Braintree William Pigot for Christs name Endur'd the fury of the ardent flame At Maulden Stephen Knight before the stake Kneel'd down and pray'd Sweet Jesu for whose sake I freely leave this life and rather choose Thy cross and irrecoverably loose All worldly goods then to give audience To men in breaking thy commandements Thou seest O Lord that whereas I but now VVas proffer'd great preferments if I 'd bow To a false helpless God I was content My body should be burnt and my life spent Counting all things below but dung and dross For thee happy such gain which comes by loss Thousands of silver and as much of gold Then death I do of lesser value hold Just as the wounded Deer desires the soil So longs my soul for thee pour down the Oil Of consolation on a crumbling clod So helpless of it self Thou know'st O God That I who am but sinfull flesh and blood Can of my self act nothing that is good And therefore as of thine abundant love And goodness still deflowing from above On me me that am lesser then the least Of mercies thou hast bid me to this feast And judg'd me worthy to drinke of this cup With thine elect even so O bear me up Great God! against this Element of fire So formidable to the sence so dire Sweeten it by thy spirit so asswage The heat that I may overcome its rage And pass into thy bosome Holy father Forgive thou me as I do all men gather My soul sweet Son of God my Saviour Beneath thy shady wings a Balmy Bower O blessed Holy-Ghost whose strength destroies Fleshly corruptions hasten thou my joyes Eternal joyes Lord I commend take then My parting spirit Amen Amen Amen John Laurence legs with bolts and irons lame His body with hard usage out of frame Was to the stake transported in a chair And suff'red for the saith at Colchester Young children while he burn'd cry'd out O Lord Strengthen thy servant and make good thy word Stand up stand up for thy poor servant's aid As thou art just O do as thou hast said Ferrar set o're St. Davids Bishoprick Was apprehended for an Heretick Him Winchester misus'd call'd him base slave False-hearted fellow and a cross-grain'd knave Morgan a fraudulent supplanter turn'd him Out of his place and at Carmarthen burn'd him Not long before his death one Richard Jones A Knights son comming his sad pains bemones T'whom Ferrar thus Sir if you see me move My hand or foot during the flames do prove What mettle I am of believe not then My Doctrine oft inculcated to men And as he said he did with the fire hot Besieged round he stirred not a jot Held his stumps bolt upright then with a pole Knock'd down i' ch' fire he breathed out his soul One Rawlins White a Fisher-man in Wales Of Cardiffe town when superstitions scales Drop'd from his eyes the Truth he understood And in his country aid a deal of good He dayly now expects to he surpriz'd By truths oppugners his dear friends advis'd Him to retire elsewhere and be excus'd For their good will he thank'd them but resus'd He 's apprehended and in prison laid In Cardiffe Castle where a year he staid His friends resorting to him he would spend The time in pray'r exhorting them to mend At last the Bishop of Landaffe commands That he be brought he threats him now then stands On fairer terms but all this would not stir His unmov'd brest a day 's appointed for His condemnation which being come The Bishop call'd him forth and told him some Heretical opinions he did hold And had seduced others Rawlins bold Reply'd My Lord a Christian man I am I praise God for 't my tenents are the same With Sacred Writ if from God's word I stray I would be gladly brought in the right way The Bishop said Speak if you will be won Else I 'll proceed to condemnation Proceed said Rawlins but you never shall Condemn me for an Heretick Let 's fall To pray'r said Landaffe that the Lord some spark Of grace would send thee to disclose the dark Now said he you deal well and if your pray'r Do with God's will agree he 'll doubtless hear Pray to your God and I to mine will pray I know my God will hear and not say nay The Bishop and his Chaplains pray'd anon Rawlins pray'd by himself alone pray'r don The Bishop said How is it with thee now Thine errours what wilt thou revoke and bow To our true God no surely no said he Rawlins you left and Rawlins you finde me Rawlins I was and am and Rawlins will Through God continue to be Rawlins still God would have heard you had your sute bin just But he hath heard me and on him I trust The Bishop being wroth him soundly shent So went to Mass Rawlins his minde then bent Shot forth these words Good people if there be Amongst you any breth'ren two or three Or if but one bear witness at the day Of judgement that I to no Idols pray Mass don he was condemn'd and after thrown Into a darke and loathsome dungeon There Rawlins pass'd his time in drowning wrongs With spir'tual prayers and religious songs The night before his death t' his wife he sent To send his wedding weed a shirt he meant Which he rejoycingly next morn put on And being led to execution Guarded he was with bills and Pike-staves too Alas said he what need all this ado By God's grace I will nothing start aside VVho is 't that gives me power to abide All this affliction for his own names sake But God his be the glory At the stake He his dear wife and children having found Pickled in briny tears or rather drown'd His eyes let fall a tear but having made A recollection of himself he said Ah flesh saiest thou me so would'st thou obtain The Victor's Palm I tell thee 't is in vain To strive thy pow'r is like the morning mist Then failing on the ground the ground he kist And spake Earth unto earth and dust to dust Thou art my mother and return I must To thee With an exhilarated brow Then going to be bound to th'stake I now Said he t' a friend of his finde great contest Betwixt the flesh and spirit for the best I pray you therefore when you see me shrink Hold up your finger that I may bethink My too oblivious self B'ing bound he rais'd These words up to the height The Lord be Prais'd Unto the Smith then spake he Pray good friend Knock it in fast the flesh may much contend But God support me let thy grace refresh My fainting spirits and my trembling flesh About him pulled he the reeds and straw VVith such a merry look that all that saw Much wondred at it Now a Priest appear'd And preached to the people Rawlins heard Until he spake of Transubstantiation Alledging Scripture for its confirmation This is my Body Come you here good folk Said Rawlins
