be Baptised in their Godfathers and Godmothers fayth they being all vnbeleuers in what fayth is that childe baptised then in none at all by your owne saying Whiche woordes made him stampe and stare Lang. What then you woulde count that there were very few beleeuers if there be not one of three that beleeueth You enter into Iudgement agaynst the people Belike you thinke there be none that beleue well vnlesse they be of your minde In deed then Christes flocke were a very litle flocke Wood. In deede these bee Christes woordes in the 12. of Luke the which we may see to be very true Yea you sayd if there were not one amongest three that were very few But there is not one amongest three hundred for any thing that I can see For if there were there would not be so many that would seeke their neighbors goodes lyues as there be Lang. Is the flocke of Christ such a litle flock as you speak of you may call it a great flock How many be there of thē Can you tell me Wood. A prety question I promise you it is that you aske me as though I did make my selfe equall with God No no you shal catch no such vauntage of my words nor I know not how many there be But I will tell you as nigh as I can For therefore you looke I am sure that I should enter into Iudgement Lang. Yea I pray you tell me as much as you can seing you be so cunning Wood. You shall see my iudgement in it by and by First the Prophet Follow not a multitude to do euill for they must go the wrong way For the most go the wrong way There is one poynt to know them Thē christ sayth in the 7. of Mat. Broad is the way wide is the gate that leadeth into destruction and many there be that go in thereat and strayte is the gate and narrow is the waye that leadeth vnto life and few there be that finde it And in the xii of Luke it is written which words were spoken of Christ Come you little flocke it is my fathers will to geue you a kyngdome The third poynt is this In the thyrd of Mark and second of Mathewe You saythe Christe shall knowe the tree by the frutes A good tree bringeth foorth good fruites and a badde tree tree bringeth forth bad fruites So by fruites I know them For euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruites must be hewn downe and cast into the fire into hell I thinke Christ meant and your fruites declare that you be one of them Thus haue I proued foure wayes that the people that shal be saued is but a small companye in comparison of the rest But if that be not enough for the proofe thereof I haue twenty wayes more to proue it by and you were neuer the nere of your purpose Lang. What a naughty man are you you would make the patientest mā in the world angry with you I thinke your talke is nothing but pryde and vayneglorye with frumpes and mockes and dispising iudging of men It was time such a fellow were taken in deede Suche a one is enough to trouble a whole country I thinke he is blest of GOD that tooke you for you are not meete to be in a common wealth Wood. With diuers other such like wordes that I cannot recite they came out so thicke with stamping and staryng and chasing as though he had bene out of his witt I held my peace vntil he had made an end of his tormētors talk and then I spake Wherein haue I sayd amisse or haue I not answered you vnto euery question that you haue demaunded of me What fault can you finde in one word that I haue sayd I dare say you can finde none I maruayle why you take on thus agaynst me hauing no cause so to doe Lang. No no you haue not aunswered me to original sin you deny originall sinne Wood. With these wordes came in at the dore M. Iames Gage And I thinke hee stoode at the dore a good whyle before he came in and that Doctour Langdall sawe hym For his face was to the dore ward and my face was from it Gage Ah Woodman me thinke mayster Doctor and you cannot agree Wood. Yes sir me thinke we agree very well Lang. Without doubte sir he is the naughtiest man that euer I talked with in all my life for he will haue his owne way in all thinges Gage Woodman leaue that pride Do not trust so muche to your own wit Harken to this man This is a learned man I tell you He is knowne to be learned For els hee shuld not be allowed to preach before the Queenes maiesty and I dare say he will tell thee nothing nor will thee to doe nothing but that he will do himselfe and I dare say he will not go to the Deuill to bring the thether How say you M. Doc. Thou mightest think vs mad if we would hurt our selues to hurte thee No I promise thee my brother neither I nor no gentleman in the Country I think of my conscience but would thou shouldst doe as well as their owne bodyes and soules as a great many of them haue sayd to thy face whilest thou wast at my brothers the which thou canst not deny Wood. Sir I can saye none otherwise but I was gently entreated at your brothers both with meate and drynke gentle wordes both of you and him and diuers other gētlemen and I am sure you nor they can say that you foūd me vnreasonable at any time For I sayde I was contented to learne of them that were able to teache me and so I am as God knoweth and here M. Doctour I think can say no otherwise for I dare say he can find no fault in the talke that we haue had Lang. No mary I can finde nothing els in you I promise you mayster Gage if you had bene here you woulde haue sayd so your selfe He tooke me vp in deede and sayd he maruailed how I durst preach For he sayde I vnderstoode not the scripture but as farre as naturall reason comprehended as though he vnderstoode all and I nothing With diuers other such like words he made a great complaint to him on me sayd to mayster Iames Gage he would make you beleue that I could finde no faulte in in him Yes iwis he denieth originall sinne Gage Yea doth he so by S. Mary that is a great matter Woodman leaue that pride That pride wil come to naught Can ye liue without sinne Wood. Sir now I perceiue he will soone lye on me behinde my backe when hee will not sticke to lye before my face He sayth I denied originall sinne and it was he hymselfe as I will let you be iudge in the matter For as hee went about to proue that man hath free will he sayd wee were set as free by the death of christ as Adam was before
in theyr Papistry and so be an occasion of our weake brothers falling the which will be all required at theyr handes which will be to heauy a burden for them to beare if they repent it not with speed For they that know theyr Maysters will doe it not shal be beaten with many stripes Oh do not we perceiue that now is the acceptable time that Christe speaketh of yea euen now is the axe put to the roots of the trees so that euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruites now must be hewed downe and cast into the fire Now is the Lord come with his fanne in his hand to trie the wheate from the chaffe The wheat he will gather into his barne and the chaffe hee willl burne as is aforesayde Nowe is the time come that we muste goe meete the bridgrome with oyle in our Lampes We are also bidden to the feast let vs make no excuses Yea our Maister hath deliuered his talentes vnto vs God geue vs grace to occupy them well that at his comming he may receiue his owne with vauntage Yea nowe is the Lorde come to see if there be any fruit vpon his trees so that if the Lord come find none he will serue vs as he did the wilde figge trees that is neuer fruit shall grow on him more Also if we goe to meete the bridegrome without oyle in our laÌ„pes should go to buy the doubt is we should be serued as was the foolishe virgins that was God sayd to theÌ„ depart I know you not Or if we should make excuses to come to the feast other shal be biddeÌ„ in our roomes If we occupy not our talentes wel they shal be taken away from vs geuen to other and all such vnprofitable seruantes shal be cast into prison in hell wheâ—e shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Oh good God what a sort of feareful sayinges are here conteined what christian hart will not harken diligently hereto Oh may not all people well perceiue nowe that this is the time that our Mayster Christ speaketh of that the father should be agaynst the sonne and the sonne agaynste the father and one brother agaynst another that the brother shal deliuer the brother to death yea and that the wicked shall say all maner of wicked sayinges agaynst vs for his names sake the which I haue well found by experience I prayse God therefore that hath geuen mee strength to beare it For I thinke there canne no euill bee deuised but it hath bene imagined agaynst me that of my familiar frendes as Dauid said but I prayse my Lord God they are not able to proue any of their sayinges true but that they go about to finde fault in theÌ„ that God hath chosen because they theÌ„selues list not to take vp their crosse and folow Christ therfore they spake euil of the thing that they know not the which shall geue account for it before him that is ready to iudge both the quicke and the dead But my trust is that al the people of God wil be ruled by the counsell of S. Iohn saying My sheepe will heare my voyce strauÌ„gers the will not heare meaning thereby that ye shoulde not beleue straungers counting them straungers that go about to subuert the Gospell Wherfore marke well what they be and try theÌ„ well or euer you geue credite to theÌ„ according to S. Iohns couÌ„sell in his Epistle saying Beleue not euery spirit but trie the spirites whether they be of God or not meaning thereby that they that be not of God wil speake good of none but of them that be as they be Wherefore deare sister be of good cheare geue no credite to such people what so euer ye heare them say For I haue no mistrust by Gods help but that all the world shal see know that my bloud shal not be deare in mine owne sight whensoeuer it shall please God to geue my aduersaries leaue to shedde it I doe earnestly beleue that God which hath begon this good worke in me will performe it to the end as he hath geuen me grace wil alway to beare this easy yoke and light burden the which I haue alwayes found I prayse my Lord God For when I haue bene in prison wearing other while boltes other while shackles other while lying on the bare grouÌ„d some time sitting in the stockes sometime bound with cordes that al my bodye hath bene swollen much like to bee ouercome for the payne that hath bene in my flesh sometime fayne to lye without in the woodes fieldes wandring to and fro few I say that durst to keepe my company for feare of the rulers sometime brought before the Iustices Shiriffes Lordes Doctours and Bishoppes sometime called dogge sometime deuill hereticke whoremonger traytor theefe deceiuer with diuers other such like yea euen they that did eat of my bread that should haue bene most my fâ—endes by nature haue betrayed me Yet for all this I prayse my Lord God that hath separated me from my mothers wombe all this that hath happened to me hath bene easy light and most delectable ioyful of any treasure that euer I possessed for I praise God they are not able to proue one iote or title of their sayinges true But that way that they call heresy I serue my Lord God and at all times before whomesoeuer I haue bene brought God hath geuen me mouth and wisedome where agaynst all my aduersaries haue not bene able to resist I prayse God therfore Wherfore deare sister be of good coÌ„fort with all your brethren and sisters and take no thought what you shall saye for it shall be geuen you the same houre according to the promises as I haue alwayes found and as you and all other of Gods elect shall well finde when the time is full come And whereas I and manye other haue hoped that this persecution woulde haue bene at an end ere this time now I perceiue God will haue a further triall to roote out all disseÌ„blers that no man should reioice in himselfe but he that reioyceth shall reioyce of God Wherfore if prophecy should fayle and toungs should cease yet loue must endure For feare hath paynefulnesse but a perfecte loue casteth out all feare which loue I haue no mistrust but God hath poured it vpoÌ„ you so abouÌ„dantly that nothing in the world shal be able to seprate you from God Neither high nor low riche nor poore life nor death shal be able to put you from Christ but by him I trust you shall enter into new Hierusalem there to liue for euer beholding the glory of God with the same eyes that you now haue and all other faythfull people that coÌ„tinue to the end Geue all honour and glory to God the father God the sonne God the holy Ghost three persons and one God to be honoured now and euer Amen After
fallen vpon this Realme for sinne and with vnfayned hartes to turne to GOD who as he hath scourged vs with lesse plagues then we deserued so calleth vs agayne by his vndeserued and vnspeakeable mercy vnto repentaunce and amendement of our liuing It is doubtles now high time to turn vnfaynedly to God and to correct our sinnefull liuinges and to remember what S. Iohn Baptist sayd The Axe is now set to the root of the tree and euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewne downe and caste into the fire For this may all men assure themselues of both rich and poore high and low olde and yong that the almighty zelous and righteous God will not suffer the sinnefull and wicked life of the vngodly vnrepētant that contemne his mercy nowe profered vnto them to be vnpunished but as he hath from the beginning of the world shewed himselfe a righteous Iudge and punisher of wickednes euen so will he do stil now God expulsed our first parentes Adam and Heua from Paradise and layd vpon them and vpon vs all these miseries sickenesses calamities and death that we dayly feele and miserably are oppressed withal God in Noahs dayes drowned the whole world onely eight persons were preserued God burnt vp Sodom and Gomor with fyre and brimstone frō heauen and destroyed those Cityes and all the Countrey about God gaue ouer Hierusalem called the holy Citty of God and deliuered his owne people the Iewes into perpetuall captiuitye If we seeke the cause of these punishmentes was it not sinnefull liuing vnrepentant harts What should I recite the calamities of other lands seyng Gods iudgementes hath not bene vnexecuted vpon this Realme of England for sinnefull liuing The olde Brytaynes were with Cadwallader theyr king constrayned to flye and leaue this land because of pestilence famyne what miseries destructions brought the Danes in with them and what troubles susteyned the inhabitauntes of this Realme afore the same were agayne driuē out What bloudshed was here in king William Conquerors daies were not the noble men slayne and gentlemen brought into bondage were not their matrons defiled and theyr daughters geuen to be kitchen drudges vnder the Normandes proud Ladyes were not theyr landes houses possessions diuided by lote vnto straungers Their golde and siluer wherein they trusted was the bayte that theyr enemyes hunted after what a plague was the ciuill war betwene the kinges and Barons what horrible bloudshed was in this Realme till at the last Gods mercifull prouidence ended those miseries by the happy ioyning of the 2. regall houses together in the mariage of king Henry 7. What miseries haue chaunced in our time we haue not onely sene and heard but we haue felt them and God be praised had our partes of them Doubtles this all hath chaunced for the sinnes of the people as the Prophet Ieremy playnely teacheth saying who is a wise man that vnderstandeth this And to whome shall the word of the Lords mouth come that he may preach it forth why hath the land perished and is burnt like a wildernesse so that no man may passe through it And the Lord sayth because they haue forsaken my law which I haue geuen them they haue not hearde my voyce and haue not walked in them and haue gone after the vanity of theyr owne harts And after Baalim the Images of Baall which they haue learned of theyr fathers we see here playnely the contēpt of Gods word and of the preachers of the same walking after theyr couetous mindes and leudnesse of theyr hartes and folowing of their idolatrous inuentions brought the wrath of God vpon the people as witnessed also Iesus Syrach saying because of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and diuers deceites a Realme shal be translated frō one people to an other And a litle after he sayth the Lorde hath brought the congregations of the wicked to dishonour and destroyd them vnto the ende God hath destroyd the seates of proud Princes and set vp the meek in their stead God hath withered the root of the proud nations and planted the lowly amōg them God hath ouerthrowne the Landes of the Heathen and destroyed them vnto the ground He hath caused them to wither awaye He hath brought them to nought and made the memoriall of them to cease from the earth But what auaileth it to read such threates of God if we beleue them not Or if we beleue them to be Gods threates and despise thē Doubtlesse the Lorde is righteous a ielous God a Punisher of of sinne as he sayth himselfe I punish the sinnes of the fathers vpon theyr childrē vnto the third and fourth generatiō of them that hate me God geue vs grace to remember this and with speedye and vnfayned repentaunce to turne vnto God I say vnfayned repentaunce and not alas as we haue done in times past like hypocrites to dissemble with God and man making Gods holy worde nothing els but a cloke to couer our malice couetousnesse whoredome pride excesse glotony wrath enuy hatred murder with all other wicked liuing most detestable in the sight of God If men will well consider themselues they haue long enough dissembled and heaped the wrath of God heauy enough vpon theyr heades It is now high time to become a new people to amend in deed and to folow the counsell of the holy Ghost saying vnto vs by the Prophet Hieremy Why do mortal men murmur agaynst God let them murmur agaynst theyr own sinnes Let vs search our owne wayes and let vs seek and returne vnto the Lorde Let vs lift vp our hartes and handes vnto the Lord in heauen for we haue done wickedly and prouoked the Lord to wrath and therefore wilt thou not be entreated Doubtles the Lord will not be entreated except men very earnestly turne vnto him we haue felt in our selues and seene before our eyes that when GOD striketh no man can be able to abide the heauy stroke of his fist Hee hath hitherto corrected vs with mercy as a father let vs thanke him returne vnfaynedly so will he not extend his wrath as a Iudge His will is that we should returne liue not perish with the wicked I liue sayth the Lord and will not the death of a sinner but that he be conuerted and liue Here the godly othe certifieth vs of forgeuenes requireth an vnfayned conuersion vnto God that t s that men acknowledge in hart theyr wicked liuing be sory that euer they haue with wicked lyuyng offended agaynst that so good and louing a father and truste to haue forgeuenes through Christes bloud and fully and firmely set theyr hartes to serue GOD and to walke the wayes of his commaundementes all the dayes of theyr life Then shall we be the true Christians built vpon the corner stone Christ not wauering or chaunging at euery puffe of winde not seeking an Epicurish life in all voluptuous and vaine vanitie not
by the copie heereof appeareth A letter sent to Boner Bishop of London from sir Richard Southwel knight PLeaseth it your Lordship to vnderstand that the Lord Rich did about seuen or eight weekes past send vppe vnto the Counsaile one Wil. Andrew of Thorpe within the Countie of Essex an arrogant heretike Their pleasure was to commaund me to commit him vnto Newgate where he remaineth and as I am infourmed hathe infected a noumber in the prisone wyth hys heresie Your Lordshippe shall doe verye well if it please you to conuent him before you and to take order with him as his case doth require I knowe the Counsaile meant to haue wrytte heerein ⧠The picture describing the straight handling of the cloase prisonners in Lollardes Tower vnto your Lordship but by occasion of other businesse the thing hath bene omitted Wherfore knowing their good pleasure I did aduise the keeper of Newgate to waite vpon you with these fewe lines And so referring the rest to your vertuous consideration I remaine your good Lordships to coÌ„maund this 12. of Iune 1555. Richard Southwel Thys William Andrewe being twise broughte before Boner to examination there manfully stode in the defence of hys Religion At length through straite handlynge in the Prison of Newgate there he lost his life which els hys aduersaries woulde haue taken away by fire and so after the popish manner he was cast out into the fielde and by night was priuily buried by the handes of good men and faithfull brethren The Martyrdome of Rob. Samuel Preacher suffering for the true defence of Christes Gospell MAister Foster Iustice dwelling at Cobdock in the Countie of Suffolke and a little from Ipswiche being in continuall hatred against the truthe and the professours of the same did not onely not cease day nor nighte to studie howe to bring those in thrall and captiuity that were honest and godly inclined to religion but also what soeuer they were that once came in hys clawes they easily escaped not without clogge of conscience or els losse of life so greedy was he of bloude Among many whom he had troubled there was one Samuel in king Edwardes dayes a very godly and righte faithfull preacher of Gods woorde who for his valiante and constante behauiour in his sermons seemeth worthy of high admiration He was minister at Barfolde in Suffolke where he taught faithfully fruitfully that flocke which the Lord had committed to hys charge so long as the time woulde suffer hym to doe hys duetie At the laste being remooued from the Ministerie and put from hys Benefice as manye other good Pastoures were beside when hee coulde not auoide the raging violence of the time yet woulde he not geue ouer his care that he had for hys flocke but woulde teache them priuilye and by stealth when he coulde not openly be suffered so to doe At what time order was taken by the Queene to be published by the Commissioners that all Priestes whiche had married in kinge Edwardes dayes putting theyr wiues from them should be compelled to returne againe to theyr chastitie and single life This Decree woulde not Samuel stande vnto for that hee knewe it to be manifestly wicked abhominable but determining with himselfe that Gods lawes were not to be broken for mannes traditions kept hys wife still at Ipswiche and gaue his diligence in the meane time to the instructing of other whyche were about him as occasion serued At laste maister Foster hauing intelligence heereof beinge a greate doer in those quarters foreslacked no time nor diligence but eftsoones sendeth out his espialles abroade laying hard waite for Samuel that if he came home to his wife at anye time they myghte apprehend him and carie him to prison In conclusion when suche as shoulde betraye hym espied him at home with his wife they bringing woorde to the Officer came immediately flocking about hys house and besette it wyth a great companie and so tooke hym in the nyght season because they durste not doe it in the daye time for feare of trouble and tumult althoughe good Samuell did nothing withstand them at all but mekely yeelded himselfe into their clouches of his owne accord When they had thus caughte hym they put hym into Ipswiche Gaile where he passed his time meekely among his godly brethren so long as hee was permitted to continue there Howâ—eit not long after being taken from thence he was carryed through malice of the wicked sorte to Norwiche where the sayde bishop Doctour Hopton whether he or Doctour Dunnings his Chauncelloure full like vnmercifull Prelates exercised greate crueltie againste hym as in deede they were men in that time of persecution as had not their matches for straitnes and cruell tormenting the bodies of the Saintes among all the rest beside and specially through the procuring of Dunnings For althoughe the other were sharpe enough in their generatioÌ„ yet could they be satisfied with imprisonment and death and would goe no further Neyther did I euer yet heare of anye besides these which so farre exceeded all bounds of pitie and compassion in tormenting their pore brethren as this Bishoppe did in suche sorte that many of them hee peruerted and broughte quite from the truthe and some from theyr wittes also The B. therefore or els his Chancellor thinking that he mighte as easily preuaile with Samuel as he had done with other before kept him in a very straite prison at his first comming where he was chained bolte vpright to a greate post in such sort that standing only on tiptoe he was faine to stay vp the whole paise or waight of his bodye thereby And to make amends for the cruelty or paine that he suffered they added a farre more greuous torment keping him without meate and drinke whereby he was vnmercifully vexed through hunger and thirst sauing that he had euery day allowed 2. or 3. mouthfuls of bread and 3. sponefuls of water to the ende rather that he might be reserued to farther torment then that they woulde preserue hys lyfe O worthy constancie of the Martyr O pitilesse hearts of papists worthy to be complained of and to be accused before God and nature O the woÌ„derfull strength of Christ in his members Whose stomacke though it had ben made of Adamant stone would not haue relented at these intollerable vexations and extreme paines aboue nature How oftentimes would he haue druÌ„ken his owne water but hys body was so dried vp wyth this long emptinesse that he was not able to make one drop of water At the laste when he was brought foorth to be burned which was but a trifle in comparison of those paynes that he had passed certaine there were that hearde hym declare what straunge things had happened vnto hym during the time of his imprisonment to wit that after he had bene famished or pined with hunger two or three daies together he then fell into a sleepe as it were one
