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
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
worde because I am not woorthy to professe it What bring I to passe in so doyng but adde sinne to sinne What is greater sinne then to deny the truth of Christes Gospell as Christ himself beareth witnesse Hee that is ashamed of me or of my wordes of hym I will be also ashamed before my father and all his aungels I might also by like reason forbeare to do any of gods cōmandements When I am prouoked to pray the enemy may say vnto me I am not worthy to pray therfore I shall not pray so in lyke maner of all the commandements I shall not forbeare swearing stealing murthering because I am not worthy to do any commaundement of God These be the delusions of the Deuill and Sathans suggestions which must be ouercome by continuance of prayer and with the word of God applied accordyng to the measure of euery mans gift agaynst all assaults of the Deuill At the bishops first comming to Lichfield after myne imprisonment I was called into a by chamber next to my prison to my Lord. Before whom when I came and saw none but his officers chaplains seruants except it were an old priest I was partly amazed and lifted vp my heart to God for his mercifull helpe and assistance My Lord asked me how I liked my imprisonment I gaue hym no aunswer touchyng that question He proceded to perswade me to be a member of hys Church which had continued so many yeares As for our church as hee called it it was not knowen he sayd but lately in kyng Edwards tyme. I professe my selfe to be a member of that church said I that is builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Iesus Christ beyng the head corner stone and so alledged the place of S. Paule to the Ephes. And this Church hath bene from the beginnyng said I though it beare no glorious shew before the world beyng euer for the most part vnder the Crosse and affliction contemned despised and persecuted My Lord on the other side contended that they were the Church Glouer So cryed all the Clergy agaynst the Prophets of Ierusalem saying Templum Domini templum Domini The Church the Church c. Bish. And always when I was about to speake any thing my Lord cried hold thy peace I commaund thee by the vertue of obedience to hold thy peace callyng me a proud arrogant heretike Glouer I willed my Lord to burthen me with some specialties then to conuince me with some Scriptures and good learnyng Then my L. began to mooue certaine questions I refused to aunswer him in corners requiryng that I myght make my answer openly He sayd I should aunswer hym there I stood with hym vpon that poynt vntill he said I should to prison agayne and there haue neither meate nor drinke till I had answered hym Then I lifted vp my hart to God that I might stand and agree with the doctrine of his most holy word Bish. The first question was this how many sacraments Christ instituted to be vsed in the church Glo. The Sacrament of Baptisme sayd I and the Sacrament that he instituted at his last Supper Bish. No more sayd he Glo. To all those that declare a true and vnfayned repentaunce a sure hope trust and confidence in the death of Christ to such ministers I grant that they haue authoritie to pronounce by the power of Gods word the remission of sinnes Here interruptyng me he would needes beare me in hand that I called this a sacrament I would not greatly contend with hym in that poynt because that matter was of no great waight or importāce although he in so doing did me wrong for I called it not a Sacrament Hee asked me further whether I allowed theyr confession I sayd no. Bish. Then he would know my mynd what I thought of the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament Glouer I aunswered that their Masse was neither sacrifice nor Sacrament because sayd I you haue takē away the true institution which when you restore agayne I will tell you my iudgement concernyng Christes body in the Sacrament And thus much did this worthy Martyr of God leaue behynd hym by his owne hand in writyng concerning the maner of hys vsing and entreatyng in pryson and also of hys conflictes had with the Bishop and hys Chauncellor Moe examinations he had no doubt with the Byshop in the publike Consistory when he was brought forth to be condemned which also he would haue left vnto vs if either length of lyfe or laysure of tyme or haste of execution had permitted hym to finish that he intended but by reason of the writ of his burnyng beyng come down from London lacke of tyme neither did serue hym so to do neither yet could I get the Records of hys last examinations wheresoeuer they are become Onely this which I could learne by relation of one Austen Bernher a Minister and a familiar friend of hys concernyng the goyng to his death I can report that the sayd blessed seruant of the Lord M. Rob. Glouer after he was condemned by the Bishop and was now at a poynt to be deliuered out of this world it so happened that two or three dayes before his hart beyng lumpish and desolate of all spirituall consolation felt in hymselfe no aptnes nor willingnes but rather a heauines and dulnesse of spirite full of much discomfort to beare that bitter crosse of Martyrdome ready now to be layd vpon hym Wherupon he fearing in himself lest the Lord had vtterly withdrawne his woonted fauor from him made hys mone to this Austen his frend aboue remembred signifieng vnto hym how earnestly he had prayed day and night vnto the Lord and yet could receiue no motion nor sense of any comfort from hym Unto whom the sayd Austen answering agayne willed and desired him paciently to waite the Lords pleasure and how so euer his present feling was yet seing his cause was iust and true he exhorted hym constantly to sticke to the same to play the man nothyng misdoubting but the Lord in his good time would visit him and satisfie his desire with plenty of consolation whereof he sayd he was right certayne and sure therfore desired hym when so euer any such feeling of Gods heauenly mercies should begin to touch his hart that then he would shew some signification thereof wherby he might witnesse with hym the same and so departed from hym The next day when the tyme came of his martyrdome as hee was goyng to the place and was now come to the sight of the stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feele none sodainly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heauenly ioyes that he cryed out clapping his hands to Austen saying in these words Austen he is come he is come c. that with such ioy and alacritie as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly
theyr Pardons which causeth many a man to sinne in trust of them For as for those malefactours which I nowe rehearsed you shall not finde one amongest a hundreth but that he wil cry out both of these bookes and also of them that haue them yea will be glad to spend the good whiche he hath wrongfullye gotten vpon Fagots to burne both the bookes and them that haue them And as touching these men that were latelye punished for these bookes there is no man I heare say that can lay any word or deede agaynst them that shoulde sound to the breaking of any of your graces lawes this onely except if it be yours and not rather theyrs And be it so that there be some that haue these bookes that bee euill vnruely and selfe willed persons not regarding Gods lawes nor maÌ„s yet these bookes be not the cause therof no more then was the bodily presence of Christ and his wordes the cause that Iudas fell but theyr owne froward mind and carnal wit which shoulde be amended by the vertuous example of lyuing of their Curates by the true expositioÌ„ of the scripture If the lay people had suche Curates that would thus doe theyr office these bookes nor the Deuill himselfe coulde not hurte them nor make them to goe out of frame so that the lacke of good Curates is the destruction and cause of al mischiefe Neyther doe I write these thinges because that I will either excuse these menne lately punished or to affirme al to be true writteÌ„ in these books which I haue not all read but to shew that there can not such inconuenience folow of them and specially of the scripture as they would make men beleue should folow And though it bee so that your Grace maye by other bookes and namely by the Scripture it selfe know perceiue the hipocrite Wolues clad in sheepes clothing yet I thinke my selfe bounde in conscience to vtter vnto your grace such thinges as God put in mind to write And this I do God so iudge me not for hate of any person or persons liuing nor for that that I thinke the word of GOD should go forth without persecution if your Grace hadde commaunded that euery man within your Realme should haue it in his mothers tongue For the Gospell must needes haue persecution vnto the time that it bee preached throughout all the world which is the last signe that Christe shewed to his Disciples that should come before the daye of iudgement so that if your grace had once commaunded that the scripture shoulde be put forth the deuill would set forth some wyle or other to persecute the trueth But my purpose is for the loue that I haue to God principally the glory of his name which is only known by his word and for the true allegiaunce that I owe vnto your Grace and not to hide in the grounde of my hart the talent geuen me of God but to chaffer it forth to other that it may encrease to the pleasure of God to exhort your grace to auoid and beware of these mischieuous flatterers and their abhominable wayes and counsels And take heed whose counsels your grace doth take in this matter for there be some that for feare of losing of their worldly worship and honor will not leaue theyr opinion which rashly and that to please menne withall by whome they had great promotion they tooke vpon them to defend by writing so that now they thinke that all theyr felicity which they put in this life should be mard and their wisedome not so greatlye regarded if that whiche they haue so slaunderously oppressed should be now put forth and allowed But alas let these men remember S. Paul how feruent he was agaynst the truth and that of a good zeale before he was called he thought no shame to suffer punishment great persecutions for that which he before despised called heresy And I am sure that theyr liuing is not more perfect then S. Paules was as concerning the outward workes of the law before he was conuerted Also the king and Prophete Dauid was not ashamed to forsake his good intent in building of the Temple after that the Prophet Nathan had shewed him that it was not the pleasure of god that he should build any house for him and notwithstanding that Nathan had before allowed praysed the purpose of Dauid yet he was not ashamed to reuoke and eat his words againe when he knew that they were not according to Gods will and pleasure Wherefore they be sore drowned in worldly wisedome that thinke it agaynst theyr worship to knowledge theyr ignoraunce whom I pray to God that your grace may esâ—ye and take heede of theyr worldly wisedome whiche is foolishnes before God that you may do that that God coÌ„maundeth and not that seemeth good in your owne sighte without the word of God that your grace may be founde acceptable in his sight and one of the meÌ„bers of his church and according to the office that he hath called your Grace vnto you may be found a faythfull minister of his giftes and not a defender of his fayth for hee will not haue it defended by man or mans power but by his wordes onely by the whiche he hath euermore defended it and that by a way farre aboue mans power or reason as all the stories of the Bible maketh mention Wherefore gracious king remember your selfe haue pity vpon your soule and thinke that the daye is euen at hand when you shall geue accountes of your office and of the bloud that hath bene shedde with your sworde In the which day that your grace may stand stedfastly and be not ashamed but to be cleare and readye in your reckoning to haue as they say your Quites est sealed with the bloude of our Sauiour Christ whiche onely serueth at that day is my dayly prayer to him that suffered death for our sinnes which also prayeth to his father for grace for vs continually To whom be all honour and prayse for euer AmeÌ„ The spirit of God preserue your Grace Anno Domini 1530. 