the time of Licinius till Iohn Wickliffe was bound vp Sathan bound vp til Wicliffe Constantine deferred baptisme till his old age because he determined a iourney into Persia and thought in Iordan to haue béene baptized He entered into the Empire Anno 311. and raigned 30. yéeres as Letus saith 32. lacking two moneths Constantine borne in England Helena daughter of king Coilus Constantines mother He was borne in Brytaine His mothers name was Helena daughter of king Coilus He greatly trauelled for the peace of Christians and before hée had conquered Licinius wrote to his subiects inhabiting the East in their fauour He set also peace among the Bishops in the Church who were at dissention and made prouision for ministers and teachers of the people and caused all to be restored vnto the Christians that had béene taken from them in the persecutions Constantine a father of the Church writing to Syluius his chiefe Captaine to that end and commaunded him that in Affrica where he had to doo and where Cecilianus was bishop that Clarkes and ministers should be freed from all manner publike duties burthens He was greatly studious in taking vp causes among the bishops and wrote to that end to diuers as to Miltiades bishop of Rome to Crescēs bishop of Siracusa to Cecilianus bishop of Carthage also to Eusebius for the edifying of new Churches And after he had gathered the Nicene Councell Nicene councell for the vnitie of the Church he writeth to Alexander and Arrius to the same entent He prescribed a certaine prayer for euery one of his souldiers in stead of a brief Catechisme caused them to learne the same Constantine teacheth his souldiers a prayer which is this Wée acknowledge thée onely to be our God we confesse thée onely to be our king we call vpon thée our onely helper by thée we obtaine our victories by thée we vanquish our enemies to thée we attribute whatsoeuer commodities we presently enioy and by thée we hope for good things to come vnto thée we direct all our suits and peticions most humbly beséeching thée to kéepe Constantine our Emperour and his noble children to continew in long life and to giue them victory ouer all their enimies through Christ our Lord. Amen He graunted great immunities to the ministers that they might appeale from the ciuil iudge to their bishop Appeale granted by Constantine whose sētence was of as great value in such cases as if the Emperour himselfe had pronounced it He prouided also maintenance for liberall artes and sciences for the professors Prouision for learning their wiues and children and gaue thē great immunities He wrote also to Eusebius the B. of Nicomedia to procure 50. volumes of parchment wel boūd and cause to be written out of the scripture therein in a legeable hand The scriptures written for the vse of the church such things as were profitable for the instruction of the Church and allowed him two ministers for the businesse Finally he was a father to the Church and enforced himselfe euery way to set forth the Gospel and euery good thing and endeuoured to suppresse the contrary Constantine baptised a little before his death He was baptised at Nicomedia of Eusebius Bishoppe of Nicomedia in the 31. yéere of his raigne a little before his death The end of the ten persecutions The rest of this history concerneth chiefly the affaires of the Church of England and Scotland The rest of this history concerneth chiefly England and Scotland England receiued the Gospel in Tyberius time GIldas affirmeth that Britain receiued the Gospel in the time of Tiberius the Emperor vnder whom Christ suffred and that Ioseph of Arimathea after the dispersiō of the Iews was sent of Philip the apostle out of France into Britain ann 63. And here remained al his time and laid the foundation of the Gospel Easter kept in England after the maner of the East church The Gospel came into Enland from the Cast and not from Rome In the time of Bede almost a thousand yeeres after Christ as he testifieth Easter was kept after the manner of the East Church in the full moone what day of the wéeke soeuer it fell and not on the sunday as we doe now Wherby it may appeare that the preaching of the Gospell came into this land from the East and not from Rome About the yéere 180. King Lucius sonne of Coilus king of Britains which now are called English men hearing of the miracles done by Christians in diuers places K. Lucius the first Christian K. of England Fugatius and Damianus at that time wrote to Eleutherius B. of Rome to receiue of him the Christian faith who sent him therevpon certain preachers Fugatius or by some Faganus and Damianus or Dimianus which conuerted first the king and the people of Britain and baptized them and subuerted the temples and monuments of idolatrie And the 28 Flamines they turned to bishops and thrée Achflamines to thrée Archbishops hauing their seates in thrée head cities London Yorke and Glamorgantia by Wales This king also sent to him for the Romane lawes to frame his people therafter who answered that the lawes of God was to be his direction for lawes and not the Romanes that might be reproued the other being without exception Thus was the Christian faith confirmed in this lande by the meanes of Eleutherius Eleutherius and therein it continued two hundred and sixtéene yeres till the comming of the Pagane Saxons King Lucius raigned 77. yeres and died without issue the yere of our Lord 201. the xiiij yere after his baptisme some say the iiij and some the tenth and was buried at Glocester By reason that the king died without issue the Lande was spoyled and the Romanes inuaded and became sometimes masters When they raigned Gentilisme was aduaunced and when the Britaines the Gospell Albeit no persecution touched the Britaines that is read of Almost all Christianitie destroyed in England before the last persecution of Dioclesian and Maximinianus Herculeus At which time all Christianitie was almost in the whole land destroyed Now the Britanes being greatly distressed and brought to miserie the Archbishop of London called Gnetelinus procured helpe out of lesse Britanie and brought ouer Constantinus the kings brother by whose meanes the state of Religion and Common-wealth was in some quiet all the time of Constantine and the Archbishop till Vortiger cruellie caused his Prince to be slaine and inuaded the Crown Gnetelinus Archb. of London And fearing the other two brethren of Constantine his Prince Aurelius and Vter in litle Britaine he caused aide to be sent for to the Saxons being then Infidels and married him selfe also with Rowen an Infidel the daughter of Hengist Which Hengist depriued him and his people and droue the Britaines out of their Countrey after that the Saxons had slaine of their Nobles two hundred thrée score and eleuen some say foure
the ende being found peruerse and stubborne and not able to iustifie himselfe or his doings after he had taken exceptions and cauilled against the witnesses he was depriued of his Bishopricke by the authoritie of the king and sentence geuen by the Archbishop of Canterburie Winchester depriued among other bishops and Iudges appointed for the cause From this sentence Gardiner appealeth to the king but all in vayne As S. Gardiner was the professed enemie of the Gospell so was Doctor Redman Doctor Redman a fauourer of the gospell in those dayes for his learning famous a fauourer of the same and at his death which was anno 1551. made profession thereof in the presence of M. Yong and others Anno 1552. W. Gardiner a Marchants seruant of Bristow the first day of September in the very solemnization of a marriage betwixt the sonne of the king of Portingall and the Spanish kings daughter in the presence of the princes and Cardinals and Bishops determined to haue stepped to the Cardinall at the Altar and to haue wroong the chalice out of his hands and to haue defaced their popish God but that the prease of people did hinder him So the next sunday where like pompe was vsed and no lesse Idolatry than before W. Gardiner W. Gardiner in the presence of the king and all his Nobles and Citizens with the one hand snatched away the cake from the priest and trode it vnder his féete and with the other ouerthrew the chalice which made them all amazed Then one drawing out his dagger gaue him a great wound in the shoulder and as he was about to haue stricken him againe to haue slaine him the king twise commaunded to haue him saued So by that meanes they abstained from murther After the tumult was ceased he was brought to the K. by whom he was demaunded of his Countrey and how hée durst doe such a déede To whom he declared that he was an Englishman and that for gréefe to sée such Idolatrie hée could not abstaine When they heard that he was an Englishman they were more earnest to know the Procurour The Idolatrie he answered wherwith they prophaned the Lords Supper only procured him They not content therewith vrged him with torments and caused a linnen cloth to be sowed round like a ball the which they with violence put downe his throte vnto the bottom of his stomach tyed with a small string which they helde in their hands and when it was downe they pulled it vp againe with violence so plucking it vp and downe They cast also into prison all the rest of the Englishmen amongst whom one Pēdegrace Pendegrace because he was his bedfellowe was gréeuously tormented and examined more then the residue and scarcely was deliuered after two yeres imprisonment the other were much sooner set at libertie by the intercession of a certaine Duke At the last when al torments and tormentors were weried they asked him whether he did not repent his déede He answered as touching the déed if it were to do he should do it againe But he was sorie it was done in the Kinges presence to the disquiet of his minde After they had vsed al kinde of torments and saw there could be nothing more gathered of him and also that through his wound and paines he could not long liue they brought him thrée dayes after to execution And first of all bringing him vnto the Vestrie cut of his right hand which he taking vp with his left hand kissed Execution done vpon W. Gardiner with all manner of crueltie Then he was brought into the Market place where his other hand was cut of which he knéeling downe vpon the ground also kissed These things thus done his armes being bound behinde him and his féete vnder the horse bellie he was carried to the place of execution where there was a certaine engine from the which a great rope cōming downe by a Pulley was fastened about the middle of the Christian martyr which first pulled him vp then was there a great pile of wood set on fire vnderneath him into the which he was by little and little let downe not with his whole bodie but so that his féete onely felt the fire in which fire the more terribly he burned the more feruently hée praied At last when his féete were consumed the tormentors asked him if he did not repent exhorting him to call vpon our Lady and the Saints whereto he answered that he had doone nothing to repent of and that when Christ did cease to be our Aduocate then he would pray to our Lady The marueilous constancie of William Gardiner said Eternall God father of all mercies I beséech thée looke downe vpon thy seruant c. And when they sought by all meanes to stop his praying he cried out with a loud voice rehearsing the 34. Psalm Iudge me O Lord and defend my cause against the vnmercifull people He was not come to the latter end of the Psalme when the rope being burnt asunder he fell into the fire and so gaue ouer The very same night one of the kings ships was burned in the hauen being set on fire by a sparke of Gardiners fire driuen thither with the winde and the kings sonne who then was married died within halfe a yéere after the death of William Gardiner Anno 1552. 1552 Protector put to death for fellonie the 22. of Ianuarie in the sixt yéere of the reigne of Edward the Duke of Somersette Lord Protector was executed on Tower hill for felonie being accused and quitte of treason And the next yere after deceassed the king him selfe about the moneth of Iune Anno 1553. A Prince of such towardnesse as the worlde neuer had the like before by whom the remnants of Popish Idolatrie and superstition were abolished and the church restored to her sinceritie which died again with him and popery restored in the time of Mary who succéeded him The end of the ninth Booke The tenth Booke WHat time King Edward began to appeare more féeble and weake during the time of his sicknesse a marriage was concluded and also shortly also vpon the same solemnized in the moneth of Maie betwéene the lord Gilford sonne to the duke of Northumberland and the Lady Iane L. Gilford and Lady Iane maried together the duke of Suffolkes daughter whose mother then being aliue was daughter to Marie king Henries second sister And when no hope séemed of recouery of the King it was brought to passe by the consent not onely of the nobility but also of the chiefe Lawyers of the Realme that the King by this Testament did appoint the aforesaid Lady Iane to be Inheritrice to the crown of England passing ouer his two sisters Marie and Elizabeth To this order subscribed all the Kinges Counsell and chiefe of the nobilitie the Mayor of the citie of London almost all the iudges and chiefe Lawyers of this Realme sauing onely Iustice Hales of Kent Iustice
