of the true and sincere Doctrine of Christ seeking all manner of wayes how to play the part of Judas at length obtained his bloody purpose and brought the Lord Cobham bound up to London and was brought before the Parliament and being out-lawed in the Kings binch and excommunicated before the Archbishop of Canterbury for Heresie where he was adjudged that he should be taken as a Traitour to the King to the Realm What was the point of Treason is not expressed that he should be carried to the Tower of London unto the new Gallows in St. Giles without Temple-bar and there to be hanged and burned hanging Treason was falsly surmized against him his execution arose principally of his Religion which first brought him in hatred of the Bishops the Bishops brought him in hatred of the King the hatred of the King brought him to his death martyrdome The Clergy then tanqâ—am Leones rugientes ceased not to roar after Christian blood and whatsoever else was in fault still the Clergy cryed Crucifie Christ and deliver us Barrabas for then all horrible facts and mischiefs if any were done were imputed to the poor Lollards whom they so misnamed that is withered Darnell Lollard by the Popes interpretation is a word derived of Lollium that is Darnell Yet after the burning of the Lord Cobham the Bishops and priests were in great discredit both with the Nobility and Commons partly for that they had so cruelly handled the good Lord Cobham and partly again because his opinion as they thought all at that time was perfect concerning the Sacrament The prelats feared this to grow to further inconvenience toward them both wayes wherefore they drew their heads together and at the last consented to use another practice somewhat contrare to that they had done before they caused by and by to be blown abroad by their hyred servants friends and babling Sir John's that the said Lord Cobham was become a good man and had lowly submitted himself in all things unto the holy Church utterly changing his opinion concerning the Sacrament and thereupon they counterfeited an abjuration in his name that the people should take no hold of his opinion by any thing they heard of him before and so to stand the more in aw of them considering him so great a man and by them subdued At this time Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury died and this may seem strange that the same Thomas Arundell who a little before sat in Judgement against the Lord Cobham and pronounced sentence of death upon him did himself feel the stroak of death and the sentence of God executed upon him before the other who would have thought but that the Lord Cobham being so cast and condemned definitely by the Archbishops sentence should have died long before the Bishop but such be the works of Gods Almighty hand whoso turned the Wheel that this condemned Lord survived his condemner three or four years Now to leave England for a while and to take a view of the Church of Bohemia and the persecution there for the profession of the Gospel of Christ in the year of our Lord 1400. there was great divisions in Religion in the Country of Bohemia The Emperor Charles the fourth instituted the University of Prage and provided it of learned men and as a Prince given to Letters adorned often with his presence the Disputations made in Schools but because theâ— Teutonians or Almains in that University seemed to carry away the praise and honour there in Disputations above the Bohemians they were greatly ashamed that strangers should surmount them It came to passe that one of the Bohemians having recovered the Books of VVickliff communicated them to his companions and they drew out of them great Arguments which the Teutonians could not resist whereupon many dissentions fell amongst them even to Batteries and Murthers The Teutonians seeing this forsook the place in so much that more then 2000 Schollars on one day went out of Prage and came to Lipse where they began an University after leave obtained John Hus then had the greatest renown a man that came out of a Village called Hus which signisieth an Hen whereof he took his name he was of a great and quick spirit and well spoken beginning to recommend the Doctrine of VVickliff in his Sermons to the people the occasion how the Doctrine of wickliff came to Bohemia was this there chanced at this time a certain Student of the Countrey of Bohemia to be at Oxford one of a wealthy house and also of a noble stock who returning home from the University of Oxford to the University of Prage carried with him certain Books of wickliffs who being communicated to John Hus a man of great knowledge and of a prognant wit took such pleasure in reading of them that not only he began to defend this Author openly in the Schooles but also in his Sermon commending him as a good man an holy and heavenly man wishing himself when hee should die to bee there placed whereas the Soul of wickliff should bee The Bohemians being instructed with his Doctrine began first to set against the Pope esteeming him no more Honourable nor great nor other Bishops or Priests and thereupon reformed the Doctrine by the conclusions and Articles following First that the dignity makes not the Priest or Bishop honourable but Sanctity of life and good Doctrine 2. That souls separat from the bodies go right unto eternall pains o straight obtain happy life 3. That there is no witnesse in all the Scripture whereby can be proved that there is purgatory after this life 4. To make oblation and Sacrifices for the dead is an invention of the covetousnesse of Priests 5. Images of God or Saints benedictions of waters and such like things are forged of men against the Word of God 6. That the orders of begging Friers