1. die Decembris In this Letter of Mayster Latimer to the king aboue prefixed many thinges we haue to consider First his good conscience to God his good will to the king the duety of a right Pastour vnto trueth his tender care to the common wealth and especially to the Church of Christ. Further we haue to consider the abuse of Princes courtes how kinges many times be abused with flatterers and wicked couÌ„sellers aboute them and especially wee maye note the subtle practises of prelates in abusing the name and authority of kinges to set forth theyr owne malignaunt proceedinges We may see moreouer and rather maruell at in the sayde letter the great boldnes and diuine stoutnes in this man who as yet being no Bishop so freely and playnely without all feare of death aduentring his owne life to
moreouer by hys own wordes may be gathered in sundrye places as more playnly may appeare by that whiche hereafter followeth Upon hys estimation and fame he stoode â—o too muche more then was meete for a man of hys coate and callynge whose profession was to be crucified vnto the world whiche thing made him so stiffe in mayntayning that hee had once begon to take vpon hym I will not heare speake of that which hath bene constantly reported to me touching the monstrous making mishaped fashion of hys feete and toes the nayles wherof were sayd not to bee like to other mens but to crooke downeward and to be sharpe lyke the clawes of rauening beastes What hys learning was in the Ciuil and Canon law I haue not to say What it was in other liberal sciences and artes thys I suppose that neyther hys continuance in study nor diligence of readynge was such by reason of hys to muche intermedling in Prynces matters as could truely wel merite vnto hym the title of a deepe learned man But what learning or cunning soeuer it was he had so it fared in him as it dothe in Butchers whiche vse to blow vp theyr flesh euen so he with boldnes and stoutnes and speciallye with authoritie made those giftes that he had to appeare much greater then they were in very deede Wherunto vse peradueÌ„ture also experieÌ„ce abroad brought no little helpes rather then eyther quicknes of wit or happines of education And as touching Diuinitie he was so variable wauering with time that no constant censure can be geueÌ„ what to make of hym If hys doynges and writinges were accordinge to hys conscience no man can rightly saye whether he was a right protestant or Papist If hee wrote otherwise then he thought for feare or to beare with tyme then was he a double deep disseÌ„bler before God and man to say vnsay to write and vnwrite to sweare and forsweare so as hee did For first in the beginning of queene Annes tyme who was so forward or so busy in the matter of the kings diuorce as Ste. Gard. who was first sent to Rome and then to the Emperour with Edward Foxe as chiefe agent in the behalfe of Lady Anne By whome also he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Winchester Ed. Boner was preferred to the Bishoprick of LondoÌ„ Agayn at the abolishing of the Pope who so ready to sweare or so vehement to write agaynst the Pope as he as not onely by hys sermons but also by hys booke De obedientia may appeare In whiche booke De obedientia least any shuld thinke him drawne thereunto otherwise then by his own consent he playnly declareth how not rashly nor vppon a sodeine but vppon a long deliberation and aduisement in hymselfe about the matter he at length vttered hys iudgement Whereof read before And moreoeuer so hee vttered his iudgement in wryting agaynst the vsurped supremacie of the Pope that comming to Louane afterwarde hee was there accompted for a person excommunicate and a schismaticke in so much that he was not permitted in their Church to say Masse and moreouer in their publicke sermons they openly cryed out agaynst hym Whereof read hereafter following And thus long continued he firme and forward so that who but Winchester during all the tyme and raigne of Queene Anne After her decease that time by litle and litle caried him away til at length the emulation of Cromwels estate and especially as it seemeth for his so muche fauouring of Boner whom Winchester at that time in no case coulde abide made him an vtter enemie both agaynst him and also his Religion till agayne in kyng Edwardes daies he began a litle to rebate from certaine poyntes of Popery and somewhat to smell of the Gospell as both by his Sermon before king Edward and also by his subscribyng to certane Articles may appeare and this was an halâ— turne of Stephen Gardener from Popery againe to the Gospell and no doubt he would haue further turned had not the vnlucky decay of the Duke of Somerset cleane turned him away from true Diuinitie to playne Popery wherein he continued a cruell persecutour to his dying day And thus much concerning the trade and profession of Ste. Gardiners Popish diuinity In which his popishe trade whether he folowed more true iudgement or els time or rather the spirite of ambition vaine glory it is doubtful to say so much the more doubtfull because in his doings writinges a man may see him not only contrary to him selfe but also in some points contrary to other Papistes And furthermore where he agreeth with them he seemeth therein not so much to folow his owne sense as the mind meaning of Pereseus out of whose booke the greatest part of Winchesters Diuinity seemeth to be borowed And therefore as in the true knowledge of Gods holy word scripture he appeareth no body so in his pen and stile of writings no lesse farre he is from commendation then he is froÌ„ al plainenes and perspicuitie In whose obscure perplexe kind of writing although peraduenture some sense may be found with some searching yet shall no reader finde any sweetenes in his reading What moued him to be so sturdy against M. Cheke and sir T. Smith for the Greke pronunciatioÌ„ other may thinke what they please I speake but what I thinke that he so did for that he sawe it a thing rather newly begun then truly impugned Such was the disposition of that maÌ„ as it semeth that of purpose he euer affected to seme to be a patron of al old customes though they were neuer so rotten with age Amongest other matters this one thing I can not but meruaile at in my minde when I see how proudly he braggeth and vaynely vaunteth him selfe aswell in his letters to the L. Protector others of K. Edwardes counsell as also in his long matter articulated and exhibited by hym vnto the Archbishop of Canterburie and other the kyngs Commissioners of the high fauour he had of the noble K. of famous memory K. Henry the 8. when in deede nothing was lesse true neither did the king lesse fauour any of his Counsell then him affirming very often that he greatly suspected the sayde B. to be a secrete maynteiner of the B. of Romes vsurped authoritie and a stout disturber and hinderer of his proceedinges in reformation of Religion And therefore dyd so muche dislyke with him that he did not onely mynd if the Lord had lent his highnes longer life to haue vsed the extremity of law agaynst him vpon very sore iust matter of old committed by him and yet not taken away by any pardon commaunding thereupon often the L. Paget then his Secretarie to kepe safe certaine writinges which he had against him But also commaunded that he should be put cleane out of his last will Testament not sufferyng him either to be any of his Executors or els in any
of Yorke was turning his booke for moe places to helpe forth his cause Yorke I haue found at length a very notable place which I haue looked for all this while of S. Austine De simplicitate credendi Chich. It is but folly my Lorde that your Grace doe read him any moe places for he esteemeth them not Phil. I esteeme them in as muche as they bee of force as your Lordship doth heare me deny no doctors you bring but onely require the true application of them according to the writers meaning as by his owne wordes may be proued Yorke I will reade him the place and so make an end After he had read the sentence he sayde that by foure speciall poynts here S. Austine proueth the catholick church The first is by the consent of all nations the secōd by the Apostolick Sea the third by vniuersalitie the fourth by this word Catholicke Chich. That is a notable place in deede and it please your Grace Phil. I pray you my Lord of what church doth S. Austine write the same of Rome or not Yorke Yea he writeth it of the Church of Rome Phil. I will lay with your Lordshippe as much as I can make it is not so and let the booke be sene Bath What art thou able to lay that hast nothing Yorke Doth he not make mention here of the Apostolicke sea whereby he meaneth Rome Phil. That is very straitly interpreted my lord as though the Apostolicke Sea had bene no where els but at Rome But let it be Rome and yet shall you neuer verify the same vnlesse all the other conditions do go therewith as S. Augustine doth proceed withal wherof none except the Apostolicke sea can now bee verified of the Churche of Rome For the fayth which that Sea now maynteineth hath not the consent of al nations neither hath had Besides that it cannot haue the name of Catholick because it differeth frō the Catholicke Churches which the Apostles planted almost in all thinges Yorke Nay he goeth about here to proue the Catholicke Church by vniuersality how can you shew your church to be vniuersall fifty or an hundreth yeares ago Phil. That is not materiall neither any thing agaynst S. Augustine For my church wherof I am were to be coūted vniuersal though it were but in x. persōs because it agreeth with the same that the Apostles vniuersally did plant Yorke I perceiue you are an obstinate man in your opinion will not be taught wherefore it is but lost labour to talke with you any lenger you are a member to be cut of Chichester I haue heard of you before how you troubled the good Bishop of Winchester and now I see in you that I haue heard Phil. I trust you see no euill in me by this I desire of you a sure ground to build my fayth on if you shew ne none I pray you speake not ill of him that meaneth well Chichester Thou art as impudent a felow as I haue cōmuned withall Phil. That is spoken vncharitably my Lord to blaspheme him whom you can not iustly reproue Chich. Why you are not God Blasphemy is counted a rebuke to Godward and not to man Phil. Yes it may be as well verified of an infamy layde to man speaking in Gods cause