without Abjuration and all their goods forfeited to the King and as to the other five it was made death and felony by the Law to deny them without benefit of Clergy or Sanctuary The second being concerning the Sacrament of both kinds that it ought not to be given to the Laity The 3d that Priests may not marry 4. That Vows of chastity ought to be observ'd 5. That private Mosses are agreeable to God's Law 6. That auricular Confession is expedient and necessary to be received c. and upon these Articles was granted by the same Parliament a bloody and Cruel Inquisition directed to certain persons in every shire and County to enquire into all such Heresies Felonies Contempts c. committed or done by any that they might suffer according to the Law These Articles were opposed openly in Parliament by Cranmeâ— Archbishop of Canterbury who afterwards suffâ—red Martyrdom in the days of Queen Mary as shall be declared And among these we might nominate the Lord Cromwell who lost his Life in the cause of God by the craft and policy of his Popish Adversaâ—ies but since it had some other shew than that of Religion only we shall let it pass and proceed to others Dr. Barnes Martyr After the Death of the Lord Cromwell Gardner raged against all that opposed the Papal power at his pleasure having now got an Act of Parliament to their bloody minds and now 3 noted Divines suffered together in Smithfield which I shall briefly mention The first was Doctor Robert Barnes who having been bred abroad at Lovain and also at the University of Cambridg was made Prior and Master of the House of the Augustines where much to his praise he advanced the knowledg of good Letters and caused the Epistles of St. Paul to be read causing disputations of the same publickly which seemed strange to the blind and Ignorant Scholars His first Sermon that he made in defence of the truth was at St. Edward's Church belonging to Trinity Hall in Cambridge the Sunday before Christmass day for which he was accused of Heresie by two Fellows of Kings Hall and Articles drawn up against him and not long after he was publickly arrested by a Serjeant at Arms from London and the University was searched for Luthers Books Dr. Barnes was immediately had away to London and brought before Cardinal Woolsie who was then in power After a long discourse with him the Cardinal being highly offended with him for his preaching against his Pomp Power and Dignity seeing he could not cause him to recant but stood in the justification of what he had publickly delivered according to his Conscience the Scriptures he sent him to the Fleet from whence he was had again before the Cardinal and by the importunity of Gardner Fox and others he was perswaded at last to abjure and with some of the men of the Stillyard accused also for Lollardy he publickely bore a faggot After which he was remanded to the Fleet and thence was removed to Austins Fryer's in London where being Complained against to the Cardinal by those who sought his Life he was removed again to Austin Fryer's in Northampton with intent to have him burnt But he escaped thence leaving a Letter as if thorow despair h ehad gone to drown himself that they might not pursue him so that whilst they were searching the River for his Body he made his escape to London and thence beyond the seas where he wrote a Book intituled Acta Romanorum Pontificum with a supplication to King Henry There he grew Familiar with Luther Melancthon Pomeran the Duke of Saxony and others and was not long after sent over by the King of Denmark as his Ambassador into England where Sir Tho. Moor sought his Life but Cromwell stood his friend After that in the time of Queen Ann he returned into England and was sent by the King as his Embassador to the Duke of Cleve But Gardner getting into the favour of the King never left till he had undermined Dr. Barneâ— who was at last sent to the Tower together with Thomas Garrat and Mr. Hierom from whence they never came till they were carried to their Martyrdom Thomas Garrat and William Hierom Martyrs Thomas Garrat was Curate in Honylane in London and having received the knowledge of the truth endeavoured all he could to promote it and haveing a parcel of Tyndols translation of the new Testament and other books treating of the Scriptures he went privately to Oxf rd to sell them there to those he knew well affâ—cted to the Gospel But his Adversarâ—es having their spies in every Corner had notice of 〈◊〉 â—nd immâ—dâ—aâ—â— some were sent to apprehend both him and his books at Oxford that they might be both burnt together and after great search he was taken but made his escape intending to fly into the west but was pursued and taken again and imprisoned and after much trouble was forced agâ—inst his Conscience to abjure After which he fled again from place to place for fear of his persecutors but was tâ—kâ—◠〈◊〉 by the diligence of his Adversaries and sâ—nt to the Tower from whence he was câ—râ—â—ed to the Stake and burnt with his Companions Dr. Barnes and Mr. Hierome The Death of Barnes Gaâ—ret and Hierom. The 3d Companion in this glorious suffering was Mr William Hierâ—â— who was vicar of Stepney and a diligent preacher of God's word for the comfort and edification of the People and had preached divers sermons with intent to implant in the Consciences of men the sincere Truth of Christian Religion and to weed out of mens minds traditions dreams and Popish fansies in the doing of which he had contracted the Hatred of the Papists who were utter enemies of the Gospel of Christ and for this they sought this good man's Life The occasion they took from a Sermon which he preached at Paul's Cross the fourth Sunday in Lent in which speaking of Sarah and Hagar he said those who were born of the free Woman were freely Justified and the one would think nothing of false doctrine or Heresie could be gathered from these words yet he was charged therewith and convented before the King at Westminster for that he had erroneously taught the people that all that were born of Sarah were freely justified absolutely without Condition either of Baptism or Penance c. Several other things were objected against him and he was at last sent to the Tower in order to his Execution we have spoken of these 3 Martyrs severally we shall now joyn them together as fellow sufferers and Martyrs About two days after the Death of the Lord Cromwell a process was issued out against these three men by means of See Gardner to which they were never brought to Answer but on the 30th of July being Condemned without their knowing the cause and without any hearing were carried together forth of the Tower to Smithfield to be burnt Then Dr. Barnes made his protestation against several false
