the Procurator-Fiscall or the Popes great Collector first beginning with Doctor Cacalla this Doctor Cacalla was a Frier of Austines Order a Priest of the Town of Valedollid and Preacher sometimes to the Emperor Chrales the fifth a man well accounted of for his learning who for that he was thought to be as the Standard-bearer to the Gospellers whom they called Lutherians and Preacher and Doctor unto them therefore he being first called for whose sentence was to be degraded and presently burned and all his goods couns cat to the profit and advancement of the Justice Sentence was given out against the rest some put to pennance whereof there were some Noble Personages some to be condemned to perpetuall Prison and the most part to be burnt After the sentence pronounced they which were condemned to be burned with the Coffin of the dead Lady and her Pâ—cture upon the same were committed to the Secular Magistrate and their Executioners which were commanded to do their endeavour then were they all incontinent taken and every one set upon an Asse their faces turned backward and led with agreat Garison of armed Souldiers unto the place of punishment which was without the Gate of the Town called Del Campo And thus these faithfull Christians for the verity and pure World of God were led to death as sheep to the shambles who not only most Christianly did comfort one another but also did so exhort all them there present that all men marvelled greatly both to hear their singular constancy and to see their quiet and peaceable end There dwelt in Valadolid a Knight well qualified who in the Inquisition had two daughters which constantly perservering in the true Religion that they had learned of the good Doctor Cacalla and others Martyrs of Jesus Christ were condemned to be burned The father being a most rank Papist besought the Inquisitors to permit them for their better information to be carried to his house which thing the inquisitors in regard of the great credit they reposed in him granted And brought thâ—s to his house the father endeavoured to divert them from their constant resolution but seeing he could not convince them but it was in vain for the Lord as in Luk. 21.15 he had promised gave them utterance and wisdome which the new Pharisees Priests and Friers were not able to resist or gainsay The father seeing then that his endeavour not availed went humself to his Grove cut down Wood and caused it to be drawn to Valadolid he himself kindled the fire and so they were both burned Now to come to speak of the Martyrs that suffered for the Testimony of the Gospel in Italy The ITALIAN Martyrs GAleacius Trecius of the City called Laus Pompeia in Italy a Gentle-man of a good Calling and wealthy in wordly substance and very beneficiall to the poor he was apprehended and brought to the Bishops Palace where he was kept in bands having under him but only a Pad of Straw although his Wife sent unto him a good Feather-bed with Sheets to ly in yet the Bishops Chaplains and Officers keeped it from him dividing the prey among themselves When the time came that he should be examined he was thrise brought before the Commissioners where he rendred Reasons and Causes of his Faith answering to their Interrogatories with such evidence of Scriptures and constancy of mind that he was an admiration to them that heard him Albeit not long after through the importonat perswasions of his Kins-folks and friends and other cold Gospellers laying many considerations before his eyes he was brought at length to assent to certain points of the Popes Doctrine but yet the mercy of God which began with him so left him not but brought him again to such Repentance and bewailing of his fact that he became afterward according to the example of Peter and St. â—yprian and others more valiant in defence of Christs quarrel neither did he ever desire any thing more then occasion to be offered again by confession that he had lost before by deniall affirming that he never felt more joy of heart then at the time of his Examinations where he stood thrise to the constant confession of the Truth and contrary that he never tasted more sorrow in all his life then when he slipt afterward from the same by dissimulation declaring moreover to his brethren that death was much more sweet unto him with Testimony of the verity then life with the least deniall of Truth and loss of a good conscience Again Galeacius returned again to the defence of his former Doctrine with much more boldnesse of spirit confessing Christ as he did before and detested Images affirming and proving that God only is to be worshipped and that in spirit and verity Also to be no moe Mediators but Christ alone and that he only and sufficiently by his sufferings hath taken away the sins of the whole world and that all they which depart hence in his faith are ascertained of the everlasting life they which do not are under everlasting damnation with such other like matter which was repugnant utterly