cometh in with the keyes about nine of the clock at night after his usuall manner to view his prison and see whether all were present when he â—spied the said Cuthbert to ly there departed again locking the doors after him within two hours after about eleven of the clock toward midnight the said Cuthbert whether being in a slumber or being awake I cannot say heard one coming in first opening the outward door then the second afterward the third door and so looking in to the said Cuthbert having no Candle or Torch that he could see but giving a brighnesse ligh most comportable and joyful to his heart saying Ha unto him and departed again who it was he could not tell neither I dare define this that he saw himself he declared four or five times to the said Mr. Austen and to others at the sight whereof he received such joyfull comfort that he also expressed no little solace in telling and declaring the same Roger Holland in his examination by Bishop Boner propnefied thus this I dare be bold in God to speak which by his Spirit I am moved to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty that for a time ye shall not molest his Church And this shall ye in short time well perceive for after this day in this place shall there not be any by him put to the tryal of fire and fagot And after this day there was never one that suffered in Smithfield for the restimony of the Gospel So Roger Holland was the last that suffered in Smithfield This Loner was a bloody persecutor for in the space of three years he put three hundred to death The last that suffered in Queen Maries time were five at Carterbury burned about six dayes before the death of Queen Mary Thir godly Martyrs in their prayers which they made before their martyrdome desired God that their blood might be the last that should be shed and soit was Many were delivered by Gods providence from the fiâ—e in Queen Maries time amongst others the Dâ—chesse of Suffolk with her husband were preserved and fled out of the Countrey Great were the bâ—oubles of Lady Elizabeth in Queen Maries im her sister being assly suspect of Sir Thomas Wyats rising was sent for by the Queen with great routs and bands being armed men as the greatest traitor in the world And as at that time she was sick and not able to travel and yet notwithstanding they brought her to London and not seeing the Queen she was clapped into prison into the Tower And again tossed from thence from house to house from prison to prison at length also prisoner in her own house and guarded with a sort of cut-throats and was continually in fear and danger of her life Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Chancelloâ— was a great foe unto her and sundry conspired against her to take her life but God graciously delivered her out of their hands especially out of the hands of the Bishop of Winchester being in prison at Woodstock in the hands of her enemies hearing upon a time a certain milk-maid singing pleasantly wishing her self to be a milk-maid as she was saying that her case was better and life more merry then was hers in that state as she was At this time died the Bishop of Winchester and so by Gods providence Lady Elizabeth was delivered from the snares and plots that by him was laid for her life three years after the death of Winchester died Queen Mary Queen Mary being long sick died on the 17. day of November Anno 1558. and the same day she died was Elizabeth proclaimed Queen As touching the manner of her death some sayes she died of a Tympany some by her much sighing before her death supposed that she died of thought and sorrow Whereupon the Counsell seeing her sighing and desirous to know the cause to the end they might minister the more ready consolation unto her feared as they said that she took that thought for the Kings Majesty her husband which was gone from her To whom she answering again Indeed said she that may be one cause but that is not the greatest wound that pierceth my oppressed mind but what that was she would not express to them but afterward opened the matter now plainly to Mr. Rise c. When I am dead and opened ye shall find Caleice lying in my heart she took though for the losse of Calice There was more English blood shed in Queen Maries time for the space of four years then ever was in any Kings raign before her and so her raign was unprosperous to her and to all her Realm in all respects for she had never good successe in any thing she went about She raigned only five years and five moneths The severe punishment of God upon the persecuters of his People and enemies to his Word with such also as have been blasphemers contemners and mockers of his Religion LEaving now Queen Mary being dead and gone I come to them which under her were the chief Ministers and doers in this persecution the Bishops I mean and Priests of the Clergy to whom Queen Mary gave all the execution of her power as did Queen Alexandra to the Pharisees after the time of the Machabees of whom Josephus thus writeth Ipsa solum nomen Regium serebat caeterum