miss'd their mark One Thomas Whittle Minister accus'd By Bonner was most wickedly misus'd Who fell upon him beat him with his fists And him enclos'd within a close rooms lifts There said he though I did on the bare ground lie Two nights I prais'd be God slep'd very soundly He Joan Warne Is'bel Foster Thomas Brown John Went Iobn Tudson Bartlet Green lay down Their lives together did at Smithfield stake Of heaven-prepared joys for to partake The last of which going to bear the yoke Cheerfully this repeated Dystich spoke Christe Deus sine te spes est mihi nulla salutie Te duce vera sequor te duce falsa nego In English thus O Christ who art my God In thee for mine abode With thee I onely hope Vnder thy Conduct I Seek the truth and deny The falsi-loquious Pope He was a man exceeding charitable Unto the poor so far as he was able Nor did he love his modesty was such Pop'lar applause though he deserved much His beatings he conceal'd till neer his end When he declar'd it to a bosome-friend Anne Albright Agnes Snoth Joan Catmer Sole At Canterbury were burnt to a coal Good Doctor Cranmer then of Canterbury Archbishop also past the fi'ry fury At Salsbury on William Coberly John Spicer and John Mandrel so did die Richard and Thomas Spurge Tims Cavel Drake Ambrose all Essex-men fell at the stake Master Tims many Godly letters sent T' his friends not long before his life was spent In one he us'd these passages I praise The Lord for helping you to minde his wayes Consider I beseech you what of late Fell from my lips so shall we meet in state I 'm going to the Bishops coal-house now And hope to go to heaven e're long do you Hie after me I have a great while tarri'd For you but seeing y' are not yet prepared I 'll stay no longer you shall finde me blest And singing Holy Holy Lord of Rest At my race end now therefore my dear hearts Make hast and loyter not lest light departs And yee who with the foolish Virgins stay Be with the foolish Virgins turn'd away And now in witness that I have not taught Contrary to the truth revealed ought My blood-writ name I send you for a Test That I will seal my Doctrine with the rest So fare you well and God defend you then From Antichrist and his false Priests Amen Use constancy in pray'r with faith require And gain the fulness of your choice desire John Hullier formerly an Eaton Sholar At Ely by his patience conqu'red dolour Hugh Lavrock John Ap-Rice this blind that lame Told Bishop Bonner that he laws did frame To take mens lives away making the Queen His hangman Bonner burn'd them out of spleen At Stratford-Bow In Litchfield Colchester Gloster and Leister many burned were One Mr. Julines Palmer and some more At Newb'ry dy'd One Sharp at Bristol bore The flames with joy In Darby town Joan Waste Born blind did in the fire breath out her last Sir John Cheek for the truths sake underwent In London-Tow'r a sore imprisonment A new Commission from the King and Queen Like Dracoes laws came forth that they which lean T' his Holiness the Pope should raise the fire Of Persecution yet a little higher By means where of throughout the Kingdoms quarters Prisons were stuff'd with Saints fires grac'd with Martyrs First to begin with Colchester where they Apprended three and twenty in one day And burnt the major part Margaret Hyde With Agnes Standly stak'd at Smithfield dy'd They Stephen Gratwick William Moraunt King Iato St. Georges field in Southwark bring And burn together In the Diocess Of Canterbury many did profess The truth and suffered In Lewis town Ten faithful servants in one fire laid down Their lives for Christ one of them Richard Woodman Betraid was b'his father and brother good man Eliz'beth Cooper Simon Millar too At Norwich fir'd Eliz'beth cry'd Ho ho And shrunk a little Simon Millar said Reaching his hand out to her What affraid Raise up your spirits in the Lord be strong And cheerful for these pains are of no long Continuance Good sister by and by We 'll take our supper with alacrity This so becalm'd her heart she through-stitch run The work she had so happily begun And so committing their blest souls to God They clim'd to heaven death being under trod Mrs. Joyce Lewis a gentlewoman born Accuted and condemn'd contemn'd with scorn Death's rigid brow my Christ is fair when him I see said she death looks not half so grim Urg'd to confess before her end begins She said to God she had confess'd her sins And he had pardon'd them the Priest befool'd Told her e're long her courage would be cool'd At stake the Mass she pray'd against cry'd then The crowd and Sheriffe himself aloud Amen Taking a cup of drink Here here 's to all That love the truth and wish proud Babel's fall Her friends do pledge her and some others too For which fact penance many undergo Bound at the stake her smiling ruddy face Made all spectators pitying her case Go with wet eyes much grieving for her woes Inflicted on her by tyran'cal foes She striv'd nor strugled