man of a cruel nature and of a perverse and corrupt judgment a sore Persecutor of Christs Flock with greediness seeking and shedding Innocent Blood having drowned divers good men and women for which of some he was called A blood-Hound of others Sheltade that being of a short grundy and little stature he did commonly ride with a broad Hat as a Churl of the Country On a time having been at Antwerp at a Feast and being loaden with Wine riding home over a Bridge the Wagon was blown over the Bar into the Town-Ditch where his neck was broken and his Wife being with him was taken up alive but died within three dayes after the truth of this was Witnessed by several Merchants of Antwerp Erasmus in his Apology maketh mention of a Noble man who having purposed before his Death to go see Jerusalem and setting things in order for his Journey An. 1558. leaving the care of his Wife who was great with Child and of his Lordships and Castles to an Arch-Bishop as to a must sure and trusty Father to make short it happened this Noble man died in his Journey as soon as the Arch-Bishop hard of it instead of a Father he became an Enemy and Destroyer seizing into his hands all his Lordships and Possessions neither was he therewith contented but he laid seige against a strong Fort into which the Wife of the Noble man was fled for safe-guard where in the conclusion she with the Child she went withal was miserably slain By this Example the Reader may see what the effects of this mans blind Superstition was and what ill Fruits his rash vows to defend Idolatrous Pilgrimage did produce therefore saith my Author it is rightly said of Hierome To have been at Jerusalem is no great matter but to live a Godly and Virtuous life that is a great matter indeed In the Town of Gaunt in Flander An. 1565 The Provost of Gaunt one william D'waver was accused and Imprisoned by the Provost in Gaunt who had in his Cloister a Prison and place of Execution being with several others set in Judgment Seat in Examination and Trial of the said D'weavâ—â— where he charged him with denying to pray to Saints and denying Purgatory on a suddain the said Provost was smitten with a Palsie that his Mouth was drawn almost to his Ear and so he fell down and never speak word more and the next day about ten a clock he died nevertheless they burned the said William D'weaver within three hours after the same The like Example of the Lords Judgement was shewed upon another great Persecutor called Sir Garret Triest Aâ—â—56◠〈…〉 who had long promised to the Regent to bring down the Preachers for which the â—â—gent promised to make him an Earl the said Gerret being at Gaâ—â—â— â—e with other of the Lords received a Commission from the Regent 〈◊〉 sware the Lords and Commons unto the Romish Religion Garret being at Supper speak to his Wife to call him an hour sooner then he use to rise for that he should have much business to swear the People in the Town-house the next day but see what happened the said Garret going to Bed in good health and his Wife calling him in the morning according to his appointment found him dead by her and so not able to prosecute his wicked purpose However the Lords of Gaunt coming to the Town-house proceeded to give the Oath according to their Commission but Martin de Pâ—â—â—â—â— the Secratary being appointed to tender the Oath at the first â—an he offered it to the said Secratary was stricken with present Death and fell down and was carried away in a Chair and never speak more and to witness the Truth hereof my Author produceth ten persons Names A Letter translated out of French into English written to Henry the Second French King declaring and proving out of divers Histories what Afflictions and Calamities from time to time by Gods Righteous Judgments have fallen upon such as have been Eâ—â—micâ— to his People and have resisted the free passage of his Truth Consider I pray you Sir and you shall find that all your 〈◊〉 â—â—ous have come upon yon since you have set your self against 〈◊〉 which are called Lutherans when you made the Edict of 〈…〉 â—â—ant God sent you wars but when you ceased the 〈…〉 said Edict and as long as you were Enemies to the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ing into Armain for the defence of the liberty of the Germans â—â—â—â—ed for Religion your Affairs prospered as you could wish or desire On the contrary what hath come upon you since you joyned with the Pope again having received a Sword from him for his own safe-guard and who was it that caused you to break the Truce God hath turned in a moment your Prosperity into such Afflictions that they touch not only the state of your own person but of your Kingdom also To what end came the enterprise of the Duke of Guise in Haly going about the service of the Enemy of God and purposing after his return to destroy the Valleys of Piedmont to offer or sacrifice them to God for his Victories the event hath well declared that God can turn upside down our Counsels and Enterprizes as he overturned of laâ—e the Enterprize of the Constable of France at S. Quintinis having Vowed to God that at his return he would go and destroy Geneva when he had gotten the Victory Have you not heard of L' Pouchet Arch Bishop of Towers who made suit for the erection of a Court called Chamber Ardent wherein to condemn the Protestants to the Fire who afterwards was stricken with a disease called The Fire of God which began at his feet and ascended upwards that he caused one Member after another to be cut off and so died miserably without any Remedy Also one Castillanus who having inriched himself by the Gospel and forsaking the pure Doctrine thereof and returning to his vomit again went about to persecute the Christians at Orleans and by the Hand of God was stricken in his Body with a sickness unknown to the Physitians the one half of his Body burning as hot as Fire and the other as cold as Ice and so most miserably crying and lamenting ended his life There be other infinite Examples of Gods Judgments worthy to be remembered as the death of the Chancellor and Legate Duprat which was the first that opened to the Parliament the knowledge of Heresies and gave out the first Commissions to put the faithful to death who afterward died in his House at Natcilet Swearing and horribly Blaspheming God and his stomack was found pierced and knawn assunder with Worms also John Ruse Councellor in the Parliament coming from the Court after he had made report of the process against the poor Innocents was taken in a burning in the lower part of his Belly and before he could be brought home to his House the fire invaded all his secret parts and so he died
Estate giving unto them a Commandment of Obedience which was The Commandment given man in his first Creation that they were not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil for in the day they did eat thereof they should dye but of all the rest of the Trees of the Garden they might eat and receiving Comfort there-from might give the Praise and Glory thereof to their Maker to whom it did belong And whilest Man and Woman stood in this Condition they were happy and blessed And now God beheld all that he had made and behold all was Good for Sin had not as yet entered upon man But the Devil envying Gods Honour and Mans Felicity tempted the Woman to Sin by the Serpent The Serpent beguiled Man and Woman by his Subtilty the Woman being beguiled by the Serpent the man was also beguiled by her and brake the Ordinance of God by eating the Forbidden Fruit And thus Man and Woman lost the Dignity and Excellency of their first Creation and were enslaved by the Serpent who by his Wiles and Subtilty had entangled and ensnared them and perswaded them to believe him more then God for God said That in the day they did eat thereof they should die but the Serpent said They should not surely die for God doth know said he that you shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil and thus was man by a lye drawn from the pure Command of his Maker Now after they had sinned in the cool of the day the Lord called unto Adam saying Where art thou and Adam who did hide himself said I heard thy Voice in the Garden and was afraid because I was Naked And God said Who told thee that thou wast Naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not Eat And now having brought Guilt and shame upon themselves by Transgression After man had transgressed he first began to make a Covering they began to make them Coverings by sewing fig-leaves to make them Aprons of which it seems they had no need before they had transgressed And now by this all men may see that it was the Serpents work from the beginning and indeed it has been in all Ages his work to beguile Men and Women with his Lyes and Subtilties and to darken their Eyes and polute their Understandings that he may keep them in subjection to himself and from hence doth spring the wicked Thoughts and Actions which all mankind are apt to lean and incline to and have been and are readier to give ear to the Voice of the Serpent and wicked One The Serpent hath ever been the moving cause of all the Wâ— that has come upon Man then to the Voice of God their Maker And this has been the Fountain and Spring-head from whence has come all the Disorders Miseries and Woes that have happened unto all Manking throughout the World in all Ages they have been feeding and delighting themselves in eating the Forbidden Fruit which their Forefathers also delighted in and all Nations upon the Earth are in this State and Condition at this day led away by the Voice of the Serpent from the Purity and Righteousness in which man was first created except a Little Remnant which God hath at this day gathered by his Light and Power to be witnesses to his name And now the Lord having convicted Adam of his evil The Promise of God for the restoring lost man and pronounced several punishments upon him and on Eve his Wife yet with this Promise added That the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head and now man being put out of the Garden of Eden and a Fiery Flaming Sword being set to keep the Way leading to the Tree of Life man was in an undone condition had not the Lord condescended in his tender Love and Mercy to restore him and make that Promise to him and this was the Lords great Love to open a Door of hope to lost man that he might not be destroyed by Satans Power and now the Power of God by which man was first created appeared again to restore him After the fall of Adam year of the world 130 Cain was the first man that was born of a woman and after Cain his Brother Abel was born and now in process of time these two offered Offerings unto the Lord being without question instructed in Righteousness by their Father Adam after hâ—s restoration but Cains Sacrifice What Sacrafice God accepted and what he rejected being only outward in shew and nothing inward in the Spirit wherein doth consist the true Worship of God the Lord accepted not his Offering but unto Abel and his Offering which was from the Uprightness and Sincerity of his heart the Lord had respect At this Cain was Wrath and being inflamed with Anger rose up against his Brother Abel and in his envy slew him here was the beginning of Persecution and that upon a righteous person for serving God in a pure mind and here the envy of the Wicked one appeared again to extinguish if he could the righteous Seed But now the Lord shewed regard again to mankind and in his tender love repaired this loss for now Abel being slain Adams Wife bare another Son whose name was Seth for God saith she Seth born in the room of Abel bath appointed me another Seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew and this Seth proved a godly man and had a Son called Enos who kept up the holy Seed and true Religion as it is recorded of him that in his dayes men did begin to call on the Name of the Lord now Enos signifies the lamentable condition of all mankind for even then as some men write was the worship of God wretchedly corrupted by the race of Cain whence it came that men were even so distinguished that they who persisted in the true worship of God were known by the name of the Children of God and they which forsook him were termed the Children of men Enochs blameless life The next of the Righteous Stock was Jared to whom was born Enoch another of the Righteous Seed whose life and conversation was so Innocent that it is recorded of him that he walked with God And thus the Reader may see how the Righteous Plants were such who took the Lord to be their Guide in their Actions and Undertakings who were as Patterns of Righteousness in the midst of a perverse Generation and it is the same with all the faithful and upright at this day And now Enoch having this Testimony that he pleased God the Lord as a requital of his faithfulness translated him so that he saw no death and took him to himself The evil the Sons of God were prone to run into And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the Face of the Earth and Daughters were born unto them these Sons of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fair and they
them for which Message they stoned him to death at the Commandment of the King The Prophets is stoned to Death thus Joash the King remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada Zachariahs Father had done to him and when the Prophet dyed he said This Kings miserable end the Lord look upon it and require it and now mark what was the end of this King his own Servants conspired against him and slew him in his bed as may be seen more at large in the account given of Gods Judgments against Persecutors Amazia succeeded Joash year of the world 3194 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Amaziahs Evil for at last he set up the God of the Children of Seir and bowed himself before them and burnt Incense unto them wherefore the anger of the Lord was Kindled against him and he sent a Prophet unto him to reprove him The Prophets reproves him to whom the King said Art thou made of the Kings Council forbear wherefore shouldest thou be smitten Nevertheless the Prophet said I know God hath determined to destroy thee The King is slain and after the time that this King turned away his heart from the Lord he was slain After him succeeded Uzzia under him did the Kingdom of Juda flourish no less then that other of Israel did under Jeroboam the second and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord The reason of Vzziah his prosperity and he sought God in the dayes of Zachariah and as long as he sought the Lord and applyed his mind to matters of piety God made him to prosper and he subdued the Philistines and other bordering Enemies and thus whilest he was weak and low he was marvellously helped against his Enemies but when he was strong How he came to loss and lookt at his own strength his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord and burnt Incense wherefore the Lord smote him with Leprosie and he remained a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt in a house several God Judgment on him for he was cut off from the house of the Lord and he being dead Jotham his son reigned and he did that which was right in the fight of the Lord how be it the People did yet do corruptly but he be came mighty because he prepared his wayes before the Lord his God After him reigned Ahaz his Son year of the world 3242 who did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord for he walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel Ahaz his Evil. who made also Moulten Images for Baalim and burnt Incense on the High-places and under every green Tree wherefore the Lord delivered him into the hands of his Enemies and thus the Reader may see He is delivered into the hands of his Enimies how these people and Children of Juda and Israel to whom God had given a commandment that they should fear him and not forget him and that then he would deliver them from their Enemies howbeit they did not hearken but were ready often to back-slide and to serve their graven Images both their Children and their Childrens Children unto this day Ahaz being dead Hezekiah his Son began to reign year of the world 3278 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father David did year of the world 3374 he removed the High places and broke the Images and cut down the Groves Hezckiahs good reign his breaking down Idolatry and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent that Moses had made for unto those dayes the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it and he called it Nehushtan that is to say a little piece of Brass and thus this good Reformer he trusted in the Lord God of Israel and he left not off throwing down the Altars and High Places until he had Destroyed them all causing a thorow Reformation And his zeal was so great for the Lord that after him as it is recorded was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah nor any that was before him for he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him and the Lord was with him and he prospered him whithersoever he went forth Hezekiah falling sick unto death the Prophet Esaiah being commanded of the Lord year of the world 3291 said unto him Set thine House in order for thou shalt die He tell sick the Prophet foretold his dâ—ath and not live this moved Hezekiah's heart that he wept sore and turning to the Wall prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart He ekiah is broken in Tenderness The Lord had compassion on him and have done that which is good in thy sight wherefore the Lord had compassion on him and added fifteen years more to his dayes and Hezekiah dying Manasseh his Son reigned and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the Abomination of the Heathen building the High-places which his Father had destroyed and again reared up Alters for Baal His Son is turned to Idolatry and worshipped all the Host of Heaven and served them and used Inchantments and dealing with Familiar-Spirits and Wizards he wrought much Wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger for which Abomination the Lord sent his Servants and Prophets to foretel that for those Abominations he would bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Juda that whosoever should hear it their Ears should tingle The Prophets Message against the evil of those times The Kings Bondage he is brought into He is humbled under the hand of God and reforms in part and the Lord brought upon Manasseh the Host of the Assyrians which took Manasseh and bound him with Fetters and carried him Captive to Babylon and now being in Affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers wherefore the Lord restored him again to his Kingdom and then he knew that the Lord was God and he cast out the Altars that he had built and took away the strange Gods and Idols and commanded the People to serve the Lord God of Israel but still the People retained the High-places to Worship in And after his death his Son Amon was punished by the Lord being slain by his Servants in his own House and now these two bad Kings being taken away the Lord raised up another good King The good King Iosiah raised up which was Josiah the Son of Amon who reigned thirty four years in Ierusalem and eaused again a Blessed and thorow Reformation amongst the People of Iuda and Jerusalem making a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Testimonies with all his Heart His Covenant with the Lord.
and with all his Soul and he likewise cleansed away the Abominations from the People and again stirred them up to serve the Lord their God and all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord God of their Fathers Nero King of Aegypt year of the world 3394 by Gods Command went against the King of Assyria who at that time made War upon him He unadvisedly assisted the King of Egypt was slain 2 Kings 23.29 2 Chro. 35.20 21. Josiah unadvisedly engaging in this War was slain and now this good King being taken out of the World a World of Miseries grew on upon it and such Lamentations there was that it grew almost a common proverb the Lamentation of Hadadrimon in the Valley of Megiddo His loss gâ—â—â—â—ly â—amenâ—d by all for not only the whole People living wonderfully bewailing the death of Josiah but the Ages following were sencible of the loss of him and the Prophet Ieremiah in rememberance thereof wrote his mournful Book of Lamentations Especiaâ—â—y by the Prophet Jeriemiah wherein bewailing the Calamities which were shortly to befal the People as if he had then presently beheld them using these words The Breath of our Nostrils the ancinted of the Lord is taken in their pits of whom we said under the shaddow of his Wings we shall live among the Heathen After the death of Josiah his Youngest Son was anointed King who presently fell to doing that which was evil in the sight of God His Son walked not in the steps of his Pather but did eâ—il but Nero King of Egypt removed him after he had reigned three Moneths and made Eliakim his Elder Brother King in his room changing his name into Jehojakim that thereby he might testifie to the World that he ascribed the Victory by him gotten against the Assyrians to the Lord only by whom he professed he was formerly sent against them In the Beginning of this Kings reign Jeremiah commanded by God year of the world 3395 went and stood in the Court of the Temple and there exhorted the people to repentance and when they would not Jeremiah exhortes the people he denounced the Judgment of God against them saying that that House should become as Shilo and that City should be cursed among all the Nations of the Earth whereupon he was presently apprehended by the Priests and Prophets and all the people then in the Court and accused as a man worthy of death but was acquitted and set at Liberty by the publick Judgment of the Princes and Elders Vriahs Prophesie He is put to death At this time also Uriah prophesied against Jerusalem and the Land of Juda agreeable to the sayings of the Prophet Jeremiah for which the King put him to death by the Sword and threw his Carcass among the vilest Sepulchers of the comon people yet Ahikam who had formerly been a man of great Authority with King Josiah appeared so much in the behalf of the Prophet Jeremiah that he was not delivered over into the hands of the people to be put to death at that time To these might be added the Prophet Habbakuk to whom when he complained of the stubornness of the Jews God made this answer Habbahkuks prophesie That he would shortly send the Chaldeans into Juda and further declared his purpose concerning this matter in these words I will do a work in your dayes which you will not believe when it shall be told unto you for behold I will stir up the Chaldeans a fierce Nation and a swift which shall walk through the breadth of the Land which is none of theirs as their own Inheritance Jeremiah reproves the Jews In the fourth year of this King Jehojakim the Prophet Jeremiah reproved the Jews for not hearkning to the Word of the Lord which he had spoken unto them from time to time and for not regarding the Exhortations of the Prophets which the Lord had sent unto them and then again told them of the coming of Nebuchadnezar upon them He prophesies of their Captivity and of their being carried away Captives to Babylon and that Captivity to last seventy years long and during the seventy years time of Captivity Daniel prophesied of the coming of the Messiah who should bring in the Law of Everlasting Righteousness and put an end to the Levitical Sacrifices Jehojakim being taken Prisoner by the Chaldeans year of the world 3405 was thrown out without burial that is was buried like an Ass his Carcass being tugged and drawn out without the Gates of Jerusalem according as was foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah though in referance to the common course in nature he also may be said to have slept with his Fathers as he is 2 Kings 24.6 After him came his Son Jehoiachin who was also called Jeconias and reigned three Moneths and ten dayes in Jerusalem who also did evil in the sight of the Lord as his Father had done before him against whom the Lord by his Prophet Jeremiah declared a most dreadful Decree Ieremiahs decree against Ichoiachin He pronounced a Wo against the wicked Pastors saying O Earth Earth Earth hear the Word of the Lord thus saith the Lord write ye this man Childless a man that shall not prosper in his dayes for no man of his Seed shall prosper sitting upon the Throne of David and ruling any more in Juda and pronounced a wo to the Pastors that scattered the Sheep and that had not fed nor visited the People and therefore the Lord would Visit them for the evil of their doing and that he would gather the Remnant of his Flock and would set up Shepherds over them that should feed them and that he would raise unto David a righteous Branch that should execute Judgment and Justice in the Earth and that in his day Juda should be saved and Israel dwell safely and this is his Name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness and in the fence of this the Prophet cryed out Mine heart within me is broken because of the Prophets all my Bones shake I am like a drunken man and like a man whom Wine hath overcome Isaiahs Prophets of Christ because of the Lord and because of the Word of his Holiness And Esaiah the Prophet had a true sight of the coming of the Blessed Messiah for he said The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to Preach good tydings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of Vengence of our God to comfort all that mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them Beauty for Ashes the oyl of Joy for mourning the garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness that they might be called Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that be
Jerusalem to the Eleven and those that were with them who told them The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared unto Simon then they told them what things were done in the way and how he was known of them in breaking of Bread but neither believed they them But whilest they yet spake whilest it was Evening in the first day of the week the Door being shut where the Disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews He appears again to his Disciples cometh Jesus himself and stood in the midest of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you but they were terrified and affrighted supposing they had seen a Spirit but he upbreaded them with their unbelief and heardness of heart He reproveth their unbelief because they believed not them that had seen him since he was risen and he said unto them Why are ye troubled See my Hands and my Feet a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones and he shewed them his Hands and his Feet and his Side and when they believed not for joy and wondered he said unto them Have ye here any meat and he eat a piece of boiled Fish and an Hony-Comb and the Disciples rejoyced that they had seen the Lord and he said unto them These are the words that I spake unto you that all things must be fullfilled that was written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms of me then opened he their understandings He opens their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures and said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behooveth Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations and ye are witnesses of these things and behold I send the Promise of my Father among you He sendâ— them forth but tarry ye at Jerusalem till ye be endued with Power from on High He saith unto them again Peace be unto you as my Father sent me so send I you go ye into the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned and these signs shall follow them that believe in my Name they shall cast out Devils and they shall speak with new Tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover And when he had said these things he breathed on them and said unto them Receive the holy Ghost whose Sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose Sins ye retain they are retained and thus Jesus appeared five times in the very first day of his Resurrection but Thomas who is called Dydimus one of the twelve was not with them when Jesus came and the rest of the Disciples telling him we have seen the Lord he very confidently professed he would not believe it about eight dayes after Thomas being then together with the rest Jesus comes the doors being shut and stands in the midest and saith unto them Peace be unto you and aboundantly satisfies Thomas his unbelief Then the Eleven Disciples went into Galilee unto the Mountain that he had appointed them and when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted and when Jesus came unto them he said All Power is given unto me both in Heaven and in Earth go therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them c. and I am with you to the end of the World After that Jesus was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once after that by James 1 Cor. 15.6 7. Afterwards Jesus shewed himself to his Disciples again at the Sea at Tiberias or at the least to seven of them as they were Fishing after they had fished all night and caught nothing in the morning Jâ—â—â—â— unknown to them stands upon the Shore and bids them cast their Net on the right side of the Ship where they took a great Number of Fish Last of all he appeared to his Disciples in Jerusalem and led them out as far as Bethany and he lift up his Hands and blessed them and it came to pass as he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven Hitherto reacheth the History of the four Evangelists declaring the Sufferings of Christ and now I shall give the Reader a short account what Josephus the Jewish Historian in his eighteenth Book of Antiquity writeth of John the Baptist and Christ concerning the Baptist Cap. 7. he saith thus Herod the Tetrarch killed John Sur-named the Baptist Josephus his Testimony Concerning Iohn a most excellent man who stirred up the Jews to the study of Virtues especially of Piety and Justice and also to the washing of Baptism which he said then would be acceptable to God if not abstaining from some one or two Sins but having their minds first purged through righteousness they also added cleanness of body And whereas there was great resort unto him the Common people being greedy of such Doctrine Herod fearing least the great Authority of the man should raise some Rebellion because they seemed as though they would decline nothing to which he advised them thought it safer to take him out of the way before there was any alteration in the State then to repent too late when the State was once imbroyled wherefore he commanded him to be sent Prisoner to Macharas and then to be put to death Concerning Christ he saith thus Chap. 45. In the same time there was a wise man named Jesus if we may call him a man Iosephus his Testimony concerning Christ he was a worker of miracles and a Teacher of them that willingly receive the Truth he had many both Jews and Gentiles that were his Followers and was believed to be the Christ and when Pilate had crucified him through the envy of our Rulers nevertheless those that loved him continued constant in their affections for he appeared to them alive the third day the Prophets in their Prophesies foretelling both these and many other wonderful things concerning him and the Christians from him so called continue to this very day After the Apostles had seen Christ and had worshipped him after his Resurrection they returned to Jerusalem with great joy from the mount of Olives which is from thence a Sabboth dayes journey and in Jerusalem they abode in an uper Room The holy Ghost fell upon the Apostles and continued with one accord in Prayer with the Women and Mary his Mother and his Brethren and they were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance and many received the Truth and continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking bread from House to House did eat their Meat with gladness and singleness of Heart praising God and having favour with all the people
lost the true Faith once delivered to the Saints and instead of being Sufferers which was once the portion of the true Christians were now became Persecutors and Destroyers of such as would not stoop to their Idolatry and to every foolish invention that the Popes from time to time did set up and commanded to be observed It is recorded that in the time of Pope Julius partly with his Wars and partly with his Cursings in the space of seven years about 200000. Christians were destroyed so addicted to Bloodshed was this Pope and as is written surpassed many other Popes in Iniquity that Wicelius wrot thus of him Marti illum quam Christo deditiorem fuisse that is that he was more given to War and Batail then to Christ which made Philip Melancton write an Epigram in Latine upon him the sence of which in English is as followeth When Julius Pope against the French determin'd to make War As fame reports he gathered up great Troops of men from far And to the Bridge of Tyber then marching as he were Wood His holy Keys he took and cast them down into the Flood And afterward into his hand he took a naked Sword And shaking it braks forth into this fierce and warlike word This Sword of Paul quoth he shall now defend us from our Foe Since that this Key of Peter doth nothing avail thereto In the year 1512. there was a fight between Lewis the French King and this Pope Julius at Ravenna upon Easter day where the Pope was vanquished and had of his Army slain to the number of Sixteen thousand and the next year this Apostolical Warriour which had resigned his Keys to the River of Tybris before made an end both of his fighting and living About this time began the reign of Henry the eighth King of England in whose reign great alterations and turns of Religion were wrought by the mighty operation of Gods Hand not only in England but in Germany and other parts of Europe such as had not been seen although much groaned for many hundred years before nevertheless many suffered great Persecutions and Martyrdom in this Kings reign both in England and elsewhere and many good men were raised up to bear witness to the Truth yet some were of opinion that it was not wholy the Kings fault that so much Blood was spilt in his time for the Bishops were the Draco to make the bloody Laws and it was the Bishops that were earnest to see the Laws put in Execution the King oftentimes scarce knowing what was done and but hearing of a Woman that was the second time put upon the Rack exceedingly condemned the party that was the cause of it for using such extreme Cruelty John Brown passing from London in a Gravesend-Barge in which Barge there was a Priest and Brown sate hard by him whereupon the Priest said dost thou know who I am Thou sittest too neer me Brown said no sir I know not who you are I tell thee said he I am a Priest What sir said Brown are you a Parson or a Viccar or a Ladies Chaplain I am said he a Soul Priest and sing for a Soul I pray you sir said Brown where find you the Soul when you go to Mass I know not said the Priest and where do you leave it when you have done Mass I cannot tell said the Priest Brown replyed if you neither know where the Soul is when you begin nor where you leave it when you have done how then do you save a soul Go thy ways said the Priest thou art an Heretick and I will be even with thee And accordingly when they came to Land the Priest taking two others with him that were present in the Boat went and complained to Arch-Bishop Warham who sent a Warrant presently to apprehend Brown and being apprehended the Messenger bound his feet under his horse belly and carried him away to the Arch-Bishop neither his wife nor friends knowing whether he went nor what they would do with him The Bishop cast him into Prison where he lay about six weeks then was carried to Ashford where he dwelt and there set in the flocks all night his wife hearing of it came and set by him all night to whom he shewed how cruelly he had been handled by the Arch-bishop telling her he could not set his feet to the ground for they had burnt them to the bones to make him deny Christ which said he I durst not do lest my Lord Christ should deny me hereafter Therefore good wife continue as thou hast begun and bring up my Children Virtuously and in the Fear of God And so the next day this Godly Martyr was burnt calling upon God and saying into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth At the fire the n = ‖ Chilton by name Bailiff bid cast in his Children also for said he they will spring out of his Ashes And in Queen Maries time his son Richard Brown was sentenced to be burnt being a Prisoner at Canterbury but that the Queen dying he escaped suffering About this time many suffered very greatly for spaking against Worshipping of Saints against Pilgrimage for having Scripture books in English and a book called Wickliss wicket One of which Sufferers by name Elizabeth Stamford who being brought and examined before Fitz James Bishop of London Anno 1517. confessed that she was taught by one Thomas Beale of Henly these words Eleaven years before viz. That Christ faâ—deth and nourisheth his Church with his own pretious Body that is the Bread of Life coming down from Heaven This is said she the Worthy Word that is Worthily received and joyned unto man to be in one body with him so it is that they be both one they may not be parted This is not received by chewing of Teeth but by hearing with Ears and understanding with the Soul and wisely working thereafter and as Paul saith I fear me amongst us Brethren that many of us be feeble and sick therefore my Counsel is Brethren to rise and watch that the great day of Doom come not suddenly upon us as the Thief doth upon the Merchant And she said further that the said Thomas Beale taught her that she should confess her sins to God and that the Popes Pardons and Indulgences were nothing worth John Stillman in the year 1518. was apprehended and brought before the Bishop of London and examined for speaking against Worshipping Praying and Offering unto Images and for saying Wicklifs Wicket was a good book and that when he was apprehended he hid the same in an old oak and did not bring it out to the Bishop he was sent to the Lollards Tower and being afterwards brought openly to the Consistory at Pauls it was further objected against him that he should say the Pope was Antichrist and not the true Successor of Peter or Christs Viccar on Earth and that his Pardons and Indulgences which he granted in the Sacrament
