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
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
the Revelation in these words And I saw an Angel descending from Heaven having a key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chain in his hand and he took the Dragon the old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years and put him into the bottomlesse dungeon and shut him up and signed him with his seal that he should no more seduce the Gentiles till a thousand years were expired and after that he must be loosed again for a little space of time c. The thousand years being now expired Satan let loose he begins again to persecute the Church of God and the professors of the truth in the person of Wickliff in the year of our Lord 1371. in the dayes of Edward the third King of England This Wickliff was an English-man and a Professor of Divinity in Oxford a man of great spirit and of great learning he came to such a degree or erudition that he was thought the most excellent amongst all the Theologians at that time he perceiving the true Doctrine of Christs Gospel to be aduldeâ—at and defiled with so many filthy inventions of Bishops Sects of Monks and dark errors and after long debating and deliberating with himself with many secret sighs and bewalings in his mind the generall ignorance of the whole world could no longer sâ—ffer or abide the same he at the last determined with himself to help and remedy such things as he saw to be wide and out of the way and so he began as from a deep night to draw out the truth of the Doctrine of the Son of God with the purity of the Doctrine which hee taught he also lively touched the abuses of the Popedome in so much that the Locusts that is to say the Monks and begging Friers listed themselves up against him to persecute him with all the rable of the Popish Clergie but the Lord gave him for a Protector King Edward the third the Duke of Lancaster the Kings son and Lord Henery Peircy the Marshaâ—l of England for all the time of King Edwards raign he had great liberty of his profession and that the King carried a speciall favour and good-will to him appears in this that he sent him with his Ambassadour over into the parts of Italy to treat with the Popes Legats concerning affairs betwixt the King and the Pope with full commission This King Edward was a good man and hath this commendation that he was Orphanis quasi Pater afflictis compations miseris condolâ—ns oppressis relevaâ—s cunctis indigentibus impendens auxilia opportuna that is to the Orphans he was a Father competient to the afflicted mourning with the miserable releiving the oppressed and to all them that wanted a helper in the time of need c. Pope Gregory being informed of Wickliffs Doctrine that was pred abroad through the land He wrot to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to the Bishop of London to cause apprehend the said John Wickliffe and to cast him into prison and that the King and Nobles of England should be admonished not to give any trust to the said John VVickliffe or to his Doctrine in any wayes As also he wrote unto King Edward or rather unto King Richard who succeeded King Edward to persecute this VVickliff but God shortned the rage and fury of this cruel Prelate against him for that in the same year or in the beginning of the next year following the forsaid Pope Gergory the eleventh turn'd up his heels and died Yet the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London did vex trouble him and held sundry meetings of the Clergy against him to condemne him and his Doctrine And here is not to be past over the great miracle of Gods Divine admonition or warning for when as the Archbishop and Suffraganes with the other Doctors and Lawiers with a great company of babling Friers and Religious persons were gathered together to consult as touching John VVickliffs books and that whole sect When as I say they were gathered together at the Gray-friers in London to begin their businesse upon St. Dunstanes day after dinner about two in the cloak the very hour and instant that they should go forward with their businesse a wonderfull and terrible earthquake fell throughout all England whereupon diverse of the Suffraganes being feard by the strange and wonderfull demonstration doubting what it should mean thought it good to leave off from their determinat purpose But the Archbishop as the chief Captain of that Army more rash and bold then wise interpreting the change which had happened clean contrary to another meaning and purpose did confirm and strengthen hearts and minds which are almost danted with fear stoutly to proceed and to go forward in their attempted enterprise who then discoursing VVickliffs Articles not according to the sacred Cannons of the Holy Scripture but unto their own private affections and traditions pronounced and gave sentence that some of them were simply and plainly Hereticall other some false erroneous other irreligious some seditious and not consonant to the Church of Rome John VVickliff a long time after this returning again either from his banishment being banished by King Richard or from some other place where he was secretly keeped repaired to his Parish at Lutterworth where hee was Parson and there quyetly departing this mortall Life sleept in peace in the Lord 1384. Here is to be noted in this Man as in diverse others whom the Lord so long preserved in such rages of so many enemies from all their hands even to his old age This VVickliff had written diverse and sundry works the which in the year of our Lord 1410. were