13 Bil. his grieuous anguish after recantation ead Bilney repenteth ead Bil. smileth at the stake 14 Supplication of beggars 15 Fish hath the kings protection ead Poore seelie soules of purgatorie 16 Commission against English bookes ead Testament of Tindals translation ead Richard Bayfield ead Bayfield condemned 17 Crueltie ead Booke of wicked Mammon 18 Iohn Tewksburie recanteth ead Iohn Tewksburie repenteth Iohn Tewksburie burned eadem Edward Freese 19 Bread of sawdust ead Crueltie ead Valentine Freese his wife 20 Frier Royce burned ead Bishops commanded to trāslate the bible ead Iames Baynam ead Baynam submitteth 21 Baynam repenteth ead Baynam burned 22 Courage of a martir ead Iohn Benet ead Idol of Douercourt ead Images cast down ead Christes colledge in Oxford 23 Iohn Frith burned ead Sir Th. More pursueth Frith ead Friths treatise 24 Friths answere gotten ead Frith condemned ead Andrew Hewet ead Thomas Bennet Martir 26 William Tracy ead During Qu. Anne no great persecution 27 Commons against Clergy 28 Nothing from Rome ead Supreme head eadem Popes vsurping put downe eadem No conuocations without the kings writ eadem Oth of Cleargie to Pope abolished 29 More resigneth chancellorship ead King renounceth the Pope eadem Lady Elizabeth borne ead The Holy mayde of Kent 30 Gods iudgement ead Thomas Cranmer Archb. of Canterbury ead Preaching against Popes supremacie 31 Popes pardōs abolished ead Gard. booke De Obediētia with Boners notes ead Ruine of religious houses 32 Iewels reliques from abbeys eadem W. Tindall burned eadem Tindall translated the Testament 33 Tindals protesting agaynst transubstantiation 35 Q. Anne put to death ead The K. refuseth the generall councell at Mantua ead Some religious houses giuē to the king ead Articles of religion taught 36 Rebellion suppressed ead Prince Edward borne ead Queene Iane dieth ead Ruffelings against the king calmed eadem The kings articles ead Many holidais abrogated 37 Scripture in English ead Register Booke in euerie church eadem Religious houses rooted vp eadem 45. articles against Lābert 38 A wicked perswasion 39 Lambert disputeth eadem The king condemneth Lambert ead Cromwell readeth sentence against Lambert ead Cromwell craueth pardō of Lambert eadem Lābert a worthy martyr 40 Lamberts treatise of the Sacrament eadem Robert Packingtō going to praier is slaine ead Collins his dog burned ea Cowbridge eadem Putdew eadem William Lerton eadem Nicholas Peke 41 Notable courage of martyr eadem The king refuseth the councell eadem The kings farewell ead Search iniunctions 42 The king nusled by Winchester eadem Six articles a whippe of six strings eadem Treason felonie ead Cranmer against six articles eadem Against adultery c. of priests 43 Death for adulterie repealed eadem Cromwel maule of the pope eadem Life of Cromwell 44 Cromwell learnd the text of the new testamēt by hart 45 Cromwell serueth the Cardinall eadem English bible printed at Paris 47 Gardiner enemy to the Gospell ead Th. Mathewes bible ead Bible in English presented to the king 48 Bible of large volume ead Bishops promise to amend the bible but performe not 49 Doctor Barnes ead Duns Darbell put out of Cambridge ead Disputations of faith rare in Cambridge eadem Doctor Barnes cōuerted by Bilney 50 The white horse in Cambridge called Germany eadem D. Barnes arrested ead D. Barnes submitteth ead D. Barne escapeth out of prison 51 Acta Romanorum Pontificum eadem Doctor Barnes to the Tower 52 Barnes Garret Hierome burned 53 Vniust proceeding ead D. Barnes his foure requests to the king 54 Foure papistes executed about the supremacy ead Fauourers of truth ead Patrons of Popery eadem All prisons in London too litle for the persecuted ea Boner turneth and becommeth a persecutor 55 Six Bibles set vp in Paules eadem The Diuell in the necke ead Iohn Porter killed in pryson eadem Thomas Somers dieth in the Tower 56 Thomas Barnard Iames Morton martyrs ead A popish feare eadem Bartrams boy the Diuell in the monks cowle 57 Lady Anne of Cleue diuorced eadem Six put to death for supremacie 58 The K. misseth Crōwell ead White meates permitted in Lent eadem Marbeck pardoned 60 Filmer Parson Testwood burned eadem Notable martyrs ead The king pardoneth 61 Winchester out of fauour eadem False iudges accusers punished eadem Adam Damlip 62 Persecution in Calice ead Gods iudgement deliuerance of his people 63 The Lord Lisle dieth in the Tower eadem Gods iudgement vppon a false accuser 64 Lord Awdley friend to the afflicted eadem Rockwood a persecutor dispaireth 65 Gods iudgement ead Adam Damlip eadem Adam Damlip executed ea Gods iudgement 66 The rigour of six Articles 67 Noblemen and Gentlemen permitted to read the scripture eadem Six articles qualified ead Saxie hanged 68 Henry burned eadem Kerbie eadem Roper eadem A notable speach of the constant seruaunt of Christ eadem Doctor Crome recāteth ea Anne Askew 69 Anne Askew answereth parabolically boldly 70 Anne Askew condemned eadem Anne Askew sore racked 71 The King displeased with the racking of Anne Askew eadem Martyrs pardoned at the stake eadem Winchesters practise against the Queene 72 The King much altered 73 The Queene deliuered from danger ead Kings of England France agree for a perfect reformation 74 Sir George Blage condemned eadem The king dieth eadem Persecution in Scotland 75 Tenne articles against Iohn Brothwicke ead Thomas Ferrar ead Saint Frauncis homely vsed 76 Helene Stirke a notable martyr ead George Wiseheart 77 The meeke death of George Wiseheart eadem Gods iudgement eadem Adam Wallace learned the psalter without book ead Controuersie in Scotland whether the Lordes prayer should be sayd to sayntes or no. 78 The Frier biddeth to say the pater noster to the diuel eadem Walter Myll eadem A notable speech of the martyr 79 Style burned with the Apocalips about his neck 81 K. Edward raigneth 83 The K. would not at the emperours suit let the Lady Mary haue masse ead Sixe articles abolished ead Religion restored ead Peter Martyr at Oxford eadem Bucer and P. Phagius at Cābridge ead Thomas Dobbe 84 Commissioners ead A parlement eadem Rebellion 85 Muskleborow field 86 Boner shifteth and cauilleth 87 Boner exhibiteth against Latimer 89 Boner pronounced contumax 90 Boner depryued eadem L. protector eadem Altars taken downe 91 Ladie Maries popish practises restrained eadem Gardiners seditious behauiour 92 Gardiner sent to the tower ead Winchester depriued pag. 93 Doctor Redman a fauourer of the gospell ead W. Gardiner eadem Pendegrace 94 W. Gardiners cruell execution eadem Maruellous constancy of W. Gardiner 95 Protector put to death for fellony ead Lord Gilford Lady Iane maried 96 Iustice Hales eadem Queene Mary to the Councell eadem Q. Maries promise to mainteine religion 97 Ridley sent to the Tower ead Q. Mary breaketh promise eadem Popish bishops restored and other put downe ead Hooper committed to the Fleete ead Proclamation agaynst the word of God ead
Now this Basilides being required a while after to giue an oath in a matter by the Idols and the Emperour as the manner of the oath was refused so to doe confessing himselfe to bée a Christian and was beheaded for the faith At that time there was one Alexander Alexand. who after great tormentes escaped aliue and was afterwarde Bishoppe of Hierusalem together with Narcissus Narcissus who being thréescore and thrée yéeres olde was vnweldy to gouerne alone He continued Bishop in Hierusalem 40. yéeres till the persecution of Decius and there erected a famous library where Eusebius had his chiefest helpe in writing his ecclesiastical history He wrote also diuers Epistles and licensed Origen to teach openly in his Church At length being very aged was brought to Cesarea vnder Decius where after his constant confession the second time he died in prison Vnder Seuerus suffered also Andoclus Andoclus whome Polycarpus had sent before into Fraunce who was apprehended of Seuerus and first being beaten with bats was afterward beheaded In that time Asclepiades Asclepiad confessed also and suffred much and was after ordeined Bishop of Antioch and continued there 7. yéeres About the fourth or fift yéere Ireneus Ireneus with a great multitude beside were martired Hée was the scholler of Polycarpus He was appointed Bishop of Lyons and there continued 23. yéeres In his time the question of keeping of Easter was renued betwéene Victor Victor Bishoppe of Rome and the churches of Asia and when Victor would haue excommunicated them as Schismatikes Ireneus with other brethren of the French Church wrote vnto Victor to staye his purpose therein and not to procéede thereto for such a matter Not long after Ireneus followed Tertullian Tertullian about the time of this Seuerus and Antoninus Caracalla who writte very learned Apologies for the Christians and confuted all the slaunders obiected against them He writte also diuers bookes whereof part remaine at this day Victor succéeded Eleutherius in the bishoprick of Rome and died a Martir as some say after he had sitten ten or xij yeres This Victor was earnest in the matter of Easter the yere of our Lord 260. and would haue excommunicated all of the contrarie minde had not Ireneus disswaded him With Victor stoode Theophilus Theophil c Bishop of Cesarea Narcissus of Ierusalem Ireneus of Lyons Palmas of Pontus Panthillus of Corinth the Bishop of Ostrena and other more who agréed to haue Easter vpon the sunday because they would differ from the Iewes in all things and partly because the resurrection of the Lorde fell on that day On the other side were diuers Bishops of Asia Among whom the chiefe was Policrates Policrat c. Bishop of Ephesus alledging the example of Philippe the Apostle with his iij. daughters at Hierapolis of Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist at Ephesus Polycarpus at Smirna Thraseas at Eumenia Bishop and Martir Likewise the example of Sagaris at Laodicea Bishop and Martir holy Papirius Melito at Sardis beside diuers others Notwithstanding Victor procéeded to excommunication yet by the wise handling of Ireneus other the matter was staied who shewed that variāce and difference of Ceremonies was no strange thing in the Church of God not only in the day of Easter but also of fasting and diuers other vsages among the Christians and yet kept the vnitie of faith and concord among themselues and brought forth examples of Telesphorus Pius Anicetus Soter Eleutherius and such other After Victor succéeded in the Sea of Rome zephyrinus Zephyrinus in the dayes of Seuerus about the yere 203. Eusebius saith he died in the raign of Caracalla and sate xvij yeres Platina saith that he died vnder Seuerus and sate viij yeres And so Nauclerus Damasus saith that he sate xvi yeres and ij Moneths Vnder this Seuerus suffered also Perpetua Perp. c. Felicitas and Rouocatus her brother Also Saturninus and Satyrus brethren Secundulus which were throwen to wild beastes and of them deuoured in Carthage and in Africa sauing that Saturninus being brought againe from the beasts was beheaded and Secundulus died in prison about the yere 202 Seuerus raigned xviij yeres and was slaine at Yorke by the Northerne men and Scots the yere 214. Leauing behinde him two sonnes Bassianus and Geta. Which Bassianus Bassianus surnamed Carocalla after he had slain his brother here in Britain gouerned the Empire alone the space of sixe yeres After whose death he also being slaine of his seruantes succéeded Marianus with his sonne Diadumenus who after they had raigned one yere were both slain by their own people After them succéeded Varius Heliogab Varius Heliogabalus who after he had raigned very vitiously ij yeres viij moneths was slain by the souldiers drawne through the citie throwne into Tyber He hauing no issue adopted his heire Aurelius Alexander Seuerus the sonne of Mammea He entered his