these things are too far above thy reach Said they the shrub is lower then the Beach I am said she indeed and yet my breath I 'll give in witness of my Saviours death O do not put me off with longer stay For Ah! I am impatient of delay My love hath wings it hovers up and down Nor can it rest till glory is her own My heart is fixed I will never go From what I said nor do as others do Then said the Bishop There 's no hopes to win her The devil leadeth her the devil is in her Not so my Lord quoth she Christ is my guide His Spirit upholds me that I cannot slide She when she heard deaths sentence past upon her Advanc'd her voice and said Unmated honour The Proverb 's true Long look'd for comes at last My Lord my God I thank thee that thou hast Granted to me this day my hearts desire In listing me with thy celestial Quire Woman said one be thou a happy wife By thy recanting O the sweets of life No said she by no means my life is hid With Christ in God now the good Lord forbid That for this life at best but transitory I should lose heaven and eternal glory I have two husbands but will onely cleave Unto my heavenly and my earthly leave The fellowship of Saints in heaven I trow Exceeds the having children here below And if my husband and my children prove Faithful then am I theirs they have my love God my good father is God is my mother God is my sister and God is my brother God is my kinsman God 's my faithful friend Who will stick close unto me till the end To execution then led along She was attended with a num'rous throng Bound to the stake she by the Popish Priests Was set upon again unwelcom guests To whom she thus for God's sake now give o're Your bibble babble trouble me no more With empty sounds fain would I Oh! divorce My self from your impertinent discourse O God be merciful to sinful me For Ah! I onely do depend on thee She stood with admirable patience Amidst the flames and so her soul flew hence Sh 'had such a cheerful look that one would say It was her wedding not her burning day She had been alwayes sober in her diet Neat in apparel peaceable and quiet Alwayes a doing never fitting still During her health and limbs by her good will Chain'd to her house she ever would refuse To gad abroad as most ill-houswives use To all that came to her her gracious heart Would streams of consolation impart Gods word was her delight she gave good heed Ther husband in the Lord a wife indeed According to her power she at her door And at their sev'ral homes reliev'd the poor And in the time of her calamity Would take no proff'red coyne for said she I Am going now to Heaven a City where No mony any Mastery doth bear And whilst I here remain the Lord will feed My craving stomack and supply my need It is his promise and full sure I be That he which feeds the Ravens will feed mâ— One Richard Sharp a Weaver by his trade In Bristel City apprehended made A large confession of his faith before One Dr. Dalby the there-Chancellour Who by perswasive Arguments so wrought Upon his weakness that he soon was brought To make a promise That he would appear And publickely recan and when and where But after this Apostacy Sharp felt His conscience gall'd hell's horrour so indwelt His soul that he his calling could not minde His colour went away his body pin'd Next Sabbath day going to Church he made To the Quire-door and with a loud voice said That Altar neighbours pray bear me record Is the Great Idol I deny'd my Lord But from the bottom of my heart am sorry For what I don in hazarding my Glory He caught condemn'd and burn'd with Thomas Hale Climb'd up to heaven from this tearful vale One Thomas Benson of the same town went To pris'n for saying That the Sacrament Was as they us'd it nothing else but bread And not the body of the Lord indeed As for the Sacraments which you call seven Five were ordain'd by men but two by heaven Give me the two which I acknowledge true And all the other five I 'll leave to you Soon after this he did receive death's sentence And executed to his God he sent hence His blessed soul which left its bodie 's jail For Paradise death having put in bail Now to conclude The last that did maintain The Gospel with their hearts-blood in the Raign Of Mary Queen that hell-begotten fury Were these five Citizens of Canterbury John Hurst John Cornford Captains in the fight Christopher Brown Alice Swoth and Kath'rine knight The things imputed to their charge were that Christs real presence they denyed flat Affirming onely those that do believe Not wicked men Christs body do receive The Pope they said was Antichrist the Mass Abominable that a sin it was To pray to Saints that cringing to a cross Was meer Idol'try and an errour gross c. Sentence of condemnation being heard Forthwith John Cornford was in spirit stirr'd And with an ardent zeal for God express'd In the name of himself and all the rest This doom I'th'name