burnt at Oxford And not only in England but in Bohemia Likewise the Books of the said VVickliff were set on fire by the Archbishop of Prage who made diligent inquisiition for the same and burned them The numbers of the Volumes which he is said to have burned most excellently written and richly adorned with bosses of Gold and coverings as Aeneas Silvius writes were about the number of two hundred Great was the testimony given out by the Vniversity of Oxford touching the commendation of the great Learning and good Life of John VVickliff as also great was the testimony and commendation of Master John Hus concerning John VVickliff who affirmed that he was no Heretick and yet the Counsel of Constance condemned him for an Heretick and caused his Body and Bones to bee raised and burnt 41. years after his Death and took his Ashes and threw into the River thinking thereby utterly to extinguish and abolish both the Name and Doctrine of VVickliff for ever for though they digged up his Body and burnt his Bones and drowned his Ashes yet the Word of God and truth of his Doctrine with the fruit and successe thereof they could not burn which yet to this day for the most part of his Articles do remain After the Death of Pope Gregory
The furniture of his Books cost him 70â—0 Florents a little before his death his mind was to give all away and to take a Towl and Preach but the Lord would not permit him With two Popes that is with Pope Innocent and Alexander the sixt he had much vexation Under the Raign of Fredericus the third Emperor of Germany was one Iohn a Pastor or a Neat herd which was a keeper of Cattel him the Bishop of Herbipolis condemned and burnt for an Heretick because he taught and held that the life of the Clergy was ignominious and abominable before God But to proceed in the Persecutions of the Godly in England in King Henry the seventh his Raign In the Diocesse of Lincoln in Buckinghame-shire William Smith being Bishop of the same Diocesse one William Tylesworth was burned in Amershame his only Daughter being a married Woman a Godly and a Faithfull Woman was compelled with her own hands to set fire to her dear father and at the same time her husband did penance at her fathers burning and bare a Fagot as did also many moe At the burning of this William Tylsworth were sixty and above that were put to bear Fagots for their Penance of whom diverse were injoyned to bear and wear Fagots at Lincoln for the space of seven years some at one time some at another c. In which number was also Robert Barlet a rich man who for his Possessions sake was put out of his Farm and Goods and was condemned to be kept in the Monasterie of Ashange were he did wear on his right Sleeve a square piece of Cloath the space of seven years together About the same time also of the burning of Wilâ—iam Tylesworth was one Father Roberts burned at Buckinghame he was a Miller and dwelt at Missenden and at his burning there were about twenty persons that were compelled to bear Faggots and to do such pennance as the wicked Pharisees did compell them After that by the space of two or three years was burned at Amersham Thomas Bernard a husband man and James Mordan a labourer and they two was burned both at one fire Also there were thirty burned on the right Cheek at the same time and bare Faggots the cause was that they would table against Superstition and Idolatrie and were desireous to hear and read the holy Scriptures The manner of their burning on the cheek was this their necks was tyed fast to a Poast or Stay with Towels and their hands holden that they might not stir and so the Iron being hot was put to their cheeks and thus bare they the Prints and Marks of the Lord Jesus about them At this time also in the dayes of King Henry the seventh was one Laurence Ghest which was burned in Salisbury for the matter of the Sacrament he was of a comely and tall Personage he was kept in Prison the space of two years This Laurence had a Wife and seven Children wherefore they thinking to expugne and perswade his mind by stirring his fatherly affection toward his Children when the time came which they appointed for his burning as he was at the Stake they brought before him his Wife and his foresaid seven Children at the sight whereof although Nature is commonly bent to work in other yet in him Religion overcoming Nature made his constancy to remain unmoveable in such sort as when his Wife began to exhort and desire him to favour himself he again desired her to be content and not to be a block in his way for he was in a good course running towards the mark of his Salvation and so fire being put to him he finished his life renouncing not only Wife and Children but also himself to follow Christ As he was in burning one of the Bishops men threw a fire-brand at his face whereat the brother of Laurence standing by ran at him with his Dagger and would have slain him had he not been otherwise stayed It is recorded likewise in the raign of this King Henry the seventh when the people was returning from the burning of a faithfull woman at Cheaping Sadbery for alledged Heresie by Doctor Whitington the Bishops Chancelour who was present at the execution as hee returned with the rest there happened that a Bull escaping from the Butcher into the street he passed through the throng of the people every one drawing aside and shifting for himself and touching neither man nor childe till hee came where the Chancelour was against whom the Bull as pricked with a sudden vehemency ran upon him with his horns and taking him upon the paunch gorred him throw and throw and