raigne the yere 224. and continued xiij yeres wel commended for vertue and fauoured the Christians Mammea Mammea the mother of this Emperor whō Ierom calleth a deuout religious womā hearing of the fame of Origē sēt for him to Antioch to whō Origē resorted and staying a while with the Emperor and his mother returned again to Alexandria Thus hauing raigned xiij yeres at a cōmotion in Germany with his mother Mammea he was slaine After him succéeded Maximinus Maximinus although the church in the time of Alexander had no open persecution yet vnder Iudges there were many martyred because there was no edict to the contrary As vnder Almachus Calixtus Calixtus B. of Rome who succéeded Zephyrus aboue mentioned and after him Vrbanus who suffered vnder Alexander Seuerus Vincentius saith Calixtus was tied to a great stone and so out of a window was throwne into a ditch Eusebius saith he sat 5. yéeres Platina 6. Sabellicus 7. and so Damasus After Calixtus followed Vrbanus Vrbanus about the yéere 227. he died a martyr as Marianus Scotus Sabellicus Nauclerus doo hold in the dayes of Seuerus after he had gouerned there as Damasus Platina say foure yéeres as Marianus eight yéeres Damasus and Platina witnesse of him that hée conuerted diuerse Ethnicks among whome were Tiburtius Tiburtius and Valerianus Valerianus the husband of Cecilia which being both noble men of Rome remayned constant vnto martyrdome Vnder the same Alexander suffered also one Agapitus Agapitus of the age of fiftéene yéeres who beyng condemned at Preneste in Italie because he would not doo sacrifice after other torments was beheaded The executor of these punishmēts was one Antiochus who while the torments were executing fell suddenly from his Iudiciall seat crying out that all his inward bowels burned within him died Vnder him also suffered Calepodius Calepodius a minister of Rome who was drawen through the citie cast into Tiber after him suffered Pammachus Pammachus a Senator of Rome with
visiō to the pope and with a seuere countenaunce and terrible voice speaketh vnto him beyng in his rest and smiteth him on the side vehemently with his crossestaffe saying O thou scurffie lazie old bald lowsie wretched doting Pope hast thou purposed to cast my bones out of the Church to the slaunder and shame of mée how came this rashe wilfulnesse into thy head it were more méete for thée to make much of the zealous seruantes of God although departed Grosted striketh the Pope with other wordes of reproofe and so departed from him leauing him stroken and halfe dead so that hée neuer enioyed anie prosperous day or could haue anie quiet night til the morning vnto his death which happened shortly after hee being at Naples ann 1255. or as N. Treuet recordeth 1254. After Innocent the 4. succéeded in the Popedome Innocent dieth Alexander the 3. Alexander 3. After this about the yéere 1260. fell debate betwixt the King and his Nobles but so was it compounded that the King and the Lords did sweare at Oxford that what lawes and decrées in the same assembly shoulde bée prouided to the profit of the King and the Realme the same vniuersally shoulde be kept and obserued to the honour of God and peace of the Realme Besides the king and the Lordes there were also 9. Bishops which swearing to the same end excommunicated all such as should gainstand the said prouisions there made Wherevppon diuers wholesome lawes Wholesome lawes were enacted which misliked the King in such sort that he required of the Pope for himselfe and his sonne Edward to be dispensed with of their othes Anno 1261. Which being easily obtained The Pope dispenseth with othes Pope dieth the king steps back from all that was before concluded The same yéere died pope Alexander after whom succéeded Vrban the 4. who also reuiued and renewed the releasement of the kings oath aforesaid wherevpon grew war betwixt the king and the Barons P. Vrban 4 War betwixt the king and the Barons Anno 1264. died Pope Vrban and after him succéeded Clement 4. Clement 4. who as Nicholas Riuet affirmeth was first a married man had wife and children and was the sollicitor and Counseller to the French K. then after the death of his wife was Bishop intituled Padiensis after that Vrban dieth Archb. of Narbourn and at last made Cardinall who being sent of Pope Vrban in legacie for reformation of peace in his absence was elected Pope by the Cardinalles Thomas of Aquine Bonauenture About this time florished Thomas of Aquine Reader at Paris among the Dominick Fryers and Bonauenture among the Franciscan Friers ex Nichol. Riuet Anno 1265 the pope graunted that the Church of England should pay tenthes of all reuenewes as well temporall as spiritual to the King to continue thrée yeares space the yeare after Tenthes to the Kinge the popes Legate Octobonus caused to be proclaimed a new graunt of pope Clement to the King and Quéene of all the tenthes for 7 yeares to come Anno 1267 peace was concluded betwéene the King the Barons and Octobonus departed the land This Octobonus enrolled to perpetuall memorie Peace betwixt the K. and the Barons the valuation of all the Churches in the realme of England so narrowly as by any meanes he might enquire the certainty thereof Cathedrall churches popes pensions The same was he that made al the Cathedral conuentuall churches to pay pensions so that those churches that gaue not the vacancie of their benefices to their Clerkes and straungers should pay vnto them a certaine yearly pension during the vacancie of the benefices they should haue Clement 4. dieth The same yeare dyed pope Clement the 4. after whose death the church of Rome was vacant 2. yeares and then was chosen an Archdeacon Pope whose name was Theardus as he was taking his iourney into the holy land and called him Gregory the tenth Gregory 10. During the raigne of King Henry the 3. Edward the Kinges sonne was one that made a generall expedition against the Saracens Against the Saracens to Ierusalem and in the yeare 1270 in the moneth of May he set forward in his iourney About the time when Prince Edward was preparing his iourney towardes Asia Boniface the Archb of Canterbury ended his life in the countrie of Sebaudia going belyke to Rome or comming thence In whose stead Gregory the tenth placed Robert Kilwardly neither according to the minde of the Monkes who agréed vpon the Prior of their house named Adam Chelendine nor of the king who spake in the behalfe of Robert Burnell there Chancellor About this time came out the great Concordances Great Concordances by an English frier called Derminghton Ex Eulogio Anno 1273. Pope Gregory the tenth called a generall Councell A generall Councell at Lions about the controuersie betwixt the Gréeke Church and the Latine and for the vacancie of the sea apostolicall This yéere in the moneth of Aprill Richard King of Almaigne died at the Castle of Barthamstéed and was buried at the Abbey of Hailes Abbey of Hailes King dyeth which hée buylded from the ground This yeare 1273. dyed King Henry the 16. day before the calendes of December in the 56. yeare of his raigne Westminster church was buryed at Westminster The stéeple and church wherof in his life time he began to build but did not fully finish the same before his death After Henry the 3. succéeded his sonne Edward and was crowned anno 1274. Anno. 1276. began the foundation of the Black fryers by Ludgate Blackfryers by Ludgate And in the yeare 1285. the new worke of the church of Westminster that began in the 3. year of Henry the third was finished which was 66 yeares in edifying An. 1291. The Iewes were vtterly banished the realm for which the Commons gaue to the K. a Fiftéene King Edward had sharpe warre with the Scottes Iewes banished the realm vtterly and subdued them thrée times who séeing they could not make their partie good against the King sent priuilie to P. Boniface for his ayde and councell who immediatly sendeth downe his precept to the king that he should herafter cease to molest the Scottes for that they were a people exempt The Scots pertain to the Popes chappell and properly pertayning vnto his Chappell and therefore it coulde not otherwise bee but that the Citie of Ierusalem must néedes defende her owne Citizens and as the mount Sion maintaine such as trust in the Lord. Wherevnto the king made answere with an oth that hée would mainteine that which was his right euidently knowne to all the world The next yéere after which was the 29. of the kings raigne the Pope directeth his letters to the king againe wherein he chalengeth the kingdome of Scotland to be proper to the Church of Rome and not subiect to the king of England and therefore it was
thrée score together such as remaine vnderstroied by the sword whome they buy of them that spoile and robbe the christian countries which is lawfull for any of the Turkes army to do so that the tenth of the spoyle be reserued for the great Turke Of such as remaine for tithe if they bee aged of whom very few be kept aliue because little profit comes of them they be solde to the vse of husbandry and kéeping of beastes If they be young men or women they be sent to certayne places there to be instructed in their languages and artes as shal be most profitable for their aduantage and such are called in their tongue Saris. Saris. And the first care of the Turks is this to make them deny Christ and to bee circumcised and after that they are set and appointed euery man as he séemeth most apt either to the learning of their lawes or the feates of warre Some are brought vp to be placed in the number of the Ianizaries Ianizaries who are the Turkes Champions And if any of the young men or children shall appeare to excell in beautie him they so cutte that no parte of that which Nature geueth or man remayneth to be séene in all his bodie whereby during the freshnes of his age he is compelled to serue their abhomination and when age cōmeth then they serue in stead of Eunuches to wayte vpon Matrones or to kéepe horses and mules or els to be sculliās and drudges in their kitchens Such as be young maydens and beutifull are deputed for concubines they whiche bée of meane beautie serue for to doo their drudgery worke in their houses and chambers or els to spinne or such other labours but so as it is not lawfull for them either to professe Christians religion or euer to haue any libertie and thus are they vsed which fall to the Turke by tithe The other which are bought and sold among priuate subiects first are allured with faire wordes promises to take circumcision which if they will doo they are more fauourably intreated but all hope is taken away from them of returning into their country which if they but attempt the paine thereof is burning And if such come at length to libertie will marrie they may but then their children remaine bond to the Lord for him to sel at his pleasure therfore few marry of such as are wise among them They the refuse to be circumcised are miserably handled amont them Such captiues as be expert in any manuall art or occupation can better shift for themselues but they which haue no handicraft to liue vpon are in worse case and therfore such as haue béene brought vp in learning or be noble men and such other whose tender education can abide no hardnes are the least reputed of by him which hath the sale and kéeping of them and no cost is bestowed vpon them but they are caried about barehead and barefooted both sommer and Winter in frost and snow and if any be faint or sick in the way there is no resting for him in any Inne but first he is driuē forward with whippes and if that will not serue he is sette peraduenture vpon some horse and if his weaknes be such that he cannot sitte then is hee laide ouerthwart the horsebacke on his bellie like a calfe and if he chaunce to die they take of his garments such as he hath and throw him into a ditch Beside in the way they are all manicled by the hands least they shoulde harme their leaders For many times x. persons haue the leading of fiftie captiues and when the night commeth their féet also are fettered so that they lodge in no house but lie vpon the ground all night The yoong women haue a little more gentlenesse shewed them beyng carried in paniards on the day time but when the night commeth pittie it is so heare the miserable crying out by reason of the filthy iniuries they suffer by their carriers in so much that the yoong tender age of six or seuen yéeres as well of the one sex as of the other can not saue them from the filthy villanie of the beastly Turkes When the morning commeth they are brought foorth to the market to