deceitful in all their words and deeds Being condemned they were led to the place of Execution in Bruxells they went joyfully saying They dyed for the Glory of God and the Doctrine of the Gospel as true Christians believing and following the Holy Church of the Son of God saying also That it was the day which they had long desired Being come to the place of execution and stripped to their Shirts they stood so a great space patiently and joyfully enduring whatsoever was done unto them praising God and singing for joy a Doctor standing by exhorted Henry to take heed so foolishly to Glory himself to whom he answered God forbid that I should Glory in any thing but only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Another counselled him to have God before his eyes to whom he said I trust I carry him truly in my heart The next that suffered was Henry Stutven burned in the borders of Germany when he was apprehended they fell upon him in a great rage and fury drawing him naked out of his bed Henry Stutven Martyred in â—â—rmany and bound his hands behind him when he was brought to Hemming stead they asked of him what his intent was in coming to Diethmar unto whom he gently declared the cause of his coming which was to preach the Gospel they all in a rage cryed out away with him away with him for we will hear him talk no longer then he being mavelous weary and faint required to be set on horse-back for his feet were all cut and hurt with the Ice because he was led all night bare-foot but they mocked him and said he was an Heretick and he should go on foot that night they had him to a mans House called Calden and there bound him in Chains in the Stocks but the Master of the House being compassionate would not suffer the cruel deed long wherefore he was carried away to a Priests House and there shut up in a Cubbard and by the rude people mocked and scorned all night in the morning about Eight of the Clock they gathered together in the Market-place to consult what they should do where the Rustical people boiling in drink cryed out burn him burn him to the fire with the Heretick then they bound him hands feet and neck and being brought to the Fire one of the Presidents appeared to pass a sentence upon him to be burnt and consumed with fire Henry lifting up his hands said Lord forgive them for they know not what they do thy Name oh Almighty God is Holy the Fire as often as it was kindled would not burn notwithstanding they satisfied their minds upon him striking and pricking him with their several kinds of Weapons the said Henry standing in his shirt and when he began to pray one strook him on the face saying thou shalt first be burnt and afterwards pray and prate as much as thou wilt and thus this godly preacher finisht his Martyrdom which was in the year 1529. John Clark Perscuted in France John Clark of Melden in France for setting up a paper upon the Steeple-House door against the Popes Pardons calling the Pope Antichrist for which he was whipt three several dayes and markt in the forehead his mother seeing their cruelty towards her son constantly and boldly encouraged her son blessing the Lord with aloud voice that he was worthy to suffer after the execution of the foresaid punishment the said John Clark removed to Mentz and there followed his trade being a Wooll-Comber where understanding that the people of the City after an old accustomed manner Worshipt certain blind Idols the said John being inflamed with the zeal of God against them went to the place where the Images were and broke them all down in pieces the next morning the Cannons Priests Monks accompained with the People according to their accustomed manner went to their Idolatrous place of Worship where they sound all their blocks and stocks broken to pieces upon the ground which fight sore offended them and searching out for the author of the fact and John Clark being suspected was apprehended and upon examination confest he did it and shewed them the cause wherefore and being brought to tryal he defended the pure Doctrine of the Son of God against their Images and their false Worships for which he was condemned being led to the place of Execution he there sustained extream Torments for first his right hand was cut off then his nose with sharp pinchers was violently pluckt from his face all which and much more he quietly and constantly endured testifying at the Fire against his Persecutors saying their Imageswere Silver and Gold the work only of mans hand George Carpenter of Emering in Bavaria was burnt to death when he was led out of the Tower where he was Prisoner before the Council George Carpender Martyred divers Friars and Monks followed him to instruct and teach him whom he willed to tarry at home and not to follow him when he came before the Council they read his Offences viz. That he did not believe that a Priest could forgive a man his Sins and that he did not believe that God was in the Bread which the Priests hang over the Alter and that the Element of Water in Baptism doth not give grace being urged to revoke these his Opinions and that then he should be set at Liberty and go home to his Wife and Children to which he answered any wife and Children are so dearly beloved unto me that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bavaria but for the Love of my Lord God I can willingly forsake them at his Execution a Schoolmaster repeating the Lords Prayer George Carpenter said as followeth Truly thou art our Father and no other this day I trust to be with thee Oh my God how little is thy Name hallowed in this World for this Cause Oh Father am I now hear that thy will might be fulfilled and not mine the only Living Bread Jesus Christ shall be my food with a willing mind do I forgive all men both my Friends and Adversaries Oh my Lord without doubt shalt thou deliver me for upon thee only have I laid all my hope in thee alone do I trust in thee only is all my confidence I knew that I must suffer Persecution if I did cleave unto Christ who said where the Heart is there is the Treasure also and whatsoever thing a man doth fix in his Heart to love above God that he maketh his Idol and then being cast into the Fire by the Hangman he joyfully yielded up his Spirit unto God The suffering of Weendal Muta Weendel Muta a widdow of Holland receiving the Truth of the Gospel into her Heart was apprehended and committed into the Castle of Werden and from thence shorly after was brought to the Hague to tryal where certain Monks were appointed to talk with her to win her to recant but she
he is filled with all manner of Riches as saith the Prophet Therefore I am bold in bonds as intirely desiring your everlasting health and felicity to warn you and most heartily desire you to watch and pray for our estate is dangerous and requireth continual prayer for on the high Mountains doth not grow most plenty of grass neither are the highest Trees furthest from danger but seldom sure and alwayes shaken of every wind that bloweth such a deceitfull thing saith our Saviour is honour and riches that without Grace it choketh up the good Seed sown on his Crentures and blindeth so their seeing that they go groping at noon-day in darkness it maketh a man think himself somewhat that is nothing at all for though for our honour we esteem our selves and stand in our own light yet when we shall stand before the Living God there shall be no respect of persons for Riches helpeth not in the day of Vengeance neither can we make the Lord partial for Money but as ye have ministred unto the Saints so shall you receive the reward which I am fully perswaded and assured shall be plentiously poured forth upon you all for the great goodness shewed to the Servants of the Living God and I most heartily beseech almighty God to pour forth a plentious reward upon you for the same and that he will assist you with his holy Spirit in all your doings that ye may grow as ye have begun unto such a perfection as may to be Gods honour your own Salvation and the strengthning of the weak Members of Christ for though the World rage and blaspeme the Elect of God you know that it did so unto Christ his Apostles and to all that were in the Primitive Church and so it shall be unto the Worlds end Wherefore believe in the Light while you have it lest it be taken away from you if you shall seem to neglect the great Mercy of God that hath been opened unto you and your hearts consented unto it that it is the very and only Truth pronounced by Gods only Son Jesus Christ by the good will of our heavenly Father therefore I say in the bowels of my Lord Jesus Christ stick fast unto it let it never depart out of your Hearts and Conversations that you with us and we with you at the great day being one Flock as we have one Shepherd may arise to the Life Immortal through Jesus Christ our only Saviour Amen Yours in him that liveth forever Thomas Hawkes The Sufferings Examinations and Martyrdom of Thomas Watts The said Thomas Watts of Billery Key in the County of Essex Thomas Watts Martyr Linnen Draper expecting for his non Conformity to be shortly apprehended he disposed of his Estate for the benefit of his Wife and Children and according to his expectation not long after he was had before the Judges at Chelmsford where one called the Lord Râ—ch spake to him to this effect Watts You are brought hither because you will not obey the Queens Laws and will not go to Church nor hear Mass but have your Conventicles in Corners Watts replyed If I have offended a Law I am here subject to the Law Then Justice Brown said to him Watts who first taught thee this Religion Watts You taught it me and none more then you for in King Edwards Dayes in open Sessions you spoke against this Religion now used calling the Mass abominable exhorting people not to believe in it but to believe in Christ only Then said Justice Brown what a Knave is this to bâ—ly me to my face Hereupon a letter was writ and signed by the Justices and Watts sent up to Bonner as a Non-conformist what entertainment he received from the Bishop at their private conference no mention is made of it but about the beginning of the Month called May he was brought to the publick Consistory where Articles were objected against him for denying the Sacrament of the Altar and saying the Mass was abominable being brought the second time into the Consistory the Bishop counselled him to Recant to which he answered I am weary to live in such Idolatry as you would have me to live in He was several times afterwards brought before them and continuing stedfast in his Religion which the Bishop perceiving fell to his last and strongest Argument which was to pass Sentence of Death upon him and delivered him to the Sheriff of London where he continued till the ninth day of the Month called June and then was carried to Chelmsford where his wife and his six Children met him to whom he said My Wife and Children I must now depart from you therefore henceforth know I you no more but as the Lord hath given you unto me so I again give you unto the Lord charging them to fear and obey him and to beware of the abominations of Popery and so sealed his Testimony in the Fire After this Watts there were three others suffered in this County of Essex viz. Thomas Osmond Fuller William Bamford Weaver Nicholas Chamberla Weaver all of Coxhall one and the same Articles were objected against them all viz. for denying the Sacrament of the Altar Auricular Confession c. according to the accustomed manner they were several times brought to the Consistory where they were sometimes flattered and sometimes threatened to see if they would recant after the common usage of the Ecclesiastical Court and at last were condemued as Hereticks and delivered to the Sheriffs and shortly after were all three burned in Essex John Bradford and John Lease Martyrs The next that suffered were John Bradford and one John Lease an Apprentize to a Tallow-Chandler the chief matter for which they suffered was for denying the real presence in the Sacrament Auricular Confession c. The said John Lease after he had been examined by the Bishop had the Articles of his Confession sent to him to the Courter Prison to sign after he hard them read because he could not write in stead of a Pen he took a pin and pricking his hand sprinkled the blood upon the paper and bid the Messenger tell the Bishop he had sealed them with his blood already The Words that John Bradford spoke at the Stake were to this effect O England England repent thee of thy Sins repeat thee of thy Sins beware of Idolatry beware of false Anti-christs take heed they do not deceive you Strait is the Way and Narrow is the Gate that leadeth to Eternal Salvation and few there be that find it This John Bradford during the time of his imprisonment exercised himself in writing several consolating Letters not only to particuler persons but to several Towns and Counties where he had laboured shewing his great Zeal for the encreasing and spreading the most reformed Religion earnestly exhorting all men and tenderly comforting the heavy hearted confirming and encouraging all to continue stedfast in the Way he had taught them Bland Frankish Shetterden and Middleton Marytr
Shortly after were four others burnt at Canterbury viz. John Bland John Frankish Nicholas Shetterden and Humfrey Middleton all condemned for their denying the real Presence in the Sacrament Shetterden being at first illegally committed when he was brought before the Chief Priâ—sts and examined upon certain Articles he required 〈◊〉 see their Commission which they shewed and read to him whereby he perceived that upon suspition they might examine upon two Aâ—â—ieles viz. â—hather Christs real Presence were in the Sacrament so called and whether the Church of England were Christs Catholick Church Whereupon Shâ—â—terden said I have been a Prisoner three quarters of â—â—â—ar and as I think wrongfully reasâ—n would therefore that I should answer to those things wherefore I was first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ed. The Susâ—â—agan said his Commission was You mâ—st ansâ—er directly yea or â—â—y Shâ—tterden This Commission was not general to examine whom you woodd bâ—t upon just sâ—spâ—â—ion Susâ—ragan said You are suspected and presented to me Shetterden I require the Accusation may be shewed Suffr I am not bound to shew it Shetterden For what I have done I ask no favour but as I am a Subject I require Justice Suffr You are suspected Shetterden Prove vour suspition or shew the cause of it Suffr Thou wast cast into Prison for that cause Shetterden Because I was cast into Prison contrary to the Law of God must I now to make me amends be examined upon suspition with uâ—a cause to hide all the wrong done to me before Then said the Bishop I my self do suspect thee Whereby said Shetterden Suffr It isâ—nâ— matter whereby you are suspected Shetterden It is not meet for you to be my Accuser and my Judge If I have offended the Law let me be punished I ask no favour Then said they You are obstinate and will not answer Shetterden Because you greedily seek Blood I will answer only to what you have against me Suffr No we seek not thy Blood but thy Conversion Shetterden That we shall sâ—e if you first prove that you have against me before you condemn me upon suspition Shâ—râ—ly after he was had before the Bishop of Winchester Bishop I have sent for you because I hear you are indictedof Heresâ—â—â— and being called before the Commissioners you will not answer nor submit your self Shetterden I did not refuse to answer but did plainly answer that I had been in Prison a long time and I thought it was but reason that I should bâ— charged or discharged for that and not to be examiced upon Articles to hide my wrong imprisonment neither did I know any Indictment against me if there were any it could not be just for I was not abroad since this Law was made Bishop Yet if you be suspected you ought to clear your self Shetterden I thought it sufficient to answer to my Offences c. Bishop If thou wilt declare thy self thou shalt go and then thou wayst have a Writ of wrong Imprisonment Shetterden I am not minded to sue but require Justice to be done me and if I have offended the Law let me be punished and after some other discourse the Bishop departed Middleton being examined who was one of the four burnt at this time concerning his belief in the Sacrament he said he believed in his own God my living God and no dead God After their Examinations they were condemned by the Bishop of Dover the five and twentith day of the Month called June 1555. and were delivered to the secular power and all burnt in one Fire at Canâ—erbury Nicholas Shetterden before his death prayed to this Effect O Lord my God and Saviour which art Lord in Heaven and Earth Maker of all things visible and invisible I am thy Creature and Work of thy Hands Lord God look upon me and other thy People which at this time are oppressed of the Worldly minded for thy Lawes sake Yea Lord thy Law it self is now trodden under foot and mens Inventions exalted above it and for that cause do I and many thy Creatures refuse the Glory Praise and Commodity of this Life and do choose to suffer adversity and to be banished yea to be burnt with the Books of thy Word for the hopes sake that is laid up in store for Lord thou knowest if we would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word we might by their permission enjoy these Comodities that others do as Wife Children Goods and Friends all which I acknowledge to be thy Gifts given to the end I should serve thee and now Lord that the World will â—ot suffer me to enjoy them except I offend thy Laws behold I give unto thee my whole Spâ—rit Soul and Body I leave all the pleasures of this life in hopes of Eternal life purchased by Christs Blood for all them that are content to suffer with him for the Truth In the conclusion of his Prayer he cryed Lord Jesus receive my Spirit into thy Hands Amen In the same Month next after the suffering of the aforesaid Kentish men Nicholas Hall and Christopher Waid Martyrs followed the death and Martyrdom of Nicholaâ— Hall Bricklayer and Christopher Waid of Dartford both condemned by the Biship of Rochester about the last day of the Mouth called June upon Articles much to the same effect as the Kentish mens were As that they should hold and maintain that in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine is not the very Body and Blood of Christ and that the Mass was nought and Abominable Three others burnt in Kent In the Month called July three others were condemned by the same Bishop whose names were Joan Beech widdow John Harpolt of Rochester and Margery Polly Derick Carver John Launder Martyrs The twenty second day of the same Month Derick Carver was burnt at Lewis in the County of Sussex and the next day John Launder was burnt at Stenning in the same County they were first apprehended by one Edward Gage as they were at prayer within the dwelling house of the said Derick Carver and by him sent up to the Council who after examination sent them to Newgate and shortly after were examined privately by Bonner who used many fair words to perswade them to recant of their Religion who when he saw that way would not do he caused them to be brought to the publick Consistory at Pauls where the Bishop first beginning with Derick Carver causing his Articles and Answers to be openly read asking him whether he would stand to the same to whom Derick replyed he would for said he your Doctrine is Poyson and Sorcery and if Christ were here you would put him to a worse death then he was put to before your Ceremonies are beggerly and your Auriculer Confession is very Poyson The Bishop seeing his constancy and that neither his accustomed flatteries nor yet his cruel threatnings could once move him to encline to their Idolatry he pronounced his usual Sentence against him and also
way look not back have the Eye of your heart fixed upon God and so run that you may get hold of it cast away all your Worldly Pelf and Worldly respects as the favour of Friends the fear of men sensual Affâ—ction respect of Person Honour Praise Shame Rebuke Wealth Poverty Riches Lands Possessions carnal Fathers and Mothers Wife and Children with the love of your own selves and in respect of that Heavenly treasure you look for let all these be denied and utterly refused of you so that in no condition they do abate your zeal or quench your Love towards God in this case make no account of them but rather repute them as vile in comparison of Everlasting life away with them as Thorns that cheak the Heavenly Seed of the Gospel where they be suffered to grow they are burthens of the Flesh which encumber the Soul exchâ—â—ge thâ—â— therefore I beseech you for advantage doth not he gain that findeth Heavenly and immortal treasure for Earthly and corruptible Riches looseth that man any thing which of his carnal Father and Mother is forsaken when therefore he is received of God the Father to be his Child and Heir in Christ Heavenly for Earthly for Mortal Immortal for transistory things permanant is great gains to a Christian Conscience Therefore as I began I exhort you in the Lord not to be afraid shrink not my Brethren mistrust not God be of good comfort rejoyce in the Lord hold fast your Faith and continue to the end deny the World and take up the Cross and follow him which is your Lead man and is gone before if you suffer with him you shall reign with him What way can you glorifie the Name of your Heavenly Father better then by suffering death for his Sons sake What a Spectacle shall it be to the World to behold so godly a fellowship as you Servants of God in so just a Quarrel as the Gospel of Christ is with so pure a Conscience so strong a Faith and so lively a hope to offer your selves to suffer most cruel Torments at the hands of Gods Enenies and so to end your daies in Peace to receive in the resurrection of the Righteous life Everlasting Be strong therefore in your Battel the Lord God is on your side and his Truth is your cause and against you be none but the Enemies of the Cross of Christ as the Serpent and his Seed the Dragon with his Tail the marked man of the Beast the Off-pring of the Pharisees the Congregation Malignant the Generation of Vipers and Murtherers as their Father the Devil hath been from the beginning To conclude such are they as the Lord God hath alwayes abhorred and in all Ages resisted and overthrown God from whom nothing is hid knoweth what they are he that searcheth the hearts of men he hath found out them to be crafty subtle full of Poyson Proud Disdainfull Stiff-necked Devourers Ravenours and Barkers against the Truth filthy and shameless and therefore doth the Spirit of God by the Mouthes of his holy Prophets and Apostles call them by the names of Foxes Serpents Cockatrices Lyons Leopards Bulls Bears Wolves Dogs Swine Beasts teaching us thereby to understand that their natural inclination is to deceive poyson and destroy as much as in them lyeth the faithfull and Elect of God but the Lord with his right Arm shall defend his little Flock against the whole rabblerment of these Worldlings which have conspired against him he hath numbered all the hairs of his Childens Heads so that not one of them shall perish without his Fatherly will he keepeth the Sparrows much more will he preserve them whom he hath purchased with the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb he will keep them until the hour appointed wherein the Name of God shall be glorified in his Saints in the mean time let them work their wills let them Envy let them Malign let them Blasphem let them Curse Ban Betray Whip Scourge Hang and Burn for by this means God will try his Elect as Gold in the Furnance and by these Fruits shall they also bring themselves to be known what they be for all their Sheep skins for as he that in suffering patiently for the Gospel of God is thereby known to be of Christ even so also is the Persecutor of him known to be a member of Anti-christ Besides this their extream cruelty shall be a means the sooner to provoke God to take pity upon his Servants and to destroy them that so Tyranniously entreat his People as we may learn by the Histories as well in the Bondage of Israel under Pharaoh in Eygpt as also in the miserable Captivity of Judas in Babylon where when the People of God were in most extream thraldom then did the Lord streath forth his mighty Power to deliver his Servants though God for a time suffered them to be exalted in their own pride yet shall they not escape his Vengeance To conclude my Brethren I commit you to God and the Power of his Word which is able to establish you in all Truth his Spirit be with you and work alway that ye may be mindfull of your duties towards him whose ye are both Body and Soul whom see that ye Love Serve Dread and Obey above all worldly Powers and for nothing under the Heavens defile your Conscience before God dissemble not with his Word God will not be mocked Nay they that dissemble with him deceive themselves such shall the Lord deny and cast out at the last day such I say as bear two faces in one hood such as play on both hands such as deny the known Truth such as obstinately rebel against him all such with their partakers shall the Lord destroy God defend you from all such and make you perfect unto the end your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy This aforesaid Robert Smith the valiant and constant Martyr of Christ thus replenished as you have read with the fortitude of Gods Spirit was condemned at London by Bishop Bonner the 12th day of the Moneth called July and suffered Death at Uxbridge the Eighth day of the Moneth called August Anno 1555. A Letter sent to his Wife Anne Smith The God and Father eternal which brought again from death our Lord Jesus Christ keep thee dear Wife now and ever Amen and all thy Parents and Friends I praise God for his Mercy I am in the same state that ye left me in rather better then worse looking daily for the living God before whom I hunger full sore to appear and receive the Glory of which I trust thou art willing to be a partaker I give God most hearty thanks therefore desiring thee of all loves to stand in that Faith which thou hast received and let no man take away the Seed that Almighty God hath sown in thee but lay hands of Everlasting Life which shall ever abide when both the Earth and all earthly Friends shall perish desiring them also to receive thankfully our
good to rost a shoulder of Mutten but evil in the Church whereby Idolatry was committed when the Articles were answered the Chancellor read their Condemnation and so delivered them to the Sheriff to whom John Spicer said now you must be their Butcher that you may be guilty also with them of Innocent Blood before the Lord. The 24th day of the Moneth called March they were had to the place of Execution where they kneeled down and prayed secretly and then being disclothed to their Shirts John Mundrell spoke with a Loud voice Not for all Salsbury which words men judged to be an answer to the Sheriff who offered him the Queens Pardon if he would recant and after this in like manner spake John Spicer This is the joyfullest day that ever I saw Thus did they most constantly give their Bodies to the Fire and their Souls to the Lord for a Testimony to his Truth Six persons burnt in Smithfield About the 23th day of the Moneth called April 1556 were burned in Smithfield at one Fire these six persons viz. Robert Drakes William Tymis Richard Spurge Thomas Spurge John Cavel Q. Mary An. 1556 and George Ambross they were all of Essex and so of the Diocess of London they were sent up at sundry times by Lord Rich and others and by Gardner Bishop of Winchester then Lord Chancellor of England committed some to the Marshal-sea and some to the Kings-Bench where they remained almost the whole year before they were brought to Examination Some Passages in their Examination are as followeth After six or seven hours discourse between the Bishop of London and Bath with William Tymis they were weary and began to pity Tymis's case and to slater him saying Ah good Fellow thou art bold and thou hast a good fresh Spirit we would thou hadest learning to thy Spirit I thank you said he and both you be learned and I would you had a good Spirit to your learning The Bishop seeing Tymis his hoase part white and part of a sheeps russet in a mocking manner said Ah Sirrah are you a Deacon Yea that I am said he So me thinketh said the Bishop you are decked like a Deacon Said Tymis Me-thinks my Vesture doth not so much vary from a Deacon but your Apparel doth as much vary from an Apostle And one of the Bishops men said Scoffingly my Lord give him a Chair a Tost and Drink and he will be Lusty But the Bishop said Have him away till another time The 28th day of March the aforesaid six Martyrs were brought to the open Consistory in Pauls before Bishop Bonner to be condemned for Heresie Bishop said Tymis I le begin with thee for thou art and hast been the Ring-leader of these thy Companions thou hast taught them Heresies and Confirmed them in their Errâ—ous Opinions endeavouring to make them like thy self Tymis said I Marvel you will begin with a Lye you call me the Ring-leader and Teacher of this Company There is none of all these my Brethren which are brought hither as Prisoners but when they were at liberty and out of Prison dissented from you and your doings as much as they do now and for that cause they are now Prisoners so that they learned not their Religion in Prison and as for me I never knew them till I was committed Prisoner with them and as for my fault which you make so greivous whatsoever you judge of me I am well assured that I hold no other Religion then Christ Preached the Apostles Witnessed the Primitive Church received and now of late hath been faithfully taught by Evangelical Preachers for which you have cruelly burned them and now you seek our Blood also proceed on hardly by what rule you will I fear not Then the Bishop proceeded to pass the Sentence upon him and then upon the rest and after he had condemned them he ridded his bloody hands of them delivering them to the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained till the 14th day of the Moneth called April and then sealed their Faith with their Blood The Substance of a Letter of William Tymis to his Friends in Hookly The Grace of God the Father through the Merrits of his dear Son Jesus our Lord and only Saviour with the continual aid of his holy and mighty Spirit to the performance of his will to our Everlasting comfort be with you my dear Brethren both now and evermore Amen My dearly beloved I beseech God to reward the great goodness that you have shewed unto me seven fold into your Bosoms and as you have alwayes had a most godly love unto his Word even so I beseech him to give you grace to love your own Souls and then I trust that you will flee from all those things that should displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhor all the Company of these that would have you to Worship God any otherwise then is contained in his holy Word and beware of those Masters of Idolatry that is these Papistical Priests My dear Brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I have said unto you and also written the which I am now ready to seal with my Blood I praise God that ever I lived to see the day and blessed be my good and mercifull God that ever he gave me a body to glorifie his Name And dear hearts I do now write unto you for none other cause but to put you in rememberance that I have not forgot you to the end that I would not have you forget me but to remember well what I have simply by word of Mouth and Writing taught you the which although it were most simply done yet truely as your own Conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own Conscience doth condemn therefore come out of Sodom and go to Heaven-ward with the Servants and Martyrs of God least you be partakers of the Vengeance of God that is coming upon this Wicked Nation from the which the Lord God defend you c. Thus now I take my leave of you forever in this World except I be burned amongst you which thing is uncertain unto me as yet By me your poorest and most unworthy Brother in Christ William Tymis in Newgate the 12th day of April condemned to die for Christs Truth Joan Beech of Tumbridge and John Harpool of Rochester were both condemned for the Truth of the Gospel by Morrice Bishop of Rochester and were Sufferers together at one Fire in Rochester the first day of the Moneth called April 1556. The next day after suffered in the like Cause at Cambridge one John Hullier Some Sentences taken out of a Letter written by the said John Hullier are as followeth John Hullier being of long time Prisoner and now openly judged for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus wisheth heartily to the whole Congregation of God the strength of
declare what the Tree is for a good Man or Woman out of the good Treasure of their hearts bringeth forth good Fruits Wherefore dear Sister let our Faith be made manifest to the World by our deeds and in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation as St. Paul saith Let your Light shine as in a dark place O dear hearts now is the Gospel of God overwhelmed with many black and troublesome Clouds of Persecution for the which cause very few go about to have their Eyes made clear by the true light of the Gospel for fear of loosing their Treasures of this World which are but vain and shall Perish Let us not therefore be like unto them which light their Candle and put it under a Bushel but let us set our Candle upon a Candlestick that it may give light unto all them that are in the House that is to say let all the People of the Houshold of God see our good works in suffering all things patiently that shall be laid upon us for the Gospel sake if it be Death it self for Christ died for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and as he hath given his Life for us so ought we to give our Lives for the Defence of the Gospel to the comfort of our Brethren How is it then that some will say that their Faith is good and yet they do all the deeds of Anti-christ the Devil St. Paul saith To believe with the heart justifieth and to confess with the Mouth maketh a man safe Here may all see that no man or woman can have a true Faith unless they have deeds also and he that doubteth is like the Waves of the Sea Tossed about of the Wind and can look for no good thing at the Lords hands Now is the acceptable time that Christ spoke of yea even now is the Ax put to the Root of the Tree that so every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit must be hewn down and cast into the Fire Now is the Lord come with his Fan in his hand to try the Wheat from the Chaff the Wheat he will gather into his Barn and the Chaff he will burn Now is the time come that we must go meet the Bridegroom with Oyle in our Lamps we are also bidden to the Feast let us make no excuses our Master hath delivered Talents unto us Now is the Lord come to see if there be any Fruit upon his Trees if he find none he will serve us as he did the wild Fig-Tree that is Never Fruit shall grow on him more If we go to meet the Bridegroom without Oyle in our Lamps and should go to buy the doubt is we should be served as the Foolish Virgins were to whom God said Depart I know you not If we use not our Talents well they shall be taken from us and given to others and all such unprofitable Servants shall be cast into Hell where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of teeth May not all People now perceive that this is the time that our Master Christ speaketh of that the Father should be against the Son and the Son against the Father and one Brother against an other that the Brother shall deliver the Brother to death yea and that the Wicked shall say all manner of Wicked sayings against us for his Name sake the which I have found by experience I praise God that gave me strength to bear it I have no mistrust but that the World shall see and know my Blood shall not be dear in my own sight whensoever it please God to give my Adversaries leave to shed it I do earnestly believe that God which hath begun this good work in me will perform it to the end for when I have been in Prison sometimes wearing Blots and Shackles lying on the bear ground and sometimes sitting in the Stocks and bound with Cords that my Body was swelled and I like to be overcome with pain sometimes lying in the Woods and Fields wandring to and fro brought before Justices Sheriffs Lords Doctors and Bishops called Dog Devil Heretick Whoremonger Traytor Thief Deceiver and such like Yea even they that did eat of my Bread that should have been most my Friends by Nature have betrayed me yet for all this I praise God that hath seperated me from my Mothers Womb all this that hath happened unto me hath been easie for I praise God they are not able to prove one tittle of their sayings to be true but that way which they call Heresie I serve my Lord God and at all times before whomsoever I have been brought God hath given me Mouth and Wisdom against which my Adversaries have not been able to resist wherefore dear Sister be of good comfort with all your Brethren and Sisters and take no thought what you shall say for it shall be given you the same hour according to the promises as I have alwayes found and as you and all others of Gods Elect shall well find when the time is full come and whereas I and many others have hoped that this Persecution would have been at an end ere this time now I perceive God will have a further Tryal to Root out all Dissemblers that no man should rejoyce in himself but he that rejoyceth should rejoyce in God wherefore if Prophecy should fail and Tongues should cease yet Love must indure for fear hath painfulness but a perfect Love casteth out all fear which Love I have no mistrust but God hath poured it upon you so abundantly that nothing in the World shall be able to seperate you from God neither High nor Low Rich nor Poor Life nor Death shall be able to put you from Christ but by him I trust you shall enter into New Jerusalem there to live forever After his Examination Sentence was past upon him and upon the 22th day of the Moneth called June he and nine more were burnt at Lewis as mention is made before The next Moneth following Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper were burnt at Norwich S. Miller Elizabeth Cooper Martyrs This Simon Miller dwelt in Lyn he was a zealous man for the Lord and his Truth in those dayes detesting and abhoring the forced Religion of the Papists going from Lyn to Norwich and standing in the press of People as they were coming from their Popish service he spake some words to them at which some marvelled to hear and see his boldness but shortly after he was brought before Dunning Chancellor of Norwich when he was before him having his Confession of his Faith written and put in his Shoe part of which appearing was taken out which the Chancellor perusing askt him If he would stand to that Faith to which he said he should whereupon he was committed to Ward and shortly after was by the Bishop of Norwich and his Chancellor condemned and burnt with the â—â—â—esaid Elizabeth Cooper When Elizabeth first felt the Fire the shrunk and cryed out Simon Miller put his
Another Letter of John Rough's written to the Congregation two dayes before he suffered The Spirit of all Consolation be with you aid you and make you strong to run to the fight that is laid before you wherewithal God in all Ages hath tryed his Elect and hath found them worthy of himself by coupling to their Head Christ Jesus in whom who so desireth to live godly the same must needs suffer Persecution for it is given unto them not only to believe but also to suffer and the Servant or Scholler cannot be greater then his Lord or Master But by the same way the Head is entered the Members must follow no life is in the Members which are cut from the Body likewise we have no life but in Christ for in him we live move and have our being dear Hearts now departing this life to my great advantage I make change of Mortallity with Immortallity of Corruption to put on Incorruption to make my Body like to the Corn cast into the ground which except it die first can bring forth no good Fruit wherefore Death is to me great advantage for thereby the Body ceaseth from sin and afterwards turneth into the first Original but after it shall be changed and made brighter then the Sun or Moon what shall I writ of this corporal death seeing it is decreed of God that all men shall once dye happy are they that dye in the Lord which is to dye in the Faith of Christ professing and confessing the same before many Witnesses I praise my God I have past the same Journey by many Temptations the Devil is very busy to perswade the World to entice with promises and fair words which I omit to write least some might think I do hunt after vain glory which is farthest from my heart Lastly the danger of some false Brethren who before the Bishop of London purposed to confess an Untruth to my face yet the God that rul'd Balaam moved their hearts where they thought to speak to my Accusation he made them speak to my purgation what a Journey by Gods power I have made these eight dayes before this day it is above Flesh and Blood to bear but as Paul saith I may do all things in him which worketh in me Jesus Christ My course Brethren have I run I have fought a good fight the Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me my day to receive it is not long to pray Brethren for the Enemy doth yet assault stand constant unto the end then shall you possest your Souls walk worthily in that vocation wherewith you are called comfort the Brethren salute one another in my name be not ashamed of the Gospel of the Cross by me preached nor yet of my suffering for with my Blood I affirm the same I go before I suffer first the baiting of the Butchers dogs yet I have not done what I should have done but my weakness I doubt not is supplyed in the strength of Jesus Christ and your Wisdoms and Learning will accept that small Talent which I have distributed unto you as I trust as a faithful Steward and what was undone impute that to frailty and ignorance and with your love cover that which is and was naked in me God knoweth ye are all tender unto me my heart bursteth for the love of you ye are not without your great Pastour of your Souls who so loveth you that if men were not to be sought out as God be praised there is no want of men he would cause stones to Minister unto you cast your care upon that Rock the Wind of Temptation shall not prevail fast and pray for the dayes are evil look up with your Eyes of hope for the Redemption is not far off And also that which is behind of the blood of our Brethren which shall also be laid under the Altar shall cry for your relief time will not now suffer me to write longer Letters the Spirit of God guide you in and our rising and sitting cover you with the Shaddow of his Wings defend you against the Tyranny of the Wicked and bring you happily unto the Part of eternal felicity where all tears shall be wiped from your eyes and you shall alwayes abide with the Lamb. John Rough. The Sufferings and cruel Torments sustained by Cutbert Simson of London at the hands of the cruel Papists This Cuthbert Simsion was a man of a zealous and faithful Spirit for Christ and the true Flock in London Cuthbert Simson Martyr in that day wherein they greatly suffered he ceased not daily to labour and earnestly to endeavour their preservation from the corruption of the Popish Religion his pains zeal travil patience and sidelity was not easily to be expressed as saith the Record A Relation of his cruel Usage in the Tower is as followeth On the 13th day of the Moneth called December he was sent to the Tower by the Councel and on the Thursday following he was called into the Ware-house before the Constable of the Tower and the Recorder of London who prest him to discover the persons he had willed to come to the Meeting he belonged to but he answered he would declare nothing whereupon he was set in the Rack of Iron the space of three hours then they asked him If he would tell them he answered as before then was he loosed and carried to his Lodging and on the day called Sunday following was brought to the same place again before the Lievtenant and Chelmly Recorder of London who again Examined him he answered as before Then the Lievtenant swore by God he should tell and caused his two fore-fingers to be bound together and put a small Arrow betwixt them and drew it threw so fast that the blood followed and the Arrow broke then they Rackt him twice and then carried him to his Lodging again and ten dayes after the Lievtenant asked him If he would confess to whom he answered He had said as much as he would then about five weeks after he sent him to a high Priest who past the Popes curse upon him forbearing Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ When he was brought before Bonner several Articles were objected against him as denying the Sacraments and Ceremonies of the Church and for being at several great Meetings Assemblies and Conventicles At the same time there were two other persons Examined before Bonner viz. Hugh Fox Hugh Fox and Jo. Devenish Martyrs and John Devenish against whom the general common Articles were produced and they were condemned and burnt with Cuthbert Simson in Smithfield upon the 28th day of the Moneth called March for whose constancy to the Lord in his Quarrel his Name be exalted for evermore Some Passages wrote in a Letter from Cuthbert Simson to his Wife out of the Cole-house are as followeth Dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ I cannot writ as I do wish unto you I beseech you with my Soul commit your self under the mighty hand of
