wont to say that there was no more Miserable kind of Life than to be a Pope About this time William the first King of England years since Christ 1079 took down the Prelates in Temporallities in England for he ordained that they should exercise no Temporal Authority at all but in spirituallities he rather raised them as may be seen by a passage between Aldred Arch-bishop of York and the King for at a time upon the repulse of a certain suit the Arch bishop in great discontentment offered to depart when the King in awe of his displeasure fell down at his Feet desired pardon and promised to grant his Suit The King all this while being down at the Arch-Bishops feet the noble men that were present put him in mind that he should cause the King to rise nay said the Arch-Bishop let him alone let him find what it is to anger Saint Peter and as by this Story we see the insulting pride of a Prelate in those days so by another we may see the equivocating falsehood of a Prelate at that time for Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury would often swear he had not one Penny upon the Earth when under the Earth it was afterward found he had hidden great Treasures About this time William the second King of England claimed the making of Bishops to be his right years since Christ 1098 and forbad Appeals and Enter-course to Rome For Appeals had been seldom used tell Anselm in this Kings raign Appealed to the Pope upon whose complaint the Pope was about to Excommunicate the King but having a little before Excommunicated the Emperor Henry the fourth he forbore at that time to do it least by making Excommunication common he should make it be slighted at this time great Contention arose between the King and Arch-Bishop Anselm and Anselm not yeilding to the King in any Point Perjudicial to the Popes Authority nor the King yeilding to Anselm in any point prejudicial to his own Prerogative the Contention continued long and hot Anselm often threatning his going to Rome the King told him plainly he would not thrust him out of the Realm but if he would go without his leave he would then keep him out during his pleasure and besides he should carry nothing out of the Realm with him yet Anselm ventured it and the King performed it for William Warlswast was sent to riffle him in his passage at Sea of all he had neither was he suffered to return as long as the King lived during all which time the King took all the profits of his Arch-Bishoprick to his own use At this time Henry the first being King of England at his first coming to the Crown he forbore his claim to the investitures of Bishops years since Christ 1112 but after he had been King some time he claimed that both to invest Bishops and to allow or hinder Appeals to Rome belonged to him In these Anselm Arch Bishop of Canterbury who was now returned into England opposed him affirming that both of them belonged to the Pope the contention at last was brought to the Pope to whom King Henry sent William Warlestwast Elect Bishop of Exeter who saying to the Pope that his Master would not for the Crown of his Realm loose the Authority of investing his Prelates The Pope started up and answered neither will I loose the disposing of spritual Promotions in England for the Kings head that wears the Crown before God I avow it so the Contention grew long and hot and many Messengers were sent to and fro about it the Conclusion was that the King should receive homage of the Bishop Elect but should not invest them by Staff and Ring to which the King said nothing for the present but forbore not to do it nevertheless for five years after the death of Anselm Ralph Bishop of Rochester was by the King made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury notwithstanding all the Popes threaâ—nings At this time there being two Popes chosen at one time made a great Schism and Tumult years since Christ 1159 the Emperor to quiet them sent for them to appear before him Alexander being one that was chosen scorns the motion Victor doth appear him therefore the Emperor aids to the City and settles him to be Pope Alexander flyes to France and Venice and requires aid against the Emperor at last the Emperor was fain to submit to the Pope who putting his foot upon the Emperors Neck spake these words Thou shalt walk upon the Adders and Basilicks and shalt tread down the Lyon and Dragon mean while the Emperor speaking to the Pope from under his foot not to thee but to Peter the Pope answers both to me and to Peter Thus the Emperor having subjected himself promising to take Alexander for the true Pope and to restore all that he had taken from Rome departed Henry Emperor is crowned on condition of restoring many things to St Peter pretended by the Pope to have been taken away the Pope holding the Crown between his feet and so the Emperor stoops with his head to take it on the Pope immediately with his foot strikes it off again intimating his power to depose him as well as Crown him the Cardinals taking up the Crown thus kicked of puts it on again years since Christ 1216 About the year 1216. after the death of Habert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Moâ—ks of that Covent secretly in the night elected one Reginald their Sub-prior to succeed him and caused him to go to Rome for confirmation but afterward doubting how the King would take it being done without his Knowledge they crave leave of King John to chose a fit man the King is content to allow them the Election but requires himself to have the nomination and thereupon commends unto them John Gray Bishop of Norwich whom he specially favoured and accordingly the Monks Elect him but the matter being afterward referred to the Pope which of these Elections should stand good after many Allegations on both sides the Pope to shew himself indifferent to both disallows them both and nominates a third man one Stephen Langton an English-man a Cardinal the Monks admit him but the King opposes it the Contest grew hot but at first the King gave the Pope as good as he brought for as the Pope threatned the King to Excommunicate him and to interdict the Kingdom so the King threatned the Pope to nullifie his Authority and to banish the Clergy men out of the Realm as the Pope acted as much as he threatned for he interdicted the Kingdom So the King performed as much as he had spoken for he drove the Monks out of the Cloysters yet at last when the Popes Legate came into England he told the King in what great danger he stood first of the King of France by invasion and then of his own Subjects by Rebellion forboth which there was no other help but reconcilement with the Pope this so touched him to the quick that he made him
lost the true Faith once delivered to the Saints and instead of being Sufferers which was once the portion of the true Christians were now became Persecutors and Destroyers of such as would not stoop to their Idolatry and to every foolish invention that the Popes from time to time did set up and commanded to be observed It is recorded that in the time of Pope Julius partly with his Wars and partly with his Cursings in the space of seven years about 200000. Christians were destroyed so addicted to Bloodshed was this Pope and as is written surpassed many other Popes in Iniquity that Wicelius wrot thus of him Marti illum quam Christo deditiorem fuisse that is that he was more given to War and Batail then to Christ which made Philip Melancton write an Epigram in Latine upon him the sence of which in English is as followeth When Julius Pope against the French determin'd to make War As fame reports he gathered up great Troops of men from far And to the Bridge of Tyber then marching as he were Wood His holy Keys he took and cast them down into the Flood And afterward into his hand he took a naked Sword And shaking it braks forth into this fierce and warlike word This Sword of Paul quoth he shall now defend us from our Foe Since that this Key of Peter doth nothing avail thereto In the year 1512. there was a fight between Lewis the French King and this Pope Julius at Ravenna upon Easter day where the Pope was vanquished and had of his Army slain to the number of Sixteen thousand and the next year this Apostolical Warriour which had resigned his Keys to the River of Tybris before made an end both of his fighting and living About this time began the reign of Henry the eighth King of England in whose reign great alterations and turns of Religion were wrought by the mighty operation of Gods Hand not only in England but in Germany and other parts of Europe such as had not been seen although much groaned for many hundred years before nevertheless many suffered great Persecutions and Martyrdom in this Kings reign both in England and elsewhere and many good men were raised up to bear witness to the Truth yet some were of opinion that it was not wholy the Kings fault that so much Blood was spilt in his time for the Bishops were the Draco to make the bloody Laws and it was the Bishops that were earnest to see the Laws put in Execution the King oftentimes scarce knowing what was done and but hearing of a Woman that was the second time put upon the Rack exceedingly condemned the party that was the cause of it for using such extreme Cruelty John Brown passing from London in a Gravesend-Barge in which Barge there was a Priest and Brown sate hard by him whereupon the Priest said dost thou know who I am Thou sittest too neer me Brown said no sir I know not who you are I tell thee said he I am a Priest What sir said Brown are you a Parson or a Viccar or a Ladies Chaplain I am said he a Soul Priest and sing for a Soul I pray you sir said Brown where find you the Soul when you go to Mass I know not said the Priest and where do you leave it when you have done Mass I cannot tell said the Priest Brown replyed if you neither know where the Soul is when you begin nor where you leave it when you have done how then do you save a soul Go thy ways said the Priest thou art an Heretick and I will be even with thee And accordingly when they came to Land the Priest taking two others with him that were present in the Boat went and complained to Arch-Bishop Warham who sent a Warrant presently to apprehend Brown and being apprehended the Messenger bound his feet under his horse belly and carried him away to the Arch-Bishop neither his wife nor friends knowing whether he went nor what they would do with him The Bishop cast him into Prison where he lay about six weeks then was carried to Ashford where he dwelt and there set in the flocks all night his wife hearing of it came and set by him all night to whom he shewed how cruelly he had been handled by the Arch-bishop telling her he could not set his feet to the ground for they had burnt them to the bones to make him deny Christ which said he I durst not do lest my Lord Christ should deny me hereafter Therefore good wife continue as thou hast begun and bring up my Children Virtuously and in the Fear of God And so the next day this Godly Martyr was burnt calling upon God and saying into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth At the fire the n = ‖ Chilton by name Bailiff bid cast in his Children also for said he they will spring out of his Ashes And in Queen Maries time his son Richard Brown was sentenced to be burnt being a Prisoner at Canterbury but that the Queen dying he escaped suffering About this time many suffered very greatly for spaking against Worshipping of Saints against Pilgrimage for having Scripture books in English and a book called Wickliss wicket One of which Sufferers by name Elizabeth Stamford who being brought and examined before Fitz James Bishop of London Anno 1517. confessed that she was taught by one Thomas Beale of Henly these words Eleaven years before viz. That Christ faâ—deth and nourisheth his Church with his own pretious Body that is the Bread of Life coming down from Heaven This is said she the Worthy Word that is Worthily received and joyned unto man to be in one body with him so it is that they be both one they may not be parted This is not received by chewing of Teeth but by hearing with Ears and understanding with the Soul and wisely working thereafter and as Paul saith I fear me amongst us Brethren that many of us be feeble and sick therefore my Counsel is Brethren to rise and watch that the great day of Doom come not suddenly upon us as the Thief doth upon the Merchant And she said further that the said Thomas Beale taught her that she should confess her sins to God and that the Popes Pardons and Indulgences were nothing worth John Stillman in the year 1518. was apprehended and brought before the Bishop of London and examined for speaking against Worshipping Praying and Offering unto Images and for saying Wicklifs Wicket was a good book and that when he was apprehended he hid the same in an old oak and did not bring it out to the Bishop he was sent to the Lollards Tower and being afterwards brought openly to the Consistory at Pauls it was further objected against him that he should say the Pope was Antichrist and not the true Successor of Peter or Christs Viccar on Earth and that his Pardons and Indulgences which he granted in the Sacrament