sale where the byer if he be disposed plucking of their garments veweth all the bones and ioyntes in their bodies And if hée like them he giueth his price and carrieth them away into miserable seruitude in so much that some Christian captiues haue béene yooked like Oxen to draw the plough The mayde seruaunts likewise are kept in perpetuall toyle in close places where neyther they come in sight of any man neither be they permitted to haue any talke with their fellowes seruaunts Such as are committed to kéepe beastes lie abroad both day and night in the wild fieldes and at spare houres are employed also in handy laboures Out of these miseries there is no way for them to flée especially they that are carried into Asia beyond the seas How the christian captiues vse to flee from their maisters or if any doo attempt so to doo hée taketh his time chiefly about haruest when he may hide himselfe all day in the corne or in the woods or marishes and find food and n the night onely hée fleeth and had rather bée deuoured of Wolues then to returne againe to his Maister In their flying they vse to take with them an hatchet and cordes that when they come to the sea side they may cut downe trées and bind together the endes of them and so where the sea Hellespontus is narrowest about Sestos and Abidos they take the Sea sitting vppon trées where if the winde and tyde doo serue luckely they may cut ouer in foure or fiue houres but the most part eyther prish in the floudes or are driuen backe againe vpon the coast of Asia or else be deuoured with wild beastes in the woods or perish with hunger and famine If any escape ouer the Seas into Europe by the way they enter into no towne but wander vpon the mountains following onely the North starre for their guide As touching such townes and prouinces as are wonne by the Turkes wherein Christians are suffred to liue vnder tribute First of all nobilities there they kill make away the churchmen and clergy hardly they spare the churches How the Turke vseth the churches of christians vnder his subiection but bels and all the furniture thereof either they cast downe or els turne to their blasphemous religion leauing to the christians certaine blind old chappels which when they decay it is permitted to repaire them again for great sums of mony giuē to the Turke neither be they permitted to vse any open preaching or ministration but onely in silence by stealth to frequēt together Neither is it lawfull for any christian to beare office within the citie or country nor to beare weapon nor to weare any garment like the Turkes and whatsoeuer blasphemy be
abhorring this shamelesse practise anno 1517. vp openly the Temple ioyning to the castle of Wittemberge the morrow after the feast of all Saintes certaine propositions concerning Indulgenes Luther an augustine fier Whereupon the Frier Tecellius inueighed against Luther in his sermons calling him heretike and worthie to be persecuted with fire and burned Luthers Propositions opēlie and a Sermon which he wrote of Indulgences This rage of the Frier caused Luther to intreate more amplie of the matter Luther accused to the B. of Rome wherefore he was accused to the Bishop of Rome and minding as yet no further indeuoured to get the popes fauour writing vnto him for the same with all submission in these wordes Most holie Father Luther writeth to the P. I offer my selfe prostrate vnder the feete of your holinesse with all that I am and that I haue Saue me kill me call me recall me approue me reproue mee as you shall please your voice the voice of Christ in you speaking I will acknowledge If I haue deserued death I shall be contented to die c. This was in the yéere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and eightéene Dialogues against Luther Eckius against Luther Not long after the impudent dealing of Frier Tecellius steppeth out one Siluester de Priero a Dominike Frier which published rayling dialogues against Luther Vnto whom Luther made answere againe Next after this Siluester stepped vp Eckius and impugned the conclusions of Luther With whome encountred D. Andreas Bedensteme Archdeacon of Wittemberge making his apologie in the defence of Luther Afterwarde Martin Luther was cited vp the 7. day of August by one Hieronimus Bishop of Ascalon to appeare at Rome The Vniuersitie of Wittemberg hearing therof directed vp their letters with their publike seale to the P. in Luthers behalfe Duke Frederike also by his letters sued to Cardinall Caietanus who was then at Augusta that the cause of Luther might be fréed from Rome and remoued to Augusta to the hearing of the Cardinall The Cardinal at the Dukes suite wrote to the Pope and receiued answere that hee shoulde call Luther before him at Augusta and if he foūd him obstinate that he should interdict him with al his adherents and mainteiners whosoeuer the Emperors person only excepted The Pope also directeth other letters at the same time to Duke Fred. complayning with many gréeuous words against Luther P. cōplaineth against Lut. About the beginning of October M. Luther came to Augusta at the charges of the prince Elector and hauing obteined safeconduct from the Emperor Maximilian presented himself to the cardinal who propounded vnto him 3. things 1. That hée should reuoke his errours 2. That he should promise from that time forward to abstaine from the same 3. That hée should abstayne from any thing that might trouble the Church whereunto hée answered that he was perswaded it was sound and Catholike which hée had said and that he was ready to answere to that should be obiected against the same and that concerning the matters he would heare the iudgement of the vniuersities of the Empyre Basill Friburg and Louane After this Luther prepareth an answere by and by to Caietanus teaching that the merites of Christ are not committed to men that the Pope may erre that hée ought to bee reprehended that authoritie of Scriptures ought to leade in matters of faith that the extrauagant containeth vntrueths c. The Cardinall woulde heare no Scripture but commaunded Luther to come no more in his presence except hée woulde recant yet Luther abode there still and departed not The Cardinall sent for Iohannes Stupitius Vicar of the Augustines and mooued him earnestly to bring Luther to recant of his owne accord Luther tarried two daies after and nothing was saide vnto him Luther submitteth himselfe the third day hée deliuered his minde in writing submitting himselfe and promising that he would haue more moderation and that touching the matter of pardons hee would procéede no further Onely he saide he could not retract his sentence before defended for so much as he had said nothing but with a good conscience and that was agréeable to the testimony of the Scriptures This wryting the Cardinall lightly regarded Which when Luther sawe and tarrying yet two dayes longer vnderstanding that the Cardinall had saide that he had commaundement to imprison Iohn Stupitius and Luther after he had made and set vp his appeale he departed from the Cardinall After Luthers departure the Cardinall writeth a sharp letter vnto duke Fredericke declaring the dangerous doctrine of Luther and exhorteth the Duke to tender his owne honour and safetie and to expell Luther out of his dominions Whereto the Duke answereth both purging himselfe and Luther desiring the Cardinall to be a meanes to the Pope that innocencie and truth be not oppressed before the errour be lawfully conuicted This doone the Duke sendeth the letter of the Cardinall to Luther Luther writeth again to the duke and declareth how he was dealt with at Augusta what he offered and how he attended offering also him selfe to banishment to auoyde the malice of his enimies no doubt both the Duke and Luther were brought into a streight In which meane time the Vniuersity of Wittenberg wrote their letters in defence of Luther which caused the Duke now seriously to hearken to his cause This was ann 1518. about the beginning of December In the mean time in the moneth of Nouember the pope sendeth forth new indulgences into Germany New pardons and into all quarters with a new edict wherein he declareth that the bishop of Rome hath power to release dispense and to grant indulgences auaileable aswell for the liuing as the dead lying in the paynes of purgatorie Luther in the meane time hearing how they minded to procéede against him at Rome appealeth from the Pope to a generall Councell which the Pope vnderstanding practiseth with the Duke by flatterie and by secrete letters to Noblemen of the Dukes Councel that they might remoue the Dukes minde from Luther But before Melitus his ambassador approached Germanie Maximilian Maximilian died an 1519. in the moneth of Ianuarie and through the meanes of Frederike Prince Elector the Empire fel to Carolus v. surnamed Prudens about the end of August In the moneth of Iune before there was a publike disputation ordained at Lypsia a citie in Misma A disputation of Lipsia vnder the dominiō of George duke of Saxonie vncle to duke Frederick At that disputation Eckius and Carolostadius disputed of frée will and thether came Luther and Phillip Melancthon to heare what was doone Luther not minding nor purposing to dispute but there beyng prouoked he disputed with Eckius of the Popes supremacie of Purgatorie of Indulgences and of Penance This was in the moneth of Iuly an 1519. About the beginning of which yéere Zuinglius Zuinglius came first to Zurich and taught who at Zurick withstood Sampson a Frier that
their Councel béeing asked by the Duke did confirme and councelled the Duke to put downe the vse of the masse in his dominions About the same time king Henrie the 8. bare the name of a certaine booke written against Luther Booke against Luther Defender of the Christian faith in which he defendeth the Popes pardons his authoritie and the matter of the sacrament For which the pope added to his stile and title Defender of the Christian faith Within the compasse of the same yere P. Leo died reioysing of 3. blessings that God had bestowed vpon him First that hee being banished out of his Countrey was restored againe with glorie 2 That he deserued to be called Apostolike 3 That he had driuen the Frenchmen out of Italy After that he had spoken these words he was striken with a sodaine feuer and shortly after died being of the age of 47 yeres albeit some suspected he died of poyson After him succéeded Hadrian 6. In whose time the Turkes wanne Rhodes Pope Hadrian 6. A meeting at Noremberge He liued not much aboue one yere and a half in his Papacie In the time of this Hadr. the councell of Wormes brake vp and another meting appointed by the Emp. and States at Noremberge an 1522. To which méeting the Pope sent his letters and beside gaue his Legate Cheregalius instructions against Luther To whom the princes answered again geuing reason why as yet the Emperors Edict was not executed against Luther and requiring also that his holinesse with the consent of the Emperor would summon a generall Councell with as much spéed as might be wherein matters might be fréelie debated for the benefite of the Church and reformation of the same and that the assembling of that Councel might not be deferred longer then one yere In the meane time they promised to take reasonable order c. At the same time also at Noremberg 100. greeuances of Germanie against the pope the states propoūded an hundred gréeuances of the Germans which they did sustaine from the Sea of Rome as forbidding of marriage in degrées not forbidden by the law of God forbidding of meates not forbidden by God restraint of marriage at certaine times selling remission of sinnes for money innumities of clergy men excommunication abused number of holie dayes ouer burthenous suspending halowing of churchyardes against Officials and ecclesiasticall Iudges that ecclesiasticall Iudges annex lay matters vnto their iurisdiction c. These greeuances they deliuered to the popes legat an 1523. 1523 P. Hadrian dieth P. Clement 7. and so the assemblie of Noremberge brake vp and was proroged to the next yere following In the mean time Hadrian died after whom succéeded Clement 7. who the next yere after sent his Legat Cardinal Campeius vnto the assemblie at Noremberg with many faire petitions sharpe complaints against Luther c. but not a word of the gréeuāces or of any reformation While Luther was absent from Wittemberg Carolostadius And. Carolostadius stirred vp the people to throw downe images in the temples besides other thinges mo which Luther returning to Wittemberg misliked because it was not done orderly by the magistrate to whom it did belong Ex Ioh. Sleid. lib. 3. 