when the fire rag'd most But with her lift-up hands gave up the ghost Ralph Allerton and Richard Roth With James Astoo and his wife dyed in the flames At Islington as did at Colchester Margaret Thurstone and Agnes Bongier John Noyes a godly Shoo-maker who liv'd At Laxfield in Suffolk sentence receiv'd There to burn'd the people in the town Put out their fiers and no house but one And that discov'red by the Chimnies smoak Had some the Sheriffe and 's Officers in broke So got a coal John Noys fell down and pray'd And being bound unto the stake he said Fear not the bodies killer but him who Can kill thee damne thee soul and body too Seeing his sister weep he thus begins Weep not for me but weep you for your sins He took a faggot up gave it a kiss And said Did I e're think to come to this Blessed be God that ever I was born Then spake he to the people Of bread-corn They tell you they can make God but beleive Them not at all nor their false truths receive Pray bear me witness I expect salvation Not by mine own good works but Christ his passion The fire was kindled and his last-spoke word Was Christ have mercy O have mercy Lord. Within the Diocess of Chichester Many accus'd condemn'd and burned were Hillingdal Sparrow and one Gibson dy'd In Smithfield flames John Rough Minister try'd With Marg'ret Mearing neer about this time Were also burned for the self-same crime One Cuthbert Sympson Deacon in one day Though rack'd no less then thrice would not betray The Congregation lying in the stocks At midnight one whom he well heard unlocks The coal-house doors and though no candles light Nor fire's he saw yet his amazed sight Splendour beheld he that came
neer and he condemn'd begins To God not you will I confess my sins O Lord make hast to help do not despise Thine-handy work My brethren I advise You that are Scholars to improve your youth In learning of the everlasting truth Labour to know what is Jehovahs will And fear not them that can the body kill Not hurt the soul my flesh too weak withstands My spir't which Lord I give into thine hands With that he strangled was his body burn'd His soul until the day of Doom adjourn'd One Bribard to a Card'nal Secretary And William Hussou an Apothecary Had for their seattering good books about And cleaving to the truth their tongues cut out Then with a pully pulled up and down Into the fire they dy'd but gain'd a crown James Cobard having prov'd the Mass a fable Unto the quick nor dead not profitable Was at St. Michael burnt Stephen Polliot Suffred at Paris Michael Michelet Was put unto his choice either to turn And lose his head or persevere and burn He answer'd God who caus'd him not to tire Would give him patience to abide the fire Blondel a Merchant that profess'd Christs name Condemn'd at Paris yeilded to the flame One Hubert a young man who did rely on Christ Jesus merits suffered at Dyion Anus Audeburt drag'd forth said thus This rope My wedding-girdly is wherewith I hope To be conjon'd to Christ I was first marri'd Upon a Saturday and now have tarri'd Until another Saturday wherein I shall glad day be married agin She in the dung-Cart sang and in the fire Her constancy Spectators did admire One Florent Venote that had four years lain In Paris prison where all kinds of pain He felt and overcome for seven weeks space Was close confin'd to such a narrow place That he could neither stand with ease nor ly At last distongu'd he in the fire did die One Thomas a young man was rack'd so long The hangman grew a weary one among Th'Ir quis'tors wept They bare him to be burn'd And asked him if he would yet be turn'd To whom he said Friends I am in my way To God O do not hinder me I pray One Mathew Dimonel Simon Laloe And Peter Serre did torments undergo Two men at Nivern had their tongues pull'd out Yet God was pleas'd to bring it so about That they spake plain We bid the world flesh sin And devil farewel never to meet agin Of brimstoue and gunpowder bring a fresh Supply salt on salt on this stinking flesh And so persisting constant till the last Their souls to heaven their earth to ashes past One Philbert Hamlin fed the cruel flame One Nicholas of Jenvil did the same At Paris did a Christian congregation Run through much sorrow by the Mediation Of the Palat'nate Prince and Switzers some Of them hardly escaped Martyrdome In Danphin Provence multitudes were kill'd In many other place blood was spill'd And yet the Church the more it was supprest Like to a Palm still more and more encreast SECT XXVIII The Persecution in the time of the Civil Warrs which began Anno 1562. THe Duke de Guise as he upon a day Tow'rds Paris past took Vassy in his way His ears informing him there was a Bell That rang to service in a Barn he fell Thereon with all his troops his widened throat Bawl'd out Kill death of God each Huguenote Some then with bullets some with swords were slain Some hang'd the heads of others cleft in twain Some lost their arms and hands some shred for To feed upon above twelve hundred souls fowles Of all degrees and ranks were kill'd so don The Duke to Paris march'd and seiz'd upon The King himself and filled with abuses The places set apart for pious uses Roan taken by him was for three dayes sack'd The Citizens thereof disliv'd and rack'd Then menacing to ruinate Orleance A young man shot him to deliver France From his great violence Peace was procur'd A happy peace but it not long endur'd The Popish party banishing all pity Kill'd all spar'd none in the Lutetian City At Amiens the slain were thrown in brooks All Bibles burned and Divin'cy books At Meaux Sens Mans they drag'd some on the stones And dash'd against the walls the little ones Some had their houses level'd with the