they spilled daily in fighting against Christ and his Gospel He suffered at Paris Vol. 1. p. 133. Noblemen 100 and others of Alsatia were burned and martyred the 1212. year of Christ under Pope Henricus 3. for holding every day was free for eating Flesh so it be done soberly and that they did wickedly who restrained Priests from their lawful Wives Vol. 1. pag. 336. Iohn Noyes a Shoe-maker of Laxfield in Suffolk burned 1557. in September when he came to the place of Execution he kneeled down and sang the 50 th Psalm and being bound at the Stake he said Fear not them that kill the Body but fear him that can kill both Body and Soul and cast it into everlasting fire And seeing his Sister weeping he desired her not to weep for him but for her sins Having a Faggot thrown at him he kissed it and said Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this And in the fire he said Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Son of David have mercy upon me He wrote a Letter to his Wife containing nothing but consolation from Texts of Scripture and bidding her farewell he desired his Wife and Children to leave worldly care and see that they were diligent to pray Vol. 3. p. 850 851 852. Nichaise of Tombe born in Tournay martyred for the Gospel being condemned he said Praised be God At the Stake he said Lord they have hated me without a cause and prayed thus Eternal Father have pity and compassion on me according as thou hast promised to all that ask the same of thee in thy Sons Name And so he continued praying until his last gasp Additions to Vol. 3. of the Massacre in France and Flanders p. 33. O O ORigen at 17 Years old wrote to his Father Leonides to encourage him to suffer martyrdom under the fifth Persecution began the 205. Year of Christ. He wrote about 7000 Volumes as much as 7 Notaries and as many Women could pen. Vol. 2. p. 70. Cicely Ormes Wife of Edward Ormes a Worsted-Weaver in Norwich was burnt September 23. 1557. at Norwich She was an ignorant simple Woman yet zealous in the Lord's cause and being threatned by the Chancellor of Norwich she said He should not be so desirous of her sinful flesh as she would by God's grace be content to give it in so good a quarrel Being condemned at the Stake she pray'd and repeated her Faith and then said to the People I would not have you think that I believe to be saved in that I offer my self here unto death for Christ 's cause but I believe to be saved by the death of Christ 's passion and this my death is and shall be a witness of my Faith unto you all Good People as many as believe of you I pray you pray for me And then she coming to the Stake she kissed it and said Welcome sweet Cross of Christ and so was bound to it and in the fire she said My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour and so she yielded up her Life Vol. 3. p. 833. Robert Oguier of the City Lile in Flanders his Wife and two Sons Bardicon and Martin were apprehended 1556. and first the Father and Bardicon suffer'd who upon examination confessed their Faith and Bardicon being apprehended as he went said O Lord assist us with thy Grace not onely to be prisoners for thy sake but so as to seal with our bloods thy Truth And told the Emperor's Commissioners the tenour of their prayers in their Meetings for God's glory and the Empires and Emperors felicity And then he and his Father submitted themselves to the Judges while Martin his Brother chose to accompany his Mother who was still detained in Prison And these two were by their Judges condemned to be burnt which sentence being past they returned to Prison rejoycing that the Lord had honoured them to enroll them amongst the number of Martyrs The day of Execution being told them they blessed God who delivering their Bodies out of Prison would receive their Souls into his Kingdom The Father being advised to pity his Soul said You see what pity I have of it when for the Name of Christ I willingly abandon my Body to the fire hoping to day to be with him in Paradise At the Stake he and his Son sang the 16. Psalm and being chained the Son said to his Father Be of good comfort the worst will be past by and by And often repeated these words O God Father Everlasting accept the Sacrifice of our Bodys for thy wel-beloved Son Jesus Christ 's sake And lifting his Eyes to Heaven he spoke to his Father saying O Father behold I see the Heavens open and millions of Angels ready to receive us rejoycing to see us thus witnessing our truth in the view of the World Father let us be glad and rejoyce for the joyes of Heaven are set before us Fire being kindled he oft repeated to his Father thus Yet a little while and we shall enter into the Heavenly Mansions And their last words were Jesus Christ thou Son of God into thy Hands we commend our Spirits And within 8 dayes the Mother Iane Oguier and Martin her Son were brought forth but in Prison