THE Spirit of the Martyrs REVIVED In a Brief COMPENDIOUS COLLECTION Of the Most Remarkable PASSAGES and Living Testimonies OF THE True Church Seed of God AND FAITHFUL MARTYRS In All AGES Contained in several Ecclesiastical Histories Chronological Accounts of the Succession of the TRUE CHURCH from the Creation the Times of the Fathers Patriarchs Prophets CHRIST and the Apostles Call to Remembrance what Acts our Fathers did in their time so shall ye receive great Honour and an everlasting Name 1 Mac. 2.51 Their Seed shall remain forever and their Glory shall not be blotted out but their Name liveth forevermore the People will tell of their Wisdom Eccles 44.13 14 15. Thy Testimonies are my Delight and Councellor Psal 1 19. Go write it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come TO THE READER Reader I Have hear Collected and brought together that which hath been scattered in divers great Vollums writ by several Authors judging these my Labours may prove more profitable to such who have a desire to be informed in these things those great Books being too Voluminous and costly for the generality to read or buy I have therefore for the sake of such who have but little leisure and cannot read much brought the History of these things into a nearer compass that so the meanest capacity may easily comprehend the Lords dealings with the Sons of men in all Generations and my chief aim in this work is for the good and information of all People that they may see how the Lord preserved his Church in all times and what great things he hath done for them who led the Ancient Fathers Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles by his mighty Power in which they served and worshipped him whereby they left a sweet Savour behind them as the Reader may see at large in the ensuing Treatise which containeth a Cloud of Witnesses to the Lords Work and Power And though these Testimonies may be slighted and dis-esteemed by the sensual wisdom which is from below yet I know it will be acceptable and a confirming and strengthening to the Faith of some who are Innocent and Upright to the Lord and have a delight in reading and meditating upon his Wayes and of his tender dealings with his Church and People who in all Ages preserved his little Remnant whom he raised up as righteous Branches to bring forth Fruits of Holiness in the middest of a perverse Generation And on the other hand the Reader many see in this ensuing Tract Satan's cruelty the great Enemy to mans good who hath in all Ages used all his Power to stop the increase and growth of this holy Seed by Persecuting Murdering and Destroying their Bodies and using his utmost indeavours by Cruelties to stop the least good Inclination that might at any time stir in any and this hath been the work of the Evil one ever since he got footing in mens hearts he hath alwayes sought to extinguish the Work of God and hath deceived Nations and all the World wondered after the Beast and John in his time saw a Terrible Day was to come on the Inhabitants of the Earth for the Devil was come down having great Wrath and when the Dragon saw that he was cast into the Earth he Persecuted the Woman which brought forth the Man Child the Woman fled into the Wilderness for a time and times and half a time and the Earth helped the Woman and the Earth opened her Mouth and swollowed up the Flood which the Dragon cast out of his Mouth and the Dragon was Wrath with the Woman and went to make War with the Remnant of her Seed which kept the Commandments of God and have the Testimonies of Jesus Christ but they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and the Lord still preserv'd a Remnant that bow'd not their knees to Baal And the Lord said David shall never want'a man to sit upon the Thrown of the House of Israel and this hath been fulfilled in that the Lord hath from time to time raised up his Living Witnesses both to testifie to and suffer for his Name and Truth as will appear in this Book to which I refer the Reader for satisfaction and remain a Lover of all the Upright in Heart Ellis Hookes The Author to the Book it self GO forth O Book and let the World reveiw The Blood-shed by a Persecuting Crew Let Popish Bishops and the Prelates see The dying Martyrs Words revived be Who though their Bodies for the Truth were slain Their Living Testimonies still remain Their Souls under the Altar still do Cry How long O Lord most just that rules on High Ere thou avenge our Cause who for thy sake Foyfully imbrace the Fire and the Stake Fear not O Book the Frowns of Mortal Foes Who alwayes did the blessed Truth oppose Though Foes enough thou shalt be sure to find 'Mong Priests that have the Souls of many pin'd And scornful Prelates too who will not preach Nor suffer those that carefully would teach Gods Truth and give Christs Sheep their wholesom Food All such Restrainers make the sinful Brood And of that Rank not one of them is found That feeds the Flock in wholsome Pasture Ground The Food they give they Poyson give withall Which proveth worse then Wormwood mixt with Gall They suffer not the Milk of Gods Word pure To work upon the Souls of men a Cure Though sincere Milk the same is it Which wakes for God the Soul of each man sit It made the Martyrs witnessing the same Rejoyce when that they suffered in the Flame Part I. The year of the World Sheweth how God under the several Dispensations of himself to Mankind alwayes led and guided his Church and Seed by his Spirit and Power to Worship and Serve him and to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness which was acceptable to him And how the Serpent and Evil-One hath from the beginning made it his work to deceive and lead man from God to Sin and work wickedness which alwayes brought the Wrath and Judgments of God upon Man AFter that God had Created Heaven and Earth Man at first created in Innocency and all things in them at last he created Man in his own Image that is to say pure holy and innocent giving him Power to Govern and Rule the Creation to God's Glory and God said It is not good for man to be alone I will make him an Help Meet for him and he caused a deep Sleep to fall upon Adam and he took one of his Ribs Woman made to be a help meet for man and closed up the Flesh thereof and of the Rib he made Woman and brought her unto the man and Adam said This is now Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh she shall be called Woman And the Lord placed them in the Garden of Eden there to live in a blessed
took them Wives of all that they chose this displeased the Lord so that he said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man for that he also is Flesh and his dayes were shortned to one Hundred and Twenty Years who before lived many Hundred Years The Spirit of he Lord grieved with the corrupt among men And God saw that the Wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man and it grieved him at his Heart and the Earth was corrupt and filled with violence and God looked upon the Earth and behold it was corrupt for all Flesh had corrupted his Way upon the Earth He raised up Noah to testify against them and commanded him to build an Ark. And God said unto Noah The end of all Flesh is come up before me for the Earth is filled with violence through them and behold I will Destroy them with the Earth and he commanded Noah to make an Ark and behold I bring a Flood upon the Earth to Destroy all Flesh wherein is the Breath of Life and every thing that is in the Earth shall die but with thee will I establish my Covenant and thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy Sons and thy Wife and thy Sons Wives for thee have I seen righteous before me in this Generation But before the Lord brought the deluge of Waters upon the World of the Wicked year of the world 1536 he sent this just man Noah a Preacher of Righteousness unto them giving them one Hundred and Twenty Years space to repent them of their evil wayes The long suffering of God before he brought the deluge upon man and Noah having provided an Ark at the Commandment of God he was appointed when he should enter into the Ark whilst the World in the mean time void of all fear sate eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage in the six hundredth Year of the life of Noah upon the seventh day of the second Moneth when he with his Children were entered into the Ark God sent a Rain upon the Earth forty dayes and forty nights and the Waters continued upon the Earth a hundred and fifty dayes the Waters abating upon the seventeenth day of the seventh Moneth the Ark rested upon one of the Mountains of Ararat the Waters still falling upon the first day of the tenth Moneth the top of the Mountains appeared above the waters and after forty dayes Noah opened the Window of the Ark and sent forth a Raven and seven dayes after sent forth a Dove and she returning after seven dayes more he sent her forth again and about the Evening she returned bringing the Leaf of an Olive-Tree in her Mouth and then staying yet seven dayes more sent the same Dove out again which returned no more unto him In the six hundred and first Year of the life of Noah when the surface of the Earth was now all dry year of the world 1657 Noah took off the Covering of the Ark Noah goes forth of the Ark and offers unto the Lord for his Preservation and went forth with all that were with him in the Ark being gone forth he offered unto God for his Preservation an Offering and the Lord smelled a sweet-Savour and the Lord said in his Heart I will not again Curse the Ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of his Heart is evil from his Youth And God spake unto Noah and to his Sons saying I will establish my Covenant with you and with your Seed after you neither shall all Flesh be cut off any more by the Waters of a Flood to destroy the Earth and gave the Rain-bow-for a sign of the Covenant which he then made with man And now Noah made a division of Land among his Grand-Children and that done year of the world 1757 that they went from those Eastern-parts whither they first repaired from the Mountains of Ararat unto the Valley of Shinar where the People impiously laid their heads together to hinder the dispersion of them commanded by God and begun by Noah they went in hand to build the City and Tower of Babylon The beginning of the confusion of Babel whose top might reach to Heaven least they should be scattered abroad upon the Face of the Earth which purpose of theirs being frustrated by the confusion of Languages sent among them from whence they took the name of Babel the dispersion of Nations followed and now one Language was lost which the whole Earth was of until this Attempt And now the next of the righteous Stock that succeeded was Abram the second Son of Terah year of the world 2008 he was born in the year 2008. and ten years after was Sarai born daughter of Haran Abrams Brother who was afterwards Abrams Wife some Writers say that Abram was educated in the Idolatry of his Fathers House who they say was a maker of Statues and Images and the Jews relate of Abram's going into the Shop in the absence of his Father his breaking the Images and jeering those that came to buy or worship them Schalch Hakk. p. 8. Citante Hotnig Smeg Orient C. 8. p. 291. Confer Maimon Mar. Neroch Part 3. C 29. p. 4 1. of his Fathers carrying him to Nimrod to be punished his witty answers and miraculous escapes thus the Jews write of him but however these things may be credited we have a sure record in the Scriptures that the Lord had a great regard to the sincerity of Abram and had a purpose to make use of him to be an Instrument in his work and service and that appears by his calling him from his Kindred year of the world 2083 and from his Fathers House and promising a Blessing to him and to his Seed and now Abram Abram called from his Fathers House who had chosen the Lord for his delight above all earthly things consulted not but departed as the Lord had commanded him and he took Sarai his Wife and Lot his Brothers son and travelled to the Land of Canaan where God promised to Abram that to his Seed he would give that Land but afterwards Abram compelled by a Famine went from thence down into Egypt where Sarai his Wife who to eschew a danger went for his Sister was taken into Pharaoh's House being fair and beautiful but was not long after sent back unto him untouched Then Abram Abram goes into Egypt because of the Famine being accompanied with Lot accompanied with just Lot returned into Canaan where when the Country which they pitched upon was not sufficient to feed both their Herds of Cattle Strife arose between the Herd-men and Abram loving Peace said to Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my Herdsmen and thine for we be Brethren They parted to avoid strife and they parted and Lot went into
also bereft of his Children and at last tormented with grievous Botches and Sores in his Body he could yet never be drawn through impatience to sin in any sort whereof having first received a Testimony from Gods own mouth he was afterwards restored to his former health and had cast into his Bossom double of whatever he possessed before Joseph being dead and Pharaoh And now when Joseph was dead and all his Brethren and that Generation and the Children of Israel were fruitfull and increased aboundantly and muliplied and waxed exceeding mighty and the Land was filled with them A new King rose up that afflicted the Israelites Now there arose up a new King over Egypt which knew not Joseph and he began to afflict them but the more they were afflicted the more they multiplyed and grew and the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with Rigor and they made their lives bitter with hard Bondage and kept them under with great severity Aaron was born three years before his Brother Moses year of the world 2430 eighty three years before the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt The Ungodly King of Egypt year of the world 2431 when he could not prevail with the Midwives of the Hebrew Women privily to make away the Male-Children of them set forth a barbarous Edict to destroy them all The King made an Edict to destroy the Male-Children by drowning them in the River About this time Moses the Son of Amram of the House of Levi was born and when his Mother saw he was a goodly Child being willing to preserve him year of the world 2433 she hid him three Moneths and when she could no longer hide him Moses born she took for him an Ark of Bulrushes and daubed it with slime and with pitch and put the Child therein and she laid it in the Flags by the Rivers brink his Sister standing aloof off from the place to see what would become of him and Pharaohs daughter finding him there caused her maids to fetch it His wonderful fetchfetch and when she had opened it she saw the Child and behold it wept and she had compassion on him and said this is one of the Hebrews Children then said his Sister to Pharaohs Daughter Shall I go and call a Nurse to thee of the Hebrew Women that she may nurse the Child for thee and Pharaohs Daughter said go and the maid went and called the Childs Mother and she nursed him and Pharaohs Daughter called his Name Moses because she drew him out of the Water and she caused him to be brought up as her Son and caused him to be instructed in the Science and Learning of the Egyptians And thus did the Lord wonderfully preserve him which noteth no less then that he intended to make him an Instrument in some great Work as indeed it so came to pass for as he grew in years the Lord put it in his heart to slight the honours of Pharaohs Court for he refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter year of the world 2513 choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the Recompence of Reward And now the Lord having chosen him into his work and service he indued him with such a Spirit of Meekness that none was like him upon the Earth and being thus fitted he had often tryals and exercises of his patience by the People he was to govern who were often murmuring and repining against him And the Lord appeared unto him whilest he was keeping his Father-in-law Jethros Sheep in the Mountain of Horeb and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of Fire out of the midest of a Bush and behold the Bush burned with Fire and the Bush was not Consumed and the Lord said unto him I am the God of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and Moses hid his Face for he was afraid to look upon God and the Lord said I have surely seen the Affliction of my People which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Tusk-masters for I know their sorrow and am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians And he chose Moses as an Instrument to go unto Pharaoh and to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt to whom as an Assistant in this work Aaron was added Moses and Aron declare their Message to Pharaoh Moses and Aaron having declared unto Pharaoh the Message in which they were sent unto him from God were sent away with many bad words and many more grievous labours were inflicted upon the Israelites then were before They go again to Pharaoh Moses being now eighty and Aaron eighty three Years of Age being moved by the Lord returned again to Pharaoh where the Magitians immitating the Miracles of Aarons Rod God plagued Pharaoh made Pharaoh harden his heart so that he would not let the Children of Israel go wherefore the Lord sent divers Plagues upon Pharaoh before they would let the Children of Israel go and when the last Plague was brought upon them When they were departed Pharaoh and his Host followed them then Pharaoh and his Servants made haste to send away the Israelites with all their Substance being six hundred thousand men besides Children and now being departed Pharaoh with his Host over-took them here Moses divided the Waters with his Rod whom Pharaoh and his Army would needs follow The Children of Israel sung a Song a Song to the Lord for their deliverance they were all overwhelmed of the Waters coming together again when the Israelites were thus freed from the Bondage of the Egyptians they forth-with song a Song of Praise and Thanks-giving unto God for their deliverance which is called the Song of Moses After their encamping in the desert of Sinai Moses went up into the Mount and the Lord said unto him Thus shalt thou say to the House of Jacob and tell the Children of Israel Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bear you on Eagles Wings and brought you unto my self now therefore if you will obey my Voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a Peculiar Treasure unto me above all People for all the Earth is mine and ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation and Moses told the People what the Lord had Commanded him all the People answered together and said All that the Lord hath spoken we will do But the Reader may see how ready and apt these People were to forget the tender dealings of the Lord towards them for Moses and Aaron and several of the Elders of Israel went up into the Mount and there beheld the Glory of God and the
reft returning Moses with his Servant Joshua abode there still and waited there six dayes and upon the seventh day God speak unto him Moses received the Law upon the Mount and there he continued forty dayes and forty nights eating no meat all that while nor drinking water where he received Gods Command and the Law written in Tables of Stone with Gods own Finger God biding him withal to get him down for that the People had already made themselves a Molten-Calf to worship it Whilst he was in the Mount the People were run into Idolarty Moses seeing this brake the Tables at the Foot of the Mount and having burnt and defaced the Idol many of the people were put to death by the hands of the Levites The next day Moses returned again into the Mount and there again intreated the Lord for the People and having drawn the People out of a deep Sence of the Wrath of God to repent them of their sin by his prayer he obtained that God himself should be their Leader in their way He prayeth for the People God Commanded Moses to frame New Tables of Stone and the next day to bring them with him into the Mount Moses staying again forty dayes and forty nights in the Mount without Meat or Drink prayed there for the People God was then pleased to renew his Covenant with the People and gave his Laws a new and bids Moses commit them to writing Moses after forty dayes returns from the Mount with the Tables in his Hand and covering his Face with a Vail because it shone he published the Laws of God to the People enjoyning the observation of them and commanded a Freewill-offering to be made Nadab and Abibue struck dead and why toward the building of the Tabernacle according to Gods Order Nadab and Abibue the two Eldest Sons of Aaron which going with their Father up into the Mount Sinai had there seen the Glory of God going into the Sanctuary with strange or common Fire were struck dead in the place by Fire sent from Heaven The Priests for bidden Wine and for them the Priests were forbid to make Lamentation moreover for some particular mens neglect of duty all the Priests were charged to forbear Wine and strong Drink before they were to go into the Tabernacle Moses finding the Goverment of the Israelites to be weighty complained to the Lord of the burden thereof saying I am not able to bear all this People alone because it is too heavy for me and to ease him the Lord said Gather seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People To ease Moses in the Government seventy Elders were chosen and Officers over them and bring them to the Tabernacle of the Congregation that they may stand there with thee and Moses gathered the seventy Elders and the Lord gave of the same Spirit that was on Moses unto them and it rested upon them and they Prophesied and Eldad and Medad remained in the Camp and Prophesied and when it was told Moses that they prophesied Moses being pleased therewith said Would God that all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them The Israelites lusting after Flesh and loathing the Food that God gave them Israel murmer again the Lord was Wrath with them the Lord was Wrath with them and brought Quales from the Sea and let them fall by the Camp and the People gathered them but whilst the Flesh was yet between their Teeth ere it was chewed the Wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People and the Lord smote the people with a very great Plague and thus God punished them again for their murmering And now twelve Spies were sent one for every Tribe to discover and spy out the Land of Canaan Spies sent out â—o veiw the Land of Canaan After forty dayes spent in searching out the Land the Spies returned to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Pearan bringing with them one Branch of a Vine with a Cluster of Grapes upon it gathered in the Valley of Eshcol ten of the twelve Spies by speaking ill of the Country and the barrenness thereof and withal magnifying the Cities for their strength and the Giantly stature of the men therein Some of the Spies bring an ill report of the Land so that the People were disheartned disheartned the People from marching any further toward it whilest Caleb did all he could to perswade the people to go on and now the People began to murmer again against Moses and Aaron and would needs go back again into Aegypt and were ready to Stone Caleb and Joshua for saying the Land was an exceeding good Land and that it flowed with Milk and Hony and because of the Peoples complaining the Lord threatens them with suddain Destruction but through Moses's intercession and Prayer the Lord spared them yet so For the Peoples complaining the Lord was again Angry that withal he denounced to them that all of them which were then twenty years old and upwards should dye in the Wilderness and never see the Land which was promised unto them and that they should wander in that Wilderness forty years but my Servant Caleb because he hath another Spirit and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land and his Seed shall Possess it Upon this Calamity and the continual dropping away of the Israelites in the Wilderness Moses prayed unto the Lord and thereupon it is supposed he writ the ninetieth Psalm Mans Age again shortned in which he sheweth that the ordinary Age of Men was reduced to seventy or eighty years at the utmost so that now the age of man was again contracted and cut shorter And now again the People for lack of Water murmer against Moses and Aaron year 2552 whom when God Commanded to call Water out of the hard Rock The People murmer again only by speaking to it Moses being moved in his mind said Hear now ye Rebels must we fetch you Water out of the Rock and with the Rod he smote the Rock twice and the Water came forth aboundantly Moses and Aaron for their unbelieve here shewed in executing the Command of God were debarred from entering into the Land of Canaan and the Waters were called Meribah or Waters of Strife Aaron diâ—â— And now in the fortieth year after the coming of the Children of Isarel out of Egypt Aaron died and shortly after God signified to Moses that he should die and Moses desired the Lord to set a man over the People which might go in and out before them and that might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd Ioshua succeed ed Moses and the Lord chose Joshua a man in whom was the Spirit of God and Moses layed his hands on him and gave him a charge as the Lord had commanded him and here ends the matter of the five Books of Moses containing
Jesus comes nigh unto Bethany and finds that Lazarus had been buried four dayes in the Grave Martha comes to meet him they discourse concerning the Resurrection Mary hearing of it comes quickly to him without the Town where Martha met him who seeing her weep Jesus wept and comes to the Grave bidding them remove the Stone and giving thanks to his Father calls Lazarus out of his Grave He raisâ—th up Lazarus whereupon many believed on him and some going to the Pharisees telling what things Jesus had done they called therefore a Council where Caiaphas Prophesied concerning Jesus and from that day consulted together that they might put him to death commanding that if any knew where he was they should give notice that they might take him and at another time the Pharisees said Behold the whole World is gone after him And Jesus travelling towards Jerusalem He weeps over Jerusalem when he came nigh seeing the City he wept over it foretelling the utter Destruction thereof and being come to Ierusalem having spoken of the desolation and ruin of it as he sat on the Mount of Olive over-against the Temple his Disciples asked him when these thing shall be and what shall be the signs of thy coming He warns his Disciples to watch to whom he answers at large and warns them to Watch and to be ready for they know not the hour when the Lord will come and teacheth the same thing by the Parable of the ten Virgins as also by the Parable of the Tallents delivered to the Servants to Trade withal And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these sayings he saith to his Disciples Ye know that after two dayes is the Passover and the Son of Man shall be betrayed to be crucified Then they consulted together in the Palace of the High-Priest that they might kill Jesus but they said Judaâ— Covenants to betray him not on the Feast-day least there be an uproar among the People then entered Satan into Judas who offers himself and Covenants to betray him In the first day of the Unleavened Bread when the Passover was slain and in the Evening he cometh with the twelve and when they had sat down and eaten Jesus said I have greatly desired to eat this Passover before I suffer and he further said One of you shall betray me He telleth who should betray him and they began to be sorrowful and to say unto him one by one Is it I He answered It is he that dippeth his hand with me in the dâ—sh and to Iudas asking Is it I He saith Thou hast said When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this World unto the Father having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God there being a strife among his Disciples who should be greatest he riseth after Supper and layes aside his Garments He washeth his Disciples Feet and took a Towel and girded himself after that he poured Water into a Bason and began to wash the Disciples Feet Peter saith Thou shalt never wash my Feet Jesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Peter saith Not my Feet only but also my Hands and my Head After he had washed their Feet and had taken his Garments and was set down again he said unto them Know ye what I have done to you you call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am if then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet you ought also to wash one anothers Feet for I have given you an Example that you should do as I have done to you and speaking further to his Disciples he was troubled in Spirit and said One of you shall betray me they looked one upon another doubting of whom he speak one of the Disciples whom Jesus loved lying on Jesus his Breast said Lord who is it Jesus said He it is to whom I shall give a stop after I have dipped it and he gave it to Judas and said to him What thou doest do quickly Now when Judas had received the stop he went immediately out when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the Son of Man Glorified and God is Glorified in him little Children yet a little while I am with you ye shall seek me and as I said to the Jews Whither I go you cannot come so now I say unto you He exhorts them to love one another a New Commandment I give unto you That you love one another as I have loved you by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if you have love one to another Peter said Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Peter said Why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my Life for thy sake Jesus answered The Cock shall not crow till thou hast denyed me thrice Against their sorrow conceived by them for his death he comforts them saying Let not your hearts be troubled He comforts them and that in his Fathers House were many Mansions and that the Comforter the holy Ghost should come and be their Teacher and he exhorts them to to abide patiently the hatred of the World which hated him and that they should not be offended though Persecutions attended them Again entering into a Garden with his Disciples unto whom he said Pray ye that ye enter not into Temptation He again exhorts them to pray against entering into Temptation sit here till I go and pray yonder and he took Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee with him and said unto them Tarry here and watch and being withdrawn from them about a Stones cast he kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my Will but thine be done and there appeared an Angel from Heaven strengthening him then he returns and finds his Disciples sleeping he reprehends and admonisheth them Christ was in an Agony and being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood and while he was yet speaking to his Disciples Judas came and betrayed him to the chief Priests and they took him and he said unto them This is your hour and Power of Darkness and the Disciples left him and fled and they bound Jesus Judas betray'd him and brought him first to Annas who sent him to Caiphas the High-Priest where were all the chief Priests Elders and Scribes of the People gathered together then Caiphas asked him concerning his Disciples and his Doctrine Jesus answered him I spake openly to the World ask them that heard me therefore one of the Officers struck him with a Staff to whom he answered If I have well spoken why smitest thou me Then all
Christ Lord I have heard by many how much evil he hath done unto thy Saints at Jerusalem yea in this place he hath Authority from the chief Priests to bind all that call upon thy Name and the Lord said unto him Go thy way for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to carry my Name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel for I will shew unto him how great things he must suffer for my Name He layes his hand on him And Ananias went and entered into the House and laying his hands on him said Brother Saul the Lord Jesus who appeared unto thee in the Way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the holy Ghost His sight is restored and strait-way their fell from his Eyes as it were scales and he received his sight forth-with And Ananias said The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know his Will and see that Just One and shouldest hear the Voice from his Mouth for thou shalt be a Witness before all men of those things that thou hast heard and seen and now why tarriest thou Arise and be Baptized and Washed from thy Sins calling on the Name of the Lord and Saul arose and was Baptized and when he had received meat he was strengthened But what was revealed to Saul at Damascus that he should do Luke shews not in the Acts but out of those things which in the Epistle to the Galatians he saith happened unto him immediately after his Conversion it appears that among other things it was commanded him that he should not confer with flesh and blood nor return to Jerusalem to them that were Apostles before him but that he should go for some time into Arabia or places neer Damascus where he should Receive the Knowledge of the Gospel not being taught of men but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Saul then returns to Damascus and tarries with the Disciples there a few dayes and strait-way in the Synagogue he Preacheth that Christ is the Son of God and they were all amazed who heard these things and said Is not this he that destroyed at Jerusalem those that called on this Name and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief Priest and Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus teaching that Jesus is the Christ for to the Jews that dwelt at Damascus was the Gospel first preached by him Tiberius being certified by Pilate out of Palestine concerning the Affairs of Christ he proposeth to the Senate that Christ might be reckoned among the Gods which the Senate opposing he remaining in his Opinion threatens that it should be dangerous for any to accuse a Christian as Tertullian relates in Apologetic Chap. 5 and 21. and others that follow him as Eusebius in Chronic. and Hestor Eccles lib. 2.2 and our Gildas in an Epistle of the destruction of Brittain which being granted we may lawfully say that the first Persecution after the Murther of Stephen that arose in Judea ceased partly by the Conversion of Saul who greatly promoted it and partty through the fear of Tiberius When Saul had preached the Gospel a long time at Damascus the Jews took counsel to kill him and watching the Gates of the City day and night that they might take him and kill him but being let down by a rope by night in a Baskit escaped from them The first three years after his conversion being finished Saul returned to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen dayes and he then assaying to joyn himself to the Disciples they all were affraid of him not believing him to be a Disciple but Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles viz. Peter and James the Brother of the Lord he declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the Name of Jesus Saul also speaks boldly in the Name of Jesus at Jerusalem but the Jews went about to kill him Saul being in the Temple praying was in a Trance and saw the Lord speaking unto him saying Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem for they will not receive thy Testimony of me to whom he answered Lord they know that I imprisoned and beat in every Synagogue those that believed on thee and when the Blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by and kept the Garments of them that killed him and the Lord said unto him Go and I will send thee to the Gentiles The Brethren at Jerusalem brought him to Cesarea years since Christ 38 and sent him into his own Country of Tarsus and he came into the Countries of Syria and Cilicia hitherto he was unknown by face to the Churches of Judea but they heard only that he preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed and they glorified God in him and the Churches had rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplyed About this time King Herod troubled the Church years since Christ 44 laying hands upon some for contradicting the Institutions and Rites of the Country of which he was a most religious observer as Josephius Lib. 19. Cap. ult relates He slew James the Brother of John with the Sword and seeing the death of James Peter imprisoned pleased the people he cast Peter into prison in the dayes of Azincus delivering him to four Quaturnions that is sixteen Souldiers to guaâ—d him intending after the Passover to bring him out to the People He is wounderfully delivered but there were Prayers made daily in the Church for him and an Angel of the Lord delivered him miraculously in the night and he went to the house of Mary the Mother of John Marcus where many were Congregated and at Prayer and telling them that they might certifie James the Son of Alphâ—as and Brother of our Lord and the rest of the manner of his deliverance he went into another Place Herod rage against the Prison Kepers Herod being frustrate of his hope in his rage commands the Innocent Keepers to be dragg'd to Execution and he going down to Caesarea stayed there he was prejudiced in his mind against the Syrians and Sidonians whose Land being not sufficient to maintain them Especially in that year of scarcity they were forced to seek for themselves sustentation from Galilee and other places under Herods Jurisdiction they came therefore Unanimously to him by the mediation of Blastus the Kings Chamberlain whom they had made their Friend desiring Peace of him a day being appointed Herod in his royal attire and sitting before the Tribunal made a Speech to them the People with Acclamations shouting out 'T is the Voice of a God and not a Man Herod is smote and dâ—ed but