omnent Regni potestatem Pharisaei possidebant that is she only retained to her self the name and title of the Kingdome but all her power she gave to the Pharisees to possesse c. Touching which Prelats and Priests here is to be noted in like sort the wonderfull and miraculous providence of Almighty God which as he abridged the raign of their Queen so he suffers them not â—o escape unvisited First beginning with Stephen Gardiner the Arch-persecuter of Christs Church whom he took away about the midst of the Queens Raign or wâ—ose poysoned life and stinking end for so much as suâ—ficient hath been touched before I shall not need here to make any new rehearsall thereof After him dropped others away also some before the death of Queen Mary and some after as Morgan Bishop of St. Davids who sitting upon the condemnation of the blessed Martyr Bishop Farrar and unjustly usurping his room not long after was stricken by Gods hand after such a strange sort that his meat would not go down but rise and pick up again sometimes at his mouth sometimes blown out of his nose most horrible to behold and so continued till his death Where note moreover when Mr. Leyson being then Sheriff at Bishop Farrars burning had fercht away the Cattel of the said Bishop from his servants house into his own enstody the cattel coming into the Sheriffs ground diverse of them would never eat meat but say bellowing and roaring and so died Also Jâ—stice Morgan who sare upon the death of the Lady Jane and not long after the same fell mad and was beseft of his wits and so died having ever in his
far returned with him to Glasgow where they went first to the Church and gave thanks to God for the victory they had obtained almost without any effusion of blood This conflict happened upon the 13. of May the eleventh day after her escape from Lochlevin The Queen fleeth to England and writeth to Queen Elizabeth The Bishop of Orkney was reponed to his place and for removing the scandall he was injoyned in his first Sermon to make publick acknowledgement of his fault and crave forgivenesse of God the Church and State whom he had offended The Duke of Chattellerault returned and being made Deputy by the Queen caused publish his Letters prohibiting the subjects to acknowledge any other Soveraign then the Queen hereupon the Regent gave forth Proclamations charging the Lieges in the Kings name to meet him in Armes at Glasgow the 10. of March The Regent and the Duke were agreed by the means of the Superintendents James Hamiltoun of Bothwell-Haugh taketh in hand the Regents murther he is killed by him at Linlithgow as he was riding by the shot of a Bullet the Murtherer escapeth and the death of the Regent was greatly lamented The Earle of Lennox is chosen Regent Governour of the Realm untill the Kings Majority or till he were able by himself to administrate the publick affairs The Regent was shot by Captain Calder at Stirling and with the same bullet Wormestoun who did what he could to save the Regent was stricken dead After him the Earle of Marre was elected Regent After the Earle of Marre was the Earle of Morton elected Regent as the man in that time of greatest courage and counsell The Earle of Morton is challenged for the murther of the Kings father by Captain James Steward and is committed and thereafter brought to his tryall sentence is pronounced and he execute for concealing the Kings murther The Queen is excute and beheaded after 19. years captivity in England The Spanish Navy was in the year of God 1583. In the year of God 1597. there was a great businesse for the tryall of Witches Amongst others one Margaret Aikin being apprehended upon suspitiâ—n and threatned with torture did confesse her self guilty being examined touching her associats in that trade she namâ—d a few and peâ—ceiving her delations find credit made offer to detect all of that sort and to purge the countrey of them so she might have her life granted for the reason of her knowledge she said that they had a secret mark all of that sort in their eyes whereby she could surely tell how soon she looked upon any whether they were Witches or not and in this she was so readily believed that for the space of three or four moneths she was carried from Town to Town to make discoveries in that kind Many were brought in question by her delations especially at Glasgow where diverse innocent women through the credulity of the Minister Mr. John Cowper were condemned and put to death In end she was found to be a meer deceiver for the same persons that the one day she had declared guilty the next day being presented in another habit she cleansed and sent back to Fife where first she was apprehended At her tryall she affirmed all to be false that she had confessed either of her self or others persisted in this to her death which made many for think their to great forwardnesse that way and moved the King to recall the commissions given out against such persons discharging all proceedings against them except in case of voluntary confession till a solid