call it Have ye nâ—â— had my Brother Tomkins before you whose hand when you had burned most cruelly ye burn also his body and not only him but a great many of the numbers of Christ men that feared God and lived Vertuously and also the Queens true Subjects and seeing to these Saints you have shewed so little mercy shall it seem to my Lord and this Audience that ye shew me more favour no no my Lord but if you mean as you say why then examine you me of that I am not bound to answer you unto Bonner Well what sayest thou by the Sacrament of the Altar is it not the very body of Christ Flesh Blood and Bone as it was born of the Virgin Smith I have answered that it is none of Gods order neither any Sacrament but mans own vain invention and shewed him the Lords institution But when he was so earnestly before the Audience declaring that we knew nothing bringing out his hoc est Corpus meum to lay in my dish I proved before the Audience that it was a dead God declaring the distinction appointed between the two Creatures of Bread and Wine and that a body without Blood hath no life at which Harpsfield found himself much offended and took the Tale out of my Lords mouth saying Harpsfield I will prove by the Scriptures that you blaspheme God in so saying for it is given in two parts because there is two thing shewed that is to say his Body and his Passion as saith St. Paul and therefore is the Bread his Body and the Wine the representation of his death and blood shedding Smith You falsify the Word and rack it to serve your purpose for the Wine was not only the shewing of his passion but the Bread also for our Saviour saith so oft as you do this do it in remembrance of me and St. Paul saith so oft as you eat of this Bread and Drink of this Cup you shall shew the Lords death till he comes and here is as much reverence given to the one as the other Then rose up the Lord Bishop and the Lord Mayor desired me to save my Soul To whom I answered I hope it was saved through Christ Jesus desiring him to have pity on his own soul and remember whose Sword he carried At which I was carried into the Garden and there abode until the rest of my Friends were Examined and so were we sent away with many foul farewels to Newgate again the Lord Bishop giving the Keeper a charge to lay me in Limbo The Substance of another Examination of Robert Smith before the said Bishop Upon Saturday at Eight of the Clock I was brought to his Chamber again and there by him examined as followeth Bonner Thou Robert Smith sayst that there is no Catholick Church here on Earth Smith You have heard me both speak the contrary and you have written it as a Witness of the same Bonner Yea but I must ask thee this question how sayst thou Smith Must you of necessity begin with a Lye it maketh manifest that you determine to end with the same but there shall no Lyars enter the Kingdom of God nevertheless if you will be answemed ask mine Articles that were written yesterday and they shall tell you that I have confessed a Church of God as well in Earth as in Heaven and yet all one Church and one mans Members even Christ Jesus Bonner Well what sayest thou to Auricular confession is it not necessary to be used in Christs Church and wilt thou not be shriven of the Priest Smith It is not needful to be used in Christs Church as I answered yesterday but if it be needful for your Church it is to pick mens purses and such pick-purse matters is all the whole rabble of your Ceremonies for all is but money matters that ye maintain Bonner How art thou able to prove that Confession is a Pickpurse matter Art thou not ashamed so to say Smith I speak by experience for I have both heard and seen the fruits of the same for first we see it hath been a bewrayer of Kings secrets and the secrets of other mens Consciences who being delivered and glad to be discharged of their sins have given to Priest great sums of money to absolve them and sing Masses for their Souls health and began to tell him an Example of a Gentleman in Norfolk who being bound in Conscience through the perswasion of the Priest gave away a great part of what he had the which thing when his Brother heard he went to London and declaring it to the Council how that by subtilty the Priest had robbed his Wife and Children he recovered a great part again to the value of two or three hundred pounds as I was relating this the Bishop saw it savoured not to his purpose but began to revile me and said By the Mass if the Queens Majesty were of his mind I should not come to talk before any man but should be put into a Sack and a Dog tyed unto the same and so should be thrown into the Water Smith To which I answered again saying I know you speak by practice as much as by speculation for both you and your predecessors have sought all means possible to Kill Christ secretly Witness M. Hunn whom your predecessors caused to be thrust in at the Nose with hot burning needles and then to be hanged and said he hanged himself and also a good Brother of yours a Bishop of your profession having in his Prison an Innocent man whom because he saw he was not able by the Scriptures to be overcome he made him privily to be Snarled and his Flesh to be torn and pâ—â—kt away with a pair of Pinsors and bringing him before the People said the rats had eaten him Thus according to your Oath is all your dealing and hath been and as you taking upon you the Office do not witâ—out Oaths open your Mouths no more do you without Murther maintain your Traditions Bonner Ah you are a Generation of Lyars there is not one true Word that cometh out of your Mouthes Smith Yes my Lord have said that Jesus Christ is dead for my sins and risen for my Justification and this is no Lye Bonner How sayst thou Smith to the seven Sacraments believest thou not that they be Gods order that is to say the Sacrament of c. Smith As for the Sacrament of the Altar and all your Sacraments they may well serve your Church but Gods Church hath nothing to do with them neither have I any thing to do with them nor you to examine me of them Bonner Why is Gods order changed in Baptism in what point do we differ from the Word of God Smith First in Hallowing your Water in Conjuring the same in Baptizing Children with Annointing and Spitting in their Mouths mingled with Salt and with many other lewd Ceremonies of which not one point is able to be proved in Gods order Bonner By the
Westminster Hall Judge Hailes was by the Commandment of the Bishop committed to the Kings Bench where he remained some time and then was committed to the Compter in Bred-Street and from thence carried to the Fleet being in the Fleet some endeavoured to perswade him to Compliance how far he yielded to those Perswasions and Assaults of the Enemy it was not known but shortly after he fell into a great horrour and terrour in his Conscience and in the anguish of his Spirit stabbed himself with his Pen-Knife and so thought to end his misery but through providence he was disappointed of destroying himself at that time But this Action being noised abroad as it was occasion of great sorrow and trouble to many that had a great Esteem of him being reputed so worthy a Judge and so just a man so it also opened the Mouth of his Adversary the Bishop who openly in the Star-Chamber blasphemed against such as profest the Truth calling the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of Desperation But it was not long before the Judge was set at Liberty but he had not been long at home but his trouble encreasing upon him he watch an apportunity and drowned himself in a shallow Water neer his House Now Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester having got the Law and outward Sword on his Side he thought to Rule as he pleased and having taken off either by Imprisonment or Death most of the principal Preachers of those he counted Sectaries he concluded the rest would be thereby terrified and kept under but his Expectations herein were frustrated For within a few Weeks after the Apprehension and Execution of the aforesaid persons The apprehending of Thomas Tomkins and five others there were six more raised up to testifie against the Popish Idolatry then established by a Law their names were William Piggot a Butcher Stephen Knight a Barber Thomas Tomkins a Weaver Thomas Hawkes John Lawrence and William Hunter these Persons being brought before B. Gardner he was so concerned to see his former devices so little effect the end he intended that he refused to Act any more against them but being wholy discouraged turned them over to Bonner Bishop of London who Prosecuted all that were brought before him to the utmost of his power not sparing to act his cruelty as from time to time he had an opportunity to the uttermost They were all condemned by Bâ—nnor Upon the 8th day of the Moneth called February 1555. The aforesaid six persons were brought before Bâ—nner at the Consistory at Pauls where nhe next day he past Sentence of Death upon them shewing himself a rash and cruel Judge to pass Sentence so suddainly upon so many Innocent mens Lives but he gave them a little time before they were put to death which was till the Moneth following The most remarkable Passages that I find at their Tryals and Examinations are briefly related as followeth Thomas Tomkins a Weaver dwelling in Shoreditch a man accounted by such as were acquainted with him Zealous and Godly The Examination of Thomas Tomkins much given to Prayer during the time of his Imprisonment which was half a year the Bishop Bonner beat him sorely about the Face and pluckt him by the Beard being long and caused his Beard to be Shaved off but though the rage of the Bishop was great the constancy and patience of the poor man was as great for he was not moved at the Bishops cruelty the Bishop seeing the