to the Popes proceedings His adversaries perceiving that he in no case could be revoked caused him to be committed to the Secular Judge to be burned Thus Galeazius early in the morning being brought out of Prison to the Market-place there was left standing bound by the Stake till noon as a gazing-stock for all men to look upon In the which mean time many came about him exhorting him to recant but nothing could stir the setled mind of this valiant Martyr and so he was brought to the fire and burned Touching the story of this blessed Martyr this by the way is to be given for a Memorandum that a little before this Galeazius should be burned there was a controversie between the Major of the City and the Bishops Clergy for the expenses of the Wood that should go to his burning he hearing thereof sent word to both the parties to agree for he himself of his own goods would see the cost of that matter discharged Another note moreover is here to be added that while Galeazius was in captivity certain of the Papists perceiving that Galeazius had great goods and possessins practised with his wife under colour to release her husband that she should lay out a sum of money to be sent to the wife of the chief Lord of Millain called Ferrarius Gonzaga to the end that she should intreat both with her husband and with the Senat for Galeazius life which money when they had thus jugled into their hands Galeazius notwithstanding was burned and so was the silly woman robbed and defeated both of her husband and also of her money Doctor Mollius a Gray-frier for the teaching and profession of the Gospel of Christ Jesus was four times imprisoned and as oft delivered out of prison all the time hee remained constant in the defence of Christs gospel at last was brought with certain other men which were
spread in further Realms and Countries the one part called of Luther Lutherians the other having the name of Sacramentaries Notwithstanding in this one unity of opinion both the Lutherians and Sacramentaries do accord and agree that the Bread and Wine there present is not transubstantiat unto the Body and Blood of Christ as said but is a true Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ Many conflicts he had with the Pope his Cardinals and Clergy and notwithstanding their furie and rage and plots against him and the great power of his adversaries the Emperor and the King of Spain and other Potentats yet they could not prevail against him God keeping and defending him that they could not bereave him of his life but died peaceably in his own country where he was born teaching and preaching Christ the space of 29 years Many dangers he escaped especially these two which are not to be passed by wherein appears the great providence of God toward him First when a certain Jew by his enemies was appointed to come to destroy him by poyson yet was it so the will of God that Luther had warning thereof before and the face of the Jew sent to him by picture whereby he knew him and avoided the perill Another time as he was sitting in a certain place upon his stool a great stone there was in the Voult over his head where he did sit which being stayed miraculously so long as he was sitting assoon as hee was up immediatly fell upon the place where hee sate able to have crushed him all in pieces if it had light upon him And what should I speak of his prayers which were so ardent unto Christ that as Melancton writes they which stood under his window where he stood praying might see his tears falling and dropping down Again with such power he prayed that he as himself confesseth had obtained of the Lord that so long as he lived the Pope should not prevail in his country After his death said he let them pray who could Again it is reported of him that a young man about Wittemberge who being kept bare and needy by his Father was tempted by way of Sorcery to bargain with the Devill or a familiar as they call him to yeeld himself body and soul into the Devils power upon condition to have his wish satisfied with money so that upon the same an Obligation was made by the young man written with his own blood and given to the Devill Upon the sudain wealth and alteration of this young man the matter first being noted began afterward more and more to be suspsuspected and at length after long and great admiration was brought unto Martin Luther to be examined the young man whether for shame or fear long denyed to confesse and would bee known of nothing yet God so wrought being stronger then the Devil that he uttered unto Luther the whole substance of the case as well touching the money as the Obligation Luther understanding the matter and pittying the lamentable estate of the man willed the whole congregation to pray and he himself ceased not with his prayer to labour so that the Devill was compelled at the last to throw in his Obligation at the window and bade him take it again unto him And as he was mighty in his prayers so in his â—â—â—mons God gave him