CHAP. II. Shewing How the Faithfull ought to be are persecutions patiently FOrasmuch as afflictions are thus necessary and inevitable to beleevers that whether they will or no they must passe this strait way they ought to bethinke them how to make hard things easie And herein to follow the dealing of the Physitian with his patient who intending to give him some bitter Potion or Pill is wont to sweeten the one with Syrrup and to wrap up the other in gold lest he should abhor to take in or swallow downe either the one or the other Even so are we by committing to memory some elect and choice sentences of holy Scriptures concerning the Crosse to cover over the same therewith that it may not appeare so dreadfull unto us as we apprehend it to be For that which causeth us to fly and feare persecution is a prejudicate opinion we have conceived in our mindes that some deadly poison lurks under it And therefore wee shun so much as to taste a little sup thereof in regard we imagine it to be the only bitter drug in the world Now that which makes us fall into and breeds in us this error is because as therein so almost in all things else we are led rather by sense than by the word by which wee ought to ballance and regulate all our perswasions and resolutions For could we beleeve what the Prophets and Apostles inspired of God have preached and written for the use of posterity as touching persecutions wee would not onely have them in a more honourable esteeme but thankfully and patiently beare them To which end let us endeavour firmly to imprint in our minds these and the like sentences Saint Paul tels us that if we be reproached for the name of Christ we may think our selves happy for the spirit of glory and of God saith he resteth upon you And 1 Pet. 4. 14. Rom. 5. 3. Saint Paul speaking of himselfe and his associates saith thus And not onely so but we glory in tribulation also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience c. And in another place God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Gal. 6. 14. Lord Iesus Christ These places with sundry others to the same purpose doe sufficiently manifest how much the true Christian ought to thinke himselfe honored of God when it pleaseth him to call such an one forth to suffer for his name in the defence of his Truth What other thing else I pray you was the cause of Saint Pauls glorying and that 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Hos 13. 14. glory in an higher degree which Christ hath ordained for us by his death with which glory he is now invironed in the kingdome of his father What else is it which is promised to the Elect as a recompence of their faith in Gods promises and all their loyall Isa 24. 16. services but glory to the righteous What is the principall glory which we attribute to the Martyrs Is it not in regard of their invincible patience and constancy of faith by which they overcame the world and their owne flesh which is not to be esteemed a small or meane victory If Alexander obtained so great renowne by conquering Darius and Scipio for discomfiting Hannibal c. who slew but a few mortall men like themselves how much are wee in comparison of them to admire their valour who have not onely warred against men but against their threats gibbets fires yea against death it selfe and in the end triumphed over it We worthily magnifie the prowesse of Sampson and Shaâ—gar the one for Iudg. 15. 15. Chap. 3. 31. killing a thousand men with the jaw-bone of an asse the other for killing six hundred men with an Oxe goad Yet did the force of the Martyrs farre excell theirs who with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God were mabled to overcome the devill with Eph. 6. 17. all his retinue Tertullian tels us That there is no better Order of Knighthood nor chaines of greater In his Epistle to the martyrs of his time price than those to which the Martyrs of Iesus Christ are fastened nor richer bracelets than the manacles wherewith their hands are bound In the Ecclesiasticall history it is It was Babilas Bishop of Autioch in the yeare 250. Ex Chrysoft li. contra Gentiles reported of a good Bishop who by the Emperor Decius being cast into a filthy stinking prison or hole for the name of Christ with as many yrons as he could beare intreated his friends who somtime came to visit him that after his death they would bury with him the signes and tokens of his valour meaning his bolts and fetters which were put upon his legs and hands teaching us That when we see it is the will of God to impose them upon us and thereby to dub us Knights of his Order we should esteem our selves no lesse honored than if a King by way of gratifying a valiant champion for some great services done for him should reward the same with some of his owne precious jewels and then no lesse to brave it out in these our Ornaments than a woman when she sees her selfe decked with all costly array from top to toe If that which Cicero writes be true That no vertue gives to man greater Iustre than In his book of Offices Magnanimity we may thence safely conclude That none ought in this kinde to be preferred before a Christian Martyr who neither loves desires or admires ought save that which is honest and praiseworthy nor gathers any riches to himselfe but what he knows to be lasting and hopes to possesse for ever in the Kingdome of Heaven and therefore sleighting either mens favours or displeasures as those that are high borne contemne the one when they seem to smile and are not much daunted with the frowns of the other knowing right well that all things under the Sun are but vanity and subject to change with their ages and seasons We read in the Ecclesiasticall story of one Phanutius Bishop of Thebaides who under the tyranny of Maximinus having one of his eyes put out never presented himselfe before Constantine the Great but that good Emperour embracing of him would kisse that eye which being lost wee know how unseemly it causeth that part to be But thus the Emperour would shew That nothing ought to be in higher esteeme with us than the crosse of Christ and the markes thereof when we beare or weare them on any part of our bodies If the good and holy life oâ—a Christian be so much set by of us then must the death of such a one be much more glorious when for the name of Christ hee takes the same joyfully Who could be more deare in the eye of God the Father than his Son Iesus Christ Mat. 3. 17. Yet gave he him to suffer death for our sins and by suffering the same according to the will and appointment
from the Faith But Smetius being a man learned and of a quick understanding remained constant which so confounded his opposite that hée went away with shame The Fryer invented a recantation to which it was reported that Smetius had subscribed But an Elder of the Church whose name was Cornelius Specox comming to the knowledge thereof by the helpe of friends got a sight of the said Recantation Who in the presence of divers friends conferring a certaine Letter which Smetius had put his name unto with that writing found it in nothing to agree therewith and therefore the recantation to bée méerely counterfeited The eighth of February being Saturday Smetius having his feete tied under an horses belly on which he was set was thus brought to Vilvourd to the * Hee was apprehended by his Provost with 20. horsemen as he was preaching at Malives When Smetins saw them he exhorted the congregation to be quiet for they are come said he to take me but the assembly was by and by scattered Provost who himselfe was afterwards hanged for his villanies His Sergeants passing immediatly along with him through Malives went towards Malladery of Wallen where finding a ladder set up to an oake they hanged him thereon Smetius being on the Ladder used these words Lord forgive them for they know not what they doe And then singing certaine verses of a Psalme he yéelded up his soule into the hands of the Lord. ¶ Master Iohn Goris and Ioris of Asschen Martyrs Anno 1567. IOhn Goris Chirurgion borne in Audenard travelling towards Gaud was betrayed by two spies who signified the same to the Bayliffe himselfe also going the same way whither Goris was travelling him The Bailiffe hirsting after the bloud of this poore innocent rid on till hee had overtaken him asking him whether hée went I am going said Goris to the Parish of Nazaret And I purpose also said the Bayliffe to goe thither wee will beare you company Having passed on thus a little way the Bayliffe thinking himselfe sure of Goris began to lay hands upon him Goris séeing that leaped over a ditch and got into a little wood The wood was presently beset with Countrey people and being there apprehended he was carried to Audenard as a shéep to the slaughter where he was committed to prison They layed many things to his charge which they were not able to prove Being examined the second time upon divers articles hee answered thereunto with such wisedome that the Counsell admired how a man of so meane account could defend his cause in so good a manner But after they came to question with him concerning matters of Religion now I see saith he that you seek my bloud The night following hee was overtaken with By this we see that man stands not by his owne strength such an apprehension of the feare of death that for saving his life hee was almost resolved to deny the truth But by the assistance of Gods holy spirit calling his thoughts together hee instantly and ardently besought the Lord to deliver him out of this temptation that by the power of his grace he might overcome the infirmity of his flesh which prayer of faith the Lord had such respect unto that from that time he manifestly resisted all Satans assaults and maintained the truth Though I fall saith the Church yet I shall arise Mâ—ch 7. 8. Act. 7 60. unto his last breath Having received sentence he was nothing appalled thereat but like the holy Martyr S. Stephen prayed God that he would not lay his death to their charge Comming to the place where he was to be executed casting himselfe downe prostrate he made his prayer to God in which prayer albeit he sought the Lord to forgive his Enemies yet added he this withall I am perswaded that God being a just Iudge will not leave their sinne unpunished Which prediction fell out not long after for the Bailife who apprehended him rejoyced in standing by whilst the martyr was executed was not long after shot with a harquebuse whereof he presently died like a wretch After Goris was thus executed they brought forth his fellow prisoner called Ioris of Asschen who the same day suffered the same kind of death that is to say he was hanged upon a gibbet which death he endured for the name of Christ with like constancy as did the former Which courage of his he thus manifested to his parents and friends in a letter written to them a little before his death ¶ A Letter written by Ioris of Asschen to his Parents and Friends a little before the time of his Martyrdome MOst deare Father and Mother Sister and Brother I write here unto you comfortable newes namely that in all my life I never saw any day so pleasing to me as this is in which the Lord hath counted me worthy to be one of his Champions and to suffer for his holy Name For which I give him most humble and hearty thanks I also thanke you much good Father and Mother that in all my distresses you have beene beneficiall and helpfull unto me and carefull for me for which the Lord aboundantly reward you in his kingdome Rejoyce with me I pray you that God hath now called me to such a glorious and welcome marriage day Oh how precious in the sight of the Lord our God is the death of his Martyrs Deare friends two Priests yea and some of the Magistrates also have sought to terrifie me with many threats thinking to turne me aside from my holy profession but the Lord of his great mercy hath given me his grace to withstand them all for I plainly told them I was not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ but would be willing and ready to die in the defence thereof following my Lord and Master Iesus Christ thorow all afflictions to be made partaker with him at the last of his eternall joyes in his celestiall Tabernacle Wherefore if God shal cal any of you forth to suffer ought for his Names sake beare the same I beseech you with meeknesse and patience not declining from the Truth for feare or favour to the right hand or to the left but feare him rather who is able to cast soule and body into hell The time which God hath lent us to converse in this world is but short and therefore let us begin to abandon the love thereof with all things that are therein betimes that so we may be ready to follow the call of God Deare Father and Mother I doe take my last farewell of you untill we meet together againe in the Kingdome of heaven where we shall partake of that joy which shall last for ever all sorrowes teares and griefes being wiped away Be ye not therefore grieved I pray you but be patient for the affliction which is befalne me is most acceptable unto me for which also I blesse and praise the Lord. The Lord prosper you in all your wayes to his glory and your good Thanke all
to them and returned answer in forme of an Edict granting to those of Rochell Montauban Nismes and others which stood upon their defence liberty for the exercises of Religion the rest to live peaceably in their houses and therein to minister the sacrament of â—aptisme and marriage as they had wont to doe so as their assemblies excéeded not the number of ten besides the parents He restored to the Rochellers and others their rites and priviledges letting fall all the decrées given out against them approving of their defensive war giving them leave according to their ancient custome to retaine in their Cities Towers and Fortresses men and munition yea to receive in Governours among them provided that they were such as they had no cause to suspect or except against By vertue of this Edict upon the tenth day of Iuly about ten of the clocke in the forenoone the Sieur of Biron entred into the City at the gate called de Coigne with an Herauld of armes and foure of the Kings Trumpetters at which houre peace was proclaimed in the most eminent places thereof accompanied with the Lieutenant of the City and with the Lord of Villiers After which dining at the Maiors house he soone after retyred being conducted along till he came without the City The same day many small Vessels laden with Biskets Corne Meale Fish and other provision Acertaine Gentleman Nephew to Puygaillard Governour of Angiers bragging that he had beene one who murthered the Admirall shewing a short sword which he had used in that slaughter threatenâ—d the like to the Rochellers but God cut him short also at the siege of Sancerre entred into the Haven At this siege the Duke D' Amaule lost his life with Cosseins who had broken into the Admirals Lodging and began the massacre at Paris besides many great Lords Gentlemen Captaines Lieutenants and Antients to the number of thréescore the greater part of which having their hands embrued in those other bloody massacres being come thither received their reward namely either present death or wounds so incurable that they escaped not with life One thing ought not here to be passed over in silence to wit the provision of victuals which God furnished this besieged people withall when all other provisions began to faile them namely an infinite number of small fishes never séene before in that haven which every day yéelded themselves to the mercy of the necessitons inhabitants But as soone as the Edict was published and the Rochellers set at liberty by the arriving of the Polish Embassadors these sea fishes withdrew themselves ¶ Although this relation following touching another siege of this City of Rochel sutes nothing at all with the order of time happening as it did in the yeare 1628. yet forasmuch as it seemes to have some affinity with the terrible famine where with both the City of Sancerre and it were afflicted let not the reader be offended for placing the same here somewhat out of place being a thing so worthy of note ¶ An extract of a Letter written on board the Saint George his Majesties Ship in Saint Georges Island THere dyed in this siege of Rochel the thirtieth of October 1628 sixtéen thousand persons the rest enduring a world of miseries most of all their food being hides leather and old gloves other provisions being very scarse were at an excessive rate viz. A Bushell of wheate xx li. A pound of bread xx s. A quarter of Mutton vi li. od mony A pound of Butter xxx s. An Egge viii s. An ounce of Sugar ii s. vi d. A dryed fish xx s. A pinte of Wine xx s. A pound of grapes iii. s. A pinte of Milke xxx s. Also it is reported that through the famine yong maids of fourtéen or sixtéen yeares of age did looke like old women of an hundred yeares old The famine was such that the poore people would cut off the buttocks of the dead as they lay in the Church yard unburied All the English that came out looked like Anatomies They lived two moneths with nothing but Cow hides and Goats skins boiled the dogs cats mice and frogs being all spent And this with a world of other miseries did they suffer in hope of being reléeved by others Thus much I thought good to let you understand ¶ A description of the manner of the death of Charles the ninth King of France IN the yeare 1574. Charles the ninth King of France in the time of whose raigne these forenamed execrable massacres were executed fell sicke which sicknesse seised upon him before his brother the Duke of Aniou tooke his voyage into Poland from which during the winter season he obtained some recovery But that which then séemed to lie hidden brake forth again afresh in the Spring so as this Prince after he had languished thrée whole moneths viz. February March and April drew his Physitians to a consultation about the state of his body who in the end concluded to purge and let him blood But these remedies tooke not such an effect as the King and they expected for he still wasted and consumed away being in the flower of his age to the wonder of many Some guessed he had taken a surfet either in eating or drinking others that hee was enchanted The thirtieth of May he dyed in the presence of his mother and of the Cardinals of Bourbon and Ferrare c. He was borne on the twenty seventh day of Iune 1550. He began his raigne the first of December 1560. and so reigned as that it gives to posterity iust cause both of admiration and detestation Thus this Prince lived not forty yeares fully compleat Now if any desire to be further Anno 1588 satisfied as touching the manner of his death I referre them to that which Master Iohn Fox hath written thereof not many lines before the conclusion of this booke commonly called the booke of Martyrs A note touching a Bull of Pope Sixtus the fifth wherein the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde were declared Heretiques c. with the censure thereof by the Parliament of Paris IN September 1585. Pope Sixtus the fifth by a Bull sent from Rome condemned the king of Navarre and the Prince of Conde for Heretikes excommunicated them degrading them and their successors from their dignities especially laying claime to the Crowne of France absolving their subjects from their oath of alleigiance and exposing their Countries for a prey to them that could first subdue them The Court of Parliament of Paris made a notable remonstrance to the King concerning these Buls in the which they sought to maintain the priviledges of the Gallicane Church Among other things these words that follow are very remarkable The Court thinks that these Buls are set forth in a stile altogether of a new stamp and so contrary to the modesty of former Popes that they can in no sort discerne therein the spirit of a successor of the Apostles And therefore as the
of his heavenly Father hath he not obtained a name which is above every name That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow c. If Gods glory ought to be preferred before all things yea our owne salvation and that Christ by dying to save us hath obtained the greatest glory that ever was what may we judge of that death we endure for his honour his word and for the maintenance of his pureworship and service Abraham never performed a more honourable act than in offering up his son Isaac at Gods command nor for which he is more praised I demand then that seeing our owne life is more deare and precious to us than the life of another whether the Martyrs who according to the will of God and for his honour have been so prodigall of their bloud have not deserved greater or at least an equall praise and commendation with Abraham The Bishops of old had such an honourable esteem of martyrdome that they preferred it before their Episcopall dignities so as both themselves and their Disciples and followers whom they had taught were so ambitious thereof that when they wanted opportunity to suffer being excluded therefrom by the interceding of friends or were not the first that suffered they took it so to heart that some of them carried the grief thereof to their graves Thinke I pray you what a shame it were for a Gentleman who being called by his Prince to fight in his warres should busie himselfe onely about combing curling and perfuming his haire tooting all day in a Looking-glasse to decke and attire himselfe and then judge by that what valiant souldiers we are and what a goodly reputation wee shall reap either at the hands of God or of good men if in our spirituall warfare wherein we are to be imployed during our whole life whilest the alarme is strucken up and every one mounted to give the onset in the face of the enemy we in the meane time will play least in sight hiding our selves behind every bush as Schollers that are loth to go to Schoole for feare of the rod. Good God That men of noble spirits should so much affect the renowne of being valiant fearing nothing more than to be reputed for base fellows and cowards yea some are so jealous thereof that they cannot endure to heare so much as a suspition of flying and yet all this their valour tends only to covet a fame which consists in skill how to kill and destroy mens lives Now we being kings then and the adopted children of God if either greatnesse of our courage or noblenesse of our house or birth whence we are descended may prevaile any thing with us then who I pray you ought to shew forth more valour than the faithfull or more dread the staining of their honour by playing the dastards This being yet one argument more to put spirits in them namely that their prowesse tends not to kill and slay mens bodies as that of worldlings doth but to save heale support and sâ—ccour as the arme and power of God which is far more honourable than the other CHAP. III. Manifesting the great profit and benefit which the faithfull reap by Persecution HAving shewed in the former Chapter that a more honorable condition cannot befall a Christian than to suffer affliction for the name of Christ wee are here to shew how nothing is more beneficiall and profitable which will the better appeare if wee reckon up some few particulars thereof To begin with the first then In affliction God manifests his readinesse to comfort us and his power in sustaining and upholding us that we sinke not under the weighâ—â—f them Examples whereof we have in Ioseph and David and sundry others who by the afflictions they suffered for righteousnesse sake were prepared in that which God had appointed the one to be Governour over the land of Aegypt the other over the kingdome of Israel For as in the time of warre a Captaine or a Generall Three similies of an army takes occasion there to let his souldiers see his fidelity vigilancy fortitude and skill he hath in leading them out and in and as a Physitian among the sicke and diseased is occasioned to exercise the profundity of his art and experience he hath atchieved Or as friends when we are in distresse doe give us to understand what love they beare towards us and how mindfull they are of us Even so or much more doth God declare how greatly he loveth us and how faithfull he is in performing his promises in the time of our distresses which is no meane benefit For the experience which we get from his bounty love power and care of our welfare causeth us with greater confidence to stay and rest our selves wholly upon him and the tryall also of his fidelity doth more and more confirme us in waiting for the performance of his promises which consequently occasionshim to accomplish the same in us Againe had we no other good for which wee ought to rejoyce in afflictions and accustome our selves to beare them both patiently and thankfully but this that they serve to set forth Gods glory which after a sort shines in us while during our troubles he upholds us in them and in due time delivers us out of them what can we desire more For his glory ought to be so deare unto us that if our damnation it selfe might be a means to advance it we should not refuse to undergoe it but freely and willingly offer our selves to be cast into hell Subjects and servants joy in nothing more than in seeing their lords and masters highly honoured as on the contrary nothing vexeth them more than when they see them disesteemed or ought to be broached tending to the impeaching or obscuring their estimation or honour Shall we then who are not only subjects and servants but have obtained the prerogative to be accounted sons and friends in our fathers house and family shall not we I say rejoyce The second fruit which we reap from affliction is that hereby God multiplies his gifts and graces upon us as it is written Mygrace is sufficient 2 Cor. 12. 9. for thee for my power is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. 9. Humility Faith Patience Prudence and Repentance are augmented and increased in us by suffering persecutions For look as bodily exercise is an help to increase health strength and heate in the outward man and catechising or posing of children to which we often call them is the way whereby they grow in knowledge even so the severall tryals and troubles through which God exerciseth and makes proofe of our faith cause it to grow from a lesse measure and degree thereof unto a greater A Captaine who hath once or twise besieged a city or castle becomes much more expert hardy and wary than a fresh water souldier so also is the prudence counsell courage fortitude and zeale much greater and resolution stronger in such as have often passed through
will never resume it againe Christ hath now set me frée I will be no longer of the Order of the slaves of Satan One of the Magistrates of Bruges conferring with him promised to procure his deliverance if he would yéeld but a little and if his fryers coate displeased him he would get him a dispensatton from the Pope to forbeare the wearing of it and provide him a Canonship Sir said Charles I give you many thankes for your good will and these your kinde offers would to God I could accept of them without offending his Maiesty you offer me a Canonship that I might live quietly and in security but know you sir That rest is That is not worthy the name of rest which is procured with offence of conscience A judgement of God upon a persecutor no true rest and quietnsse which is obtained against the peace of a good conscience A few dayes after his execution one of them who had his hand déepest in procuring his cruell death died himselfe in such terror and horror of conscience that it gave sufficient testimony to those of Brugoes that they had put to death an Innocent and that God was highly offended with those that had persecuted him ¶ Philibert Hamelin of Tournay Minister and Martyr was there executed in the yeere 1557. WHilest he remained prisoner some of his friends dealt with him to breake prison and offered him meanes tending thereto But he on the contrary having resolved to give his life for so just a quarrell as he maintained refused saying I esteeme it altogether unbeseeming for a Preachers must be no breakers of prisons man that is called to preach Gods Word to others to run away and breake prison for fear of danger but rather to maintaine the Truth taught even in the midst of the flaming fire After sentence of death was passed upon him by the court whereby he knew he had not long to live yet did he eat his dinner with the rest of the prisoners as joyfully as though he had béen in no A good conscience is a continuall feast danger speaking unto them of the happinesse of eternall life comforting all that sate at table with him in the Consciergery That none might hear what he said at the place of execution the trumpets were caused to be sounded continually yet might it be séene both by his gestures and chéerefulnesse of his countenance that they could not let him from speaking to God ¶ Archambant Seraphon Martyr in the yeere 1557. BEing demanded what he thought of the Pope and his authority he answered I think verily A practise of the Papists that same is he of whom Saint Paul speakes in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians Chapter the second Which words he being willed to signe with his hand Yea yea sir said he I am now ready to signe it with my blood rather than with Inke Hee reports in a Letter written to his wife The Martyrs ready to scale the truth with their blood A Iaylor of a Lyon became a Lamb. and friends that whereas this Iaylor was wont to carry himselfe as sternly towards him as a Lyon roaring alwaies in such wise upon him that all the prisoners were amased at it the Lord had now so mollified his heart that he became as méek as a Lambe declaring how he would come and visite him himselfe in his prison and as well as he was able comforted him saying Take no care God will assist you nor shall it be so ill with you as you thinke for For what doe your enemies say Alas he is but a silly pedler who passing along this way broached his opinions to none that also which he holds concerning the same he keepes to himselfe therefore be of good cheere Sir said he I praise God I am of good comfort being ready to receive whatsoever it shall please him to appoint If life life if death death be it One thing I had like to have omitted concerning him which yet is worth the noting namely this This Archambant in a letter to his wife puts An exhortation to get the Psalmes without booke his brethren in minde to learn Davids Psalms My brethren saith he I exhort you in the Name of God that you would learne yea learne the Psalmes without booke whilest you have time and leasure for when you shall be cast into dark prisons I say when God shall call you to suffer for his sake you shall then have no booke with you whether of a small or great Print to sée what part succeeds another which I now utter to my great griefe and shame for if I should tell you I lacked forewarning long agoe you can beare witnesse to the contrary Nor doe I know now what to doe but even to humble my selfe before the Lord crying unto him Mercy mercy Lord have mercy upon me Blessed and happy are they who are carefull to get knowledge and faith as oyle into their vessels before the Bridegroome come When he looked on his hands he was wont to say ô flesh thou must suffer and be turned into ashes untill the last day Ieffery Vergale Martyr in the yeare 1557. He was burned at Turin the last of December STanding upon a stoole at the stake the executioner according to the custome prayed him to forgive him his death Ieffery answered him I not onely forgive thee but those also who first imprisoned me at Burges yea those that brought me to this City and have condemned me to this death Be not afraid doe thine office my death shall not be unprofitable The death of the Martys is not without fruit Nicolas Ieuville Martyr in the yeere 1557. who with two others mentioned hereafter were burned in the place called Mawbert without Paris in France THis godly Martyr being condenmed to be burned alive and his tongue to be cut out the Tormentor being there present offered to put the halter about his necke but he repulsed him twice appealing from the Sentence But because he was pressed upon to receive it the third time and thinking his appeale would not take place he took it saying Praysed be God for I am now counted worthy to be one of the heavenly Order Two innocents condemned to suffer death the one of them being called Henry the Taylor THis Henry reioyced at the hearing of the These two were burnt at Antwerpe The Martyrs willingly give their necks to the blocke but left the punishment to their persecutors sentence read saying This is the day we have long expected and therefore give our selves willingly to die but as for the punishment my masters that we leave to you yet we pray that God would pardon you this injustice At which spéeches the Magistrates turned away their faces not willing to heare it but Adrian who was the other Martyr told them boldly That God would require the blood of the iust at their hands whom they daily put to death The next day being appointed for their