Iane by the Papists was perswaded to recant and to endeavour her Son's return to Popery who hearing of it said to her Oh Mother what have you done have you denyed him that redeemed you What evil hath he done you that you should requite him with so great an injury Ah good God! that I should live to see this day which pierceth my heart And his Mother hearing his words and seeing his tears began to renew her strength in the Lord and with tears cry'd Father of mercies be merciful to me miserable sinner and cover my transgressions under the Righteousness of thy Blessed Son Lord enable me to stand to my first Confession and to abide stedfast in it to my last breath And when the Papists came to her again she said Avoid Satan get thee behind me for hence forth thou hast neither part nor portion in me I will by the help of my God stand to my Confession and if I may not sign it with Ink I will seal it with my Blood And so she and her Son were condemned to be burnt and their ashes to be cast into air who rejoyced at the Sentence and accounted it a day of Triumph over their Enemies and Martin being profer'd an hundred pound if he would recant said He would not lose an Eternal Kingdom for it Addition to Vol. 3. of Massacres of France pag. 1. to 5. P P PHilip the Apostle after he had much laboured amongst the Barbarous Nations in preaching the Word of Salvation to them at length he suffer'd in Hierapolis a City of Phrygia being there crucified and stoned to death where also he was buried and his Daughters with him Vol. 1. pag. 42 43. Peter the
there for any evil action but for the quarrel of our Saviour and when tyed to the Post he sang the 25. Psalm and with Eyes looking up to Heaven seeing the place of Execution he said O the happy journey and fair place prepared for me He in the fire cryed O Lord give thy hand to thy Servant I recommend my Soul to thee And so meekly yielded up the Ghost Vol. 2. p. 150. Dominicus de Basana an Italian burned at Placentia 1553. being asked whether he was a Priest said Not of the Pope but of Christ being asked if he would renounce his Doctrine answered He maintained no Doctrine of his own but of Christs which also he was ready to seal with his blood and gave hearty thanks to God which so accepted him as worthy to glorifie his Name with his martyrdom And being cast into Prison he continued constant yea at his Execution he did preach and pray for his Enemies and so finished his days Vol. 2. p. 167. A Bookseller of Avinion was burned by the means of the Bishop of Aix for selling some Bibles in the French Tongue and as a sign of the Crime for which he was burnt he had two Bibles hanged about his neck one before and another behind him Vol. 2. p. 191. Maurice Blane a young man in Merindol in France being one of the Waldenses and taken by one Iohn Miniers Lord of Opede who went as Captain against Merindol was shot to death with Harquebusses and though he was not very well instructed yet in all his Torments he lifted up his Eyes to Heaven and with a loud voice ceased not to call on God and the last words he was heard to say were O Lord God these men take from me a life full of misery but thou wilt give me life everlasting by thy Son Iesus Christ to whom be Glory Vol. 2. p. 198. Thomas Bilney being brought up under Popish ignorance and did in order to his obtaining pardon of sins use fasting watching buying pardons c. and at last hearing that the New Testament was translated into Latine elegantly by Erasmus out of a love to the Latine more than to the Word of God which he then knew not what it meant bought one and did read it and at his first reading he happened on 1 Tim. 1.15 It is a faithful saying c. which sentence through Gods instructions and co-workings exhilerated him and was a means of his conversion to the Faith of Christ learning that all travels and watchings without Christ availed nothing And having tasted of the sweetness of Christ himself he greatly endeavoured the promoting of Christ's Gospel and opposed Popery in its abuses of Pardons c. Vol. 2. p. 268. He was instrumental to the conversion of Mr. Latimer p. 271. He was of Trinity Hall in Cambridge and first framed that University to the knowledge of Christ Vol. 2. p. 274.276 He once recanted and was absolved which created such trouble to him that for two years he almost despaired nor could any Scripture comfort him till at length God by the means of Mr. Latimer comforted him And he propagated the Doctrine of Christ in Norfolk and was burned at Norwich 1531. The night before which eating an Ale-berry chearfully some Friends said they were glad to see him so merry to whom he said he did as Husbandmen repair the ruinous House of his body He often tryed the heat of the fire by putting his finger in the Candle flame saying I feel and know fire to be naturally hot yet I am perswaded by Gods Word and by experience of some in it that in the flames they felt no heat And I believe howsoever that the stubble of my body shall be wasted by it yet my Soul shall be thereby purged it is a pain for a time on which follows joy unspeakable Vol. 2. p. 277. Richard Bayfield a Monk of S. Bennets belonging to Berry converted by means of one Dr. Barnes was November 20. 