so killed him immediatly carrying his guts and trailing them with his horns all the streets over to the great admiration and wonder of all them that saw it Here we see a plain miracle of Gods mighty power and judgement both in the punishing of this wretched Chancellour and also in admonishing all other like persecutors by his example to fear the Lord and to abstain from the like cruelty Besides these before mentioned many moe in this King Henry the seventh his raign were persecuted for their Religion specially in the diocesse of Coventree and Lich-field among whom we shall name these few First John Blomston was openly and publickly infamed accused reported and apeached that he was a very Heretick because he had preached taught holden and affirmed that the power attributed to St. Peter in the Church oâ— God by one Saviour Jesus Christ immediatly did not flitte or passe from him to remain with his Successors Item that there was as much vertue in an Herb as in the Image of the Virgine Mary Item that prayer and Alms avail not the dead for incontinent after death he goeth either to Heaven or hell whereupon hee concludeth there is no Purgatory c. Richard Heghame in the same City of Coventree was accused to be a very Heretick because that hee did hold that a Christian man being at the point of death should renounce all his own works good and ill and submit him to the mercy of God Item It was fondnesse to worship the images of our Lady of Tower in the forsaid City or of other Saints for they are but stocks and stones Item that if the image of our Lady of Tower were put into the fire it would make a good fire Item that it were better to deal money unto the poor folks than to offer to the Image of Christ and other Saints which are but dead stocks and stones John Smith was accused to be a very Heretick because he did hold every man is bound to know the Lords Prayer and the Creed in English if he might for these false Priests Thomas Butler was likewise accused to bee a very Heretick because he did hold that there were but two wayes that is to say to heaven and to hell Item that there was no Purgatory for every man immediatly after death passeth either to heaven or hell Item that prayers
the left arm was on fire and burned he rubbed it with his right hand and it fell from his body and he continued in prayer to the end without moving At the burning of James Baynham a Lawier appeared a miracle and wondrous work of God that as he was at the stake in the midst of the flamming fire which fire had half consumed his arms and legs he spake these words O ye Papists behold ye look for miracles and hear now may yee see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain then I were in a bed of Down but it is to me as a bed of Roses These words spake he in the midst of the flamming fire when his legs and arms as I said were half consumed William Tracie a worshipful Esquire in Glocester and then dwelling at Todingtown made in his will that he would have no funeral pomp at his burying neither passed he upon masse and he further said that he trusted in God only and hoped by him to be saved and not by any Saint This Gentleman died and his Son as Executor brought the Will to the Bishop of Canterbury to prove which he shewed to the Convocation and there most cruelly they judged that he should be taken out of the ground and burnt as an Heretick This Commission was sent to Doctor Parker Chancellor of the Diocesse of Worcestâ—r to execute their wicked of sentence who accomplished the same The King hearing his Subject to be taken out of the ground two years after his death and burnt without his knowledge or order of the Law sent for the Chancellor and laid high offence to his charge who excused himselâ— by the Archbishop of Canterbury which was late dead but in conclusion it cost him three hundred pound to have his pardon And as many were burnt at this time for the profession of the truth so multitudes both of men and women were compelled to abjure and recant and to do pennance and to bear faggots So great was the trouble of these times for either they were driven out of the Realm or were cast out from their goods and houses or brought to open shame by abjuration Such decrees and injunctions then were set â—orth by the Bishops such Laws and Proclamations were provided such watch and narrow search was used such wayes were taken by force of oath to make one detect another so subtilly that unneth any good man could or did escape their hands that either his name was known or else his person was taken yet neverthelesse so mightily the power of Gods Gospel did work in the hearts of good men that the number of them did no lessâ—lâ—ssen for all the violence or policy of the adversaâ—ies but rather increased King Henry is divorced from Lady Cathrene Dowager and married with Lady Annâ—â—ullen which was the fiâ—st occasion and beginning of a publick Refoâ—mation The King had married Prince Arthur hiâ— Bâ—others wife the Pope which then ruled at Rome was Pope Julius the second by whose dispensation this Marriage which neither sense of nature would admit nor Gods Law would bear was concluded approved and ratified and so continued as lawfull without any doubt or scruple near the space of twenty years thereafter there arose doubts and scruples about the lawfulnesse of his Marriage that first hindered the Emperour to marry Lady Mary the Kings Daughter and upon the same doubt the King of France refused to marry the said Lady Mary the Kings daughter The King being herewith perplexed anent the lawfulnessâ— of his Marriage consulted the Universities