such a grace that when like preached they which heard him thought every one his own temptations severally to bee noted and touched Whereof when signification was given unto him by his friends and he demanded how that could bee my own manifold temptation said he and experiences are the causes thereof For Luther from his tender years was much broken and exercised with severall conflicts for he confessed that he was afflicted and vexed with all kind of temptations saving only one which was with covetousnesse With this vice he was never said he in all his life to be troubled nor once tempted Pope Leo the tenth of that name bare an irreconciliable heatred unto the Gospel of the Kingdom of God which he persecuted in the person of Luther and many others for as one day the Cardinal Bembo uttered before him a certain thing drawn from the Gospel he answered him mocking It hath ever sufficiently been known what profit that sable of Jesus hath brought us and our company O execrable blasphemy Luther died in the year of our Lord 1546. being 63. years of age The Prayer of Luther at his death was this My Heavenly Father eternall and merciful God thou bath manif sted unto me thy dâ—ar Son our Lord â—esus Christ I have taught him I have known him I love him as my life my health and my redemption whom the wicked have persecuted maligned and with injury afflicted draw my soul to thee After this he said as ensueth thrise I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redeemed me O God of truth God so loved the World that he gave his only Son that all these that believe in him should have life everlasting Joh. 3. The Martyres of GERMANY MAny after the death of Luther were troubled for their Religion some tost from place to place same exiled out of the Land for fear some cauâ—ed to abjure some driven to Caves in Woods some racked with torment and some pursued to death with fagot and fire And because we cannot name all that were persecuted and put to death for their Religion we shall name some few of the choisest And first there were two young men burnt at Bruxlies the one named Henry Voes being of the age of twenty four years and the other Iohn Esh which before had been of the order of the Augustine Friers for that they would not retreat and deny their Doctrine of the Gospel which the Papists call Lutheranisme As they were led to the place of Execution they went joyfully and merrily making continually protestations that they died for the glory of God and the Doctrine of the Gospel believing and following the holy Church of the Son of God saying also that it was the day which they had long desired After they were come to the place where they should be burned and were dispoyled of their garments they tarried a great space in their shirts and joyfully embraced the Stake that they should be bound to patiently and joyfully enduring whatsoever was done unto them praising God with Te Deum laudamus and singing Psalms and rehearsing the Creed in testimony of their death One of them seeing that fire was kindled at his feet said me thinks ye do straw Rose under my feet finally the smoak and the flame mounting up to their face choaked them The next year after the burning of these two young men before rehearsed was Henry Sutphen put to death by the conspiracy of the Monks and Friers without all order of judgement or just condemnation about the City of Diethmar in the borders of Germany in the year 1524. they resolved to take him by
handled in hatred of Christ The spoyl and havock of the city lasted three days together while the barbarous Souldiours murthered and rispled what them listed These things thus beâ—ng done and the tumult ceased after three dayes Mahomets the Turk entreth into the city and first calling for the Heads and Ancients of the city such as he found to be left alive he commanded them to be mangled and cut in pieces It is also reported that in the feasts of the Turks honest Matrons and Virgins and such as were of the Kings stock after other contumelies were hewen and cut in pieces for their disport And this was the end of that princely and famous city of Constantinople beginning first by Constantinos and ending also with Constantinus This terrible destruction of the city of Constantinople the Queen of cities may be a warning to all Christendome Rynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester is greatly afflicted persecuted by the Pops Prelats for his faith and profession he is forced by menaces and threatnings to recant and notwithstanding his recantation he is deteined still in prison where some say that hee was privately made away to death In the Reign of King Edward the fourth Joh Goose or John Hus a goodly constant servant of Christ was unjustly condemned and burnt at the Tower-hill Thus had England also this John Hus as well as Bohemia John Goose in Englsh is as much as John Hus in the Bohemian Language This John Goose being delivered to Robert Belisdon one of the Sheriffs to see him burnt