halfe in a slumber at which time one clad all in white seemed to stande before hym which ministred comfort vnto him by these wordes Samuel Samuel be of good cheare and take a good heart vnto thee For after this day shalt thou neuer be either hungry or thirsty Which thing came euen to passe accordingly for speedily after he was burned and from that time till he should suffer he fealt neither hunger nor thirst And this declared he to the ende as he sayde that all men might beholde the wonderfull workes of God Many moe like matters concerning the great comforte he had of Christe in his afflictions he could vtter he sayde besides this but that shamefastnes and modestie would not suffer him to vtter it And yet if it had pleased God I would he had bene lesse modest in that behalfe that the loue and care that Christe hathe of his might haue the more appeared therby vnto vs by such present argumentes for the more plentifull comfort of the godly though there be sufficient testimonies of the same in the holy scriptures already No lesse memorable it is and woorthy also to be noted concerning the 3. ladders which he tolde to diuers he sawe in his sleepe set vp toward heauen of the which there was one somewhat longer then the rest but yet at length they became one ioyning as it were all three together Thys was a forewarning reuealed vnto him declaring vndoutedly the martyrdome first of him selfe and then the death of two honest women which were brought foorth suffered in the same towne anone after As this godly martyr was going to the fire there came a certaine maide to him which tooke him aboute the necke and kissed him who being marked by them that were present was sought for the next day after to be had to prisone and burned as the very party her self informed me Howbeit as God of his goodnes wold haue it she escaped their fiery handes keeping her selfe secreate in the towne a good while after But as this maide called Rose Nattingham was marueilously preserued by the prouidence of God so there were other two honest women did fall into the rage and furie of that time The one was a Bruers wyfe the other was a Shoomakers wife but both together nowe espoused to a newe husband Christ. With these two was thys maid aforesaid very familiar and wel acquainted who on a time geuing counsail to the one of them that shee shoulde conuey her selfe away while she had time and space seeing she could not away with the Quenes vniust procedings had thys answer at her hands againe I know well sayth shee that it is lawfull enough to flee away which remedy you may vse if you list But my case standeth otherwise I am tied to an husbande and haue besides a sorte of yong children at home and then I know not how my husband being a carnall man wil take my departure from him therefore I am mineded for the loue of Christ and his truthe to stande to the extremitie of the matter The cruel burning of Robert Samuel Martyr The report goeth amoÌ„g some that were there present and saw him burne that his body in burning did shine as bright white as new tried siluer in the eyes of them that stoode by as I am infourmed by some which were there and did beholde the sight Letters of Robert Samuel Preacher A letter or exhortation to the pacient suffering of afflictions for Christes cause A Man knoweth not hys time but as the fishe is taken with the Angle and as the birdes are caught with the snare euen so are men caughte and taken in the perillous time when it commeth vppon them The time commeth the day draweth neare Ezechiel 7. Better it were to dye as the Preacher sayeth then to liue and see the miserable workes which are done vnder the Sunne suche sodaine and strauÌ„ge mutations such wofull hainous and lamentable diuisions so fast approcheth and none or verye fewe thorowly repenteth Alas for this sinfull nation a people of great iniquity sede of vngratiousnes corrupting their wayes They haue forsaken the Lord they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger are gon backward Who now liueth not in such securitie and rest as though all daÌ„gers were cleane ouerpast Who now blindeth and buffeteth not Christe with seest me and seest me not Yea who liueth not nowe in suche felicitie worldlye pleasures and ioyes wholy seeking the world prouiding craftily shifting for the earthly clod all carnal appetites as thoughe sinne were cleane forgotten ouerthrowne and deuoured Like hoggish Gergesites nowe are we more afraide and ashamed of Christe oure Messias fearing the losse of oure filthy pigges I meane our transitory goods and disquieting of our sinfull and mortall bodies in this short vncertaine and miserable life then of a Legion of Deuils seducing and driuing vs from hearing reading and beleeuing Christ Gods eternal sonne and his holy worde the power to saue our soules vnto vanities lies and fables and to this bewitching world Oh perilous aboundance of goods too much saturity of meates wealth and quietnes which destroied wyth so many soules those goodly cities Sodom Gomorre Ieroboam so long as he was but a pore man not yet aduanced to his dignity liued in the lawes of God without reprehension but broughte once to wealth prosperous estate hee became a wicked and moste shamefull Idolater And what made the couetous yong maÌ„ so loth to folow Christ when he was bidden to forsake but worldly wealth which hee then enioyed Woe be vnto these false elusions of the world baites of perdition hookes of the deuil which haue so shamefâ—lly deceiued and seduced full many froÌ„ the right path vnto the Lorde into the high waies of confusion and perpetuall perdition We might nowe woorthily deare Christians lament bewaile our heauie state miserable coÌ„dition and sorowfull chaunce yea I say we might well accuse our selues and with Iob cursse these oure troublous wicked and bloudy last dayes of thys worlde were it not that wee both see and beleeue and finde in Gods sacred booke that a remnaunt God hath in all ages reserued I meane the faithful as many as haue bene from the beginning of the worlde exercised whetted and pullished with diuers afflictions troubles and tossings cast and dashed againste all pearils and dangers as the very drosse and outcastes of the earth and yet wil in no wise halte betweene God and Baall for God verily abhorreth two men in one he can not awaye with them that are betweene both but casteth them away as a filthy vomite Christe will not parte spoyle wyth his mortall enemie the deuil he wil haue all or lose all he will not permit the deuill to haue the seruice of the body and he to stand contented with the heart and minde but he will be glorified both in your bodies and in
vehementibus quamlibet sinceris puris quimus Quare prohibeat deus ne in hac dierum malitia qui debent ipsi potius praedicare praecepit enim nobis inquit Petrus praedicare vel volentes potentes praedicare praepediant contra illud noli prohibere eum benefacere qui potest vel cauponantes praedicare compellant sic miseram plebeculam in superstitione fallaci fiducia damnabiliter detineÌ„tes Quin deus potius misereatur nostri vt cognoscamus in terra viam tuam ne videamur in quos illud quadret digne noÌ„ cogitationes meae cogitationes vestrae neque viae meae viae vestrae dicit dominus Hinc ego nudis sententijs subscribere non audeo domine cum primis obseruande quia popularis superstitionis diutius duraturae quoad possum authorculus esse nolo ne mei ipsius damnationis simul sim author Quod si dignus essem qui tibi coÌ„silium darem colendissime pater sed cohibeo me quaÌ„ sit prauum intollerabile hominis cor detur vel coniectare Neque sane quisquam nouit quae sunt hominis nisi spiritus hominis qui est in eo Non me superbia detinet vlla ab illa subscriptione toties a tua dominatione cum maxima mei animi molestia rogata Non potest non esse impium patribus proceribus ecclesiae non obtempeâ—are sed videndum interim illis quid quibus imperent cum in loco deo quam hominibê° obedire oportet magis Sic dolet mihi caput reliquum corpus languet vt nec venire nec haec rescribete licet emendare Sed tua dominatio si non iudicium meum certe studium spero probabit Valeat dominatio tua In this foresayd Epistle as ye heare he maketh mention of certayne articles or propositions whereunto hee was required by the Bishops to subscribe The copy and effect of those articles or nude propositions as hee calleth them be these ¶ Articles deuised by the Bishops for M. Latymer to subscribe vnto I Beleeue that there is a purgatory to purge the soules of the dead after this lyfe That the soules in Purgatorie are holpen wyth the Masses prayers and almes of the liuyng That the Saints do pray as Mediatours now for vs in heauen That they are to be honoured of vs in heauen That it is profitable for Christians to call vppon the Saintes that they may pray as Mediatours for vs vnto God That pilgrimages and oblations done to the Sepulchres and Reliques of Saints are meritorious That they which haue vowed perpetual chastitie may not marry nor breake their vow without the dispensation of the Pope That the keyes of bindyng loosing deliuered to Peter do still remaine with the bishops of Rome his successors although they lyue wickedly and are by no meanes nor at any tyme committed to lay men That men may merite and deserue at Gods hand by fasting prayer and other good works of pitie That they which are forbidden of the Bishoppe to preach as suspect persons ought to cease vntill they haue purged themselues before the sayde Bishops or theyr Superiors and be restored agayne That the fast whiche is vsed in Lent and other fastes prescribed by the Canons and by custome receiued of the Christians except necessity otherwise require and to be obserued and kept That God in euery one of the seuen Sacramentes geueth grace to a man rightly receiuing the same That consecrations sanctifyinges and blessinges by vse and custome receiued in the Churche are laudable and profitable That it is laudable and profitable that the venerable Images of the Crucifix and other Sayntes should be had in the Church as a remembraunce and to the honour and worship of Iesus Christ and his Sayntes That it is laudable and profitable to decke to clothe those Images and to set vp burning lightes before them to the honor of the sayd Sayntes To these Articles whether he did subscribe or no it is vncertayne It appeareth by his Epistle aboue written to the Byshoppe that he durst not consent vnto them where he writeth in these wordes His ego nudis sententijs subscribere non audeo quia popularis superstitionis diutius duraturae quoad possum autorculus esse nolo c. But yet whether he was compelled afterwarde to agree through the cruell handling of the Byshoppes it is in doubt By the wordes and the Title in Tonstalles Register prefixed before the Articles it may seeme that he subscribed The wordes of the Register bee these Hugo Latimerus in sacra Theologia Bacch in vniuersitate Cantab. coram Cant. Archiepiscopo Iohan Lond. Episcopo reliquáque concione apud Westmonst vocatus confessus est recognouit fidem suam sic sentiendo vt sequitur in his artic xxi die Martij Anno. 1531. If these wordes be true it may bee so thought that he subscribed And whether he so did no great matter nor maruell the iniquitye of the time being such that either he must nedes so do or els abide the Bishoppes blessing that is cruell sentence of death which he at that time as himselfe confessed preachinge at Stamforde was lothe to susteine for such matters as these were vnlesse it were for Articles necessary of his beliefe by whiche his wordes I coniecture rather that he did subscribe at length albeit it was longe before he coulde be brought so to do Yet this by the waye is to be noted concerning the crafty and deceitfull handling of these Bishoppes in his examinations what subtle deuises they vsed the same time to entrappe him in theyr sâ—ares The trueth of the story he sheweth forth hymselfe in a certayne Sermon preached at Stamforde ann 1550. October 9. his wordes be these I was once sayeth he in examinatioÌ„ before fiue or sixe Bishops where I had much turmoyling euery weeke thrise I came to examinations and many snares and traps were layde to get something Now God knoweth I was ignoraunt of the Lawe but that God gaue me answere and wisedome what I should speake it was God in deed for els I had neuer escaped them At the last I was brought forth to be examined into a chamber hanged with arras where I was wont to be examined but nowe at this time the chamber was somewhat altered For where as before there was wonte euer to be a fire in the chimney now the fire was taken away and an arras hanged ouer the chimney and the table stood nere the chimneis end There was amongest these Bishoppes that examined me one with whom I haue bene very familier and tooke him for my great frend an aged man and he sate nexte the table end Then amongest all other questions he put forth one a very subtle and crafty one and such a one in deed as I could not thinke so great daunger in And when I should make aunswere I pray you M. Latimer sayd one speake out I am very thicke of hearing and here
comely a person to them that were there present as one should lightly see and where as in his clothes he appeared a withered and crooked silke olde man he now stood bolt vpright as comely a father as one might lightly behold Then M. Ridley standyng as yet in hys trusse sayde to his brother it were best for me to goe in my trusse still No quoth hys brother it will put you to more payne and the trusse will do a poore man good Whereunto Maister Ridley sayd be it in the name of God and so vnlaced hymselfe Then beyng in his shirt he stoode vpon the foresayd stone and held vp hys handes and sayd Oh heauenly Father I geue vnto thee most harty thankes for that thou hast called me to bee a professour of thee euen vnto death I beseech thee Lord GOD take mercy vpon this Realme of England and deliuer the same from all her enemies Then the Smith tooke a chaine of iron and brought the same about both D. Ridleis and M. Latimers middles and as he was knockyng in a staple D. Ridley took the chayne in his hand and shaked the same for it did gird in his belly and lookyng aside to the Smith sayd good felow knocke it in hard for the flesh will haue hys course Then his brother did bring hym gunpouder in a bag and would haue tied the same about hys necke M. Ridley asked what it was His brother said gunpouder Then sayd he I take it to be sent of God therefore I will receyue it as sent of hym And haue you any sayd he for my brother meanyng M. Latymer Yea sir that I haue quoth hys brother Then geue it vnto hym sayd he betyme least ye come to late So hys brother went and caried of the same gunpouder vnto M. Latymer In the meane tyme D. Ridley spake vnto my L. Williams and sayd My L. I must be a suter vnto your lordship in the behalfe of diuers poore men and especially in the cause of my poore Sister I haue made a supplication to the Queenes Maiestie in their behalfes I beseech your Lordship for Christes sake to bee a meane to her grace for them My brother here hath the Supplication and wyll resort to your lordship to certifie you hereof There is nothing in all the world that troubleth my conscience I praise God this onely excepted Whiles I was in the Sea of London diuers poore men tooke Leases of me and agreed with me for the same Now I heare say the B. that nowe occupieth the same roume wil not allow my graunts vnto them made but contrary vnto all law and conscience hath taken from them their liuynges and will not suffer them to enioy the same I beseech you my Lord be a mean for them you shall doe a good deed and God wil reward you Then brought they a fagot kindled with fire and layd the same downe at D. Ridleys feete To whome Maister Latymer spake in this maner Be of good comfort maister Ridley and play the man wee shall this day light such a candle by Gods grace in England as I trust shall neuer be put out And so the fire beyng geuen vnto them when D. Ridley saw the fire flamyng vp toward hym he cryed wyth a wonderfull lowd voyce In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Domine recipe spiritum meum and after repeated this latter part often in English Lord Lord receyue my spirit M. Latymer crying as vehemently on the other side Oh Father of Heauen receyue my soule who receyued the flame as it were embrasing of it After as he had stroked hys face with hys hands as it were bathed them a little in the fire he soone died as it appered with very litle payne or none And thus much concerning the end of this old and blessed seruaunt of God M. Latymer for whose laborious trauails fruitfull lyfe constāt death the whole Realme hath cause to geue great thankes to almighty God But M. Ridley by reason of the euill makyng of the fire vnto hym because the wooden fagots were laid about the gosse and ouer high built the fire burned first beneath beyng kept downe by the woode Which when he felt hee desired them for Christs sake to let the fire come vnto him Which when hys brother in law heard but not well vnderstood entendyng to ridde hym out of his payne for the which cause he gaue attendance as one in such sorow not well aduised what he did heaped fagots vpon hym so that he cleane couered hym which made the fire more vehement beneath that it burned cleane all hys neather parts before it once touched the vpper and that made him leape vp and downe vnder the fagots and often desire them to let the fire come vnto him saying I cannot burne Which in deed appeared well for after hys legs were consumed by reason of his struglyng through the payne whereof he had no release but only his contentation in God he shewed that side toward vs clean shirt and all vntouched with flame Yet in all this torment he forgate not to call vnto God still hauyng in his mouth Lord haue mercy vppon me intermedling this cry let the fire come vnto me I can not burne In which paynes he laboured till one of the standers by with his bill pulled of the fagots aboue and where he saw the fire flame vp hee wrested himselfe vnto that side And when the flame touched the gunpouder hee was seene stirre no more but burned on the other side fallyng downe at M. Latymers feete Which some said hapned by reason that the chaine loosed other sayd that he fell ouer the chaine by reason of the poise of his body and the weakenes of the neather limmes Some say that before he was like to fall from the stake he desired them to holde him to it with their billes Howsoeuer it was surely it moued hundredes to teares in beholding the horrible sight For I thinke there was none that had not cleane exiled all humanitie and mercy which would not haue lamented to behold the fury of the fire so to rage vpon their bodies Signes there were of sorrowe on euery side Some tooke it greuously to see their deaths whose lyues they held full deare Some pitied their persons that thought theyr soules had no neede thereof His brother mooued many men seyng his miserable case seeyng I say hym compelled to such infelicitie that he thought then to doe hym best seruice when he hastened hys ende Some cryed out of the lucke to see his endeuor who most dearely loued hym and sought his release turne to hys greater vexation and encrease of payne But who so considered their preferments in tyme past the places of honor that they sometyme occupied in this common wealth the fauour they were in with their princes and the opinion of learnyng they had could not chuse but sorow with teares to see so great
Gods Saintes to death so this Bishoppe for his part bent all his deuises and had spent all his pouder in assayling the roote and in casting such a platforme as he himselfe in wordes at his death is said to confesse to buyld his popery vpoÌ„ as he thought should haue stand for euer and a day But as I sayd before of vncertayne thinges I can speake but vncertaynely Wherefore as touching the maner and order of his death how rich he died what wordes he spake what litle repentaunce he shewed whether he died with his tongue swolne and out of his mouth as did Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterbury or whether he stonke before he dyed as Cardinall Wolsey did or whether he dyed in dispayre as Latomus and others did c. All this I referre either to their reportes of whom I hearde it or leaue it to the knowledge of them whiche know it better Notwithstanding here by the way touching the death of this foresayde B. I thought not to ouerpasse a certaine hearesay which not long since came to me by information of a certaine worthy credible Gentlewoman an other Gentleman of the same name and kinred which Mistres Monday beyng the wyfe of one M. Monday Secretary sometime to the old L. Thomas D. of Northfolke a present witnes of this that is testified thus openly reported in the house of a worshypfull Citisen bearyng yet office in this Citie in wordes effect as foloweth The same day when as B. Ridley and M. Latimer suffered at Oxford being about the .19 day of October there came to the house of Ste. Gardiner the old D. of Norfolke with the foresaid M. Monday his secretary aboue named reporter hereof The old aged Duke there wayting tariyng for his dinner the B. being not yet disposed to dine deferred the time to .3 or .4 of the clocke at after noone At length about .4 of the clocke commeth his seruaunt posting in all possible speede from Oxford bringing intelligence to the B. what he had heard seene of whom the sayd B. diligently enquiring the truth of the matter and hearing by his man that fyre most certainely was set vnto them commeth out reioysing to the Duke Now sayeth he let vs go to dinner Whereupon they beyng set downe meate immediately was brought and the Bishop began merely to eat But what folowed The bloudy Tyraunt had not eaten a few bitteâ— but the soden stroke of God his terible hande fell vpon him in such sort as immediatly he was taken from the table and so brought to his bedde where he continued the space of 15. dayes in such intollerable anguish and tormentes that all that meane while during those .15 dayes he could not auoyde by order of vrine or otherwyse any thing that he receiued whereby his body being miserably inflamed within who had inflamed so many good Martyrs before was brought to a wretched end And thereof no dout as most like it is came the thrustyng out of his tongue from his mouth so swolne and blacke with the inflamation of his body A spectacle worthy to be noted and beholden of all such bloudy burnyng persecutors But to proceede farther in the sequell of our storie I coulde name the man but I abstayne from names who being then present and a great doer about the sayd Winchester reported to vs concerning the sayde Byshop that when Doctor Day B. of Chichester came to him and began to comfort him with woordes of Gods promise and with the free iustification in the bloud of Christe our Sauiour repeating the Scriptures to him Winchester hearyng that what my Lorde quoth he will you open that gappe now then farewell altogether To me and such other in my case you may speake it but open this window vnto the people then farewell altogether Moreouer what D. Boner then saw in him or what he heard of him what wordes passed betweene them about the tyme of his extremitie betwixt him and him be it If Boner did there beholde any thing which might turne to his good example I exhort him to take it and to beware in time as I pray God he may Here I could bring in the friuolous Epitaph which was made of his deth deuised of a Papist for a Popish Bysh. but I pretermit it in steede thereof I haue here â—â—ferred certayne gatheringes out of his Sermons wordes and writinges wherein may appeare first what an earnest and vehement enemie he was to the Pope if he woulde haue bene constant in him selfe then how inconstantly he varied froÌ„ himselfe and thirdly how he standing vpon a singularity of his owne wit wauering also from other Papistes in certaine poyntes In the gathering whereof albeit there be some paines tediousnes also in readyng yet I thought not to pretermit the same vppon certayne considerations namely for that so many yet to this day there be whiche sticke so muche to Gardiners wit learnyng religion taking him for such a doughty piller of the Popes church To the intent therefore that such as hetherto haue bene deceiued by him may no longer be abused therein if they will either credit his owne wordes workes Sermons writinges disputations or els will be iudged by his owne witnesses of his owne party producted we haue here collected such manifest probations which may notoriously declare how effectuously first he withstode the Popes supremacie and likewyse afterward may declare manifest contrariety and repugnaunce of the said Gardiner first with other writers and lastly with him selfe first beginning with his Sermon preached before Kyng Edward The summe and effect of which Sermon briefly collected by M. Udal here vnder foloweth to be seene ¶ The summe and effect of the Sermons which Gardiner B. of Winchester preached before King Edward An. 1550. MOst honorable audience I purpose by the grace of God to declare some part of the Gospell that is accustomably vsed to be read in the Church as this day And for because that without the speciall grace of God neither I can speake any thyng to your edifying nor ye receiue the same accordingly I shal desire you all that we may ioyntly pray altogether for the assistance of his grace In which praier I commend to almighty God your most excellent Maiestie our soueraigne Lord King of Englande France Ireland and of the Church of England Ireland next and immediately vnder God here on earth the supreme heade Queene Katherine Dowager my Lady Maries grace my Lady Elizabethes grace your Maiesties most deare sisters my Lorde Protectours grace with all others of your most honorable CouÌ„saile the spiritualtie and temporaltie and I shall desire you to commend vnto God with your praier the soules departed vnto God in Christes faith and among these most specially our late soueraigne Lorde King Henry the eighte your maiesties most noble father For these and for grace necessary I shall desire you to say a Pater noster and so foorth The Gospell