so often or so long as it pleased their ordinary to appoint by which long rigorous and open punishing of them they meant as it should seem utterly to terrifie and keep back all others from the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and his Gospel But the Lord be evermore praised what effect their wicked purposes therein have been taken these our most lightsome dayes of Gods glorious Gospell doe most joyfully declare William Sweting and John Brewster were put to death and burnt together in Smithfield the chiefest case of Religion alledged against them in their Articles was their Faith concerning the Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood which because it differed from the absurd grosse and Capernaiticall opinion of the new School men was counted as most hainous Heresie John Brown was put to death and burned at Ashford in the year of God 1517. about the fourth year of King Henry the eighth upon the declaration of a Priest in a conference between him and the Priest who took him for an Heretick whereupon he was apprehended and committed to Prison the same night as he was in the Stocks at Ashford where he and his Wife dwelt his Wife came and sat beside him all the night before he should be burned to whom he declaring the whole story how he was handled shewed and told how that he could not set his feet to the ground for they were burned to the bones and told her how by the two Bishops Warham and Fisher his feet were heated upon the hote coals and burnt to the bones to make me said he to deny my Lord which I will never do for if I should deny my Lord in this World he would hearafter deny me I pray thee therefore said he good Elizabeth continue as thou hast begun and bring up thy Children vertuously and in the fear of God and so the next day this godly Martyr was burned commending his spirit into the hands of the Lord At the fire the Bayllie Arrant bade cast in his Children also for they would spring said he of his ashes This blessed Martyr John Brown had born an Faggot seven years before in the dayes of King Henry the 7. Richard Hunne Merchand Tailyour dwelling within the City of London and free-man of the same who was esteemed during his life and worthily reputed and taken not only for a man of true dealing and good substance but also for a good Catholick man this man was suspect of Heresie and committed to the Lollords Tower where he was first murthered by his adversaries the Priests and by them hanged whereupon they made the people to believe that he had desperatly hanged himself and after his death led a processe against him and condemned him of Heresie and at last burned him in Smith-field Thomas Man for alledged Heresie suffered much trouble and long imprisonment and in end was condemned and burnt in Smithfield This Tomas Man called Doctor Man confessed that he turned seven hundred people to his Religion and Doctrine for the which he thanked God Against the faithfull Christians of Amershame was great trouble and persecution in the time of William Smith Bishop of Lincolne At which time diverse and many were abjured and it was called abjuratio magna the great abjuration and they which were noted of that Doctrine and profession were called amongst themselves by the name of known men or just fast men as now they are called by the name of Protestants At this time although publick authority then lacked to maintain the open Preaching of the Gospel yet there were many in secret good Christians and true Professors of the Gospel truly the fervent zeal of those Christian-dayes seemed much superiour to these our dayes and times as manifestly may appear by their sitting up all night in reading and hearing also by their charges and expenses in buying of Books in English In which rarity of books and want of Teachers this one thing may be much marvelled and mused at to note in the Registers and to consider how the word of truth notwithstanding did multiplie so exceedingly as it did amongst them wherein is to be seen no doubt the marvellous working of Gods Almighty power for so it is found and observed in considering the Registers how one neighbour resorting and conferring with another oft seemed with a few words of the first and second Table did win and turn their minds to that wherein they desired to perswade them touching the truth of Gods Word and their Sacraments To see their travells their earnest seeking their burning zeal their readings their watchings their sweet assemblies their love concord their godly living their faithfull meaning with the faithfull may make us now in these our dayes of free profession to blush for shame Four prinipal points they stood