course he had taken would no wayes prevail he fell from Beating to Burning for having a great Candle burning in his Hall at Fulham he took Tomkins by the Fingers ends holding his hand over the flame of the Candle trying him whether he would Recant but with patience he bore this cruelty also until Doctor Harpsfield standing by moved with pity told Bonner he had tryed him enough and then Bonner let his Fingers go The last time Thomas Tomkins appeared before Bonner there were several other Bishops present one of which earnestly exhorted him to leave off his Opinions to whom he answered I was Born and brought up in Ignorance until of late years and now I know the Truth I shall continue in the same until Death which Bonner hearing thought it time to pass Sentence upon him and as he had begun to burn his Hand so sentenced his Body to be burnt delivering him to the Sheriff of London who carried him to Newgate where he remained untill the 16th day of the Moneth called March and then sealed his Faith in the Flames The 26th day of the aforesaid Moneth followed the Martyrdom of another of these six persons viz. VVilliam Hunter a Zeal ous Young man for Religion William Hunter Martys who was about the Age of ninteen years when he suffered he was born of godly Parents by whom he was not only Instructed in godliness but also confirmed by them until Death William Hunter being an Apprentize in Coleman-Street in London with one Thomas Taylor a Silk-weaver the beginning of his trouble was for refusing to hear Mass and to receive their Eucharist for which the Priest of the Parish threatned to have him before the Bishop his Master fearing lest he should come to suffer by reason of Williams not conforming desired him to depart from him whereupon William went home to his Fathers to Burntwood in Essex where after he had remained a little time happening to go into the Chappel of Burntwood and finding a Bible lying upon a Desk he read therein while he was reading one Atwell a Sumner coming in reproved him saying Wherefore meddlest thou with the Bible William answered I read in it for my comfort Atwell replyed It was never a good World since the Bible came abroad in England William answered say not so it liketh me well and I pray God we may have the Bible amongst us continually Atwell I perceive you are one of them that mislikes the Queens Laws and therefore you came from London but you must turn another Leaf or else you will Broyl for it and in a fury went away saying he would fetch one that should talk with him and went to an Ale-house hard by and fetch out the Viccar of Soutweld who coming into the Chappel and hearing William read said Sirrah who gave thee leave to read in the Bible William answered I read for my Comfort and shall read while I Live and told the Viccar He ought rather to encourage then discourage people in reading the Scriptures Viccar Doth This become thee to tell me what I have to do thou Heretick William Hunter said I am no Heretick Vâ—ccar What sayst thou to the blessed Sacrament of the Altar believest thou in it and that the bread and wine is transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ William Hunter I learn no such thing in the Scriptures as you speak of you understand Christs Words much like the Carnal Cappernâ—tes who thought that Christ would have given them his
11. Joseph's Brethren were punished by Famine and Distress Josephs Brethren who persecuted their righteous Brother Joseph in that they hated him and sold him for twenty pieces of Silver to the Ishmaelites as is confest and acknowledged by themselves to be justly come upon them for that thing We are very guilty say they one to another concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us and Ruben answered them saying Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin against the Child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required Gen. 37.4.28 King Pharaoh and the Aegyptians the great Persecutors of the Children of Israel Pharaoh and the Aegyptians who kept them long in Captivity in Aegypt the House of Boundage who by all the Wisdom they had studdied how to Vex and Torment them by Task-Masters to Afflict them by Burthens and make them serve with Rigour and thereby made their Lives most bitter unto them with heard Bondage in Mortar and Brick to be made without Straw and yet exacting upon them the full tail of Bricks as when they had Straw and beating of them if they did not fulfil the number of their wonted daily Task and lastly by commanding all their Male-Children to be slain and killed and would not let them go to do Sacrifice unto the Lord their God but for all this they did not go unpunished but the Lord most justly and most severelly punisned them for all their Cruelty and Wicked Persecution For First their Water was all turned into Blood insomuch that their Fish died and they themselves could not drink of it Secondly They were plagued with Frogs in their Houses and in their Chambers in their Beds in their Ovens and in their kneeding-troughs and upon himself and his People Thirdly Their Dust was turned into Lice and they were upon Man and Beast and in their Houses and they covered the Ground Fourthly They were plagued with swarms of Flies in like manner Fifthly With the Murrain among their Beasts Sixthly With Blaines and Boyles upon man and Beast Seventhly With grievous Hail mingled with Fire killing men and Beast that it fell upon and every Herb of the Field throughout the Land and every Tree Eighthly With grievous Locusts which went over all the Land covering the Face of the whole Earth so that the Land was Darkened and they did eat every Herb of the Land and all the Fruit of the Trees which the Hail had left Ninthly With thick Darkness over all the Land even darkness that may be felt for three dayes together so that they saw not one the other neither rose any from his place for three dayes but the Children of Israel had light in their dwellings all the while Tenthly The Lord did out off all the First-born in the Land from the First-born of Pharaoh that sits upon the Throne to the First-born of the Maid-Servant that was behind the Mill and all the First-born of Beasts Then Lastly the Lord drowned them all in the midst of the Red-Sea even Pharaoh and all the Aegyptians with all their Chariots and Horse-men and all his Host so as there remained not one of them Thus was the Judgment of God executed upon cruel Persecuting Pharaoh and all the Aegyptians The Wicked King Ahab who sold himself to work Wickedness a great Persecutor and Hater of good Micah a true Prophet of the Lord King Ahab who for speaking the truth in the Name of the Lord when commanded by the King so to do though it were against the King himself was for that by him commanded to be put in Prison and fed with Bread and Water of Affliction and suffered him to be smitten on the Face by Zedekiah in his presence without reproof was at last met with by the hand of Justice and true Judgment according to the Word of the Lord spoken by the said Prophet for he was slain in Battel by a Dart snot out of a Bow at venter which smote him the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness whilst he was in his Chariot and was fain to be carried out of the Battel and at Evening about Sun-set he died 2 Chron. 18.7 26 33 34. Jezabel that cursed Woman and great Persecutor of the Saints who slew and cut off many of the Prophets of the Lord Jezabel Queen who caused Naboth to be accused falsly of Blasphemy that so he might be Stoned to Death as he was so that King Ahab her Husband who thristed for poor Naboths Vineyard might take possession thereof as he did She threatned the man of God and Prophet of the Lord Elijah in Swearing by her Gods She would cause him to be slain by to morrow this time and make his life as the life of one of the Prophets of Baal which he had slain was most justly rewarded at the Hand of the Lord according as the Prophet of the Lord Elijah had aforetold who said the Dogs should eat Jezabel by the Wall of Jezreel which was the very Wall of Naboth's Vineyard which she caused to be taken most wickedly from him as aforesaid for when she reckoned with her self to set out her self in the most sumptions manner she could to the liking of the King by triming and decking her self by painting her Face and tiring her Head to look out of the Window upon the King then did King Jehu command her to be thrown down out of the Window and so they threw her down out of the Window and shed her blood and trampled her under their Feet and when he would have buried this cursed Woman as he called her because she was a Kings Daughter they found that the Dogs had lickt up her Blood and had eaten her Flesh so that there remained only her Skull her Feet and the Palmes of her Hands Then said the King when he heard of it This makes good the Word of the Lord which he spake by his Servant Elijahâ— the Tishbite saying In the Portion of Jezreel shall Dogs eat the Flesh of Jezabel and the Carkass of Jezabel shall be as Dung upon the Face of the Fields in the Portion of Jezreel so that they shall not say this is Jezabel 1 King 18.4 13. 1 Kings 21.8 16 21 23. 2 Kings 9.33 36 37. King Joash when he began to Reign Ruled well King Joash and so continued while he had good Councellors about him but when he began to hearken unto evil Councellors viz. The Princes of Judah his chief good Councellor Jehoida the Priest being dead and took their evil Council they drew away his Heart and inclined it to Idolatry and to Persecution so that when Zachariah the Son of Jehoida came to him from the Lord being filled with the Spirit to bear Testimony against him and their Idolatry and against his and their Transgressions and to reprove him and them for it they conspired