1531. degraded and condemned and being struck with a Crosier he fell backward broke his head and swooned when he came to himself again he thanked God that he was delivered from the malignant Church of Antichrist and was come into the sincere Church of Christ militant here on Earth And I trust anon said he to be in Heaven with Christ and that Church triumphant for ever And being in a slow fire was half an hour alive and when the left arm was on fire and burned he rolled it with his right hand and it fell from his body and he continued in Prayer to the end without moving Vol. 2. p. 293. Iames Beinham a Lawyer in King Henry the Eighth's days for knowledge of the New Testament was burnt April the last 1532. who first abjured but soon relapsed declaring he would not suffer the like Hell he did when he was abjured for all the world and when he was again taken and burning he in the fire when his legs were half consumed said O ye Papists ye look for miracles here ye may see one for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a Bed of down and it is to me as a Bed of Roses Vol. 2. p. 301. Thomas Benet Master of Art in Cambridge thinking after his conversion not safe to stay there went to Exeter and there taught a School And at last abhorring the blasphemy of the Papists he fixt up Bills against the Popes Supremacy c. for which after much enquiry being found out he at length suffered all their endeavours being not able to reclaim him to Popery to whose perswaders he mildly answered desiring them to desist for he was resolved and did more desire to dye for Christ than to live longer and partake of and behold their detestable Idolatry At the fire he prayed so fervently and his sayings were so pious and himself so constant that his very Enemies counted him a good man and God's servant yet was he burnt And at Stake being commanded by one Esq Barnhouse to pray to Saints he would not it being God on whom only he must call to whom the Esquire said he should pray to Saints or else he would make him and therewith thrust a Fir-bush on fire at his Face to whom the Martyr said Alas Sir trouble me not and prayed Father forgive them Whereupon the Esquire caused the fire to be kindled and then the Martyr lifted up his Eyes and Hands saying O Lord receive my Spirit and so continuing Prayers did never stir nor strive but abode the flames until he ended Vol. 2. p. 314. Dr. Barnes of Cambridge in King Henry the Eighth's days burned in Smithfield 1541. Iuly 30. he much promoted good Learning in Cambridge and then Religion yet afterwards recanted twice but at length preached Christianity again for which he being apprehended was to be burnt who making his Confession said He dyed for the Faith of Christ by whom alone he doubted not but to be saved he prayed for pardon And whereas
the people he was strangled and burned Vol. 2. p. 180. Garret a great promoter of Christianity in Oxford was at last Iuly 30. 1541. by Gardner Bishop of Winchester to be burnt who professing his Faith and detesting all Heresies beg'd pardon of God for his sins and of all persons whom he had offended He resigned up his Soul to God whom he believed would through Christ save him and pardon his sins and desired the persons present to pray for him and dyed Christianly with Barus and Hierom. Vol. 2. p. 528. William Gardiner born at Bristow and there dealing in Merchandise under one Mr. Paget a Merchant at 26 years of age sailed to Spain but by chance the Ship arrived at Lisborne the chief City of Portugal where he stayed and merchandised and learning their tongue he acted for many English Merchants and had much knowledge in Scripture and the Reformed Religion And being there and happening to be at the solemnizing of a marriage between the King of Portugal's Son and the King of Spain's Daughter and beholding great Pomp and greater Idolatry acted by the Kings and all the Assembly's adoring the Mass praying kneeling and worshipping the external Sacrament he was much troubled and could he have got near the Altar would have interrupted them but being hindred by the throng of the people he was very sorrowful for his neglect of that opportunity to declare against their Idolatry which neglect he much lamented and contrived how to redeem it to effect which he cast up all his accounts and bad adieu to worldly concerns and giving himself to reading meditating fasting weeping and praying He being cleanly drest the next Sunday when the like Solemnity was to be done he gat to the Altar betimes and there stood with a Testament