faithfully and truly set down and I hope God will give a blessing to these my true endeavours and this very useful Book at this time that all Protestants of whatsoever denomination may joyn together in the bond of unity to oppose this Bloody Cruel and Common Enemy of all that profess the Truth of the Gospel and to endeavour that the Hierarchy of Rome may never get Power and Dominion in this Land Which I pray God avert and protect us from And to which Prayer let all good People say Amen The Introduction THe Corruptions and great abominations together with the Heretical Idolatrous Impious and Blasphemous Doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome as also its bloody Persecutions abroad have been shewn in several volumes and by several Authors but since what hath been transacted by that Church in our own Kingdom more nearly concerns us I have here given you a true view of the Persecutions of the Papists from the beginning against all such as dissented from them and would not bow down to their Images or Worship God after their way by which you may see what Spirit they are of quite contrary to that of Christ and his Apostles and to what slavery we should be brought if God should permit once more the Papal Authority to get footing in these reformed Kingdoms which for so many years at the expence of blood and the lives of many holy Men and Martyrs have shaken off that Tyrannical Yoak of the See of Rome It is my design not to transcur the Bounds of our own Country for where ever the Papists have set up themselves they have continuâ—lly exercised the like bloody power of the Sword contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the practice of his Successors for some Centuries when the purity of the Gospel was professed in times near the first lighting up of the bright Candle of Christianity But I shall shew and expose to the World in this little Tract the bloody Cruelties and Persecutions of that Idolatrous Church exercised in this Kingdom only against such as dissented from them or that opposed the evil of their Doctrine and practises After that Errors were crept into the Church and that the Romish Church had sought and obtained by many impious practises the supremacy over other Churches she endeavoured to maintain this her usurpt Authority by Tyranny and bloody Persecution as she doth to this Day where ever her rule is permitted That is a most ridiculous Question of some of the Papists to many ignorant Protestants Where was your Religion before Luther All your Forefathers in England were Papists why should you then change your old Religion for many hundred years establish'd in England for one of a new date and but of the other days standing This has taken with some but they are such as are very ignorant or else they may reply to such Querors that though the Name of Protestants be new and came from Germany in Luthers time from protesting against the Romish decrees that were to have been imposed upon them yet the Doctrine and Discipline of the Protestant Churches are as ancient as Christianity itself and nearest to that of Christ and his holy Apostles and Successors in the primitive times before Rome came to challenge a supremacy over other Churches or to pretend to be the Spiritual Head of the World In all Ages and thorow the most Corrupt of times the purity of the Gospel has been preserved like a shining light has manifested itself in its dissent from the evil sinful practises from the false and heretical Doctrines of the Church of Rome and has been still persecuted by it long before the times of Luther as is manifested by the Albingenses and the Waldenses in France as also in Germany and Italy itself where many professing the purity of the Gospel and testifying against the errors and corruptions of the Romish Church fell under the bloody Sword of its Persecution But designing as I have said to speak only of our own Country we shall begin with the earliest Persecutions of the Romanists in this Land who always hated Dissenters from them or such as would not own their unjust Supremacy over their Brethren Christianity began very early in England and a Christian Church was planted here almost as soon as at Rome and continued without any acknowledgment of her Authority all the time of the British Reign for the Brittish Churches never owned any forreign Church supream or above them or suffered any to exercise Dominion or Authority over them but submitted themselves to their Kings and their Metropolitan as their head Austine the Monk was the first who endeavoured to bring into this Land the Authority of Rome and because the Brittish Bishops would not own it he stirred up the Heathen Saxon Kings then Conquerors of this Land to persecute them and others Converted to Christianity and of the Papistical Principles of setting up the Church of Rome above others to kill and destroy the Brittish Christians as dissenters from them But yet till about the year 980 the purity of the Christian Doctrine preserved itself against Popish errors about which time Popery that is the