was in his body And thus yée have heard the godly life and blessed end of this constant martyr ¶ Martin Bayart Claude du Flot with Io. Dantricourt borne in the Countrey of Artois and Noel Tournemine of Hering neere Seclin Martyrs 1566. YOu may easily discerne by the former Histories that the cruelties exercised against the Faithfull in Flanders nothing diminished the increasing of them for the innocent bloud thus shed was a meanes to bring many ignorant soules to the knowledge of the Truth These foure above named dwelling in the City of Lisle walked in the feare of the Lord with zeale according to knowledge as the event well manifested There was a Iesuit in the said City who had a servant that was cousin to one of the Martyrs with whom they laboured not without some perill first to shew him the odiousnesse of that sect and then to instruct him in the doctrine of the Gospell To which purpose they lent him a booke containing good instructions drawne out of the holy Scriptures The silly fellow not considering the hurt that might follow shewed it soone after to his Master The false Prophet by and by knew that this booke was not forged upon his anvile and therefore diligently enquired of his man where he had it Now that he might with the more expedition attaine his desire he gave him a piece of seven stivers telling him he should do well to bring him to the knowledge of them from whom he had received it which was not hard to doe in regard they all foure wrought upon their Trade which was to dresse sayes in an honest widowes house who professed the same Religion with them The Iesuite comming to the knowledge hereof failed not according to their guise to reveale it to the Magistrate Now lest he might be suspected to be the betrayer of them the Fox withdrew himselfe the same time out of the City whilst on a saturday morning about two of the clocke these foure were apprehended and imprisoned by the Magistrate It fell out the same day that certain writings were set up upon the Towne-house against the horrible tyranny of the Spanish Inquisition which was then intended to be brought in and executed throughout the Low-Countries which no doubt was the meanes wherby the Magistrates were the rather incensed against the prisoners But forasmuch as they were not found guilty of having any hand in this businesse they were onely examined about matters concerning their Faith To which they answered with such Anno 1566. courage and constancy without varying or wavering that the Iailour wondred how they could answer the Iudges so directly and pertinently as it were with one consent being notwithstanding severed one from another in the prison The second of March 1566. they were condemned for heretiques by the Provost of the City to which they replyed that if they were Heretiques then Gods word must néeds be heresie which could not be and therefore they fréely protested before all that they were Christians and held nothing but that which was agréeable to the word of God They were asked if they would submit themselves to the will of the Magistrates They answered they would submit themselves to the will of God Then was sentence of death forthwith pronounced upon them which was that they should be burned alive before the Towne-house When they were brought out of Prison to be executed Noels father came and embraced him and kissing him said Art thou led my son in this sort unto death This is nothing Father said hée for now am I going to life And howsoever Noel wept in going up to the Scaffold séeing his father so dissolved into teares yet recovering himselfe and being armed with new courage he cryed O yée Priests if we would have gone to your Masse we néeded not to have béen here but Iesus Christ never commanded nor instituted any such thing The Priests standing at the foot of the scaffold laboured to make the people beéeve they were Heretiques and that their faith was the faith of devills because they rejected the Sacraments But to that one of them answered that their Faith was nothing like to that of devills and as touching the Sacraments they held so many as Christ ordained Then said Martin suffer us to die in peace for we are in the right way and are going to Iesus Christ hinder us not in this our journey with these and the like spéeches the Priests mouthes were stopped not daring to come up upon the Scaffold as they were wont to doe Iohn Dauticourt comming up recited the articles of the Créed adding somewhat by way of exposition upon every Article Those who knew him before his imprisonment marvelled to heare him speake so judiciously The executioner thinking to please his Masters offered to gag him but the patient promised to hold his peace Yet being straitly fastened to the stake by the necke he said to the people O my friends were it for speaking wickedly that they commanded me to be silent it were somewhat but I cannot be permitted to speake unto you the word of God and with a loud voice said Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or anguish O Lord we are delivered to death for thy sake and are appointed as sheepe for the slaughter But let us be of good cheere my brethren for wee shall be more than conquerours through him that loved us The other thrée on their parts cryed and said Mat. 7. 14. This this is the way that leads to life this is the strait way by which we must enter thereinto as Christ our Lord hath taught us Noel likewise said Enter you my brethren and whilest I am alive pray for me for after death prayers prevaile not When all of them were fastened to their stakes and covered with fagots with fire ready to set thereto they began with one voice to sing the first part of the seven and twentieth Psalme and after that the song of Simeon to the end after which the fire began to be kindled in the middest whereof they were heard to cry ten or twelve times to the Lord especially Iohn and Noel with loud voices calling and saying Lord receive us this day unto mercy and unto thy kingdome And thus ceasing to cry any more they yéelded up their soules into the hands of God This constancy of theirs procéeding from the worke of Gods Spirit was not without singular fruit for the inlarging of the Church for many being touched therewith went home thence as if they had gone from a powerfull sermon ¶ Francis D' Alost in Flanders Martyr in the yeare 1566. THis yong man being by his trade a Cutler during the time of his ignorance frequented the Court much and tooke great delight in the vanity of this world which gat him much respect of many but chiefly among those of the Romish Religion namely Priests and Monkes who willingly conversed with him taking much contentment in his carriage and course
thee to wrath by our infinite sinnings against thee yea by our rebellions which now testifie against us For alas Lord our life hath no way béen answerable to that perfect obedience which thou in thy holy Law justly requirest at our hands which we from day to day do transgresse and therefore doe here cast downe our selves at this time before thy glorious presence unfeignedly acknowledging our misery and wretchednesse from the very bottome of our hearts Yet Lord mercy is with thee and because thou art our father therefore thou desirest not the death of sinners but rather that they should convert and live For this cause we now fall downe before the throne of thy grace with confidence of obtaining thy wonted mercy which thou hast promised to such as call upon thee in truth beséeching thee which art the Father of mercies to haue compassion on all such whom thou hast humbled under thy mighty hand by any of thy rods and chastisements but more especially this thy servant the Quéene who lieth here before thee sicke of a dangerous disease that as thou hast righteously afflicted her for her sinnes which she also doth with us acknowledge so it would please thee in pardoning them all unto her for thy beloved sone sake to grant that she may profit by this thy correcting hand for the time to come Above all give her a swéet sense yea a full assurance of thy eternall loves that so she may with the greater patience take downe this bitter potion ministred unto her from thy hand and that the sole desire of enjoying thy presence may cause her to forget all worldly greatnes and magnificence knowing that they are nothing in respect of the glory which is now set before her Endure her also with méekenesse of minde to beare the tediousnesse of her affliction for howsoever the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weake yea full of resisting and unbeliefe that so receiving all things from thee as from as father she may the more willingly submit her will unto thine And because O good God thou hast made her hitherto an happy instrument for the advancement of thy glory and the defence of thy poore afflicted people we pray thee if it may stand with thy good pleasure restore her to health againe that so the excellent work which thou hast by her means begun may not be left unperfect but by vertue of this her deliverance she may with renewed forces undertake the same in better sort than ever heretofore especially for the well educating and training up the children which thou hast given her But Lord if thou have a purpose now to call her home to thy selfe who are we that we should contradict thy holy will onely we pray thee that thou wouldst confirme her more and more in the knowledge of thy blessed Gospell and thereby also in the certainty of her salvation which thou hast given her by faith in thy sonne Jesus Christ that thus she may not cease to sanctifie and call upon thy holy name unto her last breath And as touching our selves who are here by thy good providence gathered together about her being in bodily health give us to know the uncertainty and brevity of our life that so according to our duty we may behold the same in this mirrour which thou hast set before us as knowing that even the greatest in the world are subject to the same calamities as well as the small that so our chiefe care may be to imploy the remainder of our time to thy honor and service all which we craâ—e of thee in the name of Jesus Christ thy son our only Mediator and Advocate Amen Thus we have as néere as we could gathered the summe of the prayer During which she ceased not with hands and eies stedfastly lifted up to heaven to fetch many déep sighes especially when mention was made of that mercy of God in Christ which he extendeth towards poore sinners So as there was not any there present that might not evidently perceive that her heart and affections were joyned to the prayer which we pronounced in her presence And while she thus lay she still continued in her godly resolution to depart hence that shee might be with Christ taking great delight in the holy and Christian exhortations which were usually made unto her by many godly and learned men who came in to visit her to whom shee also manifested no small testimony of that faith and hope which she had in God touching the salvation of her soule by her holy and Christian spéeches which for brevities sake are here omitted Yea albeit the Lord exercised her much with the sense of her inward disease yet could you not at any time discerne any spéech lavouring of discontentment or impatience to procéed out of her mouth nay scaâ—sely a groane which not only those of her owne family but many others can testifie even the Quéene Mother with others also who now and then came in to see her But if at any time she felt any refreshings from the violence of her disease there being no malady so vehement which hath not some intermission and breathing time she manifested to all her willingnesse to obtaine the recovery of her former health refusing to that end no good meanes prescribed for her by the learned Physitians Againe when she perceived her sicknesse to encrease upon her and that she grew worse and worse she was no whit appalled thereat but shewed her selfe to be armed with an invincible Anno 1568. constancy to undergooe the utmost that death could doe against her preparing her selfe willingly for that last conflict Moreover séeing her Ladies and Gentlewomen wéeping about her bed she would forthwith rebuke them saying I pray you wéep not for me forasmuch as you sée God doth now by this sicknesse call me hence to enjoy a better life and to enter in at the desired haven towards which this fraile vessel of mine hath for a long time béene stéering only she shewed her selfe somewhat grieved that she lacked opportunity to reward them and many more of her family and train which had done her faithful service as she could have wished excusing her selfe with these words unto them that it was not for want of good will but by being overtaken and so prevented by this her unexpected sicknesse But saith shée I will not faile to give order concerning the same to my uttermost ability In the end féeling her strength to decay more and more she gave order to have her last will and testament made wherin she above all wished that her children might have but the grace to honor and feare the Lord exhorting them constantly to continue in the profession of the Gospell in which they had béen trained up from their youth ordaining especially that her daughter the Princesse should be educated and instructed therein by the foure Ladies which she had appointed and brought with her out of Bearne for that end and purpose And being come
to age her desire was that she might be joyned in marriage to some Prince of the same religion by the counsell and advice of the Cardinall of Bourbon and Gasper Count of Colligny Admirall of France whom she made Executors and overséers of her said Testament But here it may not be omitted briefly to relate another conference which she had with a Minister of the Gospell before her departure The eighth of Iune which was the day before her death she caused a Minister of the Gospel to be called for and finding that she was drawing nigher unto her end than before she willed him to speake somewhat largely of such temptations as Satan is wont to assaile Gods elect withall in their last conflict To which the Minister answered that then was the houre indéed wherein that sworne enemy of all the faithfull did most busily bestir himselfe if he could to deprive them of the comfort of their salvation not sparing at that time especially to set upon them with might and maine but yet even then the Lord is not nor will be wanting to his filling their hearts with such joy and comfort of the holy Ghost as shall make them through the same more than conquerours The first engine then which satan useth against the Saints to cause them to despaire is to present before their eyes the innumerable heapes of their sins and pollutions wherewith they have any way béen defiled in their whole life and then presents unto them Gods justice before which no flesh can be able to subsist unlesse it be pure and spotlesse whence he infers that miserable sinners can expect and looke for nothing but an horrible desolation and condemnation But against these assaults in the first place must be opposed as David doth in the one and fiftieth Psalme the infinite multitudes of Gods compassions which doe infinitely surpasse the multitudes of our sins And as touching the justice of God we confesse that no creature that is defiled with sin can in any sort abide to be strictly examined by it if he shall call the same to a severe account but we also know that God will never enter into judgement with those that beléeve in his son but allowes unto them that righteousnesse and obedience which was accomplished in him which is only sufficient for us being imputed unto us to oppose against the judgement of God therefore in it alone they expect to stand before his face and not by their owne dignity or worthinesse Indéed if they were to appeare before the throne of Iustice to receive thence what they have deserved they had good reason to be overwhelmed in utter despaire as off as they thinke upon or looke on the same but turning their eyes upon him who being the eternall Son of God hath clothed himself with our humane nature to beare in the same the punishment due to our sins and therein acquitted us then Gods justice doth no way affright us but rather yéelds us assured comfort because they make this their full resolution that forasmuch as God is just he cannot require the same debt twice Having therefore received full and perfect satisfaction of him whom he hath ordained to be our surety and paid our debts for us thence we gather assurance that he wil no more require them of us To which purpose these sentences are to be well observed It is Christ who hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrows That the chastisement Isa 53 4. 5. of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed That we all like shéep have gone astray and have turned every one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all Christ is our peace and the propitiation for our sins The Lambe of God which taketh Eph. 2. 14. 1 Iohn 2. 2. Iohn 1. 29. away the sins of the world These with many the like sentences the Minister propounded by way of answer to this vertuous Ladies demand concluding the same thus that Gods justice ought not to terrifie those that beleeve in Christ of whose 1 Cor. 1. 30. righteousnes and redemption they are partakers knowing that Iesus Christ who knew no sinne was made sin that is to say an oblation for sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him I grant saith he that these things belong not to all indifferently but only to such as beléeving in the Son of God doe wholly rest themselves satisfied in the merit of his death and passion which Acts 4 12 merit of his as Saint Peter witnesseth sufficeth for their salvation After these matters premised he asked her whether she placed whole confidence on Christ crucified who dyed for her sins and rose againe for Rom. 4. 25. her justification To which the noble Princesse answered that she neither expected salvation righteousnesse nor life from any else then from her only Saviour Iesus Christ being assured that his only merit abundantly sufficed for the full satisfaction of all her sins albeit they were innumerable This being your Faith Madam said the Minister you cannot come into condemnation but Iohn 5. 24. are passed from death to life Then taking an occasion again to resume her former spéech that she had no cause to be afraid of Gods Throne of Heb. 4 16. Iustice séeing it was turned into a Throne of Grace and Mercy unto her and that the houre of death should now be excéedingly welcome to her séeing it could be nothing else but a swéet passage into a far better life as also the time in which all Phil 1. 23. Rev. 21. 4. feares should be wiped away from her eyes He likewise shewed that she should doe well continually to be thinking on that excellent sentence Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord because Rev. 14. 13. from thenceforth they rest from their labours and their workes follow them For then said he the time approacheth wherein she should enjoy the visible presence and society of her husband Christ and have fellowship with the blessed Angels and celestiall spirits with the holy Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and Martyrs Anno 1572. of the Son of God to partake with them of the same felicity and glory The Minister minding yet further to sound her whether she were loth to leave this life used these words And now good Madam said he if it should please God by this your sicknesse to put an end to this wearisome pilgrimage of yours where yet you remaine with us and to call you home to himselfe whereof he gives us to sée some evident signes and tokens are you willing I beséech you to goe unto him To which this excellent Princesse with great magnanunity and courage without any astonishment replyed Yes I assure you Then he once againe added good Madam open the eyes of your Faith and behold Iesus your great Redéemer sitting at the right hand of his Father reaching
out his hand to receive you unto him Are you are you willing to goe unto him Yes I assure you saith she most willing and much more willing than to linger here below in this world where I see nothing but vanity The minister not willing to continue longer in this kinde of discourse asked if she were pleased that they should goe to prayer declaring that godly personages there present would willingly joyne their desires with hers To which she consenting the said Minister prayed by her a good space whilest this pious Lady manifested her ardent affection to call upon God When prayer was ended the Minister discerning in her the undoubted testimonies of her repentance and of the sorrow she conceived for the offences which she had committed against God together with the assured confidence which shée had in his mercies as a Minister of the Gospell amd Embassadour of the Son of God by the authority dispensed to him having committed to him the word of reconciliation he assured her in his name that all her sins were forgiven her of 1 Cor. 5. God and that they should never come into account before his judgement Seat yea that she should no more dount thereof then if the Sonne of God from heaven should say unto her Daughter thy sins are forgiven thee And to the end that troubled consciences might the better be quieted Christ hath used these words speaking to his Ministers saying Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted Mat. 16. 14. and whose sins ye unloose they are unloosed The reason is because the word which they pronounce is not the word of a mortall man but of the immortall God being of no lesse weight than if himselfe uttered the same Then he asked of her Majesty if he accepted of so gracious a Message which assured her of the frée pardon of all her sins Yea I doe saith shee and make no doubt thereof Not long after these exhortations the Admirall comming in and with him another Minister shée also gave care to him for a good space together whose discourse tended to prepare her for death as he had done who had spoken to her immediatly before who having finished his spéech prayed also with her and for her which she heard with great attention and affection Then she requested that these two ministers might stay with her all night in her Chamber and that they would in no wise leave her The greater part of this night was spent in holy admonitions which these two ministers gave to this gracious Lady and Princesse one after another Besides these admonitions she commanding that some Chapters of the holy Scripture which were pertinent for her condition should be read unto her one of the Ministers read in her hearing certaine Chapters out of the Gospell of Saint Iohn namely from the fouretéenth to the seventéenth After he had read to her these Chapters he went to prayer which being ended the Quéene desired to take some rest but it was not long ere she commanded them to reade again whereupon the other Minister having made choise of certaine Psalmes of David full of ardent and affectionate prayers suiting to this Princesses present affliction he read them unto her and for a conclusion read the one and thirtieth Psalme Psal 31. 5. where the Prophet among other things doth there commend his spirit into the hands of God because saith he thou hast redéemed me O Lord God of truth The Quéene willed them to pray with her again and thus as I have said was the most part of the night spent in such vertuous exercises namely in exhortation in reading the holy Scripture and in prayer during all which time the ministers never discerned in any of her spéeches or behaviour the least impatiency Nay whereas some dayes before she fell sick she shewed how affectionately she was bent to provide things most magnificent for the day of her Sons marriage according as the State of so great an alliance required it was admirable to observe that after thâ—s sicknesse had seized upon her God wrought in her such aforgetfulnesse and neglect of all such matters that she never made shew of having so much as a thought thereof This night being thus passed and spent by this noble Queene she persevering in the expressions of like pious actions and ardency of Faith the next day in the morning betwéen eight and nine of the clocke she departed this life to take possession of a far better life swéetly yéelding up her spirit into the hands of God the ninth of Iune 1572. the sixth day after she fell sick in the 44. yeare of her age She had her perfect spéech alwaies even to the houre of her death shewing not only the stayednesse and soundnesse of her judgement which ever in times past she had in her care about the salvation of her soule but in her other worldly affaires also Now to avoide all jealousies and suspitions of her being wronged by poyson or otherwise in this matter of her so sudden sickenesse her body was opened by sundry expert and learned Doctors of Physick and Chirurgery with all exquisite diligence who found her heart and liver very sound and untouched her lungs only excepted which long before on the right side had béen very ill affected by reason of an extraordinary hardnesse which they had contracted and withall a great imposthume which so far as man could judge they concluded was the cause of her death But they had no command given them to open the braine and therefore finding somewhat out of frame in her body they delivered their opinions only concerning the same Thus you have with as much brevity as I could and as the merit of the thing required the true report of the manner of this vertuous Princesses sicknesse and death thus ar related unto you only my request is saith my Author that if any have a more perfect and particular knowledge of the excellent parts wherewith the Lord had adorned and beautified her they would not suffer the same to be buried in silence but to cause it to sée the light that on the one side it may serve as an example to posterity and on the other side that we may learne to blesse God for her piety and constancy ¶ An Introduction first into that which Anno 1572. leads to the death of the Admirall of France Then to the massacre at paris and so in some other Cities And first what moved the Admirall to come to Paris AFter the death of the Quéene certaine Princes were sollicited by the King to give their attendance at Paris for the folemnising the mariage of the Prince of Navarre now made king by the death of his mother according to the ceremonies which were thereto appertaining Among the rest letters were directed to the Admirall by the King himselfe to come to this marriage which were delivered unto him by Cavagues wherein the King assured him be would not tarry long after him Willing