that behalf looking upon Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him abode the Cross and dispised the shame nevertheless though we suffer the wrong after the example of our Master Christ yet we are not bound to suffer the wrong cause for Christ himself suffered it not but reproved him that smote him wrongfully likewise Paul Acts 23. saith we must not suffer the wrong but boldly reprove them that sit as Righteous Judges and act contrary to Righteousness therefore according both to God and mans Law you are not bound to make answer to any cause till your Accusers came before you which if you require and thereon do stick the false Brethren shall be known to the great comfort of those who now stand in doubt who they may trust and also it shall be a means that they shall not craftily by Questions take you in Snares and Acts 20. its written It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man that he should perish before he that is accused have his Accuser before him and have License to answer for himself as pertaining to the Crime whereof he is accused and also Christ said that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses all things shall stand wherefore seeing that in Accusations such Witnesses should be you may with a good Conscience require it and thus the God of Grace settle strengthen and establish you that to him may be the glory and praise for ever This is the Substance of the Letter now follows the Substance of Tracy's Will William Tracy of Taddington in the County of Gloucester in his Will declared amongst other things that touching the burying of his body it availed him not whatsoever was done thereto when he was dead for said he Funeral pomps are rather for the Solace of them that live then the wealth and comfort of them that are dead Which Will being brought by his Son his Executor to the Bishop of Canterbury to be proved the Bishop shew'd it to the Convocation who past a Sentence that a Commission should be sent to Doctor Parker Chancellor of the Diocess of worcester to take up Tracy's dead body and to burn him as an Heretick for making such a Will which accordingly was Executed notwithstanding he had been buryed almost two years before About this time the House of Commons assembled in Parliament put up a Supplication by way of Complaint to the King against the Clergy this Complaint the King seemed at first not to take much notice of yet afterwards coming to have a clear understanding of the abuses and enormities of the Clergy especially of the corrupt Authority of the See of Rome provided certain Acts against the same and wholly excluded the Popes Authority out of his Realm but thinking the work not sufficiently done as long as Abbies and Priories kept their Station which were as it were his Fortresses and Pillars there was not long after means found to have them suppressed for aspersions being laid upon them of Adulteries and Murders they by Act of Parliament at least near four hundred of them were suppressed and all their Lands and Goods conferred upon the King and afterwards all the rest and all Colledges Chanteries and Hospitals also the same Parliament enacted that Bishops should pay no more Annals or Money for their Bulls to the Pope and that no Person should appeal for any Cause out of this Realm to the Court of Rome and an Act was made that the King should be the Supream head of the Church of England c. But although the Popes Wings were thus cut and his Power and Authority in England abrogated by Act of Parliament as before is mentioned yet the Bishops here went on persecuting such as they accounted Sectaries and Hereticks but before I give an account of such as further suffered here in England for Religion it falls in order to give an Account of the Sufferings of William Tindal beyond Sea This William Tindal was burnt near Wales William Tindal Marryr and being a man Zealous for Reformation and Religion and considering that if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar Speech it might much conduce to â—he propagating thereof and finding his purpose could not be well effected here in England by reason of the strictness of the Bishops and Chancellor he travelled into Germany and there he first translated the New Testament and then the Old and writ several other Books against the irreligious Practice of the Prelates which Books being published and sent over into England it cannot be spoken what a door of Light they opened to the whole English Nation who before were many years shut up in darkness But though the spreading of these Books wrought much good to the upright and such as had in any measure a desire to advance the Truth yet the envious and persecuting Spirit of the Bishops was also much more stirred up thereby seeking by all means how to stop them from being spread lest their Hypocrisie and works of Darkness should he discerned wherefore they made great stir and search as Herod did at the birth of Christ and sought out by what means they might hinder the travels of this Tindal and of his Printing and Publishing the said Books and set persons to search and examine at Antwerp how things stook with Tindal which when the Bishops and Chancellors in England understood how things were they sent over one Henry Phillips to betray him into the hands of the Emperors Procurator General at Brussells the said Procurator through the treachery of Phillips seized upon all Tindalls Books and apprehended him and sent him Prisoner to Filford Castle eighteen English Miles from Antwerp being brought to his Tryal they offered him to have Councel to plead for him he refused saying he would answer for himself after much reasoning and Dispute he was Condemned by virtue of the Emperors Decree made in the Assembly at Ausbrough and upon the same was brought to the place of Execution at Filford Anna 1536. being ryed to the Stake he cryed with a fervent zeal and a loud voice Lord open the King of Englands eyes and so was burnt to death When the King had taken the title of Supremacy from the Bishop of Rome and Stated the same to himself he perceived by the Wisdom and advice of Thomas Cromwell one of his Privy Councel that the corrupt State of the Church had need of Reformation in many things This Cromwell was through the goodness of God raised up to be a friend and a favourer of those that profest the Gospel who though but a Smiths Son born at Putney for the pregnancy of his wit he was first entertained by Cardinal Woolsey and by him employed in many great Affairs the Cardinal falling the King took him unto his Service and finding his great Abillities advanced him for his worth to great places of Honour and Trust through whose perswasions several Injunctions were put out by the
Then said the King commit thy self unto the hands of God and not unto mine Lambort I commend my Soul unto the hands of God but my Body I wholly yield and Submit unto your clemency Then said the King if you do commit your self unto my Judgment you must die for I will not be a patron to Hereticks and so caused the Sentence of Death to be read against him Shortly aâ—â—er he was had to Smithfield and there burnt in the midst of the Flames he cryed unto the people in these words None but Christ none buâ— Christ and so ended his life The aforesaid six Articles being consented unto and concluded by the King and Parliament the Bishops caused further to be enacted that whosoever denyed Transubstantiation or whosoever should be Alders Comforters Counsellors Consentors and A bettors therein should be adjudged Hereticks That every such Offender should have and suffer Judgment Execution and pain of death by way of burning without any Abjuration benefit of the Clergy or Sanctuary and should forfeit to the King all their Land and Tenements Goods and Chattels as in Cases of high Treason And for all such as did preach teach uphold maintain or defend any thing contrary to the five last Articles should be adjudged as Fellons and lose both life and goods as in the Case of Fellony When these Articles were in debate in the Parliament house Doctor Cranmer in favour to the Professors of the Truth earnestly disputed in defence of the Truth against them but notwithstanding all his opposition the Act was past By reason of these fix Articles a great Number were apprehended in London and other Places so that all the prisons in London were too little to hold them and many were imprisoned in Halls Amongst whem was one John Porter of London John Porter died in Prison who for reading to people in a Bible was sent for by Bonner and sharply reproved Porter answered he trusted he had no way offended contrary to the Law thereby Bonner charged him for making expositions upon the Text and for gathering Multitudes about him this Porter denyed yet did Bonner send him to Newgate where he was miserably Loaden with Irons both hands and legs with a great Collor of Iron about his neck whereby he was fastned to the Wall in the Dungeon after a while he sent for a Kinsman of his who by bribing the Keeper obtained that he was put amongst Thieves and Murtherers but Porter hearing and seeing their Wickedness exhorted them to amendment of life giving them good instructions for this he was complained of and carried down into the lowest Dungeon where he was so cruelly oppressed with Bolts and Irons that within few daies after he was found dead In the year 1544. One Robert Testwood living at Windsor being a favourer of the Lutherans Robert Testwood Martyr and seeing People licking and kissing a white Alablaster Image that stood behind the high Altar at which his Zeal was so stirred that with a Key that he had in his hand he struck off the Images nose saying see good People what it is it cannot help it self how then would you have it help you The noise hereof being spred abroad one Simonds a Lawyer took up the Nose and said one day it should be a dear Nose to Testwood And further upon a day whereon every one was to carry a Relick in procession Testwood amongst others had Beckets Rochet proferred him but he pusht it from him saying if they gave it him he would wipe his Tayle with it These doings so offended the Clergy that they said he was a Heretick and would roast a Fagot one day for this geer but notwithstanding their Threats he lived in quiet till the death of the Lord Cromwell and till Winchester had insinuated into the affections of the King and wholly ruled at which time Testwood being sick in bed was fetched out and cast into Prison together with one Anthony Person John Marbeck and Henry Filmer and after a while they were all brought forth to Judgment be fore Doctor Capon â—iâ—â—op of Salsbury and others Testwoods Indictment was for that when the Priest lifted up the Sacrament he said what wilt thou lift it up so high what yet higher take heed that thou let him not fall As also that at such times when the Sacrament was lifted up he used to look down on his Book or another way that he might not see the Sacrament whereupon he said Whereon did he look that marked me so well Marry quoth the Kings Attorney he could not be better Occupied then to mark such Hereticks The Prisoners being Condemned they spent the greatest part of the night before their Execution in prayer that the Lord would strengthen them and enable them with stedfast Faith and power to go through their Exercise About this time there rose a great Persecution in Callice in France which was then under Englands power Persecution in Callice there was at one time twelve persons Imprisoned for their Religion but the Lord Cromwell so called hearing of it wrote immediately to the Commissioners in Callice in the Kings Name requiring that the Hereticks with their Accusers should be sent over into England forthwith the Commissioners loading them with Chains sent them over as soon as Cromwell heard they were arrived he sent for them to his House and smiling upon them said Go your ways to the Fleet and Submit your selves Prisoners there and be of good cheer for if God give me life you shall shortly go home with as much honesty as ye came with shame But it pleased God that shortly after this Cromwell was beheaded so that the poor men then had no hope but in the Providence of their Heavenly Father who comforted them in their deep Troubles that as their Afflictions abounded their joyes and consolations abounded much more for when all hope was past the Lord Audley Chancellor of England sent for them and without any further examination discharged them of their Imprisonment In the year 1541. The King sent out a Commission for apprehending of such as offended against the six Articles and when the Commissioners satâ— at Mercers-Chapple being such as were chosen on purpose they enquired not only for such as offended against the six Articles but of such as came seldom to Church as it s called and received not the holy Bread and Water so that they indicted above five hundred persons most of which had either died in Prison or been burnt in Smithfield but that the King being informed by the Lord Audley that they were indicted of malice granted them his Pardon Richard Meekins Martyr beinâ— a Boy of fifteen years old About the same time one Richard Meekins a boy of fifteen years old was accused for spaking some words against the Sacrament of the Altar and when the first Jury would not find the indictment against him they were soundly ratled by the Bishop of London and another Jury impannelled that found it
miserably Also one named Claude De Astes a Councellor in the said Court the same day he gave his Opinion and Consent to burn a faithful Christian albeit it was not done indeed as he would have it after he had dined committed Whoredom with a Servant in the House and even in doing the Act was stricken with a disease called an Apoplexia whereof he died out of hand Peter Lyset chief President of the said Court and one of the Authors of the aforesaid burning Chamber was deposed from his Office for being known to be out of his right wit and bereaved of his understanding Also John Moren Lievtenant Crimnel of the Provost of Paris after he had been the cause of the Death of many Christians was finally stricken with a disease in the Legs called the Wolves whereby he lost the use of them and died also out of his wits many dayes before denying and blaspheming God Likewise John Andrew Book-Binder of the Palace a spie for the President Liset and of Bruseard the Kings Soliciter died in a Fury of Madness The Inquisitor John De Roma in Province his flesh fell from him by piece-meal and so stinking that no man might come near him for the smell thereof Also John Minerius of Province who was the cause of the death of a great Number of Men Women and Children at Cabriers and at Merindol died with bleeding in the lower parts the Fire having taken his Belly blaspheming and despising God besides many other whereof we might make recital which were punished with the like kind of death It may please your Majesty to remember your self that ye had no sooner determined to set upon us but new troubles were by and by moved by your Enemies with whom ye could make no Agreement which God would not suffer forasmuch as your Peace was grounded upon the Persecution which ye pretended against Gods Servants as also your Cardinals cannot let through their cruelty the course of the Gospel which hath taken such root in your Realm that if God should give you leave to destroy the Professers thereof you should be almost a King without Subjects Tertullian hath well said that the blood of Martyrs is the Seed of the Gospel wherefore to take away all these evils coming of the riches of the Papists which cause so much Whoredom Sodomitry and Incest wherein they wallow like Hogs feeding their idle Bellies the best way were to put them from their Lands and Possessions as the Old Sacrificing Levites were according to the express Commandment given to Joshua for as long as the Commandment of God took place and that they were void of Ambition the purity of Religion remained whole and perfect but when they began to aspire to Principallity Riches and worldly Honours then began the Abomination of Desolation that Christ foretold It was even so in the Primitive Church for it flourished and continued in all pureness as long as the Ministers were of small wealth and sought not their particular profit but the Glory of God only but since the Pope began to be Prince like and to usurp the Dominion of the Empire under the colour of a false Donation of Constantine they have turned the Scriptures from their true sence and have attributed the service to themselves which we owe to God wherefore your Majesty may seize with good right upon all the Temperallities of the Benefices and that with a safe Conscience to Employ them to their true and right use First For the finding and maintaining of the faithful Ministers of the Word of God for such Livings shall be requisite for them according as the case shall require Secondly For the entertainment of your Justices that give Judgment Thirdly For the relieving of the poor and Maintenance of the Colledges to instruct the poor Youths in that which they shall be most apt unto and the rest which is infinite may remain for entertainment of your own Estate and Affairs to the great easment of your poor People which alone bear the Burden and possess in manner nothing In this doing an infinite Number of men and even of your Nobility which live of the Crucifex should imploy themselves to your Service and the Common Wealths so much the more diligently as they see that ye recompence none but those that have deserved whereas now there is an infinite Number of men in your Kingdom which occupy the chiefest and greatest Benifices