in the afternoon The Sheriffliffe a charitable man had him home to his house and there exhorted him to deny saith the Story his error But the godly man after long exhortation heard desired the Sheriff to be content for he was satisfied in his conscience notwithstanding this he desired of the Sheriff for Gods sake to give him some meat saying tha the was very sore hungred Then the Sheriff commanded him meat whereof he took and did eat as if he had been toward no manner of danger and said to such as stood about him I eat now a good and compleat Dinner for I shall passe a little sharp showre ere I go to Supper and when he had Dined he gave thanks and requested that he might shortly be led to the place where he should yeeld up his spirit unto the Lord and so he was burned In the time of this King Edward the fourth this is not to be passed by that one Burdet a Merchand dwelling in Cheapside at the Sign of the Crown which is now the Sign of the Flower deluce merrily speaking to his son that he would make him Inheritor of the Crown meaning indeed his own house for the which words King Edward causing them to be misconstrued and interpreted as though he had meant the Crown of the Realm within leffe then four houres he was apprehended judged drawn and quartered at Cheapside here is Tyrannie in misconstruing a mans words and the Laws of the Realm misconstrued for the Kings pleasure In the ninth year of the Reign of Henry the seventh was burned a very old Woman above fourscore years named Joan Boughton Widow and Mother to Lady Young which Lady was also suspect to be of that opinon that her Mother was she was a Disciple of Wickliff and held so fast and firmly eight of his opinions that all the Doctors of London could not turn her from one of them And when it was told her that she should be burnt for her obstinacy and self-belief she set nothing by their menacing words but defyed them for she said that she was so beloved of God and his holy Angels that she passed not for the fire And in the mids thereof she cried to God to take her soul into his holy hands and so she was burnt he night following the most part of her ashes were had away of such as had a love unto the Doctrine she died for In the next year following was a Priest burnt which was so strong in his opinion that all the Clerks and Doctors then there being could not remove him from his Faith whereof the King being informed he caused the said Priest to be brought before his presence who by his perswasion caused him to revolt and so he was burnt immediatly The storm of persecution which had raged long in England against many good and godly men brake forth likewise in other parts of Christendome as in Germany Italy and France In Germany and other parts there about after the burning of John Hus were many put to death for religion In Italy one Thomas Rhedone a French-man and a Camelit Frier was burnt for the profession of Christ at Rome At this time also fell out the Martyrdome and burning of Hieronymus Savanatola a man no lesse godly in heart then constant in his profession he was a Monk in Italy and singularly well learned he Preached sore against the evill life and living of the Spirituality and especially of his own Order complaining sore upon them as the Springs and Authors of all mischiefs and wickednesse c. He with his two companions was hanged and burnt for the Gospels truth This man foreshewed many things to come as the destruction of Florence and Rome and the renewing of the Church which three things have happened in these times in this our remembrance also he foreshewed that the Turks and Mores in the latter dayes should be converted unto Christ he also declared that one should passe the Alps into Italy like unto Cyrus who should subvert and destroy all Italy whereupon Johannes Franciscus Picus Earl of Mirandula called him a holy Prophet and defended him by his Writtings against the Pope as many other learned men also defended the innocency of the said Savanarola And speaking of this Joannes Picus Earl of Mirandula it shall not be amisse to shew this Story of him This Picus being but a young man was so excellently witred and so singularly learned in all Sciences and in all Tongues both Latine Greek and Hebrew Chaldie and Arabie that coming to Rome Booted and Spurred he set up nine Conclusions to Dispute in the same with any in all Christenstome whosoever would come against him Of which Conclusions diverse were touching the matter of the Sacrament And when none was found in all Rome or in Europe that openly would Dispute with him privily and in corners certain of the Popes Clergy Prelat Lawyers and Friers by the Pope appointed consulted together to enquire upon his Conclusions whereupon they did Articulat against him for suspition of Heresie And thus the unlearned Clergy of Rome privily circumvented and intangled this learned Earl in their snare of Heresie against whom they durst never openly Dispute he died being of the age of thirty two years of such wit and towardnesse as is hard to say whither ever Italy bred up a better In his sicknesse Charles the eight then French King moved with fame of his Learning came to visite him