in against the Church of Rome in pilgrimage adoration of Saints in reading of Scripture-books in English and in the carnall presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament After the death of William Smith succeeded John Longland a bloody and cruell persecutor of the Saints of God he caused the Wife to detect the Husband the Husband the Wife the Father the Daughter the Daughter the Father the Brother to disclose the Brother and Neigbour the Neighbour neither were there any Assemblies nor readings kept but both the persons and also the books were known neither was one word so closely spoken nor Article mentioned but it was discovered So subtilly and slightly these Catholick Prelats did use their inquisions and Examinations that nothing was done or said among these known men fifteen or twenty years before so covertly but it was brought at length to their intelligence as appears in a Table describing the grievous afflictions of good Men and Women in the Diocesse of Lincolne under John Longland their Bishop with the names both of the accusers and of them that were accused also with the crimes to them objected out of the Registers of the said Diocesse all these were constrained to abjure and do penance and they which were Relapse were committed to the Secular power and burnt As touching the burning of John Scrivener here is to be noted that his Children were compelled to set the fire unto their Father in like manner as Joan Clerk also Daughter of William Tylesworth was compelled to give fire for the burning of her own naturall Father The example of which cruelty as it is contrary both to God and Nature so it had not been seen nor heard of in the memory of the Heathen Now to leave England for a while and to take a view of other Countreys and the Persecutions for Religion there we shall begin first with Germany OF MARTIN LUTHER by whom God began the Reformation of his CHURCH MARTIN LUTHER born at Isleben in Saxonie one Augustine Frier arose in the year of God 1516. to detect and discover the errors of the Church of Rome and to cry out against indulgences upon this occasion Leo the tenth of that name Pope of Rome
What said he If God was so angry for an Apple that he cast our first parents out or Paradise for the same Why may not I being his Vicar be angry then for a Peacock since a Peacock is a greater matter then an Apple Behold here good Reader by this Pope the holiness of that blasphemous See and yet thou shalt see how what affection was born unto this Pope here in England by the Dirigies Hearses and Fâ—nerals commanded to be had and celebrated in all Churches by the Queen and her Counsel At what time it chanced a woman to come into St. Magnus Church at the Bridge foot in London and there seeing an Hearse and other preparation asked what it meant and others that stood by said it was for the Pope and that she must pray for him nay quoth she that will I not for he needeth not my prayer and seeing he could forgive us all our sins I am sure he is clean himself therefore I need not to pray for him she was heard to speak these words of certain that stood by which by and by carried her to the Cage of London Bridge and bade her cool her self there In the close of the Examination of John Simpson and John Audely two Husband-men is to be noted the sudden fear of Bishop Boner and his Doctors which was thus there was assembled at that time a great multitude of people that because the Consistory was not able to hold them they were fain to stand in the Church near about the said Consistory waiting to see the said prisoners when they should depart and hearing the Bishop say Have him speaking to Simpson being in a rage at his stout answers Have him away Now the people hearing in the Church these words and thinking because the day was far spent that the prisoners had their judgement they being desirous to see the prisoners had to Newgate severed themselves one running one way another another way which caused such a noise in the Church that they in the Consistory were all amazed and marvelled what it should mean wherefore the Bishop also being somewhat afraid of this so sudden fear asked what there was to do The standers by answering said that there was like to be so tumult for they were together by the ears When the Bishop heard this by and by his heart was in his heels and leaving his seat he with the rest of that Court betook them to their legs hastning with all speed possible to recover the door that went into the Bishops house but the rest being somewhat lighter of foot then my Lord did soon recover the door thronging hastily to get in keeped the Bishop still our and cried Save my Lord save my Lord but meaning yet first to save themselves if any danger should come whereby they gave the standers by good matter to laugh at the rediculous fear of Boner and his Doctors and so thereafter thir two godly persons Simpson and Audely were burnt The Counsell of Trent was in this Pope Julius his time betwixt the first and last Session thereof were eighteen years In it all the Articles of the Popish Doctrine were confirmed At this time by the Popish Clergy the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagins which had lyen almost two years in their graves were taken up and burned at Cambridge besides this they caused Peter Martyrs wife a woman of worthy memory to be digged out of the Church-yard to be burned on the dung-hill A little before Thomas Hawkes Gentleman his death some of his aqâ—â—intance friends which seemed not a little to be confiâ—med by the example of his constancy and by his talk yet notwithstanding the same again being feared with the sharpnesse of the punishment which he was going to privily desired that in the midst of the flamme he would shew them some token if he could whereby they might be more certain whether the pain of such burning were so great that a man might not therein keep his mind qâ—iet and patient Which thing he promised them to do and so secretly between them it was agreed that if the rage of the pain were tollerable and might be suffered then he should lift up his hands above his head towards Heaven before he gave up the Ghost In the fire when he continued long when his speech was taken away by violence of the flamme his skin also drawn together and his fingers consumed with the fire so that now all men thought certainly that he had been gone suddenly and contrary to all expectation the blessed servant of God being mindfull of his promise made before reached up his hands burning in a lighâ— fire which was marvellous to behold over his head to the living God and with great rejoycing as seemed did strike or clap them three times together At the sight whereof there followed such applause and out-cry of the people and especially of them which understood the matter that the like hath not commonly been heard And so the blessed Martyr of Christ straight way siâ—king down into the fire gave up his spirit Mr. John â—radfoord Preacher most constantly suffered for the tâ—stimony of Christ and his truth he was long in prison he had many conflicts with his adversaries he was burnt at Smithfield many Doctors and Bishops did talk with him in prison and two Spanish Friers dealt with him to recant and to leave his errors but he abode constant in the truth When he came to the Stake he took a Fagot in his hand and kissed it and so likewise the Stake And when he had so done he desired of the Sheriffs that his servant might have his rayment for said he I have nothing else to give him and besides that he is a poor man and the Sâ—eriff said he should have it And so forthwith Mr. Bradfoord did put off his Rayment and went to the Sâ—â—ke and holding up his hands and casting his countenance to Heaven he said thus O England England â—epent thee of thy sins beware of Idolatry bâ—ware of false Antichrists take heed they do not deceive you but he was commanded by the Sheriff to be quiet At that time with him was burnt a young man named John Lease a Prentise of ninteen or twenty years whom he greatly encouraged said to him be of good comfort brother for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night he spak no moe words that any man did hear but imbracing the reed sâ—id thus strait is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth to eternal salvation and few there be that find it Here is not to be passed by a notable example of Gods hand upon Wâ—droff one of the Sheriffs that would not suffer him to speak but dealt churlishly with him It happened within half an year after the burning of this blessed Martyr that he was so stricken on the right side with such a Palsie or stroak of Gods hand whatsoever it was that for the space
far returned with him to Glasgow where they went first to the Church and gave thanks to God for the victory they had obtained almost without any effusion of blood This conflict happened upon the 13. of May the eleventh day after her escape from Lochlevin The Queen fleeth to England and writeth to Queen Elizabeth The Bishop of Orkney was reponed to his place and for removing the scandall he was injoyned in his first Sermon to make publick acknowledgement of his fault and crave forgivenesse of God the Church and State whom he had offended The Duke of Chattellerault returned and being made Deputy by the Queen caused publish his Letters prohibiting the subjects to acknowledge any other Soveraign then the Queen hereupon the Regent gave forth Proclamations charging the Lieges in the Kings name to meet him in Armes at Glasgow the 10. of March The Regent and the Duke were agreed by the means of the Superintendents James Hamiltoun of Bothwell-Haugh taketh in hand the Regents murther he is killed by him at Linlithgow as he was riding by the shot of a Bullet the Murtherer escapeth and the death of the Regent was greatly lamented The Earle of Lennox is chosen Regent Governour of the Realm untill the Kings Majority or till he were able by himself to administrate the publick affairs The Regent was shot by Captain Calder at Stirling and with the same bullet Wormestoun who did what he could to save the Regent was stricken dead After him the Earle of Marre was elected Regent After the Earle of Marre was the Earle of Morton elected Regent as the man in that time of greatest courage and counsell The Earle of Morton is challenged for the murther of the Kings father by