interpreted it and divers others can bear witness to the truth hereof and the Lord of the place laid it up among his rarities What now should Sion do but cry out under the cruel oppression of the Enemy Render unto them a recompence O Lord according to the works of their hands Lament 3.64 And indeed God began to revenge his peoples wrongs the fourth day after when they furiously assaulted Costena a Town four miles from Lesna where they were often repulsed stoutly by the Swedish Garrison and having suffered a great slaughter about five hundred of them being wanting they were forced to retire in great confusion The like also they met withall at Kalissia and other places being slain and put to flight by the Swedes Herein it hapned unto them much after the same manner as it did to Tilly formerly when he had ruined Magdeburg the God of vengeance manifesting himself the avenger of his people And now they begin to acknowledge and upbraid one another with their folly the Nobles in that they have spoiled their mart and treasury and the Clergy in that it is hapned otherwise than they intended For their purpose was utterly to ruine the Hereticks as they term them with their nest but now that they see the nest spoiled and the birds saved it is much more matter of grief and vexation than of joy to them For here God performed what he promised of old to Baruch I will give thee in the midst of thy Countryes ruines thy life for a prey Jer. 45.5 So God gave to thousands of his worshippers who were snatched out of the midst of those ruines their life for a prey having set bounds to the fury of the Devil which he could not pass as he did of old when he gave Job into his hands as to all that he had but so that he should spare his life Blessed be the name of the Lord. Truly we have cause to say with David Psalm 124. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul then the proud waters had gone over our soul Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us a prey to their teeth Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowlers the snare is broken and we are escaped our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Oh the wonderfull providence of our God! which then saves when he seems to have forsaken and then makes alive where he seems to have killed We had been undone if we had not been undone We had been undone in our lives those furies gathering together soon after in far greater troops if we had not been undone in our estates which were left to them for a prey by our flight which the fatherly providence of God fore-seeing greater evils procured by sending that fright among us Blessed be the Name of the Lord again and again We notwithstanding with other afflicted ones in what Nation soever whom that proudest Babylonian flood of waters seeks to swallow up will not cease to cry How long O Lord wilt thou be angry with thy people How long shall thy jealousie burn like fire O remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us c. Psalm 79. And with the souls of those that were slain for the word of God that lie under the Altar of Christs merits for whose faith we are killed How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.9 10. The Delegates of these poor persecuted Protestant Churches coming over into England to move for a Contribution towards the relief of their distressed Brethren Published this ensuing Narrative The utmost Fury of Antichrist against the Protestants or Reformed Church of the Bohemian Confession in Poland set down in a brief but faithful Narrative and according to the truth of the matter THe Spouse of Jesus Christ she who in the Cradle was besprinkled with the blood of a Protomartyr hath alwayes brought forth into the world men like Abel or Stephen that so there might never be wanting to cry from the earth unto God and that the wounds of that Rose which lies among the Thorns of Persecution might not be concealed Every age and every year in each age and every moneth and day in each year hath produced new inundations of blood unto this day and yet the little flock of the Lord hath alwayes encreased under persecutions one while here another there shifting their seats and habitations While it pleased God by the means of Wicklef to kindle the light of the Gospel in Great Britain John Huss asserted the truth of Jesus Christ in the midst of thick darknesse of Popery in Bohemia many thousands being stirred up by God to receive it who despising all the cruelty of Tyrants received it with joy untill by Gods assistance they took rooting in the Kingdom and grew up into flourishing Churches In a short time after Antichrist breathing out his fury the Truth was banished out of Bohemia and the Confessors being driven out transplanted the Gospel into Poland where being favourably entertained by King Sigismond they in a short time encreased to so great a number that being little inferiour to the Papists they were able to boast of an equal authority and priviledges with them Hence it came to passe that the Kings at their Coronations were wont not only to promise but solemnly to swear protection to such as disagreed from the Roman Religion and therefore they proceeded not to open persecutions save only in those Cities where the Jesuits had seated themselves in power to wit Cracovia Posen Lublin Vilna c. where by their disciples and by stirring up the common people to fury the Churches of the Reformed Professors were a good while ago demolished and divers Ministers cruelly massacred Neverthelesse the malice of the Enemies being no whit allayed they were many ways afflicted first indirectly afterwards by pretences under colour of Law until those Churches being worn out by degrees and overthrown were not many years ago reduced to a very inconsiderable number especially when as in the Reign of the late King the Enemies being confident they might do any thing brought things to this passe at length that there were no more than twenty one Congregations remaining in the Greater Poland and those also ready to perish But among these twenty one remaining Churches the chief and as it were the Mother of them all was that of Lesna which was divided into three Congregations the Bohemian the Polonian and the German each of which had their own Pastors but the Communicants joyntly were about two thousand Therefore it was that this Church was in the first place exposed to the Enemies malice and of late designed
dare say nothing to the purpose for fear of angring the Inquisitors only he chears up his Client and bids him tell the truth in any case as the only way to prevail in that Court and then is the Prisoner sent back again who hopes that now his cause will be heard and his businesse dispatched whereas usually these good fathers let him lie two three or four years in prison without ever calling for him again and if through loathsomnesse and intolerablenesse of the prison any sue to come to hearing it may be with much ado he obtains it but usually that favour is denied him yet at length when they please they call for him to hear the depositions of the witnesses against him which yet is not done till the poor Prisoner by his grievous imprisonment is brought so low as that they think he will rather choose death than such a life and therefore will be willing to tell all that so he may be rid out of his misery Then between rebuking and a gentle admonition they tell him that though he hath stood out so long yet at length they would have him wiser to confesse the truth but if he yet refuse to be his own accuser then the Fiscal produceth the depositions which are delivered to the Prisoner but they are drawn up so intricately and ambiguously that he knows not what to make of them and this they do to conceal the witnesses lest he should except against them and to set him on guessing that so if he chance to reckon up any others to whom he spake any thing about any of those matters they may thereby get more grists to their mill For they presently out-law such persons as favourers of hereticks for suffering an heretick to sow such pestilent seeds amongst them without complaining thereof to the Inquisitors The Keeper of the Prison also is examined what he hath seen and observed of him in the Prison and his testimony is as good as two witnesses to take away the Prisoners life They have also Promoters to bring in accusations who are admitted though frantick Bedlams or the veriest Varlets that be and in their informations if they chance to want words of weight the Inquisitors will help them out and prompt them word by word Then after three or four dayes the Prisoner is called again to put in his answer to the depositions but in the interim his Advocate never comes at him to assist or direct him but he is left to himself without all help save of God alone His answer being viewed he is remanded to prison again with this Item that if he confesse not the truth they will extort it out of him by extremity After two or three moneths more he is called for once again and required to speak what he hath for himself or else they must draw to an end and if he still shrinks not but stands firme in his own Justification they proceed to other dealings in comparison of which all their former proceedings are not only sufferable but seeme very reasonable and full of gentlenesse For their future actions farre exceed all barbarousnesse the Devil himself being not able to go beyond them in their monstrous tyranny For not long after the Prisoner is called in before the Inquisitors who tell him that they have deeply considered his whole case and found out that he doth not declare the whole truth and therefore they are resolved that he shall be racked that by force they may draw from him what by fair means he will not acknowledge and therefore they advise him rather to do it voluntarily and thereby to avoid the paine and peril that yet attends him yet whether he confesse or not confesse all is one for to the Rack he must go Then is he led into the place where the Rack standeth which is a deep and dark dungeon under ground with many a door to passe through ere a man come to it because the shreekes and cries of the tormented should not be heard then the Inquisitors set themselves upon a scaffold hard by the Rack and the torches being lighted the Executioner comes in all araied from top to toe in a sute of black canvas his head is covered with a long black hood that covereth all his face having only two peep-holes for his eyes which sight doth more affright the poor soul to see one in the likenesse of the Devil to be his tormentor The Lords being set in their places they begin again to exhort him to speak the truth freely and voluntarily Then with sharp words they command him to be stripped stark naked yea though the modestest maid or chasest Matron in the City whose grief in regard of the Rack is not half so great as to be seene naked in the presence of such manner of persons For these wicked villains without any regard of honesty will not by any Prayers of godly Matrons or chast Maidens forbear one jot of that barbarous impudence as if a shirt or smock could hinder the violence of the Rack from sufficiently tormenting them The Party being thus stripped the Inquisitors signifie to the Tormentor how they would have him or her ordered The first kind of torment is the Jeobit or Pully but first one comes behind him and binds his hands with a cord eight or ten times about the Inquisitors calling upon him to strain each harder than other they cause also his thumbs to be bound extream hard with a small line and so both hands and thumbs are fastened to a Pully which hangs on the Jeobit then they put great and heavy bolts on his heels and hang upon those bolts between his feet certain weights of iron and so hoise him or her up from the ground and whilst the poor wretch hangs in this plight they begin to exhort him again to accuse himself and as many others as he knows of Then they command him to be hoised up higher to the very beam till his head touch the Pully Having hung thus a good while they command him to be let down and twice so much weight to be fastened to his heels and so hoised up again and one inch higher if it may be Then they command the hangman to let him up and down that the weights of the iron hanging at his heels may rent every joynt in his body asunder With which intolerable pains if the Party shreek or cry out they roare out as loud to him to confesse the truth or else he shall come down with a vengeance Then they bid the hangman suddenly to slip the rope that he may fall down with a sway and in the mid-way to stop then give him the Strappado which being as soon done it rends all his body out of joynt armes shoulders back legs c. by reason of the sudden jerk and the weights hanging at his legs If he yet remain constant they adde more weight to his heels the third time and the poor wretch already half