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 off his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—nels throughout the stréets he was at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they 〈◊〉 him by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 were well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 body of the Admirall â—he which they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that doe she 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they could nver find it out but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—o as they were â—aine to 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and hung that up in stead of the body it self rather than none at all ¶ Here as in fittest place is briefly related the sentence which the Court of Parliament in Paris denounced against Gasper Coligne Admirall of France after hee was massacred as you have formerly heard viz. 1 FIrst That for his conspiracy practised against the King and the State in the yeare 1572 the said Court hath condemned him of high treason 2 That his memory shall bee utterly rased out 3 If his body or any figure thereof shall bee taken that the same shall be first drawne upon a hurdle to the place called Le Grene and there hanged upon a Gibbet by the Executioner 4 After which a Gibbet shall be set up at Mountfaucon and he there to be hanged up in the most eminent place thereof 5 His annes and armor to be drawne at an horse taile through the stréets of the said City of Paris and other Cities where they should bée found and there by the Minister of Iustice to be broken and battered in pieces in signe of his perpetuall ignominy 6 All his goods and possessions to be forfeited to the Kings use 7 All his children to be pronounced ignoble as also held unworthy and uncapable of any honor or dignities whatsoever 8 His house and castle of Chastillon upon the Loin with the base Court and all appurtenances thereunto appertaining to be defaced and demolished to the ground 9 Then in the said place this sentence shall be set up engraven in brasse 10 Lastly that on the foure and twentieth of August 1572 generall processions be made throgh the City of Paris by way of thanksgiving to God for this punishment inflicted upon the conspirator Pronounced and executed in Paris the seven and twentieth and nine and twentieth of October Anno 1572. Signe Malon At Rome solemn masses were sung and thanks Great joy at Rome for these sorrowfull events rendred to God for the good successe which the Roman Catholiques had obsained in massacring the Huguenots At night in token of joy and gladned were made many great bonfires in sundry places And as the report went the Cardinal of Lorraine gave a thousand Crownes to him that brought this desired newes unto him Touching whose death I will here insert that which I finde written of it The Cardinall of Lorraine a principall pillar A note touching the maner of the Cardinall of Lorrains Death in the house of Guise a crafty and cruell persecutor of the reformed churches soone after the raigne of Henry the third brother of Charles the ninth in the yeare 1574 died at Avignon frantique at the houre of whose death there hapned such a horrible tempest in the aire that all stood amased at it The people observing how it fell out in one of the chiefe Cities where Popery bare the sway thought it the more remarkable not sticking to say that this wise worldling who had enriched himselfe beyond measure by execcrable practises received now in the prime of his youth and in the top of his hopes the just reward of all his wicked procéedings it being not possible that a soul so replenished with iniquity could depart quietly But those of the Religion added That in this his so sudden departure shined the wonderfull providence of God in that one of the Popes great supporters comming to Avignon with a purpose to arme the King of France and Polonia against the Christian assemblies out of a vaine confidence thinking that at his onely word and threat the Prince would be perswaded to overthrow all it should fall out so contrary to his expectation that the master builder and upholder of violent and bloudy counsels must now in the middest of his triumphs come to so fearefull and miserable an end That he who bent all his wits to crosse the counsell and wisedome of God should at an instant in this City be smitten with frensie To give warning to all that there is no wisedome or counsell against the Lord who blasteth the ripest wits when they dare to oppose him there with But now to returne againe to the matter where wée left The same day that the Admirall was hurt the King advised the King of Navarre his brother in law to lodge in his chamber with ten or twelve of his trustiest servants to protect him from the designes of the Duke of Guise whom he called an unhappy boy The Admirall as it séemeth somewhat before his death made his will in which he gave the king counsell that he should not give his brethren over great portions The Quéen Mother hearing this and reading the same to the Duke of Alencon the Kings brother Now you sée saith she the heart of your friend the Admirall whom you so much loved and respected The Duke answered I know not how much he loved me but I well perceive by this how much he loved the King The English Embassador made almost the like The Admiral a loving and loyall servant to his Prince and Country answer when the said Quéene told him How the Admirall had advised the King not to trust the English too farre Indéed Madam saith he hereby it appeared that though he bare but little good will to the English yet he manifested himselfe a loyall servant to the Crowne of France The Sieur de Brion Governour of the little Brion governour to the Prince of Condes son massacred Marquesse Conde sonne to the late Prince of Conde hearing these stirres taking his little master even in his shirt thinking to convey him somewhere out of the way met these murtherers who plucking from him the said yong prince massacred the old man in his presence whilest the Prince with teares intreated them to spare his Governour But they died his white haires in his owne bloud and then barbarously dragged him through the mire This Sunday morning all that were popishly Ten thousand massacred within three dates in the City of Paris c. affected tooke liberty to kill and spoyle if being credibly reported That the number of the slaine that day and two other daies following in the City of Paris and in the Suburbs did amount to above ten thousand counting Lords Gentlemen Presidents Counsellors Advocates Lawyers Schollers Physitians Merchants Tradesmen Women Maids and Children The stréets were covered with dead bodies the river was died with bloud the gates and entrance into the Kings palace painted with the same colour but the bloud-thirsty were
hearing this rebuked him sharply saying that then he thought himselfe wiser than the King and all those that professed as his Majestie did Insomuch as they who stood about Le Blanck began to handle him roughly so that hée had much adoe to escape with his life had not Montpessat rescued him from that danger because he was come thither upon his word The Governour said if he had béen there he would have slaine him The Governour being pressed to dispatch this massacre at Bourdeaur wist not well what to do For on the one side La Sieur de Vesins with sundry others comming from the Court assured him from the King that he wondred why the businesse was deferred so long shewing that he could not performe a more acceptable service unto him than it On the other side Strossi who hovered about Rochel to take it wished him to be well advised what he did what command soever he had to the contrary Foreséeing belike that if he went forward with this execution the Rochellers would have had the said Strossi in such a jealousie that his project would have béen defeated and so would be no small prejudice to the Kings affaires putting him in hope that he would stand betwéen him and all perils For the truth is the army by sea which was prepared against Rochel lying for a time at Burdeaux under pretence of conquering Florida would have béen ready enough to have made a generall massacre there but that they were afraid the Rochellers would be incensed thereat Yet in conclusion the Governour having ballanced things on both parts was perswaded by the Sieur Montpessat to put the massacre in execution To which purpose an oath being taken a catalogue was made of such as they meant to spoile On Saturday then which was the third of October 1572. the Governour having assembled together all the scum of the City to aide and assist him in so barbarous an act commanded them with other souldiers to be ready presently after dinner to put the Kings command into execution To which they were very forward comming in their Liveries attended on by Captaines of tens to direct them touching that they had to do The greater part of the massacrers had red hats given them by Peter Estounach and for the blood wherwith they dyed their armes they were called the Red Band others called them the Cardinalls Band. The Governor commanded them to kil all those of the Religion especially such as had taken armes and not to spare one And himselfe intending to shew them the way went to the house of Master Iohn Guilloch Lord of Obiere counsellor in the Court of Parliament to execute the hatred he had long since conceived against him who being about to escape away out at a backe doore they caught and brought him into the outer court before his house in the presence of the Governour who with a short sword massacred him which done his house was wholly pillaged At that time they brought a certaine Minister out of the Consciergery who a few daies before comming from the country Saintong to Bourdeaux for his better safety as he thought was there apprehended and imprisoned and as soon as he was come out of the prison they massacred him before the gates of the Palace Master William Savins house a Counsellor of the said Parliament who was one of the Religion was forced open pillaged and spoiled and himselfe cruelly murthered His Clarke called Simonet séeing his master about to be massacred embraced and comforted him and being asked whether he were of the Religion he answered yea and would die with his master for the same Thus they were slaine one in anothers armes The cruell Martyrdome of Du Tour a Deacon of the Protestant Church A Deacon of the reformed Church called Du Tour an old man who in the daies of his ignorance had béene a Priest in the popish church being sick in his bed was haled forth into the open stréet of whom it being demanded whether he would go to Masse and thereby save his life he fréely answered No especially now drawing so néere his end both in regard of his yeares and gréevous sicknesse I hope saith he I shall not so far forget the eternall salvation of my soule as for feare of death to prolong this life for a few dayes for so I should buy a short terme of life at too déere a rate They hearing him say so massacred him instantly It was lamentable to sée the poore Protestants wandring up and downe not knowing where to save their lives some were rejected of their owne parents and kinsfolkes who shut their doores against them pretending as if they knew them not others were betrayed and delivered up by those to whose trust they had committed themselves many were saved even by Priests and others from whom a man would have expected no such security Some were saved by their very enemies whose hearts abhorred such detestable outrages All the City was full of terrors and horrible threats against those of the Religion saying that the Kings commandement was that he would not have so much as one of them left in his Kingdome And if any refused to goe to Masse that an hole should be digged for him in the earth in which he should forthwith be buried without any more adoe Scoffing Ballads sung in contempt of the Admirall of Chastillon and other Protestants NEare the Palace and thorowout the City were defamatory Libels sung against the Admirall of Chastillon and the Huguenots In which regard such in whose hearts God had reserved but any sparkle of piety were so terrified and vexed with their blasphemies that the condition of the massacred séemed to be much better than theirs who were left alive who heard and saw those things without ceasing which to an honest minde was more bitter then death it selfe The Governor was very carefull after the massacre was ended to advertise the Sieur Montpessat by a Gentleman of all things which had passed according to the promise he had made unto him Which Montpessat was suddenly surprised with a disease wherein féeling Gods hand heavy Anno 1573. Montpesat suddenly surprised with a strange disease upon him he uttered such lamentable outcries that his bloud and soule were poured out at once a judgement justly inflicted upon him for all the innocent bloud the which he had shed without a cause The judgement of God upon one Vincent THe like judgement of God fell not long after upon another of these massacrers called Vmcent Advocate of the Court one who had had his hand déepely dyed in this bloudy enterprise not sticking to boast that with his own hands hee had murthered Agraulet doore kéeper of the Court This man also fell dangerously sick but in the end recovering againe and as he thought being in good health he told some of his friends that hée felt his armes strong enough to handle his Coutleare or short sword as well as ever he had done But within a
the head of the visible Church 9 Now O Christian brethren Iudge you of that which I have said and sée if you can discerne Truth from Error Truth leads you to life honour and blessednesse Error and lies to death and destruction Be now either servants of Truth or the slaves of Error For my part I will cleave to the truth of the Gospell and doe condemne all errors and lies let Montalchin die and live thou O Lord Iesus Then threw he downe his two burning torches one this way and another that way offering his hands to be tyed and bound which caused a great tumult among the people Montalchin was returned back again to prison Now Reader it will not be hard for thée to imagine what entertainment he found there whether or no the Popes * Which was to put the martyrs to death privily as was noted in the beginning of this history Decrée was executed to the full upon this worthy Confessor who in the face of the world did so nobly triumph over Satan and Antichrist his Lieutenant Conclusion ¶ The invincible constancy of the Martyrs tyred the Persecutors their fiery burning zeale dryed up the Rivers the slaughter of mens swords séemed to be blunted the Hangmens halters to be utterly spent and wasted c. A TRVE NARRATION Of a bloody massacre committed upon the Protestants by the Papists in the greater part of the Valtoline in the yeare 1620. after the new stile Published for a necessary admonition to all Estates wherein the Gospell is professed amongst the Papists and for an example to all true Christians of constancy in the Profession of the Holy GOSPELL MAT. 5. 10. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven ¶ The true declaration of the Massacres of the Valtoline ALbeit that the Grison Lords being as it were the Soveraigne Magistrates had by sundry Decrées according to the common liberty of the two Religions in those countries granted that in the Countrey of Boalez a place belonging to thâ— territory of Tell there should be established a Church for the Religion which should receive the ordinary stipend which at that present was alloweâ—â—o other Churches of the Valtoline An. 1619. aâ— the moneth of May The Minister of the Church of Tell with the Ministers of Irian and Bruse together with the assistance of the principall Lords of Tyrano and Tegly did méet together in the said place of Boalez to preach in the Church of that place But so great was the multitude and concourse of the papists in that place in Armes that they were of necessity inforced to give over their purpose and at that time was Master Gaudentius Taches the Pastor of Bruse alâ—â—â—â— beaten to death with staves a young man â—â— Tyrano was slaine outright and others very cruelly handled by some of these villaines who by that occasion may worthily be called the first martyrs of the Country of Tyrano Within a short time after was murdered a servant of the Governour of that place where the rage and fury of those murderers grew unto that height that they did not only contemne the Proclamations published by the Governor but in Anno 1620. scorn and despite thereof they passed up and downe before the Palace threatening to kill the said governor and other principall persons of the Church of France Now for that the ordinary Magistrate of that place was not strong enough to represse the outrages and insolencies of those villaines from whom none could bee secure either in their houses or abroad by reason of the frequent attempts which they made upon the Protestants the rather for that they bordered néere upon a forraine jurisdiction to which they had recourse when they had committed any mischiefe the Governour was constrained to make his addresse for justice to the soveraigne Dabe of the countrey who about the midst of February anno 1620 granted a commission wherein were named these commissioners viz. the Lords Ioachinas Montalta at this time Vicar of the Valtoline Iohn Baptista of Salichi a Doctor of Law Ia. Rumel a captain Salomon Candeamma Buoli Landlaine of Tavos in the ten jurisdictions Dieteganus Fertmannus captaine of the Lordship of Meienfield and Iohn Andrea Miniardino for the Chancellorship c. By these persons besides the processes framed already by the Lords Iohn of Cappaul Governour of Tyrano and Andreo Enderlino of Tegly there were againe divers processes framed anew and upon the imprisonment and revealing of certain persons it was discovered and confessed there was a resolution made in the same place of Boalty to put to the sword not only the Preacher if he had preached but also all the people as many as professed the Gospell as they could light upon yea even the magistrate himselfe besides there were divers persons discovered and those of principall ranke who were the authors of those wicked and barbarous practises and had promised all possible ayde and assistance unto them And therefore the importance of the businesse being of great consequence it was thought expedient that those Lords Commissioners should return to Tavoz and report to the Court of justice which there resided all the businesse which resulted of these processes which they accordingly did about the midst of April last past Moreover they were intreated by divers noble persons of the protestant Church of the Valtoline that they would with all possible spéed provide a garrison of Grisons for the defence of the vally in regard that by the foresaid discovery they had great reason to feare a generall rebellion in case they should procéed to chastise the authors of those tumults and disorders and that such a businesse could not be without intelligence with the Spaniard and that so much the more likely that some certaine yeares agoe such another practise had bin discovered and attempted to be put in practise as came to passe 1584. and since of late All these businesses were considered but it was not possible to put same in effect for many reasons had it not béen that they received intelligence that a number of Spaniards approached néere to the thrée pleves which were places adjoyning to the Valtoline by which occasion the Magistrate and governors of the Valtoline were constrained to put a guard néere the trenches of Trahona and Morben about the Calends of Iuly 1620 thinking to secure the valley from the forraine enemy and that guard consisted of the Countrey-men and dwellers in the Valtoline this course wrought no other effect but that the Protestants by this meanes were inclosed in of all sides that they could not flée away on that side by the way already concluded but anticipated within eight daies which was the Sabboth day The ninth of Iuly 1620 followed the massacre in the countrey of Tyrane and Teglio as now since in Sondres a principall countrey of this Valley ¶ The massacre of Tyrane wherein were murthered about threescore persons THe beginning of their murthers was
A CONTINVATION OF THE HISTORIES OF Forreine MARTYRS From the happy reign of the most renowned Queene Elizabeth to these Times With sundry Relations of those bloudy Massacres executed upon the Protestants in the Cities of France in the yeare 1572. WHERVNTO ARE ANNEXED the two famous Deliverances of our English Nation the one from the Spanish Invasion in 88. The other from the Gunpouder Treason in the yeare 1605. Together with the Barbarous cruelties exercised upon the Professors of the Gospell in the Valtoline 1621. LONDON Printed by RIC. HEARN for the Company of Stationers Anno Dom. 1641. POSSIDETE ANIMAS VESTRAS NH 1574 A TREATISE OF AFFLICTIONS AND PERSECVTIONS OF THE FAITHFVLL PREPARING THEM WITH PATIENCE TO SVFFER MARTYRDOME CHAP. I. Shewing That such as will live godly in Christ Jesus must needs suffer afflictions WE are all prone by nature to decline afflictions each one supposing to finde out some backe way to escape them First Some are of opinion that they can quit themselves by playing the Temporizers Secondly Others by hiding and concealing themselves Thirdly Another sort by flying from those places where Tyrants vexe and domineere Fourthly a fourth thinking to beare off blowes by their greatnes and credit they have gotten in the world Fifthly and lastly a fifth sort imagining to find some evasion either by reason of their allyes or good services which they have done dreaming forsooth that either these or the like projects should yeeld them good respect and preserve them from being called into question by those that hate them In a word which of us hath not some fetch or other to breake loose if he should be either examined or pursued This is the true cause that so few are prepared and carefull timely to foresee what belongs to suffering shame and disgrace for the truth as the discommodities of long imprisonment or what appertaines to the constant and patient bearing of hideous torments and death for the cause of the Gospell But alas all these are but as fig leaves and vaine hopes which being somwhat pleasing to the flesh do only dull and deceive us causing us to grow secure and carelesse and so unprovided to suffer till we be surprised and in safe custody in our enemies hands So that when we should be able to give a reason 1 Pet. 3. 15. of the hope that is in us we have not a word to say To prevent these so great inconveniences let us hold this for a sure principle That it is impossible to live godly and not suffer persecution For God hath so decreed that 2 Tim. 3. 12. Rom. 8. 20. if we will partake of the glory of his Sonne we must first be conformed to him in his sufferings Yea this is that strait gate and narrow way which leadeth unto life Through Mat. 7. 14. much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdome of God Acts 14. 22. and whosoever beares not the Crosse of Christ following him cannot be his Disciple The Apostle in Luke 14. 27. Heb. 12. 7. the Epistle to the Hebrewes plainly tels us That if we be children wee must taste of that discipline which God nurtures his withall in his Family It is and must be the portion of Gods beloved ones to live in this world as sheep amongst wolves Mat. 10. 16. Indeed if wee could live without sin we might then conceive some hope of freedome from the Crosse But whilest corrupt nature lives in us and brings forth such bitter fruits God hath and will in all ages raise up some Tyrant or other as means to mortifie and tame the pride and rebellion thereof Devils may as soone cease to be as that enmity should cease between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent As long as the Gen. 3. 15. Mat. 8. 24. Church continues to be Christs poore Barque in the salt sea of this world she must make her account to be tossed with storms and tempests of persecutions What should I say no Crowne is to be expected in Heaven if we will not fight the 2 Tim. 47. Psal 126. 5. 2 Cor. 4 10. good fight of faith here on earth nor to reap in joy if in this world we refuse to sow in teares The life of our Lord Iesus Christ cannot be manifest in us except we beare about in our body the dying of the Lord Iesus Let every Christian then hold this for certaine That when the world ceaseth to hate the Children of God and the Devill to envy them then may they looke and not before to live in the world without persecutions Hath not the Way the Life and the Truth said it In the world you shall have tribulation Iohn 16. 33. And therefore let not the great ones of the World thinke to be exempted out of this ranke more than the small For to the Saints and members of the true Church afflictions are even as ordinary as is Baptisme Faith and the Spirit of Adoption Was not Moses the adopted sonne of Pharaobs daughter saine to sly out of Aegypt to Exod. 2. 15. Act. 7. 29. Heb. 11. 27. 1 Sam. 26. 20 Saint Iereme in his Commentary upon Isaiah Dan 6. 16. save his life Was not David though anointed King hunted by Saul his pursuer as a Partridge into the mountaines Isaiah and Daniel were of the bloud Royall yet they escaped not the one from being cruelly rent in sunder with a Saw after he had preached to his Nation sixty yeares nor the other although next unto the King he swayed the affairs of the Babylonish Empire to be cast into the lyons den In the times of the great persecutions under Dioclesian the Emperour of Rome who were the first that were sacrificed but Nicomede and the principall Favourites of the Court Who is ignorant that two of the most noble Princes of our times that ever Germany had notwithstanding their munition and meanes were taken prisoners by the Emperour or held captive five or six yeares in great distresse What should I here mention Lady Iane Gray proclaimed Queene of England and yet cruelly put to death Or Thomas Cranmer Primate of England burned to ashes at Oxford Or the Lord Cobham that religious and valiant Knight hanged and burned hanging in Saint Giles in the fields All these with many more were apprehended and not long after put to death even then when they might seeme most to have flourished in the World Seeing then that neither age sex power nor place can secure us from suffering which are every where foretold in the holy Scriptures to abide us whether wee be high or low Act. 20. 23. let us in the name and feare of God prepare to take up the Crosse of Christ betimes learne we of the silly Ant in Summer to store up food against the cold and stormy Winter Prov. 6. 6. of Affliction Imitating those who dwelling in defenced cities are carefull to provide themselves of munition before they be besieged
finding kinder entertainment among strangers than in their owne countrey We had perished said he if we had not perished So may we say That did not our naturall life perish here by persecutions we had never been saved in the kingdome of heaven Run we then my brethren with patience the race that is set before us let us not be ashamed with Simon the Cyrenian to carry the reprochfull Crosse of Christ and seeing we must die once let us desire rather to die gloriously for righteousnesse sake than ignominiously by shunning it If Princes had rather die in a breach than in their bed and to lose their life in the field than an eye at tilt or tourney let us imitate them in this our spiritual conflict-earnestly intreating the Lord if it be his blessed will that we may fight and die valiantly in the defence of his Truth and for the honour of his sonne If worldly minded men can and will suffer many hard adventures some for their honour others for their profits and pleasures though but vaine and temporary with what longing should we aspire to that certaine and eternall happinesse rest and glory wherewith all those shall be crowned who fight manfully and constantly for the cause of Christ But the world and worldings smile at this wisedome counting it foolishnesse the flesh also joyning therewith thinks all we have said to be either idle phantasies or meere paradoxes and no marvell for both of them being from the earth can savour nothing but what is earthly as Christ saith Betweene the judgement of the Church and that of the World there is a broad difference when the question is of determining what is true honour profit or pleasure whence it is that in a manner the one scornes that which the other admires and adores So as they never consent in approving or condemning with one voice that which is questioned for the belly hath no eares If therefore we meane to be ruled aright either in the matter of faith or outward manners let us not bee guided therein either by the worlds judgement or yet that of the flesh for the world is poreblinde and the belly as we have said hath no eares Ponder we then these things that so wee may be prepared to obey the will of God let us not wilfully râ—sh into dangers onely if God shall call us forth to suffer purposing thereby to conforme us to our Head and so to accompany that great cloud of witnesses through the narrow way that leads to his kingdome yeeld wee our neckes to beare the sweet and easie yoke of Christ Be it that Satan and his confederates doe persecute the Church of Christ yet hath she an assured hiding place The faithfull may be imprisoned but in the meane while they leave the world in a worse prison viz. shut up under the wrath of God They may be in bonds yet is not that so bad as to lie bound in the bonds of iniquity they are oft shut up in darke and unsavoury places but how can darknesse be grievous to them who are the children of light especially when God shines upon them with the light of his countenance Stinking holes and odious smels cannot so offend and annoy them but that the sweet savour of a good conscience purified by faith surmounts all They may be put into dungeons in the world yet being chosen of God out of the world they have their conversation in heaven Be it that they lose a few commodities here it is but as if they forsook counters to receive gold things terrestriall for celestiall A Christian may suffer but he cannot die he may lose his life but hee cannot lose Christ when he leaves the world he goes to God Wherefore let us then put on the whole armour of God and as good souldiers of Eph. 6. 11. 2 Tim. 23. Rev. 2. 10 Iesus Christ enure our selves to endure hardnesse So shall it come to passe that continuing faithfull in this spirituall Warfare unto the death we shall at length receive the crowne of eternall life THE HISTORY OF FOVRE MARTYRS BVRNT AT LILE IN FLANDERS IN THE YEARE 1556. WHOSE NAMES ARE ROBERT OGVIER AND HIS WIFE BAVDICON AND MARTIN their two Sonnes THe example which is set before us in this so godly a Family may well serve for an entrance to the Continuation of the History of forrein Martyrs in that weâ— may thence learne what those true ornaments are wherewith both parents and their children ought to bee decked and adorned namely with such a light shining forth from the sound knowledge of the Gospell as whereby the Church of God may be edified and confirmed in seeing them to hold the profession of their faith coustantly even unto the death THe City of LILE may Anno 1556. well bee placed in the first ranke of those Cities of Merchandise in the Low-countrey of Flanders Artols and Haynault upon which the Lord hath multiplâ—ed his blessings not so much of worldly good things as of his spirituall graces yea in so abundent measure that even under the tyraumy of Antichrist in the Countries aforenamed few places can be named where the Gospell in that time was more fréely published and preached or with greater zeale received than there For for thrée yeares together the Gospell was secretly taught among them sometime in houses then in woods in fields and in caves of the earth not without the haâ—arding of their dearest life if they had béen discovered yet could not these apparent dangers under such tyranny coole or abate the burning zeale which almost consumed the heart of this people hungring and thirsting after the spirituall food of their soules What was among them preached was accordingly practised workes of mercy and charity were there exercised not onely towards those of the houshold of Faith but even towards them which were without so as many by means hereof were drawn and brought on to the knowledge of Christ They ordained in their assembly certaine Deacons to receive the almes which were given men fearing God being well approved of who went wéekely from house to house to collect the abnes of such as they knew to be faithful admonishing every one how to carry themselves themselves in their vocations and of their duty in contributing towards the reliefe of the poore Saints And thus each one according to his place endevoured to expresse and manifest his faith by the fruits thereof namely good works In a very short space of time the Lord by the Ministry of his Word though preached in secret erected here a flourishing Church so as the Congregation consisted of a competent number of men women and children not onely of the city but out of foure or five Willages besides bordering nigh unto it who came also with an eager appetite to be instructed In the meane while you may conceive that satan and his adherents ceased not to storm and rage hereat not being able long to endure these their holy méetings but
