was brought before the Bish. of Douer and Nich. Harpesfield or some other deputed in their roume long before the other two videlicet the xvj day of September and there had propounded vnto hym such ordinarie Articles as it seemeth as was commonly ministred by Boner to those of hys iurisdiction beyng willed for that present to depart and to deliberate with hymselfe vpon the matter agaynst the next tyme of his appearance he made aunswer that hee would no otherwyse say by Gods grace then hee had already sayde which was this As touchyng the Sacrament of Christes bodye I do beleeue quoth he to be left vnto hys Churche wyth thankes geuyng in commemoration of hys death passion vntill his commyng agayne So that it is left in remembraunce of hys body and not by the wordes of consecration to be made his body really substantially and the same body that was borne of the virgin Mary I vtterly do deny that After this besides sundry other tymes the third day of October the sayd Ioh. Web Gregory Roper George Parke were brought all three together before the sayd Iudge who there and then agreeyng and stedfastly allowyng the former aunswere made before by Maister Webbe were by the bloudy Prelates adiudged heretikes and therefore about the ende of the same month of October or els as I otherwyse finde in the latter ende of Nouember they together were taken and brought out of prison to the place of Martyrdom Who by the way goyng toward the stake sayd certaine Psalmes mournefully Roper was a yonger man of a fresh colour courage complexion the other two were somewhat more elderly all goyng in white linnen with their gownes vpon Roper at his commyng to the stake puttyng of hys gowne fet a great leape So soone as the flame was about hym the sayd Roper put out both hys armes from hys bodye lyke a Rood and so stood stedfast continuyng in that maner not pluckyng his armes in tyll the fire had consumed them and burnt them of And thus these foresayde Martyrs of Christ beeyng brought as I sayde to the stake and there compassed about with a chayne were burnt and consumed all thre together in one fire at Canterbury abidyng most patiently their torments and countyng themselues happy blessed of the lord that they were made worthy to suffer for Christes Gospels sake * William Wiseman THe 13. of Decemb. in the Lollards Tower died William Wiseman a Clothworker of London where hee ⧠The order and maner of burying in the Fields such as dyed in prison and namely of William Wiseman was in prison and bands for the Gospel worde of God How and whereupon he deceased it is not fully certaine Some thought that either through famine or ill handling of some murtheryng papists he was made away By reason whereof the Crouner named Iohn Gibbes Gentleman with an enquest of twelue men were fayne to sit vpoÌ„ hym who although to the outward apperance were sayd to finde nothyng in hym els but onely Gods visitation yet what other priuy causes there might be of hys death the Lord knoweth I haue not to say After the sayd William was departed as is sayde in the Tower the holy Catholike church men cast hym out into the fieldes commanded that no man should bury him according as theyr deuout maner is to do with all such as dye in lyke sort whoÌ„ they account as prophane and worthy of no buriall but to be cast to dogs and birdes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet sayeth And yet all this their mercilesse commaundement not withstandyng some good Tobies there were which buried hym in the euenyng as commonly they did all the rest throwen out in lyke sort whom they were woont priuily by night to couer and many tymes the Archers in the fields standyng by and singing together Psalmes at their buriall ¶ Iames Gore IN the same month about the 7. day of Decemb. deceased also Iames Gore in the prison at Colchester layed there in bands for the right and truth of Gods word ⧠The processe and historie of M. Iohn Philpot examined condemned and Martyred for the maintenance and defence of the Gospels cause against the Antichristian Sea of Rome NExt foloweth the constant Martyrdome of M. Iohn Philpot of whome partly ye heard before in the beginning of Queene Maries time in prosecutyng the disputation of the Conuocation house He was of a worshipfull house a knights sonne borne in Hamshire brought vp in the new Colledge in Oxford where he studied the Ciuill lawe the space of 6. or 7. yeares besides the study of other liberall artes especially of the tongs wherein very forwardly he profited namely in the knowledge of the Hebrue tong c. In witâ—he was pregnaÌ„t and happy of a singuler courage in spirit feruent in religion zelous and also well practised and exercised in the same which is no small matter in a true deuine of nature and condition plaine and apert far from all flatterie farther from all hypocrisie and deceitfull dissimulation What his learnyng was hys owne examinations penned of hys owne hand can declare From Oxford desirous to see other countries as occasion serued thereunto he went ouer into Italy and places thereabouts where he commyng vpon a tyme from Uenice to Padua was in daunger through a certayne Franciscan Frier accompanying hym in hys iourney who coÌ„myng to Padua sought to accuse hym of heresie At length returnyng to England hys countrey agayne as the tyme ministred more boldnes to hym in the dayes of King Edward he had diuers conflictes with Gardiner the bishop in the Citye of Winchester as appeareth by dyuers of Winchesters letters and hys examinations Wherof read before After that hauyng an aduauson by the sayd B. he was made there Archdeacon of Winchester vnder D. Pomet who then succeeded Gardiner in that Bishoprike Thus duryng the tyme of K. Edward he continued to no small profite of those parties thereabout When that blessed king was taken away Mary hys sister came in place whose study was wholy bent to alter the state of religion in the wofull realme of England first she caused a Conuocation of the Prelates learned men to be congregate to the accomplishment of her desire In the which Conuocation M. Philpot beyng present accordyng to hys roume and degree with a few other susteined the cause of the Gospel manfully agaynst the aduersary part as is aboue recited for the which cause not withstandyng the liberty of the house promied before hee was called to accompt before B. Gardiner the Chauncellour then beyng hys Ordinary by whome he was first examined although that examination came not yet to our handes From thence agayne he was remooued to Boner and other Commissioners with whom he had dyuers sundry conflictes as in hys examination here followyng may appeare ¶ The first examination of M. Iohn Philpot before the Queenes
of London PLeaseth your good Lordship to vnderstand that yesterday I dined with my Lord of Exceter who soon after my first coÌ„ming vnto him asked me what newes I answered none but good that I had heard No sayth he Why it is a rumour in the City that tomorowe the Queenes Grace will take her iourney towardes the king I aunswered that I thought it not to bee any whit true but an inuention of Heretickes yea and further sayeth he there is report made abroad of my Lorde our Mayster that he is in discomfort and therefore will suffer no man to come vnto him When I heard thus much I began to laugh and declare how vntrue this report was so that my Lord who before was very sad afterward knowing the truth reioyced much to heare that all was wel with your lordship and desired me to do his harty commendations to your Lordship One of my Lord of Penbrokes retinue a very handsome maÌ„ and as farre as I can yet learne Catholicke is a suter to your lordship to haue licence to erect a schoole and the order which he inteÌ„deth to vse is coÌ„teined in this printed paper which I send here in inclosed to your Lordship I would be gladde for my Lorde of Penbrokes sake that he vnderstood that vppon my motion your Lordship were content he should teach as he intendeth Mayster Iohnson and I haue trauelled with the Prieste and he hath subscribed his name to this draughte whiche is herein inclosed and hath promised he will stand to the same before your Lordship When I had written thus much sodenly came tydinges to me that Iordanis conuersus est retrorsum Cluney comming to the Priest found him lying prostrate groning as though he should haue dyed forthwith Then Cluney tooke him vppe and set hym vpon a stoole and came to me and told me of this reuell It chauÌ„ced that M. Iohnson was with me and we went to this fond hereticke fouÌ„d him lying all a long holding his hands vp looking hypocritically towardes heauen I caused Thomas More Cluney to set him on the stoole and with much adoe at length he tolde me that Sathan had bene with him in the night and tolde him that he was damned and weeping he prayed M. Iohnson and me to see the bill whereunto he subscribed and when he sawe it he tare out his name è libro scilicet viuentium Me thinketh by him he will needes burne a Fagot neither is there any other likelihood of the young woman I haue enquired of the two persons which sue to haue a licence to eat flesh And the woman of Christ Church is in deed very much diseased and hath bene long diseased and she and her husband both Catholicke Of the other yet I canne learne nothing Thus Iesus euermore preserue your good Lordship and my Mistres your Lordshippes sister with all yours This present Saterday Your Lordships most bounden seruaunt Iohn Harpsfield ¶ Here foloweth an other letter of Robert Iohnson Register touching Thomas Whittell written to Boner Bishop of London MY bounden duety premised pleaseth your Lordshyp to vnderstande that this laste Fridaye in the after noone Mayster Archdeacon of London did diligently trauell with Syr Thomas Whittell I being present and perceiuing his conformity as outwardlye appeared deuised a submission and hee being content therewith did subscribe the same But now this saterday morning Mayster Archdeacon and I vpon Cluneys report declaring that he fayned himselfe to be extracted of his senses went vnto hym to whom he declared that Sathan in the night time appeared vnto him and said that he was damned for that he had done against his conscience in subscribing the said submission with other like wordes c. And theÌ„ Mayster Archdeacon at his earnest request deliuered vnto him the submissioÌ„ And thereupon the sayd Whittell did teare out his subscription made in the foot of the same as your Lordshippe shall perceiue by the submission sent now vnto your Lordship by Mayster ArchdeacoÌ„ wherewith the sayd Whittell was somewhat quieted And as touching Ioane Lashford Mayster Archdeacon didde likewise trauell with her and shewing her Syr Thomas submission which I readde vnto her two times demaunded if she could bee content to make the like submission and she desired respite vntill this morning And beyng nowe eftsoones demaunded in likewise sayth that she will not make any thing in writing nor put any signe thereunto Mayster Archdeacon and I entend thyâ— after noone to examine the sayd Syr Thomas vpon Articles for as yet there doeth appeare nothing in writing agaynste hym as knoweth almighty GOD who preserue your good Lordshyp in prosperity long with honour to endure From London thys Saterday By your Lordships dayly bedesman and bounden seruaunt Robert Iohnson ¶ The Condemnation Death and Martyrdome of Thomas Whittell COncerning the woordes and aunsweres of the sayde Thomas Whittell at his laste examination before the Bishop vpon the xiiij day of Ianuary the yere aboue expressed Boner with his other felow Bonerlingeâ— sittyng in his Consistory at after noone first called forth Thomas Whittell with who he began in effect as foloweth because ye be a Priest sayth he as I and other Bishops here bee and did receiue the order of Priesthoode after the riâ—e and fourme of the Catholicke Churche ye shall not thinke but I will minister iustice as well vnto you as to other And then the sayd Boner in further communication did charge hym that when in tymes past he had sayde Masâ—e according to the order then vsed the same Whittell nowe of late had rayled and spoken agaynste the same saying that it was Idolatry and abhomination Whereunto Thomas Whittell aunswering agayne sayd that at such times as he so sayde Masse he was then ignoraunt c. adding moreouer that the eleuation of the Sacramente at the Masse geueth occasion of Idolatry to them that be ignoraunt vnlearned After this the bishop making hast to the Articles whiche in all his examinations euer he harped vpon came to this Article That thou wast in times past baptised in the fayth of the catholicke church To this the sayd Whittell inferred agayne I was baptised in the fayth of the catholicke church although I did forsake the Church of Rome And ye my Lord do call these heresies that be no heresies and do charge me therwith as heresies and ye ground your selfe vpon that religion whiche is not agreable to Gods word c. Then the sayd victorious souldiour and seruant of our Sauior constant in the verity receiued and professed was agayne admonished and with perswasions entreated by the bishop who because he would not agree vnto the same the bishop forthwith proceeded first to his actuall degradation that is to vnpriest him of all his priestly trinkets and clarkly habite The order and maner of whiche theyr popish and most vayne degradation before in the storye of Bishop Hooper pag. 1435. is to be sene
should mistake his meaning and mine I sayde yea my Lorde so that I maye haue bookes on both sides as Caluin and my Lord of Caunterburies bookes and such other Well ê™ my lordt I will satisfie thy minde therein also and they all were in grea hope that shortly I shoulde become a good Catholicke as they call it Then was I brought into my Lordes inner chamber where you were and there was put in a chamber with mayster Dee who entreated me very frendly That night I supped at my Lords table and lay with mayster d ee in the chamber you did see On the morrow I was serued at dinner from my Lordes table and at night did eate in the hall with his gentlemeÌ„ where I haue bene placed euer sithence and fared wonderfull well Yea to say the truth for my liberty within the bondes of his Lordships house for my lodging and fare scarce haue I bene at any time abroade in better case so long together and haue found so much gentlenesse of my Lorde and his Chaplaynes and other seruauntes that I should easily haue forgotten that I was in prison were it not that this great cheare was often pouthered with vnsauery sauses of examinations exhortations posinges and disputations For shortly after supper the first monday at night I was hadde into my Lordes bedde chamber and there he woulde know of me howe I came first into these heresies I sayde I was perswaded thereto by the scriptures and authorities of the Doctours alledged by Peter Martyr in hys Lectures vppon the xi Chapiter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians whiles hee intreated there on that place De coena domini by the space of a moneth together But then my Lord enforced the playnnesse of Chrystes woordes and his almightye power demaundinge of mee what reason shuld moue me from the litterall sense of the words but I hauing no lust to those matters woulde haue alledged that there were bookes sufficient of that matter as Peter Martyr Cranmer and Oecolampadius neuerthelesse when this shifte would not serue but I was constrayned to say somewhat I sayd I was moued from the litterall sense by the manner of speakyng by the circumstaunce and by conference of other places of the scriptures It is euident that Christ tooke breade and that hee shewed them they seeing it bread whiche hee affirmed to be his body Christ affirmed that bread was his body But that affirmation taken literally can by no meanes be true Ergo the wordes if they bee taken according to the letter cannot be true For this predication Panis est corpus Christi or corpus Christi est panis is neither identica nor accidentalis nor aessentialis praedicatio Wherfore of necessitie I must say it was spoken in the like sense as Christ was a dore a vyne and a waye Neyther can it serue to say that it was not of bread that he affirmed to bee his body and that for two causes For what soeuer he shewed that was bread for nought els was seene But that which he shewed he affirmed to be hys body Ergo he affirmed of bread that it was his body The second reason is for that it was not chaunged before seeyng benedixit is gratias egit or ells Christe affirmed no true proposition and you are without authoritie In the end of this letter there were noted these sentences following collected for confirmation of his former assertions videlicet Eadem locutio poculi i. The same phrase is vsed and spoken vpon the cup. Dicitur postea panis It is called bread in the same place afterward Eadem ratione reiecero corpus qua tu panem i. By the reason as it may be denyed to be bread it may be denyed to be the body Ascendit in coelum i. His body ascended into heauen Corpore nobis factus est similis in omnibus post natiuitatem At nostrum corpus non potest esse in duobus locis Ergo c. In body hee was lyke to vs in all thinges after his natiuitie sinne excepted Seeyng then our body cannot be in two places at once Ergo neyther his Discipuli non stupebant c. His Disciples tooke it as no miracle nor wonder The last examination and condemnation of Mayster Greene. THus as it seemeth for this tyme they lefte off But not long after the Byshop perceauyng Greenes learning and constancy to be suche as neyther hee nor any of his Doctours and Chaplaynes coulde by the scriptures refell beganne then to obiecte and put in practise hys chiefe and strongest argument agaynst him whiche was the rigour of the Lawe and crueltye of execution an argument I ensure you which without the speciall grace of our God to flesh is importable And therefore vsynge lawe as a cloke of hys tyrannye the xxviii daye of Nouember the sayde Byshoppe examined him vppon certayne poyntes of Christian Religion Whereunto when hee had aunswered the Byshop appointed the register as their most common manner is to draw there out an order of confession Whiche beyng afterwardes redd vnto Greene was also subscribed by him as a confirmation of hys former assertions The tenour whereof here ensueth ¶ The confession and saying of Bartlet Greene. BArtlet Greene borne in the Cittye of London in the Parish of Bassingshall of the Dioces of London and of the age of xxv yeares being examined in the Byshops palace the xxvii daye of Nouember anno 1555. vppon certayne articles aunswered as followeth Videlicet that neither in the tyme of K. Edw. after that the Masse by hym was put down neither in the time of Q. Mary after that the masse was restored agayn he hath heard any masse at al but he sayth that in the raygne of the sayd Queenes Maiesty he the sayde Bartlet two tymes to witte at two Easter tides or dayes in the chamber of Iohn Polline one of the Preachers in king Edwardes tyme within the paryshe of Saincte Michaels in Cornhill of the Dioces of London did receiue the Communion wyth the sayde Pulline and Christopher Goodman sometyme reader of the Dyuinitie Lecture in Oxford now gone beyond the sea and the second tyme with the sayd Pulline with one Runneger Mayster of Arte of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford and this Examinate also sayth that at both the sayd Communions he and the other before named did take and receiue bread and wyne whiche Bread and wyne hee called Sacramentall bread and sacramentall wyne whiche he sayth were vsed there by them Pulline onely readyng the wordes of the institution expressed in the boooke of Communion In which receiuyng and vsing this Examinate sayth that the other aforenamed dyd receaue the Sacramente of the Lordes Supper and that they receyued materyall bread and materiall wyne no substaunce therof changed and so no reall presence of the body and bloude of Chryste there beyng but onely grace added thereto And further this Examinate sayth that he had
sute of Maister Caustâ—n and Maister Treheron and now notwithstanding was sent vp by the sayde Lord Riche with the others before mentioned and at his comming to the Bishop of Winchester was by him demaunded whether he would conforme him self like a subiect to the lawes of this realme then in force To the which he sayd he would abyde all lawes that stode with the lawes of GOD and thereupon was committed to prison where he and the rest aboue named did remaine euer sithens ¶ William Tyms NOW remaineth likewise to declare the examinatioÌ„ of William Tyms DeacoÌ„ Curate of Hocley in Essex But before I come to his examination first here is to be opened and set forth the order maner of his trouble how and by whom he was first apprehended in Essex and froÌ„ thence sent vp to London the story whereof followeth in this maner * The Story of William Tyms Deacon and Curate of Hockeley with the maner of his taking THere was at Hocley in Queene Maries dayes two Sermons preached in the Woodes the which woodes weare appertayning to Maister Tyrrell and the name of the one wood was called Plumbrow wood and the other Becheswood and there was at the same Sermons an honest man and his wife with him whose name was Iohn Gye the which Gye was Maister Tyrrels seruaunt and did dwell vnder him being his Herd at a farm of his called Plomborow Shortly after it was knoweÌ„ to Maister Tyrrell how that his woods were poluted with Sermons the which he did take very euill and much matter did rise about it as an vnlawfull assembly the which was layd to Iohn Gyes charge because he did not disclose that vnlawfull acte to his Maister being then in the coÌ„mission of the peace appointed at that tyme to keep down the Gospell that which he did to the vttermost as it may appeare in many of his actes Good God geue him repeÌ„tance if it be thy will Shortlye after it pleased Mayster Tyrrell to come to Hockley to sift out this matter and to know who was at these preachings Well there were found many faultes for it is supposed there were a hundred persons at the least So it pleased Mayster Tyrrell to begin first with Iohn Gye and asked him where that noughty felow was that serued theyr parish one Tyms for it is tolde me sayde he that he is the causer to bring these noughty felowes into the couÌ„try Therfore I charge thee Gye to fet me this noughty felow Tyms for thou knowest where he is No said Gye I doe not knowe So in no wise he could not make him fette him Then stepped forth an other of M. Tyrrels men willing to shew his Mayster pleasure whose name was Richard Shereffe sayd to his mayster Syr I know where he is Well said mayster Tyrrell go to the Constables and charge them to bring him to me So this Shereffe being diligent made sure work and had him brought before his Maister with the Constables whose names be these Edward Hedge and Ioh. Iames. So when he came before Maister Tyrrell then Mayster Tyrrell commauÌ„ded all men to depart it was wisely done for hee was not able to open his mouth agaynste Tyms without reproch and there he kept him about three houres But there were some that listened at the walles and heard M. Tyrrell say thus to Tyms Me thinketh sayd he that wheÌ„ I see the blessed Rood it maketh me thinke of God Why Syr sayde Tyms if an Idoll that is made with mans handes doth make you remember God how much more ought the creatures of God as man being his workmaÌ„ship or the grasse or the trees that bringeth forth fruit make you remember God So Mayster Tyrrell ended his talke with Tyms it should seme in an heat for he brast out and called him traytorly knaue Why Syr sayd Tyms in king Edwardes dayes you did affirme the truth that I do now Affirme quoth Tyrrell nay by Gods body I neuer thought it with my hart Well sayd Tyms then I pray you M. Tyrrell beare with me for I haue bene a Traytor but a while but you haue bene a Traytor 6. yeares After this Tyms was sent to LondoÌ„ to the byshop from him to the Bishop of Winchester and so from him to the Kynges Bench then was Mayster Tyrrels rage seased with theÌ„ that were in the woods at the sermons So M. Tyrrel took away Gyes coate gaue it to Ioh. Traiford and sent him to S. Tosies to see good rule kept there WheÌ„ Tyms came before the Bishop of London there was at that time the Bishop of Bathe there was William Tyms examined of his fayth before them bothe So mightely god wrought with this true harted man that he had wherwith to aunswere them both for the Constables did say that brought him before the byshop that they neuer heard the like Then the bishop as though he would haue had Tyms to turne froÌ„ the truth sayd to the Constables I pray you sayd he geue him good counsell that he may turne from his errour My Lord sayd the Constables he is at a poynt for he will not turne TheÌ„ both the Byshops waxed wery of him for he had troubled them about a sixe or seuen houres Then the Byshops began to pity Tyms case to flatter him saying Ah good felow sayd they thou art bold thou hast a good fresh spirit we would thou hadest learning to thy spirit I thanke you my Lordes sayd Tyms and both you be learned I would you had a good spirit to your learning So thus they broke vp sent Tyms to the Bishop of Winchester and there were Edward Hedge and Iohn Iames the CoÌ„stables aforenamed discharged Tyms was commaunded to the Kinges Bench whereas he was mightely strengthened with the good men that he found there And thus hitherto ye haue heard first vpon what occasion this William Tyms was apprehended how he was entreated of M. Tyrrell the Iustice by him seÌ„t vp to the Ordinary of the Dioces which was Rishop Boner who after certein talke debating he had with the sayd Tyms at length directed him to the Bishop of Winchester beyng then Lord Chauncellour and yet liuing and so was commaunded by him vpon the same to the Kinges Bench. Here by the way is to be vnderstanded that Tyms as he was but a Deacon so was he but simply or at least not priestly apparelled forasmuch as he went not in a gown but in a coat and his hosen were of two colours the vpper part white the neather stockes of sheepes russet WhervpoÌ„ the proud prelate sending for him to come before him and seeing his simple attyre began to mocke him saying Ah syra are you a Deacon Yea my Lord that I am quoth Tyms So me thinketh said the Bishop ye are decked like a Deacon My Lord sayde Tyms my vesture doth not so much vary from a Deacon but
through the fatall death of blessed K. Edw. followed the woefull ruine of religion in the raygne of Queene Mary his sister In which alteration notwithstanding the general backsliding of the greatest part and multitude of the whole realme into the olde papisme agayne yet this poore blind woman continuing in a constant conscience proceeded still in her former exercise both being zelous in that shee had learned and also refusing to communicate in religion with those which taught contrary doctrine to that she before had learned in king Edwardes time as is aboue declared For the which she was called and conuented before the foresayd Bishop and D. Draycot with diuers other called in to beare witnesse * Articles ministred vnto her THe Articles ministred to her and wherewith she was charged were these First that she did hold the Sacrament of the Aultar to be but onely a memory or representation of Christes bodye and materiall bread and wyne but not his naturall body vnlesse it were receaued And that it ought not to be reserued from time to tyme ouer the Aultar but immediately to be receaued c. Item that she did hold in receiuing of the sacramente of the Aultar she did not receaue the same body that was borne of the virgine Mary and suffered vppon the Crosse for our redemption c. Item she did hold that Christe at his last supper dyd not blesse the bread that he had then in hys handes but was blessed hymselfe and by the vertue of the wordes of consecration the substaunce of the bread and wyne is not conuerted and turned into the substaunce of the body bloud of Christ. Item shee did graunt that shee was of the parishe of Alhallowes in Darby c. Item that all and singular the premisses are true and notorious by publike report and fame c. Whereunto she aunswered that she beleued therein so much as the holye scriptures taught her and according to that she had heard preached vnto her by diuers learned mē Whereof some suffered imprisonment and other some suffered death for the same Doctrine Amongest whome she named beside other Doctour Taylour whome she sayde took it of hys conscience that the doctrine which he taught was true and asked of them if they would doe so in lyke case for their doctrine whiche if they woulde not she desired them for Gods sake not to trouble her being a blynde poore and vnlearned woman wyth anye further talke saying by Gods assistaunce that she was ready to yeld vpp her lyfe in that fayth in suche sorte as they shoulde appoynt And yet notwithstanding being Prest by the sayd byshoppe and Doctor Draycot with many argumentes of Christes omnipotency as why was not Christe able as well to make the bread his bodye as to turne water into wyne rayse Lazarus from death and suche other lyke arguments and many times being threatned with greuous imprisonmentes tormentes death The poore woman thus being as it wer half astonied through their terrors threates and desirous as it seemed to prolong her lyfe offered vnto the Bishop then present that if he would before that company take it vpon his conscience that the doctrine which he would haue her to beleue concerning the sacrament was true and that he would at the dreadful day of iudgement aunswere for her therein as the sayd Doct. Taylor in diuers of his sermons did offer she would thē further aunswere them Whereunto the Bishop aunswered hee woulde But Doctor Draycot his Chauncellour hearyng that sayde My Lord you knowe not what you doe you maye in no case aunswere for an hereticke And immediately hee asked the poore woman whether she would recant or no sayd she should aunswere for her selfe Unto whose sayings the Bishop also reformed himselfe The poore woman perceauing this aunswered again that if they refused to take of theyr conscience that it was true they woulde haue her to beleue shee would answere no further but desired them to do theyr pleasure and so after certayne circumstances they pronounced sentence agaynst her and deliuered her vnto the Bayliffes of the sayd Towne of Darby afore named Who after they hadde kept her about a moneth or fiue weekes at length there came vnto them a writte De heretico comburendo by vertue whereof they were appoynted by the sayd Byshoppe to bryng her to the Paryshe Churche of all Sayntes at a day appoynted where Doct. Draycot should make a Sermon When the daye and time was come that this innocent Martyr shoulde suffer first commeth to the Church Doct. Draycot accompanyed with diuers gentlemen as Mayster Tho. Powthread M. Henry Uernon M. Dethick of Newall and diuers others This done all things now in a readines at last the poore blinde creature and seruant of God was brought and set before the Pulpit where the sayd Doct. being entred into his sermon and there inueiyng agaynst diuers matters which he called heresies declared vnto the people that that woman was condemned for denying the blessed sacrament of the Aulter to be the very body and bloud of Christ really and substancially and was thereby cut off from the body of the Catholick church and sayd that she was not onely blinde of her bodily eyes but also blind in the eyes of her soule And he sayd that as her body shuld be presently consumed with materiall fire so her soule shoulde be burned in hel with euerlasting fire as soone as it should be seperated from the body and there to remayne world without end and sayd it was not lawfull for the people to pray for her and so with many terrible threates he made an end of his sermon and commāded the Bayliffes and those gentlemen to see her executed And the sermon thus ended eftsoones the blessed seruant of God was caried away from the sayd Church to a place called the windmill Pit neare vnto the sayd Towne and holding the foresayd Roger Wast her brother by the hand she prepared herselfe and desired the people to pray wyth her and sayde such prayers as she before had learned cryed vpon Christ to haue mercy vpon her as long as life serued In this meane season the sayde D. Draycot went to hys Inne for great sorrow of her death and there layd him downe and slept during all the tyme of her execution and thus much of Ioane Wast Now for so muche as I am not ignoraunt faythfull reader that this and other storyes more set forth of the Martyrs shall not lack carpers and markers enow ready to seeke all holes and corners how to diffame the memory of GODS good Saynctes and to condemne these hystoryes of lyes and vntruthes especially hystories wherin they see their shamefull actes and vnchristian crueltye detected and brought to lyghte therfore for better confirmation of thys historye aboue written and to stop the mouthes of such Momes thys shall be to admonish all and singular readers hereof that the discourse of this
to receaue the Masse she began to be troubled in consciēce waxed very vnquiet because her house was euen hard by M. Iohn Glouers house of whome mention was made before pag. 1614. and 1620. a man of blessed memory and of a singular example of his vnfayned godlines and manifold troubles whiche he suffered for the Gospell shee did oftentimes resort to him and desired him to tel her the faultes that were in the Masse and other thinges that at that time were vrged as necessary to saluation Now he perceiuing both her vnquiet minde also the desire she had to know the truth dyd most dilligently instruct her in the wayes of the Lord approuing vnto her out of Gods holy word that the Masse with all other papisticall inuentions was odious in Gods sight and besides this reproued her for that she delighted in the vanities of this world so much By the which godly counsell geuē by him it happened that she began to waxe weery of the world throughly sorrowfull for her sinnes being inflamed with the loue of God desirous to serue him accordyng to hys word purposing also to flee from those thinges the whiche did displease the Lord her God And because she had learned the masse to be euil abhominable she began to hate it And when at a time she was compelled by the furiousnes of her husband to come to the Churche at the same tyme when the holy water was cast shee turned her backe towardes it and shewed her selfe to be displeased with their blasphemous holy water iniurious to the bloud of christ Whereupon she was accused before the Bishop for the despising of theyr sacramentals Immediately a Citation was sent for her to her husbandes house to appeare before the bishop incontinently The Summer that brought the Citation deliuered it to her husband who looking vpō it perceauing what it was was moued with anger willing the sumner to take the Citation with him agayne or els he woulde make him to eate it The Sumner refused to take it agayne for he thought no man durst haue bene so bold to trouble him But in the ende Lewes compelled the sayd sumner to eate the Citation indeed by setting a daggar to his hart when hee had eaten it he caused him to drinke to it so sent him away But immediately after the sayd Lewes with his wife were commaunded to appeare before the B. where the sayd Lewes by by submitted himself desired the Bish. to be good to him excusing himselfe after the best fashion he could Wherupon the B. was content to receiue his submission with condition that his wife shoulde submit her selfe also But shee stoutly told the byshop that by refusing of the holy water she had neither offended God nor any part of hys lawes At the which words the bish being greeuously offended because she was a Gentlewomā he would not take her at the worst as he sayd he gaue her one monthes respite binding her husband in an hundred pound to bring her again vnto him at the monthes end and so they were both let go When they came to their owne house the sayde Maystresse Ioyce Lewes gaue her selfe to most dilligent praier and inuocating of the name of God resorting continually to the aboue named man of God Maister Iohn Glouer who did most dilligently instruct her with Gods worde willing her in any wise not to meddle with that matter in respect of vayne glory or to get her selfe a name shewyng her the great daungers shee was like to cast her selfe in if shee shoulde meddle in Gods matters otherwyse then Christ doth teach When the moneth was nowe almost expired and the time at hand that shee shoulde be brought before the Bishop her husband being aduertised by the sayde Mayster Iohn Glouer and others not to carry her to the Byshop but to seeke some wayes to saue her or if the worst should come to be content to forfeit so much money rather then to cast his own wife into the fire He answered hee woulde not loose or forfeit anye thinge for her sake and so lyke a murtherer of his owne wife caryed her to the bloudye B. where she was examined and found more stout then shee was before death was threatned And to begin withal she was sent to such a stincking prison that a certayn mayde which was appoynted to keep her companye did sownd in the same prison Being thus kept in prison and oftentimes examined and euer founde stoute at the length shee was brought in iudgement pronounced an hereticke worthy to be burned When the Bishop reasoned with her why she would not come to the masse and receiue the sacramentes and sacramentals of holy Church she answered Because I find not these thinges in Gods worde which you so vrge and magnifie as thinges moste needefull for mens saluation If these thinges were in the same word of God commended I would with all my hart receiue esteeme and beleue them The Bishoppe aunswered if thou wilt beleeue no more then is in the scripture concerning matters of religion thou art in a damnable case At the whiche wordes she was wonderfully amased and being moued by the spirite of God tolde the Bishop that hys wordes were vngodly and wicked After her condemnation she cōtinued a whole twelue moneth in prison because she was committed to the Sheriffe that was of late chosen who coulde not be compelled to put her to death in his tyme as he affirmed for y◠which thing after her death he was sore troubled and in daunger of his life All that time shee was in prison her behauiour was such both in wordes and deedes that al they that had any sparke of godlines or ciuile honesty did greatly lamēt her case that she should be put to death Now when the tyme did drawe neare the which God had appoynted for her deliueraunce the writte De comburendo as they terme it beyng brought down from London she desired certaine of her frends to come to her with whom when they came shee consulted how shee might be haue her self that her death might be more glorious to the name of God cōfortable to his people and also most discomfortable vnto the enemies of God As for death sayd shee I do not greatly passe when I behold the amyable countenance of Christ my deare Sauiour the vglesome face of death doth not greatly trouble me In the which time also shee reasoned most comfortably out of Gods worde of Gods election and reprobation In the euenyng before the daye of her suffering two of the priests of the close of Lichfield came to the vnder Sheriffes house where shee laye and sent worde to her by the Sheriffe that they were come to heare her confession for they would be sory shee shoulde dye without it She sente them word agayne shee had made her confession to Christ her sauiour at whose hands she was sure to haue forgeuenes of her sinnes