THE Spirit of the Martyrs REVIVED In a Brief COMPENDIOUS COLLECTION Of the Most Remarkable PASSAGES and Living Testimonies OF THE True Church Seed of God AND FAITHFUL MARTYRS In All AGES Contained in several Ecclesiastical Histories Chronological Accounts of the Succession of the TRUE CHURCH from the Creation the Times of the Fathers Patriarchs Prophets CHRIST and the Apostles Call to Remembrance what Acts our Fathers did in their time so shall ye receive great Honour and an everlasting Name 1 Mac. 2.51 Their Seed shall remain forever and their Glory shall not be blotted out but their Name liveth forevermore the People will tell of their Wisdom Eccles 44.13 14 15. Thy Testimonies are my Delight and Councellor Psal 1 19. Go write it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come TO THE READER Reader I Have hear Collected and brought together that which hath been scattered in divers great Vollums writ by several Authors judging these my Labours may prove more profitable to such who have a desire to be informed in these things those great Books being too Voluminous and costly for the generality to read or buy I have therefore for the sake of such who have but little leisure and cannot read much brought the History of these things into a nearer compass that so the meanest capacity may easily comprehend the Lords dealings with the Sons of men in all Generations and my chief aim in this work is for the good and information of all People that they may see how the Lord preserved his Church in all times and what great things he hath done for them who led the Ancient Fathers Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles by his mighty Power in which they served and worshipped him whereby they left a sweet Savour behind them as the Reader may see at large in the ensuing Treatise which containeth a Cloud of Witnesses to the Lords Work and Power And though these Testimonies may be slighted and dis-esteemed by the sensual wisdom which is from below yet I know it will be acceptable and a confirming and strengthening to the Faith of some who are Innocent and Upright to the Lord and have a delight in reading and meditating upon his Wayes and of his tender dealings with his Church and People who in all Ages preserved his little Remnant whom he raised up as righteous Branches to bring forth Fruits of Holiness in the middest of a perverse Generation And on the other hand the Reader many see in this ensuing Tract Satan's cruelty the great Enemy to mans good who hath in all Ages used all his Power to stop the increase and growth of this holy Seed by Persecuting Murdering and Destroying their Bodies and using his utmost indeavours by Cruelties to stop the least good Inclination that might at any time stir in any and this hath been the work of the Evil one ever since he got footing in mens hearts he hath alwayes sought to extinguish the Work of God and hath deceived Nations and all the World wondered after the Beast and John in his time saw a Terrible Day was to come on the Inhabitants of the Earth for the Devil was come down having great Wrath and when the Dragon saw that he was cast into the Earth he Persecuted the Woman which brought forth the Man Child the Woman fled into the Wilderness for a time and times and half a time and the Earth helped the Woman and the Earth opened her Mouth and swollowed up the Flood which the Dragon cast out of his Mouth and the Dragon was Wrath with the Woman and went to make War with the Remnant of her Seed which kept the Commandments of God and have the Testimonies of Jesus Christ but they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and the Lord still preserv'd a Remnant that bow'd not their knees to Baal And the Lord said David shall never want'a man to sit upon the Thrown of the House of Israel and this hath been fulfilled in that the Lord hath from time to time raised up his Living Witnesses both to testifie to and suffer for his Name and Truth as will appear in this Book to which I refer the Reader for satisfaction and remain a Lover of all the Upright in Heart Ellis Hookes The Author to the Book it self GO forth O Book and let the World reveiw The Blood-shed by a Persecuting Crew Let Popish Bishops and the Prelates see The dying Martyrs Words revived be Who though their Bodies for the Truth were slain Their Living Testimonies still remain Their Souls under the Altar still do Cry How long O Lord most just that rules on High Ere thou avenge our Cause who for thy sake Foyfully imbrace the Fire and the Stake Fear not O Book the Frowns of Mortal Foes Who alwayes did the blessed Truth oppose Though Foes enough thou shalt be sure to find 'Mong Priests that have the Souls of many pin'd And scornful Prelates too who will not preach Nor suffer those that carefully would teach Gods Truth and give Christs Sheep their wholesom Food All such Restrainers make the sinful Brood And of that Rank not one of them is found That feeds the Flock in wholsome Pasture Ground The Food they give they Poyson give withall Which proveth worse then Wormwood mixt with Gall They suffer not the Milk of Gods Word pure To work upon the Souls of men a Cure Though sincere Milk the same is it Which wakes for God the Soul of each man sit It made the Martyrs witnessing the same Rejoyce when that they suffered in the Flame Part I. The year of the World Sheweth how God under the several Dispensations of himself to Mankind alwayes led and guided his Church and Seed by his Spirit and Power to Worship and Serve him and to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness which was acceptable to him And how the Serpent and Evil-One hath from the beginning made it his work to deceive and lead man from God to Sin and work wickedness which alwayes brought the Wrath and Judgments of God upon Man AFter that God had Created Heaven and Earth Man at first created in Innocency and all things in them at last he created Man in his own Image that is to say pure holy and innocent giving him Power to Govern and Rule the Creation to God's Glory and God said It is not good for man to be alone I will make him an Help Meet for him and he caused a deep Sleep to fall upon Adam and he took one of his Ribs Woman made to be a help meet for man and closed up the Flesh thereof and of the Rib he made Woman and brought her unto the man and Adam said This is now Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh she shall be called Woman And the Lord placed them in the Garden of Eden there to live in a blessed
filled with the Holy Ghost he was led by the Spirit into the desart where he fasted forty dayes forty night where he was tempted Jesus fasieâ—â— forty dayes but the Tempter could find no place in him when John was asked by the Sect of the Pharisees who he was he told them he was not the Christ and denying that he was Elias or that Prophet but said he was the Voice of one Crying in the Wilderness Make strait the Way of the Lord and told them I Baptize with Water but there standeth ono amongst you whom ye know not he it is who cometh after me who is preferred before me whose Shoe Latchet I am not worthy to unloose The next day John seeing Jesus coming to him saith Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the world This is he of whom I spake there cometh one after me that is preferred before me Johns Testimony concerning Christ and I saw him and testifie that this is the Son of God And now Jesus going into Galilee commanded Philip to follow him he finding Nathaniel under a Fig-tree and brings him to Jesus who pronounces him to be truly an Israelite in whom was no guile And now we are come to the Publick Ministry of Christ whose Acts I shall briefly mention before I proceed to give an account of his Suffering and Death JEsus working Miracles many believed on him but he did not commit himself unto them The works he did in Judâ—â— because he knew what is in man leaving Jerusalem where he had been at the Passover he went into the Land of Judea with his Disciples where after he had stayed eight moneths he went into Galilee again but he must needs go through Samaria where he brings the Samaritan Woman off from the Jerusalem worship His works and Acts in Syria to the worship of the Father in the Spirit and Truth and in Galilee he worked many Miracles healing the sick and casting out Devils going through all Galilee and preaching in their Synagogues and healing every disease and his fame went into all Syria and a great Multitude followed him and in a certain City he heals a Leper who though he was forbid yet he publisheth it and they came to him from every place to hear him and to be healed insomuch that he could no more enter openly into the City but was in desart places and prayed After these things was the Feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem The Iews offended because he had healed on the Sabboth day They seek to â—lay him where for healing a man on the Sabboth day that had had an Infirmity thirty eight years lying at the Pool of Bethesda The Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabboth day Jesus told them My Father worketh hitherto and I work wherefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he said that God was his Father Jesus said The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do for whatsoever he doth these also doth the Son for the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doth and he will shew him greater things then these that ye may marvel for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Iudgment unto the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him And it came to pass in those dayes that he went into a Mountain to pray He choseâ—h the twelve Apostles and continued in prayer all night and when it was day he chose twelve whom he called Apostles and he came down with them and