Captain James Steward and is committed and thereafter brought to his tryall sentence is pronounced and he execute for concealing the Kings murther The Queen is excute and beheaded after 19. years captivity in England The Spanish Navy was in the year of God 1583. In the year of God 1597. there was a great businesse for the tryall of Witches Amongst others one Margaret Aikin being apprehended upon suspitiâ—n and threatned with torture did confesse her self guilty being examined touching her associats in that trade she namâ—d a few and peâ—ceiving her delations find credit made offer to detect all of that sort and to purge the countrey of them so she might have her life granted for the reason of her knowledge she said that they had a secret mark all of that sort in their eyes whereby she could surely tell how soon she looked upon any whether they were Witches or not and in this she was so readily believed that for the space of three or four moneths she was carried from Town to Town to make discoveries in that kind Many were brought in question by her delations especially at Glasgow where diverse innocent women through the credulity of the Minister Mr. John Cowper were condemned and put to death In end she was found to be a meer deceiver for the same persons that the one day she had declared guilty the next day being presented in another habit she cleansed and sent back to Fife where first she was apprehended At her tryall she affirmed all to be false that she had confessed either of her self or others persisted in this to her death which made many for think their to great forwardnesse that way and moved the King to recall the commissions given out against such persons discharging all proceedings against them except in case of voluntary confession till a solid order should be taken by the Estates touching the forme that should be keeped in their tryall In the year of God 16â—0 was Gowries conspiracy against the King discovered both he and his brother Mr. Alexander Ruthven were killed at St. Johnstoun and the King delivered The Ministers of Edinburgh being râ—qâ—ired by the Counsel to give thanks for his Majesties deliverance refused to obey excusing themselves that nothing ought to be deliv red in Pulpit but that whereof the truth was known and that all which is uttered in that place should be spokâ—n in faith When by no perswasion they could be moved to perform that duty it was resolved that the Counsel should go together to the Market Crosse and that the Bishop of Rosse should after a naration of the Kings daughter and deliverance conceive a publick thanksgiving which was done the multitude applauding and expressing a great joy Mr. Patrick Galloway the Mononday thereafter in presence of the King Preached at the Market Crosse who choosed the 124. Psalm for his Theam did take occasion to discourse of all the particulars of the conspiracy and gave the people great satisfaction for many doubted that there had been any such conspiracy the condition of Princes being as the Emperor Domitian said herein miserably that even when conspiracies made against their persons are discovered yet they are not credited unlesse they be slain The King to testifie his thankfulnesse for his deliverence mortified a thousand pound to the poor yearly to be taken of the readiest fruits of the Abbacie of Scoon After this order was taken for a publick and solemn thanksgiving to be made in all the Churches of the Kingdome The Ministers of Edinburgh who gave the refuse were commanded to remove themselves out of the town within 48. hours and inhibited to Preach within his Majesties dominions under the pain of death Three of the number to wit Mr. Walter â—elcanquel Mr. William Watson and Mr. John Hall acknowledging their fault were pardoned Mr. James Balfour likewise remitted But Mr. Robert Truce taking a course by himself and saying he would reverence his Majesties report of that accident but could not say he was perswaded of the truth of it was banished the King dominions and went into France The 15. of November a Parliament was held at Edinburgh wherein sentence of the forfeiture was pronounced against Gowry and Mr. Alexander his brother their posterity disinherited and in detestation of the paracid attempted the whole surname of Ruthven abolished but this last was afterwards dispensed with and such of that name as were knowen to be innocent tollerated by the Kings clemency to enjoy their surnames and titles as in former times The bodies of the two brethren being brought to the Parliament house were after sentence given hanged upon a Gibbet in the publick street and then dismembred their hands cut off and affixed upon the top of the prison house and the 5. of August ordained to be keeped yearly in remembrance of his Majesties delivery Prince Charles was born at Dumfermling The Queen of England continuing constant in her affection when she was asked a little before her death by the Lord Keeper and Secretary who were directed by the Counsel to understand her will touching her Successor answered none but my Cousen the King of Scots After which words she spake not much A Queen incomparable for wisedom and fidelity of Government She