ground Hundreds were massacred starv'd hang'd or drown'd Many were hal'd to Mass and some re-wedded Babes re-baptized others were beheaded At Bar they rip'd up many brests and draw'd Mens hearts thereout with their teeth them gnaw'd VVhen Malicorn Montargis town had got He slew the towns-men and with Cannon-shot Threatned the Lady Rhene to batter down Her Castle if she did the Christians own Not give them up to him the Princess stout Bravely reply'd Look what you go about I charge you for there 's no man in this Realm The King excepted that can overwhelm My pinace with the waves of a command And if your battery go on I 'll stand I' th' breach to try whether or no you dare Thus kill the daughter of a King I fear Your threats not I I want nor means nor power T' avenge me on your boldness and devour Your murtherous heart and utterly deface The infants of your most rebellious race When Malicorn thus heard the Lady say He pulled in his horn and sneak'd away At Anger 's into rivers some were thrown Some executed a gilt Bible shown Upon an halbard was and this they sang Behold how well the Hug'nots truth doth hang Hark what the everlasting God will tell Behold the truth of all the devils in hell They throw 't i' th' river and renew'd their sound Behold the truth of all the devils drown'd At Ablevilly Anger 's Foix Auxerre At Troys Crant Nevers Chastillon and Bar In Bloys Tholouse as also Careasson Many outragious villainies were don At Sens and Tours hundreds were put to slaughter Some hang'd up by one foot and in the water Their heads and breasts the bowels are pluck'd out Their rip'd-up bellies and are thrown about The mi'ry streets they torture ev'ry joynt And stick their hearts upon their daggers point A Counsellor was hang'd at the request Of his own father O unnat'ral brest By the Parisian Senators decree The bells are sounded and the Christians be Destroy'd in ev'ry place all their estates Seiz'd on by Catholicks and runagates In Ligneul some they hang'd The village Aze They set one fire and joy'd to see it blaze Augustine Marlorate was hang'd at Rhone Where streetswith slaughter'd carkasses were strown In Gaillac from a steep precipice Many were flung down headlong in a trice Caught break-neck falls In Souraze some were cram'd VVith lime and down their throats had Urine ram'd One Peter Roch they buried alive VVithin his self-made grave They did deprive Many of all they had others were crown'd VVith thorns and others in a well were drown'd One Captain Durre a godly widdow told Ualess she
Behold behold Me a decrepit wretch whose frequent pray'rs Have beg'd deliverance from this vale of tears But all in vaine for to be gaz'd upon By the worlds eyes I 'm kept God's will be done Not mine my death to mortal eyes may seem Disgraceful but 't is rich in Gods esteem Oh Lord my God my trembling feet support For fear my sudden fall occasion sport To my observing foes The Minister Perceiving that the excutioner Could not perform his office as he meant His crookedness b'ing an impediment Bespake him thus My Noble Lord as you Commended have your soul to Christ so now Advance your hoary head to God he try'd What he could do his head struck off he dy'd Then the Lord Oito a judicious man Having receiv'd the sentence thus began And do you then O Caesar still think good For to stabilitate your throne with blood Can God be pleas'd with this say Tyrant say How will you answer 't at that dreadful day Kill this my body do let my blood fill Your veins disperse my members where you will Yet this is my belief My loving father Will be so pleas'd as them together gather And cloath them with their skin these very eyes Shall see my Lord where e're my body lies These ears shall hear him and this very tongue Ring peals of joy his praises shall be sung By this same heart of mine I must confess I was perplex'd at first but now I bless My God I finde a change I was not troubled So much but now my joyes are more redoubled I fear not death now death hath lost her sting To die with joy O 't is a pious thing Am nor I sure Christ and his Angels will Guide me to heaven where I shall drink my fill Of those Celestial cups those cups of pleasure And measure drinking though not drink by measure Shall then this death have power to divide My soul from him the heavens open wide See where my finger points The standers by Beheld eye-dazeling cortuscancy After a silent prayer made he spake Lord save thy servant Oh some pity take I am thy creature O let me inherit Christ-purchas'd glory Lord receive my spirit Next Dionysius Zervius that storm'd Against the saints but when he was inform'd Of Gospel-truths how Christ procured rest For those believ'd he forthwith smote his brest And fetch'd a sigh while tears ran down did cry This is my faith and in this faith I 'll die Through Christ alone I can acceptance finde Yet God will not despise my contrite minde Upon these knees these bended knees I call For mercy mercy Lord although I fall Help me to rise in thee My foes controul May hurt my body but not hurt my soul An aged man b'ing brought both these commended Their souls unto the Lord so their lives ended Next was the Lord of Rugenice arraign'd Who said I have a greater priv'ledge gain'd Then if the King had spar'd me and augmented My restor'd substance and am more contented God is our witness that we onely sought Religions Liberty for that we fought Who though w' are worsted and must end our days The Lord is righteous in all his ways His Truth we must defend as he sees good Not by our naked Swords but by our Blood What is the cause my God O tell me why So soon as others do I may not die For ah thou knowst thou knowst that I resign My self unto thee and am wholly