The skilfull'st Physiognomers who Scan Each line and wrinkle in the face of man Can tell no more what Soules dwell there then wee By Seing Stars can tell what Angels be Then ask not at the door who 't is if so This Shadow cannot tell thee Read and know A Generall Martyrologie CONTAINING A COLLECTION Of all the greatest PERSECUTIONS which have befallen the CHURCH OF CHRIST From the Creation to our present Times Both in England and all other Nations Whereunto are added two and twenty LIVES OF ENGLISH Modern Divines Famous in their Generations for Learning and Piety and most of them great Sufferers in the Cause of CHRIST As also the Life of the Heroical Admiral of France slain in the Parisian Massacre and of Joane Queen of Navar poisoned a little before By Sa. Clarke Pastor in Bennet Fink London The second Edition Corrected and Enlarged having the two late Persecutions inserted the one in Piemont the other in Poland PSAL. 44.22 For thy sake are we kiâ—â—led all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Nihil crus seâ—tit in nervo cum animus est in caelo Tertul. Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe for 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 in Saint Pauls Church-yard near the little North-door MDCLX TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Especially to the suffering Saints in these three Nations Christian Reader THou hast here presented to thy view that strange sight which so much astonished Moses Exod. 8.3 A bush burning with fire and not consumed A lively Emblem of the Church oft times all on a light flame with the fire of Persecution and yet so far from being consumed that The bloud of the Martyrs proves the seed of the Church And indeed she is the only and true Salamander that can live in the fire Yet this not by any strength of her own but because the Angel of the Covenant even the Lord Jesus Christ is in the bush either to slack the fire or to strengthen the bush and make it incombustible In this Book thou maiest see as in a Mirrour what hath been the lot and portion of the Church and people of God from the Creation hitherto viz. Through many tribulations to enter into the kingdom of heaven Here thou hast a certaine and infallible mark of the true Church of Christ viz. To be hated and persecuted by the Devil and his instruments Here thou maiest see what is the constant concommitant of the Gospel when it is received in the love and power of it viz. Persecution according to that of the Apostle Ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction c. Neither yet is God an hard Master in dealing thus with his faithfull servants He knows that heavy afflictions are the best benefactors to heavenly affections and that grace is hid in nature here as sweet water in rose leaves which must have the fire of affliction put under to distill it out He knows that when afflictions hang heaviest corrupt affections hang loosest upon his children Yet doth not the Lord afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth but he will hereby try who are his indeed and in truth not in name and profession only For as the Eagle tries her young ones by turning their faces to the sun beams so those Christians that can outface the sun of Persecution are sincere indeed One thing is very remarkable in this History that usually before any great Persecution befell the Church the holy men of those times observed that there was some great decay of zeal and of the power of godliness or some mutuall contentions and quarrels amongst the people of God or some such sin or other that provoked God against them and then as the shepherd sets his dog upon his sheep when they go astray to bring them in and then rates him off again So God le ts loose wicked Persecutors upon his own children but it 's only to bring them in unto him and then he not only restrains their rage but casts the rod into the fire If judgement begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God Much excellent use may be made of this History As teaching us That whosoever will take Christ truly must take his Crosse as well as his Crown his Sufferings as well as his Salvation That persecution is the bellows of the Gospel blowing every spark into a flame and that Martyrs ashes are the best compost to manure the Church their bloud to water it and make it fertill That Gods children are like Starres that shine brightest in the darkest night Like Torches that are the better for beating Like Grapes that come not to the proof till they come to the presse Likes Spices that smell sweetest when pounded Like young Trees that root the faster for shaking Like Vines that are the better for bleeding Like Gold that looks the brighter for scouring Like Glow worms that shine best in the dark Like Juniper that smels sweetest in the fire Like the Pomander which becomes more fragrant for chafing Like the Palm tree which proves the better for pressing Like the Camomile which the more you tread it the more you spread it Yea God knoweth that we are best when we are worst and live holiest when we die fastest and therefore he frames his dealing to our disposition seeking rather to profit then to please us That when God exposeth us to Persecution he expects our speedy and thorow Reformation if we desire the affliction to be removed For as it were to no purpose for the Finer to put his gold into the fire except it lie there till it be refined So were it to small purpose for God to lay afflictions on us if so soon as we whine and groan under his hand he should remove them before we be bettered thereby Whereas afflictions like Lots Angels will soon away when they have done their errand Like plaisters when the sore is once whole they will fall off of their own accoâ—d That we should with patience submit to the afflicting hand of the all wise God and our mercifull Father saying with the Church I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Considering also that impatience under affliction makes it much more grievous As a man in a feaver that by tossing and tumbling exasperates the disease and encreaseth his own grief That all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution It hath been the portion of all the Saints from the creation hitherto What son is there whom the Father chasteneth not One son indeed God had without sin but not without sorrow for though Christ his naturall Son was sine corruptione without corruption yet not sine correctione without correction though he was sine flagitio with out crime yet not sine flagello without a scourge
called together in a Synod in the mountaines to ordain Ecclesiastical Laws whereby they should be governed they appointed also sundry daies of Fasting and Prayer for themselves and their dispersed friends taking counsell from Gods Word concerning those things which were required to the fuller Reformation both of life and doctrine That which most afflicted them was for want of Pastors not knowing where they should have new ones after those were dead who then lived with them but after debate they resolved that Christ had given this authority to his Church that such as were ordained themselves might ordain others Yet some scruple arose whether such as were but Presbyters might ordaine without a Bishop For which cause they met together and with fasting prayers and teares they sought unto God to reveal his will to them in this difficulty and afterwards making a scrutiny by lot the Lord answered them that it was lawfull for Presbyters to ordain Presbyters which occasioned great joy unto them Then did these Brethren deliberate among themselves whether they should joyn with the Waldenses in Moravia and Austria and so be one people with them and one Church The purity of their Doctrine and Christian Conversation did much please but again it much displeased them that they concealed the truth not openly professing it as they ought but to avoid persecution they frequented the Churches of the Papists and so communicated with Idolaters Therefore they concluded to admonish them of this evil and for this end they sent some able men to them to acquaint them with it The Waldenses answered that to be in unity with them was very gratefull and for the evils objected against them they were not ignorant of them nor would defend them but rather would labour to amend them Concluding that they desired to have a sixt day of meeting with the Brethren in which they would take some further order about this businesse But before the time came the Papists having some intelligence of it raged so violently against the Waldenses that they burnt one of the chiefest of them at Vienna and so persecuted the rest that they were fain to provide for their own safety by flight Anno 1468. There came out a new Decree against these Brethren requiring all the Nobles of Bohemia within their severall jurisdictions to apprehend as many as they could and to proceed against them Many therefore were apprehended and put into prison where they were kept for a long time But thrâ—â—gh the wonderfull working of God the more the enemies laboured to put out this spark the more it brake forth into a great flame for many of their Peers submitted to the Discipline of the Brethren building Churches for them in their Towns and Villages so that Anno 1500. they had in Bohemia and Moravia about two hundred Churches After the death of Pogiebracius Uladislaus a Polonian succeeded in the Kingdom to whom the Brethren wrote an Apology by reason of many foul accusations that were carried to him against them This so exasperated their enemies that they endeavoured by a most impudent invention to stir up the hatred of all men against them The way they used was this They suborned a wicked villain to say that he came from amongst them and that he had been an Elder but had therefore forsaken them because in their meetings they used to blaspheme God the Virgin Mary and the Saints to traduce the Sacraments to mingle themselves incestuously after the manner of the Adamites to commit murther and practise witchcraft c. This man they led through the Townes and Cities as a spectacle they brought him to their Church where he must abjure his errors and beseech the people to pray for him a most miserable sinner and to take heed by his example of the wicked Piccards They also published his confession in writing being confirmed with the seals and subscripâ—ons of some Deans and Priests causing them to be read in the Churches to the people But the devil was befooled herein for the Brethren by publick writings did confute these lies and the villain trembling so often to forswear himself in the sight of the people confessed at last that he was suborned to do what he did and that he knew not any of the Piccards Yet thus far it made for good that some to make experience of so great villanies began privately and disguised to frequent the Assemblies of the Brethren and finding it to be farre other wise then it was reported did associate themselves with them as with true Christians Anno 1488. Mathias King of Hungary banished the Brethren from Moravia which caused some hundreds of them taking a Minister along with them to go into Moldavia Whereupon the Brethren in Bohemia sent one of their Elders to them to exhort them unto patience under this persecution which was for the truth Shortly after the restless enemies of God and his Church raised another persecution against the Brethren in Bohemia for some Bishops consulting together suborned the Queen great with childe so that they conceived that the King would deny her nothing in that state to request of him that he would severely punish the Piccards The King displeased at her request only nodded his head but gave no answer at all Yet the Bishops in his presence began to draw up the Edict The King going into his chamber fell down on his knees and with tears besought God to forgive the guilt of those bloudy counsels and to grant no successe to them and God heard his prayers and shewed some examples of his severe judgements on the Authors of this conspiracy The Queen who proposed to her fancy what gratefull spectacles she should have in seeing the Piccards brought to Prague and there some burnt some beheaded and others drowned in the water presently fell in travell and when she was not able to bring forth the Physitians advised that the childe should be cut out of the mothers womb which was accordingly done whereby the childe lived but the mother died Two years after the Bishops by their importunity prevailed with the King that sharp remedies should be used against those growing evils as they were pleased to call them whereupon an Edict was sent forth that all the Piccards without distinction of sex age or quality should be slain This Mandate was brought to the Assembly of States at Prague by two Bishops but divers of the chiefest Nobles opposed it so that eighteen moneths were spent in debate before any thing was done but at last by the cunning artifice of the Chancellor and his bloudy associates it was confirmed by the greatest part of the Nobility in the presence of the King and a mutuall confederacy was entred into that it should be prosecuted with an armed power but God following some of the chiefe contrivers of it with sundry judgements it almost came to nothing Yet in these troubles
trust in my God that he will graciously accept my contrite spirit When upon the Scaffold the Jesuites exhorted him he listned not to them but turned from the Crucifix and falling down on his knees he prayed softly Then looking up towards heaven he cried They can take away the body but they cannot take away the soul O Lord Jesus I commend that unto thee and so he ended his life being fifty six years old The next was an aged man about seventy years old that had been long lame his crime was that he had assisted Frederick with his counsel and wealth at the time of his death he said O Lord Jesus who being innocent didst undergo death grant that I may die the death of the righteous and receive my soul into thy hands The next was the Lord of Rugenia a man of excellent parts and full of zeal for God when he was iudged to die he said that it was more welcome to him then if the Emperour had given him life and restored him to his estate with addition of more afterwards he said to the Minister God is our witnesse that we fought for nothing but the Liberty of Religion and in that we are overcome and condemned to die we acknowledge and finde that God will not have his truth defended by our swords but by our bloud c. When he saw divers called out before him he said What is the matter my God thou knowest that I resign my self wholly unto thee Ah do not despise thy servant but make haste to take me away and when the Sheriff came for him he rejoyced and said Praised be my God that I shall now be taken out of the world that I may be with Christ and so he went to meet him On the Scaffold he comforted himself with that promise Father I will that where I am my servants may also be to behold that glory which thou gavest me Therefore said he I make haste to die that I may be with Christ and see his glory and so he suffered Martyrdom couragiously The next was Valentine Cockan of about sixty years old During his imprisonment he was full of heavenly discourse and at the Scaffold he said Grant me O God to passe through this valley of death that I may presently see thee for thou knowest my God that I have loved thy word bring me O God through the paths of life that I may see fulnesse of joy in thy presence and kneeling down he said into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit and so holily ended his life The next was Toby Steffick a man of a composed temper and sincere in Religion he spent most of the time of his imprisonment in silent sighs and tears Before his Execution he said I have received many good things of the Lord all my life long shall I not therefore receive this cup of affliction I imbrace the will of God who by this ignominious death makes me conformable to his son and by a narrow way brings me to his heavenly Kingdom I praise God who hath joyned me undeservedly to these excellent men that I might receive with them the crown of martyrdom When he was called to die he said My Saviour being about to die said Father not as I will but as thou wilt thy will be done Shall I therefore who am but a worm yea dust and a shadow contradict his will far be it from me yea I come willingly my God only have mercy on me and cleanse me from my sins that no spot or rinckle may appear in me but that I may appear pure in thy sight and so he lifted up himself full of sighs yet full of hope and as he was praying he