playne Cup of fornication and the whore of Babilon And as concerning the Sacrament of the aultar she sayd she beleued there was no such sacrament in the catholicke Church Also she sayd that she vtterly abhorred the authoritye of the Byshop of Rome with all the Religion obserued in the same Antichristes Church 6 Item she aunswered to the sixt Article as to the first before specified 7 Item that she hath refused to come to her Parish Church because the true Religion of Christ was not then vsed in the same and farther sayd that she had not come vnto the Churche by the space of one yeare and three quarters then last paste neither yet did meane any more to come vnto the same in these Idolatrous dayes 8 Item as touching the maner of her apprehension she said that Cluney the Bishops Somner did fetch her to the Bishop These aunsweres being then registered they were agayne with the sayd Articles propounded agaynste her the xx day of December and there being demaunded if she would stand vnto those her aunsweres she sayde I wyll stand to them vnto the death for the very Aungels of heauen do laugh you to scorne to see your abhomination that you vse in the Churche After the whiche wordes the Byshop pronounced the sentence of condemnation and then deliuering her vnto the Sheriffes she was wyth the forenamed Iohn Roughe caryed vnto Newgate From whence they were both together led vnto Smithfield the xxij day of the same Moneth of December and there most ioyfullye gaue theyr liues for the profession of Christes Gospell When the latter end of this history of Mayster Rough and Margarete Mearing was in finishing there came to our hands one necessary thing of the said Margaret Mearyng which wee thought not good to omit The matter is this Mayster Rough being chiefe Pastour to the congregation in the said time of Queene Mary as before ye haue heard of which companye this Margaret Mearyng was one did not well like the sayd Margaret but greatly suspected her as many other of them did besides because she would often times bring in straungers among them and in her talke seemed as they thought somewhat â—o busye c. Nowe what they sawe or vnderstoode further in her we know not but this followed the euill suspition conceiued of her Mayster Rough the Fridaye before hee was taken in the open face of the Congregation did excommunicate her out of the same company and so seemed with the rest to exclude and cut her of from theyr fellowship and society Whereat she being mooued did not well take it nor in good part but thought her selfe not indifferently handled amonge them Whereupon to one of her frendes in a heate she threatned to remoue them all But the prouidence of God was otherwise For the Sondaye after Mayster Rough being taken by the information of one Roger Sergeaunt to the Bishop of London as here after thou shalt heare was layd prisoner in the Gatehouse at Westminster where none of his frendes coulde come to him to visite him Then this sayd Margaret hearing therof gotte her a basket and a cleane shyrt in it and went to Westminster where she fayning her selfe to be his Sister got into the prison to him and did there to her power not a litle comfort him Then comming abroade agayne shee vnderstandinge that the Congregation suspected the said Sergeaunt to be his Promoter went to his house and asked whether Iudas dwelt not there Unto whom aunswere was made there dwelt no such No sayd she Dwelleth not Iudas here that betrayed Christ His name is Sergeaunt WheÌ„ she saw she could not speake with him she went her way So the Friday after she standing at Marke lane ende in London with an other woman a frende of hers sawe Cluney Boners Somner commyng in the Streete towardes her house Whome when she sawe she sayed to the other woman standyng with her whether goeth yonder fine felowe sayde she I thinke surely he goeth to my house and in viewing him still at the last she saw him enter in at her doore So immediately she went home and asked him whome hee sought Whereunto Cluney made answere and sayd for you you must go with me Mary quoth she here I am I will go with you and comming to the Bishoppe she was layde in prison and the Wednesday after burnt with Mayster Rough in Smithfielde as ye haue heard Anno. 1558. ¶ The Suffering cruell tormentes of Cutbert Symson Deacon of the Christian Congregation in London in Queene Maries dayes most paciently abiding the cruell rage of the Papistes for Christes sake NExt after the Martyrdome of M. Rough Minister of the Congregation aboue mentioned succeded in like Martyrdome the Deacon also of that sayde Godly company or Congregation in London named Cutbert Symson being committed to the fire the yeare of our Lord. 1558. the 28. day of March. This Cutbert Symson was a manne of a faythfull and zealous hart to Christ and his true flocke in so much that he neuer ceased labouryng and Studying most earnestly not onely how to preserue them without corruption of the Popish religion but also hys care was euer vigilant how to keepe them together wythout peryll or daunger of persecution The paynes trauayle zeale pacience and fidelity of this man in caryng and prouiding for thys Congregation as it is not lightly to be expressed so is it wonderfull to beholde the prouidence of the Lord by vision concerning the troubles of this faythfull minister and godly Deacon as in this here folowyng may appeare The Fridaye at nighte before Maister Rough Minister of the congregation of whom meÌ„tion is made before was takeÌ„ being in his bed he dreamed that he saw 2. of the Gard leading Cutbert Simson Deacon of the sayde congregation and that he had the booke about hym wherin were written the names of all them which were of the Congregation Whereupon being sore troubled hee awaked and called hys wife saying Kate strike lighte For I am much troubled with my brother Cutbert thys nyght When she hadde so done he gaue himselfe to reade in his booke a while and there feeling sleepe to come vpon him he put out the candle so gaue himselfe agayn to rest Being a sleepe hee dreamed the like dreame agayn awaked therwith hee sayde O Kate my brother Cutbert is gone So they lighted a candle againe and rose And as the â—ayd M. Rough was making him ready to go to Cutbert to see how he did in the meane time the sayd Cutbert came in with the book conteining the names accompts of the congregation Whom when Maister Rough hadde seene he sayd brother Cutbert ye are welcome for I haue bene sore troubled with you this night and so tolde hym his dreame After he had so done he willed him to lay the booke away from him and to cary it no more about him Unto which Cutbert aunswered he would not so doe
parties I thought here to communicate to the Reader for him to iudge thereof as God shall rule hys mynd The matter is this The day before thys Simson was condemned he being in the stockes Cloney his keeper commeth in with the keies about 9. of the clocke at night after his vsuall maner to view hys prison and see whether all were present who when he espyed the sayd Cutbert to be there departed agayne locking the dores after him Within two houres after about eleuen of the clocke towarde midnighte the sayd Cutbert whether being in a slumber or beyng awake I cannot say heard one comming in first openyng the outwarde dore then the seconde after the thyrd dore and so looking into the sayd Cutbert hauing no Candell or Torche that he could see but geuing a brightnesse and light most comfortable and ioyfull to hys hart saying Ha vnto him and departed agayne Who it was hee coulde not tell neither I dare define This that he saw he hymselfe declared foure or fiue tymes to the sayd Mayster Austen and to other At the sight whereof hee receiued suche ioyfull comfort that he also expressed no little solace in telling and declaring the same Articles seuerally ministred to Cutbert Simson the xix of March with his aunsweres also to the same annexed FIrst that thou Cutbert Simson art at this present abidinge within the Cittie and Dioces of London and not out of the iurisdiction of the bishop of Rome Item that thou within the Cittie and Diocesse of London hast vttered many times and spoken deliberately these wordes and sentences following videlicet that though thy parentes auncestours kinsefolkes and friendes yea and also thy selfe before the time of the late schisme here in this realme of Englande haue thought and thoughtest that the fayth and religion obserued in times past here in this Realme of Englande was a true fayth and religion of Christ in all poyntes and Articles though in the Churche it was set foorthe in the Latine tongue and not in Englishe yet thou beleuest and sayest that the faythe and religion now vsed commonly in the Realme not in the Englysh but in the Latine tongue is not the true faythe and religion of Christ but contrary and expressely agaynst it Item that thou within the sayde Cittie and Dioces of London hast willingly wittingly and contemptuously done spoken agaynst the Rites and the Ceremonyes commonlye vsed here tbrough the whole realme and obserued generally in the Churche of England Item that thou hast thought and beleued certaynlye and so within the Dioces of London hast affirmed and spoken delyberateâ—y that there bee not in the Catholicke Churche seuen Sacramentes nor of that vertue and efficacie as is commonly beleued in the churche of England them to be Item thou hast likewise thought and beleeued yea and so within the Cittie and Dioces of London spoken and deliberately affirmed that in the sacrament of the aultar there is not really substantially and truely the very body and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ Item that thou hast beene and to thy power arte at this present a fauourer of all those that eyther haue beene here in this Realme heretofore called heretickes or els conuented condemned by the Ecclesiasticall Iudges for heretickes Item that thou contrary to the order of this Realme of Englande and contrary to the vsage of the holy Churche of this Realme of England hast at sundry tymes and places within the Citye and Dioces of London beene at assemblyes and conuenticles where there was a multitude of people gathered together to hâ—are the Englishe seruice sayed which was set forth in the late yeares of King Edward the sixte and also to heare and haue the Communion booke reade and the Communion ministred both to the sayd multitude and also to thy selfe and thou hast thought and so thinkest and hast spoken that the sayd Englishe seruice and Communion booke and all thinges conteyned in eyther of them was good and laudable and for such thou diddest and doest allowe and approue eyther of them at this present * The aunswere of the sayd Cutbert to the foresayd articles VNto all which articles the sayd Cutbert Simson aunswered thus or the lyke in effecte To the 1 2 3.4 5. and 6. article he confessed them to be true in euery parte thereof To the 7. article he sayd that he was bounde to aunswere vnto it as he beleeueth ¶ A letter of Cutbert Simson written to his wyfe out of the Colehouse DEarely beloued in the Lorde Iesus Christe I can not write as I doe wishe vnto you I beseeche you with my soule committe your selfe vnder the mighty hande of our God trusting in his mercye and hee will surely helpe vs as shall be moste vnto his glory and oure euerlasting comforte being sure of this that hee wyll suffer nothing to come vnto vs but that whiche shall bee moste profitable for vs. For it is either a correction for our sinnes or a tryall of oure faythe or to set forthe his glorye or for altogether and therefore must needes be well done For there is nothing that commeth vnto vs by fortune or chaunce but by oure heauenlye Fathers prouidence And therefore praye vnto oure heauenly Father that he will euer geue vs his grace for to consider it Let vs geue hym moste hartye thankes for these his fatherly corrections for as many as hee loueth hee correcteth And I beseech you nowe bee of good cheare and compte the Crossâ— of Chryste greater ryches then all the vayne pleasures of Englande I do not doubt I prayse God for it but that you haue supped wyth Chryste at his Maundie I meane beleeue in hym for that is the effecte and then muste you drynke of hys cuppe I meane hys Crosse for that doth the cuppe signifie vnto vs. Take the Cuppe wyth a good stomacke in the name of GOD and then shall you be sure to haue the good wyne Chrystes bloude to thy poore thirstie soule And when you haue the wyâ—e you muste drinke it out of this cuppe Learne this when you come to the Lordes supper pray continually In all thinges geue thankes In the name of Iesus shall euery knee bowe Cutbert Simson Hugh Foxe Iohn Deuenishe WIth Cutbert likewise was apprehended and also suffered as is before mentioned Hugh Foxe and Iohn Deuenish Who being brought into their examinations with the sayd Cutbert before Boner Byshoppe of London the xix day of March had articles and Interrogatories to them ministred by the sayd officer albeit not al at one time For first to the sayd Cutbert seuerall Articles were propounded then other articles in generall wer ministred to them altogether The order and maner of which articles now ioyntly to them ministred here follow with their aunsweres also to the same annexed to be seene * Articles generally ministred to them all three together the sayd xix day of March with theyr answeres to the same annexed AFter
one time wyth the rest examined and brought before the sayde Byshop who aunswered no lesse in his Maysters cause then the other and therfore had the like rewarde that the other had which was the Byshops bloudy blessing of condemnation and deliuered also to the Seculare power who kept him with the other vntill the day of slaughter which hasted on and was not long after Thomas Hudson was of Ailesham in Norfolke by his occupation a Glouer a very honest poore manne hauing a wife and three children and laboured alwayes truly and dilligently in hys vocation being of thirtye yeares of age and bearing so good a will to the Gospell that he in the dayes of king Edward the 6. two yeares before Q. Maryes raygne learned to read Englishe of Anthony Thomas Norgate of the same Towne wherin he greatly profited about the tyme of alteration of Religion For when Queene Mary came to raygne and had chaunged the seruice in the Churche putting in for wheate draffe and darnill and for good preaching blasphemous crying out agaynst truthe and godlinesse he then auoyding all theyr ceremonies of superstition absented hymselfe from hys house and went into Suffolkl a longe tyme and there remayned trauelling from one place to an other as occasion was offered At the last hee returned backe agayne to Northfolke to his house at Aâ—lesham to comfort his wyfe and children being heauy and troubled with hys absence Nowe when he came home and perceiued hys contynuance there would be daungerous he and hys wife deuised to make hym a place among hys fagottes to hide him selfe in where he remayned all the day in steede of hys chamber reading and praying continually for the space of halfe a yeare and his wife lyke an honest woman being carefull for hym vsed her selfe faythfullye and dillygently towards him In the meane time came the Uicare of the Town named Berry who was one of the Byshoppes Commissaries a very euill manne and inquired of this sayd Thomas Hudsons wife for her husband Unto whom he answered as not knowing where hee was Then the sayde Berry rated her and threatned to burne her for that shee would not bewraye her husbande where hee was After that when Hudson vnderstoode it hee waxed euerye day more zelous then other and continually read sange Psalmes to the wonder of many the people openlye resorting to him to heare hys exhortations and vehement prayers At the last he walked abroad for certayne dayes openly in the Towne crying out continually agaynst the Masse and all theyr trumpery and in the ende commyng home in hys house he sate him downe vpon hys knees hauyng his book by hym reading and singing Psalmes continually without ceassing for three dayes and three nightes together refusing meate and other talke to the great wonder of many Then one Iohn Crouch his next neighbour went to the Constables Robert Marsham and Robert Lawes in the night to certifie them thereof for Berry commanded openly to watche for hym and the Constables vnderstanding the same went cruelly to catche hym in the breake of the day the xxii of the moneth of Aprill Anno 1558. Now when Hudson saw them come in he sayd Now myne houre is come Welcome frendes welcome You bee they that shall leade me to lyfe in Christ I thanke GOD therefore and the Lorde enhable me thereto for hys mercyes sake For his desire was and euer he prayed if it wer the Lordes will that hee might suffer for the Gospell of Christ. Then they tooke him and lead him to Berry the Commissarye whiche was Uicar of the towne and the sayde Berrye asked him first where hee kepte hys Church for foure yeares before To the whiche the sayde Hudson answered thus where so euer he was there was the church Doest thou not beleue sayth Berry in the sacramente of the aultar What is it Hudson It is wormes meate my beliefe saythe hee is in Christ crucified Berry Doest thou not beleeue the Masse to putte awaye sinnes Hudson No God forbidde it is a patched monstre and a disguised Puppet more longer a peecing then euer was Salomons Temple At whiche wordes Berry stamped fumed and shewed himself as a mad man and sayd well thou villayn thou I wil write to the B. my good Lord and trust vnto it thou shalt be handled according to thy desertes Oh sir sayde Hudson there is no Lorde but God though there be many Lordes and many Gods With that Berry thrust hym backe with hys hand And one Richard Cliffar standing by sayde I pray you sir bee good to the poore man At which wordes Berry was more mad then before and woulde haue had Cliffer bound in a recognysaunce of 40. poundes for hys good abearyng bothe in worde and deede whiche his desire tooke no effecte Then he asked the sayd Hudson whether he would recant or no. Unto whiche wordes Hudson sayde the Lorde forbid I had rather dye many deathes then to do so Then after long talke the sayde Berry seeing it booted not to perswade with him tooke hys penne and inke and wrote letters to the Bishop thereof and sent this Hudson to Norwiche bound like a theefe to him whiche was 8. miles from thence who with ioy and singing chere weÌ„t thether as mery as euer he were at anye tyme before In prison he was a month where hee dyd continually read inuocate the name of God These three Christians and constaunt Martyrs William Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson after they were as ye haue heard condemned the xix day of May. 1558. were caryed out of prison to the place where they should suffer whyche was without Byshoppes gate at Norwich called Lollards Pit And being al there they made their humble prayers vnto the Lorde That beyng done they rose and went to the stake and standing al ther with their chaynes about them immediately this sayde Thomas Hudson commeth foorth from them vnder the Chayne to the great wonder of many whereby diuers feared and greatly doubted of hym For some thought hee would haue recanted other iudged rather that he went to aske a further day and to desire conference and some thought he came forth to aske some of hys parentes blessing So some thought one thinge and some an other but hys two companions at the stake cryed out to him to comforte him what they coulde exhorting him in the bowelles of Christ to be of good cheare c. But this sweete Hudson felt more in hys heart and conscience then they could conceaue in him For alas good soule hee was compassed God knoweth with great dolour and griefe of minde not for hys death but for lacke of feeling of his Christ and therefore beyng verye carefull he humbly fell downe vppon his knees and prayed vehemently and earnestly vnto the Lord who at the last according to hys olde mercies sent him comfort and theÌ„ rose he with great ioy as
as both may be to the glorye of God the discharge of the storie the profite of the Reader and hurte to none suppressing the names of some whome heere although I could recite yet I thought not to be more cruell in hurting their name then the Queene hath bene mercifull in pardoning their liues Therefore now to enter into the discourse of thys tragical matter first here is to be noted that Queene Marye when shee was first Queene before shee was crowned would goe no whither but would haue her by the hande and send for her to dinner and supper but after shee was crowned shee neuer dined nor supped wyth her but kept her aloofe from her c. After this it happened immediatly vpon the rising of sir Thomas Wiat as before was mentioned pag. 1418.1419 that the Ladye Elizabeth and the Lord Courtney were charged with false suspition of Syr Thomas Wyates rising Whereuppon Queene Marye whether for that surmise or for what other cause I know not being offended with the sayde Elizabeth her sister at that time lying in her house at Ashridge the next day after the rising of Wyat sent to her three of her Counsailours to wit Sir Richard Sowthwel syr Edwarde Hastings then maister of the horse and Syr Thomas Cornwalles with their retinue and troupe of horsemen to the number of 200. and 50. Who at their sodaine and vnprouided comming founde her at the same time sore sicke in her bedde and very feeble weake of body Whither wheÌ„ they came ascending vp to her graces priuie Chamber they willed one of her Ladies whome they mette to declare vnto her grace that there were certaine come from the court which had a message from the Queene Her grace hauing knowledge therof was right glad of their comming howbeit being then very sicke and the night farre spent which was at 10. of the clock she requested them by the messenger that they would resort thither in the morning To this they answeared and by the sayde messenger sent woorde againe that they must needes see her and would so do in what case soeuer she were Wherat the Lady being against went to shewe her grace theyr woordes but they hastely folowing her came rushing as soone as shee into her graces chamber vnbidden At whose so sodaine comming into her bed chamber her grace being not a litle amased sayd vnto them 〈◊〉 the hast suche that it myghte not haue pleased you to 〈…〉 morrow in the morning They made answere that they were righte sorye 〈◊〉 her in that case And I quoth shee am not glad to see 〈◊〉 here at this time of the night Whereunto they answered that they came from the Queene to doe their message and duetie which was to this effecte that the Queenes pleasure was that she shoulde be at London the 7. day of that present moneth Whereunto shee sayde Certesse no creature more glad then I to come to her maiestie being right sorie that I am not in case at this time to waite on her as you your selues doe see and can well testifie In deede we see it true quoth they that you doe say for which we are very sorie Albeit we â—ette you to vnderstande that our Commission is such and so straineth vs that we must needes bring you with vs eyther quicke or dead Wherat she being amased sorowfully said that their Commission was very sore but yet notwithstanding she hoped it to be otherwise and not so strait Yes verely said they Whereupon they called for two Phisitions Doctor Owen and Doctor Wendy demaunded of them whether she might be remoued from thence with lyfe or no. Whos 's aunswere and iudgement was that there was no impediment to theyr iudgement to the contrary but that shee might trauayle without daunger of lyfe In conclusion they willed her to prepare agaynst the morning at nine of the clocke to goe with them declaring that they had brought with them the Queenes Lytter for her After much talk the messengers declaring how there was no prolonging of times daies so departed to theyr chamber being entertained and cheared as appertained to their worships On the next morow at the time prescribed they hadde her forth as shee was very faynt and feeble and in suche case that shee was ready to swound three or foure tymes betweene them What shoulde I speake here that cannot well bee expressed what an heauy house there was to behold the vnreuerend and doulefull dealyng of these men but espcially the carefull feare and captiuitie of their innocent Lady and Mistresse Now to proceed in her iourney from Ashrydge al sick in the Litter she came to Redborne where she was garded all night From thence to S. Albones to Syr Rafe Rowlets house where she taryed that night both feble in body and comfortles in minde From that place they passed to Maister Doddes house at Mymmes where also they remayned that night and so from thence she came to Highgate where she being very sicke taryed that night and the next day During whiche time of her abode there came many Purseuantes and messengers from the court but for what purpose I cannot tell From the place she was conueied to the Court whereby the way came to meete her many Gentlemen to accoÌ„pany her highnesse which were very sory to see her in that case But especially a great multitude of people ther were standing by the way who then flocking about her Luter lameÌ„ted and bewailed greatly her estate Now when she came to the Court her grace was there straight wais sâ—â—t vp and kept as close prisonner a fortnight which was till Palme sonday seeing neither King nor Queene nor lead nor frend all that time but only then the Lord Chamberlaine Syr Iohn Gage and the Uicechamberlaine which were attendant vnto the dores About whiche time Syr William Sentlowe was called before the Counsaile To whose charge was laid that he knew of Wyats rebellion Which he stoutly denied protesting that hee was a true man both to God his Prince defying al traytors and rebels but being straitly examined he was in coÌ„clusion committed to the Tower The Friday before Palme sonday the B. of Winchester with xix other of the Counsaile who shall bee here namelesse came vnto her grace from the Queenes Maiestie and burdened her with Wiates conspiracie which she vtterly denied affirmyng that she was altogether gilt lesse therin They beyng not contented with this charged her grace with busines made by sir Peter Carew and the râ—st of the Gentlemen of the West country which also she vtterly denying cleared her innocencie therein In conclusion after long debating of matters they declared vnto her that it was the Queenes will pleasure that she should go vnto the tower while the matter were further â—ried and examined Whereat shee beyng agaste said that shee trusted the Queenes Maiestie would bee more gracious Lady vnto her and that her highnesse would not
Fynden in Darbyshyre and to M. Rob. Glouers wife by whose credible information we receiued the same Not much vnlike vsage was practised also by these catholicke children of the mother Churche vpon the body of Will the third brother WhoÌ„ after it had pleased almighty god about the same seasoÌ„ to cal out of this vale of misery the good disposed people of the Towne of Weme in Shropshyre where he dyed brought the bodye vnto the Parishe Church entending there to haue it buried But one Bernerd being then Curate of the sayd Church and is yet as I heare say to this day to stoppe the buriall therof rode to the bishop named Raufe Bayne to certify him of the matter and to haue his aduise therein In the meane time the body lying there a whole daye in the night time one Rich. Morice a Taylour woulde haue enterred him But then came Iohn Thorlyne of Weme with other moe woulde not suffer the body to be buryed expressing to vs the contrary examples of good Toby for as he was religious in buriyng the dead so this man putteth religioÌ„ in not burying the dead so that after he had layne there two dayes one night commeth the foresayd Bernerd the Curate with the Bishops letter the contentes of which letter beyng copied out word for word here foloweth * A copy of the Byshops Letter written to the Parish of Weme VNderstanding that one Glouer an heretick is dead in the parish of Weme whiche Glouer hath for all the time of my being in this country bene knowne for a rebellion agaynst our holy fath and Religion a Contemner of the holy Sacramentes and ceremonies vsed in holy Churche and hath separate himselfe froÌ„ the holy Communion of all good Christian men nor neuer required to be reconciled to our mother holy Church nor in hys last dayes did not call for his ghostly father but dyed without all rites belonging to a Christian man I thought it good not only to commaund the Curate of Weme that he shoulde not be buried in Christian mans buriall but also will and commaunde all the parish of Weme that no manne procure helpe nor speake to haue him buried in holy ground but I do charge and commaund the Church Wardens of Weme in speciall and all the parishe of the same that they assist the sayd Curate in defending and letting and procuring that he bee not buried neither in the Churche nor within the wanybles of the Churchyarde and likewise I charge those that brought the body to the place to cary it away agayne and that at theyr charge as they will aunswere at theyr perill At Ecclesch this 6. of September an 1558. By your Ordinary Radulph Couentry and Liechfield By the vertue of this foresaid letter so it fel out that they which brought the corps thither were fayne at their owne charges to carye it backe agayne But for so muche as the body was corrupted and smelt so strongly that vnneth any man might come nere it they were forced to draw it with horses vnto a bromefield and there was he buried Witnesses of the godly end of the sayde William Glouer dying in the true fayth and confession of Christe Mayster Nowell Deane of Liechfielde George Wilestone and hys wife Tho CoÌ„stantine Roger Wydouse Iohn Prynne George Torpelley c. The like example of charitable affection in these catholicke churchmen is also to be sene and noted in the burying of one mayster Edward Bourton Esquire who in the same Diocesse of Chester departing out of this worlde the verye day before Queene Elizabeth was crowned required of his frendes as they would aunswere for it that his bodye should be buryed in his Parishe Churche which was S. Chaddes in Shrousbury so that no Massemonger should be present therat Which thing being declared to the Curat of that Parish named sir Iohn Marshal the body being withall brought to the buriall vpon the same day wheÌ„ the Queene was crowned the Curate being therwith offended sayd playnely that he should not be buried in the church there Whereunto one of his frendes named George Torpelley answering againe said that God would iudge him in the last day c. Then the priest Iudge God saith he or Deuill the body shall not come there And so they buryed him in his owne garden Where he is no doubt as neare the kingdome of heauen as if he had bene buried the middest of the Church Moreouer in the sayd County of Salop I finde that one Olyuer Richardyne of the Parish of Whitchurch was burned in Hartford Weste Syr Iohn Ygone being Sheriffe the same time Whiche seemeth to be about the latter yeare of king Henry viij Whose name because it was not mentioned before I thought here to geue some litle touch of him hauing now in hande to speake of the persecution within the Diocesse of Couentry and Liechfield ¶ The Martyrdome of William Wolsey and Robert Pygot Paynter AFter the sufferyng of Mayster Robert Glouer Cornelius Bongey at Couentrye followeth next the condemnation of other two blessed Martyrs which were iudged and condemned at Eley by Iohn Fuller the Bishops Chauncellour of Eley Doctor Shaxâ—on his Susâ—ragane Robert Steward Deane of Eley Iohn Christopherson Deane of Norwich c. an 1555. October 9. the names of which martyrs were William Wolsey and Robert Pygot dwelling both in the Towne of Wisbich whiche William Wolsey being a constable dwelling and inhabiting in the Towne of Well was there brought to death by the meanes and procurement of one Richard Euerard GentlemaÌ„ a Iustice appoynted for those dayes who extremely handled the same William Wolsey and bounde him to the good abearing causing him to put in sureties vpon his good behauior vntill the next general Sessions holden within the I le of Eley and so the sayd Wolsey being dispatched of his office and brought in trouble remoued his house dwelling place comming to dwell in the Towne of Wisbiche Then being called agayne at the nexte Sessions hee was still constrayned to put in new sureties which at the leÌ„gth he refused to do so was commaunded to the Iayle at the Syse holden at Eley in lent In the Easter weeke folowing there repayred to conferre with him D. Fuller the Chauncellor with Christopherson and one D. Young who layde earnestlye to hys charge that he was out of the catholicke fayth willing him to meddle no further with the scriptures theÌ„ it did become such a lay man as he was to do The said William Wolsey staÌ„ding still a great while suffering them to say their pleasures at the last answered in this wise Good M. Doctor what did our Sauiour Christ meane when he spake these wordes written in the 23. Chapter of S. Mathewes Gospell Wo be vnto you Scribes and Phariseis ye hipocrites for ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye them that come to enter in Yea sayeth
Europe whiche is but the thirde part of all the worlde where as in deede the processe of S. Augustines woordes wyll not admitte that your interpretation For he sayth not totus mundus Christianus in transmarinis c. but first totus mundus Christianus Romanae Ecclesiae subiectus est All the Christian world is subiect to the Church of Rome and afterwarde addeth in transmarinis partibus beyond the Sea but onely to augement the dominion of the sea of Rome Rid. But M. Ridley still perseuered in his former aunswere saying I am sure my Lorde you haue some skill in Cosmography in the whiche you shall vnderstande that there is a sea called Mare mediterraneum cast betweene Europe and Africa in the which he ment Europe beyond the Sea euen as I shoulde say the whole worlde beyond the Sea exceptyng England in the which I stand and here many woordes were spent vpon the interpretation of the same place of S. Austen Lin. After long disceptation the Byshoppe of Lincolne sayde that the meanyng of S. Augustine myght be knowen by the consent of other the Doctors and rehearsed diuers Rid. But M. Ridley required the rehersall of the places and to reade the very wordes of the Doctors saying that perhaps those which the Bishop rehearsed beyng proponed in other termes in the Doctors would admitte a contrary meanyng and interpretation but in that booke out of the which the Bishop rehearsed them was none of the Doctors but only the sentences drawn out of the Doctors of some studious man he could not recite the very words of the Doctours Linc. Then after he came to Cyrillus which as he said made agaynst M. Ridley in the Sacrament euen by Philippe Melancthon his owne alledging in his common places and forthwith called for Melancthon but in vaine because all such bookes were burned a litle before wherefore he passed it ouer Cyrillus also in an other place proâ—ing to the Iewes that Christe was come vseth this reason Altars are erected in Christes name in Britaine and in farre countreyes Ergo Christ is come But we may vse the contrarye of that reason Altars are plucked downe in Britaine Ergo Christe is not come A good Argument á contrarijs I wyll stande to it in the Scholes by and by with any man Ye see what a good argument this your docrine maketh for the Iewes to proue that Christ is not come D. Ridley smilyng aunsweared your Lordshyp is not ignoraunt that this worde Altare in the Scripture signifieth aswell the Altar whereupon the Iewes were wont to make their burt Sacrifices as the table of the Lordes Supper Cyrillus meaneth there by this worde Altare not that the Iewysh Altar but the Table of the Lorde and by that saying Altars are erected in Christes name Ergo Christ is come he meaneth that the Communion is ministred in his remembraunce Ergo Christe is come for the strength of his argument is because the remembraunce of a thyng can not be except the thing it selfe be past then coulde not all Countreys celebrate the Communion in the remembraunce of Christes passion except Christe had bene come and suffered As for the taking downe of the Alters it was done vpon iust considerations for that they seemed to come to nigh to the Iewes vsage Neither was the supper of the Lorde at any tyme more better ministred more duely receiued then in these latter dayes when all thynges were brought to the rites and vsage of the primatiue Church Linc. A godly receiuing I promise you to set an Oyster table in steede of an Altar and to come from Puddynges at Westminster to receiue and yet when your table was constituted you coulde neuer be content in placing the same now East nowe North nowe one way nowe another vntill it pleased GOD of his goodnesse to place it cleane out of the Church Rid. Your Lordshyppes vnreuerent termes doo not eleuate the thyng Perhappes some men came more deuoutely from Puddynges then other men nowe do from other thynges Lin. As for that M. Ridley you ought to be iudge of no man but by this your reasonyng you cause vs to stretch and enlarge our instructions We came not to reason but to take your determinate aunsweres to our Articles and eftsoones he red the first Article in maner aboue specified Now M. Ridley What say you to the first Article if you haue brought your aunswere in writing we wyll receiue it but if you haue written any other matter we will not receiue it Rid. Then M. Ridley tooke a sheete of paper out of his bosome and beganne to read that whiche he had written but the B. of Lincolne commaunded the Bedle to take it from hym But he desired licence to read it saying that it was nothyng but his answers but the Bishop would in no wise suffer him Rid. Why my Lord will you require my aunswere and not suffer me to publysh it I beseeche you my Lorde let the audience beare witnes in this matter Your Lordships may handle it at your pleasures therfore let the audience be witnes to your doynges Linc. Well M. Ridley we wyll first see what you haue written then if we shall thinke it good to be red you shal haue it published but except you wyll deliuer it first we wyll take none at all of you With that M. Ridley seeing no remedy deliuered it to an Officer which immediatly deliuered it to the Bishop of Lincolne who after he had secretly communicated it to the other two Bishops declared the sense but would not read it as it was written saying that it conteined wordes of blasphemie therefore he would not fill the eares of the audience therewithall and so abuse their pacience notwithstandyng M. Ridley desired very instantly to haue it published saying that except a line or two there was nothing conteyned but the auncient Doctors sayinges for the confirmation of his assertions After the sayd Bishops had secretly vewed the whole then the Bishop of Lincolne sayd In the first part master Ridley is nothyng conteyned but your protestation that you would not haue these your aunsweres so to be taken as though you seemed thereby to consent to the aucthority or iurisdiction of the Popes holines Rid. No my Lord I pray you reade it out that the audience may heare it but the Byshoppe of Lincolne woulde in no wise because he sayd there were conteyned wordes of blasphemie Then the Byshop of Lincolne recited the firste Article and required maister Ridleis aunsweare to it Then M. Ridley sayd that his answere was there in writyng and desired that it might be published but the Byshoppe woulde not reade the whole but here and there a peece of it So the Notaries tooke his aunswere that he referred him to his aunsweare in writing exhibited now and also before at the tyme of disputation M. Doctor Weston beyng prolocutor In likewise the Byshop of Lincolne recited the second