one astonished causing the executioner to finish out the rest of this Tragedy Notes upon the occasion of a sedition at Paris the fifth of March 1559. THe fifth day of March there was a great vprore raised in the church of Saint Innocents in Paris The preachers all the Lent neuer ceased to moue the people to kill all the Lutherans they could méet withall not leaue the execution thereof to the Magistrates Amongst the rest a Minorite who preached in the said Church spent all his Sermons upon that subiect The same day taking his text out of the eight of Saint Iohns Gospel concerning the woman taken in adultery being brought to Iesus Ch he vttered execrable things against the Magistrate shewing that it was no wonder if the Iudges did not cast the first stone at the Lutherans because they themselues were also Lutherans and therefore the people were not to attend them any longer but to rise make open war against them yea upon the chiefest of them which were but suspected to hold that doctrine In this garboile a poore Priest with a brother of his a Captain passing by and thinking by faire language to pacifie the disordered tumult had his foot no sooner out of the Church dore but he was set upon by this blood-thirsty crue who although he asked forgiuenesse in the name of the Saints desiring to be confessed and And thus thinking to martyr the Christians by the prouidence of God it fell on those of their owne side shewed all outward signes of being one of their owne side yet could he of this headlesse beast the multitude obtaine no fauour but was stabbed into the belly with a dagger and fell downe dead And yet they were not satisfied so but the very meanest among them had a blow at him raking with their hands in his wounds and then in Triumph lifting him vp bragged that they had bathed their hands in the blood of a Lutheran The Captain with much adoe getting into the Vicars house they beset the house lest he should escape their fingers And hearing that the magistrate was comming to deliuer him they feared not with one voice to say that they would spare none no not the King himselfe though hée came in his owne person If any more pitifull than the rest vttered but so much as the least word tending to compassion they were cruelly handled on all sides so as many met with hard vsage euen for that Not fully a yeare before this there fell out the like if not a worse spectacle of cruelty in the Church of Saint Eustate For a Doctor of the Sorbonists commonly called the soule of Picardy who in his sermons preached out nothing but fire and fagots incouraged the Parisians to slaughter the Lutheranes making many goodly promises to all such as would vndertake such a bloody designe which was not so soone propounded as accepted of by the people For a poore scholler who out of deuotion was present at the sermon happening upon some accident to laugh at his fellow Pupill an old turnecoate sitting by and observing it cryed out forthwith that a Lutherane mocked the Preacher The people at the sound of this voice began to stir not knowing upon what ground and haling him out of the Church miserably massacred him till they had forced both his eyes out of his head buffeting him with their fists and one among the rest caused his horse to trample upon him thrice Iohn Barbeville of Normandy being questioned by thrée of the Counsell about the sacrament answered that in the holy Supper being administred according to Christs institution hée received by faith the body and blood of the Lord but not after any carnall manner forasmuch as being now ascended into heaven hée shall See here what mock◠gods these be who cōdemne the poore christians not returne thence till he come to iudge the quicke and the dead Upon which article one of the Counsell added this scoffe which ascended into heaven and drew the ladder up after him Upon some occasion they said unto him that he was but a silly asse and therefore could not understand the Scriptures Well saith he be it that I am an asse yet did you never reade that God opened the mouth of the Prophet Balaams Asse A resorting speech well applyed to reprove him for loading him with stripes when he was going to utter his lies against the Children of God If God opened the Asses mouth doe yée now wonder if he opens mine to cause me to speake against the falsehood and lies which you spread abroad against the people of God For as the Asse spake being overchanged with blowes which the false Prophet gave him so now in regard of the heavie burden wherewith in times past you have oppressed me by your traditions I am constrained to speak as I doe Another inquisitor a Monke called Benedict told him that he was come to comfort and instruct him in the truth How can you said Barbeville say you come to instruct me in the truth when your selfe doth weare the habit of a lyar I cannot expect it from you for no man can gather figs of thistles nor grapes of thornes ¶ God so wrought here and the truth so prevailed that though it was plainly confessed yet the Prisoners were delivered Anno 1559. THe court of the parliament of Paris willing to moderate the cruelties used against those of the reformed religion sollicited them what they could to dissemble and to yéeld in some points wherein the well minded of that side were not yet rightly informed but to this their aduice they would by no meanes consent Then they tooke another course and that was simply to examine them touching the manner of eating Christs bodie in the Sacrament without mentioning Transubstantiation or any carnall presence hoping this way to frée them from the crime of sacramentaries upon which point for the most part the sentence of death was pronounced séeing they had heard formerly from the prisoners That the churches of France held how the body of Christ was receiued by the faithfull not in imagination but truly and indéed and that the signes were neither naked nor empty elements but exhibited that whereof they were signes This was propounded to foure yong men who were in the flowre of their age and lying prisoners in the Consciergerie of the palace if it might be to satisfie them Now when this confession was presented to the Court all that were well affected were glad of it in regard it was drawne so favorably some being of opinion that it would work their deliverance Others there were which opposed this proiect and requested they might be examined what they thought of the Masse it being so necessarie an article provided that there might be some moderation in the ordinary course of such interrogations Notwithstanding it was thought that this would rather hinder than further their deliverance yet did the better part persist in their purpose of fréeing them Being
I thinke be well omitted but fully set downe as I finde it recorded in the volume of the French Martyrs Her name was Margaret Rich who suffered the ninetéenth of August in the place called Maubert not far from the City of Paris in France Christian women saith the Historian behold here the courage and zeale of this Margaret your sister who is set before you for a patterne to unitate she encouraged both great and small who at that same time were prisoners with her Margaret Rich was born in Paris the Wife of Anthony Ricant Bookseller dwelling in Paris in the place called the Mount of Saint Hillary at the signe of the great Quaile This woman was as vertuously disposed as could be shée had gotten some small insight into the mystery of iniquity by meanes of her husband who yet suffered her to observe the superstitions of Popery without urging her any further for he was a man indifferent in the matter of Gods service but yet her conscience gave her that knowing her course to be evill it was not sufficient to forsake that unlesse shée did cleave to the contrary good which leads to life and salvation namely to serve God according to his Word Vnderstanding then that there were godly méetings of good Christians which assembled together in the City shée found the meanes to come in amongst them and profited so well thereby that she resolved in her self never to goe again to the Masse but to die rather At length being hardly used by her husband because of this her sudden change hée threatned her so far as to carry her himselfe to the Masse the next day which was Easter-Sunday rather than that shée should not goe After shée had endured much from this man who would have her to play the dissembler shée to preserve her selfe therefrom being also afraid of her husbands fury upon Easter day withdrew her selfe to a friends house of hers thinking it safer to displease her husband than God to whom shée had dedicated her selfe This day being past because shée would not over-long absent her selfe from her owne home shée determined to returne back againe to him whom God had bound and conjoyned her with though shée could not but foresée the great evills and inconveniences which would follow thereupon in regard of her said husbands crooked disposition Shée came no sooner home but shée was discovered by the Curate of Saint Hillary committed prisoner brought into the Consciergery They asked her where she had kept her Easter she without faining told them she absented herself from home that she might abide a while with some of her loving friends lest shée should be urged to prophane the supper of the Lord as others usually did and therefore had kept the same according to Gods ordinance in the assembly of faithfull devout christians Being asked whether indéed shée had béen present at those secret méetings shée answered yea and estéemed her selfe happy that ever shée came among them And thus being questioned by the Counsell with other prisoners about the Masse purgatory auricular confession and such other points shée fréely told them what shée had learned concerning the same out of Gods word so as the fifth of May she was ordered to be sent to the Bishop or his officiall to sée if by any meanes she might be reclaimed But the officiall prevailing nothing with her because she persisted constant in the profession of the truth he pronounced sentence against her declaring her to be a pertinacious and obstinate heretique yea such a one as was to be redelivered over to the secular power and thence to be sent back to the Consciergery Being brought back into the Court certaine Doctors and others were sent to reason with her yet her faith for all that staggered not but remained victorious notwithstanding all their batteries laid against it Then by the sentence of the Court shée was condemned to be carried in a dung cart to the place called Maubert a gagge to be put into her mouth and there to be burned and consumed to ashes But before she should suffer death she was sentenced to be put to the extraordinary torture to make her confesse whom she knew and was conversant withall and to name the house where shée received the Communion yet did this woman undergo all these her afflictions with incredible joy singing Psalmes and praising God continually she was never séen to shrinke at her imprisonment she daily exhorted the women who were prisoners with her comforted them Such of the Martyrs as went from the Consciergery to suffer death passed by the chamber where shée lay yet was she not disheartened to sée them in the hands of their executioners but cryed to them exhorting them to rejoyce and with patience to beare the reproach of Christ But to returne to the manner of her death after sentence shée was led to the Chappell as the manner is yet shée ceased not all the way to exhort the people and to sing Psalmes till she was put into a Dung-cart to be conveyed to the place of execution The renowne of her constancy was so famous from the beginning of her troubles that no small multitude of people were gathered together in the stréets for the desire they had to behold her God so appointing that the great and more than ordinary graces of his spirit which were in this woman might be manifested before so great a confluence of spectators and eye-witnesses She passed on then as it were triumphing through the middest of this assembly not shewing any signe of the feare of death but with a fresh colour and chéerefull countenance passed on with her eyes lifted up to heaven nor did her gagge so disfigure her but that she shewed an amiable aspect upon all that viewed her So as even the rude and obstinate multitude admired her saying one to another Doe you not sée how this heretike smiles and laughes Comming to the place of her martyrdome they told her if shée would relent shée should be strangled She answered That her resolution was so rightly founded upon the word of God that shée never meant to change And to let them sée that death terrified her not shée began to disrobe her selfe without troubling the hangman at all Being hoised up in the ayre they asked her againe if shée would not accept of the grace which the court offered her to be strangled She gave them a signe that shée would not Then was the fire kindled and so shée yéelded up her soul into the hands of God How one that was naturally deafe helped himselfe IT is recorded of Iohn Beffroy a Lock-smith dwelling in Paris that he had a long time behaved He was exceedingly maligned of his neighbours for his piety but especially because he had a little infant of his baptized secretly then for working upon a light holyday which was the cause of his apprehension death himselfe very religiously never denying his house for Christian méetings what danger
soever might ensue thereupon He had an incredible desire to profit by the preaching of the Gospell And therefore being hindered by a naturall infirmity of deafenesse to understand what was spoken hée used this help commanding a Lad which he kept to hearken to the sermon attentively and at his returne home made the said boy to tell him in his eare all that he had heard Insomuch that he became excéedingly expert in the knowledge of the truth wherein he persisted constantly to the death and was after he had received the extraordinary torture burned for the same in the place called the Grave in the Moneth of December Anno 1549. Another relation of Anne du Burg. DV Burg being asked if he had conferred with any about certaine articles formerly mentioned answered That he had conferred with his bookes but especially the holy Scriptures Having framed a Confession of his faith which he intended to have presented to the court of parliament certain counsellors which were advocats in the said Court pretending friendship towards him being yet but time-servers shewing themselves also discontented therewith laboured with him to make another Confession not directly contrary to the truth but somewhat ambiguous and doubtfull so as it might give satisfaction to his Iudges Du Burg having of a long time resisted was in a manner overcome by their intreaties to consent to their Counsell telling him it sufficed that himselfe understood his owne true meaning though ambiguously expressed as also that his Iudges would not stand strictly to examine such a confession as had only an outward appearance of consenting to their doctrine Now this disguised confession was no sooner come into the hands of his Iudges but great hopes were conceived of his inlargement But when the assembly had got a true copy thereof they were greatly gréeved being more carefull of the saving his soule of Gods glory and the edification of his Church then of such a deliverance which could not be obtained without great dishonour to God And therefore they gave order to M. Augustin * Of the maner of whose death you shal read hereafter Marlorate to write a large discourse concerning the duty of such as were called of God to beare witnesse to his eternall truth before the Magistrate wherein were also set downe Gods threatenings and judgements against such as either directly or indirectly in what kinde soever did disavow the same Exhorting him more highly to 1 2 3 4 5 6 prize the glory of God than his owne liberty the truth of the Gospell than a short and transitory life That it beséemed him not now to give over having already made so happy a beginning and so good a progresse in his Christian course That the report of his constancy was spread not only through the kingdome of France but throughout all Christendome That he had béene a meanes to confirme many weak ones and caused others to enquire after the meanes of Salvation That the eyes of all were fixed on him to expect the manner of his comming out of prison So as if now through feare or faintheartednesse he should enterprise ought that might contradict his first confession he would thus become an occasion of much scandall and offence And therefore exhorted him to give glory to God to edifie his Church assuring him that God would never leave nor forsake him These Letters wrought in the conscience of Du Burg a sense of his sinne for which asking pardon of God without any further delay he sent a petition to his Iudges in which retracting this his last confession he protested to stand unto his first Slanders raised by the Sorbonists against the Protestants of Roan in France and what was the issue thereof THrée Doctors of the Sorbonists whose names were Secard Columbell and Fancillon in their collations to their parishioners accused those of the Religion with their wonted slanders as that they committed whordome one with another after the candles were put out and were taught to rebell against their King and governors which governors also these Sorbonists accused to connive and hold with them inciting the people to run upon those of the religion since the Magistrates forbare to do their duty But here God catched the wise in their owne craftinesse for by meanes hereof many began to looke into these matters whereof the godly were accused Namely to enquire both what they did and spake in their assemblies Where séeing and finding the clean contrary to these accusations before mentioned they were drawne to abhorre these lying spirits and by little and little came to cleave unto the said assemblies themselves yea many who were lewdly given and came in among them to another end But these accusers not content herewith went in the night into Churches not sparing to deface the images that stood therein and then charged the Protestants to be the onely actors thereof Whereupon the Cardinall of Burbon Archbishop of Roan was often faine to repaire them with many ceremonies But at last a Monke of Magdalens hospitall was taken with the manner of breaking downe these Images in the churchyard of Saint Marke For which he received no correction excusing the matter by saying that whatsoever he had done therein procéeded from a good meaning Yet among all these disorders the church of Roan still subsisted though not without great perill and danger ¶ The story of a Locksmith Martyr who being dry had holy water given him to drinke ABout this time was a Locksmith burnt in the city of Agen upon the clamours and seditious sermons of a frier called Melchior Flavin who denounced this Locksmith to be an heretike because he had made a Christian and good confession and therefore pursued him unto the the death A little before he was to die Redon the lieutenant of Agen asked him if he would drinke Sir saith the prisoner if you please to give me drink I will Then the Lieutenant brought him a glasse of water of which he dranke a little Now said the other unto him what hast thou drunke the prisoner answered Water Saith the other Thou hast drunke holy-water which I gave thée to drive the divell out of thée I know saith the poore man that every creature of God is good in its owne nature but had you told me it had béene such as now you say it is I would not have drunke it for it is defiled with idolatry At this answer the Lieutenant hurled the glasse of water at the poore mans face with such force that the glasse breaking to pieces hurt him For which inhumane act hee was reproved by his fellowes and amerced to pay ten pounds But the Locksmith tooke his death patiently and endured it constantly ¶ The miserable death of a Consul who was both an accuser and a Iudge IOstas Simler a learned Divine of our time in the life of Master Henry Bullinger a worthy servant of God and a faithfull Minister of the church of Zurick◠recordeth an history which he saith
there be seven or two hée will acknowledge no more then hée list for he had confessed there were but two The chiefe sheriffe demanded of him in these termes whither hée beléeved that the Lord remained upon the Altar flesh body and bone I answer saith Herwin with Saint Steven that the highest dwelleth not in temples made with hands Heaven saith the Lord is my throne and the earth is my footstoole Isai 66. 1. 2. what house will yée then make unto mée and where is the place of my rest Hath not my hand made all these And then tooke occasion to admonish the Iudges which sate there to examine the Doctrine of the Romane Church by the true touchstone which is the holy scripture that so they might discern how opposite and contrary the one is to the other Consider also saith hée what the words of saint Peter import where hée affirmes that we ought to obey God rather then man Yea it is high time for you to thinke upon Act. 4. 19. 5. 29. A godly admonition to Iudges and Magistrates what I say and that seriously also for at the last day it is neither your priests nor your placcards which you thinke to stop our mouths withall that shall any way excuse you then And as for the title of the Romane Catholike Church which you hold out against us I deny not but in the Apostles time and afterwards there was a true Church in Rome as well as in Corinth Galatia among the Philippians and in other churches but When the church of Rome was a true Church after that she fell from the pure word of God and falsified the Sacraments thereof turning ecclesiasticall discipline into auricular confession God hath also forsaken her she ought now no more to bée called a Church of God but rather the Synagogue of Satan As soone as the chiefe Sheriffe who is called the first speaker heard this he commanded him away Having then given sufficient testimony of his Faith before those of Houscot he craved for Iustice either one way or another But they on the contrary urged him to desist from his opinion To which he answered that his faith was not built of Psal 14. an opinion but said he the Lord hath taught me to eschew evill and do good Yea said they but séest thou not how these opinions have troubled the World And also how many of the learneder sort do contradict them Answer So far is it off that the doctrine of the Gospell should be the cause of troubles that it only is the meanes of quieting the troubles debates and strifes which raigne in the world These troubles arise indéed from the malice of men And as touching your learned men you speake of it is impossible for humane wisdome to comprehend the doctrine of God for which cause Christ saith Father I thanke thee that Mat. 11. 25. Luke 10. 21. thou hast hid these secrets from the wise men of the World and hast revealed them to babes Now as the Sergeants conveyed him to prison they counselled him to speake more mildly and then he might doe well enough Before his death he was sorely set upon by certaine Sophisters who alledged to him the sayings of many of the ancient Fathers upon the point of the Lords Supper but he overcame them by holding close the true sense of Christs words In prison he comforted himselfe in singing of Psalmes and spirituall Songs some of which he indited himself The Canons and priests séeing the people flock together to the prison doore to heare him especially upon the Sundayes and holy daies strove by all meanes to put him by his singing They coupled him with two malefactors to be a griefe unto him who obtaining certaine instruments by the helpe of their consorts brake prison and fled Herwin might thus have escaped if he would but fearing his flight might be imputed to the godly Christians in the City he resolved rather to remaine there than to flie His sentence in the meane while comming from the Court he was no sooner advertised of it but hée thanked God for advancing him to so high an honour as to be counted worthy to suffer for his name Testifying the joy he inwardly had by a Letter which he sent to the brethren praying and exhorting them to be constant and to persevere in that Doctrine which they had received from God The fourth day of November betwéene foure and five of the clocke in the morning Herwin was sent for by the Magistrates from prison into the place of Iudgement where by intreatings and goodly promises they urged him to recant and receive their breaden God which was then to bée offered up or at least to confesse that Iesus Christ was there corporally present upon which he should by and by be delivered out of all dangers Now Herwin refusing their offer was bound and brought by force into the Chappell but he in sign of his detestation turned his backe alwayes upon it shutting his eyes and stopping his eares At the elevation of their Host one who was knéeling to it asked him if Iesus Christ was not now betwéene the Priests hands No no said Herwin he is in Heaven at the right hand of his Father Soone after the sentence of death was read against him so was he delivered into the hands of the Tormentor As he passed out of the town-house standing upon the first step viewing the people who waited to sée him Sée here saith he how this wicked World rewards the poore servants of Iesus Christ Whilest I gave my selfe to drunkennesse to playiug at Cards and Dice living in all dissolution and ungodly behaviour I was never in danger of these bands lifting up his hands which were bound I was then counted a good fellow and at that time who but I But Anno 1561. no sooner began I by conversion to aske after a godly life but the world made war upon me and became my enemy persecuting and imprisoning me and now last of all sending me to the place where I must pay my last debt But the servant is no better than his Lord For séeing they persecuted Mat. 10. 24. Iohn 15. 20. him no question they will persecute us Being come to the place where he was to suffer one of the assembly reaching him forth his hand drew nigh unto him comforting him never leaving him till he entred into the Cabbin of wood in which he was to be burnt He then began to sing the thirtieth Psalme of which having sung only the first staffe a Fryer hearing the same hastned towards him not without much difficulty through the throng that he might come néere to interrupt him who knéeling on his knées said Oh Iohn turne there is yet time and space The Martyr sleighting his glosing words turned his back upon him And many there present cryed to the Fryer Turne thou thou hypocrite and thus was he suffered quietly to finish the Psalme The Fryer