order should be taken by the Estates touching the forme that should be keeped in their tryall In the year of God 16â—0 was Gowries conspiracy against the King discovered both he and his brother Mr. Alexander Ruthven were killed at St. Johnstoun and the King delivered The Ministers of Edinburgh being râ—qâ—ired by the Counsel to give thanks for his Majesties deliverance refused to obey excusing themselves that nothing ought to be deliv red in Pulpit but that whereof the truth was known and that all which is uttered in that place should be spokâ—n in faith When by no perswasion they could be moved to perform that duty it was resolved that the Counsel should go together to the Market Crosse and that the Bishop of Rosse should after a naration of the Kings daughter and deliverance conceive a publick thanksgiving which was done the multitude applauding and expressing a great joy Mr. Patrick Galloway the Mononday thereafter in presence of the King Preached at the Market Crosse who choosed the 124. Psalm for his Theam did take occasion to discourse of all the particulars of the conspiracy and gave the people great satisfaction for many doubted that there had been any such conspiracy the condition of Princes being as the Emperor Domitian said herein miserably that even when conspiracies made against their persons are discovered yet they are not credited unlesse they be slain The King to testifie his thankfulnesse for his deliverence mortified a thousand pound to the poor yearly to be taken of the readiest fruits of the Abbacie of Scoon After this order was taken for a publick and solemn thanksgiving to be made in all the Churches of the Kingdome The Ministers of Edinburgh who gave the refuse were commanded to remove themselves out of the town within 48. hours and inhibited to Preach within his Majesties dominions under the pain of death Three of the number to wit Mr. Walter â—elcanquel Mr. William Watson and Mr. John Hall acknowledging their fault were pardoned Mr. James Balfour likewise remitted But Mr. Robert Truce taking a course by himself and saying he would reverence his Majesties report of that accident but could not say he was perswaded of the truth of it was banished the King dominions and went into France The 15. of November a Parliament was held at Edinburgh wherein sentence of the forfeiture was pronounced against Gowry and Mr. Alexander his brother their posterity disinherited and in detestation of the paracid attempted the whole surname of Ruthven abolished but this last was afterwards dispensed with and such of that name as were knowen to be innocent tollerated by the Kings clemency to enjoy their surnames and titles as in former times The bodies of the two brethren being brought to the Parliament house were after sentence given hanged upon a Gibbet in the publick street and then dismembred their hands cut off and affixed upon the top of the prison house and the 5. of August ordained to be keeped yearly in remembrance of his Majesties delivery Prince Charles was born at Dumfermling The Queen of England continuing constant in her affection when she was asked a little before her death by the Lord Keeper and Secretary who were directed by the Counsel to understand her will touching her Successor answered none but my Cousen the King of Scots After which words she spake not much A Queen incomparable for wisedom and fidelity of Government She
time at the fact and men yet alive the story whereof was this There was at Antwerp on a time amongst a company of Merchants as they were at supper a certain Juglar which through his Diabolicall inchantments or Art magicall would fetch all kind of Viandes and Wine from any place they would and set it upon the table incontinent before them with many other such like things The fame of this Jugler being much talked of It chanced that as Master Tindal heard of it he desired certain of the Merchants that he might also bee present at Supper to see him play his parts To be brief the supper was appointed and the Merchants with Tindall were there present Then the Juglar being required to play his feats and to shew his cunning after his wonted boldnesse began to utter all that he could do but all was in vain At the last with his labour sweating and toyling when he saw that nothing would go forward but that all his enchantment were void he was compelled openly to confesse that there was some man present at Supper which disturbed and setted all his doings So that a man even in the Martyrs of these dayes cannot lack the miracles of true faith if miracles were now to be desired After King Henry his Marriage was declared to be unlawfull and being divorced from Lady Cathren he married Lady Anna â—ullen who three years after she was married was had to the Tower with the Lord Rochford her brother and the nineteen day thereafter was beheaded The words of this worthy and christian Lady at her death were these Good Christian people I am come hither to die for according to the Law by the Law I am judged to death and therefore I will