which never deserved any part of them c. And thus much touching the Superfluous Possessions of the Popish Lordly Clergy Now proceeding further in this Exhortation to the King thus the Letter importeth But when the Papists see they have not to alledg for themselves any reason they say to make odious to your Majesty the Lutherans as they call us and say if their sayings take place ye shall be fain to remain a private person and that there is never change of Religion but there is also change of Princedom a thing as false as when they accuse us to be Sacramentaries and that we deny the Authority of Magistrates under the shaddow of a certain furious Anabaptist which Sathan hath raised in our time to Darken the Light of the Gospel for the Histories of the Emporors which have begun to receive the Christian Religion and that which is come to pass in our time shew the contrary Was there ever Prince more feared and obeyed then Constantine in receiving the Christian Religion Was he therefore put from the Empire No he was thereby the more confirmed and established in the same and also his Posterity which ruled themselves by his Providence but such as are fallen away and followed mens Traditions God hath destroyed and their Race is no more known in the Earth so much doth God detest them that forsake him and in our time the late Kings of England and Germany were they constrained in reproving Superstitions which the wickedness of the time hath brought in to forsake their Kingdoms and Princedoms All men see the contrary and what honour fidelity and obedience of the people in our time that have received the Reformation of the Gospel do under their Princes and Superiours yae I may say that the Princes knew not before what it was to be obeyed at that time when the rude and ignorant people received so readily the dispensations of the Pope to drive out their own Kings and Natural Lords The true and only remedy Sir is that ye cause to be holden a holy and free Council where ye should be chief and not the Pope and his who ought but only to defend their causes by the holy Scriptures that in the mean while ye may seek out men not corrupted suspected nor partial whom ye may charge to give report faithfully unto you of the true sence of the holy Scriptures and this done after the Example of the good King Jehosaphat Hezekias and Josiâ—â— ye shall take out of the Church all Idolatry Superstitions and Abuse which is found directly
leave his great words and fall to ask him forgiveness so as taking off his Crown from his head he laid it down at the Legates feet to be disposed of as the Pope should please and the Legate stuck not to take up his Crown and to keep it three or four dayes in his hands before he restored it and did not then neither but upon Condition that he and his Successors should hold the Kingdom of the See of Rome at the Annual Tribute of a Thousand Marks This King John was shortly after as it is Recorded poysoned by one Simon a Monk who being absolved of his Abbot before hand for doing this fact to accomptish his Design he finds a Toad in the Garden and pricks him with a Pen-Knife until he had made him vomit up all his Poyson which he having conveyed into a Cup of Wine began to the King with a smiling countinance speaking these words If it shall please your Princely Majesty here is such a Cup of Wine as you never drank a better I turst this Wassel shall make all England glad The King having drunk and anon being ill enquired for Simon the Monk to whom some answered that he was departed this life for his Guts gushed out of his Belly the King replyed then God have mercy on my Soul and so he dyed much repenting of his former life About this time several persons were stirred up by the Lord to declare against the Pope as an Heretick and were by him condemned for their pains viz. Arnoldus Johannes Semeca Gulielmus de Santo amorie Gallus and Grosthead great Writers against the Popes Decrees giving many signs of false Teachers of whom see more in my Testimonies of the Martyrs The Pope being at odds with the Emperor Fredrick the second years since Christ 1248 would not at any hand be reconciled though the King of France strongly interceed and the Emperor himself cleared himself of all imputation and offered full saitsfaction for all pretended wrongs and to go out of his Empire if the Pope would not endure him there to the holy Land never to return into Europe again so as his Son Henry Nephew to King Henry of England might succeed him with offer of other most reasonable conditions These Oppositions of the Pope against Christian Emperours and Kings gave the Turks great advantage of prevailing against those called Christians and the grand Cause that God did not prosper the Christians in their wars in the holy-Land was imputed to the Christians adhering to their Masses and other Superstitions And thus having given a brief Relation of the most material Passages in the Affairs of the pretended Christian Church till this time I shall now Proceed to give a Discovery of the beginning and proceedings of the Monks Fryars and Jesuites who now began to swarm in the Apostized Church of the Papists We read that many Religious men heretofore contemning the World and all the Pomp Pride and Vanity thereof withdrew themselves into the Wilderness and Desart places in Syria Aegypt and other Countries it being in the time of great Persecution to the end they might the better being not troubled in the worldly cares and incumbrance bestow their time in reading the Scriptures Fasting Praying Meditating and such divine Exercises whereof Paul sirnamed the first Hermit Anthony Hilarion Basil and Jerome were the first and chiefest among the Christians who for their Sanctity of Life were in those dayes had in great Honour for then this kind of life was simple and free and not bound or Tyed to Unlawful Vows and Ridiculous Ceremonies as afterwards came to be observed by such as were called Monks and Fryars their Habit was then homely and yet decent as every man best pleased to wear neither were they bound to abide or remain in any one particular place nor tyed to one kind of life by Vow but free to stay there where they liked best or to go into any City or Country where they would at their own pleasure they sought out the most Desart place as they could find that is in the Wilderness working with their hands and getting their living with the sweat of their Brows gave a singular good Example to all men to live Virtuously and Godly instructing their Families and others that resorted unto them to lead a godly and Christian Life and were admired and honoured of all good men for their Doctrine Integrity of Life and godly zeal for as yet saith the History the Christians had but one Law and one Religion which afterwards fell out otherwise to the Grief and Sorrow of the Upright among them to see what Rents and Divisions Sects and Factions Superstitions and Ceremonies were brought in amongst them although good stirrings there might be amongst these that lived this private life Their Successors and Imitators were far unlike them for the words of Philo cited by Eusebius are these Now let our Monks saith he who live like Kings who swim in all manner of delights and pleasures who affect nothing more then Promotion and Honour and whose chiefest care and studdy is to gather Wealth and to hoord up Gold Silver c. About this time several Sects of Monks began to spread forth out of the Order of Benedictus years since Christ 562 their Habit was to wear a black loose Coat of Stuff reaching down to their heels with a Cowle or Hood to cover their bald Pates which hangs down to their Shoulders and under that Coat another white Habit as large as the former they shave the hairs off their heads except one little round Circle which they leave round about their heads which they call Corona they are bound to abstain from Flesh unless it be when they are sick These Benedictine Monks would have the World believe that they are godly and religious men and would not be ranked with the Jesuites who were States men for they poor Monks meddle not with matters of State or with Kings Affairs but for all their counterfeit holiness an English Benedictine Monk of Swinsted Abby Poysoned King John as is before related for the which fact he was still is highly honoured by all Papist in general and one saith on him thus Regem perimere Meritorium ratus est he thought it a meritorious deed for to kill the King About this time began to peep out another Sect of Monks years since Christ 1047 called Montelinetences at the time when there were three several Popes living who troubled all Christendom for their Papacy the Institutor of this Family of Monks was one Bernardus Ptolomeus they lived at the first at Sienna in Italy but afterwards having gathered their Crumbs together they built an Abby on the top of a hill not far from thence they wear a white Habit this Family was approved by Pope Gregory the twelfth The Bethlemite Fryars began 1257. their first dwelling was at Cambridge years since Christ 1257 and their Habit was like the Dominican Fryars saving that these did wear a Star
time but in the month called June following it was first proposed to them To put away their Ministers that were Strangers which they refusing to do it was then commanded of them in the Dukes name That they should banish from them all their Ministers that were Strangers and a New Proclamation was put out and Persecution began afresh and many of the said People were slain and many imprisoned and cruelly handled the Monks being very active in this Persecution in one place causing two Women to carry Faggots to the Fire where their Minister was burnt and to speak these words to him viz. Take this thou wicked Heretick in recompence of the Naughty Doctrine thou hast taught us to whom he said Ah! Good Women I have taught you well but you have learned ill Great was the Havock and Ruin they made upon these poor Peoples Estates and Bodies in this Persecution and not long after an Army was raised to destroy the Waldoys which they hearing their Ministers met with the cheif Rulers to advise what in such an Extremity they were best to do upon due consideration they concluded not to defend themselves by force of Armes but to flee to the Mountains and carry their goods with them others of their Ministers hearing of the resolution that they at Angrogne and Lucern had made thought it strange that they might not defend themselves against their Enemies violence in so just a cause knowing that it was the Pope and his Ministers who were the cause of their Troubles and some stood in their own defence and made great Slaughters upon their Enemies at times and when they persued their enemies they often retired to avoid shedding Blood meaning only to defend themselves and held their Adversaries so titely to it that they were at last brought to make a Peace upon Articles and conditions so that the Persecution was stopt and the Pride Malice and Rage of their Adversaries was abated Thus having given an Account in brief of the troubles and Persecutions sustained by the faithful Martyrs in Forreiâ— parts it remains to give a further Relation of such as suffered in this Nation of England in this Kings Reign After that the light of the Gospel began to Shine and encrease beyond Sea the Beams of it began to spread and grow more here in England and a great stir and alteration followed in the hearts of many so that coloured Hypocrisie and painted Holiness began to be spied more and more by such as in any measure tasted of the Truth and some there were that could distinguish Christ from Anti-christ amongst whom was one Simon Fish of Grayes-Inn who wrote a sharp Book against the Corruption of the Clergy Entituled The Supplication of Beggers which Book was wrot beyond Sea Anno 1525. he being fled thither for fear of Cardinal Woolsey who had taken distaste against him in this Book was shewed what a great Oppression the Priests and Clergy were to the Nation for that they had got into their hands more then a third part of the Realm besides their Tythes of all the enerease of Corn Hay c. The Book being read to the King after a pause he said If a man should pull down an old stone wall and begin at the lower part the upper part thereof might chance to fall on his head and took the Book and put it in his Desk and seemed to be pleased at it for he encouraged Simon Fish his Wife to send for her Husband to come before him but how much so ever he liked it he would make no show of it openly for that Book and others being thrown about London the Cardinal acquainted the King therewith and bid him beware of them and the Cardinal and Bishop of London consulted how they might stop the mischief that might acrew by that and other Books being so spread about whereupon they agreed that the Bishop of London should send forth a Proclamation to call in the New Testament Translated into English The Supplication of Beggers The Revelation of Anti-christ by Martin Luther and other Books in English This was one way they took by which they thought-to have suppressed the growth of those they accounted Hereticks but not thinking that sufficient obtained a Proclamation from the King to suppress the Sectaries Hereticks and Lollards and for abolishing divers of their Books in English the Bishops having that now they would have there was no dilligence wanting on their parts for the putting the same in execution whereupon ensued a grievous Persecution and Slaughter of the Faithfull Thomas Bilâ—ey Martyr The first that went to wrack was Thomas Bilney who after his Examination and Condemnation by Doctor Pells Chanâ—llor he was committed to the Lay Power viz. to the Sheriffs of the City of Norwich a day before his Execution some Friends being with him and comforting him that though he was to go through the Fire the Lord would refresh him in it At this he put his finger in the Candle as he used to do divers times saying I know the fire is hot and my body shall be wasted by it and it is a pain for the time but he would often reherse this Scripture for his comfort Fear not for I have redeemed thee and called thee by my name thou art mine own When thou goest through the water I will be with thee when thâ—s walkest in the Fire it shall not burn thee and the Flame shall not kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel Going to Execution he said The Marriner for a while meets with a troubled Sea and is tossed with the Waves but he is in hopes when he comes to the Haven he shall be at quiet I doubt not though I feel storms but by Gods Grace I shall attain to the Haven and being brought to the Stake he very Patiently endured the Fire till doath Richard Bayfield Martyr The next that suffered was Richard Bayfield who receiving the truth in a measure and reading the Testament in English and a book called The wicked Mamman c. He was cast into Prison and there sore whipped with a Gag in his mouth and then stocked and there continued in Prison three quarters of a year and then was set at Liberty but soon after was taken again and put in the Câ—le-house where he was tyed by the neck middle and legs standing upright by the walls this punishment was inflicted on him to make him confess who bought his books but he accused none but stood to his Religion and told them he would Dispute for his Faith at his Tryal he was accused of divers things but the chief were for bringing Books over from beyond Sea and spreading them here in England on the twentieth day of November 1532. being had into the Quire of Pauls Cathedral the Bishop of London with other Prelates being there ready to pass sentence on him and being delivered to the Sheriffs of London to carry him to