October An. 1555. VPon the Northside of the towne in the ditch ouer against Baily Colledge the place of execution was appoynted and for feare of any tumult that might aryse to let the burnyng of them the L. Williams was commaunded by the Queenes letters and the householders of the Citie to be there assistant sufficiently appoynted when euery thyng was in a readines the prisoners were broght forth by the Maior and Bailiffes M. Ridley had a faire blacke goune furred and faced with foines such as he was woont to weare beyng Bish. and a tippet of veluet furred likewyse about his necke a veluet night cap vpon his hed a corner cappe vpon the same goyng in a paire of slippers to the stake going betweene the Maior and an Alderman c. After hym came M. Latimer in a poore Bristow freeze frocke all worne with hys buttened cap and a kerchiefe on his hed all redy to the fire a new long shroud hanging ouer his hose downe to the feete which at the first sight stirred mens hearts to rue vpon them beholdyng on the one side the honour they sometyme had on the other the calamitie whereunto they were fallen M. Doctor Ridley as hee passed towards Bocardo lookyng vp where M. Cranmer did lye hopyng belike to haue seene hym at the glasse window and to haue spoken vnto hym But then M. Cranmer was busie with Frier Soto his fellowes disputyng together so that he could not see hym through that occasion Then M. Ridley lookyng backe espied M. Latymer commyng after Unto whome he sayd Oh be ye there Yea sayd M. Latymer haue after as fast as I can follow So he following a prety way of at lenth they came both to the stake one after the other where first D. Ridley entring the place maruelous earnestly holding vp both his hands loked towards heauen then shortly after espying M. Latimer with a wonderous cheerefull looke ranne to hym embraced and kissed hym and as they that stoode neare reported comforted hym saying be of good heart brother for GOD will either asswage the fury of the flame or els strengthen vs to abyde it With that went he to the stake kneeled downe by it kissed it most effectuously prayed and behynd him M. Latymer kneled as earnestly callyng vpon God as he After they arose the one talked with the other a little whyle tyll they which were appoynted to see the execution remooued themselues out of the sunne What they sayd I can learne of no man Then Doctor Smith of whose recantation in K. Edwards tyme ye heard before began his Sermon to them vpon this text of Saint Paule in the xiij chapiter of the first Epistle to the Corrinthians Si corpus meum tradâ—m igni charitatem autem non habeo nihil inde vtilitatis capio That is If I yeld my body to the fire to be burnt haue not Charitie I shall gayne nothyng thereby Where in he alledged that the goodnesse of the cause and not the order of death maketh the holynes of the person Which he confirmed by the examples of Iudas and of a woman in Oxford that of late hanged her selfe for that they and suche lyke as he recited might theÌ„ be adiudged righteous which desperately sundered their lyues from their bodies as he feared that those men that stood before hym would do But he cryed stil to the people to beware of them for they were heretikes and dyed out of the Church And on the other side he declared their diuersities in opinions as Lutherians Oecolampadians Zuinglians of which secte they were he sayd and that was the worst but the old church of Christ and the Catholike fayth beleeued far otherwyse At which place they lifted vp both their handes and eyes to heauen as it were callyng God to witnes of the truth The which countenaunce they made in many other places of his Sermon where as they thought hee spake amisse He ended with a very short exhortation to them to recant and come home agayne to the church and saue their lyues and soules which els were condemned His sermoÌ„ was scant in all a quarter of an houre Doctor Ridley sayd to Maister Latymer will you beginne to aunswer the Sermon or shall I Maister Latimer sayd begin you first I pray you I will sayd Maister Ridley Then the wicked Sermon beyng ended Doctor Ridley and Maister Latymer kneled down vpon their knees towardes my Lord Williams of Tame the Uicechancellor of Oxford and dyuers other Commissioners appointed for that purpose which sate vpon a forme therby Unto whome Maister Ridley sayd I beseech you my Lord euen for Christes sake that I may speake but two or three wordes and whylest my Lord bent hys head to the Maior and Uicechauncellour to know as it appeared whether he myght geue hym leaue to speake the Bailiffes and Doctour Marshall Uicechancellour ranne hastily vnto hym and with theyr handes stopped hys mouthe and sayd Maister Ridley if you will reuoke your erroneous opinions and recant the same you shall not onely haue libertie so to doe but also the benefite of a subiect that is haue your lyfe Not otherwyse sayd Maister Ridley No quoth Doctor Marshall therefore if you will not doe so then there is no remedy but you must suffer for your desertes Well quoth M. Ridley so long as the breath is in my body I will neuer deny my Lord Christ and hys knowen truth Gods will be done in me And with that he rose vp and sayd with a lowde voyce Well then I commit our cause to almighty God which shall indifferently iudge all To whose saying Maister Latymer added hys olde Posie Well there is nothyng hidde but it shall bee opened and he sayd he could aunswere Smith well enough if he myght bee suffered Incontinently they were commaunded to make them ready which they with all mekenesse obeyed Maister Ridley tooke his gown and his tippet and gaue it to his brother in law M. Shepside who all his tyme of imprisonment although he might not bee suffred to come to hym laye there at his owne charges to prouide him necessaries which from tyme to tyme he sent him by the Sergeant that kept hym Some other of hys apparell that was little woorth he gaue away other the Bailifs tooke He gaue away besides diuers other small thynges to Gentlemen standyng by and diuers of them pitifully wepyng as to sir Henry Lea he gaue a new grote and to diuers of my L. Williams gentlemen some napkins some nutmegs and races of ginger his Diall and such other thyngs as he had about hym to euery one that stoode next hym Some plucked the pointes of his hose Happy was he that might get any rag of hym M. Latymer gaue nothyng but very quietly suffered his keper to pull of his hose and his other aray which to looke vnto was very simple and beyng stripped into hys shroud he seemed as
when he had done hee deliuered him to the Sheriffes and so two officers brought him thorough the Byshops house into Pater noster rowe there his seruaunt met him and when he saw him he said Ah deare mayster Then M. Philpot sayd to his man content thy self I shall do well enough for thou shalt see me agayne And so the Officers thrust him away had his mayster to Newgate And as hee went he sayde to the people Ah good people blessed be God for this day and so the Officers deliuered him to the keeper Then his man thrust to go in after his mayster and one of the Officers sayd vnto him hence fellow what shouldest thou haue And he sayd I would goe speake with my Mayster M. Philpot then turned him about and sayde to him to morow you shall speake with me Then the vnder keeper said to Mayster Philpot is this your man And he sayd yea So he did licence his man to go in with him and M. Philpot and his maÌ„ were turned into a litle chamber on the right hand and there remained a litle time vntil Alexander the chief keeper did come vnto hym who at his entring greeted him with these words Ah sayd he hast not thou done well to bringe thy selfe hether Well sayde M. Philpot I must bee content for it is Gods appointmeÌ„t I shal desire you to let me haue your gentle fauour for you and I haue bene of olde acquayntaunce Well sayd Alexander I will shew thee gentlenes and fauour so thou wilt be ruled by me Then sayd M. Philpot I pray you shew me what you would haue me to do He sayd if you would recaÌ„t I will shew you any pleasure I can Nay sayd M. Phil. I wil neuer recant whilest I haue my life that which I haue spoken for it is a most certayne truth and in witnesse hereof I will seale it wyth my bloud Then Alexander sayd This is the saying of all the whole packe of you heretickes Whereupon hee commaunded him to be set vpon the block and as many irons vpon his legges as he might beare for that he would not follow hys wicked minde Then the Clarke tolde AlexaÌ„der in his eare that maister Philpot hadde geuen hys man money And Alexander sayd to his man what money hath thy mayster geuen thee His man said my mayster hath geuen me none No sayd Alexander hath he geueÌ„ thee none that will I know for I will search thee Do with me what you list search me all that you can quoth hys sâ—ruaunt Hee hath geuen me a tokeÌ„ or two to send to hys frends as to hys brother and sister Ah sayd Alexander to M. Philpot Thou art a mayntayner of heretickes Thy man should haue gone to some of thyne affinitie but he shal be known wel enough Nay sayd M. Philpot I do send it to my frendes There he is let him make aunswere to it But good mayster Alexander be so much my frend that these irons may be taken of Well sayd Alexander geue me my fees and I will take them off if not thou shalt weare them still Then sayd Mayster Philpot sir what is your fees he sayd foure pound was his fees Ah sayd mayster Philpot I haue not so muche I am but a poore man and I haue bene long in prison What wilt thou geue me then said Alexander Syr sayd he I will geue you twenty shillings and that I will send my man for or elles I will lay my gowne to gage for the time is not long I am sure that I shal be with you for the bishop sayd vnto me that I shuld be soone dispatched Then sayd Alexander vnto him what is that to me with that he departed from him and commaunded hym to be had into Limbo and so his commaundement was fulfilled but before he could be taken from the blocke the clark would haue a grote Then one Wittrence Steward of the house took hym on his backe and caryed him downe hys manne knewe not whether Wherfore mayster Philpot sayd to his man go to maister Sheriffe and shew hym how I am vsed and desire maister Sheriffe to be good vnto me And so hys seruaunte went strayghtway and tooke an honest manne with him And when they came to mayster Sheriffe whiche was Maister Macham and shewed him howe mayster Phil. was handled in Newgate The Sheriffe hearyng this tooke his ring of from his finger and deliuered it vnto the honest man whiche came with M. Philpots man and bad him go vnto Alexander the keeper coÌ„manded him to take of his irons and to handle him more gentlye and to geue his man again that which he had taken from him And when they came agayn to the sayd AlexaÌ„der told their message from the Sheriffe Alexander tooke the ring and said Ah I perceaue that mayster Sheriffe is a bearer with him all such heretickes as he is therfore to morow I wil shew it to his betters Yet at x. of the clocke he went into Mayster Philpot where he lay and tooke of his irons gaue him such things as he had taken before from hys seruant Upon Tuesday at supper being the 17. day of December there came a messenger from the Sheriffes and bad M. Philpot make him ready for the next day he should suffer and be burned at a stake with fire M. Philpot aunswered and sayd I am ready God graunt me strength and a ioyfull resurrection And so he went vnto his chamber and poured out his spirit vnto the Lord God geuing him most harty thankes that he of his mercy had made hym worthy to suffer for his truth In the morning the Sheriffes came according to the order about viii of the clocke and calleth for him he most ioyfully came downe vnto them And there his man dyd meete him and sayd A deare maister farewell His mayster sayd vnto him serue God and he will helpe thee And so he went with the Sheriffes vnto the place of execution and when he was entring into Smithfield the way was foule two officers tooke him vp to beare him to the stake Then he sayd merily what will you make me a Pope I am content to goe to my iourneys end on foote But first comming into Smithfield he kneeled down there saying these wordes I will pay my vowes in thee O Smithfield And wheÌ„ he was come to the place of suffering he kissed the stake saide shall I disdayne to suffer at this stake seeing my redeemer did not refuse to suffer most vile death vpon the Crosse for me And then with an obedient hart full meekely he sayd the Cvi Cvii and Cviii. Psalms and when he had made an end of all hys prayers he said to the officers What haue you done for me euery one of theÌ„ declared what they had don he gaue to euery of theÌ„ mony Then they bound hym vnto the stake and set fire vnto that
hym at hys cōmandement but to your Masse sayd I I haue small affectiō At which aunswer he was displeased sore sayd I should be fedde with bread and water And as I followed hym through the great hall he turned backe and beat me with his fist first on the one cheeke and then on the other as the signe of my beatyng did many dayes appeare And then he led me into a little salthouse where I had no straw nor bed but lay two nightes on a table and slept soundly I thanke God Then vpon the Friday next after I was brought to my L. and he then gaue me many fayre words and said he would be good to me And so he goyng to Fulham committed me to Doct. Harpsfield that he and I in that after noone should common together and drewe out certayne Articles whereunto if I would subscribe I shoulde bee dismissed But D. Harpsfield sent not for me til night and then perswaded me very sore to forsake my opinions I answered I held nothing but the truth therfore I could not so lightly turne therefrom So I thought I should at y◠time haue had no more ado but he had made a certaine bill whiche the Register pulled out of his bosom red it The bill in deed was very easily made and therefore more daungerous for the effect therof was to detest all errours and heresies against the sacrament of the aultar and other sacramentes to beleue the fayth of the catholicke church and liue accordingly ¶ The copy of this bill here mentioned if it please the gētle reader to peruse so as it came to our hands we haue hereunto adioyned written and conteined in theyr owne wordes as foloweth to be sene ¶ The Bill of submission offered to Thomas Whittell to subscribe I Thomas Whittell Prieste of the Dioces of London knowledge and confesse with my mouth agreeing wyth my hart before you reuerend father in God Edm. bishop of London my Ordinary that I do detest and abhorre all maner of heresies and errours agaynst the Sacrament of the aulter or any of the Sacramentes of the Church whiche heresies and errours haue heretofore bene condemned in any wise by the catholicke church and I do protest and declare by these presents that I do both now hold and also entēd by gods grace alwayes hereafter to hold obserue and keepe in all poyntes the Catholicke fayth and beliefe of Christes Church according as this church of England being a member of the sayd Catholicke Church doth now professe and keepe and in no wise to swerue decline or go from the sayd faith during my naturall life submitting my selfe fully and wholly to you reuerend father my sayd Ordinarye in all thinges concerninge my reformation and amendement at all times In witnesse whereof I the sayde Thomas Whittell Prieste haue hereunto subscribed my name written c. To this Bill I did in deed set to my hand being much desired and counselled so to do and the flesh being alwaies desirous to haue libertye I considered not throughly the inconuenience that might come thereupon and respite I desired to haue had but earnestlye they desired me to subscribe Now when I had so done I had litle ioy thereof For by and by my mind and conscience tolde me by Gods worde that I had done euill by such a sleighty meanes to shake of the sweete Crosse of Christ and yet it was not my seking as God he knoweth but altogether came of them O the crafty subtlety of Sathan in his members Let euery man that God shall deliuer into theyr hands take good heede and cleaue fast to Christ for they will leaue no corner of his conscience vnsought but will attempt all guilefull and subtle meanes to corrupt him to fall both frō God and his trueth But yet let no man dispayre of Gods help for Peter did fall and rise agayne And Dauid sayeth A righteous man though he fall he shall not bee cast away for the Lorde vpholdeth him with his hande For I for my part haue felt my infirmities and yet haue I found Gods present helpe and comfort in time of neede I thanke hym therfore The night after I had subscribed I was sore greeued and for sorrowe of conscience coulde not sleepe For in the deliueraunce of my body out of bondes whiche I mighte haue had I could finde no ioy nor comfort but still was in my conscience tormented more and more being assured by Gods spirit and his word that I through euill councell aduisement had done amisse And both with disquietnesse of minde and with my other cruell handeling I was sickly lying vpon the ground when the keeper came and so I desired him to pray Doctour Harpsfield to come to me and so he did And when he came and the Register with him I told him that I was not well at ease but especially I told him I was greued very much in my conscience and minde because I had subscribed And I sayd that my conscience had so accused me through the iust iudgement of God and hys word that I had felt hell in my conscience and Sathan ready to deuoure me and therefore I pray you M. Harpsfield sayd I let me haue the bill agayne for I wyll not stande to it So he gentlye commaunded it to be fetched and gaue it mee and suffered mee to pull out my name whereof I was right glad when I had so done although death should folow And hereby I had experience of gods prouidence and mercy towardes me who trieth his people and suffereth them to fall but not to be lost for in the middest of this temptation and trouble he gaue me warning of my deed and also deliuered me his name be praysed for euermore Amen Neither deuill nor cruell tyrant can plucke any of Christes sheepe out of his hand Of the which flock of Christes sheepe I trust vndoubtedly I am one by meanes of hys death and bloudshedding which shall at the last day stand at his right hand and receiue with other his blessed benediction And now being condemned to dye my conscience and minde I prayse God is quiet in Christ and I by hys grace am very well willing and content to geue ouer this body to the death for the testimony of his truth pure religion agaynst Antichrist and all his false Religion doctrine They that report otherwise of me speake not truely And as for Fountayne I saw not him all that while By me Thomas Whittell Minister ¶ Concerning the troubled mind of this Godly man and tearing of his name out of the bill here followeth the report of the same written in the letters both of the sayde Harpsfield and also of Iohnson the Register beyng then present thereat and reporters of the same vnto the bishop as in theyr letters hereto annexed is to be sene * The Copy of Nich. Harpsfieldes Letter touching Mayster Whittell written to Boner Byshop
and murthering rage of Papistes The cause hereof was a Letter which Grene did write vnto the sayde Goodman conteining aswell the reporte of certayne demaundes or questions which were cast abroad in London as appeareth hereafter in a letter of hys owne penning whiche he meant to haue sent vnto M. Philpot wherein hee declareth his full vsage before the Bishop of London and others as also an aunswere to a question made by the sayd Christopher Goodman in a letter writtē vnto him in which he required to haue the certaynetye of the report which was spread amongest them on the other side of the Seas that the Queene was deade Whereunto mayster Greene aunswered simply and as the truth then was that she was not dead These letters with manye other written to diuers of the godly exiles by theyr frendes here in Englande beyng deliuered to a messenger to carry ouer came by the apprehension of the said bearer vnto the handes of the king and Queenes Councel Who at theyr conuenient leasure whiche in those daies by some of them was quickely found out for suche matters perused the whole number of the sayde letters and amongest them espyed this letter of Mayster Greenes written vnto his frend Christopher Goodman in the contentes whereof amongest other newes and priuate matters they found these woordes The Queene is not yet dead Which wordes were onely written as an answere to certifye Mayster Goodman of the trueth of hys former demaunde Howbeit to some of the Councell they seemed verye haynous woordes yea treason they would haue made them if the Law would haue suffered Whiche when they coulde not doe and being yet verye lothe to let any such depart freely whom they suspected to be a fauourer of the Gospell they then examined him vpon his fayth in religion but vpon what poyntes it is not certaynely knowne Neuerthelesse as it semeth his aunsweres were such as litle pleased them especially the annoynted sorte and therefore after they had longe detayned him in prison as well in the Tower of London as elsewhere they sente him at last vnto Boner Bishop of London to be ordered according to his Ecclesiasticall law as appeareth by theyr Letters sent vnto the Byshop with the sayd prisoner also wherein it may appeare that Syr Iohn Bourne then Secretary to the Queene was a chiefe stirrer in such cases yea and an entiser of others of the counsell who otherwise if for feare they durst woulde haue bene content to haue let such matters alone The Lord forgeue them theyr weakenesse if it be his good pleasure and geue them true repentaunce Amen ¶ A Letter sent vnto Boner Bishop of London by the Queenes Counsell dated the 11. daye of Nouember 1555. but not deliuered vntill the 17. of the same moneth AFter our right harty commendations to your good Lordship we send to the same herewith the body of one Bartlet Grene who hath of good time remayned in the Tower for his obstinate standing in matters agaynst the Catholicke Religion whome the king and Queenes Maiesties pleasures are because he is of your Lordshippes Dioces ye shall cause to bee ordered accordinge to the Lawes in suche cases prouided And thus wee bydde your Lordship hartily farewell From Sainct Iames the xi of Nouember 1555. Your good Lordships louing friendes Winchester Penbroke Thomas Ely William Haward Iohn Bourne Thomas Wharton * I Sir Iohn Bourne will wayt vppon your Lordship and signifie further of the king and Queenes Maiesties pleasures herein Now that ye may the better vnderstand the certaynty of his handling after this hys comming vnto Boners custody I haue thought it good to put forth hys own letter contayning at large the discourse of the same Whiche letter he wrote and did meane to haue sent vnto mayster Philpot but was preuented belike eyther by Phil. death or els rather by the wily watching of hys keeper for it came by what means I know not certaynly vnto the byshops hands and being deliuered vnto his register was found in one of his bookes of recorde The copye where of here followeth A letter of Barthelet Greene written vnto Iohn Philpot contayning besides other particular matter betwixt him and M. Philpot a briefe rehearsall of his handling and certain his conferences with Boner and others at his first comming to the Bishops THat whiche was lacking in talke through my defaulte at your being here I haue supplyed by writing in your absence now at the length getting some opportunitie and leysure The 17. day of Nouember beyng brought hither by two of the clocke at after noone I was presented before my Lord of London and other two byshops Mayster Deane M. Roper M. Welche Doct. Harpsfield Archdeacon of London and other two or three all sitting at one table There were also present Doct. Dale Maister George Mordant M. Dee Then after the byshop of London had read vnto himselfe the letter that came from the Counsell hee spake with mo wordes but as I remember to this effect that the cause of theyr assembly was to heare mine examination wherevnto hee had authoritie by the Counsell and had prouided Mayster Welch and an other whose name I knowe not but wel I remember though he obtayned it not yet desired hee my Lorde that I might heare the Councels letters to be there if anye matters of the common lawe shoulde arise to discusse them he intreated my Lorde to determine all controuersies of Scriptures and as for the Ciuill law he and Doctor Dale should take it on them Wherfore he demaunded of me the cause of mine imprisonment I sayd that the occasion of myne apprehension was a letter which I wrote to one Christofer Gooodman wherein certifiyng hym of such newes as happened here amonge the reste I wrote that there were certayne printed papers of questions scattered abroad Whereupon beyng suspected to be priuye vnto the deuising or publishing of the same I was committed to the Fleete but sithens heard I nothing therof after the Commissioners had receaued my submission The summe wherof was that as I was sure there neyther coulde be true witnesses nor probable coniecture agaynst me in that behalfe so refused I no punishment if they of theyr consciences would iudge me priuy to the deuising printing or publishing of those questions But my Lord affirming that there was an other cause of mine imprisonment sithens demaunded if I had not after sith I was committed vnto the Fleete spoken or written somewhat agaynst the naturall presence of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar Then desired I his Lordship to bee good vnto me trusting that he would put me to aunswere to no new matters excepte I were first discharged of the old And when I stoode long in that M. Welch aunswered that it was procured that I shoulde so doe right well For albeit I were imprisoned for treason if during the tyme of enduraunce I had mayntayned heresie that were no sufficient allegation agaynst
by friendshippe onelye and of some other esteemed vnwoorthy of so high a vocation It is first therefore to be noted and considered that the same Thomas Cranmer comming of an ancient Parentage from the conquest to be deducted and continuing sithens in the name and familie of a Gentleman was borne in a Uillage called Arselacton in Notingham shire Of whose saide name and family there remaineth at these daies one Manour and mansion house in Lincolne shire called Cranmer Hall c. Some times of heritage of the saide stocke and familie Who being from his infancie kept at schoole and brought vp not without much good ciuilitie came in processe of time vnto the Uniuersitye of Cambridge there prospering in right good knowledge amongst the better sort of students was chosen fellow of Iesus Colledge in Cambridge And so being maister of Arte and fellow of the same Colledge it chaunced him to marrye a Gentlemans daughter by meanes whereof he lost and gaue ouer his fellowship there and became the reader in Buckingham Colledge and for that hee woulde with more diligence apply that his office of reading placed his sayd wâ—te in an Inne called the Dolphin in Cambridge the wife of the house being of affinitie vnto her By reason wherof and for that his often resorte vnto his wife in that Inne he was muche marked of some Popish marchaunts whereupon rose the slaunderous noyse and report against him after he was preferred to the Archbyshopricke of Canterb. raised vp by the malicious disdaine of certaine malignant aduersaries to Christ and his truth bruting abroad euery where that he was but an Hostler and therfore without all good learning Of whose malicious reportes one of their practises in that behalfe shall heereafter be declared as place and time shall serue But in the meane time to retourne to the matter present Whilest this saide M. Cranmer continued as reader in Buckingham Colledge his wife died in childebed After whose death the maisters and fellowes of Iesus Colledge desirous againe of their old companion namely for his towardnes in learning chose him againe fellow of the same Colledge Where he remaining at his studie became in fewe yeares after the reader of Diuinitie lecture in the same Colledge and in such special estimation and reputation with the whole vniuersitâ—e that being Doctor of diuinitie hee was commonly appoynted one of the heades which are two or three of the chiefest learned men to examine suche as yearely professe in commencement eyther Bachelers or Doctors of Diuinitie by whose approbation the whole vniuersitie licenceth them to proceede vnto their degree and againe by whose disallowance the Uniuersitie also reiecteth them for a time to proceede vntill they be better furnished with more knowledge Nowe Doctour Cranmer euer muche fauouringe the knowledge of the Scripture would neuer admitte any to proceede in Diuinitie vnlesse they were substantially sene in the storie of the Bible by meanes where of certayne friers and other religious persons who were principally brought vp in the studie of schoole authoâ—s wythout regard had to the aucthoritie of scriptures were commonly reiected by him so that hee was greatly for that his seuere examination of the religious sort much hated and had in great indignation and yet it came to passe in the end that diuers of them being thus compelled to study the Scriptures became afterwardes very wel learned and wel 〈◊〉 in so much that when they proceeded Doctours of diuinitie could not ouermuch extol and commend master Doc. Cranmers goodnesse towardes them who had for a time put them backe to aspire vnto better knowledge and perfection Among whom D. Barret a white Frier who afterwardes dwelt at Norwich was after that sort haÌ„dled geuing him no lesse commendation for his happye reiecting of him for a better amendement Thus muche I repeat that our â—pish and popish sort of ignorant priestes may well vnderstande that this his exercise kinde of life and vocation was not altogether Hostlerlike Well to goe forwardes Like as hee was neyther in fame vnknowen nor in knowledge obscure so was hee greatly solicited by Doct. Capon to haue beene one of the felowes in the foundation of Cardinal Wolseis Colledge in Oxforde which he vtterly refused not without danger of indignation Notwithstanding foreseeing that whyche after chaunced to the vtter confusion of many wel affected learned men there without consideration because mans glory was there more sought for then Gods hee stoode to the danger of the sayd indignation whych chaunced more prosperously vnto him within fewe yeares after then hee looked for For whiles hee thus continued in Cambridge The great and weighty cause of king Henry the viij hys diuorce with the Lady Katherine Dowager of Spayne came into question which being many waies by the space of ij or iij. yeares amongst the Canonists Ciuilians and other learned men diuersly disputed and debated it came to passe that this sayde Doct. Cranmer by reason that the plague was in Cambridge resorted to Waltham Abbey to one M. Cresses house there whose wife was of kinne to the sayde M. Cranmer And for that he had ij sonnes of the said Cressey with him at Cambridge as his pupulles he rested at Waltham crosse at the house of the sayd master Cressey with the sayde ij children during that somer time whiles the plague reigned In this somer time Cardinall Campeius and Cardinall Wolsey being in commission from the Pope to here and determine that greate cause in controuersie betweene the K. the Queene his pretended wife dalyed and delaied all the sommer time vntill the moneth of Aug. came in hearing the said cause in controuersie debated When August was come the sayd Cardinals little minding to procede to sentence geuing tooke occasion to finish their commission and not further to determine therein pretending not to be permitted by the lawes to kepe courts of Ecclesiasticall matters in haruest time which sodeine stay geuing ouer of the said commissioÌ„ by both the cardinals being vnknowen to the king it so much mooued him that he taking it as a mocke at the cardinals hands commanded the dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke to dispatch forthw t cardinal Campeius home againe to Rome and so in hast remooued him selfe from London to Waltham for a night or twaine whiles his houshold remooued to Grenewich by meanes wherof it chanced that the harbengers lodged D. Stephens Secretarie and D. Foxe Almosiner who were the chief furtherers preferrers and defendors on the kings behalfe of the said cause in the house of the sayd M. Cressey where the sayd doctor Cranmer was also lodged and resident When supper time came they all iij. Doctors met together Doctor Stephens and Doctor Foxe muche marueiling of Doctor Cranmers being there Who declared to them the cause of his there being namely for that the plague was in Cambridge And as they were of olde acquaintance so the Secretarie and the Almosiner right wel entertained
Doctor Cranmer minding to vnderstaÌ„d part of his opinion touching their great busines they had in haÌ„d And so as good occasion serued whiles they were at supper they conferred wyth Doctor Cranmer concerning the kings cause requesting him of his opinion what he thought therein Whereto D. Cranmer answered that he could say little to the matter for that he had not studied nor looked for it Notwtstanding he sayde to them that in hys opinion they made more ado in prosecuting the law Ecclesiastical then needed It were better as I suppose quod D. Cranmer that the question whether a maÌ„ may marry his brothers wife or no were decided and discussed by the diuines and by the authority of the woord of God whereby the conscience of the Prince might be better satisfied quieted then thus from yeare to yere by frustratorie delaies to prolong the time leauing the very truthe of the matter vnboulted out by the woorde of God There is but one trueth in it which the Scripture will soone declare make open manifest being by learned men wel handled and that may be aswell done in Englande in the Uniuersities heere as at Rome or els where in any forraine nation the aucthority whereof will compell any Iudge soone to come to a definitiue sentence and therfore as I take it you might thys way haue made an end of this matter long sithens When D. Cranmer had thus ended hys tale the other two well liked of his deuise and wished that they had so proceeded afore time and thereupon conceiued some matter of that deuise to instruct the king withall who then was minded to send to Rome againe for a new Commission Now the next day when the king remooued to Grenewich like as he tooke himselfe not wel handled by the cardinals in thus deferring his cause so his mind being vnquieted and desirous of an end of his long tedious sute he called to him these his two principall doers of his saide cause namely the saide D. Stephens and D. Foxe saying vnto them What now my maisters quoth the king shall we do in this infinite cause of mine I see by it there must be a new commission procured from Rome and when we shall haue an ende God knoweth and not I. When the king had said somewhat his minde heerein the Almosiner D. Foxe said vnto the king again We trust that there shal be better wayes deuised for your Maiestie then to make trauaile so farre as to Rome anye more in your highnesse cause which by chance was put into our heads this other night being at Waltham The King being very desirous to vnderstand his meaning said Who hath â—aken in hand to instruct you by any better or shorter way to proceede in our sayd cause Then sayd Doctor Foxe It chaunced vs to be lodged at Waltham in M. Cresseis house this other night your highnesse being there where we mette wyth an olde acquaintaunce of ours named Doctor Cranmer with whom hauing conference concerning your highnes cause he thought that the next way were first to instructe and quiet your maiesties conscience by trying your highnesse question out by the authoritye of the woorde of God therupon to procede to a final sentence With this report the Secretary was not content with the Almosiner for that hee did not vtter this deuise as of their owne inuention And when the Secretarie woulde haue seemed by colourable woordes to make it appeare to the king that they of them selues had deuised that meanes the king then said where is that Doctour Cranmer is he still at Waltham They aunsweared that they left him there Mary said the king I will surely speake with hym and therefore lette hym bee sent for out of hande I perceyue quoth the Kynge that that man hathe the sowe by the righte eare And if I had knowen this deuise but two yeare agoe it had beene in my way a great peece of money and had also ridde mee out of much disquietnesse Whereupon Doctor Cranmer was sent for and being remooued from Waltham to Cambridge and so towards his friendes in Notingham shire a Poste went for hym But when he came to London he began to quarell wyth these two his acquaintaunces that hee by theyr meanes was thus troubled and brought thither to be combred in a matter wherein hee had nothing at all trauailed in studie and therefore most instantly intreated them that they would make his excuse in such sorte that he might be dispatched away from comming in the kings presence They promised and tooke the matter vppon them so to doe if by any meanes they might compasse it But al was in vaine for the more they began to excuse Doctour Cranmers absence the more the King chid with them for that they brought him not out of hande to his presence so that no excuse seruing hee was faine vndelaiedly to come to the Courte vnto the king whome the gentle Prince benignely accepting demaunded his name and sayd vnto him Were you not at Waltham suche a time in the companye of my Secretarie and my Almosiner Doctour Cranmer affirming the same the king sayd againe had you not coÌ„ference with them concerning our matter of diuorce nowe in question after this sorte repeating the manner and order thereof That is right true if it please your highnesse quod Doctor Cranmer Well sayde the king I well perceiue that you haue the right scope of this matter You must vnderstand quoth the King that I haue bene long troubled in conscience and now I perceiue that by this meanes I might haue beene long agoe relieued one way or other from the same if we had this way proceeded And therefore maister Doctour I pray you and neuerthelesse because you are a subiecte I charge and commaund you al your other businesse and affaires sette aparte to take some paines to see this my cause to be furthered according to your deuise asmuche as it may lie in you so that I may shortly vnderstand whereunto I may trust For this I protest before God and the world that I seeke not to be deuorced from the Queene if by any meanes I were iustly perswaded that our matrimonie were inuiolable and not against the lawes of God for otherwise there was neuer cause to mooue me to seeke any such extremitie Neither there was euer Prince had a more gentler a more obedient and louing companion and wife then the Queene is nor I neuer fansied woman in all respectes better if thys doubte had not risen assuring you that for the singulare vertues wherewith she is indued besides the consideration of her noble stocke I could be right wel contented stil to remain with her if so it would stand with the will and pleasure of almighty God And thus greatly commending her many and singular qualities the King sayde I therefore praye you with an indifferent eye and with asmuch dexterity as lieth in you that you for