thine Put not thy servant off with long delay But take me hence sweet Jesu come away The Sheriff came for him he rejoycing said Blessed be God then towards him he made Upon the Scaffold he himself did chear With that of Christ Father I will that where I am thy servants may there also be That they may my heaven-given glory see I haste to lose this life so transitory That I may be with Christ and see his glory Climbe up my soul climbe up to be embrac'd In Christ his arms and so he breath'd his last Valentine Cockan spake to this effect Upon the Scaffold Gracious Lord direct My feeble steps O let deaths valley be A Pasport to the clearer view of thee For why thy word hath bin my hidden treasure O what satiety of joy and pleasure Take residence with thee there 's nothing can Afford my soul more satisfaction than Thy self's fruition Lord my spirit flies Into thy Courts so having said he dies Next Toby Steffick's brought a man whose heart Walk'd upright with his God though like a cart Press'd with afflictions sheaves to heaven he heav'd His wasted eyes and said I have receiv'd From the beginning of my life till now Good things of God and shall not I then bow My will to his but his chastisements shun I will not no God's holy will be done Can I poor dust and ashes have the face To plead with God I chearfully embrace Thy pleasure Lord I come to bear the cross O be thou pleas'd to purge away my dross Calcine my soul obliterate my sins And make me pure against that day begins He pray'd and having drunke the lethal cup His spirit into heaven ascended up Doctor Jessenius after him was Martyr'd His tongue cut out head off his body quarter'd Citing the saying of Ignatius Chears his co-sufferers We are Gods corn Sown in the Churches field and must be torn By beasts to fit us for our Masters use But here 's our comfort one a bloody sluce The Church is founded and hath been augmented By blood nor shall the opened vein be stented The blow must now be fetch'd his soul he gave To heav'n his body to the gaping grave Then being call'd to execution I come said he a pious resolution Takes up my heart I 'm not asham'd nor sory To suffer these nay worse things for his glory I have I have by my heav'n-borrow'd force Fought faith's good fight and finished my course Then praying Father in thy hands I leave My spir't he did a Martyrs crown receive John Shunlt is while he on the Scaffold stood Said thus Leave off this melancholy mood Dejected soul O be not so cast down Hope thou in God though for a time he frown Yet will he smile again and thou shalt yet Praise him though Nature do receive her debt The righteous are among the dead enrold By fools whenas they rest Behold behold I come sweet Jesus O some pity take Unon thy creature for thy promise sake Cast me not off my misery condole My sins O pardon and receive my soul Make no long tarriance come Lord Jesus come And so he underwent his Martyrdome Next Maximilian Hoslialeck Whom Learning Worth and Piety did deck After the sentence past one asked him The reason why he look'd so dull so grim And sadder then the rest To rell the truth The sins said he I acted in my youth Come now afresh into my minde for though I know that no remainder can o'rethrow Them which with Jesus Christ have made a close
And after condemnation he was brought To execution his cap gown and coat He gave t' his servant and exhorted him To venture all for Christ yea life and lim Bound to the stake he cry'd For Christ his merit O Lord be pleased to receive my spirit How long shall clouds of darkness overwhelm Great God! how long shall foes oppress this realm A Fryar then Vnto our Lady pray Salve Regina say c. Away away Satanick Imps God hears me in the flame His soul went up to heav'n to praise Gods Name Straton converted said O Lord I have Bin wicked and deserv'd thy wrath yet save O let not me for fear of corp'ral pain Or death deny thee or thy truth again They his and Mr. Norman's person bring And burn them in the presence of the King Such words the Bishop of Dunkelden us'd To one Dean Porret whom the Fry'rs accus'd My joy Dean Thomas I do love thee well And therefore take the liberty to tell Thee of thy faults I am inform'd you do Preach the Epistle nay the Gospel too Each Sunday to your people and refuse To take from them as a reward your dues Which prejudicial to the Church-men is My joy Dean Thomas I advise you this Take tythes or else it is too much to preach But once a week for if thou gratis teach May not the people think that we likewise Should do the same Tom be not so precise It is enough for you when you have sound A good Epistle and Gospel to expound The liberty of holy Church express'd Therein and 't is no matter for the rest Thomas reply'd My Lord if I abstain From tythes will my parishioners complain I know they will not and whereas you say It is too much to preach each Sabbath-day I think it is too little for my part And from the very bottom of my heart Wish that your Lordship would be pleas'd to take Such pains as that Nay nay Dean Thomas spake The Bishop then no orders do us reach Whereas said Thomas you do bid me preach When a good Chapter I do light upon I 've read them over all and finde not one That 's bad amongst them shew me where they lie And at your shewing I will pass them by I bless God said the Bishop I ne're knew What was the Testament nor old nor new And I will not know any thing at all Saving my Portvise and Pontifical Go go your wayes and cease so much to prate Lest you repent you when it is too late I trust said Thomas that my cause is clear In Gods eyes therefore what need I to fear And so he went his way But when time 's glass Had run a little more he burned was Though bloody