King for Reformation in Religion and he was the great Instrument in overthrowing Abbies Monasteries and Friaries which were a little before by Act of Parliament given into the Kings hands Whereupon not only their Houses were rased but their Possessions were divided amongst the Nobility insomuch that all Friars Monks Cannons Nuns and other such Sects were so rooted out of this Land from the Foundation that there seemed to be no room left for such Weeds to grow here any more But as this Thomas Cromwell was raised up for good and being so greatly in favour with the King used all means he could to perswade him to reform the enormities in the Church on the other hand Satan raised up his Instrument which was Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester who used all wilds and subtill means he could to perswade the King against the same casting upon the Professors of Truth the name of Hereticks Sectaries Anabaptists and Sacramentaries and so far prevailed with the King that by the Kings Authority certain Injunctions were published prohibiting the publishing any Books in English written by the Sectaries and Sacramentaries under the pain of the forfeiture of all their goods and Chattels and their Bodies to be Imprisoned during the Kings pleasure And further this Stephen Gardner instigated the King not only against the Queen who was a favourer of Religion and Reformation but also against this Thomas Lord Cromwell who no doubt had brought the encrease of true Religion according to his understanding to more prefection had not this Gardner and other Malignant Opposers thereof set themselves against it to hinder the prosperity thereof but now through the said Gardners evill advise the King who before had raised the said Thomas Cromwell for his worth and integrity now for his pleasure took him off and suffered him to be Beheaded After his death Religion and the Reformation more and more decayed whereby the Reader may see how variable the State of things stood in reference to Religion at this time and with what difficulty any thing of Light and Truth came forth how often things changed even as the King was ruled and gave ear sometimes it went a little forward and then backward again according as the persons prevailed that were about the King And now the King being led through Gardners suggestions began to withdraw shewing any favour to the Reformation in Religion concluding so to do was most for his safety both at home and abroad having so much displeased the Pope and other Popish Princes in what he had already done and though he had rejected the Popes Authority he would declare himself nevertheless to be a good Catholick Son of the Mother Church and a withstander of new Heresies and then calling a new Parliament and Convocation of Prelates there was six Articles decreed concerning Religion which was afterwards commonly called a whip with six Srings it was pretended for the Unity of the Church but what Unity followed the groaning hearts of many that suffered death by the same both in this Kings time and in Queen Maries time may declare The Six Articles of the Bishops Condemning all to be burnt as Hereticks that should hold First That the Body of Christ was not really present in the Sacrament after Consecration Secondly That the Sacrament might not truely be administred under one Kind Thirdly That Priests entred into holy Orders might Marry Fourthly That Vows of Chastity entred into upon mature deliberation were not to be kept Fifthly That private Masses were not to be used Sixthly That Auricular Confession was not to be used in the Church Before these Articles were published Bishop Gardener having obtained his desire with the King he and the rest of the Prelates began again fresh to persecute the Protestants the first they stretched forth their Hands against was John Lambert a Norfolk man and one zealous for the Spreading of the Truth according to the Manifestation of it then broke forth and to that end was conversant with Tindal and Frith at Antweep until by the Instigation of Sr. Thomas Moor he was apprehended and brought to London where he was first brought to Examination at Lambeth and then at the Bishops House at Oxford before Worham Arch-bishop of Canterbury and others where fourty five Articles were objected against him to all which he answered in writing very fully and wisely both according to the Scriptures and Reason the Articles and his Answers may be read at large in Foxe's Acts and Monuments The Bishop of Canterbury shortly after dying whereby Lambort for that time was delivered out of Prison and coming to London it was not long before he fell into trouble again for having a private Conference with one Doctor Tayler what past between them in their dispute in private grew at last a publick and common talk which coming to the Arch-bishops Ear he sent for Lambort and forced him to defend his Cause openly in that Disputation Lambort appealed to the King from the Bishops Upon this appeal Bishop Gardener goes to the King and privately possesses him that now he had an opportunity to quiet the minds of the people who were offended with him for abolishing the Bishop of Rome's Authority and subverting of Monasteries and Abbies c. he might now remedy these troubles if he would manifestly appear in this matter against Lambort and shew himself stoutly to resist the Hereticks the King immediately received this wicked Counsel of the Bishop and forth with sent out a general Commission commanding all the Bishops and Nobles of the Land to come with all speed to London to assist the King against Hereticks these preparations being made a day was set upon which Lambort should appear before the King and the rest assembled with him to be Tryed and Judged The day being come the King ascended his Throne clothed all in white he lookt upon the Prisoner with a sterne Countenance as if his mind was full of Indignation and then called forth the Bishop of Chichester and commanded him to declare to the People the Causes of that Assembly the Substance of the Bishops Speech tended to this That the King would have none to conceive that whereas the Authority and Name of the Bishop of Rome being utterly abolished he would also extinguish all Religion or give Liberty to Hereticks to trouble the Churches of England without punishment the Bishop having ended his Speech the chief thing that the King prest Lambort to declare was what Opinion he held touching the Sacrament of the Altar to which he answered fully and the Dispute held chiefly concerning that point for some hours until the King and Bishops enraged against him forced him to silence at last The King being minded to end the Dispute said to Lambort What sayest thou after all these Labours and Reasons of these learned Men Art thou yet satisfied Wilt thou live or die thou hast yet free choice Lambort answered I yield and submit my self wholly unto the will of your Majesty
Rich and the Bishop of London used all their power by flattering words to perswade her from God but they prevailed not with her one Nicholas Shaxton counselled her to recant as he had done she told him it had been good for him he had never been born then Rich sent her to the Tower to be racked where first he and one of the Councel examined her telling of her that the King was informed that if she would she could name a great number of her Sect she answered that the King was as well deceived in that as he was in other Matters The manner of her Racking was thus she was first lead down into a Dungeon where the Lievtenant of the Tower commanded the Goaler to pinch her with the Rack which being done so much as he thought sufficient he went about to take her down but Wristley the Chancellor not contented that she was loosed so soon confessing nothing but lay still and did not cry commanded the Lievtenant to strain her on the Rack again which because he denyed to do tendering the weakness of the Woman the Chancellor threatened him he would signifie his disobedience to the King Then Rich and the Chanceller took pains to Rack her themselves till she was near dead first asking her whether she was with Child to whom she answered you â—hall not need to spare for that but do your wills upon me and so quietly and patiently praying unto the Lord she abode their Tyranny till her Bones and Joynts were almost pluckt assunder after she was loosed from the Rack she swooned but they recovered her again and she was carried away in a Chair to a house and laid in a bed with weary and painful Bones the Chancellor sent her word that if she would leave her Opinion she should want for nothing if she would not she should be forthwith sent to Newgate and so be burned she sent him word again that she would rather die then break her Faith The Prayer of Anne Askew before her Death O Lord I have more Enemies now then there be Hairs on my Head yet Lord let them never overcome me with vain words but fight thou Lord in my stead for on thee cast I my Care with all the spite they can imagine they fall upon me which am thy poor Creature yet Lord let me not set by them which are against me for in thee is my whole delight and Lord I heartily desire of thee that thou wilt of thy most merciful Goodness forgive them that Violence which they do and have done unto me open also thou their blind Hearts that they may hereafter do that thing in thy Sight which is only acceptable before thee and to set forth thy Truth aright without all vain Fantasie of sinful men So be it O Lord so be it The day of her Execution being appointed she was brought into Smithfield in a Chair because she could not go on her feet by means of her great Torments when she was brought to the stake she was tied by the middle with a Chain that held up her Body and so encompassed with the Flames of Fire as a blessed Sacrifice unto God she resigned up her life in the Year 1546. leaving behind her a singular example of Christian-Constancy for all men to follow there was at the same time three others burnt with her in Smithfield After the death of this Woman the Ponish Clergy consulted together how they might further proceed to keep the Truth under and down and to that end obtained another Proclamation in the Kings name for the abolishing the Scriptures in English and all other English Books which might give any light to the People which made sore work and caused Persecution for a time but it was not long that it continued by reason of the Kings death which was shortly after But before there be a full Conclusion of the Transactions in this Kings reign its necessary a short Account be given of the rise and fall of Thom is Cromwel of whom mention is made before especially seeing he was a man so Zealous for Reformation of both Church and Common-wealth He was born at Putney his Father being a Smith as is before related in his youthful dayes it is said he had little regard to God and Religion but travelled beyond Seas and for a time was there a Souldier at length getting the New Testament in English by often reading in it he began to be touched and something opened in his understanding and coming into England again Cardinal Woolsey entertained him in his service where after some yoars remaining he was preferred to be Solicitor to the Cardinal After the fall of Cardinal Woolsey he was by the Master of the Roles preferred to the King who had then to do against the Pope as a fit person to be imployed by him and being brought to the King at his Garden in Westminster where he possessed the King that his Authority was abused by the Clergy and by being sworn to the Pope they had run themselves into a Premunire and that now the King had an Opertunity to inrich himself To this the King gave ear and liked well his advice and admited him into his service and sent him to the Convocation-house amongst the Bishops where he made a Speech to this effect that in asmuch as they had sworn to the Pope contrary to their Fealty due to the King they had forfeited all their Goods Chattels Lands Possessions to the King c. This amazed the Bishops at first but after a little pause they began to shrink and before they could be quit of the Premunire by Act of Parliament it cost them to the King no less then One hundred eighteen thousand eight hundred and forty pounds After this Cromwel grew greatly in favour with the King and was made one of his Privy Council and Master of the Rolls and afterwards Knight of the Garter and Earl of Essex and now being come into such Authority and seeing the Superstition Blindness Hypocrisie and Idolatry of the Monks and Fryars and Papists whose filthy stink did breath up a most pestiferous fume as Matthew Paris said in the like case of Rome Wherefore Cromwel like a Champion was raised up to root them up which while the King favoured him he prosecuted with effect as before is related but when the Popish Bishops saw the Popes power abolished out of England they never gave over using all their uttmost Endeavours and Politick Contrivances till they had laid a Plaister to his Wounded Head It would be too long to recite what benefit this Cromwel by his Prudence and Zeal wrought in a little time for the publick good what good Orders he established what Wickedness and Vices he suppressed what Corruptions he reformed what Abuses he brought to light and Popish Idolatry and Images he suppressed One called The Rood of Grace wherein a man stood inclosed with a hundred Wyres within the Rood to make the Image goggle its Eyes