1546 L. dieth Luthers praier at his death An 1546. in the 63. yere of his age L died after he had continued writing and preaching 29. yeares Before his death he prayed thus My heauenly Father eternall mercifull God thou hast manifested vnto me thy deare Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ I haue taught him I haue loued him as my health my life and my redemption whom the wicked haue persecuted maligned and with iniurie afflicted Draw my soule vnto thee After he had thus prayed he said as insueth thrise I cōmend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redemed me O god of truth God so loued the world that he gaue his only sonne that all that beleeued in him might haue life euerlasting Frederike prince Elector died before Luther an 1525. 1525 L. fulfilled Ierome of prages prophecie Thus Luther fulfilled the prophecie of Ierom of Prage I cite you al to answere before the most high and iust Iudge after 100. yeres Ierom was burnt 1416. and Luther began to write anno 1516. An. 1524. At the diet of Noremb was much reasoning cōcerning the mariage of priests which cardinall Cāpeius impugned and concerning the liberties of the citie of Strausburgh which the B. would haue infringed taking into his hands the cause of maried priests from the magistrate of the towne against ancient custome agréement betwixt them After the councell of Noremberg immediatly followed another sitting at Ratisbone A councell at Ratesbone where were present Ferdinandus Campeius Cardinall of Salisburgh the two dukes of Bauarie the Bishops of Trent and Ratisbone c. and made many popish Decrées and actes against Luther Actes against Luther which Campeius laboured to haue enacted in a full councell and with the consents of all the Empyre but the mindes of diuerse were gone from the Pope and he was faine to get the same ratified in this particular conuenticle An. 1519. Vldricus Zuinglius 1519 Zuinglius first abiding at Glocrona in a place called our Lords hermitage remoued to Zuricke and there began to teach dwelling in the Minster among the Canons or Monks of that close vsing the same rites with them the space of two or thrée yéeres because Leo the same yéere had renewed his pardons againe he cōtinued by the space of two yéeres more detecting of the abuses of the same till Hugo B. of Constance to whose iurisdiction Zurick did then belong wrote letters to the senat of Zuricke cōplaining greatly of Zuinglius to whom certain of the citie made answere desiring the B. that he would do nothing preiudiciall to the libertie of the gospell Zuinglius hauing referred his cause to the Senate This was An. 1522. Zuinglius also wrote a letter to the whole natiō of the Heluetians monishing them not to hinder the course of the gospell and not to molest priestes that were married and exhorted them to withdraw the libertie of concubines Thus Zuinglius continued certaine yéeres Dominicks against Zuinglius at the last the Dominicke friers opposed themselues wherevpon the Senate of Zuricke sent forth their commaundement to all Priests Ministers to repaire to Zurick against the 29. of Ianuarie next ensuing Anno 1523. That matters touching religion might be fréely disputed of directing of their letters to the B. of Constance that hée would either repaire thether himself or send his deputie At the day came Iohānes Faber Iohannes Faber against Zuinglius the Bishops Vicegerent Zuinglius had before contriued his doctrine into thrée score and seuen Articles and published thē abroad that they that minded to dispute might be better prepared Faber he denieth to dispute the matter and said it was méeter for a generall Councell which said he was néere
also was put to death for incontinency with Tho. Culpeper The same yéere in the moneth of August 1541 sixe were executed at Tiborne for the matter of supremacie Sixe put to death for the supremacie The Prior of Dancaster Giles Horne a monke of the Charterhouse of London Thomas Epsame a monke of Westminster who was the last in king Henries daies that ware a monks wéede the fourth one Philpot the fift one Carew the sixt was a Frier The king after the death of his first wife now more and more he missed his olde Counsellour Cromwell The king misseth Cromwell and partly smelling the waies of Winchester beganne a little to set his foote in the cause of religion and now the want of Cromwell did more mightely knit his affection to Cranmer whō he alwaies before loued wel And in the same yéere the moneth of October after the execution of this Quéene the king vnderstanding some abuses yet to remaine vnreformed namely about pilgrimages and idolatrie c. directed his letters to the Archb. of Canterburie for spéedy redresse of the same this was Anno 1542. The yeere 1543. 1543. Whitemeates permitted in Lent in the moneth of Februarie followed another Proclamation giuen out by the Kinges authoritie whereby whitemeates were permitted to be eaten in Lent Anno 1544. Anthony Parson priest Henrie Filmer Iohn Marbeck were sent from London to Windsor by the Sheriffes men the Saterday before S. Iames day and laid fast in the towne gaole Robert Testwood who had kept his bed was brought out of his house vpon crowches and laide with them Robert Bennet was the fourth apprehended with them and being sicke of the pestilence and a great sore running vpon him he was left behind in the Bishop of Londons gaole whereby he escaped the fire Now these being brought to Windsor there was a session specially procured to be holden the Thursday after which was S. Agnes day Against which sessions by the counsell of Doctour London and Simons a cruell Persecutour were all the Farmers belonging to the Colledge of Windsor warned to appeare to be the iurers The Iudges were these Doctor Capon bishop of Salisbury sir William Essex knight sir Thomas Bridges knight sir Humfrey Foster knight Franckelen Deane of Windsore and Fachell of Readyng Robert Ockam occupied the clarke of peaces roume who called Anthony Parson and read his indictement whiche was preachyng agaynst the reall presence Thomas Testwood whom they alleadged against that hée mocked the Priest at the lifting c. Next Filmer whome his owne brother accused for the matter of the reall presence there being none but his owne brother to witnes against him whom Doctor London flattered and entertayned in his owne house to that ende Lastly Iohn Marbecke béeyng called was charged to haue resembled the lifting vp of the Sacrament to the setting vp of Ieroboams calues and for speaking agaynst the Masse In which Articles they were founde guiltye by the Quest one Hyde dwelling beside Abington in a Lordeshippe belonging to the Colledge of Windsor spake in the mouth of the rest Then the Iudges beholding the prisoners a good while some with waterie eyes made curtesie who shoulde giue iudgement which when Fachell that was the lowest in the benche perceyued if no man will doe it then will I said Fachell and so gaue iudgement So were they had away who with comforting one another prepared themselues to die the next day All the night till dead sléepe tooke them they continued still calling on the name of the Lord and praying for their persecutors On the next morowe which was Friday as the prisoners were all preparing themselues to suffer the Bishop of Sarum and others had sent a letter by one of the Sherifes Gentlemen called master Frost to the bishop of Winchester the Court being then at Oking in the fauour of Marbecke Marbecke pardoned at the sight of which letter the Bishop straight way went to the king and obtained his pardon which was to the end he might betray others On the Saturday morning the other thrée were had to suffer and all thrée beyng bound to the post a certaine yong man of Filmers acquaintance brought him a pot of drinke asking him if he would drinke Yea quoth Filmer I thanke you and so they encouraging themselues drancke one to another Filmer reioycing in the Lord said be merie my brethren and lift vp your hearts to God for after this sharpe breakefast I trust we shall haue a good dinner in the kingdome of Christ our Lord and redéemer Filmer Testwood Porson burned at which wordes Testwood lifting vp his hands and eies to heauen desired the Lord aboue to receiue his spirite And Anthonie Parson pulling the strawe vnto him laide a good deale thereof vpon the toppe of his head saying This is Gods hatte nowe am I dressed like a true souldier of Christ by whose merites only I trust this day to enter into his ioy Notable martyrs and so they yéelded vp their soules vnto the Lord with such patience as it was marueilous to the beholders The meaning of Gardiner was after this to haue dealt with great personages had not the Lord preuented his cruell practises On the Munday after the men were burnt it was determined by the Bishoppe of Salisburie that Robert Ockam should go to the Bishop of Winchester with the whole processe done at the Sessions the thursday before And also had writings of those that were priuilie endicted whereof one of the Quéenes men named Fulke hauing knowledge gat to the Court before and tolde Sir Thomas Cardine and other of the priuie Chamber how all the matter stoode Whereupon Ockam was laide for passing the stréetes by the Earle of Bedfordes lodging was pulled in by the sleeue and kept secrete at my Lorde priuie Seales till certaine of the priuie Counsel had perused all his writings Among which they found certaine of the priuie Chamber endicted with other the kings Officers and their wiues That is to say Sir Thomas Cardine Sir Philip Hobbie with both their Ladies Master Edmund Harmon Master Th. Weldowe with Snowball and his wife All these they had endicted by the force of the vi articles as ayders helpers and mainteyners of Anthonie Parson And besides them they had endicted of heresie a great number mo of the kings true and faithfull Subiectes Whereof the kings Maiestie being certified gaue vnto them his gratious pardon The king pardoneth And so had Benet a discharge withall and being certified of the sheriffe and Sir Humfrey Foster of the death of the poore men at Windsor the king turning from them to depart sayde Alas poore Innocents And after this withdrew his fauour from Winchester caused Doctor London Winchester cast out of fauour and Simons the Lawier and a fierce persecutor of them to be apprehended and brought before the Counsell and examined vpon their oath of alleigeance who for denying their wicked fact were found periured and were
how hée had béene tossed to make him denie his Master which he would not doo for all their tormentes The cause of his death was because he said to a Priest bragging hée was a soule Priest where finde you the soule when you go to Masse and where doo you leaue it when you go from Masse when the Priest said he could not tell how can you then saue the soule said he For this hée was complayned of to William Warham Archbishop of Canturburie and suddainely was taken in his owne house the same day when his wife was churched as he was bringing in a messe of pottage to the borde seruing in his guestes and his féete bound vnder his owne horses belly was caried away to Canterbury neither hée nor any of his friends knowing whether he went where after he had continued in prison fortie daies from Low-sunday till Friday before Whitsontide he was sent to Ashford and there put to death as hath béene declared comfortably and chéerefully giuing testimonie to the truth The end of the eight Booke The ninth Booke AFter the death of king Henry succéeded king Edward King Edward reigneth his sonne being of the age of 9. yeres He began his reigne the 28. day of Ianuary a most happy patrone of the Gospel In his daies Carolus the Emperor made request to the king his counsel to permit Lady Mary to haue masse in her house without preiudice of the law Wherto the king being required by his counsel to giue his consent woulde in no case yéelde to it The K. refused the Emperors suite to permit Lady Mary to haue masse notwithstanding they laide before him what danger might insue to him by breach of amity with the Emperour they being more vrgent vpon him the King séeing their importunate sute in the ende his tender heart bursting out into bitter wéeping and sobbing desired them to be content and so refused to yéelde vnto the Emperours request in that behalfe Because he was young and of tender age he was committed to xvi Gouernours amongst whom especially the L. Edward Seimer the Duke of Somerset his vncle was assigned vnto him protector by whose endeuour the vi articles were