clouds were rais'd Religion's raies Shone forth in Scotland in those worst of daies Partly by reading comfort flowing thence And partly by fraternal conference Which so enrag'd the Papists that they came And burnt four noted persons in one flame One Jerom Russet that profest the truth And Alexander Kennedy a youth Were brought to Judgement Kennedy's heart panted For fear at first and would have fain recanted But when no hopes was left God's Spirit reviv'd His drooping soul yea inward comforts striv'd To shew themselves both in his face and tongue Then falling on his knees these words out sprung Great God! What love hast thou to all express'd And unto me vile wretch above the rest O who hath tasted of thy clemency In such a high degree O Lord as I For just now when I would deny thy power And Jesus Christ thy Son my Saviour T' have plung'd my self all over head and ears In everlasting flames unquench'd with tears Thy right hand hath not suffer'd me to dwell With the black subjects of the Prince of hell And I that was of late with fear opprest Enjoy by thee a joy-enamel'd brest I fear not death do with me as you please I praise God I am ready death 's an ease Then railed they on him and Jerom who Said also unto them Miscal us do This is your hour and power to command Yee sit as Judges we as guilty stand But know a day will come shall clear our blame And yee curs'd yee to your eternal shame Shall see your blindness Go on forward still Till you the Ephah of your sins up fill No sooner were they both condemn'd to die But Jerom comforted young Kennedy Brother said he fear not he that indwels Our souls him that is in the world excels The pain we here indure is light and short But we shall have unfading glory for 't O strive we then though many rubs annoy To enter in unto our Masters joy And with our Saviour pass the narrow road Which few shall finde the way to hell is broad We die for Christ and Christ hath death subdu'd Death cannot hurt us hence me may conclude We are the members and if Christ our head Be risen can the members long lie dead Thus death and Satan under-foot they trod And in the flame breath'd up their souls to God At Edenburgh the cruel Card'nal Beton Hang'd some upon suspicion they had eaten Goose on a Friday and above the rest A woman with her suckling at her brest He drown'd for being scrupulous and wary Of making prayers to the Virgin Mary He sent into exile some Christian brothers And at St. Johnstons he imprison'd others Mr. George Wischard a Divine whose worth Wan him much admiration in the North Having drunk deeply of afflictions cup. Cheerfully in the flames surrendred up His soul unto its donour God fulfill'd His prophesy the Cardinal was kill'd One Henry Wallace as an Heretick Condemned to be burnt was burned quick One Henry Forr'st betrayed by a fryar Was burnt and had the end of his desire Said Ol'phant to one Walter Mill who pray'd Rise up Sir Walter Prayers don he said My name is Walter if you call me right I have bin too too long a Popish Knight Ben't there sev'n Sacraments Give me but two Said he and all the rest I leave to you Wilt thou recant he answer'd I am corn Not chaff and will not be i' th' truth out-born Then go to th'stake Said he I may not kill My self but put me in and bear I will This is my resolution Having made His pray'r to God he to the people said Although it be confess'd that I have bin A friend to Satan and a slave to sin Yet 't is not that that doth my suff'rings cause I suffer for observing God's just Laws And now God out of his abundant grace Doth honour me so farr as in this place To make me seal what others not withstood His truth's profession with my dearest blood Dear friends as you 'd escape eternal doom And live still happy in the life to come Let not Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Seduce you any more for they are Lyars Trust God alone O alwayes make his power Your rock your bulwark of
these things are too far above thy reach Said they the shrub is lower then the Beach I am said she indeed and yet my breath I 'll give in witness of my Saviours death O do not put me off with longer stay For Ah! I am impatient of delay My love hath wings it hovers up and down Nor can it rest till glory is her own My heart is fixed I will never go From what I said nor do as others do Then said the Bishop There 's no hopes to win her The devil leadeth her the devil is in her Not so my Lord quoth she Christ is my guide His Spirit upholds me that I cannot slide She when she heard deaths sentence past upon her Advanc'd her voice and said Unmated honour The Proverb 's true Long look'd for comes at last My Lord my God I thank thee that thou hast Granted to me this day my hearts desire In listing me with thy celestial Quire Woman said one be thou a happy wife By thy recanting O the sweets of life No said she by no means my life is hid With Christ in God now the good Lord forbid That for this life at best but transitory I should lose heaven and eternal glory I have two husbands but will onely cleave Unto my heavenly and my earthly leave The fellowship of Saints in heaven I trow Exceeds the having children here below And if my husband and my children prove Faithful then am I theirs they have my love God my good father is God is my mother God is my sister and God is my brother God is my kinsman God 's my faithful friend Who will stick close unto me till the end To execution then led along She was attended with a num'rous throng Bound to the stake she by the Popish Priests Was set upon again unwelcom guests To whom she thus for God's sake now give o're Your bibble babble trouble me no more With empty sounds fain would I Oh! divorce My self from your impertinent