was brought before the Bish. of Douer and Nich. Harpesfield or some other deputed in their roume long before the other two videlicet the xvj day of September and there had propounded vnto hym such ordinarie Articles as it seemeth as was commonly ministred by Boner to those of hys iurisdiction beyng willed for that present to depart and to deliberate with hymselfe vpon the matter agaynst the next tyme of his appearance he made aunswer that hee would no otherwyse say by Gods grace then hee had already sayde which was this As touchyng the Sacrament of Christes bodye I do beleeue quoth he to be left vnto hys Churche wyth thankes geuyng in commemoration of hys death passion vntill his commyng agayne So that it is left in remembraunce of hys body and not by the wordes of consecration to be made his body really substantially and the same body that was borne of the virgin Mary I vtterly do deny that After this besides sundry other tymes the third day of October the sayd Ioh. Web Gregory Roper George Parke were brought all three together before the sayd Iudge who there and then agreeyng and stedfastly allowyng the former aunswere made before by Maister Webbe were by the bloudy Prelates adiudged heretikes and therefore about the ende of the same month of October or els as I otherwyse finde in the latter ende of Nouember they together were taken and brought out of prison to the place of Martyrdom Who by the way goyng toward the stake sayd certaine Psalmes mournefully Roper was a yonger man of a fresh colour courage complexion the other two were somewhat more elderly all goyng in white linnen with their gownes vpon Roper at his commyng to the stake puttyng of hys gowne fet a great leape So soone as the flame was about hym the sayd Roper put out both hys armes from hys bodye lyke a Rood and so stood stedfast continuyng in that maner not pluckyng his armes in tyll the fire had consumed them and burnt them of And thus these foresayde Martyrs of Christ beeyng brought as I sayde to the stake and there compassed about with a chayne were burnt and consumed all thre together in one fire at Canterbury abidyng most patiently their torments and countyng themselues happy blessed of the lord that they were made worthy to suffer for Christes Gospels sake * William Wiseman THe 13. of Decemb. in the Lollards Tower died William Wiseman a Clothworker of London where hee ⧠The order and maner of burying in the Fields such as dyed in prison and namely of William Wiseman was in prison and bands for the Gospel worde of God How and whereupon he deceased it is not fully certaine Some thought that either through famine or ill handling of some murtheryng papists he was made away By reason whereof the Crouner named Iohn Gibbes Gentleman with an enquest of twelue men were fayne to sit vpoÌ„ hym who although to the outward apperance were sayd to finde nothyng in hym els but onely Gods visitation yet what other priuy causes there might be of hys death the Lord knoweth I haue not to say After the sayd William was departed as is sayde in the Tower the holy Catholike church men cast hym out into the fieldes commanded that no man should bury him according as theyr deuout maner is to do with all such as dye in lyke sort whoÌ„ they account as prophane and worthy of no buriall but to be cast to dogs and birdes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet sayeth And yet all this their mercilesse commaundement not withstandyng some good Tobies there were which buried hym in the euenyng as commonly they did all the rest throwen out in lyke sort whom they were woont priuily by night to couer and many tymes the Archers in the fields standyng by and singing together Psalmes at their buriall ¶ Iames Gore IN the same month about the 7. day of Decemb. deceased also Iames Gore in the prison at Colchester layed there in bands for the right and truth of Gods word ⧠The processe and historie of M. Iohn Philpot examined condemned and Martyred for the maintenance and defence of the Gospels cause against the Antichristian Sea of Rome NExt foloweth the constant Martyrdome of M. Iohn Philpot of whome partly ye heard before in the beginning of Queene Maries time in prosecutyng the disputation of the Conuocation house He was of a worshipfull house a knights sonne borne in Hamshire brought vp in the new Colledge in Oxford where he studied the Ciuill lawe the space of 6. or 7. yeares besides the study of other liberall artes especially of the tongs wherein very forwardly he profited namely in the knowledge of the Hebrue tong c. In witâ—he was pregnaÌ„t and happy of a singuler courage in spirit feruent in religion zelous and also well practised and exercised in the same which is no small matter in a true deuine of nature and condition plaine and apert far from all flatterie farther from all hypocrisie and deceitfull dissimulation What his learnyng was hys owne examinations penned of hys owne hand can declare From Oxford desirous to see other countries as occasion serued thereunto he went ouer into Italy and places thereabouts where he commyng vpon a tyme from Uenice to Padua was in daunger through a certayne Franciscan Frier accompanying hym in hys iourney who coÌ„myng to Padua sought to accuse hym of heresie At length returnyng to England hys countrey agayne as the tyme ministred more boldnes to hym in the dayes of King Edward he had diuers conflictes with Gardiner the bishop in the Citye of Winchester as appeareth by dyuers of Winchesters letters and hys examinations Wherof read before After that hauyng an aduauson by the sayd B. he was made there Archdeacon of Winchester vnder D. Pomet who then succeeded Gardiner in that Bishoprike Thus duryng the tyme of K. Edward he continued to no small profite of those parties thereabout When that blessed king was taken away Mary hys sister came in place whose study was wholy bent to alter the state of religion in the wofull realme of England first she caused a Conuocation of the Prelates learned men to be congregate to the accomplishment of her desire In the which Conuocation M. Philpot beyng present accordyng to hys roume and degree with a few other susteined the cause of the Gospel manfully agaynst the aduersary part as is aboue recited for the which cause not withstandyng the liberty of the house promied before hee was called to accompt before B. Gardiner the Chauncellour then beyng hys Ordinary by whome he was first examined although that examination came not yet to our handes From thence agayne he was remooued to Boner and other Commissioners with whom he had dyuers sundry conflictes as in hys examination here followyng may appeare ¶ The first examination of M. Iohn Philpot before the Queenes
deny the body and bloud of Christ to be in the sacrament of the aultar I cannot tell what aultar yee meane whether it be the aultar of the Crosse or the aultar of stone And if yee call it the Sacrament of the aultar in respect of the aultar of the stone then I defie your Christ for it is a rotten Christ. And as touching your transubstantiatiō I vtterly deny it for it was brought vp first by a Pope Now as concerning your offer made from the Synode whiche is gathered together in Antichristes name proue me that to be of the catholicke Church which ye shall neuer do I will follow you and do as you would haue me to do But yee are Idolaters and dayly do commit Idolatry Ye be also traytors for in your Pulpits you rayle vpon good kings as king Henry and king Edward his sonne which haue stand agaynst the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome agaynst whome also I haue taken an othe which if ye can shew me by Gods law that I haue taken vniustly I will then yeld vnto you But I pray God turne the King and Queenes hartes from your Sinagogue and churche for you do abuse that good Queene Here the Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield began to shew where the true church was saying Couen The true catholicke church is set vpon an high hil Phil. Yea at Rome which is the Babylonicall church Couen No in our true Catholicke church are the Apostles Euangelistes and martyrs but before Martine Luther ther was no Apostle Euāgelist or martyr of your church Phil. Will ye know the cause why Christ did prophesie that in the latter dayes there should come false Prophetes and hipocrites as you be Couen Your Church of Geneua which ye call the Catholicke Church is that which Christ prophesied of Phil. I allow the church of Geneua and the doctrine of the same for it is vna Catholica Apostolica and doth follow the doctrine that the Apostles did preach and the doctrine taught and preached in king Edwardes dayes was also according to the same And are yee not ashamed to persecute me and others for your Churches sake which is Babilonicall and contrary to the true Catholicke Church And after this they had great conference togethers aswell out of the Scriptures as also out of the Doctours But whē Boner saw that by learning they were not able to conuince M. Phil. he thought then by his diffamations to bryng him out of credite and therefore turning himselfe vnto the Lord Mayor of London brought forth a knyfe and a bladder full of pouder and sayd London My Lorde this man had a rosted pigge brought vnto him and this knife was put secretly betweene the skin the flesh therof and so was it sent him being in prison And also this pouder was sent vnto him vnder pretence that it was good and comfortable for him to eate or drinke whiche pouder was onely to make inke to wryte withall For when his keeper did perceaue it he tooke it brought it vnto me Whiche when I did see I thought it had bene gunpouder and thereupon I put fire to it but it would not burne Then I tooke it for poyson and so gaue it to a dogge but it was not so Thou I tooke a little water and it made as fayre inke as euer I did write withall Therefore my Lord you may vnderstand what a naughty fellowe this is Phil. Ah my Lord haue ye nothing els to charge me withall but these trifles seeing I stande vppon lyfe and death Doth the knife in the pigge proue the churche of Rome to be a catholicke church c. Then the bishop brought forth a certayne instrument conteyning Articles and Questions agreed vpon both in Oxford and Cambridge whereof yee haue mention before pag. 1428. Also he did exhibite two Bookes in Print the one was the Catechisme made in king Edwards dayes An. 1552. the other concerning the true report of the disputation in the Conuocation house mention wherof is aboue expressed Moreouer hee did bring foorth and layde to Mayster Philpots charge two letters the one touching Barthelet Greene the other contayning godly exhortations comfortes which both were written vnto him by some of his godly friendes the tenour whereof wee thought here also to exhibite A letter exhibited by Boner written by some frend of M. Philpot and sent to him concerning the handling of Mayster Greene in Boners house at London YOu shal vnderstand that M. Greene came vnto the Bishop of London on Sonday last where he was curteously receaued for what policie the sequele declareth His entertaynment for one day or two was to dyne at my Lordes owne table or els to haue his meate from thence During those dayes hee lay in Doctor Chadseys chamber and was examined Albeit in very deede the Bishop earnestly and faythfully promised manye right worshipful men who were suters for him but to him vnknown that he in no case shoulde bee examined before which M. Fecknam would haue had him in his frendly custody if he would haue desired to haue conferred with him whiche he vtterly refused And in that the bish obiected agaynst him singularitie and obstinacie his answere thereunto was thus To auoyd al suspicion therof although I my self am yong vtterly vnlearned in respect of the learned and yet I vnderstand I thanke my Lord yet let me haue such books as I shal require and if I by Gods spirite do not therby answere all your books and obiections contrary therto I wil assent to you Wherunto the Bishop and his assented permitting him at the first to haue suche bookes Who at sondrye times haue reasoned with him and haue found him so stronge and rise in the scriptures and godly fathers that sithens they haue not onely taken from him such libertie of bookes but all other bookes not leauing him so much as the new Testament Since they haue bayted and vsed him most cruelly This mayster Fecknam reported saying farther that he neuer heard the like young man so perfect What shall become farther of him God knoweth but death I thinke for he remayneth more and more willing to dye as I vnderstand Concerning your bill I shal conferre with others therin knowyng that the same Courte is able to redresse the same And yet I thinke it will not be reformed for that I know fewe or none that dare or wil speake therein or preferre the same because it concerneth spirituall thinges Notwithstanding I will assertain you therof committing you to the holy Ghost who keepe you vs all as his Your owne c. The copy of an other letter written by the faythful and Christen harted Lady the Lady Vane to Mayster Philpot exhibited lykewise by Byshop Boner HArty thankes rendered vnto you my welbeloued in Christ for the booke ye sent me wherein I finde great consolations and according to the doctrine therof do prepare my cheekes to the
Then Whittell in the middest of the ceremonies whē he saw them so busy in disgrading him after theyr father the Popes Pontifical fashion sayd vnto them Paule and Titus had not so much ado with theyr priestes and bishops And farther speaking to the bishop he sayd vnto him My Lord your Religion standeth most with the church of Rome and not with the catholicke church of Christ. The Bishop after this according to his accustomed formall procedinges assayed him yet agayne with words rather then with substantiall arguments to conforme him to his Religion Who then denying so to doe sayd As for your religion I cannot be perswaded that it is accordyng to Gods worde The Bishop then asked what fault he found in the administration of the Sacrament of the Aultar Whittell aunswered and sayde it is not vsed according to Christes institution in that it is priuately and not openlye done And also for that it is ministred but in one kinde to the lay people which is agaynst Christes ordinaunce Farther Christ commaunded it not to be eleuated nor adored For the adoration and eleuation cannot be approued by Scripture Well quoth Boner my Lords here and other learned men haue shewed great learning for thy cōuersion wherfore if thou wilt yet returne to the fayth and religion of the catholicke Church I will receiue thee thereunto and not cōmit thee to the secular power c. To make short Whittell strengthened with the grace of the Lord stood strong vnmoueable in that he had affirmed Wherfore the sentēce being readde the next day folowing he was committed to the secular power and so in few dayes after brought to the fire with the other sixe aforenamed sealing vp the testimony of his doctrine with his bloud which he willingly and chearefully gaue for witnes of the truth ¶ Letters of Thomas Whittell ¶ A letter of Thomas Whittell to Iohn Careles prisoner in the kinges bench THe peace of God in Christ bee with you continuallye dearely beloued bother in Christ with the assistaunce of Gods grace and holy spirit to the working and perfourming of those thinges which may comfort and edefye hys Churche as ye dayly doe to the glory of his name and the encrease of your ioye and solace of Soule in this lyfe and also your reward in heauen with Christ our Captain whose faythfull Souldiours ye are in the life to come Amen I haue greatly reioyced my deare hart with thankes to God for you since I haue hearde of your fayth and loue which you bare towardes God and his Sayntes wyth a most godly ardent zeale to the verity of Christs doctrine and religion which I haue heard by the report of manye but specially by the declaring of that valiaunt captayne in Christes church that stout Champion in Gods cause that Spectacle to the worlde I meane our good brother Philpot who now lyeth vnder the Aultar and sweetly enioyeth the promised reward And specially I and my cōdemned fellowes gene thankes to God for your louyng and comfortable Letter in the deepenesse of our trouble after the flesh sent vnto vs to the consolation of vs al but most specially to me most sinnefull miser on mine own behalfe but happye I hope through Gods louing kindnesse in Christ shewed vnto me who suffered me to faynt fayle through humaine infirmity by the working of the Archenemy in his sworne Souldiours the Bishops and Priestes In whom so liuely appereth the very visage shape of Sathan that a man if it were not preiudice to Gods word might well affirme them to be Deuils incarnate as I by experience do speake Wherefore who so shall for cōscience matters come in theyr handes had need of the wylynesse of the Serpent to saue his head though it be wyth the wounding of his body and to take diligent heede how he consenteth to theyr wicked writings or setteth his hād to theyr conueyances Sore did they assault me and craftely tempt me to their wicked wayes or at least to a denegation of my fayth and true opinions though it were but by colour and dissimulation And alas something they did preuaile Not that I did any thing at all like theyr opinions and false papisticall religion or els doubted of the truth wherein I stand but onely the infirmity of the fleshe beguiled me desiring liberty by an vnlawfull meanes GOD lay it not to my charge at that daye and so I hartely desire you to praye Howbeit vncertayne I am whether more profite came therby profite to me in that God suffered Sathan to buffet me by his foresayd minister of mischiefe shewinge me myne infirmity that I should not boast nor reioyce in my selfe but onely in the Lord who whē he had led me to hell in my conscience through the respect of his feareful iudgementes agaynst me for my fearefulnes mistrust and crafty cloking in such spirituall and weighty matters in the which mine agonye and distresse I founde this olde verse true Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus yet he brought me from thence agayne to the magnifiyng of his name suspecting of flesh and bloude and consolation of mine owne soule or els that I might feele disprofite in offending the congregation of God which peraduenture wil rather adiudge my fall to come of doubtfulnesse in my doctrine and religion then of humaine imbecility Well of the importune burden of a troubled conscience for denying or dissembling the knowne verity I by experiēce could say very much more which perhaps I will declare by writing to the warding of other if God graunte time For now am I and my felowes ready to go hence euen for Christs cause Gods name be praysed who hath hitherto called vs. Pray I pray you that we maye ende our course with ioy at your appoynted time you shall come after But as the Lorde hath kept you so will he preserue your life still to the intent you should labour as you do to appease and conuince these vngodlye contentions and controuersies which now do too much raygn brawling about termes to no edificatiō God is dishonored the church disquieted occasiō to speake euill of the gospel ministred to our aduersaries But such is the subtlety of sathan that whom he cannot winne with grosse Idolatry in open religion thē he seeketh to corrupt and deceiue in opinions in a priuate profession But here I will abruptly leaue lest with my rude simple veyne I should be tedious to you desiring you my louing brother if it shall not seeme grieuous vnto you to write vnto me my fellowes yet once agayne if you haue leysure and we tune to the same Prouide me M. Philpots 9. examinations for a friend of mine and I shall pay you therefore by the leaue of almighty God our heauenly Father who correcteth all hys deare children in this world that they should not be damned with the world and tryeth the fayth of his Saynctes through many
therefore declare vnto you my very faith how I beleeue wythout any colour or dissimulation for nowe is no time to dissemble whatsoeuer I haue sayd or wrytten in time past First I beleeue in God the Father almightye maker of heauen and earth c. And I beleue euery Article of the Catholicke faith euery woord and sentence taught by our Sauiour Iesus Christ his Apostles and Prophets in the newe and olde Testament And nowe I come to the great thinge that so muche troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or sayd in my whole life and that is the setting abroad of a wryting contrary to the truth which now here I renounce and refuse as things wrytten with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart and written for feare of death and to saue my life if it might be and that is all suche billes and papers which I haue wrytten or signed with my hand since my degradation wherein I haue wrytten many thinges vntrue And for asmuche as my hand offended wryting cōtrary to my heart my hand shall first be punished therfore for may I come to the fire it shal be first burned And as for the Pope I refuse hym as Christes ennemie and Antichrist with all his false doctrine And as for the sacrament I beleeue as I haue taught in my booke against the Bishop of Winchester the whych my booke teacheth so true a doctrine of the sacrament that it shall stand at the last day before the iudgement of God where the Papisticall doctrine contrary thereto shal be ashamed to shewe her face Here the standers by were all astonied maruailed were amased did looke one vpon an other whose expectation he had so notably deceiued Some began to admonish hym of hys recantation and to accuse him of falshoode Briefly it was a world to see the doctours beguiled of so great an hope I thinke there was neuer crueltie more notably or better in time deluded deceiued For it is not to be doubted but they looked for a glorious victorie and a perpetuall triumph by this mans retractation Who assoone as they heard these things began to lette downe their eares to rage frette and fume and so much the more because they coulde not reuenge their griefe for they coulde nowe no longer threaten or hurt him For the most miserable manne in the world can die but once and where as of necessity he must needes die that day though the papists had bene neuer so well pleased now being neuer so much offended with him yet coulde hee not be twise killed of them And so when they coulde doe nothing els vnto him yet least they shoulde say nothinge they ceassed not to obiect vnto him his falshoode and dissimulation Unto which accusation he answered Ah my maisters quoth he do not you take it so Alwayes since I liued hitherto I haue bene a hater of falshood and a louer of simplicitie and neuer before this time haue I dissembled and in saying this al the teares that remained in his body appeared in hys eyes And when he began to speake more of the sacrament and of the papacie some of them beganne to cry out yalpe and baule and specially Cole cried out vppon him stop the heretickes month and take him away And then Cranmer beinge pulled downe from the stage was ledde to the fire accompanied wyth those Friers vexing troubling and threatning him most cruelly What madnesse saye they hath brought thee againe into this error by which thou wilt draw innumerable soules with thee into hel To whom he answeared nothyng but directed all his talke to the people sauing that to one troubling hym in the way hee spake and exhorted him to gette hym home to hys studie and applye hys booke diligently saying if he did diligently cal vpon God by reading more he should get knowledge ⧠The description of Doctour Cranmer howe he was plucked downe from the stage by Friers and Papists for the true Confession of hys Faith ⧠The burnyng of the Archbishop of Caunterbury Doctor Thomas Cranmer in the Towneditch at Oxforde with his hand first thrust into the fire wherewith he subscribed before Then the Spanish Friers Iohn Richard of whom mention was made before began to exhort him and playe their partes with him a freshe but with vayne and lost labour Cranmer with stedfast purpose abidyng in the profession of his doctrine gaue his hand to certaine old men and other that stood by biddyng them farewell And when he had thought to haue done so likewyse to Ely the sayd Ely drewe backe his hande and refused saying it was not lawfull to salute heretickes and specially such a one as falsly returned vnto the opinions that he had forsworne And if he had knowen before that hee would haue done so he would neuer haue vsed his company so familiarly and chid those sergeants and Citizens whiche had not refused to geue hym their hands This Ely was a priest lately made and student in Diuinitie beyng thē one of the fellowes of Brasennose Then was an iron chaine tied about Cranmer whom when they perceyued to be more stedfast then that he could be mooued from hys sentence they commaunded the fire to be set vnto hym And when the woode was kindled and the fire began to burne neere hym stretching out his arme he put hys right hand into the flame which he held so stedfast immoueable sauing that once with the same hand he wiped his face that all men might see hys hande burned before his body was touched His body did so abide the burning of the flame with such constancy and stedfastnes that standyng alwayes in one place without moouyng of his body he seemed to mooue no more then the stake to which hee was bound his eyes were lifted vp into heauen and oftentymes he repeated hys vnworthy right hand so long as his voyce would suffer hym and vsing oftē the words of Steuen Lord Iesus receiue my spirite in the greatnesse of the flame he gaue vp the Ghost This fortitude of mynd which perchaunce is rare and not found among the Spaniards when Frier Ioh. saw thinkyng it came not of fortitude but of desperation although such maner of examples which are of the like constancy haue bene common here in England ranne to the L. Williams of Tame crying that the Archb. was vexed in mind and died in great desperation But he which was not ignorant of the Archbishoppes constancy beyng vnknowen to the Spaniards smiled only and as it were by silence rebuked the Friers folly And this was the ende of this learned Archb. whom least by euill subscribyng he should haue perished by well recantyng God preserued and least he should haue lyued longer with shame and reproofe it pleased God rather to take him away to the glory of his name and profit of his Church So good was the Lord both to hys