was passed contrary to hys allegations Hee moste humblye thancked the Kings maiestie of hys greate goodnesse towardes hym and them for all their paines saying I hope in God that heereafter my allegations and authorityes shall take place to the glorye of God and the commoditie of the Realme in the meane time I will satisfie my selfe wyth the honourable consent of your honoures and the whole Parliament Heere is to be noted that this mans stoute and godly defence of the truthe heerein so bounde the Princes conscience that he woulde not permitte the truth in that man to be cleane ouerthrown wyth authoritie and power and therefore this way God woorking in the Princes minde a playne token was declared heereby that all thynges were not so sincerely handled in the confirmation of the sayde sixe Articles as it oughte to haue beene for else the Prince mighte haue hadde a iust cause to haue borne hys great indignation towardes the Archbishop Let vs pray that both the like stoutnesse maye be perceiued in all Ecclesiasticall and learned men where the truthe ought to be defended and also the like relenting and flexibilitie maye take place in Princes and Noble menne when they shall haue occasion offered them to maintaine the same so that they vtterly ouerwhelme not the truth by selfe wil power and authority Now in the end this Archb. cōstancie was such towardes Gods cause that he confirmed al hys doinges by bitter death in the fire without respecte of anye worldly treasure or pleasure And as touching hys stoutnesse in his Princes cause the contrary resistaunce of the Duke of Northumberland against him prooued right wel his good minde that waye which chaunced by reason that hee woulde not consent to the dissoluinge of Chaunteries vntill the Kynge came of age to the intent that they myghte then better serue to furnishe hys royall estate then to haue so greate treasure consumed in hys nonage Which his stonenesse ioyned with suche simplicitie surely was thought to diuers of the Counsaile a thing incredible specially in such sorte to contende with him who was so accounted in this realm as few or none would or durst gainstande him So deare was to him the cause of God and of hys Prince that for the one he would not keepe his conscience clogged nor for the other lurke or hide his heade Otherwise as it is sayde his very enemies might easily intreat him in any cause reasonable and such things as he graūted hee did without any suspition of rebroiding or meede therefore So that hee was altogether voide of the vice of stubbernnesse and rather culpable of ouer muche facilitie and gentlenesse Not angrie Then foloweth Not angrie Surely if ouermuch pacience may be a vice this man maye seeme peraduenture to offend rather on this part then on the contrary Albeit for all his doings I cannot say for the most parte suche was his mortification that way that few we shal finde in whom the saying of our Sauiour Christ so much preuailed as with him who would not onely haue a man to forgiue his ennemies but also to pray for them that lesson neuer went out of his memory For it was knowen that he had many cruel ennemies not for his owne deserts but only for his religion sake and yet what soeuer he was that either sought his hinderance either in goods estimation or life and vpon conference woulde seeme neuer so slenderly any thing to relent or excuse himself he would both forget the offence committed and also euermore afterwards frendly entertaine him shew such pleasure to him as by any meanes possible he might performe or declare In so muche that it came into a common prouerb Do vnto my Lord of Canterb displeasure or a shrewed turne and then you may be sure to haue him your frende whiles he liueth Of which his gentle disposition in abstaining from reuengement amongst many examples thereof I wil repeat heere one It chaunced an ignoraunte Priest and parsone in the North parties the Towne is not now in remembrance but he was a kinsman of one Chersey a grocer dwelling within London being one of those priestes that vse more to studie at the alehouse then in his chamber or in his studie to sit on a time with his honest neighbours at the alehouse within his owne Parish where was communication ministred in commendation of my Lorde Cranmer Archbishop of Cant. This said parson enuying his name only for Religion sake sayd to his neighbors what make you of him quod he he was but an Hostler and hathe no more learning then the Goslings that goeth yonder on the greene with suche like sclaunderous and vncomelye woordes These honest neighbours of his not well bearing those his vnseemely woordes articled against hym and sent their complaint vnto the Lorde Cromwell then Uicegerent in causes Ecclesiasticall who sent for the priest and cōmitted hym to the Fleete minding to haue had him recant those his sclaunderous woordes at Paules Crosse. Howbeit the Lord Cromwell hauing great affairs of the Prince then in hand forgate his prisoner in the Flete So that this Chersey the Grocer vnderstanding that his kinsmanne was in duraunce in the Fleete onely for speaking woordes against my Lord of Canterb. consulted wyth the Priest and betwene them deuised to make sute rather vnto the Archbishoppe for his deliuerance then to the Lord Cromwel before whome he was accused vnderstanding right well that there was greate diuersitie of natures betweene those two estates the one gentle and full of clemencie and the other seuere and somewhat intractable namely against a Papist So that Chersey tooke vppon him firste to trie my Lorde of Caunterburies benignitie namely for that his cousins accusation touched onely the offence against him and none other Whereupon the sayde Chersey came to one of the Archbish. Gentlemen whose father bought yearely all his spices and fruite of the sayde Chersey and so thereby of familiar acquaintance with the Gentleman who openinge to him the trouble wherein his kinsman was requested that hee woulde be a meanes to my Lorde his maister to heare his sute in the behalfe of his kinsman The matter was mooued The Archbishop like as he was of nature gentle and of much clemencie so woulde he neuer shewe him selfe straunge vnto suters but incontinently sent for the saide Chersey When hee came before him Chersey declared that there was a kinsman of his in the Fleete a Priest of the North countrey and as I maye tell your grace the truth quod Chersey a man of small ciuilitie and of lesse learning And yet he hath a personnage there which now by reason that my lord Cromwel hath laid him in prisone being in his cure is vnserued and hee hath continued in durance aboue 2. monethes and is called to no answer and knoweth not when he shall come to any ende so that this his imprisonment cōsumeth his substaunce and will vtterly vndoe him vnlesse your grace be
and forgeue them Well sayde the gentle Archbishop God make you both good men I neuer deserued this at your hands but aske God forgeuenesse agaynst whom you haue highly offended If suche men as you are not to be trusted what should I doe alyue I perceyue now that there is no fidelitie or truth amongest men I am brought to this point now that I feare my left hand will accuse my right hand I neede not much meruaile hereat for our Sauior Christ truly prophesied of such a world to come in the latter dais I beseech him of his great mercy to finish that time shortly and so departyng he dismissed them both with gentle and comfortable wordes in such sort that neuer after appeared in hys countenaunce or wordes any remembrance thereof Nowe when all those letters and accusations were found they were put into a chest the kings Maiesty minding to haue perused some of them and to haue partly punished the principals of it The chest and writynges were brought to Lambeth At what tyme began the Parliamēt Lord what ado there was to procure the kyng a subsidie to the intent that thereupon might ensue a pardon which in deed followed and so nothyng was done other then their falsshood known This was the last push of the pike that was inferred agaynst the sayd Archb. in king Henry the 8. his dayes for neuer after durst any man moue matter agaynst hym in hys tyme. And thus haue ye both the working and disclosing of this popish conspiracy against this worthy Archbishop Martyr of Christ Thomas Cranmer In the which conspiracie for so much as complaint was also made vnto the kyng of his chaplaines and good preachers in Kent it shal not be out of the story somethyng likewyse to touch thereof especially of Richard Turner then preacher the same time in this Archbishops Diocesse and Curate to maister Morice the Archbishops Secretary in the towne of Chartham by whose diligent preaching a great part of this hartburning of the Papists toke his first kindling against the Archbishop Touching the description of which storie because by me nothing shal be said either more or lesse then is the truth ye shall heare the very certeinty thereof truely compiled in a letter sent the same time to Doct. Buttes and Sir Anth. Deny to be shewed vnto the kyng and so it was written by the foresaid M. Moryce Secretary then to the Archbishop farmour of the same benefice of Chartham and patrone to M. Turner there minister and Preacher aforesaid ¶ A Letter or Apologie of M. Morice sent to Sir Will. Buttes and Sir Anthony Denny defending the cause of M. Richard Turner preacher agaynst the Papistes THe letter first beginnyng in these wordes I am certain right worshipfull that it is not vnknown to your discrete wisdoms c. And after a few lynes commyng to the matter thus the said letter proceedeth As your worships wel know It was my chance to be broght vp vnder my L. of Caunterbury my maister in writyng of the ecclesiasticall affaires of this Realme as well touchyng reformation of corrupt religion as concernyng the aduauncement of that pure and sincere religion receyued by the doctrine of the Gospel which I take to be so substantially handled and builded vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that hell gates shal neuer preuaile agaynst it The consideration whereof compelled me being a Farmer of the personage of Chartham in Kent to retaine with me one named M Richard Turner a man not onely learned in the scriptures of God but also in conuersation of lyfe towards the world irreprehensible whome for discharging of my conscience I placed at Chartham aforesayd to be Curate there This mā because he was a stranger in the countrey there and so thereby voyd of grudge or displeasure of any old rancor in the country I thought it had bene a meane to haue gotten hym the better credite in his doctrine but where malice once taketh fire agaynst truth no pollicie I see is able to quench it Well this man as hee knew what appertained vnto his office so he spared not weekely both Sundayes and holydayes to open the Gospell and Epistle vnto his audience after such a sort when occasion serued that as well by his vehement inueying against the bishop of Romes vsurped power and authoritie as in the earnest settyng forth and aduauncing of the kyngs Maiesties supremacie innumerable of the people of the countrey resortyng vnto his sermons changed their opinions and fauoured effectually the religion receyued The confluence of the people so daily encreased that the church beyng a faire ample and large church was not now and then able to receyue the number The fame of this new instruction of the people was so blasted abroade that the popishe priestes were wonderfully amased and displeased to see their Pope so to bee defaced their prince so highly aduanced Now thought they it is high tyme for vs to worke or els all will here be vtterly lost by this mans preaching Some thē went with capons some with hennes some with chickens some with one thyng some with another vnto the Iustices such as then fauoured their cause and faction and such as are no small fooles as sir Iohn Baker sir Christofer Hales sir Tho. Moyle Knightes with other Iustices The Prebendaries of Christes Church in Cāterbury were made priuy hereof geuyng their succour and ayd thereunto So that in conclusion poore Turner and other preachers were grieuously complained of vnto the Kynges maiestie Whereupon my Lord of Caunterbury and certaine other commissioners were appoynted at Lambheth to sit vppon the examination of these seditious preachers Howbeit before Turner went vp to hys examination I obtayned of sir Thomas Moyle that he in Easter weeke was content to heare Turner preache a rehearsall Sermon in hys parish Church at Westwell of all the doctrine of hys Sermons preached at hys Cure in Charteham whiche hee moste gently grauntyng heard Turner both before noone and after noone on the Wednesday in Easter weeke laste past and as it seemed tooke all thynges in good part remittyng Turner home to his sayd Cure with gentle and fauourable wordes I supposed by this meanes to haue stayed Maister Turner at home from further examination hopyng that sir Thomas Moyle would haue aunswered for hym at Lambheth before the Commissioners Notwithstandyng after Maister Moyles commyng to London suche information was layed in agaynst Turner that he was sent for to make aunswere hymselfe before the sayd Commissioners and there appearyng before them he made such an honest perfect and learned aunswere vnto the Articles obiected that he was with a good exhortation discharged home agayne without anye manner of recantation or other Iniunction Now when the Pope catholicke Clergy of Kent vnderstoode of his commyng home without controllement so that hee preached as freely as he did before agaynst their blynde and dumme ceremonies straightway by
God and with the infallible testimonies of holy scripture For although Gods mercy is ouer all his woorkes yet it doth not extende but onely to them that holde fast the confidence and reioysing of hope vnto the ende not being weary in well doing but rather waxing euery day stronger and stronger in the inward man Therfore in the Reuelation of S. Iohn wher it is entreated of the Beast and his image it is also sayde Heere is the sufferance of Saintes and heere are they that keepe the commaundements and the faith of Iesus Christ. Where by almighty God doth shewe plainely that he doth vse those wicked men as instruments for a time to try the pacience and faith of his peculiar people wythout the performance whereof we can haue no part among the liuing but as it is sayd in the same Reuelation The fearfull shall haue theyr parte in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone whyche is the second death But peraduenture ye will obiect say vnto me what shall we do Shal we cast our selues headlong to death I say not so But thys I say that we are all bounde if euer we looke to receiue saluation at Gods hande in thys case wholy to be obedient to hys determinate counsell foreknowledge expressed by the gift of the spirit in holy scripture and then to cast all our care vpon him who worketh all in all for the best vnto them that loue him and thus he geueth commaundement saying Come awaye from her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receue not of her plagues Nowe who hearing this terrible voyce of God which must needes be fulfilled will not wyth all speede and diligence applye him selfe to doe thereafter except such as will presumptuously tempt him And as touching such the Wise man sayeth Hee that loueth pearill and daunger shall pearish therein But they that be of the Faith of Abraham euen as he did so will they in all assayes and trials be obedient to the heauenly voyce how soeuer it semeth contrary to their owne naturall wil and carnal reason according to the sure worde of faith which saith Hope thou in the Lorde and keepe his way holde thee stil in the Lord and abide patiently vpon him Let not thy ielousie moue thee also to doe euill Come out from among them and ioyne not your selues to your vnlawfull assemblies yea do not once shew your selues with the least part of your body to fauour theyr wicked doinges but glorifye God as moste right is so well in your whole bodye outwardlye as inwardly in your spirite or els you can doe neither of both well for your body doth belong to God so well as youre spirite At the dreadfull day of iudgement we shall all receiue the workes of our bodies according to that we haue done whether it be good or bad Therefore what soeuer we doe we may not bryng the spirite in bondage to the body but contrariwise we must subdue the body and the will of the flesh to the spirit that the spirite maye freely accomplishe the will of God in all things for otherwise we shall neuer be partakers of hys promise with the true childrē of Abraham For as s. Paul sayeth They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God If we shall liue according to the flesh we shall dye For to be carnally mineded is death but to be spiritually mineded is life and peace because that the fleshly mineded is enmitie to God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God neyther canne be So then they that are in the flesh can not please God Nowe chuse you which way you will take either the narow way that leadeth vnto life which Christ hymself and hys faithfull followers haue gone throughe before or else the broad path way that leadeth to destruction which the wicked worldlinges take theyr pleasure in for a while I for my part haue now wryttē thys short admonition vnto you of good will as God be my witnesse to exhort you to that way which at length you your selues shuld prooue and finde to be best yea and reioyce thereof And I do not onely wryte thys but I will also wyth the assistaunce of Gods grace ratifie and confirme and Seale the same wyth the effusion of my bloude when the full tyme shall be expired that hee hath appoynted whych so farre soorth as I maye iudge must needes be within these few daies Therefore I nowe bidde you all moste heartely farewell in the Lorde whose grace bee wyth youre spirite Amen Watch and pray watch and pray pray pray So be it Iohn Hullier Besides these letters the said Iohn Hullier leaft also a godly prayer whiche if any be disposed to peruse it is extant in the old booke of Acts to be found pag. 1515. The death and Martyrdome of sixe constant professours of Christ burned at Colchester for the testimonie of the Gospell the 28. day of Aprill NOt long after the death of Robert Drakes William Tymmes and the other Essex Martyrs executed in Smithfielde as is aboue specified followed in the same order likewise of martyrdome at one like fire in the town of Colchester where the most parte of them did inhabite sixe other blessed Martyrs whose names be these Christopher Lyster of Dagneham Husbandman Iohn Mace of Colchester Apothecarie Iohn Spenser of Colchester Weauer Symon Ioyne Sawyer Richard Nichols of Colchester Weauer Iohn Hamond of Colchester Tanner With these sixe was also ioyned an other whose name was Roger Grasbroke but he afterwarde submitted him selfe These aboue named the Byshoppe because he as it semeth by the short processe recorded by his register waxed now weary made a very quicke dispatche For soone after that they were deliuered vnto one Iohn Kingstone Bacheler of Ciuil law and then Commissarye to the Bishop by the Earle of Oxford other Commissioners as appeareth by a bil endented made betwene the Commissioners and the said Commissary for the receit of the sayd prisoners dated the 28. day of Marche Anno regni regis Reginae Philippi Mariae secundo tertio which is the yere of our Lord 1556. and by him sent vp vnto hys Lord and Maister the Bishop caused them to be broughte vnto hys house at Fulham Where in the open Churche iudicially were ministred vnto them the same Articles that were propounded vnto Bartlet Grene and others mentioned before To the whych they made their seuerall answeres agreeing altogether in one truthe as by the summe and effect thereof heere ensuing more plainly appeareth 1 To the first article they al consented and agreed Iohn Spenser adding further thereto that the churche malignant which is the Church of Rome is no parte of Christes Catholike church and that he neither hath nor dothe beleeue the doctrine and religion taughte and set foorth in the sayd Romish and malignant
not awaye all thy true preachers forth of this realme O Lord but leaue vs a seede least England be made like vnto Sodome and Gomorre when thy true Lothes be gone But what goe I aboute to mingle your myrthe wyth my mourning and your iust ioy with my deserued sorow If I loued you in deede as I haue pretended I shoulde surely reioyce with you most hartily praise god on your behalfe from the very bottome of my hart I should prayse God day and night for your excellēt election in through his great mercy and should geue him most humble thākes for your vocation by his Gospell your true knowledge in the same I should earnestly prayse him for your sweete iustification wherof you are most certayne by Gods grace and spirite should instantly pray vnto him for your glorification which shall shortly ensue I should reioyce and be glad to see you so dignifyed by the crowne of Martyrdome and to be appoynted to that honour to testify hys truth and to seale it with your bloud I should highly extoll the Lord who hath geuen you a glorious victory euer al your enemies visible and inuisible and hath geuen you grace and strength to finish the Tower that you haue begunne to build Finally if I loued you I should most hartily reioice and be glad to see you deliuered from this body of sinne and vile prison of the fleshe and brought into that heauenly tabernacle where you shal be safely kept and neuer offend him more This and much more should I do if I had a good hart towardes God or you his deare childe But alas I am an hypocrite do seeke nothing but mine owne commodity I would haue gods euerlasting prouidēce geue place to my peeuish will purpose although it were to the hinderance of his glory and your sweet commodity God forgeue me my horrible ingratitude sinnes offēces agaynst him and good brother do you forgeue me my great negligence and vnthankfulnes towards you and henceforth I promise you I will put my will to Gods wil pray that the same may be fulfilled in you so long as you be on this earth and when you are taken hence I will most hartely prayse the Lord for you so lōg as I haue my being in this world Ah my deare hart nowe I muste take my leaue of you and as I thinke my Vltimum vale in this lyfe but in the life to come I am righte well assured we shall merilye meete together that shortly I trust And in taking of my leue of you my deare hart in the Lord I shall desire you faythfully to remēber all the sweet messages that the Lord our good God most deare louing father hath sent you by me his most vnworthy seruaunt which as they are moste true so shall they be most truly accōplished vpon you eternally and for the more assurance and certificate thereof to your godly cōscience he hath cōmaunded me to repeat the same vnto you agayne in his owne name and word Therfore now geue eare and faithfull credence Harken O ye heauens and thou earth geue eare and beare me witnes at the great day that I do here faythfully and truly the lordes message vnto his dear seruant his singularly beloued and elect childe Iohn Bradford Iohn Bradford thou man so specially beloued of God I pronoūce testify vnto thee in the word name of the Lord Iehoua that all thy sinnes whatsoeuer they be be they neuer so many so grieuous or so great be fully freely pardoned released forgeuen thee by the mercy of God in Iesus Christ thyne onely Lord sweet sauiour in whom thou doest vndoubtedly beleue Christ hath cleansed thee with his bloud and clothed thee with his righteousnes and hath made thee in the sight of God his father without spotte or wrinckle so that when the fire doth his appoynted office thou shalt be receyued as a sweete burnt sacrifice into heauen where thou shalt ioyfully remayn in Gods presence for euer as the true inheritor of his euerlasting kingdome vnto that whiche that wast vndoubtedly predestinate ordeined by the Lords vnfallible purpose and decree before the foundation of the worlde was layde And that this is most true that I haue sayd I call the whole Trinity the almighty and eternall maiesty of God the father the sonne and the holy ghost to my record at this present whom I humbly beseech to confirme and stablish in thee the true and liuelye feeling of the same Amen Selah Now with a mery hart and a ioyfull spirit something mixed with lawful teares I take my farewel of you mine owne deare brother in the Lorde who sende vs shortly a merye meeting in his kingdome that we maye both sing prayses together vnto him with hys holy Aungelles and blessed spirites for euer euer Farewel thou blessed of the Lord farewell in Christ depart vnto thy rest in the Lorde and pray for me for Gods sake As I had made an ende of this simple Letter I hearde some comfort both of good Maister Philpots seruant and yours but alas I doe scarcely beleue them Well I wyll hope in God pray all night that God will send me some comfort to morrowe and if the Lorde geue you sparing to morow let me heare foure words of comfort from you for Gods sake The blessing of God be with you now and for euer Amen Yours for euer in the Lord Iesus Iohn Careles liuing in hope agaynst hope In reading this letter of Iohn Careles to M. Bradford aboue prefixed wherein he maketh so much mētion of a certayne letter of his sent to him and of the great exceeding consolation he receiued of the same thou wilt wishe peraduenture good louing Reader in thy mynd to haue some sight also of the sayd Letter of M. Bradford Wherein to satisfy thy desire or rather to preuent thy petition I haue hereunto annexed the same to the entent thou mayest not onely vnderstand the contentes therof but also receiue fruit therof to thy cōsolation likewise The purport of the letter here foloweth ¶ Mayster Bradford to Careles ALmighty God our deare father through and for the merits of his dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christ be mercifull vnto vs pardon vs our offences vnder the winges of his mercy he protect vs from all euill from henceforth and for euer Amen Deare brother Careles I hartely pray you to pray to GOD for me for the pardon of my manifold sinnes and most grieuous offences whiche neede none other demonstration vnto you then this namely that I haue behaued my selfe so negligently in aunswering your godly triple letters whiche are three witnesses agaynst me God lay not them nor none other thing to my charge to condemnation though to correction not my will but his wil be done Concerning your request of absolution my dearest brother what shall I saye but euen as trueth is that the
for that there was a Peuter dishe whereof the name was scraped out theyr bodyes vpon the same were attached put in prison theyr moueable goodes taken by inuētory Within a few daies after these things this done past these 3. sely women abiding thus in durance in the castle made theyr supplication to the Iustices to haue iustice ministred vnto them videlicet If they had offended the law then to let them haue the law if not beseeching to graunt them the benefite of Subiects c. Which supplication put vp thereupon were they appoynted to come to theyr answere the fift day of Iune in the yeare aforesayd Uppon which day after straight examining of the matter and the honest aunswering of the cause by the sayde good woman at the last they submitted them to the report of their neighbours that they were no theeues nor euill disposed persons but liued truely and honestly as became Christian women to do the false and vntrue report of theyr accusers notwithstanding So the cause being thus debated after the inquirye made by the kinges Officers they were founde by theyr said neighbors not guilty of that they were charged wyth but had liued alwayes as honest women among them sauing onely that to the commaundementes of holy church they had not bene obedient c. Upon this triall verdit of the neighbours it was in fine adiudged firste that the sayd Uincent Gosset being atteinted of fellonye and condemned for the same should be whipped and after her eare being nailed to the pillory should so be banished out of the Isle without further punishment And as touching the other three women the Mother with her two daughters for theyr not comming to the Church they were returned prisoners agayn into the Castle the first of Iuly And thus farre concerning the true discourse of this matter with all the circumstaunces and appurtenaunce of the same in euery poynt as the case stoode according to the faythfull tenour and testimony of the Garnesey menne written with theyr owne handes both in Frenche and English tongue Wherein you see what false surmised matter was pretended agaynst these women and nothing proued and howe by the attestation of theyr neighbours they were fully clered of that facte and should by the temporall Courte haue bene dismissed had not the spirituall Clergy men picking matter of religion agaynst them exercised such extremitye in persecuting these miserable prisoners that in no case they could escape theyr bloudye handes till at length they had brought them as you shall heare to theyr finall ende For after the time of this declaration aboue mentioned made by the neighbours whereby they were purged of al other thinges being then known of theyr not comming to the Church the Bailiefes Lieutenaunt and the Iustice thinking the matter not to perteyne to them but to the Clergy forthwith wrote theyr letters or Mandate vnder theyr signes to the deane whose name was Iaques Amy and Curates of the sayd Isle The contentes wherof here foloweth ¶ A Letter sent from the Bailieffes Lieutenaunt and Iurates of Saynt Peters Port to the Deane and Curates of the Isle of Garnesey MAyster Deane and Iustices in your Court and iurisdiction after all amiable recommendations pleaseth you to know that we are informed by the deposition of certayn honest men past before vs in maner of an inquiry in the which inquiry Katherine Cawches and her two daughters haue submitted themselues in a certayne matter criminall Wherein we be informed that they haue bene disobedient to the commaundementes and ordinances of the Church in contēning and forsaking the masse and the ordinances of the same agaynst the will and commaundement of our souereigne Lord the king and the Queene Wherof we send you the sayd matter for as much as the matter is spirituall to the end you may proceed therein after your good discretions and as brieflye as you can possible and also that it perteined to your office recommēding you to God the which geue you grace to do that perteineth to right and iustice Written the first day of the moneth of Iuly the yeare of our Lord. 1556. After these letters and information thus addressed to Iaques Amy Deane and to other of the Clergy the sayde women were agayne commensed before the Iustice aforesaid with his assistances In the presence of whom they being examined of theyr fayth concerning the ordinances of the Romish church made their aunswere that they would obey and keepe the ordinaunces of the king Queene the cōmaundementes of the church notwithstanding that they had sayd and done the contrary in the time of K. Edward the 6. in shewing obedience to his ordinaunces and commaundementes before After which aunswere taken they were returned againe to prison vntill the other had an answere of their letter frō the deane his cōplices During which time the Deane curates gaue their information touching the sayd women and deliuered the same to the Bailiefe and Iurates cōdemning and reputing them for hereticks the women neither hearing of any information neither yet being euer examined at any time before of theyr fayth and religion Wherupon when the said Bailife Iurates vnderstood that the sayd Deane Curates had not examined the women of theyr fayth would not fitte in iudgement on that day but ordeined the women to come first before the Deane and Curates to be examined of their fayth And so the Officers at the commaundement of the Iustices did fetch and present them before the sayd Deane and Curates The which being accomplished and done they were examined a parte seuerally one from an other After which examination they incontinently were returned agayne into prison Then the xiiij day of the sayd moneth of Iuly in the yeare aforesayd after the examination aboue specified before Elyer Gosselin Bailiffe in the presence of Thomas Deuicke Pierres Martine Nicolas Cary Iohn Blondel Nicolas de Lisle Iohn Lauerchaunt Iohn le Feuer Pierres Bonnamy Nicolas Martin Iohn de la March Iurates Syr Iaques Amy Deane and the Curates dyd deliuer before the Iustice vnder the seale of the Deane vnder the signes of the Curates a certayne Act and Sentence the summe whereof was that Katherine Cawches and her two daughters were found heretickes and suche they reputed them and haue deliuered them to Iustice to do execution according to the Sentence of the which the tenour foloweth ¶ The Sentence AN. dom millesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo sexto die verò .xiij. mensis Iulij apud Ecclesiam diui Petri in portu maris insula promotor per nos Dominum Decanum inquisitio facta fuit de fide Catholica super Sacramenta Ecclesiastica videlicet super Sacramentum Baptismi confirmationis poenitentiae ordinis Matrimonij Eucharistiae extremae vnctionis nec non super ceremonias Ecclesiae ac de veneratione honoratione beatae Mariae sanctorum de Missa eius efficacia
theyr skinnes to be pluckt of for the Gospels sake Notwithstanding the Bishops afrayd belike of the nuÌ„ber to put so many at once to death sought meanes to deliuer them and so they did drawing out a very easy submission for them or rather suffring them to draw it out theÌ„selues notwithstanding diuers of theÌ„ afterward were takeÌ„ againe suffered as hereafter ye shall heare God willing declared Such as met them by the way coÌ„ming vp saw them in the fieldes scattering in such sort as that they might haue easily escaped away And when they entred into the townes their keepers called them againe into aray to go two two together hauing a band or line going betweene them they holding the same in theyr handes hauing another corde euery one about his arme as though they were tied And so were these fourteene men eight women caried vp to London the people by the way praying to God for them to geue them strength At the entring into London they were pinioned so came into the city as the Picture here shortly after folowing with their names also subscribed doth describe But first let vs declare concerning their taking and their attachers conteined in the Commissaryes letter written to Boner then the Indenture made betwene the commissioners and the popish coÌ„missary The letter of the Commissary is this ¶ The Letter of the Commissary called Iohn Kingston written to Bishop Boner AFter my duety done in receiuing and accoÌ„plishing your honorable and most louing letters dated the 7. of August Be it knowne vnto your Lordship that the 28. of August the Lorde of Oxenford Lord Darcy H. Tyril A. Brown W. Bendlowes E. Tyrill Ric. Weston Roger Apleton published their coÌ„missioÌ„ to selfe landes and tenements goodes of the fugitiues so that the owners should haue neither vse nor commodity thereof but by InueÌ„tory remaine in safe keeping vntill the cause were determined And also there was likewise proclaimed the queenes graces warrant for the restitution of the Church goods within Colchester the hundredes thereabout to the vse of Gods seruice And then were called the parishes particularly the hereticks partly coÌ„mitted to my examination And that diuers persons should certify me of theyr ornamentes of theyr Churches betwixt this and the Iustices next appearaunce which shal be on Michaelmas euen nexte And that parish which had presented at two seuerall times to haue all ornamentes with other thinges in good order were exonerated for euer til they were warned againe others to make theyr appearaunce from time to time And those names blotted in the Indenture were indited for treason fugitâ—ues or disobedients and were put foorth by M. Brownes commaundement And before the sealing my Lord Daâ—cy said vnto me apart and M. Bendlowes that I should haue sufficient time to send vnto your Lordship yea if need were the heretickes to remayne indurance till I had an answere from you yea to the Lord Legates graces Commissioners come into the Country And mayster Browne came into my Lord Darcyes house parlour belonging vnto M. Barnaby before my sayd Lord and all the Iustices and laid his hand of my shoulder with a smiling couÌ„tenaunce and desired me to make his harty commeÌ„dations vnto your good Lordship and asked me if I would and I said Yea with a good will Wherefore I was glad and thought that I should not haue bene charged with so sodeine carriage But after dinner the Iustices councelled with the Bayliffes and with the Gaolers and then after tooke me vnto them and made collation of the Indentures and sealed and then Mayster Browne commaunded me this after noone being the 30. of August to go and receyue my prisoners by and by And then I sayd it is an vnreasonable commaundemeÌ„t for that I haue attended of you here these three dayes and this Sonday early I haue sent home my men Wherefore I desire you to haue a conuenient time appoynted wherein I may know whether it will please my Lord my maister to sende his Commissioners hither or that I shall make carriage of them vnto his Lordship Then M. Browne We are certified that the Councell hath written vnto your mayster to make speed and to rid these prisoners out of hand therefore go receiue your prisoners in haste Then I Sir I shall receiue them within these tenne dayes Then M. Browne The limitation lyeth in vs and not in you wherfore get you hence Syr ye haue indited and deliuered me by this Indenture whose fayth or opinions I know not trusting that ye will grauÌ„t me a time to examine them least I should punish the Catholicks Well sayd Maister Browne for that cause ye shall haue time betwixt this and Wednesday And I say vnto you maister Bailiffes if he do not receiue them at your handes on Wednesday set open your doore and let them go Then I My Lord and maisters all I promise to discharge the towne and countrey of these heretickes within ten dayes Then my Lord Darcy sayd CoÌ„missary we do and must all agree in one Wherfore do you receiue them on or before Wednesday Then I My Lord the last I carryed I was goyng betwixte the Castell and Sayncte Katherines Chappell two howres and an halfe and in great preasse and daunger Wherefore thâ—s may be to desire your Lordship to geue in commaundement vnto my Mayster Sayer Bayliffe here present for to ayd me thorough his liberties not onely with men and weapons but that the Towne clarke may bee ready there with his booke to write the names of the most busie persons and this vpon three houres warning all whiche both my Lorde and M. Browne commaunded And the 31. of August William Goodwin of Muchbirch husbandman this brynger and Thomas Alsey of Copforde youre Lordships Apparitour of your Consistory in Colchester couenaÌ„ted with me that they shoulde hyre two other men at the leaste whereof one should be a Bowman to come to me the next day about two of the clocke at after noone so that I might recite this bargayne before M. Archdeacon and pay the money that is 46. shillinges 8. pence Wherefore they should then go foorth wyth me vnto Colchester on Wednesday before three of the clock in the morning receiue there at my hand within the Castell and Motehall fourteen men and eight women ready bound wyth giues and hempe and driue cary or lead and feede with meat drinke as heretickes ought to be found continually vnto suche time that the sayd William and Thomas shall cause the sayde 22. persones for to be deliuered vnto my Lord of Londons Officers and within the safe keeping of my sayd Lorde and then to bring vnto me againe the sayd Giues with a perfect token of or from my sayd Lord and then this couenant is voyde or els c. Maister Bendlowes sayde vnto mee in my Lorde of Oxenfordes Chamber at the kinges head after I had sayd Masse before the Lordes that on