in his hand till the Cardinal came to solemnize it and till he consecrated sacrificed and lifted up on high the Host shewing his God to the people who with the Kings and Nobles gave great reverence to it and at last when the Cardinal came to begin to toss it to and fro round the Chalice making several Circles this Gardner stept in and with one hand took the Cake and trod it under foot and with the other hand overthrew the Chalice in the presence of the Kings and the Nobles and Citizens which abashed them all and one cut him with a Sword but the King commanded he should be saved and being examined he confessed himself to be an English-man and a Protestant and decryed much against their Idolatry for which after several torments to cause him to confess others he taking all the blame on himself they put a hard roul of Linen with a string into his throat and so often pulled that up and then cut of his right hand which he took in his left and kist then in the Market-place they cut off his left hand and he kneeling down kissed it then was he carried to Execution and being hung on high a fire was made under him and he by degrees let down into it so that only his legs at first felt the fire yet would he not recant and being bid to pray to Saints he said That when Christ leaves off to be our Mediator and Advocate then he would pray to our Lady and the Saints And then he prayed O Eternal God Father of all mercies I beseech thee look down upon thy Servant And the more terribly he burnt the more vehemently he prayed which his Enemies desiring to hinder he said the 43. Psalm before the close of which the Rope was burnt asunder and he fell down into the Fire and was burned to death 1552. whose death was not unpunished for among the King of Portugal's Ships ready to sail being in a Haven hard by one was burnt by a Spark of Fire blown from the Martyrs Fire and within half a Year the Kings Son dyed and the King himself within a Year Vol. 2. p. 745 746 747 748. Robert Glover was apprehended to be burnt at Coventry being very sickly in Prison said he found daily amendment of body and increase of peace in Conscience many consolations from God and sometimes as it were a taste and a glimmering of the life to come But he was much assaulted by Satan from his unworthiness to do or suffer for Christ. Which Objection he answered from Gods mercies and the unworthiness of like Servants in all Ages who have been accepted Yet three days before he was burnt he had a sad dulness of Spirit and was desolate of all spiritual comfort against which he prayed much and earnestly but yet finding no ease nor comfort he told it to his Friend one Austin who advised him to wait God's time for the manifestation of himself and to continue stedfast in the Faith and willing to suffer knowing his Cause to be right not doubting but God in his due time would replenish his heart with spiritual joy requesting him to shew it by some token if he felt any such thing And as he went to burning as soon as he came in sight of the Stake he cryed out being suddenly full of comfort clapping his hands together Austin He is come he is come with so great joy and alacrity as if he had been one risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life and so dyed chearfully in September 1555. Vol. 3. p. 427 428. Bartlet Green a Londoner brought up at Oxford converted from Popery by Peter Martyr Reader of Divinity in Oxford and afterwards he was Student in the Temple and at twenty five years of age Ianuary 28. 1556. he was burnt with six others for the Gospel of Christ. He often repeated as he went to the Stake and at the Stake this Distich Christe Deus sine te spes est mihi nulla salutis Te Duce vera sequor te duce falsa nego In English thus O Christ my God sure hope of health besides thee I have none The truth I love and falshood hate by thee my guide alone Vol. 3. p. 627. He wrote to one in a Letter thus Man of Woman is born in Travel to live in misery Man through Christ doth dye in joy and live in felicity he is born to dye and dyes to live whilst here he displeased God when dead he fulfilled his Will Vol. 3. p. 629. Charles Le Roy de Gand once a Fryar Carmelite but reformed had a Canonship promised him by the Magistrate if he would but yield a little to which he said You proffer me a Canonship that I might live quietly and be in security but know Sir that rest is no true rest which is obtained against peace of Conscience and so he was burned at Bruges April 27. 1557. Addit to Vol 3. of Massacre of France p. 5. H H JOHN Husse a Bohemian was burned 1415. about Iuly by the Council of Constance where he often desired to be heard to clear himself of the errours they impeached him of and could not Then he requesting their proving by