boldly to the profession of Christ then they shewed how little they passed of death how much they feared God more then meÌ„ how much they loued and preferred the eternall lyfe to come aboue this short and miserable lyfe Wherfore I exhort you as well by Christes commandement as by the example of hym and his Apostles to withdraw your selfe from the malice of yours gods enemies into some place where God is most purely serued which is no slaunderyng of the truth but a preseruyng of your selfe to God and the truth and to the societie comfort of Christes little flocke And that you will doe doe it with speede least by your owne folly you fall into the persecutors hands And the Lord send his holy spirite to lead and guide you where so euer you goe and all that be godly will say Amen ¶ Unto these former letters of D. Cranmer Archbishop written by hym vnto others it seemeth to me not much out of place to annexe withall a certaine Letter also of Doc. Taylor written to hym and his fellow prisoners the tenor of which letter here followeth ¶ To my deare fathers and brethren Doctor Cranmer Doctor Ridley and Doctor Latimer prisoners in Oxford for the faithful testimony of Gods holy worde RIght reuerend fathers in the Lord I wish you to enioy continually Gods grace and peace through Iesus Christ God be praysed againe for this your most excellent promotioÌ„ which ye are called vnto at this present that is that ye are counted worthy to be allowed amongst the number of Christes recordes and witnesses England hath had but a few learned Bishops that would sticke to Christ ad ignem inclusiuè Once againe I thanke God hartily in Christ for your most happy onset most valiaunt proceeding most constant suffryng of all such infamies hissings clappyngs tauntes open rebukes losse of liuyng and liberty for the defence of Gods cause truth and glory I cannot vtter with pen how I reioyce in my hart for you three such captaines in the foreward vnder Christs crosse banner or standerd in such a cause and skirmish when not onely one or two of our deare redemers strongholds are besieged but all his chiefe castles ordeyned for our safegard are traiterously impugned This your enterprise in the sight of all that be in heauen and of all Gods people in earth is most pleasaunt to behold This is another maner of nobilitie then to be in the forefront in worldly warrefares For Gods sake pray for vs for we fayle not daily to pray for you We are stronger and stronger in the Lord hys name be praysed and we doubt not but ye be so in Christes owne sweet schoole Heauen is all wholy of our side therefore Gaudete in domino semper iterum gaudete exultate i. Reioyce alwayes in the Lord and agayne reioyce and be glad Your assured in Christ Rowland Taylour ¶ De Tho. Cranmeri Archiepiscopi qui carcere detinebatur palinodia Te Cranmere grauis sontem prope fecerat error Sed reuocas lubricos ad meliora pedes Te docuit lapsus magis vt vestigia firmes Atque magis Christo consociere tuo Vtque tuae melius studeas haerescere causae Sic mala non rarò causa fuere boni Et benè successit nam ficta adultera turba Illudens alijs luditur arte pari Nempè pia sic est frustatus fraude papismus Et cessit summo gloria tota Deo ¶ In mortem D. Cranmeri Cant. Archiepiscopi Infortunatè est foelix qui numine laeso Cuiusuis gaudet commoditate boni Infoelix ille est verò feliciter orbi Inuisus quisquis tristia fata subit Hoc Cranmere probas vitae praesentis amore Dum quaeris sanctâ—m dissimulare fidem Et dum consilijs tandem melioribus vsus Praeponis vitae funera saeua tuae ¶ Persecution in Suffolke Agnes Potten and Ioane Trunchfield Martyrs IN the story of Robert Samuel mention was made before of two godly women in the same Towne of Ipswich which shortly after hym suffered likewyse and obtained the crowne of Martyrdome the names of whome was Agnes the wife of Robert Potten and another wife of Michaell Trunchfield a Shomaker both dwellyng in one Towne who about the same tyme that the Archbishop aforesayd was burned at Oxford suffered likewyse in the foresayd Towne of Ipswich eyther in the same moneth of March or as some say in the ende of February the next moneth before Their opinion or perswasion was this that in the sacrament was the memoriall onely of Christes death and passion for sayd they Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen and is on the right hand of God the father according to the scriptures and not in the sacrament as he was borne of the Uirgin Mary For this they were burned In whose sufferyng their constancie worthily was to be wondered at who beyng so simple women so manfully stoode to the confession and testimony of Gods worde and veritie In so much that when they had prepared and vndressed themselues redy to the fire with comfortable wordes of the Scripture they earnestly required the people to credite and to lay hold on the word of God and not vpon mans deuises and inuentions despising the ordinances and institutioÌ„s of the Romish Antichrist with all his superstitions and rotten religion and so continuyng in the torment of fire they held vp their handes and called vnto God constantly so long as lyfe did endure This Pottens wife in a night a little before her death beyng a sleepe in her bed saw a bright burnyng fire ryght vp as a pole on the side of the fire she thought there stood a nuÌ„ber of Queene Maries friends lookyng on Then beyng a sleepe she seemed to muse with her selfe whether her fire should burne so bright or no and in deed her suffryng was not farre vnlike to her dreame ¶ The burnyng of two Women * Persecution in the Dioces of Salisbury AFter these two women of Ipswich succeeded iij. men which were burnt the same moneth at one fire in Salisburye who in the like quarell with the other that went before them and led the daunce spared not theyr bodyes to bring their soules to the celestiall felicity whereof they were throughly assured in Christe Iesus by his promises as soone as the furious flames of fire had put their bodyes and soules a fonder * Their names were Iohn Spicer free Mason William Coberly Taylor Iohn Maundrell husbandman ¶ The story of Iohn Maundrell William Coberley and Iohn Spicer Martyrs FIrst Iohn Maundrell which was the sonne of Robert MauÌ„drell of Rowd in the CouÌ„ty of Wiltshyre Fermer was from his childhood brought vp in husbandry after he came to mans state did abide dwell in a Uillage called Buchamton in the Parish of Keuel within the CouÌ„ty of Wiltshyre aforesaid where he had wife and children being of good name and fame Which Iohn Maundrell
to dispatche his handes of them but could not so dispatch his conscience before the iudgement of God from the guiltinesse of innocent bloud The pore men being now in the temporal officers haÌ„ds might not there be suffered long to remain therefore the 15. day of May very early in the morning they were caried from Newgate in a cart to Stratford the Bow most quietly in the fire praising God yelded vp their soules into hys handes throughe a liuely Faith in Iesus Christe whom vnto the ende they did most constantly confesse At their death Hugh Lauerock after he was chained casting away his crooche and coÌ„forting Iohn Apprice his fellow Martyr sayd vnto him be of good comfort my brother for my Lorde of London is our good Phisition Hee will heale vs both shortly thee of thy blindenesse and me of my lamenesse And so paciently these two good Saints of God together suffered The Martyrdome of a blinde man and a lame man at Stratford the Bowe Three women the same time burned in Smithfielde Katherine Hut Elizabeth Thackuell and Ioane Homes THe nexte day after the Martyrdome of thys lame and blinde maÌ„ aboue specified in the sayd moneth of May were brought to the fire 3. women wyth whom also was adioyned an other who being in the same constancy wyth them was likewise partaker of the sayde condemnation The names of these were Katherine Hut of Bocking Widowe Ioane Hornes of Billerica Maide Elizabeth Thackuel of great Bursted Maide Margaret Ellys of Billerica Maide How these with diuers other mo were persecuted and sent vp especially by Syr Iohn Mordant and Edmunde Tyrrell Esquier Iustices of Peace this their Letter following will declare A Letter sent vnto Boner Bishop of London from Sir Iohn Mordant Knight and Edmund Tyrrell Esquire Iustices of peace for the Countie of Essex OVr humble commendations to your Lordshippe these shall be to aduertise you that we haue sent vnto your good Lordship Ioane Potter the wife of Hughe Potter Iames Harrys seruaunt of William Harrys of Bromhill Margaret Ellys for that they be not conformable to the orders of the Churche nor to the reall presence of Christes body and bloude in the Sacrament of the aultare to vse your Lordships pleasure with them as you thinke good not doubting with the punishmeÌ„t of these and the other before sent to your Lordship but that the parishe of great Burstede and Billerica shall bee broughte to good conformitye Thus committing your good Lordship to the tuition of almightie God wee take our leaue From great Burstede this present second day of March 1556. Your Lordships to command Iohn Mordant Edmund Tyrrel After the receit of these Letters Bishoppe Boner entring to examination of these 4. women aboue named laid and obiected the lyke Articles to them as after his vsuall forme he vsed to minister and are before expressed Whereunto the sayd women likewise agreeing in the same vnitie of spirite and doctrine accorded in theyr aunsweares much agreeing vnto the other before them As first to the Article in the firste place obiected they consented and graunted beleeuing the sayde Article to be true in euery part thereof 2. To the second partly they answeared they could not tel what a Sacrament is Elizabeth Thackuell and Katherin Hut adding moreouer that matrimonie Baptisme and the Lords supper were Sacraments ordained in the churche but whether the other specified in thys article be sacraments as they heard them called ordained by God or not they could not tell Margaret Ellys being examined seuerally as the other were vpoÌ„ the same how many sacraments there were answeared as a yong mayde vnskilled in her simple ignoraunce that shee coulde not tell Howbeit she had heard she sayd that there was one Sacrament but what it was she could not tell c. 3 To the thirde likewyse they graunted that they were baptised by their godfathers and godmothers which godfathers and godmothers sayde Margaret Ellys did not then know so much as shee now doth knowe Katherine Hut adding wythall and saying that shee was baptised but what her godfather godmothers did then promise for her in her name shee could not tell c. 4 To the fourth article Margaret Ellys and Elizabeth Thackuel did graunt therunto Katherin Hut said moreouer that shee beinge of the age of 14. yeares was of the faith wherein shee was Christened and yet neuerthelesse the said faith in that age shee sayde was but a deade faith because shee did not then vnderstand what she did beleue Ioane Hornes added that shee being 11. yeares of age began to learne the faith set foorth in K. Edwards dayes in the which faith and religion she sayd she hath hetherto yet doth so wil hereafter continue God so assisting her 5 To the fift article they answeared and confessed according al in this effect that as touching the Masse they knew no goodnesse in it and as touching the Sacramente of the altar they beleeued that Christes natural body is in heauen and not in the sacrament of the altar And as concernyng the sea of Rome they acknowledged no such supremacy in that sea neither haue they any thing to do therewith 6 In aunswearing the sixt article they did all generally refuâ—e to be reconciled or vnited to the church of Rome or anye other Churche contrary to that wherein they nowe stoode and did professe 7 To the seuenth article they aunsweared likâ—wyse that they had so done sayde in all things as is in thys article contained Katherine Hutte adding moreouer the reason why for that sayd she neither the seruice in Latin Masse Mattens and Euensong nor the Sacraments were vsed and ministred according to gods word And furthermore that the Masse is an idoll neither is the true body bloud of Christ in the Sacramente of the aultare as they make men beleeue 8 Their aunswere to the eight Article declared that they were all and euery one sent vppe to Boner by syr Iohn Mordant knight and iustice of peace in Essex the Lord of his mercy send vs better Iustices I beseeche him for that they coulde not affirme the presence of Christes bodye and bloude to be truely and really in the Sacramente and for that they came not to theyr popish parish Church 9 To the ninth article they aunswered and confessed the premisses thereof to be true and denied not the same saue that Katherin Hut sayd that she was of Bocking in Essex of the peculiare iurisdiction of Canterbury and not of the diocesse and iurisdiction of London After these their answeres receiued they were produced againe about the 13. of Aprill to further examination and so at length to their finall iudgement where Katherin Hut widowe standing before the bishop boldly constantly stoode to that which she hadde sayde before neither yeelding to his faire promises nor ouerthrowne with his terrour Who being required of the Sacrament to say her minde and to
reuoke her selfe vnto the fellowshyp of the Catholicke faith openly protested saying I deny it to be God because it is a dumme God and made wyth mans handes Wherein the good and faithfull Martyr of Christe firmely persisting so receiued her sentence being condemned of Boner to the fire which shee wyth great constancie sustained by the grace and strength of the Lorde and dyd abide for the cause and loue of Christ. Ioane Hornes maid producted likewise to her iudgement and condemnation wyth like firmnesse and Christian fortitude declared her selfe a true Martyr and folower of Christes Testament geuing no place to the aduersary but being charged that she did not beleeue the Sacrament of Christes body and bloude to be Christe himselfe of the which Sacrament contrary to the nature of a Sacrament the aduersaries are woont to make an idoll seruice to this shee protesting openly her minde sayde as followeth If you can make your God to shed bloud or to shew any cōdition of a true liuely body then will I beleeue you but it is but bread as touching the substaunce therof meaning the matter whereof the Sacrament cōsisteth and that you call heresie I trust to serue my Lord God in c. And as concerning the Romish sea she said my Lord speaking to Boner I forsake all his abhominatiōs and from them good lord deliuer vs. From this her stable and constant assertion when the Bishop was too weake to remooue her and too ignorant to conuince her he knockt her downe wyth the butcherly axe of hys sentence And so the holy Uirgine and Martyr committed to the shambles of the secular sword was offered vp with her other felowes a burnt sacrifice to the Lord In odorem bonae fragrantiae in the sauour of a sweete and pleasant smell As touching Margaret Ellis shee likewise perseuering in her foresayde confession and resisting the false Catholicke errours and heresies of the Papistes was by the sayd Boner adiudged and condemned but before the time of her burning came preuented by death in Newgate prison departed and slept in the Lord. No lesse strength in the grace of the Lorde appeared in the other maide Elizabeth Thackuell whose hearte and minde the Lorde had so confirmed in hys truth so armed with patience that as her aduersaries could by no sufficient knowledge of Scripture conuicte her affirmation so by no forceable attempts they could remooue her confession Whereuppon shee standing to the death being in lyke sorte condemned by the sayd vnbyshoplyke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaue her life willingly and mildely for the confirmation sealing vp of the sincere truth of Gods woord The Martyrdome of three women Thomas Drowry a blinde boy and Thomas Croker Bricklayer Martyrs YEe heard a litle before of two men the one blinde the other lame which suffered about the 15. of Maye And heere is not to be forgotten an other as Godly a couple whiche suffered the like passion and Martyrdome for the same cause of Religion at Glocester of the which two the one was the blind boy named Tho. Drowrie mentioned before in the hystorie of B. Hooper whom the sayd vertuous Byshop confirmed then in the Lorde and in the doctrine of hys woorde With him also was burned an other in the same place and at the same fire in Glocester about the fifth of Maye whose name was Thomas Croker Bricklayer Concerning the which blinde boy howe long he was in prison and in what yere he suffered I am not certaine Of this credible intelligence I haue receiued by the testimonie of the Register then of Glocester named Ihon Tailer aliàs Barker that the sayde blinde boy at his last examination and finall condemnation was brought by the Officers vnder whose custodie he had remained before doctour Williams then Chauncellour of Glocester sittinge Iudicially wyth the sayd Register in the consistorie neare vnto the Southe doore in the neather ende of the Churche of Glocester Where the sayde Chauncellour then ministred vnto the sayde Boye such vsuall articles as they are accustomed in such cases and are sondry times mentioned in thys booke Amongest which he chiefly vrged the article of Transubstantiation saying in effect as followeth Chauncellor Doest thou not beleue that after the words of consecration spoken by the Priest there remayneth the very reall body of Christ in the Sacrament of the altare Tho. To whome the blinde Boy answeared No that I doe not Chauncel Then thou art an hereticke and shalt be burned But who hath taught thee thys heresie Thom. You M. Chancellor Chancel Where I pray thee Thom. Euen in yonder place Poynting with his hande and tourning towardes the Pulpet standinge vppon the North side of the Church Chancel When did I teache thee so Tho. When you preached there namyng the day a Sermon to all men as well as to me vppon the Sacrament You sayd the Sacrament was to bee receiued spiritually by fayth and not carnally and really as the papistes haue heretofore taught Chanc. Then do as I haue done and thou shalt lyue as I do and escape burnyng Tho. Though you can so easily dispense with your self and mocke with God the world and your conscience yet I will not so do Chanc. Then God haue mercy vpon thee for I will read the condemnatory sentence against thee Tho. Gods will be fulfilled The Register beyng herewith somwhat mooued stood vp and said to the Chancellor Register Fie for shame man will you read the sentence against hym and condemne your selfe away away substitute some other to geue sentence and iudgement Chanc. No Register I will obey the lawe and geue sentence my selfe accordyng to myne office And so he red the sentence condemnatory agaynst the boy with an vnhappy tongue and a more vnhappy conscience deliuering him ouer vnto the secular power Who the said v. day of May brought the said blinde boy to the place of execution at Glocester together with one Thomas Croker a Bricklayer condemned also for the like testimony of the truth Where both together in one fire most constantly and ioyfully yelded their soules into the hands of the Lord Iesus Ex testimo Io. Lond. ¶ Persecution in Suffolke Three burnt at Beckles May. 21. AFter the death of these aboue rehersed were three men burnt at Beckles in Suffolke in one fire about the 21. day of May anno 1556. Whose names are here vnder specified Thomas Spicer of Winston Labourer Iohn Deny and Edmund Poole This Thomas Spicer was a single man of the age of 19. yeres and by vocation a Labourer dwellyng in Winston in the County of Suffolke there taken in his maisters house in Sommer about or anone after the rising of the Sunne beyng in his bed by Iames Ling and Iohn Keretch of the same towne and Wil. Dauies of Debnam in the sayd Countie The occasion of his taking was for that he would not go to their popish church to heare Masse and receiue their
came to the ship to see hym many of them Some gaue hym a petycoate and some a shyrt some hosen and some money alwayes noting how he cast away his money and kept his booke And many of the women wept when they heard and sawe hym And Maister Gouernour of the English nation there had hym before hym and talked with hym of all the matter and pitieng hys case commaunded the Officer of the English house to goe with hym to the free oste houses amongst the English merchaunts and I with them and at three houses there was giuen him vj. pound x. shillyngs And so from thence hee went with me to Roane where the people also came to hym to see hym meruailing at the great workes of God And thus much concerning this poore man with hys new Testament preserued in the sea which testament the Popes clergy condemneth on the land ye haue heard as I receiued by the relation of the partie aboue named who was the doer thereof and yet alyue dwellyng in Lee well knowen to all merchants of London In which story this by the way vnderstand good Reader which rightly may be supposed that if this poore man thus found preserued in the sea with a new Testament in his bosome had had in stead of that a pixe with a consecrated hoste about hym no doubt it had bene rong ere this tyme all christendom ouer for a miracle so far as the Pope hath any land But to let the Pope with his false miracles go let vs returne againe to our matter begun adioine another history of much lyke condition testified likewise by the information of the sayd Tho. Morse aboue mētioned to the intent to make known the worthy acts of the almighty that he may be magnified in all hys wonderous works The story is thus declared which happened an 1565. about Michaelmas ¶ Another like story of Gods prouidence vpon three men deliuered vpon the Sea THere was a ship saith the sayd Tho. Morse whereof I had a part goyng toward the Bay for salt with two ships of Bricklesey which were altogether goyng for salt as before is sayd At what tyme they were within x. myle of the North Foreland otherwyse called Tennet the wynd did come so contrary to our ship that they were forced to go cleane out of the way and the other two shippes kept their course still vntill our ship was almost out of sight of them And then they sawe a thing driuyng vpon the sea hoysed out their boat and went vnto it and it was three men sittyng vpon a piece of their ship which had sitten so two dayes and two nights There had bene in their shippe eight men more which were drowned beyng all Frenchmen dwelling in a place in France called Olloronne They had bene at Danswike and lost their ship about Orford Nas as might be learned by their words They were men that feared God the one of them was owner of the ship Their exercise while they wer in our ship was that after the comming in they gaue thankes for their deliueraunce both mornyng and euenyng they exercised praier and also before after meat and when they came into Fraunce our ships went to the same place where these men dwelled and one of them dyd sell vnto our men their ships lading of salt and did vse thē very curteously and friendly and not at that tyme onely but alwayes whensoeuer that ship commeth thether as she hath bene there twise since he alwayes doth for them so that they can lacke nothyng I should haue noted that after our ship had taken vp those iij. men out of the Sea they had the wynd fayre presently and came and ouertooke the other two ships agayne and so they proceeded in their voiage together ¶ For the more credite of this story aboue recited to satisfie eyther the doubtfull or to preuent the quareller I haue not only alledged the name of the partie which was the doer thereof but also expressed the matter in his owne wordes as I of him receiued it the partie reporter hymself beyng yet alyue dwellyng at Lee a man so wel known amongst the Merchants of London that who so heareth the name of Thomas Morse will neuer doubt thereof And agayne the matter it selfe beyng so notoriously knowen to Merchaunts as well here as at Andwerpe that though hys name were not expressed the story can lacke no witnesses ¶ The death of William Slech in the Kinges Bench. THe last day of the sayd moneth of May in the yeare aforesayde Wil. Slech beyng in prison for the sayd doctrine of the Lordes Gospel and the confession of his truth died in the kyngs Bench and was buried on the backside of the sayd prison for that the Romish catholike spiritualtie thought hym not worthy to come within their Pope-holy churchyards neither in any other christian burial as they call it ¶ The story of foure men condemned at Lewys the 6. day of Iune IN Iune next followyng about the sixt day of the same moneth 4. Martyrs suffered together at Lewys whose names were these Thomas Harland of Woodmancote Carpenter Iohn Oswald of Woodmancote Husbandman Thomas Auington of Ardingly Turner Thomas Read To Thomas Harland I finde in the bishop of Londons registers to be obiected for not comming to church Whereunto he answered that after the Masse was restored he neuer had will to heare the same because sayd he it was in Latine whiche hee dyd not vnderstande and therefore as good quoth hee neuer a whit as neuer the better Ioh. Oswalde denyed to aunswere any thyng vntill hys accusers should bee brought face to face before hym and neuerthelesse sayd that fire and Fagottes coulde not make hym afraid but as the good Preachers which were in Kyng Edwardes tyme haue suffered and gone before so was he ready to suffer and come after and woulde bee glad thereof These foure after long imprisonment in the Kynges Bench were burned together at Lewys in Sussex in one fire the day of the moneth aforesayd ¶ The Martyrdome of Thomas Whood and Thomas Milles. IN the same towne of Lewys and in the same moneth likewyse were burned Thomas Whoode Minister and Thomas Milles about the xx day of the same moneth for resisting the erroneous and hereticall doctrine of the pretensed catholike church of Rome ¶ Two dead in the Kyngs Bench. IN the which moneth likewyse William Adherall Minister imprisoned in the Kyngs Bench there dyed the xxiiij day of the same moneth was buried on the backside Also Iohn Clement Wheelewright who dying in the sayd pryson in lyke sort vpon the dunghill was buried in the backeside two dayes after videlicet the xxv day of Iune ¶ A Merchauntes seruaunt burnt at Leycester THe next day followyng of the sayd month of Iune we read of a certaine yong man a merchants seruant who for the lyke godlynes suffred cruell persecution of the Papists and