could not believe in him though he did such great works and miracles amongst them that never man did the like yet they sought to kill him nevertheless they would be accounted of Abrahams seed and called him their Father but saith Christ if ye were Abrahams Children ye would do Abrahams works but now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the Truth ye are said he or your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no truth in him And this blessed Lamb of God Christ Jesus did these persecuting Jews put to death crucifying of him as may be read at large in the Scriptures After they had Crucified the Lord of life then they persecuted his Disciples and Apostles as followeth When the Jews heard what Stephen had declared Acts. 7 54â— they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their Teeth but he being full of the holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and said behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right Hand of God then they cryed out with aloud voice and stopped their Ears and run upon him with one accord and cast him out of the City and stoned him and they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit and he kneeled down and crying with a loud voice Lord lay not this Sin to their charge and when he had said this he fell asleep James the Brother of John Martyred After the Martyrdom of this blessed Stephen the Apostle James suffered next mention of which is in the Acts of the Apostles how that not long after the stoning of Stephen King Herod stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church who slew James the Brother of John with the Sword of this James Eusebius also maketh mention alleadging Clement thus writing a memorable story of him this James saith Clement when he was brought to the Tribunal Seat Euseb Lib. 2. Chap. 9. he that brought him and was the cause of his trouble seeing him to condemned and that he should suffer death as he went to the Execution he being moved therewith in Heart and Conscience confessed himself also of his own accord to be a Christian And so were they led forth together where in the way he desired of James to forgive him that he had done after that James had a little paused upon the matter turning to him said Peace be unto thee Brother and kissed him and both were beheaded together in the Year 36. James the Brother of Christ Martyred James the Brother of Christ was termed a just and perfect man it is said that he took in hand the Goverment of the Church after the Apostles and when many of the Princes were perswaded there arose a Tumult of the Jews Scribes and Pharisees saying It is very dangerous lest the whole People look after this Jesus as though he were Christ and being gathered together they said to James we pray thee stay this people for they err in Jesus as though he were the true Christ We pray thee perswade this people concerning Jesus Euseb Lib. 2. Chap. 23. for we all obey thee yea we and all the people testifie of thee that thou art just and respectest not the person of any man stand therefore upon the Pinacle of the Temple that thou mayst be seen aloft and that thy word may be heard plainly of all the people The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees placed James upon the Pinacle of the Temple and shouted to him and said Thou just man at whose commandment we are all here insomuch as this people are seduced after Jesus who was crucified declare unto us which is the Door or way of Jesus crucified and he answered with a loud Voice why ask ye me of Jesus the Son of man when as he fitteth at the right Hand in the great Power in Heaven When as he had perswaded many so that they glorified God at the Testimony of James and said Hosanna in the highest to the Son of David Then the Scribes and Pharisees said among themselves We have done very ill in causing such a Testimony of Jesus to be brought forth but let us climb up and take him to the end that the people may be striken with fear and so may be brought to renounce his Faith and they shouted saying O O and the just also is seduced so they climbed up and threw Justus down dead long saying let us stone James Justus and they began to throw stones at him for after his fall he was not fully dead and he fell upon his Knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgive them for they wot not what they do And as they were stoning of him one of the Priests the Son of Rachab the Son of Cherabim spake to them the Testimony which is in Jeremiah the Prophet and cryed out Cease what do you this just man prayeth for you And one of them that were present taking a fullers Club struck Justus on the head and brained him This James was so notable a man that for his justness he was had in honour of all men insomuch that the wise man of the Jews shortly after his Martyrdom did impute the cause of the besieging Jerusalem and other Calamities which hapned unto them to no other cause but unto the violence and injury done to this man also Josephus hath not left this out of his History where he speaketh of him after this manner Jos Lib. 10. these things so chanced unto the Jews for a vengeance because of that Just man James which was the Brother of Jesus for shortly after his suffering Vespatianus the Emperour destroyed the Land of Jury and brought them into Captivity A Relation of the Persecutions raised by the Romans against the Christians in the Primitive Age of the Church dureing the space of three hundred Years Eusebius and the most part of Writers do number the first Persecutions to be Ten wherein great Numbers of the Christians were slain and tormented some slain with the Sword some burnt with Fire some with whips scourged some stabed with Forks of Iron some fastned to the Cross or Gibbet some drowned in the Sea some their Skins pluck off some their Tongues cut out some stoned to death some killed with cold some starved with hunger some their Hands cut off or otherwise dis-membred have been so left naked to the open shame of the World whose kinds of punishment although they were divers yet the manner of constancy in all these Martyrs was one The first of the Ten Persecutions The first of these Ten Persecutions was stired up by Nero Domitias about the year 67. after the Birth of Christ Orosius writeth of Nero that he was the first within Rome did raise up
Persecution against the Christians Orosius lib. 5. and not only in Rome but in all the Provinces thereof thinking thereby to abolish the Name of Christians in all places In this Persecution the Apostle Peter suffered death Hien lib. de viris just with many more Christians as Hierome said Simon Peter the Son of Jona of the province of Galilee and of the Town of Bethsaida the Brother of Andrew about the year 44. after Christ's birth came to Rome to withstand Simon Magus in the time of Nero and was crucified with his Head downwards and his Feet upwards himself so requiring because said he I am unworthy to be crucified after the same manner as the Lord was Paul the Apostle after his great travail and labours in preaching the Gospel in divers Countries at last suffered Martyrdom in this first Persecution under Nero and was beheaded some writers say on the same day on which Peter was Crucified although not in the same year but in the next year following which was the thirty seventh year after the Passion of Christ that which he spake at his death is written as followeth Paul being delivered by Nero bound unto Longimus and Magistus the cheif Officers and Acestus the Centurion that they should lead him without the City and cause him to be beheaded and Paul being full of the holy Ghost spake the words of Eternal life that both Nero and all should believe in Jesus Christ who was King of Heaven and Earth who would destroy the glory of the world with fire when they had led him away Longimus Magistus and Acestus began to say unto him Tell us O Paul where is that King and where will he appear unto you and how will you know him and what will he give unto you or what good will he bestow upon you that you Christians so mightily love him that by no means you will consent unto our Religion that you may live and enjoy the good of this life but rather then all the pleasures of delight to be led to die for him with divers Torments for this seems to us to be a great error to hate this joyfull life and to imbrace with all your desire punishment and death Paul therefore said O ye wise men and flourishing in knowledge depart out of the darkness and error wherein the nobility of your understanding is clouded with darkness lest you should see the Truth which lyeth hid in you return the eyes of your minds to the Eternal true Light that ye may be able first to know your selves and so come to the knowledge of that King with gladness and to be saved from the fire which is to came upon the world and to remain unhurt for we do not War as you think for some earthly King but the living God the Kingdom without end who by reason of the Iniquities that is done in this World he will come a Judge and will judge it by fire happy will that man be who will believe in him he shall have Eternal life and shall live World without end and most unhappy is he who dispising the Riches of his Bounties and long Suffering will not return unto him for he shall Perish Eternally The first Persecution beginning under Nero as aforesaid ceased under Vespatian who gave some rest to the poor Christians after whose reign was moved not long after the second Persecution by the Emperor Domitian Brother of Titus his Tyrany was unmeasurable he put to death all the Nephews of Jude called the Lords Brother and caused to be sought out and to be slain all that could be found of the Stock of David In the time of this Persecution Simon Bishop of Jerusalem after other Torments was Crucified to death In this Persecution John the Evangelist was Banished into Pathmos for the Testimony of the Word and after the death of Domitian in the Reign of Pertinax the Emperor he came to Ephesus being released in the year 100. He lived to a great age some write till he was 120. And this was his constant practice to his dying day when age weakness grew upon him at Ephesus Hierom Comiâ— in C. 6. ad Galat Tom. 9. p. 200. that he was no longer able to Preach to them he used at every Publick Meeting to be led to the Meeting and say no more to them then Little Children love one another He expressed great care for the good of souls unweariedly spending himself in the service of the Gospel and to beget People to the Truth Euseb lib. 3. Chap. 10. p. 92. witness one instance in his visitation of the Churches neer Ephesus he made choice of a young man of goodly body gratious face and fervent mind whom with a special Charge for his Instruction and Education he commited to the Bishop of that place so John returned to Ephesus But in process of time the young man became very dissolute perniciously accompanied himself with idle dissolute persons of ill behaviour who put him in a way to steal and rob so after he forsooke the right way he brought himself unto a bottomless Pit of all misorder and outrage and a rout of Theeves being gathered together he became their Captain which John at his return understanding was sorely troubled and said I have left a wise keeper of our Brothers soul prepare me a Horse and let me have a Guide he hastned and rode in post being come to the place appointed he is straitwayes taken of the Theevish watch he neither fled nor resisted but said bring me to your Captain who in the mean time as he was armed beheld him coming but as soon as he saw his face and knew it was John he was striken with shame and fled away the Old man persued and cryed my Son why fleest thou O Son tender my case be not afraid as yet there remaineth hope of Salvation I will undertake for thee with Christ I will die for thee if need be as Christ did for us which words seized so on the young man that his Countenance changed and he shook off his Armor and trembled and wept bitterly and imbraced the Old man and answered as well as he could for weeping so afterwards the Apostle brought him into the Church again Ex Nicephâ—ro Lib. 3. Chap. 32. Yet notwithstanding all these continual Persecutions and horible Punishments the Christians daily encreased deeply rooted in the Doctrine of the Apostles and watred plentiously with the Blood of Saints as saith Necephâ—rus Everastuâ— persâ—â—â—ed Everastus Bishop of Rome was Martyred under Trajanus in the year 102. after Christ and Ignatius Bishop of Antiâ—ch was Martyred in his Regin with many more Christians This Trajanus was very impious towards the Christian Religion and cruel towards the Christians and caused the Third Persecution in which Persecution Pliny the second a Heathen Philosopher a man learned and famous seeing the lamentable Slaughter of Christians and moved therewith to pity wrot to Trajanus of the
constancy and so embracing the Fire she sweetly slept in the Lord. Thus near the space of three hundred years was the Church of Christ assaulted on every side had small rest no joy nor outward safety in this present World but in much bitterness of Heart in continual tears and mourning under the Cross passed over their days being spoiled imprisoned contemned reviled famished tormented and martyred every where by night assembling to sing Praises to God in all which their dreadful dangers and sorrowful afflictions notwithstanding the goodness of the Lord left them not desolate but the more their outward Tribulations did increase the more their inward Consolations did abound and the farther off they seemed from the joyes of this Life the more present was the Lord with them with Gracâ— and fortitude to confirm and rejoyce their Souls and though their possessions and riches in this World were lost and spoiled yet were they inriched with heavenly Gifts and Treasures from above an hundredfold then was true Religion truely felt in the Heart then was Christianity not in outward appearance shewed only but in inward affection received then was the Name and Fear of God true in Heart not in Lips alone dwelling Faith then was fervent Zeal ardent Prayer not swiming in the Lips but groaned out to God from the bottom of the Spirit then was no Pride in the Church nor leisure to seek riches nor time to keep them contention for Trifles was then so far from Christians that well were they when they could meet to pray together against the Devil the author of all dissention But after this the Christians coming to be in favour with the Emperours and riches and worldly wealth crept into the Clergy and the Devil poured his venom into the Church so that true humility began to decay and Pride to set in his Foot and after the Church through favour of the Emperours was indued with Lands Donations Possessions and Patrimonies and the Bishops feeling the smack of Wealth ease and prosperity began to swell in pomp and pride and the more they flourished in this World the more Gods holy Spirit forsook them till at last the Bishops who were for a long time kept low and persecuted as before is related now of persecuted People began to be Persecutors of others and through their pride and riches were wholy degenerated from the true Religion and became Adversaties to God and persecuted and destroyed his living Witnesses and Members as any were raised up from time to time to bear a Testimony against their Apostacy as in this following History will appear Part III Containing an Account of the grievous Sufferings Persecutions and Martyrdom of the Servants of the Lord inflicted on them by the Papists after the Apostacy from the antient Primitive Gospel of Truth preached by Christ and his Apostles IOhn saw there would be an Apostacy from the blessed Faith in his daies Rev. 13. for he saw a Beast rise out of the Sea and the Dragon gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority and all the World wondered after the Beast and they worshipped the Dragon which gave Power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is aâ—le to make War with him And he opened his Mouth in Blasphemy against God to Blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and it was given unto him to make War with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World After this great Darkness had spread over Nations and People for some years the Lord raised up some from time to time to bare Testimony according to their measures of light and knowledge they had received against the blindness and ignorance that the World was under as in the following instances the Reader may observe Robert Grosthead living in the year 1240 wrot sharply to the Pope especially for the evils he committed in England that he was opposite to Christ a Murderer of Souls and an Heretick and complained on his death-bed of the corruptions which were sprung up in the Church and inveighed bitterly against the manifold abominations of the Church and Court of Rome saying well may these verses be applied to them The whole World cannot suffice their greedy covetous mind Nor all their drabs and naughty pack their filthy lusting kind For his thundring against the Romish Church and for his publick reproving of the covetousness pride and manifold Tyrannies of the Pope he was excommunicated to the pit of Hell by Innocent the fourth and cited to come to his bloody Court but he appealed from the Popes Tyranny to the Eternal Tribunal of Jesus Christ and shortly after died Yea before this there were some found in England who testified against the corruptions of the Church of Rome and suffered for the same for in the year 884. John Patrick Erigena wrot a Book about the Lords Supper which was afterwards condemned by the Pope and he martyred for it In the year 960. some were braned in the Face at Oxford and banished for saying That the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babilon Monkery a stinking Carion their Vows nurses of sodomy Purgatory and Masses c. inventions of the Devil In the year 1126. there was one Arnold an English Preacher was cruelly butchered for preaching against Prelates pride and Priest wicked lives About the year 1160. about thirty Waldenses came into England one Gerrard being their Minister these People labouring to win Disciples to Christ were quickly smelt out by the Popish Clergy and great complaints were made against them to the King being Henry the Second who caused them to be brought before an Assembly of Bishops at Oxford where Gerrard speaking for them said to this effect we are Christians holding the Doctrine of the Apostles in their Examinations they would not admit of Salt Spittle and Exorcisms in Baptism and the Eucharist nor of binding with the stool in Marriage and being admonished to repent and return to the unity of the Church they despised that counsel and scorned threats saying Blessed are they which Suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Then did the Bishops excomunicate them and so delivered them over to be corporally Punished by the King who caused them to be burnt as Hereticks in the forehead and to be whipt through Oxford they singing all the while Blessed are ye when men hate you and dispitefully use you and the King further commanded that none should persume to receive them to house nor to cherish them with any comfort whereby they miserably perished with hunger and cold none affording any comfort to them These Wâ—ldenses are repâ—ted the first Reformers after the darkness of Popery had overspread the
of Penance were nongth and that he would have none of them and likewise that the Colledge of Carpinals were Limbs of Antichrist and the Priests the Synogogue of Satan and that the Doctors of the Church had Subverted the truth of Holy Scripture expounding it after their own minds and that he should say he would abide by these Doctrines and dye for it and wisht there were twenty thousand of his Opinion to witness against them Scribes and Pharisees For his constant persevereing in these Principles Doctors Head Vicar-general past sentence against him as an Heritick and so delivered him to the Sheriffs of London to be openly burnt in Smithfield Thomas man martyr The next that suffered was Tho. Man who for saying the Popish Church was not the Church of God but a Synagogue and for holding several other Articles contrary to the Popish Church he was a long time imprisoned but through frailty and fear having an oppertunity he fled the Diocess of Lincoln but not long after was again apprehended and brought before the Bishop of London and was shorty after delivered by Dr. Head to the Sheriff of London to be presently burnt with this protestation that he might not consent to the death of any This Popish Chancellor would not seem to consent to his death Note but yet sent him to the Shambles to be Killed for these were the words he sent to the Sheriff Receive this Person and we desire in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ that the punishment and execution of due severity of him and against him in this part may be so moderate that there be no rigorous Rigor nor yet no dissolute mansuetude but to the health and wealth of his Soul c. Thomas Man was burnt by the Sheriff without any warrant for Head delivered him to the Sheriff in Paternoster-Row protesting he had no power to put him to death and therefore desired the Sheriff to see him punisht et tamen citra mortem that is without death but the Sheriff had him to Smithfield and there caused him to be burnt This Tho. Man after he had escaped out of the Diocess of Lincoln traveled about in divers places and Counties in England and instructed many into the Truth as at Amersham London Biâ—â—erycay Chelmsford Stratford Uxbridge Henly Newberry Suffolk and Norfolk and divers other places and he teftified himself that as he went westward he found a great Company of well disposed persons of the same Judgment with him especially at Newberry where he said were a glorious and sweet Society of faithful favourers three or four of which were burnt for Religion And he travailed divers other places where he found many faithful Brethren who at that time were called by the name of Known Men or Just Fast Men. This Thomas Man confessed as it is Registred in the Bishops Book that he had turned seven hundred People to his Religion for which he thanked God which People were afterwards called by the name of Protestants William Sweeting and James Brewster had the like Catholick Charity shewed to them by the Bishop who being imprisoned for their Zeal to the Truth and Religion being surprised with fear said they submitted themselves to the mercy of Almighty God and to the favourable goodness of the Judge upon which submission the Popish Fathers were contented to give out a Sollemn Commission to reâ—â—ase and pardon them from the Sentence of Excommunication but immediatly the Bishop pronounced upon them the Sentance of death and condemnation whereupon they were both delivered to the Secular power and both burnt together as one Fire in Smithfield I find further upon Record that as the Light of the Gospel began more and more to appear and the number of the Professers thereof to grow so Persecution increased and the Bishops bestired themselves to keep the Truth from increasing and growing whereupon ensued great Persecutions and grievous Affliction upon divers in several Counties especially about Buckinghamshire Norfolk Suffolk and Essex but although they were thus afflicted outwardly yet their inward fervency and zeal for the Truth was very great as appeared by their sitting up all Night in Reading and Hearing and by their Expences in giving great prizes for a few Chapters of James and Paul in English And further their great Travails earness Seeking their burning Zeal their Reading their Watchings their sweet Assemblies their Love and Concord their Godly Living their faithful Marrying only with the faithful all which it is written that they were faithfully practising and observing being noted or known among themselves by the name of Known Men or Just fast Men the Bishop of Lincoln in his Inquisitions and Examinations of those Known Men was so strict and cruel that he caused the Wife to detect the Husband and the Husband the Wife the Father the Daughter and the Daughter the Father Brother against Brother and Neighbour against Neighbour to witness one against another and that to death causing them to Swear upon the Evangelists whether they knew the persons to be Known Men. Agnis Ashford being one of the said People for preaching these words following was Articled against viz. We be the Salt of the Earth if it be putrified and vanisht away it is nothing worth a City set upon a Hill may not be hid ye light not a Candle and put it under a Bushel but set it on a Candle stick that it may give a Light to all in the House so shine your Light before men that they may see your works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And further she did teach saying Jesus feeing his People as he went up a Hill was set and his Disciples came to him he opened his Mouth and taught them saying Blessed be the poor men in Spirit for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs blessed be mild men for they shall weld the Earth For teaching this Doctrine the Bishop strictly enjoyned and commanded her to teach no more such Lessons to any man especially to her Children There were three persons accused for sitting up all night reading in a Book of Scriptures in the House of one Durdant in Iven Court near Stanes either were accused for having of certain English Books as Wickliffs Wicket in which was contained how that man could not make the Body of Christ which made us another Crime was for having fome part of the New-Testament and a Book called The Prick of Conscience for these and such like Allegations did these men greatly suffer but the Lords Hand did work marvelously amongst them so that in a short space they did exceedingly increase in such sort that the Bishop was driven to make his Complaint to the King to require his aid to suppress them the King being then young and easily incensed with the Bishops Suggestions and cruel Complaints sent Letters to the Sheriffs to aid the Bishop against these Known Men whom he termed Hereticks upon the Kings Letter he renewed his former sierceness and began
constantly persisted in the Truth in which she was planted a Woman of her acquaintance coming to Prison to visit her said to her why doest not thou keep silence and think secretly in thine Heart these things which thou believest that thou mayest prolong thy life here Oh said the Widdow you know not what you say it is written With the Heart we believe to Righteousness with the Tongue we confess to Salvation at her Execution she commended her self into the Hands of God and after a fervent prayer was burnt to death John Pistorius Martyr About this time there suffered many more in Germany for the witness of the Gospel viz. John Pistorius coming from Wittenberge for speaking against the Mass and Pardons and against the subtile abuses of the Priests he was committed to Prison with ten Malefactors whom he did comfort one of whom being half naked and in danger of cold he gave his gown his Father visiting him in Prison did not disswade him but bad him be constant being condemned and coming to the Stake he gave his neck willingly to the band wherewith he was first strangled and then burned saying at his death O death where is thy victory There using to be a great Meeting near Antwerp where one used to preach to a great number of People which Charles the Emperor hearing of gave leave to any that would to take the uppermost Garment of all them that came to hear and offered thirty Guilders to him that would take the Preacher afterwards when the People were gathered and their usual Minister being not there One Nicholas of Antwerp Martyr one Nicholas of Antwerp stood up and preacht to the People wherefore being apprehended by a Butchers Servant was put in a Sack and drowned at the Crane at Antwerp 1524. And certain of the City of Lovane were suspected of Lâ—â—â—â—ranism the Emperors Procurator came from Brussels thither to make Inquisition after which Inquisition made certain Bands of armed men came and beset their Houses in the night where many were taken in their beds pluckt from their Wives and Children and sent to divers Prisons through the terror whereof many Citizens revolted from the Gospel The terror of Persecution caused some to revolt from the Truth and returned again to Idolatry but twenty eight there were which remained constant in that Persecution unto whom the Doctors and Inquisitor of Lovane resorted disputing with them thinking either to confound them or convert them but so strongly the Spirit of the Lord wrought with the Saints that the Doctors went rather confounded away themselves when they saw disputing would not do they used cruel Torments to enforce them one of them was condemned to perpetual Prison which was a dark and stinking Dungeon where he was suffered neither to write nor read nor any man to come at him commanded only to be fed with bread and Water two of the said Prisoners were also burns constantly taking their Martyrdom One man beheaded and two women buryed afive There was there an old man and two aged Women brought forth of whom the one was called Antonia born of an antient Stock in that City these were condemned the man to beheaded the two Women to be buried Quick which death they received very chearfully and the rest of the Prisoners that would not abjure the Doctrine of Lather were put to the Fire One Percival of Lovane for owning the Truth was adjudged to perpetual imprisonment there to be fed only with Bread and Water which punishment he took patiently for Christ's sake he was secretly made away either famished or drowned no man could learn how Justus Jusberge a Skinner in Lovane in the year 1544. for having a New Testament in his House Justus Jusberge Martyr was persecuted by one Darsardus and committed to Prison and the Goaler commanded that none should speak with him shortly after the Doctors examining of him touching the Popes Supremacy Sacrifice of the Mass Purgatory and such Trumpery whereunto he answered plainly and boldly confirming his Answers by the Scriptures when they saw he would not be moved from his Faith then they condemned him to be burnt but as a pretended favour to him he was only beheaded Giles Tilman of Brussels Cutler born of honest Parents about the age of thirty years Giles Tilman Martyr he began to receive the Light of the Gospel for which he was very Zealous and fervent he was in his nature very mild and pittiful passing all other in those parts giving whatsoever he had to spare to the poor living only upon his Trade he was persecuted by the Priest of Brussels being taken at Lovane spreading that Religion which the Pope called Heresie his Adversaries used great care to make him objure but being a man of a singular wit and constant in his Religion they went away many times with shame after he had been kept eight Months in Prison he was sent to Brussels to be judged where finding Franciscus Ensenes and othes of the same Religion in Prison he exhorted them to be constant to the Truth that they might receive the Crown that was prepared for them When the Gray-Friars being sent unto him would mis call abuse him he ever held his peace at such private lajuries wheresore they reported that he had a dumb Devil in him he might several times have escaped out of Prison the doors being set open but he would not being removed to another Prison and on the twenty second of the Month called January 1544. he was condemned to be burnt privately for openly they durst not do it for fear of the People he being so well beloved when tiding was brought him of his Sentence he thanked God that the hour was some wherein he might glorifie the Lord and being had to the Fire he willingly refined up his life into the Hands of the Lord. Great Persecution in Gaunt and other parts of Flanders Anno 1543 1544. The Edict against the Lutherans to be read twice a year Charles the Emperor lying in Gaunt the Fryars and Docters obtained that the Edict made against the Lutherans might be read openly twice a year which caused a great Persecution to follow so that there was no City nor Town in all Flanders wherein some were not either Expulsed Beheaded Condemned to perpetual Imprisonment or their Goods Confiscate without respect either to Age or Sex especially at Gaunt where some of the cheif men in the Town were burnt for their Religion Afterward the Emperor coming to Brussels there also was terrible Slaughter and Persecution of Gods People namely in Brabant Honegow and Artois the horror and cruelty whereof is almost incredible insomuch that two hundred Men and Women were brought out of the Country into the City some of whom were drowned others buried Quick others privately made away others sent to perpetual Imprisonment whereby the Prisons were filled to the great sorrow of them which knew the Gospel the Professors whereof being now compelled
give them in that Quarrel then was he thrice put to the Pin-bank and Tormented most miserably to utter his Setters on then they past sentence against him and this was executed First he was drawn from the Castle of Dornick to the Market place having a ball of Iron put in his mouth then he was set upon a Stage where his Right hand was Crusht and prest between two hot Irons with sharp Iron edges fiery red in the like manner they served his right foot which Torments he endured with marvelous constancy that done they took the ball of Iron out of his mouth and cut out his Tongue notwithstanding his Tongue was cut out he still called upon God as well as he could whereby the hearts of the people were greatly moved whereupon the Tormentors thrust the Iron ball into his mouth again from thence they brought him down to a lower Stage where his legs and hands were bound behind him with an Iron Chain going about his body and so he was let down flat upon the Fire the Governer standing by caused him to be plucked up again and so down and up again till at last the whole body was consumed to Ashes James Faber and three others Martyrs James Faber and three others suffered at Valens James Faber being an old man said that though he could not answer nor saisfie them in Reasoning yet he would constantly abide in the Truth of the Gospel Godfry Hamell Martyr Godfry Hamell a Taylor taken and condemned at Dornick when they had condemned him by the Name of an Heretick nay said he not an Heretick but a Servant of Jesus Christ when the Hangman went about to Strangle him to diminish his punishment he refused saying that he would abide the Sentence that the Judges had given Besides these that suffered in Germany before mentioned a great number there was both in the Higher and Lower Countries of Germany which were put to death for Religion many of them were burnt some buryed alive some secretly drowned many of their Names are mentioned in the Acts and Monuments but little of the circumstances of their Tryal and Execution being mentioned I have omitted them for brevities sake Sufferers in France for bearing the like Witness to the Gospel Dennis Renix Martyr Denis Renix at Melde in the year 1558. Was burnt for testifying against the Mass he was alwayes wont to have in his mouth the Words of Christ He that denyeth me before men him wiâ—â— I also deny before my Father he was burnt in a slow Fire and did abide much Torments Note upon a complaint made to the Council called Le Chamber Ardante that the Judges suffered Hereticks to have their Tongues Immediately thereupon a Decree was made that all which were to be burned unless they recanted at the fire should have their Tongues cut off which Law afterwards was diligently observed Stephen Polliard Martyr Stephen Polliard coming out of Normandy in the year 1546. where he was born unto Meux tarried there not long but he was compelled to flee and went to a Town called Fera where he was apprehended and brought to Paris and there cast into a foul and dark Prison in which Prison he was kept in Bonds and Fetters a long time where he saw almost no Light at length being called for before the Senate and his sentence given to have his Tongue cut out and to be burnt alive his Satchell of Books hanging about his neck O Lord said he is the World in blindness and darkness still for he thought being in Prison so long that the World had been altered from its old darkness to better knowledge at last with his Books about his neck he was burnt to death Florent Venote Martyr Florent Venote remained a Prisoner in Paris four years during which time he was put to divers Torments one kind of Torment was he was put in a narrow place so straight that he could neither stand nor lie which they called the Hose or Boots because it was strait below and wide above in this he remained seven weeks where the Tormentors affirm that no Thief or Murtherer could ever endure 15 days but were in danger of Life or Madness and at last on the 9th of the Moneth called July he was burnt to death with divers other Martyrs who were burnt as a Spectacle at the Kings coming into Paris The next that suffered was a poor Taylor in Paris who for working upon Holy-days so called and denying to observe them A poor Taylor in Paris Martyred was clapt in Prison the King hearing of it sent for him before him and some of his Peeres being before the King he answered with great boldness wit and memory defending the cause of Christ neither flattering their Persons nor fearing their threats which struck the King in a great damp in museing in his mind which the Bishops seeing committed the poor Taylor again to the hands of the Officer saying he was a stubborn Fellow and fitter to be punisht then to be marvelled at within few days after he was condemned to be burnt alive The next year two men for friendly admonishing a certain Priest which in his Sermon had abused the Name of God were both burned another young man of the Age of eighteen years for rebuking a man in Paris for Swearing being suspected to be a Lutheran was apprehended and brought before the Council at Paris who committed him to Prison where he was so cruelly Racked and Tormented that one of the Persecutors seeing it could not but turn his back and weep when he was brought and put in the Fire he was pluckt up again upon the Gibbet and asked whether he would turn to whom he said that he was in his way towards God and therefore desired them to let him go John Joyer and his Servant being a young man in the year 1552. coming from Geneva to their Country with certain Books John Joyer and his Servant and his Servant Martyrs were apprehended by the way and had to Tholouse where the Master was first condemned the Servant being young was not so prompt to answer but directed them to his Master to answer them when they were brought to the Stake the young man first going up began to weep the Master fearing lest he should recant ran to him and he was comforted as they were in the Fire the Master standing upright to the Stake shifted the Fire from him to his Servant being more carfull for him then for himself and when he saw him dead he bowed down himself in the flame and so expired Mathias Dimonetus Merchant at Lyons in the year 1553. having been a man of a Vicious and detestable life Mathias Dimonetus Martyr was notwithstanding through the Grace of God brought to the knowledge and Savour of his Truth for a Testimony to which he was soon after Imprisoned being in Prison he had great conflicts with the infirmity of his own Flesh but especially with the temptation
not long after smote him with sickness indeed a most horrible and strange Disease his Body being greatly tormented with Pain and could get no Help being had to an Hospital his Flesh rotted away and stunk so that none cared to come near him and in this Rage and Torment he was under he often cryed out Who will deliver me The Just Judgment of God against a cruel Persecutor Who will Kill me and deliver me out of these Torments and Pains which I know I suffer for the evils and oppressions that I have done to the poor men and in this anguish he most miserably ended his unhappy dayes After the death of this persecuting Monk the Bishop of Aix by his Official continued the Persecution and put a great Multitude of them in Prison of whom some by force of Torments revolted from the Truth the others which proved constant after he had condemned them of Heresie were put into the hands of the ordinary Judge which at that time was one Meiranus a cruel Persecutor who without any form of Process or order of Law such as the Official had pronounced to be Hereticks he put to death with most Cruel Torments After this Persecutor was dead one Bartholomew Casenes President of the Parliment of Province a Pestilent Persecutor whom God at length struck with a fearful and sudden Death in the time of this Tyrant those of Merindol were cited personally to appear before the Kings Attorney but they hearing that the Court had determined to burn them without any Process or Order of Law durst not appear at the day appointed for which cause the Court awarded a cruel Sentence against Merindol and condemned all the Inhabitants to be burned both Men Women and Children and their Town and Houses to be rased to the Ground and their Country to be made a Desart and Wilderness never more to be inhabited This bloody Arrest or Decree seemed strange and wonderful same openly saying They marvelled the Parliment should be so mad to give out such an Arrest so manifestly injurious and unjust and contrary to all Reason and Humanity others said The Judges are not bound to observe either Right or Reason in exterpating such as are suspected to be Lutherans but what ever was said in opposition to this Decree the Bishops from time to time used all the opportunities to endeavour to put the same in execution as appears in the following Relation Amongst these poor men that suffered in Merindol there was a Book-seller who for â—etting publickly to sale certain Bibles in French and Latine in the sight of the Bishop of Aix and other Prelates they were thereat greatly moved and caused him to be apprehended and committed to Prison and afterwards he was sentenced and burnt the Prelates seeing great dissention among the people of Avinion and that many murmured at the death of this Book-seller for selling the Bible to fear the people the next day they put out a Proclamation against all French Bibles That none should keep them in their Hands upon pain of Death After this Proclamation the Bishop of Aix endeavoured his utmost to prosecute the people of Merindol being very earness with the President to that effect and to put the Parliaments Arrest and Decree in execution the President shewing himself unwilling to the Bishop to shed Innocent Blood pleaded The King would be displeased to have such destruction made of his Subjects then said the Bishop Though the King at the first do think it ill done we will so bring it to past that in a short space he shall think it well done for we have the Cardinals on our side especially Cardinal Tournon By these Arguments of the Bishop the President and Councel of Parliament were perswaded to raise a Force and destroy the people of Merindol according to the Decree The Inhabitants of Merindol hearing thereof and seeing nothing but present death to be at hand with great Lamentation commended themselves and their Cause unto God by Prayer and made themselves ready to be murdered as Sheep for the Slaughter whilst they were in this grievous distress there was one raised up called the Lord of Alner to plead with the President on their behalf giving the President several Reasons why he ought not to destroy these poor Christian man of Merindol by which Reasons the President was perswaded and immediatly called back his Commission which he had given out and caused the Army to Retire who were within a mile and a half of Merindol which the people of Merindol understanding that the Army was retired gave thanks unto God comforting one another with Admonition and Exhortation Alwayes to have the fear of God before their Eyes and to seek after the everlasting Riches The noise of these Proceedings and of this Arrest and Decree coming to the King of France his ear he appointed persons to make Inquiry into the whole matter and to make a Report to him thereof and what manner of People these Merindolians were These Deputies brought a Copy of the Arrest Decree and Proceedings unto the Kings Lieutenant declaring unto him the great Injuries Polling Extortions Exactions Tyrannies and Cruelties which the Judges as well Secular as Ecclesiastical had used against them of Merindol and others as touching the behaviour and disposition of those which were persecuted they reported that the most part of the men of Province affirmed them to be men given to great Labour and Travel and that about two hundred years past as it is reported they came out of the Country of Piedmont to dwell in Province and took to tillage and to inhabit many Villages destroyed by the Wars which they had so well husbandred that there was now great store of Wine Oyle Honey and Cattle so that Strangers were greatly relieved and that they were a Peaceable Quiet People beloved of all their Neighbours man of good Behaviour constant in keeping of their Promise and paying of their Debts without suing men at Law that they were also Charitable men giving Alms relieving of the Poor and suffered none amongst them to lack or be in necessity harbouring and Nourishing poor Strangers and Passengers in their necessities moreover that they were known by this throughout all the Country that they would not Swear and that if they heard any Swear blaspheme or dishonour God they strait-way departed out of their Company this was the tenour of the report made to the Kings Lieutenant touching the Life and Behaviour of these Inhabitants of Merindol who were persecuted by the Popish Bishops and Cardinals which the Lieutenant advertised the King who was a good Prince moved with mercy and pity sent Letters to the Parliament Expresly charging and commanding them that they should not hereafter proceed to prosecute the said Arrest and Decree so Rigorously as they had done before against this People and not to molest or trouble them in person or goods and to command them to set at Liberty all Prisoners which either were accused or