himselfe about towards the East and exhorted the people there likewise Now it chaunced on a bancke to stande three Archpapistes George Boyes Henry Barley Gray all three of Trinity Colledge This Boyes was one of the Proctors of the Uniuersity that yeare To whome Mayster Graye spake saying heare ye not maister Proctor what blasphemy this felow vttereth surely it is euil done to suffer him At whose words this Boyes spake with a loud voice M. Maior what meane ye if ye suffer him thus to talke at liberty I tell ye the Counsell shall heare of it and we take you not to be the Queenes frend He is a pernitious person and may do more harme then ye wote of Wherat simple Hullier as meeke as a Lambe taking the matter very patiently made no answere but made him ready vttering his prayer Which done he went meekely himselfe to the stake and with chaines being bound was beset with reed wood stāding in a pitchbarrell the fire being set to not marking the winde it blew the flame to his backe Thē he feeling it began earnestly to call vpon God Neuertheles his frendes perceiuing the fire to be ill kindled caused the Sergeantes to turne it and fire it in that place where the winde might blow it to his face That done there was a cōpany of bookes which were cast into the fire and by chaunce a Communion booke fell betwene his handes who receyuing it ioyfully opened it read so long as the force of the flame smoke caused him that he could see no more and then he fell agayne to prayer holding his handes vp to heauen the booke betwixte his armes next his hart thanking God for sending him it and at that time the day being a very fayre day a whote yet the winde was somewhat vp and it caused the fier to be the fiercer and when al the people thought he bad bene dead he sodenly vttered these wordes Lord Iesu receaue my spirit dying very meekely The place where he was burned is called Iesus grene not farre from Iesus Colledge Seager gaue him certeine gunpouder but little to the purpose for he was dead before it took fire All the people praied for him and many a teare was shed for him Which the Papistes seing cried he was not to be prayed for being but a dāned man it could profit him nothing neuertheles they cōtinued praying Wherat the Papistes fell in such a rage that they manaced them with terrible threatninges to ward His flesh beyng cōsumed his bones stood vpright euē as if they had bene aliue Of the people some took as they could get of him as pieces of bones One had his hart◠the which was distributed so farre as it would go one took the scalpe and looked for the toung but it was consumed except the very roote One roūded him in the eare and desired him to be constaunt to the end at which he spake nothing but shewed a ioyful countenaunce and so continued both constaunt and ioyfull to the end A Note of Thomas Rede THo Rede who was burned at Lewes as it appeareth aboue pag. 1807. before he was in prison determined with himselfe to go to church The night following he sawe in a vision a company of talle young men in white very pleasant to behold to whō he would haue ioyned himself but it would not be Then he looked on himselfe and he was full of spottes therewith waked tooke hold and stood to the truth god be thanked therefore and so constantly was burned wyth his felowes as is aboue specified pag. 2095. ¶ Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper burnt at Norwich IN the Moneth of Iulye nexte ensued the Martyrdome of Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper This Simon dwelling then in the Towne of Linne a Godly and zealous man in the knowledge of the Lord and of his trueth detesting and abhorring the contrary enforced Religiō thē set forth came from Linne to Norwich where he standing in the prease and hearing of the people comming out the same time from their popish seruice ended in the Churche began to aske them comming out of the Church where he might go to haue the communiō At which wordes diuers much maruelling to heare see his boldnes one that was an euill disposed Papist hearing the same said that if he would needs go to a communion he would go bring him thither where he should be sped of his purpose Wherupō shortly after hee was brought to the Chauncellour of Norwiche whose name was Dunning who after a few wordes small talk passed with this examinate committed him to Warde In the meane while as he was in examination he had in his shoo his confession written in a certein paper wherof a peece appearing aboue his shoo was spyed and taken out The Chauncellour asking if he would stand to the cōfession of the same fayth therin conteined he constantly affirmed the same Wherupō as is sayd he was committed Thus the sayd Simon being in the Bishops house vnder custody of the keper there called M. Felow how it happened it is not certayne whether by gentlenesse of the keper who was somewhat gentle that wayes or by leaue geuē of the Bishop or els whether he had cōdescended of a purpose to theyr articles he was dismissed and went home to his house at Linne Where hee continued a certayne space while he had disposed and set there all things in order That done he returned againe to the bishops house to his prison and keeper till the time at length he cōstantly abiding in his professed purpose defence of Gods trueth was by the sayd byshop and his Chauncellour cōdemned and committed to the fire about the xiij day of Iuly ¶ Elizabeth Cooper Martyr WIth this Simon Miller also was burnt one Elizabeth Cooper as is aforesayde a Pewterers Wife dwelling in Saynt Andrewes parish in Norwich where she had before recanted and beyng vnquyet for the same and greatlye troubled inwardlye at the last came into the sayd Saynt Andrewes Church the people beyng at theyr popish seruice and there standing in the same sayde she reuoked her recantation before made in that place and was hartely sorye that euer she did it willing the people not to bee deceiued neither to take her doynges before for an example c. These or suche like woordes shee spake in the Church Then cryed one Bacon of the sayd Parish laying hys armes abroade saying Mayster Shiriffe will you suffer this and repeating the same vrged hym to goe from the church to her house at whose knocking she came downe was taken and sent to prison This Shiriffe named M. Thomas Sutterton she had bene seruauntes together before in one house for the frendship he bare vnto her the more for the gospels sake he was very loth to do it but that he was inforced by those other persons before
Amongest the doers wherof was the said maister Ualentine Dyngley witnes and reporter hereof as is afore declared We read in the story of Titus Liuius of king PorseÌ„na who after the burning of the righte hande of M. Scaeuola which came purposely to kill him beyng onely contented therewith sent him home to Rome agayne But thus to burne the handes of poore men and women whiche neuer meant any harme vnto them and yet not contented with that but also to consume theyr whole bodyes without any iust cause we find no example of such barbarous tyranny neither in Titus Liuius neither in any other story amongest the heathen But to returne to our Colchester Martirs againe as touching William Munt his Wyfe and burning of their daughter Rose Allins hand sufficient hath bene declared With the sayd William Munt and his family was ioyned also in the same prison at Colchester another faithfull brother named Iohn Iohnson alias Aliker of Thorpe in the County of Essex labourer of the age of xxxiiij yeares hauing no wife aliue but three yong children who also was with them indicted of heresy and so all these foure laye together in Colchester Castle The other sixe prisoners lay in Mote Hall in the sayde towne of Colchester whose names were First William Bongeor of the parish of S. Nicholas in Colchester Glasier of the age of lx yeares 2. Tho. Benold of Colchester Talow Chaundler 3. W. Purcas of Bocking in the County of Essex Fuller a yong man of the age of xx yeares 4. Agnes Syluerside alias Smith dwelling in Colchester widow of the age of lx yeares 5. Helene Ewring the wiâ—e of Iohn Ewring Myller dwelling in Colchester of the age of fiue and forty yeares or thereaboutes who was one of the two and twenty prisoners mentioned before pag. 1863. sent vp in bandes froÌ„ Colchester to London and after being deliuered with the rest repayred home to Colchester agayne to her husbande where notwithstanding she enioyed her liberty not verye long for shortly after her returne met with her one Rob. Maynard then Bayliffe of Colchester a speciall enemy to Gods Gospell who spying her came to her kissed her bade her welcome home from London Unto whome she considerately aunswered agayne and sayd that it was but a Iudas kisse For in the end quoth she I know you will betray me As in deed it came to passe for immediately after that talke she was apprehended by him againe there lodged with the rest in the towne prison as is aforesayde called the Mote hall 6. The sixt of this company was Elizabeth Folkes a yong mayd and seruaunt in Colchester of the age of tweÌ„ty yeares These sixe were imprisoned in the town prison of Colchester called Mote Hall as the other soure aboue specified were in the Castle Diuers examinations these good men had at sundrye times before diuers Iustices Priestes and Officers as M. Roper Iohn Kingstone Commissary Iohn Boswell Priest and Boners Scribe and others moe whereof the sayd Boswell made relation to Bishop Boner certifying him of their depositions as is to be read in our first book of Actes and Monumentes pag. 1607. Last of all they were examined again in Mote hall the xxiij day of Iune by doctour Chadsey Iohn Kingstone Commissary with other Priestes Boswell the Scribe in the presence of the two Bailiffes of Colchester Robert Browne Robert Maynard with diuers other Iustices both of the town country and other Gentlemen a great sort at which tyme and place and before the said persons they had sentence of condemnation read agaynst theÌ„ chiefely for not affirming the reall presence of the Sacrament in theyr Aultar The effect of theyr wordes therein was this or such like as here foloweth ¶ First the Lordes faythfull prisoners in Mote Hall WIlliaÌ„ Bongeor of the parish of S. Nicolas in Colchester Glasier sayd that the sacrameÌ„t of the aultar was bread is bread so remayneth bread for the consecration it is not the holyer but rather the worse To thys he did stand as also agaynst all the rest of their Papisticall doctrine and so had sentence read agaynst him Thomas Benold of Colchester Talow Chaundler affirmed the like in effect that the sayd WilliaÌ„ Bongeor dyd and so had sentence also read against him W. Purcas of Bocking said that when he receiued the sacrament he receiued bread in an holy vse that preacheth the remembrance that Christ died for him To this he stood and against other theyr popish matters and so also had seÌ„tence read agaynst him Agnes Syluerside alias Smith sayd that she loued no Consecration For the breade and wine is rather worse then better therby she sayd This good olde woman aunswered them with such sound iudgement and boldnesse to euery thing they asked her that it reioyced the heartes of many and especially to see the pacience of such a reuerende olde age agaynst the tauntes and checkes of her enemies To this she also stood and had sentence read agaynst her in like maner Helene Ewring aunswered the like in effect as the other did clearely denying all the lawes set forth by the Pope with her whole hart This good woman was somewhat thicke of hearing but yet quick in vnderstanding the Lords matters his name therfore be praysed Agaynst her also there was sentence read Elizabeth Folkes the young mayden being examined whether she beleued the presence of Christes body to be in the Sacrament substantially and really or no answered that she beleued that it was a substantiall lye and a reall lye At which wordes the Priestes and others chafed very much and asked her agayne whether after the Consecration there remayned not the bodye of Christ in the Sacrament And she aunswered that before Consecration and after it is but bread and that man blesseth without Gods word is cursed abhominable by the word c. Then they examined her of confession to the Priest of going to church to heare Masse of the authority of the Bishoppe of Rome c. Unto all which she answered that she woulde neyther vse nor frequent none of them all by the grace of God but vtterly detest and and abhorre them from the bottome of our hart and all such trumpery Then read they the sentence of condemnation against her In which time Doct. Chadsey wept that the teares trickled downe his cheekes So the sentence being read she kneeled downe on both her knees lifting vp her haÌ„ds eyes vnto heauen with seruent praier in audible voyce praysing God that euer shee was borne to see that moste blessed and happy day that the Lord would count her worthy to suffer for the testimony of Christ and Lord sayd she if it be thy will forgeue them that this haue done against me for they know not what they doe Then rising vp she exhorted al those on the Benche to repentaunce especially those who brought her to prison as
sithens the 10. day of Ianuarie last or to vse receiue or alow any ceremonies sacramēts or other rites then vsed in the church To all these Articles he answeared affirmatiuely denieng precisely none of them sauing to this clause contained in the 12. article that a man is not bounde to fast and pray but at his owne will pleasure he sayde that he had affirmed no such thing but he confessed that he had not fasted nor prayed so oft as he was bounde to doe And vnto this answer he also subscribed in this sorte Except it be prooued otherwise by the holy Scripture I doe affirme these articles to be true By me Rafe Allerton The next examination was the fourth daye of Iulie The actes whereof because they do appeare more amply in hys other examination had the 10. daye of September I doe heere omit geuing you farther to vnderstande that vppon the seuenth daye of the same moneth of Iulie hee was brought before Doctor Darbishiere in the Byshops Palace who examined him againe vppon the former Articles and after perswaded him to recant threatning hym that otherwise he should be burned To whome he boldly answeared I woulde I mighte be condemned euen to morrowe for I perceiue my Lord meaning Boner doth nothing but seeke mennes bloud Uppon whiche sayinge Darbishire committed him againe to prisone and the 10. day of September the Bishop caused him with the other thre aboue named to be brought vnto Fulham and there in his priuate Chappell wythin his house hee iudiciallye propounded vnto him certaine other newe Articles of the whyche the tenours of the first fifte sixte and seuenth are already mentioned in the seconde thirde and fourthe former obiections as for the rest the contentes thereof here followeth Thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the Information geuen against thee and remaining now in the Actes of this court of thine Ordinarie Edmunde Bishop of London was and is a true information This information was geuen by Tho. Tie Curate of Bentley of whome yee haue already heard and certaine other of the same parishe and affinitie as namelye Iohn Painter William Harris Iohn Barker Iohn Carter Thomas Candeler Ieffrey Bestwoode Iohn Richarde Richard Meere The effect whereof was that one Laurence Edwards of Bentley aforesayde had a child that was vnchristened and being demaunded by the sayde Tye whye hys childe was not Baptised he made aunsweare it should be when he coulde finde one of his religion meaning a true professour of Christes gospell Whereat the Curate sayd Ah ye haue hadde some instructer that hathe schooled yo◠of late Yea quoth the sayd Edwardes that I haue and if youre doctrine be better then his then I will beleeue you and therewithall fondly offered to fetch him Wherupon the Cōstable going with him they brought before the said curate the said Rafe Allerton of whome in this information they make this reporte that he was a seditious person who sithens his comming down from the bish had set vpon the Constables doore certaine seditious Letters moouing and perswading thereby the people to folow his malicious disobedience and that these his perswasions had taken effecte in manye And farther that the saide Rafe Allerton the Curate asking him whether he had instructed thys Laurence Edwardes that it was agaynst Gods commandement to enter into the church casting abroad his hands should say Oh good people now is fulfilled the saying of the godly Priest and Prophet Esdras who sayeth The fire of a multitude is kindled against a fewe they haue taken away their houses spoiled their goods c. Which of you all haue not seen this day who is he here amongest you that seeth not all these things done vpon vs this day The church which they call vs vnto is the church of Antichrist a persecuting church and the church malignant With these and many mo words said they most maliciously and falsly alledged out of the Scriptures he thus perswaded a great multitude there present as muche as in him lay vnto disobedience For the which cause the constables did then apprehend him 3. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letter sent vnto me by my Lorde Darcie beginning wyth these woordes pleaseth it your Lordship c. was thine owne letter and was subscribed by thine owne hand The contents of the letter mentioned in this Article and wrytten by Allerton vnto the Lorde Darcie was a confession of his demeanor before his first apprehension the effect and purport whereof because it appeareth in the beginning of this his Historie I doe heere omit 4. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not deny but that the other letter sent also to me from my said Lord Darcy beginning thus pleaseth it youre Lordship c. and ending with these woordes whensoeuer it be is thine owne very letter and subscribed with thine owne hand This was also an other letter wrytten by hym vnto the Lorde Darcie the contents whereof were that where the said Lorde had commaunded him to declare where he had bene euer sithens Whitsontide last before hys first apprehension this was to certifie his Lordship that he was not able so to do otherwise then as he had already shewed him by his former letters And moreouer where as hee charged him to haue read vnto the people abroade in the woodes he certified him that he did neuer read any thyng abroad sauing once whē he was in the cōpany of George Eagles and others Richarde Roth tooke a wryting out of his bosome and desired the saide Rafe to read it which request heethen accomplished and demaunding of hym whose doing the same was the said Roth told that it was maister Cranmers late Archbishop of Canterburie and farther he could not shew him Neuertheles he was ready and willing to suffer such punishment as his lordship should thinke meete desiring yet that the same myghte be with fauour and mercye although hee feared neither punishment nor death praying the Lord that it might be in his feare when soeuer it should be 8. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letters wrytten with bloud beginning with these words Grace mercy and peace c. and ending thus Farewell in God remaining nowe Registred in the Actes of thys Court were wrytten voluntarily with thine owne hand He wrote this letter in the prison with bloud for lacke of other inke and did meane to send the same vnto Agnes Smith alias Siluerside at that time imprisoned and afterwardes burned at Colchester for the testimonie of the Gospell of Christe as before is mencioned The Copie of which letter heere ensueth A letter wrytten by Rafe Allerton vnto Agnes Smith Widowe GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ with the assistance of Gods holy spirite and the aboundant health both of soule and body I wish vnto you as to mine owne soule as GOD knoweth who is the searcher of all secretes Forasmuch as it hath pleased
being then commaunded to appeare the Friday next following was brought vnto the Iustice Hall without Newgate where he had the like conflictes with the foresayde Bishoppe and diuers other Iustices At length he was assigned the Saterdaye folowing to be present in the Bishops consistory Court to heare his finall sentence At whiche day and place the sayd Examinate appearyng as he was commaunded the Byshop after other matter of communication asked hym if he knew any cause why the sentence should not be read agaynst hym To whom the sayd Mayster Gibson aunswered that the Bishoppe had nothing wherefor iustly to condemne him The Bishops reason was agayne obiected to him that men sayd he was an euil man To whom Gibson replying agayne yea sayth he and so may I saye of you also To be short after this and such other talke the Bishop hasted vnto the sentence Which being read Gibson yet agayne admonished to remember himselfe and to saue his soule sayd that he would not heare the Byshops babling and sayde moreouer boldly protesting and affirming that he was contrarye and an enemye to them all in his mind and opinion although he had afore time kepte it secret in minde for feare of the law And speaking to the bishop blessed sayd he am I that am cursed at your handes We haue noâ—hing now but thus will I. For as the bishop sayth so must it be And now heresy is to turne the trueth of Gods word into lyes and that do you meaning the bishop and his felowes Thus this valiaunt souldiour fighting for the Gospel and sincere doctrine of Gods trueth and religion agaynst falsehood and errour was committed with his felowes to the secular power And so these three godly men Iohn Hallingdale William Sparrow and Maister Gibson being thus appointed to the slaughter were the xij day after theyr condemnation which was the xviij day of the sayde Moneth of Nouember burnt in Smithfielde in London And beyng brought thyther to the stake after theyr prayer made they were bound thereunto with cheines and wood sette vnto them and after wood fire in the which being compassed about and the fierye flames consuming theyr fleshe at the last they yelded gloriously and ioyfully theyr soules and lyues into the holy bandes of the Lord to whose tuition and gouernement I commend thee good Reader Amen ¶ It is a litle aboue declared in this story of Richarde Gibson how Boner ministred vnto the layd Gibson certeyne Articles to the nuÌ„ber of nine Now let vs see lykewise the Articles which the sayde Gibson ministred agayne to Boner according to the same number of nine for him to aunswere vnto as by the same here vnder written may appeare ¶ Articles proponed by Richard Gibson vnto Edmund Boner Byshop of London by him to be aunswered be yea or nay or els to say he cannot tell 1. WHether the Scriptures of God written by Moyses other holy Prophetes of God through fayth that is in Christ Iesus is auayleable doctrine to make all men in all thinges vnto saluation learned without the helpe of anye other doctrine or no. 2. What is authority and from whence it commeth to whom it apperteineth and to what end it tendeth 3. Whether the holy word of God as it is written doth sufficiently teach all men of what dignity estate or calling by office so euer he or they be theyr full true and lawfull duety in theyr office and whether euery man of what dignity estate or calling by office so euer he or they be are bound vpon the payne of eternall damnation in all thinges to do as they are hereby taught commaunded and in no wise to leaue vndone any thing that is to be done being taught and commaunded by the same 4 Whether any man the Lorde Iesu Christ God and man onely except by the holye ordinaunce of God euer was is or shall be Lord ouer fayth and by what lawfull authority any man of what dignity estate or calling by office soeuer he or they be may vse Lordship or power ouer any man for fayth sake or for the secrecy of his conscience 5. By what lawfull authority or power any man of what dignity estate or calling so euer he or they be may be so bolde as to alter or chaunge the holy ordinaunces of God or any of them or any part of them 6. By what euident tokens Antichrist in his Ministers may bee knowne seing it is written that Sathan can chaunge himselfe in to the similitude of an Aungell of light and his ministers fashion themselues as though they were the Ministers of righteousnesse and how it may be knowne to him that is desirous thereof when he is one of that number or in the daunger thereof or when he is otherwise 7. What the beast is the which maketh warre with the Sayntes of God and doth not onely kill them but also will suffer none to buy nor sell but such as worship his Image or receiue his marke in theyr right handes or in theyr foreheades his name or the number of his name or do worship his Image which hy the iuste and terrible sentence of God already decreed shal be punished in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the lambe and they shall haue no rest day nor night but the smoake of their torment shall ascend vp for euermore Also what the gorgious glittering whore is the which sitteth vpon the beast with a Cup of gold in her hand full of abhominations with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the inhabitours of the earth and she her selfe also is dronken with the bloud of Sainctes which is the wine of her fornication whose flesh the hornes of the beast shall teare in pieces and burne her with fire For god hath put in their hartes to do his will 8. Whether a king ouer all those people whiche are borne and inhabite within his owne dominions regions and countryes or any part of them of what dignity estate or calling by office soeuer they be here vpon this earth immediately vnder Christ by the holy ordinaunce of God is lawfull supreame and chiefe Gouernor or no And whether a king ouer all those people within his dominions regions and countryes and euery part of them by holy ordinaunce of God lawfully may and ought not otherwise to doe nor suffer otherwise to be done then in his owne name power and authority the name of God onely except as lawfull supreame and chiefe heade in all thinges that belongeth to rule without exception to gouerne and rule And whether all those people of what dignity estate or calling soeuer they be are bouÌ„d by the holy ordinaunce of God to owe theyr whole obedience and seruice in all thinges without exception theyr duety to god onely excepted to their king onely as to theyr supreame and chiefe Gouernour vpon earth immediately vnder Christ And whether a king without offence agaynst GOD and his people maye
for dreames he sayd were but phantasies and not to be credited Then maister Rough straightly charged him in the name of the Lord to doe it Whereupon the sayde Cutbert tooke suche notes out of the booke as hee had willed hym to doe and immediately left the booke with M. Roughes wife The next day following in the night the said Maister Rough had an other dreame in his sleepe concerning hys owne trouble The matter wherof was this He thought in his dreame that he was caried himselfe forceably to the Bishop and that the Bishop pluckt of his beard and cast it into the fire saying these wordes Nowe I may saye I haue had a peece of an heretick burned in my house and so according it came to passe Now to returne to Cutbert agayne as we haue touched something coâ—cerning these visions so nowe remayneth to story also of his paynes and sufferinges vpon the racke and otherwise like a good Laurence for the congregations sake as he wrote it with his owne hand ¶ A true report how I was vsed in the Tower of London being sent thether by the Counsell the xiii day of December ON the Thursday after I was called vnto the warehouse before the Constable of the Tower and the Recorder of Londer Maister Cholmley they commaunded me to tell whome I did will to come to the Englishe seruice I aunswered I would declare nothing Wherupon I was set in a racke of Iron the space of three houres as I iudged Then they asked me if I would tell them I aunswered as before Then was I losed and caried to my lodging agayne On the sonday after I was brought into the same place agayne before the Lieuetenaunt and the Recorder of London and they examined me As before I had sayde I aunswered Then the Lieuetenaunt did sweare by god I shuld tell Then did they binde my 2. forefingers together and put a small arrowe betwixt them and drewe it through so fast that the bloude followed and the arrowe brake Then they racked me twise Then was I caryed to my lodging agayne and x. dayes after the Lieuetenant asked me if I would not confesse that which before they had asked me I sayd I had sayd as much as I would TheÌ„ fiue weekes after he sent me vnto the high Prieste where I was greatly assaulted and at whose hande I receiued the Popes curse for bearing witnesse of the resurrection of Iesus Christ. And thus I commend you vnto God and to the worde of his grace with all them that vnfaynedly call vpon the name of Iesus desiring God of his endles mercy through the merites of hys deare sonne Iesus Christe to bringe vs all to hys euerlasting kingdome Amen I prayse God for his great mercy shewed vppon vs. Syng Osanna vnto the highest with me Cutbert Simson God forgeue me my sinnes I aske all the worlde forgeuenesse and I doe forgeue all the worlde and thus I leaue thys world in hope of a ioyfull resurrection A note for Cutbert Simsons patience NOw as touching this Cutbert Simson this further is to be noted that Boner in his Consistory speaking of Cutbert Simson gaue this testimony of hym there to the people saying ye see this man sayth he what a personable man he is and after hee had thus commended hys persone added moreouer And furthermore concerning his pacience I say vnto you that if hee were not an hereticke hee is a manne of the greatest pacience that yet euer came before me For I tell you he hath bene thrise racked vppon one day in the Tower Also in my house hee hathe felt some sorrowe and yet I neuer see hys pacience broken c. ⧠A true description of the racking and cruell handeling of Cutbert Simson in the Tower It is thought and sayd of some that that arrowe whiche was grated betwixt his fingers being tyed together was not in the tower but in the Bishops house The day before the blessed Deacon and Martyr of god Cutbert Simson after his paynfull racking should go to his coÌ„deÌ„nation before Boner to be burned being in the Bishops colehouse there in the stockes he had a certayne vision or apparition very straunge which he himself with hys owne mouthe declared to the Godly learned man M. Austen to his owne wiâ—e and Thomas Simson and to others besides in the prison of Newgate a litle before his death The relation whereof I stande in no little doubte whether to reporte abroad or not considering with my selâ—e the greate diuersitie of mennes iudgementes in the reading of historyes and varietie of affections Some I see will not beleue it some will deride the same some also will be offended with setting forth things of that sorte incertayne esteeming all thinges to bee incertayne and incredible whatsoeuer is straunge from the common order of Nature Other will be perchaunce agreeued thinking with theÌ„ selues or els thus reasoning with me that althoughe the matter were as is reported yet for somuch as the common error of beleuing rash miracles phantasied visions dreames and appparitions thereby may be confirmed more expedient it were the same to be vnsetforth These and such lyke will be I know the sayinges of many Whereunto brieflye I aunswere grauntynge firste and admyttyng wyth the woordes of Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is not euery dreame is strait waye a Prophecie Agayne neither am I ignoraunt that the Papistes in their bookes and legendes of saintes haue theyr prodigious visions and apparitions of Aungelles of our Lady of Christ and other sayncts which as I wil not admit to be beleeued for true so will they aske me agayne why should I then more require these to be credyted of them then theirs of vs. First I write not this binding any manne precisely to beleue the same so as they do theyrs but onely reporte it as it hath bene heard of persons knowne naming also the parties who were the hearers thereof leauing the iudgment therof notwithstanding free vnto the arbitremente of the reader Aâ—beit it is no good argument proceedyng from the singular or particular to the vniuersall to saye that visions be not true in some ergo they be true in none And if any shall muse or obiect agayne why should suche visions be geuen to him or a few other singular persons more then to all the rest seeing the other were in the same cause and quarrell and dyed also martyrs as well as hee To thys I say concerning the Lordes tymes and doings I haue not to meddle nor make who may woorke where and when it pleaseth him And what if the Lorde thought chiefly aboue the other with singular consolation to respecte him who chiefly aboue the other and singularly did suffer most exquisite tormentes for his sake What greate maruell herein but as I sayd of the Lords secrete tymes I haue not to reason This onely whiche hathe out of the mans owne mouth bene receiued so as I receiued it of the
these articles thus ministred and layd to Cutbert Simson with his aunsweres likewise vnto the same the Bishop calling them altogether obiected to them other positions and articles the same whiche before are mentioned in the story of Bartlet Greene. pag. 1736. onely the 8. Article out of the same omitted and excepted which Articles because they are already expressed in the page aboue mentioned we neede not here to make anye newe reporte thereof but onely referre the Reader to the place assigned ¶ The aunsweres generall of Cutbert Simson Hugh Foxe and Iohn Deuinishe to the Articles by the Bishop to them generally proposed TO the first Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely but Iohn Deuenishe added that that Churche is grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles Christe being the head corner stone and how in that Churche there is the true fayth and religion of Christ. To the second Article they all confessed and beleeued that in Christes Catholicke Churche there are but two Sacramentes that is to witte Baptisme and the supper of the Lord otherwise they do not beleue the contentes of this Article to be true in any part therof To the 3. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely To the 4. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely ¶ Three godly Martirs burned in Smithfield To the sixt Article they al answered and denied to acknowledge the authoritie of the sea of Rome to be lawfull and good eyther yet his religion To the seuenth Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely that they haue and will doe still while they liue and Iohn Deuinishe adding thereto sayde that the sacrament of the aultar as it is now vsed is no sacrament at all To the 8. Article they all confessed and beleued all thynges aboue by them acknowledged and declared to be true and that they be of the Dioces of London and iurisdiction of the same These three aboue named persons and blessed witnesses of Iesus Christ Cutbert Foxe and Deuenish as they were altogether apprehended at Islington as is aboue declared so the same all three together suffered in Smithfield about the xxviii day of March in whose perfect constancie the same Lorde in whose cause and quarrell they suffered giuer of all grace and gouernour of all thinges be exalted for euer Amen ¶ The suffering and Martyrdome of William Nichole put to death by the wicked hands of the papistes at Herefordwest in Wales WE finde in al ages from the beginning that Sathan hath not ceassed at all times to molest the Churche of Christ with one affliction or other to the tryall of theyr fayth but yet neuer so aparauntly at anye time to all the worlde as when the Lorde hath permitted him power ouer the bodyes of hys saynctes to the shedding of theyr bloud and peruerting of religion for then sleepeth he not I warrant you from murdering of the same vnlesse they will fall downe with Achab and Iesabell to worship him and so kill and poyson their owne soules eternally as in The burning of W. Nicole at Herefordwest in Wales these miserable latter dayes of Queene Mary we haue felt heard and seene practised vppon Gods people Amonge whome wee finde recorded an honest good simple poore man one William Nicole who was apprehended by the Champions of the pope for speaking certayne wordes agaynst the cruell kingdome of Antichriste and the ninth day of Aprill 1558. was butcherly burnt and tormented at Herefordwest in Wales where he ended his life in a most happy and blessed state and gloriously gaue his soule into the handes of the Lorde whose goodnes bee praysed for euer Amen This William Nicoll as we are informed was so simple a good soule that many esteemed him half foolish But what he was we know not but this are we sure he died a good man and in a good cause what soeuer they iudge of hym And the more simplicitie of feeblenes of wit appeared in him the more beastly and wretched dothe it declare their cruell tyrannicall acte therin The Lord geue them repentaunce therefore if it bee his blessed will Amen Amen The Martyrdome of William Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson put to death by the persecuting papists at Norwich in the county of Norfolke IMmediately after William Nicoll succeeded in that honourable and glorious vocation of Martyrdome three constaunt godly menne at Norwiche in Northfolk who were cruelly and tyrannically put to death for the true testimony of Iesus Christ the xix of May. an 1558. Whose names be these William Seaman Thomas Carman Thomas Hudson The sayde William Seaman was an Husbandman of the age of xxvi yeares dwelling in Mendlesham in the county of Suffolke who was sūdry sought for tymes by the commandement of Sir Iohn Tirrell knight at laste he himselfe in the night searched his house and other places for him notwithstanding hee somewhat mist of his purpose God be thanked Then he gaue charge to hys Seruauntes Robert Baulding and Iames Clarke wyth others to seek for him Who hauing no officer went in the euening to hys house where he being at home they took him and caryed him to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tirrell This Baulding being Seamans nighe neighbour and whome the sayde Seaman greatly trusted as a speciall friend notwithstanding to doe hys Mayster a pleasure now became enemy to hys chiefe friend and was one of the busiest in the taking of him Now as they were goyng to cary hym to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tyrrell in the night it is credibly reported that there fell a lyghte betweene them out of the element and parted them Thys Baulding being in company with the rest when the light fell and albeit he was then in hys best age yet after the time neuer enioyed good daye but pyned away euen vnto the death Well for all that straunge sight as I sayd they caried him to theyr Mayster Who when he came asked him why he would not goe to Masse and to receaue the sacrament and so to worship it Unto which William Seaman aunswered denying it to bee a sacrament but sayde it was an Idoll and therefore would not receaue it After whiche wordes spoken sir Iohn Tirrel shortly sent hym to Norwiche to Hopton then Bishop and there after conference and examination had with him the bishop read his bloudy sentence of condemnation agaynst him and afterward deliuered him to the secular power who kepte him vnto the day of Martyrdome This sayd William Seaman left behynde him when he dyed a wife and three children very young and wyth the sayd young children hys wife was persecuted oute of the sayde towne also of Mendlesham because that shee would not go to heare Masse and all her corne and goods seased and taken awaye by Mayster Christopher Coles officers he being Lorde of the sayd towne Thomas Carman who as is sayd pledged Richarde Crashfield at hys burning and thereupon was apprehended being prisoner in Norwiche was about