stood in the Plain and a great multitude coming unto him he went up into a Mountain again and there spake first to his Apostles and afterwards to the People exhorting his Disciples to lowliness pronouncing a Blessing to the Poor and to them that weep now His Exhortation to them but a Wo unto them that were Rich and Full and unto them that laughed now for they should mourn and weep and that they should love their Enemies and do good to them which hate them And when he had ended all his Sayings in the Audience of the People he entered into Capernâ—um and heals the Centurions Servant that lay sick ready to dye and afterward he went from City to City Preaching and his Disciples were with him and certain Women Ministred unto him And whilest he spake to the People it was told him year of Christ 13 that his Mother and Brethren stood without desiring to see him and to speak with him he answered and said my Mother and Brethren are these which hear the Word of God and do it And as Jesus was going to the House of Jairus who fell down at Jesus his Feet and besought him that he would come to his House for he had one only Daughter of about twelve years of Age He cures the Woman that had long â—ad the Issue of blood and she lay a dying the People thronged him as he went and a Woman having an Issue of blood twelve years which had spent all her Living upon Physitians neither could be healed of any came behind him and touched the Border of his Garment and she was healed and the Daughter of Jairus now already dead is restored to life by his Word only and likewise he straightly chargeth that no man should know it When he departed thence two blind men followed him He opens the Eyes of two Blind men whose Eyes he opened straightly charging that no man should know it as they went out behold they brought unto him a Dumb man Possessed with a Devil and when the Devil was cast out the Dumb speak and a Multitude marvelled but the Pharisees Blasphemed and he went round about all their Cities and Villages teaching and healing all their Diseases He again exhorts his Disciples sends them forth to Preach and he was moved with compassion towards the great multitude when he saw the great Harvest and the few Labourers and saith to his Disciples that they should pray the Lord that he would send forth Labourers and he sends forth the twelve Apostles to Preach the Gospel He saith to his Disciples Wo unto them by whom Offences come and he teacheth them that if thy Brother sin against thee he is to be forgiven Lazarus of Bethany was sick his Sisters therefore sends to Jesus to tell him of his sickness assoon as he heard that he was sick he tarries to dayes in the place where he was but afterwards he saith to his Disciples let us go again into Judea who say to him the Jews of late sought to Stone thee and goest thou thither again Jesus answering saith unto them Lazarus sleepeth speaking of his Death not of his Sleep let us go to him saith Thomas that we may dye with him
that they had a Child that could lose his Life for Christ's sake Many people resorted to the Inn to see him whom he exhorted to leave the Abomination of Popisn Superstition and Idolatry At his Execution he desired the people to pray for him Justice Brown that first apprehended him standing by said I will pray no more for thee then I would for a Dog William answered Now you have what you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge at the last day I forgive you Brown said I ask no forgiveness of thee William If God forgive you not I shall require my Blood at your Hands The Fire being kindled William said I am not afraid and lifting up his Hands said Lord receive my Spirit and so sealed his Testimony with his Blood to the praise of God Justice Brown commanded an Officer to take Robert Hunter William's Brother and put him in the Stocks until he came back from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the Hill on the same day after he was taken out of the Stocks and brought before the Justice he askt him If he would do as his Brother had done Robert Hunter answered If I do as my Brother hath done I shall have as he hath had Thou mayest be sure of that said the Justice But after some further Examination he bid him go home Higbed and Canston Martyr The next that suffured were Higbed and Canston both of Essex two men so fervent for Religion that in these blind and Idolatries times could not lie long hid in obscurity but were constrained to bear their Testimony though it were by Death Bonnet perceiving these men were men of repute in their Country and such as were called Gentlemen was so much the more concerned to bring them off their Profession that he went down to Colchester himself to seek to reclaim them sometimes using fair Promises and flattering Enticements other times threatning them with high words to terrifie them in fine seeing them both constant and unmoveable in their Zeal for their Religion he caused them and some others at the same time and for the same cause apprehended in that Country to be brought up to London Prisoners where they were committed close Prisoners where they were first privately examined and urged by all means to forsake their Opinions by the Bishop and his Chaplain But when the Bishop saw that way would work no alteration he caused them to be brought to open Examination at the Consistory at Pauls the seventeenth day of the Mouth called February 1555. where being further pressed to Recant of the Errors they said they held and to return to the unity of the Church which they still refused whereupon a great List of Articles were delivered them and their Answers thereunto the next day required of them At the second time of their publick appearance and tryal their Answers were read and Canston being first called was exhorted again to be conformable to the unity of the Church into which they said they were ready to receive him He replyed you lay Snares and Gins to catch us but mark what measure you meet shall be measured to you again Then Higbed was called to whom the like perswasions were used but to as little purpose as the other for he told them he had been sixteen years in that mind he was then in and should not alter now At their last appearance before them the Prisoners declared calling God to record that their persisting in that stedfastness was not in wilfulness as some might judge but for Conscience sake for said they we sought the Lord that we might do nothing contrary to his blessed Word and in that he hath shewed his Power in our weakness we cannot but praise him unto whom we give thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord. When they had thus spoken the Bishop began to pronounce the Sentence against Canston to whom Canston said it was a rash Judgment without Love and Mercy Then was sentence also pronounced against Higbed and both delivered to the Sheriffs who sent them to Newgate where they remained fourteen dayes contiunally praising God not so much concerned at their Afflictions as rejoyced in their Consolations praying and earnestly desiring they might persevere to the end to the praise of the Eternal God and Comfort of the Brethren The fourteen dayes being expired they were by four a Clock in the Morning led from Newgate to Algate and there delivered to the Sheriff of Essex who conveyed them to the places where they were Executed viz. Higbed to Hornden on the hill and Thomas Canston to Rayly where they both with great constancy finished their Testimonies in the Fire greatly rejoycing and giving the glory to God The next that suffered were William Pyget Stephen Knight and John Lawrence Pyget Knight Lawrenâ— Martyr at their Examinations it was demanded of them to declare their Opinion concerning the Sacrament of the Altar to which they answered to this effect That in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine there is not the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ This Answer being given the Bishop caused Articles to be read against them to which they answered The second time they were brought before him he prest them to recant which they refusing saying They should stick to their Faith Wherefore the third time being brought before him he past Sentence upon them and committed them to the Custody of the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained in much Joy and comfort and at last were had down to Essex and there burnt When Stephen Knight came to the Stake which was at Maulden he kneeled down and prayed some Sentances of which Prayer are as followeth O Lord Jesus Christ for whose Love I leave willingly this Life and desire rather the bitter Death of the Cross with the loss of all Earthly things then to abide the Blasphemy of thy most holy Name or to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandment Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in Wordly Wealth to Worship a false God and honour thine Enemy I choose rather the Torment of the Body and the loss of this Life and have counted all things but Vile Dust and Dung that I might Win thee which Death is Dearer unto me then thousand of Gold and Silver such Love O Lord hast thou laid up in my Breast that I Hunger for thee as the Deer that is Wounded desireth the Soil send thy holy Comforter O Lord to Aid Comfort and Strengthen this Weak piece of Earth which is empty of all strength of it self Thou rememberst O Lord that I am â—ut 〈◊〉 therefore as thou of thy Love hast bidden me to this Banquet and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own Cup amongst thine Elect even so give me strength O Lord that so through me strength of thy holy Spirit I may pass through the rage of this fire into thy Bossom according to