abolished Sixe articles abolished whereby the practises of Winchester began to decay This king restored the holy Scriptures in the mother tongue masses he abolished Religion restored and such as were banished were receiued home he chaunged the most part of Bishops of dioces and Churches and compelled the dumbe dogges to giue place to those that would preach Besides other also out of forrein countries were sent for entertained Peter Martyr at Oxford Bucer Paulus Phagius at Cambridge as Peter Martyr who taught at Oxford Martin Bucer Paulus Phagius at Cambridge The old Bishops who were obstinate were committed toward Boner to the Marshalsea Gardiner Tonstal to the tower where they remained thrée yéeres together In this kings time all persecution ceassed and the professors of the Gospel were in all places relieued Only one Thomas Dobbe Tho. Dobbe a student master of artes of Cambridge of S. Iohns Colledge in the beginning of this kings reign was cast in prison for speaking against the masse died in the Counter in Londō being thither committed by the Archbishop of Canterburie whose pardon notwithstanding was obtained by the Lord protector and should haue béene brought him if he had continued The king vntill such time as by consent of the whole estate of parlament hee might establish a more perfect order of religion purposed by the aduise of his counsel of his owne authority somewhat to prosecute his godly purpose Whervpon he chose out certaine wise and learned men to bée his commissioners Commissioners in that behalfe and so diuiding them into seuerall dioces to bée visited appointing likewise vnto euery companie one or two godly learned preachers who all euery session should instruct the people in the true doctrine of the Gospell To those Commissioners were deliuered certaine Iniunctions and Ecclesiastical lawes the which they should both inquire of and also command in his maiesties name or behalfe all tending to the abolishing of popish superstition and establishing of the trueth of the Gospel besides which generall Iniunctions for the estate of the whole Realme there were also certaine others particularly appointed for the Bishops only whereby they were inioyned to sée the other put in due execution besides others which did more particularly confirme them During the time that those Commissioners were occupied abroad the king desiring a farther reformation appointed a parlament the 4. of Nouember in the first yéere of his reigne Ann. 1547. 1547. A Parlament which continued vnto the 24. day of December next following wherein al Acts made before that tended against the Professors of the Gospel were abrogated In the same parlament also it was decréed that the Sacrament should be ministred to all vnder both kindes then also were candles on Candlemas day forbidden ashes on Ashwednesday About the same time also al Images were vtterly taken away and anno 1548. one vniforme order of prayer was instituted in the second yere of his reigne at a Parlament holden the fourth of Nouember that lasted till the fourtéenth of March next ensuing At the same parlamēt was it lawfull also for priests to haue wiues To all these at the first Bonner séemed to yelde but at length bewraied himselfe by suffering dayly to be song the Apostles masse and our Ladies masse c. in diuers of his chappels in Pauls cloking them with the names of the apostles and our ladies communions whereof the Counsell being enfourmed caused him to reforme the abuse To al these good orders diuers priests and popish Iustices shewed themselues vntoward so that the cōmon praier booke was long after the publishing of it either not knowen at all or els very vnreuerently vsed throughout the realm for which the king with his Counsel prouided redresse Bonner yet séeming not to dislike openly of these godly procéedings yet his minde appeared by his negligent putting in execution of those Iniunctions in his owne Dioces Wherupon the xj day of August anno 1549. he was called for before the Counsel and rebuked according to his offence and enioyned to preach at Paules Crosse on the Sunday thrée wéekes ensuing There were deliuered also vnto him Articles whereon he should entreate as they thought most méete with priuate Iniunctions for himselfe to obserue as to preach once a quarter at the Crosse and to be present himselfe at all the Sermons made there to celebrate himselfe the Cōmunion and to administer the same c. About this time through the setting on of the popish Priestes diuers quarters of the Land rebelled as in Cornwall and Deuonshire Rebellion and Yorkshire for their popish religion which were all suppressed The Scots also and French king attempted against the land and were also ouerthrowen The Scots at Muskelborough field and the
nine of the clocke he was willed to prepare himselfe for the time was at hand At which time and when he came to the place of execution hée was neuer knowne during the time of his beyng amongst them Hooper goeth cheerefully to his death to looke with so chéerefull a countenaunce as he did at that present When hée came to the place where hée should die smiling he beheld the stake and preparation made for him he knéelyng downe made a prayer vpon the whole Créede for the space of halfe an houre Now after hée was somewhat entered into his prayer a boxe was brought and layd before him vpon a stoole with his pardon if he would turne Hooper refuseth pardon at the sight whereof he cried if you loue my soule away with it if you loue my soule away with it When his praiers were ended and hée stripped to his shirte hée went vp to the stake and had deliuered vnto him a pound of gun-powder whiche hée trussed close betwixt his legges and asmuch vnder each arme hole So réedes being set about him and cast vp he receiued two bundels of them in his owne hands embraced them and kissed them and put vnder ech arme one of them and shewed with his hande how the rest should be bestowed So fire being put to he endured iij. quarters of an houre at least in the fire before hée died it was so euill made and the wind did so stande In which paines he prayed so long as he could earnestly to the Lord Hooper a worthy martyr and the vse of tongue being taken away hée knocked so long on his brestes with his handes till one of his armes fell of and then with the other till his hand did cleaue fast to the iron vpon his brest Anno 1555. The ix of February Doctor Taylor Doctor Taylor martyr doctor of both the lawes was burned at Hadley the towne where he was Pastor The cause of his trouble was one Foster a petigentleman after the sort of a Lawier a kéeper of courts and one Iohn Clerke of Hadley because he resisted Iohn Auer parson of Aldam who would haue said Masse in Hadley church For this they complained of him to Stephen Gardiner who vpon complaint sent a letter to D. Taylor commaunding him within certaine daies to appeare before him Which D. Taylor coÌ„trary to the perswasions of his fréends did who so soone as D. Taylor appéered before him rayled vpon him when he could not preuaile any way to seduce him he commaunded him to prison saying haue this fellow hence and cary him to the Kings bench and charge the kéeper he be straightly kept so they carried him to prison where he lay prisoner almost two yéeres Within few daies after diuers other learned and godly men in sundrie countries of England were layd in pryson for religion All the prisons in England Christian schooles and Churches so that almost all the prysons in England were become right christian schooles and churches D. Taylor when he was come to the Kings bench there found M. Bradford who had great coÌ„fort one of another After that D. Taylor had lyen in prison a while he was cited to appeare in the arches at Bow-church there to answere c. so to be depriued who so handled the matter of his mariage by scriptures doctors lawes ciuill canon that the iudge could giue no senteÌ„ce to diuorse him but gaue sentence of depriuation because he was married After a yéere thrée quarters in which time they had gotten old tyrannous lawes put downe in K. Henry the 8. time of K. Edward to be restored againe about the 22. of Ianuary D. Tailor appéered againe before the coÌ„missioners where after perswasions and threats at Gardiners hands the rest he constantly holding the truth was had to prison againe where he endured close till the last of Ianuary Vpon which day he with M. Bradford and M. Saunders were again called to appéere before Winchester Norwich London Salisburie c. where charged with Heresie and Schisme they were required to giue determinate answere whether they would recant or no who shewing themselues bolde and constant in the cause of Christ receiued the sentence of condemnation with chéerefulnesse and thankesgiuing to God that they were counted worthy to suffer for his name So Doctor Taylor Taylor Bradford Saunders condemned beyng condemned was committed to the Clinke where hee was bestowed till towards night and then he was remoued to the Counter Where after he had lyen a seuenight Boner came to disgrade him at which disgrading wheÌ„ Boner would haue had him put on the Antichristian attire he would not himself do it but it was forced vpon him by others And when he was throughly furnished therwith he set his hands by his side M. Tayler is pleasant at antichrâ—â—â—â—â—â— attire walking vp and downe and saide how say you my Lorde Am I not a goodly foole how say you my maisters So the B. scraped his fingers thombs and crown of his head and when he should haue giuen him a stroke on his brest with his crosier staffe the B. Chaplen saide my Lord strike him not for he will sure strike againe Yea that will I qâ—â—â—â— Doctor Taylor the cause is Christes and I were no 〈◊〉 Christian if I wold not fight in my maisters quarrel S◠〈◊〉 Bishop being afraide laid his curse vpon him The foâ—â—â—â—â— day of February Doctor Taylors They strike out D. Tailors braines at the fire wife and his sonne supâ—â—â—â— with him in the Counter and the next day by two of the clocke in the morning the Sheriffe of London with his officers came to the Counter and so brought forth D. Taylor without any light leading him to the Wolsacke an Inne without Algate where he was straightway put in a chamber and kept with 4. yomen of the guard and the Sheriffes men Where Doctor Taylor fell downe on his knées gaue himselfe wholly to praier At the Wolsacke he remained til xi of the clocke at which time the Sheriffe of Essex was ready to receiue him And so they set him on horseback within the Inne the gates being shut At Burntwood they caused to be made for D. Taylor They maske D. Taylor that he might not be knowen a close hood with two holes for his eies and a slit for his mouth to breath at This they did that no man should know him nor he speake to any man which practise they vsed with others All the way he was very chéerefull and merrie to the great woondering of the companie At Chelmesford the Sheriffe of Suffolke mette him and tooke him to his charge and perswaded him to reuolt and dranke to him of the same condition So did the gard saying on this condition Maister Doct. we al drink to you When they had all drunk to him and the cup was come to him he staied a litle as one studying what answere he might giue at