as you now do lay vnto me for speaking freely the truth afore GOD to maynteyne your vayne Religion You are voyd of all good ground I perceiue you are blind guides and leaders of the blinde therfore as I am bounde to tell you very hipocrites tyrannously persecuting the trueth which otherwise by iust order you are able to conuince by no meanes Your owne doctors and testimonies which you bring be euidently agaynst you and yet you will not see the truth Chichest Haue we this thanke for our good will comming to instruct thee Phil. My Lordes you must beare with me since I speake in Christes cause and because his glory is defaced and his people cruelly and wrongfully slayne by you because they will not consent to the dishonor of God and to hypocrisie with you If I told you not your fault it should be required at my hands in the day of iudgement Therfore know you ye hypocrites in deed that it is the spirit of God that telleth you your sinne not I. I passe not I thank God of al your cruelty God forgeue it you geue you grace to repent And so they departed ¶ An other talke the same day THe same day at night before supper the bishop sent for me into his chappell in the presence of the archdeacon Harpesfield Doctor Chadsey other his Chapleines and his seruauntes at what time he sayd Lond. Maister Philpot I haue by sundry meanes gone about to do you good and I maruell you do so litle consider it by my trueth I can not tell what to say to you Tell me directly whether you will be a conformable man or no wherupon you chiefly stand Phil. I haue tolde your Lordships oftentimes playne enough wheron I stand chiefly requiring a sure probation of the Church wherunto you call me Harps S. Austen writing agaynst the Donatistes declareth foure speciall notes to know the Church by the cōsent of many nations the fayth of the Sacramentes confirmed by antiquity succession of Bishops and vniuersality Lond. I pray you Mayster Archdeacon fette the booke hither it is a notable place let him see it And the booke was brought and the bishop read it demaunding how I could aunswere the same Phil. My Lorde I like S. Austens foure poyntes for the triall of the catholicke churche whereof I am for it can abide euery poynt therof together which yours can not do Harps Haue not we succession of Bishops in the Sea and church of Rome Wherfore then do you deny our Church to be the catholicke church Phil. D. Austine doth not put succession of Bishops onely to be sufficient but he addeth the vse of the Sacramentes according to antiquity and doctrine vniuersally taughte receiued of most nations from the beginning of the primatiue Church the whiche your Churche is farre from But my church can auouch all these better then yours therfore by S. Austins iudgement which you here bring mine is the catholicke church and not yours Harps Chad. It is but folly my Lord for you to reason with him for he is irrecuperable Phil. That is a good shift for you to runne vnto when you be confounded in your owne sayinges haue nothing else to say you are euidently deceiued and yet will not see it when it is layd to your face THus haue I at large set forth as many of the sayd Iohn Philpot his examinations priuy conferences as are yet come to light being faythfully written with his owne hand And although he was diuers other times after this examined both openly in the Consistory at Paules also secretly in the bishops house yet what was
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
brother in the Lord Maister Robert Harrington GEntle M. Harrington I can not tell what condigne thanks I may geue vnto God for you in respecte of the great gentlenesse and paine which you haue taken for the reliefe of me and of other our afflicted brethren in Christe God be praised for his mercy whose louing prouidēce we haue seene towardes vs by such faithful stewardes as you ben towards a great many Blessed be you of God for the louing care whiche you haue taken for his poore flocke God hath reserued your reward of thanks in heauen and therfore I goe not about to render you any least I might seeme to iudge that you looked for that heere which is reserued to a better place I thanke God for that I haue found by your faithfull and diligent industry God forgeue me my vnworthinesse for so great benefites God geue mee grace to serue him faithfully to runne out my race with ioy Glorious is the course of the martyrs of Christ at this day Neuer had the electes of God a better time for theyr glory then this is Nowe may they be assured vnder the crosse that they are Christes disciples for euer Mee thinke I see you desiring to be vnder the same The flesh draweth backe but the spirite sayeth it muste be brought whether it would not Here is the victorie of the world here is true faith and euerlasting glory Who is he which desireth not to be foūd faithfull to his maister And now is the time that euery faithfull seruant of Christ hath iust oportunitie to shew himselfe a glorious soldior in the Lordes sight Nowe doe the Amalechites inuade the true Israelites that the Israelites might with spede be glorified I neede not for want of vnderstanding to admonish you hereof but as a willing souldiour in Christ to exhort you so to runne as you may get the victory and that speedely with vs. A man that is bid to a glorious feast wisheth his frend to go with him to be partaker thereof God doth cal me most vnworthy amōg other to drink of the bridecup of his sonne wherby we shal be made worthy as many of our brethrē haue ben before vs to sit at the right hād at the left hand of Christ. O what vnspeakable cōdition is that May any worldly thing stay vs from the desire therof Since we seeke the kingdome of God why do we not apprehend it being so neare offered vnto vs Let vs approch neare vnto God and God will draw neare vnto vs. God drawe vs after him that we may all runne after the sauour of his sweete oyntmentes Christe annoynt vs that we may be suppled in these euil daies to run lightly vnto the glory of the Lord. Shame imprisonment losse of goods and shedding of our bloud be the iust price which we must willingly bestow for the same Wherfore dearly beloued in the Lord let not the great charges keepe you backe frō bying this glory for the reward is x. thousand fold greater then the price That you haue married a wife whome God blesse I can not excuse you from this Marte but you must bryng your wife for a vsurie to the Lorde whose pleasure is in godly yokefelows I wish you to be as I am except these horrible bandes but yet most comfortable to the spirit assuring you that we are made woorthy thorough Christ of the kingdome for the which we suffer Praised be the Lorde for the affliction which we suffer and he geue vs strength to continue to the ende Commend me to M. Heath tel him that I woulde wish him with me to prooue howe apt he is to cary the crosse of Christ. I praye for his continuāce in Christ as for mine owne Commend me to his wife and to mistres Hal certifying them that I am brought to the gates of hel that I might neuer enter into the same but be raised vp from hel to heauen through the word that sanctifieth vs. Commend me to M. Elsing his wife and thank them that they remēbred to prouide me some ease in prison tell them that though my Lordes Colehouse be but very blacke yet it is more to be desired of the faithfull then the Queenes palace God make her a ioyful mother preserue them both to the comfort of gods people Thus for this time farewel dear brother Written in posthast because of strait keeping This daye I looke to be called before the Commissioners againe Pray deare brother for the spirite of wisedome to remaine with me Commēd me to your wife and I thanke you both for your tokens Your token I haue sent to your wife and my token vnto you is my faithfull hart with this letter Commend me to all my frends and tell them I thanke God I am chereful in Christ wishing thē to feare God more then man and to learne to despise earnestly the vanities of this worlde desiring you all to pray for me that I may end my iourney with fidelitie Amen Iohn Philpot. Here followeth an other letter of M. Philpot to the Lady Vane which because for the length I could not wholy insert I haue excerpted certaine specialties thereout as followeth THe principall spirite of GOD the father geuen vnto vs by Christ Iesus our mercifull Sauiour confirme strengthen and stablish you in the true knowledge of the gospel that your faithful heart worshipfull and deare sister in the Lord may attaine tast with all the Saincts what is the height the depth the length and the breadth of the sweete crosse of Christ. Amen c. O happy are you amōgst all other women that haue found this precious stone which is hidden in the gospell for the which we ought to sell all other thinges and to purchase the same O happy woman whose heart God hathe mooued and enlarged to be in the profession thereof Other seeke worldly goodes hohours and delightes but you seeke with a good vnderstanding to serue God in spirite and veritie This is the gate that leadeth to heauen this is your portion for euer By this you shall see God face to face which sight is vnspeakeable ioy by this shal ye see a full sight of all the beautiful heauenly powers and of all the celestiall Paradise By this shal ye know them that you neuer knewe and be ioyous and gladde wyth those whiche you haue knowen heere in God world without end c. Ah I lament the infidelitie of Englande that after so great light is stept into so huge darkenesse againe The seruaunt that knoweth his maisters will and doeth it not shall be beaten wyth many stripes Ah great be the plagues that hang ouer England yea though the Gospell shoulde be restored againe Happye shall that personne be whome the Lorde shal take out of this worlde not to see them Ah the great periurie which menne haue runne into so wilfully against God by receiuing Antichrist againe and his wicked