Westminster Hall Judge Hailes was by the Commandment of the Bishop committed to the Kings Bench where he remained some time and then was committed to the Compter in Bred-Street and from thence carried to the Fleet being in the Fleet some endeavoured to perswade him to Compliance how far he yielded to those Perswasions and Assaults of the Enemy it was not known but shortly after he fell into a great horrour and terrour in his Conscience and in the anguish of his Spirit stabbed himself with his Pen-Knife and so thought to end his misery but through providence he was disappointed of destroying himself at that time But this Action being noised abroad as it was occasion of great sorrow and trouble to many that had a great Esteem of him being reputed so worthy a Judge and so just a man so it also opened the Mouth of his Adversary the Bishop who openly in the Star-Chamber blasphemed against such as profest the Truth calling the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of Desperation But it was not long before the Judge was set at Liberty but he had not been long at home but his trouble encreasing upon him he watch an apportunity and drowned himself in a shallow Water neer his House Now Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester having got the Law and outward Sword on his Side he thought to Rule as he pleased and having taken off either by Imprisonment or Death most of the principal Preachers of those he counted Sectaries he concluded the rest would be thereby terrified and kept under but his Expectations herein were frustrated For within a few Weeks after the Apprehension and Execution of the aforesaid persons The apprehending of Thomas Tomkins and five others there were six more raised up to testifie against the Popish Idolatry then established by a Law their names were William Piggot a Butcher Stephen Knight a Barber Thomas Tomkins a Weaver Thomas Hawkes John Lawrence and William Hunter these Persons being brought before B. Gardner he was so concerned to see his former devices so little effect the end he intended that he refused to Act any more against them but being wholy discouraged turned them over to Bonner Bishop of London who Prosecuted all that were brought before him to the utmost of his power not sparing to act his cruelty as from time to time he had an opportunity to the uttermost They were all condemned by Bâ—nnor Upon the 8th day of the Moneth called February 1555. The aforesaid six persons were brought before Bâ—nner at the Consistory at Pauls where nhe next day he past Sentence of Death upon them shewing himself a rash and cruel Judge to pass Sentence so suddainly upon so many Innocent mens Lives but he gave them a little time before they were put to death which was till the Moneth following The most remarkable Passages that I find at their Tryals and Examinations are briefly related as followeth Thomas Tomkins a Weaver dwelling in Shoreditch a man accounted by such as were acquainted with him Zealous and Godly The Examination of Thomas Tomkins much given to Prayer during the time of his Imprisonment which was half a year the Bishop Bonner beat him sorely about the Face and pluckt him by the Beard being long and caused his Beard to be Shaved off but though the rage of the Bishop was great the constancy and patience of the poor man was as great for he was not moved at the Bishops cruelty the Bishop seeing the course he had taken would no wayes prevail he fell from Beating to Burning for having a great Candle burning in his Hall at Fulham he took Tomkins by the Fingers ends holding his hand over the flame of the Candle trying him whether he would Recant but with patience he bore this cruelty also until Doctor Harpsfield standing by moved with pity told Bonner he had tryed him enough and then Bonner let his Fingers go The last time Thomas Tomkins appeared before Bonner there were several other Bishops present one of which earnestly exhorted him to leave off his Opinions to whom he answered I was Born and brought up in Ignorance until of late years and now I know the Truth I shall continue in the same until Death which Bonner hearing thought it time to pass Sentence upon him and as he had begun to burn his Hand so sentenced his Body to be burnt delivering him to the Sheriff of London who carried him to Newgate where he remained untill the 16th day of the Moneth called March and then sealed his Faith in the Flames The 26th day of the aforesaid Moneth followed the Martyrdom of another of these six persons viz. VVilliam Hunter a Zeal ous Young man for Religion William Hunter Martys who was about the Age of ninteen years when he suffered he was born of godly Parents by whom he was not only Instructed in godliness but also confirmed by them until Death William Hunter being an Apprentize in Coleman-Street in London with one Thomas Taylor a Silk-weaver the beginning of his trouble was for refusing to hear Mass and to receive their Eucharist for which the Priest of the Parish threatned to have him before the Bishop his Master fearing lest he should come to suffer by reason of Williams not conforming desired him to depart from him whereupon William went home to his Fathers to Burntwood in Essex where after he had remained a little time happening to go into the Chappel of Burntwood and finding a Bible lying upon a Desk he read therein while he was reading one Atwell a Sumner coming in reproved him saying Wherefore meddlest thou with the Bible William answered I read in it for my comfort Atwell replyed It was never a good World since the Bible came abroad in England William answered say not so it liketh me well and I pray God we may have the Bible amongst us continually Atwell I perceive you are one of them that mislikes the Queens Laws and therefore you came from London but you must turn another Leaf or else you will Broyl for it and in a fury went away saying he would fetch one that should talk with him and went to an Ale-house hard by and fetch out the Viccar of Soutweld who coming into the Chappel and hearing William read said Sirrah who gave thee leave to read in the Bible William answered I read for my Comfort and shall read while I Live and told the Viccar He ought rather to encourage then discourage people in reading the Scriptures Viccar Doth This become thee to tell me what I have to do thou Heretick William Hunter said I am no Heretick Vâ—ccar What sayst thou to the blessed Sacrament of the Altar believest thou in it and that the bread and wine is transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ William Hunter I learn no such thing in the Scriptures as you speak of you understand Christs Words much like the Carnal Cappernâ—tes who thought that Christ would have given them his
Mass this is the most unshamfaced Heretick that ever I heard speak Smith Well sworn my Lord you keep a good Watch. Bonner Well Mr. Controler you catch me at my Words but I well Watch thee as well I warrent thee John Mordant being by said By my Troth my Lord I never heard the like in all my life but I pray you my Lord mark well his answer for Baptism he disalloweth therein holy Oyntment Salt and such other laudable Ceremonies which no Christian man will deny Smith That is a shameful Blasphemy against Christ so to use any mingle-mangle in your Baptism Bonner I believe I tell thee that if they die before they are Baptized they are damned Smith You shall never be saved by that belief but I pray you my Lord shew me are we saved by Water or by Christ Bonner By both Smith Then the Water died for our Sins and so must you say that the Water hath life and it being our Servant and created for us is our Saviour Bonner Why how understandest thou these Scriptures except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And again suffer saith our Saviour these Children to come unto me if thou wilt not suffer them to be Baptized after the laudable order thou lettest them to come unto Christ Smith Where you alleadge except a man be born c. And will thereby prove the Water to save The Apostle asked the Calathians whether they received the Spirit by the deeds of the Law or by the Preaching of faith And where you say I let the Children from coming unto Christ it is manifest by our Saviours Words that you let them to come that will not suffer them to come without the necessity of Water for he saith suffer them to come unto me and not unto Water and it is not saith St. Peter the washing away of the filth of the Flesh but in a good Conscience converteth unto God and to prove that the Water only bringeth not the holy Ghost it is written that Simon received Water and would have received the holy Ghost for Money and many received the holy Ghost before Baptism and to Judge Children damned that be not Baptized it is Wicked Mordant By our Lady Sir but I believe that if my Child dye without Water he is damned Bonner Yea and so do I and all Catholick men good Master Mordant Smith Well my Lord such Catholick such Salvation Bonner Well Sir what say you to the Sacrament of Orders Smith You may call it the Sacrament of Misorders for all orders are appointed of God but as for your Shaving Anointing Creasing Poling and Rounding there are no such things appointed in Gods Book and therefore I have nothing to do to believe your orders and as for you my Lord if you had grace or intelligence you would not so dis-figure your self as you do Bonner Sayst thou so now by my Troth and I will go shave my self to anger thee withall desiring me before he went to answer to these Articles Bonner What say you to the holy Bread and holy Water to the Sacrament of Anointing and to all the rest of such Ceremonies of the Church Smith I say they be Baubles for Fools to play withall and not for the Children of God to exercise themselves in and therefore they may go among the refuse Then went away M. Mordent and my Lord went to shaving leaving there certain Doctors as he called them to assay what they could do of whom I was baited half an hour of whom I asked this question where were all you in the dayes of King Edward that you spake not that which you speak now Doctor We were in England Smith Yes but then you had the Faces of men but now you have put on Lyons Faces again you shew your selves as full of malice as may be for you have for every time a visor yea and if another King Edward should arise ye would then say down with the Pope for he is Antichrist and so are his Angels Then they reviled me and had me away but brought me before them again and one of them asked me if I disallowed confession Smith To whom I answerd look in my Articles and they will show you what I allow Doctor In your Articles you confess that you allow not auricular Confession Smith I allow it not because the Word alloweth it not nor commandeth it not Doctor Why it is written thou shalt not hide thy Sins and Offences Smith No I do not when I confess them to Almighty God Doctor Why you cannot say that you can hide them from God and therefore your must understand the words are spoken to be uttered to them that do not know them Smith You have made a good answer then must the Priest confess himself to me as I to him for I know his faults and secrcets no more then he knows mine and David said I will confess my Sins unto thee Lord And after some more words passed between me and the Doctors came in the Bishop from shaving and asked me How I liked him Smith Forsooth you are even as wise as you were before you were shaven Bonner Well How standeth it Master Doctors have you done any good Doctor No by my Troth my Lord we can do no good Smith Then it is fulfilled which is written How can an evil Trâ—â— bring forth good Fruit Bonner Nay naughty fellow I set these Gentlemen to bring thee home to Christ Smith Such Gentlemen such Christs and as truly as they have that Name from Christ so truly do they teach Christ Bonner Well wilt thou neither hear them nor me Smith Yes I am compelled to hear you but you cannot compel me to follow you Bonner Well thou shalt be burnt at a Stake in Smithfield if thou wilt not turn Smith And you shall burn in Hell if you repent not But my Lord to put you out of doubt because I am weary I will strain Curtesie with you I perceive you will not with your Doctors come unto me and I am not determined to come unto you by Gods Grace for I have hardned my Face against you as hard as Brass Then after many railing sentences I was sent away And thus have I left the Truth of my Answers in writing being thereunto desired by my Friends that you may see how the Lord hath according to his promise given me a Mouth and Wisdom to answer in his Cause for which I am condemned and my Cause not heard The Substance of the last Examination of Robert Smith before Bishop Bonner with his Condemnation in the Consistory The second day of July I was with my Brethren brought into the Consistory and mine Articles read before the Mayor and the Sheriffs with all the Assistants unto which I answered as followeth Bonner By my faith my Lord Mayor I have shewed him as much favour as any man living might do but I perceive all is lost both in him
good to rost a shoulder of Mutten but evil in the Church whereby Idolatry was committed when the Articles were answered the Chancellor read their Condemnation and so delivered them to the Sheriff to whom John Spicer said now you must be their Butcher that you may be guilty also with them of Innocent Blood before the Lord. The 24th day of the Moneth called March they were had to the place of Execution where they kneeled down and prayed secretly and then being disclothed to their Shirts John Mundrell spoke with a Loud voice Not for all Salsbury which words men judged to be an answer to the Sheriff who offered him the Queens Pardon if he would recant and after this in like manner spake John Spicer This is the joyfullest day that ever I saw Thus did they most constantly give their Bodies to the Fire and their Souls to the Lord for a Testimony to his Truth Six persons burnt in Smithfield About the 23th day of the Moneth called April 1556 were burned in Smithfield at one Fire these six persons viz. Robert Drakes William Tymis Richard Spurge Thomas Spurge John Cavel Q. Mary An. 1556 and George Ambross they were all of Essex and so of the Diocess of London they were sent up at sundry times by Lord Rich and others and by Gardner Bishop of Winchester then Lord Chancellor of England committed some to the Marshal-sea and some to the Kings-Bench where they remained almost the whole year before they were brought to Examination Some Passages in their Examination are as followeth After six or seven hours discourse between the Bishop of London and Bath with William Tymis they were weary and began to pity Tymis's case and to slater him saying Ah good Fellow thou art bold and thou hast a good fresh Spirit we would thou hadest learning to thy Spirit I thank you said he and both you be learned and I would you had a good Spirit to your learning The Bishop seeing Tymis his hoase part white and part of a sheeps russet in a mocking manner said Ah Sirrah are you a Deacon Yea that I am said he So me thinketh said the Bishop you are decked like a Deacon Said Tymis Me-thinks my Vesture doth not so much vary from a Deacon but your Apparel doth as much vary from an Apostle And one of the Bishops men said Scoffingly my Lord give him a Chair a Tost and Drink and he will be Lusty But the Bishop said Have him away till another time The 28th day of March the aforesaid six Martyrs were brought to the open Consistory in Pauls before Bishop Bonner to be condemned for Heresie Bishop said Tymis I le begin with thee for thou art and hast been the Ring-leader of these thy Companions thou hast taught them Heresies and Confirmed them in their Errâ—ous Opinions endeavouring to make them like thy self Tymis said I Marvel you will begin with a Lye you call me the Ring-leader and Teacher of this Company There is none of all these my Brethren which are brought hither as Prisoners but when they were at liberty and out of Prison dissented from you and your doings as much as they do now and for that cause they are now Prisoners so that they learned not their Religion in Prison and as for me I never knew them till I was committed Prisoner with them and as for my fault which you make so greivous whatsoever you judge of me I am well assured that I hold no other Religion then Christ Preached the Apostles Witnessed the Primitive Church received and now of late hath been faithfully taught by Evangelical Preachers for which you have cruelly burned them and now you seek our Blood also proceed on hardly by what rule you will I fear not Then the Bishop proceeded to pass the Sentence upon him and then upon the rest and after he had condemned them he ridded his bloody hands of them delivering them to the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained till the 14th day of the Moneth called April and then sealed their Faith with their Blood The Substance of a Letter of William Tymis to his Friends in Hookly The Grace of God the Father through the Merrits of his dear Son Jesus our Lord and only Saviour with the continual aid of his holy and mighty Spirit to the