time before and here was an external shew of Christs favour upon him After the burning of William Hunter was Mr. Highed and Mr. Caustoun two worthy Gentle-men of Essâ—x which for the sincere profession of their Faith under Boner Bishop of London were martyred and burned in Essex John Laurence priest laimed with irons in Prison was born to the fire in a chaire at Colchester and so sitting was in his constant faith consumed with fire At the burning of this Laurence he sitting in the fire the young children came aboâ—t the fire and cried as well as young Children could speak saying Lord strengthen thy servant and keep thy promise Lord strengthen thy servant and keep thy promise which thing as it is rare so it is no small manifestation of the glory of God which wrought this in the hearts of these little ones nor yet a little commendation to their parents which from their youth brought them up in the knowledge of God and his truth Follows the worthy and constant martyredome of the Bishop of St. David in Wales called Robert Farrar who was the next Bishop in this catalogue of of Christian martyres that suffered after Mr. Hooper This foresaid Farrar by the favour and good-will of the Lord Protector was first called and promoted to that dignity This man I may well call twise a martyr not only for the cruel death of the fire which he suffered most constantly in the days of Queen Mary unto the shedding of his blood but also for diverse other injuries and molestations in King Edwards time which he noâ—lesse firmly then unworthily sustained at the hands of his enemies after the fall of the Duke of Somerset Of these his vexations and troubles with the wrangling articles and informations laid against him to the number of 56. and of the malice conceived against him by certain covetous Chanons of the Church of Carmâ—rthen and what were the proceedings of both paâ—ts as well of innocent as of the crasty adversaries what were their names in their Aâ—ticles against him is to be seen in his History unto the which he answered all Thus this godly Bishop being condemned and degraded was committed to the Secular power who not long after was brought to the plâ—ce of Execution in the Town of Carmarthen where he in the Mercat-place most constantly sustained the torments passion of the fire Touching the which constancy of this blessed Mutyr this is moreover to be added and noted that one named Richard Jonas a Knights son coming to Mr. Farrar a little before his death seemed to lament the painfulnesse of the death he had to suffer Unto whom the Bishop answered again to this effect saying that if he saw him once to stir in the pains of his burning he should then give no credit to his Doctrine And as he said so he right well performed the same for so patiently he stood that he never moved but even as he stood holding up his stumps so still he continued till one Richard Gravell with a staff dashed him upon the head and so stroke him down There was one at this time called Rawlins White a fisher man in the Country of Wales gave his life like a valiant Souldier of Jesus Christ to martyrdome and was burned at Cardiff he was illiterat but had a great desire to know the truth he had a Boy that red to him the Scripture and other Books whereby he attained through the grace of God to the knowledge of the truth and conferred with others and became an instructer of others and converted many to the truth at last he was taken as a man suspect of Heresie and committed to prison and being desired oftentimes by the Bishop to recant could no be perswaded thereto he is condemned as an Heretick and to be burnt As he was going to execution he saw his Wife and Children by the way weeping and making great lamentation the sudden sight of whom so pierced his heart that the very tears trickled down his face But he soon after as though he had misliked this infirmity of the flesh began to be as it were altogether angry with himself insomuch that striking his breâ—st with his hand he used these words Ah filthy flesh stayest thou me so wouldest thou fain prevail Well I tell thee do what thou canst thou shalt not by Gods grace have the victory As he went to the Stake he fell down upon his knees and kissed the gâ—ound and in his rising again the earth a little stiâ—kâ—ng on his nose he said these words Earth unto earth and dâ—st unto dust thou art my mother and unto thee I shall return When he was standing at the Stake he cast his eyes upon one and called him unto him and said I feel a great fighting between the flesh and the spirit and the flesh would very fain have his swing and therefore I pray you when ye see mâ— any thing tempted hold your finger up to me and I trust I shall remember my self When the Smith brought a Chain of Iron to fasten him to the Stake and as he was