discourse O God be merciful to sinful me For Ah! I onely do depend on thee She stood with admirable patience Amidst the flames and so her soul flew hence Sh 'had such a cheerful look that one would say It was her wedding not her burning day She had been alwayes sober in her diet Neat in apparel peaceable and quiet Alwayes a doing never fitting still During her health and limbs by her good will Chain'd to her house she ever would refuse To gad abroad as most ill-houswives use To all that came to her her gracious heart Would streams of consolation impart Gods word was her delight she gave good heed Ther husband in the Lord a wife indeed According to her power she at her door And at their sev'ral homes reliev'd the poor And in the time of her calamity Would take no proff'red coyne for said she I Am going now to Heaven a City where No mony any Mastery doth bear And whilst I here remain the Lord will feed My craving stomack and supply my need It is his promise and full sure I be That he which feeds the Ravens will feed mâ— One Richard Sharp a Weaver by his trade In Bristel City apprehended made A large confession of his faith before One Dr. Dalby the there-Chancellour Who by perswasive Arguments so wrought Upon his weakness that he soon was brought To make a promise That he would appear And publickely recan and when and where But after this Apostacy Sharp felt His conscience gall'd hell's horrour so indwelt His soul that he his calling could not minde His colour went away his body pin'd Next Sabbath day going to Church he made To the Quire-door and with a loud voice said That Altar neighbours pray bear me record Is the Great Idol I deny'd my Lord But from the bottom of my heart am sorry For what I don in hazarding my Glory He caught condemn'd and burn'd with Thomas Hale Climb'd up to heaven from this tearful vale One Thomas Benson of the same town went To pris'n for saying That the Sacrament Was as they us'd it nothing else but bread And not the body of the Lord indeed As for the Sacraments which you call seven Five were ordain'd by men but two by heaven Give me the two which I acknowledge true And all the other five I 'll leave to you Soon after this he did receive death's sentence And executed to his God he sent hence His blessed soul which left its bodie 's jail For Paradise death having put in bail Now to conclude The last that did maintain The Gospel with their hearts-blood in the Raign Of Mary Queen that hell-begotten fury Were these five Citizens of Canterbury John Hurst John Cornford Captains in the fight Christopher Brown Alice Swoth and Kath'rine knight The things imputed to their charge were that Christs real presence they denyed flat Affirming onely those that do believe Not wicked men Christs body do receive The Pope they said was Antichrist the Mass Abominable that a sin it was To pray to Saints that cringing to a cross Was meer Idol'try and an errour gross c. Sentence of condemnation being heard Forthwith John Cornford was in spirit stirr'd And with an ardent zeal for God express'd In the name of himself and all the rest This doom I'th'name of Christ our Saviour The Son of God the High'st and by the power Of his most Holy-Ghost as also by The Holy and Divine authority Of the Apostolick and Cath'lick Church Never yet totally left in the lurch We here turn over to the Prince of hell As slaves eternally to howle and yell In sulph'ry flames the bodies of all those Blasphemers Hereticks who do oppose The living God and bolster up their errours Against the Truth hence to the King of Terrours So that by this thy righteous judgement shown Against thy foes great God thou mayst make known Thy true religion to thy greater glory And our souls comfort when we read the story Of thy great power and to th'edification Of all our well-nigh ruinated Nation Good Lord so be it be it so Amen And this his excommunication then Took great effect against truth's enemies Queen Mary within six dayes after dies And Tyrannie with her there is no hope Of any longer footing for the Pope In England now great joy betides to all The faith-ey'd Saints who wish'd proud Babels fall Yet the Archdeacon and 's associates quick Knowing the Queen was dangerously sick Condemn'd those pious persons to the flame And hurri'd them away When there they came In Christ his name they offer'd up their prayers As holocausis to the Almighties ears To God they pray'd to God for ever blest Preferring this request amongst the rest That if it were his will their blood might be The last that should be shed so Lord pray we No sooner had they pray'd but heaven return'd A gracious answer they the last that burn'd Great God said they we cheerfully resign Our souls into those blessed hands
of thine Amidst these flames their spirits did ascend To glory which shall never have AN END Gloria Deo in Excelsis SECT Vlt. God's Judgements upon the Persecutors of hic Church and children SInce first the Gospel in the Ears did ring Of England under Lucius the King Never did King or Queen the Land so stain With Christian blood as in her four years reign Queen Mary did she burned in her fury An Arch-Bishop and he of Canterbury Four Bishops twenty one Divines or more Eight Gentlemen Artis'cers eighty soure Husbandmen Servants and poor Labouring men Five score Wives twenty six Widdowes twice ten to Nine Maids two Boyes and two young Babes heaven VVere sent in all two hundred seventy seven Sixty four more for Jesus Christ his sake VVere persecuted sore which could not shake Their heaven-built faith seven whereof were strip'd Stark naked and most mercilesly whip'd Sixteen in prison perishing had dung After the Nabathoean custom flung Upon their outcast bodies Some did lie In