Nicholas Belerrian a Minister in Shrop-shire John Adams a Taylor and John Lacels a Gentleman belonging to King Henry the Eighth these beholding the Invincible Constancy and patience of Mistriss Askew were thereby much incouraged in their Sufferings About the same time Sir John Blage of the Kings Privy Chamber was falsly accused to have spoken against the Mass upon which he was condemned to be burnt in Smithfield whereupon the Earl of Bedford begged his pardon of the King who Commanded it to be drawn immediately After his release Sir George coming to the King Ah my Pig said he for so he usually called him Yea said Blage if your Majesty had not been better to me than your Bishops were your Pig had been roasted before this time Presently after Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and his Confederates set forth a Cruel Proclamation in the Kings Name for abolishing the Scriptures and all other English Books that discovered the truth to the people and having obtained this they very much rejoyced therein hoping that they had now for ever suppressed the Gospel so that it should never rise again and to strike the greater terror into mens minds they made a diligent search after the Professors of the Truth of whom they took the Names of some drove away others and hereby doubted not but to attain their ends But it pleased God that in the midst of these subtil Contrivances for the destruction of his Gospel and Servants to take away King Henry the Eighth within four Months after the Proclamation and thereby all their hopes and projects were utterly disappointed King Henry the Eighth being dead his only Son Prince Edward our English Josiah ascended the Throne under whom the Protestant Religion was established and Popery and Superstition abolished for he caused all Images to be demolished and as Idolatrous to be taken out of all Churches within his Dominions the Learned men of his time he encouraged and commanded them to open and expound the Scriptures he abolished the Mass and ordered the Service to be read in the English Tongue and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be administred in both kinds to the People But it pleased God in a short time to take him to himself for in the Seventh Year of his Reign and the seventeenth Year of his age he was taken with a lingring sickness during which time a Marriage was concluded between the Lord Guilford Dudley eldest Son to the Duke of Northumbereand and the Lady Jane the Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whose mother being then alive was Daughter to Marry King Henry the Eighth's second Sister The Marriage being finisht and the King every day more sick than other so that he seemed past Recovery the Duke of Northumberland being ambitious to advance his Family perswaded the King that the Church and the True Religion would be in great danger if he did not chuse a pious Successor and that it was the part of a good Prince to set aside all other respects when the Glory of God and the good of his Subjects were concerned The King partly for his great desire to have the Protestant Religion confirmed and partly for the intire love which he bore to his Cousin the Lady Jane signed Letters Patents under the Broad Seal to appoint the Lady Jane to succeed him in the Kingdom although her Title were excluded by the Lady Mary who was alwaies a zealous Papist and the Lady Elizabeth This was afterwards confirmed by the Nobility and Chief Lawyers of the Kingdom and was subscribed to by all the Kings Council the Lord Maior and Aldermen of Lndon who upon the Death of King Edward which happened in a short time after proclaimed the Lady Jane Queen in London and Westminster The Lady Mary being in Hartford-shire and hearing of it presently sent to the Lords of the Council commanding and requiring them to Proclaim her Queen which if they refused to do she threatned to recover her Right by force of Arms. The Lords returned answer That the Lady Jane was invested and possessed of the Crown by just Right and Title both by the Ancient Laws of the Land and by Letters Patents signed and sealed by the late King before his death and therefore they declared they would adhere to her and to none other requesting the Lady Mary that she would not upon any pretence endeavour to disturb the peace of the Kingdom promising her that if she would carry her self as a dutifull Subject they would be ready to do her any service The Lady Mary having received this answer withdrew further from the City and the Council being sensible of her stout and unquiet disposition they raised an Army which was commanded by the Duke of Northumberland The Lady Mary went into Suffolk and Norfolk gathering such aid of the Commons as she could and kept her self in Framingham Castle to whom the Suffolk men first resorted who being alwayes forward in promoting the Gospel promised her their aid and assistance provided she would make no alteration of the Protestant Religion as it was established by her Brother King Edward To this she readily agreed and confirmed it with such Vows and Ptotestations that none could suspect her whereupon they joined with her and thus by the help of the Protestants she vanquished the Duke of Northumberland and his Army and was settled in the Kingdom but she soon forgot her promises for these very Suffolk men observing that Popery would be re-established they Petitioned to her to perform her word to them at which she was extreamly displeased and told them Forasmuch as you who are Members desire to rule your Head you shall one day find that Members must obey not se k to rule Yea one of the chief of these men Mr. Dob by name she caused for the Terror of others to be set in the Pillory several times and divers others that presented Supplications to her not to set up Popery she caused to be sent to prison Queen Mary being settled in the Kingdom the Lady Jane her Father the Duke of Northumberland and her Husband the Lord Guilford Dudley were soon after Beheaded and the Queen soon discovered her disaffection to the Protestant Religion by displacing all the Orthodox Bishops as Poinet Ridley Scorie Hooper Coverdale and by releasing out of the Tower Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester whom she made Lord Chancellor of England and Bonner who was made Bishop of London Then the Queen publisht a Proclamation that she was resolved to observe and maintain the Catholick Religion wherein she was bred up requiring all her Subjects quietly to embrace the same A while after this Bonner and Gardiner begun a cruel and bloody persecution upon the Protestants and made them fall in heaps For Mr. Hooper Mr. Rogers Mr. Taylor Mr. Bradford Mr. Saunders all famous men were condemned and burned for Heresie In the year 1555. Thomas Tomkins whose hand B. Bonner burnt in prison to try his constancy was afterward burnt in Smithfield