to dwel in the Lords tabernacle Our Christe and his heauenly companye looke for vs let vs haste and runne thereto for beholde the Lord is ready to embrace vs. Mine owne bowels in the Lorde be merry in the Lorde with your afflicted brother who daily offereth your merciful almes which most vnworthely I do receiue still of you vnto the Lorde But nowe deare mother you neede not to burden so muche your selfe as my last letters did signifie for that my chargeable imprisonment is cut off and a litle nowe serueth me wherefore I praye you sende no more vntill I sende to you for I haue sufficient and abounde Gods peace be with you for euer Out of my Lord of Londons Colehouse the last of October Your owne Iohn Philpot. An other Letter of Maister Philpot to the sayde Ladie wherin partly he complaineth of the dissimulation and periurie of English men falling againe to the Pope and partlye he expresseth his ioy in his afflictions I Cannot but ioy with you my hearty beloued in Christ of the fall of Senacherib since it is to the glory of God and to the consolation of his church to see the fall of theyr enemies before their face according as it is wrytten The iust shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeaunce of the wicked God make this your ioy perfite for as cōcerning my self I counte not to see those good dayes whereof you haue a glimmering in this life For although the Cockatrice be dead yet his pestilent chickens with the whore of Babylon yet liueth But a great hope there is of their shorte confusion because god doth not prosper their doings according to their expectation Most happiest shal he be whome the Lorde shall moste soonest take out of this life that he may not see the plagues which the manifest periurie and the manifolde idolatrie and detestable dissimulation and that of such as do know the truth do threaten to come The Lord is iust all vnrighteousnes displeaseth him either heere or els in an other world he will punish this grosse infidelity of the worlde but his elect and such as he loueth wil he punish here that they should not be condēned heereafter with the world eternally we haue nothing so much to reioyce in as in the crosse of Iesu Christ and in that we are partakers of his afflictions which be the earnest penie of that eternall kingdome which he vppon the crosse for vs hathe purchased For as Paule hys faithfull witnes saith If we suffer with him we shall raigne with him If we die with him we shall liue with him Wherefore mine owne deare bowels praise God with me moste intirely that it hath pleased him now mercifully to visite the sinnes of my youth my huge vnthankfulnes and by the same doth geue me such consolation that he assureth me of his great goodnesse mercy and turneth his fatherly castigation into my crown of glory O good God what am I on whome he should shew this great mercy To him that is immortal inuisible and onely wise be all honor praise and glory therfore Amen This is the day that the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in the same This is the way though it be narrow which is ful of the peace of God leadeth to eternal blisse O how my heart leapeth for ioy that I am so neare the apprehēsion therof God forgiue me mine vnthākfulnes and vnworthines of so great glory The swordes whyche pearced Maries hart in the passion of our Sauiour whych daily also go through your faithful hart be more glorious and to be desired then the golden Scepters of this world O blessed be they that mourne in this world to Godwarde for they shall eternally be comforted God make my stony heart to mourne more then it doth I haue so muche ioy of the reward that is prepared for me most wretched sinner that though I be in a place of darknes mourning yet I cā not lament but both night day am so ioyfull as though I were vnder no Crosse at all yea in all the dayes of my life I was neuer so merry the name of the Lorde be praised therfore for euer euer and he pardon mine vnthankfulnes Our enemies do freat fume and gnash their teeth to see and heare that we vnder this grieuous affliction in the world can be so mery We are of them counted as desperate persones for the certaine hope feeling which we haue of our euerlasting saluation and it is no maruell for the worldly man can not perceiue the things of God it is meere foolishnesse and abhomination to them Be thankefull vnto our God mine owne deare helper for his wonderous working in his chosen people Praye instantly that this ioy be neuer taken from vs for it passeth all the delightes of this worlde This is the peace of God which surmounteth all vnderstanding this peace the more his chosen be afflicted the more they feele therfore can not faint neither for fire neither for water Lette vs pray for our weake brethren sisters sake that it may please God to alleuiate the greeuous and intollerable burden of these cruel daies But touching our selues let vs hartily besech our sauiour to vouchsafe to geue vs this glorious gifte to suffer for hys Gospels sake and that we may thincke the shame of the world to be our glory as it is in deede God increase our faith and open our eyes to beholde what is prepared for vs. I lack nothing praise be to God I trust my marriage garment is ready I will send you my examinations as soone as I can get them wrytten if you be desirous of them God of his mercy fill your mercifull heart with all ioy and consolation of the hope to come Out of the colehouse the 19. of Nouember Your owne louer Iohn Philpot. A Letter of M. Philpot to a frende of his prisoner the same time in Newgate wherein is debated and discussed the matter or question of Infants to be baptised THe God of all lighte and vnderstanding lighten your heart wyth all true knowledge of his word and make you perfect to the day of our Lorde Iesus Christ wherevnto you are nowe called through the mighty operation of his holy spirite Amen I receiued yesternight from you deare brother S. and felow prisoner for the truth of Christes Gospell a Letter wherein you gently require my iudgement cōcerning the Baptisme of infantes which is the effect thereof And before I doe shewe you what I haue learned out of Gods word of his true infallible church touchyng the same I thinke it not out of the matter first to declare what vision I had the same night whiles musing on your letter I fell a sleepe knowing that God doth not without cause reueale to his people who haue their mynds fixed on him speciall and spirituall reuelations to their comfort as a tast of their ioy and kingdome
Circumcision to be a seale of the couenaunt after that Abraham was circumcised But hee when he perceiued the infantes also to pertaine to the couenant and that Circumcision was the sealyng vp of the couenant did not only circumcise Ismael his sonne that was 13. yeres of age but all other infantes that were borne in his house among whom we recken Isaac Euen so faythfull people which were conuerted from Heathen Idolatry by the preaching of the gospel and coÌ„fessing the faith were baptised when they vnderstood their children to be counted among the people of God and that Baptisme was the token of the people of God they procured also their children to be baptised Therefore as it is written Abraham circumcised all the male children of hys house Semblably we read in the Actes and writyngs of the Apostles that after the Maister of the house was turned to the fayth all the whole house was baptised And as concernyng those which of olde tyme were compelled to confesse their fayth before they receyued baptisme whiche were called Cathecumeni they were such as with our forefathers came from the Gentiles to the Church who beyng yet rude of fayth they did instruct in the principles of their beliefe and afterward they did baptise them but the same auncient Fathers notwithstandyng dyd baptise the children of faythfull men as I haue already partly declared And because you doe require a hasty aunswer of your letter of one that is but a dull writer I am here enforced to cease particularly to go through your letter in aunswering thereto knowyng that I haue fully answered euery part thereof in that I haue already written although not in such order as it had bene meet and as I purposed But forasmuch as I vnderstand that you will be no contentious man neither in this matter neither in any other contrary to the iudgement of Christes Primatiue Churche which is the body and fulnesse of Christ. I desire you in the entire loue of hym or rather Christ desireth you by me that your ioy may be perfect whereto you are now called to submit your iudgement to that Church and to bee at peace and vnitie with the same that the coate of Christ which ought to be without seame but now alas most miserably is torne in pieces by many daungerous sectes and damnable opinions may appeare by you in no part to haue bene rented neither that any giddy head in these dog dayes myght take an example by you to dissent froÌ„ Christes true Church I beseech thee deare brother in the Gospell follow the steps of the faith of the glorious Martirs in the Primatiue Church and of such as at this day folow the same decline not from them neither to the right hand nor to the left Then shall death be it neuer so bitter bee more sweeter then this lyfe then shall Christ with al the heauenly Hierusalem triumphantly embrace your spirite with vnspeakeable gladnes and exaltation who in this earth was content to ioyne your spirit with their spirites accordyng as it is commaunded by the word that the spirite of Prophets should be subiect to the Prophetes One thyng aske with Dauid ere you depart and require the same that you may dwell with a full accorde in hys house for there is glory and worship and so with Simeon in the temple embracing Christ depart in peace to the whiche peace Christ bryng both you and me and all our louyng brethren that loue God in the vnity of fayth by such wais as shall please hym to his glory Let the bitter passion of Christ which he suffred for your sake and the horrible torments which the godly Martyrs of Christ haue endured before vs and also the inestimable reward of your lyfe to come which is hidden yet a little whyle from you wyth Christ strengthen comfort and encourage you to the end of that glorious race which you are in Amen Your yoke fellow in captiuitie for the veriâ—ie of Christes Gospell to lyue and dye with you in the vnitie of fayth Iohn Philpot. ⧠Diuers other letters were written by M. Philpot to diuers but these as most principall I haue excerpted and inserted Amongest which I thought here not much impertinent to the place to adioyne an other certayne letter of a godly zealous Gospeller whose name in her writyng doth not appeare who in defendyng and commendyng the quarell of this M. Iohn Philpot Christes most famous and worthy Martyr was therefore troubled and brought before B. Boner And therefore beyng appoynted by the sayd bishop to appeare vpon a certayne day to aunswer for her selfe In deede kept not her day with the Bishop but in stead of her appearance sent hym this letter here followyng ¶ Wo be vnto the Idolatrous Shepeherds of England that feede themselues Should not the Shepeherdes feede the flocke but ye haue eaten the fatte ye haue clothed you with the wooll the best fed haue ye slayne but the flocke haue ye not nourished the weake haue ye not holden vp the sicke haue ye not healed the broken haue ye not bound together the outcastes haue ye not brought agayne the lost haue ye not sought but churlishly and cruelly haue ye ruled them Ezech. 34. FOr as much my Lord as my busines is such that I can not come vnto your Lordshippe accordyng to my promise I haue bene so bold to write these few wordes vnto you partly to excuse myne absence and partly to answere your Lordships demaunds at my last most happy departure from you As touchyng the breache of my promise with you in not commyng agayne at the hower appoynted your Lordship shall vnderstand that I take the counsaile of the Angell which warned the wyse men not to come agayne to Herode accordyng to their promise but to turne home agayne another way Now my Lord I perceiuyng your Lordship to be a more cruell tyraunt then euer was Herode and more desirous to destroy Christ in hys poore members then euer was he which to destroy Christ killed hys owne sonne I thought good to take the Angels counsaile and to come no more at you for I see that you are set all in a rage lyke a rauenyng wolfe agaynst the poore lambs of Christ appoynted to the slaughter for the testimonye of the truth In deed you are called the common cut throte generall slaughter slaue to all the Bishops of Englande and therefore it is wisedome for me and all other simple sheepe of the Lord to keepe vs out of your butchers stalle as long as we can especially seyng that you haue suche store alredy that you are not able to drinke al their bloud least you should breake your belly and therefore let them lye still and dye for hunger Therefore my L. I thought it good to tary a tyme vntill your Lordships stomacke were come to you a little better for I do perceyue by your great fat cheekes that you lacke no lambes fleshe yet and belike