he is filled with all manner of Riches as saith the Prophet Therefore I am bold in bonds as intirely desiring your everlasting health and felicity to warn you and most heartily desire you to watch and pray for our estate is dangerous and requireth continual prayer for on the high Mountains doth not grow most plenty of grass neither are the highest Trees furthest from danger but seldom sure and alwayes shaken of every wind that bloweth such a deceitfull thing saith our Saviour is honour and riches that without Grace it choketh up the good Seed sown on his Crentures and blindeth so their seeing that they go groping at noon-day in darkness it maketh a man think himself somewhat that is nothing at all for though for our honour we esteem our selves and stand in our own light yet when we shall stand before the Living God there shall be no respect of persons for Riches helpeth not in the day of Vengeance neither can we make the Lord partial for Money but as ye have ministred unto the Saints so shall you receive the reward which I am fully perswaded and assured shall be plentiously poured forth upon you all for the great goodness shewed to the Servants of the Living God and I most heartily beseech almighty God to pour forth a plentious reward upon you for the same and that he will assist you with his holy Spirit in all your doings that ye may grow as ye have begun unto such a perfection as may to be Gods honour your own Salvation and the strengthning of the weak Members of Christ for though the World rage and blaspeme the Elect of God you know that it did so unto Christ his Apostles and to all that were in the Primitive Church and so it shall be unto the Worlds end Wherefore believe in the Light while you have it lest it be taken away from you if you shall seem to neglect the great Mercy of God that hath been opened unto you and your hearts consented unto it that it is the very and only Truth pronounced by Gods only Son Jesus Christ by the good will of our heavenly Father therefore I say in the bowels of my Lord Jesus Christ stick fast unto it let it never depart out of your Hearts and Conversations that you with us and we with you at the great day being one Flock as we have one Shepherd may arise to the Life Immortal through Jesus Christ our only Saviour Amen Yours in him that liveth forever Thomas Hawkes The Sufferings Examinations and Martyrdom of Thomas Watts The said Thomas Watts of Billery Key in the County of Essex Thomas Watts Martyr Linnen Draper expecting for his non Conformity to be shortly apprehended he disposed of his Estate for the benefit of his Wife and Children and according to his expectation not long after he was had before the Judges at Chelmsford where one called the Lord Râ—ch spake to him to this effect Watts You are brought hither because you will not obey the Queens Laws and will not go to Church nor hear Mass but have your Conventicles in Corners Watts replyed If I have offended a Law I am here subject to the Law Then Justice Brown said to him Watts who first taught thee this Religion Watts You taught it me and none more then you for in King Edwards Dayes in open Sessions you spoke against this Religion now used calling the Mass abominable exhorting people not to believe in it but to believe in Christ only Then said Justice Brown what a Knave is this to bâ—ly me to my face Hereupon a letter was writ and signed by the Justices and Watts sent up to Bonner as a Non-conformist what entertainment he received from the Bishop at their private conference no mention is made of it but about the beginning of the Month called May he was brought to the publick Consistory where Articles were objected against him for denying the Sacrament of the Altar and saying the Mass was abominable being brought the second time into the Consistory the Bishop counselled him to Recant to which he answered I am weary to live in such Idolatry as you would have me to live in He was several times afterwards brought before them and continuing stedfast in his Religion which the Bishop perceiving fell to his last and strongest Argument which was to pass Sentence of Death upon him and delivered him to the Sheriff of London where he continued till the ninth day of the Month called June and then was carried to Chelmsford where his wife and his six Children met him to whom he said My Wife and Children I must now depart from you therefore henceforth know I you no more but as the Lord hath given you unto me so I again give you unto the Lord charging them to fear and obey him and to beware of the abominations of Popery and so sealed his Testimony in the Fire After this Watts there were three others suffered in this County of Essex viz. Thomas Osmond Fuller William Bamford Weaver Nicholas Chamberla Weaver all of Coxhall one and the same Articles were objected against them all viz. for denying the Sacrament of the Altar Auricular Confession c. according to the accustomed manner they were several times brought to the Consistory where they were sometimes flattered and sometimes threatened to see if they would recant after the common usage of the Ecclesiastical Court and at last were condemued as Hereticks and delivered to the Sheriffs and shortly after were all three burned in Essex John Bradford and John Lease Martyrs The next that suffered were John Bradford and one John Lease an Apprentize to a Tallow-Chandler the chief matter for which they suffered was for denying the real presence in the Sacrament Auricular Confession c. The said John Lease after he had been examined by the Bishop had the Articles of his Confession sent to him to the Courter Prison to sign after he hard them read because he could not write in stead of a Pen he took a pin and pricking his hand sprinkled the blood upon the paper and bid the Messenger tell the Bishop he had sealed them with his blood already The Words that John Bradford spoke at the Stake were to this effect O England England repent thee of thy Sins repeat thee of thy Sins beware of Idolatry beware of false Anti-christs take heed they do not deceive you Strait is the Way and Narrow is the Gate that leadeth to Eternal Salvation and few there be that find it This John Bradford during the time of his imprisonment exercised himself in writing several consolating Letters not only to particuler persons but to several Towns and Counties where he had laboured shewing his great Zeal for the encreasing and spreading the most reformed Religion earnestly exhorting all men and tenderly comforting the heavy hearted confirming and encouraging all to continue stedfast in the Way he had taught them Bland Frankish Shetterden and Middleton Marytr
Shortly after were four others burnt at Canterbury viz. John Bland John Frankish Nicholas Shetterden and Humfrey Middleton all condemned for their denying the real Presence in the Sacrament Shetterden being at first illegally committed when he was brought before the Chief Priâ—sts and examined upon certain Articles he required 〈◊〉 see their Commission which they shewed and read to him whereby he perceived that upon suspition they might examine upon two Aâ—â—ieles viz. â—hather Christs real Presence were in the Sacrament so called and whether the Church of England were Christs Catholick Church Whereupon Shâ—â—terden said I have been a Prisoner three quarters of â—â—â—ar and as I think wrongfully reasâ—n would therefore that I should answer to those things wherefore I was first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ed. The Susâ—â—agan said his Commission was You mâ—st ansâ—er directly yea or â—â—y Shâ—tterden This Commission was not general to examine whom you woodd bâ—t upon just sâ—spâ—â—ion Susâ—ragan said You are suspected and presented to me Shetterden I require the Accusation may be shewed Suffr I am not bound to shew it Shetterden For what I have done I ask no favour but as I am a Subject I require Justice Suffr You are suspected Shetterden Prove vour suspition or shew the cause of it Suffr Thou wast cast into Prison for that cause Shetterden Because I was cast into Prison contrary to the Law of God must I now to make me amends be examined upon suspition with uâ—a cause to hide all the wrong done to me before Then said the Bishop I my self do suspect thee Whereby said Shetterden Suffr It isâ—nâ— matter whereby you are suspected Shetterden It is not meet for you to be my Accuser and my Judge If I have offended the Law let me be punished I ask no favour Then said they You are obstinate and will not answer Shetterden Because you greedily seek Blood I will answer only to what you have against me Suffr No we seek not thy Blood but thy Conversion Shetterden That we shall sâ—e if you first prove that you have against me before you condemn me upon suspition Shâ—râ—ly after he was had before the Bishop of Winchester Bishop I have sent for you because I hear you are indictedof Heresâ—â—â— and being called before the Commissioners you will not answer nor submit your self Shetterden I did not refuse to answer but did plainly answer that I had been in Prison a long time and I thought it was but reason that I should bâ— charged or discharged for that and not to be examiced upon Articles to hide my wrong imprisonment neither did I know any Indictment against me if there were any it could not be just for I was not abroad since this Law was made Bishop Yet if you be suspected you ought to clear your self Shetterden I thought it sufficient to answer to my Offences c. Bishop If thou wilt declare thy self thou shalt go and then thou wayst have a Writ of wrong Imprisonment Shetterden I am not minded to sue but require Justice to be done me and if I have offended the Law let me be punished and after some other discourse the Bishop departed Middleton being examined who was one of the four burnt at this time concerning his belief in the Sacrament he said he believed in his own God my living