rendered up his spirit unto God Then was Jessenius a Doctor of Phisick called forth a man famous for piety and learning all over Europe Having hard his sentence he said You use us too cruelly and disgracefully but know that our heads shall be buried which you ignominiously expose for a spectacle which afterwards came to passe Anno 1631. when the King of Sweden with his Army took prague and caused the Martyrs heads to be taken from the Tower and solemnly and honourably buried When the Hangman required his tongue to cut it off he willingly put it out and falling upon his knees as he was praying his head was cut off his body quartered and set upon four stakes The next was Christopher Chober who much encouraged his fellow-Martyrs and then cited the words of Ignatius I am Gods corn and shall be ground with the teeth of wilde beasts So we saith he are Gods corn sown in the field of the Church and that we may be for our Masters use we are now to be torn by beasts but be of good chear the Church is founded in bloud and hath ever encreased by bloud God is able to raise up a thousand worshippers of himself out of every drop of our bloud for though truth now suffers violence yet Christ reigns and no man shall throw him from his Throne Being called to execution he said I come in the name of my God neither am I ashamed to suffer these things for his glory for I know whom I have beleeved I have fought the good fight of faith and finished my course c. then praying into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit he received the Crown of Martyrdom John Shultis was next who on the Scaffold said Why art thou so sad O my soul Hope thou in God for thou shalt yet praise him c. The righteous seem to die in the eyes of fools but indeed they go to their rest Lord Jesus thou hast promised that whoso comes to thee thou willt not cast off Behold I now come look on me pity me pardon my sins and receive my soul to thy self then kneeling down he said Come come Lord Jesus and doe not tarry and so he was he headed The next was Maximillian Hostialick a learned and pious man after his condemnation he was sadder then the rest and being asked by the Minister the reason of it he said The sins of my youth doe now come into my minde for though I know that nothing remains to condemn them which are in Christ Jesus yet I know that God exerciseth justice as well as mercy towards his own Being called to death he said Look upon me O Lord my God and lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death and lest mine enemies say We have prevailed Afterward repeating the words of Simeon Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation he was beheaded The next was John Kutnaur who when the Jesuites began to speak to them said Pray you trouble not our consciences we are sufficiently furnished against the fear of death we need none of your help and when they would have proceeded
the City for ten years with this writing on her head A favourer and aider of Hereticks And whereas all other sort of persons in prison and bondage are allowed to recreate and refresh themselves with singing at their pleasure these poor souls are forbidden this small solace in their great misery for if any of them sing a Psalm or openly recite any portion of Scripture the Inquisitors take it very hainously and presently send to them requiring them to be silent upon the pain of Excommunication and if the prisoner make light of this warning he shall have a bit set on his tongue to teach him obedience and this they do both to deprive the poor souls of all kind of solace and to keep other Prisoners from knowing how their friends do So that it often falls out that a man and his friend the Father and Sonne yea the husband and wife shall be in one prison-house two or three years together and not know of each others being there till they meet upon the scaffold upon the great day of triumph By reason of this cruel usage many of the Prisoners die some of their torments others of the stink of the prison and others of diseases contracted by hunger cold ill diet c. They have also an Hospital unto which they remove such as fall sick in their prisons where yet they are not dealt more gently with in any thing save that they have Physick allowed them for their healths sake But none are suffered to come to them but the Physician and the servants of the Hospital And as soon as the Patient is on the mending hand he is carried back to the place whence he came If the Prisoner be half naked or want something to lie on and thereupon pray the Inquisitor that his necessity may be considered The answer which he receives is this Well now the weather is warm you may live full well without either cloaths or couch And if it be winter time his answer is True it hath been a great frost of late but now the cold is come down again and it will be more seasonable weather Care you for the garments wherewithal you should cloath your soul which consisteth in uttering the truth and discharging your conscienâ—e before this holy house And if the Prisoner desire to have some good book or the holy Bible to enable him to passe that troublesome and careful time to some profit The Inquisitor answers him that the true book is to speak the truth and to discharge his conscience to that holy Court and that he ought to be occupied in laying open his wounds to their Lordships who are ready to give him a plaister whereby it appears that all their care and desire is that the poor Prisoner may have nothing to look on or think on but his present miserable state that the grief thereof grating upon him may force him to satisfie their requests The last act of the Tragedy remaineth wherein both Parties are pleased and have their desire the Inquisitors in obtaining their prey the Prisoners in finding some end of their miserable usage but two or three dayes before the solemnity they use severally to call before them all such whose estates are confiscated examining them what lands or goods they have where they lie charging them upon great penalties not to conceal one jot telling them that if any thing be afterwards found felony shall be laid to their charge and he with whom it is found shall pay foundly for it and when all is confessed they are returned to prison again The night before the Festival they cause all the Prisoners to be brought into a large roome where they are informed of the several kinds of pennances that they are to do the next day The next morning very early the Familiars come and attire the Prisoners in their several habits in which they are to appear before the people Some in Sambenito's which is a long garment painted all over with ugly devils on his head he hath an high-crown'd hat whereon a man is painted burning in the fire with many devils about him plying him with fire and fagots Besides their tongues have a cleft piece of wood put upon them which nips and pincheth them that they cannot speak they have about their necks cords and their hands fast bound behind them On this sort come these constant Martyrs disguised first to the stage and then to the stake and in the like sort do all the rest come forth arraied as the other and set forth with the like notes of infamy either more or lesse as the Inquisitors please to disgrace them in the sight of the people On each hand of every Prisoner goeth a Familiar all armed to guard him as also two Friars with every one that is to die who perswade him tooth and nail to deny that doctrine that formerly he hath professed now at their going out of this world which wicked importunity is a great grief to the poor servants of Jesus Christ. The Inquisitors also passe in great pomp from the Castle of Triana to their scaffold And when all are set in their places a Sermon begins framed on purpose in commendations of the holy house and in confutation of such Heriticks as are presently to suffer but the greatest part is spent in slanderous reproaches wherewith they vilifie and disgrace the truth and the Professors of it The Sermon being ended the sentences against the Prisoners are read First against such as have easiest punishments and so in order to the greater Which sentences are commonly these Death without mercy Whipping in such extremity that the Persons seldome escape with their lives Condemnation to the Gally Forfeiture of all their estates c. Then doth the chief Inquisitor absolve all such as have forsaken Christ and are come home to the Church of Rome from all the errours for which they shewed themselves penitent but though hereby they are absolved from the fault yet not from the punishment for notwithstanding their Recantation they must abide the punishment without mercy And whereas multitudes of people resort to this spectacle some coming twenty Leagues to see it The Inquisitors have this trick to uphold their Kingdome They cause all the people present to take an oath to live and die in the service of the Church of Rome hazarding both life and goods against any that shall oppose it as also to their power to uphold and maintain the holy Inquisition and to defend all the officers thereof c. Then if there be any amongst the Prisoners to be degraded they proceed after this manner First they apparel him in his massing Robes then they despoil him again of every part thereof then are his hands lips and the Crown of his head scraped with a piece of glasse or a sharp knife till they bleed again to scrape off the holy oyle wherewith he was anointed at his ordination In the end of
their sentence which is pronounced upon such as are to be burned they use this abominable hypocrisie They bequeath him to the secular power with this humble request to them to shew the Prisoner as much favour as may be and neither to break any bone nor pierce the skin of his body This shews their great impudence that having already given sentence on him to be burned they yet should pretend such mercy and clemency towards him whom all along themselves have used with such extream cruelty They use also this trick further that in reading the crimes for which he is condemned they do not only misreport such things as he confessed upon his examination but they devilishly father upon him such things as he never spake or thought of in all his life and this they do to disgrace him and to make him and his opinions more abhorred of all men and to encrease their own estimation and credit as being necessary officers to rid the world of such pestilent persons and all this while the Prisoners tongue hath a cleft piece of wood upon it to his intolerable pain and grief that he cannot answer for himself nor gainsay that they charge him with All these things being finished the Magistrate takes them into his hand and conveys them presently to the place of execution with divers instruments of Satan about them calling and crying to them to forsake the truth and when they cannot prevail after the Prisoner is tied to the stake they break his neck in a trice and then they report amongst the common people that they recanted their heresies at the last houre and so came home to the Church of Rome and therefore they felt no pain in the fire at all which made them take it so patiently Such as are not condemned to die are carried back to prison and the next day brought out to be whipt after which some of them are sent to the Gallies others kept in prison all their life time but all have this special charge given them that they never speak of any thing that they have heard seen or felt during their imprisonment in the Inquisition for if the contrary be ever proved against them and that they utter any of their secrets they shall be taken for persons relapsed and be punished with greatest severity their judgement being death without Redemption and hereby they keep in all their Knavery and Tyranny close and secret to themselves And if any of them be released because their faults were but small they are yet so careful lest their cruelty should come to light that they inhibit them the company or conference with any other than such as they shall appoint and allow them neither will they suffer them to write to any friend except they first have the perusing of their letters Sometimes also after they have imprisoned men in such a miserable state for a year or two and can extort nothing out of them by their torments nor prove any thing against them by witnesse so that they must necessarily dismisse them they then call them into the Court and begin to flatter them and tell them what a good opinion they have of them and that they are resolved to send them home for the which fatherly favour extended towards them in saving their lives goods they are to account themselves much beholding to their Lordships c. And so at last they dismisse him with special charge of silence and when he is gone they have special Spies abroad to see how he takes the matter and if they find that he complains of his punishments or discloses their secrets they presently commence a new suit against him On a time the Inquisitors at Sivill apprehended a noble Lady the cause was for that a Sister of hers a very vertuous Virgin who was afterwards burned for Religion had confessed in the extremity of her torments that she had sometimes had conference with this her sister about matters of Religion This Lady when she was first apprehended was gone with child about six months in respect whereof they did not shut her up so close at first nor deal so severely with her as they did with others But within foure dayes after she was brought to bed they took the child from her and the seventh day â—fter they shut her up in close prison and used her in all things as they did other Prisoners the only worldly comfort that she had in her misery was that they lodged her with a vertuous maiden that was her fellow-Prisoner for a time but afterwards burned at the stake This maid whilst they were together was carried to the rack and so sore strained and torn thereon that she was almost pulled in pieces then was she brought back and thrown upon a bed of flags that served them both to lie on the good Lady was not able to help her yet shewed singular tokens of love and compassion towards her The maid was scarce recovered when the Lady was carried out to be served with the same sauce and was so terribly tormented in the trough that by reason of the strait straining of the strings piercing to the very bones of her armes thighs and shins she was brought back half dead to her prison the blood gushing out of her mouth abundantly which shewed that something was broken within her but after eight dayes the Lord delivered her from these cruel Tygers by taking her mercifully to himself Upon one of their dayes of triumph there was brought out one John Pontio of a noble Family a zealous Professor of the truth and one of an holy and blamelesse life and well learned he was eminent also in works of charity in which he had spent a great part of his estate Being apprehended for the Profession of the Gospel he was cast into Prison where he manfully maintained the truth in the midst of all their cruel dealings with him At last they cast into prison to him one of their flyes who by his subtilty and craft so wrought upon him that he drew from him a promise to yield obedience to the Romish Church But though God suffered him to fall a while to shew him his frailty yet afterwards in much mercy he raised him up again with double strength to that which he had before and before his execution he manfully defended the truth against a subtil Friar The things which he was condemned for were these That he should say that from his heart he abhorred the idolatry which was committed in worshipping the Host That he removed his houshold from place to place that he might shun coming to the Masse That the Justification of a Christian resteth only in the merits of Jesus Christ apprehended by faith c. That there was no Purgatory That the Popes pardons were of no value c. And for my self saith he I am not only willing but desirous to die and ready to suffer any