that I will not God forbid I should lose Life Eternal for this carnal and short Life I will never turn from my Heavenly Husband to my Earthly from the fellowship of Angels to my mortal Children And if my Husband and Children be faithful I am theirs God is my Father God is my Mother God is my Brother God is my Sister my Kinsman my Friend most faithful And at the Stake she continued crying Lord be merciful to me a sinner Vol. 3. p. 890 891. Peter Chevet burnt at Maubert near Paris March 11. 1559. being threatned to suffer he said Truly I do not think to escape your hands and though ye scorch and roast me alive yet will I never renounce my Christ. Being asked by the Official If he would not be absolved he said It is a question Oh poor Man whether thou canst save thy self and wilt thou take upon thee to save others Who being thereat angry threatned him with longer imprisonment to whom the Martyr said Alas alas though I should rot in Prison yet shall you find me still the same Man And at the Stake having his Cloaths pull'd off he said How happy how happy Oh how happy am I with eyes lift up to Heaven and so he died Additions to Vol. 3. concerning Massacre in France pag. 9. R R ROmanus a great encourager of the Christians in Antioch when they were persecuted in the 10 th Persecution was himself by Galerius then Emperour called out apprehended and sentenced to all the torments the Christians should have undergone who said O Emperour I joyfully accept of thy Sentence I refuse not to be sacrificed for my Brethren and that by as cruel a means as thou may'st invent then he was scourged and under the lashes he sang Psalms and laughed to scorn the Heathens Gods affirming the Christian's God to be the only true God before whose judicial Seat all Nations should appear then was his side launched till the Bones appeared yet he still Preached Christ and exhorted them to adore the living God then were his Teeth knockt out his Eye-lids torn his Face cut and he said I thank thee that thou hast opened to me many Mouths whereby I may Preach my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ look how many Mouths I have so many Mouths I have lauding and praising God After that he was brought to new wounds and stripes and distongued who still spake and said He that speaketh Christ shall never want a Tongue At length he was had to Prison and there strangled When some pleaded he was of Noble Parentage and it was not lawful to put such a one to an un-noble death he said He required them not to spare him for Nobility-sake for said he not the blood of my Progenitors but Chrstian Profession maketh me Noble Vol. 1. p. 116 117. Iohn Rogers a Cambridge Scholar and Chaplain to the Merchants of Brabant beyond Sea where he was acquainted with Mr. Tindal and helped him and Mr. Coverdale in the Translation of the Bible he threw off the Yoak of Popery and becoming a Protestant he married and went to live at Wittenberg in Saxony Vol. 3. p. 119. and there learning the Dutch Tongue he had a Congregation committed to his charge where he staid till King Edward the 6 th's time and then being orderly called came into England and Preached there and was by Bishop Ridley made Prebend of Paul's but in Queen Mary's days he suffered much and was burned Feb. 4. 1555. He was the first that suffered in Queen Mary's days he Prophesied of Rome's downfall and that e're long in England true Gospel Ordinances should be again restored and the poor people of England should be brought to as good or a better state His Wife and ten Children that could go and one at her Breast met him going to burn but he was not moved but continued constant and suffered Vol. 3. p. 130 131. Bishop Ridley born in Northumberlandshire had his education in Newcastle was Master of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge Vol. 1. p. 432. then Chaplain to King Henry the 8 th who made him Bishop of Rochester and in King Edward the 6 th's days he was made Bishop of London He Preached every Sunday and Holyday in some place or other if not hindred by great affairs he was kind and affable one that presently forgave injuries and was wont to tell his Relations that if they acted evil he should esteem them as strangers to him and they who did honestly should be to him as Brothers and Sisters As soon as he was ready each morning he alwayes prayed for half an hour and then spent most part of the day and night in study he not going to Bed usually till eleven of the Clock and then praying He did read every day a Lecture in his Family gave every one of his Family a new Testament and hired them to learn several Chapters especially the 13. of the Acts. He being advised by one that was his Chaplain formerly to consult others and to turn Papist he said I would have you know that I esteem nothing available for me which also will not further the glory of God Vol. 3. p. 447. He being condemned at Oxford was kept close Prisoner in Mr. Irish the Major's House where he being at Supper the night before he was to