Supremacy of that Church or the owning it to the head over others getting ground in England as well as in other places and with it all the filthinesses and abominations which dissenting Protestants disown and speak against all that any ways opposed this supremacy and erroneous Doctrines were persecuted and troubled by them tho they were not as yet come to fire and faggot wanting not will but power to do it I shall but mention only that good Bishop of Lincoln Robert Grosthead who wrote against the wickedness of the Popish Clergy in the time of King Henry the 3d. which vext them so much that Pope Innocent would have had the Bishops bones after his death to have been dug up and flung out of the Church where he was buried and intending to have wrote to the King of England for that purpose he was strucken by the said Bishop appearing to him in his sleep with his Crosiers staff reproving him of his wicked intention which prohibited him from proceeding therein After which time the Papal wickednesses increasing in this Nation Sathan was let loose and greater Persecutions began to arise against those who made a profession of the Gospel and opposed the Romish Superstition or dissented from it I shall therefore here end this introduction and begin the History of Popish persecutions here in England about the Reign of King Edward the 3d about which time they began more eminently to appear and so God willing I shall briefly prosecute them to our own times thorow that flood of Martyrs blood shed in Queen Maries days A TRUE VIEW OF ALL THE Popish Persecutions AND CRUELTIES IN ENGLAND The First Part. LOng before the namâ— of Protestants gave a distinction of such as dissented from the Corruptions of the Church of Rome and made them subject to
the Persecutions of Papal Authority there were several who by the purer Light of the Gospel had discovered the great errours and many Abominations of that Church increasing in England that durst withstand the wickedness of the Priests Monks and Fryers and by writing and preaching oppose their wicked Actions and horrible doings and shew them to the World for which they were sure to run the risque of cruel and barbarous usage from their Hands suffer for a good Conscience adhering to the Doctrine of the Apostles and their Successors in the Primitive Times before the many Corruptions that now overwhelm the Romish Church were crept in amonâ— them These may be called dissenters from theâ—â— erronious Doctrines vicious Lives and evil pracâ—â—ces Among these in the time of King Edward thâ— third may be accounted the Author of the Ploâ—â—mans Complaint though he was not known whiâ—â— little Treatise put the Monks and Fryers inâ—o a Rage it so plainly laying open all their wickednesâ—â— and evil practices The Persecutions of Armachanâ—â— and the abominable errours and abuses of their Dâ—ctrines This did but whet the Rage of these eâ—â—l men and though they could not shew it to the Author of that wholsom Treatise they expresseâ— iâ— against his writing what they could and â—ad he been known his Life had been in danger The next that publickly owned the Pure light of the Gospel in those dark daies of blind Superstitâ—on and error was Richard Fitzrafe known by the name of Armichanus being by King Edward the 3d made Archdeacon of Litchfeild and then Commisâ—â—â— to the University of Oxford where he was bred â—â—der Bakenthorp and lastly Arch-Bishop of Armâ—â—â— in Ireland He preached in London openly agaâ—nst the Fryers for which he was cited to appear before Pope Innocent the 6th which he did and there to the death most valiantly opposed the Corruptions Crept into the Church both by preaching and writing being several ways persecuted by them He dyed in Avignion after 7 years banishment from his Native Country About this time in King Edw. the 3d's Reign and about the year 1367. That plotting and state coâ—founding Order of the Jesuites began to be knowâ— in the world in the 5th year of Pope Vrban the 5â—â— and the Papal Clergy in England being grown â—o odious to the laity through their vicious Lives aâ—â— evil Manners the Lords in Parliament desired the King that the great Offices of the Crown which were usually executed by the Clergy might be tâ—ken from them which accordingly were removed and put into the Hands of the Temporal Lords This K. also by Parliament holden in the 27th and 38th years of his Reign by statutes made the Popes Supremacy in England was much abated his Jurisdiction in this Realm much lessened and his Papal power restrained causing all Controversies in Law either Spiritual or Temporal to be determined in the Kings Courts and that if any one should appeal or Consent to an appellation made to the Court of Rome should incur the writ of Premunire being put out of the K's Protection Loss of Lands goods imprisonment during the Kings pleasure This begot or rather increased the Hatred of the Romanists against the Kings of England studying their ruin and overthrow for the setting up their arbitrary Papal Jurisdiction in this Land And about this time a certain Hermit disputed in St. Pauls against the Doctrine of the Sacrament for which they imprisoned him and kept him in hold till he dyed It is also to be observ'd that in the 5th year of the said King Ed. the 3d at a Parliament holden at Westminster the 24th April 1376. a Bill was preferred against the Usurpations of the Pope in England attributing thereunto all the Plagues Murrains Famines and Poverty that had invaded the Land and required a redress of many Grievances and incroachments of his usurpations rehearsing many particulars so that the Tyranny and usurpation of Rome was grown in those days intolerable and would now be much more so since they after this shewed an implacablâ— Rage against their opposers and all such who professed the purer Light of the Gospel or found fault with their erronious Doctrines and wicked Lives