of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guilt-less that tak-eth his Name in vain IV. Re-mem-ber the Sab-bath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou la-bour and do all thy work but the se-venth day is the Sab-bath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do a-ny work thou nor thy son nor thy daugh-ter thy man-ser-vant nor thy maid-ser-vant nor thy cat-tle nor the Stran-ger that is within thy Gates For in six days the Lord made Hea-ven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rest-ed the se-venth day wherefore the Lord bles-sed the Sab-bath day and hal-lowed it V. Ho-nour thy Fa-ther and thy Mo-ther that thy days may be long up-on the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee VI. Thou shalt not kill VII Thou shalt not com-mit A-dul-te-ry VIII Thou shalt not steal IX Thou shalt not bear false wit-ness a-gainst thy Neigh-bour X. Thou shalt not co-vet thy Neigh-bours house thou shalt not co-vet thy Neigh-bours wife nor his man-ser-vant nor his maid-ser-vant his Ox nor his Ass nor a-ny-thing that is thy Neigh-bours Vseful Instructions for young Persons Alphabetically in Verse A Verse may find him whom a Sermon flyes And turn delight into a Sacrifice To get and fix these Rules in memory There needs no Art but to mind A B C. A. At Table guard thy Tongue a Civil Guest Will no more talk all than eat all the Feast B. Be well advis'd and wary Council take E're thou dost any Action undertake C. Command thy self in chief He Lifes Wa knows Whom all his Passions follow as he goes D. Dare to be true nothing can need a Lye A fault which needs it must grow two thereby E. Eclips'd the Sun Earthquakes rent Vail dark Sky Nature must needs be sick when God can dye F. First Worship God He that forgets to pray Bids not himself good Morrow nor good Day G. Give to all something but to a good poor man Bestow as liberally as you can H. How dar'st thou sin in secret God doth see And will alone thy Judge and Jury be I. If a Son make his Fathers Heart to bleed He may a Child have to revenge the deed K. Keep thy self humble pride hath ruin'd many The Proud Man's seldom well-belov'd of any L. Live Jesus live and let it ever be Our life to live yea dye for love of thee M. Man's Life 's a flower that fadeth in an hour Who is so vain to doat upon a flower N. Not House nor Land nor measur'd heaps of wealth Can render to a dying man his health O. Oh my Dear God though I am quite forgot Let me not love thee if I love thee not P. Pleasure is fleeting still and makes no stay It lends a smile or two and steals away Q. Quietly learn all Crosses to endure Repining doth more misery procure R. Reach Heaven thou canst not here yet still aspire And climb if not in deed yet in desire S. Swear not an Oath is like a dangerous Dart Which shot rebounds to strike the shooters heart T. To all alike be courteous meek and kind A winning Carriage with indifferent mind U. Use Patience what e're haps though bad it be Take it for good and t' will be so to thee W. Wise Men speak little we scarce know of any Undone by hearing but for speaking many X. Xerxes with tears surveys his Mighty Host Thinking how soon they'd all be dead and lost Y. Youth think old men are Fools but Old men know By dear Experience that Youth are so Z. Zealously practice what is good and then Great will be thy reward in bliss Amen Deuteronomy Chap. 13. IF there a-rise a-mong you a Pro-phet or a Dream-er of Dreams and gi-veth thee a sign or a wonder And the sign or the won-der come to pass where-of he spake to thee say-ing Let us go af-ter o-ther Gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not heark-en un-to the words of that Prophet or the dream-ex of dreams for the Lord our God proveth you to know whe-ther you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Ye shall walk af-ter the Lord your God and fear him and keep his Com-man-de-ments and o-bey his voice and you shall serve him and cleave un-to him And that pro-phet or that dream-er of dreams shall be put to death be-cause he hath spo-ken to turn you a-way from the Lord your God which brought you out of the Land of E-gypt and re-deem-ed you out of the House of Bond-age to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God com-mand-ed thee to walk in so shalt thou put the e-vil away from the midst of thee PSALM 97. THE Lord reign-eth let the Earth re-joice let the mul-ti-tude of Is-rael be glad thereof Clouds and Darkness are round a-bout him Righ-te-ous-ness and Iudg-ment are the ha-bi-ta-ti-on of his Throne A Fire go-eth be-fore him end burn-eth up his E-ne-mies round a-bout His Light-nings en-light-en-ed the World the Earth saw and tremb-led The Hills mel-ted like wax at the pre-sence of the Lord at the pre-sence of the Lorn of the whole Earth The Hea-vens de-clare his Righ-te-ous-ness and all the Peo-ple see his Glo-ry Con-found-ed be all they that serve gra-ven I-ma-ges that boast them-selves of I-dols wor-ship him all ye Gods Si-on heard and was glad and the daugh-ters of Ju-dah re-joy-ced be-cause of thy Iudg-ments O Lord. For thou Lord art high a-bove all the Earth thou art ex-alt-ed far a-bove all Gods Ye that love the Lord hate e-vil he pre-ser-veth the souls of his saints he de-li-ve-reth them out of the hand of the wick-ed Light is sown for the Righ-te-ous and glad-ness for the up-right in Heart Re-joice in the Lord ye Righ-te-ous give thanks to the re-mem-brance of his Ho-li-ness PSALM 124. BVt that God for us fought may Israel say But that God for us fought in that sad day When men inflam'd with wrath against us rose We had alive been swallow'd by our Foes Then had we sunk beneath the roaring waves And in their horrid Entrails found our Graves Then had their Violence like Torrents pour'd From melting Hills our wretched lives devour'd O blest be God who hath not given our blood To quench their thirst nor made our flesh their food Our Souls like Birds have scapt the Fowlers Net The snares are broke which for our Lives were set Our only confidence is in his Name Who made the Earth and Heavens Immortal frame Psalm 115. NOT to us O Lord not to us but to thy Name give the glo-ry for thy Mercy and for thy Truths sake Where-fore should the Hea-then say Where is now their God But our God is in the Hea-vens he hath done what-so-e-ver he pleas-ed Their I-dols are sil-ver and gold the work of Mens hands They have mouths but they speak not Eyes have they but they see not They have Ears but they hear
fear'd an Hour 2. But let Confusion seize on those Who would destroy to Shame expose Be suddain in their overthrows 3. Let those with Infamy return Dejected and unpitied Mourn Who would thy Gospel overturn 4. Who love thy name with Joy Invest Let them in Shades of safety Feast And ever say The Lord be Blest 5. But we are poor and full of need Hast Lord deliver us with Speed Our strength our help from thee proceed Jeremiah Chap. 10. HEar the word of the Lord which speaketh to you O House of Israel Thus saith the Lord Learn not the way of the Heathen and be not dismayed at the Signs of Heaven for the Heathens are dismayed at them For the Customs of the people are vain for one Cutteth a Tree out of the Forest the work of the hands of the Workman with the Axe They deck it with Silver and with Gold they fasten it with Nails and with Hammers that it move not They are upright as the Palm Tree but speak not they must needs be born because they cannot go be not afraid of them for they cannot do evil neither also is it in them to do good For as much as there is none like to thee O Lord Thou art great and thy name is great in Might who would not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee doth it appertain for as much as among all the Wise Men of the Nations and in all the Kingdoms there is none like unto thee But they are altogether Brutish and Foolish the Stock is a Doctrine of Vanities Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish and Gold from Vphaz the work of the Workman and of the hands of the Founder Blew and Purple is their Cloathing they are all the work of Cunning Men. But the Lord is the True God he is the Living God and an Everlasting King at his Wrath the Earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation Jeremiah Chap. 10. Ver. 11. THus shall ye say un-to them The Gods that have not made the Hea-vens and