suffer he was very merry and invited the Guests at the Table to his Wedding next day for to morrow saith he I shall be married which the Major's Wife hearing wept to whom he said You love me not now I see for I perceive you will not be at my Wedding nor are contented with my marriage but quiet your self though my Breakfast be sharp and painful yet I am sure my Supper shall be more pleasant and sweet Vol. 3. p. 502. And at the Stake he suffering with Mr. Latimer he chearfully ran to him embraced him kissed him and said Be of good chear Brother for God will either asswage the fury of the flames or else strengthen us to abide it and then he went to the Stake and kissed it and prayed effectually Being stript into his Shirt he held up his hands and said O heavenly Father I give thee most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a Professor of thee even to death And fire being kindled he often said Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit Lord Lord receive my spirit but through the badness of the fire he burned on one side and below on the legs a great while and yet his upper parts were not burned so that he leaped under the Faggots and calling to the Lord for mercy did call on the Persons by to let the fire come to him for he could not burn he said and shewed them one side clean Shirt and all untouched whole and the other burnt p. 504 505. he writing to his Friends and taking leave of them desires them not to be astonished at the manner of his sufferings and said I assure you I esteem it
Dr. with holes only to see and breathe through that none might know him nor he speak to any The Dr. was very pleasant all the way as if he was going to a Banquet And when he came to Chelmsford the Sheriff of Suffolk met him and as they were at Supper the Sheriff of Essex perswaded him to turn to Popery pleading his strength of body might live long and he would be in great esteem because all loved him for his sweetness and Learning and a pardon might still be had and so drank to him and so did all the Yeomen of the Guard his Attendants And when the Cup came to the Dr. he considered a while before he spake and at last thanked them for their Counsel and said To be plain with you I perceive I have been deceived my self and am like to deceive a great many of Hadley of their expectation At which words they rejoyced saying Gods blessing on your heart hold you there still why should you cast away your life But he said My meaning is this I am deceived and as I think I shall deceive a great many I am ye see a Man of a great carcass which I thought should have been buried in Hadly Church-yard but herein I see I am deceived and there are a great many worms in Hadly Church-yard which would have had a jolly feeding upon this carrion but now I know they will be deceived for this carcass must be burned to ashes Which sayings astonished the Sheriff that he should but jest at death now at hand Within 2 miles of Hadly he desired to alight to make water and fetched a frisk or two as Men do in dancing saying he was very well never better For now I know I am almost at my Father's home And after that he did understand he should go through Hadly he blessed God that he should once more see his People before he died whom he prayed God to bless and keep stedfast in word and truth and at Hadly a poor Man and 5 Children meeting him begg'd an alms and pray'd to God to comfort him as he had done often him and his Children And the People of Hadly stood in the streets weeping and praying for him saying There goes our good Shepherd Oh God! what will become of us poor Lambs To whom the Dr. all along said I have preached among you God's truth and am now come to seal it with my blood And at the Almes-house he gave them all the Money he had His care was once a fortnight to visit with the Gentry the poor Inhabitants and whom he found to blame he reboked whom he found to want he supply'd At last coming to Aldam Common the place of his suffering he would have spoke but was not permitted onely he said to the People He had preached and was now to seal the truth of the Gospel with his blood for which saying he was struck And being ty'd fast to the Stake in a pitch-barrel he held up his hands saying Merciful Father of Heaven for Jesus Christ 's sake my Saviour receive my Soul into thy hands And so he stood with his hands joyned until one with a Halberd knocked his brains out and the dead Corps fell down into the fire Vol 3. p. 176 177 178. Thomas Tomkins burnt March 16. 1555. a London Waver to whom Bishop Bonner used cruelty and at his own Palace hall at Fulham to terrifie the poor Man burnt his hand with a Taper till the veins and sinews broke and the water spirted in the faces of the standers by who being moved with pity requested the Bishop to stay saying he had try'd him enough But the Bishop stay'd not till he had effected his burning in Smithfield This Tomkins never shrank at the burning his hand but said he was wrapt in Spirit so that he felt no pain Vol. 3. p. 187 188 190. Iohn Taylor otherwise called Iohn Cardmaker Prebendary of Wells and a Franciscan Fryar burnt with one Warn May 30. 