But the most eminent Light by God raised up in those daies and appearing bright and shining above the rest detecting the foul errors of the Romish Church was the famous John Wickliff from whom his followers dissenting from the Church of Rome were called Wickliffians whose story I shall give you in Brief In the reign of King Edir the 3d and much about the year of our Lord 1371. this Wickliff flowrished He was a Publick Reader of Divinity in the University of Oxford and reputed among them all for a great Clerk and man of learning and parts a deep Schoolman and well studied in the points of Divinity and also of Philosâ—phy of all kinds And with his strong Arguments and sound reasoning he confounded his opposers and made his very enemies acknowledge his abilities He was a man in great esteem of that valiant and prudent Princeâ—â—ing Edward being by him sent with Commission joyned with other Lords and Ambassadors into Iâ—aly to treat with he Popes Legats concerning affairs betwixt the King and the Pâ—pe The Chief business was that the Bishop of Rome should no more intermeddle in the Distribution of Benefices within his Kingdom but that all Bâ—shâ—ps that were under his Dominion should enjoy their former and ancient Liberty and be confirmed of their Metropolitans as had been in the Ancient times This set the Pope and Pâ—pish Clergy a raging and Wickliff being in this Matter nâ— small obstacle to them Confounding them with hâ—s learned Arguments so that they term'd him Heâ—â—ick as they still do all that stick fast to the rules of the holy Scriptures to the purer Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles they set themselves against him and endeavoured their utmost to ruine him Those days wherein he lived were daies of thick Eâ—â—pâ—â—â— Darkness and gross Ignorance and the people only retained the name of Christians having nothing of the nature of Christ in them or following his Example in any thing They were Idâ—latrous and taught by their Pâ—iests to worship nothing but what they saw Images and Cracifixes and indeed there was scarce any thing they saw that they did not worship as Reliques of Saints Consecrated Beads Aâ—â—us Dei's and such trumpery The Doctrine and Office of Christ was utterly unknown to the people noâ— the use of the Law and benefit of the Scriptures the power and efficacy of the Holy Ghost Free Grace Justification by Faith Remission of Sins and the like were never treated of Learâ—ing and Divinity was utterly unknown to the Priests and preaching fryers and those among them who seemed learned were meer Sophisters studying Aquinas and Scotus instead of St. Peter and Paul and led the blind and ignorant people into superstition Ceremonies and human Traditions which they taught iâ—stead of the Scripture in which
Canterbury and to the Vicâ—châ—ncellor of Oxford Robert Riggs who was himself a fâ—vourer of Wickliff and for which he was afterwards displaced As to Wickliff himself he was fâ—in to sly and hide himself from the persecution of the Popish Prelats but God preserved him from their Malice and at last repairing to his parish of Luttâ—rworth where he was Parson he quietly and in Peace departed this Life about the beginning of the year 1384. But though they could not fully reak their malice on him whilst he lived yet when dead they shewed all the spite imaginable against his Books and Bones for at Oxford they caused all his Books they could light on to be publickly burnt They say he had wrote 200 volumes being a most painful sedulous writer as well as preacher of whom and of whose holy and godly life and Conversation the whole University of Oxford gave a publick Testimony under their hands and Seal in the Year 1406. Whose Doctrines also were publickly defended by John Hus of Bohemia who was martyred for the same But for all this the Popish Clergies inveterate malice against Wickliff appeared 41 years after he was buried for by a Decree of the Synod of Constance they caused this holy mans Bones to be dug out of his Grave and burnt and the Ashes to be flung into the River The Doctrine of Wickliff notwithstanding daily increased to the no small grief of the Popish Clergy and his Followers or those professing his Doctrines which were contrary to those of the corrupt Romish Church and many of them or most of them such as the Protestants now hold began then to be called Lollards for they had then Nick-names as well as now for such as profest the purer Light of the Gospel After Wickliff was gone they set themselves to suppress these Lollards as they called them the Pope interpreting the Word from Lollum Cocle or Darnel and one William Swinderly a Priest in 1389. was brought into great trouble by these men for holding and preaching some of Wickliff's Doctrines and was condemned by the Bishop of Hereford for an Heretick but Swinderly appealed to the King and to the Parliament and during King Richard's Reign he was protected from their Violence but it is thought he suffered Martyrdom afterwards in the days of King Hen. 4. when the Popish Clergy had got more power About the same time also they persecuted Walter Brute a Lay-Man but bred up in the Vniversity at Oxford and a graduate there accusing him of Heresie and for saying that the Sacrament of the Altar was not the very Body of Christ but a sign and memorial of him and that he had avouched the Pope to be Antichrist and that the Sentence given against Swinderly was unjust For these things he is brought before the Bishop of Hereford where he learnedly maintained his Assertions against them but being put to horrible Trouble and Vexation was forced at last to make a Submission which was that he submitted to the Censure of the Gospel the Church and General Councils and to St. Augustine Jerom Ambrose and Gregory and to his Bishop as his Subject And so he escaped at that time but whether he suffered afterwards is uncertain About this