the Earth even they shall pe-rish from the Earth and from un-der these Hea-vens He hath made the Earth by his Pow-er he hath E-sta-blish-ed the World by his Wise-dom and hath stretch-ed out the Hea-vens by his dis-cre-ti-on When he ut-te-reth his Voice there is a Mul-ti-tude of Wa-ters in the Hea-vens and he cau-seth the Va-pours to As-cend from the ends of the Earth he mak-eth Light-nings with Rain and bring-eth forth the Winds out of his Trea-sures E-ve-ry Man is Bru-tish in his Know-ledge e-ve-ry Found-er is Con-found-ed by the Gra-ven I-mage for his Mol-ten I-mage is fals-hood and there is no Breath in them They are Va-ni-ty and the Work of er-rors in the time of their Vi-si-ta-ti-on they shall Pe-rish Those helpless Gods Ador'd in popish Lands Are Gold and Silver wrought by Humane Hands Blind eyes have they Deaf Ears still silent Tongues They draw no Breath from their Unactive Lungs Who make them are like to them such are those Who in these Senseless Stocks their hopes Repose O praise the Lord you who from Israel Spring His praises O you Sons of Aaron Sing You of the house of Levi praise his Name All you who God Adore his praise proclaim From Sion praise God only Good and Great Who in Jerusalem hath fixt his Seat I. Kings 18.21 ANd E-li-jah came un-to all the Peo-ple and sayd How long halt ye be-tween two O-pi-ni-ons 2. If the Lord be God fol-low him but if Ba-al then fol-low him and the Peo-ple an-swer-ed him not a Word Then said E-li-jah un-to the Peo-ple I e-ven I on-ly re-main a Pro-phet of the Lord but Ba-al's Pro-phets are four Hun-dred and Fif-ty Men. Let them there-fore give us two Bul-locks and let them chuse one Bul-lock for them-selves and cut it in pie-ces and lay it on Wood and put no Fire un-der and call ye on the Name of your Gods and I will call on the Name of the Lord and the God that an-swe-reth by Fire let him be God and all the Peo-ple an-swer-ed and said It is well spo-ken And E-li-jah said un-to the Pro-phets of Ba-al Chuse you one Bul-lock for your selves and dress it first for ye are ma-ny and call up-on the Name of your Gods but put no Fire un-der And they took the Bul-lock which was gi-ven them and they dres-sed it and cal-led on the Name of Ba-al from Mor-ning un-til Noon say-ing O Ba-al hear us but there was no Voice nor any that answered and they leapt up-on the Al-tar which was made And it came to pass that at Noon E-li-jah Mock-ed them and said Cry a-loud for he is a God ei-ther he is talk-ing or he is per-su-ing or he is in ajour-ney or per-ad-ven-ture he sleep-eth and must be a-wa-ked And they cry-ed a-loud and cut them-selves af-ter their man-ner with Knives and Lan-ces till the Blood Gush-ed out up-on them And it came to pass when Mid-day was past and they Pro-phe-sy-ed un-till the time of the Of-fering of the E-ve-ning Sa-cri-fice that there was nei-ther Voice nor a-ny to an-swer nor a-ny that re-gard-ed 1 Kings 18.30 ANd Elijah said unto all the People come neer unto me and all the People came neer unto him and he repaired the Altar of the Lord that was broken down and Elijah took Twelve Stones according to the Number of the Sons of Jacob unto whom the Word of the Lord came saying Israel shall be thy Name And with the Stones he Built an Altar in the Name of the Lord and he made a Trench about the Altar as great as would contain two Measures of Seed and he put the Wood in order and cut the Bullock into Pieces and laid him on the Wood and said Fill four Barrels with Water and pour it on the burnt Sacrifice and the Wood. And he said do it the second time and they did it the second time and he said Do it the third time and they did it the third time And the Water ran round the Altar and he filled the Trench also with Water And it came to pass at the time of the Offering of the Evening Sacrifice that Elijah the Prophet came near and said Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy Servant and that I have done all these things at thy Word Hear me O Lord hear me that this People may know thou art the Lord God and that thou hast turned their heart back again Then the Fire of the Lord fell and Consumed the burnt Sacrifice and the Wood and the Stones and the Dust and licked up the Water that was in the Trench And when all the People saw it they fell on their Faces and they said The Lord he is the God the Lord he is the God And Elijah said unto them Take the Prophets of Ba-al let not one of them escape and they took them
and profess the Christian Religion and have no Communion with Rome than there are Papists 4. It is the prerogative of Jesus Christ alone to be Head of his Church for as there is one Faith and one Lord Jesus Christ so there is but one body which is his Church united to him as her head Eph. 4.3 4. Psalm 2.6 Quest What are some of those Errors brought in by the Pope and his Clergy which occasioned the Protestants departure from their Communion Answ There were several Errors and Extravagancies Introduced both in Doctrine and Discipline one of their Doctrines was that of Purgatory which they affirm is a place next door to Hell where the Torments are as extream as those of Hell it self but not eternal in this place they say the Souls of the Faithful are purged some for a hundred some for five hundred or a Thousand years till they are delivered by the Prayers Masses Popes Pardons but especially by the Money of their Friends or Relations Quest What say the Protestants to this Answ They say it is Blasphemy to believe that Men are purged from sins in this place since the bloud of Christ is the only purgatory for our Sins Besides there is no ground in Scripture for any such belief St. Luke 16.23 In Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torment c. St. Matt. 28.12 They shall sit down with Abraham c. in the Kingdom of Heaven but the other shall be cast into utter Darkness where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth Mark 26.16 He that believeth shall be Saved and he that believeth not shall be Damned Quest What other Errors do they maintain Answ The Doctrine of Transubstantiation for they say that in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Jesus Christ is corporally present and that there is a change of the Substance of the bread and wine into the natural body and blood of Christ Quest What answer the Protestants Answ That this Doctrine is contrary to many plain Testimonies of Scripture it overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to very gross Idolatry and great Superstition and besides it contains a multitude of absurdities and contradictions For 1. Then must our blessed Saviour hold himself in his own hands yea devour and eat up himself and yet still sit whole and entire at the Table with his Disciples 2. The body of Jesus Christ must be in a Thousand places at the same time 3. His whole body must be in the mouth of every Communicant at once 4. His whole body must be less in quantity than the least Limb of his body 5. His body must at the same time be broken and unbroken and must at the same time ascend and descend and lastly must be subject to putrefaction and many other Absurdities And therefore those words This is my Body are to be understood that this doth signify and represent my body and upon the same account Christ is called a Rock a Door a Vine and yet none can be so sensless to think that Jesus Christ was turned into any of these Quest VVhat other Errors are they charged with Ans That the Scripture ought not to be set forth in the Common Tongue but that it is dangerous for the people to read the Bible lest they fall into Heresie Qu. What do the Protestants