of Christ our Saviour The Son of God the High'st and by the power Of his most Holy-Ghost as also by The Holy and Divine authority Of the Apostolick and Cath'lick Church Never yet totally left in the lurch We here turn over to the Prince of hell As slaves eternally to howle and yell In sulph'ry flames the bodies of all those Blasphemers Hereticks who do oppose The living God and bolster up their errours Against the Truth hence to the King of Terrours So that by this thy righteous judgement shown Against thy foes great God thou mayst make known Thy true religion to thy greater glory And our souls comfort when we read the story Of thy great power and to th'edification Of all our well-nigh ruinated Nation Good Lord so be it be it so Amen And this his excommunication then Took great effect against truth's enemies Queen Mary within six dayes after dies And Tyrannie with her there is no hope Of any longer footing for the Pope In England now great joy betides to all The faith-ey'd Saints who wish'd proud Babels fall Yet the Archdeacon and 's associates quick Knowing the Queen was dangerously sick Condemn'd those pious persons to the flame And hurri'd them away When there they came In Christ his name they offer'd up their prayers As holocausis to the Almighties ears To God they pray'd to God for ever blest Preferring this request amongst the rest That if it were his will their blood might be The last that should be shed so Lord pray we No sooner had they pray'd but heaven return'd A gracious answer they the last that burn'd Great God said they we cheerfully resign Our souls into those blessed hands
Braintree William Pigot for Christs name Endur'd the fury of the ardent flame At Maulden Stephen Knight before the stake Kneel'd down and pray'd Sweet Jesu for whose sake I freely leave this life and rather choose Thy cross and irrecoverably loose All worldly goods then to give audience To men in breaking thy commandements Thou seest O Lord that whereas I but now VVas proffer'd great preferments if I 'd bow To a false helpless God I was content My body should be burnt and my life spent Counting all things below but dung and dross For thee happy such gain which comes by loss Thousands of silver and as much of gold Then death I do of lesser value hold Just as the wounded Deer desires the soil So longs my soul for thee pour down the Oil Of consolation on a crumbling clod So helpless of it self Thou know'st O God That I who am but sinfull flesh and blood Can of my self act nothing that is good And therefore as of thine abundant love And goodness still deflowing from above On me me that am lesser then the least Of mercies thou hast bid me to this feast And judg'd me worthy to drinke of this cup With thine elect even so O bear me up Great God! against this Element of fire So formidable to the sence so dire Sweeten it by thy spirit so asswage The heat that I may overcome its rage And pass into thy bosome Holy father Forgive thou me as I do all men gather My soul sweet Son of God my Saviour Beneath thy shady wings a Balmy Bower O blessed Holy-Ghost whose strength destroies Fleshly corruptions hasten thou my joyes Eternal joyes Lord I commend take then My parting spirit Amen Amen Amen John Laurence legs with bolts and irons lame His body with hard usage out of frame Was to the stake transported in a chair And suff'red for the saith at Colchester Young children while he burn'd cry'd out O Lord Strengthen thy servant and make good thy word Stand up stand up for thy poor servant's aid As thou art just O do as thou hast said Ferrar set o're St. Davids Bishoprick Was apprehended for an Heretick Him Winchester misus'd call'd him base slave False-hearted fellow and a cross-grain'd knave Morgan a fraudulent supplanter turn'd him Out of his place and at Carmarthen burn'd him Not long before his death one Richard Jones A Knights son comming his sad pains bemones T'whom Ferrar thus Sir if you see me move My hand or foot during the flames do prove What mettle I am of believe not then My Doctrine oft inculcated to men And as he said he did with the fire hot Besieged round he stirred not a jot Held his stumps bolt upright then with a pole Knock'd down i' ch' fire he breathed out his soul One Rawlins White a Fisher-man in Wales Of Cardiffe town when superstitions scales Drop'd from his eyes the Truth he understood And in his country aid a deal of good He dayly now expects to he surpriz'd By truths oppugners his dear friends advis'd Him to retire elsewhere and be excus'd For their good will he thank'd them but resus'd He 's apprehended and in prison laid In Cardiffe Castle where a year he staid His friends resorting to him he would spend The time in pray'r exhorting them to mend At last the Bishop of Landaffe commands That he be brought he threats him now then stands On fairer terms but all this would not stir His unmov'd brest