captivated chains condemn'd to die But were deliv'red from approaching death By th' happy entrance of Elizabeth Our glorious Queen our Pallas and Astraea Of Grace and Virtue the divine Idea Many did spend by reason of exile Their dayes in trouble and their years in toile But as Queen Mary lavished the blood Of her best subjects and the truth withstood Unto the utmost of her power so God Scourged her soundly with his flaming rod Both in her life and death for whilst she liv'd What did she prosper in which she atchiev'd To instance in a few particulars And first her fair'st and greatest man of War Unmatch'd i' th' Christian world cal'd the great Harry Was burnt by heavenly flames Then would she marry Spanish King Philip so expose to dangers Poor England under barb'rous foes and strangers She labour'd much but never could attain To joyn the English to the Spanish Raign Then did she set about the restauration Of Abbey-lands throughout the British nation Her self began according to the Popes Directions yet frustrate were all her hopes God o're her land then such a famine spred That her poor subjects upon Acorns fed Then Calice where the English did remain During eleven Kings reigns from her was ta'in Which loss so griev'd her as she did impart That Calice was engraven in her heart Again in child-birth never woman had S'unfortunate success as she so bad For if she was with child and had e're been In travel why why was it never seen If not why was the Kingdom so beguild Some in the Pulpit for her new-born child Returning thanks thus her desires b'ing crost She then th' affections of her husband lost She could not him enjoy nor might she smother This her first love by marrying another Although she did so many Judgements feel Yet would she not her bloody Laws repeal She had no minde to stop the opened vain Or close the bleeding Orifice again Of dying Saints At last the Lord did please To strike her with a languishing disease VVhereof she dy'd and having held the crown Five years and five months onely laid it down Horrible tempests mortal sicknesses Plagues famines burning fevers did perpess The grieved land the fourth year she did sway And swept a multitude of folks away So that in six weeks space in London there Dy'd seven Aldermen VVheat that same year Yielded four marks the Quarter Mault a Peck Fourty four shillings as much Pease did make Two pound six shillings eight pence to a crown The following year a Peck of VVheat came down Four shillings eight pence Mault of Ry a Strike Take for a groat you may if it you like In her fifth year a thundring tempest came And batt'red down two towns neer Notingham Flung sheets of lead abroad bells from the steeple Tore trees up by the roots slew divers people c. Also a great mortality was known In Autumn then Corn stood unreap'd unmown And rotted in the fields hence did ensue Great scarcity the lab'rours being few So much of her nor must my Muse pass by Her chiefest Instruments of cruelty First to begin with Stephen Gard'ner then Bishop of Winchester whose end my pen Disdains to mention twice I will therefore Add onely this That lying at the door Of merc'less death and being put in minde Of Peter his denying Christ he whin'd This answer out VVith Peter I deny'd The Lord but there is somewhat else beside VVanting in me Alas I never spent A tear nor can as Peter did repent Morgan St. Davids Bishop who high base Condemned Ferrar and usurp'd his place Did vomit up his meat through mouth and nose O horrible until his life did close Then Mr. Leyson high Sheriffe set away This Martyrs Cattel int'his own ground they No meant would eat nor touch a blade of grass But bellowed and roar'd till death Alas One Justice Morgan who condemned had Lady Jane Grey within a while fell mad Nothing but Lady Jane his voice did sound The Lady Jane Oh! how her name did wound The Lady Jane the Lady Jane O take The Lady Jane away no more he spake Dunnings the Norwich Chancellour for 's hate To the truth dy'd as in his chair he sate Berry of Norfolk Commissary one Burn'd harmless Saints fell with an heavy groan Down to the ground and never did recover One Bishop Thornton Suffragan of Dover A cruel man while on a Sabbath-day He looked o're his men to see them play At Bowles on him did the dead palsey fall Carry'd to bed he was defir'd to call The Lord to minde Yea said he so I do Not onely so but my Lord Card'nal too So desperately dy'd Another tool Of Hell at Greenwich went to Card'nal Pool To get his blessing but returning fast He fell down stairs and brake his neck for hast Grimwood a wretch who had himself forsworn Being in Harvest stacking of his corn His bowels suddenly fell out These two Capon and Jeff'ry Doctors undergo At Salsbury sudden deaths Mr. Woodroffe Sheriffe of London dyed soon enough One Clerk who did the Godly Saints devour Hanged himself at last in London-Tower Cox a Promoter going well t' his bed When the next morn arose was found stone dead Dale dy'd of lice One Troling Smith a great Foe to the truth dy'd suddenly â—'th'street Paul London Town-Clerk an accursed wretch Did voluntarily an halter stretch A lightning stroke did Robert Baldwin kill Cardinal Pool of an Italian Pill Dy'd as 't was thought Dr. Foxford Blomefield And Leland too to sudden deaths did yield One Dr. Williams Chanc'llour of Glocester Died the death before he was a ware One Lever said he had at Oxford been And that ill-favour'd knave Latimer seen Tooth'd like an horse but mark we what did follow His son soon hang'd himself One William Swallow Lost all his hair off all his nails did pill And 's wife was taken with the falling ill Brown Lardin Potto en'mies of George Eagles D'yd a dogs shameful death three pretty