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
also to the encouragemēt of others in the same quarell to doe the like The Lorde of strength fortify vs to stand as his true soldiors in what standing soeuer he shall thinke it good to place vs. Amen ¶ In the examinatiō of Roger Bernard ye heard a litle before how he was compared by the Priestes there to Iohn Fortune called his scholer This Iohn Fortune otherwise called Cutler of Hintlesham in Suffolke was by his occupation a Blacke Smith whom they had before them in examination a litle before the 20. day of Aprill In spirit he was zelous and ardent in the Scriptures ready in Christes cause stout and valiant in his answeres maruellous no lesse patient in his wrongfull suffering then constant in his doctrine Whether he was burned or dyed in prison I cannot certenly find but rather I suppose that he was burned Certeine it is howsoeuer he was made away he neuer yelded What his aunswers and examinations were before D. Parker and the Bishop ye shall heare him although not with his owne mouth speaking yet with his owne hande you shall see written what he did saye as foloweth ¶ The examination of Iohn Fortune before Doctour Parker and Mayster Foster FIrst Doct. Parker asked me how I beleued in the Catholicke fayth And I asked him which fayth he meant whether the sayth that Steuen had or the fayth of them that put Steuē to death D. Parker being moued said what a noughty felow is this you shall see anon he will denye the blessed Sacrament of the aulter M. Foster Then sayd Mayster Foster I know you well enough You are a busy marchant How sayest thou by the blessed Masse Fort. And I stood still and made no aunswere Fost. Then sayd M. Foster why speakest thou not and make the gentleman an answere Fort. And I sayde silence is a good aunswere to a foolishe question Park Then sayd the Doctour I am sure he will denye the blessed Sacrament of the aulter also Fort. And I sayd I know none such but onely the sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. Park Then sayd he you deny the order of the seuen sacramentes And why doest thou not beleue in the Sacrament of the aulter Fort. And I sayd because it is not written in Gods booke Park Thē sayd he you will not beleue vnwrittē vereties Fort. And I sayd I will beleue that those vnwritten verities that agree with the written verities be true but those vnwritten verities that be of your owne making inuented of your owne brayne I do not beleue Fost. Well sayd M. Foster you shall be whipped and burned for this geare I trow Fort. Then sayd I if you knew how these wordes do reioyce my hart you would not haue spoken them Fost. Why thou foole doest thou reioyce in whipping Fort. Yea sayd I for it is written in the Scriptures and Christ sayth thou shalt be whipped for my names sake since the time that the sworde of tyrannye came into your handes I heard of none that was whipped Happy were I if I had the maydenhead of this persecution Away with him then sayde he for he is tenne times worse then Samuel and so was he caried to prison again ¶ The second examination of Iohn Fortune before the Bishop of Norwich WHen I came before the Bishop he asked me if I did not beleue in the Catholick church I sayd I beleue that Church wherof Christ is the head Then sayd the Bishop doest thou not beleue that the Pope is supreame head of the Churche And I sayde no Christ is the head of the true Church Bish. So do I beleue also but the Pope is Gods Uicar vpon earth and the head of the Churche and I beleue that he hath power to forgeue sinnes also Fort. Then sayd I the Pope is but a man and the Prophet Dauid sayth That no man can deliuer his brother nor make agreement for him vnto God For it cost more to redeeme their soules so that he must let that alone for euer Bysh. And the Bishop agayne fetching about a great circumstaunce sayd like as the Belweather weareth the bell and is the head of the flocke of sheepe so is the Pope our head And as the hiues of Bees haue a Mayster Bee that bringeth the bees to the hiue again so doth our head bring vs home agayne to our true Church Fort. Then I asked him whether the Pope were a spirituall man and he sayde yea And I sayde agayne they are spitefull men for in xvij moneths there were three Popes and one poysoned an other for that presumptuous seat of Antichrist Bysh. It is maliciously spoken sayd he for thou must obey the power and not the man And thus was the pope denied to be supreme head Well sayd he what sayst thou to the Ceremonyes of the Church Fort. And I aunswered All thinges that are not planted by my heauēly father shal be plucked vp by the rootes saith christ For they are not from the beginning neither shall they cōtinue to the end Bysh. They are good and godly and necessary to be vsed Fort. S. Paule called them weake and beggarly Bysh. No that is a lye Fortune I hearing that sayd that Saynt Paule writeth thus in the fourth to the Galathians You foolish Galathians sayth he who hath bewitched you that ye seeke to bee in bondage to these weak and beggarly Ceremonies Now which of you do lye you or Saynt Paule And also it is sayde that woorkes instituted and enioyned without the commaundement of GOD perteyne not to the worship of God according to the text In vayne doe men worshippe mee with mens traditions and commaundementes And Sayncte Paule sayth Wherefore doe ye cary vs away from the grace of Christ to another kind of doctrine And Christ opēly rebuked the Scribes Lawyers Phariseis Doctors Priestes Bishoppes and Hypocrites for making Gods commaundementes of none effect to support theyr owne tradition Byshop Thou lyest there is not such a worde in all the Scriptures thou noughty hereticke Thou art woorse then all other heretickes for Hooper sayd he and Bradford alow them to be good and thou doest not Away with him ¶ Here you may perceiue howe that the Catholicke church can not erre but whatsoeuer they say must needes be true And so my Lord Bishop can not lye as it may appeare to all men most playnely in the text ¶ The third examination of Iohn Fortune before the Byshop of Norwich THe next day I was brought before the sayd Bishop agayne where he made a Sermon vpon the 6. chapter of S. Iohns Gospell of Christes wordes I am the breade that came downe from heauen c. and therupon had a great bibble babble to no purpose So in the end I was called before him and he sayd to me Bish. How beleuest thou in the Sacrament of the aultar doest thou not beleue that after the consecration
euer But in the meane space I saye most happy are you that so hartily mourne the absence of the bridegrome If you were not a wedding child you could neuer doe it Onely Christes true Disciples doe mourne for his absence therefore shall they doubtles reioyce at his presence which will be so muche more ioyfull by how much the absence is more sorrowfull Therfore my good brother take a good hart vnto you be of good cheare Say with the Prophet Dauid O my soule why art thou so heauy and why art thou so disquieted with in me O put thy trust in God for I will yet geue him thankes for the helpe of his louing countenance and because he is my God Read the Psal the xli and the xlij for your comfort consider that the holy kng and Prophet at the making first saying of them was euē in the same case that you are now in but he still comforted himselfe with the sweet promises of God and so do you my deare hart for to you they do as well pertayne as they did to him and as surely shall they be performed vpon you as they were vpon him for he is one God and deare father vnto you both for his mercy truth and promise sake he must needes make good vnto you all that he hath sayd If his loue towardes you stoode in the respect of your own merite or worthines you might well mourne lamēt and complayne yea you had good cause to doubt feare mistrust But seeing he loueth you onely for and in Iesus christ who is your whole holines righteousnesse and redemption lay away all mourning lamenting and complayning banish from you all feare mistrust and infidelitie and know that as long as Christ doth continue Gods sonne so lōg must the loue of the father continue towards you immutable and his good will vnchangeable and can not be altered through any of your infirmities For this is most true that as long as the cause of any thinge doth last so long must the effect remayne but Christ is the whole cause why the father loueth you and hee also continueth for euer then must I needes conclude that the loue of the father continueth towardes you for euer and as the Psalmist most ioyfully so often singeth His mercye endureth for euer and euer This is most true mine owne deare hart although the Lorde for a time hide it from your senses that you might be the more earneste in prayer to him for the feeling of it also the more thankefull for it when he doth geue the liuely tast of it as doubtles he will do ere euer it be long and then shall you be well able to comforte other in the same state that you are now in with the same comforte wherewith you are and further shal be comforted of God Therefore lifte vp youre handes that are now a little fallen downe and stretche forth the weake knees of youre troubled minde whiche now mourneth with a godly mourning and therefore shal it be full well comforted with that sweete peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and you are sure already to enioy the blessing that Christ gaue vnto the Godly mourners of Sion vppon the Mount at the first sermon that he made Oh happy U. in whose mourning company I had rather be then in the house of mirth and banqueting of such as see not what cause they haue to mourne and be sory But yet my good brother vse a measure in this your godly mourning make not your faithfull frendes too much sory for you Let the perswasions of such godly louers as you do dayly company withal or rather the perswasions of the holy Ghoste by them moue you to some godly mirth and reioising Consider that you are commaunded of God by the mouth of Sainct Paule thereto Reioyce in the Lord sayth he and I say again reioyce Marke how he doubleth the sentence that wee may perceaue it is a most earnest and necessary thing he requireth Obey the commaundement of God in this behalfe wherin as you cannot but highly please him so I assure you you shall very much reioyce my poore hart and the harts of other whiche pray for you with mourning teares and make that cruell enemy Sathan and all your aduersaryes sory which will reioyce and laugh to see you mourne Oh my good brother let it manifestly appeare that the Lorde of his great mercy hath heard our faythfull and harty requestes for you Oh how would that reioyce me in the midst of my troubles Therfore now to conclude because the darkenes constrayneth me to make an end for this time I say my deare faithful brother U. in respect of the great cause you haue of your own part through Christ for the glory and honor of almighty God the comfort ioy and reioysing of your deare brethren and sisters in Christ also your owne duetie by the commaundement of God and last of all to vexe molest and greeue