time Pope Boniface the 9th made a Bull against the Lollards and sent it to King Richard 2d who by the Instigation of Courtney then Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Hereford the Popes Legat issued out his Letters against the Lollards as Hereticks so that by this means many were forced to do Pennance and to abjure many were imprisoned and evilly intreated but during his Reign none were burnt The manner of doing Pennance The Town of Leicester was interdicted and many of them forced to do Pennance which was after this manner They went about the Cross bare-footed and bare-headed and nothing on their Bodies both Men and Women but their Shifts in one Hand a Crucifix in the other a large Wax Taper lighted and from thence marched to the Cathedral where they stood after they had made a procession about the Church all the time of Mass this also to be done three times during the Market After this manner they sought to punish such as made profession of the Gospel And about the same time the Londoners favouring one Peter Pateshull an Austin-Friar who having embraced the Doctrines of Wickliff preached against the corruptions of his Order many of them were converted by him and the Doctrines of Wickliff spread very much in the City For which they were malic'd by the Bishops and complained oâ— to the King who was so incensed against the Mayor and Sheriffs that he removed them from their Office and made Sir Edward Darlington Warden of the City and then removed his Court and the Terms to York thinking thereby to dispight the Londoners But this so alienated their Hearts that by losing their Love he also not long after lost his Crown and Life to Henry Duke of Lancaster called Henry the 4th The first Act for burning of Hereticks William Sawtry the first that was burnt Henry the 4th being but an Usurper and Tyrant was fain to comply with the Prelatical Clergy who had a great stroke in deposing their lawful Prince that he might the better assure himself of the Crown which he had unjustly taken Till now the Sufferings and Persecutions of the Lollards or such as made a profession of the purer Light of the Gospel was but slight in comparison of what they now began to suffer for there was as yet no Law for to put an Heretick to Death though they had made use of the afore-mentioned Statute in the 5th Year of King R 2d to molest trouble and imprison good and pious men but now in the 2d Year of this King Henry the 4th they obtained a Law or Statute for the burning alive such as were convict of Heresie made especially against the Lollards and the first that so suffered upon this Statute was William Sawtry the Parish Priest of St. Scithes in London who had preached against worshipping the Cross and the Images of Saints against Pilgrimages and Transubstantiation and other Popish Heresies for which he was cited before the Bishops and convicted of as they called it Heresie and then publickly degraded of all his Sacerdotal Ornaments aâ—d made a Lay-man and then delivered over to the secular Power to be put to death according to the new made Law which they had with great joy obtained for the extirpating the Lollards Thus the King who had deposed his lawful Prince and usurpt the Crown was the first that put men to death for Religion in England by the unmerciful burning of their Bodies at the Instigation of the cruel Popish Prelates And this William Sawtry was the first that so suffered for the Gospel by the Papists in England who was burnt Anno 1400. The burning of John Badby Taylor After this unusual Exeâ—ution of Sawtry a great fear and dread fell upon all the People but yet
two Thieves even so when the Priest is at mass and hath lifted the Host over his Head he there hangeth between two Thieves except he be one that preaches the Word of God truly That he had said to the people that they should not eat and tear the flesh of Christ with their teeth c. For Christ said This is my Body which was the Word of God which was to be broken to the people with such like to which he gave his particular Answers But a Commission was sent down for the tryal of these persons according to the Act of the six Articles and the aforesaid persons clapt into the Jayle Testwood being sick and in bed was haled thence and forced into prison going upon Crutches The chief Judges who sat on these men were Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisbury Sr. William Essex Knight Sr. Tho Bridges Sr. Humphry Foster Mr. Franklin Dean of Windsor and Mr. Fachell of Reading After very unjust doings packing of the Jury being strangers and not of the neighbourhood and all of them farmers belonging to the Colledg of Windsor and some of them Contrary to the Statute had but one witness appearing against them yet they were all of them found guilty by the Jurie and condemned to dye the next day by the Court Fatchell giving the Sentence There came a pardon for Marbeck the rest seeing their hard lot comforted one another knowing that they dyed in a good Cause All night they spent in fervent prayer to God to strengthen them that they might be stedfast in their torments praying also for their persecutors that God would forgive them since they did what they did through blind Ignorance and zeal The next day being Fryday their execution was respired but on the Saturday when they were to dye desiring to receive the Sacrament it was denyed them for they said it was not to be granted to Hereticks but they might be Confessed if they would As they passed thorow the Streets they prayed all good people to pray for them and Filmer who was Condemned from the testimony of his own Brother only as he past by his door called several times on him that he mought see him but he would not appear however Filmer most Christian like desired God to forgive him for he had restified wrongfully against Him When they were come to the Stake Mr. Persons with a chearful Countenance