time but in the month called June following it was first proposed to them To put away their Ministers that were Strangers which they refusing to do it was then commanded of them in the Dukes name That they should banish from them all their Ministers that were Strangers and a New Proclamation was put out and Persecution began afresh and many of the said People were slain and many imprisoned and cruelly handled the Monks being very active in this Persecution in one place causing two Women to carry Faggots to the Fire where their Minister was burnt and to speak these words to him viz. Take this thou wicked Heretick in recompence of the Naughty Doctrine thou hast taught us to whom he said Ah! Good Women I have taught you well but you have learned ill Great was the Havock and Ruin they made upon these poor Peoples Estates and Bodies in this Persecution and not long after an Army was raised to destroy the Waldoys which they hearing their Ministers met with the cheif Rulers to advise what in such an Extremity they were best to do upon due consideration they concluded not to defend themselves by force of Armes but to flee to the Mountains and carry their goods with them others of their Ministers hearing of the resolution that they at Angrogne and Lucern had made thought it strange that they might not defend themselves against their Enemies violence in so just a cause knowing that it was the Pope and his Ministers who were the cause of their Troubles and some stood in their own defence and made great Slaughters upon their Enemies at times and when they persued their enemies they often retired to avoid shedding Blood meaning only to defend themselves and held their Adversaries so titely to it that they were at last brought to make a Peace upon Articles and conditions so that the Persecution was stopt and the Pride Malice and Rage of their Adversaries was abated Thus having given an Account in brief of the troubles and Persecutions sustained by the faithful Martyrs in Forreiâ— parts it remains to give a further Relation of such as suffered in this Nation of England in this Kings Reign After that the light of the Gospel began to Shine and encrease beyond Sea the Beams of it began to spread and grow more here in England and a great stir and alteration followed in the hearts of many so that coloured Hypocrisie and painted Holiness began to be spied more and more by such as in any measure tasted of the Truth and some there were that could distinguish Christ from Anti-christ amongst whom was one Simon Fish of Grayes-Inn who wrote a sharp Book against the Corruption of the Clergy Entituled The Supplication of Beggers which Book was wrot beyond Sea Anno 1525. he being fled thither for fear of Cardinal Woolsey who had taken distaste against him in this Book was shewed what a great Oppression the Priests and Clergy were to the Nation for that they had got into their hands more then a third part of the Realm besides their Tythes of all the enerease of Corn Hay c. The Book being read to the King after a pause he said If a man should pull down an old stone wall and begin at the lower part the upper part thereof might chance to fall on his head and took the Book and put it in his Desk and seemed to be pleased at it for he encouraged Simon Fish his Wife to send for her Husband to come before him but how much so ever he liked it he would make no show of it openly for that Book and others being thrown about London the Cardinal acquainted the King therewith and bid him beware of them and the Cardinal and Bishop of London consulted how they might stop the mischief that might acrew by that and other Books being so spread about whereupon they agreed that the Bishop of London should send forth a Proclamation to call in the New Testament Translated into English The Supplication of Beggers The Revelation of Anti-christ by Martin Luther and other Books in English This was one way they took by which they thought-to have suppressed the growth of those they accounted Hereticks but not thinking that sufficient obtained a Proclamation from the King to suppress the Sectaries Hereticks and Lollards and for abolishing divers of their Books in English the Bishops having that now they would have there was no dilligence wanting on their parts for the putting the same in execution whereupon ensued a grievous Persecution and Slaughter of the Faithfull Thomas Bilâ—ey Martyr The first that went to wrack was Thomas Bilney who after his Examination and Condemnation by Doctor Pells Chanâ—llor he was committed to the Lay Power viz. to the Sheriffs of the City of Norwich a day before his Execution some Friends being with him and comforting him that though he was to go through the Fire the Lord would refresh him in it At this he put his finger in the Candle as he used to do divers times saying I know the fire is hot and my body shall be wasted by it and it is a pain for the time but he would often reherse this Scripture for his comfort Fear not for I have redeemed thee and called thee by my name thou art mine own When thou goest through the water I will be with thee when thâ—s walkest in the Fire it shall not burn thee and the Flame shall not kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel Going to Execution he said The Marriner for a while meets with a troubled Sea and is tossed with the Waves but he is in hopes when he comes to the Haven he shall be at quiet I doubt not though I feel storms but by Gods Grace I shall attain to the Haven and being brought to the Stake he very Patiently endured the Fire till doath Richard Bayfield Martyr The next that suffered was Richard Bayfield who receiving the truth in a measure and reading the Testament in English and a book called The wicked Mamman c. He was cast into Prison and there sore whipped with a Gag in his mouth and then stocked and there continued in Prison three quarters of a year and then was set at Liberty but soon after was taken again and put in the Câ—le-house where he was tyed by the neck middle and legs standing upright by the walls this punishment was inflicted on him to make him confess who bought his books but he accused none but stood to his Religion and told them he would Dispute for his Faith at his Tryal he was accused of divers things but the chief were for bringing Books over from beyond Sea and spreading them here in England on the twentieth day of November 1532. being had into the Quire of Pauls Cathedral the Bishop of London with other Prelates being there ready to pass sentence on him and being delivered to the Sheriffs of London to carry him to
this is in Spite of all holy Saints and in Spite of our most holy Father the Pope Gods Viccar here in Earth and in Spite of the reverend Father in God John our Diocesian and the Worshipfull Cannons Masters Priests and Clarks which serve God daily in this Cathedral Church fixed up with wax such Cursed and Heretical Bills full of Blasphemy upon the Doors of thâ—s and other holy Churches within this City Excommunicate be hâ— she or they plaenally and delivered over to the Devil as perpetual Malefactors and Schismaticks accursed they be and given Body and Soul to the Devil Cursed be they he or she in Cities and Towns in Fields and Wayes in Houses and out of Houses and all other places standing lying or rising walking running waking sleeping eating drinking and whatsoever thing they do besides we seperate them him or her from the Threshold and from all the good Prayers of the Church from the participation of the holy Mass from all Sacraments Chappels and Altars from Holy Bread and Holy water from all the Merrits of Gods Priests and religious men and from all their Cloisters from all their Pardons Priviledges Grants and Immunities which all the holy Fathers Popes of Rome have granted to them and we give them over utterly to the power of the Devil and let us quench their Souls if they be dead this night in the pains of Hell-fire as this Candle is now quenched and put out and with that he put out one of the Candles and let us pray to God if they be alive that their ey 's may be put out as this Candle light is so he put out another Candle let us pray to God and to our Lady and to Saint Peter and Paul and all holy Saints that all the Sences of their bodies may fail them and that they may have no feeling as now the Light of this Candle is gone and so he put out the third Candle except they he or she come openly now and confess their Blasphemy and by repentance as in them shall lie make satisfaction unto God our Lady Saint Peter and the Worshipfull Company of this Cathedrall Church Thomas Bennet being not able to digest these Fopperies writ other Bills and caused them to be set up upon the Gates of the Grave yard but the person that set them up being taken in the action Thomas Bennet was thereby discovered and being apprehended confest they were his Bills and that he could do it again to discover the Abominable Blasphemy of their Anti-christ the Pope and to let people see that he is the Bâ—ar come out of the Wood which destroyeth and throweth down the Hedges of Gods Church Whereupon he was committed to Prison and the next day was had to the Bishop who committed him to Prison again where he was kept in the Stocks with strong Irons with as much favour as a Dog should find then his Houâ—e was Searched for Books and his wife shamefully abused which she bore with patience being contented to bare the Cross with her Husband and to fare hardly with him and eat Course meat and drink A gray Fryar possessing Thomas Bennet with the many dangers that he was lyable to fall into in that condition Thomas replyed my life is not dear to me I had rather by death which I know is not far off depart this Life then to partake of your detestable Idolatries and Superstitions or be subject to Anti-christ your Pope During the time of his imprisonment the hate of the people through ignorance was great against him notwithstanding they could never move his patience during his imprisonment his wife provided Sustenance for him when she Lamented he Comforted her and gave her many good and godly Exhortations and desired her not to move him to comply with his Adversaries After the Clergy saw they could by no means cause him to recant they Condemned him to be burnt and delivered him to the Sheriff of Devonshire to see him Executed the mild man rejoycing to see his end approach so near as the Sheep before the Shearer yielded himself with all humbleness to abide and suffer the Cross of Persecution being brought to his Execution in a place called Livery Dole without Exeter he gravely and soberly spake to the people to seek the honour of God and the knowledg of him and to leave the devices and immaginations of mens inventions and saying Oh Lord receive my spirit patiently endured the Cruelty of the Fire untill his life was ended Thus the Reader hath an Account of such as sustained death for Christs Cause through the rigorous Proclamation aforesaid set out in the name of the King but indeed procured by the Bishops and by them so strictly Executed that no good man could peep out with his head never so little but he was caught by the back and either brought to the fire or else forced to abjure their Religion a great number of which are particularly mentioned in Foxe's Acts and Monuments which for Brevity sake are here omitted Thomas Phillip being one of them that was prosecuted and being asked by the Bishop whether he would abjure or not he said except ye shew me cause wherefore I should abjure I will not say yea or nay to it but will stand to my appeal then the Bishop read openly the Bill of Excommunication against him charging all men to have no company or any thing to do with him after this Excommunication what became of him whether he was burnt or died in the Tower no mention is made in the Register I mention him because a Letter that was found in his Pocket and the substance of one Tracy's Will are worth the taking notice of which are as followeth A Letter directed to Thomas Phillip in the name of the Brethren and given him by the way going to the Tower is as followeth The favour of him that is able to keep you that you fall not and to confess your name in the Kingdom of Glory and to give you strength by his Spirit to confess him before all his Adversaries be with you ever Amen The Brethren think that there be divers false Brethren craftily crept in among them to seek out their freedom in the Lord that they may accuse them to the Lords Adversaries as they suppose they have done you wherefore if it be so that the Spirit of God move you thereunto they as Councellers desire you above all things to be stedfast in the Lords Truth without fear for he shall and will be your help according to his promise so that they shall not diminish the least hair of your head without his will unto the which will submit your self and rejoyce for the Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation and how to reserve the Unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punisht and therefore cast all your care on him for he careth for you and in that you suffer as a Christian man be not ashamed but rather glorifie God on
Then said the King commit thy self unto the hands of God and not unto mine Lambort I commend my Soul unto the hands of God but my Body I wholly yield and Submit unto your clemency Then said the King if you do commit your self unto my Judgment you must die for I will not be a patron to Hereticks and so caused the Sentence of Death to be read against him Shortly aâ—â—er he was had to Smithfield and there burnt in the midst of the Flames he cryed unto the people in these words None but Christ none buâ— Christ and so ended his life The aforesaid six Articles being consented unto and concluded by the King and Parliament the Bishops caused further to be enacted that whosoever denyed Transubstantiation or whosoever should be Alders Comforters Counsellors Consentors and A bettors therein should be adjudged Hereticks That every such Offender should have and suffer Judgment Execution and pain of death by way of burning without any Abjuration benefit of the Clergy or Sanctuary and should forfeit to the King all their Land and Tenements Goods and Chattels as in Cases of high Treason And for all such as did preach teach uphold maintain or defend any thing contrary to the five last Articles should be adjudged as Fellons and lose both life and goods as in the Case of Fellony When these Articles were in debate in the Parliament house Doctor Cranmer in favour to the Professors of the Truth earnestly disputed in defence of the Truth against them but notwithstanding all his opposition the Act was past By reason of these fix Articles a great Number were apprehended in London and other Places so that all the prisons in London were too little to hold them and many were imprisoned in Halls Amongst whem was one John Porter of London John Porter died in Prison who for reading to people in a Bible was sent for by Bonner and sharply reproved Porter answered he trusted he had no way offended contrary to the Law thereby Bonner charged him for making expositions upon the Text and for gathering Multitudes about him this Porter denyed yet did Bonner send him to Newgate where he was miserably Loaden with Irons both hands and legs with a great Collor of Iron about his neck whereby he was fastned to the Wall in the Dungeon after a while he sent for a Kinsman of his who by bribing the Keeper obtained that he was put amongst Thieves and Murtherers but Porter hearing and seeing their Wickedness exhorted them to amendment of life giving them good instructions for this he was complained of and carried down into the lowest Dungeon where he was so cruelly oppressed with Bolts and Irons that within few daies after he was found dead In the year 1544. One Robert Testwood living at Windsor being a favourer of the Lutherans Robert Testwood Martyr and seeing People licking and kissing a white Alablaster Image that stood behind the high Altar at which his Zeal was so stirred that with a Key that he had in his hand he struck off the Images nose saying see good People what it is it cannot help it self how then would you have it help you The noise hereof being spred abroad one Simonds a Lawyer took up the Nose and said one day it should be a dear Nose to Testwood And further upon a day whereon every one was to carry a Relick in procession Testwood amongst others had Beckets Rochet proferred him but he pusht it from him saying if they gave it him he would wipe his Tayle with it These doings so offended the Clergy that they said he was a Heretick and would roast a Fagot one day for this geer but notwithstanding their Threats he lived in quiet till the death of the Lord Cromwell and till Winchester had insinuated into the affections of the King and wholly ruled at which time Testwood being sick in bed was fetched out and cast into Prison together with one Anthony Person John Marbeck and Henry Filmer and after a while they were all brought forth to Judgment be fore Doctor Capon â—iâ—â—op of Salsbury and others Testwoods Indictment was for that when the Priest lifted up the Sacrament he said what wilt thou lift it up so high what yet higher take heed that thou let him not fall As also that at such times when the Sacrament was lifted up he used to look down on his Book or another way that he might not see the Sacrament whereupon he said Whereon did he look that marked me so well Marry quoth the Kings Attorney he could not be better Occupied then to mark such Hereticks The Prisoners being Condemned they spent the greatest part of the night before their Execution in prayer that the Lord would strengthen them and enable them with stedfast Faith and power to go through their Exercise About this time there rose a great Persecution in Callice in France which was then under Englands power Persecution in Callice there was at one time twelve persons Imprisoned for their Religion but the Lord Cromwell so called hearing of it wrote immediately to the Commissioners in Callice in the Kings Name requiring that the Hereticks with their Accusers should be sent over into England forthwith the Commissioners loading them with Chains sent them over as soon as Cromwell heard they were arrived he sent for them to his House and smiling upon them said Go your ways to the Fleet and Submit your selves Prisoners there and be of good cheer for if God give me life you shall shortly go home with as much honesty as ye came with shame But it pleased God that shortly after this Cromwell was beheaded so that the poor men then had no hope but in the Providence of their Heavenly Father who comforted them in their deep Troubles that as their Afflictions abounded their joyes and consolations abounded much more for when all hope was past the Lord Audley Chancellor of England sent for them and without any further examination discharged them of their Imprisonment In the year 1541. The King sent out a Commission for apprehending of such as offended against the six Articles and when the Commissioners satâ— at Mercers-Chapple being such as were chosen on purpose they enquired not only for such as offended against the six Articles but of such as came seldom to Church as it s called and received not the holy Bread and Water so that they indicted above five hundred persons most of which had either died in Prison or been burnt in Smithfield but that the King being informed by the Lord Audley that they were indicted of malice granted them his Pardon Richard Meekins Martyr beinâ— a Boy of fifteen years old About the same time one Richard Meekins a boy of fifteen years old was accused for spaking some words against the Sacrament of the Altar and when the first Jury would not find the indictment against him they were soundly ratled by the Bishop of London and another Jury impannelled that found it
much offended that they should come so neer him as his Privy-Chamber without his knowledge and Consent sent for the Chancellor and commanded him presently to draw up his Pardon himself whereby he was set at liberty George Blague afterwards coming into the Kings Presence the King said to him Oh my Pig for so he used to call him Yea said he if your Majesty had not been better to me then your Bishops were your Pig had been roasted before this time The Troubles of the Queen Katherine Parr for showing favour to the Professors of the Truth and how the Lord made way for her Deliverance About this time the King coming from Bullein information was given him that the Queen Katherine Parr was much given to reading the Scriptures and entertained divers godly persons in conference about spiritual Matters At first the King seemed to like well of it Her Council to the King which made her the more bold sometimes freely to debate with the King about Religion often beseeching him That as he had to the glory of God and his own Eternal Fame began a good work in banishing the Popes supremacy that he would perfect what he had begun and thorowly to cleanse away the dregs of Popery whereof much remained yet behind The King though he was grown very teasty and froward yet out of his singular Affection to her was content to bear with her for never did Maid more seek to please her Mistriss then she did withal painful endeavour apply her self by all virtuous means in all things to please his Humor She was a Woman very beautiful virtuous and of a comely personage which greatly delighted the King But some subtil and malicious Instruments of Satan Popish Subtilty fearing what might be the Issue of it sought by all means to set the King against her these were the Bishop of Winchester Wrisly the Chancellor and others of the Council and Privy-Chamber hoping that if they could but take away her that was such an Encourager of the Professors of the Truth they might soon destroy the rest The King growing sickly and froward left off his accustomed manner of visiting the Queen and therefore she took all opportunities to visit him and did earnestly solicite him to be Zealous in the Reformation of the Church Winchester being present at one time and perceiving the King not to be very well pleased with her when she was gone he maliciously endeavoured to stir up the Kings Indignation against her possessing the King That under his Favour he with others of the Council could in a short time disclose such Treason cloaked with the vail of Heresie that his Majesty should easily perceive how dangerous it was to nourish such a Serpent in his Bossom this so stirred up the King that he gave them leave to draw up Articles against her and thus far they got their end the next thing was to suborn Witnesses to betray and accuse her and to find out what Books she had in her Closets that were forbidden by Law and to search her Closets and to apprehend the Queen and send her by Barge to the Tower The King being made privy to this devise by Winchester and Wrisly he politickly seemed to approve it that he might see how far the malice of the Bishop would carry him and thus the Day Time and place for the Apprehending the Queen and some about her was concluded of The King at this time lay at White-hall and by reason of his distemper seldom stirred abroad and the time approaching for the apprehension of the Queen she suspected nothing of it and therefore used after her accustomed manner when she came to the King still to deal with him about Religion as formerly she had done but one night after she had taken her Leave of him the King imparted the whole design to Doctor VVendy enjoyning him not to spake of it to any Creature but by Providence these Articles drawn up against her signed by the King fell from of the Bosom one of these Councellors and was immediately carried to the Queen who reading the Articles knowing the Kings hand was supprised with such a sudden fear that she made pitious Mean and Lamentation The King hearing that she was in peril of her Life sent his Physicians to her and Doctor VVendy knowing the cause better then the other began secretly to break with her about the Articles tilling her that he knew well of them though he stood in danger of his Life by revealing of them yet to quiet his Conscience he could not but give her Warning of them intreating her somewhat to conform her self to the Kings mind not doubting but that by her humble submission she should find him favourable to her shortly after the King hearing of her dangerous Condition went to her to him therefore she uttered her Greif fearing as she said lest he had taken displeasure against her Whereupon he like a loving Husband with sweet and comfortable Words somewhat eased her perplexed Mind so that she began to recover the King being departed she caused all her Books which the Law was against to be conveyed away and taking a fit season in an Evening she went to visit the King who was confering with some of his Bed-Chamber When he saw her he intertained her Courteously and began to Commnue with her about Religion seeming desirous to be resolved by the Queen of certain doubts which he proposed to her she perceiving his drift with mild and reverend Conutenance answered him thus Your Majesty knows right well neither am I ignorant what weakness attends our Sex and therefore we are inferiour and Subject to man our Head whence all our directions must proâ—eed God hath made man in his own Likeness endued him with more exellent Gifts c. But he hath made Woman of Man by whom she is to be governed and directed seeing therefore that God hath appointed such a Naturall Difference and you being of so excellent Wisdom and I a poor sily VVoman so much in feriour to you why should your Majesty propose such difficult Cases to me yea when I have said what I can I must and will refer my self unto your Wisdom as my Supream Hâ—ad under God by whom I must be dâ—rected This that she declared and other discourse that passed between them at that time so pleased the King that he shewed great favour unto her as heretofore he had done Her Adversaries knew nothing of this and therefore were providing for her Apprehension which was to be next day at which time they intended to carry her to the Tower the Day and almost the Hour being come the King intending to take the Air went into the Garden whither the Queen also went to him being sent for by him where the King being merrily disposed with her on a sudden in the middst of the mirth in came VVrisly the Chancellor with forty of the Kings Guard at his heels whom the King sternly beholding went to him
Flesh to feed upon which opinion Christ corrected when he said The Words which I speak unto you are Spirit and Life Viccar I have found you out now I see thou art an Heretick indeed and that thou doest not believe in the Sacerament of the Altar William Hunter whereas you doubt my belief I would it were tryed whether you or I would stand fastest in our Faith Viccar Thou Heretick wouldst thou have it so tryed William Hunter In that way which you call Heresie do I serve the Lord my God I would you and I were even now tyed fast to a Stake to prove which of us would stand firmest in our Faith Viccar It shall not be so tryed No quoth William I think so for if it might I know who would soonest Recant I durst set my Foot against yours even to the death That we shall see quoth the Viccar and so departed threatning William to complain of him Shortly after according to his words he instigated one Justice Brown against William who shortly after sent for a Constable and for William's Father to come before him William being gone from home the Justice threatned his Father He would make him tell where he was or else he would send him to Prison the Old man said Would you have me seek my Son to be burned If thou bring him to me saith the Justice I will deal well enough for that matter and with flatterings and threatnings perswaded him to seek his Son out When the old man had found his Son he told him what the Justice said William told his Father I will go home with you and save you harmless what ever comes on it as soon as he came home he was apprehended by the Constable and put in the Stocks and the next day was had before the Justice Justice Brown Ah Sirrah are you come I hear say you are a Scripture-man What say you to these words where Christ saith the Bread is his Body William Hunter the Scripture saith that Christ took Bread but not that he changed it into another Substance but gave that which he took and brake that which he gave which was Bread as is evident by the Text else he should have had two Bodeis At which the Justice began to be angry and called him Naughty Boy saying Doth not Christ call the Bread his Body plainly and thou wilt not believe that the Bread is his Body after Consecration thou goest about to make Christ a Lyar. William Hunter We ought earnestly to search what the mind of Christ is in that holy Institution wherein he commendeth unto us the remembrance of his Death Passion Resurrection and coming again saying This do in remembrance of me And though Christ calls the Bread his Body so he did also say that he is a Vine a Door c. Yet is not his Body turned into Bread no more then he is turned into a Door or Vine wherefore Christ called the Bread his Body by a figure William Hunter â—ent up to Bonner At these words the Justice was enraged calling him Villain and the next day sent him and a Letter by an Officer to Bonner Bishop of London When he came before the Bishop at first the Bishop began to flatter him telling him he should have no harm for any thing he had done or said if he would be ruled by him saying further It may be thou mayest be ashamed to bear a Fagot a Recant openly of what thou hast said but if thou wilt Recant thy sayings I promise thee what thou speakst between me and thee shall go no further and thou shall go home again without any hurt so that thou wilt go to Church and continue a good Catholick W. Hunter I will not do so for all the World Then said the Bishop If you will not do so I will make you sure enough I warrant you William You can do no more then God will permit you Bishop Wilt thou not Recant indeed by no means William No never while I live Then the Bishop commanded his Men to put him in the Stocks in his Gate-house where he sate two dayes and two nights only with a Crust of brown Bread and a Cup of Water at the two dayes end the Bishop came to him and finding the Cup of Water and crust of Bread still by him upon the Stocks he said to his men take him out of the Stocks and let him Breakfast with you whereupon they took him forth of the Stocks but would not suffer him to eat with them but called him Heretick He told them He was as unwilling to be in their company as they were to be in his After Breakfast the Bishop sent for him and askt whether he would Recant He answered No he would never Recant that which he had confest before men concerning his Faith in Christ Then the Bishop sent him to Prison and commanded the Keeper to lay Irons upon him as many as he could bear and askt William how old he was He told him he was nineteen years Old Well said the Bishop you will be burnt ere you are twenty year old if you do not Recant William answered God strengthen me in his Truth and so he parted from the Bishop He continued in Prison three quarters of a year in which time he had been before the Bishop five times besides the time when he and five more were Condemned in the Consistory in Pauâ—s which was on the ninth day of the Month called February before the Seâ—â—ence was past the Bishop askt him if he would Recant but finding â—un to stand firm in his Faith said I have alwayes found thee at this Point I see no hope of reclaiming thee to the Catholick Faith but thou wilt continue a corrupt Member And then pronounced Sentence upon him how that he should go from that place to Newgate for a time and from thence to Burntwood Where said he Thou shalt be Burnt After he had Condemned the rest he called for William again and would have perswaded him to Recant saying if thou wilt Recant I will make thee a Free-man of the City and I will give thee forty Pounds to set up thy Trade with or I will make thee Steward of my House William Replyed I thank you for your great Offers if you cannot perfwade my Conscience with Scriptures I cannot find in my Heart to turn from God for the love of the World for I count all things worldly but loss and Dung in respect of the Love of Christ Then said the Bishop If thou diest in this mind thou art damned forever William answered God Judgeth righteously and justifieth them whom man condemneth unjustly Then the Bishop departed and William and the rest were sent to Newgate where they remained about a Month and then William was carried down to Burntwood where his Father and Mother coming to him hartily desired of the Lord that he might continue to the end in that good way in which he had begun counting themselves happy
that they had a Child that could lose his Life for Christ's sake Many people resorted to the Inn to see him whom he exhorted to leave the Abomination of Popisn Superstition and Idolatry At his Execution he desired the people to pray for him Justice Brown that first apprehended him standing by said I will pray no more for thee then I would for a Dog William answered Now you have what you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge at the last day I forgive you Brown said I ask no forgiveness of thee William If God forgive you not I shall require my Blood at your Hands The Fire being kindled William said I am not afraid and lifting up his Hands said Lord receive my Spirit and so sealed his Testimony with his Blood to the praise of God Justice Brown commanded an Officer to take Robert Hunter William's Brother and put him in the Stocks until he came back from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the Hill on the same day after he was taken out of the Stocks and brought before the Justice he askt him If he would do as his Brother had done Robert Hunter answered If I do as my Brother hath done I shall have as he hath had Thou mayest be sure of that said the Justice But after some further Examination he bid him go home Higbed and Canston Martyr The next that suffured were Higbed and Canston both of Essex two men so fervent for Religion that in these blind and Idolatries times could not lie long hid in obscurity but were constrained to bear their Testimony though it were by Death Bonnet perceiving these men were men of repute in their Country and such as were called Gentlemen was so much the more concerned to bring them off their Profession that he went down to Colchester himself to seek to reclaim them sometimes using fair Promises and flattering Enticements other times threatning them with high words to terrifie them in fine seeing them both constant and unmoveable in their Zeal for their Religion he caused them and some others at the same time and for the same cause apprehended in that Country to be brought up to London Prisoners where they were committed close Prisoners where they were first privately examined and urged by all means to forsake their Opinions by the Bishop and his Chaplain But when the Bishop saw that way would work no alteration he caused them to be brought to open Examination at the Consistory at Pauls the seventeenth day of the Mouth called February 1555. where being further pressed to Recant of the Errors they said they held and to return to the unity of the Church which they still refused whereupon a great List of Articles were delivered them and their Answers thereunto the next day required of them At the second time of their publick appearance and tryal their Answers were read and Canston being first called was exhorted again to be conformable to the unity of the Church into which they said they were ready to receive him He replyed you lay Snares and Gins to catch us but mark what measure you meet shall be measured to you again Then Higbed was called to whom the like perswasions were used but to as little purpose as the other for he told them he had been sixteen years in that mind he was then in and should not alter now At their last appearance before them the Prisoners declared calling God to record that their persisting in that stedfastness was not in wilfulness as some might judge but for Conscience sake for said they we sought the Lord that we might do nothing contrary to his blessed Word and in that he hath shewed his Power in our weakness we cannot but praise him unto whom we give thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord. When they had thus spoken the Bishop began to pronounce the Sentence against Canston to whom Canston said it was a rash Judgment without Love and Mercy Then was sentence also pronounced against Higbed and both delivered to the Sheriffs who sent them to Newgate where they remained fourteen dayes contiunally praising God not so much concerned at their Afflictions as rejoyced in their Consolations praying and earnestly desiring they might persevere to the end to the praise of the Eternal God and Comfort of the Brethren The fourteen dayes being expired they were by four a Clock in the Morning led from Newgate to Algate and there delivered to the Sheriff of Essex who conveyed them to the places where they were Executed viz. Higbed to Hornden on the hill and Thomas Canston to Rayly where they both with great constancy finished their Testimonies in the Fire greatly rejoycing and giving the glory to God The next that suffered were William Pyget Stephen Knight and John Lawrence Pyget Knight Lawrenâ— Martyr at their Examinations it was demanded of them to declare their Opinion concerning the Sacrament of the Altar to which they answered to this effect That in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine there is not the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ This Answer being given the Bishop caused Articles to be read against them to which they answered The second time they were brought before him he prest them to recant which they refusing saying They should stick to their Faith Wherefore the third time being brought before him he past Sentence upon them and committed them to the Custody of the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained in much Joy and comfort and at last were had down to Essex and there burnt When Stephen Knight came to the Stake which was at Maulden he kneeled down and prayed some Sentances of which Prayer are as followeth O Lord Jesus Christ for whose Love I leave willingly this Life and desire rather the bitter Death of the Cross with the loss of all Earthly things then to abide the Blasphemy of thy most holy Name or to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandment Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in Wordly Wealth to Worship a false God and honour thine Enemy I choose rather the Torment of the Body and the loss of this Life and have counted all things but Vile Dust and Dung that I might Win thee which Death is Dearer unto me then thousand of Gold and Silver such Love O Lord hast thou laid up in my Breast that I Hunger for thee as the Deer that is Wounded desireth the Soil send thy holy Comforter O Lord to Aid Comfort and Strengthen this Weak piece of Earth which is empty of all strength of it self Thou rememberst O Lord that I am â—ut 〈◊〉 therefore as thou of thy Love hast bidden me to this Banquet and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own Cup amongst thine Elect even so give me strength O Lord that so through me strength of thy holy Spirit I may pass through the rage of this fire into thy Bossom according to