of all Christendome by whom it was discussed to be unlawfull whereupon ensued a divorce between the King and the Queen In the Parliment in the year 1533. the commons gave in a supplication complaining of the strait dealing of the Clergy in their proceeding exofficlo this wicked act was broken by the King for the King having more clear understanding of the abuses and enormities of the Clergy and in special of the corrupt Authority of the See of Rome provided certain Acts against the same In the same parliament it was enacted and decreed that no man should appeal to the court of Rome even the Parliament decreeth the popes Annats to cease c. All exactions and sums of money used to be payed to the Bishop of Rome in pensions Peter Pence should utterly surcease As touching these Peter Pence they were first brought in imposed by King Iva about the year of our Lord 70. Which Iva king of the West Saxons caused thâ—ough all his dominion in every house having a Chimney a penny to be collected and payed to the Bishop of Rome in the name of Peter and thereof were they called Peter Pence And the said Peter Pence ever since or for the most part have used of along custom to be gathered and summoned by the Popes Collectors here in England from the time of Iva to this present Parliament The oath of the Clergy-men which they were wont to make to the Bishop of Rome now pope quondam was abolished and made void by stature and a new oath ministred and confirmed for the same wherein they acknowledged the King to be supream head under Christ in this Church of England these oaths were the occasion that the pope lost all his interest and jurisdiction in England within short while after In this Parliament amongst other diverse statutes most graiously and by the blessed will of God it was enacted that the Pope and all his Colledge of Cardinals with his Pardons Indulgences which so long had clogged this Râ—al n of England to the miserable slaughter or so manny good men and which never could be removed â—way before was never abolished eradicat and exploded out of this land and sent home â—gâ—in to their own country of Rome from whence they came God be everlastingly praised therefore Amen An act was made concerning the Kings highnesse to be the suppream head of the Church of England and to have authority to reform and redresse all errors heresies and abuses in the same When all other the Kings subjects and the learned of the Realm had taken and accepted the oath of the Kings supreamacy only Fisher the Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moor refused to be sworn who therefore falling into the danger of the Law were committed unto the Tower executed for the same This Fisher with Sir Thomas Moor were great persecutors of the saints of God Tindal betrayed be Henry Philips was delivered into his enemies hands and burnt in Flanders by Filfoord castle The worthy vertues and doings of this blessed Martyr who for his painfull travels and singular zeal to his country may be called in these our days an Apostle of England it were long to recite Among many other this because it seemeth to me worthy of remembrance I thought it not in silence to overpasse which hath unto me credibly been testified by certain grave Merchants and some of them also such as were present the same
I may root or die with many moe who felt the stroak of his hand To adde to these also the stinking death of Edmond Boner commonly named the bloody Bishop of London who not many years ago in the time and raign of Queen Elizabeth after he had long feasted and banquetted in Durance at the Marshal-sea as he wretchedly died in his blind Popery so as stinkingly and as blindly at midnight was he brought out and buried in the out-side of all the City amongst theevs and murtherers a place right convenient for such a murtherer with confusion and derision both of men and children who trampling upon his grave well declared how he was hated both of God and man I might bring in here many moe and forrain examples of Kings Princes and great men of the wrath of God that hes pursued them for persecuting of the Professors of the Gospel but I content me with these already rehearsed After the death of Queen Mary succeeded Lady Elizabeth her sister to the Crown a godly and religious Princess that brought much joy and happinesse to the Realm by her gracious and peaceable government The Queen immediatly at her entry haying heard of the diversitie of opinions in certain matters of Religion amongst sundry of her loving subjects and being very desirous to have the same reduced to some godly and christian concord by the advise of the Lords and others of the privy Counsell as well for the satisfaction of persons doubtfull as also for the knowledge of the very truth in certain matters of difference to have a convenient chosen number of the best learned of either part and to confer together their opinions and reasons and thereby to come to some good and charitable agreement And so there was named on the one side nine and on the other nine On the Papists side were named the B. of Winchester the B. of Lich the B. of Chester the B. of Carlill the B. of Lincolne Doctor Cole Doctor Harpsfield Doctor Langdale Doctor Chedsey On the Pretestants side oâ— lâ—tâ— bâ—n shed Pâ—eachers Doctor Scorie B of Chicester Doctor Cox Mr. Whythead Mr Grindal Mr Horner Doctor Sands Mr. Gest Mr. Aimer Mr Juel who were to confer and reason at Westminster upon certain questions or Articles of Rellgion to be proposed in presence of the Nobility and Lords of his Majesties secret Counsel the matter they