a true Christian subiect to doe And iâ— her grace or her officers vnder her do require me to any thing contrary to Christes Religion I am ready also to do my seruice in Smithfield for not obseruing it as my bedfellow and other brethren haue done praysed be God for them Mart. By my trouth thou art a pleasaunt fellow as euer I talked with of all the Protestantes excepte it were Tomson I am sory that I must depart with thee so soone but I haue suche busynes now that I canne tarry with thee no longer Well yet thou canst not deny but you are at iarre amongest your selues in the kings Bench and it is so throughout all your congregation for you will not be a Church Careles No Maister Doctour that is not so There is a thousand tymes more varietye in opinions among your Doctours which you call of the Catholick Church yea and that in the Sacrament for yâ— which there is so much bloudshed now a dayes I meane of your latter Doctours and new writers as for the olde they agree wholy with vs. Mart. No Careles this is not so there thou art deceiued Carel. Uerily it is so Maister Doctour I am not deceiued therein any thing at all as it hath beene and is euidently proued by such as GOD hath endued with great learning Then he turned to the Marshall and whispered with him a while Martin Turning vnto me agayne sayd Farewell Careles for I can tarry no longer with thee now my busines is such Carel. God be with you good Maister Doctor The Lord geue your Maistership health of body and soule Mart. God haue mercy good Careles and God keepe thee from all errours and geue thee grace to doe as well as I would wishe my selfe Carel. I thanke your good Maistership I pray GOD I may do alwaies that is acceptable in his sight Whereunto they all sayde Amen And so I departed with a glad hart God onely haue the whole prayse Amen It appeareth by the examination of the foresayd Iohn Careles that he endured prisoner the space of two whole yeares hauing wyfe and children In the which his captiuity first being in Couentry Iayle he was there in such credite with his keeper that vpon his worde he was let out to play in the Pageant about the City with other his companions And that done keeping touch with his keeper he returned agayne into prison at his houre appointed And after that being broughte vp to London he was indued with such patience and constaunt fortitude that he longed for nothing more earnestly then to come to that promotion to dye in the fyer for the proâ—ession of his fayth yet it so pleased the Lorde to preuent him with death that he came not to it but dyed in the prison and after was buryed in the fieldes in a dounghill In the meane time while he was in prisoÌ„ in the kyngs Bench it chaunced he was in great heauines and perturbation of mind and conscience wherupon he wrote to M. Philpot being then in the Colehouse Uppon the occasion hereof Mayster Philpot sent an Epistle consolatory vnto him specified before among master Philpots letters pag. 1762. Unto the which Epistle Iohn Careles maketh aunswere agayne as foloweth ¶ Letters of Iohn Careles * A Letter of Iohn Careles aunswering to the louing Epistle or Letter sent to him before by Mayster Iohn Philpot. A faythfull frend is a strong defence who so findeth suche a one findeth a treasure A faythfull frend hath no peere the weight of gold and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of his fayth A faythfull frend is a medicine of life and they that feare the Lord shall finde him Ecclesiast 6. THe father of mercy and God of all consolation comfort you with his eternall spirite my most deare and faythfull louing frend good Mayster Philpot as you haue comforted me by the mighty operation of the same the euerlasting GOD be praysed therfore for euer Amen Ah my deare hart and most louing brother if I should do nothing els day and night so long as the daies of heauen do endure but kneele on my knees and read Psalmes I can neuer be able to render vnto God condigne thankes for his great mercie fatherly kindnesse and most louing coÌ„passion extended vnto me most vile sinnefull wicked and vnworthy wretch Oh that the Lorde would open my mouth and geue me a thankefull hart that from the bottome of the same might flow his coÌ„tinuall prayse Oh that my sinnefull flesh which is the cause of my sorowe were cleane separated from me that I might sing Psalmes of thankesgeuing vnto the Lordes name for euer that with good Samuels mother I might continually record this noble verse folowing the which by good experience I haue found most true praysed be my good God therfore The Lord sayth that good woman killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to hel and fetcheth vp agayne Praysed be that Lord for euer yea and praysed be his name for that he hath geueÌ„ me true experience and liuely feeling of the same Blessed be the Lord GOD whose mercy endureth for euer whiche hath not dealt with me according to my deepe desertes nor destroyed me in his displeasure when I had iustly deserued it Oh what rewarde shall I geue agayne vnto Lorde for all the great benefites that he hath done for my soule I will gladly receiue the cuppe of saluation at his hand and will worship his name with prayer with prayse Ah my deare hart yea most deare vnto me in the Lord think not this sodeine chaunge in me to be some fickle phantasy of my foolish head as in deede some other woulde surely suspect it to be For doubtlesse it is the maruellous doing of the Lord moste merciful vnto me his vnworthy creature God for his great mercies sake geue me grace to bee more thankefull vnto him then I heretofore haue bene and keepe me that I neuer fall forth of hys fauour agayne And now my deare brother and moste blessed messenger of the Lord whose beautifull feet haue brought much glad tidings vnto my soule what shall I doe or say vnto you in the least part to recompence the fatherlye affection and Godlye care that you continually keepe for me Oh that God would geue me the spirite of feruent prayer that I might yet that way supply some litle part of my duty toward you Ah my true louing frend howe soone did you lay aside all other busines to make a sweete plaster for my wounded conscience yea and that out of a paynefull payre of stockes which place must needes be vneasye to write in But God hath brought you into a straight place that you mighte set my soule at liberty Out of your pinching and paynefull seate you haue plentifully poured vppon me your precious narde the sweete â—auour wherof hath greatly refresteed my tyred soule The Lord likewise refresh you both body soule by
gently But when the Frier offered hym hys hand he castyng his eye aside as though he had not seene it found matter of talke to another standyng by and so auoyded it which thyng was well marked of some not without great grudge of stomacke After they were set and had well eaten the Frier with a pleasaunt looke offeryng hym the cup sayd Propino tibi inuenis erudite i. I drinke to you learned yong man Palmer at that word blushyng as red as scarlet aunswered Non agnosco nomen domine i. I knowledge no such name O sir. And therewith takyng the cup at his hand he set it downe by hym as though he would haue pledged him anone after but in the end it was also well marked that he did it not When diner was done beyng sharply rebuked of the sayd Bursar hys friend for hys so vnwise vnciuile and vnseemely behauiour as he termed it he made aunswer for hymselfe and sayd Oleum eorum non demulcet sed frangit caput meum i. The oyle of these men doth not supply but breaketh my hed Another tyme which was also the last tyme of his beyng at Oxforde not long before hys death one Barwike an old acquaintaunce of hys beyng sometyme Clarke of Magdalenes and then fellow of Trinitie colledge a rank papist began to reason with hym in his friendes chamber aforesayd and perceiuyng hym to be zealous and earnest in the defence of the veritie he sayd vnto hym in the hearing of M. Thomas Parry and others there present Wel Palmer well now thou art stoute and hardie in thine opinion but if thou were once brought to the stake I beleeue thou wouldest tell me another tale I aduise thee beware of the fire it is a shrewd matter to burne Truely sayth Palmer I haue bene in daunger of burning once or twise and hitherto I thanke GOD I haue escaped it But I iudge verily it will be my end at the last welcome be it by the grace of God In deed it is a hard matter for them to burne that haue the mynd and soule linked to the body as a thiefes foote is tied in a payre of fetters but if a man be once able through the helpe of Gods spirite to seperate and deuide the soule from the body for him it is no more masterie to burne then for me to eate this piece of bread Thus much by the way concerning his plainnes with out dissimulation and how he feared not openly to shewe hymselfe more grieued in hart to heare the worde of God blasphemed then to suffer any worldly paynes Now let vs proceed in our story and faithfully declare both the occasion and maner of his death Within short space after hee had yelded vp his fellowship in Oxford he was through Gods prouidence who neuer fayleth them that first seeke his glory placed scholemaister by Patent in the Grammer schoole of Readyng where he was well accepted of all those that feared God and fauoured his word as well for his good learning and knowledge as also for his earnest zeale and profession of the truth But Sathan the enemie of all godly attemptes enuying his good proceedyngs and prosperous successe in the same would not suffer hym there long to be in quiet Wherfore he stirred vp against hym certayne double faced hypocrites which by dissimulation crafty insinuatiō had crept in to vnderstand hys secrets vnder the pretence of a zeale to the gospell Which men he suspecting no deceit right ioyfully imbraced making them priuy of al his doyngs For as he hymselfe was then feruently enflamed with the loue of heauenly doctrine so had hee an incredible desire by all means possible to allure and encourage others to the profession of the same These faithful and trustie brethren so soone as they had found good oportunitie spared not in his absence to rifle his study of certayne godly bookes and writyngs amongest the which was his replication to Morwines verses touching Winchesters epitaph and other arguments both in Latin and English written by him against the popish procedings and specially against their vnnaturall brutish tyranny executed toward the Martyrs of God When they had thus done they were not ashamed to threaten hym that they would exhibite the same to the Counsayle vnles he would without delay depart out of their coastes and geue ouer the schole to a friend of theirs The truth of this story appeareth in part by a letter written with hys owne hand out of pryson eight dayes before he was burned which because it is of certaine credite and came to our handes therefore we are the bolder to auouche it for a truth Thus then was this sillie yong man for the sauegard of his lyfe forced to depart vppon the sodayne from Readyng leauyng behynd hym in the handes of his enemies his stuffe and one quarters stipende and so he tooke hys iourney toward Esham where hys mother then dwelt hopyng to obtaine at her hands certaine Legacies due to hym by his fathers last will which he should haue receyued certaine yeares before and taking his iourney by Oxford he requested certain of his friends to accompany him thither His mother vnderstandyng his state and errande by M. Shipper and his brother whom he had sent before to entreat for him as soone as she beheld him on his knees askyng her blessing as he had bene accustomed to do thou shalt sayd she haue Christes curse and myne wheresoeuer thou go He pausing a little as one amased at so heauy a greetyng at length sayde O mother your owne curse you may geue me which God knoweth I neuer deserued but Gods curse you cannot geue me for hee hath already blessed me Nay sayth she thou wentest from Gods blessing into the warme sunne when thou wast banished for an heretike out of that worshipfull house in Oxforde and now for the lyke knauery art driuen out of Readyng too Alas mother sayth he you haue bene misse informed I was not expelled nor driuen away but freely resigned of myne accorde And hereticke I am none for I stande not stubbornly agaynst any true doctrine but defend it to my power And you may be sure they vse not to expel nor banish but to burne heretikes as they terme them Well quoth she I am sure thou doest not beleeue as thy father and I and all our forefathers haue done But as we were taught by the new lawe in K. Edwards dayes which is damnable heresie In deed I confesse sayd he that I beleeue that doctrine which was taught in K. Edwards tyme which is not heresie but truth neither is it newe but as olde as Christ and his Apostles If thou be at that poynte sayth she I require thee to departe from my house and out of my sight and neuer take me for thy mother hereafter As for money and goodes I haue none of thyne thy father bequeathed nought for heretickes Fagots I haue to burne thee
seu quomodo libet alias contra haben legen libros haereticos statutis interdicimus After the sentence thus read the Byshop commaunded their bodies to be digged out of their graues and beyng disgraded from holy orders deliuered them into the handes of the secular power For it was not lawfull for such innocent persons as they were abhorryng from all bloudshed and detestyng all desire of murder to put any man to death ¶ The effect of Doctor Pernes Sermon against M. Bucer OVer and besides this oration sentence of D. Scot came in also D. Perne Vicechancellour with his sermon tendyng to the same effect to the deprauyng of Maister Bucer taking for his theame the place of the 132. Psalme Behold how good pleasant a thyng it is c. Where beginning first with the commendation of concord and of the mutual knittyng together of the myndes he alledged that it was not possible to hold together vnlesse the concorde were deriued out of the hed the which he made to be the B. of Rome and that it also rested in the same After he had made a long protestatiō hereof he passed forth to Bucer vpon whom he made a shamefull railyng saying that his doctrine gaue occasion of diuision in the common wealth that there was not so grieuous a mischiefe which by his meanes had not bene brought into the realme Although all men myght perceyue by the bookes hee had compiled what manner of Doctrine it was yet notwythstanstyng he sayde he knewe it more perfectly hymselfe then any dyd and that hee had learned it aparte at the Authours hande hymselfe For at such tyme as they had communication secretly amōg themselues Bucer sayd he would oftentymes wishe he myght be called by some other name then by the name he had for this purpose as though knowyng himselfe guiltie of so grieuous a crime he might by this meanes escape vnknown to the worlde and auoyd the talke that went among men of hym Moreouer among other thyngs he told how Bucer held opinion which thyng he should confesse to hym his own selfe that God was the author and welspring not onely of good but also of euill and that whatsoeuer was of that sort flowed from him as from the headspring and maker therof The which doctrine he vpheld to be sincere howbeit for offending diuers mens consciences he durst not put it into mens heads Many other thyngs hee patched together of lyke purport and effect as of the supremacie of the Bish. of Rome of the mariage of Priests of diuorcements and of shamefull vsurie also as though he had deemed the same lawfull to be vsed among christen people with diuers other of the lyke sort In all which his allegations considering how lewdly without all shame he lied vpō Bucer as his writyngs euidently declare he dyd not so much hinder hys name with railyng vpon hym as win vnto hymselfe an inexpiable infamy by forging so shameful leesings vpon so worthy a man But what needeth witnesse to prooue hym a lyer hys owne conscience shall make as much agaynst hym as a number of men It was reported for a truth and that by his owne familiar friends testified that the said D. Perne himselfe eiter immediately after hys Sermon or els somewhat before he went to it strikyng himselfe on the brest and in a maner weepyng wished at home at his house with all his heart that God would graunt his soule might euen then presently depart and remaine with Bucers For he knewe well enough that his life was such that if any mans soule were worthy of heauen he thought his in especially to bee most worthy Whiles he was thus talking to the people in the meane tyme the leaues of the Churche doores were couered ouer with verses in the which the yong men to shew their folly which scarse knew hym by sight blased Bucers name with most reprochfull Poetrie These thynges beyng dispatched Perne as thoughe he had sped his matter maruelously well was for hys labour of curtesie bidden to dinner to Trinitie Colledge by the Commissioners Where after the Table was takē vp they caused the sentence of condemnation to be copied out with all speede which beyng signed with the B. of Chesters seale the next day followyng was for a triumph sent to London with diuers of those verses and slaunderous Libels Besides this they sent also their owne letters wherein they both aduertised the Cardinall how farre they had proceeded in that matter and also desired hys Grace that he would cause to be sent out of hand to Smith the Maior of the Towne the Commaundement commonly called a Writte for the burnyng of Heretikes For vnlesse hee had the Queenes warrant to saue hym harmelesse hee would not haue to do in the matter and that which remained to be done in that case could not be dispatched till that Warrant came Whiles this pursiuant went on his iourny they willed to be brought vnto them the bookes that they commāded before to be serched out For they determined to throw them into the fire with Bucer and Phagius About the same tyme D. Watson takyng occasion vppon the day because it was a high feast in the which was woont to bee celebrated the memoriall of the Purification of the blessed Uirgin made a Sermon to the people vpon that Psalme We haue receyued thy mercye O Lord in the middest of thy Temple c. In the which Sermon he spake much reproche of Bucer and Phagius and of their doctrine He sayd that these men all the heretikes of our time that were of the same opinion the which for the most part he said were budded out of Germany amōg other things which they had perniciously put into mens heds taughte to cast away all Ceremonies Whereas notwithstandyng the Apostle hymselfe commanded all thyngs to be done in due order And vpon that deed of the blessed Uirgin and Ioseph which was done by them as vpon that day it was manifestly apparant that they with our Sauiour beyng then a little babe obserued these rites and ceremonies for catholike men to teach For he sayd that they came to the Temple the same tyme with waxe Candles in their hands after the maner of procession as they terme it in good order with much reuerence and deuotion and yet we were not ashamed to laugh and mocke at these things with the heretikes and schismatikes As he was tellyng his tale of Christ Mary and Ioseph one of them that heard hym a pleasaunt mery conceited fellow turnyng himselfe to him that stood next him and if it be true quoth he that this man preacheth which of them I pray you if a man might spurre him a question bare the crosse before them for that might not be missing in such solemne ceremonies Not onely this man iested at the Preachers folly but diuers other also laughed at his manifest vnshamefastnes in preaching these
her first comming into this place she did greuously bewaile with great sorrowe lamentation and reasoned with her selfe why her Lorde God did with his so heauy iustice suffer her to be sequestred from her louing fellowes into so extreeme miserie In these dolorous mournings did shee continue til on a night as shee was in her sorrowful supplications in rehearsing thys verse of the Psalme Why arte thou so heauie O my soule And againe The right hande of the most highest can chaunge all shee receiued comforte in the middest of her miseries And after that continued very ioyfull vntill her deliuerie from the same About the 25. day of March in the yeare of our Lorde 1557. shee was called before the Bishop who demaunded of her whether shee would nowe goe home and go to the church or no promising her great fauour if she woulde be reformed and doe as they did To whom she answered I am throughly perswaded by the great extremitie that you haue already shewed me that you are not of God neither can your doings be godly and I see sayeth she that you seeke my vtter destruction shewing how lame she then was of cold taken for lacke of foode while she lay in that painful prison whereby shee was not able to mooue her selfe without great paine Then did the bish deliuer her frō that filthy hole and sent her to Westgate whereas after she had bene changed and for a while ben cleane kept her skin did wholy so pill scale off as if she had bene with some mortal venome poysoned Heere she continued till the latter end of Aprill At which time they called her before them and with others condemned her committing her then to the prisone called the Castle Where shee continued till the slaughter daye which was the 19. day of Iune when by terrible fire they tooke away her life When she was at the stake she cast her handkerchiefe vnto one Iohn Bankes requiring him to kepe the same in the memorie of her and from about her middle she tooke a white lace which she gaue to the keeper desiring him to geue the same to her brother Roger Hall and to tell hym that it was the last band that she was bound with except the chaine A shilling also of Phillip and Mary shee tooke foorth which her father had bowed and sent her when shee was first sent to prison desiring that her said brother should with obedient salutations render the same to her father againe shew him that it was the first peece of mony that he sent her after her troubles begon which as shee protested she had kept now sent him to do him to vnderstand that shee neuer lacked money while shee was in prison With this Alice Benden were burned also the residue of the other blessed Martyrs aboue named being seuen in number Who being brought to the place where they shuld suffer for the Lordes cause at Canterbury vndressed them selues ioyfully to the fire and being ready thereto they all like the communion of Saints kneled downe and made their humble praiers vnto the Lorde with such zeale and affection as euen the enemies of the Crosse of Christ coulde not but like it When they had made inuocation together they roase and went to the stake where being compassed with horrible flames of fire they yeelded their soules and liues gloriously into the handes of the Lord. The burning of seuen Martyrs at Caunterburie The troubles and examinations of Mathew Plase VNto these holy martyrs of Kent aboue specified wher of seuen suffered at Maidstone and seuen at Canterb. I thought not vnmeete heere also to be adioyned the examination of Mathew Plase a Weauer of the same Countie of Kent and a faithful christian Who being apprehended and imprisoned likewise for the testimonie of a good conscience in the Castell of Canterbury was brought to examination before the Bishop of Douer and Harpsfield the Archdeacon as here is to be red and seene The examination and answeres of Mathewe Plase Weauer of the Parish of Stone in the Countie of Kent before Thornton Bishop of Douer Harpesfield Archdeacon Collins Commissarie other Inquisitours An. 1557. FIrst when I came before the bishop he asked me whether I were not of that Dioces and where I dwelt for that was my first Article Ans. I aunsweared I was of the Parishe of Stone in Kent and subiect vnto the King Queene of England Bish. Then he sayd I was indicted by xij men at Ashford at the Sessions for heresie Auns I sayd that was sooner sayd then prooued Bish. Then he sayde it was the truthe that he had spoken to me for he had whereby to prooue it Auns Then I desired him to let me heare it and I would answere to it Bish. But he sayd he would not so do but I should aunswere to my Article yea or nay Auns I said he could not for I was not at Ashforde and therfore he had nothing to lay to my charge But nowe I perceiue you goe about to lay a net to haue my bloud Arch. After many woordes betwixt the bishop and me the Archdeacon said peace peace we do not desire thy bloud but we are glad to heare that thou art no hereticke wyth many flattering woordes and said yet I was suspected of heresie and if I woulde be content to confesse howe I did beleeue as concerning those Articles they woulde gladly teache me Auns But I sayd I did not so thinke for I talked wyth one of your doctors and after long talke he would nedes know how I did beleeue in the Sacrament and I recited vnto him the text and because I would not make him an exposition he would teach me nothing yet I praied hym for my learning to wryte his minde if it were the truth I would beleeue him and this I did desire him for the loue of God but it would not be Arch. Then sayd he it was not so he durst sweare vpon a booke Auns I sayd it would be so prooued Arch. Then he stoode vp with a long processe and sayd he would tell me the truth and was sure that the same Doctour did beleeue as he did Auns I asked him how he knew that seing S. Paul doth say that no man knoweth what is in man but the spirite which dwelleth in him but if you wist what Christ meant by these woords I require mercy and not sacrifice you wold not kill innocents Bishop The Bishop began with me againe and charged me in the king and Queenes name and the Lord Cardinals to answere yea or nay to the Articles that followed Auns Then I commanded him in his name that should come in flaming fire with his mighty Aungels to render vengeance to the disobedient and to all those that beleued not the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which should be punished with euerlasting damnation that he should speake nothing but the truth grounded vpon Christ and