question to aske a simple man whether the Latine seruice be good and lawfull Mathew Ricarby and Roger Hollande denied the seruice in Latine to be good 11. To the 11. Article they all confessed the same to be true in euery part sauing Henry Pond and Mathew Ricarby who aunsweared in effecte that they coulde not iudge thereof but leaue them to be tried by the woorde of God 12. To the 12. Article they graunted and confessed the same to be true and desired of God that the seruice were in the English againe 13. To the 13. Article they all graunted and confessed the same to be true 14. To the 14. Article they all graunted and confessed the same to be true in euery part Thus haue ye the aunsweres of these men to the foresayde Articles saue that Reginald Eastlande required to aunswere therunto refused so to do alleaging that he knoweth that to ende a strife an othe is lawfull but to beginne a strife an othe is not lawfull and therefore he nowe refuseth to take his othe in the beginning of this matter against him Whereupon being charged by the Bishoppe he said for his not aunswearing to the Articles he was contente to stande vnto the order of the lawe for his punishment whatsoeuer it should be The 17. day after of the sayd moneth of Iune the sayd Eastland appeared againe before the bishop who stāding firme in that he had sayd before denied to make any aunswere in that case c. Wherupon the sayd Eastland wyth the other 6. his felow prisoners were assigned by the Bishop to repaire againe to the same place at afternoone who being there present in the foresaid consistorie as they were commaunded and standing altogether before the said Bishop he beginning thus with them asked them if hee had committed them to prisone They sayde no but Maister Cholmley and the Recorder of London committed them to Newgate Then being demaunded further by the Bishop if hee had done any thing or acte to keepe them in prisone or to hinder their libertie from prisone to this they answeared they could not tel Then the foresaid articles being againe recited to them all they answered and knowledged them to be the articles that they would stād to their answers made to the same Wherupon the bish disseuering them a part one frō an other proceeded with them seuerally first beginning with Reginald Eastlande who there declared that he had bene vncharitably handled and talked wtal◠since his first imprisonment in that behalfe Then being required to reconcile him selfe againe to the catholike faith and go from his opinions he sayd that he knew nothing why he should recant and therefore woulde not conforme hym selfe in that behalf c. and so the sentence was red against him and he geuen to the secular power c. After him was called in Iohn Holiday who likewise being aduertised to renounce hys heresies as they called them to returne to the vnitie of their church sayde that hee was no heretike nor didde holde any heresie neither any opinion contrary to the catholike faith and so would offer him selfe to be iudged therein Whereuppon hee likewise persisting in the same the sentence was pronounced against him condemning him to be burnt Next to hym was condemned wyth the like sentence Henry Pond because he would not submit him self to the Romish church saying to Boner that he had done or spoken nothing wherof he was or would be sorie but that he did holde the truth of God and no heresie c. After whome next followed Iohn Floyde who likewise denied to be of the popes church and saide his minde of the Latine seruice that the prayers made to Saintes is idolatrie and that the Seruice in Latine is profitable to none but only to such as vnderstand the Latine Moreouer being charged by Boner of heresie and sayinge that what soeuer he and such other now a daies do all is heresie for this hee was condemned with the same butcherlye sentence and so by the secular power was sent away Then Robert Southam after him Mathew Ricarby and last of all Roger Holland were seuerally produced The burning of vij godly Martyrs in Smithfield The examinations and condemnation of Roger Holland THis Roger Holland a marchant Taylor of London was first prentise with one maister Kempton at the blacke boy in Watling streete where hee serued his prentiship with much trouble vnto his maister in breaking hym from his licencious libertie whych he had before ben trained and brought vp in geuing himselfe to riote as dauncing fence gaming banketting and wanton companie and besides all this being a stubborne an obstinate papist farre vnlike to come to any suche ende as God called him vnto the which was as followeth His maister notwithstanding this his leudnesse putting him in trust with his accomptes he had receiued for him certaine money to the summe of 30. poundes and falling into ill companie lost the saide money euery grote at dice being past all hope which way to answer it and therefore he purposed to conuey him selfe away beyond the seas either into Fraunce or into Flaunders Now hauing determined with himselfe thus to do he called betimes in the morning to a seruaunt in the house an auncient and discrete maide whose name was Elizabeth which professed the Gospel with a life agreeing vnto the same and at al times much rebuking the wilful and obstinate Papistrie as also the licencious liuing of thys Roger Holland To whome he sayd Elizabeth I would I hadde followed thy gentle perswasions and frendly rebukes which if I hadde done I hadde neuer come to this shame and miserye which I am nowe fallen into for this night haue I lost 30 pound of my masters mony which to pay him and to make vp mine accomptes I am not able But thus muche I pray you desire my mistresse that shee would intreat my master to take this bil of my hand that I am thus much indebted vnto him and if I be euer able I wil see him paied desiring him that the matter may passe with silēce and that none of my kinred nor frendes neuer vnderstand this my leud part For if it should come vnto my fathers eares it woulde bring his graye heares ouer soone vnto his graue and so was he departing The maide considering that it mighte be his vtter vndoing stay said she and hauing a peece of money lying by her geuē vnto her by the death of a kinsman of hers who as it was thought was doctour Redman shee brought vnto him 30. pounde saying Roger heere is thus muche money I will let thee haue it and I will keepe this Bill But since I do thus much for thee to helpe thee to saue thy honestie thou shalt promise me to refuse all leude and wilde companie al swearing and ribaldrie talke and if euer I know thee to play one 12. pēce at either dice or cardes then
their condemnatiō And thus these foure blessed Martyrs seruants of Christ innocently suffred together at s. Edmundsbury as is aforesayd about the beginnyng of August not long before the sicknes of Queene Mary ¶ The Martyrdome of two godly persons sufferyng at Ipswich for the Gospell of Christ and his euerlastyng testament named Alexander Gouche and Alice Driuer MAister Noone a iustice in Suffolk dwelling in Martlesham huntyng after good men to apprehend them as he was a bloudy tyraunt in the dayes of triall at the length had vnderstanding of one Gouche of Woodbridge Driuers wyfe of Grosborough to bee at Grosborough together a little from his house immediately tooke his mē with hym and went thether and made diligent search for them where the poore man and woman were compelled to step into an hay golph to hide themselues frō their cruelty At the last they came to search the hay for them and by gaging thereof with pitchforkes at the last found them so they tooke them led them to Melton Gaole where they remainyng a tyme at the length were caried to Bury against the Assise at S. Iames tide and beyng there examined of matters of fayth did boldly stand to confesse Christ crucified defiyng the Pope with all his papisticall trashe And among other thyngs Driuers wife likened Queene Mary in her persecution to Iezabell and so in that sense callyng her Iezabel for that sir Clement Higham beyng chiefe Iudge there adiudged her eares immediately to be cut off which was accomplished accordingly and she ioyfully yelded her selfe to the punishment and thought her selfe happy that she was coūted worthy to suffer any thing for the name of Christ. After the Assise at Bury they were caried to Melton Gaole agayne where they remained a tyme. This Alexāder Gouch was a man of the age of 36. yeares or thereabouts and by his occupation was a Weauer of shredding Couerlets dwellyng at Woodbridge in Suffolke borne at Ufford in the same Countie Driuers wife was a woman about the age of 30. yeares dwelt at Grosborough where they were taken in Suffolke Her husband did vse husbandry These two were caried from Melton Gaole to Ipswich where they remayned were examined The which their examination as it came to our hands hereafter followeth The examination of Driuers wyfe before Doct. Spenser the Chauncellor of Norwich FIrst she comming into the place where she should bee examined with a smiling countenance Doct. Spenser said Why woman doest thou laugh vs to scorne Driuers wyfe Whether I do or no I might well enough to see what fooles ye be Doct. Spenser Then the Chauncellour asked her wherfore she was brought before hym and why she was layed in prison Dry. Wherefore I thinke I neede not to tell you for ye know it better then I. Spens No by my troth woman I know not why Dry. Then haue ye done me muche wrong quoth shee thus to imprison me and know no cause why for I know no euill that I haue done I thank God and I hope there is no man that can accuse me of any notorious fact that I haue done iustly Spenser Woman woman what sayest thou to the blessed Sacrament of the aultar Doest thou not beleeue that it is very flesh and bloud after the words be spoken of consecration Driuers wife at those words helde her peace made no answer Then a great chuffeheaded priest that stood by spake and asked her why shee made not the Chauncellour an aunswere With that the sayd Driuers wyfe looked vpon hym austerely and sayde Why Priest I come not to talke with thee but I come to talke with thy Maister but if thou wilt I shall talke with thee commaunde thy Maister to holde his peace And with that the Priest put his nose in hys cappe and spake neuer a worde more Then the Chauncellor bade her make aunswere to that he demaunded of her Dry. Sir sayd she pardon me though I make no aunswer for I cannot tell what you meane thereby for in all my lyfe I neuer heard nor read of any such Sacrament in all the Scripture Spens Why what scriptures haue you read I pray you Dry. I haue I thanke God read Gods booke Spens Why what maner of Booke is that you call Gods booke Dry. It is the old and new Testament What call you it Spens That is Gods booke in deed I cannot deny Dry. That same booke haue I read thoroughout but yet neuer could find any such sacrament there for that cause I cannot make you aunswer to that thing I knowe not Notwithstanding for all that I will grant you a Sacrament called the Lords supper and therfore seyng I haue graunted you a Sacrament I pray you shew me what a sacrament is Spens It is a signe And one D. Gascoine beyng by confirmed the same that it was the signe of an holy thing Dry. You haue sayd the truth sir sayd she It is a signe in deede I must needes graunt it and therefore seyng it is a signe it cannot be the thyng signified also Thus farre we do agree for I haue graunted your owne saying Then stoode vp the sayd Gascoine and made an Oration wyth many fayre wordes but little to purpose both offensiue odious to the myndes of the godly In the ende of which long tale he asked her if shee did not beleeue the omnipotencie of God and that he was almighty and able to performe that he spake She answered yes and said I do beleeue that God is almighty and able to performe that hee spake and promised Gasc Uery well Then he sayd to his disciples Take eate this is my body Ergo it was his body For he was able to performe that he spake and God vseth not to lye Dry. I pray you did he euer make any such promise to his disciples that he would make the bread his body Gasc Those be the wordes Can you deny it Dry. No they be the very wordes in deed I cannot deny it but I pray you was it not breade that hee gaue vnto them Gasc No it was his body Dry. Then was it his body that they did eat ouer night Gasc Yea it was his body Dry. What body was it then that was crucified the nexte day Gasc It was Christes body Dry. How could that be when his disciples had eaten him vp ouer night except he had two bodies as by your argument he had one they did eate ouer night and another was crucified the next day Such a Doctor such doctrine Be you not ashamed to teach the people that Christ had two bodies In the 22. of Luke He tooke bread and brake it and gaue it to his disciples saying Take c. and do this in the remembraunce of me Saint Paule also sayeth 1. Cor. 11. Do this in the remembraunce of me for as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shall shewe the Lordes death
litle other sustenance Which is credible inough if we consider their like practises vpon diuers before mentioned in this history as amongest other vppon Richard Smith who dyed through theyr cruel imprisonmeÌ„t Touching whom when a godly woman came vnto Doct. Story to haue leaue that she might bury him he asked her if he had any straw or bloud in his mouth but what he ment therby I leaue to the iudgement of the godly wise After the foresayd Fetty had thus layn in the prison by the space of xv dayes hanging in the stockes sometyme by the one legge and the one arme sometime by the other and otherwhiles by both it happened that one of his children a boy of the age of eight or nine yeares came vnto the Bishoppes house to see if he could get leaue to speak with his father At his comming thether one of the Bishoppes Chaplaynes met with him and asked him what he lacked and whome he would haue The childe answered that hee came to see his father The Chaplayne asked agayne who was his father The boy then tolde him and poynting towardes Lollardes Tower shewed him that his father was there in prison Why quoth the priest thy father is an hereticke The childe being of a bold and quicke spirit and also godly brought vp and instructed by his father in the knowledge of God answered sayd my father is no heretick but you are an heretick For you haue Balams mark With that the Priest tooke the childe by the hand caried him into the Bishops house whether to the Bishop or not I know not but like enough he did there amoÌ„gest them they did most shamelesly and without all pitty so whip and scourge being naked this tender childe that he was all in a gore bloud and then in a ioly brag of their Catholicke tyranny they caused Cluny hauing his coate vpon his arme to cary the childe in his shyrt vnto his father being in prison the bloud ruÌ„ning downe by his heeles At his comming vnto his father the child fel down vp-his knees and asked him blessing The poore man then beholding his childe seeing him so cruelly arrayed cryed out for sorrow and sayd Alas Wil who hath done this to thee The boy aunswered that as he was seeking how to come to see his father a priest with Baalams mark took him into the Bishops house and there was he so handled Cluny therwith violently plucked the childe away out of his fathers handes and caryed him backe agayne into the Bishops house where they kept him three dayes after And at the three dayes end Boner minding to make the matter whole and somewhat to appease the poore maÌ„ for this their horrible fact determined to release him and therfore caused him early in a morning to be brought out of Lollardes tower into his bedchamber where he fouÌ„d the B. basting of himselfe against a great fire at his fyrst entring into the chamber Fetty said God be here peace God be here and peace quoth Boner that is neither God speede nor good morrow If yee kicke agaynst this peace sayd Fetty then this is not the place that I seek for A Chaplayne of the Bishops standing by turned the poore maÌ„ about thinking to deface him said in mocking wise what haue we here a plaier whilest this Fetty was standing in the bishops chamber he espied hanging about the Bishops bed a great payre of blacke beades wherupon he said my Lord I thinke the hangman is not far off â—oâ— the halter pointing to the beades is here already At which wordes the Bishop was in a marueilous rage Then immediately after he espyed also standing in the sayd Bishops chamber in the windowe a little Crucifixe before which belike Boner vsed to kneele in the tyme of his hipocriticall prayers Then he asked the Bish. what it was and he answered that it was Christ. Was he haÌ„dled so cruelly as he is here pictured quoth Fetty Yea that he was sayd the Bishop And euen so cruelly will you handle suche as come before you For you are vnto Gods people as Cayphas was vnto Christ. The Bishop being in a great fury sayd thou art a vile hereticke and I will burne thee or els I wil spend al that I haue vnto my gowne Nay my Lord sayd Fetty yee were better to geue it to some poore body that he may pray for you But yet Boner bethinking in himselfe of the daunger that the childe was in by theyr whipping and what perill might ensue therupon thought better to discharge him whiche thing was accomplished Wherupon after this and suche talke the Bishop at last discharged him willing him to go home and cary hys childe with him whiche he so did and that with a heauy hart to see hys poore boy in such extreme payne and griefe But within 14 dayes after the childe dyed whether thorough this cruell scourging or any other infirmitie I know not therfore I referre the truth therof vnto the Lord who knoweth al secretes and also to the discreete iudgement of the wise reader But howe soeuer it was the Lorde yet vsed this theyr cruell detestable fact as a meanes of his prouidence for the deliuery of this good poore man and faythfull Christian his name be euer praysed therefore Amen The cruell handling and burning of Nicholas Burton Englishman and Marchaunt in Spayne FOrasmuch as in our former booke of Actes and Monuments mention was made of the Martyrdome of Nicholas Burton I thought here also not to omit the same the story being suche as is not vnworthy to be knowne as wel for the profitable example of his singular constancie as also for the noting of the extreme dealing and cruell reuenging of those Catholicke Inquisitours of Spayne who vnder the pretensed visour of Religion do nothyng but seeke theyr owne priuate gaine and commoditie with crafty defending and spoyling of other mens goodes as by the noting of this story may appeare The fift day of the moneth of Nouember about the yeare of our Lord God .1560 this Nicholas Burton Citizen sometyme of London and Marchaunt dwellyng in the Parishe of little Saint Barthelmew peaceably and quietly followyng his traffike in the trade of Marchaundise and beyng in the Citie of Cadix in the parties of Andolazia in Spayne there came into his lodgyng a Iudas or as they terme them a Familiar of the Fathers of the Inquisition Whom asking for the sayde Nicholas Burton fayned that hee had a Letter to deliuer to his owne handes by which meanes he spake with him immediatly And hauing no Letter to deliuer to him then the said Promoter or Familiar at the motioÌ„ of the Deuill his maister whose messenger he was inuented an other lye and sayde that he would take ladyng for London in such shippes as the said Nicholas Burton had fraited to lade if he would let any which was partly to know where he
the City He told him Then he asked what learning he had He sayde little learning and small knowledge Then deridingly he asked how long he had knowne Doct. Crome he sayd but a while about two yeares He sayd that he was a lying boy and said that he the sayd Wilmot was his sonne The other sayd vnto hym that was vnlike for that he neuer see his mother nor she him Cholmley sayd he lyed Wilmot sayd hee coulde prooue it to be true Then hee asked him how he liked his sermon that he made at S. Thomas of Acres Chappel in Lent He sayde that in deede hee heard him not He sayd yes and the other nay Then says he what say you to his sermon made at the Crosse the â—ast day heard you not that Wilmot Yes and in that sermon he deceaued a great nuÌ„ber of people Cholmley How so Wilmot For that they looked that he shoulde haue recanted his doctrine that he taught before and did not but rather confirmed it Cholmley Yea Syr but how say you now to him for hee hath recanted before the counsell and hathe promised on Sonday next to be at the crosse agayne how thinke ye in that Wilmot If hee so did I am the more sory for to heare it and sayd he thought he did it for feare and safegard of hys lyfe Cholmley But what say you was hys first sermon heresie or not Wilmot No I suppose it was no heresie For if it were S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrewes was heresie Paule an hereticke that preached such doctrine but God forbyd that any Christian man should so thinke of the holy Apostle neyther do I so thinke Cholmley Why how knowest thou that saynct Paul wrot those thinges that are in English now to be true wheras Paule neuer wrot english nor latine Wilmot I am certified that learned men of God that dyd seeke to aduaunce hys word did translate the same out of the Grecke and Hebrue into Latine and english and that they durst not to presume to altar the sense of the scripture of God and last will and testament of Christ Iesus Then the Lorde Mayor being in a great furye asked hym what he had to do to read such bookes and sayd that it was pitty that his mayster did suffer him so to doe and that he was not set better to worke and in fyne sayd vnto him that he had spoken euill of my Lord of Winchester Boner those reuerend learned fathers couÌ„cellours of this Realme for the which his fact he saw no other but he must suffer as due to the same And M. Cholmley sayd yea my Lord there are such a sort of heretickes trayterly knaues taken now in Essex by my Lord Rich that it is to wonderfull to heare They shall be sent to the Byshoppe shortly and shall be hanged and burned all Wilmot I am sory to heare that of my Lord Rich for that he was my godfather and gaue me my name at my Baptisme Cholmley asked him when he spake with him He sayd not these xii yeares Cholmley If he knew that he were such a one he woulde do the like by him and in so doyng he should do God great seruice Wilmot I haue read the same saying in the Gospell that Christ sayd to his Disciples The tyme shal come sayth he that whosoeuer killeth you shall think that he shal do God hygh seruice Well sir sayd Cholmley because yee are so full of youre Scripture and so well learned wee consider you lacke a quyet place to study in Therefore you shall go to a place where you shall be most quiet and I would wish you to study how you will answere to the Counsell of those thinges which they haue to charge you with for els it is like to cost you your best ioynt I know my lord of Win. wil haÌ„dle you wel enough wheÌ„ he heareth thus much TheÌ„ was the Officer called in to haue him to the Counter in the Poultrye and the other to the other Counter not one of them to see an other and thus remayned they viii dayes In the which time their Maisters made a great labor vnto the Lord Mayor and to sir Roger Cholmley to know their offences and that they might be deliuered At length they procured the Wardens of the company of Drapers to labour with them in theyr sute to the Mayor The Mayor went with them to the Counsell but at that time they could finde no grace at Winchesters hand Sir Anthonie Brownes but that they had deserued death and that they should haue the law At length through entreataunce he graunted theÌ„ thus much fauour that they should not dye as they had deserued but should be tyed to a cartes tayle and be whipped three market dayes through the Cittye Thus they came home that day and went an other day and the Mayor the Wardens of the company kneeled before them to haue this open punishment released for asmuche as they were seruauntes of so worshipfull a companye and that they might be punished in theyr own hall before the Wardens and certayne of the companye At length it was graunted with condition as some said as shal be hereafter declared Then were they sent before the Maysters the next day to the hall both theyr maysters being also present there were layd to theyr charges the heynous offences by them committed how they were both heretickes and traytors and haue deserued death for the same and this was declared with a long processe by the Mayster of the company whose name was M. Brooke declaring what great labour and sute the Mayor the Wardens had made for theÌ„ to saue theÌ„ froÌ„ death which they as he said had deserued from opeÌ„ shame which they shoulde haue had being iudged by the Counsell to haue bene whipped iii. dayes through the city at a cartes tayle and from these two daungers had they laboured to deliuer them but not without great sute and also charge For saith he the company hath promised vnto the Counsaile for this their mercy and fauour shewed towardes them being of such a worshipfull company a C. poundes notwithstanding we must see them punished in our Hall within our selues for those theyr offences After these and many other wordes hee commaunded them to addresse themselues to receiue their punishment Then were they put asunder and stripped from the wast vpward one after an other and had into the hal and in the middest of the hall where they vse to make theyr fire there was a great ring of Iron to the whiche there was a rope tyed fast and one of theyr feete thereto fast tyed Then came two men down disguised in Mommers apparell with visors on theyr faces and they beate them with great rods vntill the bloud did follow in their bodies As concerning this Wilmot he could not lye in his bead 6. nightes after for Brooke played the tyraunt with them So it was that with
Berty found so good successe that he in fewe dayes obteined the Queenes licence not onely to passe the seas but to passe and repasse then so ofteÌ„ as to him semed good till he had finished all his busines and causes beyonde the seas So he passed the seas at Douer about the beginning of Iune in the first yeare of her reign leauing the Duchesse behinde who by agreement and consent beewixt her her husband folowed taking Barge at Lyon Key very early in the morning on the first day of Ianuary next ensuyng not without some perill There was none of those that weÌ„t with her made priuy to her going till the instant but an old Gentleman called M. Robert Cranwell whom M. Berty had specially prouided for that purpose She tooke with her her daughter an infant of one yeare the meanest of her seruaunts for she doubted the best would not aduenture that fortune with her They were in nuÌ„ber 4. men one a Greek borne which was a rider of horses an other a Ioyner the thyrde a Brewer the fourth a foole one of the kitchin one gâ—ntlewoman and a Laundreue As she departed her house called the Barbican betwixt 4. and 5. of the clocke in the morning with her company baggage one Atkinson a Herauld keper of her house hearing noyse about the house rose and came out with a torch in his hand as she was yet issuing out of the gate wherewith being amased shee was forced to leaue a male wyth necessaryes for her young daughter and a milke pot wyth milke in the same gatehouse commauÌ„ding all her seruantes to speed them away before to Lyon Key and takyng with her onely the two womeÌ„ and her child so soone as she was forth of her owne house perceiuing the Herauld to folow she stept in at Garter house hard by The Herauld comming out of the Duchesse house and seeing no bodye stirring not assured though by the male suspecting that she was departed returned in and while he stayed ransacking parcelles left in the male the Duchesse issued into the street and proceeded in her iourney he knowing the place only by name where she should take her boate but not the way thither nor none with her Likewise her seruauntes hauing diuided themselues none but one knewe the way to the sayd key So she apparelled like a meane Marchantes wife and the rest like meane seruantes walking in the streetes vnknowne she tooke the way that led to Finesbury field and the others walked the city streetes as they lay open before them till by chaunce more then discretion they met all sodeinly together a litle within Mooregate froÌ„ whence they passed directly to Lyon keye there tooke barge in a morning so misty that the stearesman was loth to launch out but that they vrged him So soone as the day permitted the Councell was informed of her departure and some of theÌ„ came forthwith to her house to enquire of the maner thereof and tooke an inuentory of her goodes besides further order deuised for search and watch to apprehend and staye her The fame of her departure reached to Leigh a towne at the lands end before her approching thither By Leigh dwelt one Gosling a marchant of LondoÌ„ an old acquaintaunce of Cranwels whither the sayd Cranwell brought the Duchesse naming her Mistres White the daughter of Mayster Gosling for such a daughter he had which neuer was in that couÌ„try There she reposed her and made new garmentes for her daughter hauing lost her owne in the male at Barbican When the time came that she shoulde take ship being constrayned that night to lye at an Inne in Leigh where she was agayne almost be wrayed yet notwithstanding by Gods good working she escaping that hassard at leÌ„gth as the tyde and wind did serue they went aboord being caryed twise into the seas almost into the coast of Zeland by contrary wind were driueÌ„ to the place from wheÌ„ce they came and at the last recuile certayne parsons came to the shore suspecting shee was within that shippe yet hauing examined one of her company that was a land for fresh Achates and finding by the simplicitye of his tale onely the appearaunce of a meane Marchauntes wife to be a shipboord he ceased any further search To bee shorte so soone as the Duchesse had landed in Brabant she and her womeÌ„ were apparelled like the women of Netherlande with hukes and so she and her husband tooke theyr iourney towardeÌ„s Cleueland and being ariued at a towne therin called Santon took a house there vntill they might further deuise of some sure place where to settle themselues About fiue miles from Santon is a free towne called Wesell vnder the sayd Duke of Cleues dominion and one of the HauÌ„s townes priuiledged with the company of the Steelyard in London whether diues Wallons were fled for religion and had for theyr Minister one Frances Perusell then called Frances de Riuers who had receiued some curtesy in England at the Duchesse handes Maister Berty being yet at Santon practised with him to obteine a protection from the Magistrates for his abode his wiues at Wesell whiche was the sooner procured because the state of the Duchesse was not discouered but onely to the chiefe Magistrate earnestly bent to shewe them pleasure whiles this protection was in seeking In the meane while at the Towne of Santon was a muttering that the Duchesse her husbande were greater personages then they gaue themselues forth and the Magistrates not very well inclined to religion the Bishop of Arras also being Deane of the great Minster order was taken that the Dutches and her husband should be examined oâ— their condition and Religion vppon the sodayne Which practise discouered by a gentleman of that country to Maystâ—r Bertie he without delay taking no more then the Duches her daughter and two other with them as though he meant no more but to take the ayre about three of the clock in the afternoone in February on foot without hiering of horse or wagon for feare of disclosing hys purpose meant priuily that night to get to Wesel leauing his other family still at Santon After the Duches and he were one englishe mile from the town there fell a mighty rayne of continuance wherby a long frost and I se before congealed was thawed whiche doubled more the wearines of those new lacquies But being now on the way and ouertakeÌ„ with the night they sent their two seruauntes which onely went with them to villages as they past to hyre some carre for theyr ease but none could be hyred In the meane time M. Bertye was forced to cary the childe and the Duches his cloke and rapier At last betwixt vi vii of the clocke in the dark night they came to Weesell and repayring to theyr Innes for lodging and some repose after such a paynfull iourney found hard intertaynment for goyng from Inne
further to be furnished Shee being desirous to knowe what hee meant thereby demaunded wherewith He answeared with such matter as the Queene and Counsail were determined in that behalfe whereof he had no knowledge and so departed In conclusion on Trinitie Sonday being the 19. day of Maye shee was remooued from the Tower the Lorde Treasurer being then there for the lading of her Carâ—es and discharging the place of the same Where Syr Henry Benifielde being appoynted her Gailer did receiue her wyth a companie of rakehelles to Garde her besides the Lorde of Darbies bandâ— wayting in the Countrey about for the mooneshine in the water Unto whome at lengthe came my Lorde of Tame ioyned in Commission with the sayd Syr Henry for the safe guiding of her to prisone and they together conueied her grace to Woodstocke as hereafter followeth The first day they conducted her to Richmond where she continued al night being restrained of her owne men whych were lodged in oute Chambers and Syr Henrye Benifields souldiours appointed in their roumes to geue attendance on her person Wherat she being maruelously dismaid thinking verely some secret mischief to be a working towards her called her Gentleman Usher and desired him with the rest of his company to pray for her For this night quoth she I thinke to die Wherwith he being stricken to the heart sayde God forbid that any such wickednes should be pretended against your grace So comforting her as well as he coulde at last hee brust oute into teares and went from her downe into the Courte where were walking the Lorde of Tame and Syr Henrye Benifielde Then he comming to the Lorde of Tame who hadde profered to him muche friendship desired to speake wyth him a woord or two Unto whome he familiarly sayde he should with all his heart Which when Syr Henry standing by heard he asked what the matter was To whom the Gentleman Usher answeared no great matter Syr sayd he but to speake with my Lord a woord or two Then when the Lorde of Tame came to him he spake on this wise My Lord quoth he you haue ben alwayes my good Lord and so I beseech you to remain The cause why I come to you at this time is to desire your honor vnfainedly to declare vnto mee whether any daunger is meant towardes my Mistresse this nighte or no that I and my poore fellowes may take suche part as shall please God to appoynt for certainely we wil rather die then she should secretely and innocently miscarie Mary sayde the Lord of Tame God forbid that any such wicked purpose should be wrought and rather then it shuld be so I with my men are ready to die at her foote also and so praised be God they passed that dolefull nighte wyth no â—â—â—tle heauinesse of heart Afterwards passing ouer the water at Richmond going towardes Wyndsore her grace espied certaine of her poore seruauntes standing on the other side whiche were very desirous to see her Whom when she beheld turning to one of her men standing by she sayde yonder I see certaine of my men goe to them and say these woordes from me Tanquam ouis So she passing forward to Windsore was lodged there that night in the Deane of Windsores house a place more meete in deede for a Priest then a Princesse And from thence her Grace was garded and brought the next night to M. Dormers house where much people standing by the waye some presented to her one gifte and some an other so that sir Henry was greatly moued therwith and troubled the poore people very sore for shewing their louing hearts in suche a maner calling them rebels and traitors with such like vile woordes Besides as she passed through the villages the townes men rang the bels as being ioyful of her comming thinking verely it had bene otherwise then it was in deede as the sequele prooued after to the sayd poore men For immediately the saide syr Henry hearing the same sent his souldiours thether who appreheÌ„ded some of the ringers setting them in the stockes otherwise vncourteously misusing other some for their good willes On the morrow her grace passing from maister Dormers where was for the time of her abode there a straight watch kept came to the Lord of Tames house where she lay all the night being very princely entertained bothe of Knightes and Ladies Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Whereat Syr Henry Benifield grunted and was highly offended saying vnto them that they coulde not tell what they did and were not able to answere to their doings in that behalfe letting them to vnderstand that shee was the Queenes Maiesties prisoner and no otherwise aduising them therefore to take heede and beware of after clappes Wherunto the Lord of Tame answered in this wise that he was wel aduised of his doings being ioyned in Commission as well as he adding with warraÌ„t that her grace might and should in his house be merry The next day as she should take her iourney froÌ„ Richmond toward Woodstocke the Lord of Tame with an other Gentleman being at Tables playing and droppyng vie crownes the Ladie Elizabeth passing by stayed and sayde she would see the game plaied out which sir Henry Benifield would scarse permit The game running longe about and they playing drop vie crownes come on sayth he I will tarie sayth she and will see this game out After this sir Henry went vp into a chamber where was appointed for her grace a chaire two cushions and a foote carpet very faire princelike wherein presumptuously he sate and called one Barwike his maÌ„ to puâ— of his bootes Which as soone as it was known among the ladies and Gentles euery one mused therat and laughed him to scorne obseruing his vndiscrete maners in that behalf as they might very well When supper was done he called my L. and willed him that all the Gentlemen and Ladies should withdraw themselues euery one to his lodging meruailing much that he would permit there such a coÌ„pany considering so great a charge committed to him Sir Henry quoth my Lord content your self all shal be voyded your men and all Nay my souldiours quoth sir Henry shall watch all night The Lord of Tame aunswered it shall not need Well sayd he neede or neede noâ— they shall so do mistrusting belike the company whiche God knoweth was without cause The next day her grace tooke her iourney from thence to Woodstocke where she was inclosed as before in the Tower of London the souldiors garding and wardyng both within and without the walles euery day to the number of three score and in the night without the wals xl during the tyme of her imprisonment there At length shee had gardens appointed for her walke which was very comfortable to her grace But alwayes when she did recreate her selfe therein the dores were â—ast locked vp in as straite maner as they were in the Tower beyng at the least v.