punishment for the truth which I have professed I esteem not of this world nor the treasures of it more than for my necessary uses and the rest to bestow in the propagation and maintenance of the Gospel And I beseech God daily upon my knees for my wife and children that they may all continue in this quarrel even to the death And when he came to his execution he patiently and comfortably slept in the Lord. At the same time there was also brought forth one John Gonsalvo formerly a Priest but by his diligent study of the Scripture it pleased God to reveal his truth to him so that he became a zealous Preacher of it labouring in all his Sermons to beat into mens minds the true way and means of our Justification to consist in Christ alone and in stedfast faith in him for which he was apprehended and cast into prison where he endured all their cruely with a Christian courage At last with two of his Sisters he was condemned His mother and one of his brothers were also imprisoned with him for the truth and executed shortly after When he with his sisters went out at the Castle gate having his tongue at liberty he began to sing the 106. Psalm before all the People who had oft heard him make many godly Sermons He also condemned all hypocrites as the worst sort of People Whereupon they stocked his tongue Upon the stage he never changed countenance nor was at all daunted When they all came to the stake they had their tongues loosed and were commanded to say their Creed which they did chearfully when they came to those words The holy Catholick Church They were commanded to adde Of Rome but that they all refused whereupon their necks were broken in a trice and then 't was noised abroad that they had added those words and died confessing the Church of Rome to be the true Catholick Church There was in Sivil a private Congregation of Gods people most of which the Inquisitors consumed in the fire as they could discover any of them amongst others that were apprehended they took four women famous above the rest for their holy and godly conversation but especially the youngest of them who was not above one and twenty years old who by her diligent and frequent reading of the Scriptures and by conference with godly and learned men had attained to a very great measure of knowledge so that whilst she was in Prison she non-plus'd and put to shame many of those Friars that came to seduce her Another of these women was a grave Matron whose house was a School of vertue and a place where the Saints used to meet serve God day and night but the time being come wherein they were ripe for God they together with other of their neighbours were apprehended and cast into prison where they were kept in dark dungeons and forced to endure all the cruel and extream torments which are before mentioned At last they were condemned and brought forth to the scaffold amongst other Prisoners The young maid especially came with a merry and cheerful countenance as it were triumphing over the Inquisitors and having her tongue at liberty she began to sing Psalms to God whereupon the Inquisitors caused her tongue to be nipped by setting a Barnacle upon it After sentence read they were carried to the place of execution where with much constancy and courage they ended their lives Yet the Inquisitors not satisfied herewith caused the house of the Matron where the Church used to meet to be pulled down and the ground to be laid waste and a pillar to be erected upon it with an inscription shewing the cause There was also apprehended another worthy member of the same Congregation called Ferdinando he was of a fervent spirit and very zealous in doing good A young man but for integrity of life very famous He had spent eight years in educating of youth and had endeavoured to sow the seeds of Piety in the hearts of his Scholars as much as lay in him to do in a time of so great persecution and tyranny being at the last apprehended for a Lutheran he was cast into prison and terribly tormented upon the Jeobit and in the Trough whereby he was so shaken in every joynt that when he was taken down he was not able to move any part of his body yet did those cruel tormentors draw him by the heels into his prison as if he had been a dead dog But notwithstanding all his torments he answered the Inquisitors very stoutly and would not yield to them one jot During his imprisonment God used him as an instrument to recal and confirme a Monk who had been cast into prison for confessing the Gospel openly But by means of the Inquisitors flatteries and fair promises he had somewhat relented Gods Providence so ordering it that Ferdinando was cast into the same prison and finding the Monk wavering he rebuked him sharply and afterwards having drawn him to a sight of and sorrow for his sinne he at last strengthned him in the promises of free grace and mercy Hereupon the Monk desired a day of hearing where before the Inquisitors he solemnly renounced his recantation desiring that his former confession might stand whereupon the sentence of death passed against them both after which the Inquisitors asked Ferdinando whether he would revoke his former heresies to which he answered That he had professed nothing but what was agreeable to the pure and perfect Word of God and ought to be the profession of every Christian man and therefore he would stick to it to the death Then did they clap a Barnacle upon his tongue and so they were burned together There was also one Juliano called The little because he was of a small and weak body who going into Germany was there conversant with divers learned and godly men by which means he attained to the knowledge of the truth and became a zealous Professor of it and earnestly longing after the salvation of his Countreymen he undertook a very dangerous work which was to convey two great dry Fat 's full of Bibles printed in Spanish into his own Countrey In this attempt he had much cause of fear the Inquisitors had so stopped every Port and kept such strict watch to prevent the coming in of all such commodities but through Gods mighty protection he brought his burden safely thither and which was almost miraculous he conveyed them safe into Sivil notwithstanding the busie searchers and catch-poles that watched in every corner These Bibles being dispersed were most joyfully and thankfully received and through Gods blessing wrought wonderfully amongst Gods people to ripen them against the time of harvest But at last the matter broke out by the means of a false brother who going to the Inquisitors played the Judas and betrayed the whole Church to them So that there
years no man being suffered to come to him yet at last by the mediation of some friends he was again released and went to Ravenna where he preached the Gospel of Christ with such affections that he never spake of Jesus Christ but tears dropped from his eyes After a short time he was again cast into prison but foure persons of quality proffering to be his Bail through Gods mercy he was released after which so many flocked to him that his adversaries consulted to kill him lest his doctrine should spread further and apprehending him they sent him bound to Rome where again he was cast into prison for eighteen moneths in which time he was often assaulted sometimes with flatteries and faire promises sometimes with terrible threats but his constancy could not be shaken by either whereupon he with some others were brought forth to receive the sentence of condemnation at which time with great earnestnesse he confirmed his former doctrine affirmed the Pope to be Antichrist c. citing them to appear before the Tribunal of Christ. Being condemned and carried to the place of execution he exhorted the People to have no Saviours but Christ alone the only Mediatour betwixt God and man and so he was first hanged and then burned This was Anno Christi 1553. The year after Francis Gamba born in Lombardy having through Gods grace received the knowledge of the Gospel went to Geneva where he was much confirmed in the truth and received the Sacrament with them then returning into his own country he was apprehended and cast into prison whither many Nobles Doctors and Priests resorted to him labouring by all means to disswade him from his opinions But he disputing with them constantly affirmed that what he held was consonant to the Word of God and the evident doctrine of Jesus Christ and necessary for all men to believe if they would be saved Assuring them that rather than he would be found false to Christ and his Word he was there ready to shed his blood He was long assailed by the intreaties of his friends and threatenings of his enemies but could by no means be discouraged yea he gave thanks to God for accounting him worthy to suffer rebukes and death for the testimony of Jesus Christ and so by order of the Senate of Millain he was had forth to execution He went with a great deal of chearfulnesse and when a Crosse was brought him by a Friar he said that his mind was so replenished with joy and comfort in Christ that he needed neither his Crosse nor him then because he declared many comfortable things to the people his tongue was bored through and he was first strangled and then burnt undergoing death with admirable patience and constancy Anno 1555. There was one Algerius a Student in Padua a young man of excellent learning who having attained to the knowledge of the truth ceased not by instruction and example to inform others that he might bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ for this he was accused of heresie to the Pope by whose command he was apprehended and cast into prison at Venice where he lay long during which time he wrote an excellent letter to the afflicted Saints wherein amongst many other excellent expressions he thus writeth I cannot but impart unto you some portion of my delectations and joyes which I feel and find I have found hony in the intrals of a Lion Who will believe that in the dark dungeon I should find a Paradise of pleasure In a place of sorrow and death dwells tranquillity and hope of life· In an infernal Cave I have joy of soul where others weep I rejoyce where others shake and tremble there is strength and boldnesse c. All these things the sweet hand of the Lord doth minister to me Behold he that was once far from me is now present with me whom I could scarce feel before now I see more apparently whom once I saw afarre off I now behold near at hand whom once I hungred for he now approaches and reaches his hand to me he doth comfort me and fills me with gladness he drives away all sorrow strengthens encourageth heals refresheth and advanceth me O how good is the Lord who suffers not his servants to be tempted above their strength Oh how easie and sweet is his yoke c. learn therefore how amiable and merciful the Lord is who visiteth his servants in tentations and disdains not to keep them company in such vile and stinking dungeons c. And in conclusion he subscribes his letter From the delectable Orchard of the Leonine prison c. After this the Pope sent for him to Rome where by manifold perswasions and allurements he was tempted to desert and deny the truth which not prevailing he was adjudged to be burnt alive which death he most constantly endured to the great admiration of all that beheld him Anno 1559. John Aloysius being sent from Geneva to be a Pastor in Calabria was thence sent for by the Pope to Rome where he suffered Martyrdome Also James Bovellus a godly Minister in the same place and at the same time was sent for by the Pope by whom he was sent to Messina and there Martyred Pope Pius the fourth raised an hot persecution against the people of God in all the Territories of the Church of Rome whereby many constant Christians suffered Martyrdome Yea this persecution was so hot in the Kingdome of Naples that many Noblemen with their wives and divers others were there slain Anno 1560. A Papist writing to a Noble Lord about the cruelty shewed to some Christians hath these expressions When I think upon it I verily quake and tremble for their manner of putting to death may fitly be resembled to the slaughter of Calves and Sheep for eighty eight of them being thrust up together in one house as in a sheepfold the Executioner cometh in taketh one and blindfoldeth him and so leads him forth to a larger place adjoyning where commanding him to kneel down he cuts his throat and leaving him half dead he takes his Butchers knife and muffler all gore blood and goeth back to the rest and so leading one after another he dispatches them all How sad this spectacle was I leave to your Lordship to judge for my own part I cannot but weep to think of it neither was there any of the Spectators which seeing one to dye could endure to behold another But truly so humbly and patiently they went to their death as is almost incredible to believe All the aged Persons went to death more cheerfully the younger were something more timerous I tremble and shake to remember how the Executioner held his bloody knife between his teeth with the bloody muffler in his hand and his armes all gore blood up to the elbows going to the fold and taking every one of them one