should talk upon was comprehended in these three propositions under-specified 1. It is against the Word of God and the custome of the ancient Church to use a Tongue unknown to the people in common prayer and administration of the Sacrament 2. Every Church hath authority to appoint take away and change Ceremonies and Ecclesisticall Râ—tes so the same be to edification 3. It cannot be pâ—oved by the Word of God that there is in the Masse offered up a Sacrifice propitiatory for the quiâ—k and the dead It was hereupon fully resolved by the Queens Majesty with the advise aforesâ—id that it should be in writting on both parts for avoiding of much alteration in words and in English and each of them should deliever their Writings to the other what were to be improved therein c. And their writings were to be put in the English Tongue Now after they had sitten one day in this conference the second day it was broken up by the Papists default for they would have the order inverted and altered that was appointed and agreed upon Afterward for this contempt so notoriously made and dissolving of the Assembly and the godly and most christian purposes of the Queens Majesty made frustrate the B. of Winchester and Lincolne who shewed more folly then the other were condinly committed to the Tower of London Boner about this time B. of London was committed to the Marshal-sea whereas he both in his blind bloody Heresie as also in his deserved captivity long remained abiding the Queens pleasure About this time at the beginning of the flourishing Raign of Queen Elizabeth was a Parliament summoned and holden at Westminster wherein was much debating about matters touching Religion and great study on both parts imployed the one to retain still the other to impugne the Doctrine faction which before in Queen Maries time had been established But especially here is to be noted that though their lacked no industry on the papists side to hold fast that which they most cruelly from time to time had studied and by all means practised to come by yet notwithstanding was the providence of God at that time that for lack of the other Bishops whom the Lord had taken away by death a little before the residue that there were left could do the lesse And in very deed God be praised therefore did nothing at all in effect although yet not withstanding their laicked in them neither will nor labour to do what they could if their cruell ability there might have served Although in this Parliament then some diversitie there was of judgement and opinion between parties yet notwithstanding through the mercifull goodnesse of the Lord the true cause of the Gospel had the upper hand the Papists hope was frustrate and their rage abated the order and proceedings of King Edwards time concerning Religion was revived again the Supremacy of the Pope abolished the Articles of bloody statutes of Queen Mary repealed briefly the furious fire-brands of cruell persecution which had consumed so many poor mens bodies were now extict quenched Finally the old Bishops deposed for that they refused the Oath in renouncing the Pope and not subscribing to the Queens just and lawfull Titles in whose roomes and places were others put The SCOTISH Martyrs HAving spoken of the Martyrs of England let us now speak of the Martyrs of Scotland And first to begin with M. Patrick Hammilton Abbot of Ferm he was a man nobly descended for he was Nephew to the Earle of Aran by his Father to the Duke of Albany by the Mother and not much past twenty three years of age this young Gentleman had travelled in Germany and falling in familiarity with Martin Luther Phi. Melanchton Frances Lamberr other learned men was by them instructed in the knowledge of true religion In the profession whereof he was so zealous as he was resolved to come back into his country communicate the light he had received unto others c. under colour of conference he is brought to S. Andrews accused before the B. for maintaining erronious points of doctrine as that the corruption of sin remains in children after their Baptisme 2. That no man by the power of his free will can do any good 3. That no man is without sin so long as he liveth c. After answer and censure of the Theologs of thee Articles he maintained is declared to be an heretick and given over into the hands of the secular power to suffer punishment due to heresie He was condemned by the secular Judge and burnt alive when he came to the
Almighty and from thence he shal come to judge the quick and the dead Lo this is the heresie that I hold and for it must suffer the death But as touching the holy and blessed Supper of the Lord I believe it to be a most necessary remembrance of his glorious suffering and death Moreover I believe as much therein as my eternall and only Redeemer Jesus Christ would I should believe She is brought into Smithfield to her execution in a Chair because she could not go on her feet by means of her great torments there she patiently endured death with sundry moe that at that time was burnt with her Then Urisley Lord Chancellor sent to Anna Askew Letters offering to her the Kings pardon if she would recant who refusing once to look upon them made this answer again that she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master Then were the Letters offered unto the other who in like manner following the constancy of the woman denyed not only to receive them but also to look upon them whereupon the Lord Major commanding fire to be put to them cryed with a loud voice fiat Justitia Queen Catherine Parre late Queen and wife to King Henry the