doth not our Lord Iesus Christ say blessed are you when men persecute you and speake all manner of evill falsly against you for my name sake Rejoice therefore and be glad for great is your reward in heaven Now whereto serveth all this my beloved but to bring us into a conformity with our Lord and Master Iesus Christ For Christ hath suffered for us saith the Apostle saint Peter 1 Pet. 2. 21. leaving us an example that we should walke in his steps who also endured the crosse and despised Heb. 12 2. the shame for the obtaining of that joy which was set before him and became poore to make us rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. By him also are we brought by faith into that Rom. 5 2. state of grace wherein we stand rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God knowing that tribulation worketh patience c. Wherefore deare brother and sister be not afrayd of the fiery tryall which is now sent amongst us to prove us For what Father loving his childe doth not correct it Heb. 12. Even so doth the Lord chastise those whom he loveth for if we should be without correction wherof all true Christians are partakers then were we bastards and not sons And therefore Salomon saith my sonne despise not the chastening of the Prov. 3. 11 12. Lord neither faint when thou are corrected of him for whom the Lord loveth the same he correcteth even as a Father the sonne in whom he delighteth Feare not then to follow the footsteps of Christ for he is the head and we are his members Even as Christ then hath obtained full joy glory by suffering of anguishes and sorrowes so we also according to his example must through Acts 14 21. many tribulations enter into the heavenly places even into the new Ierusalem Let us then say Phil. 1. 21. with saint Paul Christ unto me is in life and in death advantage Let us cry out with him O Rom. 7 24. wretched creatures that we are who shall deliver us from this body of death Sée here how the faithfull have desired to be with Christ for with Abraham they had an eye to that holy City Anno 1562. which hath foundations whose builder and maker Heb. 11. 10. is God Let vs then my beloved chéerefully and willingly follow the Lord possessing our soules by patience For it is a good thing as saith the Prophet Ieremiah both to hope and quietly to Lam. 3. 26. waite for the salvation of the Lord and good also it is for a man to beare the yoke in his youth for such the Lord will comfort in the end and restore unto them the joy of his salvation Loe here deare brother and sister what consolations our God hath treasured up for us in his holy word for us I say whose desire it is to feare the Lord and to trust in his grace and mercy For Psal 37. 39. the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord hée is their strength in the time of trouble Wherfore q giving all diligence let us adde to faith vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse love for if these things be in us and abound they will cause us neither to be idle nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ The which God our Father grant us for his Sonnes sake our Lord Amen Out of my hole December the eleventh 1562. Wouter Oom prisoner for the truth Now because ye may see that this Letter was not without its happy effect hearken to the relation of the History following THere was one Iohn Wolfe of the City of Audenard who because he could no longer inhabite there without either the danger of his life or wounding of his conscience his wife being great with childe and as yet but weake in the knowledge of the Gospell he was forced for these respects to joyne himselfe to the assembly of the Church in Antwerpe where thinking himselfe in safety a neighbour of his owing him ill will accused him to the Margrave about the baptising of his childe Whereupon being then committed and examined where and in whose presence his childe was baptized he without staggering answered that he had it baptised according to the institution of Christ by a Minister set apart to that Office The Margrave not content with this answer often pressed him with sundry threats of the torture to accuse such as he knew But the sharpest combat he endured was from his owne flesh counselling him during his imprisonment for the safegard of his life to dissemble and halt betwéen two opinions The cause was from the inward affection he bore towards his wife and childe being yet but young and of singular beauty in regard whereof many of the congregation expected no other but that he would sinke under this tryall But in the middest of these assaults hée was heard with prayers and sighes to cry mightily to God to bée delivered from this temptation Which prayers of his were heard in due season even then Whither wee ought to fly in time of temptation when in the judgement of man he was supposed to be overcome thereof meanes was made of bringing to his hands consolatory letters as also the said Wouter Dom then prisoner with him comforted him not a little by his letters Whereby in the end he continued so strong in the Lord as also constant in the confession of the truth that in conclusion he received the sentence of death with the aforesaid Wouter After which his wife came unto him and they were permitted to talke together bursting out each of them into such abundance of teares that it would have moved the most stony heart that ever was At parting with a bitter cry hée commended her to Gods mighty protection and his childe to be trained up in the true Religion Soone after hée was drowned in the tub or fat of the prison and the next day hanged upon one of the Gibbets néer unto the City ¶ A relation of the troubles and martyrdome of Christian Quekere Iaques Dionssart and Iean de Salomez of Steenwerk in Flanders To whom God gave such ability to answer their enemies demands as if they had come from persons much more learned Which shewes that God measures out to all the gifts and graces of his holy Spirit according to his good will and pleasure WHilest the persecution continued at this time in sundry places of Flanders under Philip King of Spaine and that many fled into England under the protection of Quéene Elizabeth these thrée above mentioned were of the same number who joyned themselves to the Dutch Church in London having given publique testimony of their faith before all the Congregation In which place they continuod not long but they were constrained upon some speciall occasions to
up his eyes to heaven said twice or thrice Lord God heavenly father into thy hands I commend my spirit And then againe Lord forgive their sin who have put us to death Iames and the maide made the like prayer But because Iames was last strangled and the people moved with compassion began to stir the hangman kindled the fire upon Iames being but halfe strangled The people séeing him to die in the midst of the fire were yet more moved so as the tormentor being in a maze got a staffe out of a Boat headed with iron and smote the Martyr twice or thrice on the right side to make an end of him These thrée having a while lien in the fire they were carried thence in a cart to the gibbet where being put apart upon thrée poles they were afterward taken downe and buried Nicaise of Tombe born in Tournay Martyr Whose constancy is to be imitated and followed of every good Christian in suffering for the truth of the Gospell NIcaise dwelling in Tournay and following the trade of Say-making towards the end of his life was then by the mercy of God brought to the knowledge of true religion Now that he might be the more throughly instructed therein he went with his wife and family into the City of Wesell in base Almaine In which City there was at that time an assembly of strangers and especially of those who are called Wallons exercising themselves in hearing the word of God purely preached and in receiving the holy sacraments But Satan the mortall enemy of Gods children envying their happinesse soon after troubled this assembly in such wise with sundry questions that some retyred to Frankfort others to Strausburg and some to other places Nicaise returned to Tournay whence he came not to communicate there with the superstitions and abhominations in which he had formerly béen inwrapped but to joyne himselfe to the Christian assembly which met together in that place to manifest the truth of that heavenly knowledge which he had received out of the word of God Where notice being taken of him they received him into their society amongst whom he carried himselfe in so Christian a sort as they well perceived him to be a man of an holy conversation joyned Anno 1566. with an earnest desire to advance the glory of God and the kingdome of Christ in the edification of his Church Now forasmuch as affliction 2 Thes 2. 9. 10. is the true touchstone whereby the faithfull are discerned from Hypocrites Nicaise then shewed outwardly what he was within For being importuned to take an oath from those who were deputed thereunto by the King of Spaine to live according to the custome of the Romish Church and to observe the traditions invented by her he notwithstanding the threats and injuries done unto him constantly held out against the said oath not casting how deare it might cost him in the end Some of his kindred wished him at leastwise to withdraw himselfe aside for awhile into another City till the urging of this oath was over as also that his wife should change her lodging in his absence To this counsell he consented but the Lord who governes all our intentions and purposes had otherwise determined of him namely to set him forth as an example of constancy unto others and to beare witnesse so farre to the truth of the Gospell as to seale the same with his bloud by staying him at that time in the City For being ready to take his journey a néere neighbour of his being an enemy of the Gospell accused him to the commissioners for one that neither had nor would take the oath according to the forme appointed Nicaise requiring to heare the tenour of the oath before he would make them an answer they told him that he must sweare to kéep observe all antient customes to receive in the sacrament of the altar his creatour thrice in the yeare and on Sundaies and Holidaies to heare Masse morning and evening As soone as hée had understood their meaning hée told them hée intended not at all to take any such oath nor to wound his conscience in consenting to things so manifestly contradicting the word of God therewithall yéelding them the reasons of this his resolution accusing as well them for urging such an oath as those also who gave their consents thereto Upon this he was committed and laid amongst fellons in the Gaole called Pipigne untill Friday the twelfth of November on which day he received sentence of death namely to be bound and so led into the Market place of the City and there upon a Scaffold to be burned and consumed to ashes Having heard this sentence as he rose up hée said now praised be God and as he was about to have spoken more at large the Procurer fiscall bing present prevented him and thrusting him forward bad him march on By and by they brought him to the place of execution and as it well fell out having no Priest accompanying him when he was come downe to the Market place a néere friend of his comming to him commended him to God and so they kissed each other Being come nigh to the * Which is a watch tower standing bofore the City hall where the Clocke is Befroy of the City séeing there a great multitude of people who were assembled together to sée him passe by lifting up his voice he spake thus O yee men of Tournay open your eyes awake ye that sleepe and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give you light He also prayed all whom he had any way offended to forgive him as he for his part was ready to forgive all the world The people hearing him say so began to be moved and to make a great muttering The multitude also that were come together were so many that the souldiers who incompassed the Patient being now ready to suffer could neither march nor kéep ranke so as they were about to shoot Which the people perceiving began to be moved so much the more so as there had like to have béen a great tnmult But going on they drew nigh to the place where the scaffold was Nicaise all the while spent the time in prayer unto God and being at the place of execution hée uttered these words Lord they have hated mee without a cause and ascended up joyfully to the scaffold where the Tormentors readily received him and led him to the stake and as they were fastening him to it he said Eternall Father have pitty and compassion upon me according as thou hast promised to all that aske the same of thee in thy sonnes name Other prayers he made there to his God and so continued to his last gaspe And albeit the multitude made such a noise and the beating of the drummes hindred his words from being all fully heard yet he so often pronounced and that with such vehemency the word Iesus that it notwithstanding might plainly be understood as long as the breath
of life But as soone as God of his goodnesse by the meanes of his word had revealed unto him his son Iesus Christ he by and by altered and changed his former conversation for having before lived in great dissolutenesse he now sharply reproved such as he knew to follow sinfull wayes yea he often taxed the Priests as well for their scandalous living as for their false doctrine wherewith they abused the people but principally for making them to fall downe to such a god as could not defend nor kéep himselfe from Rats and Nice and which is worse to offer it up for the sins of the quick and the dead For these with other such like spéeches those who erewhiles loved him began now to turne their love into hatred insomuch as he was faine to flie from them yea and out of the Countrey also being banished thence threatning him that if he were taken there againe he should be put to death not as an heretike but as one having offended the penall Lawes But not long after the Lord wrought such an alteration not only in the Politicall but in the Ecclesiasticall state also that not the Lawes concerning heresie alone were disanulled but frée liberty was granted to the Faithfull of the Low-countries to returne home into their houses againe and to have the exercises of Religion publikely and openly Among these Francis returned at that time unto the City in which he was borne But this fréedome so suddenly granted lasted not long For the devill not enduring the light so to shine out stirred up Imps afresh to oppresse the godly Francis then apprehending the danger was minded one morning to depart out of the City but God had another worke for him to doe For as he was passing along he was apprehended in the stréete by one of the City who with the Bailiffe met him The Bailiffe would faine have baulked him as if he had not séene him but said the other here he is hold him fast so they took him Being conducted to prison among other spéeches he said now yée have taken me you thinke to deprive me of life and so have your will of me purposing my great dammage and hurt but you are deceived for it is all one as if you tooke Counters from me to fill my hand with a great summe of gold In prison he had many disputes with Priests and Cloister-men But the Iailour of all other dealt harshly with him who could not endure to heare him speake of God But if at any time he heard him sing Psalmes and spirituall Songs he would rage like a Bedlam Once being very drunke he set open the prison doores and sitting on a bench he called to Francis saying come out thou naughty and wicked heretique I will now sée if thy God can deliver thée out of my hands Francis said as the case stands it might easily be effected If I were minded to escape away now as I was heretofore I could easily doe it but I will not for God hath called me to suffer and not to flie away and therefore I will not resist but rather obey his will The drunkard hearing him speake with such mildnes and moderation and séeing that he would not come forth being provoked thereto by him in his fury he tooke up his stoole on which he sat and laid at him therewith so as he had felled him to the ground if the servant had not stepped betwéene who tooke it out of his Masters hands by force yet was the poore prisoner very sorely hurt and lay long in the Chirurgions hands before his head could bée healed But to make him amends this cruell jaylour dieted him so strictly both for meate and drinke that hée had died with hunger had not God inclined the heart of his servant now and then to relieve him by conveying meate to him in secret After the Lord had thus by sundry trials prooved the patience and constancy of this his good servant the Magistrates of the City of Alost consulted how to put him to death having oft called the Executioner to this their consultation but they could not agrée in the manner how to effect it Some were of opinion it were best to have him put to death secretly in the prison others advised to execute him openly lest they should incurre the blot of being murderers In the end waxing more hardy having long detained him in bonds they called him forth into judgment and pronounced sentence upon him which was that because he had done contrary to the Kings Lawes in returning againe to the City from which he was banished he had therefore deserved to die séeing also hée held certaine opinions directly opposite to the Church of Rome Francis hearing his sentence read without any shew of distemper said Now seeing you are so thirsty after bloud I willingly yeeld it into your hands and my soule into the hands of my mercifull Lord God Almighty Francis said they we command you to hold your peace for if you will not wée will take order to bridle your tongue Hée then promised them to obey their command As hée went to suffer hée used that spéech of the Apostle saint Peter I must now shortly put off this my earthly tabernacle which 2 Pet. 1. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 14. the love of Christ Iesus my Lord constraines me to doe Being come into the market place where he was to be offered up a sacrifice he knéeled downe and having ended his prayer he sayed to the executioner doe now what you are commandded the will of God bée done and so presenting himselfe chéerefully to the stroke of death he was beheaded the first of May in the yéere 1566. his body being afterwards exposed to the foules of the aire for a prey ¶ Iohn Tuscaen of Andenard in Flaunders Martyr Iune the eighth Anno 1566. Behold here how God meant to awaken the men of this time out of their brutish security as it were with a thunder clap from heaven THis young man a maker of Tapistry about the age of two and twenty yéeres the son of one called Simeon Tuscaen dwelling in the suburbs of Andenard was trained up from his youth in all godly nurtrature He hearing news that things went more aukly to passe in Bruxels then hée could have wished determined in himselfe to make it knowne by the effect that the adoring of a breaden God which the Roman Church so much worshipped was nothing else but an abhominable and execrable sacriledge Having cast to and fro in his minde and thoughts the weightinesse of the busines he was to undertake at length hée determined to demonstrate the same more fully and apparently in a publike assembly which was the thirtieth day of May in the said yeare 1566. which after the custome of the Romanists is called the feast of God or Corpus Christi day Now by reason that two Cities of Andenard and Pamelle are joyned as it were in one there were two Temples dedicated there not to
Earle of Home who died last gave an evident proofe of that true knowledge of God wherewith he was indued and in which hée had more especially increased in the time of his troubles and afflications ¶ An extract of a complaint with a protestation of the Prince of Orange and the Gentlemen of the Low countries touching their oppressions THis yeare in the month of Iuly the Prince of Ornage William and Nassau accompanied with many Lords and Gentlemen of the Low-Countries all professors of the Gospell for prevention of the slanders and pretences of rebelion put upon them by the enemies thereof published in writing a declaration that it might appeare to all that they were so farre off from plotting any treason against the Kings Majesty that on the contrary they did by all the meanes they could acknowledge him to be their naturall Prince and Soveraign The true causes indéed for which they tooke up armes under the authority of their Prince for their owne defence as also of those who professed the protestant religion were the extortions the confiscations of body and goods with the continuall condemnations and putting to death even of the most noble personages of the Countrey And that the Prince of Orange might make knowne to all what injustice and cruelties were exercised upon those of the Religion he discovered the notorious subtilties of the cardinall of Gravella and others who under the cloaks of the pretended catholique religion sought nothing else thereby but the diminishing of Gods glory the Kings authority and the welfare of the commonwealth shedding the bloud of many a true Christian by whose death followed the losse of their temporall estates and all forsooth under pretence of Iustice And for as much as tortures vexations banishments executions both by fire and water by strait imprisonments sword and gibbets did still increase more and more that for these considerations the cause was lawfull and good in taking upon them the defence of so miserable a people to whom the Dutchesse of Parma Governesse under his Majesty had expresly permitted the preaching of the Gospell for preventing of the perils and dangers which threatened the ruine of the said countries And as the said Prince had béen a faithfull and loyall servant to his Majesty in doing him many acceptable services without either sparing his person or goods so was he also ready prest to be imployed still in the like more then at any time heretofore And thus procéeding on further hée made it apparant to every one whose judgement was not forestalled that the Duke of Alva who in respect of the dignities conferred upon him ought himselfe to be a patterne and a protector of the Nobility and Gentry had notwithstanding put to death thréescore gentlemen with others of quality rich Burgemasters of Bruxels and of other Cities besides that this his ambition being risen to a notable height of cruelty durst put to death the Illustrious Earles of Egmond and Horne without any shew of law or equity who had so faithfully served the Emperour Charles of famous memory in his wars Yea that he might yet further debase the Nobility of the Countrey which is as it were the principall support of his Majesty hée caused the heads of the said Earles to be set upon poles and forkes By such spectacles charging upon their parents and friends much obloquy and disgrace Yea this horrible execution did strike such a feare and terror into many that to avoyd these oppressions they fled the countrey For a conclusion he added that all these things layd together the issue thereof tended to the extirpation of all true Religion and consequently the depriving of the faithfull not onely of their spirituall but corporall good also And therefore as a Prince being a native member of the Empire he held himselfe obliged in having compassion over the wrackes made among so many poore Christians to lend them his best helpe furtherance for the frée passage of the Gospell and the consolation of such of his Majesties good Subjects as were persecuted imprisoned and oppressed ¶ Before wée shut up the History of the yeare 1568. wée will adde to the former Martyrs some that were executed in the Low-countries at divers times in the said yeare without tying our selves to any strict order touching their death ¶ Schoblant the sonne of Barthel Iohn de Hues Ioris Coomans Martyrs THe eleventh of February there were taken and imprisoned in Antwerpe Schoblant the son of Barthel Iohn de Hues and Zoris Coomans After which they were all joyfull and glad in the Lord confessing that nothing fell out in this regard but by his divine providence as it appeares by Letters written to their brethren the seventéenth of March containing that which followeth Séeing it is the will of God that we should suffer for his holy name and in the quarrell of his Gospell we certifie you brethren that we are of good courage hitherto howsoever the flesh continually rebels against the spirit counselling it ever and anone according to the advice of the old serpent But we are well assured that Christ who hath bruised will also still bruise the Serpents head and not leave us comfortlesse True it is we are now and then pricked in the héele but that Ioh. 14. 18. Rom. 16. 20. Gen. 3. 15. Mat. 11. 35. is all the Serpent can doe nor are we discouraged but kéep our faith close to the promises of God who is the Lord of heaven and earth having created all things of nothing He forsooke not Ioseph in Egypt nor left the Gen. 39. 21. Dan. 3. 25. Dan 6. 22. thrée yong men in the fiery furnace no nor Daniel in the Lions Den. This is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of their righteous posterity so that we can without feare say with the Prophet David the Lord is my helpe tower Psal 1◠strength and refuge By such and the like Scriptures deare brethren we comfort our selves in our bands rejecting all confidence in any man whatsoever Be not dismaid then good brethren and sisters for our bands and imprisonment For so is the good will of God now towards us And therefore pray rather that he will give us grace to persevere constantly unto the end so be it ¶ The examination of Schoblant taken the 24. of March in the presence of the Marquesse of the Bailiffe of the Secretary and many others 1568. Marq. WHere were you borne Schob in Sommerswall Marq. Where did you marry your wife Schob At Middleborouth in Zealand Marq. Where were your children baptised Schob In the Church of Christ in which true Christians are bound to baptise their children Marq. Though you should say no more we have sufficient testimony from your owne mouth Have you received the Lords Supper Schob Ya sir Marq. Are ye not a Minister Schob No sir Marq. Ought not you to submit your judgement to that which hath béen decréed in a generall councell where so many learned
fell sick of a continuall Fever and kept her bed which procéeded as it was given out from the griefe she had in her lights wherein by long continuance was bred an imposthume she being also distempered with the heat of the season and her extraordinary journeyes This burning Fever grew so strong upon her that within five daies after she died to the great griefe of the better sort but to the joy of the secret counsell The malady indéed was in her braine which was not searched in which the Quéen Mother had an hand though she séemed much to mourne for the affliction of her good friend Now forasmuch as in the time of her sicknesse she manifested with what spirit she was guided we will here set downe the true narration of her behaviour both in the same her sicknesse and also at her death Perceiving in her selfe by the strength of the disease howsoever others sleighted it that shée could not long continue she made her selfe ready to receive from the hand of God that which he had appointed concerning her and to that end requested she might have such nigh about her as might comfort her in this case out of the word of God as also to pray with her and for her according to that which Saint Iames saith Is any sicke among you Iohn 5. 14 16. Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over such a one knowing that the fervent praier of righteous man availeth much with God Thus according to her desire a Minister resorting unto her shewed out of the Scriptures that Christians ought in all things to submit themselves to the will of God as to the Father of spirits Heb. 1◠that they might live And albeit the rigor of his chastisements doth somtimes séem to our flesh as if they were sent to none other end but for our ruine and destruction yet ought we to consider that because he is just he can do nothing but justily and being a father he cannot but therein séeke the welfare of his afflicted children To which she replyed I take all this saith she as sent from the hand of God my most mercifull Father nor have I during this extremity feared to die much lesse murmured against him for inflicting the same upon me knowing that what soever he doth he doth the same so as all in the end shall turne to my everlasting good The Minister continuing in his spéech added That the causes of sicknesses and diseases must be sought beyond the course of physiyke which alwayes lookes to the corruption of the humours or to the more noble parts of the body any way distempered for howsoever it was not amisse to have respect to these things as to second causes yet ought we to ascend higher namely to the first even to God himself who disposeth of all his creatures as it pleaseth him He it is That make the Deut. 32. 39. wound and heales that kils and makes alive And therefore to him we ought to direct our prayers for comfort in all our griefes and sufferings and in the end for full deliverance séeing it is no hard matter with him to restore health unto us if his good pleasure be such To this she answered that she depended wholly upon Gods providence knowing that all things are wisely disposed by him and therefore be sought him to furnish her with all such graces as he saw to be necessary for her salvation As for this life said she I am in a manner we aned from the love of it in regard of the afflictions which have followed me from my youth hitherto but especially because I cannot live without daily offending my good God with whom I desire to be with all my heart The Minister told her that long life how ful of troubles soever it were was notwithstanding to be esteemed among the blessings of God seeing Deut. 5. 16. his promise implyes so much and not onely so but because our life may many wayes serve to his glory and is both an honor and a pledge of his favor even as it is to him whom his prince imploys long in his service having had experience of his fidelity for many yeares together In which respect she was earnestly requested to pray that if it were the will of God to imploy her yet longer in his Anno 1566. service for the further inlargement of his Gospell that he would grant unto her such recovery of health and good disposition of body that with renued strength shée might bee encouraged to finish her course much more nobly than heretofore Whereupon she protested that in regard of her owne particular her life was not dear unto her séeing so long as she lived in this fraile flesh she was still prone and apt to sinne against God onely she said her care was somewhat for her Children which God had given her in respect they should be so soone deprived of her now in their young yeares yet not doubting said she but although it should please God to take me from them that himselfe will be a Father and a protector over them as he hath béen to me in my greatest afflictions and therefore I commit them wholly to his government and fatherly care these were her very words The Minister said that he blessed God to sée in her Majesty this assurance of faith and so to cast her care upon the providence of God praying her still to persevere therein which would sufficiently seale unto her truth of her faith And thus said he did the Patriarkes in times pasT commit the care of their posterity over into the hands of Gen. 24 1. Gen. 27. 48. 15. 49. God as may appeare by Abraham Isaac and Iacob touching their severall blessings But yet is was very requisite as he said that she should make choise of such who for their sincerity both in life and doctrine might continue to water in these young Princely plants the séeds of piety which had béen sowne in them by her so great paine and industry séeing it was to bée hoped that the example of her faith and constancy in the service of God which she had set before them would serve as a perpetuall inducement to imitate her so noble vertues Now whereas she had againe declared that death was not terrible unto her because it was the way by which we passe hence to our eternall rest The Minister told her that Christians had little cause to feare death in regard they should Because by death we passe to life Iohn 8. 51 52. Iohn 11. 26. Iohn 11. 13 14. Acts 7. 60. 1 Cor. 15. 55. not die at all according to Christs words in the Gospell of Iohn he that liveth and beléeveth in me shall never die For death to speake properly is no death to them but a sleep being often so called in the Scriptures and therefore Christ for their sakes hath overcome and triumphed over it in his owne person So