God and no dead God After their Examinations they were condemned by the Bishop of Dover the five and twentith day of the Month called June 1555. and were delivered to the secular power and all burnt in one Fire at Canâ—erbury Nicholas Shetterden before his death prayed to this Effect O Lord my God and Saviour which art Lord in Heaven and Earth Maker of all things visible and invisible I am thy Creature and Work of thy Hands Lord God look upon me and other thy People which at this time are oppressed of the Worldly minded for thy Lawes sake Yea Lord thy Law it self is now trodden under foot and mens Inventions exalted above it and for that cause do I and many thy Creatures refuse the Glory Praise and Commodity of this Life and do choose to suffer adversity and to be banished yea to be burnt with the Books of thy Word for the hopes sake that is laid up in store for Lord thou knowest if we would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word we might by their permission enjoy these Comodities that others do as Wife Children Goods and Friends all which I acknowledge to be thy Gifts given to the end I should serve thee and now Lord that the World will â—ot suffer me to enjoy them except I offend thy Laws behold I give unto thee my whole Spâ—rit Soul and Body I leave all the pleasures of this life in hopes of Eternal life purchased by Christs Blood for all them that are content to suffer with him for the Truth In the conclusion of his Prayer he cryed Lord Jesus receive my Spirit into thy Hands Amen In the same Month next after the suffering of the aforesaid Kentish men Nicholas Hall and Christopher Waid Martyrs followed the death and Martyrdom of Nicholaâ— Hall Bricklayer and Christopher Waid of Dartford both condemned by the Biship of Rochester about the last day of the Mouth called June upon Articles much to the same effect as the Kentish mens were As that they should hold and maintain that in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine is not the very Body and Blood of Christ and that the Mass was nought and Abominable Three others burnt in Kent In the Month called July three others were condemned by the same Bishop whose names were Joan Beech widdow John Harpolt of Rochester and Margery Polly Derick Carver John Launder Martyrs The twenty second day of the same Month Derick Carver was burnt at Lewis in the County of Sussex and the next day John Launder was burnt at Stenning in the same County they were first apprehended by one Edward Gage as they were at prayer within the dwelling house of the said Derick Carver and by him sent up to the Council who after examination sent them to Newgate and shortly after were examined privately by Bonner who used many fair words to perswade them to recant of their Religion who when he saw that way would not do he caused them to be brought to the publick Consistory at Pauls where the Bishop first beginning with Derick Carver causing his Articles and Answers to be openly read asking him whether he would stand to the same to whom Derick replyed he would for said he your Doctrine is Poyson and Sorcery and if Christ were here you would put him to a worse death then he was put to before your Ceremonies are beggerly and your Auriculer Confession is very Poyson The Bishop seeing his constancy and that neither his accustomed flatteries nor yet his cruel threatnings could once move him to encline to their Idolatry he pronounced his usual Sentence against him and also
and all his Company Smith At this word which he coupled with an Oath came I in and said my Lord it is written you must not Sware Bonner Ah Master Controler are you come Lo my Lord Mayor this is Master Speaker pointing to my Brother Tankerfield and this is Master Controler pointing to me and then began to read my Articles Smith I require you my Lord in Gods behalf unto whom pretaineth your Sword and Justice that I may here before your presence answer to these Objections that are laid against me and if any thing can be proved Heresie that I have said I will recant before this Auditory Mayor Why Smith thou canst not deny but this thou saydest Smith Yes I deny that which he hath written because he hath both added to and diminished from the same but what I have spoken I will never deny Mayor Why thou speakest against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Smith I denied it to be any Sacrament and I do stand here to make proof thereof and if my Lord here or any of his Doctors be able to prove either the name or usage of the same I will recant mine error Then spake my Brother Tankerfield and defended the probation of things which they called Heresie unto which the Bishop answered Bonner By my troth Master Speaker you shall Preach at a Stake Smith Well sworn my Lord you keep a good Watch. Bonner VVell Master Controler I am no Saint Smith No nor yet good Bishop for a Bishop saith St. Paul should be faultless and a dedicate Vessel unto God and are you not ashamed to sit in Judgment and be a Blasphemer condemning Innocents Bonner VVell Master Controler you are faultless Note the said Robert Smith being charged â—alsly in the said Articles turning to the Mayor said Smith speaking to the Mayor said I require you in Gods name that I may have Justice we are here this day a great many Innocents that are wrongfully Accused of Heresie and I require you if you will not seem to be partial let me have no more favour at your hands then the Apostle had at the hands of Festâ— and Agrippa who being Heathens and Infidells gave him leave not only to speak for himself but also heard the probation of his Cause this require I at your hands who being a Christian Judge I hope will not deny me that right which the Heathen have suffered if ye do then shall all this Audience and the Heathen speak shame of your fact for a City saith our Saviour that is builded on a hill cannot be hid if they therefore have the Truth let it come to light for all that well do come to the Light and they that do evil hate the Light Then the Mayor hanging down his head said nothing but the Bishop told him he should preach at a Stake and so the Sheriff cryed with the Bishop Away with him Thus came he before them four times desiring Justice but could have none and at length his Friends requiring with ouâ— voice the same but could not have it they had Sentence and then being carried out were brought in again and had it every men severally given But before the Bishop gave Sentence on Richard Smith he told him in derision of his Brother Tankerfield a Tale between a Gentleman and his Cook To which he answered you fill the Peoples Ears with Fantasies and foolish Tales and make a laughing matter at Blood but if you were a true Bishop you should leave these railing Sentences and speak the Words of God Bonner Well I have offered to that naughty fellow Master Speaker your Companion the Cook that my Chancellor should here instruct him but he hath here with great disdain forsaken it How sayst thou wilt thou have him instruct thee and lead thee in the right way Smith If your Chancellor shall do me any good and take any pains as you say let him take mine Articles in his hands that you have objected against me and either prove one of them Heresie or any thing that you do to be good and if he be able so to do I stand here with all my heart to hear him if not I have no need I praise God of his Sermon for I come to answer for my life and not to hear a Sermon Then began the Sentence in Dei Nomine To which Smith answered that he began in a wrong name requiring of him where he learned in Scriptures to give sentence of death against any man for his Conscience sake To the which he made no answer but went forward to the end and immediately cryed Away with him Then Smith turned to the Mayor and Sheriffs and said Is it not enough for you that ye have left the strait way of the Lord but that you must condemn Christ causless Bonner Well Master Controller now you cannot say but I have offered you fair to have Instruction and now I prithee call me bloody Bishop and say I seek thy Blood Smith Well although neither I nor any of this Congregation do report the truth of your fact yet shall these Stones cry it out rather then it shall be hidden Bonner Away with him away with him Woodrofe Away with him take him away Smith Well good Friends ye have seen and heard the great wrong that we have received this day and ye are all Records that we have desired the probation of our cause by Gods Book and it hath not been granted but we are condemned and our cause not heard nevertheless my Lord Mayor forasmuch as here you have exercised Gods Sword câ—â—sless and will not hear the right of the poor I commit my cause to Almighty God that shall judge all men according unto right before whom we shall both stand without Authority and there will I stand in the right to your great confusion except your repent which the Lord grant you to do if it be his will and then was I with the rest of my Brethren carried away to Newgate Thus gentle Reader as neer as I can I have set out the Truth of my Examination and the verity of mine unjust condemnation for the Truth desiring God that it may not be laid to the châ—rge of thee O England requiring your hearty prayers unto God for his Grace and Spirit of boldness with hope even shortly to set to my Seal at Uxbridge the eighth of August by Gods Grace pray that it may be to his honour my Salvation and your Consolation I pray you Dagloriam Deo Robert Smith Thus Reader thou hast a full Relation of the Christian fortitude and valour of this faithful Martyr who so valiantly and manfully stood in the defence of his Masters cause and as thou seest him here boldly stand in Examination before the Bishop and Doctors so was he no less comfortable also in the Prison among his Fellows who being togâ—â—â—â—r Prisoners in Newgate did daily pray and exhort one another and his care was not only for those in the â—ame