answer to this Answ That the true Reason of this is because if they suffer the People to read the Scripture it would make them abhor the Popish Religion as being absolutely contrary thereunto For the Scriptures exhort all to be diligent Readers thereof and our Saviour saith vvhat say the Prophets and Apostles concerning this Search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Seek ye the Book of the Lord and read Isa 34.16 They were more noble in that they searched the Scriptures dayly Acts 17.11 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Luke 16.29 Let the word of God dwell richly in you Col. 3.16 Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Eph. 6.17 From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 Except you utter Words easy to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken 1 Cor. 14.9 16. Qu. What other erroneous Doctrines do the Papists hold Answ The praying to Angels to the Virgin Mary and the Apostles and Saints departed Quest VVhat say the Protestants to it Answ They say That the Papists by praying in that manner do give to the Angels and Saints departed the highest religious Worship and Adoration that is possible and so are guilty of fearful Idolatry and that we ought to go to God in the mediation of Christ alone neither have we any ground to believe that the Saints in Heaven know our particular Persons wants necessities or desires and the Scripture seems contrary to all this Call upon me in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 Say Our Father which art in Heaven Luke 11.2 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only Mat. 4.10 Let no man beguile you into a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels Col. 2.18 There is one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Through him we have access unto the Father Eph. 2.18 Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3.17 VVhatsoever you shall ask in my name I will do it John 14 3. Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel know us not Is 63.13 Thou sendest man away his Sons come to Honour and he knows it not they are brought low but he perceives it not Job 14.21 St. John fell down to worship before the Feet of the Angel then saith he see thou do it not for I am thy Fellow Servant worship God Rev. 22.8 9. Cornelius fell down at St. Peter 's feet and worshipped him and Peter said stand up I my self am also a man Act. 10.25 Quest Do not the Papists affirm that we ought to pray for the dead Answ Yes but the Protestants answer They that dye in the Lord need not our prayers and they that dye in their sins can have no benefit by them and that the reason why the Popish Priests uphold this Error is because they get so much money by it Lastly we have no Command from God no promise to be heard no Example in Scripture for praying for the dead or praying to Saints Read 2 Sam. 12.21 Now the Child is dead why should I fast and pray Blessed are they that dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Qu. Do the Papists hold that all that dye without Baptism are undoubtedly damned and shut out of Heaven Answ Yes But Protestants say that is false for then 1. The Penitent Thief could not be saved contrary to that of St. Luke 23.43 2. A multitude of Infants must be damned for the neglect of their Parents which is a cruel and uncharitable censure contrary to Gen. 17.7 1 Cor. 7.14 Rom. 4.11 Mat. 19.14 Quest Is water the only visible
the City and all therein to the fury and rage of the unholy Pilgrims They then surprized the Castle of Bezon where they pulled out the Eyes and cut off the Noses of an hundred Albingenses leaving only one with one Eye to guide the rest to Calaret They took likewise the Castle of Menerly defended by the Lord of Termes whom they flung into a filthy Prison till he died his Wife Sister and Daughter who was a Virgin and likewise divers Noble Women after they had in vain by frowns and threats endeavoured to draw them to Popery were burnt in an huge fire all together And after that they burnt an hundred and fourscore more in another great fire who embraced the flames with joy giving God thanks that he was pleased so to honour them as to die for his Name Simon Monford succeeded the Legate in his Generalship and at the taking of the Castle of Lavaur all the Souldiers were put to the Sword except fourscore Gentlemen whom that cruel Earl caused to be hanged and the Lord Almery on a Gibbet above all the rest the Lady his Sister was cast into a Ditch and covered with Stones the rest of the people who were about four hundred persons were forced into a great fire made purposely for them and so all burnt except those that would forsake their Religion which were very few About this time there was one Reynard Lollard a godly and learned man who by his preaching stirred up the English in Guiene to assist the Albingenses which they did accordingly but this worthy man was afterward burnt in Germany They say he he foretold many things by Divine Revelation which came to pass in a short time In the year 1213. near Muret upon the Gavon there was a Battel between Simon Montford and the King of Arra on who assisted the Albingenses in which Fight the King of Arragon was slain and the Enemy reported above two Millions of Albingenses with him which the Albingenses attributed to the too great confidence of the King who depended much upon his numbers and was feasting while his Enemies were in Council Fryar Conradus of Marpurg the Popes Inquisitor made terrible havock of all that professed the Gospel under the names of Hereticks whom he tryed by making them pass over red hot Irons laid at an unequal distance blindfold and those that were burnt were accounted Hereticks few escaping the hot Irons so that neither Noble nor Ignoble Clerks Monks Nuns Burgesses Citizens nor Country people escaped the Flames by means of this bloody Inquisitor Prince Lewis of France took the Town of Miramond and therein destroyed five thousand men women and children of the Albingenses And in the year 1234 many of them being fled into France the Pope caused a Crusado to be preached up against them whereby a great Army of Pilgrims assembled together and were sent against them by Pope Gregory who slew the poor Protestants with their Bishops and Ministers burnt their houses destroyed their Towns and plundered and car ied away their Goods And about the same time some who had retired into Germany Millain and other parts of Italy were likewise burnt and destroyed A while after four hundred and twenty of these Albingenses were burnt at Tholouse A great Persecution was raised against the Protestants of Albi in the year 1281. so that they were almost all extirpated and rooted out and forced to fly to all parts for safety of their lives and at the same time by the Popes Order the Bones of several famous Ministers among them were digged up and burnt twenty or thirty years after they were buried In the year 1315. the Fryars Inquisitors raised an hot Persecution against these Gospellers in Pashaw and burnt many of them who died chearfully and constantly in the Faith and one of them who was burnt at Vienna confessed that there were fourscore thousand of them in Bohemia and Austria at that time In the year 1332. Lollard Walterus a famous Preacher from whom his Followers were called Lollards was taken and burnt at Collen But notwithstanding all these horrid Cruelties used by the Papists against these Saints and Servants of God yet they could never prevail to a total extirpation of them but they still encreased and revived and their Posterity profess the same