they had sore laboured for vnlesse they made frendes to buy it with money of the sayd Sheriffe so cruel and greedy was he and his officers vpon such things as were there left Wel now this innoceÌ„t man is dead his goods spoiled his wife and children left desolate and comfortlesse and all things is hushte and nothing feared of any parte yet the Lord who surely doth reuenge the guiltles bloud would not stil so suffer it but began at the length to punish it him selfe For in the haruest after the sayde Grimwood of Hitcham one of the witnesses before specified as hee was in his labour staking vp a goffe of corne hauing hys health and fearing no pearill sodenly his bowels fell out of hys body and immediately most miserably he died suche was the terrible Iudgement of God to shâ—we his displeasure against this bloudy act and to warne the rest by these hys iudgements to repentance The Lorde graunt vs to honour the same for his mercies sake Amen This foresaid Fenning who was the procurer of this tyrannie against him is yet aliue and is nowe a minister which if he be I pray God he may so repent that fact that he may declare himselfe hereafter such a one as may well aunswere to his vocation accordingly But since we haue heard that he is no chaungeling but continueth still in his wickednes therfore presented before the woorshipfull Mayster Humerston Esquire and Iustice of Peace Coram for that he had talke with some of his friendes as he thoughte how many honest women to their great infamy were in the Parish of Wensthaston wherein he is now Uiâ—are resident wherfore he was commaunded the next sonday ensuing to aske all the Parish forgiuenes vpoÌ„ his knees openly in seruice tyme which he did in Wensthaston Church beforesayd moreouer the abouesayd Fenning is reported to be more lyke a shifter then a Minister To these examples also may be added the terrible iudgment of God vpon the Parson of Crondall in Kent who vpon Shrouesonday hauing receiued the Popes Pardon from Cardinal Poole came to his Parish and exhorted the people to receiue the same as he had done himselfe saying that he stoode now so cleare in coÌ„science as wheÌ„ he was first borne cared not now if he should dye the same houre in the clearenes of conscience whereupon being sodenly stricken by the hand of God leaning a little on the one syde immediately shronke down in the Pulpit so was found dead speaking not one word more Read before pag. 1560. Not long before the death of Queene Mary dyed Doctour Capon Bishop of Salisbury About the which tyme also followed the vnprepared death of Doctour Geffrey Chancellour of Salisbury who in the midst of his buildings sodainly being taken by the mighty hand of God yelded his lyfe which hadde so little pittye of other mens lyues before Concerning whose crueltye partly mention is made before pag. 2055. As touching moreouer this foresayde Chauncellour here is to be noted that he departing vpon a Saterday the next day before the same he hadde appoynted to call before him .90 persons and not so fewe to examine them by Inquisition had not the goodnes of the Lord and his tender prouidence thus preuented him with death prouiding for his poore seruauntes in tyme. And now to come from Priests to Lay men we haue to finde in them also no lesse terrible demonstrations of Gods heauy iudgement vpon such as haue beene vexers and persecutours of his people Before in the story of M. Bradford .1624 mention was made of Maister Woodroffe who being theÌ„ Sheriffe vsed much to reioyce at the death of the poore Saints of Christ and so hard he was in his office that when Mayster Rogers was in the cart going toward Smithfield and in the way his childreÌ„ wer brought vnto him the people making a laue for them to come Maister Woodroffe bad the carmans head should be brokeÌ„ for staying his cart But what happened He was not come out of his office the space of a weeke but he was stricken by the sodaine hand of God the one halfe of his body in suche sorte that he lay be nummed and bedred not able to moue himself but as he was liâ—ted of other and so contynued in that infirmity the space of 7. or 8. yeares tyll his dying day pag. 1624. Lykewise touching Rafe Lardyn the betrayer of George Eagles it is thought of some that the sayd Rase afterward was attached himselfe arraegned and hanged Who being at the barre had these woordes before the Iudges there and a greate multitude of people This is most iustly fallen vpon me saythe he for that he hadde betrayed the innocent bloud of a good iust man George Eagles who was here condemned in the time of Queene Maryes raygne thorough his procurment who sold hys bloud for a little money Not much vnlyke stroke of these seuerally was shewed vpon W. Swallow of Chemlford his wife also vpon Rich. Potto Iustice Browne cruel persecutors of the sayd George Egles concerning whose story Reade before pag. 2009. Amonge other persecutours also came to our handes the cruelty of one Maister Swingfield an Aldermans Deputye about Thamis streete who hearing 〈◊〉 Angelles wyfe a midwyfe that kepte her selfe from their Popishe Church to be at the labour of one Mistres Walter al crooked Lane ende tooke three other with him and besette the house about and tooke her and caryed her to Boners officers bigge with childe 28. weekes gone who layd her in Lollardes Tower where as the same daye shee came in thorough feare and a fall at her taking she was deliuered of a man childe could haue no woman with her in that needefull tyme. Lying there 5. weekes she was deliuered vnder suertyes by friendship and Doctor Story hearing thereof charged her with fellony and so sent her to Newgate The cause was for that she had a womaÌ„ at her house in her labour that dyed and the child also and so he charged her with their death But when Syr Roger Cholmley hearde her tell her tale he deliuered her and not much more then 10. weekes after if it were so long dyed the sayd Maister Swingfield and the other three that came to take her Because some there be and not a few which haue such a great deuotion in setting vp the Popish Masse I shal desire theÌ„ to marke well this story following There was a certain Bailiffe of CrowlaÌ„d in Lincolnshire named Burton who pretending an earnest frendship to the Gospel in king Edwards dayes in outward shew at least although inwardly he was a Papist or Atheist and wel knowen to be a man of a wicked adulterous life set forth the kinges proceedinges lustely till the time that king Edward was dead and Queene Mary placed quietly in her estate Then perceiuing by the first proclamation concerning Religion how the world was lyke to turne
most miserably died Who commonly when he woulde affirme any thing were it true or false vsed to say If it be not true I pray God I rotte ere I die Witnesse the Printer heereof with diuers other With these I mighte inferre the sodeine death of Iustice Lelond persecutor of Ieffray Hurst mentioned before pag. 2076. Also the death of Robert Baulding stricken with Lightning at the taking of William Seamen whereuppon hee pined away and died the storie of the which W. Seaman see pag. 2035. Likewise the wretched end of Beard the promoter Moreouer the consuming away of Rob. Blomfielde persecutor of William Browne specified pag. 2065. Further to returne a little backewarde to king Henries time here might be induced also the example of Ihon Rockewoode who in his horrible ende cried all to late with the same woordes which he had vsed before in persecuting Gods poore people of Calice pag. 1055. Also the iudgement of God vpon Lady Honor a persecutor and of George Bradway a false accuser both bereft of theyr wittes page 1227. And what a notable spectacle of Gods reuengyng iudgement haue wee to consider in Syr Rafe Ellerker who as hee was desirous to see the heart taken out of Adam Damlyp whom they most wrongfully put to death so shortly after the sayd Syr Rafe Ellerker being slaine of the Frenchmen they all too mangling him after they had cutte off hys priuie members woulde not so leaue hym before they myght see hys heart cutte oute of hys bodye pag. 1229. Doctor Foxlorde Chauncellor to bishop Stokesley a cruell persecutor died sodeinly read pag. 1055. Pauier or Pauie Towne Clearke of London and a bitter enemie to the Gospell hanged him selfe pag. 1055. Steuen Gardiner hearing of the pitiful end of Iudge Hales after he had drowned himself taking occasiō thereby called the following and professiō of the Gospel a doctrine of desperation But as Iudge Hales neuer fell into that inconuenience before hee had consented to Papistrye so who so well considereth the ende of Doctour Pendleton which at hys death ful sore repented that euer he had yeelded to the doctrine of the Papists as he did and likewise the miserable ende of the moste parte of the Papistes besides and especially of Steuen Gardiner him selfe who after so longe professinge the doctrine of Papistrie when there came a Bishop to him in his deathbed and put him in remembraunce of Peter denying his Maister he aunswearing againe sayd that he had denied with Peter but neuer repented with Peter and so both stinckingly vnrepentantly died will say as Steuen Gardiner also hym selfe gaue an euident exāple of the same to all men to vnderstand that Poperie rather is a doctrine of desperation procuring the vengeaunce of almighty God to them that wilfully do cleaue vnto it Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Syr Thomas More in Kyng Henryes time after they hadde brought Iohn Frith Baifield and Baynham and diuers other to theyr death what great reward wanne they therby with almighty God Did not the sworde of Gods vengeaunce light vpon their owne neckes shortly after and they them selues made a publicke spectable at the tower hil of bloudy deathe which before had no compassion of the liues of others Thus ye see the saying of the Lord to be true Hee that smiteth with the sword shall pearish with the sword So was Heliodorus in the old time of the Iewes plagued by Gods hand in the Temple of Hierusalem So did Antiochus Herode Iulian Ualerianus the Emperour Decius Maxentius with infinite others after they had exercised theyr crueltye vppon Gods people feele the like striking hand of God them selues also in reuenging the bloud of his seruaunts And thus much concerning those persecutors as well of the Clergy sort as of the laity which were stricken and died before the death of Quene Mary With whom also is to be numbered in the same race of persecuting Byshops which died before Quene Mary these bishops folowing Bishops Coates Bishop of Westchester Parfew Bishop of Harford Glinne Bishop of Bangor Brookes Bishop of Glocester King Bishop of Tame Peto Elect of Salisburie Day Bishop of Chichester Holyman Bishop of Bristow Now after the Queene immediately followed or rather waighted vpon her the death of cardinal Poole who the next day departed Of what disease although it be vncertaine to many yet to some it is suspected that hee tooke some Italian Physicke which did him no good Then folowed in order Bishops Iohn Christopherson B. of Chichester Hopton B. of Norwich Morgan B. of S. Dauids Iohn White B. of Winchester Rafe Baine B. of Lichfield and Couentrie Owen Oglethorpe B. of Carlile Cuthert Tonstall B. of Durham Thomas Rainolds elect of Herford after hys depriuation died in prison Besides these Bishops aboue named first died at the same time D. Weston Deane of Westminster afterwarde Deane of Windsore chiefe disputer against Cranmer Ridley and Latimer M. Slerhurst maister of Trinitie colledge in Oxforde who died in the Tower Seth Holland deane of Worcester and Warden of Alsoule Colledge in Oxforde William Copinger Monke of Westminster who bare the great Seale before Steuen Gardener after the death of the sayde Gardener made him selfe Monke in the house of Westminster and shortly after so fell madde and died in the Tower Doctor Steward Deane of Winchester ¶ To beholde the woorking of Gods iudgements it is wonderous In the first yeare of Quene Marie when the Clergy was assembled in the Conuocation house and also afterwarde when the Disputation was in Oxford against Doctor Cranmer Ridley and Latimer he that had seene then Doctor Weston the Prolocutoure in his ruffe howe highly he tooke vpon him in the Schooles and how stoutly he stoode in the Popes quarell against simple and naked truth full litle would haue thought and lesse did he thinke him self I dare say that his glory and lofty lookes shoulde haue bene brought downe so soone especiallye by them of hys owne Religion whose part he so doughtely defended But such is the rewarde and ende commonly of them who presumptuouslye oppose them selues to striue against the Lord as by the example of this Doctorly prolocutor right wel may appeare For not long after the disputation aboue mentioned against Bishop Cranmer and hys fellowes God so wrought against the sayd Doctour Weston that hee fell in great displeasure wyth Cardinall Poole and other Bishops because hee was vnwilling to geue vp his Deanery and house of Westminster vnto the Monkes and religious men whom in deede he fauoured not although in other things he maintained the Churche of Rome Who notwithstanding at last through importunate sute gaue vp Westminster was deane of Windsore Where not long after he was apprehended in adulterie and for the same was by the Cardinall put from all hys spirituall liuings Wherefore he appealed to Rome and purposed to haue fledde out of the Realme but was taken by the way and committed
this lyfe where euery one should be purified and cleansed He aunswered that he had red ouer the whole Bible and could finde no such place but that the death of Christ was his Purgatory with many other questions proceedyng after their order vntill hee came to pronounce hys condemnation But or euer the sayd condemnation was red foorth the iudgement of God was laid vpon the sayd Borough maister who sodainly at that present instaunt was striken with a Palsey that his mouth was drawen vp almost to his eare and so hee fell downe the rest of the Lordes by and by standing vp and shadowyng him that the people coulde not well see hym and also the people were willed to depart who beyng still called vpon to depart aunswered the place was so small to go out that they could goe no faster Then the Borough maister beyng taken vp was caried to his house and it is not yet vnderstood nor commonly knowen that euer he spake word after he was first striken but was openly knowen to bee dead the next day followyng And yet notwithstandyng that this was done about tenne of the clocke they burned the sayd William de Weuer within three houres after on the same day The 4. day of March 1566. the lyke example of the Lordes terrible iudgement was shewed vpon sir Garret Triest knight who had long before promised to the Regent to bring downe the preachyng For the which act as the report goeth the Regent agayne promised to make hym a Graue which is an Erle Of the which sir Garret it is also said that he commyng from Bruxels towardes Gaunt brought with him the death of the Preachers and beyng come to Gaunt the sayde sir Garret with other of the Lordes hauyng receiued from the Regent a Commission to sweare the Lordes and Commons vnto the Romish Religion the sayd sir Garret the 4. day of March aboue noted at night beyng at supper willed the Lady his wyfe to call hym in the mornyng one houre sooner then he was accustomed to ryse for that hee should the nexte day haue much businesse to doe in the towne house to sweare the Lordes and people to the Romish Religion But see what happened The sayd sir Garret goyng to bedde in good health as it seemed when the Lady his wife called him in the mornyng accordyng to his appoyntment was found dead in her bedde by her and so vnable to prosecute his wicked purpose The fift day of March 1566. which was the day that Sir Garret Triest appoynted to be there and the Lords of Gaunt were come into the Towne house as they had afore appoynted to proceed and to geue the othe accordyng as they had their Commission and Maister Martin de Pester the Secretary beyng appoynted and about to geue the othe as the first man should haue sworne the sayd Martine de Pester was striken of God with present death likewyse and fell downe and was caried away in a chaire or settell and neuer spake after Witnes hereunto Peter de Bellemaker Abraham Rossart Maerke de Mill. Lieuen Hendrickx Ian Coucke Roger Vanhulle Ioys Neuehans Lyauin Neuehans Wil. vanden Boegarde Ioys de Pitte About the borders of Sueuia in Germany not farre from the Citie of Uberlyng there was a certayne Monastery of Cistercian Monkes called Salmesnisie founded in the dayes of Pope Innocent 2. by a noble Baron named Guntherame about the yeare of our Lord 1130. This Celle thus beyng erected in processe of tyme was enlarged with more ample possessions findyng manye and great benefactoures and endowers liberally contributyng vnto the same as Emperours Dukes and rich Barons Amongest whome most especiall were the Earles of Montforte who had bestowed vpon that monastery many new liberties and great priuiledges vpon this condition that they shoulde receiue with free hospitalitie any stranger both horseman or footeman for one nightes lodging who so euer came But this hospitalitie did not long so continue through a subtile and diuelish deuise of one of the Monkes who tooke vpon hym to counterfeite to play the part of the Deuill ratling and raging in his chaynes where the straungers should lie after a terrible maner in the night tyme to fray away the gestes by reason wherof no stranger nor traueller durst there abide and so continued this a long space At length as God would it so happened that one of the Earles of the sayde house of Mountforte benefactours to that Abbey commyng to the Monastery was there lodged whether of set purpose or by chance it is not knowen When the night came and the Earle was at hys rest the Monke after his woonted maner beginneth his pageant to play the tame yea rather the wylde Deuill There was stampyng rappyng spittyng of fire roring thunderyng bounsing of boordes and ratling of chaines enough to make some man starke mad The Erle hearing the sodaine noyse and beyng somewhat peraduenture afraid at the first although he had not then the feate of coniuring yet taking a good hart vnto him running to his sword he layd about him well fauoredly and followyng still the noyse of the deuill so coniured him at last that the monke which counterfeited the deuill in iest was slayne in hys owne likenes in earnest Ex Gaspare Bruschio in Chronologia Monasteriorum Germaniae ⧠After the imprisonment of the congregation which were taken hearyng Gods word in S. Iames streete in Paris an 1558. as is aboue storied was a letter written to the king which was diuulgate abroad proouing declaring by diuers histories what afflictions and calamities from tyme to tyme by Gods righteous iudgement haue fallen vppon such as haue bene enemies to his people and haue resisted the free passage of his holy word In which letter forsomuch as beside the sayd examples much other good fruitfull matter is conteined worthy of all mē to be read and especially of Princes to bee considered I thought here good to copy out the whole as the Frenche booke doth geue it The translation of the which letter into English is after this tenor as followeth ¶ A Letter translated out of French into English written to K. Henry the 2. French kyng COnsider I pray you sir and you shall finde that all your afflictions haue come vpon you since you haue set your selfe agaynst those which are called Lutherans When you made the Edict of Chasteaubriant God sent you warres but when ye ceased the execution of your sayde Edict and as long as ye were enemye vnto the Pope and goyng into Almanie for the defence of the libertie of the Germaines afflicted for Religion your affaires prospered as ye would wishe or desire On the contrary what hath become vpō you since you were ioyned with the Pope agayne hauing receiued a sword from him for his own safegard And who was it that caused you to breake the truce God hath turned in a moment your prosperities into such afflictions that they touch not onely
stroke of gods iust reuenge the same king by credible report of storâ— is sayd to dye of bleeding not onely at his eares and nose but in all other places of his bodye where bloud might haue any issue Unto these afore recited historyes of king Henry and hys two Sonnes might also be added the death of the Emperour Charles the fift Who in like maner beyng an enemy and a great terrour to the Gospell was cut of like wise for doing any more hurt to the Church muche about the same time an 1558. which was but three monethes before the death of Queene Mary and ten monethes before the death of the sayd Henry the 2. Touching the death of which Charles and Henry Fraunces this Epitaph folowing was written in Latine verses and printed in the French story booke aboue alledged Consilijs Christum oppugnans fraudibus ingens Regum ille terror Carolus Ipsis ridiculus pueris furiosus excors Totus repentè corruit Tuque Henrice malis dum consultoribus vtens Sitis piorum sanguinem Ipse tuo vecors inopina caede peremptus Terram imbuisti sanguine Henrici deinceps sectans vestigia patris Franciscus infoelix puer Clamantem Christum surda dum negligit aure Aure putrefacta corruit Versuti fatui surdi haec spectacula Reges Vos sapere vel mori iubent Not long after Anne du Bourges death the President Minard who was a sore persecutour and the condemner of the sayd Anne du Bourg as he returned from the Pallace or Counsell chamber to his owne house beyng vpon his Mule euen hard by his house was slayne with a Dag but who was the doer thereof or for what cause hee was slayne for all the inquisition and dilligent searche that coulde be made it was neuer knowne Amongst many other examples worthy to be noted let vs also consider the end of the K. of Nauarre brother to the worthy Prince of Condy who after he had susteined a certayne time the cause of the Gospell at length being allured by the flattering words of the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Loraine his brother and vpon hope to haue his landes restored againe which the king of Spayne reteyned from him was contented to alter his religion and to ioyne side with the Papists and so being in camp with the Duke of Guise at the siege of Roane was there shot in with a pellet After which wound receiued being brought to a towne three miles from the campe called Preaux hee did vehemently repent and lament his backsliding from the Gospell promising to God most earnestly that if hee might escape that hurt he woulde bring to passe that the Gospell should be preached freely through all Fraunce Notwithstanding within fiue or sixe dayes after he dyed Neyther did the Duke of Guise himselfe the greate Archenemy of God and his Gospell continue in life long after that but both he with the whole triumuirat of France that is three the greatest captayns of popery were cut off for doyng any more hurt to wit the Duke of Guise before Orleance the Constable before Paris the Marshal of S. Andrew before Dreux ¶ Of the Emperour Sigismundus Amongest others here is not to bee past ouer nor forgotten the notable examples of Gods iust scourge vppon Sigismundus the Emperour of whoÌ„ mentioÌ„ is made before in the condemnation of Iohn Husse Hierome of Prage pag. 596. After the deathe and wrongfull condemnation of which blessed martyrs nothing afterward went prosperously with the sayd Emperour but all contrary so that both he dyed without issue in his warres euer weÌ„t to the worst And not long after Ladislaus his daughters sonne king of Hungary fighting agaynst the Turk was slayne in the fielde So that in the tyme of one generation al the posteritie ofspring of this Emperor perished Besides this Barbara his wife came to suche ruine by her wicked leudnes that she became a shame and slaunder to the name state of all Queenes Whereby all Christian princes and Emperours may sufficiently bee admonished if they haue grace what it is to defile themselues with the bloud of Christes blessed sayntes and Martyrs ¶ A note of Christopher Parker CHristopher Parker called Parker the wilde mentioned before in this booke of Monumentes pag. 1986. who being a persecuter of Richard Woodman did manacle his handes with a corde did cast himselfe into a pond and so drowned himselfe at Herstnonceux in Sussex the 8. of September 1575. * The story of one Drayner of Kent commonly called Iustice Nyne hooles I May not in this place omit the tragedy of one Drayner of Smarden in the Counâ—y of Kent Esquire who bearing grudge against one Gregory Doddes Parson of the sayde towne for reprouing his vicious lyfe sent for hym by two men which tooke hym brought him before him where he was had into a Parlour as it were to breakfast In which behinde the doore he had placed one Roger Mathew secretly to beare witnes what he shuld say no more being in sight but the sayd Drayner one of hys men who willed and perswaded him to speake freely his minde for that there was not sufficient record of his wordes to hurt him But the Lord kept his talke without perill wherby the sayd Drayner sent hym to the next Iustice called M. George Dorell who perceiuing it to be done more of malice theÌ„ otherwise deliuered him vpon sureties to appeare at the next Sessions at Cant. and at length was banished the Countrey This sayd Drayner afterward being chosen Iustice to shew himselfe diligent in seeking the trouble of his neighbors made in the Rodeloft nyne hooles that he might looke about the church in Masse tyme. In which place alway at the sacring therof he would stand to see who looked not or held not vp his hands therto which persoÌ„s so not doing he would trouble punish very sore Wherby he purchased a name ther is called to this day Iustice nine holes who now God be thanked is Iohn out of office glad of his neighbors good will It so fell out that since this was published the sayde Drayner came to the Printers house with other associate demaunding Is Foxe here To whome aunswere was geuen that maister Foxe was not within Is the Printer within quoth Drayner It was aunswered yea Wherevpon being required to come vp into his house was asked what his will was Mary sayth he you haue printed me false in your booke Why sayth the Printer is not your name M. Drayner otherwise called Iustice nine holes It is false sayth he I made but v. with a great Augure and the Parson made the rest It was answered I haue not read that a Iustice shoulde make him a place in the Roode loft to see if the people held vppe theyr handes He sayd where as you alleadge that I did it to see who adored the sacrament or who not it is vntrue for
and burning them hee denyed not but that he was once at the burning of an herewygge fo◠so he termed it at Uxbridge where he tost a faggot at his face as hee was singing Psalmes and set a wynbushe of thornes vnder his feete a little to pricke him wyth many other words of like effect In the whiche words he named moreouer syr Phillip Hobby an other knight of Kent with such other of the richer and higher degree whom his Counsell was to plucke at to bring them vnder coram wherein sayd he if they had followed my aduise then had they done well and wisely This or much like was the effect of the shameles and tyrannicall excuse of hym selfe more meete to speake with the voyce of a beast then of a man Although in this Parliament some diuersitie there was of iudgement opinion betweene parties yet notwithstanding through the mercifull goodnes of the Lord the true cause of the Gospell had the vpper hand the Papistes hope was frustrate and theyr rage abated the order and proceedinges of king Edwardes time concerning religion was reuiued agayne the supremacie of the Pope abolished the articles and bloudy statutes of Queene Mary repealed briefly the furious firebrandes of cruell persecution which had consumed so many poore mens bodyes were now extinct and quenched Finally the olde Byshops deposed for that they refused the othe in renouncing the pope and not subscribing to the Queenes iust and lawfull title In whose rowmes and places first for Cardinall Poole succeeded D. Mathew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury In the place of Heth succeeded D. Young In steede of Boner Edmund Grindall was Bishop of London For Hopton Thurlby Tonstall Pates Christoferson Peto Coates Morgan Feasy White Oglethorpe c. were placed Doctor Iohn Parkust in Norwich D. Coxe in Ely Iuell in Salisbury Pilkenton in Duresme Doctor Sandes in Worcester Mayster Downam in Westchester Bentam in Couentry and Lichfield Dauid in S. Dauies Ally in Exceter Horn in Winchester Scory in Hereford Best in Carlile Bullingham in Lincoln Scamler in Peterbury Bart let in Bath Gest in Rochester Barlo in Chi. c. ¶ And here to make an end of this Story Now it remayneth to proceed further to the Appendix in supplying such thinges as haue either bene omitted or newly inserted as foloweth ⧠The Appendix of such Notes and Matters as either haue bene in this History omitted or newly inserted IN this Story of Sir Roger Acton aboue mentioned pag. 587. I finde that with him were taken many other persōs that all the prisons in about London were replenished with people The chiefe of thē which were 29. were condemned of heresy atteynted of high treason as mouers of war agaynst theyr king by the temporall law in the Guild hall the 12. day of December and adiudged to be drawne and hanged for treasō and for heresy to be consumed with fire Gallowes and all which iudgement was executed in Ianuary following on the sayde Syr Roger Acton and 28. other Some say that the occasion of theyr death was the cōueyance of the Lord Cobham out of Prison Other write that it was both for treason as the aduersaries termed it and heresy Certayne affirme that it was for feyned causes surmised by the spiritualty more of displeasure thē truth as seemeth more neare to the truth * Concerning Iohn Frith of his life and story this foloweth more to be added and to be referred to the page 103◠FIrst this Iohn Frith was borne in the Towne of Westrame in Kent who after by diligent especialles was takē in Essex flying beyond the seas brought before the Counsaile Syr Thomas More thē being Chauncellor and so from them committed vnto the Tower where he remayned prisoner the space of a quarter of a yeare or there about It chaunced that Doctour Curreyne ordinary Chapleyne vnto King Henry the eighte preached a Sermō in Lent before his Maiesty And there verye sore enueying agaynste the Sacramentaryes as they thē termed and named which fauored not the grosse opinion that Christes body was carnally reall in the Sacrament he so farre discoursed in that matter that at the length he brake out thus far and sayd It is no maruayle though this abhominable heresye doe muche preuayle among vs for there is one nowe in the Tower of London so bolde as to write in the defence of that heresye and yet no man goeth about his reformation meaning Iohn Fryth who then had aunsweared Syr Thomas More in writing agaynste a confutation of that erroneous opinion which of late before the sayd Maister More had writen agaynst Iohn Frythes assertion in that behalfe This Sermon of purpose was deuised and appoynted by the Byshop of Winchester and other to seeke the destruction of Fryth by putting the king in remembraunce that the sayd Fryth was in the Tower there stayd rather for hys sauegarde then for his punishment by suche as fauoured hym as the Lorde Cromwell who being Uicegerent in causes Ecclesiasticall came then into suspition therefore For in suche sorte was the matter handeled before the Kyng that all men mighte well vnderstande what they meant The Kynge then being in no poynte resolued of the true and sincere vnderstanding of the doctrine of that Article but rather a peruerse stout Aduersary to the contrary called to hym my Lorde of Caunterburye and my Lord Cromwell and willed them forthwith to call Fryth vnto examination so that he might eyther be compelled to recant or elles by the Lawe to suffer condigne punishment Frythes long protract in the Tower withouten examination was so heynously taken of the King that nowe my Lorde of Caunterburye with other Byshoppes as Stokesly thē bishop of London other learned mē were vndelayedly appoynted to examine Fryth And for that there shuld be no concourse of Citizens at the sayd examination my L. of Canterbury remoued to Croydon vnto whome resorted the rest of the Commissioners Nowe before the day of execution appointed my Lord of Cant. sent one of his gentlemen and one of his porters whose name was Perlebene a Welchman borne to fetche Iohn Frith from the Tower vnto Croydon This gentleman hadde both my Lords letters and the kings ring vnto my Lord Fitzwilliams Constable of the Tower then lying in Canon row at Westminster in extreme anguish and payne of the strangulion for the deliuery of the prisoner Mayster Fytzwilliams more passionate then patient vnderstanding for what purpose my Lordes gentleman was come banned and cursed Frith and all other heretickes saying take this my King vnto the Lieuetenaunt of the Tower and receiue your man your hereticke with you and I am glad that I am ridde of him When Frith was deliuered vnto my Lord of Canterburyes Gentleman they twaine with Parlebeane sitting in a Wherry and rowing towardes Lambeth The sayd Gentleman much lamenting in his mind the infelicitie of the sayd Frith began in this wise to exhort him to consider in what estate