making it fast on the other side Rawlins said unto him I pray you good friend knock in the Chain fast for it may be that the flesh would strive mightily but God of thy great mercy give me strength and patience to abide the extremity so with patience and great constancy he suffered his Martyrdome He was of age about three-score years At this time died Pope Julius third a Porkish and blasphemous Pope Amongst other pranks and deeds of this foresaid Pope this is also reported of him in his life that he delighted greatly in Pork flesh and Peacocks Upon a time when he was admonished of his Physitian to abstain from all Swines flesh for that it was noysome for his Gout and yet would not follow his counsell the Physitian afterward gave warning to his Steward or orderer of his dyet that he should set no more Pork flesh before him Whereupon when the Pope perceived the said Pork flesh to be laking in his accustomed service where said he is my Pork and when his Steward had answered that his Physitian had forbidden any Pork to be served then the Pope brasting out in a great rage said these words bring me said he my Pork flesh all dispet to di Dâ—o that is to say in English in the despite of God At another time he sitting at dinner pointed to a Peacock upon his Table which he had not touched keep said he this cold Peacock for me against supper and let me sup in the Garden for I shall have Guests So when supper came and amongst other hot Peacocks he saw not his cold Peacock brought to his Table The Pope after his wonted manner most bitterly blasphemed God fell into an extream rage Whereupon one of his Cardinals sitting by desired him saying Let not your Holiness I pray you be so moved with a matter of so small weight Then this Julius the Pope answering again
spiritual consolation felt in himself no apâ—nesse nor willingness but rather a heaviness and dulnesse of spirit finding much discomfort to bear the bitter crosse of martyrdome ready now to be laid upon him and here we see that Gods Saints may be destitute for a time of the Lords comfort Unto whom the said Austen answering again willed and desired him patiently to wait the Lords pleasure and how soever his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was just and true he exhorted him constantly to stick to the same and to play the man nothing misdoubting but the Lord in his good time could visite him and satisfie his desire with plenty of consolation whereof he faid he was right certain and sure and therefore desired him whenâ—oever any such feeling of Gods heavenly mercies should begin to touch his heart that then he would shew some signification thereof whereby he might witnesse with him the same and so departed from him The next day when the time came of his martyrdome as he was going to the place and was now come to the sight of the Stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage hee could feel none suddenly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heavenly joyes that he cried out clapping his hands to Austen and saying in these words Austen he is come he is come and that with such joy and alacrity as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life then as one passing out of the world by any pains of death And so he was put to the fire and burnt for the testimony of the truth Denton being afrayed of burning said to Wolsey that he cannot burn but he that could not burn in the cause of Christ was afterward burned against his will when Christ had given peace to his Church for his house was set on fire and while he went in to save his goods he lost his life with two other that were in the same house Not much unlike to this was also the example of Mr. West Chaplain to B. Ridley who refusing to die in Christs cause with his masters said masse against his conscience and soon afterward died The Death and Martyrdome of Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer MAster Ridley Bishop of London and Latimer Bishop sometimes of Worcester men of memorable leaning and incomparable ornaments and gifts of grace joyned with no lesse commendable sincerity of life as all the Realm can witnesse sufficiently were burnt at Oxford for the testimony of the truth This B. Ridley was descended of a stock right worshipfull he was born in Northumberland-shire After he past his course at Cambrige made Doctor of Divinity he went to Paris and after his return was made Chaplain to King Henry the eight and promoted afterward by him to the Bishoprick of Worcester and so from thence translated to the Seâ— and Bishoprick of London in King Edwards days now in Queen Maries time they were laid hands upon and committed to prison and accused as Hereticks Great was the conference and godly talk that was between them while they were in prison Mr. Ridley wrote many letters from the prison as a letter from him and his prison-fellows unto Mr. Braidford and his prison-fellows in the Kings bench at Southwark and to many others And besides these letters