lay two nights without any bed saving a few great Canvas Tent Cloths and after two nights he had a pair of Sheets allowed him but no Woolen clothes and there was kept without any being suffered to come at him only twice a day the Keeper when he brought him Victualls shortly after he was brought before the Earl again who examined him of the Sacrament at his Answers the Earl seemed to be somewhat pleased and hoped he would be conformable and commanded that he should have a bed and fire and liberty to go amongst his Servants when he departed he was much troubled in his Spirit for fear lest he had given advantage to his Adversaries in not confessing Christ so boldly as he ought to have done and was much grieved but considering his condition he cryed earnestly unto the Lord saying Strengthen me with thy holy Spirit with boldness to confess thee and deliver me from their enticing words that I may not be spoiled through their Phylosoply and vain deceit A day or two after he was sent for before two Priests who began to discourse with him concerning the Mass asking him what part of the Mass offended him he answered the whole Mass did offend him upon which discourse and other matters that past between them Articles were drawn up against him and they exhorted him to recant his Opinions he told them he could not change nor alter and desired them to speak to the Earl that during his Imprisonment his Friends might be suffered to relieve him with necessaries they still presisted to advise him to forsake his Opinions not regarding any Worldly shame he answered what he did was not for avoiding Worldly shame nor yet for any vain praise of the World but in the reverent fear of God they told him it was pity such a well-favoured Young man should so foolishly cast away himself he answered them to this effect My Wife Children and other delights of this World are as Sweet to me as another mans may be to him and I am as unwilling to lose them as another would if I might enjoy them with a good Conscience but my trust is said he that God will strengthen me to lose them all for his sake for I do not say or do any thing either out of Stubbornness willfullness vain Glory or any other Worldly purpose but with a good Conscience in the fear of God and farther said I commit my cause unto God who hath numbered the hairs of my head and appointed the dayes of my life who is a Righteous Judge and will make inquisition for my blood From Latham he was carried to Lancaster Castle where he was threatened for preaching to the people out of the Prison shortly after he was carried to Lancaster the Bishop of Chester came thither and sent for the Goaler and rebuked him for suffering George Marsh to fare so well and from thence he was removed to Chester and being brought before the Bishop he was further examined concerning the Sacrament and other matters and Articles drawn up against him and the last time he was brought before the Bishop the Bishops Chanceller made a Speech to the people to this effect The Bishop said he as a good Shepherd doth see to his Flock that no Scabby diseased Sheep infect the other wherefore his Lordship hath sent for this George Marsh as a Scabby Sheep to weed him out lest he corrupt others and then read the Articles against him and askt him if he would have mercy Marsh said he durst not deny Christ then the Bishop read the Sentence against him and committed him to the Northgate Prison and there was he kept in a dark Dungeon where none dared to come to him that had any Friendship towards him for fear of the Bishops threats so that he was kept very strictly in Prison until the time that he suffered death having little comfort or relief from any worldly Creature sometimes in an Evening some Citizens at a hole upon the Wall of the City that looked into the dark Prison would call to him and ask him how he did he would answer them chearfully that he did well and thanked God that he of his Mercy had appointed him to be a Witness of his Truth and to suffer for the same wherein he did rejoyce desiring that he might not faint under the Cross but patiently bare the same to Gods Glory and the Comfort of his Church once he had ten pence cast him in at the said hole and another time two shillings which did help to supply his necessity shortly after he was led to the place of Execution with a Lock upon his Foot he began to exhort the people but one of the Sheriffs would not suffer him to speak saying We must have no Sermon now so with patience he ended his dayes in the Fire Whilst he was a Prisoner he wrot several Epistles to his Friends and Relations and such as had been assistant to him in the time of his Sufferings the Epistles being large I shall only insert some of the Principle heads of some of them which if the Reader pernseth he will find them to be worth â—oting considering the time they were wrot in and first I shall begin with a letter he wrot to the Faithful Professors at Langton An Epistle by George Marsh to his Friends at Langton Grace be unto you and Peace be multiplied in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen I thought it meet to write unto my beloved in the Lord at Langton to stir up your minds and to call to your remembrance the Words which have been told you before and to exhort you as that Good Man and full of the holy Ghost Barnabas did the Antiochians That with purpose of heart you continually cleave unto the Lord and that ye stand fast and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel when Persecution ariseth because of the word do not fall away like shrinking Children and forsake the Truth for after this life the Godly being delivered from their Tribulations and Pains shall have a most quiet and joyful rest whereas the Wicked and Ungodly contrary wise shall be tormented for evermore as Christ by the Parable of the rich Glutton and wretched Lazarus doth plainly declare these ought we to have before our Eyes alwayes that in the time of Adversity and Persecution we may stand stedfast in the Lord and endure even unto the end that we may be saved for unless we like good Warriors of Christ Jesus endeavour our selves to please him who hath chosen us to be his Souldiers and fight the good sight of Faith even unto the end we shall not obtain the Crown of Righteousness which the Lord that is a righteous Judge shall give to all them that love his Coming Let us therefore receive with meekness the word that is grafted in us which is able to save our Souls and ground our selves on the sure Rock Christ for as the Apostle saith Other Foundation
can no man lay then that which is already laid which is Jesus Christ if any man build on this Foundation Gold Silver Pretious-Sones Timber Nay Stubble every mans work shall appear for the day shall declare it and it shall be shewed in Fire and the Fire shall try every mans work what it is if any mans work which he hath builded upon abide he shall receive a Reward if any mans work burn he shall suffer Loss but he shall be saved himself yet as it were through Fire By Fire here the Apostle understands Persecution and Trouble for they which do truely preach and profess the Word of God which is called the Word of the Cross shall be railed upon and abhorred hated thrust out of the Company persecuted and tryed in the Furnace of Adversity as Gold and Silver are tryed in the Fire By Gold Silver and pretious Stones he understandeth them that in the midst of Persecution abode stedfast in the Word By Timber Hay and Stubble are meant such as in the time of Persecution do fall away from the Truth and when Christ doth purge his Floor with the Wind of Adversity these scatter away like Chaff which shall be burnt with unquenchable Fire Wherefore my beloved give diligent heed that ye as living Stones be built upon this sure Rock and be made a spiritual House and holy Preistood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ for we are the true Temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in us if so be that we continue in the Doctrine of the Gospel we are also a holy and Royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices and Oblations And thus I commend you Brethren unto God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you further and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified beseeching you to help me and all them that be in bonds for the Gospel sake with your Prayers to God for us that we may be delivered from all them that believe not and from unreasonable and froward Men and that this our Imprisonment and Affliction may be to the glory and profit of our Christian Brethren in the World and that Christ may be magnified in our Bodies whether it be by death or by life Amen Salute me to all the faithful Brethren let them hear my Letters the Grace of our Lord be with you all Amen George Marsh In another Letter dated from Lancaster the thirtieth of August 1555. directed to his Friends at Manchester he writeth thus Confider what I say the Lord give us understanding in all things Brethren the time is short it remaineth that ye use this World as though you used it not for the fashions of this World vanisheth away see that ye Love not the World neither the things that are in the World but set your affections upon heavenly things be meek and long suffering serve and edifie one another with the gift that God hath given you beware of strange Doctrine lay aside the old conversation of greedy Lusts and walk in a New Life beware of uncleanness covetousness and foollish talking rejoyce and be thankful towards God and submit your selves one to another cease from sin be sober and apt to pray be patient in trouble love each other and let the Glory of God and profit of your Neighbour be the only mark you shoot at in all your doings repent ye of the life that is past and take better heed to your doings hereafter Another Letter to a Friend Grace be with you and Peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and Jesus the Lord. After hearty Commendations and Thanks to you for your large token but much more for your loving Letters full of Consolation to me as touching my person unknown to you these shall be to certifie you that I rejoyce greatly in the Lord when I perceive to see the minds of my Friends stirred up to bear part with me in this my costly imprisonment sending me things not only necessary for this persent life but also comfortable Letters encouraging exhorting me to continue grounded and established in the Faith and not to be moved away from the hope of the Gospel whereof according to my small Tallent I have been a Minister and daily I call and cry unto the Lord in whom is all my trust and without whom I can do nothing that he which hath begun a good work in me would go on with it until the day of Jesus Christ being surely certified in my Conscience of this that he will so do for as much as he hath given me that not only I should believe on him but also suffer for his sake The Lord strengthen me with his holy Spirit that I may be one of the number of those Blessed which enduring to the end shall be saved And whereas you say that my suffering of Persecution with Christ is a thing to you most comfortable I answer that in all my Adversities and Necessities nothing on your behalf is greater Consolation unto me then to hear of the Faith and Love of others and how they have good remembrance of us alwayes even as the Apostle said by the Thessalonians Now are we alive if ye stand stedfast in the Lord be strong let your hearts be of good comfort and wait ye still for the Lord he tarrieth not that will come look for him therefore and faint not and he will never fail you Yours George Marsh The next that suffered were John Cordmaker John Cordmaker and three other Martyrs John warn Upholster of London John Ardly and John Simson of Wigborrough in Essex husbandmen against these four persons many Articles were drawn up for not conforming to the Doctrine of the Popish Church according to common course of the Consistory Court they were several times called and the Articles against them read which Articles were much alike against them all and for refusing to recant they were all condemned and burat about the Month of May. The Examinations Sufferings and Martyrdom of Thomas Hawkes called a Gentleman written by himself The said Thomas Hawkes Thomas Hawkes Martyr was condemned when Thomkins and the rest with him were condemned which was in the Month called February but his Execution was not till the Month called June following and now coming in order to that Month it falls in course to relate his Tryals and Sufferings as followeth As touching his Education he was born in Essex of an honest stock and bred up a Courtier his Person and Stature very comly and his mind endued with excellent qualities a man of a gentle behaviour and of a fervent love to true Religion and godliness he was also singularly adorned with valour and courage whose Example therein was a good president to the rest of his Brethren and as it is recorded of him few men stood more notably or triumphed more gloriously then this young man for he was so wise in the Cause of God
never the better but worse and worse and therefore I will delay the time no longer but send you to Newgate Hawkes You can do me no better pleasure Bonner Why would you so fain go to Prison Hawkes Truly I did look for none other when I came to your hands Bonner Come on your wayes you shall see what I have written And then shewed him several Articles he had drawn up against him whereupon he thought he should have been carried to Prison the next day and so he had but that he was kept till Doctor Harpsfield had some discourse with him who began to perswade him concerning the Sacrament and the Ceremonies and after much talk he said That the Sacrament of the Altar was the same Body that was born of the Virgin Mary which did hang upon the Cross Hawkes He was upon the Cross both alive and dead which of them was the Sacrament Harpsfield Alive Hawkes How prove you that Harpsfield You must believe he that believeth not is condemned already Hawkes John saith he that believeth not in the Son of God is condemned already he does not say he that believeth not in the Sacrament is condemned already Harpsfield There is no talking with you Then said Hawkes Why is the Roodloff set between the Body of the Church and the Chancel Harpsfield You have askt a question you cannot answer your self Hawkes Yes that I can for this saith one of your own Doctors that the Body of the Church doth present the Church Millitant and the Chancel the Church Triumphant and so because we cannot go from the Church Millitant to the Church Triumphant but that me must bare the Cross of Christ this is the cause of the Roodlofâ— being between the Body of the Church and the Chancel Harpsfield This is well and Clarklike concluded Hawkes As all the rest of your Doctrines and so the discourse ended and Thomas Hawkes returned again to the Porters Lodge The next day being the first day of the Monâ—th called July the Bishop went to the Porters Lodge himself and called Thomas Hawkes to him and commanded him to make ready to go to Prison and writ a Warrant and sent two men with him to the Gate-house at Westmenster in the Warrant he writ to this effect to the Keeper to keep him safe Prisoner and let none speak with him for that said he he is a Sacramentary and one that speaketh against Baptism a seditious and perilous man some dayes after his commitment the Bishop sent two of his men to see how he did and whither he was the same man still to whom he answered I do like a Prisoner and am not changed They said my Lord would be glad that you should do well If he will do me any good said Hawks let him suffer my Friends to come to me so they departed but Hawkes heard no more of the Bishop till the third day of the Monâ—th called September following And then Bonner brought a charge against him and required him to set his hand to it but he refused saying I shall set my hand to nothing of your making or devising then the Bishop in great anger thrust him on the breast and said he would be even with him and with all such proud Knaves in Essex Hawkes You shall do no more ther God shall give you leave And as for your Cursings and Railings I care not for them for I know the Moths anâ— Worms shall eat you Bishop I wâ—â—â— be even with you when time shall come Hawkes You have been even with some of us already you may in your Mallice destroy a man but when you have done you cannot do so much as make a finger Bonner If I do thee any wrong take the Law of me Hawkes Soloman saith Go not to Law with a Judge for he will judge according to his own honour Bonner Soloman saith Give not a Fool an answer and I count thee a Fool and so dost thou me but God forgive thee Hawkes Thought is free Then took Bonner the Bill of Articles and read it again when he saw he could not have Hawkes hand to it he biâ— him take it into his hand and give it him again Hawkes What needeth that Ceremony It shall neither come into my hand nor heart After these private Conferences between the Bishop and Thomas Hawkes the Bishop seeing no hopes to win him to his Wicked Wayes he was fully bent to proceed openly against him and to that end caused him to be brought to the publick Consistory where Bonner brought the Articles he refused to sign against him the Bishop adding four more to them to the which Hawkes answered publickly then the Bishop exhorted him to return to the Mother Church but in a constant resolution he satisfied them he should never recant so long as he lived whereupon Bonner past the Sentence of Death upon him and shortly after he was delivered to the Sheriff of Essex and burnt at a Town called Coxhall This following Epistle he wrote to the Congregation An Epistle written by Thomas Hawkes Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ be alwayes with you all My Dear Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ for ever and his holy Spirit conduct and lead you in all your doings that you may alwayes direct your deeds according to his holy Word that when he shall appear to reward every man according to their works you may as Obedient Children be found Watching ready to enter into his Everlasting Kingdom with your Lamps Burning and when the Bridegroom shall shew himself ye need not to be ashamed of this life that God hath lent you which is but transitory vain and like unto a vapour that for a season appeareth and vaniâ—heth away so soop passeth away all our terrestial honour glory and felicity For all Flesh saith the Prophet is grass and all his glory as the Flower of the Field which for a season sheweth her beauty and as soon as the Lord bloweth upon it it withereth away and departeth For in this transitory and dangerous Wilderness we are as Pilgrims and Strangers following the foot-steps of Moses among many unspeakeable dangers beholding nothing with our outward man but all vanities and vexation of mind subject to hunger cold nakedness bonds sickness loss labour banishment in danger of that dreadfull Dragon and his sinfull seed to be devoured tempted and tormented who ceaseth not behind every Bush to lay a bait when we walk awry to have his pleasure upon us casting abroad his Apples in all places times and seasons to see if Adam will be allured and enticed to leave the Living God and his most holy Commandments whereby he is assured of everlasting life promising the World at will to all that will fall down in all Ages and for a mess of pottage sell and set at nought the Everlasting Kingdom of Heaven so â—rail is Flesh and Blood and especially Israel is most ready to walk awry when
fare your Lordship well from London this second of July Your Lordships loving Friends Nicholas Hare Richard Rede William Roper William Cooke An Account of the most remarkable Passages at their Examination and Executions are as followeth Elizabeth Warne Martyr Elizabeth Warne of London Widdow her Husband being not long before her death burnt for the same cause she was first apprehended at a Meeting in Bow-Lane where she with others were at prayer and was first carried to the Counter and from thence to Newgate being brought before Bonner the common Articles usally administred to the Martyrs and such as had before suffered were objected against her In the end being brought divers times before him and urged to recant she said do what you will for if I am in an Error Christ was in an Error upon which answer he condemned her as an Heretick and she was burnt at Stratford-Bow neer London about the latter end of the Month called May 1555. George Tankerfield of London Cook born in the City of York Aged about twenty seven years G. Tankerfield Martyr at his first conversion being something touched in his understanding he desired the Lord would open his Truth to him according to his Request there was wrought in him daily a further detestation of the Mass and such Idolatrous stuff so that he did abhor the same and his mind came more and more to be enlightened that at length such a Flame was kindled in him that he began not only to reprove and declare against his own former ignorant actions but exhorted others to repent and to return to the Truth but no sooner did this good thing stir in him but the bad stirred in his Adversaries against him who sent one to his House to apprehend him when the Messenger came for him he was from home but the Messenger declaring to his Wife a Lye saying that he was come for her Husband to dress a Banquet for the Lord Paget the Woman mistrusting no evil in the matter sought out her Husband and acquainted him of the business the poor man when he heard the Message said A Banquet Woman indeed it s such a Banquet as will not be very pleasent to the Flesh but Gods will be done and went home with her where he was soon apprehended and had to Newgate shortly after he was brought to Examination before Bonner where the common Articles concerning the Sacrament and Auricular Confession c. were objected against him and for refusing to recant Sentence was past against him and he was delivered to the Sheriff of Hartford-Shire and burnt at Albions upon the 26th of the Moneth called August 1555. The Sufferings and Examination of Robert Smith who Suffered for the Truth in the Month called August 1555. Robert Smith was brought to Newgate the fifâ—h of the Month called November by John Mathew yeoman of the Gâ—ard by order of the Council this Smith first served in the house of Sir Thomas Smith Knight being then Provest of Eaton from thence he was preferred to Windsor having there in the Colledge a Clerk nâ—p of ten pounds a year of stature he was tall and slender aâ—â—â—e â—â—bout many things In Religion he was fervent after he had â—â—ce â—â—â—â—d the Truth at the coming of Queen Mary to the Crown he was â—eprived of his Clerkship by her Visitors and not long after wâ—s appreheaded and brought to Examination before Bonner as here followeth written and testified with his own hand The principal heads of the first Examination of Robert Smith before Bishop Bonner written by himself About nine of the Clock in the Morning I was among the rest of my Brethren brought to the Bishops house and I first of all was brought before him into his Chamber to whom the Bishop said as followeth after he had asked my Name Bonner How long is it ago since the time that you were confessed to any Priest Smith Never since I had years of discretion for I never saw it needful neither commanded of God to come to shew my faults to any of that sinful number whom ye call Priests Bonner Thou shewest thy self even at the first chop to be a rank Heretick which being weary of painting art entred into Divinity and so fallen through thy departing from thy vocations into Heresie Smith Although I have understanding in the said Occupation yet I praise God I have had little need all my life hitherto to live by the same but have lived without the same in mine own house as honestly in my vocation as ye have lived in yours and yet used the same better then ever you used the Pulpit Bonner How long is it ago since you received the Sacrament of the Altar and what is your opinion in the same Smith I never received the same since I had years of discretion nor never will by Gods Grace neither do esteem the same in any point because it hath not Gods Ordinance neither in Name nor in other usage but rather is set up and erected to mock God withal Bonner Do you not believe that it is the very Body of Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary naturally substantially and really after the words of Consecration Smâ—th I shewed you before it was none of Gods Ordinances as you use it then much less to be God or any part of his Substance but only bread and wine erected to the use aforesaid yet nevertheless if ye can prove it to be the Body that ye speak of by the Word I â—ill believe it if not I will as I do account it a detestable Idol not God but contrary to God and his Truth Then after many raging words and vain Objections he said There was no remedy but I must be burned Smith Ye shall do no more unto me then ye have done to better men then either of us both but think not thereby to quench the Spirit of God neither thereby to make your matter good for your sore is too well seen to be healed so privily with Blood for even the very Children have all your deeds in derision so that although ye parch up one place with Authority yet shall it break forth in forty to your shame Then after much ado and many railing sentences the Bishop said throwing away the Paper of mine Examination Well even now by my Troth even in good earnest if thou wilt go and be shriven I will tear this Paper in pieces Smith To which I answered it would be too much to his shame to shew it to men of discretion After which Answer I was carried down to the Garden with my Goaler and there remained until my Brother Harwood was examined and then being again brought up before the said Bonner he demanded if I agreed with Harwood in his Confession upon this Articles following Bonner What say you to the Catholick Church do ye not confess there is one in Earth Smith Yesverily I believe that there is one Catholick Church or faithful Congregation which as the
Apostle saith is builded upon the Prophets and Apostles Christ Jesus being the head Corner-Stone which Church in all her words and works maintaineth the Word and bringeth the same for her Authority and without it doth nothing nor oughâ—â—â— do of which I am assured I am by Grace made a Member Bonner You shall understand that I am bound when my Brother offendeth and will not be reconciled to bring him before the Congregation now if your Church be the same where may a man find it to bring his Brother before the same Smith It is written in the Acts of the Apostles that when the Tyranny of the Bishops was so great against the Church in Jury they were fain to Congregate in Houses and private places as they now do and yet were they nevertheless the Church of God and seeing they had their matters redressed being shut up in a Corner may not we do the like now adayes Bonner Yea their Church was known full well for St. Paul writ to the Corinthians to have the man punished and Excomunicated that had committed evil with his Fathers Wife whereby we may well perceive it was a known Church but yours is not known Smith Then could you not Persecute it as ye do but as ye say the Church of God at Corinth was manifest both to God and Paul even so is this Church of God in England whom ye Persecute both known to God and also even to the very Wicked although they know not nor will not know their Truth nor Conversation yea and your sinful number have professed their Truth and maintained the same a long season Bonner Well Thou sayest that the Church of God was only at Corinth when Paul writ unto them and so will I put in Writing shall I Smith I do marvel greatly that you are not ashamed to lay Snares for your Brethren on this manner this is now the third Snare you have laid for me first to make me confess that the Church of England is not the Church of Christ Secondly to say it is not known Thirdly to say the Church of God is not Universal but Particular and this is not the office of a Bishop for if an Innocent had come in your way you would have done your best I see to have intangled him Harpsfield Well Friend quoth one of the Chaplains you are no Innocent as appeareth Smith By the Grace of God I am that I am and this Grace in me I hope is not vain Bonner Laughing said tell me how sayest thou of the Church Smith I told you whereupon the true Church is builded and I affirm in England to be the Congregation of God and also in Omnem Terram as it is written their sound is gone forth into all Lands and that is the afflicted and persecuted Church which ye cease not to Imprison Slay and Kill And in Corinth was not all the Congregation of God but a number of those holy and elect People of God for neither Paul nor Peter were present at Corinth when they wrote and yet were they of the Church of God as many thousands more which also Communicate in that holy Spirit Bonner What call you Catholick and what call you Church Smith Catholick is universal and Church is a Congregation knit together in unity Then after much like vain talk it was laid to his charge that his fellow and he spoke one thing whereof he praised God and was sent again to the Garden where after a while as his Brother Harwood and he had been together came one of the Chaplains that much desired to commune with him demanding first if he were a Prisoner Smith I am in this flesh a Prisoner and subject to my Master and yours but I hope yet the Lords Free-man through Christ Jesus Doctor I do much desire to talk with you lovingly because you are a man that I much lament with many other sweet words To which I answered sub melle lates venenum and after much ado about his God I compelled him to say that it must needs enter into the Belly and so fall into the draught to which he answered Doctor What deragation was it to Christ when the Jews spit in his Face Smith If the Jews being his Enemies did but spit in his Face and we being his Friends throw him into the draught which of us have deserved the greatest Damnation Then by your Arguments he that doth injury to Christ shall have a most Plenteous Salvation Then start he away and would have his humanity in comprehensible making a comparison between our Soul and the Body of Christ bringing in to serve his turn which way Christ came in among his disciples the Doors being shut Smith Although it be said that when he came the doors were shut yet have I as much to prove that the doors opened at his coming as ye have to prove he came through the door for that mighty God that brought the Disciples out of prison which yet when search came were found shut was able to let Christ in at the door although it were shut and yet it maketh not for your purpose for they saw him heard him and felt him and so cannot we say ye do at which answer he made many scoffs and departed and we were carried into my Lords Hall where we were baited of my Lords Band almost all the day until our Keeper seeing their misorder shut us up in a fair Chamber while my Lord went into his Sinagogue to condemn M. Dealy and John Newman Rob. Smith brought again before the Bishop and the L. Mayor Then brought they up the Lord Mayor to hear our matter above in the Chamber and I first of all was called into the Chamber where the Bishop intended to Sup where the Lord Mayor being set with the Bishop and one of the Sheriffs Wine was walking on every side I standing before them as an outcast which made me remember how Pilate and Herod were made Friends but no man was sorry for Josephs hurt but after the Bishop had well drunk my Articles were sent for and read and he demanded whether I said not as was written Smith That I have said I have said and what I have said I do mean utterly Bonner Well my Lord Mayor your Lordship hath hard somewhat what a stout Heretick this is and that his Articles have deserved death yet nevertheless for as much as they do report me for to seek Blood and cast me Bloody Bonner whereas God knoweth I never sought any mans blood in all my life I have stayed him from the Consistory this day whether I might have brought him justly and yet here before your Lordship I desire him to turn and I will with all speed dispatch him out of trouble and this I profess before your Lordship and all this Audience Smith Why do you put on this fair visor before the Lord Mayor to make him believe that ye seek not my Blood to Câ—oâ—k your Murthers through my stoutness as you
Mass this is the most unshamfaced Heretick that ever I heard speak Smith Well sworn my Lord you keep a good Watch. Bonner Well Mr. Controler you catch me at my Words but I well Watch thee as well I warrent thee John Mordant being by said By my Troth my Lord I never heard the like in all my life but I pray you my Lord mark well his answer for Baptism he disalloweth therein holy Oyntment Salt and such other laudable Ceremonies which no Christian man will deny Smith That is a shameful Blasphemy against Christ so to use any mingle-mangle in your Baptism Bonner I believe I tell thee that if they die before they are Baptized they are damned Smith You shall never be saved by that belief but I pray you my Lord shew me are we saved by Water or by Christ Bonner By both Smith Then the Water died for our Sins and so must you say that the Water hath life and it being our Servant and created for us is our Saviour Bonner Why how understandest thou these Scriptures except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And again suffer saith our Saviour these Children to come unto me if thou wilt not suffer them to be Baptized after the laudable order thou lettest them to come unto Christ Smith Where you alleadge except a man be born c. And will thereby prove the Water to save The Apostle asked the Calathians whether they received the Spirit by the deeds of the Law or by the Preaching of faith And where you say I let the Children from coming unto Christ it is manifest by our Saviours Words that you let them to come that will not suffer them to come without the necessity of Water for he saith suffer them to come unto me and not unto Water and it is not saith St. Peter the washing away of the filth of the Flesh but in a good Conscience converteth unto God and to prove that the Water only bringeth not the holy Ghost it is written that Simon received Water and would have received the holy Ghost for Money and many received the holy Ghost before Baptism and to Judge Children damned that be not Baptized it is Wicked Mordant By our Lady Sir but I believe that if my Child dye without Water he is damned Bonner Yea and so do I and all Catholick men good Master Mordant Smith Well my Lord such Catholick such Salvation Bonner Well Sir what say you to the Sacrament of Orders Smith You may call it the Sacrament of Misorders for all orders are appointed of God but as for your Shaving Anointing Creasing Poling and Rounding there are no such things appointed in Gods Book and therefore I have nothing to do to believe your orders and as for you my Lord if you had grace or intelligence you would not so dis-figure your self as you do Bonner Sayst thou so now by my Troth and I will go shave my self to anger thee withall desiring me before he went to answer to these Articles Bonner What say you to the holy Bread and holy Water to the Sacrament of Anointing and to all the rest of such Ceremonies of the Church Smith I say they be Baubles for Fools to play withall and not for the Children of God to exercise themselves in and therefore they may go among the refuse Then went away M. Mordent and my Lord went to shaving leaving there certain Doctors as he called them to assay what they could do of whom I was baited half an hour of whom I asked this question where were all you in the dayes of King Edward that you spake not that which you speak now Doctor We were in England Smith Yes but then you had the Faces of men but now you have put on Lyons Faces again you shew your selves as full of malice as may be for you have for every time a visor yea and if another King Edward should arise ye would then say down with the Pope for he is Antichrist and so are his Angels Then they reviled me and had me away but brought me before them again and one of them asked me if I disallowed confession Smith To whom I answerd look in my Articles and they will show you what I allow Doctor In your Articles you confess that you allow not auricular Confession Smith I allow it not because the Word alloweth it not nor commandeth it not Doctor Why it is written thou shalt not hide thy Sins and Offences Smith No I do not when I confess them to Almighty God Doctor Why you cannot say that you can hide them from God and therefore your must understand the words are spoken to be uttered to them that do not know them Smith You have made a good answer then must the Priest confess himself to me as I to him for I know his faults and secrcets no more then he knows mine and David said I will confess my Sins unto thee Lord And after some more words passed between me and the Doctors came in the Bishop from shaving and asked me How I liked him Smith Forsooth you are even as wise as you were before you were shaven Bonner Well How standeth it Master Doctors have you done any good Doctor No by my Troth my Lord we can do no good Smith Then it is fulfilled which is written How can an evil Trâ—â— bring forth good Fruit Bonner Nay naughty fellow I set these Gentlemen to bring thee home to Christ Smith Such Gentlemen such Christs and as truly as they have that Name from Christ so truly do they teach Christ Bonner Well wilt thou neither hear them nor me Smith Yes I am compelled to hear you but you cannot compel me to follow you Bonner Well thou shalt be burnt at a Stake in Smithfield if thou wilt not turn Smith And you shall burn in Hell if you repent not But my Lord to put you out of doubt because I am weary I will strain Curtesie with you I perceive you will not with your Doctors come unto me and I am not determined to come unto you by Gods Grace for I have hardned my Face against you as hard as Brass Then after many railing sentences I was sent away And thus have I left the Truth of my Answers in writing being thereunto desired by my Friends that you may see how the Lord hath according to his promise given me a Mouth and Wisdom to answer in his Cause for which I am condemned and my Cause not heard The Substance of the last Examination of Robert Smith before Bishop Bonner with his Condemnation in the Consistory The second day of July I was with my Brethren brought into the Consistory and mine Articles read before the Mayor and the Sheriffs with all the Assistants unto which I answered as followeth Bonner By my faith my Lord Mayor I have shewed him as much favour as any man living might do but I perceive all is lost both in him