good to rost a shoulder of Mutten but evil in the Church whereby Idolatry was committed when the Articles were answered the Chancellor read their Condemnation and so delivered them to the Sheriff to whom John Spicer said now you must be their Butcher that you may be guilty also with them of Innocent Blood before the Lord. The 24th day of the Moneth called March they were had to the place of Execution where they kneeled down and prayed secretly and then being disclothed to their Shirts John Mundrell spoke with a Loud voice Not for all Salsbury which words men judged to be an answer to the Sheriff who offered him the Queens Pardon if he would recant and after this in like manner spake John Spicer This is the joyfullest day that ever I saw Thus did they most constantly give their Bodies to the Fire and their Souls to the Lord for a Testimony to his Truth Six persons burnt in Smithfield About the 23th day of the Moneth called April 1556 were burned in Smithfield at one Fire these six persons viz. Robert Drakes William Tymis Richard Spurge Thomas Spurge John Cavel Q. Mary An. 1556 and George Ambross they were all of Essex and so of the Diocess of London they were sent up at sundry times by Lord Rich and others and by Gardner Bishop of Winchester then Lord Chancellor of England committed some to the Marshal-sea and some to the Kings-Bench where they remained almost the whole year before they were brought to Examination Some Passages in their Examination are as followeth After six or seven hours discourse between the Bishop of London and Bath with William Tymis they were weary and began to pity Tymis's case and to slater him saying Ah good Fellow thou art bold and thou hast a good fresh Spirit we would thou hadest learning to thy Spirit I thank you said he and both you be learned and I would you had a good Spirit to your learning The Bishop seeing Tymis his hoase part white and part of a sheeps russet in a mocking manner said Ah Sirrah are you a Deacon Yea that I am said he So me thinketh said the Bishop you are decked like a Deacon Said Tymis Me-thinks my Vesture doth not so much vary from a Deacon but your Apparel doth as much vary from an Apostle And one of the Bishops men said Scoffingly my Lord give him a Chair a Tost and Drink and he will be Lusty But the Bishop said Have him away till another time The 28th day of March the aforesaid six Martyrs were brought to the open Consistory in Pauls before Bishop Bonner to be condemned for Heresie Bishop said Tymis I le begin with thee for thou art and hast been the Ring-leader of these thy Companions thou hast taught them Heresies and Confirmed them in their Errâ—ous Opinions endeavouring to make them like thy self Tymis said I Marvel you will begin with a Lye you call me the Ring-leader and Teacher of this Company There is none of all these my Brethren which are brought hither as Prisoners but when they were at liberty and out of Prison dissented from you and your doings as much as they do now and for that cause they are now Prisoners so that they learned not their Religion in Prison and as for me I never knew them till I was committed Prisoner with them and as for my fault which you make so greivous whatsoever you judge of me I am well assured that I hold no other Religion then Christ Preached the Apostles Witnessed the Primitive Church received and now of late hath been faithfully taught by Evangelical Preachers for which you have cruelly burned them and now you seek our Blood also proceed on hardly by what rule you will I fear not Then the Bishop proceeded to pass the Sentence upon him and then upon the rest and after he had condemned them he ridded his bloody hands of them delivering them to the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained till the 14th day of the Moneth called April and then sealed their Faith with their Blood The Substance of a Letter of William Tymis to his Friends in Hookly The Grace of God the Father through the Merrits of his dear Son Jesus our Lord and only Saviour with the continual aid of his holy and mighty Spirit to the performance of his will to our Everlasting comfort be with you my dear Brethren both now and evermore Amen My dearly beloved I beseech God to reward the great goodness that you have shewed unto me seven fold into your Bosoms and as you have alwayes had a most godly love unto his Word even so I beseech him to give you grace to love your own Souls and then I trust that you will flee from all those things that should displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhor all the Company of these that would have you to Worship God any otherwise then is contained in his holy Word and beware of those Masters of Idolatry that is these Papistical Priests My dear Brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I have said unto you and also written the which I am now ready to seal with my Blood I praise God that ever I lived to see the day and blessed be my good and mercifull God that ever he gave me a body to glorifie his Name And dear hearts I do now write unto you for none other cause but to put you in rememberance that I have not forgot you to the end that I would not have you forget me but to remember well what I have simply by word of Mouth and Writing taught you the which although it were most simply done yet truely as your own Conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own Conscience doth condemn therefore come out of Sodom and go to Heaven-ward with the Servants and Martyrs of God least you be partakers of the Vengeance of God that is coming upon this Wicked Nation from the which the Lord God defend you c. Thus now I take my leave of you forever in this World except I be burned amongst you which thing is uncertain unto me as yet By me your poorest and most unworthy Brother in Christ William Tymis in Newgate the 12th day of April condemned to die for Christs Truth Joan Beech of Tumbridge and John Harpool of Rochester were both condemned for the Truth of the Gospel by Morrice Bishop of Rochester and were Sufferers together at one Fire in Rochester the first day of the Moneth called April 1556. The next day after suffered in the like Cause at Cambridge one John Hullier Some Sentences taken out of a Letter written by the said John Hullier are as followeth John Hullier being of long time Prisoner and now openly judged for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus wisheth heartily to the whole Congregation of God the strength of
The second Examination of Richard Woodman The Bishop began with the common Snare asking him What he said to the seven Sacraments for there we left off and there we will begin said he Woodman replyed If he could prove them he should believe them hereat the Bishop was moved and swore by his troth whereupon Woodman reproved him saying a Bishop should be blameless and you use much swaring which is a great fault in a Bishop above all other which should be an Example to the Flock Then said the Bishop in a rage I perceive this man is worse then he was for he takes upon him to teach me to speak Woodman replyed I am commanded to do that I do I dare not for my life hold my peace for if I should I should bare your sin Bishop Where do you find that you are commanded to reprove me Woodman If thou see thy Brother Sin reprove him A Priest standing by said My Lord this man is past cure Bishop So my thinks I will talk no more with him since he has been with his Fellows in the Marshalsea he is worse then he was call M. Story and let him do with him what he will Woodman said My Faith hangeth upon no man but upon God The Priest standing by said My Lord I think he is not the worse for them but I fear they are the worse for him Then Woodman speaking to the Bishop said Look well to it you will deliver me to other men to shed my Blood and so think to wash your hands of me as Pilate did by Christ but you cannot be so discharged Then the Bishop replyed to this effect I have nothing to do with you I am not yet Consecrated the Cardinal may Examine you and condemn you or the Bishop of London in whose Diocess you now are and after other discourse he askt him What he said to the Sacrament of the Altar Woodman Do you mean Christ to be the Altar Bishop I mean the Sacrament of the Altar in the Church VVoodman What the Altar of Stone Bishop Yes 't is that Altar I mean how dâ— you understand the Altar otherwise VVoodman It is written that wheresoever two or three are gathered together in Christs Name there is he in the midst of them and whatsoever they ask in his Name it shall be given unto them when thou comest to Offer thy Gift at the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy Offering and go first and be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift A Priest standing by would have interrupted him but the Bishop said Let him alone Then VVoodman said By these two places of Scripture I prove that Christ is the true Altar whereon every Christian that is in the Love and Charity ought to offer their Gifts Bishop I never heard any man understand the Altar so no not Luther the great Heretick that was condemned by a general Council and his Picture burnt VVoodman If he were an Heretick I think he understood it not so indeed but I am sure all Christians ought so to understand it and after further discourse they laughed at him and said This is a Heretick indeed it is time he were burnt Then VVoodman replyed judge not least you be judged for in that way you call Heresie I serve my God with Then Story said VVhat you are a Preaching You shall Preach at a Stake shortly with your Fellows carry him to the Marshâ—â—â— â—â—â—â—n and let him be kept close and let