a day 's appointed for His condemnation which being come The Bishop call'd him forth and told him some Heretical opinions he did hold And had seduced others Rawlins bold Reply'd My Lord a Christian man I am I praise God for 't my tenents are the same With Sacred Writ if from God's word I stray I would be gladly brought in the right way The Bishop said Speak if you will be won Else I 'll proceed to condemnation Proceed said Rawlins but you never shall Condemn me for an Heretick Let 's fall To pray'r said Landaffe that the Lord some spark Of grace would send thee to disclose the dark Now said he you deal well and if your pray'r Do with God's will agree he 'll doubtless hear Pray to your God and I to mine will pray I know my God will hear and not say nay The Bishop and his Chaplains pray'd anon Rawlins pray'd by himself alone pray'r don The Bishop said How is it with thee now Thine errours what wilt thou revoke and bow To our true God no surely no said he Rawlins you left and Rawlins you finde me Rawlins I was and am and Rawlins will Through God continue to be Rawlins still God would have heard you had your sute bin just But he hath heard me and on him I trust The Bishop being wroth him soundly shent So went to Mass Rawlins his minde then bent Shot forth these words Good people if there be Amongst you any breth'ren two or three Or if but one bear witness at the day Of judgement that I to no Idols pray Mass don he was condemn'd and after thrown Into a darke and loathsome dungeon There Rawlins pass'd his time in drowning wrongs With spir'tual prayers and religious songs The night before his death t' his wife he sent To send his wedding weed a shirt he meant Which he rejoycingly next morn put on And being led to execution Guarded he was with bills and Pike-staves too Alas said he what need all this ado By God's grace I will nothing start aside VVho is 't that gives me power to abide All this affliction for his own names sake But God his be the glory At the stake He his dear wife and children having found Pickled in briny tears or rather drown'd His eyes let fall a tear but having made A recollection of himself he said Ah flesh saiest thou me so would'st thou obtain The Victor's Palm I tell thee 't is in vain To strive thy pow'r is like the morning mist Then failing on the ground the ground he kist And spake Earth unto earth and dust to dust Thou art my mother and return I must To thee With an exhilarated brow Then going to be bound to th'stake I now Said he t' a friend of his finde great contest Betwixt the flesh and spirit for the best I pray you therefore when you see me shrink Hold up your finger that I may bethink My too oblivious self B'ing bound he rais'd These words up to the height The Lord be Prais'd Unto the Smith then spake he Pray good friend Knock it in fast the flesh may much contend But God support me let thy grace refresh My fainting spirits and my trembling flesh About him pulled he the reeds and straw VVith such a merry look that all that saw Much wondred at it Now a Priest appear'd And preached to the people Rawlins heard Until he spake of Transubstantiation Alledging Scripture for its confirmation This is my Body Come you here good folk Said Rawlins
said the Shrieffe in the Queen's name To fling that Vip'rous book into the flame Then spake he with a cheerful voice and said Dear friends bear witness I am not affraid To seal Christ's Gospel with my dearest blood Knowing 't is true and was of late your food Though now surrepted from you and because I 'll not deny it to obey mans laws Condemn'd I be to dy see that you walk In answer to the truth of which you talk And as for those that do the Pope believe Hell 's theirs without Gods merciful reprieve Except said then the Sheriffe believe thou do The Pope th' art damn'd both soul and body too Pray to thy God that he may set thee free Or strike me down The Lord forgive said he Your temerarious words Dear Lord thou knowst How I left all to come to thee thou dost Draw with Magnetick-love to thee I fly For shelter Ah! but when my serious eye Darts on thy power and on my self looks down I fear the wrath of a condemning frown What shall I shrink no now the flames surround me I 'll trust my God although my God confound me Christ Jesus help Christ Jesus look upon me He cry'd and dy'd with Lord have mercy on me Iveson said All the treasure in the nation Should never draw him to a recantation I to the mercy of my God appeal And would be none of your Church for a deal Yea though an heaven-sent Angel came t' expound Unto me other Doctrine I 'm not bound For to receive it hereupon condemn'd And put into the fire he death contemn'd James Abbes a Godly man did shift about From place to place for safeties sake found out At last they carri'd him to Norwich town VVhere by the Bishop's threats he did disown VVhat he profess'd the Bishop seeing so Gave him