eight was in great danger for the Gospel the Chancellor Bishop of Winchester and others of their conspiracy but she was graciously preserved by her kind and loving Husband the King King Henry died in the thirty eight year of his Reign King Henry of his own nature and disposition was so inclinable and forward in all things vertuous and commendable that the like interprise of redresse of Religion hath not lightly been seen in any other Christned Prince as in abolishing the stout and almost invincible authority of the Pope in suppressing Monâ—steries in repressing custome of Idolatry and Pilgrimages c. which interprises as never King of England did accomplish though some began to attempt them before him so yet to this day we see but few in other Realmes dar follow the same So long as Queen Bullâ—n Thomas Cromwell Bishop of Cranmer and such like good counsellours were about him he did much good So again when sinister and evil counsell under subtill and crafty pretences had gotten once the foot in thrusting truth and verity out of the Princes ears how much Religion and all good things went prosperously forward before so much on the contrary side all revolted backward again Prince Edward succeeded his father being of the age of nine years and Reigned six years and eight months and eight dayes and deceased Anno 1553. He was a vertuous and religious Prince of admirable gifts and graces far beyond his years Religion flourished in his time for by the advise of his Governours especially by his Uncle Lord John Simer Duke of Somerset Protector of the Realm that monstrous Hydra with six heads the six Articles I mean who devoured up so many men before was abolished and taken away the holy Scriptures were restored to the Mother Tongue Mastes extinguished and abolished these that were before in banishment for the danger of the truth were again received to their Countrey for the most part of the Bishops of Churches and Diocesses were changed Such as had been dumb Prelats before were compelled to give place to others then that would preach take pains Besides other also out of foraign Countreys men of learning and notable knowledge were sent for and received among whom was Peter Martyr Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius which were set into the Universities Of the old Bishops some were committed to one Ward some to another but these meek and gentle times of King Edward under the Government of this noble Protector hath this one commendation proper unto them for that amongst the whole number of the popish sort of whom some privily did steal out of the Realm many were crafty dissemblers some were open and manifest adversaries yet of all that multitude there was not one man that lost his life for during all the time of King Edwards Reign which was about six years neither in Smithfield nor any other quarter of this Realm any was heard to suffer for any matter of Religion either Papist or Protestant either for one opinion or other except only two one an English-woman called Joan of Kent and the other a Dutch-man named George who died for certain Articles not much necessary here to be rehearsed Besides these two there was none else in all King Edwards Reign that died in any manner or cause of Religion but that one Thomas Dobbie who in the beginning of this Kings Reign was apprehended for speaking against the Idolatry of the Masse and in the same Prison died whose pardon notwithstanding was obtained of the Lord Protector and should have been brought him if he had continued The horrible and bloody Time of Queen MARY QUeen Mary succeeded her brother King Edward to the Crown ingyring her self by force and violence notwithstanding that Lady Jane was proclaimed Queen before her by King Edwards testament and the consent of the Nobility She altered Religion that was in King Henries time and King Edwards she made an Inhibition by proclamation that no man should preach or read openly in the Churches the word of God the Masse is set up and a proclamation that no man should interrupt any of these that would say masse the Popes Authority is restored In a word she banished the Gospel and true Religion and brought in the Antichrist of Rome with his Idolatry supperstition turned the English service into Latine again c. About this time a priest of Canterbury said masse the one day and the next day after he came into the Pulpit and desired all the people to forgive him for he said he had betrayed Christ but not as Judas did and there made a long Sermon against the Masse Marriage is concluded between Queen Mary and the King of Spain Strange sights were seen before the comming in of King Philip and subversion of Religion for in the month of February 1553. there was seen within the City of London about the 9. of the clock in the forenoon two Suns Shining at once the one a good pretty way distant from the other At the same time was also seen a rain bow turned contrary and a great deal higher then hath been accustomed it stood with the head downward and the feet as it were upward In the second year of Queen Mary there was a Cat hanged upon a Gallows at the crosse in Cheap apparelled like a priest ready to say masse with a shaven crown her two fore feet tyed over her head with a round paper like a wafer cake put between them whereon arose a great ill-will against the city of London for the Queen and the Bishops were very angry withall and therefore the same afternoon there was a proclamation that whosoever could bring forth the party that did hang up the Cat should have twenty Nobles but none could or would earn it Philip