1555. in Smithfield where the Sheriff talking much with Taylor and the Papists having noised abroad his recantation the People began to suspect it but at last Taylor suddenly went and pray'd then stript himself to his shirt went to the Stake and kissed it and shaking his Fellow-sufferer Iohn Warn by the hand comforted him and then heartily gave himself to be burned whereat all the People cry'd out for joy God be praised the Lord strengthen thee Cardmaker the Lord Jesus receive thy Spirit till such time as by fire he was consum'd Vol. 3. p. 246 248. George Tankerfield a zealous Papist in King Edward VI. dayes a Cook in London But in Queen Mary's dayes seeing their Popish persecution and cruelty hated their doctrine prayed to God for direction and studied the word of God and became a zealous Protestant who for the Gospel was condemned and was burnt at St. Albans August 26. 1555. In the Inn before he suffered he called for some Malmsey and a loaf to eat and drink in remembrance of Christ's death and Passion which he said he did not in contempt of the Ministry or to detract from the Ordinance but because he could not have it administred to him according to God's Word And after he had with prayer and thanksgiving received he caused a good fire to be made in his Chamber and he sitting by it pull'd off his hose and shoes and stretched out his feet towards it and when the flame had touched his foot he quickly drew back his leg shewing how the Flesh did perswade him one way and the Spirit another The Flesh said Oh! thou foot wilt thou burn and need not The Spirit Be not afraid for this is nothing in respect of fire Eternal The Flesh said Do not leave the company of thy Friends which love thee The Spirit said The company of Iesus Christ and his glorious presence doth exceed all fleshly Friends The Flesh saith Do not shorten thy time for thou mayest live if thou wilt much longer But the Spirit said This Life is nothing to the Life in Heaven which lasteth for ever And after he coming to the Stake pray'd and with a joyful faith said That although he had a sharp dinner yet he hoped to have a joyful supper And in the fire he calling on the name of the Lord was quickly out of pain V. 3. p. 397. William Tyms Minister burnt with several others April 14. 1556. wrote to his Sister thus I take my leave of you till we meet in Heaven you shall find me merrily singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboth at my journey's end And at the end of his Letter he wrote his name in blood in token that he would seal the Doctrine of Christ with the rest and also he wrote in blood these words Continue in prayer ask in Faith and obtain your desire In another Letter to his Parishioners at Hockley in Essex exhorts them to constancy to his Doctrine which he now was about sealing with his blood
1527. of Christ who being extremely beloved had many importuning her to recant but she would not and amongst the rest a certain Noble Matron communing with her perswaded her to keep silence and to think silently in her heart what she believed that she might prolong her days To whom she said Ah you know not what you say it is written Rom. 10. with the heart we believe to Righteousness and with the tongue we confess to salvation And thus she remained stedfast and firm in her Confession and was November 20. condemned to be burnt to ashes which sentence she took mildly and quietly And being at the place of Execution a Monk brought her a blind Cross willing her to kiss it and worship her God to whom she said I worship no wooden God but only that God which is in Heaven And so with a merry and joyful countenance she embraced the Stake and by an ardent prayer commended her self to the hands of God Vol. 2. p. 115. Waldenses began 1200 years after Christ and were so called from Waldo who first instructed them and they delivered their Doctrine from Father to Son successively They had indeed divers Names according to the places where they lived In the Northern parts they were called Lollards about Lyons in France they were called Pauperes de Lugduno in Flanders Terraelupins of a desart where Wolves did haunt in Dolphine Chugnards by way of despite because they lived harbourless They taught at first in Caves of the Earth and in the night for fear of Persecution and were a people fearing God living uprightly and justly yet they suffered much Persecution especially in Merindol and Calabria whither they came from Piedmont Vallies and though those places were desarts yet were they by them so cultivated that they proved very fruitful Vol. 2. p. 185 186. They were charitable to the