of his diverse other tracttations were written by him partly out of prison and partly in prison As for Mr. Latimer that famous Preacher and worthy Martyr of Christ and his Gospel he was a long time a zealous and superstitious Papist and in this blind zeal he was a very enemy to the professors of Christs Gospel as both his Oration made when he proceeded Batchelor of Divinity against Philip Melancton and also his other works did plainly declare but he through the goodness of God was converted by Mr. Bilney unto the truth so that whereas before he was an enemy and almost a persecuter of Christ he was now a zealous seeker after him howbeit as Satan never sleepeth when he seeth his kingdom begin to decay so likewise now seing that this worthy member of Christ would be a shrowd shaker thereof he raised up his impious Impes to molest and trouble him He wrote also many letters from the prison Touching the memorable acts and doings of this worthy man amongst many other this is not to be neglected what a bold enterprise he attempted in sending to King Henry a present the manner whereof was this There was then and yet remaineth still an old custome received from the old Romans that upon new years day being the first day of January every Bishop with some handsome new years gift should gratifie the King and so they did some with gold some with silver some with a purse full of money some with one thing and some with another but Mr. Latimer being Bishop of Worcester then amongst the rest presented a new Testament for his new years gift with a napkin having this poesie about it Fornicatores adulteros judicabit Dominus Now in Queen Mariâ—s time after their long imprisonment they are brought forth to their finall examination and execution are degraded and condemned as Hereticks and delivered to the Secular power to be put to death When they came to the fire they brought a Eagot kindled with fire and laid the same down at Doctor Ridleys feet to whom Mr. Latimer spake in this manner be of good comfort Mr. Ridley and play the man we shall this day light such a Candle by Gods grace in England as I trust shall never be put out And here we see the Church to be lightened by the Martyrdome of Saints And so the fire being given to them when Doctor Ridley saw the fire flaming up toward him he cried with a wondeâ—ful loud voice In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Domine sujcipe spiritum meum and after repeated this latter part often in English Lord Lord receive my spiâ—it Mr. Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side Oh Father of Heaven receive my soul who receiving the flame as it were embracing of it After as he had stroaled his face with his hands as it were bathed them a little in the fire he soon died as it appeared with very little pain or none Bâ—t Mr. Ridley by reason of the evill making of the fire unto him he was long in burning he câ—ied to let the fire come to him for his nether paâ—ts were burnt before the fire touched his upper parts yet for all this to ment he forgot not to call upon God still it moved hundreds to tears in beholding this horrible sight for I think there was none that had not clean exiled all humanity and mercy which would not have lamented to behold the fury of the fire so to rage upon their bodies Thus thir two godly and learned men ended their lives for the cause of Christ and testimony of his truth The death and end of
is drawn up and subscribed by him the Doctors and Prelats without delay caused the same to be imprinted and set abroad in all mens hands this made the Papists greatly to rejoice all this while Cranmer was in no certain assurance of his life although the same was faithfully promised to him by the Doctors The Queen having now gotten a time to revenge her old grief received his recantation very gladly but of her purpose to put him to death she would nothing relent The Queen appoints Doctor Cole to make his Funerall Sermon before his death At the day of his execution he makes his Sermon at S. Maries Church in Oxford there was a Stage set up over againâ—t the Pulpit of a mean height from the ground where Cranmer had his standing waiting untill Cole made him ready to his Sermon The lamentable case and sight of that man gave a forrowfâ—ll spectacle to all christian eyes that beheld him he that late was Archbishop Metropolitane and Primat of England and the Kings privie Counsellour being now in a bare and ragged Gown and ill favouredly cloathed with an old square Cap exposed to the contempt of all men did admonish men not only of his own calamity but also of our state and fortune wherein he declared against him that being a traitor he had dissolved the lawfull Matrimony between the King her Father and Mother besides the driving out of the Popes authority while he was Metropolitane that he had been an heretick c. Besideâ— these there were other just and weighty causes which seemed to the Queen and Counsell which was not meet at that time to be opened