being then commaunded to appeare the Friday next following was brought vnto the Iustice Hall without Newgate where he had the like conflictes with the foresayde Bishoppe and diuers other Iustices At length he was assigned the Saterdaye folowing to be present in the Bishops consistory Court to heare his finall sentence At whiche day and place the sayd Examinate appearyng as he was commaunded the Byshop after other matter of communication asked hym if he knew any cause why the sentence should not be read agaynst hym To whom the sayd Mayster Gibson aunswered that the Bishoppe had nothing wherefor iustly to condemne him The Bishops reason was agayne obiected to him that men sayd he was an euil man To whom Gibson replying agayne yea sayth he and so may I saye of you also To be short after this and such other talke the Bishop hasted vnto the sentence Which being read Gibson yet agayne admonished to remember himselfe and to saue his soule sayd that he would not heare the Byshops babling and sayde moreouer boldly protesting and affirming that he was contrarye and an enemye to them all in his mind and opinion although he had afore time kepte it secret in minde for feare of the law And speaking to the bishop blessed sayd he am I that am cursed at your handes We haue noâ—hing now but thus will I. For as the bishop sayth so must it be And now heresy is to turne the trueth of Gods word into lyes and that do you meaning the bishop and his felowes Thus this valiaunt souldiour fighting for the Gospel and sincere doctrine of Gods trueth and religion agaynst falsehood and errour was committed with his felowes to the secular power And so these three godly men Iohn Hallingdale William Sparrow and Maister Gibson being thus appointed to the slaughter were the xij day after theyr condemnation which was the xviij day of the sayde Moneth of Nouember burnt in Smithfielde in London And beyng brought thyther to the stake after theyr prayer made they were bound thereunto with cheines and wood sette vnto them and after wood fire in the which being compassed about and the fierye flames consuming theyr fleshe at the last they yelded gloriously and ioyfully theyr soules and lyues into the holy bandes of the Lord to whose tuition and gouernement I commend thee good Reader Amen ¶ It is a litle aboue declared in this story of Richarde Gibson how Boner ministred vnto the layd Gibson certeyne Articles to the nuÌ„ber of nine Now let vs see lykewise the Articles which the sayde Gibson ministred agayne to Boner according to the same number of nine for him to aunswere vnto as by the same here vnder written may appeare ¶ Articles proponed by Richard Gibson vnto Edmund Boner Byshop of London by him to be aunswered be yea or nay or els to say he cannot tell 1. WHether the Scriptures of God written by Moyses other holy Prophetes of God through fayth that is in Christ Iesus is auayleable doctrine to make all men in all thinges vnto saluation learned without the helpe of anye other doctrine or no. 2. What is authority and from whence it commeth to whom it apperteineth and to what end it tendeth 3. Whether the holy word of God as it is written doth sufficiently teach all men of what dignity estate or calling by office so euer he or they be theyr full true and lawfull duety in theyr office and whether euery man of what dignity estate or calling by office so euer he or they be are bound vpon the payne of eternall damnation in all thinges to do as they are hereby taught commaunded and in no wise to leaue vndone any thing that is to be done being taught and commaunded by the same 4 Whether any man the Lorde Iesu Christ God and man onely except by the holye ordinaunce of God euer was is or shall be Lord ouer fayth and by what lawfull authority any man of what dignity estate or calling by office soeuer he or they be may vse Lordship or power ouer any man for fayth sake or for the secrecy of his conscience 5. By what lawfull authority or power any man of what dignity estate or calling so euer he or they be may be so bolde as to alter or chaunge the holy ordinaunces of God or any of them or any part of them 6. By what euident tokens Antichrist in his Ministers may bee knowne seing it is written that Sathan can chaunge himselfe in to the similitude of an Aungell of light and his ministers fashion themselues as though they were the Ministers of righteousnesse and how it may be knowne to him that is desirous thereof when he is one of that number or in the daunger thereof or when he is otherwise 7. What the beast is the which maketh warre with the Sayntes of God and doth not onely kill them but also will suffer none to buy nor sell but such as worship his Image or receiue his marke in theyr right handes or in theyr foreheades his name or the number of his name or do worship his Image which hy the iuste and terrible sentence of God already decreed shal be punished in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the lambe and they shall haue no rest day nor night but the smoake of their torment shall ascend vp for euermore Also what the gorgious glittering whore is the which sitteth vpon the beast with a Cup of gold in her hand full of abhominations with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the inhabitours of the earth and she her selfe also is dronken with the bloud of Sainctes which is the wine of her fornication whose flesh the hornes of the beast shall teare in pieces and burne her with fire For god hath put in their hartes to do his will 8. Whether a king ouer all those people whiche are borne and inhabite within his owne dominions regions and countryes or any part of them of what dignity estate or calling by office soeuer they be here vpon this earth immediately vnder Christ by the holy ordinaunce of God is lawfull supreame and chiefe Gouernor or no And whether a king ouer all those people within his dominions regions and countryes and euery part of them by holy ordinaunce of God lawfully may and ought not otherwise to doe nor suffer otherwise to be done then in his owne name power and authority the name of God onely except as lawfull supreame and chiefe heade in all thinges that belongeth to rule without exception to gouerne and rule And whether all those people of what dignity estate or calling soeuer they be are bouÌ„d by the holy ordinaunce of God to owe theyr whole obedience and seruice in all thinges without exception theyr duety to god onely excepted to their king onely as to theyr supreame and chiefe Gouernour vpon earth immediately vnder Christ And whether a king without offence agaynst GOD and his people maye
not the persecuting thurst of the Papistes For immedyately after euen the same month vpon the xxvi day was seene the like murther also at Colchester in Essex of two men and a woman lying there in prison appoynted ready to the slaughter who were brought forth the sayde daye vnto a place prepared for them to suffer and accordinglye gaue theyr liues for the testimonye of the trueth whose names likewise hereafter followeth William Harryes Richard Day Christian George These three good soules were brought vnto the stake and there ioyfully and feruently had made theyr prayers vnto the Lord. At the last being setled in theyr places and chayned vnto theyr postes with the fire flaming fiercely round about them they like constaunt Christians triumphaÌ„tly praysed God within the same and offered vp their bodyes a liuely sacrifice vnto his holy Maiestie in whose habitation they haue now theyr euerlasting tabernacles his name therfore be praysed for euermore Amen The sayd Christian Georges Husbande had an other wife burnt before this Christian whose name was Agnes George which suffered as you haue heard with the thirteene at Stratford the Bow And after the death of the sayde Christian hee maryed an honest Godly woman agayne and so they both I meane the sayd Richard George and his last wife in the end were taken also and layde in prison where they remayned til the death of Queene Mary and at the last were deliuered by our most gracious soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth whom the Lorde graunt long to raygne among vs for hys mercies sake Amen In the month of Iune came out a certayne proclamation short but sharpe from the king and the Queene agaynst wholesome and godly bookes which vnder the false title of heresie and sedition here in the sayd Proclamation were wrongfully condemned By the king and Queene WHereas diuers bookes filled both with heresie sedition and treason haue of late and be dayly brought into thys Realme out of forreine countryes and places beyonde the seas and some also couertly printed within this Realme and cast abroad in sundry partes thereof whereby not onely God is dishonored but also an encouragemeÌ„t geuen to disobey lawfull princes and gouernours The king and Queenes maiesties for redres hereof doth by this theyr present Proclamation declare publish to all theyr subiectes that whosoeuer shall after the proclayming hereof be found to haue any of the sayde wicked and seditious bookes or finding them do not forthwith burne the same without shewing or reading the same to any other person shall in that case be reputed and taken for a rebell and shall wythout delay bee executed for that offence according to the order of Martiall law Geuen at our Manor of S. Iameses the sixt daye of Iune Iohn Cawood Printer The order and occasion of taking certayn godly men and women praying together in the fieldes about Islington of whom 13. were condemned by Boner after suffered in the fire for the truthes sake as in the story here following may appeare SEcretly in a backe close in the fielde by the Towne of Islington were collected and assembled together a certayne companye of Godly and innocent persons to the number of fourty men and women Who there sitting together at prayer and vertuously occupied in the meditation of Gods holy worde first commeth a certayne man to them vnknowne who looking ouer vnto them so stayed saluted them saying that they looked like men that meant no hurt Then one of the sayd company asked the man if he could tel whose close that was and whether they might be so bold there to sit Yes sayd he for that yee seeme vnto me such persons as entende no harme and so departed Within a quarter of an houre after commeth the constable of Islington named king warded with sixe or seueÌ„ other accompanying him in the same busines one wyth a bow an other with a Bill and other with theyr weapons likewise The which sixe or seuen persons the sayde Constable left a little behinde hym in a close place there to bee ready if need should be while he with one with him shuld go and view them before Who so doyng came throughe them looking and viewing what they were doyng and what bookes they had and so going a little forward and returning backe agayne bad them deliuer theyr bookes They vnderstanding that he was Constable refused not so to do With that coÌ„meth forth the residue of his fellowes aboue touched who bad them stande and not to departe They aunswered agayne they would be obedient ready to go whether so euer they would haue them so were they first caryed to a bruehouse but a little way of whyle yâ— some of the sayd souldiers ran to the Iustice next at hand But the Iustice was not at home Whereupon they were had to sir Roger Cholmley In the meane tyme some of the women being of the same number of the foresayde xl persons escaped away from theÌ„ some in yâ— close some before they came to the bruehouse For so they were caryed .x. with one man 8. with an other and with some moe with some lesse in such sorte that it was not hard for theÌ„ to escape that would In fine they that were caryed to Sir Roger Cholmley were 27. which Sir Roger Cholmley the Recorder taking their names in a Bill calling them one by one so many as answered to theyr names they seÌ„t to Newgate In the whiche number of them that answered and that were sent to Newgate were 22. These 22. were in the sayde prison of Newgate seuen weekes before they were examined to whome word was sent by Alexander the keeper that if they woulde heare a Masse they should all be deliuered Of these foresayd xxii were burned 13. In Smithfield 7. at Braynford 6. IN prison 2. dyed in Whitson weeke the names of whoÌ„ were Mathew Wythers T. Taylar Seuen of them which remayned escaped with theyr liues hardly although not without much trouble yet as GOD woulde without burning Whose names were these Iohn Milles. Thomas Hinshaw R. Baily wolpacker Robert Willeys Hudleys T. Coast haberdash Roger Sandey The first seuen were brought forth to examination before Boner and so hauing their condeÌ„nation were burnt as is sayd in Smithfield The other 6. followed not long after and suffered at Brayneford whereof specially here followeth now in order of story to be seene The examination and condemnation of seuen godly and faythfull Martyrs of Christe burnt in Smithfield COncerning the examination and condemnation of these abouesayd whiche were apprehended and taken at Isâ—ington 7. first were produced before Boner the 14. of Iune to make aunswere to suche articles and interrogatoryes as by the sayd Byshop should be ministred vnto them The names of these seuen were Henry Ponde Raynold Eastland Robert Southam Mathew Richarby Iohn Floyd Iohn Holydaye Roger Holland To these 7. constant and godly Martyrs produced before
the 13. and 14. articles they confesse and graunt the contents of them to be true in euery part When at the daies before specified these good men were produced before Boners Chancellour Thomas Darbishire and had the foresaide articles ministred vnto them and they as ye haue heard had made aunswere vnto the same in the ende the Chauncellor commaunded them to appeare before them againe the 11. day of Iuly after in the sayde place at Paules Where when they came he required of them whether they woulde tourne from their opinions to the mother holy church and if not that then whether there were anye cause to the contrarye but that they might procede with the sentence of condemnation Wherunto they all answeared that they would not go from the truthe nor relent from any part of the same while they liâ—â—ed Then he charged them to appeare before him againe the next daye in the afternoone betweene one and two of the clocke to heare the definitiue sentence redde agaynste them according to the Ecclesiasticall lawes then in force At which time he sitting in iudgemeÌ„t talking with these godly and vertuous men at the last came into the sayde place syr Edwarde Hastings sir Thomas Cornewales knights two of Quene Maries officers of her house and being there they sate them down ouer against the Chancellor in whose presence the sayde Chancellor condemned those good poore Lambes and deliuered them ouer to the secular power who receiued and caried them to prisonne immediately and there kept them in safetie till the daye of their deathe In the meane time this naughty Chancellor slept not I warrant you but that day in which they were condemned he made certificate into the Lorde Chancellors office from whence the next daye after was sent a writ to burne them at Brainforde aforesaid which accordingly was accomplished in the same place the said 14. daye of Iulye Whereunto they being brought made theyr humble praiers vnto the Lorde Iesus vndressed themselues wente ioyfully to the stake whereto they were bounde and the fire flaming about them they yelded their soules bodies and liues into the handes of the omnipotent Lorde for whose cause they didde suffer and to whose protection I commend thee gentle Reader Amen The burning of sixe Martyrs at Brainforde Among these 6. was due William Pikes as yee haue heard who sometime dwelt in Ipswiche in Suffolke by his occupation a Tanner a very honest godly man of a vertuous disposition a good keper of hospitalitie and beneâ—icial to the persecuted in Queene Maries daies Thys saide William Pikes in the 3. yeare of Queene Maries raigne a little after Midsomer being then at libertie weÌ„t into his Garden and tooke wyth him a Bible of Rogers translation where hee sitting wyth his face towardes the South reading on the said Bible sodenly fell downe vpon his booke betwene a 11. and 12. a clocke of the day foure drops of fresh bloud he knew not from whence it came Then he seeing the same was sore astonished coulde by no meanes learne as I sayd from whence it should fall and wiping out one of the droppes with his finger called his wife and said In the vertue of God wife what meaneth this Wil the Lord haue 4. sacrifices I see wel enough the Lorde will haue bloude his wil be done and geue me grace to abide the triall Wife let vs pray sayde hee for I feare the day draweth nigh Afterwarde he daily looked to be apprehended of the papistes and it came to passe accordingly as yee haue heard Thus much thought I good to wryte heereof to stirre vp our dull senses in considering the Lordes woorkes and reuerently to honour the same His name therefore be praised for euermore Amen Moreouer concerning the sayd William Pikes as he was in Newgate sore sicke and at the poynte of deathe so that no man looked he should liue 6. houres there declared to them that stoode by that he had bene twise in persecution before and that now he desired the Lord if it were his will that he might glorifie his name at the stake and so as he prayed it came to passe at Brainford Ye hard before of those 22. taken at Islington 13. were burned and 6. escaped albeit very hardly some of them not without scourging by the hands of the bishop In the which number was Thomas Hinshaw Ihon Milles according to the expresse Picture here after purported Ex epigrammate Ennij apud Ciceronem allusio Si fas caedendo coelestia scandere cuiquam est Bonnero coeli maxima porta patet In effigiem Boneri carmen QVae noua forma viri quid virga quid ora quid aluus Pondera quid ventris crassitiesue velit Corpus amaxaeum disten to abdomine pigrum Rides anne stupes lector amice magis Vasta quid ista velint si nescis pondera dicam Nam nihil hic mirum venter obesus habet Carnibus humanis sanguine vescitur atro Ducentos annis hauserat ille tribus Ergo quid hoc monstri est recto vis nomine dicam Nomen nec patris nec gerit ille matris Qui patre Sauago natus falso que Bonerus Dicitur hunc melius dixeris Orbilium The same in English MUse not so much that natures woorke is thus deformed now With belly blowen and head so swolne for I shall tell you how This Canniball in three yeares space three hundreth Martyrs slew They were his foode he loued so bloud he spared none he knew It should appeare that bloud feedes fat if men lie well and soft For Boners bellie waxt with bloud though he semde to fast oft O bloudy beast bewaile the death of those that thou hast slaine In time repent since thou canst not their liues restore againe G. G. In Bonerum CArnificis nomen debetur iure Bonero Qui sine Christicolas crimine mactat oues Certe carnificis immitis nomine gaudet Siue isto peius nomine nomen amat Carnificem vocitas ridet crudelia facta Narrisâ— rem gratam non facis ipse magis Det Deus vt sapias meliora Bonere vel istis Te feriant meritis munera digna precor The scourging of Thomas Hinshaw ⧠The right Picture and true Counterfet of Boner and his crueltie in scourging of Gods Sainctes in his Orchard a Fulham The next mornyng the Bish. came and examined hym himselfe and perceiuyng no yelding to his mynde he sent M. Harpsfield to talke with him who after long talke in the end fell to raging words callyng the sayd Thomas Hinshaw pâ—euish boy and asked him whether he thought he went about to damne his soule or no c. Unto whiche the sayd Tho. answered that he was perswaded that they laboured to maintaine their darke and diuelish kingdom and not for any loue to truth Then Harpsfield beyng in a mighty rage told the B. thereof Whereat the B. fumed fretted that scant for anger beyng able
theirs God is my father God is my mother God is my Sister my Brother my Kinsman God is my frend moste faythfull ¶ The cruell burning of a woman at Exeter Touching the name of this woman as I haue nowe learned she was the wife of one called Prest dwelling in the Dioces of Exeter not farre from Launceston ¶ The Persecution and Martyrdome of three godly men burnt at Bristow about the latter yeares of Queene Maries reigne IN writing of the blessed Sayntes which suffered in the bloudy dayes of queene Mary I had almost ouerpassed the names and story of three godly Martyrs whiche with theyr bloud gaue testimony likewise to the gospell of Christ being condemned and burnt in the town of Bristow The names of whom were these Richard Sharpe Thomas Benion Thomas Hale First Richarde Sharpe Weauer of Bristowe was brought the 9. day of Marche an 1556. before M. Dalbye Chauncellour of the Towne or City of Bristow and after examination concerning the sacrament of the aultar was perswaded by the sayde Dalbye and others to recant and the 29. of the same moneth was enioyned to make his recantation before the Parishioners in his parish Churche Which whē he had done he felt in his cōscience such a tormenting hell that he was not able quietly to worke in his occupation but decayed and chaunged both in colour and liking of his body Who shortly after vpon a sonday came into his parish Church called Temple after high masse came to the queere doore sayd with a loud voyce Neighbors beare me recorde that yonder Idoll and poynted to the aultar is the greatest and most abhominable that euer was and I am sory that euer I denied my Lord GOD. Then the Constables were commaunded to apprehende him but none stepped forth but suffered him to goe out of the Church After by night he was apprehended and caried to Newgate shortly after he was brought before the sayd Chauncellor denying the sacrament of the aultar to be the body bloud of Christ sayd it was an Idoll and therfore was cōdemned to be burnt by the sayd Dalby He was burnt the 7. of May. 1557. and dyed godly paciently and constantly confessing the articles of our fayth ¶ Thomas Hale Martyr THe Thursday in the night before Easter .1557 came one M. Dauid Herris Alderman Iohn Stone to the house of one Thomas Hale a Shoomaker of Bristowe caused him to rise out of his bedde brought hym foorth of his dore To whō the said Tho. Hale said You haue sought my bloud these two yeares now much good do it you with it Who being committed to the watchmen was caried to Newgate the 24. of April the yere aforesaid was brought before M. Dalby the Chancelor committed by him to prison after by him condemned to be burnt for saying the sacrament of the altar to be an Idoll He was burned the 7. of May with the foresayd Rich. Sharpe godly paciently and constantly embracing the fire with his armes Two Godly Martyrs burned at Bristow Richard Sharpe Thomas Hale were burned both together in one fire and bound backe to backe Thomas Benion THomas Benion a Weauer at the commaundement of the Commissioners was brought by a Constable the thirtenth daye of August 1557. before Mayster Dalbye Chauncellour of Bristow who committed him to pryson for saying there was nothing but bread in the Sacrament as they vsed it Wherefore the twenty day of the sayd August he was condemned to be burnt by the sayd Dalby for denying fiue of theyr Sacramentes and affirming two that is the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and the Sacrament of Baptisme He was burnt the seuen and twenty of the sayd moneth and yeare and dyed godly Thomas Benion burned at Bristow constantly and patiently with confessing the articles of our christian fayth ¶ The Martyrdome of fiue constant Christians which suffered the last of all other in the time of Queene Mary THe last that suffred in Queene Maries time were fiue at Caunterburye burned about sixe dayes before the death of Queene Mary whose names follow here vnder written Iohn Corneford of Wortham Christopher Browne of Maydstone Iohn Herst of Ashford Alice Snoth Katherine Knight otherwise called Katherine Tynley an aged woman These fiue to close vp the finall rage of queene Maries persecution for the testimony of that word for whiche so many had died before gaue vp theyr liues meekly and paciently suffering the violent malice of the Papistes Which Papists although they then might haue either well spared them or els deferred theyr death knowing of the sicknesse of Queene Mary yet such was the implacable despite of that generation that some there be that say the Archdeacō of Canterbury the same time being at London vnderstanding the daunger of the Queene incontinently made al post hast home to dispatch these whom before he had thē in his cruell custody The matter why they were iudged to the fire was for beleuing the body not to be in the sacrament of the aulter vnlesse it be receiued saying moreouer that we receiue an other thing also beside Christes body which we see and is a temporall thing according to S. Paule The thinges that be sene be temporall c. Item for confessing that an euill man doth not receiue Christes body Because no man hath the sonne except it be geuen him of the father Item that it is Idolatry to creepe to the crosse and S. Iohn forbidding it sayth Beware of Images Itē for confessing that we should not pray to our Lady and other Sayntes because they be not omnipotent For these and such other articles of Christian doctrine were these fiue committed to the fire Agaynst whom whē the sentence shoulde be read and they excommunicate after the maner of the papistes one of them Iohn Cornford by name styrred with a vehemēt spirit of the zeale of god proceeding in a more true excōmunication agaynst the papistes in the name of them all pronounced sentēce against them in these wordes as folow In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of the most mighty God and by the power of his holy spirite the authority of his holy catholick Apostolick church we do geue here into th◠handes of Satan to be destroyed the bodies of all those blasphemers hereticks that do mainteine any error agaynst his most holy word or do cōdemne his most holy truth for heresy to the mainteinaunce of any false Churche or fayned Religion so that by this thy iuste iudgement O most mighty God against thy aduersaries thy true religion may be knowne to thy great glory and our comfort and to the edifying of al our natiō Good Lord so be it Amen This sentence of excommunication beyng the same time openly pronounced and registred proceeding so as it seemeth from an inwarde fayth and hartye zeale to Gods trueth and