Gentleman He shall be sure cast away if we once bring him to CroydoÌ„ surely quoth the Gentleman before God I speake it if thou Perlebeane were of my mind we would neuer bring him thither Say you so quoth the Porter I knowe that you be of a great deale more credit then I am in this matter and therfore if you can deuise honestly or finde some reasonable excuse wherby we may let him goe prouide for himselfe I will with all my hart condescend to your deuise As for that quoth the gentleman it is already inueÌ„ted how which waies he shall conuey himselfe without any great daunger or displeasure taken towardes vs as the matter shal be handled You see quoth the gentlemaÌ„ yonder hill before vs named bristow cawsy 2. miles froÌ„ LoÌ„don there are great woodes on both sides when we come there we will permit Frith to go into the woodes on the left hand of the way wherby he may coÌ„uey himselfe into kent amoÌ„g his frends for he is a kentish man borne wheÌ„ he is gone we will linger an houre or twayn about the high way vntill that it somewhat draw towardes the night Then in great hast we will approch vnto Streatham which is a myle and a halfe of and an outcry in the Towne that our prisoner is broken from vs into the woodes on the right hand towardes Waynisworth so that we will drawe as manye as wee may of the Towne to search the country that way for our prisoner declaring that wee followed aboue a myle and more and at length loste him in the woodes because wee hadde no more companye and so wee wyll rather then fayle lye out one night in searching for him and sende worde from Stretham to my Lorde of Canterbury at Croyden in the euening of the prisoners escape and to what Coast hee is fledde So that by the morning if hee haue any good lucke at all hee will so prouide for himselfe that the Byshoppes shall fayle of their purpose I assure you quoth Perlebeane I like very well the deuise herein and therefore goe ye to Frith and declare what wee haue deuised for hys deliuery for nowe we are almost at the place When my Lorde of Caunterburyes gentleman came nyghe to the hill he ioyned himselfe in companye wyth the sayd Frith and calling him by hys name sayd Now Mayster Frithe let vs twayne commune together an other whiles you must consider that the iourney whiche I haue nowe taken in hande thus in bringing you to Croyden as a sheepe to the slaughter so it greeueth me and as it were ouerwhelmeth me in cares and sorrowes that I little passe what daunger I fall in so that I could finde the meanes to deliuer you oute of the Lyons mouthe And yet yonder good fellowe and I hâ—ue so deuised a meanes whereby you maye bothe easily escape from this great and Imminent daunger at hande and wee also bee rydde from any vehement suspicion And thereupon declared vnto Fryth the full processe discoursed before how euery thing in order should be handled When Frith had dilligently heard all the matter concerning hys deliuery he sayd to the gentleman Oh good Lorde wyth a smiling countenaunce is this the effecte of youre secret consultation thus longe betweene you twayne Surely surely you haue loste a great deale more labour in tymes past and so are you lyke to doe this for if you should both leaue me here and goe to Croyden declaring to the Byshoppes that you had lost Fryth I would surely follow as fast after as I might and bring them newes that I hadde founde and brought Fryth agayne Do you thinke quoth he that I am afrayde to declare my opinion vnto the Byshoppes of Englande in a manifest trueth You are a fonde manne quoth the Gentleman thus to talke As thoughe youre reasoning with them might do some good But I doe much maruell that you were so willing to flye the Realme before you were taken and nowe so vnwilling to saue youre selfe Mary there was and is a great diuersitie of escaping betweene th one and thother quoth Frith Before I was in deede desirous to escape because I was not attached but at libertie which liberty I woulde fayne haue enioyed for the maynteynance of my study beyond the See where I was a reader in the Greeke tong according to S. Paules Counsaile Howbeit now being taken by the higher power and as it were by almightye gods permission and prouidence deliuered into the hands of the Bishops only for religion doctrines sake namely such as in conscience and vnder paine of damnation I am bound to maynteyne and defend if I should now start aside and runne away I should runne from my God and from the testimony of his holy worde worthy then of an 1000. hels And therfore I most hartily thanke you both for your good willes towards me beseching you to bring me where I was appointed to bee brought for els I will go thether all alone And so with a chearfull mery countinance he went with them spending the time with pleasant godly communication vntil they came to Croyden where for that night he was wel entertained in the Porters lodge On the morow he was called before certayn Bish. and other learned men sitting in commission with my Lorde of Cant to be examined where he shewed himself passing ready ripe in answering to all obiections as some then reported incredible and contrary to al mens expectatioÌ„s And his allegations both of S. Augustine other ancient fathers of the Church was such that some of them muche doubted of S. Augustines authoritie in that behalf Insomuch that it was reported of suche as were nigh and about the Archbishop of Caunterbury who then was not fully resolued of the sincere truth of that article that when they had finished their examination with Frith the Archbyshoppe conferring wyth Doctour Heathe priuately betwene themselues sayd This man hath wonderfullye trauayled in this matter and yet in mine opinion hee taketh the Doctours amisse Well my Lord should D. Heth say there was no man that coulde auoyd his authorityes of S. Augustine Wherein sayd my Lord. Then Doctour Heth began to repeate the sayd authorities of Saynt Augustine againe inferring and applying them so strayghtly agaynst my Lord of Caunterbury that my Lord was driuen to this shotte anker and sayd I see by it quoth he to Heth that you with a little more studye will bee easely brought to Frythes opinion or such like wordes in effect And some Chapleines there were of my Lorde of Caunterburyes which openly reported that Doctor Heth was as able to defend Frythes assertion in the Sacrament as Fryth was himselfe This learned young man being thus throughly sifted at Croydon to vnderstand what he could say or do in his cause there was no man willing to preferre hym to aunswere in open disputation as poore Lambart was But nowe without regarde of learning or good knowledge hee
mentioned pag. 1555. woulde not suffer bishop Farrer when he was at the stake to bee burnt to speake his mynd and about halfe a yeare after the said Doc. Leison died and when he would haue spoke himselfe he could not The trouble and examination of Thomas Hitton Martyr with his examinations answers condemnation and Martyrdome An. Dom. 1529. the 20. of February THomas Hitton of Martham in the Diocesse of Norwich an honest poore man and religious euer fearyng God from his youth and louyng his worde When persecution for the same word in the dayes of king Henry the 8. grew to bee somewhat hote tooke his iourney toward Rochester in Kent intendyng to haue gone to Douer so to haue crossed the seas into Fraunce and other countries for a tyme where reposing himself a while he might be free from the heat of persecution As he was goyng on his intēded iourny one Thomas Swainesland Baily to William Warrham Archbish. of Canterbury meting him by the way and suspecting him to be as they called them an heretike caused him to be staied and brought before the said William Archb. of Cant. his maister who demanded of him from whence he came and whether he intended to haue gone if he had not bene intercepted The sayd Tho. answered that he came out of the Dioces of Norwich and purposed to haue gone beyond the seas if God had so permitted Then the Bishop asked him if he had euer bene beyond the seas before and what bookes he had brought ouer He answered that he had bene once beyond the seas before and had brought certaine bookes with hym from thence namely two new Testaments and one Primer in English The Bishop asked him to whome hee gaue the sayde bookes He aunswered he would not declare For saieth he such is your bloudy crueltie that you woulde neuer sleepe quietly till you had sucked their bloude as you meane to do myne The Bishop seyng he could extort no more out of him and perceiuyng his constant spirite and feruent zeale to the truth commanded hym to prison till further oportunitie might serue for the shedding of his bloud The second appearance of Thomas Hitton before the said Archb. of Cant. WIthin a while after the bishop commanded the sayd Thomas to be brought before him agayne who demanded of him how he iudged and beleued of the religion then in force and of the authoritie of the bishop of Rome The said Thomas answered that the religion then vsed was most abhominable idolatry and contrary to the holy word of God And as for the Pope quoth he he is Antichrist the first borne of Sathan and hath no more power or authoritie then any other bishop hath in his owne diocesse nor so much neither The Bishop hearing this was in such a peltyng chafe that at that tyme he would talk no more with hym but returned hym from whence he came namelye to Bocardo with commaundement to appere before him agayne vpon the 13. day of the same month folowyng at his Manor of Knoll to aunswer to such Articles and Interrogatories as should be obiected ex officio against hym The third appearance of Tho. Hitton before the said Archb. of Cant. THe sayd Thomas Hitton at the day prefixed made his personall appearance before the bishop at the place appointed to whom the Bishop ministred certaine articles and interrogatories for him to aunswer vnto commaundyng him to sweare to answer truly and vnfainedly vnto them and euery part of them The sayd Tho. Hitton refused to sweare saying It is against Gods lawes and good conscience for any man to sweare to shed hys owne bloud for so he should be a murtherer of hymselfe and become guiltie of his owne death But yet notwithstādyng that he refused to sweare to aunswer yet he answered truly and directly to euery perticular Article and Interrogatorie propounded vnto hym but so as was finally to their contentation yet no doubt to the great glory of God and comfort of the godly This done the Bishop brake of hys session for that tyme and commaunded him to prison agayne and to appeare before hym in the place aforesayde vpon the Friday next followyng to aunswer further as should be demaunded of hym granting him liberty withall to adde too or subtract from his former aunswers eyther els vtterly to deny and reuoke the same The fourth appearance of Tho. Hitton before the said Archb. of Cant. THe day and tyme approching the sayd Thom. Hitton appeared agayne accordingly and hauing heard hys former aunswers and confessions distinctly by the Notarie red vnto hym hee reformed them in certaine pointes to some he added from other some he subtracted but none he denied Then the Bishop perceiuyng his vnmoueable constancie in the truth setting learnyng and reason apart beyng not able to conuince him by arguments and truth nor yet to improoue the spirite which spake in hym fell to exhortyng of him to haue respect to his soules health and not so wilfully as he termed it to cast away himselfe for euer but to repent and to abiure his errors and in so doyng he would be good vnto him he sayd When the bishop with all his perswasions could doe no good with hym to withdraw him from the truth of gods word then the doctors and other the assistants attempted the lyke all which notwithstanding the said Thomas Hitton would not desist nor shrinke one iote from the truth but both affirmed and confirmed his former articles and confessions to the ende Inferring withall that they sinned against the holy Ghost in as much as they knew that Gods worde was the truth and that the Masse and all popish religion is nothing els but Idolatry lies and open blasphemy against the maiestie of God and his word and contrary to Gods word in euery respect and yet they would allowe and maintaine the same contrary to their owne consciences whereat all the Bench was greatly offended commaunded him to prison agayne assignyng him a day to come before them agayne The fift appearance of Tho. Hitton before the said Archb. of Cant. AT the day appointed the said Tho. Hitton appeared to whom the bishop sayd Thomas doest thou beleeue that any man either spirituall or temporall is of sufficient authoritie to set forth any lawe or sanction of himselfe the breach whereof is Mortall or Ueniall sinne To whome Tho. Hitton answered that no man either spirituall or temporall might make any lawe or sanction the breache whereof is mortall or veniall sinne except the same lawe or sanction bee drawen out of the worde of God or els grounded vppon the same with a good conscience And therfore neither the church cannot set forth any lawe the breach whereof is Mortall or Ueniall sinne vnlesse it bee grounded vpon the word of God also But if any man or the church of God it selfe do set forth any lawe grounded vpon the word of God good conscience the breach thereof to
as is mentioned before pag. 1894. Doctor Ieffray the Chauncellour spake to him wishing him to yelde to the Doctoures who many hundreth yeares had taught otherwise then hee doth beleue c. Unto whome Mandrell aunswered M. Chauncellour sayd he trouble me with none of youre Doctours whatsoeuer they say but bring me the booke of God the olde Testament and the new and I will aunswere you What sayest thou Mandrel quod he by the sayntes in the Church the image of our Lady of the crucifixe and other holy Sayntes be they not necessary c. yes M. Chauncellour sayd hee very necessary to rost a shoulder of mutton Then Doctor Billing a frier once standing by sayd Mayster Chauncellour quod hee heare howe these heretickes speake agaynst the crucifixe and the holy crosse and yet the holy Crosse is mentioned in all the tongues both Hebrew Greek and Latine For in Latine it is called t. in Greeke tau c. Whereupon one Thomas Gilford a marchaunt of Poole standing by sayd ah mercifull Lord sayd he is not this a maruellous matter for a poore man thus to be charged and put to the paynes of fire for t. tau When Maundrell and Spicer were examined before the Chauncellour the Chauncellour called them saying Come on come on sayth he thou Spicer art to blame for thou haste taught Maundrell these heresies Thou arte by thy occupation a Brickeleyer Yea that I am And can sing in the Quyre Yea that I can sayth he And can play on the Orgaynes True sayth hee Well then sayde the Chauncellour and thou hast marred this poore man and hast taught him all these heresies No Mayster Chauncellour quoth he I haue not taught him but I haue read to him He is able thankes be to God to teache both you and me ¶ A note of Elizabeth Pepper ELizabeth Pepper before mentioned pag. 1916. when she was burned at Stratford was xj weekes gone with child as she then testified to one Bosomes wife who then vnloosed her neckerchiefe saying moreouer whē she was asked why she did not tell them aunswered why quoth she they know it well enough Oh suche is the bloudy hartes of this cruell generation that no occasion can stay them from their mischieuous murdering of the saintes of the Lord that truly professe Christ crucified onely and alone for the satisfaction of their sinnes ¶ A note of one confessing Gods truth at the Gallowes A Notorious fellone one Dick Adams beyng vpon the gallowes making his confession and ready to be caste downe from the ladder was desired at that instant by one maistres Harries the Grammer schoolemaisters wyfe to remember the blessed sacrament before he died to whome the said Adams sayde marrie maistresse neuer in better tyme who went vp to the toppe of the ladder and sayde it was the most abhominable idoll that euer was and willed all men to take it so for we haue bene greatly deceyued thereby Whereupon the Shiriffe caused him to holde his peace and to take his death patiently He went down to his place and was cast from the ladder speaking to his last worde that it was an abhominable Idoll his bodye therfore was buryed out of the Church yarde by the high way who although he was a chiefe in his life yet he earnestly repented thereof that I doubt not but he dyed the childe of God and not vnworthy to be put in the register of the Lordes accepted Confessors ¶ A note of Gertrude Crokehay IN the late dayes of queene Mary among other straūge dealinge of the Papistes with the faythfull this is not with the rest to be forgotten that a godly Matrone named Gertrude Crokhay the wife of Mayster Robert Crokehay dwellinge then at S. Katherins by the Tower of London absteyned her selfe from the Popish church And she being in her husbands house it happened in an 1556. that the foolish popishe Saynt Nicholas went aboute the Parish which she vnderstanding shut her doores agaynst him and would not suffer him to come within her house Then Doctor Mallet hearing therof and being thē maister of the sayd Saint Katherins the next day came to her with xx at his tayle thinking belike to fray her and asked why she would not the night before let in Saynt Nicholas and receiue his blessing c. To whom she aunswered thus Syr I know no Saynt Nicholas sayd she that came hither Yes quoth Mallet here was one that represēted S. Nicolas In deed sir sayd she here was one that is my neighbours childe but not S. Nicholas For S. Nicholas is in heauen I was afrayd of them that came with him to haue had my purse cutte by them For I haue heard of men robbed by Saint Nicholas Clerkes c. So Mallet perceiuing nothing to be gotten at her handes went his way as he came and she for that time so escaped Then in an 1557. a litle before Whitsontide it happened that the sayd Gertrude aunswered for a childe that was baptised of one Thomas Saunders whiche childe was christened secretly in a house after the order of the seruice booke in king Edwardes time and that being shortly knowne to her enemies she was sought for which vnderstanding nothing therof wēt beyond the sea into Gelderland for to see certayne lands that should haue come to her childrē in the right of her first husband who was a straūger borne And being there about a quarter of a yeare at the length comming homeward by Antwarpe chaunced to meet with one Iohn Iohnson a dutch man alias Iohn Dewille of Antwarpe shipper who seing her there went of malice to the Margraue and accused her to be an Anabaptist whereby she was taken and caried to prison The cause why this noughtye man did thus was for that hee claymed of Mayster Crokhay her husband a piece of money which was not his due for a shippe that the sayd master Crokhay bought of him and for that he could not get it wrought this displeasure Well she being in prison lay there a fortnight in whiche time she sawe some that were Prisoners there who priuily were drowned in Renishe wine fattes and after secretly put in sackes and cast into the Riuer Now she good woman thinking to be so serued tooke thereby such feare that it brought the beginning of her sickenes of the which at length she dyed Then at the last she was called before the Margraue and charged with Anabaptistrye which shee there vtterly denyed detested the error declaring before him in dutch her fayth boldly without any feare So the Margraue hearing the same in the ende being well pleased with her profession at the sute of some of her frendes deliuered her out of prison but tooke away her booke and so she came ouer into England agayne And being at home in her husbandes house he thinking to finde meanes to gette her to go abroad made one Uicars a yeoman of the Tower hys frend who was great with Boner to worke that liberty for her
of your being here I pray you tell me what was the cause of your sending hither for I promise you I knew nothing thereof as yet neither I woulde you shoulde thinke that I was the cause thereof and I maruell that other men wyll trouble me with theyr matters but I must be obedient to my betters and ywis men speake otherwise of me then I deserue Phil. I shewed him the summe of the matter that it was for the disputation in the conuocation house for the which I was agaynst all right molested Boner I maruell that you shoulde be troubled therefore if there was none other cause but this But peraduenture you haue mainteyned the same since and some of your frendes of late haue asked whether you doe stande to the same and you haue said Yea and for this you might be cōmitted to prison Phil. If it shall please your Lordshippe I am burdened none otherwise then I haue tolde you by the Commissioners who haue sēt me hither because I would not recant the same Boner A man may speake in the parliament house though it be a place of free speech as he may be imprisoned for as in case he spake wordes of high treason against the king or queen so it might be that you spake otherwise then it become you of the Church of Christ. Phil. I spake nothing which was out of the articles whiche were called in question and agreed vpon to be disputed by the whole house and by the Queenes permissiō and the Counsell Boner Why may we dispute of our fayth Phil. Yea that we may Boner Nay I trow not by the law Phil. In deed by the Ciuill law I know it is not lawfull but by Gods law we may reasō therof For S. Peter saith Be ye ready to render accompt vnto all men of that hope whiche is in you that demaund you of the same Boner In deede Saynt Peter sayth so Why then I aske of you what your iudgement is of the Sacramente of the Aultar Phil. My Lord Saynt Ambrose sayth that the disputatiō of faith ought to be in the congregation in the hearing of the people and that I am not bound to render account therof to euery man priuately vnlesse it be to edify But nowe I cannot shewe you my minde but I muste runne vpon the pikes in daunger of my life therfore Wherfore as the said Doctor sayd vnto Ualentinian the Emperour so say I to your Lordship Tolle legem fiet certamen Take awaye the lawe and I shall reason with you And yet if I come in open iudgement where I am bound by the law to aunswere I trust I shall vtter my conscience as freely as any that hath come before you Boner I perceiue you are learned I would haue such as you be about me But you must come be of the church for there is but one Church Phil. God forbid I should be out of the church I am sure I am within the same for I know as I am taught by the scripture that there is but one catholick church Vna Colūba vna Sponsa vna Dilecta One Doue one Spouse one beloued Congregation out of the which there is no saluation Boner How chaunceth it then that you go out of the same and walke not with vs Phil. My Lorde I am sure I am within the boundes of the Church whereupon she is builded which is the word of God Boner What age are ye of Phil. I am foure and forty Boner You are not now of the same fayth your godfathers and godmothers promised for you in the which you were baptised Phil. Yes that I thank God I am for I was baptised into the fayth of Christ which I now hold Boner How can that be there is but one fayth Phil. I am assured of that by Saynt Paule saying That there is but one God one fayth and one baptisme of the which I am Boner You were xx yeare ago of an other fayth then you be now Phil. In deede my Lorde to tell you playne I was then nullus fidei of no fayth a neuter a wicked liuer neither hoat nor colde Boner Why doe you not thinke that wee haue nowe the true fayth Phil. I desire your Lordship to hold me excused for answering at this time I am sure that Gods worde throughlye with the Primitiue church and all the aūcient writers doe agree with this fayth I am of Boner Well I promise you I meane you no more hurte then to mine owne person I will not therfore burthē you with your conscience as nowe I maruell that you are so mery in prison as you be singing and reioysing as the prophet saith Exultātes in rebus pessimis reioising in your naughtinesse Me thinketh you do not wel herein you should rather lament and be sory Phil. My Lord the myrth that we make is but in singing certayne Psalmes according as we are commaūded by S. Paule willing vs to be mery in the Lord singing together in Hymnes and Psalmes and I trust your Lordship can not be displeased with that Boner We may say vnto you as Christ said in the Gospel Tibijs cecinimus vobis non planxistis Phil. Here my Lorde stumbled and coulde not bring forth the text and required his Chapleines to help and put him in remembrance of the text better but they were mumme and I recited out the text vnto him whiche made nothing to his purpose vnles he would haue vs to mourn because they if they laughe sing still sorrowfull thinges vnto vs threatning fagots and fire We are my Lord in a darcke comfortlesse place therefore it behooueth vs to be mery least as Salomon sayeth sorrowfulnesse eate vp our harte Therefore I truste your Lordship will not bee angrye for our singing of Psalmes since Saynt Paule sayth If any man bee of an vpright minde let hym sing And we therefore to testifye that we are of an vpright minde to God though wee be in misery doe sing Boner I will trouble you no further as nowe If I can doe you any good I will bee glad to doe it for you God be with you good Mayster Philpot and geue you good night Haue him to the Sellar and let him drinke a cup of wine Thus I departed and by my Lordes Register I was brought to his Sellar doore where I dranke a good cup of wine And my Lords Chapleine M. Cousin folowed me taking acquayntance saying that I was welcome wished that I would not be singular Phil. I am well taught the contrary by Salomon saying Vae soli Wo be to him that is alone After that I was caryed to my Lordes Colehouse agayne where I with my sixe felowes do rouse together in the straw as chearefully we thanke God as other do in theyr beds of Downe Thus for the third fitte ¶ The fourth examination of M. Philpot in the Archdeacons house of London the sayd moneth of October
before the Bishops of London Bath Worcester and Glocester BOner Mayster Philpot it hath pleased my Lordes to take paines here to day to dine with my poore archdeacon and in the diner time it chaunced vs to haue communication of you you were pitied here of many that knew you in the new Colledge in Oxforde and I also doe pitty your case because you seeme vnto me by the talke I hadde with you the other night to be learned therefore now I haue sent for you to come before them that it might not be sayd hereafter that I had so many learned Bishops at my house and yet would not vouchsafe them to talk with you and at my request I thanke them they are content so to do Now therfore vtter your mind freely you shal with all fauour be satisfied I am sory to see you lye in so euill a case as you doe and would fayne you should do better as you may if you list Bath My Lordes here haue not sent for you to fawn vpō you but for charities sake to exhorte you to come into the right catholicke way of the church Worc. Before he beginneth to speake it is best that he call to God for grace and to praye that it might please God to open his hart that he may conceiue the truth Phil. With that I fell downe vpon my knees before them and made my prayer on this maner Almighty God which art the geuer of all wisedome and vnderstanding I beseech thee of thine infinite goodnes and mercye in Iesus Christ to geue me most vile sinner in thy sight the spirite of wisedome to speake and make answere in thy cause that it may be to the contentation of the hearers before whom I stand also to my better vnderstanding if I be deceiued in any thing Boner Nay my Lorde of Worcester you did not well to exhort him to make any prayer For this is the thing they haue a singular pride in that they can oftē make their vain prayers in the which they glory much For in this poynt they are much like to certayne errant heretickes of whom Pliny maketh mention that didde dayly sing antelucanos Hymnos Prayse vnto God before the dawning of the day Phil. My Lord God make me all you here present suche hereticks as those were that soong those morning himnes for they were right christians with whom the tyrantes of the world were offendeh for their well doing Bath Proceede to that he hath to saye He hath prayed I can not tell for what Boner Say on M. Philpot my Lordes will gladly heare you Phil. I haue my Lordes bene this tweluemoneth and an halfe in Prison without any iust cause that I knowe and my liuing taken from me without any lawfull order and now I am brought contrary to righte from myne owne Territory and Ordinary into another mans iurisdiction I know not why Wherfore if your Lordships cā burden me with any euill done I stand here before you to purge me of the same And if no suche thing may bee iustly layd to my charge I desire to be released of this wrongful trouble Boner There is none here goeth about to trouble you but to do you good if we can For I promise you ye were sent hither to mee without my knowledge Therefore speake your conscience without any feare Phil. My Lord I haue learned to aunswere in matters of Religion In Ecclesia legitimè vocatus In the Congregation being thereto lawfully called but nowe I am not lawfullye called neither is here a iust congregation where I oughte to answere Boner In deede this man tolde mee the last time I spake with him that he was a Lawyer and woulde not vtter his conscience in matters of fayth vnlesse it were in the hearing of the people where hee mighte speake to vayne glory Phil. My Lord I sayd not I was a Lawyer neither do I arrogate to my selfe that name although I was once a nouice in the same where I learned something for mine owne defence whē I am called in iudgement to answere to any cause whereby I haue bene taught not to put my selfe further in daūger then I neede and so farre am I a Lawyer and no further Bath If you will not answere to my Lordes request you seme to be a wilfull man in your opinion Phil. My Lorde of London is not mine Ordinarye before whom I am bound to answere in this behalfe as maister D. Cole which is a Lawyer can well tell you by the lawe And I haue not offended my Lord of Londō wherfore he should call me Boner Yes I haue to laye to your charge that you haue offended in my dioces by speaking agaynst the blessed sacrament of the aultar and therefore I may call you proceed agaynst you to punish you by the law Phil. I haue not offended in your Dioces For that whiche I spake of the Sacrament was in Paules Churche in the Conuocation house which as I vnderstand is a peculiar iurisdiction belonging to the Deane of Paules and therefore is counted of your Lordships Dioces but not in your Dioces Boner Is not Paules Churche in my Dioces Well I wote it costeth me a good deale of money by the yeare the leading thereof Phil. That may be yet be exempted from your lordships iurisdiction And albeit I had so offended in your Dioces yet I ought by the law to be sent to mine Ordinarye if I require it not to bee punished by you that are not mine Ordinary And already as I haue told you I haue bene conuented of mine Ordinary for this cause which you goe about to enquire of me Boner How say you M. D. Cole may not I proceed against him by the law for that he hath done in my dioces Cole Me thinketh M. Philpot needeth not to stande so muche with your Lordship in that point as he doth sithen you seeke not to hinder him but to further him therfore I thinke it best that he go to the matter that is layde agaynst him of the Conuocation and make to longer delay Phil. I would willingly shew my mind of the matter but I am sure it will be layd agaynst me to my preiudice whē I come to iudgement Cole Why then you may speake by protestation Phil. But what shall my protestation auayle in a cause of heresy as you call it if I speake otherwise then you wyll haue me since that which I spake in the conuocatiō house being a place priuiledged can not now helpe me Boner But M. Doct. Cole may I not proceede agaynst him for that offence he hath done in my dioces Cole You may call him before you my Lord if he be foūd in your dioces Phil. But I haue by force bene brought out of mine owne Dioces to my Lordes and required to be iudged of myne owne Ordinary and therefore I know mayster Doctour will not say of his
while her husbande was in prison Where the keepers wife named Agnes Penycote had secretlye heated a key fire hoate and laid it in grasse on the backeside So speaking to Alice Coberley to set her the key in all haste the said Alice went with speed to bring the key and so taking vp the key in hast did pitiously burne her hand Wherupon she crying out at the sodein burning of her hand Ah thou drabbe quoth the other thou that canst not abide the burning of the key howe wiâ—e thou be able to burne the whole body and so she afterward reuoked But to returne agayne to the story of Coberley who being somewhat learned and being at the stake was somewhat long a burning as the wynde stoode After his bodye was skorched with the fire and hys leafte Arme drawne and taken from hym by the violence of the fyre the fleshe beinge burnt to the whyte boare at length he stouped ouer the cheyne and wyth the ryghte hande being somewhat starckned knocked vpon his brest softly the bloud and matter issuing out of his mouth Afterward when all they thought he had bene deade sodenly he rose right vp with his body agayne And thus muche concerning these three Salisbury Martyrs ¶ A discourse of the death and Martyrdome of sixe other Martyrs suffering at London whose names here folow ABout the xxiij day of Aprill Anno Dom. 1556. were burned in Smithfielde at one fire these sixe constaunt Martyrs of Christ suffering for the profession of the Gospell viz. Robert Drakes Minister William Tyms Curate Richard Spurge Shereman Thomas Spurge Fuller Iohn Cauell Weauer George Ambrose Fuller They were al of Essex and so of the dioces of London and were sent vp some by the Lord Rich and some by others at suÌ„dry times vnto Stephen Gardiner B. of Winchester then Lord Chauncellor of England about the 22. day of March an 1555. Who vpon small examination sent them some vnto the kinges Benche and others vnto the Marshalsea where they remained almost all the whole yere vntill the death of the sayd Bishop of Winchester and had during that time nothing said vnto them Wherupon after that Doctor Heath Archbishop of Yorke was choseÌ„ to the office of Lord Chauncellorshippe foure of these persecuted brethren being now wery of this theyr long imprisonmeÌ„t made theyr supplication vnto the said D. Heath requiring his fauour and ayd for their deliueraunce the copy whereof ensueth * To the right reuerend father Tho. Archb. of Yorke Lord Chauncellour of England MAy it please your honorable good Lordship for the loue of God to tender the humble sute of your lordships poore Orators whose names are subscribed which haue lien in great misery in the Marshalsea by the space of x. monethes and more at the commaundement of the late Lord Chauncellour to their vtter vndoing with theyr wiues children In consideration wher of your Lordships sayd Oratours do most humbly pray and beseeche your good Lordship to suffer them to be brought before your honour and there if any man of good conscience can lay any thing vnto our charge we trust either to declare our innocency agaynst theyr accusations or if otherwise theyr accusations can be proued true and we faulty we are ready God helping vs with our condigne punishments to satisfy the law according to your wise Iudgement as we hope ful of fatherly mercy towardes vs and all men according to your Godly office in the which we pray for your Godly successe to the good pleasure of GOD. Amen This Supplication was sent as is sayd and subscribed with the names of these 4. vnder folowing Richard Spurge Thomas Spurge George Ambrose Iohn Cauell * Richard Spurge VPon the receipt and sight hereof it was not long after but Syr Richard Read Knight then one of the Officers of the Court of the Chauncery 16. day of Ianuary was sent vnto the Marshalsea to examine the sayd foure prisoners therefore beginning first with Richard Spurge vpon certaine demaundes receiued his answeres therunto the effect whereof was that he with others were complayned vpon by the Parson of Bocking vnto the Lorde Rich for that they came not vnto theyr Parish Church of Bocking where they inhabited and therupon was by the sayd Lord Rich sent vnto the late Lord Chauncellour about the xxij day of March last past videl an 1555. And farther he sayd that he came not to the Church sithens the first alteration of the English seruice into Latin Christmasse day then a tweluemoneth only except that because he misliked both the same and the Masse also as not consonant and agreing with Gods holy word Moreouer he required that he might not be any more examined vpoÌ„ the matter vnles it pleased the Lord ChauÌ„cellour that then was to know his fayth therein which to him he would willingly vtter * Thomas Spurge THomas Spurge being then next examined made the same aunswere in effect that the other had done confessing that he absented himselfe from the church because the word of God was not there truely taught nor the Sacramentes of Christ duely ministred in such sort as was prescribed by the same word And being farther examined of his beliefe concerning the sacrament of the aultar he said that if any could accuse him thereof he would then make aunswere as God had geuen him knowledge therein ¶ George Ambrose THe like answere made George Ambrose adding moreouer that after he had read the late Byshop of Winchesters booke intituled De vera obedientia with Boners preface thereunto annexed inueying both against the authority of the Bishop of Rome he did much lesse set by theyr doinges then before ¶ Iohn Cauell IOhn Cauell agreyng in other matters with them aunswered that the cause why hee did forbeare the comming to the Churche was that the Parson there had preached two contrary doctrines For firste in a Sermon that hee made at the Queenes first entrye to the crowne he did exhort the people to beleue the Gospell for it was the truth and if they did not beleue it they shoulde be damned But in a second Sermon he preached that the Testament was false in forty places which contrariety in him was a cause amongest other of his absenting from the Church ¶ Robert Drakes ABout the fourth day of Marche next after Robert Drakes also was examined who was ParsoÌ„ of ThuÌ„dersley in Essex and had there remayned the space of three yeares He was first made Deacon by Doctour Taylour of Hadley at the commaundement of Doctour Cranmer late Archbyshop of CauÌ„terbury And within one yeare after which was the thyrd of the reigne of kyng Edward he was by the sayd Archbyshop and Doctour Ridley Bishop of London admitted Minister of Gods holy word Sacramentes not after the order then in force but after such order as was after established was presented vnto the sayd benefice of Thundersley by the Lord Rich at the