of executiō Who considering the shortnes of time his saying was that although the day were neuer so long yet at the last it ringeth to euensong c. About ij of the clocke he was brought to the place called Romeland a gréene néere the west end of the abbey church After he had prayed at the stake he said with a chéerfull voice that although he had a sharp dinner yet he hoped to haue a ioyful supper in heauen While the reeds were set about him a priest came to perswade him to beléeue in the sacrament But Tankerfield cried vehemētly I defy the whore of Babilon fie on the abhominable idol Whereat the maior was sore offended and said though he had but one lode of fagots in the world he would geue them to the burning of him There was a certaine knight by that went vnto Tākerfielde and tooke him by the hand and said good brother be strong in Christ This he spake softly and Tankerfield said Oh sir I thanke you I am so I thank God Fire being put to him The patience of the martirs caused the people to say they had the deuil he embraced the flame and bathed his hands therin and so gaue vp his soule into the handes of Christ Whose patience was such that certaine superstitious olde women did say the deuill was in him and in all such Heretikes and therefore they could not almost féele any payne Robert Smith Robert Smith was brought to Newgate the fifth of Nouember in the first or second yere of the Q. by I. Mathew yoman of the gard by the commandement of the Counsell First he was seruant to sir Th. Smith prouost of Eaton frō whence he was preferred to a clerkship of x. l in Eaton Hée was much confirmed in the truth by the preachings readings of one M. Turner of Windsor and others Wherfore at the cōming in of Mary he was depriued of his clerkship and not long after their examinations wherein boldly and wisely he behaued himselfe in the cause of Christ he was condemned in the consistorie the xij of Iuly and from thence was had to Newgate with other of the brethren He wrote diuerse letters in prison to sundry fréends Hée suffered at Vxbridge the viij of August Being at the stake he comforted the people willing them to thinke well of his cause and not to doubt but his body dying in that quarrell should rise againe to life And said he I doubt not but God will shewe you some tooken therof At length he being well nigh halfe burnt and blacke with fire The martyr giueth a signe clustered together as in a lumpe like a blacke cole all men thinking him for dead suddainly rose vpright before the people lifting vp the stumpes of his armes and clapping the same together and so hanging ouer the fire slept in the Lord. About this time died Stephen Harwood Stephen Harwood at Stratford Thomas Fust Thomas Fust at Ware both for the testimonie of Iesus Also about the end of August William Haile Williā Haile was burned at Barnet and constantly suffered for the truth George King Thomas Lewes and Iohn Wade sickened in Lollardes tower died and were cast into the fieldes and buried in the night by the brethren So also William Andrew died in pryson who was brought to Newgate Anno 1555 by Ihon Motham Cōstable of Maulden in Essex The principall promoter of him was the Lord Rich. The xxxj of August suffered Robert Samuell preacher minister at Barfold in Suffolke his chéefe persecutor was M. Foster a iustice of Cobdock a litle from Ipswich where he caused M. Samuell to be apprehēded put in the goale of Ipswich frō whence being remoued to Norwich he fell into the cruell hands of the bishop Doctor Hopton Dunnings his chancellour who first caused him to be chained bolt vpright to a great post in such sort that standing onely on tiptoe hée was faine to stay vp the whole waight of his bodie besides he so pined him with hunger thirst his allowance being only two or thrée mouthfuls of bread and thrée sponefuls of water for his dayly sustenance that his body was so dried vp that he could not make one drop of vrine to relieue his thirst He had diuerse visions during the time of his imprisonment Samuell hath a vision which he for modesties sake concealed Sauing this one he declared that after he had béene pined iij. daies he fell in a sléepe or slumber one clad all in white séemed to stand before him which ministred vnto him comfort in these wordes Samuell Samuell be of good chéere and take a good hart vnto thée for after this day shalt thou neuer hunger nor thirst Which came so to passe accordingly As hée came to the fire a certaine mayde came vnto him and kissed him her name was Rose Nottingham Rose Nottingham Next after the suffering of Robert Samuell Robert Samuell about the beginning of September was burned Williā Allen W. Allen. in Walsingham laboring man At his suffering such was his credite among the Iustices by reason of his well tried conuersation among them that he was suffered to go vntied to his suffering and there with patience and constancie gaue witnes to the truth by shedding of his bloud The same yéere in the moneth of Septēber Roger Coo Roger Coo. of Melford in Suffolke a sheareman and an aged father after sundry conflicts with his aduersaries was committed to the fire at Yexford in the countie of Suffolke Hée was condemned the xij of August by the bishop of Norwich With the aforesaid was also condemned Thomas Cobbe Tho. Cobbe of Hauerhill butcher and was burned in the towne of Tetford in the moneth of September About the vj. of September Robert Catmer of Hith Robert Streater of Hith Anthony Burward of Calete George Brodbridge of Bromfield Iames Tutley of Brēchley were condemned by Thornton S. of Douer About the mids of Septemb Thomas Hayword Th. Hayword Iohn Gareway Ioh. Gareway suffered at the towne of Lichfield for the testimonie of the trueth About this time there was a godly gentleman M. Iohn Glouer M. Ioh. Glouer in the dioces of Lichfield and Couentry whom the B. by his letters charged the maior of Couentry to apprehend But so soon as he had receiued the letters he sent a priuie watchword to Iohn to escape and shift for himselfe who with his brother William was not so soon departed out of his house but that yet in the sight of them the Sheriffe and other searchers came in to take him But when Iohn could not be found one of the officers going into an vpper chamber foūd there Robert the other brother a maister of art in Cābridge lying sicke of a long disease which was by him incontinent brought before the sheriffe by whom he was committed to the gaole forthwith Not being called to his answere he was moued to
and behynde hym kneeled Maister Latimer as earnestly calling vppon GOD as hee Doctour Smith who recanted preached a Sermon scant in all a quarter of an houre against them in the meane while that they were a preparing to the fire M. Ridley being in his shirt stood vpon a stone at the stake and held vp his hands and saide Oh heauenly father I giue vnto thée most hearty thankes for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thée euen to the death c. Then the smith tooke a chaine of yron and brought the same both about D. Ridleyes and Latimers middles and as hee was knocking in the staple maister Ridley tooke the chayne in his hand and shaked the same for it did gyrd in his bellie and looking aside to the smith saide Good fellow knocke it in hard for the flesh will haue his course Then his brother brought both him and maister Latimer gunpowder which he said he would take as sent from God then brought they a fagot kindeled with fire and laide it downe at Ridleyes féete Latimer prophecieth at the stake To whom maister Latimer spake in this maner be of good comfort M. Ridley and play the mā we shal this day light such a candle by Gods grace in England as I trust shal neuer be put out And so the fire was giuen vnto them When Doctor Ridley sawe the fire flaming vp towardes him he cried with a woonderfull loude voyce In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Domine accipe spiritum meum And after repeated often in English Lorde Lorde receiue my spirite maister Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side Oh father of heauen receiue my my soule who receiued the flame as it were imbracing it and soone died M. Ridley by reason of the euil making of the fire had his nether partes all burnt before the vpper parts were touched and endured great torment with much patience so they both slept in the Lorde faithfull witnesses of his trueth Diuers letters and treatises Maister Ridley wrote diuers letters and treatises of exhortation The next moneth after the burning of Ridley M. Ridley and Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember died Stephen Gardiner Stephen Gardiner dieth a man of an vnconstant mind a man hated of God and all good men He was during the time of Queene Anne an enemie to the Pope but after her decease the time carried him away that hée became a Papist till agayne in King Edwardes time hée beganne to rebate from certaine pointes of poperie Agayne after the decay of the Duke of Sommerset he quite turned to poperie and became a cruell Persecutour Hée hauing intelligence of the death of Ridley and Latimer deferring his dinner til thrée or foure of the clock at after noone commeth out reioysing to the olde Duke of Norfolke who tarried for his dinner till then at Gardiners Gods iudgement vpon Gardiner house and said Now let vs goe to dinner And being set downe began merely to eate and had eaten but a fewe bittes when the sodaine stroke of Gods terrible hande fell vpon him so that immediatly he was taken from the table and brought to his bed where he so continued xv dayes and then died his tongue being blacke and swolne in his head When Doctor Day Bishop of Chichester came to him and began to comfort him with words of Gods promises with frée iustification in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour repeating the Scriptures vnto him Winchester Winchesters words at his death hearing that what my Lorde saide he will you open that gap now then farewel all together To me and to such other in my case you may speake it but open this window to the people then farewel all together Next after the death of Master Ridley and Master Latimer followed thrée other couragious Souldiers of Iesus Christ Iohn Webbe Gentleman George Roper and Gregorie Parke Iohn Webbe I Webbe G. Roper G. Parker Martirs was brought before the suffragan of Douer the sixtéenth day of September before the other two long after Which beside sundrie other times the the iij. day of October were all thrée together brought before the said Iudge and by him condemned And about the ende of October or in the latter end of Nouember as it is otherwise found they were brought out of prison to their martirdome who by the way said certaine Psalmes mournfullie Roper was a young man of a fresh colour courage and complexion The other two were somewhat more elderly Roper comming to the stake and putting off his gowne fet a great leape So soone as the flame was about him he putte out both his armes from his bodie like a Roode and so stoode stedfast continuing in that maner not plucking his armes in till the fire had consumed them and burnt them off And thus these woorthie Martirs at Canterburie gaue witnesse to the trueth The xiij of December died William Wiseman in the lolards Tower a Clothwoorker of London Some thought that through famine or other euill handling hee was made away After his death he was throwen into the fields and charge geuen that none should burie him But the brethren buried him in the night In the same yeare about the vij of September Iames Gore deceased in prison at Colchester being captiue for defence of the trueth Master Iohn Philpot after he had béene imprisoned by the Lord Chauncellour a yere a halfe for his frée spéech in the conuocation house was the second of October an 1555. called for before the Quéenes Commissioners M. Cholmeley Master Roper Doctor Storie and one of the Scribes of the Arches at Newgate Sessions Hall Where they had nothing particular to charge him with by the Lawe neyther would he otherwise answere So they sent him againe to prison Afterwardes hee was commaunded to appeare the xxiiij day of October which he did And after much railing against him and many threatenings they sent him to the B. of Londons Colehouse where he found Tho. Whittle Priest in the stockes who once through infirmitie had relented to the Papistes but féeling remorse and torment in his conscience went to the B. Register desiring to sée his bill againe Which as soone as he had receiued he tare in péeces and after that was ioyfull receiued comfort Whē the B. heard thereof he beate him and pulled a greate péece of his beard from his face and cast him into prison Which he endured ioyfully for Christes name Boner vnderstanding of master Philpots imprisonment sent him bread and meate and drinke with faire wordes and promise of fauour And within a while after one of his Gentlemen was sent for him and brought him to the presence of Boner Who vnderstanding by Master Philpot the cause of his trouble to haue risen by his speach in the cōuocation house said he would not as then burthen him with his conscience and said moreouer that he meruailed they were so merrie in prison