litle other sustenance Which is credible inough if we consider their like practises vpon diuers before mentioned in this history as amongest other vppon Richard Smith who dyed through theyr cruel imprisonmeÌ„t Touching whom when a godly woman came vnto Doct. Story to haue leaue that she might bury him he asked her if he had any straw or bloud in his mouth but what he ment therby I leaue to the iudgement of the godly wise After the foresayd Fetty had thus layn in the prison by the space of xv dayes hanging in the stockes sometyme by the one legge and the one arme sometime by the other and otherwhiles by both it happened that one of his children a boy of the age of eight or nine yeares came vnto the Bishoppes house to see if he could get leaue to speak with his father At his comming thether one of the Bishoppes Chaplaynes met with him and asked him what he lacked and whome he would haue The childe answered that hee came to see his father The Chaplayne asked agayne who was his father The boy then tolde him and poynting towardes Lollardes Tower shewed him that his father was there in prison Why quoth the priest thy father is an hereticke The childe being of a bold and quicke spirit and also godly brought vp and instructed by his father in the knowledge of God answered sayd my father is no heretick but you are an heretick For you haue Balams mark With that the Priest tooke the childe by the hand caried him into the Bishops house whether to the Bishop or not I know not but like enough he did there amoÌ„gest them they did most shamelesly and without all pitty so whip and scourge being naked this tender childe that he was all in a gore bloud and then in a ioly brag of their Catholicke tyranny they caused Cluny hauing his coate vpon his arme to cary the childe in his shyrt vnto his father being in prison the bloud ruÌ„ning downe by his heeles At his comming vnto his father the child fel down vp-his knees and asked him blessing The poore man then beholding his childe seeing him so cruelly arrayed cryed out for sorrow and sayd Alas Wil who hath done this to thee The boy aunswered that as he was seeking how to come to see his father a priest with Baalams mark took him into the Bishops house and there was he so handled Cluny therwith violently plucked the childe away out of his fathers handes and caryed him backe agayne into the Bishops house where they kept him three dayes after And at the three dayes end Boner minding to make the matter whole and somewhat to appease the poore maÌ„ for this their horrible fact determined to release him and therfore caused him early in a morning to be brought out of Lollardes tower into his bedchamber where he fouÌ„d the B. basting of himselfe against a great fire at his fyrst entring into the chamber Fetty said God be here peace God be here and peace quoth Boner that is neither God speede nor good morrow If yee kicke agaynst this peace sayd Fetty then this is not the place that I seek for A Chaplayne of the Bishops standing by turned the poore maÌ„ about thinking to deface him said in mocking wise what haue we here a plaier whilest this Fetty was standing in the bishops chamber he espied hanging about the Bishops bed a great payre of blacke beades wherupon he said my Lord I thinke the hangman is not far off â—oâ— the halter pointing to the beades is here already At which wordes the Bishop was in a marueilous rage Then immediately after he espyed also standing in the sayd Bishops chamber in the windowe a little Crucifixe before which belike Boner vsed to kneele in the tyme of his hipocriticall prayers Then he asked the Bish. what it was and he answered that it was Christ. Was he haÌ„dled so cruelly as he is here pictured quoth Fetty Yea that he was sayd the Bishop And euen so cruelly will you handle suche as come before you For you are vnto Gods people as Cayphas was vnto Christ. The Bishop being in a great fury sayd thou art a vile hereticke and I will burne thee or els I wil spend al that I haue vnto my gowne Nay my Lord sayd Fetty yee were better to geue it to some poore body that he may pray for you But yet Boner bethinking in himselfe of the daunger that the childe was in by theyr whipping and what perill might ensue therupon thought better to discharge him whiche thing was accomplished Wherupon after this and suche talke the Bishop at last discharged him willing him to go home and cary hys childe with him whiche he so did and that with a heauy hart to see hys poore boy in such extreme payne and griefe But within 14 dayes after the childe dyed whether thorough this cruell scourging or any other infirmitie I know not therfore I referre the truth therof vnto the Lord who knoweth al secretes and also to the discreete iudgement of the wise reader But howe soeuer it was the Lorde yet vsed this theyr cruell detestable fact as a meanes of his prouidence for the deliuery of this good poore man and faythfull Christian his name be euer praysed therefore Amen The cruell handling and burning of Nicholas Burton Englishman and Marchaunt in Spayne FOrasmuch as in our former booke of Actes and Monuments mention was made of the Martyrdome of Nicholas Burton I thought here also not to omit the same the story being suche as is not vnworthy to be knowne as wel for the profitable example of his singular constancie as also for the noting of the extreme dealing and cruell reuenging of those Catholicke Inquisitours of Spayne who vnder the pretensed visour of Religion do nothyng but seeke theyr owne priuate gaine and commoditie with crafty defending and spoyling of other mens goodes as by the noting of this story may appeare The fift day of the moneth of Nouember about the yeare of our Lord God .1560 this Nicholas Burton Citizen sometyme of London and Marchaunt dwellyng in the Parishe of little Saint Barthelmew peaceably and quietly followyng his traffike in the trade of Marchaundise and beyng in the Citie of Cadix in the parties of Andolazia in Spayne there came into his lodgyng a Iudas or as they terme them a Familiar of the Fathers of the Inquisition Whom asking for the sayde Nicholas Burton fayned that hee had a Letter to deliuer to his owne handes by which meanes he spake with him immediatly And hauing no Letter to deliuer to him then the said Promoter or Familiar at the motioÌ„ of the Deuill his maister whose messenger he was inuented an other lye and sayde that he would take ladyng for London in such shippes as the said Nicholas Burton had fraited to lade if he would let any which was partly to know where he
the beating and the flight and feare they were neuer in health since as the sayd Wilmot with hys owne mouth hath credibly ascertayned vs and we cā no lesse but testifie the same Thus haue we briefly rehearsed this little tragedye wherein ye may note the malice of the enemies at al times to those which professe Christ and take hys parte of what estate or degree so euer they bee according to the Apostles saying It is geuen vnto you not onely to beleue but also to suffer with him To whome be honor and glory Amen Next after these two aboue specified followeth the beating of one Thomas Greene who in the time of Queene Mary was caused likewise to be scourged and beaten by Doctor Story What the cause was here followeth in story and examination to be seene whiche hee penned wyth his owne hand as the thing it selfe will declare to the reader The copy and wordes of the same as he wrote them here follow Wherein as thou mayst note gentle reader the simplicitie of the one so I pray thee marke the cruelty of the other part The scourging of Thomas Greene. IN the reygne of Queene Mary I Thomas Greene being brought before D. Story by my M. whose name is Iohn Wayland a Printer for a booke called Antichrist the whiche had bene distributed to certayne honest menne he asked me where I had the booke and sayde I was a traytour I told him I had the booke of a Frenchman Thē he asked me more questions but I told him I would tell hym no more nor could not Then he sayd it was no heresie but treason and that I should be hanged drawne quartered and so he called for Cluny the keeper of the Lollardes tower and bad him set me fast in the stockes I was not in the Lollardes tower two houres but Clauy came and tooke me out and caryed me to the Cole-house and there I found a frenchman lying in the stocks and he tooke him out and put on my right legge a bolte a fetter on my left hand an other and so hee set me crosse fettered in the stockes and tooke the Frenchman away with him and there I lay a day and a night On the morow after he came and sayd let vs shift your hand and legge because you shall not be lame and he made as though he pitied me and sayde tell me the trueth and I will be youre frend And I sayd I had tolde the truth and would tell no other Then he put no more but my legge in the stockes so went his way and there I remayned 6. dayes could come to no answere Then Doctor Story sent for me and asked whether I would tel him I truth where I had the booke I sayd I had told him of a frenchmā he asked me wher I came acquainted with the Frenchman where he dwelt where he deliuered me the booke I sayde I came acquaynted with him in Newgate I comming to my friendes which wer put in for Gods worde and truthes sake and the Frenchman comming to his friendes also there we did talke together and became acquaynted one with an other and dyd eate and drinke together there with our friends in the feare of God Then Story scoffed at me and sayde then there was brother in Christ and brother in Christ and reuiled me called me an hereticke and asked me if I had the booke of him in Newgate I sayd no and I tolde him as I went on my businesse in the streete I met him and he asked me how I did and I him also so falling in communicatiō he shewed me that booke and I desired him that hee woulde let me haue it In this examination Story sayd it was a great booke and asked me whether I bought it or had it geuen me I tolde him I bought it Then sayd he I was a theefe and had stollen my maysters money And I sayd a little mony serued for I gaue hym but foure pence but I promised him at our nexte meeting I woulde geue twelue pence more And he sayd that was boldly done for such a booke as spake both treason and heresie Then Story required me to bring him two sureties watche for him that I had the booke of and I shuld haue no harme I made him aunswere I would bring no sureties nor I could not tell where to finde them Then said he this is but a lye and so called for Cluny and bad hym lay me fast in the Colehouse saying he would make me tel an other tale at my next cōming and so I lay in the stockes day and night but onely when I eate my meate there remayned x. dayes before I was called for agayne Then Doctor Story sent for me agayne and asked if I would yet tell him the truth I sayd I could tell him no other truth then I had nor would And while I was ther standing there were two brought whiche I tooke to bee prisoners Then mistres Story fell in a rage and sware a great othe that it were a good deede to put a hundred or two of these hereticke knaues in a house I my selfe sayth she would set it on fire So I was cōmitted to prison agayn where I remayned 14. dayes and came to no aunswere Then Story sent for me againe and called me into the gardē and there I found with him my Lord of Windsors Chaplayne and two Gentlemen more and he told them all what they had sayd and done They sayd the book was a wonderous euill booke and had both treason and heresie in it Then they asked me what I said by the book And I sayd I know no euill by it At which wordes Story chafed and sayd hee woulde hang me vp by the hands with a rope and said also he would cut out my tonge mine eares also frō mine head After this they alledged two or three thinges vnto me out of the book And I aunswered I had not read the book through out and therfore I could geue no iudgement of the book Then my Lord of Windsores chaplayne and the other two Gentlemen tooke me aside and entreated me verye gently saying tell vs where you had the booke and of whō wde will saue you harmelesse I made them aunswere I had told all that I could to Doct. Story began to tell it thē agayn but they sayd they knew that already so they left that talke and went agayne to Story with me Then Story burdened me with my fayth and sayd I was an hereticke Whereupon the Chaplayne asked me how I did beleue Then I began to rehearse the articles of my beliefe but he bad me let that alone Then hee asked me how I beleued in Christe I made him aunswere that I beleued in Christ which dyed and rose agayne the thyrd day and sitteth on the right hand of God the father Whereupon Story asked me mockingly what is the
immediatly and I am sure you receiued them for I committed the truste of them to no worsse man but to Mayster Solicitour and I shall make you an example to all Lyncolnshyre for your obstinacy M. Berty denying the receipt of any humbly prayed his Lordship to suspend his displeasure the punishment till he had good trial therof then if it pleased him to double the payne for the fault if any were Well quoth the Byshoppe I haue appoynted my selfe this day according to the holines of the same for deuotion and I will not further trouble me with you but I enioyn you in a thousand pouÌ„d not to depart without leaue and to be here againe to morow at 7. of the clocke M. Berty well obserued the houre and no â—ote â—ayled At whiche time the B. had with him M. Seriant Stampford to whoÌ„ he moued certayn questions of the sayd M. Berty because M. Serieaunt was towardes the Lorde Wriothesley late Earle of Southhampton and Chauncellour of England with whom the said M. Berty was brought vp M. Seriant made very frendly report of M. Berty of hys owne knowledge for the time of theyr conuersation together Wherupon the Bishop caused M. Berty to be brought in and first making a false trayne as God would without fire before he woulde descend to the quarrell of Religion he assaulted him in this maner Winch. The Queenes pleasure is quoth the Byshoppe that you shall make present payment of 4000. pound due to her father by Duke Charles late husband to the Duchesse your wife whose executor she was Bert. Pleaseth it your Lordshippe quoth M. Berty that debt is estalled and is according to that estallement truly aunswered Winch. Tush quoth the Byshop the Queene will not be bounde to estallementes in the time of Kettes gouernement for so I esteme the late gouernement Bert. The estallement quoth M. Berty was appoynted by king Henry the 8. besides the same was by speciall coÌ„missioners confirmed in king Edwardes tyme and the Lord treasurer being an executor also to the Duke Charles soly and wholly tooke vpon him before the sayd Commissioners to discharge the same Winch. If it be true that you saye quoth the Byshoppe I will shew you fauor But of an other thing M. Berty I will admonish you as meaning you well I heare euill of your Religion yet I hardly can thinke euil of you whose mother I know to be as Godlye and Catholicke as any within this Lande your selfe brought vp with a mayster whose education if I should disallow I might be charged as author of his errour Besides partly I know you my selfe and vnderstande of my frendes enough to make me your frend wherefore I will not doubt of you but I pray you if I may aske the question of my Ladye your wife is she now as ready to set vp the Masse as she was lately to pull it downe when she caused in her progresse a dog in a Rochet to be caried called by name or doth she think her lambes now safe enough which sayd to me wheÌ„ I vailed my bonnet to her out of my chamber window in the tower that it was mery with the lambes now the Wolfe was shut vp Another time my Lord her husband hauing inuited me and diuers Ladies to dinner desired euery Lady to choose him whom she loued best and so place themselues My Ladye your wife taking me by the hande for that my Lord would not haue her to take himselfe sayd that for so much as she could not sit downe with my Lord whom she loued best she had chosen me whom she loued worst Of the deuise of the Dogge quoth M. Berty she was neither the author nor the allower The wordes though in that season they sounded bitter to your Lordship yet if it should please you without offence to know the cause I am sure the one will purge the other As touching setting vp of Masse which she learned not onely by strong perswasions of diuers excellent learned men but by vniuersall consent and order whole vj. yeares past inwardly to abhorre if she should outwardly allowe she should both to Christ shew her selfe a false Christian and to her prince a masquing subiect You know my Lord one by iudgemeÌ„t reformed is more worth then a thousand transformed teÌ„porizers To force a confession of Religion by mouth coÌ„trary to that in the hart worketh damnation where saluation is pretended Yea mary quoth the Bishop that deliberation would do well iâ— she neuer required to come from an old Religion to a new But now she is to returne from a newe to an auncient Religion Wherin when she made me her gossip she was as earnest as any For that my Lord sayd M. Berty not long sithen she aunswered a frend of hers vâ—ing your Lordships speach that Religion went not by age but by truth and therefore she was to be turned by persuasion and not by commaundement I pray you quoth the Bishop thinke you it possible to persuade her Yea verely sayd M. Berty with the truth for she is reasonable enough The bishop thereunto replying sayd it will be a maruellous griefe to the Prince of Spayne and to all the nobility that shall come with him when they shall finde but two noble personages of the spanish race within this laÌ„d the Queene and my Lady your wife and one of theÌ„ gone from the fayth M. Berty aunswered that he trusted they should find no fruites of infidelity in her So the Bishop perswading M. Berty to trauell earnestly for the reformation of her opinion and offring large frendship released him of his bande from further appearaunce The Duchesse and her husband dayly more and more by their frendes vnderstanding that the Bishop meant to call her to an accouÌ„t of her fayth whereby extremity might followe deuised wayes how by the Queenes licence they might passe the Seas M. Berty had a ready meane for there rested great summes of mony due to the old Duke of Suffolke one of whose executers the Duches was beyond the Seas the Emperour himselfe being one of those debters M. Berty communicated this his purposed sute for licence to passe the Seas and the cause to the Bishop-adding that he tooke this time most meet to deale with the Emperour by reason of likelyhoode of Mariage betwene the Queene and his sonne I like your deuise well quoth the bishop but I think it better that you tary the Princes comming and I will procure you his letters also to his father Nay quoth M. Berty vnder your Lordships correction and pardon of so liberall speache I suppose the tyme will then be lesse conuenient for when the Mariage is coÌ„suÌ„mate the Emperour hath his desire but till then he will refuse nothing to win credit with vs. By S. Mary quoth the Bishoppe smiling you gesse shrewdly Well proceed in your sute to the Queene and it shall not lacke my helping hand M.
the Riuer Now she good woman thinking to be so serued tooke thereby such feare that it brought the begynning of her sickenesse of the whiche at length she dyed Then at the last was she called before the Margraue and charged with Anabaptistry whiche shee there vtterly denyed and detested the error declaring before hym in Dutch her fayth boldly wythout any feare So the Margraue hearyng the same in the end beyng well pleased with her profession at the sute of some of her frends deliuered her out of prison but tooke away her booke and so shee came ouer into England agayne ¶ William Mauldon I Lightly passe ouer here the tedious afflictions of William Mauldon how in the daungerous time of the 6. articles before the burning of Anne Askew hee was scourged being young of his father for professing and confessing of true Religion and afterward being examined in auricular confession by the Priest hys bookes were searched for and so at length hee was presented vp by the same Priest in a letter written to the Byshop Which letter had it not bene burned by an other Priest to whose handes it came as the Lord would haue it it had vndoubtedly cost hym his life This one thinge in the sayde William Mauldon is to bee noted that being younge in those dayes of kinge Henry when the masse moste florished the aultars wyth the sacrament therof being in their moste high veneration that to mans reason it might seeme vnpossible that the glory and opinion of that Sacramente and Sacramentalles so highly worshipped and so deepely rooted in the hartes of so many could by any meanes possible so soone decay and vanish to naught yet notwithstanding hee being then so young vnder the age of xvii yeares by the spirite no doubt of prophesie declared then vnto his parentes that they should see it shortly euen come to passe that both the Sacrament of the altar and the altars themselues with al such plantations which the heauenly father did not plant should be plucked vp by the rootes and euen so within the space of very fewe yeares the euent thereof followed accordingly the Lorde therefore bee praysed for his moste gratious reformation ¶ Robert Horneby I Let passe lykewise the daungerous escape of Robert Horneby seruaunt sometyme and groome of the Chamber to Ladye Elizabeth shee being then in trouble in Queene Maryes dayes who being willed to come to Masse refused so to doe and therefore comming afterward from Woodstocke to Hampton Courte was called before the Counsayle by them committed to the Marshalsey and not vnlyke to haue susteyned further daunger had not the Lordes goodnes better prouided for him who at length by Doctour Martyn was deliuered ¶ Mistres Sandes THe lyke also may be testified and recorded of Mistres Sandes nowe wyfe to Syr Morice Bartlet then Gentlewooman wayter to the sayde Ladye Elizabeth being in the Tower Which Mistres Sandes denyed in lyke maner to come to Masse and therefore beside the heauye displeasure of her father was not onely displaced from her roume and put out of the house but also was in greate ieopardye of further tryall But the Lorde who disposeth for euery one as he seeth beste wroughte her way out of her enemyes handes by flying ouer the Seas where shee continued amongest other banished exiles in the Cittye of Geneua of Basil till the death of Queene Marye * The storye of Thomas Rose yet liuing a Preacher of the age of lxxvi yeares in the towne of Luton and Countye of Bedford THis Thomas Rose a Deuonshyre man was borne in Exmouth and being made Priest in that coūtrey was brought out of it by one M. Fabiā to Polsted in Suffolke where the sayd M. Fabian was Parson in short tyme after by his meanes was placed in the town of Hadley wher he first cōming to some knowledg of the gospel began first there to intreat vpon the Crede therupon to take occasiō to inueigh against Purgatory praying to Saints Images about the tyme that M. Latimer began first to preach at Cambridge in the tyme of Bilney Arthur .47 yeares ago or thereabout in so much that many imbracing the truth of Christes Gospell against the sayd Purgatory and other poynts and the number of them daily increasing the aduersaries beganne to stirre agaynst him in so muche that M. Bale who afterwarde became a godly zelous man was then brought to preach agaynst the sayd Thomas Rose so did This notwithstanding he continued still very vehement agaynst Images the Lorde so blessed his labours that many began to deuise how to deface and destroy them and especially foure men whose names were Ro. King Ro. Debnam Nic. Marsh and Ro. Gard. which vsually resorted to his sermons vpō his preaching were so inflamed with zeale that shortly after they aduentured to destroy the Roode of Douercourt which coste three of them theyr liues as appeareth before pag. 1031. The three persons which suffered and were hanged in chaynes wer offered theyr liues to haue accused the sayd Thomas Rose as of counsell with them which refused so to do and therfore suffered The sayd Tho. Rose had the coat of the sayd Roode brought vnto him afterward who burned it The Roode was sayde to haue done many great myracles and great wonders wrought by him and yet being in the fire could not help him selfe but burned like a block as in very deede he was At this time there were two sore enemies in Hadley Walter Clerke and Iohn Clerke two brethren these cōplayned to the Counsayle that an hundred men were not able to fetch the sayde Thomas Rose out of Hadley who then was vpon examination of his doctrine committed to the Commissaries keeping And in deede such was the zeale of a number towardes the truth thē in that towne that they were much offended that their Minister was so taken frō them and had therefore by force fet him from the Commissary if certain wise men hadde not otherwise perswaded which at length also with more quiet did set him in his office agayne which thing so angred the two brethren Walter Clerke Ioh. Clerk that they complayned to the counsaile as aforesayd wherupon a serieant at armes named Cartwright was sent from the counsayle who arested the sayd Thomas Rose brought him before the counsayle Then his aduersaries being called they layd to his charge that hee was priuy of the burning of the Rood of Douercourt and vpon this he was committed to the prison in the Bish. of Lincolns house in Holborne Bishop Langly the kinges Confessor and there remayned he in prison frō Shroftide till tyll Mydsomer very sore stocked tyll after Easter The stocks were very hye great so that day night he did lye with his backe on the ground vpon a litle straw with his heeles so hye that by meanes the bloud was fallen from his feete his feet wer almost without sense