Faith to this very day In the year 1620 in a Country called the Valtoline or the Grisons Country the Papists committed very great cruelties those poor people had for a long time enjoyed the freedom of their Religion but about the time afore-mentioned when the Minister of a Town called Tell was preaching to his Congregation the bloody Papists rose in Arms and set upon them beating and killing several of them and among the rest there was an Honourable Lady who was exhorted to change her Religion if not for her own sake yet out of pity to her young Infant that she held in her Arms which otherwise together with her self should be immediately slain But the Lady with an undaunted courage answered I have not departed out of Italy my Native Country nor forsaken all the Estate that I had there to renounce the Faith of my Lord Jesus Christ No I will suffer a thousand deaths if it be possible rather than do it And why in this case should I have so much regard to my Infant since God my Heavenly Father spared not his own Son my Lord Jesus but delivered him up to death in love to me and such sinners as I am And then giving her Child to one that stood by she said Behold my Child the Lord God who hath care of the Birds of the Air is much more able to save this poor creature although it should by you be lest in these wild Mountains Then unlacing her Gown she opened her Breast saying Here is the Body which you have power to kill but my Soul on which you have no power to lay your hands that I commend to my God And then these Blood-hounds presently slew her and cut her to pieces The Infant being a lovely sweet Child they spared and delivered to a Popish Nurse to be brought up These Villains carried divers Women and Children to the tops of high Mountains and if they would not promise to go to Mass they were thrown down headlong and torn to pieces One Dominico Berto a young man of sixteen years of age because he would not turn Papist was set upon an Ass with his face to the Tail and the Tail in his hand for a Bridle and with many scoffs and mocks was brought into the Market place there they cut off his Nose Ears and Cheeks and then burnt many holes in divers parts of his body with hot Irons and thus they barbarously continued to torment him till he died They likewise seized upon a Noble young Virgin and carried her through the Streets with all imaginable disgrace They put a Miter of Paper upon her head besmeared her face with dirt and busseted her on the Cheeks with
France and that the Signal for the General Massacre would be the ringing of the Bell in the Kings Pallace which would be about break of day and that the Murderers should have a white handkerchief tyed about their Arms and a white Cross in their hats and Candles to be lighted in every house At the time appointed the Bell rung and the Duke of Guise hasted to the Admirals Lodgings with his Cut-throats and knocking at the Door he that opened it was murdered the Admiral hearing the noise got out of his Bed and there being a Minister in the Room they both went to Prayers and the Admiral fervently commended his Soul to God and then said to those about him It is long since I disposed my self to dye save your selves if it be possible for you cannot save my life I commit my soul into the hands and mercy of God The Minister and the rest of his attendants got up to the top of the house and crept out of the Windows to save themselves yet most of them were slain in the next House Presently seven or eight men broke into the Admirals Lodgings and one of them set his Naked Sword to his Breast saying Art thou the Admiral To whom with a Christian Constancy he answered I am called so and withal said young man thou oughtest to consider my Age and the weak condition I am now in but do what thou wilt for thou canst not shorten my life but a very little But the Wretch blaspheming God thrust him through the Breast and afterward strook him on the head another shot him with a Pistol and a third wounded him in the Thigh so that he lay gasping for life the Duke of Guise was below and with a lowd voice cryed Have you done It was answered Yes the Duke replyed Our Chevalier which was the Kings Bastard Brother will not believe it unless he see it which being done his Face was all bloody which the Duke of Guise wiping said Now I know it is he and then kicked him on the Face with his Foot whom all the Murtherers of France feared so much when he was alive Then the Duke and his bloody Train went into the Streets crying Arm Arm we have had good success and a happy beginning Let us now proceed to the rest for it is the Kings Command which words he repeated often This is the Kings Commandment this is his Will this is his express pleasure therefore courage my Fellows Then the great Bell of the Pallace which was the bloody token of the General Alarm began to ring out alowd and presently a Report was spread That the Protestants had conspired against the King Queen and Court and were just going to Execute their Design After this the Admirals head was cut off and sent to the King and Queen Mother and being by them preserved with Spices it was sent to the Pope and the Cardinal of Lorrain at Rome as a very grateful present The Pope when he first heard the News of the Massacre appointed a day of Publick Thanksgiving to God where Te Deum was sung for joy in the Church of St. Lewes He likewise Published a Bull of Pardons and extraordinary Indulgence to such as should pray for the Heavenly assistance to the King and Kingdom of France for rooting out of Hereticks The Rascally Rabble cut off the Hands and Privy Members of the Admiral dragging his mangled body besmeared with blood and filth through the Streets three days together and then hanged it by the Feet upon the Gallows All the Attendants of the King of Navar and Prince of Conde which lay in the Kings Pallace were murdered and likewise all the Lords and Gentlemen about the Admiral 's Lodgings and among the rest his Son Teligny and then through all the City and Suburbs were the poor Protestants Massacred with all manner of Cruelties Nothing was then to be heard but the Terrible noise of Horses and Arms Guns and Pistols mingled with the doleful sad and woful Schreeches and miserable complaints of Men VVomen and Children Rich and Poor crying for mercy to these bloody Hell-hounds howling and lamenting at their miserable Condition to bet hus wretchedly murdered for they knew not what And all this intermixt with the groans of the dying and the merciless shouts of the Cruel Murtherers continually crying kill kill for the King commands it that it seemed as if Heaven and Earth had met together or as if the Heavens had rent with Thunder So that in that night and the Two next days there was slain in Paris above Ten Thousand Persons of both Sexes and all Ranks and Ages the bloody Papists not sparing the Children in the Cradle nor the Infants in their Mothers wombs insomuch that the Streets Market-place and Rivers were dyed with Blood and the Murtherers boasted that they had in a few days put an end to that Quarrel that neither Pen Paper decrees of Justice nor open VVar could accomplish in Twelve years This horrid Massacre was committed on St. Bartholomews day being the 24. of August 1571. which was the Sabbath day and is made famous for ever by the Effusion of so much precious Innocent blood as no Age nor time can parallel for there were at this time in Paris Threescore Thousand men with Pistols Poinards Swords Knives and such other Bloody Instruments who ran up and down swearing and blaspheming the Sacred Majesty of God cruelly