embracing the Stake in his Arms and Kissing it said Now welcom my own sweet Wife for this day shall thou and I be married together in the Love and peace of God Being all bound to the post a certain young man of Filmers acquaintance brought him a pot of drink which he drâ—nk of to his Companions who pledged him at when drinking their Adversaries made a jesting reporting afterwards that they were all drunk and knew not what they said After they had drank Mr. Filmer said my Brethren let us be merry in the Lord for I trust in God that after this sharp Breaâ—fast we shall have a good dinner in the Kingdom of Christ our Lord and Redeemer At which words the Fire being set to the straw Testwood lifting up his Hands and eyes to Heaven desired God to receive his spirit And Mr. Persons pulling the straw to him put a good handful on his Head saying This is Gods Hat now am I dressed like a true Souldâ—ers of Christ by whâ—se merits onâ—y I trust this day to enter into his Joy And so they yeilded up their souls to God like meek Lambs with so much patience and tranquillity and so great stedfastness that amazed the people many wished that they had been so happy as to have dyed with them The Persecutors disgraced Not long after the whole Conspiracy of the Bishop of Winchester Dr. London Simone and Okeham came to be revealed by Gods Providence and how unjustly they had dealt with these poor men haveing also lay'd a design against several of the Kings Privie Council and many Knights and Gentlemen as favourers of Heresie which being made known to the King he withdrew his Favour from Gardner and London Simmons and Okeham Perjurie being proved against them rode thorow Windsor with their faces to the Horses tails and papers of their Crimes pinned on their breasts and Okeham the like at Newberry where he stood in the pillory Thus God by his secret Judgment brought the wickedness of these malicious Papists to light and their persons to disgrace being ever hated of all men About the same time great persecution was made at Calice where one Adam Damlip Dod and several others were Martyred And likewise in Scotland suffered many Martyrs in the latter end of the reign of King Henry the 8th of England as Mr. Wisehart Walace Sr. John Borthwick and divers others so that many there as well as in England sealed to the truth of the Gospel with their Blood But we shall omit forreigners and speak only of those of our own nation as we have at first proposed having enough and too many executed and tormented by the bloody Papists Kerby and Clark Martyr'd in Suffolk In the year 1546 Mr. Kerby and Clark were burned for their religion in Suffolk passing over one Henrie and his servant burnt at Colchester and also one Sary a Priest who was hang'd privatly in the Bishop of Winchesters Porters lodg and that not without the privity of the Bishop himself as it was thought for indeed it would be too long to enumerate all the publick and private Murthers of these bloody Papists But as to the Story of Kerby and Clark in brief it was this Kerby and Clark of Mendelsham in the County of Suffolk were apprehended for Gospellers and thrown into the Goal and a Commission was sent down to try them the chief of the Commissioners was the Lord Wentworth Being brought before them having in Secret prayed to themselves a while with hands eyes lifted up they hearkned to their charge which were certain Articles put in against them concerning the Sacrament and being there publickly demanded if that after the words of Consecration spoken by the Priests the breed did not then become the very flesh blood and bones of Jesus Christ as he was born of the Virginâ— they answered No That they did not believe it but that it was a sign to put us in mind of Christs Death for the remission of our sins Upon his after they had used 〈◊〉 â—â—gâ—mentâ— perswasions and threats to thes poor men to make them alter thâ—ir minds in vain sentence was given against them Kerby to be burnt in Ipswich the next Saturday following and Roger Clark at Bury before Gang Munday ensuing Kirby having received his sentence holding up his hands with humble reverence bowing himself he said Praysed be Almightie God and then stoâ—d still saying no more And Clark at pâ—rting from the Judgment seat said with some Vehemency Fight for your God for he hath not long to coâ—tinue which was a Prophesie of the Reformation
Reformation begun by King Ed. 6th The next year being 1547 King Henry dyed and the Church of God had a respite by the reign of the most pious King Edward the 6th who begun the Reformation and fully extirpated Popery out of his Land all whose daies the Gospel flourished and the Church of Christ was established and he with singular constancy maintained Religion but his reign being but short continuing but six years and eight Months and Queen Mary his sister a strong Papist succeeding the blessed Reformation was thrown down Popery again set up and fire and flame enkindled in all places thorow this Kingdom by the means of the Popish Clergy who most cruelly handled all those who professed the Gospel of Christ being a far greater and smarter persecution than any that went before which shall be God willing the subject of our Third and last part of the Popish Cruelties exercised upon the Bodys of Protestants dissenters from them or such as professed the true Gospel of Christ or any ways opposed their Idolatry and Superstition Queen Mary Comes to the Crown The third Part. In which you have a brief of all or most of the Martyrs who suffered for the Gospel by the bloody tyrannie Rage and persecution of the Church of Rome in this Kingdom under the Reign of Queen Mary IT is not our part to give you the History of Queen Marys coming to the Crown which was by blood nor of her falsifying all her Oathes promises and declarations before she obtained it that she would not alter the Religion begun by her Father and