the state of your own person but of your kingdome also To what end became the enterprise of the Duke of Guise in Italy goyng about the seruice of the enemy of God and purposing after his returne to destroy the Vallies of Piemont to offer or sacrifice them to God for his victories The euent hath well declared that God can turne vpsidedowne our counsailes and enterprises as he ouerturned of late the enterprise of the Constable of Fraunce at S. Quintins hauyng vowed to God that at his returne he would go and destroy Geneua when he had gotten the victory Haue you not heard of L. Ponchet Archbish. of Toures who made sute for the erection of a Court called Chamber Ardente wherein to condemne the Protestantes to the fire who afterwardes was striken with a disease called the fire of God whiche began at his feete and so ascended vpward that he caused one member after another to be cut off and so died miserably without any remedy Also one Castellanus who hauyng enriched himselfe by the Gospell and forsaking the pure doctrine thereof to returne vnto his vomite again went about to persecute the Christians at Orleans by the hand of God was striken in his body with a sickenes vnknowen to the Phisitions the one halfe of his body burnyng as whote as fire and the other as colde as Ise and so most miserably crying and lamentyng ended his lyfe There be other infinite examples of Gods iudgements worthy to be remembred as the death of the Chauncellour and Legate du Prat which was the first that opened to the Parliament the knowledge of heresies and gaue out the first Commissions to put the faythfull to death who afterwarde died in his house at Natoillet swearyng and horribly blasphemyng GOD and hys stomacke was founde pierced and gnawen a sunder wyth wormes Also Iohn Ruse Counsailor in the Parliament comming frō the Court after he had made report of the processe agaynst the poore innocentes was taken with a burnyng in the lower parte of his belly and before he could be brought home to his house the fire inuaded all his secret partes and so hee died miserably burnyng all his belly ouer without any signe or token of the acknowledging of God Also one named Claude de Asses a Counsailour in the sayd Courte the sayde day that he gaue his opinion and consent to burne a faythfull Christian albeit it was not done in deede as he would haue it after he had dyned committed whoredome with a seruaunte in the house and euen in doyng the acte was striken with a disease called Apoplexia whereof he dyed out of hande Peter Liset chiefe President of the sayd Courte and one of the authors of the foresayd burnyng chamber was deposed frō his office for beyng known to be out of his right wit and bereaued of his vnderstandyng Also Iohn Morin Lieuetenaunt Criminall of the Prouost of Paris after he had bene the cause of the death of many christians was finally striken with a disease in his legs called the Wolues whereby he lost the vse of them died also out of his wits many dayes before denieng and blaspheming God Likewise Iohn Andrew Bookebinder of the Pallace a spie for the President Liset and of Bruseard the kings sollicitor died in a fury and madnes The Inquisitor Iohn de Roma in Prouence his flesh fell from hym by peece meale so stinkyng that no man might come nere hym Also Iohn Minerius of Prouence which was the cause of the death of a great number of men women and children at Cabriers at Merindol died with bleeding in the lower partes the fire hauing take his belly blaspheming and despising of God besides many other wherof we might make recital which were punished with the like kynd of death It may please your maiesty to remember your self that ye had no sooner determined to set vpon vs but new troubles were by and by moued by your enemies with whom ye could come to no agreement which God would not suffer for as much as your peace was grounded vpon the persecution which ye pretended against Gods seruauntes As also your Cardinals can not let through their crueltie the course of the Gospell which hath taken such roote in your realme that if God should geue you leaue to destroy the professors thereof you should bee almost a kyng without subiects Tertullian hath well sayde that the bloud of Martyrs is the seed of the Gospell Wherfore to take away all these euyls commyng of the riches of the papistes which cause so much whoredome Sodomitrie and incest wherein they wallowe lyke hogs feeding their idle bellies the best way were to put them from their lands and possessions as the old sacrifising Leuits were according to the expresse commaundement which was geuen to Iosua For as long as the ordinance of God tooke place and that they were voyde of ambition the puritie of religion remayned whole and perfect but when they began to aspire to principalitie riches and worldly honours then began the abhomination of desolation that Christ found out It was euen so in the Primatiue church for it flourished continued in all purenesse as long as the Ministers were of smal wealth and sought not their particuler profite but the glorye of God onely For since the Popes began to be princelike and to vsurpe the dominion of the Empire vnder the colour of a fals donation of Constantine they haue turned the Scriptures from their true sense and haue attributed the seruice to themselues which we owe to God Wherefore your Maiestie may seise with good right vpon all the temporalties of the benefices and that with a safe conscience for to employ them to their true right vse First for the findyng and maintainyng of the faithfull Ministers of the word of God for such liuyngs as shall be requisite for them accordyng as the case shall require Secondly for the entertainment of your Iustices that geue iudgement Thirdly for the relieuyng of the poore and maintenance of Colledges to instruct the poore youth in that which they shall be most apte vnto And the rest which is infinite may remayne for the entertainment of your owne estate and affaires to the great easement of your poore people which alone beare the burthen and possesse in maner nothyng In this doyng an infinite number of men and euen of your Nobilitie which lyue of the Crucifix should employ themselues to your seruice and the common wealths so much the more diligently as they see that ye recompence none but those that haue deserued where as now there is an infinite number of men in your kingdome which occupy the chiefest greatest benefices which neuer deserued any part of them c. And thus much touching the superfluous possessions of the Popes Lordly Clergie Now procedyng further in this exhortation to the king thus the letter importeth But when the Papists see that they haue
began at the second if not at the first dash to demaund her beliefe in theyr popish sacrament of the aulter The good poore woman who had learned not to bee ashamed to confesse her mayster Christ before menne and to render accōptes of her fayth when it was asked tould freely and franckly her opinion therein and hid backe nothing that eyther shee thought might profite them if they had anye grace to receiue it or els might sounde to Gods glory and prayse though it were neuer so muche by them threatned and rebuked Whereupon shee was forthwyth committed to the Gayle of Launceston where she remayned a quarter of a yeare or thereaboutes and afterwards was dispatched of that vile and filthy prison and deliuered ouer to the handes of two champions of the Popes the one called Doctor Raynoldes Deane of Exceter and the other named mayster Blaxton treasurer of the same church men surely feruent hote in the furtheraunce of the romysh affayres and in withstanding the truth of the pure euangelicall gospell So the time that this good poore woman was vnder theyr handes shee had many sore conflictes by them And the sayd Blaxton hauing a Concubine whiche sondry tymes resorted to him with other of his gossippes alwayes when they came this sayde good woman was called forth to his house and there to make his minion with the rest of his company some mirth hee woulde examine her with such mocking maner in deriding the truth that it would haue vexed any christian soule to haue seene it Then when he had long vsed his foolishnes in this sort and had sported himselfe enough in deriding this chrysten martyr in the end sent her to prison agayn and there kept her very miserably sauing sometimes he woulde send for her when hys foresayd gest came to him to vse with her his accustomed folly aforesayd But in fine the vile wretches after many combattes and scoffing perswasions when they had played the parte of a cat with a mouse at length they condemned her deliuered her ouer to the secular power who within shorte space after most cruelly brought her forth to the place where she should suffer and there in great contempt of the truth which she most constantly confessed they consumed her carcas immediately with fire into ashes which she very patiētly suffered and most ioyfully receiued yelding her soule and lyfe to the Lord and her body to the tormentors for the whiche the Lordes name therefore be praysed Amen ¶ The martirdome of one Snel burned about Richmond in Queene Maryes tyme omitted in this history AT Bedaile a market towne in Yorkshyre were two men in the latter dayes of Queene Mary the one named Iohn Snel and the other Richard Snel Who being suspected for Religion were sent vnto Richmond where Doctor Dakins had commission from the Bishop of Chester to haue the examination of them This Doctor Dakins many times conferred wyth them sometimes threatning fire and fagot if they woulde not recant and sometimes flattering them with fayre fables if they would returne into the holy catholick church But they stood constantly to the sure rocke Iesus Christ in whome they put theyr whole trust and confidence whiles at last being so sore imprisoned that theyr toes rotted of and the one of them could not go without crouches they brought thē to the church by compulsion where the one of them heard their abhominable Masse hauing a certaine summe of mony geuen him by the beneuolence of the people and so departed thence but the first newes that was heard of hym within three or foure dayes was that he had drowned him self in a riuer running by Richmond called Swaile Immediately after D. Dakins geuing sentence that the other should be burnt came home to hys house and neuer ioyed after but dyed The Commissary of Richmond named Hillinges preached at his burning exhorting him to returne to the Churche but hys labour was in vayne the constant martyr standing strongly to the fayth which hee professed Then being brought to the stake whereunto hee was tyed by a girdle of iron there was geuen vnto him gunpouder and a little straw was layd vnder his feete and set round about with smale woode and tarre barrels the fire was put in the straw which by and by flamyng about his head he cryed thrise together Christ helpe me Insomuch that one Robert Atkinson being present sayde hold fast there we wil all pray for thee Thus this blessed martyr ended his life ¶ A story of one Laremouth omitted in the body of the story ALbeit I am loth to insert any thing in this book which may seeme incredible or strange to ordinary working for quarelling aduersaryes whiche doe nothing but spye what they may cauill yet forsomuch as besides other reporters the person is yet aliue called Thorne a godly minister which heard it of the mouth of the party himselfe I thought therefore first for the incredible strangenes therof neither to place this storye in the bodye of these Actes and Monumentes and yet in some outcorner of the booke not vtterly to passe it vntouched for the reader to consider it and to credite it as he seeth cause The story is this There was one Laremouth otherwise called Williamson Chaplayne to Lady Anne of Cleue a Scotishman to whome being in prison in Queene Maryes daies it was sayd as he thought thus sounding in hys eares arise and go thy wayes Whereunto when he gaue no great heed at the first the second time it was sayd to him agayne in the same wordes Upon this as he fell to his prayers it was sayd the thyrd time likewise to him arise and go thy way which was about halfe an houre after So he arising vpon the same immediately a peece of the prison wall fell downe and as the officers came in at the outwarde gate of the Castle or prison he leaping ouer the ditche escaped and in the way meeting a certayne beggar chaunged hys cote with him and comming to the Sea shore where hee found a vessell ready to go ouer was taken in and escaped the search which was straytly layd for hym in all the coūtry ouer ¶ A little short letter of William Hunter sent out of prison to his mother a little before hys martirdome to be referred and placed in his story pag. 1538. MOst reuerent louing mother after my most humble wyfe I haue me harty commēded vnto you desiring you to pray vnto God most hartely for me that I may haue his blessing and yours the which I esteeme more worth vnto me thē any worldly treasure In this present letter you shall vnderstand the cause of my writing vnto you at this tyme that I am in good health and prosperitie as euer I was in this present life Wherefore I render thankes vnto almightye God for it who alone is moste woorthye of all prayse trusting in God you bee in health also Furthermore I certifie you wherefore
844. Pardon 's bought and sold. 498. Pardon 's deceauable 3. manner of wayes 494. Pardons of 40. dayes for bringing fagottes to burne good men 983 Parker Archbishop of Cant. witnesse at the burning of Bilney 1012. Parker martyr 1794. Parâ—s Uniuersitie began 143. Parliamentes theyr inconstancie mutable instabilitie 1720. Parliament at Burie 706. Parliamentes in the reigne of king Richard .2 agaynst the Pope 512. Parliament at Yorke by king Edward the 3. 421. Parma taken of the Pope and hys frendes .314 besieged of the Emperour ibid. Parliament sommoned in Fraunce agaynst the Pope with complayntes greeuous and articles infinite agaynst his pâ—ling exactions 353.354.355.356 Parliament at NorthamptoÌ„ 375. Parliament at Salisbury 376 Parliament at Paris by Phillip king of Fraunce 343. Parliament in Fraunce agaynst the Pope 353.354 Parliament of king Edward .6 1299. Parliamentes and theyr authorityes 1187. Parliament of Queene Mary with the actes and statutes therin determined 1410.1466 Parliamente in Queene Maryes dayes vnlawfully called 2117 Parliament of K. Henry .8 995 Parliament at Oxford 279 Parsons of the Romaines in Enland despoyled of theyr rentes corne 275 Paschalis first beginner of Popish transubstantiation 1147 Paschalis Pope his atyre and maner of coronation .196 he setteth the sonne agaynst the father ibid. Pater â—osteâ— in strife in Scotland .1274 brought into the Masse 1403 Patriarch of Constantinople obteyned of Mauritius the Emperour to bee called by the name of vniuersal Patriarch and resisted by Gregory Byshop of Rome 13 Patriarches 4. equall in power and authority 1062 Patriarches 4. appoynted by the councell of Nice and why 9 Patriarches 4. in Augustines time 1759 Patricke Pachingham Martyr .1683 his story and martirdome 1684.1687 Patricke Hamelton his story burned in Scotland his articles coÌ„demnation and martyrdome 974 Patrickes places 976 Patricke Patingham his christian confession sent out of Newgate to certeine of his frendes 2141 2142 Pattins of glasse borne before the Priest 57 Paulus Phagius and Bucer their bookes and â—ones burnt in CaÌ„bridge at the visitation there holden by the appoyntment of the Cardinall 1956 Paule and Peter suffer death vnder Nero Domicius for the gospell of Christ. 31 Paule his epistles to seuen Churches 35 Paule the Apostle his doctrine reduced to 5. poyntes 16. Paule the Apostle conuerted wheÌ„ 30. Paule neuer a member of the deuil 609. Paule thappostle beheaded vnder Nero hys wordes to hys wife going to execution 34. Paule manifesteth his doctrine before Nero is condemned and suffered 35. Palles deare at Rome 172. Palle geuen by the Pope howe 172.179 the price of Palles ibid. Palle of Anselme brought to CaÌ„terbury 185. Paule Crawe a Bohemian martir 667. Paule 1. Pope mayntayned images against the Emperour 130. Paules steeple set on fire by lightning 704. Paules Churche in London built by whome 133.114 Paulinus a good bishop conuerted king Edwine to the faythe of Christ. 121 Pauier town clerke of London an vtter enemy to the Gospell hanged himselfe 1055. Pax brought into the Masse 1403 Paynter martyred 1279. Pauie towne clarke of London persecutor hanged himself 2101 P E. Peace of the Church howe long it endured 76. Peace betweene king Henry the 3. and hys nobles 331. Pearne hys sermon agaynst Bucer and Paulus Phagius in Camb. 1962. Pecocke Bishoppe of Chester hys story 709. Peckham archbishop of Canterb. 349 Peeke hys story and martyrdome for the Gospell of Iesus Christ. 1131. Pelagius the 2. Bishop of Rome withstoode the councell of ConstaÌ„ce in the title of vniuersality 12. Penance enioyned kyng Edgar by Dunstane 156 Penance of diuers persons 731 Penance or repentance wyth the errors thereof after the papists 26 Penance popish the maner thereof 804 Penance of poore men for not bringing Lâ—tter to my L. horses 555 Penance of Thomas Pie Iohn Mendham Iohn Beuerley and Iohn Skilley 663 Penance of poore women for pledgyng maistresse Ioyce Lewys 2013 Penance enioyned Leicester abiurates 506 Penance of kyng Henry 2. for the death of Becket 227 Penance or repentance deuided into three partes· 26 Penalties of the 6. articles 1135 Penalties for Priestes that haue wyues 195 Penda king of the Mercians slain 122 Penitentiarius Asini. 390 Pensions out of the cathedrall and conuentuall churches to the Pope 336 Pepper her story and martyrdome 1914.1915 Persecution commeth by no chance 100 Persecuters plagued of God 58 Persecution the viij with the cause thereof 68 Persecution ceaseth for a time 51 Persecution by hunger and pestilence 84 Persecution hoat and grieuous amongest the Christians 61.62 Persecution coÌ„meth by Gods prouidence and not by chaunce 1646 is an infallible token and marke of the true Church 1753 PersecutioÌ„s in the primitiue churche tenne .34 the firste was sterred vp by Nero Domicius .34 The second by Domicius Emperour .35 The third by Traianus Emperour .39 The fourth vnder Marcus Antonius .42 The fifte vnder Seuerus Emperour .54 The sixt vnder Maximinus the Emperour .59 The seuenth vnder Deâ—ius .59 The eighth vnder Emelianus and others .68 The ninth vnder Aurelianus Emperour .75 The tenth vnder Dioclesian whiche was a most bloudy persecutor 77 PersecutioÌ„ in Angrogne Lucerne S. Martin and Perouse 955 Persecution in Antioche Pontus Alexandria and other places 79 Persecution in Couentry 776.777 Persecution in Chichester 2024 Persecution in England 79 Persecutions 4. in England before Austen 115 Persecuting Byshops in Queene Maries dayes comprehended in a summe 2101.2102 Persecutors of Gods people punished of God 2199.2100.2102 2104.2106.2108.2112 Persecution grieuous in Ipswich 2089.2090 Persecution in the East ceaseth til the time of Wickliffe 85 Persecution in the Emperours Campe. 78 Persecution in Europe in Lyons in Fraunce and Uienna 46 Persecution in Fraunce described in a Tablâ— 897 Persecution in Germany 874.875 886 Persecution in Kent vnder Chichesley 642 Persecution in Lincolne Diocesse 982.983.984 Persecution in the diocesse of Lincolne in a table 821.822 Persecution in Lichfield and Couentry and of the trouble of good men and women there 1955 Persecution in London dioces about the sixe articles 1202 Persecution in London dioces .802 798. with their seuerall articles obiected 799.803 Persecution in Nichomedia exceeceeding bloudy 78. Persecution in Scotland 1266.1267 Persecution in Spayne Fraunce and sondry other places 79. Persecution in Suffolke 1912.1913 Persecution of the Waldensis 230 Persecution in Windsor 1211 Periury of the Papistes 271. Periury terrible punished .55 punished in Duke Elfred 147. Peregrinus martyr 52. Perris Concubine to king Edw. 3. 425. Pernam Martyr 1914.1215 Perkin Werbeck fayning himselfe to be king Edwardes sonne 799 36 Perouse greuously persecuted 955.956 Perotine Massâ—y Martyr her story and martyrdome 1943.1944 Antony Persons martyr hys story 1213.1218.1220 Peter of Herford a Burgundian a rich Bishop 330. Peterpence first inuented .114 stopped by king Henry the 8. 1053.48 Peterpence graunted to the pope thorow the whole land of England 136.51 Peter Pence and other taxes forbid to be payd at Rome by king Edward the 2.370 howe they came vp ibid. Petrus de rupibus
Thomas Bagley priest and martir 666. Thomas Brice hys trouble and deliuery 2081. Thomas Carman martyr 2035.2036 Thomas Becket described 206. Thomas Becket Chancellour of England 202. hys life and story 205. hys death .224 his shrine .258 proued a traytor no saynct .224 hys lying miracles 225. Thomas Benold Martyr burned at Colchester hys story martyrdome 2007.2008 Thomas Bilney Martyr hys story .998 pulled out of the pulpit by friers and articles layd to his charge .1001 hys dialogue .1002 hys 〈◊〉 and recantation .1003 〈◊〉 returne from hys abiuration .1008 hee burneth hys owne fingers in a candle .1012 hys martyrdome for the trueth .1013 he recaÌ„ted not at hys death as the papistes falsely slandered him .1011 hys defence agaynst Thomas Bernard Martyr 1207. Thomas Benet Martyr hys story .1037 hys billes sette vpp agaynst the Pope .1037.1038 hys martyrdome 1040. Thomas Benion Martyr hys story and martyrdome 2052 Thomas Brodehill hys trouble story 1601. Thomas Browne martyr his story 1844. apprehended brought before the Bishop .1857 condeÌ„ned ibid. burned in the fire 1858 Thomas Broke his trouble for the Gospell 1225 Thomas Chase Martyr 818 Thomas Christenmas his trouble and deliueraunce 2071 Thomas Chase his cruell and extreine handling .774 murthered in prison 775 Thomas Croker his story martyrdome 1911.1912 Thomas Cobbe Martyr 1708 Thomas Cranmer his Story 1177 Thomas Cranmer Archbyshop of Caunterbury his excellent story .1859.1860 sent Ambâ—ssadour to Rome .1861 to the Emperour ibid. made Archbishop of Caunterbury .1862 his life and rare commendaâ—ions .1862.1863.1864.1866.1867 accused to the king .1866.1867.1868 his great fauour with the king ibid. subcribed to King Edwardes Testament 1870. condemned of treason released accused of heresy had to Oxford .1871.1872 his protestation before the Commissioners .1874 his talk with D. Martin .1876.1877 his interrogatories agaynst him .1877 his degradation .1881 his appeale 188â— hys recantation and repentaunce for the same .1884 his death and glorious Martyrdome .1887 hys letters 1890.1891.1892 Thomas Dobbe persecuted for the Gospell his death in Prison 1297 Thomas Dungate Thom. More Martyrs theyr storyes 1949 1950 Thomas Drowrye Martyr hys story and martyrdome 1911 1912 Thom. Frebarne troubled for his wiues eating of flesh in Lent 1184 Thomas Flyer slayne in Gods quarell 1917 Thomas Fust Thomas Leyes Martyrs 1689.1702 Thomas Fayrefax scourged for the Gospell 2058 Thomas Forret his story with other his felow prisoners 1206 Thomas Garret his story .1192 his trouble at Oxford .1194 his penance .1197 his Martyrdome for the truth 1199.1200 Thomas Granter his recantation and story 642. Tho. Goldwell a popish priest his letter to the Bishop of Douer 1669 Thomas Greene scourged 2059.2060.2061.2062 Thomas Harland Thomas Auington Thomas Read Martyrs .1914 Tho. Whood Tho. Bowyer Martyrs ibid. Thomas Hawkes Martyr his excellent story .1585 his examinatioÌ„s .1586.1587.1588.1589.1590 his wonderfull constant martirdome .1591.1592 his Letters 1594 Thomas Harding his trouble and martyrdome 983 Thomas Hitton an honest poore man his trouble persecution examinations and martyrdome for the glory and trueth of Christes Gospell .997.998.2136.2137.2138 refuseth to sweare agaynst himselfe remayneth constaunt in the truth to the ende is condemned and martyred 998.2138 Thomas Hudson Martyr 1970 Thomas Hale Martyr his story 2052 Thomas Horton his trouble and deliuery 2081 Thom. Hinshaw scourged by Bonor at Fulham 2043.2044 Thomas Holms his story 838 Thomas Hudson Martyr his story 2035.2036 Thomas Iohnson for swearing by the masse put to penaunce 1917 Thomas Loseby Thomas Thyrtell Martyrs .1974 theyr Articles examinations aunsweres condemnations and martyrdome 1975.1976.1978 Thomas Hayward Martyr 1708 Thomas Iueson martyr his examination and aunsweres .1682 his martyrdome 1683. Thomas Leyes with others martyrs 1702 Thomas More knight made Lord Chauncellour of England .994 beheaded 1069. Thomas More knight his well deserued bloudy end 2101. Thomas Man his persecution trouble .815 articles obiected agaynst him .816 hys deathe and martyrdome 817. Thomas Moone hys trouble and persecution 665. Thomas Mouse persecutor hys terrible death 2103. Thomas Morice Martyr 775. Thomas Osmund William Bamford Thomas Osburne Martyrs theyr ioynte story 1602. Thomas Parret his story 1917. Thomas Parnell scholer to Doctor Barnes 1192. Thomas Phillips his story 1042. Thomas Rhedon a Frenche man martyr his story .667 burned at Rome 668. Thomas Rauensdale martyr 1953 Thomas Rose hys troubles for the Gospell in Queene Maryes dayes .2082 his examination .2083.2084.2085 hys deliueraunce 2086.2087 Thomas Sprat of Kent his deliuery in Queene Maryes dayes 2081. Thomas Spicer Martyr 1911.1912 Thomas Spurge Rich. Spurge theyr story 1895. Thomas Stephens martyr 1970. Thomas Spurdance Martyr hys story examination and martyrdome 2024.2025 Thomas Somers hys trouble for the Gospell 1207. Thomas Wattes martir hys story and examination sent vp to Boner by the Iustices of Essex .1594 Articles obiected agaynst him with hys aunsweres .1595 hys sentence condemnatory and martyrdome 1596. Thomas Whittle Priest Martyr hys story .1844 articles agaynst him ibid. beaten on the face by Boner .1845 hys recantation repentaunce thereof .1845 hys condemnation and martyrdome 1846.1858.1847.1848 Tho. Wiat his insurrection in Kent 1418. beheaded on the Tower hill 1419. Thomas Wolsey Cardinall hys story 986. Thomas thappostle martyred 32. Tholouse persecuted by the French king and Pope 269. Thornton Doctor Bishop of Douer a cruell persecutor 1871 Thorneton Bishop and Suffragan of Douer his fearefull death 2099. Thorneton Byshop of Douer a great doer agaynst the masse in king Edwardes tyme. 1669. Thorpe his story .527 hys sondry examinations .528.530.531 hys end vncertayne 543. Three women of Garnesay and an infant burned at one fire 1944. Three hundred romayne boyes beneficed in England 266.287 Three Papistes executed for treason 1201 Three godly Confessours dyed in Prison at Colchester 1954 Three men deliuered vpon the seas by Gods prouidence 1914 Three thinges noted in Christes wordes calling Peter a Rock 1 Thurstane Archbishop of Yorke 198 T I. Tibald his penance 1036 Tiberius Cesar moueth the Senate of Rome to receiue Christ afterwardes himselfe became a Tyraunt 30 Tiburtius Ualerianus Martyrs 58 Tigurines their aunsweare to the letter of the HeluetiaÌ„s .867 they reforme religion 868 Tilsworth Martyr his storye and Martyrdome 774 Times of mariage forbidde by the Pope 859 Times exempte from mariage by the Papistes 29 Tims deacon and Martyr .1895 his examination and aunsweres .1896 his Martyrdome letters 1898.1899.1900 Time times and halfe a tyme expounded 481 Tindall refused of the Byshoppe of London to be his Chapleyne his temperate conuersation .997 his story life and Martyrdome .1075.1076.1078 his supplication to the king and nobles with his letters 1079.1080 Tyrantes their names 81 Titus Cesar a Tyraunt sonne of Uespasian 31 Tithes why geuen to Priestes and Leuites in the old law .536.537 by whome commaunded in the olde law 537. not due by the law of the Gospell .655 howe due in old time and why .484 due to be payd by mans law not by Gods 484.485.655 Tithes ordayned to be geuen to the