massacring all they met so that the Streets were covered with mangled Bodies and the Gates and Doors defiled with blood the Lords and Gentlemen were Inhumanely murdered some in their Beds others on the top of their Houses and in all other places where they were found and such a multitude of dead Bodies were thrown into the River Se-Sin that the water was dyed Red with their Blood In the Hellish Assembly wherein this bloody Massacre was concluded on it was debated whether the King of Navar and Prince of Conde should not be destroyed with the rest the Duke of Guise pleaded for it but others were against it and argued how abominable it would be to destroy two young Princes of the Blood in the Flower of their Age and one of them in the imbraces of his young Bride and the Kings own Sister and therefore it was concluded That they should be threatned violently with death and all manner of Torments if they would not turn Papists And thereupon the King commanded them to be brought into his presence and told them That now he had cut off all the Instruments of the late Civil Wars which he hoped would prevent future troubles for by his Command the Admiral was slain and all the rest of the Hereticks and that the like should be Executed in all other places throughout the Kingdom and that if they would now save their Lives they must turn Catholicks for he was resolved to have but one Religion in his Kingdom The King of Navar and the Prince of Conde humbly beseeched his Majesty
Cacalla a man of Excellent Learning and one Rochus a skilful Graver of Images who turned Protestants and died for the same also one John Pontio Gónsalvo a Priest Juliano Leon Arias Losada a Physician Together with a Lady and several VVomen and Virgins who were burnt at several times in divers places and Twenty others besides who were burnt in one Fire after they had endured all the horrid torments of the Rack the Pully the Trough the Barnacle the Twisting Cord and the rest of the barbarous Tortures and Inventions of the cursed Inquisition Nay divers English men being betrayed by the Insinuation of wicked Informers were likewise burnt in Spain as Nicholas Burton Merchant of London was burnt at Sevil and another English man with him and not long after two more named John Baker and Villiam Burgate and about the same time William Burges Master of an English Ship was burnt there likewise and one William Hooker a youth of about sixteen years old was stoned to death for the bold profession of the Truth As Portugal is but a little Kingdom and the power of the Pope and his Clergy very considerable there as well as in Spain they have wonderfully supprest the power of the Truth with their Tortures yet some have their likewise suffered for the Gospel and among others William Gardner an English man whom they put to death with most exquisite Tortures at Lisbon in the year 1552 for taking the Host out of a Cardinals Hand and stamping it under his Feet He boldly asserting to the King himself That he did it out of Conscience as not being able to endure to see the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper irreverently used to so great Idolatry and although all manner of cruelty was used toward him yet he dyed with extraordinary Constancy singing Psalms in the Flames to the very last moment of his life The Rage and Fury of Papists in the Low-Countreys or Netherlands was no less then in other places For the Inquisition being introduced there it was accompanied with all manner of cruelty At Antwerp one Nicholas an Holy good man was bound up in a Sack and drown'd In Holland a Learned Preacher called Pistorius was burnt being carryed to the stake with a Fools Coat on his back Wendel muta a Widow likewise suffered death with much Constancy Several Ministers were beheaded among the rest one George Scherter who after his head had been cut off for some time and his body lying on his Belly he turning himself on his Back and crossing his Right Foot over the left and his right hand over the left continued so to the great admiration of the Spectators and the Conversion of many Several were drowned others were made away in Prisons others shut up in dark and noisom places and none suffered to come at them being fed only with Bread and Water till they were famished At Lorain several were Martyred some by Fire others beheaded There was a very great Persecution all over Flanders about the year 1544 so that there was hardly a Town or City in all the Countrey wherein some were not banished beheaded or condemned to perpetual Imprisonment neither was there any respect either to Age or Sex but especially at Gaunt many of the chief Persons were burned for being Protestants and several others in Brabant and Artois insomuch that Two Hundred Men and VVomen were cruelly destroyed at one time some of them being drowned some burned alive and some privately murdered so that the Hangman began to be tyred and wearied out with such continual Executions At the Town of Mecklin Dornick and Delden several were put to death and among the rest two Noble Virgins who were Sisters and likewise a Mother and her three Sons who all dyed owning the Gospel and zealously exclaiming against the Cruelty and Idolatry of the Papists And about the same time they miserably tormented one Bertrand for trampling the Host under his Feet whom they thrice put to the Rack and because he would not recant in the Market place of Dornick they put a Ball of Iron into his Mouth to keep him from speaking and then crushed his Right hand between two flat Red hot Irons till the form of it was changed and then did the like by his Foot which he endured with admirable patience then tying him round the wast by a Pully and making a Fire underneath they hoisted him up and down till he was burnt to Ashes which they cast into the River There were several Martyred at Valence and Lisle and one of the Judges pronouncing sentence against these good People said This Day you shall go to dwell with all the Devils in Hell Fire But the greatest Instrument of the Devil in those Countreys was the Duke of Alva who was sent by the King of Spain to Root the Protestants out of the Low-Countreys This Duke boasted one time at his own Table That he had been diligent to root out Heresie for besides those he had slain in the Wars He had put into the hands of the Common Hangman to be Executed within the space of six years no less then Eighteen Thousand Persons And to complete this sad Catastrophe we may also remember that William of Nastaw Prince of Orang was shot by a Villain called Joanville who was encouraged by a Jacobine Fryar to do it the Rascal was thrust through with an Halbert and the Fryar was hang'd But this wound not proving mortal they hired one Gerard a Burgundion who standing behind the Pillar in a Room shot the Prince dead as he past by PSALM 105. WE nothing can of merit claim Not for our sakes thy aid afford But for the Honour of thy Name Thy Mercy and unfailing Word Why should th' insulting Heathen cry Where 's now the God they vainly Praise Our Lord inthron'd above the Sky All underneath at pleasure swayes Their Gods but Gold and Silver be Made by a frail Artificer For they have eyes that cannot see Dumb Mouths and Ears that cannot hear Fools on their Altars Incense throw Who nothing smell their feet are bound Nor have they Power to move or go Their throats give Passage to no sound Their hands can neither give nor take Unapt to punish or defend As senseless they who Idols make Or to their carved Statues bend Your hopes in God O Israel place He is your help and strong defence Be he you Priests of Aarons Race The Object of your Confidence In him all you that fear him Trust He shall protect you in destress The Lord is of his Promise Just And will his Faithfull Servants Bless He in the Heaven of Heavens resides And over all his Creatures reigns Among the Sons of men divides The Earth and all that Earth contains Who sleep within the Vaults of Death No Offerings to his Altars bring O Praise his Name while we have Breath And loudly Halelu-jah sing Mr. Wischard burnt A 1000 drown in a River Candles made of Mens fatt Irish Children Kill