to the common people c. He encâ—urageth him to take his death patiently by many places of Scripture Doctor Cole rejoyced in his conversion but that lasted not long After the Sermon Cranmer was required to declare his faith he declared the true confession of his faith without all collour or dissembling for now is no time to dissemble whatsoever I have said or written in time past I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Farth c. And now I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that ever I did or said in my whole life that is the setting abroad of a writting contrary to the truth which here now I renounce and refuse as things written wiâ—h my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart and written for fear of death and to save my life if it might be c. And for asmuch as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall first be punished therefore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned And as for the Pope I refuse him as Christs enemy and Antichrist with all his false Doctrine And as for the Sacrament I believe as I have taught in my Book against the Bishop of Winchester the which my Book teacheth so true a Doctrine of the Sacrament that it shall stand at the last day before the Judgement of God where the Papisticall Doctrine contrary thereto shall be ashamed to shew her face Here the standers by were all ashamed marvelled were amazed did look one upon another whose expectation he had so notably deceived Some began to admonish him of his recantation and to accuse him of falshood briefly it was a world the Doctor beguiled of so great an hope I think there was never cruelty more notably or better in them deluded and deceived for it is not to be doubted but they looked for a glorious victory and a perpetual triumph by this mans recantation so the Papists were in a great chafe against him he is plucked down from the Stage by Friers and Papists for the true confession of his faith he is led to the fire when he is brought to the fire he putteth his right hand which subscribed first in the fire which he held so stedfast and immoveable saving that once with the same hand he wiped his face that all men might see his hand burned before his body was touched his body did so abide the burning of the flame with such constancy and stedfastness that standing alwayes in one place without moving of his body hee seemed to move no more then the Stake to which he was bound his eyes were lifted up unto heaven and oftentimes he repeated his unworthy right hand so long as his voice would suffer him and using oft the words of Stephen Lord Jesus receive my spirit in the greatnâ—sse of the flamme he gave up the Ghost At this time in Suffolk at Ipswich Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield were burnt for affirming that in the Sacrament was the memoriall only of Christs death and passion for said they Jesus Christ is ascended up into heaven and is on the right hand of God the Father according to the Scriptures and not in the Sacrament as he was born of the Virgin Mary for this they were burned which they constantly suffered which was to be wondered at who being so simple women so manfully stood to the confession and testimony of Gods word and verity The burning of Agnes Potten was revealed to her before in her sleep for being asleep in her bed saw a bright burning fire right up as a Pole and on the side of the fire she thought there stood a number of Queen Maries friends looking on Then being asleep she seemed to muse with her self whether her fire should burn so bright or no and indeed her suffering was not far unlike to her dream Hugh Laverock Painter an old lame man of sixty eight years John Apprice a blind man Martyrs were burned at Stratford the Bow In this discourse of this parcel or part or History I know not whether more to marvell at the great and unsearchable mercies of God with whom there is no respect in degrees of persons but he chooseth as well the poor lame and blind as the rich mighty and healthfull to set forth his glory or else to note the unreasonable or rather the unnaturall doings of these unmercifull Catholicks I mean Bishop Boner and his complices in whom was so little favour or mercy to all sorts and kinds of men that also they spared neither impotent age neither lame nor blind as may well appear by these poor creatures They after their tryall and examination by B. Boner were condemned and delivered unâ—o the civill power to be burnt At their death the old lame man casting away his Couch and comforting the blind men his fellow Martyr said unto him be of good comfoâ—t my brother for my Lord of London is our good Physitian he will heal us both shortly thee oâ— thy blindnesse and me of my lamenesse so patiently these two good Saints of God together suffered After the burning of this lame and blind man were brought to the fire aâ— Smithfield a widow and three maids they constantly suffered for the cause of Christ There was also