Satan withall reioyce in the lord and be most hartily glad in him who is wholy yours and you are his and shal be for euermore Selah Farewel mine own bowels in the Lord praise God with ioyfull lips a mery hart pray for me his most vnprofitable seruant which haue more cause concerning my selfe to lament then any one man liuing but my good bridegrome is present biddeth me cast away my mourning garmentes and therfore I must needes be merry with him and so he biddeth you to be by my mouth for hee is present with you although for sorow you cannot know him as Magdalen could not in the garden vntill he spake vnto her The Lorde God speake these wordes of comforte in your hart open the eyes of your minde that you may perfectly perceiue and feele his blessed presence so reioyce in the same for euermore Amen Comfort your hart in christ and cast your care vpon him for he careth for you Your brother in the Lord abiding his good pleasure Iohn Careles * To my deare and faythfull brother Augustine Bernher The peace of God in Iesus Christ the helpe comforte and assistance of his eternall spirite be with you my deare and faythfull brother Augustine and with all the rest of my good brethren and sisters of the houses of Baxterley Manceter which mourneth for the miserye of Gods people to your euerlasting consolation in hym Amen Right glad I am to heare my deare and faithfull brother Augustine that God of his greate mercy and infinite goodnes hath yet so graciously deliuered preserued you out of your enemyes handes beseeching almighty God also from the bottome of my hart to be your continuall defence vnto the ende as hitherto he hath most graciously bene that you may liue dye both to Gods glory the commodity of his Church and to the increase of your owne euerlasting ioy and comfort in hym Knowe you deare brother
poore blinde womans life and deathe in suche sorte as is aboue prefixed hath bene confessed to be very true by diuers persons of worthy credite and yet liuing and also hath bene specially perused and examined by W. Baynbridge tofore mentioned Bayliffe then of Darbye who aswell of his own knowledge as by speciall enquiry and conference by him made with diuers others hath certified vs the same to be vndoubted besides the Testimoniall of Iohn Cadman Curate of the sayd towne and of other also vppon whose honesty well knowne and theyr report herein nothing differing from such as were best acquaynted with that matter I haue bene here the more bold to commit this story to posteritie for all good men to consider and to iudge vpon * Edwarde Sharpe ABout the beginning of the next month folowing whiche was September a certayn godly aged deuout zelous person of the Lords glory borne in Wiltshyre named Edward Sharpe of the age of lx yeares or thereabout was condemned at Bristow to the like Martyrdom where he constantly manfully persisting in the iust quarrel of Christes Gospell for misliking and renouncing the ordinaunces of the Romishe Churche was tryed as pure gold and made a liuely sacrifice in the fire in whose death as in the death of all hys other saynts the Lord be glorified and thanked for his great grace of constancy to whom be praise for euer Amen ¶ Foure suffered at Mayfield NExte after the Martyrdome of Edward Sharpe aboue sayd followed iiii which suffered at Mayfield in Sussex the xxiiii day of September anno 1556. Of whose names ii we finde recorded and the other two we yet know not and therefore according to our register here vnder they be specified as we find them Iohn Hart. Thomas Rauensdale A Shomaker And a Coriar Which sayd .4 being at the place where they shoulde suffer after they hadde made theyr prayer and were at the stake ready to abide the force of the fire they constantlye ioyfully yelded their liues for the testimony of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ vnto whome be prayse for euer and euer Amen The day after the Martyrdome of these foresayde at Mayfield which was the 24. of September an 1556. was a young man which by science was a Carpenter whose name we haue not put to death for the like testimonye of Iesus Christe at Bristowe where he yelding himselfe to the tormentes of the fire gaue vp his life into the handes of the Lord with such ioyfull constancye and triumphe as all the Church of Christe haue iust cause to prayse God for him The martyrdome of Iohn Horne and a woman NOw not long after the death of the sayde young man at Bristow in the same moneth were two mo godly Martyrs cōsumed by fire at Wotton Underhedge in Glocestershyre whose names are aboue specified which dyed very gloriously in a constaunt fayth to the terrour of the wicked and comforte of the Godly So graciously did the Lord worke in them that death vnto them was life and life with a blotted conscience was death ¶ A pitifull storye concerning the vnmercifull handling of W. Dangerfield and Ioane hys wife beyng in childbed taken out of her house wyth her sucking infant of 14. daies old layd in the common Iayle amongest theeues and murderers WHen I had written and finished the story of the Garnsey women with the young infant there with them burned and also had passed the burning of the poore blind woman Ioane Wast at Darby I well hoped I shoulde haue found no moe such stories of vnmerciful cruelty shewed vppon seely women with theyr children and young infantes but now cōming to the persecution of Glocester shyre about the partes of Bristow I finde an other story of such vnmercifulnes shewed agaynst a woman in child-bed as farre from all charitie and humanitie as hath ben anye other storye yet hetherto rehearsed as by the sequele hereof may appeare In the Parish of Wotton Underhedge not farre from Bristow was dwelling one W. Dangerfield a right honest and godly poore man who by Ioane Dangerfield his wife had ix Children and she nowe lying in childbed of the tenth Thys William after he had bene abroad from his house a certayne space for feare of persecution hearing that his wife was brought to bed repayred home to visite her as naturall duety required and to see his children she being now deliuered foure dayes before The returne of this man was not so soone known to some of his vnkinde vncharitable neighbours but they incensed with the spirite of Papistrye eftsoones beset the house about and there tooke the sayd W. Dangerfield caryed him to prison and so at length hee was brought to the Bishop being then Doctor Brookes in whose cruell handling he remayned a certayne space so longe till hys legges almost were freated off with yrons After the apprehension of the Husband the wife likewise was taken with her younge borne childe being but 14. dayes olde as is sayde out of her childbed and caryed into the common Iayle and there placed amongst theues and murderers where both shee and her poore innocent found so small charitie amongest the catholicke men that she neuer could come to any fire but was driuen to warm the clothes that she should put about the childe in her bosome In the meane season while they lay thus inclosed in seuerall prisons the husband and the wife the Bishop beginneth to practise not with the woman first as the serpent did with Eue but with the man craftily deceiuing his simplicitie with fayre glosing wordes falsely perswading him that his wife had recanted and asking him wherfore he should more stande in his owne conceate then shee being as well learned as he and so subtilly drew out a form of recantation wherewith hee deceiued the simple soule Whereunto after that he had once graunted that hee would consent although hee had not yet recanted they suffered hym to to go to his wife where shee laye in the common Iayle Then they with melting hartes opening their minds one to an other when he saw hys wife not released perceauing that he had not done well he declared vnto her the whole matter how falsely he was circumuented by the subtile flatteringes of the Byshop bearyng him in hand that certaynly she had recanted and thus deceiuing me sayde he brought this vnto me and so plucked out of hys bosome the copy of the recantation whereunto he had granted his promise At the sight whereof the wife hearyng what her husband had done her hart claue a sunder saying Alacke thus long haue we continued one and hath Satan so preuayled to cause you to breake your first vow made to Christ in Baptisme And so departed the saide W. and Ioane his wife with what heartes the Lorde knoweth Then began hee not a little to bewayle his promyse made to the Bishop and to make hys prayer to almighty God
taught What can I do more Consider with your selues that I haue done it for the confirmation of Gods trueth Pray that I may continue vnto the end The greatest part of the assault is paste I prayse my God I haue in all my assaultes felt the present ayde of my God I geue him most harty thankes therefore Looke not backe nor be ye ashamed of Christes Gospell nor of the bonds I haue suffered for the same thereby ye may be assured it is the true word of God The holy ones haue bene sealed with the same marke It is no time for the losse of one man in the battell for the campe to turne backe Vp with mennes hartes blowe downe the dawbed walles of heresies Let one take the Banner and the other the Trumpette I meane not to make corporall resistaunce but pray and ye shall haue Elias defence and Elizeus company to fight for you The cause is the Lordes Nowe my brethren I can write no more time will not suffer and my harte with panges of death is assaulted but I am at home with my God yet aliue Pray for me salute one another with the holy kisse The peace of god rest with you all Amen From Newgate prison in haste the day of my condemnation Iohn Rough. An other letter of Iohn Rough written vnto the Congregation two dayes before he suffered THe spirite of all consolation be with you ayde you and make you strong to runne to the fight that is layde before you wherewithall God in all ages hath tryed hys elect and hath found them worthy of himselfe by copling to theyr head Iesus Christ in whome who so desireth to liue Godly the same must needes suffer persecution For it is geuen vnto them not onely to beleeue but also to suffer And the Seruaunt or Scholer can not be greater then his Lord or Mayster but by the same way the head is entered the members must folow no life is in the members which are cutte from the body likewise we haue no life but in Christ for by him we liue moue and haue our being My deare sonne now departing this life to my great aduauntage I make chaūge of mortality with immortality of corruption to put on incorruption to make my body like to the corne cast into the ground which except it die first it can bring forth no good fruite Wherefore death is to my great vauntage for therby the body ceaseth from sinne and after turneth into the first originall but after shall be chaunged and made brighter then the Sonne or Moone What shall I write of this corporall death seeing it is decreed of God that all men shall once die happy are they that die in the Lord which is to dye in the fayth of Christ professing and confessing the same before many witnesses I prayse my God I haue passed the same iourney by manye temptations the deuill is very busye to perswade the world to entise with promises and fayre wordes which I omitte to write least some might thinke I did hunt after vayne glorye whiche is farthest from my hart Lastly the daunger