poor hospitable to strangers and were known by these marks they would not swear nor name the Devil were true to their promise and would not take an Oath unless in judgment or in making some solemn Covenant nor would they in any company talk of dishonest matters but whenever they heard wanton or swearing talk they presently departed out of that Company and also they always prayed before they went to any business and opposed generally Images crossing and other Popish Fooleries as was testified by their very Enemies and their neighbouring Inhabitants to the French King Vol. 2. p. 193. They were also called Albigenses from the place where they frequented in Tolouse and Merindolians from Merindol a place of Provence in France which with Cabriles were laid waste burned and rased their Inhabitants cut asunder and their Women and Maids ravished those with Child cut open by one Iohn Minerius Lord of Opede at the command of Francis the French King April 12. 1545. Vol. 2. p. 196 to page 200. Their Principles were these 1. One God the Creator of all things 2. The Son the onely Mediator and Advocate of all Mankind 3. The Holy Ghost the Comforter and Instructer of all truth 4. They acknowledged the Church to be the Fellowship of the Elect of God whereof Iesus Christ is the Head 5. They allow'd the Ministers of the Church wishing such as did not their duty were removed 6. Magistrates they granted to be ordained of God to defend the good and to punish the transgressors and that they ought to the Magistrate love and tribute and that none herein was exempted They acknowledged Baptism to be an outward and visible sign representing to us the Renewing of the Spirit and mortifying of the members 8. They confessed the Lord's Supper to be a Thanksgiving and a memorial of the benefits received through Christ. 9. Matrimony they esteemed holy instituted of God and inhibited to no Man 10. Good works they observed and thought them to be practised of all Men as Scripture teaches 11. False Doctrine leading from the true worship of God ought to be eschew'd 12. The order and rule of their Faith was the old and new Testament protesting they believed all contained in the Apostolique Creed Vol. 2. p. 200. They at they burying of their Dead used to accompany the dead to the grave reverently with a sufficient company and made Exhortation out of the word of God to the Living and to comfort the Parents and Friends of the party deceased and to admonish all Men diligently to prepare for death Vol. 2. p. 203. They were much persecuted by Henry the Ninth French King and often delivered miraculously in Angrogne Lusern and other places Valleys of Piedmont till 1559. when a peace being made between France and Spain those Valleys were as due given to the Duke of Savoy who entreated these Waldenses gently till by the Pope and his Legates he was instigated to persecute them which was very severely and cruelly done Vol. 2. p. 204 205. They were persecuted in all their places and one called The Lord of Trinity and one Trunchet were their great enemies The Waldenses used to go and pray before Battel and after Battel gave thanks and though they were but few in number and without armour only by Slings and stones and a few Harquebusses they so amazed and put to flight their Enemies often that they flying said God fought for them And at last though after much misery and cruelty they had a peace brought them by the Lord of Raconis from the Duke of Savoy which was obtained by the Mediation of his Dutchess Vol. 2. p. 218 219 220 222. So much of the Waldenses Rise and Actions Vol. 1. p. 299. George Wisehart a Scotchman burnt March 1. 1546. being condemned by David Beton Archbishop of St. Andrews although he answered all the Articles he was accused of Who going to the Stake sat down on his knees and rose again saying three times O thou Saviour of the World have mercy on me Father of Heaven I commend my Spirit into thy holy hands And then turning to the People he said I desire you not to be offended with the word of God for which I suffer and exhorted them to embrace it and to continue stedfast For which saith he I suffer this day not sorrowfully but with a glad heart and mind Consider and behold my visage ye shall not see me change my colour this grim fire I fear not and so I pray you to do if any persecution befal you I know that my Soul shall sup with Christ for whom I suffer this within these six hours in Heaven Then pray'd he for his Enemies saying Father I beseech thee to forgive them that have ignorantly or of evil mind forged any lies upon me I freely forgive them with all my heart and I beseech Christ to forgive them who this day condemned me to death And being to be hang'd on a Gibbet and so burn'd the Executioner begg'd his pardon whom he kissed saying There is a token that I forgive thee do thine Office And so he was burnt Vol. 2. p. 618 620