some money and dismiss'd him too But conscience bringing him upon the rack The Bishops money he returned back Repenting e're he took it then again The Bishop strove to gain him but in vain Though Peter-like he fail'd now to persever Resolve he did and stood more fast then ever Even to his last-drawn breath the Bishop's fury Condemn'd him to be burn'd he burn'd at Bury John Denly Newman Partrick Packingham Dy'd constant Martyrs for their Saviours name Wright Coker Collier Hooper Stere and more Besides in Canterbury faggots bore Robert Smith Stephen Harwood Thomas Fust And William Hale dy'd for the truth their trust Eliz'beth Warne condemned to be burn'd By Bonner unto Bonner soon return'd These words Do what you will with me for why If Christ was in an errour so am I Otherwise not but Christ spake true I know Therefore then was she burn'd at Stratford-Bow About this very time George Tankerfield Did at St. Albanes to their rancour yield George King John Wade and Tho. Leyes with sore Usage fell sick and dy'd in Lollards tower In Suffolk Mr. Robert Samuel Of Barfold Min'ster who instructed well The flock committed to his charge was tost To Norwich goal there chained to a post And so erect that 's body did command For some small ease induc'd his tip-toes stand Hunger and thirst bad helpers are procur'd VVhat tongue can tell what he poor man endur'd At last brought to be burn'd an easie pain To what he felt before he did detain Some friends in telling them a most strange story Of what fell out while he was us'd so sory VVhen I much want said he had undergon I slept and then me thought appeared one Cloath'd all in white who whisp'red in mine ear Samuel Samuel be of good cheer Take heart to grass man thou hast past the worst Henceforth thou shalt nor hunger feel nor thirst VVhich came to pass such consolation did Sweeten his woes that modesty forbid Him tell the same So as he went along To execution amidst the throng A maid there was who after scap'd did fall About his neck and kissed him withall The while his body burn'd it shin'd as bright As new-try'd Silver or as Cynthia's light Next day Anne Potten and Joan Trunch field come From Ipswich prison unto Martyrdome Thomas Cob William Allen Roger Coo Death for the sake of Christ did undergo In Coventry and Litchfield-Diocess One Mr. Robert Glover did profess The Gospel he surprized had his doom To be confined to a narrow room And dark withall next to the dungeon Scarce having straw enough to lie upon No chair nor stool to fit on none might look To him though sick pen paper ink nor book Was not allow'd him yet a Teftament And Prayer-book by stealth he getting spent Most of his time in pray'r and meditation On Gods great love in working mans salvation Yea said he health began to come my peace Of conscience did more and more encrease God's spir't reviv'd me I had sometimes some Glimm'ring reflections of the life to come All for his own Son's sake to him alwayes Be Glory Honour and Obedience Praise Two dayes before his death he found his heart Less lightsome then it was and fear'd the smart Would too much try his patience for his pray'rs God heard not he unbosomed his fears Unto a Godly Minister his friend Who wish'd him to be constant to the end O play the man your cause is just and true God will appear anon I 'll warrant you The stake in fight he said I see him whom I call'd for Austin Oh he 's come he 's come And look'd so cheerful e'en as though new breath He should receive and not a painful death Cornelius Bongey Capper also came With him and burned in the self-same flame Mr. John Glover now was troubled sore Seeing his brother took for him therefore He would have suff'red in his brother's stead But by his friends importunings he fled Into the neighbouring Woods did there abide Till he with cares and cold sickned and dy'd His body privately was buri'd in The Church-yard they his bones dig'd up agin A twelvemonth after threw them out Opains For to be trampled on by Horses Wains And thus though in his life he scaped from Their rage yet after 's death on him they come William the third brother in Shropshire dead Might not by their consent be buried Wolsey and Pigot suff'red in the Isle Of Ely And within a little while Bishop Ridly and also Latimer Burned at Oxford Stephen Gardiner That day to dine till almost night deferr'd Th' old Norfolk Duke then with him having heard Word of their deaths he with a smiling brow Said to the Duke let us to dinner now The Table fill'd as merry as a Buck The Bishop was but on a sudden struck Two bits scarce eaten carry'd from the table To bed he was his pains intolerable Nature he could not ease for fifteen dayes His tongue was swoln and black his mouth 's assaies Could giv 't no house-room his pin'd body all Sadly enflam'd he gasp'd and gave a sprawl And now John Webbe George Roper Greg'ry Parke At Canterbury burn'd not