after another by the hand and so dispatching them all no otherwise than as a Butcher doth kill his Calves and Sheep This was in Calabâ—ia Anno Christi 1560. Persecution raised by the Pope in Venice THe City of Venice was a long while from the cruel Inquisition whereby the face of a Church was discerned there from the year 1530. to the year 1542. yea and multitudes of good Christians flocked thither from other parts which so provoked the Divel to envy that he stirred up the Pope to send Inquisitors which erected an Inquisition in that City and for divers years the Pope sent them money to distribute amongst their Flies and such persons as would betray the faithful to them By this means many of the worthy servants of Jesus Christ were apprehended imprisoned and after a while sent to Rome to be there butchered Then was a new-found manner of death inflicted upon divers others never till then heard of whereby they were drowned in the bottome of the Sea The manner of it was thus After any of them had received the sentence of death by the Inquisitors an iron chain was fastned about their middle with a very heavy stone tyed thereto then were they laid upon a plank between two boats and so rowed to an appointed place in the Sea where the boats parting asudder the Martyrs presently sunk into the bottome of the Sea and were drowned Yet notwithstanding this cruelty many godly persons ceased not to assemble together in a place appointed for that purpose where they talked and discoursed of heavenly matters for their spiritual edification and made collections for the relief of the poor amongst them And Anno 1566. they called to them a Minister of the Gospel and constituted a Church where they enjoyed all the Ordinances with much comfort but some false brethren creeping in amongst them after a while betrayed them then were many apprehended cast into the Sea and drowned Others were sent to Rome where they were cast into prison till they rotted and dyed there Amongst others that were condemned to be drowned at Venice was one Mr. Anthony Ricetto to whom after his condemnation his sonne a youth about twelve years old came beseeching him with tears to yield that his life might be saved and himself not left fatherlesse To whom he answered A good Christian is bound to forgoe children goods yea and life it self for the maintenance of Gods honour and glory For which cause said he I am now resolved to lay down my life the Lord assisting me The Lords of Venice offered to restore to him his Patrimony which was partly morgaged and partly sold if he would submit to the Church of Rome but he resolutely refused that condition Not long after came a Captain to him and told him of one Francis Sega his prison-fellow that waâ— resolved to recant To whom he answered What tell you me of Sega I am resolved to performe my vows to the Lord my God Then was he carried forth bound to the boats and by the way a Priest presented him with a wooden Crosse exhorting him to recant c. But he on the contrary perswaded him and others to come out of the snares of the Divel and to cleave to Jesus Christ and to live not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit For said he otherwise your unbelief will bring you into the lake of fire that never shall be quenched When he came to the place where he was to suffer the Captain lastned the chain and stone to him whereupon lifting his eyes to heaven he said Father forgive them they know not what they do Lord Jesus into thy hands do I commend my spirit and so in the sea he ended his life A few dayes after one Mr. Francis Spinola was apprehended and committed to prison and when he was brought forth before the Inquisitors they shewed him a Treatise about the Lords Supper demanding whether he was the Author of it which he acknowledged avouching that the doctrine that was contained therein was agreeable to the holy Scriptures Then was he return'd to his prison where the aforementioned Sega was who waiting for his coming as he passed by saluted him by his name after which they conferred together about the doctrine of the Gospel and Sega having heard that Spinola had stood stoutly in the Confession of the truth he was much comforted saying that God had reserved him for such a time as this to make him Partaker of so great consolation Shortly after the Jailor told Sega that he was to die one hour within night at the hearing whereof he entreated Spinola to pray with him and after prayer he said that his soul was heavy unto death Spinola answered Fear not for it will not be long before your soul shall partake of those joyes which shall endure for ever At the appointed time he was fetched out of the dungeon where he took his leave of Spinola and the other Prisoners As he went into the boat a Friar perswaded him to return to the Church of Rome Sega answered that he was already in the way to our Lord Jesus Christ and so passing on he called upon the name of God He seemed to be a little amazed at the fastning of the chaine and stone to his body yet presently recollecting his spirits he took it patiently and so commending his soul into the hands of God he quietly slept in the Lord. Spinola being again called before the Inquisitors he boldly reproved the Popes Legate and the other Judges for that contrary to their consciences they persecuted the truth of God calling them the off-spring of the Pharisees c. The third time that he was called before them they asked him if he would not recant his errours he answered that the doctrine which he maintained was not erroneous but the same truth which Christ and his holy Apostles taught and for which all the Martyrs both in former and later times did willingly lay down their lives and endured the pains of death Yet after all this Spinola by the crafty perswasions of some seeming friends began to strike saile and to faint but through Gods goodnesse he soon recovered again and being called before the Judges he openly confirmed the truth and so had sentence passed upon him that he should be drowned as an Heretick To which he answered I am no Heretick but the servant of Jesus Christ at which words the Popes Legate commanded him silence and told him that he lyed the night after he was conveyed into the sea and there drowned praising and blessing God with invincible constancy Anno 1595. There was at Rome a young Englishman who going into a Church and seeing their grosse idolatry was so inflamed with zeal that he could not endure the sight of those horrible impieties and therefore he went out into the Church porch and as the Procession passed by him he waited till the Bishop came
a mark burned in his forehead as a note of infamy his mother a good woman when she saw her son so pitiously scourged branded encouraged him crying with a loud voice Blessed be Christ and welcome be these marks for his sake Afterwards he removed from thence and went to Metz in Lorrain where for a time he followed his calling of a Woolcarder But the people of the City used once a year all of them to go forth into the Suburbs to worship some Idols there whereupon John Clark inflamed with an holy zeal went the night before and brake down all those images The next morning when all the Clergy and people came to the place to worship them they found all their Idols broken upon the ground This set all in a tumult and great searching there was after the Author of this deed and quickly was John Clark suspected and apprehended he presently confessed the fact and told them the reasons why he did it The people hereupon cried out against him in a great rage Before the Judges he professed the pure doctrine of the Sonne of God and thereupon was condemned to a cruel death which he sustained with admirable patience and constancy First his right hand was cut off then was his nose with sharp pincers pulled violently from his face then were his armes and breasts pulled off with the same instrument yet he through Gods grace endured all with great quietnesse pronouncing the while that of Psalm 115. Their Idols are silver and gold the works of mens hands Lastly he was cast into the fire and there consumed Not long after Master John Castellane Doctor in Divinity borne at Tourney being through Gods mercy called to the knowledge of the truth became a zealous fervent and faithful Preacher of it in divers places and at last he was taken Prisoner by the Cardinal of Lorrains servants by whom he was carried to the Castle of Nommenie where he endured much cruel usage yet still he persevered in confessing the true doctrine of the Sonne of God then was he carried to the Castle of Vik and after a time was condemned degraded and delivered over to the secular power with this hypocritical speech My Lord Judge we pray you as heartily as we can for the love of God and the contemplation of tender pity and mercy and for respect to our Prayers that you will not in any point do any thing that shall be hurtful to this miserable man or tending to his death or the maiming of his body Then was he burnt alive which death he underwent with much patience and comfort At Paris one James Panane a Schoolmaster was burnt for the truth Also at Melda Dennis de Reux was burned for saying that the Masse was a plain denial of the death and passion of Christ He used often to meditate of and to repeat those words of Christ He that denies me before men him will I deny also before my Father he was burnt in a slow fire and so abode much torment John de Cadurco preaching to his Countrymen of Limosine was apprehended and degraded The Friar that was to preace at his degradation took that text 1 Tim. 4. The spirit speaks expresly that in the latter dayes men shall depart from the faith giving heed to lying spirits and doctrines of errors Then did John call to him to read on but the Friar stood dumb and could not speak a word more Then did John read on Teaching false doctrine in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with an hot iron forbidding to marry and to eat meats created by God to be received with thanksgiving c. Presently after he was burned About the same time five men for scattering about certain papers against the Masse and other popish superstitions were apprehended and burnt at Paris One of them for speaking freely had his tongue burned through and with a wire tied fast to one of his cheeks Alexander Canus a godly Minister for preaching and confessing the truth of Christ was burned at Paris with a small fire whereby he endured great paine Also John Pointer a Chirurgeon had his tongue first cut out and then was burnt about the same time Peter Gaudet living at Geneva was by a popish Uncle trained into France apprehended condemned and after many and long torments sustained in prison was burned Divers others were apprehended condemned and burned at Arras A godly Virgin was burned at Fountains Anno 1534. As also one John Cornon an husbandman but one endowed with such wisdome by God that all his Judges were amazed at it yet was he condemned and burned Martin Gonin was cast into the river and drowned Anno 1540. One Claudius endeavouring to convert his friends and kinsfolk in Paris was by them betrayed adjudged to have his tongue cut out and then burned Stephen Brune at Rutiers being for the constant Profession of his faith condemned to be burned when the fire was kindled a great winde so drave away the flame from him that he stood for ean hours space exhorting and instructing the people Then did they bring oile vessels and more fagots yet still was the flame driven from him Whereupon the hangman took a staffe and struck him on the head to whom he said I am condemned to be burned and do you strike me with staves like a dog with that the hangman with a pike thrust him through the belly and threw him down into the fire and afterwards scattered his ashes in the wind At Roan four Christians were condemned to be burned and being carried to the stake in a dung-cart they said Blessed be God we are here reputed as the excrements of this world but yet our death is a sweet savour unto God John de Beck a godly Minister being condemned for the doctrine of the Gospel constantly endured the torment of the fire at Troyes Aymond de Lavoy a godly Minister preaching the truths of God faithfully was complained of by the Popish Clergy to the Magistrates of Bourdeaux who sent to apprehend him hereupon some of his friends perswaded him to flie but he refused saying that thereby he might cause the People to think that he had fed them with dreames and fables and not with the pure Word of God whereas he feared not to yield up both soul and body in the quarrel of the truth which he had taught saying That with Paul he was ready not onely to be bound for the testimony of Christ in the City of Bourdeaux but to die also After the Sumner came he stayed three dayes and preached three Sermons and whereas the people would have rescued him out of the Sumners hand he desired them not to stop his Martyrdome for said he Since it is the Will of God that I shall suffer for him I will not resist his will At Bourdeaux many witnesses came in