established by her brother being reformed according to the Gospel rules nor how soon she broke them and reestablished the Papal Tyranny in this kingdom after it had been abolished by the Kings aforesaid but as we began we shall as briefly as we can and with all truth and sincerity with plainness and without flourishes of stâ—â—e give you an account of the Martyrs and bloody â—â—rsecutions which fell upon all those who made â—â—â—fession of the Gospel or dissented from the â—â—â—â—sh superstition in the Reign of this papistâ—◠〈◊〉 influenced by the Popes chief bloody 〈…〉 Gardner and Bonner Bishops of 〈◊〉 and London Queen Mary began her reign 1553. in thâ— first year and begining of her Reign she released 〈◊〉 the Popish Bishops out of prison and all those wâ—â—â— professed the Reformation were put into prison 〈◊〉 a very great number among whom was Archbishoâ— Cranmer Mr. Bradford Ridley Rogers Coverdal Bishoâ— of Exceter Hooper Bishop of Worcester Mr. Verâ—â—â— Mr. Beacon Mr. Latimer and several other emintâ—â— preachers were all imprisoned for the Gospel thâ— Statutes of Premâ—nire repealed Altars and Massâ—â— set up all people dissenting from the Româ—sh Religiâ—â—â— without distinction persecuted for Judg Hales 〈◊〉 upright Honest man who tho of a contrary Religâ—on had opposed the disinheriting Queen Mary fâ—â— being a Popish successor to the endangering his Life was cast into the Mashalsea where with ill usage tâ— grew desperat and lost his senses and when he waâ— released thorow melancholly made himself away by drowning The Lady Jane Grey and her Hâ—band were beheaded in the second year of 〈◊〉 Reign for tho they suffer'd as civil Criminals being Protestants we only mention them and it is observed that Judg Morgâ—n who gave sentence oâ— this Lady fell suddenly after mad still crying out oâ— the Lady Jane till he dyed The Bishop of Winchâ—ster had likewise at the same time a design of takeing away the life of the Lady Elizabeth but God preserv'd her for his Glory and the comfort of his Church frustrating all the wicked designs of he Popish Enemies Cranmer Ridley and Latimer Condemned In the year 1554 the Archbishop Cranmer Dâ— R dly Bishop of London and the learned Mr. Huge Latimer were taken out of the Tower and sent to Oâ—ford to dispure the poynts of their Religion there which they did for several days with great learning and proof but however they were on the 20th of April Condemned for Hereticks and no members of the Church for maintaining Heretical opinions After sentence thus pronounced upon them by the Commissioners who sat at St. Mary's the Archbishop said From this your Judgment and sentence I â—â—peal to the just Juâ—gment of God Almighty trusting 〈◊〉 be present with him in Heaven for whose presence in â—â—e Altar I am thus Condemned Then said Dr. Ridley â—â—ltho I be not of your company yet doubt I not but my â—ame is written in another place whither this sentence â—ill send us sooner than we should by the Course of Naâ—ure have come Then Mr. Latimer said I thank God â—â—st heartily that he hath prolonged my Life to this end â—hat I may in this case glorifie God by that kind of Death Then Dr. Weston said to them If you goe to Heaven â—n this faith then I will never come thither After â—heir sentence these good men were separated one â—rom another and sent to several prisons Tho these men were thus condemned yet there were others who got the start of Martyrdom before them and therefore we shall treat of them in their order â—s they dyed and first of all we shall briefly relate the Martyrdom of Mr. John Rogers vicar of St. Pulthers and Reader of St. Pauls in London The Martyrdom of Mr. Rogers Mr. John Râ—gers a Martyr and servant of God was brought up in the Universitie of Cambridge where he profited much in humane Learning from which place he was called and chosen by the Merchants Adventurers to be their Chaplain to their Factory at Antwerp in Brabant where he lived in great content and with singular piety for many years in which time he assisted Mr. Tindale and Mr. Coverdale in the translation of the Bible into English and by the Conversation of these men he came to great knowledge of the Gospel and perceiving the abominable errours superstition and Idolatry of the Church of Rome he utterly forsook it and shook off the yoak of Popery Therefore Marrying a Wife by whom he had ten Children he removed to Wittenberg in Saxony where he increased in godly Learning and got the knowledge of the Dutch Tongue so perfectly that a Congregation was committed to his charge in which Ministry he diligently and faithfully served for many years until such time that it pleased God King Edward the 6th came to the Crown and made the Reformation in England banishing popery thence he then desiring to seâ— his native Country returned into England was by Bishop Ridley Bishop of London made one of the Prebends of St. Pauls and was by the Dean and Chapter chosen Reader of the Divinity lesion there in which capacity he continued till Queeâ— Mary came to the Crown banishing the Gospel and the true Religion brought again the Popish Idolatry into the Land After this Queen was come to London this Mr. Rogers being appointed to preach aâ— Pauls Cross he there openly maintained the Doctrine of Christ as