performance of his will to our Everlasting comfort be with you my dear Brethren both now and evermore Amen My dearly beloved I beseech God to reward the great goodness that you have shewed unto me seven fold into your Bosoms and as you have alwayes had a most godly love unto his Word even so I beseech him to give you grace to love your own Souls and then I trust that you will flee from all those things that should displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhor all the Company of these that would have you to Worship God any otherwise then is contained in his holy Word and beware of those Masters of Idolatry that is these Papistical Priests My dear Brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I have said unto you and also written the which I am now ready to seal with my Blood I praise God that ever I lived to see the day and blessed be my good and mercifull God that ever he gave me a body to glorifie his Name And dear hearts I do now write unto you for none other cause but to put you in rememberance that I have not forgot you to the end that I would not have you forget me but to remember well what I have simply by word of Mouth and Writing taught you the which although it were most simply done yet truely as your own Conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own Conscience doth condemn therefore come out of Sodom and go to Heaven-ward with the Servants and Martyrs of God least you be partakers of the Vengeance of God that is coming upon this Wicked Nation from the which the Lord God defend you c. Thus now I take my leave of you forever in this World except I be burned amongst you which thing is uncertain unto me as yet By me your poorest and most unworthy Brother in Christ William Tymis in Newgate the 12th day of April condemned to die for Christs Truth Joan Beech of Tumbridge and John Harpool of Rochester were both condemned for the Truth of the Gospel by Morrice Bishop of Rochester and were Sufferers together at one Fire in Rochester the first day of the Moneth called April 1556. The next day after suffered in the like Cause at Cambridge one John Hullier Some Sentences taken out of a Letter written by the said John Hullier are as followeth John Hullier being of long time Prisoner and now openly judged for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus wisheth heartily to the whole Congregation of God the strength of
Benden one of the seven being brought before one Roberts of Crambrook who askt her Why she would not go to Church because Seven more burnt at Canterbury said she I cannot with a clear Conscience there is so much Idolatry committed there against the glory of God for the which she was committed to Prison but her Husband being troubled at it got a Certificate from some of the chief men of Staplehurst to the Bishop of Dover desiring her liberty When she came before the Bishop he askt her If she would go home and go to Church she said If I would have so done I need not to come hither Well said the Bishop Go thy wayes home and go to Church when thou wilt thereupon she was set at Liberty but shortly after she was again committed for the same cause and her Husband went again to desire her liberty but the Bishop told him She was an obstinate Heretick and therefore he could not deliver her then her Husband desired the Bishop that he would keep her Brother from coming to her for said he he relieves her and comforts her and perswades her not to recant this request was no sooner made but it was granted by the Bishop who commanded that she should be put into a place called Mundayes-Hole being a Vault under ground and gave a strict charge that if her Brother came at her he should be apprehended however he used what means he could to find where she was and to get at her and one morning hearing her voice as she was pouring out her sorrowfull complaints unto the Lord he invented a way how he might relieve her which was by putting Money in a loaf of bread and sticking the same upon a pole and so reaching it to her and this was five weeks after her coming thither all which time no Creature was known to come at her except her Keeper her Lodging in this Vault was only upon a little Straw between a pair of Stocks and a Stone-wall being allowed three farthings a day that is half Peny Bread and a Farthing Drink neither could she get any more for her Money wherefore she desired to have her whole allowance in Bread and used Water for her drink and thus she lay nine weeks without shifting her apparel all the time at her first committing to this place she much lamented her condition dolefully mourning that the Lord should so sequester her from her Friends but in the midst of her Supplications she considered the Right hand of the most high could change all and received comfort therein shortly after she was called before the Bishop again who askt her Whether she would go home and go to Church she replyed your extremity towards me hath thorowly satisfied me that you are not of God who seeks my utter Destruction shewing him how lame she was with lying in the cold and for lack of Food then the Bishop sent her from that filthy hole to Westgate Prison and shortly after she was called before the Bishop and others who condemned her and committed her to the Castle Prison where she continued till the 19th day of the Moneth called June and then with six others aforementioned was burnt in Canterbury The Substance of the Examinations and Answers of Matthew Plaise Weaver of the Parish of Stone Examination of Matthew Plaise in the County of Kent before Thomas Thornton Bishop of Dover and others When he came before the Bishop he askt him where he dwelt he answered at Stone in Kent Then said the Bishop You are indicted by twelve men at Ashford at the Sessions for Heresie Matthew That 's sooner said then proved and said let me hear it and I will answer to it Then the Bishop said He would not do so but you shall answer to the Article against you yea or nay Matthew answered he could not for I was not at Ashford said he but I perceive you go about to lay a Net for my Blood Arch-Deacon said Peace Peace we do not desire thy Blood and said you are suspected of Heresie and therefore we would have you confess what you believe concerning these Articles and the Bishop charged him again in the King and Queens Name to answer yea or nay to the Articles Mathew Then I commanded him in his Name that should come in Flaming Fire with his mighty Angels to render Vengance to the Disobedient and to all those that believed not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which should be punisht with Everlasting Damnation that he should speak nothing but the Truth Grounded upon Christ and his Apostles and then I would answer him or else not Then the Bishop was angry and said If you will not answer I will condemn you Matthew Well said I if you do you shall be guilty of my blood and prove your self a Murderer The Bishop further Examined him concerning the Catholick Church and said Tell me whether is the King and Queen of that Church or not Matthew Well said I now I perceive you go about to be both mine Accuser and Judge contrary to all right I confess Christ hath a Church upon Earth which is built upon the Apostles and Prophets Christ being the Head thereof and as touching the King and Queen I answer I have nothing to do with any mans Faith but mine own Then said the Bishop Is there no part of that Church here in England Matthew Well I perceive you would fain have something to lay to my charge I will tell you what Christ saith where two or three is gathered together in his Name there is he in the midst of them Then the Arch-Deacon stood up and in a mocking manner said You have no wit to think that we have been deceived so long time Q. Mary An. 1557. and that the Truth is only made known to half a dozen of you in a Corner and read the Article of the Sacrament and said you deny the real Presence to be in the Sacrament after Consecration much talk they had about this point but at last the Bishop was so angry that he said If you will not answer yea or nay I will condemn you Mathew said I have answered and if you condemn me my life is not dear unto me and I am sure you shall not escape unpunished for God will be revenged upon such Murderers Then the Deacon entreated him to be ruled by him and take Mercy while it was Offered for if you are condemned you must be burnt And whether he died in Prison or was burnt no mention is made in the Register Ten persons burnt in Sussex On the 22th day of the Moneth called June in the year 1557. Ten persons were burnt for Religion in Lewis in Sussex viz. Richard Woodman George Stevens William Mainard Alex. Hoseman's Servant Tomazin Wood Margery Morris James Morris her Son Dennis Burgis Ashdon's Wife and Grove's Wife The Sufferings and Principal Heads and Matter of the Examination of Richard Woodman being written by his
dignity Estate or calling by Office soever he or they be may use Lordship or Power over any man for Faith or Conscience-sake By what lawful authority or power any man of what dignity estate or calling soever he or they be may be so held as to alter or change the holy Ordinances of God or any of them or any part of them By what evident tokens Anti-christ and his Ministers may be known seeing it is written that Satan can change himself into the simillitudo of an Angel of Light What is the Beast which maketh War with the Saints of God and doth not only kill them but also will suffer none to buy nor sell but such as worship his Image or receive his mark in their right-hands or in their fore-heads his Name or the number of his Name or do worship his Image which by the just and terrible Sentence of God already decreed shall perish in Fire and Brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and they shall have no rest day nor night but the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for evermore Also what is the Gordious Glittring Whâ—re that sitteth upon the Beast with a Golden Gup in her hand full of Abominations with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication and the Inhabitants of the Earth and she her self also is drunken with the blood of the Saints which is the Wine of her Fornication whose flesh the â—orns of the Beast shall tare in pieces and burn her with Fire At the last time of his appearing at the Consistory before the Bishop the Bishop asking him If be knew any cause why Sentence should not be past against him He answered That they had nothing against him justly to condomn him for the Bishop replyed saying He was an evil man Richard Gibson answered I may say so of you also Then the Bishop hastning on to his Sentence Admonisht him to remember himself and save his Soul Gibson told the Bishop He would not hear his babbling and said further blessed am I that am cursed at yours hands and so the Sentence was read against him and he was committed to Prison and shortly after was burnt with the two before mentioned At the bottom of his Articles he incerted these two Scripture following Ascribe unto the Lord Oh ye mighty ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength give unto the Lord the Honour of his Name and bow your selves to the Majesty of the Lord. I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he shall spake peace unto his people that they turn not themselves unto foolishness April the 6th 1557. By me Richard Gibson John Rough Margaret Mearing Martryrs In this furious time of Persecution J. Rough and Margaret Mearing were also burnt at London on the 22th day of the Moneth called December this John Rough was born in Scotland and in his zeal for the Truth he abhorred the Idolatry and Superstition in Religion practiced in that Country and therefore traveled into England where after the death of King Edward the sixth perceiving the alteration that was like to be in Religion and the Persecution that would thereupon arise and looking at his own weakness fled with his Wife into Freezland where they laboured with their hands for their maintenance but shortly after he returned again into England and arriving at London he heard of a Society of godly People that assembled privately in Religious Exercise to whom he joyned himself and continued Exercising his gift in preaching unto them until he was through the treachery of a false Brother betrayed and apprehended by the Vice-Chamberlain of the Queens House being taken at a religious Meeting at the Sarrisons head in Islington after Examination before the Council he was sent to Newgate and his Examination in a Letter to Bonner to proceed against him as an Heretick Bonner being minded to make quick dispatch with him within three dayes after the receipt of the Letter sent for him from Newgate to his Palace at London where he had several Articles ready drawn up against him for denying the seven Sacraments the Latine Service and the Popes Supremacy c. After he had answered to these Articles he was dismissed till next day and then he was brought again before the Bishop and others who perceiving his constancy to his profession they ordered him to be brought the next day to the open Consistory and there condemned him as an Heretick and delivered him to the Secular Power who sent him to Newgate and shortly after he was burnt in Smithfield Q. Mary An. 1558. at half an hour past five a clock in the morning A Letter written by John Rough unto certain of his Friends confirming and strengthening them in the Truth The comfort of the holy Ghost make you able to give consolation unto others in these dangerous dayes when Satan is let loose but to the tryal only of the chosen when it pleaâ—eth our God to sift his Wheat from the Chaff I have not leasure and time to writ the great Temptations I have been under I speak to Gods Glory my care was to have the sences of my Soul opened to perceive the voice of God saying Whosoever denyeth me before men him will I deny before my Father and his Angels and to save the life Corporal is to lose the life Eternal and he that will not suffer with Christ shall not reign with him therefore most tender Ones I have by Gods Spirit given over the Flesh with the fight of my Soul and the Spirit hath the victory the Flesh shall now ere it be long leave off to sin the Spirit shall reign Eternally I have chosen the death to confirm the Truth by me taught what can I do more Consider with your selves that I have done it for the confirmation of Gods Truth pray that I may continue unto the end the greatest part of my assault is past I praise my God I have in all my assaults felt the present aid of my God I give him most hearty thanks for it look not back nor be ashamed of Christs Gospel nor of the Bonds I have suffered for the same thereby you may be assured it is the true Word of God the holy Ones have been sealed with the same Mark. It s no time for the loss of one man in the Battel for the Camp to turn back up with mens hearts blow down the daubed Walls of Heresie let one take the Banner and another the Trumpet I mean not to make corporal resistance but pray and ye shall have Elias's defence Elizeas Company to right for you the cause is the Lords Now my Brethren I can write no more time will not suffer and my heart with Pangs of Death is assaulted but I am at home with my God yet alive pray for me and satute one another with a holy Kiss the Peace of God rest with you all Amen From Newgate Prison in haste the day of my Condemnation John Rough.