24. seruant in a mans house in Leicester was condemned and burned because hée said his maker was in heauen and not in the pixe About the same time the 11. of March Iohn Iackson was examined of Doct. Cooke concerning the Church and Sacrament of the altar In which quarrel the godly confessor behaued himselfe boldly and wisely against the Bishop Who when no other argument would serue he commanded him to prison againe but what became of him it is vncertaine The first day of August Anno 1556. Ioan Wast Ioan Wast a blind woman a blinde woman from her birth of the age of two twenty was condemned and burned in the towne of Darbie for maintayning the doctrine in King Edwardes daies They that sate vpon her were Sir Rafe Bayne Bishoppe of the dioces Doctour Dracot his Chauncelour Syr Iohn Port Knight c. Shée being prest and halfe astonied through their terrours and threates and desirous as it seemed to prolong her life offered vnto the Bishoppe then present if hée woulde before that companie take it vppon his conscience that the doctrine which hée would haue her to beléeue concerning the Sacrament was true and that he would at the dreadfull day of iudgement aunswere for her therein as Doctour Taylor in diuers of his Sermons did offer shée woulde then further aunswere them Her offer to the Iudges Which when it would not bée stood vnto the poore woman perceiuing the same answered againe that if they refused to take of their conscience that it was true which they would haue her to beléeue shée would answere no further but desired them to doo their pleasure And so after certaine circumstances they pronounced sentence agaynst her and deliuered her to the Bayliffes of the towne of Darbie to be put to death where chéerefullie she suffered in the fire for the testimonie of the truth whiche shée before had professed This poore blinde mayde would hyre with mony such as would not fréely do so much for to read certain chapters of the New Testament vnto her and would bargayne with them how often to read one chapter vpon a price Although shée was borne blind yet could shée without a guide goe to any Church in the towne or to any other place or person that vsed to reade vnto her or had anie godlie exercises The 8. of September suffered Edward Sharpe Edw. Sharpe borne in Wiltshire of the age of 60. yéers at Bristow where he constantly mainteined the quarrel of Christ against Antichrist to the death The 24. of September suffered 4 men Iohn Hart Foure at Mayfield in Sussex Tho. Rauensdal a Shoemaker and a Collier al foure together at Mayfield in Sussex for the testimony of Iesus c. The next day after was a young man put to death at Bristow for the like testimonie A young man at Bristow Not lōg after whose death suffered the xxvij of September Iohn Horne I. Horne and a woman and a woman at Wootton Vnder hedge in Glocestershire In the parish of Wootton Vnder-hedge William Dangerfield W. Dangerfield after he had béene a space from home for feare of the crueltie of the time being a professor of the Gospell repayred to his wife lying in childbed of the tenth childe who was not so soone come home but was espied and apprehended and had to prison by the cruel sentence of D. Brookes bishop In whose cruel handling he remayned so long till his féele were almost freited off with Irons After the apprehension of the husband the wife also was taken with hir yong borne childe being but fourtéene daies old out of her childbed and carryed into the common gaole and there placed among théeues and murtherers Great crueltie where both she and hir infant could neuer come to fire but shée was driuen to warme the clothes that she should put about the childe in hir bosome While they both lay thus inclosed the B. subtilly got promise of the husband to recant declaring vnto him that his wife had so done already which was vntruth So they suffered him vpon that promise to go to his wife To whom he declared with a sorrowful hart how hée had bin circumuented and pulled out of his bosome a copie of his recantation The wife encourageth her husband wherto he had granted his promise At the sight wherof his wiues heart claue asunder saying hath Sathan so preuailed c. So hee departed from hir with teares and praied GOD he might not liue so long as to call euill good and good euill so going homeward to his house he took his death and shortly after dyed according to his prayer After this Ioane his wife continued in prison with her infant which being starued in prison with cold and famine the milke of the mother failing through euill vsing was sent away when it was past all remedie and shortly after died And not long after the mother died also besides an old woman of 90. yeres mother of her husband being lefte alone in the house comfortlesse In the Moneth of October next following suffered a Shoomaker A Shoomaker at Northhampton at Northhampton for the stedfast professing of the trueth After whom not long in the same moneth died thrée godly Confessors in the Castle of Chichester and were buried in the fieldes In the same moneth was burned also one Hooke Hooke a true witnesse of the Lord at Chester As Boner was the cruellest among the bishops so Harpsfield among all the archdeacōs except Dunning of Norw was the cruellest by whose meanes there were now xv Professors of the Gospel together in prison in Canterburie Castle Whereof fiue were famished to death Fiue famished and x. burned at Canterbury and ten burned The names of the famished were these Iohn Clarke Dunstan Chittenden vncondemned Walter Foster of Stone Alice Potkins wife of Staplehurst Iohn Hurst of Cranbrock Weauer condemned to be burned Alice Potkins A wittie and godly answere of Alice Potkins being asked of her age said she was 49. yeres olde according to her old age and according to her young age since she learned Christ she was of one yeares age In the moneths of September Nouember and December in the Dioces of Couentrée and Lichfield much trouble fell to diuers persons for the profession of the Gospel through the crueltie of the Bishoppe named Rafe Bane and a more cruell Chauncellour called Doctor Draicotte By whose meanes many persons were driuen to beare fagots in those quarters Thus endeth the fourth yere of Quéene Maries Reigne In which yeare the number of the slaine for the Gospell The ende of the fourth yere of Q. Marie Eightie foure persons put to death in the fourth yere of Q. Marie came to 84. persons Besides such as fled and priuately by practises were made away About this time Sir Iohn Cheeke sometime Schoolemaster to King Edward the sixt being in Germanie out of all danger would néedes take his iourney with Sir Peter
staires in the Cardinals chamber at Gréenewich after hée had receiued the Cardinals blessing One Grundwood of Hitcham who was procured by William Fenning to witnes salsly against a godly man one Cooper of Watsame that he should wish if God would not that the Diuell would take away Quéene Mary as hée was in his labour staking vp a gulphe of corne suddainly his bowels fell out and so he died The Parson of Crondall in Kent hauing receiued the Popes blessing from Cardinall Poole shrunke downe in the pulpet and was found dead D. Geffery Chancellor of Salisbury hauing appoynted the day before his death to call 90. persons before him to examination was preuented by Gods hand and so died Master Woodroof who was cruell against M. Rogers was stricken the one halfe of his body that he lay benummed and so continued seuen or eight yéeres till he died and scarse escaped any of them but the hand of God strangely was vpon them all before their death Popish prelates die thicke together about the death of Queene Mary that had defiled themselues with the blood of Gods children Especially it is to be noted how many of the popish prelates died not long before Quéene Mary or not longer after Before her died Coates B. of Winchester Parfew B. of Harford Glinne B. of Bangor Brookes B. of Glocester King B. of Thame Peto elect of Salsbury Day B. of Chichester Holyman B. of Bristow After her Cardinall Poole the next day of some Italian Phisicke as some did suspect then I. Christophorsen B. of Chichester White B. of Winchester Hopton B. of Norwich Morgan B. of S. Dauids Rafe Bayne B. of Liechfield and Couentrie Owine Oglethorpe B. of Carlill Cutbert Tonstall who was no bloudy persecutor B. of Durham Thomas Raynolds elect of Hereford after his depriuation died in pryson Doctor Weston Deane of Westminster after Deane of Windsore chiefe disputer against Cranmer Ridley and Latimer Maister Slythurst maister of trinitie Colledge in Oxford who died in the Tower Seth Holland Deane of Worcester and Warden of Alsoule colledge in Oxforde William Copinger monke of Westminster fell mad and died in the Tower Doct. Steward Deane of Winchester Such of the Popish Cleargie as escaped death and were committed to prison were these In the Tower Nicholas Heath Archb. of Yorke and Lord Chancellor Th. Thurleby B. of Ely Th. Watson B. of Lincolne Gilbert Bourne B. of Bath Welles Rich. Pates B. of Worcester Troublefield B. of Exceter Iohn Fecknam Abbot of Westminster Iohn Baxall Deane of Windsor Peterborow Godwel B. of S. Asse and Maurice elect of Bangor ran away In the Marshalsea Edmond Boner Tho. Wood B. elect In the Fléete Cuthbert Scot Bishop of Chester whence he escaped to Louain and there died Henrie Cole Deane of Paules Iohn Harpesfield Archdeacon of London and Deane of Norwich Nicholas Harpesfield Archd. of Canterbury Anthonie Dracot Archd. of Huntington William Chadsey Archdeacon of Middlesex Anno 1572. Iohn Whiteman Iohn Whiteman a notable martyr Shoemaker of Rye in Sussex a married man of 23. yéeres It being seruice time at Ostend in Flanders went to the Church and at the time of the heaue offering stept to the sacrificer and tooke from ouer his head his Idoll saying these wordes in the Duitch tongue Is this your God And so breaking it cast it down vnder his féete and trode thereon Forthwith he was taken and on Tuesday after had sentence giuen against him first to haue his hand cut off and his body scorched to death and after to be hanged vp Which sentence he tooke so patiently and the execution thereof with such willingnes that so soon as he was out of the prison to be carried to execution he made such haste and as it were a ranne to the place of execution that he drew the hangman after him There was prepared for his execution a post with spars from the top therof aslope down to the ground in maner of a tent to the end that he should be scorched to death and not burned When he was come to the place the hangman commanded him to lay down his right hand vpon a block which he immediatly with an hatchet smote of the goodman stil cōtinuing patient constant Then the hangman stept behind him bids him put out his tongue which he forthwith did as far as he could out of his head through the which he thrust a long instrument like a packnéedle and so let it sticke So being stript into his shirt he was put into the tent made fast with two chaines and fire put round about him which broiled him scorched him al black and when he was dead he was carried to be hanged vpon a Gibbet besides the towne Anno 1558. the last day of March was appointed a day of conference betwixt 9. priests and 9. protestants concerning matters of religion A conference for matters of religion The names of the Papistes were these Winchester Lichfield Chester Carlile Lincoln Cole Harpesfield Longdale Chadsey The names of the Protestants Story B. of Chichester Cox Whitehead Grindall Horne Sands Best Elmer Iewell Three propositions to dispute of The matter they should dispute of was comprehended in these propositions 1 It is against the word of God the custome of the ancient Church to vse a tongue vnknown to the people in common praier administratiō of the sacramēts 2 Euery Church hath authority to appoint take away and change ceremonies and Ecclesiastical rites so the same be to edification 3 It cannot be proued by the word of God that there is in the masse offered vp a sacrifice propitiatory for the quick and the dead It was decréed according to the desire of the papists that it should be in writing on both partes for auoiding of much altercation of words and each of them should deliuer their writings to other to consider what were improued therein and to declare the same againe in writing some other conuenient day This was agréed on of both parts The Lords also of the parlement made means to her maiesty that the parties of this conference might reade their assertions in the English tongue and that in the presence of the nobility and others of the parlement house for the better satisfaction and the better enabling of their owne iudgements to treate and conclude of such lawes as might depend therevpon This was thought very reasonable and agréed vpon the day being appointed the last of March the place Westminster church Notwithstanding this former order appointed cōsented vnto on both parts The assēbly being now made the B. of Winchester his collegues alleadging that they had mistaken that their assertions and reasons should be writtē so only recited out of a booke said that their booke was not then ready written but they were ready to argue dispute The Papists flee from the agreement and therefore they would for that time repeate in spéech that which they had