by the Proofs they have heard that there now is and for divers years last past hath been an horrid and Treasonable Plot and Conspiracy contrived and carried on by those of the Popish Religion for the Murdering of his Majesties Sacred Person and for subverting the Ptotestant Religion and the Ancient and Established Government of this Kingdom John Brown Cleric Perliam Let us conclude all with the Thanksgiving of the Church of England set forth by Authority upon the Discovery of the Gunpowder Treason in 1605. NOt unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name be ascribed all honour and glory in all Churches of the Saints throughout all Generations for thou Lord hast discovered the Snares of Death thou hast broken them and we are delivered be thou still our mighty Protector and scatter our Cruel Enemies which delight in Blood Infatuate their Counsel and root out that Babilonish and Antichristian Sect which say of Jerusalem Down with it down with it even to the Ground and to this end strengthen the hands of our Gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with Judgment and Justice to cut off these workers of Iniquity whose Religion is Rebellion whose Faith is Faction whose Practice is Murthering of Souls and Bodies and to root them out of the Confines and Limits of this Kingdom that they may never prevail against us and Triumph in the ruin of thy Church And give us grace by true and serious Repentance to avert these and the like Judgments from us This Lord we earnestly crave at thy mercifull hands together with the continuance of thy powerfull Protection over our Dread Soveraign the whole Church and these Realms and the speedy confusion of our Implacable Enemies and that for thy dear Sons sake our only Mediator and Advocate Amen PSALM 91. WHo makes th' Almighty his retreat Shall rest beneath his Shady Wings Free from th' Oppression of the Great The Rage of War or Wrath of Kings Free from the Cunning Fowlers Train The Tainted Air 's Infectious Breath His Truth in Perils shall sustain And Shield thee from the stroke of Death No terrors shall thy sleeps affright Nor deadly flying Arrows slay Nor Pestilence devour by night Or slaughter Massacre by day Words and Proper Names of two three and four Sylables both whole and divided into Sylables ABuse A-buse Adam Ad-am Affected Af-fect-ed Abigail A-bi-gail Activity Ac-ti-vi-ty Amasia A-ma-si-a Ahasuerus A-ha-su-e-rus Banquet Ban-quet Barak Ba-rak Backslider Back-sli-der Belshazzer Bel-shaz-zer Bountifully Boun-ti-ful-ly Barzillai Bar-zil-la-i Beatificial Be-a-ti-si-cal Beeliada Be-e-li-a-da Cleansed Clean-sed Carmel Car-mel Chastening Chast-en-ing Chorazin Cho-ra-zin Calamity Ca-la-mi-ty Cyrenius Cy-re-ni-us Cogitation Co-gi-ta-ti-on Daughter Daugh-ter Dathan Da-than Destroyed De-stroy-ed Dalilah Da-li-lah Difficulty Dif-fi-cul-ty Dalmatia Dal-ma-ti-a Estrang Est-rang Esther Est-her Effected Ef-fect-ed Ephraim E-phra-im Election E-lec-ti-on Ebenezer E-ben-e-zer Frustrate Frus-trate Francis Fran-cis Forreigner For-reign-er Familiar Fa-mi-li-ar Favonia Fa-vo-ni-a Grudging Grudg-ing Ginath Gi-nath Garnishing Gar-nish-ing Gomorrah Go-mor-rah Gloriously Glo-ri-ous-ly Gethsemane Geth-se-ma-ne Genealogy Ge-ne-a-lo-gy Haughty Haugh-ty Huzoth Huz-oth Heretick He-re-tick Habakkuk Hab-ak-kuk Hallelujah Hal-le-lu-jah Hymeneus Hy-me-ne-us Habitation Ha-bi-ta-tion Heliopolis He-li-o-po-lis Judgment Judg-ment Jephtha Jeph-tha Journeying Jour-ney-ing Issachar Is-sa-char Ignominy Ig-no-mi-ny Illyria Il-ly-ri-a Jerusalem Je-ru-sa-lem Infidelity In-fi-de-li-ty Kinsfolk Kins-folk Kahath Ka-hath Kindnesses Kind-nes-ses Keturah Ke-turah Laughter Laugh-ter London Lon-don Languishing Lan-guish-ing Lazarus La-za-rus Lascivious Las-ci-vi-ous Leviathan Le-vi-a-than Liberality Li-be-ra-li-ty Merchant Mer-chant Mesheck Me-sheck Magistrate Ma-gis-trate Manasseh Ma-nas-seh Malefactor Ma-le-fac-tor Neighbour Neigh-bour Nadab Na-dab Nakedness Na-ked-ness Naphtali Naph-ta-li Negligently Neg-li-gent-ly Nathanael Na-tha-na-el Offspring Off-spring Ophri O-phri Offering Of-fer-ing Oppressing Op-pres sing Othniel Oth-ni-el Overseer O-ver-se-er Ohemoed O-he-mo-ed Operation O-pe-ra-tion Preaching Preach-ing Phicol Phi-col Possessor Pos-ses-sor Phinebas Phi-ne-bas Pal stina Pa-les-ti-na Quenching Quench-ing Quinzay Quin-zay Quartering Quar-ter-ing Qualified Qua-li-fied Quaternion Qua-ter-ni-on Roughly Rough-ly Rehum Re-hum Ravished Ra-vish ed Rabshakeh Rab sha keh Religion Re li-gi-on Rehoboam Re-ho-bo-am Slaughter Slaugh-ter Shushan Shu-shan Schismatick Schis-ma-tick Synagogue Sy-na-gogue Shelhazzer Shel-haz-zer Softhenes Soft-he-nes Sanctuary Sanc-tu-a-ry Taphath Ta-phath Trespasses Tres-pas-ses Thaddeus Thad-de-us Testimony Tes-ti-mo-ny Trogyllium Tro-gy-lli-um Viewing View-ing Vkrain V-krain Victory Vic-to-ry Vpharsin V-phar-sin Vnadvised Vn-ad-vi-sed Vespasian Ves-pa-si-an Witchcraft Witch-craft Wrongfully Wrong-ful-ly Wolfgangus Wolf-gan-gus Warsovia War-so-vi-a Xerxes Xer-xes Younger Younger Youthfully Youth-ful-ly Zealous Zeal-ous Zopheth Zo-pheth Zealously Zeal-ous-ly Zipporah Zip-po-rah Zeboim Ze-bo-im Zerobabel Ze-ro-ba-bel Zurishadda Zu-ri-shad-da Words and proper Names of five six and seven Syllables Allegorical Al-le-go-ri-cal Alsufficiency All-suf-fi-ci-en-cy Adramytium A-dra-my-ti-um Beatification Be-a-ti-fi-ca-ti-on Baalathbeor Ba-a-lath-be-or Bothbaalmeon Beth-ba-al-me-on Consubstantiation Con-sub-stan-ti-a-ti-on Chederlaomer Che-der-la-o-mer Dedication De-di-ca-ti-on Deuteronomy Deu-te-ro-no-my Dissimulation Dis-si-mu-la-ti-on Extortioner Ex-tor-ti-o-ner Excommunication Ex-com-mu-ni-ca-ti-on Elihoenai E-li-ho-e-na-i Familiarity Fa mi li-a-ri-ty Fortification For-ti-ca-ti-on Gederothaim Gede-ro-tha-im Glorification Glo-ri-fi-ca-tion Habitation Ha-bi-ta-ti-on Hypocritically Hy-po-cri-ti-cal-ly Helarazaruus He-la-ra-za-ru-us Helcathhazurim Hel-cath-ha-zu-rim Jehovashallom Je-ho-va-shal-lom Jurisdiction Ju-ris-dic-ti-on Incomprehensible In-com-pre-hen-si-ble Jebereheah Je-be-re-he-ah Kiriathaim Ki-ri-a-tha-im Kireathebaal Ki-re-a-the-ba-al Languishing Lan-guish-ing Lamentation La-men-ta-ti-on Lusitania Lu-si-ta-ni-a Meditation Me-di-ta-ti-on Manifestation Ma-ni-fes-ta-tion Melchizedeck Mel-chi-ze-deck Mesherabeel Me-she-ra-be-el Mathematician Ma-the-ma-ti-ci-an Mesopotamia Me-so-po-ta-mi-a Multiplication Mul-ti-pli-ca-ti-on Nonconformity Non-con-for-mi-ty Naturalization Na-tu-ra-li-za-ti-on Nebuchadnezzer Ne-bu-chad-nezar Onisephorus O-ne-se-pho-rus Predestinate Pre des-ti-nate Presbiterian Pres-bi-te-ri-an Purification Pu-ri-fi-ca-tion Philosophically Phi-lo-so-phi-cal-ly Propitiation Pro pi-ti a-ti on Qualification Qua li fi ca ti on Renunciation Re nun ci a ti on Resurrection Re-sur-rec ti on Reconciliation Re-con ci li a-ti on Representation Re-pre-sen-ta-ti-on Satisfaction Satis-fac-ti-on Superiority Su pe ri o-ri ty Sanctification Sanc-ti-fi-ca-ti on Temporality Tem-po ra li ty Taanathshiloth Ta-a-nath shi loth Thessalonica Thes sa lo-ni ca Transubstantiation Tran sub stan ti a-ti on Vexatiously Vex-a ti ous ly Vniversality V-ni-ver-sal li ty Vnreconcilable Vn-re con cil a ble Gods Judgments upon Popish Persecutors discovered in some eminent Examples 1. FRom the First plantation of the Christian Religion in this Nation under King Lucius there was never any King or Queen of England in whose reign so much Christian blood was spilt as in four years space during the Reign of Queen Mary But as she was prodigal of the Lives of the best of her subjects and a Persecutor of the Gospel so it pleased God to follow her with Plagues and Judgments all her life for nothing prospered which she took in hand of which we shall give some few Instances The fairest and greatest Ship she had called the Great Harry was burnt by Lightning from Heaven the Christian world at that time not affording such another Then she would needs marry Phillip King of Spain thereby Subjecting England to Strangers yet with her utmost endeavour she could never set the English Crown on his head Then did she attempt the Restitution of Abby Lands and had all the assistance that