to live with him for ever and so they all quietly slept in the Lord. Four others about the same time were condemned and cruelly burnt at Paris for the same cause Anno 1548. There was one Blondel a Merchant of precious stones that frequented many great Fairs in France and was well-known both in Court and Countrey he was a man of singular integrity and a Favourer of Gods Word being at an Inne in Lions he freely reproved the filthy talk and superstitious behaviour which he there heard and saw hereupon the Host complained of him to an officer withal informing him of his rich Coller of Jewels These two suborned one to borrow money of him which because Blondel refused to lend the fellow caused him to be apprehended for heresie thinking thereby to attach his goods but Blondels friends prevented it privily conveying them away Blondel being examined of his faith gave a plain and full Confession of it whereupon he was sent to prison in which he did much good amongst the Prisoners paying the debts of some and so loosing them feeding others cloathing others c. At length through the importunity of his Parents and friends he changed his Confession yet was he sent to the High Court at Paris where being examined again concerning his faith he adhered to his first Confession much bewailing his former fall Then was he condemned to be burnt and great haste was made for his execution left his friends at Court should save his life Anno 1549. One Hubert a young man of nineteen years old was so constant in the faith that neither the perswasions of his Parents nor the threats of his adversaries could remove him from his stedfastnesse for which he was burned at Dyion The same year there was a godly Minister called Florent Venote cast into prison at Paris where he lay above four years in which time there was no kind of torment which he did not endure and overcome amongst others he was put in to so narrow a place that he could neither stand nor lieâ— in which he remained seven weeks whereas there was never any Malefactor that could endure it fifteen dayes but he either grew mad or died At last when a great shew was made at the Kings coming into the City and divers other Martyrs in sundry places of it were put to death Florent also having his tongue cut out was brought forth to see their execution and lastly was himselfe burnt About the same time one Anne Audebert as she was going to Geneva was apprehended and brought to Paris where she was adjudged to be sent to Orleance and burned there when she was had forth to execution a rope being put about her she called it her wedding girdle wherewith she should be married to Christ and being to be burried upon a Saturday she said On a Saturday I was first married and on a Saturday I shall be married again She much rejoyced when she was put into the dung-cart and shewed such patience and constancy in the fire as made all the Spectators to wonder at it Not long after the Coronation of Henry the second King of France at whose coming into the City of Paris divers godly Martyrs were burned there was a poor Tailor that dwelt not farre from the Kings Palace apprehended for working upon an holy day Being by the Officer asked why he wrought upon that day He answered that he was a poor man living only upon his labour and that he knew no day but the Sabbath whereupon he might not work his necessity requiring it Then was he clapt up in prison this being noised in the Court some would needs have the Tailor sent for that the King might have the hearing of him Then was the Tailor brought thither and the King sitting in his chair of State commanded the Bishop of Mascon to question with him The Tailor being nothing amated at the Kings presence after he had done reverence to his Prince gave thanks to God for honouring him so greatly being such a wretch as to bring him where he might bear witnesse to his truth before so great a Prince The Bishop questioned with him about the greatest matters of Religion and he with an undaunted spirit so answered for the sincere truth and with such pregnant proofs of Scripture as was wonderfull and though the Nobles that were present jeered and taunted at him yet could they not dash him out of countenance but that still with much liberty and freedome of speech he defended the truth of Christ neither flattering their persons nor fearing their threats The King seeming to muse much within himself that so mean and simple a person should shew such audacity in such a presence the Bishop and Popish Lords taking notice of cryed out that he was an obstinate and impudent Heretick and therefore remanded him back to prison and within a few dayes after he was condemned to be burnt alive and left the King should be affected with what he heard from the Tailor the Bishops often suggested that the Lutherans were such as carried a vaine smoake in their mouthes which being put to the fire would soon vanish They also would needs have the King present at his execution but it pleased God to give such strength and courage to the Tailor at his execution as much more astonished the King than all his former carriage for having espied the King in the window where he sate he beheld him with so stedfast a countenance that his eyes were never off him yea when the fire was kindled about him he still kept his eyes so fixed upon the King that the King was constrained to leave the window and to withdraw himself and was so wrought upon thereby that he confessed that he thought the shadow of the Tailor followed him whithersoever he went and for many nights after he was so terrified with the apparition thereof that he protested with an oath that he would never see nor hear any more of those Lutherans though afterwards he brake his oath as it follows in the story of Anne Du Bourg About the same time one Claudius a godly man was apprehended as he came from Geneva and burned at Orleance Anno 1551. One Thomas a young man of about eighteen years old coming from Geneva to Paris rebuked one for swearing whereupon he was apprehended for a Lutherane and carried before the high Court by them he was committed to prison and cruelly racked to confesse his companions which he still refused to do whereupon they continued to rack him till one of the bloody Inquisitors turned his back and wept and till the Hangman was a weary then was he carried to be burned and was let down with a pully into the fire and after a while being pulled up again they asked him if he would yet turn To whom he said That he was in his
way to God and therefore he desired them to let him go and so he quietly slept in the Lord. Anno 1553. There was apprehended at Lions one Peter Bergerius who for his bold and constant confession was cast into prison and put into a dungeon where was a thief that had lain there seven or eight moneths who being in great pain and torment cryed out of God and cursed his Parents that begat him being almost eaten up with lice and fed with such bread as dogs and horses had refused to eat but it pleased Almighty God of his goodness through the instructions and prayers of Bergerius that he was converted and brought to the knowledge of the truth after which the very next day his lice which before extreamly abounded so went away that he had not one remaining and God so stirred up the hearts of good men that he was fed plentifully and that with white bread so that with much patience and joyfulness he bore his imprisonment and had great comfort afterwards in his soule About the same time three godly men were apprehended at Lions and being condemned for the truth when they were to be led forth to execution two of them had ropes put about their necks the third having served the King in his wars was favoured to have none whereupon he said to the Lieutenant that he also desired to have one of those precious chains about his neck in honour of his Lord the which being granted they all went singing to the fire where with much patience they yielded up their spirits unto God Not long after in the same place was apprehended one Matthew Dimonet who formerly had lived a most wicked life full of all filthiness and abominations he had been also a searcher out of the Professors of the Gospel and a great Persecutor of them yet at last it pleased God to shew him mercy and he was converted to the knowledge of the truth after which being apprehended and examined he made a stout profession of his faith and during his imprisonment he had great conflicts with the infirmity of his own flesh but especially with the temptations of his Parents kindred and friends yet the Lord did so strengthen him that he endured constant to the end At his burning he spake much to the people and was hearkned to with great attention Simon Laloe coming upon some occasions from Geneva into France was apprehended by the Bayliffe of Dyon by whom he was imprisoned and racked to force him to confesse what fellows he had but that not prevailing he was condemned to be burned At his death the Executioner seeing his great faith patience and constancy was so wrought upon therereby that he fell into great terrors of conscience so that he was neer to utter despair and all the promises of the Gospel could scarce comfort him yet at last through Gods mercy receiving comfort he with all his family removed to the Church of Geneva where he afterwards lived till his death Nicholas Naile carrying some good books to Paris was there apprehended and made a bold confession of the faith for which he was cruelly tormented sundry wise and racked all his joynts asunder and lastly being condemned when he was carried to the stake they put a gag into his mouth vvhich they tied in so hard vvith a rope about his head that blood gushed out of his mouth they also besmeared all his body vvith oyle and brimstone so that at the first taking of fire all his skin vvas shrivelled together vvhilst his invvard parts vvere untouched the cord being burnt in sunder and the gag falling out of his mouth he praised God in the midst of the fire till he yielded up his spirit unto God Peter Serre vvas at first a Priest but God of his mercy revealing his truth to him he vvent to Geneva and there learned the Shoomakers craft vvhereby he maintained himself and having a brother at Tholouse out of a singular love to his soule he vvent thither to instruct him his brothers vvife being not vvell pleased herevvith revealed it to one of her Gossips vvho informed the Officiall against him hereupon he vvas apprehended and carried before the Inquisitor to vvhom he made an excellent declaration of his faith and so vvas delivered to the Judge vvho asked him of vvhat occupation he vvas He said that of late he was a Shoomaker then did the Judge ask him of vvhat Occupation he had formerly been he said he had been of another formerly but he was ashamed to utter it or to remember it being the worst and vilest Science of all others in the world the Judge and people supposing that he had been some Cutpurse or thief were more importunate to knovv vvhat it vvas but shame and sorrovv so stopped his mouth that he could not declare it at last through their importunate clamour he told them he had been a Popish Priest this so incensed the Judge that he presently condemned him to be degraded to have his tongue cut out and to be burned vvhich vvas accordingly executed In the fire he stood so quiet looking up stedfastly to heaven at the time of his burning as if he felt no pain at all which caused wondeful admiration in the people and one of the Parliament said that it was not the best way to bring the Lutherans to the fire for it would do more hurt then good Anno 1554. There were two godly men with one of their sons and daughter going towards Geneva whom a Lieutenant overtaking by the way like a Judas he insinuated himself into their company pretended great favour to them and to that Religion which he said he supposed them to be of and so with fair words he circumvented them and drew out of them that they were Protestants and their wives at Geneva whither they were now travelling Then did he apprehend them and carry them to the Castle of Niverne During their imprisonment they were examined of many Articles to which they made a full and clear answer according to their faith after this they were racked extreamly for three houres together to force them to recant which they bore with admirable patience being therefore condemned as they went to execution the Officer bound a woodden crosse between their hands but they pulled it out with their teeth and threw it away whereupon their tongues were cut out notwithstanding which God gave them utterance so that they spake plain saying We bid sin the flesh the world and the devil farewel for ever with whom we shall never have more to do hereafter and much more to the like purpose When the Officer came to besmear them with brimstone and gunpowder they said Go to salt on salt on the stinking and rotten flesh and so persisting constant in the flames they finished their Martyrdome Anno 1557. Philbert Hamlin a Priest was through Gods
Religion sake these villains took and carried her through the streets with the greatest shame and disgrace that could be they put a mitre of paper on her head besmeared her face with dirt buffeted her on the cheeks then exhorted her to call upon the Saints but she smiling thereat said My trust and my salvation is only in my Saviour Jesus Christ and upon him only will I rest as for the Virgin Mary though she be blessed above all women yet is she not omniscient and therefore knows not our requests yea she her self had need of the merits of her own son without which she could not have been saved c. They still continuing to scorn and deride her she manfully said I willingly endure all this as it becomes me to do desiring no better usage seeing the same was done to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and to his Apostles and to thousands of the holy Martyrs Then was she carried away and murthered in the fields Some Ministers and many other godly Christians men and women noble and ignoble were murthered sundry wayes Many hid themselves in holes and caves and woods out of which they durst not come but by night only to get them food yet were they so watched that many times they were murthered Others in those places were famished for want of food Others living upon roots herbs grasse c. contracted diseases whereof they dyed so that the mountains and woods lay scattered with dead carcasses everywhere Then came there a letter to these blood-suckers from a Governour that they should with all their power murther strangle and massacre without all pity and mercy all the Lutherans wheresoever they were whereupon these murtherers having slain all in Tyrane Bruse Tell Sondres and Malenâ—â— they went to Berbenno where they presently murthered sundry persons of good rank and quality and that with great cruelty contrary to their faith and promise given them the like they did in Caspano and Trahen and divers other places shewing neither pity nor favour to any In one house they slew a man and his wife and seeing an infant of three years old lying in a Cradle the child being a girle of a sweet and amiable countenance and seeming to smile upon them they took her by the heeles and dashed out her braines Then did these villains march to Braâ—e where also they murthered many shooting some drowning others stoning others burning others and grinding their very bones to powder Amongst others finding an aged Matron of eighty years old they much sollicited her to hear Masse wishing her to have respect to her age to whom she answered with a noble resolution God forbid that I who now of a long time have had one foot in the grave should forsake my Lord Jesus Christ who hath so long time preserved me in the knowledge profession of his truth to put my trust in creatures and instead of his holy Word to receive the traditions of men whereupon they instantly slew her CHAP. XXXVIII The Persecution of the Church in Scotland which began Anno Christi 1527. MAster Patrick Hamilton of an ancient and honourable family called Abbot of Fern as one hating the world and the vanity thereof left Scotland and went into Germany and the fame of the University of Wittenberg being greatly divulged thither he went and became familiar with those great lights and notable servants of Jesus Christ Martin Luther and Phil. Melancthon whereby he greatly encreased in godly knowledge and learning from thence he went to the University of Marpurg which was then newly erected by Philip Lantgrave of Hessen where he was intimate with other learned men especially with Francis Lambert by whose instigation he was the first that there publickly set up conclusions to be disputed of concerning faith and good works By reason of his learning and integrity of life he was had in