and all his Company Smith At this word which he coupled with an Oath came I in and said my Lord it is written you must not Sware Bonner Ah Master Controler are you come Lo my Lord Mayor this is Master Speaker pointing to my Brother Tankerfield and this is Master Controler pointing to me and then began to read my Articles Smith I require you my Lord in Gods behalf unto whom pretaineth your Sword and Justice that I may here before your presence answer to these Objections that are laid against me and if any thing can be proved Heresie that I have said I will recant before this Auditory Mayor Why Smith thou canst not deny but this thou saydest Smith Yes I deny that which he hath written because he hath both added to and diminished from the same but what I have spoken I will never deny Mayor Why thou speakest against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Smith I denied it to be any Sacrament and I do stand here to make proof thereof and if my Lord here or any of his Doctors be able to prove either the name or usage of the same I will recant mine error Then spake my Brother Tankerfield and defended the probation of things which they called Heresie unto which the Bishop answered Bonner By my troth Master Speaker you shall Preach at a Stake Smith Well sworn my Lord you keep a good Watch. Bonner VVell Master Controler I am no Saint Smith No nor yet good Bishop for a Bishop saith St. Paul should be faultless and a dedicate Vessel unto God and are you not ashamed to sit in Judgment and be a Blasphemer condemning Innocents Bonner VVell Master Controler you are faultless Note the said Robert Smith being charged â—alsly in the said Articles turning to the Mayor said Smith speaking to the Mayor said I require you in Gods name that I may have Justice we are here this day a great many Innocents that are wrongfully Accused of Heresie and I require you if you will not seem to be partial let me have no more favour at your hands then the Apostle had at the hands of Festâ— and Agrippa who being Heathens and Infidells gave him leave not only to speak for himself but also heard the probation of his Cause this require I at your hands who being a Christian Judge I hope will not deny me that right which the Heathen have suffered if ye do then shall all this Audience and the Heathen speak shame of your fact for a City saith our Saviour that is builded on a hill cannot be hid if they therefore have the Truth let it come to light for all that well do come to the Light and they that do evil hate the Light Then the Mayor hanging down his head said nothing but the Bishop told him he should preach at a Stake and so the Sheriff cryed with the Bishop Away with him Thus came he before them four times desiring Justice but could have none and at length his Friends requiring with ouâ— voice the same but could not have it they had Sentence and then being carried out were brought in again and had it every men severally given But before the Bishop gave Sentence on Richard Smith he told him in derision of his Brother Tankerfield a Tale between a Gentleman and his Cook To which he answered you fill the Peoples Ears with Fantasies and foolish Tales and make a laughing matter at Blood but if you were a true Bishop you should leave these railing Sentences and speak the Words of God Bonner Well I have offered to that naughty fellow Master Speaker your Companion the Cook that my Chancellor should here instruct him but he hath here with great disdain forsaken it How sayst thou wilt thou have him instruct thee and lead thee in the right way Smith If your Chancellor shall do me any good and take any pains as you say let him take mine Articles in his hands that you have objected against me and either prove one of them Heresie or any thing that you do to be good and if he be able so to do I stand here with all my heart to hear him if not I have no need I praise God of his Sermon for I come to answer for my life and not to hear a Sermon Then began the Sentence in Dei Nomine To which Smith answered that he began in a wrong name requiring of him where he learned in Scriptures to give sentence of death against any man for his Conscience sake To the which he made no answer but went forward to the end and immediately cryed Away with him Then Smith turned to the Mayor and Sheriffs and said Is it not enough for you that ye have left the strait way of the Lord but that you must condemn Christ causless Bonner Well Master Controller now you cannot say but I have offered you fair to have Instruction and now I prithee call me bloody Bishop and say I seek thy Blood Smith Well although neither I nor any of this Congregation do report the truth of your fact yet shall these Stones cry it out rather then it shall be hidden Bonner Away with him away with him Woodrofe Away with him take him away Smith Well good Friends ye have seen and heard the great wrong that we have received this day and ye are all Records that we have desired the probation of our cause by Gods Book and it hath not been granted but we are condemned and our cause not heard nevertheless my Lord Mayor forasmuch as here you have exercised Gods Sword câ—â—sless and will not hear the right of the poor I commit my cause to Almighty God that shall judge all men according unto right before whom we shall both stand without Authority and there will I stand in the right to your great confusion except your repent which the Lord grant you to do if it be his will and then was I with the rest of my Brethren carried away to Newgate Thus gentle Reader as neer as I can I have set out the Truth of my Examination and the verity of mine unjust condemnation for the Truth desiring God that it may not be laid to the châ—rge of thee O England requiring your hearty prayers unto God for his Grace and Spirit of boldness with hope even shortly to set to my Seal at Uxbridge the eighth of August by Gods Grace pray that it may be to his honour my Salvation and your Consolation I pray you Dagloriam Deo Robert Smith Thus Reader thou hast a full Relation of the Christian fortitude and valour of this faithful Martyr who so valiantly and manfully stood in the defence of his Masters cause and as thou seest him here boldly stand in Examination before the Bishop and Doctors so was he no less comfortable also in the Prison among his Fellows who being togâ—â—â—â—r Prisoners in Newgate did daily pray and exhort one another and his care was not only for those in the â—ame
Right hand of God the Father and therefore I do not believe him to be in the Sacrament of the Altar but he is in the worthy Receiver and your Sacrament as you use it is an abominable Idol George Brâ—dbridge said as for your holy Bread and holy Water and your Mass I utterly defie them They were all five condemned and burnt at Canterbury the sixth day of the 7th Moneth 1555. Two burnt at Lichfield About the middle of the same Moneth Thomas Hayward and John â—oreway were both burnt at Lichfield The Persecutions and Sufferings of Robert Glover About the Moneth called September 1555. there was a privy Commission sent down to the Mayor of Coventry to apprehend John Glover Brother of the said Robert Rob. Clover Martyr but John having some notice of the Officers coming escaped but they searching in an upper Room found Robert Glover lying sick in Bed and had him away before the Sheriff who being detained till the Bishop came and was then examined a Relation of his Troubles and Conflicts he had with the Bishop He sent his Wife in a Letter some Passages most material of which are as followeth To my intirely beloved Wife Mary Glover The peace of Conscience which passeth all understanding the Sweet Consolation Comfort Strength and Boldness of the holy Ghost be continually increased in our hearts through a servant earnest and stedfast faith in our most dear and only Saviour Jesus Christ Amen I thank you heartily most loving Wife for your Letters sent unto me in my imprisonment I read them with tears more then once or twice for Joy and Gladness that God had wrote in you so merciful a work These your Letters and the hearing of your most godly proceedings and constant doing from time to time have much relieved and comforted me at all times and shall be a goodly Testimony with you at the great Day If I would have given place to worldly reasons these might have moved me first the foregoing of you and my Children the consideration of the state of my Children being yet tender of Age and young apt and inclineable to virtue and learning and so having the more need of my Assistance being not altogether destitute of gifts to help them withal possessions above the common sort of men because I was never called to be a preacher or minister because of my sickness fear of death in imprisonment before I should come to my answer and so my death to be unprofitable But these and such like I thank my heavenly Father who of his infinite mercy inspired me with his holy Ghost for his Sons sake prevailed not in me but when I had by the wonderfull permission of God fallen into their hands at the first sight of the Sheriff Nature a little abashed yet ere ever I came to the Prison by the working of God and through his goodness fear departed I said to the Sheriff at his coming unto me what matter have you to charge me withal He answered you shall know when you come before the Masters I lookt to have been brought before the Masters and to have heard what they could have burthened me withal but contrary to my expectation I was committed forthwith to the Goal not being called to my answer little Justice being shewed therein but the less Justice a man findeth at their hands the more Consolation in Conscience shall he find from God for whosoever is of the World the World will love him After I came into Prison and had reposed my self there a while I wept for Joy and Gladness my belly full musing much of the great mercies of God and as it were saying to my self after this sort Oh Lord who am I on whom thou shouldest bestow this great mercy to be numbered among the Saints that suffer for the Gospel sake And so beholding and considering on the one side my imperfection unableness sinfull misery and unworthiness and on the other side the greatness of Gods mercy to be called to so high promotion I was as it were amazed and overcome for a while with joy and gladness concluding thus with my self in my heart Oh Lord thou shewest Power in Weakness Wisdom in Foolishness Mercy in Sinfulness who shall let thee to choose where and whom thou wilt as I have zealously loved the confession of thy Word so ever thought I my self to be most unworthy to be a partaker of the affliction for the same Not long after came unto me M. Brasbridge M. Phinees and M. Hopkins travelling with me to be dismissed upon bonds to whom my answer was to my rememberance after this sort for as much as the Masters have imprisoned me having nothing to burthen me withal If I should enter into bouds I should in so doing Accuse my self and seeing they have no matter to lay to my charge they may as well let me pass without boÌ„nds as with bonds And when they were somewhat importune I said to one of them that liberty of Conscience was a pretious thing and took as it were a pause lifting up my heart to God earnestly for his aide and help that I might do the thing that might please him and so when they had let their sure fall my heart me thought was wonderfully comforted Afterward debating the matter with my self these considerations came into my head I have from time to time with good Conscience God I take to record moved all such I had Conference withal to be no dalliers in Gods matters but to shew themselves after so great a light and knowledge hearty earnest constant and stable in so manifest a Truth and not to give place one jot contrary to the same now thought I if I shall withdraw my self and make any shifts to pull my own neck our of the Collar I shall give great offence to my weak Brethren in Christ and advantage to the Enemy to slander Gods Word it will be said he hath been a great boldner of others to be earnest and fervent to fear no worldly perrils or dangers but he himself will give no such example Wherefore I thought it my bounden duty both to God and man being as it were by the great goodness of God marvelously called and appointed hereunto to set aside all fear perril and dangers all worldly respects and considerations and like as I had hereto according to the measure of my small gift from the bottom of my heart unfeignedly moved exhorted and perswaded all that profess Gods Word manfully to persist in the defence of the same not with Sword and Voilence but with suffering and loss of life rather then to defile themselves again with the Whorish abominations of the Romish Anti-christ so the hour being come with my fact and Example to ratific and confirm the same to the hearts of all true Believers and to this end by the assistance of Gods holy Spirit I resolved my sâ—lf with much peace of Conscience willingly to sustain whatsoever the Romish Anti-christ should
that I hear no more complaint of thee and come to the Church when thou wilt and if thou be complained upon so far as I may I promise thee I will not hear of it VVilliam said in reply I was brought hither by a Law and by a Law I will be delivered at the Sessions the said VVilliam was committed to the Castle at VVisbidge Robert Pygot a Painter by Trade was at the same Sessions presentde for not going to Church and being called before Sr. Clement Higham Judge of the Sessions who said to Pygot Ah are you the holy Father the Painter How chance you come not to Church Robert Pygot I am not out of the Church I trust in God No Sr. said the Judge this is no Church this is a Hall Rob. Pygot I know very well it is a Hall but he that is in the true faith of Jesus Christ is never absent but present in the Church of God Ah Sirrah said the Judge you are too high learned for me to talk withal wherefore I will send you to them that be better learned and committed him to the Goal where VVoolsey lay and from thence they were both carried to Ely where they remained Prisoners till the day of their death About the nineteenth day of the same Month they were had to Judgment before Doctor Fullor then Chancellor and others who laid several Articles to their charge viz. that they denied the Sacrament of the Altar whereunto their answer was that the Sacrament of the Altar was an Idol One of the Commissioners drew up a Paper that he would have Robert Pygot sign No said Pygot that is your Faith and not mine When these two men were burnt there was a great Sheet knit full of Books burnt with them It is further testified concerning those two Martyrs by one William Fulk of Cambridge that they were burnt at Ely Pygot he said was milde humble and modest promising that he would be conformable to his Persecutors if they could perswade him by the Scriptures Wolsey he said was stout strong and vehement and detested all their doings as of whom he was sure to receive nothing but Cruelty and Tyranny he was wonderous jealous over his Companion fearing least his gentle Nature would have been overcome by the flatering inticements of the World and therefore the same day that they were burned when they would have talked with him alone he pulled him away from them almost by force Ridley and Latimer burnt at Oxford About the same time were burned at Oxford Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer both Bishops when the Faggot was brought kindled and laid at Nicholas Ridley's feet Latimer spake to him in this manner Be of good comfort we shall this day light such a Candle by Gods Grace in England as I trust shall never be put out Three burnt at Canterbury About the thirtieth of the Month called November 1555. John Web George Roper and Gregory Porke were all burnt together in one Fire at Canterbury abiding most patiently the torment counting themselves happy and blessed of the Lord that they were made worthy to suffer for Christs Gospel sake William Wiseman a Clothworker of London the thirtieth of December following died a Prisoner for the Gospel in Lollards Tower after he was departed the Papists commanded that no man should bury him but he was cast out into the fields accounting him as a prophane person and worthy of no burial yet some faithful Brethren buried him in the evening as they did the rest thrown out in like sort whom they were wont privily by night to bury In the same Month James Gore died Prisoner in Colchester for the Truth of Gods Word John Philpot Martyr The next followeth the Martyrdom of John Philpot who suffered for the sake of the Gospel of Christ and a Witness against the Antichristian Sea of Rome He was a Knights son and was born in Hampshire and was brought up in learning he was of a pregnant wit of singular courage and zealous in Religion When Queen Mary came to the Crown she caused a Convocation to be held where this John Philpot was present where he vindicated the cause of the Gospel manfully against the adverse party for the which cause he was called to account by Bishop Gardner the Chancellor notwithstanding the Liberty of the House promised before after Gardner had examined him he sent him to Bonner and his Commissinors Q. Mary An. 5515 with whom he had sundry conflicts the most material passages in which examinations I have here inserted Doctor Story looking on him said He was well fed Philpot If I be fat it is no marvel since I have been staled up in Prison a year and a half in a close corner Roper We here say you are out of the Catholick Church and have been a disturber of the same wherefore if you will come into the same you shall be received and find favour Philpot I am come before you and I would know my Offence and if I have done nothing contrary to the Laws I desire I may have the benefit of a Subject and be delivered out of my wrong imprisonment Story Thou art an Heretick and holdest against the blessed Mass Philpot What I spoke in the Convocation House the Queen and Council gave Liberty to every man of the House to utter his Conscience and to speak his mind freely of such matters in Religion as were propounded by the Prolocutor for which I ought not to be molested nor compelled by you to answer for the same Story Thou shalt go to the Lollards Tower and there shalt thou be handled like a Heretick as thou art and be Judged by the Bishop of London Philpot I have been Examined and imprisoned by the Chancellor mine Ordinary and by the Law I may have exceptionem fori and it s against all equity that I should be twice vexed for one cause and that by such as by the Law have nothing to do with me Story Thou shalt be had to the Lollards Tower Philpot Since you will needs shew me this Extremity I desire to see your Commission that gives you Authority so to do Roper Let him see the Commission Story Shall we lit every vile person see our Commission Cholmly Let him go from whence he came and on Thursday he shall see our Commission Story No let him lie in the mean while in the Lollards Tower I will sweep the Kings-Beach and all the other Prisons of these Hereticks so that they shall not have that resort as they have had to scatter their Heresies Philpot You have power to transfer my Body from place to place at your pleasure but you have no power over my Soul and I pass not whither you commit me for I cannot be worse entreated then I am kept all day in a close Chamber Story Marshall Take him home with you again and bring him on Thursday and then we shall rid your fingers of him and afterwards of your other
his holy Spirit to their Everlasting health both for Body and Soul I now most dear Christians having the Sweet Comfort of Gods saving health and being confirmed with his free Spirit be he only praised therefore am constrained in my Conscience thinking it my very Duty to admonish you as ye tender the Salvation of your Souls by all manner of means to seperate your selves from the Company of the Popes Hirelings considering what is said in the Revelation of St. John by the Angel of God touching all men the words be these If any man Worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink the Wine of the Wrath of God which is poured into the Cup of his wrath and he shall be punished with Fire and Brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and the Smoak of their Torment ascendeth up evermore Come out from among them and joyn not your selves to their unlawfull Assemblies yea do not once shew your selves with the least part of your Body to favour their Wicked doings but glorifie God as most right is so well in your whole Body outwardly as inwardly in your Spirit or else you can do neither of both well for your Body doth belong to God as well asyour Spirit at the Dreadfull Day of judgment we shall all receive the Works of our Bodies according to that we have done whether it be good or bad Therefore whatsoever we do we may not bring the Spirit in bondage to the Body but contrary wise we may subdue the Body and the will of the Flesh to the Spirit that the Spirit may freely accomplish the will of God in all things for otherwise we shall never be Partakers of his Promise with the true Children of Abraham for as Paul saith they which are the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God if we live according to the Flesh we shall die for to be carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace because that the fleshly mind is Emnity to God for it is not obedient to the Law of God neither can be so then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Now choose you which way you will take either the narrow Way that leadeth to Life which Christ himself and his faithfull Followers have gone through before or else the broad Path-way which leadeth to Destruction which the Wicked Worldlings take their pleasure in for a while I for my part have now written this short Admonition unto you of good will as God be my Witness to exhort you to that Way which at length you your selvos shall prove and find to be best yea and rejoyce thereof And I do not only write this but I will also with the assistance of Gods Grace ratifie confirm and sâ—al the same with the effusion of my Blood when the full time shall be expired that he hath appointed which so far forth as I may judge must needs be within these few dayes Therefore I now bid you all most heartily farewell in the Lord whose Grace be with your Spirit Amen Watch and Pray Watch and Pray Pray Pray so be it John Hullier On the 24th day of April so called there were six men burnt at one fire in Colchester Six men burnt at Colchester where the most part of them did inhabit there names were Christopher Laster of Dingham Husband-Man John Mace of Colchester Apothecary John Spencer Weaver of Colchester Symon Joyne Sawyer Richard Nicholes of Colchester Weaver John Hammond of Colchester Tanner Being had to the Bishops House at Fulham several Articles were objected against them concerning the Sacrament of the Altar and other things the same in effect that were propounded to others that suffered before them to the which they made there several Answers agreeing altogether there in one Truth and standing most firmly unto their Christian-profession though they were by divers wayes and means tryed and proved whether they would revoke their Faith and return to Anti-christs-Church which thing when they refused the Bishop stoutly pronounced the Sentence of condemnation against them committing them unto the temperal power who receiving the writ De Hereticis Comburandis the 28th day of the Mon. called April as aforesaid they cheefully ended their lives to the glory of God and the great encouragment of others The next that suffered were Hugh Laverock of Barking Hugh Laverock and Jo. Apprice Martyrs a Lame man and John Apprice a Blind man They were Accused of some of their Neighbours to the Bishop and others and being sent for by an Officer were brought to the Bishops House where he Examined them upon his nine Common-Articles to the which they having answered were sent to Prison till further Examined which was about nine dayes after in the Consistory at Pauls where he urged them to recant their Opinions against the Sacrament of the Altar Hugh Laverock said I will stand to mine answers and I cannot find in the Scriptures that the Priests should lift up over their heads a Cake of Bread John Apprice said your Doctrine you teach is so agreeable with the World and imbraced by them that it cannot be agreeable with the Scriptures of God The Bishop soon after pronounced the Sentence against them and delivered them to the Temperal Officer and on the 15th day of the aforesaid Month they were carried in a Cart from Newgate to Stratford where most quietly in the Fire they praised God yielding up their Souls into his hands The next day after they were burnt there suffered Death at the Fire in Smithfield three Women viz. Katherine Hut of Bocking Widdow Joan Hornes of Billerica Maid Elizabeth Thackvell of Great-Bursted Maid Three Women burnt in Smithfield Bonner brought his usal form of Articles against them to which when they had answered he past his Sentence upon them Katherine Hut Widdow at her last Examination told the Bishop she denyed their Sacrament to be God because said she it is a dumb God and made with mens hands Joan Hornes said That Way you call Heresie I trust to serve the Lord my God in At the same time there was one Margaret Ellis who for the same Truth was brought in Question and was by Bonner adjudged and condemned but before the time of her burning came she died in Newgate whose Innocent suffering was also thought meet to be recorded with the rest of her Faithfull Friends A Relation of the burning of Thomas Drowry a Blind Boy and Thomas Croker Bricklayer In Examination before Doctor Williams Chancellor of the Consistory Court at Gloucester amongst other Articles Thomas Drowry and Tho. Croker Martyrs he chiefly urged the Articles of Transubstantiation saying Chancellor Dost not thou believe that after the Words of Consecreation spoken by the Priest there remaineth the very real Body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar To whom the Blind Boy answered No that I do not Chancellor
Then thou art an Heretick and shalt be burnt but who hath taught thee this Heresie Boy You. Chancellor Where I pray thee Boy Even in yonder place pointing towards the Pulpit the Court being held near it Chancellor When did I teach thee so Boy When you Preached there upon the Sacrament you said the Sacrament was to be received Spiritually by Faith and not carnally as the Papists have heretofore taught Chancellor Then do as I have done and thou shalt live as I do and escape burning Boy Though you can so easily dispence with your self and Mock with God the World and your Conscience yet I will not so do Chancellor Then God have Mercy upon thee for I will read the Sentance against thee Boy Gods will be fulfilled And soon after he and Thomas Croker were both burnt in Gloucester Tho. Spicer John Dunny and Edmund Fools Martyrs About the Moneth call May Thomas Spicer of Winston John Duny and Edmund Poole being brought to Examination before Duming Chancellor of Norwich who objected against them the common Articles and after they had answered because they would not recant he read the condemnation and delivered them to the Secular power and about the 21th of the aforesaid Moneth they were all burnt for their Testimony in one Fire in Beckless in the County of Suffolk In this Moneth William Slech Prisoner in the Kings-bench for the Confession of the Truth there died On the sixth day of the Moneth called June there were four persons burnt at Lewis Sufferers in Sussex in Sussex for the Profession of the Truth viz. Thomas Harland of Woodmancet Carpenter John Oswald of the same Husband-Man Thomas Auington of Ardingly Turner and Thomas Read These four after a long Imprisonment in the Kings-Bench Suffered at the aforesaid place John Oswald denied to answer any thing until his Accusers were brought face to face before him and said Fire and Faggots could not make him afraid but as many good men were gone before him he was ready to Suffer and follow after In the same Moneth and in the same Town of Lewis were burnt Thomas Wood and Thomas Mills William Adheral and John Clement being Prisoners died in the Kings-Bench about the 24th day of the same Moneth The 26th day of the same Moneth a Young man-servant to a Marchant was burnt by the Papists at Liecester The 27th day of the same Moneth there suffered thirteen Persons at one Fire at Stratford near Bow by London cleaven Men and two Women the cleaven Men were tyed to three Stakes and the two Women were loose in the midst without any Stake In the company of these thirteen were three more condemned to die viz. Thomas Freeman William Stamard William Adany The Names of the thirteen that were burnt were as followeth Ralph Jackson Henry Adlington Lyon Cawch Wil. Halnoell George Searles John Ronth John Darisall Henry Wye Edmund Hurst Lawrence Parnham Thomas Bowyer Ellis Pepper Agnes George After they were condemned the Dean of Pauls declared in his Sermon that they held as many Opinions as there were persons wherefore they drew up a Declaration of their Faith to which they all signed some particulars of which were That the Sea of Rome was the Sea of Anti-christ the Congregation of the Wicked c. Whereof the Pope is head under the Devil Also that the Mass was not only a prophanation of the Lords Supper but a Blasphemous Idol That God was neither Spiritually nor Corporally in the Sacrament of the Altar and there remaineth no Substance in the same but only the substance of Bread and Water for these Articles of our Belief said they we being condemned to die do willingly offer our corruptible Bodies to be dissolved in the Fire all with one Voice assenting and consenting thereunto When they were fixamined before the Bloody Bishop and said they would believe all he or they could prove by Scripture he said he would not stand to prove it with Hereticks but said they were the holy Church and you ought said he to believe us or else be cut off like withered Branches About this time Thomas Parres Martin Hunt and John Norrice died Prisoners in the Kings-Bench who were all buried in the back-side of the Prison Three burnt at Edmundsbury The 30th of the Moneth called June there were three persons burnt in one Fire at Edmundsbury in Suffolk whose names were Roger Bernard Adam Foster and Robert Lawson When Roger Bernard came before Doctor Hopton Bishop of Norwick upon Examination the Bishop askt him Whether he had been with the Priest at Easter to be shriven and whether he had received the Sacrament of the Altar or no Bernard said No I have not been to confess to the Priest but I have confessed mysinsto Almighty God and I trust he hath forgiven me wherefore I shall not need to go to the Priest for such matters who cannot help himself Bishop Surely Bernard thou must needs go and confess thy self unto him Bernard That shall I not do by the Grace of God while I live Bishop What a stout Boyly Heretick is this How malipertly he answereth Bernard It doth not grieve me I thank God to be called Heretick at your hands for so your Fore-fathers called the Prophets and Confessors of Christ long before this time After some other words past between them the Bishop rose up sore displeased and Commanded the Goaler to take him away and lay Irons enough on him for said he I will tame him ere he go from me The next day being brought before him again Bishop asked him if he remembred himself since the day before Bernard said Yes I remember my self very well for I am the same man I was yesterday and I hope shall be all the dayes of my life concerning the matter you talked with me of Then one of the Guard being by undertook to Examine him who had him to an Inn where many Priests were assembled together who first began to flatter Roger Bernard and then seeing that would not do they threatned him with Whipping Stocking Burning and such like Bernard tenderly replying said Friends I am no better then my Master Christ and the Prophets which your Fore-fathers served after such sort and I for his Names sake am content to suffer the like at your hands if God shall so permit trusting that he will strengthen me in the same according to his promise When they saw he would not relent or yield they said behold a right Schollar of John Fortune whom they had then in Prison so they carried him again to the Bishop who immediately condemned him as an Heretick and delivered him to the secular power he was a single man a Labourer dwelling in Fransden in Suffolk and was first apprehended for refusing to go the Church so called A Relation of the Examination of John Fortune of Hintlesham Suffolk Black-Smith about in the 20th day of the Moneth called April before ' Doctor Parker and the Bishop written with his own
The second Examination of Richard Woodman The Bishop began with the common Snare asking him What he said to the seven Sacraments for there we left off and there we will begin said he Woodman replyed If he could prove them he should believe them hereat the Bishop was moved and swore by his troth whereupon Woodman reproved him saying a Bishop should be blameless and you use much swaring which is a great fault in a Bishop above all other which should be an Example to the Flock Then said the Bishop in a rage I perceive this man is worse then he was for he takes upon him to teach me to speak Woodman replyed I am commanded to do that I do I dare not for my life hold my peace for if I should I should bare your sin Bishop Where do you find that you are commanded to reprove me Woodman If thou see thy Brother Sin reprove him A Priest standing by said My Lord this man is past cure Bishop So my thinks I will talk no more with him since he has been with his Fellows in the Marshalsea he is worse then he was call M. Story and let him do with him what he will Woodman said My Faith hangeth upon no man but upon God The Priest standing by said My Lord I think he is not the worse for them but I fear they are the worse for him Then Woodman speaking to the Bishop said Look well to it you will deliver me to other men to shed my Blood and so think to wash your hands of me as Pilate did by Christ but you cannot be so discharged Then the Bishop replyed to this effect I have nothing to do with you I am not yet Consecrated the Cardinal may Examine you and condemn you or the Bishop of London in whose Diocess you now are and after other discourse he askt him What he said to the Sacrament of the Altar Woodman Do you mean Christ to be the Altar Bishop I mean the Sacrament of the Altar in the Church VVoodman What the Altar of Stone Bishop Yes 't is that Altar I mean how dâ— you understand the Altar otherwise VVoodman It is written that wheresoever two or three are gathered together in Christs Name there is he in the midst of them and whatsoever they ask in his Name it shall be given unto them when thou comest to Offer thy Gift at the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy Offering and go first and be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift A Priest standing by would have interrupted him but the Bishop said Let him alone Then VVoodman said By these two places of Scripture I prove that Christ is the true Altar whereon every Christian that is in the Love and Charity ought to offer their Gifts Bishop I never heard any man understand the Altar so no not Luther the great Heretick that was condemned by a general Council and his Picture burnt VVoodman If he were an Heretick I think he understood it not so indeed but I am sure all Christians ought so to understand it and after further discourse they laughed at him and said This is a Heretick indeed it is time he were burnt Then VVoodman replyed judge not least you be judged for in that way you call Heresie I serve my God with Then Story said VVhat you are a Preaching You shall Preach at a Stake shortly with your Fellows carry him to the Marshâ—â—â— â—â—â—â—n and let him be kept close and let none come to speak with him At another time being brought before the Bishop of Winchester and others the Bishop spoke to him to this effect Woodman When you were lâ—st before us you would not confess that you were sent to Pâ—iâ—on for Heresie but called for your Accusers and stood stoutly in defend of your self Woodman replyed saying You said I was sent to Prison for Heresie I told you wherefore I was sent to Prison which was upon the breach of a Statute for speaking to a Priest in the Pulpit Woodman â—â—usâ—â— to be Bâ—â—â—â—â— to the good be haviour and for that cause the Justices of that Country thought I had offended the Statute and sent for me before them and would have bound me to the good behaviour and because I refused they sent me to Prison He was at his Examination before the Bishop of Winchester prest to answer to several things objected against him but he refused saying he was not of his Diocess The Bishop being displeased at his answers called him Perverse Villian and Obstinate Fool and Heretick and cryed Hold him a Book I 'le make him sware and answer or else I will condemn him hold thy hand on the Book said the Bishop I will lay no hand on the Book for none of you all said Woodman and looking on the People the Bishop cryed See how he lookes about for help I look for no help said he from men for God is on my side and therefore I do not care who is against me Then they cryed Away with him and bring us another At another time being brought before the Bishop of Winchester the Bishop askt him His belief concerning the Sacrament of the Altar To which Richard Woodman replyed to this effect I pray you said he be content I will answer no more Questions for that I perceive you go about to shed my blood Then said the Bishop No hold him a Book if he refuse to sware he is an Anabaptist and shall be Excommunicated Woodman made answer I will not sware Excommunicate me if you will After some more words past between them the Bishop past the Sentence against the said VVoodman and then they cryed Away with him away with him not suffering him to speak any more for himself and so was had away to the Marshalsea again And thus the Reader hath the chiefest and most weighty matters that past at his Examinations from time to time After the Sentence was past he was burnt at Lewis with nine more viz. five Men and four Women as before some mention was made of them Several Sentences taken out of a Letter of Richard Woodman's to one Roberts of Hawkhurst Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from his Son our only Saviour Jesus Christ by the operation and Working of the holy Ghost be multiplied plentifully upon you dear Sister that you may the more joyfully bear the Cross of Christ that you are under to the end to your only Comfort and Consolation and to all our Brethren and Sisters in those parts that love our Lord unfainedly certifying you that I and all my Brethren with me are joyful praised be God looking daily to be dissolved from these our mortal Bodies according to the good pleasure of our heavenly Father praising God also for your constancy and kindness shewed unto Gods People in this troublesome time of Persecution Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy The Fruits alwayes
hand behind him toward her and wisht her to be strong so they both ended their lives joyfully About this time several persons Persecuted in Colchester suffered in Essex being Prosecuted by one Thomas Tye Priest who wrote a Letter to Bonner against them to this effect They assemble said he together upon the Sabbath day during the time of Divine Service sometimes in one House and sometimes in another and there keep their private Conventicles this Letter of the Priests caused a Storm to arise against such as profess the Truth in Essex and the House of William Mant was beset by one Terril and the Officers with him The Priests Letter to stir up Persecution who told William Munt and his Wife they must go with them to Colchester Castle The woman being sick in Bed desired her Daughter might first fetch her some Drink for she was ill at ease Terrill giving her Daughter leave as she was coming back with the Drink and a Candle in her hand He wisht her to give her Father and Mother good counsel the Maid replyed they have a better Instructer then me for I hope the holy Ghost doth teach them which will not suffer them to err then said Terril Art thou in that mind thou naughty Houswiff marry it is time to look upon such Hereticks indeed the Maid replyed with that you call Heresie do I worship my Lord God Terril said Then I perceive Gossip you will burn with the rest for Company sake no said she not for Company sake but for Christ's sake if I am compelled and I hope if he call me to it he will enable me to bear it Then the said Terril took the Candle out of her hand and held her wrest and the burning Candle under her hand saying Thou young Whore wilt thou not cry She replyed she had no cause to cry but rather to rejoyce and quietly suffered his rage for the time at the last she said have you done what you will do he said Yea and if thou think it not well then mend it Mend it said she nay the Lord mend you and give you repentance and now if you think it good begin at the Feet and burnt the Head also for he that set you on work shall pay you your wages so the said Terril searched the House and took one John Thurston and Margeret his Wife and william Munt and his Wife and Rose his Daughter whose hand he had burnt and carried them to Colchester Castle immediately there was in all ten persons Prisoners in Colchester for not conforming and for denying the real presence in the Sacrament who were all severally Sentenced to be burnt When Rose Alen whose hand was burnt by Terril Examined concerning her belief concerning Auricular Confession and the Mass c. She said they stunk in the Face of God and being asked What she said concerning the Sea of Rome and whether she would obey the Bishop of Romes Authority she answered boldlâ—â— she was none of his and as for his Sea it is for such Ravens and Crowes as you be to swim in for I shall not swim in that Sea while I live neither will I have any thing to do therewith whereupon she was condemned as the rest were After these poor Lambs were condemned they were delivered into the hands of the Secular Power and were by them committed every one unto the Prison from whence they came where they remained with much joy and great comfort in continual reading and calling upon God ever looking for Nine Martyr burntin Essex and one died in Pison and expecting the day of their dissolution which was upon the second day of the Moneth called August following and because some were in the Castle Prison and some in the Town Prison called the Mote-hall therefore it was agreed by the Officers that they in the Mote-hall viz. William Bongeer William Purcas Thomas Benold Agnes Silverside alias Smith Ellen Ewring and Elizabeth Fowlks should be burnt in the forenoon and William Munt and his Wife and Daughter and John Johnson Prisoners in the Castle should be burnt in the afternoon who when they were tyed to the Stakes they called upon God and earnestly exhorted the People to flee from Idolatry and so ended their Testimonies joyfully and as for John Thurston before mentioned he died in Prison The next that suffered was George Eagles a man of a good Utterance G. Eagles Maryr and Eloquent in speech though but a Taylor by Trade in this time of great Persecution he left his Trade and travelled about from place to place to comfort and strengthen such as had received the Truth in any measure sometimes Lodging in the Fields and Woods and because he travelled much abroad he was called Trudgever in his Diet he was sparing and for his Drink it was mostly Water for three years to which necessities of denying himself he was drove to through the â—ear of this time of Persecution for he was fain to keep pretty much in Woods and Holes for the Queen had put out a Proclamation in four Counties for apprehending of him and twenty pounds was to be given to the party that took him and shortly after he was taken in a Corn-Field in Essex and being apprehended was had Prisoner to Colchester and from thence within four dayes was had to Chilmsford where he abode one night and did neither sleep nor eat nor drink and the next day he was carried to London and there Examined by the Bishop or Councel and from thence sent back to Chilmsford again and at the Sessions there he was indicted for Treason for having Meetings contrary to the Law and for praying that God would turn Queen Maryes heart or else take her away the which words that God would take her away he denyed that he spake nevertheless he was condemned and executed for the same The Sufferings of Richard Crashfield of Wymondham Examined before Dunning Chancellor of Norwich The Chancellor said Rich Crashfield Martyr How say you Sirrah to the Ceremony of the Church What Ceremonies said Crashfield Chancellor Do you believe in the Sacrament of the Altar Crashfield said He knew not what it was Chancellor Do you not believe that Christ took Bread gave thanks break it and said Take eat this is my Body Crashfield Even as Christ spake so did he perform the work Chancellor How say you to the Confession to the Priest when were you Confessed Answ I confess my self daily unto the Eternal God Chancellor Do you not then take the confession to the Priste to be good Answ No but rather Wicked Chancellor What say you to Singing and the Organs is that godly Answ I perceive said he no godliness in it and yet he said he approved of Spiritual Songs but yours is of the Flesh and of the Spirit of Error and though to you it be pleasant and glorious yet to the Lord it is bitter and odious Then said the Chancellor Stand nearer Country-man why stand