as now we may cry out with saint Paul O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory She was often admonished by him to make confession of her sinnes before God shewing that bodily diseases tended to the dissolution of nature and that death was the wages of sinne declaring Rom 6. 23. moreover that by this her chastisement she might discerne what she had deserved if God should now enter into iudgement with her not onely in regard of the fall of our first Parents in which guilt Rom. 5. 12. she was enwrapped as well as others but also by her owne personall sinnes séeing the best of men or women in the world are in themselves but poore miserable and wretched offendors yea if the Lord should punish us according to our demerits we could expect nothing at his hands but eternall death and condemnation At these words she began with her hands and eies lifted up to heaven to acknowledge that her Psal 19. â— sinnes which she had committed against the Lord were innumerable and therefore more then she was able to reckon up But yet she hoped that God for Christs sake in whom she put her whole affiance would be mercifull unto her From the later clause of her spéech the Minister tooke occasion to declare at large upon what ground she was to expect the fruit of this mercy of God in Christ séeing the whole have no need Mar. 2. 17. of Phisitian but they that are sicke and therfore Christ saith in that place Hee came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance And that he is ready to fill the hungry with good things Luke 1. 53. whereas in the meane while he sends the rich empty away Of all which said he you ought so much the rather to be perswaded in your conscience by how much the more the holy spirit witnesseth to your spirit that you are the childe of God Crying in you Abba Father For what is Rom. 8. 15. What faith is faith else but a firme trust and assurance of the good will of God manifested towards us in his blessed sonne Now the Minister fearing he might some way offend her by his overlong discourse held his peace the rather because the Physitians thought that a long continued spéech might bee hurtfull unto her but she on the contrary earnestly requested him not to forbeare speaking unto her about these matters of life and eternall salvation adding that she wow felt the want of it in regard that since her comming to Paris shee had béen somewhat remisse in hearing such exhortations out of the word of God And therefore I am now the more glad saith she to receive comfort out of it in this my so great extremity The Minister then endeavoured to set before her the happinesse of heaven and what those joyes Psal 16. 11. were which the faithfull there possesse in the presence of God which when the scriptures intend to discover unto us they onely tell us that the eie 1 Cor. 259. hath not seene nor hath the eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what these things are which God hath prepared for them that love him To which purpose he used this simllitude as if a King minding greatly to honor Simile some noble persome noble personage should bring him to his court and there shew him his state and attendance his Treasures with all his most precious Iewels even so saith he will the Lord one day reveale to all his elect and faithfull people his magniâ—cence and glory with all the treasures of his Kingdome after he hath gathered them home to himselfe decking and adorning them with light incorruption and immortality This happiness therefore being so great her highnesse he said ought to be the lesse carefull about the leaving of this transitory life seeing that for an earthly kingdome which she was now to forgoe she should inherit an heavenly and for temporall good things which vanish and come to nothing in the using she should for even enjoy those that were eterenall and everlasting For her faith being now firmely setled upon our Lord Iesus Christ she might be suffered to obtaine eternall salvation by him on which words he tooke occasion to direct his speech in more particualar manner unto her saying Madame doe you verily beleeve that Iesus Christ come into the world to save you and doe you expect the full forgivenesse of all your sinnes by the shedding of his bloud for you To which she readily answered she did believing that he was her only Saviour and Mediator looking for salvation from none other knowing that he hath abundantly satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world and therefore was assured that God for his sake according to his gracious promises in him would have mercy upon her Thus you have in part the goodly speeches which passed from this religious Lady in the beginning of her sicknesse all which was within the space of three or foure daies Howsoever before that and since also she ceased not to continue the same her fruitfull and comfortable communications now and then sending forth most affectionate slighings to God as a testimony of that hope and desire Anno 1567. she had in enjoying his presence often uttering these words O my God in thy good time deliver me from this body of death and from the miseries of this present life that I may no more offend thee and that I may attain to that felicity which thou in thy Word hast promised me Neither did she manifest her pious affection by these her words onely but therewithall shewed a joyfull and resolute countenance as the vehemency of her sicknesse could beare which gave sufficient proofe to all that beheld her that the feare of death could not drive her from the stedfastnesse of her Faith When she had finished these her consolatory spéeches they usually went to prayer intreating the Lord that he would arme her with constant patience and have mercy upon her Which praier it shall not be altogether impertinent to insert in this place serving as a forme of praier upon the like occasion ¶ The Prayer O Lord our God we confesse hee before thy Divine Majesty that wee are altogether unworthy of thy infinite mercies by reason of our manifold iniquities and that we are so farre off from deserving to be heard of thée in our requests that we are rather worthie thou shouldest reject both our persons and our sutes but séeing it hath pleased thée to make us a gracious promise of hearing and granting our requests we humbly beséech thee fréely to forgive all our offences and to cover them under the obedience and righteousnesse of thy deare Sonne that through him our selves and poore services may be well pleasing before thee For Lord we acknowledge that all our afflictions are measured out unto us by thine hand who art a most just Iudge in regard we have every way provoked
not yet satisfied But going from house to house with their associats Anno 1569. where they thought to find any Huguenots they brake open the doores then cruelly murthered whomsoever they met sparing neither sex nor age The pretence was this Report was raised there that a treason of the Huguenots was discovered who had conspired to kill the King his Mother his brethren having already killed fifteene of the guard Carts were laden with dead bodies of yong maidens women men and children which were discharged into the river covered in a maner all over with the slain and dyed red with their bloud which also streamed down the stréets from sudry parts thereof whereat the Courtezans laughed their fill saying That the warres were now ended and that hereafter they should live in peace c. But it would take up too much time to recite all the lamentable passages of this so sad and tuefull a tragedy ¶ This with some others which follow belonging to this History because they could not bee omitted are here under inserted TO begin then with Monsieur Pierre de la Place President of the Court of Requests whose story we will relate somewhat at large because his singular piety requires the same On Sunday morning about six of the clock one called Captaine Michael harquebusier of the king came into his lodging into which he had the more easie accesse for divers private respects This Captaine being armed having a harquebuse This was a token by which the murtherers were distinguished form others on his shoulder apâ—stoll at his girdle and his handkerchiefe tyed about his left arme presenting himself before the said De la Place the first words he spake were that the Duke of Guise had slaine the Admirall by the Kings appointment with many Huguenots besides and because the rest of them of what quality soever were destinated to death he was come to his lodging to exempt him from the common destruction onely he desired to have a sight of that gold and silver which was in the house The Lord de la Place somwhat amased at the audacious malapartnesse of the man who in the midst of ten or twelve persons which were there present in the roome durst presume to utter such language askt him if he knew where he was or whether he thought there was a King or no To this the Captaine blaspheming answered that he willed him to goe with him to know the kings pleasure The said Lord de la Place hearing this fearing also some danger to be towards by sedition in the City slipped forth at a backe doore behind his lodging purposing to get into a neighbors house In the meane while most of his servants vanished out of sight and this Captaine having stored himselfe with a thousand crowns was intreated by the Lady Marets daughter to the said Lord to convey her father with the Lord Marets her husband into the house of some Romane Catholike which he consented to doe and also performed it After this de la Place being refused at thrée severall houses was constrained to retire backe againe into his own where he found his wife very pensive and grieved beyond measure fearing lest this Captaine in the end would cast her sonne in law and daughter into the river as also for the imminent danger wherein her deare husband and all his family were But the said Lord de la Place being strengthened by the spirit of God with incredible constancy in the inner man sharply rebuked her and afterwards mildely demonstrated unto her that we must receive these and the like afflictions from the hand of God and so having discoursed a while upon the promises of God comforted her Then he commanded such servants and maids as remained in the house to be called togeher who being come into his Chamber according to his custome on the Lords dayes he made a forme of exhortation to his family then went to prayer and began to read a Chapter out of the booke of Iob with the exposition or sermon of Master Iohn Calvin upon it So having spoken somewhat of Gods mercy and justice which as a good and wise father useth to exercise his elect with sundry chastisements lest they should bée intangled here below with the things of this World he shewed how néedfull afflictions were for Christians and that it was beyond the power of Satan or men to hurt or wrong them unlesse the Lord of his good pleasure gave them leave What néed have we then said he to dread their authority which at the most can but prevaile over our bodies Then he went to prayer againe preparing himselfe and his whole family rather to endure all sorts of torments yea death it selfe than to speake or doe ought that might tend to the dishonour of God Having finished his prayer word was brought him that Senecay the Provost Marihall with many archers were at the doore of his lodging commanding the same to be opened in the Kings name saying that he came to secure the person of the Lord de la Place and to preserve his house from being pillaged by the common sort The Lord de la Place having intelligence of this spéech commanded the doore to be opened to him who entring in declared the great slaughter that was made upon the Huguenots every where in the city by the Kings command adding this withall in Latine that he would not suffer one to live Qui mingat ad Parietem Yet have I expresse charge from his Majesty saith he to sée that you shall sustaine no wrong but only conduct you to the Louvre because the King is desirous to be informed touching many things about the affairs of those of the Religion which he hath now in hand and therfore willed him to make himself ready to goe to his Majesty The Lord de la Place answered That he alwaies thought himselfe happy before he left this life to gaine any opportunity by which hée might render an account to his Majesty of his behaviour and actions But in regard such horrible Massacres were every where committed it was impossible for him to passe to the Louvre without the certaine danger of his person praying him to assure his Majesty of his willingnesse to come the whilest leaving in his lodging as many Archers as hee thought fitting untill the fury of theâ— people was somewhat pacified The Provost agréed to his request and left with him one of his Lieutenants called Toute Voye with some foure of his archers Not long after comes into his lodging Prestdent Charron then provost of the merchants with whom conferring a little in secret going his way he left with the foure archers which were there before foure more of the city archers The whole night following was spent in stopping up and fortifying of all passages from entring the house with logs and provision of Flint-stones damming up the windowes so as if séemed by this so exact and diligent a defence the
archers were left in the house to frée the said de la Place and all his family from the common calamity till Senecay returning the next day after two of the clocke in the afternoone declared that hee had expresse charge from the King to bring him to his Majesty without delay Hee replyed as before that it was dangerous as yet to passe through the City in regard that even the same morning there was an house pillaged next to his Seneca on the contrary insisted saying it was Anno 1572. the common spéech of these Huguenotes to protest that they were the Kings most loyall and obedient subjects and servants but when they were to manifest their obedience to his commands then they came off but slowly séeming rather much to abhor and detest it And whereas he pretended danger Seneca answered that he should have a Captain of Paris who was well known to the people to accompany him As SenecacoÌ„tinued this speech the Captaine of Paris surnamed Pazon a principall actor in this sedition entred the chamber of the said Lord of Place offering his service to conduct him through the city to the King which Dela Place would by no means yeeld unto telling Seneca that he was one of the most cruell bloudy minded men that was in all the City and therefore séeing he must néeds goe to the King he intreated that the said Seneca would be his guard To whom Seneca answered that having now other affaires to looke unto he could not conduct him above fifty paces Then his wife though otherwise a very gracious and good Lady out of that entire love which she bare to her husband prostrated her self at the féet of the said Seneca beseeching and intreating him to accompany her husband to the King But the said De la place who never shewed any signe of a dejected spirit came to his wife tooke her up from the ground rebuked her and told her that it is not the arme of flesh that we must stoupe unto but unto God onely Then turning himselfe about he perceived in his sonnes hat a white crosse which through infirmity he had placed there thinking thereby to save himselfe for which his father sharply chid him commanding him to plucke that marke of sedition thence telling him that we must now submit our selves to beare the true crosse of Christ namely those afflictions and tribulations which it shall please our good God to lay upon us as sure pledges of that eternall happinesse which he hath treasured up for all his elect servants Thus séeing himselfe pressed by the said Seneca to goe with him to the De la Place addresseth himselfe to go to the King King resolving upon death which hee saw he could not avoid he tooke his cloake embracing his wife earnestly wishing her above all things to have the feare of God and his honor in precious estéeme and then went on his way boldly Comming into the stréet where the glasse-house is over against Cocks stréet certain murtherers who attended there for his comming with their daggers in a readinesse killed him about thrée of the clocke He is first murthered â— then thrown into the river in the afternoon as an innocent lambe in the midst of ten or twelve of Senecas Archers who led him into that butchery and then pillaged and embezeled away what they found in his lodging for the space of five or six daies together His body whose soule was now received into heaven being carried into a stable and covering his face over with dung the next day they threw him into the river Peter Ramus the Kings professor in Logicke Peter Ramus massacred and afterwards disgracefully handled a man renowned among the learned was not forgotten He had many enemies among other one called Iames Carpenter who sent the murtherers to the Colledge of Priests where the said Ramus was hidden But being discovered hée offered a good summe of money to save his life yet was he massacred and cast downe out of an high Chamber window to the ground so as his bowels issuing out of the stones were afterwards trailed through the stréets the carkasse was whipped by certaine schollers being set on by their tutors to the great disgrace of good letters which Ramus professed I doe here saith the Historian forbeare to write what cruelties were exercised in this foresaid City of Paris on Sunday Munday Tuesday and the daies following because in such confusions those that survived had little leasure to think upon the murthers committed in their presence to observe every particular I content my selfe therefore to say in a word that no man living in Paris taking notice what was done there this Saint Bartholomewes day c. but will averre that there was never séen heard nor read of such perfidious â—â—sloyalties strange ravishments more then brâ—â—â—â—â—ruelties audacious robberies execrable blasâ—â—â—â—â—es as those that were committed in these few â—â—â—es wherein it was safe for one to be any thing rather then an honest man ¶ Of a young man who preferred his Mothers safety in these broyls before his own A Young man about the age of two and thirty yeares a sincere Christian and excellently well learned above many of his age and time going early abroad this Sunday morning upon some speciall occasion returning home and perceiving what a strange rumor there was concerning the death of the Admirall throughout the City of Parts he out of his singular and childelike affection to his Mother hastened to her with all possible spéed informing her what had happened and so wrought for her without delay not regarding his owne safety that he secured her in a place as you would say fitted for the purpose After which himselfe being found alone shut up in his study at prayer to which exercise he had long before devoted himselfe The furious Massacrers on that part of the City asked him if hée would obey the King he answered yes but I must also obey God Then they began presently with battle axes and staves to load him with blowes on the head that he received his owne bloud into his hands and then making an end of him they threw him into the river ¶ Two Ministers massacred TWo Ministers appertaining to the King of Navarre the one called More the other Desgoris fell also into the hand of these murtherers who killing them cast them into the water I cannot learne saith the historiographer by report that any moe Ministers were slaine at this time then these two At the writing hereof many were living who laboured in the worke of the Lord in the Church of Paris and were also miraculously preserved ¶ Aninhumane Cruelty PHilip le Doux a great Ieweller at his returne home from Guybray saire being gone to bed his wife at that time had the midwife attending upon her being ready to be delivered shée hearing these furies below bouncing at the doore commanding it to bée opened to them in the Kings name as till as she
was adventured to goe downe and opened the same to these tygers who presently stabbed her husband in his bed The midwife séeing them bent to murther the woman also now ready to lie downe instantly intreated them to tarry at least so long till the infant which would be the 20. Childe that God had given her was borne Having contested some while with them they tooke this poore woman halfe dead with feare and thrust her into the sundament with a dagger to the very hilts She finding her selfe mortally wounded and yet desirous to bring forth A barbarous cruelty her fruit fled into a corne-loft whither they pursued her giving her another stabbe into the belly with a dagger and then cast her out of a window next to the stréete upon which fall the childe came forth of her body the head formost gaping or yawning to the great astonishment and confusion of the Papists who were constrained often with detestation to acknowledge and confesse the cruelties of their butchers ¶ Behold here another ONE of the Massacrers having snatched up a Whatiron heart would not have been moved to compassion herewith little childe in his armes the poore baâ—â— began to play with his beard and to smile upon him but in stead of being moved to compassion therewith this barbarous wretch wounded it with his dagger and so cast it all on a gore blood into the river so as it was a good while ere it could recover the own colour againe To procéed on further and fully to relate all the tragicall acts committed in this Massacre at Paris to set downe the thundrings of Guns and Pistols the lamentable voices and outcries of the slaine the roarings and horrible blasphemies belched forth by these Massacrers and devils incarnate were enough to cause the Paper whereon they should be described either to blush or wéepe Not to stay the Reader therefore any longer in this having many things of the like nature to present unto thy view we will passe from the dolorous City of Paris to other cities in France and set before thee as in a glasse a company of horrible and rufull spectacles ¶ Massacres committed upon those of the Religion at Meaux in Brie LEt us begin then with those of Meaux in Brie which is not above a daies journey from Paris The poore Protestants in this City were destinated There was a roulâ— drawne where the massacre should begin continus and end to drinke of this cup of Martyrdome after their brethren and sisters in the aforesaid City of Paris Therefore on the same Sunday the foure and twentieth of August about foure of the clocke in the afternoon a post was sent to Meaux with letters accompanied with a seditious fellow called le Froid Being come thither the Packet was presented to Monsleur Lovis Cosset the This Cosset was then branded for notorious villanies and a misshapenfellow Kings Atturney there Upon the receit whereof this Atturny hasted hither and thither in his own person to advertise such cut-throats as had had their hands in the pillaging and robbing those of the religion in the first second and third troubles with command that they should be ready to come forth of their houses armed at the stroke of seven of the clock and then cause the gates instantly to be shut The time prefixed being come which was about supper time the gates were shut and then they began to execute their cruelties in sundry parts of the City Thus was that night passed not without uprores and strange events On the next day which was Munday about thrée of the clocke in the morning these good Catholikes began to pillage the houses of the Protestants of the best things they had which continued till eight of the clocke their trading liked them so well But the principall of all the spotles were conveyed into the Court and house of this noble Atturney Cosset yet these were only the beginnings of sorrows For after robbing and spotling they fell to shut them up in prisons which being filled the massacrers having Cosset for their Captaine who usually carried in each hand a Pistoll ready to discharge went into the said prison on Tuesday the six and twentieth of August about five or six of the clock at night with swords daggers and butchers knives Nigh to this prison there was a great Court enclosed on every side with walls and a very strong Gate In a corner whereof is a large paire of winding staires containing five and twenty or thirty steppes by which they goe up to the Iudgement Hall to the Seat of Iustice Into this Court were the murderers assembled which done Cosset went up into his seat Then they had a scroule or bill containing the names of the prisoners there imprisoned who were called over one by one to the number of two hundred and upwards as some of the murderers themselves have since reported when as they impudently made their brags of these their horrible impieties and injustices Then the Atturney laughing began to call for the first man named in the bill who being brought forth and séeing naked swords before him falling downe and craving forgivenesse of his sins at the hands of God was suddenly butchered by five or sixe One Quintin Croyer an Eiver of the reformed Church being called forth and séeing many of his companions massacred before his eyes knéeled downe praying God to pardon thesée murderers at which prayer they fell a laughing and not being able with their daggers to pierce a Ierkin of double Busse which he ware and which they were loth to spoile for it was a good booty they cut asunder the points and then gave him five or six ftabs with a dagger into his body and so this good man wounded to death calling upon God rendered up his spirit into the hands of him that gave it Faron Haren a man zealously asserted to religion who had béen Sheriffe of the City in the first troubles having by his endeavours chased the Masse out of Meaux for a time was mortally hated of these seditious Papists and therefore they were not contented simply to kill him but first cut off his nose eares and secret parts then giving him many small thrusts into divers parts of the body they constrained him to and fro among them as if he had gone thorow the pikes But being weakened and not able any longer to hold out in regard of the blood that issued from all the parts of his body he fell with his face to the ground and instantly calling upon the name of the Lord received infinite gashes and wounds after he was dead By this time it grew late therefore these blood-suckers having almost wearied themselves in worrying these poore lambes and shéep of Christ deferred the execution of the rest till after supper as well to take some breathing and refection as also to murther the residue with the greater alacrity For in as much as the blood of the slaine shined yet