admiration by many But the zeal of Gods glory did so eat him up that he could not rest till he returned into his own Countrey where the bright beams of the true light which by Gods grace was planted in his heart began most abundantly to break forth as well in publike as in secret In processe of time the fame of his doctrine troubled the Clergy and came to the ears of James Beton Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews who grew impatient that by this means the kingdom of darkness was disturbed and therefore he so laboured with Patrick Hamilton that he gat him to Saint Andrews where after divers dayes conference he had his freedom and liberty the Bishop seeming to approve his doctrine acknowledging that in many things there needed a reformation in the Church But withall fearing that their Kingdom should be endamaged they laboured with the King who was then young and much led by them to go on Pilgrimage to Saint Dothesse in Rosse that so by reason of his absence no intercession might be made to him for the saving the life of this innocent servant of Jesus Christ who not suspecting the malice that lodged in their hearts remained as a Lambe amongst Wolves The King being gone upon a night Master Hamilton was seised upon by the Bishops officers and carried to the Castle and the morrow after he was brought forth unto judgement and was condemned to be burnt for the testimony of Gods truth The Articles for which he suffered were about Pilgrimages purgatory prayer to Saints and for the dead c. And that his condemnation might have the greater Authority they caused it to be subscribed by all those of esteem that were theâ—e present and to make their number great they took the subscription of very children if they were of the Nobility Immediately after dinner the fire was prepared and he was led to execution yet most men thought that it was only to terrifie him and to cause him to recant But God for his own glory the good of his servants and for the manifestation of their beastly tyranny had otherwise decreed for he so strengthned him that neither the love of life nor fear of that cruel death could once move him to swerve from the truth which he had professed At the place of execution he gave to his servant that had long attended him his Gown Coat Cap and his other garments saying These will not profit in the fire they will profit thee After this of me thou canst receive no commodity except the example of my death which I pray thee to beat in minde for though it be bitter to the flesh and fearful before men yet it is the entrance into eternal life which none shall possesse which denies Christ Jesus before this wicked generation and so being tyed to the stake in the midst of coals and timber they gave fire to some powder which with the blast scorched his left hand and the side of his face but neither killed him nor kindled the wood and coals till they ran
Then turning to the people he said Christian brethren and sisters I beseech you be not offended at the Word of God for the torments which you see prepared for me but I exhort you that ye love the Word of God for your salvation and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort I pray you also shew my brethren and sisters which have often heard me that they cease not to learne the Word of God which I taught them according to the measure of grace given to me for no persecution or trouble in this world whatsoever and shew them that the doctrine was no old wives fables but the truth of God for if I had taught mens doctrine I had had greater thanks from men but for the Word of Gods sake I now suffer not sorrowfully but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent that I should suffer this fire for Christs sake behold my face you shall not see me change my countenance I feare not the fire and if persecution come to you for the Words sake I pray you fear not them that can kill the body and have no power to hurt the soul c. Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech thee father of heaven forgive them that have of ignorance or of an evil mind forged lies of me I forgive them with all my heart I beseech Christ to forgive them that have condemned me this day ignorantly Then turning to the people again he said I beseech you brethren exhort your Prelates to learn the Word of God that they may be ashamed to do evil and learn to do good or else there shall shortly come upon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschew Then the Executioner upon his knees said Sir I pray you forgive me for I am not the cause of your death and he calling him to him kissed his cheeks saying Lo here is a token that I forgive thee My heart do thine office and so he was tied to the stake and the fire kindled The Captain of the Castle coming near him bade him be of good courage and to beg for him the pardon of his sin to whom Master Wischard said This fire torments my body but no whit abates my spirits then looking towards the Cardinal he said He who in such state from that high place feeds his eyes with my torments within few dayes shall be hanged out at the same window to be seen with as much ignominie as he now leans there with pride and so his breath being stopped he was consumed by the fire This Prophesie was fulfilled when after the Cardinal was slain the Provost raising the Town came to the Castle gates crying What have you done with my Lord Cardinal Where is my Lord Cardinal To whom they within answered Return to your houses for he hath received his reward and will trouble the world no more But they still cryed We will never depart till we see him Then did the Leslies hang him out at that window to shew that he was dead and so the people departed But God left not the death of this holy man long unrevenged for the people did generally cry out of the cruelty used against him especially John Lesley brother to the Earle of Rothes and Norman Lesley his Cousin fell foul upon the Cardinal for it but he thought himself strong enough for all Scotland saying Tush a fig for the fools and a button for the bragging of Hereticks Is not the Lord Governour mine witnesse his eldest sonne for a pledge at my table Have I not the Queen at my devotion Is not France my friend why should I fear any danger yet he had laid a designe to cut off such as he feared and hated which was discovered after his death by letters and memorials found about him He kept himself for his greater security in his Castle and on a Friday night there came to the Town of Saint Andrews Norman Lesley William Kircaldy John Leslley and some others and on the Saturday morning they met together not far from the Castle waiting till the gate was opened and the draw-bridge let down for the receiving in some lime and sand to repair some decays about the Castle which being done Kircaldy with six more went to the Porter falling into discourse with him till the Leslies came also with some other company the Porter seeing them would have drawn up the Bridge but he was prevented and whilst he endeavoured to keep them out at the gate his head was broken and the Keys taken from him The Cardinal was asleep in bed for all night he had for his bedfellow Mistris Mary Ogleby who was a little before gone from him out at the Postern gate and therefore the Cardinal was gone to his rest There were about one hundred workmen in the Castle which seeing what was done cried out but without hurt they were turned out at the wicket gate Then VVilliam Kircaldy went to secure the Postern lest the Cardinal should make an escape that way The rest going to the Gentlemens chambers who were above fifty without hurting them they turned them all out at the gate They which undertook this enterprise were but eighteen men The Cardinal being awaked with the noise asked out at the window what was the matter Answer was made that Norman Lesley had taken his Castle Then did he attempt to have escaped by the Posterne but finding that to be kept he returned to his chamber and with the help of his Chamberlain fell to barrica-doing up the door with chests and such things Then came up John Lesley and bids open the door The Cardinal asked who was there He answered John Lesley The Cardinal said I will have Norman for he is my friend Content your self said the other with those that are here and so they fell to breaking open the door in the mean time the Cardinal hid a box of gold under some coales in a secret corner Then he said to them Will ye save my life John Lesley answered It may be that we will Nay said the Cardinal sweare unto me by Gods wounds that you will and then I will open the door then said John that which was said is unsaid and so he called for fire to burn down the door whereupon the door was opened and the Cardinal sate him down in his chair crying I am a Priest I am a Priest ye will not slay me Then John Lesley and another struck him once or twice But Master James Melvin a man that had been very familiar with Wischard and of a modest and gentle nature perceiving them both to be in choler plucked them back saying This work and judgement of God although it be secret ought to be done with great gravity And so presenting him the point of his sword he said Repent thee of thy former wicked life but especially
in a most cruel manner saying If you come to morrow you shall heare the like Sermon They took the Bible of a Minister called Master Eâ—ward Slack and opening it they laid it in a puddle of water and then stamped upon it saying A plague on it this Bible hath bred all the quarrel and that they hoped within a few weeks all the Bibles in Ireland should be used as that was or worse They did most despitefully upbraid the Profession of the truth to those blessed souls whom neither by threats nor terrours pains nor torments they could draw to forsake their Religion And though some by extreme torments were drawn to professe the change of their Religion yet did they finde no more favour with these hell-hounds who with great scorn used to say That it was fit to send them out of the world whilst they were in a good mood At Claslow a Priest with some others drew about forty or fifty English and Scottish Protestants to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and then he told them that they were in a good faith and for fear they should fall from it and turn Hereticks he with his companions presently cut all their throats John Nicholson and Anne his wife being received into the Protection of one Fitz Patrick he laboured to perswade them to go to Masse and to joyn in the present massacre but they professed that rather than they would forsake their Religion they would die upon the swords point Then he would have had the woman burn her Bible but she told him rather than she would burn her Bible she would die the death whereupon the Sabbath morning after they were both of them cruelly murthered but he that acted the villany was so tormented in conscience and dogged with apparitions of them as he conceived that with inward horror he pined away In the County of Tipperary near the Silver works some of these barbarous Papists met with eleven English men Protestants ten women and some children whom they first stripped off their cloaths and then with stones poleaxes skeins swords c. they most barbarously massacred them all this was done on a Sabbath evening the day having been very fair and clear but just at that time God sent a fearful storme of thunder lightning wind haile and rain so that the murtherers themselves confessed that it was a signe of Gods anger against them for this cruelty yet they persisted in their bloody act hacking hewing flashing and stabbing them so that most of them were cut in pieces then tying wit hs about their necks they threw them into an hole which they made for the purpose yet it pleased God that one Scottish and an English man though they had many grievouous wounds and were left for dead after a while revived and with much difficulty escaped with their lives but as God shewed his great mercy in preserving them so he shewed his just judgment upon Hugh Kennedy the chief of those murtherers who presently fell into a most desperate madnesse and distraction neither resting day nor night till about eight days after he drowned himself In the County of Mayo about sixty Protestants whereof fifteen were Ministers were upon Covenant to be safely conveyed to Galway by one Edmund Burk and his souldiers but by the way this Burk drew his sword teaching thereby the rest of his company to do the like and so they began to massacre these poor Protestants some they shot to death some they stabbed with their skeins some they thrust through with their pikes some they cast into the water and drowned the women they stript stark naked who lying upon their husbands to save them were run through with pikes so that very few of them escaped with life In the town of Sligo fourty Protestants wete stript and locked up in a Cellar and about midnight a Butcher provided for the purpose was sent in amongst them who with his axe knocked them all on the heads In Tirawly thirty or fourty English who had formerly yielded to go to Masse were put to their choyce whether they would die by the sword or be drowned they chose the latter and so being driven to the Sea-side these barbarous villaines with their naked swords forced them into the Sea the mothers with their children in their armes wading to the chin were afterwards overcome by the waves where they all perished But present death was counted too great a favour and therefore of some they twisted wit hs about their foreheads till the blood sprang out at the crown of their heads Others they hanged and let down several times c. The sonne of Master Montgomery a Minister aged about fifteen years met with one of these blood-suckers who formerly had been his schoolmaster who drew his skein at him whereupon the boy said Good Master whip me as much as you will but do not kill me yet this mercilesse Tyger barbarously murthered him without all pitie A Scottish man was first wounded and then buried alive in a ditch In the Towne of Sligo all the Protestants were first stript and robbed of all their estates afterwards they were summoned to go into the Goale and such as refused were carried in and then about midnight they all were stripped stark naked and there most cruelly and barbarously murthered with swords axes skeins c. some of them being women great with child their infants thrust out their armes and legs at their wounds after which execrable murthers they laid the dead naked bodies of the men upon the naked bodies of the women in a most immodest posture where they left them till the next day to be looked upon by the Irish who beheld it with great delight Also Isabel Beard great with childe hearing the lamentable cries of those that were murthered ran forth into the streets where she was barbarously murthered and was found the next day with the childs feet coming out of the wounds in her sides many others were murthered in the houses and streets But by Gods just judgment the river of Sligo which was before very full of fish whereby many were nourished for a long time after it afforded no fish at all A Prior also that had a hand in the murther of Isabel Beard and of casting her into the river presently after fell mad About Dungannon were three hundred and sixteen Protestants in the like barbarous manner murthered About Charlemount above four hunâ—dred about Tyrone two hundred and six One Mac Crew murthered thirty one in one morning Two young Villains murthered one hundred and fourty poor women and children that could make no resistance An Irish woman with her own hands murthered forty five At Portendowne Bridge were drowned above three hundred At Lawgh were drowned above two hundred In another place three hundred were drowned in one day In the parish of Killamen there were murthered one thousand and two hundred Protestants Many young children they cut