their pardons priviledges grants and immunities which all the Holy Fathers Popes of Rome have granted to them And we give over utterly to the power of the Fiend them he or she and let us quench their souls if they be dead this night in the pains of hell fire as this Candle is now quenched and put out then he put out one of the Candles and let us pray to God if they be alive that their Eyes maâ— be put out as this light Candle is with that he puâ— out another Candle let us pray to God and to ouâ— Lady to St. Peter and Paul and all holy Saints that all the senses of their Bodys may fail them and thaâ— they may have no feeling as now the light of thiâ— Candle is gone out and so he put out the 3d Candle except they he or she come openly now and confess their Blasphemy and make satisfaction to God our Lady St. Peter and the worshipful company of this Cathed Chu as this Holy Cross staff that now falleth down so may they except they repent and shew themselves Then the Cross staff falling down the people gave a great shout and so the Ceremony ended Thomas Bennet was there in presence and could not choose but laugh at their foppery upoâ— which he was laid hold on but not suspected for the Heretick they had cursed contrary to the Doctrine of Christ they let him go again But nâ—â— long after his Boy setting up more Bills on the Churcâ— door he was taken in the Action and then Mâ— Bennet was seized and cast into prison he freely acknowledging the Action and that he would maintain the doing of it upon this they put him into the Stocks with heavy Irons and Bolts many disputeâ— the Priests and Fryers had with him whom he answered with much sobriety and maintained his Assertions with so much learning that they knew not what to say to him But to handle him more Cruelly as also his wife who was a partaker with her husband in his sufferings About a weeks time they endeavoured all they could to cause him to recant but in vains upon which they pronounced him an obstinate Heretick and so Condemned him to be burnt And the writ de Comburendo c. being procured and sent from London they delivered him over to Sir Tho. Denis Sheriff of Devonshire to be burnt and being brought to his Execution in a place called Liverydole without Exeter where he behaved himself with so much moderation and Christian patience making to the people such pithy and godly exhortations at his Death that many of his very enemies could not but say and Confess that he was a good man and a servant of God Yet one of them when he was at the Stake endeavouring to perswade him to pray to the Virgin Mary and the Saints he denyed and told them he had but one Advocate Jesus Christ who dyed for us and now sitteth at the right hand of the Father and to him they ought only to pray which this zealous man hearing his name being Barnhouse he was so inraged that taking a furze bush on the end of a pike he set it on fire and thrust it into the Holy Martyrs face At which the Holy man holding up his hands said Sir trouble me not now and presently prayed Pater ignosce illis c. Father forgive them c. upon which fire was put to the Furzes and Wood when Mr. Bennet lifting up his hands and eyes towards heaven He cryed out O Lord receive my Spirit and so Continuing in his prayers never stir'd or mov'd but most patiently abode the Cruelty of the Fire till his Life was ended Great persecution in London About the same time a very great persecution was maintained by Bishâ—p Stokâ—sly in his Diocess of London causeing about 138 several persons to abjure and the Body of one Mr. Tracy to be taken up and burnt for an Heretick because he had spoken against the mass and praying to Saints in his Testament About the same time ten Anabaptists were also put to Death for their Religion But now after that King Henry had marryed Ann of Bullein there was a Cessation of their bloody persecution for a time and the Church had some rest from these Tyrants she favouring those of the Religion this being the Mother of our glorious Queen Elizabeth who was not long after born and now the Popes Supremacy was utterly abolished out of England And many of the High and ranting Popelings now turned their coats and preached publickly against the Supremacy of the Pope for which they before had burnt divers for maintaining it But Sir Tho. More and Bishop Fisher two great persecutors were beheaded Mr. Tyndal Martyred in Flanders In the year 1536 Willam Tyndal who may be called the Apostle of this Nation was Martyr'd in Flanders He was born on the borders of Wales and brought up in the University of Oxford where he was first Converted to the Gospel and after that he removed to Cambridg where he also studied and ripened in the study of Gods Word From thence he went into Glocester Shire and lived with one Welch a Knight of that County as a Tutor to his children where he translated the Enchiridion of Erasmus into English but being there persecuted by the Priests of that Country he was fain to fly to London and thence went into Germany where he Translated the Bible into English being assisted in it by Mr. Coverdale This translation enraged the Popish Priests so that they procured an order to have it burnt desiring to keep the people in Ignorance Afterwards Mr. Tyndal being at Antwerp where he lay was betrayed by one Phillips his own Country man to whom he had been very kind and familiar and took him to be his friend but he was deceived in him carried prisoner to Filford Castle by the Emperors officers where he continued till he was Martyr'd at the procuration of his most Cruel enemies the Priests for no other crime than translating the Bible He was first strangled at a Stake and then burnt to Ashes by the Emperors decree Mr. Tyndal crying at his death O Lord open the King of Englands Eyes The very same year Queen Ann was beheaded Mr. Lambert Martyr The next we shall take notice of is John Lambert Alias Nicholson born and brought up in Northfolk but studied at Cambridg where he was Converted by Mr. Bilney and profited very much both in the Latine and Greek tongues But perceiving the violence of the times to avoyde persecution went over into Germany to Mr. Tyndal where he remained sometime Preacher and Chaplain to an English House in Antwerp till he was disturbed by Sir Tho. Moor and taken and brought thence to London where there was 45 Articles laid to his charge all which he answered in writing He was kept in prison till the death of Archbishop Warham when he was released and kept a privat School in London but not long after he