while after he was overtaken by the hand of God with such a flux of bléeding at his nose as could not be restrained nor diverted by any of the remedies that were then used It was an hideous sight to sée him still bowing his head over a basonfull of bloud which without ceasing issued out of his nose and mouth This bloudy wretch then who breathed forth Vincent dies drenched in his owne bloud nothing but bloud in the time of his health nor could have his eyes satisfied with séeing the bloud of innocents poured out was forced whilest he lived to sée himselfe drenched in his own bloud even untill his last gaspe Another of them thirsting after bloud as much Another of this wretched crew swelled so long that he burst in sunder God meets with the Governor himself at length as any of the rest was taken with such a swelling in all the parts of his body that there was scarcely to be discerned in him the forme of a man and so continued swelling more and more till at the length he burst in sunder The Governour himselfe who was the chiefe actor in this massacre about two yeares after gathering all the forces he could to besiege Genses with an intention to doe wonders there presenting himselfe ready for the purpose was chosen to goe in the ranke of five and twenty or thirty brave Gentlemen and he onely shot with an harquebuse dyed The rest by and by retiring came off safe without doing any further exploit Thus we have taken a view of the extreme afflictions and oppressions of the reformed Churches in many parts of France wherein within a Thirty thousand massacred within a few weeks in the Cities of France few wéeks well nigh thirty thousand were put to death Now in the yeare 1573 many places whither the faithfull were fled for refuge were assayled by open warre namely in the first place that of Sancerre the History whereof you have here in a short view presented before you in that which followeth A relation of the extreme famine which happened in the City of Sancerre in France being besieged with five hundred horsmen and about five thousand footmen the ninth of Ianuary 1573. with their deliverance The Siour of Chastre was then Generall of the Kings army BEing saith the story compassed about with irreconcileable enemies from about the beginning of Aprill the want of victuals having caused them to gather together all the asses and mules they had in the City they were eaten up in lesse than a moneth Then they came to horses cats rats moules mice and dogges After these were spent they fell to eat oxe and cow-hides sheep-skins parchment old shooes bullockes and horsehoofes hornes of lanthornes ropes and horse harnesse leather girdles c. In the end of Iune the third part of the besieged had not bread to eat Such as could get hemp séed ground it or stamped it in mortars and made bread of it the like they did with all sorts of herbes mingling the same with branne if they had it There they eat meale of chaffe nut-shels and of slate excrements of horses and men yea the offall which lay in the stréets was not spared The nine and twentieth of Iuly a poore man and his wife were executed for having eaten the head braines and entrailes of a young childe about thrée yeares old which died of hunger having made ready the other parts to eat at another meale An old woman lodging in their house eating a part of this mournefull dyet dyed in prison within a few houres after her imprisonment They were found guilty of other offences but this aggravated the same the more All children under twelve yeares of age dyed It was lamentable to heare the pittifull voices uttered by poore parents for the misery wherein their eyes beheld their languishing and dying infants To which purpose you may take notice here of a memorable accident A boy of ten yeares old being ready to yéeld up the ghost séeing his father and mother wéeping over him whose aâ—nes and legges when they handled felt as if they had béen dryed stickes said unto them wherefore wéepe ye thus in séeing me famished to death Mother saith he I aske you no bread I know you have none but séeing it is Gods will I must die this death let us bee thankfull for it Did not the holy man Lazarus dye of famine Have I not read it in my Bible In uttering these with the like spéeches he yéelded up the ghost the thirtieth day of Iuly That all the people died not of famine in the end of this moneth it was by reason of certain horses which were reserved for service if néed should be and six kine which were left to give milk for the sustenance of young infants These beasts were killed and their flesh sold for the reliefe of such as were living with a little corne which by stealth some brought into the City so that a pound of wheat was sold for halfe a crowne There died by fight in Sancerre but eighty four persons but of the famine more than five hundred Many souldiers getting forth as they could out of the City flying from the famine chose rather to dye by the sword of the enemy whereof some were slaine others imprisoned and the rest put to death by the executioner But when all helpe of man failed the King having sworne that he would make them eat up God sent these good men in due season from a farre countrey to preserve this distressed city thom utter ruine one another the King of Kings delivered them by his wonderfull providence For at this instant the embassadors from Poland came into France to accept the duke of Anjou for their king at whose intreaty which could not well be dented poore Sancerre more than halfe famished was now set at liberty by raising the siege who otherwise were determined to leave their bones there rather than to yéeld themselves into their enemies hands in regard they had oft threatened them with a generall massacre Whereas now by the Kings appointment they were permitted to passe out of the City armed if any would tarry that they should Anno 1574. not be molested having liberty granted them to dispose of their affaires as they pleased with promise of conserving the honour and chastities as well of virgins as women c. Now let us come to the City of Rochel which Of this siege Marshall Mon Luc said that it was great long and sightly but though well assailed yet better defended being at this instant strongly besieged by the forces of France both by sea and land with about forty or fifty thousand men was yet in the end also delivered though not without many hot conflicts by the immediate hand of God namely thus The Embassadors of Poland arriving in France the seventéenth day of Iune atruce was made on the sudden articles of peace drawne and sent to the King who consented
such particular acclamations the whole army in every quarter did so deboutly at certaine times sing in her hearing in very tunable manner divers Psalmes put into forme of prayers in praise to Almighty God no waies to be misliked that she greatly commended them Anno 1588. and with very earnest spéech thanked God with them This that I write you may be sure I doe not with any comfort but to give you these manifest arguments that neither this Qéene doth discontent her people nor her people doe shew any discontent in any thing they be commanded to doe for her service as heretofore hath béen imagined The same day wherein the last fight was the Duke of Parma after his vowes offered to the Lady of Halla came somewhat late to Dunkerk and was received with some opprobrious words of the Spaniards as if in favour of Quéene Elizabeth he had slipped the fairest opportunity that could be to doe the service He to make some satisfaction punished the purveiours that had not made provision of beere bread and victuals which was not yet ready nor imbarked secretly smiting at the insolency of the Spaniards when he heard them glorying that what way soever they came upon England they would have an undoubted victory that the English were not able to endure the sight them Bernardinus Mendoza did indéed by Bookes in France sing a foolish and lying triumphant For which a Papist sticks not to taxe him writing upon this subject to Mendcza The Spaniards dismaied flâ—e away for feare song before the victory The English Admirall appointed Seimor and the Hollanders to watch upon the coast of Flanders that the Duke of Parma should not come out himselfe followed the Spaniards upon their backes untill they were past Edenborough frith The Spaniards séeing all hopes faile and finding no other help for themselves but by flight fled amaine and never made stay And so this great Navy being thrée yeares preparing with great cost was within a moneth overthrown and after And all their preparations blasted the English receiving small losse viz. not one hundred men in all nor one ship but that of Cockes many were killed being chased away of English there were not one hundred lost nor one ship lost saving that of Cocks was driven about all Britaine by Scotland Orcades Ireland tossed and shaken with tempests and much lessened and came home without glory Whereupon some money was coined with a Navy fléeing away at full saile and this inscription Venit Vidit Fugit Other were coined with the ships fired the navy confounded in honour of the Quéene inscribed Dux foemina facti As they fled it is certain that many of their ships were cast away upon the shores of Scotland and Ireland More then seven hundred soldiers and Mariners were cast up upon the Scottish shors who at the Duke of Parma his intercession with the Scots King the Quéene of England consenting were after a yâ—are sent into Flanders But they that were cast up upon the Irish shore by tempests came to more miserable fortunes for some were killed by the wilde Irish others by the Deputies command for he fearing that they might joyne themselves to the wild Irish Bingham the Governor of Connach being once or twice commanded to slay them having yeÌ„elded but refusing to doe it Fowle the under Marshall was sent and killed them which cruelty the Quéen much condemned whereupon the rest being afraid sick and hungry with their torne ships committed themselves to the sea and many were drowned Quéene Elizabeth came in publike thankesgiving to Pauls Church in a Chariot drawne Queen Elizabeth giveth thankes to God for so unexpected a deliverance with two horses her Nobles accompanying her with a very gallant traine through the stréets of London which were hung with blew cloth the companies standing on both sides were in their liveries the Banners that were taken from the enemies were spred shée heard the Sermon anpublique thankes were rendred unto God with great joy This publique joy was augmented when sir Robert Sidney returning out of Scotland brought from the King assurance of his noble minde and affection to the Quéene and to religion which as in sincerity he had established so he purposed to maintaine with all his power Sir Robert Sidney was sent to him when the Spanish fléet was comming to congratulate and to give him thankes for his propense affection towards the maintenance of the common cause and to declare how ready she would be to help him if the Spaniards should land in Scotland and that he might recall to memory with what strange ambition the Spaniard had gaped for all Britaine urging the Pope to excommunicate him to the end that he might be thrust from the Kingdome of Scotland and from the succession in England and to give him notice of threatning of Mendoza and the Popes Nuncio who threatned his ruine if they could worke it and therefore warned him to take especiall héed to the Scottish Papists The King pleasantly answered That he looked for no other benefit from the Spaniard then that which Polyphemus promised to Vlysses to devoure him last after all his Fellowes were devoured ¶ To close up this whole relation heare what The odore Beza writes in certaine gratulatory Verses written in Latine and sent unto her Majesty the effect of which Verses is this in English WIth Navy huge the Spaniard proud The English seas had spread And all to set the English Crowne Upon the Spanish head And would you gladly understand The cause of all this rout Ambition first did lay the plot And lucre brought them out How well this pride thus puffed up A puffe did overthrow And swelling wave such swelling wights How well did overflow How well that Worrier of mankinde That Spanish cruell Wolfe Was tost and tumbled up and downe Within the Ocean gulfe And you for whom both all the windes And all the waters fight O noble Queene of all the world The only true delight Goe forward still to rule for God Ambition laid aside Goe forward still for Christ his Flocke In bounty to provide That thou maist England governe long Long England thee enjoy As well a love unto the good As to the bad annoy From Geneva besieged by the Duke of Savoy the twelfth day of August Anno 1589. Your Majesties most humble Orator Theodore Beza ¶ The death of the Duke of Guise and Henry Anno 1598. the third King of France IT was not long after that the Duke of Guise who was slain by the Lord Lougna at the kings Chamber doore and King Henry the third were taken away he being the last of the house of Vallois and dying without any lawfull heires of his body begotten The manner of whose death was thus A Frier of the Order of Saint Dominicke called Iames Clement pretended hee had matters of great consequence to impart to the King who being admitted into his presence upon his knées presented the King with
a Letter which he drew out of one sléeve which whilst the King attentively read the Frier pulled forth a poysoned knife out of his other sléeve wherewith he stabbed the King into the lower part of his belly The King féeling himselfe hurt therewith snaching it out of the wound strucke the same into the Friers eye who hasting to get away the King crying out His Lords and Gentlemen perceiving what the Frier had done slew him presently with rapiers and swords The King before hee died having raigned fourtéene yeares and seven moneths called for the King of Navarre all the Princes Lords and Noblemen that were in his campe and declared that the King of Navarre was the true lawfull heire to the Crowne of France willing them all to acknowledge him for their King and that notice should likewise be given throughout all his camp and Kingdome also Thus the soveraigne Iudge of the world made The raigne of Henry the fourth over the kingdome of France way for the entrance of Henry the fourth to have dominion over the Kingdome of France Now howsoever from the yeare 1589. to this present yeare 1598. the Churches of Christ have séene marvellous changes and how the league for a time made many furious onsets yet it pleased God so to moderate things that the faithfull were preserved from being persecuted yea they obtained of their Prince many priviledges and favors For the King in the first yeres of his raigne continuing in the profession of the true Religion wherein he had béen bred and brought up did manfully resist both these of the league and the Spaniards the great God of battels blessing the right and just wars undertaken by this Prince to the confusion of all his enemies till he fell to side with Popery though the affairs of his Kingdome gained but little thereby ¶ A Note touching the Popes Bull. THe Leaguers séeing what prosperous successe God gave King Henry the fourth in his wars undertaken against them fearing that in the end all would yéeld unto him they procured a new excommunication from Rome against him and all his faithfull subjects causing the same to bee published at Pontâ—e I'Arch in Normandy by Marcellus Laudriaâ—us a malapert Iesuite The king being advertised thereof commanded his Court of Parliament holden at Cane to proceed against Pope Gregory the fourtéenth who sent it and his Nuncio that brought it as against Tyrants conspirators with Rebels perturbers of the state sowers of seditions and the common and notorious enemies of God and all goodnesse Then taking the Popes Bull he caused it to be fastened to a Gibbet at Tours by the common hangman of the towne and there to be consumed to ashes to the great rejoycing of all the beholders ¶ The History of one Margaret Pierrone who chose rather to be burned her selfe than willingly to burne her Bible Anno 1593. THere was one Margaret Pierrone borne in a village of Cambray called Sansay who with her husband retired into the City of the Valencians Now because she could not endure the bad qualities of a maid servant of hers shee was by her said maid accused to the new sect-Masters sirnamed the Iesuites for that shee had not béen in many yeares at the masse as also for kéeping in her house a Bible in reading whereof was her whole delight They acquainting the Magistrate herewith she was by and by apprehended some friends sent her an inckling thereof before hand once or twice that shée should get her some where out of the way but the errand was not done God having a purpose that she should beare â—vitnes of his truth to fill up the number of those that were to die for the name of Iesus Being in prison the Iudges calling her before them said Margaret are you not willing to returne home unto your house and there live with your husband and children Yes saith she if it may stand with the good will of God They added further that they had so wrought with their Fathers the Iesuites that in doing a small matter she might be set at liberty If saith she it be not a thing contrary to Gods glory and mine owne salvation you shall heare what I will say No such thing Margaret said they for a scaffold shall be erected in the chiefe place of the City upon which you are to present your self and there to crave pardon for your offending the Law then a fire being kindled you must cast your bible therein to bee consumed without speaking any word at all I pray you my masters tell me saith shee Is my Bible a good booke or no Yes we confesse it is said they If you allow it to be good said the woman why would you have me cast it into the fire Only said they to give the Iesuits content Imagine it to be but paper that you burne and then all is well enough doe so much for saving your life and we will meddle no more with you you may buy you another when you will They spent about two houres in perswading her hereunto shewing how she might doe a lesse evill that a greater good might come of it By the help of God saith shee I will never consent to doe it What would the people say when they sée me burne my Bible will they not exclaime and say yonder is a wretched woman indéed that will burne the Bible wherein are contained all the Articles of our Christian faith I will burne my body sure before that I will burne my Bible Then séeing she would in no sort conforme her selfe either to the will of the Iesuites or to theirs they caused her to be committed close prisoner and to be fed only with bread and water none to be permitted so much as to speake unto her thinking by this hard usage to overcome her but all was to no purpose Being thus long shut up and no newes heard of her one way or other every one imagned that they had put her to death privily Her Iudges were wiâ—â—ing to have saved her life sending often a Doctor unte her called N. of Vivendyne to turne her from her resolution Anno 1593. but he found it too hard a taske for him to effect often confessing to them that sent him that he found no cause at all in her why they should put her to death But on Wednesday the two and twentieth of Ianuary 1593. shee was condemned to be brought upon a stage set up in the Market place before the towne-house there to sée her books burnt then her selfe to be strangled at a post and her body dragged to the dunghill without the City Shee comming to the place and ascending the Scaffold distinctly pronounced the Lords Prayer Then seeing her books burned in her presence she uttered these words with an audible voice you burne there the word of God which your selves have acknowledged to be good and holy Having againe repeated the Lords Prayer she was strangled and died peaceably in the
Lord so as she was nothing altered in her colour after shee was dead leaving to the Valencians the truth of this sentence Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the martyrdome Psal 116. 15. of his Saints and to the Iudges and her hangmen the Iesuites a perpetuall corrasive to their consciences ¶ An English man burned at Rome IN the yeare 1595. about the end of May there was executed a young man at Rome about the age of five and twenty yeares who went into the Church of Magdalen where beholding their behaviour being pricked forward with religious zeale and constant resolution not being able to endure the sight of those horrible impieties which were there committed amongst them As the Bishop was setting forward to goe on procession this young man directed his way towards the Church porch and as the procession began to passe forward he waited till the Bishop came that bare the Host and in his going forth stepped to the pixe plucking it out of his hands threw it to the ground saying aloud ye wretched Idolaters doe ye fall downe to a morsell of bread The people presently fell fell upon the young man yet without touching his person notwithstanding the great stirre they made he was from thence sent to prison to the Capitoll Complaint being made thereof to Pope Clement the eighth touching all that which had happened He presently ordained that he which had done it should be burned the same day for an example and terrour to all his companions But some of the Popes Cardinals being then at hand advised that he should be detained rather a while in prison to be examined by all exquisite tortures to make him confesse his fellowes and who had set him on Having kept him eight daies in prison nothing could be drawne from him but this speech Such was the will of God When they saw they could not prevaile his inditement was framed and his sentence registred namely that he was to passe from the Capitoll naked unto his middle and to weare on his head the forme of a Devill or Dragon his breeches painted all over with flames of fire and thus being bound in a cart to be burned alive being first carried in this manner about the City The Patient understanding how he was to be handled lifting up his eies implored helpe from the Almighty and séeing how he was derided of all continued in his devotion and prayers He could not refraine from uttering somewhat against the life of the Cardinals and their associates who hearing it began to be in a rage and that he might no longer bewray their wickednesse they caused a great gagge to be forced into his mouth which vexed him more then all the rest when he testified saying How shall I call upon my God But he patiently submitted himselfe to endure all their cruelties In this plight he was brought to Magdalens where he had cast downe the Idoll and there one of the hangmen cut off his hand before the doore at which the patient being not much moved his hand being set on a pole in the cart the two tormentors made him féele the force of the fire taking each of them a great torch in his hand flaming with which they scortched and burned his flesh through all the city of Rome At length they arrived at the place called Campio de Pior by which time the young man was brought into a pittifull case being scortched all over his body all blistered and bloudy having nothing whole but his head which he now and then lifted up Being taken downe out of the cart and séeing the post whereunto he was to be fastened with thrée chaines of yron he went of himselfe to the post and falling on his knées kissed the chaines with which he was there to be bound till the sacrifice should be ended But before the fire was put to him he was urged by Friers and Priests to worship an Idoll which they presented there before him From which turning away his face he shewed unto them his constant resolution to the contrary holding on his Christian course unto the end which he truly testified for as soone as the flames of fire seised on him bowing his head hee quietly yéelded up his soule into the hands of God ¶ The death and martyrdome of an old man of Millan who was burned at Rome THe same yeare they burned an old man who for a long time had lyen in the Inquisitors cares He dyed with great constancy and resolution Before his death he was exhorted and importuned by the Monks to kisse a crucifix He séeing their impudency said If ye take not this Idoll out of my sight you will constraine me to spit upon it which when they heard he was sent away to the fire and consumed to ashes ¶ The troubles and persecution of Bartholomew Copin a godly and religious martyr of Christ IN the yeare 1601. Bartholomew Copin of the valley of Luserne resorted unto a place called Ast in Piemont with certaine merchandise purposing to vent the same at a Faire there which was to be kept the day following It so fell out that sitting at supper in the evening with sundry other Merchants one amongst the rest began to use some spéech about the diversitios of Religions and there withall spake somethin◠tending to the disgrace of those of the valleyes of Angrougne and the neighbour villages Copin hearing such spéeches cast forth against his Brethren as he little expected from men of that sort and also against their Religion all which tended to the dishonour of God hee feared lest it should be offensively taken if he should not make some reply unto those blasphemies which he heard with his eares and so answer him who held such a discourse against the religion which himselfe professed He who reproved Copin asked Are you one of Vandois He answered yes I am And Anno 1601. what said the other beléeve you not that God is in the Host No said Copin Oh said the other sée how false your Religion is My religion said Copin is no lesse true then God is God and as certaine as I am sure to die The next day Copin was called before the Bishop of Ast who told him that report had béen made to him of some offensive spéeches which hee had used the night past in his lodging and therefore it behoved him now to acknowledge his fault if he meant to obtaine pardon for the same otherwise he must looke to be chastised according to his demerits Copin answered he had uttered nothing but that which he was first provided to speake nor had he said ought but what he was resolved to maintain to the hazard of his life He affirmed that God had bestowed upon him some worldly goods as also a wife and children but that he was not so glued in his affection to any of them but he could bee Luke 9 23. content to forgoe them all rather than the peace of a good
hope age 22 Friderico Guizziardi age 34. Horatio Paravicino sonne of Francisco age 6. Margareta Marlianica wife of Raphael Nova a Doctor of the Law a Gentleman of great worth age 43. Madalena her daughter wife of Daniel Gatti age 18. Anshelino Gatti Chancellor of the State of Tell age 67 Giovan Pauli Piatti son of Ionata age 48. Claudia Piatti daughter of Massimiliano age 7. Violante late wife of Theodore Gatti age 64. Giovanninna widow of Vincentio Nova age 34. Pietro Regenzano Chancellor of the above named Podesta of Tell age 46. Iosue Meda age 50. Martua of Borum age 53. Madalena Girardona wife of Claudio Gatti age 33. Augusto Gatti son of Abraham age 22. Abroad without the Church and Stéeple were slaine Vincentio Gatti brother of Anthelmo age 73. Andrea his sonne age 32. who was murthered in the stréet called Lagone Claudio Gatti sonne of Theodoro Ionatan Medasonne of Iosue Daniel Lazeroto Vincentio Cattaneo and Giovan Pietro Regenzano who comming from Morbegno from the garrison were slaine in a certaine place called Buffetto age 18. or thereabouts Thomazo Reaenzano brother of Giovan Pietro age 38. Melchior Marcionino wounded in the head but after five daies being found in his bed was solicited with great promises to renounce his Religion but he with great earnestnesse and resolution refusing was murthered in his bed age 65. Giovanni Antonio Federici Doctor of Law in Sonico in Valeamenica age 38. was very néer to be murthered in prison from whence at the instance of Antonio Piatti Curate of Tell he was set frée In this place it is worth the noting that Giovan Abondio Nova sonne of Doctor Raffaele a very learned young man albeit out of humane infirmity to save his life he had promised in the Church of Tell to goe to masse yet in short time recovering himselfe and acknowledging his oversight with much griefe and repentance for his fault he with all spéed departed from Tell towards Sondres supposing that he should be safely protected by his deare kinsman Nudar Marliemion but being required by the souldiers who kept the passage of Trisiria to deny his Religion for refusing the same he was slaine in the way being 22 yeares of age This young man is a singular example for them who fall méerly through infirmity and danger of death not in other respect but yet after their fall through the grace of God and the crowing voice of the word doe returne to repentance confessing their fault and with unfained sorrow of heart bewailing the same which even befel the blessed Apostle Peter himselfe CHAP. 3. The massacre following committed at Sondres in the mountaine of Sondrium and Malenk wherein were left dead above 140 persons THese wicked and savage wretches having in this manner executed and finished this their impious and execrable enterprise at Tyrane and Tell assembled themselves in the middest of the Valley of Sondres where the principall and chiefe Iustice of the Country made his residence having before placed secure guards upon every passage of the countrey about They came principally by the conduct of Giovani Guizziardi Prospero Swadino and Guilio Pozalis being all thrée of Ponte with an entire company of souldiers from Ponte Chiur and some few from Porti who the very same Sunday marched to the gate of Albosagia in which place they found Lorenco Paribello a doctor Giovan Iacomo and Floratio his sons with another company of souldiers attending the comming of the abovesaid Iohn Guizziardi with his company This businesse was fréely divulged all abroad in Sondres by the Romane Catholikes themselves that these banished came towards Sondres to execute the same designe which they before had practised at Tyrane and Tell who offered their ayd to the chiefe Iustice to defend him against the invasion protesting that they would no more endure any such villanous attempts Wherfore they took armes under pretence and shew of defence beating up the drummes ane ringing the bells for the alarme by which meanes not only great multitudes assembled in armes out of the countries adjoyning but also with one purpose and consent to doe mischiefe and to execute their malitious intentions against the protestants who suspected nothing lesse In the meane time the protestants trusting to the great promises which the Papists made them mixed themselves amongst them These persons concealing their mischievous intent killed at times sometimes one sometimes another of the Protestants in such manner as although divers of them were slaine yet they did not understand the secret of the practise Some of them endeavouring to flée towards the valley of Malenco which lies against Poschiaro Agnedma and Pregalia were murthered by certaine villaines of Ponchiero a place about Sondres and amongst other Gentle women were wounded and run through in many parts Frances Marliamio Giovanni Andrea Chissa and others particularly Doctor Bartholomed Paravicino Doctor of the Law in Berbenno called the Fatt who was cruelly murthered being of age 53 yeares The day after was slaine in the morning Nitholo Marlianco sonne of Fellosâ—o a man singularly affected to the publique good and to the advancement of the Gospell Hee was shot by his cousin germane Emilio Luvizaro méeting him in the stréet the said Marlianco going in the company of Lucio Orschletta of Zornezo Agnadina the lower to visit the court of guard in the quarrevoy of Sondres age 46. At this time it was delivered for certaine that the day before was murthered Cesar the sonne of Prospero Paravicino and of Hortensia Marteninga Countesse of Barco a Gentleman of most rare abilities travelling about his businesse towards Tresiar age 50. Besides Prospero his son was slaine of age 27. also Battista Girrardo with his sonne George and many others by which meanes these protestants were so scattered and left destitute of any head for their conduct that they could not possibly unite themselves to make defence against their enemies Onely the Chancellor Giovan Andrea Migardino calling to remembrance the matters contained in the abovesaid processes the same sabbath day the ninth of Iuly with his brother Gregory and others of the Church of Sondres withdrew themselves to the number of eightéene together with certaine Ladies and their young children into their owne house which is adjoyning to the Palace and there they fortified themselves with resolution to defend themselves even to the death séeing that in the stréet wherein they dwelt none durst come out of the doores nor enter into the Church which stood over against them Neverthelesse the enemy resolved to set upon the house with a thousand armed men threatening also the Magistrate to kill him in case any of them should take any harm by those who were retired into the house Whereupon the Magistrate commanded them in the house to depart who being well armed tooke their way on the sudden by Sondres towards the bridge where for a time they fortified themselves then returning again they drew unto them certain others and marched towards the Church of the Mountaine of