none come to speak with him At another time being brought before the Bishop of Winchester and others the Bishop spoke to him to this effect Woodman When you were lâ—st before us you would not confess that you were sent to Pâ—iâ—on for Heresie but called for your Accusers and stood stoutly in defend of your self Woodman replyed saying You said I was sent to Prison for Heresie I told you wherefore I was sent to Prison which was upon the breach of a Statute for speaking to a Priest in the Pulpit Woodman â—â—usâ—â— to be Bâ—â—â—â—â— to the good be haviour and for that cause the Justices of that Country thought I had offended the Statute and sent for me before them and would have bound me to the good behaviour and because I refused they sent me to Prison He was at his Examination before the Bishop of Winchester prest to answer to several things objected against him but he refused saying he was not of his Diocess The Bishop being displeased at his answers called him Perverse Villian and Obstinate Fool and Heretick and cryed Hold him a Book I 'le make him sware and answer or else I will condemn him hold thy hand on the Book said the Bishop I will lay no hand on the Book for none of you all said Woodman and looking on the People the Bishop cryed See how he lookes about for help I look for no help said he from men for God is on my side and therefore I do not care who is against me Then they cryed Away with him and bring us another At another time being brought before the Bishop of Winchester the Bishop askt him His belief concerning the Sacrament of the Altar To which Richard Woodman replyed to this effect I pray you said he be content I will answer no more Questions for that I perceive you go about to shed my blood Then said the Bishop No hold him a Book if he refuse to sware he is an Anabaptist and shall be Excommunicated Woodman made answer I will not sware Excommunicate me if you will After some more words past between them the Bishop past the Sentence against the said VVoodman and then they cryed Away with him away with him not suffering him to speak any more for himself and so was had away to the Marshalsea again And thus the Reader hath the chiefest and most weighty matters that past at his Examinations from time to time After the Sentence was past he was burnt at Lewis with nine more viz. five Men and four Women as before some mention was made of them Several Sentences taken out of a Letter of Richard Woodman's to one Roberts of Hawkhurst Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from his Son our only Saviour Jesus Christ by the operation and Working of the holy Ghost be multiplied plentifully upon you dear Sister that you may the more joyfully bear the Cross of Christ that you are under to the end to your only Comfort and Consolation and to all our Brethren and Sisters in those parts that love our Lord unfainedly certifying you that I and all my Brethren with me are joyful praised be God looking daily to be dissolved from these our mortal Bodies according to the good pleasure of our heavenly Father praising God also for your constancy and kindness shewed unto Gods People in this troublesome time of Persecution Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy The Fruits alwayes
I am content to be a Witness of Christ's death And I pray you make no longer delay with me for my heart is fixed and I will never turn to your superstitious doings Then the Bishop said The Devil did lead her No said she it is the Spirit of God which leadeth me and which called me in my Bed at Midnight and opened his Truth to me Then the Priests and others Shouted and laughed at her When the Sentence was read against her and she was condemned to be burnt to death she lifted up her Voice and said I thank thee my Lord my God this day have I found that which I have long sought for At which words They mockt her and so being brought to the Stake she was as lively and cheerful in her Countenance as if she had been prepared for that day of her Marriage to meet the Lamb and so she ended this Mortal Life She was a Woman very patient in her Words and Answers in her Apparel Meat and Drink moderate and sober and would never be Idle and was a great comfort to such as talked with her and in her trouble she refused to take Money saying whilst I am here God has Promised to feed me and I am going to a City where there is no need of Money And in the time of her suffering she forsook Husband Children who Persecuted her because she would not stoop to Idolatry and when after Sentence and Judgment was given against her they offered her that if she would recant and turn her life should be spared Nay said she God forbid that I should lose life Eternal for this life I will never turn from my heavenly Husband to my earthly Husband from the fellowship of Angels to Mortal Children If my Husband and Children were faithful then am I theirs God is my Father my Sister my Brother and my Friend most faithful Five persons burnt at Canterbury We are now come to a stop of the Issue of Blood and the rage of Persecution for the Testimony of Truth in Queen Maryes time and the last that suffered in her time were five that were burnt at Canterbury about six dayes before her Death viz. John Cornford of wortham Christopher Browne of Maidstone Jo. Hurst of Ashford Alice Sloth Katherine Tynley which five persons being in the custody of the Arch-Deacon of Canterbury who being at London and understanding the danger of the Queens dying Posted home to dispatch them out of the way in the which fact the Tyranny of this Arch-Deacon seemeth to exceed Bonner's cruelty for several that were under his custody were delivered by the Death of the Queen after they had suffered many great Exercises and Tryals Here followeth an Account of such who suffered Tryals and Imprisonments for their Profession of the Truth and who in all likelihood had also been burnt for the same had not God through his Mercy and Providence preserved them by the Death of the Queen At this time divers there were in many places of the Realm Imprisoned whereof some were but newly taken and not Examined some begun to be Examined but were not condemned several were Examined and condemned but no Writ being sent down escaped others were condemned and the Writ sent down for there burning but the Bishop Chancellor and Queen happning to die together about one time they were Marvelously preserved amongst whom was one John Hunt and Richard white both Imprisoned at Salisbury and other places This Examnation was on the 26th of April 1557. where they lay above two years and were often troubled by Priests and Bishops Richard White being brought before Capon Bishop of Salisbury and Brookes Bishop of Gloucester and a great number of other Priests Bishop Brookes said Is this the Prisoner and said Friend wherefore comest thou hither VVhite I trust to know the cause for the Law saith in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses things must stand Dr. Capon Did not I Examine thee of thy faith VVhite No you did not Examine me but commanded me to the Lollards Tower and that no man shoeld speak with me and now I do require mine Accuser say what I have said and I will answer you Then the Chancellor said Thou shalt corfess thy Faith ere then depart and my Lord of Gloucester shall Examine thee VVhite I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is the power of God to Salvation to all that believe and St. Peter saith If any man do ask thee a reason of the hope that is in thee make him a direct answer and that with meekness And being referred to the Bishop to Examine him he said Will you take the pains to wet your Coat in my blood Be not Guilty thereof I warn you and that before hand Brookes I will do nothing contrary to our Law declare thy faith said he concerning the Sacrament of the Altar VVhite What is a Sacrament I find not that word Sacrament in the Scriptures Much discourse they had concerning the Sacrament of the Altar which for brevities sake is omitted and at last the Bishop cryed Away with him to the Lollards Tower and dispatch him as soon as you can this was the Substance of his Examination The occasion of his and his Companions long detainment in Prison and not Executed was the moderation of the Under-Sheriff who when he had received the Writ to burn them said I will not be guilty of these mens blood and immediately burnt the Writing within few dayes after the said John Hunt and Richard White being in a low and dark Dungeon in an Evening fell upon their knees to prayer but could not utter words for weeping and tenderness of Heart and so continued a great while in tears the next morning news was brought them that the Chancellor their great Enemy was dead who died about the same time that they were in such a weeping frame however they there continued in Prison till the coming in of Queen Elizabeth and then were set at Liberty At this time also was delivered by the Providence of God one John Fetty a poor Taylor of Clarkenwel whom his Wife complained of to the Priest of the Parish for that he would not go to Mass and be partaker of their Idolatry notwithstanding this unkind fact of his Wife yet did he cherish her and provide well for her but notwithstanding his gentle dealing with her and that she had recovered her health having been ill did again accuse him whereupon he was apprehended and by one of the Queens Commissioners sent to the Lollards Tower where he was put into the painful Stocks and had a dish of Water set by him with a Stone put in it after he had layn there about two weeks hanging in the Stocks sometimes by one Leg and one Arm and sometimes by the other and sometimes by both it happened that one of his Children a Boy of the Age of about eight or nine Years came to the Bishops House to see if he could