fell on with an invincible resolution and in a short space burnt both the Convent and most of the Towne down to the ground Those in the Fort finding themselves hardly beset began to Parley about surrendring of it upon honorable termes But some horse coming seasonably to their relief from Lucerna which the Protestants might have prevented if they had been so careful as they should have been they were frustrated of attaining their desires Besides these there were divers other battel 's fought in divers places where the Reformed party had considerable advantages against their enemies but for brevity sake they are here omitted CHAP. XLVI A brief account of the Intercessors to the Duke of Savoy in the behalf of these poor people and the successe therof UPon the first supplication of that terrible Order of Gastaldo which was a forerunner of the Massacre the Protestant Cantons of Switzerland being their near neighbours and therefore could soonest take notice of it wrote their Letters to the Duke of Savoy in the poor peoples behalf To which the Duke of Savoy shortly after gave a complemental but cold answer which was little better than a plaine denial of their request and mediation April the 29. being the Lords day newes of the horrible Massacre was brought to the Council of Zurick who immediately gave Order for a Publick day of Humiliation through all their Territories as also for making a Collection for their relief resolving to give notice of this doleful newes to their Protestant friends and amongst others they wrote to the States General of the united Provinces acquainting them with the sad condition of this poor people intreating them to consider of some expedient for the accommodating their affairs May the fifth they sent Monsieur Gabriel Weis Captaine General of Berne as their Deputy to the Duke of Savoy who in very respectful termes requested him to re-establish those who had survived the Massacre in their ancient priviledges the free exercise of their Religion and for the enlargement of their Prisoners delivering him a letter to the same purpose The answer which the Duke or rather his Mother gave was that though they were not obliged to give an account of their actions to any Prince in the world yet out of respect to the amity which they had compacted with his Masters the Cantons they had given order to the Marquesse of Pianessa to acquaint them with the truth of those affairs and shortly after when Major Weis spake with the Marquesse he laboured to justifie all his proceedings and to lay the load upon the backs of the poor people protesting that he never intended to force their Consciences and that all the reports about such strange cruelties exercised towards them were meer forgeries c. Major Weis replyed that the Massacre was so notorious that it could not be denied and that their right of habitation in those places was founded upon Justice being granted to them by the Dukes Predecessors and purchased by them of the present Duke for six thousand Ducatoons The Marquesse answered that all those Grants were upon condition that the Romish Religion should be freely exercised amongst them which yet they would never suffer Master Weis still pressing their sad condition and the necessity of finding an expedient for accommodation c. the Marquesse desired him to apply himself to the poor people and to cause them to desist from Hostility which would be the way to obtaine favour from the Duke and no marvel though he moved this For about this time through Gods mighty assistance these poor people began so to prevaile that their enemies began to fear what the successe might be and therefore the Marquess laboured to get the sword out of their hands by such a stratagem as this Major Weis went to Perosa propounding these things to the poor people who returned humble thanks to the Cantons for what they had already done in their behalf and said that if the six Evangelical Cantons would engage that the Treaty should be carried on upon honest and honorable termes they were ready to hearken to it Otherwise they were resolved never to trust those who had so oft deceived them and whose principle was that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks With this answer Master Weis returned and sued for the enlargement of the Prisoners or that at least he might be suffered to speak with them but neither the one nor other would be granted whereupon he returned to his Masters and upon his report to them being discouraged from any farther proceedings they resolved to expect what would be done by other Princes and States May 1655. Letters were brought to Oliver Lord Protector of Enland of this doleful newes whereupon he invited all the people of England to seek the Lord by Humiliation and Prayer and withal moved them to a liberal Contribution for the succour of these poor souls He sent also Master Samuel Morland as his Envoy to the King of France and Duke of Savoy to meditate on their behalf He wrote also to the King of Denmark to the States of the United Provinces and to the Evangelical Cantons of the Switzers requesting all their Mediations in the behalf of these poor people May the twenty sixth 1655 Master Morland set out on his journy and June the first he came to the King of France at La Fere to whom he delivered the Lord Protectors Letters wherein he solicited his Majesty to improve his power and interest with the Duke that the cruel Order of Gastaldo might be recalled and the poor people restored to their ancient liberties and habitations The King of France three dayes after returned an answer to the Lord Protectors Letter and Master Morland proceeded in his journey to the Court of Savoy and arrived at Rivole where the Court was June the 21. and demanded audience as the Lord Protectors Envoy which accordingly was granted and at his appearing he made a speech in the behalf of the poor people and delivered the Lord Protectors Letter Madam Royal the Dukes Mother answered That she could not but extremely applaud the singular charity of his Highnesse the Lord Protector towards their Subjects whose condition had been presented to him so exceeding sad and lâ—mentable as she perceived by Master Morlâ—nds discourse it was yet withal she could not but extremely admire that malice should proceed so far as to clothe their fatherlike chastisements of their rebellious Subjects with so black a character thereby to render them odious to all their neighbouring Princes and States with whom they desired to keep a good understanding especially with so great and powerful a Prince as the Lord Protector Adding that she doubted not but when the truth of all passages should be made known to him he would rest satisfied with the Dukes proceedings Yet for his Highnesse sake they would pardon their rebellious Subjects and grant them such priviledges and graces as should shew to the Lord Protector how great a
this is the most miserable state and condition of our Churches moreover our Countrey-men to the number of five thousand besides youths and children being dispersed in banishment which hath now befallen most of us the second time especially throughout Silesia as also through the Marck Lusatia Hungary c. find no comfort but much misery and are there exposed to the hatred and envy of men We that are Pastors dare not openly minister to our Auditories with the Word and Sacraments but onely in private Meetings or in Woods among Fenny places God onely seeing us who is witnesse of these calamities and our comfort in extremities Indeed being thus destitute of all things we lead a wretched life in banishment being afflicted with hunger and nakednesse and are become next to the most miserable Waldenses the greatest spectacle of calamity to the Christian world for so it hath seemed good to that Soveraign Wisdome that governs all things that we should be inheritors of the Crosse and persecution of those men from whom we have derived the original of our Doctrine and external Succession For truly we are the remaining Progeny even of the Waldenses with whom being raised from the ashes of blessed Huss and with whom combining into the same holy Fellowship of the Faith and afflictions of Christ we have for two whole ages and more been perpetually subject to the like storms of Calamities until at length we fell into this calamity greater than ever was known in the memory of our Fathers and which threatens us with utter destruction unlesse God prevent it The truth is this businesse constrains us to amazement and tears greater than can be exprest in words to set forth our affliction and sorrow If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies we desire that this affliction of Joseph may be recommended especially to all that are of the houshold of Faith Let them not suffer those to perish whom the same Faith and the same Spirit of Christ hath joyned with them in so near a relation we beseech them in the name of Christ that they would rather make haste to relieve those who are ready to perish we being assured that we suffer this persecution upon no other account than for the confession of the Truth from those Enemies who have acted such things as these are against us in times past and are now at length by Gods permission pouring out their fury upon us Signed in the name of the said distressed Churches by their Delegates and now Exiles for the Cause of Christ Adam Samuel Hartman Pastor of the Church of Lesna in Poland and Rector of the famous University there Paul Cyril a late Member of the University of Lesna A BRIEF REPRESENTATION OF THE Protestant Cause in GERMANY In what Case it hath been since the Peace of MUNSTER and how it stood in the year 1657. and how it is now this present year 1659. THe Justice of the late civil warres in Germany which were composed at the Peace concluded in Munster and Osnaburgge in the year 1648. was grounded upon this That the Protestants were necessitated to enter into a League or mutual union together for the maintaining of their rights and priviledges in the Empire against the infections thereof and manifold disturbances of their profession which contrary to former agreements at Imperial Dyets did befal unto them in many places by the Popish and Jesuites practices whereof they could obtain no redresse by any peaceable Treaties Therefore finding that there was a design formed in the Conclave and by the house of Austria to be put in execution tending by little and little to wear out and deprive them of their liberties they formed an union among themselves to stand upon the defence of their rights and to oppose the power of the house of Austria by whose means both in Germany and in Bohemia the Jesuites did drive the design of rooting out Protestants The head of this union who by his place was bound to appear in it was the Elector Palatine but he being a soft man of no experience in war and beset in his Counsels and enterprises with such as did betray him the cause was soon overthrown and by his overthrow the intended persecution against Protestants to root them out what by power and what by policie was openly carried on by the house of Austria which moved the King of Denmark Christian the IV. and after him the King of Sweden to come upon the Stage the Dane was soon overthrown but God gave such successe unto the Swedes to the Landgrave of Hessen their associate and to the French who joyned with them to ballance the power of Austria after the Elector of Saxony had made his peace at Prague with the Emperour and deserted the Protestant interest that from the death of King Gustavus they continued the war with various successes till the year 1648. at which time the Swedish being masters in Bohemia and the Emperour brought so low that he saw little hopes to recover his strength without a Peace he yielded to the conditions which the Protestants and the French stood upon The Swedish stood upon their satisfaction and to keep a foot in the Empire to be able upon all occasions to secure or help the Protestant party And the Protestant Princes they stood upon the setling of all things and of themselves in their former rights and possessions as before the war and chiefly upon this point the reformed party and the Landgrave of Hessen who headed them stood that thence forward the reformed Protestants alias called Calvinists should have equal freedom and liberty of conscience for the exercise of their profession in the Empire with the Papists and Lutherans This condition being obtained and a way determined to give the agrieved parties in point of dammage further satisfaction Armies were dismissed a new convention of States was held at Nurenberg to settle the remaining matters within the Empire which at Munster and Osnabrugge could not well be handled by reason of the Treatie with forreigne States and afterward a Dyet was called at Ratisbon to confirme all what formerly had been treated on and concluded and to put the remainder of grievances in a way to be rectified To which effect at the dissolution or rather adjournment of the Imperial Dyet at Ratisbon a Committee of Deputies from all the States of the Empire of equal number of both parties that is so many of the Protestants as of the Popish partie were named to meet at Franckford and prepare by way of disquiry of rights the matters then remaining undecided that at the next Session of the Dyet there might be a full decision and determination of them but before these Delegates did meet the Elector of Mentz did broach a new quarrel with the Elector Palatine tending to abridge him of much of his right and to make him inconsiderable to the Protestant party but