Sondres In which place being gathered together with the Pastor they made their prayers to God and afterwards to the number of thréescore and thirtéene persons in all they passed the valley of Malenco which was beset by the enemy on two sides but those that kept those places were by the providence of God so astonished that they fled away and the protestants although they were pursued to the tops of the hils did miraculously escape with safety The enemy that is to say the proper Inhabitants of the valley with their ringleaders Iames Robustello Azzo Besta Iohn Guizziardi Lorenzo Paribello and others entred into the Palace they deprived the Magistrate of his office that is to say Giovanni Andrea Traersio of Scants of the upper Agnadua Captaine and Governour of the Valtoline who with his family had retired himselfe into the house of Paul Clamar untill Wednesday the eleventh of Iuly on which day under protestation to secure them they were conducted to Malenco where in the Village of Chissa against their faith given they were mads prisoners and detained for eight daies following They who by the commandement of the said captaine found themselves to bee made prisoners were delivered putting in their roome certaine of the Religion They immediately changed the Calender and gave for a prey the goods of the Protestants by which occasion great multitudes of persons assembled from all the parts of the Valtoline to rob and spoile and by reason of the swéetnesse which they found in pillaging the goods they met with in divers noble houses excellently well furnished grew an intolerable heate and outrage to spoile insomuch as brother robbed brother and the néerest of kindred pursued and robbed one another and followed one another to the death The peasants hoping by meanes hereof to be exempted from paying their yearely rents ranne with all fury and madnes about the woods bushes and mountaines searching after the poore Protestants who were scattered by feare whom they murthered as they found them with extreme cruelty Amongst these were these Gentlemen of greatest worth and resolution Doctor Bartolomeo Paravicino of Sondres from whom they tooke about two thousand crownes Doctor Nicolas his brother whose brother Doctor Lelio had before béen slaine in the Church of Tell Petronio Paravicino Doctor and Giovan Battista Mallerio of Antwerpe in the Low-Countries a man endued with excellent rare qualities of mind and body for he was both a good Philosopher and a learned Divine and very fit to instruct youth he was surprised in the house of Morone and when they had stoned him to death they cut off his head ripped his belly and tooke out his entrailes His Children Giovan Andrea and Catharine were carried to Millane Annaidi Lita wife of Anthony Grotti of Chio in the territory of Vincentine of an honorable and antient house was come out of Italy but some few yeares before for the liberty of her conscience This Anna was first by them exhorted with faire words to change her Religion but she constantly persevering therein was admonished that she would at the least have a care of her young infant which she held in her armes being about two months old otherwise shee would make reckoning that in the twinkling of an eie both she and her babe should die but she with a bold and undaunted courage answered That she had not A holy resolution departed out of Italy her native Countrey neither had she forsaken all the estate she had to renounce at last that faith which had béen inspired unto her by the Lord Iesus Christ yea that she would rather suffer if it were possible a thousand deaths And how saith she should I have regard in this case of my infant since God our heaâ—enly Father spared not his onely Sonne my Lord Iesus but delivered him up to death for the love of me and of all sinners Then giving them the child she said behold the childe the Lord God who hath care of the birds of the aire will much more be able to save this poore creature although by you it were abandoned and left in those wilde mountaines So unlacing her gowne shee opened Behold here the power of faith her breast and said Here is the body which you have power to kill but my soule on which you have no power to lay hand that I commend to my God and presently she was slain and afterwards cut in pieces being thirty five yeares old The infant because it was a lovely and a swéet babe to looke on was suffered to live God restraining the cruelty of those butchers and was delivevered to a popish woman to nurse up And here is to be observed that this blessed Martyr imitated the commendable example of her deare brother Giovanni Antonio who for the profession of the truth Gods Word and Gospell can never be bound in theâ— hearâ— of Gods elect of the Gospell having continued in the said Chio and endured a grievous imprisonment two yeres together was at last condemned to the Galley where he died within two moneths after When he was bound in chains being carried from Chio he said You may indéed bind my person but the word of God shall never the more be bound in the hearts of the elect that it doe not shew manifestly it selfe and bring forth fruit c. According to this most Christian example Iohn Stéeven Moron and Rodulfo Rivello being both of them of the Valley of Sondres did not onely in their proper persons seal with their bloud the truth of the Gospell but moreover exhorted their children Iohn Andrea and Iohn Antonio the one of them being fiftéene yeares of age the other ten that they should doe the like following the honourable example of the seven brethren in the Machabées and of their mother who chose rather to dye than to obey the King and to transgresse the Law of the Lord. And yet by reason of the money and jewels found in the houses and chests of the Protestants the eagernesse and fury of each of those miscreants increased daily more and more insomuch as that there were neither noble nor ignoble nor Lady no neither man woman young nor old of what condition soever who were not ransacked and spoiled some twise and others oft times thrise over Some honourable matrons had their rings pulled off their fingers insomuch as they would cut off their hands and fingers if they would not presently draw them off Some women were by force dragged up to the tops of high and craggy mountaines and threatened to be throwne downe headlong with their children unlesse they would goe to masse And although Lucretia the wife of Antonio Lavizaro and Katherina wife of Giulio Merlianico being moved and terrified with the horror of death had consented to change their Religion yet were they murthered for all that without any pitty at all The same befell to D. Io. Battista Salici of Soglio in the Pregaglia for although that his life was promised him
neverthelesse he was brought into the market place of the said Campello pinioned with a cord and miserably slain with two musketiers being of the age of 72. after he had bin robbed of his gold and silver whereof great store was found in his house according to the common and too much practised rule of the Roman Catholikes Haereticis non est servanda â—ides Dominico Berto an aged man of 67 yeres was set upon an Asse his face turned to the taile which he held in his hand in stead of a bridle and in his other hand a booke whom in this manner they carried through Sondres saying Alessio Alessio c. they cut off his cares his nose his chéekes boring holes in divers parts of his body with a strange and unheard of barbarousnesse untill they had quite killed him but he for the love of Christ his Savior with great and incredible courage cheerfulnesse endured all those varieties of torments and martyrdome And by this it may be gathered what they would have don with Seignior Alessio a faithfull Pastor of the Church of Sondres if he had falne into the hands of these raging beasts But he by the great mercy of God was preserved with his wife and children in the company of seignior Georgio Ienatro Minister of Berbenno and Charles Salice son of Cavaliere Hercole of happy memory and others not without great travell danger and difficulties among the craggy and dangerous mountains whereon they travelled it so pleasing the gracious God by the vertue of his spirit graciously to assist him although he was in the midst of his persecutors Anthony de Prati of the hils was with many words exhorted to abjure his Religion but he constantly persevered and with a generous courage replyed in these words My soule shall be taken up into Abrahams bosome and after my death my enemies shall see the Angell of God hard by mee c. and accordingly an Angell appeared over his body in a white garment being beheld of the by-standers who of their owne accord have publikely confessed the same Theophilo Mossino received into his body a shot with a musket but before he was dead a gag was put in his mouth which being filled with gunpouder fire was given to it and in that manner he passed miserably out of this life Giovanni his son was slain with seven wounds Seignior Salvetto being delivered out of prison was instantly exhorted to embrace the catholike Romane Religion But notwithstanding he constantly persisted although he was both young in yeares and a lover of worldly vanities and having received a shot of a musket was carried by a ladder out of the Palace to the ground from whence he raised himselfe and besought them to finish the worke they had to doe about his body that he might render his soule to his Creator being 28 yeares of age Io. Battista Mingardino having received many wounds and being stripped of his garments and left naked in the woods nevertheles after this so evill intreaty hee returned to his house and although the Priests of Sondres did with all diligence possible exhort him to change his Religion promising him in case he would doe so mountaines of gold neverthelesse hee constantly persevered in the truth of the Gospell even to the end Christina Ambria the wife of Vincenzo Bruno of Prada Mudalena Merli of Montagna and Iohn Garato of Fruxagiola were thrown downe headlong into the river Adda from divers bridges of Boffetto S. Petro and others and so drowned because they had refused to embrace the Catholike Romane Religion and that with so manly and constant a resolution as did worke an admiraration in the persecutors themselves In this meane time notwithstanding the reverend Seignior Bartholomew Marlianico received the crowne of Martyrdome who sometimes had preached at Sondres a true servant of God and for his life and manners unreprovable Others had their mouths slit up to the eares others received other flashes in the face others were in other manner most cruelly mangled to the death Battista of Grilio called of the Bajacca an aged man of seventy five yeares being found in the house of the heires of Seignior Conte Vlisse Martinengo of most happy memory being set upon by those murthering cattifes leaped out of a window and passed the river Maleto and having gotten to his house and shifted his clothes he was assailed again taken prisoner and carried to the Palace put often to the strapado and lastly was in such sort sliced and hewne with a sword that he had nothing left him but the armes which were fastened to the cord Paulo Baretta of Chio in the County of Vicence a virgin of the age of seventy five yeares of an honourable noble and antient family who twenty seven yeares came before to Sondres to embrace the Gospell was by these villanies caried through Sondres with all disgrace shame and scorne having a Myter of paper put upon her head her face besmeared with diâ—â— and many buffets given in her chéekes and in many other fashions abused Being required to call upon the holy Virgin Mary and the Saints and to place her trusting in them she smiling did with great readinesse answer them My trust and my salvation is in my onely Savior Iesus Christ and in him onely will I rest And it is also true That I acknowledge the Virgin Mary for the most holy Virgin above all others which ever was or ever will be who was a Virgin before the birth a virgin in the birth and after birth and so shall remain Who although she be favoured and beloved of God above all women in the world to be made the Mother of my Lord Iesus the Savior of the world nevertheles because she is not able to know our necessities as not being omnipotent for otherwise she would be God himselfe and besides hath had néed of the merits of her son it was not lawfull for her to call upon any other then the eternall God who knoweth all things and upon no creature of any quality whatsoever c. In this sort she endured the scornes and outrages with an incredible constancy and chéerfulnesse saying continually I do willingly endure as becommeth mee to doe desiring no better usage since the very same hath béen done to my Lord and Savior Iesus and to his Apostles and to thousands of the holy martyrs Lastly she was carried away to be sent to Millaine but she rather then that should be desired earnestly that she might be killed séeing she was resolved to die in the faith of the Lord Iesus both there and at Millaine but she could not obtaine the favour to be killed there but was carried along as hath héen said On Wednesday being the eightéenth of Iuly was found in the plaine of Saint Gregory in the Valtoline in the high way the dead body of an old woman which by the conjecture of some was the body of this woman Paulo who in conclusion had béen murthered by the assasinate in
to deprive them of mutuall comfort and consolation Secondly gave charge that in visiting them none should be so bold as to bring them ought to eate or drink Thirdly They were sollicited by wicked ones to yéeld and not wilfully to hazard their lives Moreover they had many other greaf provocations and therefore by their Letters instantly requested the continuall prayers of the Churches to God for them When the godly strangers in England were advertised of these their assaults they sollicited their Superintendent Edmund Bishop of London at the request of the Archbish of Canterbury and others to send Letters to the Magistrates of Furne intreating that they would release these thrée prisoners whom they had apprehended as they passed along by the high waies side without any misbehaving of themselves or holding any dispute with any and were innocent in regard of committing ought against the Lawes of the Countrey As touching their Faith which some called into question they should not for that bée molested because in like manner her Majesty hath given frée power and leave in case of Religion hitherto that none of the Subjects of the Low-Countries comming into England and carrying themselves modestly should be medled withall But if they shall deale so hardly with those of the Religion who have submitted themselves as her Majesties subjects under her protection then she shall be constrained though to her great sorrow to mete out the same measure to those of other Nations but she hoped and expected the contrary both from the wisdome and equity of the Magistrates of Furne These Letters were dated the 26. of Iuly 1560. and subscribed Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Bishop of London William Meyne William Haddon Master of the Requests c. THe Magistrates of Furne having received these Letters sent them to Bruxels where they were read before the Kings privy Counsell But to extenuate the authority thereof it was noised that they were forged by some Lutherans so as in the end they resolved notwithstanding to procéed against the said prisoners according to extremity of the Lawes established by the King Now these of Furne having in vaine by all Anno 1562. meanes assayed to turne the prisoners from their Faith they resolved to execute them Many of the City and others not dwelling far off hearing the report of their purposed dispatch prepared to come to the sight thereof thinking it would have béen on Wednesday which was Market-day But the Magistrates taking notice of the multitude were somewhat amased and caused him that was to doe execution to ride through the middest of the Market at high noone as if he had béen taking his journey out of the City and so to make the people beléeve that they intended not their execution as yet But on Wednesday towards the evening the chiefe Bailiffe accompanied with some of the Magistrates came secretly into the prison solliciting each of the said prisoners with many intreaties and intising perswasions to recant promising to set them free forthwith if they would speake but one word to that purpose But the Lord strengthned them so that they overcame this dangerous assault The adversaries séeing their expectations frustrated caused all things the same night to be made ready for their execution the next day to wit chaines stakes fagots c. Now the Lord who hath the disposing of the moments of time in his owne hands disappointed this project by a vehement shower of raine which he sent continuing all the forenoone The two Fryers formerly mentioned were called for each of them accompanied with one of their own coat These began to assaile the prisoners from morning till eight of the clock either to weaken or else to turne them from their faith Which because they could effect neither upon Iames nor Christian they dealt with Iane thinking to have prevailed with her but to as little purpose as with the two others Being thus disappointed of their hopes then they fled to their accustomed lies which they term Fraudes pieuses pious beguilings saying thus unto her Will you only shew your selfe singular in cleaving to this opinion whereas your prison fellowes have renounced it The holy Virgin was nothing abashed thereat but gave them this answer That she could not beléeve it and albeit it were so yet would shée never goe back from so certaine a truth grounded not upon man but upon Iesus Christ These lying Fryers nothing prevailing with her neither went their way Then the prisoners encouraging one another and preparing themselves for death sang the seventy fourth Psalme The Magistrates of Furne that they might with the more security execute their sentence caused the gates of the city to be shut and yet many got in leaving their swords and staves at the gate Now as they brought the prisoners along to the towne-house every one as they went reached forth their hand to them and bad them that they should be of good courage Appearing before the Magistrates they were denounced heretiques To which Christian in the name of the rest said Not one of your doctors can prove us heretiques nor can they convince us by Scripture It was replyed that they sleighted the Sacraments To which they fréely answered We hold and allow those Sacraments instituted by God in much more reverence than you Upon this the Magistrates consulted together apart and after a while came to their seats again pronoucing sentence against these thrée viz. to be strangled and then burned or scortched and the remainder of the bodies to be hanged on the gibbet They thanked the judges for their sentence yet advertising them well to bethinke themselves of what they had done As they were passing forth of the house to be led to the slaughter many of the godly bad them farewell comforting incouraging and exhorting them to continue constant Whereat the head Bailiffe being much vexed pushed Iane so violently with his foot that she fell downe the staires at which the people were much moved Christian went formost Iane next and Iames followed In beholding of which spectacle few there were which brake not forth into sighings cryings and teares whilest they gave the people so holy and godly exhortations One of the Monks called Iohn â—els being by gave to Iane many of good credit hearing it this counsell in his Language Fight valiantly the crowne of immortality is ready for you Whilest the executioner began to fasten their neck and féet with chanes to the stake they sung the hundred and thirtieth Psalme Out of the deep Fryer Iohn Campone being impatient of such an harmony yelled out like a mad man saying This shewes you are not Christians for Christ went to his death wéeping One in the middle of the assembly cryed as fast on the other side Thou liest thou false Prophet Having finished the two first staves of the Psalme the hangman being about to strangle Christian the other two ceased crying to their brother Be of good chéere and play the man And Christian lifting
to Rome and there to encounter with the adversary of Christ Thither they came and after a few daies two of them behaving themselves modestly did in secret manifest to some there the truth of the Gospell who being betrayed were imprisoned and put to death without any further adoe The third having resolved to act his part in publique gave over himselfe to suffer all the extremities the wit of man could invent It came to passe one day that this man espying the Pope in the middest of his massing devotion stept quickly unto him plucked the consecrated Host out of his hands cast it to the ground trod it under foot uttering invective spéeches against the Masse and Antichrist The people in a rage fell upon the Englishman who being altogether bruised with their fists and féet said you hangman finde out as many forments as you can the hand of the Almighty will shew it self the more gloriously My soule is resolved to vanquish death valiantly He was forthwith bound and set upon an Asse sixe Torches were lighted and from stréet to stréet the erecutioners bare them by him burning therewith his face mouth and tongue first for he had said before to one of the formentors thou hast no power over my soule thou wretch knowest thou not that God understands the voice of my secret thought and complaint When the flames came overthwart his chéekes he was heard to cry Lord forgive these men for they know not what they doe After they had burned all his face put out his eyes scorched and rosted his body in the end they consumed it wholly to ashes The learned author who set forth this History in a notable work of his notes neither the yeare nor the names of these Englishmen It should séeme to be about the time of Pope Clement the eighth in Anno 1595. for in his ample discourse he mentions an old wise man le sage veillard burned at Rome after these English men who before he went to the fire spake with such efficacy to his confessor sent unto him who also left him not till he yéelded up his spirit in the middest of the flames into the hands of Christ that this confessor going the next day into the Pulpit maintained tâ—â—â—rause of the old wise man with such boldnesseâ—nd zeale that all the audience hearing him attentively without any resistance understood his meaning and never accused the Preacher But in Lent following a Capuchin Fryer An admirable Eapuchin preaching before Pope Clement the eighth called him Antichrist and during that Lent ceased not to Preach the truth of the Gospell in the Chaire of postlience under the robe and habit of a Liar c In the same work my author saith our Historian mentions another Italian preacher called Nâ— Montalchin who in describing his History hath these words The Pope perceiving that by executing the Martyrs thus opénly in the sight of the people in stead of terrifying them thereby many were the more encouraged he resolved with himselfe thenceforward to conceale his open violence out of the sight of the Sun and to exercise it rather in the dark and in the night season The inquisitors who had Montalchin in their hands were preparing a way to murther him privâ—ly according to the Popes intention It so fell out that the Iaylour smelling the injustice which these reverend Fathers were devising against the poore prisoner adventured to give him notice of it to the end he making his peace with God might fit himselfe for death This experienced souldier of Iesus Christ plotted a way under hand by a spirituall wile to catch the wise in their craftinesse faining therefore a repentance he called for his judges telling them he was now minded to revoke his errors after they had pronounced sentence against him and would in the hearing of all recant what he had in publike maintained against the truth His Iudges beléeving he had spoken in good earnest promised him his life upon those tearmes Now that they might the rather satisfie their pride they made known to every one the time and place appointed for his abjuration All the city assembled together to take knowledge of this so unexpected a novelty Montalchin was brought and placed on a scaffold for that purpose He stood there in his shirt holding in his hands two torches lighted then silence being obtained he began to speake to the people as followeth Deare brethren and Children I have a long time taught you such a doctrine as hath troubled you I am now brought hither to open my minde unto you Montalchin is a sinfull man and therefore may erre But lend me your attention a while and I will let you sée the difference betwéen both opinions Thrée words seul seule seulement will serve to distinguish betwéene falshood and truth 1 I have taught you that Christ is our only sacrifice our only priest who only was once offered for us But the Doctors teach the contrary to wit that the true body of Christ without bread is offered up for the living and for the dead that the priests ought daily to offer up the naturall body of Christ really in the Masse 2 I have taught that in taking the visible signes in the Sacrament we doe therein by faith only take the spirituall and heavenly bread of our soules The Doctors say that Christs body is taken flesh and blood into the mouth and belly of the communicant 3 I have preached that Iesus Christ is our only mediator and that by him alone we have accesse unto the Father But the Doctors goe further and will have us to come to the Virgin Mary making her and all the Saints departed our Mediators and Intercessors 4 I have declared that we are justified only by faith in Iesus Christ and that the frée mercy of God is the foundation of our salvation The Doctors would have us to help out faith and grace by good workes as meritorious causes of salvation 5 You have heard me preach that Christ only gives grace and that he alone pardons this They affirm that the Church hath a Coffer or Chest of which the Pope kéeps the keyes whereinto are put the merits of saints which he largely distributed abroad to such as will buy his pardons Anno 1611. with money 6 I have told you that the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament are the onely ground of our faith and salvation The Doctors adde thereto their unwritten verities 7 I have taught you that after this life ended there are only two places prepared for them to goe unto who die and depart out of this world One the place of joy and comfort the other of torment The Doctors say there are foure viz. Paradise Hell Limbus and Purgatory 8 I have preached that the Pope is not a god on earth but only a Bishop and that only of one place if he therein behave himselfe as a good Biship ought to doe The Doctors make him Lord of the world and