of some false brethren who before the Byshop of London purposed to confesse an vntrueth to my face yet the God that ruled Balaam moued theyr hartes where they thought to speake to my accusation hee made them speake to my purgation What a iourney by Gods power I haue made these eight dayes before this date it is aboue flesh and bloud to beare but as Paule sayth I may do all thinges in hym which worketh in me Iesus Christ. My course brethrē haue I run I haue fought a good fight the crowne of righteousnes is layd vp for me my daye to receiue it is not long too Praye Brethren for the enemye doth yet assaulte Stande constaunt vnto the ende then shall you possesse your Soules Walke worthely in that vocation wherein you are called Comfort the Bretheren Salute one another in my name Be not ashamed of the Gospell of the Crosse by me preached nor yet of my suffering for with my bloud I affirme the same I go before I suffer first the bayting of the Butchers Dogges yet I haue not done what I should haue done but my weaknes I doubt not is supplied in the strēgth of Iesus christ and your wisedomes learning will accept that small talent which I haue distributed vnto you as I trust as a faythfull stewarde and if what was vndone impute that to my frayltye and ignoraunce and with your loue couer that which is and was naked in me God knoweth ye all are tender vnto me my hart bursteth for the loue of you Ye are not without your great pastor of your soule who so loueth you that if men were not to bee sought out as God be praysed there is no want of men he would cause stones to minister vnto you Cast your care on that Rock the wind of temptation shall not preuayle fast and praye for the dayes are euill Looke vp with your eyes of hope for the redemption is not farre off but my wickednesse hath deserued that I shall not see it And also that which is behind of the bloud of our brethren which shall also be layd vnder the aulter shall crye for your reliefe Time wil not now suffer me to write longer Letters The spirite of God guid you in and out rising sitting couer you with the shadow of his winges defend you agaynst the tyrannye of the wicked and bring you happely vnto the Porte of eternall felicitye where all teares shall be wyped from your eyes and you shall alwayes abyde wyth the Lambe Iohn Rough. ¶ Margaret Mearing Martyr IT is declared that in the companye of Iohn Roughe was burned one Margaret Mearyng who as the Register maketh mention was at one time and day brought wyth the sayde Rough foorth to examination where the Byshop hauynge no priuate matters to charge her withall did the eightenth daye of December obiecte agaynste her those common and accustomable Articles mentioned before pag 1585. To which she aunswered as followeth FIrst that there is here in earth a catholicke Churche and that there is the true fayth of Christ obserued and kept in the same Church 2 Item that there were onely two sacramentes in the Church namely the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ and the sacrament of Baptisme 3 Item that she was baptised in the fayth beliefe of the sayd Church renouncing there by her Godfathers and Godmothers the Deuill and all his workes c. 4 Item that when she came to the age of fouretene yeares shee did not knowe what her true beliefe was because shee was not then of discretion to vnderstande the same neyther yet was taught it 5 Item that she had not gone from the catholicke fayth at any time but she sayde that the Masse was abhominable before the sight of God and before the sight of all true Christian people and that it is the
Religion tooke such effect agaynst the enemye that within sixe dayes after Queene Mary dyed and the tyranny of all Englishe Papistes with her Albeit notwithstanding the sicknes and death of that queene wherof they were not ignorant yet the Archdeacon with other of Caunterbury thought to dispatch the Martyrdome of these men before ¶ The burning of fiue Martyrs at Caunterbury In the which fact the tyranny of this Archdeacon seemeth to exceede the crueltye of Boner who notwithstanding he had certayne the same time vnder his custodye yet he was not so importune in haling them to the fire as appeareth by father Liuing and his wife and diuers other who being the same time vnder the custody and daūger of Boner deliuered by the death of Queene Mary remayne yet some of them aliue These godly martirs in theyr prayers which they made before their martirdome desired God that theyr bloud might be the last that should be shed and so it was This Katherine Tynley was the mother of one Robert Tynley now dwelling in Maydstone which Robert was in trouble all Queene Maryes time To whom hys Mother comming to visite him asked him how he tooke this place of Scripture which she had seene not by reading of the Scripture for she had yet in maner no taste of Religion but had found it by chaunce in a Booke of prayers I will poure out my spirite vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesy your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions And also vpon the seruantes and vpon the maydes in those dayes will I poure my spirite c. Which place after that he had expounded to her she began to take hold on the Gospell growing more and more in zeale and loue thereof and so continued vnto her Martyrdome Among such young women as were burned at Caunterbury it is recorded of a certayne mayd and supposed to be this Alice Snoth here in this story mentioned or els to be Agnes Snoth aboue storied pag. 1751. for they were both burned that when she was brought to bee executed she being at the stake called for her godfather and godmothers The Iustice hearing her sent for thē but they durste not come Notwithstanding the Iustice willed the messēger to go agayne and to shew them that they should incur no daunger therfore Then they hearing that came to knowe the matter of theyr sending for When the maide saw them she asked thē what they had promised for her and so she immediatly rehearsed her fayth and the commaundements of God and required of them if there were any more that they had promised in her behalfe and they sayd no. Then sayd shee I dye a Christian woman beare witnes of me and so cruelly in fire was she consumed gaue ioyfully her life vp for the testimony of Christes Gospell to the terrour of the wicked and comfort of the godly and also to the stopping of the sclaunderous mouthes of suche as falsly doe quarrell agaynst these faythfull Martyrs for going from that religion wherein by theyr Godfathers Godmothers they were first baptised ¶ The story and condemnation of Iohn Hunt and Richard White ready to be burnt but by the death of Queene Mary escaped the fire BEsides these Martyrs aboue named diuers there were in diuers other places of the Realme imprisoned whereof some were but newly taken and not yet examined some begon to be examined but were not yet condemned certayne both examined and condemned but for lacke of the writ escaped Other there were also both condemned and the writ also was brought downe for theyr burning and yet by the death of the Chaūcellor the bishop and of Queene Mary happening together about one time they most happely maruellously were preserued and liued many yeres after In the number of whom was one Iohn Hunt and Rich. White imprisoned at Salisbury Touching which historie something here is to be shewed First these two good men and faythfull seruauntes of the Lord aboue named to wit Iohn Hunt and Richarde White had remayned long time in prison at Salisburye other places therabout the space of two yeares and more During which time oft times they were called to examination manifold waies were impugned by the Bishop and the Priestes All whose examinations as I thoughte not much needefull here to prosecute or to searche out for the length of the volume so neither agayne did I thinke it good to leaue no memorye at all of the same but some part to expresse namely of the examination of Richarde White before the Bishop of Salisbury the Bishop of Glocester with the Chauncellour and other Priestes not vnworthy perchaunce to be rehearsed * The examination of Richard White before the Byshop of Salisbury in his chamber in Salisbury the 26. day of Aprill an 1557. THe Bishop of Salisbury at that time was Docor Capon The Bishop of Glocester was Doctor Brookes These with Doctour Geffrey the Chauncelour of Salisbury and a great number of Priestes sitting in iudgemēt Richarde White was brought before them With whome first the Bishop of Glocester which had the examination of him beginneth thus Bishop Brookes Is this the prisoner The chauncellour Yea my Lord. Brookes Frend wherefore camest thou hether White My Lord I trust to know the cause for the lawe saith in the mouth of two or three witnesses things must stand Doctour Capon Did not I examine thee of thy fayth whē thou camest hether White No my Lord you did not examine me but cōmaūded me to the Lollardes Tower and that no man should speake with me And now I do require mine accuser Then the Register said the Maior of Marlborow did apprehend you for wordes that you spake there for that I commaunded you to be conueyed hither to prison White You had the examination of me in Marlborow Say you what I haue sayd And I will aunswere you Geffray Thou shalt confesse thy fayth ere thou depart and therfore say thy minde freely and be not ashamed so to do White I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ because it is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleue S. Peter sayth If any man do aske thee a reasō of the hope that is in thee make him a direct aunswere and that with meekenes Who shall haue the examination of me Chaunc My Lord of Glocester shall haue the examinatiō of thee White My Lorde will you take the paynes to wet your coate in my bloud be not guilty thereof I warne you before hand Brookes I will do nothing to the contrary to our law White My Lorde what is it that you doe request at my handes Brookes I will appose thee vpon certayne articles principally vpon the sacramēt of the aultar How doest thou beleue of the blessed Sacrament of the aulter Beleuest thou not the reall carnall and corporall presence of Christ in the same euen