the Pope could give her therein yet she was utterly crost also in that Design Then she lost Calice in France which had been in the possession of the English during the Reign of eleven Kings that is from the Reign of King Edward the third with which loss she was so afflicted that she told some of her Courtiers If they opened her body when she was dead they would find Calice written in her heart She was reported to be with Child but it came to nothing Her beloved Husband left her in whom she placed her greatest felicity and content So that now she could neither enjoy him nor marry another About the same time the Land was grieviously afflicted with horrible Tempests Famines Plagues mortal Diseases and burning Agues so that between October and December there dyed seven Aldermen in London that had been Lord Maiors and the mortality was so great that much Corn was lost in the Fields for want of men to gather it whereby great scarcity ensued and many poor people lived upon Acorns And lastly she was struck with a lingring and pining sickness whereof she dyed having only reigned Five years and Five months a shorter time than any of the Kings of England enjoyed since the Conquest Richard the Third only excepted 2. In the next place let us consider Gods Judgments upon some other Instruments of Cruelty and among the rest Stephen Gardiner who was a most Cruel Persecutor of the Protestants In King Henry the Eighths time he was a great stickler for the divorce from the Lady Katherine of Spain and was therefore made Bishop of Winchester In King Edward the sixths time he seemed a Friend to the Gospel and preached it up but in Queen Marys days he was the greatest and most inveterate enemy against it and the professors thereof and continued so to his dying day For the same day that Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer were burnt at Oxford the old Duke of Norfolk came to dine with Gardiner The Bishop deferred his dinner till about four a Clock in the Afternoon at which time came one of his Servants posting to tell him that fire was put to these Servants of God which when he was certified of he came out rejoyceing to the Duke and said Now let us go to dinner The Table was presently set and the Bishop began to eat merrily but as soon as he had eaten a few bits he was on a sudden struck very sick and being carryed from the Table to bed he there continued in such intolerable Anguish and Torment that he could void nothing either by stool or urine His Tongue was black and swoln so big that his mouth could not contain it and his body violently Inflamed In this sad condition he lay fifteen days and then ended his miserable life In the beginning of his sickness Dr. Day Bishop of Chichester coming to see him began to speak to him about the merciful Promises of God and free Justification by the blood of Christ To whom he answered What my Lord will you open that gap now then farewell all together Open this window to the People and farewell all together And being by another Person put in mind of St. Peters denying his Master and that he ought not to despair He answered I have denied Christ with Peter but I never repented with Peter 3. Bloody Bonner though he dyed in his bed yet lay under the Spiritual Judgment of Impenitency and as he had been a Persecutor of the Light and a Child of Darkness so in darkness and at midnight his Carkass was tumbled into the Earth And as himself had been a Murderer so was he layd among Thieves and Murderers a place by Gods Judgment fitly appointed for him 4. Dr. Whittington Chancellor having condemned a Godly Religous woman to be Burnt at Chipping Sadbury a multitude of People came to see her Suffer and among the rest Whittington himself At the same time there was a Butcher in another place of the Town killing a Bull who was fast bound with a Rope ready to be knockt on the head the Butcher missing his stroke the Bull broke loose just as the people were coming from the Execution of this Holy Martyr the people seeing him coming severed themselves and made a Lane for him the Bull passed through them without hurting man woman or child till he came to the place where Whittington was against whom he ran very furiously and thrusting his Horns into his belly ran him quite through and tearing out his Guts with his horns he trayl'd them about the streets to the great astonishment of those that saw his wretched end 5. One Burton Bayliff of Crowland in Lincolnshire seemed in King Edward the Sixths days to be a zealous Protestant but as soon as Queen Mary came to the Crown he turned Papist and being forward to set up the Mass he went to Church and the Curate being then reading the English Service he went to him and said Sirrah will you not say Mass buckle your self to it you knave or by Gods Blood I 'le sheath my dagger in your shoulder The poor Curate being affrighted betook himself to the Mass Shortly after this Burton and a neighbour riding together a Crow flew over his head and voided her Excrements upon his Nose which ran down his beard and yielded such an horrible stink that it caused him to vomit in a most violent manner whereupon he got home to bed but could eat nothing the stink and vomiting still continuing which made him with dreadful Oaths and Execrations curse the Crow that had poisoned him and so he continued in extream pain till he dyed A Prayer of King Edward the Sixth a while before his Death LOrd God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy chosen howbeit not my Will but thy Will be done Lord I commit my Spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy chosens sake send me that in Life or Death I may serve thee O my Lord God Bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy chosen People of England O my Lord God defend this Land from Papistry and maintain the True Religion that I and my People may Praise thy Holy name for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake A Speech of Queen Elizabeth to her Army at Tilbury Camp in the time of the Spanish Invasion in the year 1588 MY Loving People we have been perswaded by some that are carefull of our safety to take heed how we commit our selves to armed Multitudes for fear of Treachery but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithfull and loving People Let Tyrants fear I have alwayes so behaved my self that under God I have alwayes placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the Loyal Hearts and good will of my Subjects and therefore I am come amongst you as you see at this time not for my Recreation