other Heresie Schism Rebellion Treason or Faction and whatsoever else is contrary to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel or the Prosperity and good estate of this Realm our only desire is so to serve God as that we may please him with reverence and fear abstaining and keeping our Souls and Bodies from all remnants of the Roman Religion Idolatry Imposition and vain will-worship of what sort soever We witness against the unlawful pompous Hierarchy and Priesthood of this Nation as utterly disagreeing from the Testament of Christ and Ministry there appointed in their Offices Callings Administrations and Lord like Livings and Maintenance against the confuse prophane and irreligious multitude of all sorts of vitious Livers baptized into and retained in the Body of the Church of England without voluntary profession of and holy walking in the Faith of the Gospel against their manner of Worship and Service by reading Prayers out of a Book instead of true Spiritual invocation on the Name of the Lord and briesly against all their Popish Abuses and Relicks of the man of sin whatsoever And because this our Testimony maketh against the irregular Authority of the Prelates reproveth their evil Actions and disproveth their Pomp Stateliness Rich Revenues Stipends c. therefore have they in all hostile manner set themselves against us Persecuting us unto Bands Exile and Death it self reproaching us as Schismaticks Donatists Prownists Seditions persons c. though they could never convince us of these or any the like crimes and though we have not ceased neither by Gods Grace will cease to wish and procure good to their Souls and Bodies in the Lord now therefore our humble Request is unto your Majesty Honours and Worships that notwithstanding these differences we may be suffered to return into our native Country there to live in Peace practizing the Faith of Christ which we profess and have long since set forth to the view of the World in our publick Confession wherein none hitherto have shewed us any Error and seeing the People of other Nations are by your Majesty and Honours suffered in this Realm though differing from the Ecclesiastical state of the same we hope that your Highness Natural and Loyal Subjects may find like favour at your hands for although we cannot but hold and Witness the Truth of God against the corruptions remaining yet hold we in no wise lawful for our selves or any Subjects to attempt the reforming or abolishing of these or any the like abuses for God hath committed the Sword into your Majesties hand alone who in his time will perswade we trust your Royal heart to fulfil his will and execute his Judgments upon the Remainders of the Spiritual Babylon which will turn to as great Honour to God Honour to your Majesty and good of this Realm as the abolishing of Abbats Munks Fryart Mass Images c. hath turned heretofore So the Lord of Lords and Ruler of Rulers of the Earth will establish your Crown and Kingdom unto Length of dayes and howsoever this our Suit shall be regarded we will not cease in all places of our Pilgrimage to pray for and procure the good of your Majesty your Honours Worships and all our Country whom God Almighty bless with Long Life and happy dayes on Earth and Crown with Everlasting Glory in the highest Heavens Amen I find that in the year 1604. in this Kings Reign four Persons were banished the Land of England after they had suffered three Moneths Imprisonment for no other cause but seperating themselves from the Church of England refusing to Communicate joyn or pertake with the same in their publick Ministry and Worship reputing many corruptions to be still remaining amongst them which were derived from Popery And thus I have given an Account of such as suffered for Religion in those times and now to conclude I have this further to write by what I have observed upon Histories in several Ages viz. That while any People were under Suffering and Oppression for their Consciences endeavouring to serve and worship God in that Way they believed to be most agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth then the publick Way established in the Kingdom whilst they travelled under this Bondage and Suffering they were low in their minds and the Lord had regard unto them for their hearts were tender and the Lord appeared for them and now when the Lord had tryed this People and at last put Power into their hands and raised them as it were from a low estate they soon forgot his kind dealings with them as for Example the Independants and Presbyterians some of whom I have seen neer forty years since dregged out of their Meetings in private Houses and their Cloathes tore and their Faces covered as it were with dirt and their blood spilt and in this suffering condition they made many Covenants and Vowes to the Lord but this very People afterwards coming into Places of Authority and killing and taking Possession got themselves into the High-Places of the Earth and soon forgot their time of deep Sufferings and being exalted into Goverment they tread in the same steps those had trodden that were their great Persecutors and then they turn'd as riggid Persecutors if not worse then those they had turned out as witness the Innocent Blood they shed both in Old-England and New whose Cruelty under the Visor of a more righteous Cloak is too large here to insert but will be matter sufficient for another Volum and therefore I here conclude this AN ACCOUNT OF THE Just Iudgments of God INFLICTED UPON PERSECUTORS Wherein is shewed The Wicked Lives and most horrible Untimely Deaths of many of the Persecutors of Old Collected out of Ancient Histories and out of the Scriptures CHAP. I The remarkable and righteous Judgments of God which have befaln several Persecutors for Conscience sake mentioned in the Old Testament THe Old Serpent the Devil The Old Serpent who was the first Persecutor for Righteousness sake that ever was in the World who for that very cause hath hunted after the blood of the Saints even from the beginning unto this day was for his Persecution cursed of God above all Creatures Gen. 3.14 Cain persecuted his godly Brother Abel until Death Cain and that for no other cause but for Righteousness sake even because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Good and Righteous 1 John 3. 12. was therefore cursed of God with a bitter curse even from the Presence of God and from the Earth and made a Fugative and Vagabond in the Earth yea so great was his punishment that he said It was greater then he could bear Gen. 4.11 12 13. Ishmael was another Persecutor for he was a Mocker of his Brother Isaac Ishmael the true Seed of God and therefore was cast out with his Mother out of the Family of the Faithful that he might have no part in the Inheritance in the true Seed unto whom the Promise was made Gen. 12.9 10
And now I shall give a short Account of the severe punishment that God inflicted upon several Persecutors of his People from time to time in this Queens reign which are not already inserted in this Book Doctor Dunning Chancellor of Norwich a bloody man who condemned several Innocent persons Chancellor of Norwich in the midst of his rage died suddainly as it is said siting in his Chair Bishop Thornton The like Judgment fell upon Bishop Thornton Suffragan of Dover who after he had exercised great cruelty in Persecuting at length upon a Sunday so called looking upon his men playing at Bowls fell suddainly in a Palsie and being had to Bed was put in mind to remember God Yea said he so I do and my Lord Cardinal too and so died After he was dead the Cardinal ordained another Bishop in his room who being at Greenwich after he had received the Cardinals blessing going down a pair of Stairs from the Chamber he fell down and broak his Neck to these Examples also may be added the terrible Judgment of God upon the Parson at Crundall in Kent who having received the Popes Pardon from Cardinal Poole coming home to his Parish exhorted the People to receive the same saying That he now stood as clear in his Conscience as when he was first born and mattered not if he died the same hour he spoke it whereupon being suddainly stricken by the Hand of God and leaning a little on the one side immediately shrunk down in the Pulpit and so was found dead not speaking one word more Not long before the death of Queen Mary died Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisbury Persecutor about the which time also followed the unprepared death of Doctor Jeffery Chancellor of Salisbury who not long before his death had caused above ninety persons to be summoned to appear before him to the end he might Examine them by Inquisition concerning their Religion but by the Providence of God he was prevented from executing the evil he intended against them for in the midst of his buildings he was suddainly taking away by the mighty Hand of God And now to come from Priests to Laymen where first an Account is given of one Woodrove Woodrove Sheriff of London who was Sheriff of London who rejoyced much at the death of the Innocent and was very cruel in his Office for when one Rogers was going in a Cart towards Smithfield to be burnt and in the way his Children being brought to him because the Car-man stopped his Cart that he might speak to them he caused the Car-mans head to be broke but what happened within a week after this Sheriff came out of his Office he was suddainly smote by the hand of God the one half of his Body being benumed and lay Bedrid and in this infirmity he continued seven or eight years till his dying day The Keeper of Newgate Alexander the keeper of Newgate a cruel Enemy to those that lay there for Religion died very miserably being so swelled that he was more like a Monster then a man and so rotten within that no man could abide the smell of him this cruel Wretch to hasten the poor Lambs to the Slaughter would go to Bonner Story Cholmley and others Crying out Rid my Prison Rid my Prison I am too much pestered with these Hereticks The Keeper of Newgate Son James the Son of the said Alexander having left unto him by his Father great Substance within three years wasted all to nought and when some marvelled how he spent those goods so fast Oh said he Evil gotten Evil spent and shortly after as he went to Newgate-market he fell down suddenly and there wretchedly died His Son in Law John Peter Son in law to this Alexander an horrible Blasphemer of God and no less cruel to the said Prisoners he commonly when he would affim any thing were it true or false used to say If it be not true I pray God I rot ere I dye accordingly he did rot away and so died most miserably Cardinal Pool The next day after the death of Queen Mary died Cardinal Pool of what disease although it be uncertain to many it was suspected that he took some Italian Physicâ—k that did him no good The sudden death of many more Persecutors might be mentioned who were cut off in this Queens time and before but by what is incerted may be seen that the Lord was against those persecuting Priests and Bishops A Relation of the end of Docter Story a bloody Persecutor of Christs Members Doctor Story This Doctor Story was an Arch-Enemy to and a bloody Persecutor of Gods people when Queen Mary dyed Queen Elizabeth staying the Sword of Persecution from raging any further caused this Docter Story to be apprehended and committed to Prison where after a little while being detained he broke out of Prison and fled beyond Sea where getting into favour and growing familiar with the Duke de Alva in Antwerp of whom he received a special Commission to search for English Books and in this Authority he continued for a time by which means he did much hurt and brought many into trouble and perril of their lives Raging in his persecuting blood-thirsty cruelty but when the measure of Iniquity was full the Lord proceeded against him in Judgment and cut him off which was after this manner Some in England being concerned to hear of his wicked behaviour towards Innocent people sent over one Parker a Merchant to Antwerp who had undertaken some means to convey Story into England Parker arriving at Antwerp got some privately to inform Doctor Story that in such an English Ship he might find store of English Books Story hearing this suspecting nothing made haste towards the Ship as to a prey and coming on board said he came to search for Heretical Books and being between Decks they claped down the Hatches upon him and hoysted up their Sayles and brought him away into England where for saying that he was a sworn Subject to the King of Spain and no Subject to the Queen of England he was condemned to be hanged and accordingly was Executed CHAP. V. The just Judgments of God upon several Persecutors in Forreign Parts IN the English Translation of the History of John Carion Fol. 250. he writeth concerning the Death of John Eckins as followeth Anno. 1553. John Eckins this Year saith he died at Ingeldstate Doctor Eckins a faithful Servant and Champion of the Pope and a Defender of the abominable Papacy But as his Life was full of all Ungodliness Uncleanness and Blasphemy so was his end Miserable Hard and Pitiful for his last words were these In case said he the four thousand Gilders were ready the matter were dispatched dreaming belike of some Cardinal Ship that he should have bought now what an end this was I leave it to the Readers judgment John wanderwarfe a Bastard son of a Stock or Kindred called Warfe John Wanderwarfe a
to sin in yielding a Conformity contrary to their own Faith for whatsoever is not of a mans own Faith is sin 12. Because that Imposition and Force wrestles with flesh and blood and carnal Weapons which are contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said Our Weapons are not Carnal but Spiritual and Mighty through God and we wrestle not with Flesh and Blood 13. Because there is but One Judge Law giver and King in and over the Conscience as the Saints have testified in the Scriptures of Truth and whosoever would intrude so as to be Judge and Lawgiver over the Conscience intrencheth upon the Perogative of Christ Isa 33. 