speak nothing against it I am to accuse no man nor to speak any thing of that whereof I am accused and condemned to die but I pray God to save the King and send him long to raign over you for a Gentler or more mercifull Prince was there never to me he was ever a Good a Gentle and a Soveraigne Lord. And if any person will medle of my cause I require them to judge the best And thus I take my leave of the World and of you all I heartily desire you all to pray for me so she was beheaded Whatsoever the cause was or quartell objected against her life this was a great commendation she left behind her that during her life the Religion of Christ most happily flourished and had a right prosperous course for she was an enemy to Popery she was a great giver of alms beyond all other Queens and the Revenues almost of her estate in so much that the almes which she gave in three quarters of a year in distribution is summed to the number of fourteen or fifteen thousand pounds beside the great peece of money which Her grace intended to impart unto four sundry quarters of the Realm as for a stock there to be imployed to the behoove of poor Artificers and occupyers Again what a zealous Defender she was of Christs Gospel all the world doth know and her acts do and will declare to the worlds end After the suffering of Queen Anna the King marrid Lady Jane Seimer of whom came King Edward as great an enemy to Gods enemies the Pope as ever his father was and greater too Shorâ—ly after his birth Queen Jane his Mother the second day after died in Child bed and left the King again a Widower which so continued the space of two years together After this Religion bâ—gan to go backward as appears in the condemnation burning and martyrdom of John Lambert and others For as the King was ruled and gave over some time to one some time to another so one while Reliâ—ion went forâ—wâ—rd and at another time as much backward again and sometimes clean altered and changed foâ— a season according as they could prevail which were about the King so variable was the change and mutation of Religion in King Henries days for the state of R ligion decayed all the residâ—e of King Henry A Parliament is summoned at Westmi ster in the ear 15 〈◊〉 through the devise and practiâ—â— of certain of the Popes factors about him Alâ—o a Synod or convocation of all the Archbishops Bishops and other leaâ—nâ—d of the clergy of this realm to be in like manner assembled In which Parliament Syâ—od or convocation certain articles matters and qâ—estions touching religion were decreed to the numbâ—r especially of six comonly called the six Articles or the whip â—ith six strings to be had and receivâ—d among the Kings Sâ—bjects in pretence of Unity The first Article in the present Parliament accorded and agreed upon was this that in the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar by the strength and efficacy of Christs mighty word it being spoken by the Priest is present really under the form of Bread and Wine the naturall body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ conceived of the Virgin Mary and that after the consecration there remaineth no substance of Bread or Wine or any other substance but the substance of Christ God and man Secondly that the Communion in both kinds is not necessary ad salutem by the Law of God to all persons and that it is to be believed and not doubted of but that in the flesh under the form of Bread is the very Blood and with the Blood under the form of Wine is the very flesh as well in parts as they were both together Thirdly that the Priests after the order of Priesthood received may not marry by the Law Fourthly that the vows of chastity of Widowhood by man or woman made to God advisedly ought to be observed by the Law of God and that it exeemeth them from other liberties of Christian people which without that they might enjoy Fifthly that it is meet and necessary that privat Masses be continued and admitted in this English Church and Congregation as whereby good Christian people ordering themselves accordinâ—ly do receive both godly and goodly consolations and benefites and it is agreeable also to Gods Law Sixthly that Auricular Confession is expedient and necessary to be retained and contained used and frequented in the Church of God All agreed to these six Articles except Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who stood openly in the Parliament against them bringing forth such Allegations as might easily have helped the cause nisi paucos major vicisset ut saepe solet meliorem Great was the trouble and persecution at London for these six Articles and else-where through the land Doctor Barnes Garret and Hicrome were burnt for the Gospel at Smithfield At this time when Lambert was burnt there was one Colins at London sometime a Lawyer and a Gentleman being distracted of his wits coming into a Church where a Priest was saying Masse and was come to the place where they use to hold and shew the Sacrament he seeing the Priest holding the host over his head and