Rich and in great Authority he had the more power to Persecute he divorced many men and women for Religion he was a great Swearer and given to Women to write saith the History how many Concubines and Whores he had would be incredible but mark what Judgments the Lord brought upon him for his wickedness On a time a poor man speaking a word to him he struck him such a blow with the swingle of a staile that he presently died thereon for which as is said Berry held up his hand at the Bar. And shortly after one Alice Oxes of the Parish of Ailesham coming into his House and going into the Hall he met her and being before moved smote her with his fist whereby she was fain to be carried home and the next day was found dead in her Chamber When this Priest heard that Queen Mary was dead and that the glory of their triumph quailed the day called Sunday following he made a great Feast A Judgment of God upon a Persecutor and had one of his Concubines there present with whom he was in his Chamber after Dinner until he went to that he called his Evening-song where he Ministred Baptism and as he was going home between the Grave-Yard and his House he fell down suddainly to the ground with a heavy graon and never stirred after and thus the Judgments of God was evidently seen to be Executed upon him by all that beheld him In the same Moneth that the aforesaid three suffer'd at Norwich there was two men and one woman burnt at Colchester viz. William Harris Richard Day and Christian George In the next Moneth being the Moneth called June a short but sharp Proclamation came forth to prohibit the spreading several good Books therein condemned under the title of Heresie and Sedition laying the injunction so strickt that whosoever should be found to have any such Books in their custody after the Proclamation came forth should be reputed as Rebels and to be Executed forthwith according to the order of Martial Law Shortly after several persons were apprehended being assembled in a religious exercise in a back Close near Islington two and twenty of whom were committed to Newgate and there remained seven weeks before they were Examined seven of these two and twenty were afterwards burnt in Smithfield and six at Brainford One of them viz. Reginald Eastland being required by the Bishop to answer upon Oath to the Articles charged against him refused saying an Oath was to end strife but to begin strife said he and Oath is not lawful and therefore choosed rather to suffer what punishment they would inflict upon him then to swear the matter against himself After Bonner had past Sentence upon Roger Holland one of them that was burnt in Smithfield Roger spoke to this effect I am said he Moved by the Spirit of God to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty and after this day in this place shall there not be any put to the Tryall of Fire and Faggot and as he was speaking and exhorting the People the Bishop turned back and charged the Keeper that none should speak with him without leave being brought to the Stake he spake after this manner Lord I most humbly thank thy Majesty that thou hast called me from the state of Death unto the Light of thy heavenly Word and now unto the fellowship of thy Saintâ— that I may sing and say holy holy holy Lord God of hosts and Lord into thy hands I commit my Spirit Lord bless these thy People and save them from Idolatry Amongst these persons apprehended at Islington some of them were Scourged or Whipped by Bonner with his own hands upon his deformed Effigies in Whipping them one made some Latine Verses the which in English are as followeth Muse not so much that Natures work is thus deformed now With belly blown and head so swoln for I shall tell you how This Canibal in three years space two hundred Martyrs slew They were his food he lov'd so blood he spared none he knew It should appear that blood feeds fat if men lye well and soft For Bonners belly waxt with blood though he seem'd to fast oft Oh bloody Beast bewail the death of those that thou hast slain In time repent since thou canst not their lives restore again Thomas Hinshaw and John Wills were taken and sent to the Cole-house and from thence Wills was had to Fulham and there was kept eight dayes in the Stocks in which time Bonner much abused him oftentimes raping him on the head with a Stick and flirting him under the Chin saying He looked down like a Thief and then had him into his Orchard and in an Arbour where he Whipt Tho. Henshaw he Whipt him first with a Willow-rod and then with a Birchenrod labouring and dealing his blows so long as his fat panch could endure with breath oftentimes the Bishop speak to Wills to this effect They call me said he bloody Bonner I would fain be rid of you a vengeance on you you have a delight in burning If I might have my will said he I would sow up your Mouthes and put you into a Sack and drown you and thus much concerning the two and twenty taken at Islington Rich Yeoman Martyr The next that suffered was Richard Yeoman after the Persecution arose at which time he was put out of his Living he was put to great straits so that he was forced to travel from place to place selling Pins and Laces to get a livelihood to maintain his Wife and Children at last was apprehended by order from one called Justice Moyle who set him in the Stocks a day and a night but having no evident matter to charge him with let him go again and returning home to Hadley Persecution against him was so hot that his Wife kept him privately a whole year in a Room lockt up all day where he carded Wool to get Bread for his Family although he was Seventy Years Old at last the Priest of the Town one Newall having intelligence of it searched his House one night and took him out of his Bed and put him in the Cage and in the Stocks until day At the same time the said Newall had caused to be put into the Stocks one John Dale and there had kept him two or three dayes for speaking to him in the time of his Executing the Romish Service and saying O Miserable Blind Guides will ye ever be Blind Leaders of the Blind Will ye never amend Will ye never see the Truth Will neither Gods Threats nor Promises enter into your Hearts VVill the Blood of Martyrs nothing mollifie you O Crooked and Perverse Generation Out of the Stocks they were both taken and bound like Thieves and set on Horse-back and their Legs bound under the Horses belly and so carried to the Goal at Bury where they were put in Irons and thrown into the lowest Dungeon where John Dale fell sick and died after he
I am content to be a Witness of Christ's death And I pray you make no longer delay with me for my heart is fixed and I will never turn to your superstitious doings Then the Bishop said The Devil did lead her No said she it is the Spirit of God which leadeth me and which called me in my Bed at Midnight and opened his Truth to me Then the Priests and others Shouted and laughed at her When the Sentence was read against her and she was condemned to be burnt to death she lifted up her Voice and said I thank thee my Lord my God this day have I found that which I have long sought for At which words They mockt her and so being brought to the Stake she was as lively and cheerful in her Countenance as if she had been prepared for that day of her Marriage to meet the Lamb and so she ended this Mortal Life She was a Woman very patient in her Words and Answers in her Apparel Meat and Drink moderate and sober and would never be Idle and was a great comfort to such as talked with her and in her trouble she refused to take Money saying whilst I am here God has Promised to feed me and I am going to a City where there is no need of Money And in the time of her suffering she forsook Husband Children who Persecuted her because she would not stoop to Idolatry and when after Sentence and Judgment was given against her they offered her that if she would recant and turn her life should be spared Nay said she God forbid that I should lose life Eternal for this life I will never turn from my heavenly Husband to my earthly Husband from the fellowship of Angels to Mortal Children If my Husband and Children were faithful then am I theirs God is my Father my Sister my Brother and my Friend most faithful Five persons burnt at Canterbury We are now come to a stop of the Issue of Blood and the rage of Persecution for the Testimony of Truth in Queen Maryes time and the last that suffered in her time were five that were burnt at Canterbury about six dayes before her Death viz. John Cornford of wortham Christopher Browne of Maidstone Jo. Hurst of Ashford Alice Sloth Katherine Tynley which five persons being in the custody of the Arch-Deacon of Canterbury who being at London and understanding the danger of the Queens dying Posted home to dispatch them out of the way in the which fact the Tyranny of this Arch-Deacon seemeth to exceed Bonner's cruelty for several that were under his custody were delivered by the Death of the Queen after they had suffered many great Exercises and Tryals Here followeth an Account of such who suffered Tryals and Imprisonments for their Profession of the Truth and who in all likelihood had also been burnt for the same had not God through his Mercy and Providence preserved them by the Death of the Queen At this time divers there were in many places of the Realm Imprisoned whereof some were but newly taken and not Examined some begun to be Examined but were not condemned several were Examined and condemned but no Writ being sent down escaped others were condemned and the Writ sent down for there burning but the Bishop Chancellor and Queen happning to die together about one time they were Marvelously preserved amongst whom was one John Hunt and Richard white both Imprisoned at Salisbury and other places This Examnation was on the 26th of April 1557. where they lay above two years and were often troubled by Priests and Bishops Richard White being brought before Capon Bishop of Salisbury and Brookes Bishop of Gloucester and a great number of other Priests Bishop Brookes said Is this the Prisoner and said Friend wherefore comest thou hither VVhite I trust to know the cause for the Law saith in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses things must stand Dr. Capon Did not I Examine thee of thy faith VVhite No you did not Examine me but commanded me to the Lollards Tower and that no man shoeld speak with me and now I do require mine Accuser say what I have said and I will answer you Then the Chancellor said Thou shalt corfess thy Faith ere then depart and my Lord of Gloucester shall Examine thee VVhite I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is the power of God to Salvation to all that believe and St. Peter saith If any man do ask thee a reason of the hope that is in thee make him a direct answer and that with meekness And being referred to the Bishop to Examine him he said Will you take the pains to wet your Coat in my blood Be not Guilty thereof I warn you and that before hand Brookes I will do nothing contrary to our Law declare thy faith said he concerning the Sacrament of the Altar VVhite What is a Sacrament I find not that word Sacrament in the Scriptures Much discourse they had concerning the Sacrament of the Altar which for brevities sake is omitted and at last the Bishop cryed Away with him to the Lollards Tower and dispatch him as soon as you can this was the Substance of his Examination The occasion of his and his Companions long detainment in Prison and not Executed was the moderation of the Under-Sheriff who when he had received the Writ to burn them said I will not be guilty of these mens blood and immediately burnt the Writing within few dayes after the said John Hunt and Richard White being in a low and dark Dungeon in an Evening fell upon their knees to prayer but could not utter words for weeping and tenderness of Heart and so continued a great while in tears the next morning news was brought them that the Chancellor their great Enemy was dead who died about the same time that they were in such a weeping frame however they there continued in Prison till the coming in of Queen Elizabeth and then were set at Liberty At this time also was delivered by the Providence of God one John Fetty a poor Taylor of Clarkenwel whom his Wife complained of to the Priest of the Parish for that he would not go to Mass and be partaker of their Idolatry notwithstanding this unkind fact of his Wife yet did he cherish her and provide well for her but notwithstanding his gentle dealing with her and that she had recovered her health having been ill did again accuse him whereupon he was apprehended and by one of the Queens Commissioners sent to the Lollards Tower where he was put into the painful Stocks and had a dish of Water set by him with a Stone put in it after he had layn there about two weeks hanging in the Stocks sometimes by one Leg and one Arm and sometimes by the other and sometimes by both it happened that one of his Children a Boy of the Age of about eight or nine Years came to the Bishops House to see if he could
without order at the first encounter are reckoned up to him all his Articles and then besides binding his hands they tye his Thumbs together with a small Cord then they tye his Hands and Tumbs unto a greater Cord hoisting him up by a Pulley very high which done they put upon his Legs heavy Bolts if he have not them on before to which are yet added for the first pull an Iron weight of twenty five pounds which is hanged to those Bolts between his Feet being thus arrayed the Tormenter draws him up on high the Register and Inquisitor mixing therewith their former Exhortations confess when he comes to touch the Pulley with his Head they urge him yet then to confess if he obey they presently let him down if not then they let him hang in this condition until he have answered their demands now after he hath hung thus without making any Confession they let him down to redouble on his feet the former weight and then pulling him up again threatning him to hang there till he die if he declare not to them what they ask of him commanding thet Tormenter to let him hang a long while that through the heaviness of the weight which hangs at his Feet all his Members and Joynts are stretched out beyond measure when the Patient through the extremity of Torment which he endures cryes out they in like sort cry as loud as they can that he should now confess what he knows if not then they let him fall for when they perceive he continues constant then they commanded the Officer to let go the Cord which is as soon done as spoken yet not wholly and altogether to the mid way but a certain stop which hinders his falling to the ground by reason whereof he receives such a suddain check his Body is pitifully and miserably stretched But yet this sufficeth not for then if through their importunity he will confess nothing they augment the weight the third time and if the poor creature in regard of his intollerable pain call upon the Lord to help him and desire to be let down then they Scoff and Mock at him pressing him to confess telling him that is not all threatning him by the Strappado as before This Hellish Torture beginneth at nine and lasteth till one a clock and when they please to make an end they ask the Tormenter if he have the other Engines ready and at their going all the comfort they give their dissolate Patient is thus this shall suffice say they for this time but look between this and to morrow thou advisest thy self well what thou oughtest to confess other wayes thou art like to die under Torture nor think to escape by what thou hast endured for that is but a Bed of Roses in regard of the Torment which is to come they being gone his clothes is put on and if he be not able to go he is carried again unto Prison a few dayes after they send for him again renewing their threats that if he will not reveal those that are of his Opinion he must prepare himself for the Torture wherein if he any way miscarry or Death follows the fault shall be his and not theirs if he continue unmovable in his mind they cause the Goaler to bring him to the place of Torture and there they sitting in their Tribunal command him to be stripped naked and then tormented after the same manner as is before related besides as an addition thereunto they tye his thighes and hamstrings together with a small Cord forcing the same with pieces of Wood so that the Cords do eat into his very Flesh in which extremity they leave him for three or four hours plying him the whilst with infinite threats and derisions which is all the comfort that they minister unto him in this his most miserable condition Thus in short the Reader hath an Account of the cruel Inquisition of these pretended Christians in Spain Now I shall proceed to give a further Account of some that suffered under these Papists cruelty in divers parts of France and Flanders A Woman of Tours whose Husband the Papists had not long before drowned having an Infant sucking at her Brest about seven weeks old and a Daughter about sixteen Years Old who was very beautiful this Woman accompained with her Children they hailed to the River side where kneeling down she prayed to the Lord the Child sucking at her Brest then she shifted her Child in the Sun and laid it upon the Grass commending it to God in the mean while this Hellish Crew used many words to turn the Young Maid from her Religion the Mother being ready to be plunged into the Water exhorted her Daughter to persist in the Truth the Daughter beholding their outrage cryed out in these words I will said she live and die with my Mother whom I know to be a virtuous woman as for your threats and promises I regard them not do with me what you please The Mother was not yet dead when these merciless wretches threw in the Daughter also An. 1562. and so they yielded up their Souls together as Witnesses against the Papists cruelty the Infant was taken up by a Souldier who having kept it a day and a night laid it in a Steeple-House-Porch whence being taken and given to a Nurse to keep it would never take the Brest after but within two dayes it died In the same City suffered one Glee an honourable woman and constant to her Profession and when news was brought her that she was condemn'd to be hang'd she received it with joy being conducted with the rest of the Prisoners about the second hour in the afternoon towards the place of Execution they would have put a lighted Torch into her hand and have had her to acknowledge she had offended God and the King Away away with it said she I have neither offended God nor the King I need no such light to help me ask forgiveness of my sins use such things your selves who sit and walk in the Darkness of Ignorance and Errour The one of her Kindred meeting her in the way presented to her veiw her little Children praying her to have compassion on them seeing that by renouncing your Religion you may preserve your life This caused the tears to flow down and this answer she made I must needs say I love my Children dearly but yet neither for love I bear to them or any thing else in this World will I renounce the Truth or my God who is and will be a Father unto them and therefore to his Providence and Protection I commend and leave them and so passed on and with cheerfulness finished her Testimony with the loss of her life The Body of Coqueville being stripped naked was dragged by the Murtherers from Valongues being low Normandy up and down his House with derision into a Chamber where they used to meet and there spurning the dead body with their feet they bid him Now
pray to his God and preach if he could the Priests stuffing the dead Mouth with the leaves of Bibles and said to the dead Corps Preach the Truth of your God and call upon him now to help you A Letter written by Wouter Oom Prisoner and Martyr in the City of Antwerp full of Consolation against the fear of Persecution directed to a Brother and Sister of his Grace and Peace from God the Father and from his Son Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Well beloved Brother and Sister whom I love dearly for the Truths sake and for your Faith in Christ Jesus these are to certifie you that I am in bodily health and enjoy the comfort of a good Conscience I praise my Lord God therefore who is able to encrease the same more and more by the powerful Operation of his holy Spirit whosoever they be that will forsake this present evil World and become Followers of their Captain Christ must make account to meet with many Persecutions and Afflictions for Christ hath told us afore-hand That we should be Hated Persecuted and Banished out of the for his Names sake An. 1562. and this they will do saith he Because they have neither known the Father nor me but be not afraid saith he for I have overcome the World St. Paul also Witnesseth the same thing saying All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution And again To you it is given for Jesus Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake And doth not our Lord Jesus Christ say Blessed are you when men persecute you and speak all manner of evil falsly against you for my Names sake Rejoyce therefore and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven Now whereto serveth all this my beloved but to bring us into a conformity with our Lord and Master Jesus Christ For Christ hath suffered for us saith the Apostle Saint Peter leaving us an Example that we should walk in his steps who also endured the Cross and despised the shame for the obtaining of that joy which was set before him and became Poor to make us Rich 2 Cor. 8 9. By him also are we brought by faith into that state of Grace wherein we stand rejoycing in the hope of the Glory of God knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience c. Wherefore dear Brother and Sister be not afraid of the fiery Tryal which is now sent among us to prove us for what Father loving his Child doth not correct it Even so doth the Lord chastice those whom he loveth for if we should be without correction whereof all true Christians are partakers then were we Bastards and not Sons And therefore Solomon faith My Son despise not the Chastning of the Lord neither faint when thou art corrected of him for whom the Lord loveth the same he correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth fear not then to follow the footsteps of Christ for he is the Head and we are his Members even as Christ then hath obtained full Joy and Glory by suffering of Anguishes and Sorrows so we also according to his Example must through many Tribulations enter into the heavenly places even into the New Jerusalem Let us then say with Saint Paul Christ unto me is in life and in death advantage Let us cry out with him O wretched Creatures that we are who shall deliver us from this Body of Death See here how the Faithful have desired to be with Christ for with Abraham they had an Eye to that holy City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Let us then my beloved cheerfully and willingly follow the Lord possessing our Souls by Patience For it is a good thing as saith the Prophet Jeremiah both to hope and quietly to wait for the Salvation of the Lord and good also it is for a man to bear the Yoke in his Youth for such the Lord will comfort in the end and restore unto them the joy of his Salvation Lo here dear Brother and Sister what Consolations our God hath treasured up for us in his holy Word for us I say whose desire it is to fear the Lord and to trust in his Grace and Mercy for the Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of Trouble wherefore giving all diligence let us add to Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Love for if these thing be in us and abound An. 1567. they will cause us neither to be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ The which God our Father grant us for his Sons sake our Lord Amen Out of my Hole December the 11th 1562. Wouter Oom Prisoner for the Truth A Relation of such things as fell out under the Goverment of Alva And of many men put to death Anno 1567. The Afflictions of the Protestants in the Low-Countries were multiplyed this year under the Dominion of Ferdinando of Toledo Duke of Alva It is well known that the Spaniards using all their endeavorus to rule over this Country at their pleasures had no better opertunity to accomplish their designs then to establish among them their Inquisition thereby todomineer over the goods honors and lives of every one the noble Citizens and Commons did what they could to oppose the same to which purpose they had instantly besought the King to afford them his Royal presence that hearing once their Complaints his Majesty might take some order for matters of so great Importance alledging to this end the Example of the Emperour Charles his Father who upon a business far inferiour to this adventured himself with much diligence to pass through the Enemies Country who were but a while before reconciled only to stay some Mutinies begun in the City of Cand. These things had so moved the King that he made them a promise by Letters of his coming but his intentions were broken of by such as were the upholders of the Inquisition that so they might with the more facility attain the end of their desires instead of their King then they had sent unto them the Duke of Alva who at his Entrance found the Prisons replenished with Gentlemen and other Personages of note whom the Dutchess of Parma had left in bonds after her death Long did they languish in this Captivity whilst the Duke of Alva by fair promises dissembled a kind of meek and gentle carriage of mind towards them giving them some hope of a General pardon proceeding from the Kings Clemency that thus he might catch the Lords and Governours the more cunningly into his Nets whereof the Lord Lemoral Earl of Egmond Prince of Gaud Governour of Planders and Artois and others of quality gave but too Lamentable experience who being led with vain hopes were at length inhumanly put to death The
Rebshaketh boasting and threatning what he would do unto Jerusalem and unto the men in it viz. he would make them eat their own Dung and drink their own Piss was by the just Judgment of God in the midst of his Pride disappointed of his wicked purpose for the Lord sent his Angel into the Camp of Assyria and slew in one night of his men one hundred fourscore and five thousand so that when they arose early in the Morning behold they were all dead Corpses and the King himself though returning to Nineveh not long after as he was worshipping of his God in the house of Nisroch two of his Sons named Adramelech and Sharezer smote him with the Sword that he died 2 Kings 18 c. The Assyrian punished The Assyrian who was the great and stout hearted Persecutor and Oppressor of the Saints who removed the Bounds of the People and robbed them of their Treasures and destroyed and cut off many Nations and took them for a prey and divided the spoil thereof and trod them down like mire in the Streets and then boasted of it when he had done saying all this have I done by the strength of mine own hand and by mine own wisdom I have put down the Inhabitants like a valiant man and I have found out the riches of the People as a Nest and gathered it as men gather Eggs that are left boasting how there was none that moved the Wing or opened the Mouth or peeped when as indeed in all this he was but the Rod of Gods anger and the Lords Indignation was the staff in his hand he being sent of him to an hypocritical Nation as the People of Israel then was to the end that they might repent and be amended and had it therefore given him in charge so to do howbeit in all this in regard he did what he did upon no such account as the Rod of Gods anger nor unto no such end as their purging and purifying neither did he mean so nor yet was it in his heart to think so but he did what he did out of a murderous and persecuting nature it being in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few therefore see how the just Vengeance of God is threatned against him for it wherefore it shall come to pass saith the Lord that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem that I will saith the Lord punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks and mine anger shall cease in his destruction and the Pride of Assyria shall be brought down the Lord of Hosts hath sworn saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand that I will break the Assyrian in my Land and upon my Mountains tread him under foot Isa 14.24 25. who had before trod down his People under his feet and this is the purpose which the Lord of Hosts hath purposed concerning the Assyrian and who shall dissanul it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back It is very remarkable also to see and consider all along the Scriptures how exceeding jealous the Lord hath ever been over his People and Children for good and how very wathful and tender he hath been over them lest any should wrong them or any way hurt them and how ready he hath alwayes been to revenge the least injury done unto them either by word or dead yea the Lord hath kept them as Mâ—ses confessed as the Apple of his own Eye and hath at certain times rebuked all their Enemies for them before their faces so saith the Psalmist he suffered no man saith he to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine Anointed do my Prophets no harm for he that toucheth them toucheth the very Apple of his Eye Zeph. 3.8 The Truth of which this tract hath plentifully proved and now there remaineth to shew from Scripture as well as from History how ready the Lord hath ever been and still is to revenge upon whole Kingdoms and Nations as well as upon particuler Persons all Injuries done unto his Servants and Children as for Example The Amonites The Amonites for saying Aha because they did but say Aha against the Sanctuary of the Lord when it was prophaned and against the People of Israel and their Land when it was dessolate and against the House of Judah when they went into Captivity see in what manner the Judgments of the Lord were threatned against them behold therefore saith the Lord I will deliver thee to the men of the East for a Possession and they shall set their places in thee and make their dwellings in thee they shall eat thy Fruit they shall drink thy Milk and I will make Rabbah which was the Royal City and Seat of the King where his great Iron Bed-stead stood Deut. 3.11 2 Sam. 12.26 30. called the City of Waters for pleasantness a Stable for Camels and the Amonites a couching place for Flocks and ye shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25.3 4 5. Again the Amonites because they clapped their Hands and stamped with their Feet and rejoyced in their Heart with all their despite against the Land and People of Israel therefore thus saith the Lord Because thou hast done so behold therefore I will stretch out my hand upon thee and will deliver thee for a spoile to the Heathen and I will cut thee off from the People and will cause thee to perish out of the Countries I will destroy thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25. 6 7. Moab and Seir because they did but say Behold the House the House of Judah is like unto all the Heathen therefore behold saith the Lord I will open the side of Moab from the Cities from his Cities which are in his Frontiers the Glory of the Country Bethjeshimoth Baalmeon and Kiriathain unto the men of the East with the Amonites and will give them in Possession that the Amonites may not be remembred among the Nations and I will execute Judgment upon Moab and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25.8 9. Edom for revenging themselves against Judah therefore thus saith the Lord Because that Edom hath dealt against the House of Judah by taking Vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch out mine hands upon Edom and will cut off Man and Beast from it and will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the Sword I will lay my Vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my People Israel and they shall do in Edom according to mine Anger and according to my Fury and they shall know my Vengeance saith the Lord God Tyrus for saying but Aha against Jerusalem I shall be replenished now she is laid
And now I shall give a short Account of the severe punishment that God inflicted upon several Persecutors of his People from time to time in this Queens reign which are not already inserted in this Book Doctor Dunning Chancellor of Norwich a bloody man who condemned several Innocent persons Chancellor of Norwich in the midst of his rage died suddainly as it is said siting in his Chair Bishop Thornton The like Judgment fell upon Bishop Thornton Suffragan of Dover who after he had exercised great cruelty in Persecuting at length upon a Sunday so called looking upon his men playing at Bowls fell suddainly in a Palsie and being had to Bed was put in mind to remember God Yea said he so I do and my Lord Cardinal too and so died After he was dead the Cardinal ordained another Bishop in his room who being at Greenwich after he had received the Cardinals blessing going down a pair of Stairs from the Chamber he fell down and broak his Neck to these Examples also may be added the terrible Judgment of God upon the Parson at Crundall in Kent who having received the Popes Pardon from Cardinal Poole coming home to his Parish exhorted the People to receive the same saying That he now stood as clear in his Conscience as when he was first born and mattered not if he died the same hour he spoke it whereupon being suddainly stricken by the Hand of God and leaning a little on the one side immediately shrunk down in the Pulpit and so was found dead not speaking one word more Not long before the death of Queen Mary died Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisbury Persecutor about the which time also followed the unprepared death of Doctor Jeffery Chancellor of Salisbury who not long before his death had caused above ninety persons to be summoned to appear before him to the end he might Examine them by Inquisition concerning their Religion but by the Providence of God he was prevented from executing the evil he intended against them for in the midst of his buildings he was suddainly taking away by the mighty Hand of God And now to come from Priests to Laymen where first an Account is given of one Woodrove Woodrove Sheriff of London who was Sheriff of London who rejoyced much at the death of the Innocent and was very cruel in his Office for when one Rogers was going in a Cart towards Smithfield to be burnt and in the way his Children being brought to him because the Car-man stopped his Cart that he might speak to them he caused the Car-mans head to be broke but what happened within a week after this Sheriff came out of his Office he was suddainly smote by the hand of God the one half of his Body being benumed and lay Bedrid and in this infirmity he continued seven or eight years till his dying day The Keeper of Newgate Alexander the keeper of Newgate a cruel Enemy to those that lay there for Religion died very miserably being so swelled that he was more like a Monster then a man and so rotten within that no man could abide the smell of him this cruel Wretch to hasten the poor Lambs to the Slaughter would go to Bonner Story Cholmley and others Crying out Rid my Prison Rid my Prison I am too much pestered with these Hereticks The Keeper of Newgate Son James the Son of the said Alexander having left unto him by his Father great Substance within three years wasted all to nought and when some marvelled how he spent those goods so fast Oh said he Evil gotten Evil spent and shortly after as he went to Newgate-market he fell down suddenly and there wretchedly died His Son in Law John Peter Son in law to this Alexander an horrible Blasphemer of God and no less cruel to the said Prisoners he commonly when he would affim any thing were it true or false used to say If it be not true I pray God I rot ere I dye accordingly he did rot away and so died most miserably Cardinal Pool The next day after the death of Queen Mary died Cardinal Pool of what disease although it be uncertain to many it was suspected that he took some Italian Physicâ—k that did him no good The sudden death of many more Persecutors might be mentioned who were cut off in this Queens time and before but by what is incerted may be seen that the Lord was against those persecuting Priests and Bishops A Relation of the end of Docter Story a bloody Persecutor of Christs Members Doctor Story This Doctor Story was an Arch-Enemy to and a bloody Persecutor of Gods people when Queen Mary dyed Queen Elizabeth staying the Sword of Persecution from raging any further caused this Docter Story to be apprehended and committed to Prison where after a little while being detained he broke out of Prison and fled beyond Sea where getting into favour and growing familiar with the Duke de Alva in Antwerp of whom he received a special Commission to search for English Books and in this Authority he continued for a time by which means he did much hurt and brought many into trouble and perril of their lives Raging in his persecuting blood-thirsty cruelty but when the measure of Iniquity was full the Lord proceeded against him in Judgment and cut him off which was after this manner Some in England being concerned to hear of his wicked behaviour towards Innocent people sent over one Parker a Merchant to Antwerp who had undertaken some means to convey Story into England Parker arriving at Antwerp got some privately to inform Doctor Story that in such an English Ship he might find store of English Books Story hearing this suspecting nothing made haste towards the Ship as to a prey and coming on board said he came to search for Heretical Books and being between Decks they claped down the Hatches upon him and hoysted up their Sayles and brought him away into England where for saying that he was a sworn Subject to the King of Spain and no Subject to the Queen of England he was condemned to be hanged and accordingly was Executed CHAP. V. The just Judgments of God upon several Persecutors in Forreign Parts IN the English Translation of the History of John Carion Fol. 250. he writeth concerning the Death of John Eckins as followeth Anno. 1553. John Eckins this Year saith he died at Ingeldstate Doctor Eckins a faithful Servant and Champion of the Pope and a Defender of the abominable Papacy But as his Life was full of all Ungodliness Uncleanness and Blasphemy so was his end Miserable Hard and Pitiful for his last words were these In case said he the four thousand Gilders were ready the matter were dispatched dreaming belike of some Cardinal Ship that he should have bought now what an end this was I leave it to the Readers judgment John wanderwarfe a Bastard son of a Stock or Kindred called Warfe John Wanderwarfe a