22. James 4.12 14. Because it is prophesied in Isa 11. The Woâ—lf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and there shall be no Destroyer in all the Holy Mountain And therefore no Imposition upon mens Consciences 15. Because to impose upon mens Consciences for differences in Faith is contrary to the Advice of the Apostle who directs People to wait upon God to be satisfied and not to the Magistrates or others to be forced who saith Whereunto we have attained let us walk and wherein any man is otherwise minded God shall reveal even that unto him 16. Because to force mens Consciences and to lay Yoaks upon them is to make void the Bloodshed and Sufferings of Christ who fits upon the Throne of the Conscience and gives liberty there and commands us to stand fast in that liberty and not to be entangled through the Impositions of men or Yoke of bondage â—alat 5.6 17. Because in all Nations the different Professions and Perswasions of Religion are either Friends or Enemies to the Governors if Friends then obliged by that bond if Enemies then Christ's Command is to take place who saith Love your Enemies which if observed Persecution for Conscience will be avoided 18. Because Toleration of different Perswasions in Religion was allowed in the Jewish State as not inconsistant with their Safety and that in things contrary each to other as the Sadduces Pharisees Esaeans Herodians with others 19. Because the true Religion cannot be preached up by force of ARMES and the primitive Christians detested that Form of Proceedings 20. Because no man hath such power by outward compulsion over the Souls and Consciences of other men as to lay a necessity on them to believe that which they do not believe or not to believe what they do believe true Faith being the Gift of God 21. Because If the Magistrate imposeth upon the Conscience he must either do it as a Magistrate or as a Christian Not as a Magistrate for then Heathens being Magistrates have the same power to impose and so by Revolutions and Conquests may come to give Laws to Christians and compel them to Idolatry 2. Not as Christians for that contradicts Christ's saying The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but it shall not be so among you for all ye are Erethren 22. Because by the same Rule and Reason that the Magistrates of one Nation ought to impose upon and persecute for Conscience the Magistrates in all other Nations ought to do the same and so the greatest part of Mankind may come to be destroyed there being more that Dissent then are at Unity in Metters of Faith and Religion 23. Because the strength of Truth and its Conquest over Falsity and Deceit is best discovered by letting both have their Liberty from outward Compulsion For no doubt had outward Force been less used the prevalency of Truth had been more manifest and that wise Saying truly experienced in the World viz. That which is of God will stand and that which is not will come to nothing 24. Because the Disciples of Christ are rebuked by him for desiring the Destruction of those that were contrary to him and would not receive Him which zeal is sharply reproved in his Saying They knew not what Spirit they were of 25. Because to impose upon mens Consciences and to destroy their Persons for difference in Religion is contrary to the end of Christ's coming who saith He came not to Destroy mens Lives but to save them 26. Because People of divers Religions in one Nation if not tolerated must some of them be destroyed or removed by banishment If destroyed the Constancy and Patience of the Sufferers for their Faith moving Pity and Commiseration makes men more ready to own then to reject their Faith and so rather multiplies then lessens the number of its Professors if banished this renders the Banished as so many Enemies abroad ready upon all occasions to disturb the Peace and Tranquillity of their own native Country There is therefore in order to the outward welfare of all Nations a kind of necessity for a Toleration in them of all Religions 27. Because to impose upon mens Consciences begets a hatred against the Imposers in those who are imposed upon and forced thereby to violate their Consciences towards God in matters of Worship 28. Because men are commanded to be subject to the Powers that are for Conscience sake and therefore such Powers ought not to persecute men for Conscience sake being that is prescribed for the Rule of Obedience the Scriptures saying Be ye subject not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake SECT IX Several Sayings collected from the Speeches and Writings of King Charles the First ANd we find asserted by King Charles the â—â—rst in his Book known by the Name of ΕΙΚΩΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ as followeth Pag. 67. In his Prayer to God he said Thou seeft how much Cruelty among Christians is acted under the colour of Religion as if we could not be Christians unless we crucific one another Pag. 28. Make them at length seriously to consider that nothing violent and injurious can be religious Pag. 70. Nor is it so proper to hew out religious Reformations by the Sword as to pollish them by fair and equal Disputations among those that are most concerned in the Differences whom not Force but Reason ought to convince Sure in Matters of Religion those Truths gain most upon mens Judgments and Consciences which are least urg'd with Secular Violence which weakens Truth with Perjudices Pag. 115. It being an Office not only of Humanity rather to use Reason then Force but also of Christianity to seek Peace and ensue it Pag. 91 92 In point of true conscientious tenderness I have often declared how little I desire my Laws and Scepter should intrench on God's Soveraignty which is the only King of mens Consciences Pag. 123. Nor do I desire any man should be further subject unto me then all of us may be subject unto God Concerning Oaths P. 76. The injoyning of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtful be Dangerous as in things unlawful Damnable Some words of Advice from CHARLES the First to the then Prince of Wales now King of England c. Pag. 165. My Counsel and Charge to you is That you seriously
consider the former real or objected Miscariages which might occasion my Troubles that you may avoid them c. Beware of Exasperating any Factions by the Crosness and Asperity of some mens Passions Humors and private Opinions imployed by you grounded only upon differences in lesser matters which are but the Skirts and Subburbs of Religion wherein a Charitable Connivance and Christian Toleration often Dissipates their strength when rougher Opposition Fortifies and puts the despised and oppressed party into such Combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their Persecutors who are commonly assisted by that vulgar commisseration which attends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion Pag. 166. Take heed that outward Circumstances and Formalities of Religion devour not all Pag. 164. Your Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting rather then exacting the rigour of the Laws there being nothing worse then Legal Tyranny To these Sayings we add more as Collected out of the same Book in Duodecimo IN his Prayer Pag. 1. O never suffer me for any reason of State to go against the Reason of Conscience which is highly to sight against thee the God of Reason and Judge of our Consciences Page 121. Break in sunder Oh Lord all violent Confederations to do wickedly and injuriously Pag. 136. Thou Oh Lord shalt destroy them that speak Lyes the Lord will abhor both the Blood thirsty and Deceitful men P. 164. Church Affairs should be mannaged neither with Tyranny Parity nor Popularity neither people oppressed P. 168. He declares his willingness for fair satisfaction unto all and against Covetousness and Superstition Pag. 171. Oh thou that art the God of Reason and Peace soften our hearts and perswade us to accept of Peace with thy self and both to secure and preserve Peace among our selves as men and Christians Condemn us not to our passions which are destructive both of our selves and others Clear up our Understandings to see thy Truth both in Reason as men and in Religion as Christians Page 180. Stir up all parties Pious Ambitions to overcome each other with Reason Moderation and such Self-denial as becomes c. P. 200. O thou Soveraign of our Souls the only Commander of our Consciences And further in his Advice to the Prince of Wales now KING c. Pag. 234. The best Government and highest Soveraignity you can attain unto is To be subject to God that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit may rule in your heart P. 239. He pleads for better Arguments for Convincement then Tumults Armies and Prisons Pag. 241. Alwayes keep up sollid Piety and those Fundamental Truths which mend both hearts and lives of men with impartial Favour and Justice Pag. 242. My Charge and Counsel to you is that as you need no palliations for any design so that you studdy really to exceed in true and constant Demonstrations of Goodness Piety and Vertue towards the people even all these men that make the greatest noise and ostentations of Religion so you shall neither fear any detection as they do who have but the Mask of Goodness nor shall you frustrate the just Expectations of your people Pag. 243. Use all Princely Arts and Clemency to heal the Wounds that the Smart of the Cure may not equal the Anguish of the hurt Pag. 244. As your quality sets you beyond any Duel with any Subject so the nobleness of your mind must raise you above the meditating any revenge or executing your Anger upon the many Pag. 248. Keep you to true Principles of Piety Vertue and Honour you shall never want a Kingdom In his Meditations on his Death p. 346. It is indeed a sad fate for any man to have his Enemies to be Accuser Parties and Judge SECT X. Several Promises and Declarations for the Liberty of tender Consciences taken out of the Speeches of King Charles the Second IN the Kings Letter from Bredah that was sent to the House of Peers and read in the House May the first 1660. and which Letter was ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled that it should be forthwith printed and published for the service of the House and satisfaction of the Kingdoms it is said in the Book of Collections of the Kings Speeches Page 8 and 9. And because the passion and uncharitableness of the times have produced several Opinions in Religion by which men are engaged in Parties and Animosities against each other which when they shall hereafter unite in a freedom of Conversation will be composed or better understood We do declare a liberty to tender Consciences and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences in Opinion in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon Mature deliveration shall be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence And in the Kings Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs which was dated October the 25th 1660. it is said In a word we do again renew what we have formerly said in our Declaration from Bredah for the liberty of tender Consciences That no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and if any have been disturbed in that kind since our arival here it hath not proceeded from any direction of ours And it is said We do in the first place declare Our Purpose and Resolution is and shall be to promote the Power of Godliness and to encourage the Exercise of Religion both in publique and private And in the same Declaration it is said Our present Consideration work is To gratifie the private Consciences of those who are grieved with the use of some Ceremonies by indulging to and dispensing with the omitting these Ceremonies In the Kings Speech to both houses of Parliament the 8th of July 1661. It is to put my self in mind as well as you That I so often I think so often as I come to you mention to you my Declaration from Bredah And let me put you in mind of another Declaration published by your selves about the same time and which I am perswaded made mine the more effectual An Honest Generous and Christian Declaration signed by the most eminent Persons who had been the most eminent Sufferers in which you remounced all former Animosities memory of former Unkindnesses And my Lords Gentlemen let it be in no mans power to charge me or you with the breach of our Words or Promises which can never be a good Ingredient to our future security And in the Chancellors Speech to both Houses May 8. 1661. It is said He told you but now meaning the King that he valued himself much upon keeping his word upon performing all that he promiseth to his People And also in the Kings discourse with Richard Hubberthorn soon after he arrived
in England he said Well of this you may be assured That you shall none of you suffer for your Opinions or Religion so long as you live peaceably and you have the Word of a King for it and I also have given forth a Declaration to the same purpose That none shall Wrong you or Abuse you And further in the Kings Declaration dated December 26. 1662. wherein he declares first his wonderful Restoration without the least blood shed by the Military Sword And he expresseth his Clemency or the Clemency of his Nature And he vindicates himself from divers suggestions of disaffccted Persons particularly from that of intending to subject Persons and Estates to revenge or spoil c. and from intending to introduce a Military or Arbitrary way of Government Also he expresses these words as a malicius Scandal viz. That having made use of such solemn Promises from Bredah and in several Declarations since of ease and liberty to tender Consciences instead of performing any part of them we have added streighter Fetters then ever And further adds viz. We find it as artificially as maliciously divulged throughout the whole Kingdom that at the same time we deny a fitting Liberty to those other Sects of our Subjects whose Consciences will not allow them to conform to the Religion established we are highly indulgent to Papists even to such a degree of countenance as may even endanger the Protestants Religion These and such like in the said Declaration are related as venomous Insinuations most false and malicious Scandals wicked and malicious Suggestions and the Fomenters of them as the most dangerous Enemies of his Crown and of the Peace Happâ—ness of the Nation And these words are further added viz. It having been always a constant profession of ours That we do and shall ever think our royal dignity and greatness much more happily and securely founded on our own Clemency and our Subjects Loves then in their Fears and our Power To give our People a Testimony of our founding all our security rather in their affections then in any Military Power the sole strength and security we shall ever confide in shall be the hearts and affections of our Subjects indeared and confirmed to us by our Gratious and Steady manner of Government according to the antient known Laws of the Land there being not any one of our Subjects who doth more from his heart abhor then we our selves all sorts of Military and Arbitrary Rule As concerning the non-performance of our Promises we remember well the very words of those from Bredah viz. We do declare a liberty to tender Consciences and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon Mature deliberation shall be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence We remember well the Confirmations we have made of them since upon several occasions in Parliament and as all there things are still fresh in our memory so are we still firm in the Resolution of performing them to the full We do conceive our selves so far engaged both in honour and in what we owe to the Peace of our Dominions which we profess we can never think secure whilst there shall be a colour left to the disaffected to inflame the minds of so many Multitudes upon the scores of Consciences with dispair of ever obtaining any effect of our Promises for their ease Such an Act as in pursuance of our promises the wisdom of our Parliament shall think fit to offer unto us for the ease of tender Consciences We profess it would be grievous unto us to consent to the putting any of our Subjects to death for their Opinions in matter of Religion only Our expressing according to Christian Charity Our dislike of Blood-shed for Religion only Our Parliament is an Assembly so eminent in their Loyalty and their Zeal for the Peace and Prosperity of our Kingdoms can no wayes be doubted in the performance of all our Promises and to the effecting all those gracious intentions which God knows our heart is full of for the PLENTY PROSPERITY and UNIVERSAL SATISFACTION of the NATION We think to give them the most important Marks of our care First In punishing by severe Laws that Licentiousness and Impiety which we find to our great grief hath overspread the Nation And lastly so to improve the good consequence to the advancement of trade that all our Subjects finding the advantage in that Prime foundation of plenty they may all with minds happily composed by our clemency and indulgence instead of taking up thoughts of deserting their professions apply themselves comfortably and with redoubled industry to their several vocations c. Also in the Votes and Advice of the House of Commons Febr. 5. 1662. Upon reading the Kings Declaration and Speech are these words viz. And our hearts are further enlarged in these returns of Thanks-giving when we consider your Majesties most Princely and Heroick professions of relying upon the affections of your People AND ABHORING ALL SORTS OF MILITARY AND ARBITRARY RULE c. And in the Kings Declaration March 15th 1671. Pag. 4. But it being Evident by the sad Experience of twelve years that there is very little fruit of all those forceable courses And in Pag. 8. It s said we do in the next place declare our will and pleasure to be that the Execution of all and all manner of penal Laws in matters Ecclesiastical against whatsoever sort of Non-conformists or Recusants be immediately suspended and they are hereby suspended c. THE END