most of the Deuill of hell Thus he lay without amendment about 6. daies that his maister and all his houshold was weary of that trouble and noyse Then his maister agreed with the keepers of Bedlem and gaue a peece of money and sent hym thether It seemeth that he was possessed with an euill spirit from the which God defend vs all This is a terrible example to you that be mockers of the word of God therfore repent amend lest the vengeance of God fall vpon you in like maner Witnes heereof William Mauldon of Newington The same William Mauldon chaunced afterwarde to dwel at a Towne 6. miles from London called Waltamstow where his wife taught yong children to read which was about the yeare of our Lorde 1563. and the 4. yeare of Queene Elizabeths raigne Unto this schoole amongest other children came one Benfieldes daughter named Dennis about the age of twelue yeares As these children sate talking together they happened among other talke as the nature of children is to be busy with many things to fall in communication of God and to reason among them selues after their childish discretion what he should be Whereunto some answered one thing some an other Among whom when one of the children had sayd that he was a good olde father the foresayd Denis Benfielde casting out impious woordes of horrible blasphemie what he sayd shee is an olde doting foole What wretched and blasphemous wordes were these yee heare Nowe marke what followed When William Mauldon heard of these abhominable woordes of the girle hee willed his wife to correcte her for the same Which was appoynted the nexte day to be done But wheÌ„ the next morow came her mother would nedes send her to the market to London the wenche greatly intreating her mother that she might not go being marueilously vnwilling thereunto Howebeit thorough her mothers compulsion shee was forced to goe and went And what happened Her businesse being done at London as she was returning againe homewarde and being a little past Hackney sodenly the yong girle was so stricken that all the one side of her was black and she speachles Wherupon immediately she was caried backe to Hackney and there the same night was buried Witnes of the same storie William Mauldon and his wife also Benfielde her father and her mother which yet be all aliue A terrible example no doubt both to old and young what it is for children to blaspheme the Lord theyr God and what it is for parentes to suffer their young ones to grow vp in such blasphemous blindnes not to nurture them betime in the rudimeÌ„ts of the christian Catechisme to know first their creation and then their redemption in Christ our Sauiour to feare the name of God and to reuerence his Maiestie For els what do they deserue but to be taken away by â—â—eathe whiche contemptuously despise him of whome they take the benefite of life And therefore let all young maides boyes and yong men take example by this wretched seely wench not only not to blaspheme the sacrede Maiestie of the omnipotent God their creator but also not once to take his name in vaine according as they are taughte in hys commaundementes Secondly let all Fathers Godfathers and Godmothers take this for a warning to see to the instruction and Catechising of their children for whom they haue bounde them selues in promise both to God and to hys Churche Which if the Father and godfather the Mother and godmothers had done to this younge girle verely it maye be thought this destruction had not fallen vpon her Thirdly al blinde Atheists Epicures Mammonists belly Gods of this worlde and sonnes of Beliall hypocrites infidelles and mockers of Religion which saye in their hearts there is no God learne also hereby not only what God is and what he is able to doe but also in thys miserable creature here punished in this world to behold what shall likewise fall on them in the world to come vnlesse they will be warned betime by such examples as the Lord God doth geue them Fourthly and lastly heere may also be a spectacle for all them which be blasphemous and abhominable swearers or rather tearers of God abusing his glorious name in suche contemptuous and despitefull sort as they vse to do Whome if neither the woorde and commaundemente of God nor the calling of the preachers nor remorse of conscience nor rule of reason nor theyr wytheringe age nor hory haires will admonish yet let these terrible examples of Gods districte Iudgement somewhat mooue them to take heede to them selues For if thys young maiden who was not fully 12. yeares old for her vnreuerent speaking of God and that but at one time did not escape the stroke of Gods terrible hande what then haue they to looke for which being men growen in yeares and stricken in age being so often warned preached vnto yet cease not continually with theyr blasphemous othes not only to abuse his name but also most coÌ„tumeliously and despitefully to teare him as it were and all his partes in peeces About the yeare of our Lorde 1565. at Bryhtwell in the County of Backshyre vppon certaine communication as touching the right reuerende Martyrs in Christ Byshop Cranmer Bishop Ridley and maister Hughe Latimer there came into an house in Abyngdon one whose name is Leuar being a Plowman dwelling in Bryhtwel afore sayd and sayd that he saw that euill fauoured knaue Latimer when he was burned And also in despite sayd that he had teeth like a horse At which time and hour as neare as could be gathered the sonne of the sayde Leauer moste wickedly hanged him selfe at Shepton in the Countie aforesayd within a mile of Abingdon These wordes were spoken in the hearing of me Thomas Ienens of Abyngdon Did not Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterburie geue sentence against the Lord Cobham and died him self before him being so stricken in his toung that neither he could swallow nor speake for a certain space before his death pag. 588. Frier Campbell the accuser of Patricke Hamelton in Scotlande what a terrible ende hee hadde reade before pag. 957. Haruey a Commissarie that condemned a poore man in Calice was shortly after hanged drawen and quartered pag. 1229. William Swallow the cruell tormentor of George Egles was shortly after so plagued of God that al the hair of his heade and nailes of his fingers and toes went off his eyes welneare closed vppe that hee coulde scante see Hys wife also was stricken wyth the falling Sickenesse wyth the whych Maladie shee was neuer infected before pag. 2010. Likewise Richard Potto an other troubler of the sayd George Egles vppon a certaine anger or chafe with hys seruauntes was so sodenlye taken with sicknesse that falling vpon his bed lyke a beast there he died neuer spake woorde pag. 2010. Richard Denton a shrinker from the Gospel while he refused to suffer the fire in
first proposition Iustinus Apol. 2. The first argument out of Iustine Martyr The second argument 〈◊〉 of Basil Basilius Epist 63. Ambrosius An other argument of Saint Ambrose Ambrose Ambrose Ambrose Ambrose Hieronimus Basil. ho. 4. hexam Chrisostome in i. ad Cor. cap. 14. Idemeodem loco in illa verba si ingrediatur infidelis aut indoctus An other argument out of Chrisostome Dionisius Ciprianus ser. 6. de or dominica Aug. in Psal. 18. Aug. de magist Nouel const â—13 The second dayes talke Bishopspes coÌ„mitted to the Tower Boner cast in the Marshalsey D. Storyes impudent wordâ— in the Parliament The wordes of D. Story 〈◊〉 the Parâ—iamâ—nt house This Martyr burnt at Vxbridge was M. Denley Referre this to the pag. 587. Referre this to the pag. 1032. Referre this to the page 1407. A letter of Q Mary to 〈…〉 Duke of Northfolkeâ— Exod. 20. Deut 27. Referre this to the page 1717. Reade before page 1295. col 2. Referre this to the page 1717. * The secular state ignominious disdained with the proude Clergye Referre this to the page before 1437. col 2. Referre this to the pag. 1512. Referre this to the page 1555. Reade before page 997. col 2. The story and Martyrdome of Thomas Hitton William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury The examination of Thomas Hitton before the Archbishop Tho. Hitton refuseth to sweare agaynst himselfe The constaÌ„cye of Tho. Hitton in his confession An other appearance of Thomas Hitton before the Archbishop The sentence of condemnation against Thomas Hitton 〈◊〉 elect Math. 20. Pauci qui saluabuntur Luke 13 2. Tim. 2 Cognouit Dominus qui sunt eius Sanctis qui sunt in terra et preclaris his toto animo delector Ego vos elegi e mundo Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo Ezechiel 33. 34. Ioannes 17. Augustine Quid paraâ— dentem et ventrem crede et manducasti Ecclesia cum paucis diebus hâ—buit quantum ad humanitatem modo fide tenet occulis non videt Referre and conferre this with the pag. 1â—37 Referre this to the page 1686. Referre this to the page 1898. Wisedome 5. Wisedome 4. Hebr. 11. Referre this to the pag. 1734. Referre this to the pag. 1893. This belongeth to the pag. 1894. Referre this to the pag. 1894. Referre this to the page 1916. Referre this to the page 1955. and to the yeare of the Lord 1556. Read before pag. 2034. Two notable deliuerances of William Woodman Gal. 1. Heb. 9.10 Christes 〈◊〉 Church seruice True Prophetes Math. 11. Psal. 23. Iohn 10. Hyrelinges A vayne people Esay 1. Ierem. 2. An euill hurtfull thing Israell A letter 1. Cor. 10. Lusters after euill thinges Marke 10. Confession of the Gospell Luke 12. Inuocation and prayer Psalme 86. Psalmes of Dauid are comfortable The Bible is a iewell 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 12. Iohn 1. Vanitie of this lyfe Worldly wisedome 1. Cor. 1. Spirite of Christ. Galat. 5. 1. Pet. 2. â— Tim. 2. 1. Thess. 5. Math. 3. Gen. 3. Gen. 8.9 Gen. 1â— Luke 19. Reade Beda and our Englishe Chronicles Sinne is the cause of plagues Ierem. 6. Eccle. 10. Exod. 20. High tyme to turne to God Ieremie 3. Ezech. 33. Cautions of the Author to the Reader This Nicholas Vnderwoode dwelleth now at Coton by Nunne Eaton and Laurence in Nunne Eaton Referre this to the pag. 1953. William Sarton Martyr burnt at Bristow Referre this to the pag. 2051. Prestes wyfe of Exceter Martyr Doctour Raynoldes Deane of Exceter and Maister Blackston treasurer of the Churche of Exceter popishe persecutours The Martyrdome of one Snel by Richmond Gods punishment vpon the Doctour that condemned Snel The marueilous deliueraunce of one Laremouth A letter of William Hunter to his mother a little before his burning Stories education and birthe Story a bloudy persecutour Story inuenting new tormentes for the Martyrs Story apprehended Story conueyed himselfe ouer the Seas where he continued a bloudy persecutour Story obtayned a commission to search for Enlishe bookes Story intendeth the ouerthrow of England A platforme layde to apprehend Story Story searched the Englishe shippes for bookes and is apprehended and brought into England Story a traytor hanged drawne quartered The cruell Massaker in Fraunce Persecution in the City of Oringe Anno. 1570. Persecution at Rhoane 40. slaine comming from a Sermon Persecution at Diepe The horrible Massaker at Paris The kinges dissembled pretence The names of all the fauourers of the Amirall discreyde A bloudy mariage betweene the kinges sister and Prince of Nauarre Anno. 1572. August 18. August 22. Amirall wounded with a pistolet shot out of a Window Amirall slaine in his bedde and throwne out of the Window 10. thousand slayne in 3. dayes Ex historia Rich. dinothi lib. 5. Petrus Ramus Lambinus with other slaine Commentaria de statu Galliae part 3. The spirite and charity of the Pope to be noted 28. of August S. Bartlemew bloudy day The great distresse of the Protestantes in Fraunce Gods helping hand at neede The towne of Rochell example to other townes The cityes of the Protestanteâ— take courage to defende themselues Bironius Rochelme stand to their deliuery Rochell first besieged by Bironius Anno. 1573. The whole power of Fraunce set agaynst Rochell The siegâ— of Rochel during 7. monethes 7. Assaultes agaynst Rochell Three notable examples of Gods great mercy in preseruing his seruauntes The 2. example The 3. miraculous worke of God in sending in fishe 132. Captaynes of the Kinges army slaine Peace concluded betweene the King and the Protestantes Duke Aniow the kinges brother made King of Poleland Peace agreed and concluded betweene the King and Protestantes of Rochel and certayne other Cityes Anno. 1573. â—unii 10. The death of Charles 9. French King and of the Cardinall of Lorayne The maner of Charles the French Kings death to be noted Ex Commentarijs de Statu Gallico part 4.